The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 3

The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints · Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 3

p. 77REV. 3. 2.

Be watchful therefore and ſtrengthen the things which remain, &c.

STrengthen the things which remain; As who ſhould ſay, thou haſt ſome grace in thee, but what grace? nothing but the remainder of a great deal; more thou haſt had formerly; thou haſt been more earneſt, and more fruitful, and haſt abounded in the work of the Lord, thou haſt had more a great deal, thou art horribly grown down the wind, thou haſt nothing but the remainders of what thou hadſt, therefore it is high time for thee to go and ſtrengthen the things that remain.

Now here by the way, before we come to the main point, we may obſerveA child of God cannot fall from grace. That a child of God cannot fall totally away; there will be ever ſomething that remains; though he may loſe much of his good graces, he cannot loſe all; though Sardis was brought to a low ebbe, yet there was ſomething remaining; I ſay, a child of God can never come to ſuch a low paſs, but he ſhall have ſomething remaining; he may have horrible declinings, and woful decayings of grace, but he can never come to this paſſe, to have no grace, no faith, no love to God, no ca…e of his name, to be a wicked man again, there will be ſomething remaining in him that is good; as we may ſee, 1 J…hn 3. 9. Whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not, for the ſeed of God rem…ineth in him; a child of God that is born of God cannot ſin, that is, he cannot abſolutely and totally fall away, there will be good things in him as long as he lives, there will be a ſeed remaining in him for ever; he can never be a bankrupt, and come to nothing; he ſhall be a godly man, and a child of God, and one that fears Gods name for ever; he cannot loſe all, though he loſe much; as it is ſaid of J…hoſhaphat, though he yielded much to ſin, and gave way to the luſts of his own heart in an horrible manner, yet there was ſomething remaining in him; though he had greatly diſhonoured God, and diſtempered his own ſoul, ſo far forth as to love the ungodly, and to help thoſe that were the enemies of God; yet ſaith the Text, there are good things ſound in thee; he was not quite deprived of all the graces of Gods2 Chron. 19. 2. 3. Mat. 25.2 Chr 19:22 Chr 19:3Matt 25 bleſſed ſpirit, but there were good things in him ſtill; ſo the five wiſe Virgins, though they ſlumbred and ſlept, and were exceeding ſecure, yet their lamps were not gone out; I may compare a Chriſtian to a cup of right Canarie Wine, that no froſt in the world can quite freeze; it may freeze it very much, but yet there will be ſome ſpirits of the Wine remaining unfroz…n; ſo godly men are an everlaſting foundation, all cannot poſſibly be ſpent and conſumed in them, they ſhall have ſomething remaining in them. Now I will tell you, Firſt, What is not the reaſon of this. Secondly, What is the reaſon of it.

Firſt, Not any thing in himſelf; it is not any grace received in it ſelf, it1. What not the Reaſon. is nothing in thee; no not the image of God in thee, nor any holineſs, nor mortification; there is nothing in him keeps him from falling away; for let a man have all the grace that ever any man had, he may fall totally for all that; nay, if he were as holy inherently as Adam in his innocency, he may fall away totally; nay, if he were as holy as the Angels in Heaven, p. 78and were in the ſame eſtate that the Angels in Heaven are; they are not immutable in their own nature, therefore that they are confirmed in grace, it is Gods goodneſs and mercy to them, it is nothing in themſelves; thoſe Angels that do ſtand, may fall notwithſtanding any thing that is in them; no grace received will keep a man from falling totally away, if he have not the fountain and the favour of God to keep him, if he have not a better bottom then himſelf; intrinſecal unchangableneſs is only a property of the Lord, Mal. 3. 6. All creatures may change, if they had a thouſand times more of the image of God, yet they may change and fall, and loſe all notwithſtanding any thing they have received; it is nothing in a mans ſelf; Now I will make this appear that it is not any thing in a mans ſelf.

Firſt, Becauſe the godlieſt man in the world is bid to look upon himſelfEvid. as one that may fall abſolutely into any ſin in the world in himſelf; for all the love he hath of God, he may yet hate him; for all the fear he hath of God, he may yet ſlight him; a child of God is commanded to look upon himſelf, as left to himſelf, to be in a woful caſe; that he may fall finally and totally away, to be nothing and worſe then nothing; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 6. 1. if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are ſpiritual reſtore ſuch a man, knowing that ye your ſelves alſo may be tempted that is, conſider, it may be thy caſe, thou mayſt be tempted to fall as well as he, and worſe too; you that are ſpiritual, though you be never ſo ſpiritual, though your minds be never ſo wrapt up with God, and taken up with ſpiritual things, yet you are not ſo ſpiritual, but if you will hearken to the counſel of your own hearts, you may be carnal and brutiſh; look upon thy ſelf as a poor miſerable creature; though thou haſt never ſo much grace, thou canſt not keep it, unleſſe thou haſt a better keeper then thy ſelf.

Secondly, Becauſe the people of God are bound to fear themſelves (I bring the very arguments that they bring that hold a child of God may fall away totally; therefore I grant them that the arguments are good, that in themſelves they may fall away) and I ſay a child of God is commanded to fear; be not high-minded but fear; that is, though thou haſt an excellent faith, and ſtandeſt by faith, yet be not high-minded, do not think thou art higher then thou art, and remoter from the power of the fleſh then thou art; be not proud and conceited; for all the faith thou haſt, thou mayſt diſtruſt God; and if God leave thee to thy ſelf thou mayſt be an unbeliever, and as vile an infidel as ever breathed upon the face of the earth; in thy ſelf thou haſt as vile a wretched heart as any man, which if thou wert left to thy ſelf would quickly ſhew what it is, Phil. 2. 12. 13. work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling; for God worketh both the will and the deed: As who ſhould ſay, I do not deny but a child of God doth depend upon the good pleaſure of God, and is built upon his eternal counſel; he is not built upon his own pleaſure, he doth not ſtand upon the hap hazard of his own will, but upon the good pleaſure of Gods will; but ſaith he, it is our part to fear; for we for our part may fall, we can do nothing, no more then we are holpen; no more then God doth ſtand by us, and keep us from falling; it is our part to fear and tremble from day to day; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 4. 1. let us fear, leſt having the promiſes of entring into his reſt, any of us ſhould fall ſhort: Let us fear; as who ſhould ſay, we are in danger of coming ſhort, we are in danger to fall, and not to reach the Kingdom of Heaven; how many temptations are there? what a vile fleſh do we carry about with us? therefore let us fear.

Thirdly, The children of God are commanded to take heed, leſt they fall totally away; where note they may for all that is in themſelves, for any grace that is received; therefore God calls upon them to cling to him, and …o cleave to him, that he may not be provoked to withhold himſelf from p. 79them; as we may ſee, Heb. 12. 15. take heed leſt any man fail of the grace of God, &c. Take heed, look diligently to your ſelves, leſt any man fail of the grace of God; if you mean to go to heaven, I can tell you you muſt have care and diligence, and look to your ſelves; take heed you be not proud and worldly; take heed you ſuffer not ſecurity nor any other corruption to ſteal upon you, and hinder you from going on in a godly courſe; take heed leſt any of you fail of the grace of God; what do theſe words import▪ but that a man in himſelf is in greiveous danger, in regard of falling totally away? ſo 1 Cor. 10. 12. he that ſtands, let him take heed leſt he falls, though he ſtand never ſo firm for the preſent, though he be never ſo ſtout and couragious; no man ever went ſo far in the wayes of God but he might turn back if he lookt not to himſelf; no man was ever ſo zealous, but he might be lukewarm if he lookt not to it; no man was ever ſo quickned, but he may be deaded, if he look not to it; therefore he that ſtands let him take heed leſt he fall.

Fourthly, Becauſe the children of God are commanded ſtill to grow in grace, becauſe there is no grace yet received, or that can be received in this world, is enough to keep them from falling totally away; if a man think with himſelf, this grace I have is enough, I need no more, if▪ he do ſtand at a ſtay, and limit himſelf, and think this will ſuffice, he is miſtaken; there is no grace, if it were a thouſand times greater then that which the beſt Saint in the world hath, that can ſecure a man from falling away; therefore when the Apoſtle would perſwade Chriſtians to take heed that they did not fall away, 2 Pet. 3. 17. he bids them grow in grace; would you not fall, but ſtand ſtedfaſt? would you not be led away with the errours of the wicked? know aſſuredly that all the graces you have received are not ſufficient; but grow in grace, labour to be more humble, and meek, and patient, and zealous; labour to make more conſcience of your wayes, to have a more tender heart, to be more taken up with God, and more careful to pleaſe him; to be more earneſt and frequent in prayer, to mark his word, and look to your ſteps every day; labour to ſtand firmer and ſtronger yet; for all that you have attained to it is not ſo much, but it may be weakned and born down; Therefore grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.

Sixthly, Becauſe the examples of Apoſtates and backſliders are propounded to the very Saints, for them to take warning by; as the Apoſtle propounds the example of the Jewiſh Apoſtates to the Romans; if God ſpared not the natural branches, &c. Look upon them, ſee how they are fallen away,Rom. 11. 21▪Rom 11:21 how that Church is Apoſtatized; therefore look thou to thy ſelf, leſt that which befell them befall thee; leſt thou ſin againſt God, as they did, and ſo that light upon thee, which did light upon them; ſo the Apoſtle doth propound t… example of Alexander and Hymeneus and Philetus even to Timothy; though Timothy was elect of God, yet he knew Timothy was of a flexible nature, and might change and fall, and fall totally in himſelf, if he did not look to it; O ſaith he, hold faith and a good conſcience, &c. 1 Tim. 1. 19, 20. He propounds it even to Timothy, that the falls of Apoſtates might make him wary and careful to ſtand upon his guard.

Seventhly, Bee uſe the children of God are fain to pray that God would keep them from falling away finally & totally; which is a ſign that they may fall away totally in themſelves, notwithſtanding whatſoever acquaintance they have with God, or whatſoever vertue they have gotten from Chriſts death, yet they are to go to God to keep them from falling away; as Pſal. 119. 43. 44. take not away the word of thy truth, &c. As who ſhould ſay, Lord, for ever keep me, do thou never forſake me utterly, though I may provoke thee to forſake me very much, yet never take away the word of thy truth utterly p. 80out of my mouth, then I ſhall never be able to hold out to the end; if thou wilt keep me and uphold me, then I ſhall keep thy Law for ever; but otherwiſe I ſhall never do it: Nay, Chriſt plainly tells us, that he is fain to put in, and pour out his prayers before his heavenly father, that his deareſt Saints and elect may not fall away; as who ſhould ſay, Father, they may fall totally away, if thou do not preſerve them; as he ſaith to Peter, Luke 22. 32. I have prayed that thy faith fail not; faith is the beſt grace that any child of God hath, and love proceeding from faith is a good grace; but they are all failing things, and may be worn out by corruptions; therefore Chriſt prayeth his heavenly Father that it may be fed and cheriſhed, and kept by his heavenly Father, that it may never fail; implying it would fail otherwiſe: Nay, the children of God are fain to confeſſe in their prayers it were juſt with God to let them fall totally away, by reaſon of their ſins, by reaſon of their unthankfulneſſe and unfruitfulneſs under the means, and want of knowledge of his ſon Jeſus Chriſt; they confeſs it were juſt with God to be weary of them, and give them for gone; nay, the children of God, the beſt of them all do find that it is a very hard thing to keep themſelves from decayes of grace, and declinings, and weaknings; they find that they have much ado to hold their own, much more to grow in grace, and increaſe more and more; to grow more and more heavenly, and more and more vertuous, and more and more ſelfdenying; they ſee how many thouſand corruptions and temptations they have, and how backward their own hearts are, and how ſoon they are ſurprized, that they have much ado to keep that which is begun in them, much more to encreaſe it, and grow in it: Nay, the children of God may ſo far fall away, that in their own ſenſe and feeling they may think that they have not a jot of grace, ſo that they are ſometimes ready to conclude againſt themſelves, that they have no grace, they were never wrought upon, never ſubdued; many times it is thus, and though they do not conclude thus, yet how often are they put to this deſperate lift? to look every moment when they ſhall fall, and fall totally and loſe all, they ſhall not have a relique of grace in them; it is thus with the Saints of God.

Laſtly, Becauſe there is no grace received is able to hold without continual influences from Heaven; this is the nature of the grace of the ſecond Covenant, that it is by continual influence; it is not like the firſt Covenant; when God gave Adam all his portion in his hand, not only for the preſent, but for ever; if he would he might ſtand for ever, he need not pray to God to keep him, but if he would obey God, he might ſtand of himſelf, by the Covenant that God had made with him; but under the Covenant of grace, grace runs thus, that grace is but for the preſent; if a man ſtand now, if he would ſtand the next hour, he muſt have a new ſupply of grace; though he be never ſo patient now, he may be impatient in a quarter of an hour; though he be never ſo humble now, he may be as proud as Luciſer in a quarter of an hour; I ſay, God under the Covenant of grace gives a man only for the preſent, ſo that now he may know it is in Gods hand; he is kept by the power of God, through faith unto ſalvation; ſo that grace is in a child of God, as light is in an houſe; light is never ſo in an houſe, but in a moment it will be dark if you ſhut the windows; ſo it is with a true Chriſtian, he had need keep his windows open towards Chriſt, he hath need of continual ſhinings of grace from heaven; as Chriſt teacheth us concerning our daily bread, give us this day our daily bread; ſo it is much more in regard of grace for our ſouls; good Lord give me wiſedom and faith, and patience this hour, and ſo the next hour, and the next day; give me the comfort of this day, and the aſſiſtance of this day, give me the concurrence of thy grace this day, and ſo the next; and we muſt never leave praying p. 81to God to accompany us with his grace from day to day; for a man ſtands not by the grace that is in him, but by the grace that is in God; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 6. 10. be ſtrong in the Lord, by the power of his might; he doth not ſay, be ſtrong by the grace ye have received, but be ſtrong in the Lord; be ſure you call upon him, and keep cloſe to him; there is all you ſtand by. So 2 Tim. 2. 1. be ſtrong in the grace in Chriſt Jeſus; if any man in the Church might be ſtrong by the grace in himſelf, Timothy might▪ he was as vertuous a young man as any in the Church; no man that Paul loved ſo as Timothy; I know no man like minded, ſaith he; he was ſo endued with Gods ſpirit, and the graces and vertues thereof, that there was none like him; yet Paul doth not bid him be ſtrong in the grace that was in him, but be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus; grace is in a child of God, as heat is in the water; though it be never ſo ſeething hot, yet take it from the fire, and it will f…ing out all the heat, and be as cold as ever it was; ſo it is here, notwithſtanding all the graces that are in a child of God, if he do not hang over Jeſus Chriſt, and keep cloſe to him, the daily incurſions of ſin will conſume his graces; the temptations of the fleſh▪ and the Divel within, and the world without, will conſume them all, unleſs a man be a good husband, and receive new ſupply from Heaven; ſo that we ſay that no grace received can keep a man from falling, but that he may fall totally away in himſelf: Now to come to the true reaſons why a child of God cannot fall totally away, but ſomething of the Image of God ſhall remain in him; though he may loſe much, yet he ſhall not loſe all, but ſomething ſhall be remaining in him; the reaſon of this is nothing elſe but the meer goodneſs of God to him, that God will not let him ſo fall, and God hath covenanted ſo with him, that man that truly believes in his name, he ſhall be kept for ever through faith unto ſalvation; he ſhall not be quite broken off, but he ſhall have ſome grace, he ſhall have ſomething of God in him, ſomething that ſhall diſtinguiſh him from all wicked men in the world; as the Lord ſaith of David, Pſal 89 33. though they did ſin againſt him, and carry themſelves unworthy that God ſhould keep them; yet notwithſtanding the Lord would whip them and chaſtize them, but his loving kindneſs he would never take from them; why? becauſe he had ſworn by his holineſs that he would never fail David; ſo that here we ſee it was meerly through the goodneſs of God to David and his elect people, that they were kept from falling away; ſo Pſal. 37. 24. ſaith he, the righteous ſhall not be utterly caſt down; a child of God may fall, and fall ſouly and fearfully, he may ſtain his own conſcience in a lamentable manner, and wound his own ſoul, and diſable himſelf to good duties in a fearful manner; but yet though he fall, he ſhall not be utterly caſt down, there ſhall be ſome ſtanding ſtill, it ſhall not be an utter fall; ſo he that doth theſe things, ſhall never be removed, Pſal. 15. 5. he ſpeaks there of a man that ſhall dwel in Gods holy mount, and be names who it is, one that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, &c. ſo that you ſee it is the promiſe of God, that this man ſhall ſtand for ever; he ſhall never be totally unſetled; he doth not mean he ſhall not be moved at all, but not abſolutely, ſo as to be quite and clean thrown down; but yet no thanks to himſelf, but thanks to the promiſe; otherwiſe he might be moved, and unſetled, and break his neck, and fall and never riſe more; but the promiſe is, that he ſhall never …e moved, Pſal. 112. 6. the righteous ſhall never be moved, he ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance; the Lord will remember a righteous man in the midſt of all temptations; let all the Divels in hell ſet upon him, the Lord will for ever remember that man, and never let him go from him; ſo that you ſee it is meerly the goodneſs of God, not from any thing in himſelf, not from any grace received, but meerly from Gods goodneſs; he may thank the rock he is built upon; as Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 7 25. p. 82He that heareth theſe ſayings, and doth them, I will liken him to a man that built his houſe upon a rock, &c. The houſe fell not, but he may thank the rock; it was built upon a rock; ſo a childe of God is built upon a rock▪ as we have a Proverb, how can he but ſwim that is held up by the chin? ſo a child of God, the Lord holds him up by the chin, he ſhall never ſink ſo as to be drowned; he may fall, and fall fearfully, but not totally; but there ſhall be ſomething of God remaining in him for ever, the Lord will ever keep ſome truth of grace in that mans ſoule that he hath given the truth of grace to▪ 2 John 2. For the truths ſake (ſaith he) which dwelleth in us, and ſhall be in us for ever. When God hath put in the truth of ſaving grace into any of his peoples hearts, it ſhall dwell in them for ever, the Lord will take an order for the keeping of it; therefore though a childe of God may be grievouſly overcome▪ yet God doth ever let ſomthing or other remain he doth ever exempt ſomething; God deals with his children in regard of their ſouls, as he dealt with Job in regard of his body; though he let the Devil have a great deal of power over him, yet he did limit him; he is in thy hand, but ſave his life; though he would not let him have power over his life to kill him, he let him have Jobs children in his hands, and he let him have his goods in his hands, his cattel and his ſubſtance in his hands, nay he let him have his health in his hands, ſo that he did ſtrike him with boyles, and blains, and woful ſickneſſe, but yet ſave his life, you ſhall not take away his life; ſo God deals with the life of his Saints; though he may let the Devil horribly tempt them, and the World horribly carry them away, and the luſts of the fleſh horribly vanquiſh them; yet ſaith God, he is my childe, and the Devil, and the Fleſh, and the Temptations of the World ſhall never kill him; ſave his life, let him never be dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes as a wretch.

But you will ſay, What is it that doth remain, and what ſhall for ever remain in the children of God? You know David fell into adultery to lie with another mans wife; he fell to that paſs, that he laboured to defend his ſin, and maintain it, that it might not come abroad; he added murder to it; what grace, what fear of God, what love to his Majeſty, what regard of Gods commandements, what goodneſs or holineſs at all was in Davids heart now at this time? So Solomon, when he gave way to Idolatry over all Iſrael, to the Idols of Moab, and Ammon, and Edom, and the Philiſtins round about, that the true God was not truly worſhipped; what grace had he? was there any goodneſs or piety in Solomon at that time? So when Peter denied his Maſter, and forſwore him, and confirmed it with an oath, and curſed himſelf if he knew the man; what grace was in Peters heart at that time? So when Aſa threw the Prophet into priſon when he came to reprove him; what grace remained in him at that time? Thus the enemies of this Doctrine argue againſt it; therefore they ſay a child of God may fall totally. Was there any grace at all in Davids heart when he was committing adultery and murder? was there any grace at all in Lots heart when he was committing drunkenneſſe and inceſt one night after another?

