〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Concision who instead of circumcising themselves did cut asunder the Church of God But the sound Believers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Circumcision indeed as being circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flâ—sh by Christ Câ—ll 2. 11. They were the true Children of Abraham who did indeed perform that for which Circumcision was intended For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh. In the words we have a three-fold Description of the True Circumcision How they stand affected To God Christ Self I. They worship God in the Spirit II. They rejoice in Christ Jesus III. They have no confidence in the Flesh. I. They worship God in the Spirit This Clause may be interpreted 1. In opposition to the Legal Ordinances So 't is taken Iohn 4. 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Jewish Worship is in a sense called Carnal the Christian Spiritual Heb. 7. 16. A Carnal Commandment Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the Time of Reformation And Shadows Heb. 10. 1. Now the Lord would have a Spiritual Worship and the Truth of what was in these Shadows these external Forms he allowed instituted in the Infancy of the Church so that they worship God in the Spirit is they have embraced the true Worship of the Gospel and serve God not by the Carnal Rites of the Law but by the pure rational Worship of the Gospel This is part of the sense 2. It implieth worshipping God with the inward and spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear Worship flowing from Grace engaging the Heart in God's Service is that which God prizeth Therefore a Christian should not rest in an External Form God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit Rom. 1. 9. 3. It doth also imply the Assistance and continual Influence of the Holy Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And Iude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost The Doctrine is this That a True Christian is known by his Worship or is one that doth worship God in the Spirit Here I shall shew you 1. What is Worship 2. What a true Christian 1. doth worship 2. Why in the Spirit 1. What is Worship 'T is either Internal or External The Internal consisteth in the Love and Reverence we owe to God The External in those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed 1. Internal The Soul and Life of our Worship lieth in Faith and Reverence and delight in God above all other things Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Such a delight as will become the greatness and goodness of God Worship hath its Rise and Foundation in the Heart of the Worshipper there it must begin In our high thoughts and esteem of God especially two things Love and Trust. 1. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is Superlative and Transcendental far above the Love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may sâ—oop and give way to our respect to God 2. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust which is the other Foundation of Worship Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all Times pour out your Hearts before him Delightful adhesion to God and an intire dependance upon him if either fail or be intermitted our Worship faileth If Delight Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he always call upon God Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that love God and delight in him cannot be long out of his company They take all Opportunities and Occasions of being with God So Dependance and Trust Heb. 3. 12. Take Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God James 1. 6 7. Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed For let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Dependance begets Observance They that distrust God's Promises will not long keep his Precepts If we look for all from him we will often come to him and take all out of his hands Be careful that we do not offend him and displease him 2. External In those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed As by Invocation Thanksgiving Praises Obedience God will be owned both in Heart and Life In all these prescribed Duties by which our Affections towards him are acted If God did not call for outward Worship why did he appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Praying singing Psalms Baptism and the Lord's Supper God that made the whole Man Body and Soul must be worshipped of the whole Man Therefore besides the Inward Affections there must be External Actions In short we are said to worship God either with respect to the Duties which are more directly to be performed to God or in our whole Conversation 1. With respect to the Duties which imply our solemn Converse with God and are more directly to be performed towards him such as the Word Prayer Praise Thanksgiving and Sacraments Surely these must be attended upon because they are special Acts of Love to God and Trust in him And these Duties are the ways wherein God hath promised to meet with his People and appointed us to expect his Grace Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee And Mark 4. 24. 'T is a Rule of Commerce between us and God With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given 2. In our whole Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That we should serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives A Christian's Life is a constant Hymn to God or a continued Act of Worship ever behaving himself as in the sight of God and directing all things as to his Glory He turneth Second-Table Duties into First James 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the
the praise of all that Wisdom Glory and Power which is seen in the things that are made Now you should make one among the Worshippers of God 2. Let me reason with you as Christians Are you a Christian and have such Advantages to know more of God and will you be dumb and tongue-tied in his Praise Have you the discovery of the Wonders of his Love in your Redemption by Christ and do you see no cause to own and acknowledg him Have you no Necessities to bring to the Throne of Grace In Christianity you know his particular Providence and Redemption by Christ and should you eat and drink and trade and sleep and never think of God Have you no Pardon to sue out no Grace that you stand in need of that you should live like a brute Beat go on in the circle of Trade Business Comforts and never think of God! You profess you know him but in your Works you deny him and sin doubly both against the Light of Reason and Christianity All that are not avowed Athâ—ists must have some Worship 2. It cutteth off their Conâ—idence that worship him by halves They are of many sorts 1. Some worship him in publick but never in private and secret though Christ hath given us direction to enter into our Closets Mat. 6. 6. And surely every Christian should make Conscience of secret Duties There are many Disputes about praying in Families though those that take their daily Bread should seek God together but there can be no dispute about praying in Secret for the Precept that requireth Prayer first falleth upon single Persons before it falleth upon Families and Churches 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without â—easing This cannot concern Families and Churches they are done at stated times when they can conveniently meet but every Man in secret is to be often with God Christ was often alone Mark 1. 35. He went â—ut into a solitary place and there prayed Surely Christ had not such need to pray as we have nor such need of retirement his Love to God being always â—ervent and so in no danger of distraction God poured out the Spirit that we might go apart and mourn over Soul-Distempers Zech. 12. 10 11 12 13 14. Now God's precious Gifts are not given in vain So Acts 10. 