The Life of Faith

CHAP. XXI. How to live by Faith in the Public Worshipping of God.

I May not be so tedious (nor do that which is done elsewhere) as to direct you in the several parts of Worship distinctly ; but shall only give you some brief Directions about Public Worship in the general.

Direct. 1. Come not before God with Pharisaical conceits of the worthiness of yourselves, or Worship, as if you offered him something which did oblige him: But come as humble receivers, that need him and his grace, who needeth not you; and as learners that hope to be wiser and better by drawing near to God.

You know Christ's instance of the prayers of the Pharisee and the Publican: And remember that many a ones heart saith, I thank thee Lord that I am not as other men, or as this Publican, whose tongue can spend an hour or more in sad confessions; yea and that it is those very copious confessions of their badness, that puff them up as if they were so good.

Yea many a one that in opinion is most vehement against all our works in our Justification, or looking at anything in ourselves at all, to make us acceptable with God, as being against free grace in Christ, do yet look so much at that which is (or is conceited to be) in themselves, that fe • Churches on earth are thought worthy of t ••• r communion.

Note also that it is sacrificing which is commonly the Hypocrites Worship in the Old Testament, and hearing and obeying which he neglecteth, and God calls him to: As you may see at large in Isa. 1. throughout; and many other places, Psal. 40.6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst no • require: Mine ears hast thou opened, &c. So Psal. 50.8, 9, &c. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices and burnt offerings, to have been continually before me; I will take no bullock out of thy house — For every beast of the Forest is mine, &c. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for • he world is mine, and the fullness thereof —Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows to the most High. And call upon me in the day of trouble—But to the wicked, saith God, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee —

1 Sam. 15.22, 23. Hath the Lord delight in burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of Rams.

Psal. 4.3, 4, 5. Know, that the Lord hath chosen the man that is godly for himself— Stand in awe and sin not— Offer the sacrifices of righteousness —

Psal. 51.17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

Matth. 9.13. & 12.7. Learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice—

Eccles. 5.1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they know not that they do evil.

All this telleth us, that fools and hypocrites, while they disobey God's Law, do think to make up all with sacrifice, or to appease God with offering him something that is excellent: But the acceptable Worshipper cometh to God as a penitent, a learner, resolving to obey; as a Receiver of mercy, and not a meriter.

Direct. 2. Over-value not therefore the manner of your own Worship, and over-vilify not other men's, of a different mode: And make not men believe that God is of your childish humor, and valueth or vilifieth words, and orders, and forms, and ceremonies, as much as self-conceited people do.

If one man hear another pray only from the habits of his mind, and present desires, he reproacheth him as a rash presumptuous speaker, that talketh that to God which he never fore-considered. As if a beggar did rashly ask an alms, or a corrected child, or a malefactor did inconsiderately beg for pardon, unless they learn first the words by rote: or as if all men's converse, and the words of Judges on the Bench were all rash; or the counsel of a Physician to his Patient, because they use not books and forms, or set not down their words long before.

And if another man hear a form of prayer, especially if it be read out of a Book; and especially if it have any disorder or defect, he sticketh not to revise it, and call it false Worship, and man's Inventions, and perhaps Idolatry, and to fly from it, and make the world believe, that it is an odious thing which God abhorreth. And why so? Are your words so much more excellent than the words of others? Or doth the Book, or Press, or Pen, make them odious to God? Or are all words ba • which are resolved on beforehand? Is the Lord's Prayer and the Psalms all odious, because they are book-forms? Or doth the command of other men make God hate them? Let Parents take heed then of commanding their children prescribed words. (Nay rather let them take heed lest they omit such prescripts:) Or, is it the disorder or defects that makes them odious? Such are not to be justified indeed where-ever we find them: But woe to us all, if God will not pardon disorders and defects, and accept the prayers that are guilty of them.

Many a time I have heard such forms of prayers, whose disorders and defects I have much lamented (and done my part to have cured) and yet I durst not so reproach them as to say, God will not accept and hear them: Or that it is unlawful to join in communion with them. And many a time I have heard as sad disorder in extemporate prayers sometimes by wrong methods, or no method at all; sometimes by vain repetitions; sometimes by omitting the chiefest parts of prayer, and sometimes in the whole strain, by turning a prayer into a Sermon to the hearers, or a mere talk or narrative to God, that had little of a prayer in it, save very good matter, and honest zeal. And though this prayer was more disorderly than the forms which ( perhaps in that prayer ) were accused of disorder; yet durst I not run away from this neither, nor say, it is so bad, that God will not hear it, nor good men should have no comunion in it.

It is easy (but abominable) to fall in love with our own, and to vilify that which is against our opinion, and to think that God is of our mind, and is as fond of our mode and way as we are, and as exceptious against the way or words of other men, as childish, peevish Christians are. Look on your Book, and read, or learn your prayer in words, saith one, or else 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 God will not hear you: Look off your Book, and read not or learn not the words, saith another, or God will not hear you. But oh lamentable, that both of them tremble, not thus to abuse God, and add unto his Word, and to prophesy or speak falsely against their brethren in his Name; nor to reproach the prayers which Christ presenteth from his servants to the Father, and which (notwithstanding their defects) are his delight!

Direct. 3. Offer God nothing as worship, which is contrary to the perfection of his Nature, as far as you can avoid it: And yet feign not that to be contrary to his nature which he commandeth. For then it is certain that you misunderstand either his nature or command.

Direct. 4. Never come to the Father but by the Son ; and dream not of any immediate access of a sinner unto God, but wholly trust in Christ's mediation. Receive the Fathers will from Christ your Teacher, and his commands from Christ your King, and all his mercies from Christ your Head, and the Treasury of the Church, and your continual Intercessor with God in Heaven. And put all your prayers, praises, duties, alms, into his hand; that through him alone they may be accepted of God.

Direct. 5. Understand well how far the Scripture is a particular Rule (as to the substance of God's Worship) and how far it is only a general Rule (as to the circumstances) that so you may neither offer God a Worship which he will not accept; nor yet reject or oppose all those circumstances as unlawful, which are warranted by his general commands: (Of which I have said enough elsewhere.)

Direct. 6. Look first and most to the exercise of inward grace, and to the spiritual part of Worship (for God will be worshiped in spirit, and in truth, and hateth the Hypocrite, who offereth him a carcass, or empty shell, and ceremony, and pomp, or length of words, instead of substance; and draweth near him with the lips, without the heart:) And yet in the second place, look carefully also to your words, and order, and outward behavior of the body: For God must be honored with soul and body. And order and reverend solemnity is both a help to the affections of the soul, and a fit expression of them.

Never forget that hypocritical dead formality, and ignorant, self-conceited, fanatical extravagancies, are the two extremes by which the Devil hath labored in all ages, to turn Christ's Worship against him, and to destroy the Church and Religion by such false Religiousness.

The poor Popish Formalists on one side, mortify Religion, and turn it into a carcass, and a comely Image that hath anything save life. And the Fanatics on the other side, do call all the enormities of their proud and blustering fancies by the name of spiritual devotion ; and do their worst to make Christianity to seem a ridiculous fancy to the world: Escape both these extremes, as ever you will escape the dishonoring of God, the dividing, and disturbing, and corrupting of the Church, the deluding of others, and the disappointing and deceiving of yourselves.

Direct. 7. Neglect not any helps which you can have, by the excellent gifts of any of Christ's Ministers or flocks; and yet take heed that through prejudice, or for the faults of either, you vilify or reject nothing which is of God. But carefully distinguish between Christ's and theirs.

Communion with the holiest and purest Assemblies, is more desirable than with the less pure. But yet all that is less desirable comparatively, is not simply unlawful, nor to be rejected: The labors of an abler and more faithful Minister, are much to be preferred before theirs that are less able and faithful: For God worketh usually according to the aptitude of the means, and of the receiver. To the recovery and salvation of a soul it is necessary, 1. That the Understanding be made wise: 2. That the Heart or Will be sanctified by Love. 3. That the Life be holy and obedient.

To the first of these there are three things needful; 1. That the Understanding be awakened: 2. That it be illuminated : 3. That it be preserved from the seduction of temptations to deceit.

Now an able and faithful Pastor is suited to all these effects: 1. He is a lively Preacher to awaken the understanding: He is a clear, intelligent, methodical and convincing Teacher, to illuminate it: 3. He can confute gainsayers, and refute objections, and shame the cavils of tempters and deceivers to preserve it.

And 2 He speaketh all from the unfeigned Love of God and men ; and as all his words do breathe forth Love ; so they art apt to kindle such love in the hearers: For every active nature tendeth to propagation.

3. And the holiness of his life, as well as doctrine, tendeth to win the people to a holy life: So that he that loveth his own soul, must not be indifferent what Pastor he chooseth for the help and conduct of his soul; but should most carefully seek to get the best or fittest for such necessary ends.

But yet it followeth not that a weaker or worse may not be heard, or may not be accepted or submitted to, in a case of necessity; when a better cannot be had, without more disturbance and hurt than the benefits are like to recompense. And when we live under such a weak, or cold, or faulty Pastor, our care must be so much the greater, that we may make up that in the diligence of our attention, which is wanting in his manner of expression; and that we make up that in a care of our own souls, which is wanting in his care: And that our knowledge of his failings tempt us not to slight the truth which he delivereth; and that we reject not the matter for the manner: The Sheep of Christ do know his voice, and they know his words, and reverence and love them, from what mou • h soever they proceed. A Religious z • alous man that preacheth false doctrine, is more to be avoided, than a cold or scandalous man who preacheth the truth. If you doubt of this, observe these texts.

Matth. 23.2, 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat; All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye after their works, for they say and do not.

Acts 1.17. For he (Judas) was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this Ministry. Judas the thief and traitor was an Apostle, called and sent out by Jesus Christ.

Phil. 1.15, &c. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of good will. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affl • ction to my bonds—what then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached, and I do therein rejoice, yea and will rejoice—

Rom. 16.17. Now I beseech you brethren, Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them—

Acts 20.30. Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them.

Gal. 1.7, 8. If we or an Angel from Heaven bring another Gospel, let him be accursed—

Is not all this a plain decision of the case?

Direct. 8. While you prefer local communion with the purest Churches, and • est taught and ordered, for your own edification, take heed that you disown not a distant and mental communion with any part of the Church of Christ on earth, which Christ himself disowneth not. But first remember that you are members of the Universal Church, and as such in mental communion with the whole, present yourselves and services to Christ; and next as members of your Particular Church.

It is true, that you must not own the corruptions of any Church, or of any of their Worship; but you must own the Church itself, and own all the substance of the Worship which is good, and which God owneth. God doth not reject the matter for the manner, nor the whole, for a faulty part, where the heart is sincere that offereth it: nor no more must you. And if they force you not to any actual sin (as by false speaking, subscribing, or the like) you must sometimes also locally join with such Churches, when occasion requireth it: (As when you have no better to go to, or when it is necessary to show your mental communion, or to avoid schism, scandal or offense) As you must not approve of your own failings in God's Worship (as in the manner of praying, preaching, &c. ) and yet must not give over worshipping God, though you are always sure to fail; even so must you do by your communion with others.

And here I would earnestly entreat all those that are inclinable to sinful separation, to think but of these few things.

1. What is more contrary to Christianity than Pride? and what is a plainer sign of Pride, than to separate from whole Churches (and perhaps from most part of the Christian world, for such faults as are no greater than others of our own? and to say, They are too bad for such as you to communicate with?

2. Whether it be not much contrary to that clemency of Jesus Christ, by which he pardoneth the failings of Believers? and which we have need of ourselves as well as others? And whether it be not an horrid injury to our Lord, to ascribe his inheritance to the Devil, and to cast those out of his Church whom he himself receiveth, and to deny so many of his servants to be his?

3. How great a loss is it, to lose your part in all those prayers of the Churches (how weak soever) which you disown? And how can you justly expect the benefit of such prayers?

I would not take all their riches for my part of the benefit of those prayers of the Churches of Church, which some reject because they are extemporate, and others because they are forms, or book-prayers, or imposed ; nor would I take all their wealth and honor, for my part in all the prayers of the Universal Church, which are guilty of more disorders, tautologies, unmeet expressions, and manifold defects, than any that I ever yet heard from those Ministers that pray either by habit or book.

Direct. 9. Take heed both of carelessness and curiosity in the worshipping of God. Avoid carelessness, because it is profaneness and contempt: Therefore watch against idleness of mind, and wandering thoughts, and remember how great a work it is, to speak to God, or to hear from him about your everlasting state.

