and Doctrine for a special End that Extraordinary Guidance and Direction from the Spirit which no common Believers now have so They and They only became Infallible Wherefore although Saints now are partakers of a special Assistance and Guidance from the Spirit in Prayer and in their General Course of Life quoad veritatem rei yet this does not make them infallible in the One or impeccable in the Other it being vouchsaf'd to them but in such a Degree as is consistent with their present state and subservient to the End of the Spirit in his present Operations in them Which is but to guide them to necessary Truth and Holiness to help them in their Infirmities and the like but not to advance them to Apostolical Endowments Of which now the Evangelical Doctrine being published and sealed there is no Necessity And thus I have gone over the Doctrinal Explication of the Leading of the Spirit I come now to resolve some Practical Enquiries about it which will be in stead of the Application The First is this How may We as to Our selves or Others know 1. Enquiry whether We or They be led by the Spirit of God It highly concerns us to be very inquisitive about this Both because our Sonship to God must be evidenc'd by it for the Text is express As many and no more then as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and also because there are great Mistakes in Men about this The Most lay claim to it when yet God knows but very few partake of it in truth and reality How many please themselves with the thoughts of their being led by the Spirit when 't is most obvious they are not Every man in the World is acted by Some Spirit or Other Omnes Homines aguntur aliquo Spiritu Orig. Now there being different and contrary Spirits some Evil and some Good the Question is What that is which we are led and acted by There 's the Spirit of the World 1 Cor. 2.12 by which the Men of the World are led There 's the Corrupt and Sinful Spirit Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain Jam. 4.5 The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy by this all in the Unregenerate state are led There 's the Spirit of Whoredom Hos 4.12 the Spirit of perverseness Is 19.14 the Spirit of seduction 2 Tim. 4.1 under the Conduct of which too many are These are the Evil Spirits within Us which influence Men in their Actings And then there 's the Grand Evil Spirit without the Devil the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience Eph. 2.2 And Oh what an Heart-piercing Soul-afflicting thing is it to consider how the Generality of Men are led by this wicked Spirit All these Spirits are Evil. In Opposition to which there are Other Spirits that are Good And they are either the Renewed Spirit in Gods people the Heart as sanctify'd as having a Vital Supernatural Principle infus'd into it which leads and inclines to Holiness Or the Renewing Spirit Gods own Spirit of whom the Text speaks These Spirits are contrary to the Former both in Themselves and also in their Leadings For as They are all for what is Evil so These are all for what is Good And the Contrariety is such betwixt them as that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incompatible in the same Subject in their full entire Power and Strength So as that a person can be led but by One of them Both cannot lead together I mean as to a Mans General Course and as to their Absolute Power and Dominion in Him The Text speaking of the Leading of Gods Spirit the Enquiry must be confin'd to that And so it s laid down How may we know whether we be led by the Spirit of God For the Resolution of which I must refer you to what I have been upon Having said so much in the Opening of the Thing it self by the comparing of your selves with that you will be able to determine your own Case whether it belong to you or not It would be superfluous for me to enlarge again upon those Heads in the Application which I have already been so large upon in the Explication Only therefore to give some brief Direction I would desire you to look back 1. To the Essential and Constitutive Acts included in the Holy Spirits Leading viz. Guidance Inclination of the Heart to Good Corroboration Gubernation Art thou One that art guided by this Spirit to and in the great Duties of Christianity One who art strongly inclined to what is good One that feelest an inward Divine strengthning for Doing and Suffering One that art ruled and governed by this Spirit Surely thou art led by Him But if it be otherwise thou art led not by This but by some Other Spirit 2. To the Matter or Terminus of the Spirits Leading Truth and Holiness Do thy Opinions carry Truth in them thy Practices Holiness Oh then thou art led by the Spirit But what shall we say to those who are led away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 or led away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 why 't is a concluded Case these are not led by the Spirit The Course discovers the Guide The Fruits of the Spirit ever accompany the Leading of the Spirit Principiata respondent suis Principiis If the Action be Holy Spiritual and Good such as suits with the Holy Spirit it then proceeds from Him but if it be sinful and wicked Satan and thy own evil Heart are thy Leaders in it and to it Whoever doth not righteousness is not of God 1 John 3.10 nor led by his Spirit What live in Drunkenness Vncleanness Sensuality Injustice Malice Hatred And yet pretend to the Conduct of the good Spirit What a Delusion is this to thy self what a Reproach and Injury to the Blessed Spirit 3. To the Rule by which the Spirit leads the written VVord of God He Indited this Word and he Guides by it The Spirit and the Word go hand in hand together Is your Faith regulated by this Your Conversations steer'd by this hereby you may know that the Spirit leads you But if any Believe Live Speak not according to this VVord 't is because there 's no light in them Is 8.20 He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of Error 1 John 4.6 Oh let all take heed of fathering any thing upon the Holy Spirit which does not comport with nor is founded upon the Holy Scriptures The Enthusiast is very bold with the Spirit but his Arrogance and Folly shall be made manifest at one time or another 4. To the manner of the Spirits Leading He leads with Power and Efficacy Well what do you find of this what have you more than a bare directive Light is there a Power working in
that is the Body and Blood of Christ are really exhibited and communicated unto the Souls of Believers as the outward Signs are unto their bodily Senses the Signs becoming thereby Sacramentally unto us what the things signified are in themselves and are therefore called by their Names Herein there is a peculiar exercise of Faith and a peculiar paricipation of Christ such as are in no other Ordinance whatever Yea the Actings of Faith with respect unto the Sacramental Vnion and Relation between the Signs and Things signified by vertue of divine Institution and Promise is the principal Use and Exercise of it herein 4. There is a peculiar Exercise of Faith in the Reception of Christ as his Body and Blood are tendred and exhibited unto us in the outward Signs of them For though they do not contain carnally the Flesh and Blood of Christ in them nor are turned into them yet they really exhibit Christ unto them that believe in the participation of them Faith is the Grace that makes the Soul to receive Christ and whereby it doth actually receive him To as maâ—y as received him even to as many that believe in his Name John 1.12 And it receives him according as he is propos'd and exhibited unto us in the Declaration and Promise of the Gospel wherein he is proposed it receives him by the gracious Assent of the Mind unto this Truth the choice of him cleaving and trusting unto him with the Will Heart and Affection for all the Ends of his Person and Offices as the Mediator between God and man and in the Sacramental Mysterious Proposal of him his Body and Blood that is in the efficacy of his Death and Sacrifice in this Ordinance of worship Faith acts the whole Soul in the Reception of him unto all the especial Ends for which he is exhibited unto us in this way and manner What these Ends are which give force and efficacy unto the actings of Faith herein this is not a proper place to declare I have mentioned these things because it is the great Plea of the Papists at this day in behalf of their Transubstantiation That if we reject their oral or carnal manducation of the Flesh of Christ and drinking of his Blood there cannot be assigned a way of the participation of Christ in the receiving of him in this Sacrament distinct from that which is done in the Preaching of the Word But hereby as we shall see they only declare their ignorance of this heavenly Mystery But of this blessed intimate Communion with Christ participation of him in the Divine Institution of worship Believers have Experience unto their satisfaction and ineâ—â—able Joy They find him to be the spiritual food of their Souls by which they are nourished unto eternal Life by a spiritual incorporation with him They discern the Truth of this Mystery and have experience of its Power Howbeit men growing carnal and being destitute of Spiritual Light with the wisdom of Faith utterly lost all Experience of any Communion with Christ and participation of him in this Sacrament on the Principles of Gospel-Truth they could find nothing in it no Power no Efficacy nothing that should answer the great and glorious things spoken of it nor was it possible they should For indeed there is nothing in it but unto Faith as the Light of the Sun is nothing to them that have no eyes a Dog and a Staff are of more use to a blind man than the Sun nor is the most melodious Musick any thing to them that are deaf yet notwithstanding this loss of spiritual Experience they retained the Notion of Truth that there must be a peculiar participation of Christ in this Sacrament distinct from all other ways and means of the same Grace Here the Wits of men were hard put to it to find out an Image of this spiritual Communion whereof in their minds they could have no Experience yet they fashioned one by degrees and after they had greatned the Mystery in words and expressions whereof they knew nothing in its power to answer unto what was to be set up in the room of it until they brought forth the horrid Monster of Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass for hereby they provided that all those things which are spiritual in this Communion should be turned into and acted in things carnal Bread shall be the Body of Christ carnally the Mouth shall be Faith the Teeth shall be the Exercise the Belly shall be the Heart and the Priest shall offer Christ unto God A Viler Image was never invented and there is nothing of Faith required herein it is all but a fortifying of Imagination against all Sense and Reason Because there is a singular Mystery in the Sacramental Vnion that is between the external Signs and the things signified whence the one is called by the Name of the other as the Bread is called the Body of Christ which Faith discerns in the Exhibition and Receiving of it they have invented for a Representation hereof such a prodigious Imagination of the real Conversion or Transubstantiation of the Substance of the Bread and Wine into the Substance of the Body and Blood of Christ as overthrows all Faith Reason and Sence also And in the room of that Holy Reverence of Christ himself in his Institution of this Ordinance in the Mystical Exhibition of himself unto the Souls of Believers in the demonstration of his Love Grace and Sufferings for them they have set up a wretched Image of an Idolatrous Adoration and Worship of the Host as they call it to the Ruine of the Souls of men And whereas the Lord Jesus Christ by once offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified appointing this Ordinance for the Remembrance of it having lost that spiritual Light whereby they might discern the efficacy of that one Offering so long since accomplished in the application of it by this Ordinance unto the actual perfecting of the Church they have erected a new Image of it in a pretended daily Repetition of the same Sacrifice wherein they profess to offer Christ again for the sins of the living and the dead unto the overthrow of the principal foundation of Faith and Religion All these Abominations arose from the loss of an Experience of that spiritual Communion with Christ and the participation of him by Faith which there is in this Ordinance by divine Institution This cast the thoughts of men on Invention of these Images to suit the general Notion of Truth unto the Superstition of their carnal minds Nor is it ordinarily possible to retrieve them from these infatuations unless God be pleased to communicate unto them that Spiritual Light whereby they may discern the Glory of this Heavenly Mystery and have an Experience of the Exhibition of Christ unto the Souls of Believers therein without these from innumerable prejudices and inflamed affections toward their Idols they will not only abide in their darkness against all means of