2. Cornelius prayed to God alway Therefore certainly secret Prayer is a necessary Duty of God's Worship to be observed by all that acknowledg God to be God and the World to be ruled by his Providence or themselves to have any need of his Grace and Pardon or hope for any thing from him in the World to come Therefore if you have any sense of Religion or think you have any need of particular commerce with God you should make Conscience of secret Prayer 2. Others that make Conscience of External Worship Prayer Hearing Reading Singing of Psalms but not of Internal Worship Faith Love and Hope The External Forms were appointed for the acting or increasing of Internal Grace and so they superficially are conversant about the Means and never mind the End External Worship is sensible and easily done but Internal Worship is difficult External Worship may procure us esteem with Men but Internal Acceptance with God External Worship satisfieth blind Conscience but doth not better the Heart External Worship may puff us up with a vain Confidence but Internal Worship maketh us lament Spiritual Defects We have not that purity of Heart that deep sense of the World to come that absolute dependance upon God which may quiet our Souls in all Exigencies Surely they are better Christians that have the Effect of the Ordinances than they that have only the Formality of them The External Duty may procure us toil and wearisomness to the Flesh but the Internal Worship bringeth us Comfort and Peace The more Faith in Christ and Love to God and lively Hope of Eternal Life the more is the Soul comforted Therefore if you will always lick the Glass and never taste the Hony go on in a Tract of Duties but you will have no comfort in them In short They that go on in External Duties may be said in some sense to serve God but they do not seek after him In pretence they make God the Object of their Worship for they do not worship an Idol but they do not make him the End of their Worship A Man maketh God the End of his Worship when he will not go away from God without God when he looketh to this that his delight in God be quickned his dependance upon God strengthned his hatred of Sin encreased and by every Address to God is made more like God 3. It reproveth and disproveth those that put on a garb of Devotion when ministring before the Lord but are slight and vain in their ordinary Conversation A Man should be in some measure such out of Duty as he giveth out himself to be in Duty For his whole Life should be as it were a continued Act of Worship Prov. 23. 17. Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the day long We should still live in a dependance upon God and in subjection to him Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me He is at my right hand I shall not be moved In Point of Reverence and in point of Dependance because we are in danger to miscarry both by the Delights of Sense and the Terrors of Sense If a reverence of and a dependance on the great God do still possess our Hearts we shall carry our selves more soberly as to the Comforts of the World and not be easily discouraged and daunted with the Fears of the World This is our Preservative and maketh us true and faithful to our great End 3. Those that do not serve God in the Spirit You should worship God so as it may look like Worship and Service performed to God and due to God 'T is Spiritual Worship God requireth and is ever pleased with all He seeketh such to worship him as worship him in Spirit and in Truth Iohn 4. 23. And this is most agreeable to his Nature Iohn 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth When Hearts wander when Affections do not answer Expressions Is this like Service and Worship done to an All-seeing and All-knowing Spirit Is there any stamp of God upon the Duty of his Majesty Goodness and great Power Vse 2. For the Comfort of good Christians Here is their Carriage towards God briefly set down They worship God in the Spirit A Christian is described by his proper Act Worship and by the prâ—per Object thereof God and by the proper part and seat thereof In the Spirit Do you worship him with Reverence and with Delight and Affection with a Trust Hope and Confidence 1. With Reverence Considering God's Majesty and our own Vileness The Majesty of God Mal. 1. 13. For I am a great
be fed and increased in us as the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Word Psal. 119. 102. I have not departed from thy Iudgments for thou hast taught me Then Prayer suing out of our Right John 11. 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full So for the Sacraments Baptism Acts 8. 39. When they were come up out of the Water the Spirit caught away Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing The Lord's Supper it is our Spiritual Refection 4. Sincerity of Obedience 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old Leaven neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Practical Delight is the chiefest above that of Contemplation a more intimate sense We come now to the last part of a Christian's Character And have no Confidence in the Flesh. To understand it consider there are two things called Flesh in Scripture 1. External Privileges belonging to the worldly Life such as Wealth Greatness and worldly Honour Now to glory in these is to glory in the Flesh and to trust in these is to trust in the Flesh which should be far from Christians Jer. 9. 23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the mighty Man glory in his Might Let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me that I am the Lord c. Where the Prophet laboureth to beat them off from their vain Confidences that they might not rely upon their Power Policy and Wealth but a saving Knowledg of and Interest in God whose Goodness and Faithfulness could only secure them against all Evils and procure them all manner of Blessings 2. The outward Duties and Performances of Religion especially the Ceremonies of Moses Those consisting in External Observances are called Flesh And to have confidence in the Flesh is to place our Confidence in External Privileges and Duties For the Apostle explaineth himself Vers. 4. Though I might also have Confidence in the Flesh if any other Man thinketh he may have confidence in the Flesh I more He was not any whit inferior to any of the Judaizing Brethren in outward Privileges and Duties yea had greater cause of glorying in the Flesh than any of the Pretenders among them And then instances in his Jewish Privileges Circumcision his Family his Sect a Pharisee his Partial Obedience or External Righteousness as to the Law blameless To rest on these things then for our Acceptance with God is to have Confidence in the Flesh. And elsewhere he saith Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the Flesh. When they reverted to the Ceremonies of the Law This is called Flesh because they consist in outward things Corrupt Nature is pleased with such things and doth plead and stand for them Doct. That a good Christian doth not place his Hope and Confidence of acceptance with God in External Privileges and Performances In the first Character a Christian is described by his Worship in the second by his Joy in the third by his Confidence In handling this Point I shall shew you 1 st What are these Externals which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence 2 dly That naturally Men are for a meer external way of serving God and place their whole Confidence therein 3 dly Why a good Christian should have no Confidence in this External Conformity to God's Law 1 st What are these Externals in Religion which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence They may be referred to two heads They are either commanded by God or invented by Man God 's Externals or Man's Externals 1. God's Externals Such as he hath instituted and appointed either in the Law of Moses or in the Law of Christ. In the Law of Moses such as Circumcision with all the appendant Rites these are called Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the time of Reformation These were to be observed while the Institution of them was in force and stood unrepealed which was done at the coming of Christ Iohn 4. 23 24. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth These made great trouble in the Infancy of the Church for the Jews and Judaizing Christians were loth to depart from the Rituals under which they were bred and brought up Though Christ fully evidenced his Commission from Heaven to repeal those Laws and his Apostles strongly pleaded the Ancient Prophecies which foretold it But these are no more of concernment to us except to direct us how to behave our selves in like cases 2. There are Externals in the Law of Christ such as the Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Hearing of the Word External Prayer and the like Now the Rule is that they must be used but the outward Act not rested in as a sufficient ground of our Acceptance with God used they must be in Faith and Obedience because God hath justified them under great Penalties As Circumcision while the Command was in force Gen. 17. 14. The Man-child whose Flesh is not circumcised shall be cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant So Baptism Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Not want but neglect or contempt Therefore all these Duties must be used as Means of Salvation and as Expressions of the inward Truth of our Faith in God and Obedience to him we must not cast off Ordinances but yet they must not be rested in as sufficient Grounds of our Acceptance with God While Circumcision was in force they relied on it as it distinguished them from other Nations as the genuine Seed of Abraham and so reckoned to be within the Covenant But the Servants of God did always disprove this vain Confidence Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God They rejoiced in a shadow when they wanted the thing signified if there were no mortification of Sin or putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. But not only the Apostle but the Prophet long before disproveth their vain Confidence Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the days come when I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Edom with the Children of Ammon and Moab are uncircumcised in Flesh and all the House of Israel is uncircumcised in Heart God would proceed against wicked Persons and People circumcised as well as uncircumcised
