But he giveth more grace James 4.5 6. Yet seeing Grace is imperfect in the best of Men on Earth it behoveth them to take heed lest they be overcome of evil Grace so far as they have it makes them strong but the remainders of Corruption makes them weak I have heard that it hath been said of an eminently holy man That he had Grace enough for two men yet upon some occasions he was found not to have enough for himself 4. He that takes not good heed so as not to be overcome of evil will be altogether unable to overcome evil with good How can he overcome evil in another that is overcome by it himself How wilt thou say to thy brother Mat. 7.4 Let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own But that we have a farther duty lying upon us than not to be overcome of evil comes in the next place to be shewn in speaking to the second Branch of the Point which is 2. Bran. Every Christian ought to endeavour what in him lieth to overcome evil with good This Lesson was not much taught in old time Our Saviour tells us the Scribes and Pharisees were wont to teach the contrary Mat. 5.43 It hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy For which and other such Doctrines as they taught he calls them blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15.14 The like darkness had blinded the eyes of the old Philosophers for the most part Some of them indeed as Plato and Seneca have excellent Precepts tending toward the Point in hand but these may be thought to light their Candle at their Neighbours Torch Vide Gatak destylo N. Instrum cap. 44. Plato was much conversant in and well acquainted with the Writings of the Church of the Jews and Seneca lived in the days of Paul and 't is probable was acquainted with him or with his Doctrine and so might come to a more refined Morality But these remaining still in unbelief as to the great Doctrines of Faith in Jesus Christ could not see themselves nor shew to others the true ground of love or the great motives to it It was Jesus Christ who came to reconcile us when enemies and died for the ungodly and did with his own mouth preach his own and his Fathers love therein that brought to light such Precepts as these Love your enemies and overcome evil with good Not that these were new Commandments brought first into the world when God was manifest in the flesh No they were old Commandments Thus we read Lev. 19.18 Thou shalt not avenge or bear any grudg against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self And John speaking of love says 1 John 2.7 I write no new commandment unto you but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning tho in the next verse he calls it a new Commandment it being renewed by Christ who may be said to set forth a new Edition of it amplified and enlarged A new commandment John 13.34 says he I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you which is such an as as no tongue is able fully to express In speaking to the Point we shall shew 1. That every Christian ought to endeavour to overcome evil with good 2. What good means should be used to that purpose 3. How they should be used that they may be the more effectual to that end 1. That we are to endeavour to overcome evil with good doth appear by this We are called to be followers of God Eph. 5.1 and to be of the mind of Christ and to follow his steps Phil. 2.5 and 1 Pet. 2.21 As every godly man is in some measure like unto God and every true Christian of Christ's mind and way so he is to endeavour still to be more like to both Otherwise to profess Godliness and Christianity is to take the Name of God and Christ in vain The Name which God proclaimed as his Exod. 34.6 was The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth These are Attributes which God delights to magnifie He glories in this Jer. 9.24 I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness How often is it said of him Nehem. 9.17 Joel 2.13 Jonah 4.2 Gen. 6.5 That he is slow to anger and of great kindness God did wonderfully exercise these his Attributes toward the old World When the wickedness of man was great on the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually how slow to anger was he then He did not presently send the Deluge but his long-suffering is said to wait while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 And this time of waiting was no less than One hundred and twenty years Gen. 6.3 His loving-kindness appeared also in that he sent Noah who preached righteousness and called them all this while to repentance 2 Pet. 2.5 The like long-suffering and great kindness he exercised toward the people of the Jews from Egypt the House of Bondage from whence he delivered them to Canaan and in that good Land which he so freely gave them too They were no sooner brought miraculously through the Red Sea but they began to provoke and not long after you may hear God complaining of them Numb 14.11 How long will this people provoke me and ver 22. he says They have tempted me now these ten times Nor were they better after this for he was then grieved with them forty years long Psal 95.10 After the same rate they carried it when they came into Canaan as you may see by reading the Historical Books of the Old Testament You have a short sum of the Kindnesses of God to them and their great Miscarriages in the 9th Chap. of Nehem. Nehem. 9.26 30 31. where you will find one yet after another and one nevertheless after another God was good to them nevertheless they sin and provoke They sin and provoke nevertheless God is good to them The greatness of their sin and God's great goodness to them are both set forth in Isa 65.2 I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people a people that provoke me to anger continually to my face Their sin is here called Rebellion which was not only once or twice but continually and that to his very face And the goodness of God to them is set out by the spreading out of his hands which shewed great desire of their coming in and a readiness to embrace them in so doing and this is said to be not once or twice but all the day That this Scripture is to be understood of the Jews we have the Apostles Warrant Rom. 10.21 To Israel he saith All the day long have I stretched out my hand to a disobedient and gain-saying people Thus matters stood between God and them all the days of old Isa 63.9
to the end and ye see what power he had with God in Prayer for wicked Sodom God communicated his Secrets to him as one Friend to another and Abraham made Intercession to him as Favourites of Princes for Malefactors So did he for Sodom and ye know how far he prevailed for he was a Righteous man Jam. 5.16 and such a mans Prayer prevaileth much And what was Abrahams Righteousness even the Righteousness of Faith by Imputation Rom. 4. and this Faith living and working XV. We keep our selves in the Love of God when we declare a publick Spirit for the Cause of God in his Church against the Enemies of it by being zealous for his Glory and valiant for his Truth in our Station Judg. 5. This is lively asserted in the Song of Deborah and Barak who after she had praised some for their appearing and others for not appearing in this Cause dispraised the Lord she praised above all for his presence with his People and for that Spirit of Love he poured out upon them in these Words vers 31. So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Now the Reason why this publick Spirit in the Cause of God is expressed by our Love to God is this Because God is so much concerned in it 1. As to his Honour to defend and deliver his People from his and their Enemies as the Midianites were 2. As to his Power in reducing thirty thousand to three hundred Jud. 7. as in Gideons case all that lapped He as a poor Barley Cake tumbled all the Enemies down and by a small company And a Woman in Deborahs case that is by her self and Jael Judg. 4.21 destroyed Jabin and Sisera's mighty Host To omit many other instances of publick Hearts in this case signally owned by God because they signally appeared for God Thus Moses Exod. 2.11 13. Judg. 5.9 This was their Love Thus saith Deborah My Heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offer themselves willingly bless ye the Lord. Zebulun and Napthali jeoparded their lives unto Death in the high places of the Field and thus did Issachar ver 15. But Reuben Gad Manasseh Dan and Asher are branded for their Cowardise I say all this appearing in the defence of all that was dear to God and them is called Love to God Therefore we may in no wise exclude this Noble publick Spirit in the cause of God and his People from the Love of God for there is no principle in the World like to the Love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3.8 Deum odisse in sacris literis peculiariter illi dicuntur qui falsos deos colunt Maimon Which love me and keep my Commandments Illa praecipuè quae ad arcendas pravas superstitiones pertinent Grot. Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pij dicti sunt Ezek. 16.33 36 37. chap. 23.5 Jer. 2.2 I remember the love of the Espousals to animate and inflame the Soul to do great things for God This Spirit was marvellous in David whose very Name was from Love Therefore it is the duty of every Child of God to pray for the Spirit of God which only sheds all divine Love abroad in the Heart Rom. 5.5 which God inspires as he pleaseth XVI A great means of keeping our selves in the Love of God is to be Sincere and Sound in the Worship of God Mark this well for herein lyes the Love or Hatred of God as appears plainly in the second Commandement Exod. 20. ver 6. Therefore Idols and Idolaters are called our Lovers Hosea 2.5 7. Jer. 8.1 Hosea 13. They kissed the Calves ver 2. Therefore our Hankering and embracing of a false Worship provokes God to jealousie Therefore the Lord deals with Superstition and Idolatry in his People after the Law of Harlots and Adulterers The Scripture is full of this Language There is no higher Act of Love in God than to espouse a People to be his own and to give them a Rule of Worship of his own Institution and to hold them to it as he did Israel And when a People follows God and serves God according to his own appointments there are no higher Acts of Love towards him in Gods account God is enamoured with such a People God in his highest acts of jealousie was inraged against his Idolatrous people Psal 78.59 They kissed their Idols giving them all the tokens of Love and Homage 1 King 19.18 Job 31.27 They burnt their Children to them as the costlyest Sacrifice as Abraham would his Isaac in Love to God but God only tryed him by it Mark 7.7 Colos 2.22 Mat. 15.2 3 6. Rev. 17.4 5. he calls them his Hephsibah and his Beulah Isa 62.4 We see it also in the instance of good Kings how the Lord prized and praised them for this very thing for Reforming and setting up the true Worship of God as David Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah how the Lord prospered them because their Hearts were right and perfect with God in this thing On the other side how he hath branded and blasted all those that were false herein For this was David a man after Gods own Heart fulfilling all his Wills which is chiefly meant in the point of Gods Worship Act. 13.22 As for the Wills of men in the Worship of God by their Inventions Traditions and Commandements he tells you he hates them and they are Abomination to him And no wonder for what intrencheth more upon the Honour of Gods Wisdom and Soveraignty than this That he doth not know best how to appoint his own Worship but must be fain to be beholding to Man for his devices and dictates in the Case This though it seems very gay is Whorish and Poysonous this golden Dress and Cup is intoxicating XVII A great Means of keeping in the Love of God is keeping up the Communion of Saints in all the parts and duties of it What this is we shall see according to Scripture The Communion of Saints is our Participation of all the good things of God in common whereunto all the Saints and only they have right consisting in our Union to God as our chiefest good this is with God as a Father with the Son and Holy Spirit 1 Joh. 1.3 2 Cor. 13.13 1. We have Communion with the Father as Children and all in the greatest Love 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 8.16 17. This is procured by Christ 1 Joh. 2.23 only obtained by Believing Joh. 1.12 And maintained by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 Who walk not in darkness but in light 1 Joh. 1.6 7. 2. We have Communion with Jesus Christ the Son of God By which we are made partakers of him of his Nature and of his Grace and of his Glory all which is done by Faith that uniteing and marrying Grace and this works such Conjugal Love between Christ and his Church as makes them
the Ministry of the Gospel promotes a mans own Salvation in so far as the work of Christianity is woven in with the right discharge of the Office of the Ministry Many Ministers can say that if they had not been Ministers they had in all appearance lost their Souls The Subject of the Ministers work is the same with that of a Christian's and above all men should he be careful of his Heart and Intentions that all be pure and spiritual No man in any work he is called to is under so strict a necessity of dependance on the influence and assistance of the Holy Ghost both for Gifts and Grace And are not all these great helps unto our own Salvation 2. The Second advantage is thou shalt save them that hear thee There is little hope of that mans being usefull to save others that minds not his own Salvation And therefore the Apostle puts them in this order thy self and then them that hear thee This description of the People them that hear thee saith that the principal work of a Minister is Preaching and the principal benefit People have by them is to hear the Lords Word from them though there be a seeing i. e. of their holy Conversation that is also useful Phil. 4.9 But the Apostle knew no such Ministers as were only to be seen in worldly Pomp and Grandeur and seldom or never heard Preaching Thou shalt save them The great End of both Preaching and Hearing is Salvation and if Salvation were more design'd by Preachers and Hearers it would be more frequently the effect of the action Thou shalt save them Thou shalt by the Lords blessing on thy Ministry be successeful in converting Sinners and in building up of Saints in Holiness and Faith unto Salvation Not that Ministers are of themselves able by all their Endeavours to carry on this great End they are only Gods Tools and Instruments 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Concerning this 1. We find that the Lord hath appointed this great Ordinance of the Gospel-Ministry for this end the Saving of men Eph. 4.11 12 13. It is through their Word that men believe Joh. 17.20 And Divine appointment of the Means declares both it to be usefull and the End to be hopefull 2. He hath also given many Promises of his presence blessing and success to follow and attend them whom he sends on this great Errand Christs first calling of the Apostles had this Promise in it I will make you Fishers of men which not only declared what that Imployment was he call'd them unto but it assur'd them of success in it At his leaving of them Matth. 28.20 he promised to be with them unto the End of the World and this Promise is as good to us as it was to them 3. He hath also revealed much of his Mind about Ministers Duty in order to this end of Saving men This also makes the End more hopefull 4. We find that the Lord doth qualifie and fit them whom he makes successeful He makes men able Ministers of the New Testament the Word of Life 2 Cor. 3.5 6. And still according to the success the Lord hath a mind to bless a man with gifts and qualifications and assistance are proportionably given The Apostles that had the greatest Harvest to gather in were made the strongest Labourers and though in a far inferiour degree the same method is observed by the Lord in dealing with and by ordinary Ministers It 's true that alwayes the most able and learned Ministers are not most successeful yet generally the most skilfull Labourers are most blessed Neither are the most Learned and able men for parts most fit and skilful in dealing with Souls at all times Now having opened the words we shall return to the Question to be resolved By what means may Ministers best win Souls In speaking to which I shall first shew What this Text saith unto this purpose 2ly And then give some further account thereof from other Scriptures 3ly And apply it both to Ministers and People 1. What this Text speaks about this matter It looks two wayes upon this Question 1. It gives a direct Answer unto it and points forth Duty 2. It gives an encouraging Promise of the good Effect and Fruit of the discharge of the Duty I shall carry on both together 1. Take heed unto thy self Wouldst thou be a saved and successeful Minister take heed unto thy self Such Warnings imply alwayes a Case of difficulty and danger wherein he is that gets them Take heed unto thy self in these things 1. Take heed that thou be a sound and sincere Believer The importance of sincere Godliness in a Minister is written in the deep wounds that the Church of Christ hath received by the hands of ungodly Ministers It hath been made a question Whether an ungodly Man can be a Minister but it is none That such men are in a most desperate condition Matth. 7.22 23. Depart from me not because you ran unsent or preach'd Error instead of Truth or preached poorly and meanly all great sins in themselves but because you work iniquity the usual expression of intire ungodliness What use the Lord may make of the Gifts for great Gifts he gives to the worst of men of ungodly men even in the Ministry of the Gospel is one of his deep Paths But no man can reasonably imagine that a walker in the way to Hell can be a fit and usefull Guide to them that mind to go to Heaven If a man would have peace in his Conscience and success in his work of the Ministry let him take good heed to this that he be a sound Christian There is a special difficulty for a Minister to know his Grace Gifts and Grace have deceived many with their likeness although the difference be great both in it self and to an enlightened Eye 2. Take heed to thy self that thou be a called and sent Minister This is of great importance as to Success He that can say Lord thou hast sent me may boldly adde Lord go with me and bless me It is good when a man is serious in this Inquiry It is to be feared that many run and never ask this Question so is it seen in their speed and success Jer. 23. I sent them not therefore they shall not profit this people at all is a standing rule to this day These things if found may serve to satisfie a Ministers Conscience that Jesus Christ hath sent him 1. If the Heart be filled with a single desire after the great end of the Ministry the Glory of God in the Salvation of men Every work that God calls a man to he makes the End of it amiable This desire sometimes attends mens first Conversion Paul was called to be a Saint and an Apostle at once Acts 9. and so have many been called to be Saints and Ministers together If it be not so yet this is found with him that Christ calls that when he is most spiritual and serious
