destroy Natural Liberty Where the Spirit does not find sinners willing by his sweet Methods he makes them willing Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power a day of power yet willing Even the Spirits Drawing is managed with all consistency to the freedom of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys he draws but 't is one that he makes willing to follow Hos 2.14 Behold I will allure her ay there 's the Spirits leading This being the constant and avowed Doctrine of the Protestants and †Ductus spiritus non est impulsus violentus quo rapimur inviti ut stipites sed est efficax persuasio quâ ex nolentibus efficimur volentes Par. with many others particularly their Explication of the Spirits leading in the Text how injurious and invidious are the Popish Writers in their traducing and calumniating of them as if they asserted the Spirit in This or any Other Act to work with Compulsion or in a way destructive to mans Essential Liberty 'T is a vile scandal And yet how do Esthius Salmeron Contzen upon the Words charge our Divines with it We perfectly concurr with Blessed St. * Enchirid. Cap. 64. de verbis Apostol Serm. 13. c. 11 12. Austin in that excellent passage of his cited by the Rhemists As many as are led by the Spirit he meaneth not says he that the Children of God are violently compelled against their Wills but that they be sweetly drawn moved or induced to do good But no more of this IV. The Extent of this Leading of the Spirit The Extent of it A threefold account may be given of that 1. In regard of the Subject or person led So it extends to the Whole Man First to the Interior Acts of the Soul in its several Faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections And then to the Exterior Acts of the Body yea to the whole Conversation For all these are comprehended within and fall under the Spirits Leading For as his Sanctifying Operation extends to all of these the God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So does his Guiding Operation also these two being Commensurate and Coextensive This might be made out in Particulars was I not afraid of too much prolixity 2. In regard of the Object or Matter that the Spirit leads unto So it extends to the whole Duty of a Christian to all that he is to Know Believe and Do. Look as the Word in its External Leading guides us in all things that concern Faith and Practice it being a compleat and perfect Rule 2 Tim. 3.16 17. so 't is with the Spirit in his Internal Leading too Joh. 14.26 For Knowledge and Faith the Promise is But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 16.13 And again Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth see 1 John 2.20 27. And so 't is as to Holiness also this Spirit directs those who have him to and in the Practice of Holiness in its full and utmost Extent and Latitude Tit. 2.12 As the Grace of God the Gospel Without teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in this present world which is the summe of all Duty towards God towards Men and towards our selves So the Spirit Within teaches guides inclines to all these His Gracious Conduct is not confin'd to does not terminate in this or that particular Duty of Religion no but it extends to every Duty to the whole Obedience of a Christian 3. In regard of the Degree and Measure of it Concerning which 't is clear that this Leading of the Spirit in the Directing Inclining Governing Notions of it is not as to Degree equal in all God's Children All have the Thing in the Necessary and Substantial part of it yet so as that there is a Gradual Difference in their having of it Some having more and some less He being a Free and Arbitrary Agent does proportion this Act of his Grace to different Persons as he pleases And he making Some more ductil to his Leadings than Others accordingly he vouchsafes more of Them to Those than he does to Others But in None does it reach so high as to render them perfect here For although we should grant which I do not that the Spirit should advance his Guidance consider'd in it self and as it comes from Him to such a Degree and Pitch as to lay the Foundation of Perfection in Saints here below yet considering what the Capacity of the Subjects of this Act is here they being Flesh as well as Spirit 't is not imaginable that de Facto and in Eventu they should ever here be perfect upon it Wherefore it must be bounded and limited though not from what the Spirit could do yet from what he is pleased to do in Believers in their present imperfect state He shall guide you into all Truth what so as to make Saints Omniscient or Infallible He guides unto all Holiness what so as to render them sinless and impeccable here on Earth we must by no means carry it thus high It therefore must be qualified thus He shall guide you into all Truth i. e. into the Knowledge of all Necessary and Fundamental Truths And he shall guide you into all Holiness i. e. so far as your present state admits of and so far as is necessary for your future Glory Beyond this Measure we must not extend or heighten the Spirits Leading For the truth is if we take it in this bounded Notion we secure the Thing but if we go higher we totally undermine and nullifie it as all Experience proves And by the way Observe that this Guidance of the Spirit in the General and that Guidance of His in Particular in the Duty of Prayer do much stand upon the same level Insomuch that as the Former the Spirits immediate Guiding of Believers in the Matter and Manner of their Actions does not thereupon render Them or Their Actions perfectly Holy and free from all mixtures of sin So neither does the Latter the Spirits immediate Guidance and Assistance in the Matter and Manner of Prayer render the Prayers of such infallible or of equal Authority with the Scriptures as some Object Because as to Both this Agency of the Spirit is to be limited partly from the Consideration of the present State of the subject in whom it is exerted and partly from the Spirits Aim and End therein 'T is true to obviate a bad Inference that may be drawn from hence the Apostles themselves considered as but Men and as men in the State of Imperfection so they were fallible as we are But as they had in matters of Faith
understandings why all sorts of Persons are hankering after an earthly Happiness And now I shall speak largely in the third to what I little more than hinted in the second Proposition It is onely Serious Godliness that can any whit really abate the Vanity Prop. III that cleaves to every Condition Other things may like Topical Medicines as Playsters to the Wrists repell the Disease but while they do not remove the cause they cannot Cure it We may exchange one Vanity for another and the Novelty may please us for a while but when that is over the Vexation returns 'T is true God alone can cure us but what ever method he takes to do it whether of Indulgence or Severity 't is alwayes by framing the Heart and Life to Serious Godliness to hate Sin and love Holiness to live a Life of Faith in dependance upon God and resignation to him to live above the transports of hopes and fears about things temporal and to grow up in the Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost for things Eternal In short to be Blessings to the World while we live and to be Blessed with God when we dye this is the business and fruit of Serious Godliness And this alone is that which at present can effectually abate the vexatious Vanities which every Condition swarms with The wisest man in the World cannot tell what is good for man in this Life No man can tell what worldly Condition is better for him than that which is his present Condition Among the variety of things under the Sun which the Heart of man is apt to be drawn out unto neither he himself nor any other for him is able certainly to inform him which of all those 't is best for him to enjoy and to reap Comfort from Whether it be better for him to be rich or poor high or low in private retirement or in publick service Some mens greatness hath undone them they had never been so wicked had not their Wealth been fuel for their Lusts Achitophel might have lived longer had he not been so wise No man can tell whether that he snatcheth at with most greediness have not a hook under the Bait or be not tempered with Poyson Those that live by Rapine and Violence Prov. 1.18 They lay wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives But you 'l say these are hot-headed Persons live extravagantly walk by no Rule don't take time to consider well turn your Eyes from these to those that are most accomplisht for humane wisdom and knowledge Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be Wise they became Fools drowning their some way right thô every way short Notions they had of God in unreasonable Idolatry You 'l say these were but Heathens and therefore no marvel if they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge 't is better with Christians Look next upon Christians and those of the highest Notions and form of Godliness on this side the Power of it 2 Pet. 2.18 19 21. While they speak great swelling words of Vanity about that they call Christian Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption and it had been better for them never to have known the way of Righteousness than not to have walkt in it Well but for all this Job tells us of some of even the worst of men that account themselves so happy as if they needed nothing from God to better their Condition but he tells you withall in the same breath Job 21.15 16. Lo their good is not in their hand thô they think it is they have not their Fortune as they call it in their own power to retain it while they live and dispose of it when they dye God can overturn it when he pleaseth and will do it to their Sorrow whatever Persons may hope or fancy if they fear not God nor obey the Voice of his Servants thô they are not at present in trouble like other men Psal 73.5 c. but can speak loftily setting their mouth against the Heavens and their Tongue walketh through the Earth thô they compass themselves about with some sparks or blaze of Comfort Isa 50.10 11. yet this shall they have of Gods hand they shall lye down in Sorrow Now thus when every one is rummaging among heaps of Vanities that pretend to be good for man upon Earth will you accept of a Guide to direct you to what cannot but be good for you and that in every Condition that shall not only abate the Vanity but discover the Excellency that is in every Condition This will be most distinctly done by an induction of particulars and setting contrary Conditions one against another what may be said for and against each Condition and how Serious Godliness makes every Condition amiable Who knows whether Riches or Poverty be best for man in this Life I. For Riches I need say but little because most Persons are ready to say too much they seem to be the Cause without which there can be not so much as the fancying an earthly Happiness what pleasures or esteem can worldlings have without an Estate to feed them the Riches of the Mind are too Spiritual to be seen by carnal Eyes But when you consider these or such like inseparable attendants on a great Estate you will see the desirableness to shrink as the Vanity swells e. g. Some run out the greatest part of their Life before they can reach what they can call an Estate to say nothing of those that dye the Worlds Martyrs in the pursuit of that they never attain those that have got an Estate or have an Estate left 'em have ordinarily as great care and difficulty in keeping as they or others have had in the getting of it O the tiresome Dayes the restless Nights the broken Sleeps the wild Passions the fretting Disquiet of those troublesom occurrences which they cannot possibly prevent And when you come to speak of an Enjoyment to speak strictly they have nothing worth the Name of an Enjoyment which they may not have as well if not better without what they call an Estate Yet thô 't is thus while they have it they are not able to bear the parting with it the very thoughts of losing puts 'em into Heart-convulsions So that an Estate can neither be got nor kept nor lost without manifold Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Alas what remedy Serious Godliness carries a Gracious Person above all Heart-breaking Vexations of getting the World for his Thoughts are fill'd about getting something better about keeping for comparatively he cares for keeping nothing but Faith and a good Conscience about enjoying for he counts nothing on this side God worth the Name of an enjoyment And as for parting with the World he impartially considers that he can't have the possession of his Heavenly Inheritance till the World and he shake hands for ever So that there 's no room without the regret of Grace to edge in so much as
a distracting Thought about worldly Vanities Faith in Exercise treads the World 1 John 5.4 under feet and alone makes it know its place When Riches capacitate a Gracious Person for those Offices and Employments from which the Poor are excluded the Power of Godliness not only teacheth but enforceth them to employ all their Capacities for God and to do good they know they are Gods Stewards to whom they must be accountable Gods Almoners and God makes the Poor their Creditors to whom they must pay Alms as Debtors †Mat. 6.1 Your Alms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Justice In short 't is only the Holy Person that receives this for a Maxime That a worldly Estate is no otherwise desireable but to capacitate him to do that good with it which he cannot do without it This for Riches What may be said for Poverty II. Poverty is so desirable to many thinking Persons that they have not only in words for discourse sake but in practice for Happiness sake preferr'd it before the greatest Wealth and grandeur in the World and this hath been done not only by melancholy mopish Persons but by men of great name for Wisdom and Learning and that upon great deliberation and Counsel upon weighing of circumstances and trying experiments and further yet not only Bookish men to whom beloved Retirement is much the same whether they are Rich or Poor but those that have worn an Imperial Diadem that have commanded victorious Armies swayed the Scepters of flourishing Kingdoms Dioclesian Charles the 5th and some of the then greatest Empires of the World and these again not only Ethnic but Christian Casimir And some of these even after their self-deposition have been importun'd to re-accept their Dominion but have refused it What greater demonstration can you expect of the preference of Poverty before Riches and to be a Cypher rather than to bear the greatest figure in the World All this is true Obj. But alas the World is full of the miserable effects of Poverty the Poor have great temptations pressing them to the use of unlawful means for their livelihood they are generally despised and contempt is one of the things most intolerable to humane Nature and which is yet more they are under an impossibility of being so serviceable as otherwise they might be Eccles 9.15 16. There was a Poor wise man who by his Wisdom delivered the City yet no man remembred that same Poor man The Poor mans Wisdom is despised and his Words are not heard As to all the Instances that have been or can be given of persons quitting troublesome Riches for a quiet Poverty those great men that have done it it hath plainly proceeded from vexation of Mind that they were not able to have their will upon Christians for their extirpation And as for the several Orders of Fryars that have vowed Poverty and renounced Property this is to be reckoned among the Damnable cheats of the Romish Apostasie 1 Tim. 4.1 2. whose Religion is made up of lying Hypocrisie and Doctrines of Devils their prodigious Wealth and abominable Luxury sufficiently confuting their pretence of Poverty what help then in this Case Answ Serious Godliness sweetens all the bitterness of a poor condition bears up the Heart under all those difficulties that were otherwise intolerable God makes up their worldly Poverty with Riches of Grace 't is the Poor receive the Gospel and the Blessings of it 't is the Poor that are best contented with their Condition and without content every Condition is uneasie what thô the Poor are secluded from serving Offices they are also excused from the Oaths and Snares that attend them At first when Christianity was managed without tricks and artifice when for once upon particular Circumstances never to be repeated the Disciples of Christ us'd a compassionate Levelling 't is said Acts 4. great Grace was upon them all they were greatly in Gods favour they were greatly enriched with the Graces of the Holy Ghost and they were greatly honoured by those that did but gaze at them You may easily observe that very few grow better by growing Rich but 't is ordinary for God to advance Holiness by worldly abasement and who live more in Heaven who have more satisfying communion with God than those that are mean in the World In short to be Poor and Wicked is to be in some respect more miserable than Devils to be Poor and Gracious is to be conformable to our Blessed Jesus and his chiefest Apostle who were Poor yet made many Rich 2 Cor. 6.10 who had nothing yet possessed all things And thus I have endeavour'd to set forth the Vanity of the first Pair Riches and Poverty and how Serious Godliness wears off the Vanity that cleaves to them I see I must not indeed I need not be so large in the rest II. Who knows whether a Life of Pleasure or a Life of Sorrow be best for him Whereas your Vain Persons will presently determine without weighing one against the other yet you will find 't is onely the practical Christian that can improve either as God shall deal with him For pleasure to live without the pleasure of Life seems in som◠respect worse than to be buryed alive most preferr a short Life and a merry before a long Life and a sad and those that are not Sensualists yet would fain have their lives comfortable in all the circumstances of it in every change of Life from the Birth to the Grave in every new Employment Relation Preferment 't is the universal Salutation to wish them Joy so that a Life of Comfort is the desire of mankind But now when we consider the unreasonable cravings of a carnal Mind and how impossible to be satisfied and when most satisfied soonest cloyed wearisome to the flesh that is most gratified and infamous in their Eyes whose esteem we value most of our carnal pleasures are the same with Brutes only they have the better relish of them in the use and no after-claps when past they eat and drink and frisk and sleep without any disturbing cares or subsequent Reflections you cannot force 'em to excess in the use nor impose upon them any corroding remembrances e. g. Let but a voracious Glutton be bound to sit at a well-furnish'd Table but two hours after he hath fill'd his Paunch he would account it an intolerable Penance Let but the Crop-sick Drunkard be forc't to drink on with those that drink him down how is he a burden to himself and a scorn to his fellow Drunkards and for those that glory of their conquest in out-drinking others how are their best Friends ashamed of them as glorying in their shame Let but a lazy Sluggard be confin'd three dayes to his Bed and how weary will he be of his Bed of Down how is the Idle Person more weary of his Idleness than another is of Work I am loth to blot Paper with Naming the loathsome rottenness of filthy
Persons the unpitied Poverty of Huffing Gamesters and in a word the unpleasant Exit of most Pleasure-mongers and for those that escape these common effects they as commonly contract a carnal Security which is as bad as the worst of these And for those pleasures that are above sensual I 'le say no more at present but this the better the Objects of our delights are on this side God and the pleasing of God the more our carnal Wisdom is fortified against the true method to real happiness Upon the whole matter then Pleasures are a kind of dangerous fruit which if not well corrected are Poyson we can scarce taste without danger of surfeiting But now what doth the Power of Godliness in this case What 't will not meddle with unlawful pleasures thô never so tempting 't will strain out the dregs of lawful pleasures that they may not be unwholsome 't will moderate the use of unquestionable delights that they may not be inordinate And 't will teach us to be thankful to God for making our Pilgrimage any way comfortable 't will raise the Soul to prepare and long for Heaven where are pure and full Joyes and that for evermore Thus for a Life of Pleasure What shall we say to a Life of Sorrow and Pensiveness to live 〈◊〉 Recluse from the flattering Vanities of the World a Eccles 2.2 ◠I said of Laughter it is mad and of Mirth what doth it What Musick is the gigling Mirth of the World to a serious Soul Those that the Frothy part of the World count Melancholy the sober part of the World count them Wise But yet to give way to Sorrow disspirits us for any considerable service either to God or Man it unfits us for every thing b 2 Cor. 7.10 the Sorrow of the World worketh Death Such are burdensome to themselves and others they are weary of themselves and every body else is weary of them If a Melancholy mopish temper be not checkt 't will lead to hard thoughts of God to blasphemy infidelity In short a Life of Sorrow is a degree of Hell upon Earth and such Persons torment themselves before their time But what can Religion do in this case Serious Godliness bears up the Soul from sinking under worldly sorrow c Eccles 7.3 4. Sorrow is better than Laughter for by the sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better The Heart of the wise is in the house of Mourning but the Heart of Fools is in the house of Mirth Religion will teach us how to turn worldly Sorrow into Sorrow for Sin d 2 Cor. 7.9 10. to sorrow to Repentance after a godly manner and godly Sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of 'T is Serious Godliness that teacheth how to mourn for the Sins and Dangers of the Times we live in And Christians pray take special notice that this is our present great duty a duty that every Christian not only ought but may perform and none can hinder it And O that this duty were frequently thought of and more universally practised The Land is even drown'd in Pleasure the Conscientious performance of this duty would be a token for good for the abating of the deluge And thô the times should be such that their own Sorrows should be encreased yet then even then how chearing would the forethoughts of Heaven be to such serious Christians How may they chide their Hearts out of their Dejections e Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet aye and ever praise him who now is and for ever will be the health of my Countenance f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salutes faciei mei and the Salvation of my face and my God Because thou art my God g Psal 67.6 my own God my exceeding great not only rewarder but h Gen. 15.1 reward And thus much for the second Pair Pleasure and Sorrow III. Who knows whether Honour or Obscurity be best for man in this Life At first sight it seems easie to determine but when both sides are heard 't will seem otherwise For Honour every one would be Some-body in the World would be esteemed and preferr'd before others disgrace and infamy seem most intolerable when Job had done contesting with his censorious Friends he is greatly concern'd about the contempt poured upon him thô but by infamons Enemies Job 29. 30. And David thô he could even in desperate cases encourage himself in God yet complains i Psal 69.20 Reproach hath broken my Heart matter of Honour and Reputation is a tender point not any of what rank soever but deeply resent the being slighted But for Honour when we consider how hazardous it is to get thô all are clambering few reach it consider further when 't is got 't is slippery to hold others envy and their own fear distract 'em and then if you adde the falling from it that 's worse than if they never had it but there 's worse than all this the insuperable temptation to pride oppression and impenitency all which nothing but Grace can prevent or cure And for that lesser reputation and esteem which comes short of the Name of Honour 't is troublesom to carry it like a Venice-glass that the least touch may not crack it What can Religion do in this Case Serious Godliness 't will never be beholding to Sin nor Satan for worldly Honour It values it no more than as it adds to a capacity of honouring God He that 's truely Religious is neither so fond of Honour as to Sin to get or keep it neither doth he count himself undone to lose it he values the priviledge of Adoption beyond all the Honours in the World k Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable he is graciously ambitious of doing God and Christ some service in the World he appears for God to discountenance prevent or remove Sin to encourage promote and advance Holiness this God in condescension accounts an honouring of him and hath accordingly promised l 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed In short you may know what Faith you have by what Honour you prize m John 5.44 How can ye believe that receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only This for Honour Some preferr Obscurity in the World to snudge in quiet to live retired and reserved out of the Vexatious hurry of a captious World to keep in the shade out of the scorching Sun to steal out of the World without any noise or notice O how sweet is this to many wise and judicious Persons that are every way above what 's Vulgar But how do these in running from one Vanity fall into another They debase the humane Nature and the reasonable Soul while they
