9 10. Lay hold of the promise of the Spirit which the Father is more forward to give then earthly Parents bread to their hungry Children take heed of grieving this holy Spirit deliver up your selves to his guidance and hear what he saith unto the Churches and he will lead you farther into all truth and glorify Christ Joh. 16 14. by causing you to see more of his beauty more of his glory 7. Take heed of seducing Spirits Hearken to the Apostle Joh. 14 1. Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God and the Trial is to be made with reference to Christ v. 2. It is much to be observed that Satan the Father of lies in broaching of heresies has struck at our Lord Jesus in a special manner Arrius of old denied his Godhead Eutyches his Manhood Nestorius denyed the Union of his Nature in one Person Pelagius opposed his Grace and Antichrist would fain banish his Gospel and hinder him from being lookt unto as the only Mediatour You that are the Sheep of Christ hearken not to the voice of such strangers but flee from them Be not like Children toss't too and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine as you would become perfect men in the knowledge of the Son of God and attain to the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4 13 14. 8. Abstain from worldly and fleshly lusts these put out the Souls eyâ— and take away the heart These lusts are called deceitful and foolish lusts for they make meer fools of those that make provision to fulfil them The cleaner your hearts are from pride envy passion malice evil concupiscence and covetousness the clearer will the eyes of your understandings be to see the Lord Jesus The Apostle bids the Ephesians Chap. 4 22 23. to put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and then adds be ye renewed in the Spirit of your mind So Col. 3 5 10. Mortify your members which are upon Earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection c. and then it follows put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him 9. Associate your selves with them who have a great measure of the Knowledge of Christ Solomon tells us He that walketh with the wise shâ—ll be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13 20. Value the communion of Saints and delight in them as the most excellent Company and like them best when they shew the best of themselves and most of all manifest that light and heat that is in them Oh what an improvement might Saints make one of another as to wisdom grace and consolation if they were not wanting â—ne to â—â—other and to themselves also The weaker Christians should learn of the stronger â—specially of their Teachers and Teachers themselves by iâ—â—â—â—ing light to others would find then own light increased Ego ex corum numero me essâ— profiteor qui scribunt proficiendo scribendo proficiunt August Epist 7. Knowledge being likâ— the Widdows oyl which the more it was drawn out the more it was augmented 10. Let your end in desiring a greater degree of the Knowledge of Christ be right not that you may be paâ—â— up in your own minds or admired by men but that Christ may bâ— more admired and esteemed by you If knowledge pulls you up you â—re not really great and grown but only swell'd and diseased Apparet Christus humilis ad superbos Est enim superbia non magnitudo sed tumor quod autem tumes videtur magâ—â—â—sed non est saâ— num Augustin Serm. 27. de Temp. as a Father observes Superbia non est magnitude sed tumor More talents will be committed to your trust if you ask more that you may improve them Let this be your design in desiring to grow in the knowledge of Christ that your Faith may grow exceedingly that your love may grow more ardent and that over all things in your hearts Christ may know the preheminence Long to know him better that this knowledge may more perfectly cleanse both your hearts and conversations Follow on to know him that you may follow harder after him In the fourth and last place I am to tell you what Vse and improvement you are to make of this knowledge of Christ or of Christ known And here I might speak largely first of all to them that are without Christ you that are in this state must needs he also without hope and with us God in the world You that are such pray consider what you have heard concerning the Lord Jesus and seriously weigh with your selves whether you have reason still to slight him Much good has been told you concerning him and none but a lying Spirit can suggest and a foolish heart believe that 't is best still to keep at a distance from him Christ calls after you to this day though you have long rejected him behold he stand at the door and knocks Prov. 3.20 waiting that he may be gracious Oh that at length you would he prevailed with to come to him I shall only vse these two arguments to perswade you 1. Christ is willing to receive the very must of you upon your returning and believing he will take you with all your faults and obtain your full and free pardon he will take you with all your debts and cross your scores cancel your bonds though you debts amount to many thousand talents He will take you with all your infirmities though â—ever so soul and loathsome and heal and cleanse your Souls by his Blood and Spirit The Apostle Paul speaks of his being apprehended of Jesus Christ Phil. 3 12. And when our Lord Jesus apprehended him and graciously received him whom did he receive it was a Blasphemer 〈◊〉 Persecutâ—r and Injurious and yet he obtained mercy Iâ— tâ—e Apostle had ransack all he could hardly have found a worse â—rue theâ— those mentioned 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Fornicatours Idolaters Adulterers â—ffiminate abusers of themselves with Mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners and yet these were washt and sanctified first and saved afterwards Here is a strong inducement to the very worst to come to this Gracious this mighty Saviour 2. Christ is willing to give himself to you so that all that he is and has shall be yours you are not only called but wooâ—d you are solicited to give your conâ—ent marriage and this is the greatest and the bâ—â— Match of all to be married to the Prince of life and Lord of all Be but willing to be his he is much more willing to be yours Oh wonder at his condescending love wonder at your own madness in standing out and presently yield your selves to Jesus saying Lord we repent we believe help thâ—â— our and â—â—belief and heal the impenitency and â—ardness of our hearts I shall say no more at present to the
God does as it were take weak Christians by the hand and communicate his strength to them by which they are enabled to do what is required of them As it follows in this Chapter with respect to Prayer likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lifts with us and against us at the other end of the Burden And so it is in all the Duties of Holiness the Spirit lifts with helps the infirmities of Believers and strengthens them thereunto I can do all things through Christ strengthning of me Philip. 4.13 That he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 I may allude to that of Elisha 2 Kings 13.16 He said to the King of Israel put thine hand upon the bow and he put his hand upon it and Elisha put his hands upon the Kings hands So we put our hands upon the bow attempt to believe pray mortifie sin and the like and then the Holy Spirit puts His hand upon Ours to confirm and strengthen us in all these Was it not for this we could do nothing Joh. 15.5 was it not for this Leading we could not move one step in the path of Holiness IV. A Fourth thing included in this Leading of the Spirit is his Regency and Gubernation Where he Governs there he Leads So vice versa and his Leading is ever attended with Rule and Authority 'T is like a Generals Leading an Army who Authoritatively disposes and orders all its motions like Moses his leading the People of Israel who had the Rule and Government over them As to Christ they are put together Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People Isa 55.4 Such a Leading is this of the Spirit in Gracious Souls He has the Regiment of them He Commands and Orders them in their Course as he pleases they are subject to his Will steer'd by him in their Motions as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl Ship is by the Pilot or the Chariot by him that drives it These are the Things on the Spirits part which do constitute his leading 2. To fill this up there is something on the Creatures part And that is their yielding up of themselves to the Guidance and Conduct of the Spirit Their free willing Bishop Halls Remains p. 147. Hollingsworth of the Spirit p. 65. spontaneous following of him in what he moves and dictates to them Without this 't is not Leading for that imports Motion after something that goes before And that Motion too must be Voluntary or else 't is being Hal'd and Dragg'd not Led This is the Disposition and Carriage of the Sons of God towards the Spirit He excites them to be Holy Heavenly-minded to resist and mortifie Corruption to Pray Hear Gods word perform other Religious Duties yea to take up their Cross in all they readily comply with him As David in that particular Case VVhen thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 He will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths Isa 2.3 Draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 Here 's the Spirits Leading and the Believers following of him It 's set forth v. 1. by walking after the Spirit it supposes a Principle of Life dead things may be drawn but they cannot properly be said to be led where the Spiritual Life is such do willingly conform to what the Spirit directs them unto But this I shall say no more of in this Explanatory part it being a thing that requires our Practice rather than any large Explication of it Thus I have opened the Nature of the Spirits Leading But it being a point of great Importance and the due stating of it being highly Necessary upon sundry Accounts I will further speak to these Four things about it Four things opened about the Spirits Leading 1. The Matter or Terminus what the Spirit leads unto 2. The Rule by which he leads 3. The Way and Manner wherein he leads 4. The Extent and Measure of it The matter of it 1. The Matter what the Spirit leads unto This is of great Extent but all may be reduc'd to these two things Truth and Holiness Truth is seated in the Vnderstanding and speaks the Spirits Leading of that Faculty Holiness reaches to the Heart within and Conversation without and speaks the Spirits Leading of Both in their utmost Comprehensiveness These he leads and guides unto but not in the least to their Opposites Error and Sin Every Agent is for that which comports and suits with his own Nature and against that which is contrary thereunto Therefore the Spirit being a Spirit of Truth and of Holiness this determines him to lead to these and to these only So his Conduct is stated in Holy Writ John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Eph. 5.9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and Truth Psal 23.3 He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his Names sake This Holiness includes in it Holy Affections the Exercise of the several Graces and these the Spirit guides unto 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ The avoiding and mortifying of sin and this the Spirit guides unto If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live immediately it follows As many as are led by the Spirit shewing that the Mortification of sin is one special thing which the Spirit leads to Gal. 5.16 walk in the Spirit after his Guidance and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the flesh why because he always makes this the matter of his Guidance to keep men off from the Lust of the Flesh from all sinful ways and Courses He 's a Good and Holy Spirit in himself and therefore all his Motions tend to what is Good and Holy As Satan he being the Evil Spirit suitably to his Nature does excite and urge to what is Evil Acts 5.3 John 13.2 So e contra the Spirit of God He being the Good Spirit does excite and urge to what is Good and to nothing else How do they blaspheme this Holy Spirit who do wicked things and yet presume to say the Spirit leads them thereunto This must be laid down as a Principle of undoubted verity that the sole and whole tendency of the Spirits Leading is to Purity Obedience Universal Holiness and in no case to sin and wickedness II. The Rule by which he leads The Rule of it And that in short is the Written VVord God guides by the Spirit the Spirit guides by the VVord He is our Guide and the Word is our Rule The Spirit himself as to his own Actings has no External
destroy Natural Liberty Where the Spirit does not find sinners willing by his sweet Methods he makes them willing Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power a day of power yet willing Even the Spirits Drawing is managed with all consistency to the freedom of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys he draws but 't is one that he makes willing to follow Hos 2.14 Behold I will allure her ay there 's the Spirits leading This being the constant and avowed Doctrine of the Protestants and †Ductus spiritus non est impulsus violentus quo rapimur inviti ut stipites sed est efficax persuasio quâ ex nolentibus efficimur volentes Par. with many others particularly their Explication of the Spirits leading in the Text how injurious and invidious are the Popish Writers in their traducing and calumniating of them as if they asserted the Spirit in This or any Other Act to work with Compulsion or in a way destructive to mans Essential Liberty 'T is a vile scandal And yet how do Esthius Salmeron Contzen upon the Words charge our Divines with it We perfectly concurr with Blessed St. * Enchirid. Cap. 64. de verbis Apostol Serm. 13. c. 11 12. Austin in that excellent passage of his cited by the Rhemists As many as are led by the Spirit he meaneth not says he that the Children of God are violently compelled against their Wills but that they be sweetly drawn moved or induced to do good But no more of this IV. The Extent of this Leading of the Spirit The Extent of it A threefold account may be given of that 1. In regard of the Subject or person led So it extends to the Whole Man First to the Interior Acts of the Soul in its several Faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections And then to the Exterior Acts of the Body yea to the whole Conversation For all these are comprehended within and fall under the Spirits Leading For as his Sanctifying Operation extends to all of these the God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So does his Guiding Operation also these two being Commensurate and Coextensive This might be made out in Particulars was I not afraid of too much prolixity 2. In regard of the Object or Matter that the Spirit leads unto So it extends to the whole Duty of a Christian to all that he is to Know Believe and Do. Look as the Word in its External Leading guides us in all things that concern Faith and Practice it being a compleat and perfect Rule 2 Tim. 3.16 17. so 't is with the Spirit in his Internal Leading too Joh. 14.26 For Knowledge and Faith the Promise is But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 16.13 And again Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth see 1 John 2.20 27. And so 't is as to Holiness also this Spirit directs those who have him to and in the Practice of Holiness in its full and utmost Extent and Latitude Tit. 2.12 As the Grace of God the Gospel Without teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in this present world which is the summe of all Duty towards God towards Men and towards our selves So the Spirit Within teaches guides inclines to all these His Gracious Conduct is not confin'd to does not terminate in this or that particular Duty of Religion no but it extends to every Duty to the whole Obedience of a Christian 3. In regard of the Degree and Measure of it Concerning which 't is clear that this Leading of the Spirit in the Directing Inclining Governing Notions of it is not as to Degree equal in all God's Children All have the Thing in the Necessary and Substantial part of it yet so as that there is a Gradual Difference in their having of it Some having more and some less He being a Free and Arbitrary Agent does proportion this Act of his Grace to different Persons as he pleases And he making Some more ductil to his Leadings than Others accordingly he vouchsafes more of Them to Those than he does to Others But in None does it reach so high as to render them perfect here For although we should grant which I do not that the Spirit should advance his Guidance consider'd in it self and as it comes from Him to such a Degree and Pitch as to lay the Foundation of Perfection in Saints here below yet considering what the Capacity of the Subjects of this Act is here they being Flesh as well as Spirit 't is not imaginable that de Facto and in Eventu they should ever here be perfect upon it Wherefore it must be bounded and limited though not from what the Spirit could do yet from what he is pleased to do in Believers in their present imperfect state He shall guide you into all Truth what so as to make Saints Omniscient or Infallible He guides unto all Holiness what so as to render them sinless and impeccable here on Earth we must by no means carry it thus high It therefore must be qualified thus He shall guide you into all Truth i. e. into the Knowledge of all Necessary and Fundamental Truths And he shall guide you into all Holiness i. e. so far as your present state admits of and so far as is necessary for your future Glory Beyond this Measure we must not extend or heighten the Spirits Leading For the truth is if we take it in this bounded Notion we secure the Thing but if we go higher we totally undermine and nullifie it as all Experience proves And by the way Observe that this Guidance of the Spirit in the General and that Guidance of His in Particular in the Duty of Prayer do much stand upon the same level Insomuch that as the Former the Spirits immediate Guiding of Believers in the Matter and Manner of their Actions does not thereupon render Them or Their Actions perfectly Holy and free from all mixtures of sin So neither does the Latter the Spirits immediate Guidance and Assistance in the Matter and Manner of Prayer render the Prayers of such infallible or of equal Authority with the Scriptures as some Object Because as to Both this Agency of the Spirit is to be limited partly from the Consideration of the present State of the subject in whom it is exerted and partly from the Spirits Aim and End therein 'T is true to obviate a bad Inference that may be drawn from hence the Apostles themselves considered as but Men and as men in the State of Imperfection so they were fallible as we are But as they had in matters of Faith