and manner of Preaching 1. For the Subject-matter of Gospel Preaching it is determined by the Apostle expressely to be Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Two things Ministers have to do about Him in preaching Him to them that are without 1. To set him forth to People Gal. 3.1 to paint him in his Love Excellency and ability to save 2. To offer him unto them freely fully without any limitation as to Sinners or their sinful State And then Christs Laws or Will to be published to them that receive Him and are his for the Rule of their walk and his promises for the measure and foundation of all their hopes and Expectations and his Grace and fulness for their supply in every case till they be brought to Heaven This was the simplicity of the Gospel that remained but a little while in the Christian Church for Ceremonies amongst the Jews Col. 2. and sinful mixtures of vain Philosophy amongst the Gentiles did by degrees so corrupt the Gospel that the Mystery of Iniquity ripened in the production of Antichrist It was a sad Observation of the Fourth Century that it became a matter of Learning and Ingenuity to be a Christian The meaning was that too much weight was laid on Notions and matter of Opinion and less regard had unto the soundness of the Heart and Holiness of the Life In the beginning of the Reformation from Popery the Worthies whom God raised up in several Countreys did excellently in retrieving the Simplicity of the Gospel from the Popish mixtures but that good work took a stand quickly and is on the declining greatly How little of Jesus Christ is there in some Pulpits It is seen as to success that whatever the Law doth in alarming Sinners it is still the Gospel voice that is the Key that opens the Heart to Jesus Christ Would Ministers win Souls let them have more of Jesus Christ in their dealing with men and less of other things that never profit them that are exercised therein 2. As for the manner of successeful Preaching I shall give it in a Negative and Positive from these two places 1 Cor. 1.17 2. 1. 4. What this negative disowns is our inquiry The Words are full for Christ sent me not to baptize but to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect Again I came not to you with excellency of speech or of Wisdom declaring to you the Testimony of God Again And my speech and my Preaching was not with inticing words of mans Wisdom These are the words of the Holy Ghost concerning a way of Preaching that is unprofitable a way that seems was in use and respect with the Corinthians and honest Paul was despised by them for his simple and plain way different from theirs I shall only instance in things that this Scriptural Negative doth check and reprove in the way of Preaching 1. The establishing and advancing of Divine Truth upon the Foundation of humane Reason As if there were some weakness and insufficiency in those methods and arguments of working on mens Consciences that the Holy Ghost prescribes The great Foundation of all a Minister hath to say is Thus saith the Lord and a grave declaring of the Testimony of God in this matter is Ministers Duty 1 Cor. 2.1 and will have more Authority on mens Consciences than many humane Reasons There is a rational Preaching as it is called wherein men do not satisfie themselves to make use of Reason as a Tool and Instrument and then its use is excellent but will establish it as a Judge and Dictator in all Divine matters and Truth and so in effect turn all their Preaching into little better things than the Lectures of the Philosophers of old save that the poor Pagans were more sincere in their Morals and serious in delivering their Opinions Let a Minister therefore still think with himself that a plain Scripture Testimony is his main argument and accordingly let him use it When he teacheth Philosophy and when he teacheth men the Will of God about Salvation he is in distinct Provinces and his management of his work therein should be very different 2. It is to Preach with excellency of Speech and words of mans Wisdom when men think to reach the Gospel-end on Sinners by force of even spiritual reason and perswasion This corrupt thought riseth in some from an imagination that moral suasion is all that is needfull for converting a Sinner and in some this thought rises on a better account the Light of the Glory of God in the Gospel shines so brightly in upon their own Hearts that they fall into this Conceit That no man can stand before that Light which they can hold forth Melancthon's mistake at first till Experience made him wiser Hast thou a clear Knowledge of Gospel Mysteries and the word of Exhortation is with thee also so that thou art qualified to urge beseech and plead warmly with sinners on Christs behalf Take heed of this Snare lest thou think that thy Wisdom and Gifts can promote and carry on the Gospel-design on men 3. This also is check'd in the Apostles words the setting forth the beauty of the Gospel by humane Art The truth of the Gospel shines best in its bare Proposal and its Beauty in its simple and naked discovery We may observe from Church-History that still as Soundness of Doctrine and the Power of Godliness decayed in the Church the Vanity of an affected way of speaking and writing of Divine things came in Quotations from the Fathers Latine and Languages are pitiful Ornaments unto Preaching if a man design Conversion and Soul-edification And yet more despicable are all playing on words Jinglings and Cadencies which things are in all the Rules of true Eloquence justly exploded and yet some men reckon much on them But would any man think his Friend in earnest with him that would accost him in any affair with such sort of Language and Gesture 2 The Positive is in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 1 Cor. 2.5 1. Paul preach'd so as gave a demonstration that the Holy Ghost was in him sanctifying Him This is a plain and blessed thing happy is the Minister that manageth his work so that if the hearers get not a demonstration of great Parts and Learning yet they have a demonstration of the sanctifying Spirit of God in the Minister 2. Paul preach'd so as gave a demonstration that the Spirit of God was with him assisting and helping him in his work even when he was amongst them in much weakness fear and trembling vers 3. Happy is the Minister that can preach this way he must be a depender upon assistance from the Holy Ghost 3. Paul preached so as a demonstration of the Power of the Holy Ghost was given to the Hearts of the Hearers The Spirit of God so wrought on them by his Power in and by †2 Cor. 4.2 Commending our selves to â—â—ery
mans Conscience in the sight of God Paul's Preaching this is the principal thing to be aimed at and it is the proper source of all profitable Preaching To conclude You that are Ministers suffer a Word of Exhortation Men Brethren and Fathers you are called to an high and holy Calling your Work is full of Danger full of Duty and full of Mercy You are called to the winning of Souls an Employment near a-kin unto our Lords work the saving of Souls and the nearer your spirits be in conformity to his holy temper and frame the fitter you are for and the more fruitfull you shall be in your work None of you are ignorant of the begun departure of our Glory and the daily advance of its departure and the sad appearances of the Lords being about to leave us utterly Should not these Signs of the times rowse up Ministers unto greater seriousness What can be the reason of this sad Observation that when formerly a few Lights raised up in the Nation did shine so as to scatter and dispell the darkness of Popery in a little time yet now when there are more and more Learned men amongst us yet the Darkness comes on apace Is it not because they were men filled with the Holy Ghost and with Power and many of us are only filled with Light and Knowledge and inefficacious Notions of Gods Truth Doth not always the Spirit of the Ministers propagate it self amongst the People A lively Ministry and lively Christians Therefore be serious at heart believe and so speak feel and so speak and as you teach so doe and then People will feel what you say and obey the Word of God And lastly for People It is not unfit that you should hear of Ministers Work and Duty and Difficulties you see that all is of your Concernment All things are for your sakes as the Apostle in another case Then only I intreat you 1. Pity us We are not Angels but men of like Passions with your selves Be fuller of Charity than of Censure We have all that you have to do about the saving of our own Souls and a great Work besides about the saving of yours We have all your difficulties as Christians and some that you are not acquainted with that are only Ministers Temptations and Tryals 2. Help us in our Work If you can do any thing help us in the work of Winning Souls What can we do say you O! a great deal Be but won to Christ and we are made Make haste to Heaven that you and we may meet joyfully before the Throne of God and the Lamb. 3. Pray for us How often and how earnestly doth Paul begg the Prayers of the Churches and if he did so much more should we begg them and you grant them for our Necessities and Weaknesses are greater than his 2 Thess 3.1 2. Finally Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not Faith THE CHAMBER of IMAGERY IN THE Church of ROME laid open OR AN Antidote against Popery Quest How is the Practical Love of Truth the best Preservative against Popery SERMON X. 1 PET. II.III. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious WHen false Worship had prevailed in the Church of old unto its Ruine God shewed and represented it unto his Prophet under the name and appearance of a Chamber of Imagery Ezek. 8.11 12. For therein were pourtraied all the Abomination wherewith the Worship of God was defiled and Religion corrupted Things relating unto Divine Truth and Worship have had again the same event in the world especially in the Church of Rome And my present Design is to take a view of the Chambers of their Imagery and to shew what was the occasion and what were the Means of their Erection and in them we shall see all the Abomination wherewith the Divine Worship of the Gospel hath been corrupted and Christian Religion ruined Unto this end it will be necessary to lay down some such Principles of Sacred Truth as will demonstrate and evince the Grounds and Causes of that Transformation of the Substance and Power of Religion into a Lifeless Image which shall be proved to have fallen out amongst them And because I intend their benefit principally who resolve all their Perswasion in Religion into the Word of God I shall deduce these Principles from that Passage of it in the first Epistle of the Apostle Peter Chap. 2. and the three first Verses The first Verse contains an Exhortation unto or an Injunction of universal Holiness by the laying aside or casting out whatever is contrary thereunto wherefore lay aside all Malice and all guile and hypocrisie and envy and all evil speaking the Rule whereof extends unto all other vicious habits of Mind whatever And in the Second there is a Profession of the Means whereby this End may be attained namely how any one may be so strengthened in Grace as to cast out all such sinful Inclinations and Practises as are contrary unto the Holiness required of us which is the Divine Word compared therefore unto Food which is the Means of preserving Natural Life and of increasing its strength As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Hereon the Apostle proceeds to declare the Condition whereon our profiting growing and thriving by the Word doth depend and this is an experience of its Power as it is the Instrument of God whereby he conveys his Grace unto us if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious See 1 Thes 1.5 Therein lies the first and chief Principle of our ensuing Demonstration and it is this All the Benefit and Advantage which any men do or may receive by the Word or the Truths of the Gospel depend on an experience of its Power and Efficacy in communicating the Grace of God unto their Souls This Principle is evident in it self and not to be questioned by any but such as never had the least real sence of Religion on their own Minds Besides it is evidently contained in the Testimony of the Apostle before laid down Hereunto three other Principles of equal Evidence with it self are supposed and virtually contained in it 1. There is a Power and Efficacy in the Word and the Preaching of it Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it 〈…〉 Pâ—â—â—r of God unto salvation It hath a divine Power the Power of God accompanying it and put forth in it unto its proper Ends for the Word of Gâ—d is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 2. The Power that is in the Word of God consists in its efficacy to communicate Grace of God unto the Souls of man in and by it they taste that 〈◊〉 Lord is gracious that is is efficacy unto its proper Ends. These are Salvation with all things requisite
they may have thereby they will give them up to be an easie prey unto the other Designers And there are two Engines that are applied unto this purpose the one is Ignorance the other is Prophaneness or Sensuality of Life Whenever either of these prevails the Experience intended must necessarily be lost and excluded And the means of their prevailing are want of due Instruction by those who are the Leaders of the People and the encouragement of Sensuality by Impunity and great Examples This is the only formidable Conspiracy against the Profession of the Truth in this Nation without whose Aid all power and force will be frustrate in the Issue And as there is a great appearance in Divine Permission of such a state of things at present amongst us so if they be manag'd by Counsel also and that those ways of Ignorance and Sensuality are countenanced and promoted for this very End that the power of Truth being lost the Profession of it may be given up on easie terms there is nothing but Sovereign Grace that can prevent the Design For the Principle which we have laid down is uncontrollable in Reason and Experience namely That the loss of an Experience of the power of Religion will issue one way or other in the loss of the Truth of Religion and the Profession of it Whence is it that so many corrupt Opinions have made such an Inroad on Protestant Religion and the Profession of it Is it not from hence that many have lost an Experience of the power and efficacy of the Truth and so have parted with it Whence is it that Prophaneness and Sensuality of Life with all manner of corrupt Lusts of the Flesh have grown up unto the shame of Profession Is it not from the same Cause as the Apostle expresly declares it comes by 2 Tim. 4 2 3 4 5. One way or other the loss of Experience of the power of Truth will end in the loss of the profession of it But I proceed unto the Instance which I do design in the Church of Rome for the Religion of it at this day is nothing but a dead Image of the Gospel erected in the loss of an experience of its spiritual power overthrowing its Use with all its Ends being suited to the Taste of men carnal ignorant and superstitious This I shall make evident by all sorts of Instances in things relating to the Person and Offices of Christ the State Order and Worship of the Church with the Graces and Duties of Obedience required in the Gospel And in all my principal Design is to demonstrate what is the only way and means of securing our own Souls any Church or Nation from being insnared with or prevailed against by Popery 1. It is a general Notion of Truth that the Lord Christ in his Person and Grace is to be proposed and represented unto men as the principal Object of their Faith and Love He himself in his divine Person is absolutely invisible unto us and as unto his humane Nature absent from us For the Heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things There must therefore an Image or