pregnant Proof that God is with us and Religion in us of a Truth But let thus much susfice to the first general Inquiry viz. what this Exhortation to adorn the Doctrine of our God and Saviour doth presuppose § 2. Proceed we now to the second general Inquiry What doth it imply to adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel in All things To this the answer must be returned in many Particulars 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel must be Adorned in Civil as well as Sacred Affairs It 's not enough that we demean our selves decently and reverently in Acts of immediate Worship we must walk in the same fear of God under the same holy awe in our secular Businesses Religion must command even our Recreations our Diversions our Converses our particular Callings As carnal earthly Hearts will carnalize their Religious Performances so will spiritual Minds spiritualize their common Employments It 's far short of the Whole Duâ—…y of Man That we Sanctify the Lord's Day we must Sanctify our own God has indeed graciously indulged us six Days in the Week to labour in but not one of those Days nor one moment in any of those hours wherein we may do the Work of the Devil and the Flesh. If ever we will pretend to Credit our Religion we must evidence Holiness in the Shop as well as in the Church in our own Houses as well as the Lord's we must be Holy in Trading as well as Praying we must Sanctify the Name of God at our own Tables as well as the Lord's Table 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God And again 1 Pet. i. 15. As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation ' Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all the windings and turnings of your livâ—…s There 's nothing lawful though never so remote from Heaven but may be laid in a right line and due suborâ—…ination to it and when we cannot actually intend our ultimare end yet must we virtually refer all unto it this is that which has reproach'd Religion that what warmth we get in the Worship of God we presently lose it and grow luke-warm perhaps stone-cold when we depart from it And thus whatever we build up at the Church in one day we are plucking down all the week after 2. We must adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things In second Taâ—… Duties as well as those of the first The same God who sees and observes the temper of our Hearts in Dealing with himself observes it also in our Treatings and Dealings with Men would we approve our sincerity before an all-seeing God approve it also in our Treatings Conversings and Transactings with Men. There are some excellent first Table Christians who will not swear lightly not take God's Holy Name into their Mouths profanely that seem to make a Conscience of the Lord's Day that are severe in regulating the Worship of God by his Word And yet if common Fame may be credited are under no such severe Bonds of Conscience in their Covenants Contracts and Engagements with their Brethren but the Doctrine of the Gospel would have taught them another Lesson Tit. ii 12. which teaches us to carry it Righteously towards our Neighbour Soberly towards our selves and Godly towards our God What a rare Pattern was David Psal. ci 2. I will behave my self wisâ—…ly in a perfect way I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart He will be a Holy King upon the Throne a Holy Judge upon the Bench a Holy General in the Field Holy in the City and Holy in the Country for a perfect Heart had taught him to walk wisely in a perfect way If therefore we design to vindicate the Glory of Religion none must go beyond over-reach or defraud his brother 1 Thess. iv 6. our Covenants must be kept tho' we suffer by it Psal. xv 4. Truth must be spoken to and kept with our Neighbour and that Neighbour must be every one that partakes with us of Humane Nature 3. In all things In holy Works as well as holy Words It 's not well-saying but well-doing that must wipe off the Reproach that has been thrown upon our holy Profession 1 Pet. ii 15. So is the will of God that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Foolish Men will be lavish of their Tongues they will be reproaching Religion and the Religious this evil-speaking is the effect of their ignorance but the question is how shall we silence them and stop their Mouths for the future This he resolves as the Direction of God himself 'T is by well doing Words are cheap Works are chargeable and will cost us more to perform them It 's a mortal stab that is given to Religion when the Professors of it talk as high as Heaven and yet walk as low as this dirty Earth When our Ntions and Professions seem too high for this World and yet too low for the next Words without Works are a Language which Men do not understand we speak to them in an unknown Tongue but to be Beneficent Charitable to do them good to relieve the Distressed to deliver the Oppressed to make peace among Contending Neighbours This is a Dialect which is Vernacular to all the World Had we judged of a Pharisee by the Ear and not by the Eye he had been the most excellent Saint on Earth but our Saviour notes them for this Matth. xxiii 3. They say and do not Nay our blessed Saviour rebukes his own Disciples upon this Account Luke vi 46. Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Let that therefore be ours which was the Motto of a great Man in his time Non magna loquimur sed vivimus Let Men see as well as hear us that our light may so shine â—…fore mâ—…n that they seeing our good works may glorifie our fathâ—…r which is in heaven Matth. v. 16. 4. In all things In Passive as well as Active Obâ—…dience In suffering according to the will of God as well as acting in obedience to it It 's a very poor Religion that is not worth suffering for We must expect otherwise no better Language than this surely if these Professors did really believe their God to be Faithful and True they would trust him Did they believe thâ—… Râ—…compence of Râ—…ard they would venture their All upon it Did they believe their God able to repay them to reimburse them in what they should lay out and lose for his sake they would generously forsake all at the Call and for the Cause of their God Sufferings have ever been the Test the Ordeal by which Christ has Proved his Disciples Mark x. 17 18. A young man comes running to Christ as if in great haste for Heaven and that he might justifie his Obedience which he hoped would justifie him he avouches
it to Christ that he had kept all the commandmâ—…nts from his youth he began early continued long promised to persevere to the â—…nd I confess I suspect he either lyed against his Conscience or else had a very bad one and he had been more hopeful if from a sound Conviction he had bitterly cried out All these commandments I have broken from my youth But be it so Christ willing to try the truth of his Active by his Passive Obâ—…dience put him upon this Trial Go and sell all that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven This was a pinching Word indeed The Neck-Verse for a Hypocrite Methinks I see his Courage cool his Countenance change and grow pale Amazement and Confusion in his Looks he turns about and goes away sorrowful sar he had great possessions Upon no lower Terms than these must wâ—… hope to Recover the Glory departed from our Profession Then when we can cast all at Christ's Feet resign all into his Hands and whether he gives or takes say with holy Job Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Let us therefore set before our Faith and imitate the Father of the faithful Gen. xxii who when called of God to offer up his Son his only Son his well-beloved Son the Son of the Promise and that in a way which seemed to Contravene the Law of Nature the positive Law of God yet disputed not delayed not but gave this clear Demonstration that he had nothing too Dear for his God 5. In all things Whether in a more narrow and private or in a more enlarged and publick capacity The Heavenly Orbs are of different Diameters yet they move regularly according to the Laws imposed upon them by their Creator The Stars are of differing Lustre and Glory and yet they shine and grudge not their influences to this lower ungrateful World which returns them nothing but Fogs and Mists to obscure their Light and Beauty God has placed us All in Spheres of different Circumferences how small soever they be let our Motion be Regular and Orderly he has filled us with various degrees Grace and Gifts let us lay out all faithfully There are various Talents with which our Soveraign Lord has intrusted us for kind for number 1 Cor. xii 11. Wrought by that one and the same spirit dividing to every one severally as he will If then our Talents be few let 's be faithful in the using diligent in the improving them the unprofitable servant Matth. xxv was not condemned because he had but one Talent but because he hid it in a Napkin He that has but a little spot of Ground may Cultivate it and shew that diligence in improving it that it may reward his Labour with a blessing Since I considered that passage in the History of Absalom 2 Sam. xv 4. O that I were made judg in the Land that every one that has any suit or cause might come unto me and I would do him justice It has taught me never to be ambitious of great things without more Grace to manage them but we are frank and liberal in our Promises to God to Men and to our selves The poor Man says O had I Riches how rich would I be in good Works The Illiterate says O that I were Learned what service would I do But let us Pray that we may have Grace to be useful and serviceable with what we have that whether in a narrow or more dilated Capacity we may Adorn the doctrine of our God and Saviour in all things 6 In all things In affirmative as well as negative Duties 'T is not enough that we Curse not God we must Bless him The Pharisee Luke xviii 11. had a Religion made up most of Negatives with a small sprinkling of lesser Duties and not without a mixture of Superstition God I thank thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican When the final Sentence shall pass upon every