Dwelling with God, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON.
THe ſecond Sort of Spiritual duties incumbent upon you, who have aſſurance that the Lord is your Habitation, is in reference to Perſons. 1. Thoſe who were the efficient cauſe of this your ſuperlative Happineſs, both principle and inſtrumental. The principle are the three ſacred Perſons of the glorious Deity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt.
1. Admire the goodneſs of God in electing you to this happineſs. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Epheſ. 1. 3, 4.Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath choſen us in Him, before the Foundation of the World: and in conferring upon you, by the grace of Adoption, the right of inheriting his Light here and hereafter. Giving thanks Col. 1. 12.unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Behold 1 Joh. 3. 1.what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God.
2. The love of God the Son,Eph. 3 19. which paſſeth knowledge; who purchaſed for us this dwelling place with the price of his blood. (The blood of God) Ye know the grace Acts 20. 28.of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his 2 Cor. 8, 9.poverty might be rich. When he was in the poſſeſſion of a perfect Happineſs and Glory in his Divine Nature, that he might bring you into the ſame poſſeſſion. He took upon him your Nature, with all its miſeries, wants and obligements to gain you the Treaſures of God's Grace, Righteouſneſs, and Eternal Life in Him here, and with Him hereafter. He would be without aMat. 8. 20. Houſe, where to lay his head, and without any civil propriety of Earthly Goods, and without any peace, or reſt in the World, that you might have a reſting place in God, and a ſpiritual right to all this, and actual enjoyment of as much as needs, and is good for you.
3. The powerful Operation of the Holy Ghoſt in imprinting upon your Souls thoſe Divine Graces, which are certain ſigns and tokens of your real intereſt in, and preſent poſſeſſion of this ſuper-coeleſtial Manſion, and witneſſing with your ſpirits, that you are truly Gods Children, and being ſuch, ſhall abide Joh. 8. 35.in the Houſe for ever, for ſo Sons do.
To provoke and quicken you the more to thankſgiving for this ineſtimiable happineſs. Conſider how infinitely you are bound to theſe Three Perſons, above innumerable others; whom God the Father did not chooſe to have their dwelling in him, and whom the Holy Ghoſt never wrought upon, to accept this, as he hath upon you. There are who would perſwade you otherwiſe, that is, that God the Father hath in his decree of Election done no more for you, than he hath for other Men, whom he from Eternity chooſe to be partakers of his happineſs conditionally, that is, if they would, as you have done, accept it offered to them, as it was to you: becauſe he fore-ſaw that you would receive Chriſt into your hearts by faith, he therfore determined to receive you into himſelf, to make you eternally happy; becauſe he fore-ſaw others would not, he therefore paſſed them by, and rejected them, and decreed to damn them; for he loves all Men equally, deſires and wills the Converſion and Salvation of every Man alike, unfeignedly and earneſtly; that God the Son manifeſted in the World, who came in the World to ſave ſinners, dyed for all without difference, intended to give himſelf a ranſom for all, and every one equally; that the efficacy of the Holy Ghoſt, and his Cooperation accompanying the Word, calling Men out of the ſtate of nature, into the ſtate of Grace, is only by moral perſwaſion: and that it is in the power of every Mans freewill, to accept or reject this grace; Theſe are plauſible, but pernicious Errors, againſt which I ſhall bring a few Scriptures, to antidote and fortifie your judgments, and eſtabliſh them in the contrary truths.
