The Worm that Dieth Not, Sermon (3 of 4)

The Worm that Dieth Not · Sermon (3 of 4)

p. 144Firſt, Becauſe there is a great deal of darkneſs in all Goſpel-adminiſtrations, in compariſon of what we do expect the Lord ſhall give unto his people in the latter dayes, when Ezekiel's Temple ſhall be built, the Lord will ſhew his people all the forms and the patterns of his houſe, and the goings in and the comings out thereof, and in the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet, which refers unto the ſame time; Rev. 11. laſt, for then the miſtery of God ſhall be finiſhed, the Temple ſhall be opened, and we ſhall ſee into the Ark of the Teſtimony, it had a vail before it that it might not be ſeen; but the moſt p. 145hidden and ſecret things ſhall then be made manifeſt, and clearly diſcovered, and by the Ark ſome underſtand it of Chriſt, of whom the Ark was a type: there ſhould be a further and a more glorious manifeſtation of him in all Church ordinances and adminiſtrations than ever there had been in times paſt; But mean while there is a Sea of Glaſs, but it is mixed with fire, there is a great deal of affliction, and bitter contention, and the Temple is fill'd with ſmoak, a great darkneſs upon all ordinances, in ſo much that during all the time of the pouring out of the Vials, no man (that is) no conſiderable and great company of men, ſhould be brought into the Church, here and there a few converted, but none in compariſon of the fulneſs of Jews and Gentiles that ſhall be converted to God afterwards, when the ſmoak of the Temple ſhall be diſpel'd and done away; and if there be ſo much darkneſs, it is no wonder if men be in danger to be deceived, and to be led away from the truth, it is no wonder if men in the dark may eire, and p. 146miſs their way, and therefore I would not have men as not too cenſorious of others, ſo not too confifident of their own way, in any thing that they have not a clear warrant for in the Word, for ſurely this is the time of the Vials, and it is ſpoken of the reformed Churches, they that while the Vials were powering upon Antichriſt, did ſtand with the Lamb upon mount Sion, that had gotten victory over the Beaſt and his Image, and did ſing the Song of Moſes, and of the Lamb, &c. and yet amongſt them; the Temple was full of ſmoak, and therefore there is danger that you may be deceived and deluded, &c.

Secondly, There be a great many falſe teachers gone abroad in the World; 1 John 4.1. Beloved believe not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they are of God, becauſe many falſe Prophets are gone out &c. It hath been the way that Satan has taken in all reſormations, as ſoon as ever the Goſpel began to dawn in the World, in the Apoſtles times, there aroſe men of themſelves. that p. 147did ſpeak perverſe things; Act. 20.30. foreign that is, ſuch things, as turn all upſide down, that ſubvert and overthrow all the principles and foundations of the doctrine of Chriſt, that have been laid by himſelf and his Apoſtles. Rev. 12.Rev 12And when their was a reformation in the time of Conſtantine, then another floud of hereſy was caſt out after the woman. So in the reformation in Luthers time; if the Lord do but ſow good ſeed, the enemy will come and ſow tares, and we ſee how much confidence Satan puts in this way of prevailing; for it is his laſt remedy that he ſhall uſe to uphold the kingdom of Antichriſt: as we ſee Rev. 16.13. The Vial being powred out upon the ſeat of the Beaſt, and Rome falling as a Millſtone into the Sea, without hope of recovery; and now there is a new Church ariſeing, coming out of the Wilderneſs, leaning upon her Beloved, and Euphrates dryed up to make way for the Kings of the Eaſt: Now he doth ſend out of the mouth of the …eaſt, and the Dragon, and ſalfe Prophet three unclean ſpirits like Frogs, and p. 148they are the ſpirits of Devils working miracles, and going forth into the Kings of the earth, &c. They are ſaid to be ſpirits for their activity, and impetiouſneſs (ſo ſome) but I rather think they are called ſpirits, that is falſe teachers, becauſe they pretend to ſpeak by the ſpirit, as 1 John. 4.1. Believe not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they be of God; and they are foreign, which is not the ordinary word that is uſed for the Devil, but a word doth expreſs knowledg and learning, &c. They ſhall ſend forth there moſt learned men of the greateſt parts, and the beſt wits, and they that ſhall teach ſpirits as Frogs, they that ſhall teach unclean and corrupt and filthy doctrines, and by this means, and by Satans aſſiſting them in their doctrine, and backing it with miracles and great works, they ſhall gather together the Kings of the earth againſt the Church of God to their own deſtruction, and final overthrow; ſurely, therefore there is a great deal of danger, that a man may be deceived, and his judgment may be p. 149corrupted becauſe it is the laſt refuge of Satan that he has to uphold his kingdome by ſending forth unclean ſpirits.

Thirdly, Moſt men unto whom theſe ſpirits come, Heb. 5.13.Heb 5:13they find them children; for he that is unskilful in the word of righteouſneſs, he is a babe, and therefore being children in underſtanding, Epheſ. 4.14.Eph 4:14and not men grounded in the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, therefore they are toſt to and fro, with every wind of doctrine, toſſed as a wave, and carryed about as a cloud, and from theſe two, the Metaphors are taken, if the wind be this way, the wave is born and the cloud carryed about, and if the wind do turn, it is blown the contrary way; they lead captive ſilly woman, omnes haereſes ex gynecaeis, is a proverb in the ancient Church, and the more ingnorant any people are the eaſier are they turned away from the truth, and the ſooner do they give ear to fancies, and fables, and he that ſhall conſider the ignorance of our people in the principles of Religion, and that in a great p. 150many of thoſe that profeſs Religion, and think themſelves to be knowing Chriſtians, and yet have but only a general and a ſmattering confuſed knowledge, and a man would be far from wondering that ſo many were corrupted, but rather he would wonder that all were not taken captive by Satan.

Fourthly, Falſe teachers uſe a great deal of artifice to that end, that they may deceive, and they do it under the faireſt ſhows, and the moſt ſpecious pretences, Antichriſt (Rev. 17.3.) gives the wine of her formention in a Golden Cup, that is, that by which it is offered unto the world, it is a very alluring and taking way, and as a Harlot whoſe lips do drop as the hony-comb, and all is under a ſhow of love unto Chriſt, and a colour of love to you, a pity to ſee you ſo deceived, there is a foreign & foreign Rom. 16.18. all under great pretences of holineſs, there is a foreign and foreign, there is a great deceit, as in the moſt deceitful Play, and they are cunning Gameſters, and there is a ſubtilty, and deep craftineſs p. 151of men that go by method, and bring in one thing after another, Eph. 4.24Eph 4:24and there are foreign, 2 Pet. 2.3. feigned words, ſome made words, and a kind of coined language that ſounds finely, but put it together and it ſignifies nothing; but the meaning is foreign they do make merchandize of you, and foreign 2 Pet. 2.18. they give out ſomething that ſhall be as a bait, ſome pretences of liberty, ſome ſhows of a greater Communion with God, and a nearer approach unto Chriſt, and with this bait you ſhall be taken, when in the mean while the book is not ſeen, and ſometimes brought to you under great ſhows of holineſs in the men, they come to you in ſheeps cloathing, as if they were Sheep though they be Wolves, and the Miniſters of Satan transform themſelves into the Miniſters of Righteouſneſs, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. for ſuch are falſe Apoſtles, deceitful workers, transforming themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, and no marvel for Satan himſelf is transformed into an Angel of light, &c. Rev. 13.Rev 13and we know that Antichriſt when he roſe p. 152had two horns like a Lamb, and Auſtin ſaith of Pelagius, Nomen Pellagii non ſine lande poſui, quia vita cita ejus à multis praedicabatur.

Yea Satan doth creep into Peter himſelf, and he may be corrupted, and Barnabas alſo with that diſſimulation; for they ſhall deceive if it were poſſble even the very elect, though totally and finally it is not poſſible, but yet they may far deceive them; for indeed there be many that hold the foundation, and whoſe ſouls may be ſaved in the day of the Lord, yet may build Hay and Stubble upon the foundation: and therefore we ſhould leave room for charity towards ſome, who have not had that touch of Satan upon their ſpirits that others have, and endeavour to pluck them as firebrands out of the fire, that they may not wreſt the Scriptures to their own deſtruction, but pray that the Lord would deliver them from the temptations and ſeducements of Satan, &c. diſcover his Wiles to them, that they may ſay, was there not an errour in my right hand, and men are ſo much the rather to be pityed; becauſe being p. 153ignorant and unlearned they more eaſily become the prey of falſe teachers, who are very induſtrious and laborious, and lay out themſelves to the utmoſt, Math.they will compaſs Sea and Land to make a Proſelite, they compel you to be Circumciſed, that they may glory in your fleſh, that is, multitudine ſequacium, in the multitude of their Deſciples and followers, ſome men think it is an excellent thing to be the founder of a new ſect, as they ſaid of Paul, Acts 24.5.Acts 24:5he was a ring-leader of the ſect of the Nazarenes; I know that many ſay this by way of reproach to the people of God, that would walk out of conformity to the world, that they are but ſectaries, and brand them dayly with new names, and new light, &c. becauſe they would not have their old darkneſs be diſcovered, but this is but one of the fig leaves of Antichriſts covering, which ſhall fall off from him, and he ſhall fly away naked, and men ſhall ſee his ſhame notwithſtanding.

