Spiritual Refining

SERMON XXVII.

THe Text is part of an historical Narration, wherein is manifestly deciphered the envious and malicious disposition of superstitious persons and hypocrites against the pure and upright, for here we have the Scribes and Pharisees, that were reputed the only Saints of the world, because of their outward devotion, quarrelling and contesting with Christ, about the neglect of a superstitious custom. So that you have their impeachment in the 5 ^th verse, Why walk not thy Disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, that eat bread with unwashen hands? They do not say, Why is God's Law, or Moses his Law transgressed? but the tradition of the Elders. The Elders among the Jews had brought in under a specious pretext of piety and religion, many devout customs and religious usages, which they called Sepimenta legis, hedges to the Law of God, but they were indeed Impedimenta, for hereby God's commands were frustrated. Now among other traditions, this was introduced by them, that they did before they went to meals, or when they came home from business abroad, wash themselves. The ground was, lest they should touch anything unclean, and so be defiled unawares; hereupon also it was, that they used frequent washings, as of themselves; so also of Cups, Pots, Vessels and Tables: where by the way we may observe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to signify in the general any washing, and not dipping only, as some contend. If you ask, Why our Savior would not conform to such a tradition, seeing there was no visible appearance of evil in it, neither was it a sin to do so? Chrysostom giveth this reason, because those that are intent to the most necessary and serious matters of Religion, use to neglect, what is superfluous: but we may say, This tradition was used not upon civil respects, for so to wash their hands was comely and decent before they eat bread, but upon religious considerations, hereby worshipping God, and thinking thereby to approve themselves more acceptably to him.

To this Accusation of the Pharisees our Savior answereth two ways:

First, By Recrimination, and then by Positive Information, verse. 14, 15. My Text is part of the Recrimination, which consists partly in application of Isaiah's Prophecy to them, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. This was spoke to the Jews living in the Prophets time, but because they were guilty of the same sin, he extendeth the Prophets speech to all that are guilty of hypocrisy in the like kind.

Again, Christ's upbraiding is partly in the manifestation of the vanity and unprofitableness of such false worship, In vain do they worship me. The Hebrew word is Fear in the Prophet; but because that is many times used for the whole worship of God, therefore it is expounded so here. And although the word in vain is not used by the Prophet Isaiah, yet the Septuagint hath it, and this sense is necessarily implied by consequence.

That it is a vain and unprofitable sign to support and comfort ourselves by, that we are diligent in the worship of God, if not commanded by him.

The Pharisees made their observation of religious traditions to be the eminent ground of all their happiness. In this they placed all their Religion and Sanctity; whosoever concurred not with them herein, was accounted profane and cursed; but how light and empty is all this found, when weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary? And it is wonderful to consider, how in all the ages of the Church, this Pharisaical leaven, hath leavened most persons. Insomuch that God's Commandments have been wholly laid aside, while men's traditions have been admired; So that it is a true Assertion of Augustine's, Sincerus Dei cultus apud paucos est, The sincere and pure worship of God, is but among few. So that the discussion of this Point, will much clear the true Nature of the service of God.

Therefore to be informed herein, consider,

First, That it lieth as a necessary duty upon all to worship and serve God. The Hebrew words and Greek are several and observable, that express this worship, which are exactly handled among the learned; The ground of this worship is, Because he is the Jehovah, who giveth us our being, and all other mercies: It is therefore most natural, and a most indispensable debt to acknowledge him for his supreme excellency herein, and to give him a peculiar and proper worship. Now this worship and service is either internal, or external, or mixed, compounded of both; internal consists in our love of God above all things, Faith and Hope in him, Obedience to his commands, which the Scripture preferreth before all external worship; External is that of adoration and inclination of the body, kissing the hand, bowing the knee, dedicating Temples, Altars, and Offering of Sacrifices; Mixt is compounded of both these, such as calling upon God's name by Petition and Thanksgiving.

Secondly, This worship and service of God is not given to God, because he needs it, or is made more happy thereby. This is a good consideration to debase hypocrites who are so apt to swell and to be secure, because of their worship of God. Thus David doth acknowledge that his good reacheth not to God. God is no more bettered by our worship, then the fountain is, because a man drinks of it; or the Sun, because a man seeth by the light of it. Such do not advantage the fountain, or the Sun, but their own selves. So God hath appointed this worship, not that he might receive good from us, but communicate good to us. Thus God saith, The beasts upon a thousand hills are mine. God there showeth, he needed not their Sacrifices; This is a necessary truth, for hypocritical Formalists to meditate on. Thy worship of God consists not in thy giving to him, but receiving from him. It is for thy own good and advantage that God hath appointed thee to hear, pray, and to be exercised in any godly duty.

Thirdly, Such is the infinite Excellency and Majesty of God, that we are to tremble and greatly to be ashamed of any worship or service we tender to him. The Angels that are not conscious to the least sin in themselves, but are pure above the Sun, that cannot call themselves dust and ashes, yet cover their faces before God. An expression to signify the dazzling Majesty of God in their eyes: Then much more ought man to abhor himself in any worship, and that as he is a creature, though he had nothing but that excellent and pure stamp of holiness, then with what humiliation and self-abhorrency should sinful man stand in the presence of God! It is a remarkable expression in Joshua, Ye cannot serve God, for he is an holy God, Josh. 24. 19. Ye cannot serve him, viz. according to his nature, as his Majesty deserveth. Oh how should such considerations as these work more awful and trembling thoughts upon you, when you are in any worship, why are ye so drowsy, sleepy, dull and careless, when ye are worshipping of God, what high contempt is this?

Fourthly, God only may appoint that worship which he will accept of. The second Commandment containeth all the instituted worship of God, and by what reason Images are forbidden, by the same are also prohibited all parts or means of worship invented by man, though upon specious and glorious titles. Hence are they so often blamed for a way of worship, which they choose of their own heads, and for walking after their own imaginations. The deformity of an Ape lieth in being so like a man, and yet not a man; so doth the loathsomeness of all false worship lie in this, that it imitateth the worship of God, but indeed it is not so. Augustine acknowledgeth that of Socrates, as good and true, God must be worshipped in that way only he hath appointed: And the same Augustine layeth down an excellent position, Erroris hoc est principium, quod quae placent nobis etiam Deo placere putamus; & quae nobis displicent etiam Deo displicere. Nothing though it seem never so good, may be added to God's precepts. Therefore in all worship, look to a warrant, else thy sin is very great. Hence Joh. 4. The Samaritans are said to worship they know not what, because they find not God's appointment for what they did.

Fifthly, Our Savior doth excellently and briefly lay down what is acceptable worship unto him, • ohn 4. 22. Those that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and truth, and as a Father; such worshippers he seeketh for, though he needeth them not. To worship God in the Spirit, is to have a spiritual and holy inward frame of heart in all our addresses to him. This is worshipping of God in a way the most of men are not acquainted with: The Jews and Pharisees were generally ignorant of this; Paul said, Whom I serve in my Spirit. Oh it is an hard matter to have a spiritual man in prayer, hearing and other worship! And indeed this is the soul and life of the service of God. The other way of worship is in truth, which by some is explained against hypocrisy and guile of Spirit; for this God complaineth of, That they drawed nigh with their mouths, but their hearts were far from God. Lastly, as a Father, they must worship, though humbly, yet not slavishly and servilely. Seneca speaketh of the superstitious intimidated person, that while he worships God, he provoketh him, Quem colit, violat.

Sixthly, Howsoever worship of God be commanded by him, yet such is the nature of all moral duties, that the obedience to them is required before any instituted worship. I will have mercy and not Sacrifice. Go and learn what that meaneth, saith our Savior. Insomuch that comparatively to obedience, God is said not to command these at all. And herein Samuel gives Saul a remarkable lesson, Rebellion or disobedience is like the sin of witchcraft. He hath shown thee, O man, what is good, to walk humbly, to do justly, &c. Therefore how diligent and busy soever thou art in outward worship, yet if not obedient to the known Commandments of God, thou canst not be called a true worshipper of God. Consider this, you who live in gross sins of swearing, lyings, filthy lusts, yet what a stir do you make for outward worship and ceremonies not commanded. If so be that God be to be worshipped, why doth thy tongue blaspheme him by curses? Why doth thy body dishonor him by filthy defilements? What hast thou to do (saith God) to take my words in thy mouth, and hatest to be reformed? Oh remember obedience is better then all bowings, inclinations and incurvations of the body!

Seventhly, The heart of man is exceeding subtle and ingenuous to palliate over all false worship: Insomuch that there never were superstitious abuses of the worship of God, but that there have been learned men, and wise men to plead for them. The Pharisees were accounted the only learned, and knowing men of the Jews, yet who more zealous for this traditional worship then they? And thus in Popery for their Altar-worship, Image-worship, all their pompous adoration. What heaps of distinctions have they minted to represent them lawful? Insomuch that Sixtinus Amama speaks of a Papist, that confesseth he had need have ingenium valde metaphysicum, a most metaphysical ingeny, that can understand all those abstractions and precisions which are requisite for the full conception of the manner of their worship. How do they color over their worship of Angels and Saints, by making a twofold religious worship, one primary, as to the fountain of all excellency, and so they acknowledge God only to be worshipped: The other secondary as to instruments and mediators, yet still they hold it religious. But divine worship appointed by God is indivisible, like conjugal love. Hence false worship is so often compared to whoredoms and adulteries, and God's anger to jealousy. Now as it would be no excuse to a married woman, if she commit lewdness with another man, to say, she keeps her primary love to her husband, for that were not lawful, no not in that woman in the story, who yielded herself to the lust of another, to redeem her husband from captivity, though love to her husband put her upon this fact, yet it was not justifiable; so neither can any good intentions, or a loving heart to God's glory and zeal for him, excuse or legit 〈…〉 te any worship he hath not appointed. Take heed therefore of pleading good intentions, and a good meaning in God's worship. Who seemed to be more excusable then 〈◊〉 yet God struck him suddenly dead for that transgression? If people were truly sensible of this, they would not so revile and rage at a Reformation as they do; What is more cheering and rejoicing a true godly man, then to see the pure administration of all Church-worship? And on the other side, nothing doth cut and pierce the heart of a carnal superstitious man more, then to have his superstitions removed: Then they think all Religion is removed with it. Well, howsoever thy intentions are good, as thou sayest, yet God accounts it so much worship done to Devils. It is said of Jeroboam, His worship was to Devils. Alas did the people think so? Were not their intentions for the true God? But God calleth it worshipping of Devils, for all false worship is brought in by the instigation of the Devils.

Eighthly, God under the New Testament hath appointed all his worship in a plain simple way, not to please the eye, or affect the heart, but only to draw out the spiritual exercise of the soul. Insomuch that it is the most difficult thing that can be, not to be offended at the simplicity of God's worship now appointed; I am afraid, saith Paul, 〈◊〉 as the Serpent beguiled Hve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. Paul was afraid of this, the Devil is to be feared more as a glittering subtle Serpent, then a raging roaring Lion: and in nothing doth his serpentine art appear more then in introducing worship that is pompous and ceremonious. As children love to play with babies; so do ignorant, carnal people with an external sensible worship. And the more spiritual any Ordinance, or the administration of it is, the less glorious it is unto a corrupt heart; whereas a gracious heart seeth glorious Majesty in spirituality. Christ's presence in the Temple, expounding, informing and reforming, made the second Temple more glorious then the former, which did exceed in gold and other magnificence. As the painting of a precious jewel hinders the native and proper luster of it. So doth human pomp added to the pure institutions of Christ take off from the innate beauty and glory of them. God indeed in the Old Testament appointed a solemn external worship, full of sensible glory and pomp, but it was because they were infants, and children had rather have a baby then a rich inheritance. Expect therefore in the worship of God, that which may exercise thy faith, heavenly-mindedness, and dependency upon God, which may make a divine impression and stamp upon thy soul, not that which may ravish thy eyes, and thy ears.

In the next place, let us consider, why such men so addicted unto external superstitions, though they much admire themselves, yet are indeed vain men, and lean upon vain props.

1. Because always such persons have the bitterest enmity against true godliness. Our Savior and his Disciples had no greater enemies then these of the Pharisees. Luther had no stouter opposites out of ale-houses and brothel houses, then he had out of the Monasteries and other religious places, as they call them. And observe nowadays, who are more implacable enemies to all godliness and t •• e power of it, then those that dote upon ceremonious worship? who manifest a greater enmity unto a Reformation then such. Shalt thou therefore take delight, and have hope in thyself and ways, when thou art in the first rank of those that oppose true piety: And the reason of this enmity is, because true godliness doth discover the falsehood and hypocrisy of that painted worship, and brings it out of repute in the world, all which is a torment to their galled hearts. How canst thou say thou art godly, who abhorrest, reproachest and persecutest it, where thou findest it practiced?

2. Here is no ground of confidence in these, because they are consistent with the ordinary practice of gross and sinful courses. The Jews cried, The temple, the temple of the Lord, when yet their lives were fraughted with murders, adulteries, and all kind of notorious sinfulness; and this is still to be seen, none so zealous for superstitious ways, as men of corrupt lives, and dissolute conversations; and it seemeth very strange that a man should be so seemingly for God in worship, and yet so really against him in practice. The first Chapter of Isaiah is a most excellent remonstrance against such men, I have your new moons, your sacrifices are as if a dogs hear were cut off. Wash ye, make ye clean. Here you see that which God looks at, is real Obedience: yea God judgeth all such worship a great dishonor to him. And indeed it must needs be so, for such men think God like themselves, Thou thoughtest (saith God) that I was such an one as thyself. God is indeed the God of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob, the God of believers and of holy men, but not the God of Cain, Lamech, Esau and Judas: What blasphemy would it be to entitle God to such. God is God of the living, and not of the dead, in this sense, viz. who are dead in gross and wicked impieties. Know therefore, that notwithstanding all thy worship, thy ceremonious addresses, thou art but a dead corpse, which makes everything unclean it toucheth.

3. If a man may not rely or trust on the instituted worship of God, yea nor on the graces wrought by God's Spirit in us, then much l • sse in a worship of his own. Paul who once put confidence in his strict way of Pharisaism, when converted, accounteth his very graces and holiness, but dung comparatively unto the righteousness of Christ. If therefore the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, be not sanctuary sure enough to flee unto, shall the temple of Baal, or the Image of Moloch, be a City of refuge? If the Sacraments and Ordinances appointed by God are no symptom of thy grace, Can those bowings and incurvations or external Discipline set up by thy own self? If the green tree cannot endure the fire, shall the dry hay and stubble encounter with it? If thy own graces are not helmet strong enough to repel God's wrath, then thy own voluntary worship is but so many cobwebs, when a furious tempest bloweth upon them.

4. These are not to be relied upon, which are vain and unprofitable, and so frustrate of that end we expect. Now the Text saith, In vain do they worship me; other duties commanded by God, though they are not pillars to be leaned on, yet they are not vain. God saith not to Jacob, to seek his face in vain, but all this service is lost labor: Who hath required all these things at your hands. Now of all things to labor in vain in religious matters is the saddest expense of all. After all that zeal thou art never a whit the nearer heaven, thou art no more endeared to God, Thy state is no ways spiritually advantaged: yea though it be a fruitless labor one way, yet it is not another way; for there is a fruit of these labors, but it is bitterness and wormwood, God is more provoked by thee. These false worships will be written down in the catalogue of thy other sins, a drunkard, a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, and a false-worshipper. Now consider that this sin of false-worship, though it be not so condemned by a natural conscience, yet it is far above all sins against the second Table caeteris paribus; for, 1. God is said only to be jealous about this sin. The rage of a man is seen in his jealousy, if wronged therein, he can least bear it. And thus God describeth himself about superstitious worship. That which thou with a great deal of comfort and satisfaction delightest in, is an abomination unto God. Thy lies in thy trade, thy curtain sins do not so offend God, as thy Church sins, those superstitions thou art acting there. 2. It is a sin against the first and second Commandment; yea if our worship be not done as God hath appointed it, it is (as you heard) done to Devils; and hence it is that of all sins God did most remarkably punish the Israelites with captivity and sword, for defiling and corrupting his worship. How then can that be a plea for thee, which will be the greatest plea against thee? Of all blindness, it is most terrible to take your crimson sins for your service to God, and to place Religion in that which is the greatest irreligion.

5. That which is a sad curse and fruit of former sins, that can be little comfort to any man that rightly considereth of things. Thus we say, it's an absurd thing to be proud of clothes, for in that thou needest clothing, it's an argument thou art fallen from integrity and innocence: But in this matter, the curse of God is more wonderful upon thee, for all that admiration and applause of false worship is inflicted upon thee as a punishment, because thou hast not received the truth in the love of it. That Antichristian spirit in Popery, whence is it? to believe a lie for truth; to take Idolatry for Religion, is it not because men are given up to believe a lie? because they loved not the truth And thus our Prophet Isaiah from whom our Text is alleged, speaks of the blindness God had given these idolatrous Jews up unto, that they cannot understand nor know the mind of God: As therefore you have God's judgments upon some to be delivered up to carnal gross sins, which they cannot leave; so there are also some given up to spiritual delusions and superstitions.

6. These of all men are in a most unsafe estate (notwithstanding their security) because they are in a most absolute contrariety and indisposition for receiving of Christ, in whom only our souls have rest. Publicans and Harlots went to Heaven before the Pharisees, why so? because the former were sooner convinced of their sin, their undone estate, and so more willingly flying unto Christ. Come unto me ye that labor, and I will give you ease. But when do we ever hear of such pharisaical spirits burdened with sin? when do such feel the weight and load of it, desiring to be refreshed? The full stomach loatheth the honey-comb. And God filleth the hungry with good things, but the rich he sends empty away. As in God's providence we see he commonly helps not, till all the oil in the cruse be spent, till all outward helps fail. And Christ when he was upon the earth, cured not those diseases, which for the most part could be healed by Physicians; so it is in the work of Justification, the righteousness of Christ is not revealed, but to those that are naked, poor and miserable in their own feeling.

