love of the truth i.e. though they had some illuminations and some knowledge of the truth yet they had not the love of the truth in their hearts they did not receive it as from God and so subject themselves unto it but their hearts did rise against it because it crossed their lusts and wills Now God in his just judgment doth give such over to beleeve a lye This you may take notice of that where God is graciously pleased to afford means of knowledge to a people and that people do either slight it and take little notice of it or else content themselves in a bare external profession and do not receive it in love and submission God is pleased sometime to give such over to be very corrupt indeed and to embrace errours contrary to those truths that formerly they have received how many have there been in these times lately past that have lived under a profession and seemed very zealous and forward and yet some corruption swaying their hearts they have not only fallen off from that fervour in the Ordinances of God but have looked on them as below their attainments and as needless things to them and look on the vaine fancies and conceits that arise in their mindes to be the breathings and moveings of the Spirit of God and at last cast off all shew of Religion and question whether there be any Religion or God yea or no Now consider this what a sad and dreadfull thing is this to fall into such delusions and yet how many were there of those whom God was pleased thus to give over whom one would have thought should never have received such things as these in their hearts But it hath been evident by fad and wofull experience and this indeed is not to be admired at but we may rather marvel that it is not general amongst us considering how we have slighted the Gods Word and denyed the power of it in our lives God is pleased once more to give us this liberty that we should openly enjoy his Ordinances Let us remember that God will not suffer such mercys to be abused It is high time for us to look to our selves to labour to know the mind and will of God and knowing it to embrace it with affection and obedience If we know not the things that belong to our peace in the day of our visitation we cannot expect but that the issue will be sad that God may judicially give men over to a spirit of delusion that they shall run into the most dreadfull and erroneous opinions and all kind of grosse and idolatrous superstitions and wickedness And thus we have cleared the point the grounds follow 1. Because ignorant persons through the ignorance and blindness of their understandings are not able to judge and try things and to put difference between things that differ Men that know not truth from errour may be easily deceived especially when there is an outward shew and fair glosse put upon it A man may easily be overcome in Combate that is discovered or that hath no skill to use his armes Many men live without Gods Word and though they have it do not know how to manage this Sword of the Spirit as it is called by the Apostle they know not how to defend themselves nor to offend those that assault them And Satan is he is especially subtill so his 〈◊〉 have learned this policy of him when they hear men pleading Scripture and observe their unskil fullness in the Scriptures they will plead Scripture too As now for defence of the Doctrine of merit by good works that by these men might be made worthy and obtaine eternal life this Scripture will be strongly pleaded 1 Tim. 6.18.19 Look here say they it is clear and evident that we ought to lay up good works in store for our selves as a good foundation by virtue of which we may obtain eternal life But the falshood of this is easily discovered if we look to the 17. v. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches Charge them â—y plead thâ—â— they are beleevers and that they be not high minded they are apt since they beleeve in God it shall be well enough with them But let them shew their faith by their fruitfullness in good works let their faith be manifested in their practice especially in their readiness to releeve the distressed members of Christ for this is that which Christ will take especiall notice of before the whole world Wherefore we must not so understand the Apostle as if by this expression Laying up in store for themselves were meant the merit of good works which give us right to eternal life but that it might be evident that they are such as have beleeved in Christ by their fruitfullness in good works for where the Spirit of God is in the heart that Spirit teacheth a beleever to manifest the efficacy of his faith in a godly life and conversation and in a readiness to distribute to the necessitous members of Christ Likewise that place Col. 1. â— That ye might walk worthy of the Lord c. Now say they how should we walk worthy and what is our worthiness but by way of reward But that which the Apostle calls worthiness is no more then suitableness and meetness as v. