5.6 and unable to come up to the obedience the Law requires of us 6. Mans carnal mind is said to be enmity against God Rom. 8.7 For 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be till it be effectually changed Secondly Observe by what terms the Scripture expresses mans recovery out of this sad estate 1. 'T is called Regeneration Tit. 3.5 Joh. 3.3 5. 2. A Spiritual Resurrection A quickning and raising from the death of sin to the life of grace Joh. 5 24 25. Eph. 2.1 3. A new Creation and Gods own Workmanship Eph. 2.10 By all which it may appear that though mans misery be from himself yet his help is only from the free grace of God It remains now that we inquire what use we are to make of this Doctrine of our Fall in Adam 1. This should humble us for our Original Apostasie from God the Apostasie of our Head 2. We should take heed of imitating our first Parents in their disobedience and Apostasie Pride undid them and undid the Angels that fell let us take heed of falling into the condemnation of the Devils 1 Tim. 3.6 Therefore our blessed Saviour who came to undo the works of the Devil comes in the lowest humility imaginable even in the form of a Servant 3. A Third instruction we may gather from the consideration of the instrument of our first Parents disobedience The Devil having Apostatized himself from God was restless till he had drawn our First Parents into the like Apostasie and Rebellion While we live let us take heed of the Company of Apostates and such as are fallen off from God and the practice and profession of true Piety 4. If our first Parents fell from God by disobedience in Paradise how should we tremble that walk in a corrupt World and carry corrupt hearts about us How ought we to cease from trusting in our selves and to put all our trust and confidence in God If the Devil prevailed over Adam how much more easily may he prevail over us If he could deceive by a Serpent how much more easily may he deceive when he uses men for his instruments that are like our selves And this is further to be observ'd that the more godly any are the more will the Devil labour to foil them For if he can foil one of them he blurs their profession and by such a scandal makes others shy of it Oh do you not see will the World then say what kind of Saints these are They are all such Saints in profession but Hypocrites at the heart And thus by the falls of Professors the Devil mightily advances his own Kingdom 5. Seeing we were all involved in the guilt of our first Parents disobedience and seeing we have received from them by our immediate Parents a corrupt and depraved Nature let us consider that this is no estate to be rested in If we rest and abide in our natural and corrupt estate let us remember that the wrath of God abideth on us Oh let us think seriously on this and lay it to heart Joh. 3.3 Sayes our Saviour Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God If death seize thee before thou art regenerate and born again better thou hadst never been born 'T is not enough believe it to be a civil honest man or woman to live neighbourly and friendly though that is in it self indeed very commendable but I say that is not enough to secure our Souls against the Justice of God By Nature we are all Children of wrath bond-slaves of Satan and a great change must pass upon us if ever we intend to come to the Kingdom of God 6. Let all Parents and Masters of Families labour to convince those under their charge of their miserable condition by Nature and let them endeavour faithfully to acquaint them with the way and means how they may escape out of it Let them shew them that seeing they are undone by the First Adam they must labour to recover themselves by the Second 7. Seeing Christ hath done so much to redeem us let us consider how greatly our Damnation will be aggravated if we neglect the great Salvation tendred by him in the Gospel I come now to the Third thing to be considered concerning man and that is 3. The way and means of his recovery by Christ Man by his fall having made himself uncapable of life by this first Covenant viz. The Covenant of Works it pleased the Lord to make a Second Covenant with him namely the Covenant of Grace Of the Covenant of Grace wherein he freely offers unto sinners life and Salvation by Jesus Christ requiring they should repent of their sins and believe in him that they may be saved In treating of this Covenant that I may proceed more methodically I shall 1. Compare these two Covenants viz. of works and grace together and shew wherein they agree and wherein they differ 2. I shall open more particularly the Nature of the Covenant of Grace First I shall shew wherein they agree 1. They agree in the Author God is the Author of them both 2. They agree in the parties concerned God and men are the Parties concerned in both Covenants 3. They agree in this that in both there is a promise of life and blessedness 4. In both Covenants there is a condition required on our parts for the obtaining the blessedness promised Neither of the Covenants promise life and blessedness absolutely whether we obey or no whether we beleive or no but under the condition of Obedience and Faith 5. B th Covenants require a perfect Righteousness of us if we intend to obtain the blessedness promised No blessedness is promised in either Covenant but upon condition of bringing in a perfect Righteâ—usness either of our own or anothers And these are the things wherein thâ—y agree In the next place let us consider wherein they dâ—ffer 1. They differ in the condition required One requires Works the other Faith The one sayes do this and live The other believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.31 In the Covenant of Works there was indeed an act of Faith required viz. that God would give the blessed life promised upon mans performance of his duty and obedience but it was not such a Faith as is required in the Covenant of Grace which is the receiving and apprehending and trusting our Souls on the righteousness which is wrought for us by the active and passive obedience of Christ The â—ovenant of Grace also requires Works For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live Righteously Soberly and Godlily in this present world c. And Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people Zeal us of good works Tit. 2.11 12 14. But it doth not require works from the same principle that the Covenant of Works does
what sweet Meditations should we have of Gods Mercy Love thankfulness and praise should be our daily exercise Had we Davids heart what Songs of praise would the consideration of Gods Mercy teach us to indite How affectionately should we recount the Mercies of our youth and riper years Yea of every state and condition we have been in to the honour of our great Benefactor But especially if God hath touched our hearts with his saving grace if he hath effectually called us and inabled us to repent of our sins and believe in his Son O then how should we bow down our heads and adore his free grace as the cause thereof If we have received any grace tending to our own sanctification or the edification of others Let us say as Paul did 1 Cor. 15.20 By the grace of God I am that I am Thirdly The meditation of Gods goodness and mercy to us should possess us with a superlative love to God Most certainly the prevailing love of God is the surest evidence of true sanctification He that hath most love has most grace And if you truly love God you will be loath to offend him The love of God doth not reign in that soul where the love of the World or of the Flesh or Pleasure reigneth Fourthly The Mercy of God should teach us to imitate him in this Attribute We should labour to be mercifull as our Heavenly Father is mercifull that is as to the manner though we cannot reach to the measure The goodness of God should possess us with a desire to be conformed to his goodness in our measure Summae Religionis est imitari quem colis Now God is mercifull two ways especially in Giving Forgiving First In Giving O how does the Lord supply our wants daily Let us therefore shew mercy to those that want our help Secondly In Forgiving O what a vast number of debts does the Lord forgive us Gods mercy to us layes the greatest Obligation imaginable upon us to forgive others (c) A Christian may remember offences in cautelam though not in vindictam Matth. 18.23 Shall not we forgive an Hundred Pence who have had Ten Thousand Talents forgiven unto us Fifthly We should especially observe and take notice of the mercy of God so highly manifested in the design of our Redemption 1 Joh. 4.10 Here is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins Was there ever Mercy like this We have reason to cry out O the depth of the riches of the mercy of God! O Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or the Son of man that thou thus visitest him with thy favour and mercy Sixthly Gods goodness and mercy should encourage our Souls to trust in him How many friends have some men with whom they dare trust their Estates or Lives because they are confident they truly love them And shall we not trust God who is love it self 1 John 4.16 I come now to the last of Gods communicable Attributes which I shall speak unto which is His faithfulness in keeping of his Covenant and Promises V. God is Faithful Faithful One letter of Gods glorious Name is abundant in truth or faithfulness The Scriptures abundantly bear Testimony unto this Deut. 7.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a Thousand Generations Isai 49.7 The Lord who is faithfull Rom. 3.4 Let God be true that is owned and acknowledged for such though all mankind should be false and deceitful Now Gods Faithfulness is manifâ—sted Two ways In fulfilling his promises In accomplishing his Threatnings God cannot in any case fail of his word It is impossible for him to lie Heb. 6.18 Tit. 1.2 As God is light and in him there is no darkness 1 Joh. 1.5 So he is truth and in him there is no falshood The strength of Israel will not lye 1 Sam. 15.29 And Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye God hath promised to them that repent and believe in his Son that they shall be saved He hath promised to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11 9. And we have reason firmly to believe these promises As for Temporal things he hath not promised them to any of his Children absolutely but with a tacit condition if he in his infinite Wisdom see it good and expedient for them So that as to these we must humbly refer our selves to his infinite Wisdom 'T is true we are required to pray for these Temporal things in faith but not with an assured particular perswasion that God will give us the very particular things we ask but with a faith of dependance on God and submission to his Holy will When we act faith on the All-sufficiency and Power of God and humbly resign our selves to his Holy will we may be said to pray in faith I come now to the Lessons which we are to learn from the consideration of this Attribute First We should learn from hence that the commands of God are serious and his promises and threatnings will certainly be accomplished There is nothing of reason or sence can be spoken against an Holy life by any one who believes the veracity and faithfulness of God and the truth of his Word Hath God said and do you believe it that he will come in flaming Fire to take vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1.8 And can you continue in ignorance and disobedience Hath he said that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 And can you continue in unrighteousnâ—ss Hath he said Heb. 12.14 Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord and can you slight Holiness And mock at serious Piety If you believ'd God to be faithfull and his Word true how could these things be so Secondly Gods faithfulness is a great aggravation of the heinousness of the sin of unbelief He that believeth not God hath made him a lyer faith the Apostle 1 Joh. 5.10 And this is the rather to be heeded that we may stir up in our selves a diligent watchfulness against this sin which with many is accounted but a meer infirmity O what matter of humiliation doth our proneness to this sin namely to distrust God justly minister unto us Many men hardly trust the promises of God so much as they would the word of a mortal man whom they account honest and just Certainly Gods faithfulness and truth should teach us to hate every motion to unbelief Vnbelief is the very bane of all Religion so far as it prevails Let it be our great care therefore to extirpate all remainders of this sin of Infidelity out of our hearts Thirdly If God be faithful this should be a great encouragement to us to trust in him and
