the way that leads to it We had need now in reference to these ends to have our mindes illustrated or inlightned even after we have heard and received the word of Christ no lesse then they who heretofore had entertained the belief of it Eph. 1.17 18 and yet still needed the spirit of wisdom and revelation that they might clearly discern the mysteries of Christian religion we have need still of prudence in managing our actions especially such as are very doubtful and difficult we have need of fortitude in dangers strength and patience in afflictions joy in outward miseries and calamities and fervour in prayers all which are immediate effects of the holy Spirit not only conducing but also necessary for that great end the salvation of our souls And therefore the holy Spirit which can only produce them in us may be still from the wisdom and goodnesse of God assuredly expected There was it is true a promise and accordingly an exhibition of the holy Spirit that was peculiar to the Apostles times betwixt which and that which is extended to these times we are to conceive these differences 1. The former was usually for the manner and manifestation of it visible and conspicuous so that the effects thereof being wholly miraculous might be clearly discern'd and acknowledged by others for such but this latter is invisible exercising its vertue upon the mindes of those that are possest with it so as others cannot certainly or ordinarily discern it 2. The former was not so much for the particular good of the persons upon whom it was conferred as for the publike benefit of others and the confirmation of the doctrine of the Gospel whilst it was yet new in the world but this latter is for the singular benefit of the persons themselves upon whom it is conferred as namely for supplying them with courage under persecution joy in afflictions and the like as hath been shewed before things which will be alwayes necessary to bring men unto Heaven and therefore that without which they cannot be had namely the holy Spirit may still upon the forementioned grounds be certainly expected 3. Now touching the third thing prosed namely what are the means requir'd for gaining this holy Sprit or as we have formerly exprest it that good heart which is requisite in the Christian souldier though it sufficiently appear from what hath been said that it is derived from above and so that there is nothing in us to produce it in our selves yet it hath been also intimated that it uses not to be conferred at random and promiscuously there is something on our part required to make us capable of receiving it as 1. It is requisite that we ask it and that not seldom or superficially but frequently and importunately after the example of the importunate widow or of him that at midnight went to solicite his friend Luke 11.6 by both which parables our Saviour would intimate to us that we are to be earnest and incessant in our prayers for this divine gift that we are not to lay aside our care or give over our seeking in this kinde if we meet not presently with an answerable return God doth in the granting of this as of other inferiour blessings seem and shew himself as if he heard not as if he were one that took no notice of our requests and that on purpose to make us call louder to express more fervency and importunity and therefore we are to see that our prayers be thus qualified that they be not faint desires or the labour of the lips but strong and deep cries of the heart and being so we may and ought with confidence support our selves that in the end we shall obtain what we thus desire considering what our Saviour hath told us that God will give to them that ask him 2. But then we must see also that we be such persons as the holy spirit is promised to and have grounds to expect upon this importunity the grant of their requests All whosoever shall ask and ask importunately have not this promise made to them God tells us of some Prov. 1.28 Isaiah 1.15 that should seek him early and should not finde him and of others that though they make many prayers and stretch forth their hands and cry with a loud voice that is very earnestly and importunately yet he will not hear them This promise is made only by our Saviour as hath been shown before to those that believe to such as love him and keep his Commandments and hereupon S. James tells us that it is not only fervent prayer Jam. 5.16 but the fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much We must then see that we be such persons such believers and lovers of Christ and righteous ones or else God will say what hast thou to do to make any such request to expect any such divine and glorious gift to be conferred on thee Yea indeed so long as any sin or the love of any unrighteousnesse is lodged in thy soul thou art not only unworthy but uncapable of so divine a guest The world saith Christ wherby he there more especially means those that refused to believe in him upon the hearing of his words and beholding of his actions cannot receive the spirit of truth John 14.17 because it seeth him not nor knoweth him that is though the H. Spirit did clearly shine and manifest it self in Christ both in his divine words and admirable works which he wrought yet the world was not willing to see and take notice of it and therefore made it self incapable of receiving the Spirit whereas the Apostles some others not shutting their eyes against it but willingly discerning and acknowledging the manifestations thereof in him became subjects truly capable of it and accordingly had it there promised that it should be in them John 14.17 men do not use to pour some pretious and costly liquour into an unclean and filthy vessel much lesse can it become the goodnesse and wisdom of Almighty God so to do to pour this spirit Esay 61.3 Acts 10.38 which is called the oyl of gladnesse having in it a strengthening and exhilarating faculty to carry on those with pleasure through the midst of dangers and difficulties that enjoy it to pour it I say into their hearts that have the filthinesse of some sin or other still lodging in them No thou must sweep diligently all the corners of thy soul cleansing thy self from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit before thou canst be a fit temple or habitation for this pure and divine spirit to come into the persons to whom it was formerly given were such as obeyed God Acts 5.32 and the persons to whom we finde it is promised by our Saviour are such as love and keep his commandments keep them constantly and universally not wittingly allowing themselves in the breach of one so that by reason of such keeping they may be called righteous persons that
