was so far from being terrified either by his bonds or death it self that were it not for their sakes to whom his life might be more useful he should rather desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ He further acquaints them with his design to visit them again in order to their support and settlement if God should rescue him from his bonds In the mean time gives this admonition Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing thing terrified by your adversaries That ye stand fact c. In which words you have an account what are the most effectual means for any Church which God hath blessed with the true Faith of Christianity still to abide and continue in it Firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it close union amongst themselves zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation and courage against such oppositions as others may possibly make against it 1. Firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it which is suggested in these words Stand fast that is to say as it there follows in the faith of the Gospel 2. Union amongst themselves Stand fast in one spirit with one mind 3. Zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation Stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel 4. Courage against such oppositions as other persons make against it And in nothing terrified by your adversaries These are the methods which our Apostle here propounds for a Church to retain the true Faith that is to continue a true Church 1. The first of which is firmness of mind in every mans private belief of truth For feeing that every particular Church is made up of particular persons so far as particular Members fail in the true Faith so far is that Church they are Members of maimed and mutilated in its parts and the whole in tendency to dissolution Now seeing the firmness of belief depends upon clear and evident proof I might here offer a demonstration of the truth and excellency of Christianity But being this is neither so needful nor yet so seasonable to the occasion of our meeting I shall rather chuse to address my self to what the occasion now requires which is to shew the truth and excellence of Christianity as it is professed in our own Church in opposition to that of Rome which I shall do by comparing theirs and ours together in point of Faith and Worship and Manners 1. And first of all for matter of Faith we firmly believe the holy Scriptures and every thing therein contained to be the infallible Word of God We believe the Scriptures do contain all things necessary to Salvation according as St. John assures us Joh. 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name Which we could not have if every thing necessary to Salvation was not written was not contained in this very Gospel of St. John Nay further yet we believe and receive all Creeds that were ever received in the Catholick Church These Creeds are taken into our Liturgy they are repeated in our Churches we signifie our assent to them by standing up when they are repeated and are we still to be judged Hereticks and deficient in the Catholick Faith On the other hand the Roman Church deny the Scriptures to be a compleat Rule of Faith they build their faith upon Tradition a thing uncertain They rely upon Councils which may erre nay upon such as have grosly erred They vary as well from the Primitive Church in many cases as from the holy Scripture it self And last of all they pretend a power of making new Articles of Faith that is such as were not made by our Blessed Lord and his Apostles which being so let reason judge whether they or we be likeliest to erre in point of Faith 2. For matter of Worship in the second place their publick Prayers are made and used in a tongue unknown unto the people ours in a tongue which we all understand And here let St. Paul decide the controversie that is between us I Cor. 14 15 16 c. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with understanding also Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified From whence it appears what edification may be expected from their prayers that is to say none at all And therefore the Apostle further adds I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue But to proceed as we make our prayers in a known tongue so in them we invoke the true God and him only We use no other Mediator no other Patron but only Christ whom God hath appointed so to be For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 But they that are of the Church of Rome make their addresses to Saints and Angels as well for patronage and protection as for their prayers to God for them and some of those the Virgin Mary do they invoke in as magnificent and high a stile as they invoke God himself We pay no worship to any Images seeing that God hath expresly said Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them But they bow down and prostrate themselves before the Images of Christ and others And though they affirm that the honour they give unto the Image passes through it to the person whom it represents yet still they acknowledge they worship the Image that this at least is a transient object of their Worship And then again we give the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unto the people as well as the Priests in both kinds So it was instituted by Christ himself so it was given all along for many Ages but others in perfect contradiction to the Institution of our Lord deny the Cup unto the Laity We believe that after Consecration the Bread and Wine set apart and consecrated for the Sacrament do still retain the natural substance of bread and wine And so the Apostle himself believed when he stiled that bread of
Lord as the treasures of his own House and what was still more dishonourable to cut off the Gold from the Doors of the Temple and the Pillars which he himself had made v. 15 16. Yet such it should seem was Sennacheribs treachery and false dealing that having as was before related spoiled Hezekiah of his treasure he presently contrary to his promise sends up an Army towards Jerusalem the dread whereof filled that City with great amazement and confusions In these confusions had the Prophet Isaiah an intimation that God would exalt his mighty power in the deliverance of Hezekiah and of the City of Jerusalem from these so great and imminent dangers and also confirm the same deliverance and give secure and setled times The former whereof the Prophet declares v. 5. The Lord is exalted for he dwelleth on high he hath filled Sion with judgment and righteousness the latter in the following words And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times Stability signifies strength and settlement stability of times safe secure and certain times times not so lyable unto change as that the fear of domestick Troubles or foreign violence should either disquiet the minds of men or interrupt them in their duties to God or their neighbours or themselves And then that wisedom or that knowledge by which the times should be thus established is the knowledge of God and of his will and hearty obedience thereunto in the whole compass of his Laws as well of those which prescribe our duties to one another as of those that direct us in Gods worship I need not say that this is the sense wherein wisdom is frequently taken in the Scriptures for that 's a thing that all acknowledge who pretend to any skill in them nor need I labour much to prove that this is the sense of wisdom and knowledge in the words which I now insist upon for plain it is that what the Prophet stiles judgment and righteousness in the words immediately antecedent is here stiled wisdom and knowledge He hath filled Sion with judgment and righteousness So he speaks in the fifth verse and then immediately adds the effect those things should have under the name of 〈…〉 and knowledge for so it follows and wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times that is to say judgment and