Sermons, Sermon 7
The VII. Sermon.
JER. v. 2.
Though they ſay, the Lord liveth, ſurely they ſwear falſly.
-NOt to waſte any time or breath, or (which men in this delicate and effeminate Age, are wont to be moſt ſparing and thrifty of) any part of your precious patience unprofitably, but briefly to give you a gueſs whither our diſcourſe is like to lead you; We will ſeverally lay down, and ſort to your view, every word of the Text ſingle; and ſo we may gather them up again, and apply them to their natural proper purpoſes.
Firſt, then the particle, Though] in the front, and, ſurely] in the body of the Text, are but bands and junctures to keep all together into one propoſition.
Secondly, the Pronoun, They] in each place, is in the letter, the Jews, in application preſent Chriſtians, and being indefinite, might ſeem to be of the ſame extent in both places, did not the matter alter it, and make it univerſal in the former, and particular in the latter: For Artiſts ſay, that an indefinite ſign, where the matter is neceſſary, is equivalent to an Univerſal, where but contingent, to a particular. Now to ſay the Lord liveth, was, and is neceſſary; though not by any Logical, yet by a Political neceſſity; the Government and humane Laws, under which then the Jews, and now we Chriſtians live, require this profeſſion neceſſarily at our hands: But to ſwear falſly, not to perform what before they profeſt, is materia contingens, a matter of no neceſſity, but free will and choice, that no humane Law can ſee into; and therefore we muſt not interpret by the rules of Art, or Charity, that all were perjur'd, but ſome only; though 'tis probable a major part;Verſ. 1. and as we may gueſs by the firſt verſe of this Chapter, well nigh all of them.
Thirdly, to ſay] is openly to make profeſſion, and that very reſolutely and boldly, that none may dare to diſtruſt it; nay, with an Oath to confirm it to jealous opinions, as appears by the latter words,Jer. iv. 2. They ſwear falſly, while they do but ſay: and Jer. 14. 2. Thou ſhalt ſwear, The Lord liveth, &c.
Fourthly, the Lord] i. e. both in Chriſtianity, and Orthodox Judaiſm, the whole Trinity.
Fifthly, Liveth] i. e. by way of Excellency, hath a life of his own, independent and eternal, and in reſpect of us, is the Fountain of all Life and Being that we have; and not only of Life, but Motion, and Perfection, and Happineſs, and Salvation, and all that belongs to it. In brief, to ſay, The Lord liveth, is to acknowledg him in his Eſſence, and all his Attributes, conteined together under that one Principle, on that of life, to believe whatever Moſes and the Prophets then, or now our Chriſtian Faith, hath made known to us of him.
Sixthly, to falſifie and ſwerve from Truth, becomes a farther aggravation, eſpecially in the preſent inſtance; though they make mention of that God, who is Yea, and Amen, and loves a plain veracious ſpeech, yet they ſwear; though by loud and dreadful imprecations, they beſpeak him a Witneſs and a Judge unto the Criminal; pray as devoutly for deſtruction for their Sin, as the moſt ſober Penitent can do for its Pardon, yet are they perjur'd, they ſwear falſly.
More than all this, they openly renounce the Deity when they call upon him; their hearts go not along with their words and profeſſions; though it be the ſureſt truth in the World that they ſwear, when they aſſert that the Lord liveth, yet they are perjur'd in ſpeaking of it; though they make a fair ſhew of believing in the brain, and from the teeth outward, they never lay the truth that they are ſo violent for, at all to their hearts; or as the Original hath it, foreign in vanum, to no purpoſe 'tis that they ſwear, no man that ſees how they live, will give any heed to their words, will imagine that they believe any ſuch matter.
So now having paced over, and as it were ſpell'd every word ſingle, there will be no difficulty for the raweſt underſtanding to put it together, and read it currently enough in this propoſition; Amongſt the multitude of Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, there is very little real piety, very little true belief.
In the verſe next before my Text, there is an O Yes made, a Proclamation, nay, a Hew and Cry, and a hurrying about the ſtreets, if it were poſſible, to find out but a man that were a ſincere Believer; and here in my Text is brought in a Non eſt inventus, Though they ſay the Lord liveth] a multitude of Profeſſors indeed every where, yet ſurely they ſwear falſly, there is no credit to be given to their words; infidelity and hypocriſie is in their hearts; for all their fair believing profeſſions, they had an unfaithful rebellious heart,Verſ. 23. V. 23. and the event manifeſted it, they are departed and gone, arrant Apoſtates in their lives, by which they were to be tryed; Neither ſay they in their hearts, Verſ. 24.Let us fear the Lord, V. 24. whatſoever they flouriſhed with their tongues.