had resolv'd to slay his Brother Jacob Gen. 27.4 Jacob wrastles that night with God in prayer Chap. 32. Vers 11 24 26 28. And Chap. 33. Vers 4. We find God had so changed the heart of Esau that instead of killing his Brother he most lovingly embraces him and fell upon his neck and kissed him 3. Sometimes he snares the wicked in the work of their own hands when they have designed mischief against his People Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the Judgment he executeth The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands The whole Book of Hester is a sufficient proof of this And we read Job 5.12 That he dissappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprizes Achitophel also is a remarkable instance of this whose counsel against David God turned in foolishness 4. Sometimes he makes the wicked against their own will to fulfill his will See what God says to the Assyrian Isai 10.5 6 7. O Assyrian the Rod of mine anger and the Staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an Hypocritical Nation and against the People of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the Spoil and to take the Prey and to tread them down like the mire of the Streets Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few Josephs Brethren little thought when they so wretchedly sold him they had been advancing of him But this is the Chymistry of Divine Providence to bring good out of evil 5. He usually converts the outward evils that befall his People to their Spiritual good Paul had a sad Messenger of Satan sent to buffet him 2 Corinth 12.7 But this Messenger prov'd a means to prevent pride in him Wicked men are God Scullions as one calls them and imployed by him to scour his Children and to brighten their graces Physick though it be not good to the Palat yet it may be very good for the Patient David found it so when he cried out It is good for me that I have been afflicted before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word Psal 119.67 68. And Isai 27.9 Sayes God By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin 6. And Lastly God very often qualifies the outward troubles of his People with inward comforts and consolations Though the outward man smart yet God can cause the Conscience to smile Though the outward estate be peeled yet he can chear the heart Those Saints in the 11 of Heb. took joyfully the spoiling of their goods remembring they had in Heaven a better and more induring substance Hear what the blessed Apostle says 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5 â—2 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort whereby we our selves are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom bâ—t by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the World and more abundantly tâ—â—â—â—-wards And that Gods Providencâ— is in so singular a manner watchfull over his Church and Pe ple may yet further appear if we consider these thiâ—â—s 1. They 〈…〉 in Covenant with him He hath taken thâ—m to hiâ—â—â—â—â—â—or hâ—â— pâ—â—ulâ—â—â— People he hath formed them for himself and 〈…〉 thâ—â—r God and that comprehends all blessings in it Jer. 〈…〉 And Ezek. 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thâ—â—e saith 〈…〉 â—â—d thou becamest mine 2. He hath pu◠〈◊〉 indearing relations towards them viz. Of a Father and of a Husband Jâ—r 31.9 I am a Father saith God to Israel Psal 103.13 As a Father puâ—â—th his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him And Isai 54.5 Thy Maker is thy Husband 3. He sets a high value upon them as may appear by the Titles he gives them He calls them his Jewels Mal. 3.17 And Zach. 2.8 The Apple of his eye and Psal 16.3 The Excellent of the Earth 4. He hath made many gracious promises to them Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee And Psal 84.11 He hath promised to be a Sun and a Shield unto his People He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly And thus much of the Third particular I propounded to speak to viz. The extent of Divine Providence I come now to the Fourth viz. to consider 4. What are the Objections that are usually made against this Doctrine 1. Object Some think that to assert that the Providence of God reaches to all his Creatures is a diminution or aviling of his Majesty and Greatness Therefore Epicurus and some of the Ancients thought that God confined himself to the highest Heavens as to his Royal Palace that his Majesty was too Sublime and August to mind the actions of inferiour Creatures And Aristotle himself it sâ—ems was of this opinion that the Providence of God reached no further then the Orb of the Moon Answ For answer to this we need only say that those men spake like Heathens not knowing the Scriptures which teach us that the Providence of God is so particular that the very hairs of our heads are said to be numbred and that a Sparrow does not fall to the ground without Gods knowledg or permission Matth. 10.29 And certainly 't is no diminution to the infinite Majesty of God to govern those Creatures how small and inferiour soever which he in his infinite wisdom thought good to create and produce * Deo probrum non est â—i utissimâ— quâ—qâ—e seâ— ss multo minâ—s regere 2 Object Another Objection against Providence is this if the Providence of God governs the World Cur malis bene bonis male Why fares it many times so well with the wicked Why do they flourish like a green Bay-tree While those that are righteous and good men meet with hard measure and are miserably harassed and afflicted This matter we find debated by Job in Chap. 21.7 And in Chap. 24.27 The Psalmist also insists on it in Psal 37.73 And the Prophet Jerem. Chap. 12.1 Answ That this oftentimes so happens is plain and undeniable And the Providence Wisdom and Justice of God in this dispensation is many times a mystery and riddle to the Children of men But the difficulty is soon dissolved if we will but attentively consider these things which we spake something to before in answer to an Objection made against Gods Justice 1. None are perfectly righteous here Therefore even in the very best God may find something
That requires works to be performed by our own strength and ability received at our creation whereby we were sufficiently inabled to do the things required of us But the Covenant of Grace requires works to be done by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ Phiâ— 4.13 I can do all things sayes the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Therefore the obedience of the Gospel is called the obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 as following Faith and springing from it Repentance and Faith are not so in mans power now as Obedience was under the Covenant of Works And secondly it doth not require works for the same end For the Covenant of Works requires works as the way and means of our standing right before God But the Covenant of Grace doth not require works as the matter of our Righteousness and Justification before God but that thereby we should glorify God in this World be fitted for Heaven and should evidence and testifie our renewed nature 2. In the Covenant of Works there was no Mediator But in the Covenant of Grace there is Therefore the one is called Foedus amicitiae the other Foedus misericordiae 3. One sin broke the Covenant of Works but in the Covenant of Grace there is pardon obtainable for multiplied transgressions Isa 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 4. The Covenant of Works gave unto man some occasion as it were to glory if he had stood But the Covenant of Grace cuts off from Man all pretence to glory in himself and engages him to give all the glory intirely unto God So saith the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law of Works Nay But by the Law of Faith And 1 Cor. 1.31 The Apostle tells us Christ is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. So Eph. 2.9 By grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Works lest any man should boast Having thus shewed the agreement and difference between these two Covenants I come now to speak more particularly of the Covenant of Grace Concerning which let us observe these things 1. The Covenant of Grace was for substance one and the same in all ages of the Church though diversly administred before and after the coming of Christ From Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to David and so on from David to Christ and from Christ to the end of the World the Covenant of Grace hath been one and the same without change or alteration Yet it was administred in a different manner under the Old and New Testament and thence it had the denomination of Old and New Covenant Yet both did agree in many things As Of the old administration of the Covenant of Grace of the new 1. They both lead to one and the same Mediator by and through whom the blessings promised are to be expected Christ at his Resurrection raised up together with himself many of the Saints who died under the former Covenant as we read Mat. 27.52 Whereby he shewed that the benefit of his Mediation Death and Resurrection did belong to them under the old Covenant as well as to us under the new But some will perhaps say that Christ is called the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 Answ He is so in respect of actual and personal confirmation of it by his own blood which was not done in the old Covenant But he was Mediator of the old Covenant as may appear by the types that did prefigure him and in respect of the vertue and efficacy of his blood which was to be shed which did take away the sins committed under the old Covenant as to them that truly believed in him Hereunto agrees that in Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever that is as to the vertue of his death 2. The same condition is required under both administrations namely Repentance and Faith in the Messiah 'T is true many of the Jews under the old Covenant sought Righteousness by the works of the Law and not by Faith in the Messiah but this was their error and sin It was not the true Doctrine of that Covenant 3. Under both there was the same Law and Rule of Life to walk by viz. the Moral Law Jam. 28. This Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal or a Kingly Law because it hath a Kingly and authoritative power over all Mankind 4. They both propound the same Salvation God would not have called himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob if they had not been saved Neither would the place of Rest haâ—e been called Abrahams bosome if Abraham himself had not had part in that place of Rest But some will object Heb. 8.8 9. Where 't is said the New Covenant is not as the Old I answer We must distinguish betwixt the substance of the Covenant and the manner of its dispensation In respect of the dispensation the new is not as the old though it be as to substance As Rebecca vailed and unvailed was the same woman and yet not the same The same in person not the same in habit and attire That which brought the blessing to Abraham was this that he believed on that seed which was to spring from him looking for Righteousness and Life by him So then the old Covenant spoken of in the old testament and the new which is now published in the Gospel are for substance one and the same without any essential difference between them But though they thus agreed yet in many things they differed As particularly 1. The old administration of the Covenant of Grace was more burthensome the new is more easie this the Apostle plainly intimates Acts 15.10 Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear And Gal. 4.3 Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the World There were required under the old Covenant Circumcision costly Sacrifices and Oblations tedious journeys to Jerusalem at the three solemn feasts restraint from many liberties which we enjoy under the new 2. The one was more dark the other is more clear Eternal life was not so clearly discovered in the old Testament as it is in the new 2 Tim. 1.10 Yea Christ himself and his offices and benefits were then but darkly revealed Hence the Gospel is called the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the World began Rom. 16.25 not that it was absolutely hid or kept secret but comparatively in respect of the more clear and plain discovery of it afforded to us in these dayes Hence that of our Saviour to