Use. Of Information, Why of all men those are so hardly recovered out of their ways unto Christ, who accustom themselves to false worship, why they are so bitter unto the powerful ways of godliness, why they make such out-cries when such superstitions are taken away: all this ariseth from that self-fullness and self-righteousness they persuade themselves of, by such religious practices. How unacquainted are such with the heavy weight of sin, if they were, how insufficient would they see these plasters for their wounds? They would call them miserable comforters, and throw them away. When do you see any of these lying like the man of Jericho, wounded and half dead, desiring oil to be poured in his wounds: therefore let such be awakened from that desperate condition they are in; let them see they run in vain, they worship in vain, they serve God in vain. Let them tollere & legere, take up the Scriptures, and read those many places that speak against such corrupt worship.

SERMON XXVIII.

I shall take that doctrine for granted which the Orthodox prove against Papists and Socinians, viz. that in this Chapter our Savior doth not as a Law-giver impose new commands, and duties, which were not obligatory in the Old Testament; but doth only vindicate the Law of God from corrupt glosses and interpretations; so that although his doctrine and interpretation was new, through the default of those corrupt traditional Expositions, which the Pharisees had delivered, yet it was not new indeed, for the same duties had always been commanded. Our Savior doth as the Painter, which doth not draw a new image or picture, only varnisheth it over, where the color and beauty was lost; He doth not dig up new fountains, but cleanseth away that earth and mudd which these Pharisees had thrown in. The Lord Christ in this Chapter teacheth excellent and admirable purity and holiness, transcendent not only to Pharisaical glosses, but to all the corrupt opinions and judgments of men, pressing upon us heart-duties above external obedience, and prohibiting inward and soul-sins above outward filthiness. And in the Text, he doth by a vehement asseveration, remove all that reputed righteousness, which dazzled the eyes of the world in those days.

So that in the words you have a necessary qualification for out entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The qualification is in an exceptive expression; Unless your righteousness, &c. By righteousness is not meant that Evangelical righteousness imputed to us, but inherent wrought by God's grace, and therefore called your righteousness, because subjected in us: our holiness is called righteousness, not because we are justified or accounted righteous before God because of it: but because there are all the essential parts of righteousness commanded by the Law, though defective in the gradual intentions thereof.

In the next place there is the necessary requisite to our righteousness, viz. that it doth exceed, abound, as the greek word, or increase and be greater then that [of the Scribes and Pharisee • s] Scribes are named because of their learning, and Pharisees because of their pretended exactness in piety. He doth not say, unless your righteousness be more then Publicans and Harlots, for that would easily be granted, but more then Scribes and Pharisees. Nor, unless it be like and equal to that of the Pharisees, but unless it exceed. This was extremely offensive and paradoxall, and it is, saith Musculus, as if in the time of Popery a Preacher had said, Unless your righteousness exceed that of the Minorites and Carthusians, you cannot be saved; Now the general ground why the Pharisees obedience was insufficient; was because it consisted in an external conformity to the Law, without any inward change or renovation of the heart, as Paul speaketh of himself, that he knew not inward lusts to be sins.

That external moral obedience unto the Law of God, though it be much relied upon by men; yet it is no sure evidence for heaven.

To open this consider these particulars.

First, That by external obedience we mean an innocence or freedom from all gross vices. No drunkard, no whoremonger, no prodigal, &c. For the Pharisees made clean the outside, howsoever inwardly their hearts were dens of thievish Iusts: Now although this innocence be no symptom of grace; yet how many such noisome and filthy weeds grow in Christ's garden! how many such beastly swine are in Christ's sheepfold, sins that should not be named among Christians, are yet practiced and boasted of among them. What comfort and hopes caost thou have in thy conscience, who carriest about with thee such evident plague-tokens of God's wrath? What do such Crows among Christ's Doves? What do such Brambles among his pleasant plants? Depart ye workers of iniquity from Christian assemblies for these know you not: God called you not to uncleanness but unto holiness. Oh that these spots and reproaches of Christianity were once purged away from us.

Secondly, By this moral obedience we mean a fair external conformity both unto the duties of the first and second Table: so that they have the outward lineaments both of piety and righteousness. For thus the Pharisees they were careful about the external worship of God, how zealous about the Sabbath, charging the pollution thereof upon Christ! and as for moral duties among men, had they not excelled therein, they could not have enjoyed such admiration and applause of men. It is true, our Savior made them the worst of men, pulling off their vizards and discovering their pride and covetous ends in all they did: but though they were inwardly ravening wolves, yet outwardly they seemed innocent sheep. Hence our Savior called them hypocrites several times together; If therefore you have a man that is careful in duties to man, faithful in his word, just in his dealings, but neglective of God's worship, a profane despiser of the Sabbath; this man is not to be accounted so much as a moral righteous man, Again, if you see a man strict about the worship of God, in keeping of the Sabbath, in writing and repeating of Sermons, yet unjust and deceitful in his doings, this man riseth not so high as this Pharisaical righteousness. That which must be exceeded is an universal, general conformity unto all the Commandments of God.

Therefore thirdly, That wherein this moral obedience to all the Commandments of God is defective in, is, that it is a body without a soul, a shell without a kernel, a picture without life, there is nothing but an outward shape of righteousness; as for a principle of regeneration, and a new life within, that is wholly absent. Now this was the fundamental miscarriage of the Pharisees, as appeareth by Nicodemus, they were wholly ignorant of original corruption. They believed not that all was carnal and defiled within them, and thereupon saw no necessity of being born again, of having a new nature infused into us, and so become new creatures. And this is the rock upon which thousands split their immortal souls still. They please themselves thus, I live honestly, I do justly to everyone, I frequent the Church, and receive the Ordinances of God, what further thing is there to be done? I thank God no man can accuse me, nor doth my conscience accuse me. But in the mean while, are miserable seduced men, and are at that very time, in the state of gall and wormwood; Paul though he walked with a good conscience, and concerning the righteousness of the Law unblameable: yet when God enlightened his soul, what a heavy doom did he pass upon himself, and called all that dung, which he judged gold once! Therefore herein is the danger of mere moral obedience, that it is like a glorious house without any foundation, a fair apple with a rotten kore, a comely beautiful face with impostumed vitals.

4. This moral obedient man though he comes so far short of heaven, yet is the worlds Saint, and admired by them: for he having only the lineaments and form of godliness, without the power and activity of it, hence it is that he is the more beloved of the world; Whereas if he had the vigorous life of grace, and were zealous for the glory of God, and active to pull down the kingdom of sin and Satan, then all the rage and hat • ed of the world would be derived on him. Look upon Christ and his conversation, there was more righteousness, holiness, patience, meekness, and all loveliness in him, then in the strictest Pharisee: Yet the people generally preferred a Pharisee before him, because the one had but the picture of godliness, and the other the lively expression of it, which is very offensive and troublesome to a carnal heart. Hence the world saith, give me an honest, quiet, peaceable man, that troubleth us not for our drunkenness, wickedness, and debauched courses; but as for these strict, precise, zealous men, what have we to do with them?

5. Although external obedience and outward actions of piety are not to be rested on, yet this external obedience is necessary.

First, Because outward actions are a complement and a perfection of the inward habits of grace; God hath put all the internal habits of grace in the heart, that they might produce external operations in our lives, and when they do so, they attain their ultimate perfection. Aristotle placed happiness in the actions of the soul, not in habits and faculties, because they are not most excellent: It is not therefore enough for a man to please himself with contemplative good affections, but he is also to demonstrate his grace in the powerful operations thereof.

Secondly, Outward acts of obedience are necessary because the commands of God do especially oblige to these. Thus thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and this is his commandment to believe on him: Howsoever therefore that actions are not sufficient, unless they flow from supernatural principles within, and an inward rectitude of the frame of the heart; yet the commands of God do bind to these, as those whereby God is most glorified, it being not the having of a thing so much as the exercising of it, which makes us acceptable to him that employeth us therein.

Thirdly, Outward acts of obedience are necessary, because these do corroborate and strengthen grace within. The frequent exercise of outward duties do greatly confirm the inward principle of grace. Even as it is in sin, the outward acting and daily committing of sin doth increase and inhance the power of sin within. Hence sins we have been long practiced in, become like an old Oak, that is hardly removed out of its place: Such devils as possess us from the youth up, are not cast out without prayer and fasting. Thus it is also in the works of grace, and outward obedience, the more diligent and frequent we are in them, the more doth our inward man grow stronger and stronger.

4. They are necessary in respect of others, Let your light so shine before men, that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven: We ought by our outward conversation to draw on others to godliness, and to give good examples in our externals, that men may not learn from thee to curse, drink, ••• ff at godliness, but to pray and fear God's Name. Thus you see, that howsoever outward obedience be not foundation sure enough to build thy hopes of heaven upon, yet it is necessary in its kind, and therefore the want of this doth discover two kind of hypocrites.

1. Those that are called Nicodemites, who think it enough to keep their heart for God, although they pollute their bodies with any corrupt worship. There have been some who have much pleaded for this, and it's very pleasing to flesh and blood, for hereby we shall always save ourselves, and martyrdom will be a foolish and unlawful prodigality of a man's life: but that place doth wholly cut the sinews of such an opinion, With the heart we believe, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The heart without the mouth is not enough for salvation.

The second sort of hypocrites discovered by external obedience, is professedly disputed against by James. There were some who thought it enough to believe the doctrine of Christ, although no good works flowed from this faith: Now the Apostle doth by many arguments demonstrate the absurdity of such a conceit, and makes this saith no better then that of devils. Shew me thy faith by thy works: saith the Apostle. So that it's a a vain confidence in any man to presume of salvation without external obedience, and good works issuing from faith: for saith and holiness is inseparable, and faith hath a twofold operation, which can be no more disjoined then light and heat in the fire, the one relating 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , within, to Christ laying hold on him, the other 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without, bringing forth godly fruits to eternal life. Though therefore you cannot by the presence of outward obedience necessarily conclude eternal life, yet by the absence of them you may infer eternal death. These things are considerable by way of exposition.

In the next place, consider the sad effect upon that man's soul who deceiveth himself with th • s sign, thinking all that God requireth lieth in such an outward conformi • y.

First, He will never see the necessary of being a new creature; He sindes no necessity of change but in the outward man only: Whereas the main and principal work of grace is that which reacheth to the heart of a man: yea, God beginneth the work of grace first upon the inward principles and affections of the soul, 1 Th. 5. 23. I pray God sanctify you throughout, your whole spirit, soul and body: first spirit, then soul, then body: and thus our Savior pleadeth that the tree must be made good before the fruit can. When the Prophet intended to make the bitter waters sweet, he threw his salt into the Spring as the fountain and cause, which if once sweetened, would make the streams so. It is therefore a woeful condition to live a man ignorant of the heart-change that should be in thee. Thou hast been prephane, but now thy life is changed; Thou didst commit such and such sins, but now thou hast left them, This is well, but if a greater change and alteration hath not been made in thy soul, thou art yet in a state of sin and wrath, 〈◊〉 therefore look about the • , and fear lest God have not wrought such a glorious work within thee as is necessary.

A second sad consequent is the neglect of Christ and all his offices; for as a man is trained up in this external obedience, and thinketh the Law requireth no more, he seeth no need of Christ; He finds not the heavy and weighty curses of the law hanging over him, but is secure and quiet, as if all were safe and well; Come unto me ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease you. Till a man find a load upon his soul, he desireth no ease: Ye are they that justify yourselves, saith our Savior: hence they sought to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit to the righteousness of Christ: so that what Atheis • n doth in respect of God as he is governor of the world, exclude and shut him quite out; the same doth a moral righteousness to Christ, as he is a Mediator, and clothed with righteousness for us; such being full of themselves, they are as if there had been no Christ, as if he had never died for us. These make Christ in vain, his life and death in vain, and all the glorious riches of God's wisdom and grace in the Gospel a mere figment.

Thirdly, Here is this evil effect also, that purity and holiness of heart which God doth especi • lly look at, is quite laid aside; for how can men bewail the inward defilements and foulness of their heart, when they fell them not? how can they desire the purifying and cleansing of the soul, when they see no necessity thereof? Hence all this obedience is but a work of nature, not of the holy Ghost, and so come far short of the excellent frame God requireth.

In the third place let us examine the grounds, why it is no safety to rest upon such outward obedience.

And the first is, From those many causes which may produce this outward righteteousnesse that come short of a true ground: As first, this external freedom from sin may arise only from the restraining providence of God, which as it hath put bounds and limits to the sea, that it overflow not the earth, so also doth stint the corruption of man, that he doth not sin so much as his corrupt nature would carry him to. That every man is not a Cain, a Judas, an Absalom, comes from the mercy of God determining and ordering men's sins. As on the other side, it was from God that so many Romans were endowed with moral virtues in a glorious manner. Abimelech was ready to fall into whoredom, not knowing anything, and God by his providence merely prevented him. Do not therefore presently build thy hopes, because thy life is a good and an honest life. Thou hast not those blemishes and spots upon thee which others have, whence comes all this? is it from grace restraining or grace sanctifying? Is it from the love of God checking thy corruptions, or changing thy heart?

Secondly, If thy righteousness come not thus, then it may be from the sole power of natural conscience and human strength: for although it be true that by the strength of nature we are not able to do anything supernaturally good, but there must be antecedent to such an action spiritual illumination of the mind, and a powerful alteration of the heart: yet those things that are good in a civil, or political sense, and so, good for the matter, may be done by the natural dictates of conscience, such implantations are made in man, that he believeth There is a God, That parents are to be honored and succoured in necessity. Now according to that natural light we have about God and a conscience persuading to it, there may also be a natural prosecution of the same good; But all this is wholly within the sphere of nature, not above it. Art thou then a man doing all the works of moral righteousness? Consider from what stock this groweth, from what fountain this streameth, Doth it arise from any other principle, but merely that of a natural conscience? and if so, this cannot be a plaster to any soar, or a balm to any wound. As good Saints as these grow of themselves in the heathenish parts of the world.

Thirdly, This outward innocence and righteousness may be merely for want of a temptation. The heart is ready enough to conceive such monsters, but these want objects to cause this. We see in Scripture such sins latitant in our breasts, which will break forth by the midwifry of opportunities, that a man before would abhor the very thoughts of them, as in Hazael and Peter. Hence the Disciples were warned by Christ to take heed of drunkenness, a sin that probably the disciples were far remote from, yet for all that occasions might kindle such lust in their hearts; It is not therefore presently to be concluded that all is well, because our lives are unblameable, for it's not from any goodness within, but from defect of matter without. We see the hedges and springs of wood are free from snakes and venomous creatures in the winter time, but it is not because they are not a fit bosom to nourish them, but there wants the Sun-beams to warm and revive them. As godly men many times would do good, but they cannot because they want the objects and opportunities thereof: so also wicked men many times have hearts prepared to do a great deal of evil, but these mad men have not those swords ready whereby they would destroy themselves and others.

Lastly, Therefore may thy conversation be so laudable, because the fear of human laws and punishments, or else God's judgments are like a fiery sword to keep thee off, Rom. 13. Magistrates are a terror to those that do evil, so that many men are not so unclean, unjust, as they would be, because the Magistrates sword affrights them: and truly it's a great mercy, when in a kingdom men are necessitated to do things that are good and righteous; The end of all civil punishments is, that others may see and be afraid, and do no such thing: so that many a man's external conformity to good things is from the laws of the kingdom, wherein he liveth: or if these do not curb him, sometimes the heavy judgments of God impending over him make him, to do his duty. Thus Ahab, when he feared no human laws to punish him, yet he humbled himself and mourned before God, because of God's judgments that were almost devouring him; if then a man's outward Obedience may arise from so many various grounds, and they all rotten and corrupt, What comfort can a man take from it? Therefore unless beyond and above all these, there be an heavenly and supernatural principle within thee, moulding and forming thy outward conversation, thou art not to live quietly in such an estate, but seek out for a redress.

Secondly, External Obedience cannot be ground sure enough to stand upon, because it is not such which doth answer the command of God. There is a twofold Obedience to the Law accepted of by God; The one is perfect without any defect at all; and thus the Law of God is not satisfied by any; The other is true and sincere, but being imperfect the defects are pardoned by Christ. But external Obedience merely, is not that true Obedience required by the Law; I do not say, the Perfect, but the True; and the reason is, because the Law is spiritual, and so reacheth primarily to the hearts and spirits of men; and God calleth for them, yea he rejects all external addresses to him without this; and therefore being this Obedience, this Righteousness, this Piety, is not such as the Law would have; therefore think not to put off thy brass for gold; God is not like old Isaac, that takes Jacob for Esau, he regards not the garments thou hast on, but looketh into thy heart.

Thirdly, Meer outward morality will not afford any comfort, because this is consistent with a professed hatred of, and enmity to the practical power of Godliness. Therefore it's not godliness, for like would never hate like. Yea it's an argument that all that righteousness is but a carnal, earthly, fleshly righteousness, because so opposite unto that which is true godliness; Now experience will abundantly confirm this, that none commonly are such enemies and bitter adversaries to the ways and life of godliness, as those that are mere civil righteous men: What needeth all this zeal, all this forwardness, all this exactness (say they?) Hence they can no more abide a powerful and soul-searching Ministry, then profane wicked men; yea Christ and his Apostles had not such opposition and persecution from profane Publicans, as from those righteous Pharisees.