as did stand out contradicting and blaspheming yea Christ himself that was the most pure and perfect copy in this kind could not for all this prevaile upon all those that were hearers of his doctrine and eye-witnesses of his miracles and of the continued zeal and goodnesse that shined forth in his life Many have the love of the world so setled in their hearts carnall and sensuall affections so deeply rooted in them that these weapons can make no impression upon them all the exhortations or examples of the servants of God how eminent soever can have no power to prevail with them yea though one should come from the dead they would not be converted by him but yet we are not to conceive all who are yet strangers or for the present enemies to godlinesse to be of this temper there is a difference to be conceived in unregenerate persons as it is plain there was amongst the heathen and still is amongst the like sort of men some of a more flexible others of a more inflexible disposition to goodnesse some farther off and others nearer to the kingdom of God that is to the admission and entertainment of those means which can onely render a man actually capable of that place though who they are that are so is onely perfectly known to God Besides there is ordinarily in all even in the worst sort of men so much of that divine light which God hath made naturall to the soul remaining as serves to make them own and even tacitly to admire vertue in others when it cleerly and fully appears though they are not willing because of the difficulties and unpleasingnesse in it to their sensuall desires to be practisers therof themselves and for this reason also for the most part they labour to obscure the appearance thereof in others so as they may not be thought to be what indeed they are Now by this it may appear that these spiritual weapons notwithstanding the great wickednesse and opposition of men against them are still very useful so as they can never want wholly of their effect besides that which they immediately and directly serve for namely the fencing or securing the persons that have and use them from the wrath to come there is a further good may be expected from them that is a subduing of ungodlinesse in some or other a vanquishing of them in time to the practise of that piety which yet they are enemies to yea and even in the most wicked and such as hate to be reformed a blunting at least of their enmity and opposition to goodness This then layes the greater obligation upon all that truly fear God such as are to be conceived to have these weapons in their possession to be the more diligent and industrious in the using of them to stir up I mean the grace of God in themselves to practise vigorously and incessantly those vertues that they hear daily commended to them out of the word and which the Spirit of God hath in some measure already wrought in them not to remit not to abate of their care in these things but daily to abound and grow stronger and more resolute in the performance of them you have heard that the subduing that is the salvation of others depends much hereupon these things are truly mighty through God for demolishing the strong holds of sin for silencing all the carnall reasonings of the flesh against the practise of godlinesse for working those that yet go on in dishonouring God to joyn with you in glorifying of him in brief to turn a sinner from the errour of his wayes and so save that soul from death which should otherwise eternally perish Oh then if there be in you any true zeal for or care of these things as sure there is or else you are not such persons as I now speak to if the glory of God be dear to you if your own or others souls be pretious in your sights then slacken not your pace in the course of godlinesse give all diligence to be every day more abounding in the work of the Lord more zealous and heavenly in spiritual exercises more fruitful in works of rrghteousnesse and holinesse in doing of these things 1 Tim. 4.16 you shall both save your selves and others that is be instruments effectual instruments through the power of God for saving others and so partake in that honour which belongs primarily and completely only to Christ to be called Saviours or preservers of their souls Oh let this I say remember and awaken you to be unwearied in well-doing to go on without fainting that not only your own but the good of other souls even of those perhaps that think least of it depends hereupon who can tell what may in time be effected by this means this is certain you shall give others hereby occasion to come out of their sins and glorifie God and if they be so obstinate as to neglect it yet your charity herein is not the lesse and your so doing shall redound to the furtherance of your own account 2. If this obligation lye upon you towards others thus to contribute towards their conversion then you are to conceive your selves much more concerned and obliged to take care that you be not perverted or your zeal any thing abated by the wickednesse of others As there is a power in these former weapons of God to effect the good of others and bring them in time in subjection unto God So there is an answerable power or rather a greater through the natural inclination of most in those things which may be called the weapons of the devil namely wicked practises and examples to bring others in subjection unto him and even to blunt the edge of godliness in the servants of God Though your constitution I hope is stronger then to cast off your first Love and to be drawn away with them into the same excesse of riot to be partakers with them in their sins yet you may easily be wrought through the cunning of the devil to abate of your zeal and care in the practise of godliness even by beholding the sinfulnesse and number of the ungodly you live among to observe so many about you that make no care at all of Religious duties but practise in a manner several sorts of iniquity securely and with greedinesse This may perhaps prompt you to think that you are well enough so long as you are so much beyond such persons and so bring this dampe upon you to make you rest and content your selves with what you have already attained without ever strugling to proceed further But for the avoiding of this I desire you to take notice that as you are hereupon concerned to be the more watchful so are you likewise to be the more zealous and fruitful the more wickednesse is acted in the place where you live the more is God dishonoured the more is his wrath provok't against that place the more souls are still thereby
effectual for this end For the fuller manifestation of this I shall shew these three things 1. What is more particularly to be meant by this good heart 2. That as others heretofore have had it so there is a possibility and grounds for us still to expect it 3. What particular means are requir'd for obtaining it 1. Touching the first we are to take notice that it is not that which dwells naturally in any man but that which is supernatural and derived from God that is a divine power elevating a man as it were above himself whereby he is enabled with strength and courage actually to perform and undergo such things as cannot be done with meer humane strength namely to persist in the way of godlinesse and obedience to God notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements that the devil or the world shall cast into it as extraordinary vexations and reproaches and losse of goods or liberty or life it self This then which enables a man to this is not any thing in Nature this will be still favourable to it self and not willing to venture on those things which are contrary to it and tend to the destruction of it it is onely that which is called the finger of God Luk. 11.20 24.49 Col. 1.11 or power from on high or the might of his glorious power in brief it is onely the Spirit of God that is a divine power stampt or imprinted in the heart of man 2. Now for the second that there is truely such a power derivable to men may appear hence namely from the many several experiments Acts 4.31.5.41.16.24 that the world has had in this kinde especially from the examples of the Apostles and others in the primitive times The Apostles we finde at first while Christ was here on earth very fearful upon on the appearance