Sermons Volume 4

SERMON III. ON MARK X.19.

I N former Discourses upon this Context, you have heard of a necessary Question asked, and that by a Young Man, concerning the way to Eternal Life: He doth not put it upon good Words, or anything less than good Works really to be done, What good thing must I do that I may inherit Eternal Life? Yet because he spoke in a Legal Sence, Christ accommodates his Answer thereunto: First he gives Answer to his Compellation, Good Master! and now to his Question: To convince his Conscience, and bring him to Brokenness of Heart, and now remitteth him to his Rule.

1. He mindeth him of his Pattern, Why callest thou me Good, there is none good but one, which is God. This Young Man had too high a Conceit of his own Goodness, therefore Christ shows him that Originally and absolutely that Title belongeth to God only.

2. He refers him to his Rule. Thô we be not so perfect as God is perfect, yet if we answer our Rule, the Law given to us, it is enough for us Creatures, and therefore the Young Man is put upon that Trial. Thou art not good as God is good, so thou canst not be, for God alone is good; yet thou knowest the Commandments, Do not commit Adultery, &c. Observe here,

(1.) Christ directeth him to the Commandments for an Answer to his Question: the Question was, What must I do that I may inherit Eternal life? Christ saith, Thou knowest the Commandments, &c. That here is a direct Answer to the Question, appeareth, by comparing the Evangelists; for we see Mar. 19.17, 18. it is drawn Dialogue-wise thus, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments. He saith unto him, which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no Murder, thou shalt not commit Adultery, &c. If thou lookest to be saved by Doing, keep the Law perfectly.

(2.) For the particular Commandments, he instanceth in those Commandments for his Trial, which were more apt to convince him of his Sin, and of his Imperfection: And here it is notable, that they are all of the second Table; Do not Kill, do not commit Adultery, &c. And there is one Clause, Defraud not, that is left out in Luke ; and in Matthew instead thereof there is put this General Clause, Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thyself, Mat. 19.19.

Three Questions then are necessary for Explication:

• 1. Why Christ refers him to the Commandments?
• 2. Why the Commandments of the Second Table are only mentioned?
• 3. Why, (seeing it is plain that the Six Commandments of the Second Table are alluded unto,) Defraud not is put for the last Commandment, Thou shalt not Covet ; for of the Method wherein they are recited, we need not move any doubt, for Christ beginneth with the Negatives, and the Affirmative Precept is put last, as a thing not accurately to be stood upon.

1 Question: Why Christ refers him to the Commandments? The Reason of the Doubt is this, Because the fallen Creature can never be Justified or Saved by his own Works, Rom. 3.20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified in his sight: Tit. 3.5. Not by works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. 2 Tim. 1.9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy Calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and Grace: Eph. 2.8, 9. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. The Scripture doth always run in this Strain; yea Christ himself puts Salvation upon another Score, upon Believing in him; John 3.16. For God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have Everlasting Life: Why then doth Christ refer him to the Commandment? I answer, Christ speaketh not this, as if any Man could be Saved and Justified by the Works of the Law. It was far from our Savior's meaning to foment such an Error; but the scope of his Speech is to show, that it is in vain to inquire for the Way to Heaven, while men trust to their own Righteousness: And therefore good Works, and Obedience to the Law, are proposed to convince him of his Impotency, to humble him in the sense of his Guilt, to drive him out of himself, and to draw him to seek Salvation by a better Covenant, or if not, to leave him without Excuse. That this was Christ's aim, to show him his Sin, and miserable Condition, and disability to be justified by the Law, will appear by these following Considerations:

1. It was necessary this Man should be treated in this way; for the many Errors wherewith he was tainted required it: As (1.) To draw him again to the Service of God from those Traditions, and human Observances, in which the Pharisees placed most of their Religion and Piety; and therefore Christ mentions not the Traditions of the Elders, but the Commandments of God. (2.) To draw him from the Law Ceremonial which was to be abolished, to the Law Moral. He mentioneth not the Ceremonial Law, which the Jews strictly observed, but Moral Duties. (3.) To beat down his Presumption, whereby he believed that the Law was easy for him to accomplish: such as seek Justification and Eternal Life by Works, must be taught, that to keep the whole Law in all Points without the least Sin, is the only Way to Heaven by Works, which Way to every Man now polluted by Sin, is impossible. There was no better Course to humble a Pharisee, than by referring him to his own Covenant rightly understood, to let him see the Perfection and Spiritual Sence of it, and so to bring him to a Knowledge of Sin, that he might learn to seek God's Favor by the Mediator, who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to everyone that believeth, Rom. 10.4. That is to say, The end of giving the Law by Moses was, that Men might thereby be brought to the Knowledge of their Sins, and so be necessitated to fly for Refuge to Christ and his Righteousness, who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us.

If any Man think that this consisted not with the Simplicity of Christ's Instruction, especially when such a serious Question was proposed to him, What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life? And that it may seem to countenance their Error, who sought Righteousness by the Law, to refer such to the Commandments: I answer,

1. Christ used the same Method that God did in giving the Law upon Mount Sinai. Why did God give it then, but to break a stiff-necked People, trusting to their own strength, by this exact Yoke of Duty, which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear? That seeing their manifold Guilt, in which all are inevitably involved by the violation of the Law, they might be burdened and condemned in themselves, and so fly to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World, as he was represented to them in the Sacrifice and burnt-offering. That this was God's End in giving the Law; see Rom. 5.20, 21. Moreover the Law entered, that the Offence might abound; but where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound: That as Sin hath reigned unto Death, even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. And Gal. 3.19. Wherefore then serveth the Law? it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Suitably here Christ having to do with a Man, that was puffed up with an Opinion of his own Righteousness and Strength, as if he had already discharged the whole Duty of the Law, and was ready and able to do whatsoever should be further required of him in order to Eternal Life; to humble him Christ referreth him to the Commandments, and so layeth a ground▪work of convincing him of base Idolatry, in loving Riches more than God and Eternal Life: So that his End was not to foster and increase his Presumption, but by urging the Law, which he professed to stand to, to convince him of his own baseness, and the necessity of seeking another Righteousness.

2. Practical Conviction is best, and Men never see their unworthiness so much, as when they are held to their own Covenant; and we are so far to condescend to the humors of Men, as to convince them and condemn them in their own way. As Festus told Paul, Acts 25.12. Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go: As a presumptuous Sick Man, that is strongly conceited he is able to leave his Bed, and walk up and down, the best way to confute him is by trial. Or a Phrenetick Person, or a Man that is distempered with melancholy Fancies, wise Physicians indulge the Humour a little, that by dealing with them in their own way, they may afterwards the better dispossess them of their vain Conceits. If men will go to Heaven by Doing, let them know what Doing is required, Gal. 4.21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law? If men will betake themselves to stand to, or fall by the Sentence of the Law, or Covenant of Works, let them see how it will succeed with them.

3. It was a Truth Christ spake, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments, but we must consider his Intention. Thô Men's trusting in their own Works is displeasing to God, yet good Works are not displeasing to him: And therefore there can be no hurt in pressing men to these, yea by the Rewards propounded in the legal Covenant. Therefore Christ might say, If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments ; the old legal Proposal showing how valuable they are in their own Nature, and the words being also capable of a Gospel sense, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men, and Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Eph. 2.10. For we are his Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2 Question: Why the Commandments of the second Table are only mentioned? For since those Duties which belong to the first Table are more excellent, as concerning the Worship of God; and they are more strict and inward, and therefore would seem to be fittest to bring the Man to a Sense of his Condition; why doth Christ refer him to the second Table?

(1.) I Answer, In these the Pharisees conceived themselves to be most perfect, and yet these were a sufficient Touch-stone whereby to try and discover their Unfruitfulness, and their Imperfection. Certainly if they be defective here, there is no standing by the Law: If a Man cannot go, surely he cannot run ; if he cannot spell, surely he cannot read ; if Men be defective in the Duties of the Second Table, certainly they are not able to keep the Law.

(2.) These are most Plain and Easie to be understood, and the Sins committed against them are most evident and apparent. The Duties of the Second Table are of the lowest Hemisphere, and wherein a Man can do most if he can do anything; these Duties are more written in a Man's Heart than first Table Duties. Heathens were Fools in Worship, as the Apostle represents them, Rom. 1.22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became Fools: Yet as to the Duties of the Second Table, they were Just, Charitable, and Temperate, and had a great command of their Passions, though' they were very sottish in their Worship; for the benefit of Human Society God hath left Second-table Notions more clear upon Mans Heart.

(3.) In the Externals of the First Table the Jews seemed very Zealous, but negligent they were of the Second; and herein they commonly fail, who hypocritically make fair shows of Devotion, and outward respect to God in Worship; as Isa. 1.11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me, saith the Lord? I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed Beasts, and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats: When they neglected Judgment and Justice: So Isa. 66.3. He that killeth an Ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dogs neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered Swines blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an Idol. So Micah 6.7, 8. When they talked of Rivers of Oil, and thousands of Rams, the Prophet tells them, He hath shown thee, O man! what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? That they should make Conscience of Justice and Equity in their Dealings, and be Merciful and Charitable. Second-table Duties are of greater value than outward Ceremonies; therefore when Christ would convince such a Man as this, he refers him to the Second-table Duties.

3 Question: Why 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Defraud not, and deprive not, is put for the last Commandment, Thou shalt not Cov • t? Certainly that is intended, as is evident to any that shall consider Christ's Answer; it fitly shows what kind of Cove • ing is forbidden in the last Commandment, namely, such Covetings as tend to another's Loss: It is a Question that hath exercised some how to State the Sin forbidden, and the Duty enjoined in the Law.

(1.) The Sin forbidden is Coveting, by which is not meant the whole corrupt Inclination of our Nature, for that is not forbidden in any one Commandment but in the whole Law; nor all the first stirrings of that Corruption neither, for a great part of them are opposite to Religion, and they are forbidden in the first Table; nor all those stirrings of Corruption, which tend to the Loss and hurt of our Neighbor; for when they proceed to a deliberate Consent and Purpose, they are forbidden in other Commands, of not Killing, not Stealing, &c. But those first Lustings by which the Soul is urged to desire any good thing that is our Neighbors; though' at first we have not a set purpose to get it by unlawful means, yet when we have a lusting desire of anything that may tend to our Neighbors loss, as Ahab had a lustful desire of Naboth's Vineyard as a Conveniency▪ though he promised to give him a better in the room of it, or to give him the worth of it in Money; he would have it upon a valuable Consideration, by Sale or Exchange, 1 Kings 21.2. So here, an inordinate Desire to have some good thing out of our Neighbors hand, that's the Sin forbidden by Defraud not, or deprive not, when we would mend our own Portion with the Diminution of his.

(2.) The Duty of the Law is to rest contented or satisfied with our own Portion, or the Lot which God hath afforded us, so as not to desire to increase it, or to have anything to ourselves with the Loss of another. It is notable, that instead of what is here said, Defraud not, it is Mat. 19.19. Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thyself; which though it be a General that runs through the whole Second Table, yet it hath a special Regard to the Tenth Commandment, and shows we are to desire the good of others as well as our own; and to think our Neighbor as fit to enjoy anything that belongs to him, as to think ourselves fit to enjoy that which is our own: To have a full Complacency with our own, without a lustful wishing we had anything that is theirs. Not coveting their Goods, or desiring any Advantage by their Loss, or lessening, is the Sin forbidden.

Well now, Out of all we may conclude thus, The Young Man as to the present Posture and Frame of his Heart was not fit to be taught Faith in Christ, nor the Doctrine of the Gospel; being conceited of Perfection by the Works of the Law, he was fit to be sent to the Gospel. In effect Christ saith to him thus: Examine thyself truly, whether thou hast or canst keep the Law, for till that Point be over, thou art not fit for other things; go take the Second Table, the easier part of the Law, art thou not defective there?

The Point that may be observed from hence, will be this:

Doct. That the best way to convince Iusticiaries, or Self-righteous Men, is by holding them to their own Covenant, or the Covenant of Works. Or thus, The true way to prepare Men for Christ, is to cause them to see their Misery and Impotency by the Law.

To Evidence this, I will show,

• 1. What is the Covenant of Works.
• 2. I will prove that all Men by Nature are under this Covenant.
• 3. This is that Covenant which Natural Conscience sticks to.
• 4. This Covenant rightly understood, is the most ready way to convince a Iusticiary, or to prepare Men for Christ.

First, What is the Covenant of Works? I Answer, It is the Covenant made with Adam in Innocency, in which life was promised under the Condition of perfect Obedience to be performed by a man by his own Natural strength.

The Parties contracting in this Covenant are God on the one side, and Man Created in the Perfection of Nature on the other side, God and Adam with all his Posterity: And the terms of this Covenant are perfect and unsinning Obedience; and this perfect Obedience to be performed by us by our own strength; Gal. 3.12. The Law is not of Faith, but the man that doth them shall live in them: That is, the Law Covenant only promiseth Life to him that observeth what the Law prescribes, and so hath perfect inherent Righteousness of his own; it offers Life upon no easier terms than constant, universal, perfect Obedience. Now the Sanction and Confirmation of this Covenant is by a terrible Curse explained by the Apostle, Gal. 3.10. As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. The Law pronounceth a Curse upon every Man, who fulfills it not in every Tittle, and every jot of it, and who continues not so to do from the first minute of his Life to the hour of his Death, which fallen Man can never do: And therefore as long as he is under this Covenant, he remains under God's Curse and Wrath. If he omit anything that is required, or commit anything that is forbidden, so that though he should but once Sin, he is under the Curse.

Secondly, I shall prove that all Men by Nature are under this Covenant, till they be reconciled to God by Christ. This Covenant concerns all Adam 's Children, until they have a new Claim in the Second Adam ; for God contracted with Adam as a public Person, representing all his Posterity, and so it concerns not him only, but all his Heirs. Take them in their Infancy, they are under this Covenant, therefore they are said to be by Nature Children of wrath as well as others, Eph▪ 2.3. All Men are under the deserved Curse of the Law by reason of Sin. Or take them in their grown Estate, John 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already, because he believeth not in the Name of the only begotten Son of God ; that is, because he is not freed from the Covenant of Works and the Curse of the Law by the Son of God. Every Unbeliever is condemned already by the Sentence of the Law, which they lie still under, before they lay hold upon Christ the only Remedy for their deliverance: The Sentence of the Law stands in force till you get it repealed by Christ. And some men will find that this Covenant is in force against them at the Day of Judgment, • or then there will be proceedings against them according to it. All the World are judged according to one of these two Covenants, James 2.12, 13. Some shall be judged according to the law of liberty, others shall have Judgment without mercy. Impotency doth not free any of Adam 's Sons from this Covenant, because this Impotency was contracted by our own Sin, and doth not make void God's right; as a Creditor doth not lose his Right by the Debtors Inability to pay him. If a Man bind himself and his 〈◊〉 to pay such a sum of Money, and he will vainly spend his Patrimony, and so render himself unable to pay it, he and his Heirs are still liable to a Process as long as the Debt remaineth unpaid, or unremitted. We and all ours are bound to perfect Obedience for the future, and to make satisfaction for Sin past, which we that are poor Creatures, sold under Sin, are never able to do. Therefore this Covenant doth absolutely put us into such a State as that there is no Remedy for us but by flying to Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, This Covenant is that which Natural Conscience worketh on, and seemeth most so to do; so that when we urge Men with this Covenant, we do but beat them with their own Weapons. When the Covenant of Works was made with Adam, all Mankind were then in his Loins, it was made with him in their Name; and therefore Men by Nature do still retain a deep Impression of this Covenant, as appeareth in that as soon as Conscience is awakened, it judgeth Men according to this Covenant: As Rom. 1.32. The Apostle speaks of the Heathens, Who knowing the Judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of Death: The benumbed Consciences of Heathens, when they came to themselves, they were afraid of Judgment according to the tenor of this Covenant. And the same is seen in the endeavor of a Natural Conscience to do something that may make a show of Good Works, and a tolerable plea by this Covenant; as in that Pharisees Plea, Luke 18.11, 12. I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican: Christ speaks it of those that trusted in their own Righteousness; the Pharisee brings a little Trash, a few inconsiderable things, I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess, and this is his Righteousness. Again, That Natural Conscience works towards this Covenant, seems plain, by the strange Affectation of the Righteousness of Works which is in all Men's Hearts, and unwillingness to hear of any other, Rom. 10.3. They being ignorant of God's Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God. A Man would fain have a Personal inherent Righteousness in himself; he is loath to be beholden to any other: He would patch up any Righteousness of his own, and is prone to trust in it; a proud Creature will not submit. Nay, even the Regenerate, God's own Children, though they are well instructed in the Righteousness of Faith, and sufficiently see the Impossibility of a Righteousness of Works, though they have been under brokenness of Heart, yet they are ever lingering after this Covenant, with a Natural Desire of it, and to rest in their own Duties. And that was the Reason of that Expression of Luther, Everyone of us hath a Pope in his own Belly ; something that pleads there for the Merit of Works.

