Profession only but our daily Practises too that must proclaim us Heralds of this Faith V. ALTHOUGH our Merits can never reach Heaven yet our pious Endeavours may if they are sincere because there is a Mercy hangs over our Heads that will pardon our Deficiency All the Blossoms and Buds of our Piety spring forth from this Stem and he that either believes or loves his Saviour that died for him cannot imagine he is too much industrious to live well This was the Female Sex's Faith here and she had scarce effus'd it out with floods of Tears when the Infernal Fiend in a Consternation forsakes his hold unable to endure the Eccho of that Sound which was repeated by the diviner Accent of our Redeemer's Lips and this Faith must be a Preservative against Sin and by its diviner Charms chase Satan to his Chains of Darkness 'T is this that prepares Heaven for us that makes us survive our Monuments become Immortal in our Graves and promises Eternity to our Dust and Ashes 'T is this that consummates our Happiness and will safely arrive us where the Blessed Jesus shall receive us into His Glory VI. O MOST Divine Omnipotence Thou sentest Thy Son Christ Jesus to die for us that by Believing in Him we might attain to Everlasting Life He under whom Thou hast put all things in Subjection was pleas'd to condescend to level Himself with them and dethron'd Himself to undergo a Crucifixion for our Souls that we might receive the Benefits of His Death and Passion and be Partakers of His Glory Oh let not those Miseries of our depraved Nature which petitioned Thy Mercy and Compassion make us uncapable of it Let not those that plead Ignorance of Thee but by Thy Miracles be more ardous in acknowledging Thine abundant Goodness than we who by the Manifestation of Thy Love claim an Interest in Thy precious Blood VII BUT grant O Lord that we may live in a perpetual Thanksgiving to Thy Merits who camest down from the Bosom of Thy Father to purchase and save our Immortal Souls To this end do Thou inspire into us that Faith without which it is impossible we should please Thee and with which Thou annexes all other Graces Teach us so to rely on Thy Mercies that we may not neglect the Means or imagine that a dead Faith will conduct us to that Life which Thou hast promised to none but them as work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling MED XVII Of Love and Charity 2 Pet. i. 7. And to brotherly-kindness charity TRUE and Sincere Love is an inseparable Property of a Pious Person No Christian can subsist without Faith and where that Vertue is Charity is not wanting Where the Lustre of Charity is extinguish'd the Heat of Faith must consequently be quenched Thou may'st as well rob the bright Luminary the Sun of his Light as deprive Faith of the Gift of Charity Charity is the External Act of the Internal Life of a Christian. The Body is dead without the Spirit and Faith is dead without Charity Jam. 2. 26. He is not a Member of Christ that is not inspired with his Spirit and he is not endued with his Holy Spirit that is destitute of the Gift of Charity II. THIS Theological Vertue is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by the Goodness of the Fruit the Tree is demonstrated Charity is the bond of Christian perfection saith the Apostle Col. 3. 14. As the Bodily Members are united together by the Spirit so the true Members of the Mystical Body are united by the Holy Spirit in the Bond of Charity Solomon's Temple was all covered with Gold within and without 1 King 6. 21. So our Bodies and Souls which are the Almighty's Spiritual Temples ought in like manner both within and without to be beautified with Love and Charity Let this regent Vertue exercise its Efficacy in moving thy Heart to Compassion and thy Hand to Contribution For one without the other is not effectual III. FAITH receiveth all from God the Fountain of all Goodness and from that Stream Charity as a Channel conveys it to her Neighbours By Faith we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature who is Love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Therefore where Charity manifesteth not Externally Faith Internally doth not inhabit No Man believes in the Lord Jesus which doth not express Affections of Love to Him and none can fulsil that New Commandment except he loves his Neighbour None can really apprehend the Benefits of Christ with a Heart unfeigned which has not Bowels of Compassion to the distressed IV. CHARITY is the Seminary of all Vertues and nothing can be of good growth which proceeds not from that Root And this Vertue truly delineated is the Soul 's Spiritual Relish for unto it alone are all things dulcified all Adversity Pain Anguish Trouble nay even Death it self And And the Wise Man confirms this That Love is as strong as Death Cant. 8. 6. And indeed I think I may invert the Wise Man's Text and with Assurance proclaim That Love is stronger than Death For Love brought down a Saviour to die for us Sinners that the Sting of Death might be removed from us He when he had overcome the sharpness of death did open the kingdom of heaven to all believers Oh let us then embrace this Love and die unto Sin daily that we may live unto Righteousness V. ALL the Works of the Most High proceeds from this lovely Attribute even Punishments Denunciations and Judgments The Two great Luminaries and the Constellations of Heaven illuminate not themselves but us wretched Creatures Fire Air Earth and Water were created for our Necessity The Beasts Herbs Plants Trees Birds Fish and Fowls were all for our Use. And as God has been so gracious to give thee Plenty of these Blessings so do thou distribute to thy Neighbours according to their Necessities And this must be done freely with true Amity Affection and Compassion else all our Charity is nothing worth but will prove like sounding Brass or a tinkling Symbal VI. CHARITY is patient 1 Cor. 13. 