1. Touching the Decrees of God the Father's predeſtination, the Scripture makes it abſolute, definite, and irrevocable: So as the number of the Elect can neither be increaſed or diminiſhed. The Foundation 2 Tim. 2. 19.of the Lord standeth ſure, havingRom. 9. 11. this Seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, that the purpoſe11. 5. according to Election might ſtand. Even ſo at this preſent alſo, thereJohn 6. 37. is a remnant, according to the election of grace. All that the Father10. 28. giveth me ſhall come to me; I know my Sheep, and I give unto them Eternal Life, and they ſhallHeb. 12. 23. never periſh. Ye are come to the Church of the firſt born, which are inrolled in Heaven, rejoyce thatLuk. 10. 20. your Names are written in Heaven, Whoſoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was caſt intoRev. 20. 15. the Lake of Fire. Inſomuch if it were poſſible, they ſhould deceive the very Elect. So that howſoeverMat. 24. 24. Salvation in the execution of it depends upon the conditional uſe of the means, yet the will of God is not conditional, incompleat or mutable, becauſe God hath abſolutely purpoſed to give his Elect both will and power to perform thoſe very conditions required, namely Repentance, Faith, and Perſeverance: For the Decree of God predeſtinating, muſt not be conſidered after this form: I will chooſe Peter to Eternal Life, if it ſhall ſo happen that he doth believe; but rather thus, I do chooſe Peter to Eternal Life, which that he may infallibly obtain, I will give him faith. As many as were ordained to eternal Acts 13. 48.life, believed according to the faith of God's Elect. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God Tit. 1. 1.the Father, who are kept by the power of God, through Faith unto Salvation. All gifts of grace leading1 Pet. 1. …, 5. into the habitation of holineſs, and whom to ſalvation are the fruits and effects of Eternal Election. Neither is it true, that we are Elected for faith and holineſs, for we are Elected unto both, according Eph. 1. 4.as he hath choſen us in him that we ſhould be holy. Election therefore is before the ſpiritual bleſſings both in order and time. Ye have Joh. 15. 16.not choſen me, but I haven choſen you, and ordained you, that you ſhould go: and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit ſhould remain. For by grace are ye ſaved through Eph. 2. 8.faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. As for this only General Election of all, and every Man to ſalvation upon condition of faith, it is indeed (alone) no Election, becauſe it predeſtinates no Man actually, ſevers no one from another, writes no Name in the Book of Life, ordains no individual to have his habitation in God, but only preſcribes the manner of coming to ſalvation, promiſcuouſly to all: neither by it is it decreed, who ſhall be ſaved, but what manner of Men. Moreover, who holds this Univerſal Election alone, muſt alſo grant an Univerſal reprobation. For if God will only have all to be ſaved indefinitely, if they will believe, he willeth likewiſe that all ſhall be damned that do not believe; and ſo God neither chooſeth or refuſeth any antecedently. Finally, this opinion makes Man's will to over-rule God's counſel. Nor can you believe God's equal love to all Men, when you hear him profeſſing that he did not equally love two, who were equalRom. 9. 1…. by Nature, nor that he deſires the ſalvation of all alike, becauſe12. 13. all are not converted and ſaved, it being as eaſie for him to effect as deſire, and by his effectual Grace to make Men of unwilling willing without deſtroying their voluntary liberty.
3. Touching the efficacy of GodEzek. 36. 26. the Holy Ghoſt working Converſion, that it is not to be reſtrained to moral perſwaſion only, which Man's will may embrace or reject, and finally reſiſt, is abundantly evinced by that one Text, where the Apoſtle heaps up ſo many emphatical and ſignificant words, on purpoſe to declare the power of the ſpirit of God, put forth in the converſion of a ſinner. That theyEph. 1. 18. may know what is the hyberbolical greatneſs of his power to us-ward,19, 20. who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the dead. To which many more may be added, and that it depends not upon Man's free-will, which can neither convert it ſelf, nor overcome divine grace, to put forth for his converſion. The Scripture every where plainly and expreſly teacheth, I mean, that grace which is given with an abſolute purpoſe to convert. See 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Col. 2. 12. 2 Theſ. 1. 11. Luk. 11. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 3.
Next to the principal efficient cauſes of their happineſs, the inſtrumental are to be owned and thanked. Thoſe from whom you had your natural beeing, without which you had not been capable of this, or any other good. Honour is due to natural Parents, how poor, how bad ſoever, nor muſt they be deſpiſed for any default of body or mind: and it is a point of piety to relieve them, if they be in want. Nor can you ever ſufficiently requite them, though it muſt be your ſtudy ſo to do. Let them learn firſt 1 Tim. 5to ſhew piety at home, and requite their Parents, for this is acceptable before God. Your ſpiritual Parents are much more to be honoured, and much leſs to be contemned; for as much as they have been inſtruments of your better beeing, your being in Chriſt in God, without which you had better to have been Dogs or Toads; Yea, good had it been for you, if you had never been born. In Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Goſpel. Think nothing too dear1 Cor. 4. 15. for theſe. I bear you record, that if it had been poſſible, ye would have pluckt out your own Eyes, and have given them unto me. TimeGal. 4. 15. was, when you held your ſelves happy in me, and bleſſed the time that ever you ſaw and heard me. Howbeit, I do not ſay unto thee, Phil. 19.how thou oweſt me even thine own ſelf. Bleſs alſo all thoſe who have been fellow-helpers with theſe, by informing, convincing, reproving, inſtructing, adviſing, comforting you againſt deſpair. All theſe call for thankfull acknowledgment. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, 1 Sa. 25. 32, 33.which ſent thee this Day to meet me, and bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou which haſt kept me from avenging my ſelf. Let the Righteous ſmite me, reprove, and chide me. It ſhall be a kindneſs. Pſal. 141. 5.I will thank him for it, and God for him for it, and God for him.