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Now how are we made meet and worthy surely not by any thing in us but by Christ only as the next words shew v. 13 14. So that we are not made meet by any works of our own but we come to be made meet by being clensed from our sins and clothed in the righteousness of Christ by being taken out of Adam and implanted into Christ and so having received the Spirit of Christ we are made meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light There is a suitableness in this life to that heavenly and glorious life that we shall live with God for ever So that this is an abuse of Scripture I might shew you that life cannot be obtained by works of charity or by any thing that we can do It cannot be by works of charity for mind that which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.3 Men may give all their Goods to the poor as too many ignorant souls have done amongst the Papists Nay men may give their bodies to be burned but yet if they have not Charity i. e. if the love of God be not shed abroad in their hearts and the work be not done from a principle of love it is unacceptable Mind also that which the Apostle saith Eph. 2.8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith c. That is to say works have no hand no share at all in this great work Again they abule that place Jam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works here to
in the things that God hath commanded Many are so zealous and intemperate that they will admit of no worship but this and look on Diseenters as factions and seditious that will not yeild unto them Again there is nothing that the nature of man is more apt to be carried aside in then to advance something of himself and to set up his own righteousness and there is no way so subtil as this to deceive poor souls who will say Loe this man is for good works for serving God Is not this a good man Friends it is a good thing to be found in works of righteousness but if you rest on works of righteousness as those that may render you acceptable to God thinking your selves to be justified by them in the sight of God there is nothing more dangerous it is a dreadfull thing for a man to establish his own righteousness it is more dangerous then all the Images in the world see what Christ saith to the Pharisees Mat. 21 30.31 Now what is the meaning of Christ in that Parable Christ setteth forth those Publicans and Harlots that walked directly against the commands of God to be those that said they would not They are commanded but they obstinately answer We will not Then he speaketh to the Jewes that professed obedience and submission to the Law of God Do you what I command you We will say they they had a profession and they thought to justifie themselves before God But Christ saith the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you And why so because these were convinced as being open professed enemies against God and therefore could not establish their own righteousness when as the Jewes living under a profession contented themselves therewith and sought to advance their own righteousness and so submitted not to the righteousness which is of God So Luke 18.11 12. The Pharisee saith God I thank thee c. But the Publican stood afar off and smote on his breast and said The Lord be mercyfull to me a sinner c. I cannot say I have done this or that but this I say that without thy mercy I must perish for ever Oh it is dreadfull to rest on our own righteousness I could shew you many ways how greatly the sins of such are increased It utterly overthrows the great design of God It overthroweth the whole Gospel and all that Jesus Christ hath done and suffered for And therfore what a dreadfull thing is it when poor souls are carried away with vain pretences into such an errour Surely such are in a sad condition that are not able to discern truth from errour but are easily carried away with fair words by which deceivers beguile poor souls and make a merchandize of them Use 2. Let us see then the great wickedness of the Church of Rome that lock up the Scripture from people which is the key of knowledge You see clearely that they are ignorant persons for whom deceivers lay their baits and that the ignorant are most drawn away by seducers They fit and prepare people to be deceived that keep Gods Word from them What an abominable thing is that and how contrary to the Scriptures that ignorance is the mother of devotion It is directly contrary to the Scriptures We find that this is the complaint of God My people perish for want of knowledge Surely it is very grosse to keep people from the knowledge of the Scriptures and to perswade them to rest meerly on the words of their teachers And what is this but to ensnare them and keep them in bondage continually And what do they and how nearely do they follow these wretches that incourage people in their ignorance and discourage them from reading the Scripture talling them that they are to follow their own imployments that God expecteth not such at their hands but that which is required of them is to beleeve their Ministers But surely this was not spoken to the Ministers but to the people 1 Joh. 4.1 Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits c. This should be on every ones spirit to labour after such a measure of knowledge that they may be able to try such things as are presented to them and not to receive those things which are contrary to the mind and will of God Use 3. What cause have we to bless God in this Nation that have had free liberty of Gods Word it hath not been locked up to us Oh that we had wisdom rightly to improve this mercy that the Scripture might not be to us as a price put into the hands of fools Let us be diligent to read and meditate on the Word of God The Scripture saith Blessed are they that read the Word of this Prophecyâ— We fâ—â—d that all were commanded in the book of the law continually none was exempted not so much as the King himself And as we should read the Scripture so we should meditate on it that is the blessed man indeed that doth meditate on Gods Word day and night Also