industriously conceal themselves from being serviceable they are guilty of a civil Self-excommunication while they shut out themselves from those Employments wherein they might be useful God hath made every thing for use to rust in a Corner for the avoiding of Trouble can proceed from nothing but uncharitable Pride or wilful Ignorance from base Pride you think the Neighbourhood not good enough to be blest with your endowments or slothful weakness which you are conscious of but won't take pains to cure In short to choose retirement for love of ease is an envious kind of Life and therefore far from Happiness But what can Religion do in this case One that is Serious in Religion can best manage an obscure Station whether it be forc't or voluntary 'T is only he that is crucified to the World that can scorn the Worlds scorns and contemn the Worlds contempt He that hath learnt the great lesson of Self-denial in the School of Christ is well pleas'd with his Secresie for Communion with God In short his Religion keepeth him from being fond or weary of worldly Obscurity Thus I have run over the †1 Joh. 2.16 beloved Disciples Summary of all worldly Vanities and their Contraries and how Godliness in the Power of it corrects the Vanity and extracts the Excellency of all those But let these pass and let 's examine things of a higher Nature for which more may be pleaded than can for these be pretended and here you 'l find that without Serious Godliness their Vanity is intolerable IV. Who knows whether Wisdom and Learning and the endowments of the Mind be best for a man or whether to be without these and their troublesome Attendants Now we come to a close and inward Search For Wisdom and Learning and intellectual accomplishments they are of such incomparable Excellency that he is scarce worthy the Name of a man that slights them a Eccles 2.13 Wisdom excelleth Folly as far as light excelleth darkness This is Solomons sentence even then when he is sentencing all worldly Vanities But and who mistrusts such a but here the wiser men are the more they are exempted from the ordinary Comforts of humane Society they meet with but few and those but seldom that they can converse with to any Satisfaction the more Learning they have the more Sense of and Sorrow for their Ignorance b Eccles 1.18 In much Wisdom is much Grief and he that increaseth Knowledge increaseth Sorrow Hence it is they affect an uncomfortable Solitude that they are fain to force themselves into a sociable complyance where they seldom meet with any thing but what they slight or pity they are ordinarily the objects of their own grief and of others envy There 's nothing more ordinary than for Persons of lower accomplishments to carry their designs and attain their ends before them they can't sneak and flatter like lower-spirited Animals that while they are pursuing a Notion others catch Preferment and while they are inriching their Minds others are filling their Coffers What doth Serious Godliness in this Case 'T is this alone that makes wise men truely wise and Learned men truely learned Unsanctified parts and Learning may in some respects be reckoned among Christs worst Enemies aye and among his worst Enemies that have them they furnish him with Cavils which they call unanswerable Reasons against the Simplicity of the Gospel they fill him with those prejudices that nothing but Grace can remove c Rom. 8.7 The carnal Mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be But where Grace is graffed upon good Natural parts there Wisdom and Learning are excellently beneficial it is they that have the clearest Understanding of Gospel Mysteries 't is these who are the most substantial grounded Christians these are the only Christians who are able to defend the Truth and convince gain-sayers d Job 33.3 't is their Lips can utter Knowledge clearly e 1 Cor. 14.3 't is they that can best speak or write to Edification and Exhortation and Comfort What then can be said for the want of parts and Learning Those that have no considerable Parts nor Learning that do not trouble themselves nor others about the difficulties of Knowledge or Practice but take those things to be Truth that are commonly received these are more satisfied than those thar are more inquisitive Besides these better suit the generality they live among They are wise enough to get Estates for men are ordinarily afraid to deal with those that are wiser than themselves lest they be over-reacht and they are esteem'd in the World and what care they They don't impair their health by study nor perplex themselves with great matters What can be more desired to make them happy Happiness as it were drops into their mouth unawares for when they compare their Condition with others they find it more eligible thô they did nothing to make it so But alas what use do these make of their Souls A lazy neglect of improving of parts and of getting of learning who is able to express the Sin and Mischief of it To be contented to live and die but one remove from a Brute who can express the baseness of it Ignorance may well be the Mother of their Devotion whose Religion is a Cheat but the Scripture tells us and we believe it f Prov. 2.10 When Wisdom entereth into thine Heart Knowledge is pleasant unto thy Soul And without it neither Heart nor State can be good But what doth Serious Godlinesse in this Case These thô they have not any considerable Parts and Learning yet they bewail their Ignorance and are willing to learn they get a savoury Knowledge of necessary practical Truths and they increase the knowledge of them by practice thô they are Fools to the World they are wise for their Souls and wise for Eternity and this is the best Wisdom They have learned Christ which is the best Learning This you shall find those great Doctrines of Christianity which Learned men bandy to and fro in doubtful disputation such as these viz. The unaccountableness of Predetermination the supra or infralapsarian aspect of Election the controverted extent of Redemption the manner of the concourse of the Divine and Humane will in Vocation the formality of Justification In these and such like Doctrines wherein the most eminently learned can neither give nor receive satisfaction Serious Christians of but ordinary Knowledge are so far satisfied as to admire the Grace of God in Christ and press after such Holiness of Life as adorns their Profession and muzzles Revilers So that by what hath been said you may plainly see that both the excellency and deficiency of intellectual endowments are best managed by Serious Godliness without which whatever can be said for either is not worth the mentioning V. Having named several things of real worth and compared them with other things that others think so
Atheists viz. The Atheist is inquisitive for Arguments to promote his Atheism the tempted Christian as inquisitive for Arguments and Grace to destroy it those that are seriously godly do not only seek a perfect cure of their own in part mortified Atheism but mournfully bewail the insolent Atheism of the age they live in If it be as it is as a Sword in their Bones for their Enemies to l Psalm 42.10 reproach them while they say daily unto them Where is your God If it as it were break their Bones to have their interest in God and Gods peculiar care of them so much as questioned it must needs be as a Sword to their heart a killing wound to hear the Fear of God ridicul'd and the Being of God denied Certainly as Grace is heightned a gracious Person is next to being overwhelmed Thô God hath an evidence of his Deity lies lieger in the worst of his Enemies yet upon the miracles of Mercy he works for and in his own People God may say to them m Isai 43.12 They are his Witnesses that he is God And the more eminent any one is in Grace the more experimental Witness he is that the Lord is God This may not only be sufficient for the instances already given but be sufficiently instructive what to do in all other Cases that might be named I had thought to have proportionably enlarged upon these which I shall but little more than name and therefore shall not add them to the number Who knows whether a full or a vacant employment be best for him A full employment is that which every one that hath dealings in the World gapes after this leaves no room for Melancholy nor Idleness each of which are unspeakably mischievous But those that live in a Hurry of business do neither enjoy God nor themselves 't is tiresome both to Body and Mind the Truth is the desire of it is ordinarily naught in the rise 't is from covetousness and ambition naught in the progress it neglects God and godliness and naught in the close it ends at best in disappointment But here Religion gives relief for a Heavenly-minded Person to be full of worldly business 't is he alone that minds the main business of his Life to work out his Salvation 't is he alone that both will and can keep the World from justling out what 's better the World in this is like the Gout thô you keep it at your feet 't is troublesome but if it reach the Heart 't is mortal the World thrô Grace may be a good Servant but 't is impossible to be a good Master Is vacancy from Employment better 'T is tedious to be alwayes drudging for we know not who nor what to have no time to spare for Refreshment and Recreation that we may enjoy what we have be it more or less this seems better But yet to have little or nothing to do exposeth us to we can't say what Idleness is an inlet to the most monstrous Abominations Relaxation from business and Recreation after weariness is at best but a banquet no way fit for ordinary food besides this Satan watcheth and never misseth prevailing upon an idle Person What can Serious Godliness do in this Case When one whose Heart is set upon godliness hath but little to do with the World he findes enough to do as a Christian The considerate Christian hath not one hour in his Life wherein he hath nothing to do he alone can make a Virtue of Necessity he alone can redeem time for God he alone can fill his Life with Duty and Comfort in short 't is through Grace alone that a man hath never too much nor too little business 'T is the power of Godliness that is thus powerful Who knows whether many or few Friends be best for him For many Friends man is a sociable Creature and cannot live of himself to be destitute of Friends seems very doleful A Friend is born for Adversity a Friend may be better than an Estate to have many dear Friends and Relations it carries us thrô our lives with Comfort it is a Duty to prize 'em it is a sin to slight 'em and therefore this seems unquestionably best But and there 's no Friends on earth without a but in their Commendation Friends themselves are troublesome apt to take exceptions to mistake to be weary of us if we have long need of 'em and besides this there 's none in the World whose Friendship is not founded on Grace can be so much my Friend now but he may be as much my Enemy hereafter And if you can find any Friend above these exceptions how do the thoughts of parting abate the Comfort of enjoying Alas we dare not think of it Can Serious Godliness stand us in any stead here Much every way if our Friends be Irreligious this necessitates us to do what 's possible to make them Friends to Christ and to Religion and this attempt is alwayes successeful if not to make them Gracious yet to make our selves more gracious and if thy Friends be already Religious thou wilt have a foretast of Heaven in the Communion of Saints thô this is rare and rarely enjoyed Some think 't is best to have few or no Friends We are too apt to flatter our selves and to bear upon our Friends to reckon upon their Interest when we ordinarily find disappointments whereas expecting nothing from them makes us learn to live without them and in some sort above them We need neither flatter nor humour any Body But now to be Friendless that 's very uncomfortable a Friend greatens all the Joyes and lessens all the Sorrows we meet with in this World it argues a crooked and perverse disposition to be without Friends or not to care for ' em Besides this we had need to have every man our Friend for we know not into whose hands our Life may come before we dye that Person must needs be miserable who lives undesir'd and dyes unlamented What can Serious Godliness do in this Case A Serious Holy Person thô he have but few or perhaps no worldly Friends he hath the most and the best Friends he hath God to be his Friend he hath an Interest in the whole houshold of Faith and he can make up in God what he wants in any other Persons or things of the World what thô he hath no Friend to stand by him Innocency and Independency dare do and can suffer any thing Who knows whether Freedom from Affliction or an afflicted Condition be at present best for him Freedom from Afflictions seems most desirable both to Nature and Grace we naturally love our ease and would have nothing befall us that is Grievous to Flesh and Blood and Gracious Persons pray and strive to prevent and remove Afflictions But yet the experiences of all good and bad in all ages of the World proclaims this upon the House-tops that more have got good by Afflictions than by being
have been about things less necessary yet their Hearts have been more thorowly broken and more unexpressibly longing for Spiritual supplies 'T is about Gods bestowing of his Grace that they adore his Sovereignty justifying God though he should reject them and wondering even to astonishment how he can shew kindness to them so that the more Spiritual any Christians are the more they lose their will in the will of God and the less they quarrel with God let him do what he will with them They do not think it in vain to serve God thô he should but he will not cast them off at last they thankefully acknowledge they receive so many mercies from God here as are infinitely more worth than all the Services they can do him and they see cause to love God thô there is no cause why God should love them so that they 'l pray and wait hate sin and love holiness admire God and abase themselves and let God do what he will with them This is the temper and practice of the most serious Christians This will teach us to observe Gods answering of Prayer so as to be thankful or penitent to retract or alter or urge our Petitions as our case requires And this I think I may say One of the choicest exercises of Grace is about the improving the return of Prayer e. g. I think such a thing to be good for me suppose a better frame of Health for this I fill my Mouth with Arguments and my Heart with Faith but God answers me with disappointments this puts me upon reflection I find causes more than are good why God should deny me Suppose further I beg the pardon of sin am sensible that I must perish if I be denyed and therefore reckon I can't be too earnest but am so far from speeding that to my apprehension God seems Implacable and I have less hopes every day than other Well! this puts me upon a more thorow Scrutiny and I find I have not observ'd Gods Method for Pardon I would have the comfort of a Pardon without a suitable sense of the evil of Sin which if I should obtain I should not be so shie of Sin as when I have felt the smart of it I should not look upon my self as so much beholding to Christ but that I might venture upon sin and have a Pardon at pleasure I should not so much pity others under their Soul-troubles In a word the more we consider the more cause we shall see why God answers Prayer according to his own wisdom not our Folly We do not see that Religion doth any great matter towards the Object 2 bettering of every condition those that pretend to Religion have always their own good word they love to speak and hear of the Atchievements and Priveledges of Religion thô they are invisible to all but themselves A little more Modesty and less Arrogancy would better become ' em To our grief we must acknowledge Answ that Serious Christians are shamefully defective in living up to such a height of Heavenly-mindedness as to have the Experiences they might have and shall we when we are injurious to our selves expect God to fulfill conditional Promises when we neglect the Condition of them No! Christians God will say to us what he once said to Israel e Lev. 26.3 c. If thou wilt walk in my Statutes and keep my Commandments and do them then the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee c. f Deut. 28.1 c. But if you will walk contrary unto me then will I walk contrary to you also g Num. 14.34 and you shall know my breach of Promise God doth not only in displeasure but in kindness make his People feel a difference in their Comforts from the difference in their walking ou may as well expect to buy things without Money because Money answers all things as to expect Promises fulfill'd to Godliness when you want that Godliness to which the Promise is made 'T is true God may give it of bounty but not of Promise and then it may be a Mercy but not a Blessing Make Conscience of performing the Condition and make Conscience of believing the Promise for God will certainly fulfill that Promise or a better so that the fault 's our own that we don't inherit the Promises When I have granted all that can rationally be demanded in the Objection do but impartially observe and you 'l find that notwithstanding all the defects and imperfections of Christians 't is they alone that live most above the vanity of every Condition h 2 Pet. 1.4 't is they only have received those exceeding great and precious promises whereby they are partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust and though they have not already attained that heavenly frame they hope for neither are already perfect i Phil. 3.12 c. yet this one thing they do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before they press towards a full Experience of what is to be found in the wayes of Holiness If this be not a sufficient answer to this Objection what I shall add will be more than enough Whereas I have by an Induction of six comparative Cases I hope demonstrated the excellency of Serious Godliness I shall now in as many Instances beyond all Comparison and beyond Contradiction demonstrate the superlative excellency of the Power of Godliness all which may serve as arguments for Practical Godliness Serious Godliness will make your present Condition good for you be it what it will Every thing but Religion will make you think any Condition better than your present Condition There 's one Text I would commend to your consideration in this matter 1 Tim. 6.5 6. Those that are destitute of the Truth suppose that Gain is Godliness from such withdraw thy self but Godliness with contentment is great gain q. d. Those that only talk of Religion and wrangle about it they have no higher design than to make a gain of it avoid all familiarity with them but those that are sincerely Religious that know and fear and worship God aright there 's a Treasure a great Treasure k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundus quasi perannis sons a constant Revenue an unexhaustible Spring and then Content is not mentioned as a Condition added to Piety as if Piety were not great gain without Content added to it but Content is mentioned as the very genuine effect of Piety m Purum putum pietatis effectum The Godly man is so well contented with his Condition that he is not so solicitous as others for the bettering of it whatsoever is wanting to him is made up by Tranquility of mind and Hope in God that God will supply him with necessaries and he acquiesceth in his
