the Sanctifying work of the Spirit 2. By sins of Commission or by doing that which you should not viz. By violating of Truth in any kind whether Natural or Moral by inordinate love to the World prizing Carnal Comfort above Spiritual by impurity of thoughts which defile the Soul the place of the Spirits Residence by causeless doubts and fears despondency under troubles both inward and outward in constancy and in stability in Religion or deadness formality and Spiritual Pride in the Duties of it They are all one way or another against the Spirit either as a Governour Guide Witness or Comforter and as such they grieve it for by them its Witness is slighted its Assistances are rejected its Influences perverted or its Comforts dis-esteem'd and counted small and therefore it concerns you to beware of them and the more in that By thus grieving the good Spirit you will please the Devil the evil Spirit and by grieving the one and pleasing the other you will grieve and displease your own Spirit at last for grieving makes way for quenching and by quenching the Spirit you may in time be left to commit that great transgression the unpardonable sin against it All sins grieve the Spirit but those that grieve the sinner Of Self-examination Examination is the Judicial proceeding of a sinner with himself or the act of Conscience enlightned comparing all his actions with the Rule and accordingly passing sentence either of Absolution or Condemnation for or against himself The Command makes it a Duty 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 3 4. Si sâ—aper hoc quum opâ— est facis semter facus Bernard in Cant. 58. â—eâ—m and the neglect of it a Sin A Duty at all times but more especially at some times A difficult Duty Reflex acts are by Philosophers counted most difficult and this of all the Duties of Christianity is none of the least that is so Yet must not be omitted for they that will do nothing that is difficult in Religion have no Religion The Persons concern'd in it are 1 Cor. 11. 28. A Man i. e. every man so the Old Translation reads it and so Beza translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quisquis Erasmus not a few onely or many but all all either as Communicants or Christians both real and nominal for none are too good or too great for it It belongs but to few to examine others but it concerns all to examine themselves The things to which it relates are almost infinite viz. every thing thought spoken and done whether good or evil Examination is as a petty Sessions to prevent or the better to prepare for a General Assize Mans Judgment to anticipate Gods and 1 Cor. 11. 31. therefore must carry a proportion to it God will judge every thing Eccles 12. 14. Morally good and evil then and so must every one now The Rule by which it is to be guided is the Word of God It is not he that others commend that is approved for they 2 Cor. 10. 18. may think better of him than he is nor he that commendeth himself for he may be better than others and better than he himself has formerly been and yet Luke 18. 11. not good or at least not so good as he should be but he whom God commendeth that is approved and therefore none must examine himself by anothers good Opinion of him nor by his own good Opinion of himself for both may be mistaken but by the Word of God by which onely the regularity or irregularity of his actions will appear God will hereafter judge you by it and therefore the best course you can take is to judge your self by it Rectum est index sui obâ—iqui now and that you may you must get a clear and right understanding of it By this light you will see light but unless you have Eyes to see it it will be of no more Advantage to you than the light of the Sun to them that are blind and cannot see A just Judge desires a clear Evidence a good Cause a fair Tryal an upright Heart a search and the better any are the more willing they will be to know the worst of themselves not to do it may add something to your security but nothing to your safety Therefore 1. Be exact in the examination of your self 2. Beg Gods Examination upon it 1. Be exact in the examination Tecum â—aâ—ua of your self It must not be superficial and slight remiss and careless but strict and exact searching every corner of your Heart and censuring every irregularity of your Life seeking that you may find what is amiss and untill you do and with good reason for as they are the worst sort of Cheats that deceive themselves so they are the worst of that sort that deceive themselves in the concerns of their Soul It is far more safe to condemn than to acquit your self without cause For by one your Peace will be lost for a time onely but by the other your Soul will be lost for ever 2. Beg Gods examination upon yours Rachel was willing to have any Gen. 31. 