Fourthly, It is not true Righteousness, and therefore he that thinks himself happy, because of this, is as if a man should judge himself rich, because of a coffer of brass Counters. It is not true, partly because its but the outside only, the external lineaments, There is not the inward soul and life of godliness, partly because this is not the image of God, which properly is true holiness, for the image of God consisteth not in bodily actions, but in the actions of the Spirit after a godly and holy manner. Therefore as in all your earthly commodities you buy, you examine whether it be the right and true commodity indeed, you would not have that which is sophisticate: so do here. Here are in the world many pretences to righteousness; some judge this godliness, some judge that, others think this is enough, others that it is not enough. Let me therefore make a diligent search hereinto. For the word of God that only is the standard to discover what is true, and what is counterfeit.

Fifthly, This is not true grace, because all this external Obedience is done with ease and facility: There is no struggling or wrestling by the contrary corruption, whereas in all godly actions, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, so that we cannot do the things we would. It is in matters of good to be done, as in truths to be believed; if a man assent to a conclusion in Religion, drawn by the mere power of reason, there is no difficulty to believe it, because this is suitable to our nature, but if he do it, because of God's word, then he finds difficulty, for here is a supernatural motive; so if a man do that which is good upon human motives, here is no contrariety in him, but if carried out upon heavenly considerations, then the unregenerate part gain-says.

Use of Instruction, Upon what a weak prop many lean for their everlasting hopes! The Scripture signs and symptoms of grace they have none at all, only they please themselves with false evidences of their own; and as counterfeit pearls do many times glister more then true ones, so false signs of grace many times make a greater dazzling then true ones. We are to bless God that he restraineth men's corruptions, that men are of honest, civil, righteous deportment, otherwise Commonwealths would become robberies, and men would be wolves to one another. Only this is not enough for Heaven; we may say even to such a man, as well as to a profane man, Unless thou beest born again, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: And unless your righteousness be a better then this, there is no salvation for thee.

SERMON XXIX.

HOwsoever the Apostle his scope in this Chapter be much controverted, yet verse. 14. doth manifestly evidence his purpose, which is to take off Titular Believers, who glory in the Name and Profession of Faith from all their confident boasting, if their Faith be not accompanied with an holy and godly life. Some think this dangerous mistake grew from a misunderstanding of many places in Paul's Epistles, where he seemeth only to set up Faith, and makes no matter of Sanctification. Whereupon the reconciliation of Paul and James, these two great Apostles, hath to all seemed very difficult; to others impossible, who therefore have expunged this Epistle out of the Canon.

I will not trouble you with the several ways of Reconciliation endeavored by the learned; That which I shall pitch upon is this, That Paul speaks of Faith in it's relation to Justification, considering it only in that act, showing that Faith only, and no other grace justifieth. James demonstrateth what kind of Faith this is, viz. an actual operative one, which puts a man upon all holy duties. Paul proveth that Faith alone justifieth, and James, that this Faith which doth only justify, is not alone, but accompanied with other graces. Paul argueth against a Pharisee that sets up his own works against Faith, James argueth against a carnal Gospeller or Publican, that thinketh a bare profession will save. Nor is it any wonder that such an error spread, That a man by his Faith only should inherit heaven, seeing even in Augustine's time it was a general opinion, which that Father did with much fear and modesty gain-say, That every Christian, in that he was a Christian, though a drunkard, whoremonger, &c. would be saved?

The Apostle useth several weighty arguments to overthrow such a vain confidence, in all which he doth not derogate from Faith, but discover Presumption.

For in the first place, to show the weakness of such a profession of Faith, he compareth it with a profession of Charity, verse. 15, 16. If one give good words to a brother in need, bid him, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but give him nothing, would not this be ridiculous? So thou believest there is a God, a hell, a day of judgment, but livest in profaneness and impiety, Is not this thy Faith a mockery?

Secondly, He compareth this Faith with that of the Devils, and showeth the Devils go further then such loose Christians; they believe a God and tremble, but so do not many dissolute believers: how Devils believe, and whether an hypocrites faith goeth further then theirs, are noble Questions, but not at this time to be discussed?

Thirdly, He proveth the insufficiency of such a Faith from Abraham's faith, the pattern of all: Abraham's faith that justified him, was a working faith, it made him offer up his only Son, when God commanded him. That very place which Paul brings to prove Abraham was justified by faith, James brings to prove, that this faith was not alone, but working eminently.

Lastly, In my Text, The Apostle argueth à simili, from a similitude, as the Body without the Spirit is dead, so is Faith without Works. By Spirit, some understand breath, and so they think, that as without breath the body is discovered to be dead, so without holy works faith is declared to be dead; and this they do, lest it should be thought, that as the soul is the form of the body, so a godly life should be the form of faith: Whereas indeed by other places, Faith is the form or efficient rather of holiness; and therefore Faith is much rather to be compared to the soul, for it's that which animateth all our actions, and makes them acceptable to God. But we may retain the word Spirit, understanding it of the Soul, for the Apostle doth not consider a man here ad intra, in respect of God and Justification, but ad extra, in respect of others, and the declaration of his Justification. And so the sense, as the body is known to be dead, if we perceive no vital or animal actions flowing from the soul, we perceive it not breathe, stir, or move; so is a man's faith dead, if we see it not demonstrated by effectual operations in the way of grace. Thus as it was in Christ, his Divine Nature, which was hidden, became manifest by those miraculous operations he wrought, that none else could do; so faith is latent in a man, and breaks out in the discovery of itself by an holy life; and in this sense Faith is said to be made perfect by works, viz. declaratively, and by manifestation.

That a divine Faith, or persuasion of the truths in Religion, is not evidence sure enough of our being in the state of grace.

Orthodoxy is not enough for Heaven. To be a good sound Protestant and no more, will not carry us out of the wilderness into Canaan. To have a sound judgment, but an ungodly life, is to be like the Toad, which they say hath a Pearl in her head, but her body is full of poison. It is not enough to say, You thank God you are none of the Heretics or Sectaries, unless also you can say, You are none of the swearers, proud, profane men. We may by experience observe what a strong support this is to many men, when they die, that they die in the true faith, they die no Papists, no Arminians, &c. Now although when errors creep in, as the Frogs once did into Egypt, getting into every house and chamber almost, it be a great mercy to be preserved in the truth, and that also by truth we come to grace; yet because there are too many Solifidians, as the Papists calumniate the Protestants Doctrine, men who rely only upon this, that they are of the Reformed Religion, but yet are not of a Reformed Conversation, it is necessary to drive this Point home to the very heart.

For the opening of it, consider these particulars:

First, That although the word Faith be of a very vast signification in the Scripture, yet this distinction is necessary to be observed; Faith is either taken for the Object which we do believe, or the true Doctrine; in which sense the Apostle calls it one Faith, and Jude exhorts to contend for the Faith. Though Junius very improbably would interpret that of the act of Faith, expressly rejecting that Exposition of the Doctrine of Faith. This was afterwards called Dogmatical and Catholic Faith, or Fides quae creditor; or secondly, it is taken for that act of the soul, whereby we give assent unto truths revealed in God's word, and this is in the heart, not Catholic, but Personal and particular; and in this sense the word is most commonly taken, and this is Fides qua creditor.

Secondly, This Faith thus in the mind and heart of men, is by the Orthodox divided into an Historical Faith, not called so because they believe the Scripture for the Authority of the History-writer, nor because it believeth the History of the Scripture only, for it believeth the threatenings and Promises also, but because the historical part is the greater part in quantity of the object believed. 2. A miraculous faith. 3. A temporary, 4 A justifying: by which division the learned do not distribute an univocal genus into its distinct species, but only grossly lay down this difference, for in a justified person its the same habit of faith that believeth the History, and particularly applieth the promises of Justification, the one being a general act, the other specifical. The Papists scorn at this distinction. To the Protestants, saith Maldonado, Tot sunt sides. quet in Lyra, jesting upon the word Faith: The Protestants have as many saiths, as there be Fiddle strings upon a Fiddle; but the Scripture compels us to make such a distinction; for we read of many who are said to believe in the Scripture, who yet had not a true lively work of grace upon them.

3. To Faith or believing, there are three acts required, Knowledge, Assent and fiducial Application; Hence its usual with the Scripture to describe faith by one of these acts, not excluding but supposing the other, as, This is eternal life, to know thee, &c. Joh. 17. 3. by knowledge is meant the powerful receiving of Christ into our hearts, and herein doth this historical faith come short, because its not so fiducial, and so receptive of Christ, the fountain of life, as it should be; and in this act its said to justify, compared therefore by Divines to the hand, to the eye, to the glass-window in the house that only lets in light; to the navel by which the child in the mothers belly liveth and obtaineth all its nourishment; but we at this time speak of faith in the second act as it is assensitive, and giveth credence to the truths of God.

4. Our assent and persuasion of the truth in matters of Religion, may be either human merely, because of custom, education, and the Authority of the Church: or divine, being inclined and moved thereunto, because of Divine Authority. This distinction is much to be observed, because its to be feared, that most Protestants have no more then a human faith. They believe our Religion upon no more divine ground then Papists theirs, or Turks theirs. It is the Religion of their Fathers, and of the State and Commonwealth wherein they live. Thus you see how in King Edwards days the generality of the Kingdom turned Protestants, and in Queen Mary's Papists, why so? but because their Religion was placed as the Heathens did Fortune upon a round Globe, which quickly moved this way, and the other. But Divine Faith hath this ground, The Lord hath said it. And as a man seeth the Sun by the light of the Sun; so they believe the truths in Scripture, because of that Divine Authority shining therein, I do not therefore speak of an human faith in matters of Religion, but a divine faith, whereby men are enabled upon supernatural grounds to believe the truths of God revealed; for faith is the gift of God, and that in all the acts of it, Knowledge, Assent and fiducial Application, and the Spirit of God doth so enlighten the minds of many unregenerate men, that they believe the word of God, as God's word, and yet for all that, are not in a soul-saving way united to Christ. It may indeed be well doubted, and some Divines incline that way, that no unregenerate man hath so much as an historical faith, as infused by God in them, and acting upon divine motives: only they say, they have an human assent, as we spake of. But because the current of learned men go otherwise, and we see the Scripture expressly saying, that many did believe in him, who yet did not mortify vain-glory, and sinful fear of men, therefore we shall take it for granted, that they have a divine faith, though not justifying.

5. This historical faith, though it be not enough to Justification and salvation, yet it's absolutely necessary, and is to be laid down as the foundation. The ground why men living under the Ministry are damned, is because they have not so much as historical faith. Who hath believed our report? They do not firmly believe that there is a God, that there is an hell, that the threatenings of God are true; for if so, what fear, what great alterations would this make upon them! We see what human faith will do, if a man believeth that he is in such danger, that such enemies lie in wait to kill him, that he is condemned by the Law to death, how restless and troubled is his soul? how much more would the heart of a sinner quake within him, if he did believe That Word of God which doth thus threaten and damn my sins is infallibly true, it will be made good, do I what I can: heaven and earth will sooner fall to pieces then one iota or tittle of it: Whether shall I fly from it? how shall I escape it? These vehement workings of faith would be like fire in his bowels, burning and consuming him, till he be cooled by the blood of Christ. Therefore though this faith be not enough, yet here is no building without this foundation.

6. This historical faith though in some respects it be like that of the devils, especially because of the barrenness and unfruitfulness of it: yet it is in other respects far different: for this faith is an habit infused into the believer, and so wrought by God, but in the devils it's from evident experience, so that it's not a voluntary but a necessary faith, for they being already in torments, and finding part of their torments already inflicted upon them, they are forced to believe there is a God. Now although this be so, yet we may with the Apostle make a comparison of both of them together, and thus far argue, that if the mere acknowledging and believing of the matters of religion were enough, then the devils might be saved as well as such believers.

7. Although faith hath knowledge (for a man cannot believe that which he hath not either evidentiam rei, or evidentiam testimonij at least. The Trinity though it hath not evidence of the thing, yet it hath evidence of the testimony plainly in Scripture) yet that knowledge is not by demonstration, which Philosophers call scientia strictly, and therefore is obtained not so much by disputation as resignation, bringing the understanding into captivity, saith the Apostle: and this should be thought on by these sceptique times, who are busied in knowing but not in assenting, which makes them so fickle and inconstant: Austin said, that not intelligendi vivacitas, but credendi simplicitas tutam facit turbam; but how many like those Valentinians Irenaeus speaks of are puffed up with arrogancy and pride in knowledge, as if they could number the hair of a man's head, and tell the stars in the heavens, or the sand on the sea shore!

Lastly, It cannot be denied but that the Scripture doth attribute salvation in some places even to this historical faith, Mat. 9, 28. Christ required only of that blind man, a faith that he was able to help him; so Luke 7. 9. Mat. 8. 10. The faith of the Centurion so much commended, seemeth only to be of the historical truth of Christ's Divinity and omnipotency. Peters faith which Christ so praised, was only, Thou art the Son of the living God: so Martha's faith, Joh. 11. 26. and that is remarkable, 1 John 5. 1. Everyone that believeth that Jesus is Christ, is born of God. These and the like places make Papists conclude that all the justifying faith that is, is to believe these truths only: yea Arminius, and I wish not too many of late, hold this to be saving and justifying faith, when we believe that Jesus Christ is the Mediator, and will save all those that believe in him, and they are not a to say, that Abraham believed no more: I am not now to confute this unsound Tenet; only take notice, That the reason why the Scripture sometimes attributeth salvation to the mere believing of Jesus Christ to be God, was because the only question then was about the person of Christ, not the office of Christ; The godly doubted not whether if he were the Christ he would be a King and Priest to them, but whether he was the Christ or no; and because it was so great a matter to believe him to be the promised Messiah, who was outwardly • o mean and contemptible: Therefore doth the Scripture so much magnify this act. And 2. though the Scripture give salvation to such acts, yet it doth suppose the other, so that we must compare other places with these, and then we shall see, that it is not enough to give a bare assent to these things, but there also ought to be a powerful 〈…〉 ence of this faith into our conversation, These things thus explained, let us consider why such a faith is not enough, that so you may not deceive yourselves. Comfort not yourselves merely in this, I have the true religion on my side: but rather inquire, whether all the concomitants and effects of it also be to be found in you.

Now the deficiency of this faith ariseth several ways. First, The subject wherein it is, This reacheth no further then to the perfecting of the understanding. Whereas full saving faith Rom. 10. is fixed in the heart, with the heart man believeth, so purifying their hearts by faith, and Christ dwells in our hearts by faith; so that faith extending no further then to the understanding, cannot bring that happiness the Word speaks of. A man of a sound brain, but corrupt vitals, will quickly go down to the gates of death. Now this is the general temper of most Protestants, They have no further work then upon their understandings, many times their lives are as noisome as dunghills; Men are Protestants in doctrines, and recusants in lives, because they refuse the yoke of Christ, and will not submit to his Law. Hell is filled not only with Pagans and Heathens, but ungodly Christians: Truth like Aaron's oil must not be poured upon the head only, but run down to the heart and other parts: The Orthodox were called Protestants first, because at the beginning of reformation they made a solemn protestation against those Articles of Popish Religion, which were to be established: but what if thy tongue protest for the truth, and thy life protest against it?

Secondly, There is a defect in its acts, for although this faith carrieth us out to believe it as true, yet not to embrace it as good; Whereas the Word of God is not only faithful, but worthy of all acceptation: It's a frigid exposition to say, that faith it called the substance of things, because it makes them to su • sist in us by way of understanding merely; no, it causeth those things hoped for to dwell in the soul by strong embracements, so that the heart of a man is knitted to them, Abraham believed my day, and rejoiced; The people of God believe, and herein their hearts do all burn within them: It's like the burning-glass, which by its beams sets the prepared object on fire: pray therefore to love the goodness of it, as assent to the truth of it.

Thirdly, There is a defect in the efficacy and power of it; True lively faith will like fire devour all dross, whereas we see the historical believer cannot subdue sin. The Jews though they did believe on Christ, yet they for fear dared not to confess him, because they loved the praise of men more then the glory of God; They believed him to be Christ, but would not be afflicted or persecuted for his sake; so John 2. 23. Many believed, but Jesus would not commit himself to them, for he knew what was in man; but lively faith would make a man like Paul, triumph over all difficulties, because they look upon the things that are not seen: If faith bring Christ, the fountain of grace into a man's soul, that man's life can be no more constantly wicked, then if a man could carry the sun in his hand he could walk in darkness. As therefore the people stood looking upon John as if he were the Messias, and John denied himself to be the Messias, saying, there is one more noble then I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unlose, so do thou say, Though there are these acts of faith, to know, to assent to God's truths; yet there are such further noble acts, as that these deserve not the name of faith comparatively, such are, to purify the heart, to justify, to sanctify, to keep from all sin, and to bring Christ to dwell in our hearts.

Fourthly, It is defective in its Concomitants; This Historical faith is not necessarily conjoined with other graces, whereas a true and lively faith can no more be separated from other graces, then light and heat can be divided in the Sun-beams, for true faith is that branch which sucks of the Olive fatness, it uniteth us as members to Christ, and when we are so, it's impossible but that power and life should be communicated to us; Hence all those eminent acts of holiness spoken of Heb. 11. are given to faith, and Gol 5. faith is said to work by love; but Simon Magus had HIstoricall faith, and it was alone, there were no graces to accompany it. Hence we distinguish between faith alone in the subject, and faith alone in the act of Justification. The hand alone receiveth that which is offered to it, but the hand could not do this if it were alone, separated from other parts. Hence it is that Believers and Saints are used promisenously one for another, because true lively Believers can no more be without holiness, then the Sun dark, or the fire cold: Yet for all this, This historical faith is a true faith, and it's the gift of God, even as other common gifts of God's Spirit are: As copper is a true metal though it be not gold. By this means it cometh about that a lively faith is proper to the Elect only. Hence it's called the faith of the Elect; and as many believed as were ordained to eternal life. Oh therefore consider yourselves, you who boast of your faith, you who glory in this, that you change not your faith as others do, make diligent search whether it be not a Simon Magus his faith that leaveth thee still in a state of gall and bitterness, I am (thou sayest) for the doctrine of the Church of England, and art thou also for the life required in God's Word?

