The Christian life from its beginning, to its consummation in glory : together with the several means and instruments of Christianity conducing thereunto : with directions for private devotion and forms of prayer fitted to the several states of Christians / by John Scott ...

OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

CHAP. I. Concerning the ultimate End of the Christian Life.

IN order to our understanding, what is the Nature, Use, and Excellency of any Means, it is necessary we should have a true and genuine Notion of those pecu∣liar Ends which they drive at. For the nature of them, as they are Means, consists in being serviceable to some End; but to what they are particularly serviceable, must be collected from the nature of those par∣ticular Ends whereunto they are directed. And therefore till we know what those particular Ends are, it is impossible we should know whether they are Means or no, or, which is the same thing, whether they are serviceable to any End or Purpose.

IT being therefore the Design of this Work to explain the nature of the Christian Life, it will be necessary (for the clearing of our way) to give some account of the blessed

End for which it is intended; which will very much contribute to our right under∣standing of the great usefulness and subser∣viency of each part of it thereunto. There∣fore,

I. I shall endeavour to shew what is the peculiar End of the Christian Life.

II. Wherein the true Nature of this End consists.

I. As for the End of the Christian Life, we are assured from Scripture, that it is no other but Heaven it self, that state of endless Bliss and Happiness which God hath prepared in the World above, for the reception of all those, who by patient continu∣ance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality. That this is the End of the Christian Life, is evident from hence, be∣cause 'tis every where proposed by our Sa∣viour and his Apostles, as the Chief Good of a Christian, and the Supreme Motive to all Christian Virtue. For so St. John, that bosome-Favourite of our Saviour, as∣sures us, that This is the promise which Christ hath promised us, even Eternal Life, 1 John ii.25. And if we look into the Gospel of St. John, who hath more largely recorded our Saviours Sermons and Discourses than any other Evangelist, we shall find Eternal Life still proposed by him as the supere∣minent

Promise to encourage and persuade men to the profession and practice of Chri∣stianity. For so John iv.36. 'tis proposed by our Saviour as that which is the Harvest of a Christian, to which, like the Hus∣bandman's plowing and sowing, all our care and endeavour is to be directed; He that reapeth, receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto eternal life. Consonantly whereun∣to St. Paul tells us, that he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life ever∣lasting, Gal. vi.8. And this, as our Saviour tells us, is the great Reward which he gives to all those that hear and follow him, John x.27, 28. and this the great argu∣ment which he every where insists on, that he that believeth hath Life Everlasting, that whosoever heareth his word hath Life Everlasting, and that his commandment is Life Everlasting. And Rom. vi.22. Ever∣lasting Life is expresly said to be the End of having our fruit unto Holiness; and as such we are bid to direct our actions unto it, to believe in Christ unto Everlasting Life, 1 Tim. i.16. to do good, to this end, that we may lay hold upon Eternal Life, 1 Tim. vi.18, 19. to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, &c. Heb. xii.2. And therefore Heaven is de∣scribed

to be the Christian Canaan, to which we are to direct all our steps, whilst we are travailing through this World. Heb. xi.14, 15, 16. And the whole life of a Christian is expressed by seeking it: Mat. vi.33. Heb. xiii.14. Col. iii.1. And the incorruptible Crown is affirmed to be as much the end of the race of the Christian Life, as those corruptible Crowns were of the races in the Olympick Games. 1 Cor. ix.25. For it is to Eternal Glory that we are called, 1 Pet. v.10. 2 Thes. ii.14. and in the discharge of all that Duty whereunto we are called, we are to look to this blessed Hope as our great End and Encouragement, Tit. ii.13.

THIS I have the more largely insisted upon, because of a great mistake that many persons have lain under in this matter; which is, that the Glory of God is the only ultimate End of a Christian, and that this is a distinct End from Heaven; The first of which I confess, is very true, but the last ab∣solutely false. That the glory of God is the last End of a Christian, is evident from those Texts which bid us do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x.31. and which make the glory of God to be the point in which all the fruits of righteousness do concenter, Phil. i.11. which propose this as the End of all

Religious Performances, that God in all things may be glorified, 1 Pet. iv.11. and affirm, that tis to this purpose that we are chosen to be Christians, that we should be to the Praise of his Glory. Eph. i.12. But that the glory of God▪ is no distinct End from our being made partakers of the Hap∣piness of Heaven, is as evident from hence, that this Glory consists not in any thing that we can add or contribute to Him, whose essential Glory is so immense and secure, that there is nothing we can do, can either Increase or Diminish it; and there is no o∣ther Glory can redound to him from any thing without, but what is the Reflection of his own natural Rays. He under∣stands himself too well, to value him self either the more or the less for the Praises or Dispraises of his Creatures. For he is enough of Stage and Theatre to himself, and hath the same satisfying Prospect of his own Glory in the midst of all the loud Blasphemies of Hell, as among the perpetual Halelujahs of Hea∣ven. And having so, it cannot be supposed that he should injoyn us to Praise and Glo∣rifie him for the sake of any Good or Ad∣vantage that can accrue to Himself by it, or out of any other pleasure he takes in hearing himself applauded and commended

by us, than he doth in any other Act that is decent and reasonable in it's own Nature; but 'tis therefore, he will have us Praise him, because he knows it is for Our Good, and highly conduces, as it is a most reasona∣ble Action, to the Perfection and Happiness of our reasonable Natures; because our praising him naturally excites us to imitate him, and to transcribe into our own Natures those Adorable Perfections, which we do so admire and extol in His. So that to pursue our own Perfection and Happiness, is to Glorifie God according to his own de∣sign and intention; who requires us to Glorifie him for no other purpose, but that thereby we may Glorifie our selves. And indeed our Happiness is Gods Glory, even as all other worthy Effects are the Glory of their Causes. Tis He that gives being to it, and consequently He that is glorified by it. It being nothing but the resplen∣dency of his own Almighty Goodness, or his own out-stretched Rays shining back upon Himself. And therefore we aim at Gods glory just as He himself doth, when we aim to be as happy as He would have us, that is, when we pursue Heaven and co-ope∣rate with his Infinite Goodness, whose great design is to advance us to that blessed con∣dition in which we shall Glorifie him for

ever, and be Everlasting Monuments of his overflowing Benignity. So that whether we call our last End Heaven, or the Glory of God, it is all but one and the same thing; since by obtaining Heaven, we shall Glo∣rifie him according to his own Design and Intention. And this, I think, may suffice to shew, what is the true ultimate End of the Christian Life. But then

II. IT will be yet farther necessary for our clearing the way to the Design in hand, to enquire what Kind of Happiness this is; Which when we understand, we shall be the better able to comprehend what Duties or Means are necessary for the obtaining it. And this Enquiry will be easily resolved, by considering the Nature of Those for whom it was prepared and intended. For all Happiness consists in the free and vigo∣rous Exercise of the Faculties of Nature, about Objects that are suitable to them∣selves. There is indeed a privative hap∣piness, which is nothing but Indolence or freedom from pain and misery; and this consists not so much in the Exercise, as in the rest and quiet of the Faculties. And herein the soft and restive Epicureans placed the whole Happiness of a Man: In which I confess, they would not be very much mistaken, if there were no happiness be∣longing

to a Man beyond that Animal and Sensual one, in which the Disciples of this Atheistical Philosopher placed their chief Good. For the greatest part of the Plea∣sures of Sense indeed are merely Privati∣ons of Misery, and short Reprieves from the Griefs and Troubles of a wretched Life. For what else is our Ease and Rest, but only the removal of our Pain and Weariness? which being removed, the Plea∣sure is presently over, and then we grow weary again of our Rest and Ease; till Pain and Weariness return and sweeten them, and gives them a fresh and new relish. For when we are weary of Rest, we are fain to recreate our selves with Action, and when we are weary of Action, to refresh our selves with Rest, and so round again still in the same Circle. Thus the greatest part of the pleasure of Eating and Drink∣ing consists in asswaging the pain of our Hunger and Thirst. For when this is over, you see the pleasure ceases, and till it re∣turns again, every fresh morsel is but a new load to a tired Digestion. So that in short, the greatest part of those sensual Felicities which we do here enjoy, are only short in∣termissions of the pains and uneasinesses of a wretched Life. But if there were no o∣ther Happiness belonging to a Man, but

what consists in not being sensible of Mi∣sery, it were much more desirable to be a Stone than a Man, and the only way for him to be perfectly Happy, would be, to deprive himself of all Sense and Perception.

TIS true, That which is positive in our Happiness can never be perfectly injoyed by us, without a perfect Indolence and Insen∣sibility of Pain; it being impossible for us to have a perfect sense of any thing, whilst we have the least touch or feeling of its Contrary. But were Happiness nothing else but a non-perception of Misery, it would have no positive Essence or Reality of its own, which is directly contrary to all humane Experience. For we plainly feel, that our Happiness hath in it, not only a Rest from Evil, but a grateful Motion to Good, and that as our Pain and Misery consists in an acute and sensible perception of such things as are most ungrateful to our Natures; so Plea∣sure or Satisfaction consists in a vigorous perception of the contrary. So that be∣sides the not being miserable (which is not so properly an Essential Part of Happiness, as a necessary Disposition to it, without which the Faculties of our Natures will be indisposed to relish and perceive it) there is a positive Happiness which (as I said be∣fore) consists in a constant free and vigorous

Exercise of the Faculties about such Ob∣jects as are most convenient and suitable to their Natures. For Happiness in the ge∣neral includes Perfection and Pleasure, both which are necessarily included in such an Exercise of the Faculties. For then the Fa∣culties are Perfect, when they are freely, constantly and vigorously imployed about such objects, as are most congruous to their several natures; when they are recovered from all indispositions, whether natural, or moral, to those proper motions and exerci∣ses for which they were framed; and do freely, constantly, and without any clog or interruption direct all their courses towards such Objects as are their natural Centers. And then the Faculties are most pleas'd and delighted too, when they are most vigorous∣ly exercised about that which is most sui∣table to them; when they are not only determined to such Objects as are most agreable to their Natures, but do also act up∣on and exert themselves towards them with the greatest Sprightliness and Vigour.

THESE things I thought meet to premise concerning Happiness in the General, as be∣ing very needful to the clearer resolution of the present Enquiry, viz. Wherein consists the Heaven or Happiness of a Man. In short therefore, the proper Heaven and

Happiness of a Man, considered as a ratio∣nal Being, consists in the constant, free, and sprightful Exercise of his Faculties about such Objects as are most convenient to his rational Nature, which consisting wholly of Vnderstanding, and Will, that is, of a Faculty of Knowing and a Faculty of Chu∣sing, the most suitable Objects of it are such as are most worthy to be known, and most worthy to be chosen. When therefore the Vnderstanding is always vigorously exercised in seeing and contemplating the most glori∣ous and excellent Truths, and the Will is al∣ways vigorously employed in chusing and embracing the most desirable Goods, then is the whole Rational Nature Happy. Now if you cast abroad your thoughts over the whole extent of Being; you will presently find that there is nothing in it so worthy to be known and chosen as God; whose Power being the source and fountain of all Truth, that is, of all that either is or is possible, and whose Nature being the subject of all rati∣onal Perfection, wherein it originally resides, and from whence'tis derived to all the Ra∣tional Creation; you must upon these ac∣counts necessarily allow Him, to be infi∣nitely the most worthy Object in all the World of Beings, for our Vnderstanding to contemplate, and our Will to chuse. And if

so, then the very Life and Quintessence of the Heaven of a Man considered as a Rea∣sonable Being, must needs consist in a close and intimate Knowledge of God, and a Free and Uncontroverted Choice of Him.

BUT that we may more fully compre∣hend the Nature of this Happiness, it will be needful that we should more distinctly explain, what these two Essential Acts of it do import, and what Happiness is included in them. And

I. THE Happiness of a Man consists in a free and intimate Knowledge of God, For our Vnderstanding hath naturally as strong an Appetite to Truth, as our Sto∣mach hath to Food, and as grateful a relish of it, when it hath once discovered it, as an Hungry-man hath of a pleasant morsel. And though in this life its Appetite is many times pall'd and deadned, partly through the difficulty of knowing, occasioned either by the natural indispositions of its Organs, or the inveterate prejudices of a bad Edu∣cation; and partly by being continually employed in secular cares and pursuits, which do perpetually divert, and so by de∣grees wean it from its natural inclination to Truth: Yet when we go from this World, and leave these causes behind us, which give such a check to its Appetite, doubtless its

hunger after Knowledge will immediately revive, and there will be no possibility of ever satisfying it without it.

SUPPOSE we then the future World to be inhabited with a company of Intellectual Beings, that do all most vehemently gasp after the knowledge of Truth; What can there be imagined more grateful to them, than to be admitted to the very Fountain of all Truth and Reality, there to quench their Thirst, and satisfie their infinite De∣sires, with the free and easie, but still fresh discoveries of his infinite Glories and Per∣fections? Where will they be able to fix their greedy Eyes with comparably that Pleasure and Delight, as upon the Mysteri∣ous Trin-un-Divinity, which is the eternal Author of all Being, the Root of all Good, and the Rule and Source of all Perfection? But then supposing, what is the case of these Blessed Contemplators, that their Minds are so raised, and their Apprehen∣sions are rendred so unspeakably quick and sagacious, as that they can All know what∣soever they have a mind to, without the difficulty of Study, and presently discern the Dependence and Connexion of Things without any puzling Discourse, or laborious Deduction: with what incomparable satis∣faction must they needs peruse that infinite

Volume of the Divine Being and Perfections.

NOW that in that Blessed State they have unspeakably clearer and more perspicuous apprehensions of Things, than ever they had here, that noble passage of St. Paul as∣sures us, 1 Cor. xiii.12. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know, even also as I am known; that is, now our Knowledge of Divine things is very obscure and imperfect, they being shewn us as it were through a glass, on purpose to give us but a glympse of them; but when we come to Heaven, we shall look close upon them, and have a far clearer, and more distinct Ap∣prehension of them. Then we shall know God as truly as He knows us, and have as real and certain Apprehensions of his All-glorious Being, as He hath of Ours. So that in Heaven, you see, the Eyes of those Blessed Minds, that inhabit it, are so invi∣gorated, that they can gaze upon the Sun without dazling; contemplate the pure and immaculate Glories of the Deity, without being confounded with their brightness; and their Understandings being thus exalted, they must needs apprehend more at one single view, than we can do in volumes of Dis∣course, and tedious long trains of Deduction.

AND then enjoying as they do, a most

perfect repose both from within and without them, they are never disturbed in their eager contemplations; which having such an im∣mense Horizon of Truth and Glory round about them, are still discovering farther and farther, and so continually entertain'd with fresh Wonders and Delights. What an in∣finite deal of Pleasure then must that All-glorious Object afford to such raised and ele∣vated Minds as these, which like transpa∣rent Windows let in without any Labour or Difficulty all that Divine and Heavenly light which freely offers it self unto, and shines for ever round about them; and which by every new Discovery of God, and of these bottomless secrets and mysteries of his Nature, are still enlarged to discover more, and still have new Discoveries offe∣ring themselves, as fast as they are enlar∣ged to receive them. This of it self is so great a part of Heaven, that St. John him∣self seems to be at a loss how to imagine any Heaven beyond it. 1 Joh. iii.2. Beloved, now we are the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like him, that is in Glory and Happiness, for we shall see him as he is. But then

II. THE Heaven or Happiness of a Man con∣sists also in a free and undistracted choice

of God; that is in chusing him for the Rule and Pattern of our Natures, and for the object of our Love, Adoration and Depen∣dence; all which, (as I shall shew hereaf∣ter) are Beatifical Acts, and do abundant∣ly contribute to the Happiness of Reasona∣ble Creatures. For Happiness, (as hath been premised) consists not in Rest, but in Moti∣on, and there is no Motion can contribute to the Happiness of any Being but what is suitable to its own Nature. Now what motion can be more suitable to the nature of a Reasonable Creature, than to Love and Adore the Author of its Being and Well-Be∣ing; to bow to the will of the Almighty Sovereign, and to imitate the Perfections of the Supreme Standard and Pattern of all Reasonable Beings; to rely and depend on his infinite Power, that is always conducted by his infinite Wisdom and Goodness? All which are founded upon so many strong, evident and undeniable reasons, that the ve∣ry naming of them is sufficient to justifie them to our Faculties, and demonstrate them to be infinitely agreeable to the most fundamental Principles of our Reasonable Nature. And being so, it is impossible but that of themselves they should be exceed∣ing joyous and blissful; for as the sensitive nature is most gratified with those acts that

have most of Sense in them, so is the Rati∣onal with those that have most of Reason in them. And certainly those have most Reason in them which are terminated upon Objects which most deserve them; and what Object can so well deserve to be acted upon by Reasonable Beings as God? or what Acts can they so reasonably exert upon him, as those of Love and Adorati∣on, Homage, and Imitation, Trust and Depen∣dence? But as no Acts of Sense can be very grateful to our Sensitive Nature so long as we exert them either with repugnance, or in∣differency, so neither can any Acts of Rea∣son be to our Rational; the Pleasure of all Acts, whether Sensitive or Rational, consist∣ing (as I shew'd before) in the Spright∣fulness and Vigour of them. And this is the cause why men now find so little Felici∣ty in these most Rational Acts of Godliness; because by their own bad customs they have rendered themselves averse, or at least very cold and indifferent to them, which necessa∣rily renders us dead and listless in the exer∣cise of them, and consequently causes them to go off with little gust, if not with an un∣grateful relish. But even in this imperfect state we find by experience, that the more our corrupted nature discharges and dis∣burdens it self of those vicious indispositi∣ons,

which do so cramp and arrest it in these its Heavenly operations, the more it is plea∣sed still and delighted in them; Yea, and that when it is so far inured to a Godly Life as to be able to practise the several vertues of it, but with the same degree of activity and vigour as 'twas wont to do its most belo∣ved Lusts, it is unspeakably more pleased and satisfied, and finds more Sweetness by a thousand degrees, in its Love and Adoration, Obedience and Imitation of God, than ever it did in the highest relishes of Epicurism and Sensuality; that the more perfectly we Love and Adore, &c. the more of Heaven we tast in these Blessed Acts, and that, when by a long and constant practice of them we have once rendered them natural to us, we en∣joy such an Heaven upon Earth in the easie, free and vigorous exercise of them, as we would not exchange for all the Pleasures and Felicities which the World can afford us. And yet, God knows, the most perfect state of Godliness which we attain to here, hath so many degrees of imperfection in it, and in this we are so disturbed and interrup∣ted by bodily Indispositions, and the troubles and necessities of this present Life, that from the Joy and Pleasure which results from it here, we can hardly guess at those ravishing Felicities which will spring out of it hereaf∣ter.

When we shall be perfectly released from all the encumbrances of flesh and blood, and sin, when we shall be translated in∣to a free and quiet state, wherein we shall have nothing else to do, but only to know and love, obey and imitate, and have no imperfection either natural or vicious, to clog or disturb us in this our Beatifical employ∣ment. Wherein we shall act with all our vigour and might, and thrust forth the whole strength of our Souls in every Love and every Obedience; so that every motion of our Souls towards God, shall have the Vehemence of a Rapture in it, without the Violence. When, I say, we shall be eternal∣ly fixed in a State of such perfect Freedom and Activity, our Happiness must needs be as large as our Desires, and as great as our utmost Capacity or Power of Acting upon God. For now we shall most lively imitate the most Perfect, and adore the most Adorable, as much as ever we are able; that is, we shall perform with all our might and vigour the Acts that are most agreable to our Reasonable Nature: and in the utmost vigour of such Acts (as I have already shewed) consists our utmost Happiness.

SUPPOSE we then a Society of Rational Beings placed in such a State, wherein they have an Object of infinite Perfections al∣ways

before them, and no Evil from without or within to check or divert them from ex∣erting all their Powers upon him in the most reasonable Actions: Suppose them now to be moving with unspeakable vigour and agility, like so many ever-, living Orbs about this their everlasting Center; to be as full of Love and Duty to him as ever their Hearts can hold; to be copying his Perfections, and adoring his Excellencies with an uncontroul∣ed Freedom and Alacrity, and breathing forth themselves to him in chearful Praises and Rapturous Halelujahs; in a word, to be exercising themselves about him to their utmost Strength and Power, in all those blessed Offices which his Nature and their Relation to him call for: Suppose, I say, all this, and you have before ye that which is the very top and flower of the Heaven of a reasonable Creature; who in this blessed state is fixed, as it were in his own proper Element, where without any let or distur∣bance, he freely moves and acts according to his most natural Tendence and Inclination.

AND now by this time I think it is clear enough, that the main and principal Part of the Heaven of a Man, considered as a rea∣sonable Creature, consists in Knowing and Chusing of God. But besides this, there are other blessed Ingredients of Heaven; the

principal whereof is, the Knowing and Chusing those that are most like unto God; namely, the blessed Jesus in his Human Nature, and the Holy Angels and Saints, who are all in their several Measures and Degrees the express and lively Images of God. And therefore if to Know and Chuse God be the supreme Felicity of Hea∣ven, then doubtless the next to that is, to Know and be Acquainted with these blessed Images of him, and freely to chuse their Company and Conversation, and be entirely united to them in Affection; without which it would be no Felicity to dwell in the same place with them. For to co-habit with Je∣sus and with Saints and Angels, and not be acquainted with, and united to them in Heart and Affection, would be rather a Burden than a Pleasure. The Happiness therefore of being in their Society, consists in Know∣ing and Chusing them. And this is every where implied, where our being with them is mentioned as a part of our Heaven. Thus 1 Thes. iv.17. to be ever with the Lord, is the same thing with being ever in Heaven; but then 'tis to be ever with him upon Choice; for so those words imply, Phil. i.23. I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. And according∣ly this is mentioned by the Apostle as a

dear Priviledge of our being Members of the Christian Church, whereby we are en∣tituled to the Society of Holy Myriads of Angels, of the general assembly of the Church of the first-born, of God the Judge of all, of the Spirits of Just men made perfect, and of Je∣sus the Mediator of the New Covenant, Heb. xii.22, 23, 24. And indeed this must needs be an inestimable Happiness, not only to co-habit, but be acquainted with, and in Heart and Will united to this Blessed and Glorious Company. For what Soul that has any Spark of Cordial Love to Jesus, the best Friend of Souls that ever was; any grate∣ful remembrance of what he did and suffe∣red for our sakes; would not esteem it a mighty Felicity to be admitted into his Pre∣sence, and to be an Eye-witness of the happy Change of his past woful Circumstances? To see him that was so cruelly treated, so barbarously vilified, tortured, and butchered for our sakes, raised to the highest pitch of Splendour and Dignity, to be Head and Prince of all the Hierarchy of Heaven, to be worshipped and celebrated throughout all the noble Choir of Archangels and Angels and Spirits of just men made Perfect? Veri∣ly methinks had I only the Priviledge to look in and see my dear and blessed Lord surrounded with all this Circle of Glories,

it would be a most Heavenly Consolation to me, though I were sure never to partake of it. The very Communion I should have in the Joyes of my Master, would be a kind of Heaven at Second-hand to me, and my Soul would be wondrous Happy by Sym∣pathizing with him in his Felicity and Ad∣vancement. But Oh! when that Blessed Person shall not only permit me to see his Glory, but introduce me into it, and make me Partaker of it; when I shall not only behold his Beloved Face, but be admitted in∣to his Dear Conversation, and dwell in his Arms and Embraces for ever; when I shall hear him record the wondrous Adventures of his Love, through how many woful Stages he passed to rescue me from Misery, and make me Happy, and in the mean time shall have a most ravishing Feeling of that Hap∣piness; how will my Heart spring with Joy, and burn with Love, and my Mouth o'reflow with Praises and Thanksgivings to him!

AND as our Acquaintance with, and Choice of the Blessed Jesus must needs contribute vastly to our Happiness; so must also (though not in so high a Degree) our being intimately acquainted and united with Saints and Angels. Who being not only endowed with large and comprehensive Vnderstandings, but also with perfect Good-nature

and most generous Charity, must needs make excellent Company. For as their Goodness cannot but render their Conversa∣tion infinitely free and benign, so their great Knowledge must necessarily render it equal∣ly profitable and delightful. And then be∣ing so Knowing as they are, they must needs be supposed to understand all the wise Arts of Endearment; and being so Good, they must be also supposed to be continually practising them. And if so, what a Hea∣venly Conversation must theirs be, the Scope whereof is the most glorious Knowledge, and the Law whereof is the most perfect Friendship? Who would not be willing to leave a foolish, froward, and ill-natured World, for the blessed Society of these wise Friends and perfect Lovers? And what a Felicity must it be to spend an Eternity in such a noble Conversation! Where we shall hear the deep Philosophy of Heaven com∣municated with mutual Freedom in the Wise and Amicable Discourses of Angels and of Glorified Spirits; who without any Reserve, or affectation of Mystery, without Passion or Interest or peevish Contention for Victory, do freely Philosophize, and mutually impart the treasures of each others Knowledge. For since all Saints there are great Philosophers, and all Philosophers perfect Saints, we must

needs suppose Knowledge and Goodness, Wis∣dom and Charity to be equally intermingled throughout all their Conversation; and be∣ing so, what can be imagined more delight∣ful! When therefore we shall leave this impertinent and unsociable World; and all our good old Friends that are gone to Hea∣ven before us, shall meet us as soon as we are landed upon the shore of Eternity, and with infinite congratulations for our safe Arrival shall conduct us into the Company of the Patriarchs and Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, and introduce us into an inti∣mate Acquaintance with them, and with all those brave and generous Souls, who by their glorious Examples have recommended themselves to the World; when we shall be familiar Friends with Angels and Arch-Angels, and all the Courtiers of Heaven shall call us Brethren, and bid us Welcome to their Masters Joy, and we shall be recei∣ved into their glorious Society with all the tender indearments and Caresses of those Heavenly Lovers; what a mighty Addition to our Happiness will this be!

THERE are indeed some other additi∣ons to the Happiness of Heaven; such as the Glory and Magnificence of the Place, which is the Highest Heaven, or the upper and purer Tracts of the Aether, which our

Saviour calls Paradise, Luke xxiii.43. and St. Paul the Third Heaven, 2 Cor. xii.2. both which in the phrase of that Age be∣speak it to be a place of unspeakable Glory; for so the Jews do commonly call this bles∣sed Seat the Third or Angel-bearing Region of Heaven, by which they denote it to be the Palace of the King of the whole World, where his most glorious Courtiers do re∣side; and they also call it Paradise, in allu∣sion to the Earthly Paradise of Eden; be∣cause as that was the Garden of this lower World, so this is of the whole Creation. And though we have no exact description of this place in Scripture, and that perhaps because no humane language can describe it; yet since God hath chosen it for the Everlasting Theatre of Bliss and Happiness, we may thence reasonably conclude that he hath most exquisitely furnished it with all accom∣modations that are requisite to a most happy and blissful Life.

BESIDES which also there is the ever∣lasting Duration of it, which is another great Accession to its Happiness. That such is the Nature of its Enjoyments, as that they do not, like all other Pleasures, spend and wast in the Fruition; that though it will be always feeding our Faculties with new Delights, yet it will never be exhausted,

but be always equally, because infinitely, di∣stant from a Period. So that its Happiness consisting of an infinite Variety of Pleasure extended to an infinite Duration, it will be impossible for those that enjoy it to be ei∣ther cloyd with the repetition of it, or tor∣mented with the fear of losing it.

BUT these Two last I only mention, be∣cause they do not so properly belong to our present Argument; which is only to ex∣plain the Nature of Heaven so far as is ne∣cessary to the right understanding of the Nature of those Means by which it is to be attained.

NOW from what hath been said con∣cerning this great End of the Christian Life, these Two things are to be inferr'd concerning the Nature of it.