34 35. place searched for the Idols she had stole from Laban but that on which she sat to cover them and a Thief may be content that a blind Man that cannot see or his fellow Thief that will not should search his House and Hypocrites rest satisfied with their own Examination or of those like themselves but they that are sincere and upright are desirous that any should examine them yea with David willing that God should do it and that truth should take place though against themselves When David had examined Psal 139. 23 24. himself he appealed to God not as to one that he would have satisfied with his own Opinion of himself nor with the Opinion of others concerning him but as to one that was the searcher of Hearts and that he himself would be searched by he did not desire that his Life onely but his Heart the most suspected place might be search'd and that not superficially but throughly and that the matter might be fully travers'd and pass through all Courts of Tryal as appears by the multiplying of words search know try and see and by the extent of it viz. that not one thought or way onely but that all his ways and thoughts might be enquir'd into and that if there was any sin that he did not see or could not it might be done away And therefore when you have done all that you can in it desire God to examine you and your examination too and that if there be any sin in you that either you do not see or cannot that he would shew it to you or if there be any sin that you would not see that he would do away that sin and the Hypocrisie that would indulge it It is onely by the light of Heaven that you can see the Hell that is within you
God through Luxury and Sensuality a disregard of the promise of Life and a disbelief of Death threatned he did eat of the forbidden Fruit and by it fell from his state of Innocency and Happiness into a state of Sin and Misery 1. Of Sin In the loss of his Original Righteousness and the depravation of his Nature in all Gen. 6. 5. Job 14. 4. 15. 14. the faculties of his Soul and the members of his Body 2. Of Misery In the loss of his Communion with God in Pararadise Gen. 38. 10. 23. 1. and subjection as justly obnoxious to all the direful effects and consequents of his wrath in this World and in that to come Adam was not a private but publick Person the Representative of all Mankind and the Covenant Acts 17. 26. made with him was not for himself only but for his Posterity also that should by ordinary Generation descend from him He was the Head of the Covenant and they Parties engag'd with him by that stipulation Legally Parties in that Covenant Dum punitur aliquis pro peccato primi Parentâ— non punitur pro peccato alterius sed pro peccato suo Aquinas quaest 4. de pec orig Art 1. Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12. 23. Rom. 5. 18. 19. Rom. 7. 18 19. and as naturally in him the Head of it as streams in the Fountain and branches in the Root in his standing they stood and in his fall they fell sinning in him they fell with him and partake with him both in his sin and misery 1. In his Sin By the imputation of that particular sin committed by him and by a communication of that corruption derived from him whereby they are indispos'd to all good and inclin'd to all evil 2. In his Misery Being justly Gal. 3. 10. Col. 3. 6. Mat. 13. 42. Rom 2. 5. Rev. 19. 20. Mat. 10. 28. Mat. 5. 26. Mark 9 43 44. 2 Thes 1. 9. lyable to all the punishments of sin in this World both outward and inward on their Souls and Bodies and to those in the World to come in the sharpness universality and eternity of them The Head of Nilus is admir'd because it cannot be found out but the Spring-head from whence the misery of all by Nature arises may viz. from sin the Spring is known but how many and how bitter the streams are flowing from it cannot easily be known the River that watered the Garden of Eden branched Gen 2. 10. out into four streams onely but the streams flowing from the sin committed there are innumerable broad and deep a complex misery as to kind and degree Rom. 3. 16. 7. 24. comprehending both sin and punishment some are sins and not miseries and some are miseries and not sins of both which something may be seen in these eight following particulars viz. 1. Filthiness 2. Enmity 3. Darkness 4. Poverty 5. Nakedness 6. Bondage 7. Death 8. Wrath. 1. Filthiness Adam at first as he came out Ezek. 16. 5. of Gods hands was pure without spot or wrinkle within and without but as he came out of Mat. 12. 45. the Devils hands or when by sin that unclean Spirit entred into him he and in him all his Posterity Isa 64. 