Cor. 9.3 you may call it an Apologetical or defensive answer as relating to their Enemies accusation or charge against them or Examination of them they might look upon the Religion of Christians as an unreasonable thing and therefore require a reason of their Faith and Practice which if they should the Apostle would have them ready to make their defence and shew how good grounds they had for both 3. How they were to be always ready to give an answer It doth not imply that they were bound to do it to every Caviller or trifler but when the Glory of God and the Honour of the Gospel required it and when their silence might be injurious to the Truth to their own Consciences or their Brethrens Souls and so Christian Prudence ought to judge of the seasonableness of their making their defence they were not bound always actually to do it but to be always actually ready whenever God in his Providence should call them to it Now from what our Apostle enjoyns these Saints to be always ready to do I inferr what all true Saints may be able to do at least what the nature of the thing is capable of and so the doctrinal Inference I deduce from the words is this That true Christians may give a satisfactory account of their Christianity that it is something both real and reasonable Doct. not Folly nor Fancy In speaking to this Truth two things are to be done 1. I shall shew that true Believers may give an account of the Religion they profess according to the Gospel 2. I shall give Directions in answer to the Question How a Believer may be able to experience in himself and evidence to others that his Religion that powerful Godliness in the Practice whereof he lives is more than a Fancy 1 That true Believers may give a good account of the Religion they profess Most that the carnal World is wont to object against powerfull Religion in the Saints may be reduced to three heads 1. Against their Faith in which I include their Hope as of kin to it and the Fruit of it it is objected that it is but a fancy 2. Against their Obedience and close walking with God and diligence in Duty which is the fruit of their Faith that it is but the effect of Fancy and so no better than folly an unreasonable and groundless niceness and scrupulosity 3. Against their Comforts and spiritual Enjoyments that they can be no better than their Faith and Obedience from which they proceed and are no more than meer Imaginations and delusive Conceits In answer to each of these I shall I hope evidence the contrary to be most true 1. That the Faith of a true Believer is something reall and not a Fancy By the Faith of a Saint I understand only that lively and effectual Faith which is the Instrument or Means call it as you please not only of a Saints Justification a Rom. 5.1 but Sanctification b Act. 15.9 that which is called precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1 1. as being peculiar to them and the effect of their Election c Act. 13.48 that Faith in a word which is an apprehending Christ as the author of eternal Salvation d Heb. 5.9 a believing the record God hath given of his Son that eternal life is in him 1 Joh. 5.11 This Faith imports in it a respect to Christ as the Author of all other spiritual benefits antecedent to eternal Life Justification whereby a Believer is entitled to it Sanctification whereby he is prepared for it Consolation by which he is encouraged in seeking it and supported under the opposition and difficulties he meets with in the way to it But here I speak of Faith especially as respecting Eternal Salvation which is one principal act of it and which includes or supposes the other and the rather because the belief and expectation of Life and Immortality after Death is that which the unbelieving World looks upon as most strange and unreasonable and takes all a Believer can say of his expecting future things in another World to be but strong fancies of great Nothings There is no act of Faith against which the Objections of carnal Reason are more usually levelled than against this and if the reality of a Christians Faith appears in this it can scarce be denyed in others Now that this belief of Eternal Life is something real in a Saints Heart and not meerly a Fancy in his Brains might appear more than probable in that it hath been and still is to be found in those who are least fancyfull men as serious as judicious as rational as any in the World though not many wise men after the flesh are called e 1 Cor. 1.26 yet some are And it cannot reasonably be imagined that they who are confessedly Grave and Prudent and Discreet and free from Conceits and Fancies in all other things should dote in those only which are of the greatest Concernment to them especially if we consider that this Faith is stirring in them at such times as men use to be least given to Fancies as on the most solemn Occasions under the greatest Afflictions and at the approach of the most terrible of all temporal evils Death it self Men are most apt to be taken with Fancies and Appearances when they are wholly at Ease and flush in the World and have hope or some prospect of great things in it then they are apt to fancy things according to their Appetites and fondly to believe that that will be which they desire may be But when Death draws nigh they have nothing to encourage such imaginations and then usually their Fancies vanish they come to discover their folly and deceitfulness they judge quite contrary to what they did before they then see those things to be real which they counted but Fancies and those things to be but Fantastical which they had thought to be real Now at such a time as this the Faith of a Saint saving what desertions or Temptations may occasion in particular instances is ordinarily more-strong and active as his judgment of earthly things is more true when he is leaving them so his apprehension of heavenly is more clear when he draws nigh to them the approach of Death proves an enlivening to his Faith he hath the fairest view of the Crown of Glory when his Lord is about to set it on his head the same thoughts indeed he then hath which before he had only more clear and affecting they are at the last there being less to interrupt or discompose him It were hard to say that all the Comforts and Joyes of dying Saints and Martyrs have been meer Delusions and Cheats and yet so they must be if the apprehensions they have had of heavenly things were but Fancies and Ravings But to pass this by it will sufficiently evince the reality of a Christians Faith if we can make it appear that the
that others have and act more than they The Preaching of Christ by those that envyed made Paul joyful Phil. 3.18 It should please us though another can do more service to God than our selves 5. Christianity abolisheth not Affection but rectifies it It dries not § 30 up the streams of Sorrow Joy Hatred c. but only turns them into the right Channel it removes not away their Being but their ill Being Religion non mactat sed sanctificat it slayes not but sanctifies affections It doth not unman a man but only undevil him Grace is like the percolation or dreining of Salt water through the Earth it only takes away the brackishness and unsavouriness of our affections and faculties It kills not Isaac but the Ram it doth not break but only tune the string of nature Non tollit sed attollit it destroyes not but advanceth Nature When you are Godly you have more innocent Humanity than ever You may exercise humane affections and actions as much as you can desire only not to damn your selves You may eat thô not be Gluttons drink thô not be drunk buy and sell so as you make not sale of a good Conscience Grace gives leave to every thing besides damning your Souls 6. Every thing betters a Saint Not only Ordinances Word Sacraments § 31 Holy Society but even Sinners and their very sinning Even these draw forth their Graces into exercise and put them upon Godly broken-hearted Mourning A Saint sails with every wind As the Wicked are hurt by the best things so the Godly are bettered by the worst Because they have made void thy Law therefore do I love thy Commandements Psal 119.127 Holiness is the more owned by the Godly the more the world despiseth it The most eminent Saints were those of Caesars Nero's house Phil. 4.22 They who kept Gods name were they that lived where Satans Throne was Rev. 2.13 Zeal for God grows the hotter by opposition and thereby the Godly most labour to give the Glory of God reparation Lime by casting Water upon it grows inflamed and opposition confirms the upright Christian in Holiness Winds make the trees more firmly rooted 'T was said of old Grave bonum a Nerone damnari the best action Saints account that which is opposed by the worst men Elijah's Jealousie for Religion was the more kindled by its being opposed by Idolaters 1 King 19.14 Lot shew'd himself a better man in Sodom than in the Cave Gen. 19.30 § 32 7. The great Misery Sin hath brought into the World to make Sorrow and Mourning necessary Could we live so holily as we cannot as not to see cause of trouble from our selves we must be troubled by observing others Ever since the coming in of Sin Sorrow is become a Duty What is to live long in the World but to be Mournful and Afflicted long It should make us long for a better World where that which is here our Duty to practise shall for ever be our Priviledge to be freed from And § 33 8. There must needs remain a better State for the Saints Surely thô here Sorrow yea because Sorrow is here their Duty it must not alway last here and hereafter too in both Worlds for then their Condition in this regard would be worse than that of the Wicked who have their good things here § 34 9. How ought Sinners to mourn for their own Sins The nearer the Enemy is the more dreadful he is Nothing more dismal than to see a Sinner to go not swiftly only but merrily to Eternal Mourning Maxime gemendus qui non gemit He that hath no tears for himself should be helpt by ours § 35 The Second Use is of Reprehension and that to sundry sorts Vse 2 1. To those that reproach the holy mourning of Saints for others Sins They count it at the best but melancholy Mopishness First they cause them to mourn and then they deride them for mourning like some that beat a person till he cryes and then they beat him for crying 'T is better to be a Mourner for Sin than a Mocker for mourning Some account mourning for publick Sins a sign of disaffection to the Publick Government As Jeremy who mourned for the Sins of his time was charged to be an Enemy to the State They are not to be accounted the troublers of Israel who are the only persons troubled for the cause of Israels troubles They are falsly esteem'd the Incendiaries in a State whose great study is to quench Gods burning Wrath. If Sinners kindle the Fire let Saints quench it 2. This Doctrine of Mourning for the Sins of others speaks Reproof § 36 to those that take pleasure in the Sins of others Rom. 1.32 I fear there are many who would be glad were Sin more common that there might be none to make them asham'd of Sin that delight in the frowardness of the Wicked Prov. 2.14 that recreate themselves with others Sins that say of Sinners as the Philistines of Blind Samson Let them come and make us sport by Sinning that cannot be merry unless a Sinner be in their Company Fools make a mock of Sin Prov. 14.9 Some have observed that among all Solomons delights he never had a Fool to make him merry Of all Fools Sinners are the greatest but especially they that are delighted with the sinful follies of others To be delighted with the Holiness of others is a good sign but to be delighted with the Sins of others is a black mark Holy David was of a contrary temper Depart saith he Psal 119.115 from me ye Workers of Iniquity No Wicked mans Company is to be desired unless to do him good We should not be with the Wicked as Companions but Physicians The Wicked's good Fellowship will have a bad Conclusion 3. This Doctrine reproves those that mourn for the Holiness of others § 37 Who are troubled when they see a Child or Yoke-fellow holier than themselves These are most afraid where no fear is That a man can be too fearful of Sin 'T is sad that a precise Turk or Papist should be honoured for their silly self-contrived preciseness and Fopperies and that a Saint should be derided for real Sanctity I have known some Parents that have greatly desired their Children should be good Husbands to get and encrease their Estates but then have been very fearful lest they should be too Godly and it hath been the righteous Judgment of God that their Children proved Spend-thrifts neither Godly nor Good Husbands 'T is often seen that as Gardiners with their Sheers ship off the tops of the tallest sprigs so men most labour to discountenance the tallest in Christianity 4. This Doctrine reproves those that put others upon Sin so far § 38 are they from mourning for their Sins Poor Souls have they not Sins enough of their own to answer for must they needs contract to themselves the Guilt of others Sins also How many instead of being burning Coals to inflame others with love
and we are made up of nothing else but Dependency and Frailty Luc. 22.61 Now this active principle is chiefly Faith and Love Faith working by Love Faith gives us union to Christ and maintains that Union Now as we are kept by Faith so we and our Faith are kept both by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Our Inheritance is kept in Heaven for us and we are kept in Earth for it till we possess it in Heaven Quis custodiet ipsos custodes We should be poorly and Miserably kept if the Lord were not our keeper How did Adam keep his Estate and the Angels theirs and Esau his Birth-right and the Prodigal his Portion when all was trusted in their own hands One lost all for an Apple and another for a Mess of Dainty Broth and another for his carnal pleasures but happy Believers whose All is in better Trustees hands 1 Pet. 4. ult even the hand of a Faithful God IV. He that will keep himself in the Love of God must keep himself free from the Love of the World because the Love of this World is contrary to the Love of God 1 Joh. 2.15 16. and therefore inconsistent with it 1. Because the Love of the World and its Trinity or threefold Lust is a dangerous Heart-thief it Steals away the Heart from God as Absolom stole away the Hearts of the People from David by his Kisses 2 Sam. 15.5 6. and Flatteries Hos 4.11 What the Prophet speaks of Wine and Whoredom is true of all other worldly things 2. The Love of the World makes God jealous because Worldlings make an Idol of it and it is the worst Idolatry being that of the first Commandement Mâ—t. 6.24 So is Covetousness and Mammon when the Heart is inordinate upon Creatures Silver Gold Relations that is our Treasure Luc. 12.34 Colos 3.5 Therefore saith the Lord take heed and beware of Covetousness Luk. 12.15 A double caution all little enough And of this nature is Luxury and Epicurism also Phil. 3.18 19 20. Drunkenness the Love of Pleasure more than God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Belly-gods Nay thus it is likewise in the inordinate Love of Children which is soon done and they become Idols and God in his jealousie breaks them 1 Sam. 2.21 or breaks us for them as he did old Eli honouring his Sons above God And he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Math. 10.37 saith Christ 3. Because the Love of the World is a Choak-pear to all that 's truly good as is clear in the Thorny Ground Math. 13. v. 7.22 Experience teacheth this universally and the nature of the things being contrary one to the other and killing one of another * Like the Torment of Mezentius putting the Living to the Dead which corrupts and kills the Living one being Spiritual and Heavenly the other Carnal Sensual and Destructive yea both are destroyers of each other Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Do not we see what mortal Enemies worldly men are to Divine things The Word saith the world lyeth in wickedness the Devil is the Prince of the wicked World and ruleth in the children of disobedience it feeds the Flesh and nourisheth the carnal part and is not subject to the Law of God nor can be Rom. 8.7 Yea it is a deadly thing to the Soul Rom. 6.6 Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8.13 Gal. 6.14 Gal. 2.20 Gal. 5.24 and such deadly things are these two Lovers that is these two Lusts that they hunt for the life of each other fighting against each other to the death and the quarrel alwayes ends in the death of one or th' other If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live See the Scriptures in the Margin 4. The Love of the World hath Sorcery and Witchcraft in it when once men drink of the Worlds Cup they are intoxicated We read of Simon Magus how he bewitched the People Act. 8.9 We read of Jezebels Witchcrafts 2 King 9.22 Nahum 3.9 Rev. 17.2 3 4. Falsus fallax est mundus exterius aurens interius lutens N. N. and Babylons Sorceries and Witchcrafts and it is joined with the Works of the Flesh Gal. 5.17 to ver 21. Sixteen in number Rev. 22.15 Maxima totius orbis venefica The greatest Witch in the world is the World Her Honours are bewitching Honours Her Delights and pleasures are bewitching Her Riches and Profits are bewitching How then is the Love of the World consistent with Gods Love Therefore for the Love of God love not the World 5. The Love of the World makes Men Apostates from Christ So it made Demas 2 Tim. 4.10 and so it hath made thousands more and thee among the rest if thou lookest not well to thy Self 6. Psal 17.14 Phil. 3.18 19 20. Because the Love of the World makes men take up their Heaven on this side Heaven Of those men the Apostle could not speak without Weeping This is like the Prodigal that preferred a Tavern and a Brothel-House before his Fathers House Luc. 15.13 V. He that will Love God and keep himself in the Love of God must not be a Self-lover there is no greater Enemy to the Love of God than to Love our selves 2 Tim. 3.2 Mark the place for it is a remarkable place He tells you of perilous times a coming and there gives nineteen marks of such men as make the times perilous Of all which Lovers of themselves leads the Van for where once this Principle prevails it opens a Floodgate to all Sin and shuts the door upon all Holy Motions If Self be beloved admired and idolized it is the worst Idol in the World this is an Idol in a secret place continually adored this is Dagon set above the Ark and a Man above God and provokes to jealousie this perverts the course of Nature and Gods order who is one God and uppermost and only to be adored and men set up themselves in Gods Throne and Ungod him by deifying themselves and for one God they set up millions of gods as many gods as Creatures This is mans misery by losing the Integrity wherein God made him and seeking out many Inventions And when the Lord Christ came into the World he he speaks our Love and wooes us for it and commands self-denyal as the first Lesson to be learned in his School Mat. 16.24 25. Mat. 10.37 whereby the great Stumbling-block to Gods Love is taken away VI. If ye would keep your selves in the Love of God be very shy of Sin both in the Risings of it and as to the Temptations to it For the love of God and the love of Sin are more contrary to each other than Heaven and Hell Because they are Morally contrary Rom. 8. 1. Sin is Enmity against God in the Abstract 2. Sin is hatefull
pacifie the Consciences of sinners any more than the Blood of Bulls and Goats could do it under the Law yea any more than the Lustrations and Expiations of Sin amongst the Heathen could effect it Wherefore they have at length formed a more stated and specious Image of it to serve all the turns of convinced Sinners and this is a Purgatory after this Life that is a subterraneous place and various means where and whereby the Souls of men are purged from all their Sins and made meet for Heaven when the Lord Christ thinks meet to send for them or the Pope judges it fit to send them to him Hereunto let them pretend what they please the People under their conduct do trust a thousand times more for the purging of their Sins than unto the Blood of Christ But it is only a cursed Image of the vertue of it set up to draw off the minds of poor sinners from seeking an interest in a participation of the efficacy of that blood for that end which is to be obtained by faith alone Rom. 3.25 Only they have placed this Image behind the curtain of mortality that the cheat of it might not be discovered none who find themselves deceived by it can come back to complain or warn others to take care of themselves and it was in an especial manner suited unto their delusion who lived in pleasures or in the pursuit of unjust gain without exercise of afflictions in this world From these two sorts of persons by this Engine they raised a revenue unto themselves beyond that of Kings or Princes for all the endowments of their Religious houses and Societies were but commutations for the abatement of the fire of this Purgatory But whereas in its self it was a rotten Post that could not stand or subsist they were forced to prop it with many other imaginations for unto this end to secure work for this Purgatory they joyned the distinction of Sin into mortal and venial not as unto their end with respect unto Faith and Repentance not as unto the Degrees of sin with respect unto the aggravations but as unto the nature of them some of them being such namely those that are Venial as were capable of a purging expiation after this life though men die without any repentance of them And when this was done they have cast almost all the sins that can be named under this order And hereon this Image is become an Engine to disappoint the whole Doctrine of the Gospel and to precipitate secure sinners into eternal Ruin And to strengthen this deceiving security they have added another invention of a certain storehouse of Ecclesiastical merits the keys whereof are committed to the Pope to make application of them as he sees good unto the ease and relief of them that are in this Purgatory For whereas many of their Church and Communion have as they say done more good works then were needful for their salvation which they have received upon a due ballance of Commutative Justice the Surplusage is committed to the Pope to commute with it for the punishment of their sins who are sent into purgatory to suffer for them then which they could have found out no engine more powerful to evacuate the efficacy of the blood of Christ both as offered and as sprinkled and therewith the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning faith and repentance Moreover to give it farther countenance as one-lie must be thatched with another or it will quickly rain through they have fancied a separation to be made between guilt and punishment so as that when the guilt is fully remitted and pardoned yet there may punishment remain on the account of sin For this is the case of them in Purgatory their sins are pardoned so as that the Guilt of them shall not bind them over to eternal damnation though the wages of sin is death yet they must be variously punished for the sins that are forgiven But as this is contradictory in it self it being utterly impossible there should be any punishment properly so called but where there is guilt as the cause of it so it is highly injurious both to the Grace of God and blood of Christ in procuring and giving out such a lame pardon of sins as should leave room for punishment next to that which is eternal These are some of the rotten Props which they have fixed on the minds of persons credulous and superstitious terrified with guilt and darkness to support this tottering deformed Image set up in the room of the efficacy of the blood of Christ to purge the souls and consciences of Believers from sin But that whereby it is principally established and set up is the darkness ignorance guilt fear terrour of conscience accompanied with a love of sin that the most among them are subject and obnoxious unto being disquieted perplexed and tormented with these things and utterly ignorant of the true and only way of their removal and deliverance from them they greedily embrace this sorry provision for their present ease and relief being accommodated unto the utmost that humane or Diabolical craft can extend unto to abate their fear ease their torments and to give security unto their superstitious minds And hereby it is become to be the life and soul of their Religion diffusing it self into all the parts and concerns of it more trusted unto then either God or Christ or the Gospel Spiritual light and experience with the consequents of them in peace with God will safeguard the minds of Believers from bowing down to this horrid image though the acknowledgments of its divinity should be imposed on them with craft and force otherwise it will not be done for without this there will a strong inclination and disposition arising from a mixture of superstitious fear and love of sin possess the minds of men to close with this pretended relief and satisfaction The foundation of our preservation herein lies in Spiritual light or an ability of mind from supernatural illumination to discern the Beauty Glory and efficacy of the purging of our sins by the blood of Christ when the glory of the wisdom and grace of God of the love and grace of Christ of the power of the Holy Ghost herein is made manifest unto us we shall despise all the paintings of this invention Dagon will fall before the Ark and all these things do gloriously shine forth and manifest themselves unto believers in this misterious way of purging all our sins by the blood of Christ Herein will ensue an experience of the efficacy of this heavenly truth in our own souls There is no man whose heart and ways are cleansed by the blood of Christ through the effectual application of it by the Holy Spirit in the ordinance of the Gospel but he hath or may have a refreshing experience of it in his own soul and by the power which is communicated therewith he is stirred up unto all that exercise of Faith and all those duties
