which affirms concerning Original Sin thus And this Infection of Nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated whereby the Lust of the Flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the Wisdom some sensuality some the Affection some the Desire of the Flesh is not subject to the Law of God For this must not be understood surely as if the Flesh did always Lust against the Spirit in the Regenerate but only that the Regenerate themselves are liable and obnoxious to these Lustings which on supposal that the Perfect Man were here thought upon by the Compilers of this Article imports no Contradiction to any thing I have delivered The Truth is I have asserted no more concerning the Cureableness of Original Corruption than what is necessary to secure the Interest of Holiness as well as the Honour of the Word and Spirit I have too often had occasion to observe that the stating our Obligation to reduce Original Corruption too laxly ministers not a little to the Carnal Confidence of supine and careless Persons How greedily do some imbibe and how fond are they of this Notion that the Flesh even in the Regenerate does always Lust against the Spirit and the next thing is to look upon their darling Errors as unavoidable Infirmities flowing from the uncurable Distemper of Original Sin To the end therefore that under Colour and Pretence of the Impossibility of a perfect Cure and Restitution of our Nature to perfect Innocence and unspotted Purity we may not sit down contented in an impure State and never advance to those Degrees of Health and Innocence which we may and ought actually arrive at I think fit here to guard the Doctrine of Original Sin with this one general Caution That we be very careful not to mistake Contracted for Natural Corruption not to mistake a Super-induced Nature defaced by all the Slime and Mud which popular Errors and Fashions leave upon it for Original Nature or Nature in that State in which it enters the World 'T is I doubt a very hard thing to find but one arrived at any Maturity of Years in whom Nature is the same thing now that it was in the Womb or the Cradle in whom these are no worse Propensions than what necessarily flow from the Frame and Composition of his Being Alas our Original Depravation be it what it will is very betimes improved by false Principles and foolish Customs by a careless Education and by the Blandishments and Insinuations of the World and every Man is so partial to himself that he is very willing to have his Defects and Errors pass under the Name of Natural and unavoidable ones because this seems to carry in it its own Apology This is a fatal Error and continues Men in their Vices nay gives them peace in them too to their Lives End for why should not a Man forbear attempting what he despairs of effecting To prevent which I earnestly desire my Reader to consider that all who have treated this Doctrine of Original Sin with any Solidity or Prudence do carry the Matter as far at least as I have done They teach not only that Original Corruption may be Prun'd and Lop't but that it may be cut down mortified and dried up That since no Man can assure himself how far he may advance his Conquest over his natural Corruption and the Interest of every Man's safety and Glory obliges him to advance it as far as he can he must never cease fighting against it while it fights against him That since every Sin is so far Mortal as it is voluntary and has as much Guilt in it as Freedom every Man ought to be extreamly jealous least he be subject to any vicious Inclination that is in Reality the Pruduct not of Nature but of Choice And Lastly since though much less than habitual Goodness may constitute a Man in a State of Grace yet nothing less can produce Perfection or a constant Assurance of Eternal Happiness therefore no Man ought to acquiesce while he sees himself short of this and every Man should remember that his Goodness ought to consist in a Habit of those Vertues to which he is by Nature the most averse I have now dispatched My first Enquiry and resolved how far Original Sin is curable The Next is § 2. How this Cure may be effected And here 't is plain what we are to aim at in general for if Original Righteousness consists as I think it cannot be doubted in the Subordination of the Body to the Soul and the Soul to God and Original Corruption in the Subversion of this Order then the Cure must consist in restoring this Subordination by the weakning and reducing the Power of the Body and by quickning and strengthening the Mind and so re-establishing its Soveraignty and Authority The Scriptures accordingly let us know that this is the great Design of Religion and the great Business of Man 1 Cor. 9 25. And every Man that striveth for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible And this St. Paul illustrates and explains by his own example in the following Words I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the Air But I keep under my Body and bring it into Subjection The Preference given to the Cares and Appetites of the Body or of the Mind is the distinguishing Character which constitutes and demonstrates Man either Holy or Wicked they that are of the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are of the Spirit the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 And the Threats of the Gospel belong to the Servants of the Flesh its Promises to the Servants of the Spirit For if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 I grant that in these Places and elsewhere very commonly as by the Spirit is meant the Mind enlightened and aided by the Grace of God so by the Body or Flesh is meant our inferiour Nature not just such as it proceeds out of the Womb but as it is further depraved by a Carnal and Worldly Conversation However since Original is the Seed or Root of Voluntary or Customary Corruption these Texts do properly and directly enough serve to the Confirmation of the Doctrine for which they are alledg'd This then is the great Duty of Man this is the great End which he is always to have in his Eye the mortifying the Body and entirely subjugating it to the Reason of the Mind Here the Christian Warfare must begin and here end for he who has crucified the Body with the Lusts and Affections thereof has entered into rest as far as this Life
more frequently required of or attributed to the Perfect Man in Scripture then Zeal and Fervency of Spirit in the ways of God and no wonder For when Actions flow at once from Principles and Custom when they spring from Love and are attended by Pleasure and are incited and quicken'd by Faith and Hope too How can it be but that we should repeat 'em with some Eagerness and feel an Holy Impatience as often as we are hindered or disappointed And as the Nature of the Thing shews that thus it ought to be so are there innumerable Instances in the Old Testament and the New which make it evident that thus it was Shall I mention the example of our Lord who went about doing good Act. 10.38 Shall I propose the Labours and Travils of St. Paul These Patterns it may be will be judged by some too bright and dazling a Light for us to look on or at least too Perfect for us to copy after and yet St. John tells us that he who says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 and we are exhorted to be followers of the Apostles as they were of Christ But if the Fervency of Christ and St. Paul seemed to have soar'd out of the reach of our imitation we have Inferiour Instances enough to prove the Zeal and Fruitfulness of Habitual Goodness Thus David says of himself Psal 119.10 with my whole Heart have I sought thee and Josiah 2 King 23.25 is said to have turned to the Lord with all his Soul and with all his Might How fervent was Anna wo departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Luk. 2.37 how Charitable Tabitha who was full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did Act. 9.36 Where shall I place Cornelius With what words shall I set out his Virtues with what but those of the Holy Ghost Act. 10.2 He was a devout Man and one that feared God with all his House which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God alway But peradventure some may imagine that there is something singular and extraordinary in these Eminent Persons which we must never hope to equal but must be content to follow them at a vast Distance Well let this be so What have we to say to whole Churches animated by the same Spirit of Zeal What are we to think of the Churches of Macedonia whose Charity St. Paul thus magnifies 2 Cor. 8.2 3. in a great trial of Affliction the abundance of their Joy and their deep Poverty abounded to the Riches of their Liberality For to their power I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves And St. Paul declares himself perswaded of the Romans that they were full of