The Imperfection of the Creature, Part 2 · Sermon 9

The Imperfection of the Creature · Part 2 · Sermon 9

p. 217SERMON IX.

PSALM CXIX. 96.

I have seen an End of all Perfection; but thy Commandment is exceeding broad.

I Am yet upon the Improvement of the second Doctrine from these Words; and I have inferred,

1. The wonderful Goodness, Mercy, and Compassion, of GOD to a miserable World, in making a clear Revelation of his Mind and Will to it.

2. The indispensible Obligations we all lie under to keep the Commandment of GOD.

3. That pure Religion is our truest Wisdom; because it meaneth to better us in our Persons, and all our Relations, and render us comfortable here, and compleatly happy hereafter; and it requires nothing unreasonable of us, or that we shall have Cause to be ashamed or repent of; and if at last we should be deceived in our Expectations of future Happiness, p. 218(which the truly religious Man shall not be,) yet we shall have acted the wisest Part, in living as becometh our rational Nature, and guarding against the greatest future Evil.

4. The very great Evil of Persons making light of, and contemning, the divine Commandment, by playing their prophane Jests, and Banters upon it, turning it into Drollery and Ridicule; or by forming new Notions, and Schemes of Religion, unwarranted by the divine Oracles; or by neglecting to attend upon it.

5. How short we all come of the Rule in our Obedience, and what need the Best have to be humble, and implore the pardoning Mercy of GOD, through the Merits of CHRIST, that we may find Acceptance.

I shall mention two or three other Inferences, and then conclude this Subject with a Use of Exhortation.

6. Hence we may infer, that the Office of the Gospel Ministry, is attended with very great Labour and Difficulty, as well as is truly honourable. JESUS CHRIST hath appointed the sacred Order of the Ministry, not for a temporary but a standing Office, in his Church, to the End of the World; and therefore he said to his first Ministers, in the latter End of Matthew's Gospel, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the End of the World: and the great Work, and Business, of this Order of Men are, the Work of the Ministry, the converting of Sinners from the Error of their Ways, the perfecting of the Saints, and so the edifying of the Body of CHRIST; to which End the Word of Reconciliation it committed p. 219unto them, that they should preach the unsearchable Riches of CHRIST. Now, if the Commandment is exceeding broad, if there is a transcendent Excellency in it, as it is the Word of the Great GOD, the Law of the eternal King, and it's great Design is to perfect our Nature, and compleat our Happiness? then certainly, those whom GOD employs to dispence his Word to us, who explain to us, and enforce upon us, the Will of GOD, whose Business it is to conduct us in the Paths of Righteousness, and shew to us the Way of Salvation, these surely are fixed in an high and honourable Station. Shall the Care of our worldly Interest, the defending us from the Injuries and Oppressions of the voracious, and the Recovery of our Rights, when they are unjustly detained, or violently taken away from us, be thought to confer Honour upon him that pleads, or Umpires, our Cause? Or shall the Care of our Bodies, and the securing them from the Maladies they are liable unto, and the restoring them to Health and Vigour, when they are weakened and impaired, be thought to render him honourable that prudently administers to them? And shall not the Care of our Souls, the promoting their Health and Vigour, and the securing their present Comfort, and their eternal Interest, confer as great an Honour upon those whose peculiar Business it is to lay themselves out in Study for us, and are constantly, and faithfully, spending their Time, and Strength in warning, counselling, and instructing of us? Yea, shall the Care of the external Affairs of Mankind, the Government of their outward Conduct, and Behaviour, to one another, by proper Laws, and the enforcing Obedience to those p. 220Laws of the State, be thought to confer an high Honour from those that wear the Commission from an earthly Monarch? And are they, at the same Time, in a low and despicable Post, who are commissioned from the great, the eternal, King, to take Care of the Government of Mankind, by instilling the best Principles into them, by teaching them the best Manners, and have Power to enforce the Laws of the Kingdom of Heaven, upon it's Subjects, by an Authorative Declaration of it's Promises, and Denounciation of its Threatnings, and ministerially to execute the sacred Discipline upon the bold and incorrigible Offender? Is not the Welfare of our Souls greatly to be preferred to that of our Bodies? Is not their eternal Happiness beyond any temporal Felicity the Body can enjoy? And does not this argue, that their Office, whose Business it is to promote their Welfare, their Rectitude and Happiness, is of a far more noble and excellent a Nature, than any that relates to the Concerns of the Body, and the present Life only, can be? Or is their Office more honourable, and their Persons only more contemptible? Now then we are Embassadors for CHRIST, as though GOD did beseech you by us, we pray you, in CHRIST stead, be ye reconciled unto GOD; this is the Language of the Apostle concerning the Ministers of the Gospel: (q)(q)2 Cor. v. 20.2 Cor 5:20and how strongly does it argue the Honour that is due unto them? Truly, I have often wondred at it, that any, who wear the Character of Gentlemen, should act so mean and low a Part, as to pour their Contempt upon the sacred Order and Office, upon which even the Temporal Welfare of p. 221humane Society is so much dependent, while at the same Time, we see them pay the highest Court to Offices of vastly less Importance: But our blessed Lord has said, (r)(r)Joh. xviii. 36.John 18:36My Kingdom is not of this World.