Fifthly, The deficiency of it is seen comparatively, with other graces; If a man make a beast of such a grace in his heart, and demonstrate no real effects thereof, is it not hypocrisy and delusion? The Apostle maketh a parallel in charity, which gives good words, fair promises, but exhibits no real comfort: Even such a t • ular believer is a man that assenteth to the true doctrine of Christ, but neglecteth real godliness: faith is called the acknowledging of the truth after godliness; when a man's heart comes to be heated with burning love, as well as enlightened with shining light, this is of sure consequence. All the graces of God have their real effects, they are not barely notional, but as fire doth really burn, gall doth really embitter, so doth grace produce its sensible, and powerful effects, Shew me thy faith by thy works, saith the Apostle: Shew thou believest there is a God by fearing of him, by obeying of him: Shew thou believest a day of judgment by preparing to give an account at that time. All grace is for operation as its perfection, therefore the commands of God are for the acts, not the habits, and we may as well carry fire in our bosoms, and not feel it burn us, as carry true lively faith, and it not cleanse our life.

6. Historical faith if not growing into a saving, lively way, is but a kind of hypocrisy and mocking of God; for to profess that we believe him to be omniscient, omnipotent, that all those terrible threatenings belong to us, and yet we live in those sins that will bring those judgments; what is this but to delude God as much as lieth in us? But be not deceived, God is not mocked: nay we delude, and mock our own souls; for so saith James, If any man seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, he doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , deceive his own soul: put a fallacy upon himself, he argueth a non causâ, procausâ. He thinks this outward profession, this solemn, external acknowledgement is enough, and a good cause of comfort: Whereas it is none at all: God complains of this of old, that men draw nigh to him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. Consider this, you who are apt to judge the people of God that endeavor faithfully to secure him, though subject to many infirmities, hypocrites and deceitful persons; know you are the grossest and most notorious hypocrites that ever were; You profess you believe in God, you love him; you proclaim to the world, that you think there is an hell and heaven, but is not thy life a flat contradiction of all this? only to all this which hath been said, we must add this caution, that while we make historical faith thus separated from a godly life, possible in many men, and that it is in effect a dead faith, because it's not available for those necessary privileges of justification and salvation: yet we lay not any ground for that popish distinction of a faith informis and formata: an informed faith they call a belief of the truths of religion, without any love to them, or of God: a formed faith they call that which is enabled by love, and animated by that to do that which is holy. Thus they make faith of itself a mere speculative apprehension, which is to be molded into obedience only by love. But this is false, for it's true and lively faith that puts us upon loving and doing all for God, therefore called faith that works by love, and I believed therefore I spake. Thus Heb. 11. By faith Noah, Abraham, and all those eminent Saints and those glorious acts of holiness. Therefore faith is rather a form assistant of love and other graces, then they of it: Historical faith when it's formed into obedience, is thereunto enabled not by love but by justifying faith.

Use of instruction concerning the necessity of discovering this false sign. There is nothing more common then to build all our hopes upon this, that we are for the truth. That as the Jews boasted, the law was given to them, and not to other Nations: and therefore thought, though they lived in all wickedness, that would save them; thus do Christians about Christianity: Oh, they believe as well as any; They will live and die good Protestants, not attending to what iniquity may be seen in their lives: but what are thy oaths, thy lusts, thy opposings of godliness? are these signs of a good protestant also? There was one Eunomius a wretched heretic in the Church, and he taught, that whosoever would be of his sect, a disciple unto him, his very faith would be enough to save, though he should commit the most flagitious crimes that ever were; and do not we thus about the true religion? The Antinomian he makes that a dead and dangerous faith, when we do not believe that God seeth no sin in us, and that we are as perfectly righteous as Christ, and therefore chargeth all the godly Ministry and people of England with no more then a dead faith: but we see that is a dead faith in Scripture sense, which doth not enable to all mortification, and godliness: Therefore the Antinomian faith is a dead faith in the Apostles argument: Well then, let none run to this altar, He is a good Protestant, if ungodly in life, for it will fall out to him as to Joab, though at the horns of the Altar, he will be dragged away, and adjudged to eternal death. Many complain the Creed is banished out of the Church, and they consider not they have long agone banished it out of their lives; for what doth not thy profaneness, thy impiety, say there is no God, there is no resurrection, there is no day of judgment? How can ye believe (said Christ) when ye seek the glory of one another; Alas that seemeth a small matter, how can ye believe, when you oppose and scoff at godliness, profane God's Sabbaths, neglect all Family duties? Consider you are not only called out of Popery to have a better religion, but out of the world to live better lives.

SERMON XXX.

IN this chapter we may observe several sharp skirmishes between Christ and the Pharisees: but as Satan in his conflict was overcome by him, so are his children in these hot disputes. The Pharisees in the latter end of this Chapter, charge two things especially upon him to make his doctrine odious, the one is, The he had a Devil, and so all his Doctrine and Miracles to come by Satanical impostures: the other, That he did all out of vain glory, to have a multitude of Disciples, and to be admired by them: Our Savior is both defensive in this cause, vindicating himself from those horrid aspersions; and offensive, retorting the same things upon them, That they were of their Father the Devil, because he was a man slayer, and abode not in the truth: So saith he, You seeck to kill me, a man, that is cruelty, Who tells you the truth, that is ingratitude, Which he heard of God, that is impiety: and because they gloried in this, That Abraham was their father, he showeth the disparity between their works, and Abraham's works: because also they said, God was their Father, he driveth them also out of this refuge; for if they were of God, they would hear and know his Word; Children do presently discern their Fathers voice. To that accusation of vain glory, he answereth in my text, by showing the vanity of all human glory: if I should look at this, I should but catch at a shadow, open my mouth to swallow air: it is nothing. Now if Christ did judge all the glory which he should hear by his Doctrine and miracles, nothing; how should this make Ministers afraid, who affect honor for some new notions, excellent Sermons, and parts? Christ did not glorify himself, why should we then? Yet least they should think him without glory, he tells them, There is one that honoreth him, viz. God the Father, by immediate testimony from heaven, and by many miraculous operations: and to humble them the more, he saith, This that honoreth me thus, is he of whom you say, he is your Father, of whom you make your boast and brags, that he is yours. I shall stand only upon this passage, intending to show that a people may have great confidence, and a bold persuasion of heart that God is their God, and yet they be of their Father the Devil. For whereas the last time I told you a man might have an historical, or dogmatical faith in matters of religion, and yet be destitute of God's Spirit in a saving manner: now I shall show you, he may have some fiducial application of God's favor, and confidently repose himself in the bosom or arms of Christ, and yet Christ say to such, Depart, I know you not. A necessary subject to be handled, because most people who have no true claim or interest in God, yet it is strange to consider what quietness, and peace, and boldness they have in their hearts, when indeed fear should compass them round about.

Doct. Every peaceable frame of heart, and confident persuasion of God's love, is not assure testimony that such an one is in the state of Grace.

Paul, Rom. 7. Showeth he was alive without the Law, That is, he had great quietness and ease of mind; he thought himself in a sure and safe way: but alas, this was his ignorance, his blindness. Even as a man in a dungeon may think himself safe, when there are Serpents and poisonous creatures round about him, only he doth not see them: or as a man in a Lethargy feels no pain, though he be near the gates of death: Such is the condition of many persons, they thank God they have no trouble, their soul is at much ease and quietness, they doubt not of God's favor and love to them: hence in the midst of their afflictions they will say, I thank my good God, when (alas) we may say of such, as Christ of the Jews, You say he is your Father, but you have not known him; so they know nothing powerfully and practically about God.

To open this, Let us consider what is the nature of this secure quietness.

First, It is accompanied with a great deal of ease and peace in a man's heart, so that their consciences have no terror, no tremblings, but all is well within them. Now that wicked men may be in such a condition, is plain by that where they say, Peace, peace, then shall come sudden destruction: and the Psalmist doth with some kind of emulation, describe the joyful quiet condition of many wicked men. They have no bonds in their death: They seem to live more cheerfully, and die more quietly then Godly men: so then, all peace and quietness in thy conscience, is not presently a good testimony; for this security may arise from blindness, from self-love, from a senseless cauterized heart, as is to be shown: So that this frame of Spirit is so far from being boasted of, that it is indeed the wofullest and saddest calamity that can be; better to be so many Cain's, fearing everything will damn a man, then to be one of Lachish, sitting at ease, and fearing nothing. It is true, the Prophet saith, There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked: and is therefore compared to the sea, always foaming and disquieted: So that by this place, we would think it were not possible for a man to be a wicked man, and have any peace, but the Scripture speaks there of a true and right peace, such as when the Apostle saith, Being justified by faith, we have peace with God: Insomuch that the wicked man's quietness doth not deserve the name of Peace. There is only a forbearance of wrath: and it is because his heart is rotten, that it feeleth no pain; even as the member of a man's body rotten, is not sensible of any torment. The Apostle speaks of some, who had cauterized consciences, Seared with an hot Iron, or cut off, as some expound it: and of others who were past feeling. They were so brawny and crusted over, they had no sense of any pain: Alas this cannot be called peace. Take heed therefore lest that security and quietness in thy heart, come not from a mere rotten, senseless, stupidity in thee. Certainly this truth doth much concern us; do not think to put off God as Jacob did Isaac; do not think to steal a blessing and heaven from God.

Secondly, As there is nothing but quietness within, so there are bold and confident persuasions about God, and his love towards them. Now a man's condition cannot be more desperate then when he is deluded with a resolute persuasion that God loveth him; even as some mad men have been persuaded that they were great Kings and Emperors, and had such great Kingdoms, when at the same time they were under cruel hardship. Oh such a madness is upon most men, that do not, with the Devil, look upon all the Glory of the world, and say falsely, all that is his, but upon all the Glory of heaven, and say presumptuously, all that is his: This was the Pharisees impudency, who were confidently persuaded that God was their Father, that he he loved them, when they were the miserable wretched Impps of Satan! This also was the grand cause of all those expostalations the Prophets had with the Jews; they trusted in God's love, though they did lie, steal, swear, yet they would come into his Temple, and call upon him, which the Prophet Jeremiah with much heavenly zeal expostulates with them for. Oh, this gross impudency is too visible in our days: have you not many profane sinners? many liars, cursers, opposers of what is good? Yet they will come here, and say, Our Father: nay, you cannot meet with any beastly sinner, but his heart is filled with this bold impudency, to think and hope that God is his Father; So that we may cry out, Oh that God would touch these mountains, that they might melt before him, Oh that God before whom the very earth did tremble and quake, would also make such men's hearts afraid before him.

Thirdly, Where such bold apprehensions are concerning God, there is not only confidence in the general, that God is merciful, but they have also a fiducial application, & appropriation of God to their own selves in particular: And herein they have a great resemblance of justifying faith, as Paul said, Who loved me, and gave himself for me: so these will apply Christ to their particular: I thank my Christ, my Redeemer, my Savior. In the Godly such applications are of saith in the most excellent manner, in the wicked it is of mere presumption, without any true ground at all. It is indeed the glorious fruit of the covenant of Grace, that thereby God becomes the God of his children, Hosea 2. They shall call me Ishi, and no more Baali, that is, My Husband, not my Lord: they shall have more dear and appropriated meditations of God; and at the end of the Chapter, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Hence Jeremiah, 4. 3, 4. God would have the Church repenting, say, My Father. Fiducial applications of God's love to us are a duty, as the learned prove against the Papists: Hence faith is called, Eating and drinking of Christ. When a true broken heart loaded with sin, crieth out with Thomas, My God, my Lord, this is not carnal presumption, but holy believing. But now when men whose hearts were never smitten with God's displeasure for sin, find no burden of it, and so cry not for ease to Christ; when (I say) such say, I thank my God, and my Redeemer, this is bold presumption in them. God is not the God of the dead, we may say, but of the living; he is not the God, the Father of such who live in, and love their wickedness. It would be a dishonor to be a Father of such Children: but he inviteth those to call him Father, and my Father, who are deeply humbled for sin under his hand, who are of self-emptied and poor spirits, acknowldeging his Grace only. As therefore we are not to discourage the wounded heart, but to embolden him to appropriate Christ to himself in particular, and that he is to set against all se • vile fears and doubts that would like the Devils to the possessed man, keep him always about the tombs, and make him gash and wound himself; so we are also to set a flaming sword, as God did to Adam, to a profane man, lest he venture to come into this Paradise. Oh then he advised and consider, whether it be faith or presumption makes thee say, My God, my Redeemer. A Paul may say so, and a Pharisee may say so.

Fourthly, Where this boldness is, there is a shifting and putting off all those considerations that may bring us to make any doubt, or any question about ourselves: and truly that is a real demonstration; thy peace, thy comfort is not right, thou art so unwilling to be brought to light: the thief hateth the light saith our Savior: now observe it, many of those persons who have such bold persuasions of God's love, they cannot abide to hear terrible Sermons, they love not to hear of hell, and the day of judgment: they cannot endure to hear of the differences of God's work upon men's hearts, and how far hypocrites and reprobates may go: Oh these things cut them, and make them mad; and why is all this? but because the peace and comfort they have, is a false and unsound one, which will abide no touchstone, cannot endure any shaking or moving at all. What was the cause that the Pharisees were so immoveably persuaded of God's love towards them? did hate and oppose Christ even to death? It was only because he manifested their godliness was not true godliness, their comforts were not true comforts, their peace was not true peace, and thus woeful self-flattery was their ruin. God seeing such a pro • enesse to deceive ourselves, makes express provision against it: If a man when he heareth all the curses of the Law, shall yet bless himself in his heart, and say, None of these evils shall come upon me, God will expressly set against such a man. Oh it is terrible when God curseth thee, the Law curseth thee, the Ministers of God declare his curses against thee, yet thou to bless thyself, and to say, God loveth thee, and will do good to thee: Oh take heed of these cursed shiftings: this untempered mortar will not hold out, though thou daub it up never so craftily: do not ev •• e and say, These judgments of God, these threatenings do not belong to me; for I love God, I have a good heart, I do that which is just and good to all; for all this slippery Ice will thaw when the sun ariseth.

Fifthly, Where this quietness is, there is much boasting and glorying in this, that they have a good heart, and so rely much upon this. It is a wonder to hear men that live in a constant neglect of holy duties, yea sometimes wallow in the filth and mire of laothsom sins, yet how they will boast in this, They have a good heart, and that as good as any of the strictest professors have: What wild Logic is this? How can there be a good heart, if there be not a good life? How can there be a good tree, if there be not good fruit? Is that a good fire that burneth not, that warmeth not? Is that good meat that nourisheth not? Oh, why do not such consider that excellent Aphorism of the wise man, He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool? Oh take heed that all thy boastings of thy heart being good, whatsoever thy failings be, are not mere folly. It is folly to trust in a man's heart, because it is so deceitful: He thinketh he doth repent, when he doth not: he thinketh he loveth God, when he doth not. Dost thou therefore appeal to thy heart, and call thy heart to witness for thy godliness? Oh, that is the very cheat and cousener in the world: It is deceitful in all things saith the Prophet, who can know it? Do not thou rest on that which is naturally full of • es, and hypocrisies: It is true, when the heart is enlightened by God's spirit, as in the godly, then it is made a true heart, and a faithful heart though not perfectly: and so those graces in us, which of themselves would never evidence themselves, by God's Spirit become visible; even as some relate of a precious stone, which will not cast any glorious luster unless the sun-beams shine upon it.

Sixthly, This carnal presumption and boldness may hold in the midst of God's calamities and wrath, yea at the strokes of death itself. The people of Israel, though smitten by God for their abominations which were evident, yet saith the Prophet Micah, would come and lean upon God: they were either actually under God's judgments, or under the terrible denunciation of them by the Prophet: yet they would lean upon God, as if he were their God, and that such secure confidence may hold to death, appeareth by the foolish Virgins, who found no lack of oil till it was too late: And we see those condemned persons at the day of judgment, pleading for themselves, with a wonder why they should be condemned, for they neglected no duty required of them: When saw we thee sick, and visited thee not? So that it is no sure sign, though a man even at deaths door abateth not his confidence in God for all that. The Psalmist saith, they have no such bonds in their death, or pain and fear as sometimes other men may have: a godly man may die doubting, and a wicked man presuming: It is not then the saying, and the professing they have a great deal of peace in God, but the grounds why, and the motives, they must be searched into. Therefore though we blame Papists for teaching to doubt, and making a doubt a duty, yet we press for an holy search, and a godly fear and trembling in the trying of our hearts, lest we be deceived.

