fruit of repentance yea if you would see the fruits of repentance as described by the Holy Ghost and put together for the further conviction and shame of the impenitent professor look into the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 7. vers 9 10 11. But this is a day that was never read of a day wherein conversion is frequent without repentance such a conversion as 't is and therefore doth the Church of God now swarm with them that religiously name the name of Christ yet depart not from iniquity Alas all Houses all Tables all Shops have hanging up in them the sign of the want of repentance To say nothing of the talk of the beds and the backs of most that profess by which of these is it that one of a thousand for Men and for Women one of ten thousand do shew that they have repentance No marvel then that the name of Christ is so frequently mentioned there where iniquity dwells yea reigns and that with the consent of the mind I would not be austere but were wearing of Gold putting on of apparel dressing up houses decking of children learning of complements boldness in women letchery in men wanton behaviours lascivious words and tempting carriages signs of repentance then I must say the fruits of repentance swarm in our Land but if these be none of the fruits of repentance then O the multitude of professors that religiously name the name of Christ and do not depart from iniquity But Thirdly Love is another of those great and principal graces which the Hâ—ly Ghost worketh in the heart wherefore let profession be never so high yet if Love be wanting there to be sure such professors depart not from iniquity Hence all profession and subjecting to profession are counted nothing where love is not Love is counted a most infallible sign that a man is in a state of Salvation He that loveth dwells in God is born of God and knoweth him Love divideth it self to God and to my Neighbour Love to God is that we keep his savings his commandments his Laws If a man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous So then that professor that hath not love cannot depart from iniquity 1. Where no love is men cannot be tender of the name of God they are not afflicted because men keep not Gods Law 2. Where no love is men cannot deny themselves of that which otherwise they might lawfully do lest the weak should fall and the world be destroyed 3. Where love to God is there is hatred against iniquity ye that love the Lord hate evil A man cannot love God that loves not holiness he loves not holiness that loves not Gods word he loves not Gods word that doth not do it It is a common thing to find men partial in Gods Law setting much by small things and neglectâ—ng the weightier matters paying Tythe of Mint and Anise and Cummin and neglecting the weightier matters These turn the Tables of Gods book up-side-down making little Laws of great ones and great ones of little ones counting half an hours bodily service better than a moral life Love Love is gone out of the Conutry Love to â—he doctrine of the first Table Love to the doctrine of the second Table O how many professors in Gods eyes are accounted of no more than sounding brass for want of this ornament love To speak nothing of the first Table where is he that hath his love manifested by the second where are they that feed the hungry and cloath the naked and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared Where is Paul that would not eat meat while the world standeth lest he made his brother offend Where is Dorcas with her garments she used to make for the Widow and for the Fatherless Yea where is that rich man that to his power durst say as Job does as is recorded in those Chapters quoted in the Margent Love love is gone and now coveting pinching griping and such things are in fashion now iniquity abounds instead of grace in many that name the name of Christ. They want love and therefore cannot depart from iniquity Fourthly Hope is another of those great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart and without which let a man be never so high in profession and so open in naming the name of Christ he cannot depart from iniquity As was said before of faith so we say now of hope And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure Here is that excellent office or rather effect of hope made manifest it purifieth it cleanseth a man it makes him make the Lord Jesus his example as well as his Saviour He purifieth himself even as he is pure to wit in soul in body in spirit in life and conversation Hope of life eternal by Christ makes a man purifie himself in obeying the truth through the spirit Hope to be with Christ hereafter will make me strive to believe him here Hope of being with Angels then will make a man strive to live like an Angel here Alas alas there is a company of half-priests in the world and they cannot they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of God because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world where is that Minister now to be found that dare say to his people look on me and walk as you have me for an example or that dare say what you see and hear to be in me do and the God of peace shall be with you These men had hope and hope purified them to an example till they became patterns to others Is not this now far off from some professors in the world are they purified are they clean that name the name of Christ are they weaned from that milk and drawn from the breasts No nor their profession is not attended with grace they name the name of Christ well but they do not depart from iniquity Let a man believe a lie and according to the reality of his belief such will his obedience be let a man hope for that for which he hath no ground to hope yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof And yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed Gospel which yieldeth the most substantial ground for faith and hope yea we have a company of men that will be naming the name Christ which is the sweetest the most taking and desirable name that is named among the sons of men and for all that this Gospel this worthy name nor yet their naming of it doth make them depart from iniquity But what 's the reason why they have taken up a profession but want the