I. THAT the main of Heaven consists not so much in any outward Possession, as in an inward State and Temper. For though Heaven be doubtless a most glorious Place, and all its blessed Inhabitants do possess and hold it by an everlasting Tenure; yet 'tis a great mistake to imagine that the main hap∣piness of Heaven consists in living for ever in a glorious Place, which separated from all the rest of Heaven would be but a poor and hungry kind of Happiness. For Life is no otherwise a Happiness, than as it is the

Principle of all our pleasant and grateful Perceptions; and if we could live for ever without perceiving, it would be the same thing to us, as if we were nothing but a Company of everlasting Stones and Trees; and what great matter would it signifie to live for ever in a glorious Place, unless we could be for ever affected by it with a de∣lightful sense and perception; which is im∣possible, because all delightful sense (as hath already been proved) arises out of the vigorous exercise of our Faculties about such Objects as are suitable to them; but what can there be in the most glorious Place so suitable to a Rational Mind and Will, as to keep them for ever vigorously em∣ployed and exercised about it? It may in∣deed for a while employ the Mind in an eager Contemplation of its new and surpri∣zing Beauties; but how soon would the Mind dis-relish it, were it to be its only Entertainment for Eternity? And as for the Will, what would a fine Place signifie to it, if it were not replenished with such Ob∣jects as are suitable to its own Options? And indeed there is nothing that can ever∣lastingly gratifie a Rational Mind and Will, but what has in it such an Infinity of Truth as is everlastingly Knowable, and such an Infinity of Goodness as is everlast∣ingly

Desireable; or, which is the same thing, nothing but what hath Truth enough in it for the one to be vigorously contem∣plating for ever, and nothing but what hath Goodness enough in it for the other to be as vigorously loving, adoring, and imitating for ever. And such an Infinitude of Truth and Goodness is no where to be found but in God. But God, as well as the Place, and Duration of Heaven, being an Object that is external to us, neither is, nor can be a Happiness to us unless we act upon him, and freely exercise our Faculties about him; unless we Know him, and Love him, &c. So that that which Felicitates all, is our own Internal Act; 'tis by this that we en∣joy Heaven, and perceive all the Pleasures of it. 'Tis not by being in Heaven that men are constituted Happy, but by vigo∣rously exerting their Faculties upon the Heavenly Objects. For without this, to be in Heaven or out of it would be altoge∣ther indifferent to us. The Happiness of Heaven therefore consists in a State of Heavenly Action; in being so attempered and connaturaliz'd to the Objects of Hea∣ven, as to be always acting upon, and chear∣fully employing our Faculties about them. For as there is no Pleasure in Acting coldly upon suitable Objects, so there is Pain and

Trouble in acting vigorously upon unsuita∣ble ones. And therefore to make Heaven it self a Happiness to us, tis necessary not only that we should act vigorously upon the Objects of it, but that we should so act from a suitableness of Temper to them. That we should contemplate God, submit to his Will, adore and imitate his Perfections from a God-like Temper and Disposition. For otherwise these Acts will be Penances instead of Pleasures to us; and the more intensely we exert them, the more painful they will be. And if we were in Heaven, all that Heavenly Exercise in which the Happiness of it consists, would be but a Torment and Vexation to us, unless we had a Heavenly Temper. For as the Parts of Matter can never rest, but do move about in a perpetual Whirl-pool, till they are hit into a place or Interstice that is of the same Form and Figure with them; so there is nothing can rest in Heaven but what is Heavenly. All that is otherwise rebounds and flyes off of its own accord, and can never acquiesce there, till 'tis of the same Form, and Temper, and Disposition with it. From hence therefore it's evident, that the Happiness of a Man in Heaven consists not so much in the outward Glory of the Place, as in the inward State of his own

Mind, which from a suitableness of Tem∣per to the Heavenly Objects doth always freely employ and exercise its Faculties about them.

II. THAT the Heavenly State is nothing else but the Perfection of all Heavenly Ver∣tue. For it hath been already proved, That Heaven consists in a clear and inti∣mate Knowledge, and a free and unconte∣sted Choice of God, and of those Blessed Beings that resemble him; and these Two comprehend all Heavenly Virtue. So that the difference between the state of Grace and Glory is not in Kind, but in Degree. For Grace is the Seed of Glory, and Glory is the Maturity of Grace. 'Tis Knowledge exalted above all Error and Prejudice, above all Difficulty or Obscurity of Apprehension; 'tis Love strained from all repugnancies of Flesh and Spirit, and refined into a pure Celestial flame; tis Obedience to and Imita∣tion of God, perfectly separated from all sinful Defects, and freed from the Clog of counter-striving Principles; 'tis Adoration of and Dependency upon him, without the least degree of Indisposition or Despondency; in a word, 'tis a free and uncontrolled Motion of all the Heavenly Virtues together, in which they are every one most vigorously exerted, without the least Check or Impediment.

This therefore being the State of Heaven, as is evident from what hath been discour∣sed, it hence follows, that the main diffe∣rence between Virtue and Heaven is only Gradual; that Virtue is the Beginning of Heaven, and Heaven is the Perfection of Virtue. And if so, then as the lowest De∣gree of true Virtue is a step Heaven-wards, so every farther Degree is a nearer Ap∣proach towards the Heavenly state. So that as we grow in Grace, and proceed from one Degree of Virtue to another, we draw nearer and nearer to that blessed Conditi∣on in which we shall be all pure Virtue without any sinful Alloy or Intermixture. And this is the true State and Condition of HEAVEN.

CHAP. II. Concerning the Means by which this Great End of the Christian Life is to be attained.

IT is to be considered that the great De∣sign of Christianity being to advance our Natures to such a sublime Degree of Purity and Perfection as is requisite to ca∣pacitate us for the Enjoyment of a Heaven∣ly Bliss; it was necessitated in order here∣unto, to strain our Duty to a greater Height than any preceding Law had done before it. For the End of all Gods Laws is the Hap∣piness of his Subjects; and therefore that they may be effectual Means to promote this End, it's necessary that the Duties they enjoyn should be such as the Nature of our Happiness requires. Now in the first state of our Nature, which was that of Innocence, we seem to have been design'd only for a Terrestrial Paradise, that is, to enjoy a Sen∣sual, Animal Happiness in a state of Earthly Immortality. And to serve and promote this end, God gave us the Law of Nature, which seems to have been nothing else but only Right Reason dictating to us what is

necessary to be done in order to an Earthly Happiness. And accordingly the Duties of this Law were of a much lower strain than the Duties of Christianity; they being in∣tended for the Means and Instruments of a much lower Happiness. For in this our Earthly and Animal State, Right Reason could require nothing of us but what was subservient to our Earthly and Animal Feli∣city; and nothing could be good for us but what tended thereunto, nothing evil but what did obstruct and oppose it. But now that our Happiness is placed in another World, and in such vastly different Enjoy∣ments from those of a Terrestrial Paradise, we must proceed upon other Principles. For now every Action is Good or Bad, Wise or Foolish, as it serves or hinders our Happiness in the World to come. And therefore it is highly reasonable that now we should live at a different rate, than what we were ob∣liged to in that Animal state wherein we were first Created; that we should submit our earthly to our heavenly Interest, and re∣nounce the Joyes and Pleasures of this Life, whensoever they stand in competition with the spiritual Felicities of the Life to come▪ Now we are no longer to look upon this World as our Native Countrey, but as a Foreign Land; and so we are to reckon our

selves Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth; and accordingly to use the conveniencies of this Life as strangers do their Inns, not to abide or take up our habitation in them, but only to bait and away, and refresh our selves that so we may be the better enabled to per∣form our Journey to the Eternal World. For the scene of our Happiness being shifted from an Earthly Immortality, to an Heaven∣ly; and consequently the Happiness it self being now much more sublime and pure and spiritual than it would have been, had it continued Earthly; it's necessary that our Nature should be exalted with it, and that we should be raised as high above the condi∣on of mere Earthly Creatures, as that is above the rank and quality of an Earthly Happiness; otherwise it will be impossible for us to relish and enjoy it.

NOW every Agent hath need of more or fewer Means proportionably as he is far∣ther off, or nearer to the End he drives at. As for instance, the Husbandman that hath a fat and fruitful Soil to sow his Seed in, is nearer to the attaining of a good Harvest, than he that hath a barren or stony Ground to work upon; and therefore hath much less to do. For whereas the latter, before he can plough and sow, must manure his Ground and gather out the stones of it; the

former needs only plough up the fertile Earth, and cast his Seed into it. Or to come closer to the case in hand; a man that is meerly ignorant is in a much nearer capaci∣ty of true Knowledge, than he whose mind is altogether prejudiced with erroneous Prin∣ciples; and therefore needs much fewer Helps and Means to attain it. For his mind being perfectly disengaged, is like a fair Pa∣per, on which as there is nothing writ, so there is nothing to be blotted out; So that all that he hath to do, is to inquire after and re∣ceive the Truth when it is fairly proposed to him. But as for the Prejudiced man, he hath a great deal to unlearn before he can be capable of Learning; a great many false Principles to be expunged, before ever the true Notions of Things can be imprinted on his Understanding.

IF therfore we would take a true account of all those Means that are necessary to our attaining of Heaven, we must consider what a vast distance we are from it in this corrupt and degenerate state of our Nature. If we were in a state of Indifference be∣tween Virtue and Vice we should be much nearer Heaven than we are; For then, as we should be without those Heavenly vir∣tues in the free Exercise whereof the state of Heaven consists; so we should be without

all that Repugnance and Aversation to them which renders them so difficultly attaina∣ble; and our Nature being already in an Aequilibrium would by the least over-weight of Motive be presently inclined to Virtue and Goodness. But, alas! in this corrupt state whereinto we are sunk, our Nature runs Evil-wards with a very strong and prevailing Biass; and is not only void of virtue, but averse to it. And this sets us at a far greater distance from the blessed End of our Religion than otherwise we should be. For every Degree of vicious Inclina∣tion that is in us, is a Remove from Heaven, a Descent from that Perfection of virtue wherein the Heavenly Blessedness consists. And if so, how remote from Heaven are the Generality of men in the Beginning of their Progress thither; when to their natural Corruption they have superadded by their sinful Courses so many inordinate Inclina∣tions and inveterate sinful Habits; when by a long series of wicked Actions, they have raised and blown up their Concupiscence in∣to such raging flames of Lust as generally they do! And being thus far gone back from our End, there are sundry Means, which otherwise would have been perfectly needless and superfluous, that are now be∣come absolutely necessary thereunto. For

had we begun our Progress towards Heaven from a state of Indifferency between virtue and vice, we had had no more to do but to practise those several virtues of Religion of which the Heavenly Life and state consists; to love, and to contemplate, to adore, and to obey God, and behave our selves justly and charitably towards one another; all which would have been so easie, that we should have had no occasion of any Instrumental Duties to facilitate them to us. Whereas now starting Heaven-wards, as we general∣ly do, from a most corrupt and degenerate State, there are sundry other Means which we must use as Instruments that are necessa∣ry to our acquiring and persevering in the virtues of the Heavenly Life; to our con∣quering the Difficulties of, and killing the vicious Aversations of our Natures against them: All which would have been needless, at least in a great measure, had not our Na∣ture been so depraved and corrupt as it is.

SO that as the case now stands with us, there are Two sorts of Means that are neces∣sary to our obtaining of Heaven; The first is the Practice of those Heavenly virtues, in the Perfection whereof consists the state of Heaven; the Second is the Practice of cer∣tain Instrumental Duties, which are necessa∣ry to our acquiring those Heavenly virtues,

and overcoming the Difficulties of them. The first sort of these are the proximate Means, those which directly and immediatly respect the Great and Ultimate End; The second the more remote Means, which im∣mediatly respect those Means that immedi∣atly respect the End. The first is like the Art of the Builder which immediatly re∣spects the House; The second like the Art of the Smith which immediately respects the Means and Instruments of Building.

I. ONE sort of Means necessary to the obtaining of Heaven, and that which more directly and immediately respects it, is the Practice of those Virtues in the Perfection whereof the Heavenly Life consists. For we find by experience that all Heavenly Virtues are to be acquired and perfected only by Practice; That as all bad Dispositions are acquired and improved into Habits by bad Practices and Customs, so are all the con∣trary virtuous ones by the contrary Practices. For Religion proceeds in the methods of Na∣ture, and carries us on from the Acts to the Dispositions, and from the Dispositions to the Habits of Virtue. And by the same method the Divine Grace which accompanies Reli∣gion, does ordinarily work its Effects upon the spirits of men, not by an instantaneous Infusion of virtuous Habits into the Will,

but by persuading them to the Practice of those Virtues that are contrary to their vi∣cious Habits, and to persist in the practice of them till they have mortified those Habits, and throughly habituated and inured them selves to these. So that the Grace of God is like a Graff, which though it is put into a Stock which is quite of another kind, doth yet make use of the Faculties and Juices of the Stock, and so by cooperating with them, converts it by degrees into its own Nature. And this is exactly agreeable to the common experience of men, who in the beginning of their Reformation are so far from acting ver∣tuously from Habit and Inclination, that it goes against the very Grain of their Nature, and they would much rather return to their vicious courses, if they were not chased and pursued by the Terrours of an awakened Con∣science; and when afterwards they come to act upon a more ingenuous Principle, yet still they find in themselves a great Averseness and Reluctancy to it, and 'tis a great while usually ere they arrive to a Habit or Facility of acting virtuously. But then by perseve∣rance in the practice of Virtue they are more and more inclined and disposed to it, and so by degrees it becomes easie and natural to them. If therefore we would ever arrive to that Perfection of Virtue which the Hea∣venly

State implies, it must be by the Pra∣ctice of Virtue, by a continual training and exercising our selves in all the parts of the Heavenly Life, which by degrees will wear off the Difficulty of it, and adapt and fami∣liarize our Nature to it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉· Those things which they that learn ought to do, they learn by doing them. Thus we learn Devotion by Prayer, Submission to God by Denying our selves, Charity by giving Alms, and Meekness by Forgiving Injuries. And we may as reasonably expect to commence learned without study, as virtuous without the Practice of Virtue. Since therefore the Formal Happiness of our reasonable Natures consists in the Perfection of all the Heavenly virtues, and 'tis by these alone that we can rellish and enjoy the blissful Objects of Hea∣ven; it hence follows, that the Practice of those virtues is the most direct and imme∣diate Means to obtain the Blessed End of our Religion. But then,

II. ANOTHER sort of Means necessary to our obtaining of Heaven consists of cer∣tain Instrumental Duties by which we are to acquire, improve, and perfect these Heavenly Virtues. What these Means are will be here∣after largely shown: All that I shall say of them at present is, That they are such as are

no farther good and useful, than as they are the Means of Heavenly Virtue, and do tend towards the acquiring, improving, and per∣fecting it. For the whole Duty of Man may be distributed into these Two Generals, viz. The Religion of the End, and Religion of the Means. The Religion of the End con∣tains all that Heavenly Virtue wherein the Perfection and Happiness of Humane Nature consists; and this the Apostle distributes into three particulars, viz. Sobriety, Righte∣ousness, and Godliness. The Religion of the Means comprehends all that Duty which does either naturally, or by Institution, re∣spect and drive at this Religion of the End; and that all other Duty, that is not it self a Natural Branch and Part of it, doth respect and drive at it, the Apostle assures us, when he tells us that the Gospel, or Grace of God, was revealed from Heaven for this very pur∣pose, to teach us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righ∣teously and godly in this present world. And if we do not use the Religion of the Means to this purpose, it is altogether useless and insignificant. For the purpose of all Religious Duties is either,

• 1. To reconcile men to God, and God to them; or,
• 2. To perfect the Humane Nature; or,
• ...

• 3. To intitle men to Heaven; or,
• 4. To qualifie and dispose them for the Heavenly Life. To neither of which the Religion of the Means is any farther useful than as it produces and promotes in us those Heavenly Virtues which are implied in the Religion of the End. For,

I. IT is no further useful towards the re∣conciling Us to God, and God to Us. For there can be no hearty Reconciliation be∣tween adverse Parties without there be a mutual Likeness, and Agreement of Natures. Now the Carnal Mind, (which includes all that is repugnant to the Heavenly Virtues) the Apostle tells us, is Enmity against God, Rom. vii.17. that is, hath a natural Anti∣pathy to the Purity and Goodness of the Di∣vine Nature. And this Antipathy the same Apostle tells us, is founded in our wicked works, Coloss. i.21. So that though we should practise never so diligently all that is con∣tained in the Religion of the Means, though we should pray, and hear and receive Sacra∣ments, &c. with never so much Zeal and Constancy, yet all this will be insignificant, as to the reconciling our Natures to God, unless it destroy in us that Carnal Mind and those wicked Works which render us so averse to his Goodness. And though God bears a hearty good Will to all that are capable of

Good, and embraces his whole Creation with the out-stretched Arms of his Benevolence, yet he cannot be supposed to be pleased with, or delighted in any but such as resemble Him in those amiable Graces of Purity and Goodness for which he loves Himself. For he loves not Himself meerly because he is Himself, (which would be a blind Instinct, rather than a Reasonable Love) but because He is Good; and he loves Himself above all other things, because he knows Himself to be the Highest and most Perfect Good: and consequently He loves all other things pro∣portionably as they approach and resemble Him in Goodness. And indeed if He loved Vs for any other Reason besides that for which he loves Himself, he would not have infinite Reason to love Himself; because he would not have that Reason to love Himself for which he loves and takes delight in Vs. Since therefore there is nothing but our Re∣semblance of God can reconcile Him to Us, and since our Resemblance of Him consists in Virtue and true Goodness, it hence follows that all the Religion of the Means is insig∣nificant to our Reconciliation with God, if it doth not render us truly virtuous. So that till this is effected there is so vast a Gulph between God and Us, that neither We can go to Him nor He come to Vs; and

unless he alter his Nature by becoming im∣pure as we are impure, or we alter ours by becoming pure as He is pure, there will be so immense a Distance between Him and Us as that it is impossible we should ever meet and agree. So that what the Prophet saith of Sacrifice may be truly affirmed of all Re∣ligion of the Means, Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl? will He be reconciled upon our bare believing, praying or receiving Sa∣craments, &c. No, no; He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Mich. vi.7, 8.

II. THIS Religion of the Means is of no farther Use as to the perfecting our Natures, than as it is instrumental to produce and promote in us those Heavenly Virtues which are implied in the Religion of the End. For doubtless to be a Perfect Man is to live up to the Highest Principle of Humane Na∣ture, which is Reason; and till we are once released from the slavery of Sense and Passion, and all our Powers of Action are so subdued to this superiour Principle as to be wholly regulated by it, and we chuse and refuse, and love and hate, and hope and fear, and desire and delight, according as right Reason di∣rects,

we are in a maimed and imperfect Con∣dition. Now what else is Virtue but a Habit of Living according to the Laws of Reason, or of demeaning our selves towards God, our selves, and all the World, as best be∣comes Rational Beings placed in our Condi∣tion and Circumstances? And till we are in some measure, arrived to this, our Nature is so far from being perfect, that it is the most wretched and confused thing in the whole world; A more undistinguished Chaos, where Frigida cum Calidis, Sense and Reason, Brute and Man, are shuffled together without any order, like a confounded Heap of Ruines. And therefore as for this Religion of the Means, it will be altogether insignificant to the Perfection of our Natures, unless by the Practice of it we do acquire a Habit of acting according to the Law of our Reason, which Habit includes all Heavenly Virtue. For constantly to know and do what is best and most reasonable, is the very Crown and Perfection of every reasonable Nature; and therefore so far as our Faith and Considera∣tion, our Sorrow for Sin and the other In∣strumentals of Religion, promote this Hea∣venly Habit in us, so far are they perfective of our Nature, and no farther.

III. THIS Religion of the Means is of no farther Use to Us as to the Entitling us

to Heaven, than as it is productive of those Heavenly Virtues which the Religion of the End implies. For our Title to Heaven depen∣ding wholly upon Gods Promise, must imme∣diately result from our performance of those Conditions upon which he hath promised it; which till we have done, we can have no more Claim or Title to it than if he had never promised it at all. But the sole Condition upon which he hath promised it, is Universal Righteousness and Goodness; for so, without Holiness, we are assured that no man shall see God; and Mat. v. our Saviour intails all the Beatitudes of Heaven upon those Heavenly Virtues of Purity of Heart, Benignity of Temper, &c. So also Rom. ii.7. the Promise of Eternal Life is limited to our Patient Con∣tinuance in well doing. And that we may know before hand what to trust to, our Sa∣viour plainly tells us, that not every one that cries Lord, Lord, that makes solemn Prayers and Addresses to me, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven; And this is the will of God, saith the Apostle, even our Sanctification; that is, our being purged from all Impurities of Flesh and Spi∣rit, and inspired with all Heavenly Virtues. And the Apostle expresly enumerates those Virtues upon which our Entrance into Eter∣nal

Life is promised, 2 Pet. i.5, 6, 7, 8. Add to your Faith Virtue, and to Virtue Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance, and to Tempe∣rance Patience, and to Patience Godliness, and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness, and to Brotherly Kindness Charity; For if these things be in you, and abound, saith he, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, That you shall receive the proper Fruit of that Knowledge, which is Eternal Life; for thus v. xi. he goes on, For so, or upon this Condition, an Entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting King∣dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So that unless our Faith purifies our Hearts, and works by Love; unless our sorrow for Sin works in us Repentance, or a Change of Mind; unless our Prayers raise in us Divine and Heavenly Affections, that is, unless we so practise the Duties of the Religion of the Means as thereby to acquire the Virtues of the Religion of the End, it will be all as in∣significant to our Title to Heaven, as the most indifferent Actions in the World.

IV. THIS Religion of the Means is of no farther Use to the disposing and qualifying us for Heaven, than as it is an effectual means of the Religion of the End. Which is a per∣fectly distinct Consideration from the for∣mer;

For it would be no advantage to us to have a Right to Heaven, unless we were antecedently qualified and disposed for it. Because Pleasure which is a Relative thing, implies a Correspondence and Agreement be∣tween the Object and the Faculty that tasts and enjoys it. But in the Temper of every wicked Mind there is a strong Antipathy to the Pleasures of Heaven; which being all chast, and pure, and spiritual, can never agree with the vitiated Palat of a base and dege∣nerate Soul. For what concord can there be between a spiteful and devilish Spirit and the Fountain of all Love and Goodness; between a sensual and carnalized one, that under∣stands no other Pleasures but only those of the Flesh, and those Pure and Virgin Spirits that neither eat nor drink, but live for ever upon Wisdom and Holiness, and Love, and Contemplation? Certainly till our Mind is contempered to the Heavenly State, and we are of the same disposition with God, and Angels, and Saints, there is no Pleasure in Heaven that can be agreeable to us. For, as for the main, we shall be of the same Temper and Disposition when we come into the other World, as we are when we leave this; it being unimaginable how a Total Change should be wrought in us meerly by passing out of one world into another: And

therefore as in this world it is Likeness that does congregate and associate Beings together, so doubtless it is in the other too. So that if we carry with us thither our wicked and devillish dispositions (as we shall doubtless do, unless we subdue and mortifie them here) there will be no Company fit for us to asso∣ciate with, but only the devillish and damned Ghosts of wicked men, with whom our wretched Spirits being already joined, by a likeness of Nature, will mingle themselves, as soon as ever they are excommunicated from the society of Mortals. For whither should they flock, but to the Birds of their own Feather; with whom should they asso∣ciate, but with those malignant Spirits to whom they are already joined by a Com∣munity of Nature? So that supposing that when they land in Eternity, it were left to their own Liberty to go to Heaven or Hell, into the society of the Blessed or the Damned; it is plain that Heaven would be no Place for them, that the Air of that bright Region of eternal Day would never agree with their black and hellish Natures. For, alas! what should they do among those Blessed Beings that inhabit it, to whose God-like Natures, Divine Contemplations, and Heavenly Em∣ployments, they have so great a Repugnancy and Aversation? So that besides the having

a Right to Heaven, it is necessary to our enjoying it that we shoule be antecedently disposed and qualified for it. And it being thus, God hath been graciously pleased to to make those very Virtues the Conditions of our Right to Heaven which are the pro∣per Dispositions and Qualifications of our Spirits for it; that so with one and the same Labour we might entitle our selves to, and qualifie our selves to enjoy it.

NOW (as we shewed you before) the Condition of our Right to Heaven, is our practising those Heavenly Virtues which are implied in the Religion of the End; and as the Religion of the Means no further entitles us to Heaven than as it produces and pro∣motes in us those Heavenly Virtues, so it no further qualifies us for it. For when the Soul goes into Eternity, it leaves the Re∣ligion of the Means behind it, and carries nothing with it but only those Heavenly Virtues and Dispositions which it here ac∣quired by those Means. For as for Faith and Consideration, Hearing of Gods Word, and Receiving of Sacraments, &c. they are all but Scaffolds to that Heavenly Building of inward Purity and Goodness; and when this is once finished for Eternity, then must those Scaffolds all go down, as things of no fur∣ther Use or Necessity. But as for the Graces

of the Mind, they are to stand for ever, to be the Receptacles and Habitations of all Heavenly Pleasure. And hence the Apostle tells us, that of those three Christian Graces, Faith, Hope and Charity, Charity (which in the largest sense of it comprehends all Hea∣venly Virtue) is the greatest; because the Two former, being but Means of Charity, shall cease in Heaven, and be swallowed up for ever in Vision and Enjoyment; but Cha∣rity, saith he, never faileth, 1 Cor. xii.13.

BY all which it is apparent that the Re∣ligion of the Means is no further useful to us, than as it is apt to produce and promote in us those Heavenly Virtues, the practice of which is the most direct and immediate Means to the ultimate End of a Christian. Wherefore as a man may knock and file, and yet be no Mechanick, though the Hammer and File with which he does it are very use∣ful Tools to the making of any curious Ma∣chine; so a man may pray, and hear, and re∣ceive Sacraments, &c. and yet be a very Bung∣ler in the blessed Trade of a Heavenly Life. For though it is true, these are excellent Means of Heavenly Living, yet as the Art of the Mechanick consists not barely in using his Tools but in using them in such a man∣ner, as is necessary to the perfecting and ac∣complishing his Work; So the Art of one

that pretends to the Heavenly Life, consists not barely in praying and hearing, &c. but in using these Means with that Religious Skill and Artifice which is necessary to ren∣der them effectually subservient to the Ends of Piety and Virtue.

AND thus I have given a general Ac∣count of the Means which are necessary to our obtaining of Heaven, and which, as I have shewed, are either such as tend more directly and immediately to it, or such as more remotely respect it. The first is the Practice of those Heavenly Virtues in the Perfection whereof the Happiness of Hea∣ven consists; the second is the Practising of those Duties which are necessary to our ac∣quiring and perfecting those Heavenly Vir∣tues. And of these two Parts consists the whole Christian Life; which takes in not only all those Virtues that are to be practised by us in Heaven, but also all those Duties, by which we are to overcome the Difficulty of those Virtues, and to acquire and perfect them. The first of these, for Distinction sake, we will call the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life, it being that part of it which we shall lead in Heaven, after we have learnt it here upon Earth; The second I shall call the Warfaring or Militant Part of the Chri∣stian Life, which is peculiar to our Earthly

State, wherein we are to contend and strive with the manifold Difficulties which attend us in the Exercise of those Heavenly Virtues. Both which, I conceive, are implied in those words of the Apostle, Phil. i.27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel; where the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which we render, Let your Conversation be, strictly signifies, behaving our selves as Citizens; or which, if we may have leave to coin a word, may be fitly rendered, Citizen it as becomes the Gospel. For the word implies that those of whom he speaks, were Denizens of some Free City; for so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which Phil. iii.20. is rendered Conversation, strictly denotes a Citizenship, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Citizens; and is of the same Import with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which, Acts xxii.28. is translatee a Freedom, i. e. of the City of Rome; which denotes the State and Condition of those, who, though they dwelt out of that City, and sometimes remote from it, had yet the Jus Civitatis Romanae, the Privileges of it belonging to them. For thus Cicero describes it, Omnibus Municipibus duas esse Tatrias, unam Naturae, alteram Juris, Catonis Exemplo, qui Tusculi natus, in Populi Romani Societaem susceptus est: i. e.

All such as are made free of the City have two Countries, one of Nature, the other of Law; As Cato, for instance,

who was born at Tusculum, and after∣wards admitted a Citizen of Rome.

Which exactly agrees with the Nature of this Hea∣venly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Citizenship, which the Apostle here attributes to Christians, who though they belong at present to another Country, and live a great way off from the Heavenly City; have as yet no Domicilium in Vrbe, no actual Possession of any of its blessed Mansions; are notwithstanding Free Denizens of it, and have by Covenant a Right to all those blessed Priveledges which its Inhabitants do actually enjoy. From whence it is evident, that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that Text, referrs to their being Citi∣zens of Heaven, and as such, it earnestly exhorts them to behave themselves; to live as those who being now in a remote Country are yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Apostle expresses it, Ephes. ii.19. i. e. Fellow-Citizens with the Saints above; that are connaturalized with them into that Hea∣venly Commonwealth. And being thus un∣derstood, the Apostles Advice will compre∣hend in it both those kind of Means which I have before described. For, to live as Cittizens of Heaven, is, First to live like those who are the Inhabitants of Heaven, to imitate their blessed Manners and Beha∣viour, in doing the Will of God upon Earth,

as it is done by them in Heaven; and this takes in the Practice of all those Heavenly Virtues of which the Religion of the End consists: Secondly, To live like those that have a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Citizenship in Heaven, that are entitled by Covenant to the Privi∣ledges and Immunities of it, but are as yet to win its Possession by a continual Warfare and Contention with those manifold Difficul∣ties and Oppositions which lie in our way to it; and this takes in the Practice of all those Duties in which the Religion of the Means consists. So that to live like Chri∣stians or as becomes the Gospel, is to live in the continual Use of both kinds of the Means of Happiness. So that the Christian Conver∣sation consisting of these Two, is the only full and adequate Means by which Heaven can be obtained.