I anſwer, There are four things which ſhall ever remain in Gods children, and ſhall never be taken away quite and clean after they are once converted, and brought home to God.

Firſt, They have an Unction, an anointing from the holy one, and that is in them, and ſhall abide in them for ever, 1 John 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him dwelleth in you, &c. This ſame anointing, it abides in the people of God for ever: By this ſame anointing, I mean the opening of their eyes, whereby they look upon God and Chriſt, and his goodneſs, and holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and the commandements of p. 83God, and ſin, and hell, and the world, and profits, and pleaſures; they look upon the things of the world, and upon the things of heaven, in another manner then any other people doe; God opens their eyes, that they look upon things in a different manner from other men…; and this unction ſhall abide in them for ever: 'Tis true, ſin may h…rribly dazle their eyes, by reaſon of the corruptions of the f…eſh, and the deceivableneſſe of ſin; they may be marvellouſly weakened in this unction, and darkneſs and deadneſs of ſoule may blinde their eyes, and dimme their looks; but it can never be quite taken away; they will have a better ſight of God, and Heaven, and Chriſt, and heavenly things, and of the Ordinances of God, and of the world, and their callings, and the buſineſſe of the world, they ſhall ſee theſe things after a different manner from the world; as for example: A child of God ſhall ſee more of the word then any other; others may ſee the word, and yet continue in ſin ſtill; but a godly man ſhall ſee that in the word, that he …ares not live in any ſin for a thouſand worlds. So for the Sacrament, he ſeeth more then a natural man; a natural man ſeeth nothing in the Sacrament, but he may come to it as he doth come to it, he may live in his ſins ſtill, he ſees nothing in the Sacrament, he doth not ſee that he eats and drinks his own damnation if he come unworthily; but a childe of God ſeeth that in the Sacrament, that he dares not come unpreparedly and unworthily by any meanes; he ſeeth that in the Sacrament that requires preparation and worthineſſe; ſo for ſin, he ſeeth that in ſin, that he dares not goe on in it; he will rather die at ſtake, rather then doe as the world doth; though through weakneſs and want of cautelouſneſſe, ſin may get great advantage againſt him, yet it ſhall never bear him down, and the unction keeps him that he dares not lay the reins upon his neck. This is one thing ſhall ever remain in a child of God; and this appears by two things.

Firſt by this, That if ever the Devil get a childe of God to commit ſin, he cannot carry it away as others doe, but it makes the heart bleed, and wounds the conſcience; he ſeeth ſuch things in yielding to ſin, and giving way to the Devil (I ſpeak of known ſ…ns) the unction doth ſo wound him, that he cannot carry it as others doe; if he tell a lye, he cannot bear it as the wicked can doe, they can be merry, and jovi…l and carry it away, it never troubles them; but where this unction is▪ it lies heavy upon the ſoul; as th… Prophet David had this unction in the midſt of all his falling into adultery; for you may ſee, for all he lived ten months in the ſin before he came to thorough repentance; 'tis true, he did ſo, yet all this while he had this unction; for ſo himſelfe confeſſeth, Pſalm 51. M… ſin …ever before me. Though he never ſought to God ſoundly and thoroughly for ten months together, yet ſtill good things were in him, his …ns were ever before him, it did haunt him as a ghoſt, and wound his conſcience; his unction did ſhew him, what a beaſt am I, what a wretch, what have I done?

Secondly, It appeares too by this, That a childe of God, though he hath ſinned never ſo much, yet he cannot ſtand it out; but let him be ſoundly dealt with, he is not able to hold out, but he muſt ſubmit to the Lord; it is a ſigne this unction is in him; for he ſeeth Gods Word, his diſpleaſure, his grace and goodneſſe; a childe of God may be horribly peeviſh, and horribly tranſported in this faſhion, to the diſhonour of God, and opening of the mouths of the ungodly; but come and deal with him, ſhew him his ſins, he is not able to maintain bucklers againſt it; he ſeeth that in your reproof which will burſt all his bones, and make him ſtoop, and fling away his ſins, and caſt away his diſguiſements; as it was with David when N…than came to him, O ſaith he, I have ſinned; he reſented preſently; the unction made him ſee that in Nathans Sermon, that he was not able to hold out any longer, p. 84but now his ſoule bleeds, and melts within him; ſo when a childe of God comes to the word, and heares his ſins reproved, he cannot carry himſelfe as the wicked doe; they can heare the word, and keep their ſins ſtill; but a child of God hath an unction, and when the word doth diſcover his ſins to him, he cannot hold up his hand againſt God, but he muſt fall down and bow before him.

Secondly, There ſhall ever remain in a childe of God luſting againſt every known ſin; there will be ever in a childe of God, both before and after the committing of known ſins, luſting againſt the fleſh; the ſanctified par… will luſt againſt the unſanctified; he ſhall never ſin with an whole will, and full conſent, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Gal. 5. 17. The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, &c. There is a ſpiritual will in a child of God, that will ever luſt againſt the carnal will, ſo that a man cannot commit ſin with his whole will, as a wicked man doth; as Paul ſaith, Rom. 7. 25. He did not ſin with all his ſoule, with all his heart; his mind was for God, the ſpiritual part of his will was againſt his ſin; I find another law in my members, rebelling againſt the law of my minde, &c. He did not ſin with all his will; for he had another law in his heart, rebelling againſt the law of ſin and death; therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 John 5. 18. Whatſoever is borne of God ſinneth not; that is, he cannot ſin with his free will, with his whole conſent. I will make this appear by five things, that a child of God can never ſin with his whole will.

Firſt, Becauſe he never ſins, but it is againſt his ſtanding purpoſe and reſolution,A childe of God cannot ſin with his whole will. and determination in himſelfe; a childe of God hath a purpoſe never to ſin againſt God, by uſing all manner of wayes, by ſtriving, praying, labouring, endeavouring, comming to all Gods Ordinances, and taking all courſes to reſiſt ſin; he hath this purpoſe; a wicked man now hath no purpoſe not to ſin, but he hath a ſecret purpoſe to ſin; a Drunkard hath a purpoſe when he meets with his companions to goe to the Alehouſe and drink with them; and a covetous man hath a ſecret purpoſe to be worldly; ſo let a man be a vain and an evill companion, he will not give over his company-keeping, they are his friends, and he will converſe with them; tell him he muſt converſe with the Saints of God, he will not, he hath a ſecret purpoſe to the contrary; but if a childe of God ſin, it is againſt his purpoſe, he hath a ſtanding purpoſe not to ſin, Pſalm 119. 27. Pſal. 39. 1. Pſal. 101. 3. So, I will never forget thy precepts, I will conſider thy teſtimonies, and I will turn my feet unto thy wayes. There are abundance of places of Scripture that ſhew that a childe of God ever takes up an abſolute purpoſe concerning holineſſe and godlineſſe of life and converſation. Now if a child of God be born down at any time, it is againſt the purpoſe of his heart, which is a ſigne that he doth not ſin with his whole will; for if a mans will were abſolutely ſet upon wicked courſes, then he would have a purpoſe and reſolution to live in them; but a childe of God hath alwayes a purpoſe to doe the contrary, and to walk in Gods wayes.

Secondly, Becauſe a child of God never ſins, but it is againſt the ſtudy and compoſure of his heart▪ it is againſt his courſe, againſt the frame he compoſeth to himſelfe, which is, that he may not ſin againſt God, but that he is borne down with ſin, Pſal. 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to keep thy ſtatutes alwayes, even to the end. He had a ſtudy and compoſure in his ſoule to keep Gods ſtatutes and to keep them alwayes, even to the end; therefore whenſoever David ſinned, it was not with his whole will; for he ſinned againſt the ſtudy and compoſure of his heart.

Thirdly, A childe of God never ſins, but there is ſomething or other that breaks the fulneſſe of the voluntarineſs of it; as for example; if a childe of God ſins, ſometimes it is out of ignorance, he doth not know that he offends p. 85God; if he did, he would not doe it for a world. Now ignorance doth leſſen the voluntarineſſe of a thing; a man in ignorance may doe a thing which he would not have done if he had known it; therefore when a childe of God ſinnes in ignorance, his will is not with it.

Again, If he ſin againſt knowldge at any time, then it is through inconſiderateneſſe, it is in his haſte; you know inconſiderateneſſe doth leſſen the will mightily; a man may in haſte doe a thing, which when he comes to think of, he would rather have cut off his right arm then have done it; therefore this is an argument that all his will was not in the committing of the ſin, becauſe he did not conſider of it, he did not doe it deliberately. Pſal. 116. 11. In my haſte I ſaid all men are lyars; in my haſte I ſaid I am cut off from thy preſence.

Again, If he he doe it with more deliberation, yet there is ſomething ſtill that doth leſſen the will; there be grievous and violent paſſions. Now violent paſſions doe exceedingly take away the will; a man in paſſion will doe things that his will is abſolutely againſt; a man will ſtab his deareſt friend in f…r… and …a…lion; as when David murdered Ʋriah, it was meerly out of paſſion▪ th… p…ion of ſhame, leſt his ſin ſhould come out, to the diſhonour of God, and the ſhame of his Kingdome and Crown; he was overwhelmed with ſhame and fear of the diſgrace of his ſins, and in fear he did doe it. So Peter was in fear when he denied his Maſter, in fear that he ſhould be put to death, when at the ſame time I dare ſay many qualms came over his heart▪ O that I were not here! O that I were not put to this! So when Jon… ran away from God, it was in a paſſion.

Again, Suppoſe that paſſion be down, yet ſomething or other there will be ſtill, that will leſſen the will, as violent temptations and impulſions to ſin; when a man himſelf at the ſame time hath a great act of his will to reſiſt theſe temptations and impulſions to ſin; when a man at the ſame time hath a great act of his will to reſiſt theſe temptations, but the temptations are greater, and ſo he is born down; but here is not all the will; for he would not do it; a wicked man may have reluctancy, and reſiſtance againſt ſin in his conſcience, but a godly man his will is againſt it.

Fourthly, A child of God can never be brought ſo low as to make a trade of ſin; He that committeth ſin, is of the Divel, 1 Joh. 3. 8. that is, he that committeth ſin by way of trade; now this cannot be in a child of God; he is of the Divel that makes a trade of ſin; a child of God his courſe is to the contrary, it is his trade to cleanſe himſelf, and purifie his heart by faith from day to day; if he be impatient, he cannot make a practice of it; a child of God cannot ſin, for he is ſanctified. Pſal. 119. 1. 2. they do no wicked thing, &c. This is by way of trade and occupation; a child of God doth never ſin in that faſhion; therefore it is certain his full will is not to ſin, for if his whole will were after ſin, he would go on in it, and live in it, and make a practice of it; but he dares not, nor will not make a practice of it.

Fifthly, A child of God doth never ſo ſin but he hath an aptneſs in him to riſe again; a child of God hath a greater aptneſs to riſe again and repent, and love God again; he hath a gracious heavenly aptneſs above all other men in the world; let him ſin never ſo much, let his fall be never ſo great, there will be this aptneſs left, and it ſhall remain in him continually; and this is an evident ſign he never ſinned with his whole will; for if he did ſin with his whole will, he would be as unapt to repent as if he had never been converted; as Solomon ſaith, Prov. 9. 8. As who ſhould ſay, a wiſe man is apt to take a rebuke, he is apt to take it in good part; he will take it humbly and obediently, if he be a wiſe man; and this is a ſign his will is not abſolutely ſet upon folly; but if you tell him you have played the fool, and dealt unadviſedly, why would you be overtaken with ſuch a p. 86corruption? you have provoked God, &c. he will love you for it, he hath an aptneſs ſo to do, and this aptneſs ſhall ever remain; and this is another good thing remaining in the children of God, that is, a luſting againſt ſinne.

Thirdly, Another thing is for ever to have a tender diſpoſition to look after God, and to have an eye to God; this ſhall never be taken away quit… and clean; as you may ſee in Jonah, though he had run away from God in that lamentable manner, yet ſaith he, I will look towards thy Temple; his thoughts were there, his mind was to have Gods love, his goodneſs, and countenance to ſhine upon him; he muſt have an eye to that above all things in the world; but you will ſay, affliction made him do that, he was now in the Whales belly; but you may ſee, he looked upon God before he was in the Whales belly; for when the Mariners asked him what he was, ſaith he, I am an Hebrew that fears God; and as a proof of this fear, you may ſee how he ſubmitted to God; I have run away from God, ſaith he; he confeſſed his ſin, and took ſhame to himſelf, and ſubmitted himſelf to be flung into the Sea, that God might have glory by his drowning if he would.

So that all was not drowned in him; now that this diſpoſition remaines appears by five things.

Firſt, Though a child of God ſhould grow to never ſo ſluggiſh a pace in Religion, that all his vigour in prayer is gone, he hath not the affection and heart in good duties that once he had, he is lumpiſh and untoward; yet in the midſt of all theſe diſtempers, he cannot lie down to this, but he hath abundance of heaves to God to quicken him again; as David ſaith, Pſalm 119. 25. My ſoule cleaveth unto the duſt, O quicken thou me according to thy word. His wings were off, and his chariot-wheels were knockt aſide, he could not goe on in good duties with any pace, he was lumpiſh and untoward, his ſoule cleaved to the duſt; and yet you ſee what heaves he gives, he would be quickned, he would not be at this paſſe; Oh that God would quicken him? this was his diſeaſe, and the burthen of his ſoule, O quicken me! O the lamentable throwes and ſecret yernings that are in a poor ſoule that is dead and dull! he cannot pray, nor finde the Word work upon his ſoule, he can receive no fruit and benefit by the Word of God; O the moanes, and yernings, and lookings up to God, that God would quicken him! though he hath no heart almoſt, but is marvellouſly borne down, yet he is not able to lie down under this, it is a diſeaſe to him; O quicken me!

Again, Let him be never ſo much hardened, as a childe of God may be fearfully hardened; yet in the midſt of all he hath a feeling of this hardning, whereupon he makes out after God, and will never give him over, till he hath freed him from it, Iſa. 63. 17.

Again, Though a childe of God be never ſo ſecure, as he may be ſecure and grow careleſs of God, yet in the midſt of all, he can never be quite overcome by ſecurity, ſo as quite and clean to forget God; no, he muſt liſten after God, and will hearken after God, and hear the voice of God in ſome meaſure, when the word reproves him, and finds fault with his courſes, he doth hearken to it, he is not quite aſleep; as the Church ſaith, I ſleep, but my heart waketh, Cant. 5. 2. She did take notice of God in the midſt of all her ſecurity; it is the voyce of my Beloved, ſaith ſhe.

Fourthly, A childe of God can never ſo far goe down the wind, but he ſhall for ever love the Image of God, and love mercy, and love holineſſe and goodneſs, and love the Ordinances of God, and the Image of God, whereſoever he ſees it; nay, he doth love the children of God, and this is p. 87a ſigne unto him that he is paſſed from death to life, when he hardly hath any other ſigne; 'tis true, when ſin a… corruption hath exceedingly defiled Gods childe, it may make him ſhy of Gods children, and make him winde out of their company; but yet grace makes him love them, they are the amiab leſt perſons in the world in that mans eye, he bleſſeth the very ground they goe upon, he hath this ever left in him; and by this a childe of God may know that he is paſſed from death to life, becauſe he loves the Brethren, 1 John 3. 14.

Fifthly, A childe of God ſhall never be brought ſo low, but in the midſt of all he ſhall chide, and check, and finde fault with his own ſoule, not as wicked men doe, by reaſon of the terrours of conſcience, but in a gracious manner; why have I done thus? is this the thanks for the redemption of the world by Jeſus Chriſt? is this the thanks for the Goſpel? are theſe the fruits I bring forth under Gods Ordinances? why am I thus dull to good duties? why am I thus daſtardly and cowardly for God? there will be theſe gracious chidings; though ſin and corruption makes him full of legal terrours, yet there be ſome gracious checkings and expoſtulations, as David ſaith, Why art thou ſo heavy O my ſoule? O be quickned, O be awakened, hear better, and pray better! He doth check and condemn himſelfe in a gracious manner, and he can never like of theſe courſes; this will be for ever.

Laſtly, Another thing that ſhall be in Gods children for ever, is the habits of grace; they ſhall ever have theſe; though the acts of grace may be aſleep, and ceaſe working, yet the habits of grace ſhall ever remain; as a man, though through violent ſickneſs he may run mad and frantick, and loſe the act of reaſon, and be like a mad man; yet the habit of reaſon is in him ſtill, becauſe he hath a reaſonable ſoule; and let the diſtemper be gone, and he will put forth the acts of reaſon: So a childe of God, though for the preſent he be horribly diſtempered, and all the acts of grace are aſleep; yet he hath the ſpirit of God in him, and therefore hath the habits of grace; although no grace were ſhining in Davids heart in the act of them, when he fell in to the ſins of murder and adultery; yet he had all graces in the habit of them, in the root of them; as a tree, though it ſeem to be quite dead, yet life is in the root; ſo a childe of God will have the habit and life of grace ever remaining in him; and this appeares by two things.

Firſt, A childe of God in the midſt of all his careleſneſs and negligence, there is a miraculous preſerving of that man, that though that man hath been very …areleſs, and wonderful unwatchful, and expoſing himſelf to the temptations of Satan; yet he ſhall be ſtrangely kept, that he ſhall not fall, in a wonderful manner, though it be no thank to himſelfe, 1 Sam. 2. 9. This is an evident ſign of Gods ſpirit in him, that though he let him get abundance of knocks, yet he will not let him get that fatal knock, but he carrieth him along from day to day.

Secondly, It appeares by this, that this man ſhall never be to be converted again, but he ſhall for ever be a new creature; though the ſpirit of God hide himſelfe, and withhold his former operations, yet he will not goe quite away, becauſe a childe of God ſhall never need to be converted again: 'Tis true, the riſing up of a childe of God out of ſin, into which he is fallen, is called converſion ſometimes; as our Saviour Chriſt ſaith to Peter, When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren. Nay a childe of God may think he hath need of new converſion, and that he muſt begin all anew again; as David ſaid, Create in me O Lord a clean heart, and renew a right ſpirit within me, Pſal. 51. 10. as though he were to begin anew again: But a childe of God is never to begin anew; no, regeneration is an incorruptible p. 88thing, 1 Pet. 2. 23. Pſalm 112. 5. His righteouſneſs remaineth for ever, he ſhall never have quite loſt it, ſo as that he ſhall be to ſeek again, as if he had never had it; for if regeneration were to be renewed, a man ſhould be reprobated again; but there is but one Faith, one Baptiſm, one Lord, Eph. 4. Therefore if there be but one Baptiſm, there is but one Regeneration; The faith is but once delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. God delivers his vertues and graces but once to the ſoul, and is never to deliver them again; indeed they may be ſmothered and choaked ſometimes, and lie under the aſhes, as coals under the embers, but they ſhall never be quite extinguiſhed; there needs nothing but a ſtirring up and provoking of the gift of God that is in them; and this is a ſigne that they never fell totally away; for if they fell totally away, they muſt have new repentance, as if they had never had it, and they muſt be converted again, and regenerated againe with a ſecond regeneration, which was never heard of.