And yet curiosity is a heinous sin: When men are so nice, that unless there be quaint phrases, and fine cadencies and jingles, or at least a very laudable style, they nauseate all, and are weary of hearing a homely style, or common things: when every unmeet expression, or tautology of the speaker, doth turn their stomachs against the wholesomest food. This curiosity cometh from a weak and an unhealthful state of soul.

Direct. 10. Lastly, Let your eye of Faith be all the while upon the heavenly Host, or Church triumphant: I remember how they worship God: with what wisdom, and purity, and fervor of Love, and sacred pleasure, and with what unity, and peace, and concord? And let your Worship be as much composed to the imitation of them, as is agreeable to the likeness of our condition unto theirs.

There is no hypocrisy, dullness, darkness, errors, self-conceitedness, pride, division, section, or uncharitable contention: Oh how they burn in Love to God? and how sweet that Love is to themselves? and how those souls work up in heavenly Joyes to the face of God, in all his praises. Labor as it were to join yourselves by faith with them, and as far as standeth with your different case, to imitate them. They are more imitable and amiable, than the purest Churches upon earth. Their love and blessed concord is more lovely, than our uncharitable animosities, and odious factions and divisions are.

And remember also the time when you must meet all those upright souls in Heaven, whose manner of Worship you vilified, and spake reproachfully of on earth, and from whose communion you turned away: And only consider how far they should be disowned, who must be dear to Christ and you forever.

The open disowning and avoiding the ungodly and scandalous, is a great duty in due season, when it is regularly done, and is necessary to cast shame on sin and sinners, and to vindicate the honor of Christianity before the world. But otherwise it is but made an instrument of pernicious pride, and of divisions in the Church, and of hindering the successes of the Gospel of Christ.

CHAP. XXII. How to pray in Faith.

PAssing by all the other particular parts of Worship as handled elsewhere (in my Christian Directory) I shall only briefly touch the duty of prayer ; especially as in private.

Direct. 1. Let your heart lead your tongue, and be the fountain of your words▪ and suffer not your tongues in a customary volubility to over-run your hearts. Desire first, and pray next ; and remember that desire is the soul of prayer; and that the heart-searching God doth hate hypocrisy, and will not be mocked, Matth. 6.1, 3, 4.

Direct. 2. Yet do not forbear prayer, because your desires are not so earnest as you would have them. For 1. Even good desires are to be begged of God: 2. And such desires as you have towards God, must be exercised and expressed. 3. And this is the way of their usual increase. 4. And a profane turning away from God, will kill those weak desires which you have, when drawing near him in prayer, may revive and cherish them.

Direct. 3. Remember still that you pray to a heavenly Father, who is readier to give, than you are to receive or ask. If you knew his Fulness and Goodness, how joyfully would you run to him, and cry Abba, Father? John 20.17. Luke 12.30, 32. Mark 11.25. Matth. 6.8, 32.

Direct. 4. Go boldly to him in the Name of Christ alone. Remember that he is the only Way and Mediator. When guilt and conscience would drive you back, believe the sufficiency of his sacrifice and atonement. When your weakness and unworthiness would discourage you, remember that no one is so worthy, as to be accepted by God on any other terms, than Christ's Mediation. Come boldly then to the Throne of Grace, by the new and living way, and put your prayers into his hand, and remember that he still liveth to make intercession for you, and that he appeareth before God in the highest, in your cause, Heb. 10.19. Ephes. 3.12. Rom. 5.2. Heb. 9.24▪ & 7.25, 26.

Direct. 5. Desire nothing in your hearts which you dare not pray for, or which is unmeet for prayer: Let the Rule of Prayer, be the Rule of your Desires. And undertake no business in the world, which you may not lawfully pray for a blessing on.

Direct. 6. Desire and pray to God, first, for God himself, and nothing lower; and next for all those spiritual blessings in Christ, which may fit you for communion with him. And lastly, for corporal mercies, as the means to these, Matth. 6.33. Psal. 42.1, 2, 3, &c. Psal. 73.25, 26.

Direct. 7. Pray only for what is promised you, or you are commanded to pray for: And make not promises to yourselves, and then look that God should fulfil them, because you confidently believe that he will do it; and do not so reproach God, as to call such self-conceits and expectations, by the name of a particular Faith: For where there is no word, there is no faith.

Direct. 8. What God hath promised, confidently expect; though you feel no answer at the present. For most of our prayers are to be granted (or the things desired to be given) at the harvest time, when we shall have all at once. Whether you find yourselves the better at present for prayer, or not ; believe that a word is not in vain, but you shall reap the fruit of all in season, Luke 18.1, 7, 8. James 5.7, 8.

Direct. 9. Let the Lord's Prayer be the Rule, for the matter and method of your desires and prayers. But with this difference: It must always be the Rule which your desires must be formed to, both in matter and method. You must always first, and most desire the hallowing of God's Name, the coming of his Kingdom, and the doing of his will on Earth as it is in Heaven, before your own being, or well-being: But this is only a Rule for your General Prayers (which take in all the parts: ) For when you either intend to pray only, or chiefly for some one particular thing, you may begin with that, or be most upon it.

Therefore all Christians should specially labor to understand the true sense and method of the Lord's Prayer (which God willing, I hope elsewhere to open.)

Direct. 10. Be more careful in secret of your affections, than of the order of your words (yet choosing such as are aptest to the matter, and fittest to excite your hearts) But in your families or with others, be very careful to speak to God, in words which are apt, and orderly, and moving ; and to do all with such skill, and reverence, and seriousness, as tendeth (not to increase, but) to cure the dullness, hypocrisy and unreverence of others, Eccles. 5.1, 2. Matth. 6.7, 8, 9, 10, &c.

Direct. 11. Pray as earnestly as if God himself were to be moved with your prayers: Yet so as to remember, that the change is not to be made upon him, but upon you. As when the Boat-man layeth hold upon the bank, he draweth the Boat to it, and not the bank unto the Boat. Prayer fitteth you to receive the mercy; both naturally as it exciteth your desires after it, and morally as it is a condition on which God hath promised to give it: when you pray you tell God nothing which before he knew not better than you: But you tell him that in confession and petition, which he will hear from your own mouths, before he will judge you meet for the mercies which you are to pray for.

In sum, pray, because you believe that praying Believers shall have the promised blessing: And believe particularly and absolutely, that you shall have that promised blessing through Christ, because you are praying Believers, and therefore the persons to whom it is promised.

CHAP. XXIII. How to live by Faith towards Children, and other Relations.

Direct. 1. BElieve God's Promises made to Believers and their seed: (of which I have written at large in my treatise of Infant-baptism.) And labor to understand how far though • e promises extend, both as to the persons and the blessings. There was never an age of the world, in which God did not distinguish the holy seed, even Believers and their Children, from the rest of the world, and take them as those that were specially in his Covenant.

Direct. 2. Let not your conceits of the bare birth-privilege, make you omit your serious, solemn and believing Dedication of them unto God, and entering them into his Covenant.

For the reason why your seed is called Holy, and in a better case than the seed of Infidels, is not merely because they are the offspring of your bodies, and have their natures from you; much less as deriving any grace or virtue from you by generation: But because you are persons yourselves who have dedicated yourselves with all that you have, absolutely to God by Christ: And they being your own, and therefore at your disposal, your wills are taken for their wills, so far as you act in their names, and on their behalf: And therefore when you dedicate them to God, you do but that which you have both power and command to do: And therefore God accepteth what you so dedicate to him. And Baptism is the regular way in which this dedication should be solemnly made: But if through the want of a Minister, or water, or time, this be not done, your believing dedication of your child to God, without Baptism shall be accepted. For it is the substance, and not the sign, the will, and not the water, which God requireth in this case.

Quest. But what then shall we think of the children of godly Anabaptists, whose Judgment is against such dedication?

Answ. Many whose Judgment is against baptizing them, is not against an offering or dedicating them to God. And those who think that they are not allowed solemnly to enter them into Covenant with God, yet really do that which is the same thing: For they cannot be imagined, to be unwilling, to dedicate them to God, to the utmost of that interest and power, which they understand that God hath given them: and doubtless they most earnestly desire that according to their capacity, they may be the children of God, and God will be their God in Christ. And this virtual dedication seemeth to be the principal requisite condition.

But yet as the unbaptized are (ordinarily) without the visible Church and its privileges; so if any be so blind, as neither explicitly nor virtually to dedicate their seed to God ; I know no promise of their children's salvation, anymore than of the seed of Infidels.

Direct. 3. If the children of true Christians dedicated by the Parents will to God, through Christ, shall die before they come to the use of reason, the Parents have no cause to doubt of their salvation.

It is the conclusion of the Synod of Dort in Artic. 1. And the reason is this.

If the Parent and child be in the same Covenant, then if that Covenant pardon and adopt the Parent, it doth pardon and adopt the child: But the Parent and child are in the same Covenant: Therefore, &c.

God hath but one Covenant on his part, which is sealed by baptism (as I have proved at large to Mr. Blake. ) Indeed some are only externally in Covenant with him on their part, that is, they did covenant only with the tongue, and not the heart: And consequently God is no further in covenant with them, than to allow and command his Ministers to receive them into the Visible Church, and give them its privileges; and is not as a Promiser in Covenant with them at all himself, either for inward, or for outward blessings. He hath not one Covenant which giveth outward, and another which giveth inward blessings.

And it is here supposed, that the only condition prerequisite on the Infants part, that he may have right to this Covenant, and its blessings, is that he be the seed of a true Believer, and dedicated in Covenant to God by the Parents will or act. Actual Faith is not prerequired: Seminal grace may be inherent, but 1. Not known to the Baptizer: 2. Nor prerequired as a condition ; but liker to be given by virtue of the Covenant. Nothing else therefore being prerequisite as a condition, it followeth, that as the Parents dedicating themselves to God, if baptized at age, is the condition of their certain title to the present blessings of the Covenant ( viz. that God be their Father, Christ their Savior, and the Spirit in Covenant to operate in them to sanctification, and their sins are all pardoned, and they are heirs of Heaven ) even so upon the Parents dedication of their children to God, they have right to the same blessings; else why do we baptize them, seeing Baptism in the true nature and use of it, is a solemn dedicating them to God, in that same Covenant, and a solemn investing them in the relations and rights of that same pardoning Covenant, and not in any other.

I do not say that all baptized Infants, so dying, are saved, be they the children of Infidels, or Heathens, and remaining their true propriety; nor those that are offered and baptized never so wrongfully, or hypocritically; nor will I stay to dispute for what I have asserted. But 1. I exhort Christians believingly to dedicate their children in Covenant with God in Christ: And 2. To believe that if they so die, that Covenant of Christ forbiddeth them to doubt of their salvation.

Direct. 4. Let your Duty be answerable to your hope: And do not only pray for your children's sanctification, but if they live, endeavor it by all possible care, in a wise and godly education:

Remember that nature, and your dedicating them to God, do both oblige you to this care for their salvation. And that the education of children, is one of the greatest duties in the world, for the service of Christ, and the prosperity of Church and State: And the neglect of it, not the smallest cause of the ruin of both, and of the worlds calamity.

Many a poor, sottish, lazy Professor have I known, who cry out against ignorant, dumb and unfaithful Ministers, as guilty of the blood of souls, and are so religious, as to separate from the Assemblies that have Ministers that are but partly such ; when as their own children are almost as ignorant as Heathens, and they only use them to a few customary formal duties (while they think they are enough against forms ) and turn over the chief care of their instruction to the Schoolmaster. And are themselves so ignorant, dumb and idle ; unfaithful and unnatural to their poor children's souls, as that it is a doubt whether in a well-ordered Church they ought not to be denied communion themselves. They so little practice, Deut. 11.18, 19. & 6.7. Ephes. 6.4, &c.

Direct. 5. If your children live to the flesh in an ungodly course of life, contrary to the Covenant which by you they made, they forfeit all the benefits of the Covenant: And you can have no assurance by anything that you can do for them, that ever they shall be converted (though it is not past hope.) And if they be converted at age, their pardon and adoption will be the effect of God's Covenant, as then it was newly entered with themselves, and not as it was made before for them in infancy.

Direct 6. Y • t because that still while there is life, there is hope, you ought not by despair or negligence to omit prayer, exhortation, or any other duty which you can perform in order to their recovery: And though now they have wills of their own, their salvation is not laid so much upon you, as it was in Infancy, at their first covenanting with God; yet still God will show his love to his servants in their seed; and faithful endeavors are not vain nor hopeless; and therefore it is still one of your greatest duties in the world, to seek their true recovery to Christ.