of danger Peter denied and forswore his Master and they all forsook him and fled but immediately after they had received this power from on high they spake the word withall boldnesse being beaten they went away rejoycing Acts 4.29 Acts 5.41.16.25 being in the stocks they sang praises being encompassed with infirmities and reproaches and persecutions they took pleasure in them 1 Cor. 12.10 Phil. 4.13 and could do all things through Christ strengthning them that is by his Spirit And thus we finde that not only they but persons also of inferiour quality and condition did in effect the same things the Thessalonians suffered the like things 1 Thes 2.14 of their own Countrey-men as the Churches of Judea did of the Jews which sure were many bitter troubles and reproaches and yet they went on with that undauntedness in the practise of godliness 2 Thes 1.4 that the Apostle sayes we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in the tribulations and persecutions that you endure And to both these may be added the testimonies which the Church-Records afford both concerning these and other Christians immediately succeeding about their forwardnesse in most cheerfully undergoing most bitter and cruel deaths for the profession of the Gospel But it may perhaps be imagined that this courage and heart they had was of the same nature with those other things that were miraculous peculiar to those times as miracles tongues prophecies c. and therefore not now to be expected In answer to which I shall shew you that this is not so but that there may be still from the goodnesse of God expected the same Divine Spirit to carry men through all difficulties with some measure of cheerfulnes in the service of God There are several reasons to prove this 1. Some general promises of this Spirit considered with the grounds and reasons of them as 1. Luke 11. from verse the fifth to verse the thirteenth where it is said If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him 2. The reason whereby our Saviour here demonstrates that God will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him is no other but this constant and importunate prayers put up by such persons unto God as because of their faith and unfeigned study of piety may be accounted his children which sure agrees no less to these then to the primitive times 2. Christ sayes simply and indistinctly He that believes in me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water John 7.37 John 7.37 which in the following verse is expounded of the Spirit where it is plain that Christ promiseth to believers and that as a reward of their faith the gift of the Spirit and therefore sure upon this ground it may be still sued for and expected by those that are truly such as well in these as in former times 3. Christ promiseth to them that love him that is that keep his words for so he himself there expoundeth this love to manifest himself unto them John 14.21 John 14.21 and afterward V. 23. that the Father will love them and both He and the Father will come and make their abode with them that is by the Spirit for that is the thing there treated on Seeing then that men in these times are capable of loving of Christ and of rendring obedience to his words according as they are expresly obliged thereunto it appears hence that the holy Spirit which is promised by way of reward to such persons may be expected by those that are such also in these times And to these testimonies may be added that opposition which is made recorded by all the Evangelists betwixt Johns baptizing with water and Christs baptizing with the Spirit whence it may be collected that as John did dip with water all his disciples that came to him and desired to be baptized of him so Christ doth endue with the holy Spirit his disciples desiring to be baptized of him and by ardent and incessant prayers begging so excellent a gift from him 2. It hath been still usuall with all Christians both in their publike and private devotions to pray for the holy Spirit that God would give it to them which sure if it had been a gift peculiar to the first times like as those other of miracles that are now ceased all Christians since even the most godly that have been might be accused of great errour and ignorance in asking that of God which they had no grounds to expect like as if one should now petition him to give him the power of doing miracles or speaking with tongues 3. The principal end for which the holy Spirit was given heretofore to men in the primitive times and the cause why it was given for that end hath place still in these times namely that men to whom it was given might assuredly come to the salvation promised in the Gospel by being fully confirmed in the belief of it and going on unweariedly in
to receive This then being the disposition wherewith the Christian souldier is to look upon his carnal enemie against whom these carnal weapons can only be useful that is with a heart full of love so as to manifest it self in the most genuine and profitable effects of it as blessing and doing good to and praying for him and that even when his enmity is at the highest pitch expressing it self in despiteful usage and persecution what warrant or occasion can he have for employing these carnal weapons namely swords and guns and other such mortal instruments to the destruction of others can the imployment of these in this way be possibly reconciled with the former love and expressions of it that are so indispensably required of us is there any evidence or effect of enmitie greater which it is possible for man to execute then what is hereby acted namely the killing of mens bodies or depriving them of their present lives and being Sure we may well think what ever credit at present the use of these weapons are in or whatever worldly advantages may be or are ordinarily gain'd by the use of them that it can neither be honorable nor safe for the Christian souldier that professes to fight under Christ and for the kingdom of Heaven to make use of them in this warfare seeing in so doing he must needs act against that royal law of Love which this our great Captain hath imposed on all his souldiers inviolably to be observed and consequently forfeit his hopes and title to that place for which he pretends to fight as having violated the condition that is necessarily required for coming thereunto 2. Now touching the second sort of carnal weapons before mentioned namely such as are in the power of the flesh to use and are ordinarily made use of by the direction of this part that is by the appointment of that carnal wisdom which is in men we mean hereby more particularly humane eloquence Chrysost iâ— locum and reasoning holding out worldly allurements as some present rewards of riches and honours or some other way using of flattering perswasions or contrarily threatnings or worldly penalties as deprivation of liberty or goods or the like all which as weapons have power to pierce and make impression on mens mindes in one kind or other and all these the Apostle here disclaims as things that he no way made use of though it seems he had some enemies amongst these Corinthians that traduced him for so doing He did not use the wisdom of words 1 Cor. 1.17 that is as he after explains himself not the flattering words of mans Wisdom neither did he go about to perswade 2.4 with reasons suggested from his own invention or experience as the Philosophers were wont but with such as consisted in the demonstration of the