his Disciples Matth. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear for verily I say unto you that many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them It was meet that the glory of a clearer discovery of eternal life should be reserved to Christ himself Now the veil is done away 3. A less forcible influence and efficacy accompanied the old administration than doth the new The spirit of Christ is now poured forth more abundantly since his Ascension and a more mighty operation of the Spirit accompanies the ministry of the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 4. A more servile spirit acted in those who were under the old Administration they being drawn generally more by the terrors of the Law than by the promises of Grace 5. In respect of extent they much differ For the old was revealed but to few in comparison viz. to the Jews and their Proselytes whereas the grace of the Gospel is held forth to all Nations 6. The old Covenant was to last but for a time viz. till the time of reformation Heb. 9.10 but the new is to last unto the end of the world and shall never wax old or wear away 7. They differ in respect of their Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeover which were the chief Sacraments under the old Administration were bloody Sacraments for Christs blood was then to be shed But under the new our Sacraments are unbloody for Christs blood is shed 8. They differ as to the manner of their ratification The old was ratified by the blood of the Levitical Sacrifices the new by the blood of the Son of God Having thus spoken of the Covenant of Grace in the general and of the old and new dispensation thereof in particular let us now consider what use we are to make of this Doctrine 1. Let us bless God for making this Covenant with faln Man Let us consider the freeness of it There was nothing in us but our misery to move him to it And he made no such Covenant with the Angels that fell 2. Let us consider the sureness of it God hath confirmed it 1. by his word and promise 2. by his oath 3. by his sea 'T is indeed called sometimes a Covenant and sometimes a Testament A Covenant with reference to God the Father who hath made this gracious Covenant with the children of men and in it hath promised many great priviledges and blessings unto them that perform the conditions therein required He promises in this Covenant 1. That He will be our God Heb. 8.10 And that is a very large and comprehensive promise 2. That He will forgive all our sins And therefore when God shewed mercy to his people of Israel He is said to have remembred his Covenant Exod. 2.24 And the Saints of old did use in their approaches to God to plead this Covenant and to ground their Faith and Hope on it Psal 74.20 Jer. 14.21 3. That He will renew and sanctify our natures and write his Law upon our hearts 4. That He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 and so will preserve us by his grace and power from total and final Apostacy 5. That no outward thing that He sees good for us shall be wanting to us 6. That He will give us Eternal glory in the other life And as it is called a Covenant with reference to â—od so 't is called a Testament with reference to Christ who by his blood and death confirmed it and as a Testator bequeathed life and salvation to all penitent Believers He having all power and authâ—rity given him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 2. Let us bless God that we were born under the best dispensation of the Covenant of Grace 'T is an unvaluable mercy to be born under the new Covenant or Gospel dispensation This is called a bettter Covenant as being established on better promises Heb. 8.6 viz. more spiritual more clear and more extensive The old was a ministration of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. It literally declared what was to be done but comparatively there was little spiritual ability afforded for the performing of the things injoyned I say comparatively the old had but a weak operation in respect of the new Not that the old had no Spiritual efficacy For many under it were eminent in Grace as Abraham Moses Josiah Hezekiah c. but the more plentiful effusion of the Spirit was reserved till Christs Ascension 3. As ever we expect to injoy the priviledges and benefits of the Covenant of Grace let us make conscience to perform the conditions therein required which are these 1. Repentance which is a Grace necessary to prepare us to receive Christ 2. Faith in Christ We cannot become the Children of God but by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 3. Obedience which is a grace necessary to inable us to walk answerably to this holy Covenant Deut. 10.12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul To keep the Commandments of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good CHAP. III. Of the Mediator between God and Man SECT I. Of the Titles of the Mediator I believe in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. JEsus Christ the only Son of God is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace Concerning whom we shall inquire 1. What his Titles are by which he is called The Titles given him in the ancient Creed are four Jesus Christ the only Son of God our Lord of all which I shall speak in order 1. Jesus Jesus which signifies a Saviour God by an Angel gave him that name Matth. 1.21 He was designed by God the Father to perform for the Children of Men whatsoever is implied in his name Jesus denotes the work and business for which he came into the World The Angel told the Shepherds Luke 2.11 unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord so 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and here let us consider how Jesus is a Saviour and why truly and properly so called This will more particularly appear if we consider the great evils he saves us from and the great benefits he hath purchased for us 1. He saves us from the guilt of sin By his exact Obedience to the Law and by his Sufferings and Passion he hath made satisfaction to the Justice of God for our sins He hath trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath for us Rev. 19.15 He hath born our sins in his
of Gods people is represented to us after a figurative manner of Speech by the names of Sion and Jerusalem Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob and Psal 112.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee The name Church occurreth not till the time of the Gospel and then it was imposed by our Saviour For no sooner had Peter made this confession for himself and the rest of the Apostles Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16.16 but presently our Saviour adds upon this Rock that is the rock of this confession or upon this Truth whereof thou hast made profession will I build my Church As if he should have said This profession or this Faith which thou hast professed shall be the foundation of Believers especially the object of this faith and confession viz. I my self who am the true Messias The Greek word for Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies coetum evocatum a chosen or selected company a company called forth of the world or chosen out of others to profess Faith in Christ and to worship the true God according to his will And hereby is to be understood the body collective of all Gods people professing Faith in Christ though made up of several particular Congregations which have been called by the grace and goodness of God to a participation of his Word and Sacraments and other outward means of eternal life The Church therefore in the language of the New Testament doth alwayes signifie a company of persons professing faith in Christ Single persons so professing are members of the particular Churches to which they appertain And all those particular Churches are members of the universal or Catholick Church which is one by unity of aggregation not only of many persons but also of many Congregations of believing and baptised persons The Church is therefore one though the members be many And there are several things wherein the members of the Catholick Church do agree and several things also wherein they differ The things wherein they differ are these 1. The members of the Church are not all of the same age or standing in Christ Some are Babes some Young men and some are Fathers 1 John 2.12 13 14. 2. They are not all of the same degree of strength Some are of small strength and have need to be fed with milk and not with strong meat Some are weak in Faith and apt to be offended whom the stronger must take heed of offending Some are of sounder understandings and others are tainted with errors and corrupt opinions 3. They have not all the same degree of gifts nor the same sort of gifts 4. They are not all of the same usefulness and serviceableness to the Church Some are as Pillars Gal. 2.9 Some are fit to be teachers of others some so live that the Church hath much benefit by their lives and great loss by their deaths And some are such troublers of it by their weaknesses and corrupt distempers that their death is some ease to the places where they did live 5. They are not all the same in regard of office Some are appointed to be Pastors Teachers Elders Overseers and Stewards of the mysteries of God and to feed the flock and to be their Rulers in spiritual things And some are the Flock commanded to learn of them and to have them in honour and high esteem for their works sake and to obey them As there are diversity of gifts so also of offices 6. They have not all the same imployment The Magistrates work is of one kind and the Ministers of another There is one sort of duties belongs to Parents and another to Children one to Mâ—sters and another to Servants 7. All the members of the Church are not to be equally honoured and loved Even among the Elders there are some that are worthy of double honour Some are of high and excellent gifts and graces and as more of God doth shine forth in them so a greater love and honour is due to them 8. The members of the Church will not have all an equal degree of glory there being a great inequality in their graces and the services they have done for God in this World And so much of the things wherein the members of the Church do differ 2. Let us consider what are the things wherein they agree 1. The members of the Catholick Church strictly taken as comprehending only the true living members thereof have all one God the fountain of their being and happiness and are all related to him as Children to one Father Eph. 4.6 2. They have all one Head Redeemer Saviour and Mediator Jesus Christ to whom they are all united 3. They have all one Holy Ghost dwelling in them illuminating sanctifying and guiding of them and are all animated by this one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 4. They have all one principal ultimate end which is the glory of God and their own eternal Salvation which they all aim at hope for and expect Eph. 4.4 5. They have all one Gospel which teaches them the knowledge of Christ and the things appertaining to their Salvation 6. 