terrible resolution So then because thou art neither hot nor cold I will spue thee out of my mouth Is this a condition to be proud of What more loathsom then vomit Can the vilest wretch on-earth undergo a heavier doom Indeed could not God find thee out thy case might be more hopeful but he can and will unmask and uncase thee Then thy condition will be so much the worse by how much better it seemed to thee Psal 125. 5. Such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Such are the wayes of the hypocritical Formalist tortuous and crooked full of windings and turnings like the Hare's doublings before the Dogs but God will find them out and lead them forth with the worâ—…rs of iniquity In tortuosi talibus i. e. They shall be numbred with the prophane and open Sinners and fall with them into the same condemnation Let me then say to thee as the Penitent Thief to his Fellow Luke 23.40 Dost not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation Why boastest thou against the prophane when both must lye down together in the same Hell Yea thou in the hotter place The Tares as well as Briars and Thorns must be burnt with fire unquenchable Matth. 13.30 40. Your boasting therefore is not good 5. This may intimate a twofold duty incumbent on Ministers in reference to this sin of Formality 1. Let us take heed of driving our People out of Prophaneness into Formality and there leaving them What skill and prudence is necessary so to manage our Work that we not onely draw upon them the Lineaments but beget in them the life of Christianity Lest we be like the unskilful Chyrurgion to skin the sore and let it fester inwardly this is instead of curing to render them more incurable Two things will much conduce to a thorow work 1. Let us be sure to press an inward as well as outward change labour we to get into their hearts and convince them that the Root of all their Malignity is there according to that of our Saviour Matth. 15.19 Let us tell them and tell them again That they must be renewed in the spirit of their minds Ephes 4.23 That it is not enough to cleanse their hands except they also purifie their hearts Jam. 4.8 That 't is not onely the course of their lives but chiefly and primarily the frame of their hearts that must be changed while we onely press outward Reformation and performance of duties we do but teach them to do as Christians not to be Christians 't is good to begin at the heart and bring the disease outward 2. Let us be much in pressing Faith and Obedience to Christ as well as Repentance and Reformation Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ were the sum of Pauls Doctrine Acts 20.20 Both must be preached the former in subordination to the latter Luther used to say he that can well distinguish betwixt Law and Gospel is a good Divine I say he that can join them well together is the skilful Preacher we should be very careful that we separate not Faith and Duty Law and Gospel or make those opposite which are subordinate while we press Repentance Prayer Hearing c. with little or no mention of Christ we teach men to be Loyalists while we preach Christ Free-Grace the Saints Priviledges c. without the Law we teach men to be Libertines and Licentious Antinomists The mean is best a prudent mixture of Loyal severity with Gospel sweetness is the way to make men thorough Christians 2. The other branch of our duty is this That we bend our study much against this sin it being the sin of the age we live in What charge the King of Syria gave concerning the King of Israel 1 King 22.31 Fight neither with small nor great c. The same should our care be as to this sin 'T is the Devil's last and strongest hold beat him out here and we are Conquerors Two things omitting other I commend to this purpose 1. To make us more able for this work Let us diligently observe the windings and formality of our own hearts For as it is Proverbs 27.19 As in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man Though I will not be confident that 's the sense of that Text we are all of the same mould Books may make us able but this will make us profitable Ministers The best way to fit our Sermons for others hearts is to try them upon or rather to dig them out of our own What our people do most industriously strive to hide from us viz. the naughtiness of their hearts we may in despight of them see in our own and possibly this may be one reason why the Wisdom of God hath chosen men of like infirmities with others to be the Preachers of the Word Well my Brethren let 's but shoot home at our own hearts and it 's a thousand to one if we hit not some yea many in our Congregations 2. To make us more successful in this work Pray over our studies Some steep seeds before they put them into the Earth and water them after How well might we hope that spiritual seed would thrive that hath Prayer to go before and follow it and truly if ever we have need to pray it is when we are to grapple with this sin This formal Devil will scarce out without prayer and fasting What need have we to beg that the searcher of hearts will direct the arrow of his Word to the heart The Apostle in Heb. 4.12 13. speaking of the words discovering power ties with a strange connexion the Omniscience of God to it Surely if the All-knowing God do not more immediately concur the Word will not so pierce to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit joints and marrow c. 'T is fabled of Pigmalion that having made the Pourtraicture of a curious Woman falling in love with it he prayed to Venus and she put life into it Have we drawn the amiable Picture or carved the lovely image of a Christian upon any of our people O let 's beg down life into them from God 6. Once more We may hence learn that God looks not at worthiness or unworthiness at preparitory dispositions previous qualifications or that Popish fiction of merit of congruity in those whom he calls I desire here to be understood of what we may imagine to dispose a man or put him in a nearer capacity to conversion otherwise there is no such thing as fitness or unfitness really as to Gods Omnipotency should God judg as man judgeth or look upon the outward appearance as man looketh Whom should he sooner call then the Formalist were we to guess according to carnal Reason whom the Lord would chuse would we not say of the Formalist as Samuel of Jesses eldest son 1 Sam. 16. surely the Lords annointed is