wicked Man it will proceed thus Matth. xxv 42. I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was naked and ye cloathed me not I was sick and in prison and ye visited me not The Indictment will not be laid that they plucked the Bread out of the Disciples Mouths but that they did not feed them Nor did the Charge run that they stripp'd the Cloaths off the Saints Backs but that they did not Cloath them They are not Accused that they Cast them into Prison but that they relieved them not visited them not when there we have all cause to Pray with the holy Person Lord pardon my sins of Omission Negatives will never intitle us to that blessing of living many days and seeing much good We must join the Affirmative with them Psal. xxxiv 14. Depart from evil and do good 〈◊〉 In all things In all Companies whether holy or unholy The Apostle discharges the Corinthians 1 Cor. v. 9 10. from the Company of Fornicators And yet he seems to correct or limit the Prohibition yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with Idolaters for in that Latitude the Command would not be practicable for then says he ye must needs go out of the world Either a Christian must retire wholly from all Business in the World or must quite remove his Station into the other World A godly Man then may possibly be cast amongst them though a prudent Man will not of Choice frequent them The holy Art and Skill is how he may Adorn the Gospel when he is inevitably thrown amongst them And it 's a good Rule that if we cannot make wicked Men ashamed of their wickedness yet should we neither be ashamed of nor a shame to Holiness if they will not go to Heaven with us let us not in complaisance go to Hell with them Though Prudence will advise us to be wise as serpents a good Conscience will oblige us to keep our selves innocent as Doves That our unseasonable Rashness may not expose us to the fury of Men nor our temporizing Compliance to the wrath of God David had studied this Case with great accuracy Psal. xxxix 1 2 3. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me I was dumb with silence I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred My heart waxed hot within me while I was musing the fire kindled then spake I with my tongue Here was a notable conflict in David's soul betwixt his Prudence and his Zeal while the wicked were before him Prudence advised Silence Zeal counselled Speech while the Case was desperate and no hope of doing good appeared Prudence prevailed he was silent but as soon as there appeared fair probability of doing more good than harm or rather some good and no harm then Zeal unlock'd his Lips and he spake with his tongue A modest
faster when it was watered with the Blood of the Martyrs Proâ—…perity and that Loosness which commonly attends it was the Poyson poured out into the Church The frequent mowing down of Christ's Field makes it come up the thicker and greener Plures efficimur quoties metimur was Tertullians Observation Debauching Prosperity has been the greatest Enemy that ever Religion had in the World Isa. v. 4. when God looked as after all his Cost and Pains he might well look that his Vineyard should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes Go to now saith he I 'll tell you what I will do to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be trodden down and I will lay it waste The Politicks of Earth are vastly different from those of Heaven both in the Securing and the Adorning Religion The Methods of humane Wisdom to secure Religion proceed thus They hedge it about with strict Laws and severe Penalties which sometimes are as cruel as the Crimes they would restrain are Enormous and whilst by these Artifices they would entail Religion upon Posterity corruption of Doctrine defiling of Worship and loosness of Manners provokes God to cut off the Entail And thus when we have lost the Power of Religion upon our Hearts and the Purity of it in our Lives our Care is to supply the Defect by trimming and tricking it up with gaudy ceremonial Ornaments How much more beautiful were our first Parents in their Original Nakedness than when the Sense of Sin and Shame taught them to patch together a few Fig-leaves to cover it but Religion is its own Strength it s own Beauty 'T is its own Ornament and Muniment nothing adorns nothing secures Religion but Religion Let us therefore shew an Exemplary Conversation and this will Beautify this will Fortify it better than all our politick Contrivances and fruitful Inventions It was a Glorious Promise which God gave to the Gospel-Church under the Notion of Jerusalem Zech. ii 4 5. Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls and bulwarks For I saith the Lord will be a wall of fire round about her and will be the glory in the midst of her Holiness engages God's special Presence and that Presence is our Protection Secure God's Glory in the Center and we shall have a Wall of Fire in the Circumference A parallel Promise we have Isa. iv 5. Upon all the Glory there shall be a Defence If therefore we are careless of that Glory let us make what Walls we can our Walls of Water and of Wood will deceive us nothing but such a Holiness as will engage the Divine Presence and Protection can secure us and the Gospel of God our Saviour unto us 3. Cansideration Nothing but a holy exemplary Conversation can possibly propagate the Gospel abroad our Lives speak louder than our Words and we may with more ease live Men over than dispute them over to Christ. Let us be never so Zealous in our Arguings they will readily retort it upon us Why do you persuade to go to Zion when you your selves are running to Babylon In vain did we plead with others to Turn and look towards Heaven if we are treading the broad way that leads towards Hell Do we then indeed wish well to the Kingdom of Christ Should we rejoyce to see the heathen given him for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possessions First remove the stumbling Blocks we have laid in the way of their Conversion then win them over by an Heavenly Holy Sober Righteous Conversation speak so that Men may see that what you speak you believe to be Truth There were more brought in and converted in the first Twenty Years of the â—…eformation than in the last Century and of our few Modern Converts it's to be fear'd some of them need Conversion This was the Glory of the early Days of Christianity Act. 2. 46. They continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God And the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved And the same Success the Gospel had upon the same reason Act. ix 31. Then had the Churches rest and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy Ghost were multiplied 4. Consideration The Adorning of the Gospel by a holy practical Conversation would contribute much to the healing of our present deplorable Divisions our scandalous Separations and that Spirit of frowardness and perverseness which has possess'd this present Generation The Differences amongst us are not so great as are imagined nor yet so small as not to be lamented Wisdom Humility and a temper of Moderation might have managed as great Matters as these came to without any notable Scandal but a Spirit of Pride Hatred uncharitable Censoriousness has inflamed these little things to a prodigious height Now the process was thus Some Professors had given Offence by their remiss or perhaps some irregular Walking there began the Offence first at the Person then at the Profession The Disgust at one grew up to a Disgust against all of the same Denomination from an Ossence at the Persons it grew up into a Distaste of their Worship and Administrations and when this dividing Zeal had usurpt the Title of Divine Fervour then Heaven and Earth Church and State must be involved in unquenchable Flames This was therefore the generous Spirit of the Apostle 2 Cor. xi 12. What I do that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion that wherein they glory they may be found even as we But I must shut up this Discourse which a sincere desire to restore our Holy Religion to its due Honour and Repute has made to grow under my hands to a bulk far greater than at first designed Give me leave to reassume my Exhortation I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God and the Bowels of our Lord and Saviour that you would consider and pity the sad Case of his blessed Gospel which has been wounded either by our hands or through our sides and make it your great Business to Adorn it in All things I deny not but though you should walk like Angels there are a Generation of Men would reproach you as Devils but yet there are many Curable Souls whose Reconciliation to the Ways of God wants nothing waits for nothing so much as that you should shew them the way to Heaven by your Heavenly Example And that our Endeavours may be successful let us all join with the Prophet in his Pious Prayer Hab. iii. 2. O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years in the midst of the years make known in wrath remember mercy Amen FINIS
word in season even amongst the Profane has proved a seed of God lodged in the mind which Divine Grace in due time has awakend to Conversion Let us therefore earnestly beg of God this mixture of holy Zeal and holy Prudence That when Providence shall cast our Lot into evil Company though we must have some Commerce with wicked Mens Persons we may have no Communion with them in their wickedness I conclude this Head with that blessed Advice of 1 Pet. ii 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorisie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. iii. 13. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ. 