righteousness shall be so He varies the words but not the sense for then his discourse would not be coherent Add hereunto that what he had styled wisdom and knowledge in the beginning of the verse is immediately called the fear of the Lord wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation the fear of the Lord is his treasure Where he suggests that although Sennacherib had spoiled Hezekiah of his treasures which are the usual nerves of War and the common instruments of defence yet that he had such a treasure still namely the fear of the true God as should give stability to his times For as much as this is the truest wisdom and such wisdom the firmest foundation of peace and settlement This reaches all the ends of wisdom and therefore justly bears its name So that the sense of the words in hand is the same with that of those before chap. 32. v. 17. The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Now the words taken in this sense offer two things to our consideration 1. The former whereof is a blessing promised which is stability of the times setled quiet and easie days 2. The latter the proper means or terms whereby this blessing is procur'd which is obedience to Gods will in the whole extent of his holy Laws styled by the Prophet wisdom and knowledge For so he speaks to Hezekiah and in his person to the nation wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times I shall begin with the blessing promised which is stability in the times a singular blessing to a Nation being such as most effectually tends or is at the least wholly necessary to the producing of all others whether we consider it with relation 1. To the advantages of this World 2. Or those that concern a better life Of the former of these I should not speak being not so suitable to this place were it not proper for the occasion were it not seasonable in point of time and now if ever to be considered when the great Council of the Land is studying how to settle the Nation to confirm our Peace to establish true and firm foundations of future settlement and tranquillity and may expect to have an account of the usefulness of their undertakings opened and laid before the People But being these are our present circumstances I judge I may justly take occasion to insist a while upon those advantages which every Nation may expect from quiet certain and stable times 1. And first of all such times as these give ease of heart vigour of mind a free and chearful and active spirit take off the weights of fear and sorrow that troublesome times generally hang upon men's minds and so prepare and dispose to diligence and give incouragement thereunto by promising good success in it For in such times may every person duly hope to reap the fruits of his own Labours to gain advantage by his diligence to find an account in his undertakings he now believes that he serves himself or his posterity which he values equally with himself And this as it gives a great incouragement to his diligence So it sweetens the labours that attend it and makes him easie to himself as well as useful to publick ends It is not so in troublesome and distracted times In such times every man suspects that one may sow and another reap one may build and another inhabit one may plant and another probably gather the fruit as we have seen in our own age and many felt by sad experience And this is a very great discouragement to every man's diligence in his calling Where is the man that will toyle and labour weary his body or his mind where he cannot hope that he or his heirs shall find advantage by all his pains who will imploy and busie himself at all adventures build or plant or lay up treasure when he hath reason to suspect that he is labouring for a stranger or preparing rich and pleasant spoils for an enemy to feed his lusts upon And what 's the effect of these discouragements but a disconsolate useless sloath or else a diversion from those labours whereby he might profit himself and others to live by spoyl on other persons which when it once becomes common ends in general want and poverty and brings destruction upon a Nation So useful nay so wholly necessary are stable times to give encouragement to care and diligence in those labours whereby every man serves himself as the publick good is served by all 2. Stable and settled times give
may serve a turn and put off a danger for the present But sure I am that no Policies no Devices of humane Wisdom can ever lay any firm foundations of peace and settlement without the establishment of true Religion both as it relates to God and men All other methods whatsoever leave the foundation weak and ruinous though the superstructure may be specious and carry a face of strength and beauty He that made the World and now governs it by his Providence hath so contrived the nature of things that they can never be firmly settled without the practice of truth and righteousness but may by these be strongly setled As will appear if we consider that these things are 1. First of all the natural causes of Peace and Settlement 2. And then secondly that they prucure the especial aids of divine Providence to give a greater success to them to strengthen and render them more effectual 1. I shall begin with the former of these and shew that the practice of true Religion as it respects both God and men is a natural cause of peace and settlement For so it is in two respects 1. As it renders every person secure and easie in his station so it prevents intestine Troubles and Seditions 2. As it produces strength so it secures from foreign Enemies 1. It renders every person secure and easie in his station and so it prevents intestine Troubles These arise from mutual injuries and these injuries from mens unreasonable lusts and passions which Christianity would destroy From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even from your lusts that war in your members ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because you ask not ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that you way consume it upon your lusts He speaks of the Jews in the lesser Asia and it may be of some Judaizing Christians mingled with them who destroyed and ruined one another by mutual slaughters amongst themselves arising from their inordinate lusts They were full of Avarice and Sensuality swell'd with Ambition and Animosity and these created mutual injuries and oppressions and these oppressions wars and tumults amongst themselves But blessed and happy are that people who unanimously live in the fear of God and practise justice and mutual charity amongst themselves They enjoy themselves and God's blessings in peace and quiet neither designing nor fearing evil amongst themselves and this gives settlement to the whole by the ease it gives to every private and single person When no man is himself oppressed nor hath any desire to oppress another when every man is just to every other when charity is added unto justice and supplies the wants of such persons as are not able to help themselves when every man finds his life secure his fortunes safe his name unblemished when he finds that every man is his friend and himself is so to every other then is his condition easie to him and who will attempt to make a change to promote confusions and seditions when he finds every man easie to him and himself easie unto himself Nor would these errours and mistakes that will attend humane frailty while we continue here on earth considerably alter the case before us For the mutual mistakes and inconveniences which arise meerly from infirmity are neither wilful nor pernicious nor of long continuance and would readily be repair'd on one hand and easily pardoned on the other if there were Sincerity of Religion although attended with imperfection that is to say if Christianity were so practised as every man may and ought to practise it even with the alloy of humane frailty and the disadvantages that attend it Now if what I have