goodness filled with all knowledge Rom. 15.14 And of the Corinthians he testifies that they were enriched in every thing and came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 6. that they did abound in all things in Faith in diligence c. 2 Cor. 8.7 I will stop here 't is in vain to heap up more Instances I have said enough to shew that Vigour and Fervency in the Service of God is no miraculous Gift no extraordinary Prerogative of some peculiar Favorite of Heaven but the natural and inseparable Property of a well confirmed Habit of Holiness Lastly is Constancy and Steadiness the Property of an Habit It is an undoubted Property of Perfection too In Scripture Good Men are every where represented as standing fast in the Faith steadfast and unmovable in the works of God holding fast their Integrity In one word as constantly following after Righteousness and maintaining a good Conscience towards God and Man And so Natural is This to one Habitually good that St. John affirms of such a one that he cannot sin 1 Joh. 3.9 whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Accordingly Job is said to have feared God and eschewed Evil which must be understood of the constant course of his Life Zachary and Elizabeth are said to be Righteous walking in all the Commandments of God blameless Luk. 1.6 Enoch Noah David and other excellent Persons who are pronounc'd by God Righteous and Just and Perfect are said in Scripture to walk with God to serve Him with a Perfect Heart with a full purpose of Heart to cleave to him and the like And this is that Constancy which Christians are often exhorted to watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit ye like Men be strong 1 Cor. 16.13 And of which the first followers of our Lord left us such remarkable Examples The Disciples are said to have been continually in the Temple blessing and praising God Luk. 24. And the first Christians are said to have continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Acts 2.42 Thus I think I have sufficiently cleared my Notion of Perfection from Scripture Nor need I multiply more Texts to prove what I think no Man can doubt of unless he mistake the main Design and End of the Gospel which is to raise and exalt us to a steady Habit of Holiness The end of the Commandment saith St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.5 is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned This is the utmost Perfection Man is capable of to have his Mind enlightned and his Heart purified and to be inform'd acted and influenc'd by Faith and Love as by a vital principle And all this is Essential to Habitual Goodness If any one desire further Light or Satisfaction in this Matter let him read the eighth Chapter to the Romans and he will soon acknowledge that he there finds the substance of what I have hiterto advanced There though the Word it self be not found the thing called Perfection is described in all the Strength and Beauty in all the Pleasure and Advantages of it There the Disciple of Jesus is represented as one who walks not after the Flesh but after the Spirit as one whom the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set free from the Law of Sin and Death one who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not mind or relish the things of the Flesh but the things of the Spirit one in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells He does not stand at the Door and knock he does not make a transient visit but here he reigns and rules and inhabits One finally in whom the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is life because of Righteousness And the Result of all this is the Joy and Confidence the Security and Transport that becomes the Child of God Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to Fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are
the contrary consist in being able not only to will but to do good in obeying those Commandments which we cannot but acknowledge to be holy and just and good And this is the very Notion which our Lord and Master gives us of it Joh. 8. For when the Jews bragg'd of their Freedom he lets them know that Freedom could not consist with Subjection to Sin he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin ver 34. That honourable Parentage and the Freedom of the Body was but a false and ludicrous Appearance of Liberty that if they would be free indeed the Son must make them so ver 36. i. e. they must by his Spirit and Doctrine be rescued from the Servitude of Lust and Errour and be set at Liberty to work Righteousness If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free ver 31 32. Finally not to multiply Proofs of a truth that is scarce liable to be controverted as the Apostle describes the Bondage of a Sinner in Rom. 7. so does he the Liberty of a Saint in Rom. 8. For there ver 2. he tells us That the Law of the Spirit of Life has set the true Christian free from the Law of Sin and Death And then he lets us know wherein this Liberty consists in walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit in the Mortification of the Body of Sin and Restitution of the Mind to its just Empire and Authority If Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness ver 10. And all this is the same thing with his Description of Liberty Chapter 6. where 't is nothing else but for a Man to be made free from Sin and become the Servant of God Thus then we have a plain account of Bondage and Liberty Yet for the clearer understanding of both it will not be amiss to observe that they are each capable of different Degrees and both the one and the other may be more or less entire compleat and absolute according to the different Progress of Men in Vice and Vertue Thus in some Men not their Will only but their very Reason is enslaved Their Vnderstanding is so far infatuated their Affections so entirely captived that there is no Conflict at all between the Mind and the Body they commit Sin without any Reluctancy before-hand or any Remorse afterwards their sâ—ared Conscience making no Remonstrance inflicting no wounds nor denouncing any Threats This is the last Degree of Vassalage Such are said in Scripture to be dead in Trespasses and Sins Others there are in whom their Lust and Appetite prevails indeed but not without Opposition They Reason rightly and which is the natural Result of this have some Desires and wishes of Righteousness but through the Prevalency of the Body they are unable to act and live conformable to their Reason Their Vnderstanding has indeed Light but not Authority It consents to the Law of God but it has no Power no Force to make it be obeyed it produces indeed some good Inclinations Purposes and Efforts but they prove weak and ineffectual ones and unable to grapple with the stronger Passion raised by the Body And as Bondage so Liberty is of different Degrees and different Strength For though Liberty may be able to subsist where there is much Opposition from the Body yet 't is plain that Liberty is most absolute and compleat where the Opposition is least where the Body is reduced to an entire Submission and Obsequiousness and the Spirit reigns with an uncontroul'd and unlimited Authority And this latter is that Liberty which I would have my Perfect man possessed of I know very well 't is commonly taught by some that there is no such State But I think this Doctrine if it be throughly considered has neither Scripture Reason nor Experience to support it For as to those Places Rom. 7. and Gal. 5. urged in favour of an almost Incessant strong and too-frequently prevalent lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit it has been often answered and proved too that they are so far from belonging to the Perfect that they belong not to the Regenerate But on the contrary those Texts that represent the Yoke of Christ easie and his burden light which affirm the Commandments of Christ not to be grievous to such as are made Perfect in Love do all bear witness to that Liberty which I contend for Nor does Reason favour my Opinion less than Scripture For if the Perfect man be a New Creature if he be transformed into a New Nature if his Body be dead to sin and his Spirit live to Righteousness in one word if the World be as much crucified to him as he to it I cannot see why it should not be easie for him to act consonant to his Nature why he should not with Pleasure and Readiness follow that Spirit and obey those Affections which reign and rule in him Nor can I see why a Habit of Righteousness should not have the same Properties with other Habits that is be attended with ease and pleasure in its Operations and Actions 'T is true I can easily see why the Habits of Righteousness are acquired with more Difficulty than those of any other kind but I say I cannot see when they are acquired why they should not be as natural and