Direct. 7. If God make your children a scourge, or a heartbreaking to you, bear and improve it as becomes Believers: That is;

1. Repent of your own former sin, your own youthful lusts; your disobedience to your Parents; your carnal fondness on your children; your loving them too much, and God too little; the evil examples you have given them; and your manifold neglect of a prudent, seasonable, earnest, unwearied instructing them in godliness; your bearing with their sin, and giving them their own wills, till they were masterless, &c, Renew your Repentance, and you have got some benefit.

2. Think how unkindly and unthankfully you have dealt with a gracious Savior, and a heavenly Father.

3. Let it take off your affections from all things under the Sun, and call them up the more to God: For who would love a world, where none are to be trusted, and where all things are vexatious, even the children of your love and bowels.

Direct. 8. If they die impenitently, and perish, mourn for them, but with the moderation of Believers: That is, 1. Consider that God is more the owner of your children, than you are ; and may do with his own as he list. 2. And he is more wise and merciful than you; and therefore not to be murmured at as wanting either. 3. And it is an invaluable mercy that your own soul is sanctified, and shall be saved. 4. And the most godly have had ungodly children before you. Adam had a Cain, Noah had a Cham, Isaac had an Esau, David had an Absalom, &c. 5. And if all the godly that pray for their children's salvation must be therein gratified, all the world would then have been saved. For Noah would have prayed for all his children, and they for theirs, and so to the worlds end.

Object. Oh but my conscience telleth me, that it is my own sin which hath had a hand in their undoing.

Answ. Suppose it be so; it is certainly a pardonable sin. Do you then repent of it, or not? If you repent ; as you mourn for your relations ; so you should rejoice that God hath forgiven you. For repented sin is certainly pardoned to you, and pardoned sin to you, is as great cause of joy, as unpardoned sin in your relations is cause of sorrow. Therefore mourn with such moderation, and mixed comfort and thanksgiving, as becometh one that liveth by faith. The affliction indeed is near and great ; and heavier than any calamity that could have befallen their bodies, and is not to be slighted by an unnatural insensibility: But yet you have a God who is better to you than a thousand children; and your cross is but as a feather, if you set it in the balance against your blessings, even the Love of God, and your part in Christ, and life eternal.

CHAP. XXIV. How by Faith to order our Affections to public Societies, and the unconverted world.

Direct. 1. TAke heed that you lose not that common Love which you owe to mankind, nor that desire of the increase of the Kingdom of Christ, which must keep up in you a constant compassion to the unconverted world, viz. Idolaters, Infidels, and ungodly Hypocrites.

It is pitiful to observe the unchristian senselessness of most zealous Professors of Religion in this point: Though God hath purposely put the three public Petitions first in the Lord's Prayer, to tell them what they must first and most desire, that is, the hallowing of his Name, and the coming of his Kingdom, and the doing of his Will on Earth as it is in Heaven ; yet they seem not to understand it, or to regard it: But their thoughts and desires are as selfish, and private, and narrow, as if they knew nothing what the World or the Church is, or cared for neither. Their mind and talk is all of their own matters, for body or soul, or of their several Parties, and particular Churches ; or if any extend his care as far as this spot of Land in Britain and Ireland, or some of the Reformed Churches, they go further than their companions; their selves, and their side or party is almost all that most regard: Perhaps the poor scattered Jews have a few words in the prayers of some; but the miserable case of the vast Nations of the Earth, who seem to be forsaken of God is neglected by them. Five parts in six of the earth are Heathens and Mahometanes: and of the sixth part, the Protestants are but about a sixth, compared with the poor ignorant Abbassines, Armenians, Syrians, the Greek Churches, and the Papists; (to say nothing what the most of the Protestants themselves are.) Yet are almost all these put by, with a word or two, or none at all, in the daily prayers of most Professors: And it is rare to hear any to pray with any importunity for their conversion. Is this men's love to mankind? Is this their love to the Kingdom of Christ? or to God and Godliness? Is God of as narrow a mind as you? Are you and your party all the world, or all the Church? or all that is to be regarded and prayed for?

Direct. 2. Do not only pray for them, but study what is within the reach of your power to do for their conversion. For though private men can do little in comparison of what Christian Princes might do who must not be told their duty by such as I.) Yet somewhat might be done by Merchants and their Chaplains, if skill and zeal were well united; and somewhat might be done by writing and translating such books as are fittest for this use: And greater matters might be done, by training up some Scholars in the Persian, Indostan, Tartarian, and such other languages, who are for mind and body fitted for that work, and willing with due encouragement to give up themselves thereto. Were such a College erected, natives might be got to teach the languages: and no doubt but God would put into the hearts of many young men, to devote themselves to so excellent a service; and of many rich men, to settle Lands sufficient to maintain them; and many Merchants would help them in their expedition. But whether those that God will so much honor, be yet born, I know not.

Direct. 3. Pray and labor for the Reformation and Concord of all the Christian Churches; as the most probable means to win to Christ the world of Heathens and Unbelievers.

If the Protestant Churches were more pure and peaceable, more holy, and more unanimous and charitable to each other, it would do much to win the Papists that are near them: And if the Papists, and Greeks, and Armenians, and Abbyssinians were more reformed, wise and holy, it would do much to win the Heathens and Mahometanes round about them. They would be the salt of the earth, and the lights of the world, and the leaven which must leaven the whole lump: The neighbouring Mahometanes, and Heathens, would see their good works, and glorify God, Matth. 5.16. A holy, harmless, loving conversation, is a Sermon which men of all languages can understand: Thus as Apostles we might preach to men of several tongues, though we have but one. O that the sanctifying Spirit would teach Christians this art, and reform and unite the Churches of Christ, that they might be no longer a scandal, to hinder the saving of the world about them! It is the sense of Christ's prayer before his death, John 17.21, 22, 23, 25. that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me—I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in One, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Direct. 4. Be sure at least that your holy, loving and blameless loves, be an example to these that are about you. If you cannot convert Kingdoms, nor get other men to do their duty towards it, be sure that you do your part within your reach: And believe that your lives must be the best part of your labors, and that good works, and love, and good example must be the first part of your doctrine.

Direct. 5. When you see that the world lieth still in wickedness, and there seemeth to be no possibility of a cure, yet search the Scripture, and so far as you can find any Prophecy or Promise of their conversion, believe that God in his time will make it good.

Direct. 6. But take heed that on this pretence, you plunge not yourselves into any inordinate studies, or conceited expositions of the Revelations, and other Scripture Prophecies, as many have done, to the great wrong of themselves, and the Church of God.

By inordinate studies, I mean, 1. When you begin there where you should end, and before you have digested the necessary greater truths in Theology, you go to those that should come after them. 2. When an undue proportion of your zeal, and time, and study, and talk, is bestowed upon these Prophecies, in comparison of other things. 3. When you are proudly and causelessly conceited of your singular expositions: That when of ten of the learnedest and hardest studied Expositors of the Revelation, perhaps in many things scarce two are of a mind; yet when you differ from them all, or all save one, you can be as peremptory and confident in your opinion, as if you were far wiser, or more infallible than they. 4. When you place a greater necessity in it than there is; as if salvation, or Church-communion lay upon your conceits. Whereas God hath made the points that are of necessity to salvation, to be few and plain.

Direct. 7. When you look on the sin and misery of the world, and see small hope of its recovery, look up by Faith to that better world, where all is Light, and Love, and Peace. And pray for that coming of Christ, when all this sin shall be brought to Judgment, and wisdom and godliness be fully justified before all the world. Let the badness of this world drive up your hearts to that above, where all is better than you can wish.

Direct. 8. When you are ready to stumble at the consideration of God's desertion of so great a part of the world, quiet your minds in the implicit submission to his infinite wisdom and goodness. Dare you think that you are more gracious and merciful than God? Or that it is meet you should know all the secrets of his providence, who must not know the mysteries o • Government, in the State or Kingdom where you live? He that cannot rest in the wisdom, will and mercies of infinite Goodness itself, but must have all his own expectations satisfied, shall have no rest.

And think withal, how little a spot of God's Creation this earthly world is: and how incomprehensibly vast the superior Regions are in comparison of it. And if all the upper parts of the world be possessed with none but holy Spirits, and even this lower earth, have also many millions of Saints, prepared here for the things above, we have no more reason to judge God to be unmerciful, because this lower world is so bad, than we have to judge the King unmerciful, when we look into the common Jail; nor to judge of his government by the Rogues in a Jail, but by his Court, and all the subjects of his Kingdom.

If God should forsake no place but Hell, of all his Creation, you could not grudge at him as unmerciful: And it is a very hard question whether this earth, and the air about it, be not the place of Hell ; when you consider that the Devils are cast down from Heaven, and yet that they dwell and rule in the Air, and compass the Earth, and tempt the wicked, and work in the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.1, 2. Job 1. 2 Tim. 2.26. And that Satan is called, the God and Prince of this world, Joh. 12.31. & 14.30. & 16.11. 2 Cor. 4.4. Ephes. 6.12.

But if it be not the place of final execution, it is the place where they are kept in prison till the great Assizes, and where they are reserved in chains of darkness, to the Judgment of the great day, and where they are tormented before the time, 2 Pet. 2.4. Jude 6. Matth. 8.29.

Look then from this Dungeon, to the glorious incomprehensible mansions of the holy ones; and judge by them, and not by this prison, of the goodness and infinite benignity of God. And if he will give so many obstinate despisers of his grace, a place with those Devils that did seduce and rule them, think not God to be therefore unmerciful ; but behold his mercy in the innumerable vessels of honor and mercy, that shall possess the higher mansions forever.

CHAP. XXV. How to live by Faith in the love of one another, against Self-love.

Direct. 1. LEt Faith first employ you in the knowledge of God: and when you know him who is Love itself, you will best learn of him to love. You will see that that is best, which is likest unto God ; and that is worst, which is most unlike him. And when you consider how universally, though variously, he loveth his creatures, and how he expresseth it, and how he loveth benevolently, because he is good, and loveth complacentially, because also the thing is good which he loveth, you will learn the art of love from God, Rom. 9.13▪ Deut. 4.37. & 7.8. & 23.5. & 33.3. 1 John 3.16, 17. & 4.7, 9, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21.

Direct. 2. Study Jesus Christ aright, and you will also learn to love of him. There you will see Self-denying Love ; which stooped to earth, to reproach, to sufferings, to labors, to death, and spared not life or anything to do good: It is the chief Lesson which you go to School to Christ to learn: And it is as proper to go to him to learn to love, as it is to go to the Sun for light, Rom. 5.8. John 13.34. 1 Thes. 4.9. John 11.36.5. & 13.1. & 15.9. Ephes. 5.2, 25. John 15.12.

Direct. 3. Know God in his Works and Image, and then you will see him in his natural Image, in all men as rational, and in his moral Image in all his Saints ; and then you will see what to love, and why. He that cannot see God in a glass in this world, cannot see him at all, and cannot love him. Remember that it is in his servants and creatures, that he exposeth himself to be seen, and known, and loved, 1 Joh. 2.10. & 3.10, 14. & 4.7, 8, 20, 21. & 5.1. Matth. 25.40.

Direct. 4. Abhor that proud malignant censoriousness, which is apt to make the worst of others, and to deny, and extenuate, and overlook God's graces in them (as the Devil did by Job :) and which can see no goodness in them that are not eminently good. For this is but the Devils artifice, to kill men's love to one another. Though he pretend the honor of Godliness, and the hatred of sin, when he telleth you, [such an one is an Hypocrite, and such an one hath nothing but a form, and no power of Godliness: I can see nothing of God in him; alas, they are poor carnal people;] all is but to destroy your Love. And thus he mightily prospereth in the malignant spirit of separation ; by which he can make you unchurch whole Churches, and unchristen whole Towns and Parishes, and all because that you that are strangers to them, and see not their godliness, or hear of nothing eminent in them. But the world of dividers will take no warning, anymore than the world of the profane. Satan doth deceive them all.

Direct. 5. Abhor therefore the sin of backbiting and evil-speaking ; and when you hear a malignant censurer thus unchristen and unchurch men without proof, behind their backs, if gentler reproofs will not serve the turn, frown them away, and say [Get thee behind me Satan: ] the accuser of the brethren, and the spirit of hatred, maketh it his work in the world to destroy men's love to one another; and he hath no such way to do it, as by making them seem unlovely to one another: And he that persuadeth me that my neighbor is not good, persuadeth me that he is not lovely, and so persuadeth me from loving him, Prov. 25.23. Rom. 1.30. Psal. 15.3. 2 Cor. 12.20. Rom. 14.3, 4, 10, 13. James 4.11, 12. Matth. 7.1, 2. 1 Cor. 4.5.