himself no more about us Oh take heed how you carry your selves towards him Not only upon Ingenuity Jer. 2.17 its base to be unkind to our Guid Hast thou not procured this to thy self in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way But also upon the account of self-Love for as we behave our selves to him so he will behave himself to us Ita nos tractat ut a nobis tractatur 3. Labour after the having of the Leading of the Spirit in an higher Degree and Measure than what as yet you have attained unto 'T is not enough meerly to keep it but there must be a Getting more of it As there should be a Rise in our following so we should press after a Rise in the Spirits Leading of us And that in a threefold respect that he lead us 1. More Extensively as to the Object 2. With greater Light and Clearness Power and Efficacy as to the Manner 3. With more Eavenness and Constancy as to the Duration and Continuance of it He guides you to Truth but does he guide you to all Truth He guides you unto Truth but does he guide you into Truth and is this his Constant and Continued working in you Oh this high Measure of it we should aspire at and pant after taking up with nothing short of it And so as to Holiness and Practical Godliness the same is to be endeavoured after There is indeed much Mercy in the lowest Degree of this Act and they that have the lest should be thankful but yet a fuller Proportion may and ought to be desired by every Child of God And surely they who experience what this Leading of the Spirit is never think they have Enough of it 4. So live as that it may appear to others that you are led by this Spirit Christians your Actions and Conversations should be such as may suit with the Spirit that leads you Such as may evidence to the world that you are not in pretence only but in truth and reality under a Divine and Supernatural Conduct Do we lay claim to this Oh then what Good do we do more what Evil less than Others do VVhat live in sin do Evil things be Proud Worldly Covetous Passionate Unclean Malicious Fraudulent and yet pretend you are led by the Holy Spirit Lord what an Indignity and Affront do you put upon Him what a Cheat and Fallacy upon your own Souls Pray never talk of This unless your Lives be Holy and Good For ye who are real Saints oh that you would oft think of this and look upon it as one of the highest Engagements to Circumspect Walking You that are Guided by such a Word without and such a Spirit within What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 5. Be very thankful for this glorious Mercy Led by the Spirit admirable Love VVhat Thankfulness is due to Father Son and Spirit for it for all These have an hand though the last be more Immediately concerned in it VVhen you know not your way this Spirit shews it to you when you are weak and feeble not able to go this Spirit strengthens you I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms Hos 11.3 VVhen Others are left to the Conduct of their Own Light Vnderstanding Inclinations which lead them to Sin and Death you are under the Conduct of this Gracious Spirit which leads you to Grace and Glory what cause have you to admire this Distinguishing Grace How great is the Fathers Love in this who as Fathers here when they send their Sons into Foreign Countreys and they themselves cannot be with them they send a Tutor or Governour with them in all their Travels to instruct and govern and take care of them Just so does your Heavenly Father do for you in and by his Spirit in this state of your Pilgrimage and absence from him How great is the Love of the Son in this for he has Purchased and now does Actually send this Spirit to be your Teacher Monitor and Guid. And how great is the Love of the Spirit too in this All his Operations carry infinite Goodness and Condescension in them but none more than this his tender and patient Guiding of us Should not all the Persons therefore be heartily sincerely and with the greatest enlargedness of Heart blessed and adored for it Especially considering how they design and aim at the exalting of Themselves by this very Act. As in the Miraculous Leading of the People of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and so on set forth Isa 43. V. 12. that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the Water before them V. 13 14. that led them through the deep as an Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble As a Beast goeth down into the Valley the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy people for what end to make thy self a Glorious Name Surely so in that Spiritual and Gracious Leading that I am treating of the great God whether Essentially or Personally considered designs much Glory and Adoration to Himself And let him have it for he well deserves it from all that have any Experience of this Grace A Fifth Enquiry May such who are led by the Spirit fetch comfort from it 5. Enquiry Is this a solid Bottom for any to build Holy Joy upon Undoubtedly it is You who have it may rejoyce and that greatly For 1. It 's a clear Evidence a deciding Argument of your being the Sons of God And what a Soul-rejoycing Priviledge is that Sons of God this assures of dear Affection tender Care strong Protection constant Provision free Access to God ready Audience of Prayer a gracious Presence in every Condition a favourable Acceptance of all Duties a good Inheritance and Portion and what not All These Blessings are yours if ye be the Sons of God and so you are if led by the Spirit Oh then what a Ground of Comfort is this 2. As 't is a certain Evidence of Sonship here so 't is a certain Pledge of Heaven and Salvation hereafter And that both upon the account of the Relation which it instates in For if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 And also upon the account of the Leading it self For whereever that is as 't is in Order to Salvation so this Salvation by it shall certainly be obtained Never did any perish that liv'd under the Spirits Guidance and Conduct God ever saves where the Spirit leads All that he guids come safe to the End of their Journey to their Eternal Rest 3. Besides the Things which are wrap'd up in this Leading besides the Matter and Manner of it all of which carry in them Ground of the highest Joy consider but two things Further about it 1. That it is Abiding Permanent Continuing The Spirit does not lead and
mans Conscience in the sight of God Paul's Preaching this is the principal thing to be aimed at and it is the proper source of all profitable Preaching To conclude You that are Ministers suffer a Word of Exhortation Men Brethren and Fathers you are called to an high and holy Calling your Work is full of Danger full of Duty and full of Mercy You are called to the winning of Souls an Employment near a-kin unto our Lords work the saving of Souls and the nearer your spirits be in conformity to his holy temper and frame the fitter you are for and the more fruitfull you shall be in your work None of you are ignorant of the begun departure of our Glory and the daily advance of its departure and the sad appearances of the Lords being about to leave us utterly Should not these Signs of the times rowse up Ministers unto greater seriousness What can be the reason of this sad Observation that when formerly a few Lights raised up in the Nation did shine so as to scatter and dispell the darkness of Popery in a little time yet now when there are more and more Learned men amongst us yet the Darkness comes on apace Is it not because they were men filled with the Holy Ghost and with Power and many of us are only filled with Light and Knowledge and inefficacious Notions of Gods Truth Doth not always the Spirit of the Ministers propagate it self amongst the People A lively Ministry and lively Christians Therefore be serious at heart believe and so speak feel and so speak and as you teach so doe and then People will feel what you say and obey the Word of God And lastly for People It is not unfit that you should hear of Ministers Work and Duty and Difficulties you see that all is of your Concernment All things are for your sakes as the Apostle in another case Then only I intreat you 1. Pity us We are not Angels but men of like Passions with your selves Be fuller of Charity than of Censure We have all that you have to do about the saving of our own Souls and a great Work besides about the saving of yours We have all your difficulties as Christians and some that you are not acquainted with that are only Ministers Temptations and Tryals 2. Help us in our Work If you can do any thing help us in the work of Winning Souls What can we do say you O! a great deal Be but won to Christ and we are made Make haste to Heaven that you and we may meet joyfully before the Throne of God and the Lamb. 3. Pray for us How often and how earnestly doth Paul begg the Prayers of the Churches and if he did so much more should we begg them and you grant them for our Necessities and Weaknesses are greater than his 2 Thess 3.1 2. Finally Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not Faith THE CHAMBER of IMAGERY IN THE Church of ROME laid open OR AN Antidote against Popery Quest How is the Practical Love of Truth the best Preservative against Popery SERMON X. 1 PET. II.III. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious WHen false Worship had prevailed in the Church of old unto its Ruine God shewed and represented it unto his Prophet under the name and appearance of a Chamber of Imagery Ezek. 8.11 12. For therein were pourtraied all the Abomination wherewith the Worship of God was defiled and Religion corrupted Things relating unto Divine Truth and Worship have had again the same event in the world especially in the Church of Rome And my present Design is to take a view of the Chambers of their Imagery and to shew what was the occasion and what were the Means of their Erection and in them we shall see all the Abomination wherewith the Divine Worship of the Gospel hath been corrupted and Christian Religion ruined Unto this end it will be necessary to lay down some such Principles of Sacred Truth as will demonstrate and evince the Grounds and Causes of that Transformation of the Substance and Power of Religion into a Lifeless Image which shall be proved to have fallen out amongst them And because I intend their benefit principally who resolve all their Perswasion in Religion into the Word of God I shall deduce these Principles from that Passage of it in the first Epistle of the Apostle Peter Chap. 2. and the three first Verses The first Verse contains an Exhortation unto or an Injunction of universal Holiness by the laying aside or casting out whatever is contrary thereunto wherefore lay aside all Malice and all guile and hypocrisie and envy and all evil speaking the Rule whereof extends unto all other vicious habits of Mind whatever And in the Second there is a Profession of the Means whereby this End may be attained namely how any one may be so strengthened in Grace as to cast out all such sinful Inclinations and Practises as are contrary unto the Holiness required of us which is the Divine Word compared therefore unto Food which is the Means of preserving Natural Life and of increasing its strength As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Hereon the Apostle proceeds to declare the Condition whereon our profiting growing and thriving by the Word doth depend and this is an experience of its Power as it is the Instrument of God whereby he conveys his Grace unto us if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious See 1 Thes 1.5 Therein lies the first and chief Principle of our ensuing Demonstration and it is this All the Benefit and Advantage which any men do or may receive by the Word or the Truths of the Gospel depend on an experience of its Power and Efficacy in communicating the Grace of God unto their Souls This Principle is evident in it self and not to be questioned by any but such as never had the least real sence of Religion on their own Minds Besides it is evidently contained in the Testimony of the Apostle before laid down Hereunto three other Principles of equal Evidence with it self are supposed and virtually contained in it 1. There is a Power and Efficacy in the Word and the Preaching of it Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it 〈…〉 Pâ—â—â—r of God unto salvation It hath a divine Power the Power of God accompanying it and put forth in it unto its proper Ends for the Word of Gâ—d is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 2. The Power that is in the Word of God consists in its efficacy to communicate Grace of God unto the Souls of man in and by it they taste that 〈◊〉 Lord is gracious that is is efficacy unto its proper Ends. These are Salvation with all things requisite
he calls our Souls ours and certainly they are ours so as nothing else is for we must forego all other things and be parted from them and have been and may be without them but without our Souls we never were nor cannot be And 't is thy only Soul thou hast to make thy darling and to be fond and careful of Most of other things we have double of as two Eyes two Hands and Feet c. but God hath given thee but one Soul Omnia Deus dedit duplicia animam vero unam If thou losest one of the members of thy Body the other in a great measure serves in its stead but thy soul must needs be more carefully looked to than thy right eye or thy right hand for nothing to be sure can stand in stead of it if it be once lost Oh remember this is the one thing necessary 5. You must answer for the loss of your Souls God hath entrusted them with you A great trust a great charge we must account for this Talent when our Lord comes David's Brethren asked him with whom he had left their Sheep God will ask every one of you with whom ye did leave your Souls Are not your Children nay are not your Goods many a man's Swine more cared for and look'd after than your Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza There are two words in the Text that are observed to be forensical and relate to a Court of Judicatory which the gaining and losing in the Text refers to The loss of his Soul will be as a Mulct or Penalty inflicted by the Just and righteous Judge upon every one that hath been careless of his Soul He that does not earnestly endeavour to keep his Soul whilst he lives the evil Angels when he dyes shall require it of him as you know the Soul of the Covetous wretch was adjudged to them How unconcernedly do we read or hear of such things But mutato nomine de te c. Yet but a little while and it may be thy case It may be the divertisements of the World will not let thee have the while to attend to what you hear but what are all the pleasures and enjoyments you can have might they be continued to thee as long as ever they were unto any but as the singing of a little longer Psalm before thy Execution Oh that my words therefore might be acceptable unto you I have shewn you the excellency of Souls as when the Disciples shewed to our Saviour the costly stones and curious Fabrick of the Temple Matth. 24.1 2. Our Blessed Lord told them the time was a coming in which not one stone should be left upon another but all should be thrown down The Application be not to all that hate us but to all that implacably hate God Oh awake arise bestir your selves watch and ward and above all call in the assistance of the Keeper of Israel that not only with all thy keeping but with all his keeping thy Soul may be kept by his Power through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 SERMON XXVI The Leading of the HOLY SPIRIT opened With some Practical Enquiries resolv'd about it ROMANS 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God OUR Apostle in the close of the preceding Verse had made use of a very powerful Motive to excite these Romans and in them all others unto Mortification if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live In this Verse he backs that Motive with an Argument to †Probatio est ejus quod proximè praecessit Calv. Probat quod dixit vivetis Esth evince its Truth and Certainty Such as are the Sons of God shall live such who are led by the Spirit viz. to mortifie the deeds of the Body are the Sons of God therefore such shall live Others consider these Words not so much as a Proof of the foregoing Motive but rather as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl another distinct Motive in themselves to promote Mortification Such who are led by the Spirit thereunto they are taken into the high and glorious Relation of being the Sons of God or the Children of God as 't is v. 16. Now what an inducement is this to Christians to live under and comply with the Spirits Leading as it directs and excites unto the mortifying of the deeds of the Body Both of these Connexions are good but I preferr the first If we take them apart and as they lie in themselves so they contain these three things in them 1. A Glorious Priviledge the being the Sons of God 2. A Description of the Persons to whom this Priviledge belongs they are such who are led by the Spirit of God 3. The Adaequateness or Commensurateness between the Persons describ'd and the Priviledge asserted As many as are led just so many and no more all such and none but such are the Sons of God 'T is Inclusive or Extensive to all of them Exclusive and Limiting to all others The words are an entire Proposition As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God The Subject hereof they that are led by the Spirit I am to speak unto as to the Praedicate they are the Sons of God that I shall not insist upon further than as 't is reducible under the Subject As many as are led by the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some render it by Aguntur as many as are acted by the Spirit Some by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. impelluntâ—r ad sanctas Actiones Piscat Impelluntur as many as are impell'd vigorously urg'd and mov'd by the Spirit The most by Ducuntur as many as are led by the Spirit We have the same Phrase with another Priviledge annext Gal. 5.18 If ye be led 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Spirit ye are not under the Law It 's evident the Expression is allusive and Metaphorical And it alludes either to Guides such as lead the Blind or those that are in the Dark or Travellers that know not their way Or to Mothers and Nurses who take their Children by the hand such as cannot goe and therefore they lead uphold and help them Answerably to both of these Believers are led by the spirit of God with respect partly to their Spiritual Blindness and Darkness and partly to their spiritual Weakness and Infirmity The Holy Ghost is both their Guide and Director to keep them from wandring and also their Vpholder and Strengthner to keep them from falling The Point to be discoursed of is this That Gods spirit is a leading spirit to â—os and in all Gods Children The Acts and Operations of this Spirit are various and multiform Several of which are instanc't in in this Chapter the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath
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
't is next to impossible to be too shye of Sin unless when Satan frights us into the omission of some duties for fear of the Sins that inevitably cleave to them In short I would have you understand this Instance to referr to Sins past not future to Sins already committed that there 's no other possible way of undoing what 's done but by Repentance not of Sins not yet committed as if I gave so much as the least encouragement to so much as the least Sin Thus understanding the instance I dare say it over again Serious Godliness will force something of good out of the Evil of Sin These are the Persons that cannot forget the Wormwood and the Gall of their Mortification x Lam. 3.19 20. their Soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in them These are the Persons that put a due estimate upon pardoning Mercy and love Christ the more for the more Sins he hath forgiven them As Christ said of Mary Magdalen y Luke 7.47 Her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same love little The Blessed Apostle that brands himself for the chief of Sinners z 1 Tim. 1.15 before Conversion dare own it that a 1 Cor. 15.20 he laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles after his Conversion and 't is peculiar to him to coyn words b Rom. 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1 Tim. 1.14 to magnifie the Grace of God in Christ Christians I beseech you let not any one take encouragement hence to Sin but let the worst of Sinners take encouragement hence to repent What thô thou hast been one of the vilest wretches upon earth thou mayest through Grace be one of the highest Saints in Heaven and the sense of what thou hast been may promote it The rising ground of a Dunghill may help to raise thy flight towards Heaven Once more Thô to your own Apprehension you have no Faith at all to believe any one word of all this nor any skill at all to know what to do yet Serious Godliness will make all this good to thee Here you see I take it for granted that one may be seriously godly who in his own present Apprehensions hath no Faith at all nor skill at all for any thing that is Spiritually good many may be in this like Moses their Faces may shine their Grace may shine to others and they themselves not c Exo. 34.29 know it Many that are dear to God live many years in the growing Exercise of Grace and yet dare not own it that they have any at all God bestows the Faith of Assurance upon those of his Children that are not able to bear up without it mistake me not as if it were not every ones duty to seek it and a great Priviledge to have assurance when others of his Children which have a stronger Faith live and 〈◊〉 without it To give you an Instance beyond all instances Our 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ who 't is certain could not want assurance yet died in as great desertion as 't was possible to befall him d Mark 15.25 with Mat. 27.46 When he had hung six hours upon the Cross He cried with a loud Voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me q. d. This is beyond all my other Torment And when he had cryed again with a loud Voice with a vehement affection and a strong Faith e Verse 50. he lay'd down his Soul But what was that he spake with such vehemency the second time f Luke 23.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father into thy hands I will commend my Spirit I will depose my Soul with thee I will thrust it into thy hands Now that Jesus Christ was under this unexpressible Desertion during the three hours preternatural Darkness 't is more than for the best of Christians to be so during their whole life which doth more than prove what I asserted That a Person of great Grace may be so much in the dark as not to see he hath any But what must he do in this case Can Serious Godliness afford any Relief Christians pray mark it these Persons they are and through Grace cannot but be seriously Godly and their serious Godliness finds 'em work enough and support enough to keep 'em from sinking They daily do what they complain they can't do g Isa 50.10 They do fear the Lord they fear nothing more than sinning against him they do obey the voice of his servants there 's none receive Instructions more Obediently thô they walk in Darkness they 'l never follow a false Fire if they have no light from God they 'l have none from any else They do trust in the name of the Lord they lye at Gods foot let him do what he will with them they do stay upon their God they come up from h Cant. 8.5 the Wilderness of the World leaning upon their beloved Religion is the whole business of their life and comparatively they do nothing else And thô they have not ravishing Comforts they have that Peace that exceeds i Phil. 4.7 all understanding that is meerly humane and that doth guard their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus against all the Stratagems and Fiery Darts of Satan Their State is good their Souls are safe and they can't but be happy in both Worlds And thus I have endeavoured to be so practical in the Doctrinal part that there needs but little to be added for the Application the Lord make that little to be like Chymical Spirits to be more effectual than a greater quantity Rouze up your selves to do your part that it may be so Vse 1 Set your hearts upon Serious Godliness This must be the first Use for you can make no Use at all of this Doctrine till you have made this Use of it Every thing without this is but an abuse of it you do not only wrong the truth but you wrong your selves what ever you say or do about it till you make it your business to experiment the truth of what hath been spoken in its Commendation and this I can assure you never any one repented of his down-right Godliness Therefore live in the practice of those plain Duties without which 't is in vain to pretend to Religion e. g. Daily read some Portion of the Old and New Testament not as your Child reads it for his Lesson but as 〈◊〉 Child reads it for his Profit Be more frequent in Prayer not as those that pass their Prayers by number but as those that pour out their Hearts to God in Holy fervour Let your thoughts be so fill'd with Heavenly Objects that you may in some respect make all things such you think of Discourse of the things of God not in a captious or Vain-glorious manner but as those that feel the Truths they speak of Receive the Sacrament not as a Civil Test but as sealing that Covenant
