further advisement hast thou not served sin long enough may not the time past in that service serve is it not too much wouldest thou only live unto God as little time as may be and think the dregs of thy life good enough for him what ingratitude and gross folly is this yea though thou wert sure of coming in to him and being accepted yet if thou knowest him in any measure thou wouldest not think it a priviledge to defer it but willingly chuse to be free from the World and thy Lusts to be forthwithal his and wouldest with David make hast and not delay to keep his righteous Iudgments all the time thou livest without him what a filthy wretched life is it if life it can be called that is without him to live to sin is to live still in a dungeon but to live to the will of God is to walk in liberty and light to walk by light unto light by the beginnings of it to the fullness of it that is in his presence Verses 4 5. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead GRace until it reach home and end in glory is still in conflict a restless party within and without the whole World against it it is a stranger here and is accounted and used so they think it strange that you run not with them and they speak evil of you these wondring thoughts they vent in reproaching words In these two verses we have these three things 1. The Christians opposite course to the World 2. Their opposite thoughts and speeches of this course 3. The supream and final Judgement of both 1. The opposite course in that They run to excesses of riot 2. You run not with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riâ—t or luxury though all natural Men are not in the grossest kind guilty of this yet they are all of them some way truly riotous or luxurious lavishing away themselves and their days upon the poor perishing delights of sin each according to his own palate and humour as all persons tâ—at are riotous in the common sense of it gluttons or drunkards do not love the same kind of meats or drink but have several relishes and appetites yet agree in the nature of the sin so the notion enlarged after that same manner to the different custome of corrupt nature takes in all the ways of sin some glutting in and continually drunk with pleasures and carnal enjoyments others with the cares of this life which our Saviour reckons with surfeiting and drunkenness as being a kind of it and surcharging the heart as they do as there he expresses it take hâ—ed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life Whatsoever it is that draws away the heart from God that how plausible soever doth debauch and destroy us we spend and undo our selves upon it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies making havock of all And the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profusion and dissolute lavishing pouring out the affections upon vanity it is scattered and defiled as water spilt on the ground that cannot be cleansed nor gathered up again and it passes all our skill and strength indeed to recover and recollect our hearts for God only he can do it for himself he that made it can gather it and cleanse it and â—ake it new and unite it to himself Oh! what a scatter'd broken unstable thing is the carnal heart till it be changed falling in love with every gay folly it meets withal and running out to rest profusely upon things like its vain self that suit and agree with it and serve its Lusts can dream and muse upon these long enough any thing that â—eeds the earthliness or pride of it can be prodigal of hours and let â—ut floods of thoughts where a little is too much but bounded and pincht where all are too little hath not one fixed thought in a whole day to spare for God And truly this runniâ—g out of the heart is a continual drunkeness and madness is not capable of reason will not be stopt in its current by any perswasion it is mad upon its Idols as the Prophet speaks You may as well speak to a River in its course and bid it stay as speak to an impenitent sinner in the course of his iniquity and all the other means you can use is but as the putting of your finger to a rapid stream to stay it but there is a hand can both stop and turn the most impetuous torrent of the Heart be it even of a King that will least endure any other controulment Now as the ungodly World naturally moves to this profusion with a strong and swift motion runs to it so it runs together to it and that makes the current both the stronger and swifter as a number of Brooks falling into one main Channel make a mighty stream and every man naturally is in his birth and the course of his liâ—e just as a Brook that of it self is carried to that stream of sin that is in the World and then falling into it is carried rapidly along with it And if every sinner taken a part be so inconvertible by all created Power how much more harder a task is a publick Reformation and turning a Land from its course of wickedness all that is set to dam up their way doth at the best but stay them a little and they swell and rise and run over with a noise more violently than if they had not been stopt thus we find outward restraints prove and the very publick Judgements of God on us may have made a little interruption but upon the abatement of them the course of sin in all kinds seems to be now more fierce as it were to regain the time lost in that constrain'd forbearance so that we see the need of much prayer to intreat his powerful hand that can turn the course of Iordan that he would work not a temporary but an abiding change of the course of this Land and cause many Souls to look upon Jesus Christ and flow into him as the word is Ps. 34 5. This is their course but you run not with them The Godly a small and weak company and yet run counter to the grand Torrent of the World just against them and there is a Spirit within them whence that their contrary motion flows and a Spirit strong enough to maintain it in them against all the crowd and combinâ—d course of the ungodly 1 Joh. 4. 4. greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World as Lot in Sodom his righteous Soul not carried with them but vexed with their ungodly doings There is to a Believer the Example of Christ to set against the Example of the World and the
you bear them by his Spirit and his Spirit most fit to support you under them yea to raise you above them they are ignominious and inglorious he is the Spirit of glory they are humane reproaches he the Divine Spirit the Spirit of Glory and of God that is the glorious Spirit of God And this is the advantage the less the Christian finds esteem and acceptance in the World the more he turns inward to see what 's there and there he finds a down weight counterpoise of excellency and glory even in this present condition as the pledge of the glory before him The reproaches be fiery but the Spirit of glory resteth upon you doth not give you a passing visit but stays within you and is indeed yours And in this he can take comfort and let the foul weather blow over let all the scoffs and contempts abroad pass as they come having a glorious Spirit within such a guest honouring him with his presence and abode and sweet fellowship and is indeed one with him So that rich Miser could say when they scorned him in the streets he went home to his bags and huggs himself there at that sight say they what they would How much more reasonably may the Christian say let them revile and bark I have riches and honour enough that they see not And this is it makes the World as they are a malicious party so to be an incompetent Judge of the Christians estate they see the rugged unpleasant outside only the right inside their eye cannot reach We were miserable indeed were our comforts such as they could see And as this is the constant estate of a Christian it is usually most manifested to him in the time of his greatest sufferings then as we said he readily turns inward and sees it most and accordingly finds it most God making this happy supplement and compensation that when they have least of the World they have most of himself when they are most covered with the World's disfavour this favour shines brightest to them as Moses in the Cloud in nearest access and speech with God when the Christian is most clouded with distresses and disgraces then doth the Lord often shew himself most clearly to him If you be indeed Christians you will not be so much thinking at any time how you may be free from all sufferings and despisings but rather how you may go strongly and cheerfully through them so here is the way seek real and firm interest in Christ and participance of Christ's Spirit and then a look to him will make all easie and delightful Thou wilt be ashamed within thy self to start back or give one foot at the encounter of a taunt or reproach for him thou wilt think for whom is it is it not for him who for my sake hid not his face from shame and spitting and further he died now how would I meet death for him that shrink at the blast of a scornful word If you would know whether this his Spirit is and resteth in you it cannot be better known than by that very love ardent love to him and high esteem of him and from thence a willingness yea a gladness to suffer any thing for him 2. This Spirit of Glory sets the heart on glory true glory makes heavenly things excellent in our thoughts and sets the World the better and worse the honour and dishonour of it at a low rate The Spirit of the World is a base ignoble Spirit even the highest pitch of it those that are projecting for Kingdoms these are poor designs to that of the Christian which ascend above all things under the Sun and above the Sun it self and therefore he is not shaken with threats nor taken with offers in these things Excellent is that answer St. Basil gives in the person of those Martyrs to that Emperour as making them as he thought great profers to draw them off why say they doest thou bid us so low as pieces of the World we have learnt to despise it all This is not stupid nor an affected stoutness of Spirit but a humble sublimeness that the natural Spirit of a Man cannot reach unto But wilt thou say still this stops me I do not find this Spirit in me if I did then I think I could be willing to suffer any thing To this for present no more but this dâ—est thou find desire that Christ may be glorified and couldâ—â—â—e content it were by thy suffering in any kind for him as called to it art thou willing to give up thine own interest and study and follow Christ's and that thou mightest sacrifice thine own credit and name to advance his art thou unwilling to do any thing that might dishonour him nor unwilling to suffer any thing might honour him or wouldest thou be thus Then be not disputing but up and walk on in his strength Now iâ— any say but his name is dishonoured by these reproaches true says the Apostle on their part it is so but not on yours They that reproach you do their best to make it reflect on Christ and his cause but thus it is only on their part you are sufferers for his name and so you glorifie it your faith and patience and victory by these do declare the Divine power of grace and the Gospel working They have made torturers ashamed and induced some beholders to share with them Thus though the prophane World intend it as far as they could reach to dishonour the profession of Christ yet it â—â—â—cks not but on the contrary he is glorified by your constancy And as the ignominy fastens not but the glory from the endurance so they are obliged and certainly are ready according to the Apostles zeal verse 16. To glorifie God on this behalf that as he is glorified in them so we may glorifie and bless him that he hath dignified us so that whereas we might have been left to a sad sinking task to have suffered for various guilts our God hath changed the tenure and nature of our sufferings and make them to be for the name of Christ. Thus doth not a spiritual mind swell on a conceit of constancy and courage which is the readiest way of self undoing But acknowledge all gift even suffering To you its given not onlâ— to believe but to suffer and so to bless him on that behalf Oh! this 〈◊〉 grows in suffering so Acts 5. 41. They went away rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Consider it s but a shoâ— while and the wicked and their scoffs shall vanish they shall not be this shame will presently be done and this disgrace is of short date but the glory and Spirit of glory eternal what though thou shouldest be poor and defamed and despised and be the common mark of scorn and all injuries yet 't is hard at the end This is now thy part the scene shall be changed Kings here real ones are in deepest realty but strange