name of Christ. Now I say if he intendeth not those that name the name of Christ irreligiously then tho' the exhortation let every one seems to extend it self to all and all manner of persons that any ways name the name of Christ yet 't is limited by this to wit that rightly religiously or according to the way of the professors of Christ name his worthy name And it must needs be so taken and that for these reasons 1. For that as I said before the Apostle taketh no notice of their manner of naming of his name so as â—o reprove any undecency or unseemâ—iness in their Naming of him wherefore he alloweth of the manner of their naming of him 2. Because the Apostles design in this exhortation was and is that the naming of the name of Christ might be accompanied with such a life of holiness as might put an additional lustre upon that name when ever named in a religious way but this cannot be applied to every manner of naming the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man shall name the name of Christ unduely or irreligiously though he shall never so much there withall depart from iniquity and be circumspect to the utmost in all civility and morality yet he answers not the Apostles end which he seeks by this his exhortation For 1. Suppose a man should name the name of Christ vainly idlely in vain mirth wantonness false or vain swearing or the like and shall back this his manner of naming the name of Christ with all manner of Justness and uprightness of life would this answer the Apostle's end in this his exhortation Verily no for this manner of naming the name is worthy reprehension Thou shalt not take my name in vain or vainly make use thereof And moral goodness attending the so naming of the name of Christ will do more hurt than good 2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ such as the Jews and Pharisees did accustom themselves unto as to call him Jesus the deceiver and Christ in a way of scorn and contempt Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a luster upon their opinions for said the Lord Christ himself unto them Ye indeed appear beautiful outward 3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous Errors that men by the use of that name and the putting of it upon such errors and delusions may put off their errors to others the better Many shall come in my name to wit with their delusions presenting them in my name to the world and shall put them off in my name to the destruction of the Soul Now can any imagine that the Apostle should extend his exhortation to such that they thus continuing to name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity To what end should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his To no purpose at all for the more an erroneous person or a deceiver of Souls shall back his errors with a life that is morally good the more mischievous dangerous and damnable is that man and his delusions wherefore such a one is not concerned in this exhortation 4. There is a naming of the name of Christ magically and after the manner of Exorcism or conjuration as we read in the Acts of the Apostles The vagabond Jews the exorcists there say We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth Thus they called over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus But what if these should cloth this their devilish art and devilish way of using or naming of the name of the Lord Jesus with departing from iniquity so as to commend their whole life to bye-standers for such as is morally good what advantage would Christ or Paul or the Gospel get thereby verily none at all but rather dammage and reproach as will soon appear to any mans reason if it be considered that goodness of life joyned to badness of principles is like the Devil clothed in white or Satan transformed into an Angel of light And Paul was grieved in his Spirit when the wench that had a spirit of divination did acknowledg him to be the servant of the most high God for he knew it would nothing further or help forward the Lords design but be rather an hindrance thereto For when Witches and Devils come once to commend or make use of the name of Christ Christ and Paul like it not therefore Pauls exhortation which here we are presented with by the Text is not extended to any of the four sorts aforenamed but First To those upon whom his name is called they should depart from iniquity I say those whom God has so far dignified as to put the name of Christ upon them and I will add that apply that name to themselves And the reason is because God is now concerned God has changed thy name from Pagan to Christian and thou chusest to call thy self by that â—ame saying I belong to Christ. Now thou must depart from iniquity for that notice is taken of thee both by Heaven and Earth that thou art become a Disciple and let every one that so nameth the name of Christ or that nameth it being himself by God and himself put under such circumstances as these depart from iniquity Secondly It is spoken to those that name the name of Christ either in the publick or priâ—ate worship of God being themselves professed worshippers of him and the reason is for that the ordinances as well as the name of God is holy and he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him He therefore that approacheth the presence of Christ in prayer or any other Divine appointment must take heed of regarding of iniquity in his heart else the Lord will stop his ears to his prayers and will shut his eyes and not take notice of such kind of worship or worshippers Thirdly Those that the Apostle in this place exhorts to depart from iniquity are such as have taken unto themselves the boldness to say that they are in him abide in him and consequently are made partakers of the benefits that are in him He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked And the reason is because Christ is a fruitful root and a free conveyer of sap into the branches Hence it is written that the trees of the Lord are full of sap So then he that nameth the name of Christ by way of applying to himself his benefits and as counting that he is found of God in him and so abideth ought himself to walk even as he walked that he may give proof of what he saith to be true by bearing forth before men that similitude of righteousness that is in his Root and Stem For such as the stock or tree is such let the branches be but that cannot be known but