those terms for so it doth it is the scope and end of the Promise to secure Life and Glory to those that accept of it upon the terms propounded the Command directs in the way and the Promise makes over and conveys the blessing Believe and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.31 So Joh. 3.16 and Rom. 2.7 To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and Immortality Eternal life is promised Now the Word and Promise of God not only as revealing Life to us and the way to it but as conveying it is the ground of our Faith and Hope though without the Word we might have some more general Knowledge of a State of Happiness in the other World yet without the Word we cannot know the way to it nor ever attain to an Interest in it nor have so full certainty of the very being of it as by the Word we have the certainty of Faith being greater than that of any natural Knowledge whatever we have no ground at all to believe we shall be saved but what the Promise affords us And that is sufficient ground to build our Faith upon and a better we cannot have than the Word of him that is the Truth it self and so can neither deceive nor be deceived God that cannot lie hath promised Eternal life Tit. 1.2 Upon the Infallibility and Veracity of that God in his holy Word the Faith of a Christian rests and a surer Foundation for it cannot be imagined and need not be desired As the certainty of any assent of the Mind to a truth depends upon the strength and firmness of the Reason or Argument which moves to and procures that Assent and is the Cause of it so likewise the certainty of Faith proceeds from the goodness and validity of the Authority which is the Motive to and Reason of our believing or which is the same the ground of it If we believe a man that belief is more or less certain according as the Person on whose Authority our belief is grounded is more or less credible and so when we believe God our Faith is such as its Foundation is the Effect imitates the Cause the foundation of that Faith Gods Veracity is the best and therefore the certainty of our â—aith is the greatest If a man be sure that what he believes is the Word of God he may be sure it is most true and never will fail And this no doubt may be sufficient to satisfie a Believer in his own mind or any one that receives the Scripture as the Word of God concerning the reality of the Faith he professeth that the ground of it is so certain but if he have to do with those that believe not the Scripture and so question the foundation of his Faith in that case he may have recourse to all those Arguments whereby we are wont to prove the Divine Authority of the Word and they all Confirm the Faith of a Christian and so the same account a Believer may give of the foundation of his Faith as of the Divinity of the Scripture if the Scripture be the Word of God and that Word be true his Faith built upon it is certain 3. The Actings of a Christians Faith are perceivable by himself Habits which cannot be discerned of themselves when they lye still yet may be known by their actings such an Habit Faith is which though it discover not it self or be not perceived when unactive yet may be discern'd in its exercise When a man actually believes he may know he believes reflect upon his own act as well as when he hears or sees or walks he may know he doth so and is not deceived in it Inward Sense hath as much certainty in it as outward and spiritual Sense as natural if a man therefore assent to the Truth of Gods Promise he may know he assents to it and if he accept of and close with the good Promised he may know he doth so though sometimes Temptations may be so strong and the Actings of Faith so weak and the Mind so clouded and distracted that a man may hardly be able to pass a right judgement on those Acts yet it is not always so but other whiles when the workings of Faith are more strong and vigorous and a man more clear of temptations he may do it In this therefore a man may give an account to himself of his Faith that it is reall he may know that he believes the Promise of Eternal Life as really as he believes any ordinary Truth proposed to him and that his believing and resting on Gods Word is no more a Fancy than his believing the word of a man As for others with whom he hath to do I know no reason why they should not believe him when he says he believes Gods Promise as well as when he says he believes their word or why one should be a Fancy any more than the other 4. The Effects of a Believers faith are evident to others in a good measure as well as to himself more fully As he may perceive his Faith purifying his heart taking it off from the World drawing it nearer to God so others may see his Conversation ordered correspondently to his believing they may see him Shie of Sin Diligent in Duty Conscientious in his Calling Patient in Sufferings Charitable to those that Need him Meek towards those that Offend him Profitable Spiritual Savoury in his Converse Just and Righteous in his Dealings and in a wâ—â—d the main of his Course and Wayes such as is agreable to thâ— Faith he professeth and the Recompence he expects So that if the lookers on cannot be infallibly certain of the reality of his Faith or that such a Carriage proceeds from such a Faith yet they may not only have their Mouths stopped that they cannot reasonably object against it but they may be bound in Charity to believe his Faith to be true and real when they see so much in him answerable to it and what he professeth to be the effect of it when they see him live like one that expects eternal Blessedness well may they believe that his Faith concerning it and hope of it is not feigned They see him walking strictly mortifying his flesh denying himself as to his outward enjoyments and carnal liberties and generally acting at such a rate as none would do that did not expect Eternal Life and what ground can they then have to suspect the Faith he pretends to to be only a Conceit or Fancy 2. An account may be given of the Practice of a Christian his Obedience and Holy walking the strictness and as the World counts it singularity of his Manners his universality diligence and constancy in the most spiritual and difficult Duties his watchfulness over his words thoughts actions his mortification and self-denyal and whatever it is in a Believers life which the World is most apt to quarrel with and to look upon as the effect of Humour or
them with acting out of Fancy or humour or any thing but a fixed and stable Principle Besides what hath been spoken by way of Direction in answer to the Question some further Improvment of this Doctrine may be made Vse 2 1. By way of Information If true Christians may give an account of their Christianity 1. They then are no true Believers no true Christians of whose Religion no good account can be given either how they came by it or whereon it is grounded 1. How they came by it when they pretend to be Saints but cannot in the least tell how they came to be Saints have found no real change in themselves are the same they have alwayes been they have they think loved God and believed in Christ and had hopes of Heaven ever since they can remember but know not how any of these things were wrought in them or by what means such a Faith I dare say is but a Fancy and so is their Hope and their Love and whatever Grace they pretend to 2. Whereon it is grounded 1. When their Faith is not rightly grounded it is no better than a Fancy When it is built on the Authority of a Church or the Traditions of men and not on the Word of God or on the Word misunderstood or misapplied or divided or maimed when they believe Promises without respect to Commands believe Christ is their Saviour and yet never receive him to be their Lord believe they shall See God though they be not pure in Heart follow not after Holiness and such indeed is the Faith and Hope of Prophane Worldlings and whoever live in Contradiction to Gods Commands and yet expect the benefit of his Promises 2. When their Practice is not rightly grounded it is no better than Folly how fair soever and plausible it may seem When men set up a Religion meerly of mans devising contrive new wayes of Worshipping God which he himself never appointed and so indeed impose upon him and prescribe to him what they think must certainly please him This is unreasonable for men to think that their Inventions or others Traditions can be more acceptable to God than his own Institutions that Sacrifice can go further than Obedience would have done They would themselves be served according to their own minds and not their Servants pleasure and why should not God They would not have their Commands neglected that their Servants Will might be performed and how foolish is it then to adhere to their own Inventions though with the slighting of Gods Institutions and yet how few be there that are so addicted to Humane Observances but they are careless of Gods Appointments Gods Commands being the Great and only Warrantable reason of all Divine Worship whatever Worship is uncommanded cannot be but unreasonable 2. How great is their sin that Question nay Deride the Grace that is in Believers as not being a real thing count the most Serious powerfull Godliness to be no better than Humour of Fancy All the Religion they own consists but in a few outward Forms or some moral Actions and whatever is above this they look upon as not real and so they leave us a Lamentably empty Religion when they condemn our Faith as Fancy our Practice as Folly and casheer all our Comforts as meer Delusions This usually proceeds either 1. From the Atheism and Infidelity of such mens Hearts some Question all Religion and so the true Religion among the rest they are themselves for none and therefore Quarrel with all they think all Religion is but Fancy or Policy and so the Christian Religion too They do not really believe the Grounds of Christianity and therefore laugh at them that do 2. Or from Pride and Conceitedness of their own Wisdom and Reason they magnifie their own Notions are in love with their own Wisdom and so contemn all else like the Athenians Acts. 17.18.32 that laugh'd when they heard of Jesus and the Resurrection The high Opinion they have of their Reason makes them deny the reality of Faith what they cannot themselves comprehend they will not believe nor allow others to do it they will scarce allow of any thing between Demonstration and Fancy and this makes them Innovate so much in Religion and Scoff at the Faith by which they should be Saved 3. Or from Ignorance of Spiritual things and their not Experiencing the Power of Grace in their own Hearts They will believe nothing in Religion but what they have themselves felt They never found the Light of Divine Truths shining into their dark Minds and overcoming their Carnal Reason nor the Power of Grace renewing their Wills and subjecting them to Gods Will breaking the force of their sinfull Inclinations mortifying their Lusts regulating their Affections changing the habitual temper and disposition of their Spirits nor the Efficacy of Faith in the Purification of their Hearts their resting upon the Promises cleaving to Christ and fetching in supplies of the Spirit from him nor the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts enlarging them in Duties quickning them in his wayes supporting them under Burthens strengthning them against Temptations and comforting them under Afflictions and therefore they Question all these things and take them to be nothing else but canting Phrases and unaccountable Fancies A man that never was at Rome or Constantinople might at the same rate deny there ever were such places one that never tasted Honey might deny it to be sweet or a blind man laugh at Colours because he never saw them though contrary to the Experience of thousands that had with as much reason as they who live meerly by Sense and never Experienced any better pleasures deny a higher Principle by which Believers are acted and more Spiritual Comforts which they enjoy Vse 2 Of Exhortotion 1. Labour to Experience the reality of your Religion in your selves So live as that you may not be deceived and may know that you are not So act Grace as that you may feel it working and from thence conclude the Principle to be in you and may tast the sweetness of the comforts it brings with it Labour to be fully satisfied that you do not live by Fancy and act by Fancy think you believe and hope when you do not that Grace in you is as real a Principle as Reason is 1. This becomes you as reasonable Creatures as such you should know the reason of your own Actings upon what Grounds you do what you do and believe what you believe You would think a man very weak and foolish in the concernments of this present Life that could give himself no account of his own Actions or expectations should have high hopes of great things but not tell why he entertained them How unreasonable then is it for a man to hope for greater things in the other Life to engage in a Religious Course be diligent in Duties deny himself as to his Worldly Interest and yet not know why he doth so 2. It
our own flesh Isa 58.7 Humanity in respect of common nature should cause Humanity in regard of Affection To see Mans Nature so depraved that was once so beautiful so like the Devil that once so much resembled God so swiftly running to Hell that was once an Heir of Heaven should draw forth Pity unless our hearts be Flint and Marble A mans Beast deserves thy Pity much more his Soul 2. The Righteous are the same with the Wicked in respect of § 23 corrupt depraved Nature born in Sin as much as they Eph. 2.3 with a Principle of inclination to all their Impieties Saints by nature grew upon the same Root flow'd from the same Fountain were Stones digg'd out of the same Quarry Should it not then make thee mourn to consider by the wickedness of others thine own inbred depravation What thou hadst done thy self if God had not either renewed or restrained thee yea what thou wouldst do if God should leave thee and withdraw his Grace from thee What are all the visible Impieties in the World but Comments and Expositions upon thy depraved Nature This Drunkard Adulterer Sodomite Murderer and I say Lord were both cut off from the same piece and only Free Grace came between us If it have made thee white Paper thou wert by Nature as very a Dunghil rag as the filthiest Sinner 3. Perhaps the Holiest men have been some way or other Furtherers § 24 of the Sins of the Wicked among whom they live perhaps by their former Sinful Example when they lived in the same Sins themselves which now the Wicked wallow in 'T is very possible that one that shall be saved may have been the cause of anothers Damnation shouldst not thou then mourn for killing that Soul which God so severely punisheth thô Free-Grace hath pardon'd thee Should we not quench that Fire with our Tears which we have blown up with our Bellowes of encouragement Saints that are to mourn for others Sins possibly have suffered Sin in others when they might have restrained them We destroy all those whom we suffer to sin and perish when we can prevent it May there not be some Elies among Godly men who have too negligently reproved and animadverted upon the Sins of those under their charge 'T is possible to be a good man and yet a bad Magistrate Minister Parent by not restraining the Sins of those committed to us Cold Reprovers cause bold Sinners An idle silence may sometimes be more pernicious than Idle yea profane Words 4. In this Relation of Saints to Sinners that should put them upon § 25 Mourning for them 't is very considerable that the Godly and the Wicked make up one Community or political Body in the places where they live in which respect the Sins of some particular offender or offenders may pull down Judgments upon the whole body or lump of persons that abide where those offenders live So that every one had need do his utmost by mourning and in whatever other way he can to redress the Sins and so to prevent the Plagues of the place where he lives 'T is very evident Deut. 21.1 2 3. c. the Blood of one man murdered defiles the whole bordering Land and provokes the Lords displeasure against a people even all the place where one notorious Wickedness is committed The Sin of making the Golden Calf thô 't was not the Sin of all yet it endangered all The Altar built by the two Tribes and an half which the rest of the Tribes thought had been built for Sacrifice was thought by Phineas to be so great a provocation as that Josh 22.18 for it the Lord would be wroth with the whole Congregation of Israel For the villany by some of the Inhabitants of Gibeah committed in abusing the Levites Concubine Judg. 20.46 the Vengeance came not only upon the City where it was committed Josh 7.12 2 Sam. 21.1 but upon all the Tribe of Benjamin Achans Sin troubled all Israel There came a Famine upon Israel for three years together for the Sin of Saul in killing the Gibeonites contrary to his Fidelity This was the chief Cause of the custom which was at the publick Fasts in Israel for the finding out of notorious Offenders and offences to have Vengeance taken on them openly Hence was the pretence of Jezabel for the killing of Naboth 1 King 21.9 10. under a shew of Execution of Justice against a Blasphemer to pacifie Gods anger By all this 't is evident what just cause the Godly have to mourn for all the Abominations committed among them which else may pull down Divine Vengeance upon them § 26 IV. APPLICATION 1. Use of Information in sundry Branches 1. Godliness is Vniform in all times places and companies Saints in the worst of these keep up their Integrity and are so far from joining with Sinners in their Sins that they by lamenting their Sins before the Lord enter their Protestation against them A Righteous man is not as the Swine in a Meadow clean only in clean places he will maintain opposition to Sin in the midst of Inducements to Sin Lot did so in Sodom His goodness may justly be suspected that only shews it self in good Places Companies and Times § 27 2. The greatest Sinners cannot Constrain us to sin They cannot extort our consent to Sin Sodom could not thô never so filthy make Lot so No external inducement can take from a Godly man either his Peace or Purity Men may constrain thee to be poor not impure The worst Creatures either among Men or Devils cannot take away what is best The greatest temptation is no plea for committing the least Sin if we give not away none can take away our Holiness 3. One Cause may produce contrary Effects Others sins draw the Wicked § 28 to follow them but they put the Saints upon bewailing them The coming of the Angels into Sodom stirrs up in Lot a desire to exercise Hospitality in the entertaining them but it stirres up in the impure Sodomites the heat of Lust and the most horrid Uncleanness That which sets the Graces of Saints on work puts the Wicked upon Acts of Impiety A Godly man is drawn nearer to God by that very thing that drives the Wicked farther from God 'T is the Disposition of the Person that makes what befalls him good or bad Davids beautiful House of Cedar puts him upon setting up Gods House Nebuchadnezzar's Palace puts him upon thoughts of haughtiness and proud self-admiration 4. 'T is our Duty to rejoyce in the Holiness if to mourn for the Sins § 29 of others Love to Gods house in others was Davids gladness Psal 122.1 'T was the greatest joy of holy John that his spiritual Children walk'd in the truth 3 Epist 4. Holy ones were Paul's Joy Crown and Glory 1 Thes 2.19 20. This rejoycing in the Grace of others must be thô their Grace out-shines and eclipseth ours They who have but a little Grace themselves must rejoyce