Now for a more diſtinct ſurvey of this horrible wretched Truth, this Heatheniſm of Chriſtians, and Infidelity of Believers, (the true ground of all falſe ſwearing, and indeed of every other ſin) we will firſt examine wherein it conſiſts, ſecondly, whence it ſprings; The firſt will give you a view of its nature, the ſecond its root and growth, that you may prevent it. The firſt will ſerve for an ocular or Mathematical demonſtration, called by Artiſts foreign, that it is ſo; the ſecond a rational or Phyſical foreign, how it comes about: The firſt to convince of the truth of it, the ſecond to inſtruct you in its cauſes.
And firſt of the firſt, wherein this Infidelity, and to ſpeak more plainly, Perjury of formal Believers conſiſts, Though they ſay, &c.
Since that rather phancy than Divinity of the Romaniſts, Schoolmen, and Caſuiſts, generally defining Faith to be a bare aſſent to the truth of God Word ſeated only in the underſtanding, was by the Proteſtant Divines baniſhed out of the Schools, as a faith for a Chamaelion to be nouriſhed with, which can feed on air; as a direct piece of Sorcery and Conjuring, which will help you to remove Mountains, only by thinking you are able; briefly, as a Chimaera or phantaſtical nothing, fit to be ſent to Limbo for a preſent. Since, I ſay, this Magical Divinity which ſtill poſſeſſes the Romaniſt, and alſo a ſort of men, who would be thought moſt diſtant from them, hath been exerciſed, and ſilenced, and caſt out of our Schools (would I could ſay, out of our hearts) by the Reformation, the nature of Faith hath been moſt admirably explained; yet the ſeat or ſubject of it, never clearly ſet down, (ſome confining it to the Underſtanding, others to the Will) till at laſt it pitched upon the whole Soul, the intellective nature. For the Soul of Man, ſhould it be partitioned into faculties, (as the grounds of our ordinary Philoſophy would perſwade us) it would not be ſtately enough for ſo royal a gueſt: either room would be too pent, and narrow to entertain at once ſo many graces as attend it. Faith therefore, that it may be received in ſtate; that it may have more freedom to exerciſe its Soveraignty, hath required all partitions to be taken down; that ſitting in the whole Soul, it may command and order the whole Man; is not in the brain ſometimes as its gallery, to recreate and contemplate; at another in the heart, as its parlour to feed, or a cloſet to diſpatch buſineſs; but if it be truly that royal Perſonage which we take it for, it is repletive in the whole houſe at once, as in one room, and that a ſtately Palace, which would be much diſgraced, and loſe of its ſplendor, by being cut into offices: and accordingly this royal Grace is an entire abſolute Prince of a whole Nation, (not as a Tetrarch of Galilee, a ſharer of a Saxon Heptarchy) and deſcribed to us as one ſingle act, though of great command; and defined to be an aſſent and adherence to the goodneſs of the object; (which object is the whole word of God, and ſpecially the promiſes of the Goſpel.) So then, to believe, is not to acknowledge the truth of Scripture, and Articles of the Creed, (as vulgarly we uſe knowledg) but to be affected with the goodneſs and Excellency of them, as the moſt precious objects which the whole world could preſent to our choice; to embrace them as the only deſireable thing upon the earth; and to be reſolutely and uniformly inclined to expreſs this affection of ours, in our practice, whenſoever there ſhall be any competition betwixt them and our deareſt delights. For the object of our Faith is not meerly ſpeculative, ſomewhat to be underſtood only, and aſſented to as true, but chiefly moral, a truth to be proſecuted with my deſires through my whole Converſation, to be valued above my life, and ſet up in my heart, as the only Shrines I worſhip.
So that he that is never ſo reſolutely ſworn to the Scriptures, believes all the Commands, Prohibitions, and Promiſes never ſo firmly, if he doth not adhere to them in his practice, and by particular application of them as a rule to guide him in all his actions, expreſs that he ſets a true value on them; if he do not this, he is yet an Infidel; all his Religion is but like the Beads-mans, who whines over his Creed and Commandments over a threſhold ſo many times a Week, only as his task, to deſerve his Quarterage, or to keep correſpondence with his Patron. Unleſs I ſee his belief expreſt by uniform obedience, I ſhall never imagine that he minded what he ſaid. The ſincerity of his faith, is always proportionable to the integrity of his life; and ſo far is he to be accounted a Chriſtian, as he performs the obligation of it, the promiſe of his Baptiſm. Will any man ſay that Eve believed God's inhibition, when ſhe ate the forbidden fruit? If ſhe did, ſhe was of a ſtrange intrepid reſolution, to run into the jaws of Hell, and never boggle. 'Tis plain by the ſtory, that ſhe heard God, but believed the Serpent; as may appear by her obedience, the only evidence and meaſure of her Faith. Yet can it not be thought, that ſhe that was ſo lately a Work of God's Omnipotence, ſhould now ſo ſoon diſtruſt it, and believe that he could not make good his threatnings. The truth is this; ſhe ſaw clearly enough in her brain, but had not ſunk it down into her heart; or perhaps ſhe aſſented to it in the general, but not as appliable to her preſent caſe. This aſſent was like a Bird fluttering in the Chamber, not yet confined to a Cage, ready to eſcape at the firſt opening of the door or window; As ſoon as ſhe opens either ears or eyes to hearken to the Serpent, or behold the Apple, her former aſſent to God is vaniſh'd, & all her faith beſtowed upon the Devil. It will not be Pelagianiſm, to proceed and obſerve how the condition of every ſin, ſince this time hath been an imitation of that. The ſame method in ſin, hath ever ſince been taken, firſt to revolt from God, and then to diſobey; firſt to become Infidels, and then Sinners. Every murmuring of the Iſraelites, was a defection from the Faith of Iſrael, and turning back to Egypt, in their hearts.
