Directions for Weak Distempered Christians, Characters (1 of 4)
The Characters.
I. A CHRISTIAN INDEED, (by which I still mean, a sound confirmed Christian) is one that contenteth not himself to have a seed or Habit of Faith, but he Liveth by Faith, as the Sensualist liveth by sight or sense: Not putting out the eye of sense, nor living as if he had no Body, nor lived not in a world of sensible Objects; But as he is a Reasonable creature; which exalteth him above the sensitive Nature, so Faith is the true information of his Reason, about those high and excellent things, which must take him up above things sensible. He hath so firm a Belief of the Life to come, as procured by Christ, and promised in the Gospel, as that it serveth him for the Government of his Soul, as his bodily sight doth for the conduct of his Body. I say not, that he is assaulted with no temptations, nor that his Faith is perfect in degree, nor that believing moveth him as passionately as sight or sense would do: But it doth effectually move him through the course and tenour of his life, to do those things for the life to come, which he would do if he saw the Glory of Heaven; and to shun those things for the avoiding of damnation, which he would shun, if he saw the flames of Hell. Whether he do these things so fervently or not, his Belief is powerfull, effectual and victorious. Let sight and sense invite him to their Objects, and entice him to sin, and forsake his God, the objects of Faith shall prevail against them, in the bent of an even, a constant and resolved life. It is things unseen which he taketh for his treasure, and which have his heart and hope, and chiefest labours. All things else which he hath to do, are but subservient to his Faith and Heavenly interest, as his sensitive faculties are ruled by his Reason. His Faith is not only his Opinion, which teacheth him to choose what Church or Party he will be of; but it is his Intellectual Light; by which he liveth, and in the confidence and comfort of which he dyeth, 2 Cor. 5.7, 8, 9. For we walk by faith, not by sight — We groan to be cloathed upon with our heavenly house— Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him. Heb. 10.3. Now the just shall live by faith— Heb. 11.1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Most of the examples in Heb. 11. do shew you this truth, that true Christians live and govern their actions, by the firm Belief of the promise of God, and of another Life when this is ended. v. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an Ark; to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. V. 10. Abraham looked for a City which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Moses feared not the wrath of the King: for he indured, as seeing him who is invisible, v. 27. So the three witnesses, Dan. 3. and Daniel himself, ch. 6. And all Believers have lived this life, as Abraham the Father of the faithfull did; who, as it is said of him, Rom. 4.20. Staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. The Faith of a Christian is truly Divine; and he knoweth that Gods truth is as certain as sight it self can be; however sight be apter to move the passions: Therefore, if you can judge but what a Rational man would be, if he saw Heaven and Hell, and all that God had appointed us to Believe, then you may conjecture what a confirmed Christian is; (though sense do cause more sensible apprehensions.)
2. The weak Christian also hath a faith, that is Divine, as caused by God, and resting on his word and truth. And he so far liveth by this Faith, as that it commandeth and guideth the scope and drift of his heart and life: But he believeth with a great deal of staggering and unbelief: And therefore his Hopes are interrupted by his troublesom doubts and fears; and the dimness and languor of his Faith is seen in the faintness of his desires, and the many blemishes of his Heart and Life: And sight and sensual objects are so much the more powerfull with him, by how much the light and life of faith is dark and weak.
3. The Hypocrite or best of the unregenerate, believeth but either with a Humane faith, which resteth but on the Word of Man, or else with a dead opinionative faith, which is overpowered by infidelity, or is like the dreaming thoughts of a man asleep, which stirre him not to action: He liveth by sight and not by faith: For he hath not a Faith that will overpower Sense, and sensual objects, Jam. 2.14. Mat. 13.22.
II. 1. A Christian indeed not only knoweth why he is a Christian, but seeth those Reasons for his Religion, which disgrace all that the cunningest Atheist or Infidel can say against it: and so far satisfie, confirm and establish him, that emergent difficulties, temptations and objections, do not at all stagger him, or raise any deliberate doubts in him of the truth of the Word of God: He seeth first the naturall evidence of those foundation-truths which Nature it self maketh known: (as that there is a God of infinite Being, Power, Wisdom and Goodness, the Creator, the Owner, the Ruler, and the Father, Felicity and End of man; that we owe him all our love and service; that none of our fidelity shall be in vain or unrewarded, and none shall be finally a loser by his duty; that man who is naturally governed by the hopes and fears of another life, is made and liveth for that other Life, where his Soul shall be sentenced by God his Judge to happiness or misery, &c.) And then he discerneth the attestation of God to those supernatural, superadded Revelations of the Gospel, containing the Doctrine of mans Redemption: And he seeth how wonderfully these are built upon the former, and how excellently the Creators and Redeemers Doctrine and Lawes agree; and how much countenance supernatural truths receive from the presupposed naturals: so that he doth not adhere to Christ and Religion by the meer engagement of education, friends or worldly advantages; nor by a blind resolution, which wanteth nothing but a strong temptation (from a Deceiver or a worldly Interest) to shake or overthrow it: But he is built upon the Rock, which will stand in the assault of Satans storms, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Mat. 16.18. & 13.23. & 7.25. Joh. 6.68, 69.
2. But a weak Christian hath but a dim and general kind of knowledge of the reasons of his Religion; or at least but a weak apprehension of them, though he have the best and most unanswerable reasons: And either he is confident in the dark upon grounds which he cannot make good, and which want but a strong assault to shake them; or else he is troubled and ready to stagger at every difficulty which occurreth: Every hard saying in the Scripture doth offend him: And every seeming contradiction shaketh him: And the depth of mysteries which pass his understanding, do make him say as Nicodemus of Regeneration, How can these things be? And if he meet with the objections of a cunning Infidel, he is unable so to defend the truth, and clear his way through them, as to come off unwounded and unshaken, and to be the more confirmed in the truth of his belief, by discerning the vanity of all that is said against it. Heb. 5.12, 13. Matth. 15.16. 1 Cor. 14.20. Joh. 12.16.
3. The seeming Christian either hath no solid Reasons at all for his Religion, or else if he have the best, he hath no sound apprehension of them: But though he be never so learned and orthodox, and can preach and defend the Faith, it is not so rooted in him as to endure the tryall; but if a strong temptation from subtilty or carnal interest assault him, you shall see that he was built upon the sand, and that there was in him a secret root of bitterness, and an evil heart of unbelief, which causeth him to depart from the living God, Heb. 3.12. Matth. 13.20, 21, 22. Matth. 7.26, 27. Heb. 12.15. Joh. 6.60, 64, 66. 1 Tim. 6.10, 11.
III. 1. A Christian indeed, is not only confirmed in the essentials of Christianity, but he hath a cleer delightful sight of those usefull truths, which are the Integrals of Christianity, and are built upon the fundamentals, and are the branches of the master-points of Faith. Though he see not all the lesser Truths (which are branched out at last into innumerable particles) yet he seeth the main body of sacred Verities, delivered by Christ for mans sanctification; and seeth them methodically in their proper places; and seeth how one supports another, and in how beautifull an order and contexture they are placed: And as he sticketh not in the bare Principles, so he receiveth all these additions of knowledge, not notionally only, but practically, as the food on which his Soul must live. Heb. 5.13, 14. & 6.1, 2, &c. Matth. 13.11. Eph. 1.18. & 3.18, 19. Joh. 13.17.
2. A weak Christian (in knowledge) besides the Principles or Essentials of Religion, doth know but a few disordered scattered Truths; which are also but half known, because while he hath some knowledge of those points, he is ignorant of many other, which are needfull to the supporting, and clearing, and improving of them: And because he knoweth them not in their places, and order, and relation, and aspect upon other Truths. And therefore if Temptations be strong, and come with advantage, the weak Christian in such points is easily drawn into many errors; and thence into great confidence and conceitedness in those Errors; and thence into sinfull dangerous courses in the prosecution and practice of those Errors: Such are like children tost up and down, and carryed to and fro by every winde of doctrine, through the cunning sleight and subtilty of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Eph. 4.14. 2 Cor. 11.3. Col. 2.4. 2 Tim. 3.7.