we should be instant in prayer that God would open our eyes to see the marvellous things of his law we should embrace all opportunities that God gives us to wait on him in his Ordinances that we might receive instruction and be built up in the faith It s sad to be in those places wherein we live that there should be such grosse ignorance and darkness in mens understandings And how just is it with God to give such over to be deceived that are of a dull and careless frame of spirit For the Lords sake consider seriously of it and put it to your own soules what opportunities have you omitted wherein you might have attended on Gods Ordinances How negligent have you been in reading Gods Word How justly might God give you over to the grossest delusions that have made so light of so precious a word wherein the wisdom of God the grace and love of God so eminently appears wherein there is such incouragement for poor ignorant souls and for those that find themselves in a state of misery and unbeleif to come in and beleeve And see what the Psalmist telleth us Ps 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure makeing wise the simple Should such fools be pittied that are fools willingly Now all that have Gods Word do make themselves fools in rejecting the means that God hath afforded to make them wise See what David saith Ps 119. Thy Word is a light to my waies and a lanthorn to my paths Consider that God hath promised to give to his people a heart that shall know him Who knoweth how God may in the use of his Ordinances set home by the power of his spirit a word that may soften a hard heart and humble a proud heart This is the character of Gods people that they are a wise understanding people If then we would be be of the number of
that they did do God good service yet indeed they are mistaken for believe it those men that have the warrant of Christ for what they do Christ will bear them out at that great day of Account and when men shall come to give an Account why they have done such and such things it will not be a sufficient ground to say because others did so and they did it out of their zeal Christ will justiste those that have his Word for their warrant but how dreadfull will it be for those at the judgment seat of Christ that are charged with this that they have opposed his servants for imitating him USE 3. It sheweth the evil of those that cry out so much and render persons as evil doers which were themselves and their own ways examined it would be found who they are that are most justly to be charged with this in my text There are some that exclaim against others as corner Preachers and house Preachers when if their own ways were well examined they would hardly clear themselves Who will be found such at last either those that are forced into secret places and notwithstanding are willing that their Doctrines should be put to the tryal or such that preaching publickly will be offended when their Doctrines are tryed and examined Did men seek after secret places that their Doctrines might be concealed there were a ground of suspicion but such as are willing to have their Doctrines tryed and do not shun the light they may not properly be called house-creepers Should men deal with them as the Bereans with the Apostle Paul they would be looked upon as censorious and men of factious and proud spirits meerly because they do their duty in examining mens Doctrines by the Word of God for which the Apostle commendeth the Bereans Acts 17. that they searched the Scripture to see whether these things were so or no. Can such be justly charged with Heresy that are willing that those things which they hold forth should be examined by the Scripture This is it which they earnestly call for To the Law and to the Testimony who do you think would most seek a corner if these things were well weighed and considered either those that presse things on humane authority or those that presse things on Divine authority Those that cannot endure to have their Doctrines tryed do give great ground of suspicion Persons may pretend much to holyness but this is no part of their holyness to held forth such things that are not justifiable from the Word of God Certainly those persons that are willing to have whatsoever they deliver examined and tryed by those that have the sharpest spirit of discerning alwaies provided that they make the Word of God the standard to try by and not the Lawes of men those I say that are willing to have it so done are not to be accounted house-creepers And as for such that have the warrant of Gods Word for what they do Christ will bear them out notwithstanding the slaunders and false imputations of men You know what answer Christ gave the Pharisees when they quarrelled with him concerning his Disciples because they did not observe such and such traditions This is that that will bear men out at the great day of Account when they can plead Gods Command and Institution for what they do When God putteth men this Question Who required this at your hands What horrour will seize on their hearts when they cannot say Lord we have thy word for it USE 4 Since the Apostle telleth us that such persons are dangerous persons let us take heed for it is a matter of great weight and concernment The Apostle would never have taken so much care to warn us he would not have set forth the danger of it had it not been a matter of great moment Let us then take heed that we are not deceived by such kind of persons Qu. But you will say how shall we know them ANS There is a great ground of