Sermons, Sermon 9
The IX. Sermon.
MATTHEW iii. 3.
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
THat our preface may afford ſome light to our proceeding, that it may prepare the way and ſtand us in ſtead hereafter in our diſcourſe of preparation, we will imploy it to obſerve that natural progreſs and method of all things, which conſiſts in ſteps and degrees: travelling on by thoſe gifts which nature hath ſet them from one ſtage to another, from a lower degree of perfection to an higher, built upon this ground of nature, that the firſt things are alwayes leaſt perfect, yet abſolutely neceſſary to the perfection of the laſt: and in ſum, ſo much the more neceſſary, by how much leſs perfect. Thus is the foundatin more neceſſary to an houſe than the walls, and the firſt ſtone than the whole foundation, becauſe the walls are neceſſary only to the ſetting on of the roof, not to the laying of the foundation; the foundation neceſſary both to the walls and roof, but not to the firſt ſtone; becauſe that may be laid without the whole foundation: but the firſt ſtone neceſſary to all the reſt, and therefore of greateſt and moſt abſolute neceſſity. The courſe of nature is delineated and expreſs'd to us by the like proceedings and method of Arts and Sciences. So thoſe general principles that are moſt familiar to us, are the pooreſt and yet moſt neceſſary rudiments required to any deeper ſpeculation: the firſt ſtage of the underſtanding in its peregrination or travel into thoſe foreign parts of more hidden knowledge is uſually very ſhort; and 'tis moſt requiſite it ſhould be ſo, for beginning at home with ſome foreign, and taking its riſe at its own threſhold, thereby it advances the length, and ſecures the ſucceſs of the future voyage. Thus in Politicks hath the body of Laws from ſome thin beginnings under Lycurgus, Solon, Phaleas, and the like, by dayly acceſſions and farther growth at laſt encreaſed into a fair bulk; every age perfecting ſomewhat, and by that degree of perfection making the matter capable of a farther; ſo that the very Politicks themſelves as well as each Commonwealth have been obſerved to have their infancy, youth and manhood, the laſt of which is the only perfect ſtate, which yet this body had never attain'd to, had it not been content to ſubmit it ſelf to the imperfection of the former. Thus alſo in practical Philoſophy there be ſome praeambula operationis, ſome common precepts which muſt be inſtill'd into us, to work a conſiſtency in our tempers firm enough for the undertaking and performing all moral tasks. One excellent one Ariſtotle learnt from Plato in the ſecond of the Ethicks, foreign, a skill of ordering thoſe two paſſions aright, joy and ſorrow, an habit never to rejoyce or grieve but on juſt occaſion: which leſſon we muſt con perfectly when we are young; and then with years an eaſie diſcipline will bring on vertue of its own accord. Laſtly, in the tranſcendent knowledge of Metaphyſicks, which Ariſtotle would fain call wiſdom; 'tis the Philoſophers labour, which they were very ſedulous in, to invent and ſet down rules to prepare us for that ſtudy: the beſt that Ariſtotle hath is in the third of Metaph. to examine and inform our ſelves, foreign, which things are chiefly worth doubting of, and ſearching after: in which one thing if we would obſerve his counſel, if we would learn to doubt only of thoſe things which are worth our knowledge, we ſhould ſoon prove better Scholars than we are Iamblicus, Iambl Pro. trept. p. 36. & 37.beyond all the reſt moſt to the purpoſe preſcribes retiredneſs and contempt of the world, that ſo we might foreign, ever live and be nouriſhed by the excurſions of the mind towards God; where indeed he ſpeaks more like a Chriſtian than a Pythagorean, as if he had learnt Chriſt, to deny himſelf and the world, and follow him, and intended to come to that pitch and foreign which S. Paul ſpeaks of, Gal. ii. 20. The life which I now live in the fleſh I live by faith, &c. But to conclude this praecognoſcendum, there be throughout all works of nature and imitations of art, ſome imperfect grounds on which all perfection is built, ſome common expreſſions with which the underſtanding is firſt ſigned: ſome ground-colours without the laying on of which, no perfect effigies or pourtraicture can be drawn. Nay thus it is in ſome meaſure in ſpiritual matters alſo, we are men before we are Chriſtians: there is a natural life, and there is a ſpiritual life. And as in the reſurrection, 1 Cor. xv. 46. ſo alſo in the ſpiritual foreign of the ſoul, firſt that which is natural, and after that which is ſpiritual: and in the ſpiritual life there be alſo its periods, the infancy, the youth and virility of the ſpirit, the firſt being moſt imperfect yet moſt neceſſary and preparing the way to the laſt perfection. To bring all home to the buſineſs in hand: thus did it not befit the Saviour of the World to come abruptly into it: to put on fleſh as ſoon as fleſh had put on ſin: the buſineſs was to be done by degrees, and after it had been a long time in working, for the final production of it, the fulneſs of time was to be expected. The Law had its time of paedagogy to declare it ſelf, and to be obeyed as his Uſher for many years: and after all this he appears not in the World, till his Baptiſt hath proclaimed him: he makes not toward his Court till his Harbinger hath taken up the rooms. He comes not to inhabit either in the greater or leſſer Jewry, the World or mans heart, till the Praecurſor hath warn'd all to make ready for him, and this is the voice of the Praecurſor his ſermon and the words of my Text, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
Inſtead of dividing the words I ſhall unite them, and after I have conſtrued them to you, contrive that into one body which would not conveniently be diſmembred. foreign ſignifies to fit, to prepare, to make ready. Ye] are all thoſe to whom Chriſt ſhould ever come. The ways of the Lord] are whatſoever is capable of receiving of Chriſt or his Goſpel, peculiarly the hearts of the elect. The form of ſpeech imperative, notes the whole complexum to be one ſingle duty required of all the Baptiſts and my Auditors, ſub hac formâ, that every man's heart muſt be prepared for the receiving of Chriſt, or punctually to imitate the order of the words in my Text, the preparation of the ſoul is required for Chriſt's birth in us. For there is in every elect veſſel a ſpiritual foreign or myſtical incarnation of Chriſt, where the ſoul like Mary is firſt overſhadowed by the holy Ghoſt, then conceives, then carries in the womb, grows big, and at laſt falls into travail and brings forth Chriſt. My Text goes not thus far to bring to the Birth, neither will I. My diſcourſe ſhall be happy if it may be his Baptiſt, his foreign in your hearts to prepare them for his birth, which I ſhall endeavour to do firſt by handling preparation in general: 2. The preparation here ſpecified of the ſoul; 3. In order to Chriſts birth in us.