4. For no Man is easily enraged with those whom he truly affects Charity likewise is bountiful And he who has been so liberal as to resign his Heart to his Friend will without all question not with-hold from him any temporal Enjoyments for the Relief of his Necessity Charity envieth not it thinketh no Evil is not puffed up and behaveth not it self undecently Next she seeketh not those things which are her own neither is she provoked to Anger she imagineth no Mischief nor rejoyceth not in iniquity but she beareth all things believeth hopeth and endureth all things she refuseth not to do unto others as she desires them to perform unto her Tongues and Prophecies shall cease and Arts and Sciences be destroyed but Charity shall never be extinguished VII LET us then study this Lesson of Love and Charity and howsoever thy Friend or Neighbour be qualified towards thee yet remember
leisure IV. THUS these Temporal Objects of Vanity and Pleasure chase away our Thoughts from Heaven and its Celestial Raptures We can spend the Flower and Beauty of our Years in Vice and think the Almighty will be well enough pleas'd with the Deformity of decrepit Age We can sport and revel our Piety and Time in vain and frivolous Delights and conclude our selves potent enough to compel Heaven and become Religious when we are bowed down with Infirmities and have nothing left us but Repentance and a Tomb. V. WE are so highly pleas'd with the Sweetness of Sense that we are negligent of any greater Felicity and so extraordinary much delighted with the Happiness of Sinning freely that we could willingly embrace that Religion which tolerates Vice most We place all our Devotion with the luxurious Epicure in the Riots of Nature Jolly Meetings are our best Religious Exercises a Sermon is as troublesom and melancholy to us as a Funeral and to hear of our Latter-end in the mid'st of our Pleasures sounds like a Lecture of Death the unwelcome and faint Eccho of the Grave VI. LET the Preacher instruct us never so earnestly to remember our Creator we rather chuse to follow Satan's Doctrine to enjoy this World as long as we can and entertain Thoughts of Heaven at our leisure And shall the Lusts of this vain World O Lord be greater in my Soul than the Love of Thee Shall the temporary Allurements of Sin eclipse the Memory of thy Glory My Life I know is but a Span and yet I beseech thee abreviate that rather than it shoud be spent in a neglect of Thee better this Earthly Tabernacle of my Body be dissolv'd than become a Theatre for Sin to revel in VII LET me pay unto Nature the due Debt I owe her sooner than perhaps she would summons it rather than run deeper in score with thy Justice 'T is far better I should die and be lost in the memory of the World than to forget thee Thou broughtest me at first from nothing not to sin but to serve and fear Thee and has impressed in me a Ray of thy blessed Self that I might not seek my own perverse Will nor pursue this vain World but heavenly Mansions inure me therefore to Thee that I may behold those solid and ravishing Joys and Consolations that is in serving of Thee what Tranquility accompanies thy Grace that so I may no longer follow my own depraved Sense but my Saviour VIII IT is none of the least Sins of our Youth that we are negligent and forgetful of Thee our Creator And no wonder we are ignorant and insensible of the Joys to come that live in such a constant and continued neglect of Heaven Make me therefore O my God seriously to consider that had I the perfect Fruition of all I could wish or long for here I should not only be unsatisfied but in the end find how miserable he is that fixeth his Heart on any thing but Thy Self Teach me therefore so to enjoy the World that I lose not Thee nor the Memory of that Blessed and Eternal Reward Thou hast promised to them that Honour and Fear Thee MED VI. General Rules for a Godly Life Ephes. xv 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil EVERY Day Death approaches thee and then follows Judgment and Eternity Therefore think often how thou may'st be able to Answer in that most strict and severe Judgment Look circumspectly unto thy Thoughts Words and Actions for at that great Tribunal thou must render up an exact Account Eccles. 12. 14. Every Evening and Morning entertain thy Thoughts of the pale Messenger and deferr not thy Repentance till the next Day for the Morrow is uncertain but Death is certain and waits no Person 's leisure II. NOTHING is more opposite to Piety than Procrastination If thou contemnest the inward Voice of the Holy Spirit thou will never attain to a sincere Repentance Make it thy business and study to walk in the Law of the Lord. In thy Conversation be Affable and Courteous to all Perplexing to none and Familiar with few To God live Piously to thy self Continently and to thy Neighbour Justly Shew Favour to thy Friend Patience to thy Enemy thy Good-Will towards all and thy Bounty to whom thou art able Always call to mind Three things past the Evil committed the Good omitted and the Time pretermitted And ever bear in mind Three things present the Brevity of this present Life the Difficulty of being saved and the Paucity of them that shall be saved III. LET thy Evening Prayers ascend and humbly confess the Sins of the Day past and think how many are in danger of Hell-fire Let the last Day of the Seven correct and amend what Enormities thou hast committed the whole Week Shew Obedience to thy Superiours give Counsel and Aid to thy Equals and Defend and Instruct thy Inferiours Subdue thy Body to thy Mind and thy Mind to the Will of God Heartily bewail thy past Evils and set not thy Affections on Temporal Enjoyments but fix them on that which is Eternal Mourn for Sins upon remembrance of them and often remember Death that thou may'st cease from Sin Let the Justice of the Almighty keep thee in Fear and his Mercy preserve thee from Despair IV. WITHDRAW thy self as much as thou can'st from the World and addict thy self wholly to God's Service In Pleasures and Delights be vigilant of thy Chastity in Riches exercise thy Humility and in worldly Affairs neglect not Piety Be studious in pleasing none but thy Saviour neither fear to displease any but Him Deprecate Him always that his Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and beseech Him to forgive thee what is past and to guide and govern what he has wrought in thee for the future V. ABANDON all Hypocrisie for God judgeth not according to external appearance but according to the Heart In thy Words take heed of vain repetitions Mat. 6. 