said be so clear and evident that it cannot reasonably be contradicted the consequence necessarily must be this That the fear of God and love of Righteousness the general practice of Christianity would naturally render every person easie both to himself and others and give establishment to the times so far as this could be effected by preventing all intestine troubles 2. Let us add to this in the second place that it would also produce strength encrease the power of any people and by so doing greatly contribute to their security from foreign Enemies Strength most certainly it would produce for it would unite men amongst themselves in the bands of mutual love and charity It would give them confidence in one another it would animate them with the same mind diffuse the same spirit into them possess them all with a publick spirit and join their counsels and endeavours for the defence of publick welfare And would not this be a great security against all Enemies from abroad Nor would Religion unite them only among themselves but it would also encrease their treasure and make preparation of all those aids that publick occasions might require for their defence against foreign Enemies What hath consumed the wealth and treasure of this Nation but Pride and Luxury and Sensuality and what can encrease the same again but the Reformation of those vices by sobriety temperance and frugality which are as truly Christain vertues and as real parts of true Religion when practised in the fear of God as any other Vertues whatsoever Nor must I omit to put you in mind what courage it would produce amongst us to find our selves firmly united amongst our selves to find our Virtues increase our wealth and to give a sufficient stable fund to make preparation against an Enemy and how would this courage be heightened if we were conscious to our selves that we were a people fearing God and loving righteousness For then we should easily be perswaded to believe that God would give us assistance in all our straits that he would defend us against our Enemies that he who is just and true and righteous would defend a just and a righteous people 2. Which leads me to the second method whereby the practice of Religion in its whole extent to God and men would give stability to the times and that is by procuring the aids of Divine Providence and by engageing the Power of God to give security to that people by whom he is faithfully served and honoured The whole History of the Jewish Nation is little else but an account how God Almighty raised or depressed blessed or punished that people according to the various instances of their obedience or disobedience When they provoked him to displeasure by the iniquities of their lives he forsook and abandon'd them to themselves when they repented of their sins and humbly returned unto him again he then delivered them from their Enemies and that many times when their deliverance was beyond the power of second causes This was the case in the very days of Hezekiah which the prophet Isaiah had in his eye when he delivered the words before us Salmanasar had not long before invaded and conquered
and manners then was our Church depraved and corrupted as theirs now is but now is our Church by Gods grace reformed and restored to primitive purity which theirs is not Whether theirs or ours be the better Church in point of faith may be easily known by this instance we make the Scripture the rule of faith and this is a most unerring rule they add tradition unto Scripture and this is greatly exposed to errour we have added nothing as absolutely necessary to salvation to the faith contained in the antient Creeds of the Catholick Church they have added much to those Creeds they have added some such things to them as do by consequence overthrow some parts of the very Creeds themselves Whether theirs or ours be the safer Church for a man to hope for Salvation in may easily appear from these particulars We teach such worship such practice as are most clearly and fully lawful lawful beyond all peradventure for sure it is undoubtedly Jawful for a man to worship the true God to use no Image in his worship to use him as Mediator whom he hath appointed so to be It is lawful beyond all peradventure to have our prayers in a known tongue to give the communion unto the Laity in both kinds to reform as well as confess our sins to use no art or commutations for the expiation of our sins but to forsake the sins themselves These things are lawful without all doubt but that the contrary to these are lawful is the doubtfulest thing in all the world or rather to speak more properly it is most certain they are not lawful And therefore I leave it to you to judge whether communion with our Church or the Church of Rome be the safer way unto salvation and if you judge as I know you must stand fast in the faith you have received and the Church wherein you were baptized And so much may serve for the first method for a true Church to preserve it self in the true faith firmness of mind in every mans private belief of it 2. Proceed we now unto the second and that is Union amongst themselves as it is suggested in these words stand fast in one spirit with one mind If a kingdom be divided against it self that kingdom cannot stand If a house be divided against it self that house cannot stand Mark 3.23 24. Neither can a Church which is so divided If the members of the natural body be rent and torn each from other this is the destruction of the whole and death to every single part Disunion doth of its own nature naturally tend to dissolution there needs no Enemy from abroad to destroy and ruine such a Church as is divided against it self the mutual discords that are within the divisions amongst its own members their mutual envyings and animosities that naturally arise out of these divisions effectually tend to separation and separation to dissolution Besides the intestine strifes and divisions which are seen and observed in any Church invite its Enemys to attempt its utter ruine and destruction they open a breach for them to enter they give free and an easie entrance to swarms or seducers to invade it they give a plausible and fair pretence for a very plausible and specious objections you have no union amongst your selves from whence it appears you have not the truth Truth is one and so is the Faith that 's built upon it You are not one amongst your selves and therefore you have not the true faith Now therefore leave and quit that Church which hath no unity in its members and come to that which is united To these assaults and these are dangerous to weaker minds doth every Church expose it self which is not at unity in it self Now therefore let us be most cautious to be at union amongst our selves and in order to so good an end let us take care to make our breaches no wider than indeed they are We do agree exactly agree amongst our selves in point of faith in the belief of all those Doctrines that are absolutely necessary to salvation thus far we agree with the Protestant Churches that are abroad and further yet with the generality of the Diffenters that are at home And as for this Church it self there is as great and greater consent in all the parts and members of it than in the Church of Rome it self They have divisions amongst themselves and greater than any amongst us They charge either other in some points with nothing less than heresie it self We have no such charges amongst us They have their Dominicans and Franciscans they have their Molinists and their Jansenists one Order bandying against another with bitter discords and animosities They are not agreed in the very rule of faith it self some make the Decrees of the Pope only some the Decrees of a General Council others the Decrees of the Pope and Council both together to be the only rule of Faith from whence it most inevitably follows that that must be Faith unto one party which is not so unto another Seeing some things have been