spirit and of power and for the other way of going about by worldly allurements and terrors to work upon men it was well enough known that as he cared not for growing rich or receiving any thing from others by his employment so as little able was he to enrich others and for inflicting worldly penalties and punishments his condition was such as exposed him to the suffering of them in all sorts but utterly disinabled him if he had had a minde as he was far enough from having any such from imposing them upon others in the least degree so then we see the weapons of his warfare that is which he used for the overcoming or subduing of others for converting or convincing or confirming them in the faith were no sort of these carnal weapons and consequently these are not the weapons belonging to such as will fight after his example and manage the same warfare with him but they are weapons of quite another nature and that is as he here affirms mighty through God c. Where in making this the opposite tearm to these carnal weapons saying they are not carnal but mighty he tacitely implies that all these carnal weapons are not mighty but infirm and weak this indeed may seem a Paradox as many other things do that are affirmed in the word namely that those things whereby we see such great matters daily effected in the world as the overturning of kingdoms dispeopling of Countreys changing of the laws and government of Common-wealths and altering religions and the outward profession of them should yet be called and so surely of right are to be accounted but weak things for the conceiving therefore of this aright we must take notice what the Apostle here means by this weaknesse implicitely here ascribed to them and that is not a weaknesse to destroy but a weaknesse to save not a weaknesse to do evil but to do good in brief such a weaknesse as implies them unable both to withstand the force of those mighty weapons the Apostle means and to effect that which by the power of these hath been and is still in some degree effected in the world 1. These weapons are weak to withstand the force c. when the Apostle and other his fellow-champions in this Christian warfare began to make use of these weapons he here means for propagating the faith of Christ and to root out all Paganish superstition and idolatry out of the world the world was then full of these carnal weapons of both sorts and never raged more in the use of them against those that used these other weapons on the one hand fighting against them with bonds imprisonments and disgraces and many cruel and ignominious deaths on the other hand withstanding them and labouring to uphold the credit of their old superstitions by many eloquent and elaborate discourses framed by their Oratours and Philosophers who abounded in wit and learning of all sorts yet notwithstanding all these things those Christian Champions by the alone use of these other weapons that Christ had commended to them went on daily conquering and prevailing that faith they thus fought for came in a little time to be extended to and profest in most parts of the world and those corrupt and idolatrous practises in religion that for many ages the world generally had been accustomed to and so could not be but in love with which they fought against came in a short time to vanish out of the world and so remain extinct at this day as if they had never had had any footing in it This shews as the strength of these Christian weapons both for propagating the faith and overthrowing that which was contrary to it so the weaknesse of the other in both these respects that they were neither able to hinder the growth of that faith they so much opposed nor preserve the credit and continuance of those antient superstitions they were so much employed for T is true indeed there are since other superstitions grown up as namely that of Mahomet and the Christian faith hath lost footing in many places where it once had but this is not to be imputed
endangered therefore this should be so far from making you abate that it should indeed by an antiperistasis increase those graces and the exercises of them in you seeing hereby onely you may help to make up the hedge and contribute to the securing of the place from the judgements of God and their souls that are hereby the more in danger from that danger that they are otherwise likely to be ensnared in Sect. 3. To the pulling down of strong holds Here is assigned the distinct effect of the power or mightnesse of the former weapons that they serve and are sufficient for the pulling down of strong holds For the conceiving of which aright we are to take notice that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded here strong holds signifies bulwarks or fortresses such as are castles and Cittadels that are made for fortification and defence and to withstand oppositions and attempts and so to secure men that enjoy them from being subdued by that opposite power that comes against them and such the Apostle implyes there is to be conceived in this business some great bâ—lwarks or mountains of opposition that lie in the way of the Christian Souldier to hinder him from prevailing in his attempts upon others by the use of the former weapons that is from bringing them throughly in submission to Christ and making them joyn themselves for the future to him in fighting under this General such as will be of great force to retain these persons that are thus fortify'd by them still in their old condition namely in love with their sins and in their enmity and aversenesse to godliness what ever be said or done for effecting the contrary Now what these strong holds or bulwarks are the Apostle seems to explain in the following verse which verse though it be to be joyned in sense or construing not with this but with the third verse as the parenthesis wherein this verse is included shewes and the Greek more fully manifests yet in regard that power of casting down imaginations which he there speaks of is to be conceived as agreeing to him by reason of these weapons here mentioned wee are to conceive to bee added as an explication of what hee means by strong-holds and that is imaginations or reasonings of the flesh high and exalted thoughts such as learning or worldly wisdome or the enjoyment of great estates and places in the world are apt to breed in men Now that there are such reasonings that the flesh or wisdom of the flesh supplies men with to withstand the power of the word oppose the force of these spirituall weapons which are requisite to make the word effectuall for their salvation the Apostle implies saying the natural man receives or embraces 1 Cor. 2.14 not the things of the spirit of God he hath no true love and affection to these things yea he hates and denies them in his heart and that because they are foolishnesse to him that is because he looketh upon and by his carnall reason judgeth them as things altogether unfit and unproper or rather contrary to their ends wherein he hath placed his happinesse and esteems it to consist The things werein such persons imagine the greatest comfort and welfare to consist are to be great or rich or highly accounted of in the world to passe away their time with as much satisfaction to their sensuall desires as may be to avoid the undergoing of any voluntary hardness further then it is some wayes serviceable to these ends to all which these things of the spirit of God that is these invisible future things to be enjoyed in another