Laſtly, There is a mighty power of Satan and an foreign that goes along with them, 2 Theſ. 2.9. p. 154as ſoon as Antichriſt did but appear in the world, by and by all the world wandred after the Beaſt, and received his Image, and his mark in their right hand, and in their foreheads, men will he quickly engaged to profer themſelves in ſuch a way, and having received the mark in the forehead, they will receive it in their right hand, to defend it, and ſtand for it, ſo that a man would wonder to ſee men ſo ſoon turn'd after another Goſpel; and their words fret as a Gangrene or a Cancer, that doth quickly infect all that comes near it, and we may ſee what ſtrong poiſon this liquor of Antichriſt is, and what a deceit it is by the power of it, not only upon the ignorant, but upon the learned, and not only upon them that were a lump fit to receive any leaven, but even thoſe that were counted (and we may hope) to be Godly men, of eminent parts, and great abilities, and men that have done great ſervices, and ſhine as great lights, and are great preachers that have converted Souls to God, and yet the Dragons Tail ſweeps p. 155away the third part of the Stars of Heaven, and caſts them unto the Earth, &c. Now all theſe eonſiderations ſhould prevail with us, that he that thinks he ſtands, may take heed leſt he fall; becauſe there is a great danger of deceiving the beſt and the holieſt and the wiſeſt men, and turn them aſide from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, I ſhould have been more particular in the diſcovery of Antichriſt, in all his colours, eſpecially that great Character and ſtamp which is on all his followers to be perſecutors of the Saints of the moſt high, who refuſe to worſhip his Image, or to receive his mark; but that I have reſerved to treat on more largely; becauſe I look upon the time of the killing of the witneſſes to draw near; for which the ſpirits of men are exceedingly qualified: and therefore the Saints had need to ſtand upon their watch Tower; for the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet, &c. conſpire againſt them.

2ly. Conſidert is a very dangerous thing for a man to be deceived; for firſt a mans judgment being corrupted p. 156it will make way for a very corrupt converſation, no man is better then his judgment, but men generally, I may ſay, all men are worſe; now they are the greateſt corruptions that are the fruits of corrupt doctrine, and their doctrines do back them, and are not the fruits of their luſts only, as we ſee it in the Phariſees, all their fins were juſtified by their doctrines, and they had ſo fitted it, as it ſerved to maintain their wicked wayes; there is a ſpirit of uncleaneſs goes with the falſe prophet whereſoever he goes; Rome is ſpiritually Egypt, Zach. 13.Zech 13and Sodons and Jude compares the falſe teachers in his times with the worſt of ſinners, and ſurely their latter end is worſe then their beginning, 2 Pet. 2.22. it's happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turn'd to his vomit again, &c.

Ʋnclean opinions muſt needs bring forth unclean converſations.

Secondly, It is a hard matter for a man to repent being once engaged, Gal. 3.1.Gal 3:1and taken with it; for it's ſaid men are bewitched that they do believe that lye of Popery, eſpecially that they cannot p. 157ſay, is there not a lye in my right hand, and falſe doctrine is compared to leaven, and if it be mixed with dough, it is very hard if not impoſſible ever to ſeparate them, and therefore we read of very few men that ever appeared much againſt any truth of God that ever have returned, but they in their pride did perſiſt, and God did give them up though they were convinced themſelves, and ſpake lyes in hypocriſie; and knew them to be ſo, yet for all this they could not repent of them; for God in judgment gave them up unto a Conſcience ſeared with a hot Iron: and truly it is a fearfull judgment to be given up of God to believe a lye, and it is to a man a very dangerous ſign that he is not of the ſheep of Chriſt, Joh. 10.5.John 10:5a ſtranger they will not follow, they know not the voice of a ſtranger, and thereby the rottenneſs of mens hearts may be manifeſted, there muſt be hereſies ſayes the Apoſtle for that end; and that they that are approved may be made manifeſt alſo.

Thirdly, They are called damnable hereſies; 2 Pet. 2.1. In a double p. 158reſpect. Firſt, They are a dangerous ſign and token of damnation unto them that are enſnared by them, Rev. 13.8. They that do pertake in the doctrine of Popery, they are thoſe whoſe names are not written in the Lambs book, and they are ſuch as in themſelves deſerve damnation; indeed all ſin is in its own nature damnable, and ſo muſt this be in a ſpecial manner, in a way of eminency ſo called, ſuch as Judas is called, the Son of perdition, becauſe he was appointed unto a more then ordinary diſtruction; and the Pope the man ſin, becauſe eminent in ſinning; ſo here foreign, becauſe they come under a more remarkable diſtruction then other ſins do, and the Lord ſays their damnation ſleeps not, they were of old ordained thereunto, Jude 4. But I would not be miſtaken in all this and grieve the hearts of any tender Conſcience, whom the Lord would not have grieved that hold ſome leſſer errours, which may be becauſe we ſee with different Lights. Nay, I deny not but a godly man may be deceived in ſome errours, p. 159that happily do ſtrike at the foundation alſo for a time, but he doth not continue in them; but I ſay to hold them, and continue in them, as it makes way for a more eminent deſtruction, ſo it is a moſt dangerous ſign of reprobation.

Laſtly, It is a very dangerous forerunner of judgment unto a nation, and of Gods removing the Candleſtick, and giving a Church a Bill of Divorce, you may ſee it in the Church of Rome; and if men will be Idolaters, and Blaſphemers, and deny the Reſurection, and the Scriptures, if men countenance the woman Jezebel, and the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans, it will follow that Chriſt will quickly come againſt them, and fight againſt them with the ſword of his mouth: The laſt times of the Jewiſh Church were infected with hereſy, which bred diviſions, and ſuch diſtraction amongſt them till it deſtroyed the whole face and frame of Church and common wealth; and in the laſt times there ſhall be the moſt dangerous Doctrines broached, till the Lord ſhall avenge p. 160his truth by a judgment upon the Beaſt, and the falſe Prophet; Gods truth is dear to him, he has exalted his word above all his name; and the opening of his boſome, and publiſhing of truth in the World, has coſt the blood of the Son of God: He could never have been a Prophet, if he had not been a Prieſt, all his offices, and the performance of them depend upon his Prieſthood, and no man ſhall have a benefit by Chriſt as he is a Prophet, or as he is a Prieſt, or as he is a King, that has him not firſt as his Prieſt, and cloſed with him therein; and his word is the great expanſum that God has ſtretched forth over Kingdoms, and Nations. Rom. 10.17. By this he judges them, and hews them, and ſlayeth them, he will not ſuffer the diſhonour of it, nor his people cannot bear it, but Rivers of tears run down, becauſe men keep not the Law of God, and ſo many have ſhed their blood for it, and indured cruel tortures, and mockings, and wandered about the World, to carry the Goſpel, where the ſound of it was not heard; and p. 161if they cannot bear it, ſurely Chriſt himſelf will bear it much leſs: And therefore let me tell you, if a kingdome were as dear unto God as the ſignal upon his right hand, he would pluck it thence and if any people ſhall go about it, to ſet up themſelves, and vent their own Luſts, and do think to accompliſh their ends by cutting down and deſtroying the Scriptures, truly God will not bear it, but that Word ſhall be armed againſt them that they have deſpiſed, and ſhall certainly overtake them; Zac. 1.6. It may lye upon the ground for a while in the eſteem of men, but God will cauſe it again to ariſe, and all the ſtrength of fleſh ſhall fall before it, for it is this word that plants kingdomes and plucks them up; and God will certainly call this nation to an account for his Word that has been abuſed by it, and turned behind our backs, &c.

Thirdly, How ſhould a man keep his judgment pure, that his principles be not corrupted?

Firſt, Get a humble and a ſelf denying heart; There are two great p. 162cauſes of a mans turning unto errour in the Scripture, one is pride and a deſign to be ſome body in matter of knowledg, foreign as Si. Magus, and therefore Col. 2. They be men puffed up by their fleſhly Luſts, ſuperbia eſt mater haereſeus, una eſt intentio omnibus haereticis captare de ſingularitate ſcientiae. Bern. And the other is thereby to compaſs ſome worldly end, ſome worldly Luſt, Rom. 16.19. They ſerve not God but their own Bellies; now that man that ſeeks the truth of God for the truths ſake, and neither to gain honour by it before men, nor to compaſs any other worldly end, he will not eaſily be biaſſed and led away by the errours of the times, and if he ſhould be miſtaken in any thing, we may hope that the truth will be revealed to him in time, though we may ſee him turn aſide for the preſent.

