this Chapter is grown much too big already And to the consideration of the Fruit of this Liberty which I have so long insisted on nothing more needs to be added but the Observation of those Rules which I shall lay down in the following Chapters For whatever Advice will secure the several Parts of our Liberty will consequently secure the whole I will therefore close this Chapter here with a brief Exhortation to endeavour after Deliverance from Sin How many and powerful Motives have we to it Would we free our selves from the Evils of this Life let us dam up the Source of them which is Sin Would we surmount the Fear of Death let us disarm it of its Sting and this is Sin Would we perfect and accomplish our Natures with all excellent Qualities 't is Righteousness wherein consists the Image of God and Participation of the Divine Nature 't is the cleansing our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and the perfecting Holiness in the fear of God that must transform us from Glory to Glory Would we be Masters of the most glorious Fortunes 't is Righteousness that will make us Heirs of God and Joynt-Heirs with Christ 't is the Conquest of our Sins and the abounding in good Works that will make us rich towards God and lay up for us a good Foundation for the Life to come Are we ambitious of Honour let us free our selves from the servitude of Sin 'T is Vertue only that is truly honourable and Praise-worthy and nothing surely can entitle us to so noble a Relation for this allies us to God For as our Saviour speaks they only are the Children of Abraham who do the Works of Abraham the Children of God who do the Works of God These are they who are born again not of the Will of the Flesh or of the Will of Man but of God These are they who are incorporated into the Body of Christ and being ruled and animated by his Spirit are entitled to all the blessed Effects of his Merit and Intercession These are they in a word who have overcome and will one day sit down with Christ in his Throne even as He also overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Good God! how absurd and perverse all our Desires and Projects are We complain of the Evils of the World and yet we hugg the Causes of them and cherish those Vices whose fatal Wounds are ever big with numerous and intollerable Plagues We fear Death and would get rid of this Fear not by disarming but sharpning its Sting not by subduing but forgetting it We love Wealth and Treasure but 't is that which is Temporal not Eternal We receive Honour one of another but we seek not that which comes from God only We are fond of Ease and Pleasure and at the same time we wander from those Paths of Wisdom which alone can bring us to it For in a word 't is this Christian Liberty that makes Men truly free not the being in bondage to no Man but to no Sin not the doing what we list but what we ought 'T is Christian Liberty that makes us truly great and truly glorious for this alone renders us Serviceable to others and Easie to our selves Benefactors to the World and delightsome at home 't is Christian Liberty makes us truly prosperous truly fortunate because it makes us truly happy filling us with Joy and Peace and making us abound in hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost CHAP. IV. Of Liberty as it relates to Original Sin WHatever Difficulties the Doctrine of Original Sin really be involved in or seem at least to some to be so they will not concern me who am no further obliged to consider it than as it is an Impediment of Perfection For though there be much Disputes about Original Sin there is little or none about Original Corruption the Reality of this is generally acknowledged though the Guilt the Sinfulness or Immorality of it be controverted And though there be Diversity of Opinions concerning the Effects of Original Corruption in Eternity yet there is no Doubt at all made but that it incites and instigates us to actual Sin and is the Seed-plot of Human Folly and Wickedness All Men I think are agreed that there is a Byass and strong Propension in our Nature towards the Things of the World and the Body That the subordination of the Body to the Soul and of the Soul to God wherein consists Righteousness is subverted and overthrown That we have Appetites which clash with and oppose the Commands of God not only when they threaten Violence to our Nature as in the Cases of Confession and Martyrdom but also when they only prune its Luxuriancy and Extravagance That we do not only desire sensitive Pleasure but even to that Degree that it hurries and transports us beyond the Bounds that Reason and Religion set us We have not only an Aversion for Pain and Toil and Death but to that Excess that it tempts us to renounce God and our Duty for the sake of Carnal Ease and Temporal safety And finally that we are so backward to entertain the Belief of revealed Truths so prone to terminate our Thoughts on and confine our Desires within this visible World as our Portion and to look upon our selves no other than the mortal and corruptible Inhabitants of it that this makes us selfish and sordid proud and ambitious false subtle and contentious to the endless Disturbance of Mankind and our selves That this I say is the state of Nature that this is the Corruption we Labour under all Men I think are agreed And no wonder for did a Controversie arise about this there would be no need to appeal any further for the Decision of it than to ones own Experience this would tell every one that thus it is in Fact and Reason if we will consult it will tell us why it is so for what other than this can be the Condition of Man who enters the World with a Soul so dark and destitute of Divine Light so deeply immerced and plung'd into Flesh and Blood so tenderly and intimately affected by Bodily Sensations and with a Body so adapted and suited to the Things of this World and fastened to it by the Charms of Pleasure and the Bonds of Interest Convenience and Necessity This Account of Original Corruption agrees very well with that St. Paul gives us of it Rom. 7. and elsewhere And with that Assertion of our Lord and Master on which he builds the necessity of Regeneration by Water and the Holy Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Having thus briefly explained what I mean in this Chapter by Original Sin I am next to consider these two Things 1. How far this Distemper of Nature is curable 2. Which way this Cure is to be effected As to the first Enquiry I would
never to be enjoyed by any but some few rare and happy Creatures the Favourites of God and Nature Pleasures that have Matter and Substance in them for such as I can no more grasp and relish than I can Dreams and Visions But to this I answer this pretty talk is all but stupid Ignorance and gross Mistakes For 1. As to innocent and vertuous Pleasure no Man needs part with it I endeavour not to deprive Man of this but to refine and purifie it And he that prefers either silly or vicious Pleasure before Religion is wretchedly mistaken For 2. Perfect Religion is full of Pleasure Had we but once arrived at true Purity of Heart what could be so full of Pleasure as the Business of Religion what can be more delightful than blessing and praising God to a grateful Soul Allelujahs to a Soul snatched from the brink of Destruction into the Bosom of its Master what can be more Transporting than the melting Tendernesses of a holy Contrition made up like Mary Magdalen's of Tears and Kisses Sorrow and Love Humility and Glory Confusion and Confidence Shame and Joy what can be more transporting than Love the Love of a Christian when he is all Love as God is Love when he desires nothing in Heaven nor on Earth but God when all things are dung and dross to him in Comparison of Jesus 4. If the Pleasures of the World be more transporting than those of Religion 't is because our Faith is weak our Love imperfect and our Life unsteady A constant and exalted Pleasure is I grant it the Fruit of Perfection alone The Peace and Joy of the Holy Ghost reigns no where but where that Zeal and Love which is an Effect of the Fulness of the Spirit reigns too I had once proposed to have insisted on the Reasons of this here but this Labour is prevented for they are very obvious to any one who hath read the Chapter of Zeal with Seriousness and Attention Lastly what is insinuated in the Objection that the Pleasures of the World are more numerous or obvious than those of Religion is altogether a false and groundless Fancy In every Place and in every State do the Pleasures of Vertue wait upon the Perfect Man They depend not like those of the Body on a thousand things that are not in our power but only on God and our own Integrity But this part of the Objection I have I think for ever baffled Sect. 1. Chap. 4. These Obstacles of Perfection being thus removed and the Mind of Man being fully convinced of the Happiness that results from a State of Perfection and of his Obligation to surmount the Difficulties which obstruct his way to it there seems to be nothing now left to disappoint the Success of this Discourse but somewhat too much Fondness for the World or somewhat too much Indulgence to the Body which I am next though but very briefly to consider § 4. There is a Love of the World which though it be not either for the Matter or Degree of it Criminal enough to destroy our Sincerity and our Hopes of Salvation yet is it strong enough to abate our Vigour hinder our Perfection and bereave us of many Degrees of Pleasure at present and Glory hereafter The Indications of this kind of Love of the World are too much concern for the Pomp and Shew of Life too much Exactness in the Modes and Customs of it too quick a Sense of Honour and Reputation Pre-eminence and Praise too much Hast and too much Industry to grow rich to add House to House Land to Land and to cloath our Selves with thick and heavy Clay too brisk a Relish of the Pleasures of the World too great a Gaiety of Mind upon the Successes too much Dejection upon the Disasters and Disappointments of it too much Care and too much Diligence an encumbring and embroiling ones self too far in worldly Affairs too much Diversion too much Ease These I say are the Symptoms of a Mind tainted with a Love of the World though not so far as to Sickness and Death However it will be enough to check the Vigour and dilute the Relish of the Mind Now the only way to overcome this Defect and to captivate the Mind