Representation of him be made unto our Minds or he cannot be the proper Object of our Faith Trust Love and Delight This is done in the Gospel and the preaching of it for therein he is evidently set forth before our eyes as crucified amongst us Gal. 3.1 So also are all the other Concerns of his Person and Offices therein clearly proposed unto us yea this is the principal End of the Gospel namely to make a due Representation of the Person Offices Grace and Glory of Christ unto the Souls of men that they may believe in him and believing have eternal Life John 20.31 Upon this Representation made of Christ and his Glory in the Gospel and the Preaching of it Believers have an Experience of the power and efficacy of the divine Truth contained therein in the way before mentioned as the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 3.18 For we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Having a Spiritual Light to discern and behold the Glory of Christ as represented in the Glass of the Gospel they have experience of its transfoâ—ming power and efficacy changing them into the likeness of the Image represented unto them that is of Christ himself which is the saving effect of Gospel-power But this Spiritual Light was lost among men through th efficacy of their Darkness and Unbelief they were not able to discover the Glory of Christ as revealed and proposed in the Gospel so as to make him the present Object of their Faith and Love And this Light being lost they could have no experience of the power of Divine Truth concerning him changing them into his Image They could make no affecting discovery of him in the Scripture All things therein were dark and confused or at least seemed an inaccessible Mystery which they could not reduce to practice Hence those who had got the publick conduct of Religion drove the people from Reading the Scripture as that which was of no use but rather dangerous unto them What shall these men then betake themselves unto shall they reject the notion in general that there ought to be such a representation made of Christ unto the minds of men as to inflame their devotion to excite their Faith and stir up their affection to him This cannot be done without an open Renunciation of him and of the Gospel as a Fable Wherefore they will find out another way for it another means unto the same end And this is by making Images of him of wood and stone or Gold and Silver or painting on them Hereby they supposed he would be made present unto his Worshippers That he would be so represented unto them as that they should be immediately stirred up unto the embraces of Faith and Love And herein they found sensible effects unto their great satisfaction For their minds being dark carnal and prone to superstition as are the minds of all men by nature they would see nothing in the Spiritual Representation of him in the Gospel that had any power on them or did in any measure affect them In these Images by the means of sight and imagination they found that which did really work upon their Affections and as they thought did excite them unto the love of Christ And this was the true Original of all the Imagery in the Church of Rome as something of the same nature in general was of all the Image-worship in the World So the Israelites in the wilderness when they made the Golden Calf did it to have a representation of a Deity near unto them in such a visible manner as that their Souls might be affected with it so they expressed themselves Exod 32 1. Wherefore in this State under a loss of
Spiritual Light and Experience men of superstitious minds found themselves intangled They knew it necessary that there should be such a Representation made of Christ as might render him a present Object of Faith and love wherewith they might be immediately affected How this was done in the Gospel they could not understand nor obtain any experience of the power and efficacy of it unto this end Yet the Principle it self must be retained as that without which there could be no Religion wherefore to explicate themselves out of this difficulty they break through all Gods Commands to the contrary and betook themselves to the making Images of Christ and their adoration And from small beginnings according as Darkness and Superstition increased in the minds of men there was a progress in this practise until these Images took the whole work of representing Christ and his Glory out of the hands as it were of the Gospel and appropriated it unto themselves For I do not speak of them now so much as they are Images of Christ or Objects of Adoration as of their being dead Images of the Gospel that is somewhat set up in the room of the Gospel and for the ends of it as means of teaching and instruction They shall do the work which the Gospel was designed of God to do For as unto this end of the representation of Christ as the present object of the Faith and Love of man with an efficacy to work upon their affections there is in the Church of Rome a thousand times more ascribed unto them than unto the Gospel it self The whole matter is stated by the Apostle Rom. 10.6 7 8. The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend unto heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up again from the dead but what saith it The word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach The Enquiry is how we may be made partakers of Christ and righteousness by him or how we may have an interest in him or have him present with us This saith the Apostle is done by the word of the Gospel which is preached which is nigh unto us in our mouths and in our hearts No say these men we cannot understand how it should be so we do not find that it is so that Christ is made nigh unto us present with us by this word Wherefore we will ascend into Heaven to bring down Christ from above for we will make Images of him in his glorious state in Heaven and thereby he will be present with us or nigh unto us And we will descend into the deep to bring up Christ again from the dead and we will do it by making first Crucifixes and then Images of his glorious Resurrection bringing him again unto us from the dead This shall be in the place and room of that word of the Gospel which you pretend to be alone useful and effectual unto these ends This therefore is evident that the Introduction of this Abomination in principle and practise destructive unto the Souls of men took its Rise from the loss of an Experience of the Representation of Christ in the Gospel and the transforming power in the minds of men which it is accompanied with in them that believe Make us Gods say the Israelites to go before us for as for this man Moses who represented God unto us we know not what is become of him What would you have men do would you have them live without all Sense of the presence of Christ with them or being nigh unto them Shall they have no Representation of him no no make us Gods that may go before us let us have Images unto this end for how else it may be done we cannot understand And this is the Reason of their obstinacy in this practise against all means of conviction yea they live hereon in a perpetual contradiction unto themselves Their Temples are full of Graven Images like the house of Micah houses of God and yet in them are the Scriptures though in a Tongue unknown to the people wherein that practise is utterly condemned that a man would think them distracted to hear what their Book says and to see what they do in the same place But nothing will reach unto their conviction until the vail of Blindness and Ignorance be taken from their minds until they have a Spiritual Light enabling them to discern the Glory of Christ as represented in the Gospel and to let in an Experience of the transforming power and efficacy of that Revelation in their own Souls they will never part with that means for the same end which they are sensible of to be useful unto it and which is suited unto their inclination Whatever be the issue though it cost them their Souls they will not part with what they find as they suppose so useful unto their great end of making Christ nigh unto them for that wherein they can see nothing of it and of whose power they can have no experience But the principal Design of this Discourse is to warn others of these Abominations and to direct unto their avoidance for if they should be outwardly pressed unto the practice of this Idolatry whatever is of carnal Affection of blind Devotion or Superstition in them will quickly be won over unto a Conspiracy against their Convictions Nothing will then secure them but an experience of the efficacy of that Representation which is made of Christ in the Gospel It is therefore the Wisdom and Duty of all those who desire a stability in the profession of the Truth continually to endeavour after this Experience and an increase in it He who lives in the exercise of Faith and Love in the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Gospel as evidently crucified and evidently exalted therein and finds the fruit of his so doing in his own Soul will be preserved in the time of Trial. Without this men will at last begin to think that it is better to have a false Christ than none at all they will suppose that something is to be found in an Image when they can find nothing in the Gospel SECT II. II. It is a prevalent Notion of Truth That the Worship of God ought to be beautiful and glorious The very Light of Nature seems to direct unto Conceptions hereof What is not so may be justly rejected as unbecoming the Divine Majesty And therefore the more holy and heavenly any Religion pretends to be the more glorious is the Worship prescribed in it or ought so to be Yea the true Worship of God is the height and excellency of all Glory in this world it is inferiour unto nothing but that which is in Heaven which it is the beginning of the way unto and the best preparation for Accordingly even that Worship is declared to be
the praise of God Add hereunto the Celebration of Divine Worship in it with its Rule and Order according to the Câ—mmandments of Christ and we have the Substance of this Glory And this Glory Believers do discern so as to be satisfied with its Excellency They know that all the Glories of the World are no way to be compared to it for it consists in and arises from such things as they do value and prefer infinitely above all that this world can afford They are a reflexion of the Glory of God or of Christ himself upon the Church yea a Communication of it thereunto This they value in the whole and in every Member of it neither the Nature Use nor End of the Church will admit that its Glory should consist in things of any other Nature But the Generality of mankind had lost that Spiritual Light wherein alone this Glory might be discerned They could see no Form or Beauty in the Spouse of Christ as only adorned with his Graces To talk of a glorious State of men whilst they are poor and destitute it may be cloathed with rags and haled unto Prisons or Stakes as hath been the Lot of the Church in most Ages was in their Judgment a thing absurd and foolish Wherefore seeing it is certain that the Church of Christ is very Glorious and illustrious in the sight of God holy Angels and Good men a way must be found out to make it so and so to appear in the World Wherefore they agreed on a lying Image of this Glory namely the Dignity Promotion Wealth Dominion Power and Splendor of them that had got the Rule of the Church And although it be evident unto all that these things belong unto the Glories of this World which the Glory of the Church is not only distinguished from but opposed unto yet it must be looked on as that wherein it is glorious and it is so though it have not one saving Grace in it as they expresly affirm When these things are attained then are all the Predictions of its Glory accomplished and the Description of it answered This corrupt Image of the true Spiritual Glory of the Church arising from an Ignorance of it and want of a real experience of the worth and excellency of things internal Spiritual and Heavenly hath been attended with pernicious consequents in the World Many have been infatuated by it and inamoured of it unto their own perdition For as a Teacher of Lies it is suited only to divert the minds of men from a comprehension and valuation of that real Glory wherein if they have not an Interest they must perish for ever Look into Forreign parts as Italy and France where these men pretend their Church is in its greatest Glory what is it but the wealth and pomp and power of men for the most part openly ambitious sensual and worldly Is this the Glory of the Church of Christ do these things belong unto his Kingdom But by the setting up of this Image by the Advancement of this notion all the true Glory of the Church hath been lost and despised Yet these things being suited unto the Designs of the carnal minds of men and satisfactory unto all their lusts having got this paint and gilding on them that they render the Church of Christ Glorious have been the means of filling this World with Darkness Blood and Confusion For this is that Glory of the Church which is contended for with Rage and Violence And not a few do yet dote on these Images who are not sharers in the advantage it brings unto its principal worshippers whose infatuation is to be bewailed The means of our preservation from the Adoration of these Images also is obvious from the principles we proceed upon It will not be done without Light to discern the Glory of things Spiritual and invisible wherein alone the Church is glorious And in the Light of Faith they appear to be what indeed they are in themselves of the same nature with the Glory that is above The present Glory of the Church I say is its imitation unto the Glory of heaven and in general of the same nature with it Here it is in its dawnings and entrances there is its fulness and perfection To look for any thing that should be cognate or of near Alliance unto the Glory of Heaven or any near resemblance of it in the outward Glories of this World is a fond Imagination And when the mind is enabled to discern the true beauty and glory of spiritual things with their Alliance unto that which is above it will be secured from seeking after the Glory of the Church in things of this World or putting any value on them unto that end That Self-Denyal also which is indispensably prescribed in the Gospel unto all the Disciples of Christ is requisite hereunto For the power and practise of it is utterly inconsistent with an Apprehension that secular Power Riches and Domination do contribute any thing unto the Churches Glory The mind being hereby crucifyed unto a value and estimation of these things it can never apprehend them as any part of that Raiment of the Church wherein it is glorious But where the minds of men through their native Darkness are disenabled to discern the glory of Spiritual things and through their carnal unmortified affection do cleave unto and have the highest esteem of worldly Grandeur it is no wonder if they suppose the beauty and glory of the Church to consist in them SECT VI. I shall add one Instance more with reference unto the State of the Church and that is in its Rule and Discipline Here also hath been as fatal a miscarriage as ever fell out in Christian Religion For the Truth herein being lost as unto any sense and experience of its Efficacy or Power a bloody Image destructive to the Lives and Souls of men was set up in the stead thereof And this also shall be briefly declared There are certain principles of Truth with respect hereunto that are acknowledged by all as 1. That the Lord Christ hath appointed a Rule and Discipline in his Church for its good and preservation no Society can subsist without the power and exercise of some Rule in it self For Rule is nothing but the preservation of Order without which there is nothing but confusion The Church is the most perfect Society in the Earth as being united and compacted by the best and highest bonds which our nature is capable of Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 It must therefore have a Rule and Discipline in it self which from the wisdom and authority of him by whom it was instituted must be supposed to be the most perfect 2. That this Discipline is powerful and effectual unto all its proper ends It must be so esteemed from the wisdom of him by whom it is appointed and it is so accordingly To suppose that the Lord Christ should ordain a Rule and Discipline in his Church that in it self and by