Secondly, Get thy heart filled with the love of the truth, and thou wilt not be eaſily carried from it, for the word being received in a good and honeſt heart, Luk. 8.15.Luke 8:15it doth abide there p. 163and holds out and brings forth fruit with patience; Alexander was a companion with the Apoſtle in his tribulation and ſufferings, and ſuffered great perſecution for the truth of God, and yet proved a Heretick, a bitter enemy unto the Goſpel, a blaſphemer, and what was the reaſon? Becauſe he had not an honeſt heart, nor an inward love unto the Word, that he did teach and profeſs; he put away a good Conſcience, 1 Tim. 1.20.1 Tim 1:20and he did cheriſh himſelf in ſome known ſin, and therefore he did make ſhipwrack of the Faith, 2 Theſ.they were given up to believe that lye, becauſe they received not the truth in the love of it, if we make truth but matter of talk, we ſhall never be able to ſtand faſt in it or profeſs it; if perfecution ariſe for the word ſake, or if falſe Doctrine be ſpread we ſhall be taken with it, for it is not Learning, but Love, that makes a man conſtant unto the Truth; the greateſt Schollars have fallen from it, and have denyed the truth, and the weakeſt have ſtood to it and profeſſed it, in the time when it was perſecuted, and it p. 164is becauſe the one did know much, but the other did love much, they had claimed it as their inheritance, and therefore no wonder they ſtood for it, but other men concern themſelves for it but as Lawyers do other mens evidences, and therefore they care not greatly which way the Cauſe goes when it comes to a hearing and debate; for they have their Fee before hand for their labour; ſo it is eaſie to looſe that out of a mans head, that he never had in his heart, nor never cared to have. &c.

Thirdly, Get your hearts well grounded in the principles of Religiligion, the doctrine that is according to godlineſs, and ſtick to that, there is an foreign, Rom. 12.… foreign, Rom. 6.17. a patern of wholeſome words, 2 Tim. 1.13. and let the foundation be throughly laid, lay ſome truths for granted, do not queſtion all things; for if ſo, it's no wonder if a man deny all things, or if he ever believe and receive any thing, Acts 20.30. there ſhall ariſe of your own ſelves, men ſpeaking perverſe things, to draw away p. 165Deſciples after them, &c. But I commend you to God and the word of his grace, 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. they ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, and many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes, but be mindfull of the words of the Prophets and Apoſtles, give heed to them as to a light ſhining in a dark place, and keep cloſe to the Miniſtry thereof, Epheſ. 4.11. he hath given ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangiliſts, and ſome Paſtures and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, &c. that henceforth we ſhould not be as children; Cant. 1.7.Song 1:7if we would not turn aſide to the flocks of the companions, go forth and feed thy Kids beſide the ſhepherds tents, &c. which I fear is no ſmall ground of the deſign of Satan in decrying the Scriptures and Miniſtry at this day.

Fourthly, Take heed of affecting curioſities in Religion, and to dote upon queſtions that miniſter ſtrife and not edifying; for by theſe many men are ſeduced and ſubverted, indeed p. 166there is no truth of God but is precious, and things revealed belong to us and our children, and whatever things are written are written for our learning, and we ſhould deſire to be filled with all the knowledge of his Will, Col. 1.9.Col 1:9but yet there is a deſire of knowledge that is dangerous even in the things of God; Firſt, when neglecting the great things and they that are neceſſary, all our enquiries run out into niceties and leſſer things, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. as new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, and John 16.12. I have many things to ſay to you, but you cannot bear them now, they will do you harm, they will do you more harm then good; becauſe you are not capable to receive them; Rom 14.1Rom 14:1we read that a man weak in the faith, is not to be admited into doubtfull diſputations, and therefore he ſhould not thruſt himſelf into doubtfull diſputations; Secondly, when men deſire knowledge in the general that is only for knowledge ſake, and not that he may be perfect throughly furniſhed p. 167to every good work, &c. it is the doctrine that is according to godlineſs that we ſhould deſire, and if the end of any thing in Religion be in knowledge only, and it reſts there, thou wilt eaſily be corrupted; for knowledge is the bait with which thou wilt be taken, Col. ….if it be but a ſhow of wiſdom only, which does not lead to practiſe, it will come to nothing; for the end of the truths of God being revealed to us, is not for our talking but doing, not for the ſhowing forth of mens parts, but their graces and vertues.

Fifthly, Receive nothing of Religion upon credit and the authority of man, be he never ſo learned and never ſo holy, Math.call no man father upon Earth, no man Rabbi upon Earth, ſearch the Scriptures, Act. 17.11 John 4.1.Acts 17:11John 4:1try the ſpirits, take nothing upon truſt, its no diſparagement unto the beſt Miniſtry to ſubject their doctrine to the Scriptures, Chriſt himſelf ordered us to ſubject his doctrine to the tryal, ſearch the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life, they teſtifie of me, and by this he p. 168did confirm his doctrine; if once you take things from the authority of man, you ſet the man in the place of Chriſt, and God in judgment may give him up to errour that you may be miſlead by him, who was ſo willing to follow his Commandment: 1 Cor. 12.2. You were caried away with dumb Idols, as you were led; the blind lead the blind, it is an honour due to God, onelyonly to be believed, ex authoritate dicentis. And therefore away with the names of men, I am of Paul, and I of Apollo, &c. For Paul and Apollo, &c. Is nothing but inſtruments by whom you believe; and there cannot be a greater injury to your Teachers, then to ſet them in the place of Chriſt, &c.

Sixthly, Avoid as much as poſſible, Society with thoſe by whom thou mayeſt be drawn to be ſeduced, ceaſe to hear that inſtruction that cauſeth thee to err from the way of knowledge; Prov. 19.27. Perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt minds and deſtitute of the truth, ſuppoſing that gain is godlineſs, 2 Tim. 6.5.from p. 169ſuch withdraw thy ſelf, 1 John 1.10.1 John 1:10receive them not into your houſe, bid them not God ſpeed, have no common familiarity with them, fly from enemies to the truths of God as from a Plague, or elſe if thou dally with them, thou wilt be in danger of being inſnared by them;

Laſtly, Be much in prayer to be preſerved, when ſo many, even the third part of the Stars of Heaven be ſwept down, that thou mayeſt ſtand with the Lamb, and not receive the mark of the Beaſt, when the World wonders after him it is a great mercy; and therefore ſay, Can. 1.7.Lord ſhew me where thou feedeſt, where thou makeſt thy flocks to reſt at noon, for why ſhould I be as one that turneth aſide by the flocks of thy companions, remember it is not parts, nor learning, nor common grace that will ſecure a man from believing lyes; for we ſee men of the greateſt parts commonly are taken, the wits and the diſputers of this World, and it is not a form of godlyneſs, nor a profeſſion of Religion, but it is walking cloſe with God in that profeſſion; we ſee p. 170men in our days that have driven the trade of Religion for many years together, and yet may become but broaken profeſſors, and prove bankrupt at laſt, become the Leaders of ſome new Sect, and there the height of their Religion ends; and if once thy heart ſit looſe in prayer, even in this know thou art immediately in danger to be corrupted and ſeduced, for if once a man ceaſe to pray againſt ſin, thou art in danger to commit it; this is the way for a man to keep his Conſcience pure in the foreign, of it, that his judgment be not defiled: But there is a double miſery, that we do labour under at this time, as there are hereſies and falſe doctrines on the one ſide, and you muſt keep your Conſciences pure from that leaven, ſo alſo there is profaneneſs and all manner of deviliſh practiſes on the other ſide, and men do commonly think by objecting the one to juſtify themſelves in the other, ſome are enemies unto Chriſt in opinion, teaching for doctrines the traditions of men, and there are ſome are enemies to Chriſt in converſation, whoſe p. 171god is their belly, who glory in their ſhame, and give themſelves over unto all exceſs of riot; Chriſt has enemies, even where his kingdom is ſet up: Pſal 110 2Ps 110:2For he muſt rule in the middle of his enemies, the time will come when he ſhall rule over them, but now he rules amongſt them, and thoſe enemies are of three ſorts.

Firſt, Some are Chriſtians but not in purity, as Hereticks and falſe teachers, and ſome are Chriſtians, but not in ſincerity, as hypocrites and thoſe that are falſe hearted; and laſtly ſome are called Chriſtians, but have not ſo much as an external conformity, and ſuch are prophane and all profeſſed workers of iniquity, and there is onelyonly this difference between them; one ſpeaks againſt the Truth, and the other lives againſt the Truth; and ſo all the benefits that we have by having the name of Chriſt called upon us, is this, ad hoatantum preceptorum ſacrorum ſcite cognoſcimus; ut poſt interdict a gravius peccemus. It will be neceſſary therefore that ſomething be ſpoken p. 172to fortifie your ſouls, and to exhort you to keep your Conſciences pure, from principles of prophaneneſs in converſation, as well as principles of hereſy in opinion, for all mens ways are grounded upon the principles with which their mind is ſtored, and by theſe the man walks, and therefore the great work in converſion is to diſtroy mens former principles, and caſt down their ſtrong holds, and bring their foreign reaſonings into ſubjection; lay but theſe two principles in a mans heart, that the Church cannot err, and that the Church of Rome is the true Church onelyonly, and that man though he know not or conſent not unto many of the doctrines of Popery, yet he is a Papiſt in his principles, and theſe will neceſſarily bring in all the reſt, and inforce the man to conſent unto them all, as they ſhall be diſcovered to him; ſo there are certain principles that if they be layd in a mans heart, though he may not walk in many ways of Prophaneneſs, but for ſome reaſons there is a reſtraint upon him, yet he is in his heart a prophane man, p. 173and will be ready to break forth into all the ways of prophaneneſs, as occaſion and opertunity ſhall preſent it ſelf, and the principles are ſuch as theſe.

