Gospel of the Grace of God may be carried into the dark corners of the Earth for the Conversion and Salvation of them who are ready to perish and so the Kingdom of Christ get ground in the World is I am sure a most holy and excellent design and so I recommend this also to the Prayers of Godly private Christians These few things being suggested touching those Christians who bear a Publick Character I now shall address my self to all Godly Private Christians and I must exhort and beseech them with all the fervour I can to set their hearts sincerely upon this glorious work and to bestir themselves in it with all their might This belongs to every Christian as such in what circumstances soever the Providence of God doth dispose of them whether they be High or Low Noble or Base Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned Male or Female None are to be excluded or exempted But it is likely This may seem strange to many Private Christians That they should be charged in the Name of Christ to be helpful to promote the spreading of the Gospel all the world over Alas will one say with the Eunuch I am a dry tree and no such fruit is to be expected from me And I will another say am but a Cypher and make no Figure in the world as the Phrase goes and therefore I can signifie nothing But let me beseech all Private Christians to take heed of shifting off from themselves any Duty or Service that Christ calls them to or would employ them in And To suspend their Determination a little until I have shewed them as Christ shall enable me How and wherein Private Christians may be helpful in this Great and Good work And then I hope they will see That they may do much more therein than possibly they have hitherto apprehended The second thing mentioned is Their Duty and Work Which is To be helpful in promoting the Entertainment of the Gospel And the third thing is How or in what ways and by what means they may be most helpful in it But for dispatch sake I shall speak to both these Conjunctly Now That I may proceed herein the more clearly and profitably I think it may be useful to place Private Christians according to their several Circumstances and Capacities as to the matter now under consideration in three Ranks or Orders 1. There are many Private Christians who live very remote from such Places and People as have not the Gospel preached unto them Or at least have not hitherto entertained it 2. There are some Private Christians who may Occasionally go into or may Providentially be cast into such Places 3. There are some Private Christians who live among such people in a more fixed or constant Residence As In our Factories abroad Or In our Plantations in the Indies or other Heathen places Now Tho' it be the Duty of all Private Christians To promote the entertainment of the Gospel yet all cannot take the same Measures nor be Active in the same ways And therefore it may be to very good purpose To let each of them to see wherein their Proper work doth lie That they may contribute their assistance accordingly 1. Most of the Private Christians among us live very Remote from those People who have not as yet entertained the Gospel And so They cannot be helpful unto them by Personal instruction or counsel Neither can they attract them by the Example of their holy conversation And yet they may greatly contribute toward the promoting of the entertainment of the Gospel among them And that they may do several ways e. gr 1. They may and ought to pray in Faith That the Gospel may be sent among them That it may be Received by them And be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of all that are ordained to Eternal life among them For such Prayers being according to the Will of God They may be confident that he heareth them 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth and expecteth such Prayers from them cannot be unknown to any who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures For 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians Matth. ix 37 38. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest Here we may take notice 1. That by the Metaphor or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour would instruct us That as when the Corn is ripe Men use to employ Reapers to cut it down and gather it in So there are some blessed Seasons wherein God hath decreed to send the Gospel among a People and accordingly prepares and disposeth them for the Reception of it and raiseth in them a propensity and strong affection toward it Thus it was when John the Baptist came and Preached That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th Then went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time Matth. xi 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force When therefore ye hear That the Day of the Gospel begins to Dawn in any of the dark corners of the Earth Then Lift up a Prayer That the Grace and Power of the Spirit may accompany it and make it successful 2. Our Saviour teacheth you to pray That the Labourers may be increased proportionably to the work as when he saith The Harvest is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray then that God would imploy such as are Skilful and Industrious such as Paul describes 2 Tim. ii 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth And pray That God would imploy such a number of them as is sufficient for the work A Reverend Person among us hath for many years complained That in many places where there is but One to labour in the Ministerial Work there is enough for three or four tho' all of them be very industrious But it seems that Men either cannot or will not make better provision 3. Private Christians when they perceive How the case stands should be importunate with God that he would send forth Labourers into his harvest Send them by the Efficacious word of his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ejiciat vel extrudat Thrust them out by his Grace working in them and his Providence ordering of circumstances concerning them It is no wonder if Flesh and Blood shrink from the employment of carrying the Lord's Message to a barbarous people Moses would fain have been excused from going into Egypt and he multiplied Evasions and Pretences till the Lord was angry with him Exod. iii. 10 11 14. and Chap. iv 1 10
give quite another sense of the words which I will not so much as mention but presently propose what I take to be the summ of the Text. Doctrine We should strictly and frequently call our selves to an account that we may the better give an answer to Christs question what end we propose to our selves in attending upon the Ministry of the Word 'T was but a little while since there was a general flocking after John Baptist as if they would turn the City into a Wilderness and make the Wilderness the City (b) Joh. 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light but that flash is over and now they are flocking after Christ with like affection Christ doth as it were say to them 'T is a foolish and ridiculous lightness to run after the best Preachers in the World without proposing some end unto our selves beyond the vanity and pomp of the World some fruit that may remain The blessed Apostle would have those that had been his Hearers to call themselves to an account examine themselves (c) 2 Cor. 13.5 put such searching questions to their own Consciences whether they be in the Faith whether the Doctrine of Faith hold them that they do not fwerve from it and whether the Grace of Faith be in them that they live by it If not they can't expect that Christ should approve of them I shall endeavour to make my way to the stating of the Case thorow the explaining of the Doctrine by these Propositions Proposition 1. John Baptists Ministry was the best in the world when he began to Preach and all people that had any care of their Souls went out after him His Ministry differed from the ordinary Ministry of the Times He cryed not up Humane Inventions before Divine Institutions but with holy vehemency press'd the necessary Doctrine of Repentance a Repentance upon which they might expect pardon of sin (d) Luke 3.3 and 't was convincing where 't was not converting those that loved their sins better than to yield 'T was of Divine Authority yet they loved their credit better than to affirm 't was but of Humane Authority (e) Mar. 11.14 32. In short his main design was to bring or send persons to Christ I Baptize you with water (f) Mat. 3.11 12. to repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoâ—s I am not worthy to bear he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fâ—re Whose â—an is in his hand and he will throughly purge his â—â—â—or and gâ—thâ—r his wâ—â—at into his gaâ—ner but will burn up the chasf with unqu nchable fire q. d. Christ will Baptize with the pouring out of his Spirit on Believers and with that fiery tryal which shall refine the Gold from the Dross and winnow the Wheat from the Chaff he will gather the Faithful into his Heavenly Kingdom and burn up Unbelievers with unquenchable fire Prop. 2. Persons of all ranks with some kind of pains and self-denyal followed John Baptist for his convincing Instruction (g) Mat. 3.5 Some were savingly converted and got that good by his Ministry which they made good use of many a year after 'T is said of Apollos (h) Acts 18.25 26. that he knew only the baptism of John He taught diligently the things of the Lord and with the help of what he got by Christian Conference he mightily convinced the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah but besides few such 1. The Pharisees they followed him who were themselves the most applauded Preachers among the Jews they whose Dictates were taken for Oracles they left the chair of Moses to hear this Elias 2. The Sadducees who denyed the Resurrection and the Immortality of the Soul John asks them (i) Mat. 3.7.8 Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come q. d. You Pharisees are so conceited of your own Righteousness that you think you are in no danger of Hell and you Sadducees think there is none John presses both to Repentance that might evidence it self by its fruit to be sincere 3. Persons that pretend nothing to Religion but were so infamous for gross wickedness that every one who valued his Reputation shun'd being seen in their company (k) Mat. 21.31 32. The Publicans and the Harlots got Heaven by believing 4. Souldiers that the Romans kept to maintain their Conquest of Judea such do not use to trouble themselves with Cases of Conscience (l) Luke 3.14 The Souldiers also demanded of him saying And what shall we do He doth not blame the employment but regulates their behaviour 5. Courtiers who could not bear plain dealing yet could expect no other from him They could not but fear him though they did not love him 'T is said that Herod himself (m) Mar. 6.20 feared John knowing that he was a just man and an holy and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly As if he would bribe his Conscience by parting with some sins more quietly to give him leave to keep others that he could not part with And thus you see what a Congregation John preached to Prop. 3. Those that attend upon the Ministry of the Word they do or should propose unto themselves some End why they do it Those who through Grace propose a good end to themselves they always obtain their end they (n) 2 The. 2.10 who receive the truth in the love of it shall be saved But for the most 1. Some propose to themselves no End at all neither can they so much as speak sense to any one that shall ask them why they come there I cannot better express it than in the words of the Divine Historian in describing of that rout truly so called though he names it a Church (o) Acts 19.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together I am loth to say this description fits too many Congregations 2. Some propose to themselves Ends down-right sinful viz. Some to catch at expressions for the exercise of their frothy Wits over a glass of Wine (p) Isa 28.22 Be not mockers lest your bands be made too strong for you to break Some to ensnare the Minister we need not think it strange for they dealt so with our Master (q) Mark 12.13 14. They send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to catch him in his words and they pretend a scrupulous Conscience they say unto him Master we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but teachest the way of God in truth Is it lawful to give that as Tribute to Caesaer which Moses appointed for the use of the Sanctuary Christ doth as it were answer them If 't were really a Case of Conscience they would not stick at paying both
more particularly and expresly and heartily you do this the better you will be able to give account of your attendance upon the Word This will be like the washing or scouring of a Vessel before you fill it that what you put into it may not be spoil'd According to that of the Apostle James (n) Jam. 1.21 Lay apart not only restrain and keep in but put off and throw away all filthiness ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sordes 'T is a Metaphor borrowed from the filth of the Body and thence transferr'd to the Soul Sin is a sordid thing and we must not only lay aside all things that defile us but all superfluity of naughtiness Some interpret of it those Excrements which we are in pain till we are rid of them q. d. Wash off all outward filth and purge out all inward for without this we can never savingly receive the Word 2. Propose to your selves such an End for your hearing that you will not be ashamed of If God should give you your Liberty propose what End you will to your selves provided it be such as upon serious reflection you will not be ashamed of e. g. You go to hear a Sermon to see a Mistriss is not that an End to be ashamed of or you fetch a Walk for your Recreation and sit down to rest you at the end of it to hear a Sermon and when you have rested you return may you not be ashamed of this You go to a Sermon for the Language or Notions of it though both these may be excellent your End is sinfull But yet I 'll close this with this Advice viz Hold on to hear Sermons though with an end to be repented of for while you play with the Bait you may be caught with the Hook while you are in the way of Grace you may be graciously surprized 3. Above all preface your hearing with Prayer As praying is the last thing the Minister doth before he Preacheth let praying be the last thing you do before you go out to hear Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase (p) 1 Cor. 3.7 Many times our profiting is according to our praying But here again I advice you to hear though you pray not at all for by hearing you 'l be convinced that 't is your Duty to pray you 'l be instructed and incouraged in it 2. In hearing When you are engaged pray don't gratifie Satan then by a diversion for Preparation No tho it be by Prayer any other than Ejaculatory that must have been before herein likewise take these three Directions 1. Set your selves before God to hear Christ speaking to you from Heaven The more actually and seriously you presentiate Christ unto your selves the more you will give up your selves to him I grant we can't preach as the Apostles wrote by the immediate guidance of the Holy Ghost without all error and mistake Query whether all their popular Sermons were so infallibly guided it seems not (*) Gal. 2.11 yet Christ speaks through us as through a crack'd Trumpet though we betray our own frailties yet for the main of our Sermons we dare say Thas saith the Lord which is a proof of Christ speaking (q) 2 Cor. 13.3 in us this will be matter of thansgivings by both your Ministers and your selves when (r) 1 Thes 2.13 you receive the Word of God which ye heard of us not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God then 't will certainly work effectually 2. Mix your hearing with Ejaculatory Prayers Ejaculations to God and Soliloquies to your selves will help