Godward there is no looking back There must be no more consulting with Flesh and Blood The Divine Instinct must be obeyed speedily and wholly and Christ followed without Reserves and Conditions Of these in their order I begin with the First And it came to pass as they went on the way a certain Man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest c. In which words observe 1. The Time It came to pass as they went on the way a certain Man said to him 2. A Resolution professed Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 3. Christ's Reply And Iesus said unto him Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head 1. The Time In Matth. 8. 19. 'T is when Christ had a mind to retire and had declared his purpose to go into the Desert In Luke when he stedfastly set his Face to go to Ierusalem Both may agree the one more immediatly the other more remotely first to the Desert then to Ierusalem About that time a certain Man seeing Christ about to remove from the place where he then was offereth himself to be one of his Disciples This certain Man is by St. Matthew said to be a Scribe Men of that Rank and Order had usually a Male Talent against the Gospel and are frequently coupled with the Pharisees Men covetous and of a bitter Spirit This Man seeing Christ did great Miracles and hoping that he would set up a Temporal Kingdom he puts in for a place betimes that he might share in the Honours of it 2. Here is a Resolution professed Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Where take notice 1. Of the ready forwardness of the Scribe He was not called by Christ but offered himself of his own accord 2. Observe the largeness of the Offer and unboundedness of it Whithersoever as indeed it is our Duty to follow Christ through thick and thin In the Revelations Christ's undeâ—iled Company are described to be such as follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14. 4. That is obeyed him though to their great peril and loss Well then here is readiness here is largeness it is well if all be sincere Therefore let us see 3. Christ's Answer and Reply And Iesus said unto him Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head By the tenour of Christ's Answer you may know what ails him and on what Foot he limped For this is spoken either by way of preparation to enable him to keep his Resolution or rather by way of probation to try the truth and strength of it whether it were sincere and sound yea or no As the young Man was tried Mark 10. 21. One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come and take up thy Cross and follow me But he went away sad at that saying So here we hear no more of this Scribe our Lord knew how to discover Hypocrites Two things were defective in this Resolution 1. 'T was suddain and rash not weighing the Difficulties They that rashly leap into a Profession usually fall back at first trial Therefore we must sit down and count the Charges Luke 14. 28. 2. There was a carnal Aim in it He minded his own Profit and Honour Therefore Christ in effect telleth him you had best consider what you do for following of me will be far from advancing any temporal Interest of yours The Scribe was leavened with a Conceit of a worldly Kingdom and had an Eye to some Temporal Advantage Therefore Christ telleth him plainly There was no worldly Ease and Riches to be expected from him And so Non repulit valentem sed fingentem prodidit He did not discourage a willing Follower but discover a worldly Hypocrite saith Chrysologus The Doctrine we learn from hence is this They that will sincerely follow Christ must not look for any great Matters in the World but rather prepare themselves to run all hazards with him This is evident 1. From Christ's own Example And the same Mind should be in all his Followers John 17. 16. They are not of the World even as I am not of the World Our estranging of our Hearts from the World is an evidence of our conformity to Christ. Christ passed through the World to sanctify it as a Place of Service but his constant Residence was not here to â—ix it as a Place of Rest And all that are Christ's are alike affected We pass through as Strangers but are not at home as Inhabitants or Dwellers and if we have little of the World's Favour 't is enough if any degree of Service for God 2. From the Nature of his Kingdom His Kingdom is not of this World Iohn 18. 3 6. 'T is not a Kingdom of Pomp but a Kingdom of Patience Here we suffer with Christ hereafter we reign with him The Comforts are not earthly or the good Things of this World but heavenly the good Things of the World to come This was the Scribes Mistake 3. From the Spirit of Christ. His Spirit is given us to draw us off from this World to that which is to come 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the Things which are given us of God The Spirit of the World is that which possesseth and governeth worldly Men and inclineth them to a worldly Happiness this is in all Men naturally Corrupt Nature doth sufficiently prompt and incline Men to look after the Honours and Pleasures and Profits of this World Iames 3. 15. the Apostle when he would describe the Wisdom which is not from above he saith that it is earthly sensual devillish this Wisdom cometh not from above Present Things are known by Sense and known easily and known by all But there is a Divine Spirit put into Christians which inclineth them to Things to come and worketh Graces suitable Some of which give us a sight of the Truth of those Things as Faith some a Taste or an Esteem of them as Love some an earnest Desire as Hope This Spirit cometh from God and Christ Ephes. 1. 17 18. And without these Graces we can have no sight nor desire of heavenly Things 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned They think 't is folly to hazard present Conveniencies for future Rewards and the truest Wisdom to live in Ease Plenty and Honour On the contrary the Divine Spirit convinceth us that there is no such Business of Importance as looking after eternal Life That all the gay Things of Sense are but so many Maygames to Heavens Happiness the terrible Things of the World are