BUT that I may make this more fully appear, I shall consider these two parts of it distinctly, and indeavour to shew how effe∣ctually each of them doth contribute in its kind, to our obtaining the Happiness of Heaven. And First, I shall begin with the Proximate Means, viz. The Practice of all those Heavenly Virtues, which are implied in the Religion of the End, and do make the Heavenly Part of the CHRISTIAN LIFE.

CHAP. III. Concerning the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life, which is the Proxi∣mate Means of obtaining Heaven; shewing what Virtues it consists of, and how much every Virtue contri∣butes to the Happiness of Heaven.

VIRTUE in the general, consists in a suitable Behaviour to the State and Capacities in which we are placed; Now Man, who is the Subject of that Virtue we are here discoursing of, is to be considered under a threefold Capacity. The

• First is of a Rational Animal; the
• Second of a Rational Animal related to God; the
• Third of a Rational Animal related to all other Creatures.

And these are the only capacities of Vir∣tue that are in Humane Nature: So that all the Virtues we are obliged to, and capable of, consist in behaving our selves suitably to the State and Condition of Rational Ani∣mals, that are related to God and their Fellow Creatures.

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BY which three Capacities of our Na∣ture, the Virtue or Suitableness of Behaviour which we stand obliged to, is distinguished into three kinds, viz.

• The Humane,
• The Divine, and
• The Social.

Humane Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the State and Capacity of mere Rational Animals:

Divine Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the Condition of Rational Animals related to God:

Social Virtue consists in behaving our selves suitably to the Capacity of Rational Ani∣mals related to their Fellow Creatures, but especially to Rational Creatures that are of the same Class and Society with us.

THAT I may therefore proceed more distinctly in this Argument, I shall endea∣vour to shew what those Vertues of the Chri∣stian Life are, which are proper to a man in each of these Capacities; and how much each of those Virtues contributes to the Hap∣pines of Heaven.

SECT. I. Concerning those Humane Virtues which be∣long to a Man as he is a Reasonable Ani∣mal, shewing that they are all included in the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life, and that the Practice of them effectually conduces to our future Happiness.

FIRST we will consider Man in the Ca∣pacity of a meer Rational Animal, that is compounded of contrary Principles, viz. Spirit and Matter, or a Rational Soul and Humane Body; by which Composition He is, as it were, the Buckle of both Worlds, in whom the Spiritual and Material World are clasped and united together; and parta∣king, as he does, of both Extreams of Spirit and Matter, Angel and Brute, there arise within him from those contrary Natures contrary Propensions, viz. Rational and Sensual, or Angelical and Brutish; And in the due Subordination of these, his Sensual to his Rational Propensions, consists all Hu∣mane Virtue.

For his Reason being the noblest Principle of his Nature, must be supposed to be im∣planted in him by God to rule and govern him, to be an Eye to his blind and bruitish

Affections, to correct the Errours of his Ima∣gination, to bound the Extravagancies of his Appetites, and regulate the whole Course of his Actions; so as that he may do nothing that is destructive or injurious to this ex∣cellent Frame and Structure of his Nature. But now in this compounded Nature of a Man, there are his Concupiscible and Irascible Affections: with the first of which he de∣sires and pursues his Pleasures; and with the second, he shuns and avoids his Dan∣gers; and there are also Bodily Appetites, such as Hunger, Thirst, and Carnal Con∣cupiscence; and together with these a Self-Esteem and Valuation; all which are the na∣tural Subjects of his Reason, and indeed the only Subjects upon which it is to exercise its Dominion. So that in the well and ill Government of these, consists all Humane Virtue and Vice. To the perfect well go∣verning therefore of a mans self, there are Five things indispensably necessary:

1. That He should impartially consult his Reason what is absolutely best for him, and by what means it is best attainable, and and then constantly pursue what it proposes and directs him to. For so far as he is want∣ing in this, he casts off the Government of his Reason.

2. That he should proportion his Concu∣piscible Affections to the just value which his Reason sets upon those things which he affects: For every Degree of Affection which exceeds the merit of Things, is irra∣tional, and consequently injurious to our Rational Nature.

3. That he should not suffer his Irascible Affections to exceed those Evils and Dan∣gers which he would avoid; For if he doth, they will prove greater Evils to him than those Evils or Dangers are which raise and provoke them.

4. That he should not indulge his Bodily Appetites to the Hurt and Prejudice of his Rational Nature: For if he does, he will violate the nobler, for the sake of the viler Part of Himself. And

5. That upon the whole, he should main∣tain a Modest Opinion of himself; and not think better of his own Conduct and Manage∣ment of himself than it deserves: For by so doing, he will be apt to overlook his own Misgovernments, and so incapacitate himself for any farther Improvements. And in these five Particulars consists all that Virtue which belongs to a man, considered meerly in the Capacity of a Rational Animal:

• The First is the Virtue of Prudence,
• The Second is the Virtue of Moderation,
• ...

• The Third is the Virtue of Fortitude,
• The Fourth is the Virtue of Temperance,
• The Fifth is the Virtue of Humility.

All which, as I shall shew, are Essential Parts of the Christian Life, and such as do effectually contribute to our Heavenly Hap∣piness.

I. PRUDENCE. And this is the Root and Ground-Work of all other Virtues; 'Tis this that gives Law and Scope to all our Mo∣tions, that proposes the Ends, and prescribes the Measures of our Actions. For Prudence consists in being guided and directed by Right Reason, as it proposes to us the wor∣thiest Ends, and directs us to the fittest and most effectual Means of obtaining them. So that to live prudently, is to live in the con∣stant Exercise of our Reason, and to be con∣tinually pursuing such Ends as Right Reason proposes, by such Means as Right Reason directs us to, which is the proper Business of all the Virtues of Religion. And hence Religion in the Scripture is frequently called by the Name of Wisdom or Prudence; The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom, saith Job, and to depart from Evil that is Vnderstand∣ing, Job xxviii.28. And, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, saith David, Psal. cxi.10. where the Fear of the Lord comprehends all the Acts of Religion, which

are therefore wise and prudent, because they are the fittest Means to those worthiest Ends which Right Reason proposes. So that to exercise our Reason in the Search and Disco∣very of what is absolutely best for us, and to follow our Reason in the Pursuit and Ac∣quest of what it discovers to be so, is that virtue of Prudence whereunto we stand ob∣liged as we are Rational Animals.

FOR our Reason being the noblest Prin∣ciple of our Nature, That by which we are raised above the Level of Brutes, yea, by which we are allied to Angels, and do bor∣der upon God himself, ought upon that ac∣count to be submitted to, as the supream Regent and Directress of all our other Powers and to be looked upon as the Rule of our Will, and the Guide of all our Animal Motions. And when to gratifie our sensual Appetites, or unreasonable Passions we either neglect those Ends which our Reason proposes to us, or pursue them by such Means as our Reason disallows of, we reverse the very order of our Natures, and tread Antipodes to our selves; And while we do so, it is impossible we should be happy, either here, or hereafter. For every thing, you see, is diseased while it is in an unnatural State and Condition, while its Parts are displaced, or put into a Disorder, or distorted into an unnatural Fi∣gure.

And so it is with a Man, who while he preserves his Faculties in their natural Station and Subordination to each other, while he keeps his Affections and Appetites in subjection to his Will, and his Will to his Reason, he is calm and quiet, and enjoys within himself perpetual Ease and Tranquil∣lity; But when once he breaks this order, and suffers his Passions or his Appetites to usurp the Place of his Reason; to impose con∣trary Ends to it, or prescribe contrary Means; his Faculties, like disjointed Members, are in perpetual Anguish and Anxiety. And hence it is that in the Course of a wicked Life, we feel such restless Contentions between our Spirit and Flesh, between the Law in our Minds, and the Law in our Members; be∣cause our Nature is out of Tune, and its Fa∣culties are displaced and disordered, and that sovereign Principle of Reason which should sway and govern us, is deposed, and made a Vassal to our Appetites and Passions. For in all our evil Courses we chuse and refuse, re∣solve and act, not as Reason directs us, but as Sense and Passion biasses us; and our Rea∣son having nothing to do in all this Brutish Scene of Action, either sleeps it out, with∣out minding or regarding, or else sits by as an idle Spectator of it, and only censures and condemns it. And it is this that causes

all that Tumult and Contest that is in our Natures; and till, by the Exercise of Pru∣dence, our Faculties are reduced, and set in order again, our Mind will be like our Body, while its Bones are out of Joint, con∣tinually restless and unquiet. And therefore to remove this great Indisposition of our Nature to Happiness, Prudence is required of us, as one of the principal Virtues of the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life.

FOR thus our Saviour injoins that we should be wise as Serpents as well as harmless as Doves, Mat. x.16. which though it be here prescribed in a particular Case only, viz. that of Persecution; yet since the Rea∣son of it extends to all other Cases, and it is fit we should be Prudent in all our Underta∣kings as well as in suffering Persecution, it is upon that account equivalent to an univer∣sal Command. So also Ephes. v.15. See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; i. e. In the whole Course of your Actions take heed that ye follow the Guidance of your Reason, and do not suffer your selves to be seduced by your blind Passions and Ap∣petites, which are meer Ignes Fatui, or the Guides of Fools. And accordingly the Apo∣stle prays for his Christian Colossians, That they might be filled with the Knowledge of God in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding,

Coloss. i.9. i. e. That they might have such a knowledge of Gods will as might render them truly prudent, and cause them to pur∣sue the best Ends by the best Means. And though this Virtue seldom occurs in the new Testament under its own Name, yet, as in the above-named Places it is expressed by Wisdom, so it is elsewhere by Knowledge, as particularly, 2 Cor. vi.6. where he com∣mands the Ministers of the Church to ap∣prove themselves such by several Virtues, and particularly by Pureness, i. e. Continence, and by Knowledge, i. e. by Prudence; For, besides that Knowledge as it signifies an Vn∣derstanding of Divine Things, was not a Vir∣tue in the Apostles, but a Gift of God, and so not proper to be enumerated amongst these Virtues; there is hardly any Account to be given why the Apostle should place Knowledge in the midst of so many Moral Virtues, if he did not thereby mean the Virtue of Prudence, which is, as it were, the Eye and Guide of all the other Virtues. So again, 2 Pet. i.6. where he bids us add to Faith, Virtue, i. e. Fortitude, or Con∣stancy of Mind; and to Virtue Knowledge, and to Knowledge Temperance; By Knowledge it is highly probable he means Prudence, because he places it in the midst of those two Virtues which border nearest upon Pru∣dence.

NOW that the Practice of this Virtue is a most proper and effectual Means of our Everlasting Happiness, is evident from hence, Because the Practice of it is a constant Exer∣cise of Reason. For to act prudently in Re∣ligion is to follow the best Reason; to aim at Heaven, which is the best End, and di∣rect our Actions thither by the best Rules; 'Tis to consult what is best for our selves, and how it may be most effectually obtained. In a word, it is to intend the chiefest Good above All, and to level our Lives and Acti∣ons most directly towards it. This is Reli∣gious Prudence in the General; and as for those Particulars of it, which we are obliged to exercise in the several States, Relations, and Circumstances wherein we are placed, they all consist in doing what is most fit and reasonable with respect to that Great and Blessed End.

FOR by living in the continual Practice of Religious Prudence, we shall by degrees habituate our selves to a Life of Reason, and shake off that drowsie Charm of Sense and Passion which hangs upon our Minds, and renders our Faculties so dull and unactive; And having disused our selves a while to obey their blind and imperious Dictates, our Reason will reassume its Throne in us, and direct all our Aims and Endeavours to what

is Fittest and most Reasonable. For we being finite and limited Beings, cannot operate divers ways with equal vigour at once; and our Faculties are made in such a regular and aequilibrious order, that proportionably as the one does increase in Activity, the others always decay; And so accordingly as we abate in the strength of our Brutish, we we shall improve in the vigour of our Ratio∣nal Faculties. But to act suitably to their Natures being the End of all our Faculties and Powers of Action, the God of Nature to excite them thereto, has founded all their Pleasure in the vigorous Exercise of them upon suitable Objects. Since therefore our Reason is the best and noblest of all Powers of Action, to be sure the greatest Pleasure we are capable of, must spring out of the Exercise of our Reason. Wherefore since Prudence consists in the Vse of our Reason, the Practice thereof must needs effectually contribute to our Pleasure and Happiness. For Vse and Exercise will mightily streng∣then and improve our Reason, and render it not only more apprehensive of what is fit and reasonable; but also more persuasive and prevalent; and when once it is impro∣ved into a prevailing Principle of Action, and hath acquired not only Skill enough to prescribe what is Right to us; but also

Power enough to persuade us to comply with its prescriptions; to chuse and refuse, to love and hate, to hope and fear, desire and delight, and regulate all our Actions by its Laws and Dictates, then are we entring upon our Heaven and Happiness.

FOR that which makes us unhappy is that our sinful and ureasonable Affections do so hamper and intangle us, that we can∣not freely exercise our Faculties upon such Objects as are most suitable to them; that our Minds and Wills are so fettered by our vicious Inclinations, that we cannot exert them upon that which is most worthy to be Known and Chosen, without a great deal of Difficulty and Distraction. But now under the Conduct of our Reason our Faculties will by Degrees recover their Freedom, and dis∣engage themselves from those vicious En∣cumbrances which do so clog and interrupt them in all their Rational Motions. And when this is throughly effected, we are in full Possession of the Heavenly State, which, as I have shewed, consists in the free and vigorous Exercise of our Rational Faculties upon the best and worthiest Objects. For when once our Passions and Appetites are perfectly subdued to our Reason, all our Rational Faculties will be free, and every one will move towards its proper Object

without any Lett or Hindrance; our Vnder∣standing will be swallowed up in a fixt Con∣templation of the sublimest Truth, our Wills, intirely resigned to the Choice and Embra∣ces of the truest Good; our Affections, unal∣terably devoted to the Love and Fruition of the most excellent Beauty and Perfection; and in this consists the Happy State of Heaven; So that to live prudently, or, which is the same, to govern our selves by our best Reason, is both a necessary and effectual means of attaining to the Heavenly State.

II. ANOTHER Virtue which apper∣tains to a Man considered meerly as a Ra∣tional Animal is MODERATION; which consists in proportioning our Concupiscible Affections to the just worth and value of Things; so as neither to spend our Affe∣ctions too prodigally upon Trifles, nor yet be over-sparing or niggardly of them to real and substantial Goods. But to love, desire, and expect things more or less, according to the Estimate which our best and most impartial Reason makes of their Worth and Goodness. For he that affects things more than in the Esteem of Reason they deserve, affects them irrationally, and regulates his Passion by his wild and extravagant Imagi∣nation, and not by his Reason and Judgment. And while men do thus neglect their Reason,

and accustome themselves to desire, and love and affect without it, they necessarily dis∣able themselves to enjoy a Rational Happi∣ness. For, besides that their Rational Fa∣culties being thus laid by and unemployed, will naturally contract Rust, and grow eve∣ry day more weak and restive; Besides that their unexercised Reason will melt away in Sloth and Idleness, and all its vital Powers freeze for want of motion, and, like stand∣ing water, stagnate and gather mire, and by degrees corrupt and putrefie, till at last it will be impossible to revive them to the vigorous Exercise and Motion wherein their Pleasure and Happiness consists; Besides this, I say, by habituating our selves to af∣fect things irrationally, i. e. to love the least Goods most, and the greatest least; we shall disable our selves from enjoying any Goods, but only such as cannot make us happy. For he that loves any Good more than it is worth, can never be happy in the en∣joyment of it; because he thinks there is more in it than he finds, and so is always disappointed in the Fruition of it. And the Grief of being disappointed of what he ex∣pects, does commonly countervail the Plea∣sure of what he finds and enjoys. While he is in the pursuit of any Good which he in∣ordinately dotes upon, he is wild and ima∣ginative;

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he swells with Phantastick Joys, and juggles himself into Expectations, that are as large and boundless as his Desires; But when once he is seized of it, and finds how vastly the Enjoyment falls short of his Expectation, his Pleasure is presently lost in his Disappointment, and so he remains as un∣satisfied as ever. And thus if he were to spend an Eternity in such Pursuits and En∣joyments, his Life would be nothing but an Everlasting Succession of Expectations and Disappointments. So that all inordinate Af∣fection destroys its own Satisfaction, and necessarily renders us by so many Degrees miserable, as it exceeds the real worth and value of Things.

BESIDES which also it is to be con∣sidered, that all these lesser Goods which are the Objects of our Extravagant Affecti∣ons, are things which we must ere long be for ever deprived of: For the lesser Goods are those, which are only good for the wor∣ser Part of us, that is, for our Body and Animal Life; the proper Goods whereof are the Outward, Sensitive Enjoyments of this World; All which, when we leave this world we must leave for ever, and go away into Eternity, with nothing about us, but only the Good, or Bad Dispositions of our Souls, So that if our Soul be carnalized

through our immoderate Affection to the things of this World, we shall carry that Affection with us, but leave the things which we thus vehemently affect behind us for ever. For that which is the prevailing Temper of Souls in this Life will doubtless be so in the other too; and so far is that of the Poet true

—Quae gratia currûm Armorúmque fuit vivis, quae cura nitentes Pascere equos, eadem sequitur tellure repostos.

For though the coming into the other world will questionless improve those Souls which are really good before, yet it is not to be imagined how it should create those good who are habitually bad; and if we retain in the other world that Prevailing Affection to these sensitive Goods which we contracted in this, it must necessarily render us un∣speakably miserable there. For every Lust the Soul carries into the other world, will, by being eternally separated from its Plea∣sures, convert into an Hopeless Desire, and upon that account grow more furious and impatient. For of all the Torments of the mind I know none that is comparable to that of an outragious Desire joined with De∣spair of Satisfaction; which is just the case

of sensual and worldly minded Souls in the other Life where they are full of sharp and unrebated Desires, and like starving men that are shut up between two Dead Walls are tormented with a fierce, but hopeless Hunger, which having nothing else to feed on, preys and quarries on themselves; and in this desolate condition they are forced to wander to and fro, tormented with a rest∣less Rage, an Hungry and Unsatisfied De∣sire, craving food, but neither finding, nor expecting any; and so in unexpressible An∣guish they pine away a long Eternity. And though they might find content and satisfa∣ction, could they but divert their Affections another way, and reconcile them to the Heavenly Enjoyments; yet being irrecove∣rably preingaged to sensual Goods, they have no Savour or Relish of any thing else, but are like Feaverish Tongues that disgust and nauseate the most grateful Liquors by reason of their own overflowing Gall. So impossible is it for men to be happy, either here or hereafter, so long as their Affections to the lesser Goods of this World do so im∣moderately exceed the worth and value of them.

ONE Essential Part therefore of the Christian Life which is the Great Means of our Happiness, is the Virtue of Moderation;

the peculiar Office whereof is to bound our Concupiscible Affections, and proportion them to the Intrinsic Worth of those out∣ward Goods which we affect and desire. For though the word Moderation, according to our present Acceptation of it, be no where to be found in the New Testament, yet the Virtue expressed by it, is frequently en∣joined; as particularly where we are forbid to set our Affections upon the Things of the Earth, Col. iii.2. To love the World or the Things that are in the World, 1 John ii.15. Which Phrases are not to be so understood as if we were not to love the Enjoyments of the World at all; for they are the Blessings of God, and such as he has proposed to us in his Promises as the Rewards and Encou∣ragements of our Obedience; and to be sure, he would never encourage us to obey him by the Hope of such Rewards as are unlaw∣ful for us to desire and love: The meaning therefore of these Prohibitions is, that we should so moderate our Affections to the world, as not to permit them to exceed the Real Worth and Value of its Enjoyments. For it is not simply our loving it, but our loving it to such a Degree as is inconsistent with our Love of God that is here forbidden; For he that loveth the world, saith St. John, the Love of the Father is not in him, i. e. he

that loves it to such a Degree as to prefer the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures of it before God and his Duty to him, hath no real Love to God, i. e. He loves not God as God, as the Chiefest Good and Supream Beauty and Perfection. And hence Covetousness, which is an immoderate Desire of the world, is called Idolatry, Col. iii.5. because it sets the world in the place of God, and gives it that supream Degree of Affection which is only due to him; And this the Apostle there calls Inordinate Affection, because it extravagantly exceeds the Intrinsic Worth and Value of its Objects. Wherefore we are strictly enjoined to take heed and beware of Covetousness, Luke xii.15. And to let our Conversation be without Covetousness, Heb. xiii.5. By all which and sundry other Com∣mands and Prohibitions of the Gospel, the Moderation of our Concupiscible Affections is made a necessary part of the Christian Life.

NOW that this also mightily contributes to our Acquisition of the Heavenly Happi∣ness, is evident, not only from what hath been already said, but also from hence, that till our Affections are thus moderated, we can have no Savour or Relish of the Heaven∣ly Enjoyments. For in this corrupt State of our Nature, we generally understand by our

Affections, which, like coloured Glass, re∣present all Objects to us in their own Hue and Complexion. When therefore a mans Affections are immoderately carried out to∣wards worldly things, they will be sure by Degrees to corrupt and deprave his Judg∣ment, and render him as unfit to judge of divine and spiritual Enjoyments, as a Plow∣man is to be a Moderatour in the Schools. For when a mans thoughts have been employed another way, and the Delights of Sense have for a long while preoccu∣pied his Vnderstanding, he will judge things to be Good or Evil according as they disgust, or gratifie his lower Appetites: And this being the Standard by which he measures things, 'tis impossible he should have any Savour of those Spiritual Goods in which the Happiness of Heaven consists. For though in his Nature there is a Tendency to Ratio∣nal Pleasures, yet this he may, and very frequently does, stifle and extinguish by addicting himself wholly to the Delights and Gratifications of his Sense, which by degrees will so melt down his Rational In∣clinations into his Sensual, and confound and mingle them with his Carnal Appetites, that his Soul will wholly sympathize with his Body, and have all Likes and Dislikes in common with it; And there is nothing will

be capable of pleasing the One but what does gratifie the unbounded Liquorishness of the Other.

NOW to such a Soul the spiritual World must needs be a barren wilderness, where no Good grows that it can live upon, none but what is nauseous and distastful to its coarse and vitiated Palate; where there are noble Entertainments indeed for Minds that are contempered to them, that have already tasted and experienced them; but not one Drop of Water to cool the Tip of a Sensual Tongue, or gratifie the Thirst of a Carnal Desire. So that were we admitted to that Heavenly Place where the Blessed dwell, yet unless we had acquired their Heavenly Disposition and Temper, we could never par∣ticipate with them in their Pleasures. For so great would be the Antipathy of our sen∣sual Affections to them, that we should doubtless flie away from them, and rather chuse to be for ever Insensible, than be con∣demned to an everlasting Perception of what is so ungrateful to our Natures. So that till we have in some measure moderated our Concupiscible Affections, and weaned them from their excessive Dotages upon sensual Good, it is impossible we should enjoy the Happiness of Heaven; For such perfect Op∣posites are a Spiritual Heaven and a Carnal

Mind, that unless This be spiritualized, or That be carnalized, it is impossible they should ever meet and agree.

III. ANOTHER Virtue that belongs to a Man considered meerly as a Rational Ani∣mal is FORTITUDE; which in the largest sense consists in not permitting our Irascible Affections to exceed those Evils or Dangers which we seek to repel or avoid; in keep∣ing our Fear and Anger, our Malice, Envy, and Revenge in such due subjection as not to let them exceed those Bounds which Reason, and the Nature of Things, pre∣scribe them. For I do not take Fortitude here in the narrow sense of the Moralists, as it is a Medium between Irrational Fear and Fool-Hardiness; but as it is the Rule by which all those Irascible Passions in us which arise from the sense of any Evil or Danger, ought to be guided and directed; That by which we are to guard and defend our selves against all those troublesome and disquieting Impressions which outward Evils and Dan∣gers are apt to make upon our Minds: And in this Latitude Fortitude comprehends not only Courage, as it is opposed to Fear; but also Gentleness, as it is opposed to Fierce∣ness; Sufferance, as it is opposed to Impa∣tience; Contentedness, as it is opposed to Envy; and Meekness, as it is opposed to

Malice and Revenge; All which are the Pas∣sions of weak and pusillanimous Minds, that are not able to withstand an Evil, nor en∣dure the least Touch of it without being startled and disordered; that are so softned with Baseness and Cowardise that they can∣not resist the most gentle Impressions of In∣jury. For as sick Persons are offended with the light of the Sun, and the freshness of the Air, which are highly pleasant and delightful to such as are well and in health; Even so Persons of weak and feeble minds are easily offended, their Spirits are so tender and effe∣minate that they cannot endure the least Air of Evil should blow upon them; and what would be only a Diversion to a Couragious Soul, troubles and incommodes Them. And whatsoever Courage such persons may pre∣tend to, it's meerly a Heat and Ferment of their Bloud and Spirits; A Courage, where∣in Game-Cocks and Mastives out-vy the great∣est Heroes of them all. But as to that which is truly Rational and Manly, which con∣sists in a firm Composedness of Mind in the midst of Evil or Dangerous Accidents, they are the most wretched Cowards in Nature. For the true Fortitude of the Mind consists in being hardened against Evil upon Rational Principles; in being so fenced and guarded with Reason and Consideration, as that no

dolorous Accident from without is able to invade it, or raise any violent Commotions in it; In a word, in having such a constant Power over its Irascible Affections, as not to be overprone either to be timorous in Dan∣ger, or envious in Want, or impatient in Suffering, or angry at Contempt, or mali∣cious and revengeful under Injuries and Pro∣vocations. And till we have in some mea∣sure acquired this Virtue, we can never be happy either here or hereafter.

FOR whilst we are in this world, we must expect to be encompassed with conti∣nual Crouds of Evil Accidents, some or other of which will be always pressing upon and justling against us: So that if our minds are sore and uneasie, and over-apt to be af∣fected with Evil, we shall be continually pained and disquieted. For, whereas were our Minds but calm and easie, all the Evil Accidents that befall us would be but like a Shower of Hail upon the Tiles of a Mu∣sick-House, which with all its Clatter and Noise disturbs not the Harmony that is within; our being too apt to be moved into Passion by them, uncovers our mind to them, and lays it open to the Tempest. And com∣monly the greatest Hurt which these out∣ward Evils do us, is, their disturbing our Minds into violent Passions; and this they

will never cease doing, till we have through∣ly fortified our Reason against them. For if our Reason commands not our Passions, to be sure outward Accidents will; and while they do so, we are Tenants at will to them for all our Peace and Happiness; and ac∣cording as they happen to be Good or Bad, so must we be sure still to be Happy or Mi∣serable. And in this Condition, like a Ship without a Pilot in the midst of a Tempestu∣ous Sea, we are the sport of every wind and wave, and know not, till the Event hath determined it, how the next Billow will dispose of us; whether it will dash us against a Rock, or drive us into a quiet Harbour.

