Sermons, Sermon 6
The VI. Sermon.
EZEK. xviii. 31.
For why will ye die?
SInce the Devil was turned out of Heaven, all his care and counſels have been employed to keep us from coming thither; and finding Gods love very forward and encreaſing towards us, he hath ſet us upon all ways of enmity and oppoſition againſt him. The firſt warlike exploit he put us upon, was the building of Babel, when man having fortified himſelf, and the arm of fleſh grown ſtout, began to reproach and challenge, and even aſſault the God of Heaven. But the ſucceſs of that boldneſs coſt ſo dear, that we have ever ſince been diſcouraged from ſuch open proud attempts. Our malice and deſpight hath kept in ſomewhat more cloſe and ſecretly, hath retired and ſetled in the Soul; the inward man hath ever ſince erected its Babel; proud and high imaginations out-bidding Heaven and God. Theſe were a long while forged in the Brain, when inſtead of the acknowledgment of one true God, all Monſters of Atheiſm filled the underſtanding, ſometimes with a multitude and ſhole of gods; ſometimes deprived it quite, and left it utterly void of any: But now at laſt, the Devil and all the Atheiſm in the World, being at laſt exorciſed and baniſhed out of the Brain, by the evidence and power of truth, hath like the Legion, Luk. viii. which being caſt out of the man, had leave to enter the Swine, fixt violently, and taken poſſeſſion, and intrenched it ſelf in the brutiſh beſtial part, the Affections. All the ſwellings, and tumors, and ulcers, that ever ſhewed themſelves in any portion of the circumference, are now retired into the center: All the Atheiſm or Hereſie that ever ſoared or floated in the Brain, or ſurface of the Soul, is now ſunk into the heart; and there the Devil is ſeated at eaſe, there to ſet up and fortifie, and contemn God for ever. So that in brief, the iſſue of all is this, There is an infinite oppoſition and thwarting, a profeſt combate and bandying of forces betwixt the will of Man, and the Will of God; God doing, in a kind, his beſt on one ſide, & Man on the other. God wonderfully willing and deſirous that we ſhould live; man moſt perverſly wilful to his own deſtruction. This is a truth of a moſt diſmal importance, that concerns you to be inſtructed in, and will not be more powerfully enforced on you from any place of Scripture, than the Text which I have read to you, Why will ye die? It is God ſpeaks it, and with an infinite emphaſis and foreign, to note his paſſion and affectionateneſs in deſiring our good, and willing that we ſhould live.
And then ſecondly, Why will ye die? Mans reſoluteneſs and ſtubborn wretchleſneſs towards his own ruine, ruſhing or tumbling as in a praecipice violently to Hell, like the ſwine, which formerly our Wills were reſembled to,Luk. viii. 33. Luk. viii. 33. running full ſpeed down a ſteep place into the Lake. And theſe are like to prove the parts of my enſuing diſcourſe; Firſt, Gods willingneſs that we ſhould be ſaved, Secondly, Mans wilfulneſs toward his own damnation. And of theſe plainly to your hearts, not your ears; not ſo much to advance your knowledg, which though it could be raiſed to the talleſt pitch, might yet poſſibly bear thee company to Hell: but rather to encreaſe your zeal, to work ſomeone good inclination in you, to perſwade you to be content to ſuffer your ſelves to be ſaved; to be but ſo tame, as to be taken by Heaven, that now even beſieges you. And with my affectionate Prayers for ſucceſs to this deſign, I will preſume of your ears and patience, and begin firſt with the firſt, God's Willingneſs that we ſhould live.
Why will ye die?
Amongſt all other prejudices and miſ-conceits that our phanſie can entertain of God, I conceive not any ſo frequent or injurious to his Attributes, as to imagine him to deal double with Mankind in his Word; ſeriouſly to will one thing, and to make ſhew of another; to deliver himſelf in one phraſe, and reſerve himſelf in another. It were an unneceſſary, officious undertaking to go about to be God's Advocate, to apologize for him, to vindicate his actions, or in Job's phraſe, to accept the person of God. Our proceedings will be more Chriſtian, if we take for a ground or principle, that ſcorns to be beholding to an Artiſt for a proof, that every word of God is an argument of his Will; every action an interpreter of his Word. So that howſoever he reveals himſelf, either in his Scripture, or his Works, ſo certainly he wiſheth and intends to us in his ſecret Counſels. Every proteſtation of his love, every indignation at our ſtubbornneſs, every mercy confer'd on us, and that not inſidiouſly, but with an intent to do us good, are but wayes and methods to expreſs his Will: are but rays, and emiſſions, and gleams of that eternal Love, which he exhibits to the World. Now there is no way to demonſtrate this willingneſs of God that we ſhould live, à priori, or by anything either in God or us, preexiſtent as the cauſe of it, unleſs it be his love, which yet is rather its genus than its cauſe, ſomewhat of larger extent, though otherwiſe coincident with it. The more vulgar powerful convincing way, is to enforce it to your hearts by its effects, and thoſe divers and familiar: ſome few of which we will inſiſt on.