delightful to us as any other Lastly how degenerate soever Ages past have been or the present is I dare not so far distrust the Goodness of my Cause or the Vertue of Mankind as not to refer my self willingly in this point to the Decision of Experience I am very well assured that Truth and Justice Devotion and Charity Honour and Integrity are to a great many so dear and delightful so natural so easie that it is hard to determine whether they are more strongly moved by a sense of Duty or the Instigations of Love and Inclination and that they cannot do a base thing without the utmost Mortification and Violence to their Nature Nor is all this to be wondred at if we again reflect on what I just now intimated that the Perfect Man is a new Creature transformed daily from Glory to Glory that he is moved by new Affections raised and fortified by new Principles that he is animated by a Divine Energy and sees all things by a truer and brighter Light through which the things of God appear lovely and beautiful the things of the World Deformed and worthless just as to him who views them through a Microscope the Works of God appear exact and elegant but those of Man coarse and bungling and ugly My Opinion then which asserts the absolute Liberty of the Perfect Man is sufficiently proved here and in Chap. the first And if I thought it were not I could easily reinforce it with fresh Recruits For the glorious Characters that are given us in Scripture of the Liberty of
for ever Need I invite and exhort Man to Humility need I guard him against spiritual Pride one would think 't were altogether useless to attempt it Is it possible that the Creature should think himself so independent of his Creator that he should be able to pay him more Service than were due to him Is it possible that Man should set such a rate upon his own Righteousness as to think it capable of deserving the utmost Rewards that an Infinite God can bestow upon him Is it possible in a word that Man poor frail sinful Man Man that can do nothing that is good but by the Assistance of Divine Grace Man deprav'd and corrupted in his Nature and but a very ill husband of Grace is it possible I say that Man should be proud towards God towards that glorious and incomprehensible Being who is the Creator and Lord the Monarch and Patron the God and Father of Heaven and Earth But as absurd as this is universal Experience teaches us that Humility true Humility is a hard Lesson and that very excellent Persons are not out of the Danger of falling into vicious Elations of Mind In order therefore to promote the one and secure us against the other I will propose these two or three Considerations 1. There never was meer Man yet that did not fall short of his Duty 2. Man is the Creature of God depends upon Him and has receiv'd all from him and therefore let him do the utmost he can he does no more than his Duty 3. God stands in no Need of our Service and 't is our own not his Interest we promote by it 1. There never was mere Man yet c. For Proof of this I will not flie to Original Corruption or Sins of Infirmity Alas I need not The Apostle Rom. 1. and 2. lays the Foundation of Justification by Faith in the universal Defection and Depravation of Mankind They are altogether gone out of the way there is none that doth Good no not one And what Sins he there charges the World with the Catalogue he gives us of them will inform us But are we no better than they I answer the Light of the Gospel and the preventing Grace of God has undoubtedly given a great Check to the Progress of Sin in the World but since no Man can be Justified but through Faith in the Blood of Jesus 't is plain that we too must be concluded under Sin And though our Sins may not in the Number or Scandal of them equal theirs yet we ought to remember too that every Sin is the more provoking the more voluntary it is and the greater the Grace is which it resists and despises But what need I compare our Selves with the Jew or Gentile what need I prove by Argument and Authority that no Man ever yet liv'd or will live without Sin I mean Mortal Sin Who ever yet look'd back diligently into his past Life and did not meet with Stains and Deformities enough when I consider what Legions of Sins are rang'd under those two Banners of the Devil the Filthiness of the Flesh and of the Spirit when I call to mind Envy Discontent Murmuring Distrust Pride Covetousness Ambition Wilfulness Contention Forwardness Passion Dissimulation Falshood Flattery and a thousand other Sins and when I reflect upon the Weaknesses and Prepensions of Nature and the almost innumerable Temptations to which we are exposed I must confess I am not at all surprised to think that no Flesh can be Justified in the Sight of God by a Covenant of Works And when ever I find any upon a Death-bed as I do some acquitting themselves from the Guilt of any Deliberate Wickedness I rather admire their Ignorance and Partiality than their Innocence And yet after all a good Man is not to examine himself only concerning the Evil that he has done but also concerning the Good which he has omitted He must enquire how far he has fallen short of that Poverty of Spirit and Purity of Heart which he ought to have come up too and how far he has been wanting in those Duties which a thorough Zeal would have push'd him on too And when he has done this let him be proud if he can 2. Man is the Creature of God depends upon him and has receiv'd all from Him And therefore let him do the utmost he can he does no more than his Duty and strictly speaking cannot merit of him He that will pretend to Merit must be his own Master he must have a Right over his own Actions he must be free to dispose of his Affections and Services as he pleases For if he be antecedently bound if he have no Liberty no Freedom no Right to dispose of himself or any thing he is possessed of 't is plain such a one cannot merit And this is the direct Case between God and Man God is the great Lord the great Proprietor of Heaven and Earth He that gives Alms does but restore a part of what God lent him he that takes patiently the Loss of Goods or Health or Friends does but give back what he had no right to retain he was but Tenant at Will and had no Right to any thing longer than God thought fit to continue it And in all other Instances of Duty the Case will be still plainer If he adore and worship God there is infinite Reason that he should for he depends upon him for his Being and Preservation If he love God never so much God has deserv'd much more than he can pay Him not only the Enjoyments of Life but even Life it self being derived from Him From this Argument it will follow that it is impossible for a Creature to merit of its Creator Angels themselves never could For might it not be said with as much Truth concerning them as concerning Man who made thee to differ or what hast thou which thou didst not receive and if thou hast received it why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received it 1 Cor. 4.7 And the same may be concluded concerning Adam in Paradise For I demand had he kept the Covenant of God had he done this by Divine Grace or by his own Strength ' If by the Grace of God as Divines generally hold then may we apply the Expression of St. Austin to Adam as well as to any one now under the Dispensation of the Gospel That when God rewards the works of Man he does only crown in him his own Gifts But suppose he had done this by his own natural Strength were not the Endowments of Nature as much the Gifts of God as the Endowments of Grace the one were Natural the other Supernatural Gifts both Gifts still though of a different kind If it be here Objected if this be so how comes St. Paul to affirm to him that worketh is the reward due not of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4.4 I answer First God seems when he enters into Covenant with Man to suspend or lay
