patience have its Perfect work Iam. 1. 4. 3. Resignation unto Gods hands to be disposed of by him as he pleases lett him if he will deprive us of all our Comforts cross us in all our desires frustrate us of all our hopes plunge us into all extremity of Sufferings saying with Ely it s the Lord let him do whatseemes him good 1. Sam 3. 18. with David if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here I am lett him do to me as seemeth good unto him 2. Sam 15. 26. with Hez-kiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2. Kings 20. 19. with St. Paul I am ready not to be bound only but also to die c. Acts. 21. 13. These I refer unto the Life not that they do not begin at the heart but because they are most conspecuous in the life whereas the operation of the other is oft more inward 2ly As to the degrees of these excellencies for though these were all found in a Christian so that he were not wholy defective in any usefull knowledge humility Purity Faith Love Obedience patience resignedness Yet were Knowledg obscure confuse doubtfull ineffectuall in him were purity partiall so that it onely freed him from some pollution but not from all were humility in a low degree so that though he did not greatly affect esteem and applausse yet he could not patiently bear open contempt reproach and contumelious using were Faith so seeble that though it did at last overcome all feares and doubtings yet this were not till a long time not without much adoe were love so Narrow as to confine it self but to some few persons or partyes so fickle as upon slight provocations to be Changed into quite another thing so cold and feeble as to put upon doing and suffering little whereby the good of others might be promoted and Secured were obedience partial that it had not respect to all God's Commands temporary and endured but for a while only so long as outward advantages allured to it Formall haveing onely the carcase of it but wanting the Soul if it the Heart servile not out of any Love to God or goodness but either out of hope of reward or fear of Punishment were patience weak that it could bear little or shortwinded that it would not bear long were resignedness limited to some certaine things and not extended unto all so that we could not say without any reserve proviso or exception with them Acts. 21. 14. The will of the Lord be done I Say were not all these excellencies in a Christian in the highest degree that he is capable of he Would not be a Perfect Christian Perfect indeed in one sense he would be having essential perfection or whatever is requisite to make him a true Christian as a man is a man if he have body and Soul though as to his body he be never so deformed and defective and as to his Soul he be never so depraued in moralls and intellectuals but he would not be Perfect as to a graduall Perfection as a Child is not a Perfect man though he want none of the integral parts of a man Nor as to integral Perfection as a man that wants an Eye or Hand or Leg is an Imperfect man Quest. But wherein lies the obligation which a Christian is under to labour after Perfection Answer 1st He owes this unto God 1st that we may honour him by being like him for he is Perfect then we most really declare the high thoughts which we have of Gods excellencyes when we Count them worth transcribing into our selves 2ly That we may please him in being conformed to his will This is the will of God even our Perfection as well as our Sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. 3dly That we may obey him who Sayes be Perfect 2. Cor. 13. 11. his Law being Perfect Psal 19. 7. 4thly That we may be fitted for serving him acceptably following him fully as Caleb did Numb 14. 24. Readily doing and Chearfully Suffering what ever he calls to and that with Single hearts 5thly For enjoying him fully for God being a Perfect God we shall never be fit for that intimate communion with him which does Compleat our happiness and fulfill the good pleasure of his will without we be Perfect too 2ly He owes this unto his Brethren that he may do them less hurt more good 1st The more Perfect any Christian is the more earnestly desirous the more solicitously carefull the more unweariedly diligent will he be to do all the good which he has ability and opportunity For 2ly The more able will he be to do good 1st His Councels will be the more wholsome more suitable and more seasonable the greater prudence he has 2ly His example will be the more quickening edifying attracting the more Wisdome Holiness and righteousnes there is in it 3dly His labour will be the more industrious more unwearied the greater measure he hath of spirituall life to prompt him to them strength to carry him through them 4thly His prayers for others will be the more servent frequent prevalent the more Love there is in him to excite them the more Faith to encourage them 3ly He owes this unto himselfe the more Perfect any Christian is 1st The more Serviicable his life will be he 'l have more will more Power of doing what may promote God's Glory and mans good he 'l find more encouragement to it more pleasure in it Now it s a Christians intrest to be as Servicable as may be The more he does for God or man the greater is his honour the sweeter his comfort the higher will be his reward 2ly The more comfortable his Death will be 1st He will be every way more fitted for those Joyes and Gloryes which he is entring into he will have a greater capacity for them a deeper sence of them 2ly He will be more assured of them reflection upon his life will give some assurance when he can say with Hezekiah he has walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart Esa 38. 