'T is one kind of Faith that by the holy Doctrine is wrought in their Souls though the degrees be various and in the main essentials of Christianity they usually agree though in lesser things there is sometimes much difference among them Eph. 4.5 7. There is one new disposition or holy nature wrought by the spirit of God in them all And the affections predominant in them have one and the same object Sin is the chiefest thing that all of them hate the displeasing of God is the chief thing they all fear and God in Christ is the prime object of all their loves 8. They have all one rule or law to live by The moral Law is to them all a rule of life 9. They are all entred into one and the same Covenant to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil and to give themselves up sincerely to the service of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 10. They agree in a special love to the whole Church and desire of its welfare And though there may be some differences through mistake between some particular members yet they desire and pray for the safety of the whole 11. They agree in their love to all the Ordinances and institututed means of Grace and make use of them in order to their improvement in holiness And thus much of the things wherein the members of the Catholick Church do agree 2. We come to consider the nature of this Church There are two things by which the nature of this Church may be discerned from such other publick Assemblies which may seem to lay claim to this title 1. Holiness 2. Catholicism or Vniversality Now this Church may be called Holy 1. In respect of its vocation All the members hereof are called unto and engaged
But does not the annexing of such a condition as this unto forgiveness lessen the grace and bounty of it Answer No in no wise For consider these things 1. The dispensing of pardon and forgiveness upon such a condition as faith in Christ which includes Gospel obedience is one of the most effectual means to introduce sanctity and holiness into the World For what more effectual way can there be to do it than to make it conditionally necessary to justification and salvation 2. Gods immutable holiness and justice is hereby made more illustrious and his solemn hatred and dislike of sin is more manifested For hereby 't is evident that God will save no man in his sins but from his sins Whom he justifies he will sanctify No mans sin is so forgiven that the least allowance is vouchsafed to it None but such as are sanctified can be accepted of him 3. Whatever is by the Gospel conditionally required of us is fully and freely given us Faith and every other grace is the gift of God We perform the condition required of us solely by the power of his grace freely given unto us And all the rewards of the Gospel are but the gracious remunerations of Gods own gifts and graces Free grace and divine bounty is the root that bears all And therefore the holiest men on earth have the greatest cause to be most humble For having received most they ought most to abase themselves 4. 'T is fit that all who shall be saved should be rationally satisfied of the excellency of that life the Gospel calls them unto For the precepts of the Gospel are framed and calculated for our advantage and benefit The commands of Christ are in no wise grievous to any man truly and rationally informed of his own interest The Gospel commands us to be sober righteous and godly and 't is rationally best for us so to be both in order to our own good and the good and benefit of others among whom we live And therefore 't is fit we should make a solemn choice of this life for our selves and seriously resolve as men of truth and fidelity to pursue it There ought to be sincerity of intention and endeavour in us to live this life though we do not arrive at perfection of action We should therefore examine what is the deliberate choice of our wills whether to be Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ as well as to be justified by his merits Christ will not judge of us by a suddain passionate choice but by our rational and advised choice And we must especially take heed of all degrees of insincerity and hypocrisie which of all sins under the Gospel does most dangerously border on a breach of the condition required Believe it those things that keep people usually from the good things of the Gospel are either a direct refusal of Christ or a sloathful carelesness unconcerned neglect of him or a prevailing falseness in the course of Gospel obedience I shall conclude all that I shall say upon this argument with these four particulars 1. Our Lord and Saviour did certainly perform all things that were required to be performed by him as our mediator 2. By reason of the high dignity of his person his obedience and sufferings are of more value and worth than the obedience and sufferings of all mankind would have been 3. These things being performed by him in our nature and wholly upon oâ—r account God accepts them for us though not as done by us and reckons all the benefits and advantages of them to us 4. If we desire to partake of the benefits of Christs active and passive obedience we must sincerly believe in him and take him for our Lord and Saviour and if our Faith be a true justifying Faith it will purify our hearts and reform our lives Having thus explained this Doctrine of the forgiveness of sins let us now consider what improvement we should make of it 1. Let us admire the infinite goodness of God that there is a possibility of pardon for the children of men who are naturally under wrath There is none for the Angels that fell 2. Let us often meditate upon and admire the way of it 1. No pardon to be obtained for man without a Mediator And where could fallen man have found a Mediator that would have undertaken his cause 2. No ordinary Mediator would suffice If all the holy Angels had joyned together it would have not been sufficient Only the eternal Son of God could effect it 3. Let us consider that Christ obtained our peace not by a bare mediation but by paying a price for us and making full satisfaction to the Will and Justice of God by his obedience and sufferings 3. Let us often admire the benefits of it 1. It is not only a great mercy in it self but the foundation of all other mercies 'T is the Queen of mercies that hath a glorious train of other mercies attending it Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven whose iniquities are covered to whom the Lord imputeth not transgression None of the antient Philosophers ever gave such a definition of happiness 2. The sense of this mercy makes all afflictions more easie to be born What can hurt us if God be reconciled to us 3. Pardoning mercy brings healing with it unto the Soul Christ Sanctifies those by his Spirit whose pardon he procures by his Merits 4. It affords great comfort against death which is otherwise terrible of terribles 4. If pardoning mercy be so great a mercy let us often consider how vile and wretched those persons are who slight this mercy But who are they 1. All careless ones who neglect this great salvation and prefer the things of the World before it 2. All wicked and prophane ones who go on daily increasing their guilt not minding to make peace with God 3. All that rest on any thing besides Christs righteousness and intercession for the procuring their pardon with God 5. Let us all examine our selves whether we have obtained this blessedness or no. Many content themselves with weak grounds on which they build their hopes of pardon 1. They are not so bad as others They think they are sinners yet guilty but of few sins in comparison of what others are guilty of I answer Possibly they may not be so bad as others yet they may be in a very bad condition for all that out of which if they do not get they will be everlastingly miserable 2. Others think well of them Be it so But we shall not stand or fall by mans Judgment 3. They live civilly so they may do and yet be unconverted and without true conversion and regeneration no salvation is to be expected 6. Seeing God is ready to forgive let us all endeavor to secure this blessedness to our selves 1. Let us seek it as earnestly as ever we sought any thing in the World 2. those that must shortly be arraigned If a guilty Malefactor knew
Seal of the new Testament or Covenant which is to be ratified and confirmed by my blood * Heb. 9.15.16 Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is now to be shed for many for the remission of sins that is this wine in the Cup is a sign or representation of my blood and a seal whereby the new Covenant is confirmed with all the promises of it For without shedding of blood there is no remission * Heb. 9.22 Gods Justice being no other way to be satisfied Now the Sacraments may be said to be Seals in two respects 1. They are absolute seals to the veracity and truth of Gods promises and Covenant 2. Conditional Seals in reference to us They Seal the remission of sins to all that perform the conditions required and to none else As the tree of life did not seal or confirm to Adam that he should have life except upon condition of his perfect obedience To them therefore that perform the conditions required they exhibit confer and passover the blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace 3. To be an objective means to stir up excite and increase Repentance Faith Love Hope Joy Thankfulness in believers by a lively representation of the evil of sin the infinite love of God in Christ the firmness of the Covenant of grace the greatness and sureness of the mercies promised 4. To be a badge and cognizance of the Church before the world and a token that we solemnly profess that we own a crucified Jesus for our Saviour and that 't is Christ and his death that we depend upon and abide by for the remission of all our sins and reconciliation with God 5. To be a means of our renewing our Covenant with God Covenants in the Scripture were wont to be made by eating and drinking together Isaac and Abimelech Jacob and Laban concluded their Covenants with a Feast * Gen. 6.30 and Gen. 31.44 46. Hereby we have an advantage of entring into a stricter engagement to God and renewing the Covenant we made with him in Baptism 6. To be a means of procuring and advancing unity and love among the Saints A feast carries in it the notion of love and good will But this is more a feast of love than any ordinary feast can be because 't is a remembrance of the greatest love that that ever was manifested viz. of that love which the Lord shewed in dying for us 'T is a Feast upon Christs Sacrifice And it should be a means not only of uniting believers more firmly to Christ their Head but of uniting and endearing them more one to another The ancient Christians did notably express this 1. By their Agapae or love-feast Jude verse 14. 