to make and keep the heart tight Jogg your own hearts as you do your sleeping Neighbour call in your thoughts while they are within call and as far as 't is possible think of nothing but what you are about A Heart thus confin'd is like to be most enlarged both with Grace and Comfort 3. Be sure to hold fast the Seope of what you hear Not only those passages which more particularly affect you but that which is the main design of the Sermon I think this the weakest Memory may retain and I think this will do most good when 't is retained In short be be sure you retain something Do thus or somewhat like it in hearing 3. After hearing These Questions were proposed by Christ both negatively and affirmatively some months perhaps some years after they had heard John And Christ proposeth that with some vehemency That you may give a good answer I shall commend to you but two things 1. Consideration Chew the Cud this is the Metaphor that 's commonly made use of (ſ) Lev. 11.3 The Beasts that chewed the cud were clean for food and sacrifice◠these Creatures gather up their food into a kind of inward bag and then they sit down and bring it up to chew it over again and then convey it into the stomach for nourishment So that Christian whose self and service is a Sacrifice acceptable to God gathers up what he thinks the Best in a Sermon and when retired chews it over again for his spiritual nourishment and growth in Grace As your considering thinking Man is the only wise man so your considering thinking Christian is the only thriving Christian 2. Add something to your practice and continue that till it give way to something else of greater moment I am far from laying any stress upon any spiritual Prudentials that I can offer but I would humbly propose it to thinking Christians whether if every Lord's-day I do not exclude other days but Query Whether we may not expect more from Lord's-days Sermons than any other The Lord's-day being the time of Divine appointment and other days of humane conveniency The business of the Lord's-day is Devotion on other days we make a scape from worldly business to a Sermon and then rush into the World again as if we would redeem that time for the World that we spent with Go◠I query therefore If we do charge our selves upon what we hear on the Lord's-day to practise something more or something more carefully than before and to keep to that till that give place to something else of greater moment Did we begg something of God more this week than the last Did we single out some sin for mortification more this week than the last Did we do something enjoyned on the Lord's-day This would be to us like the Shew-bread to Israel which was made thus They brought twenty four pecks of Wheat-meal out of which they sifted twenty four Pottles of fine flower of which they made twelve unleavened Cakes every one was ten hand breadth long and five broad and seven fingers high which signified the multitude of the Faithfull presented unto God in his Church as upon a pure Table continually serving him (t) Lev. 24.8.9 as also the Spiritual repast which the Church of God obtaineth from
taking pleasure in the promoting of the Graces and Comforts of others in our way to Heaven Christians forget not that the joy of the Lord is your strength (m) Neh. 8.10 The serving of God with chearfulness strengtheneth both Body and Mind whereas excess of grief damps the Spirit and infeebles the Body unfitting us for the Service of either God or Man But the complaining Soul will still complain Say what you will or can Comfort belongs not to me (n) Ps 77.3 4. I may say with Asaph My Soul refuseth to be comforted I remember God and am troubled I complain and my Spirit is overwhelmed God holds mine Eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak q. d. I cannot but reject all the Consolations that my Friends suggest to me The thoughts of Gods Goodness Wisdom and Power have sometimes been refreshing to me but now they are matter of terror to me God is angry with me and I cannot bear it my trouble is so great I can't express it your speaking Comfort to me is but as the Singing of Songs to a heavy Heart 3. Notwithstanding all this and a great deal more of such Complaints yet I 'll assert and make good my assertion That Comfort belongs to them that conclude against themselves that their case is hopeless and I 'll try to make those very persons confess it We are not to take Mens own word that either the Promises or Threatnings are their portion but we must examine the grounds of their peremptory assertion e. g. If a wicked wretch shall confidently boast he doth not in the least doubt but he shall as certainly be saved as any of those that take most care about their Salvation though he ne're troubles his thoughts about it Do you think that in taking his Accounts Chist will let his Confidence pass for saving Faith and give him Heaven for his Presumption surely you can't think he will while he hath given us so plain a Rule how to judge of words by things viz. By their fruits you shall know them (o) Mat. 7.16 c. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit So then as a Man shall not save his Soul for his groundless Presumption so neither shall he lose his Soul for his groundless despondency Thou complainest of thy self not of Christ he is precious (p) 1 Pet. 2.7 in thine eye therefore thy Faith is saving thou fearest that thou dost not cleave to Christ yet thou hadst rather die than offend him this is a Faith of adherence and that is saving Thou complainest but restlesly strivest to be more inwardly outwardly universally holy that is a good Evidence thy state is good though while under a Temptation or under a Cloud thou canst not see it to be so But thou still sayest I am an unprofitable Hearer and I cannot believe that Christ will pardon what is amiss and accept of any thing as good of what I can do and therefore pray quit this way of answering my complaint by telling me of Comfort If you have any thing else to offer I 'll hear it I may expect rather to hear of Christ in a clap of Thunder than in a soft and still voice 4. I 'll speak to thee no more directly of Comfort but only ask thee a Question about the Comforts of others What are thy thoughts about the Comforts and Joys of the Holy Ghost are there any such things or are they meer Fancies If there be any such things what thinkest thou of those that partake of them Is the enjoyment of them desirable Are they happy that have them Whether is more eligible to spend your Life in mourning Complaints or to spend it in the joyfull Praises of the Lord our Redeemer Are these Questions hard to be answered These Questions are out of question Oh! there are no joys like the joys of the Holy Ghost the best of carnal joys are incomparably below them Though I fear I shall never be so happy as to enjoy them yet I can't but admire them that do Do you ask which is more eligible a life of mourning Complaints or a life of Joys Ask a Man under a fit of the Stone whether that is more eligible than a state of health Well dost thou speak this heartily Ask thy Heart again that thou mayest not mistake me or go back from thine own answer Are the joys of the Holy Ghost Realities Are they unspeakably beyond all other joys Are they happy that enjoy them Wilt thou stand to thy word Then they are all thine own thou hast a title to them at present and as sure as thy Redeemer lives thou shalt be put into the possession of them Mark how I prove it Every one that hath Truth of Grace hath an indefeasible Title to Glory (q) 1 John 5.13 These things which I have written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that you have eternal life (r) 2 Cor. 1.22 They have a Seal for Assurance but an earnest which is a begun possession elsewhere called the first-fruits (Å¿) Rom. 8.23 but every one that prizeth the holy joys of the Holy Ghost hath Truth of Grace Graceless Persons make a mock of the joys of the Holy Ghost they can scarce forbear sneering at the mention of them he perfers carnal Comforts before them (t) Psal 4.6 7 Many say who will shew us any good But the gracious Soul says Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased ver 3. This is the godly Man whom the Lord hath set apart for himself Not any one that is not a Saint himself hath any esteem for a Saint as a Saint (u) 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Now I dare appeal to your selves in the very midst of all your complaints when thou fearest thou shalt never have any of these joys yet thou hast a value for them above any other Thou preferrest thy complaints before worldly Pleasures thou dost not thou canst not but follow Christ though it be tremblingly If all these be not infallible Evidences of Grace what are Chide thy self and pray thy self out of thy complaining temper (w) Eccl. 9.7 Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy Wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works And thus you have my Answer as well to the Complaint as to the Case God make it beneficial to all that shall read it There remains some questions depending upon the Case that require some Answer I 'll attempt that also Qu. 1. When we make choice of a Minister to be under Christ the special Guide of our Souls How shall we avoid the sinfull preferring of one before another How may we escape that
against will be Hell-fire in their Consciences for ever and the clearer light the hotter fire And the higher they have been lifted up by the opportunities of Grace towards Heaven the lower they will fall under the weight of Guilt and the rebukes of Conscience 2. They will suffer more than others from the Devil and his Angels For that they are the Executioners of God's wrath upon the wicked in this world is out of question and so some think they will be in the world to come but only as under God's Commission which they ground upon that Text Agree with thine Adversary quickly lest he deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge to the Tormentours c. by whom they understand Evil Spirits Matth. 18.34 3. Christ himself will appear in greatest severity against such He is said to be revealed in flames of fire against such that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2 Thess 1.8 By both which expressions are meant impenitent Sinners under the Gospel His first Coming was in a flame of Love to save Men but when Men are impenitent and reject his Salvation he will come next in flames of Wrath to take Vengeance And in the first place against these To the Jew before the Gentile Rom. 2.9 and to the impenitent Christian before both 4. Witnesses will rise up against these more than any other sinners The Heathen will come in against them as our Saviour speaks The men of Niniveh shall rise up against this generation and condemn it The Queen of the South shall rise up and condemn it Matth. 12.41 The Heathen who have gone further by the Light of Nature than many who have lived under the Light of the Gospel will come in as Witnesses against them The Jew may come in as a witness also who under the darker Light of the Law hath out-stripped many that were under a Gospel ministration The good Angels may come in as Witnesses who having been present in the Church-assemblies have heard the Calls there given to Sinners to repent The bad Angels may come in and plead against them that they never refused the Calls of the Gospel to believe and repent for they never had any Ministers may come in as Witnesses who spent their pains and strength upon them to invite and call them to Repentance but they would not hear Many of their Neighbours and Fellow-Christians may witness against them who did believe and repent under the same means whenas these did not All which will contribute to make their Damnation the more intolerable The APPLICATION Vse 1. We may hence learn what to judge of the Heathen who have not heard of Christ I shall not dispute whether any of them may be saved or not yet this I can say that their Damnation will be more tolerable than of many others Those that sinned without the Law shall have more favourable Judgment than those that sinn'd under the Law and those that detain'd only natural Truth in unrighteousness as the Heathen Rom 1.18 shall fare better than those that so detained Truth supernatural And among the Heathen Diogenes may fare better than Dionysius Cato than Cataline Vespasian than Dioclesian The last Judgment will be exactly righteous Vse 2. Hence it appears that what is in it self a great Favour and Priviledge to a People may be the occasion of the greatest Evil. As the Gospel is in it self yet will be an occasion to many of a Damnation that will be most inexcusable and most intolerable Christ was first preached to the Jews which was their priviledge but they rejecting him it brought sorer Calamities upon their Nation than ever before And wrath came upon them to the utmost And that Christ that is a Corner-stone to his Church they first stumbled at and then it fell upon them and did grind them to powder And how it will fare with them in the day of Judgment he tells them John 12.48 The words that I have spoken the same shall judge you at the last day And what Judgment will be more severe than theirs who have refused and rejected words that came immediately from the mouth of the Son of God Words so full of Grace and Mercy Truth and Faithfulness Wisdom and Understanding so that never any Man spake as this Man As the men of Bethshemesh rejoyced and offered Sacrifices of Thanksgiving at the Coming of the Ark to them but it proved an occasion of the destruction of many Thousands of them 1 Sam. 6.19 Vse 3. We may hence take notice how ineffectual the best outward Means are of themselves to bring a people to repentance Could any City have greater means for it than Capernaum Here Christ wrought Miracles that did amaze them and preach'd Doctrine that did astonish them but not bring them to repentance The Gospel doth sometimes make some impressions upon the Minds of people that may still continue impenitent in their sin Some when they have heard a Sermon will applaud it but not repent Whether it be from a Conforming or Non-conforming Minister yet by neither are brought to repentance John Baptist preached Repentance and Christ came and preached Repent and yet the Jews for the greatest part repented not by the one or the other Some are for Gospel-preaching some for preaching the Law and yet hold fast their sins under both Such is the stupidity that is fall'n upon Man and such deceitfulness in his Heart and is so fast bound by the Chains of his Sin Obj. But God can bring Man to Repentance if he will Ans God hath a twofold Power Potestas absoluta ordinata A Power that he exerts immediately or in the use of means God can by his absolute Power preserve Man's life without eating or drinking but he maintains it ordinarily in the use of means which Man is obliged to use and if he reject them will be guilty of his own death God affords Sinners means to bring them to repentance and if they reject them God is not obliged to work by his immediate Power Hereupon God is said to be willing that all should be saved and come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 by his calling them and affording means to repentance Q. But why doth God make these means effectual to some not to others by giving special Grace A. When he that makes this Question can resolve me why Christ wrought his mighty Works in Corazin and Bethsaida and not in Tire and Sidon when he foresaw that Tire and Sidon would thereupon repent in dust and ashes and Corazin and Bethsaida would not repent I shall then answer him in his Enquiry Secret things belong to God but tâ—ings revealed to us and our Children Let Sinners use the means and wait there for God's special Grace And can Sodom justly complain that Christ came not to do his mighty Works in it and brought not the Light of the Gospel to it when she offer'd such Violence to the common dictates of the Light and Law of Nature Vse 4.