wherein you will be as careful to fulfill the Conditions as you would have God faithful in fulfilling the Promises Look out so sharp to the Progress of your Sanctification that Sin may not expire but be mortified and that Grace may be so lively as to confute the reproach of Enemies and exceed the Commendation of Friends Bear Afflictions not as a Malefactor goes to Execution because he can't help it but as chary not to miss the Fruit of Affliction the Participation of Gods Holiness Thô you look first to your selves be not only selfish though in the most Gracious manner but endeavour to be Blessings as far as your Name is heard of In short perform all your duties to God your selves and others in the Name of Christ thrô his Strength according to his Command relying upon his Promises that you may feel what it is to be accepted in Gods and your beloved This is to be Serious in Religion Learn to be more than barely contented with your present Condition Vse 2 't is that which God in Wisdom chooseth for you preferring it before any other Condition Every Condition hath some lessons peculiar to it which are better learnt in that Condition than in any other and those things that may be best learnt in thy Condition are the things you most need learning which when you have learnt then God will put thee into other circumstances to teach thee something else Every Condition hath something grievous in it by reason of the Sin and Vanity that cleaves to it but that which is most grievous if it be used as Physick will help to cure thee We all grant 't is best to take Physick when we need it a 1 Pet. 1.6 Now for a season if need be you are in heaviness thrô manifold Trials and when we take Physick we imprison our selves in our Chamber as much as others in a Gaol we abstain from riot as much as they that want bread we tend our Physick and need no Arguments to do so Christians let God be your Physician and prescribe what Physick he pleaseth we have nothing else to do but observe his Instructions for it's beneficial operation Apply this to any Condition that is uneasie to you and you 'l see cause not only to justifie but to praise your wise Physitian but if this arguing be not cogent I will commend one that is I confess I love those Directions that will apply themselves that will work their way for Application That you may so far like your present Condition as to perform the duties of it before you desire an Alteration of it take this course Sit down and consider should God so far humour thee as to let thee frame thine own Condition to thine own mind to give thee thy choice for a worldly Happiness Suppose he allowed thee time to think to consult Friends to alter and add upon second and third yea upon your twentieth Thought whatever the Wit of man could suggest or the Heart of man desire and all this for a whole Moneth together before you fixt your choice I suppose when you chose it should be Wealth without Care Pleasure without Weariness Honour without Hazard Health without Sickness Friends without Mistake Relations without Crosses Old Age without Infirmities and if God should thus alter the course of his Providence unto what would your own Pride and the Worlds Envy expose you O! but you 'l say all this with Grace will do well Do you think so but would not Grace without all this do better Can you think that such a Condition would Wean you from the World and fit you for Heaven or is Earth the place where you would live for ever and have no more Happiness than that can afford you Return Poor Soul return to thy Self and to thy God acknowledge that God is Wise and thou art a Fool And 't is better be employed in the present Duty of thy present Condition than to doze out thy Life in wilde Imaginations Vse 3 Make Conscience of both sorts of Duties Religious and Worldly and allot fit and distinct times for Heavenly and Worldly Business but with this difference let Religion mix it self with worldly business and spare not but let not the World break in upon Religion lest it spoil it Religion will perfume the World but the World will taint Religion Though every thing in the World be clogg'd with Vanity yet there 's something of Duty about every thing we meddle with and we must not call neglect of Duty contempt of the World Use the World as you do your Servants to whom you give due liberty as the best way to prevent their taking more than is due so to take a due care about the World is the best way to prevent Religion's being justled out by worldly cares Count not any Sin or Duty about the least matters so small as to venture upon the one or neglect the other but proportion your carefulness according to the business before you I see more cause every day than other to commend both the Truth and Weight of the Observation that all Over-doing is undoing You can't bestow too much diligence about one thing but you rob something else of what diligence is necessary and marr that about which you are over-solicitous I 'le close this with that of the Apostle b 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. This I say Brethren the time is short we have none to spare It remaineth for the future that both they that have Wives be as though they bad none let 'em not be Uxorious and they that weep as if they wept not if God bring them under sorrrow let them but water their Plants not drown 'em and they that rejoyce as if they rejoyced not we must at best rejoyce with trembling and they that buy as if they possessed not there 's nothing we can purchase worth the name of a Possession and they that use this world as not abusing it to any other use than what God hath appointed for the fashion of this World passeth away the Pageantry of this World will soon be over but I would have you without carefulness without distracting carefulness about worldly things Whatever you do for the bettering of your Condition follow God but Vse 4 do not go before him This is a direction of great moment being a necessary Caution against that Sin that doth always beset us Every man is an Orator to aggravate his own grievances and thinks himself a Politician for fitting them with Remedies yea hath the confidence of a Prophet that they shall certainly be effectual if God will but take his Time and Method for their operation c Job 11.12 Vain man would be wise thô he be born like a wild Asses Colt to kick up his heels against Gods unsearchable Wisdom You may at once see both your proness to the Sin and Christ directing to this Remedy in one and the same instance viz. When Peter had made such a
it only as the Religion of their Countrey and which was delivered to them by their forefathers And so are Christians but upon the same terms as other Nations are Mahometans or more gross Pagans as a worthy Writer some time since took notice * Pink's Trial of a Christians love to Christ How few make it their business to see things with their own eyes to believe and be sure that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God! How far are we from the riches of the full assurance of understanding How little practical and governing is the faith of the most How little doth it import of an acknowledgment of the mystery of God viz. of the Father and of Christ How little effectual is it which it can be but in proportion to the grounds upon which it rests When the Gospel is received not as the word of man but of God it works effectually in them that so believe it 1 Thes 2.13 2. Let us endeavour the revival of these principles This is that in reference whereto we need no humane laws We need not Edicts of Princes to be our warrant for this practice loving one another and cleaving with a more grounded lively Faith to God and his Christ Here is no place for scruple of Conscience in this matter And as to this mutual love What if others will not do their parts to make it so What shall we only love them that love us and be fair to them that are fair to us salute them that salute us do not even the Publicans the same What then do we more than others as was the just expostulation of our Saviour upon this supposition Mat. 5.47 And let us endeavour the more thorough deep radication of our faith that it may be more lively and fruitful which this Apostle you see not forgetting his scope and aim further presses in the following verses testifying his joy for what he understood there was of it among these Christians Thô I be absent in the flesh yet I am with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ vers 5. And exhorting them to pursue the same course As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving vers 6 7. And what also must we suspend the exercise and improvement of our Faith in the great Mysteries of the Gospel till all others will agree upon the same thing Let us do our own part so as we may be able to say Per me non stetit it was not my fault but Christians had been combined and entirely one with each other but they had been more thoroughly Christian and more entirely united with God in Christ that Christianity had been a more lively powerful awful amiable thing If the Christian community moulder decay be enfeebled broken dispirited ruin'd in gteat part this ruine shall not rest under my hand We shall have abundant consolation in our own souls if we can acquit our selves that as to these two things we lamented the decay and loss and endeavoured the restitution of them and therein as much as in us was of the Christian Interest Quest How ought we to bewail the Sins of the Places where we live SERMON V. 2 PET. II. 7 8. And delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy Conversation of the wicked § 1 THE Apostle vers 6. recollects the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as the Ensamples of the Punishment that should befall those impure Seducers against whom he wrote By occasion whereof he mentions Gods delivering care of Lot whose holy carriage being so contrary to the unholy Practices of the Sodomites God made his Condition happily different from theirs also for so saith the Text he delivered just Lot vexed c. § 2 In the words there are these two distinct parts 1. Gods happy Delivering of Lot delivered just Lot 2. Lots holy Severity to himself for he was not only vexed but he vexed himself he vexed his righteous soul with their unlawful deeds The Second part is the subject of my ensuing Discourse which presents us with this doctrinal Observation Doct. It is the disposition and duty of the righteous to be deeply afflicted with the sins of the Places where they live In the discussing of which divine and seasonable Truth I shall 1. Produce those obvious Scripture Examples that clearly agree with it 2. Principally shew after what manner the righteous ought to Mourn for the sins of others 3. Shew the Reasons why it is the Disposition and Duty of the Righteous to be so afflicted and mournful for the sins of others 4. Lastly I shall endeavour to Improve the whole by Application I. For the obvious Scripture Examples Our Lord Jesus shall be the § 3 first whose pattern herein amounts to a Precept Mark 3.5 Christ saith the Text was grieved for the hardness of their hearts viz. in opposing his holy and saving Doctrines David professeth that rivers of water ran down his eyes because men kept not Gods Law and that when he beheld the Transgressors he was grieved because they kept not his Word Psal 119.136.158 The next Example shall be Ezra's who hearing of the sins of the People in marrying with Heathens in token of bitter grief for it rent his garment and mantle and pluckt off the hair of his Beard and Head and sate down astonied Ezra 9.3 And Chap. 10.6 he did neither eat bread nor drink water for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carryed away To these I might add the Example of Jeremiah who Chap. 13. vers 17. tells the wicked that if they would not bear his Soul should weep in secret places for their pride and his eyes weep sore and run down with tears I shall conclude this with that expression of holy Paul Philip. 3.18 Many walk of whom I tell you weeping that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ II. The Manner how this Duty of Mourning for the Sins of others § 4 is to be performed This I shall consider in three branches 1. How we should mourn in respect of God before whom we mourn 2. How we should mourn in respect of the Wicked for whom we mourn 3. How we should mourn in respect of our selves who are the Mourners 1. For the first Branch as our Mourning respects God It is to be performed with advancing of those perfections of his that relate to those great Sins and Sinners for which and for whom we mourn And in our mourning for the Sins of others in respect of God we must advance 1. His great and unparallel'd Patience and Long-suffering extended towards those whose Sins we mourn and lament over This was evident in Nehemiah's confessing and bewailing the sins of the sinful Jewes Nehem. 9.30 At large he confesseth their sins in that Chapter but vers 30 31. he
when his Heart is most under the impressions of Holiness and he is nearest to God in Communion with him Then are such desires after the serving of Jesus Christ in the Ministry most powerful And the Sincerity of his desire is also to be examined and when it 's found it addes greatly to a Mans peace When his Heart bears him witness that it is neither Riches nor Honour nor Ease nor the Applause of men that he seeks after but singly Christs Honour in the saving of men 2. It helps to clear a mans Call that there hath been a conscientious diligence in all the Means of attaining fitness for this great work That Love to the End that doth not direct and determine unto the use of the appointed Means may justly be suspected as irregular and not flowing from the Holy Ghost Even extraordinary Officers seem not to have been above the use of ordinary Means 2 Tim. 4.13 Old dying Paul sends for his Books and Papers 3. A competent fitness for the work of the Ministry is another proof of a mans Call to it The Lord calls no man to a work for which he doth not qualifie Though a sincere humble man as all Ministers should be may and should think little of any measure he hath whether compared with the greater measures of others or considered with regard unto the weight and worth of the work yet there must be some confidence as to his Competency for clearing a mans Call 2 Cor. 3.5 6. What this Competency is is not easie at all times to determine Singular Necessities of the Church may extend or intend this matter of competent Fitness But in general there must be 1. A competent Knowledge of Gospel-Mysteries 2. A competent Ability of Utterance to the Edifying of others This is aptness to Teach required of the Apostle in 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 That a Minister be able by sound Doctrine to exhort and to convince gainsayers 4. The savour of a mans Ministry on the Hearts and Consciences of others both Ministers and People helps much to clear a mans Call So that indeed ordinarily a man can never be so well confirmed in the Faith of his being called of God untill he make some Essay in this work Deacons must first be proved 1 Tim. 3.10 much more Ministers A single Testimony given by Ministers and Christians that the Word dispensed by the Man is savoury and hath Effect on the Conscience is a great Confirmation especially if sound Conversion of some follow his Labours That is indeed a Seal of his Ministry 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Cor. 9.2 3. Take heed unto thy self that thou be a lively thriving Christian See that all thy Religion run not in the Channel of thy Employment It is found by Experience that as it fares with a Minister in the frame of his Heart and thriving of the work of God in his Soul so doth it fare with his Ministry both in its vigor and effects A carnal frame a dead heart and a loose walk makes cold and unprofitable Preaching And how common is it for Ministers to neglect their own Vineyard When we read the Word we read it as Ministers to know what we should teach rather than what we should learn as Christians Unless there be great heed taken it will be found that our Ministry and Labour therein may eat out the Life of our Christianity not that there is any discord betwixt them but rather a friendly Harmony when each hath its place and respect The honest Believer meditates