Though, we magnify our Office, yet, we do not mean, by this, that great swelling Titles of Honour, and worldly Grandeur is to be heaped upon us; no, these are contemptible, and mean, compared with our high Office; nor mean we to lord it over GOD's Heritage, no, we preach not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS the Lord, and ourselves your Servants for JESUS Sake; (s)(s)2 Cor. iv. 5.2 Cor 4:5but then give us leave to hope that you will so far honour our Office, and our Persons, while we are faithful in it, as to preserve such an inward Respect, and Reverence, thereto, as may afford us the Opportunity to do you all the Good we wish to do, and may best answer the great Ends of our Ministry; that you may hearken to our Instruction, receive our Counsel, and submit to our teaching and Government, and esteem us highly, in Love, for our Work's Sake; for thus the Apostle of our Lord hath said, (t)(t)Heb. xiii. 17.Heb 13:17Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit your selves; for they watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account, that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief; for that is unprofitable for you. The Ministers of the Lord come unto you in his Name, vested with Authority from him, and declare what his Will and Pleasure concerning you is, and therefore it is your Part to regard them, as Messengers of GOD; though if they speak not according to their Instructions, p. 222hear them not; there will be no Danger in such Disobedience. The Keys of the Kingdom of GOD, and his MESSIAH, are committed to them, those they regularly bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, those they regularly loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven; the Sentence they pass, according to the Law of GOD, will be ratified and confirmed by their great Master: and it is no Presumption in them, in the Discharge of their Office, to reprove the greatest, and haughtiest, Transgressor, and warn him of the Evil of his Ways, and administer the holy Discipline of the Kingdom of CHRIST upon him, and let such know, that their Sovereign Master will severely punish all that impenitently go on in Disobedience to any of his known Commands: and whilst they keep within their proper Line, and faithfully do the Duties of their Office, they that affront, insult, and injure them, affront the King of Heaven himself, whose Ministers they are; and hence we may observe our Saviour publishing to all the World, how he will resent the Treatment of his Ministers, saying, (u)(u)Luk. x. 16.Luke 10:16He that heareth you, heareth me, and be that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.

But then, as it shews the Dignity, and Authority, of the Ministers of the Gospel of CHRIST, so does it also bespeak the very great Labour, and Difficulty, that attends their sacred Office. They are, in a qualified Sense, the Keepers of the divine Law, entrusted with that sacred Depositum, and to explain and enforce the divine Commandment upon their Fellow Creatures, and, in this Way, to train them up, and fit them, for the p. 223future Happiness, the unutterable Rewards of the Kingdom of GOD. And though, one would be ready to think, that, it should require no very great Labour, and Pains, to perswade Men to be happy, because every Man naturally thirsteth after Happiness, yet, so it is, that it is one of the most operose, and laborious Tasks that can be; because we have the Weaknesses, and Mistakes, and Prejudices, the Lusts and Passions of Men to encounter withal. 'Tis true, Men would be happy, if they might; but it must be in their own Way. If they might but get to Heaven, and enjoy all the Happiness they are capable of, at last, and yet indulge their several vicious Appetites, and walk in the Ways of their own Heart, for the present, and be obliged to no Acts of Self Denial, they might easily be preswaded to this; because this would suit well with their corrupt Inclination, their depraved Taste, and mistaken Notion of things: but to perswade them to be happy, in GOD's Way, the only Way in which they can be happy, this is an exceeding great Difficulty; because their Prejudices are levelled against this as an uneasy and burdensome thing to them, and their various Lusts draw them another Way, and their Mastakes perswade them that they may be as truly happy in a Way of their own choosing. And hence there needs a great deal of Pains to convince Men, that they are mistaken in their Notions of Happiness; that, as fond as they are of it, they are vainly seeking for it where it is not to be found, and that they must certainly take another Course, than they do, if ever they would be happy. Here we have the carnal Interests of Men, which bias and warp their Minds, to conflict withal; and it is no easy Matter to draw them off from those Prejudices, p. 224and convince them, that their true and main Interest does not lie in this World, neither is their Happiness to be enjoyed here; that there is an End of all created Perfection, and that they need something beyond the Riches, and Pleasures, and Honours, of this World, to make them truly happy. It is very hard to beat Men off from their strong Attachment to the Objects of Sense.

Besides, we must let Men know, that they must be better Men, or they cannot be happy; that they must rectify the Disorders of their Minds, subdue and mortify their irregular Appetites, and carefully avoid every thing that is mean and base, that is impious and unjust, and constantly practise all the Vertues of a sober, a righteous, and a godly Life, and Conversation: and this engages us in a Struggle with the Lusts and Passions of Men, which are no real Friends to Vertue. And because these Lusts and Passions are ordinarily very strong and active, through a long Course of indulging them, therefore it is so much the more Difficult for us to overcome them: so that there needs a great Deal of Study and Thought, Caution and Guard, Prudence and Watchfulness, and a diligent Application, to be able to come at the right Side of Men, and find out acceptable Words, that may reach them, and yet please them; that may suit their Case, and yet not be offensive to them; that may strike home upon their Consciences; and not stir their Wrath; that in all we may be faithful to GOD, and faithful to the Souls of our Neighbours, and yet, if possible, not provoke them to disrelish our Ministry. So that we must be made all things to all Men, that we might by all Means save some. (w)(w)1 Cor. ix. 22.1 Cor 9:22And after all our Study, and p. 225Watchfulness, and Diligence, and Prudence there is requisite our fervent and unwearied Prayers to the GOD of all Grace, for the Presence and Assistance of the divine Spirit to accompany our Ministry, and succeed our Labours; without which, who is sufficient for these things? (x)(x)2 Cor. ii. 16.2 Cor 2:16If the holy and omnipotent Spirit of GOD do not accompany our Ministry, we may be heard, but we shall not be regarded; we may be unto our Hearers, as Ezekiel was to his, as a very lovely Song, of one that hath a pleasant Voice, and can play well on an Instrument, but our Word shall not be obeyed; the Sinner will still go on in his vicious Courses, and, under the Influences of a vain Dream of Happiness, post down to eternal Misery, in Spite of all that we can do to prevent it.