John 20.17 Go in my Brethren and say to them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God A power to spirituallize carnal affections Col. losâ— 3â— â— If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affectiâ—n on things â—bove and not on things upon the earth Finally a power to conâ—â—rm and establish the soul in Grace for Christ being â—â—ised from the â—ead diâ—th no 〈◊〉 death hath no more dominion oâ—er him and they that are once really quickened by him shall never more become dead in sins and 〈◊〉 passes but shall continue faithful to the death and may confidently expect a joyful resurrection Christ is risen as the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Therefore there will be an Harvest at the end of the world when all the bodies of the Saints that were sown in Corruption shall be raised in Incorruption that were sown in dishonour shall be raised in Glory 6. Growing in the Knowledge of Christ implies greater satisfaction aboue his imputed righteousness The Apostle having spoken of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ presently declares his desire to be found in him not having his own Righteousness but that which is through the Faith of him the righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3.9 This righteousness of Christ is called the righteousness of God Because 't is that which God accepts and upon the account of which he justifies the ungodly moreover Christ himself is Jehovah the true God else his obedience and sufferings would not have been sufficient to have been our justifying Righteousness * Cur insane Sophista assâ—ris dilectionâ—m spem alias virtutes scio has esse insignia Dei dona divinitus mandata per Spiritum sanctum in nostris cordibus excitari ali Scio fidem sine his donis non â—xistere Sed nunc nobis quaestio â—st quid cujusque proprium sit Tenes manu varia semina non autem quaero quae cum quibus conjuncta sint Sed quae cujusque propria virtus Hic aperte dic quid faciat sola fides non cum quibus virtutibus sit conjuncta Sola fides apprehendit promissionem credit promittenti deo deo porrigenti admovet manum et accipit hoc proprium soliuâ— fidei opus est Charitas spes patientia habent alias materias circaquas vâ—rsantur habent alios limites intra quos consistunt non enâ—m complectuntur promissionem sed mandata exequuntur Luther Tom. 2. in Gen. p. 57. a. This Righteousness is said to be imputed and imputed by the Lord himself and that without works and this Doctrine was preached in the Old Testament by David as well as in the New by the Apostle Paul Rom. 4.6 Nay as Christ is called the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 So Jerusalem the Church is called after her Husbands Name the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 33.16 to shew the reality of the imputation of this righteousness and the real and blessed benefits that follow upon it T is by this righteousness applyed by Faith that we are justifyed from all our Transgressions of the Law and from our sins against the Gospel That guilt which we have contracted by our impenitency and unbelief which are sins against the Gospel can be removed out of Gods sight only by the righteousness by the blood and death of his Son All Justification therefore before God whether our sins have been against the first or the second Covenant is purely meerly by this righteousness of Jesus Christ whereof Faith is medium applicationis a means to apply Oh the compleatness and perfection of this Righteousness of Christ there is no need of any addition He is called the Sun of Righteousness and therefore in the business of Justification all other righteousness should vanish as the Stars do at the Sun rising Let Satan rage let Rome deride and reproach this Article of imputed righteousness must stand or the Church will fall And the better Christ is known the more confidently shall we own his righteousness 7. Growing in the Knowledg of Christ implies a more constant and fiducial eying of his Intercession and the pity and compassions of him that intercedes Believers should better know this Friend and Advocate in the Court of Heaven who always appears for them there He presents to his Father what he did and suffered upon Earth and how effectual is this on the Churches behalf Though the head be in Heaven yet he is mindful of his Members on Earth and is ready to plead for them here is the ground of boldness in coming to the Throne of Grace for we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Heb. 4.14 16. Here is the reason why the Saints Prayers are so mighty and prevalent they are backt with the Intercession of Christ nay 't is upon this that the Apostle concludes believers Salvation to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever lives to make Intercession for them 8. Growing in the knowledg of Christ implies being better acquainted with his great Power and continual presence with his Church which is so nearly related to Him Behold All Power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth at his Name every knee does bow and every tongue if it will speak truth must confess that Christ is Lord. He is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The mightiest Monarchs are more under his Power then their meanest Slaves are under theirs He has all the reprobate Angels in a Chain the Key of Hell is in his hand he commands all there and in Heaven the elect Angels are his Ministers to fulfil his pleasure He is indeed exalted far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come Eph. 1 21. Now this Lord who is so powerful has assured his Church which is his Spouse nay his Body that he will be with her always to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult The Church therefore in spight of Earth and Hell shall last while the world lasts Let fear give way and Faith increase Believers may contemn their proudest adversaries See Zions carriage towards Sennacherib the great King of Assyria Esa 37 22. The Virgin Daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at ther. 9. Growing in the knowledg of Christ implies a better understanding him as Mediatour of the new Covenant so he is called Heb. 12 23. On this Covenant pardoning mercy renewing grace and eternal glory are promised Earth and Heaven the Creature and the Creator himself by himself are made over to Believers Now you must know that
Exchequer and stick at no pains no expence Isa 43 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for that and people for thy life God loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob and the dwellings of Jacob more than all the Tents and Palaces of wickedness and more than all the Thrones of iniquity that frame mischief by a Law for these shall have no fellowship with him He loves one Saint more than he doth ten thousand ungodly wretches with whom he is angry every day and his poor Church more than all the world Christ preferres his little flock before the hugeherds and droves which the Devil will have fall to his share And since this God who is so much your Friend gouerns the world sit down and think how much you may expect from him nay what good is there which you may not expect 4. God hath especially charged himself with his Church and People as a good King looks upon it as his duty to study and promote the weal and comfort of all his Dominions and all his Subjects but in a more particular manner the happiness of his Consort and Children and favourites There is as I have shewn you a general Providence of God which extends it self to the whole world and for which all things fare the better but besides that there is a special Providence exercised about the Saints of whom he is as tender as the apple of his eye Next to his own interest that of his People lyes closest to his heart and doth most engage his thoughts Others are under his eye which runs to and fro through the Earth but these are under his wing Doth God take care of Oxen yes that he doth and of Asses too and of young Lyons and Wolves and Bears and Tygers and all the Beasts of prey but he takes another manner of care for his Lambs and his Dove in the clefts of the Rock and in the secret places of the stairs You read and rejoyce when you read 1 Tim. 4 10. That he is the Saviour of all men but especially of those that believe They are his peculiar people and so the objects of his peculiar care whatsoever God doth he minds them and whoever are neglected and left to shift for themselves to be sure they shall not What! Noah drowned in the waters of deluge or Lot burnt with Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities of the plain No no it could not possibly be Noah must be secured in the Ark before the windows of Heaven were opened and the Fountains of the great deep were broken up And Lot must be arrived at Zoar the City of his refuge before the storm of Fire and Brimstone could fall Zion is engraven upon the palmes of Gods hand and her Walls are continually before him 5. God hath already done great and marvellous things for his Church and People not only being at charge upon them in the ordinary way of his common Providence but likewise putting forth extraordinary and magnificent acts whensoever their case did call for them Miracles have been nothing to him at such a time he hath not only wrought one or two but multiplied them there hath been a series of them as if he counted them cheap His arm hath awakened and put on strength and also put forth strength No less than ten wonderful plagues did he send upon that proud King Pharaoh Israels cruel oppressor and rather than he should not have let them go I question not but he would have sent a thousand more And if after they were gone Pharaoh would pursue them God would make for Israel a way through the Sea and for Pharaoh and his host a grave in it The course of nature was for a while stopt and the Sun made to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moon in the Valley of Ajalon that his People might avenge themselves upon their enemies Clouds have showred down Manna upon them and flinty Rocks as hard and dry as they are have powred out water And though such kind of works have not been performed in the latter days yet God in them hath not left himself without witness neither is his arm shortned nor hath he lost his old wont Miracles are as easie to him now as they were formerly and if need were he would do them But besides them consider these three things which God hath done all along 1. He hath in all times preserved and kept up a Church in the world though Christ hath but a little flock and that is encompassed with ravenous Wolves yet he hath always had a flock When all flesh had corrupted their way there was a Church in Noahs Family When Israel had generally perverted their way and turned aside to abominable idolatry there were still reserved seven thousand faithful worshippers that had not bowed the knee to Baal In the thickest darkness and most furious rage of Popery there were those that owned and pleaded and suffered for the truths of the Gospel The four mighty Monarchies of the world have been shaken down and broken into shivers but the Kingdom of the Lord is an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion is from generation to generation The Church indeed hath not been always alike conspicuous nor hath it always been in the same state of purity peace and prosperity but it hath always had a being Christ was never without some militant Subjects nor his truth without some faithful witnesses two at least 2. God hath employed Angels for his Churches comfort and advantage who knowing it to be the will and pleasure of their great Creator do most readily comply and cheerfully obey As the gates of Hell set themselves against it so doth the Host of Heaven engage for it Heb. 1 14. They are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation When the Prophet Elisha was in some danger from environing enemies the Mountain was immediately garrisoned with Horses and fiery Chariots that came in to be his guard They have it given them in express charge to bear the Saints up in their hands and to encamp round about them and may not this be a singular comfort to believers what though they be the objects of Hells envy and Earths malice yet they are Gods darlings and Angels charge And whatsoever work Angels have to do for them they not only dispatch it faithfully but delight to do so 3. God hath turned all things to the Churches advantage so that it hath not been a loser in the upshot from what corner soever the wind hath blown it hath done Christs garden a real and sensible kindness both the North and the South wind have made spices to flow forth You know what Paul saith Rom. 8 28. All things work together for good to them who love God that are called according to his purpose Comforts and crosses too mercies and judgments too Sunshine
but afterward to Books but certainly both Memory and Books are little enough to preserve those things that should be remembred The Holy Ghost teaches better Deuter. 11 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine House and upon thy Gates yea Chap 17 18. The King himself was to write him a Copy of the Law in a Book that he might remember it the better The very writing of any thing fixes it deeper in the mind And therefore I should still recommend the writing of Sermons not only as a help to the memory but also as a good preservative from sleeping under Gods ordinance as also from gazing about to the great distraction of the thoughts at that Sacred imployment For alas how many excellent Doctrines Directions and Marks have you heard that are quite forgotten which a discreet use of writing might have preserved unto you b I have seen a large Common Place-Book of famous Mr. Bruâ—n filled with choice sentences out of good Authors and digested under fit heads for his own use being a private Gentleman 3. Custom or Vsing your Memories is an excellent way of improving tâ—â—â— Thus many wise persons charge their memories at the present and thereby strengthen them and then commit what they have remembred to writing when they come home that no time may wear it away For every Faculty is improv'd and strengthen'd by imploying it We say use legs and have legs and so use the memory and thou 'lt have a memory So if you oblige your Children and your Servants to bring you away an account of a Sermon or so much of a Catechism you will see that use and custom will make that easy which before they thought impossible I have seen some of an old mans girdle who could not read a word yet by the only help of a girdle which he wore which was hung about with some knotted points he could bring home every particular of a Sermon And therefore charge your memories with those things that are sit to be remembred and doubt not but use will make you perfect I purposly avoid discoursing of that which is call'd an Artificial Memory both because the inconveniences thereof are great and the handling of it unfit for a Sermon 3. The Spiritual Helps for Memory are these 1. Bewail your Forgetfulness There Reformation and amendment when it is sound begins The Jews say that when Adam look't towards Paradise he wept in the remembrance of his Fall I am sure we have cause to mourn and weep and weep again at the remembrance of it To consider not only the great guilt but the sad fruit of that Apostacy and that as in other particulars so in respect of our Memories which have born their share in that convulsion And we have cause to mourn also for all such excesses and follies which have concurr'd to make them worse wherein no man is guiltless so that though you may reckon a sorry memory but a small fault yet you will find that it is both the effect and the sign and the cause of much evil In so much that Idolatry and the worst Sins are in Scripture stil'd the forgetting of God Psal 9 17. c. Few of us would reckon it a small fault to have a Servant frequently neglect his business and run into Errors and still to excuse all by saying I quite forgot it For generally such forgetfulness is the effect of supine negligence and therefore we have the more cause to be humbled seriously for this Sin 2. Prayer is a second Help For every Good and perfect Gift whereof this is one is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1 17. and therefore is to be sought by frequent and earnest Prayer which is the Golden Key to unlock the Treasures of Heaven to the needy soul O beg it then of him that as he sanctifies the Soul he would sanctifie this with the rest And you have a ground for your Prayer in that Joh. 14.26 where our Saviour hath said that the Father will send the Holy Ghost to teach us all things and to bring all things to our remembrance And this Spirit you may have for asking Luke 11.13 Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him understand that God will grant your Prayer herein there being joyn'd with the same a due use of all other means on which earnest Prayer brings a Blessing And you must not only crave this in your solemn Prayers but also when you are reading or hearing you should dart up an Holy Ejaculation or short desire Lord write this Truth in my heart and bless it to me This is like the clenching of a nail And when you have heard a Sermon look the Chest with Davids Prayer 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart And be assured that God will hear the breathings of his own Spirit and give thee a Memory to serve thy turn 3. Diligent Attention If the mind wander in hearing the Memory will be weak in remembring Confine therefore your thoughts to the Holy Work you are about and fetch in your stragling Fancies with a hearty sigh Remember that Almighty God speaks to you by every good Book or Sermon that you read or hear every Chapter and Sermon is a Letter from the God of Heaven and directed in particular to you and you know we read with attention the meanest Letter that is directed to us and we observe every period of it The Gospel is our Saviours Will and Testament and how carefully doth every Child attend to every Clause in his Fathers Will Now the more diligent your Attention is the better you will remember As you know the greater weight we lay on the Seal the deeper Impression it doth make Holy David could say Ps 119.93 I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me The Scripture the Sentence that hath quickned us we shall not easily forget when all the heart is engaged then all the head is imployed also And it is no marvel that divers remember so little when they are so palpably careless in hearing and their wandring Eyes do plainly discover their wandring minds 4. Due Estimation The more we love and admire any thing the better we remember it This is the reason given of Childrens remembring things so well because they admire every thing as being new to them And of old People the saying is known That they remember all such things as they care for For when we esteem and affect any thing the Affections work upon the Spirits which are the Instruments of the Memory and so seat things upon it Why is it that a Woman cannot forget her sucking Child because she doth vehemently love it and the like affection in us to good things would keep us from forgetting them And to this accord that saying of Mr. Guentianus Pag 25. That the best Art of Memory