suspicion when in times of peace and liberty that men may without any danger or molestation hold forth the truth when I say in such times they will out of choice take private places 2. Observe what the drift of their doctrine is 1 John 4.1 Beloved beleeve not every spirit but try their spirits And how By their doctrine Consider what it is that their doctrine tendeth to That which doth derogate from Christ and give unto the Creature which doth derogate from the grace and glory of Christ and advance the Creature that is most corrupt and unsound when mens doctrine rendeth to this to set up any thing of man to exalt mans free-will and works of righteousness as if there were something in that which might renders us acceptable unto God this is very dangerous When men derogate from Christ when they do not make Christ the only way to salvation for saith the Apostle Acts 4.12 Neither is their salvation in any other for there is none other name c. When they derogate from the free grace of God they are such indeed that are of this kind of creepers and deceivers that are here spoken of Again look to this whether their Doctrine be such that doth hold forth the Lord Jesus Christ to be the sole Governour and Head of the Church those that will impose on men such a worship as is not grounded on the Word are those that the Apostle speaketh of So those persons that do not clearly hold forth the righteousness of Christ and press men to look off from all other things and rest on Christ only for life and salvation that do not press men to live by faith on Christ are persons that do erre from the truth and so far as their Doctrine prevaileth they lead from the truth So when men take off the affections of people from holyness and puerity of conversation they are such whose Doctrine is corrupt and unsound for we ought to press people to manifest the power of faith in a holy and unblameable conversation Now these things we shhold look unto and try them by the Word of God according to that Is 8.20 and Christ telleth us that by their fruits we shall know them Now some fruit of a Minister is his Doctrine USE 5. May persons come under this denomination though never so publick then let none think themselves safe this is that which many poor creatures do deceive themselves with oh think they we are safe enough from any seduction and leading aside we never go to such places Others run on another extream they will not go to publick places they dislike all that is spoken there but this is evil on the other hand we are not to judge of truth by places but as God approveth it and as it is grounded on the Scripture For in a great concourse of people we may be led aside from the truth neither do secret places give us any security but there we may be led
Gods people let us endeavour afterwisdom by the improvement of those means that God hath afforded unto us Use 4. Is it so that those that live under the power of lusts are the persons that are deceived by seducers Then consider what enemies they are to their own soules that do ensnare themselves under the power of any lust they betray themselves and lay themselves open to adversaries There is nothing so dangerous to a soul as that is that sets a soul in a ready way to be deeived and undone by those that ly in wait to beguile him We are apt to say of some special sins that our hearts are much set upon this is but a little one when if we did well consider and weigh all circumstances we should find that there is no sin little though there are som sins greater then other som yet no sin can be cal'd little Now observe those that make it their business to deceive mens souls do the frame of 〈◊〉 spirits and they know how to fit their baits to mens inclinations Deceivers are like fishers that have for their several sorts of Fishes their several baits when they have to do with men whose hearts are set on the world they know how to deal with them there and when they are lifted up with pride and ambition they know how to lay a bait to catch them there and when they see that their hearts are filled with the carnal pleasures of the world they know how to lay their baits accordingly And alas how many are there that have lived under a profession of religion and yet by giving their hearts an indulgence and toleration in some lusts they have betrayed their souls into the hands of their adversaries that ly in wait to deceive them And these subtile deceivers though they fall not on a man to beat him suddenly from that which he owneth yet they intangle his affections till his heart by degrees is taken off and he is ensnared by them and comes at length to embrace such abominable opinions which if they had been presented to him at the first he would have fled from them as from a Serpent The Lord graunt that every one of us may consider of it for if we regard iniquity in our hearts and prostitute our consciences to the pleasures of our lusts God may justly suffer us to be seduced wherefore let us make it our business to purge out every iniquity lest it be our ruine USE 5. Let us not wonder then that in such times as we live in there should be such declensions from the Ways of God When we see times in which all manner of looseness and prophaneness reigns and is not suppressed it is no wonder if those that lie in wait to deceive do prosper in their designes though I do not mean of such that are sometimes drawn aside and overcome by their lusts for God may suffer his precious ones to be led aside for a season but he restoreth them again but when I say such that are under the