Sermons, Sermon 2

Sermons · Sermon 2

p. 19The II. Sermon.

PHIL. IV. 13.

I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me.

THoſe two contrary Hereſies, that coſt S. Auſtin and the Fathers of his time ſo much pains; the one all for natural ſtrength, the other for irrecoverable weakneſs; Dhave had ſuch unkindly influence on ſucceeding ages, that almoſt all the actions of the ordinary Chriſtian have ſome tincture of one of theſe: Scarce any ſin is ſent abroad into the World, without either this, or that inſcription. And therefore parallel to theſe, we may obſerve the like diviſion in the hearts and practical faculties between pride and ſloth, opinion of abſolute power, and prejudice of abſolute impotence: The one undertaking all upon its own credit, the other ſuing, as it Ewere, for the preferment, or rather excuſe of being bankrupts upon record; that ſo they may come to an eaſie compoſition with God for their debt of obedience: The one ſo buſie in contemplation of their preſent fortunes, that they are not at leiſure to make uſe of them, their pride helping them to eaſe, and if you look nearly to poverty too,Revel. iii. 17.Rev 3:17 Revel. iii. 17. the other ſo faſtned to this Sanctuary, this religious piece of prophaneneſs, that leaving the whole buſineſs to God, as the undertaker and proxy of their obedience, Ftheir idleneſs ſhall be deemed devotion, and their beſt piety ſitting ſtill.

Theſe two differences of Men, either ſacrilegious or ſupine, imperious or lethargical, have ſo dichotomized this lower ſphear of the Word, almoſt into two equal parts, that the practice of humble obedience, and obeying humility, the bemoaning our wants to God, p. 20with Petition to repair them, and the obſerving and making uſe of Athoſe ſuccors which God in Chriſt hath diſpenſed to us; thoſe two foundations of all Chriſtian duty, providing between them, that our Religion be neither foreign, nor foreign, Neither the vertue of the Atheist, nor the prayer of the Sluggard, are almoſt quite vaniſhed out of the World: As when the Body is torn aſunder, the Soul is without any farther act of violence forced out of its place, that it takes its flight home to Heaven, being thus let out at the Sciſſure, as at the Window; and only the two fragments of carcaſs remain Bbehind.

For the depoſing of theſe two Tyrants, that have thus uſurped the Soul between them, dividing the Live child with that falſe Mother, into two dead parts: For the abating this pride, and enlivening this deadneſs of practical faculties; for the ſcourging this ſtout Beggar, and reſtoring this Cripple to his Legs, the two Proviſions in my Text, if the order of them only be tranſpoſed, and in Gods method the laſt ſet firſt, will, I may hope and pray, prove ſufficient. I can do, &c.

1. Through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me.] You have there, firſt, The Aſſertion of the neceſſity of grace; and ſecondly, that enforced from the form of the word foreign, which imports the minutely continual ſupply of aids; and then, thirdly, we have not only poſitively, but excluſively declared the perſon thus aſſiſting; in Chriſto confortante, it is by him, not otherwiſe, we can do thus, or thus. Three particulars all againſt the natural confidence of the proud DAtheiſt.

2. The foreign, I can do all things.] Firſt, The foreign, and ſecondly, the foreign. 1. The power; and 2. the extent of that power: 1. The potency; and 2. the omnipotency; and then 3. this not only originally of Chriſt that ſtrengthneth, but inherently of me, being ſtrengthned by Chriſt. Three particulars again, and all againſt the conceived or pretended impotence, either of the falſe ſpie that brought news of the Giants Anakims, Cannibals, in the way to Canaan, ENumb. xiii. 32.Numb. xiii. 32.Num 13:32 Or of the Sluggard, that is alway affrighting and keeping himſelf at home, with the Lion in the ſtreets, ſome foreign or other difficulty or impoſſibility, whenſoever any work or travel of obedience is required of us,Prov. xxvi. 13.Prov 26:13 Prov. xxvi. 13.

It will not befit the majeſty of the ſubject to have ſo many particulars, by being ſeverally handled, joyntly neglected. Our beſt contrivance will be to ſhorten the retail for the encreaſing of the groſs, to Fmake the fewer parcels, that we may carry them away the better, in theſe three Propoſitions.

I. The ſtrength of Chriſt is the Original and Fountain of all ours; Through Chriſt that, &c.

p. 21AII. The ſtrength of a Chriſtian, from Chriſt derived, in a kind of Omnipotency, ſufficient for the whole duty of a Chriſtian. Can do all things, &c.

III. The ſtrength and power being thus beſtowed, the work is the Work of a Chriſtian, of the ſuppoſitum, the Man ſtrengthned by Chriſt. I can do, &c.

Of theſe in this order, for the removing only of thoſe prejudices Bout of the Brain, which may traſh and encumber the practice of piety in the heart. And firſt of the firſt.