And this produces an other very great Difficulty in our Work, namely, the Discouragement we meet with, because our Message is not regarded, our Master is slighted, and all his gracious. Offers are contemned, and Men are such Fools as to neglect Heaven, and Happiness, upon the fairest Offers imaginable, and all for the Sake of a vain World, and sordid Lusts; so that we have often Cause sadly to lament, with the Prophet, the Bellows are burnt, the Lead is consumed of the Fire, the Founder melteth in vain; for the Wicked are not plucked away; we labour in vain, and spend our Strength for nought; and to cry out with the Apostles, Lord, we have toiled all Night, and all Day too and have caught nothing. And what Uneasiness must this be to us? How does it stir all our Compassion and Sorrow? to see those we live amongst, and converse with, whom we have p. 226contracted a Friendship for, and are become dear to us, as our peculiar Charge, living in Defiance with our great Master, trampling upon his holy Laws, and pulling down his amazing Vengeance upon them, and all we can do for them will not save them from endless Ruin? Our Hearts must be hard as the Nether Milstone not to feel the very forcible Impressions of Pity and Compassion, mixed with a killing Grief and Sorrow, at such a lamentable Sight as this.

Nor are we without our Difficulties, arising from ourselves. We are of the same Nature, and of like Passions, with other Men, are equally liable unto Temptations, and more so: and it requires no less Care and Pains to furnish ourselves for our Work, that we may be able Ministers of the New Testament, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, that we may have a thorow Knowledge of the divine Commandment, and may be able to teach others; and when we have spent our Time, in Study, and Prayer, how watchful must we be? that we bring no unhallowed Fire to GOD's Altar, that we feed you with the wholesome Food of the Word of GOD, that Bread of Life which our Master has ordered for his Family, and not put you off with Chaff, or teach for Doctrine the Commandments of Men. It is no little Difficulty to approve ourselves faithful Stewards in the House of GOD; and, considering the Tempers and Humors of Mankind, to overcome our Fears of offending those that look upon themselves as great Men, or lest we lose the Favour and Friendship of those from whom, it may be, a considerable Part of our scanty Allowance comes, for our being true to our Trust, and faithful in the Discharge of our p. 227Office; and yet we are under the strongest Obligations, as we will answer it to our Lord and Master, to be faithful, in warning every Man, and bearing our Testimony against every Vice, and when we spie Danger, to lift up our Voice like a Trumpet, and cry aloud, and shew our People their Iniquity, that, if possible, we may keep ourselves free from the Blood of all Men, and save our own Souls, and the Souls of them that hear us. These are some of the Labours, and Difficulties, of those who are employed in the Service of the Ministry, whose Business it is to teach the Law of the Lord; and we may be sure that the grand Adversary, whose Kingdom they oppose, will not fail to give them Disturbance enough: and we see that the more honourable their Work is, so much the more laborious, and serviceable, it is also; and Reason there is for our addressing of you, in the Strain of the Apostle, Now I beseech you, Brethren, for the Lord JESUS CHRIST sake, and for the Love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me, in your Prayers to GOD for me.(x)(x)Rom. xv. 30.Rom 15:30

Hence we learn, what is, and will be, the miserable Condition of all such as live, and die, in Disobedience to the divine Commandment. For if it is the Commandment of the great GOD, and aims at our Comfort, and Happiness, then those that live in Disobedience thereto must of Consequence greatly provoke the divine Majesty, and deprive themselves of their own Comfort and Happiness; and this is to be truly miserable. For what is it to live in Disobedience to the Commands of GOD? but to rise up in Rebellion against him, to deny his rightful Authority over us, to joyn in Confederacy with his avowed p. 228Adversary, and conspire the dethroning of him from his Dominion: so that a Life of Disobedience is no other than a vile Insult upon his Goverment, and, as Job expresses it, (y)(y)Job. xxxi. 28.Job 31:28a denying the GOD that is above: it is to set up a mean and low Pretender, a vile Usurper, in his Stead, as Lord over us, and pay that Homage to Self, and Satan, which is due unto GOD only. And what can argue a meaner Thought of the allperfect, and infinitely glorious GOD, the Greatest, and the Best, of Beings, than thus to set up the vilest and worst of Beings in Opposition to him? And what can give a higher Provocation to the divine Majesty, than not only to do all we can to strip him of his Authority, but, to give the Preference to such as are most detestable? Yet this prodigious Guilt and Folly is justly chargeable upon all such as live in a continued Course of Disobedience to any of the known Laws of GOD; who live in the Neglect of the religious Worship of GOD, either social, or solitary; who take his Name in vain, and profane his holy Day; who are stubborn and rebellious in their Carriage to their Superiours, or insulting and tyrannical over their Inferiours, or malicious and revengful to their Equals; who live in Falshood and Unrighteousness, in Intemperance and Incontinency, and the like; by such open, bold, and daring Transgressions they pour the greatest Contempt upon their sovereign Lawgiver, and provoke him to his Face: which made the Apostle say, (z)(z)Rom. ii. 23.Rom 2:23through breaking the Law dishonourest thou GOD. It is not only true of the Heathen World, that, though they know GOD, by his Works, yet they glorify him not as GOD, by living up to the Dictates of natural Conscience, which is the p. 229Commandment, or Law, written on their Hearts; but it is to be feared, that there are many among professed Christians, who, notwithstanding the Advantages they enjoy, in the clearer Revelation of the divine Will, and though they appear openly to own that Revelation to be from GOD, and pretend to take it for the Rule of their Lives, yet, in their Practice, say unto GOD, depart from us, we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways: what is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we pray unto him?(a)(a)Job. xxi. 14, 15.Job 21:14Job 21:15