In the next place let us consider, why such bold confidence is not to be relied upon: And

First, Because it comes not from a true and genuine ground, which is the spirit of adoption, the comforter, the seal, who only quieteth the heart in a gracious sure way, but it cometh from carnal self-love, and self flattery: we are in love with our selves, and we think God loves what we love. Thus the Psalmist notably to the secure wicked man, Thou thoughtest I was such an one as thyself: as the Roman painter being in love with a woman, painted every goddess like the woman he loved; so doth every man set up such a God in his thoughts and affections, which he would have, and is most like himself: and by this means, because he saith, all is well, he judgeth all good within him, therefore he supposeth God doth so also. Oh then know, that self-love and the Spirit of Adoption, differ more then heaven and hell. Indeed if thy assurance, if thy boldness come in the Spirits way, it were a comforting by it, a rejoicing by it, then thou mightest rejoice and be glad in God: But when it cometh from thy muddy and filthy heart, all this will wash away. It is God that justifieth, and it is God that condemneth; it matters not though a thousand hearts justify us, if God do not. If a malefactor be condemned, and hath a pardon from inferior magistrates, he judgeth that nothing, unless the supreme Magistrate absolve him. Oh, therefore judge thyself: think, it may be for all my good thoughts God saith otherwise: I bless it may be, but God curseth it may be; and know, it cannot come from anything but carnal love, if thou hast this boldness, and yet livest in gross sins unrepented of, and unreformed.

Secondly, It is because Satan doth not frown upon, trouble and molest them. Now that cannot be called a good quietness, or a good peace which is so only because the Devil looks upon them as his own, and so will no wise disturb them: our Savior doth abundantly confirm this, when he saith, That as long as the strong man keepeth the house, all things are at quiet: Thus those that are under Satan's Dominion, they have jollity, security, hardness of heart, that so they may not be sensible of their misery, and thereby seek an escape out of his snares. Pharaoh then used the Israelites most cruelly, when they began to be weary of their bondage, and to seek comfort somewhere else; so that thou hast little cause to be glad of this thy peace, for it is a peace thou art beholding to the Devil for; it is he that hardens thy heart; it is he that makes thee desperate; that hath put out thy right eye that thou canst not behold the enemy that lieth in wait against thee: Therefore do thou no more be secure in this quietness.

Thirdly, This bold confidence doth not arise from a good motive: It cometh from general apprehensions of God's goodness and mercy, such as heathens have. They conceive of God in general, as one who is altogether merciful: they think he that made them, will save them: whereas devils might thus argue for hope, because God made them, yet he will not save them. What a miserable support is it to have no more ground for thy salvation, then the damned spirits in hell have? But a true gracious confidence is from the Covenant of Grace in Christ; it hath respect not to the nature of God absolutely considered, but relatively, as in Christ reconciled with us. Hence the promise of God is mutual, I will be their God, and they shall be my people: Do not thou think that any natural apprehension about God can give the least hope, know this must come wholly by revelation: set the word of God aside, which doth reveal God's good pleasure to believers, and the way of pardon and salvation is no more possible then that of the Devils: so then the godly man's confidence is from Scripture revelation and direction, whereas the presumptuous man's is from natural suggestion.

Fourthly, This confidence is defective, because it doth separate and divide those things which God hath inseparably joined together, and that is the means and the end. The presumptuous man's confidence is maintained and kept up, though he go not in the right way, yea, though he walk in a contrary way: as those wicked men who though they defiled themselves with abominations, said, No evil shall come nigh us: and such as had made a Covenant with Hell and death: but the godly man's faith, it cleanseth the heart; and he that hath this hope, purifieth himself even as God is pure. How unsufferable is it to see a man confident of God's love, and yet walk continually in the ways he hateth! There is no making our calling and election sure, but by the gracious f 〈…〉 of God's Holy Spirit. Think not to • o into the North, by taking a journey So 〈…〉 d: and it is as absu • d to call God • hy God, when God • wa 〈…〉 are not thy w 〈…〉 , God's commands are not obeyed by thee. The Spirit of God that sealeth and comforteth, doth all • o sanctify and make holy: Think not therefore to have 〈◊〉 , and no heat.

Fifthly, This secu • e confidence is not fil 〈…〉 〈◊〉 a Evangelical in its operation: It is not spiritual and in 〈…〉 : they are not hereby ca 〈…〉 out to ob •• God's commandments, out of lov • and delight in God: love apprehend by 〈…〉 vil • 〈…〉 sh dispositions, makes them more d 〈…〉 , they turn the grace of God i 〈…〉 wan • onnesse, and make 〈…〉 lov • aboundeth: But love shed abroad in the he •• of G 〈…〉 , it works Evangelically, graciously, d 〈…〉 to become like God, w 〈…〉 us. Having these Promises ( 〈◊〉 the Apo 〈…〉 ) let 〈◊〉 cleanse ourselves from all filthiness. 2 Cor. 7. 1. The promises were, That God would be our God and Father: So then, conf 〈…〉 of God's love in an unregenerate hear, is like some unkind influences of the stars, that cause diseases and pu • i • factions. When Papists o 〈…〉 against 〈◊〉 assurance, that it b • ee • s contempt, neglect of means, and d 〈…〉 , We Answer, Presumption indeed • oth, and a vain p 〈…〉 , which wi ••• d men have of God's love; but in the godly it breedeth a 〈◊〉 like 〈◊〉 , and holy f • ar to displeas • that God, whose goodness we so 〈◊〉 taste of. Examine therefore what the operations of this confidence are upon thee: D 〈…〉 thou her by take liberty in the ways of 〈◊〉 ? This is ungodly.

Sixthly, It is not a c 〈…〉 arising out of spiritual conflict and agony: and this is indeed a • o 〈…〉 discovery of all 〈◊〉 confidences: carnel pr 〈…〉 of God's favor, it m 〈…〉 no opposition: 〈◊〉 man so carried away, never 〈…〉 t trouble of sin is, what the terrible d •• ts of the A 〈…〉 are, how difficult and supe 〈…〉 a work it is to rely upon God's promises; but all his joy and peace comes with a great deal of ease to him: but in the godly it is otherwise, I 〈…〉 my unbelief: so David's Psalms, what ebbing and flowing • e hath, confident of God's savor at one time, then presently as much dejected and despondent: See how he expostulat • th, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? still trust in God Now the ground of this difficulty and combat, is from the opposition everything spiritual, hath to that which is carnal: an unregenerate heart doth oppose God's spirit sealing and comforting, as well as convincing and sanctifying. The easiness therefore that thou findest in having this comfort, may justly make thee suspect it: say, My quietness is from the Devil, else my heart would oppose it more, I could not get into a true Canaan, unless I went through some wilderness.

7. This carnal security is at that time, & in those conditions, when the Scripture calls for the contrary, Therefore it cannot be of God. As for example, Thou art thus persuaded of God's love, though thou livest in constant ways of profaneness; though thou neglect 〈…〉 the exercise of all holy duties. Now remember, doth 〈◊〉 Scripture call upon thee to believe that God is pleased with thee? That he loveth thee? No, God's word commands thee clean contrary: it bids such mourn and w • ep: it calls upon such to believe that the threatenings of God belong to them; that God is not their God; that their sins are not pardoned: Oh then, why will ye presumptuously, and willfully believe a lie? Why do you apply promises to you, when you should do threatenings? Thou must make a new Bible, a new Scripture, e're thou canst take any comfort to thyself: Oh therefore if thou didst know what thou didst, and how it is indeed with thee, what an alteration would there be? For all that quietness, horror and trembling; for all that jollity, mourning and howling: for that easiness to believe, thou wouldst find it most difficult; Oh, who can believe? Lord make me to believe.

Use of Exhortation, To awaken, if possible, all such secure persons: Do not the generality of Christians, as those of the Jews, glory in this, God is their Father? But how comes this about? Where is your evidence? How will you prove it? put your hearts to it. If this confidence of God being your Father were right, and of God; thy life would differ from what it is, as much as light from darkness, a wilderness from a garden. Oh how may the Ministers of God with Jeremy say, Our souls shall mourn in secret for you. Had we not as good set our shoulders to a great Mountain to remove that, as make men begin to search whether their peace be a good peace or no, their quietness a good quietness? Oh do ye not say to us as the devils to Christ, Why are ye come to torment us? As we would not unsettle or put doubts into any that truly fear God, so on the other side, to those that vainly rely upon God, when yet he is not theirs; we could desire these words might be as arrows shot into their hearts, wounding of them; so as to take no rest till they have a true peace indeed.

SERMON XXXI.

THe people of Israel after a sore and dangerous voyage are now entering into their haven, after a wilderness full of troubles and dangers they are now possessing a land of Rest, a land that flowed with honey; but l • st they should surfeit of this honey, and lest this rest and quietness should be like that of pools, which breedeth nothing but noisome creatures, Moses is exceeding vigilant to inform them as of the great mercies God had done for them, so of the great duties he required of them: and this is the scope of Moses both in the precedent, and this present Chapter, with some others that follow. The mercies God vouchsafed to them are aggravated by an enumeration of the several wonders God had wrought for them, as also by a lively description of that Land and Country they were now made Lord's of, Chap. 8. 7, 8, 9. called therefore the good land frequently, and is made a type of heaven, for the joyful pleasure of it, as if the Israelites now possessed of Canaan were brought into Paradise again; and for the full commendation of it the Scriptures expression is remarkable. Deut. 11. 12. A Land which the Lord thy God careth for, The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of it: a phrase much like that which the Scripture useth even of his own children, as if he had the same care of that Land as of his own people. As he thus lively describes their mercies, so he doth as powerfully quicken them up unto their duty, which is to take heed of all those sins, that fullness, ease, and security, would quickly breed; whereof he instanceth in one more especially, viz. an apprehension that God had done this to them, for their righteousness, because they were more holy then others, as they thought; Therefore they concluded themselves more happy. Because their land abounded with all excellent fruit, they judged their lives to overflow with all graces. They took all this prosperity as a reward of their piety. Now Moses removeth those foundations they built upon, instructing them that this mercy befell them, not because they were so good, but their enemies so bad.

So that in the Text you have the sin forbidden, a false conceit of their righteousness and uprightness, amplified with their confidence therein; Speak not in thy heart, &c. The soul can talk to itself, and though man cannot hear what it speaks, God doth. Thus John to the Pharisees, Say not in your hearts; and the exhortation in a good sense is, to commune with our own hearts; This phrase doth excellently imply, what discourses and apprehensions men are ready to frame to themselves, and although these lie in the breast, and cannot be discovered by men, yet God takes notice of them to punish them. When Moses excludes righteousness and uprightness of heart, by the former he meaneth all outward actions of righteousness, and by the latter all inward intentions and purposes of heart, though they fail sometimes externally; Now as Canaan was a type of heaven, so as the introduction of the Israelites thereunto was only of God's grace, so is our possession of heaven. This their groundless apprehension to make outward blessings a sign of their righteousness, Moses confureth, by attributing this to other causes, as first, the impiety and wickedness of their adversaries; as for their righteousness it moved not God, but the horrid transgressions of the Canaanites, they provoked him: The iniquity of the Amorites was now full, not the righteousness of the Israelites. Another cause was God's Oath and promise, which he made to their fathers, whereby though he was not a debtor to their righteousness, yet he was obliged to his own truth and fidelity: Hence Deut. 7. 7. The original of all the blessings vouchsafed to them, is reduced to God's love merely, not any excellency in them. Now that this sinful persuasion might not abide in them, see how the Scripture followeth it over and over again in these three verses: Speak not that it is for thy righteousness, &c. ver. 4. Not for your uprightness, ver. 5. Understand therefore that it is not for thy righteousness, v. 6.

That men are very prone to make the outward prosperity and • ncrease which God giveth them, an argument of their righteousness, and so of God's love to them, to save them. They think it impossible that seeing God hath so blessed them here, he should damn them hereafter. This false sign doth not belong to everyone, but to those who have abundance of outward mercies, especially if brought to partake them from a low and indigent condition. The more their change is admirable, the more testimony they think of God's goodness to them, and their own inherent goodness. For the discovery of the weakness of this prop, take notice first of these particulars.

First, That prosperity, wealth and success, they are in themselves blessings, mercies, and so good things to be desired. Hence the Scripture doth so often use them as encouragements and incentives to holiness, If you observe these, you shall be blessed at home and abroad, see Deut. 29. and lest we should think, that outward wealth and prosperity were only to be regarded in the Old Testament, because they had not such a measure of God's Spirit, we see what Paul saith in the new, It is more blessed to give then receive, and he speaketh of it as a speech that the Lord Jesus was wont to use, though the Evangelists do not record it: so that outward mercies are in themselves blessings, and the want of them by the Scripture is made a misery and affliction: Aristotle made the outward affluence of wealth necessary to that Beatitude he speaketh of, but Christ his discipline is otherwise. Hereupon our Savior when he speaks of several blessednesses to several graces, with spiritual happiness he reckoneth temporal, Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Hence we read of the people of God praying for these earthly mercies, and we have a direction for it in the Lord's Prayer, when we pray for daily bread, which although some learned men understand of heavenly bread, and translate it supersubstantiall, yet that hath no probability. It is true indeed the very petition doth much limit and moderate our desires, for it is after the great things that belong to God's glory; and it is but one Petition, whereas there are divers for spiritual things, so that our Savior would have us to be about these earthly things, as those fowls of the heaven are, which on a sudden fall on the ground for their food, but presently fly up to heaven again: and then, it's daily food, or as the most learned expound it, food convenient, and decent for our place and calling, not supersluity. Thus though these cutward mercies are blessings, yet we are to circumcise our affections about them; l • st as when the waters overflow the banks, it getteth much soil and di • t, so our affections immoderate grow polluted.

Secondly, Although these are blessings and mercies, and so good things; yet they are not sanctifying of those that have them. Dives said, he had good things laid up in store; but how were they good? which m • de him b •• ? how were they good which could not keep him out or hell? Riches therefore are neither good or bad, but indifferent in their nature, and saith Austin, God gives wealth to wicked men, to show, that the nature of it is not good: and sometimes to godly men to show that it is not evil 〈◊〉 their nature. Therefore these outward mercies are not good, as grace and holiness is, which makes them good that have them. Hence though they come to the godly from the grace of God, yet the Scripture never calls them grace, as it doth the fruits of God's Spirit; so that this may abundantly comfort those that are poor in the world, yet rich in grace. Thou hast the best good that is in all God's Treasure, in making the godly, he hath bestowed a greater blessing upon 〈◊〉 then if he had given thee all the riches of the world: A man that hath gold, thinks not himself poor for want of clay or brass; so neither may a Christian that is in 〈◊〉 with holiness think himself poor, because he wants outward mercies. Those are good things which make us good.

Thirdly, As outward wealth and increase are blessings, so they do belong by promise unto godliness; Godliness hath the promise of this life, and the li •• , 1 Tim. 4. 8. Look over all temporal mercies that are in the Scripture, and you shall find them made only to the godly man. Hence these earthly 〈◊〉 •• ey are appendices to the Covenant of grace; when God promiseth to be our reconciled father, then he promiseth us also heaven and 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 whatsoeve • 〈◊〉 for our good. I do not say with some Divines, That 〈◊〉 men have no right to their goods; That they are usurpers, and shall answer for every 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 they eat, as robbers and thieves: No, it is a dangerous po 〈…〉 on to hold 〈◊◊〉 〈…〉 on and right to be placed upon godliness. The earth 〈◊〉 given to the children of men, saith the Psalmist, to all men as well as to the 〈…〉 lie; 〈◊◊◊〉 is a lawful, civil right, so there is a sanctified use, and 〈◊◊◊◊〉 . All wicked men shall indeed answer for every mo • sell of 〈◊〉 , every 〈◊〉 of drink, every penny in the purse, but not as if they were th 〈…〉 , only as 〈◊◊〉 did not improve all they had for the glory of God. This is also of 〈◊〉 to the godly, art thou poor, art thou despised, art thou imprisoned? The promise of wealth, honor, liberty, belongs to thee, as well as of pardon of sin and grace, only these are not so absolutely necessary; if they were as necessary as Christ, and grace, and heaven is, thou shouldest be no more without them then without these: Thou art rich in bonds and bills even wherein the Lord is obliged, though thou hast not the actual use of those good things.

Fourthly, It is no wonder, that particular persons may conclude of their good estate by the outward felicity God bestoweth upon them, seeing it's the professed and maintained doctrine of the learned men in the Church of Rome, that temporal felicity is a mark of the true Church: Would ye know (say they) what Church to join to? join to that Church which aboundeth in outward prosperity and wealth (say they,) and it cannot be (think they) that the Pope is Antichrist, and Rome Babylon, for if it were, the Lord would have plagued it with sor • destructions, and not so wonderfully have blessed them for many ages together. But this is a weak argument, and it hath no strength, but with carnal hearts that account nothing great and good, but what is earthly. Paul was discovered a faithful Apostle by his iron chains on his legs, not his golden ones about his neck. By this doctrine we may see how imbred a thing it is in a man to be high minded, and secure in his spirit, as if God loved him more then others, because he hath bestowed more of these earthly blessings upon him then others. They think that as God giveth them a higher place here on earth, so he will also in heaven: Especially this sin is committed by you of the City, many whereof have been blessed by a bountiful increase from little or nothing: you say with Jacob, With a staff came I over Jordan up to London, and now I am become two bands: You are above him in the Parable, his five pound gained ten, yours one penny a thousand, and do you not take this great providence of God to you as an argument of your righteousness? Do not you speak in your heart, as the Text saith, though not with your mouth, that this makes you have hopes, that God who hath done so much for you here, will do much more for you hereafter? Here is little true comfort in all these thoughts, as is to be shown.

