speaking in him c. To which one may very well add What was St. Paul only a Servant of Christ's in Notion of Mind but not in Obedience of Will who had served him faithfully so many years and suffered the loss of all things for him and was ready to do so again Whom the Law of the Spirit of Life had made free from the Law of Sin and Death who lived but no longer he but Christ in him willing what he would in him and doing what he would by him for to him he had resign'd Soul and Body Strange Is it the Art of a true Christian to contrive how he may evade his Duty instead of doing it Will any wise man build the peace of his Conscience and lay the stress of his hopes upon Excuses Can any man make us believe that the chief of the Apostles was so dull as not to see a difference between an Excuse and an Aggravation Doth any thing aggravate a sin more than to commit it against ones conscience Was this the sincerity of an old Disciple the attainment of Paul the aged Had he but so learn'd Christ or taught him no better To excuse himself that he sinned he did what his Conscience told him he should not have done He hath rejected this vile pretence as much as can be in two places where he speaketh plainly of himself I have lived in all good Conscience to this day i. e. according to the Principles of Vertue which he had being a Jew and what did he grow worse afterward No for he saith that having received Christian Principles he did then as being more obliged exercise himself always to have a Conscience void of offence to God and Man It had been a brave Defence had it not for the Primitive Christians to have told the Heathens according to this interpretation that they desired to be better than they but were indeed as bad especially since they had received in their Regeneration a power which enabled them to overcome those sins to which the Heathens were slaves For so the same Apostle Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh. Not that he meant dully if they live in the Spirit they should not live in the Flesh no but that if you follow the conduct of the Spirit you will receive those assistances from it which shall enable you to overcome those Tentations which Hypocrites pretend as the only Excuses why they live after the Flesh. But these assistances must be made use of A man may be overcome of another not stronger than himself if he will not use the Arms which he hath to defend himself It is promised that if we resist the Devil he shall fly from us But can any man think that if he do not resist the Devil he will fly from him or that his yielding to the Devil will be any excuse to him when he is overcome and made his Slave when he did not resist him To close this since foolish Excuses are useless in these matters let every sincere Christian say to himself O my soul it is time for thee to know what thou hast attained in Christian Religion to seek a proof of Christ dwelling in thee and to find a good Evidence of true goodness What doth all that thou hast done amount to Dost thou find in thy self a thankfulness which is in some good measure answerable to the goodness of Christ's Love and the many Benefits which thou hast received from him Hast thou that Reverence towards him which is due to the Dignity of his Person Is thy Temper conformable to his Gospel and thy Life to his holy Example Dost thou only please thy self in the contemplation of Divine Truths and rest in the speculation of heavenly things dost thou not also endeavour to find the power of Gospel Motives working in thy soul to the ends for which they were propounded Dost thou carefully read the holy Gospel that thou mayest not be ignorant of or forget any part of thy Duty and then pray with hearty Devotion for Grace to help thee to obey and then makest use of what is bestowed that thou mayest receive more as need shall require Dost thou give thy self leave to make Hypocritical Excuses for Disobedience and pretending that Christ is made Righteousness to us thinkest that thou mayest indulge some sin in thy self or rather abhorring that falsness doest thou endeavour to give Testimony of thy Love to Christ's Person by obeying his Commands and seekest Reconciliation with God only upon the terms which he hath appointed Dost thou find that as the first purposes of thy soul were to obey so the habitual inclination of thy mind doth propound still the same way and that the constant workings and daily motions of thy soul are all set for the accomplishment of thy holy purposes The good man who finds that it is thus with him will be conscious to himself of his sincerity to God the inward sense and feeling of his soul will tell him that his Conversion is sincere as a man knows himself to be an honest man who endeavours in all his actions to keep himself close to the Rules of good Life 5. To what hath been said I need ad no more but that the sincere Christian makes a daily progress towards the perfection of degrees goes on to perfection as the Author to the Hebrews said The sincere Christian doth not make it his work vainly to compare himself with others whose defects he thinks he hath espied and please himself in what he hath attained because