3. with St. Paul I have finished my course 2. Timo 4. 7. Reflection upon his heart and the principles there inhering and working for he who finds grace here need not doubt of glory hereafter Direct actings of faith and Love will incline him to expect confidently good from God aboue all that he can ask or think The sealing of the Spirit will make a more discernable impression in a heart more prepared and the light of the Spirit will give clearer evidence in a more purified heart and the terrours of Satan will less prevail where he has less place 3ly The more glorious his reward in Heaven will be The more Perfect any one is the more Capable he will be of Joy and Glory as Souls are Widened here so they shall be filled hereafter The more Perfect any is the more fitted he will be for Joy and Glory for the righteous God does proportion
those frightfull Shrinks which are to be discerned in some dying Persons it is very probable are not so much the result of Vehement Pains of Body as of extream Anguish on their Spirit when they are made indeed to see whither they are going Sometimes their Peace and Hope continues untill the very last breath and their Amazement must needs be very Horrible when they feel themselves in Hell before ever they thought of it It is certain all these Advantages must come to nothing at Death For 1. Some of them are of that nature that they are of no use in another world as Credit and Worldly advantages Those in Heaven are so filled with Joy and Glory that these are below them Those in Hell are so filled with anguish and horrour that if they could have these still they could not heed them they would find no Ease by them Even during this Life a man in the Gout Stone or Cholick may have such Vehement pains upon him that it will be but poor Comfort to hear that he has lived in good Credit has scraped together much Wealth or purchased many Friends 2. Some of them are of that Nature that they Continue not after this Life Common Grace is but the working of Gods Spirit upon a man to bring him to Saving Grace in the 〈◊〉 or else to keep him from doing that mischief in the World which otherwise he would do Now there is no use of this after Death Gifts are but the Spirits working on a man to Raise his Parts that he may be more usefull to the Church Now the Spirit makes to further use of a man after he is called out of this Life 3ly Some of them are of that Nature that they cannot continue when the Truth is discovered and when Experience shews the Vanity of them as peace and hope God suffers them sometimes to fall here that those who rest in them may take warning not to Content themselves with that which may fall lest their Condition should be as sad as theirs is who fall away The Fall is Great in it self It is Totall whatever men have Raised to themselves by their Religion all comes down together It is Finall the Ruines of this usually are never raised again If it fall not till Death it is impossible to raise it if it fall before it is difficult Those who have got into a Form and rest there who have had great helps to get further and have been much a wanting to God and their own Souls they have Sinned much against Light and Grace or else they had got further Vsually their Fall is then when God leaves them wholly to themselves as despairing to do any good upon them Now there is no hope of that Soul which has Triffled away its Season of grace and is now left by God unto its self The fall is great as to its Consequences There is great Amazement by reason of the suddenness and unexpectedness of it There is great Horrour when all the false Peace and Hope is gone there is then nothing but a fearfull Looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation Heb. 10. 27. Use 1. We should be greatly afraid lest what we Build should fall also and thereby we be put to great Shame to Build so Foolishly when we should be Building for Eternity Thereby we come to great loss we lose our Souls we undergo unspeakable unconceivable Mischeif which we can neither bear up under nor run away from The way to avoid this falling is to make use of Common grace in order to the getting of Saving grace to press through the Form of Religion to the power of it to nourish in our selves Apprehensions of the Danger of resting in such Attainments as we may utterly and everlastingly fall away from to be frequently enquiring what we have attained to in Religion which these Temporary Christians came short of to be earnest with God in Prayer that he would not suffer us to rest in such common Attainments as we may wholly lose during this Life or such as we shall never be Advantaged by when we come to die Use 2. The greater the Fall is let us be the more afraid of it and bend our Endeavours and Prayers so that we may escape it The nearer we come to Heaven the deeper shall we be plunged into Hell if we come short of