2 Pet. 2.13 2. By their kiss of Charity Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.30 3. By their collections for the poor made at these times 1 Cor. 16.1 Having thus spoken of the true and proper ends for which this Sacrament was instituted I come now to consider the mistaken ends for which it was not appointed 1. It was not appointed to turn bread and wine into the true and real body and blood of Christ For if sense be not to be believed concerning its own object and which tells all men that 't is still bread and wine how can we believe that Christ or any of his Apostles were ever in the World seeing they that saw them and conversed with them may on this ground for all that be deceived which were very irrational to imagine And the Apostle expresly calls it bread three times in three verses together and that after the Consecration 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of that Cup. And he tells us that the use of this Sacrament is not to make the Lards Body corporally present but to shew the Lords death till he come that is to be a visible representation and commemoration of his death till he come to judgment Indeed Christ is really present in this Sacrament but not in the elements but to the Faith of the worthy receiver When they eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup in a due manner exercising a lively Faith in him for the remission of all their sins Christ is then present to their Faith neither is he any otherwise present in this Sacrament 2. This Sacrament was not appointed to Sacrifice Christ really again to the Father to propitiate him for the quick and dead or to ease Souls in Purgatory to deliver them out of it For Christ having died once dieth no more but by once offering up himself hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified * Heb. 10.14 that is he hath made a perfect satisfaction to the justice of God and done all things needful to bring them to eternal life who are sanctified by his grace and brought to believe in him with a lively Faith 3. 'T is not appointed as a means to conveigh grace meerly by the work done or by the outward receiving of it only as charms are supposed to work neither are we to suppose that God will pardon or save any for their meer coming to this Ordinance though they strive not with their hearts to bring them to repentance faith in Christ sincere love to God and men and new obedience 4. 'T is not appointed as a means to wipe off the old score of sin that men may more freely and boldly encourage themselves to sin again as some ignorant people are apt to think but as a blessed means to mortifie sin in us and to engage us unto holiness And thus much concerning the first head I propounded to speak unto viz. The right informing the judgment and that concerning these four particulars 1. The author of this Sacrament 2. The time of its Institution 3. The nature of it 4. The ends for which it was appointed I come now to the second viz. to direct your practice and to shew you how you should receive it in a right manner In order to which you must know 1. There are some duties to be performed before you come to receive this holy Sacrament 2. Some duties in the time of receiving it 3. Some duties after There are two kinds of preparation necessary to a worthy receiver 1. The General which is that we look to it that we be in a state of grace for there are several graces that must be exercised in receiving this Sacrament and they that are not in a state of grace are utterly unfit for the present to approach this holy Table 2. The Particular which consists in a present actual fulness In order to the obtaining of this let me advise thee Reader to the
good of others if we can honestly or else abstaining from speaking evil Let us consider what the Apostle sayes 1 John 2.9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him He that hateth his brother is a Murderer So that it seems there is a kind of heart-murder and tongue-murder which we ought to take heed of as well as the murder of the hand 5. The fifth thing requisite to a worthy Receiver is an hungring and thirsting after a greater sence of Gods pardoning mercy in Christ and of more communications of Grace from him by which we may be inabled to live more unto God Having thus shewed what are the due qualifications requisite to a worthy Receiver I come now to shew what qualifications are insufficient 1. He that is meerly civil is not sufficiently qualified to partake of this Ordinance By meerly civil I mean a person whose life as as to men is outwardly fair and civil yet he hath never had any effectual conviction of the evil of sâ—n nor of the danger of his original and actual transgressions made upon his conscience nor of the absolute necâ—ssity that lies upon him to go out of himself to Christ for pardon but usually rests in his own righteousness and in the performance of the duties of the second Table and is either very negligent about or slight and perfunctory in the performance of the duties of the first namely the duties that relate to God immediately He would be righteous towards men but his heart is very far from being truly religious toward God His chief care is usually about the outward fairness of his conversation but takes little or no care of purging of his heart of secret sins or mortifying his inward lusts And neither is the glory of God his aim nor the word of God his rule but his own credit and estimation in the world is chiefly regarded by him And many times there is some sin or other though not gross and notorious continued in with allowance And not seldom there is a professed hatred against the practical power of Godliness thinking it more ado than needs He that has only such a civility as this is not sufficiently qualified for this holy Table 2. He that is meerly restrained and withholden either by the sence of his credit or fear of shame or punishment from the commission of sin but in his heart hankers after it and inclines to it is not fitly qualified There are many persons that have some restraints upon them as the respect they bear to their Parents or Governors or the like that keep them for the present from the commission of those sins which in their hearts they love and would give themselves over unto if they durst And commonly when those restraints are removed their corruptions break out with more violence I press this no farther I leave every one herein to deal faithfully and impartially with his own Soul 3. He that has only an outward formal religiousness is not fitly qualified for this holy Table I mean such as rest in the bare performance of outward religious duties and trust to them for their acceptance with God not minding nor aiming that their Souls should be bettered towards God by their duties 'T is a good and useful distinction which we have before had occasion to mention that of Religion the end and Religion the means They that rest in the means and in outward religious performances such as praying hearing receiving the Lords Supper or the like without aiming at or designing that their hearts may be really mended and their lives reformed thereby which is the end these means are appointed for are far from being truly Religious Yet many times such persons are highly conceited of their own righteousness as the Pharisee was Luke 18.9 Who trusted in himself that he was righteous and despised others 4. Such as have only a slight sorrow for their sins past and no serious resolution to amend their lives nor to forsake what they know to be sinful and amiss in themselves are by no means fitly qualified for this holy Table Let every one therefore seriously examine himself whether he be fitly qualified for this holy ordinance And there being but only two estates of soul toward God that man can be in viz. either that of nature or that of grace so that every man must of necessity be in the one or the other It concerns us to be well acquainted with the distinguishing Characters or marks both of the one and of the other and to examine our selves seriously that we may know in which of them we are and to stick so long upon this work till we bring it to some issue and be able to make a judgment upon our selves to which of them we do indeed belong In order to the helping us in this great work of self examination I shall give the characters 1. Of such as for the present are apparently unconverted and 2. Of such as are converted The unconverted are such as these 1. Such as are grosly ignorant of the main principles of Christianity 2. Such as are insensible of the evil and danger of their sins nor have ever had any considerable remorse wrought in their souls for them 3. Such in whose hearts sin rules and reigns so that they delight in it 4. Such whose lives and conversations are wicked and prophane 5. Such as were never brought to see their need of Christ in good earnest nor solemnly to accept him for their Lord and Saviour 6. Such as disrelish holiness and hate the life and power of godliness and malign such as are truly and seriously religious 7. Such as delight in wicked company and chuse such for their companions rather than others 8. Such as are gross neglecters of the means of grace which God hath appointed for the bettering of our souls 9. Such as have long enjoyed the powerful means of grace but are nothing changed bettered or reformed thereby 10. Such as have the main bent of their hearts set upon the pleasures profits and delights of the world And these are the things they chiefly mind though with the ruining neglect of their Souls Such persons for the present are apparently unconconverted 2. Let us consider the marks and characters of such as are converted The converted are such as these 1. They are such who by the grace of God have been spiritually enlightned to see the depravation of their natures and the sinfulness of their hearts and lives 2. They are such as have had their hearts touched and affected with Godly sorrow and true remorse for their sins 3. They are such as have been brought to see their absolute need of Christ and deliberately and solemnly to give up themselves to him to be pardoned through the merit of his active and passive obedience and to be sanctified by
his spirit 4. They are such who by the assistance of grace do labour to mortifie their inward lusts and to purifie their hearts from secret sins 5. They are such in whose hearts the interest of God prevailes above the interest of the World or of the Flesh 6. They are such who labour to be holy in all manner of conversation 1. To be religious towards God 2. Righteous towards men 3. Sober and temperate in the government of themselves 4. Diligent and faithful in the discharge of their relative duties 7. They are such as truly love all the people of God and such as are true members of Christs holy Catholick Church 8. They are such as labour to be sincere in all that they do 9. They are such as labour to be watchful over themselves viz. over their thoughts over their affections over their words over their actions and over their aims and ends 10. They are such as in their Judgments do approve the wayes of God as most eligible and most safe 11. They do consent to and own the Covenant they were entred into in their Baptism And these are the characters or marks of such as are Converted Now if any one on serious examination of himself do find that there is any seed or principle of true grace in him and that it is the sincere purpose of his heart to walk with God then he ought to encourage himself to come to this Ordinance which was instituted to strengthen the weak Christian And so much of the duties which are to be performed before you come to this holy Ordinance I come now to shew what are the duties required of you in the time of receiving Which are these 1. Carefully avoid distractions as much as possibly you can through the whole administration and gird up the loyns of yâ—ur mind and be intent upon the work you are about 2. Labour to quicken and excite and awaken in your souls these following graces 1. Awaken repentance and a bleeding sorrow in thy heart for all thy sins past and especially for those that sit heaviest upon thy conscience Say to thy soul in some such soliloquies as these O my soul that ever I should have been such a vile wretch that I should have so grievously offended my merciful and bountifull Creator O what a mercy is it that I am out of Hell God might have cut me down in my sins and cast me down into the Lake of fire and brimstone And has he hitherto spared me and does he now offer me a pardon sealed with the blood of his dear Son O the unsearchable riches of his free grace and mercy O my soul how should this