3. The seeming Christian having no saving practical knowledge of the Essentials of Christianity themselves, doth therefore either neglect to know the rest, or knoweth them but notionally, as common Sciences, and subjecteth them all to his Worldly interest: And therefore is still of that side or party in Religion, which upon the account of safety, honour or preferment, his flesh commandeth him to follow. Either he is still on the greater, rising side, and of the Rulers Religion, be it what it will; or if he dissent, it is in pursuit of another game, which Pride or fleshly ends have started. 2 Pet. 2.14. Gal. 3.3. Joh. 9.22. & 12.42, 43. Matth. 13.21.22.
IV. 1. The Christian indeed, hath not only Reason for his Religion, but also hath an inward connatural principle, even the spirit of Christ, which is as a New-nature, inclining and enlivening him to a holy life: whereby he mindeth and savoureth the things of the Spirit: Not that his Nature doth work blindly, as Nature doth in the irrational creatures; but at least it much imitateth Nature as it is found in Rational creatures, where the Inclination is necessary, but the Operations free, and subject to Reason: It is a spiritual appetite in the Rational appetite, even the will, and a spiritual visive disposition in the understanding: Not a faculty in a faculty; but the right disposition of the faculties to their highest objects, to which they are by corruption made unsuitable. So that it is neither a proper power in the Natural sense, nor a meer act, but neerest to the nature of a seminal disposition or habit. It is the health and rectitude of the faculties of the Soul. Even as Nature hath made the understanding disposed to Truth in generall, and the will disposed or inclined to Good in generall, and to self-preservation and felicity in particular; so the Spirit of Christ doth dispose the understanding to spiritual truth, to know God and the matters of salvation, and doth incline the will to God and Holiness; not blindly, as they are unknown; but to love and serve a known God. So that whether this be properly or only analogically called A Nature, or rather should be called a Habit, I determine not; but certainly it is a fixed Disposition and Inclination, which Scripture calleth the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. and [the seed of God abiding in us, 1 Joh. 3.9. But most usually it is called [the Spirit of God, or of Christ in us: Rom. 8.9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his. 1 Cor. 12.13. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, — Therefore we are said to be in the Spirit, and walk after the Spirit, and by the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the Body, Rom. 8.1.9, 13. And it is called, the Spirit of the Son, and the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father; or are inclined to God, as Children to their Father; and the Spirit of grace and supplication, Rom. 8.15.23.26. Gal. 4.6. & 5.17, 18. Eph. 2.18, 22. & 4.3, 4. Phil. 1.27. & 2.1. Zech. 12.10. From this Spirit and the fruits of it, we are called New Creatures, and quickened and made alive to God, 2 Cor. 5.17. Eph. 2.15. Rom. 6.11, 13. It is a great controversie, whether this Holy disposition and inclination, was Natural to Adam or not, and consequently, whether it be a restored nature in us, or not? It was so natural to him, as Health is natural to the body, but not so natural as to be a Necessitating Principle, nor so as to be inseparable and unlosable.
2. This same Spirit and holy inclination is in the weakest Christian also, but in a small degree, and remisly operating, so as that the fleshly inclination oft seemeth to be the stronger, when he judgeth by its passionate struglings within him: Though indeed the Spirit of life doth not only strive, but conquer in the main, even in the weakest Christians, Rom. 8, 9. Gal. 5.17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
3. The seeming Christian hath only the uneffectual motions of the Spirit to a Holy Life, and effectual motions, and inward dispositions to some common duties of Religion: And from these with the natural principles of self-love and common honesty, with the outward perswasions of company and advantages, his Religion is maintained, without the Regeneration of the Spirit, Joh. 3.6.
V. From hence it followeth, 1. That a Christian indeed doth not serve God for fear only, but for love; even for love both of himself, and of his holy work and service: Yea, the strong Christians Love to God and Holiness, is not only greater than his Love to Creatures, but greater than his fear of wrath and punishment. The Love of God constraineth him to duty, 2 Cor. 5.14. Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. therefore the Gospel cannot be obeyed without it. He saith not, O that this were no duty, and O that this forbidden thing were lawfull, (Though his Flesh say so, the Spirit which is the predominant part doth not) But he saith, O how I love thy Law! O that my wayes were so directed that I might keep thy statutes! Psal. 119.5. For the spirit is willing even when the flesh is weak: He serveth not God against his will; but his will is to serve him more and better than he doth: He longeth to be perfect, and perfectly to do the will of God, and taketh the remnant of his sinfull infirmities to be a kind of bondage to him, which he groaneth to be delivered from: To will even perfection is present with him, though not perfectly; and though he do not all that he willeth: And this is the true meaning of Pauls complaints, Rom. 7. Because the flesh warreth against the Spirit, he cannot do the good that he would, that is, he cannot be perfect, for so he would be, Gal. 5.17. His love and will excells his practice.
2. The weak Christian also hath more love to God and holiness than to the world and fleshly pleasure: But yet his fear of punishment is greater than his Love to God and Holiness. To have no Love to God is inconsistent with a state of Grace, and so it is to have less love to God than to the world, and less love to holiness than to sin: But to have more Fear than Love is consistent with sincerity of Grace: Yea, the weak Christians love to God and Holiness is joyned with so much backwardness and aversness, and interrupted with weariness, and with the carnall allurements and diversions of the Creature, that he cannot certainly perceive whether his love and willingness be sincere or not: He goeth on in a course of duty, but so heavily, that he scarce knoweth, whether his love or loathing of it be the greater. He goeth to it as a sick man to his meat, or labour: All that he doth is with so much pain or undisposedness, that to his feeling his aversness seemeth greater than his willingness, were it not that necessity maketh him willing. For the habitual love and complacency which he hath towards God and Duty, is so oppressed by fear, and by aversness, that it is not so much felt in act as they.
3. A seeming Christian hath no true Love of God and Holiness at all, but some uneffectual liking and wishes which are overborn by a greater backwardness, and by a greater love to earthly things; so that Fear alone, without any true effectual Love, is the spring and principle of his Religion and obedience, God hath not his heart, when he draweth near him with his lips: He doth more than he would do, if he were not forced by Necessity and Fear; and had rather be excused, and lead another kind of life. Mat. 15.8. Isa. 29.13. Though Necessity and fear are very helpfull to the most sincere, yet Fear alone without Love or Willingness is a graceless state.