The next ſort of Perſons, to whom you owe duty, to the performance whereof, I ſhall earneſtly exhort you, are they, who as yet are without God in the World, to whom it may be ſaid. They have Acts 8. 21, 23.neither part nor lot in this matter, but are in the gall of bitterneſs, and bond of iniquity: And that not only without the Pale of the Church, Twenty-Six parts of the World divided into Thirty-One, having not ſo much as the Name of Chriſtians; and of thoſe Five that are Chriſtians in Name. What a World of Papiſts are there, beſides Hereticks that cut off themſelves from the true Church? But even in the reformed Churches, and even in this Land of light, and Valley of Viſion, there are ſix ſorts and a great number of them, who dwell not in the Light, but ſit in Darkneſs, and in the ſhaddow of Death. Namely, 1. Groſly ignorant ones, that are utterly unacquainted with the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God. Theſe are in Satan's Power, under his Government, who is the Ruler of the Darkneſs of this World; againſt theſe is the wrath of God revealed from Heaven, in temporal, and ſpiritual, and Eternal Judgments. Knowledgè being the Foundation, and Seed of all ſaving Grace, they muſt needs be graceleſs that want it. 2. Wickedly erroneous ones, thoſe who hold in their judgments Doctrines overthrowing the Chriſtian Faith, theſe are not many Doors from Death. For every fundamental Errour hath a damnable defilement, being a Leproſie in the Head, the worſt of that kinde of Plague. 3. Openly prophane ones that live in the omiſſion of known duties, and in the practice of known groſs ſins. Who for the pleaſures of the Fleſh, renounce the Heavenly bleſſings, as Eſau did, who for a Morſel of Meat ſold his birthright. Fornicators, Thieves, Drunkards, Revilers, Swearers, Sabbathbreakers, &c. This ye know, that no ſuch have any abiding in God, but dwell in the Devil, whoſe they are, and whom they ſerve, and with whom they ſhall abide eternally, without Repentance. 4 Meer civil ones, who live not in any open offence againſt the Second Table, but are utterly regardleſs of the Firſt: which are of abſolute neceſſity, to prove Man's being in God. The Goſpel teaching us to live godly, as well as righteouſly and ſoberly. Nor without holineſs Heb. 12. 24.ſhall any Man ever ſee God. 5. Hypocrites, who though they ſeem to have a prime reſpect, to the Firſt Table (which Chriſt calls the Firſt and great Commandement) yet they make little or no Conſcience of the Second Table duties; love not their Wives, are cruel to their Children and Servants, will lie, and cheat, and cozen, tipple, &c. The damnable eſtate of theſe hath been ſufficiently diſcovered, and that the loweſt place of Torments in the burning Lake, is aſſigned for them. 6tly. Haters and Blaſphemers, and Perſecutors of the ways of Godlineſs, and of them thatPhil. 1. 28. walk in thoſe wayes by word or deed. This is an evident token of Perdition, and the wrath of God1 Theſ. 2. 15, 16 ſhall come upon ſuch to the utter-moſt, if they periſh in their malice.
The duty we owe to all theſe, is to mourn for their undone condition, and to deſire, and ſtrive earneſtly to convert them, That they may be in capacity to live, and lodge with you under the ſame Roof, and partake of the ſame glorious Priviledges, and Graces, and Comforts. So you ought to do by theſe, when you have occaſion to converſe with any of them, as Lydia by Paul and Silas, conſtrained… 1…. 15. them to come into her Houſe, and abide there, at leaſt by earneſt invitation, and perſwaſion, as Jael did Siſera, with another manner of mind, Turn in my Lord, turn Judg. 4. 18.into me, fear not. You are bound to have the ſame tender and cordial affection towards all theſe, that are out of God's grace, that Saint Paul had towards the Galatians, Gal. 5. 4.that were fallen from grace. My little Children, of whom I travel 4. 19.in birth again, till Chriſt be formed in you.