entirely to the Love and Service of Religion and Vertue is to consider frequently and seriously the Rewards of Perfection the Pleasure that will attend it in another Life Had the young Man in the Gospel done this had he had as lively a Notion and as true an Estimate of the Riches of Eternity as he had of Temporal ones he would never have gone away sorrowful when he was advised to have exchanged the Treasures of Earth for those of Heaven Had the Soul of Martha been as much taken up with the Thoughts of Eternity as that of Mary she would have made the same Choice as she did They who often think how soon the Fashion the Pomp and Grandeur of this World passes away and how much better their Heavenly Country is than their Earthly how much more lasting and how much more glorious the New Jerusalem that City that has Foundations whose builder and maker is God than this City of ours which may be over-thrown in a moment will neither weep nor rejoyce with too much Passion neither buy nor possess with too much Application of Mind In one word he that so often and devoutly thinks of that day wherein Christ who is our Life shall appear and we also appear with him in Glory that he comes to love and long for it such a one will have no great Taste of the Honours or the Pleasures or the Interests of Life nor will he be slothfull or remiss but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Whatever Degrees of Affection he had for any thing of that Nature they will all vanish he will have no Emulation but for good Works no Ambition but for Glory I mean that which is Eternal In the pursuit of this will he lay out the Strength and Vigour of his Mind for this he will retrench his Profit for this he will deny his Pleasure for this he will be content to be obscure mean and laborious for if the World be once crucified to him he will the more easily bear the being crucified to it § 5. After all there is an Infirmity in the Flesh against which if we do not guard our selves if we do not struggle heartily we shall miscarry The Spirit is willing said our Saviour but the Flesh is weak Without much Care and much Watchfulness the Vigour of our Minds will be relax'd the Exultation of our Spirits will flag and droop and we shall soon loose the Relish there is in Religion The most effectual Remedies against this Frailty and Fickleness of our Nature are two First Godly Fear and this the Purity and Presence of God the Strictness and the Impartiality of a Judgment to come the Loss of an Eternal Crown the Terrors of Eternal Punishment the
more frequently required of or attributed to the Perfect Man in Scripture then Zeal and Fervency of Spirit in the ways of God and no wonder For when Actions flow at once from Principles and Custom when they spring from Love and are attended by Pleasure and are incited and quicken'd by Faith and Hope too How can it be but that we should repeat 'em with some Eagerness and feel an Holy Impatience as often as we are hindered or disappointed And as the Nature of the Thing shews that thus it ought to be so are there innumerable Instances in the Old Testament and the New which make it evident that thus it was Shall I mention the example of our Lord who went about doing good Act. 10.38 Shall I propose the Labours and Travils of St. Paul These Patterns it may be will be judged by some too bright and dazling a Light for us to look on or at least too Perfect for us to copy after and yet St. John tells us that he who says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 and we are exhorted to be followers of the Apostles as they were of Christ But if the Fervency of Christ and St. Paul seemed to have soar'd out of the reach of our imitation we have Inferiour Instances enough to prove the Zeal and Fruitfulness of Habitual Goodness Thus David says of himself Psal 119.10 with my whole Heart have I sought thee and Josiah 2 King 23.25 is said to have turned to the Lord with all his Soul and with all his Might How fervent was Anna wo departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Luk. 2.37 how Charitable Tabitha who was full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did Act. 9.36 Where shall I place Cornelius With what words shall I set out his Virtues with what but those of the Holy Ghost Act. 10.2 He was a devout Man and one that feared God with all his House which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alway But peradventure some may imagine that there is something singular and extraordinary in these Eminent Persons which we must never hope to equal but must be content to follow them at a vast Distance Well let this be so What have we to say to whole Churches animated by the same Spirit of Zeal What are we to think of the Churches of Macedonia whose Charity St. Paul thus magnifies 2 Cor. 8.2 3. in a great trial of Affliction the abundance of their Joy and their deep Poverty abounded to the Riches of their Liberality For to their power I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves And St. Paul declares himself perswaded of the Romans that they were full of goodness filled with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 And of the Corinthians he testifies that they were enriched in every thing and came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 6. that they did abound in all things in Faith in diligence c. 2 Cor. 8.7 I will stop here 't is in vain to heap up more Instances I have said enough to shew that Vigour and Fervency in the Service of God is no miraculous Gift no extraordinary Prerogative of some peculiar Favorite of Heaven but the natural and inseparable Property of a well confirmed Habit of Holiness Lastly is Constancy and Steadiness the Property of an Habit It is an undoubted Property of Perfection too In Scripture Good Men are every where represented as standing fast in the Faith steadfast and unmovable in the works of God holding fast their Integrity In one word as constantly following after Righteousness and maintaining a good Conscience towards God and Man And so Natural is This to one Habitually good that St. John affirms of such a one that he cannot sin 1 Joh. 3.9 whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Accordingly Job is said to have feared God and eschewed Evil which must be understood of the constant course of his Life Zachary and Elizabeth are said to be Righteous walking in all the Commandments of God blameless Luk. 1.6 Enoch Noah David and other excellent Persons who are pronounc'd by God Righteous and Just and Perfect are said in Scripture to walk with God to serve Him with a Perfect Heart with a full purpose of Heart to cleave to him and the like And this is that Constancy which Christians are often exhorted to watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit ye like Men be strong 1 Cor. 16.13 And of which the first followers of our Lord left us such remarkable Examples The Disciples are said to have been continually in the Temple blessing and praising God Luk. 24. And the first Christians are said to have continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Acts 2.42 Thus I think I have sufficiently cleared my Notion of Perfection from Scripture Nor need I multiply more Texts to prove what I think no Man can doubt of unless he mistake the main Design and End of the Gospel which is to raise and exalt us to a steady Habit of Holiness The end of the Commandment saith St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.5 is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned This is the utmost Perfection Man is capable of to have his Mind enlightned and his Heart purified and to be inform'd acted and influenc'd by Faith and Love as by a vital principle And all this is Essential to Habitual Goodness If any one desire further Light or Satisfaction in this Matter let him read the eighth Chapter to the Romans and he will soon acknowledge that he there finds the substance of what I have hiterto advanced There though the Word it self be not found the thing called Perfection is described in all the Strength and Beauty in all the Pleasure and Advantages of it There the Disciple of Jesus is represented as one who walks not after the Flesh but after the Spirit as one whom the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set free from the Law of Sin and Death one who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not mind or relish the things of the Flesh but the things of the Spirit one in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells He does not stand at the Door and knock he does not make a transient visit but here he reigns and rules and inhabits One finally in whom the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is life because of Righteousness And the Result of all this is the Joy and Confidence the Security and Transport that becomes the Child of God Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to Fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are