Firſt, That is the beſt Religion that men do receive by tradition from their Fathers; ſo they in Jer. 44.17. Our Fathers did burn incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and then they had plenty of victuals, but ſince there has been innovations, and changes in Religion, we have never ſeen peace nor a good day: Have any of the nations changed their gods? Jer 2.1…,Jer 2:1That Religion which they have received by inheritance, they take themſelves deeply ingaged to keep cloſe to it, and ſay, will you be wiſer then your fore-fathers, and will you ſay that they have all dyed in errour? and will you condemn all theſe to Hell, as men living in errour, who were counted good men in their generation? When as we know that Chriſt dyed to redeem us from our vain converſation that we received by tradition from our Fathers; and men meerly acquainted with the p. 1741 Pe…. 1.18.Scriptures, do know that God has promiſed unto his people, a greater diſcovery of truth in the latter days, the light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun, Iſa. 26.30.Isa 26:30&c. And the Temple of God ſhall be opened in Heaven, and they ſhall ſee into the ark of the Teſtament, Rev. 11.Rev 11and the Sea of glaſs that was firſt clear, afterwards became as the blood of a dead man, and afterwards a Sea mixed with fire, will be at laſt a clear River of the waters of Life clear as Chriſtal again, and that the Lord will never leave refining and purging Religion, Rev. 22.Rev 22till he has taken of all that filthineſs and defilement of Antichriſt that he hath eaſt upon it: Heb. 12.28.Heb 12:28This ſhall be the gain that we ſhall have by all the ſhaking of the things that are made, a removing of all things in Religion, that have onelyonly the ſtamp and authority of man upon them, which we are to wait and pray for.

Secondly, So much in Religion as will ſtand with a mans credit, profit, and honour in the World, that they can admit of, but it is not good to be ſingular, and too preciſe therein, p. 175this was the principle that was in Jehues heart, ſo much reformation as would eſtabliſh the kingdome unto himſelf and his poſterity, he was zealous for, but no more; but if any thing do croſs that, then men riſe up againſt it, with Demetrius they will not hear of it, for by this craft we get our wealth, &c. As the King of Navar anſwered Beza when he exhorted him to own the Proteſtant Cauſe, and to appear for them, ſeeing he profeſſed to favour them, his anſwer was ſe iſtoc pelago commiſurum, &c. He would ſo far go and ſhew himſelf and Lanch into this Sea, that he would make ſure of a ſafe harbour; ſo men will go no further in Religion then may ſtand with worldly intereſt, and mens policies do ſet bounds unto their piety, as we ſee by woful experience this day, &c. Whereas the Goſpel rule is, that a man muſt in the things of God foreign. Let him utterly deny himſelf, and he that loves Father and Mother more then me, is not worthy of me, God hates that Religion that ſhall coſt men nothing; the Lord calls p. 176for ſingularity in Religion, foreign what ſingular thing do you? and what do you more then others? you talk more, but do you do more and hazard more, &c. As ſingularity in a way of ſin and pride is abominable to God; ſo ſingularity in a way of holineſs is well pleaſing to him; and for ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven prepared, it's a ſtraight gate and a narrow way, and there be few that find it: the Lords flock is a little flock, they are a ſingular Company, they do not walk in the drove with the reſt of the world, but they follow the Lamb whereſoever he goes, through thick and through thin as we uſe to ſay.

Thirdly, They ſay there is no neceſſity of a work of converſion and regeneration as men do talk of; for they that are born in the Church as we all are, we are born in true Religion alſo, it is the Heathens and Papiſts that are to be converted; ſo did the Phariſees think that they needed no repentance, though they could not deny but that they did ſin and in many things offend: therefore p. 177they muſt grant a repentance for particular acts of ſin; but as for that repentence which we call initial, the change of a mans ſtate, that they did conceive the Heathen had need of, but they had not; for they were the ſeed of Abraham, born in the Church, to whom the Covenants did belong, &c. and men ſay there is no ſuch inward power of godlineſs upon the heart as men ſpeak of, contrary to what Chriſt ſayes to Nicodemus, unleſs a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, and that to Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.5. and 1 John. 3.5. Acts 20.18. and yet they dare to ſay that all that profeſs it do but diſſemble, and they are hypocrites, and it is ridiculous for the Church to require ſuch an account of the workings of God upon their hearts before they are admited into the Church fellowſhip, and Miniſters now adays teach their people a canting language, which all are to ſpeak or elſe they are no Church Members, whereas they ſay Religion conſiſts in a fair outward juſt and unblamable carriage before men, they p. 178have a form of godlineſs, as ſayes the Apoſtle, Tim. 2.3.5but deny the power of it; and ſo the phariſees they did juſtifie themſelves before men, they were ſuch as Sepulchres are that were outwardly fair, made clean the outſide only. So theſe are civil men which are the worlds Saints, whereas alſo there is an inward work wanting upon the heart, there is a being changed in the ſpirit of their mind, which they never experienced, a righteouſneſs that exceeds the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, and with out this converting grace all their works are loſt, not tantum peccata ſed & bona opera mortalia.

Fourthly, They ſay it is an eaſie thing to repent, it is but to cry, Lord have mercy upon us, and I am ſorry for my ſin, when I am laid upon my death bed and I can no longer commit it, then I hope I ſhall repent; but Chriſt ſayes its not ſo eaſie to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; it's eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter there, and therefore he bids them ſtrive to enter; Judas p. 179did repent here, and yet he is gone to Hell that is his place, and truly there is and will be repentance enough in Hell, to eternity, if any repentance would ſerve the turne, men may eaſily repent; Acts 5.31.Acts 5:31I but God accepts no repentance but true repentance, and its God only that gives repentance unto life, and being it is in his power, Oh that the day of his power may be upon all that hear me this day that you may not think it ſo eaſie a matter to do this great work, take heed leaſt thy heart be hardened with the deceitfulneſs of ſin.Rom. 2.5.Rom 2:5

Fifthly, They think God is mercifull and count it no hard matter to get the pardon of ſin, and think it not ſo great an evil as it is made out to be; but a godly man that has been convinced of ſin and converted from it, he looks upon ſin as the greateſt evil, and ſees all kind of evil in it, and every ſin to abound in ſinfulneſs, and that there is more evil in it then in Hell it ſelf; for that is but againſt a created good, and this againſt an uncreated good, and the glory of God is dearer then p. 180Heaven and Earth to them. Secondly, The price that was paid to purchaſe our pardon from ſin and defilement, was the blood of Chriſt, we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveneſs of ſins. Thirdly, That all a mans comfort comes in by it, Iſa. 40.1.Isa 40:1ſays God, ſpeak comfortably to her and tell her that her fins are pardoned, be of good cheer for thy ſins are forgiven, and Gods people many of them that walk in bitterneſs all their dayes, and have ſad hearts, and they pray, and their ſouls draw near to the grave: and all this God permits that he might raiſe the price of pardon in their hearts, when he bids them be of good cheer their ſins are forgiven, and then their fleſh comes again as the fleſh of a young child. Theſe and many the like principles of prophaneſs there is in the hearts of men; and theſe being once granted they do bear a great ſway with a man in his whole life.

Thus we have ſeen how to keep a pure Conſcience in reſpect of the principles in mens hearts. Now let us come to the ſecond which is how p. 181to keep Conſcience pure in reſpect of practiſe, and therein two things are to be ſpoken to. Firſt, The notes of a defiled Conſcience. Secondly, Rules how to preſerve it pure from defilement.

Firſt, Marks how to judge of the defilement of a mans Conſcience, as firſt, when a man ſins much againſt knowledge, Tit. 1.15.Titus 1:15and to ſin againſt knowledge is one of the higheſt aggravations of ſin, and it makes every ſin to be preſumptious and qualifies a man; Heb. 10.27Heb 10:27for the great tranſgreſſion if a mans ſin will fully after he has received the knowledge of the truth, if you had been blind you had had no ſin, the Phariſees and the people committed the ſame ſin, they all perſecuted Chriſt; but the Phariſees ſin'd againſt the Holy Ghoſt in it, and the people did it ignorantly and repented; ſins that are ignorantly commited leave a door open to mercy, Paul obtained mercy; for I did it ignorantly in unbelief, yet though he did it ignorantly there was need of mercy, but becauſe he did it ignorantly, therefore there was hope of mercy, there was place for mercy, p. 182and the more the light is of education and example, the greater the ſin, it is a great advantage to have good education, Pro. 22.6. Train up a Child in the way he ſhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, and ſo Pro. 31.1. it was that which his mother taught him; and Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child; and examples do aggravate ſins, Iſa. 26.10. In a Land of uprightneſs will he deal unjuſtly, &c. and Dan. 5. Thou Belſhazzar haſt not humbled thy heart, though thou knoweſt all this; to have a light within a man, as well as example without, to have been once enlightned and taſted of the heavenly gift and then fall away, it's impoſſible to renew them unto repentance, for a man to turn away from profeſſed light, and caſt up his vomit and lick it up again, and as a waſhed Sow return to the myre again, and after many years enquiring of God, return with Saul the Witches. This is a dreadfull ſtate, and ſuch a one had better never to have known the wayes of God, &c.

p. 183Secondly, When a man reſolves to reſerve to himſelf any way of ſinning, Joh 20.12. Some ſweet Morſell, and the man hides it; ſee it in Herod, he did hear John Baptiſt gladly, and did many things, but there was a Herodias that he did reſerve and was reſolved he could not part with it; ſo there is a way of wickedneſs that men will not turne from, as there are fundamentals in faith, and errours in theſe are moſt dangerous to deſtroy the foundation; ſo there are ſome fundamentals in practiſe, and they will ſubvert all, and this is one of the main that a man deny himſelf in every known ſin, pluck out the right eye, and cut off the right hand, and there is no man that is more polluted in the ſight of God, than he that ſpares a right eye or a right hand; for there is no ſin that this one evil reſerved, will not draw him to, Luke 8.13. in the time of temptation he will fall away foreign, as Herod, try him in his darling, and he will turn a perſecutor of that way that before he profeſſed, and Judas in his covetouſneſs p. 182turn'd Devil and betray'd his Maſter.