6. became as an unclean thing All that are brought out of this Ezek. 36. 25. Heb. 9. 14. 10. 22. Eph. 5. 26 27. state are sprinkled with the Blood of Christ and cleansed from all their filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit but they that are not though Noble by Birth are but as Naaman Noble Lepers tho 2 Kings 5. 1 2. Princes by Blood attainted yea though Angels for outward Beauty yet but as Devils in the sight of God in his Eyes they are unclean though not in their own and the more when they are not so Grace is the Ornament of the Psal 16. 3. 45. 11. Soul and all that are adorned with it have Christ's Beauty upon them a Beauty that God greatly desires and delights in But Sin has defiled the whole man from Head to Foot not one part only but every one inside and outside A capite ad calcem Rom. 6. 19. 3. 13. Gen. 6. 5. Isa 1. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thes 5. 23. Heb. 10. 22. Tit. 1. 15. Eph. 4. 29. Flesh and Spirit Body and Soul the Faculties of one and Members of the other Mind and Conscience Thoughts and Imaginations Affections and Desires Words and Deeds All of them in general and especial are become altogether filthy by it Some sins defile the Body but all Sins defile the Soul and that with a filthiness so great that all the filth in the World should it meet in one common sink cannot Horrenda vox equallize the pollution of it 2. Enmity viz. Habitual and actual inward and outward in Affection or Action Reconciliation offer'd implies it for there can be no Reconciliation 2 Cor. â— 20 where there is no Breach nor any Peace made before the Enmity is subdu'd Adam at first was in a state of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. â— Friendship with God God and he were as nearly conjoyn'd as a Creator and Creature could be without sin but sin made a breach and separated these Friends All that are brought out of this state have thrown down their Weapons of Hostility are reconciled Rom. 5. â— to God and at Peace with him but they that are not are like David and Absalom in open 2 Sam. 1â— 5 6 7. 1â— Hostility against him and as Absalom made all the means he could to stir up the People in Rebellion against David so they employ their whole strength of Soul and Body against God They are Enemies to him both actively and passively Haters of God and hateful to him Haters of him and hated by him as clearly appears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the terms of Difference on their part and on Gods 1. On their part who gave the Offence They are Strangers to God and unacquainted with him Job 21. 21. Eph. 2. 12. â—3 19. Eph. 4. 18. they are Foreigners and alienated from the Life of God without him afar off and at distance from him they know not God nor Isa 1. 3. Job 35. 10. Mal. 2. 17. desire it for he is not in all their thoughts they acknowledge no wrong say not What have we Jer. 8. 6. done nor repent of their Wickedness they seek not after God Rom. 3. 11 Joh. 5. 40. Jer. 2. 31. Psal 14. 2. Psal 10. â—3 nor for peace with him nor are willing to come to him for it they will not accept of Overtures Parleys and tenders of Peace nor read the Articles of Agreement or Covenant of Peace but Hos 8. 12. count it a strange thing they will not hearken to God's Voice Jer. 13. ult â—… 22. 21. â—… 25. 4. Mat. 28. â—7 Psal 81. â—1 Psal 2. 2. nor regard it will
and put him on walk in him and serve him in Holiness Col. 2. 6. Luke 1. 75. and Righteousness all the days of your Life If he has delivered you from Death live to him who died for 2 Cor. 5. 15. you and by death delivered you from Death Thus by living up to your priviledges or doing the Duty of them you will at last receive the benefit of them It is sad to want priviledges but far worse to abuse or not improve them Make it your great business to secure the salvation of your Soul In order unto it 1. Believe you have a Soul 2. Believe it is precious 3. Live to it as so believing 1. Believe you have a Soul Every one has a soul but the Lives of most shew that they do not believe it Some live as if their Bodies were immortal and worthy of all their care and some as if they had no Souls or as if they were Mortal and when once dead should never be alive again The Soul of such Men is of little more use than as Tully says of the Soul of a Swine to keep the Body from stinking But be you establish'd in the belief of this truth that you have a Soul and that it is Immortal A truth that has been own'd by Heathens and is previous to Religion for all Religion is grounded upon it They did usually say That to live was to dye and to dye was to live again Potest obumbrari quia non est Deus extingui non potest quia à Deo Druydes made the Gauls Valiant by telling them that their Souls were Immortal Caesar put Gold into his Souldiers Pockets that the fear of losing it might make them so and the belief of this Treasure within you inclos'd in an Earthen Vessel as Manna in an Earthen pot and the fear of Exod. 16. 