with the other One would think now that there should be nothing further needful to establish the Consolation of a Christian and yet God out of regard no doubt to the vast Importance and happy Influence of Assurance has furnished us with another ground of it which is The Third and Last namely the Testimony of the Spirit This Spirit as it assists us in our Examination so it ratifies and confirms our Sentence by its suffrage fortifying our assurance and increasing our Joy All this the Scripture expresly teaches us for the Spirit is called The earnest of our Inheritance the Seal of our Redemption Eph. 1.13 14. Eph. 4.30 31. 2 Cor. 2.10 2 Cor. 5. And though it be not improbable but that these and such like Places may relate more immediately to that Spirit of Promise which was conspicuous in Miracles and seems to have accompanied all that believed in the Infancy of the Church according to those Words of our Saviour And these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils c. Mark 16 17. Yet are there Texts enough which assure us that the Spirit of God should be imparted to believers through all succeeding Ages and that this should be one effect of it to comfort us and be a pledge to us of the Divine Favour thus Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost and Rom. 8.15 16. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God and if Children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ If it be here demanded what this Testimony of the Spirit is I answer 't is a Powerful Energy of the blessed Spirit shedding abroad and encreasing the Love of God in our Hearts Rom. 5. Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us This is the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of Obsignation the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of Love happy is he who is partaker of it he has attained the Maturity of Perfection and Pleasure I can scarce forbear going in with some of the Fathers who thought that such as these could never finally fall I can scarce forbear applying to such those words Rev. 20.6 Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power Thus far have I considered Assurance as it relates to the present time But 2. Assurance may regard the Time to come and it conduces very little less to the Peace and Pleasure of a Christian to be assured that he shall persevere in a good State then that he is now in one Let us therefore in the next place examine what grounds the Perfect Man may have for such a perswasion Now these are likewise three First The Propension and Favour of God for the Perfect Man Secondly The Sufficiency of Divine Assistance And Thirdly The Conscience of his own Integrity 1. The Favour of God I need not go about to prove that God will be ever ready to assist the Perfect Man I need not prove that his Eyes are always upon the Righteous and that his Ears are always open to their Prayers that they are the dear Objects of his Delight and Love Reason and Scripture both do abundantly attest this and the repeated Promises of God to good Men incourage them to hope from God whatever beloved Children may from a tender and kind Father Is not this enough then to inspire the Perfect Man with great and confident Hopes He knows not only that God is an immutable God free from all Levity and Inconstancy and therefore that nothing less then Presumptino and Obstinacy Habitual Neglect or Wickedness can Tempt him to recal his Gifts or repent him of his Favours He knows not only that God is faithful and will not suffer him to be Tempted above what he is able but he knows also that he has a powerful Intercessor at the Right-hand of God an Advocate with the Father who cannot but prevail Nor is this all yet he has a great many things that plead for him with God There are his Tears which are Botled up there are his Prayers and Alms which are gone up for a Memorial before God there is a Book of Remembrance written wherein all his pious Discourses are Registred and God is Faithful and cannot forget his Works and Labour of Love The Spirit of God will not soon quit the Bosom that it so long resided in it will not suffer it self to be divided from that Person with whom it had entered into so close an Vnion that it seemed as it were inanimated or incorporated with him and become essential to his Being Whence it is that the Spirit is said to be grieved when he is forced and compelled to retire 2. The Second Ground of Aslurance for the time to come is the sufficiency of Divine Assistance The good Man is well assured that God will never refuse the Protection of his Providence or the Aid of his Spirit And what can be too difficult for these Providence can prevent a Temptation or remove it the Spirit can support him under it and enable him to vanquish it nay it can enable him to extract new strength and vigour from it my Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 the Truth of which Assertion has been Illustriously proved by the victories of Martyrs and Confessors who have triumphed over United Force of Men and Devils Though then the Conscience of Human Frailty may awaken in the best of Men Fear and Caution the Assurance of Divine Assistance cannot but beget in them an Holy Confidence the Snares and Temptations of the World the subtilty and vigilance of the Devil may justly create a Sollicitude in the best of Men but when they consider themselves encompassed with the Divine Favour they can have no reason to despond 3. The Conscience of his own Integrity is a Third Ground of a good Man's Confidence he knows that nothing but crying Provocations can quench the Spirit and oblige God to desert him and he has reason to hope that this is that he cannot be guilty of He is sure that presumptuous Wickedness is not only repugnant to his Principles but to the very bent of his Nature to all the Inclinations and Passions of his Soul I speak here of the Perfect Man can he ever wilfully dishonour and disobey God who loves him above all things and has done so long Can he forsake and betray his Saviour who has long rejoyced and gloried in him who has been long accustomed to look upon all the Glories and Satisfactions of this Life as
our Thoughts and Hearts too earnestly upon the truths of it We must imitate the Thessalonians in behalf of whom St. Paul thanks God because when they received the Word of God which they heard of him they received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God 1 Thes 2.13 that is we must entertain the Gospel as that which has Infallible Truth in all its Doctrines uncontroulable Authority in all its Precepts a Divine Certainty in all its Promises and Threats and a Divine Wisdom in all its Counsels and Directions And he that thus believes will certainly find the Gospel to work effectually in him as it did in the Thessalonians What Light and Beauty will he discern in all its Descriptions of our Duty What force in all its perswasions what Majesty what Dignity what Life what Power what Consolation what Support In one word what Heavenly Vertue will he discern in each part of it and what vast and unfathomable Wisdom in the whole Composure and Contrivance of it How will he then admire it how will he love it how will he study it how will he delight in it How will he be transported by the Promises and awed by the Threats of it How will he be pierced and struck through by those Exaggerations of Sin and Captiv'd and Enamour'd by those lively and Divine Descriptions of Vertue he meets in it How will he adore the Goodness of God conspicuous in our Redemption How will he be inflam'd with the love of Jesus and be amaz'd at his Condescension and Humility This and much more is the natural effect of our receiving the Gospel as we ought and pondering the truths of it with devout and incessant Meditation This the Royal Psalmist was abundantly sensible of Thy word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 Thou through thy Commandments has made me wiser then mine Enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation ver 98. To which I might add many other verses out of that Psalm containing the various and mighty Effects of the Word of God Nor will any one think that I attribute too much to the study of this Word of Life who shall consider that it is one of the great Works of the Holy Spirit to incline our Hearts to the Testimonies of God to write his Laws in our Hearts to dispose us to attend to revealed Truths and in one word to fix our Minds and Thoughts upon them 2. Since the Spirit together with the Gospel is a joynt Principle of Regeneration and Perfection 't is manifest That we ought to live in a continual dependance upon God He must be our Hope and Confidence in the Day of Tryal He must be our Praise and Boast in the Day of Victory and in the Day of Peace when we lie down and when we rise up we must say with the Psalmist 't is thou Lord that makest me dwell in safety Psal 1.4 We must look upon our selves as surrounded by Enemies and besieged by Spiritual Dangers as David was by Temporal And as he in the one so must we in the other expect Strength and Salvation from Him Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our Enemies Psal 60.12 Many Nations compass me round about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them And when we have conquer'd Temptations and routed the Powers of Darkness we must ascribe all not to our own strength nor to our own watchfulness but to the Grace and the Power of God If the Lord himself had not been on our side Now may Israel say if the Lord himself had not been on our side when the Legions of Hell combined with the World and Flesh against us they had swallowed us up alive Psal 124.1 2 3. Now many will be the happy effects of this dependance upon God we shall be passionately desirous of his Presence of his Grace and Favour we shall dress and prepare our Souls we shall awaken and dispose all our Faculties to receive him we shall ever do the things that may invite and prevail with him to abide with us we shall be apprehensive of his forsaking us as the greatest Evil that can befall us Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in awake O my Soul raise thy self above this World and Flesh that thou mayest be fit for the King of Glory to dwell in thee who is the King of Glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel that Holy Spirit that subdues our Enemies that strengthens us with might and fills us with Courage and Holy Alacrity Psal 24.7 8. Nor does the Psalmist prepare his Soul for God by Meditation only and Spiritual Recollection and Soliloquies but by a careful and circumspect Regulation of all his Actions Psal 101.2 3. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way O when wilt thou come unto me I will walk within my House with a perfect Heart I will set no wicked thing before mine Eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me And how earnestly does he pray against God's forsaking him Psal 51.11 Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me The Result of all this must needs be Steadfastness and Growth in Holiness and Goodness For first This is the natural influence of such a dependance upon God it places us as always before Him and makes us walk humbly and circumspectly as becomes those that are awed by the Presence of so Holy a Majesty I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right-hand I shall not be moved Psal 16.1 Secondly we cannot doubt but that God will plentifully bestow his Grace on those who thus rely upon him For where can He bestow it with more Advantage to his Glory or to the Propagation of Holiness both which are so dear to him Who is a Subject more capable of it or who can be better entitled to it then he who thus depends upon God As he begs it Humbly and receives it Thankfully so he will Husband it Carefully and employ it Zealously § 3. In Prayer Meditation and other Instrumental duties of Religion we are to aim at one or all of these three things 1. The Quickning and Enlivening the Conscience 2. The Confirming and Strengthning our Resolutions of obedience 3. The Raising and Keeping up Holy and Devout Affections Great is the benefit of each of these Tenderness of Conscience will keep us not only from Evil but every appearance of it increase of Spiritual Strength will render us steadfast and unmoveable in all the Works of God and Holy Passion will make us abound in them To spiritual Passion we owe the Zeal and Pleasure to spiritual Strength or