The ſtrength of Chriſt is the Original and Fountain of all ours. The ſtrength of Chriſt, and that peculiarly of Chriſt the ſecond Perſon of the Trinity, who was appointed by conſent to negotiate for us in the buſineſs concerning our Souls. All our tenure or plea, to grace or glory, to depend not on any abſolute, reſpectleſs, though free donation, but conveyed to us in the hand of a Mediator; That Privy Seal of his annexed Cto the Patent, or elſe of no value at that Court of Pleas; or that Grand Aſſizes of Souls. Our Natural ſtrength is the gift of God, as God is conſidered in the firſt Article of our Creed, and by that title of Creation we have that priviledge of all created ſubſtances, to be able to perform the work of nature, or elſe we ſhould be inferior, to the meaneſt creature in this; for the leaſt ſtone in the ſtreet is able to move downwards by its own principle of nature: And therefore, all that we have need of in the performing of theſe, is only Gods concurrence, Dwhether previous or ſimultaneous; and in acts of choice, the government and direction of our will, by his general providence and power. However, even in this Work of Creation, Chriſt muſt not be excluded, foreign Gods in the Plural, all the Perſons of the Deity, in the whole work, & peculiarly in the Faciamus hominem, are adumbrated, if not mentioned by Moſes. And therefore God is ſaid to have made all by his Word, that inward, eternal Word in his boſome, an articulation, and, as it were, incarnation of which, was that Fiat & Efactum eſt, Longin. foreignwhich the Heathen Rhetorician ſo admired in Moſes for a magnificent ſublime expreſſion. Yet in this Creation, and conſequently this donation of natural ſtrength, peculiarly imputed to the firſt Perſon of the Trinity, becauſe no perſonal act of Chriſt, either of his ſatisfaction or merit, of his humiliation or exaltation, did conduce to that; though the Son were conſulted about it, yet was it not foreign, delivered to us in the hand of a Mediator. Our natural ſtrength we have of God, without reſpect to Chriſt incarnate, without Fthe help of his Mediation, but that utterly unſufficient to bring us to Heaven, 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing, i. e. ſaith Pariſienſis, Any thing of moment or valor, according to the Dialect of Scripture, that calls the whole man by the name of his ſoul, (ſo many ſouls, i. e. ſo many men, and ſo foreign the Pythagoreans word, thy ſoul is thou) counts of nothing, but what p. 22tends to the ſalvation of that. But then our ſupernatural ſtrength, Athat which is called Grace and Chriſtian ſtrength, that is of another date, of another tenure, of another allay; founded in the promiſe actually exhibited in the death and exaltation of the Meſſias, and continually paid out to us, by the continued daily exerciſe of his Offices. 1. The Covenant ſealed in his Blood, after the manner of Eaſtern Nations, as a counterpart of Gods, to that which Abraham had ſealed to before in his Blood at his Circumciſion. 2. The Benefits made over in that Covenant, were given up in numerato, with a kind of Livery and BSeiſin at his Exaltation; Epeſ. iv. 8.which is the importance of that place, Epheſ. iv. 8.Pſal. lxviii.Ps 68 out of the lxviii. Pſalm, Thou haſt aſcended on high] There is the date of it upon Chriſt's inauguration to his Regal Office: As foreign & foreign & foreign, in Gr.Thou haſt led captivity captive.] There is the evidence of conveyance unto him, as a reward of his victory, and part of his triumph: Thou haſt given gifts] or as the Pſalm received, Gifts for men.] Both importing the ſame thing, in divers relations, received from his Father, (All power is given to me) that he might give, diſpenſe, convey, and ſteward it out to men; Cand ſo literally ſtill, foreign, in the hand of a Mediator. And then that which is thus made over to us, is not only the gift of Grace, the habit by which we are regenerate: But above that account, daily bublings out of the ſame Spring, minutely rayes of this Sun of Righteouſneſs, which differ from that gift of Grace, as the propagation of life from the firſt act of Conception, conſervation from Creation; that which was there done in a minute, is here done every minute; and ſo the Chriſtian is ſtill in fieri, not in facto eſſe: or as a line which is an Daggregate of infinite points, from a point in ſuo indiviſibili; the firſt called by the Schools, Auxilium gratiae per modum principii, the other Per modum concurſus. And this is noted by the word foreign, givings, Jam. i. 17.Jam. i. 17.Jas 1:17 neither foreign as the Heathen called their vertues, as habits of their own acquiring; nor again ſo properly foreign, gifts, becauſe that proves a kind of tenure after the receit, Data, eo tempore quo dantur fiunt accipientis, ſaith the Law: But properly and critically foreign, givings, Chriſt always a giving, confirming minutely not our title, Ebut his own gift; or elſe that as minutely ready again to return to the crown. All our right and title to ſtrength and power, is only from Gods minutely donation. And the foreign in the Preſent tenſe implies, all depending on the perpetual preſence and aſſiſtance of his ſtrength. Hence is it that Chriſt is called the Father of Eternity, Iſai. ix. 6. i. e. of the life to come (foreign ſay the LXX, the age to come) the ſtate of Chriſtians under the Goſpel, and all that belongs to it; The Father] which doth not only beget the Child, but educate, provide Ffor, put in a courſe to live, and thrive, and deſerves far more, for that he doth after the birth, than for the being it ſelf; and therefore it is Proclus his obſervation of Plato, that he calls God, in reſpect of all Creatures foreign a Maker; but foreign a Father in reſpect of Man. And this the peculiar title of Chriſt, in reſpect of his Offices; not to p. 23Abe the Maker only, the Architect of that age to come, of grace and glory, but peculiarly the Father which continues his Paternal Relation for ever; yea, and the exerciſes of Paternal Offices by the pedagogy of the Spirit, all the time of non-age, minutely adding and improving, and building him up to the meaſure and pitch of his own ſtature and fulneſs. And ſo again that ſoveraign Title of his Jeſus, i. e.Mat. i. 21.Matt 1:21 foreign, Matt. i. 21. This title and office of Phyſician is peculiar to the ſecond perſon, to repair the daily Bdecays and ruines of the Soul, and not only to implant a Principle of health, but to maintain it by a foreign, and confirm it minutely into an exact habit of Soul: and therefore, That Sun of righteouſneſs is ſaid to have his healing in his wings; i. e. in thoſe rayes which it minutely ſends out, by which as on wings, this fountain of all inherent and imputed righteouſneſs, of ſanctifying and juſtifying Grace, takes its flight, and reſts upon the Chriſtian Soul; and this ſtill peculiarly, foreign, not in God foreign, but foreign, in Chriſt; In CChriſt that ſtrengtheneth.