decreed by Popes that have not been decreed by Councils some things by Councils and not by Popes From whence it appears that after all the boasts we hear of union in the Church of Rome there is in truth less of union in that Church than in this that we are members of And for the increase and preservation of this so blessed and needful thing let us take care not to advance any private opinions in opposition to publick wisdom Let us not insist upon any Doctrines as absolutely necessary to salvation which the Church hath not proposed as such Let no particular sort of men presume to stile themselves the Church or the only genuine Sons of it in opposition unto others who belive the Doctrines of the Church who have promised due Conformity to it and evidently practise what they promise These in truth are the sure and genuine Sons of the Church who go so far as the Church requires and content themselves to go no further And if any deny them so to be they have private fancys of their own and by obtruding these on others and censuring those that receive them not they weaken the Church disturb its union disquiet its peace and take a course to bring a dangerous Schism into it Now therefore let it be our care to maintain Charity to cherish Peace to study Union amongst our selves And this is the second of these methods which powerfully tend to our preservation and of the Faith which we do profess 3. The third is singular zeal and diligence in joynt endeavours for its defence and propagation For so the Apostle farther adds Stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel There must be zeal there must be endeavour there must be joynt endeavour used for the promotion of this end 1. Our enemies have a zeal against it and if we our selves have none for it how
and that in a very signal manner for when they were assembled together on the day of Pentecost suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance Acts 2.2 3 4. which same Spirit also then endued them with all other kinds of gifts and powers requisite for the infallible preaching and sure confirmation of the Gospel And as these miraculous gifts and powers were now bestowed upon the Apostles so afterwards on great numbers of other Christians First on those that were Jews by birth as you may see Act. 4.3 8.17 and afterwards on the Gentiles also as it appears from what we read Act. 10.44 Then came it to pass that all the Churches wherein the Faith of Christ was planted much abounded with such persons as had the miraculous gifts of the Spirit but no where were there more of these than in the famous Church of Corinth which as it was zealous of these gifts 1 Cor. 14.12 so had it a plentiful measure of them as plainly appears from the 13 Chapter of this Epistle Upon this account the Apostle directs them in this Chapter how they should use these spiritual gifts Namely for the edifying of the Church so you read vers 12. for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye way excel to the edifying of the Church and because the Church could not be edified by any thing uttered in an unknown tongue unless interpreted in one that was known he adds as follows vers 13 14. wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret for if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful that is my spiritual gift is exercised but my understanding is not exercised so as to render what I say intelligible and useful to other persons which being so he puts this question what is it then that is to say what is the most desireable thing what should we desire in point of Prayer to which he answers in these words I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also That is the thing to be desired is that when the Spirit suggests and dictates a prayer to any man as he did to many in those ages by an immediate inspiration he my so far use his own understanding when he prays in a publick congregation as to utter the prayer in a known tongue and in easie and intelligible expressions that others may be edified by it Now from these words compared with other places of Scripture I shall take occasion to observe That there were two ways of praying by the Spirit in the first Age of Christianity 1. The first of these was extraordinary as when the Spirit dictated a prayer by an immediate Inspiration 2. The other ordinary as when a man prayed heartily and fervently but not by immediate Inspiration but in the use of Faith and Hope and all such other Christian Graces as are the fruits of the holy Spirit and the causes of holy and good affection 1. The former of these that is the extraordinary gift of prayer seems to have been of two kinds likewise 1. In the former whereof the understanding of him that prayed seems to have been wholly passive so far as not to have employed it self either in the inventing of the conceptions of the prayer or in the uttering those conceptions in a tongue commonly understood Such was the prayer the Apostle mentions verf. 14. of this Chapter If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth that is the spiritual gift that is in me but my understanding is unfruitful that is to say my understanding doth not imploy and exercise it self to express the conceptions of this prayer in a tongue or manner known to all them that hear me 2. In the latter kind of this extraordinary gift of prayer prayer by immediate Inspiration the understanding of him that prayed seems to have been passive and active likewise passive so far as to have received all the conceptions of the prayer from the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost active so far as to have imployed and exercised it self to express and utter those conceptions in a tongue unknown to them that heard and in a familiar easie manner And such was the prayer the Apostle mentions in these words I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will utter the very same conceptions which the holy Spirit suggests to me but I will use my understanding to utter them in a known tongue and in easie and familiar expressions Concerning both these several ways I have something to observe unto you 1. Concerning the first wherein the understanding was wholly passive wherein a man used both the gift of tongues and received the conceptions of the prayer from an immediate Inspiration I observe the Apostle did not allow the use of this in Christian Assemblies unless that either the person that prayed or else some persons present had the gift of interpreting what was said The ground of which his determination was that nothing was to be spoken in the Church but what might edifie all that were present even the most illiterate persons and that such as these could not be edified by that which was uttered in an unknown tongue though dictated by the holy Spirit unless it was afterwards interpreted I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also i. e. so that others may understand And so should every man pray in the Church else says the Apostle when thou shalt bless with the spirit how should he that occupieth the room of the unlearned how should a vulgar illiterate person say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understands not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified ver 16 17. So then the Apostles judgment is this That no office is to be performed in the Church but so that all may be edified by it that no man is edified by that which he doth not understand and therefore that an unknown tongue was not to be used in the offices of the Church unless there were some that could interpret So he suggests at the 18 19 verses I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue So he more expresly concludes vers 27 28. If any man speak in an unknown tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret But if there be no interpreter let him