Infidelity, as it is the fountain from whence all Rebellion ſprings, (Faith being an adherence, and every departure from the living God, ariſing from an evil heart of unbelief, Heb. iii. 12.) ſo it is alſo the channel where it runs;Heb. iii. 12. Not any beginning or progreſs in ſin, without a concomitant degree of either weakneſs, or want of Faith. So that Heathens or Hereticks are not the main enemies of Chriſt (as the queſtion de oppoſitis fidei is ſtated by the Romaniſts) but the Hypocrite and Libertine, he is the Heathen in grain, an Heretick of Lucifer's own ſect; one that the Devil is better pleaſed with, than all the Catalogue in Epiphanius, or the Romiſh Calendar. For this is it that Satan drives at; an engine by which he hath framed us moſt like himſelf; not when we doubt of the Doctrine of Chriſt, (for himſelf believes it fully, no man can be more firmly reſolved of it;) but when we heed it not in our lives, when we cleave not to it in our hearts; when inſtead of living by Faith, Heb. x. 38.Heb. 10. 38. foreign, we draw back, and cowardly ſubduce our ſelves and forſake our Colours, refuſing to be martialled in his ranks, or fight under his Banner. Arian the Stoick Philoſopher hath an excellent diſcourſe, concerning the double Infidelity, of the brain, and heart, very appliable; foreign, &c. There are two ſorts of this ſenſeleſsneſs and ſtupidity, whereby Men are hardned into ſtones; the firſt of the Underſtanding part, the ſecond of the Practical. He that will not aſſent to things manifeſt, his brain is frozen into a ſtone or mineral; there is no more reaſoning with him, than with a pillar. The Academicks foreign, never to believe or comprehend any thing, was a ſtupid Philoſophy, like to have no Diſciples but Poſts or Statues; and therefore long ago laught out of the Schools, as an art of being Brutes, or Metamorphoſis, not to inſtruct but transform them: he could not remain a Man, that was thus incredulous. But the ſecond Stupidity, that of the Practical, Not to abſtain from things that are hurtful, to embrace that which would be their death; (the vice, though not doctrine of the Epicures) though this were an argument, both in his, and Scripture-phraſe, of a ſtony heart; yet was it ſuch an one, as the luſtieſt, ſprightfulleſt men in the World carried about with them.foreign. Nay, 'twas an evidence (ſaith he) of their ſtrength and valour, of a heart of metal and proof, to have all modeſty and fear of ill cold as a ſtone, frozen and dead within it. And thus holds it in Chriſtianity, as it did then in reaſon: Not to believe the truth of Scripture, to deny that the Lord liveth, would argue a brain as impenetrable as Marble, and eyes as Cryſtal: We ſooner ſuſpect that he is not a man, that he is out of his ſenſes, then ſuch an Infidel. Some affected Atheiſts I have heard of, that hope to be admired for eminent wits by it: But, I doubt, whether any ever thought of it in earneſt, and (if I may ſo ſay) conſcientiouſly denied a Deity. But to deny him in our lives, to have a heart of Marble or Adamant, foreign, ſaith Arrian, A dead ſtupified Soul, foreign, it is ſo frequent amongſt us, that it is not worth obſerving. He is but a puny in the Devils camp that hath not a privy coat within him to ſecure his heart from any ſtroke, that God or Scripture can threaten him with.