Heaven Isaiah 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be Found Call ye upon him while he is Near. THese words under a different Aspect may admit of a different Construction View them on one side and they seem to lay before us an Exhortation to a great Duty with a Direction how this may be most advantageously Discharged The Duty Exhorted to is the Doing the utmost that in us lieth for the Finding of God The Rules directing how to manage this Duty aright prescribe that this be set about 1st Diligently Men ordinarily when they find and feel great need of the Guidance and Assistance of some Person of eminent Prudence and Power whom they have high hopes of do not content themselves with Idle Wishes neither do they lazily sit down vainly Expecting that he should designedly come to them or that they should Accidentally meet with him in good time No but they consider with themselves where is the Place of his usual Residence or Resort and thither they forthwith betake themselves to seek him out and if haply they do not find him where they Expected they go about calling and enquiring after him till at last they find him With such Care and Diligence must those seek who desire and hope to find God 2ly Speedily Men if they know that one whole help they greatly need cannot be found at all times let never so much Care and Diligence be used in seeking him will not dare to put oft one moment their seeking and calling upon him considering with themselves that for any thing they know that may be the only Moment wherein the Person needed may be found which Opportunity if they let slip they may be at abundance of Cost and Tâ—il in seeking him and all to no purpose Now these that would find God must set about this great work of seâ—kâ—ng him with as little Procrastination View the Words on the other side and they seem to set forth to us an Exhortation to this Duty with an 〈◊〉 Inducement and Encouragement faithfully to set about it Let a Business be of never so great Importance men will but slackly apply themselves to 〈…〉 they either doubt of the 〈…〉 tho' it should be effected or the Feasableness of it that it ever will be effected Therefore to excite men to do their utmost for finding of God he lets them know 1st The Advantage which will certainly accruâ— â—â— God bâ— but once Found he being THE LORD he having not only a Right of Dominion over all Persons and affairs but a Right of Propriety in them Now what may not men expect from this LORD who
waist his strength slur his Reputation disgrace his Relationes in Lewdness and Wantoness we bear with him still do we shun their company as we would do the Plague and cry out with them out of the World But let a poor honest Soul while he is Sincere and earnest in the pursute after truth But stumble into an Errour or what is accounted so we presently Cry Heretick oh take heed of him Come not neare him it is not fit such an one should breath Crucifie him Why what evil hath he done What 's the matter Why him rather then the other 1st Is an Errour more Infectious and catching I am sure there are many that do not so much suite and gratify our Corrupt inclinations as these Lusts do Nay some there are that exceedingly thwart Mans naturall Bent most oft-times bring them into contempt reproach outward sufferings And here I believe the naturall self-Love which is in most will make them wary before they engage 2ly But it may be its more dangerous if it should take Indeed 't is possible such it may be as a mistake in the way may hinder one more in their reaching their Journeys end then a fall or two But as there are many useless truths so many innocent Errours all the harme they do is but to the Persons themselves And these rather expose to outward trouble which God oft times sanctifies to them for the good of their Souls then incline or encourage to Sin or hinder the work of holiness in their hearts do they not walk as closely with God grow as much in Spirituallity Heavenly mindedness in reall and solid Grace notwithstanding their mistakes as others with all their Orthodoxe knowledge And let me tell you God will one day enquire not how ingenious we have begn in our Religion but how sincere diligent faithfull not what our opinions have been but our graces not how we have talked but how we have lived 3ly What then is it a greater Sin to Live in a mistake then to Live in Drunkeness Whoredome Profaneness possibly I might thinke so too could I be perswaded that a mistake does more harme to Souls is less Consistant with Sincerity and honesty is more contrary to the Spirit of Piety and Holyness layes more blocks in the way to Love Meekness Lowliness resignation faith indisposes more to obedience and self denyal But untill I can meet with some Sober Consciencious Persons who are given to these and thinke they ought to be so perswade themselves they are pleasing and serving God in the mean time as I do meet with severall whom I have reason to look upon as very Consciencious in their mistake untill I find Drunken and Profain Persons notwithstanding their Drunkenness and Profaneness growing in Grace as I find some Erroneous persons notwithstanding their errour give me leave to question whether this be the greater Sin or noe 4ly But it may be t is an harder Task to forbeare