God and the world but I shall find at last that I have deceived my own soul Psa 125.5 Will not God both find me out in these crooked wayes and turn me out with the workers of iniquity He that perverteth his wayes shall be known Prov. 10.9 The self-flatterers iniquity shall be found hateful Psal 36.21 Can I carry it so closely that God shall not find me out Doth not his eye pierce and his eye-lids try the children of men Doth he not set our secret sins in the light of his countenance Is there not a wo to them that dig deep to hide their sins as well as their counsels from the Lord Isa 29.15 16. Thus labour to make thy heart sensible of this sin 4. It is a sin of evil influence upon others Warm and lively Christians are the great blessings of the places where they live their zeal provokes many 2 Cor. 9.2 But a dead and heartless profession especially if of any eminency in the Church puts a stop to others who are apt to come up to their measure and there to rest The whole Army made a stand at Amasa's dead body 2 Sam 20.12 so do many at one dead Christian How may a dead and formal Minister or Master of a Family read his own in the Temper of his People or Family As face answers face in a glass so for the most part doth the complexion and temper of the Followers answer that of their Leaders Aggravate thy sin by this consideration upon thy own heart Vile wretch that I am how many do I hinder in heaven's way how doth my formality give occasion to some to think there is no reality in Religion and to others to rest in the same temper Were I a better Leader my People Family Neighbours would be better Followers If they perish in that sin how justly may their Blood be charged upon my head 5. It is a sin that insensibly hardens the heart every sin is of that nature Heb. 3.13 But as none is I think more deceitful so scarce any more hardning One or two duties customarily and formally done will be found mightily deadning and indisposing the heart to other duties afterward By Formality in prayer you may in time pray away both your Graces and Gifts so you may by customary hearing hear your selves quite deaf to all Gods counsels 2 Tim. 1.6 This makes the heart of many like the trodden path or neather Milstone Formality is a lazy sin it doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit and so the Fire goes out Habits of laziness are hardly shaken off as we see in common Beggars indulging a lazy temper which is the Formalists sin must needs encrease it 'T is the Formalists frame that of the sluggard Prov. 6.10 and 26.14 Yet a little sleep Ver. 11. c. And what is said of him may well be applied hither So shall thy poverty come as an armed man By this lazy formal temper spiritual poverty invades and seizes upon the soul Besides this sin as it hath a natural so a judiciary tendency to hardness of heart i. e. it provokes God to give up to obduration Luk. 19.26 From him that hath not so as to improve shall be taken even that he hath or seems to have God will say to such in his just Judgment Sleep on and take your rest and as that great Commander finding his Sentinel asleep run him thorow saying Dead I found him dead I leave him Thus God deals with the lazy formal sluggish Christian Work this also on thy heart 6. It is a sin that broodeth hatcheth cherisheth many other Pride Self-confidence Contempt of others are the natural products of it Upon account of a constant course of formal duties men are apt to encourage themselves in sin see Jer. 7.8 9 10. 'T is storied of one an Italian as I remember who us'd to patter over his prayers in the morning and then challenge the Devil to do his worst Let but a Formalist observe his own heart and he shall find That when he hath done something more then ordinary in a way of duty he is apt to draw encouragements thence of being more loose afterward Set this home Oh what a Viper have I harbour'd in my bosome How many sins hath this one sin let in and drawn me into c 7. It 's a sin that brings both the surest and soarest destruction To such is that cutting word of our Saviour directed Matth. 23.33 Ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can you escape the damnation of Hell Hypocrites are Leaders in the Black Roll Matth. 