The not obſerving, or not acknowledging of which difference, between the gifts of God, and the gifts of Chriſt, the endowments of that firſt, and this ſecond foundation, the hand of God, and the hand of a Mediator, is I conceive the ground of all thoſe perplexing controverſies about the ſtrength of nature, and patrimony of grace, Pelagius very jealous and unwilling to part with his natural power, left any thing in the buſineſs of his Salvation ſhould be accounted due unto DGod, Lib. 1. Dial. ad Pelag.they are his own words, if Jerom may be credited, Mihi nullus auferre poterit liberi arbitrii poteſtatem, ne ſi in operibus meis Deus adjutor extiterit, non mihi debeatur merces, ſed ei qui in me operatus. Socinus again denying all merit and ſatisfaction of Chriſt, making all that but a Chimaera, and ſo evacuating or antiquating that old tenure by which we hold all our Spiritual Eſtate. The Romaniſts again, at leaſt ſome of them,Bernard. in Sen. Serm. 61. Art. 1. c. 8. beſtowing upon the bleſſed Virgin after Conception, ſuch Juriſdiction in the temporal proceſſion of the Holy EGhoſt, that no grace is to be had but by her diſpenſing; that ſhe the Mother gives him that ſends the Holy Ghoſt, and therefore gives all gifts, quibus vult, quomodo, quando, & per manus: **Ibid. & Art. 2. c. 10.That ſhe is the neck to Chriſt the Head, cant. vii. 4. and‖‖Vieg as in Apoc. c. 12. com. 2. ſect. 2. num. 6.Rev 12 Sublato Virginis patrocinio, perinde ac halitu intercluſo, peccator vivere diutiùs non poteſt: and ſtore enough of ſuch emaſculate Theology as this. And yet others that maintain the quite contradictory to all theſe, acknowledging a neceſſity of ſupernatural ſtrength to the attaining of our ſupernatural end, and Fthen ask and receive this only, as from the hands and merits of Chriſt, without the mediation or juriſdiction of anyother, are yet had in jealouſie and ſuſpicion as back-friends to the cauſe of God, and enemies to Grace; becauſe they leave man any portion of that natural ſtrength which was beſtowed on him at his Creation. Whereas the limits of both theſe being diſtinctly ſet, there may ſafely be acknowledged, p. 24firſt a natural power; (or if you will call it natural grace, the AFathers will bear you out in the phraſe) Illius eſt gratiae quòd creatus eſt, **Ep. 139.S. Jerom; Gratia Dei quâ fecit nos, ‖‖In Pla. cxliv.S. Auſtin; and Crearis gratia, **De gratiâ & lib. arbit.S. Bernard: and that properly ſtyled, the ſtrength of God, but not of Chriſt, enabling us for the works of nature.

And then above this, is regularly ſuperſtructed the ſtrength of Chriſt, ſpecial ſupernatural ſtrength made over unto us, not at our firſt but ſecond birth; without which, though we are men, yet not Chriſtians, Live, ſaith Clemens, foreign, a kind of embryon, Bimperfect heathen, of a child in the womb, of the gentle dark uncomfortable being, a kind of firſt draught, or ground colours only, and monogram of life. Though we have Souls, yet in relation to ſpiritual acts or objects, but weak conſumptive cadaverous ſouls (as foreign the Old Teſtament word for the Soul, and foreign in the 72, ſignifies, a carkaſs or dead body, Numb. v. 2. and otherwhere) and then by this acceſſion of this ſtrength of Chriſt, this dead Soul revives into a kind of omnipotency; the Pygmie is ſprung up into a Gyant, this Clanguiſhing puling ſtate improv'd into an foreign; he that even now was inſufficient to think any thing, is now able to do all things; which brings me to my ſecond Propoſition.

The ſtrength of a Chriſtian, from Chriſt deriv'd, is a kind of Omnipotence, ſufficient for the whole duty of a Chriſtian, foreign, Can do all things.