those Sins then to avoid erring there being so many temptations to entice us to them so great a Suitableness in our nature to them But do's not the Love we bear to our Credits Estates Healths Relations Souls bid us refrain do's not Conscience Reason Scripture Check us for them Would not naturall principles carry us above these When alass how easy a thing is it to mistake Even then when we are most desirous to find the truth most carefull in seeking after it How Blind Dark Narrow Shallow are our understandings How many prejudices do we take in from our very Childhood How obscure and dubious is Scripture when read without the light of God How vain uncertain are the dictates and Creeds of Synods Councells Churches How little concerned do's God look upon himself to secure his People from those mistakes which he knows how to do them good by How apt to be swayed with the opinion of those we have an Esteem for If we consider but these and the like occasions of mistake which every one almost is surrounded with We shall find cause enough to conclude that one May easily err without any great Wilfulness Gal. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. Col. 3. 12. 13. Phil. 2. 1. Vse 1st Then as we would approve our selves worthy of that Name we have taken upon us Let us carry our selves with that moderation that becoms Christians towards those that differ either in Opinions or Observances from us 1st Let us not willingly enrage the Ignorant against them by giving them those Nicknames which the violence of their Adversarys has branded them with 2ly Let us not make a worse representation of their Opinions to others then they deserve by loading them with those odious consequences which they themselves do as much disown and abominate as we do these two practices the Devil the Author of confusion has found very Vsefull to him for the keeping strife on foot in the Christian World 1st Consider how Christ behaued himself to his Ignorant and Erronious Disciples he dos not upbraid them with it quarrells not with them about it but quietly beares with them waits his opportunity further to instruct them better to informe them And 2ly This was the Apostles practice for the Composing of those many Differences of those Times between the Jewish and Gentile Christians They do not Magisterially dictate this is truth and who ever thinks or sayes otherwise are Hereticks No they leave it to the freedome of their Auditors to observe Jewish Ordinances or let them alone and all their diligence and care is to bring Christians to a mutuall toleration one of another so as to overlook those petty differences and not withstanding them to strive together for the faith of the Gospell to help one another in the way to Heaven Rom. 14. Phil. 3. 16. 3ly Vntill that primitive practice of undervaluing Smaller differences bearing with one another in them and laying the maine stress upon the great things of the Gospell Obedience Self-denyall Faith Love be revived I shall wish Peace and Truth may much flourish amongst us but truely I shall not much hope for it 4ly Were there but more of a Gospell Spirit in the World were but People come to that to see and be ashamed and loth themselves in their own sight there World not be such spying moâ—â—s in their Brothers eye there would be more shewing meekness to all Persons considering they themselves were sometims Foolish and deceived Tit. 3. 3. And 5ly If God should bring good people under the lash againe I wish it may make them make a serious and impartiall reflection upon their former Carriages and with Josephs Brethren when they found harsh usage from Joseph enquire whether this be not the just Punishment of their rigour and severity towards their Brethren Gen. 42. 21. It being a Righteous thing with God to mete out to any the same measure they have meted out to others 6ly How knowest thou but that allowance thou art so backward in making 〈◊〉 thy Brother thou standest
the least Intention to do what they hear Men are induced to come to Church for many other ends besides Hearing Some come to see and be seen as many People go to Markets and Fairs not that they have any Business there but they can find nothing to do at home and they have a mind to look about them Thus even Dogs love to be where most company is stirring Others come to please such as they have some Dependance upon and expect some Advantage by whether they be Masters or Parents or Neighbours or Friend It may be these either intreat or command them to come or otherwise Express that it is their Pleasure they should come and they are afraid to incur their Displeasure they would not be frowned upon nor chid nor incur any Inconvenience by not coming yet if they had only themselves to please they had rather sit at home and sleep or drink or play or else go abroad to some Idle People like themselves and spend their time with them in vain Talking Others come for their credits sake that they may not be looked on among sober People as such as are wholly void of all sense of Religion such as have neither Reverence to God nor care of their own Souls such as believe Heaven and Hell to be meerly the Dreams of Melancholique Fools which please themselves with their own dotings or else the Devices of Subtle Politicians to keep simple