24. last And as dissembled Sanctity is double iniquity so shall it have a double portion of Misery These things I have suggested to help you in aggravating this sin upon your own souls it were easie to add many more but any one of these laid close to the Conscience will through the blessing of God make the Soul groan under the weight of this sin This is the sum of the first step which a soul is to take in order to cure Get a convincing sight and humbling sense of thy sin and would but the Lord bring on the Work thus far could I but see your hands on your loins could I but find you Ephraim-like smiting upon your thigh ashamed confounded were you but throughly convinced of the guilt and sensible of the weight of this sin how hopeful might I be of effecting the Cure Direct 2 When it is thus or rather that it may be thus with thee make thy addresses to God in way of humble confession and fervent petition But to hint something briefly 1. Fall down before the Lord in the shame and grief of thy own Soul making self-condemning Acknowledgments and aggravated Confessions of this sin Thou that hast been hitherto a proud Pharisee Luk. 18.13 now become an humble Publican Learn Davids posture Psal 51.3 This is a singular way to get thy own heart affected for indeed it 's a principal end of confession we do not confess sin to inform God but to humble and shame our selves In confession thou mayest use the forementioned aggravations 2. Add Petition to confession beg a more lively sense of this sin for it is not all thy own aggravating this sin upon thy soul that will make thee feel it to purpose till God take it and set it upon thy Conscience 't is the Spirit of God that must to purpose convince of sin John 16.8 the sins which look but as Moats will appear Beams in that Light which the Spirit of God darts into the Soul Beg Contrition also that acceptable Sacrifice of a broken heart must be of Gods own preparing the sorrow which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God 2 Cor. 7.10 must be from God Zech. 12.10 Beg pardon with the Psalmist Ps 51.1 Fitly may you use his Petition and Argument Psal 25.11 Pardon my sin for it is
4. See that thou have a thorow change of heart Eph 4.23 Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind 1 Thes 5.23 Sanctified throughout 'T is not building on the old Foundation repairing and decking up the old man will serve turn 'T is not putting a new piece upon the old Garment all is depraved in Adam All must be renew'd in Christ it 's no less then a new Creation that makes a Christian That which is born of the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 17 even the best of it is no better than flesh Joh. 3.3 6. The best of a carnal man is carnal no man is born a Christian There must be a putting off the old man and putting on the new man Eph. 4.22 24. Col. 3.9 10. Psal 4 5.10 Bialt a forgetting and forsaking thy own People and Fathers house that is as one well glosses Quic quid corruptionis ex utero afferimus aut quaecunque ex placâ institutione nobis adhaerent Whatever corruption we derived from the Womb or contracted by Education c. Well see that not only the branches of corruption be lopt off but the root digg'd up let sin be not only left but loath'd let duty be not only done but delighted See that the change be not only in the face of your conversations but in the frame of your hearts and bent of your affections and see that it be the whole inward man not understanding only illightned or affections enlarg'd but each faculty having its proper work of Sanctification wrought upon it and above all the Will brought to a chearful submission to and compliance with the Will Commands of God even in those things that are most opposite to your natural inclinations This is a fourth Essential in a Christian 5. Endeavour liveliness vigour and sincerity in every duty content not thy self till thou hast got thy heart engag'd in duty I bid thee not lay aside duty nay rather be more frequent but withall more fervent and serious in it Hear and practise pray in the spirit turn thy dead and heartless confessions into heart-breaking acknowledgments thy formal petitions into earnest groans and breathings of soul c. and withall see that thy end in all be right viz. Gods glory and thy souls advantage Rectitude of ends is a great piece of sincerity Oh this is very essential to a Christian not onely to do duty but to be lively vigorous and right-ended in it not onely to do it but to do somthing by it and receive something through it and that it may be thus make Conscience of seriousness and liveliness in the smallest duties in thy daily Family-duties yea in thy very begging a blessing upon the creature Formality creeps in at our ordinary and lesser duties and by degrees mixes it self with our greater out it as much as possible of your common and ordinary and there is less danger it should spoil your extraordinary duties And thus I have in these five particulars included I think mâ—st of that which is essential to a Christian Oh that the Lord would perswade your hearts to endeavour after them and that they may be found in every soul of you These are they that do specifie and constitute a Christian indeed and that do distinguish him from and set him above all others in the world get these and you are more then Formalists but get them all the third cannot be without the first and second nor can the fourth and fifth really be without the third but where all these are found in conjunction that soul may undoubtedly conclude its real Christianity As a singular help to rowse thee out of Direct 4 Formality represent to thy thoughts meditations the nature of God especially in those awakening Attributes his Spirituality his Omniscience Omnipresence c. together with the dreadfulness of the day of judgment Formality is the souls sluggishness and therefore it needs those helps that are most awakning And oh how would the lively representation of these things startle you out of this drowsie temper Is not God a Spirit and Spirits are active and how ill do they that are themselves active vigorous brook the lazines of others Again Is not Gods eye upon me Is he not present in a special manner to those that are in his service and must not such a cold and careless temper be highly displeasing to him Again How shall I be able to stand before the Tribunal Will not my Formality be then discovered will not the careless performance as well as total neglect of duty be enquir'd into and severely punished at that day Such workings as these will be upon the heart that lies under the lively sense of those things and they must needs put life into thy duties and put thee out of thy dull and sluggish temper Direct 5 Get a holy jealousie and suspition of thy own heart watch it as thou wouldst watch a lazy or unfaithful servant Our hearts will do no longer then they are watcht and tasked and followed we must be winding them higher continually if we let them slacken never so little drowsiness steals upon them it must be a jealous eye and strict hand over them that must keep them waking Deal therefore with your hearts as David Psal 103.1 2. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me He calls upon his soul thus must we Prov. 6.9 10. be often jogging them say not A little more sleep a little more slumber but rather Why sleepest thou O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep Yea when they seem to be most wakeful and active there is need to watch them especially after a duty done with more than ordinary fervor intensness of action causeth weariness and weariness inclines to sleep and sluggishness Earnestly beg the continuance of lively Direct 6 quickning Ordinances and beg life and quickning into those Ordinances 1. Beg lively and quickning Ordinances They are the means which God hath appointed to beget and keep life in the soul the word is The immortal seed whereby souls are begotten to God 1 Pet. 1.23 But if this and other Ordinances lose their liveliness by a dead heartess formal management they will instead of rousing us out lull us asleep in our formality Cor non faciunt quae non habent How can those Ordinances make hearty Christians which have no heart in them Ordinances that are not good Ezek. 20.25 and statutes whereby a soul cannot live are amongst the saddest of judgments Dead forms are like the stone at the foot of the Bird which hinders it from the first use of its wing Also how prone is the last age of the world to fall into this drowsie temper We have need of the most lively Ordinances and all too little to keep us waking Dull heartless Preaching Prayers or other Ordinances will charm the Soul into a dead sleep and will be as a soft Pillow under the elbow of drowsie sinners and this
scorch and wither it and this is the case of this ground they have some heat of joy and raptures which like the flattering rays of the Aprill Sun draw forth some early blossoms but when some cold chilling frosts or scorching heats come in the following Month they are either nipt by the one or scorched and shrunk up by the other Praemature fruits never come to maturity The Child that thrusts its self forth into the world before its time seldom proves long-liv'd Such are Formalists they hastily catch at Christ before they are humbled for sin or melted by godly sorrow and therefore do as quickly forsake him The like may be gathered from that other Parable of the wise and foolish builders Luke 6.47 48. The wise Builder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 digged deep and laid his foundation on a rock the foolish built without a foundation on the Earth surely Humiliation and thorow conviction is at least in part the import of that digging deep and for want of this digging the building doth molâ suà ruere fall by its own weight for want of these dews and moistures the root is dried up from beneath and above the bud is cut off Job 18.16 As the natural so the spiritural birth is attended with pangs Now the Formalist is one that never felt these or not to purpose never so as to bring him off his own righteousness or to subdue his will to an acceptance of Christ upon Gospel terms But here I desire to be rightly understood I prescribe not such a measure of humiliation as necessary nor to all the like measure there is great difference as to the manner measure and continuance of it all are not thrown upon the ground and deprived of their sight as Paul was all walk not in the Region of the shadow of death nor go bowed down 18 years with a spirit of Infirmity To some God comes in a fire thunder and whirlwind to others in a still voice as God teacheth us to put a difference Jude 22,23 so himself doth doth on some he hath compassion others he saves with fear pulling them out of the fire the convictions and humiliation of some are more sensible terrible like the breaking of stones with a hammer they are brought by the gates of Hell to Heaven of others more sweet kindly and insensible like the melting of wax before the fire and Ice or Snow before the Sun The Souls of some are taken by storm others by a long and tedious siege and battery some are surprized as it were by stratagem and some surrendred upon Parley yea some are so wrought upon that the first sensible work they experience is Grace drawing them to a voluntary resignment of their souls to God All these worketh our gracious God according to his own Will and Pleasure nor can any certain stated Rules be laid down about the various workings of God with poor souls Nevertheless these two things I conceive may be safely asserted 1. That before a soul is brought or upon a souls coming over to Christ he hath such a convincing sight of sin and of his own sin original and actual with such a measure of compunction contrition be it less or more as doth make him both see an absolute necessity of Christ and willingly close with him upon Gospel conditions I speak here of God's working upon the adult 'T is not meerly the love of Christ or his excellency appehended that attracts the soul to him but withal he sees he stands in need of him and is undone without him I would fain know of any of