Custom that when two fell at Contention their Leaders would appoint them a meeting before Sun-set and cause them to embrace one another But we have many to push us on and few to moderate us in our Contentions We tear one another in pieces and if any interpose he is stigmatiz'd for a Neuter or else meets with the Parter's portion to wit blows on both sides he finds Livie's Observation but too true that Media via neque amicos parit nec inimicos tollit Hear Holy Augustine in the like Case to Hierome and Ruffinus who were in Contention Woe is me that I cannot find you nearer together how am I moved how do I grieve what fear am I in I would fall down at your feet I would weep and begg each for himself each for the other yea for others sakes especially the weak that look upon you to their great hazard Combating as it were upon a Theater But where hath this Holy Man left his healing spirit I am sure this would become those in each Function and turn to their honour and comfort both here and hereafter 4. Our Common Enemy is ready to devour us The Holy Ghost observes that when Abraham said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee for we be brethren that the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land Gen. 13.7 8. that if the Relation of Brethren would not sway his Kinsman yet the reproach and the danger that might fall upon them both from the Canaanite and the Perizzite might check any further breach between them We have the Canaanites both within the Land and without that are ready to make one morsel of us and who after we have condemned one another for Superstition and Schism will truss us all up for Heresie without the infinite Mercy of God Now even Antipathies are laid aside in common dangers as it is probable that all the Creatures though of contrary dispositions agreed in the Ark And yet we cannot in this our common peril agree with our own Countrey-men Luther tells of two Goats that meeting upon a narrow Plank over a deep River whereby they could neither turn back nor pass by the one of them lyes down that the other going over him they might both escape the danger If meer Nature can teach these poor Creatures to yield so far to one another to prevent the Ruine of both furely Reason and especialy God's Grace being superadded should teach each different Party in common dangers to strive which should submit to other in what possibly they can to preserve the whole It is evident that we all have a watchful and an unmerciful Enemy who as they have long abetted our Divisions so they build their greatest hopes upon the continuance of them and although they may carry fairer to one side than to another yet even such must only expect to be used by them as Vlysses was by Polyphemus to be devoured last What unaccountable folly then is it for us with Archimedes to be taken up with drawing unnecessary lines and figures while in the mean time the City is taken and the Romans come and take away both our place and Nation Vse 4. Let us all then be intreated conjured and perswaded to forbear biting and devouring one another If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies be ye like minded having the same love be of one accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife and vain-glory Philip. 2.1 2 3. Leave off this bruitish Behaviour towards one another To which end Consider 1. The Greatness and baseness of the Sin 2. The Certainty and sadness of the Danger that attends it 3. The best Method to Cure the Sin and prevent the Danger For the first the Greatness and baseness of the Sin 1. You break the great Command of God's Law which is Love For next to the Love of God is the Love of our Neighbour and they are so conjoyn'd that the one cannot exist without the other For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 Joh. 4.20 When therefore you think you are zealous for God by this kind of managery you are breaking his Laws Yea you break the Royal Law which Commands you to Love your Neighbour as your selves Jam. 2.8 and no other Devotion Preciseness or Charity will answer for this Defect as it follws ver 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point referring to this very fault he is guilty of all 2. You trample upon the great Precept of the Gospel which is Love 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment See here Commandment in the beginning of the Verse and Commandment again in the end of it and then it 's joyn'd and goes hand in hand with Faith in Jesus Christ so that you may as safely be without the one as without the other And again 1 Joh. 4.21 And this Commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also Now what Love can there be in the Heart when there is nothing but reproach contempt and rage in the Tongue in the Pen and in the Carriage It is certain That out of the abundance of the Heart the Tongue speaks and the Lungs must needs be corrupt within when such purulent matter is expectorated Say not that your Love to the Truth or to the Publick Good must regulate your behaviour to particular Persons For neither the Truth nor the Publick good do need your uncharitable words or behaviour Our Blessed Saviour had great Truths to declare and great Errors to oppose yet He did not strive nor cry neither did any man hear his Voice in the streets Mat. 12.19 And as Lactantius argued with the Heathens Vel Ethnici Christianos sapientes judicant vel stultos tamen non vel sapientes imitantur vel stultis parcunt So either your Opposites are either wise or foolish If wise you should comply with them respect and reverence them if foolish you should forbear and pity them But whatsoever they are you ought intirely to love them 3. These Contentions do bring great dishonour to Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace the true King of Salem the great Promoter of Peace and the great pattern of it When he came into the World Peace was sung when he departed out of the World Peace was bequeathed Now this quarrelsome temper in his Servants doth grievously reflect upon him For he saith John 17.20 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them that shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one That the world may believe that thou hast sent me As if he had said Their dissentions and quarrels will tempt men
hath provok'd layes the hand of his Faith upon Christ and humbly beggs that Christ's Death for him may be accepted instead of his own which he had deserved But now to give a further illustration of my Text and Subject if he pleads thô for Christ's sake for pardon of sin and yet retains a love and liking to his sin if he desires never so earnestly that he may not dye for sin and yet is willing that his sin may live these are vain Oblations vain Prayers but most real and dreadfull provocations There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Beast within us which we must kill I mean every corruption or no Sacrifice no not of the Lamb of God himself will be accepted for us Habes in te quod occidas Every Man hath some sin or other within him nay a whole body of sin which he must slay by at least a sincere continued endeavour or all Legal and Gospel sacrifices too in the World will not avail him we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 or we cannot live And now we may easily understand who they are that name the Name of Christ And to what purpose For our Saviour is he who is so called the same with Messias from his being anointed by God to those Offices of King Priest and Prophet to his Church All Christians name the name of Christ Now those that apply themselves unto him for Life and Salvation are necessitated to name his Name And so they do 1. In their Profession 1. In their Profession Hence we are call'd Christians and we own the Name and rejoyce and glory in it as a name divinely imposed on the Disciples of the Blessed Jesus by God himself for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does import and in our Baptism we agree to be listed amongst his Souldiers Acts 11.26 and to fight under his Banner nay we name Christ's Name and 't is our ambition to be call'd by it 1. Owning him as our Father 1 Pet. 1.23 By whose Spirit we are born again thrô his Word and as Jacob would have his Name named on the Children of Joseph Gen. 48.16 thereby owning and respecting of them as if they were his own Children so does Christ look upon all Believers as his Children and condescends to have his Name named on them nay he names them his Children when he says Here am I Hebr. 2.13 Isa 8.18 and the Children which thou hast given me 2. Looking upon Christ as our Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 to whom this Apostle tells us that we are espoused It is as ancient as the Prophet Isaiah's time to have the Wife called by the name of her Husband Isa 4.1 which is the meaning of their desire Let us be called by thy name i. e. that being married they might change their names for that of their Husbands and this was the custom amongst many of the Romans as still amongst us Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia And thus all that look upon Christ as their Father and hope for the Inheritance he hath so dearly bought for them or whosoever beholds him as their Husband and esteem his Love and long for the enjoying of him are concerned in this Obligation to depart from Iniquity As also 2. In their Petition naming Christ 2. In their Petition In every Prayer to be sure they name the Name of Christ in that they ask all in his Name that is in his strength and for his sake So indeed runs the Promise John 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name and i' th next verse If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it especially after our Saviours Ascension when he had paid the price for his People and for all the Pardons and Graces Strength or Comfort they should want he bids them expresly to mention his Name relying on his Merit for the obtaining of them He told them a little before his going to suffer for them John 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name thô doubtless they had prayed according as they were commanded Luke 11.2 the Lords Prayer day by day and implicitely at least desired all those mercies thro a Mediator They knew that the High Priest was to appear with the Names of God's Israel and to offer up Incense for them yet clearly and explicitely Christs own Apostles did not enjoy this great priviledge And doubtless some new advantages have accrewed to the Disciples of Christ since that Prayer was recommended or commanded by his Death and Resurrection Now the explicit naming of Christ is a very great encouragement in Prayer whether in those or any other words More particularly Pardon and Acceptance Justification and Peace with God must especially be desired in the Name of Christ and for his sake only for he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 and by being a Curse for us hath redeemed us from the Curse he was as accursed in our stead and did bear what the Curse did threaten to transgressors which being done and God's Justice and the Law satisfied it follows that in him God is well-pleased Mat. 3.17.17.5 which words are not only mention'd by the other Evangelists but repeated again in that extraordinary voice at his Transfiguration and are the more remarkable in that it is not said That Christ was God's beloved Son with whom God was pleas'd tho that was a truth from all Eternity but that God is pleased in him that is that God is well-pleased with all that are by Faith united to him and are as it were ingrafted in him Hence we are said to be justified freely by the Grace of God thro the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3.24 So that all who are liable to condemnation have no other Remedy no hope or help but in Christ Jesus Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 6.11 and there is no other Name by which they can be saved but by the name of Christ for we are justified by Faith in his Name Justification properly speaking is not the making of any righteous or holy tho none are justified who are not also sanctified but it is the accepting of any person who duely comes in the Name of Christ as righteous and holy for so he is in God's sight Christ's Righteousness being imputed unto him and for Christ's sake he becomes one of those blessed ones unto whom the Lord does not impute sin Psal 32.2 as the Psalmist expresses it in those very words En Graecis bonis Latina fecere non bona Ter. Whatsoever the import of the Latin word from whence our English word Justification may seem to be the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle are Juridical words and relate to a Court of Judicature where when the accused Party upon sufficient ground is acquitted he is said to be justified and Justification or Absolution is the proper Antitheton