melt thee into penitent tears How should this consideration make thee loath and hate every sin that thou hast ever been guilty of and make thee willing to renounce and forsake them all and to turn to God in sincere obedience 2. Awaken and excite a spiritual appetite in thy self Say to thy soul Happy yea thrice happy O my soul are they whose sins are forgiven and whose iniquities are covered blessed are they to whâ—m God will not impute their transgressions but will pardon them in and through his Son Yea happy are they whose justification is testified to their consciences by their Sanctification and by their sincere desire and endeavor to walk before God in all holy obedience O my soul that this may be my portion whatever God denies me else in this world Oh that this may be a day wherein I may have a clear manifestation of Gods pardoning mercy made to my Soul Oh that I may receive a plentiful effusion of the graces of the Spirit into my heart O that my lusts and corruptions may be mortified and subdued O that I may be enabled to do all my duties better than ever I have done O that I may be more watchful over mine heart and tongue and all my wayes than ever I have been O that my soul may depart much bettered much revived comforted and strengthned from this holy Ordinance 3. Awaken Faith Say to thy self O my Soul it is not a confident and groundless perswasion that Christ will save thee that is the faith now required of thee But thou must humbly cast thy self at Christs feet and seriously and deliberately own and acknowledge him for the only Saviour of mankind and humbly cast thy self on the free mercy of God and his merits and intercession for the obtaining the pardon of all thy sins and must consent to take him for thy Lord as well as thy Saviour and be willing he should rule in thee by his holy Spirit and govern thee by his Laws O my Soul willingly freely deliberately surrender thy self to him to be pardo ed in his blood to be sanctified by his spirit go to him trust in him for grace as well as pardon And though thou hast before given up thy self to him and by acts of Faith united thy self to him yet labour now to excite and put forth stronger acts of faith and affiance in him that thou maist be more firmly united unto him Say Lord I come to thee sweet Saviour I give my Soul here anew to thee Take it wash it in thy precious blood from the gâ—ilt of all my sins and sanctifie it by thy holy spirit Thou hast said whoever comes unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast out O receive me though an unworthy wretch O absolve me from the guilt of all my sins of every sort and kind O keep my poor Soul that I now commit unto thee unto eternal life There in no other name given under Heaven whereby I can be saved Therefore I do profess and declare that thy merits obedience and sufferings I do alone depend on and abide by for my reconciliation and peace with God and do now renew my Covenant that I was entred into in my Baptism resolving by thy grace to be for ever thine 4. Awaken excite and stir up thy heart in love to God and to Jesus Christ Say to thy self O my Soul how great is the love of God in sending his only Son to dye to save poor lost Sinners He did not thus for the Angels that fell O how great is the love of Christ who would stoop so low That the eternal Son of God should take our nature and be born of a poor Virgin that he should dye and suffer and endure so much for poor worms for enemies that he should sweat drops of blood in the Garden in his agony that he should have his precious body thus broken and his blood shed to redeem us Was there ever love like this O my Soul what hath been done by thee in return for all this love O my sweet Jesus thou art worthy of all love and service from me though mine heart is base and disingenuous and is not sufficiently affected with thy love Thou art infinitely lovely though my heart loves thee not as it ought to do Thou wast exceeding
imaginable and to this end God usually designs it As he sayes by the Prophet Hosea 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face In their affliction they will seek me early Josephs Brethren are a great instance of this who when they were put into prison and brought into distress then their consciences began to tell them how they had used their Brother Joseph Gen. 24.21 Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 2. By sanctified afflictions he calls for the exercise of their Faith Patience Humility Self-denial and will crown and reward the exercise of these graces which he himself hath planted in them 3. Hereby he crucifies their hearts to the world As Nurses lay worm-wood or some bitter thing upon their nipples when they intend to wean their Children so God imbitters the world oftentimes to his own Children to wean them from it We read how Antigonus seeing a Soldier of his venture upon any danger and observing withal that he was very sickly took care to have him recovered to good health which done the man would not expose himself as before he had used to do alledging that now his life was of more value to him and not to be hazarded as when it was only a burden Thus we see how prosperity makes men love the World whilst afflictions wean them from it 4. Hereby he quickens their devotion and excites the spirit of prayer in them whereas before possibly they were too cold and formal in their prayers now they pray earnestly How did Daniel pray in the Lions den How did Jonah pray in the Whales belly How did the three Worthies pray in the fiery furnace People under afflictions pray at another rate than those do who are at ease and in prosperity 5. Hereby he conforms them unto his Son who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs And the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him 9. Take heed of all eager and inordinate desires There is scarce any thing in this world more dangerous to a man than such vehement desires Omnis inordinatus appetitus sibi ipsi poena est Commonly God crosses eager desires and there is not a more ready way to miss any thing we have a mind unto or to have it cursed to us than over eagerly to desire it Strong affections breed strong afflictions Alas we are very unmeet choosers for our selves We see not what that person or that place or that thing we so eagerly desire may prove Many have been ready with Rachel to say give me children or else I die when those children they have so earnestly desired have afterwards broken their hearts with grief and vexation at their ill-carriage Whenever therefore we find any eager desires or longings in our selves after any wordly thing we should be afraid of them and check them as foreboding ill to us And further we should consider how much our eager desires after worldly things do shame and aggravate the weakness of our spiritual desires We can eagerly long for this or that worldly accommodation can hardly sleep for thinking of it but for heaven or heavenly things how cold how indifferent are we 10. Seeing true Christian contentment is a lesson taught only in Christs School let us all be willing to be his Scholars and put our selves into his School Paul learnt this lesson here I know how to be abased and I know how to abound I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all these things through Christ strengthning of me Phil. 4.12 13. Philosophers have many precepts and directions about contentment but alass they are all short of teaching this lesson effectually Lipsius that had written a book de Stoica Philosophia and had gathered together many of their precepts of Patience when he came to dye a friend of his told him of that book and advised him to remember what he had there written yes sayes he but Domine da mihi patientiam Christianam Lord give me Christian Patience for that is it which I now need But if this lesson be only taught in Christs School you will ask me how does Christ teach it I answer he teaches it three wayes by his word by his example and by his Spirit 1. He teaches it by the Precepts of his word whereby he enjoyns and commands it Luke 21.19 In your Patencei possess your souls 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness Faith Love Patience Meekness Jam. 1.4 Let Patience have its perfect work that you may be intire wanting nothing 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to Faith Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness Because thou hast kept the word of my Patience saith the Angel to the Church of Philadelphia that is my word which I commanded thee to be Patient I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation 2. Christ teaches it by the Promises of his word He hath made many gracious promises in his word which are a great means to support his people and to frame their hearts to contentation in every condition In Heb. 13.5 He hath made a promise of provision for them Be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Psal 34.10 The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing In Psal 91.11 He hath made a promise of protection unto them He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes Heb. 1.14 Are not they all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation In Jam. 1.5 He hath made a promise of counsel to those that are in perplexity and under trouble If any man lacketh wisdom that is to dirâ—ct him how to govern himself under any afflicted condition Let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not 2 Cor. 7.6 He hath made a promise of comfort to those that are undeâ— great fears and apprehensions of dangers There the Apostle tells us that He is a God who comforteth those that are cast down In Esai 41.10 He hath made a Promise to strengthen his People under great pressures Fear thou not for I am with thee Be not dismai'd for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness In Rom. 8.28 He hath made a promise to order all things for their good We know sayes the Apostle that all things work together for good to them that fear God 3. Christ teaches it by his own example Learn of me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.29 For I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your