VI. 1. A Christian indeed doth love God in these three gradations: He loveth him much for his mercy to himself, and for that Goodness which consisteth in benignity to himself; But he loveth him more for his Mercy to the Church, and for that Goodness which consisteth in his Benignity to the Church. But he Loveth him most of all for his Infinite perfections and essential excellencies; His Infinite Power, and Wisdom and Goodness simply in himself considered. For he knoweth that Love to himself obligeth him to returns of Love: especially differencing saving grace. And he knoweth that the souls of millions are more worth incomparably then his own, and that God may be much more honoured by them than by him alone: And therefore he knoweth that the mercy to many is greater mercy, and a greater demonstration of the goodness of God; and therefore doth render him more amiable to man. Rom. 9.3. And yet he knoweth that the Essential perfection and goodness of God as simply in himself and for himself, is much more amiable than his Benignity to the creature: And that he that is the first efficient must needs be the ultimate final cause of all things: And that God is not finally for the creature, but the creature for God, (for all that he needeth it not) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. Rom. 11.36. And as he is Infinitely better than our selves, so he is to be better Loved than our selves: As I love a wise and vertuous person, though he be one I never expect to receive any thing from, and therefore Love him for his own sake, and not for his benignity or usefulness to me: So must I love God most for his essential perfections, though his benignity also doth represent him amiable. As he is blindly selfish that would not rather himself be annihilated or perish, than whole Kingdoms should all perish, or the Sun be taken out of the world; (because that which is best must he loved as best, and therefore be best loved:) so is he more blind who in his estimative complacential Love, preferreth not Infinite Eternal Goodness, before such an imperfect silly creature as himself (or all the world): We are commanded to love our Neighbour as our selves, when God is to be loved with all the heart and soul and might, which therefore signifieth more than to love him as our selves; (or else he were to be loved no more than our Neighbour.) So that the strong Christian loveth God so much above himself, as that he accounteth himself and all his interests, as nothing in comparison of God, yea and loveth himself more for God than for himself: Though his own salvation be loved and desired by him, and God must be loved for his mercy and benignity; yet that salvation it self which he desireth, is nothing else but the love of God: Wherein his love is the final felicitating act, and God is the final felicitating object, and the felicity of loving is not first desired, but the attractive object doth draw out our love, and thereby make us consequentially happy in the injoying exercise thereof. Thus God is All and in all to the soul. Psal. 73.25. Rom. 11.36. 1 Cor. 10.31. Deut. 6.5. Mat. 23.37. Mat. 19.17.
2. A weak Christian also loveth God as one that is infinitely better than himself and all things: (or else he did not love him at all as God.) But in the exercise he is so much in the minding of himself, and so seldom and weak in the contemplation of Gods perfections, that he feeleth more of his love to himself, than unto God: and feeleth more of his love to God as for the Benefits which he receiveth in and by himself, than as for his own perfections: yea and often feeleth the love of himself to work more strongly than his Love to the Church, and all else in the world. The care of his own salvation is the highest principle which he ordinarily perceiveth in any great strength in him; and he is very little and weakly carried out to the Love of the whole Church, and to the Love of God above himself. Phil. 2.20, 21, 22. 1 Cor. 10.24. Jer. 45.5.
3. A seeming Christian hath a common Love of God as he is Good, both in himself, and unto the world, and unto him. But this is not for his Holyness; and it is but a general uneffectual approbation and praise of God, which followeth a dead uneffectual belief: But his chiefest predominant Love is always to his Carnal self, and the Love both of his soul, and of God is subjected to his fleshly self-love. His chiefest Love to God is for prospering him in the world, and such as is subservient to his sensuality, pride, coveteousness, presumption and false hopes. Luke 18.21, 22. 1 Joh. 2.15.2 Tim. 3.2, 4. Joh. 12.43. Joh. 5.42.
VII. 1. A Christian indeed doth practically take this Love of God and the holy expressions of it, to be the very life and top of his Religion, and the very life and beauty and pleasure of his soul; He makes it his work in the world, and loveth himself (complacentially) but so far as he findeth in himself the Love of God; And so far as he findeth himself without it, he loatheth himself as an unlovely carkass: And so far as his prayers and obedience are without it, he looks on them but as unacceptable loathsome things. And therefore he is taken up in the study of Redemption, because he can no where so clearly see the Love and Loveliness of God, as in the face of a Redeemer, even in the wonders of Love revealed in Christ. And he studieth them, that Love may kindle Love. And therefore he delighteth in the contemplating of Gods attributes and infinite perfections; and in the beholding of him in the frame of the Creation, and reading his name in the book of his works, that his soul may by such steps, be raised in Love and Admiration of his Maker: And as it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the sun or light, so is it to the mind of the Christian indeed to be frequently and seriously contemplating the nature and glory of God: And the exercise of Love in such contemplations, is most of his daily walk with God. And therefore it is also, that he is more taken up in the exercises of thanksgiving and the Praises of the Almighty, than in the lower parts of Godliness: so that though he neglect not confession of sin and humiliation; yet doth he use them but in subserviency to the Love and Praise of God: He doth but rid out the filth that is undecent in a Heart that is to entertain its God. He placeth not the chief part of his Religion in any outward duties, nor in any lower preparatory acts; Nor doth he stop in any of these, however he neglect them not. But he useth them all, to advance his soul in the Love of God: And useth them the more diligently, because the Love of God to which they conduce, as to their proper end, is so high and exellent a work. Therefore in Davids Psalms you find a heart delighting it self in the praises of God; and in Love with his word and works in order to his praises. Psal. 116.1. &c. Psal. 106. & 103. & 145. & 146. &c. Rom. 8.37.
2. The weak Christian is taken up but very little, with the lively exercises of Love and Praise; nor with any Studies higher than his own distempered heart: The care of his poor soul, and the complaining of his manifold infirmities, and corruptions, is the most of his Religion: And if he set himself to the Praising of God or to Thanksgiving, he is as dull and short in it as if it were not his proper work. Psal. 77. Mar. 9.24. & 16.14.
3. The seeming Christian liveth to the flesh; and carnal self-love is the active principle of his life: and he is neither exercised in Humiliation or in Praise sincerely; being unacquainted both with holy Joy and Sorrow; But knowing that he is in the hands of God, to prosper or destroy him, he will humble himself to him to escape his judgements, and praise him with some gladness for the sunshine of prosperity; and he will seem to be piously thanking God when he is but rejoycing in the accommodations of his flesh, or strengthning his presumption and false hopes of heaven. Luke 18.11. & 12.19. Isa. 58.2.
VIII. 1. A Christian indeed is one that is so apprehensive of his lost condition, unworthyness and utter insufficiency for himself, and of the office, perfection and sufficiency of Christ, that he hath absolutely put his soul and all his hopes into the hands of Christ; and now liveth in him and upon him; as having no Life but what he hath from Christ, nor any other way of access to God, or acceptance of his person or his service but by him: In him he beholdeth and delightfully admireth the Love and goodness of the Father: In him he hath access with boldness unto God: Through him the most terrible avenging Judge is become a Reconciled God, and he that we could not remember but with trembling, is become the most desirable object of our thoughts. He is delightfully employed in prying into the unsearchable mysterie; And Christ doth even dwell in his heart by faith: and being rooted and grounded in love, he apprehendeth with all saints, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and height, and knoweth the love of Christ which passeth knowledge: Eph. 3.17, 18, 19. He perceiveth that he is daily beholden to Christ, that he is not in hell, that sin doth not make him like to Devills, and that he is not utterly forsaken of God: He feeleth that he is beholden to Christ, for every hours time, and every mercy to his soul or body, and for all his hope of mercy in this life or in the life to come. He perceiveth that he is dead in himself, and that his life is hid with Christ in God. And therefore he is as buryed and risen again with Christ; even dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ. Rom. 6.3, 4, 11. Col. 4.4. He saith with Paul, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Thus doth he live as truly and constantly by the second Adam who is a quickning spirit, as he doth by the first Adam who was a living soul. 1 Cor. 15.45. This is a confirmed Christians life.
2. But the weak Christian, though he be also united unto Christ, and live by faith, yet how languid are the operations of that faith? How dark and dull are his thoughts of Christ? How little is his sense of the wonders of Gods love revealed to the world in the mysterie of Redemption? How little use doth he make of Christ? And how little life receives he from him? And how little comfort findeth he in believing, in comparison of that which the confirmed find? He is to Christ as a sick person to his food: He only picketh here and there a little of the crums of the bread of life, to keep him from dying; but is wofully unacquainted with the powerfullest works of faith. He is such a Believer as is next to an unbeliever, and such a member of Christ, as is next to a meer stranger.