Fourthly, This is the most ready way to convince a Iusticiary, and to prepare Men for Christ by a sight and sense of their own Sin, and Misery, and Impotency by this Covenant; and this for several Reasons:

1 Reason: Because every Man is apt to flatter himself with a spurious Covenant of Works of his own making, which is the main Lett and Hindrance to keep him from Christ and Salvation. There is a twofold Covenant of Works; one genuine and true, and of God's own Institution; another Apocryphal and feigned, a Bastard-Covenant of Works, and of Mans Invention; namely, that which a Creature unable to perform the Duty of the Law, or to get from under the Curse thereof, frameth out of his own Brain, as by doing something in order to our acceptation with God, though not doing all that is required; and to make recompense for the defects in the weighty things by abounding in Externals. There is a Covenant Man makes of himself, by a short Exposition of the Law, that he may have a large Opinion of his own Righteousness. It is not for the Interest of their Quiet and Peace that the Ell should be longer than the Cloath, therefore because they know they are not able to stand by the true genuine Covenant of God's making, they make a Covenant of their own, that so a blameless Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law may make a recompense for their other Defects; abounding in human Inventions and Observances of vain Ri • es, as if this would make them acceptable with God. This is the great thing which keeps him off from submitting to the Gospel-way of Faith and Repentance, and humbling himself before the Lord.

2 Reason : It must needs be a powerful Instrument to prepare Men for Christ, because this Covenant shuts up a Sinner without any hope of Relief, unless Christ and Grace open the Door to him. There are three places of Scripture which speak fully to this purpose, Rom. 3.19. That every mouth may be stopped, and all the World may become guilty before God ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , liable to his Process and Wrath, nothing to say for themselves, no Plea to make by the first Covenant: Rom. 11.32. speaking of the Jews, he saith, For God hath concluded them all in Vnbelief: By this Covenant they are as it were shut up in Prison, but no way to escape unless Grace and Mercy open the Door: So Gal. 3.22. The Scripture (that is, the Law-Covenant) hath concluded all under Sin, that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe. This Covenant accusing, convincing, and condemning all Mankind for Sin, it doth as it were shut them up under the fearful Curse, as a Malefactor is shut up in Prison: So that a Man is forced to lay aside all confidence of any Righteousness in himself, and fly for Refuge to the Promises, and to the Righteousness of Christ. Let us see how this Covenant shuts Men up, and inevitably concludes them Lost and Undone. If this could be powerfully and thoroughly done, the Work of Conversion would not be at such a stand. Thô all men be in such a Cursed Condition, yet it is a matter of no small difficulty to convince Men of it, or to affect their Hearts sensibly with it. Therefore if there were any way to shut them up without all Hope, where there is not the least Wicket or Door open for escape from deserved Wrath, then the Work would powerfully go on, and they would be necessitated to fly to Christ. Let us see then how this Law shuts Men up; because the Duty of it is Impossible, and the Penalty Intollerable.

(1.) The Duty is Impossible. So full and exact is that Righteousness that is required by the Law-Covenant in order to Life, that it is impossible for the fallen Creature ever to perform it: Rom. 8.3. What the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Flesh. The Law promiseth no good to Sinners, but only to the Innocent; it reveals no way of taking away Sin past, but only of punishing Sin; no way for Man once a Sinner ever to recover himself, therefore it is become weak, that is impossible, through our Flesh ; the weakness of the Flesh will not permit it to be fulfilled in that exactness which is required of us; if it could be exactly fulfilled for the future, yet there would be no hopes of Life, because of Sins past: Therefore, to hope our good Meanings, good Intentions and Endeavors should help us, is to no purpose. A Man must from the first moment of Life, to the last minute thereof, be perfectly exact with God: Now Man that could not keep himself in Innocency, it cannot be thought that he can recover himself when Lost.

(2.) The Penalty is Intollerable: Gal. 3.10. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. The Law is a mouth that speaketh terrible things, it curseth a Man in his Person, Comforts, Basket, Store, in all things that he hath; all the Miseries of this Life are included in this Curse: Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his Sins? Death itself is part of it, it is the wages of Sin, Rom. 6.23. and the pains of Hell, Mark 25.41. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire. When the Law shall take a Sinner by the Throat, and say, Pay me what thou owest: Alas! what can a poor Creature do to avoid the Curse, or overcome it? Everyone of us in Thought, Word and Deed, have broken the Law of God; now wherewith shall we appease his Wrath? We have nothing to give God, or that he will accept at our hands; we cannot hide or withdraw ourselves from the presence of the Lord, for we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ: We cannot abide this Curse, for who can dwell with devouring Burnings? O what shall we do then to escape this horrible Curse? There is no way but by flying from the Sentence of the Law to the Throne of Grace for Mercy and Pardon. There is no other Hope left us, for they that do not betake themselves to the Covenant of Grace, must stand or fall by the Sentence of the Law: So that this is the most powerful Engine to awaken Men's Consciences, and prepare them for Christ. Therefore for good Reason Christ sends this Confident Young man to the Law, Thou knowest the Commandments.

3 Reason. There is none passeth into the New Covenant, till he be driven by the Old, and therefore certainly this is the Way to prepare a Man for Christ, to have some sense and feeling of it in our own Heart, and we see we are cursed and Undone Creatures, and so lie at God's feet with Brokenness of Heart, Rom. 8.15. Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. There is a Spirit that goes along with every Covenant; the Spirit of Bondage begets fear in all that are under the first Covenant, and the Spirit of Adoption begets Hope in all that are under the second Covenant. Gal. 2.19. I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God: Before we can lay hold of the second Covenant, we must be dead to the Law. Men are slight and careless until the Curse of the Law puts them so hard to it, that they are made to despair of getting Heaven and Salvation by Obedience to it; O then they think of a New Life, and a New Claim! The Curse of the Law follows them close, makes them utterly despair in themselves, then they are fit to live unto God. The Apostle tells us this is the great Use for which the Law now serveth, Rom. 5.20. The Law entered, that the Offence might abound, Gal. 3.19. Wherefore then serveth the Law, it was added because of transgression ; that is, to convince Sinners of their lost Estate, that men might be sensible of their Sins, and so forcibly constrained to make after another Righteousness. None pass from one Covenant to another, but they have a taste of the first.

I. VSE, To inform us how the two Covenants agree, and are subservient to one another: For these two are not contrary, being both Truths revealed by God, they have a mutual respect; the Law serveth to make Sin known, Rom. 3.20. For by the Law is the knowledge of Sin ; and the Gospel holdeth forth the Remedy of Sin, John 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the Sin of the World! The Law paints out our need o • Christ, who is the end of the Law for Righteousness, Rom. 10.4. The Gospel maketh an offer of Christ, that in him we may have what we could not attain by the Law. 1 Cor. 1.30. For of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption. The Law discovers those Duties, wherein a Man made Righteous ought to walk, and testify his Thankfulness. Eph. 4.1, 2. I beseech you, that you walk worthy of the Vocation, wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, &c. The Gospel furnisheth him with Spiritual Strength to walk in those Duties, which the Law prescribeth. 2 Cor. 3.6. The Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. Lex jubet, Gratia juvat: The Law commands, but Grace helps us: Thus they fairly agree, and are mutually useful.

II. VSE, To awaken our Consciences to consider upon what Terms we stand with God, and by what Covenant we can plead with him, by the Covenant of Works, or by the Covenant of Grace. If we be yet under the Covenant of Works, and have not got the Sentence of the Law repealed, O miserable Creatures! there is no hope, Psal. 130.34. If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquity, O Lord! who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. If God should deal with us in a way of strict Justice, according to the tenor of the Law, and the Covenant of Works, no Man can escape Condemnation and the Curse. There is another Covenant: but how will you decline Judgment according to the first Covenant?

(1.) There is no hope of your pleading another Covenant, till you own the first Covenant to be just; and with Brokenness of Heart you look upon yourselves as shut up under the Curse, and you acknow • edge yourselves lost and undone Sinners. The great thing that this Young man wanted, was Brokenness of Heart, and therefore Christ would have him see himself in the Law. The Heirs of Promise are described to be those that have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the Hope set before them, Heb. 6.18. It is all Allusion to those that fled for their Life. If one had killed a Man by chance, and not out of Malice prepense, there was a City of Refuge appointed, and if he fled there before the Avenger of Blood, the next of kin, seized upon him, the Man was safe. None are brought in to Christ, but they come as those that have the Avenger of Blood following them; they are driven, and must away from the first Covenant by a deep sense of their Misery. Men that are Heart-whole, and have only Doctrinal Notions about the two Covenants, without feeling the force of either, and being driven out of themselves to lie at God's Feet for Mercy, they as yet remain under the Old Covenant, and need be prepared by this breaking Work. Indeed Degrees are different, but all feel some Trouble, some with great Horror and Despair, but others with Anxiousness and Solicitude; the Curse is at their heels, therefore they desire to be found in Christ: Now have you felt anything of the Spirit of Bondage? The deepness of the Wound is not to be looked after, but the soundness of the Cure; but yet some Wound there will be. And therefore till there be some Grief, and Shame, and Sorrow, and bitter Remorse because of Sin, a smiting upon the Thigh because of the Indignation of the Lord, and humbling ourselves before God, we are not fit for Mercy. We are not Heirs of the Promise if we do not hasten to the Hope set before us.

(2.) They that do as yet trust to their good Meanings, and Endeavors, and seek Salvation by their own Doing, must yield perfect Obedience to the Law of God, or else they cannot obtain Eternal Life; we make this to be our Covenant, by sticking to any one Work of ours, Gal. 5.2, 3. Behold I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing: For I testify again to everyone that is circumcised, that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law. If another Man had spoken this, possibly you would have judged him rash and uncircumspect: But I Paul say unto you ; I that have an Apostolical Authority; I that know the mind of Christ, I testify this again and again, that observing any one Ceremony as part of a Mans Righteousness necessary to Salvation, cuts off the Observer from all Benefit by Christ, he is a Debtor to the Duty of the whole Law, he obligeth himself to perfect Obedience, without which the Law cannot justify any; he saith it again and again, that Man might take heed. This trust in his own Righteousness in effect is a renouncing the Gospel Covenant. Christ must be our whole Righteousness, and a complete Savior, or not at all: If we rely upon anything besides him, or jointly with him as a meritorious Cause of Salvation, we lose all Hope and Comfort by Christ. This is the great Concernment of the Soul, therefore to be inculcated with such Seriousness and Earnestness.

(3.) By living in any known, allowed, reigning Sin, shows we have no Claim to the second Covenant. Saith David, Psal. 19.13. Keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have Dominion over me, so shall I be upright, and shall be innocent from the great transgression: Our Qualification under the second Covenant is not a Soul exactly perfect, but a Soul sincere. Now if any Sin hath Dominion over us, our Sincerity is gone; Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not hav • dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. There were no cogency in the Argument, if Men under Grace could live under the Dominion of any one Sin, they are shut up by the Curse; we must look to Christ, and give up ourselves to him. This Man in the Text had the Love of the World reigning in his Heart, and Christ turns him away, and afterwards it is said, he went •• way sad.

III. VSE. To instruct us, if we would be prepared for Christ, what we must do, we must study the Law, the Purity of it, and the binding Force it hath on all under it.

1. We must be able to understand it. Christ saith to the Young man, Thou knowest the Commandments ; he appealeth to him as to one that had some Knowledge of the Law. Those that live in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandments, or Law of God, but well acquainted with them. God complaineth, Hosea 8.12. I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a strange thing. To be Strangers to the Word of God, little conversant in it, and to make little use of it, is a great Affront done to God. We should acquaint ourselves not with the Letter only, as little Children learn it by rote, but with the sense and purpose of it.

2. Meditate often thereupon, Psal. 1.2. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and Night. Deep and ponderous Thoughts have most Efficacy; without a Study of the Law Men are without the Law while they have it, Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the law once: Who more zealous for the Law than Paul? Gal. 1.14. I profited in the Jews Religion above many my Equals in mine own Nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers ; but while he did not ponder of it, he was without the Law.

3. Judge yourselves by it. One great use for which the Moral Law serveth, is to bring men to a sight and sense of their Sins and Imperfections, and humble them before God, Rom. 7.7. I had not known Sin but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet ; and to undeceive them of Conceits of their own Goodness and Righteousness. Look into thy Bill, what owest thou?

4. Beg the Light of the Spirit to show thee thy Sin and Misery. Rom. 7.9. Wh • n the Commandment came, in the Light and Evidence of the Holy Spirit, Sin revived, and I died: Men that have the Letter of the Law, may be without the Light and Power of it. Without the Spirit we guess confusedly concerning things, as the Man that saw men like Trees walking, and have but general, cursory, confused Thoughts.

SERMON IV. ON MARK X. v. 20.

Y OU have heard of a necessary Question propounded by a Noble Young man to Christ, What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life? We have spoken to Christ's Answer: Now in this Verse we have the Young man's Reply, All these have I observed from my Youth ; wherein there is expressed, or pretended at least,

(1.) An Universality of Respect to the Will of God, All these have I observed.

(2.) An early Beginning to do so, from my Youth: He was still a Young man, but by these words, from my Youth, he means, ever since I had the use of Reason, as soon as I begun to distinguish between Good and Evil, strait and crooked: Certainly this Answer were good if it were true. Some goodness there is in it, therefore we will observe something from it; for it is said in the next Verse, when he had answered thus, Jesus beholding him, loved him.

First, It is good in the first Respect, as an Universality of Obedience is pretended; and I may drop this Note:

Doct. They that would keep the Commandments, must observe not only one, but all.

It is true of the Law of God, as it belongeth to the Covenant of Works, or to the Covenant of Grace.

(1.) As it belongeth to the Covenant of Works, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them. Every Sin, the least, is damnable by that Covenant, and deserveth a Curse; if he should omit anything required, or commit anything forbidden, the Curse seizeth upon his Throat: So James 2.10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. As one Condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease: therefore it concerns this Legalist to make good his Plea, and Conceit of Perfection by the Law, to say, All these things have I done.

(2.) But is not the Covenant of Grace more favorable? No, it gives not allowance to the least failings, but binds us to make Conscience of all as well as of some.

1. Because the Authority is the same, Exod. 20.1. God spake, not one or two, but all these words ; they are all ratified by the Great God and Law-giver: So that the same reason that moves us to one, moves us to another also, that we do it out of Conscience to God, we must walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, Col. 1.10. That we should obey Parents, keep the Sabbath, not Steal, be careful of his Institutions, not worship him by an Idol; this is pleasing to God, and so is that.

2. The Heart can never be Sincere, when we can dispense with anything which God hath Commanded: And you cannot have the Testimony of a good Conscience approving your Sincerity, when you allow yourselves in the least Failing: Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy Commandments ; I confess it is chiefly meant of our final Judgment. But in all Conditions in the World, if we would be found faithful with God, and not lest to shame, we must respect all his Commandments, Luk. 1.6. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless: And saith David, Psal. 66.18. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. If you would not break your Confidence, and freedom of Heart when you come to God in Prayer, but come with Assurance of Welcome and Audience, not one Sin must be regarded. When we set up a Toleration in our own Hearts, and dispense with any one Duty, it is either some Pleasure, or Profit, or Honor that maketh the Duty contrary to us: but this will not stand with Sincerity, that any petty Interest or Affection of ours should be preferred before the Will of God; for these Men do not serve God, but their own Lusts, when they will only obey God so far as Pleasure, Honor, or Profit, or some Lust, will permit them to yield Obedience to him.

3. God giveth Grace to keep all. Wherever he Renews and Sanctifies, it is throughout; he fills the Soul with the Seeds of all Grace, so as to dispose and incline us to every Duty, whether to God or Man, the World, or our Fellow Saints, 2 Pet. 1.7. Add to Godliness Brotherly-kindness, and to Brotherly-kindness Charity. An Infant as soon as Born into the World, though it hath not the Bulk, Stature, and Strength of a Man, yet it hath all the Essentials of a Man, and is a perfect Man. In the New-Birth the Inward Man is perfect in parts, all Grace is given that is necessary for all Conditions: Ye are enriched in all things in Christ ; there is a suitableness to the whole Law of God. Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man.

VSE. To Reprove those that would keep some Commandments, but not all. Herod did something at the Motion of John the Baptist, but he would not leave his Incestuous Marriage with his Brothers Wife. Some Persons may be very forward in some good things, but they will not leave this or that Sin, their Swearing, or Lying, or Uncleanness, or vain Company, or Gaming, or idle Fashions; they refrain some Sins, but not all, some Duties you shall have them very forward in, but not all; they are halving it with God. There is such an Union betwixt all the parts of the Law of God, that one cannot be violated without a breach of all the rest. As one leak in a Ship, if let alone, may sink it; so one Sin indulged and allowed, may prove the Bane of the Soul: And therefore take heed of obeying God by halves, and think not to please him, or have any true Comfort in thy Conscience by any such Obedience. The Young man so far spake well, if he had spoke truly, All these have I kept.