our King can and will hear us when we call and will send relief in due season we may be in apparent hazards but we shall not be wholly vanquisht 't is but crying to him in our greatest streights and help appears the Host of Enemies possibly we see first and that so great that there is no likely escape but then praying we espy the fiery Chariots and Horsemen and may say there are more with us then with them The Apostle St. Paul calls our God the God of all Consolation as here he is stil'd the God of all Grace and this is our rejoycing that in his hand is all good our Sanctification Consolation Assistance and Assurance Grace and Glory and this stile suits most fitly with the present sute that for our perfecting and stablishing and strengthning in Grace we have recourse to the God of all Grace whose former gifts do not discharge us from seeking more but indeed both encourages us and engages him for the perfecting of it It is his will that we have constant recourse to him for all we want he is so rich and withal so liberal that he delights that we seek and draw much from him and 't is by believing and praying that we do draw from him were these plyed we would soon grow richer but remember all this grace that we would receive from the God of all grace it must be from God in Christ there it flows for us thither we are directed it was the Fathers good pleasure that in him should all fulness dwell and that for us that we might know whether to go to Now for the further opening up of his riches exprest in this title the God of all grace is added one great act of grace which doth indeed involve all the rest for we have in it the beginning and end of the work linkt together The first effect of grace upon us in effectual calling and the last accomplishment of it in Eternal Glory Who hath called us to his Eternal Glory For that calling I conceive doth not simply mean the design of the Gospel wherein the outward call lies that it holds forth and sets before us that Glory as the result of Grace But the calling is the real bringing of a Christian to Christ and uniting him with him and so giving him real and firm title to Glory such a call as powerfully works Grace in the Soul and secures Glory to the Soul gives it right to that Inheritance and fits it for it and sometimes gives it even the evident and sweet assurance of it this indeed all the heirs of Glory have not ordinarily within them and scarce any at all times equally clear some travel on in a covert cloudy Day and get home by it having so much light as to know their way and yet do not at all clearly see the Sun shine of clear assurance others have it breaking forth at sometimes and anon under a Cloud and some more constantly But as all meet in the end so all agree in this in the beginning that is the reality of the thing they are made unalterably sure heirs of it in their effectual calling And by this the Apostle advances his suit for their support and establishment and advancement in the way of Grace the way of our calling to so high and happy an Estate did we apply our thoughts more to 't it would work on us and perswade us to a more sutable temper of Mind and course of Life would give us more Noble sublime thoughts and ways above the World and the stronger were our perswasion of it the stronger would be in us such perswasions by it And as thus it would prevail with us so might we use it to prevail with God for all needful Grace All you that hear the Gospel are generally called to this Glory thus it is told you where and how you may lay hold on 't you are told that if you will let go your sins and embrace Jesus Christ this Glory shall be yours it is his purchase and the rights of it sics in him and are not elswhere and right to him is the receiving him for a Saviour and withal for Lord and King to become his Subjects and so be made Kings and this is our message to you and you will not receive it you give it a hearing it may be but do not indeed hearken to the motion and this of necessity must be unbelief were you indeed perswaded that in coming unto Christ you were presently not only set free from a Sentence of Death that is still standing above your head while you are oâ—t of him but with all intitled to a Crown made heirs of a Kingdom an Eternal Kingdom I say if this were believed were it possible to slight him as the most do and turn back the bargain and bestow their money elswhere upon trifles of no value Childrens Commodities rattles and paintted toys such are your greatest projects were it even for Earthly Kingdoms in respect of Christ and this Glory provided in him What a wonder is it that where this happiness is daily proclaimed and not only you are informed of it but intreated to receive it not only is it offered you but prest and urg'd on you and you say you believe the matter and yet the false glory and other vanities of this World amuse and entangle you that you close not with this rich offer of Eternal Glory But they who do it is indeed by a call that goes deeper than the Ear a word spoken home to within a touch of the Spirit of God upon the heart which hath a magnetick vertue to draw it so that it cannot chuse but follow and yet freely and sweetly chuses to follow doth most gladly open to let in Jesus Christ and his sweet Government upon his own terms takes him and all the reproaches and troubles that can come with him and well it may seeing beyond a little passing trouble abiding Eternal Glory The State a Christian is called to 't is not a poor and sad Estate as the World judges it is to no less than Eternal Glory the World thinks strange to see the believer abridge himself the delights of sin their pursuits and graspings of the common World after gains or honours or pleasures of sense and they know not the Infinite gain that he hath made that he hath exchanged this Dross for down weight of pure Gold The World sees what the Chrihian leaves but they see not what he comes to what his new purchase is in another place they see what he suffers but not what he expects and shall attain as the end of these sufferings which will shortly end But he knowing well upon what conditions all these things run he may well say how small is that I forsake how great that which I follow after It is Glory Eternal Glory his Eternal Glory Glory true real glory All that here is so named is no more but a name a Shadow of
IMPRIMATUR Novemb. 25. 1693. Guil. Lancaster R. P. D. Henrico Epis. Lond. Ã Sacris Domesticis A Practical COMMENTARY UPON THE First Epistle General of St. Peter VOL. II. Containing the Third Fourth and Fifth CHAPTERS By the Most Reverend ROBERT LEIGHTON D. D. Some-time Archbishop of Glasgow Published after his death at the request of his Friends LONDON Printed by B. G. for Sam. Keble at the Great Turks-head in Fleet-street over-against Felter-lane MDCXCIV TO THE Christian Reader THE following Discourses of our most Reverend Author contain his judicious and pious Thoughts upon the Third Chapter to the end of the First Epistle of St. Peter which together with the Commentary on the First and Second Chapters published the last year make a compleat and useful Explication of that whole Epistle They might have been all of one Impression and so have come into thy hands at the same time and in one Volume had not some prudent considerations oblig'd us to change the Printer However we have taken care so to print this Second Part that it may conveniently be bound up with the first and there is little loss by the delay but that of time which perhaps is not so much neither but that it may with more profit to thee be happily redeemed I know that some do not relish the phrase and contexture of such Discourses but I am on the other hand assured by others very able and competent judges of such performances that they are highly valuable in their whole scope and tendency for they think that they not only contain the purity of Doctrine according to Scripture but also the life and spirit of Christian Morals and that they happily cement together and bear in upon the heart right notions of God and Religion with solid Piety In a word that as they are written by a Primitive Spirit and in a plain Stile so they may through Gods grace sow the Seeds of Primitive Devotion which is too much worn out in this Age the seat whereof is more in the Heart than in the Head If they serve in any measure those great ends our labour is highly rewarded Let such then as shall reap this benefit by these well designed Papers be pleased to know that it is not so much to me as to the Pious Zeal and Care of our Great and now Blessed Authors surviving Relations that they owe this Happy Enjoyment whose Virtue and Piety afford matter enough for a large Preface if their Modesty did not so awfully restrain my too forward inclinations that I must content my self to say that they now live like him whom they tenderly loved whilst he was amongst them and that as he did so they make it their business to do good without letting the World know of it It has been at their charge and pressing desire that all those papers that are already printed have been copied out prepared for the press and published They neither proposed to themselves nor expect any other advantage but thy Edification and therein the glory of God rich returns indeed and which nothing can rob them of but meerly thy inproficiency and if that happen which God forbid the loss shall be more thine than theirs I was not willing that such good ends should be obstructed by my declining any part of the trouble that fell to my share on the contrary I considered it a Duty I owed first to God and then to the memory of the excellent Author whose divine converse and wonderful example gave me early and powerful Resolutions to dedicate my self to God and the Service of his Church In my performance I have done my best tho short of what I wished to serve thee there remains in our Hands some brief but lively Discourses upon the Epistle to the Ephesians upon the Decalogue the Creed and the Lord's Prayer which possibly may be made publick in a convenient time When this is done I think we have ended all we intend to publish at present Let us therefore set about the reformation of our Lives in the use of these means depending upon God for the success and that he by his free Grace and good Spirit may enable thee and me by this and all other helps which this Age affords to make greater and greater Advances towards Heaven and so to finish our Course with Ioy is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Thy Servant in the Lord I. FALL York March 13 th 1694. Books written by the most Reverend Father in God Robert Leighton D. D. sometimes Archbishop of Glasgow Printed for and are to be Sold by Sam. Keble at the Great Turk's-Head in Fleet-street EIghteen Sermons Printed in 1691 8 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First and Second Chapters of St. Peter by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D. D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1693. 4 o. R mi. D. D. Roberti Leightoni Praelectiones Theologicae in Auditorio publico Academiae Edinburgenae dum Professoris primarii munere ibi fungeretur habitae Vna cum Paraenesibus in Comitiis Academicis ad gradus Magistralis in artibus Candidatos Quibus adjiciuntur Meditationes Ethico Criticae in Psalmos IV. XXXII CXXX 1693. 4 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First Epistle General of St. Peter Vol. II. containing the Third Fourth and Fifth Chapters by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1694. 4 o. ERRATA PAg 16. on the margin for nulla read multa p. 22. l. 22. far very read very far p. 51. l 5. mind read mud p. 61. l. 10. be read the. p. 81. l. 2. re read respect p. 211. l. 1. not be read not to be p. 219. l. 25. caties read Calamities p. 243. l. 16. point it thus we were all sealed to God in Baptism p. 245. l. 1. yea read ye p. 254. l. 20. dele where he reigns p. 261. l. 31. bear read bore p. 277. l. 10. he read the ib. penult it hatest read hatest it p. 281. l. 29. point it thus not to equal that which it were so reasonable c. p. 262 l. 32. their read the. p. 357. l. 21. before you read before you p. 416. l. 14. of the way teaching read the way of teaching p. 441. l. 30 some read foam p. 448. l. 15. turn read turned 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. III. Ver. 1. Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any one obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the Conversation of the Wives THE Tabernacle of the Sun Psal. 19 is set high in the Heavens but 't is that it may have influence below upon the Earth And the Word of God that is spoke of there immediately after as being many wayes like it holds resemblance in this particular 't is a sublime heavenly Light and yet descends in its use to the Lives of Men in the variety of their Stations to warm and to enlighten to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of
