Christs Sheep that hear his voice and follow his steps and keep by the Shepherds Tents Is this a conceeist that it shall fare better with the Friends of Christ then with his Enemies or that those are the friends of Christ who are the friends of Holiness Is this a conceit that it shall fare better with the servants of Christ then with strangers Or are those the best servants who waste their Talents or bind them up in a Napkin Will Christ say in that day Away thou faithful Servant away from me ye workers of Righteousness You have loved me too much you have pleased me too well you have followed me too close you have given your selves to too much praying too much praising too much fasting you have been too conscientious too tender too watchful too holy you would not be merry and idle and vain you would not go along with your Neighbours to their sporting to their Revellings to their Pleasures but must needs deny your selves and take up your Cross and follow me you could not be content with an Earthly happiness but you must have Glory and Honour and Immortality you could not be content to venture on a groundless hope of Glory but you must needs make sure of it by patient continuance in well-doing Away from me you workers of Righteousness you that have followed me in the Regeneration get you gone get you down to everlasting destruction Will this be the voice of the Judge at that day Will he call to sinners Come ye wantons come ye Wine-bibbers come ye Swearers Lyars Scoffers Whore-masters come ye blessed Crew inherit the Kingdome All this must be so if godliness be but a fancy and do you not yet see Sinners what men of Reason what men of Judgement you are and how much truth or weight there is in your charge against the Saints Oh Christians you see I hope sufficiently how little ground you have to take the least notice of or discouragement from these confident Adversaries who in proclaiming you Phanaticks must proclaim themselves either Infidels or Ideotâ— Thus I have shewed that the principles of Godliness are not Phanatical 2. The Duties and Comforts of Godlinesse are no fancies I shall instance in such duties and those parts of duties which are most obnoxious to this censure the most spiritual duties the most spiritual parts of duties which being most out of fight and above the reach of the carnal world are most of all thus censuted by them I shall mention onely two which indeed are comprehensive of all 1. Worshiping God in the Spirit 2. Walking in the Spirit 1. Worshiping God in the Spirit If this be a fancy the Apostle Paul with the Christians his Contemporaries were the great Phanaticks of their time who saies thus of himself and them Phil. 3. 3. We are the Circumision who worship God in the spirit We are the Circumcision that is We are the People of God we are they who are circumcised with the Circumcision which is without hands circumcised in heart which is all one as if he had said we are Christians who worship God in the spirit Worshipping God in the spirit notes 1. The worship of the soul or heart-worship 2. The worshipping God through his Spirit or in the Holy Ghost 1. The worship of the soul or inward worship and that 1. As it stands in opposition to meet bodily worship I say not as it is oppos'd to bodily worship but to meer bodily worship 2. As it stands in opposition to the Antiquated Jewish worship which was more external pompous and ceremonious We worship God in the spirit that is we worship God in the heart and in the simplicity and plainness of Gospel-worship Heart-worship is the true worship the worship of the soul is the soul of worship The body without the soul is dead and bodily worship without spiritual iâ— dead worship John 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth The latter word Truth is exegitical of the former Spirit signifying that worshiping in Spirit is worshiping in Truth This is the true worship worship indeed The worship of the body the uncovering of the head the bowing the knee the lifting up of the hands or voice these are but the outside and carcase of worship and so far only capable of being accounted worship as they are helpful to and expressive of the devotions of the soul As bowing of the knee signifies the bowing of the heart as the uncovering of the head either expresses or helps toward the inward reverence of the soul so far as they worship and no farther and even then but improperly so câ—lled But as they stand single and separated from the inward worship they are no worship no more then a carcase is a man but are meer shadows and fansies There is no such Phanatick as the Formalist who whilest with those Heathens Mat. 6. 7. He thinks to be heard for his much speaking doth but play the hypocrite and Lyar Look what the Courtiers Complements are such are the Formalists devotions smooth words tongue-courtefies flâ—ttering salutes fawning cringes Your servant Sir your servant command me what you please I am ready to serve you Here is a great shew of respect and kindness but what is there in it What wise man will regard it And what more is there in the Formalists devotions What is it but meer complementing with the Holy God Very devout and lowly as to all appearance and a great noise is there that such Devotion makes but what is there in it What awe and Soul-reverence of God what heart-striving and wrestling with God what heart-elevation or lifting up the Soul to God is there in all this Is there no such thing as heart-striving and Soul-reverence required in the Worship of God or are these but shadows of worship and is the soul of it onely in the Lips or Knees Doth he whose Soul is poured out in prayer whose Spirit strives with the Lord doth he but pray in conceit worship God in conceit and those whose Eyes and Tongues and Hands onely pray have they gotten the substance are these the true Worshippers Beloved be not deceived God sees not as man sees he sees what is within man he sees what is within our duties they are not shews or sounds that can blinde hiâ— Eye or please his Ear. Ephes 5. 19. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking to your sâ—lve in Psalmes and Hymns and Sriritual Songs singing and making Melody in your hearts to the Lord. Believe it Christians Heart-musick is the best Church musick Heart-praying and Heart-singing makes the best Melody in the Eares of the Lord of Sabbath My work and intent is not to decry all external worship as useless or unacceptable We must glorifie God in our bodies as well as in our spirits Our Lips must bear their parts in our praises and practises but I would not that you should take the body of
The treasures of wisdom are found with them they have gotten great treasure 66 1. The Pearl 67 2. The white Stone 68 3. The white Robe 69 4. The Adoption 71 5. The Inheritance 73 Use 1. Advising the profane world to forbear censuring or reproaching them 77 Use 2. Perswading them to come in and be of this number 80 The absolute necessity of precise godliness is evidenced 1. From Scripture 82 2. From Reasons drawn from Scripture in six Propositions 1. The Gospel requires as indispensably necessary to Salvation inward Holiness 86 2. This inward Holiness which the Gospel requires is an holy frame or habit 87 3. This inward habitual holiness stands in an universall compliance of the heart with the whole will of God 88 4. This inward habitual holinesse is such as bears the sway and hath the preheminence in the soul 89 5. This inward habitual prevailing holinesse where-ever it is will infallibly bring forth a precise and circumspect life 90 Therefore 6. Whosoever is not a person of a precise life is undoubtedly in the state of damnation The Contents of the Sermon on John 1. 47. THe Text opened 94 The Doctrine propounded Godliness is no Fancy 95 The Doctrine explained 96 The Doctrine confirmed ib. I. The Principles or Doctrines of Godliness are no Fancies Instanced in the Doctrines 1. of God his Being and Holinesse 97 2. Of Sin 100 3. Of Redemption 109 4. Of Regeneration 115 5. Of Faith 123 6. Of Good Works 126 7. Of Judgment 140 II. The Duties and Comforts of Godlinesse are no fancies 151 Instanced in the Duties of 1. Worshipping God in the Spirit ib. 2. Walking in the Spirit 1. What is meant by the Spirit 157 2. What by walking in the Spirit 158 1. Living under the conduct of the Spirit 160 2. Living in the power of the Spirit ib. 3. Living a spiritual life 161 The Life of the Saints evidenced to be a spiritual and Heavenly life by three things 1. Their chief dealings are about spiritual and heavenly things 162 2. Their delights are in spiritual and heavenly things 3. By their spiritual dealings and delights themselves grow dayly more and more spiritual and heavenly 166 3. That walking in the spirit is no fancy 167 Proved from four damnable absurdities that would otherwise follow viz. If there be no such thing really as walking in the Spirit 1. Then the Spirit of God is unfaithful in his Office 170 2. Then God himself is false in his promise 171 3. Then the Devil does more to the damning than the spirit of God doth to the saving of souls ibid. 4. Then God hath no people in the world 173 An exception against the reality of the delights joys and comforts of godliness answered 174 The Application Use Of Direction 1. To the ungodly in order to the bringing them to a godly life 194 Direct 1. Get these three Principles fixed in your hearts 1. That things Eternal are unspeakably more considerable than tâ—ings temporal 195 2. That things not seen are as infallibly certain as the things that are seen 198 3. That according to your present choice must be your eternal lot 202 Direct 2. Make your choice 203 Direct 3. Imbarque with Christ 204 Direct 4. Resign