But is the Commandment exceeding broad, as we have seen, then certainly those who so reproach their Maker, by a wilful Disobedience to his holy Laws, must unavoidably be in a miserable State and Condition: and indeed they evidently carry about with them, daily, so great a Part of their Misery, as is sufficient, one would think, to make them cry out in the Strain of the Apostle, (b)(b)Rom. vii. 24.Rom 7:24O wretched Man that I am; who shall deliver me? For it is very apparent, that they, who so contemn the Authority of GOD, and go on in a Course of Disobedience to his holy Commandment, are under the Power of diverse Lusts, and Passions, being sold under Sin. For, what but a strong Prejudice upon the Mind, (against the Commandment of GOD, which is the Result of the highest Reason, and Goodness,) arising from the powerful Influence of some Lust or other, could prevail with a reasonable Creature to live in a direct Contrariety to the Authority of his rightful Sovereign, and in Disobedience to those Commands which are every Way calculated to promote his real Benefit, both in this World, and the next? For, the Man cannot but acknowledge p. 230if there be a GOD, (and this is the Language of all Nature about him,) that then this GOD is his Sovereign Lord, and has a Right to be obeyed in whatever he commandeth, and that it must needs be for his Interest to resign up his own Will entirely to the divine Will, and govern himself, in all things, by the divine Law; because this his almighty Sovereign is able fully to reward all his Services, and severely to punish him for his Disobedience; and that therefore it must be an unreasonable thing in him to obey and serve some Lust or other, rather than the living GOD. Nay do we not find the Generality of profligate and vicious Livers, in their cool Thoughts, acknowledging the Equity and Goodness of the Law it self; and yet they act directly contrary to it? like him, who could say, Video meliora probo que deteriora sequar: or, in the Apostle's Stile, I consent unto the Law that it is good, but do that which I would not, Evil being present with me. (c)(c)Rom. vii. 16. 18.Rom 7:16Rom 7:18And whence is this but from the prevailing Power of Prejudice enslaving of them? What can be a greater Infelicity, than, for an intelligent, Mind, capable of discerning right, to be in vile Subjection to some base and sordid Lust or Passion, and ever be led wrong by them? What can be worse, than to be under the Power and lordly Dominion of Irregularity and Disorder? to be ever erring from the Way of Truth, and Peace? Is there any thing more unbecoming a rational Creature, than to be a Slave to Sense; or, than for an heavenborn Soul to be the Devil's Drudge? Can there be a greater Unhappiness, than for a rational Agent to be continually acting contrary to his Light and Knowledge, and be perpetually exposing p. 231himself to the Reproaches of his own Heart? Does he need any other Torment, who carries that within him, which challenges his Actions, accuses him for his Impiety, and lashes him for his extream Folly and Madness? What is there can make such a Man easy and comfortable, while he feels the stinging Reflections of his own Mind? 'Tis true, indeed, that a Man may very much stifle and suppress the Remonstrances of his own Mind, by the Hurry, and Noise, and Diversions, of the World; but can he always command Silence in his own Breast, and stop the just Clamours of Conscience against himself? No verily; sometimes it will cry aloud, and will be heard, in Spite of all that he can do to prevent it; and when once the Heighth of his Noisy Mirth is over, and the Heat of Wine and strong Drink hath spent itself, and he begins to be a little cool, and retire within himself, and think sedately, what an Uproar is there raised in his Soul? what a Storm rages in his Breast? What Convulsions seise him? which he cannot, for a while at least, get rid of, nor knows he how to support himself under. (c)(c)Prov. xviii. 14.Prov 18:14The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmities, the ordinary Calamities of Life, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? Who indeed! Certainly, this is the very Misery of Devils themselves; to be unable to act up to the Dignity of their rational Nature, and to feel the Smart of their own Reproaches for it. Yet so miserable are all they who are under the Power of Lust and Prejudice, and turn their Backs upon the holy Commandment. And though, through the Defilement, and Stupidity, of their Consciences, they may not, for the present, feel the Sting, and be sensible of p. 232their unhappy Condition, yet the Time will come when their Sorrows shall compass them about, as with a Chain, and the pointed Arrows of the Almighty shall drench up their Spirits within them.

If ever such irreligious and disobedient Creatures should come to a serious Temper, and wisely consider their present State, and their latter End, before it is too late, they will then know what is meant by the Conviction of Sin and Guilt; and the Sense of their having made GOD to become their Enemy, and of having affronted their own Minds, by their acting contrary to the Dictates of right Reason, in their Disobedience to the divine Commands, will give such a Wound and Sting to their Souls, as will not easily be cured, and can hardly be endured.