given is no other than the Will of the great God who made us all which Will must be made known and revealed unto man before it can have on him the force of a Law Now the Discoveries of God's Will are after a twofold manner for there are some other Discoveries than these that are by the Light of Nature What may be understood by the Light of Nature from the things made is done by the exercise of our Reason but what is revealed any other way is not received the same way with the former our knowledge of these Revelations depends not solely on the exercise of but principally on the exercise of Faith 'T is God who after an extraordinary manner has reveal'd his Will and therefore 't is on the Truth of his Testimony we must lean for the knowledge thereof that is we must Believe we must exercise Faith by the Exercise whereof we come to the knowledge of those things which we could not arrive unto meerly by the Exercise of our highest Reasonings and really God delights to try and exercise our Faith so that now especially since the Fall the Life and Heart of that Religion that is necessary to Salvation consists in the Exercise of Faith To be truly Religious and to be a sound Believer are expressions of one and the same import The Religion we are designed for and must now exercise if we will be saved is the Life of Faith which is a Life much higher than that of meer Reason for by Faith we know what by meer Reason we could never know If we consider the most momentous Points of our Religion we shall find that as they are adjusted to our own Capacities even so they are of Matters infinitely above us they are of Matters that are not within our view unto the knowledge of which we cannot come but by some special Revelation the certainty of which Revelations depend on the Veracity and Truth of God's Testimony and 't is our Faith alone by which we receive these Discoveries that are thus given us of God whence 't is said that the stronger our Faith is the more we glorifie God by believing the Truth of his Testimony And that we may thus glorifie God it hath pleased the Lord so to order the Revelations of his Mind and Will and so to dispose of things by his Providence as to pose our Reason and leave us in the dark at which time if we lean on the Veracity and Truth of Gods Testimony about the Doctrine and on his Wisdom and Righteousness about his Providence we discover the strength and firmness of our Faith to the Glory of God These things being so 't is manifest That the many profound Doctrines that are in Scripture and the many dark Providences that attend us do very much contribute to our living the more religiously i. e. to our walking the more by Faith to the saving the Soul This I conceive is one great End of the profoundness of the Doctrines of Religion and of the many difficulties in the Providences of God namely to raise us up to a Life above Sense and Reason even to the Life of Faith which is a high and a heavenly Life The more Difficulties that lie in the way of our Believing the more strong is the Faith that is exercised and the stronger our Faith the more God is glorified by us and the more is our Salvation furthered the which being so we have great reason to be abundantly quickned in our Thoughts If we consider the Nature of Faith we shall find that Mysterious Doctrines and Providences are very necessary for the engaging us to apply our selves to the Exercise of it 1. FAITH is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 The Evidence not only of unseen future Glories but the Evidence of somewhat else not within the view of our Sence or Reason Faith doth evidence unto the Believer the Reality and Certainty of the Promises about Spiritual Blessings to be enjoyed in this Life and doth clearly shew unto him that these Blessings promised are real and shall most assuredly be enjoyed yea though there are in the eye of our Sence and our Natural Reasonings some Impossibilities between us and the inheriting the Promises yet even then Faith sees the Accomplishment not only possible but certain and sure By Faith we believe and receive those Truths which though clearly enough revealed yet are so much above our Capacity that we cannot otherwise embrace them By Faith we believe that the Promise shall be when we cannot see how it can be Thus was the Faith of Abraham exercis'd He believed when his Sight and Reason fail'd him Abraham was an hundred years old and as it were dead Sarah barren and now according to all Rules past Child-bearing notwithstanding all which the Promise being made that Sarah should bear a Son Abraham believes he could see how this could be by Faith though he could not see how it could be by his Reason According to his own Reasonings his Hopes were gone but being strong in Faith he staggered not at the Promise but had a hope above Hope being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. The like also when God commanded Abraham to offer up his Son his own his only Son Isaac whom he loved and of whom the Promise was for in Isaac shall thy Seed be called but nevertheless Abraham is commanded to kill him for a Sacrifice but here is the difficulty if Isaac be slain while so young as he then was even before he had any child how could the Promise be fulfilled Abraham must kill him and yet believe that he should live that he might be the Father of many Nations but how could this be Surely this transcended his Understanding but not his Faith for he believed That God was able to raise him from the dead therefore 't is said by Faith Abraham when he was tempted offered up Isaac accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11.17 18 19. Time would fail to mention Jacob Joseph Moses David and many others who when surrounded with dark Dispensations by Believing gave Glory to God Then Faith is in a special manner acted and exercised when the Believer is compassed about with a cloud of difficulties when in the Doctrines that being plainly reveal'd are to be believed there is somewhat above our Reason and when in the Providences with which we meet there is somewhat very dark they seeming to thwart the doctrinal Discoveries that are made of the Will of God unto us then is the time to act Faith that is not Faith which does carry us no higher than our own scanty Reasonings To believe no more than we can comprehend with our own Reason is too low a thing to deserve the name of Faith Faith is a more noble and raised Grace by which a man believes when his Reason is at a Loss What is here said of Faith is a
great Truth and if duely weighed will afford relief to such as are perplexed with the profoundness of some Doctrines c. For by this t is manifest That the Mysteriousness of the Doctrines the surprizing manner in which they are reveal'd the difficulties about the Hebrew Points and some Instances in Chronology the various Readings and the like they all serve as a spur to our Faith and a furtherance to our Salvation We have Arguments enough to convince us of the Truth of Scripture the certainty of a divine Providence and therefore we ought not to be unbelieving though we meet with some Difficulties that our Reason cannot overcome This should satisfy us that how great soever the difficulties may be how far soever they transcend our Understandings yet there is in 'em no Implication and if so they are in themselves reconcileable and although finite worms are not acquainted with the true Methods of Conciliation yet God who is Infinite in all perfections is These difficulties should not in the least stumble our Faith but rather engage us to be the more strong in believing 2. As by Faith we behold the Accomplishment of the Promises which are not comprehended by our Reason and can thorough the Mysteriousness of Doctrines and Providences see that they are of God so by Faith we are enabled to put our trust and Confidence in God even when under the darkest Dispensations Faith never appears so much in its lustre as when the greatest difficulties lie before it Then t is that the Believer puts his trust in the Power Wisdom Mercy and Faithfulness of God when under the obscurest Dispensations When there are some difficult Appearances in the Sacred Scriptures that relate to some Doctrines and when some Providences seem to be contrary to the discoveries that are made of God's Faithfulness c. then 't is that our Faith appears in its beauty for thereby we shew the just apprehensions we have of God's Power Wisdom Mercy and Faithfulness That God has promised to extend his Compassions to Believers that he will order all things to work together for their good is evident enough in Scripture but yet notwithstanding this all things seem to be against them they are afflicted and under sore temptations they lose their temporal Estates are deprived of their Liberty are sick weak and in great distress several thwarting Providences attend them all things are seemingly against them thus it was with good old Jacob he is bereaved of his Children Joseph is not Sâ—meon is not and Benjamin must be taken away All these things sayes he are against me Gen. 42.36 But yet this was the time for Jacob to exercise his Faith as he did in the following Chapter ver 14. q. d. The Lord Almighty be with you with him I leave you to him I commit my Concerns if I am bereaved I am bereaved i. e. the will of the Lord be done Thus it was with Job God had suffered the Tempter to break in upon him God himself seemed as if he was resolved he should die and yet then could Job say Though he slay me yet will I put my trust in him Job 13.15 So with Habakkuk chap. 13.17 18 19. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines though the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat though the slocks shall be cut off the Fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord the Lord God is my strength he will make me to walk in mine high places Many other Instances might be given all which concur to evince That then is the time to put our trust in the Lord when we are in the dark and can see no light when there are in the Providences of God somewhat above us that we cannot reach unto then 't is that we are to look unto a Rock that is higher than our selves then are we called to put our trust in the Wisdom and Mercy and Faithfulness of him who hath promised to be with us to uphold and support us as said David At what time I am afraid I will trust in the Lord for though my Heart and my Flesh fail yet God will be the strength of my heart and my portion for ever On the other side when at the sight of the prosperity of the wicked the Believers feet were almost gone and his steps did well-nigh slip t is his Confidence in God that is then his stay The Providences of God in this Instance are remarkable for though God had said that the wicked shall not prosper nor live out half their days yet behold they live and their houses are safe from fear they prosper in the world they increase in riches How is this consistent with the threatning or how can the righteous see this and not be troubled Surely when they enter into the Sanctuary they see the End of all and are abundantly satisfied their Faith is hereby tried but yet they can say Good is God to Israel They begin to reason with God and will say Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously but still conclude that the Lord is righteous Jer. 12.1 Though Clouds and Darkness are round about him yet Righteousness and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne For notwithstanding all the dark Dispensations the Godly do still put their trust in the Lord they stay themselves on his Wisdom Power Mercy and Faithfulness the doing which all should endeavour when under dark Dispensations 2. Hereby the Grace of Patience is to the Glory of God held up in a continued exercise Patience is not to be consider'd to consist meerly in an enduring the conflict of Temptations and Afflictions with a quiet calm and sedate temper of Spirit but also in a quiet waiting for and expectation of the accomplishment of some great and glorious Promises in looking and patiently waiting for the End when we shall see with much clearness what now lieth in the dark and out of our view But if we hope for what we see not then do we with Patience wait for it saith the Apostle Rom. 8.25 Now there seems to be some inconsistency between Doctrine and Doctrine between some Doctrines and Providences yea and between Providences and Providences but yet we must conclude That 't is not so and that the time will come when our Lord will not speak any more in Parables unto us when the Vail shall be done away and when we shall find every thing to answer the Truth and Holiness of God no inconsistency in any of the Doctrines and Providences but the exactest Agreement and most excellent Harmony every one Doctrine and Providence concurring to the illustration of each other all which shall be seen with great satisfaction when we shall depart hence and be with the Lord. Now we know but in part we see but through a Glass darkly but then we shall know as we are known and see Face
the girdle of truth And would you have all in one Then put on the Lord Jesus Christ This is the counsel of Eloquent Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God looked down from Heaven and saw the whole World naked not naked as to the body but despoil'd of Vâ—â—ue He saw the sin that they had committed and he had mercy on them in the transgression they had transgress'd and to these miserable naked ones he bestow'd a garment even himself Here then is your real Ornament your truly gorgeous Apparel if you have but faith to apply it skill to use it decently to put it on and comely to wear it In a word Would you have the faithful Mirrour that will impartially discover all your spots all your stains and help you to judg whether they be the spots of his people such as are consistent with the truth and power of godliness and which will not only reveal them but wash them away Deut. 32.4 Then take the Glass of Gods Word therein view James 1.22 23. and dress your souls every day but be sure you forget not what manner of persons that Glass has represented you to your own consciences but be doers of the Word not hearers only deceiving your selves V. Nor let it be forgotten who they were in all Ages recorded for the most curious and profuse in the mystery of Ornamentals We find Jezabel painting her face and attiring her head and immediatly eaten by the Dogs 2 Kings 9.30 only out of civility or loathing they left some Fragments of her abominable Carcase Amongst the rest I could wish her Scull were set in a Ring to serve as a Deaths-Head to mind our painting Ladies of their Mortality The Prophet Ezekiel represents the spiritual Whoredoms of Judah under the Terms of their Corporeal Luxury For whom she painted her eyes Ezek. 23.40 washed her self and decked her self with Ornaments That great Nothing Berenice had got a stock of Impudence that she durst face a Court of Judicature and came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with abundance of Pomp Acts 25.23 and fantastical bravery We must not forget that great Strumpet Cleopatra who wore an Union or Pearl worth Fifty thousand pound which in a prodigal Frolick and Bravado she dissolved in Vinegar and in a Glass of Wine drunk off at one draught And it might cool the fervor of our Ladies to their Braveries Rev. 17.1 when they read of a Woman array'd in Purple and Scarlet decked with Gold precious Stones and Pearls and presently hear that she was the Mother of Harlots And when Platina their own Historian informs us that Pope Paul the 2d painted his face a shame in a Woman a greater in a Man and yet greater in him that would be stiled the Head of the Catholick Church I hope they will not condemn the Protestants of incivility if they now and then stile his Successors The Whore of Babylon St. Hierome tells us That Maximilla the pretended Prophetess but really the Whore of Montanus painted her eyes with Stibium And History rings with the Effeminate Luxury of the Monster of Men Heliogabalus who never wore one Suit twice and studded his Shooes with Pearls and Diamonds Poppaea the Infamous Wife of Execrable Nero had the Bridles and all the Furniture of her Mules of pure Gold and with the same Metal or at least Silver were they shod But let these be Patterns not to provoke your imitation but stir up your indignation VI. And how heinous is that sin to endeavour to procure the acceptation of Men by that which is an abomination to God And must it not highly provoke His Majesty to see the Criticks of artificial Beauty put out Gods Work in a Second Edition auctiorem non emendatiorem as if it had been incompleat as it came first out of Gods hands Yet such is the operose study of our Fashionists what Nature made black they will make white what Age has made white they will have black Time has made them bald but by false hair they will restore Youth as if they would commit a Rape upon Nature alter her course make Rivers run up to their Fountains God gave thee short hair but thou perverse Man wilt cross him and make it long and what thou canst not really do yet thou wilt pretend to do and counterfeit at least contradiction and opposition to his will the worst sort of Hypocrisie certainly in the World when Men would seem more wicked than they are nay than they can be and because neither Nature gave or God allows this extravagant length of Main Contra Helvid they will supply Nature by Art to the affront of God! St. Hierome smartly rubs these painted Butterflies Haec ad speculum pingitur in contumeliam Creatoris conatur pulchrior esse quam nata est Here is a Lady says he that paints her face by the advice of her Glass and to the reproach of her Creator would appear fairer in the eyes of men than ever Nature made her How displeasing is it to God to be displeas'd with what he has done Tert. that they may please the worst of Men Displicet illis nimirum plastica Dei They are angry with or ashamed of Gods handy-work who in Cyprian's Cypr. Language may disown these wretches for any of his handy-work Haec non sunt membra quae Deus fecit sed quae Diabolus infecit These are not the limbs the members which God made but such as the Devil has marr'd and metamorphosed I know both Painting and Periwigs have their Palliations and Excuses 1. They that ruffle in their waving Perukes and look like the Locusts that came out of the smoak of the bottomless pit Rev. 9.8 whose faces were as the faces of women and had their hair as the hair of women do plead that they wear them upon good advice for their healths sake to divert Catarrhs to prevent Consumptions Ans 1. And is it indeed so that the Nation is become almost one great Hospital Are the generality of Men among us just dropping into Consumptions Then what other Lust what Debauchery has introduced a sinful Necessity and then taught them to plead it But is it not evident that the corruption is much larger than the pretended occasion 2. But if cutting off the hair be in some degree useful for that end are Periwigs therefore so Can no other thing substitute the place of hair but such a Vanity 3. But if this Vanity be any ways useful what does the curling contribute to it and what does the change of the colour conduce to that effect Is it no colour but one contrary to the natural that will do the deed Or if it must be so what does the immoderate length signifie to that end How much more ingenuous had it been to have confessed the sin and yet persist in it than to palliate it with such slender thin excuses 2. They that are for painting the face do