of unbelieving Husbands and this we have both in that word their conversation which signifies the whole course and tract of their Lives and in the particular specifying of the several duties proper to that relation and state of Life First Subjection Secondly Chastity Thirdly Fear Fourthly Modesty in outward Ornaments Fifthly The inward Ornaments of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit The combinement of those things makes up such a Wife and the exercise of them throughout her life makes up such a Conversation as adorns and commends the Religion they profess and is a fit and may be a successful means of converting the Husband that as yet professes it not Chaste Conversation It is the proper character of a Christian to study Purity in all things as the word in its extent signifies Let the World turn that to a reproach call them as you will this is sure that none have less fancy and presumption of Purity than these that have most desire of it but the particular pureness here intended is as 't is render'd that of Chastity as the word is oft taken it being a Grace that peculiarly deserves that name as the sins contrary to it are usually and deservedly called Uncleanness 'T is the pure whiteness of the Soul to be chaste to abhor and disdain the swinish puddle of Lust than which there is nothing doth more debase the excellent Soul draws it down below it self and makes it truely brutish The three kinds of Chastity Virginal Conjugal and Vidual are all of them acceptable to God and sutable to the Profession of a Christian therefore in general only whatsoever be our condition of Life let us in that way conform to it follow the Apostles Rule possessing those our earthen Vessels our bodies in Holiness and Honour by which there is express'd this same Chastity And this we shall do if we rightly remember our Calling as Christians in what sort of life soever as there he tells us That God hath not called us to Vncleanness but unto Holiness With Fear Either a reverent respect to their Husbands or the fear of God whence flows best both that and all other observance whether of Conjugal or any other Christian Duties be not presumptuous as some because you are chaste but contemper your Conversation that way with a religious fear of God that you dare not take liberty to offend him in any other thing and according to his institution with a reverent fear of your Husbands shunning to offend them but possibly this fear doth particularly relate to this other duty with which its joyn'd chaste Conversation with fear fearing the least stain of Chastity or the very least appearance of any thing not suiting with it 't is a delicate timerous Grace affraid of the least air or shadow of any thing that hath but a resemblance of wronging it in carriage or speech or apparel as follows Verses 3 4. 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of apparel 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price THat nothing may be wanting to the qualifying of a Christian Wife she is taught how to dress her self supposing a general desire but especially in that Sex of Ornament and Comeliness the Sex that began first our engagement to the necessity of cloathing having still a peculiar propension to be curious in that and to improve the necessity to an advantage The direction here given corrects the misplacing of this diligence and addresses it right i. e. Let it not be of the outward Man in plaiting c. Our perverse crooked hearts turn all we use into disorder these two necessities of our Life Food and Rayment how few know the right measure and bounds of them unless Poverty be our Carver and cut us short who almost is there that is not bent to something excessive far more are beholding to the lowliness of their estate than to the lowliness of their mind for sobriety in those things and yet some will not be so bounded neither but will profusely lavish out upon Trifles to the sensible prejudice of their Estate 'T is not my purpose nor do I think it very needful to debate many particulars of Apparel and Ornament of the Body their lawfulness or unlawfulness only First 'T is out of doubt that though cloathing was first drawn on by necessity yet all regard of Comeliness and Ornament in Apparel is not unlawful nor doth the Apostle's expression here rightly considered fasten that upon the adorning he here speaks of and he doth no more universally condemn the use of Gold for Ornament than he doth any other comely Rayment which here he means by that general Word of putting on of Apparel for his not is comparative not this Adorning but the Ornament of a meek Spirit that rather and as much more comely and precious as that I will have mercy and not sacrifice Secondly According to the different place and quality of Persons there may be difference in this Thus the Robes of Judges and Princes are not only for personal Ornament but because there is in them especially to vulgar eyes that seldom look deeper than the outside of things there is I say in that Apparel a representment of Authority or Majesty that befits their place and besides this in other Persons that are not in Publick Place Men or Women that are here particularly directed yet may have in this some mark of their Rank and in Persons otherways little distant some allowance may be made for the Habitudes and Breeding of some beyond others or the quality of their Society and those with whom they converse Thirdly 'T is not impossible that there may be in some an affected Pride in the meaness of Apparel and in others under either neat or rich attire a very humble unaffected mind using it upon some of the aforemention'd engagements or such like and yet the heart not at all upon it Fourthly 'T is as sure as any of these that real excess and vanity in Apparel will creep in and will always willingly convey it self under the cloak of some of these honest and lawful Considerations This is a prime peice of our hearts deceit not only to hold out fair Pretences to others but to put the trick upon our selves to make our selves believe we are right and single minded in those things wherein we are directly seving our Lusts and feeding our own Vanity Fifthly To a sincere and humble Christian very little either dispute or discourse in this will be needful a tender Conscience and a Heart purg'd from Vanity and weaned from the World will be sure to regulate this and all other things of this nature after the safest manner and will be wary 1. Of Lightness and fantastick garb in Apparel which is the very Bush
Fountain of Harmony it cuts the sinews and strength of Prayer makes breaches and gaps as wounds at which the spirits fly out as the cutting of a vein by which as they speak it bleeds to death When the Soul is calm and compos'd it may behold the Face of God shining on it and they that pray together should not only have hearts in tune within themselves in their own frame but tun'd together especially Husband and Wife that are one they should have hearts consorted and sweetly tun'd to each other for prayer So the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. 18. 19. And 't is generally true that all unwary walking in a Christian wrongs their communion with Heaven and casts a damp upon their Prayers clogs the Wings of it these two mutually help one another Prayer and holy Conversation the more exactly we walk the more fit for prayer and the more we pray the more enabled to walk exactly and 't is a happy lâ—â—e to find the correspondence of these two calling on the Lord and departing from iniquity Therefore that you may pray much live holily and that you may live holily be much in prayer surely such are the heirs of Glory and this is their way to it Verse 8. Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous HEre the particular Rules the Apostle gives to several Relations fall in again to the main current of his general Exhortation that concerns all us Christians The return of his discourse to this universality is express'd in that finally and the universality of these duties all 'T is neither possible nor convenient to descend to every particular but there is suppos'd in a Christian an ingenuous and prudent spirit to adapt those general Rules to their particular Actions and Conversation squaring by them before hand and examining by them after and yet herein the most fail hear these as general discourses and let them pass so apply them not or if they do 't is readily to some other but they are address'd to all that each one may regulate himself by them and so these Divine Truths as a well drawn Picture looks particularly upon every one amongst the great Multitude that look upon it And this one Verse hath a cluster of five Christian Graces or Vertues That which is in the middle as the stalk or root of the rest Love and the other growing out of it two on each side Vnanimity and Sympathyâ— on the one and Pity and Courtesie on the other but we shall take them as they lie Of one mind This doth not only mean Union in Judgment but it extends likewise to Affection and Action especially in so far as they relate to and depend upon the other And so I conceive it comprehends in its full latitude an harmony and agreement of minds and affections and carriage in Christians as making up one body and a serious study of preserving and increasing that agreement in all things but especially in spiritual things in which their Communion doth primely consist And because in this the consent of their Judgments in matters of Religion is a prime point therefore we will consider that a little more particularly And First What it is not 1. 'T is not a careless indifferency concerning those things not to be troubled about them at all nor to make any judgment concerning them this is not a loving agreement arising from oneness of spirit but a dead stupidity arguing a total spiritlessness as the agreement of a number of dead bodies together which indeed do not strive and conâ—â—st that is they move not at all and that is they live not So that concor'd in things of Religion that iâ— a not considering them nor acting of the mind about them is either the fruit and sign of gross ignorance or irreligion they that are wholly ignorant of spiritual things are content you determine and impose upon them what you will as in the dark there is no difference nor choice of colours they are all one But 2. which is worse in some this peaceableness about Religion is from an universal unbelief and inaffection and that sometimes comes of the mâ—ch search and knowledge of debatâ—s and controversies in Religion men having so many disputes about Religion in their Heads and no Life of Religion in their Hearts fall into a conceit that all is but juggling and the easiest is to believe nothing and these agree with any or rather with none sometimes 't is from a prophane supercilious disdain of all these things and many therebe of these of Gallio's temper that care for none of these things and that account all Questions in Religion as he did but matter of Words and Names And by this all Râ—ligions may agree together but it were not a natural Union by the active heat of the Spirit but a confusion rather by the want of it not a knitting together but a freezing together as cold congregates all how heterogeneous soever Sticks and Stones and Water but heat makes first a separation of different things and then unites those that are of the same Nature And to one of these two is reducible much of the common quietness of Peoples Minds about Religion all that implicite Romish agreement that they boast of what is it but a brutish ignorance of spiritual things authoriz'd and recommended for that very purpose and amongst the learned of them as many idle differences and disputes as among any 'T is an easie way indeed to agree if all will put out their eyes and follow the blind guiding of their Judge of controversies this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their great device for Peace to let the Pope determine all Iâ— all will resolve to be cozen'd by him he will agree them all as if the Consciences of Men should only find Peace by being led by the nose at one man's pleasure a way the Apostle â—aul clearly renounces 2 Cor. 1. 24. Not for that we have Dominion over your Faith but are helpers of your joy for by Faith ye stand And though we have escaped this yet much of our common union of minds I fear is from no other than the aforementioned causes want of knowledge and want of affection to Religion You that boast you live conformably to the Appointments of the Church and none hears of your noise we may thank the ignorance of your minds for that kind of quietness but this requir'd unanimity is another thing and before I unfold it I shall premise this That although it be very difficult and it may be impossible to determine what things are alone â—undamental in Religion under the notion of difference intended by that word yet it is undoubted that there be some Truths more absolutely necessary and therefore accordingly more clearly revealed than some others there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great things of the Law and so of the Gospel And though no part of Divine