33. losing it should provoke you to a diligent care about it that you may not A Sadducee in Opinion will soon Acts 23. 8. be an Epicure in Life 2. Believe that your Soul is precious The same Offering was for the Soul of the Poor that was for Exod. 30. 15. the Soul of the Rich half a Shekel was the Soul-money for both and the Soul of both viz. of a Slave and an Emperour are alike precious and next to that which is infinite and excellent most excellent as will appear 1. By the Titles given to it 2. By the care taken of it 1. By the Titles given to it viz. The breath of Life Life is a desirable good and the Soul a Gen. 2. 7. Job 2. 4. 27. 3. Optimus modus cutis most precious Being as it is the breath of Life Gods Spirit God is a Spirit and so is the Soul too not onely in respect of its immediate procedure from him but in respect of its resemblance to him a remote Image of God or an Prov. 2◠27. Image of the Trinity in a Faculty the Candle of the Lord the Sun in the little World as the Sun is the Soul of the great one the hidden man the whole man or the Man of Man as Athens Animùs cujusque est quisque 1 Pet. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Pars optima nostri Job 30. 15. Prov. 4. 7 Psal 22. 20. was the Greece of Greece Mans principal one Wisdom is the principal thing and the Soul the seat of Wisdom Mans principal one Mans Darling Christ is Gods Darling Man is Christs and the Soul is Mans Mans Honour and Excellency Glory is the manifestation of Excelcellency and therefore that which Nihil magnum in terrâ nisi homo nec in homine nisi anima Gen. 49. 6. Job 4. 21. is his Glory must needs excell Man was the perfection of the Creation the Master-piece and chiefest part of it and the Soul the choicest part of Man as appears by these Titles given to it by God who rates every thing according to its kind and worth and therefore set the Crown and Diadem by him put upon it the Letters Testimonial sent from Heaven to commend it make you highly to value and esteem of it 2. By the care taken of it By God and Man to save it and by the Devil to destroy it By God viz. Father Son and Holy Ghost By the Father who in his infinite Wisdom contriv'd Redemption for it instituted Sacraments and Ordinances to feed it in this World provided Heaven a place of Eternal Rest for it in the World to come and Angels to guard Heb. 1. ult and conduct it safe to it By the Son who in his unspeakable Love laid down his Life as a Psal 49. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Ex pretio pretium 1 Thes 5. 23. Ransom for it and parted with his most precious Blood as a price to Redeem it By the Holy Ghosts powerful Operation in Sanctifying of it whereby it becomes as Mount Zion the Temple of the most High the Throne of the great King of Heaven his Mansion Eph. 3. 17. Isa 57. 15. Dwelling-place and second Heaven 2. By Men viz. both good and bad By good Men while living and by bad Men when dying 1 King 21. 20. who though while living they sold themselves to work Iniquity and as by Will bequeath'd their Souls to the Devil when dying make void that Will out of a desire for their Souls sake to die well though they would not live so That which is every ones Money or bears a price every where and is by all sooner or later highly esteem'd and to all alike precious has worth and excellency in it 3. By the care taken by the Devil to destroy it There are two Lions contend for the Soul Leo propter fortitudinem advincendum Leo propter fertitatem adnocendum 1 Pet. 5. 8. Christ the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who seeks to save it and the Devil the roaring Lion who seeks to destroy it He is active and diligent for he goes about seeking bloody and cruel for he seeks to devour Other Lions prey on dead Bodies but this on living Souls He desired Job's Body for his Souls sake If you do not prize your Soul the Devil does 3. Live to your Soul as believing it is Precious God might and that without any Injustice have placed you in the lowest predicament of the vilest Creatures but since he has stampt his own Image upon you and given you a Soul with which you may converse not onely with Men and Angels but with himself bless him for your Soul with Psal 103. 1. Anim◠debere is the highest Engagement Gen. 49. 3 4. your Soul and live to it as a Being most excellent and precious It is your Excellency and Honour let it not then consult its own shame nor with Reuben lose its Excellency by sin but be Honourably employ'd serve the living God with this breath of Life Life must be served with Life worship God who is a Spirit John 4.