be made a Possessor of Him in his Indwelling in us To be led by the Spirit is our partaking of his Directive Influence after we are made Possessors of him The First supposes the receiving of the Agent or Principle the second imports the Operation from that Agent or Principle The Greek Expositors do much insist upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Whom Oecumenius and Theophylact follow Ideo non dicit Qui spiritum Dei acceperunt sed qui spiritu Dei aguntur i. e. qui illius actui obtemperant Musc but with that Explication of it which I do not drive at Observe say They 't is not said as many as have received the Spirit are the Sons of God but as many as are led by the Spirit For as they glosse upon it many receive the Spirit at Baptism who yet afterwards not being led by the Spirit to and in an Holy Life their Sonship to God ceases But this stating of the Having of the Spirit I meddle not with I consider the Reception of the Spirit not only in an external Baptismal way but in that which is inward real and saving And even this I make to be distinct from his Leading For although these are never disjoyn'd and separated but do always coexist and accompany each the other all Circumstances concurring yet in themselves they differ both as to Order and Precedence and also as to Nature and Essence The Having of a Soul and then the having of the subsequent Acts of that Soul are different things so 't is in that which I am upon These things that are more general being premis'd I come to a more strict and particular Explication of this Leading of the Spirit What is it to be led by Him It notes something on the Spirits part and something on the Creatures part Both must be taken in in the opening and stating of it 1. Something on the Spirits part So it imports 1. His special Guidance 2. His powerful Inclination 3. His Cooperation and Corroboration 4. His Regency and Gubernation 1. His special Guidance To be led by the Spirit The special Acts included in the Spirits Leading 't is to live under the blessed Guidance and Conduct of the Spirit This is the Notion which does most obviously comport with Leading How is the Blind man led why as he has one to direct and guide him to and in the way wherein he is to go So here Of this act as done by God and his Spirit the Scripture often speaks And the Lord shall guide thee continually Is 58.11 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go Isa 48.17 Thou shalt guide me by thy Councel and afterward receive me to Glory Psal 73.24 Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Psal 143.10 Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation Psal 25.5 I will direct their work in truth and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Is 61.8 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Psal 37.23 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left Isa 30.21 Here 's the Leading of the Spirit What the Cloud was to the Israelites in the directing of them in their Motions what the Guide is to the Traveller who knows not his way that the Spirit of God is to Believers their Guide and Director in this their Journeying and Wilderness state II. His powerful Inclination He leads not only by a naked Guidance or Directive Light beam'd into the Understanding whereby Believers are brought to know God's Will and what they are to do Col. 1.9 that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his Will Quid est duci spirieu Dei Est a spiritu sancto soris Verbo intus Illuminatione doceri de Dei voluntate nec non efficaciter flecti ac Regi ad volendum faciendum ea quae Deo placent Par. in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding Eph. 3.10 Proving what is acceptable to the Lord But he leads also by the Efficacious Inclining of the Heart the bowing and bending of the Will the overpowring of the Affections to close with and follow his Guidance in the doing of what is good and in the shunning of what is evil Divines bring the whole of the Spirits Leading under two words Monendo Movendo he first counsels and directs as to what is to be done and then he excites and effectually enclines to the doing thereof Psal 119.33 teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes here 's the Informing and Directing Act of the Spirit v. 35 36. make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto Covetousness here 's the Efficacious and Powerful Act of the Spirit They who feel and experience This in themselves they are the Persons that are led by the Spirit I shall have occasion to speak more of it in what will follow III. His Cooperation and Corroboration When one leads another both the person leading and the person led have their proper Action and Motion and both unite and concurr therein And so 't is in the Saints being led by the Spirit as to what is Holy and Good He Acts and They Act too something there is done on His part something on Theirs too and there 's a mutual conjunct efficiency or Agency in Both. He acts then they act acti agunt And the Act is Theirs and His too theirs Subjectively and Formally His in respect of Excitation to it and Assistance in it They do the thing but 't is by his Influxe Is 26.12 thou hast wrought all our works in us Philip. 2.12 13. Work out your Salvation for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure In short we move we act and the Spirit concurrs and cooperates with us therein and so we are led by him †Dicet mihi aliquis ergo agimur non agimus Respondeo imò agis ageris tunc benè agis si a bono ageris Spiritus enim Dei qui te agit agentibus adjutor est Ipse nomen adjutoris praescribit tibi quia tu ipse aliquid agis Serm. 13. de Verbis Ap. Austine when he is proving the Necessity of the latter from my Text does also prove the Reality and Verity of the Former The other Act of the Spirit Corroboration or Strengthning falls in with this in part So his Leading resembles the Mothers or Nurses leading the Child it being weak not able to go alone they take it by the hand hold it up joyn their strength with its weakness and so they enable it to go In like manner the strong and mighty Spirit of
God does as it were take weak Christians by the hand and communicate his strength to them by which they are enabled to do what is required of them As it follows in this Chapter with respect to Prayer likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lifts with us and against us at the other end of the Burden And so it is in all the Duties of Holiness the Spirit lifts with helps the infirmities of Believers and strengthens them thereunto I can do all things through Christ strengthning of me Philip. 4.13 That he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 I may allude to that of Elisha 2 Kings 13.16 He said to the King of Israel put thine hand upon the bow and he put his hand upon it and Elisha put his hands upon the Kings hands So we put our hands upon the bow attempt to believe pray mortifie sin and the like and then the Holy Spirit puts His hand upon Ours to confirm and strengthen us in all these Was it not for this we could do nothing Joh. 15.5 was it not for this Leading we could not move one step in the path of Holiness IV. A Fourth thing included in this Leading of the Spirit is his Regency and Gubernation Where he Governs there he Leads So vice versa and his Leading is ever attended with Rule and Authority 'T is like a Generals Leading an Army who Authoritatively disposes and orders all its motions like Moses his leading the People of Israel who had the Rule and Government over them As to Christ they are put together Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People Isa 55.4 Such a Leading is this of the Spirit in Gracious Souls He has the Regiment of them He Commands and Orders them in their Course as he pleases they are subject to his Will steer'd by him in their Motions as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl Ship is by the Pilot or the Chariot by him that drives it These are the Things on the Spirits part which do constitute his leading 2. To fill this up there is something on the Creatures part And that is their yielding up of themselves to the Guidance and Conduct of the Spirit Their free willing Bishop Halls Remains p. 147. Hollingsworth of the Spirit p. 65. spontaneous following of him in what he moves and dictates to them Without this 't is not Leading for that imports Motion after something that goes before And that Motion too must be Voluntary or else 't is being Hal'd and Dragg'd not Led This is the Disposition and Carriage of the Sons of God towards the Spirit He excites them to be Holy Heavenly-minded to resist and mortifie Corruption to Pray Hear Gods word perform other Religious Duties yea to take up their Cross in all they readily comply with him As David in that particular Case VVhen thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 He will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths Isa 2.3 Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 Here 's the Spirits Leading and the Believers following of him It 's set forth v. 1. by walking after the Spirit it supposes a Principle of Life dead things may be drawn but they cannot properly be said to be led where the Spiritual Life is such do willingly conform to what the Spirit directs them unto But this I shall say no more of in this Explanatory part it being a thing that requires our Practice rather than any large Explication of it Thus I have opened the Nature of the Spirits Leading But it being a point of great Importance and the due stating of it being highly Necessary upon sundry Accounts I will further speak to these Four things about it Four things opened about the Spirits Leading 1. The Matter or Terminus what the Spirit leads unto 2. The Rule by which he leads 3. The Way and Manner wherein he leads 4. The Extent and Measure of it The matter of it 1. The Matter what the Spirit leads unto This is of great Extent but all may be reduc'd to these two things Truth and Holiness Truth is seated in the Vnderstanding and speaks the Spirits Leading of that Faculty Holiness reaches to the Heart within and Conversation without and speaks the Spirits Leading of Both in their utmost Comprehensiveness These he leads and guides unto but not in the least to their Opposites Error and Sin Every Agent is for that which comports and suits with his own Nature and against that which is contrary thereunto Therefore the Spirit being a Spirit of Truth and of Holiness this determines him to lead to these and to these only So his Conduct is stated in Holy Writ John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Eph. 5.9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and Truth Psal 23.3 He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his Names sake This Holiness includes in it Holy Affections the Exercise of the several Graces and these the Spirit guides unto 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ The avoiding and mortifying of sin and this the Spirit guides unto If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live immediately it follows As many as are led by the Spirit shewing that the Mortification of sin is one special thing which the Spirit leads to Gal. 5.16 walk in the Spirit after his Guidance and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the flesh why because he always makes this the matter of his Guidance to keep men off from the Lust of the Flesh from all sinful ways and Courses He 's a Good and Holy Spirit in himself and therefore all his Motions tend to what is Good and Holy As Satan he being the Evil Spirit suitably to his Nature does excite and urge to what is Evil Acts 5.3 John 13.2 So e contra the Spirit of God He being the Good Spirit does excite and urge to what is Good and to nothing else How do they blaspheme this Holy Spirit who do wicked things and yet presume to say the Spirit leads them thereunto This must be laid down as a Principle of undoubted verity that the sole and whole tendency of the Spirits Leading is to Purity Obedience Universal Holiness and in no case to sin and wickedness II. The Rule by which he leads The Rule of it And that in short is the Written VVord God guides by the Spirit the Spirit guides by the VVord He is our Guide and the Word is our Rule The Spirit himself as to his own Actings has no External
you Eph. 3.20 effectually to incline and draw you to what is Good To beat down and subdue the innate Renitency and Reluctancy of the Will Oh here 's the Leading of the Spirit To find out which two things must be searcht into 1. Whether it be the Spirit of God that leads us 2. Whether he leads us in a peculiar and saving or only in a common and general way Now the first must be found out by the foregoing Heads the last by that Head which I am now upon If the Spirit work in me as a Spirit of Power as well as of Light and Direction I may conclude I am led by Him I beseech you lay these Tryals and your Hearts close together and the Decision then will be easie and safe And pray consider as the Spirits Leading must evidence your Divine Sonship so the Things set before you must evidence the reality of that Divine Leading A Second Enquiry is What Inducements are there to excite and move men to endeavour to attain and live under this Leading of Gods Spirit 2. Enquiry Answ Many and Great Oh how strong are the Motives that are proper for the urging of this 1. As First The Excellency of the Thing The Person leading he is excellent the great Spirit of God The Act Divine and Supernatural Leading that is excellent The Object which this tends unto and terminates in that is excellent as the Loving of God Delighting in God Conformity to God all carry a transcendent Glory and Excellency in them Oh did but sinners know what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Conduct and Guidance of the Spirit is what a blessed thing 't is to possess and feel it how earnest would they be in their Desires and Pursuits after it I 'me sure The Saints that have it would not be without it no not one Day for Millions of Worlds 2. The Necessity of it The Leading of the Spirit Oh how highly necessary is it who can be without it What becomes of the poor blind Man that has none to guide him Of the weak Child that has none to uphold it Alas the poor sinner in both respects does more need the Spirits Leading inwardly than either of These need external Leading Such is our Spiritual Blindness our Aptness to wander our Ignorance of our Way our lyableness to fall into Pracipices and the like as that without a Divine Hand to guide us we are lost And such too is our Spiritual Debility and Weakness as that if the Spirit of God do not hold us up in our Going taking us by our arms Hos 11.3 we fall immediately How absolutely necessary therefore is the Spirits Leading both for Direction and also for Sustentation 'T is true God has planted in Man a Natural Faculty to guide and direct him in his Actings the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Understanding Reason Conscience to be his Director and Monitor as to what he is to do And this in things of a meer Natural and Moral Consideration may be of great use to him Prov. 