that he may excite his Grace and Ministers too often meditate only to increase their Gifts When we Preach the sincere Hearer drinks in the Word and it may be we seldom mix Faith with it to grow thereby O how hard is it to be a Minister and a Christian in some of these acts We are still conversant about the things of God it is our study all the Week long This is our great advantage but take heed to thy self lest ordinary medling with Divine things bring on an ordinary and indifferent impression of them and then their Fruit to thee and thy benefit by them is almost gone and hardly recovered 4. Take heed unto thy self in reference to all the Trials and Temptations thou mayest meet with Be on your guard watch in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 No men are shot at more by Satan than Ministers and he triumphs not more over the foyls of any than theirs And Christ is liberal in his warnings of Dangers and in his Promises of help in them 2. The Second word in the Text to this purpose of directing Ministers how to be useful to others is Take heed unto thy Doctrine Art thou a Minister thou must be a Preacher an unpreaching Minister is a sort of contradiction Yea every sort of Preaching is not enough thou must take heed unto thy Doctrine what it is Here is warrant for Studying what we are to teach and what we have taught People But the great matter is to take heed or study aright Students commonly need little direction about ordinary study But concerning the Doctrine I shall entreat to take heed unto it in these things 1. Take heed unto thy Doctrine that it be a divine Truth Let a man speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 And therefore it is needful that Ministers be well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures A bad token of the Temper of that man that relishes any Book more than the Word of God The World is full of Books written on pretence and design to explain the Scriptures and mens Studies are full of them there is also a Blessing in them and good use to be made of them But also a bad use is made of them Many Ministers have found that they have preached better and to more profit to the People when they got their Sermon by Meditation on the Word and Prayer than by turning over many Authors From this neglect of the Word also comes a great many Doctrines that are learn'd by Man and borrowed from Philosophy which though they may have some Truth in them yet since it is divine Truth that a Minister should bring forth to the People he should not rest on such low things 2. Take heed unto thy Doctrine that it be plain and suited to the capacity of the hearers Learned Preaching as it is called is a Vanity pleasing principally to such as neither design nor desire Edification True godly Learning consists in preaching Plainly and therein is no no small difficulty Two things would help to plain Preaching 1. Clearness of Knowledge The alledged depth of our Doctrine often proceeds from our own darkness 2. Humility and Self-denyal We must not seek our selves nor the Applause of men but Gods glory and mens Salvation It is found that the holiest Ministers preach most plainly and the plainest Preachers are most successeful 3. Take heed unto thy Doctrine that it be grave and solid and weighty Sound Speech that cannot
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
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
Agenda of the Church and thâ—â—eservedly for this Perswasion is built on infallible Divine Testimonâ—â—â— The Communication of Christ herein and our participation of him are expressed in such a manner as to demonstrate them to be peculiar such as are not to be obtained in any other way or divine Ordinance whatever not in Praying not in Preaching not in any other exercise of Faith on the Word or Promises There is in it an eating and drinking of the Body and Blood of Christ with a spiritual Incorporation thence ensuing which are peculiar unto this Ordinance But This especial and peculiar communion with Christ and participation of him is Spiritual and Mystical by Faith not carnal or fleshly To imagine any other participation of Christ in this life but by Faith is to overthrow the Gospel To signify the Real communication of himself and benefits of his Mediation unto them that believe whereby they should become the food of their Souls nourishing them unto eternal Life in the very beginning of his Ministry he himself expresseth it by eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood John 6.53 Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you But hereon many were offended as supposing that he had intended an oral carnal eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood and so would have taught them to be Cannibals Wherefore to instruct his Disciples aright in this mystery he gives an Eternal Rule of the interpretation of such expressions v. 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life To look for any other communication of Christ or of his flesh and blood but what is Spiritual is to contradict him in the Interpretation which he gives of his own words Wherefore this especial Communion with Christ and Participation of him is by Faith If it were not unbelievers ought all partake of Christ aswell as those that believe which is a contradiction For to believe in Christ and to be made partakers of him are one and the same We must therefore find this peculiar participating of Christ in the special actings of Faith with respect unto the especial and peculiar exhibition of Christ unto us in this Ordinance And these actings of Faith are diverse and many but may be referred unto four Heads 1. It acts it self by Obedience unto the Authority of Christ in this Institution This is the foundation of all Communion with Christ or pâ—rticipation of him in any Ordinance of divine Worship whatever thaâ— is peculiarly of his own Soveraign Appointment and that in and with such circumstances as unto the Time or Season and manner of it as requires especial actings of Faith with respect thereunto For the Institution of this Ordinance was in the close of his Ministry or Prophetical Office on the Earth and in the entrance of the exercise of his Priestly Office in offering himself a Sacrifice unto God for the sins of the Church between them both and to render them both effectual unto us he interposed an act of his Kingly Office in the Institution of this Ordinance And it was in the same night wherein he was betrayed when his holy Heart was in the highest exercise of zeal for the glory of God and compassion for the Souls of sinners sâ—ith hath herein an especial regard unto all these things It doth not only act it self by a subjection of Soul and Conscience unto the Authority of Christ in the Institution but respects also the exerting of his authority in the Close of his Prophetical and entrance of the exercise of his Sacerdotal Office on the Earth with all those other circumstances of it which recommend it unto the Souls and Consciences of Believers This is peculiar unto this Ordinance and unto this way of the participation of Christ And herein faith in its due exercise gives the soul an intimate converse with Christ 2. There is in this divine Ordinance a peculiar Representation of the Love and Grace of Christ in his death and Sufferings with the way and manner of our Reconciliation unto God thereby The principal design of the Gospel is to declare unto us the Love and Grace of Christ and our Reconciliation unto God by his Blood Howbeit herein there is such an eminent Representation of them as cannot be made by words alone It is a Spiritual Image of Christ proposed unto us intimately affecting our whole Souls These things namely the ineffable Love and Grace of Christ the bitterness of his Sufferings and Death in our stead the Sacrifice that he offered by his Blood unto God with the effect of it in Atonement and Reconciliation being herein contracted into one entire Proposal unto our Souls Faith is exercised thereon in a peculiar manner and so as it is not in any Divine Ordinance or way of the Proposal of the same things unto us All these things are indeed distinctly and in parts set before us in the Scripture for our Instruction Edificacion But as the Light which was first made and diffused unto the whole Creation did suffice to enlighten it in a general way yet was far more useful glorious and conspicuous when it was reduced and contracted into the Body of the Sun so the Truths concerning Christ as they are diffused through the Scripture are sufficient for the Illumination and Instruction of the Church but when by divine wisdom and institution they are contracted into this Ordinance their taste and efficacy is more eminent and communicative unto the eyes of our Understandings that is our Faith than as meerly proposed by parts and parcels in the Word Hereby Faith leads the Soul unto a peculiar Communion with Christ wâ—â—ch is thereon made partaker of him in an especial manner 3. Faith herein respects the peculiar way of the communication and exhibition of Christ unto us by symbols or sensible outward Signs of Bread and Wine It finds the divine Wisdom ond Sovereignty of Christ in the choice of them having no other foundation in Reason or the Light of Nature and the Representation that is made herein of him with the Benefits of his Death and Oblation is suited unto Faith only without any aid of Sense or Imagination for although the Symbols are visible yet their Relation unto the things signified is not disceâ—nible unto any Sense or Reason Had he chosen for this end an Image or a Crucifix or any such Actions as did by a kind of natural and sensible Resemblance shew forth his Passion and what he did and suffered there had been no need of Faith in this matter And therefore as we shall see such things are found out unto this end by such as have lost the use and exercise of Faith herein Besides it is Faith alone that apprehends the Sacramental Vnion that is between the outward Signs and the Things signified by vertue of Divine Institution And hereby the one
flatter themselves whilst they please that on one consideration or other they shall be the Objects only of their kindness if these men according to their Profession be obliged in conscience to execute whatever their Superiors shall command them no less than Abraham was to sacrifice his Son on the Command of God they hold their Lives at the Mercy and on the good Nature of these Superiors who are always safe out of the reach of Revenge It is marvellous that Mankind doth not agree to demolish this cursed Image or the Ascription of a Godlike Power unto men to require blind Obedience unto their Commands especially considering what effects it hath produced in the world All men know by whose Device it was first set up and erected by whom what means and unto what end it was confirmed and consecrated and at this day it is maintained by a Society of men of an uncertain Extract and Original like that of the Janizaries in the Turkish Empire their Rise being generally out of obscurity among the meanest and lowest of the People Such they are who by the Rules of their Education are taught to renounce all respect unto their Native Countreys and Alliances therein but so as to make them only the way and matter for the advancement of the interest of this new Society And this sort of men being nourished from their very first entrances into the conduct of the Society unto hopes and expectations of Wealth Honour Power Interest in the disposal of all publick Affairs of Mankind and the Regulation of the Consciences of men it is no wonder if with the utmost of their Arts and Industry they endeavour to set up and preserve this Image which they have erected from whence they expect all the advantage which they do design But hereof I may treat more fully when I come to speak of the Image of Jealousie it self SECT X. From these Generals I shall proceed unto more particular Instances and those for the most part in important Principles of Religion wherein Christian Faith and Practice are most concerned And I shall begin with that which is of signal Advantage unto the Framers of these Images as the other also are in their degree for by this craft they have their Livelihood and Wealth and most pernicious to the Souls of other men It is a Principle of Truth that such as wherein the whole course of Christian Obedience is concerned that there is a Spiritual defilement in Sin This the Scripture every where declares representing the very Nature of it by spiritual Uncleanness And this Vncleanness is its contrariety unto the Holiness of the Divine Nature as represented unto us in the Law This Defilement is in all men equally by Nature all are alike born in Sin and the pollution of it Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean And it is in all personally in various degrees some are more polluted with actual Sins than others but all are so in their degree and measure This pollution of Sin must be purged and taken away before our entrance into Heaven for no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God Sin must be destroyed in its Nature Practice Power and Effects or we are not saved from it This Purification of Sin is wrought in us initially and gradually in this Life and accomplished in Death when the Spirits of just men are made perfect In a compliance with this work of Gods Grace towards them whereby they purifie themselves consists one principal part of the Obedience of Believers in this world and of the exercise of their Faith The principal internal immediate efficient cause of this purification of Sins is the Blood of Christ the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all our Sins 1 John 1.7 The Blood of Jesus purgeth our Consciences from dead works Heb. 9.14 He washeth us in his own Blood Rev. 1.5 And there is an external helping Cause thereof which is Trials and Afflictions made effectual by the Word and accomplished in Death But this way of purging Sins by the Blood of Christ is mysterious There is no discerning of its Glory but by spiritual Light no experience of its Power but by Faith Hence it is despised and neglected by the most that yet outwardly profess the Doctrine of the Gospel Men generally think there are a thousand better ways for the purging of Sin than this by the Blood of Christ which they cannot understand See Micah 6.6 7. It is Mysterious in the Application of it unto the Souls and Consciences of Believers by the Holy Ghost it is so in the Spring of its efficacy which is the Oblation of it for a Propitiation and in its relation unto the new Covenant which first it establisheth and then makes effectual unto this end The Work of it is gradual and unperceptible unto any thing but the eyes of Faith and diligent spiritual Experience Again It is so ordered by Divine Wisdom as strictly to require to begin excite and encourage the utmost diligence of Believers in a compliance with its efficacy unto the same End What Christ did for us he did without us without our aid or concurrence As God made us without our selves so Christ redeemed us but what he doth in us he doth also by us what he works in a way of Grace we work in a way of Duty And our Duty herein consists as in the continual exercise of all gracious Habits renewing changing and transforming the Soul into the Likeness of Christ for he which hopes to see him purifieth himself as he is pure so also in universal permanent uninterrupted Mortification unto the end whereof we shall speak afterwards This also renders the Work more Mysterious and difficult The improvement of Afflictions unto the same end is a principal part of the Wisdom of Faith without which they can be of no spiritual Use unto the Souls of men This Notion of the Defilement of Sin and that of the Necessity of its purification were retained in the Church of Rome for they could not be lost without not only a rejection of the Scripture but the stiffling of natural conceptions about them which are indelibly fixed in the Consciences of men But Spiritual Light into the Glory of the thing it self or the mystical Purification of Sin with an experience of the power and efficacy of the Blood of Christ as applied unto the Consciences of Believers unto that end by the holy Ghost were lost amongst them In vain shall we seek for any thing of this Nature either in their Doctrine or their Practice Wherefore having lost the Substance of this Truth and all experience of its Power to retain the Use of its Name they have made sundry little Images of it creeping things whereunto they ascribe the power of purging Sin such as Holy Water Pilgrimages Disciplines Masses and various commutations But they quickly found by experience that these things would neither purifie the Heart nor