Secondly, There is another thing that is good in the Reply the Young man maketh, that is, his early Beginning, I have kept all from my Youth. It is certainly a good thing to begin with God Betimes, and to frame our Hearts to the Will of God as soon as we come to years of Discretion, and that upon a three-fold Reason:

(1.) Because it will be a Help to us all our Lives afterwards; before Affections are forestall'd and pre-engaged, to begin with God, and to have the Inclinations of Youth set right by a good Education, to be restrained from our own Will, and be trained up in a way of Abstinence from Bodily Pleasures. A sober Education prevents much Sin. Psal. 119.9. Wherewithall shall a Young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word: Mark, it is not Wherewith shall a Young Man guide or direct, but cleanse his way? When Men are well principled and seasoned in Youth, it sticketh by them, nay, the Vessel is seasoned already: The word cleansed presupposeth some Defilement. A Child is not like a Vessel which newly comes out of the Potters shop, indifferent for good or bad Infusions: No, the Vessel is fusty already, and hath a smatch of the Old man; we come seasoned into the World, for we were born in Sin and in Iniquity: Psal. 51.5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me. Well then, to begin betimes what good may we get by it? Our Work is to stop the growth of Sin, and that we do not settle in an evil Course, and that will be a great Advantage to us all our Life after. On the the other side, the want of a good Education is a great disadvantage to Grace, a maim hardly cured, it leaves a Scar, and makes a Man limp as long as he lives, if he doth not begin with God betimes, though afterwards he be Converted: for when a Man is not framed betimes to God, he suffers the Canker of Self-will to fret so deep, that Reason, Law, and Religion hath much ado to bring them to the Denyal of themselves. To give you an Instance in Adonijah, 1 Kings 1.5, 6. Who exalted himself, saying, I will be King: A rough Self-willed Young man, he would have Sovereignty, and a Crown, and not stay for it till David was Dead, or submit to the Appointment of a Successor: I will be King, and why? It is said, His Father had not displeased him at any time, in saying, Why hast thou done so? He had too much of his Will when he was a Youth. As Plutarch noteth of Coriolanus, a Noble Roman, that for want of a good and seasonable Education, being left young under the Tutelage of his Mother, and she left him to his own Will, was so impatient and willful, that no Man could hardly converse with him. O Christians, when Religion begins late, and Men have to do with Corruptions habituated, and confirmed by long time, and loose Education, it cannot show itself with such Luster and Advantage: Therefore it is good to break the Will of Young Ones, to train them up, to bear the Yoke from their Youth; otherwise though they should be subdued by Grace, and in a great measure broken, yet this disadvantage remains with them to their Dying day. Those that are seasoned well with sober Education, either they are not so bad as others, or it worse becomes them to do evil, and they cannot Sin without many checks of Conscience which others have not. Therefore a good and sober Education is a great Advantage, to be trained up from our Youth, though it be but to Moral Virtue.

(2.) While Parents and Governors are careful to season those tender Vessels, the Lord is pleased many times to replenish them with Grace from above, and to give in his Blessing upon their Education, and many have been Converted that way. We read of Obadiah, 1 Kings 18.12. But I thy Servant fear the Lord from my Youth: Josiah, 2 Chron. 14.3. In the eighth year of his Reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his Father: So Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned Faith, that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois, and thy Mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also: His Mother, and Grandmother were full of Faith, and Sobriety, and they were seasoning of him, and training him up from his Youth, to be acquainted with the Will of God; and what a notable Instance of Abstinence and Sobriety did he prove, 2 Tim. 3.15. And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation. Certainly it is much to have Youth brought up in Knowledge, and in the Power of Godliness. Families are Societies to be sanctified to God as well as Churches; and Governors of Families have a Charge of Souls as well as Pastors of Churches, and therefore they should be careful of them, and may wait for God's Blessing upon the Education of Youth. There be many offer their Children to God in Baptism, (and they do well in so doing) but Educate and Train them up for the World and the Flesh, which they renounce in Baptism: You will bewail any Natural Defect of your Children, and seek to cure it while they are young, if they have a Stammering Tongue, a deaf Ear, or a lame Leg; certainly you ought much more to bewail the want of Grace. We murmur at outward Defects, which is a taxing of Providence; it being a fruit of the Lord's Dominion, belongs to our Care: Train up a Child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it, Prov. 22.6. Dye the Cloath in the Wooll, and not in the Webb, and the Colour is more durable. God works strangely in Children, and many notable things have been found in them beyond expectation.

(3) It prevents many Sins which afterwards would be a trouble to us when we are Old. O many think that the Tricks of Youth are long since forgotten and forgiven, but alas! the guilt of them may fly in our Faces afterward, nay, though' they be pardoned, and the Persons reconciled to God. The Sins of Youth trouble many a tender Conscience in Age; witness David, Psal. 25.7. Remember not the Sins of my Youth: And Job, Chap. 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth. A Good man may remember old Sins with new fears that they are not pardoned. While it is ea • ie to Sin, it is easy to believe the pardon of Sin, (marvel not at the Expression;) while we are Young, and Sin freely, we think God will forgive those Sins, and they will soon be forgotten; but as a Man grows up into more tenderness of Conscience, and into a greater Awe, and Sense, and Esteem of God's Holiness, what a Holy God he serves, he finds it the more difficult to believe the pardon of Sin. Good Men have with much bitterness of Soul called to mind the Sins of their Youth, when they see the Sins of their younger days are so many, and the breaches of God's Law so innumerable, whereby they have offended God, that either through Ignorance or Inconsideration they have so sinned against God, that they have much ado to believe the pardon of the multitude of their youthful Sins. New Afflictions may awaken the sense of old Sins, as old Bruises may trouble us long after upon every change of Weather. There are some that feel the Sins of their Youth in their Bodies, when the Pains and Aches of their miserable Age are the Fruits of their youthful Vanities and Intemperance; as it is said, Job 20.11. His bones are full of the Sins of his Youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust: They carry the marks of their youthful Sins, their Bones feel them, till they lie down in the Dust. Nay, God's Children that have repented, and God hath been reconciled to them through Christ, they have many a bitter remembrance of their youthful Follies and Vanities, that make their Hearts ache at the Thoughts of them. Ier. 31.19. Surely after that I was turned I repented, and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my Youth: Therefore upon these Considerations, certainly it is very good to begin with God betimes, that it may not be a disadvantage to us after God shall call us to Grace; for though the Lord may bless the Education of Youth with Supernatural Grace, yet youthful Vanities may prove very bitter in the remembrance of them when we grow old.

VSE. This is spoken to reprove us, because we always think it too soon to begin with God. Where is this timely Care and Forwardness? Alas! we cannot say, All these have we kept from our Youth: but when we come to look to the Commands of God, we may say, All these have we broken from our Youth: While they are Young, most Men live profane, and without all fear of God. Certainly there was some Goodness in this Mans Speech, and that occasioned me to observe it, for Jesus beholding him, loved him.

But was it true? All these have I kept from my Youth: In a Sence it was true in regard of outward Conformity, but not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which was required.

(1.) It was true in regard of outward Conformity : Externally he had kept them all, though not in the just extent of the Law, yet he was as to Men unreprovable, being no Adulterer, no Murderer, no Extortioner, no Thief; he did not lie certainly in this Profession he made, he spoke as he thought, and out of Simplicity and Error rather than Deceit; the Man lived blamelessly, and did nobody harm, and therefore saith, All these have I kept from my Youth. Outward Obedience and Conformity to the Law is a good and commendable thing in itself, yea necessary, and required of us, but we are not to rest in it; but to escape the Vices and Pollutions of the World, is so far Praise-worthy. There are many that are openly profane and wicked in Life, Swearers, Drunkards, Sabbath-breakers; these come short of this Young man, who yet came short of the Kingdom of Heaven. What will these say for themselves? will they pretend that their Heart is good? Can a pure Fountain send forth impure Streams? If the Heart were good, would the Life be so naught? If there be light in the Lanthorn, will it not shine forth? If there be Grace in the Heart it will appear.

(2.) It was not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which the Law requireth, and so he ignorantly and falsely supposed that he had kept the Law well enough, and done all those things from his Youth. The Falsity and presumption of this Answer will appear by considering,

1. What the Scripture saith of the State of Man by Nature, Gen. 8.21. The Imagination of man's Heart is evil from his Youth: And he saith, All these have I kept from my Youth. O how much do they forget themselves that boast of their own Perfection?

2. The Falsity of it appears by the sense of the Commandment produced, Thou knowest the Commandment, (saith Christ) Do not commit Adultery, &c. which will reach the most perfect man upon Earth. It was a Command of the Second Table which wrought such Tragical Effects, and that stir'd up those Stings of Conscience, and Agonies of Heart in Paul, Rom. 7.7. I had nan known lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not Covet ; and thereupon he groundeth that General, Verse 14. The Law is Spiritual, but I am Carnal, sold under Sin.

3. The Falsity will appear by comparing him with other Holy Men of God; how differently do they express themselves from this Man, that was so full of Confidence! Compare him first with Josiah, who when he heard the Law read, he rent his Cloaths, 2 Kings 22.11. and here Christ recites the Law, Thou knowest the Commandment, and this Young man saith, All these have I kept from my Youth. O what a difference is there between a tender Self-judging Heart, and a Conceited Justiciary. A tender Conscience is all in an Agony when it hears the Law, and will smite for the least failing, as David 's Heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul 's Garment. Again, compare him with the Man that brought his Son that was possessed with a dumb Devil, he brought him to Christ to be cured, and Christ asked him, Dost thou believe I can do it? And he cried out with tears, Lord! I believe, help thou my unbelief: Mark 9.24. That was an humble Spirit indeed; there's a Work of Faith, Lord! I believe, but he acknowledgeth mixtures of weakness, help thou my unbelief: But here is no lamenting of defects, All these have I kept from my Youth. Good Souls in the best Actions they perform, will bewail the mixtures of Sin; when they own anything of Grace, they are still acknowledging their weakness, and many Infirmities. We may and we must acknowledge the Good that is wrought in us, but still we may and we must be sensible of the mixtures of Infirmity in our best Actions. Again, compare him with Paul, he was one that had cause to stand upon his Privileges as much as any; he had all those things which the finer sort of Hypocrites can plead, and rely upon before they come to Christ. Before he became a Christian, he was as touching the righteousness which is by the law blameless, Phil. 3.6. He had a Life free from all Scandal, and any outward Vice; yet when he comes to look upon this, he says, I count all but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Verse 8. Paul was brokenhearted, touched with a sight of Sin, and deserved Wrath: But this Man, what an utter Stranger was he to this Blessed Work of Brokenness of Heart! All these have I kept from my Youth.

In short, (that I may gather up the Discourse,) Here was wanting Josiah 's Tenderness, who rent his Cloaths, and the other Man's Humility, and Paul 's Self-denial; therefore certainly his Answer shows that he was not truly acquainted either with the Law or with himself: So that the Note which I shall prosecute will be this:

Doct. That Men are too apt to think well of themselves, or of their own Goodness and Righteousness before God.

Here is a Young Man drunk with a foolish Confidence, and therefore boasteth that he had ever performed his Duty. And to be sure he hath more fellows in the World, some that are as Confident as he, but upon far less grounds. It is said of the Scribe that came to Christ, Luke 10.29. But he willing to justify himself: That is the Temper and Disposition of Man: So Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. So Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and stand in need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Oh how apt are many to conceit of themselves beyond what they ought?

Obj. But what's the Cause that Men are so apt to over rate their own Righteousness and Goodness before God? I answer, Ignorance, Error, Self-love, Negligence and Security.

First, Ignorance: They are ignorant of the Law, and of the Gospel.

(1.) Ignorant of the Law, of the Spiritual meaning of the Law. They think they are well enough, if they refrain from outward gross Sins, and so say, All these have I kept, because they keep it in an outward way; as that Pharisee, Luk. 18.11. God! I thank thee, I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican. Men please themselves in this, as if open and gross Sinners were only liable to the Wrath of God. O how Natural is it to us to cut short the sense of the Law, that which may suit it to our own practice, and our own course of Duty! Ignorant Persons think that no Man is an Idolalater, or guilty of the breach of the First Commandment, but he that doth grossly and openly worship Stocks and Stones, and Beasts, and Serpents; and none a Murderer but he that hath killed a Man; none an Adulterer, but he that hath defiled his Neighbors Bed; none a Thief, but he that robs by the Highway side, or that pilfers another's Goods: They look to the gross and outward sense of the Law, and not to the inward Spiritual meaning thereof. The Lord Christ rebukes this Ignorance, Matth. 5.22. and shows that rash anger, and contumelious words are Sins; and he is a Murderer not only that doth kill another, but he that breaks out into Passion, that calls his Brother Fool, he is in danger of Hell-fire ; that Lustful glances are Adultery; that the Law requires not only an External Conformity in Manners and Actions, but Purity and Righteousness in all our Thoughts, internal Motions, and the Affections of the Heart. Therefore the poor ignorant, Self-deceiving Man, that triumphs over Sin as if it were wholly dead in him, because it breaks not out into open wickedness, and enormous Offences, is wholly mistaken; as Paul was alive without the Law. O this Man is foully mistaken, for he knows not the Law aright; for it doth not only Command some External Duties, and forbid some of the grosser Sins, but reacheth the Heart, it condemneth Lust, evil Concupiscence, and inordinate Motions and Stirrings. A Man that keeps the Law only outwardly, can no more be said to keep the Law, than he that hath unde •••• n to carry a Tree, and only takes up a little piece of the Bark.

(2.) They are ignorant of Gospel Righteousness, which consists in the remission of Sins, and Imputation of Christ's Righteousness applied by true Faith: What's the Reason men are so apt to over-rate their own Righteousness? They are ignorant of the Righteousness of God ; Rom. 10.3. They do not know the true Plea in the Gospel Court, which is not Innocency, but a broken-hearted Confession of Sin. Th •• Perfection of personal Obedience, which the legal Covenant requireth, they acknowledge not; and being ignorant of the second, they patch up a piece as well as they can of the Duties of the Law ill understood, that the Ell may be no broader than the Cloath. Ignorance then is one great Cause of this Disposition in men to justify themselves, Ignorance of the Legal and Gospel Covenant; they are ignorant of the Nature, Merit, and Influence of Sin, and of the severity of God's Justice.

Secondly, Another Cause is Error. They are leavened with sottish Principles, and that disposeth them to a Conceit of their own Righteousness: I shall name several of them.

(1.) That they live in good Order, and are of a Civil harmless Life, and are better than others, or better than themselves have been heretofore, and therefore are in good Condition before God; and yet a man may be Carnal for all this. I will take this Principle asunder. Take the Positive part: A Man may live in good Order, be of a civil and harmless Life, and yet be destitute of Grace, and of the Life of Faith. There were Moralities among the Heathens far more exact than are to be found among many Christians. As Dogs excel Man in acuteness of smell, and sense, it is their Perfection; so do many Heathens excel abundance that go for Christians, in Temperance, Justice, Meekness, and a command of their Passions; they that were never acquainted with Christ and the Spirit, were civil and harmless: therefore to be a mere Moral Man, certainly is not enough. Paul saith of himself, before he was acquainted with Christ, that he was as touching the Righteousness which is of the Law blameless, Phil. 3.6. And the Apostle hath taught us to live Godly, as well as Soberly and Righteously in this present World, Titus 2.12. There is a living in Communion with God, as well as being fair to Men; and therefore a Man may be civil and harmless, but such as are not Vicious, rather than Virtuous and Gracious; the mere Rational Life is one thing, and the Spiritual Life another thing. Then take the Comparative part; they live better than others, so did the Pharisee, Luk. 18.11. God I thank thee, I am not as other men are ; yet Christ saith, Mat. 5.20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Among Blind men the Purblind is a kind of King, and guide of them all. A man may not be as bad as others, and yet not so good as God requires: Gal. 6.4. Let every man prove his own work, and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. It is a miserable thing when a Man hath no other Ground of Confidence but the Sins of others; he is good because others are worse; he hath no rejoicing in himself, but only from the sinfulness of others. Or suppose that a Man be better than himself was heretofore; there is a Moral Change as well as a Supernatural, a Reformation as well as a Regeneration. As a wanton Young Man that came in to Zenocrates his Lecture half drunk, with his head crowned with Rose-buds, and when he heard a Discourse of Temperance, he was converted by his Lecture, and betook himself to a sober Course: So a Man may cast off his Youthful vanities, and may be changed from being Riotous to be more sober, and yet be far from Grace. A Sow washed, is a Sow still. What is short of Regeneration is short of Salvation: Therefore do not think because of a civil orderly Life, you do enough; this is a sottish Principle, and keeps us from the Righteousness of God.