would perswade you to submissive patience Especially make conscience of a setled discontent of mind have you not yet much better than you deserve And do you forget how many years you have enjoyed undeserved mercy Discontent is a continued resistance of Gods disposing will that I say not some rebellion against it Your own wills rise up against the will of God It is Atheistical to think that your sufferings are not by his providence and dare you repine against God and continue in such repining to whom else doth it belong to dispose of you and all the world And when you feel distracting cares for your deliverances remember that this is not trusting God Care for your own duty and obey his command but leave it to him what you shall have tormenting care do but add to your afflictions It is a great mercy of God that he forbiddeth you these cares and promiseth to care for you Your Saviour himself hath largely though gently reprehended them Math. 6. and told you how sinful and unprofitable they are and that your father knoweth what you need and if he deny it you it is for just cause and if it be to correct you it is yet to profit you and if you submit to him and accept his guift he will give you much better than he taketh from you even Christ and everlasting life III. Set your selves more diligently than ever to overcome the inordinate love of the world It will be a happy use of all your troubles if you can follow them up to the Fountain and find out what it is that you cannot bear the want or loss of and consequently what it is that you overlove God is very jealous even when he loveth against every Idol that is loved too much and with any of that love which is due to him and if he take them all away and tear them out of our hands and hearts it is merciful as well as just I speak not this to those that are troubled only for want of more faith and holiness and communion with God and assurance of Salvation These troubles might give them much comfort if they understood aright from whence they come and what they signifie For as impatient trouble under worldly crosses doth prove that a man loveth the world too much so impatient trouble for want of more holiness and Communion with God doth shew that such are lovers of Holiness and of God Love goeth before desire and grief That which men love they delight in if they have it and mourn for want of it and desire to obtain it The will is the love and no man is troubled for want of that which he would not have But the commonest cause of passionate melancholly is at first some worldly discontent and care either wants or crosses or the fear of suffering or the unsuitableness and provocation of some related to them or disgrace or contempt do cast them into passionate discontent and selfwill cannot bear the denial of something which they would have and then when the discontent hath muddied and diseased a mans mind temptations about his soul do come in afterwards and that which begun only with worldly crosses doth after seem to be all about Religion Conscience or meerly for sin or want of Grace Why could you not patiently bear the words the wrongs the losses the crosses that did befal you Why made you so great a matter of these bodily transitory things Is it not because you overlove them were you not in good earnest when you called them vanity and covenanted to leave them to the will of God would you have God let you alone in so great a sin as the love of the world or giving any of his due to creatures If God should not teach you what to love and what to set light by and cure you of so dangerous a disease as a fleshly earthly mind he should not sanctifie you and fit you for heaven souls go not to Heaven as an arrow is shot upward against their inclination but as fire naturally tendeth upward and earth downward to their like so when holy men are dead their souls have a natural inclination upward and it is their love that is their inclination they love God and Heaven and Holy company and their old godly friends and holy works even mutual love and the joyful praises of Jehovah And this Spirit and Love is as a fiery nature which carrieth them heavenward and Angels convey them not thither by force but conduct them as a Bride to her marriage who is carryed all the way by love And on the other side the souls of wicked men are of a fleshly worldly inclination and love not heavenly works and company and have nothing in them to carry them to God but they love worldly trash and sensual beastial delights though they cannot enjoy them as poor men love riches and are vexed for want of what they love and therefore it is no wonder if wicked souls do dwell with Devils in the lower regions and that they make Apparitions here when God permits them and if holy souls be liable to no such descent Love is the Souls poise and spring and carrieth souls downward or upward accordingly Away then with the earthly fleshly Love How long will you stay here And what will Earth and Flesh do for you So far as it may be helpful to Holiness and Heaven God will not deny it to submissive Children but to overlove is to turn from God and is the dangerous Malady of Souls and the poise that sinks them down from Heaven Had you learnt better to forsake all for Christ and to account all but as Loss and Dung as Paul did Phil. 3.8 you could more easily bear the want of it When did you see any live in discontent and distracted with Melancholy Grief and Cares for want of Dung or of a Bubble a Shadow or a merry Dream If you will not otherwise know the world God will otherwise make you know it to your Sorrow IV. If you are not satisfyed that God alone Christ alone Heaven alone is enough for you as matter of felicity and full content go study the Case better and you may be convinced Go learn better your Catechism and the Principles of Religion and then you will learn to lay up a Treasure in heaven and not on Earth and to know that its best to be with Christ and that death which blasteth all the glory of the world and equalleth the rich and the poor is the common Door to Heaven or Hell And then Conscience will not ask you whether you have lived in pleasure or in pain in riches or in want but whether you have lived to God or to the Flesh for Heaven or for Earth and what hath had the preheminence in your hearts and Lives If there be shame in Heaven you will be ashamed when you are there that you whined and murmured for want of any thing that the flesh desired upon
because he cannot be at once in all parts of his Dominions but God is omnipresent filling Heaven and Earth If thou goest up to Heaven he is there if thou make thy Bed in Hell behold he is there if thou dwellest in the uttermost parts of the Sea there shall his Hand lead thee and his right Hand shall guide thee All things are within his reach wheresoever any thing is doing or to be done there God is who is present in every place and with every person He stands at our right hands and so may well guide them so to do will cost him no travel nor trouble In him we live and move and have our being not at a distance from him not out of him but in him 2. God can easily Govern the world because of his almighty Power he is stronger than all his Word is enough to accomplish all his will The wisest of men are foolish creatures and the strongest are weak Kingdoms and Nations have frequently proved ungovernable to potent Princes Such breaches have been made as they could not heale and such tempests have risen as they could not lay Nay that man is not found in the world who hath Power sufficient to Govern himself How often doth his will rebel against his reason Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor His judgement sees and votes for that which is good but his will chooseth what is worse his sensual appetite longs for it and that must be gratified whatever the cost be We sometimes see that wise men gracious and holy men cannot curb their own passions but they take heâ—d and hurry them into great and uncomely extravagancies But now God is of infinite Power as he hath an arm long enough to reach so strong enough to rule all things He binds the Sea with a girdle and stayes its proud waves saying hither shall ye go and no further He makes the wrath of man to praise him though it be more boisterous than the Sea and the remainder thereof he shall restrain Job hath sundry passages to this purpose worthy of our remark Job 26. take some of them thus He hangeth the world upon nothing He hath compassed the waters with bounds He divideth the Sea with his Power the Pillars of Heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof And then he closeth thus in verse 14. Lo these are part of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him and the Thunder of his Power who can understand The Power of his Thunder is great which discovered the forrest and makes the hinds to calve what then is the Thunder of his Power when God doth but whisper a rebuke into the eare of a man that maketh his beauty to consume like a moth what then can he do nay what can he nor do when he thunders from Heaven In short his Power is irresistible and his will in all things efficacious He can master all difficulties and conquer all enemies and overcome all opposition when he hath a mind to work who shall let him he askes no leave he needs no help he knows no impediment Mountains in his way become plaines his counsel shall stand and the thoughts of his heart to all generations 3. Thirdly God is fit to Govern the world upon the account of his wisdom and knowledg His eyes run too and fro through the Earth He observes all the motions and wayes of men He understands what hath been is and shall be Hell is naked before him how much more Earth His eye is upon the conclave of Rome the Cabals of Princes and the closets of particular Persons Excellently doth David set forth the divine Omniscience Psal 139. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising and understandest my thoughts afar off Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways there is not a word in my tongue but O Lord thou knowest it altogether thou hast beset me behind and before He knows not only what is done by man but also what is in man all his goodness and all his wickedness all his contrivances purposes and designs The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it do you ask who the answer is ready Jehovah He searcheth the heart he tryeth and possessâ—th the reins Those are dark places far removed from the eyes of all the world but Gods eyes are like a flame of fire they carry their own light with them and discover those recesses run thorow all the Labyrinths of the heart they looke into each nooke and corner of it and see what lurks there what is doing there O! what manner of Persons should we be with what diligence should we keep our hearts since God observes them with so much exactness Men may take a view of the practices of others but God sees their principles and to what they do incline them Yea He knows how to order and command the heart not only how to affright it with terrours and to allure it with kindnesses and perswade it with arguments but likewise how to change and alter and mend it by his Power He cannot only debilitate and enfeeble it when set upon evil but also how confirm and fix and fortifie it when carried out to that which is good The hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and he turned them as the Rivers of Water 4. Fourthly God is fit to Govern the world upon the score of his long-suffering and forbearance Those that have the reins of Government put into their hands had need be Persons of excellent and cool Spirits for if they have a great deal of Power and but a small stock of patience they will soon put all into a flame That man who hath but a little Family to mannage will in that meet with trials and exercises enough How much more he that is set over a Kingdom and unspeakably more yet he that is to Govern the world especially considering the present State of the degenerate world and how things have been ever since Sin made an entry into it The whole world now lyeth in wickedness there is not a man in it but doth every day offer a thousand affronts to God and provokes him to his face Angelical patience would soon tire and be spent and turn into such fury as would quickly reduce all into a Chaos There is not an Angel in Heaven but if there were a commission given him he would do immediate execution and sheath the Sword of vengeance in the bowels of malefactors But now to his glory be it spoken God is infinite in patience slow to anger and of great kindness Though he be disobeyed abused grieved vexed pressed with the sins of men even as a cart is pressed that is laden with sheaves yet he spares and bears and waites How loath is he to stir up all his wrath and to pour out the Vials thereof He counts that his strange work when he goeth about it his bowels do
concerned than we are The Church is much concerned in the present motions and commotions Antichrist and his Jesuits are fishing in these troubled waters but let us be comforted God is concerned in the Church and that more than we all are Who should speak his glory and live his praise and load his Altars if the gates of Hell and endeavours of Rome should prevail against the Church would Atheists Papists or profane Persons exalt and advance his honour As to this lower world Gods stock of glory lyes in the hands of his Church and People and his Revenue is brought in by them and will He not look after them let us not fear where no fear is let us not fear in the midst of fears We may be confident that God will wisely steer the course and carry the Ship of the Church safe into its Harbour in which he hath his Name and Honour imbarqued He will never give his glory to another nor his praise to graven Images and if not to graven Images then not to Papists Suppose those cursed Philistines should take the Arke yet know assuredly the captivated Ark will be too hard for Dagon graven Images and all Idolatry shall fall before it 9. Lastly let us comfort our selves with this that the Government is laid upon Christs shoulder and the Scepter put into his hand and all power both in Heaven and Earth is committed to him God the Father hath set him up for his King upon his holy Hill of Zion and hath so established and fixed his Throne that he looks with scorn and contempt upon all the attempts of his enemies And all that power which He hath was committed to him and is to be employed by him for the continuance and comfort of his Church He is made Head over all things to the Church Whatsoever He hath as Head is for the advantage of that his mystical body And what may we not expect from such a Father as God from such a King as Jesus And with what peace and delight may we sit under his shadow well might the holy Psalmist say Psal 149 2. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Zion be joyful in their King From what Christ hath done we may strongly argue to that which He will do He was incarnate for his Church He was made under the Law for her He became poor for her He humbled himself for her He laid down his Life for her He bare the rage of man and the wrath of God for her He endured the Cross and despised the shame because it was for her and therefore question not but he will rule and govern her Read and rejoyce while you read that account given of him Isa 9 7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever And that you may not in the least doubt hereof it is added the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Having thus finished the Doctrinal part I come to the Application and I shall only speak to an use of Exhortation in two particulars First I exhort and advise you that are the people of God to fetch support and consolation from this sweet and precious truth The times in which we live are indeed very dark and tempestuous God is shaking all Nations Specially it is a day of perplexity and casting down in the Valley of Vision the Church of God After all our Prayers and endeavours and hopeful expectations things are come to a sad pass and Israel is brought back to the Red Sea We may now take up that complaint Isa 26 17 18. Like a Woman with Child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and cryeth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord. We have been with Child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind The People of the most High in all places are in soar trouble a cup of trembling full of the Wine of astonishment is put into their hands and God carries as if he were resolved to give up the dearly beloved of his Soul for a time into the hand of her enemies The Antichristian Popish party is rampant and think they have the Ball at their foot and shall now carry all before them But at such a time as this let this support and quiet and comfort you that however things go God still governs the world And that this may be sweet to you follow these directions 1. Make sure that you be in the number of Christs Subjects such as have bowed to his Scepter submitted to his Government and are devoted to his fear If you have once kissed the Son with a kiss of love and homage you shall not perish in the way Then you may rejoyce at the thoughts of Gods governing the world when you feel and are assured of his ruling and governing in your hearts Then may the remembrance and consideration of his universal Kingdom be cordial to you when you find that he hath erected a Kingdom within you and that you are members of the Kingdom of his Grace This is firm grâ—â—nd of strong consolation and of quâ—â—â—â—â—e and assurance for ever If you have been made willing in the dâ—y of Gods power and are the Loyal Subjects of Christs Kingdom thâ—â— you are the favourites of Gods Court yea the Children of his Family and you may promise yourselves that he will carefully look after you and graciously provide for you He hath a peculiar respect to his peculiar people for them he hath his Chambers a strong Tower in which they shall be safe when he cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity Judgment begins at the House of God and that is to make way for mercy those judgments prepare for deliverances here and glory hereafter for victories here and triumps hereafter But O! the dreadful stormes of wrath that shall fall upon the wicked and incorrigible of the world what Thunder-bolts will God assail them with that shall strike them down into that lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone and shall never be quenched Come Christians make it out that you trust in the Lord and have given up your selves unto the Lord and then you may be sure that when enemies threaten you and dangers face you and fear is on every side even then mercy shall compass you about 2. Heedfully look to it that you govern your selves according to the will and Law of God Then may you take the comfort of Gods governing the world when you are a well governed People When you wisely rule your own Spirits and order your own affections and your lives and conversations there is a promise that unto such God will shew his Salvation The Laws of a Land protect the Subjects so long as they