say I will give you my word for it We may easily conceive it requisite from that natural light which remain'd in the reasonable creature that God the Creator and Governor is to be worshipped 4 Acts 17.23 Rom. 1.23 25 1 Kings 18.21 and that no worship can be accepted of God but what is instituted of himself and sith there abides in Man naturally a strong desire of truth and immortality of knowing how he may be accepted of God 5 2 Cor. 5.9 Psal 4.6 73.24 and enjoy Communion with him that there should be some assured 6 2 Tim. 3.14 Revelation 7 John 1.18 Deut. 29.29 whereby he doth manifest himself and declare his will as the glass of his Divinity 8 2 Cor. 3.18 4.6 and the rule of his worship 9 Isa 1.10 12. Matth. 7.21 Col. 2.23 24. that we may not be guilty of worshipping we know not what or how being he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth 10 Joh. 4.22 24 3. Tho' God in infinite Wisdom during the time of the long-liv'd Patriarchs till some time after the flood thought it sufficient notwithstanding there was an early defection from his appointments which yet in some measure came under the Reformation of Enoch 11 Gen. 4.26 Noah 12 Gen. 8.20 9.5 and Abraham 13 Gen. 17.1 c. Deut. 8.5 4.7 8. to continue that way of Revelation from one to another during the infancy of his Church however when she grew up it became necessary for the due Conservation Vindication and Propagation of his Word that as all Nations by the light of Nature are directed generally to the use of Laws his own Laws reaching to the very motions of the heart should be written 14 Prov. 22.19 20. Luke 1.3 4. Rom. 15.4 This is found to be the most credible way of Proposal it being most fit we should ascribe that to God which is really consonant to the greatest Wisdom that the certainty of the Word of truth might be known and communicated God himself wrote his Laws 15 Exod. 24.12 Hos 8.12 and commanded Moses 16 Exod. 34.1 27. and the Prophets 17 Hab. 2.2 Jer. 36.2 Scripta tabella manet Dr. Templer to write his will and oracles These coming as the credential Letters of the supream infallible Majesty which are to remain inviolable not be rejected by any who could never see any demonstrative evidence to weaken the Authority thereof So that it would be most injurious to the Divine benignity to suspect that the All-wise and most gracious God would be wanting to his Church in so necessary a matter The great Doctor of the Gentiles would argue ‖ Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his Son but deliver'd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things These things being premis'd 2. I shall proceed to the particular grounds of the Assertion so as I would hope they may not only satisfie real Christians but such as are doubting of the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures if not dispos'd to be Antiscripturists 1. The Assent of Divine Faith whereby a sinner is converted and brought nigh to God is only built upon the Authority of God the Revealer considering his infallible Veracity that he is a God of truth and cannot deceive or be deceived having dominion over his Creatures who are therefore to submit to his Word penn'd upon his command by those who were divinely inspir'd 18 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Sam. 23.2 3. Hos 12.10 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Thes 2.13 as they vouch'd and prov'd themselves to be and we have no solid reason to except against their Proof Tho' the Prophets and Penmen of Scripture were not always accompanied with miracles when they delivered their Messages from God yet they required an attendance and obedience under an eternal penalty to be inflicted upon those who did disobey the voice and Message of God which if they to whom it came did not receive with a Divine Faith they did in Gods account refuse to obey There is no suspending our Assent when God expresly declares his Will by himself or his Messengers coming in his Name as in the last days he did by his Son 19 Heb. 1.1 who spake with Authority and not as the Scribes 20 Matth. 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a Divinity discern'd in it by the hearers and so there was in some proportion in the Prophets of the Lord somewhat Divine which might be discern'd by those unto whom it came as by Paul distinctly ‖ else it had been hard for God to have charged their eternal and temporal welfare or ruin 6 Acts 22.9 upon their discerning or not discerning a right betwixt his Word in the mouth of his own Prophets and that Word which pretended only so to be in the mouths of the false Prophets We have a notable instance hereof in opposition to those who pretended to Prophecy in the Name of the Lord to gain credit to their lies 21 Jer. 23.22 25 28. The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream and he that hath my Word let him speak it faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Is not my Word like fire saith the Lord And like an hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces The righteous God would not have required of Men under a dreadful penalty to have assented to his Word in opposition to the impostors dreams had there not been most certain tokens for the differencing of it from that of the false prophets whose words as all others besides his were as Chaff light and useless stuff for Mans food which the Wheat the bread of life might be easily known from by those who had eyes to see and did not because of their evil deeds love darkness rather than light ‖ John 3.19 we know they who by a good light are conversant in receiving and paying of monies do readily discern the genuine from counterfeit coin Whereupon Gerson * Pars prima De distinctione verarum Visionum a falsis affirmed that the true coin of Divine Revelation may be known from the counterfeits of Diabolical Visions as true Gold is from its counterfeit by its weight flexibility and durableness or continuity and incorruptibleness configuration and colour Gods holy Word had light and heat and power proper to it which made it evident tho' prejudice and conceited interest hindred many to whom it came from giving entire credit to it delivered by the Lords true Prophets 21 Isa 53.1 Jer. 43.3 and Christ himself 22 John 9.29 12.37 38. who will certainly manifest himself as in displeasure to those who reject him revealing the Father so in favour to those who receive him 23 John 14.21 Matth. 11.20 T is no way likely that one from the dead should so manifest himself if he came to impart his experiences to his
friends yet in the state of the living who should in all reason consider that if we receive the witness of Men the witness of God is greater 24 1 John 5.9 and consequently should be deemed more succesful for conversion Hence 2. The Scriptures prove themselves by their own light to be from God and appointed by him to convince and convert sinners and direct them to come to him for rest If God do reveal himself his attributes and will by his works 1 Psal 145.15 which praise him and manifest his eternal power and god-head 2 Rom. 1.20 Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum to leave Men inexcusable so far as that evidence goes and likewise by the voice of Nature or the innate light those common principles left in the Consciences of Men exercised to discern betwixt good and evil 3 Rom. 2.14 15 then he having magnified his word above all his Name 4 Psal 132.2 which is all that whereby he makes himself known there be certainly more clear characters and glorious impressions of the Divine Majesty his Power Holiness Goodness Wisdom and Grace to be discern'd therein than any where besides 'T is rational to collect that by the same Counsel God did inscribe Ensigns of himself in the works of his own hands Dr. Templer de Sacro Canone he did impress documents of Divinity on the words of his mouth wherein the lineaments of Heavenly Wisdom are as conspicuous as the sagacity of Joab in the speech of the Woman of Tekoa unto David 5 2 Sam. 14.19 Even as by the light of the Sun in the Firmament we may see the glorious body of the Sun it self So by the Word of God which is pure enlightning the Eyes 6 Psal 19.4 8. we may discern clearly who is the Author of it By the condescending beams and influences vouchsafed in that bright Sun who is indeed the Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descends 4 James 1.17 we may come to see our chief good and the only way to enjoy it In him is the fountain of life and in his light we shall see light 5 Psal 36.9 God who is the true invariable light in whom there is no darkness at all ‖ 1 John 1.7 can so shine upon the glass 6 James 1.23 2 Cor. 3.18 of his Word that we may see therein a lively Spiritual portraiture of himself and his pleasure towards us with our duty unto him For you know by looking in a glass we see the glass it self our selves and other things within reach in the room and so by the Christal glass of the Word we may see God who speaks it our selves with our besmeared faces and the emptiness of the creatures in the same room with us which may well engage us to seek to the fountain of all fulness God himself But then we should remember as an Honourable Person adviseth * Mr. Boyl Stile of Scripture p. 72. to consider the Holy Bible as an harmonious Systeme tho' written by parts and piece-meal in several ages It being like a fair suit of Arras of which tho' a shred may assure us of the fineness of the colours and the richness of the stuff yet the hangings never appear to their true advantage but when they are display'd to their full dimensions and seen together Besure the Scriptures to which we do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark-place 7 2 Pet. 1.19 will in this prospect clearly shew their Author and original namely that they came from him who is the light of Men and shineth in darkness 8 John 1.4 5. 1 John 1.4 5. to the good satisfaction of the Consciences of the honest beholders themselves whatever objections may be made by carnal reasonings to the contrary hereby being far more effectual to convert the Soul and rejoyce the Heart 9 Psal 19.7 8. than any appearances of prodigious spectres giving some notice of what passes in the other World could ever do Sith the real resurrection of Lazarus had no other influence on some of the Jews than only to give them occasion of turning informers to the Pharisees against Christ who had just before their Eyes wrought that most notable miracle 10 John 11.46 Hence 3. The power and efficacy the Scriptures have had in changing the minds and hearts of men shew that as to any future expectations they are more successful for conversion than any new revelations or appearances from the other World The powerful effects of it proving the Word of God to be a perpetual Ordinance or covenant which God hath commanded for ever 11 Psal 111.9 deriving vertue from him for this very end and by its powerfulness and quickness evidencing him to be the undoubted Author of it 12 Heb. 4.12 when it is received tho' revealed to and by Men immediately or mediately not as the word of Men but as it is in truth the Word of God which worketh effectually in them that believe 13 1 Thes 2.13 yea and brings men to believe who are not preposess'd with prejudices and corrupt affections which cause a rage against Divine appointments whereupon the God of this World the Prince of Darkness blinds their minds lest the light of the Gospel of Christ who is the image of the invisible God should shine into them 14 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Yet in the dispensation of the Word there is an evidence of Divinity in it commending it self to the Consciences of unprejudiced Men. The ordinary means of grace being mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds 15 2 Cor. 10.4 5. yea every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God from whom it came and unto whom it directs us Even great ones have been astonish'd at the Doctrin of the Lord 16 Acts 13.12 Psal 119.111 drawn from vitious courses into virtuous and holy practices from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God 17 Acts 26.18 when little good comparatively was done by Christ himself preaching at Capernaum 18 Mat. 11.23 13.58 The Magazin of his Miracles those extraordinary Discoveries of their Author In the use of the ordinary means of Grace even at one Sermon of Peters we find three thousand converted 19 Acts 2.41 and afterwards upon hearing of the Word we meet with about five thousand more that believed 20 Acts 4.4 which may well evidence who was the Author of it and in whose hand it was an Instrument 21 Eph. 2.20 Many have been built upon this Foundation enlightned and directed by this Light 22 Ps 119.105 fed with this meat 23 Heb. 5.13 14 regenerated by this Seed 24 1 Pet. 1.23 which as a grain of Mustard-seed in a matter of Sixty Six years space after the sowing of it grew into a great Tree which Pliny * Plin. Secund. lib.