(2.) Here is another of their Errors, They are born and bred up in the bosom of the Church, and true Religion; and because they are Baptized, and profess the Faith of Christ, therefore they think they ever had Faith and a good Heart towards God, and do not see why, or from what they should be Converted. It was a wonderful thing to Nicodemus to hear that a Man should be Born again, as strange as if a Man should enter again into his Mothers womb, John 3.4. They are wholly Ignorant of any Change of Soul, or State, and mind it not: So the Jews, when Christ told them of being made free from the Bondage of Sin, John 8.33. We be Abraham's Seed, and were never in Bondage to any man, how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Alas Men neglect their inward Spiritual Estate, and are not sensible of setting their Souls free from the Fetters of Lusts and Carnal Affections, that they may pursue their chiefest Good. Nothing so hard and heavy as Spiritual Bondage, and yet is little known, and little discerned in the World: They live in the Bondage of Sin with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element, and all this while they are puffed up with Carnal Dreams of their own Privileges and Worth. These are the Men that are said to need no Repentance, Luk. 15.7. that is, in their own Conceit, those that do not see why, or from what they should be Converted.

(3.) They own no difference between a State of Nature, and a State of Grace; they know no such thing as passing from Death to Life, and therefore are never troubled about it. All the Lord's People are holy, Numb. 16.3. and it is factious to make such Distinctions; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shown difference between the clean and unclean, Ezek. 22.26. As if all were of one Lump, and all should fare alike, and therefore think themselves as good as the best.

(4.) That those that are blameless before Men, and well spoken of in the World, need not doubt of their acceptance with God. O No: God's Trial is one thing, and Men's another. Men see no further then the Outside, but God regards the frame of the Heart; 1 Sam. 16.7. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart: Therefore though a Man cannot be justly taxed before men, yet this is nothing before the All-seeing God, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into judgment with thy Servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified: Non dicit, cum hostibus tuis, sed cum servo tuo. David doth not say, Lord! enter not into Judgment with thine Enemies, but with thy Servant.

(5.) Another sottish Maxim is, That petty Sins are not to be stood upon. They shall do well enough, if they never Sin more nor worse; as the Omission of good Duties in their Closets or Families, lesser Oaths, vain Speeches, idle Sport; whereas Christ saith, By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, Mat. 12.37. Light things may weigh heavy in God's Ballance. Well then, until the Soul be dispossessed of these sottish Conceits, it cannot be but they must overween their own Righteousness, and think too well of themselves, and of their Estate before God.

Thirdly, Self-love is the Reason of it: Prov. 16.2. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the Spirits. A Man is very Blind and partial in his own Cause, and will not own any Opinion and Conceit against himself: There is an Emphasis in that, his own Eyes ; surely Man would favor himself, and be friendly to himself, we have a double Instance of this in Scripture: Judah was severe against Tamar, when he thought her to be with Child by another Man, Gen. 38.24. Bring her forth, and let her be burnt: But when she shown him the Tokens, the Ring, the Staff and Bracelets, and that he was the Man, then he becomes gentle enough. So David, when his own Story was represented to him in the case of a third Person, that took away the Ewe-Lamb from the poor Man, he says in a heat, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die, 2 Sam. 12.5. but when the Prophet closeth with him, and told him, Thou art the man, all this is spoken to thee, he was more calm. All this is spoken to show, how favorable a Judgment it must needs be that we pass upon ourselves, Psal. 36.2. He flatters himself in his own eyes until his Iniquity be found to be hateful ; a Man is well pleased with his own Doings. That Self-Love is a Cause, appears by this, a man will not see Sin, no not when any man that looks upon his Way may see it, till it break forth in Shame, and makes him to be hateful; the mistake vanisheth not till all the Town crieth Shame upon him. While a Man crieth out against Sensuality, Drunkenness, Gluttony, he is so full of Self Love, that he is loath to pass a Sentence against his own Soul.

Fourthly, Negligence, and want of Searchings, and taking the Course whereby we may be undeceived. He that thinks better of himself than there is Ground and Reason for, the only way to bring him to himself, is to put him upon often Trial: So saith the Apostle, Gal. 6.3. If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But alas! this is a common Case, and what more ordinary than for a Man to conceit too highly of himself, and flatter himself with those Excellencies he hath not, and cry Peace, Peace, when the wrath of God, and sudden destruction is upon him? But how shall a Man do to come out of this Fool's Paradise, that he may undeceive himself; see the next Verse, 4. But let every man prove his own work ; try their Work and Carriage by the Rule of God's Word what he doth, and upon what Motives, and for what Ends; let him prove so as to approve himself to God. 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine yourselves, whether you be in the Faith; prove yourselves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates? O search and see what is the frame of your Hearts, what true Grounds of Confidence you have towards God. Now when Men will not so much as put it to the Question, whether it be well or ill, no wonder they slightly return an Omnia been, All these have I kept from my Youth. A Natural man is under this Dilemma, If I should not search, I should not know myself; if I should search, I should not like myself, and therefore out of Laziness and Self Love he chooseth the latter. Plutarch saith, Evil Men turn from their own Lives as the worst Spectacle that can be presented to them. We could not be so grossly deceived by Satan as we are, if we did not turn our Eyes away from our own Hearts and Ways, but did oftener call ourselves to an Account.

Fifthly, Security. As they will not search, so they will not know themselves when they are searched, and cannot endure thoroughly to be discovered to themselves. There is a voluntary Examination of Conscience, and an involuntary Impression, by which Conscience is awakened against our Wills, either by the Preaching of the Word, or by Afflictions sent from God. In both these Cases men discover this Self-conceit, in that they do defeat those methods which God useth when they are searched by God.

(1.) They cannot endure to be searched by the Word: John 3.20. Everyone that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. Men will stand out as long as they can in defense of their own Righteousness, and are loath to be convinced and discovered to themselves, and to be seen what indeed they are, and that is the Reason they cannot endure a reproving Light, a searching Ministry: But the Word doth seize upon them by chance, (as sometimes it will.) Thus Felix, when Paul rubs his Privy Sore, discoursing of Righteousness, Temperance and Judgment to come, it sets him all in an Agony, Felix trembled, Acts 24.25. What then? he puts it off to a more convenient Season. When God ransacks the Conscience by his Word, they are not pleased with this, but seek diversions: Lusts quench and drown their Convictions. The Apostle James compares a careless Hearer, Chap. 1.23, 24. to a man beholding his natural Face in a Glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of person he was. Men content themselves with a slight transient glance, and are troubled for the present, they have but a weak Impression wrought upon them, which is soon worn out.

Or, (2.) When God searcheth them by Affliction ; when they do not judge themselves, they are judged by the Lord. As Joseph's Brethren, their Consciences had slept many years securely in their Sins, but God casts them down, and revives their Thoughts; they have many tremblings and workings of Soul, Gen. 42.21. They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us and we would not hear him, therefore is this evil come upon us. Now how few are there that will hear the Rod, or if they be a little affected when the smart is upon them, they go away as Heart-whole as ever, and when they are well, are as vain as ever, and do not profit by their Troubles: Therefore since there is so much Ignorance of the Legal and Gospel Covenant; so many sottish Errors wherewith men are prepossessed; so much Self-Love, Negligence, and loathness to search; so much Security, and not improving Convictions when God searcheth; no wonder a Man is so conceited of himself.

VSE. Let us take heed of Self-conceit and Self-Righteousness. Especially this concerns you that have a Civil and sober Education, and are as to Externals blameless; as you love your own Souls, take heed of a Self-Righteousness. Thô you do not run into the same Excess of Riot which others do, and are free from outward Vice, yet God hath enough against you to condemn you forever. Therefore study the Covenants, lay aside gross Conceits of God, and Holiness, take heed of being blinded with Self-Love; search often and see what claim you have to Heaven; observe Ordinances, and Providences, and improve your Convictions, that you may turn to the Lord: Else you may have a flattering Hope, but can have no solid Peace in your Consciences, till with Brokenness of Heart you quit your own Righteousness, and fly to Christ alone.

And that you may not be besotted with a Dream of your own Righteousness, consider,

(1.) How Light everyone of us shall be found when we are put in the Ballance of the Sanctuary: All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the Spirits, Prov. 16.2. Mark what is weighed, not Opus, the Matter of the Action, but our Work, with the Motives, the Principles, the Ends of it, and the State of your Hearts, and it is weighed, it is put into the Ballance; God knows all things by number and weight.

(2.) Consider how different the Judgment of God and Men will be. Luke 16.15. Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knows the Heart: For that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God. Mark, God may loath it in the same Degree that Men respect it; for these are the Terms propounded, highly esteemed among men, and abomination in the sight of God. Our Rose may prove a Nettle with him, our Gold mere Brass, and our Spices very Dung when God looks upon us.

(3.) Consider, that Self is an Incompetent Judge in its own Case; and therefore you that are to endure God's Judgment, should not stand merely to the Judgment of Self. If your own Heart acquit you, you cannot rest upon that; you can find no Evil in the Action, but God can: 1 Cor. 4.4. For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Alas! though your Heart cannot charge you with anything, yet God can; and if your Hearts condemn you, God may much more; for he knows us better than ourselves. 1 John 3.20. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

SERMON V. ON MARK X. v. 21.

I N this Verse is contained the fourth and last part of the Conference between our Savior and this Young Man. Observe here,

First, The Gesture and Carriage of our Lord Christ towards him, Then Jesus beholding him, loved him.

Secondly, The Answer he gives him: In which there is,

• (1.) An Admonition of his Defect, One thing thou lackest.
• (2.) A Precept and Injunction, which is twofold, Particular and General.

(1.) Particular, for the Trial of this Young Man, where is the Duty, Go thy way, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor: And the Motive, or Promise, And thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven. The Precept is Particular, but backed with a General Promise.

(2.) General, Come take up the Cross, and follow me. These are the parts, let us insist upon them as they offer themselves.

And Jesus beholding him, loved him. This Clause hath troubled many Interpreters, how Jesus could Love this Young man, who seemed to be so full of Pride, and Self-conceit, and whose Heart was so addicted to worldly Riches, that when he knew Christ's Mind, he went away from him sad: but there need not so great ado about the matter. To open it, two things, will be necessary to show you, the Cause of this Love, and the Kind of it, why, and how he Loved him.

1. Why he loved him; surely it was not for his Outward Feature, or External Complement. Christ's Love was never set upon these things; but his Goodness of Disposition, Moral Integrity, and Ingenuity, that was the Reason why he loved him.

2. Now for the Kind of this Love. Christ you know had two Natures in him, and accordingly we may distinguish of his Love and Affection; there is the Divine Love, and the Human Love of Christ, as he was God, and as he was Man.

(1.) If you interpret it of his Divine Love, the difficulty will not be great; for there is a General and Common Love, and a Special Love: with the first God loves all his Creatures, especially Mankind, and amongst them those that have any strictures of his Image in them more than others. But then there is a Special Love, and so all those are Saved whom God thus Loveth: So God loveth his own People, either with a Love of Good-will, when they are uncalled, Ier. 31.3. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting Love ; or else with a Love of Complacency, when Called and Converted: Zeph. 3.17. He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his Love. Now this will easily salve the Matter; there was a general Love, or a liking, and Approbation of those Moral Virtues and good things which he saw in him, but not that special Love which brings Grace and Salvation along with it. But,

(2.) Let us consider Christ as Man, and so speak of his Human Love. Jesus Christ, as he took our Nature, so he had the same Affections, and Aversations that we have; and therefore as Man he loved his Parents, his Kindred, his Nation, his Friends and Acquaintance in their several Relations. Some there were with whom he contracted a more special Friendship; as Lazarus, John 11.3. Lord! Behold he whom thou lovest is sick: He loved Lazarus in a special manner, as a singular Good man: So also his two Sisters, v. 5. And Jesus loved Martha, and her Sister, and Lazarus: And John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved, Chap. 13.23. Christ in his own practice would sanctify holy Friendship, and therefore it pleased him as Man to have a special Human Love to some above others. Once more, There were others who he loved with a larger Love, as they had more or less of good in them, as this Young man for his Good Nature, and Blameless Life. Jesus beholding him, loved him ; that is, shown some signs of Inclination towards him.

Now this was either a Love of Courtesie, or a Love of Pity.

(1.) A Love of Courtesie and Respect; Origen interprets it, he kissed him, or showed him some outward sign of favor. Indeed if the word had been, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it might have been interpreted so; but the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Others more generally, He treated him kindly. So this word sometimes is taken for Courteous Speech, as Grotius, and other great Critics in the Greek Tongue observe: He loved him, that is, spoke friendly and kindly to him: So in Homer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Welcome Guests, you shall be loved by us ; that is, friendly entreated or received. And so again, he excuseth himself that he did not Love him as soon as he saw him at first; that is, did not treat him so kindly; so Jesus loved him, that is, treated him with Kindness.

(2.) A Love of Pity, pitying him who had done so much to so little purpose, who lost the benefit of all he did by a vain Opinion of his own Righteousness. As we pity Moderate Papists, sober Turks, or Infidels; so Jesus Christ might love him with a Love of Pity. Well then, it was a Love of Human Affection, as one Man loves another for his Good Qualities; not a Love of Familiarity and Friendship, but either a Love of Courtesie or Pity, seeing a Man so Young, so Rich, so Powerful, and in so great Corruption of Manners had kept himself so blameless; this was that for which Jesus loved him.

I observe two Points of Doctrine from hence:

1 Doct. There may be some Amiable and Good Qualities in Unregenerate Men.

Here was a Young Man without saving Grace, yet of a Moral Conversation, and as touching the Externals of the Law blameless.

Now that there may be such Good Qualities in them, appears thus:

(1.) All are Created with some Inclination to Good, though not to good Spiritual, yet to Good Natural and Moral. In our decayed Condition there are some remainders of right Reason, some Impressions of Equity, some Principles of Common Honesty still left and preserved in us, though as to Spiritual Endowments, We are altogether become filthy and abominable, Psal. 14.2. yet some Moral Inclinations are left, to show what Human Nature once was. As in a rifled Palace, though the rich Furniture be gone, the Plate and the Jewels, and though the fashion of it be much spoiled, yet some of the Fabric is left still standing, to show what a Magnificent Structure it once was. Nature teacheth to deal justly with all, and startles and looks ghastly at some kind of Abominations. The dictates of Morality and Common Right are very Legible in our Conscience: The Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14. As Job 's Messengers said everyone of them, I alone am escaped to tell thee: So there are some Principles of Conscience that are left, and escaped out of the ruins of the fall, to warn us of our Duty, and to make us give back at monstrous and gross Impieties, and to leave us without Excuse. Thô men be born in Sin, and are dead to all Spiritual Good, yet some restraints are left still upon Nature, lest man should not show himself to be Man.

(2.) For the good of Mankind; God is the Patron of Human Society, and delights in the welfare and preservation of it. He Created not Man as he did the Angels, to live several and Independant from one another. We are all multiplied and propagated from one Original Root, that we might live in mutual Society and Converse with one another. It is observed that ravenous and noxious Creatures live single and apart, but the useful in Herds and Flocks; so Man was made by Nature a Sociable Creature. Now there would be no such thing as Human Society, if there were not some sweetness of Nature, and Moral Dispositions yet left in us: The World would be but one great Forest of Wild Beasts, if God had not left some Authority in Conscience to keep men within the Bounds of Honesty. And therefore to uphold order in the World, there must be some amiable Qualities; even in the Unregenerate or Corrupt State, some are more Innocent and unblameable than others. I will set it forth by this Similitude: As Nebuchadnezzar, when he carried the Princes and Chief men into Captivity out of the Land of Judea, he left some of the People behind him to Till the Land, least it became a Wilderness: So that the World might not become a Forest of wild Beasts, there are some that observe the Common Dictates of Nature, that men might be commodious and useful one to another; for did not these Impressions bear sway, the World could not subsist, nor Justice and Honesty be maintained.

(3.) There are other things besides renewing Grace that might cause these Amiable Qualities.

(1.) Bodily Temper may incline Men to some good. We see some are of a rougher Temper, and others of a sweeter Disposition. Some are soft, smooth, and docible, others stiff and stubborn: The Scripture takes notice of the different Dispositions of Esau and Jacob, Gen. 25.27. Esau was a cunning Hunter, a man of the Field, but Jacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents. Look, as Blades, though all are made of the same Mettal, yet they differ much in Goodness by reason of the Temper; so there's a great deal of difference between Men and Men by reason of the Temper of their Bodies; some are ingenious and shame- • aced, and not so easily drawn to Outrage and Sin, but others are of a baser alloy. The Complexion of the Soul doth very much follow the Constitution of the Body, and therefore some are better Natured and Temper'd than others: So that there may be Amiable Qualities in them, and yet without Grace.