themselves to consider what kind of life that is that is there lived They savor and relish earthly things but spiritual things seem to them to have no tast in them But the true Christian exercises himself in the meditation of things invisible and lives in the believing views of the excellency and reality of those things and by faith ascertains them to himself The Martyrs had their hearts set on things unseen The invisible comforts and recompenses of the other life bore up their hearts against the terrors of visible and present torments And so much of the causes of Covetousness 4. I come now to shew what are the marks and characters of such as are Covetous and Earthly-minded and who may be stiled men of the World 1. Men whose knowledge and skill lyes only or chiefly about the things of the world They are shrowd understanding men in worldly matters but in the things of God and such as concern their Souls and their everlasting welfare meer Children In the things that concern their trades or professions they are notable men but talk with them about the Covenant of Grace about Conversion and Regeneration about the true nature of Repentance or Faith and they know little 2. Their hearts are chiefly set on these things The things of the World they love and affect as being sutable to their spirits The Apostle commands us 1 John 2.15 Not to love the World nor the things of the World for all the things of the World may be reduced to these three heads the lust of the flesh or sensual pleasures the lust of the eye or riches and such things as are seen with the eyes and the pride of life that is preferments and honours But though the Apostle commands we should not set our hearts or affections on these things yet this is the Worlds Trinity and more adored by them than Father Son and Holy-Ghost 3. Their discourse is chiefly about these things 1 John 4.5 They are of the World therefore speak they of the World Their breath is earthy which they say is a sign of death Talk with them about worldly things none more free to discourse than they But speak to them of matters that concern their Souls they have nothing to say Such discourse is usually unpleasing to them 4. Their pains and endeavours * Rem Rem quocunque modo Rem Ocives querenda pecunia primum est Virtus post nummos are only or chiefly for the things of the World They take little pains about their own Souls or the souls of those under their care but are mighty industrious about the things of the World They rise early and sit up late to acquire them but a short attendance upon religious duties and exercises what a weariness is it to them and they are ready to snuff at it as the Prophet speaks Mal. 1.13 They take a great deal of care and pains how they may live here it may be ten or twenty or thirty years but they take no thought how they should live a thousand years hence when they have left their bodies in the earth Oh were the endeavours of these men for the saving of their immortal precious souls but any thing answerable to the pains they take to get the World how happy might they be God is not always pleased to bless and succeed the endeavours of men who are very diligent in their calling and painful and laborious to get wealth God sees it best to keep them low But what man ever was diligent and serious in seeking the things of eternal life and working out his Salvation that did not find God assisting of him and prospering his endeavours 5. They are very careful to secure to themselves those temporal things but use no answerable care to secure to themselves things eternal They are very careful about the Titles of their Lands and Purchases and hardly ever think themselves secure enough Let a Minister come to one of these men on his Death-bed and ask him concerning the evidences of his estate he will tell him they are all safe in such a trunk or chest But let him ask him what evidences he has that his Soul is in a safe condition Alas He has nothing to say He has not minded those things His Soul is left upon miserable uncertainties He has taken no care to secure to himself erernal * Nulla satis magna secuâ—itas ubi periclitatur aeternitas happiness He has taken care to leave a clear estate to his children but no care to clear his Soul of guilt or to deliver himself from the wrath that is to come 6. They are commonly very solicitous about their own private interest but little or nothing concerned about the interest of Christ or his Church They are wholly and only for themselves We read 1 Sam. 4.13 that old Eli's heart trembled for the Ark of God which was the symbole of his gracious presence among them But how little are worldly and earthly-minded men concerned how it fares with the Church of God provided their own private worldly concernments be safe and secure 7. These outward things they make their trust and confidence They set their prime affections of love and trust upon them in that measure which is only due to God The rich mans wealth is his strong City Prov. 10.16 They make Gold their hope and fine Gold their confidence Job 31.24 Their wealth is the Idol upon which they dote Their confidence and trust is taken off from God and placed upon their riches As the Psalmist speaks Psal 52.7 Lo these are the men that make not God their strength but trust in the abundance of their riches And this their way is their folly and a course very injurious to God who should be the only object of our trust and can only help us in a day of trouble The Scripture doth frequently disswade men from such carnal confidence 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this World that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them And our Saviour himself gives us this precept Matth. 6.19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also And so much of the marks and characters of such as are earthly-minded 5. I come now to shew the great evil of Covetousness and earthly-mindedness 1. 'T is a sin the Scripture testifies very much against 1. 'T is called Idolatry Ephes 5.5 Col. 3.5 because the Covetous man loves * Amor tuus Deus tuus his money more than God and more trusts in it 2. 'T is called the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 'T is the cause
should be rich or learned or healthful or have a great name in this World but 't is absolutely necessary to our happiness that we should break off our sins by true repentance that we should be converted that we should savingly close with Christ by Faith that we should be new creatures that we should live to the honour of God and good of the World If these things be found in us God hath given us the best portion and therefore we may well be contented though he give us not so large a portion of the things of this life Yea upon this account in a good cause we ought to take joyfully the spoiling of our goods or the loss of our estates remembring that God hath given us a better portion that cannot be taken from us 4. We should consider our Souls are Spirits and were made for higher things than meerly to grovel on the earth Our Souls are our best part and our greatest care should be to secure them If it go well with the soul it will go well with the body also But if the soul be lost and must suffer everlasting punishment 't were better we had been made Toads or Serpents than Men and rational creatures Certainly it argues the great depravation of mans Soul that it should take so much care for the body how it may be cloathed and fed and how it may injoy all the delights which are suitable to it and that it should take so little care of it self to secure unto it self eternal happiness In order therefore to the securing of our souls we should labour to possess our minds with right and sound principles such as these That the best part of man ought to have most care bestowed upon it That things of everlasting consequence ought to be sought before things of meer temporal concernment That things absolutely necessary ought to be sought in the first place That he is a wise man that takes due care to save his soul but he is a fool that to gain the World loses his Soul Such Principles as these laid deep in our minds may be a great means to preserve us from an eager and greedy pursuit of the things of the world 5. We should consider our time here is but short 1 Cor. 7.29 therefore we had not need act the part of children and only follow bubbles We have but a short winters-day of life to live If a man come to a great City and have a great deal of business to do and but a short day to do it in he had not need trifle but mind the business seriously for which he came thither Let us therefore mind our great business for which we came into the World let us look to the main whatever else be neglected 6. We should take heed of earthly-mindedness and pursuing the things of the World too eagerly lest that happen to us which sometimes happens to those that dig in the mines of the earth while they are eagerly digging and delving there the earth falls on them on a sudden and miserably buries them Let those that follow the World so hard with the wretched neglect of their souls and are loading themselves continually with thick clay take heed they be not at last crushed under it and perish by it 7. We should set before our eyes the examples of the most eminent Saints and servants of God in all ages They counted themselves but Pilgrims and strangers here Heb. 13.37 and yet they were such of whom the world was not worthy Scultetus observes that none of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture were spotted with this sin of Covetousness The Apostle tells us that Abraham sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country because he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God And the truth is they that have God for their Father Christ for their Redeemer the Holy Ghost for their guide and comforter the holy Angels for their Protectors the Promises of God for their present support and Heaven for their inheritance hereafter should have their hearts withdrawn from worldly things and should more mind and think of their Countrey that is above * Dum mala pungunt bona promissa ungunt 8. Those to whom God hath given riches in this World should consider that these are their particular duties 1. They should labour to get the spiritual riches of grace which they may carry with them into the other World 2. They should not over-value their riches nor esteem them too highly nor set their hearts upon them Psal 62.10 3. They should not put their trust or confidence in them 1 Tim. 6.17 4. They should not glory in them nor boast of them Jer. 9.23 5. They should not be tempted by their riches to scorn or despise the poor Jam. 2.6 6. They should not by reason of their wealth and power oppress the poor 7. They should honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 1. By promoting Piety and the service of God 2. By works of Charity * Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes Habeo quod dedi perdidi quod servavi and beneficence to the poor and so make to themselves friends of their riches Luke 16.9 Now riches are made friends when they are so used as they may be evidences and give testimony of our Piety Charity Justice and Mercifulness A poor mans hand whom we have relieved is a bill will be accepted in Heaven Prov. 19.17 He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and he will pay him again 8. They should often and seriously meditate on the account they must give how they have used their wealth They should consider they are not absolute Lords of their estates but Gods stewards and to him they must give an account 9. They should be willing to let go whatever God shall call them to part with and that without regret or murmuring as if a piece of their heart were rent away with it And so much of the remedies and directions against Covetousness I shall now shut up this discourse with this one Caution that seeing Covetousness does especially consist in the inward desires of the heart which are best known to a mans self and which no man knows save the spirit of a man that is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 We should therefore be very wary and tender of charging Covetousness upon others We may more safely and securely judge our selves in this matter than we can others For we can better know the nature and qualification of our own desires than we can possibly of another mans Let us therefore take heed of evil surmizes and ungrounded suspicions of others Some persons are apt to surmize a man to be covetous upon such grounds as these 1. He will not be bound for a friend or relation though in never so great a strait I Answer I think no man ought to be bound for another any further than he finds himself able