And firſt of preparation in general: foreign prepare ye or make ready: the neceſſity of this performance to any undertaking may appear by thoſe ſeveral precedaneous methods in common life, which have nothing in themſelves to ingratiate them unto us, but coſt much toil and trouble, yet notwithſtanding are ſubmitted to. If the Earth would anſwer the farmers expectation without any culture or husbandry, he would never be ſo prodigal towards it. But ſeeing it hath propoſed its fruitfulneſs under condition of our drudgery; we plow and harrow and manure and drain and weed it, or elſe we are ſure to fare the worſe at harveſt. The variety of preparations in theſe low affairs was by Cato and Varro and Columella accounted a pretty piece of polite neceſſary learning. And a Chriſtian if he will apply their rules to his ſpiritual Georgicks, the culture of his ſoul, ſhall be able to husband it the better; and by their directions have a further inſight into thoſe fallow-grounds of his own heart, Hoſ. x. 12.which the Prophet ſpeaks of. 'Twere a great, and perhaps unneceſſary journey to trace over the whole world of creatures to perfect this obſervation: almoſt every paſſage of nature will furniſh you with an example. Hence is it that they that had nothing but natural reaſon to inſtruct them, were aſſiduous in this practice, and never ventured on any ſolemn buſineſs without as ſolemn endeavours to fit themſelves for the work they took in hand, thoſe ſeries of preparations before the ancient Athletica, as anoynting, and bathing, and rubbing and duſt, 'twere fit enough for a ſermon to inſiſt on the exerciſe which they prepared for being reputed ſacred and parts of their ſolemneſt worſhip; and the moral of them would prove of good uſe to diſcipline and to bring us up to thoſe ſpiritual Agones mentioned in Scripture, as foreign, Eph. 4. 14. foreign, 1 Cor. ix. 26. and in the ſame place foreign, and its preparative foreign, Wreſtling, cuffing and running, three of the five Olympian games adopted as it were into the Church, and ſpiritualiz'd by the Apoſtle for our imitation. But to paſs by theſe and the like as leſs appoſite for our diſcourſe, what ſhall we think? Was it ſuperſtition, or rather mannerlyneſs that made the Graecian Prieſts ſo rub and waſh and ſcour themſelves before they would meddle with a ſacrifice? foreign it was, and that we conſtrue ſuperſtition; but indeed it ſignifies an awe and reverence to the Deity they worſhip, and a fear and a care leſt the unpreparedneſs of the Prieſt ſhould pollute their ſacrifice; as 'tis much to be feared that our holyeſt duties for want of this care are turn'd into ſin: the vanities and faults of our very prayers adding to the number of thoſe guilts we pray againſt, and every ſacrifice even of atonement it ſelf needing ſome expiation. To look a while on the higheſt part, and as it were the Sacraments of their Religion, their Eleuſinia ſacra, reſembling in one reſpect Chriſtian Baptiſm, in another holy Orders. What a multitude of rites and performances were required of every one before his admiſſion to them? For their foreign being divided into two claſſes, the leſs or lower ſort were praeludia to the greater, Plut. p. 48.or as the Scholiaſt on Ariſtophanes hath it more clearly to our purpoſe, foreign, a premundation or preſanctification of them that ſued to be admitted higher: as Baptiſm, Confirmation and a Chriſtian education in the Church, fits us for the participations of thoſe myſteries which the other ſacraments preſent to us, ſo that it punctually notes that preparation we here talk of: for before they were admitted to thoſe grand foreign and foreign they were (ſaith Suidas) to ſpend a year or two in a lower form, undergo a ſhop of purgations, foreign, and many more; ſo that Tertullian could not without wonder and praiſe of their ſolemnities obſerve tot ſuſpiria epoptarum, Init. l. i. in Valen.& multam in adytis divinitatem. 'Twas no mean toil nor ordinary merit that was required to make them capable of theſe foreign, as Ariſtophanes calls them.Plut. ibid. The ground of all the ceremony we may obſerve to be the natural impurity which the Heathens themſelves acknowledge to be in every man: as may appear moſt diſtinctly by Iamblicus, Protrept.though they knew not clearly at what door it came in at: ſure they were they found it there, and therefore their own reaſon ſuggeſted them that things of an excellent purity, of an inherent or at leaſt an adherent ſanctity, were not to be adventured on by an impure nature, foreign, ſaith Clement, till it had by ſome laborious preſcribed means ſomewhat rid it ſelf of its pollutions; and this the Barbarian did foreign (ſaith he) thinking the bare waſhing of the outward parts ſufficient: but the Graecians, whom learning had made more ſubſtantial in their Worſhip, required moreover an habituate temper of paſſions, longam caſtimoniam & ſedatam mentem, that the inward calmneſs and ſerenity of the affections might perform the promiſes of the outward purity. In ſum, when they were thus qualified and had fulfil'd the period, or circle of their purgation required to their foreign, they were at length admitted intra adyta ad epoptica ſacra, where all the myſteries of their Theology were revealed to them. All which ſeems to me (as much as can be expected from their dim imperfect knowledge) to expreſs the ſtate of grace and ſaving knowledge in the world; and alſo the office of miniſtring in ſacred things, into which no man was thought fit to be received or initiated but he which had undergone a prentiſhip of purgations: for although thoſe Eleuſynia of theirs, at a Chriſtians examination would prove nothing but religious deluſions, containing ſome prodigies of their mythical divinity; in ſum, but grave ſpecious puppets and ſolemn ſerious nothing, yet hence it may appear that the eye of nature though cheated in the main, taking that for a ſacred myſtery, which was but a prodigious vanity, yet kept it ſelf conſtant in its ceremonies; would not dare or hope to approach abruptly to any thing which it could believe to be holy. Now ſhall we be more ſawcy in our devotions, and inſolent in our approaches to either the throne of Majeſty or grace of our true God, than they were to the unprofitable empty foreign, of their falſe? Shall we call the mannerlineſs of the Heathen up in judgment againſt the Chriſtian rudeneſs? 