And firſt,1 Joh. iv. 9. and principally, The ſending of his Son; 1 Joh. iv. 9. In this was manifeſt the love of God toward us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. Mark God's love to us in ſending his Son, that we might live through him; His love, the cauſe of his Miſſion; this Miſſion, the manifeſtation and argument of that love; and that we live, the end of both. Had God been any way enclined to rigor or ſeverity, there had needed no great skill, no artificial contrivance for a fair plauſible execution of it; It had been but paſſing us by, the taking no notice of us, the leaving of us in our blood, Ez xvi.Ezek. xvi. and then Hell had preſently opened its mouth upon us. We were all caſt out in the open field to the loathing of our perſons, in the day that we were born, Ezek. xvi. 5. ready for all the Vultures infernal to fix on,Eccleſ. xiv. 12. that hideous Old Teſtament, foreign, Eccleſ. xiv. 12. The Teſtament of Hell, or in the mercifulleſt conſtruction, the Covenant of Grace had paſſed on us, naturally then (what infidelity now makes us) condemned already; our damnation ſeal'd to us with our life, born to no other inheritance, but Hell; as if the Devil had out of policy faln before Adam, or rather deſcended, and that in poſt,Luk. x. 18. like lightning, Luk. x. 18. left if his journey from Heaven, had been to have been performed after, ſome other Creature ſhould have intercepted him of his prey. But God's Bowels were enlarged above the ſize, wider than either the covetous gates of Hell, or that horrid yawning head that is all mouth. 'Twas not within the Devil's skill to fear, or ſuſpect what a way of mercy and deliverance God had found out for us. Somewhat he underſtood by the event, the decay of his Prophetick Arts, becoming now his Oracle; and even his ſilence growing vocal to him: But all this could not declare the Myſtery at large; when Chriſt was born, he would have been rid of him betimes, muſters all his forces, Phariſees and People, Herods and Pilots, Rome and Jeruſalem, and all the friends he had in the World, to make away with him; and yet when he was juſt come to the puſh, to the conſummation of his plot, he was afraid to act it; as in the Epiſtle aſcribed to Ignatius the Martyr,Ep. ad Phil. and directed to the Philippians, 'tis obſerved, that whilſt he was at a pretty diſtance, foreign, the Devil haſtned the ſtructure of Chriſts Croſs, as much as he could; ſet Judas and all the Artificers of Hell about the Work, foreign, but when all was even ready, Chriſt for the Croſs, and the Croſs for Chriſt; then he began to put in demurs; ſhews Judas an Halter, frights Pilate's Wife in a dream, ſhe could not ſleep in quiet for him; and in ſum, uſes all means poſſible to prevent Chriſts Crucifixion. Yet this, ſaith Ignatius, not out of any repentance, or regret of Conſcience, but only being ſtarted with the foreſight of his own ruine by this means: Chriſt's ſuffering being in effect the deſtruction of his Kingdom, his death our Triumph over Hell, and his Croſs our Trophy. By this you may diſcern what a Miracle of God's love was this giving of his Son; the conceiving of which was above the Devil's reach, and wherein he was providentially engaged, and (if we may ſo ſpeak) foreign, carried blindfold by God, to be an Inſtrument of his own ruine, and in a kind, be a Co-worker of our Salvation. Not to enlarge or expatiate upon Circumſtances; Man being thus involved in a neceſſity of damnation, & no remedy within the ſphere, either of his power or conceit left to reſcue him; (nay, as ſome have been ſo bold to ſay, that God himſelf had no other means, beſides this in his Store-houſe of Miracles, to ſave us, without intrenching on ſome one of his Attributes) for God then to find out a courſe that we could never prompt him to, being ſollicited to it by nothing in us, but our ſins and miſery, and without any interpoſition, any further conſultation or demur, to part with a piece of himſelf, to redeem us; Brachium Domini, The Arm of the Lord, Iſa. liii.as Iſaiah calls our Saviour, Iſa. liii. Nay, to ſend down his very Bowels amongſt us, to witneſs his compaſſion; to ſatisfie for us by his own death, and attach himſelf for our liberty; to undergo ſuch hard conditions, rather than be forced to a cheap ſeverity; and that he might appear to love his Enemies, to hate his Son: In brief, to fulfil the Work without any aid required from us, and make Salvation ready to our hands, as Manna is called in the ſixth of Wiſdom, foreign, Bread baked, and ſent down ready from Heaven, Wiſd. xvi. 20. to drop it in our mouths, and exact nothing of us, but to accept of it: this is an act of love and ſingleneſs, that all the malice we carry about us knows not how to ſuſpect: ſo far