Exercise of Faith is always accompanied with diligence and perseverance in all holy Duties of Prayer with Fasting Godly Sorrow daily renewed Repentance with a continual watch against all the Advantages of sin Herein consists principally that Spiritual warfare and conflict that believers are called unto this is all the killing work which the Gospel requires That of Killing other men for Religion is of a latter date and another Original And there is nothing in the way of their Obedience wherein they have more experience of the necessity power and efficacy of the Graces of the Gospel This Principle of Truth concerning the necessity of Mortification is retained in the Church of Rome yea she pretends highly unto it above any other Christian Society The Mortification of their Devotionists is one of the principal Arguments which they plead to draw unwary Souls over unto their Superstition Yet in the height of their pretences unto it they have lost all experience of its nature with the power and efficacy of the Grace of Christs therein and have therefore framed an Image of it unto themselves For 1. They place the eminency and height of it in a Monastical Life and pretended Retirement from the World But this may be hath been in all or the most without the least real work of Mortification in their Souls For there is nothing required in the strictest Rules of these Monastick Votaries but may be complyed withal without the least effectual Operation of the Holy Spirit in their minds in the application of the vertue of the death of Christ unto them Besides the whole course of life which they commend under this name is neither appointed in nor approved by the Gospel And some of those who have been most renowned for their severities therein were men of blood promoting the cruel slaughter of multitudes of Christians upon the account of their profession of the Gospel in whom there could be no one Evangelical Grace for no Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in him 2. The Ways and Means which they prescribe and use for the attaining of it are such as are no way directed unto by the Divine Wisdom of Christ in the Scripture such as multiplied Confessions to Priests irregular ridiculous Fastings Penances Self-Macerations of the Body unlawful Vows Self-devised Rules of Discipline and Habits with the like Trinkets innumerable Hence whatever their Design be they may say of it in the issue what Aaron said of his Idol I cast the Gold into the Fire and there came out this Calf they have brought forth only an Image of Mortification diverting the Minds of men from seeking after that which is really and spiritually so And under this Pretence they have formed a State and Condition of Life that hath filled the world with all manner of Sins and wickedness and many of those who have attained unto some of the highest degrees of this Mortification on their Principles and by the Means designed unto that End have been made ready thereby for all sorts of Wickedness Wherefore the Mortification which they retain and whereof they boast is nothing but a wretched Image of that which is truly so substituted in its room and embraced by such as had never attained any Experience of the Nature or Power of Gospel-Grace in the real Mortification of Sin SECT XIV The same is to be said concerning Good Works the second Evangelical Duty whereof they boast The necessity of these Good Works unto Salvation according unto mens Opportunities and Abilities is acknowledged by all And the Glory of our Profession in this World consisteth in our abounding in them but their Principle their Nature their Motives their Use their Ends are all declared and limited in the Scripture whereby they are distinguished from what may seem materially the same in those which may be wrought by Unbelievers In Brief they are the Acts and Duties of true Believers only and they are in them Effects of Divine Grace or the Operation of the Holy Ghost for they are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained that they should walk in them But the principal Mystery of their Glory which the Scripture insists upon is that although they are necessary as a Means unto the Salvation of Believers yet are they utterly excluded from any influence unto the Ju-stification of Sinners so there was never any Work Evangelically good performed by any who were not before freely Justified Unto these Good Works those with whom we have to do lay a vehement claim as though they were the only Patrons of them and Pleaders for them But they have also excluded them out of Christian Religion and set up a deformed Image of them in defiance of God of Christ and the Gospel For the Works they plead for are such as so far proceed from their own free will as to render them Meritorious in the sight of God They have confined them partly unto Acts of Superstitious Devotion partly unto those of Charity and principally unto those that are not so such are the Building of Monasteries Nunneries and such pretended Religious Houses for the maintenance of Swarms of Monks and Friers filling the World with Superstition and Debauchery They make them meritorious satisfactory yea some of them which they call of Supererrogation above all that God requireth of us and the Causes of our Justification before God They ascribe unto them a Condignity of the heavenly Reward making it of Works and so not of Grace with many other defiling Imaginations but whatever is done from these Principles and for these Ends is utterly foreign unto those good Works which the Gospel enjoyneth as a part of our New or Evangelical Obedience But having as in other Cases lost all Sense and Experience of the Power and efficacy of the Grace of Christ in working Believers unto this Duty of Obedience unto the Glory of God and Benefit of mankind they have set up the Image of them in defiance of Christ his Grace and his Gospel These are some of the Abominations which are pourtraied on the Walls of the Chamber of Imagery in the Church of Rome and more will be added in the consideration of the Image of Jealousie it self which God willing shall ensue in another way These are the Shadows which they betake themselves unto in the loss of Spiritual Light to discern the Truth and Glory of the Mystery of the Gospel and the want of an Experience of their Power and Efficacy unto all the Ends of the Life of God in their own Minds and Souls And although they are all of them expresly condemned in the Letter of the Scripture which is sufficient to secure the Minds of true Believers from the admission of them yet their establishment against all Pleas Pretences and Force for a compliance with them depends on their experience of the Power of every Gospel-Truth unto its proper End in communicating unto us the Grace of God and transforming our Minds into the Image and Likeness
Princes Laws that they may not suffer It is some sign of a regard to God and your Salvation that you are troubled about Religion and careful to know which is the right even Controversie is better than Atheistical Indifferency that will be on the upper side be it what it will If you cast Acorns or Pulse among them Swine will strive for it or if it be Carrion Dogs will fight for it but if it be Gold or Jewels Dogs and Swine will never strive for them but tread them in the dirt but cast them before men and they will be all togeâ—her by the ears for them Lawyers contend about Law and Princes about Dominion which others mind not and Religious Persons strive about Religion and what wonder is this It doth but shew that they value their Souls and Religion and that their Understandings are yet imper-But if you will follow these plain Directions Controversies need not break your Peace I. See that you be true to the Light and Law of Nature which all Mankind is obliged to observe If you had no Scripture nor Christianity Nature that is the works of God do tell you that there is a God and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him it tells you that God is absolutely perfect in Power Knowledge and Goodness and that man is a reasonable free Agent made by him and therefore is his own and at his Will and Government It tells you that a mans Actions are not indifferent but some things we ought to do and some things we ought not to do and that Virtue and Vice moral Good and Evil do greatly differ and therefore that there is some universal Law which obligeth us to the Good and forbids the Evil and that this can be none but the Law of the universal Governour which is God it tells all men that they owe this God their absolute Obedience because he is their most wise and absolute Ruler and that they owe him their chiefest Love because he is not only the chief Benefactor but also most perfectly amiable in himself It tells us that he hath made us all sociable Members of one world and that we owe Love and Helps to one another It tells us that all this Obedience to God can never be in vain nor to our loss and it tells us that we must all die and that fleshly pleasures and this transitory world will quickly leave us There is no more cause to doubt of all or any of this than whether man be man Be true to this much and it will be a great help to all the rest II. And as to Gods Supernatural Revelation hold to Gods Word the Sacred Bible written by the special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as the sufficient Records of it It is not Divine Faith if it rest not on Divine Revelation nor is it Divine Obedience which is not given to Divine Government or Command Mans word is to be believed but as it deserveth with a humane Faith and mans Law must be obeyed according to the measure of his Authority with a humane Obedience but these are far different from a Divine There is no universal Ruler of all the World or Church but God no man is capable of it nor any Council of men Gods Law is only in Nature and in the Holy Scripture and that being the Law by which he will judge us it is the Law which is the only Divine Rule of our Faith or Judgment our Hearts and Lives Though all in the Scripture is not of equal clearness or necessity but a man may be saved that understandeth not a thousand Sentences therein yet all that is necessary to Salvation is plainly there contained and Gods Law is perfect to its designed Use and needeth no Supplement of mans Hold close to Scripture-Sufficiency or you will never know what to hold to Councils and Canons are far more uncertain and there is no agreement among their Subjects which of them are obligatory and which not nor any possible way to come to an Agrement III. Yet use with thankfulness the help of Men for the understanding and obeying the Word of God Though Lawyers as such have none of the Legislative power you need their help to understand the Use of the Law aright And though no men have power to make Laws for the Church Universal yet men must be our Teachers to understand and use the Laws of God We are not born with Faith or Knowledge we know nothing but what is taught us except what Sense or Intuition perceiveth or Reason gathereth from thence If you ask Whom must we learn of I Answer of those that know and have learnt themselves No Name or Title or Relation or Habit will enable any man to teach you that which he knoweth not himself 1. Children must learn of their Parents and Tutors 2. People must learn of their able faithful Pastors and Catechizers 3. All Christians must be Teachers by Charitable Helps to one another But Teaching and Law-making are two things To Teach another is but to shew him that same Scientifical Evidence of Truth by which the Teacher knoweth it himself that the Learner may know it as he doth To say You shall believe that is true which I say is true and that this is the meaning of it is not Teaching but Law-giving and to believe such an one is not to learn or know though some humane Belief of our Teachers is necessary to Learners IV. Take nothing as necessary to the Being of Christianity and to Salvation which is not recorded in the Scripture and hath not been held as necessary by all true Christians in every Age and Place Not that we must know men first to be true Christians that by them we may know what Christian Truth is but the plain Scripture tells all men what Christianity is and by that we know whom to take for Christians But if any thing be new and risen since the Apostles writing of the Scripture that can be no Point essential to Christianity else Christianity must be a mutable thing and not the same now as it was heretofore or else there were no Christians before this Novelty in the world The Church were not the Church nor were any man a Christian if they wanted any essential part of Faith or Practice But here take heed of Sophisters deceit Though nothing is necessary to Salvation but all sound Christians have still believed yet all is not necessary or true or good which all good Christians have believed or done much less all which the tempted worser part have held For though the Essence of Christianity have been ever and every where the same yet the Opinions of Christians and their Mistakes and Faults have been none of their imitable Faith or Practice Humane Nature is essentially the same in Adam and in all men but the Diseases of Nature are another thing If all men have Sin and Error so have all Churches their Christianity is of