Truth once fully clear'd oughâ— to be slighted yet there are things that may be true and yet are but of less importancâ— and of less evidence than others And that this difference is wisely to be consider'd by Christians for the interest of this agreement of Minds here recommâ—nded and concerning it we may safely conclude 1. That Christians ought to have a clear and unanimous belief of the mysteries and principlâ—s oâ— Faith to agree in those without controversie 2. They ought to be diligent in the research of Truth in all things that concern Faith and Religion and withal to use all due means for the fullest consent and agreement in them all that possibly can be attained 3. Perfect and universal consent in all after all industry bestow'd on 't for any thing we know is not â—ere attainable neither betwixt all Chuâ—ches nor all Persons in one and the same Church And therefore though Church Meetings and Synods as the fittest and effectuallest way to this Unity should endeavour to bring the Church to the fullest agreement that may be yet they should beware least the straining it too high in all things rather break it and an over diligence in appointing Uniformities remove them further from it leaving a latitude and indifferency in things capable of it is often a stronger preserver of Peace and Unity But this by the way We will rather give some few Rules that may be of use to every particular Christian toward this common Christian good of Unity of Mind 1. Beware of two extreams that often cause divisions captivity to Custom on the one hand and affectation of Novelty on the other 2dly Labour for a stay'd Mind that will not be toss'd with every wind of Doctrine or appearance of Reason as some that as Fanes easily are blown to any side with mistakes of the Scriptures either arising in their own minds or suggested by others 3dly In unclear and doubtful things be not pertinacious as the weakest minds are readiest to be upon â—â—eming Reason which try'd will possibly fall to nothing yet they are most assur'd and cannot suffer a different thought in any from their own there is naturally this Popeness in every mans mind and most I say in the shallowest a kind of fancy'd Infallibility in themselves which makes them contentious contrary to the Apostles Rule Phil. 2. 3. And as earnest upon differing in the smallest Punctilio as in a high Article of Faith Stronger Spirits are usually more patient of contradiction and less violent especially in doubtful things and they that see furthest are least peremptory in their determinations The Apostle to Timothy 2 Ep. 1. chap. hath a Word the Spirit of a sound Mind 't is a good sound constitution of mind not to feel every blast either of seeming reason to be taken with it or of cross opinion to be offended at it 4thly Joyn that which is there the Spirit of Love in this particular Not at all abating affection for every light difference and this the most are a little to blame in whereas the abundance of that should rather fill up the gap of these petty disagreements that they do not appear nor be at all sensibly to be found No more disaffection ought to follow this than the difference of our Faces and Complexions or feature of Body which cannot be found in any two alike in all things And these things would be of easier perswasion if we consider'd 1. How supple and flexible a thing Humane Reason is and therefore not lightly to be trusted to and that especially in Divine â—hings for we here know but in part 2. The small importance of some things that have bred much noise and dissention in the World as the Apostle speaks of the Tongue how little a sparke how great a fire will it kindle and a great many of these debates that cost men so mâ—ch pains and time as far from clear decision as when they began and possibly of so little moment that if they were ended their profit would not quit the cost 3. Consider the strength of Christian Charity that if it dwelt much in our hearts would preserve this Union of Mind amidst very many different thoughts such as they may be and would teach us that Excellent Lesson the Apostle gives to this purpose Phil 3. 15 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Let us follow our Lord unanimously in what he hath clearly manifested to us and given us with one consent to embrace as the Spheres notwithstanding each one hath his particular motion yet all are wheel'd about together with the first And that leads us to consider the further extent of this word to agree in Heart and in Conversation walking by the Rule of those undoubted Truths we have receiv'd And in this I shall recommend these two things to you 1. In the defence of the Truth as the Lord shall call us let us be of one Mind and all as one Man Satan acts by that Maxime and his Followers have it all divide and conquer and therefore let us hold that counter Maxime Vnion invincible 2. In the Practice of that Truth agree as one let your Conversation be uniform by being squared to that one Rule and in all Spiritual Exercises joyn as one be of one Heart and Mind would not our Publick Worship think you prove much more both comfortable and profitable if our hearts mâ—t in it as one that we could say of our hearing the Word as he Acts 10. We are all here present before God to hear all things c. And if our Prayers ascended up as one Pillar of Incense to the Throne of Grace if they besieg'd it as an Army all surrounding it together for the obtainment of favour to our selves and the Church This is much with God the consent of hearts petitioning so says our Saviour Where two or three are gathered not their bodies within the same Walls only for so they are but so many Carkasses tumbled together and the promise of his being amongst us not made to that for he is the God of the Living and not of the Dead 't is the Spirit of darkness that abides amongst the Tombs and Graves but gathered in my name one in that one holy name written upon their hearts and uniting them and so thence express'd in their joynt-Services and Invocations so he says there of them who agree upon any thing they shall ask if all their hearts present and hold it up together if they make one cry or song of it that harmony of their hearts shall be sweet in the Lord's ears and shall draw a gâ—acious answer out of his hand if ye agree your joynt petitions shall be as it were an arrest or decree that shall stand
in Heaven it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven But alas where is ours The greatest part of Hearts say nothing and others with such wavering and such a jarring harsh noise being out of tune earthly too low set that they spoil all and disappoint the Answers Were the Censer fill'd with those united Prayers Heaven-wards it would be fill'd with Fire Earth-wards against the Enemies of the Church And in your private Society seek unanimously your own and each anothers Spiritual Good not only agreeing in your affairs and civil converse but having one heart and mind as Christians to eat and drink together if no more is such Society as Beasts may have to do these in the excess to guzzle and drink intemperately together is a Society woâ—se than that of Beasts and below them to discourse together of civil business is to converse as men but the peculiar converse of Christians in that notion as born again to Immortality an unfading Inheritance above is to further one another towards that to put one another in mind of Heaven and things that are Heavenly And 't is strange that men that profess to be Christians when they meet either fill one anothers ears with Lies and prophane Speeches or with Vanities and Trifles or at the best with the Affairs of Earth and not a word of those things that should most possess the Heart and where the minds should be most set but are ready to reproach and taunt any such thing in others What are you asham'd of Christ and Râ—ligion Why do you profess it then Is there such a thing think ye as Communion of Saints if not why say you believe it 'T is a Truth think of it as you will the Publick Ministry will profit little any where where a People or some part of them are not thus one and do not live together as of one mind and use diligently all due means of edifying one another in their holy Faith How much of the primitive Christians praise and profit is involv'd in the word they were together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord with one mind and so they grew the Lord added to the Church Consider 1. How the Wicked are one in their ungodly Designs and Practices the Scales of Leviathan as Luther expresses are linkt together shall not the Lord's Followers be one in him They unite to undermine the Peace of the Church shall not the Godly joyn their Prayers to countermine them 2. There is in the Heart of all the Saints one Spirit how can they be but one since they have the same purpose and journey tend to the same home and why shall they not walk together in that way When they shall arrive there they shall be fully one and of one mind not a jar nor difference all their Harps perfectly in tune to that one new Song Having Compassion This testifies that 't is not a bare speculative agreement of opinions that is the badge of Christian Unity for this may accidentally be where there is no further Union but that they are themselves one have one life in that they feel how it is one with another there is a living sympathy amongst them as making up one Body animated with one Spirit for that 's the reason why the Members of the Body have that mutual feeling even the remotest and distantest and the most excellent with the meanest this the Apostle urges at large Rom. 12. 4. and 1 Cor. 12. And this lively Sense is in every living Member of the Body of Christ towards the whole and towards each other particular part This makes a Christian rejoyce in the welfare and good of another as if it were his own and feel their griefs and distresses as if himself were really sharer in them for the word comprehends all feeling together feeling of jâ—y as well as of grief Heb. 13. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 26. And always where there is most of Grace and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ there is most of this Sympathy The Apostle St. Paul as he was eminent in all Grace had a large Portion of this 2 Cor. 11. 29. And if this ought to be in reference to their outward condition much more in spiritual things rejoycing at the increases and flourishing of Grace in others That base envy that dwells in the hearts of rotten Hypocrites that would have all ingross'd to themselâ—es argues that they move not further than the compass of self that the pure love of God and the sincere love of their Brethren flowing from it is not in them but when the heart can unfeigneâ—ly rejoyce in the Lords bounty to others and the lustre of Grace in others far out-shining their own truly 't is an evidence that what Grace such a one hath is upright and good and that the law of Love is engraven in their hearts And where that is there will be likewise on the otherside a compassionate tender sense of the infirmities and frailties of their Brethren Whereas some accouâ—t it a sign of much advancement and spiritual proficiency to be able to sit upon the qualifications and actions of othâ—rs and to lavish out severe censures round about them to sentence one weak and of poor abilities and another proud and lofty and a third covetous c. And thus to go on in a Censor-like-magisterial strain it were truly an evidence of more Grace not to get upon the Bench to judge them but sit down rather and mourn for them when they are manifestly and reaâ—ly faulty and for their ordinary infirmiâ—ies to consider and bear them These are the characters we find in the Scriptures of stronger Christians Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 1. This holy and humble sympathy argues indeed a strong Christian and nothing truly as one says shews a spiritual Man so much as the dealing with another Mans sin far will he be from the ordinary way of insulting and trampling upon the weak or using rigour and bitterness even against some gross falls of a Christian but will rather vent his compassion in tears than his passion in fiery raylings will bewail the frailty of Man and or dangerous condition in this Life amidst so many snares and tentations and such strong and subtle enemies 2dly As this sympathy works to particular Christians in their several conditions so by the same reason it acts and acts more eminently towards the Church and the publick Affairs that concern its good And this is it that we find hath breath'd forth from the hearts of the Saints in former times in so many pathetical complaints and Prayers for Sion Thus David in his saddest times when he might seem most dispensable to forget other things and be wholly taken up with lamenting his own fall Psal. 51. yet even there he leaves not out the Church ver 17. in thy good pleasure do good to Zion And his heart broken all to pieces yet the very pieces cry no less for the building of