24. Numb 16. 22. and the God of the Spirits of all flesh with this his Spirit in you Do not lose your Soul in looking after its Servant the Body as Shimei lost his Life in looking after 1 Kings 2. 36 37. 38 39. 40 41. 46. his but do your principal work for this principal one All that a man has will he give for his life but life and all must be Job 2. 4. given and laid out for the good of the Soul And there is good reason for it if you consider 1. That your Soul was given to you that you should take care of it and every thing else for the good of your Soul Every one has not a Child nor an Estate to look after but every one has a Soul the poorest Widow has these two Mites a Soul and a Body and the most indigent Beggar this Treasure Since then it is every ones yours as well as their possession it should be yours and every ones Redde animae quae sua sunt care to secure the happiness of it and therefore give to the soul the things that are the souls 2. Christ likes them best that are most careful of their souls Christ when on Earth lov'd them most who lov'd their souls more than his body Maries Breakfast was better to him than Martha's Dinner and much more then will he love them that love their souls more than their own bodies He that would not have you Murder your Body would much less have you Murder your Soul 3. According to the care for your Soul here so it is like to fare with your Soul and Body hereafter You are daily Travelling to the Land of Souls viz. the world of Spirits both of the just and unjust every day you take a step to it and within a little while you will be all Soul and as you live to it here so it will be with that and your Body for ever hereafter the welfar of your Body depends upon the welfare of your Soul and the eternal welfare of that upon your care in time about it and therefore as by a care for your Soul you may do two works at once viz. secure the happiness of Soul and Body so by a neglect of it will undo both for ever at the first death your Rev. 20. 14. 21. 8. Soul shall go to Hell and your Body at the second 4. The loss of the Soul is the greatest loss Christ who best knows the worth of a Soul by the price he paid for it says that the gain of a whole World if Mat. 16. 26. it could be obtain'd with the loss of a Soul would be a gain without profit a loss rather than a gain and that not the least but greatest as an irreparable and irrecoverable loss a loss that could neither be made up nor recovered All other losses even of Life it self may be made up either in kind or vertue but nothing can Habet anima mortem suam cum vitâ beatâ caret quae vera animae vita dicenda est repair or make up the loss of the Soul for in this God is lost a lost Groat may be found lost Time may be redeem'd and a lost Estate recovered by diligence but a Soul when gone into Eternity and lost will be for ever so Heaven it self salvâ justitiâ cannot redeem a Soul fròm Hell when once there Your Soul is Gods as well as 1 Cor. 6. 20. your Body that he has bought and therefore Glorifie him with it and commit the keeping of it to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator of Souls as well as of Bodies that at last it may 1 Pet. 4. 19. Heb. 12. 22 23. be taken up to the innumerable Company of Spirits viz. of Angels created perfect and of just Men made so Begin the work of Religion early Make it the great business of your Life Be hearty and sincere in it Be true and faithful to it to the end of your Life 1. Begin the work early 1. God commands and expects it 2. It is the best time for it 1. God commands and expects it Cain brought Fruit to God an Gen. 4. 3. 4. Offering of the Fruit of the Ground Abel brought first fruits the firstlings of his Flock and God had respect to Abel and his Offering but not to Cains and this before the special Law of Exod. 13. 2. 22. 29. 34. 26. first-fruits and first-born which were Gods in all was made to shew as is usually observ'd that it was not Ceremonial but Moral and perpetual God or the Devil will have the use and service of your Life but God has the greatest Right to it and his will is not onely for work but for Day and Time and the first of that viz. your Eccles 12. 1. Youth he calls for which shews kindness on his part in taking any into his Service before they can well work for him and should promote Obedience on yours God is the fashioner and former Psal 139. 13 14 15 16. Deut. 32. 18. Psal 71. 17. Jer. 3. 