are given for as the rigid Dominicans do certainly make God the Cause of Sin whether culpable or not culpable is not the Question even so do the Scotists and Molinists for they both include in the matter of Sin somewhat more than what is meerly Natural even somewhat that is morally Vicious and yet assert that this Matter is the immediate effect of Gods Causality only the one says That God does as it were take man by the hand and lead him to Sin the other That man determines the Efficiency of God and the Scotist says That the first and second Cause do walk hand in hand to the Sin but whether I lead another to the Sin and help him to commit it or whether I am taken by the Sinner and determined to help him to produce what is sinful in the Act or whether I walk with him stil I am at least a Concauser of what is sinful in the Act so that neither the Scotist nor the Molinist give me any satisfaction in this Matter The Result therefore of my thoughts is as follows I am sure that no Natural Being ever has been is or can be without the Efficiency of God the first Cause and yet I am as confident that no Moral Evil is in any sense the Effect of the Physical Efficiency of God The Moral Undueness that is considered as that which is the Foundation of Sin cannot be from God but yet how satisfactorily to reconcile these things or how to comprehend the Modes of Divine Operation is above us we cannot reach unto it it transcends our Understandings 5. There are also several Doctrines which have a special Aspect on those Transactions that are about the carrying on Fall'n Mans Salvation to the Illustrating the Glory of the divine Perfections which are very profound The Doctrines of the Fall of Man the Transition of Original Sin from Adam to his Posterity the Methods taken for the Recovery of the Elect the Covenant of Reconciliation between the Father and the Son from all Eternity the Incarnation of the Son of God and the many surprizing Doctrines with reference thereunto even about his several Offices as Mediator and in special That of his Being a Priest after the Order of Melchisedek his Suretyship how our Sins were imputed to him and his Righteousness made ours beside those Doctrines about the Nature of the Mystical Vnion that is between Christ and Believers and how this is the ground of Imputation and many other momentous points might be spoken unto to evince That though there is nothing of Contradiction in these Doctrines yet there is very much that transcends the most enlarged Capacity They are points that the Angels themselves are prying into but cannot fully comprehend But these things I must wave and go on to acquaint you with some of the many Providences that do in like manner transcend our Understandings II. Among the many amuzing Providences that are before Us I will single out a few 1. That the greatest part of the World should lye in Wickedness unacquainted with the Methods of Salvation is an amuzing Providence Look we into the remotest parts of the World we find nothing but a strange Ignorance of the true God or of the true Worship of God Oh how great a part of the World is over-run with Paganism Mahometanism and Judaism Come we nearer home and take a view of the Christian World behold how small is it in comparison of those parts where the abovemention'd false Religions prevail and of the many thousands who are called Christians how many Invelop'd with the thick clouds of Ignorance and Error and how â—ew free from the Influence of Idolatry and Superstition A multitude of those who have been baptiz'd into the name of Christ have not the opportunity of looking into the sacred Oracles which reveal the true way to Life everlasting and of those who have the happy Advantages of consulting the sacred Scriptures how few can understand them The which is not without a Providence of God But can we compare these Providences with those discoveries that are made of the Infinite Compassions of Almighty God towards the Children of men and comprehend a consistency between them In the Scriptures 't is said That God would have all men be saved and to that end come to the Knowledg of the Truth even when but a very small spot of the Earth have any suitable means afforded 'em for the obtaining such knowledg In the Scriptures the Proclamation is general to all Ho every one and the Expostulation with Sinners is Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye as I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a Sinner of a Sinner indefinitely q. d. of any Sinner but rather That he would Turn and Live Besides did not Christ die for this end namely to shew the unexpressible greatness of Gods Love to the world God so loved so so loved the World as if it had been said the Love of God to the World is so transcendent that no words could sufficiently express it nothing would fully represent it but the Delivery of the Son the only begotten Son of God to the Death the cruel the shameful and the reproachful Death of the Cross for the salvation of the World on their Believing and this even when God left Millions of Angels to continue in everlasting Chains of Darkness notwithstanding all which it is manifest That they cannot believe in him of whom they have not heard and cannot hear unless a Preacher be sent unto them and that no such thing has been done no Preacher has been sent or if in one Age yet not in another How can we reconcile these Providences with the Discoveries that are given us of the infinite Compassions of God to Mankind when so few are made partakers of it What of Grace is there in leaving the greatest part of the World in a very little better condition than the fallen Angels I know that there are many things offered towards the satisfaction of a thoughtful Person as Who can tell but there are thousand of Worlds above us whose Inhabitants are in a better capacity to receive and improve the Instances of Divine Love and that this world is but a Spot in comparison of them and if this whole World should perish 't is but as the hanging up a few Malefactors to shew that God is just as well as merciful but how does this solve the Difficulty which is not meerly taken from the Notion we have of Gods meâ—ciful Nature in it self considered but from the Revelations made thereof unto the Children of men in the Scripture about which we cannot have any solid satisfaction but from things which are obvious before us not from what is so fully out of our view and knowledge and concerning Creatures of another kind 'T is true there are some intimations in the Sacred Scriptures which apart and by themselves considered afford Relief such as these The Gentiles which have not
great Truth and if duely weighed will afford relief to such as are perplexed with the profoundness of some Doctrines c. For by this t is manifest That the Mysteriousness of the Doctrines the surprizing manner in which they are reveal'd the difficulties about the Hebrew Points and some Instances in Chronology the various Readings and the like they all serve as a spur to our Faith and a furtherance to our Salvation We have Arguments enough to convince us of the Truth of Scripture the certainty of a divine Providence and therefore we ought not to be unbelieving though we meet with some Difficulties that our Reason cannot overcome This should satisfy us that how great soever the difficulties may be how far soever they transcend our Understandings yet there is in 'em no Implication and if so they are in themselves reconcileable and although finite worms are not acquainted with the true Methods of Conciliation yet God who is Infinite in all perfections is These difficulties should not in the least stumble our Faith but rather engage us to be the more strong in believing 2. As by Faith we behold the Accomplishment of the Promises which are not comprehended by our Reason and can thorough the Mysteriousness of Doctrines and Providences see that they are of God so by Faith we are enabled to put our trust and Confidence in God even when under the darkest Dispensations Faith never appears so much in its lustre as when the greatest difficulties lie before it Then t is that the Believer puts his trust in the Power Wisdom Mercy and Faithfulness of God when under the obscurest Dispensations When there are some difficult Appearances in the Sacred Scriptures that relate to some Doctrines and when some Providences seem to be contrary to the discoveries that are made of God's Faithfulness c. then 't is that our Faith appears in its beauty for thereby we shew the just apprehensions we have of God's Power Wisdom Mercy and Faithfulness That God has promised to extend his Compassions to Believers that he will order all things to work together for their good is evident enough in Scripture but yet notwithstanding this all things seem to be against them they are afflicted and under sore temptations they lose their temporal Estates are deprived of their Liberty are sick weak and in great distress several thwarting Providences attend them all things are seemingly against them thus it was with good old Jacob he is bereaved of his Children Joseph is not Sâ—meon is not and Benjamin must be taken away All these things sayes he are against me Gen. 42.36 But yet this was the time for Jacob to exercise his Faith as he did in the following Chapter ver 14. q. d. The Lord Almighty be with you with him I leave you to him I commit my Concerns if I am bereaved I am bereaved i. e. the will of the Lord be done Thus it was with Job God had suffered the Tempter to break in upon him God himself seemed as if he was resolved he should die and yet then could Job say Though he slay me yet will I put my trust in him Job 13.15 So with Habakkuk chap. 13.17 18 19. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines though the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat though the slocks shall be cut off the Fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord the Lord God is my strength he will make me to walk in mine high places Many other Instances might be given all which concur to evince That then is the time to put our trust in the Lord when we are in the dark and can see no light when there are in the Providences of God somewhat above us that we cannot reach unto then 't is that we are to look unto a Rock that is higher than our selves then are we called to put our trust in the Wisdom and Mercy and Faithfulness of him who hath promised to be with us to uphold and support us as said David At what time I am afraid I will trust in the Lord for though my Heart and my Flesh fail yet God will be the strength of my heart and my portion for ever On the other side when at the sight of the prosperity of the wicked the Believers feet were almost gone and his steps did well-nigh slip t is his Confidence in God that is then his stay The Providences of God in this Instance are remarkable for though God had said that the wicked shall not prosper nor live out half their days yet behold they live and their houses are safe from fear they prosper in the world they increase in riches How is this consistent with the threatning or how can the righteous see this and not be troubled Surely when they enter into the Sanctuary they see the End of all and are abundantly satisfied their Faith is hereby tried but yet they can say Good is God to Israel They begin to reason with God and will say Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously but still conclude that the Lord is righteous Jer. 12.1 Though Clouds and Darkness are round about him yet Righteousness and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne For notwithstanding all the dark Dispensations the Godly do still put their trust in the Lord they stay themselves on his Wisdom Power Mercy and Faithfulness the doing which all should endeavour when under dark Dispensations 2. Hereby the Grace of Patience is to the Glory of God held up in a continued exercise Patience is not to be consider'd to consist meerly in an enduring the conflict of Temptations and Afflictions with a quiet calm and sedate temper of Spirit but also in a quiet waiting for and expectation of the accomplishment of some great and glorious Promises in looking and patiently waiting for the End when we shall see with much clearness what now lieth in the dark and out of our view But if we hope for what we see not then do we with Patience wait for it saith the Apostle Rom. 8.25 Now there seems to be some inconsistency between Doctrine and Doctrine between some Doctrines and Providences yea and between Providences and Providences but yet we must conclude That 't is not so and that the time will come when our Lord will not speak any more in Parables unto us when the Vail shall be done away and when we shall find every thing to answer the Truth and Holiness of God no inconsistency in any of the Doctrines and Providences but the exactest Agreement and most excellent Harmony every one Doctrine and Providence concurring to the illustration of each other all which shall be seen with great satisfaction when we shall depart hence and be with the Lord. Now we know but in part we see but through a Glass darkly but then we shall know as we are known and see Face
Man and as God is infinite in all Perfections yet he suffered a Vail to be on his Divinity and took on him the form of a Servant his Birth was very mean as appears by the Circumstances of it his Education under his Parents no way splendid Is not this the Carpenters Son his Converse among poor Fishermen and he at length became obedient to the death of the Cross He was a man of Sorrows and very contemptible in the Eye of the world whence it is that he is unto the Jews who expected a Messiah to come with worldly Grandeur a stumbling block 1 Cor. 1.23 In like manner are the many profound Doctrines of the Gospel stones of stumbling Christ i. e. the Doctrines of Christ not only such as relate to the Meanness of his Person but many others are as stones of stumbling and rocks of offence to both the Houses of Israel and for a Gin and for a Snare and many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken Isa 8.14 15. For this very reason I humbly conclude there are so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood in the Scriptures so many difficulties about the Original the various Readings of Scripture c. Yea for this Reason do many wicked men increase in Riches they have much Silver and Gold but 't is a stumbling block unto them even the stumbling block of their Iniquity Ezek. 7.19 Their very Tables are made a Snare a Trap a stumbling block a Recompence unto the wicked Oh! how many do take occasion from the several Difficulties that lie before them in the Word of God and in his Providences to reject all Religion to the eternal destruction of their own Souls the which is done to the Exaltation of the glorious Righteousness of God that is seen in the Condemnation of the Vessels of Wrath who were endured with much long-suffering and all this by the signal Providence of God which are concerned in the Accomplishment of these high Ends yet so that the Purity and Holiness of God appears as glorious as does his Justice and Righteousness for God who lays these stumbling blocks before us does not cause our Sin for that only follows our meeting them in our way as the product of our own Corruption 'T is admirable to consider that the very same thing that is a Mean to excite Grace in the One should be an Occasion of Infidelity and other Sins in Another That such Contrarieties should in different ways proceed from one and the same Providence that one and the same thing should be a Means of the Salvation of the one and the Occasion of the Destruction of the other There is much of infinite Wisdom to be seen in this Contrivance for hereby in the very same thing that proves an occasion of the Ruine of the non-Elect there is enough to stop their mouths and silence them and all such as do take occasion therefrom to sin against God For what ever the secret Counsels of God are concerning this or the other particular Person God does treat all in a way sutable to those Capacities he has given us he considers us all as Rational Creatures as Moral Agents and has taken us all under his Government and is as sincere in the Promises of Life he makes unto all on their Compliances with his terms as he is just and true in the execution of the threatned Evils against such as remain obstinate Transgressors and as for the insuperable Difficulties that lie before us the Doctrines and Providences that transcend our Understandings they are as excellent Expedients to engage us to believe to the saving of the Soul as they are the occasions of that Unbelief that ends in the damnation of those that perish Wherefore then seeing this is so seeing so much good may be gathered from these Doctrines and Providences such as take occasion from them to sin to reject all Religion and live Atheistically in the World are without Excuse for 't is manifest that a better Use might have been made of thefe things and that 't is their own Sin that they have made so ill an Use thereof the which will not in the least excuse but aggravate their Misery and justifie God in their Condemnation IMPROVEMENT IV. Fourthly We may hence learn to entertain more awful Apprehensions of the Greatness and Majesty of God and more low thoughts of our selves Such is the boldness of most men that they fear not to pry into those things that are above them even into the Secrets of the most High We are not satisfied with what is revealed but are too curiously searching into the hidden things of God although 't is impossible that this Curiosity should be attended with the desired success and although it proved fatal to our first Parents who desiring to know more than was meet fell from that happy state in which they were at first placed yet the temper of most studious Enquirers is to be too curious and bold and this they will be though they turn the whole World into confusion by their Contests 'T is not unworthy our thoughts to consider what is the principal ground of the many Quarrels and Wranglings that have been and are among the Learned for then we shall find that a too bold Enquiry into the things that are above us and unlawful to be pried into is the ground of all There is in us an ambition to be like unto God we would fain know as much as he who is Omniscient our Souls though in their own Nature are finite yet in the desires they have of knowing things are in a manner infinite The deep things of God cannot escape our narrowest search the Nature of his Being the Modes and Media of his Operations and his eternal Counsels fall under our strictest Scrutiny and boldest Debates 'T is strange to consider with what Confidence vain Mortals will dispute about these things and no less surprizing to observe the great Confusion and Disorders that have followed such Disputes How confidently do the Dominicans and Molinists the Scotists and Durandists and other Schoolmen among the Papists the Remonstrants and Anti-Remonstrants the Supra and Sublapsarians among Protestants talk of God his Decrees and their Order as well as about Physical Predetermination c. Among all which there are different Opinions in one respect or other but yet by all one and the same unpardonable Confidence discovered in adhering to their own Dogmata for about these abstruse Points they are all as resolute in their determinations as in Matters most plain and obvious the tendency of which hath been nothing less than Strife Contention and endless Quarrels yea strange Animosities and Confusions whereas if we did but seriously consider that all these Matters are above us that they transcend the largest Capacities and therefore are not to be pried into instead of spending our time and strength about them we should be engaged to
commands must give place to a moral duty because they will not justifie our neglect of that Hence on the Sabbath-day we may and ought to lift our Neighbours Ox out of the pit Luke 14.5 and to perform any other act of necessary charity notwithstanding that positive command to worship God upon that day 6. That which God now requires of you and in doing of which you may most glorifie God and edifie your Neighbour that is undoubtedly your present duty Quest How shall we know this Ans 1. Always look within your Calling for your present duty for there it lies Don't go beyond your line Do your own business 1 Thes 4.11 We have different gifts and different talents according to the Grace that is given unto us Let every one attend to that which God hath fitted him for and called him to Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way Prov. 14.8 God hath appointed to every one his way of living in this World from the Smith that blows the coals Isa 54.16 to the King that sins upon the Throne That cannot be our duty which we are not called to We are not absolute Lords to do what we list No we are under command and must obey I am one in authority says the Centurion I say unto my servant do this and he doth it Luke 7.8 God hath the Supreme Authority over us We ought not to move one step but by his direction Our Calling is twofold 1. General As we are Christians so all Saints are of the same Calling Rom. 1.7 called to be saints We are all equally obliged to the duties of our Christian Calling i. e. to serve and worship God to believe in him to love and fear him c. 2. Particular So we differ in our Callings Some are called to the Magistracy some to the Ministry some are Masters some Servants some called to this some to that Trade or Occupation We are called to Christianity by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ We are called to some outward worldly Calling by God's special appointment in his Law Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work Exod. 20.9 Every man hath his work a full business which he must not neglect He must do all his work They walk disorderly who work not at all 2 Thes 3.11 living in pleasures and wantonness Jam. 5.5 having nothing to do Let all idle voluptuous Gallants consider this who spend their days in mirth and jollity scorn the thought of business they must needs be far from their present duty who are imploy'd in nothing or that which is worse than nothing We are called to this or that Imployment by Providence That we should be of some Calling is from the Word that we are of this or that Calling is from Providence Providence follows the Word and is a fulfilling of that some way or other Much of the duties of our Christian Calling do follow us into our particular Callings as duties of worship must be performed in our Families every day let our particular Calling be what it will So the same Graces must be exercised in our particular Callings which were required in our general Callings The same Graces do follow us into our particular Callings and into all the works of our hands They who do not keep up duties of worship in their Families will be as remiss in all duties of practical holiness in their lives They who are not frequent in prayer are never eminent in holiness And as no acts of worship publick or private do please God that are not performed in Faith and in the fear of God So no common acts of our lives are pleasing to God if not done in Faith and seasoned with that inward exercise of Grace that belongs to all the common actions of a Christian In shewing you your present duty in your particular callings I shall not insist so much upon duties of worship you know 'em That Prayer reading the Scriptures Meditation and discourse of what you hear out of the Word are all duties and you know when they should be performed Morning and Evening and as oft as your necessary occasions will permit Whether you do them I must leave that to God and your own Consciences But the present duty I would fix you in is that of Practical Holiness which is your constant duty every moment of the day I would clear up this to you and shew you what it is and where it lies that if it be the will of God you may be always found in it I say then That your present duty lies in a present exercise of Grace suitable to the present work and business in all its circumstances which you are at any time imploy'd in If you buy or sell it must be in the fear of God if you marry it must be in the Lord. Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do you must do it to Gods glory which cannot be if you do not act Grace in every thing you do The true Gospel-holiness of an action lies in that Grace that goes along with it 'T is Grace only that turns an action Heaven ward and God-ward you have no other way to sence your selves from the temptations snares and sins that border upon all the works of your calling but by keeping your selves in a due exercise of Grace being in the fear of God all the day long that is the way to eschew evil and to do good 't is the beginning of wisdom He acts like a Fool who acts without it The fear of God in Scripture is put for all the Graces of the Spirit and in that sense I now press it upon you You see your present duty lies in your present work in the daily business of your particular callings I suppose your callings are lawful that there are no Stage-players Conjurers Diviners Astrologers here Those who are of such callings their duty is to leave them and to betake themselves to some honest Imployment consistent with Grace and then Grace will help you out in it wonderfully I could name some other callings that I would hardly advise a Christian to But whatever lawful Calling you are of whatever Office you bear whatever Relation you stand in as Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants whatever your Trade Occupation or Imployment is there are particular Duties proper to your Callings which cannot be performed but by a suitable exercise of Grace by which you shew the respect you have to God in doing what you do regulating and moderating your selves and all your actions by that rule of the Word You may do the works of your calling and yet not do the duties of your calling if you seek only your selves your own profit pleasure c. this is not to serve God but your selves You must do what you do in Faith as to the Lord and then every thing you do will be an act of worship because it carries in it