'Twill be an horrid exprobration at the day of Doom, when a neat, waſh't, reſpectful Gentile ſhall put a ſwiniſh, miry negligent Chriſtian to ſhame; ſuch a one who never took ſo much care to trim himſelf to entertain the bridegroom, as the Heathen did to adore an empty gaud, a vain ridiculous bauble. Yet is not their example preſcribed you as an accompliſh't pattern, as the pitch to aim at and drive no higher: but rather as a foreign a ſarcaſm or contumely engrav'd in Marble to upbraid you mightily if you have not gone ſo far. All that they practiſed was but ſuperficial and referring to the body, and therein the waſhing of the outſides: yours muſt be inward, and of the ſoul: which is the next word in the doctrine, the ſpecification of it by the ſubject noted in the Text by foreign, the way, and expreſſed in the latter part of the ſubject of my propoſition, the Preparation of the ſoul.
This Preparation conſiſts in removing thoſe burthens, and wiping off thoſe blots of the ſoul which any way deface or oppreſs it; in ſcouring off that ruſt and filth which it contracted in the Womb, and driving it back again as near integrity as may be. And this was the aim and buſineſs of the wiſeſt among the Ancients, who conceived it poſſible fully to repair what was loſt, becauſe the privation was not total: and finding ſome ſparks of the primitive flame ſtill warm within them, endeavour'd and hoped hard to enliven them. To this purpoſe a great company of them, ſaith S. Auſtin, puzled themſelves in a deſign of purging the ſoul per foreign, & conſecrationes theurgicas, but all in vain, as Porphyry himſelf confeſſes; No man, ſaith he, by this theurgick Magick could ever purge himſelf the nearer to God, or wipe his eyes clear enough for ſuch a viſion. They indeed went more probably to work, which uſed no other magick or exorciſm to caſt out theſe Devils, to clear and purge the ſoul, but only their reaſon, which the Moraliſt ſet up and maintain'd againſt foreign and foreign, the two ringleaders of ſenſuality. To this purpoſe did Socrates the firſt and wiſeſt Moraliſt furniſh and arm the reaſonable faculty with all helps and defenſations that Philoſophy could afford it, that it might be able to ſhake off and disburthen it ſelf of thoſe encumbrances which naturally weighed and preſſed it downward,Ariſt. 2. Phy. c. 23. ut exoneratus animus naturali vigore in aeterna ſe attolleret: where if that be true which ſome obſerve of Socrates, that his profeſſing to know nothing, was becauſe all was taught him by his foreign: I wonder not that by others his foreign is called foreign, and conſecrated into a Deity: for certainly never Devil bore ſo much charity to mankind, and treachery to his own kingdom, as to inſtruct him in the cleanſing of his ſoul: whereby thoſe ſtrong holds of Satan are undermined, which cannot ſubſiſt but on a ſtiff and deep Clay foundation. From theſe beginnings of Socrates, the moraliſts ever ſince have toil'd hard at this task, to get the ſoul foreign, as Iambl. phraſes it, out of that corruption of its birth, that impurity born with it, which the ſoul contracts by its converſation with the body, and from which they ſay only Philoſophy can purge it. For it is Philoponus his obſervation, that that Canon of the Phyſicians, That the inclinations of the ſoul neceſſarily follow the temper of the body, is by all men ſet down with that exception implied, unleſs the Man have ſtudied Philoſophy, for that ſtudy can reform the other, foreign, make the ſoul contemn the commands, and arm it againſt the influences and poyſons and infections of the body. In ſum, the main of Philoſophy was to this purpoſe, to take off the ſoul from thoſe corporeal dependences, and ſo in a manner reſtore it to its primitive ſelf; that is, to ſome of that divine perfection with which it was infuſed, for then is the ſoul to be beheld in its native ſhape, when 'tis ſtript of all its paſſions. At other times you do not ſee the ſoul, but ſome froth and weeds of it, as the gray part of the Sea is not to be called Sea, foreign, ſome ſcurf and foam and weeds that lye on the top of it. So then to this ſpiritualizing of the ſoul, and recovering it to the ſimplicity of its eſſence, their main precepts were to quell and ſuppreſs foreign, as Maximus Tyrius ſpeaks, that turbulent, prachant common people of the ſoul, all the irrational affections, and reduce it foreign, into a Monarchy or regal government, where reaſon might rule Lord and King. For whenſoever any lower affection is ſuffered to do any thing, there, ſaith Philoponus, we do not work like men but ſome other creatures. Whoſoever ſuffer their lower nutritive faculties to act freely, foreign, theſe men are in danger to become trees: that is, by theſe operations they differ nothing from meer plants. So thoſe that ſuffer their ſenſitive appetites, luſt and rage to exerciſe at freedom, are not to be reckoned men, but beaſts, foreign, &c. then only will our actions argue us men, when our reaſon is at the forge. This was the aim and buſineſs