4. the teacher and preserver the guide and strength of your Youth all the parts Beauty Strength and all the other Excellencies of it come from him and ought to be employ'd for him and therefore do not give the Devil your Youth and God your Old Age him your Spring and God your Winter him your Vintage and God your Gleanings him your Flower and God your Bran him the best and God the worst but the best for he is best and deserves the best Not an old or rotten Sacrifice Mal. 1. 8 14. but the fattest and fairest must be laid upon Gods Altar 2. It is the best time for it Eccles 12. 1. The time of your Choices Primum in unoquoque generè est perfect issimum As to Ease Honour Service Comforts and Safety 1. As to Ease Old Age is the best for Advice and Counsel but Youth the best for Action both as to the Natural and Moral frame of the Body and Mind viz. the parts of one and the endowments of the other Old Age is called the Sickness of Nature but Youth is the Health and Strength of it that is called Eccles 12. 1. the evil day not onely in respect of the evil then suffered but of the indisposition from that evil to any thing that is good but this a good day as most fit and proper for work the Body being most active and vigorous the Fancy and Invention most quick the Memory most strong the Affections most smart and lively the Conscience most pure the Will most pliable and the Heart as not hardened by Custom in sin most soft and so most fit to receive the impressions of Virtue Trees are transplanted Horses broken and Cattel accustomed to the Yoke with ease when young and Youth more fit for Instruction than Old Age even then when it is scarce fit for any thing else
semper incipit à fine 1 Cor. 10. 31. let it be so to you mind it as your chief good the supream end and chief good are one refer all the general and particular actions of your Life to it ultimately the end makes the means lovely make all other Finis dat amabilitatem medis finis impeliit agentem finis est summe appetibilis finis ultimus dat ordinem mensuram Prov. 6. 21. Ps 63. 8. Numb 6. 14 24. Eccles 9. 10. Rom. 12. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 10. Mat. 6. 33. Psal 63. 1. things subservient to it and let this as Commander in Chief give Laws to all carry the remembrance of it always in your mind place it next to your Heart and uppermost in your thoughts be diligent in it and prosecute the Interest of it both fully and earnestly not as the last and least business of your Life but as the first and greatest viz. in order and dignity not secondarily but primarily before all other things and above them Two principal ends can never consist together Two things may encourage you to this work and in it 1. Strength is promised to it 2. A Reward attends it 1. Strength is promised to it Tripho the Jew in his Dispute against Justin Martyr tells him that those Precepts Christ left about the Duties of Religion were so harsh and burdensome that he would have but few if any Disciples and many there are that either through mistake think they find this stumbling-block in the way of Religion and cannot get over it or lay it there and will not it is true to carnal minds by reason of the contrariety of their Nature to Religion through Rom. 7. 14 22. the corruption that is in them and by reason of custom in sin which makes the contrariety stronger the work 's difficult and uneasie but to them that are renewed it is not or if so at first yet by use it becomes pleasant and delightful for Christs Yoke by constant wearing grows easie Mat. 11. 29. Grave dum tollis suave cum tuleris But if it were not so yet strength shall be given to it that will make it so In the Body where there is a vein to convey Blood there is an Artery to convey Spirits and in the Scripture Deut. 10. 16. 30. 6. Phil. 2. 12 13. where there is a Command to work there is a promise of strength to it what is a Command in one place is a Promise in another Now difficult work and easie are both alike if a sutable and proportionable strength be given Ezek. 18. 31. 36. 26. to the performance of it 2. A Reward attends it viz. Of Honour Pleasure Profit and Peace 1. Of Honour There was no way to the Temple of Honour among the Romans Psal 45. 9. 149. 9. but through the Temple of Vertue nor is there any coming to Honour now in the Prov. 13. 5. 14. 34. 1 Thes 4. 4. Rom. 6. 21. broad way of sin but in the narrow way of Religion for as the future issue of sin is Death so the present fruit is shame Indeed the Enemies of Religion who fetch their Scutcheon out of the Devils Herald-Office count sin their Honour and glory in their shame but God who is the Fountain of all true Honour Prov. 21. 21. places it in Righteousness and Holiness he is Glorious in Holiness and if it be his Honour it may well be esteemed yours this is John 5. 44. the onely true Honour and it cometh from God only and if by 1 Sam. 2. 