they are not so good but humbly desires by daily endeavors to grow better than himself and to bring the sincerity of his estate nearer to the perfection of Degrees He is mindful of the advice given to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. He grows in knowledge who understands his way to God better and better for the light of the Righteous shines more and more to perfect day The Traveller that understands his way pretty well having a great Journey to go riseth it may be by Moon-light or takes the first dawnings of the Morning for his Guidance but as the day comes on he grows more assur'd by the clear light But he grows in Grace too i. e. he is bettered in soul and does his Duty to God better and rides on more confidently and with more speed as the Traveller doth when he hath more light to assure him of his way We learn from the Apostles of the Gospel Assistances bringing a good Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a perfect man to that measure of stature which is full of Christ and makes the Christian like a man who is arrived to those years which bestow upon him a great vigor of strength a firm constitution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle prayed for the Corinthians which he there calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consummation in grace which the
The carnal mind perceives not the things of God they are foolishness to him he understands no reason in them but the true Penitent hath received another mind is made spiritual and so can discern them and acknowledges that to be the chiefest wisdom which before he accounted extream folly He which lives in sin is so besotted with carnal Lust that he can see no reason in Spiritual things no more can a blind man judge of colours The true Penitent thinks highly now of the favour of God which he regarded not before and counts all things dross in comparison of the knowledge of Christ which he despised before understands the Promises to be of infinite value which he contemned before he is convinced of the necessity of God's pardon the excellency of Holiness the reasonableness of vertue and the necessary connexion which is between goodness and happiness 2. It consists also in Alteration of Affections for as he understands things better so he is otherwise affected towards them without this the former would be no proof of a sincere change but a sign of hypocrisie which a true Penitent doth as passionately desire to throw out of his soul as he would cast the Devil out of his House if it were possessed by him Many Scriptures speak this plain enough Those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts and have put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts The true Convert hath a new heart another spirit as it is called Num. 14. 24. The heart of stone is broke in pieces and being cast away one of flesh is put in the room of it which is easily known for by its softness it receives impressions from those things which before wrought nothing upon it The Iron sinew is broken and the stiff neck made pliable stoops to the yoke of Christ. Self-will is denied and uncontrolled appetite passeth into a state of mortification the same mind beginning to be in the Convert which was in Christ Jesus he says with him Not my will O Father but thine be done That which pleaseth thee shall please me Greedy desire ceaseth Covetousness languishes Pride is melted down into Humility Feroculum illud petulcum animal cicuratur Insolence and abusive temper is alter'd into sweetness and respect Goatish lasciviousness is changed into chastity of disposition Revenge turned into Forgiveness Malice into Charity He which has repented sincerely will by this find his conversion not to be a vain pretense because he perceives Religion to have passed into his Nature and the Gospel become a principle of new life in his soul and that by the sincere entertainment of it there he contrarily says of himself I am not I Ego non sum ille Ego I am not that I which I was before He is another man a new Creature a man now after Gods Heart He is now a Sacrifice acceptable to God because he is salted with fire that is the vigour of the holy Gospel hath eaten out the Impurity of his Affections and like a Divine Salt dried up those corruptions which putrifie the soul. 2. The sincerity of Repentance declares it self in outward expressions agreeable to the inward change and makes the course of life answerable to the temper of heart The Scripture tells us of newness of life as well as of the new man The Baptist told his Proselytes this same thing when he bad them bring forth fruits meet for Repentance that is to do works agreeable to the nature of the thing it self and the profession of it The sincere Penitent brings forth such fruits as demonstrate the Doctrines of the Gospel like living Roots to have been implanted in his heart i. e. he performs such actions as flow properly from vertuous Dispositions and Habits This the Apostle told the Galatians in other words If you live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit If you live i. e. have made the truth of the Gospel the principle of your life walk in