from poſſibility of a treacherous intent, or double dealing, that if I were an Heathen, nay a Devil, I would beſtow no other appellation on the Chriſtians God, than what the Author of the Book of Wiſdom doth ſo often, foreign, the friend, or the lover of Souls. But this is a vulgar, though precious ſubject, and therefore I ſhall no longer inſiſt on it. Only before I leave it, would I could ſee the effect of it expreſt in our Souls, as well as acknowledged in our looks, your hearts raviſhed as thorowly as your brains convinc'd; your breaſts as open to value and receive this ſuperlative mercy, as your tongues to confeſs it; then could I triumph over Hell and death, and ſcoff them out of countenance; then ſhould the Devil be reduced to his old pittance, confined to an empty corner of the World; and ſuffer as much by the ſolitarineſs, as darkneſs of his abode; all his engines and arts of torment ſhould be buſied upon himſelf, and his whole exerciſe to curſe Chriſt for ever, that hath thus deprived him of Aſſociates But alas! we are too ſollicitous in the Devil's behalf, careful to furniſh him with Companions, to keep him warm in the midſt of fire; 'tis to be feared, we ſhall at laſt thruſt him out of his Inheritance. 'Tis a probable argument that God deſires our Salvation, becauſe that Hell whereſoever it is, (whether at the Center of the Earth, or Concave of the Moon) muſt needs be far leſs than Heaven; and that makes us ſo beſiege the gate, as if we feared weſhould find no room there. We begin our journey betimes, left we ſhould be foreſtall'd, and had rather venture a throng or crowd in Hell, than to expect that glorious liberty of the Sons of God. 'Tis to be feared, that at the day of Judgment, when each Body comes to accompany its Soul in torment, Hell muſt be let out, and enlarge its territories, to receive its Gueſts. Beloved, there is not a Creature here that hath reaſon to doubt, but Chriſt was ſent to die for him, and by that death hath purchaſed his right to life. Only do but come in, do but ſuffer your ſelves to live, and Chriſt to have died; do not uncrucifie Chriſt by crucifying him again by your unbelief; do not diſclaim the Salvation, that even claims right and title to you; and then the Angels ſhall be as full of joy to ſee you in Heaven, as God is willing, nay deſirous to bring you thither; and Chriſt as ready to beſtow that Inheritance upon you at his ſecond coming, as at his firſt to purchaſe it. Nothing but Infidelity reſtrains Chriſts ſufferings, and confines them to a few. Were but this one Devil caſt out of the World, I ſhould be ſtraight of Origens Religion, and preach unto you Univerſal Catholick Salvation.
A ſecond Argument of God's good meaning towards us of his willingneſs that we ſhould live, is the calling of the Gentiles, the diſpatching of Poſts & Heralds over the whole ignorant Heathen World, and giving them notice of this treaſure of Chriſts blood. Do but obſerve what a degree of prophaneneſs, & unnatural abominations the Gentile World was then arrived to, as you may read in all their ſtories; and in the firſt to the Romans, how well grown, and ripe for the Devil, Chriſt found them; all of them damnably Superſtitious and Idolatrous in their Worſhip; damnably unclean in their lives; nay, engaged for ever in this rode of damnation, by a Law they had made; foreign, never to entertain any new Laws, Dio.or Religion: not to innovate, though it were to get Salvation, as beſides their own Hiſtories, may be gathered out of Act. xvii. 18. And laſtly, conſider how they were hook'd in by the Devil, to joyn in crucifying of Chriſt, that they might be guilty of that blood which might otherwiſe have ſaved them, and then you will find no argument to perſwade you 'twas poſſible, that God ſhould have any deſign of mercy on them. Peter was ſo reſolv'd of the point, that the whole ſucceſſion of the Gentiles ſhould be damned, that God could ſcarce perſwade him to go and Preach to one of them,Act. x. Act. x. He was fain to be caſt into a Trance, and ſee a Viſion about it; and for all that, he is much troubled about the foreign, their prophaneneſs and uncleanneſs, that they were not fit for an Apoſtle to defile himſelf about their Converſion.
And this was the general opinion of all the Jews; they of the Circumciſion were aſtoniſhed at the news, Act. x. 45.Act. x. 45. Nay this is it that the Angels wondred at ſo, when they ſaw it wrought at the Church by Pauls Miniſtery; never dreaming it poſſible, till it was effected, as may appear,Eph. iii. 10. Eph. iii. 10. This was the Myſtery which from the beginning of the World had been hid in God, Verſ. 9.V. 9. One of God's Cabinet Counſels, a Mercy decreed in ſecret, that no Creature ever wiſt of, till it was performed.