in Flattery 's Mirrour How glorious was Alexander M. while he rejected Fawners How lovely but how Eclips'd how despicable when he believed and loved them which the Athenians did generously enough witness when they fined their Envoy ten Talents for calling him a God and put to death Evagoras for Adoring him There was more than ordinary in Herod which gave him the Name of Great but when he over-loved the Praise of men God left him a Monument and Warning to all Posterity giving up so contemptible a Slave of his own vain-glory to the most contemptible loathsome and shameful death Lice bred in his own Bowels destroy his Body as the Vermin of Self-love and Self-admiring reflections had destroy'd his Mind Look first on the deformity of a Self-admirer next on the beauty of a self-denying Humility and this will cure this distemper As the sight of the Putrid Carkass once cured the fond desire of Friends who doted on their own Fancy for his Picture whilest living or as the sight of the Loathsomeness in Serapis's Temple cur'd the Superstitious Aegyptians So the sight of the deformity of our Love of the undue Praise of men would cure this disease But 3. Thou who lovest to be unduly praised come with me 3. Deplorable miseries of it view the many great deplorable miseries it hath fill'd the World with read the Tragedies it hath acted and all these mostly upon it's Friends as it would cure the excessive praises men bestow on the great Commanders of conquering Armies if they would recount with themselves how many fair and goodly Countreys they laid desolate how many Cities they razed how many millions of Souls Innocent and peaceable they Sacrificed to their Ambition so here the bloody Pawes of the disguis'd Lion would cure us of our dotage on the Foxes Skin It hath ever proved a Mortal and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deadly Cup. If you Travel through waste and desolate Kingdoms and enquire who ruin'd them you 'l find the Flatterers about Prince and Court so true is that known Observation of the Historian * Regnum saepius ab assentatoribus quam abbostibus everti solet Q. Curtius de gest Al. Flatterers do more frequently overthrow a Kingdom than open Enemies But did Flatterers find such great ones Ears stopt and their minds fortifi'd against or alienated from their flatteries the danger were not considerable The Flatterer can but attempt our Love to the flattery gives the success the Head and Shaft of the Arrow cannot fly to endanger the Eagle 't was his own Feathers that contributed to his Wound and Death Scarce a City Family or Person whose Calamities were fit to be noted in the World but you may find some Parasites some close undermining Flatterers charged as a great occasion of those Calamities and the love affection and delight those Flaterers found much more the Cause of those fatal Calamities Ahab fell more by his own Love of Flattery than by the Artifices of the Son of Chenaanah and his Accomplices 1 Kings 22. So in the Parable Ezek. 13.12 16. the Wall fell for the Builders built it with untemper'd Morter and the People loved to see the building thus go forward Scarce one that dislik't it as Ezek. 22. ver 28. observeth the consequence of which is ver 29. I saith the Lord have poured mine Indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath c. When Prophets prophesie falsely and Priests bear rule by their means and the people love to have it so what will you do in the end thereof Jer. 5.31 In a word can you love that flattery which never had extorted a Tear a Sigh a Grief or complaint from you if you had hated it which hath filled you or yours whole Families Cities Kingdoms yea the whole World in all ages with the complaints and sorrows which Treachery loved and trusted could bring upon those that were so much over-seen We shew you the scatter'd bones about the Dens mouth and desire to ask whether you think fit to Love the Couching Lion which lurks in it 4. Would you be cur'd of immoderate Love of an undue praise then so often as you perceive any one soothing you therewith suspect there may be and search what likeliest is the design such have upon you We may with good manners question the Integrity of his purpose who doth on our Knowledge transgress the rules of Truth in the words we hear from him such men lye for advantage the discovery of this designing wheedling Projector will if you have any Spirit of a man in you take off your Love yea turn it into hatred No man can love to be impos'd upon be assured there is a snare hid search after it keep a watchful Eye upon it in time you will discover what you prevented and never love what endanger'd you in vain is the Net spread in the sight of any Bird. And there 's much in that of Diogenes to a Flatterer Nihil proficis cum te intelligam Seneca in Epist It is the great care of these Lurkers to lye conceal'd and to hide their purposes and to blind-fold those they lead for 't is but one labour to expose them to our view and to our hatred Could weeping Parents give their seduced Children Eyes to see the seducing projects of corrupt Flatterers they need be no farther solicitous their Children would find Hearts to hate them There is nothing truly amiable in flattery and none that know it approve or love it Solomon therefore takes so much pains for discovery of the designs of a flattering Mouth and then counselleth us to decline and reject it Prov. 5. The monster in the dark doth not but in the light he will make us recoil with abhorrence Find him out then Adulatio periculosa est quae latet view him exactly and I know 't will do much toward your Cure 5. If you would be cured you must resolutely and peremptorily reject the Friendship of the man who turns due praises into Flattery Let such know they please least when they praise most and that you make their first offence an opportunity to inform them that the second offence in this kind is and shall be unpardonably punisht with loss of your Friendship I know not any reason why I may not interpret that of Flatterers which David speaks of Liers He that telleth Lies shall not come into my House Psal 101. This he did know was the way to prevent Love of Flatteries and Flatterers to keep them out of his presence This Tympany is never cured while Sycophants are suffered to blow up weak minds with conceits of worth greater than is due to their Persons It is not unfitly resembled to those distempers which increase on us by our Indulgence It 's an Itching humour runs in our blood as Sigismund the Emperour observed and when it breaks out the tickling Flatterer doth increase it if you would cure you must let
thereunto such as the Illumination of our Minds and the Renovation of our Natures the Justification of our Persons the Life of God in holy Worship and Obedience all leading unto our eternal enjoyment of him These are the Ends whereunto the Gospel is designed in the wisdom of God whereunto its efficacy is confined 3. There is an Experience to be obtained of the power and efficacy of the Word In that place of the Apostle it is expressed by tasting But there is something antecedent unto their tasting specially so called and something consequent unto it both inseparable from it and therefore belonging unto the Experience whereof we speak 1. Wherefore The first thing required hereunto is Light that is a spiritual supernatural Light enabling us to discern the Wisdom Will and Mind of God in the Word in a spiritual manner without which we can have no experience of its Power Hence the Gospel is hid unto them that perish though it be outwardly declared unto them 2 Cor. 3.4 This is the only Means which lets into the Mind and Conscience a sence of this efficacy This in the increases of it the Apostle prays for on the behalf of Believers that they may have this experience Eph. 1.16 17 18 19. Chap. 3.16 17 18 19. and declares the Nature of it 2 Cor. 4.6 2. The Taste intended follows hereon wherein consists the Life and Substance of the Experience pleaded And this Taste is a spiritual sense of the Goodness Power and Efficacy of the Word and the things contained in it in the conveyance of the Grace of God unto our Souls in the Instances mentioned and others of a like nature for in a Taste there is a sweetness unto the Palat and a satisfaction unto the Appetite By the one in this Taste our Minds are refreshed and by the other our Souls are nourished Of both Believers have an experience And this is let into the Mind by Spiritual Light without which nothing of it is attainable God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness shine into your hearts to give the light of the knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 3. To compleat the Experience intended there follows hereon a Conformity in the whole Soul and Conversation unto the Truth of the Word or the Mind of God in it wrought in us by its power and efficacy So the Apostle expresses it Eph. 4.20 21 22 23 24. If so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning the former Conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and that you put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Hereupon follows our last Principle which is the immediate foundation of the ensuing Discourse or that which is to be confirmed and it is this The Loss of an Experience of the Power of Religion hath been the Cause of the loss of the Truth of Religion or it hath been the Cause of rejecting its Substance and setting up a Shadow or Image in the room of it This Transformation of all things in Religion began and proceeded on these Grounds Those who had the Conduct of it were always possessed of the General Notions of Truth which they could not forget without a total Renunciation of the Gospel it self But having lost all Experience of this power in themselves they wrested them unto things quite of another nature destructive to the Truth as well as devoid of its Power Hereon it came to pass that there was a dead Image made and set up of Religion in all the parts of it called by the Name of that which was true and living but utterly lost All Experience I say of the power and efficacy of the Mystery of the Gospel and the Truths of it in communicating the Grace of God unto the Souls of men being lost retaining the general Notion of it they contrived and framed an outward Image or Representation of them suited unto their Ignorance and Superstition Thus was the truth of Religion once almost totally lost in the world as we shall see neither will it ever be lost any other way or by any other means When Churches or Nations are possessed of the Truth and the Profession of it it is not Laws nor Fines nor Imprisonments nor Gibbets nor Fires that shall ever dispossess them or deprive them of it Whilst an Experience of the Power of Religion continued in the Primitive Times all the bloody Rage and Cruelty of the world all the Craft of Satan and the Subtilty of Seducers who abounded did utterly fail in attempting to deprive Christians of the Truth and the Profession of it But when this began to decay and be lost amongst them they were quickly deceived and drawn off from the Simplicity of the Gospel Upon the Reformation of Religion in these parts of the world when the Truth was received in the Love and Power of it and multitudes had experience of the spiritual benefit and advantage which they received thereby in Liberty Holiness and Peace all the Prisons Tortures Swords and Fires that were applied unto its extirpation did nothing but diffuse the Profession of it and root it more firmly in the minds of men It cannot be lost but by another way and other means The Jesuites and their Associates have been for an hundred years contriving Methods and Arts for the dispossessing Nations and Churches of the Truth which they have received and the introducing the Romish Superstition They have written Books about it and practised according to their Principles in every Kingdom and State of Europe who own the Protestant Religion But the folly of most of their pretended Arts and Devices unto this end hath been ridiculous and unsuccessless and what they have added hereunto of Force hath been divinely defeated There is but one way one effectual Engine to deprive any People of the Profession of the Truth which they have once received and that is by leading them into such Prophaneness and Ignorance as whereby they may lose all Experience of its Power and Efficacy in communicating the Grace of God unto their Souls and therein of all sense of the advantage which they might have had by it When this is done men will as easily lay aside the Profession of Religion as burdensom Cloaths in Summer There is much talk of a Plot and Conspiracy to destroy the Protestant Religion and introduce Popery again amongst us they may do well to take care thereof who are concern'd in publick Affairs but as unto the Event there is but one Conspiracy that is greatly to be feared in this matter and that is between Satan and the Lusts of men if they can prevail to deprive the Generality of men of an Experience in their own minds of the Power and Efficacy of the Truth with the spiritual Advantage which
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
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
pacifie the Consciences of sinners any more than the Blood of Bulls and Goats could do it under the Law yea any more than the Lustrations and Expiations of Sin amongst the Heathen could effect it Wherefore they have at length formed a more stated and specious Image of it to serve all the turns of convinced Sinners and this is a Purgatory after this Life that is a subterraneous place and various means where and whereby the Souls of men are purged from all their Sins and made meet for Heaven when the Lord Christ thinks meet to send for them or the Pope judges it fit to send them to him Hereunto let them pretend what they please the People under their conduct do trust a thousand times more for the purging of their Sins than unto the Blood of Christ But it is only a cursed Image of the vertue of it set up to draw off the minds of poor sinners from seeking an interest in a participation of the efficacy of that blood for that end which is to be obtained by faith alone Rom. 3.25 Only they have placed this Image behind the curtain of mortality that the cheat of it might not be discovered none who find themselves deceived by it can come back to complain or warn others to take care of themselves and it was in an especial manner suited unto their delusion who lived in pleasures or in the pursuit of unjust gain without exercise of afflictions in this world From these two sorts of persons by this Engine they raised a revenue unto themselves beyond that of Kings or Princes for all the endowments of their Religious houses and Societies were but commutations for the abatement of the fire of this Purgatory But whereas in its self it was a rotten Post that could not stand or subsist they were forced to prop it with many other imaginations for unto this end to secure work for this Purgatory they joyned the distinction of Sin into mortal and venial not as unto their end with respect unto Faith and Repentance not as unto the Degrees of sin with respect unto the aggravations but as unto the nature of them some of them being such namely those that are Venial as were capable of a purging expiation after this life though men die without any repentance of them And when this was done they have cast almost all the sins that can be named under this order And hereon this Image is become an Engine to disappoint the whole Doctrine of the Gospel and to precipitate secure sinners into eternal Ruin And to strengthen this deceiving security they have added another invention of a certain storehouse of Ecclesiastical merits the keys whereof are committed to the Pope to make application of them as he sees good unto the ease and relief of them that are in this Purgatory For whereas many of their Church and Communion have as they say done more good works then were needful for their salvation which they have received upon a due ballance of Commutative Justice the Surplusage is committed to the Pope to commute with it for the punishment of their sins who are sent into purgatory to suffer for them then which they could have found out no engine more powerful to evacuate the efficacy of the blood of Christ both as offered and as sprinkled and therewith the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning faith and repentance Moreover to give it farther countenance as one-lie must be thatched with another or it will quickly rain through they have fancied a separation to be made between guilt and punishment so as that when the guilt is fully remitted and pardoned yet there may punishment remain on the account of sin For this is the case of them in Purgatory their sins are pardoned so as that the Guilt of them shall not bind them over to eternal damnation though the wages of sin is death yet they must be variously punished for the sins that are forgiven But as this is contradictory in it self it being utterly impossible there should be any punishment properly so called but where there is guilt as the cause of it so it is highly injurious both to the Grace of God and blood of Christ in procuring and giving out such a lame pardon of sins as should leave room for punishment next to that which is eternal These are some of the rotten Props which they have fixed on the minds of persons credulous and superstitious terrified with guilt and darkness to support this tottering deformed Image set up in the room of the efficacy of the blood of Christ to purge the souls and consciences of Believers from sin But that whereby it is principally established and set up is the darkness ignorance guilt fear terrour of conscience accompanied with a love of sin that the most among them are subject and obnoxious unto being disquieted perplexed and tormented with these things and utterly ignorant of the true and only way of their removal and deliverance from them they greedily embrace this sorry provision for their present ease and relief being accommodated unto the utmost that humane or Diabolical craft can extend unto to abate their fear ease their torments and to give security unto their superstitious minds And hereby it is become to be the life and soul of their Religion diffusing it self into all the parts and concerns of it more trusted unto then either God or Christ or the Gospel Spiritual light and experience with the consequents of them in peace with God will safeguard the minds of Believers from bowing down to this horrid image though the acknowledgments of its divinity should be imposed on them with craft and force otherwise it will not be done for without this there will a strong inclination and disposition arising from a mixture of superstitious fear and love of sin possess the minds of men to close with this pretended relief and satisfaction The foundation of our preservation herein lies in Spiritual light or an ability of mind from supernatural illumination to discern the Beauty Glory and efficacy of the purging of our sins by the blood of Christ when the glory of the wisdom and grace of God of the love and grace of Christ of the power of the Holy Ghost herein is made manifest unto us we shall despise all the paintings of this invention Dagon will fall before the Ark and all these things do gloriously shine forth and manifest themselves unto believers in this misterious way of purging all our sins by the blood of Christ Herein will ensue an experience of the efficacy of this heavenly truth in our own souls There is no man whose heart and ways are cleansed by the blood of Christ through the effectual application of it by the Holy Spirit in the ordinance of the Gospel but he hath or may have a refreshing experience of it in his own soul and by the power which is communicated therewith he is stirred up unto all that exercise of Faith and all those duties
day you cannot indeed expect in this world but that 't is possible that your darkness may be much more dispell'd and 't is your fault if it be not So far as darkness remains the Prince of darkness has Power the world has an advantage and there is danger of being reduced to the works of darkness The want of greater light is the cause of doubts and fears disconsolateness and confusion How little do you know of Christ in comparison of what you ought or might Are you got beyond the surface of Gospel Mysteries how far from searching into the heart of them and discerning the depths of wisdom the â—eigâ—th of love in them Hence it is that your admiration and affection are no greater You are engaged in a warfare 't is dangerous fighting in the dark especially with an enemy that fights best there You are travelling in a very narrow way the less of light is in you you will find it the more difficult to keep this way For shame be not Babes in knowledge but in understanding be ye men 1 Cor. 14 20. Let it very much humble you to consider the small progress you have made in knowledge notwithstanding the great advantages you have had of improvement 2. Compare all other Knowledge and this Knowledge of Christ together and see the vast difference in point of excellency and this will stir you up to grow therein The Philosophers of old how restless were their minds how endless their inquiries the farther they went the more they were puz'led and after long study they came to understand that they fully understood nothing That Wise King of Israel after he had diligently employed his large understanding about humane knowledge he cryes out as a man exceedingly vexed and disappointed Eccles 1 18. In much Wisdom there is much grief and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow But the knowledge of Christ is of another nature He that rightly understands the Lord Jesus understands how to have his guilt removed his heart renewed his conscience calmed his Soul secured and that for ever This knowledge is not a vexation but a satisfaction to the Spirit both because of its certainty and because of the superabundant grace and fulness in Christ who is known Here it may truly be said Intellectus est in quiete the better Christ is understood the more the Soul that understands him is at rest 3. You must not lean to your own parts and understandings Men of the greatest natural capacities have been men of the greatest mistakes and the foolest errours and herein they have embraced for the truths of Christ and the reason is because their hearts being proud God thwarted them and their pride blinded them In your ordinary secular affairs 't is not safe to confide in your own wisdom but even here you are to acknowledge God Certainly then when searching into the Mysteries of the Gospel you must be sensible that the sharpest understanding has need of illumination from above You must indeed be fools that you may be wise 1 Cor. 3 18. A sight of your folly and weakness must make and keep you very humble Such the Lord has promised to guide in judgeâ—â—nt and to teach his way Psal 25 9. 4. Heedfully attend to the word of the truth of the Gospel this is the great means to infose and to increase the knowledge of Christ 'T is called the word of Christ Col. 3 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Because Christ is the Author of it and the principal subject therein treated of The Gospel informs you of his Natures divine and humane of his Offices Prophetital Priestly Kingly of his benefits justification adoption regeneration strong consolation and such like Conarer in animos summâ vi inserere infigere infulcire amorem amorem autem imo vero ardorem potius literarum verè Sacrarum Conarer ad legendum illas extimulare ad perscrutandum animare ad medirandum nocturrâ versandum manu versandum diurnâ ad insenescendum aâ— immoriendum denique quanta maximâ possem vâ—â—â—mentiâ inflammare Mart. Dorpiuâ— De laud. Pauli p. 6. The Gospel informs you what he did what he suffered and how he eyed his Churches good in both It informs you where Christ is gloriously present in the highest Heavens where he is graciously present he walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks and accompanies his own institutions with a mighty and gracious efficacy Oh study this Gospel more take it in at your eyes by reading it at your ears by hearing it nay receive it into your very hearts the Gospel is that which brings you to the knowledge of Christ and so makes you wâ—fe unto Salvation 5. Look unto Jesus himself for in him are had all treasuries of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2 3. The Sun is seen by its own light the knowledge of Christ is derived from himself He is the greatest and best of Prophets who teacheth like him He not only reveals the things of peace but also gives the power of spiritual discerning 't is from Him that we have the Ey-salve to make us see Prov. 3 18 and the more of this Ey-salve we see the clearer What kind of Master would that be that were well skilled in all sorts of learning and were able also to give parts and capacities to all his Scholars that they might be all excellent Christ is such a Master as can give subtlâ—â—y to the simple and reveal those things to babes which are above the wise and prudent of the world 'T is said of Jesus that He opened the Disciples understandings thâ—t they might understand the Scriptures Luk. 24.45 There was good reason why the Apostle should wish that the Lord Jesus might be with Timothy's Spirit 2 Tim. 4 22. that he might be better instructed and that he might be a better instructer 6. Cry for more Knowledge and eye the promise of the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation The Psalmist who was wiser then his enemies that understood more then his teachers that had greater understanding then the Ancients Psal 119 98 99 100 how often and how earnestly does he cry to be taught of God v. 33 34. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it to the end give me undâ—rstanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart He that has the greatest measure of knowledge has reason to beg for more And â—hat which is an encouragement to prayer is the readiness of the Father of lights to give Wisdom liberally without upbraiding and likewise the promise he has made of his Spirit who is styled by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of wisdom and revelation Eph. 1 17. The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God these are the truths of Christ in the Gospel and the Spirit reveals them which also could more have entred into the heart of men 1 Cor. 2