world and the way proposed of coming to them which is by not onely slightly accounting but even contemning all those thing that are of so great and high account here by contradicting and extinguishing all sensuall desires in our selves and by willingly ingaging our selves in such duties as are harsh to flesh and bloud and many wayes disadvantagious to our worldly ease and interests are thought to beare as indeed they do a direct opposition and by this means it is that all such generally are strengthned and hardned in their opposition against the practice of godliness they see what they must certainly lose by betaking themselves to such a course namely a great deal of the honour and comforts and ease and pleasures of the world but they cannot see what they are likely to meet with in exchange which will be able to make them any proportionable recompence for their parting with those things and this I say is a strong hold to fence the naturall man to make him dwell and stick fast in his naturall condition without ever effectually thinking of coming out of it Now there is a power as the Apostle implies in the word as it is edged and inforced by these weapons formerly spoken of in the hands of the professours of it to demolish this hold to bring in such a person as is thus fortified by this his carnal reason against godlinesse as a captive thereunto and this is by lively really demonstating to him in our actions and practices that those things he so much esteems are not to be accounted of being such as we cannot enjoy long here nor carry with us at our removall that those things he so little thinks of or perhaps believes not are things in themselves most glorious and certain and endlesse and such that as all this world hath is vile in comparison of so we our selves count nothing which the word requires of us for coming to them either truly hard to be done or harsh to be suffered that none of these things but are most just and honourable in themselves and infinitely sweetned by the hopes of such a glorious and inconceiveable reward This thing I say thus demonstrated cannot but be a forcible engine to batter this hold in time in some or other for wee may not expect for the reasons before mentioned that either these or whatsoever else can be used will be effectuall with all or the most there are some that the God of this world hath so blinded their eyes with the mist of these present carnall things 2 Cor. 4.4 that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ thus held forth does not shine makes no appearance at all to them declaring themselves hereby to be lost persons that is such as are of a hopeless reprobate condition But yet though we cannot hereby expect to subdue all so long as there is a possibility by this means of bringing in some this implies that there is power in these weapons for demolishing this hold and that the reason why they are not effectual upon all is not truly the strength of this fortress to withstand these weapons but a deliberate and resolved standing out in those that are possessed of it there being this difference to be conceiv'd betwixt those attempts that are made in this kind upon others for bringing them in subjection unto Christ
his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned to him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live who may not easily see what a vast distance there is betwixt these words and those of the Common prayer-book which yet are pretended to be either a formall recitall of these or at least such a rendring of them as is in sense fully equivalent Is it not plain hence that besides and after the turning from all our sins which seemes all that is intended to be signified by that phrase of repenting of them from the bottome of our heart there is expressely required a keeping of all Gods statutes and doing that which is lawfull and right of which there is no mention at all in that saying in the Common prayer-book as a necessary condition for attaining that remission of sins and life there promised I am willing to suppose that those who were authors of that liturgy and so of this saying in it knew how by the various acception of the word repent to reconcile in sense this saying and the next together and so were able thereby to vindicate themselves from that which might seem otherwise to be justly charged upon them herein namely wilfull falsifying or perverting the words of Scripture yet as I can see no true reason why pretending as they did to deliver the unquestionable sense of the Spirit of God they should so far neglect the words certainly dictated from this Spirit as in stead thereof to use in this matter expressions wholly of their own framing so I cannot but think that their thus doing and rendring or reciting that text as they have done was and is still especially considering the former corrupt notion of repentance that many have been and yet are ordinarity possessed with a most dangerous rock at once to harden and continue men in their sins and to make them but most deceitfully promise themselves heaven upon some late ineffectuall mourning for them at the last notwithstanding their continuance in them till that time 2. Touching that other instance taken from the example of the penitent thief I think it may be in some manner said of him that since he was crucified and dead he hath killed far more soules than being alive he hurt or destroyed bodies but it is and hath been through the fault of men themselves with whom this one example how ever not possible to be paralleld as wee shall presently show is of more force than the whole gospell or doctrine of Christ Those who are ready to flatter themselves upon this ground by thinking that a blessed and happy death may be the sequel of a dissolute life as it was in him if they will but heedfully consider the circumstances so far as the Scripture layes them open of this persons repentance which was indeed as late as could be will easily find that it is not possible for them though they would never so gladly to be truly like unto him herein and so that the promise made to him can derive no comfort at all to them for 1. This thief did not for any thing that appeares in Scripture know or acknowledge Christ before this time that he was now hanging on the crosse and so ready to dye with him then it was that he began to make profession of him and was first ingrasted into him by faith but those Chrislians who are wont to allege this example for the acceptance of their late sorrow are to be supposed to have acknowledged Christ long before the time of their dying even in a manner all their life time having been so long constant professours of him 2. This thief after his faith or declared profession of Christ had no space left him for correcting or changing his course of life whatsoever good he could do then on the crosse he did it as in rebuking of his fellow thief acknowledging the justice of his own and his sufferings asserting Christs innocency and by his praying to him giving him divine worship and expressing his faith in him but the fore-mentiond persons are such as after their profession of Christ have large spaces or proportions of time afforded them their profession ordinarily beginning with their first use of reason and so running on in an eeven line with their lives and yet they could never find any season for setting effectually about the work of reforming their lives that is for thorowly observing Christs lawes in rendring that obedience thereunto which