are given for as the rigid Dominicans do certainly make God the Cause of Sin whether culpable or not culpable is not the Question even so do the Scotists and Molinists for they both include in the matter of Sin somewhat more than what is meerly Natural even somewhat that is morally Vicious and yet assert that this Matter is the immediate effect of Gods Causality only the one says That God does as it were take man by the hand and lead him to Sin the other That man determines the Efficiency of God and the Scotist says That the first and second Cause do walk hand in hand to the Sin but whether I lead another to the Sin and help him to commit it or whether I am taken by the Sinner and determined to help him to produce what is sinful in the Act or whether I walk with him stil I am at least a Concauser of what is sinful in the Act so that neither the Scotist nor the Molinist give me any satisfaction in this Matter The Result therefore of my thoughts is as follows I am sure that no Natural Being ever has been is or can be without the Efficiency of God the first Cause and yet I am as confident that no Moral Evil is in any sense the Effect of the Physical Efficiency of God The Moral Undueness that is considered as that which is the Foundation of Sin cannot be from God but yet how satisfactorily to reconcile these things or how to comprehend the Modes of Divine Operation is above us we cannot reach unto it it transcends our Understandings 5. There are also several Doctrines which have a special Aspect on those Transactions that are about the carrying on Fall'n Mans Salvation to the Illustrating the Glory of the divine Perfections which are very profound The Doctrines of the Fall of Man the Transition of Original Sin from Adam to his Posterity the Methods taken for the Recovery of the Elect the Covenant of Reconciliation between the Father and the Son from all Eternity the Incarnation of the Son of God and the many surprizing Doctrines with reference thereunto even about his several Offices as Mediator and in special That of his Being a Priest after the Order of Melchisedek his Suretyship how our Sins were imputed to him and his Righteousness made ours beside those Doctrines about the Nature of the Mystical Vnion that is between Christ and Believers and how this is the ground of Imputation and many other momentous points might be spoken unto to evince That though there is nothing of Contradiction in these Doctrines yet there is very much that transcends the most enlarged Capacity They are points that the Angels themselves are prying into but cannot fully comprehend But these things I must wave and go on to acquaint you with some of the many Providences that do in like manner transcend our Understandings II. Among the many amuzing Providences that are before Us I will single out a few 1. That the greatest part of the World should lye in Wickedness unacquainted with the Methods of Salvation is an amuzing Providence Look we into the remotest parts of the World we find nothing but a strange Ignorance of the true God or of the true Worship of God Oh how great a part of the World is over-run with Paganism Mahometanism and Judaism Come we nearer home and take a view of the Christian World behold how small is it in comparison of those parts where the abovemention'd false Religions prevail and of the many thousands who are called Christians how many Invelop'd with the thick clouds of Ignorance and Error and how â—ew free from the Influence of Idolatry and Superstition A multitude of those who have been baptiz'd into the name of Christ have not the opportunity of looking into the sacred Oracles which reveal the true way to Life everlasting and of those who have the happy Advantages of consulting the sacred Scriptures how few can understand them The which is not without a Providence of God But can we compare these Providences with those discoveries that are made of the Infinite Compassions of Almighty God towards the Children of men and comprehend a consistency between them In the Scriptures 't is said That God would have all men be saved and to that end come to the Knowledg of the Truth even when but a very small spot of the Earth have any suitable means afforded 'em for the obtaining such knowledg In the Scriptures the Proclamation is general to all Ho every one and the Expostulation with Sinners is Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye as I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a Sinner of a Sinner indefinitely q. d. of any Sinner but rather That he would Turn and Live Besides did not Christ die for this end namely to shew the unexpressible greatness of Gods Love to the world God so loved so so loved the World as if it had been said the Love of God to the World is so transcendent that no words could sufficiently express it nothing would fully represent it but the Delivery of the Son the only begotten Son of God to the Death the cruel the shameful and the reproachful Death of the Cross for the salvation of the World on their Believing and this even when God left Millions of Angels to continue in everlasting Chains of Darkness notwithstanding all which it is manifest That they cannot believe in him of whom they have not heard and cannot hear unless a Preacher be sent unto them and that no such thing has been done no Preacher has been sent or if in one Age yet not in another How can we reconcile these Providences with the Discoveries that are given us of the infinite Compassions of God to Mankind when so few are made partakers of it What of Grace is there in leaving the greatest part of the World in a very little better condition than the fallen Angels I know that there are many things offered towards the satisfaction of a thoughtful Person as Who can tell but there are thousand of Worlds above us whose Inhabitants are in a better capacity to receive and improve the Instances of Divine Love and that this world is but a Spot in comparison of them and if this whole World should perish 't is but as the hanging up a few Malefactors to shew that God is just as well as merciful but how does this solve the Difficulty which is not meerly taken from the Notion we have of Gods meâ—ciful Nature in it self considered but from the Revelations made thereof unto the Children of men in the Scripture about which we cannot have any solid satisfaction but from things which are obvious before us not from what is so fully out of our view and knowledge and concerning Creatures of another kind 'T is true there are some intimations in the Sacred Scriptures which apart and by themselves considered afford Relief such as these The Gentiles which have not
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
of God's Transcendency are to be seen in them all Whence we have as satisfying an Argument to convince us that the Doctrines of the Gospel are from God and consequently true as that the world was created by him and is now under his Government yea such as believe a Providence and the Scripture to be the Word of God have as much to offer for their Faith as the meer Deist who only belive the Existence of a God has for his for the very same Characters Signatures Impresses and Footsteps of Gods infinite Perfections that are on the things made are in these Doctrines and Providences of which the Transcendency that is in them is an uncontroulable Evidence Why do we believe the World to be made of God but because we see that the things made are so admirably fram'd and order'd that there is somewhat in them incomprehensible by us They are made by One whose Wisdom is infinite and transcends our largest Capacities In like manner those who will look into the Scriptures and consult the Doctrines of the Gospel will find that there are the Impresses of infinite Wisdom in them which could not be unless they had been of God who is infinitely wise whence 't is that by the Transcendency that is in the Doctrines we are engaged to conclude that they are true i. e. we are hereby confirm'd and establish'd in the Truth of the Christian Religion that is discover'd unto us in the Holy Scriptures IMPROVEMENT III. The Third Improvement is this The Transcendency of these Doctrines and Providences prove most excellent Expedients to silence and stop the mouths of the Vngodly for by the Transcendency of some Doctrines and Providences God is carrying on the great End of glorifying his Righteousness in the letting out his Fury and Indignation on the Vessels of Wrath. God who made all things for himself will be Glorified either by or upon the People he has made God will be glorified by some to their Salvation and upon others in their Condemnation And by the Transcendency that is in the Doctrines and Providences both are done For the Transcendency of these Doctrines and Providences as hath been already shewn exciting the Faith and Patience of some does farther their Salvation and as they are stumbling-Blocks in the way of others they occasion the Ruine and Destruction of others These Transcendent Doctrines and Providences must be considered as stumbling-blocks that God puts in their way not that there is any Evil in God's putting them in the way but the Evil is only from the indisposition of the corrupt Heart of man For the clearer understanding which we must consider that there is certainly such a Decree as that of the Election of some particular Persons unto Glory which doth necessarily infer the dereliction of others the leaving them in a state of Sin and Misery Some being Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father shall through the sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ obtain Salvation with Eternal Glory But others there are even ungodly men who turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness and who were of old ordained unto Condemnation The Salvation of some the Damnation of others is acknowledged by all to be certain as to the Event and that there is no event in time but what was foreknown of God from Eternity is not denied by any that believe God to be God and that these Events cannot be without a Providence of God is most manifest 'T is true God has a greater influence on the Elect than on others for God does not only support their Powers and Faculties and by a Physical Efficience enable them to perform what is Natural in their Moral Actions but moreover God does by his mighty Power in infinite Wisdom sweetly determine the Elect to the doing what is morally good and savingly gracious God does not so much in such Actions as are sinful and vicious the moral Vitiosity or Obliquity that is in a sinful Action is not of God though what is natural in a sinful Action has its Origin and Rise from God yet what is Moral and Vitious is not from God God does not Physically and Invincibly determine any man to what is sinful in any Action the Sinfulness of an Action has no higher Being than a Creature for its Author However though the Sins of the Damned are without a Divine Physical Predetermination yet not without a Divine Providence There is no Event without a Providence of God As all Events are according to the fore-knowledge of God so they are by his Providence The Destruction of Pharaoh in the Red Sea according to the fore-knowledge of God and the hardness of his Heart that was the Cause of his ruine was by Gods Providence This Providence is somewhat more than a meer unconcerned permission and yet much less than a Physical Predetermination it falls short of this latter because God has no Physical influence on the sinfulness of our Actions and 't is more than the former for the Wisdom and Power of God is marvellously exercised in doing very much towards the bringing the Event to pass and that by laying stumbling blocks in the way of the Non-Elect which stumbling blocks in our way may occasion our Sin and Ruine but not cause it so that although the Lord does lay Stones of stumbling in our way which occasions our Sin yet he cannot be said to be the Cause or Author of our Sin No one is the Cause or Author of anothers Sin but he who does either Physically or Morally contribute to the Commission of Sin but though God lays stones of stumbling before the Sinner yet he does not in doing so either morally by perswasions draw or physically by Impression drive him to the Sin The stumbling block is before him and from it the Sinner takes occasion to sin against the Lord. Though such is the infinite Knowledge and Wisdom of God that he foreknows that such a Block in the Sinners way will occasion his Sin and notwithstanding puts it in his way yet he is not therefore the Author of his Sin because God does not hereby either Physically or Morally move the Sinner to the Sin for the Sinner having a Natural power to withstand it 't is his Wilfulness and Sin he does not That God does lay stones of stumbling before us is evident enough to any who will consult the Sacred Scriptures In Ezekiel 3.20 't is said that God doth lay a stumbling block before the man who was externally Righteous and he turns from his Righteousness unto Sin and dies in his Iniquity This will appear more convincingly in the Instances I will give concerning it The Dâ—scoveries that are made of Gods gracious Designs towards us are about such matters as do amuse us whoever will consider what is declared in the Gospel concerning the way to eternal life will find that Jesus Christ though he be God as well as