himself no more about us Oh take heed how you carry your selves towards him Not only upon Ingenuity Jer. 2.17 its base to be unkind to our Guid Hast thou not procured this to thy self in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way But also upon the account of self-Love for as we behave our selves to him so he will behave himself to us Ita nos tractat ut a nobis tractatur 3. Labour after the having of the Leading of the Spirit in an higher Degree and Measure than what as yet you have attained unto 'T is not enough meerly to keep it but there must be a Getting more of it As there should be a Rise in our following so we should press after a Rise in the Spirits Leading of us And that in a threefold respect that he lead us 1. More Extensively as to the Object 2. With greater Light and Clearness Power and Efficacy as to the Manner 3. With more Eavenness and Constancy as to the Duration and Continuance of it He guides you to Truth but does he guide you to all Truth He guides you unto Truth but does he guide you into Truth and is this his Constant and Continued working in you Oh this high Measure of it we should aspire at and pant after taking up with nothing short of it And so as to Holiness and Practical Godliness the same is to be endeavoured after There is indeed much Mercy in the lowest Degree of this Act and they that have the lest should be thankful but yet a fuller Proportion may and ought to be desired by every Child of God And surely they who experience what this Leading of the Spirit is never think they have Enough of it 4. So live as that it may appear to others that you are led by this Spirit Christians your Actions and Conversations should be such as may suit with the Spirit that leads you Such as may evidence to the world that you are not in pretence only but in truth and reality under a Divine and Supernatural Conduct Do we lay claim to this Oh then what Good do we do more what Evil less than Others do VVhat live in sin do Evil things be Proud Worldly Covetous Passionate Unclean Malicious Fraudulent and yet pretend you are led by the Holy Spirit Lord what an Indignity and Affront do you put upon Him what a Cheat and Fallacy upon your own Souls Pray never talk of This unless your Lives be Holy and Good For ye who are real Saints oh that you would oft think of this and look upon it as one of the highest Engagements to Circumspect Walking You that are Guided by such a Word without and such a Spirit within What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 5. Be very thankful for this glorious Mercy Led by the Spirit admirable Love VVhat Thankfulness is due to Father Son and Spirit for it for all These have an hand though the last be more Immediately concerned in it VVhen you know not your way this Spirit shews it to you when you are weak and feeble not able to go this Spirit strengthens you I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms Hos 11.3 VVhen Others are left to the Conduct of their Own Light Vnderstanding Inclinations which lead them to Sin and Death you are under the Conduct of this Gracious Spirit which leads you to Grace and Glory what cause have you to admire this Distinguishing Grace How great is the Fathers Love in this who as Fathers here when they send their Sons into Foreign Countreys and they themselves cannot be with them they send a Tutor or Governour with them in all their Travels to instruct and govern and take care of them Just so does your Heavenly Father do for you in and by his Spirit in this state of your Pilgrimage and absence from him How great is the Love of the Son in this for he has Purchased and now does Actually send this Spirit to be your Teacher Monitor and Guid. And how great is the Love of the Spirit too in this All his Operations carry infinite Goodness and Condescension in them but none more than this his tender and patient Guiding of us Should not all the Persons therefore be heartily sincerely and with the greatest enlargedness of Heart blessed and adored for it Especially considering how they design and aim at the exalting of Themselves by this very Act. As in the Miraculous Leading of the People of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and so on set forth Isa 43. V. 12. that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the Water before them V. 13 14. that led them through the deep as an Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble As a Beast goeth down into the Valley the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy people for what end to make thy self a Glorious Name Surely so in that Spiritual and Gracious Leading that I am treating of the great God whether Essentially or Personally considered designs much Glory and Adoration to Himself And let him have it for he well deserves it from all that have any Experience of this Grace A Fifth Enquiry May such who are led by the Spirit fetch comfort from it 5. Enquiry Is this a solid Bottom for any to build Holy Joy upon Undoubtedly it is You who have it may rejoyce and that greatly For 1. It 's a clear Evidence a deciding Argument of your being the Sons of God And what a Soul-rejoycing Priviledge is that Sons of God this assures of dear Affection tender Care strong Protection constant Provision free Access to God ready Audience of Prayer a gracious Presence in every Condition a favourable Acceptance of all Duties a good Inheritance and Portion and what not All These Blessings are yours if ye be the Sons of God and so you are if led by the Spirit Oh then what a Ground of Comfort is this 2. As 't is a certain Evidence of Sonship here so 't is a certain Pledge of Heaven and Salvation hereafter And that both upon the account of the Relation which it instates in For if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 And also upon the account of the Leading it self For whereever that is as 't is in Order to Salvation so this Salvation by it shall certainly be obtained Never did any perish that liv'd under the Spirits Guidance and Conduct God ever saves where the Spirit leads All that he guids come safe to the End of their Journey to their Eternal Rest 3. Besides the Things which are wrap'd up in this Leading besides the Matter and Manner of it all of which carry in them Ground of the highest Joy consider but two things Further about it 1. That it is Abiding Permanent Continuing The Spirit does not lead and
and not dead Stephen when dying expected the continuance of his Soul in being and its entrance into Blis Act. 7.59 saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Thief upon the Cross had a promise from Christ that that day he should be with him in Paradise in his Body he is not yet therefore in his Soul without the Body therefore the Soul doth exist without the Body Paul believed the Immortality of his Soul and its existence after the death of his Body Phil. 1.23 I am in a strait having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better If his Soul had not existed he had not been a moment sooner with Christ nay his Soul in the Body had some communion with Christ if it dyed with the Body it had none and that was not far better but worse 3. The original of the Soul by immediate Creation is usually brought as an argument of the Immortality and Continuance of it to Eternity to assert the Creation of the Soul hath this difficulty attending on it how to clear the propagating of Original Sin to affirm the Soul is extraduce propagated by generation hath this knot to be untied how it doth consist with the Immortality of the Soul when that which is generable is corruptible but I for present shall take their arguing which prove it shall exist for ever because it is created immediately by God according to the worne axiom whatsoever is ingenerable is also incorruptible The Soul cannot be from the Matter or Bodies of the Parents because that which is Spiritual and Immaterial cannot be produced out of that which is a Corporeal and Material Substance for then the effect would be more noble than its cause and the cause would give and impart something to the effect which it self hath not but that which any thing hath not it cannot give to another as in a Spiritual so in a Natural sense that which is born of the flesh is flesh but the Soul is a Spirit Nor are the Souls of the Children from the Souls of the Parents either by Multiplication or Division not by Division that part of the Souls of the Parents should be communicated and pass from the Parents to the Children because it is a Spirit and therefore indivisible into parts because it hath none being without matter therefore without quantity therefore without divisible parts Not by Multiplication for this must be by participation of something from the Parents Souls or not if not then it inferreth Creation for that which is brought out of nothing into being is created if by participation of something of the substance of the Parents Soul this infers Division which before was shewed cannot be 4. That the Soul shall never dye but abide to all Eternity I argue either God neither can nor will maintain the Soul in Eternal duration or he would but cannot or he could but will not or he both can and will If he cannot then God is not Omnipotent for the Soul being a Spirit it no more implies a contradiction that the Soul should live for ever then that Angels and Devils should live for ever If he can and any say he will not I desire a reason of this assertion how shall any man know Gods Will by but what he hath revealed and God hath not revealed that he will not maintain the Souls of men in Eternal Being but the contrary It follows then that God both can and will and therefore they must live to all Eternity V. The certainty of an Eternal State in the other unseen world is evident from the innate appetite universally in all men after Eternal happiness There is no man but would be happy and there is no man that would have his happiness cease a man might as soon cease to be a man as cast away all desires of Happiness or Will to be for ever miserable though most mistake what their happiness is This innate Appetite cannot be filled with all the good things in this World for though the rational appetite be subjectively finite yet it is objectively infinite God therefore and Nature which do nothing in vain hath put unsatisfied restless desires after happiness into the hearts of men which cannot be any thing among things seen and Temporal there must be something that must be the object of this Appetite and able to quiet and fill it in the other world though most by folly blindness and sloathfulness miss of it VI. The absurdities which follow the denyal of an Eternal state of men though now unseen demonstrate the certainty of it 1. For then the lives of men even of the best must needs be uncomfortable and the life of reason would as such be subject to more fears and terrors than the life of sense which is against all sense and reason for Beasts must dye but do not foresee that they must dye but the rational foresight of Death would imbitter all his sweetest delights of Life if there were no reason to hope for another after this and the more the Life of Man as Man is more noble than the Life of Beasts the more the foresight of the certain loss thereof without another after this would affright afflict torment Now it is not rational to think that God who made Man the chiefest and the choicest of all his visible works should endue him with such powers and faculties as Understanding and Will to make his Life as man more burdensom by being filled with fretting fears wracking griefs and tormenting terrors more than any Beasts are liable to or capable of Nay and add that the more any Man did improve exercise and use his reason in the frequent Meditations of Death the more bitter his Life would be to consider that all the present good he doth enjoy must certainly and shortly be lost by Death and he not capable of any good after Death in the stead and room thereof 2. Then the Condition of many wicked yea the worst of men would be better than the condition of the godly that are the best if the wicked have their good things here and no evil hereafter and the people of God their evil things here and no good hereafter 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable 3. Then the chiefest and greatest encouragements to undergo Sufferings and Losses for Gods sake were taken away Why did Moses refuse the Honours of Pharaoh's Court and chose to suffer Afflictions with the People of God but because he had his Eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.25 26. Why did Paul endure such Conflicts but for the hope of Life and Immortality which the Gospel had brought to light 2 Tim. 1.10 12. and well might he ask what it would advantage him that he fought with Beasts at Ephesus if the Dead rise not to Eternal happiness 1 Cor. 15.32 Might not then the Suffering Saints repent when they come to dye that they had been so imprudent
Dead quickned and peeping out of their Graves to see why they are raised as if you saw the wicked come forth fearfully amazed with vile and filthy Bodies like Toads from their holes with pale and gastly countenances with trembling hearts and their knees for horrour knocking one against another tearing their hair smiting on their breasts and crying out what is the matter What meant that loud Alarm that thundring Call that awaked us out of the deep sleep of Death Oh! the Lord is come the slighted Christ is come Come how doth he come How cloathed with vengeance with fury in his face and his wrath like fire burns before him because of his Indignation the Heavens melt over our heads and the Earth burns under our feet and all is in flames round about us Oh terrible day such as this we never saw Oh the storms the storms Oh such burning scorching storms we never saw nor felt before We have been sleeping all the night of Death and the morning is come the day doth dawn Dawn Oh it is broad day all about we were wont to wake and go to work and go to sin to swear and lye to drink and take our pleasure but now we wake and must to Hell to Pain and Punishment Now we must go from God to Devils from the only Saviour to Eternal Torments Oh what day is this What day it seems to be rather night than day for it is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wastness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness a day of the trumpet and alarm against us all Impenitent Sinners and to us all it would prove the great Damnation day When our Souls and Bodies by Death were separated it was a sorrowful parting but this is a sorer meeting the Body with doleful groans doth strangely greet its reunited Soul Oh thou cursed Soul must I be tyed to thee again with a faster knot than ever Death did heretofore part thee and me but all the pains of Hell hereafter cannot do it thou wast Commander over me and shouldst have managed thy Government better thou shouldst have used this Tongue to call upon thy Maker thou shouldest have used these Ears to have hearkned to the calls of Christ to the wooings of Grace to the entreaties of Mercy these feet to have carryed thee to the means of Grace these hands to have been Instruments of good they were all at thy command what thou biddest them do they did and whither thou commandest them to go they went Oh that I might have lyen rotten in my Grave for then I had been at rest for though in the Grave I had no pleasure yet there I felt no pain but since I have been again united to this before-damned Soul I feel intolerable punishment and I now perceive it is past doubt that it will be Eternal the Soul will give no better salutations to the Body Oh cursed flesh what alive again Must I be linked to such a loathsome lump worse than any Carrion thou didst rebel against the commands of reason and thy Appetite was pleased and thy Lusts were obeyed and all the time of Life on Earth was spent and fool'd away in feeding clothing and adorning thee and as I was led away and entic'd by thee to live with thee a sensual flesh-pleasing life so formerly sowing to the flesh now of the flesh we reap that Damnation that shall be Eternal For the Judge is come his Throne is set and all the World is summoned to appear the separation is made the Books are opened all on the right hand are acquitted and called to the possession of an Everlasting Kingdom while we are doom'd down to Eternal Torments Lo they are going with their Blessed Glorious Lord unto Eternal Glory and we with cursed Devils like cursed Wretches to Everlasting shame and pain and banishment from God and Christ and Saints and Angels for ever Look thus believingly on these unseen things as if you saw all these and a thousand times more terrible and more joyful transacted now before your eyes 2. Look directly at unseen Eternal things Many do look indirectly at things Eternal but directly at things Temporal pretending things not seen intending things that are seen in praying preaching and professing seem to have an eye to God and Christ and Heaven but they look asquint to their worldly profits credit and applause Should pray that they might see God but it is that they might be seen of Men Mat. 6.5 Mat. 23.14 But this is to look awry contrary to Solomons advise Prov. 4.25 Let thine Eyes look right on and let thine Eye-lids look straight before thee 3. Let unseen Eternal things be the first that you look at Do not first look at Riches Honours Pleasures and please your selves with purposes after that to look after God and Christ and the happiness of Heaven when sickness cometh and Death approacheth and when near the end of time begin to make preparation for Eternity Men spend their days in getting a visible state while the unseen Eternal God and Glorious Saviour and Heavens Happiness is neglected by them but it would make a considering man to tremble to think what a sight these Sinners shall have after Death hath closed their eyes when the separated Soul shall see an angry God a condemning Judge the Gates of Heaven shut against it and its self in Everlasting misery Unseen Eternal things are first in order of duration for the invisible God was when nothing was besides himself and first in order of dignity and should have the priority of our thoughts care and diligent endeavours Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you When we first take care about Eternity the things of time shall be given to us over and above but the Eternal happiness of Heaven shall never be given over and above to those that primarily look at and seek the things of time for amongst men the overplus doth not exceed in worth the things contracted for But this damnable preferring things Temporal and cursed post-poning things Eternal is the setting of God in the room of the Creature and the Creature in the Throne of God as if they would set the Heavens where the Earth doth stand and the Earth where the Heavens are and so subvert the order of things which God hath appointed to be observed in the Nature of things 4. Look heedfully at Eternity All the things that are only for time are toyes and trifles the things for an Eternal World are the grand concerns we should narrowly look to in time the gathering of Riches in time to the getting of Grace and an interest in Christ for the escaping of Damnation and obtaining of Happiness to Eternity is busie Idleness careful Negligence and laborious Sloth If God that inhabiteth Eternity looks narrowly to all our actions done in time
bodily Eyes yet you do with an Eye of Faith and Love and therefore may rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 When you look up unto the Heavens and see and say yonder is the place of my Everlasting abode there I must dwell with God there I must be with Christ and joyfully joyn with Angels and Saints in praising of my Lord and Saviour the foresight of this will make you joyful for the present and pleasant in your looking at it 10. Look fiducially at unseen Eternal things with an Holy Humble Confidence by Jesus Christ upon the performance of the conditions of the Gospel they shall be all your own that by turning from all your Sin by Repentance and Faith in Christ you trust you shall be possessed of them that when you see there are Mansions now unseen there are Eternal Joyes an Immoveable Kingdom an Incorruptible Crown the Eternal God to be enjoyed and for all this you have a promise and you know this promise is made to you by the performance of the Conditions annexed to the promise you trust in time to come unto it or rather when you go out of time into Eternity you shall be blessed in the Immediate Full Eternal Enjoyment of all the Happiness that God hath prepared in Heaven to give you wellcome joyful entertainment in that unseen Eternal World that you so eye that World while you live in this that when by Death you are going out of this World into that you might have this well-grounded confidence to say I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day 2 Tim. 4.7 8. If you get such a sight as this as now hath been set forth before you upon such Eternal Objects as before were propounded to you you will be able from your own experience to answer the third question contained in the general case but yet I will proceed unto that branch Q. 3. What influence will such an Eying of Eternity have upon us in all we do In all we do Will its Influence be so Universal Will the efficacy of such a sight be so extensive to reach forth its virtue in all we do yes in all we do Whether we Eat or Drink or go to Sleep whether we Trade or Work or Buy or Sell. Whether we Pray or Hear or search our Hearts or Meditate or Receive or Study or Preach or Sin or Suffer or Dy it will have a mighty influence upon us in any thing wherein we are active or passive culpable or praise-worthy in any condition be it Poverty or Riches Health or Sickness in any Relation be it of Husband and Wife of Parents and Children of Masters and Servants In any Office and Imployment Sacred or Civil out of such an heap because I am limited I will take an handful and because I have not room to speak of all I will not cast them into method according to their nature connexion and dependance one upon another but take them as they come in some few particulars only 1. Such an Eyeing of Eternity in all we do would make us careful to avoid Sin in any thing we do or however we might fail in all we do yet that we suffer it not to Reign or have Dominion over us Look at Eternity with a believing Eye and you will look at sin with an angry Eye you will cast a deadly look at Sin when you have a lively look at Eternity of Joy or Misery 1. Sin would deprive me of Eternal Life therefore I will be its Death it would keep me from Eternal Rest therefore I will never rest till I have conquered and subdued it nothing in the World would bring upon my Eternal Soul the Eternal loss of the Eternal God his Glorious Son and Holy Spirit of the Company of his Holy Angels and Saints of Eternal Treasures of a Blessed Kingdom and Incorruptible Crownâ— but cursed Sin Poverty Sickness Men Death Devils cannot nothing but Sin therefore I will be its bane that shall not Reign in me that would not suffer me to live in Everlasting Happiness 2. Sin would plunge me into unseen Eternal Torments into Endless Flames and Everlasting Burnings If you could speak with a Soul departed but a Moneth ago and ask him what do you now think of the delights of Sin of sporting on the Sabbath day of your pleasant Cups and Delightful Games of pleasing of the Flesh and gratifying of its Lusts What a sad reply would he return and what a doleful answer would he make you Sin Oh that was it that was my ruine that was it which hath brought me miserable wretch to Everlasting Torment that was it which shut me out of Heaven that sunk me down to Hell O ye foolish Sons of Men that are yet in time be not mad as I was mad and do not do as I did let not the seen pleasures and profits of the World which I have found were but for a time deceive you and bewitch you the Devil shewed me the seen delights of Sin but concealed from me the Extremity and Eternity of the pain that it hath brought me to the pleasure is past and the pain continues and I am lost for ever and all this Sin hath brought me to Let your eyeing of Eternity whilst you are standing in time be instead of ones speaking to you in time that hath been in Eternity for the Eternal God doth tell you as much as any Damned Soul can tell you and would you believe one from Hell and not the Son of God that came from Heaven Oh look and view Eternity in the Glass of the Scripture and firmly believe it and it will make slaughtering work amongst your Sins and destroy that which would damn you 2. Such Eyeing of Eternity would be a mighty help to quiet your hearts under the dispensations of Providence here to Men on Earth When you look at the seen Afflictions Distresses Disgraces Stripes Imprisonments Persecutions and Poverty of the People and Children of God and the Riches Ease Honours Pleasures and the seen flourishing prosperity of the worst of Men that by the Swearing Drinking Whoring hating of Godliness being patterns of wickedness proclaim themselves the Children of the Devil and you are offended and your Mind disquieted except in this you have a better heart than Job cap. 21.6 to 16. or David a Man after Gods own heart Psal 73.2 to 16. or Jeremiah cap. 12.1 2. or Habakkuk cap. 1.13 14. Now amongst the many helps to allay this Temptation the eyeing of the last yea Everlasting things is not the least Look upon these two sorts of Men which comprehend all in the World as going to Eternity and lodged there and then you will rather pity them because of their future Misery then envy them for their present Prosperity What if they have their Hearts desire for a