Fifthly, Although we cannot conclude grace by outward mercies, yet thus far we must by Scripture say, that God out of a general love in a providential way doth give many a man outward prosperity and wealth, for his diligence, industry, upright and honest dealing in the world. Thus Solomon saith, The hand of the diligent maketh rich, and truth and justice in our way is blessed by God to increase. Thus Austin attributed all the temporal greatness that the state of Rome came to, unto the justice of their common-wealth, but this comes only from a general Love of God, not from that peculiar love which belongs to his people; it doth not come from the same fountain that mercy and pardon comes; Therefore it's a fruit of providence, not of election: it argueth upright dealing, but not an heart made pure and upright to God: what then though thou sayest, God hath blest my diligence, my honest dealing? yet thou canst not say, This is the fruit of my conversion and regeneration, being turned unto God.

Lastly, Some go into another extremity, and conclude of their good estate and holy condition, because they are in a poor, needy, miserable estate, and destitute of all earthly comforts; They read in the Scripture, that the poor receive the Gospel, Christ invited the lame and blind, That persecutions and afflictions are the way to heaven; They hear Christ said, Blessed are those that mourn and weep, and Woe be to those that laugh; They hear God hath not chosen many rich, many noble, and therefore because they are in great extremities here, they do not think God will make them have an hell here and an hell hereafter. But every poor man is not a Lazarus, nay, there are many times none more wicked, cursed, profane, and enemies to all goodness, then those that are in a low and miserable condition; A woeful thing it is indeed to have nothing but misery here, and nothing but torments hereafter. If thy poverty indeed were sanctified, thou wast more holy; humble, heavenly, then that estate would not be contemned by God: he doth not disdain the prayer, of the poor, humble and lowly ones; but then be sure thou art such a poor man as the Scripture speaks of, otherwise as thou many times here on earth wantest a crumb of bread, so thou wilt in hell a drop of water.

In the next place, let us consider why outward prosperity and blessings do not argue a man's good estate.

And first, It may be demonstrated from the original or fountain whence they flow; It is not only from God's love, but his anger and hatred also: Sometimes God giveth men the outward comforts of this life in his hot displeasure; Thus Dives, it was God's anger to him made him rich: Solomon speaketh of this vanity, that many times a wicked man hath wealth given him, not for his own good, for he hath no power to enjoy it, but for the good of others: Solomon often taketh notice of this, that the wicked layeth up for the righteous; not that intentionally he doth 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 so, but providencially it shall be so, Quando{que} divitiae dantur ad panam, saith Austin; God giveth wealth to men, as Saul did Michal his daughter in wife to David, not out of love, but to be a snare unto him, let their table become a snare to them. As the immoderate length of Absalom's hair was an occasion to hang him, to be his death, so the overflowing of mercies and comforts are sometimes the instruments of men's destruction: Do not thou therefore boast and grow lofty by that which cometh from wrath and will end in wrath. Thy fat pastures are only to fat thee the more for hell; Do not bear thy head high, because thou hast more abundance, wealth, greatness then others. The higher the trees are, the nearer to thunder and lightning. Oh what a difference did Dives in hell find from himself faring deliciously every day!

Secondly, Therefore may not outward plenty and mercies be made a sign of our good estate, because they have always in corrupt hearts corrupt and sinful operations: which we will take notice of, that so you who have what your hearts can wish, may know you have not what your hearts ought to wish.

As 1. Outward comforts in the plenty of them are apt to beget pride and loftiness of heart, so as to despise and contemn those that are under them: Hence Paul bids Timothy charge the rich men of this world, that they be not high minded, but fear; charge them as if entreaties and mild persuasions would not do them any good, but charge them, and then that they be not high-minded; all outward comforts are apt like ripe fruit to breed some worms, especially that of pride and insolency of heart: Mark therefore whether the blessings thou hast make thee bold, secure, lofty. Thou beginnest to care for nobody, to fear nothing: Alas, God hath not done these great things to thee out of love to thee, for they have unkindely, and sinful influences upon thee.

2. If these outward mercies deadden thy heart to the things of God, or the exercise of those means of grace God hath appointed; Oh thou hast cause then to tremble in the increase of them. We see Mat. 13. that the cares of this world, and ceitfulnesse of riches, did eat like a Cancer into the heart of those hearers that came nearest to godliness. They were next to the good, but these thorns springing up choke the good seed; so the Apostle saith, That some made shipwreck of their faith and conscience, because of their inordinate love to the world; Divitia a dividendo, saith one if they divide the heart between God and them, if they distract in prayer, in duties, all thy profession of religion, is more withering and languishing, since God hath done thus mercifully to thee; think thou hast little cause to have any confidence from hence; Demas he did cleave to this world, some think he totally apostatized, others that he did wonderfully abate in his former zeal, that he forsook Paul in his Pilgrimages and Travels for the Gospel, and betook himself to some more profitable way: which soever it was, we see how quickly such worms as these may devour the fairest gourds. Thou therefore that sayest, God hath blessed me thus much from nothing, God hath given me a great increase; Tell me true, Hath God blessed thee in thy love to God, in the exercise of holy duties? dost thou pray better? are thy family duties more vigorous and zealous? Oh it is an ill symptom to grow up more into the world and down more towards hell. Thou blessest God thou art come from nothing to a great estate, and thou tremblest not to think that thy flourishing hopes of grace are now come to nothing. Oh therefore take heed how you boast yourselves in that which God abhorreth: Hath the increase of mercies been the decrease of duties? Is the flowing of wealth the ebbing of holiness? Then thou hast no cause to be confident, but rather to fear and tremble. Though duties and the means of grace, be wings to elevate thee to heaven, yet if these outward blessings are a clog or mill-stone about the neck to press thee down, the latter will quickly justle out the former.

3. Then can outward abundance be no comfortable sign, when the means to get it and the way to preserve it are unlawful, and such as the Scripture condemneth: The Lord many times suffereth unjust and deceitful men to thrive for a while in the world, and so ungodly men have much outward prosperity. even Idolaters, when God's own Church hath been much afflicted: David and Jeremiah expostulated with God about this, no wonder wicked men thought the better of themselves, when David a godly man was so discontented hereat, that he thought all his integrity and pure worship of God was in vain: Yea the Heathens they have busied themselves, Plutarch and Seneca have on purpose debated this providence of God, Why it is many times so ill with the godly, and outwardly so well with the wicked: but till David went into God's Sanctuary, understood God's word, he was not satisfied, but by that perceived they were in slippery places, and he began to think he would not have all their prosperity, with the sad consequents of it; and indeed it is never well with the wicked, though in abundance, and never ill with the godly, though in deep extremities: say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him. say ye to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, say it, God's Ministers are boldly and peremptorily to pronounce this; that morsel which went down at first as sweet honey, will at last be emptied like gravel out of the belly. Do not therefore conclude of thy great mercies, it may be the manner and way may afford thee little comfort, it may be that which thou thinkest a demonstration of God's love to thee, is an argument of thy wickedness; when men come to great estate, presently we ask, How is it raised? as the Geographers dispute about the spring of Nile: Outward mercies in God's way are sweet and comfortable, but in unwarrantable and unlawful ways, they melt like wax before the fire, and besides they sting like a Scorpion, and bite like an Adder.

Thirdly, Therefore may we not trust in outward prosperity, because God many times giveth a man all the good things he shall have in this life only; and afterwards there is nothing but everlasting woe and misery. Thus Abraham answered Dives in hell, Remember thou receivedst good things in thy life time. Now this is an heavy doom if men did rightly consider it. Thou hast much abundance, much ease, thou thrivest and growest fat in the world, thou eatest and drinkest, and makest merry. Oh fear lest God give thee all thy good things in this life only! What a wonderful change was made with Dives and Lazarus; the one having only good in this life meeteth with only evil, not a drop of water to cool his tongue; the other having nothing but evil, meeteth with that which is altogether happy. You may read in Judges about Gid • ons fleece, how that was first all wet, and then the floor dry, afterwards the floor was wholly wet, and the fleece dry. Thus Dives in this life, Soul, take thy ease, for thou hast much good laid up for thee; in the other life, Soul tremble and plunge thyself in horror, for thou hast much torment and wrath treasured up for thee, all is changed.

Fourthly, Therefore may we not trust in these, because we many times abuse them to a contrary end for which God gave them; he gave them to be instruments of much glory to God, and good to others. If God give thee honors, dignities, success, wealth, thou art to be glad of them no further then they may make thee serviceable to God; Thou dost not look at thy own ease, thy own profit by them, but only attend unto the serviceableness thou mayest be capable of thereby: But oh how rare is this! Rich men are the greatest men in debt of all others; they are much to God, much to the public, much to others necessities; now what comfort canst thou take if God bless thee with these things, if thou dost not also find him making thee thereby instrumental to his glory? If thou keepest all the good mercies God vouchsafeth to thee, as the Ants and Pismires do their grain and corn which they hide in their little hills, and as they say, bite it that it may not grow.

Fifthly, They are not to be relied on, because though all power to get wealth and prosper in the world, argue God is with thee, yet he may be only with thee providentially and powerfully, not graciously; As when Nebuchadnezzar conquered and prevailed; when Alexander became great, Augustus happy. God was with these in a mighty providential way, but not graciously. It is an opinion that God vouchsafeth to some men an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a good success, so that they prosper in all their enterprises. Again, others though as prudent, as pious, yet never have good success. Julius Caesar was persuaded of this, when he said Caesarem vehis & fortunam ejus: and concerning Alexander it is observed, that his very pictures were successful; but Psal. 75. 6. doth well conclude this matter. Well, grant there are such men whom God will preserre, make rich, great, honored, whether they will or no; yet all this argueth God is only with them powerfully, not graciously. Now it is no solid comfort to perceive God's power and assistance with us, unless we also find his gracious presence.

Use 1. Of Reproof to those who desire these outward good things more then inward and spiritual, that say of all earthly greatness, as Rachel about children, Give me children else I die; or as Chrysostom reproved some that would say, Give me that which is sweet, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , although it choke me, give me wealth, greatness, power, although it damn me: alas the fading, vanishing nature of them should make thee temperate; these flowers will presently die. You will cry out with Jonathan, I have tasted a little honey, and behold I must die. I have enjoyed a few years profit, a few years pleasure, and now I must be damned.

Use 2. Of Instruction to those who meet with much prosperity and outward encouragements in this world: Take heed of thinking that God doth this to thee, for thy righteousness, for thy piety. Do not think this is, because God loveth thee more then others: Nay fear lest these mercies prove not like oil in hell flames to make it scorch the hotter. O do not let thy heart run out Thus, God hath blest me in my trading, in my buying and selling, in my enterprises and undertakings; but withal consider how he hath blest thee with an heavenly heart, with a gracious life; since thou hast had more wealth hast thou also had more grace? The ship in the sea goeth swiftly, till it touch upon the sands and gravel under it, and then it is stopped. Oh take heed that ye be not like Corah, Dathan and Abiram, swallowed up of the earth in a spiritual way, as they were in a temporal.

Use 3. Of Consolation to the godly, who it may be want many of those outward mercies the wicked have. Let them know they are no arguments of true godliness, or of God's dear love in Christ. If indeed thou hadst no portion in Christ, no interest in his grace; If thou hadst no gracious fruits of his Spirit upon thee; then thou mightest justly cry out, ah me, a wretched and barren wilderness near to cursing and burning: but now it is otherwise, thou hast those things that do indeed accompany salvation. Besides, let not thy heart be troubled at the want of these things, for they are not the best things, nor are they the most necessary things, and God hath vouchsafed them to thee: Oh it is a sign thy heart is too carnal and earthly, that crieth for earth, when God hath given thee precious pearls! Though all be gone, yet if grace be left in thy heart, and God be not gone from thy soul, thou mayest abundantly rejoice.

SERMON XXXII.

THis Text may be called like that place in the Israelites travails, Meribah, a place of strife and contention; The Arminian, Papist, and others considently asserting a total ánd final apostasy from true grace, out of this Text. Nulla orationis suada, nulla argumentorum vis, is required for this, Textus per se lucet, say the Remonstrants. But you have the Orthodox as valiantly beating them out of this ground: What is the true meaning of the Text will appear upon a brief discussion; only in the general take notice of the excellency of this Chapter wholly spent in describing of false Teachers, manifesting their several evils of sin, and their several evils of punishment, which is so great that the Apostle Jude hath almost transcribed his whole Epistle out of this, with very little addition: Pulchra sunt bis dicenda, said he. For the understanding of the words, the Apostle used in the precedent verses two excellent similitudes, whereunto he compared false teachers; first to fountains without water; these invite the wearied passenger to drink, but when he cometh near he findeth nothing but clayand mud; so false teachers promise such excellent and wonderful truths, that were never heard of before, but indeed give noisome filth. 2. He compareth them to clouds without rain driven with the wind, which denoteth two things, First, Their vain ostentation, as the cloud seemeth to bring rain, but yet emptieth none; and secondly, their instability, They are clouds driven up and down 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is properly an impetuous turbulent wind; and as such clouds do both raise great tempests, and obnubilate the Sun, so do false teachers make heavy storms and troubles in the Church, and withal bemist the glorious light of the Scripture. A third description is from their affectation of great and swelling words. All tumours argue a windy inflammation. In the next place he aggravates their condition by the pernicious and damnable effect of their false doctrines, they do not only damn themselves, but draw a troop of others into hell with them. And this they do in a sly way, they do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Fisherman or the Fowler, show the bait, but hide the hook or snare. Whereupon the Apostle enlargeth himself concerning the miserable estate of the seduced persons, as well as the seducers, the followers as well as the guides tumble into the pit of destruction. The misery of seduced persons is aggravated first in my Text, from the greater curse and wrath that will now befall them since their apostasy, then if they had continued in their pristine unbelief and Paganism. So that you have the deceived wretches described by way of supposition;

First, In their former estate.

Secondly, In their fall.

Their former estate is deciphered in what they have done, and the means whereby. The matter done by them, is to escape the pollutions of the world, that is, their idolatry and great vices, which formerly they lived in, betaking themselves to the true profession of Christ. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is but once, and that here used in the New Testament, Jer. 32. 34. it is used by the Septuagint of more grievous and gross crimes, but Ezek. 33. 9. of the pollution of the heart only by covetousness. Bude us saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was piaculum, when a man had contaminated himself with some grievous crime, contracting such guilt, that he made himself and others obnoxious to the wrath of God in a conspicuous manner: with Physicians the word signifieth those pestilential seminals that are in the corrupted air, whereby a general infection is procured; so that the Apostle meaneth whatsoever Idolatry, or the great sins committed by them in Paganism, they had escaped.

Secondly, The means by which, is through the knowledge of Christ, so that their lives were clean, not by moral precepts, and prudent dictates of nature, but by faith historical or temporary in Christ; now here is the great Question, Whether these were truly regenerated or no? Those that hold the Saints Apostasy, say the Affirmative, and they press that word in the verse before 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they did indeed escape; I confess that is all the probability, but divers have read it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for a little time, or almost they had escaped, as Agrippa was almost a Christian, and thus reading it would be no advantage, and so we see it in the Margin of our Bibles: But I think it dangerous to depart from universally received copies. Others therefore that are Orthodox, say indeed, These were regenerated, but their fall was only partial and temporary, for they did recover again as David and Peter: but the Text affordeth no help to such an Assertion: I shall therefore conclude, That although by the Christian Religion there was made a great and wonderful change in the lives of these men, yet they were not inwardly regenerated, and my reason is, because the Apostle compareth them to a washed Swine, which though never so white, yet is a Swine still, her nature is not altered, therefore she will return to her mire again; So these though purified in their lives by the profession of the Gospel, yet were indeed in their natural condition; and therefore when temptations came, they returned to their own natures, therefore verse. 14. are called unstable souls. But you will say, If they were not godly, how are they said indeed to escape the pollutions of the world? Piscator answereth, because in the judgment of charity, and account of believers they were judged so. Beza better, indeed, that is comparatively with their false teachers, for they lived in all filthiness, yet counterfeited an holy life, but lastly they did indeed leave the outward acts of wickedness, as the Sow washed is indeed clean, but yet she is not turned into a Sheep; so these truly and indeed had altered their manners, amended their outward lives, but were Swine, were Dogs still. So that we affirm the Apostle to speak of men not indeed regenerated, but yet changed in their lives from their former wickedness, and having no inward change, therefore it is that they fall, and falling their later end is worse then their beginning, partly because they sin with more knowledge and understanding, and partly because they sin with greater ingratitude and unthankfulness for further mercies; and partly because they stand not at a stay till they fall into some foul ways of doctrine or conversation: And thus much for the sense of the words.

That a great change made in a man's life by forsaking those gross actual sins he once lived in, doth not presently argue such a man's conversion, or that he is indeed in a state of grace.

A Christian may be a Swine, and yet washed. Thou that wert once a drunkard, a whoremonger, a swearer, mayest have forsaken these sins, and yet this alteration be in externals only, not internals. Though thou hast escaped the pollutions of the world, yet not those of thy heart, and therefore thou art still in the state of gall and wormwood. This is cleared in the foolish Virgins, who are called Virgins, because they kept themselves from the Idolatry and pollutions of the world; yet foolish, because they had not oil. Thus you have the Israelites several times throwing away their Idols, by which they had provoked God against them, and yet returning again to them: We may say, the Israelites did clean escape those Idolatrous pollutions, and they did it seriously, they were not gross dissemblers; but because their hearts were not changed, and they steadfast in this reformation, they were swine washed returning to the mire. Judas throweth away his unjust gain, with great terror and sorrow of heart, but he is a Goat, not a Sheep in Christ's flock. I confess this sign seemeth to carry much probability with it; and commonly such men, who have superseded their lusts, find a great deal of comfort: they rejoice to see those fetters and chains of their legs, which once lust and the Devil had put on them, taken off. They were sins prisoners, and went up and down in their shackles, but now they are out of this dungeon.

To open the Doctrine, consider these particulars.