up your selves to Christ 210 Direct 5. Confirm and compleat all by solemn Covenant 215 2. To the Godly in order to the carrying them on in a Godly Life 227 To whom are given Directions 1. Concerning holy Duties 2. Concerning the leading an holy life Four things premised concerning the influence of holy duties on an holy Life 1. Holy Duties are the exercise of Grace 228 2. In holy Duties we have communion with God ibid. 3. By holy duties we obtain new and fresh supplies from God 229 4. Holy Duties are our conflicting with corruption 232 The Directions concerning holy Duties are such as have respect 1. To the right performance of them 2. To the right improvement of them Directions for the right performance of the duty of Prayer 1. Be constant in the exercise of daily Prayer 233 2. Come to pray with actual and great expectation 237 3. Learn the skill to plead with God in Prayer 238 Four special arguments from which the Saints may plead with God in prayer viz. from 1. God himself his Gracious Nature 239 Glorious Name 241 2. Christ 1. Gods gift of Christ ibid. 2. Christs purchase ibid. 3. The Interest which Christ hath in the Father 242 4. The interest the Saints have in Christ ib. 3. Promises 4. Experiences The use and benefit of the Saints pleading with God in prayer 243 Four special arguments from which Sinners may plead with God in prayer 244 1. God Gracious nature 246 2. Gods call and invitation 247 3. Christ his Sufficiency 248 Office 249 4 Their own necessity ib. 4. Prayer in Faith 251 Directions for performing the Duty of holy meditations Page 239 1. The chief matters to be meditated on reduced to seven Heads 1. God 240 2. Sin 244 3. Christ 247 4. The vanity and misery of a worldly life 251 5. The nature excellency and necessity of a godly Life 254 6. Death and Judgment 257 7. Eternity 263 Some particular advice for the better managing of this duty 269 Directions for the right performance of the Duty of Self-Examination 271 The matters to be examined 1. Whether you be in a state of grace or in a state of Sin 273 There are three marks for the tryal of that 274 2. Whether you are in a languishing or flourishing state 286 Three helps for the finding out that 287 Several causes of languishing or hindrances of flourishing in grace 1. Overly performance of Christian duties 289 2. Vnprofitable converse with Christian Friends ibid. 3. Vnnecessary converse with carnal friends ib. 4. Overmuch business in the world 290 5. The remaining guilt of some unrepented sin ib. 6. Some unmortified lust ib. 7. Sloathfulnesse 291 8. Contentednesse with a poor and low condition ib. Directions for the renewing your Covenant Four things pâ—emised 1. Every sincere Christian is entred into Covenant with God 309 2. Christians do often break Covenant ib. 3. Breaches of Covenant do weaken the obligation of the Covenant and how 311 4. The renewing of your Covenant doth revive the obligation of it 312 Directions 1. For the time when Four special times when this Duty is to be performed ib. 2. For the manner how Directions for the right improvement of holy Duties 1. When ever you set upon Duty resolve to put hard for it to obtain such sensible communion with God in it that you may come off with some lively impressions of God upon your hearts 315 2. What holy lively frame you have attained to in duty be careful to maintain afterwards from duty to duty 317 Directions for the carrying on a constant holy course I. In your whole course pursue and as much as possible eye your End God and your own Salvation 322 II. Walk on in the Name of the
testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
preaching to others I my self should become a cast-away For Scripture-promises consider these Blessed are the poor in spirit bessed are the meek the merciful they that hunger and thirst after righteousness the pure in heart they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for they shall see God theirs is the Kingdom of heaven they shall be comforted filled and great is their reward in heaven For Scripture-prayers consider these The God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit soul and body may be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Now the God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight Multitudes of such like Scriptures might be added but these may suffice Now wherefore are all these things written Wherefore are these strict commands given these holy lives of Saints left upon Record these promises made and these prayers kept upon the file Are they not all written for our learning to let every man and woman understand what manner of persons they must be what manner of Lives they must live if they will be saved If less or a lower Religion would serve to what purpose is this waste If it be so People may forbear to charge Precisians with keeping more ado than needs and lay in their charge against the Scriptures for requiring more than needs But do you think indeed that the Scriptures have spoken these things in vain If it be not in vain if all this be comprehended under the one thing needful if all this do but shew us the one and only way of Life if we must be thus renewed and changed in our minds and must thus holily and unblameably order our Lives or else we cannot be saved as the Scriptures mentioned many of them expresly affirm then what will become of that poor confident multitude we are now dealing with Does all this amount to no more than keeping your Church saying your prayers learning and saying over the Creed and the Ten Commandments living peaceably with your Neighbours paying every man his own crying to God for mercy when you have committed a fin and the like Can you call this cold lifeless way your striving to enter in at the strait gate Is this your working out your salvation with fear and trembling Is this all that is meant by fighting the good fight of Faith by wresting against Flesh and Blood against Principalities and Powers by being instant in Prayer fervent in Spirit watching and running and pressing towards the mark Brethren if there be one way of Life if all this which hath been represented to you out of the Scriptures be to shew you from the Lord what â— strait way this one way of life is and if you will compare your way you depend upon with it methinks you shall need no more to convince you of your dangerous mistake hitherto and to leave you more ready to embrace the exhortation I am pressing upon you namely To come in among the number of and take upon the holy course of these circumspect Christians But if this be not sufficient I shall yet make it more evident by Reasons drawn from the Scripture which I shall give you in these Six Propositions 1. The Gospel requires as indispensably necessary to salvation inward holiness or the renewing of the heart or inner-man Needs this any proof to them that understand the Scriptures There must be another Spirit Numb 14. 24. A new heart Ezek. 36. 26. A clâ—an heart Psal 73. 1. A true heart or an upright heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience Hebr. 10. 22. Ezek. 18. 31. Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye dye Jer. 4. 14. Oh Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved What do these Scriptures especially the addition in the two last For why will ye dye And that thou mayest be saved What do these import less than this That there is no salvation possible there is nothing but certain death and destruction to those whose hearts are not washed and made new John 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Except ye be converted ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God What is the product of this new birth or this conversion but a new creature Some there are it is true that interpret this Conversion which is made so necessary to Salvation to be nothing else but the coming of persons from Judaism or Paganism to Christianity to the owning and embracing the Christian Faith But if this be true then all that believe Christ to be the Messiah and are baptized and live in the profession of the Christian Faith shall be saved Come ye Drunkards come ye Adulterers Lyars Covetous with all the profane Root of Nominal â—â—ristians and keep an Holy-day to the memory of these two Doctors who bring you such a large and easie Gospel as will carry you all to Heaven with all your lusts and lewdness upon your backs But is this true Is this Gospel Is this all the conversion that is necessary to Salvation It cannot be For First There are many that embrace the Christian Faith that are Hypocrites and shall Hypocrites be saved Secondly There are many such Converts that walk disorderly whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 18. Of whom the Apostle here tell us that their end is destruction 2. This inward Holinesse which the Gospel requires stands not in some sudden and unconstant good thoughts or some transient good affections but is an holy frame or habit thus much is intimated in the fore-mentioned expression Another Spirit a new Heart a new Creature An holy thought a good desire is another thing from a new heart they cannot so much as evidence that the heart is renewed as in a renewed heart there may be some evil thoughts and evil lusts arising and working so some good thoughts and affections may spring up in an evil heart true holiness is not a fit but a frame there may be fits of passion or of pride or of envy too often in a Saint and yet in the main he may be a Saint still There may be fits of devotion fits of zeal sometimes in a â—inner and yet he is a sinner still Holiness is the temper and constitution of a Christian his new nature that abideth in him 3. This inward â—â—bitual Holiness stands in an universal compliance of the heart with the whole Will of God the heart that is formed after the Image of God is conformed to the Will of God Psal 40. Thy Law is within my heart not a piece but the whole every word and tittle of it The Law is within me The Law is said to be within the heart of a Saint in a double senâ—e First It is published and revealed and made known in the heart it is understood