Much more joy will flow in upon you if you go farther and overcome evil with good You will bless God heartily who hath enabled you against all temptations and your own natural inclinations to the contrary to perform this excellent and most Christian duty when you find in your selves the joy that will attend it Quest How may the well discharge of our present duty give us assurance of help from God for the well discharge of all future duties SERMON XX. 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36 37. Psal 27.14 Prov. 10.29 2 Chron. 15.2 OUR Reverend and Worthy Brother who hath the ordering of the Morning-Lectures in this place hath both now and heretofore in great wisdom singled out many choice select cases relating to the mystery of practical godliness and of singular use to all those who desire to know and feel more in themselves of the power of inward experimental Christianity Surely 't is not for nothing that God should send to this Auditority so many of his Messengers one after another Morning by Morning rising early and sending To whom much is given of them much will be required See that you improve these extraordinary means of grace The case that is fallen to my lot this Morning is this viz. How may the well discharge of our present duty give us assurance of help from God for the well discharge of all future duties This Question hath Two parts in it and cannot be so well grounded upon a single Text therefore I shall name Three or Four you may have your eye upon all viz. 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36 37. And David said unto Saul Thy servant kept his fathers sheep and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock And I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God David said moreover the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine And Saul said unto David Go and the Lord be with thee Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Prov. 10.29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity 2 Chron. 15.2 And he went out to meet Asa and said unto him Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you I do not name these several Scriptures as so many Texts which I intend to preach upon but as so many Proofs of the truth of the Point That it is a Case very agreeable to the Scriptures and to the Analogy of Faith and so I shall take it up and for once preach common place wise upon it which was a way of preaching much in use in the last Century and upwards by many eminent Divines and not without great success Now we tie our selves to single Texts Then they preached upon such and such Subjects proving what they said by Scripture and in this good old way I shall walk for once Pray follow me with due attention This Case or Question may be resolved into two 1. What our present duty is 2. How the well discharge of that may encourage us to hope in God for his help and assistance in all future duties First What is our present duty Before I define this it will be necessary to speak something previous to it which may help us much in this Enquiry and lead us as it were by the hand into a right understanding of our present duty The steps I shall go by are these shewing you 1. What Duty is in the general nature and notion of it 'T is an Act of Obedience to the will of our Superiors God being our Soveraign Supreme Lord Master and Lawgiver our duty lies in subjecting our selves in all things to his will Duty is that which is due from Man to God 'T is Justitia ergâ—â— Deum Gic. de Nat. de lib. 1. 'T is Justice towards God We don't do God right we rob him of his glory if we don't do our duty God knows indeed how to recover his right and the wrong we do in sinning against him will in the end redound to our own souls Prov. 8.36 Every sinner deals injuriously with God he does not give unto God the things that are Gods he withholds the obedience that is due unto God he will not be subject to his Law he does not do his duty 2. Something is our present duty God hath filled up all our time with duty not one Moment left at our own disposal We must give an account to him of every thing we do in the body from first to last every day hath its proper works the things of it self Mat. 6.34 3. Nothing that is sinful and in it self unlawful can be our duty at any time and therefore to be sure not our present duty This needs no proof 4. Every thing that is in it self-lawful is not therefore our duty All things are lawful but all things are not expedient 1 Cor. 6.12 Whatsoever is not forbidden under a penalty is lawful i. e. whatsoever is not contrary to the rectitude of the Law and in the doing of which we incur no penalty from the Law that is lawful but nothing properly is our duty but what is commanded What we have a command to do or not to do the doing or not doing of that is our duty as the command runs in the Affirmative or Negative The Law strictly injoyns some things does tollerate and allow of some others of a more indifferent nature which in intimo gradu-juris in the lowest degree of legality may be called lawful and yet Circumstances may render our doing these things unlawful when God is not glorified nor our Neighbour edified All things edifie not 1 Cor. 10.23 5. Every thing that is commanded and is in its time and place our duty may not be our present duty Affirmative commands do bind semper but not ad semper as Negatives do Affirmatives bind always i. e. we can never be discharged from that obligation that lies upon us to worship God but we are not bound at all times to the outward acts of worship for then me should do nothing else Neither indeed are we bound at all times to inward acts of worship for in our sleep we do not act our Grace A disposition so to do from an inward habit and principle is all that God requires when we are not in a capacity to act either Grace or Reason Besides positive
disobedient Servant because he observed not your time Those in the Gospel Mat. 20.1 2 3 4. came into the Vineyard at the same hour they were called They who were called at one hour did not come in at another hour A call of God to repentance loses much of its efficacy if it be not presently complied with the heart is hardened under it 'T is true God can renew his call but the first is quite lost if it be not presently obey'd straightway they left their nets and followed him Mat. 4.20 22. This was a converting call There are many calls to conversion that are not converting calls Man calls in God's Name but till God speak inwardly to the heart all the Preachers in the world cannot prevail with a sinner to come to Christ Converting Grace is a special Providence towards the Elect. I am now speaking of the call of common Providence to common Duties I mean such Duties as God by his Word hath annexed to such Providences James 5.13 Is any afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing psalms Do the duty of thy present condition keep time with God because he keeps time with thee he gives thee thy daily bread then perform thy daily duty towards him 3. Consult thy conscience 'T is a proper Judg of what thou hast done and what thou shouldst do at this instant Joseph found it so Gen. 39.8 9 Conscience in those who are enlightned cannot easily step over a plain duty 't will stumble at it and demur about it does cast a look towards it tho by the violence of lust a man may be hurried another way yet conscience looks behind there is a mis-giving heart that tells him Thus and thus you ought to do Hear thy conscience speak it may shew thee the right way and turn thee into it He is a profligate wretch indeed who has no reverence for his own conscience A wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment Eccles 8.5 Consult thy conscience in what thou art going about if that startle stop there and consider well with thy self don 't mistake a carnal Objection for a scruple of conscience Under the light of the Gospel conscience is better instructed than to doubt of plain duties All cases of conscience lie in more abstruse matters 4. Consider what present temptation thou art under in the light a present temptation we may see what is our present duty The Devil sets against that might and main He cares not what we do if he can keep us from our present duty He will suffer us to put any thing in the room of that you may read pray and meditate the Devil will allow of any thing but what we should do He knows 't is in vain to tempt some men to gross scandalous sins therefore he will reach a duty over the shoulder to them to justle out the present duty that lies before them Take this for a Rule viz. 'T is always our duty to act in opposition to any present temptation If sinners entire thee consent thou not Prov. 1.10 We do never more effectually resist any present evil than by setting about that good thing that is contrary to it When the Devil sees his temptations have this contrary effect to awaken our zeal for God and to stir us up to a more vigorous prosecution of our duty 't is not his interest to go on in that temptation which he sees is such a provocation to holiness and spurs us on the faster to our duty The Devil knows not this before-hand His temptations are but tryals and experiments that he makes to see how we stand affected and how they will take 5. Consult with the Word of God especially those Scriptures that speak to the state and condition thou art in in the world whether Master Servant Parent Child Rich or Poor gather up those Texts and be often reading them over to thy Faith Mingle them afresh every day with Faith carry them about you in your Memory or in a Book fair written that you may often have your eye upon them they will be a light to your feet and a lanthorn to your paths You can never walk exactly in your place and sphere if you do not walk by this rule often coming to the light that you may see whether your works are wrought in God Some Christians do many things many good things in the dark or at least by a general Scripture-light Some confused Notions they have but no clear distinct understanding of their duty In conversion there are general principles laid in inclining us to all Christian duties which for want of searching the Scriptures we take up by guess but a distinct particular knowledg of these duties is an after-work distinct from our first conversion 't is called Edification or building up which makes us expert skilful Christians The Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good word and work 2 Tim. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad omne opus bonum perfectè instructus vel omnibus numeris absolutus A man so skill'd in all things appertaining to his duty so exact in it that nothing is wanting nor nothing redundant he does neither more nor less than God requires he keeps close to the Rule puts in all the spiritual Ingredients that may give a duty its right season and savour 6. Devote thy self in sincerity to the fear of God through the whole course of thy life Let it be the full purpose of thy heart to cleave unto God and to do whatever God shall convince thee to be thy duty Labour to bring your hearts into such a holy frame before you make a judgment of your present duty Sincerity towards God does wonderfully enlighten us it clears up the eye of the soul breaks thorow all prejudices makes us judg impartially according to truth Integrity and uprightness will preserve us Psal 25.21 and direct our way Prov. 21.29 This I say That man whose mind is thus set upon his duty will not find it so difficult a matter to discern what is his present duty ordinarily he will not in some extraordinary cases there may be more difficulty sometimes but ordinarily 't is otherwise There is a secret guidance of God in this case The integrity of the upright shall guide them Prov. 11.3 There is a voice behind thee a whisper from Heaven saying This is the way walk in it David took this course first he resolves upon universal obedience Psal 119.8 30 32. I have said ver 5 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixi i. e. in animo statuit apud se So ver 106 112. and then begs of God to order his steps and tell him which foot he should put formost what he should do first and what in the next place ver 5 35 135. how he should order his conversation aright If the Devil finds you unfixed and unresolved untrusty and wavering he will assault you with more violence
or observing the Duties required abiding in the Exercise of Christian and Conjugal Graces wherein they continue to be employ'd Here to speak distinctly we are to look upon the Persons and their Exercises Gagneius Estius 1. The Persons Some following the vulgar would have the word rendred singularly if she continue or remain as conceiting there is nothing Antecedent to agree with a Plural Verb But it is certain that the Original word is in the Plural Number by the full consent of all Copies as Beza notes so that there can indeed be no ground for that conceit The generality therefore render it Plurally according to truth as we do If they continue abide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remain persist or persevere noting the necessity of being constant in holy duties But then of those who render the word thus 1. Some as the Ancients c. * Syriac Aethiopic Hierom c. Estius c. refer it to the children brought forth expounding it of their abiding in the exercise of the following Graces But this doth no way please the most judicious modern Expositors any more than some of the Ancients as not so consonant to the Context wherein we have nothing of children And therefore a Learned Protestant ‖ Chamiâ—r doth justly wonder it could come into the mind of any who understand Greek Be-like they took it to respect the generation of children if they by the Mothers care did continue in the faith c. But these did not well consider that the compound werd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child-bearing is of the Singular Number Waltheri Harmonia When therefore this Verb Plural hath Two Nouns going before it i. e. the Woman and child-bearing we should look to which of the Two continue may be best accommodated If to the word child-bearing what more uncouth Then the Paraphrase would thus trip The Women shall be sav'd in child-bearing if child-bearing continue in the faith c. Who then that duly weighs the thing would refer the Verb continue unto the Person namely the Woman and not to child-bearing which is her allotted work or Function Besides if it should be expounded of her childrens perseverance in Grace it would follow That a godly Mother who had faithfully done her duty towards her children would endanger her own salvation should her children prove untoward and impenitent Whereas this were contrary to Scripture which doth engage both Parents Fathers as well as if not more than Mothers in the pious Education of their children and doth clear godly Parents having done their own duty from being chargeable with the guilt of their children when they perish through their own personal default k Ezek 18.3 Calvin So that tho too often the wickedness of children may be imputed to the Parents neglect yet certainly the righteous God will accept of the faithful Mothers discharging of her own duty tho her children do wickedly miscarry Wherefore 't is most rational yea necessary to refer it as most do 2. To the woman and not to her children to pious Mothers and not their Off-spring Nor is there sufficient warrant considering it is in contexture with the Womans proper