of Philoſophy to keep us from unmanning our ſelves, to reſtore reaſon to its ſcepter, to reſcue it from the tyranny of that moſt atheiſtical uſurper, as Iambl. calls the affections; and from hence he which lived according to thoſe precepts of Philoſophy was ſaid both by them and Clement, and the Fathers foreign, and in Auſtin, Secundum intellectum vivere, to live according to the guidance of the reaſonable ſoul. Which whoſoever did, ſaith Plotinus, though by it in reſpect of divinity he was not perfect, yet at laſt ſhould be ſure to find a gracious providence, firſt to perfect, then to crown his natural moderate well tempered endeavour, as Auſtin cites it out of him, L. 10. de civit. Dei. This whoſe courſe and proceedings and aſſent of the ſoul, through theſe Philoſophical preparations to ſpiritual perfection, is ſummarily and clearly ſet down for us in Photius out of Iſidorus, Philoſophically obſerved to conſiſt in three ſteps, foreign, &c. The firſt buſineſs of the ſoul is to call in thoſe parts of it which were engaged in any forraign fleſhly imployment, and retire and collect it ſelf unto its ſelf: and then ſecondly, it learns to quit it ſelf, to put off the whole natural man, foreign, its own faſhions and conceits: all the notions, all the pride of humane reaſon, and ſet it ſelf on thoſe things which are neareſt kin to the ſoul, that is ſpiritual affairs: and then thirdly, foreign, it falls into holy enthuſiaſms and ſpiritual elevations, which it continues, till it be changed and led into the calm and ſerenity above the ſtate of man, agreeable to the tranquillity and peace which the Gods enjoy. And could the Philoſophers be their own Scholars, could they exhibit that felicity which they deſcribe and fanſie, they might glory in their morality, and indeed be ſaid to have prepared and purged the ſoul for the receit of the moſt pure and ſpiritual gueſt. But certainly their ſpeculation out-ran their practice; and their very morality was but Theorical, to be read in their books and wiſhes far more legible, than in their lives and their enjoyments. Yet ſome degrees alſo of purity, or at leaſt a leſs meaſure of impurity they attained to, only upon the expectation and deſire of happineſs propoſed to them upon condition of performance of moral precepts; for all things being indifferently moved to the obtaining of their ſummum bonum; all, I ſay, not only rational agents, foreign, as Andronicus ſaith on the Ethicks, which have nothing but nature to incite them to it; the natural man may upon a ſight and liking of an happineſs propoſed on ſevere conditions, call himſelf into ſome degrees of moral temper, as beſt ſuiting to the performance of the means, and obtaining of the end he looks for; and by this temper be ſaid to be morally better than another, who hath not taken this courſe to ſubdue his paſſions. And this was evident enough among the Philoſophers, who were as far beyond the ordinary ſort in ſeverity of converſation, as depth of learning; and read them as profitable precepts in the example of their lives, as ever the Schools breathed forth in their Lectures. Their profeſſion was incompatible with many vices, and would not ſuffer them to be ſo rich in variety of ſins as the vulgar: and then whatſoever they thus did, an unregenerate Chriſtian may ſurely perform in a far higher meaſure, as having more choice of ordinary reſtrainment from ſin than ever had any heathen; for it will be much to our purpoſe to take notice of thoſe ordinary reſtraints by which unregenerate men may be, and are curbed, and kept back from ſinning; and theſe, ſaith Auſtin, God affords to the very reprobates, Non continens in ira ſuas miſericordias. Much to this ſame purpoſe hath holy Maximus in thoſe admirable Sections, foreign, where moſt of the reſtraints he ſpeaks of are competible to the unregenerate, foreign, &c. 1. Fear of men. 2. Denunciation of judgments from Heaven. 3. Temperance and moral vertues: nay ſometimes other moral vices, as foreign, vain glory or oſtentation of integrity. 4. Natural impreſſions to do to others as we would be done to. 5. Clearneſs of judgment in diſcerning good from evil. 6. An expectation of a reward for any thing well done. Laſtly, ſome gripes and twinges of the Conſcience: to all add a tender diſpoſition, a good Chriſtian education, common cuſtom of the countrey where one lives, where ſome vices are out of faſhion: nay at laſt the word of God daily preached; not a love, but ſervile fear of it. Theſe I ſay, and the like may outwardly reſtrain unregenerate men from riots; may curb and keep them in, and conſequently preſerve the ſoul from that weight of the multitude of ſins which preſs down other men to a deſparation of mercy. Thus is one unregenerate man leſs engaged in ſin than another, and conſequently his ſoul leſs polluted; and ſo in all likelihood more capable of the ordinary means of ſalvation, than the more ſtubborn habituate ſinner; when every averſion, every commiſſion of every ſin doth more harden againſt grace, more alien and ſet at a greater diſtance from Heaven: and this briefly we call a moral preparation of the ſoul; and a purging of it, though not abſolutely from ſin, yet from ſome meaſure of reigning ſin, and diſpoſing of it to a ſpiritual eſtate: and this is no more than I learn from Bradwardine in his 16. de cauſa Dei, ch. 37. A ſervile fear, a ſight of ſome inconvenience, and moral habit of vertue, and the like, Multum retrahunt à peccato, inclinant ad opera bona, & ſic ad charitatem, & gratiam, & opera verè grata praeparant & diſponunt. And ſo I come to my laſt part, to ſhew of what uſe this preparation of the ſoul is, in order to Chriſts birth in us, the ways of the Lord.