Nazian thought it very extravagant to pretend to be Perfecter then the Rule and Exacter then the Law The Quakers have made much noise and stir about the Doctrine of Perfection and have reflected very severely on others as subverting the great Design of our Redemption which is Deliverance from Sin and upholding the Kingdom of Darkness But with what Justice will easily appear when I have represented their Sense which I will do very Impartially and in as few and plain words as I can Mr. W. P. (d) A Key opening c. tells us that They are so far Infallible and Perfect as they are led by the Spirit This is indeed true but 't is meer trifling For This is an Infallibility and Perfection which no man denies who believes in the Holy Ghost since whoever follows His Guidance must be in the right unless the Holy Ghost himself be in the wrong He urges 't is true a great number of Scriptures to shew they are his own words that a State of Perfection from Sin though not in fulness of Wisdom and Glory is attainable in this Life But this is too dark and short a hint to infer the Sense of his Party from it Mr. Ed. Burroughs (e) Principles of Truth c. is more full We believe saith he that the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of Sins and may be perfectly freed from the Body of Sin and Death and in Christ may be perfect and without Sin and may have victory over all Temptations by Faith in Jesus Christ And we believe every Saint that is called of God ought to press after Perfection and to over-come the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth And we Believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without Sin in the Image of the Father And such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and are in Covenant with God and their sins are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit sin being Born of the Seed of God If by Sin here he means as he seems to do Deliberate or Presumptuous Sin I do not think any Establish'd Church whether Protestant or Popish Teaches otherwise Mr. Barclay (f) Apol. Thes 8. goes very Methodically to work and first sets down the state of the Question then confutes those that differ from Him answers their Objections out of Scripture and lastly establishes his own Doctrine As to the Perfection which he asserts he lets us know That it is to be derived from the Spirit of Christ that it consists not in an Impossibility of Sinning but a Possibility of not Sinning And that his Perfect Man is capable of Daily Growth and Improvement When to This I have added that he speaks all along of That which we call Wilful Sin as appears from his Description of it for he calls it Iniquity Wickedness Impurity the Service of Satan and attributes such Effects to it as belong not at all to what we call Sins of Infirmity when I say This is added to render his Sense clear I can readily subscribe to him For I know no such Doctrines in our Church as Those which he there opposes namely that the Regenerate are to live in Sin and that their Good Works are Impure and Sinful But then he either mistakes the Main Point in Debate or prudently declines it For the Question is not whether good Men may live in Mortal or Wilful Sin but whether good Men are not subject to Frailties and Infirmities which are indeed Sins though not imputable under the Covenant of Grace Whether the Quakers are not in this Point Pelagians I do not now inquire because if they be they are already considered Two things there are in Mr. Barclay's state of the Question which I cannot so well approve of the One is that he expresses himself so injudiciously about the growth and improvement of his Perfect Man that he seems to forget the Difference the Scriptures make between Babes and full Grown Men in Christ and to place Perfection so low in reference to Positive Righteousness or Virtue as if it consisted in Negative only or ceasing from Sin The Other is That though he does not peremptorily affirm a State of Impeccability attainable in this Life yet he seems inclined to Believe it and imagines it countenanced by 1 Joh. 3.9 But he ought to have consider'd That whatever Impeccability may be inferr'd from that Text it is attributed not to some extraordinary Persons but to all whosoever they be that are Born of God but this is out of my way All that I am to observe upon the whole is that These Men place Perfection especially in refraining from Sin I advance higher and place it in a well-setled Habit of Righteousness And I believe they will be as little dissatisfied with me for this as I am with them for asserting the Perfect Man freed from Sin For as Mr. Barclay expresses himself I think he has in reality no Adversaries but Antinomians and Ranters As to That Perfection which is magnified by Mistical Writers some of Them have only darken'd and obscured the plain Sense of the Gospel by figurative and unintelligible Terms Those of Them which write with more Life and Heat than other Men ordinarily do recommend nothing but that Holiness which begins in the Fear and is consummate in the Love of God which enlightens the Mind purifies the Heart and fixes and unites Man to his Soveraign Good that is God And I am sure I shall not differ with These There are I confess almost innumerable sayings of the Fathers which sufficiently testifie how little Friends they were to Perfection in such a Notion of it as is too generally embraced in the Church of Rome The Primitive Spirit breathed Nothing but Humility It was a professed Enemy to All self-Confidence and Arrogance to Supererogation and Merit and it invited Men earnestly to reflect upon the Sins and Slips of Life and on that Opposition which the Law of the Body maintains against the Law of the Mind in some Degree or other in the Best Men. This Consideration forced the Bishop of Condome to that plain and honest Confession Itaque Justitia Nostra licet per Charitatis Infusionem sit vera c. though our Righteousness because of that Love which the Spirit sheds abroad in our Hearts be Sincere and Real yet is it not absolute and consummate because of the Opposition of Concupiscence So that it is an indispensable Duty of Christianity to be perpetually bewailing the Errors of Life Wherefore we are oblig'd humbly to confess with St. Austin That our Righteousness in this Life consists rather in the pardon of our Sins then in the perfection of our Virtues All this is undoubtedly true but concerns not me I never Dream of any man's passing the Course of Life without Sin Nor do I contend for such a Perfection as St. Austin calls Absolute which will admit of no Increase and
our Thoughts and Hearts too earnestly upon the truths of it We must imitate the Thessalonians in behalf of whom St. Paul thanks God because when they received the Word of God which they heard of him they received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God 1 Thes 2.13 that is we must entertain the Gospel as that which has Infallible Truth in all its Doctrines uncontroulable Authority in all its Precepts a Divine Certainty in all its Promises and Threats and a Divine Wisdom in all its Counsels and Directions And he that thus believes will certainly find the Gospel to work effectually in him as it did in the Thessalonians What Light and Beauty will he discern in all its Descriptions of our Duty What force in all its perswasions what Majesty what Dignity what Life what Power what Consolation what Support In one word what Heavenly Vertue will he discern in each part of it and what vast and unfathomable Wisdom in the whole Composure and Contrivance of it How will he then admire it how will he love it how will he study it how will he delight in it How will he be transported by the Promises and awed by the Threats of it How will he be pierced and struck through by those Exaggerations of Sin and Captiv'd and Enamour'd by those lively and Divine Descriptions of Vertue he meets in it How will he adore the Goodness of God conspicuous in our Redemption How will he be inflam'd with the love of Jesus and be amaz'd at his Condescension and Humility This and much more is the natural effect of our receiving the Gospel as we ought and pondering the truths of it with devout and incessant Meditation This the Royal Psalmist was abundantly sensible of Thy word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 Thou through thy Commandments has made me wiser then mine Enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation ver 98. To which I might add many other verses out of that Psalm containing the various and mighty Effects of the Word of God Nor will any one think that I attribute too much to the study of this Word of Life who shall consider that it is one of the great Works of the Holy Spirit to incline our Hearts to the Testimonies of God to write his Laws in our Hearts to dispose us to attend to revealed Truths and in one word to fix our Minds and Thoughts upon them 2. Since the Spirit together with the Gospel is a joynt Principle of Regeneration and Perfection 't is manifest That we ought to live in a continual dependance upon God He must be our Hope and Confidence in the Day of Tryal He must be our Praise and Boast in the Day of Victory and in the Day of Peace when we lie down and when we rise up we must say with the Psalmist 't is thou Lord that makest me dwell in safety Psal 1.4 We must look upon our selves as surrounded by Enemies and besieged by Spiritual Dangers as David was by Temporal And as he in the one so must we in the other expect Strength and Salvation from Him Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our Enemies Psal 60.12 Many Nations compass me round about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them And when we have conquer'd Temptations and routed the Powers of Darkness we must ascribe all not to our own strength nor to our own watchfulness but to the Grace and the Power of God If the Lord himself had not been on our side Now may Israel say if the Lord himself had not been on our side when the Legions of Hell combined with the World and Flesh against us they had swallowed us up alive Psal 124.1 2 3. Now many will be the happy effects of this dependance upon God we shall be passionately desirous of his Presence of his Grace and Favour we shall dress and prepare our Souls we shall awaken and dispose all our Faculties to receive him we shall ever do the things that may invite and prevail with him to abide with us we shall be apprehensive of his forsaking us as the greatest Evil that can befall us Lift up your Heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in awake O my Soul raise thy self above this World and Flesh that thou mayest be fit for the King of Glory to dwell in thee who is the King of Glory The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel that Holy Spirit that subdues our Enemies that strengthens us with might and fills us with Courage and Holy Alacrity Psal 24.7 8. Nor does the Psalmist prepare his Soul for God by Meditation only and Spiritual Recollection and Soliloquies but by a careful and circumspect Regulation of all his Actions Psal 101.2 3. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way O when wilt thou come unto me I will walk within my House with a perfect Heart I will set no wicked thing before mine Eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me And how earnestly does he pray against God's forsaking him Psal 51.11 Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me The Result of all this must needs be Steadfastness and Growth in Holiness and Goodness For first This is the natural influence of such a dependance upon God it places us as always before Him and makes us walk humbly and circumspectly as becomes those that are awed by the Presence of so Holy a Majesty I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right-hand I shall not be moved Psal 16.1 Secondly we cannot doubt but that God will plentifully bestow his Grace on those who thus rely upon him For where can He bestow it with more Advantage to his Glory or to the Propagation of Holiness both which are so dear to him Who is a Subject more capable of it or who can be better entitled to it then he who thus depends upon God As he begs it Humbly and receives it Thankfully so he will Husband it Carefully and employ it Zealously § 3. In Prayer Meditation and other Instrumental duties of Religion we are to aim at one or all of these three things 1. The Quickning and Enlivening the Conscience 2. The Confirming and Strengthning our Resolutions of obedience 3. The Raising and Keeping up Holy and Devout Affections Great is the benefit of each of these Tenderness of Conscience will keep us not only from Evil but every appearance of it increase of Spiritual Strength will render us steadfast and unmoveable in all the Works of God and Holy Passion will make us abound in them To spiritual Passion we owe the Zeal and Pleasure to spiritual Strength or
Things appear to us and the more the Mind rejoyces in the Lord the oftner 'tis rapt up into Heaven and as it were transfigured into a more glorious Being by the Joy of the Spirit and the Ardours of Divine Love the more flat and insipid are all earthly and carnal Satisfactions to it Another Effect that attends our shaking off the Dominion of Sin and our devoting our selves to the Service of God is our being purified from Guilt The Stains of the past Life are washed off by Repentance and the Blood of Jesus and the Servant of God contracts no new ones by wilful and presumptuous Sin Now therefore he can enter into himself and commune with his own Heart without any Vneasiness he can reflect upon his Actions and review each day when it is past without inward Regret or Shame To break off a vicious Course to vanquish both Terrours and Allurements when they perswade to that which is mean and base to be Master of ones self and entertain no Affections but what are wise and regular and such as one has Reason to wish should daily increase and grow stronger these are things so far from meriting Reproach and Reproof from ones own Mind that they are sufficient to support it against all Reproaches from without Such is the Beauty such the Pleasure of a well established Habit of Righteousness that it does more than compensate the Difficulties to which either the Attainment or the Practice of it can expose a Man Lastly He that is free from Guilt is free from Fear too And indeed this is the only way to get rid of all our Fears not by denying or renouncing God with Atheists but by doing the things that please Him He that is truly Religious is the only Man who upon rational Ground is raised above Melancholy and Fear For what should he fear God is his Glory his Boast his Joy his Strength and if God be for him who can be against him neither things present nor to come neither Life nor Death can separate him from the Love of God in Christ Jesus There is nothing within the Bounds of Time or Eternity that he needs fear Man cannot hurt him he is incompassed with the favour and loving kindness of God as with a Shield But if God permit him to suffer for Righteousness sake happy is he This does but increase his present Joy and future Glory But what is most considerable Death it self cannot hurt him Devils cannot hurt him the sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. For there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit These Considerations prove the present Condition of a Servant of God happy Happy in Comparison of the Loose and Wicked but in Comparison with what he shall be hereafter he is infinitely short of the Joy and Glory of his End In this respect indeed he is yet in a state of Tryal and Trouble of Discipline and Probation in this respect his Perfection and Happiness do but just peep up above the Ground the Fulness and Maturity of both he cannot enjoy till he come to Heaven And this is § 4. The Last Fruit of Christian Liberty That Heaven will consist of all the Blessings of all the Enjoyments that Human Nature when raised to an Equality with Angels is capable of that Beauties and Glories Joys and Pleasures will as it were like a fruitful and ripe Harvest here grow up there in all the utmost Plenty and Perfection that Omnipotence it self will e're produce is not at all to be controverted Heaven is the Master-piece of God the Accomplishment and Consummation of all his wonderful Designs the last and most endearing Expression of boundless Love And hence it is that the Holy Spirit in Scripture describes it by the most taking and the most admired things upon Earth and yet we cannot but think that this Image though drawn by a Divine Pencil must fall infinitely short of it For what temporal things can yield Colours or Metaphors strong and rich enough to paint Heaven to the Life One thing there is indeed which seems to point us to a just and adequate Notion of an Heaven it seems to excite us to strive and attempt for Conceptions of what we cannot grasp we cannot comprehend and the labouring Mind the more it discovers concludes still the more behind and that is the Beatifick Vision This is that which as Divines generally teach does constitute Heaven and Scripture seems to teach so too I confess I have often doubted whether our seeing God in the Life to come did necessarily imply that God should be the immediate Object of our Fruition or only that we should there as it were drink at the Fountain Head and being near and dear to Him in the highest Degree should ever flourish in his Favour and enjoy all Good heap'd up press'd down and running over I thought the Scriptures might be easily reconciled to this sense and the Incomprehensible Glory of the Divine Majesty inclin'd me to believe it the most reasonable and most easily accountable Injoyment and especially where an Intelligent Being is the Object of it seem'd to imply something of Proportion something of Equality something of Familiarity But ah what Proportion thought I can there ever be between Finite and Infinite what Equality between a poor Creature and his incomprehensible Creatour what Eye shall gave on the splendours of his essential Beauty when the very Light He dwells in is inaccessible and even the Brightness he vailes himself in is too dazling even for Cherub and Seraphs for ought I know to behold Ah! what Familiarity can there be between this Eternal and inconceiveable Majesty and Beings which He has formed out of nothing And when on this occasion I reflected on the Effects which the Presence of Angels had upon the Prophets and saw Human Nature in Man Sinking and dying away because unable to sustain the Glory of one of their Fellow-Creatures I thought my self in a manner obliged to yield and stand out no longer against a Notion which though differing from what was generally received seemed to have more Reason on its side and to be more intelligible But when I called to mind that God does not disdain even while we are in a state of Probation and Humility of Infirmity and Mortality to account us not only his Servants and his People but his Friends and his Children I began to question the former Opinion and when I had survey'd the Nature of Fruition and the various Ways of it a little more attentively I wholly quitted it For I observed that the Enjoyment is most transporting where Admiration mingles with our Passion where the beloved Object stands not upon the same Level with us but condescends to meet a Vertuous and aspiring and ambitious Affection Thus the happy Favourite enjoys