the tender Sorrows of Contrition the delight of Praises and Thanksgivings the Adorations and Self-depressions of a profound Humility and the Resolutions and Vows of a perfect Abhorrence of and Holy Zeal and Indignation against Sin How do these things mellow and enrich the Soul How do they raise it higher and higher above the Corruption which is in the World through Lust How do they renew it daily and make it a Partaker of the Divine Nature The Repetition of the same acts naturally begets an Habit and Habit is the Strength and Perfection of the Soul for it is a disposition ripen'd and confirm'd by Custom How naturally then must Prayer fortifie the Mind ripen good Dispositions or add Strength and Perfection to good Habits Since it is nothing else but a repeated Exercise of almost all the Graces of the Gospel Repentance Faith Hope Charity and the like And it ought to be observed that Prayer gives us a frequent opportunity of exercising those Vertues which we should not otherwise be so often oblig'd to do If Secondly we enquire into the Prevalence of Prayer with God we shall have further Reasons yet to resolve that it is a most effectual means of increasing our spiritual Strength What will God deny to the Prayer of a Righteous Man He may deny him temporal things because they are not good for him He may refuse to remove a Temptation because this is often an occasion of his own Glory and his Servants Reward but he will never refuse him Grace to Conquer it He will no more deny his Spirit to one that earnestly and sincerely begs it than the natural Parent will Bread to his hungry and craving Child And no wonder since Grace is as necessary to the spiritual Life as Bread to the natural the goodness of God is more tender and compassionate than any Instinct in Human Nature and the Purity and Perfection of God more zealously solicitous for the Holiness and Immortality of his Children then Earthly Parents can be for a Sickly perishing Life of theirs Thus then 't is plain that Prayer contributes wonderfully to the Strengthening and Establishing the Mind of Man in Goodness But then we must remember that it must have these two Qualifications it must be frequent and incessantly Importunate 1. It must be Frequent I would have this Rule comply'd with as far as it may even in our stated regular and solemn Addresses to God But because Business and several Obligations we lie under to the World do often press hard upon us therefore must I give the same Counsel here which I did before under the Head of Meditation that is to have always ready and imprinted in our Memory several Texts of Scripture containing the most weighty and important Truths in the most piercing and moving Language that we may be able to form these on a suddain into Ejaculations in which our Souls may mount up into Heaven amidst the Ardours and Transports of Desires and Praises as the Angel did in the Flame of Manoah's Sacrifice 2. Prayer must be incessantly Importunate Importunate it will be if the Soul be prepar'd and dispos'd as it ought that is if it be disengaged from this World and possessed entirely with the Belief and earnest Expectation of a better if it be humbled in it self disclaim all Strength and Merit of its own and rest wholly on the Goodness and All-sufficiency of God I add Incessantly in Conformity to the Parables of our Lord Luke 11.8 and 18.5 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Apostle 1 Thess 5.17 And whoever considers Human Nature well and remembers how soon pious Motions vanish and how little they effect will discern a plain Reason both for Vehemence and Perseverance in Prayer For Vehemence that the Soul may be deeply impressed by pious Passions for Perseverance that such Impressions may not be effaced and obliterated Nor let any one fancy That Prayer thus qualified has not a better influence upon God as well as upon our selves 'T is true God is void of the painfulness and defects of Human Passions but not of the Perfection of Divine ones Woe were to us if God were an inflexible inexorable Deity and incapable of being wrought upon by the incessant Importunity of his poor Creatures Woe were to us if the softness and the tenderness of the Divine Nature did not infinitely exceed the little resemblances of it in Man If in a word God did not abound in Goodness Mercy and Compassion more easily to be moved and excited than those Human Passions that bear some Analogy to them Next to Conversation with God by Prayer the Conversation of good Men does wonderfully contribute to the building us up in Faith and Vertue How does the Sense and Experience of such as deserve our esteem and affection settle and establish our Judgment when they concur with us How does their Knowledge enlighten us their Reason strengthen our Faith and their Example enflame us with Emulation A pious Friendship renders Religion it self more engaging It Sanctifies our very Diversions and Recreations and makes them minister to Vertue it minds us when we are forgetful supports and encourages us when we faint and tire reproves and corrects us when we give back and recalls us into the right path when we go out of it This is or this should be the business of Conversation the end and advantage of Friendship We should be often talking together of the things of God communicating and laying open the state of our Souls our Fears our Hopes our improvements and defects we should watch over one another comfort and support one another our Discourse should always minister new warmth or new strength to our Holy Faith and Love But among all the means of Grace there is no one does so much corroborate and nourish the Soul of Man as the Holy Eucharist How many wise and Impartial Reflections does the Preparation for it occasion What unfeigned Humility and what a profound Awe of the Divine Majesty does a previous Self-Examination beget in us What a tender sense of the Divine Love does the Contemplation of the whole Mystery enkindle What Firmness and Resolution do we derive from fresh Vows and repeated Engagements and these offer'd up with so much Solemnity And how much finally is the Habit of Holiness improved by that spiritual Pleasure which the sensible Assurances of Grace and Salvation work in us by that Awe and Holy Fear which the whole action leaves behind on our Minds and the Zeal Vigilance and Circumspection it obliges us to for the time following Not to mention here how the Participation of this Holy Sacrament obliges us to a most solemn Exercise of Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus of Brotherly Love and Charity and the Hope of Immortality and Glory Here in a word we prepare to meet God as we would do in Death and Judgment here we make an open Profession of our Holy Faith renounce the World and Flesh
had nothing of internal Purity or solid Righteousness in it So that upon the whole the Jew and Gentile were alike wicked Only the Wickedness of the Jews had this Aggravation in it above that of the Gentiles that they enjoy'd the Oracles of God and the Favour of a peculiar Covenant This being the state of Darkness which lay upon the Face of the Jewish and Gentile World our Lord who was to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel advanced and established in the World that Doctrine which directly tends to dispel these Errors and rescue Mankind from the Misery that attends them For all that the Gospel contains may be reduced to these three Heads First the Assertion of one only true God with a bright and full Revelation of his Divine Attributes and Perfection Secondly an Account of the Will of God or the Worship he delights in which is a Spiritual one together with suitable Means and Motives in which last is contained a full Declaration of Man's supream Happiness Thirdly the Revelation of one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus through whom we have access with boldness to the Throne of Grace through whom we have obtained from the Father Grace and Pardon and Adoption and through whom Lastly all our Oblations and Performances are acceptable to Him The Design of this glorious Manifestation was to open Mens Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Living God That they might obtain Remission of Sins and an Inheritance of Glory These then are the truths which Illuminated the Gentile and Jewish World And these are the truths which must Illuminate us at this day These dispel all destructive Errors that lead us to Vice or Misery These point out our supream Felicity and the direct way to it These open and enlarge the Eye of the Soul enable it to distinguish and judge with an unerring Exactness between Good and Evil between Substantial and Superficial Temporal and Eternal Good And I wish from my Soul whatever Light we pretend to at this Day we were well grounded and established in these Truths I doubt notwithstanding our Belief of one God and one Mediator and notwithstanding we are well enough assured that God who is a Spirit must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and notwithstanding our pretending to believe a Life to come I say I am afraid that notwithstanding these things we do generally err in two main points namely in the Notion we ought to have of Religion and the value we are to set upon the World and the Body For who that reflects upon the Pomp and Pride of Life upon the ease the softness and the luxury of it upon the frothiness and the freedom the vanity and Impertinence to say no worse of Conversation will not conclude that either we have renounced our Religion or form to our selves too complaisant and indulgent a Notion of it For is this the imitation of Jesus Is this to walk as he walked in the World Can this be the Deportment of Men to whom the World and the Body is Crucified Can such a Life as this is flow from those Divine Fountains Faith Love and Hope Who again can reflect upon the Passion we discover for Superiority and Precedence our thirst of