that for Cry in the Psalm do mean and in that sense the Lord's open ear and hearkning hath in it his readiness to answer as one that doth hear and to answer graciously and really as hearing favourably Some directions 1. For Prayer that it may be accepted and answered 2. For observing the answers of it 1. For Prayer the qualification of the Heart that offers it 2. The way of offering it The Heart 1. In some measure a holy Heart according to that here the Righteous no regarding iniquity entertaining of friendship with any sin but a permanent ove and desire of Holiness Thus indeed a man prays within himself as in a sanctified Place whither the Lord's ear inclines as of old to the Temple need not run superstitiously to a Church c. intra te ora sed vide prius an sis templum Dei The sanctified Man's Body is the Temple of the holy Ghost as the Apostle speaks and his Soul the Priest in it that offers sacrifice both holy to the Lord consecrated to him a believing Heart no praying without this Faith the very life of Prayer whence springs Hope and Comfort with it to uphold the Soul and keep it steady under storms with the promises and as Aaron and Hur to Moses keeping it from fainting strengthening the hands when they would begin to fail that word Psal. 10. 17. for the preparing of the heart which God gives as an assurance and pledge of his inclining his ear to hear signifies the establishing of the Heart that indeed is a main point of its preparedness and due disposition for Prayer Now this is done by Faith without which the Soul as the Apostle St. Iames speaks is a rolling unquiet thing as a Wave of the Sea of it self unstable as the Waters and then driven with the Wind and tossed too and fro with every tentation see and feel thine own unworthiness as much as thou canst for thou art never bid believe in thy self no but countermanded that as Faith's great Enemy but what hath thy unworthiness to say against free promises of Grace which are the basis of thy Faith so then believe that that you may pray this is David's advice Ps. 62. Trust in him at all times ye people and then pour out your hearts before him confide in him as a most faithful and powerful Friend and than you will open your hearts to him 2. For the way of offering up prayer 't is a great art a main part of the secret of Religion to be skill'd in it and of great concern for the comfort and success of it much here to be considered but for the present briefly 1. Offer not to speak to him without the heart in some measure season'd and prepossess'd with the sense of his Greatness and Holiness and there is much in this considering wisely to whom we speak the King the Lord of Glory and setting the Soul before him in his presence and then reflecting on our selves and seeing what we are how wretched and base and filthy and unworthy of such access to such a Great Majesty the want of this preparing of the heart to speak in the Lord's ear by the consideration of God and our selves is that which fills the exercise of prayer with much guiltiness makes the heart careless and slight and irreverent and so displeases the Lord and disappoints our selves of that comfort in prayer and answers of it that otherwise we would have more experience of We rush in before him with any thing provided we can tumble out a few words and do not weigh these things and compose our hearts with serious thoughts and conceptions of God The Soul that studies and endeavours this most hath much to do to attain to any right apprehensions of him for how little know we of him yet should we at least set our selves before him as the purest and greatest Spirit a Being infinitely more Excellent than our Minds or any Creature can conceive this would fill the Soul with awe and reverence and balast it make it go more even through the exercise to consider the Lord as that Prophet saw him sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right Hand and on his left and thy self a defiled Sinner coming before him as a vile Frog creeping out of some Pool how would this fill thee with holy Fear Oh! His greatness and our baseness and Oh! the distance This is Solomon's advice be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few This would keep us from our ordinary bablings that heart nonsense tho' the words be sense yet through the inattention of the heart are but as impertinent confus'd Dreams in the Lord's ears as there follow v. 3. 2. When thou addressest thy self to prayer desire and depend upon the assistance and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God without which thou art not able truly to pray 't is a supernatural work and therefore the principle of it must be supernatural He that hath nothing of the Spirit of God cannot pray at all he may howle as a Beast in his necessity or distress or may speak words of Prayer as some Birds learn the Language of Men but pray he cannot and they that have that Spirit ought to seek the movings and actual workings of it in them in Prayer the particular help of their infirmities teaching both what to ask a thing that of our selves we know not and then enabling them to ask breathing forth their desires in such sighs and groans as the breath not simply of their own but of God's Spirit 3dly As those two before it so in the exercise of it you should learn to keep a watchful eye over your own hearts throughout for every step of the way that they start not out by the keeping up of a continued remembrance of that presence of God which in the entry of the work is to be set before the eye of the Soul and our endeavour ought to be to six it upon that view that it turn not aside nor downwards but from beginning to end keep sight of him who sees and marks whether we do so or no. They that are most inspective and watchful in this will still be faulty in it but certainly the less watchful the more faulty and this we ought to do to be aspiring daily to more stability of mind in prayer and driving out somewhat of that roving and wandring that is so universal an Evil and certainly so grievous to those that have it most but that observe and discover it most and endeavour most against it A strange thing that the mind even the renewed mind should be so ready not only at other times but in the exercise of Prayer wherein we peculiarly come so near to God yet even then to slip out and leave him and follow some
and Body do not and possibly cannot well joyn with it Fears and Loves and Trusts in him which properly the outward Man cannot do tho' it does follow and is acted by these affections and so hath share in them in its capacity Beware of an external superficial sanctifying of God for he takes it not so he will interpret that a prophaning of him and his name be not deceived he is not mocked he looks through all Visages and Appearances in upon the Heart â—ees how it entertains him and stands affected to him if it be possess'd with reverence and love more than either thy tongue or carriage can express and if it be not so all thy seeming-worship is but injury and thy speaking of him iâ— but babling be thy Discourse never so Excellent and the more thou hast seemed to sanctifie God while thy heart hath not been chief in the business thou shalt not by such service have the less but the more fear and trouble in the day of trouble when it comes upon thee No estate so far off from true consolation and so full of horrors as that of the rotten-hearted Hypocrite his rotten Heart is sooner shakt to pieces than any other If you would have heart-peace in God you must have this heart sanctifying of him 'T is the heart that is vex'd and troubled with fears the disease is there and if the prescribed remedy reach not thither 't will do no good but let your hearts sanctifie him and then he shall fortifie and establish your hearts This sanctifying of God in the Heart composes the Heart and frees it from fears 1. In general the turning of the Heart to consider and regard God takes its off from those vain empty windy things that are the usual causes and matter of its fears it feeds on wind and therefore the bowels are tormented within the Heart is subject to disturbance because it lets out it self to such things and lets in such things into it self as are ever in motion and full of instability and restlesness and so cannot be at quiet till God come in and cast out these to keep the Heart within that it wander out no more to them 2. The particulars of Fear and Faith work particularly in this 1. That Fear as greatest overtops and nullifies all losser fears the Hearâ— possess'd with this fear hath no room for the other it resolves the Heart in point of duty what it should and must do not offend God by any means lays that down as indisputable and so eases it of doubtings and debates in that kind whether shall I comply with the World and abate somewhat of the sincerity and exact way of Religion to please Men or to escape persecution or reproaches no 't is unquestionably best and only necessary to obey him rather than Men to retain his favour be it with displeasing the most respected and considerable Persons we know yea rather chuse the universal and highest displeasure of all the World for ever than his smallest discountenance for a moment counts that the only indispensible necessity to cleave unto God and obey him If I pray I shall be accused might Daniel think but yet pray I must come on 't what will so if I worship God in my Prayer they will mock me I shall pass for a Fool no matter for that it must be done I must call on God and strive to walk with him this puts the mind to an ease not to be hanging betwixt two but resolv'd what to do we are not careful said they to answer thee O King our God can deliver us but however this we have put out of deliberation we will not worship the Image As one said non oportet vivere sed oportet navigare 't is not necessary to have the Favour of the World nor to have Riches nor to Live but 't is necessary to hold fast the Truth and to walk Holily to sanctifie the name of our Lord and Honour him whether in Life or Death 2. Faith in God clears the mind and dispels carnal fears the most sure help what time I am afraid says David I will trust in thee It resolves the mind concerning the event and scatters the multitude of perplexing thoughts that arise about that what shall become of this and that what if such an enemy prevail what if the place of our abode grow dangerous and we be not provided as others are for a removal no matter says Faith though all fail I know of one thing will not I have a Refuge that all the strength of Nature and Art cannot break in upon or demolish a high Defence my Rock in whom I trust c. Psal. 62. 5 6. The firm belief of and resting on his Power and Wisdom and Love gives a clear satisfying answer to all doubts and fears It suffers us not to stand to jangle with each triffling grumbling objection but carries all before it makes day in the Soul and so chases away those fears that vex us only in the dark as affrightful fancies do This is indeed to sanctifie God and give him his own Glory to rest on him and it is a fruitful homage done to him returning us so much Peace and Victory over Fears and Troubles perswades us that nothing can separate from his Love and that only we fear'd and so the things that cannot reach that can be easily despised Seek to have the Lord in your Hearts and sanctifie him there he shall make them strong and carry them through all dangers though I walk says David through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no ill for thou art with me Psal. 23. so Psal. 27. 1. What is it makes the Church so firm and stout though the Sea roar and the Mountains be cast into the midst of the Sea yet we will not fear that 's it God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved No wonder he immoveable and therefore doth establish all where he resides If the World in the middle of the Heart it will be often shaken for all there is continual motion and change but God in it keeps it stable Labour to get God into your Hearts residing in the midst of them and then in the midst of all Conditions they shall not move In your hearts Our condition universally exposed to search and troubles and no man so stupid but studies and projects for some Fence against them some Bulwark to break the incursion of Evils and so put his mind to some ease ridding it of the fear of them thus the most vulgar Spirits in their way for even the Brutes from whom such do not much differ in their actings and course of Life too are instructed by Nature to provide themselves and their young Ones of Shelters and the Birds their Nests and the Beasts their Holes and Dens Thus men gape and pant after gain with a confus'd ill-examin'd fancy of quiet and safety in it once to reach such a day as