7. because for every idle word thou must give an account in the day of judgment Mat. 12. 36. Let thy Words Works and Actions be good or evil they pass not away but remain as Seeds of Eternity And the Apostle assures us If thou sowest to thy flesh of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption but if thou sowest to the spirit of the spirit thou shalt reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. Neither Honours Riches Pleasures or Vanities of this Life can attend thee after thy Glass is run out Set a low value upon what thou possesseth but esteem highly what thou wantest VI. LET Holy Meditation produce in thee Knowledge and Knowledge Compunction and Compunction sincere Devotion The Silence of the Mouth creates Peace in the Heart and and the more thou separates thy self from the World the more acceptable thou art to the Almighty Whatsoever thou requestest ask it of God and whatsoever thou enjoyest resign
Thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen MED XX. Of Chastity Rom. xii 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service HE that would be entertain'd a Disciple of Christ must wear his Livery of Sanctity and Chastity For God is a Spirit of that infinite Purity and Chastity that no unclean thing must presume to approach his Presence It was the Opinion and Saying of a wise Person That the Chastity of the Body and the Sanctity of the Soul are the two Keys of Religion and Felicity Now if the Body be not preserved pure and immaculare from all Sordidness the Soul cannot be ardent in Supplication Our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. And therefore we must be very vigilant and sollicitous that we defile not this Body which is the Habitacle of so great a Comforter II. OUR Members are the Members of Christ Let us not then make 'em the Members of an Harlot but let us cleave unto the Lord with Fidelity and Continency that we may be one Spirit with him and be pure as he even is pure The swinish Sodomites were smitten with Spiritual and Corporal Blindness and their burning Lust was punish'd with an Element proper to their crying Sins and the Almighty will inflict the same Punishment on all obscene and incontinent Persons with a Fire not to be extinguished For the smoak of the torments ascendeth up for ever Rev. 14. 11. Nature hath taught us not to be guilty in the Eye of the World and shall not the Checks of our own Consciences impede us from committing Enormities iu the Eye of Heaven III. DENS Caves nor Corners can exclude ns from the Divine Omnipotence All Hearts are open to his Omnisciency all Desires are known and from him no Secrets can be concealed His Omnipresence is of that potency that the Voice within us upon the Grand Inquest will bear Testimony against us and our own Enormities being empannell'd will condemn us upon the Verity of the Verdict And who would not relinquish this momentary sensual Pleasure to evade everlasting Burnings If the Smoke of that concupiscible Fire ascends up to the Nostrils of the Almighty nothing can purge the Odiousness of it but infernal Flames IV. OH let then the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour crucifie in thee all inordinate Affections and the Thoughts of a tormenting Hell quench in thee all the fiery Darts of the Wicked Let Fountains of Tears spring from a sincere Repentance extinguish in thee this conflagrating Carnality and let the fear and dread of the Almighty mortifie that concupiscible Enemy that the Allurements of it may not delude thee Consider with thy self the ill Consequents which are its Concomitants it is full of Anxiety and Folly Abomination and Ignominy and without Repentance must partake of everlasting Punishment V. LOOK not on the fawning outside of this Temptation but flie from it as you would from a Serpent Check the first Motions of it for if you once fall to reason aud article with it it will prove like the Element of Fire if not quench'd in due time grow too great to be conquer'd Next flie Idleness which is the native Soil for these abominable Weeds to grow in and be always employ'd in whatsoever lawful Vocation or Business God hath been pleas'd to allot thee that when the Tempter comes he may find thee fortify'd against Temptations 'T was Idleness allured David to Adultery Had he been busied as Ioseph was he had withstood the Temptation VI. THINK often of Death's Summons and that his cold Hand will one day chill that Blood which was so apt to be inflam'd and then tell me whether Mortification is not more suitable to Death-bed Thoughts than Sordidness and Obscenity Be frequent in Prayer and bring the Unclean Spirit to Christ that he may cast him out And to your Prayer add Fasting for this Kind goeth not forth but by Prayer and Fasting And indeed Temperance is a great Antidote against this Sin of Sodom for many times our Tables become a Snare to us for in pleasing our luxurious Palate we make Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof And by Epicuring of it so here what can we expect when we depart hence but the rich Glutton's Fate even to want a drop of Water to cool our Tongues VII REMEMBER thou must give an account for every idle and unprofitable word Mat. 12. 