was both possible for them and they made profession of their practise hitherto namely till the approaching time of their death hath been a contradiction of such their profession and so their religion for so long is to bee reckoned nothing but a formall hypocrisy or dissembling 3. This thief had and manifested then so great a faith as was not in the Apostles themselves he then firmly believed in Christ when their faith in him t is plain by their forsaking of and flying from him and those words of distrust they used as wee trusted that it had been he Lu. 24.21 c. began to fail he acknowledged Christ hanging on the crosse to be about entring into a kingdome and neither being deterred with Christs nor his own death he trusted that Christ would be mindfull of him and could again reduce him to life who can possibly now have such a faith have not all that professe Christ an opinion of his being like as he truly is in supreme power and glory and is it not much easier to believe in such a person namely in him that is risen from the dead and is invested with all power in heaven and in earth than in him who being now a dying is forsaken and scornd and derided in a manner by all men as Christ truly was yet such was the faith of this thief that is indeed a most singular and admirable faith suitable to those other prodigies that accompanied Christs death as conducing to the solemnity of it and therefore most worthy through the divine bounty to justify this person with our most gracious God but till Christ come to suffer again which will never be no more examples of this faith or of such believers are to be expected and consequently this persons example and the happy issue he had of his late repentance can be no ground of comfort for the fore-mentiond persons it being not possible that his case should be theirs or that their repentance should be answerable to his in any thing save in that which was truly of least moment in it the lateness of it Now touching that corrupt notion of repentance before spoken of which seems to be nourished and upheld in many chiefly by the influence derived from the two former instances though what hath been said in answer to these may in great part serve to show the corruption and unsoundness of it yet for the fuller manifesting of this and together therewith that which is truly imported by the word repentance I shall
requisite that the said intention be so circumstantionated in the person as there may be nothing justly imputed to him or his neglect why the act is not really performed the person being to be supposed for this end to have done all in this case that was morally possible for him like as we find in the forementioned business of Abrahams offering his son whose intention carrying him on to the doing of what was in his power for the accomplishing of this work made that it was accepted for Heb. 11.17 and called an offering of him though it was not ever at all actually performed Now in this present case the matter is far otherwise the person who as wee suppose is now in extremis or a dying hath indeed nothing possible for him to perform towards the amending and reforming of his life beyond vows and promises but this is a thing that ought to have been done of him before God requiring it and having afforded him sufficient time and means for the doing of it it is a thing also that all the time he made profession of Christ or of his word he is to be supposed virtually to have professed and made show of doing it is therefore not only his own fault that it is not done that is that such intention hath not hitherto been acted but it is also such a fault as is made up of a continued belying of his profession and therefore sure there can be but small cause for any to flatter themselves or others in this case that such intention shall ever bee accepted with God for the act Gal. 6.7 no God will not be mocked that which a man soweth that shall he reap that is according to our works in our life time not our intentions at or near our death our future doom is to be expected If any now shall question hereupon what proportion of our time or lives is absolutely necessary to be spent in the service and obedience of Christ for this end to render us actually capable and heirs of Salvation I shall endeavour thus far to satisfy him 1. By telling him negatively that such proportion I conceive cannot be certainly determined so as definitely to set down that a man must necessarily such a certain number of months or years exhibit such obedience or else he cannot be saved as in the parable of the hired Servants Math. 20. some were hired and went into the vineyard at the ninth and some at the eleventh hour and yet received equall wages with them who begun to work in the morning and had born the burden and heat of the day so I grant though not through the force of that parable Chrysost Muscul whereof I find severall interpretations given and which good expositours apply to quite another sense as more suitable to our Saviours scope than that which is vulgarly apprehended to be the intent of it that some in the evening of their dayes or in their declining age may become converts and begin then to render that reall obedience to Christs laws which he requires and they formerly neglected and yet be as surely rewarded with the glorious reward of eternall life as those who set out as it were and have been engaged from their child-hood in this employment may expect to be though I think not only that such examples are rare but also where they are they must and will being such reall converts as I suppose them out of the sense of their former neglect be more than ordinarily zealous and industrious in this kind 2. I say pisitively to the former question that so much of our time is necessarily to be employed in the foresaid obedience as we may be truly said at the end of our course to have been new creatures and to have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and to have done the commandements of Christ or to have walked according to the Spirit and in so walking to have finished our race all which being things that imply not only a change of our naturall condition but also such a change as consists and manifests it self not in words or intentions or single acts but in a solid and habituall course of piety and the expressions of it as the presence of them is simply requisite to this end that our judgment namely unto life Math. 16.27 Rom. 2.7 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 20.13 22.12 may be said to be according to our works as the Scripture frequently says it shall be So it is plain that there cannot but be some considerable part of our time and lives necessarily required though we cannot definitely set down how much for attaining and exhibiting the same things in our selves It is very hard or rather absurd and unreasonable to imagine that God in awarding eternall life to men should only have respect in a manner to some transient vanishing disposition of a dying person as his serious mourning for sin at that time when as hitherto he is to be supposed to have voluntarily persisted in the wayes of it and yet withall that God should be said in making that award to render to such a person according to his works what ground can there be to think either that such mourning which men may well in this case be supposed to be in a great part in a manner forced to by the immediate approach and fear of death should be so highly considerable with God above all the