Direct. 6. Above all, seek to mortify selfishness, which is the great enemy of love to God and man. A selfish man can faithfully love none but himself ; for he loveth all others but for himself: His own opinions, interests and ends, are the disposers of his Love. Therefore he never heartily loveth his enemy: no nor the best, that do not honor him, but seem to slight him. If any should neglect him, or speak hardly of him, or do him any real or seeming wrong, or be of another side, against his party, or his cause, no censures are too sharp, nor no love too little for such a one. And yet these that can love none heartily but themselves, will find that they had no greater enemies than themselves, and that Hell and Earth did not so much as themselves against them.

Direct. 7. Subject yourselves truly to God's authority, and his commands will further Love: For it is the sum of them all, and the fulfilling of his Law, both old and new, Gal. 5.14. Rom. 13.8, 9, 10. John 13.34. & 15.12, 17. Matth. 12.30, 32, 33.

Direct. 8. Remember that Love is the bond, and life, and interest of the Church, and of the world. Without Love the world would have neither unity, peace or safety: What were a family without it? Were it not for Love, men that were not kept fettered in Jayles, or Bedlams, would be as Robbers, or Wolves, or mad Dogs to one another. Were it not for Love, the Church would be crumbled into malicious Sects, that would spend their time in prating and militating against each other; and preach and talk down Love to one another; and would call this devilish work, the preaching of the Gospel, or the worshipping of God ; while they blaspheme him by offering him a sacrifice of hatred and reviling, as they do that offer him a sacrifice of man's blood, Ephes. 4.15, 16. But speaking the truth in Love, you may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in Love.

Yea their own Sects would turn to dust and atoms, if Love, which is there confined, did not solder them together, when it is dead in them as to all others, or as to the most.

Direct. 9. Love is our spiritual health, and Selfishness is our sickness, sin and death. When we fell from the Love of God to our selves, we fell also from the Love of others to ourselves: The individuate creature was contracted in himself, and all together set upon Propriety, and forgot his relations to God and man: And when grace destroyeth this selfish privateness of spirit, it setteth us again in love with God and man together; and the better any man is, the more public spirit he is of, and the less d • fference he maketh between his neighbors interest, and his own (when God and his interest make not a difference.) And this is to Love our neighbor as ourselves ; that is, without the vice of partial selfishness ; not setting up our own interest against his, but equally measuring both by God's; and referring them thereunto, Levite. 19.18, 34. Matth. 19.19. Gal. 15.4.

Direct. 10. Remember that loving others as ourselves is our own interest and benefit, as well as our duty.

And a notable instance it is, how much our duty is our own interest and good ; and how merciful God is in his strictest Laws. As the Love of God is Heaven itself, and sinners that love him not, do damn themselves, and put themselves from Heaven and happiness (and to pardon them, is to sanctify them) even so it is an unspeakable loss and misery which sinners draw upon themselves, by not loving their neighbors, as themselves, but only in a subordination to themselves, and for their proper private ends. I pray you mark but these few particular instances.

1. If I love my neighbor as myself, my very love is my delight and ease. The form of Love consisteth in complacency or pleasedness ; and therefore it must needs be pleasant to everyone that useth it (However bad Love hath bitter fruits. ) And whenever wrath, or envy, or hatred, comes instead of Love, it is my sickness, I feel myself diseased by it.

2. If I love others, others will love me. They are scarce free to do otherwise. You may almost constrain any man to love you, if you love him heartily, and show it plainly, and were within his view to make him see it. All men love a loving nature; but especially if they be loved by such themselves.

3. If I love my neighbor as myself, to do good to him will be as easy and pleasant as to myself. I can ride, and run, and labor contentedly for myself: I can sloop to the most sordid employment for myself: And so I should as easily do for others: Whereas want of Love doth make all tedious that I do, and maketh my duty a continual burden, and too often tempts me to omit it. Love made both Christ and his Apostles to do so much for souls with ease and pleasure, which else they could not have undergone, John 15.13.9. 2 Cor. 12.15. Ephes. 3.17. & 5.2 Col. 2.2.

4. If I love my neighbor as myself, I can as easily suffer anything from him, as from myself. I can easily bear that in myself, as to sight or smell ; the loathsomest sores or ulcers, which others cannot bear. I am easily brought to forgive myself, and to forbear self-hurting, and self-revenge ; and so should I do to others, if I thus loved them. And then how easy would my life be among all the injuries of the world!

5. If I loved my neighbor as myself; if my flesh did want, my mind (which is myself) could never be in want: Because all that my neighbors have is mine, as to my comfort and content. My house is homely, but my neighbors is comely and convenient; and to my mind that is as comfortable, as if it were my own: My Land is small, but my neighbors is large: my grounds are barren, but my neighbors fruitful: my corn is bad, but his proves good: my cattle die, or prosper not, but his do well: I am low and despicable, and no man careth for me; but others are Lord's, and Princes, and honorable: and if I love them as myself, their corn, their cattle, their houses and lands, their Kingdoms and honors, are as much my comfort, as if they were my own. I know these are Paradoxes to dapraved selfish nature; but thus it would be if Love were perfect ; and thus it is in that measure that we love. And should that duty be taken for a burden, which as to my comfort maketh all the wealth, and honor, and Kingdoms of others to be my own?

Obj. If you love your neighbors as yourselves, you must mourn with them that mourn; and all the calamities and sorrows of the world must be yours; which will overcome your joys.

Ans. 1. I am not to sorrow as much as they do sorrow, but as much as they rationally ought to do. And men are not to think that a loving correction, which worketh for their good and salvation, is worse than the snares of prosperity: The brother of high degree must rejoice when he is made low, as well as the brother of low degree must rejoice when he is exalted, Jam 19.10. And why should that be my sorrow, which is his benefit, and should be his joy? If Paul and Silas sing in the stocks, why should not I sing with them? Patience and rejoicing are the duty of all Believers in affliction.

2. The mercies and happiness of everyone that feareth God ▪ is far more than his misery: Therefore his joy and gratitude should be more than his sorrows and complaints. If a man's tooth do ach, and all the rest of his body be well, should not he and I be more thankful for the health of all the rest, than troubled for a tooth? A Believer hath always the Spirit of God, and a part in Christ, and the pardon of sin, and a right to Heaven: And then how much greater should his joy be than his sorrows, and mine also on his behalf?

3. The Goodness and Love of God is manifested to the world more abundantly than his justice and severity. We know of no afflicted Saints but on this spot of earth: And we know of no damned ones, but Devils and wicked men: But we know that the worlds above us are incomparably more vast than this, and that the glory of the celestial Spirits, is far greater than our sufferings and sorrows here: Therefore our joy which Love procureth, should be a thousand-fold greater than our sorrows.

4. And as for the wicked, as the consequent Will of God layeth by compassion; so consequently, considering them as the obstinate final refusers of grace, they are not those neighbors whom we are bound to love as ourselves: For they are enemies to God, and deprived of his Image; and therefore our obligations to mourn for them, are abated (as Samuel's for Saul, when he knew that God had rejected him (1 Sam. 15.35. & 16.1.) And we are obliged to rejoice in the declarations of the Justice and Holiness of God, and the universal benefit which redoundeth from his Judgments, Rev. 18.20. & 12.12. Esther 8.15. So that it still remaineth clear, that loving our neighbors as ourselves, doth entitle us to the comforts of all men's health, estates, prosperity, honors; yea and their holiness and wisdom too; and this without any such participation of their sorrows, as should be any considerable eclipse of our delights; if we do it all regularly, as God requireth us.

6. If I love my neighbor as myself, I am freed from all the trouble of cross interests ; in buying and selling, in trespassing, in Law-suits ; It will comfort me as much if he get by me, as if I get by him: If his bargain prove the better, as if mine did; if he have the better at Law, as if it were judged to myself. Yea all his successes, prosperity, and whatever good befalleth any that I know of in the world, will all be mine.

7. And I shall never be loath by death to leave the world (while I have no cause to fear the missing of salvation) because whatever I leave behind me, will be possessed by such as I love as myself. They will have life, and time, and health, and comforts, and whatever my nature is loath to leave: Therefore whilst I live, why should it not be as comforting to me to think that so many shall live and prosper, whom I love as myself, as if I were myself to live and prosper.

8. Yea, more than so, I have by Love a part in the Joyes of Heaven, before I am actually there. For the Joyes of all those blessed souls, and of those holy Angels, are mine by participation, so far as to cause me to rejoice in their felicity, as if it were my own, as far as I can now apprehend it.

Yea the Glory of the Lord Jesus, and the eternal blessedness of God himself, would rejoice us more than our own felicity, if we loved him as much above ourselves, as we ought to do, we should partake of our Masters joy.

And now judge whether loving God as God, and our neighbors sincerely as ourselves, would not cure almost all the calamities of our minds, and give us a kind of Heaven, and be a cheap and certain way, to have what we can wish in all the world, and even to make all the world our own. And whether it be not sin itself, which is the first part of all men's hell and misery?

Object. But my neighbors meat will not fill my belly; nor his health doth not ease my pain; nor his fire keep me warm.

Answ. The flesh hath got the dominion indeed, when men cannot distinguish between soul and body, between the pain and pleasures of the body and of the mind. I do not say that Love will change the pain or pleasure of your bodies, but of your minds. Your appetites will not be satisfied with your neighbors food, but your minds may be comforted to see his welfare. Your pain is not eased by your neighbors health ; but your minds may be pleased by it, as much as if it were your own, if you loved him as much as you do yourself. And therefore many in a danger have saved the life of a Prince, a Captain, a Parent, a Child, a Friend, with the voluntary loss of their own.

Object. This is all true; but who is there in the world that doth it, or findeth it possible to love another as himself? And how can that be a duty, which is to nature itself an impossibility? Therefore let us first know what this duty is, of loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Answ. Doubtless if it be the sum of the Law, all true Christians do it in sincerity, though not in perfection. And as to the sense of it, 1. You must distinguish between that sensitive and passionate affection, which is in the soul as sensitive, and is common to beasts with men, and that rational appetite, which doth will, and choose, and is pleased according to the conduct of pure reason. The first we doubt not will be still more to ourselves than others; and it is not the use of grace to destroy it, but to rule and moderate it.

2. You must distinguish between Love and outward actions, which are the expressions of it. When our Love is due as much to one, as to another, yet our outward actions may be under a particular Law, which obligeth us to do that for one, which we are not bound to do for others. As to maintain our own children, families, servants, and so ourselves rather than others. And the reason is, because the difference of individuals maketh that fit for one, which is not fit for another; and so maketh every man the fittest chuser for himself, and those that are nearest to him ; and nature instigateth him to the greatest care in doing it: And all good must be done in a regular order, or else confusion will destroy it. And nature maketh this most orderly As every Parish must keep their own poor, and yet must love other poor as well.

3. You must know that Love is formally nothing but complacence (as aforesaid) but Love joined with a will and purpose to do good to another, is called Love of benevolence ; when yet the Love there is one thing, and the doing good, or purpose to do it, is another; and I may in obedience to God, purpose and do more good to one whom I am bound to Love, not more but less.

And now you may see what it is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

1. God must be loved above our neighbors and ourselves; and both must be loved purely as related and subordinate to him, and for his sake. There is a double respect which all things have to God: 1. As they contain that excellency which he hath put upon them, which is some likeness, representation or signification of himself; and is called his Glory shining in the creature; that is, it's derived Goodness. 2. As they conduce to his further service, and may honor him, and please him. Thus all creatures must be loved only as a means, even a means declaring God, being derivatively and significantly good and useful ; and as a means to serve and please him.

2. Therefore this being the formal reason of our Rational Love, must also be the measure of it ( à quatenus ad quantum. ) As it is certain that I must love that best which is best, because I must love it only as good ; so it is certain that that is best which hath most likeness to God, and most of his Glory upon it, and that which is most pleasing to him, and useful to his service. Therefore if my neighbor be better than I am, I must judge him better, and love him better.

3. Though natural self-appetite, and self-preservation, by which all creatures are for themselves only (not feeling the hunger, cold, pain of others) be not sinful, but the effect of creating individuation, yet Reason was perfect, and the Will could perfectly follow Reason, in its complacency and choice, till sin corrupted it: Reason could judge that best which was best, and the Will could love that best which was best. Therefore where ever any of this is wanting, it is sin.

4. The principal part or sum of positive sin, doth consist in selfishness. Man is fallen from the Love of God and man, to himself ; and grace recovereth him from this. Therefore it is, that this duty is not only unperformed, but hardly discerned by unrenewed men: so far as they are selfish, they hardly believe that they should love their neighbors as themselves.