SO miserable is our Condition here, while we are utterly destitute of this Virtue of Fortitude; But much more miserable will the want of it necessarily render us here∣after. For all those Affections which fall under the Inspection and Government of Fortitude, are, in their Excesses, naturally vexatious to the Mind, and do always di∣sturb and raise Tumults in it. For so Wrath and Impatience distracts and alienates it from it self, and confounds its Thoughts, and shuffles them together into a heap of wild and disorderly Fancies; so Malice, Envy, and Revenge do fill it with anxious biting Thoughts, that like young Vipers gnaw the

Womb that bears them, and fret and gall the wretched Mind that forms, and gives them Entertainment. And though in this world we are not so sensible of the mischief which these black and rancorous Passions do us; partly because our sense of them is abated with the Intermixture of our Bodily Pleasures; and partly because while we ope∣rate, as we do, by these unwieldy Organs of Flesh, our Reflexions cannot be compa∣rably so quick, nor our Passions so violent, nor our Perceptions so brisk and exquisite as they will doubtless be when we are stript into naked Spirits; yet if we go away into the other World with these Affections un∣mortified in us, they will not only be far more violent and outragious than now, and we shall not only have a far quicker Sense of them than now; but this our sharp sense of them shall be pure and simple, without any intermixture of Pleasure to soften and allay it. And if so, Good Lord! what exquisite Devils and Tormentors will they prove, when an extreme Rage and Hate, Envy and Re∣venge shall be all together, like so many hungry Vultures, preying on our Hearts; and our Mind shall be continually baited and worried with all the furious Thoughts which these outragious Passions can suggest to us! When with the meagre Eyes of Envy

we shall look up towards the Regions of Happiness, and incessantly pine and grieve at the Felicities of those that inhabit them; when through a sense of our own Follies, and of the miserable Effects of them, our Rage and Impatience shall be heightned, and boiled up into a Diabolical Fury; and when at the same time, an Inveterate Malice against all that we converse with, and a fierce de∣sire of Revenging our selves upon those who have contributed to our Ruine, shall, like a Wolf in our Breasts, be continually gnaw∣ing and feeding upon our Souls, what an insupportable Hell shall we be to our selves! Doubtless that Outward Hell to which bad Spirits are condemned is very terrible; but I cannot imagine, but that the worst of their Hell is within themselves, and that their own Devillish Passions are severer Furies to them than all those Devils that are without them. For Wrath and Envy, Malice and Revenge are both the Nature and the Plague of Devils; and though, as Angels, they are the Creatures of God; yet, as Devils, they are the Creatures of these their Devillish Affections; they were these that transform∣ed them from Blessed Angels into Cursed Fiends, and could they but once cease to be envious and malicious, they would cease to be Devils, and turn Blessed Angels again.

If then these rancorous Affections have such a malignant Influence as to blacken Angels in∣to Devils, and make them the most miserable who were once the most happy Creatures, how can we ever expect to be happy so long as we indulge and harbour them?

WHEREFORE to remove this great Impediment of our Happiness, Christianity strictly enjoins us to practise this necessary Virtue of Fortitude, which consists in the due Regulation of all these our Irascible Af∣fections; in moderating our Anger and Im∣patience, suppressing our Envy, and extin∣guishing all our unreasonable Hatred and Desire of Revenge. For hitherto tend all those Evangelical Precepts which require us to put away all bitterness and wrath, all cla∣mor, and evil speaking and malice, Ephes. iv.31. to lay aside all malice, and to be chil∣dren in malice, 1 Pet. ii.1. 1 Cor. xiv.20. to be strengthned with all might unto all patience and long suffering, Coloss. i.11. And accord∣ingly all the Virtues which are comprehend∣ed in this of Fortitude are reckoned among the Fruits of that Blessed Spirit by which we are to be guided and directed, Gal. v.22. But the fruit of the Spirit is peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, and meekness; all which are nothing but this great Virtue of Fortitude, severally exerting it self upon

those several Irascible Affections that are in us, and guiding and regulating them ac∣cording to those Laws and Directions which right Reason severally prescribes them; and setting such Bounds and Limits to each of them as are necessary to the Peace and Hap∣piness of our Rational Natures; That so when Outward Dangers or Evils do excite them, they may not start out into such wild Excesses as to become Plagues and Diseases to our Minds.

NOW how much the Practice of this Virtue conduces to our Heavenly Happi∣ness is evident from hence, That all the Diseases and Distemperatures which our Mind is capable of, are nothing else but the Excesses of its Concupiscible and Irascible Affections; but its being affected with Good and Evil beyond those Limits and Measures which Right Reason prescribes. Did we but love outward Goods according to the value at which true Reason rates them, we should neither be vexed with an Impatient Desire of them while we want, nor disappointed of our Expectation while we enjoy them. And when our Desires towards these outward Goods are reduced to that Coolness and Moderation as neither to be impatient in the Pursuit, nor dissatisfied in the Enjoyment of them, it is impossible they should give

any Disturbance to our Minds. And so, on the other hand, did we but take care to re∣gulate our Resentments of Outward Evils and Dangers as Right Reason advises, they would never be able to hurt or discompose our Minds. For Right Reason advises that we should not so resent them as to increase and aggravate them; that we should not add the Disquietude of an anxious Fear to the Dangers that threaten us, nor the Tor∣ment of an Outragious Anger to the Indigni∣ties that are offered us, nor the Smart of a Peevish Impatience to the sufferings that be∣fall us; In a word, that we should not ag∣gravate our Want through an invidious Pi∣ning at anothers Fulness, nor sharpen the Injuries that are offered us by a malicious and revengeful Resentment of them. And he that follows these Advices of Reason, and conducts his Irascible Affections by them, has a Mind that is elevated above the Reach of Injury; that sits above the Clouds in a calm and quiet Aether, and with a brave Indif∣ferency hears the rowling Thunders grum∣ble and burst under its Feet. And whilst Outward Evils fall upon timorous and pee∣vish and malicious Spirits, like Sparks of Fire upon a heap of Gunpowder, and do presently blow them up, and put them all in Combustion; when they happen to a dis∣passionate

Mind they fall like Stones on a Bed of Down, where they sit easily and quietly, and are received with a calm and soft Complyance. When therefore by the continual Practice of Moderation and Forti∣tude we have tamed and civilized our Con∣cupiscible and Irascible Affections, and re∣duced them under the Government of Rea∣son, our Minds will be free from all Disease and Disturbance, and we shall be liable to no other Evil but that of Bodily Sense and Passion. So that when we leave our Bodies and go into the World of Spirits, we shall presently feel our selves in perfect Health and Ease. For the Health of a Reasonable Soul consists in being perfectly Reasonable, in having all its Affections perfectly subdued to a well-informed Mind, and clothed in the Livery of its Reason. And while it is thus, it cannot be diseased in that Spiritual State wherein it will be wholly separated from all bodily Sense and Passion; because it has no Affection in it that can any way disturb or ruffle its calm and gentle Thoughts. And then feeling all within it self to be well, and as it should be; every String tuned into a perfect Harmony; every Motion and Affe∣ction corresponding with the most perfect Draughts and Models of its own Reason, it must needs highly approve of, and be per∣fectly

satisfied with it self; and while it sur∣veys its own Motions and Actions, it must necessarily have a most delicious Gust and Rellish of them, they being all such as its best and purest Reason approves of, with a full and ungainsaying Judgment. And thus the Soul being cured of all irregular Affe∣ction, and removed from all corporeal Pas∣sion, will live in perfect Health and Vigor, and for ever enjoy within it self a Heaven of Content and Peace.

IV. ANOTHER Virtue which apper∣tains to a man considered meerly as a Ra∣tional Animal is TEMPERANCE; which consists in not indulging our Bodily Appe∣tites to the Hurt and Prejudice of our Ra∣tional Nature; Or, in refraining from all those Excesses of Bodily Pleasure, of Eating, Drinking and Venery, which do either dis∣order our Reason, or indispose us to enjoy the pure and spiritual Pleasures of the Mind. For, besides that all Excesses of Bodily Pleasures are naturally prejudicial to our Reason, as they indispose those Bodily Or∣gans by which it operates, (For so Drunken∣ness dilutes the Brain, which is the Mint of the Understanding, and drowns those Images it stamps upon it in a Floud of un∣wholesome Rheums and Moistures; and Gluttony cloggs the Animal Spirits, which

are, as it were, the Wings of the Mind, and indisposes them for the Highest and Noblest Flights of Reason; so Wantonness chafes the Bloud into Feverish Heats, and by causing it to boil up too fast into the Brain, disorders the motions of the Spirits there, and so con∣founds the Phantasms, that the Mind can have no clear or distinct Perception of them; by which means our Intellectual Faculties are very often interrupted, and forced to sit still for want of proper Tools to work with, and so, by often loitering, grow by degrees listless and unactive, and at the last, are utterly indisposed to any Rational Opera∣tions;) Besides this, I say, (which must needs be a mighty prejudice to our Ratio∣nal Nature) by too much familiarizing our selves to bodily Pleasures, we shall break off all our acquaintance with spiritual ones, and grow, by degrees, such utter strangers to them, that we shall never be able to rellish and enjoy them; and our Soul will contract such an Vxorious Fondness of the Body (that being the Shop of all the Pleasure it was ever acquainted with) that 'twill ne∣ver be able to live happily without it. For though in its separate state it cannot be sup∣posed that the Soul will retain the Appetites of the Body; yet, if while it is in the Bo∣dy, it wholly abandons it self to Corporeal

Pleasures, it may, and doubtless will, retain a vehement hankering after it, and longing to be re-united to it; which, I conceive, is the only sensuality that a separated Soul is capable of. For when such a Soul arrives into the Spiritual World, her having wholly accustomed her self to bodily Pleasure, and never experienced any other, will necessarily render her incapable of enjoying the Plea∣sures of pure and blessed Spirits. So that being left utterly destitute of all her dear Delights and Satisfactions, which are such as she knows she can never enjoy but in conjunction with the Body, all her Appetite and Longing must necessarily be an outra∣gious Desire of being Embodied again, that so she may be capable of repeating her old sensual Pleasures, and acting over the bru∣tish Scene anew.

AND this, as some think, is the Reason why such gross and sensual Souls have ap∣peared so often, after their separation, in the Churchyards, or Charnel-Houses where their Bodies were laid; because they cannot please themselves without them:* 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉· The soul that is infected with a great Lust to the Body, con∣tinues so, for a great while after Death, and suffering great Reluctancies, hovers about this visible place, and is hardly drawn from thence by force, by the Demon that hath the Guard and Care of it. Where by the visible Place he means, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉·* 1.2 That is, About their Monuments and Sepulchres, where the shadowy Phantasms of such Souls have sometimes appeared. For be∣ing utterly unacquainted with the Pleasures of Spirits, they have nothing in all the spi∣ritual world to feed their hungry Desire, which makes them when they are permitted to wander, to hover about, and linger after their Bodies; the Impossibility of being re-united to them not being able to cure them of their impotent Desire of it, but still they would fain be alive again, and reassume their old Instruments of Pleasure;

—Iterumque ad tarda reverti Corpora:— —Quae lucis miseris tam dira Cupido?

And hence, among other Reasons, it was that the Primitive Christians did so severely abstain from Bodily Pleasures, that by this

means they might gently wean the Soul from the Body, and teach it before hand to live upon the Delights of separated Spirits; that so upon its separation it might drop into Eternity, like ripe Fruit from the Tree, with Ease and Willingness; and that by accustoming it before to spiritual Plea∣sures and Delights, it might acquire such a savoury Sense and Relish of them, as to be able, when it came into the spiritual world, to live wholly upon them, and to be so intirely satisfied with them, as not to be endlesly vext with a tormenting Desire of returning to the Body again. For so Cle∣mens Alexandrinus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉·* 1.3 We that are hunting after the Hea∣venly Food, must take heed that we keep our Earthly Belly in subjection, and to keep a strict Government over those things that are plea∣sant to it. For saith he a little before, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉·* 1.4 Neither, saith he, is Food our Work, nor Pleasure our Aim, but we use them only as necessaries to our present Abode, in which our Reason is instituting, and train∣ing

us up to a Life incorruptible. i. e. They did so use them, as that as much as in them lay, they might wean their Souls from the pleasures of them, that so they might have the better Appetite to that Spiritual Food upon which they were to live for ever.

AND therefore thus to temperate and restrain our selves in the Use of bodily Plea∣sures is one of the necessary Virtues of the Christian Life. For hitherto tend all those Precepts concerning abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against our Souls, I Pet. ii.11. and mortifying the deeds of the Body, Rom. viii.13. and keeping under the Body, 1 Cor. ix.27. and putting off the body of the sins of the Flesh, Coloss. ii.11. And we are strictly enjoined to be temperate in all things, to watch and be sober, and walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in excess of wine, revellings and banquettings; The sense of all which is, That we should not indulge our bodily Appetites to the vitiating and depraving of our spiritual; that we should not plunge our selves so far in the Pleasures of the Flesh, as to drown our Sense and Perception of Divine and Heavenly En∣joyments; but that we should so far subdue and mortifie our Sensuality, as that it may not have the Dominion over us, nor be the

prevalent Delight and Complacency of our Souls; but that the commanding Biass, and swaying Propension within us may be to∣wards Divine and Heavenly Enjoyments; that so, when we leave this Body, we may not be so wedded to the Pleasures of it, as not to be able to be Happy without them; but that we may carry with us into Eternity such a quick Sense and lively Rellish of the Pleasures above, as to be able to live upon, and be for ever satisfied with them.

SO that at first View it is evident how much the Practice of this Virtue conduces to our Future Happiness. For by taking us off from all excess of bodily Pleasure, it dispo∣ses us to enjoy the Pleasures of Heaven, and connaturallizes our Souls to them: So that when after a long Exercise of Temperance, we come to leave the Body, our Soul will be so loosned from it before hand, and ren∣dred so indifferent to the Delights of it, that we shall be able to part both with It and Them without any great Regret or Reluctan∣cy, and to live from them for ever without any disquieting Longings or Hankerings after them. For, as when we are grown up by Age and Experience to a sense of more manly Pleasures, we despise Nuts and Rattles, which when we were Children, we accounted our Happiness, and should have reckoned our

selves undone had we been deprived of them; So when by the Practice of a severe Temperance, we have acquired a thorough sense of the Pleasures of Virtue and Religion, we shall look upon all our bodily Pleasures as the little Toys and Fooleries of our In∣fant State, with which we pleased our chil∣dish Fancies when we knew no better. And whereas had we been deprived of them then, we should have cried and bemoaned our selves, as little Children do when they lose their Play-Games, and reckoned our selves undone and miserable; upon the Experi∣ence we have had of the Nobler and more Generous Pleasures of Religion, we shall be able to despise these little, poor Entertain∣ments of our Infancy; to take our leave of them without a Tear in our Eyes, and to live eternally without missing them. For, our Minds being for the main reconciled to Rational and Spiritual Pleasures, we shall put off all Remains of bodily Lust with our Bodies, and so flie away into the spiritual world with none but Pure and Spiritual Ap∣petites about us; where meeting with an infinite Fulness of Spiritual Joys and Plea∣sures, of which we had many a foretast in the Body, our predisposed Mind will pre∣sently close with, and feed upon them, with such an unspeakable Content and Satisfa∣ction,

as will ravish it for ever from the Thoughts of all other Pleasures. So that now we shall not only be able to subsist without Fleshly Delights, but to despise and scorn them; our Faculties being treated eve∣ry moment with far nobler Fare and better Joys.

V. ANOTHER of those Virtues which belong to a man considered meerly as a Ra∣tional Animal, is HUMILITY; which consists in a modest and lowly opinion of our selves, and of our own Acquisitions, Merits, or Endowments; Or, in not valuing our selves beyond what is due and just, upon the account of any Good we are possessed of, whether it be Internal or External. For Pride, or an over-weening Self-Conceit is the Bane of all our Virtue and Happiness. It causes us to overlook our Defects, and there∣by hinders us from making farther Improve∣ment; and it possesses us with an opinion that we deserve more than we have and thereby renders us dissatisfied with our pre∣sent Enjoyments. For by how much any man over-values himself, by so much he un∣der-values what he enjoys; because while he compares what he enjoys with the fond opinion that he hath of himself, he always finds it short of his Desert, and so can never be satisfied with it. Yea, such is the cross

and capricious Humour of a proud Spirit, that the more it possesses, the bigger it swells with the opinion of its own Desert; and the more it is opiniated of its own Desert, the less it is satisfied with that which it possesses and enjoys. For when a man is exceeding apt to flatter and cokes himself, he will catch at any Pretence to exalt his own Merit and Desert, and be ready to measure it, not only by what he is, but by what he has too; and then reckoning his outward Possessions to be the Rewards or Products of his Inward Worth, the more he has, the more he will still imagine he deserves to have. So that his Opinion of his own Desert will still run on so fast before his Enjoyments, that though they should follow it never so close, as the Hinder Wheels of a Coach do the Fore ones, yet it would be impossible for them to overtake it; And so long as he conceives his Enjoyments to be behind his Desert, he will be always discontented, and dissatisfied with them; and while he continues of this Humour, the utmost Bliss and Glory that Heaven affords would not to be able to sa∣tisfie him. For if he were set equal in Glory with the highest Saint, he would be so puffed and exalted by it in his own Conceit, that he would fancy he merited the Glory of an Angel; and if from thence he were advanced

to the Throne of an Arch-Angel▪ he would flatter himself into a conceit that he deser∣ved the Glory and Dignity of a God: And so long as he fancied his Advancement to be below his Merit, he would never be con∣tented with it, how high soever it were, but be continually vexing and repining that he was raised no higher.

AND this I verily believe was the Tem∣per of the Devil, and that which finally ruined and undid him. For when he was an Angel of Light he was doubtless placed by the Father of Spirits, in such an Order or Degree of Dignity as became the Dignity of his Nature. But he, reflecting on his own Indowments, and the Glorious Con∣dition wherein he was placed, began first to swell with an arrogant and overweening conceit of himself, and to set too high a va∣lue upon his own Angelical Graces and Per∣fections; and, as the natural Effect of this, to imagine that he was not high enough advanced in the Scale of the Heavenly Hie∣rarchy, and that his Station in the Common∣wealth of Angels was beneath the Grandeur and Dignity of his Nature. This made him look up with envious Eyes upon the Glo∣rious Orders above him, into whose sub∣lime Rank he being forbid to aspire by God, the Prince of Spirits, he proceeded by De∣grees

to malign and hate both Him and Them. And this he first expressed by en∣tring into a Conspiracy against him with some of his Fellow-Angels, whom he found most apt to be wrought upon by him; together with whom he made an open Revolt, for∣sook the Blessed Abodes, as not enduring to abide any longer amongst those Blessed Orders whom he so inveterately hated and envied; and so with his revolted Legions descends into this Aery Region, where ever since he hath persisted in open Hostility against God and Heaven. And according∣ly it is said of Him and his Accomplices, that they kept not their first Station, that is, they would needs have a higher Station in Heaven than that wherein God had placed them; which because they could not ob∣tain, they left their own Habitation, i. e. forsook Heaven their Native Country and Abode, and came down into these lower Parts of the World, upon Design to streng∣then their Party against Heaven by sedu∣cing Mankind into the same Revolt with themselves, Jude 6.

THUS 'twas the Devils Pride, you see, that made him Envious, his Envy that made him Spiteful and Malicious, all which toge∣ther made him a Devil. And thus it would be with us, if we could be admitted into

Heaven whilst we are under the Power and Prevalence of Pride and Self-Conceit. For while we think better of our selves, than God does, we shall never be contented with his Retributions, who will be sure to deal with every man according to his works; and that excessive value we should have of our selves, would cause us to undervalue the Degree and Rank of Glory and Happi∣ness wherein we should be placed by the just Rewarder of Souls, as a Station much beneath our imagined Excellency and Perfe∣ction. And hence we should proceed to think hardly of God, and to repine against him as a partial and unequal Distributer of his Fa∣vours, and to envy and malign those that were placed higher in Glory than our selves; and so at last, out of an implacable Vexa∣tion and Discontent, to leave our Habita∣tions, as the Devils did, and fly away to their Revolted Party. So impossible is it for a Soul that is under a prevailing Habit of Pride and Self-Conceit to be happy either here or hereafter.

AND therefore to remove this Obstacle, Christianity imposes the Practice of Humi∣lity, as a necessary means of our Happiness; and requires us to put on humbleness of mind, Col. iii.12. to be clothed with humility, 1 Pet. v.5. to walk with all lowliness and meekness,

Ephes. iv.1, 2. and in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than our selves, Phil. ii.3. In a word, to follow the Example of our Blessed Lord, who was meek and lowly, Mat. xi.29. and in honour to prefer one another, Rom. xii.10. The sense of all which is, that we should labour, as much as in us lies, to think very meanly and modestly of our selves, and not to be discontented if others think meanly of us too; i. e. that we should nei∣ther be proud nor vainglorious, neither too much exalted in our own opinions, nor en∣deavour to insinuate into others a higher opinion of us than we do really deserve: In short, that we should so effectually repre∣sent to our selves the little Reason we have to be proud of any Personal Accomplish∣ment, whether it be of Body, or Mind, to strut, like Esop's Crow, in these borrowed Feathers, which we could neither give to our selves, nor merit of God, but are wholly owing for to the Divine Bounty; so to in∣culcate upon our Minds the Folly and Ridi∣culousness of being proud of any Outward Goods we possess, such as fine Cloths, great Estates, or Popular Reputation, all which are so far from either making or speaking us wiser or better men, that they are too often the Fruits and Testimonies of our Folly and Knavery; And, in fine, that we should so

impartially reflect upon the many Follies and Indiscretions, Errors and Ignorances, Irregularities of Temper, Defects of Man∣ners, and Deviations from Right Reason that we are guilty of, as to shame our selves out of all those proud and arrogant Conceits that do so swell and impostumate our Minds.

AND when by these, and such like hum∣bling Reflections we have laid our selves low in our own Eyes, and so far abased our Pride and Self-Conceit as to be effectually convinced of the Folly of it, and throughly persuaded to abhor and hate it, to watch and strive against it, and to be habituated for the main to mean and lowly thoughts of our selves; though we should not here ar∣rive to an absolute Perfection in Humility (having none here to converse, or compare our selves with but such as our selves, such as are many of them our Inferiours, many our Equals, and many but few▪ Degrees our Superiours) yet, as soon as we go off from this lower Form, in which we may seem so considerable, into the Class and Society of those Glorious Inhabitants above (in whose bright Presence we shall appear but like so many Glow Worms in the midst of a Firma∣ment of Stars) all the little Remains of Pride and Self-Conceit in us, will immediately vanish from our Minds. For if at the sight

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of an Angel the Beloved Apostle could not forbear prostrating himself; how prostrate and lowly must we be, when we see not only the whole Choir of Angels together, but God himself too, the Prince and Father of Spirits! For even here we find that the nearer we approach God, the more we shrink and lessen in our own Eyes; and if in the Presence of Angels we are but Dwarfs, in the Presence of God we shall be Nothings. But Oh! when we shall not only discern how infinitely he outshines us in Glory, but shall also continually feel by the most sen∣sible Communications of his Goodness how we hang upon him, and derive every Breath and Joy and Glory from him; how our Being and Well-Being are the meer Alms and Pensions of his Bounty; how every Grace and Beauty in us is but the Refle∣ction, and that a faint one too, of his out∣stretched Rays; when, I say, we shall feel all this, as we shall do in Heaven every moment, by a quick and sensible Experi∣ence, how must it needs wean us from all self-arrogating Thoughts, and perfectly a∣base and humble us in our own Eyes! And when this is done, our minds will be per∣fectly tempered and prepared for the Enjoy∣ment of a Perfect Happiness; For now, such a modest opinion we shall have of our selves,

that whatsoever Degree of Glory we are placed in, we shall look upon it as far be∣yond our Desert, and upon that account, be unspeakably satisfied and contented with it, and freely acknowledge it to be a thousand Degrees beyond what we could desire or hope for. And so far shall we be from grudg∣ing at, or envying those above us, that out of an humble sense of our own Unworthiness we shall readily prefer them before our selves, and freely acknowledge that we are only so many Degrees inferiour to them in Glory, as they are superiour to us in Divine Graces and Perfections. Upon which we shall not only acquiesce, but heartily rejoice in their Advancement, and be abundantly pleased that their Reward is as much greater than ours, as we do acknowledge their Virtue to be. In a word, so far shall we be from repining and murmuring at God for not re∣warding us as liberally as others, that we shall be thoroughly sensible that he hath been bountiful to us infinitely beyond our Desert or Expectation; that 'twas not out of a fond Partiality, ot blind Respect of Per∣sons that he raised others to higher Degrees of Glory than our selves, but out of a Prin∣ciple of strict Justice that exactly ballances and adjusts its Rewards, according to the Degrees of our Desert and Improvement.

The sense of which will not only compose our Minds into a perfect Satisfaction, but also continually excite us to those Beatifical Acts of Love and Praise, Thanksgiving and Adoration. Thus Humility, you see, tunes and composes us for Heaven, and only casts us down, like Balls, that we may rebound the higher in Glory and Happiness.

THUS you see how all those Virtues which appertain to a man considered as a Reasonable Animal, conduce to the Great Christian End, viz. The Happiness of Hea∣ven. 'Tis true indeed the immediate pro∣duct of this sort of Virtues is only, at least chiefly, pri••ative Happiness, or, the Hap∣piness of Rest and Indolence, which consists in not being miserable, or, in a perfect cessa∣tion from all such Acts and Motions as are hurtful and injurious to a Rational Spirit. For, as I have shewed you in the Beginning of this Section, the proper office of Hu∣mane Virtue consists in so regulating all our Powers of Action, as that we do nothing that is hurtful or injurious to our Rational Nature; and thus, you plainly see, these Five aforenamed. Virtues do most effectu∣ally perform. But besides this Pri••ative, there is, as I shewed you, a Positive Part of Happiness, which consists not in Rest, but in Motion; in the Vigorous Exercise of our

Rational Faculties upon such Objects as are most suitable to them; And to the obtain∣ing of this Part of our Happiness, there are other kinds of Vertues necessary to be pra∣ctised by us, of which I shall discourse in the two following Sections. But though the immediate Effect of these Humane Vir∣tues we have been discoursing of, be only the Happiness of Rest, yet do they tend a great deal farther, even to the Happiness of Motion and Exercise. For it is impossible so to suppress that Active Principle within us, as to make it totally surcease from Motion; and therefore as every intermission of its sober and regular Actings does but make way for wild and extravagant ones; so eve∣ry abatement of its hurtful and injurious motions, makes way for beatifical ones; And so the Humane Virtues by giving us rest from those Motions that are afflictive to our Natures, incline and dispose us to such Motions and Exercises as are most plea∣sant and grateful to it.

SECT. II. Concerning those Divine Virtues which belong to a Man considered as a Reasonable Crea∣ture, related to God, shewing that these also are comprehended in the heavenly part of the Christian Life; and that the pra∣ctice of them effectually conduces to our fu∣ture happiness.

I PROCEED now to the second kind of Virtues, viz. Divine, to which I told you we are obliged in the capacity of reasonable Creatures related to God; who being not only endowed with all possible perfections, with infinite Truth and Justice, Wisdom and Goodness, and Power, with all that can ren∣der any being most highly reverenced, admi∣red, loved and adored; who being not only the Author of our Being, and Well-being, as he is Creator and Preserver of all things, but also our sovereign Lord and King, as he is God almighty, the supream and over-ruling Power of heaven and earth, hath upon all these accounts a just and unalie∣nable claim to sundry duties and homages from his Creatures; all which I shall re∣duce to these six particulars.

1. That we should frequently think of, and contemplate the beauty and perfection of his nature.

2. That upon the account of these perfe∣ctions we should humbly worship and adore him.

3. That we should ardently love, and take complacency in him.

4. That we should attentively and un∣weariedly imitate him in all his imitable perfections and actions.

5. That we should intirely resign up our selves to his conduct and disposal.

6. That we should chearfully rely, and depend upon him. All which, as I shall shew, are included in the heavenly part of the Christian Life, and do most effectually contribute to our future happiness.