it rather than faith You that are ignorant idle profane and unsanctified and yet believe you shall be saved you believe a lye you believe that which God hath never said shall be nay you believe that which God hath said shall never be Jer. 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not save them 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Hear sinners hear God must be a lyar or your faith a lye But the faith of God's Elect such as hath been before described this is that precious tryed faith by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded Christians you that have obtained such precious faith a Christ-imbracâ—ng faith an heart-purifying a flesh-mortifying a world-conquering faith you may venture safely upon it if ever this faith deceive you God hath deceived you the Scriptures have deceived you Christ hath deceived you who hath prayed and we may be bold to turn Christ's prayer into a promise that this faith fail not let the Phanatick world laugh and mock and call your consolations delusions your confidence conceit or what they will let them alone you must give losers leave to talk and laugh yet cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of toward 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain truth In this I shall shew First What we are to understand by Good Works A good work in general is an holy or gracious action to the making up whereof thâ—se four things are necessary 1. The principle must be good from which it proceeds it must be from an honest and upright heart for a pure conscience from faith unfeigned c. Mat. 12. 35. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2. The matter must be good something that is commended Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee Isa 29. 13. Their fear towards me waâ— taught by the precepts of men 3. The form or manner of doing must be good it must be well done this takes in the conâ—ideration of all its circumstances of time place c. 4. The end must be good it must be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. As to the particular kinds of Good Works they are not easily to be reckon'd up The Papists talk little of any good works but the exercises of bounty and liberality in giving Alms feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting and relieving the afflicted building of Almes-houses Colledges and the like upon which they â—ufist so much as if there were scarce any other good works but such as these but we may not confine them within so narrow a compass Good works do signifie the same with a good life or a godly life the doing and observing all things which God hath commanded us Our living holily honestly circumspectly fruitfully imports the same with our doing good works the exercising of all the graces of Christ faith love hope c. The subduing and mortifying of lust and corruption the governing our hearts the governing our tongues the ordering of our carriages towards God and towards men all acts of Religion Righteousness Mercy Charity Praying Fasting Hearing Sanctifying the Sabbath Lending Giving Forgiving Peace-making Instructing Exhorting Reproving Denying our selves taking up our Cross following Christ Fighting the good fight of Faith laying up treasure in heaven and the like these are good works every thing is a good work concerning which God will say at last Well done good and faithful Servant In all these the Lord requires 1. That we act Ad extremum virium to our utmost Eccles 9. 10. What thine hand findeth to do and so what thy head or thy heart findeth to do do it with thy might Tit. 2. 14. Zealous of good works Rom. 12. 14. Not sloathful in business but servent in spirit serving the Lord Col. 1. 10. Fruitful in good works 1 Cor. 15. ult Abounding in the work of the Lord. 2. That we act in these Ad extremum vitae to the end of our dayes Deut. 6. 2. Fear the Lord thy God and keep all his statutes and his Commandments all the dayes of thy life 3. That we be doing Per totum vitae cursum without intermission there must not only be well-doing but a continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. God will not have any Chasms or vacuities in our lives but every day must be filled up with the duties of it Christians must not thin of getting to heaven persaltum they must not leap but walk they must not leap over a duty nor leap over a day nulla dies fine linea The Law of God doth not allow a day to sin not abate us one dayes work To demand a breathing time from the service of God is to desire so much time for the service of sin We are ever serving one Master or the other we are certainly serving sin when we are not in one way or other serving the Lord. Secondly That goâ—d works are necessary Necessary to salvation a so as though we are not like to be saved by our works yet we cannot be saved without them He that works not shall not eat bread in the Kingdom of God The everlasting Rest is not for loyterers but for labourers Mat 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Faith cannot save us without works The Apostle tells us Jam. 2. 26. Faith without works is dead and a dead faith cannot bring us to life Therefore the Apostle Paul so vehemently charges Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works for these things are good and profitable to men Where observe the Preface to the chaâ—ge This is a faithful saying that is a true saying and a great truth a worthy saying worthy to be delivered worthy to be received And these things I will that thou affirm constantly or teach constantly or strenuously or resolvedly be not beaten off from it Why what is this great truth Why â—his is it That they which have believed in God as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead must be careful to maintain good works not only to do good works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or to excel and abound in good works these things are good and profitable to men Now let me demand of all the world where lies the Phanaticisme in any of all this Which of these Doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this that Christians must not onely be believers but must do good woâ—ks Is it this That they must work with all their might that they must be doing to the end of their dayes that they must continue at their work withoâ—t intermission that is that they must bestow noâ—e
is all one as to say that God hath put more sweetness into creatures then is in himself that the basest and vilest use of the creatures doth yield more true content then the souls exercising it self on God as if the thorn should yield more sweetness the bramble more fatness then the Fig-tree or Olive where are the understandings of these men I tell you Sinners when you have gone from flower to flower from creature to creature from pleasure to pleasure and sucked out all the fatness and sweetness that these will yield a poor Christian will get more real pleasure out of one Chapter of his Bible out of an honest Sermon out of one hours converse with God in Prayer then yoâ—r whole life will bring you in The Gospel with its brests of consolation at which he sucks yields him sweeter milk those clusters of Canaan on which he lives yield him richer Wine then the whole world will afford any The gleanings of a Christians joy are better then the Vintaâ—e of Sinner and you cannot so much slight the glory of their Sâ—n as they despise the glory of your sparks 3 By these spiritual exercises and delights they become more and more spiritual themselves By their beholding the face of God they are changed from glory to glory into his image and likeness by living so much in Heaven the temper and frame of their hearts becomes heavenly mens ordinary company and exercises have such an influence upon them that 't is not unusual that they change their disposition Frothy company and vain exercises will leave a frothiness and vanity upon mens spirits and serious and savoury company and exercises do leave a good savour behind them He whose work is in the Coal-mines his hiew is thereafter the flies that feed on the dung look like the dung they feed on Carnal men by being continually conversant about their earthly affairs have nothing but earthiness left upon their spirits their Thoughts Affections their Souls are become earth earthly their duties are earthly their prayers their praises their hearings all are earthly When they go to Church when they go to their Clossets they must carry their earth along with them or leave their hearts behind them On the other side Christians by having their dwellings with God their Delights their Recreations their daily business with God the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon them by their Divine Exercises they are made more partakers of the Divine Nature and as Worldlings businesses and delights do leave an earthliness upon their very Religion so a Christians Religion doth Spiritualize his Civil Affairs Carnal mens prayers do savour of their Fields Oxen and sports Carnal mens Sabbaths do smell of their Working-days and a Christians works do savour of his prayers a Christians Week-days have a tincture of his Sabbaths he eats and drinks he buys and sells he ploughs and threshes not as a man but as a Saint he doth not onely pray as a Saint and hear as a Saint but he ploughs