I take no great joy in preſenting controverſies to your ears out of this place; yet ſeeing I am already fallen upon a piece of one, I muſt now go through it; and to quit it as ſoon as I can, preſent the whole buſineſs unto you in ſome few propoſitions, of which ſome I ſhall only recite as conceiving them evident enough by their own light; the reſt I ſhall a little inſiſt on, and then apply and drive home the profit of all to your affections. And in this pardon me, for certainly I ſhould never have medled with it, had not I reſolved it a Theory that moſt nearly concerned your practice, and a ſpeculation that would inſtruct your wills as well as your underſtandings. The propoſitions which contain the ſum of the buſineſs are theſe.
1. No preparation in the world can deſerve or challenge Gods ſanctifying grace: the Spirit bloweth where it liſteth, and cannot by any thing in us be predetermin'd to its object or its work.
2. The Spirit is of power to work the converſi…n of any the greateſt ſinner: at one minute to ſtrike the moſt obdurate heart and ſoften it, and out of the unnatural womb of ſtones infinitely more unfruitful than barrenneſs and age had made the womb of Sarah, to raiſe up children unto Abraham. According to the foreign of Ariſtotle foreign,Sect. 1. pro. 2. diſeaſes are ſometimes cur'd when the patient is at the extremity or height of danger in an ecſtaſie and almoſt quite gone.
3. 'Tis an ill Conſequence, that becauſe God can and ſometimes doth call unprepared ſinners, therefore 'tis probable he will deal ſo with thee in particular, or with unprepared men in general. God doth not work in converſion as a phyſical agent, to the extent of his power, but according to the ſweet diſpoſition and counſel of his Will.
4. In unprepared hearts there be many profeſt enemies to grace, ill diſpoſitions, ambition, atheiſm, pride of ſpirit, and (in chief) an habit in a voluptuous ſettled courſe of ſinning, an indefatigable reſolute walking after their own luſts. And therefore there is very little hope that Chriſt will ever vouchſafe to be born in ſuch polluted hardned ſouls. For 'tis Baſil's obſervation, that that ſpeech of the fools heart, There is no God, was the cauſe that the Gentiles were given over to a reprobate ſenſe, and fell headlong foreign, into all manner of abominations. Hence it is that Jobius in Photius obſerves that in Scripture ſome are called dogs, Mat. xv. 26. ſome unworthy to receive the myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. xiii. 11. that ſome hated the light and came not to it, Joh. iii. 20. as if all thoſe had taken a courſe to make themſelves uncapable of mercy, and by a perfect hoſtility frighted Chriſt out of their coaſts. In the liberal diſpenſation of miracles in the Goſpel you would wonder to ſee Chriſt a niggard in his own countrey, yet ſo in reſpect of other places he was, and did not many miracles there, becauſe of their unbelief, Mat. xiii. 58. not that their incredulity had manacled him, had ſhortned his hand, or ſtraitned his power, but that miracles which when they met with a paſſive willingneſs, a contentedneſs in the patient to receive and believe them, were then the ordinary inſtruments of faith and converſion, would have been but caſt away upon obdurate hearts: ſo that for Chriſt to have numbred miracles among his unbelieving Countrey-men no way prepared to receive them, had been an injurious liberality, and added only to their unexcuſableneſs; which contradicts not the Axiom of St, Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 22. That ſome ſigns are only for unbelievers: for even thoſe unbelievers muſt have within them foreign, a proneneſs or readineſs to receive them with belief, foreign, &c. in Jobius, to open to the ſpirit knocking by thoſe miracles, and improve them to their beſt profit.
5. Though God needs not, yet he requires moral preparation of us, as an ordinary means to make us more capable of grace: for although according to Saint Auſtin, Ne ipſâ quidem juſtitiâ noſtrâ indiget Deus: yet according to Salvian's limitation, Fget juxta praeceptionem ſuam, licet non juxta potentiam: eget ſecundum legem ſuam, non eget ſecundum Majeſtatem. We are to think that God hath uſe of any thing which he commands, and therefore muſt perform whatever he requires, and not dare to be confident of the end, without the obſervation of the means preſcribed. 'Tis too much boldneſs, if not preſumption, to leave all to his omnipotent working, when he hath preſcribed us means to do ſomewhat our ſelves.