Thirdly, When men fall often into the ſame ſin, ſee it in Sampſon and Peter, that the Lord lets them fall ſo fouly at the Laſt being inſnared by carnal confidence ſo often; and Jonas was angry again, and again, and juſtified it, when a man makes a ſin his meat and drink, the comfort of his life comes in by it from day to day, it's a ſad ſign.

Fourthly; with the more hardneſs of heart, and with the leſs relenting ſin is committed, and the longer he can lye in it unrepented of, as we ſee it in Judas, he was told of the evil and danger of it, it had been good for him if he never had been born, and yet he goes out and ſaith, What will you give me? and ſome good men as David and Solomon, yet lay long in a way of ſinning; the ſooner a man riſeth after falls, and a mans heart ſmites him as Davids did, the more pure is that mans Conſcience in the ſight of God, to be paſt feeling, and for men to give themſelves up to uncleanneſs, Eph. 4.19.Eph 4:19it's p. 183a ſad ſign of a ſear'd Conſcience, 1 Tim. 4.2,1 Tim 4:2&c.

Fifthly, When a temptation takes ſpeedily with a man, John 13.27.30. Chriſt did give Judas a Sop, which was a ſignal to give Satan a farther poſſeſſion of him, and he follows the temptation; but after that he went immediately out, there was no more conſultation; ſo the ſooner alſo that motions to duty prevail with a man, the more pure his Conſcience is, when the Lord ſayes, ſeek you my face, the Soul preſently anſwers, thy face Lord will I ſeek, the ſpirit ſayes come, and the Bride ſayes come; and the ſooner motions to ſin take with a man, the more impure and defiled is his Conſcience, Pro. 7.23. He no ſooner ſaw a Harlot, but he went after her ſtraight way; their hearts are hot as an Oven, &c.

Sixthly, The more a man plots iniquity, and dothdeliberate it before hand, makes pro viſion for the fleſh, the adulterer waits for the twy-light, Rom. 13.14.Rom 13:14and he doth lye in wait at his neighbours door, when men dig deep for wayes how to accompliſh that that is p. 184evil, the more men exerciſe their wits in ſin, and the more deviliſh wiſdom is in it to commit iniquity by counſell and advice, is the wiſdom of the fleſh, ingenioſe nequam; as Pharaoh, men will deſtroy the juſt by cruelty, and yet deal wiſely, and Julian by clemency, yet deal wiſely, let them enjoy their liberty by corrupting them by liberty, and in peace deſtroy them, God abhors plotted wickedneſs, and ſurely God will bring it to nought and confound men by it.

Seventhly, When men watch oppertunities of ſinning and be glad ofthem, and be ſorry for the loſs of them at any time, as Judas ſought oppertunity to betray Chriſt, Prov. 7.Prov 7and the Harlot is glad of the opportunity, The good man is gene fromhome, and has taken a Sum of moneywith him, and will not return till thetime appointed, come let us take ourfill of Love; and Joſeph's Miſtreſs when none of the men of the houſe were within, and Judas when the Oyntment was poured out, he was p. 185ſorry for the waſt, that he loſt ſuch an opportunity, and Gehazy my Maſter has let him go with all thoſe fine things, but as the Lord lives I will go and get ſomething of him, and what did he get but a foul diſeaſe, &c.

Eightly, When much means are uſed to keep men from ſin and they avail not, but men do break through all, and will commit ſin, when men have been often admoniſhed, Pro. 29.1. and often afflicted, Pro. 29.1.Prov 29:1God will hedge up their way with thornes, and yet they will follow after their Lovers, Hoſ. 2.6Hos 2:6God doth take many courſes to make ſin difficult unto a man, a hedge of thornes, and yet the man follows after it ſtill; Pro. 13.19Prov 13:19Balaam a man would have thought Gods forbidding him firſt, and then the difficulties that lay in his way ſhould have hindred him, and though he would ſtill be trying to diſpleaſe God, yet ſtill God held a hand upon his Conſcience, nevertheleſs Balaam ran greedily after the wayes of unrighteouſneſs, when men cannot endure to be reproved; Aſa was a godly man, yet p. 186his Conſcience was in an evil frame, he could not bear a reproof; nay, when men wait and lay ſnares for him that reproves in the gate, &c. It is a ſign of a ſeared Conſcience; &c.

Ninthly, When men grow impudent and ſhameleſs in evil, for there is a ſhame that doth keep men from ſome ſins, ſome kind of awe and reſpects before men, Gen. 15.16.Gen 15:16but there is a fullneſs of ſin, and impudency, and obſtinacy makes it up, when men have a Whores forehead that cannot bluſh, they are not aſhamed of ſin, nay, they glory in their ſhame, and ſpeak of it with rejoycing; pudet non eſſe impudentem, the unjuſt know no ſhame.

Laſtly, When men are not affected with, and not afraid of ſpiritual judgments, it's the higheſt and the greateſt wrath that can befall a man: vae illis ad quorum peccata connivet Deus. Luther.Ephraim is joyned to Idols, Let him alone; why ſhould they be ſmiten any more? they will revolt more and more, I will not puniſh your daughters when they commit adultery ſaies the Lord; non parcit p. 187propitius; parcit iratus. Auſt.O ſervum illum beatum, Tertul.cui deus dignatur iraſci: The laſt ſentence of the Church is Anathama Maranatha, and ſo it is here alſo. Now there is nothing the people of God are more affected with then ſpiritual judgment; to be given up to a hard heart, to a blind mind, and a ſpirit of ſlumber, they are troubled at; nothing more wounds upon a mans eſtate, or his name, lyes not ſo heavy upon his ſpirit, nay he would chuſe all outward evils rather, this is a ſtrange and terrible work of God in judgment, pouring out upon a man a ſpirit of a deep ſleep, and for men not to be troubled, that they are not troubled, it is an argument of a very polluted Conſcience. 1 Cor. Durum eſt quod ſeipſum non exhorret.Bern.

Secondly, Now to give ſome rules how a man ſhould do to keep a good Conſcience in all things.

Firſt, Set a high price upon a good Conſcience, as being the excellency of the man, which will bear up a man againſt all evils that men or devils p. 188can do to him; 2 Cor. 1.12.2 Cor 1:12ſays the Apoſtle this is our rejoycing, that in godly ſimplicity, we have had our converſation in the world, and 'tis this that gives a man boldneſs in the preſence of God, if our hearts condem us not, we have boldneſs in his ſight, a man that has a good Conſcience, ſhall lift up his face without ſpot even before God; a good Conſcience it is a continual feaſt, it cheers a man in the worſt times, and his Conſcience can never be freed from guilt, that is not (in deſire at leaſt) freed from defilement, for Chriſt came by water and by bloud, and upon our Conſciences he ſprinkles bloud, and ſprinkles upon them clean water alſo.

Secondly, Come to the Laver, repent dayly, judg your ſelves dayly, and apply the blood of Chriſt, which can onelyonly purge the Conſcience, and do it dayly, for the longer any ſin lyes upon the Conſcience, the more unclean that Conſcience is; it is compaired unto a Fountain that doth dayly work out the mud, M…t. 12.15.and doth not let it reſt there at all, but immediately p. 189works againſt it, to a renewed Conſcience, all ſin is as a mote in the eye, and a beam, he can have no quiet till it be out, but ſin in a natural Conſcience, it is not burthenſome though men add iniquity to iniquity, can eaſily ſlip into ſin without any remorſe, whereas we are not to give place to the Devil, no not one hour, Peter after he had ſin'd, ſtraightway he went out and wept bitterly, Oh! when any ſin lies upon the Conſcience, be ſure that it will defile thee more; therefore make haſt, and work it out, this delay of purging the Conſcience, is an evil may be found in the beſt men, it coſt David broken bones, and great perplexity, thefore we ſhould be the more careful to come to the Laver of regeneration.