those pretended Patrons and Assertors of free-Grace how a soul can have any apprehensions of the love of Christ to purpose without some praevious apprehensions and convictions of its own sinfulness and misery Is it not the very Emphasis of the love of Christ that while we were yet sinners he died for us Rom. 5.8 That when we were lost he came to seek and save us take away this sense of sin and misery and you take away the very accent of Christ's love Is not this the language of a Soul under the most kindly workings O infinite Love that such a vile sinful lost wretch as I am should be sought for inquired after much like the language of Mephibosheth to David 2 Sam. 9.8 What is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am And Ch. 19.28 All my fathers house were but dead men before my Lord the King yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thy table Here 's deep and deep depth of Misery and depth of Mercy these jointly apprehended melt the heart of a poor sinner and make it as water or rather as wax fit for any Divine impression so that there is in the soul under most ingenuous and kindly workings sense of sin and sorrow for it though swallowed up in the joyful sense of God's love in Christ Jesus 2. And after a soul is come to Christ the frame of the heart is such that it 's ready to grieve and melt upon the sight and conviction of a sin now committed or the remembrance of a sin formerly acted Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.26 We find Peter in the same temper and David often the stone being taken out of the heart there is an habitual tenderness ready to exert it self in kindly meltings upon sight of any unkindnesses and disingenuous actings towards God Christ or the Spirit Now to both these the Formalist is a stranger his will was never subdued his heart never molified so far as to go out of himself Bring this note home and try your state by it I beseech you 4 He is a Formalist who though he is constant in the matter yet is little or not at all conscientious in the manner of duty That it be done he is very careful but how he regards not The Formal Jews were so constant at their sacrifices that there God will not blame them Psal 50.8 The sincere Christian is no less troubled for his carelesness customariness wandrings and distractions in then for his omissions of duty he accounts that as not done which is not done with some suitableness of affection and exercise of grace he thinks he hath but mockt God and taken his Name in vain But this troubles not the Formalist he is a good Church-man as they call him constant at his Family-duties c. and never matters how cursorily and slubbringly they are performed his care is to get it done the sincere Christians to get it well done thinking himself never the better for that Duty that makes him not better never the nearer for that which brings him not further out of himself and nearer God Try then Canst thou never remember the time when thy heart smote thee for thy negligence in as well as neglect of Duty Dost thou go on merrily and confidently in a cold dull heartless course of
blow or the Angel descend to move these waters Though God hath called some from the Ale-bench Tavern Stews Receit of Custom yet it is not to be presum'd God will do so 't is out of Gods ordinary road Those whom Christ cured or called were such ordinarily as were in his way So the ten Lepers Luke 17.12 The blind man Luke 18.35 The wounded man lay in the way betwixt Jerico and Jerusalem c. Zacheus got into the Sycamore-tree where Christ was to pass by Luke 19.4 5. and he hears that glad tidings Come down Zacheus c. Ezek 16.6 When I passed by thee I said unto thee live 'T is good to be where Christ may pass by us and that is in his Church amongst his people for his walk is in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 Wisdom cries without she uttereth her voice in the streets she cryeth in the chief place of concourse c. Prov. 1.20 What hope maist thou conceive if thou waitest at her Gates and watchest daily at the posts of her doors since such are pronounced blessed Prov. 8.34 Some have been caught in the net before they were aware a happy catching yea when they came to catch carp and deride What hope maist thou have if thou wilt constantly and conscientiously wait upon God in his Ordinances 2. Call upon Christ cast thy self at his feet with the Lepers and the blind man Luk. 18.41 Lord that I might receive my sight Learn the Publicans posture Luk. 18.13 Lord be merciful to me a sinner Take the Apostles counsel to Simon Magus Act. 8.22 Pray that the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee such prayers whatever some say shall not be rejected else why doth the Holy Ghost direct to the use of them Christ hath taught thee importunity Luke 18 1-8 Put his Lesson in practice beg pardon and justification say to Christ Lord spread thy spirit over me since thou art become a near kinsman Beg Sanctification Lord here 's a filthy heart O cleanse it a hard heart O mollifie it a dead heart O quicken it Plead such free Promises as that and put them in suit Ezek. 36.26 Take Lord the stone out of my heart and give me an heart of flesh sprinkle clean water upon me c. Take up Ephraim's words Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God And Hos 14.1 2. Plead the examples of such as thou art whose conversion is recorded for thy encouragement Magdalen Zacheus Paul see that sweet Scripture 1 Tim. 1.15 16. How be it for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Cast thy self upon him in confidence of that word Joh. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast off Plead as the servants of Benhadab 1 King 20.31 I have heard the God of Israel is a merciful God A meer peradventure should be enough to an undone Creature as it was to the four Lepers 2 King 7.8 much more when thou hast such invitations and encouragements to allure thee to come in 3. Cast away thy transgressions Ezek. 18.31 Thou canst not be saved in them but from them thou maist This is the good old way wherein onely thou shalt find rest for thy soul Jer. 6.16 This doctrine will abide the fire when all the wood hay and stubble of novel and unscriptural speculations will be burnt 'T is Christ's own Doctrine Luke 13.3 5. Away then with thy lewd companions excess revellings put away those works of the flesh Gal. 5.22 else take no comfort in all I have said read over the examples of all those that were saved especially such prophane ones as thy self Was not this valley of Achor bitter Repentance their door of hope 'T is not Paul the Persecutor but Paul the Penitent the faithful Apostle that is in Heaven Not Zacheus the Oppressor but Zacheus the Restorer Not Magdalen the Harlot but Magdalen the Penitent weeping Magdalen washing Christ's feet with her tears and wiping them with the hairs of her head And what is there in any sin that hopes of future glory should not make thee willing to part with it Is the Favour of God Are the Consolations of the Spirit The Priviledges of the Saints Is Heaven and Glory and the eternal fruition of the Beatifical Vision so contemptible that they cannot out-bid one base lust Are the pleasures of sin for a season better then the eternal recompence of reward Are devouring flames everlasting burnings such light matters so easie to be endured that for the enjoyment of some worldly delight or contentment perhaps for some sin that hath in it neither profit nor pleasure such as swearing is you should plunge your selves into them irrecoverably Do you believe those eternal things or no If not Why do you come to hear Why do you not declare your selves professed Atheists and lay aside all Profession of Religion Why do you not take your fill of carnal pleasures But if you do believe them as I know you will profess you do why do you not put away your abominations Why do you not fly from the wrath to come by bringing forth fruits meet for Repentance Will you yet say my case is hopeless I have sinned away my opportunities Look once again into the Text see who the persons are Publicans and Harlots What their priviledg is they go into the Kingdom of God To whom they are preferred as to their hopes of Salvation the Morally Righteous the Formal Professor you may if you will take the course prescribed step into Heaven before them But that I may leave you without scruple in this particular take these two considerations further along with you 1. Will not God think you be most ready to do that which best pleases and most honours him and what 's that but pardoning the Penitent embracing returning Prodigals Do you question this A great part of Scripture yea the very scope of the Gospel may convince you Read Jer. 9.24 Mich. 7.18 Exod 34.6 7. Isa 55.7 Joel 2.12 13 Will you believe God upon his word he hath told you Ezek. 18.32 that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth will you have his Oath Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live herein he hath pleasure turn ye turn ye from your evil ways c. If neither Word nor Oath will serve yet I hope his Actings and gracious Dispensations towards the sons of Men towards your selves may pass for a Demonstration Had God delighted in the Destruction yea had he not had unspeakably more delight in the salvation of poor sinners would he have sent his Son Would he have published the Gospel Would he wait and beseech and so pathetically beg your souls 2 Cor.
brimstone What if these washt in the blood of the Lamb cloath'd in the long white Robe stand amongst the sheep at Christ's right hand when thou in the filthy stained rags of thy unrighteous righteousness shalt be thrust amongst the Goats on his left hand and when they hear Come ye Blessed c. thou hear Go ye Cursed Will not this even rend asunder thy heart-strings and fill thy soul with unspeakable horror and consternation Thus doubtless it will be if thou live and die in thy condition Oh that I could provoke you to jealousie as God threatens to do and did provoke the Jews by the conversion of the Gentiles Deut. 32.21 Rom. 11.11 One day doubtless you will be provoked to a sinful and malicious jealousie at th s sight but I had rather now provoke you to a vertuous and holy jealousie such as might rouze you out of your Formality and make you altogether Christians The Jews were never more incensed then when they were told God had rejected them and embraced the Gentiles Act. 22.21 22. They gave him audience to that word and then lift up their voices and said Away with such a fellow from the Earth for it is not fit that he should live The elder Son grows sullen and envious at his Prodigal brothers entertainment and welcome Luk. 15.28 29. 