moment and must be tormented for ever What if they have Pleasures and carnal Delights for a season they must be under the heavy wrath of God for ever You might stand and see all their mirth at an end but their sorrow never will have end all their joy is but for a moment as the crackling of Thorns under a pot but their misery will be endless misery Let them laugh a while they shall weep for ever let them rejoyce for a season their mirth shall be turned into heaviness their Temporal rejoycing into Everlasting howling and the Eternity of Joy will be more than a recompence to the afflicted Saints whatsoever their Sufferings for Christ and Conscience be in this World A supposed case might be an help in this Temptation Suppose then that you were poor and full of pain for so long time or rather for so short that you should fall asleep and after you awake should be poor no more nor afflicted any more but have a Life of manly delights afterwards Suppose again another man were compassed about with all manner of accommodations costly Dishes to please his Palate beautiful Objects to delight his Eyes all manner of Musick grateful to his Ears many Servants to attend him all standing bare before him and bowing the knee in Honour to him and all this and much more he were to enjoy as long as he could abstain from sleeping but assoon as he doth fall asleep he should be taken off his Bed and cast into a Furnace of boyling Lead or scalding Pitch I demand which of these two Mens Condition you would choose I know it would be the condition of the former and not the latter this and infinitely beyond this is the case in hand you are afflicted till you fall asleep and then you shall be afflicted no more but live a life of Joy for ever the Wicked prosper till they fall asleep and they cannot long keep open their Eyes but Death will come and close them then the justice of God will arrest them and then Devils will seize upon them and they shall be cast into a Lake of burning Brimstone where they shall have no rest night nor day but the smoak of their Torment shall ascend for ever and ever Exercise your thoughts in this manner and have an Eye unto Eternity and you will more easily and successfully overcome such Temptations to murmuring and discontent from the different dispensations of the Providence of God here in time to good and bad 3. Such eyeing of Eternity would have great influence for the well improvement of our time Time is to be valued in order to Eternity because we go out of time into Eternity and that which should make every Man in time most concerned out of time into Eternity of Misery or Glory Oh! what a pretious thing is Time it is beyond the worth of Gold or Silver because we might do more in time in reference to Eternity than we can do by all our Gold and Silver Jewels are but Toyes in comparison of pretious Time Many are saving of their Money but are prodigal of Time and have more of Time then they know what to do with when others find so much to do that they know not what to do for time to do it in Oh Fools and blind what were an Hundred years to make preparation for Eternity Oh sluggish careless Sots Do you ask how shall we pass away the time Might ye not with more reason ask how shall we prevent hasty time from passing away with such winged motion Or if that cannot be prevented How shall we improve our time that is so fast a posting from us Blind World Do any Men in thee enquire How shall we spend our time It is easily answered in Praying Repenting begging for Grace the pardon of Sin the favour of God and peace with Him and fitness for Eternal Life Had the Damned in Hell the time that once they had and you now have do you think they would ask what they should do to pass away the time Their cry rather is Oh hasty time whither art thou fled Why didst thou move so fast while we sate still Or why in time did we so swiftly run in ways of Sin as if we could not have sinned enough before time was past and gone When we had a God to serve and Souls to save and an Everlasting State to make preparation for we like Fools did say How shall we spend our time But now our time is spent and past and gone and now the question is which never can be answered How shall we spend Eternity which never can be spent no not in enduring Ten Thousand Thousand Millions of Years in pain and punishment for when they are past it is as fresh and as far from ending as it was the first moment it began then Eye Eternity and you cannot but improve your time 4. Such Eyeing of Eternity would make us careful how we die because Death is our passing out of time into Eternity Death is dreadful to the ungodly because it opens the door into Everlasting Misery gainful to all endued with saving Grace because it lets them in to Everlasting Happiness Did you that are yet Christless Impenitent and Unbelieving see whither you are going and where you must within a little time take up your Everlasting Lodgings what fear and trembling would seize upon all your joynts and when by sickness you perceive Death to be approaching you would cry out Oh Death forbear forbear stay thine hand and do not strike for if thou cut me down in this condition I drop into Eternal Misery there is nothing but this single thred of my frail Life between me and endless wo and if this be cut or snapt asunder I sink in to irrecoverable Misery without all hope of ever coming forth Could you but see a Soul the next hour after its separation from the Body what a taking it is in what wo what despair it is filled with would you then live without Christ go to bed without Christ and rise and trade and still remain without an Interest in Christ What mean ye sirs to make no provision for Death that is so near so very near when you are as near to going into an Everlasting World as you are to going out of this Transitory World and your Souls be dragged sooner by Devils into Hell than your Bodies can be carryed by Men unto your Graves Awake arise repent and turn unto the Lord for if you sleep on in sin till you sleep by Death you will be awaked by the flames of Hell and then though you be under the power of Eternal Death you will sleep no more and rest no more for ever And Death is as gainful and desirable to a Gracious Man as it is terrible to the Ungodly for it lets him into unseen Eternal Glory to the sight of Christ unseen to us on Earth How willing would you be to go a Thousand Miles to see
cured Would you take Pleasure in his witty sayings and be jested into your Grave Or if you go unto a Lawyer about your whole Estate though it were in Leases that will expire would you choose one that you think did not care whether you win or lose your cause Would you be pleased with some witty sayings impertinent to the pleading of your cause Would you not say Sir I am in danger of losing all I am worth my Estate lyes at stake deal plainly with me and be serious in your undertaking for me and tell me in words that I can understand the plain Law by which my case must be tryed And will you be more careful about the Temporal Life of a Body that must dy and about a Temporal Estate which you must leave when you dy and not about your Soul that must ever live and never dye No! not so much as to set your selves under faithful Preachers that shall in words that you can understand plainly tell you the Laws of Christ by which you must be tryed for your Life and according to them be Eternally damned or saved 11. Such an Eyeing of Eternity would make you serious and lively in all your spiritual duties in all your approaches unto God If you have no Grace the serious thoughts of the unseen Eternal World would stir you up to beg and cry and call for it if you have to desire more and to exercise what you have to confess your sins with such contrite broken penitent hearts as though you saw the fire burning which by your sins you have deserved to be cast into To beg for Christ and Sanctifying Grace and pardoning Mercy with that lively Importunity as if you saw the Lake of boiling Brimstone into which you must be cast if you be not sanctifyed and pardoned to hear the Word of God that sets this Eternal World before you with that diligent attention as Men hearkning for their Lives to commemorate the Death of Christ with such life while you are at the Lords Supper while you do as it were see the Torments you are delivered from and the Eternal Happiness by Faith in a crucifyed Christ you have a Title to it will cause a fire and flame of Love in your Hearts to that Lord that dyed for you ardent desires after him complacential delight in him thankfulness hope of Heaven hatred to sin resolution to live to or dye for him that dyed for you If your Hearts are dead and dull and out of frame go and look into the unseen Eternal World take a believing view of Everlasting Joyes and Torments on the other side of time and you shall feel warmth and heat and lively actings to be produced in you Particularly this Eyeing of Eternity would make Ministers sensible of the weightiness of their work that it calls for all possible diligence and care our utmost serious study and endeavours our fervent Cryes and Prayers to God for ability for the better management of our work and for success therein for as much as our imployment is more Immediately about Eternal matters to save under Christ Eternal Souls from Eternal Torments and to bring them to Eternal Joyes When we are to Preach to people that must live for ever in Heaven or Hell with God or Devils and our very Preaching is the means appointed by God to fit men for an Everlasting state when we stand and view some Hundreds of Persons before us and think all these are going to Eternity now we see them and they see us but after a little while they shall see us no more in our Pulpits nor we them in their Pews nor in any other place in this World but we and they must go down unto the Grave and into an Everlasting World when we think it may be some of these are hearing their last Sermon making their last publique Prayers keeping their last Sabbath and before we come to Preach again might be gone into another World if we had but a firm belief of Eternity our selves and a real lively sense of the mortality of their Bodies and our own and the Immortality of the Souls of both of the Eternity of the Joy or Torment we must all be quickly in how pathetically should we plead with them plentifully weep over them fervently pray for them that our words or rather the word of the Eternal God might have Effectual Operation on their Hearts This Eyeing of Eternity should 1. Influence us to be painful and diligent in our studies to prepare a message of such weight as we come about when we are to Preach to men about Everlasting matters to set before them the Eternal Torments of Hell and the Eternal Joyes of Heaven Especially when we consider how hard a thing it is to perswade Men to leave their sins which do endanger their Immortal Souls when if we do not prevail with them to hearken to our message and obey it speedily and sincerely they are lost Eternally when it is so hard to prevail with men to accept of Christ the only and Eternal Saviour on the conditions of the Gospel You might easily see that Idleness either in young Students that are designed for this work or in Ministers actually engaged in it is an intolerable sin and worse in them than in any men under Heaven Idleness in a Shop-keeper is a sin but much more in a Minister in a Trader much more in a Preacher bear with me if I tell you an Idle Cobler that is to mend mens Shooes is not to be approved but an Idle Preacher that is to mend mens Hearts and save their Souls shall be condemned by God and Men for he lives in dayly disobedience of that charge of God 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them 16 continue in them 2. It would provoke us to be faithful in delivering the whole counsel of God and not to daub with untempered mortar not to flatter them in their sin or to be afraid to tell them of their evils least we should displease them or offend them Is it time to sooth men up in their Ignorance in their neglect of duty when we see them at the very door of Eternity on the very borders of an Everlasting World and this the fruit that they shall dye in their sins and their Blood be required at our hands Ezek. 33.1 to 10. but so to Preach and discharge the Ministerial Function that when dying might be able to say as Act. 20.25 And now behold I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall see my face no more 26. Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men 27. For I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God 3. To be plain in our speech that every capacity of the weakest in the Congregation that hath an Eternal Soul that
must be damned or saved for ever might understand in things necessary to Salvation what we mean and aim and drive at it hath made me tremble to hear some soar aloft that knowing men might know their parts while the meaner sort are kept from the knowledge of Christ and put their matter in such a dress of words in such a stile so composed that the most stand looking the Preacher in the face and hear a sound but know not what he saith and while he doth pretend to feed them indeed doth starve them and to teach them keepeth them in ignorance Would a Man of any Bowels of compassion go from a Prince to a condemned man and tell him in such Language that he should not understand the conditions upon which the Prince would pardon him and the poor man lose his Life because the proud and haughty Messenger must shew his knack in delivering his message in fine English which the condemned Man could not understand but this is course dealing with a Man in such circumstances that call for pity and compassion Paul had more Parts and Learning but more self-denyal than any of these when he said 1 Cor. 2.1 And I Brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing Words of mans Wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 2 Cor. 3.12 Seeing then we have such hope we use great plainness of speech 13. and not as Moses which put a vail over his face that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished Some put a vail upon their words that people of mean Education that yet have Souls that must be damned or saved cannot look into those truths that shall never be abolished but what is this but a cursed preferring their own parts and praise before the Salvation of Eternal Souls and the preaching themselves and not Christ which will not be their praise but shame at the Eternal Judgment when some shall plead they stand there condemned because the Learned Preacher would not stoop to speak to them of Eternal matters in Language that they might have understood 4. This Eyeing of Eternity would stir us up to improve our Interest in God and Men for a continual succession of Men in the Ministerial Function In God by Prayer that the Lord of the Harvest would send forth Labourers into his Harvest In men whether such as have Children of pregnant parts studious and bookish serious in Religion and inclined to this Imployment that they would give them to God and give them Education in order to it which would be the Honour of Parents to have such proceed from their loins that shall be Embassadors to call the blind ungodly World to mind Eternity to escape Everlasting Damnation and obtain Eternal Life or whether they be such as have no Children so qualifyed or disposed yet have riches to be helpful to such as have such Children but not an Estate to bring them up for there is a necessity of a standing continued Ministry Men in all Ages are hasting to Eternity those that were our Ancestors in former Ages are already there and have taken up their Lodgings where they must for ever dwell and we are following after them and what a mercy is it that we have the Gospel preached unto us wherein we have directions how to escape Everlasting Torments and obtain Eternal Joyes in the other Eternal World to which we are a going and those that shall live after us when they have been upon the stage of this World awhile shall follow us and our Fathers into Eternity and give place to those that follow after them thus this World doth often change its Inhabitants What is the Life of Man but a coming into time and a going out into Eternity Oh how needful is it then that while they make their short stay on Earth they should have preaching Ministers to warn them of Eternal Misery and teach them the way to Eternal Glory Those that are now engaged in the work will shortly be all silenced by Death and Dust and how desirable is it that your Children and posterity should see and hear others preaching in their room and the Honourableness of the Office might allure young men to encline unto it is it not an Honour to be an Embassador of the great Eternal God to propound Articles of Everlasting peace between him and Everlasting Souls What is buying and selling Temporal Transitory things in comparison of a calling wherein it is mens work and business to save Souls from Eternal Misery and to bring them to the Eternal Enjoyment of the glorious God Thus in some few particulars we have shewed the Influence that the Eyeing of Eternity will have upon us in what we do Do you so Eye Eternity and the rest here for want of room omitted you shall by experience find out which will be better than knowing of them in the notion only because they are told you The Conclusion of this Discourse shall be some particular uses omitting many that it would afford 1. Is there an Eternal State Such unseen Eternal Joyes and Torments Who then can sufficiently lament the blindness madness and folly of this distracted World and the unreasonableness of those that have Rational and Eternal Souls to see them busily imployed in the matters of time which are only for time in present Honours Pleasures and Profits while they do neglect Everlasting things Everlasting Life and Death is before them Everlasting Joy or Torment is hard at hand and yet poor sinners take no care how to avoid the one or obtain the other Is it not matter of lamentation to see so many Thousands bereaved of the sober serious use of their Understandings That while they use their reason to get the Riches of this World they will not act as rational men to get the joyes of Heaven and to avoid Temporal Calamities yet not to escape Eternal misery Or if they be fallen into present Afflictions they contrive how they may get out of them if they be sick reason tells them they must use the means if they would be well if they be in pain Nature puts them on to seek after a Remedy and yet these same Men neglect all duty and cast away all care concerning Everlasting matters they are for seen pleasures and profits which are passing from them in the enjoyment of them but the unseen Eternal Glory in Heaven they pray not for they think not of Are they unjustly charged Let Conscience speak what thoughts they lye down withal upon their pillow if they wake or sleep fly from them in the silent night what a noise doth the cares of the World make in their Souls With what thoughts do they rise in the Morning of God or of the World Of the things of time or of Eternity Their thoughts are