20.27 the Spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord Ah but as to things of a Spiritual Consideration the matters of Evangelical Faith and Practice he must have an higher Guide and Leader even the Holy Ghost or else in these things he 'l be at an utter loss Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Prov. 16.9 a mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps The Natural Light separate from what is Supernatural is a very incompetent and insufficient Guide which evinces the Necessity of the Spirits Guidance 3. As the Natural Guide is defective and insufficient so there are other Guids which are destructive and damnable such as Satan Deprav'd Nature Indwelling Sin the Flesh the World Oh what dangerous Guides are these If they be our Leaders whither will they lead us why first to sin and wickedness here and then to Hell hereafter 'T is with them as with Solomons Whore Prov. 7.27 Her house is the way to Hell going down to the chambers of Death Can the Course be good when the Guide is bad and can the End be good when the Course is bad neither can be expected The Conversation Naturally comports with the Leader and the End judicially comports with the Conversation So that if these lead you this will inevitably follow upon it you 'l be very wicked in this Life and very miserable in the Life to come And besides this pray consider what a base thing it is for such a Creature as Man to be under the Conduct and Government of such base things as These Oh what a Debasement is it to him who is of such a Divine Extract and Original to be at the beck and ordering of such vile Things as Satan Sin and the rest Yet this is the misery of the Falne State upon Adams Fall Man has sadly lost his way and has put himself under woful Guides And one great thing done in his Restauration to his Primitive State is to reduce him to God as his First and Best Guide and Leader To drive this a little further in a word know that where 't is not the Leading of the Good Spirit it is the Leading of the Evil Spirit For One of these it must be not a Man in the World but he 's led by One of them Now do you not dread the thoughts of being led by Satan Oh it will be so unless you be led by this Holy Spirit of God What the Devil thy Leader Oh dreadful What comes after a Devil leading but a Devil tormenting 4. Weigh the Way and Manner of the Spirits leading You see how the Conduct of the Opposite Leaders is stated well how does this Leader manage his Conduct with great exactness and Wisdom he so leads as never to mislead so as always to direct with the deepest Judgment For as in all his Other Acts so in This he is the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel the Spirit of Knowledge Isa 11.2 I will instruct thee says God and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye i. e. with great care and accuracy Psal 32.8 Thus the Spirit leads And He does this with infinite Truth and Faithfulness also As the wise man personating his Father says I have taught thee in the way of wisdom I have led thee in right paths Prov. 4.11 And as Abrahams Servant in the Particular Case before him Blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham which hath led me in the right way Gen. 24.48 And as the Psalmist with respect to Gods Conduct of Israel in the Wilderness He led them forth by the right way Psal 107.7 Such a Leading is this of the Spirit as to Believers in their whole course he always leads them in the right way And then he leads safely in
reference both to the Way and to the End He led them on safely Psal 78.53 I do but allude to it Here 's no such Leader as Those the Prophet speaks of Is 9.16 The Leaders of this people cause them to err they that are led of them are destroyed Oh who then would not be desirous to be led by him The skilfullest faithfullest safest Guide the Traveller pitches upon O Christian wilt not thou do the same for thy precious and immortal Soul 5. The Advantages Benefits Blessings that attend and result from this Leading of the Spirit are great and glorious As to instance in a Few inward Peace and Comfort whereever the Spirit is a Leading Spirit there he is or will be a Comforting Spirit A Readiness to all Dutys of Holiness so as to do them spontaneously and with Delight Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law i. e. so as in your Obedience to act from a servile Spirit and from the meer External Compulsions of the Law but having the gracious Conduct of the Spirit this will make you do all Freely with the greatest Promptitude and Alacrity Sonship to God so it here comes in as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God As it leads to Conversion it makes us the Sons of God as it leads after Conversion it evidences us to be the Sons of God as has been already said If the Spirit be thy Leader God is thy Father And what a Priviledge is this John 1.12 1 John 3.1 And then as the Consummation of all comes the Glory and Blessedness of Heaven as the certain portion of such who are led by the Spirit Death and Hell are not more sure upon the leading of Sin and Satan than Life and Heaven are sure upon the leading of this Spirit God ever saves in Heaven such whom he leads on Earth Gal. 6.26 As many as walk according to this Rule mercy and Peace be upon them Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel Psal 73.24 and afterward receive me to Glory All being put together and seriously weighed have I not said enough and enough to excite you all to attain and close with this Blessed Leading of the Spirit of God Much more might have been added by way of Motive but if what has been said will not prevail I despair of ever prevailing with you A Third Enquiry follows 3. Enquiry How may this Leading of the Spirit be attained What is to be done by us that we may be thus led by Him Answ In order to this take the following Directions 1. There must be the having of the Spirit before there can be the Leading of the Spirit This Order is founded in the Nature of the Thing We cannot expect to participate of the Spirits Operations such as are saving before we participate of the Spirit Himself Therefore pray attend upon the Gospel by which He is convey'd to Sinners and then when you have once received him he will not be * Non est spiritus sanctus otiosus movet Mentes et ducit Mel. Idle and Ineffective but an Operative and Leading Spirit in you 2. The Antecedent First leading of the Spirit must be had before there can be the having of his Subsequent and Secondary Leading That is to say He must First lead you to God by Conversion first bring you into a state of Grace and then way is made for his subsequent Leading and Direction When he has been a quickning Spirit in the infusing of a vital Principle into the Soul then succeeds this Act which I am upon And not till then for who will attempt to lead a thing that is dead This Method of the Spirit therefore must be regarded and comply'd with 'T is first Sanctification then Manuduction in the several Things contained therein 3. Be willing to follow the Leading the Motions of the Spirit He gives again and again his secret Guidance to you shewing what you are to do what not if this be followed and comply'd with he 'l continue it if not he 'l withdraw and leave you to follow the Conduct of your own Inclinations a sore Judgment Psal 81.11 12. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lust and they walked in their own Counsel Oh dreadful Word The same will the Spirit do upon our rejecting or resisting of his Leading He may long strive but he will not always strive Gen. 6.3 If the person led shall once begin to struggle with him that leads him and shall refuse to follow his Guidance what is then to be done but to leave him to himself Continued rooted allowed Resistance to to the Spirit makes him so to cast off a person as to lead him no more His Initial Workings in this are to be closed with or he goes no further That one Act in the Leading of the Spirit viz. his Powerful Inclining of the Heart to comply with what he leads unto secures all the Rest If thou art an Opposer of the Spirit he will not be thy Guide Yield to Him and close with Him and he will not withhold this Grace from thee 4. Let your dependance be upon God and his Spirit for Guidance and Direction Would you have Him to lead you Oh let your Trust and Relyance be upon him and see that you renounce all confidences in yourselves He that thinks he has Wisdom or Grace enough in himself to order his Conversation aright shall never find the Spirit to be a Guide to him The meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 VVhen a man is brought to this meek humble Frame then he is in the way of the Spirits Leading Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christian Prudence Caution and Circumspection is our Duty but do we lay the stress of our Confidence upon that The steps of our strength shall be straitned and our own Counsel shall cast us down as he speaks Job 18.7 Mans goings are of the Lord how can a man then understand his own way Prov. 20.24 So long as thou thinkest thou canst go by thy self the Spirit will not take thee by the hand to lead thee 5. Pray much for this Grace of the Spirit It being a free and Arbitrary Act on his part he will be sought to for it and give it forth in that way which best suits with his Soveraignty Psal 25.5 Psal 5.8 Psal 31.3 Psal 139.24 Psal 143.10 How much was David in Prayer to God for this Lead me in thy Truth and teach me Lead me O Lord in thy Righteousness Make thy way strait before my face For thy names sake lead me and guide me Lead me in the way Everlasting Teach me to do thy will for thou art my
the true Religion Though I am far from so loose and extravagant a Charity as to judge that Men may be saved in any Religion whatever if they do but live suitably to the Principles and Rules of that Religion when there are so many false so many Idolatrous ones so many which deny fundamental truths or maintain damnable errors Yet on the other side I am not so uncharitable as to confine true religiousness and consequently final Salvation to any particular sect or sort or party of Men professing Christianity to the exclusion of all that dissent from them True Religion is more affection and Practice than Doctrine or Nation and is seated more in the heart than in the head Men may be really gracious and so in truth religious in Gods account who yet differ in some things from others who are no less truly religious too There is indeed but one true Religion in the World but in that we must distinguish between principles and conclusions and those either nearer or more remote between fundamentals and superstructures and those either which touch the foundation or are farther from it between substance and circumstances things necessary or not necessary to the being or to the well being of Religion In some things they that are wise and godly may differ without prejudice to the Salvation of either Every truth is not necessary to Salvation nor is every error de facto Damning All Mens Light is not alike cleer nor are all Mens Minds equally enlightened some see more than others and some more clearly nor is every degree of Light which shall be for the perfection of Saints hereafter necessary while they are here in order to their Salvation There may be the unity of Faith in the main and of Love too where yet there is some disagrement about some things believed It is confessed that there is but one way of Salvation that of Faith and Holiness from which whatever by-paths of error leads Men aside they do at the same time carry them off from the end of Faith the Salvation of their Souls whatever is inconsistent with either Faith or Holiness is inconsistent likewise with Salvation But every difference or mistake about such truths as are not necessarily saving must not presently be looked upon as a false way or an error certainly Damning The way to Life is called the narrow way but is it therefore indivisible Is there no Latitude in it may not Two or Three or Four or Five go abrest in it Must all go in the self-same Track or Path May not several Paths be in the same great Road or run along by the side of it and lead to the same place which if sometimes they decline a little from the Road yet before the end fall in again with it and for the main are parallel to it It is as certain that truth is simplex error is multiformis truth is but one and error is various and whatever in the least deflects from truth must be a degree of error as it is that there can be but one perfectly strait Line between any two Points But may not a Line that divaricates a little from the strait one and is so far crooked run in again to it Doth any Saint on Earth attain to the whole of truth without any mistake so much as in lesser things Doth any keep exactly to the strait Line so as never to take a crooked step never in any thing to go off from it Some indeed may miss it in fewer things some in more and yet both keeping to what is necessary hit it in the main Some may go to Heaven more directly and with fewer wandrings when others may go farther aside and fetch a greater compass and yet at last arrive at it 2. Positively by Religious I understand those 1. Who as to the Doctrine of Christianity hold the head Col. 2.19 keep to that only foundation which God hath laid the Lord Jesus Christ though perhaps they may build some things on it which are not suitable to it Wood Hay Stubble 1 Cor. 3.12 such whose works shall be burnt yet themselves saved though with difficulty and as by Fire verse 15. such I mean therefore as own so much truth as is necessary to the Life of Faith and Power of Godliness and maintain no error which is inconsistent with either 2. Those who as to the Practice of Christianity fear God and work righteousness Acts 10.35 they that not only believe in Christ but live in obedience to him not only have received Christ Jesus the Lord but walk in him Col. 2.6 All true Religion consists in Faith and Holiness it is nothing else but a glorifying God by believing and obeying a seeking Salvation in that way and method in which alone God hath determined to bring Men to it i. e. through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 whoever therefore they are that do unfeignedly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and live up to that Faith are truly Religious though in some lesser things they may dissent from others who have the same Faith and practice the same Holiness So that from being thus religious I exclude not only Atheists that have no Religion Idolaters damnable Hereticks and all those whose principles are inconsistent with or repugnant to the truth of the Gospel so are of a false Religion but even among those that profess the truth I exclude 1. Those that are grosly ignorant know not the first principles of Christianity understand not what they own and pretend to believe 2. Those that are profane scandalous vitious livers despisers of them that are good persecutors of powerful godliness These are not real Saints but a prophane generation the Seed of the Serpent not of God 3. Hypocrites masked professors that make a shew of Religion to serve a carnal interest that have a form of godliness but deny the power of it 2 Tim. 3.5 have unsound hearts though under never so smooth faces In a word all those that are destitute of true Faith and real Holiness that allow themselves in any way of known sins whether more often as the second sort or more secret and close as these last 2. How or in what respects the religious of a Nation are the strength of it In order to the stating of this I shall premise one distinction The Holy Seed or religious in a Nation may be considered either 1. As being actually in the World and actually in a state of Grace brought into Christs Fold engaged in Gods ways effectually called and sanctified 2. Or as being in the World but not yet converted though in Gods time to be converted elect unbelievers He that is a sinner at present may be a Saint in time a Publican may come to be an Apostle nay a persecutor of the Saints may be called to preach that Faith which once he destroyed Gal. 1.23 They that are Christs Sheep by election may in time nay certainly