Thus you ſee wherein this Chriſtian infidelity conſiſts, in the not rooting faith in the heart; in indulgence to thoſe practiſes which directly contradict his doctrine. So that though every commiſſion of ſin be not incompetible with the habit of faith, ſo far as to denominate him an infidel; yet is it from the not exerciſing of faith actually, that I ever ſin; and every man in the ſame degree, that he is a ſinner, ſo far is he an unbeliever. So that this converſible retrogradous Sorites may ſhut up all. He that truly believes, aſſents in his heart to the goodneſs, as well as the truth of Scripture: He that aſſents ſo in his heart, approves it according to its real excellency above all rivals in the World: He that thus approves, when occaſion comes, makes an actual choice of God's Word before all other moſt precious delights: He that actually makes the choice, performs uniform obedience, without any reſpect of ſins or perſons: He that performs this obedience, never indulges himſelf in ſin. And then è converſo, backward, thus: He that indulges himſelf in ſin, doth not uniformly obey the Word: He that doth not ſo obey, doth not actually make choice of it before all competitors: He that makes not this choice, approves it not according to its real excellency above all things in the world: He that doth not ſo approve, aſſents not to the abſolute goodneſs of it in his heart: He that ſo aſſents not, doth not truly believe; therefore every indulgent ſinner is an infidel. And then look about you, and within you: Whoſoever ſay, The Lord liveth, and yet remain in your ways of ſin, be you never ſo ſtout or proud-hearted, my Prophet gives you the lie: If you are incenſed, and ſwear that you are in the truth, and ſtand upon your reputation, his anſwer is mannerly, but tart, Surely you ſwear falſly; 1 Joh. iii. 6.every indulgent ſinner is an infidel. 1 Joh. iii. 6. Whoſoever ſins, hath not ſeen Chriſt, neither known him: But amongſt Profeſſors of the Goſpel, there be a multitude of habitual ſinners go; of infidels, foreign, The thing, which in the firſt place, we undertook to demonſtrate.
We now come to the next thing propoſed, The root or fountain of this hypocritical faith; where we are to enquire how it comes about, That they which are ſo forward to profeſs, are ſo far from true belief. And higher in our ſearch we cannot go, than Adam's fall; for the ſpring head of all this infidelity (as for God's abſolute decree, in rejecting mens perſons, and then ſuffering and leading them to an acknowledgment of the truth of the Goſpel, only that they may be unexcuſable, I will not be ſo vain or unſeaſonable to examine.) Adam had once the Tree of Life to have eaten, and have been immortal; to have confirmed him and his poſterity into an irreverſible eſtate of happineſs: But ſince his diſobedient heart preferred the Tree of Knowledge before that of Life, the Tree of Life hath never thrived currantly with his progeny. All our care, and traffick, and merchandiſe, hath been for Knowledge, never prizing or cheapning ſo poor a commodity, as life. Clem. Strom. 3.foreign, &c. All ſin is from the Tree of Knowledge; and that hath rooted it ſo deep, and given it ſo fair a growth within us.
As for the Tree of Life, ſeeing then we would not feed on it, we were never ſince ſuffered to come within reach: The Cherubins and a flaming Sword, have fenced it round about,Gen. iii. 34. Gen. iii. 34. and that makes men grow ſo unproportionably into ſuch monſtrous ſhapes, vaſt, ſtrong, ſwoln heads; and weak, thin, crazy bodies, like Pharaoh's lean kine, lank, and very ill-favored: Men for the moſt part, having Brains to underſtand, and Eyes to ſee, and Tongues to profeſs; but neither Hearts to apply, nor Hands to practiſe, nor Feet to walk the ways of God's Commandments. As one far ſpent in a Conſumption, who hath his ſenſes perfectly enough, when he is not able to go. It is only the Effectual Grace of God (of which that other Tree was but an embleme) which muſt give us life and ſtrength to practiſe what we know. And this amongſt us, is ſo little cared for, finds ſuch diſeſteem and ſlight obſervance when it appears; meets with ſuch reſolute hardned, ſtubborn hearts, that it is a miracle, if it ever be brought to ſubmit it ſelf to ſuch courſe entertainment.
And this is the firſt and main ground of this Hypocritical faith, our corrupt, immoderate deſires of knowledge, and neglect of Grace. The ſecond ground more evidently diſcernable in us, is, The ſecret conſent and agreement betwixt our carnal deſires, and divine knowledg; and the antipathy and incompatibleneſs of the ſame with true Faith.
The firſt pair dwell many times very friendly and peaceably together, do not quarrel in an age, or paſs an affront or croſs word. Knowledge doth ſeldom juſtle or offer violences to the deſires of the fleſh; a man may be very knowing and very lewd; of a towring Brain, and a groveling Soul; rich in ſpeculation, and poor in practiſe.
But for the other pair, they are like oppoſite ſigns in the Heaven, have but a viciſſitude of preſence or light in our Hemiſphere; never appear or ſhine together. Faith luſteth and ſtruggleth againſt the fleſh, and the fleſh againſt Faith. The carnal part is as afraid of Faith, as the Devil was of Chriſt: For Faith being ſeated in the concurrence of the dictate of judgment, and (on the other ſide) the ſway of the affections: The one muſt either couch, or be baniſhed at the others entrance; and then it cries out in the voice of the Devil, Mark i. 24.Mark i. 24. What have I to do with thee; or, as the words will bear, foreign. What communion can there be betwixt me and thee? thou precious Grace of God, Art thou come to torment and diſpoſſeſs me before my time? O what a ſtir there is in the fleſh, when faith comes to take its throne in the heart; as at the news of Chriſt's Incarnation corporal, ſo at his ſpiritual, Herod the King is troubled, and all Jeruſalem with him, Matt. ii. 3.Mat. ii. 3. All the reigning Herod ſins, and all the Jeruſalem of habitual ruling luſts and affections are in great diſorder, as knowing, that this new King abodes their inſtant deſtruction.
