its strength You must not think it is with you as it is with a ruinous house where the mending of here and there a little will make up all again no but the old building must be quite book down and the foundation stone laid anew in a sound repentance from dead works and through conversion unto God Till this be done you must know that God hath no pleasure in you neither will accept an offering at your hand Mal. 1. 10. as he doth from those that are his friends 2. That there be the Acceptation of your persons through faith in Christ Iesus For in him alone it is that God will be well-pleased Matth. 3. last so that without faith interessing us in him it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. For the better understanding both these Particulars know that there are two Attributes of God to which you must bear a conformity or else you cannot please him 1. The holiness of God for he is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity He heareth not sinners The foolish shall not stand in his sight He hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal. 5. 4 5. Iohn 9. 31. God can no more take pleasure in the unsanctified then we in swine or serpents 2. The Iustice of God for he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. Could we have inherent holiness in us in our unpardoned state yet justice could not but be infinitely offended while guilt lyeth unremoved as you may see in Christ. For though he were perfectly holy yet being under the guilt of our sins imputed to him the severity of Gods justice broke out against him Now man being naturally an offence both to the holiness and justice of God there must of necessity pass upon him in order to his pleasing God this two-fold change 1. The real change of Sanctification I call this a real change because by this there is a real change infusing of new qualities and dispositions making him of proud humble of carnal spiritual and heavenly c. 2. The relative change of Iustification I call this a relative change because this is not a change in a mans nature but in his condition making him to stand in a new relation to the Law with reference to which he was before guilty and condemned but now the Law pronounces the same man clear and acquitted and this is not for any righteousness infused into him but for the satisfaction and payment of another laid down for him satisfaction there must be and a righteousness must be tendered or else God cannot be at peace We have nothing to pay Luke 7. 42. Oh sinner away to Christ for it Hide thee in the Clifts of that Rock Run to the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Appear not before God but in the Robes of Christs Righteousness He sends you to Jesus as he did them to Iob Chap. 42. the last Go to my servant Job he shall pray for you him will I accept Get out of your selves fly to Christ labour to be found in him else all your endeavours in wrinsing and washing your selves will be to no effect 2. With reference to our Principles And here it is necessary that some corrupt principles be unlearnt and some holy principles be received and retained Some corrupt Principles must be unlearnt As 1. That it is enough if we serve God on the Lords day and we may serve our selves all the rest of the week Though God hath reserved one day in seven wholly for his immediate service which is therefore in a peculiar sense called the Lords day yet we must know that every day is his and that he hath not allowed us one hour nor inch of time but only for his service Indeed he hath service of more sorts then one but we must know that the business of our ordinary affairs if rightly done is a serving of the Lord Christ Col. 3. 24. God is as truly served by you in the working days labour as the Sabbath days rest if you do it in a right manner and to holy ends There are a generation whose Religion is but a Sundays Religion which they put on and off with their Sundays Cloaths and then they think God is fairly served for the week although God knows that little they do then is but poorly done neither Never think God will accept it at thy hands when thou livest six days to the world and thy self for one that thou spendest for him This shews thee to be under the unmortified power of self-love and not to be the Lords for none of his liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. You must remember that you are but to learn upon the Sabbath how to serve God all the week and not think when the Lords day is ended his work is done 2. That if God be served morning and evening it is enough though we serve our selves the rest of the day God must be served every day and all the day Prov. 23. 17. You must be serving him not only in your Fasts but at your Meals not onely on your Knees but in your Callings Some think that if they keep up religious duties they may do what they list at other times that if they be intermperate lascivious unrighteous it is but to make even again with God at night and all will be well Like the whore in the Proverbs that having made her offering was presently ready for new wickedness Prov. 7. 14. as if she had paid off the old score and might now boldly run upon a new These are not the Children of God but of Belial Others think that though they may not serve the Devil at any time yet giving God his dues morning and evening they may serve themselves the rest of the time But in vain do they lay claim to God who live more to themselves then they do to him This will be found horrible sacriledge to put off God but with the tenth God is to be eyed and served in all that you do and this is that I drive at that we may not divide our selves between God and the world between his service and our own ends and so put off him with a partial service but that we may do all in obedience to him and we may be intirely the Lords That he in all things may be glorified by us and we may not lose our Reward 2. Some holy Principles must be received and retained As Pr. 1. That the pleasing of God is our only Business and our highest Blessedness First our only Business what is it that we call or count our Business 1. That is a mans Business which his livelihood and subsistence depends upon The Lawyer counts the Law his Business And the Tradesman counts his Trade his Business because upon this their livelihood and subsistence depends Brethren our whole depends upon the pleasing of God Do this and do all miss in this and you marr all please him and you are made for ever if he