keep silence in the Church Now here I cannot but observe the most insufferable contradiction of the practice of the Roman Church to the Apostles determination The Apostles you see would not allow that the prayers of the Church should be uttered in an unknown tongue but there they pray in a tongue unknown unto the people The Apostle would not allow this no not in them who spake by immediate Inspiration they practise contrary to the Apostles express Decree and that where no such Inspiration can be pretended with the least appearance and shew of reason The Apostle supposes no man edified by the prayers which he doth not understand they either judge that a man may be edified by such prayers or that they may be duly used although the Church be not edified by them both which expresly contradict the Apostle If the Church of Rome be in the right then the Apostle is mistaken if the Apostle be not mistaken the Church of Rome doth grosly erre in judging such prayers edifie which St. Paul affirms cannot edifie or in judging them fit to be used in the Church although they do not edifie at all And is it not now a wonderful thing that they who so grosly so expresly contradict the Doctrine of Sr. Paul should boast themselves to be infallible Is it not yet a greater wonder that any who have had the education where the Scriptures are read in a known tongue should suffer themselves to be overborn into a belief that they are infallible who erre in so plain and clear an instance and in a thing of such concernment Certainly if men were not infatuated by most unreasonable lusts and passions they would never apostatize never adhere to such a Church as sound nay infallible in all her Doctrines who uses its publick Prayers and Offices in a tongue unknown unto the people a thing so contrary to common sense and to the practice of primitive times and to what the Apostle himself teaches in as full and clear and express words as any thing possibly can be spoken 2. But to proceed to the second kind of the extraordinary gift of prayer which was when a man received all the conceptions in prayer from an immediate Inspiration but so far used his understanding as to contrive the expression of them into a tongue known to them that heard him and into plain and easie expressions in that tongue Concerning this I must observe that it was a gift of the Holy Ghost peculiar to the Apostles times or at least to those that immediately followed as the rest of those miraculous powers and gifts were which God did then bestow on the Church to confirm the truth of Christianity I do not deny but that God doth still in some cases suggest to the minds of good men that is convenient for their condition and what it is they should pray for I do not deny but that when they fall into such straits as that they know not what it is best to pray for God doth direct and guide their minds by the assistance of his Spirit For as there is need of such assistance in such cases so God denies not what is needful to such persons And this is the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 8.26 Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought He speaks in this place of times of great distress and danger when the Christians were often in such perplexities and doubts of mind that they knew not what to pray for at least with faith and resignation entire resignation to Gods will Now here it was that the Spirit of God directed them to pray for such things and in such a manner as might tend effectually to Gods glory though to their sufferings in the world And thus far I doubt not may we expect the like assistance of Gods Spirit in the like cases if we heartily pray for it But now for any man in these days to expect an immediate Inspiration of all the conceptions of a prayer such as the Apostles arid Prophets had in the primitive times of Christianity for any man to pretend to pray by the same immediate Revelation Whereby they prayed in the Christian Churches is a very groundless and great presumption And therefore when you hear men pray with a great torrent and flow of words you are not presently to imagine as divers ignorant persons do that such a man prays by an immediate Inspiration that what he speaks is just then dictated and suggested by the Holy Ghost as things were suggested to the Apostles unless he could also speak with tongues and heal the sick and cure the lame and in a word do such Miracles as they did and give the same proof of his Inspiration which they did evidently give of theirs which is a thing that is not done by any that now pretend unto it and therefore shews the pretence is vain and the Pretender to be deceived if not a cheat and Impostor likewise Is there then no way in these days whereby a man may truly be said to pray by the Spirit in the sense and language of the Scriptures and that in ordinary and common cases Yes that there is For 2. Such is that other way of praying which I have before mentioned to you which is when a man prays in the use of Faith and Hope and all the Graces of Gods Spirit and with such pious and good affections as are the effects of those Graces though not by immediate Inspiration that is to say the immediate dictate of the Spirit Such is the prayer our Saviour supposes in those words Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth not carelesly and without attention not without the affections of the heart and inward sense of the mind and spirit as the Jews had worshipped him in former Ages but fervently heartily and sincerely Such is the prayer the Apostle mentions Eph. 6.18 where he requires them to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit that is with spiritual and holy minds with fervent and devout affections Like whereunto was that singing also which he represents in these words Speaking to your selves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts Eph. 5.19 Where you plainly see that the holy offices wherein the heart was moved and affected are said to be spiritual on that account See also Col. 3.16 Now concerning this way of praying by the Spirit wherein men pray in the use of Faith and with real and hearty and devout affections though not by immediate Inspiration I shall observe several things 1. That this way or manner of praying is grateful and acceptable to God This is in truth such a worship of God as our Saviour himself did understand when he said that they that worship God must worship him in spirit and truth This is the worship that God requires and therefore
to add more evil to that heap which is so vastly great already and to encrease a heavy burthen by further accumulations to it Methinks the remembrance of that time which we have mispent to the great offence of Almighty God to no true advantage to our selves should perswade the redemption of time to come by a singular diligence in obedience Sure I am that this is the Argument St Peter uses to this purpose I Pet. 4.3 The time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquetings and abominable idolatries It is enough and far too much to have spent a day an hour a minute much more a considerable part of life in service and slavery to our lusts Nor should we remember we have so done but with sad thoughts for having done it These thoughts are so proper to the remembrance of such miscarriages that God himself seems to represent them as the natural effects and issues of them For thus he speaks to the people of the Jews Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations So black and deformed is that shape wherein men appear unto themselves upon a review of their many sins that then they abhor their own image much more the sins that have deformed them And this is the first of those motives which the thoughts of their ways may suggest to men in order to the reformation of them namely the number of their sins with the many and great aggravations of them Secondly The next to this is the ill effects which those sins have had or yet may have upon them in the very concernments of this world as well as of that which is to come And for the demonstration of the former I might appeal to the crazy Bodies the