It was Ariſtotles obſervation,Eth. 6. 8. That the Mathematicks being an abſtract knowledg, had nothing in them contrary to Paſſions; and therefore young men and diſſolute, might ſtudy and prove great proficients in them, if they had but a good apprehenſion; there was no more required: And that perhaps is the reaſon that ſuch ſtudies as theſe, Hiſtory and Geometry, and the like go down pleaſanteſt with thoſe which have no deſign upon Books, but only to rid them of ſome hours, which would otherwiſe lie on their hands. The moſt ſtudious of our Gentry, ordinarily deal in them, as inoffenſive, tame, peaceable ſtudies, which will never check them for any the moſt inordinate affections. But of Morality (ſaith he) and practical knowledge, a young man or intemperate, is uncapable: You may make him con the precepts without Book, or ſay them by roat, foreign, He cannot be ſaid to believe a word of them, his heart is ſo poſſeſt with green, freſh, boiſterous luſts; that he cannot admit any ſober precepts any farther than his memory. If you are in earneſt with him, to apply and practiſe what he reads, you exact of him beyond his years; he is not ſolemn enough for ſo ſad ſevere employment; and therefore it is concluded, that he is fit for any intellectual vertue, rather than prudence. This conſiſts in a peaceable temper of the mind; an Artiſt he may prove, and never live the better; ſuppoſe him one of youthful luxuriant deſires, and never think he will be taught to live by rule; All the learning and ſtudy in Books, will never give him Ariſtotles Moral prudence, much leſs our ſpiritual, which is by interpretation, Faith.
And this is the ſecond ground of Infidelity amongſt Chriſtians, the competibility of knowledg, and incompatibility of true Faith, with carnal deſires. The third is, The eaſineſs of giving aſſent to generalities, and difficulty of particular Application.
A common truth delivered in general terms, is received without any oppoſition: Should it be propoſed, whether nothing be to be done, but that which is juſt? whether drunkenneſs, were not a vice? whether only an out-ſide of Religion, would ever ſave a man? No man would ever quarrel about it. When thus Nathan and David diſcourſed, they were both of one mind; the one could talk no more againſt unconſcionable dealing,foreign. than the other would aſſent to. If you propoſe no other Problems than theſe, the debauchedſt man under Heaven would not diſpute againſt you.Arr. Epict. l. 1. c 22. But all quarrelling, ſaith the Stoick, is foreign, About the Application of general granted Rules, to perſonal, private caſes.
The Jews, and Aſſyrians, and Egyptians, and Romans, are all agreed, that holineſs is to be preferred above all things; but whether it be not impious to eat ſwines fleſh, and the like, which of them obſerves the rules of holineſs moſt exactly, there the ſtrife begins.
Common general declamations againſt ſin, are ſeldom ever offenſive; and therefore the Maſter of Rhetoricks finds fault with them, as dull, liveleſs, unprofitable Eloquence, that no man is affected with. The cowardlieſt Bird in the Air, is not afraid of the Faulcon, as long as ſhe ſees him ſoaring, and never ſtoop: But when the Ax that was carried about the Wood, threatning all indifferently, ſhall be laid to the Root of the Tree: When Nathan ſhall rejoynder with a Thou art the man,] and S. Paul come home to his Corinthians after his declamation againſt Fornicators and Idolaters with, And ſuch were ſome of you,] 1 Cor. vi. 11.1 Cor. vi. 11. then their hearts come to the touchſtone. This is a tryal of their belief: If they will forſake their ſins, which before their judgment condemned at a diſtance: If they will practiſe the holineſs and integrity which they were content to hear commended. That famous War of the Trojans, and Iliads of Miſery, following it in Homer, were all from this ground.
The two great Captains at the Treaty, agree very friendly, that juſt dealing was very ſtrictly to be obſerved by all men; and yet neither would one of them reſtore the Pawn committed to his truſt, nor the other divide the ſpoils: Each as reſolute not to practiſe, as both before unanimous to approve.