power of lust I mean of such that are ordinarily over-ruled by their lusts and of that which is the usual course by which corrupt persons prevail on such And indeed it is not strange that they prevail on them As I hinted to you out of Jeremiah concerning that gross Idolatry that was among the people it was no wonder that the Prophets prophesying lies should prevail on them for there was horrible prophaneness and wickedness amongst them when corrupt men shall frame such a Religion as shall suit with mens lusts it is not strange that such men should yield unto them whose hearts are set on their lusts It is not strange that Popery should so exceedingly prevail when they have framed such corrupt ways that men may go on cheerfully in the satisfaction of their lusts When men shall be told that some sins are no sins and some sins are venial and greater sins may be done away by enduring some corporal punishments which also it is in he Power of the Priest to mitigate and that if they die in their sins they may by enduring some punishment in Purgatory be purged from their sins and afterwards received to glory and that it is in the Popes Power to deliver them from these pains If these things be well considered we may not wonder that men are so easilâ— drawn aside to gross Popish superstitions Where Christ telleth us of false teachers he telleth us alsâ— that iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax old USE 6. This shouldâ—â—each us to watch our hearts aud to take especial notice of the corrupt inclinations Did we devise a way to entangle our selves and ensnare our own souls we could not find a readier way then to sollow the lustings of our own hearts When once the heart is set on evil it taketh offence at the truth espâ—cially at such truths that give a wound to its beloved sins Herod heard John Baptist gladly but when he toucheth him in his beloved sin he heareth him no more So there are many that make a Profession of Religion who when they come to be touched in their beloved sins cannot digest such plain dealing and by this means their affections do abate to Religion and at last they fall off and are willing to joyn in any way that may indulge them in their susts Therefore that word of Solomon is not unsuitable Keep thy heart with all diligence c. We must see that we do not allow our selves in any evil one sin bringeth in another and frequency of sinning causeth deadnesse of heart and deadnesse of heart taketh off the Sâ—â— from the Ordinances of God till by degrees it comâ—th to have bitternesse of spirit and deadly enmity against those that go on in the practice of those things that are allowable by the Word of God We have seen sad examples of this kind in these our days how many have been ensnared by the world rather then they would lose their honour and esteem with men they leave the honour that Christ hath tendered to them Let us not then be such enemiâ—s to our own souls USE 7 What cause have such that have been preserved from Apostacy and Seduction to acknowledge the in finite goodnesse of God unto them there is none of us but if we would make a diligent search into our own hearts our Consciences will tell us that since we have come to the knowledge of the truth we have sinned against our own light we have done those things which our Consciences have told us we should not have done how might God have suffered us to be deceived and carried aside to those ways that lead to eternal destruction It is sad to look abroad in the world and to see how many in these times have been carried aside from the Truths of God by that corrupt and abominable errour of Popish Merit to establish their own Righteousnesse and some have been carried aside to the same evil under the pretence of the improvement of their natural parts and abilities and have set up their own work and denied Christ How many have despised the Oâ—â—inances of God How many have fallen from their Profession to downright Atheism That it is not so with us is because God hath preserved us and watched over us how should this engage our hearts to that God that hath made his Word good to us in keeping us to himself by his mighty power through faith And again let us not wonder that many should be drawn to this opinion and that opinion but rather wonder that to this day we have not been so deceived If God should leave us and withdraw from any of us if God should say to any soul here go in thy own way and beleeve what thou wilt and embrace whatever thy heart is set upon what opinion is there Nay what damnable Heresy is there that we should not run into It is the Lord that keeps us or else we should have perished Oh what cause hath every soul that hath been kept in the truth to bless God that hath given them his spirit to lead them in the truth It is not our parts nor wisdom nor any thing in us that preserveth us from errour he that beguiled Adam in his innocency might easily beguile us that have so much darkness in our understandings impurity in our affections and perversness in our our wills Our soules bless the Lord and acknowledge that it is of his infinite grace and mercy to us that we have been preserved We have cause to say as the Psalmist did Not unto us but is to thy name be the praise this should be as a bond in our spirits to walk with God The goodness of God should have that effect on us as it had on Jacob when God appeared to him in Bethel it is said he lifted up his feet and went on his way So it should be with us it should make us lift up our feet and walk on in the waies of the Lord FINIS