The clearing of this Truth from all difficulties or prejudices, will Ddepend mainly on the right underſtanding of the predicate, foreign, in my Text, or the whole duty of a Chriſtian in the propoſition: which two being of the ſame importance, the ſame hand will unravel them both. Now what is the whole duty of a Chriſtian, but the adequate condition of the ſecond Covenant? upon performance of which ſalvation ſhall certainly be had, and without which ſalvare nequeat ipſa ſi cupias ſalus, the very ſufferings and ſaving mercies of Chriſt will avail us nothing. As for any Exerciſe of Gods abſolute Will, or Power, in this Ebuſineſs of Souls under Chriſts Kingdom, I think we may fairly omit to take it into conſideration; for ſure the New Teſtament will acknowledg no ſuch phraſe, nor I think any of the Ancients that wrote in that language. Whereupon perhaps it will be worth obſerving, in the confeſſion of the Religion of the Greek Church, ſubſcribed by Cyril the preſent Patriarch of Conſtantinople, where having ſomewhat to do with this phraſe, Of Gods abſolute Dominion ſo much talked on here in the Weſt, he is much put to it to expreſs it in Greek, and at laſt fain to do it by Fa word coyned on purpoſe, a meer Latiniſm for the turn, foreign; an expreſſion I think capable of no excuſe but this, that a piece of new Divinity was to be content with a barbarous phraſe. Concerning this condition of the ſecond Covenant, Three things will require to be premiſed to our preſent enquiry.

p. 25A1. That there is a Condition, and that an adequate one, of the ſame extent as the promiſes of the Covenant; ſomething exacted at our hands to be performed if we mean to be the better for the demiſe of that Indenture, As many as received him, to them he gave power, &c. Joh. i. 12.Joh. i. 12.John 1:12 to theſe, and to none elſe, poſitively and excluſively. To him that overcometh will I give, Rev. ii. 7.Rev 2:7Rev. ii. 7. I have fought a good fight, 2 Tim. iv. 7.2 Tim 4:7&c. 2 Tim. iv. 7. henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown; Then begins the title to the Crown, and not before: when the Bfight is fought, the courſe finiſhed, the faith kept, then coelum rapiunt, God challenged on his righteouſneſs as a Judg; not on ground of his abſolute pleaſure as a Lord, which will; but upon ſuppoſition of a Pact or Covenant, which limits and directs the award & proceſs, for according unto it God the righteous Judge ſhall give. Mark xvi. 16.Mark 16:16And Mark xvi. 16. in Chriſts farewel ſpeech to his Diſciples, where he ſeals their Commiſſion of Embaſſage and Preaching to every creature; He that believeth not ſhall be damned; this believing whatever it ſignifies is Cthat condition here we ſpeak of, and what it imports, you will beſt ſee by comparing it with the ſame paſſage ſet down by another Amanuenſis in the laſt verſe of S. Matth. To obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you: A belief not of brain or phanſie, but that of heart and practice, i. e. Diſtinctly Evangelical or Chriſtian obedience, the foreign in my Text, and the whole duty of a Chriſtian in the propoſition; which if a Chriſtian by the help of Chriſt be not able to perform, then conſequently he is ſtill uncapable of Salvation by the Dſecond Covenant; no creature being now reſcuable from Hell ſtante pacto, but thoſe that perform the condition of it, that irreverſible Oath of God, which is always fulfilled in kind without relaxation, or commutation, or compenſation of puniſhment, being already gone out againſt them;Heb. iv. 3.Heb 4:3 I have ſworn in my wrath that they ſhall not enter into my reſt. And therefore when the end of Chriſts miſſion is deſcribed, Joh. iii. 17.Joh. iii. 17.John 3:17 That the world through him might be ſaved; there is a ſhrewd [But] in the next Verſe, But he that believeth not is condemned Ealready: This was upon agreement between God and Chriſt, that the impenitent Infidel ſhould be never the better for it, ſhould die unreſcued in his old Condemnation. So that there is not only a logical poſſibility, but a moral neceſſity of the performing of this foreign, or elſe no poſſibility of Salvation. And then that reaſon of diſannulling the old, and eſtabliſhing the new Covenant, becauſe there was no juſtification to be had by the old,Gal. iii. 21.Gal 3:21 rendred Gal. iii. 21. would eaſily be retorted upon the Apoſtle thus, Why neither is any life or juſtification Fto be had by this ſecond; the abſurdity of which ſequel being conſidered, may ſerve for one proof of the Propoſition.

The Second thing to be premiſed of this Condition is, That it is an immutable, unalterable, indiſpenſable Condition. The 2d. Covenant ſtanding this muſt alſo ſtand, that hath been proved already, becauſe a condition adequate, and of the ſame latitude with the Covenant.