And in this behalf are we all (being lineally deſcended from the Gentiles) bound over to an infinite meaſure both of humiliation and gratitude, for our deliverance from the guilt and reign of that ſecond original ſin, that Heatheniſm of our Anceſtors, and Catholick damnation, that Sixteen hundred years ago we were allinvolv'd in. Beloved, we were long ago ſet right again, and the obligation lies heavy upon us, to ſhew this change to have been wrought in us to ſome purpoſe; to prove our ſelves Chriſtians in grain, ſo fixed and eſtabliſhed, that all the Devils in Hell ſhall not be able to reduce us again to that abhorred condition. If we that are thus called out, ſhall fall back after ſo much Goſpel to Heathen practices, and ſet up Shrines and Altars in our hearts to every poor delight that our ſottiſhneſs can call a God; if we are not called out of their ſins, as well as out of their ignorance; then have we advanced but the further toward Hell; we are ſtill but Heathen Goſpellers; our Chriſtian Infidelity and practical Atheiſm, will but help to charge their guilt upon us, and damn us the deeper for being Chriſtians. Do but examine your ſelves on this one Interrogatory, whether this calling the Gentiles hath found any effect in your hearts, any influence on your lives; whether your Converſations are not ſtill as Heatheniſh as ever? If you have no other grounds or motives to embrace the Goſpel, but only becauſe you are born within the pale of the Church, no other evidences of your Diſcipleſhip, but your livery; then God is little beholding to you for your ſervice, The ſame motives would have ſerved to have made you Turks, if it had been your chance to have been born amongſt them: and now all that fair Chriſtian outſide is not thank-worthy. 'Tis but your good fortune, that you are not now at the ſame work with the old Gentiles, or preſent Indians, a worſhipping either Jupiter, or the Sun! 'Twas a ſhrewd ſpeech of Clemens, that the life of every unregenerate Man, is an Heathen-life; and the ſins of unſanctified Men, are Heathenſins; and the eſtate of a Libertine Chriſtian, an Heathen eſtate: and unleſs our reſolutions and practices are conſonant to our profeſſion of Chriſt, we are all ſtill Heathens; and the Lord make us ſenſible of this our Condition.
The third, and in ſum, the powerfulleſt Argument to prove God's willingneſs that we ſhould live, is, that he hath beſtowed his ſpirit upon us; that as ſoon as he called up the Son, he ſent the Comforter. This may ſeem to be the main buſineſs that Chriſt aſcended to Heaven about; ſo that a Man would gueſs from the xvi.John xvi. 7. Chapter of St. John and Verſ. 7. that if it had not been for that, Chriſt had tarried amongſt us till this time; but that it was more expedient to ſend the Spirit to ſpeak thoſe things powerfully to our hearts, which often and in vain had been ſounded in our ears. 'Tis a fancy of the Paracelſians, that if we could ſuck out the lives and ſpirits of other Creatures, as we feed on their fleſh, we ſhould never die: their lives would nouriſh and tranſubſtantiate into our lives, their ſpirit increaſe our ſpirits, and ſo our lives grow with our years, & the older we were, by conſequence the fuller of life; and ſo no difficulty to become Immortal. Thus hath God dealt with us; firſt ſent his Son, his Incarnate Son, his own Fleſh, to feed, and nouriſh us; and for all this, we die daily: he hath now given us his own very Life, and incorporeous Eſſence, a piece of pure God, his very Spirit to feed upon, and digeſt, that if it be poſſible we might live. There is not a vein in our Souls, unleſs it be quite pin'd and ſhrivel'd up, but hath ſome blood produced in it by that holy nouriſhment; every breath that ever we have breathed toward Heaven, hath been thus inſpired; beſides thoſe louder Voices of God, either ſounding in his Word, or thundring in his Judgments: there is his calm, ſoft voice of Inſpiration, like the Night Viſion of old, which ſtole in upon the mind, mingled with ſleep, and gentle ſlumber. He draws not out into the Field, or meets us as an Enemy; but entraps us by ſurprize, and diſarms us in our quarters, by a Spiritual Stratagem conquers at unawares, and even betrays, and circumvents, and cheats us into Heaven. That precept of Pythagoras, foreign, To worſhip at the noiſe and whiſtling of the wind, had ſenſe, and divinity in it, that Iamblicus that cites it never dreamt of; that every ſound and whiſpering of this Spirit, which ruſtles either about our ears, or in our hearts, (as the Philoſopher ſaith, Tecum eſt, intus eſt) when it breaths, and blows within us, the ſtouteſt faculty of our Souls, the proudeſt piece of fleſh about us ſhould bow down, and worſhip. Concerning the manner of the Spirits working, I am not, I need not to diſpute. Thus far it will be ſeaſonable and profitable for you to know, that many other Illuminations and holy Graces are to be imputed to Gods Spirit, beſides that by which we are effectually converted. God ſpeaks to us many times, when we anſwer him not, and ſhines about our eyes, when we either wink, or ſleep. Our many ſudden ſhort-winded Ejaculations toward Heaven, our frequent, but weak inclinations to good, our ephemerous wiſhes, that no man can diſtinguiſh from true piety, but by their ſudden death; our every-day reſolutions of obedience, whileſtwe continue in ſin are arguments that God's Spirit hath ſhined on us, though the warmth that it produced be ſoon chill'd with the damp it meets with in us. For example, there is no doubt, beloved, but the Spirit of God accompanies his Word, as at this time, to your ears; if you will but open at its knock, and receive, and entertain it in your hearts, it ſhall prove unto you according to its moſt glorious attribute, Rom. i. The power of God unto ſalvation: But if you will refuſe it, your ſtubborneſs may repel and fruſtrate God's Work, but not annihilate it; though you will not be ſaved by it, it is God's ſtill, and ſo ſhall continue to witneſs againſt you at the day of doom. Every word that was every darted from that Spirit, as a beam or javelin of that piercing Sun, every atome of that flaming Sword, as the word is phraſed, ſhall not, though it be rebated, vaniſh: the day of vengeance ſhall inſtruct your Souls, that it was ſent from God, and ſince it was once refuſed, hath been kept in ſtore, not to upbraid, but damn you.