6. Integrity and Honeſty of Heart, Vid. Wiſd. 3. 14.a ſober moral life, and chiefly humility and tenderneſs of ſpirit: in ſumm, whatever degree of Innocence, either ſtudy, or fear, or love, or natural diſpoſition can work in us, ſome or all of which may in ſome meaſure be found in ſome men not yet regenerate, are good preparations for Chriſts birth in us; ſo ſaith Clement of Philoſophy that it doth foreign, &c. make ready and prepare the way againſt Chriſts coming, foreign, cooperate with other helps that God hath given us; all with this caution, that it doth only prepare not perfect; facilitate the purſuit of wiſdom to us, foreign, which God may beſtow on us without this means. To this purpoſe hath Baſil a notable homily to exhort ſcholars to the ſtudy of forreign, humane, eſpecially Grecian learning, and to this end ſaith he that we prepare our ſelves foreign, to the Heavenly ſpiritual Philoſophy. In the like kind the Fathers preſcribe good works of charity, obſerving out of the xix. of St. Matthew, that the diſtribution of all their ſubſtance to the poor was a praeludium in the Primitive believers to the following of Chriſt, Prius vendant omnia quam ſequantur: from whence he calls alms deeds, exordia quaſi & incunabula converſionis noſtrae. The like may be ſaid, though not in the ſame degree, of all other courſes, quibus carnalium ſarcinarum impedimenta projicimus: for if theſe forementioned preparations be meer works of nature in us, as, ſome would have them, then do they naturally encline the ſubject for the receiving of grace when it comes, and by fitting, as it were, and organizing the ſubject facilitate its entrance; or if they be works of Gods reſtraining preventing grace, as 'tis moſt orthodoxally agreed on, then are they good harbingers for the ſanctifying ſpirit: good comfortable ſymptoms that God will perfect and crown the work which he hath begun in us.
7. Gods ordinary courſe, as far as by events we can judge of it, is to call and ſave ſuch as are thus prepared. Thus to inſtance in a few of the firſt and chiefeſt. 'Twas appointed by God that ſhe only ſhould be vouchſafed the bleſſed office of dignity of being the foreign Chriſt's Mother, who was foreign, ſaith he in Photius, fuller of vertues than any elſe of her ſex could brag of. In like manner, that the reſt of the family, Chriſts Father and brethren, in account, on earth ſhould be ſuch whoſe vertues had beſtowed a more eminent opinion, though not place upon them amongſt men: ſo was Joſeph and his ſons foreign, famous for very juſt men, James the brother of the Lord foreign, holy from the womb (as Euſebius cites it) called by the Jews foreign, ſaith he out of Hegeſippus which he interprets foreign, the ſtay of the people and juſtice it ſelf. In brief; if a Cornelius be to be called from Gentiliſm to Chriſtianity, ye ſhall find him in the beginning of his character Act. x. 1. to be a devout man and one that feared God with all his houſe, gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway: one cut out as it were foreign, to be the firſt-fruit of the Gentiles. Now though none of theſe vertues can be imputed to nature in the ſubſtance of them, but acknowledge a more ſupernatural ſpiritual agent in them, yet are they to be reckoned as preparations to Chriſts birth in them, becauſe they did precede it: for ſo in reſpect of his real incarnation in the world, the type of his ſpiritual in the ſoul, Mary was a vertuous pure virgin before the Holy Ghoſt overſhadowed her, Joſeph a juſt man before the Holy Ghoſt appeared to him, Mat. i. 19. James holy from the womb, and Cornelius capable of all that commendation for devotion and alms-deeds, Acts x. 1. before either Chriſt was preach't to him in the 37. or the Holy Ghoſt fell on him, in the 44. verſe.
8. The Converſion of unprepared hardned blaſphemous ſinners, is to be accounted as a moſt rare and extraordinary work of Gods power and mercy, not an every days work like to be beſtowed on every habituate ſinner: and therefore 'tis commonly accompanied with ſome evident note of difference to point it out for a miracle. Thus was Paul called from the Chief of ſinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. to the chief of Saints, but with this mark that Chriſt Jeſus might ſhew forth all long ſuffering, &c. which was in him, firſt, and perhaps laſt in that degree: that others in his pitch of blaſphemies might not preſume of the like miracle of mercy. And indeed he that is thus called muſt expect what Paul found, a mighty tempeſt throughout him, three days at leaſt without ſight or nouriſhment, if not a foreign or foreign a ſwoon, a ki…d of ecſtaſie of the whole man, at this tumultuary driving out of this high, rank, inſolent, habituate body of ſin. 'Tis obſerved that when the news of Chriſt birth was brought by the wiſe men, the city was ſtraight in an uproar, Herod was much troubled and all Jeruſalem with him, Mat. ii. 3. for it ſeems they expected no ſuch matter: and therefore ſo ſtrange and ſudden news produced nothing but aſtoniſhment and tumult; whilſt Symeon, who waited for the conſolation of Iſrael makes no ſuch ſtrange buſineſs of it; takes him preſently into his embraces, and familiarly hugs him in his arms, having been before acquainted with him by his faith. Thus will it at Chriſts ſpiritual foreign, be in an unprepared heart, his reigning Herod- ſins, and all the Jeruſalem and Democracy of affections, a ſtrange tumult of repining old habituate paſſions will ſtruggle fiercely, and ſhake the whole houſe before they leave it. If a ſtrong man be to be diſpoſſeſſed of houſe or abode, without warning, a hundred to one he will do ſome miſchief at his departure, and draw at leaſt ſome pillar after him: when as a prepared Symeon's ſoul lays hold as ſoon as he hears of him, is already organiz'd, as it were, for the purpoſe, holds out the arms and boſom of faith, and at the firſt minute of his appearance takes him into his ſpiritual embraces. This very preparation either had denied the ſtrong man entrance, or elſe binds his hands, manacles that blind Sampſon, and turns him out in peace, and then the ſpirit enters into that ſoul (which it ſelf or its harbingers have prepared) in a ſoft ſtill wind, in a ſtill voice, and the ſoul ſhall feel its gale, ſhall hear its whiſpering, and ſhall ſcarce diſcern, perhaps not at all obſerve the moment of its entrance.