But if the poor thoughtless Creatures should go on in their Contempt of the divine Authority, and carry their rebellious Principles out of this World with them, they will forever regret their Madness, when they shall find themselves everlastingly separated from the least Glimpse of all that Happiness, which the divine Commandment would have led them to; and, in Lieu thereof, shall inherit the contrary Misery, in having their awakened Apprehensions, with exquisite Sensation, forever weltering under the heavy Impressions of the divine Wrath and Indignation. For the Wrath of GOD is revealed from Heaven, against all Ungodliness, and Unrighteousness of Men: (d)(d)Rom. i. 18.Rom 1:18and GOD will render Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: (e)(e)Rom. ii. 6, 9.Rom 2:6Rom 2:9There is, indeed, p. 233a very great Infelicity that hardened Sinners are liable unto, through the Wrath of GOD, in the present World, namely, that all the Creatures of GOD are in a State of Enmity with them. For by making GOD, whom they rebel against, to become their Enemy, they unavoidably render all the Creatures of GOD, who are his Servants, the Ministers of his Pleasure, to be at Enmity with them also: so that they all stand ready, whenever their Master shall say the Word, to execute the divine Vengeance upon them, in such a Manner as shall greatly embitter their present Life to them with various and amazing Sorrows; nor have they any Security against being soon brought into the most uncomfortable Circumstances that can possibly attend any in this World, nor any Method, if such a wretched Condition should overtake them, to get rid of it, or to enjoy themselves with any tolerable Satisfaction in it. But however, it is impossible, whatever be his present Sensations, for the disobedient Soul to be otherwise than compleatly miserable, in the future World. There Disorder and Peace, Guilt and Comfort, cannot possibly dwell together. Then every Transgression, and Disobedience, will receive a just Recompence of Reward, from a provoked Sovereign and Judge; and the bold Contemners of the divine Authority, who have hated Instruction, and cast the Word of GOD behind their Backs;—(however GOD may seem to keep Silence for the present, as if he regarded not their Behaviour,)—He will certainly reprove, and set their Sin in Order before them;—He will tear them to' Pieces, and there shall be none to deliver. (f)(f)Psal. I. 17, 21, 22.Ps 1:17Ps 1:21Ps 1:22For, the future World p. 234will be the Time, and Place, of Retribution and Rewards, when every Man shall receive according to what he hath done in the Body: and because their Judge perfectly knows all the Crimes they have been guilty of, and wants neither Purity to resent them as they deserve, nor Power to punish for, them, and everlives to see the threatened Sentence executed upon them, therefore the Condition of the obstinately disobedient Sinner will be miserable indeed. It will include the Heighth of Misery in it, and be utterly unavoidable. It will include in it the utmost Degrees of Misery the Sinner is capable of enduring, because it will be the Effect of the righteous Displeasure, the heated Indignation, of an infinitely holy and powerful GOD, the Power of whose Wrath as much exceeds our Fears, as the Riches of his Grace does our most enlarged Hopes; the Weight of whose Arm will fall heavy, in the Day when he executeth Vengeance upon the bold Transgressors of his Law. And who then shall be able to endure it! And if that Misery be inconceiveably great which results from the fierce Wrath of an Almighty GOD, how amazing will it be, when we add the Consideration of it's eternal Duration to the Weight of it! That they shall be punished with everlasting Destruction, from the Presence of the Lord, and the Glory of his Power, who know not GOD, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST! (g)(g)2 Thess. i. 8, 9.2 Thess 1:82 Thess 1:9In a Word; it will be beyond the Sinner's Reach to escape this Misery; because GOD can find him out in his most secret lurking Places, and neither the Strength of his own Arm, nor the Wisdom of his Heart, can deliver him, nor will any Creature avail him, to p. 235afford him Help against the prodigious Destruction that will overtake him, in that Day of the Lord's Anger. Nothing but divine infinite Mercy could rescue the guilty obstinate Sinner from everlasting Burning, but this Mercy he utterly slights and abuses, by his continuing in Disobedience to the divine Commandment, after all the Calls and gracious Invitations, made to him to turn and live; and now, how shall be escape, seeing be neglects so great Salvation?(h)(h)Heb. ii. 3.Heb 2:3

I will just add one Inference more, viz.

8. This teaches us, that we should not content ourselves with the bare Letter of the Commandment. The Commandment, or Revelation from GOD, is designed to produce a spiritual Life, and Power, in our Souls, and so to make us truly and thorowly Good; and therefore we should not satisfy our selves, that we know the Letter of the Commandment, or that we practise according to the Letter of it, in an Observation of the external Duties required of us; but we should endeavour to feel the Force of it on our Hearts, that it may quicken us, and inspire us with a new, and divine Principle, and influence us to spiritual Devotion, and real Holiness, and so make us alive unto GOD. 'Tis not enough that we study the Scriptures, as Men do other Sciences, to inform our Minds, and furnish us for Discourse, to enlarge our Speculations, and increase our Ideas and Notions of Things, without having any Regard to Practice; but the Word must be ingrafted in us, that our Fruit may partake of its Virtue, and we must endeavour to reduce our Knowledge to Practice, and therefore know, what we may do; otherwise we shall but render the Scripture a dead Letter to us. Nor is it sufficient p. 236that we say our Prayers, go to Church, and observe the external Ordinances of the Gospel, and that we wrong no Man in our Dealings, but the Commandment may sink deep into our Hearts, and enliven us with a divine Flame of Love to, and Delight in it, that with our Spirits, fervently engaged therein, we may serve the Lord; without which we shall but have a Form of Godliness, while we are destitute of the Power of it. And this accounts for what we sometimes have the melancholly Experience of, namely, of some who seem, for a Time, to be walking in a Course of Religion, they appear openly for the Truth, hold the Profession of Faith, and vindicate it against all Opposers, and yet, after all, in a Time of Trial, they fall away from the Truth, and the holy Ways of GOD; and that, (to allude to the Words of the Apostle, (i)(i)Rom. vii. 6.Rom 7:6because they did not serve in the Newness of the Spirit, but in the Oldness of the Letter. They took no Care, as new-born Babes, to desire the pure Milk of the Word, that they might grow thereby, but contented themselves with having the Breast at their Mouths, and therefore, though they had a Name to live, for a while, yet they were truly dead; and not having their Nature perfected by the divine Commandment, they finally came short of the Blessedness it was designed to lead them to. If therefore we would partake of the compleat Happiness the divine Commandment aims at, we must not only inform our Minds, and direct our outward Behaviour, by it; but we must endeavour to search out the spiritual Meaning, and submit our Wills, and Consciences, entirely to the Government of it, that it may be in us a quickening Word; for, as the Apostle observes, (k)(k)2 Cor. iii. 6.2 Cor 3:6the Letter p. 237killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life. Not only does the Letter, or the Law given by Moses, bring under Condemnation, while the Spirit, or Grace of the Gospel by JESUS CHRIST, maketh alive; but the Knowledge of the bare Letter of the divine Commandment will but aggravate a Man's Condemnation, if he is destitute of the ruling Power of it in his Heart, which truly conveys a new and divine Life unto the Soul.