(2.) The increase of one Sin may cause others to decrease; as a Wen that grows big and monstrous, defrauds other parts of their Nourishment. Thô all Sin be kindly to a Natural Heart, yet some Sins are more apt to take the Throne, and other Lusts are starved to feed that. As for Instance: He that is Covetous, by the force of his Covetousness and Parsimony is made an Enemy to Prodigality, and a Friend to Frugality; as Judas that loved the Bag, was against Profuseness and wastefulness, John. 12.5, 6. A Prodigal Man is not Covetous, and so more prone to be Liberal and Free-hearted. A profane Man is an Enemy of Superstition, and loves to be moderate and indifferent in Religion: A Superstitious Man hates Profaneness, and lays out his Zeal upon every little trifle that can lay Claim to Religion, and so he may seem to be a greater Friend to Zeal. A Voluptuary hates Despair and Morosity, and is more Sociable and Friendly in Converse. Thus as Weeds destroy one another, so do many Vices; so many Vices occasion something that is Amiable. Ambition makes Men Diligent, Sober, and Vigilant to improve their Opportunities.

(3.) It may be occasioned partly by Discipline, and strict Education ; or else the miseries and Calamities of the present Life; for these things, though they do not mortify Sin, yet they may much weaken and hinder the discovery of it. Solomon often tells us of the force of Education, and that the Rod of Correction gets a great deal of Folly out of the Heart of Children, Prov. 22.15. Foolishness is bound in the Heart of a Child, but the rod of Correction driveth it far from him: And as they grow up in years, God takes them into his own Discipline: Pharaoh is devout under his Plagues, and Ahab under a severe Threatning walks softly. God's Correction may work some Commendable Qualities in them.

(4.) By Politick Government, and Laws which keep men within the Bounds of their Duty, so that they are orderly by constraint, and for fear of Penalty, which if they should follow their pleasure in sinning, they would be exposed to. Austin saith, Leges humanae munditoria instrumenta sunt: He compares Laws to Brooms, which though they cannot make Corn of Weeds, or of Chaff, yet they serve to sweep in the Corn, and keep it within the Floor. Laws may make men good Subjects, though not Good men. As Seneca tells us, the Heathens observed many things; they may do many things, Non tanquam dijs grata, sed tanquam legibus jussa, magis ad morem quam ad rem ; not as pleasing God, but as required by the Law; not for the thing, but for the fashion; they may be very harmless, put on a Face of Goodness, but it is not out of Conscience; the Magistrate makes them so, who is the Minister of God for good, Rom. 13.4.

(5.) Unregenerate men may be translated from the Grammar School of Nature, to the University of Grace ; and though they never Commence there, and took the Degree of true Sanctification, yet they may come very near it by Common Grace, and may not be far from the Kingdom of God. This may be by the Efficacy of the Word, which is very persuasive, and pressing, take it as it works only in a Moral way; as Herod heard John the Baptist, and did many things, and heard him gladly, Mark 6.20. Or else they may have this Common Grace by Experience of the Providence of God over the Church, or themselves; when they see God's Interest stands out against all Assaults, Psal. 129.1, 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth, (Now may Israel say:) Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth, yet have they not prevailed against me. When they observe that all those that dash against the Corner-stone are broken in pieces; that many good men, though molested and troubled, yet visibly have a Blessing and a Providence that attends them, and that the profane are overtaken in their Sins by pursuing Judgments; that it is never better with them than when they own that which is Good: This cannot but move them to something that is amiable to some sense of Religion, and siding with the better Party: Or they may have the Common Gifts of the Spirit, Heb. 6.4, 5. they may be enlightened, may have Gifts of Prayer and Preaching; some vanishing Tastes of the Goodness and Sweetness of Evangelical Doctrine; some Motions and Impulsions, and Excitations to good. These are the Reasons.

I. VSE. It shows us how inexcusable they are in the sight of God, and how just their Condemnation will be, that have nothing lovely in them. Certainly they might have had something or other lovely in them, even while they were Natural, if they would give their Heart to it; either Wisdom or Valour, Meekness or Zeal, Humility or Charity. Every Temper yieldeth some Way and Means of Glorifying God; and it is their own Fault if they have not some Endowment or other. I speak this not as to Spiritual Grace only, which they do not only neglect, but reject the Means whereby to get it; they put away the Word of God from them, shut the door upon themselves, Acts 13.46. Ye put the Word from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal Life ; and esteem Spiritual Grace nothing worth, yea it is Folly to them. 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: Yea they think it as dishonorable and prejudical to them. But also in respect of Moral Endowments, I say certainly some Crown or other they might have, if they did not uncrown themselves by Sin. Natural Men may have brave Wits, but they besot themselves, and quench them in Luxury, and Riot, and pervert those Moral Inclinations, those Seeds of God that were in their Nature, while they Drink, Whore, and play away their Consciences. There are none but have a Conscience, till they get the Victory of it, and smother it, and outgrow the feelings and checks of it, and lose all sense, Eph. 4.19. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. They might have lived Vertuously and Morally, till they brought upon themselves the Tyranny of evil Custom, and then no wonder if they are wholly given up to Sensual Lusts, and to walk in a sinful way: They have lost all former Advantages, they have spoiled their Natural Temper, they have lost the Benefit of their Education, despised Instruction, and the Discipline of Parents, lived in defiance of Laws, received the Grace of God in vain, 2 Cor. 6.1. In a word, they have slighted God's Judgments, quenched their Gifts, checked the Motions of God's Spirit. Therefore certainly they are altogether without Excuse that out-sin these Helps; Natural Conscience, Temper, Education, Laws, Ordinances, Providences, and the Spirit's Motions, they are all helps, and God forsakes men in none of these till they first forsake him, and by some notable Sin provoke him to withdraw such Helps: And therefore what will you say for yourselves that have not any of these amiable Qualities, and Moral Endowments? Will you say you would fain be better, but cannot? That cannot be, for many of these Amiable Qualities are found in Natural Men, and you have had many Helps and Advantages either to get or increase them in your Souls. If many Moral Heathens go to Hell that had not half those Helps, and and yet were Exemplary in so many Amiable Qualities, what will become of you, if you refuse all the Helps which God hath vouchsafed to you in his Providence, and yet run into enormous Evils?

II. VSE. If there may be Amiable Qualities in Unregenerate Men, then do not rest in these things: Mat. 5.46. If you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the Publicans the same? And Verse 47. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , What do you more than others? What over and above? A Natural Man may have all these. You may live orderly, and yet if you have not Faith you cannot please God, Heb. 11.6. For without Faith it is impossible to please God. You may be Blameless, yet if you be not born again, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: Therefore do not rest in this, that you have some Good Qualities which are Amiable and Praise-worthy before God and Men; but labor for the sanctifying Virtue of God's Spirit, and the Power of Godliness, that you may be partakers of the Divine Nature ; 2 Pet. 1.4. for if thy Heart be not yet truly changed, thy Person may be odious to God. It is not mine, but the Advice of Jesus Christ, Make the Tree good, and his fruit good, Mat. 12.33. A man may carry the Fruits of Canaan, as the Spies did upon a dry Staff; but learn to bear them from a living Root. To be Harmless, Meek, Chast, Just, Temperate, all this is good; but it is much better when they flow from a renewed Heart, then they are gracious Evidences to you. A Good Nature without Grace makes a fair show with the World, but it is of little Respect with God as to your Salvation: All this may be from Temper and awe of Men. How may a Man mistake a still Nature for Meekness, Fervency and heighth of Spirit for Zeal, want of Affection to holy Things for Discretion, Stupidity for Patience, Obstinacy for Constancy: but God knows how to distinguish. Will Complexion and Temper ever pass for Grace in God's Account? And usually if a Natural man hath one Good Quality, he hath another Bad One to match it. It is observed in History of Alexander, that he was an Enemy to Uncleanness, but extremely given to Drunkenness: Julius Caesar was not given to Drunkenness, but exceedingly addicted to Uncleanness. Natural men, if they have their Amiable Qualities, they have some domineering Bad Quality to match them. Nay a Good Nature once corrupted doth prove the worst of all others, as the sweetest Wine makes the tartest Vinegar. Augustus at first was of a good merciful Nature; Suetonius observes of him, that he was at first loath to consent to the Persecution, but when he was once in, he was more inexorable and merciless than the rest of his Companions. None have done more vile things against God, and the Interest of God, than men accounted of a Good Nature, when once the Temptation hath prevailed upon them. Herod Agrippa was a sweet natured Popular man, but he slew James, and would have slain Peter also, Acts 12.1, 2. and all out of Easiness and Facility, to please the People. Usually none fall sooner into the Snare of Persecution and Hatred of the Saints of God than they; and the Reason is, Counsel is of great Advantage upon those that are of a pliant and pleasing Disposition, and all their Parts and Excellencies are but like a Sword in a Cutlers Shop, as ready for the Thief as the True man to purchase. He is easily made a Prey to Satan and turned against God: therefore do not rest in these things.

2 Doct. That in some respect Christ loves those that are Orderly and Civil, and do but outwardly carry themselves according to God's Commands.

I shall give the Reasons, and then Apply it.

(1.) The thing is Good in itself, though the resting in it makes it useless as to the Salvation of the Person that goes no further. Micah 6.8. He hath shown thee, O man! what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. These things are agreeable to the reasonable Nature, and the Perfection of it lies in them. Now all Good is the Object of Love: therefore if it be good, Christ loves it.

(2.) Because our Lord Christ is willing and ready to own the least Good in us, that he might draw us on to more. Here was a towardly Young man, and Christ would not discourage him; though he was not Gracious, it is said, He looked upon him and loved him. Mat. 12.20. A bruised Reed will he not break, and smoking Flax shall he not quench ; that is, not despise and reject Weaklings. When a Reed is broken we cast it away, it is good for nothing but to be trampled under Feet; and we are discouraged from blowing while we see no Flame, but Smoke: But Christ is of another Disposition, he will not cast away the bruised Reed, nor despise the smoking Flax; so far as there is anything of Goodness in a Creature, though it be but Smoke, Christ will own it.

(3.) Because these things tend to the profit of Mankind, and Jesus Christ his Heart is much set upon the good of Mankind. His rejoicing was in the Habitable parts of the Earth, before there was Hill or Mountain; Prov. 8.31. Rejoicing in the habitable parts of the Earth, and my delights were with the Sons of men: And his Apostle doth press this, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works, these are good and profitable to men, Titus 3.8. Christ is a great Friend and Patron of Human Society, therefore will show his liking of it, and how pleasing all things are to him that tend to maintain it, as Justice, Equity, Temperance, Prudence, Moderation, Fidelity. Christ would put some mark of his Favor on those that excel in these things. When he instructeth the Young man in the Commandments of the Second Table, and he said, All these have I kept from my Youth, Jesus loved him.

VSE. Now let us see what Use we may make of this:

(1.) Negatively: To show what Use is not to be made of this Passage; for men may be apt to abuse and make an ill use of Jesus his Love of these Moral Virtues.

1. We cannot make this Use of it, as if Christ did Love Moral Virtues as meritorious of Grace; they are not such things upon which God hath bound himself necessarily to give the Grace of Conversion. The Pelagians had this Axiom, Facienti bomini quod in se est, tenetur Deus dare ulteriorem gratiam: That let a man do what in him lies, God is necessarily bound by that to give him further Grace. And the Papists build upon the same ground their Doctrine of Meritum ex congruo, Merit of Congruity. As they hold Merit of Condignity in the Works of Renewed men, so they hold Merit of Congruity in the Works of Unrenewed men; as if God in Right and Equity were bound to recompense them with the Reward of Conversion: But the Scripture puts Conversion upon another bottom, and shows that it is not given according to the Good Works we have done, but merely of the Lord's Grace and Mercy: Titus 3.4. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. The Apostle speaks there of Converting Grace, wherein we have a Negative and an Affirmative Cause. He could have said simply of his mercy he saved us, and no more; but he would disprove Works, therefore he doth express it Negatively, Not by works of Righteousness which we have done : Or at least he might have said this, Not only by works of righteousness which we have done, but also of his mercy he hath saved us ; and so might have allowed it as a Con-cause, as having some influence, something in it to bind God: O No, he excludes Works altogether, Not by works of righteousness: Or at least, if the Apostle would express it Negatively and Positively, he might have said thus, Not by works which we have done, but of his Mercy he saved us : No, but he says, Not by works of righteousness which we have done. He describes the Works which he rejects, as being a Cause of Saving Grace. All our Moral Righteousness, the best of our Works, they have no Influence upon God to give us Grace, but merely of his Grace he hath saved us ; therefore do not think that God by a certain Infallible Law is bound to give Grace.

2. We must not so take this, as that he doth love Good Qualities, so as to make them equal with Christian Virtues, or the Graces of the Spirit. Morality is good, but we must not lift it up beyond its place. There is something better, and that's Grace, those things which do accompany Salvation, Heb. 6.9. I observe this, because there are many secret Atheists that will cry up Moral Righteousness beyond its worth, and the Virtues and Honesty of the Heathens, to debase the Esteem of Christian Religion, which the World now is grown weary of. They think there was more Honesty by the Natural Institutions of the Heathens, than by the Law of Christ, and cry up Moral Honesty to the great detriment and prejudice of the true Religion. I do confess, if we compare some honest Heathens with many Christians in Name, that have defiled themselves with monstrous Impieties, it is not hard to determine which are the better men. Loose Professors dishonor their Religion, but the sound Grapes in the Cluster must not be judged of by the rotten ones, nor is the Beauty of a Street to be measured by the Filthiness of the Sink and Kennel. Those that are the Sink and Disgrace of Christianity, are unfit to show forth the Virtue of it: I confess we are fallen into days wherein Moral men may justify themselves, Non quod boni sunt, sed quod mediocriter mali ; as Augustine saith: Not that they are perfectly good men, but they are tolerably good in Comparison of many sinful Christians. Compare those that have felt the Power of Religion with Heathens, and then you may see the Power of Christian Graces is far greater than of Moral Virtues: Compare the Continency of Alexander and Scipio, with the Continency of Joseph ; they forbore to defile Darius his Wife, out of Gallantry; but Joseph he forbears to commit such wickedness, that he might not sin against God, Gen. 39.9. They were not solicited by their Captives, but he yielded not when solicited by his Mistress, that was able to prefer him on the one side, or undo him on the other. What once was said of Alexander in a time of drought, when a Soldier brought him a Helmet full of Water, he poured it out, saying, I will not drink, the hearts of these men would faint ; pointing to his Companions, because they had not the like. Compare this with David 's Action: 2 Sam. 23.16, 17. He would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord, and said, Be it far from me, O Lord! that I should do this, is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. So that if you compare these things, their Morality is but like a Field Flower to a Garden Flower, or wild Fruits to Orchard Fruits; it is a wild thing in comparison of Grace, and not any way comes up to the height of it.

3. We must not from hence make this Use, that we should think ourselves to be in a good Condition because of Moral Qualifications. Men may be Viceless, but yet if they be Christless and Graceless, and never brought to Brokenness of Heart, (for certainly that's necessary to prepare men for Faith, and for pardon of Sin) they may perish for evermore. Without Faith and Gospel Conditions, and Qualifications, you can never have any acceptance with God; though they may be profitable to others, yet they are not acceptable to God: Sine Christo omnis virtus in vitio est, saith Jerome ; in Point of Salvation they fail and fall short, though in a Civil and Human Respect, they are useful and commendable; these Moral Virtues do not give us a Title to Eternal Life. Jesus loved the Young man, as approving the matter of his Obedience, but not his State and Condition; he tells him, One thing thou lackest : O! when you have all your Moralities, something is lacking still! This Moral Righteousness proves a Snare to you, when it keeps you from Evangelical Righteousness, and seeking Reconciliation with God. If we rest in it, and are conceited of it, Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of Heaven before us, Mark 21.31. and so we might have been better, if we had been worse.

(2.) Positively: What use may we make of this, that Jesus loved this Young Man?

(1.) If Christ did love Civility, much more will he love true Grace in any of his, though mingled with much weakness. Certainly, he that delights in the obscure Shadow of his Image, will much more delight in the lively Picture and Impression of it upon the Souls of his People, though we have our weaknesses. John 11.5. it is said, Jesus loved Martha, and her Sister, and Lazarus: Martha is mentioned, and in the Gospel Story we find her twice tripping. She was busy about the house, and neglected the one thing necessary, Luk. 10.39, 40. At another time we find her Questioning Christ's Power, John 11.39 Lord! by this time he stinketh ; yet Jesus loved Martha. There's much difference of growth in God's Children, and some have their Blemishes more than others, yet Christ loves true Grace how weak soever it is. It is notable to observe what a Veil and Cover the Scripture puts upon the Imperfections of the Saints: Heb. 11.31. By Faith the Harlot Rahab perished not, when she had received the Spies with peace. Alas! there was dissembling in the Case, and Weakness, but the Faith is mentioned, and the Lye covered. So James 5.11. You have heard of the Patience of Job: I, and of his Impatience too, and Murmuring, when he cursed the day of his Birth; but the Holy Ghost puts a Finger upon the Scar, and covers the Failing: So 1 Pet. 3.6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Mark, the Scripture that is alluded to in that place, is Gen. 18.12. Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am old shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also? The whole Speech savoured of Unbelief, there's but one good word in it, Lord, expressing her Reverence to her Husband, and the Holy Ghost takes notice of that, picks a Jewel out of a Dunghill. The Lord takes notice of the least act of sincere Obedience to his Commands, when it is mixed with many sinful Failings.