p. 26But now ſecondly, this ſecond, both Covenant and Condition, Amuſt needs ſtand an Everlaſting Covenant, Ez. xvi. 60.Ezek. xvi. 60. No poſſibility of a change, unleſs upon an impoſſible ſuppoſition, there ſhould remain ſome other fourth Perſon of the Deity to come into the World. The Tragick Poets, ſaith Tully, when they had overſhot themſelves in a deſperate Plot, that would never come about, ad Deum confugiunt, they were fain to flie to a God, to lay that unruly ſpirit that their phanſie had raiſed. Upon Adam's ſin and breach of the Condition of the Firſt Covenant, there was no poſſibility in the wit of man, in the Bſphere of the moſt Poetical phanſie, Fabulae exitum explicare, to come off with a fair concluſion, had not the Second Perſon of the Trinity, that foreign, come down in his tire, and perſonation of fleſh, not in the ſtage Cloaths or Livery, but ſubſtantial form of a ſervant upon the ſtage. And he again having brought things into ſome poſſibility of an happy concluſion (though it coſt him his life in the negotiation) leaves it at his departure in the truſt of his vicegerent, the Spirit of his power, to go thorow with his beginnings; to ſee that Cperformed (which only he left unperfected, as being our task not his) the Condition of the Second Covenant. The Spirit then enters upon the work, diſpatches Officers, Ambaſſadors to all Nations in the World foreign,Mar. xvi. 15.Mark 16:15 to every creature, Mark xvi. 15. And himſelf to the end of the World, goes along to back them in their Miniſtery: And then the next thing the Scripture tells us of, is the coming to Harveſt, after this Seeds time, and he that believeth not, ſhall be damned; and ſo that Sacred Canon is ſhut up.

The Iſſue of this ſecond Pracognitum, is this, That if there ſtill remain any difficulties, any impoſſibilities to be overcome; ſo they are like to remain for ever, unleſs there be ſome other Perſon in the Godhead to be ſent, to make up Pythagoras his foreign, there is no new way imaginable to be found out; and that perhaps is the reaſons of thoſe peremptory denunciations of Chriſt againſt them that ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, againſt that adminiſtration of grace entruſted to him, That there ſhall be never any remiſſion for them, in Ethis world, or in another, i. e. Either by way of Juſtification here, or Glorification at that grand Manumiſſion hereafter. And that may ſerve for a ſecond proof of the Propoſition, That if for all, the duty of a Chriſtian is not feaſible, it muſt remain ſo for ever; an adumbration thereof you may ſee ſet down Heb. x.Heb. x 16, 26.Heb 10:16Heb 10:26 comparing the 16 with the 26 Verſe. In the ſixteenth you have the Second Covenant deſcribed, and the condition of it in the Verſes following; and then Verſe 26. if after this we ſin wilfully, then our eſtate becomes deſperate, FThere remains no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation; and he that takes not then quarter, accounted an adverſary for ever: The Apoſtate, whether he renounce his faith, in fact or profeſſion, muſt be a Caſt-away.

p. 27AThe third thing to be premiſed is, Wherein this condition of the ſecond Covenant conſiſts; and that is not in any rigor of legal performance (that was the bloody purport of that old obligation, that ſoon concluded us all under death irreverſibly) nor in any Egyptian Pharaoh's tasks, a full tale of Bricks, without Straw, without any materials to make them; no Phariſaical burthen laid on heavy, and no finger to help to bear it;Mat. xi. 30.Matt 11:30 but an eaſie yoke, a light burthen, Mat. xi. 30. and not only light, but alleviating: He that was laden before, is the Blighter for this yoke, Verſ. 29. Take my yoke, and you ſhall find reſt. And therefore Chriſt thinks reaſonable, not to lay the yoke upon them as an injunction (as the worldly faſhion is) but to commend it to them, as a thing that any prudent man would be glad to take up, in the beginning of the Verſe, Take my yoke upon you.

In a word, it conſiſts in the embracing of Chriſt in all his Offices, the whole Perſon of Chriſt; but eſpecially as he is typically deſcribed in Zachary, Zac. vi. 11, 13.a crowned Jeſus, a Prieſt upon a Throne; his Scepter joyned Cto his Ephod, to rule and receive tribute as well as ſacrifice, and ſatisfie and reconcile: Conſilium pacis inter ambo ea, thoſe two Offices of his reconciled in the ſame, our Prieſt become our King, That being delivered, we may ſerve him (in the other Zacharie's phraſe, Delivered without fear, ſerve him) in holineſs and righteouſneſs: the performance of that duty that Chriſt enables to perform;Luke i. 74.Luke 1:74 the ſincerity of the honeſt heart; the doing what our Chriſtian ſtrength will reach to. and humbly ſetting the reſt on Chriſts ſcore. And then when that which can Dbe done, is ſure to be accepted, there is no room left for pretended impoſſibilities. Nay, becauſe thoſe things which there is a Logical poſſibility for us to do, and ſtrength ſufficient ſuppeditated, it is not yet Morally poſſible to do all our lives long, without any default; Becauſe, as Pariſienſis ſaith,D… t…nt. even the habit of Grace, in the regenerate heart, is as long as a man carries fleſh about him as an armed man, Poſitus in lubrico, ſet to fight in a ſlippery place, all his armor and valor will not ſecure him from a fall; or again, as the General of a Efactious or falſ-hearted army, a party of inſidious fleſh at home, which will betray to the weaker enemy that comes unanimous; or as a Warrior on a tender mouth'd horſe, impatient of Diſcipline, or check, is fetcht over ſometimes for all his ſtrength and armor: Becauſe, I ſay, there is none but offend ſometimes, even againſt his power; there is therefore bound up in this new Volume of Ordinances, an foreign, a New Teſtament, a Codicil of Repentance, added to the Teſtament; that Plank for Shipwrackt ſouls, that City of Refuge, that Sanctuary for the Man-ſlayer Fafter ſincommitted. And then, if ſincere obedience be all that is required, and that exclude no Chriſtian living, be he never ſo weak; but the falſe, faithleſs Hypocrite, if repentance will repair the faults of that; and that exclude none but him, that lives and dies indulgent in ſin, the common proſtitute, final impenitent infidel: If whatſover he wanting, be made over in the demiſe of the Covenants; and whatſoever we p. 28are enabled to do, accepted in the condition of it; then certainly no Aman that adviſes with theſe premiſſes, and ſo underſtands what is the meaning of the duty, can ever doubt any longer of the foreign, the Omnipotence of the Chriſtian, his ſufficiency from Chriſt to perform his whole duty: Which is the ſum of the concluſion of the ſecond Arauſican Council held againſt Pelagius, Vid. Voſ…. Hiſt. Pel. p. 315.c. ult. Secundum ſidem Catholicam credimus, quòd acceptâ per Baptiſmum gratiâ omnes Baptizati Chriſto auxiliante & cooperante quae ad ſalutem pertinent poſſint & debeant (ſi fideliter laborare voluerint) adimplere. The not obſerving of Bwhich, is, I conceive, the fomenter of all that unkindly heat of thoſe involved diſputes, Whether a regenerate man in viâ, can fulfil the Law of God: Of that colliſion concerning merits, concerning venial and mortal ſin, juſtification by works, or Faith, or both; all which upon the grounds premiſed, will to any intelligent ſober Chriſtian, a friend of truth, and a friend of peace, be moſt evidently compoſed. To bring down this theſis to theſe ſeveral Hypotheſes, this time or place will not permit; I ſhall be partial to this part of my Text, if I paſs Cnot with full ſpeed, to that which remains; the third Propoſition.