Thirdly, Do not deſpiſe the checks of Conſcience, but mind that Light within you, when it reproves for fins, either of omiſſion, or commiſſion, do not turn the deaf ear; Davids heart ſmote him, and he took notice of it, and Chriſt himſelf, my reins chaſten me to inſtruct me in the p. 190Pſal. 16.7.Ps 16:7night ſeaſon, &c. For let me tell you that any motion of a mans Conſcience ſlighted, it is thereby defiled, for it ſpeaks in the name of God, and not any word of God, nor any admonition of Conſcience, ſhould we paſs by without regard, for Conſcience is in the place of God in the man.

Fourthly, Let it be your conſtant deſire, and your dayly exerciſe, to live honeſtly in all things according to that of the Apoſtle; Heb. 13.18. And truly therein the goodneſs of a mans Conſcience is ſeen, and Acts 24.16. In this I exerciſe my ſelf to have always a Conſcience void of offence, toward God and toward men, Satan doth caſt defilement into the Conſcience dayly, and therefore there is nothing that a man ſhould be imployed in more, then to keep a good Conſcience dayly in all things; and truly it is the great ſhame of many, that will take upon them the name of Religion, yet are defective in this in a great meaſure, that it may be ſaid of them, they do not labour in all things to keep a good Conſcience.

p. 191Fiſthly, Take heed of ſome ſpecial ſins, that above others do moſt defile the Conſcience, though indeed all ſins defile the Conſcience; but ſome ſins are of a more bewitching, and a more defiling nature then others. as,

Firſt, Secret ſins will provoke God to give thee up to the judgment of a defiled Conſcience; as he did Judas, becauſe he was a Devil.

Secondly, Idolatry, Take heed of hankering after that abomination, either to worſhip an Idol, a falſe god, or the true God in a falſe manner, and it is this laſt that you are moſt in danger of; therefore let it not be ſaid of any of you, you know not what you worſhip; but be able to ſay, we know what we worſhip, and how we worſhip God, in ſpirit and truth, and do not ſet up mans poſt by Gods poſt; away with all traditious, and inventions of men, in the worſhip of God: If you would keep Gods preſence, obſerve his order; let all be done according to the pattern, to the Law, and to the Teſtament, &c. Elſe God may in p. 192juſt judgment, ſend us ſtrong deluſions to believe lies; which I fear is like to befall many of this nation, who have not received the truth, in ths love of it.

Thirdly, Take heed of drunkenneſs and Whoredome; Hoſ. 14.12. Whoredome, and Wine, and new Wine, Prov 2.19.Prov 2:19take away thy heart; none that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of Life, &c. Flee fornication and be not drunk with Wine, there is a woe to the drunkards; &c. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Theſe ſins beſot men, &c.

Laſtly, Be much in a ſecret judging of your ſelves, and in a private examination, Hag. 1.7.Hag 1:7the Lord ſaith conſider your ways, and ſet your hearts upon them, and turn in upon your actions and overlook them again, bring them to the Light, prove your ſelves, and judge your ſelves, and do it often, there is a daily judicatory to be erected, a cultus conſcientiae, which a man ſhould be buſied about every day, Matt. 25.7. Then all thoſe Virgins aroſe and trimmed their p. 193lamps; the wiſe as well as the fooliſh, &c. Ego de terrenis negotiis ſimpliciter accipio. Calv. Whileſt men are in this World, there is a daily defilement that will cleave unto them, a ſquallor, there will be ſomething out of order, that there muſt be a daily and a continual triming, the wiſe as well as the fooliſh Virgins muſt be found in it, and truely if a man neglects it but a while, and keeps not a conſtant courſe in it, a man ſhall find a ſtrange averſeneſs in his ſpirit thereunto all his life after; for the way to ſin's defilement, is mainly by inſenſibleneſs, a man is hardened by the deceitfulneſs of ſin, and walks with God at a venture; and truely if Satan brings a man to that once, he hath prevailed very farr, and will exceedingly defile the man.

We have ſpoken of keeping a good Conſcience foreign towards God, let us now come to conſider alſo what it is for a man to keep a good Conſcience towards man; for both theſe muſt go together, he muſt keep a good Conſcience in all things, as was hinted formerly, and be holy p. 194foreign; for a dead fly ſpoils the whole Box of Oyntment, and a good Conſcience is like to the eye, it hates motes, and they diſquiet it as well as beams: It's an errour in the common ſort of men to think all Religion lyes in their juſt and upright carriage towards men, as the Phariſees did, and to ſuch I ſay doth your righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the cribes and Phariſees, if not, you ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of God, &c. Indeed there is a civil honeſty, a ſweet and an ingenious carriage towards men, that is very lovely, and theſe are commonly called the worlds Saints, and indeed they have nothing amongſt them appears ſo pleaſing; Mar. 10.21.Mark 10:21Chriſt loved the young man, and yet peculiar Grace he had none; for he was under the reigning power of covetouſneſs, and therefore there was ſomething in him that was more general, for which Chriſt loved him, he had reſtraining grace, and a ſweet outward carriage; that even the ſpirit of God had wrought in him, habent & filii concubinarum ſua munera, &c. and yet p. 195Chriſt ſaid to him, for all theſe accompliſhments one thing thou lackeſt, &c. and if thou walk never ſo uprightly before men, that thou be eſteemed the worlds Saint, and thou couldeſt bring a teſtimony of thy good behaviour from all the ingenious men of thy age, yet without an inward work of grace and regeneration, and a heart inlivened by a ſpirit of faith, ſo that all theſe works flow from union with Chriſt, and from a principle of love wrought in thee to God, truly all that thou doſt is abominable to God, in non renatis non ſolum peccata ſed & bona opera ſunt mortalia, for fides eſt caput bonorum operum, and if that be wanting, all of it is but nature improved, and new dreſſed, and ſo can never pleaſe God, ſemen naturae non conſurgit in fructum gratiae; for a mans duties do proceed from the ſame principles that his ſins do, and there muſt be a renewing in the ſpirit of his mind before God accepts any ſervice of him.

And there are ſome men do turn to the other extream, and they ſay that all obedience is mainly towards p. 196God, and therefore they are much in prayer and hearing, and run from Ordinance to Ordinance, and they do ſpeak much alſo of keeping a good Conſcience before God; but yet they are negligent and looſe in their carriages towards men, they are as cenſorious and unjuſt and deceitfull buſie-bodies in other mens matters, proud, boaſters, falſe accuſers, whiſperers, &c. Yet theſe men would paſs for Saints, and think themſelves in the higheſt form of profeſſors: Now this is a ſure rule, a pure Conſcience though he cannot keep all the commandments of God, yet he has a reſpect unto them all, as Pſal. 119.6. with a care to walk anſwerable unto them, and there is none that he doth wholly neglect, as the word in the Hebrew ſignifies that man therefore whoſe profeſſion for God is never ſo high, and talkes never ſo much of having a good heart to Gods word, and would be accounted in his religious duties even Angelical, he prays much, hears much, faſts much, &c. Yet if he practiſe it not in his particular place, p. 197in his relations, in his ſhop, in his dealings with a man, I ſhall ſtrongly ſuſpect that man of hallowneſs and hypocriſie; how ever he may tip his Tongue like a Saint, yet he may boldly be reckoned amongſt the ſinners, and ſuch are ſpots in our feaſts, &c.

Now, To ſtir you up to this Duty of keeping a good Conſcience towards men, let me exhort you to obſerve theſe particulars.

Firſt, Take ſpecial care of the ſouls that are committed to your charge; parents have the ſouls of their children committed to their charge, and Miniſters of their people, and Magiſtrates and Maſters in their places alſo, and of the Talents that God has committed to your truſt in this World; next to your own Souls, are the Souls of others, the more any loves his wife, and child, and friend, &c. The more he will labour to bring them in love with grace, and the ways of of God, Prov. 4.3. He was beloved of his Father, he taught me alſo, &c. Prov. 1.1.Prov 1:1Tender and onelyonly beloved of my Mother: The words of King Lemuel, the Propheſie that his Mother p. 198taught him. and 1 Pet. 1.1.2. That if any obey not the Word, they alſo may without the Word, be won by the converſation of the wives. &c. The more the Wife loves the Husband, the more ſhe endeavours to win him, &c. It is poſſible the great cut unto Adams conſcience was, that by ſin he not onelyonly deſtroyed himſelf, but his poſterity; Bern.non parentes ſed peremptores, a ſad parting to hear a child ſay, when he is lanching into eternity, a cruel Father haſt thou been to me, in neglecting to inſtruct me for the ſalvation of my ſoul; and for a Wife to ſay, a bloody Husband haſt thou been to me, and a bloody Miniſter haſt thou been to me, for thou haſt ſold ſouls for gain, Ezech. 13.10. Becauſe they have ſeduced my people, Rev. 18.13.Rev 18:13ſaying peace and there was no peace, and one built a Wall, and loe others daubed it with untempered morter. &c. They made ſouls of men their Merchandiſe, &c. Indeed there be many men that gain by the loſs of ſouls, as Act. 19.24. When the Devil was caſt out, they were highly offended to hear ſouls ſhould be ſaved, p. 199becauſe the hope of their gain was gone.