this Chapter is grown much too big already And to the consideration of the Fruit of this Liberty which I have so long insisted on nothing more needs to be added but the Observation of those Rules which I shall lay down in the following Chapters For whatever Advice will secure the several Parts of our Liberty will consequently secure the whole I will therefore close this Chapter here with a brief Exhortation to endeavour after Deliverance from Sin How many and powerful Motives have we to it Would we free our selves from the Evils of this Life let us dam up the Source of them which is Sin Would we surmount the Fear of Death let us disarm it of its Sting and this is Sin Would we perfect and accomplish our Natures with all excellent Qualities 't is Righteousness wherein consists the Image of God and Participation of the Divine Nature 't is the cleansing our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and the perfecting Holiness in the fear of God that must transform us from Glory to Glory Would we be Masters of the most glorious Fortunes 't is Righteousness that will make us Heirs of God and Joynt-Heirs with Christ 't is the Conquest of our Sins and the abounding in good Works that will make us rich towards God and lay up for us a good Foundation for the Life to come Are we ambitious of Honour let us free our selves from the servitude of Sin 'T is Vertue only that is truly honourable and Praise-worthy and nothing surely can entitle us to so noble a Relation for this allies us to God For as our Saviour speaks they only are the Children of Abraham who do the Works of Abraham the Children of God who do the Works of God These are they who are born again not of the Will of the Flesh or of the Will of Man but of God These are they who are incorporated into the Body of Christ and being ruled and animated by his Spirit are entitled to all the blessed Effects of his Merit and Intercession These are they in a word who have overcome and will one day sit down with Christ in his Throne even as He also overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Good God! how absurd and perverse all our Desires and Projects are We complain of the Evils of the World and yet we hugg the Causes of them and cherish those Vices whose fatal Wounds are ever big with numerous and intollerable Plagues We fear Death and would get rid of this Fear not by disarming but sharpning its Sting not by subduing but forgetting it We love Wealth and Treasure but 't is that which is Temporal not Eternal We receive Honour one of another but we seek not that which comes from God only We are fond of Ease and Pleasure and at the same time we wander from those Paths of Wisdom which alone can bring us to it For in a word 't is this Christian Liberty that makes Men truly free not the being in bondage to no Man but to no Sin not the doing what we list but what we ought 'T is Christian Liberty that makes us truly great and truly glorious for this alone renders us Serviceable to others and Easie to our selves Benefactors to the World and delightsome at home 't is Christian Liberty makes us truly prosperous truly fortunate because it makes us truly happy filling us with Joy and Peace and making us abound in hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost CHAP. IV. Of Liberty as it relates to Original Sin WHatever Difficulties the Doctrine of Original Sin really be involved in or seem at least to some to be so they will not concern me who am no further obliged to consider it than as it is an Impediment of Perfection For though there be much Disputes about Original Sin there is little or none about Original Corruption the Reality of this is generally acknowledged though the Guilt the Sinfulness or Immorality of it be controverted And though there be Diversity of Opinions concerning the Effects of Original Corruption in Eternity yet there is no Doubt at all made but that it incites and instigates us to actual Sin and is the Seed-plot of Human Folly and Wickedness All Men I think are agreed that there is a Byass and strong Propension in our Nature towards the Things of the World and the Body That the subordination of the Body to the Soul and of the Soul to God wherein consists Righteousness is subverted and overthrown That we have Appetites which clash with and oppose the Commands of God not only when they threaten Violence to our Nature as in the Cases of Confession and Martyrdom but also when they only prune its Luxuriancy and Extravagance That we do not only desire sensitive Pleasure but even to that Degree that it hurries and transports us beyond the Bounds that Reason and Religion set us We have not only an Aversion for Pain and Toil and Death but to that Excess that it tempts us to renounce God and our Duty for the sake of Carnal Ease and Temporal safety And finally that we are so backward to entertain the Belief of revealed Truths so prone to terminate our Thoughts on and confine our Desires within this visible World as our Portion and to look upon our selves no other than the mortal and corruptible Inhabitants of it that this makes us selfish and sordid proud and ambitious false subtle and contentious to the endless Disturbance of Mankind and our selves That this I say is the state of Nature that this is the Corruption we Labour under all Men I think are agreed And no wonder for did a Controversie arise about this there would be no need to appeal any further for the Decision of it than to ones own Experience this would tell every one that thus it is in Fact and Reason if we will consult it will tell us why it is so for what other than this can be the Condition of Man who enters the World with a Soul so dark and destitute of Divine Light so deeply immerced and plung'd into Flesh and Blood so tenderly and intimately affected by Bodily Sensations and with a Body so adapted and suited to the Things of this World and fastened to it by the Charms of Pleasure and the Bonds of Interest Convenience and Necessity This Account of Original Corruption agrees very well with that St. Paul gives us of it Rom. 7. and elsewhere And with that Assertion of our Lord and Master on which he builds the necessity of Regeneration by Water and the Holy Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Having thus briefly explained what I mean in this Chapter by Original Sin I am next to consider these two Things 1. How far this Distemper of Nature is curable 2. Which way this Cure is to be effected As to the first Enquiry I would
and allures us and 't is our Consent to its Enticements that gives Being to Sin and defiles us with Guilt From all this now put together 't is easie to conclude what sort of a Description we are to form of Mortal Sin 'T is such a Transgression of the Law of God as is vicious in its Original deliberate in its Commission and Mischievous in its Tendencies or Effects The Heart is corrupted and misled by some Lust or other and so consents to the Breach of the Moral Law of God a Law of Eternal and Immutable Goodness or if the Sin consists in the Breach of any Positive Law it must yet imply in it some moral Obliquity in the Will or in the Tendency of the Action or both So that Presumptuous or Mortal Sin call it by what Name we Will is a Deliberate Transgression of a known Law of God tending to the Dishonour of God the Injury of our Neighbour or the Depravation of our Nature Such are those sins which the Prophet Isaiah exhorts those who will repent to cease from And such are those we have a Catalogue of Eph. 5. Gal. 5. and elsewhere Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such-like These are the sins of which as of so many Members the Body of sin consists These constitute the old Man These are sometimes called the filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit Vngodliness Wickedness Iniquity the Lusts of the Flesh worldly Lusts and such-like These and the like sins have as I said in them very apparent Symptoms of Malignity and Mortality They are always the Effect of some carnal and worldly Lusts prevailing over the Law of the Mind and they imply a contempt of