36. And how much more then will thy Account extend to obscene Speeches and sordid Actions Of what Continuance thy Life hath been while brought to a Period and what multiplicity of Sins soever thou hast committed thy Accusers and Accusations will be equivalent Then those secret Thoughts which thou never resented'st will apparently prove thee obnoxious before the great Tribunal From thence thou can'st not flie nor deceive the Omnipotence with vain Excuses neither can'st thou appeal from that Sentence which will be pronounced against thee for there will be Verity in the Inquisition and Severity in the Execution VIII THEREFORE whil'st thou art on this side the Grave endeavour to adorn thy Immortal Part with the fragrant Rose of Charity the dulcified Violet of Humility and the innocent Lilly of Chastity When thou enter'st the List to conquer this formidable lustful Enemy if the Fight seem difficult animate thy self with this Assurance That the Conquest will be Glorious Thou must vanquish it as thou would'st a sturdy Beggar give it a positive Answer and it is vanish'd but shew it Encouragement and it will prove like the Snake in the Fable when warm by the Fire to fall a hissing If thou would'st not have this Enemy to rule over thee entertain it not in the least corner of thy Heart but earnestly beseech God to keep thee in Sanctity of Life and Chastity of Body MED XXI Of Purity of Heart Mat. v. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God IF Innocency be the Robe of Heaven who then would not diligently strive to be adorn'd with Purity It is no wonder the Kingly Prophet was so importunate for a clean Heart and a right Spirit If this be the Recompence of true Sanctity who would neglect Religious Duties Beatifical Spirits What Felicity and Purity do ye enjoy that behold the glorious Face of your Heavenly Creator Who would not indefatigably be industrious to imitate your Seraphick Example here that he might resemble you in your happy Station and possess Eternal Joys such as the Heart in all his Divine Raptures never knew Shall the imposterous and perfidious Vanities of this Transitory World allure our Hearts and divest us of the Hopes of this Celestial Glory the Fruition of this splendid Vision II. A Magnified Vision in Comparison whereof the Regalities of this Lower Orb the Trophies and dazling Splendors of the Optick Nerves and the Lustre of the whole Universe is not worth the gazing at A
Vision which no mortal Eye ever was Spectator of but shall not be excluded if it don't obscurely lose it self on Inferiour Objects here Below No Ear did ever audibly hear its true Description but may be admitted to the divine Harmony and heavenly Halleluja's of it if it incline not to the Syrenical Charms of Sin and the bewitching Musick of sordid Carnality III. 'T is a Vision whose bright Idea cannot be delineated by the most elevating and contemplative Speculations of any Metaphysical Brain though never so Angelical 'T is not a sublime Fancy but true Sanctity that can reach it The Divine Apostolical Geographer St. Paul though lately there could not exactly give us a Description of it and Sacred Scripture divinly characters it out but in Parables and Simitudes to demonstrate how infinitely transcendent is that Glory which is so unexpressible and beyond all comprehension Were all the Pearls Rubies Saphires and Diamonds the Earth produces muster'd to a Splendour they would not equallize the diminitivest Glance of the radient Beams of Sol's bright Eye and yet that magnificent Luminary surrounded with so many attending Constellations that derive their Lustre from him is but a Spark to his shining Countenance VI. WHO then would offer up that Part an Oblation to the World which might be render'd the Instrument of so much Felicity and suffer the Profuseness of his wanton Blood to revel there where sublimer Passions and Flames should triumph He that would be an Inhabitant among the Spirits of the Just must discipline his own to the same Uniformity and convert his Body to a Temple where his Heart must be both Altar and Sacrifice or rather an Emblem of the Sanctum Sanctorum for those excellent Graces of the Spirit to inhabit in V. THE stately Mansion-House of Life must be converted into a Mansion of Divine Love and the magnificent Palace of Heroick Spirits into a Royal Court of peculiar Graces and then that Part which as Natural Philosophors observe which lives first and dies last shall become purely Vital and not be liable to Mortality Nothing but a thrice Glorious Trinity can satiate this Triangle which must be shaped to the purest Figure and taught in all its Pulses to palpitate nothing but Heaven and Eternity VI. OUR Bosoms must be converted to Closets of Devotion and our Hearts to Cabinets of immaculate Innocency and fervent Prayer embellish'd with that sparkling Diamond a lively Faith the Lamp at which all our minor Graces as Tapers light themselves and like Stars borrow their Lustre from this Luminary 'T is not a Heart that can chime to the airy Sound of any tinkling Religion and pretends a Sanctity fix'd in its Countenance that makes Affectation his Conscience and Moroseness of Humour Tenderness of Spirit VII NO 't is a Heart adorn'd with the White Robe of Humility crown'd with the Diadem of Love fumigated by Prayers the odoriferous Scent of Chastity and the Fragrancies of a Life of Sanctity that couches it self within the embracing Arms of our Saviour's Spouse and stiles himself a Mourner in her Persecutions that looks upon the VVorld as the Enemy of its Glory and had rather embrace Mortality than prove a Rebel against Heaven 'T is such a Celestial Heart that must be a Preparative for this transcendant Vision and happy is he that arrives to that Purity VIII Fortifie us therefore O Lord against the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked VVorld and elevate our Thoughts to the sublime Contemplations of Thy Glory Level in us every arrogant Thought that dares exalt it self against the Potency and Purity of Thy Law and sanctifie us for Thy Self and Service that the Practick Part of a Life of Sanctity may be our chiefest Employment that when we are summoned to depart hence we may be accepted of Thee and being fled from the Eye of this Lower Orb we may take a Prospect of Thy Heavenly Palace of what neither Eye hath seen Ear heard nor Heart can conceive the Glory Thou wilt impart in the Fruition of Thy Self MED XXII Against Covetousness Heb. xiii 7. Let your conversation be be without covetousness COVETOUSNESS is the Root of all Malignity and he that is a Slave to Riches his Mind is always indigent he is tugging continually at the Oar and accumulates worldly Dross but as the Psalmist says he knoweth not who shall gather it Psal. 39. 6. And as he is impoverished in his Mind so he is miserable in his Station for Bounty and Goodness are Strangers to himself and others and Charity with him is so frozen that the Poor instead of recompenceing him with their Prayers are more ready to attend him with their Imprecations Fix not thy Trust in uncertain Riches but place thy Mind on what is certain 'T is certain the Hour of Death will come and then what will all thy Wealth avail thee They cannot assist thee in a true Repentance nor plead thy Cause in the Court of Heaven They cannot procure thee an easie Passage hence nor give thee Assurance of Eternal Happiness II. THEREFORE lay aside this bitter Root and graft new Plants of Liberality and Charity Make haste with speed and undertake this Task lest thou offend the Almighty and endanger thy own Soul The covetous Person must needs allow this Maxim That he lives without God in the World And our Saviour informs us we cannot serve God and Mammon Luk. 16. 13. For he that wholly sets his Heart upon transitory Treasure must of necessity unfix it from God and Eternal Glory and is uncapable of performing that Duty which is required by the Almighty III. SEE with what eagerness the Covetous pursues Riches and is greedy as a Lion after his Prey All Opportunities of Gain are readily embraced Prayer and all Religious Duties are laid aside to accomplish and attend it So prone is frail Mortality to this Sin that he leaves nothing unattempted to answer his sordid Avarice nay it is often apparent that Unlawfulness and Fraudulency is used by the Covetous to that degree that many Families have suffered Destruction though it were to the utter Ruine of the Souls and Bodies of the Misers themselves And now what can these Men expect for the Cruelties they transact but to be excluded from Happiness and to receive that Reward of not inheriting the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 10. IV. THEY which hoard up Terrestrial Treasures resemble those that place their Fruits in low and moist places not considering they are incident to Putrefaction Oh how infatuated are they then which indulge themselves to that which is liable to Corruption For how can that which is Temporal satisfie the Soul which is Eternal The Animate Part comprehends all Corporal Things by virtue of its Spiritual Nature that it cannot be distended and filled by any Quantity All things the higher they soar towards Heaven the less they cark and care to hoard up This may be attested by the Fowls of the Air which neither sow nor reap Mat. 6. 26.
up freely unto him for he that is unthankful for what he has received is unworthy of receiving more and the Gifts of Heaven cease to descend when the Incense of our Thanks leave off ascending VII WHATEVER happeneth to thee convert it to a good use as in Prosperity bless and praise God and exercise Charity according to thy Ability So in Adversity exercise thy Repentance for what Enormities thou hast committed which thou can'st not but imagine to be the Efficient Cause of what thou sufferest Let Humility keep thy Heart in Subjection that Arrogancy may get no possession of thee Judge God to be a Father for his Clemency Power and Gentleness a Lord for his Discipline Severity and Justice Love him piously as a Father for his Mercy and fear him and trust in him who abhors Sin in the least degree Ever humbly acknowledge thy own Misery but loudly proclaim his Mercy MED VII The Whole Duty of Man Eccles. xii 13. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the Whole duty of man FEW there are which perform this Lesson which yet should not so much appear our Duty as it ought to be our Delectation He that hath but once acquired the habit of adoring his Maker will assideouslsly confess Religion the highest of Pleasures and that Legislative Power which seems so formidable and disgustful to the World will prove but recreative to his Immortal Soul But alas how little is there of the Royal Prophet's Piety now among us when instead of delighting in God's Law we obliterate it more and are so far distant from meditating in it either Day or Night that we never in the least think or consider of it at all II. 