lacking but mixed there with Therefore I say since God has put his name into thy mouth to profess the same and grace into thy heart to season that profession with such carriage such behaviour such life and such conversation as doth become the same thou hast great cause to thank God A man into whose mouth God has put the name of Christ to profess it is as a man that is to act his part upon a stage in the Market-place if he doth it well he brings praise both to his Master and himself but if he doth it ill both are brought into contempt No greater praise can by man be brought to God than by joyning to the profession of the name of Christ a fruitful life and conversation Herein saith Christ is my my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Desciples Fruitful lives God expecteth of all that profess the name of Christ. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Bless God therefore if he hath kept thee from blotting and blemishing of thy profession if thy conversation has not been stained with the blots and evils of the times What thou feelest fightest with and groanest under by reason of the working of thine inward corruptions with that I meddle not nor is thy conversation the worse for that if thou keepest them from breaking out Thou also shalt be counted holy unto God through Christ if thou be of an upright conversation though plagued every day with the working of thine own corruption As Gods grace is the salt of Saints so Saints are the salt of God The one is the salt of God in the heart and the other is the salt of God in the world Ye are the Salt of the earth that is the salt of God in the earth For the earth would be wholly corrupt and would altogether stink if professors were not in it But now if the professor which is the salt shall indeâ—d lose his savour and hath nothing in his conversation to season that part of the earth in which God has placed him where with shall it be seasoned The place where he dwels as well as his profession will both stink odiously in the nostrils of the Lord And so both come to ruin and desolation Indeed as I have shewed the professor will come to the worst of it for that God doth deny further to give him salt If the salt has lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted wherewith shall the salt be salted with nothing Therefore it is thenceforth good for nothing No not for the Dunghill but to be casâ— out and troden under foot of men He thaâ— hath ears to hear let him hear How much therefore is the tender hearted and he that laboureth to beautifie his profâ—ssion with a Gospel conversation bound to bless God for the salt of his grace by the which his heart is seasoned and from his heart his conversation Secondly As such Christians should bless God so let them watch lâ—t them still watch let them still watch and pray watch against Satan and pray yet for more grace that they may yet more and more beautifie their profession of the worthy name of Christ with a suitable conversation Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment that is his conversation clean nor is their any thing save the overthrowing of our Faith that Satan seeketh more â—o destroy He knows holiness in them that rightly as to doctrine name the name of Christ is a maul and destruction to his Kingdom an allurement to the ignorant and a cutting off those occasions to stumble that by the dirty life of a professor is laid in the way of the blind He knows that holiness of lives when they shine in those that profess the name of Christ doth cut off his lies that he seeketh to make the world believe and the slanders that he seeketh to fasten upon the professors of the Gospel Wherefore as you have begun to glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods so I beseech you do it more and more Thirdly To this end shun those profâ—ssors that are loose of life and conversation From such withdraw thy sâ—lf saith Paul and follow righteousness faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart If a man if a good man takes not good heed to himself he shall soon bring his soul into a snare Loose professors are defilers and corrupters a man shall get nothing but a blot by having company with them Besides as a man shall get a blot by having much to do with such so let him beware that his heart learn none of their ways Let thy company be the excellent in the earth even those that are excellent for knowledge and conversation He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Be content to be counted singuler for so thou shalt if thou shalt follow after righteousness c. in good earnest for holiness is a rare thing now in the world I told thee before that it is foretold by the word that in the last dayes perilous times shall come and that men shall walk after their own lusts yea professors to their destruction Nor will it be easie to keep thy self therefrom But even as when the Pestilence is come into a place it infecteth and casteth down the healthful So the iniquity of the last times will infect and pollute the godly I mean the generality of them Were but our times duly compared with those that went before we should see that which now we are ignorant of Did we but look back to the Puritans but specially to those that but a little before them suffered for the word of God in the Marian days we should see another life than is now among men another manner of conversation than now is among professors But I say predictions and prophecies must be fulfilled and since the word says plainly that in the last days there shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts and since the Christians shall be endangered thereby let us look to it that we quit our selves like men seeing we know these things before lest we being led away with the error of the wicked fall from our own stedfastness Singularity in godliness if it be in godliness no man should be ashamed of For that is no more than to be more godly than to walk more humbly with God than others and for my part I had rather be a pattern and example of piety I had rather that my life should be instructing to the Saints and condemning to the world with Noah and Lot than to hazard my self among the multitude of the drossie I know that many professors will fall short of Eternal life and my judgment tells me that they will be of the slovenly sort of professors that so do And for my part I had rather