6. I shall shew who are the persons that should especially be perswaded to the practice of this duty For the First What is meant by redeeming time Time may be considered either as past present or to come 1. For Time past there is no recalling of that the loss of it ought to be bewailed by us and that with great bitterness * Damna fleo rerum sed plus fleo damna dierum 2. For Time to come that we are uncertain of Only two times we are assured will come the time of Death and the time of Judgement And he is no wise man that does not provide and prepare himself against both these 3. The Time present This only is our time and this we should labour well to imploy improve and husband to the best advantage And so much of the first particular what is meant by redeeming Time 2. To what purposes are we to redeem time There are many excellent purposes for which we should do it Particularly 1. To consider our wayes and find out the sins of our lives that we may humble our Souls before the Lord for them and may undoe them again by true Repentance 2. To sue out our Pardon and make our Peace with God by betaking our selves to Christ Jesus and giving up our selves to him to be Pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and passive obedience and to be sanctified by his Spirit 3. To consider what unruly affections are in us that we may set our selves through the aids of grace to subdue and mortify them 4. To consider how we may frame our outward conversation so as may tend to the honour of God and credit of our Profession 5. To consider what is the part that God hath appointed us to act in this world and what are the peculiar duties incumbent on us in reference to our particular calling and station that we may perform them wisely faithfully and diligently 6. To consider that this life is our seed-time and that we shall reap hereafter according to what we sow here And therefore we had need look to it that we sow good seed and do what good we can while we have opportunity He that sowes to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption and he that sowes to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.7 7. To consider that we are not only to take care to clear our own Souls of guilt but to humble our selves for the crying sins of our Nation by which our Heavenly Father is highly dishonoured that so we may do our part to stand in the gap and divert the wrath of God And so much of the purposes for which we are to redeem Time 3. I come now in the third place to consider from what we must redeem time There are many things from which we must redeem it 1. From the ordinary business and affairs of this life For though we are to be diligent in our particular callings yet we must not suffer our worldly business to ingross all our time We must labour so to contrive the business of our callings that they may not intrench upon that time which we are to imploy for the good of our Souls 2. From the lawful refreshments of our lives such as eating drinking sleeping recreations c. In which there is very often too much of our time spent 3. From Conversation and company especially such company among whom we cannot expect either to do good or to receive good 4. We must be especially careful how we employ our solitary hours and when we are alone that we do not spend that time n melancholy and impertinent musings and rovings and wandrings of thoughts but imploy it in meditation on things profitable and useful And if we had the care and skill to keep our minds to good works when we are alone It would be of incredible advantage to us both for the improving of our reason and much more to improve us in real piety and Christianity And so much of the third Particular From what we must redeem time 4. What are the reasons that should press this duty upon us 1. Our time is but short we have but a little of it We have not seven or eight hundred years of life as the Patriarchs had before the flood Mans life is now ordinarily very short Few live to threescore years and ten and very few to four-score And take out of the longest life that any live here 1. The folly and inconsiderateness of Child-hood and youth 2. The time spent in eating drinking and sleeping though with moderation 3. The time of sickness and indisposition of health 4. The time spent in journeys and travel 5. The time spent in recreation and visiting of friends 6. The time of weakness valitudinariness unusefulness in old age I say take out all these and the residue that remaineth for our business of greatest moment and consideration we shall find will be but a small pittance or portion And therefore having so little time we had not need waste it prodigally 2. Our time flyes away very swifly Job 9.25 26. compares it to three very swift things to a Post to a Ship on the Sea and to an Eagle flying to her prey Let any one consider how soon a year is gone and then tell me whether time does not fly away apace 3. A great deal of our time we have already mispent Let us reflect on our infancy Childhood and youth Alas How many years have passed over our heads ere we came to have any consideration for what end we came into the world or what work we had here to do Nay how many in their youth have weaved those cursed wehs of sin which must be afterwards unweaved and undone again with great sorrow and shame Nay how much of the time which we have spent in Gods own worship may be reckoned to our lost time God commands us to use the World as if we used it not But we are apt to pray as if we prayed not and to hear as if we heard not and to worship God in such a cold and formal manner as if we minded not what we were about 4. Consider what a damned soul in hell would give for a little time to recover himself out of that woful misery if it were in his power to purchase it O how cutting must it needs be to him to think how he might have procured everlasting joy and bliss to himself but he foolishly neglected his time and season for the doing of it which is not now to be recovered If God by an extraordinary dispensation should grant to a damned Soul one moneth or week to come out of hell upon tryal surely such a person would better improve his time than before he had done When people come to die at how dear a rate would they be willing to purchase some of those hours which they foolishly mis-spent and squandered away before 5. Consider time is a Talent
they have had to the contrary Deut. 29.19 20. When they shall bless themselves saying I shall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart adding drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare that man but his anger and jealousie shall smoak against him Where these black marks are found we have great cause to fear that such men have out stood the day of their visitation But whatever others do let us look to it that we carefully improve our day of grace And that is the first Direction 2. Dispatch in the first place and with the greatest care and diligence thy great work which must be done or thou art undone for ever Secure thy interest in Christ and the pardon of all thy sins in him thy state in grace and thy title to Heaven And when that great work is once well done thou may'st go quietly and chearfully about thy worldly affairs and businesses The generality of men are the veriest children and fools as to their main concernment imaginable They mind the world seriously but neglect the one thing absolutely necessary If a King should send his Ambassador and give him among the rest one principal instruction charging him above all things to mind and observe that which if he did he should be highly rewarded at his return but if he neglected it he should forfeit his head I question whether any instance can be give since the world began of any Ambassador so stupid and careless as to neglect a matter that so much concerned him But alas how oft is this done by the children of men in a matter of greater moment Thou that wouldest it may be severely have censured and condemned this Ambassadâ—r if he had so grosly neglected his duty de te fabula narratur thou art the man This thing is more than verified of thee who mindest the things of this life but neglectest the great business for which thou camest into the world and which above all other things thou shouldest have minded There is no necessity that thou shouldest be rich and leave such an inheritance to thy Son or so many hundreds in thy inventory but it is of absolute necessity thou shouldest be converted and repent of thy sins and get thy soul cleared of all thy guilt by faith in Christ and shouldst honour God in this world and should'st be in such a posture and frame of mind and heart that thou may'st be fitted to dye These things are necessary to thee the other are not Labour therefore to do thy great work in the first place and do not defer it and put it off God calls thee now to repent do not put God off and say thou wilt do it hereafter Ask thy self this one serious question whether thou ever dost intend to repent or no If not thou declarest thou intendest to damn thy Soul If thou dost intend to repent why wilt thou not now do it The longer thou delayest the more unfit thou wilt be Besides consider this thou in thy distresses and necessities cryest to God to relieve thee and to help thee presently When thou art in pain or under a grievous sickness thou wouldst think it hard if God should say I will ease thee of thy pain seven years hence why shouldst thou then put God off with delayes And 't is a sad observation that some make concerning those that wilfully delay to turn to God namely that few of them are converted at last Therefore upon all these accounts defer not thy main work thy conversion to God and securing thy peace with him whatever else thou neglectest 3. Labour to keep certain set times for thy private devotions and be constant to them Especially be careful to observe the Lords-day well From our conscienciousness and diligence in the duties of Gods worship and service on that day we may make a probable conjecture of the success of our worldly affairs and businesses the week after This a learned man * The renowned Jâ—dge Hale in his Meditations sayes he could not but take notice of in himself and as to his own concerns though otherwise he was not addicted to superstitious observations 4. Keep conscience tender and that will reprehend thee for wasting thy time or ill imploying it Thou wilt then be careful not to spend it in any thing that thy conscience will reproach thee for and which must be repented of afterwards Remember God and conscience must be pleased whoever be displeased 5. Promise not to thy self long life but live as one that is uncertain of another day The groundless expectation of long life makes people many times less careful rightly to improve the present time Men will spend prodigally out of a full purse who otherwise would be sparing if they knew they had but little 'T is observed of some that have promised themselves long life that they have been cut off very suddenly Thou reckonest possibly upon years whereas it may be thou hast not moneths to live However say this to thy self every morning I am now brought to the beginning of a new day O my soul let me improve this day well so as I may give a comfortable account of it unto God The Sun may return again after it hath set But this day when it is once gone I shall never see again 6. Take heed of those things that rob people of their time and watch carefully against them And they are such as these 1. A sluggish and sloathful habit of mind Spontanea lassitudo aspontaneous lassitude or weariness is a sign the body is out of order And a voluntary sloathfulness and sluggishness is a sign of a distempered Soul sloath is an averseness from that labour which is our duty through a carnal love of ease He is most sinfully sloathful who is most voluntarily sloathfull 'T is certainly a very dangerous life for any man to live out of a calling or to be idle and slothful in his calling But the worst kind of sloth is a backwardness and listlesness to our greatest duties The Apostle cautions us not to be sloathful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 And if we would but take pleasure in the work God calls us unto we should not then be weary of it or slothful in it 2. Overmuch sleeping and drouzing and lying a bed Suppose there be two young scholars whereof one sleeps but six hours usually in a night and the other nine The one of these out-lives the other 21 hours in a week how much will he gain of him a year 3. Too long dressing and finefying the body Indeed neatness and cleanliness are very commendable but overmuch curiosity in dressing and adorning the body as it is a great vanity so it is a great and unnecessary expense of time 4. Long visits * Amici sures temporis and unprofitable and impertinent discourse of which I spake something before under the third head Indeed visits may be prudently ordered and spent in