'T IS become a Custom now to Sin with Audacity and a Syllogism of much Valour to exile this timerous Religion or fearing either the Almighty or his Law which he hath given us The Royal Preachers edifying Doctrine is as obsolete and worser than a Paradox a meer Apocrypha and a Heresie to revive it To instruct us in our Duty is to scurrilize the Times whil'st we officiously unhinge Religion and it is no amazing wonder there are such swarms of Atheists but indeed there never was such a time to generate them as now trace Antiquity to its primitive Rise and this Age cannot be parallell'd III. THE World never encreased so much in Sin abominable Sects and disaffected Parties like Colonies new cultivate the Earth Profaneness is grown Hereditary and sprouts out by Propagation so that in process of time Posterity may perhaps become Ethnicks Were the Divine Wisdom and his Promise mutable a Deluge would prove but a slender Penalty We not only sin but exult in it more whil'st some not satisfy'd to be occult and silent Atheists proclaim it aloud and are fierce of acquiring the Reputation as if we could not render our Ingenuity enough without Denying our Maker IV. NO marvel Religion is out of Tune when a Harmony in Ecclesiasticks is wanting or that Christianity bears so faint a Sound when common Morality is not heard And yet it is a Lesson which we cannot learn too well a Tribute we cannot pay too often We owe our Breath to the Bounty of his Hand what Homage then can we better pay than that which by magnifying of him we purchase an Immortal Crown for our selves Tell me ye stupid Chasers of the World what ye aim at in all your Pretences Ye that scoff at Heaven and make Divinity a Garment for Unrighteousness That with the Pharisee embrace Formality for your Religion and make an external Piety your Duty V. ALAS Heaven is not gain'd by pious Fraudulency gilded Crimes or fortunate Transgressions nor the Eye of the Almigty to be deluded with a gaudy Zeal 'T is not a pretended Sanctity that can invest us with Immortality nor a modish Devotion only that will conduct us to Heaven How miserable is he who idolizes the World and embraces that Religion to neglect his Creator Therefore let us make that inquest of the Voice within us and then invoke the Almghty in these or the like Expressions VI. O GREAT Iehovah what did'st thou bestow our Reason on us but to diligently listen unto the Voice of thy Law that the Celestial Rhetorick of thy Word might at least attract from us an ignorant Profaneness Shall Ethnicks that had no other Scope no other Recompence for their Sanctity than some vain Applause or the internal Triumphs of their Spirits for their good Performances outvie us in the Splendours of a Moral Life and we that have sublimer and purer Hopes be scarce Obedient for Thy sake Shall they that are ignorant of Thee be more passionately Just than we that have traced out Heaven and expect Eternity to succeed VII THOUGH it was not in Man's Power to find Thee till Thou did'st reveal Thy Self in a Crucify'd Jesus yet now having so richly and in that Plenitude expressed to us the Treasures of Thy Love shall we not be excited to perform something for Thy Glory Incite us we beseech Thee to consider well the Advantages that are in Thy Service the Felicity that accompanies Obedience and thae Crown which is the Recompence of Faith that so our Affections being mortified unto these fading Objects here Below they may be enliven'd only with Desires after those Eternal Excellencies that are in Thee in Thy Heavenly Kingdom MED VIII The Vanity of the World 1 Joh. ii 15. Love not the world nor the things that are in the world SET not thy Affections upon the World for it shall pass away and all the things that are therein shall be consumed with fire 1 Cor. 7. 31. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Love that Felicity which is Eternal that so thou may'st enjoy it and live for ever Every Creature is subject to Vanity whosoever therefore idolizes the World shall also become vain himself Embrace that Good which is true and stable that thy Heart may be quiet and fixed VVhy doth mundane ambitious Honour delight thee He that seeketh Applause of Men cannot be Honour'd by the Almighty Ioh. 5. 44. For he that chaseth after this VVorld's Vanity must be conformable to it And the Apostle tells ye He that pleaseth men cannot please God Gal. 1. 10. II. HE that is Extoll'd yesterday perhaps to a high degree by the Applauses of Men may be levell'd to morrow by Disâ—race VVhat is mortal Man the better for gaining a Reputation of a greater value than others if he is disesteem'd in the sight of God Our blessed Saviour being sought for to receive a Kingdom fled from it but to be ignominiously Crucified surrendered himself He that despises not the VVorld to follow Christ how will he be qualify'd to lay down his Life for him Therefore there is no passage to true Happiness but by contemning the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked and fading World III. CHRIST that blessed Pattern taught us how we should value the World For if He who is Glory it self rejected
thy Folly thou be cast headlong into the deep abyss of Sin and Misery And now having consider'd the Detestableness of this Sin of Pride and the Amiableness of this Virtue of Humility let us earnestly endeavour to abandon the one and embrace the other and with all Sanctity invoke the God of all Spirits to infuse into us his heavenly Grace that this Tumour of Pride may be asswag'd in us that his Meekness and Humility may be our perfect Pattern to guide us in this Life and conduct us to the Life to come MED XIII The Proud Pharisee Luk. xviii 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican SEE how Ingratitude is radicated in this proud Pharisee that he so imperiously thanks Heaven How prodigiously hath Pride metamorphos'd him He that accustom'd himself to prolix Prayers intends now to use brevity His devoutest Posture is Standing and he comes not to Pray but to Boast not to Worship his Creator but to Extoll himself He is not qualify'd to be highly Pious being so opinionated and transported with his own Virtues that he is destitute of either Time or Patience to remember the sole Author whose Benignity he would pretendedly seem to acknowledge but 't is so luke-warmly 't were better he were ungrateful still II. TRUTH had a lucky chance to proceed from such graceless Lips He did indeed far excell others even to the Superlative degree of Audaciousness But had he been acquainted with himself better he would have proved more Grateful and not so Arrogant How amply doth he disturb the Ear of Heaven with these Ostentations of his singular Value but for