Laſtly, by way of Corollary to all that hath been ſaid, though God can and ſometimes doth call blaſphemous ſinners, though nothing in us can facilitate Gods action to him, though none of our performances or his lower works in us, can merit or challenge his ſanctifying grace; though in brief all that we can do is in ſome reſpect enmity to grace; yet certainly there is far more hope of the just careful moral man, which hath uſed all thoſe reſtraints which are given him, that he ſhall be called and ſaved; of ſuch a one we are to judge far more comfortably, and expect more confidently than of another more habituate ſinner, negligent of the commands of either God or nature. And this I conceive I have in ſome meaſure proved through each part of the former diſcourſe, and ſo I ſhould diſmiſs it, and come to application, but that I am ſtayed and thwarted by a contrary propoſition maintained by a ſort of our popular preachers, with more violence than diſcretion, which I conceive to be of dangerous conſequence, and therefore worth opening to you. In ſetting down the pitch that an unregenerate man may attain to, and yet be damned, ſome of our preaching writers are wont duly to conclude with this peremptory doctrine, that of a mere moral man though never ſo ſevere a cenſor of his own ways, never ſo rigid an exactor of all the precepts of nature and morality in himſelf; yet of this man there is leſs hope, either that he ſhall be converted or ſaved, than the moſt debauched ruffian under Heaven. The charity and purity of this Doctrine you ſhall judge of, if you will accompany me a while, and firſt obſerve that they go ſo far with the meer moral man, and drive him ſo high, that at his depreſſion again many a regenerate man falls with him under that title, and in iſſue, I fear, all will prove meer moraliſts in their doom, which do fall ſhort of that degree of zeal, which their either faction or violent heats pretend to; and ſo as Tertullian objects to the Heathen, expoſtulating with them why they did not deifie Themiſtocles and Cato as well as Jove and Hercules, Quot potiores viros apud inferos reliquiſtis? They leave many an honeſter man in Hell, than ſome of thoſe whom their favour or faction hath beſainted.
Secondly, obſerve to what end or uſe this doctrine may ſerve, but as an allay to civil honeſty in a Commonwealth, and fair, juſt dealing, which, forſooth, of late is grown ſo luxuriant, the world is like to languiſh and ſink, 'tis ſo overburthened with it: and on the other ſide an encouragement to the ſinner in his courſe, an engagement in the purſuit of vice to the height and foreign, as the pitch and cue which God expects and waits for, as they conclude on theſe grounds, becauſe he lookt upon Peter not till the third denial, and then called Paul when he was moſt mad againſt the Chriſtians: as if the neareſt way to Heaven were by Hell-gates, and Devils moſt likely to become ſaints; as if there were merit in abominations, and none in the right way to Chriſtianity, but whom Atheiſm would be aſhamed of; as if becauſe the natural man underſtands not, &c. all reliques of natural purity were ſolemnly and pro formâ to be abandoned to make us capable of ſpiritual. 'Tis confeſſed that ſome have been and are thus converted, and by an ecſtaſie of the ſpirit ſnatched and caught like firebrands out of the fire; and though ſome muſt needs find their ſpiritual joys infinitely encreaſed, foreign by that gall of bitterneſs, from which they were delivered, and are therefore more abundantly engaged to God, as being not the objects only, but the miracle of his mercy: But yet for all this ſhall one or two variations from the ordinary courſe, from the foreign be turned into a ruled caſe? Shall the rarer examples of Mary Magdalen or a Saul preſcribe and ſet up? Shall we ſin to the purpoſe, as if we meant to threaten God that 'twere his beſt and ſafeſt courſe to call us? Shall we abound in rebellions, that grace may ſuperabound? God pardon and forbid.