the strong and confirmed can bear though we cannot love their Weakness yet we must love the Weak and bear with the Infirmities of the Weak not break the bruised Reed Infants must not be turned out of the Family because they cry and are unquiet and troublesome though they be peevish and froward yet we must bear it with gentleness and patience as we do the frowardness of the Sick if they revile we must not revile again but must seek gently to reduce them notwithstanding all their Censures to entertain them with contempt is to prejudice them quite against all Instruction Iob would not despise the Cause of his Man-servant or Maid-servant when they contended with him Iob 31. 13. 2. The Weak But who will own this Title and Appellation Because in Controversies of Religion all seem to stand upon the same Level and another differeth from me as much as I do from him their Opinion is as far from mine as mine from theirs who then shall be accounted weak I Answer 1. Our Rule is plain and as it distinguisheth Error from Truth so Weakness and partial Christianity from that which is more perfect and thorough Besides 't is clear some have not the Gifts of Knowledg and Experience that others have nor such advantages of Education and Study and helps of knowing the Truth and though they are not to captivate their Understandings to the Dictates of others yet they should search and search again and again and have double Light when they are by the seeming Evidence of Truth forced to differ 2. Christianity teacheth us to think meanly of our selves and not to be wise in our own Conceits Phil. 2. 3. In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves at least we should have such a sense of our Imperfections as to make us tractable and teachable 3. If you will not own your selves Weak do the part of the Strong meekly hold forth your Light produce your Reasons to convince others but if you have nothing to produce but your Obstinacy and Ignorance surely you are not only a weak but a perverse Brother But what are the Weak to do not to rend and cut off themselves from the rest of Christians or be strange to them upon every lesser dissent nor to raise Troubles by your Censures but to be humble teachable diligent in the use of Means to lay aside obstinate Prejudices to examine how it cometh to pass that the rest of the Godly and you differ to leave room still for the discovery of God's Mind where your Grounds are not clear and certain and to count it no shame to retract that former practice which a future Conviction disproveth II. The Reasons 1. From the Necessity Excellency and Utility of Union What more clear in the Scriptures than that Christians should endeavour to be united Christ prayed for it Ioh. 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be One that they may be One as we are One that they may be perfect in One. And the Apostle enforceth it by the most vehement Intreaties that can be used Phil. 2. 1 2. If therefore there be any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels of Mercy fulfil ye my Ioy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one Accord and of one Mind Who can withstand such an adjuration and powerful beseechings as these that if ever they found any comfort by his Ministry and ever had any Hope by Christ ever any Influence of the Spirit ever any Pity and Compassion over Souls that they would look after Unity in Judgment Love and Affection and lay aside their Differences and Carnal Emulations Again they caution us against those that cause Divisions Rom. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple They press Unity upon us by very cogent Arguments that carry the highest Reason with them Ephes. 4. 4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Seven uniting Considerations are there heaped up together 1. There is one Body of Christ whereof all are Members The whole Church maketh but one Body knit by Faith to Christ their Head and by the Bond of Love among themselves and the meanest Christian is a Member in this Body Now 't is unnatural if the Members of the same Body should tear and destroy one another and that the Body of Christ should be rent and torn and wo be to them by whom it is so 2. This Body is animated by one Spirit that if any be a Member of this Body it 's necessary that he have the Spirit of God abiding in him to renew and quicken him Now this one and the self-same Spirit as the Apostle calleth him 1 Cor. 12. 13. worketh in all the Saints if his Gifts be various they proceed from the same Author and they are variously dispensed to preserve Society and Communion that one may not say to another I have no need of thee However there is but one new Nature in all the Sanctiâ—ied 3. One Hope of Glory We are all joint Heirs of the same Kingdom we all expect one End and Happiness where we shall meet and live together for ever Now those that shall meet and live together in Glory hereafter should live together in Peace and Concord here 4. There is one Lord one Mediator and Blessed Saviour Now shall the Servants of one Master fall at odds with themselves neglect their Master's Work committed to them beat their fellow-Servants and eat and drink with the Drunken 5. One Faith Fides quae creditur he meaneth the Doctrine of Faith in the Gospel We agree in the same Fundamental Truths of the Gospel as the only Object of saving-Faith and shall we strive about Things of less Importance and Moment there is but one Gospel which is the Seed of our New Birth the Rule of our Faith and Lives the Foundation of our Hope the Food of our Souls 6. One Baptism that is the same New Covenant sealed and confirmed by Baptism and when our Father's Testament is clear do we quarrel about petty and mean Things 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all We have one common God and Father whose Eminency is above all Creatures whose presence and powerful Providence runneth through all Creatures but his special Presence by the gracious Operations of his Holy Spirit is in the Regenerate Surely this is a strong Bond of Union to be one in God he is the common Father of all Believers through
Man's Reason as by God's Authority When it is to be found out by Man's Reason it is left more to the uncertainty of Dispute Bare Nature is an hard Book to study in nor are the Lessons of it so easily found out While the wise Men of the World were debating about Felicity and Happiness Practical Godliness died upon their Hands and Men strove rather to be witty than good and so delivered things more coldly and not with that Life and Power and Authority for the reclaiming and reducing Man to his Duty to God Like the curious Wits of our Age who delight to speak finely rather than successfully in the Matters of Religion 4. The Mysteriousness of it above all natural Reason The Devil playeth on all hands sometimes the Doctrine of the Gospel is too plain sometimes too mystical It cannot enter into their Hearts to conceive how God should be distinguished into three Persons how God should become Man and the like and therefore scoffing Atheists such as are rife in the latter days question all And having lost the Light of their Reason yet retain the pride of their Reason and are objecting all the Difficulties they can think of against the Truth of the Word of God and are apt to say as Nichodemus John 3. 9. How can these things be Till they see a Reason for every thing they will not own it Indeed we must see á Reason why we believe every thing and that is Divine Revelation contained in the Word of God but we cannot always see a reason of every thing which we do believe for many things are Mysteries and we receive them as we do Pills not chew but swallow them we take them upon the Credit of the Revealer to chew produceth a loathsome ejection to swallow an wholsome Remedy Believing in the common Notion of it is a receiving a Truth upon the trust of another So it differeth from knowing for then we reason of our selves and Divine Faith is a receiving such things as God hath revealed because he hath revealed them Then our first enquiry is Whether these things be so or so not how they can be so Therefore we begin at the wrong end if we enquire first How can this be In many cases constat de re the thing is evident in Scripture but non constat de modo how it can be is beyond our reach Now when we should believe we dispute and cavil rather than enquire If any thing be not plainly revealed by God you may reject it without sin but if it be you must not contradict all that you cannot comprehend The Trinity of the Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence or how a Virgin should conceive oâ— how a God can become Man 'T is sufficient that all this is revealed in Scripture which carrieth its own Evidence in its Forehead and shineth by its own Light and hath the Seal and Stamp of God upon it In short to believe is not to receive a thing in its own Evidence but upon the credit of the Testifier If you will not credit it unless the thing be evident in it self you do not believe Christ but your own Reason and instead of being thankful for the Revelation you quarrel with his Truth because 't is somewhat above your Capacity you should captivate your Understandings to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. I now come to shew you Fourthly The Kinds of this Sin of being offended in Christ. Three Distinctions I shall give you 1. There is an Offence with Contempt and an Offence with Discouragement 1. The Offence with Contempt is when we are prejudiced against or turn from the Faith either never embrace it or quite forsake it Contempt produceth Unbelief and Disobedience They are so given over to their sinful Courses that they cannot be perswaded to relinquish them John 3. 19. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the World and that Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil. Nothing will gain them to submit to Christ's healing Methods they think he seeketh their Loss and Hurt rather than their Benefit because he would reclaim them from their Lusts. These reject all Admonitions and remain obstinate impenitent in their Sins 2. The Offence with Discouragement When Men are staggered in their Hope and Obedience Troubles are distastful to the Flesh which seeketh its own ease Some are discouraged in a greater some in a lesser degree Heb. 12. 3. Lest â—e wax weary and faint in your minds Weariness is a lesser degree of deficiency Faintness a greater These Terms are translated from the Body to the Mind 2. There is an Offence of Ignorance and an Offence of Malice and Opposition 1. The Offence of Ignorance and Weakness When Men are carried with a blind Zeal I verily thought that I ought to do many things against Iesus of Nazareth saith Paul Acts 26. 9. Men of a superstitious Conscience are like a blind Horse full of Mettle but ever and anon stumbling But this is more pardonable 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurious but I obtained Mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief 2. There is the Offence of Malice and Opposition when Men err not only in their Minds but in their Hearts do not know and do not desire to know they would not know what they know and are willingly ignorant Nolentes audire quod auditum damnare non possunt c. Tertul. in Apol. They have not a mind to know that which they have not a mind to do They would not know the Truth because they have a mind to hate it this is spoken of Acts 13. 45. They were filled with Envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming This is malice Men first hate then persecute and oppose the Truth Conviction choak'd with Prejudices breaketh out into rage against that way they were convinced of or the Light of which they cannot rationally withstand Herod taketh offence against Iohn Baptist whom he formerly liked and then beheadeth him Light resisted or not kindly used maketh a Man turn Devil that he may the more deface all feelings of Conscience This is the malignity of Revolters Hosea 5. 5. they will hear nothing to the contrary 3. There is a Total and there is a Partial Offence The Total Offence is when Men will give Christ no place in their Hearts but remain in their Infidelity John 8. 24. Because ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins When they will take no warning they shall perish for despising the Remedy The Partial Offence is when they do not receive all of Christ though they may be sound in the Main these are those that the Apopostle speaks of That they are saved as by Fire 2 Cor. 3. 18. Some Doctrine or Practice wherein they allow themselves may prove false and unchristian yet the Man may be mercifully dealt with
not dead to the things of the World you are not acquainted with the Virtue and Power of Christ's Cross and have not a true sense of Christianity cannot glory in it as the most excellent Profession in the World Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World You are in a dangerous temptation to Atheism 5. We are gainers by Christ if we part with all the World for his sake Mark 10. 29 30. Therefore no loss should seem too great in obeying his Will Certainly a Man cannot be a loser by God 6. All worldly things were confiscated by the fall and we can have no spiritual right to them 'till we receive a new grant by Jesus Christ who is the Heir of all things Dominium Politicum fundatur in providenâ—ia Evangelicum in gratia 1 Cor. 3. 23. All things are yours because you are Christ's and Christ is God's And 1 Tim. 4. 3. God hath made them to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the Truth So that what we enjoy is by the meer favour of the Redeemer and should be parted with again when he calleth for it Thus much for the first Point A second Doctrine or Point here offered is The great Poverty of our Lord Iesus Christ. Beasts and Fowls have places to shelter themselves in but Christ had no certain place of residence or dwelling wherein to rest He doth not say Kings have Palaces but I have none rich Men have Houses and Lands but I have none But he saith Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head The Reasons of this are these following 1. To increase the value and merit of his Satisfaction Our Sins did deserve this his whole Humiliation and every degree of it and Christ was content to suffer it for the ransom of our Souls 'T is clear this that all his condescention conduced to make up the Remedy more full and 't is evident by the Apostle that it giveth us a right to a larger allowance of Grace 2 Cor. 8. 9. For ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might become rich 2. Christ came to offer the Kingdom of Heaven and the good things of the other World and to draw Mens minds and hearts thither And therefore that he might appear a fit Teacher of the World by his own Example he taught us contempt of outward things If he had preached up heavenly-mindedness and lived himself in pomp and fulness the People would not have regarded his words Alexander when his Army grew sluggish because laden with the spoils of their Enemies to free them from this encumbrance commanded all his own Carriages to be set on fire that when they saw the King himself devote his rich Treasures to the flame they might not murmur if their Mite and Pittance were consumed also So if Christ had taught us contempt of the World and had not given us an instance of it in his Person his Doctrine had been less powerful and effectual 3. To season and sanctify a mean estate and degree of Life when we are called to it by God's Providence Christ's own poverty teacheth us to bear a mean condition well Mat. 18. 25. It is enough for a Disciple that he be as his Master and a Servant as his Lord. Vriah would not give way to any softness while Ioab his General was in the Field 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark and Israel are in Tents and my Lord Joab and the Servants of my Lord are in the open fields Shall I go into my House and eat and drink c. We must be contented to fare as Christ did we cannot be poorer than Christ as poor as we are for the poorest have some place of shelter but he had none whereon to lay his head 1. Let this then enforce the former Lesson and teach us contempt of the World and the Riches and Greatness thereof 'T is some Argument that the vilest are capable thereof as well as the most generous and best deserving and oftner it hapneth to be so But this is the Argument of Arguments That the Lord Jesus when he came to instruct the World by his Example he was not one of the Rich and Voluptuous but chose a mean estate as most conducible to his ends 2. If you be rich yet be poor in Spirit Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Let us possess all things as if we possessed them not 1 Cor. 7. 31. And so Iames 1. 9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted but the rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the Grass he shall pass away We should be as having nothing sitting loose from earthly things considering that shortly we shall be as poor as the poorest for we can carry nothing away with us 3. Let us prepare our selves to entertain Poverty and if it be already come upon us and God hath reduced us to a mean inferior Life let us have our hearts reconciled and suited to a low estate so it may be an help to Heaven so we may have the true Riches and may learn to live by Faith though God feedeth us from Hand to Mouth so we may imitate Christ and follow him into Glory it is enough for us No excuse against a speedy obeying Christ's Call WE have done with the first instance of a Scribe that came uncalled we come now to another this Man offereth not himself but is called by Christ. And he said unto another Follow me c. He was already a Disciple at large for in Matthew 't is said Chap. 8. 21. Another of his Disciples said unto him Suffer me first to go any bury my Father He was now called to a nearer and constant attendance on Christ. Clemens Alexandrinus from an ancient Tradition telleth us this was Philip. But before he complied with this Call he desireth a little delay and respit 'till his aged Father were dead and buried whether his Father were already dead and he would do this last Office to see him decently interred or whether his Father were yet living but not likely long to continue and he would attend him till his Death and Funeral and then follow Christ as Theophilact thinketh it is not much material Clear it is he putteth off the matter with an excuse even the Elect do not at first so readily obey the Heavenly Calling some of them may put off Christ but when he intendeth to have them he will not be put off so the importunity of his Grace overcoming their unwillingness But what was Christ's Answer Lâ—â— the Dead bury their Dead but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God