Secondly, If you would keep a good Conſcience towards all men, do not bear ſin for them, either by not mourning for them, or by not reproving them, when they ſin againſt God. Firſt, By not mourning for them; It was an excellent frame in the Pſalmiſt, my eyes guſh out rivers of water, becauſe men keep not thy Law: Secondly, By not reproving them, Lev. 19.17. Thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke thy neighbour, and not ſuffer ſin upon him. &c. It is ſad to bear the ſins of other men, remember thou haſt enough of thy own, ab alienis meis libera me Domine.Auſt.

It may be thou ſhalt be counted moroſe and unſociable, but malo famam boni viri perdere quam Conſcientiam; and which will be better at the laſt day, when men ſhall ſay euge bone ſocie, or Chriſt, bone ſerve? But men think they ſhall get ill will for their pains, and there is little good like to come on it, and ſo men ſhift off their Duty: …ut hear what Job ſays of p. 200himſelf; Job. 31.34.Job 31:34Did I fear a multitude, … did the contempt of families terifie me that I kept ſilence? There is a ſinful and curſed ſilence that all good hearts ſhould be afraid of, when the glory of God, and the good of ſouls is in danger, then is the ſeaſon ſpecially for all the upright of heart to rebuke for ſin, thoſe that God has pu… under their care; and to mourne for what they cannot help: Though we cannot be reprovers of all ſinners, yet we may be mourners for all ſinners.

Thirdly, Do not get an eſtate unjuſtly, by falſiſying of publick truſt, or elſe by ſecret defrauding, or going beyond thy brother, for the iſſue of it will be, the ruſt of the ſilver you ſo get ſhall be a witneſs againſt you; Joh. 5.3.John 5:3and the cry of the oppreſſed enters into the ears of the Lord, &c. Woe to him that builds a town with blood, Job. 31.38.Job 31:38the Stones out of the Wall ſhall cry out againſt him, and that hath the labour of the hireling without wages, and makes a prey upon the neceſſities of men; &c. Naboths Vineyard, ſtuck in Ahabs Conſcience, and Judas Thirty pieces alſo, it being p. 201the price of blood, it terrified him, ſo that he choſe ſtrangling rather then bear the guilt of it, he had lucrum in crumena, but Gehennam in Conſcientia.

Fourthly, If you have wronged any one reſtore it; for that unjuſt gain lyes upon thy Conſcience, and God will make thee vomit it up, he will pluck it out of thy belly, Conſcience will never be at eaſe till then; for as long as a man retains it he does juſtifie his ſin and does every day commit it: N…h. 5.11.therefore make haſte and reſtore whatever thou haſt got unjuſtly and by indirect means, Zacheus reſtored it four-fold, go you and do likewiſe, Herod could not repent, keep his Herodias, non remittitur peocatum, &c. Mic. 6.10.Mic 6:10And God takes it ill that men do not, and what doth the Lord require of thee but to ſhew mercy, &c. Are there yet the treaſures of wickedneſs in the houſe of the wicked; I will puniſh all thoſe that leap on the threſhold, which fill their maſters houſes with violence and deceit, &c.Zeph. 1.3.Zeph 1:3

Fifthly, Take heed of the neglect p. 202of doing good to others; rich men have an oppertunity of doing good to others, and look you do it; for riches do not always laſt, they are this worlds goods. and take to themſelves wings and fly from one place to another, make therefore friends of the unrighteous Mammon, &c. And great men have an opportunity to lift up their hand for the fatherleſs, and to reſtore the needy to their right, and oh that it were more the aim of great men that are ſo ambitious of honour, and high places in the world, that they may be reſtorers of breaches, and a help to the needy and helpleſs, that juſtice and righteouſneſs may take place, then there would not ſo many have contempt poured upon them as now there is, and God will ſtill overturne, overturne, till there be no complaint in the midſt of us; and how bitter will the remembrance of them be, that have had a hand to do good, and yet wanted a heart? as it was in Jehu's time, he took no heed to walk in the way of God with all his heart; ſo many a man may ſay, time was p. 203when I might have reformed Religion, had not my Policy given Laws to my Piety, and my deſire to ſet up my ſelf, hindred me from exalting God: Phineas was zealous for God, and a covenant of peace was made with him: Nehemiah did reform profaneſs and the Lord remembred him in goodneſs, &c.

Now when men will not uſe their authority for God, but he is diſhonoured, and the ſouls of men are deſtroyed, and the needy are ſold for a pair of Shooes, and their poſſeſſors ſlay them, and think themſelves not guilty, and every man does what is good in his own ſight, and there is none to put them to ſhame, the the Lord will remove the Diadem, &c. and caſt down the mighty from their ſeat, and will exalt the humble and lowly.

Sixthly, Keep a good Conſcience towards enemies, Job 3.129, 30.Job 3:129Job 3:30it was a brave temper in Job, If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that hated me, or lift up my ſelf when evil found him, &c. and our Saviour bids us, Mat. 5.44.Matt 5:44pray for them that deſpightfully uſe you, and p. 204perſecute you, &c. forgive them, and be willing to do them good, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; for in ſo doing thou ſhalt heap coals of fire on his head, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good, if they be thy enemies without a cauſe, or for telling them the truth, they are more their own enemies then thine, therefore pity them.

The accidental part, or leſs principal part, of the torments of Hell we have hear, under the Metaphor of the never dying Worm: And now I come unto the principal part, and that which is eſſential to it, and that is the fire that never can be quenched, and here I muſt mind you of what Chriſt ſayes, Joh. 3.12.John 3:12I have ſpoken to you Earthly things, and you believe not Spiritual things under Earthly reſemblances; for our weak eyes need to have the ſpecies condenſed by ſuch ſpectacles as theſe are, spiritualia capere non poſſumus niſi adumbrata, &c. How ſhall you believe if I tell you of Heavenly, eſpecially when the joys of Heaven and the pains of Hell are laid down p. 205in any meaſure before you, this latter I am now to ſpeak to, the fire which cannot be quenched; it's a thing diſputed amongſt Divines, and the fathers of old have differ'd in it, and the Schoolmen after them, whether the fire by which the damned in Hell ſhall be tormented, be not Material and Corporeal fire, but Metaphorical only, ſome of them ſay that it is Corporeal, and of the ſame nature with that fire we have here; becauſe it muſt torment the bodies of men, and others ſay that it cannot be Corporeal; for then it cannot work upon Spirits, as the Devils, and the Souls of men are, and hence Durandus and others have found out a way, that by the power of God he can elevate Corporeal agents in their operations; ſo that they ſhall work upon Spiritual ſub…ances, and as the Soul is affected here by its union with the body, ſo it ſhall be hereafter, &c.

But theſe things ſeem not at all to agree with the word of God, nor the manner of the ſpeaking of the Spirit of God therein, p. 206who hath wholly expreſſed Heaven and Hell to us by Metaphors; becauſe in its proper Speech, and if the Lord ſhould ſpeak of things as they are, we could not underſtand them, it's queſtioned by ſome Divines by what names the eſtate and condition of the damned was expreſſed in the Old Teſtament, and it is wholly reſolved into certain Metaphors, taken from ſome exemplary acts of vengeance upon ſinners; the firſt remarkable judgment that came upon the world was the Deluge, now we read in Gen. 6. Of Giants that were in the Earth, men of renown, whoſe wickedneſs was ſo great upon the Earth that the Lord repented that he had made man, and takes up a reſolution in judgment to deſtroy them that he had created from the Earth, and theſe being the firſt that did eminently and remarkably periſh, therefore Pro. 21.16. 'tis ſaid, The man that wanders out of the way of underſtarding, ſhall remain in the Congregation of the dead, the Hebrew word is foreign, the place receives its name from thoſe wicked men, who p. 207were in the eyes of all men remarkably the firſt inhabitants, and this is conceived to be the firſt title that in Scripture is any where given to the place of the damned, the next judgment was the deſtruction of Sodom, God condemning them with an overthrow, and turning it into a dead Sea, a fiery and Sulphurious Lake where every thing dyes, nor can any thing live in it, and a ſmoak that continually aſcends up, and by that alſo in Scripture Hell is expreſſed, the Lake that burns with fire and Brimſtone for ever, and it is Jude 7. ſuffering the vengeance of Eternal fire. There is another expreſſion of it that is very famous; there was near Jeruſalem a place that was called Tophet as Schal. conceives from foreign Tympano; becauſe of the ſeveral Muſical Inſtruments, that were uſed there when the Jews did ſacrifice their children unto Molech and burnt them, cauſed them to paſs through the fire unto the Devil, and to teſtifie that they did it from the heart, though they were never ſo dear, yet they muſt rejoyce in it, and p. 208dance at the ſacrifice, it was the Valley of the ſons of Himon, this place was thus polluted by ſin, and with the blood of men poor inocent ones. And this place of Idolatry Joſiah did pollute, and commanded all the dead bodies and all the unclean things of the City to be caſt therein, and for the conſuming of thoſe a continual fire was kept there, and God did execute ſpecial vengeance in this place; becauſe in it the Lord deſtroyed 185000. of the Aſſyrian Camp, and there the Jews were ſlain themſelves, when the Babyloniſh Army took the City, and hence Iſa. 30. and laſt verſe; For Tophet is ordained of old, yea for the King it is prepared, he has made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire, and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of Brimſtone doth kindle it; this place that was ſo famous for judgment and vengeance is uſed to expreſs the torments of Hell the place of the damned, it is called Tophet, and hence alſo I conceive the Word foreign hath its name from Himon; for the greatneſs of the miſery it is p. 209called foreign the grave and deſtruction, Pro. 15.11. There is nothing done in Hell and in the bottomleſs pit, but it is open to the Lord, he knows and orders all in it, and therefore is the Devil called Abadon the deſtroyer for the terror and unquietneſs thereof, it is called foreign, 2 Pet. 2.4. from foreign which ſignifies to trouble, vex and diſquiet a man, and its called for the uncomfortableneſs, and continual fear of it darkneſs, by which all miſery is expreſſed in the Scripture, and to ſet forth the perfection of it, it is called utter darkneſs, Mat. 8.12. but the children of the Kingdom ſhall be caſt out into utter darkneſs, &c. That is extra Eccleſiam & regnum Chriſti; for the Kingdom of God is an inheritance in light, Col. 1.12. ſo all the miſeries of men without Chriſt are called darkneſs, and a darkneſs that is without, even there where all the wicked of the world ſhall be, ſo Cartwright, and ſome think that it is Comparativum Superlativi loco, and it ſignifies maximas & profundiſmas, and ſo Pareus, &c. And for the eternity of it its called the deep, p. 210Luke 8.31. and Rev. 9.1. The Well or the deep. or the bottomleſs pit; becauſe a mans eſtate there is eternal, there is no changing, a man ſinks into a bottomleſs pit, where there is no hope that ever a man ſhall riſe again, a great gulf there is, and there is no changing of a mans ſtate ſo ever; Thus doth the ſpirit of God in Scripture by Metaphors of all ſorts of things that are dreadfull unto ſence ſet forth the condition of the damned and the torments that he has reſerved for them in the life to come.

