Fellowship with God, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII·
1 Joh. 1.6.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darknesse, we lie, &c.
THat which is the sum of Religion, sincerity, and a correspondency between profession and practice, that is confirmed by reason, and much strengthned by nature it self, so that Religion, Reason, and Nature, conspire in one, to hold out the beauty and comlinesse of sincerity, and to put a note and character of infamy and deformity upon all hypocrisie and deceit, especially in the matters of Religion. There is nothing so contrary to Religion, as a false appearance, a shew of that which is not: for Religion is a most intire and equable thing, like at … harmonious in all the pa…ts of it, the same wit…in and without, in exp…ession and action, all cor…respondent together. Now to … this h…m…ny, and to make it up of unequal, dissimil… pa…ts, and to make our pa…t give the lie to … other, the cou…se of a m…ns li…e, in igno…anc… negligence, and sin, proclaiming cont…ary to …h… profession of Christianity: this is to make Reli…gion a monst…uous thing, to deny the nature o… it, and in our imaginations to contrive an im…possible union of inconsistent things. It is a crea…ture made up of cont…adiction…, which can hav… no subsistence in the t…uth, but only in the fan…cies of deluded souls: one professing Christianity, and so by cons…quence fellowship with the original light, the Sun of Righteousnes…, and yet da…knesse of igno…ance possessing the mind, and the heart ca…ied away in th… wayes of the lusts of ignorance, and walking in that darknesse, this is a monster in Christianity, one so far mi…sh…pen, that the very outward form and vi…age of it doth not remain. But I told you, reason confirms this, for what more suitable to the very natural frame and constitution of a reasonable beeing, then that the outward man should be the image and expression of the inward, and that they should answer one another, a… f…ce answers face in the water; that the tongue should be the interpreter of the mind, and the actions of a mans life the interpreter of his tongue. Here is that beauti…ul proportion and that pleasing harmon…, when all these, though different in their own natu…e, yet conjoyn toge…er, and make up one sweet conco…d. Now t…uly, if we t…ke upon us the profess…on of Christianity, and yet our ordinary and habitual speeches are carnal and earthly, never salted with grace, often poisoned with blasphemie…, oaths and cu…sings, and often defiled with filthy speeches, and often inte…mingled with …ep…oaches of othe…s, if our conversation be con…o…med to the course of the world, according to these lusts that hur…y away multitudes o… mankind to perdition, and look to the heart within, and behold, never any labour about the pu…i…ying of it from corruption, never any mortification of evil affections, and little or no knowledge of the t…uth, not so much as may let Christ in to the soul: this, I say, is as unreasonable and ab…d, as it is irreligious: it wholly perve…ts that beautiful order, makes an irreconciliable discord between all the parts in man, that neither mind, nor mouth, nor hands answer one another, nor all of them, or any of them answer that holy calling a man pretends to. Such a one pretends ordinarily the goodnesse of his heart towards God, but now the tongue cannot interpret the heart, it is exanctorated out of that natural office, for the ordinary current is contrary to that pretended goodnesse of the heart; For a good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, sendeth forth good things, but all these are either evil, or never seasoned with that spiritual goodnesse. Then the wayes and actions of a mans life, which ought to interpret and expound his professions, these are rendered altogether incapable of that, they give no confirmation to them, but rather … mani…est contradiction; for what ar… your multiplied oaths, drunkennesses, fornication…, railings, contentions, lyings, Sabbath-profanation…? your woful neglect of prayer in secret, and in your families, your continuing in these evil… that ever you walked into, what are they, I say, but a manifest violation of both Religion and Reason, and a clear confirmation that ye are liars, and the truth is not in you?
There is something even in nature to decla…e the absurdity and unnaturalnesse of this general discordance between mens profession and practice. Look upon all the creatures, and do they not all with one voice proclaim sincerity? Hath not every beast, and every bird its own outward shape, outward gesture, and voice, and external workings, which declare the inward nature of it? And is not this a Staple-known rule in nature, that every thing is known by the effects of it? A Lion by his roaring, … Lark by its singing, a Horse by his neighing▪ and …n Ox by his lowing, &c. All these speak forth nothing but sincerity, in so much, that if these marks …nd signs should be confounded, …nd beasts use them indifferently, all humane knowledge should suddenly fall to nothing, this would put such a confusion, both in th… wo…ld and mankind. O, how doth this condemn th…s… who pretend to thi… high Calling of Christianity? and yet there is no way left to discern them by, nothing appearing in them, and ordinarily proceeding from them, which may give a signification of the inward truth of their fellowship with God; but rather that which gives a demonstration of the vanity of the pretention. Ther… …e…e no consent in nature, if tha… were … ▪ neither is there any harmonious agreement in Religion, where thi… proportion and correspondence is not kept in a m…n… life. The very Heathens did not account them Philosophers, but those that expressed their Doctrines in wo…k…, … well as words; and truly, the liveliest image of truth is in practice: They commended them that were spa…ing in words, and abundant in deeds: who had short speeches, but long and large discou…ses in their life; and what i… this, but that which our Saviour every where, from his own example, inculcat… upon us. These word… are emph…tick, To do the truth, to walk in the light, to do his word, to believe with the heart, and such like: all which declare, that in so far we have the truth, and have fello…ship with the light, as it is impressed in the affection, and expressed again in the convers…tion; for the infinit truth, and the infinit life, is one, and the original light, and primitive life and love, is on… too, and whoever truly receive… the truth and light, as it is, cannot but receive him, as the living truth, and life-giving light, and so be heated and wa…med inwa…dly by his beams, which will certainly cau…e some stirring and wo…king without: For as much as in n…ture, heat is alwayes wo…king, so is the fi…e of love kindled in the heart, inces…ant that way▪ f…ith working by love; fo… action is the very life of life, that which both shews it, and preserves it.