'T is not this sinful envy that I would excite in you but an holy jealousie fear emulation lest such prophane ones should get before you into the Kingdom of God If such a sight would be as needs it must be grievous and tormenting endeavour now to prevent it by a timely escape from Formality otherwise I shall say Averroes a Mahumet n. as the Heathen Philosopher who seeing the Christians eat their pretended God cryed out Sit anima mea cum Philosophis so I Sit anima mea cum prophanis scil penitentibus I had rather be a penitent Thief then a proud Formalist or Judiciary 3. Thou never knewest nor shalt know the real comforts of Christianity while thou continuest in Formality a painted Christian hath but imaginary comforts the Hypocrite hath but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.2 5. a Hypocrites reward proportionate to his service Sincerity as it shall onely wear the Crown hereafter so it onely enjoyeth true solid consolation here The joy of the Holy Ghost is their priviledg who are made partakers of the Holy Ghost not in his common gifts but saving graces The true waters of consolation are drawn out of those wells of salvation the sense of God's special love shed abroad in the heart the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience and the sanctifying spirit of God first working and then shining upon his own work He that is a stranger to these is a stranger to true joy and who but the sincere Christian hath these things The stream can neither rise higher nor continue longer then the fountain whence it arises and what is the fountain of a Formalists comfort but his own spotted righteousness and sorry performances the web wherewith he covers himself is spun out of his own bowels and this can neither afford him warmth nor long endure The sparks wherewith he encompasseth himself are but from a fire of his own kindling all the light and warmth he hath is thence and what then can his portion be but at last to lie down in sorrow Is 50.11 When he is brought to the King of terrors his confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernale Job 18.14 His comfort is but a land-flood violent but not lasting 'T is evident for 1. All true comfort flows from Christ from a saving interest in him and reconciliation with God by him this the Formalist hath not he never drunk of that rock but onely out of the muddy puddles of his own polluted duties which have nothing but filth and gravel at the bottom 2. True Consolation is the consequent of sound Humiliation to which he is a stranger Psal 126.5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy c. Isa 66.10 There seems to be something to purpose intimated in that Prov. 14.10 The heart knows his own bitterness and the stranger intermedleth not with his joy Why may not the meaning be this That as the heart hath its sorrows that others know not so its comforts also and he that never knew the one shall never taste the other however the thing is a Truth The vapours of a truly humbled soul's tears sighs sorrows exhaled do afterwards come down in refreshing dews and showers of consolation Liquors bottled up increase their strength and virtue God bottles up the tears of his people and these waters so bottled are turned into wine of consolation But the Formalist never knew how to weep for sin as sin he is a stranger to those Evangelical meltings and therefore cannot have those reviving cordials of comfort 3. True comfort is the fruit of a conscience pacified purified sanctified 2 Cor 1.12 This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our exultation the Testimony of a good Conscience c. such is not the Formalist's Conscience silent and peaceable it may be not pacified for that 's onely by the blood of sprinkling it may bring in an absolving verdict but it 's upon mistake which will be rectified by the supreme Judg at the last day Well then Wouldst thou drink the pure wine of Consolation Wouldst thou taste of the hidden Manna Have the new Name The white stone Get out of thy Formality Be that indeed which now thou woudst be accounted and desirest to be found at last A sincere Christian 4. Let this consideration drive thee out of thy Formality He that is no more then form will very probably ere long become less then form Formality is but a water-colour not laid in the oil of grace not dried in the grain of Christ's blood and therefore will fade it will either wear off in time or wash off with the waters of affliction The Stage-Player who onely bears the person of a Prince when his part is acted and the Comedy ended puts off his habit and is but what he was before The Formalist doth but personate and represent the Christian and this will not always continue Job 27.10 Will the Hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty will he always call upon God He will not Artificial Christians will be but Temporaries Such were Judas Demas Julian nor wilt thou onely lose what thou seemest to have but become worse The salt that hath lost its savour makes the very ground it is cast upon barren The counterfeit friends of Religion have often proved her most embittered Enemies Julian's little finger who once professed Christianity was heavier then the loins of the other persecuting Emperors rottenness in profession often turns into ranchor and malice against it Had some of the Apostates of this age been told while they made profession of the Truth that they should become revilers of Ministers contemners of Ordinances violent Persecutors
great Luk. 18.13 and take up the Publicans Posture and Petition smite on your breast and say The Lord be merciful to me a sinner Beg strength against this sin pray for Truth in the inward parts pray as Psal 119.80 Make my heart sound in thy statutes that I may never be confounded Lord I have the Lineaments put into me the Life of a Christian make me what I seem lest at last I be found what I would not and here take heed you be not formal in confessing and praying against your formality a hypocrite that hath got the Art to confess his hypocrisie in hypocrisie and seems to be displeased with himself for that sin when he is not so indeed may well have Lord have mercy written upon his door Labour to get those things which are the Direct 3 very Life and Essence of a Christian those things which are constituent of and difference a Christian from all others Some of these things have been hinted already in