1. Be in pain for them, as a Woman in travel is. Grieve, and groan, and ſigh, and weep bitterly for them, as Lot did for the Sodomites, With whoſe filthy converſation 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8.he was vexed, for that righteous man dwelling among them, in ſeeing & hearing vexed his righteous ſoul, from Day to Day with their unlawful deeds. I beheld the Tranſgreſſors, Pſal. 119. 158.and was grieved, Rivers of 136.Waters run down mine Eyes, becauſe they keep not thy Law. O Jer. 9. 1, 2, 3.that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Teares, that I might weep Day and Night, as well for the ſins, as the ſlain of the Daughters of my People: For they be all Adulterers, an Aſſembly of treacherous Men, and bend their Tongue like their Bow for Lies: They proceed from evil Sam. 15. 35.to worſe. Samuel mourned for Soul.Ezek. 10. 6. Even mourned, becauſe of the tranſgreſſion of them that had been carryed away. Jeſus grieved for the hardneſs of the Heart of the Jews, Beheld their City, and wept over it. Luk. 19. 41.Out of much affliction, and languiſh of heart, I wrote unto you with many teares. Many walk, of whom 2 Pet. 2. 4.I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are Enemies of the Croſs of Chriſt, whoſe end Phil. 18. 19.is deſtruction, whoſe God is their Belly, whoſe Glory is their ſhame, who mind Earthly things. For loves ſake, love to God who is diſhonour'd, and your Countrey, which is endangered, and to theſe poor Creatures that are deſtroying their poor Souls, and your own Souls, which you will preſerve from infection by this means, lay ſadly to heart, and grieve affectionately, for the ſad, dark, doleful, damnable condition, ſo many thouſands in this Land are in. Should you come into Houſes full of dead Men, that had ſlain themſelves, would not your Eyes affect your Hearts, could you forbear tears? You can ſcarce come into any Houſe where ſome are not ſpiritually dead, and deſtroying their own Souls, which is a thouſand times worſe.
2. Pray for them, Brethren, my Rom. 10. 1.Hearts deſire and prayer for Iſrael Gen. 17. 18.is, that they may be ſaved. O that I ſhmael might live before thee. If 1 Joh. 5. 16.any Man ſee his Brother ſin a ſin, which is not unto Death, he ſhall Luk. 23 34.ask, and he ſhall give him life. God ſhall pardon him, and by that means free him from everlaſtingActs 7. 60. 17. Death. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Lord lay not this ſin to their charge. There are none you know or meet with worſe than theſe, for whom Stephen thus prayed, they were ſtiff necked; ſo hard, that they were not to be made plyable, uncircumciſed in Heart, and Eares, as prophane inwardly, and wicked as the Heathen themſelves, though they outwardly in their Bodies carryed the Seal of God's Covenant: They always reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt by whom God's truth was not only propounded, but the truth of it likewiſe ſo powerfully demonſtrated, that they could not contradict it, but only by obſtinate malice. They gnaſhed upon that Holy-man, with their Teeth, from madneſs and malice, which they bear to the Evangelical Doctrine, which he preached, and they ſtoned him with Stones to Death. Pray alſo that God would work a change in their mindes and manners, draw them by a merciful Violence out of Satan into Chriſt.