The firſt Uſe may ſerve for the confutation of thoſe that hold that a childe of God may fall totally away; here you ſee he cannot; though he may fall never ſo grievouſly into foul ſins and grievous diſtempers, yet he ſhall never fall totally, but ſome good things ſhall remain in him, Pſal. 37. 28. The Lord preſerveth his Saints. And Jude 1. they are called a people ſanctified by God the Father, and preſerved in Jeſus Chriſt. And as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Pet. 2. 10. He that doth theſe things ſhall never fall. A childe of God ſhall never fall totally; it is everlaſting life that he hath; that faith which he hath is an eternal grace; he that believeth hath everlaſting life; ſo the fear of God is an everlaſting grace; The fear of God endureth for ever, Pſal. 19. 9. And therefore thoſe that totally fall away, ſhew plainly that they were never the children of God; as the Apoſtle faith, If after they have been enlightned, &c. they fall away, it is impoſſible they ſhould be renewed by repentance, Heb. 6. Becauſe they were never right, there was never any true grace in that mans heart; but ſaith he, I hope better things of you, and things that accompany ſalvation, Heb. 6. 19. As who ſhould ſay, they that have things accompanying ſalvation, can never fall totally away.

The ſecond Uſe is for comfort to Gods children. Haſt thou true faith, or any good things wrought in thy ſoule? thou ſhalt never loſe it; though thou mayſt ſuffer a great deal of ſickneſs, and fall into many decayes of grace and goodneſs, yet thou ſhalt never loſe all; there ſhall be ſome good things remaining in thee; the Lord will not ſuffer thy righteouſneſſe to fall for ever, he will have thee in everlaſting remembrance; therefore what a comfort ought this to be to every true beleeving ſoule?

Again, This is a great comfort againſt all fears. Art thou afraid thou haſt no grace? I beſeech thee believe the Word of God rather then thine own ſenſe and feeling; thou haſt heard the Word of God ſay a childe of God can never be without grace, he can never fall totally away; therefore though ſenſe and feeling tell thee thou haſt none, yet believe the Word that ſaith thou haſt, 2 Cor. 5. 10. We walk by faith, and not by feeling, ſaith the Apoſtle. The beſt of Gods children ſometimes are put to this, to live by faith, and not by ſenſe at all; though God help thee not in prayer, nor quicken thee in good duties, and though thy ſenſe and feeling tell thee thou haſt no grace, believe it not, but believe the Word of God that tells thee a childe of God ſhall never be without grace to the worlds end, but ſomething ſhall remain in him for evermore; therefore be of good comfort, though thou ſee nothing, and thy neighbours ſee nothing, yet believe neither thy ſelfe nor thy neighbours, but rather believe the Word of God then a thouſand witneſſes; for it is certain, a childe of God ſhall never fall totally away.

p. 89Again, It may be a comfort againſt all manner of temptations; God knows how thou mayſt be tempted & aſſaulted; the Devil may be let looſe upon thee; but ſtill remember and think with thy ſelfe, I was told, a child of God can never fall totally away one whoſe heart God hath once inclined, one whoſe ſoul God hath once ſanctified, one whom God hath once turned, & brought home to him in ſome meaſure, I have been told he ſhall never fal away; therefore hold this principle even to death, againſt all the Devils in Hell; God is my God, and I have grace, and ſhall have grace, and ſhall never be totally off the hooks as long as I live; as David, though he ſaid God had forſaken him in regard of ſenſe and feeling, yet he holds this principle ſtill, My God, my God, Pſal. 22. 1.

Again, This is a great comfort againſt all perſecutions; we know not what perſecutions and what troubles we may come to, and what may become of us before we goe hence: Now it is a great comfort to hear this, that come proſperity, come adver…ity, come what can come, come temptations on the right hand, and on the left hand, come fire and faggot, come priſon, come baniſhment, I tell you a childe of God ſhall never be a bankrupt, he ſhall never be void of all the ſpirit of God, and all the graces of God, he ſhall have ſomething in him ſtill remaining. 'Tis true, a childe of God may be brought to that paſs, that perſecutions may be heavy to him, and may be a grievous cut, and he may be ready to put off this, and ready to conſult with fleſh and blood to put it off; and unleſs a childe of God provide for perſecution, it ſhall be harder for him to bear it; but yet if thou be a childe of God, the Lord will never leave thee nor forſake thee, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 13. 5. though the croſs and affliction be never ſo bitter and irkſome to thee, yet thou ſhalt have ſomething or other that ſhall make thee able to bear it, and to go on in it; though thou doſt but hang by the fingers ends, yet ſomething ſhall bear thee up, ſo that thou ſhalt not fall.

Laſtly, Labour to make it ſure to our ſouls that we are godly; for we ſee what an happy eſtate it is to be godly; once godly, and ever godly; once a believer, and ever a believer; a man that is a godly man ſhall never fall totally away; therefore labour to make it ſure that thou art a child of God, and haſt the grace of life in thy heart; and then be of good cheer, and take that comfort the Prophet takes to himſelf; the Lord is my hope, I ſhall never be greatly moved, Pſal. 62. 2. As who ſhould ſay, I do not indeed deny but I may be moved; but though I be moved, I ſhall never be greatly moved; I ſhall never be ſo moved as to break my neck, and be utterly undone; to be quite and clean forſaken, and given over for gone, ſo as to be removed from all hope of the Goſpel, and fear of Gods name; a man may be horribly aſſaulted, yet a child of God ſhall never be at ſuch a paſs as that the Lord ſhall leave him utterly.

We come now to the ſecond Motive, and that is that theſe remainders were ready to dye; we may take theſe words to concerne the whole Church, or every particular ſoule that was guilty of it; but we will ſpeake of them only as they have reference to the Church:

From whence we obſerve that a particular Church may be ready to dye;A particular Church may periſh. this muſt not be underſtood of the Catholique Church, or any part of it; as if the Catholique Church or any members thereof could dye; for there is no true believer, that believes in Chriſt by a true and a lively faith, can poſſibly periſh or be deſtroyed for evermore, John 3. 16. this Church is a Church that Chriſt hath undertaken for, to defend unto the end, Mat. 16. 18. lo, I am with you to the end of the world, Mat. 28. 20. So that this Catholique Church of Chriſt, in all the members of it, it is a ſafe Church; and though all particular Churches ſhould fail, yet ſhall not one member of this Catholique Church; the Church is the firſt born, whoſe names are written p. 90in Heaven, Heb. 12. 2…, 23. and if this Church cannot be in one Town, it will be in another; if it cannot be in one Kingdom, it will be among another people; the woman in the Revelation, hath the Wilderneſs to flye unto; in the moſt deſperate times; God prepares a place for her in one corner or other; it is impoſſible that the Catholique Church ſhould dye in any members or branches of it; God will have ſome to know his name; and if it cannot have particular meetings and congregations, God will have it ſubſiſt in ſome particulars; but a particular Church, a local Church, as it is taken for a company of people in ſuch a place; any ſuch Church may fail and dye and come to nothing; you ſee it here in the Church of Sardis; at this time it had only a name to live, but was dead; and what did remain, they were but the laſt throws as it were; they did go out at laſt, they were ready to dye.

Now that any particular Church in the whole world may dye, and ceaſe to be a Church, may be proved out of many places of Scripture: Chriſt ſpeaking of the Jews (that had as great priviledges as any people upon the earth) he tells them, that they might not only ceaſe to be a Church, but ſhould ceaſe to be a Church; as you may ſee, Mat. 21. 43. The Kingdom of God ſhall be taken from you, &c. here he tells them, that he will quite and clean depart from them, and take away all ſigns and marks of a true Church of God from among them; ſo the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Church of Corinth, he tells them they may come to be no Church, and that he doth greatly fear that ſuch an evil ſhall come upon them, 2 Cor. 11. 3. he doth not ſpeak to the particular perſons that were truly converted, for they were members of the Catholique Church, but he ſpeaks to the particular Church of Corinth; they did warp and decline; though many particular members ſhould be preſerved, yet he ſuppoſeth that particular Church might fail; ſo he tells the Galatians, that he did much fear them; you obſerve dayes and years, I am afraid leſt I have beſtowed my labour in vain; ſo likewiſe he gives the Church of Rome to underſtand, though it were an excellent Church at that time; for he ſaith, their faith was ſpoken of abroad, and they were beloved of God; yet he tells them they have need to take heed, that they do not loſe their Crown; that they do not ſuffer Satan, or the world, or any other means to draw them away from their profeſſion; as goodly a Church as themſelves had come to warpe and decline and come to nothing, Rom. 11. 20, 21, 22. As who ſhould ſay, Thou haſt no priviledge of immortality, of being an immortal Church, that thou ſhouldſt ever be a Church, that Gods Goſpel and Ordinances, and his name ſhould ever be within thy dwellings; you have no ſuch prerogative; take heed therefore you walk worthy the Goſpel, take heed you grow not high-minded and ſecure; it may be your caſe as well as any other; ſo the Church of Iſrael, the Ten Tribes, they were a Church, but in the end they came to be no Church, they provoked God to give them over, Hoſ. 1. 9. it is a parabolical kind of ſpeech, that the Prophet ſhould marry an whore, and have a ſon, and call his name, &c. and that was one degree of removing; and the ſecond ſhould be called, &c. which was the utter renouncing of his people.

Now there are four ſeveral marks and notes infallible of a true Church;4. Notes of a true Church. and there is no particular Church but had them once, and may loſe them every one.

The firſt is, the ſincere preaching of the Goſpel is an infallible and inſeparable mark of a true Church of God; whereſoever there is the true1. Sincere preaching the Goſpel. Church in any Pariſh or Kingdom, there muſt be a ſincere Preaching of the Word of God; therefore a Church is deſcribed by the Preaching of the Word and Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 2. that is, they were a Church of God, the Oracles of God were among them, and were to be heard; p. 91opened and declared among them; ſo Pſal. 147. 19. He ſheweth his word unto Jacob, and his ſtatutes unto Iſrael; that is, he makes it a Church, he explains his word, and makes it known there; ſo Acts 14. 23. it is ſaid that Paul and Barnabas went up and down and ordained Elders in every Church; if there were a Church, there muſt be Elders in it; there muſt be Elders, Paſtors and Miniſters, that may not only preach the Word, but open it aright; for the Scripture may be in an Antichriſtian Church, but if they in their preaching make the Scriptures doctrines of Divels, and expound them in that faſhion, they are no Church; but the Elders muſt ſpeak the word of God as the word of God, at leaſt in the fundamentals; now there is no Pariſh or Kingdom can be ſaid to be a Church of God, that have not true Miniſters able to preach the word of God ſoundly, to teach the Doctrine of faith and repentance, ſo as people may believe and turn from their ſins to God▪ and this is a grand mark of all other; where the voice of Chriſt ſounds, it is a ſign he hath a Church there; now I ſay this ſincere preaching of the word of God, it is not tied to any place; there is no place but may be deprived of it, if they do not walk worthy of it; it is free, and hath all the whole wide world before it; the Lord hath not limited his Goſpel to any Town or Kingdom; he may ſend it where he pleaſe, and continue it as long as he liſt, and may remove it when he thinks fit; therefore when the Corinths were ſomething ſawcy and impudent, and bore themſelves upon this, that they had the word and Goſpel of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 14. 36. ſaith the Apoſtle, What? came the word of God out from you? &c. As who ſhould ſay, be humble, down with your pride, receive inſtruction; as the word of God is come to you, ſo you are not the only men in the world that the word can come to; the word may be taken from you if you take not heed; therefore receive inſtruction by the word, and give way to it; for the word of God may go any whether elſe, and you may be deprived of it if you take not heed. Rev. 6. 2. Chriſt had his word on horſe-back; now if any Kingdom or Pariſh, or Congregation do not give him good entertainment, he is ready to go away; and the ſincere preaching of the word is the ſpiritual rain; now if any people grow unfruitful, and bring not forth the bleſſed fruit of the doctrine of life, God threatens to take away this rain; as it was with the Church of Judah, Iſa. 5. 6. he ſpeaks here of his vineyard, the Church he had in Judah and Jeruſalem, and he finds fault with their barrenneſs and unfruitfulneſs; when he looked they ſhould bring forth grapes, they brought forth wild grapes; nothing but covetouſneſs and ſecurity, and all manner of uncleanneſs, and they did not bring forth fruit anſwerable to the means of grace vouchſafed; therefore the Lord threatens to command the clouds that they ſhall rain no more upon his vineyard; thus you ſee the ſincere preaching of the Goſpel, any particular Church may loſe and be deprived of; there is no place or Congregation that hath a leaſe of the Goſpel, but it may loſe it again, and be left in blindneſs, and ſit in the region and ſhadow of death; now when a Pariſh or Kingdom is come to this, to be deprived of the ſincere preaching of the word, it ceaſeth wholly to be a Church of God. I do not deny but God may have ſome members of his Catholique Church there, for they may ſubſiſt without Congregations, though very poorly, and under a great deal of affliction; but there is no National Church, no particular Church, no Pariſh-Church; that Pariſh is not a Church of God; there may be ſome particular members of the Catholique Church there, but there cannot be any particular Church of God there: that Congregation is a Congregation without God; and that Kingdom is a Kingdom without God; as you may ſee, 2 Chron. 15. 3. when as a Kingdom is without a preaching Prieſt, &c. He doth not here mean by a preaching Prieſt, one that barely did preach; but he means by a p. 92preaching Prieſt, true ſincere preaching, at leaſt in fundamentals; now when Iſrael were without this teaching Prieſt, they were without God at that time, and therefore was no true Church; for Chriſt is ever among the candleſticks, as you may ſee in the Revelation; there is no Church but Chriſt dwells there in his Ordinances more or leſs; now when people are deprived of the ſincere preaching of the word, God goeth away together with his Goſpel from that Nation; and they are a people without God, unleſs God be pleaſed to look upon them again; they are a Congregation of undone people, and not a Congregation of bleſſed people as the Church of God is, ſo far forth as the judgement of man can judge; where the Goſpel is gone in the ſincere preaching of it, they are an undone people Prov. 29. 18. Where there is no viſion, the people periſh: Now there is no Nation or Pariſh, but may be deprived of the preaching of the word, if they walk not worthy of it; therefore may ceaſe to be a Church.

Secondly, Another inſeparable mark of the true Church is this, a true2. True and ſincere uſe of the Sacraments. and ſincere uſe of the Sacraments, at leaſt in the ſubſtance of them; you ſhall find a particular Church is deſcribed by this, to have the right adminiſtration of the Sacraments; as the Church of Judah is called circumciſion, Rom. 3. 1. the meaning is, what profit hath the Church of Judah above other people? and he calls them by that name, becauſe that was a Sacrament of the Covenant of grace which God eſtabliſhed among them; and ſo it is under the Goſpel; the Churches under the Goſpel are defined by the Sacraments; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Phil. 3. 3. we are the circumciſion, which worſhip God in the ſpirit; As who ſhould ſay, they brag that they are the people of God, and have the ſeals of the covenant, as circumciſion, and the like; but we are the people of God, for we worſhip God in the ſpirit: Now any Church may loſe the right uſe of the Sacraments; the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was almoſt left out of the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 11. 20. ſaith he, this is not to eat the Lords Supper: They met together, and had a Table ſpread, and bread and wine, and had a form of conſecration; yet they were come to this paſs, that they did not receive the Sacrament. So the Church of Rome hath loſt this inſeparable mark of a Church of God, they have loſt the Sacrament; for the ordination of God is quite changed in the main eſſentials of it, and they are made the badges of an Harlot, rather then of a true Wife; They withhold the cup from the people, and adminiſter the Sacrament in one kind only, whereas Chriſt commanded it to be in both kinds; again, they deliver it in an unknown tongue, whereas Chriſt commanded it to be delivered in a known tongue; again, they turn it into Idolatry, to adore the hoſt, to adore the elements; ſo how many Churches are there up and down, that yield to the Church of Rome▪ that have quite and clean loſt the right uſe of the Sacrament, nay, loſt the Doctrin of the Sacraments? for this is ſeen, as long as the word of God continues ſo…d in the fundamentals, the Sacraments continue in the doctrin of them; but the Church may loſe the Doctrine of the Sacraments, and the right uſe of them.

Thirdly, Another inſeparable mark of a true Church, is a ſincere profeſſion3. Sincere profeſſion of the word of God, &c. of the word of God, and true Chriſtian Religion, either in truth and uprightneſs of heart, or elſe ſo far as man can judge; for though the preaching of the Word come to a place, yet it doth not follow preſently that there is a Church of God; for ſuppoſe a Miniſter come to a place where they are all Pagans, this doth not make a Church; as when Paul came among the Athenians and begun his Sermon, they were all Pagans and Infidels, they were not a Church preſently, as ſoon as ever he begun his Sermon, but when divers of them embraced the word, either ſincerely, or elſe to ſee to, as far as Paul and others could judge, then they were a Church; p. 93there muſt be a congregation of people that do profeſſe the pure Religion, and make it appear (at leaſt to the judgement of man) that they are godly in Chriſt Jeſus; this is an inſeparable mark of a true Church, as we may ſee 1 Cor. 14. 33. you ſhall ſee there that the Church is called a cong…egation of Saints, a Church of Saints; for ſaith he, as in all Churches of the Saints; that is, all particular Churches, they are Churches of Saints; not as if every one of them were Saints before God, but they were either Saints before God or men; ſo Gal. 1. 22. I was unknown to the Churches of Judea, which were in Chriſt; mark it, all particular Churches, are Churches that are in Chriſt; the members of thoſe Churches are in Chriſt, either truly, or before men; now I ſay, this mark may periſh from any particular Church; there is no Church that is a Church of Saints, but may become a Church of Divels, and … Synagogue of Satan, all wicked, and diſſolute, and ungodly. Jer. 29. 2. Jeremiah was weary of his life, he would count it a great bleſſing of God, if he would open a place to him to be apart, that he might not be among them, he was even tired, and his life was uncomfortable; they were ſo wicked and abominable, and ſo far off from being a Church of God, he did …ather with himſelf in a wilderneſſe then there; ſo it may be with any particular Church, if they look not to the word of God, and the Ordinances of God, and good order and Government, they may come to loſe this eſſential and inſeparable mark of a true Church of God.

Fourthly, Another mark (though I cannot call it inſeparable, becauſe4. True Diſcipline. it may be ſevered) is true diſcipline, and the right uſe of the cenſures of the Church; when there is true diſcipline according to the Inſtitution of Chriſt in his Church, this is a mark of the Church of God. Now a Church of God may loſe this, and be ſtript ſtark naked of true diſcipline, to have no publique reproof, no excommunication of thoſe that are profane; nay, theſe cenſures may be perverted and corrupted, ſo as to uſe them againſt Chriſt, and not for Chriſt; to excommunicate, not drunkards, and adulterets, and prophane people, but thoſe that are ſincere and godly, and lead an honeſt and pure life; it was ſo with Judaea, John 9. 22. Theſe words ſpake his parents, &c. Here you ſee diſcipline was out of this Church, and ſo far out that it was quite perverted; and ſuch as ſhould be counted the only members of the Congregation, they threw them out; if any confeſſed Chriſt to be the Redeemer of the world, which was a neceſſary truth, they threw them out of the Church; ſo that we ſee the cenſures may be quite gone. Now 'tis true, this is not an inſeparable mark of the Church of God, it is not a ſign of the eſſe of the Church, but it is a ſign of the bene eſſe, the well being of a Church: A Church of God, 'tis true, may be without diſcipline; as the Church of P…rgamus, the Spirit ſaith, it was a true Church, and commends this Church; yet (ſaith he) I have a few things againſt thee; what were thoſe? namely, that they wanted diſcipline, that they did not throw out wicked and rotten members, and ſuch as were erroneous in doctrine and manners; this Church was guilty of ſuffering this; if they had thrown them out, God would never have charged them with it; the Church cannot hinder but there will be wicked and ungodly men, but as long as they throw them out of the congregation, not to have communion with them, the Church hath waſhed her hands; but it ſeems this Church had not waſhed her hands of this. So the Church of Thyatira, Rev. 2. 18. the Spirit of God calls it a true Church, yet verſ. 20. he tels them plainly, it was a grievous offence to God that they had not diſcipline in the Church; Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezabel, &c. Thou haſt ſuffered this, and let her alone, and doſt even countenance her, and art guilty of all her errours; for thou didſt not throw her out, and diſcard her from being an outward member p. 94of the Church; ſo that we ſee the Church may be without diſcipline in the being of it; yet I make this a mark of the Church of God, becauſe though a Church may be without this, yet it is mightily defaced, and wants its beauty: And again, it is a Church that cannot continue; for when they doe not reprove and rebuke offenders, and deal ſeverely with them directly, they will infect the whole body, and it muſt needs weaken and decline, till at laſt it comes to nothing; therefore I make this a ſigne of a true Church. Thus we ſee there be four notes of a true Church, which it may have, and afterwards come to be no Church.