That the ſtrength and power being thus beſtowed, the work is the work of a Chriſtian, of the Suppoſitum, the Man ſtrengthned and aſſiſted by Chriſt. I can, &c.

I, not I alone, abſtracted from Chriſt, nor I principally, and Chriſt only in Subſidiis, to facilitate that to me which I was not quite Dable throughly to perform without help, (which deceitful conſideration drew on Pelagius himſelf, that was firſt only for nature, at laſt to take in one after another, five Subſidiaries more; but only as ſo many horſes to draw together in the Chariot with nature, being ſo purſued by the Councils and Fathers, from one hold to another, till he was at laſt almoſt deprived of all; acknowledging, ſaith S. Auſtin, Divinae gratiae adjutorium ad poſſe; and then had not the Devil ſtuck cloſe to him at the exigence, and held out at the velle & operari, he Emight have been in great danger to have loſt an Heretick.) But I] abſolutely impotent in my ſelf to any ſupernatural duty, being then rapt above my ſelf, ſtrengthned by Chriſts perpetual influence, having all my ſtrength & ability from him, am then by that ſtrength able to do all things my ſelf. As in the old Oracle, the God inſpired and ſpake in the ear of the Prophet, and then the Vates ſpoke under from thence, called foreign, ecchoed out that voice aloud which he had received by whiſper, a kind of Scribe, or Cryer, or Herauld, to deliver out as he Fwas inſpired: The principal, foreign, a God, or Oracle; the Prophet foreign an inſpired Enthuſiaſt, diſpenſing out to his credulous clients, all that the Oracle did dictate; or as the Earth, which is cold and dry in its elementary conſtitution; and therefore bound up to a neceſſity of perpetual barrenneſs, having neither of thoſe two procreative p. 29Afaculties, heat or moiſture, in its compoſition; but then by the beams of the Sun, and neighbourhood of Water, or to ſupply the want of that, rain from Heaven to ſatisfie its thirſt, this cold dry Element begins to teem, carries many Mines of treaſure in the Womb, many granaries of fruit in its ſurface, and in event, foreign, contributes all that we can crave, either to our need, or luxury. Now though all this be done by thoſe foraign aids, as principal, nay ſole efficients of this fertility in the earth to conceive, & of its ſtrength to bring forth, Byet the work of bringing forth is attributed to the Earth,Heb. vi. 7.Heb 6:7 Heb. vi. 7. as to the immediate parent of all. Thus is it God's work foreign, ſaith Cyril, Ca. 1. p. 26.to plant and water, and that he doth mediately by Apollos and Paul: yea, and to give the encreaſe, that belongs to him immediately; neither to Man, nor Angel, but only ad Agricolam Trinitatem, In. Jo. tr. 80.ſaith S. Auſtin; but after all this foreign, though God give the encreaſe, thou muſt bring forth the fruit. The Holy Ghoſt overſhadowed Mary, Mat. i. 18.Matt 1:18and ſhe was found with child, Mat. i. 18. Cforeign, ſhe was found; no more attributed to her; the Holy Ghoſt the principal,Indulgin. de Incarn. & gra. c. 20. nay ſole agent in the work, and ſhe a pure Virgin ſtill: and yet Luk. i. 31. 'tis the Angels Divinity, That Mary ſhall conceive and bring forth a Son. All the efficiency from the Holy Ghoſt, and partus ventrem, the work attributed, and that truly to Mary, the ſubject in whom it was wrought; and therefore is ſhe call'd by the Ancients not only officina miraculorum, & foreign, The ſhop of Miracles, and The Work-houſe of the Holy Ghoſt, (as the Rhetorick Dof ſome have ſet it) but by the Councils, (that were more careful in their phraſes) foreign, not only the Conduit through which he paſt, but the Parent of whoſe ſubſtance he was made. And thus in the production of all ſpiritual Actions, the principal ſole efficient of all is Chriſt, and His Spirit; all that is conceived in us, is of the Holy Ghoſt: The holy Principle, holy Deſire, holy Action, the poſſe, Phil. ii. 12.Phil 2:12& velle, & operari, all of him, Phil. ii. 12. But then being ſo overſhadowed, the Soul it ſelf conceives; being ſtill aſſiſted, carries Ein the Womb, and by the ſame ſtrength at fulneſs of time, as opportunities do Midwife them out, brings forth Chriſtian Spiritual Actions; and then as Mary was the Mother of God, ſo the Chriſtian Soul is the Parent of all its Divine Chriſtian Performances; Chriſt the Father, that enables with his Spirit; and the Soul the Mother, that actually brings forth.