First It cannot be denied but that the Scripture doth frequently comprehend the duty of repentance, and conversion to God, under these words, of forsaking our sins, casting away our transgressions, turning away from our evil ways, &c. Insomuch that wheresoever there is such a forsaking, such a turning, there seemeth presently to be the whole nature of conversion to God. Hence James calls it, Pure religion and undefiled, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. But all those expressions do but contain part of the duty; for every forsaking, every turning from sin, is not presently, a gracious turning to God, as is to be shown: Therefore think it not enough, That thou wast indeed once such a profaner, such a vain person, but now thou hast left all such courses: Do not thou say, Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile: Behold a true child of God on whom are the sure works of grace: For though thus outwardly washed, yet inwardly the filth may abound; though the outside be fair, yet the Coar may be rotten within.

The reason why the Scripture describeth conversion by external leaving of sin, is, because hereby our hatred and loathing of it is made more manifest, and none can say, They cleanse their hearts, who do not also cleanse their lives: It followeth necessarily, That if the heart be washed, the outward conversation will also be washed; but not on the contrary, that if the conversation be unpolluted, the heart is.

Secondly, An outward reformation of life, and forsaking of sin, may be from several principles.

1. From the grace of sanctification, which doth wholly alter, and change the nature of a man, putting new and spiritual affections, and inclinations in him, whereby he is carried out against sin from the pure love of God, and delight in grace; and forsaking sin from this ground, is only comfortable.

2. Another leaving of sin, is from the restraining power, and providence of God, whereby bits and bridles are put into man's jaws, that they rush not out so madly into sin as their impetuous lusts would carry them; and such a forsaking of sin, though it be outwardly for the glory of God, his name is not so much blasphemed, others are not so much scandalized; yet it affords no true solid joy to him, that upon these terms only parts with his sins.

3. There is a repressing of sin by the dictates of Nature, and the power of Moral precepts instilled into a man. Thus there is a famous story of an Heathen, who was a debauched and profane man, that went to hear Socrates read his lectures of Morality, with purpose to deride and scoff him; but he was so potently wrought upon by Socrates his precepts, that he went away changed, and never was such a debauched man anymore; and no question it was from these natural dictates, with the common help, and assistance of God, that many heathens lived such pure and unblameable lives. So then, if upon these three several stocks, the outward emendation of a man's life may grow, it behooveth every man, who hopes he is now turned a penitent and a convert, to inquire from which of all these his change is made upon him.

Thirdly, Men's lusts and sins are for the most part so dear and sweet to them, that it must be some great work either of grace Sanctifying, or grace restraining, that will make a man leave them. We see the Israelites would give all the wealth they had, yea, the very fruit of their womb to Oblations, rather then leave their accustomed sins: This makes our Savior compare them to a right eye, and a right hand, as those things which are most intimate, and dear unto us: And what is the ground of all that malice, and hatred against the word of God, and soul-searching Truth, but only men's inordinate love and affection to their sins? Insomuch that when you see any wicked man leave his accustomed sins, you may with wonder cry out, What aileth this Jordan to turn backward, and this Iron to swim? How cometh this Blackamore to a white skin? Though therefore it be no sure sign, yet it is a great duty: we may go out to see it as a great wonder in a parish, Behold! once a Swearer, once a Blasphemer, but now he doth so no more!

Fourthly, Though this outward alteration argue no grace in the heart, yet it is to be acknowledged as a merciful work of God. When the word of God, though it doth not work to conversion from sin, yet it doth to repression of sin: so that men; though they cease not to be wicked, from holy principles, yet they do from a strong awe and fear which God's word bringeth upon their consciences: so in that Herod feared John, and was thereby restrained from many sins, though not from all, is was very laudable. Thus King Josha, that kept from several wicked ways, as long as Jehoiadah the Priest was alive, it was a mercy.

1. For hereby several good issues flow, as God is hereby less dishonored: a Christian profane in his life, blasphemes the name of God; thy Oaths, Lusts are a kind of blasphemy against God: where therefore there is a forbearance of these, God is less dishonored, let the grounds be what they will be.

2. Again, hereby God's wrath is not provoked so quickly against a people, to destroy them with temporal judgments: Be not evermuch wicked (saith Ecclesiastes) Why shouldest thou die before thy time? and thus for Oaths, Injustice, and Oppression, the land mourneth: Hence gross sins, are called crying sins, because they make a noise in God's ear, importuning for vengeance: now it is a mercy to a place when no such crying sins are committed, when God is not importuned to consume a place.

3. It is good, because hereby godliness hath a repute, and an esteem, and wickedness hath a discouragement and brand upon it. The Scriptures speaks of an whores fore-head, and a face that could not be ashamed: Now it is well when God's Ministry hath brought sin into such an Odium, and matter of shame, that none of any ingenuity, any care, dareth commit any vile sin: and Oh that in all our congregations, if there were not such sanctifying grace, yet such ingenuous dispositions wrought in men by the light of the Word, that men would say, I am taught better, I know better, I scorn and am ashamed to serve any lust, or commit any known sin: those that are drunk (saith the Apostle) are drunk in the night, and so those that steal, steal in the night. Thus let Ashkelon and Gath, let Sodom and Gomorrah, who are in the night and dark, have wickedness committed amongst them; but let not Jerusalem, or Zion, who is in the light, thus stumble in the day and fall. How much is it to be deplored, that where the Gospel is received, and the word of God read, and preached, every profane person should not be as much ashamed to show his head, as a thief when he is taken?

4. Here is this good comes by forsaking of sin, though not upon right principles, that others are not encouraged to imitate and do the like. Sins in the Text are called pollutions contagions, they have a pestilential infection with them; and because so, how good is it when this arrow doth not walk abroad that would destroy at mid-day! Certainly if we praise God heartily for the abating of the plague, or sword, which have such open mouths to devour, may we not much rather bless God for freedom from gross sins in the place where thou livest? If thou lovest thyself, thy family, thy relations, thou canst not but rejoice to live, where they shall learn from others to do that, which is according to God and his Law.

5. It is a mercy, because where such great impieties are restrained, there is less grief, and trouble to the Godly. Isaiah crieth out, Woe be to me, because I live among men of polluted lips: and David, Woe be to me, because I live in the wilderness of Meshech: And the same good man bewailed his exile among those that knew not God. Lot was tormented as in hell, with seeing, and hearing the ungodly practices of the Sodomites: So that where God doth not work to regeneration, if yet he doth to restraining and binding up of men's corruptions, that their wickedness doth not make the place an hell to live in, the godly do much praise him for it.

Lastly, Though leaving of sin do not always argue an interest in Christ, and an evidence for heaven, yet such men shall have less torments in hell; their judgment will be easier. Thus Austin said, Camillus will be less punished in hell then Catali • e; and so a wicked man forsaking his • ear lusts and sins, though not upon Sanctified principles, shall have more Temporal blessings here and less punishment hereafter, then those that willfully persevere in them.

Let us in the next place consider, Why a mere forsaking of sin, or a reformation in externals, is not enough: and this will be manifest from several demonstrations.

First, Because (as was intimated) sin may be left from forced principles without, not sanctified grace within. Forced principles are terrors of conscience, grievous judgments of God, whereby a man is taken off from his sins, as a mastive is pulled off from worrying a sheep, and sucking its sweet blood, by putting red hot Iron in his mouth. Nothing but a flaming fiery sword can keep him off from sin, which he accounted paradise: But that which is comfortable reforming of a man's life, is when a supernatural principle is infused within, whereby we are made new creatures; and so from the love of God, and his holiness, ariseth all our hatred and loathing of sin. Thus the Apostle abhors that which is evil, cleaves to that which is good, Rom. 12. When our hating of sin like hell, ariseth from a sweet intimate cleaving to good as glue, (for so the word implies) this is matter of rejoicing. We see in nature, operations follow the nature and essence of a thing; therefore departing from evil is not kindly, till it come from a pure, and sanctified nature.

Secondly, A mere leaving of sin, is not perfectly a touchstone of grace, because it may be done unwillingly, with great grief that we cannot keep our lusts still: And this is a consequent from the former particular; for when we leave sin from forced principles, there is a great deal of reluctancy: Thus Pharaoh and the Israelites under God's judgments, they go from sin as Phaltiel was taken from his wife, They run crying after them to have them again. Oh, this is the wretched temper of too many; they have an heart to do thus, to live thus, and they are grieved their lusts cannot be accomplished, but other things keep them they dare not; as Paul said, The evil he would not do, yet he did it, but still he delighted in the Law of God in the inner man. So these, the good they would not do, yet they are compelled to do; and therefore still they delight in the law of sin, and with their minds they serve it: do not many cast away their sins, as the Mariners did Jonah out of the ship in the sea? they used first all the means they could to keep him in, and when that could not be, then with great trouble of spirit they threw him away. Thus many use all means secretly, publicly to keep their sins, plead for the lawfulness of them, excuse the committing of them, till a tempest of God's wrath is so violent upon them, that they cannot hold them any longer: Oh, therefore if thou wert once so and so, but now washed, now no such ulcers and sores are upon thee, consider with what willingness, delight, and joy in God this is done, if otherwise, say not, Grace is in thee.

Thirdly, Therefore may not leaving of actual sin, be a good testimony, because this is not accompanied with mortifying sin in the root, and in the body of it; For that only is the true forsaking of sin, which goeth to the very bottom of all, which layeth the Ax to the root of the tree, which endeavors to kill the dam with the young ones, which would destroy sin as they did Jericho, never to be built again. Thus David repenting of those gross actual sins, goeth to the Fountain, his polluted nature and unclean, bitterly bewailing that: hence also the Apostle calleth for crucifying of the flesh, as well as the lusts of sin. The Scripture speaks of the body of sin, as well as members thereof, and exhorts to the mortifying of one, as well as another: And Paul, Rom. 7. In that great combat and conflict, he fights not with small sins or great, but the king, Original pollution. Sampson did but cut his hair, and when that grew, all his strength grew up again; if it had been pulled up by the root, then he had recovered his power no more, so it is here. If actual sins be only circumcised, pared off, and not a pulling them up by the roots, they all increase to their former prevalency again. Know then, it is not enough to dry up the streams, unless the fountain also be: see how the root and seed-plot of all lust, and sin in thy heart is consumed, and then there is hopes thou biddest thy sins be gone upon right terms; otherwise this falling out of lovers, will be the renewing of love; or as water cast upon the Iron, makes it burn the more vehemently, so will this forbearance a while from sin afterward inflame thee seven times the hotter: and certainly here ought our sorrow and hatred to be most vigorous, because here sin is in its strength and power.

Fourthly, Therefore may we not take comfort from mere external reformation, because it may be nothing but the change of gross sins, into a channel of Spiritual, and more refined sins. Now this is only to change such Tyrant-sins, but not the Tyranny of sin. The Pharisees they carefully avoided all gross Publican sins: they thank God, they are no drunkards, publicans, adulterers; but what then? they are proud, covetous, superstitious; they avoid gross sin corporally, but they greatly defile themselves with other sins spiritually. A man diseased with distillation of humors, if the Physician do not remove the humor, but divert it to some other part, that is more vital and dangerous, he doth not cure, but kill his patient; and thus it is here, that flux of blood, that noisome sore of sin, which did run out in a bodily way, is turned now into a mental way of pride, self-confidence, self-righteousness; and thus as many times the drying up of sores and issues, strikes presently to the heart, and kills immediately, so doth the forsaking of gross sins fill thy heart with self-love selfd-elight, & hereby thy estate is more dangerous then ever.

Fifthly, Take not comfort presently from thy leaving of sin, for it may be only a partial and limited leaving, not an absolute and universal. There is many a man hath made a wonderful change in his life, and hath cast away all those visible sins, that others observe in him; but yet some secret, pleasant, profitable lust he keeps, by which means he is still under the dominion of sin, and in Satan's snares. Thus Herod, he did many things, but one thing he would not do: Now I know thou lovest me (saith God) when thou hast parted with thy only son Isaac, and then God knoweth thou truly lovest him, when thou leavest thy own personal • iniquities; when thou canst say, Lord, I have willingly parted with that which I was most addicted to, which I have been long accustomed to which I would have desired of all to have spared: Thou mayest with Saul, kill many a petty sin, but wilt thou kill Agag? Wilt thou part with the fat cattle, as well as the lean? be impartial in this point.

Sixthly, Escaping of worldly pollutions, is not always an argument of a renewed nature, because sin may drive out sin, even as Divines say about popish exorcisms, when the priest calls out devils from men possessed, it is by collusion: the devil recedes not, because those exorcisms are of divine efficacy, but because hereby he would confirm people more in believing a lie. Thus a man that hath propounded to himself any great worldly end, of profit, pleasure, or advancement, he must for a while be a saint, that he may be a devil. Thus divers Heretics have been men of unblamable, and excellent lives, that their seeming Sanctity may stamp the greater reputation upon their Heresies. It is Machiave's counsel to his great ones, That by all means they should get the name and repute of virtue 〈◊〉 though the thing itself be a burden; see then whether thy reformation of life, be not subordinate to carnal designs; if so, thou art but a serpent with a glistering color, but a body full of poison.

Lastly, This amendment of life is not satisfactory, because the means by which it is wrought, is not durable, rooted, and firm: It is said in the Text, by the knowledge of Christ: howsoever some would lay much upon the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , yet that is many times no more then a bare 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an historical knowledge of Divine things, with some light impression upon the heart. Our Savior differenceth the foolish and the wise builder, by the depth of the foundation they lay, and its the knowing of the Truths as they are in Jesus, that makes a man put off the old man with all its lusts: Therefore examine, by what means art thou persuaded thus to reform? how cometh it about that thou darest not do as thou hast door? If it be only general, historical faith of matters contained in the Scripture, this is too weak and languishing; it is one thing to leave sin from mere illumination in the head, and another from a powerful inflammation, and renovation of the heart; thou must with thy heart, and soul, and strength love God, and leave sin, as well as with the mind.

Use of Instruction, How manifestly and evidently they have no hopes of heaven, or grace, who live in the constant, common practice of gross sins; yet even such men would judge it hard to be told, That they are of their Father the Devil, that they are in a state of darkness, and bitterness; yet what is more clear? You need not have one from heaven come and tell you, your state is damnable, neither one from hell, with hell flames upon him, crying out, for such sins as you daily commit, Behold, I lie roaring and yelling to all eternity: If therefore any that is called a Christian, a believer, be thus a profane, an ungodly person, let him see the wrath of God written against him so evidently, that though he runneth he may read it. What is a Swine, though washed, under the sad doom of God's wrath? What then is the Swine wallowing in its mire, and tumbling in its dirt? And such an one art thou, who committest gross sins with greediness.

Use of Exhortation, Not only to leave your sins, but upon such right grounds as will be of everlasting comfort: Cast away your iniquities, saith the Prophet; That implieth willingness, readiness, vehement detestation, never to receive them anymore; but thy sins are pulled from thee, thy heart is the same, thy love is the same, unless God hedgeth thy way with thorns, that thou canst not follow thy lusts. Hast thou therefore left off all those evil ways thou once livedst in upon Scripture ends, with such a love of Godliness, that though sin come like Josephs Mistress, in all her loveliness, pleasure, and importunate temptation, saying, Come, and lie with me: yet thou leavest garment and all, saying, How can I do this, and sin against God? Take heed thou art not like that man out of whom devils were cast, but he cometh with seven worse afterwards, and finds it garnished and swept, prepared for him; a sheep washed, loves not to go into the mire again, though a Sow doth.

SERMON XXXIII.

HAving in several instances discovered the weakness of those props, which most lean upon in reference to Salvation, I shall conclude this matter with a discourse upon the Disciples pathetical exclamation in the Text, Who then can be saved?

In the verse precedent, we have mention made of one, who had good wishes and desires for heaven, but being put by our Savior upon an exploratory duty, it proved like jealousy water to him, discovering his rottenness; he was a spurious brood of the Eagle, for he was not able to endure these pure Sun-beams, He went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions. It doth not say, for he loved them, but he had them, it being very difficult to have these things, and not immoderately love them: they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 indeed, because they possessed him, rather then he possessed them. He had much wealth, as we say, a man hath a fever, when that hath him, destroying and wasting his health. Upon this we have our Savior uttering a strange and paradoxal speech to flesh and blood, Christ's words were miracles as well as his works, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: compare this with Mark 10. and there are several aggravations; first, our Savior saith, its hard; Mark saith, he spake it with admiration, How hard is it? Then this he affirmeth with a vehement asseveration, verily, yea Mark saith, He looked about him, to signify he had some extraordinary thing to say, and therefore would have them attentive, yea the Evangelist saith, he sighed also, when he spake this further he spake this to his Disciples, though not rich, as appeareth by that compellation in Mark, Son, how hard is it, &c? as a tender father he bids them beware.

In the next place Christ doth not only show the difficulty, but at last the impossibility by a proverbial speech, It is as impossible for a rich man to be saved, as a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle, a Proverb in the Eastern parts to express an impossibility. Those that would understand it of a Cable-rope, as they mistake about the Greek word, so they consider not the greater impossibility is implied in the phrase the more significant it is. Now this speech of our Savior's is an hard speech, but thou art not to expostulate or contend with God's Ministers about it, for truth itself hath said it: only by rich men, Mark expounds those who trust in them, but Matthew speaks it absolutely, because of the difficulty not to trust in them, when we have them. Upon this speech of our Savior's, we see a notable operation on the Disciples, expressed first in their outward disposition, and then in their speech. In their disposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they were stricken with amazement, it was with them, as if they had had some astonishing blow given them; & then you have their admiration, who then can be saved? This implieth that they thought before they heard this a very possible, if not an easy thing to be saved, but now they despair of it: But why do they say, who then can be saved in the general, and not rather what rich man? for of them our Savior spake, such poor men as the Disciples might be saved for all this. it is answered thus, though all men are not rich, yet all men have a desire and appetite after riches, and so they are thereby stopped in their course to heaven. Or thus, Though all men are not rich, yet as rich men have their wealth which they immoderately rely on: So there is no man but he hath some creature or other, he doth inordinately affect, and that makes him a Camel with too big a bunch to go in the strait way to Heaven.