one of another 1 Pet. 3. 8. Say not It is not my nature What doth grace serve for but to correct the evils of your temper Is not ours a Religion of self-denyal Do not the Rules of our Religion enjoyn us to be followers of whatsoever is lovely and of good report and may render Religion amiable to the world Phil. 4. 8. Rule 2 Vse a wise forecast that every duty may fall in in its time and order and every work may have its room It is not enough to do Gods work but it must be done in his order That which in it self is good and necessary may be so ill timed as to become a sin It is a duty to tell your Brother of his sin but to rip it up in your passion or to be retorting upon him when he is christianly admonishing you is a sin Your wordly business must not shut out Religion nor religious Duties take you so up as to neglect your callings But every duty must have its place But for the doing all in Gods order Take these Five Directions Direct 1. Begin at home in provoking to good Why should God plead with you Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Rom. 2. 21. Be an example of thine own rule else the hypocrites charge will come in against thee Mat. 23. 4. They bind heavy burdens but will not touch them with one of their fingers Observe Gods order Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee shall be in thine heart That must be our first care And then having got our Lesson well our selves we must then Teach it to others And thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children and tell of them when thou c. At least if thou hast not already attained it be sure to learn with the first and when thou pressest a duty intend thy self first and speak most to thine own heart 2. In reproving evil Otherwise thou wilt be branded for an hypocrite Matth. 7. 5. First cast the beam out of thine own eye We may not think as many do mistakingly that we must not reprove another when we are guilty of the same sin But we must in such a case be sure to cast the first stone at our selves Be soonest angry with thy self and more severe to thine own sins then any others 'T is strange to see the great censoriousness of Professours to others and how tender they are of their own corruptions and impatient of reproof Reader fear and avoid this sin Direct 2. Let God be first served Let God have the first of thy thoughts the first of the day the first of thy strength How heavily is God displeased with the prophane Priests because they will serve themselves first with the Sacrifices before him 1 Sam. 2. 15 16. And it is the holy Counsel that one gives Hold the door of thy heart fast against the world in the morning till thy heart hath been first in Heaven and seasoned and fortified from thence against the Temptations that thou art like to meet with assoon as thou comest down below Indeed all must be done as Gods service but so as that his immediate service must be done first It is the counsel of several Heathens That all our undertakeings should be begun with prayer Saith Aratus Let us begin with God And the very Mahumetans begin their Books alwayes as men do use to do their Wills In the Name of God Direct 3. First cleanse the inside Matth. 23. 26. Cleanse first that which is within the Cup. Though they are much out that live as if all their work did lie within door yet remember that it lies chiefly here It s a most preposterous course in religion to begin first with the out-side Jer. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart when once this is done reformation will soon follow in the life but not otherwise Many are careful that all that appears to men should be beautiful but their hearts are neglected These carry upon them the marks of the hypocrite Matth. 23. 27 28. And what will it profit thee O vain man to have all kept secret from men since God knows and detests thee And hath appointed a day when he will rip open all thy pack and anatomize thy heart before the world 1 Cor. 4. 5. Eccles. 12. 14. Rom. 2. 16. Direct 4. Eye those duties most that are of most importance Matth. 23. 23. The hypocrite is very punctual in lesser matters but neglects the weightiest things of the Law Judgment and Mercy and Faith He is for a religion that will cost him little and therefore words being good cheap he will be as forward in talk as any mighty zealous in the circumstantials of Religion and marvellous censorious of others that come not up to this mind as men of wide principles and large consciences But in the mean time he is very negligent is secret duties a great stranger to self-denyal and walking humbly with God He strains wonderfully at a Ceremony but it may be he can swallow the gains of unrighteousness or the baits of intemperance fast enough It may be he will decry Superstition and never wants a stone to fling at a prophane Church-man But in the mean time walks loosly in his Family makes little conscience of his dealings or will take up his Cups as freely as another so he be not drunk Or if he will not take a penny of his neighbours estate he is most unmerciful to his good name and will take up any report that is going Brethren you must make conscience of the least sin and of the least duty But it is a fearful sign when men are zealous against lesser sins and yet connive at greater as these are Matth. 23. 24. Direct 5. Take the first opportunity when God gives a fit season for any duty Let not Satan beguile you by telling you of another or a better time It may be thou hast a purpose to reprove thy brother for his sin but how long wilt thou be a purposing Now God gives thee an opportuity it may be thy backward heart saith not now but another time And so it is put off till he or thy self are removed or he is hardned or at least thou art guilty of the sin that he commits in the mean while because thou hast not done thy duty to prevent it It is in thine heart to deal with thine unconverted friend or neighbour about his spiritual estate but it may be while thou art delaying death comes and snatches him away in his sins or takes thee off and so farewel for ever to any opportunity for doing the soul of thy Brother any good How often are our closet-duties hindred or miserably disturbed for want of care to lay hold on the first opportunity we think another hour in the day may do as well but then one thing or another unexpectedly falls in that nothing in done or nothing to purpose Therefore beware of this cheat A man can scarce peep into the