Power our ravenous desire of VVealth and not conclude that we have mistaken our main End that we set a wrong value upon things and that whatever we talk of an Eternity we look upon this present World as our portion and most valuable Good For can such a tender concern for such an eager pursuit after temporal things flow from nay consist with purity of Heart and poverty of Spirit the Love of God and a Desire of Heaven Whoever then will be Perfect or Happy must carefully avoid both these Errors He must never think that Religion can subsist without the strength and vigour of our Affections Or that the Bent and Vigour of our Souls can be pointed towards God and yet the Air of our Deportment and Conversation be earthy sensual and vain conformed even to a Pagan Pride and shew of Life Next he must never cherish in himself the love of this World He must never look upon himself other than a Stranger and Pilgrim in it He must never be fond of the Pleasure of it He must never form vain Designs and Projects about it nor look upon the best things in it as ingredients of our Happiness but only as Instruments of Vertue or short Repasts and Refreshments in our Journey And because all our mistakes about the Nature and Perfection of Religion and the Value of Temporal things do generally arise from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that peculiar Sin to which our Constitution betrays us therefore the Knowledge of our selves an intimate Acquaintance with all our natural Propensions and Infirmities is no inconsiderable Part of Illumination For we shall never address our selves heartily to the Cure of a Disease which we know nothing of or to the rectifying any inclination till we are throughly convinced that 't is irregular and dangerous 2. The Second Character of Illuminating Truths is that they are such as feed and nourish corroborate and improve the Mind of Man Now the Properties of Bodily strength are such as these It enables us to Baffle and repel Injuries to bear Toil and Travel to perform difficult Works with speed and ease and finally it prolongs Life to a much further date than weak and crazy Constitutions can arrive at And of all these we find some Resemblances in Spiritual Strength But as much more Perfect and Excellent as the Spirit is above the Body Those Truths then are indeed Illuminating which enable us to vanquish Temptations to endure with Constancy and Patience the Toils and Hardships of our Christian warfare to discharge the Duties of our Station with Zeal and Vigour and which Lastly render us firm steady and immortal And these are the glorious effects which are attributed to the Truths of God Hence is the Gospel called the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 and hence it is that we read of the Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 The Sword of the Spirit the Shield of Faith the Breast-plate of Righteousness c. to intimate to us the Strength and Vertue of the Word of God and that it brings with it safety and success And hence it is that the Word of God is said to quicken and strengthen that Man is said to live not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God that Righteousness is called Everlasting and that he that doth the Will of God is affirmed to abide for ever To teach us plainly that there is nothing steady and unalterable nothing durable nothing eternal but God Divine Truths and those that are formed and modeled by them There are Truths indeed which are meerly Barren and Vnactive which amuse and suspend the
the contrary consist in being able not only to will but to do good in obeying those Commandments which we cannot but acknowledge to be holy and just and good And this is the very Notion which our Lord and Master gives us of it Joh. 8. For when the Jews bragg'd of their Freedom he lets them know that Freedom could not consist with Subjection to Sin he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin ver 34. That honourable Parentage and the Freedom of the Body was but a false and ludicrous Appearance of Liberty that if they would be free indeed the Son must make them so ver 36. i. e. they must by his Spirit and Doctrine be rescued from the Servitude of Lust and Errour and be set at Liberty to work Righteousness If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free ver 31 32. Finally not to multiply Proofs of a truth that is scarce liable to be controverted as the Apostle describes the Bondage of a Sinner in Rom. 7. so does he the Liberty of a Saint in Rom. 8. For there ver 2. he tells us That the Law of the Spirit of Life has set the true Christian free from the Law of Sin and Death And then he lets us know wherein this Liberty consists in walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit in the Mortification of the Body of Sin and Restitution of the Mind to its just Empire and Authority If Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness ver 10. And all this is the same thing with his Description of Liberty Chapter 6. where 't is nothing else but for a Man to be made free from Sin and become the Servant of God Thus then we have a plain account of Bondage and Liberty Yet for the clearer understanding of both it will not be amiss to observe that they are each capable of different Degrees and both the one and the other may be more or less entire compleat and absolute according to the different Progress of Men in Vice and Vertue Thus in some Men not their Will only but their very Reason is enslaved Their Vnderstanding is so far infatuated their Affections so entirely captived that there is no Conflict at all between the Mind and the Body they commit Sin without any Reluctancy before-hand or any Remorse afterwards their sâ—ared Conscience making no Remonstrance inflicting no wounds nor denouncing any Threats This is the last Degree of Vassalage Such are said in Scripture to be dead in Trespasses and Sins Others there are in whom their Lust and Appetite prevails indeed but not without Opposition They Reason rightly and which is the natural Result of this have some Desires and wishes of Righteousness but through the Prevalency of the Body they are unable to act and live conformable to their Reason Their Vnderstanding has indeed Light but not Authority It consents to the Law of God but it has no Power no Force to make it be obeyed it produces indeed some good Inclinations Purposes and Efforts but they prove weak and ineffectual ones and unable to grapple with the stronger Passion raised by the Body And as Bondage so Liberty is of different Degrees and different Strength For though Liberty may be able to subsist where there is much Opposition from the Body yet 't is plain that Liberty is most absolute and compleat where the Opposition is least where the Body is reduced to an entire Submission and Obsequiousness and the Spirit reigns with an uncontroul'd and unlimited Authority And this latter is that Liberty which I would have my Perfect man possessed of I know very well 't is commonly taught by some that there is no such State But I think this Doctrine if it be throughly considered has neither Scripture Reason nor Experience to support it For as to those Places Rom. 7. and Gal. 5. urged in favour of an almost Incessant strong and too-frequently prevalent lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit it has been often answered and proved too that they are so far from belonging to the Perfect that they belong not to the Regenerate But on the contrary those Texts that represent the Yoke of Christ easie and his burden light which affirm the Commandments of Christ not to be grievous to such as are made Perfect in Love do all bear witness to that Liberty which I contend for Nor does Reason favour my Opinion less than Scripture For if the Perfect man be a New Creature if he be transformed into a New Nature if his Body be dead to sin and his Spirit live to Righteousness in one word if the World be as much crucified to him as he to it I cannot see why it should not be easie for him to act consonant to his Nature why he should not with Pleasure and Readiness follow that Spirit and obey those Affections which reign and rule in him Nor can I see why a Habit of Righteousness should not have the same Properties with other Habits that is be attended with ease and pleasure in its Operations and Actions 'T is true I can easily see why the Habits of Righteousness are acquired with more Difficulty than those of any other kind but I say I cannot see when they are acquired why they should not be as natural and delightful to us as any other Lastly how degenerate soever Ages past have been or the present is I dare not so far distrust the Goodness of my Cause or the Vertue of Mankind as not to refer my self willingly in this point to the Decision of Experience I am very well assured that Truth and Justice Devotion and Charity Honour and Integrity are to a great many so dear and delightful so natural so easie that it is hard to determine whether they are more strongly moved by a sense of Duty or the Instigations of Love and Inclination and that they cannot do a base thing without the utmost Mortification and Violence to their Nature Nor is all this to be wondred at if we again reflect on what I just now intimated that the Perfect Man is a new Creature transformed daily from Glory to Glory that he is moved by new Affections raised and fortified by new Principles that he is animated by a Divine Energy and sees all things by a truer and brighter Light through which the things of God appear lovely and beautiful the things of the World Deformed and worthless just as to him who views them through a Microscope the Works of God appear exact and elegant but those of Man coarse and bungling and ugly My Opinion then which asserts the absolute Liberty of the Perfect Man is sufficiently proved here and in Chap. the first And if I thought it were not I could easily reinforce it with fresh Recruits For the glorious Characters that are given us in Scripture of the Liberty of