voluntary and long continued courses in sin of the same person or that being so and God therefore that is for that sorrow or for some confident reliance on Christs merits at that time accepting the said person to salvation God should be said herein to reward him according to his works when as indeed in this case no other work of his but one or both these at most is to bee thought of any moment or consideration with God As this therefore is unreasonable to conceive so it is all one to suppose that the forementioned change into a new creature can be made or those other things signified by crucifying the flesh and doing the words of Christ and walking after the spirit can be transacted by a dying person or in so little a time as ordinarily each sickness as is the forerunner and fore-warner of death is circumscribed with No these things are of greater import than thus at once and on a suddain to be dispatched it must be more than the work of a day or a week or a month ordinarily and that when we are in our best disposition to set about it which sure in sickness we are not to put off those old habits of sin which custom hath made pleasing and after a sort naturall to us and instead thereof to contract the contrary habits of righteousness and delighting to doe the will of God to wash away those staines of the soul which through the force of carnall lusts there inhabiting have been deeply inprinted in it and in their place to superinduce that divine
submission to the Gospel by the preaching and power of it is onely a voluntary and obstinate resolution in them not to be perswaded not to admit or submit unto that as truth how ever proved and enforced which is like to be so prejudiciall to them in their worldly interests and this obstinacie is to be looked upon as occasioned by their carnall reasonings before named and the grounds of them namely their outward worldly dignities and high places c. But not as certainly caused thereby for then this effect would have been wrought in all others of the like condition whereas diverse as hath been observed before were notwithstanding the strength of them brought into a willing submission to the Gospel and so thereby at once manifested the power of those weapons for the subduing of all such reasonings and tacitly accused or upbraided others to have in them an inordinate love of the world which was to bee lookt upon as the sole cause of their standing out and opposition in this kinde Thus far wee have spoke of those persons that had these strong holds that is some more then ordinary carnall reasonings which they used for strengthning themselves in their standing out and opposition against Christ as they had relation to the Apostles and their times when yet wholly they were unconverted to so much as an outward profession of Christian religion It remains now that I speak of such persons with relation to our times as they are amongst us outward professours or such as have a form of religion but for the most part deny the power of it living in many known violations of the lawes of Christ as many great and rich and learned men do which so long as they do as they are to be conceived to do it by occasion of these strong holds so they are likewise to bee reckoned as persons that are yet in the broad way that is in a way quite contrary to that which leads to heaven and therefore have need as well as the others to be attempted by those weapons that may subdue them to Christ that is make them converts and become Christians indeed But yet I would not have this so apprehended as if I conceived either that all such persons were onely formall professours and strangers to the power of godliness or that their learning or riches or dignities and great places in the world were necessary hinderances to religion and the things which certainly do cause them to be such as for the most part they are there are I doubt not and so I hope still will be some such as wee before menntioned in the Apostles times learned men and Governours and Counsellours that are of Christs true retinue and being so their learning wisdom c. are so farre from hindering them that thereby they are enabled to bee more fruitfull in good works to do God more honour and men amongst whom they live more good then others that want them The thing that we intend is that the greatest part of such persons is ordinarily averse to the life of religion or power of godlinesse and that is those reasonings chiefly which such learning or greatnesse suggests to them that are the cause or rather occasion of such averseness The former part hath been in effect already proved from that of the Apostle Not many noble c. These words I conceive being to have a proportionable extent to all times though they were immediately spoke of that time of the Apostles The second part is that which is proper now to be spoke of namely concerning the reasonings wherwith such persons for tifie themselves against submission to the power of godlinesse and wee may conceive them some way proportionable and like to those reasonings before mentioned of the Heathen Gentiles that is 1. Such as they use to uphold the credit of that empty formality or livelesse profession of religion wherein they at present live and which they are not willing to relinquish 2. Such as serve to asperse that way of strict and universall holinesse and obedience they are exhorted and laboured to be brought unto 1. Touching the former by the empty formality and liveless profession of such I mean nothing else but their living in the constant and allowed violation of the known laws of Christ promulgated in the Gospel such as to omit other more scandalous sins are those courses of vanity and prodigality that many great ones are tainted with spending their large estates in gorgeous apparel sumptuous feasting and entertainment and a great part of their time and means in dicing and carding and other wayes of voluptuousnesse as if they were placed here in the world as the Leviathan in the Sea only to take their pastime therein and such are those wayes of vain and curious speculations and disputes and exercises of wit about curious perplexing and unprofitable questions such as no way serve but are rather hindrances unto Godlinesse in which many learned persons wholly in a manner imploy themselves without bending their studies as they may and ought to advance the power of Religion in themselves and others and lastly such are those courses of worldlinesse of heaping and hoarding up treasures for themselves and their heirs without any proportionable laying them out in private or publike good works for the glorie of God and benefit of others which is the disease of many rich ones in the world Now the Holds or reasonings wherewith such persons fortifie themselves herein are somewhat of a like nature with those before alledged as 1. A kinde of Antiquity and prescription of time for the practising of them they are things that have been alwayes used this hath still been the fashion of the Gentry and Gallantry of the time think they that are or desire to be accounted for such and Schollers have alwayes thus exercised their wits and exprest their learning and thereby attained honour above the vulgar think those that are or affect to be eminent in this way and this skill hath been the practise of men enjoying or attaining great estates in the world thus to preserve them to themselves and theirs think they that are willing to take the same course 2. A kinde of universality these are fashions that are every where and generally used and so have the concurring approbation of all such as so conform to them for the warranting of them 3. A kinde also of authority the persons that do thus are not mean and simple or vulgar persons but as their condition speaks them of the greatest note and eminency in the world and ordinarily most reputed of for wisdom and understanding And to all these it may be they may adde the experience they have had of Gods blessing them in these courses enjoying it may be an uninterrupted prosperitie and not conflicting with those difficulties that other persons of a stricter conversation in this kinde often meet with 2. For that way of punctual and exact holinesse commended in the word such as