world but one brier and thorn or another will catch him Therefore take opportunity by the fore-top Our Saviour would take his season for prayer before day when his other work was pressing Mark 1. 35. Rule 3. Do nothing of things Sacred without Gods command nothing in things Civil without Gods allowance Offer not with strange fire In Gods worship you must see you be well able to answer that question Who hath required these things at your hands Here the command must be observed without adding or diminishing Deut. 12. 32. yet understand this with two Cautions 1. Though men may not stamp their invented Ceremonies with a moral signification nor impose nor use them though with good intentions of edifying the people by devised means Matth. 15. 9. As if Christ had not sufficiently provided for the edifying of his people without their devices And though nothing may be used as a part of worship that God hath not commanded Col. 2. 23. for it is enough to make any thing rejected by the Lord of divine worship if he shall say I commanded it not spake it not neither came it into my mind Jer. 7. 31. and 19. 5. Yet nevertheless those things that are meerly circumstantial and are in their general kind necessary and not intended as any part or means of worship may be determined of by humane prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which must always be observed 1 Cor. 14. 26. 40. And for want of understanding many have ignorantly condemned preaching by an Hour-glass in a high Place in Churches by way of Doctrine and Vse c. running from one extream to another 2. We may not think that Gods Ordinances remaining for substance his may be forsaken because of some faults of the administratours or in the way of their administration The administring of Gods Ordinances belongs not to the People but to the Minister And if he fail in his duty by administring them in a way that is not fit and is less edifying ☞ it is my grief but his sin Hophni and Phineas were corrupt in their lives and brought in much corruption and rudeness into the service of God yet Elkanah and Hannah with others of the Godly did nevertheless attend Gods Worship and Sanctuary 1 Sam. 1. 2. Much corruption was crept in both into the Doctrine and Worship and Lives of the Administratours in the Church of the Iews yet our Saviour though he ☞ still cried down the Corruptions and would not joyn in them never prohibited Communion with them in Gods Worship but enjoyns it Matth. 5. 24. Mark 1. 40. Luke 5. 14. and practices it both he his Parents and Apostles Luke 2. 21 22 24 39 41 42 46. Acts 21. 23 24 26. But now in things Civil it is sufficient that you have the allowance of the Word though not the command always provided that the general Rules be here observed to do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. And not to abuse our lawful liberty to the offence of others Rom. 14. 21. Now your actions being thus justifiable as to the matter of them without which it is impossible had you never so good intentions of please God the influence and verture of holy Ends into them will be so effectual as to turn all into religious Duties as the touch of the Philosophers Stone turns the baser Mettal into Gold Rule 4. In every action let God be uppermost but in religious Actions let God be all Let none of your actions terminate in your selves but labour to be able in sincerity to give this account of any thing you set about that this you do because it is pleasing unto God because this is his will concerning you Set a mark upon this Caution Beware in those Actions wherein self may bear a part lest it should sweep Stakes and carry all You may in your common actions have an eye to your outward commodity and comfortable being in the world but this must not be the chief thing much less the all that you design herein for by looking no higher then self you incur this double mischief 1. You lose so much from your own account 2. You usurp upon the great Prerogatives of God I fear we are not aware of the fearful evil that is in self-seeking It is no less then justling God beside the Throne and setting our selves in his room It is Gods great Prerogative and the proper Worship that is due to him as God that he should be the last end of all the operations of us his Creatures and that all our motions should terminate in him Now when we eye our own commodity and not God or look to this more then unto God we arrogate the divine Prerogative to our selves and set our selves above him which is no less then hainous Idolatry And if it be such a hainous sin to bow down to an Image which is but the giving Gods outward worship to the Creature how much more to seek and honour our selves before God which is to give his inward worship which of all is the principal to the Creature Oh how many that pass for good Christians will be found heinous Idolaters because they have sought their own carnal ends more then God and his glory And many real Christians though they mainly design God and his glory yet in many particular actions contract great guilt by looking no higher then themselves in what they do I know you cannot be alwayes thinking of God yet I would have you never to forget what you have been taught In the entrance of every solemn action to remember God and make him your end Lie down in the Name of God every Evening Go forth in his Name every Morning resolving to undertake all for him When you enter upon your Callings sit down to your Meals make any Journey or visit do it as unto the Lord with a design to please him therein This you may come to with care and watchfulness Again In religious actions let God be all Here self I mean carnal self must be shut out otherwise this dead Flie will spoil the Box of most precious Oyntment 'T is true self will be crowding in but you must knock it down carefully otherwise if this be the predominant ingredient all your duties will be but lost labour What more pleasing to God then prayer This is as incense before him Psal. 141. 2. what more delightful then alms This is a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto him Phil. 4. 18. How happy a Testimony had Cornelius Thy Prayers and Alms are come up as a memorial before God! Acts 10. 4. Yet when self is predominant in those Duties Prayers Alms c. all are lost Matth. 6. 7. and 23. 5. Rule 5. When you have done all be careful to deny all Luke 17. 10. not denying Gods mercy in inabling and assisting you This must be with all thankfulness observed But attributing nothing to your selves and giving God all the glory Take the