5. To love our neighbors as ourselves, in point of duty, containeth these two things: First, To love them simply according to their goodness, without any hindrance of selfishness or partiality: Not to forbear loving them, because they are not ourselves, or because they are against any inordinate selfish interest or appetite of our own. And also comparatively, to love them in the same degree with ourselves, if they have the same degree of loveliness ; so that it cannot extend to the kind, and the end, • nd reason of the Love, but it must needs also extend to the degree. If I love him less than myself, who is better than myself, I love him not as myself, as to ends and reason.

6. Yea I am bound by this Law to love every man better or more than myself, who is really better, and is so manifest to me: Or else I love him not as myself, that is, on the same true Reasons as I must love myself (for God and the goodness of the object.)

7. But as all men fail in the degree of this Love (and therefore none perfectly keep the Law;) so the sincerity which all God's servants have, doth consist in this; that 1. Our love to others is for God's sake, and for the goodness which he hath endued them with, and the service they may do him. 2. That this God and his service, for whose sake we love them, be preferred before ourselves, and every creature, and loved better than all our sinful pleasures. 3. That our love to them for God's sake and graces be such, as ordinarily in the exercise and effects will prevail ag ••• st our Love of sensual interest and delights ; and will bring us effectually to succor, relieve, and do them good, though to our fleshly loss, when God requireth it. He that cannot love Christ in his servants, better than his carnal pleasures, loveth him not at all sincerely. God's Image and interest in his servants, and in mankind, must be practically more precious to us, and more beloved by us, than all our carnal sinful pleasures. (For as for our own spiritual good, it standeth in such a connection with God's will and glory, and our neighbors good, that I know not how to put them into comparison in the try • l, much less in opposition.) 4. That all carnal self-love and uncharitableness contrary to this, be hated, resisted, repented of, and subdued, and be not predominant in us, against the Love of God and man.

8. The meaning of the Command is not that we shall love our neighgours as we inordinately and sinfully love ourselves; but as we ought to love ourselves; and as we regularly and justly do love ourselves. He that loveth himself too much and sinfully, must not therefore so love his neighbor.

9. He that loveth his neighbor as himself (that is, without selfish partiality, and for the same reasons as he must love himself, viz. for the Image and Interest of God) is obliged by this very rule, to love himself more than his neighbor, when he is better, and more pleasing and serviceable to God. (Therefore he that would warrantably love himself most, must labor to be himself the best, and then he may lawfully do it, so far as his own goodness, and other men's defects are truly known to him.

10. As a Fathers Love may consist with the correction of his children, and self-love with blood-letting, purging, labor, and other unpleasing things; so we may love our neighbors as ourselves, and yet correct and punish evil doers: For sometimes their own good requireth it; and ordinarily the public good requireth it ( poena debetur Reipublicae ) and also God's command requireth it; so that this is not loving ourselves more than our neighbor; but loving him more than his ease, or his favor and loving God, and the Common-wealth, more than him.

11. Our love of our neighbors as ourselves, doth not at all make our natural selfish appetites and senses, or desire of food, health, ease, rest, &c. to be sinful: Nor oblige us to have such natural senses and appetites for others ; but only rationally to equal them in estimation and complacence, and to do them so much good as God requireth us.

12. And it doth not oblige us to do as much for them as for ourselves, for the reasons before all • dged; but to do them good without the hindrance of self interest: That selfishness be not to us as a Bile or Imposthume, which draweth the humors and spirits unequally and disorderly from the rest of the body to itself.

By all this it is evident, 1. That no man hath an inequality in his love to himself and his neighbor, beyond the inequality of goodness, but it is sinful (speaking of Rational Love. )

2. That all Love to out neighbor is not sincere: There is a real Love to them, which bad men may have, which is not the sincere love which God requireth.

3. Every man that loveth another for his goodness and godliness, loveth him not sincerely: For he may have a love to goodness itself, which is not sincere: As if he love his lusts and pleasures more.

4. Every man that doth good to another in Love, doth not therefore sincerely love him. A Dives may give Lazarus his s ••• ps: And the very est sensualist may give another some of the leavings of his fleshly lusts. And though the giving of a cup of cold water to a Disciple, when we have no better to give, doth show sincerity, and shall have its reward (because God accepteth it, according to men's will, and to what they have, and not according to what they have not ;) yet it is certain that an unhappy worldling may give much more. And if Christ had bid him Luke 18.23. sell part, instead of selling all, it's like he might not have gone away sorrowful.

5. It is not therefore the value or proportion of the gift, which is it that must try our love to others, in itself considered; for it may oft fall out that a Widows mite may signify truer charity, than the substance of some others. But it is the prevalency of the Love of God in man, and of man for the sake of God, against our sinful self-love, and carnal interest.

And now I will add a little more evidence, to the principal thing in question, viz. that 〈◊〉 the very degree the Rational Appetite or Will should love another equal with ourselves.

And 1. The forementioned reason is undeniable, that the Will should love that best which is best, and must measure that by the respect which things have to God, and not to our own commodity in the world.

2. No man can deny this principle but by setting up natural self-love or appetite, and making the rational stoop to that, which would infer as well, that we may love ourselves better than God himself; and that our sense is nobler than our reason, and must rule it.

3. We find our own reason tell us much more of our duty in this, than our corrupted wills do follow. The best way therefore to discern the truth, is to treat with reason alone, and leave out the will, till we have dispatched with reason. And you will find that the common light of nature justifieth this Law of God.

1. He that would not confess that it is better he had no being, than that there were no God, or no world besides him, is a monster of selfishness. And if a man say never so much [ I cannot do so ] yet while he confesseth that this should be his desire, it sufficeth to the decision of our present case.

2. He that will not confess that it is better that he himself should die, than all the Church of Christ, or the whole Kingdom die, is unreasonably selfish in the eyes of all impartial men. The gallant Romans and Athenians had learnt it, as one of their plainest greatest Lessons, to prefer their Country before their lives: And is not that to love their Countries better than themselves.

3. For the same reason many of them saw, that it was the duty of a good subject, or a gallant soldier, to save the life of his King or General, with the loss of his own: Because their lives were of more public utility. And the ground of all this was these natural verities.

[ The best should be best loved: Goodness must be measured by a higher rule than personal self-interest: Multitudes are better than one. &c. ]

4. All men acknowledge that a man of eminent Learning, Piety, Wisdom, and Usefulness to the Church or World, should be loved and preserved rather than a wicked, sottish, worthless child of our own. Yea God himself requireth that Parents procure the death of their own children, by public Justice, if they be obstinately wicked, Deut. 21.

5. The same Reasons plainly infer, that I ought rather to desire the life of a much more worthy useful instrument for the Church and State, than my own ; and so to love a better man better than myself, if I be acquainted sufficiently with his goodness.

And if this be all so sure and plain, hence observe,

1. How much human nature is corrupted.

Alas, how rare is this equal Love!

2. How few true Christians are; and how defective and 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 imperfect grace is in the best. Alas! how strange are many Christians to the extent of this duty, and how far are we all from practicing it in any eminent degree?

3. Wherein it is that natures corruption most consisteth; and what is the chief part of the nature and work of sanctifying grace and reformation.

4. Whence come all the oppressions, injuries, persecutions, frauds and cruelties on the earth: For want of loving men's neighbors as themselves: Otherwise how tenderly would they handle one another? How easily would they pardon wrongs? How patiently would they bear the dissent of honest, upright Christians, who cannot force their judgments to be of other men's mould and size? How apt would men be to suspect their own understandings, of weakness, presumption or error, rather than to rave with the fury of the Dragon against all others, who think them to be mistaken? How safely and quietly might we live by them in the world, if they loved their neighbors as themselves? I do not say now, How plentiful would men be in doing good to others? I am but pleading a lower cause, How seldom they would be in doing hurt? But, alas, miserable Britain! It was in thee that one extraordinary Emperor, Alexander Sevetus was betrayed and murdered, who made that Christian precept his Motto, and wrote it on his doors, and books, and goods [ Do as you would be done by. ] In thee it is that Love hath been beheaded, while nothing hath been more acknowledged and professed. If Love be treacherous, hurtful, envious, scandalous, ensnaring and plotting for men's destruction: If Love teach proud and vicious sots, to take themselves for Deities, and Oracles, and all for Vermin that must be hunted unto death, who bow not to their carnal erroneous conceits, and do not with the readiest prostitute consciences, serve their carnal interests and ends: If Love be known by reviling those that are much better than ourselves; and stigmatizing the faithfullest servants of Christ with the most odious character that lies can utter: If it was Love that called Paul a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among the people, and represented Christ as an enemy to Caesar and his followers, as the filth and off-scouring of the earth; then happy age in which we live; and happy they that are possessed with the proud and factious spirit. But if all be otherwise, alas, where be they, and how few that love their neighbors, or betters, as themselves?

5. You see here what a plague sin is to the earth, and how great (a punishment may I call it, or rather) a misery to the sinner, and to the world.

6. And you see how joyful and heavenly a life we should live, if we did but follow God's commands: And what a felicity Love itself is to the soul.

7. And you see by what measure to try men's spirits, and to know who are the best among all the pretenders to goodness in the world. Certainly not the most censorious, contemptuous, backbiters and cruel, that seek to make all odious that are not for their interest: But those that most abound in Love, which Faith itself is given to produce.

Object. All this is true; but still we find it a thing impossible to love our neighbor equally with ourselves: Can you teach us how to do it?

Answ. It is that I have been teaching you in the ten Directions before set down: But it is this which I have reserved to the close that must do the work indeed, and without it nothing else will do it.

Direct. 11. Make it the work of all your lives, by Faith in Christ, to bring up your souls to the unfeigned Love of God, and then it will be done. For then you will love God above all, and love God in all; and love yourselves and your neighbors principally for God: Then God's Image, and Glory, and Will, will be Goodness or Amiableness in your eyes; and not carnal pleasure, honor or commodity. And then it will be easy to you to love that most, which hath most of God. You will then easily see the reason of this seeming Paradox, and that the contrary is most unreasonable. You will then be as Timothy, who had a natural Love to others, as others have to themselves, and who sought the things of Jesus Christ, when all others (even the best Ministers too much) sought their own, Phil. 2.20, 21. You will understand Paul's charge, Phil. 2.3, 4. In lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. You will learn of Christ to take your nearest friend for a Satan, that would persuade you to save or spare yourself (yea your life) when you ought to lay it down for the Glory of God, and the good of many, Matth. 16.22, 23. SELF and OWN are words which would then be better understood, and be more suspected: And the reason of the great Gospel duty of SELF-DENYAL would be better discerned.

Therefore set yourselves to the study of God, especially in his Goodness; study him in his Works, and in his Word, and in his Son, and in the Glory where you hope everlastingly to see him: And if you once love God as God indeed, it will teach you to love your Brethren, and in what sort, and in what degree to do it. For many ways are we taught of God to love one another: Even 1. By the great and heavenly teacher of Love, Jesus Christ: 2. And by God's own example, Matth. 5.44, 45▪ 3. And by the shedding abroad of his love in our hearts by the Spirit of Love, Rom. 5.5. 4. And by this actual loving God, and so loving all of God in the world.

Object. But by this doctrine you will prepare for the Levellers and Friars, to cast down, or cry down Propriety.

Answ. 1. There is a propriety of food, raiment, &c. which individuation hath made necessary. 2. There is a propriety of Stewardship, which God causeth by the various disposal of his talents, and which is the just reward of human industry, and the necessary encouragement of wit, and labor in the world: None of these would we cast down, or preach down. 3. But there is a common abuse of propriety to the maintenance of men's own lusts, and to the hurt of others, and of all Societies: This we would preach down if we could: But it is Love only which must be the Leveller: In the Primitive Church, Love shown its power by such a voluntary community, Acts 4. And all Politicians, who have drawn the Idea of a perfect Common-wealth, have been fumbling at other ways of accomplishing it: But it is Christian Love alone that must do it. Unfeignedly love God as God, and love your neighbors really as yourselves, and then keep your proprieties as far as this will give you leave.

I will conclude with this considerable observation; that though it is false which some affirm, that individuation is a punishment for some former sin (for how could a soul not individuate sin?) And though sensitive self-love, which is the principle of self-preservation, be no sin itself; nor doth grace destroy it; yet the inordinacy of it is the sum and root of all positive sin, and an increaser of privative sin: And this inseparable sensitive self-love, was made to be more under the power of reason, and to be ruled by it, than now we find it in any the most sanctified person; even as Abraham's love of the life of his only Son, was to be subject to his Faith.