8. In all things In all those Relations wherein the goodness and wisdom of God has placed us It has pleased the Soveraign disposer of all things in his own World which he powerfully made and wisely Administers to set his Rational Creatures in several Relations some he has appointed to govern others to obey but whatever Post the Divine Pleasure has allotted us to keep our business must be to Adorn the Doctrine of our God and Saviour in All things Rom. xii 6 7 8. Having therefore gifts differing according to the grace that is given us whether ministry let us wait on our one ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation or he that ruleth with diligence that so we may fill up that Relation with a holy Zeal to glorifie our God and Saviour 1. There is the Master and his Servant the Master perhaps may think he 's above the Control of his poor Servant but he must know that he has also a master in heaven Col. iv 1. Let him then remember that with this God there is no respect of persons Let them make a Conscience to give unto their servants that which is just and equal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's just that they receive the Reward of their Labour which by Compact or Desert they may claim It 's Equal that as Masters exact of their Servants time for their Service that they allow them competent time for the service of God nor let Servants think that their Relation to God does exempt them from Fidelity to their Masters on Earth 1 Tim. vi 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoak count their own masters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed To plead or pretend Christian Liberty as a Manumission from Christian Subjection and Duty is an open blaspheming of the Doctrine of God But because the Case of Servants seems hard the Divine Goodness has made the Promise adequate to the Precept Col. iii. 23 24. Whatever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance This Exhortation is inculcated in our Text and Context Ver. 9. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them well in all things not purloining but shewing all good fidelity and all upon this great Consideration which has its influence upon all other Relations and their respective Duties that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things 2. Upon the same Reason and account it is that Wives are strictly commanded 2 Tit. iv 5. To be sober to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet keepers at home good obedient to their own husbands and all this enforced with the same great Motive That the word of God be not blasphemed All inferior Relations carry some inconveniences with them they have the labouring Oar which renders their Case somewhat difficult and furnishes corrupt Hearts with matter of discontent but still this one thing may abundantly satisfie them that in whatsoever Station the wise God has fixt them they are yet capable of adorning the doctrine of our God and Saviour 3. This consideration is also pressed upon the Consciences of Subjects 1 Pet. ii 13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for so is the will of God that by well doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Abundance of reproach has been thrown in the Face of Religion on this score which we can never wash off without Tears 't is well it was not washt off with our Blood nor shall we be able to do it till Obedience for Conscience sake shall convince the World that though the Ordinance be of Man yet the Authority is of God by which they Reign and for which we obey Ver. 10. As free and yet not using our liberty as a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God 9. Lastly In all things In all those various Conditions to which we are obnoxious in this Life Plenty or Want Sickness Health good or evil Report Liberty Restraint in all these or whatever other diversities of Providence the wise God shall try and exercise us with the Gospel of Christ must be Regarded and Advanced As Poverty gives no dispensation to Murmur Repine or Steal so Riches gives no indulgence to Oppression Luxury or Riot The Doctrine of the Gospel reacheth the highest bindeth the lowest Hath God favoured thee with Prosperity Bless his Name but humour not thy self in Vanity Hath God humbled thee Humble thy self under his mighty and righteous hand that he may exalt thee in his due time 1 Pet. v. 6. A Garment may be made decent and comely as well for a Funeral as a Wedding In Prosperity God invites us to Rejoice Eccles. vii 14. But yet to wear our Garments of praise with humility In the day of Adversity we are called to Consider that God has set the one over against the other Of this excellent Spirit was the Apostle Phil. iv 12. I know both how to be abased and how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need This one instance fairly Copied out upon our Hearts and expressed in our walking would convince the World of the excellency of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Grace of God that can teach the Soul to maintain an equipoise of Mind in all Estates To have a humble Heart in an elevated and a high Faith in a low condition Afflictive Sorrows and exalting Comforts divide our whole Lives between them yet both of them are capable of glorifying God Jam. v. 13. If any man be afflicted let him pray Prayer under Affliction witnesses that we believe our God to be good and gracious in it that he can support us under it can do us much good by it and deliver us from it But if any be