shewing what a Formalist wants I shall touch upon them here and add more In general Content not your selves to act as Christians or in doing what a Christian doth 't is one thing to be and do as a Christian and another to be a Christian There are especially five things which constitute and are as it were ingredient into the very Essence of a Christian 1. A sound conviction of and deep humiliation for sin This as you heard before the Formalist wants this is the ordinary Foundation of all that saving-work which the Spirit of God doth upon the Soul John 16.8 This is the ordinary forerunner of true solid Comfort Conviction and Contrition are the inlets and preparatives to Consolation Here begun the work upon those three thousand Converts Acts 2.37 upon Paul Rom. 7.9 And though it s wrought in some insensibly or with less noise and horror yet it is wrought in all really who are saved in Gods ordinary way and who are truly wrought upon Labour then to feel sin your heaviest burden and that not onely some one or few sins of your life 2 Chron. 32.26 but especially your heart-pollutions be humbled with Hezekiah for the pride of your heart and so for other inward lusts yea let your humiliation reach to your very duties be ashamed at their deficiency and defilements labour to see and be sensible that all your righteousness is as a filthy rag Isa 64.6 and cease not to follow the streams until you are come to the Spring-head viz. the corruption of Nature and here sit down and weep as the Jews by the Rivers of Babylon Never think your conviction and humiliation right till you arrive at this viz. A clear sight and deep abiding sense of the universal pollution of your nature and the utter inability to any thing truly and spiritually good Thus you must as it were begin the work again raze all other and lay this as a sound foundation he that hath this hath the root of the matter in him 2. Labour after a total abnegation of your own righteousness duties priviledges performances This is essential to a Christian in that brief but full description of a sincere Christian Phil. 3.3 this is one of the three Ingredients To put no confidence in the flesh The first Lesson in Christ's School is Self-denial Matt. 16.24 We must learn that counsel Luke 17.10 to acknowledg our selves unprofitable servants 't is one of he hardest Tasks but exceeding necessary True Grace and Christian Religion is perpetua naturae violentia a doing violence to our selves thwarting our passions depluming our selves of all those Feathers wherewith we are wont to strut and in which we have prided our selves We must learn to acknowledg with the Prophet Isa 64.6 That all our righteousness is but as a filthy rag that our best Duties or seem ng Graces are in themselves but a beautiful Abomination and to trust in them is but to go a cleaner way to Hell And what should hinder from this self-denial What is thy righteousness more nay is it not in many respects less then that of the Scribes and Pharisees Read Luke 18.10 11 and compare yet ver 14. the self-abasing Publican went away more justified than the Pharisee that is the Pharisee was not at all justified for there is not magis minus in Justification Away then with all thy proud self-reflections think but how strict a disquisition shall be made at the day of Judgment and how piercing the eyes of the Judg will be and then consider whether thou shalt be able to stand before him in thy own rags and if thou wilt not be able then to stand why shouldst thou now glory in them Oh! surely God can see beams in those duties where thou canst not discern moats and will discover blemishes where thou conceitest there is the greatest beauty 3. Endeavour a cordial close with Christ upon Gospel-tearms Here lies the main to which the two former are preparatory This was Paul's great desire Phil. 3.9 To be found in Christ Get therefore that precious Grace of Faith which is the hand wherewith thou must accept Christ whatever thou hast if this be wanting thou shalt certainly perish John 3.18 36. The grand Enquiry at the great Day will be Whether you believed or no though it 's true your work will be look't into but those as the proofs and evidences of the sincerity of your Faith There will be no standing before the Judg except himself be thy Advocate and this he will not be but upon thy cordial acceptance of him now On make out for Christ cry out Give me Christ or I dye And that you may get Christ you must not as Peter gird your Coat your own righteousness to you but as Bartimeus cast it from you Neither think that a blind bold adventurous rushing upon Christ a meer adherence to him or a confident perswasion of his good-will towards you in particular is the all or main of this Faith and Acceptance I am pressing this mistake will I fear be the ruine of Thousands There must be an absolute resignment of thy self to Christ as well as reliance on him 'T is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gross and grievous mistake to think that the strength of Faith lyes in the strength of a man's Fancy or Imagination or of his perswasion that Christ dyed for him in particular True Faith gives as well as takes when you send for a Physician and he undertakes and promises your cure 't is supposed you accept of him and resolve to follow his Prescriptions else you may miscarry To accept Christ as your Saviour Soul-Physician necessarily includes your giving up your selves to follow his Prescriptions else you but dissemble with him This I hint to prevent mistakes about the nature of true Faith which are too ordinary Well if thou who art yet a Formalist wouldst be a Christian indeed get out of all and accept Christ as tendred in the Gospel