Now what shal we say, to ca…y these things home to your hearts? Where shall convincing words be had which may break the hardness of your hearts? It is strange that you are in such a deep dream of delusio…, that nothing can awake you out of it? And how little is it that you have to please your selves into? Some external p…iviledges, the Temple of the Lord, his Covenant, and the seals of it, your ordinary bearing the Word, and such like: But are there not many thing… in your hearts and wayes, that act the most contradictory lie to these that can be? For wherefore do we thus meet together? Do ye know an end, or propose any? I scarce believe it of the most part. We come out of custome, and m…ny as by constraint, and with little or no previous consideration of the great end of this work; and when ye go forth, what fruit appears? Your ordinary, carnal, and civil discourses succeed; and who is it either bows his knee to pray for the divine blessing, or intertains that holy word either in his own meditation, or speaks of it to the edification of others? Are you not, the most part of you, that ground of which Christ speaks, that lyes in the way-side, and eve…y thing comes and takes the seed up? Do ye either listen and apply your hearts to a presentnesse in hearing? Or is there any more account of it, then a sound in the ear, or any footstep or imp…ession left in the heart, more then of the flight of a bird in the air? And alas! how many souls are choaked and stifled? the truth suffocated in the very sp…inging, by the thorns of the cares of this world, and the throng and importunity of businesses, and earthly desires. How many good motions come to no m…turity by this means? How few of you use to pray in secret, and to dedicat a time for reti…ement from the world, and injoyment of God? Nay, you think you are not called to it, and if any be induced to it, and to publick wo…ship in their families, yet all the day over is but a flat contr…diction to that: What earthly-mindednesse? What unholiness of affection? What impu…ity of conversation? What one lust is subdued? What one sin mortified? Who increaseth more in knowledge of the truth, or in love of God? Is it not midnight with most part of you? O, the darknesse of the ignorance of your mind…, by which you know not that Religion you professe, more then Tu…ks who do pe…secute it. And what are the wayes ye walk into? Are they not such wayes, as will not come to the light, and hate the light, because it reproves them? Joh. 3.19▪ 20. and 11.9, 10. Are they not such, in whic… men stumble, though they seem to walk easily and plainly into them? Yet, O that everlasting stumble that is at the end of them! when you shall fall out of one darknesse of sin and delus…on, into an utter, extream, eternal da…knesse of destruction and damnation. O, that …ea…ul dungeon, and pit of darkness, you post into … There…ore, i… you love your own souls, be warned, … beseech you be warned to flee from that …ter darknesse, be awaked out of your deceiving dreams, and deluding, sel…-flattering imag… on…, and Christ shall give you light. The di… very of that grosse da…knesse you walked into, in which you did not see whither you w…nt▪ I say, the clear discerning of what it is, and whither i… leads, is the fi…t opening of that Light, the …ir…t visit of that Morning Star, that brings salvation.
If ye will not be convinced o… that …nfinit d…nge… you are into, yet ye ar… not the …urther …rom …t. He that walketh in darknesse lie…h, &c. Hi… strong confidence and perswasion hath … lie, … contradiction in the bosome o… it, and that will n… ver bottom any true happinesse. It is a lie acted by the hand, the …oot, and …ll the member… ▪ a lie …g…inst …he holy tru…h and Word o… God, and the very reproach o… the Name of Christ▪ … lie against your selves, and your own pro…ess…on…, a soul-murthering lie, as well as a Christ…denyin… lie: and this lie (as a holy man saith) hath filled Houses, Cities, Families, Countreys, it hath ev… overspred the whole Nation, and filled all with darknesse, horrour, con…usion, trouble and anguish, once being a holy Nation by profession of a Covenant with God, and our open, m…ni…est▪ universal retraction of that, by an unholy, ungodly, and wicked conversation. This h…th b…ought the sword against a hypocritical Nation, and this will bring that far greater, incomparably more intollerable day of wrath upon the children of disobedience. Therefore let me exhort all of you, in the Name of the Lord, as ye desire to be admitted to that eternally blessed society, within the holy City, and not to be excluded among these, who commit abomination, and make a lie, that ye would henceforth impose this necessity upon your selves, or know that it is laid upon you by God, to labour to know the will and truth of God, that you may see that light that shi…es in the Gospel, and not only to receive it in your minds, but in your hearts by love, that so you may indeavour in all sincerity, the doing of that truth, the conscionable practising of what you know. And this, as it is a great point of conformity to the light, so it will make you capable of more light from God; …or he delights to shew his liberality where he hath any acceptance. Be not satisfied, O! be not sat…sfied with knowing these truths, and discoursing upon them, but make them …urther your own, by impressing them deeply in your hearts, and expressing them plainly in your wayes. This is pure Religion and undefiled, J…m. 1.27. And is not this to know me, saith …he Lord, Jer. 22.16. Practice is real knowled…e, because it is living knowledge, it i… the ve…y life and soul o… Ch…istianity, when there needs no more but the intimation of hi… will to c…r…y the whole man: T…is is that we would all aspire unto, and not satisfie our selves in our poor attainments below this.