10. Epist mox ipso tractu ut fieri solet diffundente se crimine c. Adversus gentes ipsa multitudine perturbatus the Proconsul in Bythinia employ'd by Trajan to root up Christianity which they accounted a Crime did acknowledg Tertullian and others prove the spreading of it in the Second and Third Centuries So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed 25 Acts 19.20 in the primitive times ingenerating unconquer'd Constancy of Faith and Godliness in the minds of the Hearers and always victoriously triumphing over the Kingdom of Satan and false Religions In the beginning of the Reformation said Luther * Tom. 4.282 Ubique experimur in Templo in Rep. c. We do everywhere experience in the Church in the Commonwealth in the Family certain fruits of the Word which as Leaven doth spread it self into all the parts of the Commonwealth the Offices and all the States Afterwards we find how it did diffuse it self in England Scotland and Ireland c. ‖ See the Fulfilling of Scriptures p. 401 414. Is 46.10 John 10.35 Acts 1.16 Notwithstanding they of the Antichristian state have laboured to keep up their Superstition and Idolatry by feigned Apparitions as may be seen in later Collections of Popish Miracles the History of Jetzer c. 4. The Holy Bible being the appointed Instrument wherewith the Holy Spirit will work for the sanctification of the Soul 24 John 17.17 1 Pet. 1.22 it is indeed a surer word of prophecy which the Spirit of Christ that spake in the Prophets themselves did signifie 1 1 Pet. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than that which came from Heaven at the transfiguration 2 2 Pet. 1.18 19 Mat. 17.5 Not in regard of the truth for therein they were both equal but in regard that at the Transfiguration was more transient being heard but by a few this of the Scripture more firm and fixed being written for an unalterable Record just so as Holy Men had it brought to them at several times by the Holy Ghost it was not of any private Conception for it came not by the will of man but was brought into them by the will of God who hath strongly preserv'd it amongst his People notwithstanding the endeavours of Antiochus to destroy it under the Old Testament and afterwards when the Canon was compleated tho' several of the Roman Emperors used their utmost power to burn it * Euseb Eccles Hist l. 10. ch 3 4. 8.2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For rather than they whom the Spirit of God had wrought upon by it in the communication of Spiritual Light and Life would become Traditores such Traitors to God and their own Soul as to deliver it up to Dioclesian's Officers they in great numbers suffered themselves in Egypt to be bodily destroyed in humble confidence the Author of it would take their Souls into Abraham's Bosom to be for ever happy there So successful a means is the Word of God for the work of Grace in the Soul that no marvel upon the Rich man's speaking his own conceit or odd wish for some ones prodigious return from the other World as if a Preacher thence would bring his Brethren to return to God Father Abraham discovers himself to be of another mind as it were giving him a Reprimand shews that the Written Word giving more clear evidence of its really coming from above and so manifesting it self to be from God should rather do it as being the stated means which the Spirit useth in the conversion of others And therefore the hankering after Messengers to come anew from Heaven or Hell argues those who are so dispos'd to be such as our Saviour shewed in confuting the Sadduces who really know not the Scriptures nor the power of God therein 3 Mat. 22.29 For let us suppose one who had been dead and known to be so for several years should be wonderfully raised up by God to warn his known Friends here in this World to flee from the wrath to come and to return to God What new Arguments could He use that had not been used in the Ministration of the Word before sith therein he had been acquainted with the pure Precepts of the Divine Majesty and also his sure promises of Heaven to the Obedient with the certain threatnings of Hell to the Disobedient and the never-ceasing pains under the execution of them felt by him who in this Parable here would have warning given to his Brethren What can He suppos'd to come from the other World offer more to the serious consideration of his Relatives After a little startling of them who it may be would be somewhat concern'd a little while at the surprize as the Drunkard seeing his Pot-Companion fall down dead under the Table or others struck dead on every side in a dreadful Pestilence yet the Survivers remain unchang'd in their Minds Wills and Affections of Love and Hatred Hope and Fear all this while Tho' they have often heard the Ministers of the Word even in Christs stead laying cogent Arguments before them to gain their Assent powerful Motives to work upon their Wills and Affections from the sure Word universally suited to the Cases of their several Souls when it may be they had some common motions of the Spirit which they have quenched whereupon they may now be prone to doubt whether this suppos'd new and extraordinary Messenger be indeed Commission'd from God unless he produce his Credentials and these be attested to by the Spirit 4 Gal. 3.1 2. Lavater de Spectris For upon the appearance of an Angel there might well be a suspicion sith if a good one his Message would accord with God's Word if a bad one he would endeavour to deceive by his Lies When the Angel did instruct Joseph by a Vision he forthwith adjoin'd a Testimony from the Prophetical Scripture 5 Mat. 1.23 Isa 7.14 which Christ and his Apostles had respect to tho' they could work Miracles to confirm their Doctrin 5. God out of his infinit Wisdom hath given us his Oracles and sent his Embassadors in the ministry of reconciliation 4 2 Cor 5.19 20 men like to our selves as more suitable to us in houses of Clay than Angels which live out of the Sphere of our Commerce God might think now their Testimonies to his Church here below would not be so convenient for his Government and so consequently not so successful for the beginning of Conversion He could have had the use of the Noblest Spirits for his Errand and Embodied them if he would for expedition when he chose to employ Moses notwithstanding his excuses 5 Ex. 3.11 12. when the Promise of God's Presence with him on his Embassie might answer all 6 Ex. 4.10 12. so that he found be might say with converted Paul ‖ Phil. 4.13 He could do all things through Christ enstrengthning him Man is best drawn in such a
Rom. 3.2 The Heathens were exceeding fond of their Oracles which were but Riddles and Cheats but many under the Christian name do disregard the lively and true Oracles of God I mean not only those who of old look'd upon the Old Testament as not endited by the Spirit Manichees Weigelians Papists or of later days as out of date under the New Testament and all of it but as a dead letter and those who forbid the reading of it to the Laity But such as sleight and do not consult these infallible Oracles which really passed Gods own hands having his Signature upon them and being able to make us wise unto Salvation 13 2 Tim. 3.15 yea are there not to be found those who tho' they professedly renounce Popery do yet droll upon the Holy Scriptures Burlesque them and make a ridicule of them and such would deal so with Monitors from the dead wherein if we would indeed exercise our Spiritual senses to discern we might see the face of God and live Alas How does the speech of many bewray them 14 Matth. 27.73 because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks to have little value for the Divine Oracles Sith they in all their talk seldom if ever discourse of them with reverence Which would indeed dispose one to fear that some under the name of Protestants have in reality no more value for the Oracles of God than the Popes of Rome who put their own Canons and Decrees not only in the same rank with the Canonical Scriptures but above them * Honoratus l. 2. Epist 16. 2. We should not any of us tempt God in hankering after new Revelations or extraordinary discoveries but adhere to God in the ordinary means he hath appointed and allow'd to us for conversion and confirmation 'T is true as a great Man †Mirand de fid ord cred hath well observ'd All Religion doth depend or is presumed to depend upon Revelations from above Flesh and blood saith Christ 15 Matth. 16.17 hath not revealed it but my Father which is in Heaven But then when this is consign'd in a sufficient and clear Canon undoubtedly attested with an exclusion of additionals under dreadful Plagues 16 Rev. 22.18 we should rest satisfied and not be reaching after novelties yea and we should heartily acknowledge our gratitude to our gracious God for his true light which doth perpetually cast out his rays and as Polybius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Of truth it self doth by it self prevail and pulls down all the falshood that perks up its head against it Oh how thankful should we be for the Liberty we do enjoy for the good of our precious Souls to worship God as he hath prescribed in his Word of eternal Truth Heartily waiting as dependents upon him Matth. 11.25 26. that he would open our Eyes to see the wonderful things contained in his Law 17 Psal 119.18 We should be well contented with the proposals that God himself makes to us in his unerring Word and not expect to have our curiosities gratified with strange Relations from the Dead If the House of God amongst us be built upon the foundation of the true Prophets and Apostles We shall not need as a Learned Man saith * Dr. Spencer of Proph. daubing with such spurious Visions and Prophecies as the Romanists brag of Luther vext with their Impositions writes †In Gen. c. 22. Ego soleo Deum precari c. I am wont to pray God daily that He may not send any Angel to me for any cause if any should be offer'd I would not hear unless he should signifie somewhat of political necessity even as pleasant dreams and glad tidings are sometimes wont to chear us up in civil matters and yet I know not whether even in such a case I would harken to him and believe him But in Spiritual things we do not desire Angels The ordinary means of grace which I have been discoursing of as being ordain'd of God do discover what he would have us to do and what he will do for us is that which the Holy Spirit joins himself to and makes more effectual usually to a saving change of the heart than prodigious and sensible Alarms which uneasie Souls desire to pry into when as the Holy Angels desire to peep into the mysteries revealed to the Church and made known by the manifold or embroidered Wisdom of God 8 1 Pet. 1.12 Ephes 3.10 3. There should be no seeking to familiar Spirits or consulting of Conjurers and cunning Men as they would be thought to be who converse with Satan sith we are called to the Law and to the Testimonies If any pretenders to new lights or discoveries from the other World which speak not according to this Rule that is already revealed and sealed 't is because there is no light in them 19 Isa 8.20 See Engl. Annotat some expound it If they be otherwise minded than they have from God been advised and will resolve to run after Witches and Wizards there shall no day-light of prosperity befal them but all darkness of affliction and misery shall betide them God allows not a going to the Witch at Endor having written Laws by which he will Rule and Judge the World His people of old were not to hearken unto the word of those false Prophets that gave a sign or a wonder 20 Deut. 13.1 2 3. 2 Thes 2.9 tho' God permitted it to come to pass for their trial when pretended to be an attestation to that which God abhorr'd But they were to harken unto the Prophet whom God would send even Jesus Christ 21 Deut 18.15 22. Matth. 17.5 unto whom the true Prophets under the Old Testament did refer and who hath silenc'd all lying Oracles Which the true Oracles do caution us to take heed we be not deceived with 22 Mat. 10.16 24.23 24 1 Tim. 4.1 2. 2 Thes 2.9 10 Christs Apostles brought the Conjurers by the power of Gods Word to confess their delusions and bring their Books to be burned openly 23 Acts 19.18 19. which were of the same kind in effect with some Prognostications about future contingencies that there can be no true foundation for in genuine Astrology though that be pretended to the prejudice of the Divine Oracles To which who ever refuseth to give entire credit upon due deliberation he gives ground of suspicion that he hath none of the Spirâ—â— of Christ 24 1 Cor. 12.3 neither would he ever believe Christ himself returning in the flesh and all the Angels or those from the dead Hence we may take notice how the wonderful boldness of Satan bewrays it self Beza as well as the incredulity of Men in receiving the Truth and their credulity in embracing of Fables For how many are there who account for such those things concerning eternal punishment which are declared by the Son of God And