all that is named or famed or spoken and believed of God His Truth and Trustiness is most conspicuous In the New Covenant he hath given his solemn Oath as well as his Word that the Heirs of Promise might have strong Consolation Heb. 6. 18. What is the matter that my belief of these things is so cold and ineffectual If this be God's Promise and he hath put in no exception against me to exclude me from the benefit of this Promise What is the reason why I can no more incourage my self in the Lord to seek after this Salvation but am disturbed so often by distracting Fears and Cares and so easily misled by vain Delights Thus should we excite our Faith But I digress too long 3. The Nature of this Faith I express by a Trust and Confidence There is in Faith an Assent which is sufficient when the Object requireth no more As there are some speculative Principles which are meerly to be believed as they lead on to other things Heb. 11. 3. there an intellectual Assent sufficeth But there are other things which are propounded not only as true but good There not only an intellectual Assent is required but a practical Assent or such as is joyned with Consent and Affiance As suppose when Christ promiseth Eternal Life to the serious Christian or mortified Believer There must be not only an assent or a believing that this proposal and offer is Christ's and that it is true But there must be a consent to chuse it for my Portion and Happiness and then a confidence and dependance upon Christ for it though it lie out of sight and in the mean time I be exercised with sundry Difficulties and Temptations Trust is not a bare Opinion of Christ's Fidelity but a dependance upon his Word I do believe there is a God and that there is a Christ I do well I do believe that this God in Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light I do well still but I must do more I believe that he hath assured his Disciples and Followers That if they continue faithful with him they shall have eternal Life John 5. 29. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation I know that Christ hath fidelity and sufficiency enough to make good his Word This is well but I must go farther that is to say I must chuse this eternal Life that is offered to me for my felicity and portion this is Consent and I must continue with patience in well-doing depending upon his faithful Word whilst I am in the pursuit of it this is Trust or Confidence As this World is Vanity and hath nothing in it worthy to be compared with the Hopes which Christ hath given me of a better Life so I chuse it for my Happiness But as I judg him faithful that hath promised and depend upon him that he will make good his Word though this Happiness be future and lieth in another an unseen an unknown World to which there is no coming but by Faith this is the Trust and by that Name it is often expressed in Scripture 'T is nothing else but a sure and comfortable dependance upon God through Jesus Christ in the way of well-doing for the Gift of eternal Life Psalm 112. 7. His Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. So Isa. 26. 3. Thou keepest him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee The New Testament also useth this term 2 Cor. 3. 4. Such trust have we through Christ to Godward And 1 Tim. 4. 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God Well then this Trust is more than an Assent or bare Perswasion of the mind that the Promises are true yea 't is more than a motion of the Will towards them as good and satisfying for it noteth a quiet repose of the Heart on the fidelity and mercy of God in Christ that he will give this Blessedness if we do in the first place seek after it The more we cherish this Confidence the more sure we are of our Interest both in Christ and the Promise Heb. 3. 6. Whose House we are if we hold fast our Confidence and rejoicing of Hope firm unto the end And vers 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the end And Heb. 10. 35. a little before the Text Cast not away your Confidence which hath great recompence of reward In all which places Confidence noteth our resolute ingaging in the heavenly Life because we depend upon Christ's Rewards in another World In our passage to Heaven we meet with manifold Temptations we are assaulted both on the right hand and on the left with the terrors of sense which are a discouragement to us and the delights of sense which are a snare to us Confidence or Trust fortifieth us against both these Temptations the Difficulties Dangers and Sufferings which we meet with in our passage to Heaven yea tho it should be death it self for Faith seeth the end glorious and that the Salvation of our Souls is sure and near if we continue faithful with Christ. On the other side Affiance or Trust draweth the Heart to better things and we can easily want or miss the Contentments of the Flesh the pomp and ease and pleasure of the present Life because our Hearts are in Heaven and we have more excellent things in view and pursuit This breedeth a weanedness from the Baits of the Flesh and a rejection and contempt of what would take us off from the pursuit of eternal Life 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. I run not as one that is uncertain As if he had said I am confident therefore I am mortified to the World 4. The immediate Fruit and Effect of it is a forsaking all other Hopes and Happiness for Christ's sake and for the Blessedness which he offereth That forsaking all belongeth to this Affiance and Trust is plain because I can neither trust God nor be true to him till I can venture all my Happiness upon this security And if God calleth me to it actually forsake all upon these Hopes This will appear to you by these Arguments 1. By the Doctrinal Descriptions of the Gospel-Faith Our Lord hath told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant-man Matth. 13. 45 46. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it And certainly he knew the Nature of that Faith better than we do Many cheapen the Pearl of Price but they do not go through with the Bargain because they do not fell all to purchase it No you must have such a sense of the Excellency and truth of Salvation by Christ that you must chuse it and let go all
Spirit which is the great Testimony and Pledg of his Love then is our Pardon executed or actually applied to us And we receive the Attonement Rom. 5. 11. And 2 Cor 5. 8. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Câ—rist that is all thiâ—gs which belong to the New Creature vers 17. And that 's the Reason why God is said to sanctify as a God of Peace that is as reconciled to us in Christ see 1 Thess. 5. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly and Heb. 13. 20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will c. And in all God's internal Government with the Saints he sheweth his pleasure or displeasure with the Saints by giving or withholding and withdrawing the Spirit as it were easy to prove to you Well then you see the Reasons why in believing in Christ we reflect the Eye of our Faith on Reconciliation as the prime initial Benefit 2. The next great consummating Benefit is the everlasting Fruition of God in Glory For Christ's Office is to recover us to God and bring us to God which is never fully and compleatly done till we come to Heaven Therefore the saving of the Soul is the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ to which all other tend As Justification and Sanctification and by which all our Pains and Losses for Christ are recompenced and from which we fetch our comfort all along the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the Hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of sense are defeated So that this is the main Blâ—ssing which Faith aimeth at see the Scriptures 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to everlasting Life Wherefore do Men believe in Christ but for this end that they may obtain everlasting Life Wherefore were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are written thâ—â— we might know Christ aright who is the â—ernel and Marrow of them and the chief Benefit we have by him is Life