while enslaved and defiled in their Affections and the very Liberty they boast of in their Conduct and Management of themselves openly springs from their secret Servitude to some vile Passion or other Nor yet can I be so soft and easie as to grant that such Men as these either do or can arrive at the Liberty they pretend to I mean that of Regulating and Governing all their outward Actions by the Rules of Vertue They too often throw off the Disguise which either Hypocrisie or Enmity to Religion makes them put on and prove too plainly to the World that when they lay Restraints on themselves in this or that Sin 't is only to indulge themselves the more freely and securely in others Secondly My next Remark is That it is gross Stupidity or Impudence to deny a Providence and another World when the Belief of both is so indispensably necessary to the well-being of this The Frame and Nature of Man and the necessities of this World require both Without these selfishness must undoubtedly be the predominant Principle This would breed unreasonable Desires and these would fill us with Fears and Jealousies so that a State of Nature would indeed be a State of War and our Enmity against one another would not be extinguished by Civil Society but only concealed and restrained till a fit Occasion for its breaking out should present it self Laws would want that Force Common-wealths that Bond or Cement Conversation that Confidence and our Possessions that security which is necessary to render them Blessings to us § 3. A Third Fruit of Christian Liberty is that Relation which it creates between God and us We are no longer of the World but are separated and sanctified devoted and dedicated to God Thus St. Peter 1 Epist 2.9 Ye are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People And thus St. Paul Rom. 8.15 16. ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ God is our God we are his People He is our Father and we are his Children we are ingraffed into his Family The Consequence of this is his Dearly Beloved and Only Begotten Son is our Advocate at his right Hand the Propitiation for our Sins and Intercessour for us His Spirit resides with us to comfort and assist us his Angels guard us and minister to us for we are no longer the Object of his Wrath but of his Love and Care How does the Apostle triumph on this Argument Heb. 12.18 19 c. For ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched and that burned with Fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the Voice of Words which voice they who heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more For they could not endure that which was commanded and if so much as a Beast touch the Mountain it shall be stoned or thrust thorow with a Dart And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels To the general Assembly and Church of the First Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel And thus again 1 Cor. 3.2 Therefore let no Man glory in Men for all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephus or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods These are great and glorious things What Dignity and Eminence does this Adoption raise us to what Blessedness flow from Communion and Fellowship with God what can we want or what can we fear when we have so mighty an Interest in the Soveraign of Heaven and Earth when all his Divine Perfections are employed to promote and secure our Happiness Now sure we may rejoyce now we may glory and triumph for certainly all things must work together for our good But as fallen Angels envied the Happiness of New Created Man so do Apostate and Debauched Men envy that of the Godly And one of these will be apt to say hold Sir you run too fast these glorious Priviledges are yet but in the Embrio and all your Happiness is yet but in the Reversion Notwithstanding all these big words you must grant me that you are yet but in a State of Probation that you are to undergo Hardships and Difficulties and to live upon the thin Diet of Hope and Expectation and so I think I might take you down from Heirs of God to Servants at the best Well I will grant that we yet live by Faith and wait for the Hope of Glory Nor will I at present contend about those Pleasures that are but in the bud I will for once quit all that Preference both as to Nobility and Pleasure which Adoption and the full Assurance of Hope gives a Godly Man above a Sinner and I will take the State of a Child of God to be as the Objector would have it I will suppose him to be under Age till he come to another Life and to differ nothing from a Servant whilst he is so though he be Heir of all Yet after all if I can prove that 't is our Duty to serve God it will be no contemptible Fruit no small Commendation of Liberty that it enables us to do our Duty And that it is our Duty to serve God is plain For is it not fit that He who made and still upholds the World should govern it ought we not to pay Obedience to His Laws whose Infinite Perfections and Immence Beneficence invest Him with an absolute and uncontroulable Sovereignty over us whom should we honour with our Soul and Body but Him who is the Author of both to whom should we devote and Sacrifice what we have but to Him from whom we received all whose Praise should we shew forth but His who has called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light whom should we obey and adore but Him who has translated us out of Bondage into Liberty out of the servitude of Satan into the Kingdom of his dear Son having redeemed us by the Blood of his Son from that Wrath to which our Sins had deservedly subjected us But this is not all I shall prove it not only to be our Duty but our Honour and our Happiness to serve God even on the supposition on which the Objection proceeds and which I at present grant 1. 'T is our Honour to
10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to Man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it The Design of which Words is certainly to encourage Christians against the bigest Temptations by an Assurance of Relief from God proportionable to our Necessities and consequently must imply that if we yield to a Temptation 't is our own fault God expects we should stand firm under the highest Trials Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3.21 But whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven Matt. 10.33 If therefore by Sins of Infirmity Men mean such as are consistent with the state of Grace i. e. such as good Men may frequently fall into without forfeiting the Peace of Conscience and the Favour of God I cannot possibly think that any Deliberate Sin can be such upon the score of the Temptation or that any of those Sins reckoned in the Catalogue Gal. 5. and Eph. 5. can be such on the account of the Violence or Perseverance with which they attack us But Secondly if by Sins of Infirmity they mean such Sins as Righteous Men are liable to I know not what they are from which they are exempted But if Lastly by Sins of Infirmity they mean such for which God is more easily entreated then there is no Question to be made but that there is a Difference in Sins which is to be estimated by the different Measures of Grace and Knowledge by the different Degrees of Deliberation and Surprise and by the Force or Weakness the Continuance or Shortness of a Temptation And Finally by the different Effects and Tendencies of Sins To all which I do not question but that the Spirit has regard in those Directions which it gives us for our Behaviour towards such as fall Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And of some have compassion making a difference And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Jude 22 23. § 2. A Second sort of Actions are such as we call Involuntary that is those wherein we exercise no Deliberation no Choice Some have reduced Sins of Infirmity to this Head but with what Colour of Reason any one may judge For since Actions truly Involuntary are neither the Object of the Understanding nor Will 't is hard to conceive what Morality there can be in them The Grounds on which this Opinion is built are such as these First the Measure say they of Good and Evil is the Law of God But Involuntary and unavoidable Actions are not a proper Subject of Laws for to what purpose is it to prescribe Rules or to propose Rewards and Punishments to such Actions as are no way subject to our Choice Secondly they tell us 't is inconsistent with the Goodness of God and the Riches of Gospel Grace to impute those things to a Man as Damnable Sins which fall not within the Compass of his Power of Deliberation Now I must confess I am so far from denying any Actions that can lay a just claim to this Apology to be Venial that I cannot forbear thinking that they are not sinful For where there is no Law there is no Transgression But how does this way of arguing for the Excusableness of Involuntary Transgressions consist with those other Doctrines which they maintain concerning them namely That we are bound to Repentance for them That these Sins are not Venial in their own Nature but only through the Favour of God For the Law taken in its Rigour denounces Death against all Sin in general without Limitation or Exception so that if God should judge rigorously even Involuntary Sin would fall under that Sentence the wages of Sin is Death This I must confess seems to me very incoherent For if an Action be of that Nature that it cannot properly be the Matter or Subject of a Law how can it fall under the Condemnation of Law If it be of that Nature that it is incapable of any Moral Regulation nor subject to the Influence of Reward or Punishment how can it be meer Matter of Grace that a Man is not Damned for it In a word if an Action be truly and properly Involuntary it can by no means be Sin and if it be Voluntary it is subject to the Regulation of Laws 'T is a proper Instance of Deliberation and Freedom and capable of Rewards and Punishments And the Truth is the one needs no Apology and the other is not capable of any the one is a Mortal Sin and the other no Sin at all And therefore we must look for Venial Sin in some other Species of Action § 3. The last Class of Actions are those which are of a mixt Nature partly Voluntary and partly Involuntary And here I think we must place Sins of Infirmity by whatever Names we may call them For these surely if they are be rankt as by all they are amongst Actual Sins must be such Actions as have in them something of Voluntary something of Involuntary much of Human Frailty and something of Sinful much of unavoidable and something of Moral Obliquity These are the Transgressions which the Scripture seems to me to intend by Errors Defects Slips Motes the Spots of God's Children and these certainly if any must be the Sins that can consist with a state of Grace For these do not imply a Deliberate Wickedness in the Will much less an Habitual one nay they do not include in them any Wickedness at all strictly speaking but are truly the Effects of Human Frailty and the unhappy Circumstances of this Mortal Life Thus then I describe a Venial Sin it has in it so much of Voluntary as to mak it Sin so much of Involuntary as to make it Frailty it has so much of the Will in it that it is capable of being reduced and yet so much of Necessity in it it is never utterly to be extirpated it has some thing in it Criminal enough to oblige us to watch against it repent of it and yet so much in it pitiable and excusable as to entitle us to Pardon under the Covenant of Grace And thus I distinguish Venial from Mortal Sin Mortal Sin proceeds from a Heart either Habitually corrupted or deceived and captived for the time but Venial Sin results from the Imperfections and Infelicities of our Nature and our State Mortal Sin is truly Voluntary and Deliberate in the Rice and Birth of it and mischievous and injurious in its Consequence But