That howsoever men may suggest to themselves many probable and easy grounds for their salvation, yet upon Scripture-consideration it will appear a great difficulty, yea in some sense an impossibility.

Thus the Disciples while they happily attended only to Christ his gracious invitations and manifold promises of his love, they thought it a very easy matter to get to heaven; They found nothing but honey come out of his mouth. Now when they hear our Savior speak of the exact qualification of him that shall be saved, they are affected with fear as the Israelites were, who thought it impossible to possess Canaan, because of the tall Anakims that must first be conquered.

For the clearing of the Doctrine, let these three things be premised;

First, That when we say it is such a difficult and impossible thing to be saved, we do not relate to that natural impossibility which is in every man; for so not only rich men, but even infants new-born, it's as impossible for them to be saved, as a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle; for seeing all are by nature dead in sin; we can no more put spiritual life in ourselves, then Adam could at first have made himself of a lump of earth, a living soul. We do not then fetch this impossibility of Salvation so much from the weakness of nature, as from the exactness of the way of grace, for our Savior in the Text layeth not this impossibility upon the impotency and inability of a man in respect of original defilement, though this stream will by long windings at last empty itself into that fountain, but upon the curious bounds that grace prescribes our affections even to lawful things; so that although we may love and desire, and use these creature-comforts, yet if we go but one step beyond those limits, we have presently transgressed; and so when our Savior saith upon this to comfort the Disciples with some hopes, with God all things are possible. Though it be universally true, yet it is more peculiarly to be limited to the matter in hand, God can level this Camels bunch, he can command the waters of our affections to stand still, and not to overflow.

Secondly, This therefore may be extended not only to a natural man in his unregenerate estate, but even to a regenerated person, so that we may cry out, What godly man can be saved? The work of grace is so exact, temptations are so great, corruptions are so strong, that we may say, Who of the godly can be saved? for though God's grace will give them to persevere, as Christ's presence in the ship did or might assure them they could not perish, yet when they saw their danger, and were in tempests and storms, they cried out, Master save us, we perish; so even a godly man, though while he look to the Covenant of grace he may anchor his soul securely; yet at the same time beholding his temptations and infirmities, he may frequently cry out, O Lord, support me, I am falling into hell; we will therefore suppose a man in the state of grace, yet, were it not that with God all things are possible, this godly man would make shipwreck of his soul a thousand times over ere he could get into that glorious haven. Thus Peter 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous is scarcely saved, which although it be principally meant of temporal deliverance, yet spiritual salvation is by necessary consequence included.

Thirdly, Although this be true, yet it must be acknowledged, that if we do respect the grace of Christ, and his fullness, it is a very easy thing to be saved; for let sin abound in the guilt and power of it, yet grace in the justifying and sanctifying effects of it, doth much more abound. Hence God's mercy in pardoning is compared to the heavens, and our sins are but like the earth a punctum in comparison, Isa. 55. 9. or as a drop of the water to the Sun-beams, which is quickly dried up. In the fifth of the Romans you have an excellent opposition between the second and first Adam, showing how much more potent Christ is to save, and grace to give life, then Adam was to destroy, or sin to curse and condemn; in which respect Christ is said to give life, and that more abundantly; now this is to be marked by the dejected, tempted heart, which seldom looks up to grace, but to all the difficulties that are in heavens way. They cry out, O never godly, never believing, never coming up to Scripture-principles; but they do not join God's power and their infirmity, God's grace, and their guilt together; They do not say, O Lord, because this is impossible to me, Is it also to thee? Because I have sinned away my own grace, Have I also sinned away Christ's fullness?

Therefore mind the strict qualifications to make thee walk humbly in fear and trembling, mind the gracious fullness of God's love and power to make thee full of hope and comfort. Put the Camels bunch and God's power together.

These things premised, let us consider what are those considerations that make salvation so easy to a man's natural thoughts.

And the first is, A representation of God altogether pitiful and merciful, without taking any notice of his purity and his justice, that he is a God Who will not acquit the guilty. This half representation of God unto a man's heart, makes him thus confident. Men argue, How can we think God, who saith, He would not the death of a sinner, who saith, Why will ye die, O house of Israel; Who hath put pity into men's hearts, shall not much more be a fountain when streams are so plentiful? This hath been aggravated so much, that it hath been an opinion of some, that at last all men, yea and devils also shall be saved: but the Scripture speaks of God's sting as well as his honey, of his fury as well as his pity; The Scripture speaketh of his rejoicing in the destruction of the wicked, as well as pitying them; Do not thou therefore deceive thy own soul, by minding God's mercy merely. God's justice is to find out those, who have abused mercy, and he is a fire to consume as well as to give light.

A second ground which makes salvation so easy, is the general offer and tender of God's grace by his Word, whereby none seem to be exempted: Now if to this be added, a doctrinal opinion also, which doth abound in these days, viz. universal Grace, and universal Redemption, they now quickly persuade themselves the way to heaven is a broad way; but this Doctrine doth quite overthrow the Doctrine of a particular Election of some only to salvation, which yet the Scripture manifestly declareth, and it puts the whole discriminating event of a man's self from others, into the hands of free-will: for if Judas have as much of the grace of God, and as much by the death of Christ, as Peter; the only reason why Peter doth repent and Judas not, is merely, because the one improveth his power well, and the other doth not. Therefore although general tenders of grace are enough to encourage those that are hungry and thirsty after it, and such as are burdened by sin; yet they lay no foundation at all for such an universality of grace as they pretend to; neither do we lay a foundation of despair in this, for we say, this grace doth truly belong to everyone that believeth and repenteth; And the Arminian cannot go further, he dare not say, This grace belongs to you whether you believe or not, repent or not: so that we are as universal in pouring of oil into wounded souls, as they are.

Thirdly, Salvation is thought easy, Because of a mistake about faith: Oh say they, if a man do but believe, then heaven is his, Christ is his: as to him that believeth not condemnation belongeth. Now all natural men think it a very easy thing to believe, What, to trust in Christ with all thy heart? how ready is every unregenerate man to say, he doth it? And upon this it is, that the Papists charge us as making it such an easy pleasing way to go to Heaven; It's but believing (say they) and then all is well. But all this is a mistake about faith; he that saith, Faith is easy, never knew what it is to believe: To presume is easy, to be secure and self-flattering is easy; but out of the true sense of sin and deep humiliation for it to rely on God's grace; this the godly heart finds not to be done without many conflicts and spiritual agonies; faith therefore is made the work of God's Spirit, and it is that which the devil doth most oppose, because that doth most withstand him.

Lastly, Therefore men make it easy to go to Heaven, They may seek that in the last place, Live in all jollity, and then to cry, Lord have mercy on me at the last gasp is enough, because they wholly mistake what true Godliness and Repentance is. What godliness is they understand not, they think not of being borne again, of the pangs and travail the soul commonly is in, before it is thus formed; They consider not the way to Heaven is a strait way, and few that enter therein; if they did, could they be so silly, as to think such vicious lives as they live, such formality and morality they continue in, were the way to Heaven? Certainly if this be so, then the Scripture speaks falsely, Strait is the way, Mat. 7. 13, 14. No, broad is the way, large are the paths, and few miss them; You therefore think it easy to be saved, because you take copper for gold, counterfeits for pearls; and thus a man may think himself very rich, when he is indeed very poor. Again, they mistake about repentance, for they think all kind of sorrow for sin, every Lord have mercy upon them, especially if this be with tears, a true Repentance; but if this be so we may cry out contrary to the Disciples, Who will not be saved? Then blessed Ahab, godly Pharaoh, holy Judas, for all these more or less acknowledged their sin, and begged for pardon; But if thou examine Scripture, and see how much goeth to godly sorrow, what principle it must come from, what motives must produce it, what effects flow from it; Thou wilt be amazed, and say, O Lord, I doubt I never truly repented, my tears are too salt to come from a contrite heart in a gracious manner. Now do but observe all those men who are secure and confident about their salvation, you may as soon persuade them a Blackmore is white, as they begin to have the least doubt and suspicion about themselves; and you shall see its one of these pillars they lean upon, if this their foundation were razed all their hopes were gone. Could you drive them out of this refuge then they would cry out, Men and brethren. What shall we do to be saved?

Let us therefore in the next place consider, why upon Scripture-grounds, it will appear such an impossibility without God's wonderful grace; for a man, yea a godly man to be saved; so that of all miracles, it will be the greatest, to see a godly man passing all the Rocks here, and safely lodged in Heaven.

And first it appeareth a wonder, If you consider that grace in a man's heart is not in its natural soil. It's like an Herb transplanted and put into some ground it doth not agree with. Now it's a wonder this herb of Grace doth not wither, alas the soil helps nothing to it. God gave command at first to the earth to bring forth grass; but alas our hearts cannot do so: Grace in our hearts is like a stranger in a strange Land, like a spark of fire in the deep ocean, like a candle in a boisterous windy night, it's a wonder if it do not go out. And certainly if Adam so quickly lost his grace, when yet it was connatural to him, his heart was a fit soil; were it not for the Covenant of Grace, which fails not, a godly man would fall seven times a day wholly from God, as well as the Scripture saith he doth so often in temporal calamities. Oh then wonder how any grace comes to be alive in thy heart, that those coals are not smothered up, that every night thou dost not as that mother lie upon thy child, and thorough security and negligence kill this poor infant of grace.

2. The impossibility of it appeareth in the several manifold works of God's grace, which are absolutely necessary after we are regenerated: So that suppose a man be converted, yet if grace do not afterwards help, and that several ways, this man would die in the wilderness and never get to Canaan; now God's grace is various, There is preventing grace, whereby a man is kept from those many sins and temptations, which if plunged into would utterly undo him. Thus David was kept from murdering Nabal; and as Paul said, 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am; So he might have said (saith Austin) By the grace of God I am not what I am not. Yea Divines say, Plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae, God's preventing mercies are more then his positive mercies. Oh therefore think, If the grace of God did not keep off this sin, this lust, this temptation, how had it swallowed thee up, as the Whale did Jonah! Again, There is protecting grace, and that is, when thou art in the midst of all temptations, yet grace defends thee, and thou sinnest not; we wonder at God's miraculous deliverance to Daniel, who was kept alive in the midst of roaring Lions. Alas God doth no less for thee every day. There are devils like so many roaring Lions, seeking to devour thy soul, and its grace hath a covering over thee. Its a remarkable expression of the Psalmist, mercy d • th compass the godly, Ps. 32. 10. its a Court of guard against all those assaults that our spiritual enemies would make upon us. There is also quickening grace, whereby the principles of holiness are daily blown up and enlivened; now if this bellows were not always blowing, if this were not always filling our sails, we should lie like so many dry bones; This wind must arise ere they can come together. David found the necessity of this, when he so often prayed, That God would quicken him. Thy very graces would lie & rust away, were there not this exciting grace; Do not the people of God fall into divers lethargies and hurtful sleeps, because of the want of this. Again, there is cooperating grace, which goeth along with us to do, as well as to purpose in our heart: Its God's grace that worketh in us not only to will but to do, Phil. 2. 13. when we have desires and affections to duties, how many times are we diverted, and through laziness or distractions interrupted, but grace carrieth us out to the work itself. There is also corroborating grace, whereby the principles of holiness, being weak and unsteady, are confirmed and strengthened more and more; for grace though it keeps us from sin, yet carrieth us on to holiness weakly and faintly. Thus he prayed, I believe, help my unbelief, Mar. 9. 24. Thus the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, that many times they do the things they would not, Gal. 5. 17. Paul calls this to be strong in the might of the Lord; and I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Paul hath a kind of omnipotency, and to him all things are possible, because possible to grace which enableth him. Lastly, There is persevering Grace; for let a man be furnished with all the former fruits of grace, yet if this of perseverance be not added, their works are not crowned; when we do things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , then they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as they are often put one for another. Its not of the essence of grace to continue always in the subject where it is, for then Adam and the Angels could not have fallen. It is therefore a distinct work of grace to give perseverance from the first infusion of it.

3. The impossibility of it is seen in those sly insinuating motions of lust that do still abide in the heart of the most holy men. Insomuch that it is a wonder all the sweet fruit of thy soul is not quite eaten up with these worms that breed in them, all godly men consumed by those motions and sparks of sin, that are not yet extinct. James doth excellently describe the subtle working of original corruption, Jam. 1. 14: it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 entice a man away, with a sweet or profitable bait hiding the hook, and it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 draw the heart aside from considering all those arguments and motives that would make him forbear sin; now that this spawn of sin which would quickly prove Serpents and Cockatrices, is not destroyed, appeareth by Paul Rom. 7. How strong and unruly doth he find those remainders of sin in him, that were it not for God's grace ready at hand to heal him, Paul's soul would quickly become as noisome through spiritual sores, as Jobs body through bodily ulcers. Its a wonder then that every man is not a Cain, a Judas, considering what fuel there is in every man's heart.

4. The impossibility of salvation without grace, appeareth in the temptations that are in lawful things; Insomuch that when outward gross sins could not damn, the immoderate love of lawful things hath been like a millstone about the neck to drown in perdition; when the Philistines could not undo Samson, a Delilah in his bosom can. Thy wife, thy children, thy houses, thy trade, these kill thee by secret poison, whereas gross sins destroy by open sword. One of the Ancients in a vision saw the world full of snares, and so it is; a shop is a snare, wife, children are snares. Our Savior on purpose showeth this in that Parable, where those invited to the feast, say not, I am a drunkard, a swearer, and cannot or will not come, but I have bought, and I have married, and therefore cannot come, Luk. 14. 20. Seeing then everything we touch is like pitch, everything we meddle in is ready to entangle us, who can be godly, and so who can be saved? This wrought to an extremity upon some, that thought unless they gave over all worldly employments, and spent their days in cels and caves with continual devotion they could not be saved: but this was too much.

5. This will further be clear if you consider all the enmity, subtlety and power of the devil against a man, especially if godly, Ephes. 6. it is with principalities and dignities in high places, and Satan hath desired to winnow you. He chooseth out the godly in a more special way to undo them, Luk. 22. 31. There is two things in sitting or winnowing, the one is concussion and tumbling of the corn and chaff, or refuse together; the other is the separation of the good from the bad; now the devil he desired the first only, to mingle grace and corruption, to bring them all into a confusion, and so overcome them. Now did not Christ powerfully intercede, our faith would quickly fail in such extremities. That same Parable of a man going to Jericho and meeting with thieves, was miserably wounded, being left half dead, if it may be applied to a man's spiritual estate, is not meant of him before conversion, or in his natural estate, for he is wholly dead, but after his conversion many times foiled by Satan, and therefore needs oil and balm continually.

6. The impossibility of it appeareth in the manifold duties and ordinances which God hath appointed us to he frequent in; All which suppose the fire would quickly go out; he hath appointed frequent preaching, administration of Sacraments, daily prayer, and why is all this? that these warm clothes, and continual rubbing of thee may keep life in thee. God knew how fading our graces were; hence he hath commanded this continual dropping and watering, else thy soul of a Paradise would quickly become a barren wilderness: and to this head may we bring those continual afflictions and chastisements which God doth most exercise his children with; and why are these, but as so much sope to refine us, so much fire to get out dross? They are like the beating of the garment to get out the dust and moths; now then if there should not be such a continual praying, preaching, purifying, who could be saved? What godly man would not become like a standing pool full of mud and filth? so that salvation is a prize hardly obtained.

7. The impossibility appeareth, in that there is requisite a presence of all graces, and a proportionable cooperation of them. Now without God how impossible is this, Add to your faith temperance, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 6. If any one of these be lacking, it is a monster, not the image of God. Hence so many have come near godliness, been very like it, but have proved apes only, not really good; as there must be a presence, so a cooperation also. The Scripture commands the putting forth of such graces that to mere nature are inconsistent, they never act one but they prejudice the other. Thus we are to come with bold assurance to the throne of grace, and yet we must be in holy fear and trembling; so we must have repentance and faith, godly sorrow and godly joy together, we must have prudence and zeal accompanying one another; now who is godly if these things be so?

8. This will appear in the miscarriages of so many, who have put fair for heaven, and yet fell short. Oh if grace and salvation had been an easy haven, men could easily have got into it! why have so many suffered shipwreck in the havens mouth? What was Judas, what was Jehu, what the foolish Virgins, what the second and third kind of hearers? Did they not do much and suffer much, and yet at last proved blazing comets ending in slime, not fixed stars? Oh me thinks you should all stand and tremble to see them wallowing in their souls blood, as they did at Asahel in his bodies blood.

9. The strict and accurate endeavors of the godly, argue they concluded on this principle, that it was difficult to get to heaven. I made a Covenant with my eyes, saith Job, Job 31. 1. I set a watch before my tongue, said. David, Psal. 141. 3. I keep down my body, saith Paul, lest I become a reprobate, 1 Cor. 9. 27. Think of this and tremble, whose affections and thoughts on good things are by the by only. Its hard for the poor man to get wealth, for a languishing sick man to get health, but above all for a man to get grace, and when he hath it to keep it.

SECT. IIII. Wherein is handled the Nature of sanctifying Grace under the Title of Regeneration with the counterfeit thereof.