feeble Limbs the decayed senses of vicious persons occasioned wholly by their vices I might appeal to their broken fortunes pitiful shifts and mean devices to gain the very supports of life which are so evident in experience that Christ himself represents the miseries which sin produces in mens souls by those wherewith it destroys their bodies and their prosperities in this world This he doth in the Parable of a younger Son Luke 15. who having requested of his Father that he would give him the portion of goods that fell to him and being gratified in this request not many days after gathers all he had together and takes a journey into a far Countrey and wasts his substance in riotous living having done this and a mighty Famine arising in the Land he then began to be in want and is presently forced to adjoin himself that is indeed to fell himself unto a Citizen of that Country who sent him into the Fields to feed Swine but it should seem so ill provided that when he would fain have filled his belly with the very husks which the Swine did eat he found not enough of them to do it and so was ready to perish for hunger Observe what a Train of ill effects his pride and vanity drew upon him it made him riotous and luxurious his luxury brought him into want being in want he is constrained to sell his liberty and part with himself to another person Being thus inslaved he is thrust into a base employment and made not only a Keeper of Swine but like to one of the Herd it self being forced to eat as they did and yet still so pinch'd and straiten'd that he found not enough to sill his Belly A very true and lively Image of men abandoned to vice and folly who by indulgence to their lusts lose that very ease and liberty that satisfaction and pleasure of life which they endeavour to find in it But to leave this Parable at the present and to proceed a step further I must not omit to put you in mind of the many remorses and regrets which always attend the first beginnings if not the intire course and progress of Apostasie from the ways of Vertue For God hath been and still is so faithful to us both in the frame of our own natures and the suggestions of his spirit that both these put many checks upon us in our first adventures upon evil and although mens consciences lose their edge and the spirit of God withdraw from them after long continuance in their sins yet is their condition much the worse for these effects though less uneasie at the present For there is no man but thinks it better to be readily capable of a cure although by the very sharpest remedies than to die of a stupid and dull disease Besides it must not be omitted that the ease that 's gain'd by being delivered from the rebukes and reproofs of Conscience is far over-ballanced by a loss which cannot be divided from it namely the loss of the joys of innocence and of the sense of Gods Favour and hope of a blessed immortality which howsoever undervalued where they are not felt nor well considered are styled unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 All this while I have said nothing of that effect of a vicious life which of all others is most dreadful and most certain if not prevented by repentance that is to say eternal death nor shall I venture my mean abilities to represent so great a thing but rather leave it to be considered in its descriptions in the Scriptures and more particularly in that we read Mark 36.37 What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and to lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Now since the recollection of our selves and serious reflection upon our ways may first recal our sins to remembrance and then suggest that all the evils before mentioned have been the effects of sin in others and that we our selves have had the experience of some degrees of some of them methinks the very same thoughts that put us in mind of all these things should powerfully move us to retire out of all the ways of sin and vanity and reduce us into the paths of wisdom Sure I am this is no more than what our Saviour himself declares touching the forementioned Prodigal who having by a luxurious life reduced himself to the utmost misery at last returned unto himself and when he was come unto himself brake out into these expressions Luk. 15.17 18 19. How many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants observe the condition of those persons who surrender themselves unto their lusts and spend their days in vitious courses They are
and glorious Solomon gives of the glory of this World which he pronounces to be no better than vanity and vexation of spirit and that upon long and great experience And let the consideration of this teach us the emptiness and insufficiency of all this world can afford to us And this we could not fail to learn did we often reflect upon our selves and seriously meditate upon our ways and consider how little of satisfaction arises even from lawful pleasures and how much less from those of sin which though they should not be imbittered yet cannot but be much abated by the very sin from whence they flow These thoughts would teach us to understand That God hath formed and designed our souls for pleasures quite of another nature for spiritual and immortal joys For certainly he that hath been so liberal as to provide a proportionable food for all the Creatures below them for the Fowls of the Air for the Beasts of the Field for all things creeping upon the Earth and all things swimming in the Sea hath not been so narrow to the souls of men as not to provide such joys for them as may give them plentiful satisfaction Which leads me to the fourth Particular which the thoughts of our ways may suggest to us in order to our reformation of them which is Fourthly The happiness of that state we enter upon when we cast off and forsake our sins and turn out feet to Gods testimonies Then are our sins remitted to us wilful sins as well as frailties and sinful actions against Gods Laws as well as omissions and neglects and blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin Psal 32.1 2. Then we become the Children of God then we become the special concernment of his Providence then are we adopted into his Family and to a title to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us For if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Then are we renewed in the Spirit of our minds then born of God and made Partakers of the Divine Nature then do we pass from darkness to light from bondage to liberty from death to life Then are we made meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Then delivered by God from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son These and such like are the expressions whereby the Scriptures describe the repentance of a Sinner and the happy change which it makes in him a change so happy in it self and of such concernment to him likewise that it creates a joy in Heaven and makes the Angels themselves rejoyce For saith our Lord there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luk. 15.10 and before that at the 7th v. There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance no habitual change of life Suppose we then that recollection of our selves and the consideration of our ways bring all the things I have now mentioned into our thoughts and they are really apt to do it suppose them fixed upon our minds by the cooperation of Gods Spirit which he will not deny to them that ask it might it not reasonably be expected that these thoughts thus fixed upon us should touch our Consciences move our affections and kindle good resolutions in us and provoke us to greater care and diligence in the future Government of our lives If we did fully convince our selves of the infinite hazards and inconveniences that attend a vitious course of life of the vanity and emptiness of all those things for the sake whereof we expose our selves to all those hazards of the peace and happiness of that State