of Men who at the last Day will fall under the same Character and Condemnation not because they perform no Duties but because their Performance of them is depretiated by Coldness and Formality Men who make a fair Appearance of Religion and yet have no inward spiritual Life Men who do generally observe the external Duties of Religion but with so little Gust with such Indifference and Lukewarmness that they are neither acceptable to God nor useful to themselves This State of Deadness may be consider'd either more generally as it runs thorough the whole course of our Lives and Actions or more particularly in this or that Instance of Religion 1. When 't is so general that the Bent and Course of our Lives is for want of relish of the Things of God perverted and depraved when we have no Designs drive on no Ends that are suitable to the Excellency and Dignity of our Nature to the Holiness of our Profession and to the great and manifest Obligations of God when we have no Joys or Pleasures no Thirsts or Appetites that do truly become a Christian when we make no Progress no Advance towards our great End when our Discourses and Employments have no Tincture of the Spirit and no Tendency to Edification I think we may then boldly conclude that this is a state of Carnality and Death And that this want of Relish in the general Course of our Lives proceeds from a real want of a Sincere Faith and true Illumination For were the Mind once truly Enlighten'd were it once clearly convinc'd firmly and habitually perswaded of the Beauty and Excellence of the Things of God as we should have Notions different from those of worldly carnal Men so would there consequently be a Difference in the Nature of our Hopes and Fears of our Desires and Designs of our Joys and Sorrows and as necessarily in the main Scope and Tendency of of our Conversation Whoever therefore finds this general Stupidity in the Course of his Life let him not flatter himself in the Performance of any of the Duties of Religion he has a corrupt carnal and blind Heart his Performances proceed not from true Principles and have not that Life and Vigour in them that they ought they are as different from the Performances of a Man truly regenerate and sanctified as the Civilities and Complements of a well-bred Acquaintance from the substantial Offices of a Sincere and affectionate Friend Nor can any Man who will take the least pains to examin himself be ignorant of or mistaken in the Condition of his Soul if this be it For whoever will act honestly and impartially ought not to pass a Sentence of Absolution on himself upon the bare Performance of some relative or instrumental Duties of Religion but he ought to Inquire First What Vertues he Practises which put him upon Expence Hazard or Travel what Works of Piety or Charity he performs and what Proportion they bear to his Ability Next he ought to consider the Design and End he proposes to himself in all his Religious Performances whether he seek the Honour of God the Welfare of Man and his own Improvement and Growth in Goodness or whether he does this meerly to acquit himself of a task and discharge himself of what he takes for granted as a Duty though he finds no pleasure no advantage in it Thirdly he must reflect upon the Frame and Temper of his Mind in reference to these Duties what hunger and thirst he has for Righteousness what Warmth Ardor Elevation or Earnestness of Mind accompanies his Performances what Peace and Pleasure his Reflection on them or whether Religion be not a burthen to him or something to which Custom only reconciles him Lastly he ought to examine what Operation what Influence his Religious Performances have upon him Prayer Hearing Reading and such-like Duties do naturally tend to enlighten the Mind purifie the Heart increase our Love strengthen our Faith and confirm our Hope and therefore where this is not the Effect of them we may conclude that they are not discharg'd in that manner and with that Sincerity they ought He therefore that will examin himself aright must not ask himself how often he reads how often he hears c. and then rest there but must ask himself what Effect these Performances have had upon his Mind which he will soon discern if he demand of himself what the bent and scope of his Life is how much he advances and improves in the Conquest of any Vice and the Attainment of any Vertue what he loves or what he hates what Esteem he has for the Things of God and what for the things of Men. And in a word how he follows after Universal Righteousness and how he encreases in Purity of Heart and Poverty of Spirit 2. Lukewarmness or Coldness may be consider'd more particularly as it discovers it self in the Performance of this or that Duty in Hearing Reading Prayer and Participation of the Lord's Supper Now 't is certain that there is a Deadness in these Duties which proceeds from a carnal and unsanctified Heart and is a plain Symptom of a State of Sin And yet it is too common that they who are subject to it make little Reflection upon it and are little concerned for it On the other hand many complain of Lifelessness in Duty where there is no just ground for this Complaint And this is no small Evil to such for it disturbs the Peace of their Minds damps the Chearfulness and Alacrity of their Service and clogs and encumbers their Religion with needless doubts and Scruples Some have gone about to set this matter right very unskilfully and whilst they have as they thought shun'd Enthusiastick Raptures and irregular Heate have really betray'd the Cause of true and solid Fervency of Spirit and talked of Prayer and such other Duties in such a manner as cannot but reflect disadvantagiously on themselves amongst such as are moderately vers'd in the Scriptures and have any Experience of the Power of God's Word and Spirit upon their Souls But what surprises me most is that some of very deserved Repute have taught That the seeking spiritual Pleasure in Prayer is an Enemy to Perfection That Heat and Ardor of Spirit in Prayer does often happen to the weakest Christians and very seldom to the Perfect But my business not being to combat the Opinions of Men but to advance Truths in the most charitable and in the most effectual manner that I can Therefore without taking Notice of the Motives or Reasons which have byass'd any on this Subject I will lay down two or three Propositions which will I hope clear this Matter and promote the Design I am now carrying on 1. Then Lifelessness or Lukewarmness in these Duties must never be constant There is a vast Difference between habitual and accidental Coldness in Duty the Former is the Symptom of worldly carnal and unregenerate Minds but not the Latter Many are the Accidents which
dismissed from the Pilgrimage of this World and from the corruptible Tabernacle of the Body Nor do I Lastly doubt but that this Love is often sensibly transporting 't is a fire within that strives to break out and exert it self in the Fruitions of Heaven 't is a rich and mighty Cordial that raises Nature above it self and makes it all Purity all Glory Thus have I consider'd the Extent or Compass of the Perfect Man's Vertues And the Sum total is In some he must excell because Natural and Easie in others because necessary Universal ones he cannot want they are essential to Christianity others of a peculiar Nature he may unless his Circumstances exact them Nor is this any Diminutton of his Perfection Patience Fortitude Moderation Vigilance c. are the Vertues of Earth not Heaven and yet none thinks the blessed Inhabitants of that Place Imperfect because not endow'd with Habits which they do not want Above all he that will be Perfect must abound in those Graces which are of the most Heroick Nature Faith Love and Humility For these are they which most effectually exalt Man above himself and above the World which inflame him with a Zeal for the Honour of God and the Good of Man and enable him to surmount the Difficulties which he meets with in prosecuting this Glorious Design I am next to Enquire § 2. To what Height to what Degrees of Vertue the Perfect Man may advance I have in part anticipated this Enquiry already yet cannot forbear adding here two Observations First That Reason and Scripture seem to press us on towards an endless Progress in Vertue And yet Secondly That both seem to propose to us such a State of Perfection as attainable beyond which we cannot go that so the Beginner may not dispair of Perfection nor the Perfect abate any thing of their Vigilance and their Industry Such a Degree of Excellence to which nothing can be added such a Height above which there is no room to soar if apply'd to Man and this World is surely but an Imaginary Notion To dream of such a Perfection were to forget our Nature and our State no Sagacity of Judgment no Strength of Resolution no Felicity of Circumstances can ever advance us to this Height Such a Perfection as this that is incapable of any Increase belongs I believe to God alone or if we may allow it to Angels we must certainly deny it to Man In whom one would think the Appetites of the Body can never be so entrely subdued that there should be no place to extend his Conquest or render his Victory more entire and compleat and in whom one would think the Spirit of God should never reside in that Measure that there should be nothing to be added to his Fulness 'T is hard to conceive how we should study the Systeme