3. And for the seeming Christian, he may understand the letter of the Gospel, and number himself with Christs disciples, and be baptized with water, and have such a faith as is a dead opinion: But he hath not an effectual living faith, nor is baptized with the Holy Ghost, nor is his soul engaged absolutely and entirely in the covenant of Christianity to his Redeemer: He may have a handsome well-made image of Christianity, but it is the flesh and sense, and not Christ and faith, by which his life is actuated and ordered. Joh. 3.6. Rom. 2.28.
IX. 1. A Christian indeed doth firmly believe that Christ is a Teacher sent from God (Joh. 3.2.) and that he came from Heaven to reveal his Fathers will, and to bring life and immortality more fully to light by his Gospel; and that if an Angel had been sent to tell us, of the life to come and the way thereto, he had not been so credible and venerable a messenger as the Son of God: And therefore he taketh him alone for his chief Teacher, and knoweth no Master on Earth but him, and such as he appointeth under him: His study in the world is to know a crucified and glorified Christ, and God by him, and he regardeth no other knowledge, nor useth any other studies, but this, and such as are subservient to this. Even when he studieth the works of nature, it is as by the conduct of the restorer of nature, and as one help appointed him by Christ, to lead him up to the knowledge of God. And therefore he perceiveth that Christ is made of God unto us, wisdom as well as Righteousness: And that Christianity is the true Philosophy: and that the wisdom of the world, which is only about worldly things, from worldly principles, to a worldly end, is foolishness with God: He taketh nothing for wisdom which tendeth not to acquaint him more with God, or lead him up to everlasting happiness. Christ is his Teacher (either by natural or supernatural revelation,) and God is his ultimate end, in all his studies, and all that he desireth to know in the world. He valueth knowledge according to its usefulness: And he knoweth that its chief use is to lead us to the love of God. Math. 23.8. 1 Cor. 1.30. & 2.2. &c. Joh. 1.18. Col. 2.3. Eph. 4.13.
2. Though the weak Christian hath the same Master, yet alas how little doth he learn? and how oft is he hearkning to the teaching of the flesh? and how carnal, and common is much of his knowledge? How little doth he depend on Christ in his enquiries after the things of nature? And how apt is he to think almost as highly of the teaching of Aristotle, Plato, Seneca, or at least of some excellent preacher, as of Christs? and to forget that these are but his messengers and instruments, to convey unto us several parcells of that Truth, which is his and not theirs, and which (naturally or supernaturally) they received from him; and all these Candles were lighted by him who is the Sun? And how little doth this weak Christian refer his common knowledge to God? or use it for him? or to the furtherance of his own and others happiness? 1 Tim. 2.4.
3. And the seeming Christian though materially he may be eminent for knowledge, yet is so far from resigning himself to the teachings of Christ, that he maketh even his knowledge of Christian Verities to be to him but a common carnal thing, while he knoweth it but in a common manner, and useth it to the service of the flesh, and never yet learned so much as to be a new creature, nor to love God as God above the world. 1 Cor. 13.2.
X. 1. A Christian indeed is one whose Repentance hath been deep, and serious, and universal, and unchangeable: It hath gone to the very roots of sin, and to the bottom of the sore, and hath not left behind it any reigning unmortified sin; nor any prevalent love to fleshly pleasures: His Repentance did not only disgrace his sin, and cast some reproachful words against it, and use confessions to excuse him from mortification, and to save its life, and hide it from the mortal blow. Nor doth he only repent of his open sins, and those that are most censured by the beholders of his life: But he specially perceives the dangerous poyson of Pride, and unbelief, and worldliness, and the want of the Love of God, and all his outward and smaller sins, do serve to shew him the greater malignity of these, and these are the matter of his greatest lamentations. He taketh not up a profession of Religion with strong corruptions secretly covered in his heart: But his Religion consisteth in the death of his corruptions, and the purifying of his heart; He doth not secretly cherish any sin as too sweet or too profitable to be utterly forsaken, nor overlook it as a small inconsiderable matter. But he feeleth sin to be his enemy and his disease, and as he desireth not one enemy, one sickness, one wound, one broken bone, one serpent in his bed, so he desireth not any one sin to be spared in his soul: But faith with David, Psal. 139.23. Search me O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting. He liveth in no gross or scandalous sin: And his infirmities are comparatively few and small; so that if he were not a sharper accuser of himself, than the most observant spectators are (that are just) there would little be known by him that is culp…ble and matter of reproof. He walketh in all the commandments and ordinances of God blameless (as to any notable miscarriage) Luk. 1.6. He is blameless and harmless, as the son of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom he shineth as a light in the world, Phil 2 15. The fear, and love, and obedience of God is the work and tenour of his life.
2. But the weak Christian, though he hath no sin but what he is a hater of, and fain would be delivered from, yet alas how imperfect is his deliverance? and how weak is the hatred of his sin, and mixed with so much proneness to it, tha… his life is much blemished with the spots of his offences. Though his unbelief, and pride, and worldleness are not predominant in him, yet are they (or some of them) still so strong, and fight so much against his faith, humility, and heavenliness, that he can scarcely tell which hath the upper hand; nor can others that see the failings of his life, discern whether the good or the evil be most prevalent. Though it be Heaven which he most seeketh, yet Earth is so much regarded by him, that his Heavenly mindedness is greatly damped and suppressed by it. And though it be the way of Godliness and obedience which he walketh in, yet is it with so many stumblings and falls, if not deviations also, that maketh him oft a burthen to himself, a shame to his profession, and a snare or trouble to those about him. His heart is like an ill swept house, that hath many a sluttish corner in it. And his life is like a moth-eaten garment, which hath many a hole, which you may see if you bring it into the light. 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3. & 6.6, 7, 8. & 11.18, 21, 22, &c.
3. And for the seeming Christian, his Repentance doth but cropp the branches, it goeth not to the root and heart of his sin: It leaveth his fleshly mind and interest in the dominion: It pollisheth his life, but maketh him not a new creature. It casteth away those sins which the flesh can spare, and which bring more shame or loss or trouble with them, than worldly honour, gain or pleasure: But still he is a very worldling at the heart; and the sins which his fleshly pleasures and felicity consisteth in, he will hide by confessions and seeming oppositions, but never mortifie and forsake. As Judas, that while he followed Christ was yet a thief and a coveteous hypocrite. Joh. 12.6. 1 Tim. 6.10 11.
XI. 1. Hence it followeth that a Christian indeed doth heartily love the searching light, that it may fully acquaint him with his sins: He is truly desirous to know the worst of himself: And therefore useth the word of God, as a candle to shew him what is in his heart; and bringeth himself willingly into the light: He loveth the most searching Books and Preachers: not only because they disclose the faults of other men, but his own: he is not one that so loveth his pleasant and profitable sins, as to fly the light, lest he should be forced to know them, and so to forsake them: But because he hateth them, and is resolved to forsake them, therefore he would know them. Joh. 3.19, 20, 21. Therefore he is not only patient under Reproofs, but loveth them, and is thankful to a charitable reprover; and maketh a good use even of malicious and passionate reproofs. Psal. 141.5. 2 Sam. 16.11. He saith as in Job 34.32. That which I see not, teach thou me. If I have done iniquity, I will do no more. His hatred of the sin, and desire to be reformed, suffer not his heart by pride to rise up against the remedy, and reject reproof. Though he will not falsely confess his duty to be his sin, nor take the judgement of every selfish, passionate or ignorant reprover to be infallible, nor to be his rule; yet if a judicious impartial person do but suspect him of a fault, he is ready to suspect himself of it, unless he be certain that he is clear. He loveth him better that would save him from his sin, than him that would entice him to it: and taketh him for his best friend who dealeth freely with him, and is the greatest enemy to his faults: And a flatterer he taketh but for the most dangerous insinuating kind of foe.