There is not a thing more difficult in the World, than to perſwade a carnal man that that which concerns all men ſhould have any thing to do with him; that thoſe promiſes of Chriſt which are confeſt to be the moſt precious under Heaven, ſhould be fitter for his turn, than this amiable, lovely ſin, that now ſollicites him. That Scripture is inſpired by God; and therefore in all its dictates to be believed & obeyed, is a thing fully conſented on amongſt Chriſtians. We are ſo reſolved on it, that it is counted but a dull, barren queſtion in the Schools, a man can invent nothing to ſay againſt by way of argument; & if a Preacher in a Sermon ſhould make it his buſineſs to prove it to you, you would think he either ſuſpected you for Turks, or had little elſe to ſay. But when a particular truth of Scripture comes in ballance with a pleaſing ſin; when the general prohibition ſtrikes at my private luſt, all my former aſſent to Scripture is vaniſhed, I am hurried into the embraces of my beloved delight. Thus when Paul reaſoned of temperance, righteouſneſs, Act. xxiv. 25.and judgment to come, Felix trembled, Acts xxiv. 25. His trembling ſhews, that he aſſented to Paul's diſcourſe; and as in the Devils, Jam. ii. 29.Jam. ii. 29. it was an effect of a general belief: But this ſubject of temperance and judgment to come, agreed not with Felix his courſe of life. His wife Druſida was held by uſurpation; he had tolled her away from her husband, the King of the Emiſeni, ſaith Joſephus, and therefore he could hear no more of it:Antiq. Jud. l. 20. c. 9. He ſhifts and complements it off till another time, and never means to come in ſuch danger again to be converted, for fear of a divorce from his two treaſures; his Heatheniſm, and his Whore.
Thus was Agrippa converted from the ſhoulders upward, which he calls Almoſt a Chriſtian; or as the phraſe may be rendred, foreign, a little way, Acts xxvi. 28.Acts xxvi. 28. convinced to the general truths in his brain; but the lower half, his heart and affections, remained as Heatheniſh as ever.
And this is the third ground of practical unbelief, that generalities can be cheaply believed without parting from any thing we prize: The Doctrine of the Trinity can be received, and thwart never a carnal affection, as being an inoffenſive truth. Chriſts ſufferings and ſatisfaction for ſin, by the natural man, may be heard with joy; but particular application is very difficult: That our obedience to every command of that Trinity, muſt be ſincere: that we muſt forgo all, and hate our own fleſh to adhere to ſo merciful a Saviour, and expreſs our love to the moſt contemptible Soul under Heaven, as he hath loved us; that we muſt, at laſt, expect him in majeſty as a Judge, whom we are content to hug and embrace in his humility as a Saviour: This is a bloody word, as Moſes his wife counted the Circumciſion, too harſh and rough to be received into ſuch pampered, tender, fleſhy hearts.
The fourth ground is, a general humour that is gotten in the World, To take care of nothing, but our reputations: Nor God, nor life, nor ſoul, nor any thing can weigh with it in the ballance. Now it is a ſcandalous thing, a foul blot to ones name to be counted an Atheiſt, an arrant Infidel, where all are Chriſtians; and therefore for faſhions ſake we will believe, and yet ſometime the Devil hath turned this humor quite the contrary way, and made ſome men as ambitious of being counted Atheiſts, as others of being Chriſtians. It will ſhortly grow into a gentile garb, and part of courtſhip, to diſclaim all Religion in ſhew, as well as deeds. Thus are a world of men in the World, either profeſt Atheiſts, or Atheiſtical Profeſſors, upon the ſame grounds of vain-glory; the one to get, the other to ſave their reputation in the World. Thus do many men ſtand up at the Creed, upon the ſame terms as Gallants go into the field; that have but ſmall maw to be killed, only to keep their honor, that they might not be branded and mocked for cowards. And yet certainly in the truth, theſe are the verieſt daftards under Heaven; no worldly man ſo fearful of death, or pious man of hell, as theſe are of diſgrace.
The laſt ground I ſhall mention, and indeed the main of all, is, The ſubtlety and wilineſs of the Devil. He hath tried all his ſtratagems in the World, and hath found none like this, for the undermining and ruining of Souls, to ſuffer them to advance a pretty way in Religion, to get their heads full of knowledg, that ſo they may think they have faith enough, and walk to hell ſecurely. The Devil's firſt policies were by Hereſies, to corrupt the Brain, to invade & ſurprize Chriſtianity by force: but he ſoon ſaw this would not hold out long; he was fain to come from batteries, to mines, and ſupplant thoſe Forts that he could not vanquiſh. The Fathers (and amongſt them chiefly Leo, in all his writing) within the firſt Five hundred years after Chriſt, obſerve him at this ward, Ut quos vincere ferro flammiſ que non poterat, cupiditatibus irretiret, & ſub falſâ Chriſtiani nominis profeſſione corrumperet. He hoped to get more by luſts, than hereſies, and to plunge men deepeſt in an high conceit of their holy Faith. He had learned by experience from himſelf, that all the bare knowledg in the World would never ſanctifie: it would perhaps give men content, and make them confident and bold of their eſtate; and by preſuming on ſuch grounds, and preſcribing merit to Heaven by their Lord, Lord, even ſeal them up to the day of damnation; and therefore it is ordinary with Satan to give men the teather a great way, left they ſhould grumble at his tyranny, and prove Apoſtates from him upon hard uſage. Knowledg is pleaſant, and books are very good Company; and therefore if the Devil ſhould bind men to ignorance, our Speculators and Brain-Epicures would never be his Diſciples; they would go away ſadly, as the young man from Chriſt, who was well affected with his ſervice, but could not part with his riches,Mat. xix. 22. Mat. xix. 22. So then you ſhall have his leave, to know, and believe in God, as much as you pleaſe, ſo you will not obey him; and be as great Scholars as Satan himſelf, ſo you will be as prophane. The heart of Man is the Devils Palace, where he keeps his ſtate; and as long as he can ſtrengthen himſelf there by a guard and band of luſts, he can be content to afford the out-works to God, divine ſpeculation, and never be diſturbed or affrighted by any enemy at ſuch a diſtance.