standing principle of actual repentance and whereby it is both enabled and disposed to it Now this repentance being a grace of Gods Spirit and yet inherent in Man as to the habit and exercised by him as to its acts or which is the same being Gods work and yet Mans duty we are to consider what is Gods part in it and what is Mans. First Gods work is 1. To infuse the grace or principle repentance in the habit which constantly is ascribed to God in Scripture Acts 11.18 Granred repentance 2 Tim. 2.23 If God will give them repentance 2. To actuate and enliven that Principle when infused as he doth other Graces Phil. 2.13 not meerly in a moral way by suggesting such Reasons and Arguments as may excite and move the Will to the exercise of Repentance but by the powerful and efficacious Influence of his Grace drawing out the habit into that exercise or causing the Soul to act suitably to this Divine Principle infused into it Secondly Mans Duty is 1. To seek and labour after Repentance in the use of all means by which God is wont to work it in the hearts of Men such as diligent attendance on the Word Repentance no less than Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 and what external means of Grace are appointed in it Intention of the Mind in that attendance on the means Mens applying the Truths delivered to themselves comparing their Cases with it examining themselves by it considering their ways c. which are but the actings of their reasonable Faculties and as much in their power as other moral Actions are and need not the Supernatural Influence of Divine Grace but only those common assistances God affords to Man in the ordinary actions of a rational Life and in a word these are but such kind of workings as shew them to be Men not to be Saints Isa 46.8 To these means in the use of which God is wont to work repentance I refer Prayer for it which though by an unregenerate Person it cannot be performed graciously and unto acceptance yet we may say it may be thus far performed successfully as that those Prayers may be heard and answered in relation to the Grace they seek and in the Elect of God they are heard tho' not with respect to the Persons which being graceless faithless cannot be accepted of God yet with respect to his own thoughts of Love towards them and his eternal purpose of conferring that Grace upon them 2. To excite and stir up in himself the Grace of Repentance when God hath wrought it in him for the putting forth Acts agreeable to the Principle he hath received and to which by that Principle he is both empowred and inclined unto the production of which Acts he is no more to question the concurrence of God's Special Grace than his common concurrence to the ordinary actings of his Reason and Will it being God's usual method to work with his Creatures according to their Natures and those Principles of Acting he hath put into them Though God quickens Grace as well as works it yet Man is to use those means for the quickning it in himself which God hath appointed and with which he is wont to work 2. The reasons of this Concession or which prove that a Death-bed Repentance may be sincere 1. It appears by the the instance of this Thief that a late Repentance and as late as one upon a Dying Bed hath been sincere and therefore the like may be again He did truly repent and therefore it is possible others may And that his Repentance was sincere we have sufficient Proof not only from Christs gracious acceptation of it manifested by the peremptory promise he gave him of admitting him into his Kingdom To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But by the other Graces we here find him exercising in concurrence with his repentance I. Faith which is the Principle of Evangelical Repentance and which never fails to work it where it is it self sincere He owns Christ as a King when he mentions his Kingdom and prays him to remember him when he comes into it This likewise implies his belief of and confidence in the Grace and Love as well as Power of Christ when he commits his departing Soul into his hands expecting his Salvation from him And indeed his Faith was not only sincere but strong and vigorous God had put as much of the Spirit of Faith into a poor Novice in Religion at the very first as he doth into many an old Disciple at the last It is a good argument of a strong Faith when it bears up against great discouragements as we see in Abraham's Faith Rom. 4.19 20. and that of the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15. from v. 22. to 28. Two great discouragements the Thief had which yet could not hinder his Faith 1. The heinousness of his Sins aggravated by long impenitence and perseverance in them to the last hour in a manner of his Life Well might he fear that God was so provoked by the continual rebellion of his wicked Life as totally to reject him now at his Death 2. The low and despicable condition he saw Christ in condemned as well as himself and hanging upon a Cross as well as himself slighted and mocked at by so many he might look on as better and wiser than himself no less than the Governours of the Church v. 33. The Rulers derided him This might have made him think there was little hope of help from him What was there in a crucify'd dying Man that to an eye of reason could make him look like a Saviour Meer Nature would as soon have looked for Life in Death it self nay Heaven in Hell as eternal Salvation in one who not only had formerly been so mean but now seemed so miserable II. Several other Graces we find in him as the fruits at least the concomitants of his Repentance 1. A free ingenuous and open confession of his Sins in the face of the World and thereby giving glory to God v. 41. We indeed justly c. Nor can it be said that his Confession was extorted from him by the Torments he suffer'd when we see his Companion impenitent under the like 2. He owns the Justice that had brought him to that end We receive the due reward of our deeds He neither murmurs against God nor quarrels with Men. 3. He sharply taxeth the impiety and profaneness of his fellow Thief in reviling Christ as well as his still continuing obstinate and impenitent v. 40. Dost not thou fear God c. and hereby he shews his indignation against Sin when he so heinously resents it not only in himself but in another Like David he beholds a transgressor and is grieved Ps 119.158 4. He doth what he can to bring his Companion to repentance Dost not thou fear God The Reproof implies an Exhortation as well as Instruction Now the communicativeness of Grace is a good argument of the sincerity of it
Spirit of God Sure he who hath an Immortal Soul within him and a Dubious State to himself as that dreadful Eternity before him should never be sick of his time that lies upon his Hand one hour whereof millions of Wolds can't redeem 2. Covetousness is a weighty Argument Thousands are enough to break the Loyns of most Mens minds too heavy for the back of the strongest Rationalist in the World the Scale of Judgment cannot turn while this beam is in the Eye nor any Argument counterpoise this dead and deadly weight but Tythe Mint and Cummin will outweigh Faith and the Love of God Luke 11.42 St. Briget prophesied Fox's Martyr The Roman Clergy would ruin the Church by their avarice for she said They had already reduced the Ten Commands to two words da pecuniam 3. Pride of Life swells Men till they break all bonds and bounds like Stum in the Cask makes all the Hoops fly off The zeal of a party and having declared for a way makes Men they cannot retreat but will spur on for honour and profit though the Angel of the Lord oppose them till they are crushed to the Wall If Christian Religion be founded in Self-denyal Mortification and bearing the Cross they who seek their own glory are not of God John 7.18 that is either no Gospel or these certainly are no Disciples of Christ We had need look to ourselves for this lust of domination and glory as Charon saith Is the very Shirt of the Soul on from the first but last put off Secondly I am to shew you that the practice of holy Duties clearly commanded is the ready way to have our minds inlightned in the knowledge of Principles Reading the Scriptures discoursing about Heaven and about their Souls everlasting welfare Reproving one another and admonishing Rom. 15.14 comforting and supporting the weak and dejected Soul 1 Thes 5.14 To exhort one another dayly lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Duties so much out of fashion in these days that it is not counted good manners or civility to practise them friendly reproof is esteemed want of good breeding But are they not strange Christians who are strangers to Scripture Duties 1. These Practical Duties performed would give us light He that doth the Truth cometh to the light John 3.21 not only out of boldness but discovery of knowledge Truth is nothing but goodness explained and goodness is nothing but Truth consolidated Rudiments of knowledge are prerequisite to practice but examples clear all things to us Demonstration by the Compasses maketh the Maxim evident He that doth best knoweth best for he seeth the actions as they are in themselves and circumstances he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he seeth the bottom by diving into them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.130 pethac pethaiim the very entrance into the command giveth light the Door is a Window to him that hath a weak sight even those things Men have formerly ridiculed practice hath reconciled them to be their Diana and great delight As the Gnostick in Clem. Alex. who could not taste lewdness till he was in all evil as t is Prov. 5.14 If wicked practices darken the mind as all the works of darkness do than holy actions illuminate the Soul 2. The exercise of holy Duties advanceth light every step a Man takes he goeth into a new Horizon and gets a further prospect into Truth Motion is promoted by motion actions breed habits habits fortifie the powers the new life grows stronger and fuller of Spirit The yoke of Christ is easier smoother and lighter by often wearing it this anoints us with the oyl of gladness and makes the ways of Wisdom pleasantness Prov. 3.17 Life and light are nearly related John 1.4 The life was the light of Men Acts 1.1 These things Jesus first did then taught and so he was mighty in Deed and in Word Luke 24.19 very airing and motion heateth to a flame this made his light burn vers 32. and shine too Truth incarnate in action seems a lively resemblance of God in flesh the unfolding a doubt to another hath often expounded and resolved it to the proponent 3. If any be in danger of Error or got into an ill way keeping up warm Duties Meditation and Prayer will keep him in or help him out communion with the Saints is an admirable antidote against sin or Error As in a Team of Horses if one lash out of the way if the other hold their course they will draw the former to the right path 1 John 2.20 ye have an unction and ye know all things when there are Antichrists and great Apostacies keeping to Duty like keeping the Road preserveth us from by-paths I remember a Snowy night when many wandring homeward were frozen to death A Shepherd feeling himself foiled by often falling set down his Crook in one point and beat a path round and so preserved his life and kept him out of precipices and ditches And we have a promise of light if we press to the mark and prize of our high calling Phil. 3.15 carry the Goale in your Eye and it will direct you a path where there is none upon a plain Sincerely aim at Gods glory and your Souls salvation and you shall not miss your way If in any thing you should miss it and be otherwise minded God will reveal even this unto you Yea our great Lord and Master assureth us John 7.17 He that doth the will of God he shall know the Doctrin whether it be of God or I speak of my self But if Men will make bold with God and Conscience and act for their own ends and glory they rob God of his supremacy and will lose both their way and their end He that walketh uprightly hath God for his guard and guide with devout Zachary he is within the Vail and if he be in a mistake God will reveal it to him For the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will make them know his Covenant Psal 25.14 Go to thy Oracle and pray and a ray of heavenly light shall direct you as the Wise-mens Star to the holy Jesus their minds are Gods candles Prov. 20.27 and as Father of Lights he will light them when they approach him with ardent supplication Thirdly I am to shew that Christian charity and reception will sooner win weak ones to the Truth than rigid Arguments for so the Apostle adviseth them who were to deal with people weak in Faith and strongly zealous for Ceremonies dispute not with them but receive them first 1. In regard opposition breeds oppositions a Man will never believe that he Loves his Soul who cuts his purse belies his actions torments his Body Passion begets passion but love only kindles love when Men do hotly Dispute they jostle for the way and so one or both must needs leave the path of Truth and Peace The Saw of contention reciprocated with its keen teeth