Now in the next place I will ſhew you there be ſeverall notes of a falſeMarks of a falſe Church. Church; and the Church that once had thoſe true notes, may have none but falſe notes.

As firſt Antiquity. You ſhall have ſome Churches, as the Church of Rome, they1. Antiquity. brag of Antiquity, they have Antiquity for their prayers for the dead, and Purgatory, & the like, and they ſhew 5, 6, or 700. years for theſe things; and none but a company of upſtart fellows, as Luther, and Calvin, and Perkins, did ever condemn theſe things. This is a falſe mark; and a Church that hath this mark, may be a Synagogue of Satan, and not a Church of God: For, as a Divine ſaith, no Church can be ſound becauſe of Antiquity, unleſs it hath been from the beginning; as Chriſt, when the Jewes pleaded Antiquity, he ſaith, It was not ſo from the beginning. All Antiquity is nothing, unleſs it be from the firſt beginning, when Gods Inſtitution and firſt ordering was; a lye will be a lye, notwithſtanding its Antiquity; and ſo an whore, the elder ſhe is, the impudenter ſhe is; and Errours and Hereſies in proceſs of time grow to be more infectious, they take deeper root. Now if they were once new, what if there were a thouſand yeares upon ſuch a Doctrine, and ſuch a manner of Adminiſtration of the Sacrament, what is this to the purpoſe, if there were a time when this was a novelty and a new device? as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Theſ. 2. 7. The Myſtery of iniquity worketh. Therefore no marvel it is grown ancient, no wonder it is come to be gray-headed; this is nothing, we are not to pick our Religion by yeares, but by Scripture; let a thing be never ſo old, if we cannot prove it by Scripture, this is nothing; if the Church have no other mark to plead that they are the Church of God, but Antiquity, that is a poor plea; as Paul thought before his converſion, I am of the Church; He was exceeding zealous for the traditions of his Fathers, Gal. 1. 14. This is a poor thing; Religion may be a vain Religion for all this. 1 Pet. 1. 18. If any people come to be redeemed by Chriſt, Chriſt comes to redeem them from ſuch Religion as this; the drunkard may ſhew Antiquity for his drunkenneſs, and the adulterer may ſhew Antiquity for his uncleanneſs, &c. But he is a true Chriſtian that can ſhew the Scripture for his title; and that is a true Church that maintaines for matters of Faith, and walks for matters of manners, according to the Scriptures. Now if a Church hath no better mark then Antiquity, it is a falſe Church.

Another mark of a falſe Church is univerſality; when they have no other2. Univerſality mark to ſhew, but that the moſt are of their ſide, they can ſhew the greateſt bulk; if you go and count, there is moſt of their number a great deal; this is a ſure mark of a falſe Church; yet the Church of Rome makes uſe of this mark; for they conſute our marks of a true Church, and will have multitudes to be their mark; and by this we may ſee they are Antichriſt, Rev. 13. 12. ſo Rev. 13. 8. All that dwell upon the earth, whoſe names were not written in the book of the Lamb, worſhipped the beaſt; the reprobate are the greateſt part of the world; now here he ſaith, all that dwell upon the earth almoſt ſhall worſhip the Beaſt; if this were the mark of a true Church, Chriſt had miſcounted himſelf when he counted his flock a little flock. Luke 12. 32. p. 95Fear not little flock, &c. And again, he ſaith, Strive to enter in at the ſtraight gate, &c. He deſcribes a true Church by the fewneſs, and not by the univerſality of it; therefore what a madneſs is this to make univerſality a note of a true Church?

Thirdly, Another is ſucceſſion of Paſtors from the Apoſtles times to this3. Succeſſion of Paſtors. very day; this they make a mark of a true Church; O ſay they we can ſhew ſucceſſion down from Peter here at Rome, even to this day: The Proteſtants are not able to ſhew this; this is a poor mark; Cai…phas that condemned Chriſt, could ſhew ſucceſſion from Aaron; ſo a Church may be a Church that renounceth Chriſt, and is an Antichriſtian Church, and yet may ſhew ſucceſſion; and other Churches, as Alexandria and others can ſhew ſucceſſion as well as Rome; ſo that ſucceſſion of Paſtors is nothing, unleſs they can ſhew ſucceſſion of Doctrine.

Fourthly, Unity, They make that to be a mark of the true Church; and4. Unity. this is a falſe mark too; others ſay they, have not unity among them, but we have unity; thus you may as well prove the Divels in Hell to be a Church, for there is unity; as our Saviour ſaith, If Satan be divided againſt Satan, how can his Kingdom ſtand? ſo Acts 4. 27. you may ſee what an unity was there, they were all of one knot and one mind; there was a marvellous great unity among them all to condemn Chriſt; the Church muſt be proved to be a true Church, before unity can be brought to be any ſign of it; for the more unity is in a wicked way, the more helliſh is the conſpiracy.

Fifthly, Miracles is a note of a falſe Church; now the Papiſts ſay, We5. Miracles. can ſhew miracles for our Religion; where can you ſhew miracles? Chriſt ſaith, we may know Antichriſt and his adherents by this, Mat. 24. 24. there ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts, &c. Falſe Chriſts and ſuch as make as though they were Chriſtians, and the people of God, and come to you in the name of the Lord, and they may ſhew you ſigns and wonders to make you believe them; but they are the Divels ſigns, and they ſhall be very ſtrong to delude the world; ſo 2 Theſ. 2. 9. the Apoſtle ſhews us that the coming of Antichriſt ſhall be after this manner; therefore no marvel that they plead ſigns and wonders, and apparitions of the dead, from their doctrine of the Maſs and Purgatory, and prayers for the dead, &c. this is an argument that their Church is Antichriſtian; that which is a true Church according to the Scripture, needs no new miracles; therefore Calvin and Luther that propounded nothing but the truth of the Scripture, they need bring no miracles to confirm it if indeed they had brought any new doctrines of their own heads, they had need to have brought miracles to confirm them; but when they brought nothing but what they could prove out of the Scripture, Scripture-miracles were enough to prove this.

Sixthly▪ Another mark is pompe and ſtatelineſs; a Church may come to6. Pompe and ſtatelineſs. have no other mark but this, that it is a goodly and ſtately Church, a pompous kind of ſerving God; things are ſet ou… pompouſly, this is rather an argument of an Antichriſtian Church; for the Kingdom of Chriſt is not of this world, and that which is highly eſteemed amongſt men, is abonimable in the ſight of God.

Laſtly, They make outward proſperity and happineſs to be a mark of7. Outward happineſs and proſperity. the true Church of God; but this is rather a mark of a Synagogue of Satan, For all that live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt ſuffer perſecution, 2 Tim. 3. 12. And if any man will be my Diſciple (ſaith Chriſt) let him take up his croſs and follow me. I ſay the Kingdom of Chriſt is not of this world; therefore proſperity and felicity is not a ſign of a Church of God; thus we ſee that a Church that was once a true Church of God, may come to be no true Church; they may loſe all the true notes of a Church of God, and have no, other notes, but ſuch as prove it to be no true Church, but rather a Church of Infidels and unbelievers.

p. 96The firſt reaſon is, becauſe the Church of God is Catholique, that is,Reaſ. 1. Becauſe the Church is Catholique. it is not tied and pent up in any place, God may carry it where he will, he may ſet up his Church in what Country, and Town, and Family he will, and chooſe what particular perſon in the whole world he will; God is not tied to any; therefore when the Jews bore themſelves upon this, that they were the Church, and Gods Ordinances and Oracles were approp…iated to them, they came at the firſt hour of the day, at the firſt hand; but if the Gentiles were a Church, it was but at the ſecond hand, they came but at the eleventh hour; he takes up a parable, Mat. 20. and ſaith, they that are laſt, ſhall be firſt, &c. and he gives a reaſon, ſhall I not do what I will with mine own? ſo God may do with his Ordinances, and gifts and graces of his ſpirit; he may beſtow them where he will, he may give his Goſpel to a Kingdom, and take it away at his pleaſure; and he may ſtay as long as he will, and be gone when he will.

Secondly, God doth not need any place, any people; though a place be2. God needs no place or perſons. never ſo glorious and ſtately, and though it be never ſo admirable a Church, God doth not need that Nation, but if it grow male…ert, and ſtiffe and ſtubborn againſt him, the Lord will make them know he hath no need of them, and cares not for them; as the Jews, when they bore themſelves upon this that they were the people of God, and had Abraham for their father, and were barren and fruitleſs and diſſolute in their lives, you may ſee how John Baptiſt anſwers their fooliſh conceit, think not with your ſelves, we have Abraham to our father, &c. Mat. 3. 9. he hath no need of you; you are the children of Abraham, but know God can caſt you into Hell for all you are the children of Abraham, and can make Heathens and Infidels children of Abraham; ſo when the Jews boaſted, Mal. 1. that God had choſen them, he hated Eſau, and loved Jacob, and they grew to be inſolent and diſobedient to God, and polluted his holy Temple, and deſpiſed his name; ſee what God ſaith, I will accept none of theſe things at your hands, I will gather me a people among the Heathens, Mal. 1. 13. As who ſhould ſay, I want not people, I can go among the Heathen, and there have my worſhip regarded which you have ſlighted and neglected.

Thirdly, There is no particular Church in the world hath a promiſe3 No particular Church hath a promiſe of continuance. alwayes to be a Church, but it they grow careleſs and ſecure and unprofitable under the means, the Lord will be gone; he hath made no ſuch promiſe to continue with them for ever▪ 'tis true, there is never a godly ſoul, never a member of the Church but God hath promiſed he will never leave him, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and Mat. 28. 20. he ſaith ſo of his own people, he will never leave them, but the good things he hath begun in them, he will perfect them in the day of Chriſt; nay, though all particular Churches ſhould be deſtroyed, God will have a care of theſe particular Saints of his Catholique Church, that not any limbe of it ſhall ceaſe; but for particular Churches God hath made no ſuch promiſes, but upon condition, Rom. 11. 22. if a Pariſh or Kingdom continue in the fear of Gods name, and regard his commandements, & be fruitful under his Ordinances, and thankful for his goodneſs, then he will ſtay; but otherwiſe ſaith he, thou ſhalt be broken off, though thou be the famouſeſt Church in the world.

This may con…ound the Church of Rome, who promiſe to themſelves they…ſe 1. …o con…ound the Church of Rome. ſhall never be unchurched; though they have been unchurched many years, yet they brag they are the only Church in the world; Bellarmine brags that St. Peters chair ſhall never go from Rome; and no wonder, for the ſpirit of God foretold it, Rev. 17. I ſit as Queen and ſhall never be a Widow, I ſhall be a Wife, a Spouſe for ever, I ſhall ſee no ſorrow; you ſee how ſecure ſhe is, juſt the child of her proud mother Babylon, Iſa. 47. 8. So 'tis with the Church of Rome, I am, and none elſe; I am; ſhe calls her ſelf the Roman Catholique p. 97Church, as if there were no Church but Rome; all the Nations of the world, if they will be a …hurch, muſt be members of that Church; as it was ſaid of Rome in Auguſius time, If Jupiter ſhould come down from Heaven, there is no Country for him to come into but Rome; look into this or that country, Rome hath to doe there; ſo Rome, notwithſtanding her Apoſtacy, is grown to that height of pride and ſecurity, as if ſhe were, and none but ſhe. O poor deluded company, there is ſcarce any true note of a Church of Chriſt among them, and yet they make themſelves to be the onelyonly Church.

This may be an Item for all the particular Churches in the whole world,Ʋſe 2. To all particular Churches. for England, Denmark, France, whereſoever is any. Here you ſee the Church of Sardis had but a name to live, and was dead; there was nothing but remainders in her, and they were ready to die and come to nothing. But what ſpeak I of the Church of Sarar…? Where are all the famous Churches of Aſta, of Pergamus and Th…at…ra? &c. what is become of theſe famous Churches? are they not turned into a wilderneſs, and to worſhip Meb…met and Idols, and are even grown as bad as Heathens? But what need I ſpeak of theſe? Look upon the Church of the Jewes, that were th… pri…cipal people of God; no Church like that; Iſrael is my firſt borne; there was never any Church under the Goſpel that was his onelyonly Church; but Judaea was his onelyonly o…e, his pleaſant Plant; nay they were the Fathers of Jeſus Chriſt according to the fleſh, Rom. 9. yet notwithſtanding that Church was cut off. When the holy City proved a Harlot; when theſe people grew to be weary of God and his Ordinances, and grew to be looſe, and would not be ruled by God and his Word, the Lord gave them a Bill of Divorcement, and ſent them away; therefore let us be warned by them; it is a fearfull thing when God for Idolatry ſhall caſt off Churches, and yet we not tremble but live under ſecurity and hardneſs of heart, and take not warning by it. Jer. 3. 8. God ſaith, Yet her treacherous ſiſter Judah feared not, but played the harlot. When God caſt off the ten Tribes, Judah ſaw this, and heard of this, and could not chuſe but underſtand this, and yet ſhe did not fear for all this: So when this Pariſh, or any other Pariſh ſhall hear of any Pariſh that is unchurched and unminiſtred, and God hath taken away his preſence from among them, and there ſhall be no ſigne of his gracious preſence any more, the Goſpel is gone from ſuch a place, and we hear of it, and yet doe not fear, but are as ſecure as ever, as unfruitful under the means as ever, and doe not ſtir up our ſelves to be more obedient to God and his Ordinances, but goe on to play the harlot, and goe a whoring from God from day to day; nay we are even ready to promiſe our ſelves peace for all this; this is a fearful thing. Mark what the Lord ſaith, Jer. 7. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. He ſpeaks there of Jeruſalem: So when God hath poured out his plagues and puniſhments upon other Pariſhes, and other places, and hath taken away his Ark and the glory is departed from them, and they are left in the ſhadow of death, and we ſee it, and yet tremble not at it, God calls upon us from day to day to amend our lives, that we mi…ht finde mercy with him; God tells us, as he hath done to other Pariſhes in the Kingdome, ſo he will doe to us; the Lord will lay us deſolate and waſte as other parts of the land are; and certainly the Lords wrath and vengeance is hard at our heels if we doe not ſpeedily repent, who knows how ſoon God may deprive us of his Word and Ordinances? For … not found thy works perfect before God.

If we take theſe words in ſunder, they containe theſe five Propoſitions.

Firſt, That the covenant of grace requires works.

Secondly, That theſe works ſhould be perfect.

p. 98Thirdly, That they ſhould not onelyonly be perect in the ſight of men, for that is nothing; but perfect in the ſight of God, before God.

Fourthly, That the Lord Jeſus ſearcheth whither they be ſo or no.

Fifthly, Upon due ſearch he finds it out many times, not onelyonly in particular perſons, but in particular Churches, as we ſee here in the Church of Sardis, that their works are not ſo.

For the firſt of theſe, That the ſecond Covenant requires works, we ſeeObſervat. 1. The ſecond Covenant requires works. here that the Lord Jeſus looks for works in the Church of Sardis that were in covenant with him; 'tis true, there is this difference between the two Covenants; the firſt covenant requires works as the condition of it; He that doth them, ſhall live in them, Gal. 3. 12. The doers of the Law ſhall be bleſſed, Rom. 2. 13. Therefore it is called the covenant of works, and that in two ſenſes.

Firſt, In that works are the condition of it.

Secondly, In that it is left unto man; God gives onelyonly a power not to ſin, if ſo be that man will; but he doth not give the will. Now the ſecond covenant is not a covenant of works; the condition of it is not works, but the condition of it is faith; The juſt ſhall live by faith, Rom. 1. 17. Therefore it is called a covenant of grace, and that in two reſpects oppoſite to the former; not onelyonly in regard that theſe works are done by another, and ſo nothing is required of the party juſtified, but onelyonly faith for his juſtification; but alſo becauſe though the covenant of grace require works, yet God doth not expect a man ſhould doe any thing of himſelf, but it is by grace; we are ſaved by grace through faith, and not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God. I ſay the ſecond covenant is a covenant of grace, and yet it requires works.

And works are here neceſſary. Firſt by neceſſity of preſence; for though faith be the condition, yet it is ſuch a faith as hath neceſſarily good works together preſent with it; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Faith if it have not works is dead, Jam. 2. 17. Good works they are inſeparably joyned together with true faith; for as the body without the ſpirit is dead, ſo faith without works is dead alſo; not as though works were the eſſential forme of true faith; but the nature of faith, if it be true, is ſuch as doth neceſſarily cauſe good works to accompany with it.

They are neceſſary by neceſſity of inſeparable effects; good works are not onelyonly preſent together with faith, but they are ſo preſent, as that they doe flow from faith. God hath required ſuch a faith in the covenant of grace, as doth produce good works; they are not onelyonly inſeparable from faith, but thus inſeparable, that true faith muſt needs produce them; He that hath this hope, purifies himſelfe as he is pure, 1 John 3. 3. That is, He that hath this faith, he ſets down faith by the effect hope, and ſets it down by another effect, it muſt needs purifie, it makes that man purifie himſelf as Chriſt is pure. So Chriſt having exhorted them to believe, having raiſed up their minds to believe the things that are above, Lay up your treaſure in Heaven, Mat. 6. 20. in the next verſe he ſhews this will have the effect of all manner of good works; For where your treaſure is, there will your hearts be alſo; it will draw up your hearts, and make you heavenly-minded, and make you ſeek the things that are above; where your treaſure is, there will your hearts be alſo. So likewiſe we may ſee Heb. 11. thorow the whole chapter, what abundance of effects are ſet down of true ſaving faith: By faith Abel offered ſacrifice to God. By faith Noah being warned of God, obeyed God, and did the things that God commanded, verſe 7. And ſo by faith Abraham when he was called, yielded to God. So by faith believers wrought righteouſneſs, and did wonderfull things, ſubdued Kingdomes, &c. They were able to work wonderful effects; ſo that when a man hath not p. 99works, when he doth not obey God through the power of faith, he hath not faith it ſelf

Thirdly, Good works are neceſſary by neceſſity of ſigns; they are not only to be in a Believer as effects, but as proofs of his faith; …or a man muſt juſtifie his faith by his works; they are ſignes and proofs whereby he may know whether his faith be true, and of the right ſtamp o… no; for if a mans faith be a lively faith, a faith that doth juſtifie, though in the act of juſti…ication it be alone, yet in exiſtency it is not alone, but it hath good …orks together with it, as ſigns and marks of the ſame; as 1 John 1. 6. If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lye, and … not the truth. Hereby we may know that we are deceived; we may think we have ſaith, and ſo fellowſhip together with him; yet if we walk in darkneſſe, we may know we lye; for this could not be if we had fellowſhip with God. So 1 John 2. 4. He that ſa… I know him, and keepeth not his commandements, is a lyar. If a man ſhould once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God▪ by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar. Hereby ſhall all men know ye are my diſc…ples, if ye love me … or ſaith Chriſt; and as it is a ſign to others, ſo it is a ſign to a mans own ſelf; Her…by we know that we are paſſed from death to life, it we loveth Brethren. He ſets down one good work in ſtead of all other: if we bring forth the works of new obedience, and if our hearts be purg…d of God i… we bring forth the fruits of holineſs, this is a ſigne we have faith: for faith makes a man to chooſe God for his God, and raiſes a man up to ſee him to be the chiefeſt good of all and to ſee all happineſs in him, and a ſupply of all the good we need in him, and ſo it makes a man to love God, and by love to doe the works of God.