or the Salvation of our Souls and therefore well may it be called in the Text The End of our Faith 4. In the next place I add the immediate Acts and Effects of it 1. Such as maketh us to forsake all things in this World And 2. give up our selves to the Conduct of the Word and Spirit for the obtaining this Happiness 1. To forsake all things in this World As soon as we address our selves seriously to believe we turn our backs upon them namely upon the Pleasures and Honours and Profits of this World We forsake them in Vow and Resolution when we are converted and begin to believe for Conversion is a turning from the Creature to God As soon as we 〈◊〉 believe and hope for the Fruition of God in Glory as purchased and promised by Christ our hearts are weaned and withdrawn from the false Happiness not perfectly but yet sincerely and we actually renounce and forsake them at the call of God's Providence when they are inconsistent with our fidelity to Christ and the hopes of that Happiness which his Promises offer to us Now that our Faith must be expressed by forsaking all yea that it is essential to Faith and nothing else is saving-Faith but this as appeareth 1. By the Doctrinal Descriptions of it in the Gospel which I shall describe to you according to my usual method our Lord hath told us That the Kingdâ—m of Heaven is like a Merchant man Mat. 13. 45 46. seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great Price he went and sold all that he had and bought it And surely he knew the Nature of Faith better than we do Many cheapen the Pearl of Priâ—e but they do not go through with the â—â—â—gain because they do not sell all to purchase iâ— Faith implieth such a sense of the Excellency and Truth of Salvaâ—ion by Christ that you must chuse it and let go all which is inconsistent with this Choice and Trust. All your sinful Pleasures Profit Reputation and Life it self rather than forfeit these Hopes Luke 14. 26. 〈◊〉 any Man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Brother and 〈…〉 Disciple and his own Life he cannot 〈…〉 And vers 33. Whosoeve◠〈…〉 that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple After such express Declarations of the Will of Christ why should we think of going to Heaven at a châ—â—per rate Christ must be preferred above all that is nearest or dearest or else he will not be for our turn nor we for his The same is inferred out of the Doctrine of Self-denial Mat. 16. 24. If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For Self-denial hath a greater Relation to Faith and is nearer of kin to Faith than the World imagineth 't is the immediate Fruit of our Trust. If God be trusted as our supream Felicity he must be loved above all things and all things must give way to God If Christ be trusted as the way to the Father all things must be counted dung and loss that we may gain Christ Phil. 3. 8. The same is inferred out of the Baptismal Covenant which is a renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh and a chusing Father Son and Holy Ghost for our God if there be a chusing there must be a renouncing The Devil by the World tempts our Flesh from the Christian Hope therefore Idols must be renounced before we can have the True God for our God Iosh. 24. 23. Put away the strange Gods which are among you and incline your Heart to the Lord God of Israel Naturally our God is our Belly while Carnal Phil. 3. 19. Mammon is our God Mat. 6. 24. The Devil is our God Col. 1. 13. And Ephes. 2. 2 3. Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the Lusts of our Flesh fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind and were by Nature the Children of Wrath even as others Besides the Nature of the thing Baptism implieth this Renunciation 1 Pet. 3. 21. And this Renunciation is nothing else but a forsaking all that we may have eternal Life by Christ. 2. It appeareth by Reasons For 1. Faith cannot be without this forsaking Nor 2. this forsaking without Faith 1. Faith cannot be without this forsaking For Faith implieth a sight of the Truth and
and Joy as the capacity of it is able to contain There will be 1. A compleat Vision of God and Christ 1 Cor. 13. 12. No desire of the Mind shall be unfilled or unsatisfied with the Knowledg of God in Christ. 2. A compleat Possession and Fruition of God Here we are in a waiting expecting longing Posture but there is a plenary Fruition we are filled up with all the Fulness of God Ephes. 4. 19. and 1 Cor. 1. 20. God is all in all 3. A compleat Similitude and Transformation in the Image of Christ 1 Iohn 3. 2. Psal. 17. 15. Here Grace is mingled with Corruption we are like God by the first Fruits of the Spirit but unlike him by the Remainders of Corruption But in Heaven we shall be wholly like him Here we resemble Christ but we also resemble Adam yea and often shew forth more of Adam than Jesus But there we only shew forth the Holiness and Purity of Christ His Image shineth in us without Spot and Blemish 4. A compleat Delectation arising from all the rest The Vision Fruition and Likeness of God Psal. 16. 11. Those Delights are full and perpetual Our great Business will be to love what we see and our great happiness to have what we love This is our never-failing Delight we enter into our Master's Joy Mat. 25. and 1 Pet. 4. 13. That when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with an exceeding Ioy. The Lord hath reserved the fulness of his People's Joy until that time when Sorrow will be no more Vse 2. Are we perfect that is grown Christians in the way to Perfection The Notes of it are 1. When there is such a base esteem of worldly Things that our Affections are weakned to them every day One half of Religion is dying to the World as the other half is living to God the mortifying of Self-love and the strengthning and increasing our Love to God Self-love is gratified by the Pleasures Honours and Profits of the World so love to God aimeth at the enjoyment of God when we get above the Hopes and Fears of the World and the Delights of Sense I am crucified to the World Gal. 6. 12. when every thing is loss and dung for Christ's sake 2. When more unsatisfied with present Degrees of Holiness with a constant endeavour to grow better Our maimed and defective Service is a real trouble to us we bewail our Wants and Imperfections I cannot do what I would Oâ— wretched Man that I am Who shall delivâ—â— me from the Body of this Death 'T is the grief and shame of your Hearts that yoâ— serve God no better you are still groaning longing striving after greater Perfection but when you allow your selveâ— in your Imperfections and digest Failing without remorse you are Weaklings iâ— Christianity A true Christian desireth the highest degree of Holiness and to bâ— freed from every thing that is Sin cannoâ— sit down contented with any low degree of Grace 't is a trouble to him that he knoweth and loveth God no more and serveth him no better his smallest Sins are a greater burden to him than the greatest bodily Wants and Sufferings Rom. 7. 23 24. 3. Such are more swayed by Love than Fear Weak Christians are most obedient when most in fear of Hell but the more we love the Lord our God with all our Hearts the more we advance towards our final Estate At first our Pride and Sensuality beareth sway and rule in us and have no resistance but now and then some frightnings and uneffectual checks from the fears of Hell such they are not converted yet And if the sense of Religion do more prevail upon us yet our Condition is more troublous than comfortable and all our business is to escape the everlasting Misery which we fear and so we may forsake the practice of those grosser Sins which breed our Fears or perform some Duties that may best fortify us against them but this Religion is animated by Fear alone without the Love of God and Holiness that 's only preparative to Religion near the Kingdom of God But when really converted we have the Spirit of his Son inclining us to God as a Father Gal. 4. 6. But as yet the Spirit of Adoption produceth but weak Effects we differ little from a Servant 'T is perfect Love casteth out Fear 1 John 4. 18. When the Soul loveth God mindeth God and is inclined to the Ways of God delighteth in them as they lead to God then we are in a better progress and more prepared for our final Estate His great Motive is Love his great End is perfect Love For the present he would serve him better because he delighteth in his ways O how I love thy Law Psalm 119. 