Thus we ſee that God has done al… in a Metaphorical way, and by borrowed expreſſions, and ſo I conceive it is in this place, and therefore it will be neceſſary that we do inquire what the Lord doth uſually expreſ… by fire in Scripture, and thereby w… ſhall find out the meaning of th… fire in the text, that never ſhall b… quenched, I find in Scripture many things expreſſed by fire, but to ou… preſent purpoſe eſpecially theſe two firſt the wrath and diſpleaſure of the great God, which does break forth upon men as fire upon ſtubble, and p. 211and ſo it's expreſſed in Deut. 4.24. Heb. 12. laſt.Heb 12The Lord thy God is a conſuming fire; and it is ſaid, that the light of Iſrael ſhall be for a fire, &c. The ſame God that is a fire for light unto his people, comforting them, and ſhinein upon them, the ſame ignis vorans to his enemies, as briars and thorns in one day, ſo Deut. 32.22. For a fire is kindled in my anger, and ſhall burn to the loweſt Hell; foreign there is a grave where the bodies of men are buried, but there is alſo a lower grave, and a deeper deſtruction for their ſouls, therefore is the wrath of God in Scripture commonly expreſſed by fire.

Secondly, By the fruits and effects of wrath, all miſeries and calamities that come upon men whatſoever, Pſal. 66.12. Thou haſt cauſed men to ride over our heads, we went thorow fire and water, all manner of miſeries; thou broughteſt us forth into a wealthy place; &c. Through the wrath of the Lord, is the Land darkened: &c. Iſa. 2.19.Isa 2:19And the people ſhall be as fewel for the fire, and ſo Glauſius does expound that place, Iſa. 24.15. p. 212Wherefore glorifie the Lord in the fire, foreign he had ſpoken of great afflictions that God would bring upon the people, even deſolation and deſtruction, but yet the Lord will not make a full end, ſome ſhall be left, as the ſhaking of an Olive-tree, and as the Grape gleanings after the Vintage; and they ſhall ſing for the Majeſty of the Lord, and ſhall glorify the Lord in the fires, in all thoſe ſad things and tokens of his wrath that have come upon other men in their ſight, and yet they have been preſerved even in the fires.

By fire, Here I conceive to be meant, all the poſitive part of the torments of Hell; and becauſe they are not onelyonly upon the ſoul, but alſo upon the body; as in Heaven there ſhall be all bodyly perfections, ſo there ſhall be alſo in Hell, all bodily miſeries, whatſoever may make a man perfectly miſerable: Therefore the wrath of God, and all the poſitive effects of this wrath, is here meant by fire. Firſt, To begin with the wrath of God, and that is the fire that is here meant; and hence the Doctrine is this.

p. 213That it is the wrath of God in Hell, Doct. that ſhall be the great Tormentor, the immediate Executioner; Here God doth puniſh men by the creatures, but hereafter, they ſhall fall immediately into the hands of the living God.

This we ſhall prove by theſe arguments and demonſtrations.

Firſt, After this life God ſhall be be all in all, as it is ſaid 1 Cor. 15.28. In this life, all Gods diſpenſations are by the creatures, he governs by them, by Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, and Angels, and alſo he doth permit the Devils to have power and dominion, but he will then put down all rule and authority, and power, not onelyonly Magiſtrates and Miniſters, but even Angels and Devils; when the diſpenſatory kingdome of Chriſt in this World ſhall have an end, then all theſe creature-adminiſtrations ſhall ceaſe, no more comforts by ordinances and Relations, no more miſeries by enimies, but God ſhall be all in all, either in mercy or in wrath, and all the miſery of the creatures ſhall be from hence, Rom. 9.22. It is to ſhew his p. 214wrath, and to make his power known, 2 Theſ. 1.92 Thess 1:9puniſhed with eternal deſtruction from the preſence of God, and the glory of his power; therefore as in Heaven the comforts of ſouls ſhall come in mainly from God imediately, ſo in Hell ſhall their terrour alſo; for all the comfort of the creatures ſhall ceaſe, and it is the wrath of God immediately, that ſhall be the great torment.

Secondly, After this Life, God doth intend to diſpence all his wrath and to ſhow it forth as the wrath of a God, Pſal. 78.38. And if he will do ſo, he muſt do it immediately, as it Heaven, if he will ſhew forth the love of a God he muſt do it immediately, and therefore though God could comfort a man exceedingly by the creatures; yet they are to mean to teſtifie Gods Love, Eccleſ. 9 1. There is no creature that is a veſſel, that car receiven all the Love of God, and empty it into the man; ſo he cannot know hacred, for there is no creature can be …, able to receive all the …, and therefore as in Heaven there ſhall be ſomething p. 215beyond all creature comforts, ſo in Hell ſhall be ſomething beyond all created miſeries; Therefore Rom. 9.22. They be called veſſels of wrath, that God made to receive it.

Thirdly, The wrath of God after this Life, ſhall he ſuch as paſſeth knowledge, and paſſeth fear; Who knows the power of thy wrath? Pſal. 90.11Ps 90:11Now there is no creature can fill the Soul, all the goodneſs that is in the creature, cannot ſatisfie the hope of man, and all the evil in the creature cannot ſatisfie the fears of man; there will ſtill be ſomething that will go beyond a mans knowledg, and that a mans fears will go beyond; and therefore we commonly ſay, men are more feard then hurt: But in Heaven as the ſoul will be ſatisfied beyond all the good of the creatures, and that beyond a mans hopes, for the Lord will come to be admired in his Saints. Now, 2 Theſ. 1.2 Thess 1Admiration is the overplus of Expectation; ſo in Hell, the Soul will be filled with torment, beyond what was or can be apprehended in the creatures, and as the good will paſs a mans hopes, ſo will the evil in p. 216Hell, paſs a mans fears; but this cannot be in the creature, for the good of it cannot paſs the one, and all the evil of it cannot go beyond the other; and therefore if a mans comforts were only created, all the comforts in the World, would not make up Heaven or happineſs, for they are but created; ſo if a mans miſeries after this Life, were only in the creatures, all created miſeries would never make Hell; but ſtill the Soul would live under them all: But it is only under the wrath of the great God, that the ſoul dies.

Fourthly, Conſider the torments of the Devils, whence is all their Torments now? For Jude tells us they are reſerved in everlaſting chains, under darkneſs, unto the judgment of the great day, &c. And they are not wholy freed: Now, Doth God apply any creature to this work? Mar. 8.29.Mark 8:29Doeſt thou come to torment us before the time? There was nothing tormented them, but his preſence and power, &c. And this wrung from them this great complaint. Now, they do not torment themſelves p. 217though they have a Conſcience, yet this is not the great tormenter, and we do not read that they are executioners one of another, or that God doth uſe the miniſtry of the good Angels in the puniſhment of the evil, though the good Angels ſtrive with them for the preſervation of the Saints, now what Creature has power enough to torment the Devils? ſuch great and mighty Creatures as they are, ſurely it is nothing elſe but the wrath and indignation of the great God, which is the fire that is reſerved for the Devil and his Angels, to be made objects of, and lye under for ever, this the Lord doth ſuſpend here in this life by the Kingdom of Chriſt; becauſe now there is a time of patience, and the Lord has ſervice to imploy them in, as veſſels of diſhonour, which if they ſhould lye under the wrath of God perfectly poured out, they would not be able to perform, and therefore the Lord doth forbear them, that at laſt wrath may come upon them to the uttermoſt.