Actions and Accidents two things considerable 1. The Action for example such a Text was handled such a charitable Action done such a Man brake his Leg was drunk or the like 2. The Inference or Observation to be gathered from thence for all Events whether good or bad are intended by the wise God for mans Instruction Now the Memory lays up the former and can retain it a long time but the Lesson which we should learn from it that 's neglected that 's forgotten 2. Things Hurtful to us to wit Injuries These usually stick in the memory when better things slip out If any body hath spoke or done evil to us the memory is trusty enough about these As one says we can remember Old Songs and Old Wrongs long enough yea those whom we profess to forgive yet we declare that we cannot forget them Not but that a man may have a natural remembrance of an injury so that he have not an angry remembrance of it As our heavenly Father himself remembers all a Believers sins but puts away his anger so we may rationally remember them but we must spiritually forget them for else the remembrance of them generally doth us a great deal of hurt but no good at all it cools our love weakens our trust and prepares us for revenge as did Amnon towards Absolon 2 Sam. 13.32 3. Things Sinful thus we can remember a filthy Story seven years when we do forget a saving Sermon in seven hours And herein the Memory is the great Nurse of Contemplative wickedness and represents to the idle and sinful heart all the sins it wots of with renewed delight and so strengthens the impression and doubles the guilt Ezek. 23.19 She multiplyed her Whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth wherein she had played the Harlot in the Land of Egypt The depraved Memory is herein fitly compared to a Sive that lets the good Corn fall through and reserves only the chaff by which its plain that the Faculty is not lost but poyson'd So that in this respect we may say as Themistocles did to Simonides when he offered to teach him The Art of Memory rather says he teach me The art of Forgetfulness for the things which I would not I remember and cannot forget the things I would 2. The cortuption of the Memory stands in Forgetting those things which we should remember But these things being so exceeding many great and useful though I cannot enumerate them yet I shall comprize the chief of them in these following general heads 1. Our Creator and what he hath done and what he hath done for us Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth And yet whom do we more forget Jerem. 2.32 Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire yet my people have forgotten me days without number And our Forgetfulness here is most inexcusable because we may see taste and feel him every moment forasmuch as he is not far from every one of us seeing in him we live and move and have our Being and yet we can make shift to forget Him which shews the great Craze we had by the Fall And then the great things which he hath done to wit in the Works of Creation and Providence especially for his Church these we early forget but should remember Psal 77.11 I will remember the Works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of Old And particularly what he hath done for us the many and great Mercies and Deliverances especially the most remarkable of them which every good Christian should have a Catalogue of in his mind or in his Book Deut. 8.2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy GOD led thee these Forty Years c. 2. Our Redeemer and what he hath suffered for us Never was there such an Instance of free and transcendent Love in the World as that the Eternal Son of God should give himself to be a Sacrifice to expiate our Sin and yet we that can profess of far less kindnesses from men that we shall never forget them can forget this else he had never instituted the Lords Supper on purpose to keep up the solemn and useful Remembrance thereof which Remembrance sets a work all our Graces our Faith Love Repentance Thankfulness c. And without the frequent Use of this Ordinance where it may be had a defect will be forced in these Graces for the greatest things wear off with time and Holy David himself found cause to charge it uopn his Soul Ps 102.3 Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits c. 3. The Truths of Religion especially the most weighty Malach. 1.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servants which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments And of these the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.12 13 15. he would put the Christians in remembrance though they knew them that they might be established in present Truth yea he would stir them up by putting them in remembrance as long as he lived The Doctrine of God of Christ of the Creation of the Fall of the Covenant of Grace of Faith Repentance the Resurrection as in my Text and Judgment to come these things should be so ingrafted into the hearts of Christians that they should know and remember as well as their own Names or the rooms of their Houses and yet it is a shame to find how easily and almost utterly these things are forgotten by too many How few do we find that have been long Hearers of Gods Word that can give any tolerable account of the Nature of that Faith by which the Soul lives 4. The Duties of Religion The Scripture that so often requires us to remember them plainly implies that we are apt to forget them what 's the meaning of that Exodus the 20 Chap. Verse 8. Remember the Sabboth to keep it holy but that we easily forget it we are surprized by it it returns ere we are aware so that Heb. 13. Verse 2 3 16. which is called by some a Chapter of Remembrance be not forgetful to entertain Strangers Remember them that are in Bonds to do good and to Communicate forget not All which as they shew our duty so do they imply our defectiveness herein though to forget those and such like are as absurd as if we did forget to eat or sleep For as Christians we live by Faith and breath by Prayer so to forget to repent to believe to pray and to discharge the duties of our Relation Callings and all other duties toward God and toward men is to forget Christianity it self 5. Our Sins As there is a culpable so there is an useful and necessary remembrance of them when we remember sin to renew our love to it that 's damnable but when we remember it to loath it and to loath our selves for it that 's saving Ezek. 36.31 Then shall ye remember
but afterward to Books but certainly both Memory and Books are little enough to preserve those things that should be remembred The Holy Ghost teaches better Deuter. 11 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine House and upon thy Gates yea Chap 17 18. The King himself was to write him a Copy of the Law in a Book that he might remember it the better The very writing of any thing fixes it deeper in the mind And therefore I should still recommend the writing of Sermons not only as a help to the memory but also as a good preservative from sleeping under Gods ordinance as also from gazing about to the great distraction of the thoughts at that Sacred imployment For alas how many excellent Doctrines Directions and Marks have you heard that are quite forgotten which a discreet use of writing might have preserved unto you b I have seen a large Common Place-Book of famous Mr. Bruâ—n filled with choice sentences out of good Authors and digested under fit heads for his own use being a private Gentleman 3. Custom or Vsing your Memories is an excellent way of improving tâ—â—â— Thus many wise persons charge their memories at the present and thereby strengthen them and then commit what they have remembred to writing when they come home that no time may wear it away For every Faculty is improv'd and strengthen'd by imploying it We say use legs and have legs and so use the memory and thou 'lt have a memory So if you oblige your Children and your Servants to bring you away an account of a Sermon or so much of a Catechism you will see that use and custom will make that easy which before they thought impossible I have seen some of an old mans girdle who could not read a word yet by the only help of a girdle which he wore which was hung about with some knotted points he could bring home every particular of a Sermon And therefore charge your memories with those things that are sit to be remembred and doubt not but use will make you perfect I purposly avoid discoursing of that which is call'd an Artificial Memory both because the inconveniences thereof are great and the handling of it unfit for a Sermon 3. The Spiritual Helps for Memory are these 1. Bewail your Forgetfulness There Reformation and amendment when it is sound begins The Jews say that when Adam look't towards Paradise he wept in the remembrance of his Fall I am sure we have cause to mourn and weep and weep again at the remembrance of it To consider not only the great guilt but the sad fruit of that Apostacy and that as in other particulars so in respect of our Memories which have born their share in that convulsion And we have cause to mourn also for all such excesses and follies which have concurr'd to make them worse wherein no man is guiltless so that though you may reckon a sorry memory but a small fault yet you will find that it is both the effect and the sign and the cause of much evil In so much that Idolatry and the worst Sins are in Scripture stil'd the forgetting of God Psal 9 17. c. Few of us would reckon it a small fault to have a Servant frequently neglect his business and run into Errors and still to excuse all by saying I quite forgot it For generally such forgetfulness is the effect of supine negligence and therefore we have the more cause to be humbled seriously for this Sin 2. Prayer is a second Help For every Good and perfect Gift whereof this is one is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1 17. and therefore is to be sought by frequent and earnest Prayer which is the Golden Key to unlock the Treasures of Heaven to the needy soul O beg it then of him that as he sanctifies the Soul he would sanctifie this with the rest And you have a ground for your Prayer in that Joh. 14.26 where our Saviour hath said that the Father will send the Holy Ghost to teach us all things and to bring all things to our remembrance And this Spirit you may have for asking Luke 11.13 Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him understand that God will grant your Prayer herein there being joyn'd with the same a due use of all other means on which earnest Prayer brings a Blessing And you must not only crave this in your solemn Prayers but also when you are reading or hearing you should dart up an Holy Ejaculation or short desire Lord write this Truth in my heart and bless it to me This is like the clenching of a nail And when you have heard a Sermon look the Chest with Davids Prayer 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart And be assured that God will hear the breathings of his own Spirit and give thee a Memory to serve thy turn 3. Diligent Attention If the mind wander in hearing the Memory will be weak in remembring Confine therefore your thoughts to the Holy Work you are about and fetch in your stragling Fancies with a hearty sigh Remember that Almighty God speaks to you by every good Book or Sermon that you read or hear every Chapter and Sermon is a Letter from the God of Heaven and directed in particular to you and you know we read with attention the meanest Letter that is directed to us and we observe every period of it The Gospel is our Saviours Will and Testament and how carefully doth every Child attend to every Clause in his Fathers Will Now the more diligent your Attention is the better you will remember As you know the greater weight we lay on the Seal the deeper Impression it doth make Holy David could say Ps 119.93 I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me The Scripture the Sentence that hath quickned us we shall not easily forget when all the heart is engaged then all the head is imployed also And it is no marvel that divers remember so little when they are so palpably careless in hearing and their wandring Eyes do plainly discover their wandring minds 4. Due Estimation The more we love and admire any thing the better we remember it This is the reason given of Childrens remembring things so well because they admire every thing as being new to them And of old People the saying is known That they remember all such things as they care for For when we esteem and affect any thing the Affections work upon the Spirits which are the Instruments of the Memory and so seat things upon it Why is it that a Woman cannot forget her sucking Child because she doth vehemently love it and the like affection in us to good things would keep us from forgetting them And to this accord that saying of Mr. Guentianus Pag 25. That the best Art of Memory
our Fathers have told us this and that Observation And likewise as we have heard so we have seen what may be very useful to many a Soul So that you see a good Memory is useful many ways 6. The want of Memory is a great defect and loss when we cannot remember what we read or hear why time is lost I will not say quite lost but it s not improv'd The Chapter 's lost I hope you do not read only to pass the time When Gods Word is remembred then When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee Prov. 6.22 But a broken memory hath heard of Gods famous Acts of Providence but forgotten them hath read rare examples of Gods Mercy Justice Power and Goodness but they are slipt and lost In a word so far as thy Memory fails so far will Meditation fail Delectation fail and Practice in a great measure fail And therefore set your selves in the use of the means prescribed and all other good means to heal and strengthen your memories and give the more earnest heed to the things which ye have heard lest at any time ye let them slip Heb. 2.1 And so far in the third use 4. The fourth Exhortation is to young people to store your Memories in the time of Youth Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth Now your Memories are fresh and strong hereafter they will be shattered with cares and business A new Ship or any Vessel that is new is free from leaks but time and travel will batter it so will it be with you care will batter you grief will batter you and therefore now store your selves now a dozen Chapters a good Catechism a Collection of useful Texts and Doctrines will take no room nor make you go the heavier nor sleep the worse And therefore it concerns Parents both to have such things in their hearts and to teach them diligently to their Children perhaps they may not understand the sense of them at the present but these will be ready in their minds till grace and understanding come and then they will help them exceedingly As we lay some sticks or fagots ready in the Chimney which when fire comes signifies something Yet a measure must be observed both with old and young a Ship may be laden but must not be overcharged lest all the Cargo be sunk and lost A just discretion will best determine the measure herein according to the capacities of the Subjects 5. Let us all labour for more holiness for that raiseth all the faculties and reduces them to their right frame and proper Objects The more Grace we have the better we shall remember and especially better things Grace saith excellent Dr. Harris strengthens the memory always for practice though it serve not always for Discourse some says he have such memories that they can repeat vastly but when they should advance to practise they are nobody when others are more confused in their memories but very clear in their practise A grain of Grace is worth an ounce of Parts For thereby we love truths and duties better and it is easy to remember that which we love and therefore let it be our daily Prayer that the God of Peace would sanctifie us wholly Spirit Soul Body all It is not for Christians to enquire just how little Grace will serve our turn for Salvation but rather how much may be attained and improved to the glory of God 6. Lastly Reduce into practice that which you do remember Christus Magister vitae non schola The end of all true knowledge is Practice Remember his Commandments to do them If it be a Doctrinal Truth which you read or hear consider what influence it hath upon the Heart If it be a duty which is set before you immediately set about it If a sin be exposed presently root it out If Sincerity or Hypocrisie be decyphered try thy spiritual State thereby without delay For as a Treasure in the Chest is in danger of the Robber but when it s laid out on a good Purchase here its safe from starting so while spiritual Notions swim only in the memory you may easily lose them but they are safe when they are once incorporated into your real Practise But alas there are too many that are like those whiffling Chapmen who come to the Shop and lay by a great many rich wares but when all is done they buy few or none so these cheapen and bid for the Pearl but will not buy it they will talk over all the points of Religion before they will seriously Practise any one of them Then you remember the Sabboth a right when you so remember it before it comes that when it comes you keep it Holy Then you remember God truly when you fear and love and trust in him Then you remember your Neighbour as you ought when you remember to do good and Communicate Then you remember your selves best when you remember to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God or men In a word then you remember your latter end rightly when you keep your oyl ready in your Lamps and in your Vessels that your Master may find you so doing But I conclude It is worth observing that Holy David among all the rest of his blessed Psalms hath one which is the Thirty eight Psalm which he Stiles a Psalm of David to bring to remembrance His memory it seems had need of help as well as ours Now the Lord grant that this Sermon may by the blessing of God upon it be herein at least useful namely to preserve better Sermons in your mind so shall I have my end God the Glory and you the Comfort Amen Quest What are the Signs and Symptoms whereby we know we love the Children of God SERMON XV. I. JOHN V. II By this we know we love the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments OF all the Marks that are useful in the Trial of our spiritual state in reference to Eternity there is none affords a more clear and comfortable assurance of Gods special and saving Mercy than Love to the Saints This has often resolved the Doubts and quieted the Fears of afflicted enquiring Souls when other Graces have not been so apprehensible in their operations But there is no Mark which the deceitful heart does more securely rest upon through the mistake of natural humane Love for that which is spiritual and divive it is therefore most worthy our serious thoughts the deceit being so easie and infinitely dangerous to shew what is the unfeigned genuine Love of the Brethren to which Salvation is annext to confirm the humble sincere Christian and undeceive presuming hypocrites The great Design of St. John in this Epistle is to excite and enflame in Christians the Love of God and of their Brethren the two comprehensive Duties and Sum of the Law