as a Saint he trades as a Saint his heart is in Heaven while his hand is at the Plough he is serving his God while he is serving his own necessities he seeks he serves he eyes he enjoys his God in all he hath or doth he proves by his sense that God is every where with him he dwells feeds labours lodges with him he lives he dies And thus you see what it is to walk in the Spirit Look how far forth such a Christian lives in the Spirit so far forth doth he live such a life as this 3 This is no fansie and if I fail not here if I prove this I hope Sinners you will then see reason enough to take the Phanatick upon your selves and from henceforth stile these despised Saints in your Stilo novo Israelites indeed Christians you that hear me this day will you help me in this proof this once help me and the cause will go cleary on the Lords side you may if you will come in and be willing instances of this Truth Will you live according to your Principles that Life of God which is within you Will you live according to your Rules that Word of Life which is before you Will you follow your Leader that Holy Spirit which is given to conduct you Will you fall closer to the practice of that Godliness which you profess will you live in the obedience of that Spirit which you have received will you shew your selves a pattern of Faith of Patience of Righteousness and Holiness Will you be dealing less about these earthly vanities and be less earthly in your earthly dealings shall your dealings be wholly about Heaven and Heavenly things and will you make these your dealings your delights Will you labour by being more conversant about spirituall things and in spiritual exercises to become more spiritual more spiritually minded more spiritually tempred Will you get more clear off the love and lusts and fashions and ways and joys of this world Will you suffer the Eternal Spirit to fill you with his love and fashion you into his likeness Will you forbear any more resisting grieving slighting quenching his holy motions will you hearken to his counsels answer his impulses Will you grow on to be more Christians daily more Saints daily Saints in heart Saints in tongue Saints in the general frame oâ— your course Will you make your graces more viâ—â—â—le your comforts more visible your spiritual joys and delights more visible will you let your light so shine before men that they must either put out their own Eyes or else be forced to acknowledge that God is in you of a truth Brethren We may much thank our selves for all our Adversaries slanders we have helped them to reproaches we have furnished them with accusations by our walking so much in the Flesh and so little in the Spirit we have taught them to question whether there be any such thing aâ— walking in the Spirit The Lord pardon us the Lord make us sensible of it we have brought up an evil report upon our God upon his Spirit Gospel and wayes and for ought we know have undone many poor wretches by our hardning them in their misconceits of Godliness and Religion There have been so much Dross in our Gold so much Ashes upon our Fire so much Earth upon our Spirits such sad mixture of Water with our Wine so much Liberty taken for our Carnal joyes and Carnal pleasures our Light hath been so dim our Grace hath been so low our good works have been so spare and so thin that we have made them bold to say We are not what we are but a meer lie and deceit And we have now no such way to vindicate our selves our Religion our Holy profession to justifie our God and his Gospel as by blowing up the Coals shaking off our Ashes stirring up the Graces of God within us and letting them have their perfect work in us Will you Christians
thou takest this thou must be content to submit to the Cross and Yoke the service and the sufferings of Christ which are linked to it What sayest thou Hadst thou rather take the gains and the pleasures of sin and venture on the Curse or wilt thou yield thy self a servant unto Christ and so make sure the Crown If your hearts flie off and would fain wave the business and leave it undeermined leave them not so If you be onely unresolved you are resolved If you remain undetermined for Christ you are determined for the Devil Therefore give not off but follow your hearts from day to day let them not rest till the matter be brought to an issue and see that you make a good choice This is your choosing the good part God and your blessedness of the world to come for your portion and happiness and in this is included Your renouncing the world and a worldly happiness III. Imbarque with Christ Adventure your selves with him cast your selves upon his righteousness as that which shall bring you to God As a poor Captive Exile that is cast upon a strange Land a Land of Robbers and Murtherers where he is ready to perish and having no hope either of abiding there or escaping home with life and meeting at length with a Pilot that offers to Transport him safely home he imbarkes with him and ventures himself and all he hath in his Vessel Do you likewise you are Exiles from the presence of God and fallen into a Land of Robbers and Murtherers Your sins are Robbers your pleasures are Robbers your Companions in sin are Robbers and Thieves if you stay where you are you perish and escape home of your selves you cannot Christ offers if you will venture with him he will bring you home and he will bring you to God Will you say now to him Lord Jesus wilt thou undertake me wilt thou bring me to God bring me into the Land of Promise With thee will I venture my self I cast my self upon thee upon thy blood upon thy righteousness upon thy faithfulness I say up all my hopes and venture my whole interest Soul and Body with thee This is your closing with Christ as your Priest and in this is included your renouncing your own righteousness you can never you will never cast your selves on him alone till all your self hopes have given up the ghost There be two things which must necessarily be supposed to a sinner coming to Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery 2. An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery No man will regard a Saviour that doth not see himself a Sinner The whole regard not the Physitian Therefore it is said That the Spirit of God when he should come to Chrstianize the World should in the first place convince the World of sin John 16. 8. He shall convince the World of sin he shall demonstrate them Sinners bring up their sins before their Eyes bring home their sins upon their Consciences and make them see themselves and feel themselves the most vile and abominable of creatures Sin hides it self from the sinners eyes and all its vileness and deformity or if it come in sight it presents it self to the sinner as the Witch of Endor brought up the Devil before Saul in Samuels Mantle It shews it self as the sinners god Look how many sins evil men have so many gods they have rising up to them Their â—ins are their gods the gods that feed them they make a living of their sins the gods that comfort and refresh them they take pleasure in iniquity the gods that shelter them and hide them they strengthen themselves in their wickedness But now the Spirit of God plucks off the mantle and makes sin appear to be sin makes all the sinners Gods appear to be so many Devils brings forth the blackness and filthiness of sin into sight makes the sinner to see himself an unclean and abominable thing And withal he brings forth the guilt of sin sets all these Devils a tormenting the sinner filling him with fear and terrour and amazement In this respect he is called Rom. 8. the Spirit of Bondage that works fear and trouble in the heart The Spirit awakening a sleepy sinner is a kind of awakening in Hell Lord where am I What mean these Legions round about me These Chains and Fetters that are upon me What means the black Roll before mine eyes of curses and wrath and woes Lord where am I Have I been playing and sporting and making merry and my soul in such a case as this But is there no hope of escaping out of this wretched state I see there is no abiding thus I am but a dead man if I continue as I am What may I do to be saved And when he is brought to this there is some way made for his entertainment of Christ Yea this is not all that is needful but he must further be brought to 2 An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ Being made sensible of his sin and his danger a sinner will look out for help and deliverance but he will look every where else before he will look unto Christ Nothing will bring in a sinner to Christ but an absolute necessity He will try to forsake his sins will think of leaving his drunkenness and becoming sober of leaving his adulteries and becoming chaste and so see if by this means be may not escape He will go to Prayers and Sermons and Sacrament and search out if there be not salvation in them but all these though they be useful in their places yet looking no further the sinner sees there is no help in them His righteousness cannot help him this is but rags his duties cannot help him these may be reckoned among his sins Ordinances cannot help these are but empty Cisternâ— and all tell him you knock at a wrong door salvation is not in us Well the Lord be merciful to me faith the Sinner What shall I do Abide as I am I dare not and how to help my self I know not my praying will not help me my hearing will not help me if I give all my goods to the Poor if I should give my body to be burned all this would not save my soul Wo is me what shall I do and whether shall I go And now being brought to this distress to this utter loss his despair drives him to the onely door of hope that is left open Then Christ will be accepted when he sees none but Christ can stead him The Apostle tells us Gal. 3. 23. We were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that should afterwards be revealed All other doors were shut up against there was no hope of escaping but by that one door that was left open The Faith that was afterwards to be revealed As the besieged in a City that have every Gate blocked