God Injustice to our Neighbour and some kind of Defilement and Pollution of our Nature And that these are the plain Indications of such a Guilt as excludes a Man from Heaven and the Favour of God is very plain from the account which the Scripture gives us both of the Origine and Influence of sin from the Care it takes to fortifie the Heart against all Infection from the constant Representations it makes us of the shamefulness and the Mischief of sin even in Reference to this World as well as the other I cannot see any thing further necessary to the Explication of Deliberate or Presumptuous sin unless it be here fit to add That it is Mortal though it proceed no further than the Heart There is no need at all that it should be brought forth into Action to render it Fatal and Damnable This is evident not only from the Nature of Divine Worship which must be entire sincere and spiritual and therefore can no more be reconciled to the Wickedness of our Hearts than of our Actions but also from the express words of our Saviour Out of the Heart proceed Fornication Adultery Theft c. And elsewhere he pronounces the Adultery of the Heart Damnable as well as that of the Body Mat. 5.28 But I say unto you that whosoever looketh upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his Heart S. 2. I am next to give some account of the Liberty of Perfect Man in reference to the sin I have been discoursing of I shall not need to stop at any General or Preliminary Observations as That Abstinence from sin regards all the Commandments of God alike and to do otherwise were to mutilate and maim Religion and to dishonour God while we pretend to worship and obey Him For the Breach of any single Commandment is a manifest Violation of the Majesty and Authority of God whatever Observance we may pay all the rest For he that said do not commit Adultery said also do not kill Now if thou commit no Adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the Law Jam. 2.11 That the Restraints Man is to lay upon himself relate no less to the Lusts of the Soul than the Actions of the Body Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.10 That to begin well will avail us little unless we finish well too Universality Sincerity and Perseverance are generally acknowledged to be essential and indispensable Properties of Saving Justifying Faith These things therefore being but just mentioned I proceed to the Point to be enquir'd into and resolve 1. To be free from the Dominion and Power of Mortal Sin is the first and lowest step this is indispensable to sincerity and absolutely necessary to Salvation Let not Sin reign in your mortal Bodies to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 And the advancing thus far does I acknowledge constitute Man in a state of Grace For in Scripture Men are Denominated righteous or wicked not from single Acts of Vice or Vertue but from the Prevalence and Dominion from the Habit or Custom of the one or the other know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6.16 But then I must here add two Remarks by way of Caution 1st We must not presume too soon of Victory over an Habitual Sin An evil Habit is not soon broken off nor is it an easie Matter to resolve when we have set our selves free from the Power of it Sometimes the Temptation does not present it self as often as it was wont or not with the same Advantages sometimes one Vice restrains us from another sometimes worldly Considerations or some little Change in our Temper without any thorough Change in our Minds puts us out of humour for a little while with a darling Sin and sometimes the Force and Clearness of Conviction produces some pious Fits which though they do not utterly vanquish a Lust do yet force it to give way and retreat for a while and interrupt that Love which they do not exstinguish All this may be and the work not yet be done nor our Liberty yet gain'd If therefore we fall though but now and then and though at some Distance of time into the same sin we have great reason to be jealous of its Power and our Safety Nay though we restrain our selves from the outward Commission of it if yet we feel a strong Propension to it if we discern our selves ready to take fire on the Appearance of a Temptation if we are fond of approaching as near it as we can and are pleas'd with those Indulgencies which are very near a kin to it we have reason to doubt that our Conquest is not yet entire Nay the Truth is we cannot be on good Grounds assured that we are Masters of our selves till we have a setled Aversion for the sin which before we doted on and shun the Occasions which before
often repeated breeds a kind of Indifference or Lukewarmness and soon passes into Coldness and Insensibleness and this often ends in a reprobate Mind and an utter Aversion for Religion 2ly We must endeavour some way or other to compensate the Omission of a Duty to make up by Charity what we have defalc'd from Devotion or to supply by short Ejaculations what we have been forc'd to retrench from fix'd and regular Offices of Prayer And he that watches for Opportunities either of Improvement or doing Good will I believe never have Reason to complain of the want of them God will put into his hands either the one or the other and for the Choice he cannot do better than follow God's 3ly A single Omission must never proceed from a sinful Motive from a Love of the World or Indulgence to the Body Necessity or Charity is the only just and proper Apology for it Instrumental or Positive Duties may give way to moral ones the Religion of the Means to the Religion of the End and in Moral Duties the less may give way to the greater But Duty must never give way to Sin nor Religion to Interest or Pleasure Having thus briefly given an account what Omission of Duty is and what is not sinful and consequently so setled the notion of Idleness that neither the careless nor the scrupulous can easily mistake their Case I will now propose such Considetations as I judge most likely to deter Men from it and such Advice as may be the best Guard and Preservative against it 1. The First Thing I would have every one lay to heart is That a State of Idleness is a State of damnable Sin Idleness is directly repugnant to the great Ends of God both in our Creation and Redemption As to our Creation can we imagine that God who created not any thing but for some excellent End should Create Man for none or for a silly one The Spirit within us is an active and vivacious Principle our rational Faculties capacitate and qualifie us for doing Good this is the proper Work of Reason the truest and most natural Pleasure of a rational Soul Who can think now that our wise Creatour lighted this Candle within us that we might oppress and stifle it by Negligence and Idleness That he contriv'd and destin'd such a Mind to squander and fool away its Talents in Vanity and Impertinence As to our Redemption 't is evident both what the Design of it is and how opposite Idleness is to it Christ gave himself for us to Redeem us from all Iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 and this is what our Regeneration or Sanctification aims at We are God's Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 How little then can a useless and barred Life answer the Expectations of God What a miserable Return must it be to the Blood of his Son and how utterly must it disappoint all the purposes of his Word and Spirit But What need I argue further the Truth I contend for is the express and constant Doctrine of the Scriptures is not Idleness and fulness of Bread reckoned amongst the Sins of Sodom what means the Sentence against the barren Fig-tree Luke 13.7 but the Destruction and Damnation of the Idle and the Sluggish the Indignation of God is not enkindled against the Barrenness of Trees but Men. What can be plainer than the Condemnation of the unprofitable Servant who perished because he had not improved his Talent Matt. 25.38 and how frequently does the Apostle declare himself against the idle and disorderly and all this proceeds upon plain and necessary Grounds Our Lord was an Example of Vertue as well as Innocence and he did not only refrain from doing Evil but he went about doing good We can never satisfie the Intention of Divine Precepts by Negative Righteousness when God prohibits the Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit he enjoyns the perfecting Holiness in his Fear when he forbids us to do evil he at the same time prescribes the learning to do well What need I multiply more Words Idleness is a flat Contradiction to Faith Hope Charity to Fear Vigilance Mortification and therefore certainly must be a damning Sin These are all active and vigorous Principles but Idleness enfeebles and dis-spirits manacles and fetters us These are pure strict and self-denying Principles but Idleness is soft and indulgent