30. this you Honour him you shall be everlastingly honoured by him a Spirit of Glory shall rest on you 1 Pet. 4. 14. here and a Crown of Glory be put upon you hereafter All seek Honour and some to Honor calcar babet the loss of their Lives and Souls but none but the Religious truly find it 2. Of Pleasure The Enemies of Religion think if once they espouse the profession of it that all Joy and Mirth must be cast out as the Minstrels were by Christ out of the Rulers House when he came to raise his Mat. 9. 23 25. Daughter to Life but they are much mistaken for Christ the increated wisdom of the Father 1 Cor. 1. 24. Prov. 3. 17. says that the ways of wisdom have pleasure in them not the end onely but the way and not some one way onely but all the ways and every step in them are not onely pleasant but pleasantness yea pleasantnesses having all pleasures that are good both as to kind and degree in it The Sheep has delights as well as the Swine though it wallows not with the Swine in the mire and the Religious their pleasures though none that are vain and sensual All look for pleasure in Life and most think there is no Life without it but the Religious only find it 3. Of Profit Religion brings gain this the Job 1. 9. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 6. Devil could not deny when he accused Job of Hypocrisie now the praise of an Enemy is as Aristotle Psal 37. 4. says a universal good Report and this God has assured Mat. 19. 28. 29. Mark 10. 29 30. to all the sincere Professors and Friends of it and that no ordinary gain neither but an increase greater than the World can promise or secure for it is a hundred fold not ten in the hundred but a hundred upon ten a hundred to one use upon use viz. either in kind or vertue in this World and in the World to come Life eternal You may lose something for Mat. 6. 33. 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. Religion but you shall never lose any thing by it for if God be yours all things are yours all things conditionally if he absolutely The Offerings of Old increased 2 Chron. 31. 9 10. their store 4. Of Peace The Enemies of Religion talk Prov. 3. 7 17. Psal 119. 165. much of their Peace but without any Reason for there is no Peace to them in that they are Enemies to the God of Peace without the Spirit of Peace and therefore without Peace the fruit of Isa 48. 22. the Spirit and Fighters against Christ the Prince of Peace who speaks Peace not to his Enemies that commit folly but to his Subjects Psal 85. 8. that return no more to it Joy as the Philosopher says is the shadow of all Vertue as inseparable perhaps from it as the shadow from the Body and the fruit of Righteousness as the Apostle says is Peace there is James 3. 18. Rom. 3. 17. no Peace without it and all true Peace in it and it is worth the having for it abides not onely in Life but at Death too The end of the upright is Peace Psal 37. 37. Peace in Life is a rare Blessing but at Death a greater and was there no other benefit in this World to be got by Religion it is
Gods Friends that converse familiarly with his Enemies 2. Evil Company will make you what you should not be Dinah the Daughter of Jacob Gen. 34. 1 2. went gadding abroad to see the Maids of the Countrey till she was none her self Joseph Gen. 42. 15. by being in Pharaoh's Court learn'd to swear by the Life of Pharaoh The Israelites though Homo malus telum diaboli they hated the Egyptians yet by living among them they learned their Manners their Lusts not their Laws they that should have Converted them were as one says perverted by them and became twice their Slaves their Bodies being Conquered by their Weapons and their Souls by their Vices Solomon by conversing Neh. 13. 26. with Idolatrous Women became Idolatrous Peter whilest he warm'd himself at the fire in Luke 22. 55 56 57. Fascinus unius multorum pestis Salvian the High Priests Hall got cold and abated in his Zeal he warmed his Hands but cooled his Heart Evil Company among other things as St. Ambrose observes helped on to make the Younger Brother a Prodigal 1. His Portion 2. His Fathers Indulgence 3. His Youth 4. Evil Company St. Austin as he confesses committed some sins which he had not before to gain Credit and Esteem with his Companions and there is no good Man as Epictetus says but will either suffer evil or learn it from them that are evil Pure Streams passing by a corrupt Inficitur terrae sordibus unda fluens Aliquod malum propter vicinum malum Soil contract some of its filth rusty Metals corrupt the pure scabby Sheep rotten Grapes and sore Eyes will infect the sound and evil Men the good by conversing with them It is seldom found that the bad are made better by it but the good made worse getting a bane with Peter where they could not get a blessing It is odds to be with the Lame and not to learn to limp It is true sometimes good examples put others upon the practice of that which is good when Peter said he would not leave Mat. 26. 