Fourthly, Good works are neceſſary alſo by neceſſity of commandement, not onelyonly to be effects and ſignes of faith, but they are alſo ſuch things as are commanded of God; God hath commanded good works, that we ſhould walk in all holineſs of converſation, to be holy as he is holy, that we ſhould be holy in our carriages and behaviour, Tit. 3. 8. The ſame God that commands us to believe, commands us to maintain good works, as we may ſee there; we ſ…e that Miniſters are to urge people, and maintaine it againſt all gainſayers, that there is a neceſſity of good works, and that the Lord will have us to go on in them; for faith through the Object of it, as it juſtifies, is the promiſe of God in Chriſt for forgiveneſs of ſins; yet faith in it ſelfe looks upon the whole word of God, and looks whatſoever it ſeeth joyned together by that, it joynes together of it ſelf; as the Promiſes and Commandements are bound together by an inviolable knot, ſo faith joynes them together; it cannot take the promiſes of God, but it muſt take the commandements of God alſo; faith looks upon God, and as it ſeeth him to be gracious, whereby it comes to have faith to rely upon him, ſo alſo it ſeeth him to be holy, a God that is ſevere againſt ſin, and hateth unrighteouſneſs; ſo that it is neceſſary that works be together with faith, for the commandement and nature of God require it.

Fifthly, They are neceſſary alſo by neceſſity of end; for God hath ordained his people to this end, that they ſhould bring forth good works. Eph. 2. 10. We are his workmanſhip created in Chriſt to good works, which God hath before ordained, that we ſhould walk in them. We are created in Chriſt Jeſus, not onelyonly that we ſhould be ſaved, but that we ſhould bring forth good works. Now good works are neceſſary by neceſſity of end in divers reſpects.

Firſt to this end, To glorifie God in the world; Let your light ſo ſhine before men, &c. Matth. 5. 16. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apoſtle ſaith, Having our converſation honeſt amongſt the Gentiles, that whereas they ſpeak againſt you p. 100as evil doers, &c. For when a Chriſtian that profeſſeth he believes in God and Jeſus Chriſt, is plentiful in all manner of good works, this ſtops the mouth of all gainſayers: You know Piety and Religion is hated in the world, the Goſpel finds oppoſition among men. Now when thoſe that are Profeſſors are looſe and licentious in their lives, this opens their mouths againſt the truth; but when our lives and converſations hold forth Jeſus Chriſt, as we take up the profeſſion of his holy name, ſo they are agreeable to his will, they are juſt, and holy, and righteous, and good; this makes men think in their conſcience this is of God; this ſtops their mouths that they cannot rail at the Goſpel.

Secondly, They are neceſſary to doe good to others, and convert others, as the Apoſtle inſtanceth in women that believe, if they be zealous of good works, if they be chaſt, and humble, and meek, and diſcreet; by this means they may be inſtruments to convert their husbands that believe not, 1 Pet. 3. The Lord looks that his people, all that believe in him, ſhould be fruitful in good works, that they may winne and gaine others to the faith.

Thirdly, Another end is to purifie our ſelves; for it is vertue that muſt throw out vice; we are all borne by nature filthy and unclean, and full of noyſome luſts, and the way to expel theſe is by the contrary vertues, 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your ſoules by obeying the truth.

Fourthly, Another end is to qualifie us for Heaven; we cannot be qualified for the Kingdome of heaven unleſs we be holy and godly in Chriſt Jeſus, except we have our converſations honeſt as becometh Saints; for though it be faith that entitles a man to the Kingdome of Heaven, and gives a man right to the Kingdome of God; yet holineſſe and conformity to the minde of God, and the image of God, is that which doth fit and qualifie a man for to enter into the Kindome of God; as Chriſt ſaith, Except your righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you can in no wiſe enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. Though it be true, we are ſaved by grace, and ſo good works have no cauſality, no proper efficiency in our ſalvation; yet notwithſtanding they are a cauſe ſine qua non, without them there can be no ſalvation; we cannot enter into Gods Kingdome, except we be humble, and meek, and lowly; except we fear God, and be according to his minde in all things in ſome meaſure, we cannot enter into his Kingdom. Mat. 5. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. A man cannot be admitted to the Beatifical Viſion of God, except he be pure in heart; and he cannot enjoy the Kingdome of grace neither here unleſs he be pure in heart, Rev. 21. 27. Without holineſs a… man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 13. It is impoſſible we ſhould enter into Gods Kingdome by having actual poſſeſſion of it, except we be holy and fitted for it, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Col. 1. 12. It is impoſſible that drunkards, and unclean perſons ſhould have ſociety with the bleſſed Trinity, with the eternal God, with the Spirit of holineſſe, to dwell with them for evermore; we muſt be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.

Fifthly, To proportion our Reward; for though we are ſaved only by grace, yet God doth proportion our reward, according to the multitude, and zeal, and fervency of our good works; for Gods Covenant is a remunerating Covenant; for mercy doth not conſiſt only in the pardoning of a man, but alſo in the ſanctifying of a man, and the inclining of a mans heart to new obedience, that there may be remuneration; for though God doth not reward people for their works, yet according to their works he doth. 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that ſoweth ſparingly, ſhall reap ſparingly, &c. Though a man be a Believer, and a godly man, if he be ſparing in his godlineſs, he ſhall fare p. 101accordingly, and if he be abundant in the work of the Lord, he ſhall reap abundantly; for as there are differences and degrees of torments to the wicked, ſo there be degrees in the Kingdom of God, and in glory, and the Lord doth reward his people according to their works.

Laſtly, Good works are neceſſary by neceſſity of thankfulneſs; it is neceſſary that we having received the forgiveneſs of our ſins, and God being pleaſed to be our God, and to deliver us from the wrath to come, and the power of Satan, that we ſhould be thankful for theſe mercies; as David ſaith, Pſal. 118. 19. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, and be thankeful, Col. 1. 15. When David had conſidered what the Lord had done for his ſoul, ſaith he, what ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits? as ſoon as ever God hath been good to a man to open his eyes, to let him ſee his damned eſtate and condition, and to let him have hope, and comfort, and encouragement in him, concerning deliverance from it, and beſtowing upon him his heavenly Kingdom and glory, it cannot be but the ſoul muſt be thankful; what ſhall I do unto the Lord for all his benefits? you know there is nothing that we can do back again for theſe benefits, except we will praiſe and glorifie him, by living unto him and not unto our ſelves; therefore when the Pſalmiſt had reckoned up the benefits of God to Iſrael, Pſal. 105. 46. he concludes that they may keep his ſtatutes and obſerve his Laws.

Firſt, Here we ſee how horribly the Papiſts wrong us when they ſay we Ʋſe 1 do not teach people good works, and therefore nickname us, and call us Solifidia…s, whereas we maintain a neceſſity of them, and as great a neceſſity of them as they; only we beat down the merit of them, that no man may think to be ſaved by works; as a reverend Divine Mr. Carter ſaid, we teach people holineſs and righteouſneſs, and good works, as if there were no way to be ſaved but by good works; and again, we teach that there muſt be as much hanging upon the grace of God, as if we could ſhew no more to be ſaved then the vileſt drunkard or adulterer; all our righteouſneſs is as a menſtruous cloth, and it is Gods mercy that any of us have an heart to do good; you ſee how the world runs after their hearts luſts, and every man is of this diſpoſition; and it is Gods grace and mercy to incline any mans heart to walk in that way that tends to his heavenly Kingdom; and if God ſhould not be infinitely gracious to pardon us for our beſt doings, they would riſe up in judgement againſt us; God might condemn us for all our prayert and performances.

Secondly, This teacheth Miniſters how to preach to people, to call upon Ʋſe 2 them that they have an operative faith, not only to believe, but to have a faith that may be fruitful, and make their lives n…t to barren in obedience; and to be abundant in the works of the Lord and to ſerve him, and fear him, and glorifie him in the world; as the Apoſtle having ſhewed how Chriſt gave himſelf for us, to purchaſe to himſelf a people zealous of good works, ſaith he, theſe things ſpeak, Tit. 2. 14, 15. We muſt ſpeak theſe things, and rebuke our hearers with all authority; rebuke evil workers, and tell them they turn the grace of Chriſt into wantonneſs, they trample the blood of the Covenant under their feet, and kick at the ſpirit of grace, and miſconſtrue the meaning of the Covenant of God in Chriſt, and rend themſelves off that they cannot enter into life; for no man without holineſs ſhall ſee God: Miniſters ſhould tell people plainly, and affirm conſtantly, that unleſs they bring forth good fruit they ſhall be caſt into the fire; and that without holineſs they cannot have licenſe and diſpenſation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; for God is an holy God, and our faith is an holy faith, and the promiſes are made to none but thoſe that lead an holy and a godly life; we muſt preach theſe things, and reprove with all Authority, and let people know that are looſe Chriſtians, and Hell-hounds, that if they do p. 102not depart from iniquity, they ſhall ſee God as a Judge to condemn them for evermore.

Thirdly, This confutes all the graceleſs conceits of men, that think to be Ʋſe 3 ſaved by Chriſt, and yet walk not after Chriſt; they caſt not away from them the works of darkneſs, nor renounce their wicked …ayes and yet hope to be ſaved by Chriſt; this is a curſed and blaſphemous hope, whereby a man blaſphemes God, 1 Joh. 3. 6. whoſoever ſinne…h, but …en him, neither kn…wn him; if a man live in his ſins ſtill (that is the meaning of it) and walks not after the ſpirit▪ but after the fleſh, that man hath not ſeen him, neither ever known him; he doth not know Jeſus Chriſt otherwiſe then the Divels know him, otherwiſe then Hell-hounds and reprobates may know him; for the ſecond Covenant is as holy as the firſt, and rather more holy, and before God hath done, it ſhall bring a man to a nearer communion with God, and a nearer likeneſs; it will raiſe the powers and faculties of the ſoul, ſo as I believe A…am in innocency never attained unto ſo much participation of God, as God by degrees will bring a man unto by the Covenant of grace; therefore no man can look to …e ſaved by Chriſt except he mean to be ruled by Chriſt, and to have him for his Lord and Maſter, and to obey him in all things; if a man ſhould lie ſick in his bed of a burning feaver, and ſhould ſay he were well, would you believe him▪ ſo if we ſee a man that is burning in luſt, wallowing in ſinful courſes, that hath a carnal and a worldly heart, unmortified and unſubdued to God, if he ſhould ſay that he were in Chriſt, and hoped to be ſaved by him, believe him not; all the world cannot ſave this man; for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath this very name Jeſus, not only becauſe he ſhall ſave his people from hell, but alſo from their ſins, and make them fruitful in all the works of God.

Fourthly, To exhort that we would conſider of this, the Goſpel doth Ʋſe 4 call for works as well and as ſtrongly, yea, and more ſtrongly then the Law, and there be neceſſary uſes of holineſs and obedience and all manner of pious works under the Goſpel; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Tit. 3. 4. let us maintain good works for neceſſary uſes, &c. We are barren trees; whatſoever we are, we are barren and dead Chriſtians, and have no life of God in us, if we bring not forth good works; for good works are neceſſary for many uſes.

Firſt, They are for ſigns, to ſhew us what eſtate and condition we areMotive 1. in; we may know what eſtate and condition we are in by our carriage and converſation; whither it be earthly or heavenly, holy or prophane, ſo is our condition either happy or damned.

Firſt, They are ſigns of a mans election, 2 Tim. 1. 20. this is a ſign and a badge, and a token whereby we may know that we are veſſels of honour, if we be ſanctified and made meet for our maſters uſe, and furniſhed and prepared for every good work; if we do not deny all ungodly luſts, and live righteouſly and ſoberly in this preſent world, we have rather badges and tokens of reprobation then election; we cannot ſay that God hath appointed us to attain ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, but have rather marks of hell and deſtruction upon us; and what is the reaſon that men that profeſs Chriſt, do ſo much queſtion their election? no wonder when we are ſo ſcanty in our holineſs and obedience to God, and ſo backward to do good; there is no nickling of Gods everlaſting favour breaking out, whereas if we were plentiful in good works, it would break forth as the Sun out of a cloud.

Secondly, They are ſigns of effectual calling, Jude 1. if a man be called of God, he is ſanctified alſo and kept in an holy courſe; preſerved in Chriſt. 2 Pet. 1. 3. you are an holy Nation, a peculiar people, to ſhew forth the vertues p. 103of him that hath called you, 1 Pet. 2. 9. ſo that we may be ſure that we yet abide in darkneſs, and are under the power of ſin and Satan; if we have not given over our ſinful courſes, and conformed our ſelves to the Goſpel of God, we were never called according to Gods purpoſe, but lie under the wrath of Heaven to this day; it is holineſs and righteouſneſs that is a ſign of our effectuall calling.

Thirdly, They are ſigns of juſtification alſo; as the Apoſtle ſheweth, but you are waſhed, &c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. you ſee if we be juſtified, we are alſo ſanctified; ſo 1 Joh. 1. 7. if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, &c. We have not one drop of the blood of Chriſt ſprinkled upon our ſouls by Gods eternal ſpirit through faith, unleſs we walk in the light, and bring forth the works of the light.

Fourthly, They are ſigns of adoption, John 8. 39. If you were Abrahams children, you would bring forth the works of Abraham; ſo if we were Gods children, we would do the works of God, the will of God: The Apoſtle having ſpoken of the adoption of Saints, behold what love the Father hath ſhewed to us, &c. preſently he tells us that holineſs and righteouſneſs follows from hence; he that hath this hope purifieth himſelf, as he is pure. So Rom. 8. 14. As many are led by the ſpirit of God, are the ſons of God; this is an infallible ſign, if we be the ſons of God, we are led by the ſpirit of God; ſo that we have no mark that we are the children of God, but rather of the Divel, unleſſe we walk in pureneſſe of converſation from day to day.

Fifthly, They are the marks of our love to God, as Chriſt ſaith, if you love me, keep my commundements, John▪ 14. 15. we love not God except we keep his commandments; as ever you would be able to ſay in truth you love me, keep my commandments; look that you yield not to the corruptions of the world, look that you renounce the Divel and all his works; I will conclude you love me not at all, if you keep not my commandments; and he that loves not Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha, ſaith the Apoſtle.

Secondly, Conſider this, that the reaſon why we cannot pray better isMotive 2. becauſe we are no more abundant in good works; not only becauſe we want faith, but becauſe we want good works; for certainly this is a great help to prayer, a great ſupport to the ſoul, a great encouragement to go to the Throne of grace, and a great ſign that God means to hear a man when God hath given him an heart to fear him, and love him, and make conſcience of his wayes; as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 John 3. 22. Whatſoever we aske we receive of him, becauſe we keep his commandments, and do the things pleaſing in his ſight: As who ſhould ſay, when we go to God, and intreat him to be merciful to us, and intreat ſuch and ſuch favours that we ſtand in need of; we know that we ſhall receive them, becauſe we keep his commandments. Theſe are admirable ſupports to hold up the hands to the Throne of grace, and to make us importunate in prayer, and confident, becauſe we know God hath poured forth his gracious good will and pleaſure into our hearts, and hath given us a mark he loves us, and beares us good will indeed. Why can we pray no better, our hands are weake and our knees feeble; there is no power in our ſupplications to the Almighty, the ſpirit of grace is departed from us; why the ſpirit of holineſs is gone; there is the reaſon of it, when people are looſe and do not mortifie their luſts, when they are not abundant in following God, in fearing God, and ſerving God, and obeying the commandments of God, they cannot have confidence at the Throne of grace.

Thirdly, Conſider this would be a great chearing and rejoycing in theMotive 3. evil day; whatſoever afflictions come upon us in this world, if we can p. 104carry letters teſtimonial in our own conſcience, that we do ſerve God with a pure conſcience in this world; as Paul ſaith, 2 Cor. 1. 12. God knows what evil may befal us before we are a little older, what temptations may await us, what diſtreſſes and calamities may fall upon us; happy are we if we have the teſtimony of a good conſcience, that we walk in the wayes of God, and fear him, and love thoſe things that are beloved of God; if we love his children, his Ordinances, his glory, and are tender of it; a good conſcience tender of the commandments of God and his wa…es, is the beſt comfort a man can have in the world, ſetting aſide his faith in God; and this is an evidence of his faith too; how can we tell what may be? may be the beſt of us may come to Davids paſs; you know ho… he was put to it once in the time of his miſery and affliction he was fain to look if he could ſee an honeſt life and converſation, whither he had pleaſed God: ſaith he, I communed with my ſpirit, and made diligent ſearch, P…al. 77. 6. How have I pleaſed God, and followed God? what manner of …e have I led? he ranſacked all his life and converſation, and would be glad to ſee he had done the things pleaſing to God; i… would be more comfort th…n if all the Angels in heaven had ſpoken comfort; ſo temptations or af…ictions may be upon us, that we would be glad to ſee ſigns and tokens of Gods favour in ſanctifying our hearts, and making us to be obedient to his will, and tremble at his word; and if we cannot ſee theſe things, woe unto us, 1 Tim 6. 19. charge them that be rich in the world, that they be not high▪ minded, &c. So we do not know what times may come, we had need l…y a good foundation for comfort againſt the time to come, and charge rich men that they be rich in good works; charge all Chriſtians, all that deſire to had▪ in the evil day, to be rich in good works, and abound in them, and lay up in ſtore a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

Laſtly, Conſider that your want of obedience and good works is the cauſe of all Gods temporal judgements, why God doth ſtop the bottles of Heaven, and turns the Earth into duſt, and parcheth our Corn; we ſee God hath begun the plague among us in the principal place of the Kingdom; wherefore is all this? ſee what the Prophet ſaith, Jer. 3. 3. therefore have the ſhowers been withholder, becauſe you have been wicked; thou haſt an whores forehead, and refuſeſt to be aſhamed; thy careleſſeneſs and barrenneſs under the means of grace, thy impenitency and hardneſs of heart, theſe have cauſed the ſhowers to be withholden, and have made God to deny the former and latter rain.

The ſecond point is this, As the Covenant of grace requires works, ſo itDoctrine. The Covenant of grace requires perfect works. Objection. requires perfect works he tells the Church of Sardis that he looks for works, and perfect works, but c…nnot find them; ſo that the ſecond Covenant requires perfect works.

But you will ſay, how can that he? Paul himſelf that was as forward a man, and had as perfect works as any man, yet he confeſſeth he was not perfect, Phil. 3. 12. ſo likewiſe here we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 10. perfection is not yet come; in the world to come it may come. Heb 12. there we read of the ſpirits of juſt and perfect men; then men are made perfect, but they are not perfect in this life.