I. AS we are rational Creatures related to God, we are obliged to be often contem∣plating and thinking upon him. For the na∣tural use of our understanding is to con∣template Truth, and therefore the more of Truth and Reality there is in any knowable object, and the farther it is removed from Falshood and Non-entity, the more the Un∣derstanding is concerned to contemplate and think upon it. God therefore being the most true and real object, as he stands removed by the necessity of his existence from all possi∣bility

of not-being, must needs be the most perfect Theme of our Understanding, the best and greatest Subject, on which it can employ its Meditations. And besides that he is the most true and real of all beings, he is also the source and spring of all Truth and Reality, his Power conducted by his Wis∣dom, and Goodness being the cause not only of all that is, but of all that either shall be, or can be. And is it fit that our Under∣standing which was made to contemplate, should wholly overlook the fountain of it? But besides this too, that he is the greatest Truth himself, and the cause of every thing else that is true and real, he is the Sovereign of Beings, and the most amiable and perfect, as he includes in his infinite Essence all pos∣sible perfections both in kind and degree. And what a monstrous Irreverence is it for minds that were framed to the contempla∣tion of Truth, to pass by such a great and glorious one without any regard or obser∣vance; as if he stood for a cypher in the world, and were not worthy to be thought upon? Nay and besides all this (which one would think were enough to oblige our Un∣derstandings to the strictest attendance to him) he is a Truth in which above all others we are most nearly concerned, as he is not only the Father and Prop of our Beings, and

the Consolation of our lives, but the sole Arbiter of our Fate too, upon whom our everlasting well or ill being depends. And what can we be more concerned to think and meditate upon than this great being, from whom we sprang, in whom we live and breath and of whom we are to expect all that evil or good that we can fear or hope for. All which considered, there is no doubt to be made but that our Understanding was chiefly made for God, to look up to him and contemplate his Being and Perfections. And though in this im∣perfect State it is too often averted from him, by this vast variety of sensual things that surround it, and intercept its Prospect, yet as our Soul recovers out of this sensual condition into a life of Reason, we find by experience that its Understanding presently looks upwards, by a natural Instinct, and directs it self to God, as to its proper Pole and Center. And as it grows more and more indifferent to the objects of Sense, so it becomes more and more vigorous in its tendency towards God and divine things. And 'tis no wonder it doth so, since it is God only who is an infinite Truth, that is able to satisfie its infinite Thirst after Truth. And hence it is, that till we have throughly fixed our Minds and Wills upon God, we

do naturally affect such an Infinity of Ob∣jects, that our Desires are always reaching at new Pleasures, and carried forth after new Possessions; that our Fancy is always entertaining our mind with new Ideas, and our Understanding continually calling for new Scenes of Contemplation. By which, as one hath well observed, the Soul declares that it is not to be perfectly pleased with finite Truth or Good. Which possibly may be the reason of that delight we take in Fa∣bles, and Pictures of Anticks and Monsters, because they exceed the limits of Truth, and so do enlarge as it were the prospect of the Soul, which by its unconfined motions, shews that it is of a Divine Extract, and that it can never be perfectly satisfied but in union with God, who is an infinite ocean of Truth and Goodness. For as for all other beings, they are so very shallow, that we quickly see (or at least shall do, when we see after the manner of Spirits) to the very bottom of their Truth and Reality; and when we have done that, they have no more in them to feed and entertain our under∣standings. So that when we have exhausted the Truth of finite Beings, we must either cease to understand any more, which would be to deprive our noblest Faculty of any farther Pleasure, or we must at last fix our

mind upon God, in whom it will find such infinite Truth, as will be sufficient to exer∣cise it throughout all its infinite Duration. But unless we do now acquaint our minds with God by frequent thinking and medi∣tating upon him, we shall by degrees grow such Strangers to him, that, by that time we go into the other world, we shall be so far from being pleased with contemplating him, that we shall look upon him as an uncouth object, and out of distast avert and turn our eyes from him. For the mind of man must be familiarized to its objects, be∣fore it will be able to contemplate them with pleasure, and though the objects them∣selves be never so amiable, yet while the mind is unused to them, its thoughts will start and flie off from them, and without a great deal of violence, will never be reduced to a fixt and serious attention to them. So that if we go into eternity with minds un∣accustomed to the thoughts of God, we shall be continually flying away from him, as Bats and Owls do from the light of the Sun, and never be able to compose our awkward thoughts into a fixed contemplation of his glory. And when we have thus banished our selves from the only object that can for ever bless and satisfie our understanding, that can keep it in everlasting exercise and motion,

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and feed its greedy thoughts eternally with fresh and glorious discoveries, we have ut∣terly lost one of the sweetest Pleasures that humane nature is capable of; and so must necessarily pine and languish, under an eter∣nal discontentedness. To prevent which, the Gospel enjoins us to train up our minds to divine Contemplation, and to be frequent∣ly thinking and meditating upon God; to mind those things that are above, for so the Greek word is to be rendred, Coloss. iii.1. to sanctifie the Lord God in our hearts, 1 Pet. iii.15. that is, by entertaining great and worthy Thoughts of him. And therefore the Gospel is set before us as a Glass, that therein we may contemplate and behold the glory of God, 2 Cor. iii.18. namely, that di∣vine glory which is therein discovered and revealed to us; that we may set him al∣ways before our minds, and gather up our thoughts about him, and force them to dwell and stay upon him, that so they may taste and relish his heavenly beauties, and please and satisfie themselves with the view and contemplation of them. For though to me∣ditate closely upon God may at first be irksome and tedious to our unexperienced minds, yet when by the constant practice of it, we have worn off that Strangeness towards God which renders the thoughts of

him so troublesome to us, and by frequent converses are grown better acquainted with him, we shall grow by degrees so pleased and satisfied with the thoughts of him, that we shall not know how to live without them; and our minds at last will be toucht with such a lively sense of his attractive beauties, that we shall never be well but while we are with him; so that he will become the constant Companion of our thoughts, and the daily theme of our Meditations; and nothing in the world will be so grateful and acceptable to us, as to retire now and then from the world, and converse with God in holy Contemplations. And though by reason of our present Circumstances and Necessities there is no remedy but our thoughts must be often diverted from him, and forced to attend to our secular occasions; yet after they have been used a while to God, we shall find they will never be so well pleased, nor so much at ease as when they are retired from every thing but God, and composed and setled into divine meditations. So that when we go away into the other world, where we shall be removed from those trou∣blesome Circumstances and Necessities, which did here so often divert our thoughts from God, our minds which have been so long accustomed and habituated to him, will im∣mediately

fasten upon him, and intirely de∣vote themselves to the contemplation of his nature and glory. For our minds being al∣ready strongly inclined and byass'd towards God by those grateful foretasts we have had of him in the warmths of our Meditation, when we come in the still and quiet regions of the blessed, where we shall immediately have a more close and intimate view of him than ever, all our thoughts will naturally run towards him, and be so captivated with the first sight of his glory, that we shall never be able to look off again, as long as eternity endures, but one view will invite us to another, and what we see will so tran∣sport and ravish us, that we shall still desire to see further and further. And because our finite mind will never be able fully to com∣prehend all that is knowable in his infinite being, we shall be so delighted in every further Knowledge of him, that we shall still desire to know further, and that Desire as fast as it springs shall still be satisfied with a further Knowledge, and so to eternal ages, each new satisfaction shall immediate∣ly spring a new desire, and each new desire immediately terminate in a new satisfaction. And now, O happy mind! what tongue can express thy joys and raptures! that being thus in conjunction with God art al∣ways

filled with glorious Ideas, and com∣passed round with the wonders of his per∣fection; so that at every glance thou seest some new Charm, and with every thought makest some vast Discovery. O the tran∣sporting pleasure of that blessed Vision! which now I can hardly think of without an ecstasie; when my poor longing Mind, which here gropes about for truth in a dark dungeon of Errour and Ignorance, shall be let forth into the heavenly light, to see as it is seen, and know as it is known, how will it fix its greedy eyes upon God, of whose acquaintance it is now so desirous! With what infinite delight will its winged and active thoughts hover in the light of his Countenance, which through every mo∣ment of Eternity will be still revealing new Beauties to us, such as will not only for ever employ, but for ever inflame our Me∣ditations.

II. AS we are Rational Creatures related to God, we are obliged humbly to Worship and Adore him, that is, that out of a most awful esteem and profound reverence of his super-excellent Majesty, and boundless Per∣fections, we should bow down our Souls before him, and address our selves to him by Invocation and Prayer, by Praise and Thanksgiving, as to the Alsufficient, Inde∣pendent,

and sole disposer of every good and perfect gift; and that in these our Ad∣dresses we should outwardly express this our reverential Esteem of him, by such humble gestures of Body, as are most apt to testifie it to others. For all this is but a just and due acknowledgment of what he is in himself, and to us, and all his Creation. The profoundest Reverence and Veneration we can pay him, is but a just Acknowledg∣ment of his Infinite Majesty and Power; the most fervent Invocations and Prayers we can offer him, are but a due owning of him to be what he is, the supream Disposer and Author of all things; the most ample and glorious Praises we can give him are incom∣parably short of what is owing to his infi∣nite Excellencies and Perfections; the most thankful Acknowledgments we can make him, are but poor compositions for those vast sums which we owe to his Bounty and Liberality. So that all our Worship is a most just Due arising from what he is in himself, and from what he doth to us, and to all his Creatures. And till we are made throughly sensible of both, we are utterly incapable of eternal Happiness; which con∣sisting, as I shewed you before, in the vi∣gorous exercise of our Rational Faculties upon God, doth necessarily require that

we should be duely affected with his Perfe∣ctions and Actions. For unless we are so, we shall never be able to engage our Facul∣ties vigorously to employ and exercise them∣selves about him; unless our minds be over-awed with an habitual sense of his infinite Majesty and Power, we shall be apt to neg∣glect him as an object too mean for our great Faculties to converse with; unless our minds be strongly disposed to esteem and admire his Glory and Excellencies, we shall never be able to excite our Understanding and Will to act upon him with any life and vigour: in a word, unless we are possessed with a constant sense that he is the Spring of all those goods which we enjoy or hope for, we shall be apt to look upon him as one with whom we are very little concerned, and so to neglect and disregard him. So that unless we do now acquire an habitual Devotion of mind toward God, when we go from hence into the other world, we shall find our faculties so averse and listless to all that heavenly Motion and Exercise wherein the Happiness above consists, that we shall be utterly incapable to tast and enjoy it. For in eternity our Souls will run according to the prevailing byass which they carry thither with them; but 'tis im∣possible they should run towards God with

life and freedom, unless they are constantly drawn and inclined to him by a devout ve∣neration of his Majesty, and admiration of his Glory and Perfection. And hence it is that the Gospel doth so strictly oblige us to adore and worship God, Rev. xxii.9. to worship him in spirit and in truth, Joh. iv.24. to pray without ceasing, 1 Thes. v.17. and pray always with all prayer and supplication, that is, earnestly to supplicate God upon every fit opportunity and time of need, Ephes. vi.18. in a word, to offer to God the sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb. xiii.15. and to thank God without ceasing, 1 Thes. ii.13. The meaning of all which is, that out of a deep and quick sense of the infinite Majesty and Power, Alsufficience and Beneficence of God, we should be frequently bowing our selves before him, and offering up our Prayers and Praises, and Thanksgivings to him. And in the constant practice of these, we shall be growing up by degrees to that blissful state of Heaven. For all these acts of divine Worship being immediate addres∣ses of our minds to God, do so unite us to him, that in every hearty Prayer, Praise, or Thanksgiving, we do in a manner touch 〈…〉〈…〉 him. So while we humbly adore 〈…〉〈…〉, we are sensibly struck with

the rays of it; while we earnestly invocate his Goodness and Mercy, we are touched with a strong attractive virtue from him, where∣by we plainly feel our selves drawn up to him, and rapt into a real enjoyment of him: in a word, while we are offering our hearty Praises and Thanksgivings to him, we are under a captivating sense of his infinite Gloy and Beneficence, and with a sensible touch of this his heavenly fire, our hearts are kin∣dled and inflamed. Insomuch that while we are upon our knees in a warmth and fervour of Devotion, our minds have many times as quick a perception, as strong and lively a relish of God, as ever our bodily palate had of the most gustful meats or li∣quors. So that by frequently repeating these our devotions, we frequently repeat these our sensations of God; which being often renewed will grow more vigorous and constant, and so at last improve into an active, permanent and habitual sense of him. And having thus acquired by our frequent and devout Worship, a lively constant feeling and perception of the Majesty and Glory, of the Bounty and Benignity of God, when ever we go into eternity this like a vital spring will give a perpetual motion to our Faculties, and vigorously exert and employ them upon God for ever. The quick and

lively sense we shall have of his infinite Majesty and Power, will for ever aw our Understandings and Wills into a strict at∣tention and submission to him; and have such a commanding power over us as will even constrain us to regard him with the profoundest Reverence and Veneration. For there we shall have far greater and clearer apprehensions of his Majesty than ever we had in this imperfect state; which will im∣prove our pre-acquired sense of it to such a degree of Respect and Veneration, as will for ever over-rule our Faculties, and keep our Understandings, Wills and Affections in close and strict attendance to him. And as our sense of his Majesty will sweetly com∣mand, so our sense of his infinite Beauty and Beneficence will invincibly allure us to exert and exercise our faculties upon him. For he that hath an affectionate sense of the Beauty and Goodness and Bounty of God, hath a heart ready tuned for the Musick of heaven, ready set and composed for ever∣lasting Praises and Halelujahs. So that when he goes away from hence into the other world, and is there admitted to a more in∣timate view of the perfections, and a more abundant participation of the blessings of God than ever, his predisposed mind will immediately be seized with such a strong

pathetick sense of both, as that he will not be able to withhold expressing and venting it in the most rapturous strains of Admira∣tion, and Praise and Thanksgiving. And this will be his business and employment for ever, to admire and extoll the Perfe∣ctions of God, of which he will every mo∣ment make new and glorious Discoveries; and to celebrate with grateful acknowledg∣ments the infinite riches of his Bounty, of which he will every moment have fresh and sweet experiences. So that whilst by con∣tinual acts of Praise and Thanksgiving we endeavour to affect our minds with a due sense of the Goodness and Bounty of God, we are practising before-hand the Musick of Heaven, and taking out the Songs of Zion; that so when we go from hence, we may be qualified and prepared to bear a part in the Celestial Choir. So that true devotion (you see) which consists in a quick and live∣ly sense of the infinite Majesty, Beauty, and Benignity of God, doth most effectually dispose the mind to all those divine and hea∣venly exercises wherein the state of heaven consists.

III. AS we are rational Creatures related to God, we are obliged to an unfeigned love of, and complacency in him. And that both upon the account of what he is in himself,

as he is the most lovely and amiable of be∣ings, in whom there is an harmonious con∣currence of all imaginable Beauties and Per∣fections, of Wisdom and Goodness, of Ju∣stice and Mercy, and every other amiable thing that can claim or attract a reasonable Affection, all which in infinite degrees are contempered together in his nature: and also upon the account of his infinite Kind∣ness and Beneficence to us. For besides that he hath compassed us round, like so many fortunate Islands, with a vast Ocean of ex∣ternal Blessings, in which there is all that is either necessary, convenient, or pleasant for our bodily use and enjoyment; besides that he hath inspired us with immortal Minds, and stamped them with those fair impresses of his own Divinity, the know∣ledge of Truth and the love of Goodness, which are both of them very forward capa∣cities of the highest Perfection, and most exalted Happiness: in a word, besides that to supply and gratifie these our noble Ca∣pacities he hath prepared for us an immor∣tal Heaven, and furnisht it with all the Plea∣sures and and Delights that a Heaven-born Mind can desire or enjoy: besides all this, I say, he hath sent his own Son from heaven to reveal to us the Way thither, and to en∣courage us to return into it, by dying for

our sins, and thereby obtaining for us a publick Grant and Charter of Mercy and Pardon, upon Condition of our return; yea and as if all this were too little, he hath sent his Spirit to us in the room of his Son to abide amongst us, and as his Vicegerent to drive on this vast design of his love to us, to excite and persuade us to return into that sure way to heaven, which he hath described to us, and to assist us all along in our travel thither. So wondrous careful hath he been not to be defeated of this his kind intention to make us everlastingly happy. And now what Heart can be so hard and impenetrable as to resist such pow∣erful Charms and Endearments! Methinks if we had but the common Sense and Inge∣nuity of men in us, it would be impossible for us to reflect upon such miracles of Beau∣ty and Love as these are, without being intimately touched and affected with them. But till we are so, it will be impossible for us to enjoy Heaven; for how can we freely exert our Faculties upon an Object that we do not love; and if we cannot, how can we without loving God enjoy Heaven; which consists in the free and cheerful out-goings of all our Faculties upon him? For if when we go into Eternity we love him not, either he will be indifferent or hateful to us; if

the former, we shall altogether neglect and take no notice of him; if the latter, we shall either flie away from him, and banish our selves from his presence, or be forced to abide and endure it with extream regret and torment. For whilst our minds are averse and repugnant to him, whatsoever we see in him will but the more enrage and canker our malice against him; and even the sight of those his glorious Perfections which so enravish the hearts of the blessed inhabitants of Heaven, will only provoke and boil up our Dislike of him to a higher degree of Hatred and Aversation. For so we find by experience in this life that while our minds are unreconciled to God, it is a Pennance to us to come near him, to admit any Thoughts of or Conversation with him. And this is the reason why we take so much pains as we do to misrepresent him to our selves, to draw such Pictures and Ideas of him upon our Minds, as best correspond with our own Tempers; that so having thus transformed the Notion of him into the Image of our selves, Narcissus-like we may fall in love with him, or at least more easily endure his blessed Presence and Conversa∣tion. When therefore we shall go into the other world where all these Disguises of the divine Idea shall be taken off, and we shall see

him as he is, circled about with his own Rays of unstained and immaculate Glory, we shall never be able to abide him; but being all affrighted and confounded at the Glory of his Presence, we shall be forced to run away, and if possible to hide our selves from him in everlasting Darkness and Despair. For our Wills being poisoned and infected with an habitual Enmity against him, it must needs be torment to us to see him, because we must always see him happy; which is so great an eye-sore to those damned Spirits that hate him, that I am apt to think, that next to being delivered out of their own Misery, the chiefest Good they desire or wish for is, to be delivered from the tor∣menting Sense of his Happiness.. For what greater torment can our Mind endure, than to be an everlasting Spectator of the Bliss and Happiness of one whom it hates? How then will it fret and gall our meagre and en∣vious Spirits to see that blessed Being whom we cannot endure, surrounded with an in∣finite Happiness; with a Happiness so vast as that it can admit of no Increase, and yet so secure, as that it can never suffer a Dimi∣nution? So that 'tis impossible, you see, for the Mind of Man to live happily upon God in the other life, unless it be inspired before-hand with an hearty Love and Affection to him.

AND hence it is that our holy Religion doth so strictly require us to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, Mat. xxii.37. to love him because he loved us first, to delight our selves in the Lord, Psal. xxxvii.4. and to re∣joice in the Lord, Phil. iii.1. and to rejoice in the Lord always, Phil. iv.4. i. e. to be habitually complacent or well pleased with the infinite Beauty, Goodness and Perfection of the divine Nature. Nay of such vast im∣port is the Love of God in the account of the Gospel, that 'tis there recommended as the proper Principle of Christian Life. For so, Rom. xiii.10. we are told that love is the fulfilling of the law, that is, the adequate Principle of all Christian Obedience; and Gal. v.6. we are told that neither Circum∣cision, nor uncircumcision availeth any thing in Christ Jesus, but faith which worketh by love, that is, there is nothing of any account with Christ, buch such a Belief of the Go∣spel, as begets in us a hearty Love to God, and doth thereby work and exert it self, as by that which is the only genuine Principle of Christian Life and Action. 'Tis true, be∣side this principle of Love, the Gospel acts us both by our Fear and Hope, exciting the one by Threatnings of the greatest Evils, and animating the other with Promises of

the greatest Goods; but yet it is certain that neither these nor any other Principles of religious Action can be acceptable to God, whilst they are totally separated from Love to him. For there is no Principle of Obe∣dience can be acceptable to God that is not a Principle of Universal Obedience; but to love God being a great and main instance of Obedience, that can be no principle of Uni∣versal Obedience, which doth not effectu∣ally excite us to love him.

'TIS true, the Religion of most men be∣gins upon the Principles of Hope and Fear, and it cannot be denied but these are good Beginnings; but yet till by these we are ex∣cited to love God, as well as to do the other Parts of our Duty, our Obedience is lame and partial, and consequently unacceptable. So that though Hope and Fear are good In∣gredients to compound an acceptable Prin∣ciple of Obedience, yet without an Inter∣mixture of Love they are by no means suf∣ficient. There may be indeed, and at first there generally is, much less of Love in this internal spring of our Obedience than of Hope or Fear, whilst yet the whole Com∣position is truly pleasing and acceptable to God. For the lowest degree of cordial Love intermixed with our Hope and Fear, is suf∣ficient to leaven and consecrate them into

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an acceptable Principle of Obedience; but still the less of Love there is in it, the more weak and languid, and imperfect it is, and in all its progresses towards Perfection, its ripeness and maturity is to be measured by the degrees of Love that are in it. And till our Love is arrived to that degree of Fer∣vour and Ardency, as to become the pre∣dominant Motive and Master Ingredient of this our compounded Principle of Obedi∣ence, our state in Goodness is very low and imperfect. So that in short, the Principle that acts and moves us in Religion, is still more and more perfect, the more of Love there is in it, and the less of Hope and Fear; and when Hope and Fear are both swallow∣ed up in Love, and this is become the sole Spring of Action in us, then 'tis the Prin∣ciple of Heaven, the Soul that acts and ani∣mates the Religion of just men made perfect.

SO that if ever we design to grow up to their blessed State, we must endeavour to kindle and blow up the Love of God in our Hearts. And in order hereunto we must be frequently representing to our own Minds, the infinite Reasons we have to love him, and pressing our selves with the vast Obli∣gations he hath laid upon us; spreading them fairly before our Thoughts in all their endearing Circumstances. We must ever

and anon set our cold and frozen Souls be∣fore those melting Flames of his Love and Beauty, and never leave chafing them at 'em, urging and pressing them with the Conside∣ration of them, till we feel the heavenly Fire begin to kindle in our Bosoms. And above all things we must take care by the con∣stant Practice of what is agreeable to Gods Nature, to reconcile our Minds and Tempers to him; for till this is done we can never be habitually pleased or delighted in him; but when once by the Practice of those eternal Rules of Goodness that are founded in his blessed Nature, we have so far reconciled our Natures to him, as that our Hearts and his stand bent the same way, and are for the main alike inclined and disposed, then we are prepared for, and made proper and convenient Fuel to receive this heavenly Flame of Love to him; and when this is once so throughly kindled in our Hearts, as that we are habitually well pleased and de∣lighted in him, so as to rejoice in his Hap∣piness, acquiesce in his Will, and meditate on his Beauty and Goodness, with an un∣feigned complacency of Soul, we are then in the same State (that is in Kind, though not in Degree) with the blessed People of Hea∣ven. And though in this Life we may not be able to raise our selves, to that Height of

Love as we desire, and much less as that blessed Object deserves, our present Know∣lege being short, our Thoughts unsteady and our Affections entangled in Sense and sensual things; yet when we go from hence into the other World, and are there admitted to a more intimate View of his Nature, Works, and Perfections, our imperfect Love will be immediately improved into an high Sera∣phick Flame. For now we shall not only know him better, having him always in our View, and continually shining full in our Eyes; but we shall be removed from all other Objects that are apt to divert our Thoughts, or divide our Affections from him. So that now our Love being kindled and fed with the purest Light, with the ever out-streaming Rays of the most perfect Beauty and Goodness, will always exert its utmost Vigour, and spend it self with∣out Decay in one continued everlasting Rapture.

AND then how unconceivably happy will our State be, when we shall always live in view of the most lovely Object, and al∣ways love him as much as we are able, and be able to love him a thousand times more than we can now imagine! For the longer we view the more we shall know him, and the more we know, the better we shall love

him, and so through everlasting ages our Love shall be stretching and extending it self upon his infinite Beauty and Loveliness. Now Love is naturally a most sweet and grateful Passion, a Passion that sooths and ravishes the Heart, and puts the Spirits into a brisk and generous motion. For it wholly consists in a fixed complacency or well-plea∣sedness of Mind arising from the apprehend∣ed Goodness and Congruity of the thing beloved; and it is meerly by accident that it hath any disquieting or ungrateful Emo∣tion mingled with it. Either the Person be∣loved is absent, which fills it with unquiet Desire; or he is unhappy, or unkind, which mingles it with Grief and Sorrow; or he is fickle and inconstant which imbitters it with Rage and Jealousie; but consider it separately from all these Accidents, and it is nothing but pure Delight and Complacency. But now in Heaven our Love of God will have none of these disquieting Accidents attending it, for there he will never be absent from us, but continually entertaining our amorous Minds with the Prospect of his infinite Beau∣ties; there we shall ever feel his Love to us in the most sensible and endearing Effects, even in the Glory of that Crown which he will set upon our Heads, and in the ravish∣ing Sweetness of those Joys he will infuse

into our Hearts; there we shall experience the continuation of his Love, in the conti∣nued Fruition of all that an everlasting Hea∣ven means, and be convinced as well by the Perpetuity of his Goodness to us, as by the Immutability of his Nature, that he is an unchangeable Lover: in a word, there we shall find him a most happy Being, happy beyond the vastest wishes of our Love, so that we shall not only delight in him as he is infinitely lovely and amiable, but re∣joice and triumph in him too as he is infi∣nitely blessed and happy. For Love unites the Interests as well as the Hearts of Lovers, and mutually appropriates to each, each others Joys and Felicities. So that in that blessed State we shall share in the Felicity of God proportionably to the Degree of our Love to him. For the more we love him, the more we shall still espouse his happy In∣terest, and the more we are interested in his Happiness, the happier we must be, and the more we must enjoy of it. Thus Love gives us a real Possession and Enjoyment of God; it makes us Copartners with him in himself, and derives his Happiness upon us, and makes it as really ours as his. So that Gods Happiness is as it were the common Bank and Treasury of all divine Lovers, in which they have every one a Share, and of

which proportionably to the Degrees of their Love to him, they do actually parti∣cipate to all Eternity. And could they but love him as much as he deserves, that is in∣finitely, they would be as infinitely blessed and happy as he. For then all his Happi∣ness would be theirs, and they would have the same delightful Sense, and Feeling of it all, as if it were all transplanted into their own Bosoms. God therefore being an in∣finitely lovely, infinitely loving, and infi∣nitely happy Being, when once we are ad∣mitted to dwell for ever in his blessed Pre∣sence, our Love to him can be productive of none but sweet and ravishing emotions; for the immense perfections it will then find in its Object, must necessarily refine it from all those Fears and Jealousies, Griefs and Displeasures that are mingled with our car∣nal loves, and render it a pure Delight and Complacency. So that when once it is grown up to the Perfection of the heavenly State, 'twill be all Heaven, 'twill be an eternal Pa∣radise of Delights within us, a living Spring whence Rivers of Pleasures will issue for evermore. O blessed State, in which my heart shall be brim-full of Love, and my Love shall triumph alone within me, and be all Joy and Ravishment, being removed for ever out of the Noise and Neighbourhood

of all those disquieting Affections which here are wont to mingle with, and conti∣nually disturb and incommode it!

IV. AS we are rational Creatures related to God, we are obliged attentively to imi∣tate him in all his imitable Perfections and Actions. For this is an allowed Maxim, Perfectissimum in suo genere est mensura re∣liquorum, that is, that which is most perfect in its kind is to be the rule and measure of all those Individual natures that are con∣tained under it. For Perfection is the mea∣sure of Imperfection, even as a straight line is of a crooked, and every Individual of a kind must needs be so far defective in its na∣ture, as it falls short of that which is most perfect in its kind. God therefore being the most perfect of all in the whole kind of rea∣sonable Beings, must needs be the supream Pattern of all those Individuals that are un∣der it; and so far as any of them disagree with him, so far they are defective in their Natures. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Phil. lib. 2. pag. 132. i. e. God is the Arche∣type of every reasonable Nature, and Man is his Imitation and Image. For he is a Being that is infinitely reasonable in all his Voli∣tions and Actions, that hath not the least intermixture either of Humour or Folly, or

Prejudice in his Choices, but is always, and in every thing governed by his own pure and all-comprehending Wisdom. Upon which account he ought to be owned and looked upon by every reasonable Being, as the sovereign Standard and Pattern of their Natures; and so far as any reasonable Na∣ture moves or acts counter to his, which is the most perfectly reasonable, so far it ought to be looked upon as monstrous and unna∣tural in its kind. For as it is monstrous in a humane Body to have its parts displaced, its Mouth opened in its Belly, or its Legs growing out of its Shoulders, because these are unnatural positions, that are directly contrary to the true Idea, Form and Figure of a humane body; so every reasonable Na∣ture that doth not imitate and take after Gods, but chuseth and acts contrary to him, is so far monstrous and mishapen, because 'tis wrythed and distorted into a Figure that is directly contrary to its natural Pattern and Exemplar. And while it continues so, it is not capable of true Happiness. For that which renders God so infinitely happy in himself, is not so much the Almighty Power he hath to defend himself from fo∣reign Hurts and Injuries, as the exact Agree∣ment of all his Motions and Actions, with the all-comprehending Reason of his own

Mind. For he always sees what is best, and what he sees is best he always chuses and affects, and this makes him perfectly satis∣fied with himself, and fills him with infinite Joy and Complacency; because when ever he surveys himself in the glorious mirrour of his own Mind, he discerns nothing in him∣self but what is infinitely lovely, nothing but what exactly corresponds with the fairest Ideas of his own infinite Reason. Whereas if, upon an impossible Supposal, it were otherwise, there would arise a Civil War within his own Bosom, against which Om∣nipotence it self could not protect or defend him. For in despight of himself he would be continually exposed to the just reproaches of his own Mind, and his own All-seeing Eye would every moment detect, and libel, and upbraid him, and render him a most in∣glorious Spectacle to himself. So that he would be so far from being infinitely pleased and satisfied with himself, that his own in∣fallible Reason would be an everlasting ve∣xation to him.