97. and vers 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it They are willing and ready for God these are throughly setled in a Christian Course 4. The grown Christian is more humble he seeth more of his Defects than others do Weak Christians are more liable to be puffed up than the wiser and stronger for the more Men increase in Grace whether Knowledg or Holiness the more they know their Emptiness Unmortifiedness and manifold Sins and Failings The more they know of the Jealousy of God's Holiness of the Evil of Sin of the Strictness of the Covenant have a deeper sense of their Obligations to God and have more experience of their own slippery Hearts Sin is more a burden to them than ever they see they have more difficulties to grapple with and all this keepeth them humble and low in their own Eyes All this is spoken to press you to look to this growth and progress which is our Perfection By the way He that thinketh he hath Grace enough to be saved and careth for no more dealeth more niggardly with God than he would do in the World if a Man hath Bread enough to keep him from starving would he be content There is no Truth where no care of growth if our Condition be safe 't is not sure to us A Perswasive to Unity in Things Indifferent PHIL. 3. 15. As many as be perfect be thus minded and if in anything ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you I Now come to the other part of the Text 1. As many as be perfect be thus minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 think the same thing with me that is forsaking all other Confidences cleave to Christ alone whatever it cost you Mind this take care of this be thus affected let us actually perform that to which Circumcision was designed let us worship God in a spiritual manner trusting Christ as the substance of all these Ceremonial Shadows depending upon him for his renewing and reconciling Grace and adhering to pure Christianity without mingling with it the Rudiments of Moses 2. If in any thing ye be otherwise minded know not the abolition of the Ceremonies through weakness of Faith or an affected
Ignorance yet having knowledg of so many saving Truths we hope in time God will reclaim you from your Error Well then 1. Here 's a Difference or Dissent supposed Thus minded and otherwise minded 2. Lenity expressed towards the Dissenters If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even â—his to you Doct. That when God's People are divided in Opinion all Lenity and mutual Forbearance should be used to prevent things from coming to an open Rupture So sweet and mild was the Discipline in the Apostles days that he would not compel Men to do what-ever he or others did conceive to be Good or to forbear what they did conceive to be Evil but without force leave them to God's Direction and Illumination Here let me shew you I. What Lenity and Forbearance should be used II. The Reasons why Lenity and Forbearance should be used I. What Lenity and Forbearance should be used Let us state it in these Considerations 1. There may be and often are Differences of Opinion about lesser Things in the Church Partly Because of the different degrees of Light All Barks that sail to Heaven draw not alike depth of Water And partly because of the remainders of Corruption in all Inordinate Self-love is not in all alike broken and mortified and so their particular Interests have an influence upon their Opinions And partly because of the accidental Prejudices of Education and Converse c. 2. When these Differences arise we should take care they come not to a Rupture and open Breach This is the course the Apostle taketh here he doth not by and by despair of the Dissenters and reject them as Hereticks but beareth with them hoping in charity God will at length reveal their Error to them by the ministry of his Servants through the powerful Operation of his Spirit and not suffer them to run on in dividing Courses from the rest of his People So should we do in like cases partly because when these Differences of Opinion breed Divisions and Separations the Church is destroyed Gal. 5. 15. For if ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Backbitings Revilings and Reproaches make way for a total Vastation of the whole Church a ruin to both Parties Partly because the whole is scandalized John 17. 21. That they may all be one that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Divisions in the Church breed Atheism in the World Partly because there are Enemies which watch for our halting and by our Divisions we are laid open to them Our Lord and Master hath told us with his own Mouth That a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Mat. 12. 35. Never was it so well with the People of God but besides their Divisions among themselves they had common Enemies and Nazianzen calls them Common Reconcilers because they should ingage God's People to an unanimous opposition to the Kingdom of Satan in the World And partly because then mutual Means of Edification are hindred As long as Charity and mutual Forbearance remaineth there is hope of doing good to one another but when Men break out into opposite Parties they are prejudiced against all that Light that they should receive one from another suspecting every Point as counsel from an Enemy Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tell you the Truth When Men are once ingaged in a way of Error whosoever is an Enemy to their Error is counted an Enemy to themselves Yâ—a they can hardly bear that sound Doctrine which doth directly cross their Opinions but are apt to cavil at all that 's said by a Dissenter And partly because when Men give themselves up to separating and narrow Principles the Power of Godliness is lost and all their Zeal is laid out upon their petty and private Opinions and so Religion is turned into a disputacity That 's the Reason why the Apostle doth so often tell them Gal. 6. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature And Gal. 5. 6. For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that worketh by Love And 1 Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the Commandments of God Observe it where you will and you shall find that Separation and Distance from the rest of Believers doth not befriend Godliness but undermine it A Regiment fighting apart from the rest of the Army of Christ is always lost through their own peevishness at least they lose great Advantages of promoting the Kingdom of Christ. 3. To prevent this open Rupture there must be all Lenity used and mutual Forbearance we must not rigorously obtrude our Conceits upon others either by Church-Power or private Censure it may be done either way Sometimes by Church-Power especially when 't is possessed or invaded by the more self-seeking sort of Christians as we read in the Revelations of the Beast that pushed with the Horns of a Lamb that is used Church-Power and under a pretence of Church-Constitution destroyed them that were truly the Church of Christ. And our Lord telleth us Iohn 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you shall think that he doth God good service Putting them out of the Synagogues was an abuse of Ecclesiastical Power it may be so the Builders may refuse the Corner-Stone On the other side private Censures may as much break the Law of Forbearance as publick Censures When Inferiors promote their Differences with Turbulency Heat and Animosity and rend and tear all things yea themselves from the Body of Christ and sober Christians censuring all that dissent from them as no Christians There is such a Sin under the Gospel as the gain-saying of Corah Jude 11. The Sin of Corah is and may be committed in the New Testament The Sin of Corah was invading an Office that no way belonged to him and censured his Superiors as if they took too much upon them because all the Lord's People were Holy and erected another Ministry in their stead He being a Levite would do the Office of a Priest as well as Aaron and when summoned to appear before Moses said We will not come Numb 16. 11 12. Now the Apostle saith in the perishing of Korah their own Doom was foretold Again vers 19. These are they that separate themselves sensual not having the Spirit Whence 't is clear that private Men in their Sphere may rend the Church And the Factions at Corinth proved it 1 Cor. 1. 12. I am of Paul and I am of Apollo and I am of Cephas and I am of Christ As impailing and impropriating the common Salvation to themselves Much milder was the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 2. Iesus Christ theirs and ours Now what Remedy is there but Lenity and mutual Forbearance This I shall state 1. As to the matter of the strife It must