Use II. The Second, and only remaining Use I shall make of this Doctrine is by Way of Exhortation. Wherefore we beseech you, Brethren, that you receive not this Grace of GOD in vain; but be ye all perswaded now to make it your sincere Endeavour, so to behave your selves in your pious Regards to the divine Commandment, as remembring that it is exceeding broad. My Neighbours and Friends; Do you believe it to be the Commandment of the ever-living GOD? that it reaches to every one of you, and includes your whole Duty in it? Is this the gracious End and Design of it, to make you wise, good and happy? and does it forever remain the perfect Rule of Righteousness? Then, I beseech you, let it find a due Entertainment with you, and pay all that Regard to it which the excellent Nature, and Ends, of such a divine Revelation demands of you. It is not for nothing that GOD hath written unto you the great Things of his Law, and shewed you the Line of your Duty, and made the Path of Life plain before you; no, he hereby aims at the improving of you in Righteousness, and true Holiness, and the training of you up in the Practice of Vertue, that you may be fitted for the more sublime Services, and Entertainments of perfected Spirits, p. 238and for the everlasting Enjoyment of the divine Favour, in the heavenly World. And shall not the refreshing Thoughts of serving GOD perfectly, with Delight and Pleasure, and without Interruption or Impediment, and the Enjoyment of him as the satisfying Portion of your Souls; and your exceeding great Reward, be sufficient to influence you unto an hearty Respect to his holy Commandment, and prevail with you, to yield the ready Assent of your Minds unto all the Truths thereof, and the Submission of your Wills to the Conduct of those holy Rules he has prescribed? If to be perfectly holy, and perfectly happy; if to have your Nature wrought up to the noble and exalted Temper and Disposition of Angels, and possess all that can be delightful and entertaining to your rectified Powers and Capacities, and that forever, can have any Weight with you; then let not the Commandment of GOD be grievous unto you, but receive the Truth in the Love thereof, firmly credit the Reports of the sacred Oracles, and universally conform to all the Precepts of it, that you may be found among the Friends of GOD, and be the true Disciples of CHRIST, who hear his Voice, and follow him, and may be owned, and accepted, by him, another Day, to the Glory, and Joys of Heaven.

What is the Work of Heaven? but to obey GOD. There GOD fits enthroned in Glory, surrounded with his Myriads of holy Angels; who constantly, diligently, chearfully attend his Pleasure; whose great Happiness it is, that there is an exact Agreement between the Will of GOD in Commanding, and their Will in Obeying; who never have a Thought that any of the divine Commands are hard, nor so p. 239much as a secret Inclination to act contrary to them: There too it is the Felicity of the Saint, that his Will is intirely swallowed up in the divine, and he serves GOD Day, and Night, (l)(l)Rev. vii. 15.Rev 7:15constantly, uninterruptedly, and forever; thus those holy Ones are arrived at their Centre, and there they are at Rest, and have not the least Tendency to move from it. And do we hope to get to Heaven, and Share in the Happiness, and join in the Services, of those perfected Spirits? Oh! how should the Thoughts hereof quicken us, all, now to endeavour after an Imitation of those holy and happy Ones? that as our Lord hath taught us to pray, (m)(m)Math. vi. 10.Matt 6:10Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven, so we may make it our daily Care to conform our Hearts, and Lives to the Will of GOD, while we are on Earth, as Saints and Angels do above.

What mighty and powerful Obligations are lying upon us to be obedient to the Lord our GOD? All his Goodness to us, in his common Providence, is to allure and draw us, to draw out our Desires after him, and move us to a ready Compliance with his Will; all his Corrections are to excite and stir up our Aversions against what is offensive to him, that we may fly from every provoking Evil, and be true to him, and his Interest; it is our own. But then what peculiar Advantages hath GOD favoured us with? While the heathen World have only the Light of Nature to lead and guide them, we are even lift up to Heaven, are brought to the very Borders of the Land of Promise, have the direct Way thither clearly pointed out to us, and have a full View of p. 240the compleat, and endless, Happiness of the glorious Inhabitants of that blissful Place. Though, in the Times of gross Ignorance, GOD seemed to wink at the Follies of Men, yet now he hath commanded all Men every where to repent, and thus opens the Door of Hope to the guilty Creature, and letteth him know, that for the Sake of CHRIST, he will freely pardon all his past Offences, if he will but now become sincerely Obedient. And what Obligations hath a merciful GOD laid upon us, to walk in all his Ordinances and Commandments blameless, by giving his own Son to die for us, to purchase the Forgivenness of our Sins, and procure for us the Gift of the Holy Spirit, to enable us, for the future, to live in Obedience to Him?