is to be reputed contrary to the forementioned and many other corruptions consisting in walking after the spirit Rom. 8.1.8.15 Col. 3.2 Phil. 3.20 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Tim. 6.18 and mortifying the deeds of the flesh and having our mindes and meditations in Heaven and doing all to the glory of God and being rich in good works in brief such as consists in a deliberate and exact doing the will of God in every thing and for that purpose a daily consulting with his word and making use of those helps of prayer meditation and Christian conferences commended to us therein as necessary for that end This way I say is that which such persons will be ready to asperse and calumniate at least in those who seem to be frequenters of it or to draw others thereunto in the like manner as the unconverted Heathen did heretofore the outward profession of Christian religion that is First as some new device invented by some melancholy or pragmaticall and over-busie or precise persons such as trouble themselves with more then becomes them and affect to be noted for singularity having not the modesty to be content with and conform themselves to that which is the common and ordinary practise of the most in this kind Secondly as a way if at all observed yet only in a manner by simple and obscure persons such as do not or cannot well understand the extent of their priviledges and Christian liberty in this kind and therefore it cannot but be very unfit for persons of such quality as they are to take them herein for their examples If either be to conforme to other it were fit that these latter that are so farre below them come up to them and not they descend to these Thirdly as a way most unpleasing and uncomfortable for men wholly to limit themselves to the law of God to speak or think or do nothing but what it requires or allowes to spend a great part of their time in prayers and meditations and Christian discourses out of the word for edifying themselves in godlinesse to lay out their means which should make them and their Heirs live in honour and esteem in the world upon strangers or such as they have no particular obligation to these are things wherein as a great part of Religion consists So they are ordinarily lookt upon by such persons as very harsh and unpleasant courses and such as are very unsuitable with those ends of enjoying worldly repute and profit and pleasures which they have proposed to themselves and therefore are so farre the more opposite to them Fourthly there are some of the lawes of Christ and which these persons sufficiently know to be such yet if we may judge as I know not but we may by their avowed deliberate practice in this kind are lookt upon by them as things below them that is as disgracefull and unworthy for them to observe namely those published touching the abstaining from al revenge and contesting with others instead where of is commended to us praying and blessing Matth. 9.44 and doing good to those that hate or hurt us and turning the other cheek to him that hath smitten us rather then by our opposition to adde fuel to his enmiâ—y and thereby encrease the contention who are there almost especially of these that are or would be accounted the Gallants of the time that do not take a quite contrary course that are not apt to steem these things rather as acts of baseâ—esse and pusillanimity then of any hoâ—our though in so doing they charge â—he most gallant and honourable person â—hat ever was on earth with being guilty of such basenesse both in his doctrine and â—xample namely our blessed Saviour These are those strong holds whereby such persons come to be fortified in their sins making them resolutely go on al their dayes in a wilfull breach of some or more of the known lawes of Christ And to all these may bee added that which is indeed the main strength and supporter of all these reasonings in them and of that carelesnesse or remisnesse in observing the lawes of Christ which flowes from thence that is a secret inward perswasion derived to them from some common but unsound doctrine namely touching the unnecessarinesse of such precise and universall exact walking and conforming our selves to the word that men may be saved and come to Heaven ordinarily without it that to relie on the merits of Christ to apprehend and apply his righteousnesse to our selves which is that formality of justifying faith which some teach and which surely for the nature of the thing may be exhibited in the last sicknesse and that by those that for all the time before have constantly neglected the doing of the forementioned duties that this is sufficient for securing a man of salvation This is that common great Engine or Fortress whereby such persons and all others in a manner that are possest of it become impregnable in their holds their subduing being in a sort impossible and so they themselves in this respect in a more desperate condition then those of the ancient Gentiles the Apostles had to deal with so long as it remains un-demolisht in them And therefore in the first place for pulling down all the Strong holds before mentioned the attempt must bee made here against this which pretends to bee built upon and have for its ground the word it self and that must be by shewing that which the Scripture will easily enable us unto as every where in a manner affirming it Heb. 12.14 Namely that without holinesse which is exprest else where by keeping the Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7.19 and being new creatures Gal. 6.15 there is no seeing of God to bee expected that hearing of Christs words without doing of them makes a man like to a foolish builder and is a deceiving of himself Matt. 7.26 Jam. 1.22 Rom. 2.7 that life and immortality is onely assured by the Apostle to those that by patient continuance in well-doing wait for it 2 Pet. 1.9 That hee that wants the divine Graces of Godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.9 temperance charity and the rest reckoned up by S. Peter what ever knowledge he otherwise have is blinde Rev. 2.7.11 17.26 and cannot see afar off And lastly that the crown of life is promised not unto all that fight but onely to those that overcome that is their inward affections and all outward temptations which may be hinderances of doing Gods will Now then If these things can be reasonably thought to bee included in that reliance or faith which men are taught and are generally so willing to build their main hopes upon or if they bee indeed such things as can bee transacted by men in their last sicknesse if it can with any truth or reason be said that hee who during his life and health hath conformed himself more to the courses of the world then to the righteous and heavenly Lawes