And holiness lieth more in this subjection, than most men well understand. And the inordinacy of this personal self-love, hath so strangely perverted the mind itself, that it is not only very hard to convince men of the evil of any selfish principles or sins ; but it greatly blindeth them, as to all duties of public interest, and social nature: Yea and maketh them afraid of Heaven itself ; where the union of souls will be as much nearer than now it is, as their Love will be greater and more perfect: And though it will not be by any cessation of personal individuation, and by falling into one universal soul ; yet perfect Love will make the union nearer than we who have no experience of it, can possibly now comprehend. (And when we feel the strongest Love to a friend, desiring the nearest union, we have the best help to understand it.) But men that feel not the divine and holy love, are by inordinate self-love, and abuse of individuation, afraid of the life to come, lest the union should be so great as to lose their individuation, or prejudice their personal divided interests. Yea true believers, so far as their holy Love is weak, and their inordinate sensitive self-love is yet too strong, are from hence afraid of another world, when they scarce know why; but indeed it is much from this disease; which maketh men still desire their personal felicity, too partially▪ and in a divided way, and to be afraid of losing their personality or propriety, by too ne • r a union and communion of souls.

CHAP. XXVI. How by Faith to be followers of the Saints, and to look with profit to their examples, and to their end.

THE great work of living in Heaven by Faith, I have said so much of as to the principal part in my [ Saints Rest ] that no more of that must be expected here. Only this subject which is not so usually and fully treated of, to the people as it it ought (being one part of our heavenly conversation ) I think meet to speak to more distinctly at this time.

As we are commanded first, to look to Jesus the Author and perfecter of our faith, Heb. 12.2, 3. so are we commanded to remember our guides, and to follow their faith, and consider the end of their conversation, Heb. 13.7. And not to be slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises, Heb. 6.12. To which end we have a cloud of witnesses set before us, in Heb. 11. that next to Jesus whom they followed, we should look to them, and follow them, Jam. 5.10. My Brethren, take the Prophets for an example —

The Reasons of this duty are these.

1. God hath made them our examples two ways: 1. By his graces, making them holy and fit for our imitation. He gave them their gifts, not only for themselves, nor only for that present generation, but for us also, and all that must survive, to the end of the world. As it is said of Abraham's Justification, Rom. 4.23, 24. It was said that Faith was imputed to him for righteousness, not for his sake alone, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe—So I may say in this case; their faith, their piety, their patience was given them, and is recorded, not for their salvation, or their honor only; but also to further the salvation of their posterity, by encouragement and imitation. If all things are for our sakes, 2 Cor. 4.15. then the graces of God's Saints were for our sakes: For the Churches edification it is that Christ giveth both offices, gifts and graces to his Ministers, Ephes. 4.5, 12, 14, 15, 16. yea and sufferings too, Phil. 1.12, 20. 2 Cor. 1.4, 6. 2 Tim. 2.10. I endure all things for the elects sake.

2. By commanding us to follow them, 2 Thes. 3.7, 9. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us —To make ourselves an example for you to follow us, Phil. 3.17. Be followers together of me, and mark them that so walk, as ye have us for an ensample, 1 Cor. 4.16. I beseech you be followers of me, 1 Thes. 1.6. Ye became followers of us, and of the Lord: So well are both examples consistent.

2. The likeness of other men's cases to ours, is greatly useful to our direction and encouragement. If we are to travel in dangerous ways, we will be glad to hear how others have sped before us; and if we were to deal with a crafty deceiver, we would willingly advise with others that have dealt with him. If we be to learn any Trade or Artifice, we would learn it of them who with best success have practiced it before us. If we are sick of any disease, we are glad to talk with them that have had the same, and have been cured of it; to hear what means they used for their cure. In all such cases reason teacheth us, both to observe how others were affected; whether their case and ours were the same; what course they took; and how they sped; especially if they were persons known to us, and the likeness of their case well known; and if they were such as for wisdom and fidelity we could trust: So is it in this great business of our salvation. We have nothing to do, but what many thousands have done before us; nothing to suffer but what they have suffered; no temptation to resist, but what they have been assaulted with, and overcame, 1 Cor. 10.13. and we want no grace, no help or comfort, but what they did attain: And the glory which we seek and hope for, they possess. To look to them therefore, must needs be useful to us in this our wilderness state.

3. And as experience is a powerful Teacher ; so to be the Master of other men's experiences, and so many, and so wise, and in such various cases, and in so many ages, must needs be very useful to us. We that are born in the last ages of the world, have the benefit of the experience of all the world that have gone before us: Therefore is the Scripture written so much historically; that all who are there mentioned, may still be our instructors. Even the first brethren that were born into the world, were so plain a discovery of the nature of sin and grace, and of the difference of the woman's and the Serpents seed, that their history is useful to all generations. And Abel by his faith, and sacrifice, and righteousness, being dead (by malignant cruelty) yet speaketh, Heb. 11.4. He that will but soberly look back to all the worlds experience, may quickly be resolved, whether wisdom or folly, labor or idleness, godliness or ungodliness, temperance or sensuality, furthering the Gospel of Christ, or persecuting it, have sped better at the last, and hath proved best to the actors upon full experience.

I shall therefore here give you some directions how you may believingly follow the Saints. And first observe that the duty hath these parts, which you must distinctly mind; 1. To take them for your examples under Christ, and so to fix your eyes upon them, and look at them, and mind them as examples, must be minded: 2. To improve these examples which you look upon: And that is, 1. For your direction in duty, and for your warning against sin: 2. To your encouragement and consolation.

Direct. 1. Look after them to their end, and consider 1. Whither they are gone: We see nothing of them after death, but the corpse which we leave in dust and darkness: But Faith can attend their souls to glory, and see where they now are; even with Christ, according to his promise, John 12.26. Phil. 1.23. John 17.24, with Angels, and with one another, in the heavenly society, the City of God.

2. What they are doing: And Faith can see that they are beholding God, and their glorified Redeemer, Matth. 5.8. Heb. 12.14. 1 John 3.2. They are loving God with perfect Love, 1 Cor. 12. & 13.1, 2, &c. They are praising him with perfect alacrity and joy; saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, &c. Rev. 4.8. They are so far minding the state of the world, as to cry, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth: And they are waiting in white Robes, till their fellow servants also, and their brethren that shall be killed as they were, shall be fulfilled, Rev. 6.10, 11. They are rejoicing when the enemies of Christ and his Church are subdued, Rev. 18.20. And they shall judge the malignant Angels and the world, 1 Cor. 4.2, 3. And this seemeth not to be only an approbation of Christ's final Judgment: For 1. Judging is very often put in Scripture for governing: As in the book of the Judges, it is said, such and such a one judged Israel ; that is, ruled them according to the Laws of God. 2. And a Kingdom and Reign is often promised to the Saints: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne, Rev. 3.21. Which must needs signify some participation in power of Government, and not only in splendor of Glory. And so Christ expoundeth, Matth. 19.28. Luke 22.30. Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. (And of God it is said, Psal. 9.4. Thou sa • est in the Thrones judging right. ) It is too jejune and forced an exposition of them that say this is spoken only of the power which the Apostles had in their ministration on earth: And as absurd is the other, that it is spoken only of Apostles, Pastors, and Saints, and Martyrs in specie that their successors shall be Popes and Prelates, and great men in the world, and the Saints be uppermost after Constantine's conversion. As if the promise meant only to reward one man, because another suffered for Christ, and God had promised these great things, not to the persons mentioned, but to others that should be their successors; yea as if that Venom then poured into the Church, were all the benediction. And though I know not what changes are yet to come before the final Judgment, yet the Millenaries opinion, who restrain all this to an earthly temporal reign of some Saints for a thousand years, doth seem as unsatisfactory on many accounts. It is most likely therefore that as the wicked (who are now very like them) must be hereafter of the same Region and Society with the Devil and his Angels, ( Matth. 25.41.) And as the godly shall be like and equal to the Angels, Luke 20.36. so we shall be of the same Society with the Angels ; and consequently shall have their employment. And as the Angels have a Ministerial Stewardship or Superintendency over men and their affairs (as many Scriptures fully show) so also shall the Saints: And it is not likely that this is wholly deferred till the resurrection ; but as they have a Glory before that with Christ and his Angels; so they have now their part in this Superintendency before; though both will be greater at the Resurrection. If any say, what use will there be of our superiority, after the world is destroyed? I answer, 1. The Apostle Peter plainly telleth us (though some would force his words into the dark) that we according to his promise, expect a new Heaven and a new Earth, in which dwelleth righteousness. And the Creation groaneth to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. And the Heavens must contain Christ, till the times of Restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets, since the world began, Acts 3.21. 2. And he that said, the Saints shall judge the Angels, seemeth so intimate, that the Devils with the wicked will be in a state of subjection or servitude to them hereafter. Certain it is, that Michael and his Angels shall be the conquerors of the Dragon and his Angels, Rev. 12.7, 9. And that the Serpents head shall be bruised by all the woman's seed, though chiefly by the Captain of our salvation. But this shall now suffice concerning their employment.

3. Behold also by Faith what the departed Saints are now enjoying. And what is said of their place and work will tell you that. They enjoy the fight of their glorified Head, Joh. 17.24. They are with him in Paradise, and therefore also enjoy the sight of the Glory of God: Being absent from the body, they are present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8. They see not as in a glass, as here they did, but with open face. They enjoy the pleasures of a more perfect knowledge of God and all his wondrous works, than this world affords. They are happy in their works, in the perfect Love and Praises of God; and they are filled with the pleasures of his Love to them. This is their fruition.

4. Let Faith also behold what evils they are delivered from. 1. From a heavy drossy body which since the fall hath been an enemy, a prison and fetters to the soul: and therefore they here groaned to be better clothed, 2 Cor. 5.4, 5. Rom. 8.21. 2. From the worlds temptations: 3. From wicked men's malice and persecutions: 4. From sickness, pain, necessities, labors, weariness, and all the troublesome effects of sin: 5. From all troublesome passions, desires, anger, discontent, disappointments, griefs, and cares, and fears of evil. 6. Specially from the fears of Hell, and the doubts of their own sincerity and salvation; and from the desertions of God, and the terrible sense of his displeasure. 7. From the troubles and errors of ignorance, and all our natural imperfection. 8. From the fears of death, which now is more painful than death itself. 9. From the suggestions of Satan, and his malicious vexing disquieting temptations, and from his flattering allurements, which are much worse. 10. From the company, and the tempting or grieving examples of ungodly men. 11. From all sin itself, and all our moral imperfections and defects. 12. And finally from all danger, and fear of ever losing the felicity they possess. These are the immunities of the blessed.

2. When Faith hath seen the Saints in Glory, look back and think next what they were lately here on earth ; that it may help you to compare your state and theirs. And here you will see 1. That they were lately in flesh, as we now are. They had bodies as drossy, as vile, as frail, as burdensome as ours are. It cost them as dear (not as it doth the sensual, but) as it doth the temperate person now to keep them up a while for the service to which they were appointed. 2. They had pains and sicknesses as we have. The souls in Heaven have escaped thither from bodies which have lain as long tormented with the Stone, with Stranguries, Collicks, Gripes, Convulsions, Consumptions, Fevers, and other the most tedious, painful and loathsome diseases, as sober men on earth now feel. 3. Satan was as malicious to them, as he is to us; and to many of them as troublesome: he haunted them with as ugly temptations, to the greatest sins, to unbelief, and pride, and despair, and self-murder, and horrid blasphemy, as he doth any of us. (Yea he did so by Christ himself, Matth. 4.) 4. They met with as many allurements to worldliness, sensuality, pride and lust in the worlds deceiving baits, and flatteries, as now we do; and were fain to proceed every step towards Heaven, by conflict and conquest as we must do. 5. They were in as many wants and straits; in as poor, and low, and despised a state, as we are now: They were tempted to cares, and murmurings, and discontents, through their wants and crosses, as well as we. 6. They have been in dangers, and in fears, and many a time at the brink of death, before it came: and put to cry to God for deliverance in the terrors and anguish of their hearts. Their flesh, and heart, and friends have failed them, and all the creatures cast them off. 7. They have gone through far greater persecutions for the sake of Christ and righteousness, than ever we did: So persecuted they the Prophets before you, Mat. 5.11, 12. Which of the Prophets did not your Fathers kill and persecute? even of them for whom their posterity erected Monuments? Matth. 23.36, 37, 38. We have not resisted unto blood, as many of them did, Heb. 11. The same and greater afflictions which we have undergone, were accomplished on our brethren in this world, 1 Pet. 5.9. We go through the same conflict as they did, Phil. 1.30. We are no more falsely nor odiously slandered in any of our sufferings than they were, Mat. 5.11, 12. 8. They were men of like passions as we are; for so James saith even of Elias, that was carried to Heaven without our kind of death. They had their ignorances, uncertainties, doubts, mistakes; their dark thoughts of God, and that world where they now are. Many of them knew as little of it, till they saw it, as we do now. Many a fearful trembling hour, many a thought that God had forsaken them, and that the day of grace was past, have many of them had as well as we. 9. Yea they were imperfect in all their graces; they had an imperfect faith, an imperfect hope, an imperfect Love to God and man, and many an hour in such groans as ours now are, O when shall we be saved from our darkness and unbelief! when shall we better love the Lord! 10. They had their actual sins also. (Though none that were regnant after conversion) their obedience was imperfect as ours now is. Many of their faults and falls are left on record for our warning. There is not one human soul in Heaven besides our Savior's, that was not once a sinner: They all came thither by a Redeemer as we must do. They had their too great selfishness, Phil. 2.21. They had their pusillanimity and fears of men (as Peter and the Apostles.) They had their sinful controversies, as Paul and Barnabas ; and sinful separations in compliance with the censorious, as Peter and Barnabas had, Gal. 2.16, 17. They had their carnal sidings, factions and divisions in the Church, 1 Cor. 1. & 3. Many a time have they been put to groan, O wretched man, who shall deliver me from this body of death, Rom. 7, &c. 11. They had as difficult duties to go through, as any of us: They were put upon as many tears and troubles, watchings and travels, fastings and self-denial, as the most laborious and suffering Christians now. 12. They had as long delays of the accomplishment of their desires, as any of us. 13. And lastly, they past through death itself, as we must do. They lay gasping on their beds of langu • shing, and death broke in upon every part, and they underwent that separation of soul and body, as we must do: Their flesh was turned to rottenness and dust, and laid out of the sight of man in darkness, and remaineth to this day as common earth.