of the Creature as Water and Wine are mingled together so that the Nature of them both is lost in that mixture For it is not thus with Angels in Heaven or the Glorifyed Spirits there for they still retain their own distinct Nature and Being though they are in the Highest Communion with God Neither is it thus between the Humane and the Divine Nature of Christ as if these two were mingled together and did lose their proper and distinct Natures in each other though the Humane and Divine Nature of Christ have a most near Union and Communion with each other But this Communion it is a Sacred and Mutual Intercourse that is between God and his People whereby they go forth and act in the Divine exercise of their faculties towards him and he comes forth in the Communication of himself in Light Life and Love to them II. I next proceed to speak of some Distinctions about Communion General II with God 1. Communion with God may be considered either with respect to this World or the World to come the one is Imperfect the other is perfect one is Mediate the other Immediate the one is Inconstant and often interrupted the other is constant fixed and uniform without any Interruption for ever 2. This Communion with God hath higher and lower degrees both in the Nether and Vpper World Both among the Saints here below and the Saints and Angels above As there are Orders of Angels in Heaven and some nearer to the Throne of God than others and receive higher Communications of God to them so it is with the Saints made perfect in that Heavenly State 3. This Communion with God is either Internal or External By Internal I mean that sacred Intercourse between God and the Soul which is managed only in the inward Man And by External I mean this Communion with God managed in some External Ordinance of his Worship in the Communion of Saints General III III. I next proceed to shew how this Communion with God is attained and then maintained I answer in General It is attained only in that way which God himself hath appointed thereunto The Heathen did aim at having Fellowship with their Gods and therefore they built them Temples to dwell in Erected Oracles for them to speak to them by and they built Altars to sacrifice to them and appointed Priests to be their Mediators or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers of Friendship between them and their Gods they used several Charms to bring their Gods to them and keep them with them they made use of various Modes and Rites of Worship which they thought best pleased their Gods and whereby they might invite their favour to them and presence with them Yea they worshipped several Creatures though not as Gods but yet that in worshipping them they might have some Communion with those Gods that they thought did preside over those Creatures they Worshipt as Vulcan over the Fire Neptune over the Sea Ceres over the Fruits of the Earth c. But notwithstanding these vain apprehensions of the Heathen by such means to have Fellowship with their Gods yet the Apostle says they sacrificed to Devils and not to God and had Fellowship with Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 I would not saith he that ye should have Fellowship with Devils But the ways of this Communion as I said must be those which God himself hath appointed the principal whereof are Jesus Christ himself and the Holy Spirit 1. By Jesus Christ who was figured upon this account by Jacobs Ladder that stood betwixt Heaven and Earth as the Person wherein Heaven and Earth are united God and Man have Communion with each other who was also figured by the Temple whither the people came up to meet and have communion with God and God with them And particularly by the Mercy Seat where God promised to meet his people and commune with them and therefore the Apostle addeth here in the Text Our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ for on our part all our access to God is by him Eph. 2.18 Through him we both have an access unto the Father 2. All Gods approaches to us are also through him All that Light Life and Love which God communicates to his people is through him alone And we have this Communion through Christ with God First By virtue of his Incarnation He assumed our Nature into Union and Communion with God and so made way for our Persons Secondly By virtue of his Life he lived here in the World considered either in the Holy Example he hath left us to walk by or the Doctrine that he here preached by both which he did guide and lead Men in the right way to Fellowship with his Father Thirdly By virtue of his Death and making reconciliation for us by his Blood for if there had not been a Reconciliation and an agreement made between God and us we could never have had Communion with him How can two walk together if they be not agreed 1. This Communion with God it is some lower entrance into the Holyest of all in this World and this is said to be by the Blood of Jesus as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.19 Fourthly By vertue of his Resurrection whereby Believers come to be raised up to newness of Life Rom. 6.4 And it is only in this New Life that we have all our Communion with God the Old Man in us is not capable of it nor the Powers of Nature till they be renewed raised and quickned through the power of Christs Resurrection Fifthly By vertue also of his Ascension into Heaven from whence descends upon Believers a Divine Influence and Power through Faith whereby they are carryed up above this World and ascend up to Heaven and into Communion with God as the Apostle argues Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right hand of God Sixthly By virtue of his Intercession For this is one great thing that he Intercedes for with his Father in Heaven that his People might have Union and Communion with them as appears by what Christ prays for John 17.21 in the behalf of his Disciples that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us and so have Communion with us so that all these things I have spoken concerning Christ ye see tend to this great end to bring up the Saints of God into this Communion with him 2. This Communion with God is also by the Spirit of God as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.13 14. speaks of the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Grace of Christ and the Love of God are communicated by the Holy Ghost So that all our Fellowship with the Father and the Son are by the Spirit Now the Spirit doth effect this Communion with
had his Transfiguration from Heaven and the Glory of God shining forth upon him while he was praying as you read Luk. 9.29 And the experience of the Saints can much witness to this what visits of Light and Love they have had and transfiguring views of Heavenly Glory in this Duty of Prayer And then 2. Keep up a constant course of Praising God Praise it is the great Ordinance of Heaven for Communion with God in a State of Perfection and as we are able to reach it in our present State it will raise the Soul into Communion with God The Soul is in its highest Operations when it is praising God and the higher the Acts of the Soul are the nearer it doth approach to him who is the most High God 4. Keep your selves pure Though by Purity I mean not an absolute Purity but watchfulness against all Sins and Temptations Resisting every Sin Living in no sin and a continued endeavour to mortifie all Sin in our selves The Purer the Soul is the fitter it is for Communion with God The promise of seeing God is by our Saviour made to the pure in Heart Matth. 5.8 and with the pure God will shew himself pure saith the Psalmist Psal 18.26 And the Apostle James speaking concerning this Communion with God James 4.8 which he expresseth by our drawing nigh to God and his drawing nigh to us adds this Exhortation Cleanse your hands ye Sinners and purifie your Hearts ye double minded And the Apostle Paul speaks to the Corinthians of the same thing 2 Cor. 6.16 17. and thereupon adviseth them to keep themselves pure What Communion hath Light with Darkness Righteousness with Vnrighteousness c. and therefore be you separate and touch no unclean things saith the Lord and I will dwell and walk in the midst of you Under the Law God appointed Porters to keep their Watch at the Doors of the Temple that nothing might enter in to defile that Temple which was his dwelling place The Soul is to be Gods Temple for him to dwell in and therefore we should watch against whatsoever may enter in to defile our Souls whereby we may be fitter dwellings for him and for Communion with him And the Priests under the Law were commanded to purifie themselves before they drew nigh to God in his Temple Yea and the People also before they came to the Passeover and those folemn Feasts wherein they did draw nigh to God they were to purifie and cleanse themselves And the very Heathen before they entred their Solemn Sacrifices would have their Cryer to proclaim to the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy things are for Holy Persons And they would write this Inscription over the Doors of their Temple Nemo immundus huc ingreditor Let no unclean Person enter in here And all their Lustrations and washings they used to the Living and their purging Fires which they dream'd of for Souls after Death and which are still kept up in the Holy Water and Purgatory of the Romish Church do confirm the truth of this Notion as that which is ingrafted in the minds of all Men that purity is required as necessary in all our approaches to God and Communion with him 5. Let God be much in your Thoughts and in the view of your Mind not only when you approach some solemn Ordinance but in the whole course of your actions when you go forth and come in when ye lie down and rise up Let the Creatures you converse with the several dispensations of Divine Providence towards you present God to your Thoughts and the view of your Minds For how can Men that have seldom any Thoughts of God maintain any Communion with him Our Communion with God is not as it is with Creatures in a sensible way but it is by the inward Thoughts and Exercise of the Mind which therefore we ought to be frequent in We should with David Psal 16.8 Set the Lord alwaies before our face and not as he that he speaks of Psal 10.4 of whom it s said God is not in all his thoughts This is rather to live without God in the World than to live in Communion with him And these Thoughts of God should not be slight and transient but fixed and serious especially at some times which we should more peculiarly denote to solemn Meditation Meditation brings the Object nearer to the Soul and the Soul near to it though locally distant unites the Soul to it mixeth it self with it whereby it doth possess it or is possessed of it 6. Practise Self-denyal for he that abideth in himself and liveth in and to himself liveth at a distance from God God and Self are as two Opposite Terms we must forsake the one if we would approach to the other When Man first fell from God he fell in with himself and therefore must forsake himself if he would return to God and have Communion with him There is a twofold Self-denyal One is Internal when we can deny our selves in all high Thoughts of our selves Confidence in our selves all self-ends self applause self-sufficiency and do even annihilate our selves this is highly requisite to our Communion with God Self is that Dagon that must fall before Gods Ark that Idol that must be cast out of the Temple of Mans Soul that God may enter in and dwell there Then there is a Self-denyal that is external which God sometimes calls his people to in Order to Communion with himself As to forsake Father Mother House Land Liberty c. and all this in order to the receiving the hundred fold in this Life as our Saviour hath promised which they shall receive in this Communion with God An eminent instance of this we have in Galeacius Caracciolus who left his Countrey Kindred Estate Honour that he possest at home to enjoy Communion with God in the purer Ordinances of the Reformed Church at Geneva and being tempted by Gold and Silver to return answered His Money perish with him that thinks all the Gold and Silver in the World worth one days Communion with Jesus Christ He found all that he had left an hundred fold in this Communion he had with God and Jesus Christ 6. Walk in Love This I add because our Apostle doth so much insist upon it in this Epistle Love is an Affection requisite to all Communion To Communion with Saints among themselves and to Communion with God For God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.16 And this mutual indwelling is this Communion I am treating of The Philosopher saith of Love it doth transferr amantem in amatum it carries the Soul from home to live and dwell in the person or thing beloved It is vinculum Vnionis the band of Union and all Communion is founded in Union And therefore where there is no Love how can there be Communion and where Men do not walk in Love how can they walk in Communion with God If Christians
kindness to Men as to communicate himself to them as I said before and to admit men to make such near approaches to himself both these manifest his great goodness II. Take notice wherein Christianity excels Philosophy properly Vse II so call'd The one directs us the way to Communion with God which the other cannot do Philosophy speaks nothing of the Mediator the Man Christ Jesus by whom alone we can draw nigh to God Philosophy improves the Principles of meer Nature but cannot confer a new Nature doth not infuse such Principles as the Gospel doth to lead men into Communion with God Philosophy whether Natural or Moral hath an excellency in it in its proper Sphaere but yet falls far short of Christianity the Principles of the Gospel and the Mysteries of Faith wherein Men are led to the true knowledge of God and fellowship with him III. This may be matter of Lamentation in this prophane and Apostate Vse III Age that there is so little of this Communion with God to be found among men Some understand not what it is some desire it not nor seek after it some have lost what once they had And some deride and scoff at it as a foolish fancy a dream a delusion of some fanatick people Though some may pretend to it that have it not yet God forbid we should deny it The Apostle in the Text asserteth it and the experience of real Christians in all Ages bears witness to it And if it be not a fancy but a real thing I am sure it is the most solemn and important thing in the whole World Q. But why are there so few that attain it A. 1. Some are under an evil heart of unbelief whereby they depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 And what stands opposite to Communion with him more than departing from him 2. Others walk in Hypocrisie and have only External Communion with the Church and Ordinances of it but for want of true Grace and sincerity in their hearts have no real Communion with God 3. Others walk in Pride and God resisteth the proud knoweth him afar off and all Communion with God is intercepted hereby 4. Others are in such friendship with the World which as the Apostle saith is Enmity against God and where there is Enmity there can be no Communion 5. Others are under the disturbance of head-strong Passions and Communion with God requires a quiet serene and sedate frame of Spirit 6. Others concern themselves only about Disputes and Controversies in Religion and mind not that wherein the Life and Power of it consisteth which is Communion with God 7. Others satisfie themselves with notions and speculations with fine Language strains of Rhetorick well compiled forms of devotion and look no farther 8. Others give way to wandring thoughts and serve God with a distracted mind whereby their Hearts are carryed from God even while they are serving of him 9. Others make Religion meer matter of Discourse please themselves to talk of it and that 's all 10. And Lastly Others are fall'n into down right Atheism question Gods very Being and indeed are of no Religion at all and can have no Communion with the Deity which they doubt of or deny Now is not this to be lamented for Men to have no Communion with that God who gave them their Being that God in whose favour is their Life that God in whom is treasured up the true felicity of Man God is a Fountain of Living water a Spring of endless Pleasure an Ocean of all Perfection and Holiness but what is this to him that hath no Communion with him and hath not a drop of all this falling upon himself But in stead of this Communion with God have not these Men Fellowship with unrighteousness and the unfruitful works of darkness which the Apostle forbids Eph. 5.11 Fellowship with the Adulterer or Adulteress in Uncleanness with the Swearer in Prophane Oaths with the Unjust in Unrighteousness with the deceiver in his frauds the Lyer in false Speaking the Drunkard iâ— riotous and intemperate Drinking which Men call good Fellowship c. And I could wish that the Fellowship that men call clubbing at Taverns and Coffee-houses at unseasonable hours whereby the duties of their Families are neglected were forborn at this day Certainly a more circumspect walking is required of us especially such as pretend to Religion in a day wherein God is visiting the Nation and rebuking his own people for their Iniquities And many in stead of Fellowship with God have Fellowship with the Devil I mean not so much Witches Sorcerers or such as Confederate expresly with him but such as do his Lusts and carry on his work in the World What is the Devils great work Is it not to propagate Wickedness to persecute the Church to obstruct the Gospel to foment Divisions to corrupt the Truth with Error and to sow Tares among the Wheat And how many are there that have Fellowship with the Devil in such works as those But they little think of the Fellowship they are in danger to have with him in his Torments who at present have this Fellowship with him in these works of Wickedness IV. I shall next proceed to exhort men to seek after this Communion Vse IV with God And I shall first speak to such as are meer strangers to it have lived many years in the World and in a Land where the Gospel hath been long preached and yet know nothing of it 1. Let me perswade them that there is really such a thing and that all that is spoken of it is not meer canting and vain pretence 2. Let me perswade them seriously to seek it and to make it the great work of their lives and their great scope and end in all Religion to attain unto it 3. As the Gospel invites sinners to Christ let them make haste to him that in him they may have their peace made with God and receive that Grace whereby they may be capable of Communion with him 4. Let them no longer walk in darkness For if we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth as the Apostle speaks in this Chapter And here remember what I spake in the opening of the Text. Wisdom is Light and Folly is Darkness Knowledge is Light and Ignorance is Darkness Truth is Light and Error is Darkness Holiness is Light and Sin and Wickedness are Darkness Let Men then first walk wisely and not as Fools Wisdom lyes in choosing to a Mans self a good end and in fitting means sutable to that end let Men do this Wisdom lies in preferring things according to their true worth and value let Men do so Wisdom lies in embracing of Seasons and redeeming of Time let Men practise this Wisdom lies in looking to things in their End and Issue and not only how they appear at the present let Men do this also And secondly I said Knowledge is Light Ignorance is Darkness
the wicked not the Graces of the godly Sinners cannot endure the Light of the Truth nor the power of Holiness in the Lives of Saints and therefore quarrel with them but are those Saints to be blamed for such troubles as only accidentally and by reason of the corruptions of others arise on their doing but their Duty Is a Bridge to be blamed for troubling the Water because keeping its place it stops the Waters passage and is the occasion of its swelling and roaring Are Sheep to be blamed for incensing the Wolves Or Doves for provoking the Hawks Truly just such incendiaries are Gods Children in the places where they live they disquiet their Neighbours only by the good things they enjoy which others love and covet and fain would get from them or by the good they do which wicked Men hate and fain would hinder in them The quarrels of the ungodly World with the Holy Seed among them are but like that of Cain with Abel he slew his Brother because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 3. The Sinners of a Nation are really the weakness of it It is they of whatsoever Party or Sect or persuasion they are that troubles any People and occasions their dangers and procure their ruin Righteousness exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 it is Sin that is a reproach to it that humbles it and brings it down Wicked Men are they that betray Nations and Kingdoms expose them to Gods wrath subject them to his judgments Did Noah bring the Flood upon the old World or did the wicked of it by their wickedness Did Lot bring down Fire from Heaven upon Sodom or did the Sodomites do it by their own lewdness Did Jeremiah by his Preaching or Baruch and Ebedmelech and those few other godly in Jerusalem by their Praying and Weeping and Mourning bring on the Captivity of that People or did not they themselves by their Idolatry their Prophaneness their Swearing their Sabbath breaking their polluting Gods Ordinances their shedding Innocent Blood c. were the Apostles and primitive Christians the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans or were not the unbelieving Jews by their rejecting Christ and persecuting those that adhered to him I deny not but the Sins of the best of Saints may sometimes contribute to the bringing down judgments upon others Jonahs Sin raised a Tempest upon the Mariners chap. 1. and David numbring the People brought the Plague upon them 2 Sam. 24. God will not only manifest his own Holiness by punishing them that are dearest to him when they Sin against him but teach them more care watchfulness against Sin when they find how far the direful effects of it are extended unto others And yet what is this to the numerous instances on the other side Which doth ordinarily do most mischief the Sins of the truly godly which are fewer and lesser and mourned over and repented of or the Sins of the prophane the Hypocrites the Impenitent May we not say that if the Sins of the one have slain their Thousands those of the other have slain their Ten-Thousands The greatest danger any can be in is to be liable to the displeasure of God who is Holy and cannot endure to behold iniquity powerful and able to destroy those that offend him can Arm and Commission innumerable Enemies against them raise the Posse of Heaven and Earth upon them let flie Thousands of Arrows at them and command what judgments he please to consume them And who are they that do ordinarily make a People naked and lay them open to the Wrath and Revenge of God Is it they that love God or they that hate him the obedient or the rebellious they that please him or they that provoke him they that intercede with him or they they that defie him they that mourn for the abominations of a Land or they that commit and encourage them they that tremble at his judgments or that dare his vengeance In a Word they that hinder all the Sin they can or that hinder all the good they can they that dare not be wicked or that will not be Holy 4. It is the Interest of any People where God hath a Seed of righteous ones to favour them and make much of them They are their best Friends that are Gods Friends They should favour them most whom God favours of whose good things they partake for whose sakes they are preserved receive many a mercy enjoy many a privilege escape many a judgment It is their interest to be kind to those that have most interest in God most power with him and can get most of him What Society of Men but usually favours them most whom their Prince favour most and they think it their interest to do so They know they may need them and many a good turn they may do them They that are the greatest among Men and sit at the upper end of the World may need the help of the Faith and Prayers of the meanest Saints they may need them to interpose with God for them and ward off his blows or remove his plagues and when he hath no respect to a People for their own sakes yet he may for the sake of his Servants among them 5. It is folly in any People to Persecute them that are truly Religious That is but to fall foul upon their Friends and then they lie open to their Enemies or are indeed their own greatest Enemies to pluck the Stakes out of the Hedge and turn the Vineyard into a Common to pull up the Sluces and then there is nothing to keep out an Inundation of evils to pull down the Pillars and then the House comes tumbling about their Ears It is indeed but to dig their own Graves to make way for their own destruction by destroying those that are their preservers For by this means they lose 1. The benefit of the Saints Prayers When Men go on maliciously to abuse and oppress the godly among them God may refuse to hear even their Prayers for them The Jews persecuted Jeremiah slandered him as a Traytor Jer. 37.13 smote him with their tongues devised devices against him 11 19. put him in the Dungeon and God would not hear his Prayers for them Their posterity persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ and though his Prayers were heard for many of them converted Acts 2. and afterward by the Preaching of the Apostles yet when they still persevered in their persecuting those very Apostles their Prayers could not prevail for them but God gave them up first to hardness of heart and blindness of mind Acts 28.26 and then to their Enemies Sword Or God may stop the mouths of his Saints that they shall not so much as pray for them he may as was before intimated straiten them and withdraw from them When they begin to open their lips for those whom he hath appointed for destruction Nay he may set their Hearts to pray against them