Thirdly, conſider the reaſon of their propoſition, and you ſhall judge of the truth of it, and beſides their own fancies and reſolution to maintain them, they have none but this, The meer moral man truſts in his own rigteouſneſs, and this confidence in the arm of fleſh, is the greateſt enemy to ſanctifying grace, which works by ſpiritual humility. To which we anſwer diſtinctly, that the foreſaid pride, truſt or confidence, is neither effect nor neceſſary adjunct of morality; but an abſolute defection from the rules thereof; and therefore whatſoever proceeds either as an effect, or conſequent from pride or confidence cannot yet be imputed to morality at all, or to the moral men per ſe, no more than the thundring or lightning is to be imputed to my walking, becauſe it thunders whilſt I walk; or preaching to my ſtanding ſtill, becauſe whilſt I ſtand ſtill I preach; foreign, ſaith Ariſtotle in the firſt Poſt. c. 4. It doth not lighten becauſe I walk, but that is an accident proceeding from ſome other cauſe. To ſtrive againſt the motions of the ſpirit, and ſo to render converſion more difficult, is an effect perhaps of pride or truſt, but yet is not to be imputed to morality, though the moral man be proud or ſelf-truſting, becauſe this pride or ſelf-truſting is not an effect, but an accident of morality; and therefore their judgment ſhould be able to diſtinguiſh and direct their zeal againſt the accidental vice, not the eſſential innocent vertue, againſt pride not morality. Beſides, this pride is alſo as incident to him who is morally evil; nay, either ſuppoſes or makes its ſubject ſo, being formally a breach of morality. For that foreign belonging to the underſtanding, which is, not to think more highly on ones own worth than he ought, foreign, Rom. xii. 3. Do we not find it commended and dilated on by Ariſtotle 4. Eth. 3. foreign, &c. not to overprize his own worth, or to expect an higher reward than it in proportion deſerves? So that he that truſts in his morality for Heaven, doth eo nomine offend againſt morality, according to that of Salvian, Hoc ipſum genus maximae injuſtitiae eſt, ſi quis ſe juſtum praeſumat; and indeed Ariſtotle and Seneca could ſay as much: and ſo then the accuſation is unjuſt and contumelious; for to a moral man if he be truly ſo, this pride or confidence is incompatible: for do we not find that treble humility, foreign of the heart, foreign of the tongue, foreign of the actions, Epheſ. iv. 2. handled alſo and preſcribed by the Philoſophers? In ſum, that which in all moral precepts comes neareſt pride or highmindedneſs, is that foreign, Eth. 4. 3. part of which is ſetting value on ones ſelf. But if you obſerve, this goes no farther than foreign, honour or worldly pomp: as for the immortal bleſſedneſs of the ſoul, 'twas a thing infinitely above the pitch of their hope or confidence: the moſt perfect among them never pretended any jus meriti to it, and if they did, they had by ſo much the leſs hopes to attain to it. Now if it be ſuppoſed, as I fear is too true, that our moral men fall far ſhort of the ancient Philoſophers, if they be now adays confident and truſt in their works for ſalvation, then they do not make good their name; they are only ſo foreign and foreign, abuſively and notionally. And yet even theſe equivocal moral men ſeem to me in as good, if not better caſe, than the other term of compariſon, the careleſs negligent debauch't men. For upon their grounds is it not as eaſie for the converting ſpirit to enter and ſubdue one Lucifer, one proud Devil in the heart, otherwiſe pretty well qualified, as to deal with a whole legion of blaſphemous, violent, riotous, railing, ignorant Devils? I have done all with the confutation of this looſe groundleſs opinion, which if 'twere true, would yet prove of dangerous conſequence to be preached, in abating and turning our edge, which is of it ſelf blunt and dull enough toward goodneſs: nay, certainly it hath proved ſcandalous to thoſe without; as may appear by that boaſt and exultancy of Campian in his Eighth reaſon, where he upbraids us Engliſh-men of our abominable Lutheran, licentious doctri…e, (as he calls it) Quanto ſceleratior es, tanto vicinior gratiae: and therefore I do not repent that I have been ſomewhat large in the refuting of it; as alſo becauſe it doth much import to the clearing of my diſcourſe: for if the meer moral men be fartheſt from Heaven, then have I all this while buſied my ſelf, and tormented you with an unprofitable, nay injurious preparation, whereas I ſhould have preſcribed you a ſhorter eaſier call, by being extremely ſinful, according to theſe two Aphoriſms of Hippocrates, foreign, &c. The ſtrongeſt bodies are in greateſt danger, and foreign, the foreign and height of a diſeaſe is the fitteſt opportunity for a miraculous cure.
But beloved, let us more conſiderately bethink our ſelves, let us ſtudy and learn and walk a more ſecure probable way to Heaven; and for thoſe of us which are yet unregenerate, though we obtained no grace of God, but that of nature and reaſon, and our Chriſtianity to govern us, yet let us not contemn thoſe ordinary reſtraints which theſe will afford us: let us attend in patience, ſobriety, and humility and prayers, the good time and leiſures of the ſpirit; let us not make our reaſonable ſoul, our profeſſion of men, of Chriſtians aſhamed of us: let not the heathen and beaſts have cauſe to bluſh at us; let us remain men till it may pleaſe him to call us into Saints; leſt being plunged in habitual confident ſinning, that Hell and Tophet on Earth, the very omnipotent mercy of God be in a manner foiled to hale us out again: let us improve, rack, and ſtretch our natural abilities to the higheſt; that although, according to our thirteenth Article, we cannot pleaſe God, yet we may not mightily provoke him. Let every man be in ſome proportion to his gifts Chriſts Baptiſt and forerunner, and harbinger in himſelf, that whenſoever he ſhall appear or knock, he may enter, lodge and dwell without reſiſtence. Laſtly, after all thy preparations be not ſecure, if the bridegroom will not vouchſafe to reſt with you, all your proviſion is in vain; all the morality and learning, and gifts, and common graces, unleſs Chriſt at laſt be born in us, are but embryo's, nay abortives, rude, imperfect, horrid, foreign, that Philoſopher dies in his nonage in whom Chriſt was never born: The higheſt reach of years and learning is but infancy without the virility and manhood of the ſpirit, by which we are made perfect men in Chriſt Jeſus. Wherefore above all things in the world let us labour for this perfection; let us melt and diſſolve every faculty and ſpirit about us in purſuit of it, and at laſt ſeal, and bleſs, and crown our endeavours with our prayers; and with all the Rhetorick, and means, and humility, and violence of our ſouls importune and lay hold on the ſanctifying Spirit, and never leave till he hath bleſſed and breathed on us. O thou mighty, controuling, holy, hallowing Ghoſt, be pleaſed with thine effectual working to ſuppreſs in us all reſiſtence of the pride of nature, and prepare us for thy kingdom of grace here, and glory hereafter. Now to him which hath elected us, hath created and redeemed us, &c.