All this the Saints in Heaven have undergone. This was their case a while ago, who are now in glory. And this was not only the case of some few, but of thousands and millions, and that in the most of these particulars, even of all that are gone before us unto blessedness: It is not we that are tempted first, that are persecuted or afflicted first, that have sinned first, that must die first; but all this host hath broke the Ice, and are safely past through this Red Sea, and are now triumphing in felicity with their Savior.

Direct. 3. Let Faith next look back, and see by what way these Saints have come to this felicity; I mean, by what means they did overcome, and win the Crown. And briefly, you will find, 1. That they all came to Heaven by the Mediation, the Sacrifice, the meritorious Righteousness of a Redeemer, Jesus Christ (either as promised, or as incarnate) none of them were justified by the works of the Law, or the Covenant of Innocency.

2. That their common way was by Faith, Repentance, Love and Obedience; Not by works of Righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed o • us abundently through Christ, Titus 3.5. Even by the triple Image of the Divine perfections, Power, Love and Wisdom, 2 Tim. 1.7. They lived soberly, righteously and godly in the world, and were zealous of good works, looking for the blessed hope which they have attained, Titus 2.14, 15. Knowing that Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, are the sum of saving doctrine and duty, Acts 20.21. And that to fear God and keep his Commandments, is the whole duty of man, Eccles. 12.13. And that the end of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1.5. and that Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

3. They studied the Word of God, or such means of knowing him as God afforded them, in order to the attaining and maintaining of these graces, Psal. 1.2. and sought the Lord with all their hearts, while he might be found, and called upon him while he was near, Isa. 55.6, 10. And did not presumptuously neglect God's helps, and despise his Word, while they trusted for his mercy.

4. They lived in a continual conflict against the temptations of the Devil, the world and the flesh, and in the main did conquer as well as strive. They made it their work to mortify those fleshly lusts, which others make it their interest and work to please, Gal. 5.17.21, 22. & 6.14.

5. They suffered afflictions and persecutions patiently; and being reviled, they did not revile: They loved their enemies, and blest those that curse them, and prayed for those that despitefully used and persecuted them, Matth. 5.44 45. 1 Cor. 4.11, 12, 13. 2 Cor. 1.6, 7. Heb. 11. They would not accept of deliverance from imprisonment, torments and death, upon sinning terms.

6. They endured to the end, and did not fall off and forsake the Covenant of their God, Rev. 2. & 3.

7. Lastly, They did all this by the motive of their hopes of Heaven, and by a confidence in the promises of it, and in a heavenly mind and conversation, as knowing that they did not labor or suffer in vain, 1 Cor. 15.58. 2 Cor. 4.17. 1 Tim. 4.10. Rom. 8.18. Matth. 5.11. 2 Thes. 1.6, 7. Heb. 12.2.

This was the way by which the Saints have gone to Heaven; the only true successful way.

Direct. 4. Consider next what helps and means God gave them for this work, and compare our own with them, and see whether ours be not as great.

1. We have the same natural capacity as they: we are intellectual free agents, made for another world, and capable of all that they attained. There is no difference in our natural faculties.

2. We have the same God to show us mercy, 1 Cor. 12.5, There are divers operations, but the same God, Ephes. 4.4, 5. There is one God, one Lord, &c. even the Lord over all, good to all that call upon him, Rom. 10.12. The same mercy which called them, and waited on them, calleth us, even a God who hath no respect of persons; but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him, Acts 10.37. Though he be a free benefactor, he is a righteous Judge, and he is good to all, and the Father of every member of his Son.

3. They had the same Savior as we have; the same sacrifice for their sins; the same Teacher, and the same example ; the same intercessor with the Father: For though there be divers administrations, there is the same Lord, 1 Cor. 12.5. Ephes. 4.4. For other foundation can no man lay, than him who is the chief corner stone, 1 Cor. 3.11. They all did eat of the same spiritual meat, and drank of the same rock as we do, which is Christ, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. It was the reproach of Christ which Moses in Egypt esteemed better than their treasures, Heb. 11.26. The same Physician of souls who hath us in cure, did cure all them: The same Captain who is conducting us to salvation, is he that saved them. The same Prince of the Covenant, and Lord of life, who conquered death and all their enemies, hath conquered them for us, and is preparing us for life with them. They had no greater, or better High Priest and Mediator with God than we have.

4. They had the same Rule to walk by, and the same way to go, as all we have, Gal. 1.7, 8. & 6.16. Phil. 3.14, 15. The same Gospel and Word of God, in the main, though under various promulgations and administrations: Those before the flood were under the Covenant of the promised seed, made universally to mankind in Adam. Those after the flood were under the same Covenant renewed universally to mankind in Noah. The Israelites were under the same Covenant renewed to them specially in Abraham, with special additions; and after under that Covenant seconded with the Law which was given to Moses: And all Christians after Christ's Resurrection are under the perfected Covenant of Grace, and have the same word of salvation for their rule; even the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God, to the salvation of everyone that believeth, Rom. 1.16.

5. They had but the same Promises in this Covenant to believe, and to assure them of the salvation which they now possess. They had no other charter from God to show, nor any but this universal act of oblivion to trust to for the pardon of all their sins, which we have to trust to for the pardon of ours, John 3.16.18. Mark 16.16. The promise which was made to the Jews, and to their children, was made also to them that are afar off, and to as many as the Lord shall call, Acts 2.39. For the promise that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham or his seed through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4.13. And therefore it was of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, v. 16. That it might appear that God justified not Abraham for any peculiar carnal privilege, but as a Believer, which is a reason common to him with all Believers: To whom also their faith shall be imputed for righteousness, v. 24. Godliness still is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8.

Yea what difference there is in both these forementioned respects, it is to our advantage: we have the most perfected Rule, and the fullest Promises; and we have many Promises fulfilled to us, which were not fulfilled to them in their days, Heb. 11. last. And we are nearer the final accomplishment of all the promises.

6. They had the same Motives to faith, and patience, and godliness as we have: They could have no greater happiness offered them, nor any greater punishment threatened, to drive them from sin by fear: They could have no higher ends than ours; nor any nobler reasons to be religious. The same reasons and ends did bring them through all temptations and difficulties, to everlasting life, which we have also to satisfy us, and to carry us on, 2 Tim. 4.8.

7. The same spirit did illuminate, sanctify and quicken them, which is illuminating, sanctifying, and quickening us. All the most excellent and heavenly endowments and workings of their souls, were wrought by the same operator who is still at work in all the Saints, Rom. 8.9. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.4. We have the same Spirit of Faith, 2 Cor. 4.13. All that are Sons have the same Spirit of the Son, even the Spirit of Adoption, Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.16.26. which is the Spirit of Power, of Love, and of a sound mind, 2 Tim. 1.7. We have the same Almighty Power within us, to destroy our sins, to raise up our sluggish hearts to God, to keep us in his Love, to overcome the flesh, which did all these excellent works in them. We are sealed with the same seal, and are known by the same mark, 1 John 3.24. and are actuated by the same heavenly principle as they were.

8. We are members of the same universal Church, which is the body of Christ: For there is but one body, whatever diversity of the members there be, Ephes. 4.4, 5, 6, 7, 12. 1 Cor. 12. We are members of the same City and Family of God, Ephes. 2.19. We are in the same Ship which conveyed them to the Haven: We are Disciples in the same School, where they learnt the way to life eternal: We are workmen in the same Vineyard, where they procured their reward.

9. They had the same work to do as we have; the same God to love and serve; the same Christ to believe in; the same Spirit to obey; the same things to believe (in the main) the same things to desire and pray for ; the same things to love, and the same to hate ; the same things (in the main) which are sin to us, were sin to them, and the same life of holiness, temperance and righteousness, which is commanded us, was commanded them. They had the same temptations to resist, and the same fleshly mind to overcome, and the same senses, and appetites, and passions to rule; the same enemies to overcome; and the same or greater sufferings to bear, as is said before.

10. They had but the same means and helps as we have (except some Prophets and Apostles, and extraordinary persons in one age:) And what they received of the Lord, they have delivered unto us, 1 Cor. 11.23. We have the same Gospel to to teach us; the same Sacraments to initiate and confirm us▪ the same Pastors and Teachers, for office, to instruct us, Ephes. 4.12, 13, 14, 16. Matth. 28.20. Fasting, and Prayer, and Thanksgiving, and Church-communion, and mutual Exhortation, which are our helps and means, were theirs.

11. The same method of Providence which carried them on, is still on foot for all the Saints, Psal. 145.9, 18. & 86.5. He broke them, and bound them up; he cast them down, and raised them, as he doth us now: He made them contrite, and then did comfort them: He led them through as rude a wilderness, and they had as many wild beasts to assault them, and as many dangers round about them as we have: They had seasons of adversity, and seasons of prosperity; their stormy and their sunshine days; their troubles, which quickened their cries to God, and the gracious answer of those cries; and were led to Heaven in the same course of providence as we are.

12. And, to conclude, the same Heaven is prepared for us, and offered, yea given to us, which they possess. It is ours in right, though our title be not absolutely perfect, till we have finally presevered and overcome: We are heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, having his seal and earnest; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified with him, Rom. 15.16.17. The Kingdom is prepared for all them that love him. Christ prayed for all that the Father had given him; and for all that should believe by his Word, John 17.2, 20, 27. even that they may have eternal life, and may be with him where he is, to see his glory: Whosoever believeth shall not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3.16.

In all this you may see, how like their condition in this world was unto ours, and that our way is the same which all those have gone, that are now past all these snares and dangers, sins and miseries, in the presence of their Lord.

Direct. 5. When you have made these comparisons, think next what an excellent benefit it will be to you, to look thus believingly and frequently to the Saints, that are gone before you into glory. All these unspeakable benefits will follow it.

1. It will much quicken and confirm our faith: As we do the more easily trust the boat, and boat-man, when we see many thousand passengers safely landed by him: And we easily trust the Physician, when we see many thousands cured by him, who were once in our case; so it will greatly satisfy the soul against the suspicions and fears of unbelief, when faith seeth all the glorified Saints, that are actually, saved by Christ already, and have obtained all that we believe and seek: Methinks I hear Enoch, Joshua, Abraham, Peter, Paul, John, Cyprian, Macarius, Augustine, Melancthon, Calvin, Zanchius, Rogers, Bradford, Hooper, Jewel, Grindal, Usher, Hildersham, Ames, Dod, Baines, Bolton, Gataker, with thousands such, as men standing on the further side of the river, and calling to us that must come after them [Fear not the depths, or storms, or streams; trust boldly that vessel, and that faithful Pilot; we trusted him, and none of us have miscarried, but all of us are here landed safe: We were once in storms, and doubts, and fears, as you now are; but it is our diffidence, and not our confidence, which proved our infirmity and shame.] Who would not boldly follow such a multitude of excellent persons, who have sped so well?