2. But the weak Christian, though he hate his sin, and love reformation, and loveth the most searching Books and Preachers, and loveth a gentle kind of reproof, yet hath so much pride and selfishness remaining, that any reproof that seemeth disgracefull to him, goeth very hardly down with him: like a bitter medicine to a queasie stomack: If you reprove him before others, or if your reproof be not very carefully sugured and minced, so that it rather extenuate than aggravate his fault, he will be ready to cast it up into your face, and with retortions to tell you of some faults of your own, or some way shew you how little he loveth it, and how little thanks he giveth you for it. If you will not let him alone with his infirmities, he will distaste you, if not fall out with you, and let you know by his smart and impatience, that you have touched him in the sore and galled place. He must be a man of very great skill in managing a Reproof, that shall not somewhat provoke him to distaste.
3. And for the seeming Christian, this is his condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and he loveth darkness rather than light, because his deeds are evil. He cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be discovered and reproved, Joh. 3.19, 20, 21. He liketh a searching Preacher for others, and loveth to hear their sins laid open, if it no way reflect upon himself. But for himself he liketh best a General or a smoothing Preacher; and he flyeth from a quick and searching ministry, lest he should be proved and convinced to be in a state of sin and misery. Guilt maketh him fear or hate a lively searching Preacher, even as the guilty prisoner hateth the Judge. He loveth no company so well as that which thinketh highly of him, and applaudeth and commendeth him, and neither by their reproofes nor stricter lives, will trouble his conscience with the remembrance of his sin, or the knowledge of his misery. He will take you for his enemy for telling him the truth, if you go about to convince him of his undone condition, and tell him of his beloved sin: Sin is taken to be as himself; It is He that doth evil, and not only sin that dwelleth in him: And therefore all that you say against his sin, he taketh it as spoken against himself; and he will defend his sin as he would defend himself: He will hear you till you come to touch himself, as the Jews did by Stephen Act. 7.51, 54. when they heard him call them stiffnecked resisters of God and persecutors, then they were cut to the heart, and grind their teeth at him. And as they did by Paul Act. 22.22. They gave audience to this word, and then lift up their voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. Gal. 4.16. Joh 9.40. Mat. 21.45. The priests and pharisees would have laid hands on Christ, when they perceived that he spake of them. And Ahab hated Michaiah, because he did not prophesie good of him, but evil. 1 King. 22.8. Deservedly do they perish in their sin and misery, that hate him that would deliver them, and refuse the remedy. Prov. 12.1. Whose loveth instruction loveth knowledge, but he that hateth reproof is bruitish. Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved hardneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
XII. 1. A Christian indeed, is one that unfeignedly desireth to attain to the highest degree of holiness, and to be perfectly freed from every thing that is sin. He desireth perfection, though not with a perfect desire. He sitteth not down contentedly in any low degree of grace. He looketh on the holiest (how poor soever) with much more reverence and esteem than on the most rich and honourable in the world. And he had far rather be one of the most holy, than one of the most prosperous and great: He had rather be a Paul or Timothy, than a Caesar or an Alexander. He complaineth of nothing with so much sorrow, as that he can Know and Love his God no more! How happy an exchange would he count it, if he had more of the Knowledge and Love of God, though he lost all his wealth and honour in the world. His smallest sins are a greater burden to him, than his greatest corporal wants and sufferings. As Paul, who because he could not perfectly fulfill Gods Law, and be as good as he would be, crieth out as in bondage, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7.27.
2. And for the weak Christian, though he is habitually and resolvedly of the same mind, yet alas his desires after perfection are much more languid in him: And he hath too much patience and reconciledness to some of his sins; and sometimes taketh them to be sweet: So that his enmity to his Pride, or Coveteousness, or passion is much abated, and suffereth his sin to wast his grace and wound his conscience, and hinder much of his communion with God. He seeth not the odiousness of sin, nor the beauty of Holiness with so clear a fight as the confirmed Christian doth. He hateth sin more for the ill effects of it, than for its malignant hateful nature. He seeth not clearly the intrinsick evil that is in sin, which maketh it deserve the pains of hell. Nor doth he discern the difference between a holy and an unholy soul, so clearly as the stronger Christian doth. 1 Cor. 3.2, 3. Heb. 12.1.
3. And as for the seeming Christian, though he may approve of perfect holiness in another, and may wish for it himself, when he thinketh of it but in the general, and not as it is exclusive and destructive of his beloved sin; yet when it cometh to particulars he cannot away with it: He is so far from desiring it, that he will not endure it. The name of holiness he liketh; and that preservation from Hell which is the consequent of it: But when he understandeth what it is, he hath no mind of it. That holiness which should cure his ambition and pride, and make him contented with a low condition, he doth not like: He loveth not that holiness, which would deprive him of his coveteousness, his intemperance in pleasant meats and drinks; his fleshly lusts, and inordinate pleasures! Nor doth he desire that holiness should employ his soul in the Love of God, and in daily prayer and meditating on his word, and raise him to a heavenly life on earth.
XIII. 1. A Christian indeed is one that maketh God and Heaven the End, Reward and Motive of his Life: And liveth not in the world for any thing in the world, but for that endless happiness which the next world only can afford. The Reasons which actuate his thoughts, and choice, and all his life, are fetcht from Heaven. The interest of God and his soul as to eternity, is the ruling interest in him. As a traveller goeth all the way, and beareth all the difficulties of it, for the sake of the End or Place that he is going to: (how ever he may talk of many other matters by the way:) so is it with a Christian: he knoweth nothing worthy of his life and labours, but that which he hopeth for hereafter. This world is too sinful, and too vile, and short, to be his felicity. His very trade and work in the world is to lay up a treasure in heaven, Mat. 6.20. and to lay up a good foundation against the time to come, and to lay hold on eternal life: 1 Tim. 6.19. And therefore his very heart is there Mat. 6.21. and he is emploied in seeking and setting his affections on the things above Col. 3.1.2, 3. And his conversation and trafick is in Heaven Phil. 3.20, 21. He looketh not at the things which are seen which are temporal, but at the things which are not seen which are eternal 2 Cor. 4.18. He is a stranger upon earth, and Heaven is to him as his home.
2. The weak Christian also hath the same End and Hope and Motive; and preferreth his hopes of the life to come before all the wealth and pleasures of this life: But yet his thoughts of Heaven are much more strange and dull: He hath so much doubting and fear yet mixed with his faith and hope, that he looketh before him to his everlasting state, with backwardness and trouble, and with small desire and delight: He hath so much hope of Heaven, as to abate his fears of hell, and make him think of eternity with more quietness, than he could do if he found himself unregenerate: But not so much as to make his thoughts of Heaven so free and sweet and frequent, nor his desires after it so strong, as the confirmed Christians are. And therefore his duties and his speech of Heaven, and his endeavours to obtain it, are all more languid and unconstant: And he is much proner to fall in love with earth, and to entertain the motions of reconciliation to the world, and to have his heart too much set upon some place, or person or thing below, and to be either delighted too much in the possession of it, or afflicted and troubled too much with the loss of it. Earthly things are too much the Motives of his life, and the reasons of his joyes and griefs: Though he hath the true belief of a life to come, and it prevaileth in the main against the world, yet it is but little that he useth it to the commanding and raising and comforting his soul, in comparison of what a strong believer doth: Mat. 16.22, 23.