3. To your mourning and prayers add utmoſt endeavours, uſing every one according as his Nature and Condition ſhall require. Of Jude 22. 23.ſome have compaſſion, making a difference, and others ſave with fear, pulling them out of the Fire. The ſimple, weak, and ſeduced deal gently with. Thoſe that are hardned, and perverſe, and corrupters of others, be as much as in you lyeth Inſtruments of their Salvation, by more ſeverity. Save them with fear, namely by a lively denuntiation of God's Judgments darted into your Conſciences, pulling them out of the Fire; that is, doing what you can to draw them from Perdition, without any vain reſpects or conſiderations, as Men draw things out of the Fire in any faſhion, or what way they can. Firſt,
Them that you finde groſly ignorant, inſtruct in Fundamental Truths, without the diſtinct knowledge whereof, no Man can have any entrance into this Houſe. Eſpecially you that have Children,Deut. 6. 6. and Servants, take pains in Catechiſing them, till they be as able and ready to render a reaſon of7. 11. their Faith, as to anſwer to their Names. Theſe words which I command 18, 19, 20.thee this Day, ſhall be in thy heart, and thou ſhalt teach them diligently to thy Children, and ſhalt talk of them when thou ſitteſt in thy Houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lyeſt down, and when thou riſeſt up: and ye Fathers bring up your Eph. 6. 4.Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
But you muſt not neglect to inſtruct ſtrangers, alſo even Beggars that come to your Doors, they have precious immortal Souls, which you ſhould be as willing to relieve, as your Bodies. You that are godly Women, as well as Men, muſt perform this duty. We finde Women not only teaching their Husbands▪ Manoah's Wife ſaid unto her huſband, concluding the Death of himſelf and her. If the Lord were Judg. 13. 22, 23.pleaſed to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering, and a meat-offering at our hands, neither would he have ſhewed us all theſe things, nor would at this time have told us ſuch things as theſe: and their Children and Servants. What my Son, and what, the Son of my Womb! and what, the Son of my vow! give not thy strength unto Women, nor thy wayes unto that which deſtroyeth Kings—She openeth her Mouth in wiſdome among her Maidens, and in her Tongue is the Law of Kindneſs, ſweet and gracious ſpeeches ſounding to edification in knowledge and holineſſe, but expounding the way of God to others alſo. Aquila and Priſcilla took Apollos to them, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. Seeing godly Women may and ſhould be private patterns, and may have a gift of expounding Scripture, and much more private Men, and uſe that gift in the preſence of Miniſters, for the edification of others, yea of Miniſters themſelves.
2. Thoſe you finde led away with the Errour of the wicked, holding any points in Religion, contrary to ſound Doctrine, denying directly, or by conſequence any Fundamental Verity. Such was that of Hymoeneus and Philetus, and that falſe Doctrine which the Galatians held, namely that to be juſtified before God, it was neceſſary together with faith in Chriſt ſtrictly to obſerve the Moſaical Ceremonies, as a part of Man's righteouſneſs and holineſs, appointed by the Law: and that of the Nicolaitans, who permitted the community of Women, held it a thing indifferent to commit Adultry, and eating Meats ſacrificed to Idols; and Popiſh, and Pelagian Errours: when ever you have occaſion to converſe with any ſuch as theſe, or that hold any point not conſonant to Scripture, though having leſs filth and danger, do your endeavour to recover them, by ſoft words and hard Arguments. So you are taught by the Apoſtle James's Practice, who calls a damnable blaſphemy by the gentle name of errour, and uſeth a loving compellation, (Do not erre my beloved brethren) But obſerve what powerful Arguments he uſeth both before and after his dehortation: and by the Apoſtle Paul's precept; In 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25, 26.meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth, that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil. Two things eſpecially ſhould move you to endeavour to convert ſouls from errour, eſpecially if Fundamental. The one from the nature of ſuch an errour, it is like a Canker or Gangreen, a Malady ſo contagious that it preſently ſpreads it ſelf into the next Members, and ſo by degrees deſtroyes the whole Body; being once admitted into the ſoul, it will glide into it, to the total extinguiſhing of the ſpiritual life thereof: And having poſſeſſed itJam. 5. 19, 20. ſelf in one of the Members of the Church, will ſpread over all the Body of it, if it be not withſtood in time. Another is the great reward promiſed to this endeavour,2 Cor. 8. 12. if it prove ſucceſsful; if not the will, as it is accepted, ſo it ſhall be equally rewarded.
3. Such as are prophane Perſons, the ſhew of whoſe Countenance doth witneſs againſt them, and declare their ſin, as Sodom, and hide it not; that draw iniquity withEſa. 3. 9. Cords of Vanity, and ſin as it were5. 8. with a Cart-rope, and that live in the neglect and contempt of divine Ordinances, and religious exerciſes, publick, domeſtick, or ſecret, profeſſing by their practice, that they are the Children of Belial, and rank Atheiſts. If you finde that any of theſe have not as yet commenced Dogs and Swine, but are as yet Undergraduates, and in the Devil's Academy, and that you ſhall not provoke them to Blaſphemie, nor aggravate their rage againſt you thereby, allure them to go with you into Divine▪ Herbert's Church Porch, and then ſprinkle them with his Holy Water-ſtick.
Beware of Luſt, it doth pollute and fowle.
Whom God in Baptiſme waſht with his own blood.
Drink not the third Glaſs, which thou canſt not tame,
When once it is within thee.
Take not his name, who made thy mouth, in vain,
It gets thee nothing, and hath no excuſe.