35. Christ all the Disciples said so too and Vespatian's Frugality gave check to the Romans Luxury but they oftner lead to that which is evil Nero's Fiddle had too many Dancers after it for all Naturally are prone to be led more by Example than Precept and by bad Examples more than good ones living not as they should Non quo eundum sed quo itur non ad rationem sed ad similitudinem Seneca de vitâ beatâ Psal 119. 115. Prov. 4. 14. Isa 6. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 3. but as they see the most do and as beasts following the drove or herd though it be to their own destruction and therefore if you would neither be nor do as they delight not to be where they are or when Charity or Necessity may oblige you to it be separated from their sins when you are not from their persons and at all times shun and avoid the works of Iniquity Eph. 5. 11. though sometimes you cannot the workers of it Their Hatred is better than Non est perfecté bonus nisi qui cum malus bonus their Company Of the Spirit The Spirit is sometimes taken for the whole Divine Nature and equally agrees with any Person of the Godhead when abstractedly considered Sometimes for the Divine Nature Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. of Christ for as flesh is sometimes taken for his Humane Nature so Spirit is for his Divine Nature Sometimes for the Holy Ghost as distinct from the Father and 1 John 5. 7. the Son with all its Gifts and Graces who Sanctifies Teaches Quickens Guides and Comforts all in whom he dwells and therefore it concerns you 1. To ask God for this Spirit 2. To do nothing when given to grieve it Enquire of your self as Paul Acts 19. 2. did of the Disciples at Ephesus whether as yet you have receiv'd the Holy Spirit with its Gifts and Graces and if upon enquiry you find you have not then 1. Ask God for it 2. Do nothing when given to grieve it 1. Ask God for the Spirit God promised at first that he Joel 2. 28. would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh viz. extensively and Isa 30. 19. 44. 3 49. 15. 55. 1. 59. 21. 65. 24. Rom. 10. 12. Eph. 3. 20. Tit. 3 6. James 1 5. intensively not upon the Jews onely to whom it was then confin'd but upon all and more of that Spirit than formerly was poured out upon them and since that he has promised to give his Spirit to them that ask it and as an encouragement to asking has assured that he will much more Luke 11. 13. give it than Earthly Parents either can or will give good Gifts to their Children They are Earthly but God is Heavenly they Fathers of the Flesh he of the Spirit they evil viz. either simply or comparatively but he infinitely good a more Rich Bountiful Faithful Cujus pâ—rticipatione sumus justi ejus comparatione sumus injusti and a more tender hearted Father than any of them and therefore both can and will much more willingly freely certainly compassionately abundantly and constantly give than they the Spirit to all that ask him for it Since then God is so willing to give his Spirit be you earnest and importunate for it there is good reason you should for it had been better you had never received Rom. 8. 9 the Spirit of a Man unless you have this Spirit of God And that you may speed in asking seek it in Christs Name Joh. 1. 16. 3. 34. who received the Spirit without measure for you and meritoriously fulfills the promise of it 2. Do nothing to grieve the Spirit when given to you There is mention made in Scripture of resisting quenching Acts 7. 51. 1 Thes 5. 19. Eph. 4. 30. and grieving the Spirit The first as usually said is proper to Impenitents the second to Apostates and the third to Saints Properly the Spirit cannot be grieved it being contrary to the Per figuram non naturam Quoad effectum non quoad affectum Nature of the Spirit either to make any sad or it self to be made so but Metaphorically it may and then it is when it appears as one grieved and then you may be said to do it when you do those things that would grieve the Spirit if the Spirit was capable of it and this two ways viz. either by sins of Omission or of Commission 1. By sins of Omission or by neglecting the good you should do viz. By idleness and slothfulness by not answering to the calls and not yielding to the motions of the Spirit by not walking in the light and strength in the fellowship and communion in the exercise of the Graces and Phil. 2. 1. in the comforts of the Spirit for it is a sin to oppose the Comforting as well as