the Spirit i. e. live according to them and let the power of heavenly Doctrine shine forth in the beauty of holy Conversation The Penitent now acknowledges Christ for his Master but to little purpose except he do what he commands him Without a true change of soul a man pretending to some acts of Religion is like a dead Tree unto which some branches of Fruit are tied and if he pretend to have a living Root but brings not forth answerable fruits he may make a plausible show because possibly adorn'd with green leaves but the Tree is such as our Saviour will cut down and cast out of his Garden Our Saviour hath given but one Rule and they will do foolishly that go about to make another to know the goodness of a Tree by and that is the fruit of it For a good Tree bringeth forth good fruits He doth not say that the Tree which is bad now may not be made good and then bring forth good fruits for that it may but that so long as it brings forth corrupt fruits it is bad Most are ready to allow this Rule when they make a Judgment of others but doth it not hold as well when they apply it to themselves Yes and therefore St. Iohn said well Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous Let no man deceive you Why were any in danger in that point Yes many did then as they do still flatter themselves that a good heart to God as they call it and some certain desire of living well will be sufficient to their Salvation No saith the Apostle He that doth righteousness is righteous He that will be accepted of God must do righteousness present to God an obedient Faith by which of old as the Author to the Hebrews tells us they wrought righteousness as he that is Christ was righteous and so was accepted of his Father because as he said himself He always did those things which pleased him He who vvill assure himself of his sincerity must make no nevv Rules to judge of it but keep true to the old one and not rest satisfied that he knovvs his Duty and approves of the Divine Will or that he hath some desires to be obedient No he must truly perform the actions vvhich agree vvith Gospel Principles and Lavvs still remembring that of our Saviour vvho is also our Judge If you know these things happy are you if you do them 3. When you have got so far and find the state of your soul right in the forementioned Particulars then remember that you must make your conformity to the aforesaid Rules universal and your Obedience uniform to all the parts of the Gospel If your Obedience be partial you vvill find nothing vvithin or vvithout that vvill keep you from being at a loss as to the proof of your sincerity If it be necessary to forsake sin it
he was not to have sinned 1. This is reasonable for no man is sensible of danger approaching but he will endeavour to prevent it as soon as he can and he may delay so long that it will grow impossible If a mans House be on fire will he not presently endeavour to quench it If he be bitten with a Serpent doth he not seek for present remedy He which is fallen into sickness makes haste to send for a Physician every body knowing that recovery is then most to be hoped for when proper Remedies are used in time A Disease may prevail so far by neglect of those Medicines which would have cured it at first that neither they nor any other will be able to do it afterward Delay in this affair makes the work grow harder By repeating of sin the Offender hardens his heart and though afterwards he turn Penitent he will find his task more difficult because instead of a slighter disposition which he might have more easily conquered at first he must now conflict with a firm habit Shall he which cannot outgo a Footman hope to outrun Horsmen 2. The demerit of sin encreaseth by delaying to return Can he hope for mercy who hath stood out in rebellion to the last He which delays to repent treasures up wrath against himself when as God knows if his wrath be kindled but a little there is no man able to endure it It is strange that any Conceit should come into a mans Head that acknowledgeth his dependance upon God to make him defer his return to him by repentance It is possibly this He means at last to repent of his negligence Doth he and yet is deliberately negligent at present It is a new sort of Vertue this to sin pretending an intention to repent and as odd a kind of wisdom to abuse infinite goodness in hope to find that favour of which the course of life which we chuse makes us infinitely unworthy and being continued in will give us strong reasons to despair of when we dy 3. Pardon is not to be had no nor repentance when we will He who is so gracious that he pleaseth to pardon when we truly repent hath not promised we shall have grace to repent when we please We are advised in Holy Writ to seek the Lord whilst he may be found and when that is we are told I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me How applicable this is to the matter of Repentance we may see by what is said in the fith and sixth verses of Psalm 32. David was in great distress by reason of Divine Wrath which lay upon him for his sins whereupon he took himself to repentance speedily bewailing and openly confessing his