inclination can never be directed and the desires fastned on the supernatural Image of God in his Saints As Holiness in the Creature is a Ray derived from the infinite beauty of God's Holiness so the love of Holiness is a Spark from the sacred Fire of his Love 1 John 4.7 St. John exhorts Christians Let us love one another for Love is of God Natural Love among men is by his general Providence but a gracious Love to the Saints is by his special influence The natural Affection must be baptized with the Holy Ghost as with Fire to refine it to a divine purity 2. The Qualifications of this Love are as follows First It is sincere and cordial it does not appear only in expressions from the Tongue and Countenance but springs from the integrity of the Heart 'T is stiled unfeigned Lâ—â—â— of the Brethren 't is a Love not in Word and Tongue only but in Deed and Truth A counterfeit formal affection set off with artificial colours is so far from being pleasing to God the Searcher and Judge of hearts that 't is infinitely provoking to him Secondly 'T is pure the attractive Cause of it is the Image of God appearing in them Our Saviour assures us that Love shall be gloriously rewarded that respects a Disciple upon that account as a Disciple and a righteous man as a righteous man The holy Love commanded in the Gospel is to Christians for their Divine Relation as the Children of God as the Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy Ghost Thirdly From hence it is universal extended to all the Saints The Church is composed of Christians that are different in their Gifts and Graces and in their external Order some excel in knowledge and zeal and love in active Graces others in humility meekness and patience that sustain and adorn them in sufferings some are in a higher rank others are in humble circumstances as in the visible world things are placed sutably to their Natures the Stars in the Heavens Flowers in the Earth and our special respects are due to those whom the Favour of God has dignified above others and in whom the brightness and power of Grace shines more clearly for according as there are more reasons that make a person deserving Love the degrees of Love should rise in proportion but a dear affection is due even to the lowest Saints for all have communion in the same holy Nature and are equally instated in the same blessed Alliance Fourthly It must be fervent not only in Truth but in a degree of Eminency St. Peter joyns the two Qualifications See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Our Saviour sets before us his own Pattern as a Pillar of fire to direct and inflame us Joh. 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you As I have loved you Admirable Example His Love was singular and superlative a Love that saves and astonishes us at once for he willingly gave his precious life for our Ransom This we should endeavour to resemble though our highest expressions of love and compassion to the Saints are but a weak and imperfect imitation of his divine Perfection I shall add farther this Love includes all kinds of Love 1. The love of Esteem correspondent to the real worth and special goodness of the Saints 'T is one Character of a Citizen of Heaven that in his eyes a vile person is contemned Psal 15. however set off by the Glory of the world and the ornaments of the present state that as a false Mask conceal their foul deformity to carnal persons but he honours them that fear the Lord though disfigured by calumnies though obscur'd and depress'd by afflictions and made like their blessed Head in whom there was no Form nor Comliness in the judgment of Fools In our valuation Divine Grace should turn the Scales against all the Natural or Acquired Perfections of Body or Mind Beauty Strength Wit Eloquence humane Wisdom against all the external Advantages of this Life Nobility Riches Power and whatever is admired by a carnal Eye The Judgment and Love of God should regulate ours A Saint is more valued by God than the highest Princes nay than the Angels themselves considered only with respect to their spiritual Nature He calls them his peculiar Treasure his Jewels the first Fruits of the Creatures sacred for his Use and Glory in comparison of whom the rest of the world are but Dregs a corrupt Mass They are stiled his Sons being partakers of that Life of which he is the Author and Pattern and what are all the Titles on Earth compared with so Divine a Dignity 2. The Love of Desire of their present and future Happiness The Perfection of Love consists more in the Desire than in the Effects and the continued fervent Prayers that the Saints present to God for one another are the expressions of their Love 3. The Love of Delight in spiritual Communion with them All the Attractives of humane Conversation Wit Mirth Sweetness of Behaviour and wise Discourse cannot make any Society so dear and pleasant to one that is a lover of Holiness as the Communion of Saints David whose Breast was very sensible of the tender Affections of Love and Joy tells us That the Saints in the Earth the Excellent Psaâ— 16. â— were the chief Object of his Delight And â—â—equent to this there is a cordial Sympathy with them in their Joys and Sorrows being Members of the same Body and having an interest in all their good or evil 'T is observable when the Holy Spirit describes the sweetest humane Comforts that are the present reward of the godly man the enjoyment of his Estate in the dear Society of his Wife and Children there is a Promise annext Psal 128. that sweetens all the rest That he shall see the good of Jerusalem and peace upon Israel Without this all temporal Comforts are mixt with bitter displeasure to him There is an eminent Instance of this in Nehemiah Nehem. 2. whom all the Pleasures of the Persian Court could not satisfie whilst Jerusalem was desolately miserable 4. The Love of Service and Beneficence that declares it self in all outward Offices and Acts for the good of the Saints And these are various some are of a sublimer nature and concern their Souls as spiritual Counsel and Instruction compassionate Admonition and Consolation the confirming them in good and the fortifying them against evil the doing whatever may preserve and advance the life and vigour of the inward man others respect their Bodies and temporal Condition directing them in their Affairs protecting them from Injuries supplying their wants and universally assisting them for their tolerable passage through the world And all these Acts are to be chearfully performed there is more joy in conferring than receiving a Benefit because Love is more exercised in the one than the other In short the highest effect of Love that
industry bless thee in thy Basket and thy store bless God for it and as you but now heard labour to honour God with what thou hast but covet not inordinately these things Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 3. Seeing Providence hath placed you in that condition which is truly most eligible labour to answer it and evidence it to be so by your proficiency and progress in Holiness and Godliness I suppose thee at present to be in the way of Life if you be not whatever your Condition is whether in a poor rich or middle Estateâ— let me say to thee as the Angel said to Lot Gen. 19.17 Escape for thy life look not behind thee neither stay thou in all the Plain escape to the Mountain the Rock Christ Jesus lest thou be consumed But if thou art got into Christ then let me say As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.7 so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith c. And remember thou in thy Condition hast fewer Hinderances and Temptations and more Helps and advantages from the very worldly condition that God hath set thee in Up and be doing and the Lord be with thee Quest How may we Graciously improve those Doctrines and Providences which transcend our Understandings SERMON XVIII ROM XI XXXIII Oh the Depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out IN this Chapter the Apostle discoursing about the great Point of Election and Reprobation comes to an Instance in Gods wonderful Providence towards Jew and Gentile The Jews who were formerly Gods People are now under Unbelief and the Gentile a stranger to his Covenant hath now obtained Mercy This Doctrine and Providence of God both together doth fill the Apostle with Admiration and this Admiration breaks out into these words Oh the Depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out In this Text therefore we have exemplified our Subject in hand thus There are Doctrines and Providences which transcend our Vnderstandings Wherefore I shall first offer some Demonstrations by proposing to you some of those Doctrines and some of those Providences and then shall come to shew How they may be graciously Improved I will begin with the Doctrines 1. That there are some Doctrines contained in the sacred Scripture which transcend the largest create Capacity will with much conviction appear to any that will with any intention of mind fix their thoughts on those Doctrines which I single out and insist on 'T is true there are some Doctrines so plainly reveal'd in Scripture that he that runs may read 'em especially such as do principally concern Salvation but even these contain in them somewhat extraordinary and surprizing there are some necessary Points so plainly revealed in Holy Writ that to be acquainted with and believe the Scriptures and yet not believe the Truth of these is impossible but then there are also other Points which as they are not very clearly reveal'd so they are so deep and profound that the framing distinct Conceptions of them is beyond our reach Though we may be satisfied that 't is a Truth yet we cannot comprehend how it should be there is somewhat that lies deep out of our view which after the utmost study cannot be found out Not that Gospel-Truths contradâ—ct our soundest reasonings but do transcend them There is a great difference between these two viz. a Contradicting and a Transcending our Reason What contradicts our Reason is not it cannot be received by us but what transcends may yea in many cases must be entertained and embraced That what contradicts our Reason is not to be received nor can it be a part of true Religion is manifest in that whatever is so has nothing of Reason in it 't is unreasonable and rather suted unto the nature of Brutes than unto that of Men which is Rational True Religion is designed for the regulation of the Rational Powers in their Actings and Exercises and therefore must be somewhat agreeable unto Reason and not what is contrary unto it What is contrary unto Reason must be rejected and by no means embraced as a part thereof In like manner all Contradictions must be exploded as unreasonable God lays no man under the Oligation of believing what cannot possibly be true and our soundest Reason assures us that to believe Contradictions is to believe what cannot be true But though what is contrary to Reason must not be received as an Article of our Creed yet what transcends it may What is above our Capacities may be true and from God though what is contrary unto our Reason is not true nor can be from God On this Distinction I do the rather insist as well to obviate what is suggested by Papists and others who receive for Articles of their Faith what is contrary unto right Reason as to anticipate the Socinians Objections who will believe nothing that transcends our scanty and narrow Capacities That this may be the more plain and convincing before I proceed to shew what are some of those Mysterious Doctrines which transcend our Intellects I will acquaint the Reader with some Notions received by many which being contrary unto our clearest and surest Reasonings are not to be improved but rejected I 'll mention but some 1. Transubstantiation 2. Merit quod Justitiam commutativam And 3. A Physical transition of Sins actually inherent in us from us unto Christ and of Christ's Righteousness unto us All which are to be rejected as Notions contrary to our Reason I. Transubstantiation A Doctrine asserted by the Papists to be contained in Holy Writ but really not so By Transubstantiation is meant the turning of the Elements in the Lords Supper into the very Substance of Christ's Body Though the Accidents which are proper unto Bread and Wine distinguishing them from every other Being be there yet the Substance of Bread and Wine the only Subject of the proper Accidents is not there That is 1. The Proper Accidents of Bread and Wine are Common unto these Subjects and a Humane Body which is a Contradiction 2. These Accidents namely the Colour and Taste of Bread c. whose whole Existence is Inexistence in a Subject do exist even when they do not inexist namely when they pass from the Bread unto Christ's Body Moreover the Body of Christ is asserted to be bodily under these Accidents even when there is not any one Accident proper unto an Humane Body These and many other Contradictions must be received as true if you will with the Papists put the Doctrine of Transubstantiation into your Creed But as this Conceit of theirs has not the least countenance of Scripture so 't is contrary unto our Reason as well as Common
be without the help of an Omnipotent Spirit which only is able to enlighten our Minds and turn our Hearts from the power of Satan unto God All which supposes the Third Person of the Trinity the Holy Ghost By this 't is very manifest that such is the frame of the Christian Religion such the great Fundamentals thereof that without the supposing the Truth of the Doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead the Christian Religion is gone 't is lost And how to comprehend this Mâ—stery is impossible There is no contradiction in this Doctrine nothâ—ng in it contrary to our Reason for 't is not said that Three Gods are One but Three Persons are One One God But how to fathom the Mystery we are at a loss 't is certainly beyond Us. So much concerning the Nature and Persons of the Godhead 3. Those Doctrines that have regard unto the ACTS of God are also very profound and mysterious 1. There are the Immanent Acts of God which do not terminate on any Objects ad extra off from God such as Divine Knowledge and the Decree whether of Election or Reprobation 2. Transient Acts such as terminate on an Object off from God namely the Works of Creation and Providence In my discoursing about the Immanent Acts of God I might be very distinct in considering what is very much insisted on by the School-men with reference to the Knowledge of God and acquaint the Reader with the many Distinctions that are used by that sort of men but if I do so I shall exceed the Bounds allotted me I will therefore pass by the Doctrine of Praescience which whatever may be said of it by some has such difficulties in it as admit not of our Solution and make some search into these profound Doctrines about the Decrees of Election and Reprobation That God has decreed the Salvation of some particular Persons is evident enough to any that will deliberately consult the Word of God and that 't is the Vnchangeable Determination of God That such as die in their Sins shall be eternally damned is as manifest The Eternal Decree of Election is so clearly so fully and distinctly reveal'd in Scripture that few or none presume wholly to deny it and such is the known Nature of Election that 't is not easie to believe the Doctrine of Election but withal we must take in the other of Reprobation for Election is but of some and if but some are taken the other are left they are not chosen they are refused they are reprobated But how this Doctrine of Gods leaving or reprobating any from all Eternity is reconcileable to these other that concern the Glory of Divine Goodness and Righteousness is above us The Sublapsarians have done very much towards the clearing up of this by supposing all in their lapsed estate under the guilt and pollution of Sin and God from all Eternity concern'd for his own Glory to Elect some who by being interested in the Blood of Christ should through the sanctification of the Spirit obtain Salvation with eternal Glory but left others to themselves who continuing in Sin are determined to die Hereby the glorious Grace of God in the eternal purpose of Calling Justifying Sanctifying some and thereby preparing them for Heaven is excellently displayed and the purposing from Eternity to leave others to themselves in their Sins for which after much long-suffering they shall be eternally damned is no way inconsistent with that goodness that is so infinitely extended to the Vessels of Mercy but does most fully illustrate how just and righteous God is in condemning them for their Sins and Transgressions Besides 't is obvious enough that the Decrees are but internal Purposes which have no influence on the thing decreed Decreta nil ponunt in Esse Though there is a certainty of the Event yet neither the Sin nor Destruction of the Reprobate is an Effect of the Decree What is here said towards the clearing up the Difficulties that attend this Doctrine is very well urged by the Synod of Dort and 't is no more than what has great countenance from the Holy Scriptures which suppose all in a laps'd and fallen Estate and therefore represents the Elect as Chosen in Christ Ephes 1.4 and Predestinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Elect according to the Fore-knowledge of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit c. 1 Pet. 1.2 All which Expressions seem to suppose the Elect in a fallen estate standing in need both of a Redeemer and Sanctifier even as the Reprobates are said Jude 4. to have been before of Old ordained unto Condemnation which Condemnation does presuppose a Judicial Procedure and the Sentence past against them for their Sin which sufficiently suggests that they were considered to have been in a sinful a fallen state Nevertheless it must be acknowledged That this does not remove the difficulty it only supposes it to be insuperable and therefore to be passed over in silence The great Difficulty is How the Absolute Decree of Reprobation is consistent either with the Goodness or Righteousness of God or those other Methods which are taken for the salvation of all men What of Goodness is there in destinating men to eternal Misery or what of Justice in purposing to punish them for ever without any regard to their Sin even before any evil done or how can the unalterable secret Decree for their damnation accord with the sincerity of God in the many Offers which are made of future Glory 'T is true supposing the consideration of their faln state as antecedent to the Decree 't is goodness enough that any are chosen out of the sinful Mass and it would have been a righteous thing for God to have proceeded against all to a Sentence of Condemnation and seeing Christ has died and thereby satisfied Justice and the Spirit strives and that common Grace which is sufficient to enable men to do more towards their Salvation than they do is offered them and that 't is their Sin which is the only proper cause of their denying due Subjection unto Christ these things seem to be cleared up only the greatest difficulty remains to wit How 't is supposeable that such who came pure out of the hand of God can be considered as fallen without some respect unto the anteceding Decree of God What! is their Fall on the supposition of which depends all the Discoveries of the glorious Perfections of God made unto us in the Scriptures a meer casual hit One would assoon think that this curious and beautiful Fabrick the World was owing only unto the casual concourse of Epicurean Atoms for its being so as that the Glory and Beauty the Wisdom and Harmony that shines forth most illustriously in the Christian Religion should be only the product of Casualty or Chance but if the Fall or Sin of man must be considered to be decreed by that God the Purity and Holiness of whose Nature is infinite
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