his Pride and Arrogancy makes not the least Apology Indeed he Thanks the Almighty but 't is after a modish Carelessness and rather an airy Complement than a solid Prayer III. HE may plead Ignorance but be found guilty of the breach of the Second Commandment in the First Table For he knows he is forbid to Worship Idols or Images yet thinks it no Sin to Idolize himself and therefore dares presume to offer to the Almighty a Schedule of his own Merits How many apt Scholars is there in the World that hath perfectly learn'd this Lesson and imprinted it in their Memory See how the Roman Pharisees charm and puff up themselves with Pride by their sanctimonious Acts of Supererogation and think to scale Heaven by a Ladder of their own forming magnifying a superabundant Piety and triumphing in a meritotious superfluity of performing more than their appointed Task IV. WITH how much Agility do our trembling Enthusiasts follow their Generals Path in a sanctimonious Pride by a supercillious Purity of Intention presuming it their Prerogative to reform the Universe and create it again a-new That Canonize themselves according to their mode and with the proud Pharisee not only thank the Almighty but tell him positively they far excell other Men That outragiously and loudly proclaim themselves the great Luminary of the World and in a devout lunacy wou'd croud in new Notions extravagantly decrying all Religions but their own These malecontented Pretenders immure themselves a-part from others and by a morose Piety are become so prodigiously Divine that they have always extinguish'd their Humanity V. NOW if the Pharisee were not as other Men yet these resemble him having been such exact Proficients in his Nature and Religion So apt and prone O Lord are we to be seduced even in our best Performances and whil'st we vainly imagine our selves not only to excell others but so meritorious in Thy sight as to be elevated into Presumption T is Humility must Crown all our Graces and put a Lustre on our Requests whil'st the presuming Assurance of our own Merits does not only deface but seclude us from Thee VI. TEACH us therefore O Lord with such Expressions of Gratitude to use Thy Gifts that we may not be stupified so as to be forgetful of our selves or Thee Whil'st others arrogantly boast themselves in meritorious Acts of Supererogation let us earnestly endeavour humbly to acknowledge confess and bewail our many Imperfections Let not a sanctimonious Pride seize upon our Immortal Souls that may any ways hinder us from being innocent from the great Offence MED XIV The Soul's Delight Psal. xciv 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. GOD the bountiful Provider of all the World hath prepared a great Feast Mat. 22. 4. And those which hunger and thirst after Righteousness are freely invited He that tasteth not is not sensible of the Sweetness of this Divine Banquet and he that has lost his Appetite is not expected a Guest at this Table If thou believest on the Lord Jesus obey the first Summons and approach with chearfulness to this Royal Repast None can acquire a Credulity unless with Contrition he confess his Sins and repent of the same in Dust and Ashes And as Contrition is the spiritual Hunger of a Soul surrounded with Sin so Faith is the spiritual Food that revives and nourishes it to Everlasting Life II. GOD gave the Israelites in the Wilderness Manna the Food of Angels Exod. 16. 15. And in this Entertainment of the New-Testament the Almighty exhibits to us the Celestial Manna yea he is there present himself who is that spiritual bread which came down from heaven to give life unto the world Joh. 6. 51. He which had a desire to see his Field refused to come Luk. 14. 18. From whence we may inferr That they which set their Affections on the Pleasures of this Life cannot approach to this Holy Table When the rich Gallant in the Gospel heard that he must forsake all his Goods of Fortune for Eternal Life he went away sorrowful Mat. 19. 22. III. CHRIST the Celestial Elisha infuses not the Oyl of his Loving-kindness but into Vessels which are empty 2 King 4. 4. And his Divine Love never inspires any Soul except the Love of the World be extracted from it whereby it may become a fit Receptacle for so Divine a Guest For where our treasure is there will our heart be also Mat. 6. 21. Temporal Enjoyments hath its attrrctive Allurements but Divine Love hath that Energy to unite us to the Deity Terrestrial Treasures consists in the Goods of Fortune but in these the Soul can acquire no Satisfaction for it is beyond what this World can afford and therefore seeks for far greater Excellencies than transitory things IV. DID we but seriously consider the Duration of all Temporalities we would not fix our Hearts so fervently upon them For upon our Bed of Mortality no Relief can be expected from 'em and what an absurdity is it for us to place our Affections on those things which are so frail and inconstant Our First Parents when they rebelled against the Most High would have attempted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil but before they could