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an account of words and if for idle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worklets words how much more of lying or biting words Learn more humility and self-censure blunt that fire-edge upon your own hardand disordered hearts that others may meet with nothing but charity and lenity at your hands But particularly beware this in more or less earnest or in jest to reproach Religion or those that profess it know how particularly the glorious name of God is interess'd in that and they that dare to be assronting him what shall they say how shall they stand when he calls them to account If you have not attained to it yet do not bark against it but the rather esteem highly of Religion love it and the very appearance of it where you fâ—â—d it give it respect and your good word at least and from an external approbation Oh! that you would aspire to inward acquaintance with it and then no more were needful to be said in this it would commend it self to you sufficiently but in the mean time be ashamed be 〈◊〉 of that prosess'd enmâ—y against God that is amongst you a malignant hateful Spirit against those that desire to walk holily whetting your Tongues against them 1. Consider What do you mean this Religion we all profess is it the way to Heaven or is it not do you believe this word or no If you do not what do you here If you do then you must believe too that they that walk closest by this Rule are surest in that way they that dare not share with your Oaths and excessive Cups and prophane Conversation what can you say it is not possible to open your mouth against them without renouncing this Word and Faith Therefore either declare you are no Christians and Christ not yours or in his name I enjoyn you that you dare no more speak an ill word of Christianity and the power of Religion and those that seek after it There be not many higher signs of a reprobate Mind than to have a bitter virulent Spirit against the Children of God Seek that tie of affection and fraternity for hereby we know says the beloved Apostle St. Iohn that we are translated from death to life because we love the Brethren But because those hissings are the natural Voice of the Serpents Seed expect them you that have a mind to follow Christ and take this guard against them that is here directed you having a good Conscience 'T is a fruitless verbal debate whether Conscience be a Faculty or Habit or not and as in other things so in this that most of all reqaires more solid and useful Consideration the vain mind of man feedeth on the wind loves to be busie to no purpose How much better is it to have this supernatural goodness of Conscience than to dispute about the Nature of it to find it duely teaching and admonishing reproving and comforting rather than to define it most exactly When all is examin'd 't will be found to be no other but the mind of man under the Notion of a particular Reference to himself and his own Actions And there is a twofold goodness of the Conscience Purity and Tranquillity and this flows from the other so that the former is the thing we ought primely to study and the latter will follow of it self for a time indeed the Conscience that is in a good measure pure may be unpeaceable but still it is the apprehension and sense of present or former impurity that makes it so for without the consideration of guiltiness there is nothing that can trouble it it cannot apprehend the wrath of God but with relation unto sin The Goodness of Conscience here recommended is the integrity and holiness of the whole inward Man in a Christian so the Ingredients of it are 1. A due Light or Knowledge of our Rule that as the Lamps in the Temple must be still burning within as filthiness is always the companion of darkness therefore if you would have a good Conscience you must by all means have so much Light so much Knowledge of the Will of God as may regulate you and shew you your way teach you how to do and speak and think as in his presence 2. A constant regard and using of this Light applying it to all not sleeping but working by it still seeking a nearer conformity with the known will of our God daily redressing and ordering the affections by it not sparing to knock off whatsoever we find irregular within that our hearts may be polish'd and brought to a right Frame by that Ruiâ— and this is the daily inward Work of the Christian his great business to purifie himself as his Lord is pure And 3. For the advancing of this work is needful a frequent search of our Hearts and of our Actions not only to consider what we are to do but what we have done these reflex inquiries as they are a main part of the Conscience's proper work they are a chief means of making and keeping the Conscience good 1 Acquainting the Soul with its own estate with the motions and inclinations that are most natural to it 2. Stirring it up to work out and purge away by repentance the pollution it hâ—th contracted by any outward act or inward motion of sin 3. This search both excites and enables the conscience to be more watchful teaches how to avoid and prevent the like errors for the time to come as natural wise Men labour to gain thus out of their former oversight in their affairs to be the wiser and warier by them and lay up that as bought wit that they have payed dear for and therefore are careful to make their best advantage on 't God makes the consideration of their falls preservatives to his Children from falling makes a medicine of this poyson Thus that the Conscience may be good it must be enlighten'd and it must be watchful both advising before and after censuring according to that light The most little regard this they walk by guess either ignorant Consciences and the blind you say swallow many a fly yea how many Consciences without sense as feared with an hot Iron stupified that feel nothing others satisfied with a civil righteousness an imagin'd goodness of conscience because they are free from gross crimes others that know the rule of Christianity yet study not a conscientiou respect to it in all things some transient looks upon the rule and their own hearts it may be but sit not down make it not their business have time for any thing but that share not with St. Paul do not exercise themselves in this to have a conscience void of offence towards God and Men. Those were his asceticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he breath'd himself in striving against what might defile the Conscience or as the word signifies elaborately wrought and dress'd his conscience Think you that other things cannot be done without diligence and
whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ. THere is nothing that so much concerns a Christian to know as the excellency of Jesus Christ his Person and Works so that it is always pertinent to insist much on that Subject The Apostle having spoken of this Spirit or Divine Nature and the power of it raising him from the Dead takes occasion to speak of another work of that Spirit to wit the emission and publishing of his Divine Doctrine and that not as a new thing following his Death and Rising but as the same in substance by the same Spirit promulgate long before even to the first Inhabitants of the World Quickned by the Spirit that is in our days says the Apostle but then long before that by the same Spirit he went and preached to the Spirits that were in Prison This place is somewhat obscure in it self as it usually falls but made more so by the various fancies and contests of Interpreters aiming or pretending to clear it these I like never to make a noise of That dream of the descent of Christs Soul into Hell though they that are in it think this place founds somewhat that way yet it proves being examined no way sutable cannot by the strongest wresting be drawn to fit their purpose For 1. That it was to preach that he went thither they are not willing to avow though the end they give it is as groundless and imaginary as this is 2. They would have his business to be with the Spirits of the Faithful deceased before his coming here we see it s with the disobedient 3. And his Spirit here is the same with the sense of the foregoing words which means not his Soul but his eternal Deity 4. nor is it the Spirits that were in Prison as they read it but the Spirits in Prison which by the opposition of their former condition sometimes or formerly disobedient doth clearly speak their present condition as the just consequent and fruit of their disobedience Other misinterpretations I mention not taking it as agreeable to the whole strain of the Apostles words That Jesus Christ did before his appearing in the Flesh speak by his Spirit in his Servants to those of the foregoing Ages yea the Antientest of them declaring to them the way of life though rejected by the unbelief of the most part This is interjected in the mentioning of Christs sufferings and exaltment after them And after all the Apostle returns â—to that again and to exhortation which he strengthens by it But so as this discourse taken in is pertinently adapted to the present Subject The Apostles aim in it we may conceive to be this his main scope being to encourage his Brethren in the faith of Christ and way of holiness against all opposition and hardship so to instruct his Brethren in Christ's perpetual influence into his Church in all Ages even before his Incarnation as that they see withal the great unbelief of the World yea their opposing of Divine Truth and the small number of those that receive it and so not be discouraged by the fewness of their number and the hatred of the World finding that Salvation in Jesus Christ dead and risen again which the rest miss off by their own wilful refusal And this very point he insists on clearly in the following Chap. ver 3. 4. And those very ways of ungodliness there specified which Believers renounce was those that the World was guilty of in these days and in which they were surprised by the flood they Eat and Drank till the flood came upon them In the words of these three Verses we have three things 1. An assertion concerning the preaching of Christ and the persons he preacht to 2. The designment and dâ—scription of the time or age wherein that was and the particular way of God's dealing with them 3. The adapting or applying of the example to Christians The first in these words which I take together By thee which Spirit he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison which sometime were disobedient In these words we have a Preacher and his hearers Of the Preacher we shall find here 1. His ability 2. His activity in the use of it His ability altogether singular and matchless the very Spring of all abilities the Spirit of wisdome himself being the co-eternal Son of God That Spirit he preacht by was it by which he raised himself from the dead and without this Spirit there is no preaching Now he was as our Apostle calls him a Preacher of righteousness but it was the power of this Spirit for in him did this Spirit Preach The Son is the wisdom of the Father his Name is the Word not only for that by him all things were created as Iohn hath it the Son that power by which as by the word of his mouth all things were made but the Word likewise as revealing him declaring to us the counsel and will of God therefore by the same Evangelist in the same place called that light that illuminates the World without which Man called the lesser World the intellectual World were as the greater World without the Sun and all that bring aright the Doctrine of saving wisdom derive it necessarily from him all Preachers draw from this Soveraign Preacher as the Fountain of Divine light as all the Stars receive their light from the Sun and by that diffusing amongst them it is not diminisht in the Sun but only communicated to them remaining still full and entire in it as its source so doth the Spirit flow from Christ in a particular degree unto those he sends forth in his name and its in them that he preaches by the power and light of his Eternal Spirit Hither then must they all come that would be rightly supplyed and enabled for that work It is impossible to speak duly of him in any measure but by his Spirit there must be particular access and a receiving of instructions from him and a transfusion of his Spirit into ours Oh! were it thus with us how sweet were it to speak of him To be much in prayer much dependance on him and drawing from him would do much more in this than reading and studying seeking after arts and Tongues and Common Knowledge These not to be despised nor neglected Reading good and learning good but above all anoynting necessary that anoynting that teacheth all things And you that are for your own interest be earnest with this Lord this Fountain of Spirit to let forth more of it upon his messengers in these times you would receive back the fruit of it were ye busie this way you should find more life and refreshing sweetness in the word of life how weak and worthless so ever they were that brought it it should descend as sweet showers upon the Valleys and make them