And now that we may begin to draw up towards a concluſion▪ Two things we may raiſe from hence by way of inference to our FPractice.

1. Where all the Chriſtians non-proficiency is to be charged, either 1. Upon the Habitual Hardneſs, or 2. The Sluggiſhneſs, or 3. The Rankneſs of his own wretchleſs heart.

1. Hardneſs, That for all the ſeed that is ſown, the ſoftning dew that diſtills, & rain that is poured down, the enlivening influences p. 30that are diſpenſed among us, yet the foreign, the hardneſs Aand toughneſs of the Womb, foreign, that dry unnutrifying Earth in the Philoſopher's, or in Chriſts dialect, Stony-ground, reſiſts all manner of Conception, will not be hoſpitable, yield any entertainment, even to theſe Angelical gueſts, though they come as to Lot's houſe in Sodom, only to ſecure the owner from moſt certain deſtruction. This is the reaſon that ſo much of Gods Husbandry among us, returns him ſo thin, ſo unprofitable an Harveſt, ceciderunt in petroſa; and 'tis hard finding any better tillage now a-days; the very BHoly Land, the milk and honey of Canaan is degenerate, they ſay, into this Compoſition; and herein is a marvellous thing, that where God hath done all that any man, if it were put to his own partial judgment, would think reaſonable for him to do for his Vineyard, gathered out ſtones, thoſe ſeeds of natural hardneſs, and which deſerves to be marked,Iſa. v. 2.Isa 5:2 built a Wine-preſs, Iſa. v. 2. a ſure token that he expected a vintage in earneſt, not only manur'd for faſhion, or to leave them without excuſe; yet for all theſe, Labruſcas, wild, juiceleſs CGrapes, heartleſs Faith, unſeaſoned Devotion, intemperate Zeal, blind and perverſe Obedience, that under that name ſhall diſguiſe and excuſe Diſobedience; tot genera labruſcarum, ſo many wild unſavoury fruits, is the beſt return he can hear of.

One thing more let me tell you; 'Tis not the original hardneſs of Nature to which all this can be imputed, for, for the mollifying of that, all this gardening was beſtowed; digging & gathering out, and indeed nothing more ordinary, than out of ſuch ſtones to raiſe up children Dunto Abraham. But 'tis the long habit and cuſtom of ſin which hath harraſt out the Soul, congealed that natural gravel, and improved it into a perfect quarry or mine; and 'tis not the Preachers Charm, the Annunciation of the Goſpel, that Power of God unto Salvation, unto a Jew or Heathen; 'tis not David's Harp, (that could exorciſe the evil Spirit upon Saul) not the every day eloquence, even of the Spirit of God, that can in holy Eſdras his phraſe, perſwade them to Salvation.

2. Sluggiſhneſs, and inobſervances of God's ſeaſons and opportunities, and ſeed-times of Grace. God may appear a thouſand times, & not once find us in caſe to be parlyed with: Chriſt comes but thrice to his Diſciples from his Prayers in the Garden, and that thrice he finds them aſleep,Mart. xxvi. Mat. xxvi. Chriſt can be awake to come, and that in a more pathetical language, Sic non potuiſtis horâ unâ, as the vulgar moſt fully out of the Greek; Were you ſo unable to watch one hour? The Phariſee can be awake to Plot, Judas to betray, their joint Vigils Fand Proparaſceve to that grand Paſſeover the ſlaying of the Lamb of God, and only the Diſciples they are aſleep, for their eyes were heavy ſaith the Text; and this heavineſs of eyes, and heavineſs of heart (whereupon foreign in the LXXII is ordinarily ſet for ſinners) is the depriving us many times, not only of Chriſt, but his p. 31ASpirit too. So many apologies, and excuſes to him when he calls, A little more ſleep and ſlumber, and folding of the hands: Such drowſiehearted ſlovenly uſage when he comes, that no wonder if we grieve him out of our houſes: Such contentedneſs in our preſent ſervile eſtate, that if a Jubilee ſhould be proclaimed from Heaven, a general Manumiſſion of all ſervants from theſe Gallies of ſin, we would be ready with thoſe ſervants for whom Moſes makes a proviſion, to come and tell him plaingly, We will not go out free, Ex. xxi. 6.Exod 21:6be bored through Bthe ear to be ſlaves for ever, Ex. xxi. 6.