AND so will ours be to us, unless we take care to imitate God in those his divine Perfections, from whence his infinite self-satisfaction arises. For so long as we are conscious to our selves that we wilfully swerve and deviate from the great Exemplar

of our rational Natures, we cannot but be ashamed of and condemn our selves, and be highly dissatisfied with our own Actions. Our Conscience must necessarily reproach our Will, and our Reason upbraid our base Inclinations. Now what an intolerable plague is it for a man to be forced to make Invectives against himself, and continually to carry his own Satyrs in his bosom. In this life indeed, what by disguising our Faults with specious Names, or colouring them over with plausible Pretences; what by bribing our Consciences with false Presumptions, or diverting our selves from listning to their reproaches by hurrying into Vice or Busi∣ness, we may happily make a shift to deal well enough with our selves. But alas! what shall we do when we come into the other world, where all fair Colour and Pre∣tence shall be wiped off, our Vices and We shall appear to our selves in our own naked and undisguised Ugliness; where all our false Presumption shall be baffled by a woful Experience, and all the din of worldly Plea∣sure and Business in which we were wont to drown the clamours of our Conscience shall be for ever silenced; so that we shall be ex∣posed without Fence or Guard to the furi∣ous Reflections of our own mind, and lie stark naked under the lash of an enraged

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Conscience for ever! O good God! what Tongue can express the intolerable Anguish of such a State; wherein our own Defor∣mities shall be continually objected to our Eyes, and we shall have nothing to palliate or excuse them, but be always forced to condemn, and hate, and curse our selves for them, and yet not be able to correct and re∣form them; wherein we shall still be hurried on to such Actions by our own furious In∣clinations, as when we have done them will startle and amaze us, set on our Reason and Conscience to worry us with their re∣proachful Reflections, yet in despight of all their Reproaches we shall still reiterate and repeat them! Like a desperate Mur∣derer who having killed an innocent Per∣son, reflects with Horrour upon his own Act, tears his Hair, beats his Breast, curses and calls himself a thousand Villains; but being hereby chased into a greater Fury, instead of reforming he grows more mis∣chievous, and so murthers another, and then rages afresh at his own Act, but still the more he rages, the more he murthers. And this will necessarily be our State in the other world, if through our neglect of imitating God, we go away thither under an habitual Contrariety of nature to him. Besides that we shall be wholly indisposed

to those beatifical Acts of divine Love, Worship and Contemplation, in which, as I have shewed, a great part of the pleasure Heaven consists. For since all Love is foun∣ded in Likeness, and Likeness is the effect of Imitation, how is it possible we should love God unless we imitate him, and if we do not love him, what Pleasure can we take in contemplating and adoring him.

WHEREFORE in prosecution of its great Design, which is to make us happy, the Gospel strictly requires us to be always imitating, so far as they are imitable, the Perfections and Actions of our heavenly Father; to endeavour to form our Natures to his, to rectifie the Features and Linea∣ments of our Souls by his most amiable I∣dea; to be continually framing our tem∣pers, by the noble pattern of his Mercy and Goodness, his Justice, Purity, and Wis∣dom; that so being new cast as it were in the perfect mould of his Nature, we may be transformed into living Images of him. So Ephes. v.1. be ye therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 imitators, or followers of God, as dear Children, i. e. that so you may resemble him in the Qualities of your Minds, as children do their Parents in the Lineaments of their Bodies. And this is the sense of all those Evangelical Injun∣ctions, which require us to be pure as God

is pure, merciful as he is merciful, and per∣fect as our heavenly Father is perfect; that is, to take example by God in the whole course of our lives, and trace and follow him in all his imitable Perfections, by put∣ting on that new, that god-like man, that divine temper and disposition, which after God, that is, according to the pattern of his Nature, is created in righteousness, and true holiness, Ephes. iv.24. This therefore is an essential part of our Christian Life, to set God always before our Eyes, as the great Pattern of our Lives and Actions, and to endeavour constantly to write after him, and transcribe his Graces into our Natures; that so when we go away into the other World, we may carry with us at least a rude and imperfect draught of his blessed Image upon our Minds, such as when we are removed from the manifold impedi∣ments of flesh and blood, and the perpetual diversions of this sensitive World, and ad∣mitted to a near view of God, may be a prevailing byass upon our Wills, and incline us to imitate him for ever. For if for the main we are here transformed by imitating God into a godlike Temper and Disposition, all those involuntary contrarieties to him, which by reason of our Ignorance of his Nature, of our bodily Temper, and the

manifold Temptations we are here exposed to, are still remaining in our Natures, will be immediately extinguished upon our ar∣rival into the other World; where being freed from all our misconceptions of God, from all the repugnancies of our bodily Tem∣per to him, and from all those Temptations that were wont to avert us from him, we shall have no involuntary Disposition or In∣clination in us; and then our Wills being already predominantly inclined to follow God, and take example by him, and ha∣ving no contrary Inclination to contend with, we shall presently attend to and imi∣tate his Perfections with the greatest Vi∣gour, Freedom and Alacrity of Soul. So that now we shall be so intensely fixed to chuse and act like God, who is the Example and Pattern of our Natures, that we shall everlastingly regulate all our Motions by those very eternal Laws of Reason, whereby he everlastingly wills and acts; and there is nothing will be so abhorrent to our Na∣tures as an ungodlike Will or Action. For if as the Apostle tells us, by beholding now the glory of God in a glass, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. iii.18. then doubtless much more shall we be so, when we behold him face to face. 'Tis true as our Knowledge of God who is

an infinite Truth can never be absolutely per∣fect, because if it were it would be an infi∣nite Knowledge; so neither can our Resem∣blance of him be, who is an infinite Goodness, because if it were we should be infinitely good; both which are contradictions to the state of a Creature: yet as we shall be knowing him farther and farther, so pro∣portionably we shall be imitating him too through infinite Ages of Duration; and still every act of our Imitation shall be so atten∣tive and vigorous, that it shall leave a fur∣ther impression of his infinite Perfection on our Natures. So that though our finite Na∣ture can never arrive to a perfect Likeness of that infinitely lovely and amiable Being, be∣cause it can never be infinitely amiable; yet it shall be everlastingly approaching nearer and nearer to him, proportionably as it dis∣covers more and more of his infinite Beau∣ties and Amabilities, and be still growing more wise and pure, more righteous and be∣nign, according as its prospect of the Wis∣dom, Purity, Justice and Goodness of his Na∣ture is enlarged and extended. So that as his Beauty shines into us, it will still im∣print it self upon us, and transform us into blessed Images of it self; and then according as we are assimilated to the divine Nature, we shall still partake of those Joys and Plea∣sures

which are inseparable to it, and re∣semble it in Bliss as much as we do in Per∣fection. For as Gods infinite Perfection is the spring of his infinite Self-satisfaction, so from our finite Perfection there shall ever redound to us a Satisfaction equal to our finite Capacities. For though we shall never attain to absolute Perfection, that is, to all the possible degrees of Wisdom and Good∣ness, which is the Peculiar of God; yet to Eternity we shall be growing on to it, and in every Period of our growth, we shall be per∣fectly what we ought to be, that is, we shall ever know as much of God as is possible for us, our present State and Circumstances considered; and so far as we know of him we shall to our utmost power continually imi∣tate and resemble him. And thus in our eternal Race to Perfection, our Wills shall always follow our Understanding, and our Understandings shall always follow God with their utmost Vigour and Activity; so that neither the one nor the other shall ever be deficient of any Degree of Knowledge and Goodness which pro hic & nunc is pos∣sible to them.

NOW what an unspeakable Satisfaction must this give to the Mind, when surveying it self round about, it shall find every thing within it self exactly as it ought to be; every

Faculty to its utmost Power and Capacity perfectly corresponding with its original Pat∣tern and Exemplar; when upon the strictest Scrutiny it will discover nothing within it self, but what the most critical Conscience will be forced to approve of; no Motion or Action, but what will endure the Test of its severest Reason: in a word, when it shall interchangeably turn its Eyes from God to it self, and compare Grace with Grace, and Feature with Feature, and perceive what an amiable Consent and Agreement there is between its own Copy and his fair Original; what a pure Imitation of God its Life is, and how exactly Deiform all its Motions and Actions are: when, I say, our blessed Minds shall always find themselves in this Godlike Posture and Condition, O! what incomparable Content and Satisfaction will they take in themselves! With what enra∣vishing Pleasure will they ever review their own Motions, which being immediately copied from the Nature of God, will be such as its severest Reason will be always forced to commend and approve of! So that now the happy Mind will be always triumphing in its own Purity, and enjoy within it self an everlasting Heaven of Con∣tent and Peace; now 'twill continually be crowned with Applauses of its own Reason,

and all its Actions will have the joyful Ec∣choes of a well-pleased Conscience continu∣ally resounding after them. And thus by imitating Gods Perfections, we shall imitate his Happiness too, and shall for ever take after him, not only in respect of the Recti∣tude of our Natures, but also in the most blessed and comfortable Enjoyment of our selves. Besides that our Resemblance of God will everlastingly dispose us to love, and our Love to contemplate and adore him. For all these blessed Acts do reciprocally fur∣ther and promote each other; just like con∣tiguous Bodies that are placed in a Circle, the first of which being moved thrusts on the second, the second the third, the third the last, if there be no more between; and then the last thrusts on the first, and so round again in the same order. So that if we carry with us into Eternity a Frame and Disposi∣tion of Nature like Gods, we shall always so imitate as still to love him, so love as still to contemplate him, so contemplate as still to adore him, so adore as still to imitate, and love and contemplate him anew; and in this blessed Circle we shall move round for ever, with unspeakable Vigour and Alacrity.

V. AS we are reasonable Creatures re∣lated to God, we are bound to resign up, and submit our selves to his blessed Will and Di∣sposal.

For God hath a just Dominion ove•• all, founded in his own infinite Power, that doth not like other Dominions result to him from any external Acts or Atchievements, but is the eternal Prerogative of his own Nature. For he, as well as all other Beings, hath a freedom to exercise his own Abilities so far as it is just and lawful; but being infi∣nitely paramount to all other Powers what∣soever, he can be subject to no superiour Authority, nor consequently be obliged by any other Law but that of his own Na∣ture. So that whatsoever he can do, he can justly do, if it be not contrary to the infinite Perfections of his Nature. For his Power being infinite, and unconfined as well as his Wisdom, Justice and Goodness, doth sufficiently warrant him to do what∣soever is consistent with them; otherwise he would be infinitely powerful in vain. And therefore since he can exercise a Domi∣nion over all, he must needs have an eternal Right to do it, so far as his own Wisdom, Goodness and Justice will permit, which are the only Laws by which he can be boun∣ded in the exercise of his infinite Power and Ability. So that while he governs us by such Rules and Laws, as are convenient to his own Nature, his own Greatness and Power, which exalts him above all other

Law or Authority, sufficiently warrants him so to do. And being thus rightfully enthroned by the infinite Preeminence of his own Power and Majesty, all other Be∣ings so far as they are capable stand im∣mutably obliged to submit and resign them∣selves up to his Government.

BUT besides that we are obliged to him as he is God, we are also bound to him as he is our Creatour. For there is always a Power acquired by Benefits, where there is none antecedently; especially where the Be∣nefit confer'd is no less than that of our Be∣ing, which is the case between us and God. And this is such a Benefit as is sufficient to entitle him to us, by an absolute and unalie∣nable Propriety, though he had no antece∣dent right of Dominion over us by virtue of his own infinite Greatness. So that though before he created us or any other Being, he had free Power to act any thing that lay within the compass of just and lawful, which just and lawful was undefineable by any other Law but that of his own Nature; and though since his Creation his Power is no more than so, (so that he hath not ac∣quired to himself any new Power by crea∣ting us, but only made new Subjects where∣on to exercise that ancient Power, and Do∣minion which was eternally inherent in him)

yet doubtless by giving us our Beings, he hath laid new Obligations upon us to obey him. For now deriving our selves, as we do, from him, we are bound by all the ties of Equity and Justice to render back our selves to him, and to submit those powers to his Dominion, which are the effects and off-spring of his Bounty. For what can be more just and equal, than that that Will which is the Cause of our Beings, should be the Law and Rule of our Actions; then that we should serve him with those Powers we derived from him, and render him back the fruits of his own Plantation? For now we are not our own but Gods, and He alone hath power to dispose of us; and whensoever we dispose of our selves contrary to his Will and Pleasure, we do not only invade his Property, but employ the spoils of it against him. And whilst we continue thus doing, it is impossible we should ever be happy. For besides that while we continue in Re∣bellion against him, we are in an actual Con∣federacy with Hell; for so when we are told that Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft, that is, Rebellion against God, the meaning is, that like Witches, we are in League with the Devil, and are listed Volunteers under those infernal Powers, who for blow∣ing the Trumpet of Rebellion in Heaven

were banished thence six thousand years ago, and have ever since been raising Forces in this lower World against God; so that whilst we continue with them in Defiance to God, we are in the Devils Muster-Roll, who is Captain General of all the revolted Legions, and so are of the quite opposite Party to the Loyal people of Heaven, and consequently can never hope while we con∣tinue such to be admitted to their Society and Happiness; besides all this, I say, Re∣bellion against God doth naturally draw a Hell of Miseries after it. For it cannot be supposed that the wise Sovereign of the World, should be so unconcerned for his own Authority, as to suffer his Creatures to spurn at and affront it without ever ma∣nifesting his Displeasure against them in some dire and sensible Effects. And there∣fore though in this Life which is the time of our Tryal and Probation, he mercifully for∣bears us to lead us to Repentance; yet if we leave this Life with our Wills unsubdued and unresigned to him, we must not expect to be thus gently dealt with in the other. For it is as easie for him who is the Father of our Spirits, to correct our Spirits, as 'tis for the Parents of our Flesh to correct our Flesh. And though our Souls are no more impressi¦ble with material stripes, than Sun-beams are

with the blows of a hammer; yet are they liable to have horrid and dismal thoughts impress'd upon them, and to be as much ag∣grieved by them, as sensible Bodies are with the most exquisite Torments. So that if God be displeased with us there is no doubt but he can imprint his Wrath upon our Minds, in black and ghastly thoughts, and cause it perpetually to drop like burning sulphur on our Souls. And it being in his Power thus to lash our Spirits, to be sure, when once he is implacably incensed against us (as he will be in the other World if we go Rebels thi∣ther) he will more or less let loose his Power upon us, and make us feel his wrathful Re∣sentments, by infusing supernatural Hor∣rours into our Souls, and scourging our guilty and defenceless Spirits with inspira∣tions of dire and frightful Thoughts. Now though this be not a natural and necessary Effect of our Rebellion against God, because it depends upon his Will who is a free A∣gent; yet considering that he is a wise Agent, and that as such it is necessary he should one way or other manifest his Displeasure against such as are unreclaimable Rebels to his authority, it is next to a natural one; and at least the fearful Expectation of it in such rebellious spirits (which is a misery next to the enduring it) is necessary and una∣voidable.

For God hath imprinted a dread of his own Power and Majesty so deeply on our Natures, that we are not able with all our arts of Self-deceit wholly to obliterate and deface it; and though in this life we may sometimes suppress and stupifie our Sense of God, yet even here in despight of our selves, 'twill ever and anon return upon us. And if when we have done what we know is offensive to that invisible Majesty we stand in aw of, we do but suffer our selves seriously to reflect upon it, there pre∣sently arises in our minds a swarm of horrid Thoughts and dismal Expectations; and if in this present State in which we have so many Salvo's for our wounded spirits, so many Pleasures and Self-delusions to charm our natural dread of God, our overcharged Consciences do notwithstanding so often re∣coil upon us, and alarm us with such dismal abodings; what will they do hereafter, when all those Pleasures are removed, and all those Self-delusions baffled with which we were wont to sooth and divert them. Then doubtless we shall be continually stung with sharp and dire Reflections, and our Consciences like tragick Scenes be all hung round with the Ensigns of Horrour; then shall the dread of God perpetually haunt us like a grim Fury, and the terrour

of his offended Majesty strike us into an everlasting Trembling and Agony. For so S. James tells us, that the Devils themselves do believe and tremble, James ii.19. they be∣lieve that there is an Almighty Being above them, and are conscious that they are in actual Rebellion against him, which makes them horribly afraid of his vengeance; and yet such is the inveterate devilishness of their Natures, that they will by no means hearken to a Submission, but in despight of their own Dread and Horrour, do still per∣sist in an open Defiance to their Almighty Enemy, and so tremble and sin, and sin and tremble for ever. And so shall we, if we go into the other World habitual Rebels to God; our deep and inveterate malice against him will still hurry us on to incense and pro∣voke him, and then our natural Dread of his Power and Majesty will break into fright∣ful and horrible Thoughts, and so be con∣tinually revenging upon us those our con∣tinual provocations of him. For then our soul will be nakedly exposed to the lash of its own furious thoughts, and have no shield to defend it self against the terrours of its guilty Conscience, which being rouzed up and kept awake by the unintermitting Sense of our misery, will be always clamouring upon us, and continually torturing us with

black and horrid Reflections. So that whilst we are wandering among wretched Ghosts, through those dismal shades below, we shall be perpetually meditating Horrours, and never leave lashing our selves with our own sharp and terrible thoughts, till we have chased our selves into Furies, and boiled up our self-condemning Rage into an everlast∣ing Madness. Thus as our sense of our un∣likeness to God will ever fill us with Shame and Confusion, so will the sense of our Re∣bellion against him continually strike us into Fear and Amazement.

TO prevent which, our holy Religion, which doth so industriously consult our Happiness, requires us now to submit our selves to God, James iv.7. to live to God, Gal. ii.19. to present our selves living sacri∣fices, holy and acceptable to God, Rom. xii.1. to yield our selves unto God, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God, Rom. vi.13. the sense of all which is, that we should endeavour, so to affect our Minds with the sense of Gods Authority over us, and with the manifold Reasons of our obedience to him, as to be firmly and constantly resol∣ved within our selves, neither to chuse any thing that he forbids, nor to refuse any thing that he commands; that we should set him up a Throne in our Hearts, a fixt and pre∣vailing

Resolution of Obedience, that there∣in he may sit and reign, and have the ab∣solute Empire and Command of all our in∣ward Motions and outward Actions; in a word, that we should acquire such an ha∣bitual Respect to and Reverence of his sovereign Authority, that no temptation from within or without us, may be able to countermand it, or to seduce us from our duty into any wilful course of Rebellion against him. And when once we have fra∣med our minds into this obediential Tem∣per, we are in a forward preparation for Heaven. And though by reason of those Remains and Reliques of corrupt Nature that are in us, which are here continu∣ally excited by the many Temptations a∣mong which we live, we may find reluctant and counter-striving Principles within us; a stubborn Appetite contending against an obedient Will, and sometimes upon Surprize or Inadvertence over-powering it; yet if we heartily bewail this as our Unhappiness, and if when we thus fall we weep and rise again, and take more care of our steps for the fu∣ture, we shall carry with us when we go from hence into the other World a Will that is habitually resigned to God; and so being there removed from all the Temptations that were wont to excite in us those con∣trary

Appetites and Inclinations, we shall immediately become all Duty and Obedi∣ence, and freely give up our selves to God without the least shadow of Contest, or Re∣luctancy. And in this blessed State we shall continue for ever, so intirely devoted to God that between him and us there shall ever be one common Will, and End, and In∣terest; and our Hearts which before were in a great measure set and tuned to the Heart of God, will be instantly such perfect Vni∣sons with it, that whensoever, or whatso∣ever he speaks, we shall still resound and eccho to him, from our inmost bowels, with unspeakable Chearfulness and Alacrity.

AND being thus reduced to a perfect Submission to the Will of God, we shall therein find our selves incomparably happy. For now our Wills being always determi∣ned by the Will of God, we shall be per∣fectly eased of all the Trouble and Distraction of chusing. Now our Minds will no longer hover in Suspence, nor be divided between contrary Reasons, but all its thoughts will glide gently on in a calm and even Current, without ever being tossed and bandied to and fro by cross and opposite Deliberations. For now it no sooner knows the Will of God, but it rests in it immediately with a free Assent, and uncontrolled Approbation;

so that upon new Occasions it's free from the trouble of forming new Choices and Resolu∣tions, being already fixt under all Events to one steady Course of Motion, and immo∣vably resolved whatever befals, ever to do what God would have it. And its will thus perfectly acquiescing in God as in its proper Place and Element, it will no longer dispute as it was wont to do, no longer waver be∣tween two Loadstones, but always obey upon the first Motion, and follow him for ever without Deliberation. In which happy state we shall be no longer ground between those coutermoving Milstones, the law in our Minds, and the law in our Members, but being intirely resigned to God we shall ever obey him secundo flumine, with a full Cur∣rent of Inclination, and Nature. And what a mighty Ease must this be to the Soul; especially considering that by being thus entirely subject to God, it will not only be released from the Trouble of chusing and de∣liberating, but also throughly warranted of the Goodness and Rectitude of its own Choices. For so far as we are subject unto God, our Wills are his, and so are our Acti∣ons too; and whilst they are so, we can have no reason to mistrust, either that they are bad in themselves, or that he is angry and displeased at them. For his Will we

know is governed by his Nature, which is the Standard of Good and Evil, the Law and Measure of Right and Wrong; so that while we will and act as he would have us, we have a sufficient warrant for what we do; a warrant that will for ever bear us out and justifie us to our own Minds, and al∣ways render us abundantly satisfied with our selves; so that we shall not only always acquit but always reverence our selves, and our Conscience will not only cease to shame us, but be continually applauding and smi∣ling upon us, and instead of those impor∣tunate Clamours with which it was wont to entertain us, its constant eccho to all our actions will be well done good and profitable servant. So that being entirely determined by the Will of God, which never varies from the Law of his Nature, we shall be perfectly satisfied with our selves, and for ever chuse and act without the least Mistrust or Hesitance. And then our Wills being perfectly subject to his, and all our powers of action entirely at his Devotion, we shall never have the least ground to fear or sus∣pect his Displeasure, but be always fully satisfied that he loves us, that we are dear and pretious in his Eyes, and that to Eter∣nity he will respect and look upon us with the smiles of an unchangeable Complacency.

The sense of which will ravish our Hearts and for ever fill us with joy unspeakable and full of glory. So that whereas rebellious Souls are perpetually haunted with two restless Furies, viz. the shame of their guilt and the fear of their danger, which even here do give them more disturbance than all their sins can pleasure, and delight; when once we are perfectly subjected to God, we shall be for ever discharged of them both, and then will our happy minds be always as couragious as Truth, and as confident as Innocence it self.

AND as by our perfect Submission to God, we shall be wholly released from the trouble of chusing, and sufficiently warrant∣ed in our own Choices, so we shall be abun∣dantly satisfied both of the Wisdom and Success of them. For then we shall be assu∣red, even by a sweet and happy Experience, that whatsoever God commands us to do he most certainly knows that it is for our good, and that that is the Reason why he commands it. So that when we are entirely subjected to God, our Choices and Actions will be all directed by an infallible Wisdom to our own good. For while we chuse what God would have us, our Wills are guided by Gods Wisdom, and so in every genuine act of Obedience we are as infallible

as Omniscience it self. When therefore we are perfectly resigned to God, we shall al∣ways will and act with as much Confidence and Assurance of a happy and prosperous Success as if we our selves were infinitely wise, and had a perfect Comprehension of all possible Issues and Events. And whilst wretched Rebels grope about under the Conduct of their own blind Wills, and for the most part do they know not what, and go they know not where themselves, but live by chance, and act at random; our Wills and Actions being wholly steered by an All-wise Will, that never fails to measure them by the best Rules, and point them to the best Ends, we shall be always sure of our hands, and know infallibly before hand that every thing we will or do shall conspire to our own good. And this will enable us to perform the ever∣lasting Race of our Obedience, with an un∣speakable Freedom and Alacrity, and al∣ways render us wondrous light, and nimble, and expedite in our Operations. For where∣as when men know not what may happen upon such an Action, and are not able to pry out all those hidden Events, that lurk in the Womb of their own Designs, they always act with Caution and Anxiety, and are doubtful and tremulous in their Motions; when once we are sure of a good Event, we

still go on with Courage, and Chearfulness; and so we shall ever do, when we ever per∣fectly will and act under the command of God. For now we shall always see good Issues before us, and be firmly assured from that infallible Wisdom which governs his Will, and by his ours, that every thing we will or do shall be crowned with a happy Effect. And this will for ever wing our Souls with an unwearied Vigour and Acti∣vity, and render each act of our Obedience unspeakably sweet and delightful to us. And now O blessed mind! what Tongue or Thought can reach thy happiness; who living in a most perfect Subjection to an All-good and All-wise Will, art never in the least concerned or troubled to debate and deliberate what to chuse, but dost ever∣lastingly embrace and follow what an in∣finite Goodness, and an infinite Wisdom hath chosen for thee!

VI. AS we are reasonable Creatures re∣lated to God, we are also obliged chearfully to trust in and depend upon him. For as he is the Prop and Center of all the moulder∣ing Creation, the Almighty Atlas, that bears it upon his Shoulders, and keeps it from sinking into Ruine, we and every Creature in Heaven and Earth do hang up∣on him, and draw our breath from him,

and if he shake us off but for a moment, we presently drop into nothing and perish. For could we exist of our selves this present moment, we might as well have done so the moment before, and may as well do so the moment after, and so backward and forward to all Eternity; and unless we had such a Fulness of Essence in us, as to exist of our selves from all eternity past to all eternity to come, it is impossible we should exist so much as one moment without new supplies from the infinite and independent Fountain of Being. And what can be more fit or reasonable than that we who are thus born up by him, should freely trust in and depend upon him; than that we should build our Hope upon the Prop of our Existence, and make him the Stay of our Confidence in whom we live and move and have our being? Especially considering what a proper Object of Trust and Dependance he is; and that not only as he is the sovereign Di∣sposer of all those Issues and Events which concern us, but also as he is infinitely Wise, and always understands what is good or hurtful to us, and as he stands engaged both by his own essential Goodness, and free Promise never to fail those that put their Trust in him, but to manage all their Affairs to their everlasting Interest and Ad∣vantage.