Many other petty occaſions the Spirit ordinarily takes to put off the Cloud, and open his Face towards us: nay, it were not a groundleſs doubt, whether he do not always ſhine, and the cloud be only in our hearts, which makes us think the Sun is gone down, or quite extinct, if at any time we feel not his rays within us. Beloved, there be many things amongſt us, that ſingle fire can do nothing upon; they are of ſuch a ſtubborn, frozen nature, there muſt be ſome material thing for the fire to conſiſt in, a ſharp iron, red hot, that may bore, as well as burn or elſe there is ſmall hopes of conquering them. Many men are ſo hardned and congealed in ſin, that the ordinary beam of the Spirit cannot hope to melt them; the fire muſt come conſubſtantiate with ſome ſolid inſtrument, ſome ſound, corpulent, piercing judgment, or elſe it will be very unlikely to thrive. True it is, the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent, which can ſo inviſibly infuſe and inſinuate its vertue through the inward man, that the whole moſt enraged adverſary ſhall preſently fall to the earth, Act. ix. the whole carnal man lie proſtrate, and the ſinner be without delay converted; and this is a Miracle which I deſire from my heart, might be preſently ſhewed upon every Soul here preſent.
But that which is to my preſent purpoſe, is only this, That God hath alſo other manners and ways of working, which are truly to be ſaid to have deſcended from Heaven, though they are not ſo ſucceſsful as to bring us thither; other more calm, and leſs boyſterous influences, which if they were received into an honeſt heart, might prove ſemen immortalitatis, and in time encreaſe, and grow up to immortality.
There is no ſuch encumbrance to traſh us in our Chriſtian Progreſs as a fancy that ſome men get poſſeſſed with; that if they are elected, they ſhall be called and ſaved in ſpight of their teeth; every man expecting an extraordinary call, becauſe Saul met with one; and perhaps running the more fiercely, becauſe Saul was then called, when he was moſt violent in his full ſpeed of malice againſt Chriſtians.
In this behalf, all that I deſire of you is, Firſt, to conſider, that though our regeneration be a miracle, yet there are degrees of miracles, and thou haſt no reaſon to expect, that the greateſt and ſtrongeſt miracle in the world, ſhall in the higheſt degree be ſhewed in thy Salvation. Who art thou, that God ſhould take ſuch extraordinary pains with thee?
Secondly, To reſolve, that many precious rays and beams of the Spirit, though when they enter, they come with power; yet through our neglect, may prove tranſitory, paſs by that heart which is not open for them.
And then thirdly, You will eaſily be convinced, that no duty concerns us all ſo ſtrictly, as to obſerve, as near as we can, when thus the Spirit, appears to us; to collect and muſter up the moſt lively, quick-ſighted, ſprightfulleſt of our faculties: and with all the perſpectives that ſpiritual Opticks can furniſh us with, to lay wait for every glance and glimpſe of its fire or light. We have ways in nature, to apprehend the beams of the Sun, be they never ſo weak and languiſhing, and by uniting them into a burning Glaſs, to turn them into afire. Oh that we were as witty and ſagacious in our ſpiritual estate! then it were eaſie for thoſe ſparks which we ſo often either contemn or ſtifle, to thrive within us, and at leaſt, break forth into a flame.
In brief, Incogitancy and inobſervance of Gods ſeaſons, ſupine numbneſs, and negligence in ſpiritual affairs, may on good grounds be reſolved on, as the main or ſole cauſe of our final impenitence and condemnation; it being juſt with God, to take thoſe away in a ſleep who thus walked in a dream, and at laſt to refuſe them, whom he hath ſo long ſollicited. He that hath ſcorned or waſted his inheritance, cannot complain if he dies a bankrupt; nor he that hath ſpent his candle at play, count it hard uſage, that he is fain to go to bed darkling. It were eaſie to multiply arguments on this theme, & from every minute of our lives, to diſcern ſome pawn and evidence of Gods fatherly will and deſire that we ſhould live. Let it ſuffice, that we have been large, if not abundant in theſe three chief ones: Firſt, The giving of his Son to the World. Secondly, Diſpatching the Goſpel to the Gentiles. And laſtly, The ſending of his Spirit. We come now to a view of the oppoſite trenches, which lie pitched at the Gates of Hell▪ obſtinate and peremptory to beſiege, and take it: Mans reſolvedneſs and wilfulneſs to die, my ſecond part.
Why will you die?