reference both to the Way and to the End He led them on safely Psal 78.53 I do but allude to it Here 's no such Leader as Those the Prophet speaks of Is 9.16 The Leaders of this people cause them to err they that are led of them are destroyed Oh who then would not be desirous to be led by him The skilfullest faithfullest safest Guide the Traveller pitches upon O Christian wilt not thou do the same for thy precious and immortal Soul 5. The Advantages Benefits Blessings that attend and result from this Leading of the Spirit are great and glorious As to instance in a Few inward Peace and Comfort whereever the Spirit is a Leading Spirit there he is or will be a Comforting Spirit A Readiness to all Dutys of Holiness so as to do them spontaneously and with Delight Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law i. e. so as in your Obedience to act from a servile Spirit and from the meer External Compulsions of the Law but having the gracious Conduct of the Spirit this will make you do all Freely with the greatest Promptitude and Alacrity Sonship to God so it here comes in as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God As it leads to Conversion it makes us the Sons of God as it leads after Conversion it evidences us to be the Sons of God as has been already said If the Spirit be thy Leader God is thy Father And what a Priviledge is this John 1.12 1 John 3.1 And then as the Consummation of all comes the Glory and Blessedness of Heaven as the certain portion of such who are led by the Spirit Death and Hell are not more sure upon the leading of Sin and Satan than Life and Heaven are sure upon the leading of this Spirit God ever saves in Heaven such whom he leads on Earth Gal. 6.26 As many as walk according to this Rule mercy and Peace be upon them Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel Psal 73.24 and afterward receive me to Glory All being put together and seriously weighed have I not said enough and enough to excite you all to attain and close with this Blessed Leading of the Spirit of God Much more might have been added by way of Motive but if what has been said will not prevail I despair of ever prevailing with you A Third Enquiry follows 3. Enquiry How may this Leading of the Spirit be attained What is to be done by us that we may be thus led by Him Answ In order to this take the following Directions 1. There must be the having of the Spirit before there can be the Leading of the Spirit This Order is founded in the Nature of the Thing We cannot expect to participate of the Spirits Operations such as are saving before we participate of the Spirit Himself Therefore pray attend upon the Gospel by which He is convey'd to Sinners and then when you have once received him he will not be * Non est spiritus sanctus otiosus movet Mentes et ducit Mel. Idle and Ineffective but an Operative and Leading Spirit in you 2. The Antecedent First leading of the Spirit must be had before there can be the having of his Subsequent and Secondary Leading That is to say He must First lead you to God by Conversion first bring you into a state of Grace and then way is made for his subsequent Leading and Direction When he has been a quickning Spirit in the infusing of a vital Principle into the Soul then succeeds this Act which I am upon And not till then for who will attempt to lead a thing that is dead This Method of the Spirit therefore must be regarded and comply'd with 'T is first Sanctification then Manuduction in the several Things contained therein 3. Be willing to follow the Leading the Motions of the Spirit He gives again and again his secret Guidance to you shewing what you are to do what not if this be followed and comply'd with he 'l continue it if not he 'l withdraw and leave you to follow the Conduct of your own Inclinations a sore Judgment Psal 81.11 12. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lust and they walked in their own Counsel Oh dreadful Word The same will the Spirit do upon our rejecting or resisting of his Leading He may long strive but he will not always strive Gen. 6.3 If the person led shall once begin to struggle with him that leads him and shall refuse to follow his Guidance what is then to be done but to leave him to himself Continued rooted allowed Resistance to to the Spirit makes him so to cast off a person as to lead him no more His Initial Workings in this are to be closed with or he goes no further That one Act in the Leading of the Spirit viz. his Powerful Inclining of the Heart to comply with what he leads unto secures all the Rest If thou art an Opposer of the Spirit he will not be thy Guide Yield to Him and close with Him and he will not withhold this Grace from thee 4. Let your dependance be upon God and his Spirit for Guidance and Direction Would you have Him to lead you Oh let your Trust and Relyance be upon him and see that you renounce all confidences in yourselves He that thinks he has Wisdom or Grace enough in himself to order his Conversation aright shall never find the Spirit to be a Guide to him The meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 VVhen a man is brought to this meek humble Frame then he is in the way of the Spirits Leading Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christian Prudence Caution and Circumspection is our Duty but do we lay the stress of our Confidence upon that The steps of our strength shall be straitned and our own Counsel shall cast us down as he speaks Job 18.7 Mans goings are of the Lord how can a man then understand his own way Prov. 20.24 So long as thou thinkest thou canst go by thy self the Spirit will not take thee by the hand to lead thee 5. Pray much for this Grace of the Spirit It being a free and Arbitrary Act on his part he will be sought to for it and give it forth in that way which best suits with his Soveraignty Psal 25.5 Psal 5.8 Psal 31.3 Psal 139.24 Psal 143.10 How much was David in Prayer to God for this Lead me in thy Truth and teach me Lead me O Lord in thy Righteousness Make thy way strait before my face For thy names sake lead me and guide me Lead me in the way Everlasting Teach me to do thy will for thou art my
God thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Oh what a desirable Mercy is this Leading Mercy And Sirs will you not pray and pray servently for it Yea will you not every day make this your request Blessed God and Spirit let me be led by thee this day First he works as a Spirit of Prayer in the Drawing forth of the Souls Desires after this Mercy and then as a Guiding and Leading Spirit And the Former is a good Plea for the latter Psal 143.8 Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee Oh that we might all follow these Directions and then we should have not the Thing only but a large Measure thereof It may in the Fourth place be quâ—ery'd What Duties are incumbent upon those who are led by the Spirit 4. Enquiry Answ Such as these 1. They should more and more follow the Leadings of the Spirit I hope I speak to some of you who have These and live dayly under them if so what is your Duty Why in an Higher Degree to obey and fall in with them The Following of them as that is Simply and Absolutely considered is to be suppos'd and granted from your being led by the Spirit for the Former is necessarily included in the Latter And therefore 't is not This as considered in it self that I am so much to press upon you as the Manner Degree and Measure of it And in this respect the Best stand in need of Counsel and Quickning for who do so follow the Spirits Leading as they ought VVe have an excellent Guide one that leads us with infinite Wisdom and Faithfulness that directs us to nothing but what is Good and Good for us Ah but here 's our sin and misery we do not carry our selves as we ought in such an Obeying and Following of his Conduct as that requires As to this therefore I would excite you to follow the Spirits Leading thus 1. More Exactly So as to act just as he would have you act to move just as he would have you move to keep pace with him step by step in all his Holy Motions VVhat Israel did to the Cloud At the Commandment of the Lord they journyed and at the Commandment of the Lord they pitched as long as the Cloud abode upon the Tabernacle they rested in the Tents And when the Cloud was taken up in the Morning then they journyed whether it was by day or night that the Cloud was taken up they journyed Numb 9.18 that we should do to the Holy Spirit in the exact Ordering of all our Motions by and according to his Guidance This should be the Aim and Endeavour of every one of us though through weakness and infirmity we cannot Actually and Vniversally come up to it 2. Follow the Spirit more fully God gives this high Character of Caleb that he followed him fully Numb 14.24 Art thou one that art led by the Spirit Oh follow him fully Whatever Truth he would have you believe let it be believed Whatever Duty he would have you practice let it be practis'd whatsoever Sin he would have you mortifie let it be mortifyed As the Scribe said to Christ Master Matth. 8.19 I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest so do you say to the Spirit I will follow thee whithersoever thou leadest me Excite me to Good I 'le do it restrain me from Evil I 'le shun it Blessed are they who thus follow this Leader 3. Do this more Vniformly and Constantly in being more eaven Fixt and Steddy in holy walking 4. More Readily and Freely Oh there should be no Demurring Disputing Consulting with Flesh and Blood hanging back in the Case but a Willing Ready Chearful Complyance with whatever the Spirit leads us unto How well does this comport as with the Nature and Essence so with the Matter and Manner of his Leading 5. Follow him so as to make further Progress in the way wherein he guides you so as continually to be getting nearer and nearer to the End of your Journey 6. And Lastly Follow him with stronger Resolution and Purpose of Heart whatever Difficulties Discouragements Dangers you meet with yet resolve that nothing shall make you leave your Guid or the Holy Course that he has led you to And thus I would perswade you to rise higher and higher in your Following of the Spirit 2. Let it be your great and constant care and endeavour to get the Spirits Leading continued to you You have it pray keep it Can it be well with a Christian when This is suspended or withdrawn from him How does he Wanderand Bewilder himself when the Spirit does not Guid Him How backward is he to good when the Spirit does not bend and incline him thereunto How unable to go when the Spirit does not uphold him What vile Lusts and Passions rule him when the Spirit does not put forth his holy and gracious Government over him Oh 't is of infinite concern to all that belong to God to preserve and secure to themselves the Spirits Leading Take a good Man without this and he 's like a Ship without a Pilot a Blind Man without a Guid a poor Chlid that has none to sustain it the rude Multitude that have none to keep them in any Order What a sad difference is there in the same Person as to what he is when the Spirit leads him and as to what he is when the Spirit leaves him Oh therefore let us always keep him with us I may allude to that passage of Moses to Hobab Numb 10.31 And he said leave us not I pray thee forasmuch as thou knowest howe we are to encamp in the Wilderness and thou mayst be to us in stead of Eyes So let none of us let the Spirit depart or occasion his Leaving of Vs for in the Wilderness he will be as Eyes to us to direct and shew us our way How dismal would the state of the Israelites in the Wilderness have been if there they had not had the Cloud to guide them So 't is in the thing before us But does the Spirit at any time do this to Gods People Object does he ever suspend and withdraw his Guidance from Persons who once liv'd under it Answ Answ Yes too often 'T is what he usually does when his Leadings are not followed This is a thing that grieves him and when he is Grieved he Departs withholds and recalls his Former Gracious Influences though not Totally and Finally yet for a time and in such a Degree As a Guide that is to conduct the Traveller if this Traveller shall refuse to follow him or shall give unkind usage to him what does the Guide then do why he recedes and leaves him to shift for himself 't is thus in the Case in hand If we comply with the Spirit in his Motions and use him tenderly he will hold on in his Leading of us but if otherwise he 'l concern
then leave as some Guids do with poor Travellers deserting them in the midst of their Dangers no but he holds on repeats and lengthens out this Act to the very last True this depends upon Conditions on our part as ye have heard but yet these do not make the thing Vncertain and lyable to Intercision because 't is part of the Spirits Leading to direct encline and overpower to the performance of those Conditions So 't is secur'd as to the Continuance of it to all the Elect of God Every upright Christian may triumphantly say with David This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guid even unto death Psal 48.14 The Cloud never left Israel till it brought them to the land of Promise so t is here 2. That it is managed and carryed on all along with Mixtures of all other Grace i. e. with the bestowing of inward Peace and Comfort and of all supplys necessary to the believing Soul 'T is not a bare naked Leading but such as is attended with the Conveyance of all Other Mercies According to that encouraging Text Isai 49.10 He that hath Mercy on them shall lead them even by the Springs of water shall he guid them Is not here Heb. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong Consolation for all who are led by Gods Spirit In the Sixth and last place it might be enquir'd 6. Enquiry Since this Leading of the Holy Spirit is a Special and Discriminating Act what Inferences may be drawn from it as being such I might instance in several if I had not already exceeded the Bounds of a Sermon Therefore take but this One That 't is not a thing much to be wonder'd at that Saints and Sinners do so much differ and that Saints and Saints do so little differ The Difference 'twixt the two Former is great Light and Darkness Heaven and Hell do not more differ than they That which the One Loves the Other hates in their visible Practices there 's little but Sin in the â—â—e there 's Holiness though imperfect in the other The One Curses Swears takes Gods Name in Vain lives a brutish Life minds not God the Other fears God avoids Evil desires to order Words Thoughts Actions by the Rule of the Word Prays Sanctifies the Sabbath does Good is not here a vast Difference There is indeed but can it be expected it should be otherwise they being led by Different and Contrary Spirits Oh upon this no wonder that their Actings and Courses are so different Men will and must Be and Do according to the Spirit which Guides and Governs them Therefore the Unregenerate and Wicked being under the Guidance and Power of the Evil Spirit they will do what suits with that Spirit e contra the Renew'd and Sanctifyed being under the Guidance and Power of the Holy Spirit they will do what suits with that Spirit And upon this Foundation there must be an Everlasting Difference and Contrariety betwixt them But then for Saints and Saints they do not thus differ As to lesser Matters there may be too much of Differences even amongst Them but as to the Fundamentals of Faith and Practice so there is an admirable Harmony Vnity and Consent amongst them Some live in one Age some in another some in one Place some in another yet there is a blessed Oneness and Agreement amongst them all They believe the same Truths performe the same Duties attend upon the same Worship walk in the same path of Holiness have and act the same Graces groan under the same burdens drive on the same Designs as Face answers to Face so do they to one another And whence is this why from this they are all led by one and the same Spirit Hence it is that they do so concurr in all the Necessary and Vital parts of Religion We having the same Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 There is one Body and one Spirit which actuates and animates all that Body Eph. 4.4 'T is One and the self same Spirit which worketh in all as the Apostle speaks in reference to Gifts 1 Cor. 12.11 As many as are led by the Spirit of God here are Many that are led but 't is but One Spirit that leads them all This is that which causes such an Vnanimity and Harmony in Gods people both in Matters of Faith and Practice Oh that the World might see more of the Thing and then the Reason thereof would be obvious SERMON XXVII Quest What advantage may we expect from CHRISTS PRAYER for Union with HIMSELF and the Blessings relating to it JOHN 17.20 21. Neither Pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word V. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me IN this Chapter we have the admirable Prayer of Christ offered up to the Father a little before his last and greatest Sufferings In this Prayer we may observe the design and the contents of it The design of it is to encourage his Disciples ver 1. These words spake Jesus c. He had spoke much in the former Chapters for their comfort and encouragement and in pursuit of the same design he lifts up his eyes to Heaven and pours forth this Heavenly Prayer in their hearing The contents that which he prays for is Union with him and the Father and the blessings relating thereto of which more particularly afterwards The words considered joyntly with the design and contents of the Prayer offer us this Observation Observ The People of Christ have great encouragement from his Prayer in reference to Vnion with God and the Blessings relating to it In the prosecution hereof 1. I shall give some account of the severals he prayed for And 2. Shew what encouragement we have to expect what he prays for For the first he prays for Vnion with Himself and the Father for Faith the bond of this Union for Holiness the effect of it for Perseverance that it may continue and not be dissolved and interrupted lastly for Glory the Consummation of this Union 1. For Faith that those may have Faith who did not or do not yet believe ver 22. That the World may believe that thou hast sent me He prays that those who were chosen to Glory as the end and so to Faith as the means may be brought to believe on Christ as sent of the Father to be the Mediator and so accept of him as their Prophet Priest and King 2. He prays for Holiness the growth and increase of it ver 17. Sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth The word of Truth through the Spirit working with it and making impressions by it on the Heart is the instrument and mean both to begin Holiness in regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 James 1.18 and to promote it where it is begun 1 Pet. 2.2
had his Transfiguration from Heaven and the Glory of God shining forth upon him while he was praying as you read Luk. 9.29 And the experience of the Saints can much witness to this what visits of Light and Love they have had and transfiguring views of Heavenly Glory in this Duty of Prayer And then 2. Keep up a constant course of Praising God Praise it is the great Ordinance of Heaven for Communion with God in a State of Perfection and as we are able to reach it in our present State it will raise the Soul into Communion with God The Soul is in its highest Operations when it is praising God and the higher the Acts of the Soul are the nearer it doth approach to him who is the most High God 4. Keep your selves pure Though by Purity I mean not an absolute Purity but watchfulness against all Sins and Temptations Resisting every Sin Living in no sin and a continued endeavour to mortifie all Sin in our selves The Purer the Soul is the fitter it is for Communion with God The promise of seeing God is by our Saviour made to the pure in Heart Matth. 5.8 and with the pure God will shew himself pure saith the Psalmist Psal 18.26 And the Apostle James speaking concerning this Communion with God James 4.8 which he expresseth by our drawing nigh to God and his drawing nigh to us adds this Exhortation Cleanse your hands ye Sinners and purifie your Hearts ye double minded And the Apostle Paul speaks to the Corinthians of the same thing 2 Cor. 6.16 17. and thereupon adviseth them to keep themselves pure What Communion hath Light with Darkness Righteousness with Vnrighteousness c. and therefore be you separate and touch no unclean things saith the Lord and I will dwell and walk in the midst of you Under the Law God appointed Porters to keep their Watch at the Doors of the Temple that nothing might enter in to defile that Temple which was his dwelling place The Soul is to be Gods Temple for him to dwell in and therefore we should watch against whatsoever may enter in to defile our Souls whereby we may be fitter dwellings for him and for Communion with him And the Priests under the Law were commanded to purifie themselves before they drew nigh to God in his Temple Yea and the People also before they came to the Passeover and those folemn Feasts wherein they did draw nigh to God they were to purifie and cleanse themselves And the very Heathen before they entred their Solemn Sacrifices would have their Cryer to proclaim to the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy things are for Holy Persons And they would write this Inscription over the Doors of their Temple Nemo immundus huc ingreditor Let no unclean Person enter in here And all their Lustrations and washings they used to the Living and their purging Fires which they dream'd of for Souls after Death and which are still kept up in the Holy Water and Purgatory of the Romish Church do confirm the truth of this Notion as that which is ingrafted in the minds of all Men that purity is required as necessary in all our approaches to God and Communion with him 5. Let God be much in your Thoughts and in the view of your Mind not only when you approach some solemn Ordinance but in the whole course of your actions when you go forth and come in when ye lie down and rise up Let the Creatures you converse with the several dispensations of Divine Providence towards you present God to your Thoughts and the view of your Minds For how can Men that have seldom any Thoughts of God maintain any Communion with him Our Communion with God is not as it is with Creatures in a sensible way but it is by the inward Thoughts and Exercise of the Mind which therefore we ought to be frequent in We should with David Psal 16.8 Set the Lord alwaies before our face and not as he that he speaks of Psal 10.4 of whom it s said God is not in all his thoughts This is rather to live without God in the World than to live in Communion with him And these Thoughts of God should not be slight and transient but fixed and serious especially at some times which we should more peculiarly denote to solemn Meditation Meditation brings the Object nearer to the Soul and the Soul near to it though locally distant unites the Soul to it mixeth it self with it whereby it doth possess it or is possessed of it 6. Practise Self-denyal for he that abideth in himself and liveth in and to himself liveth at a distance from God God and Self are as two Opposite Terms we must forsake the one if we would approach to the other When Man first fell from God he fell in with himself and therefore must forsake himself if he would return to God and have Communion with him There is a twofold Self-denyal One is Internal when we can deny our selves in all high Thoughts of our selves Confidence in our selves all self-ends self applause self-sufficiency and do even annihilate our selves this is highly requisite to our Communion with God Self is that Dagon that must fall before Gods Ark that Idol that must be cast out of the Temple of Mans Soul that God may enter in and dwell there Then there is a Self-denyal that is external which God sometimes calls his people to in Order to Communion with himself As to forsake Father Mother House Land Liberty c. and all this in order to the receiving the hundred fold in this Life as our Saviour hath promised which they shall receive in this Communion with God An eminent instance of this we have in Galeacius Caracciolus who left his Countrey Kindred Estate Honour that he possest at home to enjoy Communion with God in the purer Ordinances of the Reformed Church at Geneva and being tempted by Gold and Silver to return answered His Money perish with him that thinks all the Gold and Silver in the World worth one days Communion with Jesus Christ He found all that he had left an hundred fold in this Communion he had with God and Jesus Christ 6. Walk in Love This I add because our Apostle doth so much insist upon it in this Epistle Love is an Affection requisite to all Communion To Communion with Saints among themselves and to Communion with God For God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.16 And this mutual indwelling is this Communion I am treating of The Philosopher saith of Love it doth transferr amantem in amatum it carries the Soul from home to live and dwell in the person or thing beloved It is vinculum Vnionis the band of Union and all Communion is founded in Union And therefore where there is no Love how can there be Communion and where Men do not walk in Love how can they walk in Communion with God If Christians