of Divine Faith how we should daily reflect upon our Lives and Actions without growing in spiritual Wisdom and Understanding 'T is hard to conceive how we should give God the World and our selves repeated Proofs of our Integrity in the day of Tryal without increasing our Strength and Assurance and Love must naturally increase with these Whence it is that St. Paul acknowledging himself not yet Perfect resolves that forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forwards to those things that are before he would press on towards the Mark for the prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.13 14. And St. Austin resolves plenissima Charitas quam diu hîc homo vivit est in Nemine an absolute Plenitude of Charity is in no Mortal upon Earth And yet if we come to Fact and Practice one would be tempted to think that the Disciples of our Lord and Master had arrived at that State wherein their business was not to climb higher but rather to make good the Ground they had gain'd What could render St. Paul's Victory over the Body more compleat who assures us I am crucified with Christ And again I am crucified to the World and the World is crucified to me What could render the Authority and Dominion of his Mind more absolute or its Graces more consummate and entire who could say with Truth 't is not I who live but Christ who lives in me What would you have added to that Faith and Love which made him ready not only to be bound but to die at Jerusalem which made him long to be dissolved and to be with Christ As to those words of his Phil. 3.13 forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forwards c. they relate to his Tryals and Performances to his Perils and Conflicts not to his Attainments he does not here deny himself to be Perfect though that might well enough have become his Modesty and Humility but only that he was not to look upon himself as already at his Goal a Conqueror and Crown'd there being much yet behind to do and suffer notwithstanding all that he had passed through This is the Sense of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render not as though I were already perfect As to St. Austin I am of his Mind for he speaks Comparatively and does in effect no more than affirm That no Man living is as Perfect in this World as he will be in another which no Man sure can ever doubt If we consult Reason will it not be apt to tell us That as every Being has its Bounds set it so has every Perfection too That there is a Stature as of the Natural so of the Spiritual Man beyond which it cannot grow That as to Grace no more can be infused than our Natures are capable of Otherwise like too rich a Cordial it will not strengthen but fire our Natures or like too dazling a Light it will not assist but oppress our Faculties And does not the Parable of our Master countenance this Matth. 25.2 wherein he tells us That God gave to one five Talents to another two to another one to every Man according to his Ability By which one would think our Lord insinuates That the Measures of Grace are usually distributed in Proportion to the Capacities of Nature and that he who improved his two Talents into four arriv'd at his proper Perfection as well as he who improv'd his five into ten it being as absurd to expect That the Perfection of every Man should be the same as to expect that all Mens Bodies should be of the same Height or their Minds of the same Capacity Reflecting on all this together I cannot but be of Opinion That some have actually arriv'd at that strength of Faith at that ardour of Love that they seemed to have been uncapable of any considerable Accessions in this Life But yet new occasions may still demand new Vertues which were indeed before contained and included in Faith and Love but no otherwise than as Fruits and Trees are in their Seeds And some Degree of Original Corruption may still be lurking in the
will ferment and work us up to the noblest Heights of Zeal I might here if it were necessary easily shew that Zeal has as happy an Influence on the publick as the private that this must animate that Justice and Mercy that supports the Throne that it is the Soul of that Honour Integrity Generosity and Religion which support the States and Kingdoms of the World and without which all Politick Systems must needs tend to a Dissolution But I have said enough And from what I have said the Truth of my Third Consideration naturally appears 3. Viz. That Zeal ministers most effectually to the Glory of God For if Zeal be in it self thus lovely thus necessary if the Fruits and Effects of it be thus serviceable to the Temporal and Eternal Interest of Man what a Lovely what an agreeable Notion of God shall we form from this one Consideration of him That he is the great Author of it That he is the Origine and Fountain of that Light and Heat of that Strength and Power of which 't is compounded and constituted He commands and exacts it he excites and encourages to it by the Promise of an Eternal Crown and the ravishing Fruition of himself he has planted the Seeds of it in our Nature and he cherishes them by the blessed and vigorous Influences of his Word and Spirit How gracious is the Divine Nature how gracious is the Divine Government when the Substance of his Laws is that we should love as Brethren that we should cloath the naked feed the hungry deliver the captive instruct the foolish comfort the afflicted forgive one another if need be seven times a day and such like If to do all this be an Argument of being Regenerate and born of God if this be a Proof of his Spirit ruling in us his Nature communicated to us and his Image stampt upon us how amiable must God be when we discern so much Benefit and so much Pleasure and so much Beauty and so much Loveliness in those Qualities which are but faint and imperfect Resemblances of Him In a word the Holiness of his Children and Servants is a Demonstration of the Holiness of God himself and in this consists the very Lustre of Divine Glory Holiness is the Flower of all his Attributes the most Perfect because the most Comprehensive of all his Divine Perfections For Holiness includes Wisdom Power and Goodness As to Goodness the Case is so plain that Holiness and Goodness are commonly used as Terms equivalent As to Wisdom 't is evident That no Action is commendable and lovely whatever the Matter of it be unless the Principle the Motive of it be Wise and rational therefore Wisdom cannot be separated from the Notion of Holiness Lastly as to Power this must needs be comprised in it too for Beneficence which is at least one great branch of Holiness must unavoidably imply Power in the Benefactor and Impotence and Want in the Beneficiary And this is the Notion wherein Holiness when ascribed to God in Scripture is generally taken Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory does express the Greatness and Majesty as well as the Rectitude and Purity of the Divine Nature and to sanctifie the Lord God in our Hearts is in the Language of the Scripture not only to love him for his Goodness but revere and fear him for his Majesty and Greatness Need I here add that the Excellencies of the Creature their Fitness and Subserviency to the great Ends of their Creation is the Glory of the Creator just as the Beauty Strength and Convenience of the Work is the Honour of the Architect if the Sun Moon and Stars the irrational and inanimate Parts of the Creation shew forth the Glory of God how much more do spiritual and rational Beings and Vertue is the Perfection of Reason and Zeal of Vertue for this is that which does directly and immediately advance those great Ends that are dearest to God as I have I think abundantly made out CHAP. XI Of Humility OUR Saviour has so often pronounced the humblest the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven He has so often promised the first place and the greatest Exaltation to the lowest Condescensions He was Himself so illustrious an Example of Lowliness of Heart of Poverty of Spirit and the Apostle has so expresly asserted his Joy and Crown to be the Reward of his Humility Phil. 2. That I can never think that Man can ever rise to a more eminent Height than that to which the Imitation of this Vertue of Christ will advance him The more Perfect therefore Man is the more humble must he be too The clearer View and the more assured Hope he has of Heaven the more unconcerned must he be for all those things which the World pays a Respect and Honour to the more he must be above them The more fervent his Love of God and his Neighbour grows the more confidently must he place all his Glory in this one thing the Conformity of his Affections and Life to that of the blessed Jesus Then is he Perfect and the same Mind is in him that was in Christ Jesus Finally the more he knows God the nearer he is admitted into Communion with him the more plainly will he discern at how infinite Distance he stands from the Divine Majesty and Purity and will prostrate himself even into Dust and Ashes before him The Perfect Man admires adores obeys loves relies trusts and resigns up himself and all that is dear to him to God He is nothing in his own Eyes he pretends to nothing he lays Claim to nothing on any other Title than that of the Goodness and Bounty of God Whatever Vertues he has he ascribes them to the Grace of God and the Glory and Immortality he expects he expects only as the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And whatever he be in himself he compares no himself with others but he proves his own Work that he may have Rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Nothing but Zeal for God or Charity for Man can put him upon the asserting his own Merit or Service but when glories it is like St. Paul in his Infirmities that the Power of Christ may rest upon him Need I here insist on the Fruit of Humility Surely 't is conspicuous to every one that thinks at all Great is the Peace and Rest of the humble Soul here and great will be his Glory hereafter He who loves not the World nor the things of it the Lust of the Fesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life enjoys a perpetual Calm and Serenity of Mind There is no Object that can raise any Storm in him there is nothing that can breed in him uneasie Desires and Fears He that loves the Father is fixt on an immutable and perfect Good and he that now quits all for God shall one day participate of the Fulness of God and that