And in whom can we more ra∣tionally confide than in a Being of infinite Wisdom, Goodness and Power; that always knows what is best for us, that always wills what he knows so, and always does what he wills? All which considered, its certainly incomparably more to our Interest and Ad∣vantage, that our Concerns should lie in his hands, and be managed as he sees best, than that every thing should happen to us accord∣ing to our own Will and Desire. For there are innumerable things which in the natural Series and Order of Causes are concomitant and consequent to every Event, the greatest part of which are out of the Sphere of our Cognizance; by reason of which it is im∣possible for us to make an infallible Judg∣ment of the good or evil of any Event that befals us; because though we may be secure that such an Event singly and apart by it self may be good or evil for us, yet for all we know there may be such Concomitants or Consequents inseparable to it, as may quite alter its Nature, and render that evil, which considered singly may be good for us, or that good which considered singly may be evil. We earnestly wish for such an Event, and are very confident it would be mighty ad∣vantagious to us; but alas! if it should be∣fal us, according to the Series of things a

thousand others must, and what they wil•• prove we are not able to prognosticate; but for all we know, the Mischief of them may abundantly out-weigh the Benefit of this. And this being so, how extremely unfit are we to make Choices for our selves, since in most particulars 'tis almost an equal lay whether what we chuse will prove our Food or our Poison? But now God being the su∣preme Orderer and Disposer of things, and having the first link of every Chain of Cau∣ses in his own hands, must needs have an intire Comprehension of all the intermediate ones, from the beginning to the end; and his Power being not only the cause of all actual Events, but also of the possibility of those that shall never be actual, he must needs discern the utmost Issues and Conco∣mitants of every possible, as well as of every future Event, and perfectly understand not only what will be beneficial or injurious to us, but also what might be so. So that 'tis impossible for him to be mistaken in his Choices, because he knows as well before hand what things would be to us if they were, as what they are when they do actu∣ally exist. Upon the whole therefore 'tis doubtless of inestimable Advantage to us, to be in the hands of God; and verily next to Hell it self, I know nothing that is more

formidable than for God to let us alone, and give us up to our own Wills and Desires. And should he call to us from Heaven, and tell us, that he was resolved to cross our Desires no more, but to comply with all our Wishes, let the event prove good or bad, we should have just reason to look upon our selves as the most forlorn and aban∣doned Creatures on this side Hell, as Per∣sons excluded from the greatest Blessing that belongs to a Creature; and if we had any hope of his re-acceptance of us, it would be infinitely our Interest to resign back our selves, and all our concerns to him, and on our bended knees to beseech him above all things not to leave us to our selves, or throw us from his Care and Conduct. It being therefore upon all accounts so highly fit and reasonable, and so much to our Interest and Advantage, that we should freely trust our selves, and all our Affairs into the hands of God, and depend upon him for the good success of all our honest Endeavours and Undertakings; that we should acquiesce in his Disposal of things, and under all out∣ward events be pleased and satisfied with his Conduct, as knowing that howsoever things may happen to us, they cannot be otherwise than as the wise and good God is pleased either to permit, or to order and

determine them; this I say being so fit in it self, and so much for our Interest, it is impossible that without it we can be happy either here or hereafter. For since both our Being and Well-being are wholly dependent on the Will of God, and we can neither be, nor be happy one moment longer than he pleases, how is it possible we should ever be quiet, and satisfied in our own minds without a great Assurance of and Confidence in him? When we consider what a mighty Stake we have in his hands, how all our Fortunes lie at his feet, and how easily he can frown us into nothing, or spurn us into a Condition ten thousand times worse than nothing when ever he pleases, how can we be otherwise secure in our own minds, or avoid being eternally anxious and solicitous, but by firm∣ly relying on his Truth and Goodness; to the want of which is to be attributed all that carking Care, tormenting Fear and dis∣quieting Thoughtfulness, which perpetually haunts the minds of men. They are sen∣sible that their Condition is dependent, and that it is not in their own Power, either to make it what they would have it, or to se∣cure and continue it when it is made so; they know that by a thousand Chances which in despight of their Foresight or Pow∣er may happen, the next moment either

themselves may be snatched from what they possess, or what they possess may be snatch∣ed from them; they find that their most probable Designs are liable to innumerable Miscarriages, and that when they have formed their Projects never so wisely, there are infinite cross Accidents may intercurr and dash them in pieces; and in this uncer∣tain State of their Affairs, they either think not of God at all, but live at the Courtesie of a fickle Chance, and leave themselves to be tossed, and bandied to and fro at the pleasure of a blind and undesigning Fortune, upon whose ever-moving Wheel their wea∣ried thoughts can never rest; or if they think of God, it is with great Mistrust and Despondency; they fear he will not be re∣gardful enough of them, nor prove so kind to them as they could wish, and are possest with an obstinate opinion that 'twould be much better for them to be their own Car∣vers, than to live at his Disposal and Allow∣ance. And hence proceed all those Anxie∣ties and Discontents, those fretting Cares, dismaying Fears, perplexing and misgiving Thoughts, which do continually gaul and disquiet them; and from these their thorny disquietudes it is impossible they should ever be wholly free, no not in Heaven it self, till they have wrought their Minds to

a perfect Trust and Confidence in God. For we shall be altogether as dependent upon God for our heavenly, as we are for our earthly Happiness; because, though all those Acts of heavenly Virtue, in which our heavenly Happiness consists, will be much more in our own Power, than any of these worldly goods are, yet they will be no longer in our Power than God shall think fit to enable us to chuse, and act, and to support us in our Being and Existence, which then we shall sensibly perceive entirely de∣pends upon the All-enlivening vigour of his vital breath. And therefore though he hath promised to continue our being in that most blessed State for ever, yet unless we per∣fectly trust in his Veracity, our Minds will be continually disturbed with anxious and misgiving Thoughts; we shall be afraid lest one time or other he should forget his Promise, and upon some unknown Reason or Emergency withdraw from us that In∣fluence of his All-upholding Power, upon which our Being and Well-being depends, and let us drop into Nothing. And the greater our Happiness is, the more we should be afraid of losing it; because we should be always sensible that it entirely depends up∣on the Pleasure of God, whose Truth and Goodness, we could not perfectly confide in.

So that were we placed in the midst of Hea∣ven with a misgiving, distrustful Mind of God, that would imbitter all the joys of it, and give them a harsh and ungrateful Fare∣wel. For the fearful Apprehensions we should continually have of being thrust out of Heaven again, and tumbled headlong from all our Glory, would be such a conti∣nual Affliction to us, that we should even pine away our happy Eternity, for fear of being eternally deprived of it. So impossible it is for any dependent Being to be happy, without an entire Trust and Confidence in God upon whom its Being and Happiness depends.

AND therefore the Gospel to render our future Happiness compleat, endeavours to train us up before-hand to a firm and per∣fect Confidence in God, by making it an essen∣tial part of our duty to commit the keeping of our souls to God in well-doing, 1 Pet. iv.19. to trust in the living God who gives us all things richly to enjoy, 1 Tim. vi.17. not to trust in our selves but in God who raiseth the dead, 2 Cor. i.9. to believe in God, and not be troubled at any Events which happen to us in this world, John xiv.1. and not to cast away our confidence, Heb. x.35. and the like; the Sense of all which is, to press and engage us to a constant and chearful Relyance upon

God, and to endeavour to affect our minds with a deep sense of his over-ruling Provi∣dence, and a full Assurance of the Goodness of all those great Designs he is driving on in the World; and accordingly to acquiesce in, and embrace all Events as the tokens of his Love and Favour, and always to live upon this Persuasion, that it is infinitely better for us to be in Gods hands than in our own, and that he knows much better how to di∣spose of us, and our affairs than we do, and that he will take care to dispose of them as much to our advantage as we our selves should, if we knew as much as he doth. Now though by reason of those strong Impressions which sensible things in this Life of Sense make upon us, we should not always be able so firmly to rely upon, and repose our selves in Gods invisible Power, as not to be at all disquieted about the Issues and Events of things; yet if by frequent acts of Trust and Relyance on him, we have so disposed our minds to confide in him, as that by looking up to his over-ruling Providence, we can ordinarily stay and support our selves, a∣midst the Changes and Revolutions of this world; if when a storm of Adversity hangs lowring over, or showers down upon us, we can flie to God for shelter, and promise our selves Safety and Protection under the

out-stretched wings of his Providence; in a word, if when we smart, we can ordinarily hope in him, and rest persuaded that under his gracious Conduct and Disposal, all things shall work together for our good; this our imperfect, wavering Hope and Dependance, shall in the other life be immediately ripen∣ed into a most perfect Confidence, and Assu∣rance. For there we shall be wholly remo∣ved from this Life of Sense, by which our Trust in Gods invisible Providence is very much weakned and distracted; and besides we shall have much quicker and clearer ap∣prehensions of his Nature, and of the infi∣nite Reasons we have to confide in him. And then when after all the threats of a tem∣pestuous Voyage, we shall find our selves landed in a blessed World, and possessed of all its promised Glories, this mighty Expe∣riment of Gods Fidelity and Goodness, will immediately settle our predisposed minds, into such an immovable Confidence in him, as that from thenceforth no Fear or Distrust will ever find the least access to our thoughts, but we shall be so perfectly assu∣red of his Truth and Goodness, that though we shall feel our selves sustained and blest every moment by the arbitrary Influences of his Benignity and Power, yet we shall be as confident for ever of the continuance of

our bliss, as we could be, if we did self-exist, and held the eternity of our Being and Happiness as independently as God doth his. For though our Condition will be ever dependent, yet'twill be ever depen∣dent upon such a foundation as can no more fail than Gods own Life and Being; viz. upon his Veracity and Goodness, both which are so essential to him, as that he cannot exist without them. And knowing our selves so firmly secured in this our de∣pendent State, as that we can never sink unless God himself sink under us, we shall be to all Eternity not only as safe, but as satisfied in it, as if we were every one a God to himself; and in this blessed Secu∣rity we shall quietly enjoy God and our selves for ever. So that our Trust and Con∣fidence in God will crown the Pleasure of all our other Virtues, by giving us full Security of an everlasting Fruition of it. For now the ravished mind will have no fear or di∣strust to cramp or arrest it, in its blessed ope∣rations; no anxious Thoughts of a sad futu∣rity to sower its present enjoyments; but 'twill enjoy all Heaven every moment, in a fearless Security of enjoying it all for ever. And when it shall perfectly love, contem∣plate and adore God, with a sure and cer∣tain Confidence, of contemplating, loving and

adoring him perfectly for ever, O! how un∣speakably will this enhance the Pleasure of those beatifical Acts! For now in every moment of all our blessed Eternity, we shall still have the Joy of a blessed Eternity to come; and besides all those Pleasures which each present moment of our heavenly Life shall abound with, we shall still have the Pleasure of a Prospect of infinite Ages of Pleasure. And thus the blessed mind, you see, by its perfect Dependance upon God, consummates its own Heaven, and secures it self for ever in a most quiet and undi∣sturbed Enjoyment of it.

BY all which I think it sufficiently ap∣pears, how much each of these Divine Vir∣tues, which as rational Creatures we are obliged to exert, and exercise upon God, contributes to our heavenly Happiness; and consequently, how indispensably necessary our present Practice of them is to dispose and capacitate us to enjoy it.

SECT. III. Concerning the Social Virtues, shewing that these also are included in the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life, and that in their Natures they very much contribute to our Heavenly Happiness.

MAN of all sublunary Creatures is the most adapted for Society. For though the greatest part of other Creatures do covet Society, as well as he, yet he alone is fur∣nished with that gift of Nature which ren∣ders Society most pleasant and useful, and that is the gift of Speech. By means of which we can express our Thoughts, and maintain a mutual Intelligence of Minds, with one another; and thereby divert our Sorrows, mingle our Mirth, impart our Secrets, communicate our Counsels, and make mutual Compacts and Agreements to supply and assist each other. And in these things consists the greatest Vse and Pleasure of Society. And as of all Creatures we are the best fitted for Society, so we stand in the greatest need of it. For as for other Creatures, after they come into the World they are much sooner able to help themselves than we; and after we are most able to help

our selves, there are a world of Necessaries and Conveniences without which we cannot be happy, and with which we cannot be supplied without each others aid and assist∣ance; which in an unsociable State of Life we should of all Creatures in the World be the most indisposed to render to one ano∣ther. For as Aristotle de Repub. lib. 1. pag. 298. hath observed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 As man in his perfect state is the best of all Animals, so separated from Law and Right he is the worst. For out of Society we see his Nature presently degenerates, and in∣stead of being inclined to assist, grows al∣ways most salvage and barbarous to his own kind. Since therefore we have so much need of each others help, Society is abso∣lutely necessary to cherish and preserve in us our natural Benevolence towards one another, without which instead of being mutually helpful, we should be mutually mischievous. For as the same Philosopher hath observed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Id. ibid. He that cannot contract Society with others, or through his own Self-sufficiency doth not need it, belongs not to any Commonwealth,

but is either a wild Beast, or a God. We being therefore so framed for Society, and under such necessities of entring into it, it hence necessarily follows, that being asso∣ciated together, we are all obliged in our several Ranks and Stations so to behave our selves towards one another as is most for the Common Good of All; and that since the Happiness of each particular Member of our Society redounds from the Welfare of the Whole, and is involved in it, we ought to esteem nothing good for our selves that is a Nuisance to the Publick. Because what∣soever this suffers, I and every man suffer; and unless I could be happy alone, that can never be for my Interest in particular, that is against my Interest in common. Now in such a mutual Behaviour as most conduces to our common Benefit and Happiness as we are in Society with one another, consists all Social Virtue; the proper Use and Design of which is to preserve our Society with one another, and to render it a common Blessing to us all. And hereunto five things are necessary, viz.

1. That we be charitably disposed to∣wards one another.

2. That we be just and righteous in all our Intercourses with each other.

3. That we behave our selves peaceably in our respective States and Relations.

4. That we be very modest towards those that are Superiour to us in our Society, whether it be in Desert or Dignity.

5. That we be very treatable and con∣descending to all that are Inferiour to us. Under these Particulars are comprehended all those Social Virtues upon which the Welfare and Happiness of Humane Society depends. Now that the Practice of all these is included in the Christian Life, and doth effectually conduce to our everlasting Hap∣piness, I shall endeavour particularly to prove. And

I. AS rational Creatures associated and so related to one another, we are obliged to be kindly and charitably disposed towards each other. For the end of our Society being mutually to aid and assist one another; it is necessary in order hereunto that we should every one be kind and benevolent to every one, that so we may be continually inclined mutually to aid and do good Offices to one another. And so far as we fall short of this, we fall short of the End of our Society. For to be sure the less we love one another, the less prone we shall be to promote and fur∣ther each others Welfare, and consequently the less Advantage we shall reap from our

mutual Society. But if instead of loving, we malign and hate each other, our Society will be so far from contributing to our Hap∣piness, that it will be only a means of ren∣dring us more miserable. For it will only furnish us with fairer Opportunities of do∣ing Mischief to one another, and that mu∣tual Intercourse we shall have by being uni∣ted together in Society will supply us with greater Means and Occasions to wreak our spight upon each other. For Society puts us within each others reach, and by that means (if we are enemies) renders us more dangerous to one another; like two adverse Armies, which when they are at a Distance can do but little hurt, but when they are joined and mingled never want opportuni∣ties to destroy and butcher one another. So that Hatred and Malice, you see, renders our Society a Plague, and we were much better live apart poorly and solitarily, and withdraw from one another as Beasts of Prey do into their separate Dens, than con∣tinue in one anothers reach, and be always liable, as we must be while we are in Soci∣ety, to be baited and worried by one another.

AND as Hatred and Malice spoils all our Society in this Life, and renders it worse than the most dismal Solitude, so it will also in the other. For whensoever the Souls

of men do leave their Bodies, they doubt∣less flock to the Birds of their own Feather, and consort themselves with such separate Spirits as are of their own Genius and Tem∣per. For besides that good and bad Spirits are by the eternal Laws of the other World distributed into two separate Nations, and there live apart from one another, having no other Communication or Intercourse but what is between two Hostile Countries that are continually designing and attempting one against another; so that when wicked Souls do leave this Terrestrial Abode and pass into Eternity, they are presently incor∣porated by the Laws of that invisible State into the Nation of wicked Spirits, and con∣fined for ever to their most wretched So∣ciety and Converse; besides this, I say, Like∣ness doth naturally congregate Beings, and incline them to associate with those of their own Kind. Now Rancour and Malice is the proper Character of the Devil, and the natural Genius of Hell; and conse∣quently 'tis by a malicious Temper of Mind that we are naturalized before-hand Sub∣jects of the Kingdom of Darkness, and qua∣lified for the Conversation of Furies. So that when we go from hence into Eternity, this our malignant Genius will render us utterly averse to the friendly Society of

Heaven, and naturally press and incline us to consort with that wretched Nation of spightful and rancorous Spirits, with whom we are already joined by a Likeness and Communion of Natures. But O! much better were it for us to be shut up all alone for ever in some dark Hole of the World, where we might converse only with our own melancholy Thoughts, and never hear of any other being but our selves, than to be continually plagued with such vexatious Company! For though we who are specta∣tors only of Corporeal Action, cannot discern the manner how one Spirit acts upon ano∣ther; yet there is no doubt but Spiritual Agents can strike as immediately upon Spi∣rits, as bodily Agents can upon Bodies; and supposing that these can mututually act up∣on one another, there is no more doubt but they can mutually make each other feel each others Pleasures and Displeasures, and that according as they are more or less pow∣erful, they can more or less aggrieve and afflict one another. And if so, what can be expected from a company of spightful and malicious Spirits joined in Society together, but that their Conversation should be a continual Intercourse of mutual Mischiefs and Vexations? especially considering how they here laid the foundation of an eternal

Quarrel against one another. For there all those Companions in Sin will meet, who by their ill Counsels, wicked Insinuations, and bad Examples did mutually contribute to each others Ruine; and being met in such a woful State; how will the torment∣ing sense of those irreparable injuries they have done each other, whet their Fury a∣gainst and incite them to play the Devils with one another? And what can be ex∣pected from such a Company of waspish Beings, so implacably incensed against one another, but that being shut up together in the infernal Den, they should be perpe∣tually hissing at, and stinging each other? But then besides those mutual plagues which these furious Spirits must be suppo∣sed to inflict upon one another, they will be also nakedly exposed to the powerful Malice of the Devils those fierce Executio∣ners of Gods righteous Vengeance, who, as we now find by Experience, have power to suggest black and horrid Thoughts to us, and to torture our Souls with such dreadful Imaginations as are far more sharp and ex∣quisite than any bodily Torments. And if now they have such Power over us, when God thinks fit to let them loose, what will they have hereafter, when our wretched Spirits shall be wholly abandoned to their

Mercy, and they shall have free Scope to exercise their Fury upon us, and glut their hungry Malice with our Griefs and Vexa∣tions? It seems at least a mighty probable Notion, that that horrid Agony of our Sa∣viour in the Garden which caused him to shriek and grone, and sweat as it were great Drops of Blood, was chiefly the effect of those preternatural Terrours, which the De∣vils, with whom he was then contesting, impressed upon his innocent Mind. And if they had so much Power over his pure and mighty Soul, that was so strongly guarded with the most perfect and unspotted Virtues, what will they have over ours when we are abandoned to them, and thrown as Preys into their Mouths? With what an Hellish Rage will they fly upon our guilty and ti∣morous Souls, in which there is so much Tinder for their injected Sparks of Horror to take fire on?

SINCE therefore Rancour and Malice doth so naturally incline and hurry our Souls towards the wretched Society of De∣vils and damned Spirits, the Gospel which so industriously consults our Happiness, takes all possible Care to train us up in Charity and mutual Love; and makes it a Principal, as well as necessary Part of our Christian Life, heartily to love one ano∣ther.

For this, as our Saviour tells us, is the Darling Precept which lay next to his Heart; this is my Commandment that ye love one another, Joh. xv.12. And accordingly we are bid not only to follow after Charity, 1 Cor. xiv.1. and to do all things with Chari∣ty, 1 Cor. xvi.14. but also to put on Charity above all things, Col. iii.14. and to dwell in Love, which the Apostle tells us, is to dwell in God who is Love, 1 Joh. iv.16. The intent of all which is, to oblige us to bear an uni∣versal good Will to all, and to take an hearty Complacency in all that are truly lovely; to be ready to contribute to and rejoice in every ones Good and Welfare, and in a word, to live in the continual exercise of all those charitable Offices which our present State and Condition requires and calls for. To be courteous and affable, and to treat all those we converse with with an obliging Look, a gentile Deportment and endearing Lan∣guage. To be long-suffering, mild and easie to be entreated; not to break forth into Rage and Storm upon every petty Provocation, and when we are justly provoked not to suffer our Displeasure to fester into Malice and Rancour, but to be forward and easie to be reconciled. To be of a compassionate and sympathizing Temper, and to rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep with those

that weep. To be candid Interpreters of Men and their Actions; to be ready to mi∣tigate and excuse their Faults and put fair Comments on their Actions; and to be so far from making malicious Glosses on their innocent Meaning, from proclaiming their Mis∣carriages, and rejoicing in their Falls, as not to believe ill of them but upon undeniable Evidence, and when we are forced to do so, to pity and lament them, and endeavour and pray and hope for their Reformation. In short, to be benign and bountiful to the ne∣cessitous and distressed, and to endeavour according to our Ability to allay their Sor∣rows, remove their Oppressions, support them under their Calamities, and counsel them in their Doubts; to be ready to every good Work, and like Fields of Spices to be scattering our Perfumes through all the Neighbourhood; and all this out of an ho∣nest and sincere purpose to promote their Good, and not meerly to acquire to our selves a popular Vogue and Reputation. All which are essential Parts of that Charity which the Gospel enjoins us to exercise to∣wards one another. For so the Apostle as∣sures us, 1 Cor. xiii.4, 5, 6, 7. Charity suf∣fereth long, and is kind, charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not

her own, is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

NOW though there be several Acts of Charity that will cease for ever in Heaven, such as long-suffering, giving of Alms and forgiving of Injuries, and the like; because among the People of Heaven there will be none of the Faults or Miseries about which these Acts are conversant; yet even the Pra∣ctice of these is indispensably necessary to temper and dispose our Minds to heavenly Charity, which till we are disposed to by universal Love, we shall never be capable of exercising; but since all virtuous Dispo∣sitions are acquired by Acts, it is impossible we should acquire the Disposition of uni∣versal Love, unless we universally practise it. 'Tis by giving Alms that that we must acquire cordial Charity to the poor and nee∣dy; and by forgiving Injuries that we must dispose our selves to love those that offend us. For these Acts are Causes as well as Signs of a charitable Temper, and are ne∣cessary not only to signifie it where it is, but also to produce it where it is not. When therfore by acting all those Parts of Cha∣rity which are proper to this as well as the other State, we have acquired this blessed

Disposition of universal Charity, our Minds are fairly framed and tempered for the So∣ciety of Heaven. And though in the per∣petual Justle and Tumult of this World some little Piques and Displeasures should now and then arise in our Minds, yet if in the cool and standing Temper of our Souls we are hearty Well-wishers to all Men, and hearty Lovers of all that do in any measure love and resemble God, we are in a natural Tendency to Heaven, that perfect Element of Love, and when we go from hence shall consort our selves with unspeakable Joy and Alacrity with those great and blessed Lovers that inhabit it. Who being all of them most amiable and Godlike Souls, that are every one of the same Temper with our selves, being touched at the same Loadstone and made partakers of the same Divine Nature, we shall immediately close and join with them in the strictest Unions of Love. For those heavenly People being all of them most flagrant Lovers of God, are so united in him who is the common Center of Love, that no Saint or Angel can enjoy his Love without possessing a proportionate Degree of theirs; and their Love of one another being all subordinate to their common Love to God, and grounded upon it, though their strongest Inclination, like that of excited

Needles, be still towards him the blessed Magnet at which they have every one been touched, yet do they all stick fast to one another, being clung inseparably to∣gether by those attractive Virtues which they have all derived from him. And in this state of perfect Friendship they converse together with unspeakable Pleasure, and all their Conversation is a perpetual Inter∣course of wise and holy Endearments. And now what a blessed Society must this be, wherein perfect Love and Friendship reigns and hath an All-commanding Empire; where every Heart mingles with every one, and all like precious dusts of Gold, are melt∣ed together into one solid Ingot; where in∣finite Myriads of blessed Spirits, by inter∣changeably clasping and twining with one another, are so inseparably united and grown together that they are all but one compound∣ed Soul! And when from the highest Angel to the lowest Saint they are all so tied toge∣ther by the Heart-strings that every one is every ones dear Friend, what inexpressible Content and Complacency must they needs take in one another! When I shall pass all Heaven over through ten thousand millions of blessed Beings, and meet none but such as I most dearly love and am as dearly be∣loved by, O! what unspeakable Rejoicings

and Congratulations will there be between us! Especially when I shall find no Defect either of Goodness or Happiness in them, nor they in me, to damp our mutual Joy and Delight in each other; but every one shall be what every one wishes him, a per∣fect and a blessed Friend. For perfect Lovers have all their Joys and Griefs in common between them; but the Heavenly Lovers having no Griefs among them, do only com∣municate their Joys to one another. For where they love so perfectly as they do in Heaven, there can be no such thing as a private or particular Happiness, but every one must have a share in every ones; and consequently in this their mutual Commu∣nication of Blisses, every ones Happiness will, by his Friendship to every one, be multiplied into as many Happinesses as there are Saints and Angels in Heaven; and so every Joy of every Member of the Church Triumphant runs round the whole Body in an eternal Circulation. For that blessed Body being all composed of consenting Hearts, that like perfect Unisons are tuned up to the same Key, when any one is touched, every one ecchoes and resounds the same Note; and whilst they thus mutually strike upon each other, and all are affected with every ones Joys, it is impossible but that, in a State

where there is nothing but Joy, there should be a continual Consort of ravishing Harmo∣ny among them. For such is their dear Concern for one another, that every ones Joy not only pays to, but receives Tribute from every ones; so that when any one blessed Spirit rejoices, his Joy goes round the whole Society; and then all their re∣joicings in his Joy reflow upon, and swell and multiply it; and so as they mutually borrow one anothers Joys, they always pay them back with Interest, and by thus re∣ciprocating do everlastingly increase them.

II. AS we are rational Creatures related to one another, we are obliged to be just and righteous in all our Intercourses with each other. To yield to every one whatsoever by any Kind of Right, whether natural or acquired, he can demand or challenge of us. For there are some things to which every Man hath a Right by Nature as he is a Part or Member of Humane Society. As for in∣stance, Life, which is the Principal of all our Actions and Perceptions, is freely lent us by God, who is the Source and Fountain of Life; and consequently till God resumes his Loan, or we forfeit it by our own Acti∣ons, we have all a natural Right to live, and for any man to attempt to deprive us of our Life, or of our Means of living, is

the highest Injury and Injustice. Again, Words being instituted for no other End but to signifie our Meaning and to be the Instrument of our Intercourse and Society with one another, every one who is a Mem∣ber of Humane Society hath a Right to have our Meaning truly signified to him by our Words, and whosoever lies or equivocates to another, doth thereby injuriously de∣prive him of the natural Right of Society. Again, a good Name being the Ground of Trust and Credit, and Credit the main Si∣new of Society, till men have forfeited their good Name, they have a natural Right to be well reputed and spoken of; and whoso∣ever either by false Witness, publick Slan∣ders, or private Whisperings, endeavours to attaint an innocent Mans Reputation, doth thereby injuriously attempt to exclude him from the Conversation of Men, and shut the Door of Humane Society against him. Once more, Promises being the great Security of our mutual Intercourse and So∣ciety with one another, every Man that hath a Right to Society hath a Right to what another promiseth him, provided it be but lawful and possible; and therefore for any man to promise what he intends not to perform, or to go back from his Promise when he lawfully may and can perform it,

is an Act of unjust Rapine; and I may eve∣ry whit as honesty rob another Man of what is his without my Promise, as of what I have made his by it; he having an equal Right to both by the fundamental Laws of Society. In fine, the great Design of our Society being to help and assist one another, every Man has a Right to be aided and as∣sisted by every one with whom he hath any Dealing or Intercourse; to have some share of the Benefit of all that Exchange, Traffick and Commerce which passes between him and others; and therefore for any man in his Dealings with others to take Advantage from their Necessity or Ignorance to oppress or over-reach them, or to deal so hardly by them as either not to allow them any share of the Profit which accrues from their Deal∣ings, or not a sufficient share for them to subsist and live by, is an injurious Invasion of that natural Right which the very End and Design of Society gives them. But then besides these natural, there are also acquired Rights; and such are those which either by legal Constitution or by mutual Compacts and Agreements we are seized and vested with; which Constitutions and Compacts be∣ing absolutely necessary to the upholding and regulating of humane Societies, it is no less necessary that all those Rights which

they confer should be inviolably preserved; and whosoever knowingly or wilfully takes away or detains from another what he is thus entitled to by Law or Agreement, is guilty either of a Fraud or a Robbery, either of which is an unjust Violation of the Rights of humane Society. So that the Practice of Justice and Righteousness, as it is confined to humane Society, consists in not intrench∣ing either upon the natural or acquired Rights of those with whom we have any Dealing or Intercourse; in not endeavour∣ing to deprive them either of their Lives or Livelihoods, unless by their own Actions they forfeit them to us; in imparting our true Meaning to them by our Words, and neitheir hiding it under Lies and Falshoods, nor disguising it with equivocal Reserva∣tions; in making good to them all our law∣ful and possible Promises, in not falsely as∣persing their good Names and Reputations, nor suffering them to be falsely aspersed when we are able to vindicate them; in neither using them cruelly in our Dealings, so as wilfully to damnifie them, nor hardly so as either to rake all the Advantage to our selves, or not to allow them such a compe∣tent share of it as is necessary to support and maintain them: in a word, not to de∣fraud or rob them of any thing which either

by Constitution of Law, or by Compact and Agreement they have a Right to. This is civil Righteousness, and without this it is impossible that any Society should be happy. For how can any one be secure in a Society where Violence and Rapine, Falshood and Oppression reign; where Causes are decided not by Rules of Justice but by dint of Power, and the strongest Arm is the sole Arbitrator of Right and Wrong; where Pro∣mises and Professions are only Traps and Snares, and every man lays Ambushes in his Words, and lurks behind them in reserved Meanings, only to await an Opportunity to surprize and ruine every one he converses with? It would doubtless be far more eli∣gible for Men to disperse and disband their Society and live apart as Vermin do, and subsist by robbing and filching from one ano∣ther, than live together as they must in such a State of Injustice like Bundles of Briars and Thorns, and out of their mutual Jea∣lousies and Distrusts be continually tearing and scratching one another.