Office of child-bearing to take in both Parents as Chrysostome thinks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. Adv. vitup vit Monastic Enallagen Numeri And however the Verb continue be of the Plural Number that is easily understood by an Hebraism frequent in the New Testament or a Figure very usual in sacred and civil Authors both Greek and Latin suddenly to pass from one Number to another when there is an agreement in the Structure with somewhat understood So here from the Singular to the Plural as before in this very Chapter from the Plural to the Singular speaking of Women ver 9 10. to speak of Woman 1 Tim. 5.4 See 1 Cor. 4.2 Gal 6.1 c. ver 11. and again in this Epistle l from a Widow in the Singular to speak of Widows in the Plural Let them learn to shew piety at home Where in like Construction a Noun Collative singular is joyned to a Verb Plural Woman noting the Sex may be conjoyned with either Number Glassii Gramat Sacra it being a Grammar-Rule That a Verb of the Plural Number is joyned to a Noun of the singular be sure when the Noun is Collective or Indefinite and the reason of the Construction is of it self plain because the Singular Number doth indeed comprehend in it the plurality of the Collective Noun And the reason of the Apostles sudden transition here might be because he had briefly discoursed of the Office of all Christian Women ver 9. But Collectively under the Noun Woman he saith emphatically of Christian Wives if they continue constant noting the whole body of Christian Wives who passing through the pangs of child-bearing as the allotment of God do 2. Exercise the Graces proper to such who mind their eternal welfare by persevering in their Christian walk suitable to their high Calling and holy Profession being qualified and adorned with Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety those rare Jewels which in the sight of God are of great price And the last of these which some render Modesty or Chastity as a Species of Temperance the Apostle makes necessary to married Women as well as to Virgins * Beza Chamier Tho not as the Papists do ridiculously imagine that Matrimony is a Sacrament and doth confer Grace or that with the Papists we are to restrain the Graces in my Text only to the four Matrimonial Vertues opposite to the four Evils too often incident to a married state ‖ Bellarm. To. 2. de Matrim Sacram. viz. Fidelity in opposition to Adultery Charity to Enmity chiding and brawling Sanctity to Dishonesty or Lasciviousness and Rebellion of the Members Sobriety to Intemperance and Incontinence But I know no warrant we have to speak thus narrowly when 't is most rational to conclude that the Apostle doth respect Faith in Christ for Justification and Salvation and not only the Faith of Matrimony Charity or Love to Christ and his and not only Conjugal Love Holiness which becomes all Christians i. e. sanctification of the whole Inward and Outward Man and not only the peculiar sanctity of the Marriage-bed Sobriety noting that Moderation all who are Christs should be endow'd with m Gal. 5.24 and not only the continency of a Wife So that I shall take these Graces in their Exercises comprehensively as relating to a Christian Conversation in the general and a Marriage-state in special Thus having been took up much longer than I wish'd in obviating the difficulties which some cast in the way to the clearer explanation of the Terms in my Text I shall be straitned in speaking to the Deductions from it as to the present solution of the case propounded by reason I want that dexterity some others might have used I beseech you bear with me a while to touch upon Two or
without any mixture of the contrary Quest Why is God called Light without Darkness And what is this Light I Answer 1. Wisdom is Light and Folly is Darkness 2. Knowledge is Light and Ignorance is Darkness 3. Truth is Light and Error is Darkness 4. Holiness is Light and Sin and Wickedness are Darkness So that when he saith that God is Light he means that God is Wisdom without mixture of Folly Knowledge without Ignorance or Nescience Truth without any Error or any false Conceptions in his Eternal Mind and Holiness without the least mixture of Sin so that the way to have Fellowship with God is to walk in the Light that is to say to walk in Wisdom and not as Fools to walk according to Knowledge and not in Ignorance to walk in the Truth and not in Errour to walk in the way of Holiness and not of Sin and Wickedness Now Light in men it is either Natural or Supernatural 1. Natural which is either the Light of the Body which is the Eye Matth. 6.26 Or 2. The Light of the Soul which is the Light of Reason and Natural Conscience this we are to walk in according to the utmost Sphere and extent thereof But Supernatural Light that shines from Supernatural Revelation in the Scriptures and the inlightning Spirit of God in the Souls of Men is the Light here meant in the Text and which Christians should walk in Now this is the way to have Fellowship and Communion with God as the Text saith If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another Now by one with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some say the Apostle means the Saints to whom he writes we and ye shall have Fellowship together we Apostles and ye Believers And the Vulgar Latine carries it that way and renders it ad invicem But we must rather understand that the Apostle here speaks of the Fellowship that God hath with his People and they with him And so Beza understands it mutuam habemus cum eo communionem An Ancient Greek Manuscript hath in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him that is God and we shall have Fellowship with one another And the rather we are to understand it in this sense for the Apostle he is not speaking here of the Communion which the Saints have with one another but of our Communion and Fellowship with God as in the sixth verse If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth And then he adds but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another I shall now proceed to speak to the Subject it self and herein shall discourse of these four Generals I. What this Communion with God is II. Give some Distinctions about it III. Shew how it is to be Attained and Maintained IV. Deduce some Consequences that follow from my whole Discourse concerning it And then conclude with some practical Application General I I. What this Communion with God is The Word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies common and so it imports something that is common and mutual betwixt God and us as Communion among men imports something mutual on each side so that our Communion with God it is either Active or Passive Active in what passeth from us to God and Passive in what is Communicated from him to us 1. Active on our part which consisteth in the Divine Operations of our Souls towards God when the faculties of the Soul are tending towards him and terminated upon him when the Mind is exercised in the contemplation of him the Will in chusing and embracing him when the Affections are fixt upon him and Center in him when by our Desires we pursue after him by our Love we cleave to him and by Delight we acquiesce and solace our selves in him 2. Passive on Gods part and so our Communion with God consists in our participation of him and in his communicating himself to us and this Communication of God to us in our Communion with him is specially in these three things Light Life and Love 1. In Light I mean the Light of Spiritual Knowledge and Understanding whereby we are inabled to discern Spiritual things Spiritually This is called Gods shining into our Hearts by the Apostle 2. Cor. 4.6 and seeing Light in Gods Light by the Psalmist Psal 36. 2. In Life whereby we are made partakers of the Life of God though in a lower degree and are no longer alienated from the Life of God as the Apostle declared the Gentiles to be Eph. 4. And by this Life of God we must understand that which the Scripture calls Sanctification For Holyness is the Life of God in Man For when God Sanctifies a Man he quickens the Soul that was dead in Sin and makes it partake of the Divine Life or the Life of God and which elsewhere is called a partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and a renewing Man into the Image of God Col. 3.10 3. In Love God communicates his Love also in the sense and tast of it to the Soul which the Apostle calls The shedding abroad the Love of God in the Heart Rom. 5. So that in this Communion with God we have not only the Theory of his Love in our minds but some taste and experience of it in our Hearts And under this is comprehended all that Peace Joy and Consolation that springs out of this to the Soul and arising from the Communication of the sence of his Love to us The Apostle James expresseth this Communion with God in both the parts of it James 4.8 when he saith Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you And Christ expresseth them both also in these words John 14.23 If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him He expresseth the active part of Communion with God by our loving him and keeping his Commandements and the passive part by his own and his Fathers coming to us to make their abode with us The Apostle John expresseth them by our dwelling in God and Gods dwelling in us 1 John 5.16 We dwell in God either by Faith in him whereby we make him the Object of our Trust Confidence and dependance or especially by our Love to him as he there expresseth it He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God And then Gods dwelling in us is Communion with God in the other part of it consisting in a Communication of himself to us But this Communion with God we must think soberly of it It is not a transformation of the Soul of Man into the Divine Essence and Being as if Man was made God swallowed up into him and lost his own Existence and Being in God Neither is it a mixture of Gods Being with the Being
be opprest Read Isa 49.14 15 16. Obj. This is an hard saying who can hear it Ans 1. 'T is hard to untamed wanton Proud Nature to make the Will of God our Rule and deny our own Wills but then how hard will Suffering be without it An unresign'd Soul in a day of Affliction is like a wild Bull in a Net full of the Fury of the Lord and the troubled Sea that cannot rest but casteth forth Mire and Dirt. 2. But it is easie to a gratious Soul as such Grace in the Heart is the Image of God and this Image mainly consists in the Conformity of the Will to Gods VVill. The Scripture call's it writing his Law in the Heart and putting it in the inward parts Jer. 31.33 VVell and what is the proper natural Effect or result hereof Psal 40.7 8. It makes the Soul not only Obedient in Suffering but to Submit with Delight Now none of Gods Commands nothing of his Will Scriptural or providential is greivous 1 Jo. 5.3 1. Hence I infer that God is not Glorified but in his own way for our VVills must be resigned to and resolved into his If he will that we Suffer 't is vain to dream of Honouring him otherwise suppose we resove to save our selves and make him amends by double and treble Duty we decieve our selves Obedience is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Lambs 1 Sam. 15.22 All the Manifestative Glory of God dependeth on his VVill Rev. 4.11 VVe may extol his Power Grace Justice Holiness c. and not give him Glory if in the interim we resist his VVill t is vain to think of Honouring God and doing our own VVill give him all but his VVill and we give him nothing For 1. His great design is his VVill Rev. 4.11 He both contriveth and Executeth according to it Eph. 1.11 All his word is but his VVill Collos 1.9 Truth is the Analagy of persons things word and thoughts unto the VVill of God And this is his great Contraversy with men in the VVorld they 'd have their VVill and he will have His And indeed Sin is only and that 's enough and too much a Contradiction of his VVill 1 Jo. 3.4 And the accomplishment of his VVill is his Glory 2. In relucting against his VVill we contend against all his Name and being 'T is a denial of his Soveraignty and perogative for what is that but his Pleasure We thwart his decrees for they are the Purpose of his Will VVe contradict his Power thereby as if he were notable to do his Pleasure many are our oppositions we thereby Disbeleive his Holiness as if his Will were not good and his Wisdom as if he had not ordered his matters accurrately yea we deny his Justice by resisting his VVill as if he required more then his due Indeed his VVill is the hinge upon which all his Attributes move disappoint it and you supplant them all so absolutely doth his Glory depend upon his Will 2. I infer that Gods Glorifiing his Name by our Sufferings is not inconsistent with his Parternal Relation Father Glorify thy Name If he be our Father then he Loves then he Careth for us when he Afflicteth us For nothing can deprive us of the Comfort of this Relation which is consistent with that Relation Christ in his Agony calls him Father Mat. 26.39 When he was betrayed and apprehended Jo. 18.11 When he was upon the Cross his expression implies as much Mat. 27.46 And he saith no more when he was Risen Jo. 20.17 Obj. There is not the same Reason why God should continue our Father in Suffering as that he should be Christ in his Passion Because he is his Eternal Son we only adopted Sons Ans This Objection proves only that Christ hath the first Right to his Paternity and we only secundarily in him but not that he is less constantly our Father then his Jer. 31.3 Though we be but adopted Sons our Adoption is Endless not Temporary And therefore our Father will be our Father in Affliction and we shall be his Children For 1. His Fatherly Love is the Reason of his Chastizements He would not Scourge and Correct his Childeren but because they are his Childeren He Chastizeth them as a Father he Condemneth others as a Judge Heb. 12.7 8. 2. We are Heirs of his precious promises even in Affliction 1 Cor. 10.13 It seems then his Faithfulness to his word of promise is engag'd when we are Tempted 3. Suffering Saints have the Image of their Father when they Suffer Christs Sufferings were consistent with the Clouding of his Divine Nature then it did not appear in its Glory but not with the seperation of it from his Humane Saints may be Black by Affliction but withal they are Lovely by grace Cant. 1.5 4. They then stand in most need of his Fatherly Care and Love and therefore shall not be deprived thereof Psal 89.30 31 32 33. Isa 40.12 43.23 5. Our Sonship dependeth on Christs Sonship if therefore God were his Father in his Sufferings he will be our Father in ours For we are chosen and predestinated in Christ to the Adoption of Sons Eph. 1.3 4 5. This is the Reason why Sin it self cannot Un-son us because we are Adopted in Christ not for our own Sake but his Rom. 8.38 39. While we cease not to be Christ's Members we cease not to be the Fathers Children Obj. But if God be our Father why doth he Suffer his Children to be so abused in the World Can it consist with the Love of our Father to see his Children Imprisoned and Slain c. before his Face and he not help and save them An. It is enough that the Scripture hath Reconciled these things Rom. 8.35 36 37 c. Psal 89.30 31 c. We may as well say how could the Father Love Jesus Christ yet Bruise him in that dreadful manner Isa 53.7 8 9 10. But I add 1. That be the Saints never so dear to their Father yet his own Name and Glory is more Dear Their Sufferings being for his Glory he 'l therefore permit them Is it fit that he Suffer in his Name rather then we in our Flesh Or must he loose his Glory to preserve our Estates Ease Liberty or Lives Nay faith the Lord Jesus Father Glorifie thy Name do any thing with me rather than neglect thy Glory and see the Fathers answer in the following words 2. Be his Love to his Saints never so great his hatred of Sin and his just Indignation against it are as great Now here lyes the case she must either Chastize as for our Sins or be unjust He must either dispence so far with his Love as to correct us or dispence with his Righteousness and Holiness And judge now which is most like a Father to correct a Sinning Child or Pamper him in Sins Psal 89.30 c. 3. Hence I infer that our Peace Ease joy Estates Liberty and Life are Subordinated