(2.) We learn by Christ's Example to Honor others for their Common Gifts : Some respect is due to them that have any good in them. We are bidden 1 Pet. 2.17. To honor all men ; how so? All partake of some Excellency from God. How vile soever they be in other respects, they have something of the Image of God, James 3.9. some Gift received from God, for which they deserve Respect and Honor, therefore we ought to give them some signs of Respect, that we may be in a better Capacity of doing good to their Souls. The Gifts of God we ought to esteem, wherever we find them.

(3.) This we may learn, Children, Young men and others, all may know how to get Christ's Love, if they be tractable. If you are free from all Intemperance, and Disobedience, and of honest Conversation, then you are such as this Young man whom Christ loved; and though more be required of you, yet these things are pleasing to Christ, and want not their Reward, (what reward they have I will show by and by.) Solomon tells us, Prov. 30.29. Many seek the favor of the Ruler: Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, the great Ruler of the World, is he only unworthy that you should not seek his Grace and Favor? He loves Moral Qualifications, therefore abound in these. On the other side, he hates those that are Dissolute, Intemperate, Gluttons, Drunkards, Liars, Wantons, and all those that are Profane and wicked from their Youth. By the Rule of Contraries, if he loves Conformity to the Law of God in Externals, he hates those that walk contrary to his Law; and he will show his hatred by Public Acts of Vengeance, though it be upon Children. If Children do not reverence their Superiors, he hath Judgments for them: As the two she-bears out of the wood tore in pieces forty two Children, 2 Kings 2.24. And then for Grown men, God will have Judgments for them. It is a sad time, and it calls for much Weeping, Lamentation, and Grief, that we live in an Age wherein Moral wickedness abounds, Drinking, Whoring, Swearing, Murdering, Stealing, and such like Abominations. Take this Observation: God doth not usually punish in this World for Unbelief, and want of Love to Christ; he leaves it to the World to come: but for breaches of the Moral Law he doth; Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men. When the two Tables are violated by Ungodliness and Unrighteousness, then the Wrath of God breaks out by some notable Judgment: So Heb. 2.2. Every transgression, and Disobedience, (of Moses ) received a just recompense of Reward: And Hos. 4.1, 2. The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the Land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land; by Swearing, and Lying, and Killing, and Stealing, and committing Adultery, they break out, and Blood toucheth Blood. There are Sins against the Moral Law reckoned up, which provokes the Lord's Anger. As in Temporal Favors God expresseth love to those that are morally Righteous; so in Temporal Judgments he hath expressed his Hatred against Immoralities. I confess, some Gospel Provocations God doth punish in this World, (as for Instance) when men persecute the Profession of the Gospel, or when they grow weary of the Gospel after they have long had it, then it concerns God as Governor of the World to punish such, the Good of the World being very much concerned. But chiefly his Judgments are for Sins against the Moral Law of God, when these are broken in our Streets, there ought to be much Weeping and Lamenting before the Lord in a sense of these things.

(4.) It Condemns those that will pretend to the peculiar Love of Christ, when they are not Moral, but froward, undutiful in their Relations, unconscionable in their Dealing, and have not learned to be sober, to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honor: what do you talk of being Christians, when they are not so good as Heathens? Never think of the higher Mysteries of Religion, of Believing in Christ, and Communion with God, when you live so contrary to the Light of Nature; as the Apostle speaks of the Natural Branches, and the Branches contrary to Nature, Rom. 11.24. It is in vain to think of grafting things that are contrary to Nature, if the Natural Branches be not grafted in. There are certain who are doubly dear, both in the Flesh, and in the Lord ; not only in the Lord, upon the Account of Religion, but in the Flesh, upon the Account of Nature, as Onesimus was dear to Philemon when Converted, Philemon 16. There were many Moral Heathens of a sweet Nature, that had great Command over their Passion: Many civil Carnal Men will rise up in Judgment against high-flown Christians, that pretend to great heights of Faith and Love to Christ, but are defective in Morals. As it was said of the Men of Nineveh, and the Queen of Sheba, that they shall rise up in Judgment against this Generation, and condemn it, Mat. 12.41, 42. so will these Heathens, Men morally Just, Exact, Punctual in their Dealings, rise up in Judgment against many that pretend to believe in Christ: Si non praestat fides, quid praestitit infidelitas? How should this put you to shame, when those that are graceless cannot be taken Tardy in those things wherewith you are charged? I say, if their Moral Principles, and Civil Institutions binds them to the Peace and good Behaviour, and will not suffer them to do wrong; and all the Laws of Christ will not confine you within your Duty, how great will your Condemnation be? see that you be not exceeded by them. I may represent it thus, when a School-boy knows more and better of Arts and Sciences than a University-man, is not this a great shame to him? I remember it is said of Sarah, Gen. 20.16. Abimelech said, Behold I have given thy Brother a thousand Pieces of Silver; behold he is to thee a covering of thine Eyes unto all that are with thee, and to all other; thus was she reproved: Here is no word of Reproof, how was she reproved? Why here a Pagan King dismisseth her untouched, with Gifts to her Husband, he provides for her safety, and this was a reproof of Sarah 's dissembling; his Morality was a reproof to her that was acquainted with the true God, and a Professor of the true Faith, and yet was found tardy. You are shamed, and Christ is put to shame in you.

(5.) It invites us to go so far, for Jesus loved this Young Man; est aliquid prodire tenus: What was in this young Man? Here's his Care to seek after Eternal Life, his reverend Esteem of Christ's Person, his outward Conformity to the Laws of God, his abstaining from all gross sins from his Youth: O these are amiable Properties and Qualities, and those that are endowed with them, Christ loveth them.

Obj. But here's an Objection: How is this a Motive? Christ was Courteous and Respectful to this Young Man, but now he is in Heaven, what Love doth Christ show now upon Earth to those that are Moral?

1. Moral Virtues will at least procure a Temporal Reward: Christ loves Virtue so, that he rewardeth the Shew of it; it keeps off many Temporal Judgments, and procures many Temporal Benefits; as the Ninevites Repentance, though not real, kept off the Judgment, Jonah 3.10. and Ahab 's Humiliation kept off the Judgment in his days, 1 Kings 21.29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the Evil in his days, but in his Son's days will I bring the Evil upon his House. It encourageth us to seek him, since he rewardeth a Temporal Repentance with Temporal Favors. O what will the hearty Humiliation of a true Penitent do, when a Counterfeit one is thus far accepted with God? And so that kind of Zeal that was in Jehu, was not without its Reward, 2 Kings 10.30. Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy Child • en of the fourth generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel, though he did it with an imperfect Heart. The Egyptian Midwives when they saved the Children of the Israelites, though it were by a Lye, the Lord multiplied them and blessed them, Exod. 1.20. Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives ; and Ver. 21. It came to pass, that because the Midwives feared God, that he made them Houses. So Austin observes, that the Romans as long as they did excel in Justice and Temperance, were rewarded by God with Victory and Prosperity; as long as that Empire kept honest in Civil Virtues, it had eminent Success, and their Commonwealth prevailed and overtopped the Nations; but when they degenerated into Beasts for Impiety, all went to ruin.

2. There will be some Serenity of Mind resulting from the Rectitude of your Actions. Look as the Heathens when they did by Nature the things contained in the Law, they had the approbation of their Consciences, Thoughts excusing, Rom. 2.15.

3. It is some advantage to Grace; it is like the Priming the Post, that maketh it receptive of better Colours. At least they do not aggravate their Condemnation, nor increase their Weakness, nor draw upon themselves Penal Blindness and Hardness of Heart, and utter Despair. However it is like the Embalming a Carkass, though it do not restore Life, yet it keeps the Body from stinking. As long as they are at work, they are not given over to a Reprobate Sense, They are not far from the Kingdom of God, Mark 12.34. An humble Man that hath some Thoughts of God and of Eternal Life, certainly is sooner Converted than an Outragious Wretch that doth swagger and out brave the Ordinances of God; whereas Men that are strangers to all Goodness, and of an inveterate Wickedness and Falsehood, that are estranged from the Womb, and go astray so soon as they be born, speaking lies, as the Propet expresseth it Psal. 58.3. are more hardly Cured.

4. As to their Eternal Estate, it will be more tolerable for such than for others: Though they fall short of Heaven, yet mitius punientur, at least they have a cooler Hell, their Account is more easy; as the Scripture speaks of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of a greater Damnation, Mat. 11.22. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of Judgment, than for you. Cato suffers less than Catiline, Socrates than Nero ; and certainly it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those that despised the Gospel; therefore a Heathen could say, No such Feast as to do our Duty which God requires.

SERMON VI. ON MARK X. v. 21.

N OW we come to Christ's Answer, and there take Notice,

First, Of the Admonition of his Defect, Jesus said unto him, One thing thou lackest. By the Evangelist Matthew it appears that this part of the Answer was given to a Question proposed, Mat. 19.20. All these things have I kept from my Youth up, what lack I yet? He saith confidently, All these things have I kept ; and Christ saith, one thing thou lackest. Indeed take the Commandments in their full Latitude and Breadth of Interpretation, he wanted all things; how is it then that our Savior saith only, One thing thou lackest?

(1.) Because it would have been tedious to convince him of all his Defects, and therefore Christ would take the more Compendious way, and insist but upon one thing, which was enough to show that he was not perfect, as he vainly dreamt. If a Man brag that he is able to pay a hundred Pound, you convince him of his Penury, when you press him to pay one Penny, and he cannot.

(2.) This one thing was sure, and would strike home, for our Lord knew his Heart, and therefore was resolved to touch his Privy-Sore, and doth propose such a Precept as would cross his Darling Sin; and therefore he would only come with one thing, which would try him to the purpose. Men that esteem too highly of themselves, and yet have a secret Idol in their Hearts, they shall be put upon some special Trial that will discover their Weakness to the full.

(3.) That one thing which he lacked was the main thing, the principal thing of the Law, which was Loving God above all things; the sum of the Law is, To Love God above all, and our Neighbors as ourselves. Now our Lord (who had Power to try his Love by any way he thought fit) by this particular Injunction trieth him in his Love to God and his Neighbor: Chiefly he would convince him of want of Love to God, or spiritual Idolatry, making Wealth his summum bonum, his chiefest good; this was the main thing in which he failed, and the Cause of his other Failings; and yet Christ doth it in such a way, as to take in the other part of the Precept, the Love of our Neighbor, Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the Poor.

(4.) Because the young Man Erred out of Ignorance, Christ would not deal roughly with him, or by way of sharp Reproof, he doth not rate him, and call him Proud Hypocrite, for saying, All these have I kept ; but he gently minds him of his Defect, One thing thou lackest ; words of a mild Condescention to one that was tractable: And while Men are facile and reachable, we should not use roughness, but convince them of their Errors, by using all Mildness and all Condescention, as we ourselves would be dealt withal if we lay under the Power of Prejudice and a dark Understanding. Let this suffice from that Clause, only Learn from Christ's Practice here, when we have to deal with such kind of Men, two or three things:

1. That Proud Sinners must not be soothed up in their Self-Conceit, but Convinced of their Defects: One thing thou lackest. To flatter Men in their Presumption is very dangerous, Luk. 16.15. Ye are they which justify yourselves before Men, but God knoweth your Hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among Men, is abomination in the sight of God.

2. That the way to Convince them is by representing their principal and chief Faults, someone sin; so Christ dealt with this young Man, and so he deals with the Woman of Samaria, Convincing her of her Sin, that though she had spent her time in Marriage with five Husbands, yet after all this Commits Adultery, John. 4.18. Thou hast had five Husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband. We are not to shoot at Rovers, but Convince those we have to do with of those Sins they are most guilty of.

3. The more our Failings strike deep upon the main Articles of our Obedience to God, the greater our Conviction, and the more sense we should have of our Condition before God. To Love God above all is a Fundamental Article of the Covenant: Now when we are convinced that we fail in this, and want Love, Trust, and Faith in God, we are nothing; therefore such kind of Defects should make us look after our Estate better.

Secondly, We come to Christ's Precept, Command and Injunction; and there,

First, Something of particular Concernment, Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven. Where observe, (1.) The Duty. (2.) The Motive.

1. The Duty: Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the Poor. The Precept you see is very strict, and falls upon the Heart of this Young Man, who was addicted to the World: Go, without delay; sell, not a part, but all, whatsoever thou hast ; and give, not to thy Friends that may relieve thee when thou art in straits, not to the Rich that may recompense thee, but to the Poor, from whom thou canst look for nothing again. Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the Poor: This Advice of Christ I will

• 1. Explicate.
• 2. Vindicate.
• 3. Improve to some Practical Use.

First, Explain how far this is a Duty: For the misunderstanding of this Sentence hath filled Monasteries with Monks, and Desarts with Anchorites. The great difficulty is, whether this be a Precept or an Evangelical Counsel. The Papists fancy some things to be Evangelical Counsels, that is, necessary to an higher and more perfect sort of living, which are not absolutely necessary in themselves, but Counsels that he that can receive it, let him receive it, Counsels of Perfection, and not necessary Precepts. I shall not deal with the thing in general, but only so far as it concerns this place, which among others is brought for this Doctrine, but vainly; for the words here run in the manner of a flat and absolute Precept, and not of Counsel and arbitrary Advice: Christ enjoins him to go and sell whatsoever he had: And they are spoken in Answer to his Question, What shall I do, that I may inherit Eternal Life? And in prosecution of the Debate between Christ and him, when he asked, What shall I do? Christ refer'd him to his own Covenant, or the Tenor of the Law; q. d. Thou expectest Eternal Life according to the Covenant of Works, which Covenant requires thus and thus, Thou knowest the Commandments: To this the Young Man replies, All these things have I kept, what lack I yet? Then says Christ, Go sell whatsoever thou hast, &c. Our Savior would not contradict his own Course, of referring him to the Covenant of Works: Nor would he else have spoken to the purpose, for the Young Man did not demand how he should attain an extraordinary State of Perfection, but what he should do to be saved, or to obtain Eternal Life; therefore Christ would not only give him an Evangelical Counsel, or instruct him about an Extraordinary State of Perfection, but a necessary Duty. Well then, a Precept it is, not a general Precept, binding all Christians, for then it could not be omitted or neglected by us without sin, or without a great Contempt of Christ's Authority. Yea, many would sin if they should sell all, neglect their Families, and cast themselves upon Snares and Temptations. There is no Command given by Christ to all to do so, and this Command obligeth none but those to whom it was given. There are some things that are due to God, Ex officio generati, by Virtue of the General Duty we owe to him: Some things, Ex vocatione specially, by special Call are to be done, such was this Command of our Lord, and the Law-giver had Power to try this Young Man in anything he saw fitting. It was a personal Command for Trial, such as that was to Abraham, who was no more to dispute against it, but to Offer Isaac, Gen. 22.1, 2. So this was a special Command given to this Young Man to discover his Hypocrisy, and make him sensible of his Disease. The Law doth not bid us sell all, but the Law commands us to be ready to do the whole Will of God, whatever it cost us, and condemns those evil Affections and inordinate Respects to Temporal things which would hinder us from so doing.

Secondly, Let me Vindicate it: For it may seem in the thoughts of some as if our Lord had dealt hardly with this young Man, in putting him upon so severe a Trial: A young rich Man comes to him with such Affection, and yet for Christ to bid him Sell all! But consider,

(1.) Such Words and Thoughts must not be heard against our Sovereign Lord and Law-giver: And Christ speaks here as a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Law-giver, which the Ebionites could not endure, for they owned him only as a naked Interpreter of the Law, and therefore foisted in some Passages to corrupt this part of the Gospel; See Grotius. Christ hath absolute Power to Command: If he bid Abraham to offer up Isaac, he must do it; and the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians, it was lawful. Certainly then he that was the Lord of all, might with very good reason bid this Young Man sell all.

(2.) Christ, who is the Wisdom of the Father, knew the best way of discovering this Young Man to himself, and therefore toucheth his Privy Sore, that being sensible of his Defect, he might know that his Conceit of being perfect was but a vain Dream, and it was in mercy to him to put him out of his Dream.

(3.) The Precept was not so hard, considering three things:

1. What was required of all those that were in a special manner called to be Christ's Disciples, or trained up for the Ministry in Christ's Company, and by special converse with him: When he called any to be of his Family, and to be as it were his menial Servants and constant Attendants, they left all and followed him, Matth. 4.19, 20. He saith unto them; follow me, and I will make you Fishers of Men▪ And they streightway left their Nets, and followed him: Their Nets, that is, their whole Estates: They had less to lose indeed than this rich Man, but they could but lose their All. They that were to be trained up for the Service of the Gospel, were to walk up and down with Christ, and to live in an Itinerary ambulatory manner, without any settled abode; and afterwards to go abroad and Preach the Gospel in all Countries throughout the World; the possession and administration of earthly things was not consistent with their Office, therefore he would have them to leave all, and trust his Providence, which without their Care and Solicitude would provide them necessaries for the present Life. And if Christ would call this young Ruler to the like Employment, it was but convenient he should bid him sell all.