House of Jacob is a Fire and the House of Joseph a Flame and the House of Esau as Stubble Obad. 1.18 God takes notice of the least Injuries done to his Children by their Enemies nay of their very Omissions and Neglects Deut. 23.3 4. The Moabite and the Ammonite were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord to the Tenth Generation because they met not the Children of Israel with Bread and with Water when they came out of Aegypt and what then will become of them that grudg Gods Children Bread that robs them of their Spiritual Bread and Water of Life would take from them the Allowance their Father hath given them and so would starve their very Souls 3. Whoever shew'd Kindness to the Godly in vain A Cup of Cold Water given to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple or because he belongs to Christ shall not wants its Reward Christ takes the least Respect shewn them as done to himself Visiting the Prisoners Clothing the Naked Releiving the Poor are acceptable Offices and usually followed with some Blessing even in this Life And I wonder wherein are they that this Day Persecute Gods Children the worse for them or for any Countenance they have shewn them Nor are they ever like to be if it be not their own fault by stirring up Gods Jealousie and pulling down his Vengeance upon their own Heads Were but Truth effectually beleived what an alteration would it make upon the Spirits of Men How would those that are at present so unkind to the truly Religious become their Friends and Favourers And the Governours of Judah would say in their Hearts the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my Strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Zech. 12.5 Quest Whether it be expedient and how the Congregation may say Amen in publick Worship SERMON XXXI The Text is Neh. 8.6 And Ezra Blessed the Lord the great God and all the â—â—ople answered Amen Amen OMnipotent and Eternal goodness never wants Instruments to deliver his Church from slavery or reform it from degeneracy All the Empires and Emperors in the World have served the Kingdom of God and been as Scaffolds set up about the House of God to be taken down when that is built up and finished They have been as Gibeonites and Nethamins to the Temple of the Lord. The Assyrian was Gods Rod upon Israels Back Persian was here Gods Shepherd whose Spirit was stirred up to raise up the Jews Alexander was a Servant and the Romans have been but Gods slaves to do his Will against their own The State of the Church at this juncture was the end of a desolation or beginning of a reformation The Jews had weathered out Seventy Years in Captivity wherein multitudes of them were wore off a Remnant being left God raised up Cyrus and moved him to set them free from Babylon according to the Prophesie of Isa 45.1 Two Hundred and Ten Years before Many of the People through lazy worldliness or despondency chose rather still to lie among the Pots in Caldea than return to Jerusalem to build their City and Temple though Cyrus gave them not only liberty by Proclamations but Accommodations for the Work But God raised up the Spirit of Zerobabel Joshuah Nehemiah and Ezra to carry it on This Ezra was a great Man of God one of the great Synagogue a Prophet a Scribe a Priest Some will have it that as Jehoiakim cut and burnt the roll Jer. 36.23 So the Caldeans burned all the Books of the Law and so Ezra restored them as a Prophet by Revelation or his Memory but this is false for Daniel 9.2 understood by Books the expiration of the Seventy Years and Cyrus himself read the Prophesie of Isaiah for Ezra 1.2 he says the Lord charged him to build his House at Jerusalem But he was a Prophet as he was directed by Gods Spirit to compose this History of his and a perfect Scribe living to Malachi's time he wrote the complete Old Testament and made a perfect Copy But here he Officiates as a Priest the Son of Seraiah Ezra 7.1 from Phineas Eleazar and Aaron to serve the Lord. When they had neither Temple nor Tabernacle they set up the worship of the God of Heaven in theopen Heaven which was neither Typical nor Topical but Natural and Evangelical Worship Upon the First Day of the Seventh Month in a Pulpit in the Street the People meeting as one Man Ezra 3.1 he read the Law of God and that distinctly giving the Sence of it verse 8. from Morning to Noon and all the Congregation stood attentively and at Noon probably he Dismissed them with a Blessing according to Numb 6.23 Gods command Bâ—â—â—re at the opening the Book Praying to God and praising him for his good hand over them and his good word before them he Blessed the Lord ere he Blessed the People and Ezra Blessed c. In which words there is 1. The Priests or Ministers Office Blessing And 2. The Peoples Office and all the People answered Amen Amen 3. The great God in the midst of this great Congregation the Object of the Priests Office and the Peoples also whence this Doct. That it is a lawful and laudable Practice for People in the conclusion of publick Prayer or Praysing God to pronounce an Amen This will answer the Question which is whether it be expedient and how the Congregation may say Amen in publick Worship 1. I will explain what is meant by Amen 2. Shew what warrant there is for the Practice 3. Deduce some inference from all 1. Then there is Amen Substantive and that is God himself who is what he is Alpha and Omega Truth it self Isa 65.16 he that blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God Amen or of Truth Jesus Christ is God and the Amen the faithful and true Witness Rev. 3.14 he is that God in whom we may bless our selves his Being is of himself as God and he gives being to his Word 2 Cor. 1.20 all the promises of God being in him yeâ— and Amen whether Hebrew or Greek Old Testament or New Promises in him they are compleated and by him they are fulfilled 2. There is Amen Affirmative a Phrase used in the beginning of any momentous Truth as an asseveration what is Amen Matth. 16.28 Luke 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or verily Our Saviour hath this Phrsae peculiar to himself Amen Amen to give confirmation to the Doctrine and to raise our Attention and Faith or to show that not only Truth is spoken but by him who is Truth it self 3. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Optative Amen which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it be so Blessed be God by us and Blessed be we of the Lord or as Jer. 28.6 It is expounded Amen the Lord do so the Lord perform the words which thou hast spoken This Amen was used to be set to when good was spoken as 1 Kings 1.36 when David
then leave as some Guids do with poor Travellers deserting them in the midst of their Dangers no but he holds on repeats and lengthens out this Act to the very last True this depends upon Conditions on our part as ye have heard but yet these do not make the thing Vncertain and lyable to Intercision because 't is part of the Spirits Leading to direct encline and overpower to the performance of those Conditions So 't is secur'd as to the Continuance of it to all the Elect of God Every upright Christian may triumphantly say with David This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guid even unto death Psal 48.14 The Cloud never left Israel till it brought them to the land of Promise so t is here 2. That it is managed and carryed on all along with Mixtures of all other Grace i. e. with the bestowing of inward Peace and Comfort and of all supplys necessary to the believing Soul 'T is not a bare naked Leading but such as is attended with the Conveyance of all Other Mercies According to that encouraging Text Isai 49.10 He that hath Mercy on them shall lead them even by the Springs of water shall he guid them Is not here Heb. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong Consolation for all who are led by Gods Spirit In the Sixth and last place it might be enquir'd 6. Enquiry Since this Leading of the Holy Spirit is a Special and Discriminating Act what Inferences may be drawn from it as being such I might instance in several if I had not already exceeded the Bounds of a Sermon Therefore take but this One That 't is not a thing much to be wonder'd at that Saints and Sinners do so much differ and that Saints and Saints do so little differ The Difference 'twixt the two Former is great Light and Darkness Heaven and Hell do not more differ than they That which the One Loves the Other hates in their visible Practices there 's little but Sin in the â—â—e there 's Holiness though imperfect in the other The One Curses Swears takes Gods Name in Vain lives a brutish Life minds not God the Other fears God avoids Evil desires to order Words Thoughts Actions by the Rule of the Word Prays Sanctifies the Sabbath does Good is not here a vast Difference There is indeed but can it be expected it should be otherwise they being led by Different and Contrary Spirits Oh upon this no wonder that their Actings and Courses are so different Men will and must Be and Do according to the Spirit which Guides and Governs them Therefore the Unregenerate and Wicked being under the Guidance and Power of the Evil Spirit they will do what suits with that Spirit e contra the Renew'd and Sanctifyed being under the Guidance and Power of the Holy Spirit they will do what suits with that Spirit And upon this Foundation there must be an Everlasting Difference and Contrariety betwixt them But then for Saints and Saints they do not thus differ As to lesser Matters there may be too much of Differences even amongst Them but as to the Fundamentals of Faith and Practice so there is an admirable Harmony Vnity and Consent amongst them Some live in one Age some in another some in one Place some in another yet there is a blessed Oneness and Agreement amongst them all They believe the same Truths performe the same Duties attend upon the same Worship walk in the same path of Holiness have and act the same Graces groan under the same burdens drive on the same Designs as Face answers to Face so do they to one another And whence is this why from this they are all led by one and the same Spirit Hence it is that they do so concurr in all the Necessary and Vital parts of Religion We having the same Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 There is one Body and one Spirit which actuates and animates all that Body Eph. 4.4 'T is One and the self same Spirit which worketh in all as the Apostle speaks in reference to Gifts 1 Cor. 12.11 As many as are led by the Spirit of God here are Many that are led but 't is but One Spirit that leads them all This is that which causes such an Vnanimity and Harmony in Gods people both in Matters of Faith and Practice Oh that the World might see more of the Thing and then the Reason thereof would be obvious SERMON XXVII Quest What advantage may we expect from CHRISTS PRAYER for Union with HIMSELF and the Blessings relating to it JOHN 17.20 21. Neither Pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word V. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me IN this Chapter we have the admirable Prayer of Christ offered up to the Father a little before his last and greatest Sufferings In this Prayer we may observe the design and the contents of it The design of it is to encourage his Disciples ver 1. These words spake Jesus c. He had spoke much in the former Chapters for their comfort and encouragement and in pursuit of the same design he lifts up his eyes to Heaven and pours forth this Heavenly Prayer in their hearing The contents that which he prays for is Union with him and the Father and the blessings relating thereto of which more particularly afterwards The words considered joyntly with the design and contents of the Prayer offer us this Observation Observ The People of Christ have great encouragement from his Prayer in reference to Vnion with God and the Blessings relating to it In the prosecution hereof 1. I shall give some account of the severals he prayed for And 2. Shew what encouragement we have to expect what he prays for For the first he prays for Vnion with Himself and the Father for Faith the bond of this Union for Holiness the effect of it for Perseverance that it may continue and not be dissolved and interrupted lastly for Glory the Consummation of this Union 1. For Faith that those may have Faith who did not or do not yet believe ver 22. That the World may believe that thou hast sent me He prays that those who were chosen to Glory as the end and so to Faith as the means may be brought to believe on Christ as sent of the Father to be the Mediator and so accept of him as their Prophet Priest and King 2. He prays for Holiness the growth and increase of it ver 17. Sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth The word of Truth through the Spirit working with it and making impressions by it on the Heart is the instrument and mean both to begin Holiness in regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 James 1.18 and to promote it where it is begun 1 Pet. 2.2
He praies that the Lord would make his word effectual to cleanse and sanctifie them more and more He would have those who are given to him to be sanctified truly separated from Sin the World and carnal Self truly consecrated and appropriated to himself truly offer'd up and imploy'd for him as those who are wholly his and cannot without Sacriledge be converted to other ends and uses than those that are his 3. He prayes for perseverance that those who are given him may hold out and continue to the end in Faith and Holiness and Union with Him and the Father that they may not fall away to unbelief or profaneness nor be ever separated from him with whom they are once united ver 11. Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me c. keep them in all dangers in all assaults in all tryals secure them from Sin from Satan from the World that they may be neither frighted nor enticed from me Through thine own name the name of God is that by which he is known as we are known by our names all those glorious perfections whereby he hath made known himself unto us his Power Wisdom Goodness Faithfulness Sovereignty Allsufficiency c. He would have all the infinite Excellencies and Perfections of God all by which he is called and known engaged for the security of his People that none of them may fall away and be lost Keep them by thy Power by thy Wisdom Goodness Sovereignty Allsufficiency c. Or if we take these words for an argument wherewith he urges this Petition it is of no less force Keep them for thine own names sake for the honour of thine own name so he engages the honour of God for the security of his people that none of them may fall away and that is the greatest the strongest engagement in the World and gives the best security that possibly can be The Lord will do more for his own Names sake than for all the works of his Hands than for all that is in Heaven and Earth besides His Honour is his Interest so that the Interest of God is thereby engaged to secure the Eternal concerns of his People Those men in the World that we are not secure of and can have no confidence in otherwise yet if their Interest do engage them for us we think our selves so far sure of them Interest amongst men is the strongest obligement if they understand it and have but so much respect to themselves as to be true to it Christ by his Prayer engages the Interest of his Father his Name his Honour for the security of his People that they may not fall away and be lost and if we acknowledge him to be God we cannot in the least suspect either that he knows not what his Interest is or that he will not be true to it When it is for his Names sake or his Honour to secure his people it shall certainly be done and this is that which Christ urges in this Petition 4. He prays for Glory ver 22 24. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them It is the Glory of Christ that he is the Son of God his only Son by Eternal Generation and Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 3. Joh. 1.14 Now such a Glory will Christ have for his people something like it though in a way below it he will have them to be Sons and Heirs of God Co-heirs with himself A wonderful Glory indeed and such a degree of it as could never have entred into the Heart of man to expect or believe if the Lord himself had not given assurance of it Rom. 8.17 And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-Heirs with Christ All that are given him he will have to be adorn'd with his own title and be accounted and called Sons of God and all that are Sons he will have to be Heirs and joint-Heirs with himself not of some meaner part of his Fathers possession but even of his Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom c. being Heirs they have hopes to inherit Tit. 3.7 They have a Title upon this account and so hope but Christ not satisfyed with this prays also that they may have possession ver 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me that they may behold it so as to partake of it this sight will be the highest the happyest enjoyment it will be an enhappying a glorifying sight a sight that will make them who behold it happy perfectly so eternally so The sight of Christs Glory will make them glorious 1 Joh. 3.1 2. Beloved now we are the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is We are Sons that is a great Glory indeed but there is a Glory to come which is far greater so great that no expression can fully represent it to us or make it appear to be so much so great as indeed it is but this is the sum of it we shall be like him in Glory for we shall see how glorious he is The sight of our Glorious Redeemer will make us glorious like him When we are in the sight of that Glory wherewith he now shines at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty on high to which the greatest brightness of the Sun is less than a spark we shall be adorned with his beams and so made glorious A hint hereof we have in what is recorded of Moses who when he was admitted to a nearer converse with God it is said his face shined Exod. 34.29 35. His face was horned as the word imports it appeared in such a form as the raies of the Sun appear to us his face sent forth beams like the Sun there was such a radiant Lustre such a Glory in his face as the weak eyes of mortals could not bear could not look on When we are where Christ is and see him in the brightness of his Glory which is that he prays for the sight of it will transform our Souls from Glory to Glory as the Apostles expression is in reference to that of Moses 2 Cor. 3.18 a Glory will be derived upon our Souls from his Glory and upon our bodies too that Glorious Vision will be a transforming sight and change vile Bodies so that they shall be fashioned like unto his own glorious Body Phil. 3.21 5. He prays for Vnion That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us This Union is a Mystery a great depth such as I was loath to venture on if it could have been avoided what my shallowness can say of it briefly I shall comprize in