Faith to to God and so returning to his duty found pardon For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found He that knows how great a matter it is to be reconciled to an offended God and that there is a time of finding mercy which if it be slipt the sinner is eternally undone will thereupon make what speed he can to return to God and humbly seek his favour in a seasonable address lest he lose himself with the opportunity It is not many years since the Master of a Ship loitering ashore and not taking the advantage of one Tide when the Wind blew fair with which other Ships went out was forced by contrary Winds to stay in the Port till the forementioned Ships made their Voiage and return'd They are bold people but extremely sottish who slight opportunities of doing that which belongs to their chief good when they know they cannot command the stay or return of such seasons Dost thou slight God in thy youthful health when to have served him early is the unspeakable consolation of old age and which they who then want it would purchase with all the World if they had it upon their Death-bed Is not old age burthen enough except it be plagued with the heavy remembrance of a wicked life This hath made many to cry out with him in the Tragedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Alas for me that men may not grow younger twice and as often old that so I might in my after life correct what was not well done in the former part of it 4. Though a man begin never so soon this work of Repentance is not to be done of a sudden It will require great pains and much time and therefore none is to be lost Can sin which hath taken deep root in the soul be drawn up at the first pull Can our unwillingness to do it be mortified in a moment Is a habit of sin soon master'd No but as we have been longer in contracting it and so making it stronger it will not be conquered but by the contrary habit of Vertue which requires time to be implanted grow and get strength in the soul. It may be that we have many Vices to overcome and do we hope to do that presently We have committed many Errors and can we repent of them all on a sudden We have many things to do and those not easie to one accustomed to sin We are to make our selves Vessels meet for our Masters use but it will require time to do it considering how we are put out of order by sin and therefore all possible speed is necessary in the practise of Repentance 2. As Repentance must be speedy so it must be sincere and that we shall find if it answer those descriptions of it which are given in holy Scripture vvhere it is called The renewing of the mind crucifying the old man and his deeds putting off the body of sin and destroying it crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts purging our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in Gods fear being made new creatures and partakers of a Divine Nature vvith many more expressions to the same purpose The Sense of which is comprehended in these four Particulars 1. Sincere Repentance begins in a change of the inward disposition for which Reason the true Convert is called a new man as we learn from Eph. 4. and the alteration is so great that it denominates the Penitent to be a new Creature which is not meant as to Transubstantiation of Nature but Emendation of Temper making the Penitent not another person but a better Man A few Scriptures considered will make this so plain that every one may know what it means and judge himself accordingly It consists in two things 1. In change of Apprehension 2. In Alteration of Affection 1. In change of Apprehension he which is truly Penitent hath another sense of things than he had before which the Apostle calls renewing in the spirit of the mind by which he now understands the goodness of God and perceives that to be perfect and most acceptable of which he had but mean thoughts before
in his Ramblings observed the careful observances of a Wrestler or Racer how punctually they keep themselves to strict methods of preparation for their Conflict when all that they hoped for was but a Crown of fading Leaves and is it irrational for me to do all I can for an eternal Crown When he bids me look upon those multitudes of suffering Christians whom Religion brought into misery in which they perished I will tell him that I will follow their Faith considering the end of their Conversation the happy close of their holy Lives which remov'd them into the regions of endless Bliss and thither I will follow them And if he say But he whom you call Saviour was crucified Yes I will Answer and died and was buried but he rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven and bade me follow him and because I hope ere long to be with him I will keep in my way which will certainly bring me unto him 3. To these two we must add a careful use of those means which are appointed to make us such as we are commanded to be Christ never intended his Gospel for idle souls i. e. such as will take no pains to be saved who will not carefully endeavour to be made good They are not for Christ those delicate persons who cannot endure to think of working out their salvation