3. But the seeming Christian would serve God and Mammon, and placeth his chief and certainest happiness practically upon earth: Though speculatively he know and say that Heaven is better, yet doth he not practically judge it to be so to him: And therefore he loveth the world above it, and he doth most carefully lay up a treasure on earth Mat. 6.19. and is resolved first to seek and secure his portion here below; and yet he taketh Heaven for a reserve, as knowing that he world will cast him off at last, and dye he must, there is no remedy; and therefore he taketh heaven as next unto the best; as his second hope; as better than hell; and will go in Religion as far as he can, without the loss of his prosperity here: so that earth and flesh do govern and command the design and tenor of his life; But heaven and his soul shall have all that they can spare; which may be enough to make him pass with men for eminently religious. 1 Joh. 2.15. Mat. 13.22. Luke 18.22, 23. Luk. 14, 24, 33. Ps. 17.14. Phil. 3.18, 19, 20.
XIV. 1. A Christian indeed is one that having taken heaven for his felicity doth account no labour or cost too great for the obtaining of it: he hath nothing so dear to him in this world, which he cannot spare and part with for God and the world to come. He doth not only notionally know that nothing should seem too dear or hard for the securing of our salvation; but he knoweth this practically and is resolved accordingly. Though difficulties may hinder him in particular acts, and his executions come not up to the height of his desires (Rom. 7.16, 17. &c.) yet he is resolved that he will never break on terms with Christ: There is no duty so hard which he is not willing and resolved to perform: and no sin so sweet or gainful which he is not willing to forsake: He knoweth how unprofitable a bargain he makes, who winneth the world, and loseth his own soul; and that no gain can ransome his soul, or recompence him for the loss of his salvation. Mar. 8.36. He knoweth that it is impossible to be a loser by God; or to purchase heaven at too dear a rate: he knoweth that whatsoever it cost him, heaven will fully pay for all: and that it is the worldlings labour, and not the saints, that is repented of at last. He marvelleth more at distracted sinners, for making such a stir for wealth and honours and command, than they marvail at him for making so much a-doe for heaven. He knoweth that this world may be too dear bought, but so cannot his salvation: yea he knoweth that even our duty it self, is not our smallest priviledge and mercy: And that the more we do for God, the more we receive, and the greater is our gain and honour: and that the sufferings of believers for righteousness sake, do not only prognosticate their joyes in heaven, but occasion here the greatest joyes, that any short of heaven partake of: Mat. 5.11, 12. Rom. 5.12, 3, &c. He is not one that desireth the end without the means, and would be saved so it may be on cheap and easie terms: But he absolutely yieldeth to the terms of Christ, and saith with Austin, Da quod jubes, & jube quod vis: Cause me to do what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Though Pelagius contradicted the first sentence, and the flesh the second, yet Augustine owned both: and so doth every true believer. He greatly complaineth of his backwardness to obey, but never complaineth of the strictness of the command. He loveth the holiness, justness and goodness of the Laws when he bewaileth the unholiness and badness of his heart: He desireth not God to command him less, but desireth grace and ability to do more. He is so far from the mind of the ungodly world, who cry out against too much holiness and making so much ado for heaven, that he desireth even to reach to the degree of Angels, and would fain have Gods will to be done on earth, as it is done in heaven: and therefore the more desireth to be in heaven, that he may do it better. Psal. 119.5. Rom. 7.24.
2. The weak Christian hath the same estimation and resolution: But when it comes to practice, as his will is less confirmed and more corrupted and divided, so little impediments and difficulties are great temptations to him, and stop him more in the way of his obedience. All his duty is much more tedious to him, and all his sufferings are much more burthensome to him, than to confirmed Christians: And therefore he is easier tempted into omissions and impatiency, and walketh not so evenly, or comfortably with God. When the spirit is willing, it yieldeth oft to the weakness of the flesh, because it is willing in too remiss a degree. Mat. 26.41. Gal. 2.14.
3. But the seeming Christian (though notionally and generally he may approve of strictness) yet secretly at the heart hath alwaies this reserve, that he will not serve God at too dear a rate. His worldly felicity he cannot part with, for all the hopes of the life to come: And yet he will not, he dare not renounce and give up those hopes: And therefore he maketh himself a Religion of the easiest and cheapest parts of Christianity, (among which sometimes the strictest opinions may fall out to be one part, so be it they be separated from the strictest practice:) And this easie cheap Religion he will needs believe to be true Christianity and Godliness; and so will hope to be saved upon these terms: And though he cannot but know that it is the certain character of a hypocrite, to have any thing nearer and dearer to his heart than God, yet he hopeth that it is not so with him, because his convinced judgement can say that God is best and the world is vanity, while yet his heart and affections so much contradict his opinion, as almost to say: There is no God: For his heart knoweth and loveth no God as God, that is, above his worldly happiness. He is resolved to do so much in religion as he findeth necessary to delude his conscience, and make himself believe that he is godly and shall be saved: but when he cometh to forsake all and take up the Cross, and practise the costlyest parts of duty, then you shall see that Mammon was better loved than God, and he will go away sorrowful, and hope to be saved upon easier terms. Luke 18.23. For he was never resigned absolutely to God.
XV. 1. A confirmed Christian is one that taketh selfdenial for the one half of his Religion; and therefore hath bestowed one half of his endeavours to attain and exercise it. He knoweth that the fall of man, was a turning to himself from God: And that selfishness and want of Love to God, are the summ of all corruption and ungodliness: And that the Love of God and selfdenial are the summ of all religion: And that conversion is nothing but the turning of the heart from carnal self to God by Christ: And therefore on this hath his care and labour been so succesfully laid out, that he hath truly and practically found out something that is much better than himself, and to be loved and preferred before himself; and which is to be his chiefest ultimate end: He maketh not a God of himself any more, but useth himself for God, to fulfill his will, as a creature of his own, that hath no other end and use. He no more preferreth himself above all the world, but esteemeth himself a poor and despicable part of the world: And highlier valueth the honour of God, and the welfare of the church, and the good of many, than any interest of his own. Though God in nature hath taught him to regard his own felicity and to love himself, and not to seek the glory of God, and the good of many souls in opposition to his own, yet hath he taught him to prefer them (though in conjunction) much before his own: For reason telleth him that man is nothing in comparison of God, and that we are made by him and for him; and that the welfare of the Church or publick societies is better (in order to the highest ends) than the welfare of some one. Selfishness in the unregenerate, is like an inflammation or apposteme, which draweth the humours from other parts of the body to it self: The interest of God and man are all swallowed up in the regard that men have to self-interest: And the Love of God and our neighbour are turned into self-love. But self is as annihilated in the confirmed Christian, so that it ruleth not his Judgement, his affections, or his choice: And he that lived in and to himself, as if God and all the world were but for him, doth now live to God, as one that is good for nothing else, and findeth himself in seeking him that is infinitely above himself. Luk. 14.31, 32, 33. Phil. 2.4, 21.
2. And the weak Christian hath attained to so much selfdenial that self is not predominant in him against the Love of God and his neighbour: But yet above all other sins, too great a measure of selfishness still remaineth in him: These words [own, and mine, and self] are too significant with him: every thing of his, own is regarded inordinately, with partiality and too much selfishness. A word against himself, or an injury to himself, is more to him than worse against his brother: He is too little mindfull of the glory of God, and of the publick good, and the souls of others; and even when he is mindful of his own soul, he is too regardless of the souls of many, that by prayer or exhortation or other means he ought to help: As a small candle lighteth but a little way, and a small fire heateth not farr off, so is his Love so much confined, that it reacheth not farr from him: He valueth his friends too much upon their respect to please himself, and loveth men too much as they are partiall for him; and too little upon the pure account of grace, and their love to Christ and servisableness to the Church: He easily overvalueth his own abilities, and is too confident of his own understanding, and apt to have too high conceits of any opinions that are his own; he is too apt to be tempted unto uncharitableness, against those that cross him in his interest or way: he is apt to be too negligent in the work of God, when any selfinterest doth stand against it; and too much to seek himself, his own esteem, or his own commodity, when he should devote himself to the good of souls, and give up himself to the work of God: Though he is not like the hypocrite that preferreth himself before the will of God and the common good, yet selfishness greatly stoppeth, interrupteth and hindreth him in Gods work; and any great danger or loss or shame, or other concernment of his own, doth seem a greater matter to him, and oftner turn him out of the way, than it will with a confirmed Christian: They were not all hypocrites that Paul speaketh of in that sad complaint, Phil. 2.20, 21. For I have no man like minded (to Timothy) who will naturally care for your state, for all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christs:] that is; They too much seek their own, and not entirely enough the things that are Christs: which Timothy did naturally as if he had been born to it, and Grace had made the Love of Christ and the souls of men and the good of others as naturall to him as the Love of himself Alas how lowdly do their own distempers and soul miscarriages, and the divisions, and calamities of the Church, proclaim, that the weaker sort of Christians have yet too much selfishness, and that selfdenial is lamentably imperfect in them.