Fancy or Error it may be made appear that his Practice is reasonable and well grounded he hath good cause to do what he doth His Practice is reasonable 1. In respect of Gods Command for that he hath to alledge for the reason of what he doth in pursuance of the glory he expects in the other World So long as he doth nothing in Religion but what God commands him he cannot justly be taxed with folly or unreasonableness it being the greatest reason to obey God in all things If indeed a man should add to Gods Word devise Worship out of his own Head contrive new means for his Salvation which God hath not appointed and so be strict and punctual in things not enjoyned or should he be very exact in Ceremonials insist upon the Minutes of the Law and be more negligent of Morals the more weighty things of it he might be well charged with Folly for making himself wiser than God and thinking he better knew how to please him than he doth himself But let a man walk never so strictly if it be but according to the strictness of the Rule God hath given him it is no Folly in him If God commands us to walk Circumspectly a Eph. 5.15 to keep our Hearts b Prov. 4.23 to deny our selves and take up our Cross c Math. 16.24 c. it is reason we should do so though we had no other reason besides the Command If in Civil things the Command of Superiors in their Laws be counted a sufficient Warrant for the Obedience of Subjects though perhaps it may seem strange to Forreigners who have other Laws and Customs why should not the Law of the Governour of the World be Warrant good enough for the greatest Holiness and most strict walking though perhaps carnal men may think it strange †1 Pet. 4.4 or unreasonable 2. In respect of their own Faith which requires such Holiness 1. Serious Holiness is most agreeable to the â—â—â—ect of their Faith that great good they expect in the future Life The holiest Practice sutes best with the highest hope it is but reasonable that they that expect to live in Heaven should live answerably while on Earth they that hope to be perfectly holy there should be as holy as they can here it ill becomes them to lead sensual Lives now that look for spiritual Enjoyments then to live like Beasts or but like Men that hope hereafter to live with God and to neglect him at present whom they hope to enjoy at last 2. It is serious Holiness which must maintain Life in a Christians Faith A man can no longer maintain his Faith than while his Practice is answerable to it Jam. 2. last Faith without Works is dead Faith hath a respect to Commands as well as Promises or to the Condition of the Promise as well as to the Mercy promised now the Promise being made to Holiness as well as Faith though perhaps in a different respect a man cannot have a true Faith without Holiness not believe that God will save him if he walk not in that way in which God hath Promised to save him though men have not their Title to Heaven by their Holiness yet they cannot be saved without it Heb. 12.14 It is the qualification required in all that are saved and no man can be assured of his Salvation if he be not in some measure qualified and fitted for it It is certain that Holiness is a Condition though not of Justification yet of Salvation and therefore Faith wherever it is in the Life and Power of it provokes and stirrs a man up to the exercise of Holiness as being the way in which he must if ever attain to happiness Where a Promise is conditional it is Presumption to apply it with a neglect of its Condition and in this case the Promise doth no further encourage a mans Faith than the Command quickens his Obedience 3. Powerful Godliness in the practice of it is reasonable in respect of a Christians Peace he can no longer maintain his Peace than while he walks in the way of Peace and that is the way of Holiness Isa 57. last There is no Peace to the Wicked may we not say as to the sence of Peace nor to Saints neither so long as they approach to them that are Wicked and live not like Saints Believers experience in themselves that when they neglect holiness they wound their Consciences weaken their Faith and Hope lose the sight of their Interest in Christ and Heaven expose themselves to Gods displeasure and the Reproaches of their own hearts and are many times filled with trouble and bitterness or as the Prophet Isa 50.10 Walk in Darkness and have no Light and is it not then most reasonable for them to take heed of any thing that may break their Peace and to labour so to walk as that they may best secure it if some single gross Sin causes broken bones and doleful complaints and lamentable cries in the choicest Saints have they not cause to walk as circumspectly as they can and keep up in themselves the Exercise of Grace that so they may keep their Peace too And so upon the whole the most striâ—â— and Severe Obedience of a Christian is far from unreasonable when Gods Command warrants it his own Faith calls for it and he cannot enjoy his Peace without it 3. That a Believers comforts are reall not fantastical or delusive I deny not but the delusions of Satan especially transforming himself into an Angel of light or the deceits of mens own hearts may sometimes impose upon them and pass with them for divine Consolations thus carnal men who mistake their State and apply those Promises to themselves which belong only to Gods Children may usurp the Saints Priviledges as if they had a right to them and so speak peace to themselves when God doth not speak peace and when they walk in the Imagination of their own hearts Deut. 29.19 But it follows not that no comforts are true because some are false or that the comforts of the Saints are not reall because those of Hypocrites are but imaginary We may say therefore that the Comforts of Religion are then reall 1. When they are wrought only in Souls capable of them such as have Faith and Holiness already wrought in them are reall Saints persons justified and sanctified for others carnal men unbelievers whatever they profess whatever shew they make are not yet capable of Gospel Consolations as not having a right to any Gospel Promise or Priviledge from whence such Comforts are wont to flow 2. When they are wrought in a Regular way by the Spirit as the principal Efficient and the Word as the Instrument when the Holy Spirit applyes the Promise to those to whom it belongs and thereby comforts them they that are qualified according to the Scripture experience the comfort of the Scripture the Spirit speaks in their hearts what he speaks in the
Word and Conscience says but the same the Scripture says Now the Comforts Believers pretend to may for methods sake be reduced to two sorts the truth and reality of both which we shall labour to evince 1. Such as proceed from the direct Acts of Grace by this sort I understand nothing else but that inward delight and pleasure which usually accompanies the exercise of any Grace or gracious performance of any Duty and is in a manner intrinsick to it And the reality of this is confirmed by the Experience of all the Saints who of them doth not find a secret sweetness delight and satisfaction in the exercise of â—aith on Christ love to God and Holiness Res jucunda est resipiscentia Luth. Nay sorrow for Sin Mortification Self-denyal have something of pleasure in them There is I dare say more pleasure in a kindly melting of the heart for sin where the sorrow is not meerly Legal but Evangelical and mingled with Love than there is in the Commission of it more in denying a mans self as to any unlawful Appetite than in gratifying himself in resisting a temptation than in yielding to it in mortifying a Lust than obeying it and how much more is there in the exercise of Faith and Love c If our natural faculties are delighted with their proper actions about sutable Objects why may not our spiritual too are they less capable of pleasure or are spiritual Operations less congruous to our faculties when renewed and spiritualized or the Objects less suited to them than natural actions and objects are to our Faculties in their meer natural state If excellent Objects and intense Operations commonly produce the greatest pleasure in our natural Powers when rightly disposed why may it not be so in spirituals too What more excellent Object than God and Christ what more noble act is there of a renewed Soul than Faith and Love what delight then may such a Soul take in closing with its chief good in those acts And so if a natural man may take pleasure in the Contemplation of natural things why may not a Saint in the meditation of heavenly If one may delight in the exercise of Moral Vertue why may not the other in the exercise of Grace If a just a generous a valiant act afford some delight to the Actor how much more an holy one If the Excuse or Applause of a natural Conscience and its testimony of our well-doing affords some delight and sweetness how much more may the approbation of a renewed Conscience yield to a renewed Soul 2. Such as proceed from the reflex Acts of Grace or mens reflecting upon and perceiving their own Graces as suppose a mans knowing he believes in Christ or that he loves God or hates Sin and this kind of comfort is no other than that which flows from Assurance which where-ever it is in Exercise alwaies brings Comfort along with it Assurance in the Act is nothing else but a Conclusion drawn by the practical Understanding of a renewed Soul through the assistance of the holy Spirit from two Premises whereof the major is of Faith the very Language of the Scripture usually some Gospel Promise For instance Joh. 3.16 Whoever believes in Christ shall have Eternal Life the minor is the language of Spiritual sence I believe in Christ the Conclusion from both is Therefore I shall have Eternal Life which following the major proposition which is of Faith and therefore inevident and consequently in a Logical sence the weaker though Theologically more strong as being more certain is it self of Faith too and therefore most certain No man that believes the Scripture will deny the Major and he that shall deny the Minor must deny all Spiritual sence and the reflection of a gracious Soul upon its own Actions and so all possibility of Assurance in any such way of ratiocination and then he may well deny the comfort of Assurance when he takes away Assurance it self And therefore there needs no more to prove the reality of this kind of comfort which is so strong and satisfactory to the Soul of a Believer that he is never at rest in himself till he have attained to it than to prove the being of that Assurance from whence it proceeds and all the Arguments which evince the one will inferr the other he that shall grant a man may be sure of Heaven cannot doubt but he may take abundant comfort and satisfaction in being so assured and that that Comfort is no Fancy And so if a man may certainly know he believes in Christ loves God above all truely fears him is pure in heart a Math. 5.8.3.6 poor in spirit b hungers and thirsts after righteousness c or hath any Grace which accompanies Salvation in sincerity in him which is an evidence of his right to and Interest in any Gospel Promise or Priviledge thereby convey'd it will amount to the same and the sight and sence of any such Evidence cannot but bring the greatest sweetness and refreshment to a gracious heart and which is as real as the delight he takes in the exercise of any of his natural faculties If a man may take much real delight in knowing his Interest in a Prince here on Earth is it a delusion when he delights in the knowledge of his interest in a Saviour in Heaven If a man be so much pleased with his being the Son of a great man may not a Believer be as much Pleased with his being a Child of God his being born of him and adopted by him If men do ordinarily comfort themselves with the hope of some worldly Inheritance they reckon themselves sure of why may not a Saint much more Rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God d Rom. 5.2 triumph in expectation of an Inheritance among the Saints in Light e Col. 1.12 When no man in the World can ever be so sure of obtaining the things of the World as a Saint may be of coming to enjoy the things of Eternity the Hope and Assurance a Christian hath is according as the Promise which is the foundation of it is but the Promise of future Blessedness is a better Promise than that of any temporal enjoyment not only because the good promised is better but because the Promise of the one is more peremptory and absolute when the other is but conditional and limited Thus much may suffice to have been spoken to the first General propounded That a true Believer may give an account of his Christianity and such a one as is satisfactory to himself and ought to be to others he may make it appear that that serious Godliness in the practice of which he lives is more than a Fancy 2. I come to the second General mentioned to give Directions and shew in answer to the Case How we may experience this in ourselves and evidence it in others There be two parts of the Question which must be distinctly spoken to How we may experience