These Conquer the World and the Body raise and exalt the Mind but Idleness is far from enterprising any thing from attempting any thing that is good it pompers the Body and effeminates and dissolves the Mind and finally whatever Innocence or Inoffensiveness it may pretend to it does not only terminate in Sin but has its Beginning from it from Stupidity and Ignorance from Vanity and Levity from Softness and Sensuality from some prevailing Lust or other 2. Next after the Nature the Consequences of Idleness are to be considered and if it be taken in the utmost Latitude there is scarce any Sin which is more justly liable to so many tragical Accusations for it is the Parent of Dishonour and Poverty and of most of the Sins and Calamities of this mortal Life But at present I view it only as it is drawn with a half Face and that the much less deformed of the two I consider it here as pretending to Innocence and flattering it self with the Hopes of Happiness And yet even thus supposing it as harmless and inoffensive as it can be yet still these will be the miserable Effects of it It will rob Religion and the World of the Service due to both it will bereave us of the Pleasure of Life and the Comfort of Death and send us down at last to a cursed Eternity For where are the Vertues that should maintain the Order and Beauty of Human Society that should relieve and redress the Miseries of the World where are the Vertues that should vindicate the Honour of Religion and demonstrate its Divinity as effectually as Predictions or Miracles can do where are the bright Examples that should convert the unbelieving part of Mankind and inflame the believing part with a generous Emulation Certainly the lazy Christian the slothful Servant can pretend to nothing of this kind As to the Pleasure of Life if true and lasting if pure and spiritual 't is easie to discern from what Fountains it must be drawn Nothing but Poverty of Spirit can procure our Peace nothing but Purity of Heart our Pleasure But ah how far are the Idle and Unactive from these Vertues Faith Love and Hope are the Seeds of them Victories and Triumphs Devotion Alms and good Works the Fruits of them But what a stranger to these is the Drone and Sluggard Then for the Comfort of Death it must proceed from a well spent Life he that sees nothing but a vast Solitude and Wilderness behind him
never to be enjoyed by any but some few rare and happy Creatures the Favourites of God and Nature Pleasures that have Matter and Substance in them for such as I can no more grasp and relish than I can Dreams and Visions But to this I answer this pretty talk is all but stupid Ignorance and gross Mistakes For 1. As to innocent and vertuous Pleasure no Man needs part with it I endeavour not to deprive Man of this but to refine and purifie it And he that prefers either silly or vicious Pleasure before Religion is wretchedly mistaken For 2. Perfect Religion is full of Pleasure Had we but once arrived at true Purity of Heart what could be so full of Pleasure as the Business of Religion what can be more delightful than blessing and praising God to a grateful Soul Allelujahs to a Soul snatched from the brink of Destruction into the Bosom of its Master what can be more Transporting than the melting Tendernesses of a holy Contrition made up like Mary Magdalen's of Tears and Kisses Sorrow and Love Humility and Glory Confusion and Confidence Shame and Joy what can be more transporting than Love the Love of a Christian when he is all Love as God is Love when he desires nothing in Heaven nor on Earth but God when all things are dung and dross to him in Comparison of Jesus 4. If the Pleasures of the World be more transporting than those of Religion 't is because our Faith is weak our Love imperfect and our Life unsteady A constant and exalted Pleasure is I grant it the Fruit of Perfection alone The Peace and Joy of the Holy Ghost reigns no where but where that Zeal and Love which is an Effect of the Fulness of the Spirit reigns too I had once proposed to have insisted on the Reasons of this here but this Labour is prevented for they are very obvious to any one who hath read the Chapter of Zeal with Seriousness and Attention Lastly what is insinuated in the Objection that the Pleasures of the World are more numerous or obvious than those of Religion is altogether a false and groundless Fancy In every Place and in every State do the Pleasures of Vertue wait upon the Perfect Man They depend not like those of the Body on a thousand things that are not in our power but only on God and our own Integrity But this part of the Objection I have I think for ever baffled Sect. 1. Chap. 4. These Obstacles of Perfection being thus removed and the Mind of Man being fully convinced of the Happiness that results from a State of Perfection and of his Obligation to surmount the Difficulties which obstruct his way to it there seems to be nothing now left to disappoint the Success of this Discourse but somewhat too much Fondness for the World or somewhat too much Indulgence to the Body which I am next though but very briefly to consider § 4. There is a Love of the World which though it be not either for the Matter or Degree of it Criminal enough to destroy our Sincerity and our Hopes of Salvation yet is it strong enough to abate our Vigour hinder our Perfection and bereave us of many Degrees of Pleasure at present and Glory hereafter The Indications of this kind of Love of the World are too much concern for the Pomp and Shew of Life too much Exactness in the Modes and Customs of it too quick a Sense of Honour and Reputation Pre-eminence and Praise too much Hast and too much Industry to grow rich to add House to House Land to Land and to cloath our Selves with thick and heavy Clay too brisk a Relish of the Pleasures of the World too great a Gaiety of Mind upon the Successes too much Dejection upon the Disasters and Disappointments of it too much Care and too much Diligence an encumbring and embroiling ones self too far in worldly Affairs too much Diversion too much Ease These I say are the Symptoms of a Mind tainted with a Love of the World though not so far as to Sickness and Death However it will be enough to check the Vigour and dilute the Relish of the Mind Now the only way to overcome this Defect and to captivate the Mind entirely to the Love and Service of Religion and Vertue is to consider frequently and seriously the Rewards of Perfection the Pleasure that will attend it in another Life Had the young Man in the Gospel done this had he had as lively a Notion and as true an Estimate of the Riches of Eternity as he had of Temporal ones he would never have gone away sorrowful when he was advised to have exchanged the Treasures of Earth for those of Heaven Had the Soul of Martha been as much taken up with the Thoughts of Eternity as that of Mary she would have made the same Choice as she did They who often think how soon the Fashion the Pomp and Grandeur of this World passes away and how much better their Heavenly Country is than their Earthly how much more lasting and how much more glorious the New Jerusalem that City that has Foundations whose builder and maker is God than this City of ours which may be over-thrown in a moment will neither weep nor rejoyce with too much Passion neither buy nor possess with too much Application of Mind In one word he that so often and devoutly thinks of that day wherein Christ who is our Life shall appear and we also appear with him in Glory that he comes to love and long for it such a one will have no great Taste of the Honours or the Pleasures or the Interests of Life nor will he be slothfull or remiss but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Whatever Degrees of Affection he had for any thing of that Nature they will all vanish he will have no Emulation but for good Works no Ambition but for Glory I mean that which is Eternal In the pursuit of this will he lay out the Strength and Vigour of his Mind for this he will retrench his Profit for this he will deny his Pleasure for this he will be content to be obscure mean and laborious for if the World be once crucified to him he will the more easily bear the being crucified to it § 5. After all there is an Infirmity in the Flesh against which if we do not guard our selves if we do not struggle heartily we shall miscarry The Spirit is willing said our Saviour but the Flesh is weak Without much Care and much Watchfulness the Vigour of our Minds will be relax'd the Exultation of our Spirits will flag and droop and we shall soon loose the Relish there is in Religion The most effectual Remedies against this Frailty and Fickleness of our Nature are two First Godly Fear and this the Purity and Presence of God the Strictness and the Impartiality of a Judgment to come the Loss of an Eternal Crown the Terrors of Eternal Punishment the