3. But in the seeming Christian selfishness is still the predominant principle: he loveth God but for himself; and he never had any higher end than self: All his Religion, his opinions, his practice is animated by self-love, and governed by it, even by the Love of carnal self: self-esteem, self-conceitedness, self-love, self-willedness, self-seeking and self-saving, are the constitution of his heart and life. He will be of that opinion, and way and party in Religion, which selfishness directeth him to choose: He will go no farther in Religion, than self-interest and safety will allow him to go. He can change his friend, and turn his love into hatred, and his praises into reproach, when ever self-interest shall require it. He can make himself believe, and labour to make others believe, that the wisest and holiest servants of God, are erroneous, homorous, hypocrites, and unsufferable, if they do but stand cross to his opinions and interest. For he judgeth of them, and loveth or hateth them, principally as they conform to his will and interest, or as they are against it: As the godly measure all persons and things, by the will and interest of God, so do all ungodly men esteem them as they stand in reference to themselves. When their factious interest required it, the Jews, and specially the Pharisees, could make themselves and others believe, that the Son of God himself was a breaker of the Law, and an enemy to Caesar, and a blasphemer, and unworthy to live on the earth: And that Paul was a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among the people, and a ringleader of a sect, and a prophaner of the Temple, Act. 24.5, 6. and which of the Prophets and Apostles did they not persecute? Because Christs doctrine doth cross the interest of selfish men, therefore the world doth so generally rise up against it with indignation; even as a Country will rise against an invading enemy: For he cometh to take away that which is dearest to them: As it is said of Luther, that he medled with the Popes crown, and the Fryars bellies: and therefore no wonder if they swarmed all about his ears. Selfishness is so generall and deeply rooted, that (except with a few self-denying Saints) self-love and self-interest ruleth the world: And if you would know how to please a graceless man, serve but his carnal interest, and you have done it: Be of his opinion (or take on you to be so,) applaud him, admire him, flatter him, obey him, promote his preferment, honour and wealth, be against his enemies; in a word, make him your God, and sell your soul to gain his favour, and so it's possible you may gain it.
XVI. 1. A Christian indeed hath so far mortified the flesh, and brought all his senses and appetite into subjection to sanctified Reason, as that there is no great rebellion or perturbation in his mind; but a little matter, a holy thought, or a word from God, doth presently rebuke and quiet his inordinate desires: The flesh is as a well-broken and well-ridden horse, that goeth on his journey obediently and quietly, and not with striving and chasing and vexatious resisting: Though still flesh will be flesh, and will be weak, and will fight against the spirit, so that we cannot do all the good we would, (Isa. 5.17. Rom. 7.16, 17, &c.) yet in the confirmed Christian, it is so far tamed and subdued, that its rebellion is much less, and its resistance weaker, and more easily overcome: It causeth not any notable unevenness in his obedience, nor blemishes in his life: it is no other than consisteth with a readiness to obey the will of God. Gal. 5.24, 25. 1 Cor. 9.26, 27. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof: They run not as uncertainly: they fight not as one that beateth the air: but they keep under their bodies, and bring them into subjection, lest by any means they should be castawaies: They put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.13, 14. As we see to a temperate man, how sweet and easie temperance is, when to a glutton or drunkard, or riotous liver it is exceeding hard: so it is in all other points with a confirmed Christian. He hath so far crucified the flesh, that it is as dead to its former lusts, and so far mastered it, that it doth easily and quickly yield: And this maketh the life of such a Christian, not only pure, but very easie to him, in comparison of other mens. Nay, more than this, he can use his sense (as he can use the world, the objects of sense) in subserviency to faith and his salvation. His eye doth but open a window to his mind to hold and admire the Creator in his work: His tast of the sweetness of the creatures is but a means, by which the sweeter Love of God doth pass directly to his heart: His sense of pleasure is but the passage of spiritual holy pleasure to his mind: His sense of bitterness and pain is but the messenger to tell his heart, of the bitterness and vexatiousness of sin. As God in the creation of us, made our senses, but as the inlet and passage for himself into our minds, (even as he made all the creatures to represent him to us by this passage;) so grace doth restore our very senses (with the creature) to this their holy original use: that the goodness of God through the goodness of the creature, may pass to our hearts, and be the effect and end of all.
2. But, for the weak Christian, though he have mortified the deeds of the body by the spirit, and live not after the flesh but be freed from its captivity or reign (Gal. 5.24. Rom. 8.1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.) yet hath he such remnants of concupiscence and sensuality, as make it a far harder matter to him to live in temperance, and deny his appetite, and govern his senses; and restrain them from rebellion, and excess: He is like a weak man upon an ill-ridden headstrong horse, who hath much ado to keep his saddle and keep his way. He is stronglier inclined to fleshly lusts, or excess in meat, or drink, or sleep, or sports, or some such fleshly pleasure, than the mortified temperate person is, and therefore is ofter guilty of some excess: so that his life is a very tiresome conflict, and very uneasie to himself: because the less the flesh is mortified, the more able it is to raise perturbations, and to put faith and reason to a continual fight. And most of the scandals and blemishes of his life arise from hence; even the successes of the flesh against the spirit; so that (though he live not in any gross or wilful sins; yet) in lesser measures of excess he is too frequently overtaken: How few be there that in meat and sleep do not usually exceed their measure? And they are easily tempted to libertine opinions, which indulge the flesh, having a weaker preservative against them than stronger Christians have. Mat. 16.22, 23. Gal. 5.13. & 1.16. & 2.12, 13, 14. Col. 2.11.
3. But the seeming Christian is really carnal. The flesh is the predominant part with him; and the interest of the flesh is the ruling interest. He washeth away the outward filth, and in hope of salvation, will be as religious as the flesh will give him leave; and will deny it in some smaller matters; and will serve it in a religious way, and not in so gross and impudent a manner as the Atheists and openly profane. But for all that he never conquered the flesh indeed; but seeketh its prosperity more than the pleasing of God and his salvation: And among prayers and sermons and holy conference and books, yea and formal fastings too, he is serving the flesh, with so much the more dangerous impenitencie, by how much the more his cloak of formality hindereth him from the discerning of his sin: many a one that is of unblemished reputation in Religion, doth constantly serve his appetite in meat and drink, (though without any notable excess,) and his fleshly mind in the pleasure of his dwelling, wealth and accommodations, as much as some profane ones do, if not much more. And whenever it cometh to a parting trial, they will shew that the flesh was the ruling part, and will venture their souls to secure its interest. Luke 18.23. & 14.33, Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 9, 13. Mat. 13.21, 22. Jud. 19.