Lye not, but let thy heart be true to God,
Thy Mouth to it, thy actions to them both.
Flie idleneſs, which yet thou canſt not flie▪
By dreſſing, Miſtriſſing and Complement.
Look at thy Mouth, Diſeaſes enter there.
Slight thoſe who ſay among thy ſickly health,
Thou liveſt by rule,—
Be thrifty, but not covetous,—
Play not for gain, but ſport:——
Be ſweet to all,—
Catch not at Quarrels.—
Laugh not too much—Pick out of mirth,
Prophaneneſs, filthineſs, abuſiveneſs.
Be uſeful where thou liveſt—
Reſtore to God his due, in tith and time.
Reſort to Sermons—
Sum up at Night what thou haſt done by Day,
And in the Morning what thou haſt to do.
Take heed, leſt through fear, or too much reſpect towards any, whom you hear ſpeaking, or ſee acting prophanely, you become by your connivance or ſilence, guilty of want of Zeal towards God's glory, and of Charity towards your Neighbours Souls and Salvation. Thou ſhalt not hate thy Brother in Lev. 19. 17.thy heart, thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke thy Neighbour, and not ſuffer ſin upon him. Not, but regard muſt be had to Perſon, time, and place, and the manner of reproving, which ſometimes may be by diſcountenancing, as well as by diſcourſe, and alway, ſo that the party reproved, may ſee it proceeds from love.
4. Them that are civil, have a care to keep their good word, deal juſtly with all that are meek merciful, ready to help ſuch as ſtand in need of them; when you meet and converſe with ſuch, commendMark 10. 10. theſe and all other good things in them, as being ſuch as God loves, and will reward: but labour to convince them, that all their Moral parts and actions, till they be members of Chriſt, will yield them noGen. 20. 6. true comfort, by being in him they are brought to dwell in God. This you may eaſily prove unto them by the example of ſundry Perſons, who though endowed with manyGen. 25. 27. civil Virtues, yet are branded by the Holy Ghoſt, for moſt unhappy Men. Eſau was a dutiful Childe28. 33. to his Father, careful to pleaſe him, fearful to offend him, of a bountifull diſpoſition, and free from covetouſneſs. Ahab a kind-hearted Man, pittiful towards an inſolent1 King. 20. 31, 34. inveterate Enemy. The Phariſee that went up into the Temple to pray, could thank God that he wasLuk. 18. 11. not as other Men were, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Adulterers, that he payed his Tythes duly. And what Man in the World could live a more unblameable life, than that youngMat. 19. 20. Ruler did? And ſo Paul before his Converſion. If any Man think he hath whereof, he might truſt in the Fleſh. I more touching the righteouſneſs which is in the Law blameleſs. Yet without Faith inJohn 15. 4, 5. Chriſt, and a real change wrought in the heart, all this, and much more is nothing: he being the Fountain of all true goodneſs. The civil Devil carries Men to Hell, as well as the prophane Devil, though ſomewhat more about.
5. Thoſe whom you diſcern to be Hypocrites, by living and allowing themſelves in ſome one known ſin of Omiſſion or Commiſſion: (Thus Jehu diſcovered himſelf to be an Hypocrite. He took no heed 2 King. 10. 31.to walk in the way of the Lord God of Iſrael, with all his heart, for he departed not from the ſins of Jeroboam, which made Iſrael to ſin.) When you have occaſion to confer with theſe, acknowledge the good that is in them, much more than in Moral Men, as having a prime reſpect to the firſt Table, affecting the Miniſtry of the Word, giving themſelves to Prayer and Faſting, abſtaining from petty, as well as bloody Oathes, ſtrictly obſerving the Lord's Day, loving the pure worſhip of God, and hating will-worſhip; commend them for theſe things, but labour to fright and Fire them out of their Hypocriſie, by preſſing that of St. James upon them. Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all, that breaketh one Commandement. Habitual ſincere obedience is Univerſal, extending to the compaſs of the whole Law evangelically. And as one Leak in a Ship let alone will ſink it as well as many, and one Mortal Wound deſtroy the Body. So any one ſin wilfully continued in, will drown and deſtroy the Soul: and finally how more intolerable their torment ſhall be in Hell, than any other ſinners.