I anſwer, 'tis true, therefore there is a double perfection. Firſt, A perfection Anſwer. of degrees, to be perfectly perfect, and ſo no man can be perfect by any perfection inherent▪ indeed the Covenant of works requires this perfection, but the Covenant of grace doth not; indeed when we come to glory, there ſhall be this perfection, but not in this life; in this life the Lord only ſubdues our ſins, but caſts them not into the bottom of the Sea til the life to come; therefore this perfection cannot be looked for upon earth.

p. 105Therefore ſecondly, There is another perfection, and that is a perfection by way of ſincerity and uprightneſſe. Job 1. 1. Job was a perfect and upright man. Now this perfection differs from the other five wayes; the perfection God requires in the Goſpel from that in the Law.

Firſt, The Law ſtands upon performances, as well as the will and deſire:The difference between Legal and Evangelical Perfection. and a man is not perfect unleſſe he perform all as well as deſire to doe it; But now the perfection of the Goſpel is without theſe performances, indeed that man labours for as many performances as he can, but it may be onelyonly by deſires, Rom. 7. 18. Paul was perfect by Evangelical Perfection, he was upright before God, yet he could not reach performances; no, he had a will to be good he did unfeignedly deſire to be godly, and ſerve God in every thing unfeignedly, endeavouring after godly courſes, yet could not attain to that which he did deſire. So it was with Nehemiah, and all the good people of God, Nehem. 1. 11. O Lord, I beſeech thee lot thine ear be atten…ive t… the prayers of thy ſervants who deſire to fear thy name. He could hardly ſay that he did perform it, but he did deſire it; he could hardly ſay he did love, and obey God, and doe his will, but this he would ſay, he did deſire to doe it, and unfeignedly deſire it; as Solomon ſaith, Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after righteouſneſſe and mercy, findeth life. He doth not ſay, he that reacheth in he cannot reach it may be, but he that followeth after it ſhall have life: it is a ſign that he hath the life of juſtification, and that he ſhall have the life of glory.

Secondly, The perfection of the Law it ſtands upon quantities as well as upon qualities & truth; it is not ſatisfied though a man be never ſo truly holy and religious, unleſs man hath quantities, and is ſo much holy: But now the perfection of the Goſpel, indeed it will have as much quantity as a man can, but yet it will ſtand with truth; though a man hath not that quantity of humiliation and ſelf-denial, and power againſt ſin, yet if he have it in truth, he is Evangelically perfect in ſome meaſure, he is ſincere and upright before God; as Solomon ſaith of his Father, 1 Kings 13. 6. M. Father had great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth. He doth not ſay he walked before thee in legal perfection, he was perfectly righteous; but he was truly righteous, he was humble in truth, and godly in truth, and zealous in truth; he had none of all theſe things to the utmoſt, yet he walked before thee in truth. So Joſh. 24. 14. Fear the Lord, and ſerve him in ſincerity and truth. He doth not ſay, ſerve him as if you ſhould doe every thing he commands; but doe it in truth and ſincerity, Now ſincerity is, when there is no commandement but a man ſets himſelfe to doe it; there is no ſin but he labours to avoid it, and there is no right manner, but he ſets himſelf to doe it in the right manner to his power; this is the perfection of the Goſpel.

Thirdly, The perfection of the Law ſtands upon full meaſure; whether a man have power or no, that is nothing to the purpoſe; the law will have all holineſs and righteouſneſs, whether a man hath power or no: But now the perfection of the Goſpel by way of ſincerity, it looks at what meaſure God hath given and beſtowed, and no more but what God hath given and enabled a man to doe; as you may ſee the Lord doth not require the gain of ten talents, when he gave but five, nor the gain of five when he gave but two; the widows two mites were accepted, and taken for a good and ſincere gift, becauſe ſhe gave all that ſhe had, Luke 21. 4. as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be firſt a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not. The law will have perfection whether a man hath power or no, or elſe it will damn a man; but in the Goſpel a man may ſay as Peter to the lame man, Silver and gold have I none, but ſuch as I have, that give I thee. Lord, ſuch a memory, p. 106and ſuch parts and gifts have I not, but ſuch as I have, that give I thee; according to that meaſure of knowledge I have, according to that grace I have, I will give it thee: If a man can ſay thus, he is accepted, not according to that he hath not, but according to that he hath; as it was in the law of Moſes, Levit. 5. 6, 7. Atreſpaſſe-…ffering ſhould be a lamb or a kid; but if a man were not able to give that, then two turtle doves, or two young pigeons; if he be not able to give that, let him give two or three handfuls of fine flowre, Levit. 5. 11. So Levit. 14. 20. Let him give according at he can get, he ſhall be accepted according to that. This is the perfection of the Goſpel▪ according to the help and aſſiſtance God gives a man, and according to the means God afford… a man, it ſhall be accepted.

Fourthly, The perfection of the law admits of no failings; if a man fails, no matter though it be out of infirmity, the law condemns him the law requires perfection without failings; but the perfection of the Goſpel, by way of ſincerity admits of failings; as the beſt gold hath his allowances, ſo it is with a true Chriſtian; he may be ſincere and upright, though he hath a thouſand failings; as it is ſaid of David, 1 Kings 15. 5. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord in all things, but onelyonly in the mo…ter of Uriah. That indeed would not ſtand with ſincerity, his ſincerity was quite in a ſwo…m then: that could not ſtand with ſincerity; if he had gone on to ſin in that faſhion, he could not have been ſincere; but in all other things he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. You will ſay he had a thouſand failings, yet ſaith the Text, they all ſtood with ſincerity; he numbred the people, and God was mightily angry with him, and you know how unjuſt he was in the matter of Zibah and Mephiboſheth; you know how he told a lye to Abimelech, and was the occaſion of the death of the Prieſts of the Lord; you know how he counterfelted himſelf mad, and he had horrible diſorders in his family, and had loſt the power of controul over his children; were not theſe horrible failings? and what a company of Wives and Concubines had he? yet all theſe ſtood with ſincerity, becauſe they were either done out of ignorance, or want of due conſideration ſometimes, or through humane frailty and infirmity, or through violence of temptation, contrary to his conſtant courſe, and intendment and purpoſe; they might all ſtand with ſincerity and an upright heart according to the perfection of the Goſpel.

Fifthly, The perfection of the Law makes nothing of repentance; if you break the commandements of God, if you ſhed tears of blood, and repent your heart out, what cares the law? the law will have perfect obedience, or elſe to hell you ſhall. But now in the perfection of the Goſpel, repentance is a great matter; nay, if a man be never ſo vile and wretched, if yet he humble himſelfe before God, and be unfeignedly ſorry for ſinning againſt God, this is a great matter; this man is an upright man, that is unfeignedly humbled and abaſed before God; The ſacrifice of God is a broken ſpirit, a broken and contrite heart thou ſhalt not deſpiſe. This is the voyce of the Goſpel. So Ez…k. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his ſins, and do that which is lawful and right, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die. As it is Joh 23. 27, 28. He looked upon men, and if any ſaid I have ſinned, he will deliver his ſoule from going down into the pit. In the Goſpel a man is an upright man, if he come before the throne of grace with ſhame and confuſion of face for all his ſins, with unfeigned ſorrow that he hath broken Gods Covenant; if he hath never ſo many failings, if he ſet himſelfe to pleaſe God, and when he fails, he repents, and humbles himſelf before God, this manDoctrine. Every man ought to labour for perfection. hath the perfection of the Goſpel. Thus we ſee the meaning of the words, Perfect before God.

The point of Doctrine is this, That every man is to labour to be perfect, p. 107that is the thing that God will require, and enquire after at the laſt day, whether we be upright. You ſee this, 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. and ſo likewiſe in other places of Scripture.

The firſt Reaſon is from the nature of God, with whom we have to doe, Reaſon 1 he is upright; therefore it concerns us to labour to be like him; he himſelfe is an upright God, and there is no unrighteouſneſs in him, his wayes are perfect, and his judgments are truth; therefore if a man be not perfect, he cannot be like him. Mat. 5. 48. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. we know his ſpirit is the ſpirit of truth, himſelfe is the God of truth, his Son is the way, the truth, and the life, he is the faithful witneſs; and as God is upright, ſo he looks that his ſervants ſhould ſhew what Maſter they ſerve, that they may make it appear that their Maſter is an upright Maſter, Pſalm 92. ult. to ſhew forth that the Lord is upright; This is our duty; God is upright, and Chriſt is upright; and therefore we ſhould follow his ſteps, 1 Pet. 2. 21, 22.

Secondly, God hath commanded us to be ſincere; though he remit from the firſt Covenant of abſolute and perfect righteouſneſs and holineſs without ſin, ye he will have his people truly fearing him, and hating ſin, univerſal in obedience, that they ſhall be from the bottome of their hearts followers of him; therefore this ſlung David to the heart when he committed ſin: O thought he, Thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. 6. As who ſhould ſay, thou lookeſt into the heart, thou requireſt truth of thy ſervants; O what a falſe heart have I had in this buſineſſe! God hath many worſhippers in this world, ſuch as they are; but God cares for none, but ſuch as deale faithfully in his Covenant; as Chriſt ſpeaks, John 424.

Thirdly, God knows our hearts; therefore though we ſerve him, and do duties to him; though we call upon his name, hear his Word, come to his Table, obſerve his Sabbaths, keep his Ordinances; yet if we doe not doe theſe things in truth, his eyes are ever upon our boſomes, he caſts his eyes upon the ſecrets of men; if our hearts be rotten, and proud, and vaine, and looſe, and filthy; if our hearts be not of a right frame, all is nothing; if there be any way of wickedneſſe in us, if there be any ſecret ſins, or curſed corruptions that we favour our ſelves in; if there be any falſe way we ſecre…ly haunt, the Lord ſhall ſearch it out, for the knowes the ſecrets of our hearts; therefore it becomes us to be upright; as he ſaith of Ephraim, Hoſ. 5. 3. I know Ephraim, he is not hid from us. So if we preach never ſo zealouſly, and doe not according to our preaching, the Lord knows …s; ſo if we hear never ſo zealouſly, and doe not practice what we hear, he knows it; therefore it concerns us to be upright.

Fourthly, Becauſe the Lord will let down the Covenant no lower. Now God hath been pleaſed to moderate the firſt Covenant, which it was impoſſible for us to keep, and hath brought it down to the Covenant of faith, to believe, and to be ſincere in all our wayes; this God requires, and will let it down no lower. Iſa. 63. 8. the Lord ſaith there, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye; and ſo he was their Saviour. So he requires his people ſhould be children that ſhould not lye, and be baſe-hearted, and deal deceitfully and crookedly in his Covenant; he was their Saviour, ſo they would be children that would not lye. So Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love Chriſt in ſincerity. There is no man is under the Covenant of grace, unleſſe he be ſincere in all the will of God in Jeſus Chriſt: There are two things the Covenant of grace gives; the one is the forgiveneſſe of ſins, the other is a ſincere heart; if a man hath not theſe two, he is yet in his ſins; as we may ſee, Pſal. 32. 2. Bleſſed is the man, &c.

Fifthly, The Examples of all the Saints in all Ages; all the people of p. 108God that ever were upright, to begin with Noah, Gen. 6. 9. The text ſaith, he was a juſt and perfect man in his generation. You know it was in a corrupt time, all the Earth had corrupted their wayes; no queſtion a man that was religious in thoſe dayes, he could not chuſe but be ſcorned and derided; but what cared he? he would be a juſt man, and was perfect in his generation; though it were a devilliſh generation, yet he was an upright man, and would not doe as the world did, but he would draw near to God, and walk with him from day to day. So it is ſaid of Job, Job 1. 2. That he was an upright and perfect man; though Job lived in a blind corner out of the Church, and ſetting aſide 304, generally the whole Countrey were Heathens and Pagans, and he was as an Owl in the Deſart; yet he would not doe as the world did, but keep himſelf to God. So Luke 1. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, &c. You know the times were then very bad, and all the devotion that went for currant, was nothing but to be zealous of humane inventions and traditions, and worſhipping God after the imaginations of men; this was the holineſs of the world, yet the Text ſaith this man and his wife would be righteous before God, and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameleſs; not in the Ordinances of the Scribes and Phariſees, but they were righteous before God, and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameleſs.

Then this may ſerve to reprove theſe dayes, and times, and places ofƲſe 1. Reproof. ours where we live; where are hardly any upright people? we may ſay of them as the Prophet Micah ſaid of his time, Micah 7. 2. The good man is periſhed off the earth. As who ſhould ſay, we had a great company of godly and holy people, religious Miniſters, painful in their places, and abundance of private Chriſtians, faithful before the Lord; but now there is hardly an upright man; there are ſo many drunkards and adulterers, ſo many unclean perſons, ſo many covetous: there are ſo many mockers and enemies to ſincerity, ſo many complementers with God, ſo many ignorant, nay willingly ignorant, though they live under the means of knowledge, ſo many that have a form of golineſſe, but deny the power thereof, ſo many that are come to the birth, but have no ſtrength to bring forth, they will never come to be godly indeed; there are ſo many that are dead-hearted, and never were quickned by Jeſus Chriſt, nor endued with the life of the ſpirit of grace, that we may ſay as Solomon ſaith, A faithful man who ſhall finde? Prov. 20. 6. Many fathers we have among us, but a faithful father who ſhall finde, that doth diſcharge his duty towards his children? many Maſters we may finde; but who carries himſelf towards his ſervants as he ought to doe? ſo we have many in place of Authority, that might ſtand for God, and hinder ſin, and doe ſome good in their places; but a faithful man who ſhall finde, but here one, and there one, rare birds, and they are the offſcouring of the world, and are hated; and mocked and perſecuted? ſo we have a great many that have gotten a great deal of light, God hath awakened their conſciences, and made them ſee their miſerable condition; but a faithful man that doth diſcharge a good conſcience in that place wherein he is, that carries himſelf uprightly under the means of grace, under the Word, under the preaching of it, under Gods Ordinances, ſuch a man where ſhall we finde? as David ſaith, Pſalm 12. 1. Help Lord, &c. He had occaſion, through the perſecution of S…ul, to travel thorough the moſt of the Towns of Iſrael, and all were ſo looſe and licentious, and carnall, and worldly, and ſerving the times, and pleaſing and humouring the Court; he ſaw the Countrey ſo empty of goodneſs, that he prayeth Help Lord, &c. and as the Lord ſaith, Iſa. 1. 21. How is the faithful City become an Harlot? &c. So we may ſay, How is the faithful City become an harlot? a faithful Town, that hath had the Word ſincerely taught, that hath had many p. 109walking ſincerely in obedience according to the Word in ſome meaſure, and hath ſet up the power of the Word in their Families; but what is become of them? there was judgement and righteouſneſſe; but now where is it? there was truth, and truth could have abode, but now it can have no admittance: But how may we complain that our faithful Countrey is become an harlot▪ I doe not ſpeak of Papiſts, and Turks, and Pagans, but of the Church of God; the faithful are diminiſhed from among the ſons of men.

Secondly, This may ſerve to humble the beſt of all Gods children, itƲſe 2. Humility. may ſerve to aſhame us before God, to think what a deal of corruption is in our hearts; if David might complain of himſelf, how much more may we? Lord, ſaith he, thou doſt require truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. 6. As who ſhould ſay, Lord how far am I from it? who would ever have thought that Davids heart ſhould ſo play faſt and looſe, that ever he ſhould ſ… abuſe Ʋriah his faithful ſervant, that ever he ſhould ſo abuſe Bathſheba that good woman, and bring her to ſin? If David himſelf may thus complain; how much more may we complain and loath our ſelves for the deal of rottenneſs that is in our hearts! O what windlings and fetches are there! Auſtin himſelf ſaith, I can hardly tell when to believe my own heart; ſo I ſay, what a company of windings, and turnings, and tricks, and ſtarting…oles are there in the hearts of Gods people? ſometimes we are ready to think we have the good we have not; and what evaſions have we to put off any good duty, if we have not a minde to doe it? what put offs, what tricks to ſlip our neck out of the collar if we doe not like it? what a company of deceits are in the heart? So what a company of ſlights to doe evil? ſuch a company of blindin…s, and beſottings, and carnal reaſons; and fooliſh arguments, as if we did well in doing it, whereas it is but the falſeneſs of our hearts? As Mr. Hearn ſaith, It is better for a man to be delivered up to the Devil, then to his own heart. We read of a man delivered up to Satan, as Paul ſaith, and yet we read that that man was brought home again; but we never read of any man brought home that was delivered up to the corruptions of his own heart; therefore if God hath made us ſee the falſeneſſe of our own hearts, and made us humble our ſelves before him for it, and made us to endeavour more and more a…ter ſincerity; what a mercy of God is this? but the people of God have cauſe to com…lain of the falſeneſs of their hearts.

Thirdly, Is it ſo that we muſt be upright, then let this ſerve to exhort us that we would be upright more and more; for this is that which the Lord doth look for and eſpecially look for: What though we ſhould do things never ſo good for the matter; yet if we do them not with an upright heart, all is nothing, though the children of Judah faſted and that for 70. years together, four times in a year they ſought the Lord extraordinarily; yet becauſe they did not ſeek him thoroughly, he did not count it ſincerely done, Zach. 7. 4, 5. As who ſhould ſay, You did not faſt unto me. Doubtleſs they themſelves thought they were very religious; what not only to doe the duties of religion, but to doe extraordinary duties, no queſtion they thought this was very much; yet every one were caſt off, becauſe their hearts were not upright before him. A…ziah, the Text ſaith, did thoſe things that were good in the eyes of the Lord; yet the Text makes this exception againſt him, that it was not with an upright heart, 2 Chron. 25. 2.

Con…ider firſt, That God delights only in an upright heart. Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord; but thoſe that are upright in their wayes are his delight. Upright Prayer, and upright hearing of the Word, and upright Preaching of it, upright walking in a mans Family, and upright carriag… in a mans converſation, when a man carries p. 110himſelf uprightly in all his wayes, this man is a delight to God, as he ſaith, Iſa. 66. 2. I can look over heaven and earth, but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word. The prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15. 8. When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy, faithful pleas that God would pardon him, faithful pleas that God would enable him, and accept him, and he doth not make theſe pleas falſly, but his own heart can ſay, there is no ſin, but he ſets himſelfe againſt it, and there is no commandement but he ſets himſelf to obey it; but the ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him, he cannot abide it; let them pray a thouſand prayers, God abhors their prayers, if they have not upright hearts. So 1 Chron. 29. 17. ſee what David ſaith; as who ſhould ſay, Lord, thou haſt pleaſure in uprightneſs; and then certainly thou haſt ſome pleaſure in me; for with an upright heart, and in the ſincerity of my ſoule have I ſought thee. Now on the contrary, if a man be not upright before God, if a man have a looſe converſation, and he be not ſincere, the Lord abhors that man.

Secondly, Conſider that this is the totall ſumme of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace, that they ſhould be upright and faithful in his Covenant; as when he made his Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. he ſaith, Walk before me, and be upright. This is that God requires, and he would be an Almighty God unto him, and bleſs him, and do him good to all generations. 1 Sam. 12. 24. It is the ſaying of Samuel to the people, Only fear the Lord, and walk before him with an upright heart. As who ſhould ſay, this is the onelyonly thing, and God requires no more; if God had required more, he might lawfully have done it; if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmoſt rigour, he might have done it; but this is the onelyonly thing that God doth ſtand upon, that we ſhould be upright before him; he doth not look that we ſhould be Angels upon earth, but that we ſhould be ſincere, and no… goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly.