XVII. 1. Hence it followeth that a Christian indeed preferreth the means of his spiritual benefit and salvation incomparably before all corporal commodities and pleasures. He had rather dwell under the teaching and guidance of an able experienced Pastor, though it be cross to his prosperity and wordly gain, than to live under an ignorant or dead hearted Preacher, when it furthereth his trading or more accommodateth his flesh: (Though yet he must not remove when God layeth any restraint upon him, by his duty to his family, or others:) He had rather if he be a servant, dwell in a family, where he may do or receive most spiritual good, than in a carnal family, where he may have more ease, and better fare, and greater wages. If he be to marry, he had rather have one that hath wisdom and piety without wealth, than one that hath riches without wisdom and piety. He is gladder of an opportunity (in publick or private) for the profit of his soul, than of a feast, or a good bargain, or an opportunity for some gain in wordly things. Mat. 6.20.33.
2. And the weak Christian is of the same mind in the main. He valueth mercies and helps for his soul, above those for his body: But it is with less zeal, and more indifferency; and therefore is more easily and ofter drawn to the omitting of spiritual duties, and neglect of spiritual helps and mercies: and goeth to them with more averness, and as driven by necessity: and is much less sensible of his loss, when he misseth of any such spiritual helps. Luk. 10.41, 42. Heb. 10.25. Act. 2.42. & 4.32.
3. But the seeming Christian being a real worldling, doth serve God and Mammon; and Mammon with the first and best: He had rather miss a Sermon, than a good bargain or commodity: he had rather dwell where he may thrive best, or have most ease and pleasure, than where he may find the greatest helps for heaven: he will be Religious, but it must be with an easie and a pleasant and merry Religion; which may not be too nigardly with his flesh, nor use it too strictly: unless when one days austerity may procure him an indulgence for his liberty all the week following. He will make his bargain with Christ so, as to be sure that he may not lose by him: And he will not believe that God is pleased with that which is much dipleasing to his flesh. Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 8, 13. Mat. 13.21, 22.
XVIII. 1. The Christian indeed is one that is crucified to the world, and the world is as a crucified thing to him: Gal. 6.14. He hath overcome the world by faith, and followeth Christ in the pursuit of it, to a perfect conquest. 1 Joh. 5.4, 5. Joh. 16.33. He hath seen through all its glosing vanity, and foreseen what it will prove at last: He hath found that it cannot quiet conscience, nor reconcile the guilty soul to God, nor save it from his consuming wrath; nor serve instead of God or Heaven, of Christ or grace; but will cast off its servants in their last extremity, naked and desolate into remediless despair: And therefore he is resolvedly at a point with all things under the Sun: Let them take the world for their portion and felicity that will: For his part, he accounteth all things in it dung and dross in comparison of Christ and things eternal, Phil. 3.7, 8, 19, 20. All the preferments, and honours, and command, and wealth, and greatness of the world, do not seem to him a bate considerable, to make a wise man once question whether he should persevere in faithfulness to God, or to tempt him to commit one wilful sin: He would not speak, or own a lie, or approve the sin of any other, for all that worldlings enjoy in their greatest prosperity while they live. He accounteth his peace with God and conscience, and his communion with Christ in the greatest povertie, to be incomparably better than all the pleasures and commodities of sin: yea the very reproach of Christ is better to him than all the treasures of Court or Country, Heb. 11.25, 26. Grace hath mortified and annihilated the world to him: And that which is dead and nothing can do nothing with him against God and his soul. He looketh on it as a carrion, which dogs may love and fight for; but is unfit to be the food of man: He is going to the land of promise; and therefore will not contend for an inheritance in this howling wilderness. Whether he be high or low, rich or poor, are so small a part of his concernments, that he is almost indifferent to them, farther than as the interest of God and souls, may accidentally be concerned in them. The world set against God and Heaven and holiness, doth weigh no more in his estimation, than a feather that is put in the ballance against a mountain or all the world. He feeleth no great force in such temptations, as would draw him to win the world and lose his soul. His eye and heart are, where his God and treasure is, above; and worldly wealth and greatness are below him, even under his feet: He thinketh not things temporal worth the looking at, in comparison of things eternal, 2 Cor. 4.18. He thinketh that their money and riches do deservedly perish with them, who think all the mony in the world, to be a thing comparable with grace. Act. 8.20.
2. And the weak Christian is of the same judgement and resolution in the main: But yet the world retaineth a greater interest in his heart: It grieveth him more to lose it: It is a stronger temptation to him: To deny all the preferments and honours and riches of it, seemeth a greater matter to him: and he doth it with more striving and less ease: and sometimes the respect of worldly things prevaileth with him in lesser matters, to wound his conscience, and maketh work for repentance; and such are so entangled in worldly cares, and prosperity tasteth so sweet with them, that grace even languisheth and falleth into a consumption, and almost into a swoun. So much do some such let out their hearts, to the world which they renounced, and scrape for it with so much care and eagerness, and contend with others about their commodities and rights, that they seem to the standers by to be as worldly as worldlings themselves are; and become a shame to their profession, and make ungodly persons say, Your godly professors are as coveteous as any, 2 Tim. 4.10.
3. But seeming Christians are the servants of the world: when they have learnt to speak hardliest of it, it hath their hearts: Heaven (as I said before) is valued but as a reserve, when they know they can keep the world no longer. They have more sweet and pleasing thoughts and speeches of the world, than they have of God and the world to come: It hath most of their hearts, when God is most preferred by their tongues: there it is that they are daily laying up their treasure, and there they must leave it at the parting hour, when they go naked out as they came naked in: the love of deceitful riches choaketh the word of God, and it withereth in them, and becometh unfruitful, Mat. 13.22. They go away sorrowful because of their beloved riches, when they should part with all for the hopes of heaven. Luk. 18.23. yea though they are beggars that never have a dayes prosperity in the world, for all that, they love it better than heaven, and desire that which they cannot get: because they have not an eye of faith, to see that better world which they neglect, and therefore take it for an uncertain thing: nor are their carnal natures suitable to it, and therefore they mind it not. Rom. 8.7. When an Hypocrite is at the best, he is but a Religious worldling: The world is neerer to his heart than God is, but pure Religion keepeth a man unspotted of the world: Jam. 1.27.
XIX. 1. A confirmed Christian is one, that still seeth the end in all that he doth, and that is before him in his way: and looketh not at things as at the present they seem or relish to the flesh, or to short sighted men; but as they will appear and be judged of at last. The first letter maketh not the word, nor the first word the sentence, without the last. Present time is quickly past; and therefore he less regardeth what things seem at present, than what they will prove to all eternity. When temptations offer him a bate to sin, with the present profit, or pleasure, or honour, he seeth at once the final shame: he seeth all worldly things as they are seen by a dying man: and as after the general conflagration they will be. He seeth the godly in his adversity and patience, as entring into his masters joys: he seeth the derided vilified saint, as ready to stand justified by Christ at his right hand; and the lyes of the malicious world, as ready to cover themselves with shame: he seeth the wicked in the height of their prosperity as ready to be cut down and withered, and their pampered flesh to turn to dirt; and their filthy and malicious souls, to stand condemned by Christ at his left hand, and to hear, Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Mat. 25. 1 Pet. 1.24. Jam. 1.10, 11. Psal. 73. & 37. Therefore it is that he valueth grace, because he knoweth what it will be: and therefore it is that he flieth from sin, because he knoweth the terrors of the Lord, and what it will prove to the sinner in the end; and how sinners themselves will curse the day that ever they did commit it; and wish when it is too late, that they had chosen the holiness and patience of the saints: and therefore it is that he pitieth rather than envieth the prosperous enemies of the Church, because he foreseeth what the end will be of them that obey not the Gospel of Christ; and if the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? 1 Pet. 4.17, 18. 2 Thes. 1.8, 9, 10. If the wicked unbelievers saw but the ending of all things as he doth, they would be all then of his mind and way. This putteth so much life into his prayers, his obedience and patience, because he seeth the end in all. Deut. 32.39, Prov. 19.20. Isai. 47.7.