and laying it open before the Lord our complaining to the Lord of it our â—â—ying to the Lord against it pressing him upon his Promise upon his Covenant to help against it these are the mightiest â—atteries our souls can make to the beating down its strong holds When the Lord hears the groanings of his Israel under their oppressing Egyptians he will arise and relieve them Christians tell one another how sad it is with them what woful work they have with a proud heart or a covetous heart or an hard heart or an hypocritical heart and you mry tell one another such stad stories long enough and find little help Goe tell thy God of thy sins carry them before the Throne of Grace make thy complaints against them there and there thou wilt find compassion and deliverance Now gather up these four particulars together consider them well and then you will see you that intend holiness in earnest whâ—t great reason you have to set close in with Duties and to accept of those Directions which shall now be tendered unto you The first sort of Directions are such as concern the right performance of the Duty of Prayer the advice I shall give you touching this take in these four particulars 1. Bring your selves and hold your selves to a frequent and constant performance of this duty There must be performance or there cannot â—e a right performance Those that pray not or but seldome is a shrewd signe that the root of the matter is not in them they that can live without prayer are dead while they are alive Prayer is the first fruits of Christianity It was said of Saul aâ— a token that he was a Convert Behold he prayeth The living Childe comes crying into the World and as it is a token of life so it is a meanes by which this New Life is nourished Prayer is a Christians Key to unlock the Store-houses and the Treasuries of Souls he that can pray God hath given him a Key to all his Treasuries Prayer will not only unlock the Clouds as Elijahs prayer did and bring down Rain to refresh the dry and parched Earth but it will unlock Heaven too It will unlock the Ark and the Mercy-seat and get downe Spiritual blessinge on the Soul Praying is a Christians knocking at the Gate of Heaven that knocking to which the promise is made Matthew 7. 7. Knock and it shall be opened The word which the Lord speakes to us is Gods knocking at our doores Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock And praying is our knocking at the Lords door at the Gate of Heaven that this may be opened By the way learn that if you will not hear God knock it is just to hear not yours If Gods voice may not be heard on Earth your voice will not be heard in Heaven fear not you shall be heard if you will hear hear him that speaks to you from Heaven and your cry shall enter into Heaven Our Soules will never thrive or flourish unless the Rain and the Showers of Heavenly Grace descend and fall upon them and we cannot look that those Showers should come down unless we look up Persons that pray not may be written among the Heathens Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen and the Families that call not on thy Name Among the Prophane ones of the Earth who are described by this Character Psalm 42. 4. They call not upon God they are altogether become filthy and abominable there is none that doth good they call not uâ—on God Where Prayer is not there is usually cursing and swearing and every abomination look upon the non-praying persons look upon the non-praying families among you and see how little good there is to be found see if they be not as so many dead and dry Trees on which no Spiritual fruit appears as so many dark holes into which no Spiritual light doth ever shine as so many filthy sinks in which every vile thing lodges Beloved I have often pressed this Duty on you both personal secret Prayer that there be not one person found among you that prayes not and Family joynt Prayer that there be not one Family found among you among whom God is not thus worshipped I have often pressed this upon you and given you particular helps and Directions about it and have not been negligent to put you in remembrance of it so that if there be prayerless persons or families found among you the guilt of it must lie at your own doors But will you yet hearken to me in this thing Will you give your selves to prayer No word that is spoken to you for the good of your Soules will ever prosper with you if this Word prosper not it is in vain for me to perswade you to live a Godly life if you will not be perswaded to live a praying life Would you ever come to any thing see then that this Exhortation doe not come to nothing be ye therefore serious Be yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. Be ye instant be constant in Prayer Set up your resolutions and set your time set your times and keep your time do not put off this Duty by pretending you pray alwayes every day and every hour as the pretence of an every dayes Sabbath comes just to no Sabbath so it is usually in the case of prayer some Carnal wretches praying alwayes is â—ot prayiug at all Get thee into thy Closet saith Christ get thee a place set thee a time wherein thou sayest vacare Deâ— wherein thou mayest make it thy business to seek the Lord. Brethren I say again if you will not suffer me to prevail with you in this thing I may even spare my labour of speaking any other things to you wherein I shall have no hope of success if I speed not here Some among you in some private Conferences I have had with you have given me some good hopes of the work of grace begun upon your hearts I have found that there hath been stil a neglect of daily prayer this hath struck such a damp upon my spirit as hath brought down those hopes to be even almost as low as nothing and by experience I have found that such persons as upon advice and warning would not afterwards be brought to the constant exercise 〈◊〉 this duty if they have retained any favour of Religion at all have yet from year to year been at a stand and not the least sign of any improvement hath been to be seen If ever therefore you will hearken to me in any thing that I tender for your souls good deny me not in this set upon the daily exercise of secret prayer and if you be resolved on the performance I shall then be encouraged in the next place to help you on in the right performance Therefore 2. Come to pray with an actual and great expect 〈◊〉 of obtaining grace and help from God Do not barely impose
Grace there is an hearty willingness to part with every sin The first work of the sanctifying Spirit upon the soul is the discovering of sin making it appear to be an enemy and the first saving work is the dividing betwixt sin and the soul making an utter breach betwixt them The Spirit of God makes us first to look on sin as an enemy and then to deal with it as an enemy to hate it to fear it to be impatient at the presence of it Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death When the good Spirit enters into the heart from that day forward the Soul looks on sin as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit fell upon him It 's said he eyed David from that time forward he looked on him with an evil eye with an envious eye Oh! that I were once well rid of this David Oh! saith a Convert that I were once well rid of this Lust It 's now become to the Soul as the Daughters of Heth were to Rebeccah Gen. 26. 35. A grief of mind to it a weariness to it I am weary of my life because of these daughters of Heth. When there is this breach made betwixt sin and the Soul it 's grace that hath made it when sin hath lost the will it hath lost the man when Christ hath gotten the will he hath gained the man The will is the heart give me thy heart is the same as be willing to be mine the will is the strong hold of the soul this is it that holds out last against God when this is won all is won Sin may have lost the understanding and lost the conscience these may plead for God and for holiness and may cry out against sin Away with it away with it Crucifie it crucifie it there is Death and Hell in the bowels of it away with it But as long as sin hath the will for it it still hath the man Reason saith I ought to tura Conscience saith I must turn but yet nothing follows but when the heart sayes I will turn then the work is done Reason saith these Idols ought not to stand Conseience saith these Iusts must be subdued these my sinful pleasures these my sinful wayes these my sinful companions must be left but when the will sayes to them Get you hence there 's a work of Grace begun But now this willingness to part with or turn from sin that it may infallibly prove grace to be in us must be 1. Universal A willingness to be rid of all sin The enmity against sin that 's wrought by grace is against the whole kind against all sin Root and Branch Body and Members A true Israelite would not have one Canaanite left in the Land would have the whole generation rooted out Psal 119. I hate every false way Psal 139. Search me O Lord and see if there be any wickedness in me 2. Habitual It must not be onely for the time that the heart is set against sin when it is under some terrour or trouble but there must be an abiding willingness Pharaoh when the Thunder and the Hail and the Fire and the Frogs and the Flies were