People within Bounds Others come to save themselves from the Lash of the Law which Requires Peoples attending where they may hear under several Penalties And it may be it would be better for some Souls if these Penalties were more strictly Exacted This might put them upon using those means of Grace which God has provided for them if not for Love of their Souls which the Generality have little sense of and little concern for yet however for Love of their Purses Others come to quiet their Consciences there is in most People an Inward Sense of a Deity which they cannot shake off without offering extreme Violence to the Faculties of their Souls this restlesly puts them upoâ— doing something which may be pleasing to thâ—â—â— God in whose hands themselves their Comfort and their Hopes are Now there are but two things which a awakened Conscience can Expect should finâ— acceptance with God 1st Holiness and Righteousness in the Principles and Practices of them which comprehend under them Faith Love Meekness Lowlinesâ— Patience Resignedness c. With the various Expressions of them 2ly Outward Means which being diligently and Faithfully made use of might through the Influences of the Good Spirit bring unto these Gracious Principles and Practises The First of these considering the degeneracy of our nature are very remote from us and not to be attained without Difficulty The Second are near to us and we may use them in some sort without any Care Toil and Trouble Now those who have some Conscience must have something to quiet it with And those who have but a little Conscience can get it quieted with a small matter and those who are lovers of their own Ease and Pleasure would be 〈…〉 little cost and Trouble with their Conscience as may be Now it is as cheap a way of Pleasing God as can be if it would but serve to give him the hearing as to what he speaks outwardly by his written Word and by his Ministers and when that is done to do what they list Obj. But is it Possible that men should be so Swayed with these Collaterall Inducements to come to hear and not at all be touched with the sense of the Great Inducement which is the Saving of the Soul And sure if they had any regard to that they could not satisfie themselves in Hearing without Doing Ans Indeed we must needs grant this Last that they could not no more than the Patient who is grievously Troubled with a Vexations and Dangerous Malady can rest meerly in hearing what the Physician talks to him without using the Remedies which he prescribes For alass What does it advantage a man to hear of the causes of his Malady or the means of his Recovery if notwithstanding all his hearing he continue afflicted with it as he must do untill he make use of what may help him But yet it is too Ordinary with men to have little sense of the Poverty and Misery the Soul is in little Apprehension of the Danger it is Exposed to they little feel how much it is their Concernment to provide for their Souls and for Eternity whatever become of this Body and its Temporall Life Hence it is that any thing sooner prevails with them to hear than that which should prevail with them They are Carnall Sensual worldly Selfish therefore those Considerations work with them which suit these Principles They know not that their Souls need so much to yield them full and Lasting Satisfaction that which the enjoyment of the choicest Creature Comforts in the greatest fullness and Security can never Promise them They know not that their Souls lies Enslaved to those lusts which they must get compleatly freed from or else it is Impossible they should be happy unto Eternity There can in no wise be any true Peace any true Joy where Pride and Covetousness Envy Wrath and Malice Love of fleshly ease and Pleasure or any one of them or any branch of them are Predominant They know not what great Temptations they lie open to on every hand from without from within from the World from Satan to draw them to Sin to withdraw them from Duty to detain them in those Lusts and Pleasures which they have once given way unto They know not that they can in no wise free themselves from this Poverty Misery and Danger by all their own Policy and power when they have improved them to the utmost to help themselves by them The Grace of God must powerfully put in for their Relief or else they infallibly perish and there is no help for them They know not that it is Gods Ordinary Method to Visit those with his Grace which meet him in the use of those Means he prescribes yet not Expecting from the Means but from God working in them with them and by them Those he Quickens those he strengthens those he Excites he Assists and Directs He never fails to do for those who do the utmost they can for themselves Who have such an earnest desire to be delivered from the Power of their Lusts to be Reclaimed from the Evill of their Ways that they Readily make use of whatever means may help them herein 2ly Others come to hear with some Intention to do what they hear but with no full no settled Intention 1st They come not with a Full Intention something they are willing and ready to do what they can do with ease Credit advantage and Safety but other things they cannot afford to do Iehu will hear the Prophet in whatever he speaks Concerning the