But if after all these Advantages, and Obligations, any of you resolve to go on in your Disobedience to the divine Commandment; whose Crime will be so aggravated? whose Punishment, will be so greatly increased? You may well fear the Doom of Capernaum, to whom we find CHRIST saying, (n)(n)Math. xi. 23.Matt 11:23Thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto Heaven, shall be brought down to Hell. The Heathen will rise in the Judgment, and condemn the Men of this Generation, who profane the Name of GOD, and live without Prayer to Him, and indulge the various brutal Appetites, and Passions; and because such sin against the clearest Light, and the strongest Bonds, and Engagements, therefore their Punishment will be proportionable to their Crime, and an hotter, and more dreadful, Portion will be assigned unto them, in the Place of Torment: for, as our Saviour said to the p. 241Capernaites, ††Matth. xi. 24.Matt 11:24It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom, in the Day of Judgment, than for thee.

Oh that you would seriously think of these Things, and every one of you be effectually moved hereby to come to a fixed Resolution with yourselves, no longer to turn a deaf Ear to the Counsels of GOD, and refuse to hearken to his Voice, but turn at his Reproof, and give such a due Entertainment unto the exceeding broad Commandment, as GOD reasonably expects from you, and as you yourselves may reap the Benefit of.

And therefore, to hint a few things.

1. Treat the divine Commandment with an upright honest Heart. GOD, by his Prophet says, (o)(o)Mic. ii. 7.Mic 2:7Do not my Words do good to him that walketh uprightly? Such as preserve an honest Principle, an upright Intention, in what they do, especially, in their reading, and hearing the sacred Word, will, most likely, reap all the Benefit by it, which it is intended for; while they that suffer their Minds to be carried away with unreasonable, and groundless Prejudices against the divine Commandment, will be never the better for it, nor pay any sutable Regard to it. The very Frame and Temper of their own Minds, while under evil Affections and corrupt Dispositions, will render the Commandment contemptible, and unprofitable to them. Our Saviour, therefore, not only adviseth us, to take heed how we hear; (p)(p)Luk. viii. 18.Luke 8:18but informeth us, who they are that profit by the Commandment, even they that, in an honest, and good Heart, receive the Word. (q)(q)Luk. viii. 15.Luke 8:15That is p. 242one who layeth aside his Prejudices, and bringeth a Mind open, and free, to receive Conviction. Let it be your Care, therefore, to get, and keep, such an honest upright Heart, not biassed and warped by any particular Fondness for, or Aversion to, any Thing, without good Reason; and be ready to give Entertainment to any Truth, you find revealed, though it should contradict some of your former beloved Notions; and to practise whatever is contained in the divine Commandment, though it go against the Grain, and Bent of your carnal Inclinations, and secular Views; and to avoid whatever the Commandment of GOD forbiddeth, though it may cross your contracted vicious Habits. Thus, in this Respect, approve your selves to GOD, and your own Consciences; and allow of no Disposition, no known groundless Dislike, to the Commandment, which your own Consciences, upon a serious Reflection, will condemn you for; but, when you read, or hear, the divine Revelation, be willing to learn, and open to receive the Instructions of Wisdom.

2. Highly Prize the divine Commandment. It is a most excellent Law; and shall we not prize it? It every Way consults our Benefit and Advantage, in both Worlds; and shall we not value it? What is there that deserves your Esteem, and Veneration, equal to the Words of the great King; those Words by which also you are made to live? Is it not reasonable that every Thing should be valued according to its excellent Nature, and real Usefulness? Job said, (o)(o)Job. xxiii. 12.Job 23:12I esteem the Word of his Mouth, more than my necessary Food. His daily Bread was not p. 243so necessary to him, nor so valued by him, as the Word of GOD, the Food of his Soul, upon which, its Life and Comfort, is dependent. And what is there in this World, which we are so apt to dote upon, that is comparable to the divine Commandment? Which is in itself preferable to fine Gold, and more precious than Rubies, and which tends to make us the excellent in the Earth, and the Heirs of Heaven. And will you not then esteem it above all the Dross of this World? See how the devout Psalmist expresses his Value for it, in the Psalm where my Text is, O, how love I thy Law! (says he) The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than Thousands of Silver and Gold;—I love thy Commandment above Gold, yea, above fine Gold;—I esteem thy Precepts, concerning all Things, to be right, therefore I hate every false Way. Thus learn to work up yourselves to such an high Esteem for the Commandment of GOD, as to prefer it to every thing else; and this will be one effectual Means to prevent your being easily drawn away to any forbid sensual Gratifications. Look upon this as the bright Star that directs you unto Vertue, and Happiness, and rejoice therein, and prefer it to all the dark Shades of an imperfect World.

3. Diligently study the Commandment of GOD. He, that will not take the Pains to inform himself, will not be likely to know much of the Mind and Will of GOD; and how shall he, that knows it not, be able to do it, or take the Comfort of it? If therefore you would have your Manners reformed, your Hearts bettered, and your Happiness promoted, diligently search for this Wisdom, as for hid Treasure, and think not much to be at Pains with your selves, to find out p. 244the Knowledge of the Holy, and the Way to an endless Life. Search the Field for the Pearl of great Price. Thus CHRIST directed his Hearers, (p)(p)Joh. v. 39.John 5:39Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think to have eternal Life; and they are they which testify of me. You must daily sit at the Posts of Wisdom's Gates, embrace the proper Opportunities of being instructed out of the Law of GOD, that you may know Wisdom and Understanding, and the Fear of the Lord; for how should you understand, except some Man guide you? The Priest's Lips shall preserve Knowledge, and the People shall receive the Law at his Mouth. But then, seeing it is your great Advantage to have the Word of GOD in your own Hands, you should diligently read therein, and that daily, that by comparing Scripture with Scripture, you may be able to see with your own Eyes, and know what GOD requires you to believe, and do, in order to your Comfort here, and your eternal Well-being thereafter. And to this add your frequent Meditation on the divine Law, that it may ever be with you, as the Man of your Counsel, to direct your Practice Day, and Night. And earnestly beg it of GOD to open your Eyes, that you may understand the Wonders out of his Law, that he may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom, and Revelation, in the Knowledge of him who hath called you unto Glory, and Vertue. In a Word, If you would have CHRIST for yours, and walk in the Paths of Vertue, and obtain eternal Life through him, you must carefully attend the Methods he has directed you to, and diligently read, and hear, and meditate, and pray; and thus go to him to teach you, who is able to open your p. 245blind Eyes, and give you Understanding, that you may live.