There is no one conceit that engages us ſo deep, to continue in ſin, that keeps us from repentance, and hinders any ſeaſonable Reformation of our wicked lives, as a perſwaſion, that God's will is a cauſe of all events. Though we are not ſo blaſphemous as to venture to define God the Author of ſin; yet we are generally inclined for a fancy, that becauſe all things depend on God's decree, whatſoever we have done, could not be otherwiſe; all our care could not have cut off one ſin from the Catalogue. And ſo being reſolved, that when we thus ſinned, we could not chuſe, we can ſcarce tell how to repent for ſuch neceſſary fatal miſdemeanors; the ſame excuſes which we have for having ſinned formerly, we have for continuing ſtill, and ſo are generally better prepared for Apologies than Reformation. Beloved, it will certainly much conduce to our edification, inſtead of this ſpeculation (whoſe grounds or truth, I will not now examine) to fix this practical theorem in our hearts, that the will of man is the principal cauſe of all our evil, that death either as it is the puniſhment of ſin, eternal death, or as it is the ſin it ſelf, a privation of the life of grace, ſpiritual death, is wholly to be imputed to our wilful will. It is a Probleme in Ariſtotle, why ſome Creatures are longer in conceiving and bringing forth than others, and the ſenſibleſt reaſon he gives for it, is foreign, the hardneſs of the Womb, which is like dry earth, that will not preſently give any nouriſhment to either ſeed or plant; and ſo is it in the ſpiritual conception, and production of Chriſt, that is, of life in us: The hardneſs and toughneſs of the heart, the womb where he is to be born, that foreign, that dry Earth, in the Philoſophers; or that way-ſide, or at beſt ſtony ground in Chriſts phraſe, is the only ſtop and delay in begetting of life within us, the only cauſe of either barrenneſs or hard travail in the Spirit. Be the brain never ſo ſoft and pliable, never ſo waxy and capable of impreſſions; yet if the heart be but carnal, if it have any thing much of that luſt of the fleſh, 1 John ii. 15.1 Joh. ii. 15. in its compoſition, it will be hard for the ſpiritual life to be conceived in that man. For Faith, the only means by which Chriſt lives and dwells in us,Epheſ. iii. 17. Epheſ. iii. 17. is to be ſeated in the heart, i. e. the will and affections, according to the expreſs words, That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. So that, be your brains never ſo ſwelled and puft up with perſwaſions of Chriſt our Saviour, be they ſo big that they are ready to ly-in, and travail of Chriſt, as Jove's did of Minerva in the Poem; yet if the heart have not joyned in the conception, if the ſeed ſown have not taken root and drawn nouriſhment from the will, it is but an aerial or phantaſtical birth, or indeed rather a diſeaſe or tympany; nay, though it come to ſome proof, and afterward extend and increaſe in limbs and proportions never ſo ſpeciouſly, yet if it be only in the brain, neither is this to be accounted ſolid nouriſhment & augmentation, but ſuch as a Camaelion may be thought to have, that feeds on air, and it ſelf is little better, and in ſum, not growth but ſwellings.
So then if the will, either by nature, or cuſtom of ſinning, by familiarity and acquaintance, making them dote on ſenſual objects, otherwiſe unamiable; by buſineſs and worldly ambitious thoughts, great enemies to faith; or by pride and contentment, both very incident to noble Perſonages and great Wits, to Courtiers and Scholars: In brief, if this Will, the ſtronger and more active part of the Soul, remain carnal, either in indulgence to many, or, which is the ſnare of judicious men in chief, of ſome one prime ſin, then cannot all the faith in the world, bring that man to Heaven, it may work ſo much miracle as Simon Magus is ſaid to have done, who undertook to raiſe the dead, give motion to the head, make the eyes look up or the tongue ſpeak; but the lower part of the man, and that the heavieſt, will by no charm or ſpell be brought to ſtir, but weigh & ſink even into Hell, will ſtill be carcaſs and corruption; Ecclus. xx. 25.Damnation is his birth-right, Eccluſ. xx. 25. And it is impoſſible, though not abſolutely, yet ex hypotheſi, the ſecond Covenant being now ſealed, even for God himſelf, to ſave him or give him life. It is not David's Muſick, that exorciſed and quieted Saul's evil ſpirit, nor Pythagoras's Spondees that tamed a man, foreign ſet him right in his wits for ever, that can work any effect on a fleſhy heart: So that Chryſoſtom would not wonder at the voice that cried, O Altar, Altar, hear the voice of the Lord, becauſe Jeroboam's heart was harder than that; nor will I find fault with Bonaventure that made a ſolemn prayer for a ſtony heart, as if it were more likely to receive impreſſion, than that which he had already of fleſh.
It were long to inſiſt on the wilfulneſs of our fleſhy hearts, how they make a faction within themſelves, and bandy faculties for the Devil; how when grace and life appear, and make proffer of themſelves, all the carnal affections, like them in the Goſpel, Joyn all with one conſent to make excuſes; Luk. xiv. 18.nothing in our whole lives we are ſo ſollicitous for, as to get off fairly, to have made a cleanly Apology to the invitations of God's Spirit, and yet for a need rather than go, we will venture to be unmannerly: We have all married a Wife, eſpouſed our ſelves to ſome amiable delight or other; we cannot, we will not come. The Devil is wiſer in his generation than we, he knows the price and value of a Soul & will pay any rate for it, rather than loſe his market; he will give all the riches in the world, rather than miſs. And we at how low a rate do we prize it? it is the cheapeſt commodity we carry about us. The beggarlieſt content under Heaven, is fair, is rich enough to be given in exchange for the Soul. Spiritus non ponderat, ſaith the Philoſopher; the Soul being a ſpirit, when we put it into the balance, weighs nothing; nay, more than ſo, it is lighter than vanity, lighter than nothing, i. e. it doth not only weigh nothing, but even lifts up the ſcale it is put into, when nothing is weighed againſt it. How many ſins, how many vanities, how many idols, i. e. in the Scripture phraſe, how many nothings be there in the world, each of which will outweigh and preponderate the Soul?