upon him for the time was willing to let Israel go but presenrly after he meant no such thing 'T is not what thou art in a fit in a fright or sudden passion in sickness or under the apprehensions of death that will give thee any certain light by which thou mayest judge of thy state but what thou art in the standing and abiding disposition and bent of thy soul A Godly man is never unwilling when he is himself to be rid of every sin 3. Prevalent The willingness must be greater than the unwillingness A gracious heart is more willing to be rid of sin than to continue in sin He had much rather if it were put to his choice live without all sin than to be allowed to live in any sin Whatever the pleadings and reasonings of his flesh are for an indulgence to any particular sins whatever the advantages of yielding to the flesh herein mîght be whatever dammages or prejudices might follow upon his parting with them yet he had much rather whatever comes of it be freed from them all If the Lord should come to such a soul and give him as large â—grant as he did to Solomon Ask what I shall give thee ask what I shall do for thee write down what thou wilt and thou shalt have it this is that which he would have Lord take away mine iniquittes 'T is not the lives of mine enemies or a revenge upon them that I desire 't is not freedom from trouble or affliction that I desire make me a clean heart O Lord purge me from my sins let my lusts die my corruptions die and then though mine enemies live and their malice lives and my troubles live yet if my sins be once dead I have my desire And this willingness will discover it self to be prevailing by bringing forth 1. Resolution 2. Resistance against sin 1. Where a man is truly willing to be rid of sin there will be resolution against it he will not only be patient and content to give God leave to crucifie all his beloved lusts and darling corruptions and give the world leave to hew and strike home at the root of them without hiding them or warding off the blow or wishing they might be spared to him but stands stedfastly on Gods side and taking part with him against sin resolves to use all his means for the conquering and overcoming of them 2. This resolution will bring forth resistance An heart that 's weary of sin will fall to striving against sin Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh for these two are contrary the one to the other Contraries are naturally expulsive each of other Such a pair as a Jacob and an Esau such Twins as an Isaac and an Ishmael cannot lie quietly togethâ—â— in the same womb no nor live quietly together in the same house but there will be a mutual prosecuting and persecuting each of other fire and water may as well agree in the same vessel as grace and sin in the same heart A gracious heart will be restraining curbing and withstanding it in all its workings It 's a mere vanity for men to talk of being willing to be rid of sin when they let it live and work and rule and run in its course without ever laying the hand to the bridle to restrain it Let me add one word more if you strive against sin and your striving be attended with success if you have gotten any degree of victory the evidence will be much more full and clear This now is the first Mark by which you may try your selves whether there be the truth of grace in you or not He that is willing to be freed from all sin habitually willing prevailingly willing
of prosperity are the worlds courting and complementing and wooing of our love If ever a Suitor be like to prevail it is when he puts on his best array and trims up himself in his Richest and most enticing habit Prosperity is the World in its glory when ever it presents it self thus to you then take heed lest you forget God and prove Adulterers aud adulteresses from Christ 3. Let not the Lord want any thing that you have There is nothing that you have but it may one time or other be said to you The Lord hath need of it and if he hath let it go If the Lord say I have need of it do not you say I cannot spare it Desire to have only for use and what you have be willing to use it and use it well Nothing is well used but what is used for God That which is bestowed on your selves or your Children is misused if it be not bestowed there for the Lord â—ntitle God to all you have write his Name upon 〈◊〉 and make it up for him This is his Wool and â—is Flax and his Corn and his Silver and his Gold and use it for him If your lusts your pride or your gluttony or your envie if your sports or your pleasures or your companions demand any thing to be spent on them or given to them let your answer be It is â—ot mine to give or what Nabals was to David when â—e sent to him for provision for himself and his followers 1 Sam. 25. 10. What is David or who is the â—on of Jesse Shall I take my bread and my waâ—r and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and â—â—ve it to men whom I know not whence they be What â—â—e these lusts What is this pride What are these â—â—easures Shall I take these good things which the Lord hath given me and bestow them upon â—â—ch vile things as these Were these things â—â—ven me to feed mine enemies and the enemies â—f God To feed Snakes and Adders Vipers and â—corpions Was this the end why God hath made me greater than others that I might be more wicked than others Hath God made me Rich that I might be a drunkard or an adulterer that I might maintain my pride and my pomp and my bruitish pleasures Hath God made me a rich man that I might make my self a beast Beloved the Lord hath rather lent you then fully given you what you have you are but stewards of his manifold gifts he hath put into your hands you must give an account to God for all your receipts and disbursements and your account will be but a lame account if you bring in any thing laid out that is not laid out for God Let not the cause of God or Religon want anâ— thing you have Let not the poor Saints or any of the poor afflicted ones of the Lord go without their parts Let it not be said of any of you 〈◊〉 good they had been beggars as rich men for any gooâ— they have done He that hath gotten such poweâ— over all he hath of this world that he can freelâ— dispose of it to its proper use may be numberd 〈◊〉 mong those that have overcome the world and 〈◊〉 is in the less danger of sinding it a temptation and a snare to him 4. Be you able to want what you have not 〈◊〉 be able to want the world is a greater honoâ—â— and comfort than to possesse and enjoy it I knoâ— not which is more difficult to be able to use 〈◊〉 well or to be able to want it but ordinarilâ— he that can do one can do both he that caâ— carrie himself as a Christian in his plentie will be able also to carrie himself so in his penurie The Apostle tells us that he had learned how to do both Phil. 4. 12. I know how to be abased and how to abound In all things I am instructed botâ— to be full and to be hungry both to abound and 〈◊〉 suffer need Worldly men can do neither theâ— know not how to be rich nor how to be poor 〈◊〉 how to be in credit nor how to be in disgrace the can neither bear wealth nor want that is they know not how to be as they should be in either state If they are rich and in credit then they are proud and wanton and riotous and luxurious if they are poor and in disgrace then they are impatient and discontented and envious at those whose wayes do prosper If they are full they forget God if they are emptie then they fret themselves against the Lord. To be able to want â—nd to abound is the same as to be able to be a Christian and to carry himself as becomes a Chriâ—â—â—an in both estates to be able to hold on in a â—hristian course without being hindered or turned â—side by the one or the other to be able to be holy â—ith the world or without it On the one side to be able to be high and yet humble honourable and yet honest rich in this worlds goods and yet rich in good works to bear his burthen of thick clay â—â—thout either sinking his spirit or slackening his â—â—ce heavenwards and on the other side to be able 〈◊〉 be poor and patient afflicted and chearful comâ—â—rtable contented and as constantly serving the â—â—rd in the want of all things as others do in the â—â—lness of all things To be able to live by faith â—â—ough he hath never so much else to live upon â—â—d to be able to live by faith when he hath noâ—â—ing else Christians if you can want you shall never want He hath enough that is able to spare that â—â—ich he hath not If you can want the world the â—vil will then want a temptation either to enâ—â—e you from or discourage you in your holy â—urse you may then be Christians in spite of all 〈◊〉 world 5. Above all Take heed you be indeed gotten clear of the world from under its dominion Meâ— may go far in Religion and yet may perish bâ— the world at last its dreadful to consider hoâ— many sad instances there are to be found among Professors of Christianity who havâ—â—eemed to have much love to Christ and thinâ— they love him sincerely whose hearts are yet secretly chained to the world There is many 〈◊〉 Professor that hath made a fair shew and giveâ— great hopes and hath gotten up both in hâ— own and others Opinion even to the higher rank of Saints and is perswaded in his Coâ— science that he is upright with God and yâ—â— his heart doth secretly cleave more strongly tâ—â— the World than to Christ and so may periâ—â— everlastingly As there may be secret pride thaâ— Men may be guilty of and not know it 〈◊〉 there is secret hypocrisie reigning hypocrisieâ— that men may be guilty of so there is a secret reigning covetousnesse that men may liveâ— and die and be damned in when they never suspected it and this I fear is a