6. In like manner deal with them, who are haters and Perſecutors of the People of God, pretending that it is for their Hypocriſie, that they cannot away with them, perſwade them that their pretence is falſe; for if they hated them as: Hypocrites, they would hate them as ſinners, and ſo they would hate all ſinners, and the greateſt ſinners moſt: as he that hates a Toad, becauſe of his poyſon, the greater the Toad is, the more he would hate it. But theſe Men know themſelves, and are known to love well enough Drunkards, Whoremaſters, Swearers, and practical Atheiſts; and therefore the true reaſon why they hate ſtrict Profeſſors, is for their godlineſs, which condemns their irreligious and looſe living: (as Noah by building the Ark, condemned the World) So Cain ſlew his Brother Heb. 11. 7.becauſe his own works were evil, and his Brothers righteous. Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? 1 John 3. 12.His Converſion preſently followed his Conviction. They that dwell in God, dwell in love. Your love toActs 9. 4. poor Souls, that are out of God, expreſſed thus, by making eſſayes to draw them unto God, will both evidence to your ſelves and others that he is your habitation. Make this therefore your work every day, do as Lot did by the two Angels. Turn in I pray you into your Servants Gen. 19. 23.Houſe, no, but we will abide in the Street, and he preſſed them greatly, and they turned in unto him, and they entred into his houſe. What know you, but you may prevail, as he did? and if ſo, you will make Men Angels; for this is their higheſt happineſs. Alway to behold the Face of God. Let love conſtrainMat. 18. 1…. you, not only that which I have now preſſed; you owe love to every Man, are bound to love them as your ſelves, and to ſeek their welfare as your own: and there is no love in any Man to his Neighbour, that loveth not his Soul. But the love of Chriſt ſhould more conſtrain you to put the whole ſtrain of your ſtrength to this work. God having declared his deſire to have his Houſe filled, and his Sons Kingdome enlarged; and there beingLuk. 15. 7, 10. joy in Heaven at the Converſion of every ſinner: Yea, love to your ſelves ſhould force this. It being the beſt meanes to increaſe your graces and comforts: the more you draw to knowledge, and faith, and holineſs, the more will theſe graces increaſe in you, and the comfort of them. As a Man caſting forth of his Seed, brings it him back again with great increaſe. Nor willJam. 5. 19. any work you can do have the like recompenſe (which was hinted before) They that turn many to righteouſneſs, Dan. 12. 3.ſhall ſhine as the Stars, for ever and ever. Nor can you be ignorant, that this is the end, why God hath beſtowed his graces upon you, whereby you were made meet to be partakers of this Inheritance, not that you ſhould keep them to your ſelves, but that you ſhould benefit others by them. The 1 Cor. 12. 7.manifeſtation of the Spirit, (that is, thoſe gifts of grace, whereby it is manifeſted, that they dwell in1 John 4. 13. God) is given to every Man to profit withall.
Finally, The Lord hath ſtrictly commanded, that no Man ſhould content himſelf to know and believe aright himſelf, to repent of his own prophaneneſs, and to be religious and righteous, but that he ſhould ſeek alſo to cauſe others to be, and do ſo, that they may be as well houſed as he, as happy as himſelf. Cauſe others to return Ezek. 18. 32.that you and they may live together under the ſame Roof: and the more the merrier, and better cheer to.
Obj. There is no hope of doing good upon many, that we meet with, ſcarce upon any.
Anſw. If with all your pains taken all the Days of your Life, you can win but one Soul, it's as much as the gaining of the whole World. Yea, one Soul is more worth thanMat. 16. 26. the whole World.
2. Deſpair of none, how wicked ſo ever: as bad as bad can be,Acts 2. have been reduced and brought in, Manaſſeh for example, and three thouſand at once.
3. If aſſaying three, or four, or five, or ſix times prevail not, the 7th. may: Go up now, look towards the Sea. 1 King. 18. 43. 44.Maſter, there is nothing, go again ſeven times, and it came to paſs at the ſeventh time, that he ſaid, behold, there ariſeth a little Cloud out of the Sea, like a Mans hand.
4. Suppoſe when you have done all you can all your life long, no good be done, yet you may take that Comfort your Maſter did. Though Iſrael be not gathered, yet Eſay 49. 5. 4.ſhall I be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord. And in the Verſe before, I have laboured in vain, I have ſpent my strength in naught, in vain. Yet ſurely my Judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. God knoweth with what uprightneſs I have done his work, and therefore I know he will Crown me with Glory, though my labour hath been loſt, as to the moſt part of the People.