Thus have you the grounds alſo whereupon true Faith (which is beſt defined a ſpiritual prudence, an application of ſpiritual knowledg to holy practice) ſhould be ſo often wanting in men which are very knowing, and the faireſt Profeſſors of Chriſtianity.
Now leſt this diſcourſe alſo ſhould reach no further than your ears, leſt that which hath been ſaid, ſhould be only aſſented to in the general as true, not applied home to your particular practiſes, and ſo do you no more good, than theſe general profeſſions did here to the Jews, only to prove you perjur'd Hypocrites, ſwearing falſly, whilſt you ſay the Lord liveth; we will endeavour to leave ſome impreſſion upon your hearts, by cloſing all with Application.
And that ſhall be in brief, meekly to deſire you; and if that will not ſerve the turn, by all the mercies of Heaven, and horrours of Hell, to adjure you to examine your ſelves on theſe two interrogatories, which my Text will ſuggeſt to you, Firſt, Whether you are as good as the Jews here? Secondly, Whether you are not, the beſt of you, altogether as bad?
For the firſt, the Jews here ſaid the Lord liveth, were very forward to profeſs; & 'twere ſome, though but a low meaſure of commendation for us to be no worſe than Jews. Let there go a ſevere inquiſition out from the Royal Majeſty, over the whole Court, or at leaſt from every particular man upon himſelf; and bring in an impartial verdict, whether there be not ſome amongſt you, that are not come thus far as to ſay, The Lord liveth. Some are ſo engaged in a trade of miſhapen, horrid, monſtrous Vices; have ſo framed and faſhioned the whole fabrick of their lives, without any bluſh, or lineament of God in them, that they are afraid ever to mention him in earneſt, for fear of putting them out of their courſe; they dare not believe too much of God, leſt it ſhould be their undoing; a little ſenſe of him, would take off many of their tricks of ſinning, and conſequently ſpoil their thriving in the world; like Diana's Silver ſmith, Act. xix. 24.Act. xix. 24. for by this craft they have their wealth. The leaſt glimpſe of God in theſe mens hearts; nay, one ſolemn mention of him in their mouths, were enough to bring them into ſome compaſs, to upbraid their ways, & reprove their thoughts. Were theſe men taken to task according to the Canon Laws of our Kingdom, and not ſuffered to live any longer amongſt Chriſtians, till they underſtood clearly the promiſe of their Baptiſm; till they durſt come, and make the ſame Vow in their own perſons, before all the Congregation, which in their infancy their Sureties made for them; were our Canon of Confirmation duly put in execution, and every one, as ſoon as he were capable, either perſwaded, or forced to fit himſelf for the receiving of it, (as it is ſeverely required by our Rubrick, though much neglected in the practice;) I doubt not, but there would be fewer ſins amongſt us, much more knowledg of God, and mentioning of his Name, without the help of Oaths, & Blaſphemies, to which God now is in a kind beholding that ever he comes into our mouths. But now men having a great way to go in ſin, and nothing in the world to ſtop them, begin their journey as ſoon as they are able to go, and make ſuch haſte (like the Sun, or Gyant in the Pſalmiſt) to run their courſe, are ſo intent upon the task the Devil hath ſet them; that they can never ſtay to ſee or hear of God in their lives, which yet is legible and palpable in every ſyllable of the World. If they are ſo well brought up, as to have learned their Creed and Catechiſm, they have no other uſe for it, but to break jeſts, and ſwear by; and would ſoon forget God's very Name or Attributes, did they not daily repeat them over, (as School-boyes their parts) and often comment on them by Oaths & Prophanations: and theſe are foreign in the Apoſtles phraſe,Epheſ. ii. 12. Epheſ. ii. 12. without God in the world. Others there are of a prouder, loſtier ſtrain, foreign, and foreign, that pitch Camp, and arm and fortifie themſelves againſt God, that would fain be a forging ſome other Religion, they are ſo weary and cloy'd with this.
Thus have I heard of ſome that have ſought earneſtly for an Alcoran, and profeſs an opinion, that all true Divinity lies there, and expect to be eſteemed great Wits, of a deep reach, for this ſuppoſal. Others that have not skill enough to underſtand Turciſm, yet have luſts enough to admire it, and the brave carnal Paradiſe it promiſes; and if they cannot perſwade themſelves to believe in it, yet they phancy it notably; and becauſe they cannot expect to have it in another life, they will be ſure of it in this.