whereunto we enter by true repentance I perswade my self we could no more content our selves still to continue in our sins than willingly chuse our own misery which God hath made an impossible thing and that out of very faithfulness to us Nor could we answer it to our selves to deny our selves the great advantages that attend the conversion of a sinner did we represent them to our selves in serious thoughts and meditations These thoughts assisted by that grace which suggests them to us would move us to chuse immortal happiness and the joys that attend the firm and stable hopes of it rather than the very highest pleasures which the wildest and most extravagant minds can possibly fansie to be in evil 2. Having thus given a short account of several things which the thoughts of our ways may suggest to us in order to the reformation of them which was the former of the two generals before propounded I shall now proceed unto the second where I am to shew what the like thoughts may offer to us to perswade us to do it without delay as it appears they did in David who having seriously thought on his ways delayed not to keep Gods Commandments Where in my way to more particular considerations I cannot but note this in general that evil is a most indefensible thing no sooner considered and understood but presently rejected and forsaken I thought on my ways says the Psalmist here and what then and turned my feet unto thy testimonies I made hast and delayed not to keep thy commandments No sooner did he consider his ways and make a discovery of his sins but he quickly retired and fled from them as from the brow of a dangerous precipice where he durst not stand a moment longer Sin will not abide a serious thought it will not endure an impartial trial It is an imposture it is a cheat it is a lie and so is every temptation to it confuted as soon as understood But the more particular meditations which recommend a speedy repentance are the consideration of Gods design in all his patience towards sinners serious reflection upon the uncertainty of our lives in this so corruptible and frail a State and likewise due consideration of the several difficulties and inconveniences that attend the delay of reformation 1. Therefore let it be well considered what is the end of Gods patience and whence it is that he doth not pursue and follow our sins with speedy and destructive punishments but give us time and opportunity to recollect and reform our lives The reason of this is not that the high and lofty one takes no notice of things below that he is indifferent to good and evil and unconcern'd in the sons of men and in what they do and suffer in the World It is not as those scoffers imagined who walking after their own lusts cavilled the delays of Gods judgments and mock'd that patience whereby they lived saying as St Peter hath observed 2 Ep. cap. 3. v. 4. Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue
what are the motives what the arguments to that diligence 1. That which is mentioned in the Text where we find that this is the very thing that recommends us to Gods acceptance He that doth righteousness is righteous that is he is so in Gods account as well as really so in himself for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Psal 34.15 They are as the apple of his eye he hath a tender kindness for them he bears a singular regard unto them and takes an especial care of them Righteousness is the Image of God true goodness wheresoever it is is a beam derived from the fountain of light which God doth always love and cherish always bless with especial favour whatever regard or disregard whatever favour or disfavour it finds with men it never wants the favour of God it is a participation of his Image and he loves it wheresoever it is as he loved it in his only Son so the Apostle himself adds He that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous And is not this a singular motive to live in the constant practice of it what is that that supports the minds what is that that cheers the hearts and spirits of wise and good and holy men under all the troubles all the calamities of the World but the hope and sense of Gods favour where can we find a sure refuge an assured shelter and security under thousands of fears and disappointments that attend us in the present World but under the shadow of Gods wings the grace and favour of God Almighty which Grace is Almighty like himself and will preserve to life eternal if we labour faithfully to retain it by true and diligent obedience to him let this therefore move us to obedience 2. And lastly because we have taken upon us the name and profession of Jesus Christ and because that Christ hath strictly commanded that every one that names his name depart from iniquity left he bring a scandal on that profession Let the honour of so dear a Master the credit and service of his Church which he hath purchased with his blood perswade the obedience of the Gospel If these with other considerations tending unto the same purpose have not this effect upon us we shall bring a scandal upon the Gospel we shall open the mouth of scorn and clamour against the Religion we profess we shall give occasion for men to think that we are under the great delusion which the Apostle here corrects of thinking our selves righteous persons although we do not do righteousness But in the diligent and careful practice of the holy Laws that Christ hath given us we shall honour our Lord adorn his Religion edifie others edifie our selves grow to an excellent habit of mind What shall I say more In so doing we shall obtain all the blessings of the Gospel and at last arrive at eternal happiness The Nineteenth Sermon Luk. 16.8 For the Children of this world are in their generation wiser than the Children of light THESE words are a short reflection made upon the behaviour of a certain Steward as it is represented in a Parable who having imbezeld his Masters goods is called to account for his miscariage and thereupon to be displaced How is it saith his Lord to him that I hear this of thee give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayst be no longer Steward v. 2. of this Chapter The Steward surprized with the suddain notice of his removal from his place presently begins to bethink himself how he shall now provide for himself He said with himself v. 3. what shall I do for my Lord taketh away from me the Stewardship I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed But long it was not before he comes to a resolution which was to gratifie his Masters debtors in the abatement of their debts that so when his Master had removed him they might receive and entertain him so it follows v. 4. I am resolved what to do that when I am put out of the Stewardship they may receive me into their houses accordingly calling them to reckon with him he makes some abatement to every debtor of what was owing to his Lord To him that owed him an hundred measures of Oyl he makes abatement of one half saying unto him take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty v. 6. To him that owed an hundred measures of wheat he abated a fifth part of the debt Take thy bill and write fourscore v. 7. So he obliged his Masters debtors to entertain him in their houses when he had lost his Stewards place so he provided for himself His Lord in the mean time knowing this as well as his other misbehaviours though he could not approve the fraud and injustice of his Steward yet commends the care he had of himself commends the wisdom of his Servant in making provision for the future so it follows v. 8. And the Lord commended the unjust Steward because he had done wisely whereupon our Saviour adds this following observation For the Children of this world are in their generation wiser than the Children of light 1. The Children of this world are those that mind and study the present World that is the concerns and profits of it as the great and only valuable things and have