It were tedious to obſerve and deſcribe the ſeveral ways that our devilliſh ſagacity hath found out to ſpeed our ſelves to damnation, to make quicker diſpatch in that unhappy rode, than ever Elias his fiery Chariot could do toward Heaven, Our daily practice is too full of arguments, almoſt every minute of our lives, as it is an example, ſo is it a proof of it: Our pains will be employed to better purpoſe, if we leave that as a worn, beaten, common place, and, betake our ſelves to a more neceſſary Theme, a cloſe of Exhortation.
And that ſhall be by way of Treaty, as an Ambaſſador ſent from God, that you will lay down your arms, that you will be content to be friends with God, and accept of fair terms of compoſition, which are, That as you have thus long been enemies to God, proclaiming hoſtility, & perpetually oppoſing every merciful will of his by that wilfulneſs; ſo now being likely to fall into his hands, you will prevent that ruine, you will come in; and whilſt it is not too late, ſubmit your ſelves, that you may not be forced as Rebels and outlaws, but ſubmit as Servants. This perhaps may be your laſt parley for peace, and if you ſtand out, the battery will begin ſuddenly, and with it the horrendum eſt, Heb. x. 31. It is a fearful, hideous thing to fall into the hands of the living God: All that remains upon our wilful holding out, may be (the doom of Apoſtates from Chriſtianity) a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation that ſhall devour the adverſaries, Verſ. 27. And methinks the very emphaſis in my Text, notes as much; Why will you die? As if we were juſt now falling into the pit, and there were but one minute betwixt this time of our jollity, and our everlaſting hell. Do but lay this one circumſtance to your hearts, do but ſuppoſe your ſelves on a Bed of ſickneſs, laid at with a violent burning Fever, ſuch a one as ſhall finally conſume the whole world; as it were battered with thundering and lightning, and beſieged with fire, where the next throw or plunge of thy diſeaſe, may poſſibly ſeparate thy ſoul from thy body, and the mouth of Hell juſt then open and yawning at thee; and then ſuppoſe there were one only minute, wherein a ſerious reſigning up thy ſelf to God, might recover you to Heaven. O then what power and energy! what force and ſtrong efficacy, would there be in this voice from God, Why will you die? I am reſolved, that heart that were truly ſenſible of it, that were prepared ſeaſonably by all theſe circumſtances to receive it, would find ſuch inward vigor and ſpirit from it, that it would ſtrike death dead in that one minute; this ultimus conatus, this laſt ſpring and plunge, would do more than a thouſand heartleſs heaves in a lingring ſickneſs, and perhaps overcome, and quit the danger.
And therefore let me beſeech you to repreſent this condition to your ſelves, and not any longer be flattered or couzened in a ſlow ſecurity: To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. If you let it alone till this day come in earneſt, you may then perhaps heave in vain, labour and ſtruggle, and not have breath enough to ſend up one ſigh toward Heaven. The hour of our death we are wont to call Tempus improbabilitatis, a very improbable inch of time to build our Heaven in; as after death is impoſſibilitatis, a time wherein it is impoſſible to recover us from Hell. If nothing were required to make us Saints, but outward performances; if true repentance were but to groan, and Faith but to cry, Lord, Lord; we could not promiſe our ſelves, that at our laſt hour we ſhould be ſufficient for that; perhaps a Lethargy may be our fate, and then, what life or ſpirits even for that? perhaps a Fever may ſend us away raving, in no caſe to name God, but only in oaths and curſes; and then it were hideous to tell you, what a Bethlehem we ſhould be carried to: But when that which muſt ſave us muſt be a work of the Soul, and a gift of God, how can we promiſe our ſelves, that God will be ſo merciful, whom we have till then contemned, or our ſouls then capable of any holy impreſſion, having been ſo long frozen in ſin, and petrified even into Adamant? Beloved, as a man may come to ſuch an eſtate of grace here, that he may be moſt ſure he ſhall not fall, as St. Paul in likelihood was, when he reſolved that nothing could ſeparate him: So may a man be engaged ſo far in ſin, that there is no reſcuing from the Devil. There is an irreverſible eſtate in evil, as well as good, and perhaps I may have arrived to that before my hour of death; for I believe Pharaoh was come to it, Exod. ix. 34. after the ſeventh Plague hardning his heart; and then I ſay, it is poſſible, that thou that hitherto haſt gone on in habituate, ſtupid, cuſtomary rebellions, mayeſt be now at this minute, arrived to this pitch, That if thou run on one pace farther, thou art engaged for ever paſt recovery. And therefore at this minute, in the ſtrength of your age and luſts, this ſpeech may be as ſeaſonable, as if death were ſeizing on you, Why will you die? At what time ſoever thou