Hence do they advance to ſuch a pitch of ſenſuality, as Heatheniſm was never guilty of; their whole life is a perpetual ſtudy of the arts of death, and their whole Souls an Holocauſt, or burnt Sacrifice to their fleſhly luſts. It were an horrid repreſentation but to give you in a diagram, the ſeveral Arts that the god of this World hath now taught men to vilifie and reproach the God of Heaven. Profeſt Atheiſm begins to ſet up; it comes in faſhion, and then ſome Courtiers muſt needs be in it. Prophaning of Scripture, & making too cheap of it, was never ſo ordinary; that holy Volume was never ſo violently and courſly handled, even raviſhed and defloured by unhallowed lips. 'Tis grown the only ſtuff in requeſt, and ordinarieſt garment to clothe a piece of ſcurrilous Wit in, and the beſt of us can ſcarce chuſe but give it ſome applauſe. Beloved, there is not a ſin in the World that ſticks cloſer to him that once entertained it; the leaſt indulgence in it, is a deſperate ſign. 'Tis called the chair of ſcorners, Pſal. 1. a ſin of eaſe and pleaſure: a man that uſes it, that is once a merry Atheiſt, ſeldom, if ever, proves a ſad. ſober Chriſtian. Julian, and many others, have gone ſcoffing to Hell, (like men whoſe cuſtom of mocking hath made wry mouthed) ſcarcely compoſing themſelves to a ſolemn Countenance, till horrour either of Hell, or Conſcience, hath put ſmiling out of date. And if any of theſe ſins are but crept in amongſt you, it will be worthy our enquiry and examination; (and God grant your own impartial Conſciences may return you not guilty:) However this will but prove you no worſe than Jews, for they here acknowledg God in their brain and tongues; they ſaid, The Lord liveth.]
Your ſecond Interrogatory muſt be, Whether whilſt you thus profeſs, you do not alſo ſwear falſly? And then 'tis to be feared, that every action of your lives will bring in an Evidence againſt you. 'Twere an accuſation perhaps that you ſeldom hear of, to be challenged for Hypocrites, to be turned Puritans & pretenders to Holineſs: yet this is it my Text muſt charge you with; profeſſing of Religion, and never practiſing it; aſſenting to the truth of Scripture in your brain, but not adhering to it in your hearts; believing in Chriſt, and yet valuing him beneath the meaneſt ſin you meet with. Look over your Creed, and obſerve whether your lives do not contradict every word in it; and is it not Hypocriſie, & Perjury, or, if you will have it, high Complementing with God, to be thus profuſe and prodigal in our profeſſions, which we never mean to perform? Then is it to be called belief, when it is ſunk down into our hearts, when it hath taken root in a well-tempered ſoil, and begins to ſpring above ground, and haſten into an ear. That which grows like Moſs on the tiles of an houſe, which is ſet no deeper than the phancy, will never prove either permanent, or ſolid nouriſhment to the ſoul. 'Twere a new hours work, to ſhew every defect in our Faith, by our defections and deſertions of Goa i our manners; yet if you will be in earneſt with your ſelves, and apply the grounds premiſed to your ſerious Examination, your meditations may throughly make up what here is likely to be omitted.
One thing take home with you for a Rule to eternity, That every indulgence in any ſin, is a ſure argument of an Infidel: be you never ſo proud and confident of your Faith, and Juſtification by it; be you never ſo reſolute that the Lord liveth; yet if your obedience be not uniform, if you imbrace not what you aſſent to, ſurely you ſwear falſly. Your particular failings I am not knowing enough to repreſent to you; your own Conſciences, if they be but called to, cannot chuſe but reflect them to your ſight. Your outward profeſſion and frequency in it, for the general is acknowledged; your Cuſtom of the place requires it of you; and the example of Piety that rules in your Eyes, cannot but extort it. Only let your lives witneſs the ſincerity of your profeſſions; let not a dead Carcaſs walk under a living head, and a nimble active Chriſtian brain, be ſupported with bed-rid, mentionleſs Heathen limbs. Let me ſee you move and walk, as well as breathe, that I may hope to ſee you Saints, as well as Chriſtians.
And this ſhall be the ſum, not only of my advice to you, but for you, of my Prayers: That the Spirit would, ſanctifie all our hearts, as well as brains; that he will ſubdue, not only the pride and natural Atheiſm of our underſtandings, but the rebellions, and infidelity, and heatheniſm of our luſts; that being purged from any reliques, or tincture, or ſuſpicion of irreligion in either power of our Souls, we may live by Faith, and move by Love, and die in Hope; and both in Life and Death, glorifie God here, and be glorified with him hereafter.