with fear and trembling nor will hear of giving diligence to be found of God in peace Our Saviour hath told us expresly that he will condemn that Servant who did not prepare himself to do his Masters Will either in the day time being girt fit for any service and being ready with lighted Candles to expect his Master when he comes home at night A negligent Temper is odious in this business 1. Because it is trifling in a matter of greatest Importance 2. Because it is sordid and would serve the great and good God with that which costs it nothing 1. This Temper is far from that which should be in a sincere Christian if it be liable to the said Reproaches as indeed it is That man whom sin hath made sick and will not carefully use the means appointed for his recovery either understands not his danger or supposeth the method prescribed for the cure of his Disease not necessary or will not be at the trouble of undertaking such things as are requisite to his recovery and rather than do so will remain in his sin that is die of his sickness What prudent Physician would meddle with such a Patient It may be the sick Hypocrite would do some little things when such as are very great are necessary for his health This is well expressed in that smart Letter which Diogenes wrote to Dionysius when some vain Philosophers flattered him in his great Vices Alas man said Diogenes thy Diseases are such that they need cuttings and burnings but thou hast got together a few Dissemblers which say to thee as fond Grandmothers and Nurses do to sick Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Take this my Child pour it in if you love me do a little more eat but this small bit Triflers The Children are extream sick and must be made to take their Physick or die The sincere Christian knows that our necessitous condition requires a great care for the repair of it that the Gospel which we are to obey is a Law of great Holiness and hath in it many Commandements requires obedience in thought temper and action yes and that with resistance of many Temptations strong because agreeable to our natural Appetites which will mak our work to go on sometimes like that of the Waterman when he hales his Boat against the Stream And we shall find hinderances from infirmity of Flesh and inconstancy of Spirit distractions of our Senses and many wild Phansies besides the malice of a watchful Devil By this the Penitent sees what need he hath of great care in the use of all means which may carry him on in his course and he says Since my Saviour hath showed me the value of my Soul that it is of more worth than the acquist of all the pleasures in the World for my whole Life and hath in great kindness told me how I may save it I will carefully keep to his methods knowing that if I use not the means given me for the avoiding of sin I shall be both guilty of the sin I commit and of negligence in not endeavouring to prevent it and so draw upon my self foolishly a double curse He hath called me to the heavenly Journey and I will undertake it It is an easie thing to take a Map and travel over a great part of the World by the Eye but he that will arrive at a Country far distant from his own must go over many craggy Hills pass through many deep ways and cross rough Seas before he can get thither he that will not begin his Journey except it be made as easie to be performed as to be looked over in a Map doth plainly show that he did never heartily or else most foolishly design it He which hath a Watch in his Pocket may expect that it should tell him the hours of the Day but not unless he skrew the Spring to a just strength and wind it up at due seasons God hath put a Divine Principle like a Spring of holy Life in our Souls and it will show its force in us by making us feel in our selves a strong propension to God and an inclination to all goodness but we must wind it up daily and strengthen it with such Meditations and Prayers as may keep it in vigor Of what life is a Watch when the Spring is spoiled or unbent Divine Grace is like sparks of Fire hid in the Soul but we must blow them up as the Apostles word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fire will go out which is not maintained with proper fewel and the Spirit may be quenched 2. The forementioned Temper is rejected by the sincere Christian because it is sordid and would serve the great and good God with that which costs little or nothing He that would do as little as he can in Gods service hath but mean thoughts of that great God with whom he hath to do and understands not the greatness of that reward which God hath in his infinite goodness promised to such as serve him sincerely or is so base that however he will do no more than pleaseth himself in point of Obedience If this Christian had been a Jew you should have seen him go to his Fold and there seek up and down till he had found out a sheep either lame or such as had but one eye if none were quite blind and that he would have gone and offered for a Sacrifice but God did then and doth still abhor that vile Temper It 's true God is so good that in some cases he doth accept the Will for the Deed when it is impossible to