trust him serve him and to cleave to him What! Davids Soul fitted for God and for self management converses and improvements Why should this Soul be thus disquieted and cast down He was not so vain and idle as to expect relief from Heaven by so engaging God for him as to neglect himself inward as well as other work must be performed 5. Observe the manner of his d scoursing with himself it is expostulatory He cites and challenges searches and chides himself and hints these things unto himself That 1. Something was attended to that it should not 2. Some thing was not attended to that should 3. That therefore all ought to be set and kept right as to his inward thoughts and sentiments with reference to his present Case and Cure 4. And that because mistakes and rashness in such important matters are dangerous and sinful in their tendency consequences and effects Hence then 1. He observes his pressures and the temper and behaviour of his Spirit under them and he finds some trucklings of Spirit which he dislikes and wonders at 2. He is Solicitous to know the most that can be found alledged and urged to countenance and justifie these disquietments and dejections 3. All this be searches after in order to a fair and an impartial Tryal and in this Tryal he concludes that nothing objected can hold weight 4. He is aware of other things that are to be produced for the suppression and rebuke of his dejectedness and for the revival and encouragement of his Soul through hope in God 5. These things he is ready and willing to produce and urge and so to adjust the whole concern And 6. Hereupon he drives the thing up to its utmost height and turns a faithful and impartial self censurer and instructour that so he may not be buffeted in the dark and prove a sinful Instrument in his own dejections and distress nor he baffled by these his Sorrows 6. His Self-arraignment and Discourses being finished thus he now proceeds to Self-instruction and Encouragement Grace in the Heart and God in the Eye when Saints have dealt faithfully and closely with themselves afford them no small relief under their Pressures and Discouragements from what they feel Here then Observe 1. What David advises himself unto Hope thou in God 2. How he Argues and Enforces this his Counsel upon himself For I shall yet praise him 1. The Counsel which he offers to himself is this viz. To Hope in God He would not look upon his Case as desperate But 1. Commit his Case and Soul to God and leave them wholy with him 2. And so expect Protection and Redress from God in doing thus And what is Hope but a desirous expectation of these Mercies and Reliefs from God which present Exigencies and Concerns may need and call for whereas Gods Name and Promises are our Encouragements thereto This David proposes to and urges upon himself in his dejected frame of Spirit as his best Succour and Support and as his choicest Refuge and Remedy and he was very apprehensive of this That his Soul must be active herein if he would be benifited hereby And hence he suffered not his Spirit to be Idle nor to be guilty of any culpable application and improvement of that great but oft times much abused Truth We can do nothing of our selves 't is God alone must help us But he turns Counsellor and Commander and becomes a strict Inquisitor and most impartial Judg to his own Soul and by the meek exercise of all just Providence and Authority towards his own Spirit he works himself up to his Hope in God by an Eye fixed there and thence and thus expects his help And though he was deeply sensible of his own doleful State at present and very prone to aggrevate his own Calamity and apt to give up all for lost yet he resolves upon all fit Enquiries after help and with Authority and great force of Argument he here Commands and so prevails upon himself to hope in God Such work requires good Consideration great Resolution and the just exercise of all Authority over our selves 2. His Arguments and Motives hereunto are impregnated with very great Sense and Strength and urged upon himself as the just Rate thereof Hope thou in God For he is 1. God 2. Thy God 3. The Health of thy Countenance And 4. One whom thou shalt certainly and for ever Sym. Praise as such And 5. Do it Yet viz. As lamentable and hopeless as thy Case appears at present through seeming difficulties or unlikely-hoods God and our Selves well understood deeply considered and skilfully urged and improved give Gracious Hearts the best Encouragements and Supports under the severest Accidents of Time And they will very strangely animate our Hopes in God under our soarest Troubles and Dejections David 1. Had Confidence in God And 2. Reasons for it 3. And Skill and an Heart to urge them When he reviewed himself he saw that his Soul was gracious and so he knew God valued it It was bent for praising God and so he knew that he should have an opportunity and cause to do it through some signal Favors from him He had an Interest in God and he would neither lose it nor neglect it and he had great experience of Gods former Mercies and he would not forget them And when he thinks on God then Praises must be thought on too and every thing relating to it and all the Divine Perfections within the Circumference of his Knowledg must have their fresh Remembrances and powerful Sense Revived upon his own Heart For he concludes that 1. God is Eminent and Infinite in all Perfection 2. That his Eminence shall be evident and conspicuous in the Salvation and Relief of now Dejected David 3. And that most suitably to all the Circumstances and Pressures of his Afflicted State And that 4. Rather much beyond than any way beneath his present Hope And hence he calls God the Health of his Countenance His Thoughts and Hopes are in their highest Flights and Vigor He looks upon God as his Saviour Hope and God and judges God resolved and propence to appear and act accordingly on his behalf He looks for such illustrious Signals of Gods Favor and Respects as shall 1. Embolden him undauntedly to face his Enemies without any marks of a dejected and disturbed Soul upon his Face 2. Such as shall shame his Enemies and humble their contemptuous and proud Looks and shame those Insolencies whereby they had upbraided him with his God and make them readily acknowledg that there is no Rock like Davids God and that his Hope and Refuge were not vainly fixed there 3. Such as should redeem his Holy Hopes and Courses from Contempt and Scorn and make his embittered Enemies to wish themselves even in Despised Davids Case for David here expects Salvation as something visible speedy and compleat even in the Land of the Living Well therefore might he say Hope thou in God thereby
Saints and Martyrs yea and of Jesus Christ himself are a full proof of this Truth Proposi II. Though Men be Great and Good yet may their Souls be cast down and disquieted within them My Soul refused to be comforted my Spirit was overwhelmed in me Psal 77.2 3. 'T is hard and rare for the best Men to keep their Spirits composed and equal when troubles urge them closely The time would fail me and the limits of this discourse would be transgrest should I but shew you from sacred writ what passionate escapes might be observed from Gods Worthies there Proposi III. Good Men should therefore well discern and weigh what troubles and anxieties are upon them and not increase their loads and sorrows by being strangers to themselves Psal 77.6 1 Cor. 10.13 Eccl. 7.14 2 Cor. 12.7 9. Psal 119.28 and they should well distinguish too betwixt what God inflicts upon them and what they cause unto and lay upon themselves and sift their troubles to the bottom they must observe what it is that troubles them and so survey their sufferings and not subject themselves to strange Confusions and Amusements Lam. 3.20 for t is not what we think of what afflicts us but what God really inflicts upon us that we must mind And they must carefully observe in all their sorrows what Ministers to grief and what to shame and what to their Awakening and Refining and what serves to prevent a greater mischief to them 1 Cor. 11.30.32 and to what use God may put their sufferings as to the Church and World and to the unseen State and then resolve it with themselves for what how far and why they are or ought to be dejected and disquieted Proposi IV. What troubles and resentments by gracious Persons are observed should be discoursed by them with their own Souls Psal 4.4 they are to ask themselves how these evils came upon them Is it the immediate hand of God that layes them on if so what have I done against the Lord my God Have I neglected or negligently managed any parts of publick or private Worship as Prayer Praise Thanks Hearing Sacraments or Sanctification of the Lords Day Have I dishonoured God by misrepresenting him to others or to my self Have I reflected any dishonour upon my Christian Calling Have I neglected the exciting and improving of the Grace of God in me in any of its Principles or Functions Or have I behaved my self unworthily or indecently towards others or my self Or is it by the Tongues or Hands of Men that God afflicts me If so what instances of injuriousness negligence indiscretion or immoderate passion can I or others charge upon my self What undue heats or ferments have they discerned in my Spirit by rash or wrathful words or actions If any failures have been on my part where when and how and why were they committed by me If none of these are have been or can be charged upon me what do I undergo from God or Man that Gods great Favourites have not undergone before me And why may not I repair unto the same Encouragements and Consolations which have Relieved and Supported them when they have been exercised as I am What! can not I pledge the best Men in the most bitter Cups but I must presently entertain dismal and undue thoughts of God and make censoriously the worst Constructions of what he lays upon me For to think or say that God deals unfaithfully or unkindly with me is to conclude and utter what neither the Name nor Love of God nor the experiences of his best and wisest Servants will allow of therefore our calm and close debatings of these matters with our selves put us into a fair way to obtain Composures and Relief Proposi V. Good Men when most disquieted and dejected are then to discourse their gracious Selves Heb. 12.5 and to consider what is within them as well as what is laid upon them Psal 44.17 they should remember whose who and what they are by Grace and so repress the tumults and despondencies of their own Spirits for they that are Sanctified can never be forsaken of their God Proposi VI. A revived Sence of God of their Interest in him and of their expectations from him afford great Succours and Supports to gracious Souls and ought to be pleaded and urged upon them by themselves when all things look dreadfully towards them both within and about them Hab. 3.17 18. impatience and despondency are best rebuked Hereby a Sence of God must be revived for as we think of God so shall we value our relation to him and fix and keep our confidence in him and proportionate our expectations from him and 't is to this end that we have such glorious and great accounts of God in sacred writ as to his attributes of Power Wisdom Patience Grace c. Riches and Honour are with him all Kingdom Glory and Power are ascribed unto him and t is with him how things shall go with us and in all the parts of his Creation It is Peace or War with us serenity or disturbance in us and Good or Evil towards us as God himself determineth concerning us Job 34.29 and he that worketh all things after the Counsels of his own Will is to be concluded and believed to be as Good and Gracious as he is either Wise or Great for as Power is his Majesty and Holiness is his Glory so Mercy is his Riches and to him it is a pleasure to be kind and bountiful and a Name of Praise and Joy to be abundant in Compassions and Remissions Jer. 9.24 33.8 9. Mic. 7.18 And yet this is not all but our relation to and interest in him must be revived in the remembrances thereof upon our own Hearts Deut. 33.29 Isa 41.10 Jer. 3.4 5. Heb. 11.16 Hab. 3.18 Every relation is for relative purposes and designs and so affords us great Encouragements Psal 23.1 6. My God! the God of my Life I will say to God my Rock why hast thou forgotten me Psal 42.8 9. O my Strength to thee will I sing for God is my Defence and the God of my Mercy Psal 59.17 68.20 thus David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 and here the Foundation of our liveliest hopes is fixt for as Gods infinite perfection assures us that he can do all things so his relation to us and our interest in him assures us that he will be gratious to us and hereto may we safely trust and in the Sence hereof may we address to God by Prayer and Hope Psal 5.2 12. 109.26 119.114 And then the sence and value of what we are to look for is to be lively too upon our heart Slighty and Contemptible Thoughts and Estimations of what we look for will never considerably stem the Tide nor stop the Fluxes of our Sorrows and Discouragements Gods Favour is a valuable Blessing and as the Root of all the rest his Face is glorious and delightful when indeed
House of Jacob is a Fire and the House of Joseph a Flame and the House of Esau as Stubble Obad. 1.18 God takes notice of the least Injuries done to his Children by their Enemies nay of their very Omissions and Neglects Deut. 23.3 4. The Moabite and the Ammonite were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord to the Tenth Generation because they met not the Children of Israel with Bread and with Water when they came out of Aegypt and what then will become of them that grudg Gods Children Bread that robs them of their Spiritual Bread and Water of Life would take from them the Allowance their Father hath given them and so would starve their very Souls 3. Whoever shew'd Kindness to the Godly in vain A Cup of Cold Water given to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple or because he belongs to Christ shall not wants its Reward Christ takes the least Respect shewn them as done to himself Visiting the Prisoners Clothing the Naked Releiving the Poor are acceptable Offices and usually followed with some Blessing even in this Life And I wonder wherein are they that this Day Persecute Gods Children the worse for them or for any Countenance they have shewn them Nor are they ever like to be if it be not their own fault by stirring up Gods Jealousie and pulling down his Vengeance upon their own Heads Were but Truth effectually beleived what an alteration would it make upon the Spirits of Men How would those that are at present so unkind to the truly Religious become their Friends and Favourers And the Governours of Judah would say in their Hearts the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my Strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Zech. 12.5 Quest Whether it be expedient and how the Congregation may say Amen in publick Worship SERMON XXXI The Text is Neh. 8.6 And Ezra Blessed the Lord the great God and all the â—â—ople answered Amen Amen OMnipotent and Eternal goodness never wants Instruments to deliver his Church from slavery or reform it from degeneracy All the Empires and Emperors in the World have served the Kingdom of God and been as Scaffolds set up about the House of God to be taken down when that is built up and finished They have been as Gibeonites and Nethamins to the Temple of the Lord. The Assyrian was Gods Rod upon Israels Back Persian was here Gods Shepherd whose Spirit was stirred up to raise up the Jews Alexander was a Servant and the Romans have been but Gods slaves to do his Will against their own The State of the Church at this juncture was the end of a desolation or beginning of a reformation The Jews had weathered out Seventy Years in Captivity wherein multitudes of them were wore off a Remnant being left God raised up Cyrus and moved him to set them free from Babylon according to the Prophesie of Isa 45.1 Two Hundred and Ten Years before Many of the People through lazy worldliness or despondency chose rather still to lie among the Pots in Caldea than return to Jerusalem to build their City and Temple though Cyrus gave them not only liberty by Proclamations but Accommodations for the Work But God raised up the Spirit of Zerobabel Joshuah Nehemiah and Ezra to carry it on This Ezra was a great Man of God one of the great Synagogue a Prophet a Scribe a Priest Some will have it that as Jehoiakim cut and burnt the roll Jer. 36.23 So the Caldeans burned all the Books of the Law and so Ezra restored them as a Prophet by Revelation or his Memory but this is false for Daniel 9.2 understood by Books the expiration of the Seventy Years and Cyrus himself read the Prophesie of Isaiah for Ezra 1.2 he says the Lord charged him to build his House at Jerusalem But he was a Prophet as he was directed by Gods Spirit to compose this History of his and a perfect Scribe living to Malachi's time he wrote the complete Old Testament and made a perfect Copy But here he Officiates as a Priest the Son of Seraiah Ezra 7.1 from Phineas Eleazar and Aaron to serve the Lord. When they had neither Temple nor Tabernacle they set up the worship of the God of Heaven in theopen Heaven which was neither Typical nor Topical but Natural and Evangelical Worship Upon the First Day of the Seventh Month in a Pulpit in the Street the People meeting as one Man Ezra 3.1 he read the Law of God and that distinctly giving the Sence of it verse 8. from Morning to Noon and all the Congregation stood attentively and at Noon probably he Dismissed them with a Blessing according to Numb 6.23 Gods command Bâ—â—â—re at the opening the Book Praying to God and praising him for his good hand over them and his good word before them he Blessed the Lord ere he Blessed the People and Ezra Blessed c. In which words there is 1. The Priests or Ministers Office Blessing And 2. The Peoples Office and all the People answered Amen Amen 3. The great God in the midst of this great Congregation the Object of the Priests Office and the Peoples also whence this Doct. That it is a lawful and laudable Practice for People in the conclusion of publick Prayer or Praysing God to pronounce an Amen This will answer the Question which is whether it be expedient and how the Congregation may say Amen in publick Worship 1. I will explain what is meant by Amen 2. Shew what warrant there is for the Practice 3. Deduce some inference from all 1. Then there is Amen Substantive and that is God himself who is what he is Alpha and Omega Truth it self Isa 65.16 he that blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God Amen or of Truth Jesus Christ is God and the Amen the faithful and true Witness Rev. 3.14 he is that God in whom we may bless our selves his Being is of himself as God and he gives being to his Word 2 Cor. 1.20 all the promises of God being in him yeâ— and Amen whether Hebrew or Greek Old Testament or New Promises in him they are compleated and by him they are fulfilled 2. There is Amen Affirmative a Phrase used in the beginning of any momentous Truth as an asseveration what is Amen Matth. 16.28 Luke 9.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or verily Our Saviour hath this Phrsae peculiar to himself Amen Amen to give confirmation to the Doctrine and to raise our Attention and Faith or to show that not only Truth is spoken but by him who is Truth it self 3. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Optative Amen which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it be so Blessed be God by us and Blessed be we of the Lord or as Jer. 28.6 It is expounded Amen the Lord do so the Lord perform the words which thou hast spoken This Amen was used to be set to when good was spoken as 1 Kings 1.36 when David