repenteſt, God will have mercy; but this may be the laſt inſtant wherein thou canſt repent, the next ſin may benumb or fear thy heart, that even the pangs of death ſhall come on thee inſenſibly; that the reſt of thy life ſhall be a ſleep, or lethargy, and thou lie ſtupid in it, till thou findeſt thy ſelf awake in flames. Oh, if thou ſhouldſt paſs away in ſuch a ſleep! Again, I cannot tell you whether a death-bed repentance ſhall ſave you, or no. The Spouſe ſought Chriſt on her bed, but found him not, Cant. iii. 1. The laſt of Eccleſiaſtes would make a man ſuſpect,Cant. iii. 1. that remembring God when our feeble impotent age comes on us, would ſtand us in little ſtead. Read it, for it is a moſt learned powerful Chapter. This I am ſure of, God hath choſen to himſelf, Tit. ii. 14.a people Zealous of good works, Tit. ii. 14. And they that find not ſome of this holy fire alive within them, till their Souls are going out, have little cauſe to think themſelves of God's election: So that perhaps there is ſomething in it,Matth. iii. 8. that Matth. iii. 8. the Exhortation, bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, is expreſt by a tenſe that ordinarily ſignifies time paſt, foreign, have brought forth fruits. It will not be enough upon an exigence, when there is no way but one with me, to be inclinable to any good works, to reſolve to live well, when I expect to die. I muſt have done this, and more too in my life, if I expect any true comfort at my death. There is not any point we err more familiarly in, and eaſily, than our ſpiritual condition; what is likely to become of us after death? Any ſlight phanſie that Chriſt died for us in particular, we take for a Faith that will be ſure to ſave us.
Now there is no way to preſerve our ſelves from this Error, but to meaſure our Faith and Hopes by our Obedience; that if we ſincerely obey God, then are we true believers: And this cannot well be done by any that begins not till he is on his death-bed; be his inclinations to good then never ſo ſtrong, his faith in Chriſt never ſo luſty; yet how knows he, whether it is only fear of death, and a conviction, that in ſpight of his teeth, he muſt now ſin no longer, that hath wrought theſe inclinations, produced this faith in him?
Many a ſick man reſolves ſtrongly to take the Phyſicians doſe, in hope that it will cure him; yet when he comes to taſte its bitterneſs, will rather die than take it. If he that on his death-bed hath made his ſolemneſt, ſevereſt Vows, ſhould but recover to a poſſibility of enjoying thoſe delights which now have given him over, I much fear his fierceſt reſolutions would be ſoon out-dated. Such inclinations that either hover in the Brain only, or float on the Surface of the Heart, are but like thoſe wavering, temporary thoughts, Jam. i. 6. Like a wave of the Sea, driven by the wind and toſt; they have no firmneſs or ſtable conſiſtence in the Soul; it will be hard to build Heaven on ſo ſlight a foundation.
All this I have ſaid, not to diſcourage any tender, languiſhing Soul, but by repreſenting the horrors of death to you now in health, to inſtruct you in the doctrine of Mortality betimes, ſo to ſpeed and haſten your Repentance: Now, as if to morrow would be too late, as if there were but a ſmall Iſthmus or inch of ground between your preſent mirth and jollity, and your everlaſting earneſt.
To gather up all on the Clue: Chriſt is now offered to you as a Jeſus: The times and ſins of your Heatheniſm and unbelief, God winketh at, Acts xvii. 30.Acts xvii. 30. The Spirit proclaims all this by the Word to your hearts; and now (God knows if ever again) commands all men every where to repent.
Oh that there were ſuch a Spirit in our hearts, ſuch a zeal to our eternal bliſs, and indignation at Hell; that we would give one heave and ſpring before we die; that we would but anſwer thoſe invitations of mercy, thoſe deſires of God, that we ſhould live with an inclination, with a breath, with a ſigh toward Heaven.
Briefly, if there be any ſtrong, violent, boiſterous Devil within us, that keeps poſſeſſion of our hearts againſt God; if the lower ſenſual part of our Soul; if an habit of ſin, i. e. a combination or legion of Devils, will not be over-topped by reaſon or grace in our hearts; if a major part of our carnal faculties be ſtill canvaſing for Hell; if for all our endeavors and pains it may appear to us, that this kind of evil ſpirit will not be caſt out, ſave only by Fasting and Prayer: Then have we yet that remedy left, Firſt, To faſt and pine, and keep him weak within, by denying him all foreign, freſh Proviſion, all new occaſions of ſin, and the like, and ſo to block, and in time, ſtarve him up: And then ſecondly, To pray that God will ſecond and fortifie our endeavours; that he will force, and rend, and raviſh this carnal Devil out of us; that he will ſubdue our wills to his will; that he will prepare and make ready life for us, and us for life; that he will prevent us by his grace here, and accompliſh us with his glory hereafter.
Now to him, &c.