of all sorts As it is said of the Tree of Life that stands in the City of God above Rev. 22. 2. so let it be said of every living Tree that stands in the Vineyard of God here below That they bring forth twelve manner that is all manner of fruits be fruitful in every good work and bring forth fruit for every season There are summer fruits and there are winter fruits that God expects from you By summer fruits I mean those that are most proper for the daies of your prosperity as thankfulness watchfulness fear humility self-denyal mercy compassion c. Your winter fruits rae such as God looks for in the dayes of your affliction fasting repentance mortification humiliation submission patience c. Brethren be not only good summer servants but winter servants also and when ever it is winter with you â—all close to your Winter-work be much in the â—xercise of repentance godly sorrow patience c. â—et the persecuting World see that godliness will â—ot only live but flourish too in the hardest Winâ—er The truth is there is no such flourishing time â—or the Saints as the time of trouble Gods trees do usually bear best in Winter The Winter frosts do ordinarily bring forth and ripen their fruit better than the Summers warmthâ— At least the hard Winter prepares for a fruitful Summer Beloved â—s it Winter with any of you lose not this fructiâ—ying season to your work to your work Let your work serve you in stead of fire to keep you warm â—et not the cold windes and storms chill and freeze your spirits and so kill your fruits let a fire be kindled and kept alive within you the fire of love â—nd holy zeal I mean let those winds not blow â—ut but blow up these fires let them blow out the fire of lust of passion and contention but let them blow up the fire of love and zeal and let your winward warmth supply the want of outward comforts and encouragements for the cherishing and â—â—ripening of your fruit Be either bringing forth fruit or preparing for fruit let nor the Plough stand still let the clods be broken let the seed be cast in If it be the day of your tears sow in tears it is good sowing in such a rainy day and such a seed-time will bring forth a comfortable Harvest IV. Be stedfast and unmovable 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be not moved either from the hope of the Gospel or from the Obedience of the Gospel Be not Apostates from Christ let not the fear of the Crosse make you weary of the yoke of Christ Turn not back from the holy Commandment for any Tribulation that may come upon you Suffer not your selves to be persecuted out of your Religion or conscience Tribulations are temptations and will try what there is of God in you what reality there is lying under all your professions whether the Word of Christ hath taken any root in you And such troubles will make the greatest Tryal of you which fall upon you for righteousness sake There are some troubles that fall promiscuously on all good and bad and put no difference betwixt the one and the other but as an overflowing flood bear down all before them As in general families pestilences and wars in which it happen alike to the just and unjust to him that serveâ—â— God and him that serveth him not There are other troubles that fall only on the heritage of the Lord on the best among a people When the vile of the earth prosper and flourish and those only in whom some good thing is found are the suffering people When the Sun shines on the barren Mountaines and miry Marishes and 〈◊〉 Storms the Thunder and the Hail fall only on 〈◊〉 fruitful Fields when the Corn is smitten and 〈◊〉 the Thorns and Bryars escape Such troubles as fall on the Righteous of the earth and for their righteousness sake when the bread and water of affliction are given to Disciples and in the name of Disciples these are the most trying troubles Such troubles as leave men to their choice either to sin or suffer When godliness becomes the common rode to tribulation and ungodliness is the only door that is left open by which we may escape and shift our selves out of danger Such afflictions as these will make the most narrow search and through tryal whether we are godly indeed or not Brethren see that your hearts be so established with grace that you stand your ground and keep your way in such dayes of temptation And that you may hold out and hold on and abide in the day of greatest tryals take this course I. Try your selves throughly aforehand 1 Cor. 11. 3. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged Though I cannot say if we would try our selves we should not be tryed yet this I can say if we would try our selves we should be the more likely â—o abide the trial of the Lord. Try your selves afore-hand And that 1. What you are in the state of your souls according to the instructions I have already given you in this matter 2. What you are in your duties in your active obedience He that is not faithful in doing the Will of God is not like to be found faithful in suffering the Will of God He that carries himself Christianly in his present state needs not trouble himself with fears and doubts how he shall stand in any future state he may be brought into The tryal that trouble will make upon us is whether we will be faithful in doing the Will of God when we must suffer for it Now he that neglects his duty and cannot hold his heart to an holy conscientious course when he is in no danger and his Religion is like to cost him nothing what is like to become of this mans godliness when it may cost him the loss of all We readâ— Dan. 6. 10. When a decree was signed That whosoever should ask any Petition of God or man save of the King should be cast into the Lyons Dâ—n That Daniel prayed and gave thanks to his God three times a day as he haâ—â— done aforetime If Daniel had not used to pray aforetime when praying would bring him into nâ—â— danger he would not doubtless have adventured oâ—â— it in such a time when he saw evidently that it waâ— like to cost him his life Brethren Consider what your present course and care is Do you pray now and fast now and withdrawing your selves from the lusts and liberties of the world Do you now apply your selves to a soâ— ber serâ—ous self-denying life Are you now active for God and your sâ—uls and have you been conscientious and watchful and fruitful aforetime when there was nothing to molest or discourage you If you have been carnal and vain and remiss in the exercises of Religion when you might have been as holy as you would as strict and as zealous as you would without any fear of suffering for
things He that hath the son hath not only with him but in himâ— all things Are all things nothing with thee What wouldst thou have more than all Thâ— Heathens acknowledged That vertue is sufficient Iâ— was a Maxime among the ancient Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue is self-sufficient A vertuous Man hath no need to be beholding either tâ— Friends or Fortune He hath enough in himself The Apostle tells us That Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with its self-sufficiency is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man is satisfied from himself He hath that within him out of which his satisfaction grows A Christian hath the whole Gospel within him He hath Christ the Promise the everlasting God Heaven Glory within him As rich as he is he may truly say Omnia mea mecum porto He carries his All in his heart and can thence get out a living a Sufficiency for all Times Cases and Wants Cast him naked out of his Habitation out of his Countrey yet he carries all with him he leaves not an Hoof behind him Christians leave it to the poor of the Earth to carnal men the Riches of them is poor enough leave it them to be discontent A carnal Man hath so many to be beholding to to parch up his contentment that 't is no wonder he falls short of it the Sun the Clouds his Fields his Folds his Friends his Enemies his Honours his Pleasures his Meat his Drink his House his Mony yea the Devil all his lusts every Creature must come in with their part to contribute to his contentment if but one thing fails him there 's somthing wanting to make it up Nay if none fail but they all do their best to please him yet all will not do in the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits When he hath all he can have his still hungring Heart cries out of what it hath Vanity of Vaâ—â—ties all is Vanity Leave it to these Christians who â—ave nothing but emptiness to fill their Souls withâ—â— leave it to them to be discontented Will you â—ay the same imputation upon the God of Glory The Discontent of a Christian is a kind of Blasphemy it proclaims concerning God also and all the Glory of the Gospel This also is Vanity Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity Christians study your Riches more count over your Treasures dwell more in your God and his Gospel Read over your Priviledges Promises and Hopes feed more on that Bread of Life drink more freely of those Living Springs which are broken forth to you Prove more what Godliness hath in it Get out the sweetness and the Pleasure of it none in the World live such a voluptuous Life as he that lives mâ—â—t with God get out the pleasure of Godliness lie more at the Breasts suck harder press the Clusters and the Wine and Milk will come make the most of Religion and you will have enough never blame it for empty or unsatisfactory while there is more to be had Gad not into other Pastures run not from Flower to Flower keep you Home Let not your God find you in another Field If you keep with God the less you have of Creature-vanities the more full will your Contentment be Christian Honour thy God and his Gospel let his Breasts satisfie thee and err thou alwayes in his Love Let the World read the Gospel-sufficiency in thy Souls pleasure and satisfaction with it alone 5. Let your Conversations answer the supports of the Gospel and its succours Live a patient life Jam. 5. 