2. It will also much confirm our hope (that is, our glad expectation of the Crown) when our apprehensions of it grow dull and slack, and our fear do grow upon us, and we are ready to question whether ever such a happiness will be our lot, the sight of these that are now triumphing in the actual possession, will banish despair, and much revive us: We cannot but think, they were once as low and bad as I, and had as many difficulties to overcome: and why may not I then be as holy and as happy as they?

3. Such a sight will greatly quicken our desires, to attain their happiness, and to go their way: As when worldlings see the grandeur, and honors, and power of Great men (as they are yet called) it maketh them think, how brave a life is this? And as the sensual, when they see their companions in the Tavern, or Gaming-house, or Play-house, or the merry fool-house, as Solomon accounteth it, Eccles. 7.4. do long to be with them, and to partake of their beloved pleasure: so when by faith we see the departed Saints in glory, and think where our old acquaintance are, and the multitudes of wise and holy souls, that are gone before, it will greatly stir up our sluggish desires, and make us long for the same felicity, and to be as near to God as they are.

4. And it will do much to direct us in the way: For we must follow them as they followed Christ. As the history of the Wars of Alexander, Caesar, Tamerlane, &c. will teach men how to fight for temporal tyrannical domination; so the history of the Saints do teach us how to fight against spiritual wickednesses and powers, and how to take the prospering way. It is easy there to find, whether laziness or labor, whether sensuality or spirituality hath always been the way to Heaven? Whether Saints were gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, riotous, licentious and proud, or temporate, chaste, mortified and humble? whether the Saints were the scorners, or the scorned, the oppressors, or the oppressed, the persecutors, or the persecuted; the burdens, or the blessings of the times they lived in: When the world is divided about matters of Religion, and every Party hath a several way, for the Unity, and the Reformation, and the Communion of the Churches, and the right Government, Discipline and Worshiping of God; how easy and safe is it (in the main, and in all things of necessity) to look back and see which way it was that Peter and Paul did go to Heaven by; and what terms they were on which their Union, Communion, Government, Discipline and Worship were performed.

5. The sight of blessed souls by faith, will also increase the Resolution and Fortitude of the mind. Faintness and pusilanimity seize upon us when we look only on the difficulties and dangers: But when we see the thousands that have overcome them all, by the same means which we are called to use; it steeleth our courage, and maketh us resolve to break through all: When we think only how mortal our diseases are, our hearts do fail us: But when all that were cured of the very same, do call to us, and say, [Never fear; there is no disease too hard for your Physician; he hath cured us of the very same, and cureth all that ever trust him, and use his remedies] This will embolden a fainting mind. Therefore in the fore-cited text, Heb. 6.12. It is said, Be not slothful (which there meaneth, such as faint with despondency, despair or fears) but followers of them who by faith and patience inherit the promises. ] When we look on the Saints tribulations for the faith, we are apt to faint (as some do that stand by another that is under the Surgeons hands) Ephes. 3.13. But when we see them in triumph, it cureth our cowardice (and it is they only that labor and faint not, that are crowned, and that reap in due season, &c. Rev. 2.3. Gal. 6.9.) that is, who faint not into cessation, or so as to be overcome. ) Do you think when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, that the Leaders had not the greatest trial? and that it was not an exceeding increase of their courage, who came after in the rear, when they saw most of their brethren safely passed through? Look believingly upon the souls in Heaven, and you will do or suffer anything to follow them.

6. And it will greatly provoke us to diligence in well doing: Look up to your Brethren, and you will mend your pace. If a horse be going towards his Pasture, he will go cheerfully; especially when he seeth his companions there. It will make us pray hard, and meditate studiously, and work laboriously, and watch diligently, that we may be with Christ, where our Brethren are, and receive the end of our faith and labor.

7. And to see our Brethren in Heaven before us, will greatly help us to suffer for Christ, and to be patient in any tribulation which befalleth us. When we see them in glory, we shall source stay to complain of the soulness or narrowness of the way: but look before us, and go on through all. Or if the flesh do repine, and our hearts begin to fail us, it will make us lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make strait paths for our feet, Heb. 12.12, 13. and to gird up the loins of our minds, and be sober, and hope to the end, 1 Pet. 1.13. When we look forward to the end of former sufferers, it will cause us to possess our souls in patience, and to let it have its perfect work.

8. It will much overcome the fears of death: It is no small abatement of them that Cicero, and such honest Heathens had, to think of the thousands of their worthiest Ancestors, and that they were to go the common way of all mankind: But how much more may it encourage a Believer, to think that he is not only to go the way of all the world, through the gate of mortality; but the way also which all God's Saints have gone (save Enoch and Elias ) who are now in Heaven. Thus died all the Prophets, and the holy men of God; yea Jesus Christ himself, before us; that death might be conquered when it seemed to have conquered, Heb. 2.14.

9. It will do much to raise us from hypocritical reserves, and temporizings, and from lukewarmness, and resting in low degrees. When our conversation is with the holy ones above, we shall have upon our minds an ambition to attain to their degrees; and to do God's will on Earth, as it is done in Heaven. It will much incline us to the highest and noblest sort of duty, which the spirits of the just made perfect do perform. He that converseth only with his own sad, tempted, sinful heart, and with tempted, faulty, mourning Christians, may learn to confess, and mourn, and weep, and pray: But he that also converseth with glorified spirits, will be so wrapped up with their heavenly melody, that he will learn and long to love God more fervently, to praise him more cheerfully, and to give him thanks more abundantly for his mercies. Heaven-work is learnt by a heavenly mind, in the use of a heavenly conversation.

10. And to look much at our Brethren that are now in glory, will also fill our lives with pleasures, and make our Religion our continual joy ; and will help us to a foretaste of Heaven on Earth: For we shall as it were take ourselves to be almost with then; and their melodies will be our delight ; and love to them, will make their joys to be our own. And though it is the sight of God and our Mediator by faith, which must be our chiefest hope and joy; yet while we are here men in flesh, yea more when we have laid by flesh and blood, the presence of all the blessed spirits, and heavenly host, will be a great, though subordinate part of our heavenly felicity and delight.

Direct. 6. When you have gone thus far, consider what obligations lie upon you to converse by Faith with your Brethren in Heaven, and to look up frequently to their state and work.

1. Your necessary Love to God requireth it: For as your Love to him must be shown by your loving his Image in your Brethren; so it requireth you, to love them most that are likest God: or else you love them not for his likeness. And it requireth you to love them most whom God loveth most ; and that is those that are likest him, and nearest him. And he that loveth God in his creatures, and loveth any one truly for God, must love the Angels and perfected Spirits best, because they love him best, and are nearest him, and likest to him, and are also most beloved by him.

2. The common nature of Love and Humanity requireth it: For it requireth us to love that best which is best ; (as is said) But the blessed ones in Heaven are better than any here on Earth; and therefore should be better loved.

3. The nature of our Love to the Saints requireth it: For if we love them as Saints and Godly, we shall love those most that are most holy ; and that is the blessed ones above. And if we love them most, we shall certainly mind them, and converse with them by Faith, and not be voluntary strangers to them.

4. It is part of that heavenly conversation, which is commended to us, Phil. 3.20, 21. When it is said, that our conversation is in Heaven, it signifieth that our Burgeship is there, and our interest and great concerns are there, and our dwelling is there, and our trading and thriving business is there, and for it; and our friends and fellow-citizens, and those that we daily trade and converse with, in love and familiarity, are there; even as our God, and our Head, and our Inheritance is there. He never knew a heavenly conversation, that pretending there to know God alone, hath no converse with his holy ones that attend him; and doth not live as a member of their society in the City of God; that doth not with some delight behold their holiness, unity and order, &c.

5. The honoring of God and our Redeemer doth require it, (that we daily converse with the Saints in Heaven:) Because it is in them that God is seen, in the greatest glory of his Love; and it is in them that the Power, and Efficacy, and Love of our dear Redeemer most appeareth. You judge now of the Father by his Children, and of the Physician by his Patients, and of the Builder by the House, and of the Captain by his Victories. And if you see no better children of God, than such childish crying, feeble, froward, diseased, burdensome ones as we are, you will rob him of the chief of this his honor. And if you look at none of the Patients of our Savior, but such lame and languid, pained, groaning, diseased, half-cured ones as we ; you will rob him of the glory of his skill and cures. And if you look but to such an imperfect broken fabric, as the Church on Earth, you will dishonor the Builder. And if you look to no other Victories of Christ and his Spirit, but what is made in this confused, dark, and bedlam world, you will be tempted to dishonor his conduct and his conquests. But if you will look to his Children in Heaven, who are perfected in his Love and Likeness, and to Christ's Patients which are there perfectly cured, and to his Building in the heavenly unity and glory, and to all his Victories as there complete, then you will give him the glory which is his due, Rev. 21. & 22. 2 Thes. 1.10, 11, 12.

6. So also you will dishonor Religion, and the Church, if you converse not with the Saints above. For the reasons last given: For you will judge of the Church, and of Religion, by such imperfect things as here you see, where men turn Religion to the service of their worldly interests and ends, and fight for ambition, faction, tyranny, usurpation, and worldly lusts, under the sacred names of Religion and the Church; and for the pretended Love of Christ, and one another, do tear the Church into shreds, and worry, and hunt, and devour one another: You will be tempted to be Infidels, if you do not here converse with the sincere, humble, holy, charitable Christians and look up to Heaven to perfect souls: And then you will see a Church that is truly amiable, holy, unanimous and glorious in perfect Love.

7. If you look not up to those in Heaven, you will quite misunderstand the providences of God, in the prosperity of the wicked, and the sufferings of the Saints, and the changes that are usually made on Earth: You will begin to think, that sin is safe, and the wicked are not so miserable as they are, nor godly diligence so profitable a thing; you will not know the reasons of providence, unless you can see unto the end: And the ultimate end is not on Earth. But go into the Sanctuary, and take the prospective of the promise, and look to the blessed souls with Christ, and all the riddle will be expounded to you, and you will be reconciled to all the providences of God: You are strange to truth, if you are strange to the triumphing Saints in Heaven.

8. The progressive nature of your faith and godliness requireth it. You are travelling to Heaven, where the blessed are, and are nearer to them than when you first believed: And the nearer you are to them, the more you should mind them, and by Faith and Love be familiar with them: And when you are almost at home, you should be even ready to embrace your friends at the meeting.

9. Your Relation to the blessed Spirits doth require it; and your Christian and ingenuous disposition towards them. 1. Are they not such as were latety near you in the flesh; some of them your dearest companions and friends; and should you causelessly forget them? 2. Are they not not now your friends who love you better than they could do on earth? Doubtless their knowledge and memory is not grown less, to forget you, if once they knew you; but they are like to know much more: And their Goodness being increased, their Love is increased, and not diminished. 3. And you belong to the same Society with them; even to the Body or Church of Christ, whose nobler part above, and inferior part on Earth, do make up the whole. Is it not expressly said, Heb. 12.22, 23. that we are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, and to the general Assembly, and Church of the first born, which are written in Heaven? (that is, to those which as the first born, are most noble, and possessed of the heavenly inheritance, and are there entered inhabitants already:) And to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, &c. And what is it to come to them, but to come, or be joined to that Society, of which they are the nobler part? Will you be Fellow-Citizens with them, and have no communion with them, nor seriously remember them? How can you remember God himself, and not remember those that are his Courtiers, and nearer to him than you are? And how can you think of Christ, and not think of his Body? Or how can you think of his Body, and forget the most excellent and honorable parts? Or how can you remember your selves, and forget your chiefest Friends and Lovers?

10. The very nature of the Life of Faith requireth us, to look much to the departed Saints: The Life of Faith consisteth in our conversing with the things unseen ; as the life of sight or sense is our conversing with things seen: If you love, and think on none of the Saints, but those that are within your sight, you live (so far) but as by sight: Though Faith live not upon Saints properly, but on God, and our Redeemer; yet it liveth and converseth with the Saints: If it work aright, it will as it were set you among them, and make you live on Earth, as if you heard their songs of praise, and saw their Thrones of Glory.

11. The present necessities of your condition in this world, do require you to look much to the Saints above (as is before shown in the benefits recited:) We live here among such persons and things as are objects of continual sorrow to us: And have we not need of some more comfortable company? If you had nothing at home but chiding, and discontent, and poverty, you will be willing of so much recreation, as to be invited to feast sometimes, where there is plenty, pleasure and content. If you lived among groaning, sick or melancholy persons in an Hospital, you would be glad sometimes of merryer company, a little to refresh your minds. Alas, what a deal of sin do we daily see or hear of? and what a deal of sorrow is round about us? What are our News-books filled with, or the daily reports which come to our ears, but sin, and sorrow, vanity and vexation? what is the employment of most of the world? what is it that Court and Country, City, and all Societies ring of, but vanity and vexation, sin and