Thirdly, Conſider, The leaſt faith, the leaſt grace and goodneſs, if it be with uprightneſs, is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world; God liked more of the poor womans two mites, then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Phariſees caſt into the Treaſury; And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet, in the name of a Prophet, ſhall no… loſe his reward: Therefore you ſhall ſee many poore beggarly things, over thoſe things that other men have done, have been accepted; whereas the building of Hoſpitals and Colledges have been rejected; though a man have but a little knowledge, as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were; yet having uprightneſs, died at ſtake; ſo if a man have but a little faith with ſincerity, it ſhall paſs, when a thouſand preſumptuous fools ſhall goe to hell.

Fourthly, Conſider, God will wink at manifold and grievous faults, ſo there be ſincerity and uprightneſs. Aſa his faults were horrible faults, 1 Kings 15. 14. yet his heart was perfect: What a company of faults had he? what an horrible failing was this that he ſhould caſt the very Prophet of God into priſon that reproved him? Now God anſwers, he had his failings, and horrible ones; yet he was a good man, for his heart was upright before me. Aſa was not himſelfe in that buſineſſe; Aſa was not Aſa then; his heart was upright with the Lord. So good Jehoſaphat, a man that was grievouſly beſmeared with corruptions and infirmities, and thoſe no ſmall ones; how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a moſt devilliſh Family, as if he had no fear of God before his eyes? he married them to the houſe of Ahab, and another time he helped the enemies of the Lord, and loved them that hated the Lord; I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab, and goe up to Ramoth▪ Gilead; and when he had done this, and had humbled himſelfe for this, he did it again, 2 Kings 3. 7. And the Reformation p. 111he wrought was not thorough, as it ought to have been; yet ſaith the Text, 2 Chro. 19. 3. There are good things in thee; becauſe he was upright, the Lord was pleaſed to accept him; nay, I will tell you more, look upon the people at the Paſſeover in the dayes of Hezekiah, what a company of people came to Jeruſalem to keep the Paſſeover, and came horribly unprepared? the Text ſaith, they were not prepared according to the Law of Moſes, which was a grievous thing; yet the Text ſaith, the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them, becauſe they prepared their hearts to ſeeke the Lord; they did endeavour to grieve and be aſhamed for their failings and want of preparation; now on the other ſide, what goodly men doth God reject, not being upright and ſincere? as Jehu, what a glorious King was he? I warrant all the good people of Judah and Iſrael bleſſed God that ever he ſate upon the Throne; what to root out Baal, and to deſtroy all the Idolatrous Prieſts, and to be zealous in it? come and ſee▪ my zeal for the Lord; theſe were admirable things; yet the Lord doth diſcharge him, and would have none of him, becauſe he was not upright: Look upon the Scribes and Phariſees, the none ſuches, and mirrours of their times; that was a Proverbe in Iſrael, that if but two men in the world ſhould go to Heaven, the one ſhould be a Scribe, and the other Phariſee; they were thought to be the holieſt men in the world; yet when the Lord ſaw this was not with an upright heart, he denounceth woe upon woe againſt them.

Fifthly, Conſider, That if we be upright, it will help us to profit by all Gods Ordinances; take the preaching of the word; Micah 2. 7. the Prophet brings in the Lord ſpeaking thus, that the word ſhall do ſuch people good; is there any man in the world that walks uprightly, that my word doth not do good unto, that it doth not comfort his heart, and quicken his ſoul to obedience? is it not a light unto his feet, and a Lanthorne to his paths; ſo that an upright man, when he comes to the Ordinances of God, he ſhall be the better for it; when he goes to prayer, he ſhall be the better for it; when he comes to the Sacrament, he ſhall be the better for it; all the Ordinances of God ſhall doe him good; whereas if a man have a falſe heart, the word hardens him, prayer deads him; if he come to the Sacrament, it is not for the better, but for the worſe; if he be reproved for his ſins, if he have not a ſincere heart, he is ſo much the worſe, it will do him no good, it will make his heart riſe up againſt thoſe that reprove him, and hardens his heart ſo much the more.

Sixthly, Conſider that if we be upright, what a deal of comfort this will be to our hearts; there is no comfort in the world comparable to the comfort of one that hath walked uprightly; as Hezekiah when he had received the ſentence of death, what did comfort him? did all his wealth, and greatneſs and renown comfort him? no, but remember Lord how I have walked before thee with an upright heart; marke what he ſaith, he doth not ſay, Remember Lord how I have reformed the Church, and purged the Temple, and thrown out all the abominations in the Land, and purified the Paſſeover, and ſet the Ordinances of God in his houſe in due order; no, none of all theſe comforted his heart, but looke what he did he did with an upright heart; as who ſhould ſay, I might have done all theſe things, but if it had not been with an upright heart, it had been nothing; that which I did I did from my heart, with a fear of thy command; I ſought thee in it, and no by-ends; all my care was to approve my ſelfe before thee; how Lord, remember this; remember the infinite goodneſſe and promiſes that thou haſt made to thoſe that are upright before thee. Nay, if thou haſt an upright heart, whatſoever troubles come upon the earth, or upon thine own ſoul, if thou beeſt caſt into priſon, or made to flie from one Country to another, I tell thee, in the midſt of all thy afflictions and troubles, if thou p. 112haſt an upright heart, thou ſhalt have peace and comfort, Pſal. 97. 11. in the midſt of darkneſs, in the midſt of afflictions there is ſome light, ſome cranney, ſome hold, ſome comfort for the righteous; on the other ſide, if a man be not upright, what a woeful caſe is this man in; nay, though a man be upright, yet if he doe not apprehend himſelfe to be ſo, what a lamentable caſe is he in? he can have no comfort; all the skilful Phyſitians in Gilead can hardly faſten comfort upon that man; tell him of all his reformations and prayers, and good duties he hath performed; O ſaith he, all this is but hypocriſie, I am ſo dead and dull, God hath not all my heart; tell him of his good deſires and purpoſes, and endeavours, he is affraid he is not right; tell him of Gods promiſes to pardon him, he ſaith, I am not ſincere, I am not upright.

Laſtly, If we be upright, we ſhall be bleſſed our ſelves, and not only our ſelves but our very poſterity ſhall be bleſſed; as the Prophet David ſaith, Pſal. 112. … His ſeed ſhall be mighty upon the earth; he ſpeakes of the upright, nor onelyonly himſelfe ſhall be bleſſed, but he layeth up a bleſſing for the generation that ſhall come out of his loins; ſo Prov. 20. 7. his very children are bleſſed after him; if thou ſet thy ſelfe to ſerve God uprightly with all thy heart though thou canſt not leave thy children any great outward matters, yet thou ſhalt leave them a bleſſing from Heaven; thy children ſhall fare the better for it; if we would know what ſhall become of our children, and would faine provide for them, let us be upright, and that is the way to …ay up a bleſſing in ſtore for our children; now on the other ſide, if a man be not upright, he is ſo farre from treaſuring up mercy for his children, that lie rather treaſures up wrath both for them and his own ſoul; nay, though a man hath been never ſuch a convert to outward appearance, never ſo ſtrangely reformed, that all the Country admires at it; as it was the caſe of Simon Magus, he was a Conjurer, yet this man was converted very much to ſee too, he was wonderfully reformed, and gave over his Conjuring, and embraced the Goſpel, and would follow the Saints, and joyned himſelfe to Peter, and to Philip alſo, when he came to Town; yet having not an upright heart, the Text ſaith, he had no Lot nor portion in Jeſus Chriſt, nor in the Covenant of grace and mercy, but was in the gall of bitterneſs, and in the bond of iniquity.

The fourth Uſe is for examination, To examine our ſelves whither we be Ʋſe 4 upright or no; and this is a very neceſſary Uſe, becauſe thoſe that are no… ſincere, are moſt ſubject to think they are ſincere; and they that are ſincere indeed, are moſt afraid they are not ſincere.

Therefore firſt, Conſider, A ſincere man is univerſal in regard of all theSignes of uprightneſs. commandements of God, he doth ſet himſelf in all his wayes, to obey God in all his ſtatutes; as we may ſee, Pſal. 119 6. This is an upright man, that hath reſpect to all Gods commandements; but a falſe-hearted man, may be he will do ſomething, he will pick and chooſe, and take what he likes of the commandments of God; ſome things he will doe, others he will not doe; he cannot be gotten to ſtoop to all Gods holy will, he will never yield to that; may be he will not commit adultery, but then he will drinke horribly; may be he will not ſwear, but then he will lye; if he be good in one thing, he will not be good in another; if he be diligent in his particular calling, he will be negligent in his general calling; he will not be holy and ſtrict, and one that doth walk in Gods holy Laws; a true upright man doth not deal with the commandements of God as the ſwine doth with the peaſe-cods, that will ſqueeze them, and then leave the reſt; but an upright man digeſts all the commandments of God.

Secondly, An upright man, he is univerſal in all graces, he is a man of all graces; for why is God ſaid to be the God of all grace? but in reſpect p. 113that his people have all graces in them, and he is the Author of all; 2 Cor. 8. 7. the Apoſtle ſaith, therefore as you abound in every grace, &c. As who ſhould ſay, if you be ſincere, for ſo it is in the next verſe, &c. you do not ſhew your ſelves to be ſincere in your love to God and his Church, unleſs you abound in this grace and that grace, and all the graces of Gods holy ſpirit; ſo that a man muſt have all graces that is upright; there muſt be none wanting; he muſt have the whole image of God, he muſt have the whole new cloathing, he muſt be a new creature, he muſt be endued with all the cluſter of graces, Eph. 5. 9. And as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. you may ſee there how all graces are concatenated and linked together, that if a man have one he muſt have all; ſuppoſe a man ſhould have faith, if he ſhould not adde to his faith vertue, what would his faith do him good? he is never the nearer, his faith cannot ſave him, he muſt adde to it vertue; and when a man hath faith, if he have not knowledge, what is zeal without knowledge? the Apoſtle preacheth the doctrine of reprobation againſt the Jews for their zeal, when they had not knowledge; a man cannot be really vertuous, unleſs he hath knowledge, and doth it with wiſedom and diſcretion; now if a man had faith, and all other vertues, and were not temperate, he were a very beaſt; and if a man had all theſe, and had not patience, a man cannot poſſeſs his ſ…ul; though a man hath faith, yet without patience he cannot inherit the promiſes; ſo that you ſee an upright man is one that hath all graces; ſo that a man that hath not all the graces of Gods ſpirit, if he want one, he hath never a one of them; and thus it is with every man that is not right, though he may have admirable qualities and endowments of Gods bleſſed ſpirit, yet if he have not all, he is not upright; but now an upright man hath all the graces of Gods ſpirit; 'tis true, ſome of Gods children are more eminent in one grace, and ſome in another, but every child of God hath all the graces of Gods ſpirit; if a man want one, he cannot have another.

Thirdly, An upright man is univerſal in regard of place, he is not onelyonly good among good company, but good alſo among bad company; he is good out of the Church, as well as in the Church; and good at home, as well as in the ſtreets, among ſuch and ſuch; he is good abroad, as well as in his own Town; as you may ſee, Pſalm 16. 8. I have alwayes ſet God before mine eyes; an upright man whereſoever he is, he ſets God before his eyes, that he may not provoke him, nor offend him; The upright dwell in his preſence, Pſalm 140. 13. you wil ſay, may be they goe an hundred miles off, but whereſoever they go they dwell in his preſence, and this makes him good in all places, now a rotten-hearted man, may be he will be good in the Church, but leaves his Religion at the Church doore; may be he will be good abroad, but he will neglect his own family; or if he be honeſt and well ordered while he is in his own Pariſh, yet let him go abroad afar off into another Town where no body knows him, may be there he will flie out; you ſhall ſee many a profeſſor, that joyns himſelf to the people of God at home, and will be drunk abroad; theſe are falſe and unſound hearts, that are not good in all places; if they be godly openly, they are not ſo ſecretly; thus it is with wicked and ungodly men, if they come among good people, they will not for ſhame drinke nor ſwill nor ſwear, nor ſpeake againſt goodneſs; but if they be among wicked people, they will ſide with them, and may be gird at the Saints of God, and give them back blows; juſt as it is with water, put it into a Tub, it will have the ſhape of a Tub; put it into a Beaker, it will have the ſhape of a Beaker; it ſtill faſhions it ſelf according to the veſſel into which it is put; but an upright man is like a ſolid thing that keeps its own figure, he is the ſame in all places.

Fourthly, An upright man is univerſal in regard of time, he is good at p. 114all times, Pſal. 106. 3. Bleſſed is he that keeps judgement and righteouſneſs at all times; not as though a childe of God may not fall fearfully many times, but it is againſt the abſolute bent of his heart, and care and ſtudy of his ſoul; a Divine ſets it out by a ſpring between a couple of hills, it will alwayes run, it will either run thorough thoſe lets that ſtop it, or elſe it will run over thoſe lets; it cannot ceaſe running if it be a living ſpring; ſo a godly ſincere heart is good at all times; now an unſound Chriſtian, that never had the true grace of life in his heart, he will not be good at all times, he will be good by fits and turns; when he is ſmitten at a Sermon, when he is under the rod, under a croſs, then he will fall foul with his …ins, and when conſcience is up, then he will be good; as a Windmill goeth as long as the wind ſills the ſailes; but if the wind be down, the griſt may lie long enough till the wind blow again; but a true Chriſtian is like a good boate man, if the wind blow he may go the better, but if the wind be down he will goe too, nay, he will labour ſo much the more; he will go though it be againſt wind and tide; ſo it is with an upright man, he is good at all times, not only when he is well, but alſo when he is ſick; he is good in proſperity, and good in adverſity; good when his conſcience is up, and good when his conſcience is not ſo ſtirring; though he wants ſome helps, and drives ſo much the more heavily, yet he ſtrives and will be good; but an ungodly heart, may be he may be good ſometimes, but it will not hold; as it is ſaid of Sigiſmund the Emperour, when he was ſick, then he would be good and godly, and thought of repentance, and ſent for a Confeſſor, and would repent, and asked him Have I not repented? yes ſaith he, if it hold; but a wicked mans repentance will not hold; let God but pluck out the arrow, he will return to his old byas again, and he is never the nearer, nay, may be he is worſe then he was before.

Fifthly, An upright man is univerſal in regard of parts; as Chriſt ſpeaks of his Spouſe, Thou art all fair my love, Cant. 4. 7. She was all fair in all parts, and there was no ſpot in her; he doth not deny but there was failings and weakneſſes, but no ſuch ſoul ſpots as upon wicked men; ſo a godly man is all fair; his underſtanding that is teachable, and made to ſavour of the truth, and capable to be guided and informed by the ſpirit of God▪ you know there is rebellion in the underſtandings of men, carnal reaſons, and ſtrong holds, and haughty and proud principles of reaſoning; if they are convinced of a ſin, they will not leave it, they have reaſonings for that …n; and if they have never ſuch convictions for a duty, there is rebellion in the underſtanding to put off this; but an upright heart, his underſtanding is good in ſome meaſure, he is unfeignedly willing to be inſtructed of God; whatſoever courſe he takes, tell him out of the word of God that it is not good, though his life depends upon it, it ſhall goe, he dares not ſtand out againſt God; but a wicked heart hath not a teachable underſtanding▪ it is ſtill under its ſtubbornneſs and ſtoutneſs, and reaſoning againſt God: and things he doth not like, he will not ſee; when there is any ſin he would not leave, or any duty he would not doe, as Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 13. 15. he thus his eyes, and will not ſee. What wicked man that lives under the Goſpel of God, but may ſee his courſes are naught, but he will not ſee it? how many ſins do ungodly men keep? there is light enough, and reaſon enough againſt their ſinnes, but they have ſturdy mindes, and will not be convinced of it.

Again, An upright man his heart is converted and made godly, his will is made pliable to be led by God, and guided by Gods bleſſed ſpirit: the ſtone is taken out of it; there may be much hardneſs, but the ſtone is gone, the heart of ſtone is gone, and he hath an heart of fleſh given unto him, to be ſenſible of God, and ſenſible of his word, and ſenſible of the light that ſhines in his face; p. 115and his heart being converted, he is moved by an inward principle, and ſo moves the more willingly, and the more freely; as David ſaith, 1 Chron. 28. 9. He hath a willing heart. But now a carnal heart, and a heart that is not turned to God, the ſtone is not taken out, a man rebels to this day; if he be moved to goodneſſe, it is not by an inward principle, but by education or goodneſſe of nature; or by the ſtings of conſcience that overpower his heart; or by reaſon of a great light that breaks in and overawes his heart: Therefore a naughty heart, be he never ſo good and fair-carriaged, may be his conſcience ſometimes makes him forbear more then he would, and makes him doe more good then he would; but a godly heart is willing to doe what good he can, nay he would doe more good then he can doe, nay he never can doe ſo much as he would, he is aſhamed of all his works; look what he doth, …he doth it with a willing heart.

Again▪ A godly heart is good in his memory▪ as David ſaith, Pſalm 119. 16. I will never forget thy precepts. His memory is turned to good things, and made to remember good things; he hideth the word of God in his heart, that he may not ſin againſt him: But a carnal heart forgets to be good, and zealous, and pleaſe God, and obey God; his memory is not waſhed and ſanctified in any meaſure.

Again, A good man is good in his thoughts; he doth not onelyonly purge the outſide of the platter, but the inſide alſo; he labours to have his thoughts ſet upon things above; he labours that vain thoughts may not lodge in him; nay his main care is within doors, in his own boſome, to have his thoughts upright towards God.

So again, he is good in his affections, he doth hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, he doth deſire the things that are moſt excellent, he doth delight in God and his preſence; he mourns for his ſins, and mourns that he can mourn no more; he hath all his affections in ſome meaſure rightly ſeated and qualified; he is good all over, as the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, 1 Theſ. 5. 23. The God of peace ſanctifie you throughout. As who ſhould ſay, This is ſincerity, and I pray God give it you, that you may not deceive your own ſouls, but that your whole ſpirit and body, and ſoule, and whole man may be true in the eyes of the Lord: But now a carnal heart is not thus; though he be like a whited Sepulchre, he doth ſeem outwardly to be a good man, and a man cannot check him; if a man ſhould ſay, ſuch a one is rotten, he ſhould be th…ught to be cenſorious and uncharitable; yet in his inward parts he is naught, if a man be not upright, he doth not look to his thoughts, but can let them be vaine and unfruitfull, and can let his affections run at randome; he is not affected with God, he doth not mourn for his ſins, he doth not delight in good things, his affections are not ſet upon things that are above.

Sixthly, An upright man is univerſal in regard of caſes and conditions, if he be under any kinde of temptation whatſoever, as we may ſee, James 1. 12. It is nothing for a man to be godly, and meek, and patient, and vertuous, when he is not tempted; the Devil himſelfe is good when he is pleaſed, as we ſay: This is godlineſſe and uprightneſſe, when a man reſiſts temptations▪ when a man doth watch and pray, and is careful that he may not enter into temptations; when a man is careful of all the objects, and beginnings, and occaſions of ſin; when a man fights againſt the temptations of the fleſh, and warres againſt the ſuggeſtions of Satan, and puts on all the armour of God, to withſtand the fiery darts of the Devil; though he be tempted to be proud, and wrathful, and impatient, yet he will not; 'tis true, now and then he may be overcome againſt his principles, and care, and labour, but that is as a dagger to his heart. This is his courſe p. 116and practiſe to fight againſt temptations: nay take him in the deſperateſt caſes, yet a godly man is ſincere; take him when he is moſt afraid that he is not ſincere, when he cries out, how daſtardly am I for God? how dead in good duties? how full of unbelief? what a vile heart have I? how filthy and untoward? take him in theſe deſperate lifts, he is not without ſincerity; and in this caſe he doth one of theſe two things; either he walks according to the meaſure of grace given unto him, or elſe according to the condition wherein he is; 'tis true, the conditions Gods people are in, are ſometimes better, and ſometimes worſe; ſometimes horrible diſtempers are up, and ſometimes they are down; but when they are never ſo up, he doth as a man in that caſe may doe; as a man when he is bound hand and foot, what can he doe? if he rowle himſelfe upon the ground, that is all he can doe; and this he will doe, as you may ſee what David ſaith, Pſalm 119. 40. It ſeems he felt himſelf marvellouſly dead, and dull, and wonderfully inobedient, and he could not get hold of Gods commandements to doe them as he ought; yet he rowls himſelfe, and thruſts himſelfe forward to doe them; he longed for Gods commandements, he longed for the ſpirit of grace to aſſiſt him and quicken his heart. Now a naughty heart is not good in all caſes; nay there are but a few caſes wherein he is good at all.