now consider the Efficacy of Faith and offer up an Oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving unto him who is the only Giver of it It is that alone which ingrafts us into the Body of Christ and as Branches extract their Sap from the Vine so from him proceeds Life Righteousness and Salvation Adam in his pristine State fell and lost his Divine Image by his Incredulity but we are restor'd again by Grace and the Image of the Almighty by Faith is renewed in us By this Faith Christ dwells in our Hearts and where He inhabits there His Grace resides and an Assurance of an Inheritance of Eternal Life II. AND as the Effects of Faith are Wonderful in their Operation so they are Exemplary in their Demonstrations For By Faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11. 4. So by Faith we are enabled to offer Omnipotency spiritual Sacrifices that is the Fruit of our Lips Heb. 13. 15. And by Faith Enoch was translated Heb. 11. 5. So that Vertue withdraws us from the Society of the World and invites us to place our Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. By Faith Noah prepared an Ark Heb. 11. 7. So we by that Theological Virtue are received into that Church wherein our Souls are preserved amidst all the Storms and Tempests which happen in the World III. BY Faith Abraham left an idolatrous Land and went into a strange Countrey in Expectation of the Promised Land Heb. 11. 8 9. So by the Energy of that Vertue we depart this World forsaking all that is near and dear to us expecting to arrive at that Celestial Ierusalem which God hath prepared in the Heavens Rev. 21. 2. We are Strangers and Pilgrims on this side Heaven and travel by Faith unto a heavenly Countrey By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. So Faith animates us to contemn the World and to despise the Glory Honour Riches and Pleasures of it and excites our Minds to Eternal Felicities VI. BY Faith Israel kept the Passover Heb. 11. 28. So we by the Eye of Faith celebrate the Lord's Supper where Christ is the Paschal Lamb whose Flesh is meat indeed and whose Blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. By Faith Rahab was saved Heb. 11. 31. So in the universal Conflagration of this World we shall be saved from Destruction By Faith the Fathers overcame Kingdoms stopt the Mouths of Lions and quenched the force of fire Heb. 11. 33. So we by Faith destroy the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness escape the Treacheries and Rage of the infernal Lion and are deliver'd from Hell's implacable Malice and everlasting Burnings V. NOW Faith is not a naked Opinion and slender Profession but a true and lively Apprehension of Christ propounded to us in the Gospel a full Assurance of his Grace residing in us the Tranquillity of our Souls which relies only upon Christ's Merits This Faith is fructified of the Seed of the Sacred Word whereby the Holy Spirit and this Vertue is united Now Faith resembles a spiritual Illumination for our Hearts are illustrated by its Splendor and the Rays of a Life of Sanctity shines forth Evil Actions are the Works of Darkness and What communion saith the Apostle is there between light and darkness 2 Cor. 6. 14. Deeds of Darkness are the Seeds of Satan but a lively Faith proceeds from Christ and What communion is there between Christ and Satan 2 Cor. 6. 5. VI. LASTLY By Faith our Hearts are purified but no Internal Purity can center where the Words and External Actions are defiled St. Iohn tells ye That Faith is the victory which overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. Now there cannot be a true Faith fixed where the Flesh vanquisheth the Spirit and leadeth it away Captive into the Law of Sin No impenitent Sinner that persevereth in his Sins can be Partaker of Life Eternal neither can he without true Repentance claim any Privilege or Share in the Merits of Christ Jesus Kindle in us O God the Light of True Faith that by the Vertue of it and Thy alone Merits we may obtain Eternal Salvation and reign with Thee for evermore in Thy Kingdom of Glory World without end Amen MED XVII The Canaanitish Woman's Faith Mat. xV. 28. And Iesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt BEHOLD this Canaanitish Woman how fortunate and happy she was to be found worthy of so great an Expression Her Female Weapon compensated for the Guilt of its past Follies having now by its seasonable Answers merited so Divine an Eulogy Poor Female how enrich'd was she in whose Bosom was concealed a Treasure which Emperors Kings and Princes compared to her are Indigent All the Holy Land with its precious Balm and odoriferous Spices could not furnish her with a sufficient Antidote to revive her Darling and charm away the Infernal Spirit from tormenting her Behold these Miracles of Faith that at once could save two Souls the Mother's and her Daughter's II. SO miraculous and potent is solid Faith that even the least grain of it can remove lofty Mountains level steep Hills and smooth the most aspert and ambitious Soul into a meek and fructifying Valley 'T was this that calmed the Surface of the foaming Ocean that made the boisterous Waves an easie Path and turn'd their furious Rage into a pleasant Walk for St. Peter's Feet 'T was the Centurion's Faith that gave his Servant a Respite from the Hands of Death which all his Guards could never have prevented 'T was by Faith that the Blind Man was restored to his Sight which was beyond the Skill of Art and Nature to perform III. ALL the Admirations of the Gospel were always concluded with Thy Faith hath saved thee And yet that Faith which then operated so many Miracles is now grown the greatest Miracle it self Whil'st some take the Symbol for the Thing they fix the Magnitude of their Faith on the Greatness of their Works and have so candid an Opinion of themselves that they imagine it Faith enough only to do well Others expect to be Canoniz'd for their Doctrines though not for their irregular Lives they scoff at all Religious Duties and imagine to tread the Path to Heaven only by their Faith IV. OBEDIENCE hearty Contrition for Sin that amiable Robe of a perplexed Soul and the Royal Ornaments of our Spiritual Warfare are but vacant Ceremonies and both these Parties Belief are of their own forming But Heaven is not purchas'd only by Speculation He that fixeth his Faith in his empty Skull and imagines Religion hath not its Attendant may like Moses view and discourse of the Promised Land at a distance but never approach to it Our Obedience must cry out louder than our Pretensions 'T is not our Noise and Nonsence that will create us Saints 't is not our external Shew of