4. Bring yourself, and all your Actions to the Commandment. The Commandment is the Rule of Life; and therefore you owe this to it, to eye it as your Rule, and examine, and prove, all your Actions by it, as the certain Standard of Truth and Holiness. This will be the Way for you so to govern your whole Walk, as that it may bear some agreeable Proportion to the only Rule, and that you may be able to adorn the Doctrine of GOD your Saviour in all things. The Psalmist enquires, (q)(q)Ps. cxix. 9.Ps 19:9Wherewithal shall a young Man cleanse his Way? and the answer to it is, by taking Heed thereto, according to Thy Word. This Word must be a Lamp unto your Feet, and a Light unto your Path, as ever you would run the Way of the divine Commandment. Without this you will be in great Danger of running into Errors, in Opinion, and Practice, and give Satan a great Advantage against you, to draw you away from your Stedfastness in your Christian Course; but while you diligently compare yourself, and Actions, with the Word, and arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit, it is written, you will be the better able to repel Temptations, and preserve yourself pure from the great Transgression. Be very careful therefore to put in Practice all known Duties, of Piety, and Devotion, to GOD, and of Justice, and Charity, to Man, and to avoid all known Sins of Profaneness, Injustice, Intemperance, and whatsoever else you find the Word of GOD warns you against; that your whole Lives may be a constant, steady, uniform, p. 246Obedience to the divine Commandment: then shall you not be ashamed, when you have respect unto all his Commandments: then will not your own Hearts reproach you, for acting contrary to the Light of your Mind, and your Duty to GOD, but approve the Wisdom of your Conduct, and afford you good Hope of a happy Conclusion.

5. Finally; Live upon the divine Commandment. The Design of the Commandment is to promote our Comfort in this World, and our compleat Happiness in the next; great and precious are the Promises by which this is made over, and secured to us. Let the obedient Soul then take this as his proper Food and Nourishment, and live upon it; live in the Exercise of a lively Faith in the Promises of GOD, and in JESUS CHRIST, the great, and only Head, and Mediator, of the new Covenant, in whom all the Promises are Yea, and Amen. Here, therefore, let the obedient Soul repair, as to his Asylum, his Place of Safety in the evil Day; and at what Time he is in Distress and Trouble, of any Kind, regularly lay hold upon the Promises, and all the Blessings contained therein, and from thence fetch in seasonable, and sufficient Support to his Mind under the Afflictions that befall him, and let in the Beams of divine Light, and Joy, in the darkest, and most melancholly Hours, that pass over him. Thus you find the holy Psalmist deriving his Comfort from the divine Commandment in the midst of all the Afflictions he met withal, (r)(r)Ps. cxix. 50, 54.Ps 19:50Ps 19:54This is my Comfort in my Affliction, (says he) for thy Word hath quickened me,—Thy Statutes have been my Songs, in p. 247the House of my Pilgrimage. Let us then draw Water out of these Wells of Salvation, and drink in of the River of divine Pleasures, and feed upon the full Joys, which are thus provided for us. Think not to find Relief from the Creature, and therefore go not to an imperfect World, alone, to supply our Wants, or redress our Grievances; but go to the exceeding broad Commandment, where GOD, and CHRIST, and Earth, and Heaven, are made over to the believing, penitent, obedient Soul; and in this Portion let us rejoice, though we should be poor, despised, and afflicted, in this World; for this is a Portion infinitely preferable to all that the whole Creation, alone, can yield us. While others, therefore, are saying, to all about them, Who will shew us any Good? And have no farther Concern upon their Minds, than how they may grow great, and grasp enough of this World in their Hands; let us take in the Sweetness of the divine Promises, and rejoice in the Lifting up of the Light of GOD's Countenance upon us, more than in the Increase of Corn, and Wine, and Oil. So you see the Psalmist slighting a Portion in this Life, and living upon the Promise, saying (s)(s)Ps. xvii. 14, 15.Ps 17:14Ps 17:15Deliver me from the Men of this World, who have their Portion in this Life;—as for me, I shall behold thy Face in Righteousness, I will be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness.

Let this be our constant Temper, and Behaviour, towards an imperfect World, and towards the exceeding broad Commandment of GOD; and then, when all the Springs of Nature shall have run dry, and the final Dissolhution of the present Frame of this Visible World shall have put an End to all the fair Promises, and delusive p. 248Flatteries, of crea… Objects, as well as taken off all their Terror, we shall have a larger Experience of the Excellency of the divine Commandment, in the Fulness and Perpetuity of its Happiness, and be everlastingly entertained in the Delightful Enjoyment of GOD, the inexhaustible Fountain of all Blessedness. I conclude all with the Advice of the Apostle to the Romans, ttRom. xii. 2.Rom 12:2Be not conformed to this World, but be ye transformed, by the renewing of your Minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect Will of GOD.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Barnard, The Imperfection of the Creature (1747)