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
not through fire and water yea through death it self yea were it through many deaths to go after him 2. Consider as its due so it is made easie by that his suffering for us our burden that pressed us to hell taken off is not all as nothing that is left to suffer or do our Chains that bounds us over to eternal Death being knock'd off shall we not walk shall we not run in his ways Oh! think what that Burden and Yoke was he hath eased us of how heavy how unsufferable it was and then we shall think what he so truly says that all he lays on is sweet his yoke easie and his burden light Oh! the happy change rescued from the vilest slavery and called to conformity and Fellowship with the Son of God 2. The Nature of this Conformity to shew the nearness of it is exprest in the very same terms as in the pattern it is not a remote resemblance but the same thing even suffering in the flesh But that we may take it right what suffering is here meant it is plainly this ceasing from sin so suffering in the flesh here is not the enduring of afflictions which is a part of a Christians Conformity with his head Christ Rom. 8. But this is a more inward and spiritual suffering it is the suffering and the dying of our Corruption the taking away the life of sin by the death of Christ and that death of his sinless flesh works in the Believer the death of sinful flesh that is the Corruption of his Nature which is so usually in Scripture called flesh Sin makes Man base drowns him in flesh and the lusts of it makes the very Soul become gross and earthly turns it as it were to flesh so the Apostle calls the very Mind that is unrenewed a carnal mind Rom. 8. And what doth the mind of a Natural Man hunt after and run out into from one day and year to another is it not on things of this base World and the concernment of his flesh What would he have but be accommodated to eat and drink and dress and live at ease he minds earthly things savours and relishes them and cares for them examin the most of your pains and time and your strongest desires and most serious thoughts if they go not this way to raise your selves and yours in your Worldly condition yea the highest projects of the greatest natural Spirits are but earth still in respect of things truly spiritual all their State Designs go not beyond this poor life that perishes in the flesh and is daily perishing even while we are busiest upholding it and providing for it present things and this lodge of clay this flesh and its interest take up most of our time and pains the most yea all till that change be wrought the Apostle speaks of till Christ be put on Rom. 13. put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and then the other will easily follow that follows in the Words make no provision for the flesh to fullfil it in the lusts thereof Once in Christ and then your necessary general care for this natural life will be regulated and moderated by the Spirit And for all unlawful and enormous desires of the flesh you shall be rid of providing for these instead of all provision for the life of the flesh in that sense there is another guest and another life for you now to wait on and furnish for in them that are in Christ that flesh is dead they are frâ—ed from its drudgery he that hath suffered in the flesh hath rested from sin Ceased from sin â—e is at rest from it a Godly Death as thâ—y that die in the Lord rest from their labours he that hath suffered in the flesh and is dead to it dies indeed in the Lord rests from the base turmoil of sin it is no longer his Master As our sin was the cause of Christs death his death is the death of sin in us and that not simply as he bear a moral pattern of it but the real working cause of it hath an effectual influence on the Soul kills it to sin I am crucified with Christ says S. Paul Faith so looks on the death of Christ that it takes the impression of it sets it on the heart kills it unto sin Christ and the Believer do not only become one in law so as his death stands for theirs but are in nature so as his death for sin causes theirs to it Rom. 6. 3. This suffering in the flesh being unto death and such a death Crucifying hath indeed pain in it but what then it must be so like his and the believer like him in willingly enduring it all the pain of his suffering in the flesh his love to us digested and went through it so all the pain to our nature in severing and pulling us from our beloved sins and our dying to them if his love be planted in our hearts that will sweeten it and make us delight in it love desires nothing more than likeness and shares willingly in all with the party loved and above all love this Divine Love is purest and highest and works strongliest that way takes pleasure in that pain and is a voluntary death as Plato calls love it is strong as death makes the strongest body fâ—ll to the ground so doth the love of Christ make the activest and liveliest sinner dead to his sin And as death fevers a Man from his dearest and most familiar friends thus doth the love of Christ and his death flowing from it fever the heart from its most beloved sins I beseech you seek to have your hearts set against sin to hate it to wound it and be dying daily to it Be not satisfy'd unless ye feel an abatement of it and a life within you disdain that base service and being bought at so high a rate think your selves too good to be slaves to any base lust you are called to a more excellent and more honourable service And of this suffering in the flesh we may safely say what the Apostle speaks of the sufferings with and for Christ that the partakers of these sufferings are co-heirs of glory with Christ if we suffer thus with him we shall also be glorified with him if we die with him we shall live with him for ever 3. The actual improvement of this Conformity Arm your selves with the same Mind or thoughts of this Mortification Death taken Naturally in its proper sense being an intire privation of life admits not of degrees but this figurative death this Mortification of the flesh in a Christian is gradual in so far as he is renewed and is animated and acted by the Spirit of Christ he is throughly mortified for this death and that new life joyned with it and here added ver 2. go together and grow together but because he is not totally renewed and there is in him of that corruption still that is here called flesh therefore is
undiscovered unbelief even in that point Therefore the Lord so often makes mention of it in the Prophets Isa. 50. 3. c. And in this point the Apostle particulary expresses I am perswaded that he is able to keep c. So this Apostle chap. 1. 5. Kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time This very needful to be considered in regard of the many and great oppositions and dangers the powerful enemies that seek after our Souls He is able to keep them for he is stronger than all and none can pluck them out of his hand says our Saviour This the Apostle here hath in that word Creator if he was able to give them being sure he is able to keep them from perishing This relation of a Creator implies likewise a benign propension and good will to the works of his hands if he gave them us at first when once they were not forming them of nothing will he not give us them again being put into his hand for safety And as he is powerful he is no less faithful a faithful Creator Truth it self They that believe on him he never deceives nor disappoints Well might St. Paul say I know whom◠I have trusted Oh! the advantage of faith It engages the truth and power of God his royal Word and honour lies upon it to preserve the Soul that faith gives him in keeping if he remain able and faithful to perform his Word that Soul shall not perish There be in the words other two grounds of quietness of Spirit in sufferings 1. It is according to the will of God The believing Soul subjected and levelled to that complying with his good pleasure in all cannot have a more powerful perswasive than this that all is ordered by his will This settled in the heart would settle it much and make it even in all things not only to know but wisely and deeply to consider that it is thus That all is measured in Heaven every dram of thy troubles weighed by that skilful hand that doth all in weight number and measure And then consider him as thy God and father who hath taken special charge of thee and thy Soul thou hast given it to him and he hath received it And upon this consideration study to follow his will in all to have no will but his This is thy duty and thy wisdom nothing gained by spurning and struggling but to hurt and vex thy self but by complying all is gained sweet peace it is the very secret the mystery of solid peace within to resign to his will to be disposed of at his pleasure without the least contrary thought And thus as two faced pictures those sufferings and troubles and whatsoever else to look to it on the one side as painful to the flesh hath an unpleasant visage yet go about a little and look upon it as thy fathers will and then it is smiling and beautiful and lovely This I would recommend to you not only for temporals as easier there but in spiritual things your comforts and sensible enlargements to love all he does it s the sum of Christianity thy will crucify'd and the will of thy Lord thy alone desire joy or sorrow sickness or health life or death in all in all thy will be done The other ground is in the first word reflecting on the foregoing discourse Wherefore what seeing your reproaches and sufferings are not endless yea they are short they shall end and quickly end and end in glory be not troubled about them overlook them the eye of faith will do it a moment what are they this is the great cause of our disquietness in present troubles and griefs we forget their end we are affected withour condition of this present life as if it were all and it is nothing Oh! how quickly shall all the enjoyments and all the sufferings of this life pass away and be as if they had not been Tbe End of the Fourth Chapter 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. V. Ver. 1. The elders which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed THE Church of Christ being one body is interessed in the condition and carriage of each particular Christian as a part of it but more eminently in those that are more eminent and organick parts of it Therefore the Apostle after many Excellent directions given to all his Christian Brethren to whom he writes doth most reasonably and fitly add this express Exhortation to these that had oversight and charge of the rest The Elders that are amongst you c. The words have 1. A particular definement of the Persons exhorted and exhorting 2. The Tenour of the Exhortation it self The former in the 1 verse the Persons exhorted The Elders among you First Elders This here as often is a name not of Age but of Office yet named by that Age that is or ought to be most suitably qualified to such an office and imports that men though not aged yet if called to that office should be noted with that Wisdom and 〈◊〉 of mind and carriage which may give that authority and command that respect that is requisite for their calling not Novices as St. Paul speaks not as a light bladder being easily blown up as young unstable minds are but such as young Timothy was in humility and diligence as the Apostle testifies of him Phil. 2. 20. and further exhorts him to be 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity The name of Elders indifferently signifies either their age or their calling and of ruling sometimes civil Rulers sometimes Pastors of the Church as amongst the Jews both Here it appears that Pastors are meant as the Exhortation of feeding the flock evidences which though it sometimes signifie ruling and here may comprise it yet is chiefly by Doctrine and then the stile given to Christ in the encouragement added the chief Shepherd A due frame of spirit and carriage in the Elders particularly the Apostles of the Church is a thing of prime concern for the good of it It is one of the heaviest threatnings when the Lord declares that he will give a rebellious People such Teachers and Prophets as they deserved and indeed desired If there be a man to prophecy of wine and strong drink such a one shall be a prophet says he to that People And on the other side amongst the sweetest promises of mercy this is not the least to be furnisht with plenty of faithful Teachers Though prophane men make no reckoning of it yet were it in the hardest times they that know the Lord will account of it as he doth a sweet allay of all sufferings and hardship though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not