2. Consider, it bindeth all Christians, quoad animi affectum, in Vow, Purpose, and Preparation of the Heart, though' not actually, to leave all and follow Christ: These are not hard Terms, if you consider what is required of everyone that will be saved. Christ doth not hide his Terms from any; for what is here Sell all, and give to the poor, and take up the Cross and follow Christ, is expressed by Self-denial, Mat. 16.24. If any Man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me: Self-denial in effect implies as much. We should all in the Preparation of our Hearts follow Christ naked, destitute, and deprived of all things, and be contented so to do if he should see fit.

3. The Precept will not seem so hard, if you consider the State of that Country, which was near Destruction; and that was one Reason why the Believers in that Age sold what they had, and cast all into a Common Bank, Acts 4.32. The multitude of them that believed were of one Heart, and of one Soul, neither said any of them, that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, for they had all things common: And the reason of the Command Christ gives▪ Luk. 12.33. Sell that ye have, and give Alms, provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not, where no Thief approacheth, neither Moth corrupteth. It was a prudent Course, when there was such a General Destruction to come upon them.

Doct. That we ought upon God's Call to be ready to forsake all that we have in the World.

Here I shall

• 1. Consider when God calls us to forsake all.
• 2. Why we ought to do so.

First, When God calls us to forsake all that we have; such a particular Precept or Command we cannot now expect: Now Christ is ascended into the Heavens, and governs us not by Oracle but by his Word; not by his personal Presence, but by his Spirit. But yet still in some Cases wherein we are to forsake all, they may be referred unto two Heads.

• 1. When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition.
• 2. When we cannot obey any particular Precept of God, without danger of being undone by it.

(1.) When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition, either for our Chastisement or our Trial, then we are willingly and cheerfully to forsake all. This is no strange thing, to hear of those that have flowed in Wealth, and yet by the mere Providence of God (though not by their own misgovernment or default) have been reduced to great necessity. Our Estates in the World are liable to many hazards, by which this may be brought about, as by Fire, Innundation, or Hostile Depredations; by State Injury, false Witness of others, or negligence of Servants, or Sure • yship for Friends, or oversight of reckoning, or trusting of Customers, or unfaithfulness of Factors, or Piracy by Sea; by these and many other such like means may our Estates be wasted, and come to nothing, and we brought to great Poverty. Job, the richest Man in the East, was brought to sit upon the Dunghill: Belizarius that great Captain that had twice relieved Rome, and vanquished so many Enemies, was brought to beg for a half-penny to sustain his Life, Date obolum Belizario. Now we ought to have a ready mind prepared for all Providences; and this is the true voluntary Poverty of Christians, not Monkish Vows, but this willingness to be at God's disposing. It ought not to be sought for, but we must not be over-sorrowful if it happens, but humbly acquiesce in the Will of God, and bear Poverty, if laid upon us, with a constant patient mind, Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, and naked shall I return thither, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.

(2.) God still calls us to forsake all, when we cannot obey any particular Precept of God, without danger of being undone by it. When God by his Providence maketh it impossible for us to preserve our Fidelity to him, or Obedience to any known Command of his, without sacrificing our Interests, and parting with all that we have in the World; we must impartially perform it, and do our Duty, though' it be with the loss of Estate and Life itself, Rev. 12.11. They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of his Testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death: Rev. 2.10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; Behold! the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days: Be ye faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life. And Moses when all the Pleasures and Treasures he enjoyed in Pharaoh 's Court, came once to be the Pleasures of sin, and he could continue there no longer without sin, he left all, Heb. 11.24, 25, 26. By Faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. In these two Cases we are to sell all.

Secondly, For the Reasons why we must do so.

(1.) God hath an absolute Right to all that we have by his own Eminency and Prerogative: He is called the Possessor of Heaven and Earth, Gen. 14.19. not only the Maker but the Possessor. We are not Lord's, but only Stewards, Luk. 16.2. Give an account of thy Stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer Steward: A Steward must be ready to give up the Estate, when the supreme Lord calls for it. We have not Dominium, the Dominion and Sovereignty, only Dispensationem, a Dispensation and Trust, and when the supreme Lord calls for all we have, we must willingly resign all into his hands; I will take away my Corn, my Wine, and my Wooll, and my Flax, saith God, Hos. 2.9. Everyone is allowed to do with his own as it pleaseth him. God cannot injure his Creature, for when he takes these things from us, he doth but dispose of his own. The Lord of his Bounty communicates many good things to us, but still he retains the Dominion of them in his own Hands, that he may dispose of them according to his own pleasure. If God saith Keep, you may keep it; but if he saith, Vade, vende omnia, Go, sell all, who art thou, O Man! that repliest upon God? We are not absolute and perpetual Owners, and must part with it when the Lord shall require it. We are not Possessors, but Stewards or Tenants at Will. God allows us to dispense and use these things for a time for his glory, and for the supply of ourselves and ours, and to do good to others; and then we are to resign and give up all again when he calls for it, or shall be pleased to take it from us by his own immediate hand, or by other means: He giveth us Wealth with this Condition.

(2.) Because it is impossible we should be Christians, if we come not to Christ with this Mind and Resolution, to forsake all for our Duty to him: All hath been ratified by our own Consent; see Luk. 14.33. Whosoever he be that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Disciple: How, forsake all! not actually, but so as to be ready to forsake all if Christ please. Christians! whoever comes to Christ, he lays himself and all he hath at Christ's Feet; his Life, Goods and Lands, to be used and disposed of as Christ shall direct, and not to take them up again but as Christ will 〈◊〉 ; and so he forsaketh all things, though' not actually, till God calls him to it, yet Preparatione animi, in a full Resolution to run all hazards and Extremities that his Duty to Christ shall expose him to. Esse Christianum grande, non videri ; it is a costly thing to be a Christian indeed, though it seem the cheapest Matter in the World. But whoever is a Christian indeed, makes a full and absolute Resignation of himself, and all he hath: He that loves Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me, Mark 10.37. He that loveth anything more than Christ, can never hold out in Heaven's way. When the Profession of Religion grows cheap, and is low, God sends some trouble or other to raise the price, that those that will go to the cost may be known what they are.

I. VSE, For Reproof unto two sorts:

(1.) Those that are so unwilling to part with a little Portion of their Goods, when the Lord hath need of some supply from them for his Servants, and their poor fellow Christians. They are so far from being Content to part with all for the Glory of God, and good of their Brethren, that they are backward, and will part with nothing for the maintenance of God's Worship, and Relief of the Poor; it must be drawn and wrung from them, as if all were lost. Men act as if their Goods were at their own dispose; O how dwelleth the Love of God in them! 1 John 3.17. Whoso hath this Worlds good, and seeth his Brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

(2.) It reproveth those that shift and wriggle, and Dispute themselves out of their Duty, and all to shake off the Cross, and avoid suffering; whereas they should with a ready mind take it up. Gal. 6.12. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ ; that is, they did Judaise to avoid trouble from the Jews. Thô they were not guilty of a total Apostasy, yet to take off the Edge of the Jews, they disputed themselves into such evil compliance. It is true, to escape suffering by lawful means is Commanded: Mat. 10.23. When they persecute you in this City, flee ye into another. To remove ourselves when a Storm comes, this is commanded, Prov. 22.3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and bideth himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished: But to do anything to prejudice the Truth, to shift and turn, and all to shake off the Cross, this is sinful, and forbidden.

(3.) It Reproveth those that do with such Impatience suffer the Loss of any outward thing, either by God's immediate Providence, or by the violence of men, for the Profession of the Truth. O this should not be, but you should cheerfully and willingly yield it up to God, Lev. 10.3. And Aaron held his peace. Heb. 10.34. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods. 1 Cor. 7.30. We should mourn as if we mourned not. In all worldly Losses we are to show that we expect better things, and that our Hearts are not here, and that we have such an Esteem for Christ, that he is so worthy, and so necessary for us, that we should be glad to follow him naked.

II. VSE: To press us to be of such a Spirit, to be willing to part with all, when Christ will have us, and when the Sence of our Duty and his Honor requires it of us. This seems to be a hard Lesson, but to help us to learn it, something must be avoided, and something considered.

1. Something must be Avoided: As,

(1.) Love of the World, and Addictedness to the Creature. We must hang loose to outward things, or we shall never be ready to forgo them for Christ's sake. If there be any secret Idol in your Heart, God will bring it forth, and put it to the Trial, whether you love him or your Idol most: Now the World is a great Idol to keep us from God: 1 John. 5.3, 4, 5. This is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous: For whosoever is born of God, overcometh the World, and this is the Victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? The connection between these Verses is thus: Whoever will keep the Commandment, must overcome the World, which is a great Lett thereto; therefore we have need of a Heart to look after better things, and loosen the Heart from the World, which is that Faith that overcometh the World. This Precept is hard, but it is only to those that are wedded to present things, therefore Contempt of the World, and of the Possessions and Riches of it, is necessary for all that will not make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience, and render themselves uncapable of the Duties of their Holy Calling.

(2.) Distrust of God's Alsufficiency, and trust in the Means, is that which makes this Precept difficult. He that durst not trust in God, will certainly be unfaithful to him. Here is our danger, resting in the Means, as if there could be no supply but from Creatures. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches. There is the great Bane of Men, we cannot see how we can be well without Friends, Wealth, Liberty, Favor, Preferment, and such and such Revenues by the year: We would fain be on the surest side, and on the gathering hand, and that is the Reason it is so hard to forsake all, and trust ourselves alone with God's Alsufficiency: And therefore if you would bring your Heart hereunto, you must strengthen Faith in the Providence of God, and bring thy Heart to lean upon that, and not inferior Means, and trust him upon his Word, then it will be easy. It is no unreasonable thing that I require of you, it is but that which is due to any honest Man, especially if you have had trial of him, you will trust him upon his Word, even without a Pawn: So you should trust God, though you can see nothing but Nakedness, and Poverty, and all manner of Inconvenience. In time past God hath not been wanting to you, he hath given you better things, and will he deny thee daily Bread?

2. Some things are to be considered, if you would thus forsake all for the discharge of a good Conscience. There is God's Right, and our own complete Resignation, when we first took Christ, (I suppose you have done so, or certainly, you are not Christians.) Our Hopes in the World to come: Heaven is worth something: But I shall pitch only upon two things:

(1.) Others have quitted Wealth upon far meaner, lower, and more inconsiderable Respects than you are called to do it, therefore certainly you should quit it for Conscience of your Duty to God. Anacreon restored five Talents to Polycrates, because he was so troubled with Cares about keeping of them, saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Those things were not worth the care laid out about keeping of them. Another cast his Wealth into the Sea, saying, Pereas ne me perdas ; Let it perish, that it might not hinder me from the Study of Philosophy; nay men will do more for their Lusts: How many do sell all, and for what? To serve their Vanity and Lust, to keep up Gaming, to please the Flesh, that they may supply their Riotous Excess, and living beyond their Compass. And shall poor base Lusts, which are unreasonable, and for which God will condemn them, do more with them, than the Love of God with us?

(2.) Consider what you were, and within a little while what you shall be. When you came into the World, you were contented with a Cradle, and when you go out of the World, you must be contented with a Grave. Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my Mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither: 1 Tim. 6.7. For we brought nothing into the World, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. What were we? we came into the World shiftless and helpless, but God made Provision for us, and hath kept us hitherto. Thô you have been born of Noble and Rich Parents, and to great Estates, this Provision was made ready for you by God, without any Care of yours, and therefore, If God hath taken anything away from you, Accepit, sed dedit ; He gave it at first, and God is where he was at first. Well, and what shall we be? That hath a great influence, surely we must be naked again; Death will strip us of all our Comforts, therefore we do but part with that which we cannot keep, and it were better to do so, than to venture your Souls that must live forever: Therefore it is not unreasonable and hard, when Christ bids us to forsake all.

I come to the Second part of Christ's Advice, Go sell all ; but he doth not stay there, and give to the Poor. To throw away Riches as Crates did, who threw his Goods and Money into the Sea, is no Virtue, but a vain Ambition; better to distribute to others what is superfluous to ourselves. Our Lord in this Injunction to the Young Man, doth not only require selling, but Distribution, or Liberality to the Poor. The Note is,

Doct. One special End and Use unto which rich men should employ their Wealth, should be the help and relief of the Poor.

1. In General, it is not, Give to the Rich, but to the Poor. Christ speaks of Feasting, and entertaining one another, which may have its Place and Time: When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper, call not thy Friends, nor thy Brethren, neither thy Kinsmen, nor thy rich Neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast call the poor, the • aimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee, but thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just, Luke 14.12, 13, 14. And therefore one great thing in our Feasting, should be to consider the Poor. The sweetest Influences should fall upon the lower Ground. There are many that even truck with their Kindnesses, but it is not Charity so much as Merchandize, when Men show respect to those that can respect them again: O! but do it to the Poor that can make you no Recompence.

2. Of the Poor there are three sorts. There are Pauperes Diaboli, the Devil's Poor, such as have riotously spent their Patrimony, and have reduced themselves to Rags and Beggary by their own Misgovernment. These are not wholly to be excluded from our Charity, when their necessity is extreme; we ought to give something to the Man, though not to the Sin. It may work upon them, especially when we join Spiritual Alms with Temporal, and mind them of their Sin, by which they have reduced themselves to such necessity. Again, there are Pauperes Mundi, such as come of Poor Parents, and live in poor Estate in the World; these are to be relieved, whether they be gracious or ungracious, good or bad; for we must have Brotherly kindness, that is to our fellow Saints, and Charity ; 2 Pet. 1.7. Add to brotherly kindness Charity. There's a Common Bond of Nature between them and us, they are our own Flesh. Isa. 58.7. That thou hide not thyself from thy own Flesh. Then there are Pauperes Christi, such as have suffered loss of Goods for Christ's sake, or being otherwise poor do profess the Gospel. Rom. 12.13. Distributing to the necessity of Saints: And Gal. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity let us do good to all, but especially to the household of Faith. There's an order which God hath instituted: First we are to take care of our own Family, Children, Parents, or Kindred. 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and especially for them of his own house, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel. Then God hath made us Stewards for Strangers, and Foreigners. Now among Strangers those that profess the same Faith with us, are first to be regarded, and there especially those that best evidence the reality of their Faith by a Holy Life; then after these we are to extend our Charity to all men as occasion is offered.

Reasons of this:

(1.) Christ hath commended them to us as his Proxies and Deputies. He himself can receive nothing from us, being exalted into the Heavens: But now that we may not deceive ourselves with a cheap Love to Christ, he hath devolved his right upon the Poor as his Deputies, Mat. 26.11. Ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always: He hath left them always with us, that we may exercise our Bounty towards them. We pretend very much Love to Christ: If Christ were sick in Bed, you would visit him, if in Prison, or in Want, you would relieve him; what is done to one of these, is done to him, Matth. 25.40. Verily I say unto you, in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.

(2.) It is a great Honor put upon us, to be Instruments of Divine Providence and preservation to others. God hath substituted the Poor to receive, and you to give; so that you are in the place of God to relieve and comfort them. The Lord could supply them without you, but he would put the Honor of the Work upon you, it is the greatest Resemblance of God. Our Lord hath told us, It is more blessed to give than to receive, Acts 20.35. More blessed, that is, more like the Blessed God. O it is a very great Mercy to be able, and to be willing to give; Nihil habet fortuna magna majus quam ut possit, & natura bona melius quam ut velit. It is the greatest thing in a great Estate, that you are able to distribute to the Necessities of others; and it is the best thing in a good Natur'd man, that he is willing to give. As the true Advantage of Wealth is in relieving others, so nothing showeth our Conformity to God more: Luke 6.36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. It is Chrysostom 's Observation: Christ doth not say, If you Fast, or if you Pray, or if you Prophesy, or if you be Learned, you shall be like your Heavenly Father; but if you be Loving, if you be Merciful, and distribute to the Necessities of others, then you are like him, you hold the place of God, and are as it were a God to him.

(3.) Consider the Profit of it. It seems to be a Loss, but it is the most gainful Trade in the World. Alas! to distribute to the Poor, to scatter our Substance, it is like scattering our Bread upon the Waters. Eccl. 11.1. Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. There is so much profit in it, that it is the best way to keep what we have, to increase what we have, and to make it comfortable.

(1.) To keep what you have. Your Goods are best secured, when Deposited in God's Hands, you provide Baggs that wax not old: Many an Estate in the World is blasted for want of Charity, and given to the Fury, Depradation, and Spoil of Men; James 5.2, 3. Your riches are corrupted, and your Garments are motheaten: Your Silver and Gold is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.