eateth up both Truth and Love For such contentions are rather for Victory than Truth Now passion doth nothing well which made one Emperor say over his Alphabet to get the Dominion over his anger Ahasuerus fann'd himself in his Garden Esth 7.7 and he in Plutarch would not smite his Servant because he was angry Passionated persecution makes only Hypocrites become Proselites and in their Breasts also lodge such a revenge as will be satisfied one time or another upon them who have made them offer violence to their Consciences Religion is a free choice upon judgment or 't is not Religion therefore it gets in by perswasion not persecution Yet 't is strangely true they who are so tender of their own Wills that God must not touch them unless by Argument yet laxate themselves to Club Law with their Brethren not content with a moral swasion 2. Loving converse taketh off those prejudices which hinder Mens minds from a true knowledge of others Principles and Practices which at a distance seem horrid and monstrous Opinions and Practices when as a little free converse with them breedeth quite other apprehensions The Papists picture the Protestants as bruits with Tails as Devils with Horns to terrifie the Vulgar but knowing Merchants dare trust them So some Protestants have represented the Puritans as Pestilent and Seditious persons as Mad and having a Devil as the Scribes and Pharisees did John Baptist and Christ but the plain hearted people saw thorough those pious frauds and tricks and were astonished at their Doctrin and Life when they healed Souls and Bodies on the Sabbath day 3. Sincere love and converse breedeth a good opinion of persons who differ from us they can taste humility meekness and kindness better than the more speculative Principles of Religion These get into Mens affections and so bore away into their judgments and cause them to alter their minds Two Heads like two Globes touch but in one point the whole Bodies at a distance but two Hearts touch in plano and fall in with each other in all points Love openeth the Heart and Ear to cooler consideration and second thoughts The Spirit of God directed Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 not in the strong Wind which rent Rocks and Mountains nor in the Earthquake or Fire but in the silent whisper or tranquil voice Vse of Instruction How to carry our selves towards them who are weak in the Faith in these days and doubtless it is a sickly season when there are so many feverish heats among us I will not say what once a Romanist said to me That these are the spuria vitulamina the Bastard frisks of our Reformation in Henry the Eighths days But I rather think the violent endeavours after External Uniformity without the Inward the smothering of the industrious Bees in one Hive was a great cause of their castling into several Swarms Threshing the Corn hath driven it out of the Floor and the grasping so hard the Granes all into the Hands and Power of some hath made them creep out through their Fingers Rigid Impositions and violent Prosecutions and Exactions of Conformity to things extra Scriptural and Divine Institution and without any manifest tendency to Edification have and will make fractions without end As D. W. said Till Men be Infallible and the World Immutable moderation becometh every Man who is in his senses and considereth himself 1. There are some who have all Faith believe incredibly as that Katharina Senensis praying for a new Heart she had her real Heart cut out of her Body and after some days had a new Heart formed by Christ put into her That making a cross on the Body with a Finger driveth the Devil away That a Priest by these words this is my Body transubstantiateth the Bread into the Body of Christ and so he offereth that Sacrifice to deliver Souls out of Prison and then by his Dirges conducteth them to Paradise 2. Others have no Faith at all as that Infallible one who said What vast Wealth hath this Fable of Christ acquired to the Church So when some had Disputed about the Immortality of the Soul most gravely determined in a Verse Et redit in nihilum quod fuit ante nihil That which is nothing must needs come to nothing And I fear there are more Atheists than Papists who seem to believe all on the Stage nothing in their retiring thoughts We are not bound to receive such into our Bosoms or Communion lest we sting our own Breasts out of charity to our Souls we must take heed of receiving such 3. But there are others who seem seriously to believe the Doctrin of the Gospel yet have a weakness in their judgments about little things These we must receive and instruct them Rom. 14.17 That the Kingdom of God is not in Meat or Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Shew them all kindness pity them pray for them and let them see Col. 2.5 Nothing but your order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ 1. Stand fast and fix'd in the good Word of God which is setled for ever in Heaven Psal 119.89 as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth Ephes 6.14 and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness This is the grand and perfect rule of Faith Worship and Life Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of protection I know no other method possible to Peace but in an universal resolution to impose nothing upon others but what Christ himself hath imposed what Scripture commands Matth. 28.20 Teach Men to observe whatever I have commanded you and then I am with you to the end of the World This is a Minister of Christs Commission and he cannot look for Christ to be with him if he go either coâ—trary to beyond or not according to his instructions Let this be first done and then Men may consider whether any thing further be necessary or convenient Let us therefore in the Name of God beg his holy Spirit whom Christ hath promised and that he shall lead us into all Truth John 16.13 He is the only infallible Interpreter of Gods mind He shall take of mine says our Saviour and shew it unto you vers 14. Then read the Scriptures as Christ himself did Luke 4.16 his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read and when the Book of God was delivered to him he read the 61 of Isaiah a Prophesie of himself and so he closed the Book and gave it to the Minister then he expounded and applied it to the present circumstances That he came to preach to the poor heal the broken hearted give deliverance to the captives open the Eyes of the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Oh blessed pattern for every Minister of Christ to follow And sing the Psalms or Hymns as we read he also did Matth. 26.30 and the Ancient Christians
by the Sword of the Spirit all his force was repelled Christians are to look upon the Evil one as an Enemy that Christ has conquer'd and this should encourage them in their conflicts with him they are to despise his offers they are not to be perswaded by his misapplication of Scripture to any thing that is unjustifiable and irregular The Word of God should abide in them that they may be strong and overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.14 The Head always resisted shall the Members yield to this Destroyer Let not your hearts be filled with Satan let not your heads and hands be employed by him who works in the Children of disobedience 4. Christ is to be followed in his contempt of the worlds glory and contentment with a mean and low estate in it Never was the world so set forth in such an alluring dress as when the God of it in a moment of time shew'd unto our Lord Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world and all the glory of them Luk. 4.5 yet the heavenly Mind of Christ is not taken with the sight he knew he saw nothing but what was Vanity and his Kingdom which was not of this world was a far better thing than the worlds best Kingdom Instead of pursuing he flees from a Crown which the people were ready to force upon his head Ambition and covetousness after worldly grandeur and gain which make us so unlike to Christ should be far from us If the world be the great thing with us Mammon will have us at command and Christ will have but little service from us Why should that be high in the esteem and affection of your hearts which Christ so little minded Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Set your affection on things above not on things that are on earth Col. 3.2 If you have the worlds riches let not your minds be high nor your hearts set upon them and be rich in good works if you are in a meaner estate be satisfied remember who said The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head The best men in the world that have done most good in the world have least cared for the world and have been most willing to leave the world and go to a better 5. Christ is to be followed in his living a life so very beneficial doing good being his perpetual business The Apostle Peter who was one of his greatest and most constant attendants says that he went about doing good Act. 10.38 to do thus was meat and drink to him How great was his Kindness and Compassion to Souls how much Mercy does he shew to the Bodies of Men You that are Christians be very active in the best sence the true Members of Christ have the Spirit of the Head in them whose fruit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 What have you Faith for but that it may work by Love Why are you created in Christ Jesus but that you may be employed in good works which God hath before ordained that you should walk in them Eph. 2.10 Be sure to do justly be injurious to none render unto all their dues and do not only consult the dues of others but their needs also and love to be merciful and let the perishing Souls as well as the distressed Bodies of others have a great share in your Compassions As you have opportunity do good unto all men and good of as many sorts as may be especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The Apostle speaks with great authority and asseveration when he presses Christian practice This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 A Christian by Profession who lives wickedly is not a true Member but a Monster in the Church and will not be endured long but is near to be cut off and destroy'd It 's a true Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death does not destroy the Soul but 't is an ill Life that ruins it 6. Christ is to be followed in his most profitable and edifying Communication We read Psal 45.2 That grace was poured into his Lips the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth were the wonder of the hearers Luk. 4.22 Exact truth always accompanied his Speeches he never spake a word that was offensive to God or injurious to any man Was he chargeable with guile or when he was reviled did he revile again No no he gave a better example he speaks words to awaken Sinners to search Hypocrites and how does he comfort the mourners calling all the weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest He takes occasion almost from every thing to discourse of the heavenly kingdom His parables of the sower of leaven of the Merchant man seeking goodly pearls and such like plainly shew that the most ordinary things may spiritually be improved unto great usefulness All Professours and especially you of London set a watch before the door of your lips and let your words be like the words of Christ Jesus Your lying and corrupt communication your slanderous and backbiting words your passionate and angry speeches and revilings are these like Christs language An unbridled tongue though it utters many a falshood yet it speaks one certain truth that your Religion is but vain Jam. 1.26 Let Conscience be tender and purpose with the Psalmist that your mouths shall not transgress Let the word of Christ be more in your Hearts for out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaks Let your speech be always with Grace Col 4.6 Discourse as those who do believe you are debtors of edifying words one to another that idle words are heard by him that is in Heaven and an account must be given of them in the day of judgement 7. Christ is to be followed in his manner of performing holy duties never was He negligent in an Ordinance His cries were strong his tears many Heb 5.7 and how does he wrestle with his Heavenly Father Christians should take heed of doing the work of God deceitfully they should be fervent in Spirit when serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Look to your Hearts in all your performances for Gods eye is fixed upon them and if they are not present and right with him your duties are but dead duties and dead duties are really dead works so far from being acceptable that they are an abomination When Christ was here upon the Earth as he taught in other places so he went to the Temple and to the Synagogues though there was much corruption in the Jewish Church Christians should learn so much moderation as to own what is good even in them in whom there are mixtures of much that is bad and there should be a