7. Be patient brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Patience is a Grace suited to our present Gospel state I will call it a Friend that 's born for the day of adversity If you are Christians you have need of Pâ—tience and if you have Patience you need no more Jam. 1. 4. Let Patience have her perfect work that you may be entire lacking nothing Patience is a submitting sedate and calm frame of spirit whereby a Christian from Gospel grounds it born up under all his Troubles and born through all his Duties Betwixt Patience and Contentedness there is this difference Contentedness is the quiet of the heart and its satisfaction with its smallest portion of good things Patience is the quiet of the heart under the greatest pressure of evil things A patient spirit is a submitting spirit It s heartily content that God should have his Will With whatsoever God is pleased it will not be displeased It 's the Lord lâ—â— him do whatsoever seems good in his Eyes What seems good in God's eyes shall not seem evil in mine It is a Calm and quiet spirit It will not strive noâ— cry nor lift up its voice in the streets it can mourn but it does not murmur it can feel but it will not fret at the hand of God A patient person is ever compos mentis has the command and government of his spirit keeps it sober and in due order doth not rave and rage Impatience is a kind of frenzy such persons are besides themselves In our patience we possess and by our impatience we lose our Souls we lose the rule and government of them the peace and the use of them An impatient man is besides himself both as a Man and as a Christian 1. He is besides himself as a Man Impatience turns Reason out of doors and for the Affections they are all in an uproar and will know no command or government 2. He is besides himself as a Christian turned quite out of course Duties Comforts Experiences Hopes all are laid aside Keep you quiet keep the peace in your heart and you keep your heart In this calmness and quietness it bears up under troubles Patience hath Fortitude in it it neither frets nor faints under all its burthens Christians must bear and patient Christians can bear any thing that comes on them The proper exercise of patience is enduring he endures not that suffers only but that can bear what he suffers It bears through its Duties The passion of a patient person doth not hinder his action He holds his course keeps on his way whatever load he hath on his back He runs with patience the race which is set before him he is not discouraged nor diverted from his holy course by any suffering it costs him And indeed Christian Patience stands not in a bare forced quiet in a biting in or keeping down our fretting aestuations from venting themselves in word or carriage or in a sullen silence or stupidity but in the maintaining such a tranquility of spirit under all we suffer as that we can still both enjoy and serve the Lord. He is a patient Christian that is as much a Christian in a storm as in a clam that can pray believe love bless God follow God and keep his way when he smites as when he smiles Lastly in all this a Christian is upheld and carried on from
worship to be the Soul and the Soul to be nothing Be not conceited that the outward part is the worship and the inwaâ—â— but a conceit Brethren the living God will have living services the God of our spirits will have the service of our spirits the worshipping God in spirit this is the true worship God will not be and take heed you be not cheated with shews When all the men of the world with their wits parts and interists have commended garnished and magnified the carcass of Religion and decryed and disgraced its soul and life yet this shall still stand as an irrefragable Truth They are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 2. Worshipping God through the spirit through the help and assistance of the Spirit of God as to instance in prayer Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities The Spirit of God affords a three-fold help in prayer 1. He indites our requests suggests matter of Prayers to us who as the Apostle there tells us Know not what we â—â—â—uld pray for as we ought Carnal mens lusts do often make their Prayers and then no wonder they ask amiss when they should be seeking the death of their lust they ask meat for their lusts we often not knowing what we ought to ask do ask we know not what we ask a stone a Serpent a Scorpion somtimes when we think we ask bread If God should alwaies give his people their prayers their prayers would undo them When we are poor we ask riches and it may be if God should give us them our riches might undo us Somtimes we ask ease or credit or liberty and if we had what we ask it might be our ruine the Spirit of God knows what 's fit for us and accordingly guides our prayers He helps us to understâ—â—â— our sins and so teaches us what confession to make carnal men will confess sins but any sins rather then their own He helps us to understand our wants and so teaches us what to ask He helps us to understand our mercies and so teaches us what to give thanks for carnal men often come before the Lord with mock praises give thanks for their election justification sanctification hope of glory when it may be the power of sin and the wrath of God abides upon them and they remain without Christ and without hope and without God in the world the Spirit of God if they had him would make their devotions more reasonable and regular 2. He excites and quickens and enlarges their hearts in prayer The Spirit of God comes in and influences upon the heart and draws forth the soul and this is the import of the following words The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered that is he sets up a groaning and sighing after the Lord. Groaning notes the strentgh and ardency of desire which through the servency of it puts the Soul to paine and an holy impatience till it be heard in which sence it s used verse 21. For we our selves who have received the first fruits of the spirit groan within our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our body It works such groanings as cannot be uttered it sometimes makes the hearts of Christians too big for their mouths their desires more larger then their expressions as much warmth and life and strength of affection as there does appear without there 's more withinâ—t Oh how flat and dead are our hearts oftentimes how much are we straitned in our prayers we stand as men struck dumb when we come before the Lord or if there be words in our mouths there is scare any word in our hearts sometimes we cannot speak and if we can speak we cannot groan the Spirit doth either put words in our mouths or else supply the want of words by kindling and enlarging inward desires helping us to groan out a prayer when we cannot speak it out and silent groans will sound in the ears of the Lord when the loudest cryes may not be heard 3. He encourages and emboldens the heart in prayer enables us to call God Father to pray to him to cry to him to be confident of audience and acceptance with him upon this ground Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And hereby he furnisheth us with a mighty Argument to plead with God Father hear me Father forgive me Father pity me Father help me Am not I thy childe thy Son or thy Daughter To whom may a childe be bold to go With whom may a child have hope to speed if not with his Father Father hear me The Fathers of our Flesh are full of bowels and full of pity to their Children and know how to give good things to them when we ask them when they ask Bread will they deny them when they ask cloaths or any thing they want will they deny them And is not the Father of Spirits more full of bowels more full of bounty than the Fathers of our Flesh Father hear me This is praying in the Spirit and if this be a fancy with you I must tell you sinners that it is such a fancy as experienced Christians that have most proved it would not lose for all your substance But will you stand to it Is this Fanatical praying indeed then bring your Index expurgatorius and expunge these Textâ— out of the Scriptures or else if you let them stand and look over them again you will next say Their Bible is as Fanatical as themselves But let me add one word to convince you from your own judgement if you understand what you doe that praying in the Spirit is no fancy and this by putting this one Question to you Dare any of you all when you goe to God in Prayer deliberately refuse to begge the assistance of his Spirit Whether you use a Form or Pray without a Form that is not so material The assistance of the Spirit is needed as well of those that use a Form as of those that pray without it Nor dare you I say when you goe to pray deliberately refuse to beg the assistance of the Spirit Dare you say Lord I need not nor desire any such assistance I will not ask it of thee that thy Spirit may be given into me to help mine infirmities If you beg the assistance of the Spirit you hope to have it and if you have it there is that praying in the Spirit which you cry down for a fancy Judge now whether you do not condemn the things which your selves allow and in your Judgement and Practice justifie the reallity of that Duty which with your mouths you decree for Fanatical Will you also be his Disciples Will you also be Fanaticks 2 Walking in 〈◊〉 Spirit this is no fancy Gal. 5. 25. If we live in the Spirit let