Again, Take an upright man in the loweſt ebb, he doth queſtion his ſincerity, and he cannot quiet himſelfe, becauſe he thinks he hath it not, but this is certain, a man that hath moſt ſincerity, doth moſt ſuſpect the want of it; that man is moſt eager, and moſt queſtions himſelfe; as David, was not he an upright man? yet no man did ſuſpect himſelfe more, Pſalm 119. 80. as who ſhould ſay, Lord I am afraid I ſhall be aſhamed in the end, I am afraid my heart is not ſound towards thee; and directly ſometimes, I am horribly afraid I ſhall be confounded in the end: Now good Lord let me be ſound in thy ſtatutes, that I may not be confounded. So it was with Chriſts Diſciples, when he ſaid one of them ſhould betray him; though eleven of his Diſciples were privy to themſelves that they had not the leaſt thought to betray him, yet eleven of the Diſciples did ſuſpect themſelves, I may be the man that he means; though they were privy to themſelves for the preſent they had no ſuch thought, nay it was againſt the love and principles they had in them; they did love him, and fear him, and believe in him to be the Saviour of the world, and they durſt not doe it, yet they ſuſpected themſelves, Maſter, is it I? As who ſhould ſay, I have a baſe corrupt heart, and it may be I for all the goodneſſe that is in …e and the love I bear to thee; they were all more unquiet then Judas that was the man: indeed when all queſtioned it, he would queſtion it alſo for company.

Seventhly, an upright man is univerſal in regard of relations. Conſider him with good people, and the Saints of God, O how he loves them▪ he honours them that fear the Lord, Pſal. 15. 4. Though they …e never ſo poor and vile, yet he honours them that fear the Lord; as Eliſha ſaith, he would not have ſpoken, but onelyonly for Jehoſaphat; ſo an upright man he honours the Saints of God. All my delight is in the Saints, ſaith David, Pſal. 16. Pſal. 119. 63. Nay an upright man is faithful with the Saints; as it is ſaid of good Judah, ſhe was faithful with the Saints, Hoſ. 11. 12. So an upright man is faithful with the Saints, his heart cloſeth with them, they are his boſome friends, and the beloved of his ſoule: But one that is not ſound, though he take himſelf to be a Chriſtian, and one of Gods ſervants, ye… he cares not for the people of God; may be he cares for thoſe that ſeem to be religious; but if a man he religious indeed, he cares not for him, he is p. 117too nice and preciſe for him, and he is falſe to the Saints, and will ſhew …hem ſome ſlippery trick in the end.

Now again Conſider an upright man with the wicked; he carries himſelfe uprightly towards them, he will not be acquainted with them, nor all one with them, leſt he ſhould countenance their wicked wayes; as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, He deſpiſeth them that are wicked, Pſal. 15. 4. Let a vile man be never ſo brave, and excellent, and noble, and high in preferment; yet if he be a wicked man, in the eyes of a godly man he is deſpiſed; I doe not mean for his perſon; he gives him the honour due to his place, as he ought to doe, a childe to his Father, a ſervant to his Maſter, &c. as Paul, Acts 22. 1. Though they perſecuted him, he gave them their due; but he abhors their courſes and practiſes, as Solomon ſaith, A wicked man is an abomination to the juſt. Now an unſound heart, though he joyn himſelfe to the people of God, yet he cannot cloſe with the Saints of God, but abhors them, and counts them vile.

Again, Conſider an upright man with his friends; he is true to them, eſpecially to their ſouls. Conſider him with his enemies; he doth not yield them railing for railing, he dares not hate them that hate him, but bleſſeth them that curſe him, and prayes for them that deſpitefully uſe him. Conſider him in his Family; he ſets himſelfe to walk uprightly in the midſt of his houſe; if he be a Maſter, he labours to be a ſervant to Chriſt; and if he be a ſervant, he labours to be the Lords Freeman, and to be a profitable ſervant to his Maſter; if he hath Superiours, he gives them the reverence due unto them; and if he deal with inferiours, he makes himſelfe equall with thoſe of low degree. Thus an upright man is good in all relations.

Laſtly, An upright man is good in all the manners and circumſtances of his actions; he is careful to doe, not onelyonly for matter what God commands him, but for the manner as God commands him; though he doth what God commands, yet if he dot… …ot find the love of God ſetting him a work, he is not contented; he muſt … in a right manner, conſtantly, duely, faithfully, and to a right end, to the glory of God; he is not content to pray and hear, but he muſt pray and hear in a right manner, or elſe he is not content. Now if thou haſt theſe ſigns and tokens of an upright heart, bleſſed be God, thou mayſt take all the comforts ſpoken of before concerning an upright heart, and mayſt take all the promiſes of God to thy ſelf that are made to an upright heart; may be men may call thee hypocrite, and ſay all manner of evil of thee; but either they are ſuch as doe not know thee, or if they doe, they are ſome vile wretches, they have not the fear of God before their eyes; may be the Devil will accuſe thee, and caſt in all accuſations againſt thee before God; but what of all that? God himſelfe ſaid Job was an upright man, and yet the Devil accuſed him for an hypocrite; therefore care not for the Devils accuſations; may be thine own conſcience may accuſe thee; but if thou labour to humble thy ſelf for thy failings, and ſtir up the gift of God that is in thee, if thou unfeignedly deſire and endeavour to pleaſe God, and ſerve him, no matter though thy conſcience accuſe thee. 1 Cor. 4. 3. Paul ſaith, I cannot be my own Judge, but God ſhall judge me. 'Tis true, conſcience is a judge, but it is ſubordinate, and muſt be guided and ruled by the Word of God; as the clock is the judge of the day, but it muſt be ruled by the Sun; Davids conſcience was his judge, I have cleanſed my hands in vain, but the clock lyed; ſo thy conſcience may lye, and accuſe thee falſly, and ſpeak things againſt thee that are not ſo; but if thy conſcience hath things againſt thee indeed and in truth, that thou art guilty of ſuch and ſuch ſins and failings, yet it doth not follow but thou mayſt be ſincere; therefore believe not conſcience, when thou p. 118haſt the Word of God on thy ſide; nay, may be God himſelfe will ſeem to accuſe thee, and to be thine enemy, and diſcountenance thee, and will not own thee for one of his children; when thou commeſt before him, he will ſeem to daſh thee under his feet, and give thee no countenance, but look upon thee as an enemy; yet be not diſmayed, if thou haſt theſe things in thee in any meaſure; the Lord doth this, that he may doe thee good in thy latter end; he doth it that he may humble thee, and try thee, whether thou wilt live by faith or by ſenſe, and whether thou dareſt truſt him; but if thou haſt not theſe ſigns of uprightneſs, thou art in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of iniquity, and thou canſt have no true comfort to thine own ſoul.

The next point is, That as we muſt be perfect, ſo we muſt be perfect beforeDoctrine. We muſt labour to be perfect before God. God; I have not found thy works perfect before God. As who ſhould ſay, I lookt thou ſhouldſt be perfect before him, and I have not found it ſo. Well then for the meaning of the word perfect before God; that is, ſo as God may approve and allow of them. Now a mans works may be perfect ſo as God may approve of them two wayes.

Firſt, So as God may approve of them in his ſtrict Juſtice; and ſo no mans works can be perfect. Pſal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement, &c. No man living can be juſtified before God. So Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law ſhall no man be juſtified before him. This therefore is not the meaning.

Secondly, To be perfect before God, ſo as God ſhall approve of …s in his mercy in Jeſus Chriſt for his owne faithful people; as it is ſaid of Zachary and Elizabeth, Luke 1. 5. This is the meaning of the place.

Now if you would know what it is to be perfect before God, it is this in one word: when a man is for matter and for manner right in the eyes of God; not only right in the eyes of men, to be a…ed of men, but right in the eyes of God, to be approved of God; for matt…n a man doth thoſe things that God commands him; and for manner, … he doth them as God commands him, out of faith in God, and love to God, and fear of God; when a man doth it with all his heart, ſoule, and ſtrength, when a man doth it conſtantly, and frequently, and livelily in ſome meaſure, this is to be upright before God; you may ſee both theſe ſet down in one verſe, Deut. 6. 25. Here is the matter, If ye obſerve to doe his commandements; and then here is the manner, right in the eyes of the Lord as he hath commanded. If we doe thus, then we are upright before God. Now if either of theſe be wanting, we are not upright before God; if we doe not for matter what God hath commanded; if we lye, or ſwear, or be covetous, or proud, or worldly, theſe things are of the Devil, and not of God; we doe the thing… of the Devil, and not the things of God.

Again, If a man ſhould bow the knee to Baal, and doe the inventions of men, this is not to be unright before God; but if we doe the things that God doth not bid us, God will ſay as he did, Matth. 15. 9. If we doe for the matter the things that God hath commanded, yet if the manner be wanting, if we doe them not as God hath commanded, if we doe them not with faith, and love to God, with conſcience, and fervency, and quickning, all is nothing; as it is ſaid of Amaziah, he did thoſe things that were right in the eyes of the Lord, but the Lord cared not for it, 2 Chron. 25. 2. it was not with an upright heart; Therefore when both theſe concur, this is to be upright before God.

Firſt, Becauſe God hath ſo commanded, thou ſhalt have no other gods Reaſon. 2 before me; that is, I will have thee ſincere before me; As who ſhould ſay, thou mayſt vow and ſwear, and proteſt thou doſt love God, and fear God; p. 119but if it be not ſo indeed, thou haſt a falſe heart; if thou haſt carnal ends, if thou loveſt the world more then God, and thou loveſt thy luſts more then him, if it be ſo, woe unto thee; God will have thee upright before him. As God ſaith to Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me, and be upright: As who ſhould ſay, Abraham, if there be any way of wickedneſs in thee, thou art not for me; look thou be perfect before me; if thou doſt acknowledge that I am God Almighty, and I am able to help thee, and ſuccour thee in all eſtates, then be upright before me; when a man ſins, it is for ſomething he ſins; now, what is there that is good but we may have it in God? God is Almighty, and therefore he would have us upright before him; and if we be not upright, he is Almighty and can cruſh us and deſtroy us for ever; ſo that we ſhould not only be upright before men, but before God.

Secondly, As the Law is ſo, ſo is the Goſpel; if a man hath not faith in Chriſt Jeſus, that man is no true Chriſtian; howſoever he may hope to be ſaved by Chriſt, yet if he be not upright before God in all his wayes and commandements in ſome meaſure, in ſtudying and endeavouring to keep himſelf unſpotted of the world in all things, he hath not faith, he doth not believe in Jeſus Chriſt, Pſal. 116. 9, 10. as David ſaith, I will walke before the Lord in …e land of the living; how comes David to ſpeak that? O, I believed, therefore I have ſpoken; if a man believe in God, it will make him walke well not only before men, but before God who is privy to all his thoughts and affections; privy to what he doth both at home, and abroad; privy to what he doth alone, and in company, in his ſhop, and in the market; unleſs he be upright before him that knows all things, he is not a believer; though Simon Magus were baptized, and did partake of Chriſtian Religion, and had ſome kinde of faith, and joyned himſelfe to Philip and the Church, as a member of the Church, and gave over his witchcraft and wicked courſes, yet when Peter ſaw his heart was not right before God, marke what he ſaith, Acts 8. 21. God hath ſworne an oath, that whomſoever he delivers from ſin, from Satan, from Hell, from the wrath to come, they ſhall be holy and righteous before him. Luke 1. 73. God will not be forſworne; if thou doſt hope to be ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt, and prayeſt, and howleſt, and crieſt in thy afflictions from the bottom of thy heart, with all thy eagerneſs to be ſaved by Jeſus Chriſt, God hath ſworne an oath thou ſhalt not be ſaved by him, unleſs thou wilt walk in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of thy life, and be conformable to his will in all things; ſo that you ſee the Goſpel requires it, that we ſhould be thus.

Again, This is the end of the redemption of the world by Chriſt, that they ſhould not only be upright, but upright before God; as Paul tells the Coll…ſſians, chap. 1. To preſent you holy and unblameable in his ſight; not only to preſent you holy and unblameable before men; for if a man in his outward carriage be civil, and honeſt and faire, this is to be holy and unblamable before men; but if a man be holy and unblamable before God, he muſt have a pure conſcience, and his ends muſt be right; this is the end why Chriſt redeemed his people, to purchaſe to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

And as it is in the end of redemption, ſo it is the end of election; whomſoever God doth elect to eternal life, he doth elect to this end, not only to be holy before men, but before God. As the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 1. 4. he hath choſen us to be holy before him, not only to be holy before men (though thoſe that are not holy before men, cannot be holy before God) but it is not enough for us to be holy before men, but before the piercing eye of the all-ſeeing God; that he may ſee who knoweth our▪ hearts, that we do unfeignedly deſire to ſerve his name, and walk before him in the ſhunning of all ſin, and in the practicing of all good things, ſo that we have not an p. 120argument of our election, unleſſe we be upright before him.

Fourthly, Becauſe the Lord will ſearch us out; certainly though we be upright before men, if we be not upright before God he will ſearch us out; it is not our profeſſion ſhall bear us out, if we have an unbelieving heart, to depart from the living God; if we have a minde to live in any one ſin, and to allow our ſelves in any one wicked way, God will finde us out. Neh. 9. 8. he ſpeaks there of Abraham; what a comfort was it to Abrahams heart that God ſound his heart upright before him? God will ſearch us, and put us upon the trial, and bring ſomething or other, that if we be not upright, though we be affected, and pray, and be Proteſtants, and ſeem to be godly, and ſeem to hold our godlineſs and uprightneſs, yet if we be not ſound at the core, God will have ſomething or other that ſhall diſcover us, and it ſhall appear what we are; nay, God doth of purpoſe bring in hereſies, that thoſe that are approved may be manifeſt, 1 Cor. 11. 19.

Laſtly, It is God only that doth eſteem of the worth of things; holineſſe is nothing, but that which is holineſs in Gods eſteem; and Religion is nothing, but that which is Religion in Gods eſteem; Religion is a divine thing, and no man hath the judgement of it but God; it is God only that hath invented Religion, and framed it to us, and it is he only that can tell the worth of it, and approve of it; and unleſs we fear his name, and hate all ſin, and be upright before him, all is nothing. As the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Pet. 3. 4. concerning meekneſs in women, in the eſteem of God it is of high price; may be a beautiful woman, of rare parts and great gifts, this woman is of high eſteem with ſome men; but a woman of an humble and meek ſpirit, ſhe is a mockery in the eyes of the world, but in Gods ſight it is of great price: ſo far a man to be outwardly Religious, this man is very devout and religious in the ſight of men, but it is the broken heart, and the co…ite ſpirit, one that is holy inwardly as well as outwardly, that is upright as Paul ſaith, 2 Cor. 5. 9. all our care and labour is that we may be accepted of him; it is no matter what the world ſay of a religious man, and a devout man; all our care is to be accepted of him, that he may account us upright, for we muſt appear before him.

This condemns the ceremonious devotion that many content themſelves Ʋſe 1 with, eſpecially the Church of Rome; they are ſo religious, and whatſoever they do, they think it is with ſuch devotion; therefore they have ceremonies for every thing; they have ceremonies to ſhew that we muſt be ſtrangers and Pilgrims upon earth, therefore they have Pilgrimages to ſuch and ſuch places; other ceremonies they have to ſhew that we muſt take up the Croſſe of Chriſt, and follow him; they will have a ceremony to ſhew that they believe that Chriſt was offered for a ſacrifice; and a ceremony to ſhew that they believe he was God and man, and ſo mixe Wine and water together; the one ſhall ſignifie that they believe he was God, and the other that he was man; again, they will have other ceremonies, to ſhew that they believe the departure of the Saints, therefore they bring in a catalogue of the Virgin Mary, and of the Saints; again, they have another ceremony to ſhew that they honour the Lords prayer; another ceremony they have to ſhew that they believe the reſurrection of the dead; another ceremony to ſhew that they ſhould not be aſhamed of the Chriſtian faith; and they are ſo devout and think themſelves the only Saints in the world▪ ſo that they account a man that is godly indeed, according as God would have a man to be, that makes conſcience of the word, that is careful to pleaſe God, and fearful to offend him, and ſcruples every thing that is not according to the word, this man is worſe then a drunkard, or an hell-hound in their account; they are counted the vileſt hypocrites and diſſembl…rs that can be; what an horrible thing is this! men love a life ſuch a Religion as this; this ſhakes no p. 121Corn, this breaks no bones, what care men for this. Mat. 15. 8. there is an excellent place for this; you know we are bound to be pure, and alwayes pure; now the Jews to ſhew this▪ they would never eat nor drink but they would waſh their hands, to ſhew that they muſt be pure; which was as good, and as clean, and as handſome a ceremony as ever was in the Church of Rome; and would you think that Chriſt ſhould ever finde fault with ſuch ceremonies? they took on becauſe they neglected this, Why do thy Diſciples tranſgreſs the tradition of the Elders, by eating with unwaſhed hands? now Chriſt was ſo far from bidding his Diſciples yield to this, that he calls the Scribes and Phariſees hypocrites for it, and tells them they made the commandment of God of no effect through their traditions; if this were to be devout and religious, the vileſt drunkard may be religious, for they may perform this as well as any other, therefore this is nothing.

Again, This may ſerve to condemn carnal Proteſtants, who give God now and then the hearing of a Sermon, and frequent the Sacrament, and do the outward things of Religion, but never come to worſhip God in ſpirit and in truth; let me tell you all this Religion is nothing at all; ſuppoſe a man comes to Church only, and lives in his luſts, what then? Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts? Iſa. 1. 12. Who? why God requires it; 'tis true, but not without uprightneſs; to be proud ſtill, and worldly ſtill, he requires you to come into his courts, but not in this manner; ſo likewiſe for preaching, it is an ordinance of God, but if a man will preach, and doth not lead an holy and mortified life, and is not zealous for God and againſt ſin, and to hold forth a bleſſed pattern of uprightneſs, God had as live have that mans room as his company, Pſal. 50. 16. What haſt thou to do to take my word into thy mouth, and hateſt to be reformed? As who ſhould ſay, what makeſt thou here? it is fitter for thee to be in an Alehouſe then in a Pulpit; ſo God hath commanded prayer, but if a man pray not in ſpirit and in truth, and is not an holy man, his prayers are nothing. Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God; As who ſhould ſay, if you prayed with an upright heart, your ſacrifice would be a delight to God; but ſeeing you are not upright, all your prayers and ſacrifices are abominable in the ſight of God.

For humiliation to humble us; how ſhould we be aſhamed, there is no uprightneſs among us? the moſt of us are not upright before men, much leſs before God.

For exhortation, that we would ſtrive and labour to be upright, and upright before him; that we would cry out with the Prophet David, O let my heart be upright before thee, that I may not be aſhamed; if we find liſtleſſeneſſe, and backwardneſs for God, if we find our hearts ſide with the ungodly, let us know we are wicked people, and cannot be of God; therefore ſet us labour to be upright before God.