no other end at all but to attain to wealth and power and what may be useful in this life for wheresoever the World is put for one particular sort of men it always signifies the worser sort so in those words John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world and afterwards at the 16. v. they are not of the world even as I am not of the world From whence as from divers other places it hath been truly and well observed that although the World do often signifie all mankind the good and evil both together yet where it is put for one part only it always designs the worser part 2. Now to go on the Children of light are those that profess the faith and hope of future Glory and to make the attainment of that glory their chief endeavour in the World so is the same expression taken John 6.36 While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the Children of the light and so the Apostle 1 Thess 5.5 ye are all the Children of the light and the Children of the day that is to say ye all profess the faith of the Gospel which hath brought us out of darkness into light ye all profess the stedfast hope of that Glory which is promised in the Gospel to us and to make the pursuit of that Glory the chief design and end of life These are the persons whom the Scriptures style the Children of light and this is the reason why they are so styled 3. And then further whereas it is said that the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser then the
us go without his part of our voluptuousness Let us leave tokens of our joyfullness in every place for this is our portion and our lot is this And true it is whatsoever it is that men pursue with preference unto all other things that is the thing they make their portion And what is the use of this discourse that men may know what it is they make their chief Good and to make it appear how much they often mistake themselves in the choice thereof when they are little aware of it Who will believe so ill of himself as that he values the treasures on earth more than those of Heaven it self who will believe he hath chosen wealth or power or honour or the perishing pleasures of this life as his supreme and chief good and yet if none have so chosen why do so many so pursue these very things why so study this present World as to forget and neglect the other Men live by sight and not by Faith they chuse by sense and not by reason and they are surprized into this choice by the early acquaintance which they contract with what is pleasing unto sense before they imploy their understandings and when they arrive at the use of them they make no other use of reason than for the gaining of that end which they had formerly chose by sense Did they use faith nay reason it self in the choice of the great end of life they would not chuse as now they do Faith would fix upon that glory which God hath promised although future and invisible for faith is the subsistence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Reason would make a reasonable choice the mind would consult its own advantage That which is spiritual and immortal would chuse immortal and spiritual joys Reason would never judge it reasonable to be a servant and slave to sense it would never believe that sensible things would give satisfaction to a spirit that things uncertain would give a stable and certain happiness that we can be happy after death by that which will leave us when we die that we can be blessed in any enjoyment of shorter duration than our selves that is than our immortal souls from whence it appears that they who have chosen the perishing things of this world as the very best and chief enjoyments which they have done who pursue these things with greater care than any other have neither chosen by Faith nor reason and therefore have cause to mend their choice 2. For secondly seeing the heart will be where the treasure is this shews of what importance it is to make a true and a right judgment of what is true and lasting treasure that is to chuse that for happiness which is in truth the thing we seek and will not deceive our expectations He that mistakes in this business fails in the choice of that end whereby his whole life is governed which therefore upon this account is nothing but one continued errour he thinks indeed that he hath pitched upon an excellent and worthy thing he fansies great content and pleasure in view of the thing which he hath designed he imploys and busies all his thoughts he contrive and orders all his Counsels bends all his labours to attain it and though it cost him many a thought many a tedious and weary step yet he makes no doubt but that it will answer all his hopes that it will reward him for all his pains that it will prove worthy of all his cares He verily believes that he should be happy if he could but once attain unto it Yet so it is every step he makes towards it sets him further from true happiness the further he goes the further is he out of his way his back is upon the thing he seeks and his face on a false appearance of it It is a vanity it is a delusion which he hath chosen he is under a very sad mistake and to use the Prophet Isaiahs words Isa 44.20 A deceived heart hath led him aside that he cannot deliver his Soul nor say is there not a lie in my right hand And well it were if it were only loss of labour for a man to pursue that as his happiness which is not really and truly so but it is infinitely worse than so it is pernicious and destructive For he that chuses a false end as the scope of all his aims and labours as every man doth who doth not chuse what God commands is thereby led and hurried on to the greatest errours the greatest evils that offer themselves if to make it his end he promote and propagate a false means to gain it if he seek his end in sensuality no wonder if he debauch himself by riot and drunkenness chambering and wantonness by making provision for the flesh for the fulfilling the lusts thereof If he believe just contrary to our Saviours words Luk. 12.15 that a mans life doth consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth can we wonder if he defraud or oppress if he lie and dissemble to his neighbour or if he extort out of his hands that he may more plentifully fill his own He will not believe he is true to himself if he be not so to that he hath made the end of life and therefore that will he still pursue where ever he spies an opportunity and finds an advantage to attain it He will not be startled at oppositions he will not boggle at any difficulties he will not spare his own pains nor the greatest concernments of other persons he will follow his end where ever it leads if he can but hope to overtake it so fatal are the effects and issues of seeking our happiness in those things where our Creator hath not laid it On the other hand to place it there where he hath placed it is an advantage next to the very fruition of it He that trusts God cannot be deceived he that chuses that which he hath promised cannot be cheated or disappointed the thing will afford what he expects and infinitely more than what he can imagine he shall not be flattered with vain hopes puffed up and swelled for a little while and then emptied by disappointment and vext with the loss of expectation Time will discover the sad mistakes of other persons age infirmities and experience or if not these yet death at least will wear off the gloss of every vanity of every vain and perishing thing howsoever it now deludes the fancie and commends it self to imagination But time will still more and more justifie the choice strengthen the hopes and confirm the purposes and resolutions of every wise and good man and so conduct and lead him on to a blessed eternity for having deliberately chosen the glory which God hath promised as the only thing that can make him happy this will effectually secure his innocence in all deliberate thoughts and actions If any temptation offer it self and present an occasion