(2.) To increase it. It is compared to Seed, 2 Cor. 9.6. He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully. The Husbandman gets nothing by keeping his Seed-Corn by him. When thou givest to thy poor Brother, it is said, The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thy hand to, Deut. 15.10. All your Works of Liberality and Mercy shall be abundantly repaid. Luke 6.38. Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto you. See how it is expressed in many words, the more to strike upon our Senses, to awaken our stupid Heart. But above all, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the Poor, lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again: Saith Austin, Si vis esse mercator optimus, fenerator egregius, &c. Would you put out your Money to the best Advantage, and be true Usurers indeed, lend it to the Lord, the Interest shall be infinitely greater than the Principal? Never was there such Usury heard of: And what better Security than God's? God is a sure Pay-Master, and will pay you to the full, a hundred for one, which is an Usury not yet heard of in the World. You can expect nothing from the Poor, for they have nothing to give you, but God is their Surety, he who is the great Possessor of Heaven and Earth, that never broke his Word. You have his Hand and Seal to show for it, his Bond in the Scripture, and his Seal in the Sacraments. You will say these are but words, but venture a little and try. Mal. 3.10. Bring ye all the Tithes into the Storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. The Widows Oil the more it run the more it increased, and the Loaves multiplied by distributing; whereas (on the contrary) if you forbear to give, God will forbear to bless.

(3.) You will enjoy the remainder more comfortably. Wells are the sweeter for draining; so the oftener you are distributing and dispersing to the Necessities of others, the more Sweetness, and the more Comfort you will have in your Estates. There are terrible passages in Scripture against Rich men, how hard it is for a Rich man to be saved. It is a difficult thing for a Man of an Estate to get to Heaven, and there is no way to free ourselves from the Snare but to give Alms, Luke 11.41. Rather give Alms of such things as you have, and behold all things are clean to you. Then you may possess an Estate with a good Conscience, otherwise it will certainly prove a Snare: Nay, this is the way to have the Comfort of it forever, Thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven ; whatever shift you make, be not backward in this, rather sell than not have to give. Your Riches in the World leave you on this side the Grave; however, all your Gold and Silver, how much soever you have, the use of it will cease when you are laid in the Grave: But here is Treasure that we may have in Heaven; What is that? The Comfort of those Estates we have charitably spent in this World: Luk. 16.9. Make to yourselves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations: 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of Eternal Life.

(4.) The Necessity of it in Order to your Account: It is not an arbitrary thing, whether you will do this or no. God will reckon with us; one day he will ask you, What have you done with your Estates? whether you have sowed to the flesh or to the spirit, Gal. 6.8? All the World will be divided into these two ranks: Alas what sorry Accounts will they make, when so much is spent in Pomp, so much in Pleasure, in vain Fashions, in Bravery of Apparel, so much in Feasting, in riotous Banquets and Luxury, so much in Plays, in Cock-Pitts, in Sports, and other such kind of things, and so little or nothing on the Poor! Many will spend liberally on their Lusts, but hardly a Penny for the relief of others; they will feed their Dogs, and starve their Children. Conscience will call you to an Account now, much more when you shall appear before the great God at the last day. When a Man is to be Tryed and Examined for his Life, it would be a great advantage to know the Questions that shall be asked him before hand. Christ hath told us before hand the Questions that shall be put to us: Matth. 25. Have you Fed? have ye Visited? have ye Cloathed? are there none in Prison to be Visited? none Hungry to be Fed? none Naked to be Cloathed? It is not, Have you Heard? Have you Prophesyed? Have you Eaten and Drunk in my Presence? No, but Works of Mercy are produced, that your Faith might be found to Praise and Honor.

(5.) The Equity of it in regard of God's Mercies to us. (1.) We have all from God: He giveth us richly all things to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. Now God doth require his Rent, and some acknowledgment to himself as the great Landlord of the whole Earth, of whom we have received, and from whom we hold all we have. Now the Rent that God requires, is, that something should be given and distributed to the Uses of the Poor. When the Children of Israel brought their first Fruits, wherewith the Poor and Widows were relieved, they were to make their acknowledgment, Deut. 26.9, 10. The Lord hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this Land, even a Land that floweth with Milk and Honey: And now behold I have brought the first fruits of the land, which thou, O Lord! hast given. So David, 1 Chron. 29.12, 13, 14. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all: Now therefore, O God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious Name: But who am I, and what is my People, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee ; and ver. 16. O Lord our God! all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thy holy Name, cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own: Sure we received not all for ourselves, as the Stomach receiveth not meat for itself, and the Liver receiveth not Blood for itself, but to disperse it to the rest of the Body: So we are but Stewards and Dispensers of what we have, not Proprietors. (2.) God had pity on the lost World. Indigent Creatures have not so much need of temporal relief, as we had of God's sending his Son. Among all the Treasures of Heaven nothing is more excellent, 2 Cor. 8.9. Ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. They are a part of our Thank-offering, Heb. 13.15, 16. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of Praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name: But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased When he had proved Christ to be a Sin-offering, he tells us that there is a Thank-offering required of us: what is that? Praise and Thanksgiving is one, and Alms is another; these are things pleasing in the sight of God.

All this is spoken because there are so few true Christians in the World, whatever feigned respects they pretend to Christ: Alas, many that have great Estates, hundreds by the Year, yet have not a Heart to be helpful to their poor Brethren and Neighbors, but are very backward, full of grudging and repining when they give anything. How many are there that are Liberal to their Lusts, that can spend whole Farms and Lordships upon Gaming, Drinking, Riot, Luxury, Lawsuits, costly Apparel, and bestow so little upon the poor Members of Christ Jesus: Do these Men believe there will be a Day of Judgment, and a Heaven and an Hell? Oh rouse up yourselves! Give; but give upon a right Principle; it is not a Sin-offering but a Thank-offering; and give not for self-esteem, and to be well spoken of by Men▪ Mark 6.1. Take heed that ye do not your Alms before Men, to be seen of them ; but give in Obedience to God. And for the Quantum, how much you should give, that is not defined; but do not sow sparingly: God trusts Love in the time of the Gospel, therefore give not grudgingly: Draw out thy Soul to th • hungry, 2 Cor. 9.7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, nor of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. Life-Honey is best, that which flows of its own accord; so Myrrh that sweats out of the Tree of its own accord, that's most precious. O give readily to the poor, that you may have the Lord's Blessing, and Treasure in Heaven.

II. The Motive, And thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven: Thou shalt not part with thy Goods, so much as change them for those that are incomparably better.

(1.) There is a Reward for those that are faithful to the Laws of Christ, and willing to lay out their Estates for him; it is not cast away, but well bestowed; they sow their Seed here, they shall have their Harvest hereafter. The Poor cannot recompense thee, and therefore God will, Luk. 14.14. Thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee, but thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the just: A Cup of Cold Water is a small thing, yet it shall not want its reward, Matth. 10.42. And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold Water only, in the Name of a Disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

(2.) This Reward is propounded to encourage us. Christ not only instructs us by Commands, but allures us by Promises. There is a Dispute, whether we may look to the Reward? I say not only we ma • , but we must: The oftener we look to Heaven, the better we shall forgo present things.

(3.) Our Reward in Heaven is called Treasure, something that is not only answerable to what we quit for Christ, but it far exceeds it; it is called Eph. 1.18. The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints: We shall have true Riches instead of transitory, which we cannot long keep, and Eternal Riches that will ever last. Our Treasure in Heaven is more precious and more certain, Mat. 6.19, 20. Lay not up for yourselves Treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

(4.) This Reward is not only in this Life, but in the Life to come. The Worldling is rich in this World, 1 Tim. 6.17. The Believer hath Treasure in Heaven. Let Gentiles seek earthly things, that have not a right to heavenly. Bracelets of Copper, glass Beads, and little Bells, and such like trifles are valued by rude Barbarians, that are contemptible with us. The use and valuation of earthly things in the World to come ceaseth, it only holdeth on this side the Grave, and therefore the great business of Christians should be to make over their Estates into Heaven, that they might receive it by exchange there: For though the use of it ceaseth on the other side of the Grave, yet we may have the Comfort of it for Everlasting.

SERMON VII. ON MARK X. v. 21.

S Econdly, Having done with the particular Precept, I come to the general Precept given to this young Man, Come, take up the Cross and follow me. The Duty that is enjoined is double, the one an Help to the other, and the one necessarily follows the other; Take up the Cross, and Follow me: Whoever follows Christ, must prepare his shoulders for the Cross, for without taking up the Cross we shall never follow Christ to any purpose. Take up the Cross: It is an allusion to the Punishments that were in use when Christ lived in the World; the Malefactors bore their own Cross to the place of Execution, and then they were nailed to it alive: So let him reckon upon that, he must bear his Cross. And follow me: There is a twofold following of Christ, (Special and General.)

1. Special, as those Disciples that were his menial Servants, of his own Family, trained up for the Ministry; these did follow Christ up and down, because they were chosen Witnesses, and were to be conscious and privy unto all his Actions, that they might better give an account of them to World, Acts 1.21, 22. Wherefore, of those which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the Baptism of John unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a Witness with us of his Resurrection: And so follow me is, Come, take lot and share with me, abide with me, be my Disciple.

2. The Phrase bears a more General Sence, John. 12.26. If any Man serve me, let him follow me ; and so to follow Christ is either to take his Direction, or imitate his Example.

(1.) When we take his Direction. We are said to follow Christ when we take him for our Lord and Master, and live according to his Holy Doctrine. As they that have such a one for their Master in any Sect of Philosophy, are said to follow him, so they that take Christ for their Teacher, as the great Prophet of the Church, herein they follow him, Mar. 17. • . Hear ye him.

(2.) We are said to follow Christ when we imitate his Example, as 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ

From the words thus Explained, three Points of Doctrine may be gathered:

• 1. In Order to Eternal Life it is required, that a Man should not only sell all and give to the Poor, but that he should follow Christ, or enter himself as one of his Disciples.
• 2. Whosoever entereth himself as one of his Disciples, and gives up his Name to Christ, must follow him, or imitate his Example.
• 3. All those that would follow Christ, must prepare their shoulders for the Cross.

1 Doct. In order to Eternal Life it is required, not only that a Man should sell all and give to the Poor, but that he should follow Christ, or enter himself as one of his Disciples.

Here I shall inquire, What it is, and why it is necessary.

1. What it is to enter ourselves as one of Christ's Disciples? I shall lay no other Duty upon you than what you are engaged unto by your Baptism; therefore I shall only explain what your Baptism binds you to, which is a Bond upon you to enter yourselves as Christ's Disciples: It is a renouncing all other Lord's and Masters, a choosing Christ, and believing in him alone for Salvation, and a resigning up ourselves to do his Will.

(1.) A renouncing all other Lord's and Masters which are opposite to Christ, viz. The Devil, the World, and the Flesh. The Devil, Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the power of Darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Before there is any entrance into the Kingdom of Christ, there is a translating from the Power of Darkness, that I take to be the Power of the Devil. The World, Gal. 6.14. The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world. Then for the Flesh, Rom. 8.12. We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. In our Natural State we are under the power of all these three, as it is set forth, Eph. 2.2, 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the A • r, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience: Among whom we all had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the Flesh, and of the Mind: There are all the three Enemies of our Salvation that must be renounced mentioned. There is the Custom and corrupt course of the world ; Alas! the Generality of the World live a Sensual, Flesh-pleasing Life, that was their Rule ; and the Prince of the power of the Air, that was their Guide ; and the Flesh, or the bent of corrupt Nature, that was their Principle. While we are in our Corrupt State, the Devil hath Power to Rule us, and the Example, and common Customs of the World doth encourage us, and corrupt Nature within doth strongly urge us to Sin against God. And therefore when we do indeed enter ourselves the Disciples of Christ, these Enemies of his and ours must be renounced, that we may have another Rule, another Lord, and another Principle: Another Rule, which is the Law of God; another Lord, which is Jesus Christ; another Principle, which is the Spirit of Christ dwelling and working in us. There must be first an Emptying of Heart, before it can be filled with Grace; There must be a dispossessing of those strong and cursed Inmates, that have such hand and power over us, that Christ alone may Rule and Govern us.

(2.) There must be a Believing in Christ, or a resting upon him alone for Salvation. When the Eunuch offered himself to be Baptized, Philip tells him, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest, Acts 8.37. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Faith in the Son of God is the great Qualification necessary to Christ's Disciples; that as they forsake the Devil, the Pomps and Vanities of the World, and the Inclinations of the Flesh, so they may cleave to him alone as Lord and Savior, to give Repentance and Remission of Sins to his People, Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of Sins.

(3.) It is required that we resign up ourselves to do his Will, and walk according to his Directions, if we would be Christ's Disciples; for otherwise we do but give him an empty Title, and we may as much mock him as the Roman Soldiers did, that put a Robe upon him, and cried, Hail King of the Jews: When we cry him up as Lord and Savior, and do not resign up ourselves to his Use and Service, we mock him as they did. Take three Scriptures to prove this: Luk. 6.46. Why call ye me Lord, Lord! and do not the things which I say? Cui • r • s nomini subject a negatur, is nomine illuditur. Tertull. It is a mockage to give Christ a Title, and deny him the Duty which belongs to it. The greatest part of the Christian World live in a bare outward profession of Christ's Name, without any Care and Conscience to walk answerably; they seem to have renounced the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, but their Hearts are in a secret League with them still; they call Christ Lord and Savior, but do not rest upon him for Salvation, nor obey him, therefore this will be of no use to them as to Eternal Life: So Mat. 7.21. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven. Thô we profess Christianity, and seem to have a great Respect to Christ's Memory; yet without the practice of Faith and Obedience, we shall have no Benefit by Christ, and shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who being condemned by the Law, fly to Christ by Faith, and study to bring forth the Fruits of Newness of Life, shall be saved by him. Again, John 8.31. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my Disciples indeed. There are Disciples in Name, and there are Christ's Disciples indeed, such as are so in Truth, Life, and Practice. Whatever Privileges Men may have by their outward Profession and Shew, yet they have no ground of solid Comfort, till they persevere to walk according to Christ's Direction, and continue in his Word. Thus when we renounce the Devil, the World and the Flesh, and cleave to Christ as Prince and Savior, and resign up ourselves to his Use, when this is done in reality, then do we enter ourselves indeed to be his Disciples. This is implied in our Baptism, as in the Primitive Times, when they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as Justin Martyr phraseth it,) they did solemnly renounce Christ's Enemies, and profess to choose him for their Lord and Master, and yielded up themselves to be guided by him in his own way to Heaven. And the Apostle telleth us, 1 Pet. 3.21. Baptism saveth us, not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh, but the answer of a good Conscience towards God ; that is, an hearty acceptance of God's Offers, and an engagement in his strength to do his Commandments.

Secondly, Why this is necessary beyond Alms, and all other Amiable Qualities?

(1.) Because Heathens, and Men of a false Religion may Excell in Charity, and other Moralities, and yet without true Grace they are nothing. The Apostle tells us, The Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, Rom. 2.14. And that they excelled in Charity as well as other things, appears by Titus 3.14. Let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses: Who are they that he calls ours also? Compare it with v. 8. That they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works ; that is, those of our Religion, as well as the Jews and Pagans. The Gentiles were much given to Charity: Paul saith, Acts 28.2. The barbarous people shown us no little kindness ; Mercy had an Altar in every City of Greece. The Quran of the Turks say, That if men knew what a pleasant thing it was to give Alms, rather than want somewhat to give, they would slice out their own Flesh: So that the Gentiles, and men not under the Institution of Christ, those that are without the Covenant, and Promise, and Grace, may be addicted to Alms. But now all this is nothing without true Grace, 1 Cor. 13.3. Thô I bestow all my Goods to feed the poor, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing. A Man would think there were a Contradiction in the Apostles Speech; for how can one bestow all his Goods to feed the Poor, and yet want Charity? If this be not Charity, what is? I would not Interpret it, If I bestow all my Goods upon the Poor Hypocritically, for it is a hard thing to conceive Hypocrisy should go to such a length; but there is the Grace of Charity, and the Natural Amiable Quality of Charity. If a Man have not a renewed Heart, if it be a mere Natural Motion, without Spiritual Grace, (and that cannot be till they enter themselves Disciples to Christ in the way spoken of,) it is nothing. The Apostle commends the Macedonians, that were a poor People, yet did exceedingly stretch themselves to contribute to the Poor Saints at Jerusalem. 2. Cor. 8.5. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. And here was the true Method, before they gave their Goods, they offered their Hearts to God, they gave up themselves to the Lord Christ to be his Disciples, they entered themselves into his Service. This is the true Fountain of Charity, and then it comes to something.

(2.) There is need of Faith in Christ in order to our Acceptance with God, and Reconciliation with him; and therefore all the Good Works we do will not profit us, till we become Disciples of Christ: Why? till we Believe, his Atonement and Reconciliation is not reckoned to us, for the Gifts of Enemies are giftless, and unacceptable. Since the Fall there is no way of acceptance with God till we change our Copy, and come to claim by a new Covenant. Nothing will render us acceptable to God, but complete Innocence, or else Repentance and Faith in Christ. While we stand upon our own Bottom, alas! the least Failing is damnable, and spoils all the good we do; for