3. Rankneſs, and a kind of ſpiritual ſin of Sodom; Pride and fulneſs of bread, abuſing the Grace of God into wantonneſs; either to the oſtentatious ſetting themſelves out before men, or elſe the feeding themſelves up to that high flood of ſpiritual pride & confidence, that it will be ſure to impoſtumate in the ſoul. Some men have been fain to be permitted to ſin, for the abating this humour in them by way of phlebotomy; S. Peter, I think, is an example of that. Nebuchadnezzar Cwas turned a grazing, to cure his ſecular Pride; and S. Paul, I am ſure, had a Meſſenger ſent to him to that purpoſe, by way of prevention, that he might not be exalted above meaſure; and when he thought well of it, he receives it as a preſent ſent him from Heaven, foreign, reckons of it as a gift of Grace, or if you will, a medicinal doſe, or recipe, but rather a playſter, or outward application, which per antiperiſtaſin would drive in his ſpiritual heat, and ſo help his weak digeſtion of grace, make him the more thriving Chriſtian Dfor ever after.

The Iſſue of this firſt Inference is this, That 'tis not God's partial or niggardly diſpencing of Grace; but either our unpreparedneſs to receive, or prepoſterous giddineſs in making uſe of it, which is the cauſe either of Conſumption, or Apoſthume in the Soul, either ſtarving or ſurfeiting the Chriſtian.

The ſecond Inference, how all the Chriſtians diligence is to be placed; what he hath to do in this wayfare to his home: And that is Ethe ſame that all Travellers have, firſt, to be alway upon his feet, advancing minutely ſomething toward his next ſtage. See that we be employed, or elſe how can God aſſiſt; we muſt foreign, or elſe he cannot foreign; and ſee that we be employed aright, or elſe God muſt not, cannot aſſiſt. The Sluggards devotions can never get into Gods preſence; they want heat and ſpirit to lift them up, and activity to preſs and enfore them when they are there. It was an impreſſion in the very Heathen, Porcius Cato in the Hiſtory, That watching, and acting, Fand adviſing aright, and not emaſoulate womaniſh ſupplications alone, were the means, whereby Gods help is obtained, Ubi ſocordiae atque ignaviae tradideris, fruſtra Deos implores. Hier. in Aug. car. Pyth.And Jerome to the ſame purpoſe, that their ſacrifice are but foreign, food for the fire to devour; and their richeſt offerings to the Temple, but a ſpoil to the ſacrilegious to prey on: And the ſinners devotions muſt not be entertained p. 32there; they would even prophane that holy place. He that Awas born blind,Joh. ix. 31.John 9:31 ſaw thus much, Joh. ix. 31. Now we know that God heareth not ſinners; but if any be a worſhipper of God, and doth his will, him doth God hear.

And then ſecondly, to get furniſhed, whatever it coſt him, of all proviſion and directions for his way; and ſo this will conclude in a double Exhortation, both combined in that of David to Solomon, 1 Chron. xxii. 16.1 Chron. xxii. 16.1 Chr 22:16 when all materials were laid in, and Artificers provided for the building of the Temple, and wanted nothing but a Bchearful Leader to actuate and enliven them, Ariſe therefore and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.

1. To ſet about the buſineſs as thine own work, as the task that will not be required of the Spirit of God, of the Scripture, of the Preacher, but of thee. When it is performed, thou wouldſt be loth that God ſhould impute all to himſelf, crown his own Graces, Ordinances, Inſtruments, and leave thee as a cypher unrewarded: And therefore, whilſt it is a performing, be content to believe, that ſomewhat Cbelongs to thee, that thou haſt ſome hardſhip to undergo, ſome diligence to maintain, ſome evidences of thy good husbandry, thy wiſe managing of the Talent; and in a word, of faithful ſervice to ſhew here, or elſe when the Euge bone ſerve is pronounced, thou will not be able,foreign. v. confidently to anſwer to thy name. foreign, ſaid the Mileſians to Brutus. All the Weapons in the world will not defend the man, unleſs the man actuate, and fortifie, and defend his weapons. Thy ſtrength conſiſts all in the ſtrength of Chriſt, Dbut you will never walk, or be invulnerable in the ſtrength of that, till you be reſolved, That the good uſe (and ſo the ſtrength of that ſtrength to thee) is a work that remains for thee. If it were not, that Exhortation of the Apoſtles, would never have been given in form of Exhortation to the Chriſtian, but of Prayer only to Chriſt, Stand faſt, quit your ſelves like men, 1 Cor. xvi. 13.1 Cor 16:13be ſtrong, 1 Cor. xvi. 13.

Laſtly, Or indeed that which muſt be both firſt and laſt, commenſurate to all our diligence, the Viaticum that you muſt carry with Eyou, is the Prayers of humble gaſping Souls: Humble, in reſpect of what grace is received; Be ſure not to be exalted with that conſideration. Gaſping for what ſupply may be obtained from that eternal unexhauſted Fountain; and theſe Prayers not only, that God will give, but, as Joſephus makes mention of the Jews Liturgy, foreign That they may receive: And as Porphyry, of one kind of Sacrifice, foreign, That they may uſe; and every of us fructifie in ſome proportion anſwerable to our irrigation.

Now the God of all Grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory in Chriſt Jeſus; after that you have obeyed a while, make you perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you.

To him, be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.