before us and to apply our selves in his strength to his work not to seek to please but to feed not to delight the ears but to feed the Souls of his people to see that the food be according to his appoyntment not empty or subtle notions not light affected expressions but wholsom truths solid food spirirual things spiritually conceived and uttered with holy understanding and affection And to consider this wherein lies a very pressing motive it is the flock of God not our own to use as we please but committed to our custody by him who loves highly and prizes his flock and will require an account of us concerning it his bought his purchast flock and at so dear a rate as the Apostle St. Paul uses this same consideration in the same argument Acts. 20. 28. The flock of God that he hath bought with his own blood How reasonable is it that we bestow our strength and life on that flock that our Lord laid down his life for that we be most ready to draw out our Spirits for them for whom he let out his blood Had I says that holy Man some of that blood poured forth on the Cross how carefully would I carry it and ought I not to be as careful of those Souls that it was shed for Oh! that price that was paid for Souls that he that was no foolish Merchant but wisdom it self gave for them were that prize more in our eyes and more in yours nothing would so much take either you or us as the matter of our Souls in this would our desires and endeavours meet we to use and you to improve the means of saving your precious Souls Inf. 2. This mainly concerns us indeed that have charge of many especially finding the right cure of one Soul within us so hard but you are concerned in it each for one at least remember this is the end of the Ministry that you may be brought unto Christ that you may be led to the sweet pastures and pleasant streams of the Gospel that you may be spiritually fed and may grow in that heavenly life which is here begun in all these in whom it shall hereafter be perfected And as we ought in preaching so you in hearing to propound this end to your selves that you may be spiritually refresht and walk in the strength of that divine nourishment Is this your purpose when you come hither enquire of your own hearts and see what you seek and what you find in the publick Ordinances of God's House certainly the most do not so much as think on the due intendment of them aim at no end and therefore can attain none seek nothing but fit out their hour asleep or awake as it may be or possibly some seek to be delighted for the time as the Lord tells the Prophet to hear as it were a pleasant Song if the gifts and strain of the speaker be any thing pleasing or be it to gain some new notions to add somewhat to their stock of knowledge either that they may be enabled for discourse or simply that they may know some it may be go a little further like to be stir'd and mov'd for the time and to have some touch of good affection kindled in them but this for a while till their other thoughts and affairs get in and smother and quench it and are not careful to blow it up and improve it how many when they have been a little affected with the word go out and fall into other discourses and thoughts and either take in their affairs secretly as it were under their cloak and their hearts keep a conference with them or if they forbear this yet as soon as they go out plung◠themselves over head and ears in the World and lose all that might have any way advantaged their spiritual condition it may be one will say 't was a good Sermon is that to the purpose but what think you it hath for your praise or dispraise instead of saying Oh! how well was that spoken you should say Oh! how hard is repentance how sweet a thing is faith how excellent the love of Jesus Christ. That were your best and reallest commending of the Sermon with true benefit to your selves If some of you be careful of repenting yet rest not on that if you be able to speak of it afterwards upon occasion there is somewhat beside and beyond this to evidence that you are indeed fed by the Word as the flock of God As Sheep you know their pasture which they fed on nor no other creatures food appears not in the same fashion upon them not in grass but in growth of flesh and fleece thus the Word would appear feeding you not by the bear discoursing of the word over again but by the temper of your Spirits and actions that in them you really grow more Spiritual that humility and self denial and charity and holiness are increased in you by it otherways whatsoeves literal knowledge you attain it avails you nothing though you heard many Sermons every day and attained further light by them and carried a plausible profession of Religion yet unless by the Gospel you be transformed into the likeness of Christ and grace be indeed growing in you you are but as one says of the cypress trees fair and tall but fruitless Are you not grieved and afraid or may not many of you be so that have lived many years under a fruitful ministry and yet are as earthly and selfish as unacquainted with God and his ways as at the first Consider this that as the neglect of Souls will lie heavy on unholy or undiligent Ministers so a great many Souls are ruining themselves under some measure of fit means and so the slighting of those means will make their condition far heavier than that of many others Remember our Saviours word Matth. 11. Woe to thee Capernaum c. The discharge of this high task we have here duly qualify'd the Apostle expresses the upright way of it both negatively and positively There be three Evils the Apostle would remove from this work Constrainedness Covetousness and Ambition Constrainedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either driven to the work by necessity indigence and want of other means of subsistence as it is with too many making a trade of it to live by and setting to it as to any other calling for that end yea making it the refuge and forlorn recourse of their insufficiency for other callings And as not to undertake the work driven to it by that hard weapon of necessity so being engag'd in it not to discharge the duties of it meerly upon necessity because of fines binding to it and for fear of censure this is a violent forc't motion and cannot but be both very unpleasant and unprofitable as to the proper end and profiting of this work And as the principle of the motition in this service should not be a compelling necessity of any kind
above shall always satisfie and never cloy When the chief Shepherd shall appear and that shortly this moment will shortly be out What is to be refused in the way to this Crown all labour sweet for it And what is there here to be desired to stay your hearts that we should not most willingly let go to rest from our labours and receive our Crown Was ever any man sad that the day of his Coronation drew nigh no envy nor jealousies all Kings each his Crown and each rejoycing in the glory of another and all in his who that day shall be all in all Verse 5. 5. Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble SIN hath disordered all nothing to be found but distemper and crookedness in the condition and ways of Men towards God and one towards another till a new Spirit come in and rectifie all and very much of that redress lies in this particular grace of humility here recommended by the Apostle That regulates the carriage of the younger towards the elder 1. Of all Men one to another 2. Towards God 1. The younger to be subject to the elder Which I take so of difference of years that it hath some aspect to the relation of those that are under the discipline and government of the Elders who though not always so in years however ought to suit that name in exemplary gravity and wisdom It is no Seignory but a Ministry yet there is a sacred authority in it rightly carried that both duely challenges and effectually commands that respect and obedience which is fit for the right order and government of the House of God The Spirit of Christ in his Ministers is the thing that makes them truly Elders and truly worthy of double honour and without that Men may hunt respect and credit by other parts and the more they follow it the faster it flies from them or if they catch any thing of it they only grip but a shadow Inf. Learn you my Brethren that obedience due to the discipline of Gods House This is all we plead for in this point And know if you refuse it and despise the Ordinance of God he will resent the indignity as done to him And Oh! that all that have that charge of his House upon them would mind his interest wholly and not rise in conceit of their power but wholly imploy and improve it for their Lord and Master and look on no respect to themselves as for themselves desirable but only so far as is needful for the profitable discharge and advance of his work in their hands What are differences and regards of Men how empty a vapour and whatsoever it is nothing lost by single and entire love of our Lord's glory and total aiming at that Them that honour him he will honour and those that despise him shall be despised But though this likewise implies I conceive somewhat in it relative to the former subject yet certainly 't is more extended in its full intendment and directs touching the difference of years the Suâ—jection that is respect and reverence due from younger to elder persons The presumption and unbridledness of youth requires thepressing and binding on of this rule And it is of undeniable equity even written in nature due to Aged persons but doubtless those reap this due fruit in that season the most that have ripened it most by the influence of their grave and holy carriage 't is indeed a Crown but when when found in the way of righteousness there it shines and hath a kind of royalty over youth otherwise a graceless old age is a most despicable and lamentable â—ight What gains an unholy old Man or Woman by their scores of years but the more scores of guiltiness and misery and their white hairs speak nothing but ripeness for wrath Oh! to be as a tree plaâ—ted in the House of the Lord bringing forth fruit in old age much experience in the ways of God and much disdain of the World and much desire of the love of God heavenly temper of mind and frame of life this is the advantage of many years but to have seen and felt the more misery and heapt up the more sin the greatest boundle of it against the day of wrath a woful treasure of it threescore or threescore and ten years a gathering and with so much increase every Day no vacancy no dead years no not a Day wherein it was not growing A sad reflection to look back what have I done for God and find nothing but such a world of sin committed against him how much better he that gets home betimes in his youth if once delivered from sin and death at one with God and some way serviceable to him or desiring to be and hath a quick voyage having lived much in a little time All of you be subject one to another This yet further dilates the duty makes it universally mutual one subject to another This turns just about the vain contest of Men that arises from the natural mischief of of self-love every one would carry it and be best and highest The very Company of Christ and his exemplary lowliness and the meanness of himself and those his followers all these did not bar out this frothy foolish question who should be greatest and so far disputed as into a heat about it a strife amongst them Now this rule is just opposite each strive to be lowest subject one to another This doth not annul either Civil or Church Government nor those differences that are grounded upon the Law of Nature or of Civil Society for we see immediately before such differences allowed and the particular duties of them recommnended but those only that all due respect according to their Station be given by each Christian to another and though there cannot be such a subjection of Masters or Parents to their Servants and Children as is due to them from these yet a lowly meek carrying of of their authority a tender respect of their youth receiving of an admonition from them duly qualify'd is that which suits with the rule And generally not delighting in the trampling on or abusing of any but rather seeking the credit and good esteem of all as our own Taking notice of that good in them wherein they are beyond us for all hath some advantage and none hath all And in a word and 't is that of St. Paul like this of our Apostle here let this be all the strife who shall put most respect each on another according to the capacity and station of each one in giving honour go each one before another Now that such carriage may be sincere no empty compliment or court holy water as they speak but a part of the solid holiness of a Christian the Apostle requires the true principle of such deportment the