address your selves in your Devotions to him serve him and walk before him trust him and depend upon him all that you are and have design and do let it be suited to and worthy of that Glorious and fearful Name the Lord Your God whose eminent and perfect Name you love so well Hebr. xii 28. i Thess ii 10-12 Rom. xii 1 2. Mat. v. 16. Joh. xv 8. i Pet. iv 11. away with such mean Things and Actions such flat Devotions and such tantum non offensive Conversations and such lean and stingy Offerings to God or actings for him as must put Charity upon the Rack to observers of you for to conclude or think you love him Mal. i. 13 14. ii Pet. iii. 11. i Cor. xv 58. nothing below that cluster in Phil. iv 8. and that in Tit. ii 10-14 can escape its Mene Tekel in this balance of the Sanctuary rich in Good Works i Tim. vi 18. and rich towards God Luk. xii 21. and fruitful in every good work Col. i. 10. actings continually towards God and for him facing the Eyes and Consciences of all Observers with such illustrious and large Characters and Signatures of this Divine Principle of Love as to convince even the most critical Observers of you and to extort Confessions from them that none could act and live as you do did they not love God dearly and most entirely and constantly live to him and upon him as their all i Pet. ii 12. and iv 16 Hebr. xi 13-16 for I take not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to import what may be barely Good but something generous and fit to strike the Beholders Eye and Conscience with some astonishing Convictions that what you do for God looks too majestically great to come from any ordinary Principle yea from any thing below your God enthroned in your best affections Love is the very Soul of Godliness the very Heart of the new Man a Principle so impetuous and charming as that it scorns where it is Regent to be confined to or signalized by any thing mean or base Such objects and concerns in its most intimate and close embraces and in its stated prospect and yet act sparingly sordidly or sneakingly for God! Love burns and blushes at the thought And Heaven it self ere long will irritate exert and shew the Purity and generous Vigours of this Grace in such a stated and inviolable series of great and generous actions so full of God and every way so fully for him and so worthy of him as that the life of God in glory shall evidence the force and excellence of that spring and principle whence it proceeds and yet even here even in this its Infant and Imperfect State it groans and labours to have God's Will done on Earth as it is in Heaven Well in a word such must your Actions and your Conversations be as that whatever you are conversant about or with the temper of your Spirits and the fervours and vigours of your love to God his Image Interest Son Spirit Gospel and all that do profess and own respects hereto every step you take and every thing you do ought to be great and exemplary and impregnated with what may speak the greatness largeness chearfulness and energies of your enflamed exalted and invigorated Souls through love to God Christ Souls and Christianity O to be exemplary in all Conversation to live each other into awakened Considerations of Spiritual concerns to dart forth all those glorious rays of Christian Wisdom of which we are told in Jam. iii. 17 18. to make men feel as well as see the force and flames of Christian Love to charm Exasperated Passions down by all the sweetnesses of true Wisdom Patience Meekness Gentleness and every way endearing Conversation with them to have the Law of Kindness always in your Mouths the notices of true Friendliness in your Looks the gifts and proofs of generous Charity in your Hands in constant readiness to minister to the Necessities of the Saints as God shall prosper your Endeavours in your lawful and regularly managed Occupations and Employments to have your Dealings and Commerces each with other accurately and severely just and yet sufficiently securing the credit and concerns of Christianity And in a word to be blameless and harmless as the Sons of God without rebuke shining as lights and holding forth the Word of Life to Universal Satisfaction and Advantage wherever groundless prejudice and partiality do not prevail and govern and to fill up every relation step and station with the fruits of Goodness Righteousness and truth these are the good and generous Works of Love whereto we are to be provoked For thus we do not love in word and tongue but indeed and truth i Joh. iii. 28. 4. The Intenseness of the principle and vigor of the practice called here as the designed effect of the prescribed means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Provocation the warmth and vigour wherewith Love and Good Works are as it were to be inspired Zealously affected in a good thing Gal. iv 18. zealous of good works Tit. ii 14. the Motive so effectually Cogent as to fix and fortifie the Principle and the Principle so powerful as to go thorow with its great enterprize and concern Principles are the Springs of Action and Love importeth intimacy it is a Principle rooted in the heart and it lays its beloved objects deep therein warmth it is essential to it and where it is perfect or considerably grown it is serious and fervent It is a commanding thing and affects Regency over all the Actions Faculties and Passions it is peremptory in its Precepts fixt in the Purposes and Concerns which it espouses it is powerful in its Influences pressing in its Claims diffusive of it self through all that is performed by us Impatient of Resistances Denials or Delays and moved to Jealousies Indignation and vigorous Contentions when any Injury Affront or Rape is threatned attempted or pursued that any way is prejudicial to its object and its concerns therewith it claims and pleads it urges and provokes to diligence and to all eager prosecutions of what it aims at and endears unto it self and it entirely reconciles the whole Man to all the cost and difficulties of its Divine pursuits 'T is never well but in its motions towards its actings for its conversation with and its reposes in its Pearl of Price and hence its actions are invigorated it gives no faint blows in its holy War it runs not in its Race it deals not triflingly in its Merchandize for God and Heaven it is all mettle fortitude patience action desire and delight in every thing relating to its grand Affair and Scope and it makes all its actions and performances to bear their Testimony to its own fortitude and fervours and this is the Paroxysm of Love and Good Works 2. The things provoking hereto And here behold a Troop as it was said of Gad Gen. xxx 11. How do inducements and incentments spring
feared in them is yet of some sense in you Parents and other Reprovers that have done long ago with them are still plying you And yet as they you say unto God Depart from us we desire no Communion with thee With more violence than they you take the Kingdom of Hell by force The path to Hell is harder unto your Feet than theirs Infer 9. It is your Duty to shame your Vnconvert Fathers and Mothers For observe you you shame them if you remember and they forget God If you come to Christ and they either come not or come behind after you God Angels and Men will pronounce you Wise and them Fools But what then Would God have you stay for them and not Convert until they do By no means He commands you to Convert just now and consequently to shame them if they have not and do not By so shaming them some Children have been the blessed Instruments of Converting their Parents Of Spiritually Begetting their Natural Fathers The only way this seems wherein a Child can requite a Parent For if a Beggers Child win a Kingdom and give it his Father his debt to him is too big to be so paid But if he Converts him he pays him in broad Gold methinks Parents think ye of this And Children this know ye 't is therefore I do not caution you against all sinful ways of shaming your Parents because well I know Becoming dutiful to God you cannot but honour and love your Parents next unto God himself That which I see of many Parents in City and Countrey hath extorted this Inference from me Infer 10. Your Present dayes are your precious and best So the Word in the Text and words following speak plainly Sirs your young Dayes be but Dayes and of Short Continuance yea and dubious Some are Old as we speak sooner then others Their Flowers sooner fade and their Grass more quickly withers But when ever your Evening falls you shall wish it again Morning with you If nothing else will do it Old Age will convince you of the Excellence of Youth It was wittily that by some Time was thus pictured of old Time to come had the head of a fawning Dog Time present the head of a stirring Lion Time past the head of a biting Wolf So teaching that though silly Souls fancy still that their best days are tâ—â—ome yet if they bestir not well themselves in their present ones they will be very miserably bitten and torn in their future I sadly remember sometimes the Tears and Words of a very ancient Gentleman to my self and my School-fellows in our Childhood Children said he Your Age is good for every thing that you can desire to get mine is good for nothing but to spend whatever one has got A thousand Worlds I would give for a few of your learning getting dayes again Of all things prize your time and of all time your young which is your Sowing-time 'T is upon Eternities account that any thing can be judged Excellent Nor doth ought make for our blessed Eternity but vital Piety And surely for that there is no season like to Lifes Morning Poets say 't is a friend to the Muses Divines must proclaim it the Friend of Graces For why as incongruous as Atheistic Vermin do conceit Youth and Religion 't is plain as Noon-day Light that Religion is specially framed for Youth and Youth for Religion Let Shame be their Portion who are ready to drop the Italian Proverb upon every Religious young head Tanto buon This Puritan Youth is so good that he is good for nothing Young people remember the seven Stars in your Firmament and tell me how fit they are for Religion and Religion for them Quick Wit and Fruitful Invention What are these for but Religion and what appearance makes Religion without these Age will make you Lame and Barren in Mind as in Body Tenacious and Prompt Memory What is this Treasury for but Religion and how Poor must Religion live if Live without it Age will dry your Brains and make Sieves of your Memories Lively and Stirring Affections VVhat are these Horses for but the Chariot of Religion and how heavily must the wheels move if move without them Age keeps no such Horses nor Travel old Souls but upon Crutches and the pace of Snails Flexibleness and Self-denial VVhat are these Spiritual Joints for but Religious bowings And how little can the most profoundly Religious Soul stoop to its Maker without them Old Age has stiff joints of Soul as well as Body Amatoriousness and Love of Love VVhat is this Soul of the Soul for but Religion And how is Religion her self if her Soul has lost it self Love is all the Religion that I know of But Old Age layes your Souls in Frost and Snow Alacrity and Cheerfulness What is this Godlike quality for but Religion toward God and what likeness has Religion to it self without it For God taketh all things not cheerfully given as forced Spoils rather than free Gifts Now Old Age's Clouds do so return after the Rain that it admit's little of this Sunshine Rarely 't is that old Sanahs bear Isaac's Vigor and Strength of Body What is this for but Religious Service to him whose the Body is as well as the Soul And how little can the Soul while 't is in this Body do without it But where 's the Old Body that can let the Wind blow on it at least where is the Head of Gray Hairs that has a Body of Brass for a Soul of Gold Sirs in a word The Truth I beg deepest engravement of upon your Hearts is this of the Matchless Excellence of your present days Verily so fit is Youth the best of Life for Religion the best of Employment and so Useless yea Harmful are the endowments of Youth without Religion and so poor and unlovely an aspect has Religion without the use of Youths Endowments that it is a pity but Youth and Religion should Marry and Unite All time is too good for Satan but if he must have any let him not have the best which is your Youth But Cynthius aurem I was minded to wave all partâ—â—ular Exhortation and remit you unto my Call unto Sinners in which I have said the things which you do most of all need and with more Plainess and Brevity then I have discerned any where else But second thoughts bid me give you these Directions to improve my Doctrine And the rather because they are of experienced Usefulness Direction 1. Chuse each of you a Spiritual Guide in the affairs of your Souls There are Men ordained by God to be Eyes unto the Blind and Feet to the Lame and Fathers to all that would be Gods Children Refuse not Eyes and Feet for your Souls nor live you Orphans when you may have Fathers Go unto some one or another of them tell him you hear that Christ's Ministers are his Representatives And that Christ's Word without his appointed Ministry of it