NOW, as I shewed you before, what Mens Tempers are here, such will their Company be hereafter. So that if we go out of this World with an unrighteous Tem∣per, we must expect to be confined in the other to an unrighteous Society; and if Un∣righteousness

be such a Nuisance to our So∣ciety in this Life, what a Plague will it be to it in the Life to come? For the most bar∣barous Societies of Men in this Life, have some Remains of Justice and Equity among them; and though the best of them have many corrupt Members that are bad in the main, yet whether it be by their natural Temper, or their Fear of Punishment or Disgrace, or by their Sense of Honour or Checks of Conscience, they are frequently restrained from many bad things, and par∣ticularly from Dishonesty and Injustice; by which means their Society is rendred much more tolerable. But in the other Life, as they are all perfectly good that are in the Society of the good, so they are all per∣fectly wicked that are in the Society of the wicked; and whatsoever Checks there may be in their Natures to any particular Acts of Wickedness, they are there all born down by their inveterate Malice against God, and outragious Despair of ever being reconciled to him. So that in all their Society with one another there is not the least Intermix∣ture of just and righteous Intercourse, but all their Conversation is Falshood and Trea∣chery, Violence and Oppression, and what∣soever else is hurtful and injurious to one another. For the Devil who is the sovereign

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Prince of their Society, is described in Scri∣pture to be the Father of Lies, and a Mur∣therer from the beginning, that is, a most outrageously unjust and unrighteous Being, one whose whole Trade hath been to cheat and deceive, to rook men of their Happi∣ness, and mask his murtherous Intentions against them with dissembled Smiles, and fawning Endearments. And doubtless Regis ad exemplum is true there as well as here; the miserable Vassals of his dark Kingdom do all imitate his Manners and tread ••n his Footsteps. And if so, O! good Lord what woful Society must they have with one ano∣ther! When by reason of their continual Experience of each others Falshood and In∣sincerity, all mutual Trust and Confidence is banished from among them, and every one is forced to stand upon his own Guard in continual Expectance of Mischief from every one. When all their Life is a Trade of dia∣bolical Knaveries, and their whole Study is to do and retaliate Injuries, and the main Business of this their hellish Society is to circumvent and play the Devils with one another. Doubtless this alone is enough to make Hell a most dreadful State though there were nothing else dreadful in it; and I verily believe, if it were left to my own Option, I should much rather chuse to lan∣guish

out an Eternity in some dismal Dun∣geon alone, and there converse only wlth my own silent Griefs, than to dwell for ever in the Garden of the World accompa∣nied with such false and villanous Creatures.

THAT this therefore may not be our Fate hereafter, it is a great Part of the Bu∣siness of our Holy Religion to train us up for better Company, by inuring us before-hand to the Practice of Righteousness and Justice. For so it obliges us to do unto men whatsoever we would that men should do unto us, Mar. vii.12. that is, so to deal with every man as if we had exchanged persons with him, and he were in our place, and we in his. And in particular it enjoins us to be harmless as Doves as well as wise as Ser∣pents, Mat. x.16. to converse in the World with simplicity and godly sincerity, 2 Cor. i.12. to keep up an honest conversation in the world, 1 Pet. ii.12. not to lie to one another, Col. iii.9. not to go beyond or defraud our brother in any matter, 1 Thess. iv.6. The sense of all which is, to oblige us to main∣tain a strict Integrity in all our Professions and Intercourses with men, and not to allow our selves in any Course of Action which the Laws of Justice and Sincerity disapprove; to measure our Words by our Meaning, and our Meaning so far as we are able, by the

Truth and Reality of things; to converse among men with a generous Openness and Freedom, and with as little Reserve and Dis∣guise as is possible and prudent, considering what a treacherous and ill-natured World we have to deal with; to be what we seem, and not to paint ill Meanings with smiling Looks and smooth Pretences; to notifie our Intentions and unfold our Hearts, and, so far as innocent Prudence will admit, to turn our selves inside outwards to all we converse with; to give to every one his due and not to intrench upon other mens Rights, whether it be to their Lives or Li∣berties, Reputations or Estates: in a word, to weigh to our Neighbours and our selves in the same Balance, and to do to them whatsoever we could reasonably wish they should do to us, if we were in their Persons and Circumstances. By the Practice of which excellent Rules our Mind will by de∣grees be refined and purified from all Di∣sposition to Fraud and Injustice; and then when we go from hence into Eternity we shall carry thither with us such a just and righteous Frame of Mind, such an honest Plainness and Integrity of Temper as will immediately qualifie and dispose us for the Society of just men made perfect, who find∣ing us already united to them in Disposition

and Nature, will joyfully receive us into their blessed Communion. And now, O! the blessed State we shall be in, when being stripped of all Partiality and unjust Desire, of all Insincerity and Craftiness of Temper, we shall be admitted into a Nation of just and righteous People, where every one has his appropriate Seat and Mansion of Glory, and is so perfectly contented with it that he never covets what another enjoys, so that every one possesses what is his own with∣out the least suspicion of being ejected by a subtiler or more powerful Neighbour; where being perfectly assured of each others Inte∣grity, they converse together with the great∣est Openness and Freedom, and in all their Language, whatsoever it be, do read their Hearts and convey their Intentions to one another; where their Souls converse face to face, and do freely unbosom themselves to one another without the least Disguise or Dissimulation; so that in all their Society there is no such thing as a Secret or Mystery, but they are all Bosom Friends to one ano∣ther, and every one has a Window into every ones Breast! O! blessed God what a most happy Conversation must such just Souls as these enjoy with one another, from whose Society all Fraud and Falshood, Vio∣lence and Oppression is for ever banished!

For whilst they live together as they do in the continual Exercise of perfect Righteous∣ness and Integrity, they can neither design upon nor suspect one another, and so conse∣quently must needs converse together with infinite Security and Freedom. And being all of them thus inviolably safe in each o∣thers Sincerity and Justice; every one en∣joys his proper Rank and Degree of Glory without Fear or Disturbance, and freely com∣municates his wise and excellent Thoughts to every one without any Strangeness or Reserve. Thus all Heaven over there is a most perfect Freedom of Conversation a∣mong those righteous People that inhabit it, and every one is every ones Neighbour, and every ones Neighbour is as Himself. For in all their Communication and Intercourse they mutually exchange Persons with one another, and there is no one doth that to another which he would not gladly have done to himself in the same Condition and Circumstances. So that none of them all can possibly be aggrieved because they are every one dealt by just as they would be, most fairly, most righteously and faithfully. And hence there can be no Grudges among them, no Whisperings, Backbitings or spight∣ful Misrepresentations, because every one likes what every one does, and so they are

all perfectly satisfied with one another. And thus you see in the Exercise of perfect Righ∣teousness and Integrity all the Society of Heaven is rendred perfectly happy.

III. AS we are rational Creatures related to one another we are obliged to behave our selves peaceably in our respective States and Relations. For Society being nothing but an united Multitude, it is indispensably ne∣cessary to the preservation of its Union, that every Individual Member of it should peace∣ably comport himself towards every one in that Degree and Order wherein he is placed. Because, as the Health of natural Bodies depends upon the Harmony and Agreement of their Parts, so doth the Prosperity of So∣cieties or political ones. For 'tis Peace and mutual Accord which is the Soul that doth both animate and unite Society and keep the Parts of it from dispersing and flying abroad into Atoms, which nothing but Force and Violence can hinder them from, when once they are broken into Discords and Dissentions. So true is that of our Sa∣viour, A Kingdom divided against it self can∣not stand. For besides that Division im∣pairs the strength of a Society, which like an impetuous Stream being parted into se∣veral Currents runs with far less force, and is much more easily forded; for the several

Factions that are in it are like the several Nations in a Confederate Army, which though they be all united into one Body have several contrary Interests and Designs, which divides their Councils and sows Jea∣lousies among them, and so renders them not only less able to withstand the Force of an unanimous Enemy, but also less willing to aid and assist one another; besides this, I say, Faction and Discord naturally disunite and separates Society, as it dissolves the Bond of Peace which holds it together. For a Society without Peace is but an aggrega∣ted Body whose Parts lie together in a con∣fused heap, but have no Joints or Sinews to fasten them to one another; for want of which instead of mutually assisting, they do but mutually load and oppress each other; which must necessarily divide their Wills and their Interests, and when that is done 'tis only external Force that hinders them from dividing and separating their Society. Upon this account therefore every man is obliged, as he is a Member of Humane So∣ciety, to comport himself peaceably with all men; because otherwise he will necessarily render himself a publick Pest and Nuisance. For so long as he is of an unquiet and turbu∣lent Spirit, instead of being an Help he must necessarily be a Disease to every Commu∣nity

of which he is a Member; and if those with whom he is joined were all of his Hu∣mour and Spirit, it would be much better for them all to live asunder in the most so∣litary Condition, than to continue in So∣ciety together; because instead of helping and assisting they would be sure to be con∣tinually vexing and plaguing one another.

IF therefore we go into the other World with an unquiet and quarrelsome Temper, we shall be thereby inclined to and prepa∣red for the most wretched and miserable Society, even the Society of those factious Fiends that could not be quiet even in Hea∣ven it self, but raised a Mutiny before the Throne of God, and for so doing were dri∣ven thence, and damned to keep one ano∣ther Company in endless Misery and De∣spair. The Souls of men therefore being by the Laws of the Invisible State always assigned to that Society of Spirits where∣unto they are most connaturalized in their Temper, we must expect, if we go into Eter∣nity with turbulent and contentious Minds, to be thrust into the Society of Devils and damned Ghosts, with whom we are already joined in a strict Communion of Natures. And O! what a dreadful thing must it be, to be forced to spend an Eternity in such wretched Company! Verily methinks the

most horrid and frightful Idea I can form in my own Mind, is, that of a company of snarling and quarrelsome Spirits, crouded like so many Scorpions and Adders into a Den together, and there forced by the Ve∣nomousness of their Temper to live in con∣tinual Mutiny, and be perpetually hissing and spitting Poison at one another. For though those words of our Saviour, Mat. xii.25, 26. imply that Satans Kingdom is not divided, yet they are not to be so under∣stood as if there were any such thing as Peace or Concord among those rancorous Spirits, for that is impossible to be imagined; no, doubtless they would be divided eter∣dally if they could, being such continual plagues as they are to one another, and think it a mighty Happiness to be shut up all alone in separate Dens, where they might never see nor hear of one another more; but being chained together as they are by an adamantine Fate, which they cannot withstand, they consent in this and in this only, to oppose all good Designs, and do the utmost Mischief they are able. But as to all their other Intercourses they are con∣tinually embroiled, and do live in an eter∣nal Variance with one another. So that their Society is like that Monster Scylla, whom the Poets talk of, whose inferiour

parts were a company of Dogs that were perpetually snarling and quarrelling among themselves, and yet were inseparable from one another as being all of them parts of the same substance.

WHEREFORE since to be united by indissoluble Ligaments to this wretched So∣ciety will be the certain Fate of all factious and contentious Souls, our blessed Religion, whose great Design is to advance our happi∣ness, hath taken abundant care to educate our Minds in Quietness and Peace. For hi∣ther tend all those Precepts of it which re∣quire us to follow peace with all men, Heb. xii.14. to be at peace among our selves, 1 Thess. v.13. to follow after the things that make for peace, Rom. xiv.19. to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Eph. iv.3. to be of one mind and to live in peace, 2. Cor. xiii.11. and if it be possible, and as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men, Rom. xii.18. in a word, to mark them that cause divisions among us, and avoid them, Rom. xvi.17. and to do our part that there be no divisions among us, but that we be per∣fectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgement, 1 Cor. i.10. The Design of all which is to bind us over to the Study and Practice of Vnity and Concord, and restrain us by the strictest Obligations

from all schismatical, factious and turbulent Behaviour in those sacred or civil Societies whereof we are Members. And unless we do sincerely endeavour to fulfil these Obli∣gations, however we may monopolize God∣liness to our own Party, and claw and cano∣nize one another, we are Saints of a quite different strain from those blessed ones a∣bove, and are acted by the factious Spirit of the Devil, whose Business it is to foment Divisions, and kindle Disturbances and Commotions wherever he comes. This therefore must be our great Care if we de∣sign for Heaven, to root out of our Tem∣pers all Inclination to Contention and Dis∣cord, and to compose our selves into a se∣date and peaceable, calm and gentle frame of Spirit; and not only to avoid all unnecessary Quarrels and Contentions our selves, but so far as in us lies be Peace-makers between others, and preserve a friendly Union with and among our fellow members. And if through humane Frailty and Infirmity, through our own Ignorance or the plausible Pretences of Seducers, through the too great Prevalence of our worldly Interest or the Principles of a bad Education, it should be our Misfortune to be insensibly misled into unwarrantable Dissents and Divisions, yet still to keep our Minds in a teachable

Temper, and our Ears open to Truth and Conviction; to be desirous of Accommodation, and willing to hear the Reasons on both sides, and as soon as we are convinced of our Error to repent of our Division and im∣mediately return to Vnity and Peace.

WHICH if it be our constant Practice and Endeavour, we shall by Degrees form our Minds into such a peaceable and amica∣ble Temper, that when we go into the other World where we shall be perfectly disen∣gaged from all temporal Interests, and throughly convinced of all our erroneous Prejudice, our Souls will be effectually con∣tempered to the quiet and peaceable Society of the Blessed; who having no private In∣terests to pursue, no particular Affections to gratifie, no Ends or Aims but what are common to them all, which is to adore and imitate and love that never-failing Spring whence all their Felicity flows, it is im∣possible there should be any Occasion ad∣ministred by any of them of any Schism or rupture of Communion. And so those happy People live in the most perfect Unity and Concord, as being all united in their Ends and tied together by their heart-strings. For they having no counter Opinions or cross Interests to divide them, nothing but Truth shining in their Minds, nothing but

Goodness reigning in their Wills, it is im∣possible there should be any dissenting Bro∣ther among them, any Non-conformist to the blessed Laws of their Communion; but conspiring together as they do in the same Mind and Interest, and in the same peace∣able Intentions and Affections, they must needs walk hand in hand together in a most perfect Vniformity. So that if we would live for ever with these blessed Folk, we must now endeavour to calm and compose our selves into their Temper; to discharge our Minds, as much as we are able, of every froward and contentious Humour, and re∣duce our Wills to a perfect loathing of them; that so being qualified for their Society we may be admitted to it when we go away from this wrangling World. And then how unspeakably happy shall we be, when with Minds perfectly refined from all Contention and Bitterness we shall be received into the Company of those calm and sedate Spirits, and bear our part in their sweet and placid Conversation, wherein they freely commu∣nicate their minds to one another without the least Fierceness or Insolence, Captiousness or Misconstruction, Clamour or Contention for Victory, and do eternally discourse over the wise things of Heaven and still perfectly concenter both in their Vnderstandings and

Wills; wherein like so many Stars in Con∣junction they mingle Light with one ano∣ther, and do peaceably communicate the treasures of their Knowledge without the least bandying or Controversie. For though some of them do doubtless know much more than others, yet there being no Intermix∣ture of Error in the Knowledge of any, it is impossible they should oppose or contradict one another, because whatsoever is true, agrees with every thing that is true. And being thus united in Mind and Judgment, they freely communicate their Thoughts without ever disputing one anothers Sen∣tences, which renders it impossible for them ever to quarrel or disagree. So that all their Communion is a perfect Concord of Souls; wherein there is no such thing as a Schism or Division, as passing cruel Cen∣sures or affixing hard Names or bandying Anathema's at one another, but in Mind and Heart they are all as perfectly one as if they were all animated by one and the same Soul. And thus they live unspeak∣ably happy in the mutual Exercise of an everlasting Peace, and all their Conversation with one another is perfect Harmony with∣out Discords.

IV. AS we are rational Creatures rela∣ted to one another, we are obliged modestly

to submit to our Superiours, and chearfully to condescend to our Inferiours in those re∣spective Societies whereof we are Members. These two I put together, because they are Relatives, and as such do mutually explain and contribute light to each other. Now it being necessary to the Order and End of all Societies that their Members should be distinguished into superiour and inferiour Ranks and Stations; that some should be trusted with the power of Commanding, and others reduced to the condition of Obedi∣ence, that so in this regular Subordination they may every one in their several stations be obliged to aid and assist each other, and according to their several Capacities to con∣tribute to the good of the Whole; which in a state of Equality (wherein every Man would be absolute Lord of himself) cannot be expected, considering the different Hu∣mours and Interests by which Men are act∣ed; this I say being upon this account ne∣cessary, it is upon the same Reason equally necessary that they should mutually per∣form those Offices to one another, which are proper to their respective Ranks and Stations. That Superiours should look up∣on themselves as Trustees for the Publick Good, who are entrusted with Authority over others not to domineer and gratifie

their own imperious Wills, but to provide for and secure the Common-weal; and con∣sequently to take care that they do not prostitute their Power to their own private Avarice or Ambition, but that they employ it for the Common Good and Benefit of their Subjects and Inferiours; that they be ready to do them all good Offices, to com∣passionate their Infirmities, consult their Conveniencies, and comply with all their reasonable Supplications; considering that for this End they derived their Authority from God who is the Fountain of Authori∣ty, to whom they are accountable for their good and bad Administration of it. And so for the Inferiours, it is no less necessary for the Common Good, that they perform their parts towards those that are above them; that they behave themselves towards them, with all that Loyalty and Modesty, Respect and Submission which their Place and Authority calls for; that they reverence them as the Vicegerents of God, and address to them as to sacred Persons, and render a chearful Obedience to that divine Autho∣rity that is stampt upon all their just Laws and Commands; considering that in their several Degrees, they represent the Person of the great Sovereign of the World, to whom we owe an intire Subjection, and

consequently are in every thing to be obeyed and submitted to, that he hath not expresly countermanded. For that Subjects and Su∣periours should thus behave themselves to∣wards one another, is indispensably neces∣sary to the Welfare of all Societies. For whilst the Inferiours of any Society do ob∣stinately refuse to submit to the Will of their Superiours, and the Superiours to condes∣cend to the Common Good of their Infe∣riours, they are contending together, either for a Confusion or a Tyranny; and if the Su∣periours prevail Tyranny follows, if the Inferiours, Confusion; either of which is extremely mischievous, not only to the So∣ciety in general, but to each of the con∣tending Parties, For if Confusion follows, 'tis not only the Superiour Party suffers by being deposed from its Authority, but the Inferiour too by being deprived of Prote∣ction, and exposed to one anothers Rapine and Violence; and if Tyranny follows, 'tis not only the Inferiour Party suffers by being forced upon a rigorous and uneasie Obedi∣ence, but the Superiour too, by being con∣tinually perplexed how to force and extort that Obedience; and thus both Parties suf∣fer under the bad effects of each others Misdemeanour. So that to make our So∣ciety happy, it is necessary, that whether

we be Superiours or Inferiours, we should be of a gentle, yielding and treatable Tem∣per; that so which Rank soever we are placed in, we may be pliable either way, to a fair Condescension, or a just Submission. For whilst we are of obstinate, perverse and untractable Tempers, we are neither fit to be Superiours nor Inferiours, but must neces∣sarily be Plagues and Grievances to our So∣ciety, which Rank or Order soever we are placed in. And though in this life we have not always such a sensible Experience of the Evil and Mischief of this malignant Temper, because now it is counter-influ∣enced by those more meek and auspicious ones that are in Conjunction with it; yet when we go into Eternity, we shall be con∣signed to such a Society of Spirits as are all throughout of our own Genius and Temper. For as in the Society of the Blessed there is a Conjunction of every Vertue in every Member, so there is of every Vice in the Society of the Wicked; who do not only retain those Vices in their Natures, which they were here inclined and addicted to, but are also continually excited to all other Vices they are capable of, by their inve∣terate Enmity against God, which in that miserable estate is perpetually enraged, by their Despair of being ever reconciled to

him. So that whatsoever wicked Temper we carry with us into Eternity, we shall be sure to meet with it in every individual Member of the Society of the Wicked, and consequently if we carry thither with us a perverse and untreatable Temper that will not endure either to submit or condescend, we shall be sure to find the same Humour reigning throughout all the Society of the Wicked. And then being eternally united to it, (as we must expect to be if we are allied to it by Nature) in what a miserable state shall we be, when every Member of our Society shall be of the same unconversable Temper with our selves, and we shall find none that will comply with, or endeavour to sooth and mollifie our Obstinacy; when all our whole Society shall consist of a Com∣pany of stiff and stubborn Spirits that will neither submit to, nor bear with one another, but every one will have his will upon every one, so far as he is able to force and extort it; when those that are superiour in Might and Power, do all rule with a fierce and ty∣rannical Will, and will condescend to nothing that is beneficial for their Subjects; and those that are inferiour do obey with a per∣verse and stubborn Heart, and will submit to nothing but what they are forced and compelled to, and 'tis nothing but meer Power

and Dread by which they rule and are ruled: in a word, when they all mutually hate and abominate each other, and those that com∣mand are a Company of cruel and imperious Devils that impose nothing but Grievances and Plagues, and those that obey are a Com∣pany of surly and untractable Slaves, that submit to nothing but what they are driven to by Plagues; so that Plagues and Grie∣vances, are both the Matter and the Motive of all their Obedience and Subjection; when this, I say, is the State of their Society with one another, how is it possible but that they should be all of them in a most wretched and miserable Condition? For where all is trans∣acted by Force and Compulsion (as to be sure all is among such a Company of perverse and self-willed Spirits) there every one must be supposed to be, so far as he is able, a Fury and a Devil to every one; and those that do compel are like so many salvage Ty∣rants continually vexed and enraged with stubborn Oppositions and Resistances, and those that are compelled like so many obsti∣nate Gally-Slaves are continually lashed in∣to an unsufferable obedience, and forced by one Torment to submit to another; and thus all their Society with one another is a per∣petual Intercourse of mutual Outrage and Violence.

THIS being therefore the miserable Fate and Issue of a perverse and stubborn and un∣tractable Temper, the Gospel whose great design is to direct us to our Happiness, doth industriously endeavour to root it out of our Minds, and to plant in its room a gentle, obsequious and condescending Disposition. For hither tend all those Evangelical Precepts which require us to become weak to the weak that we may gain them, 1 Cor. ix.22. to bear with their infirmities, Rom. xv.1. and sup∣port them, and be patient towards them, 1 Thess. v.14. And on the other hand, to submit our selves to our Elders, 1 Pet. v.5. and to those that have the rule over us, Heb. xiii.17. to obey our Magistrates, our Parents, and our Masters, to be subject to Principali∣ties, and not speak evil of Dignities, to ho∣nour Kings and submit to their laws, and Go∣vernours, 1 Pet. ii.13, 14. in a word, to ho∣nour all men as they deserve, 1 Pet. ii.17. and to hold good men in reputation, Phil. ii.19. and in honour to prefer one another, Rom. xii.10. The sense of all which is, to oblige us to treat all men as becomes us, in the Rank and Station we are placed in; to honour those that are our Superiours whether in Place or Vertue, to give that modest Defe∣rence to their Judgments, that Reverence to their Persons, that Respect to their Vir∣tues,

and Homage to their Desires or Com∣mands, which the Degree or Kind of their Superiority requires; to condescend to those that are our Inferiours, and treat them with all that Candour and Ingenuity, Sweetness and Affability, that the respective Distances of our State will allow; to consult their Conveniencies, and do them all good Offi∣ces, and pity and bear with their Infirmi∣ties, so far as they are safely and wisely tole∣rable. By the constant Practice of which, our minds will be gradually cured of all that Perverseness and Surliness of Temper, which indisposes us to the respective Duties of our Relations; of all that Contempt and Selfish∣ness which renders us averse to the proper Duty of Superiours, and of all that Self-Conceit and Impatience of Command which indisposes us to the duty of Inferiours. And our Wills being once wrought into an easie pliableness either to Submission or Con∣descension, we are in a forward Preparation of Mind to live under the Government of of Heaven, where doubtless under God the supream Lord and Sovereign, there are num∣berless Degrees of Superiority and Inferio∣rity. For so some are said to reap sparingly and some abundantly, some to be Rulers of five Cities, and some of ten, some to be the least, and some the greatest in the Kingdom

of Heaven; all which implies, that in that blessed State, there is a great Variety of Degrees of Glory and Advancement. And indeed it cannot be otherwise in the Nature of the thing; for our Happiness consisting in the Perfection of our Natures, the more or less perfect we are, the more or less happy we must necessarily be; for every farther Degree of Goodness we attain to, is a wide∣ning and enlargement of our Souls for far∣ther Degrees of Glory and Beatitude. And accordingly when we arrive at Heaven which is the Element of Beatitude, we shall all be filled according to the Content and Measure of our Capacities, and drink in more or less of its Rivers of Pleasure, as we are more or less enlarged to contain them. So that according as we do more and more improve our selves in true Goodness, we do naturally make more and more Room in our Souls for Heaven, which doth al∣ways fill the Vessels of Glory of all sizes, and pour in happiness upon them till they all overflow and can contain no more. Since therefore they are all of them entirely re∣signed to, and guided by right Reason, there is no doubt but in these their different De∣grees of Glory and Dignity, they mutually behave themselves towards one another, as is most fit and becoming; and that since

under God the Head and King of their So∣ciety, there is from the highest to the low∣est a most exact and regular Subordination of Members, they do every one perform their Parts and Duties towards every one, in all those different Stations of Glory they are placed in, and consequently do submit and condescend to each other, according as they are of a superiour or inferiour Class and Order. So that if when we go from hence into the other world, we carry along with us a submissive and condescending Frame of Spirit, we shall be trained up, and predi∣sposed to live under the blessed Hierarchy of Heaven; to yield a chearful Conformity to the Laws and Customs of it; and to render all the Honours to those above, and all the Condescensions to those beneath us in Glory, which the Statutes of that Hea∣venly Regiment do require; in doing where∣of we shall all of us enjoy a most unspeak∣able Content, and Felicity. For though in the Kingdom of Heaven, as well as the Kingdoms of the Earth, there are number∣less Degrees of Advancement, and Dignity, and one Star there, as well as here, differeth from another Star in Glory; yet so freely, and chearfully do they all condescend and submit to each other, in these their respe∣ctive differences of Rank and Station, that

in the widest Distances of their State, and Degrees of Glory, they all maintain the dearest Intimacies and Familiarities with each other; and neither those that are Su∣periour are either envied for their Height, or contemned for their Familiarity, nor those that are Inferiour despised for their Mean∣ness, or oppressed for their Weakness. For in that blessed State, every one being best pleased with what best becomes him, it is every ones Joy to behave himself towards every one as best becomes the Rank and Degree he is placed in; and those that are above, do glory in condescending to those that are below them, and those that are below, do triumph in submitting to those that are above them; and thus in all those Differen∣ces of Glory and Dignity between them, they alternately reverence their Superiours, and condescend to their Inferiours, with the same unforced Freedom and Alacrity, and so do eternally converse with one another (notwithstanding all their Distances) with the greatest Freedom, and most endearing Familiarity.

AND thus I have endeavoured to give you an account of the first sort of Means, by which Heaven the great End of a Chri∣stian is to be obtained; viz. the proximate and immediate ones, which comprehend

the Practice of all those Virtues, which as Rational Creatures related to God and one another we stand eternally obliged to; and shewed how they are all of them essential Parts of the Christian Life, and how Heaven it self consists in the Perfection of them.

SO that upon the whole, the best Defi∣nition I can give of the State of Heaven is this, That it is the everlasting, perfect Exer∣cise of all those Humane, Divine, and Social Virtues, which as Rational Animals, related to God, and all his Rational Creation, we are indispensably and everlastingly obliged to. And therefore since the only natural way, by which we can acquire and perfect these Vertues is Vse and Practice, it hence necessarily follows, that the Practice of them is the only direct and immediate Means, by which that Heavenly State is to be purcha∣sed and obtained.

SECT. IV. Wherein for a Conclusion of this Chapter some Motives and Considerations are proposed to persuade men to the Practice of these Heavenly Virtues.

IT having been largely shewn in the fore∣going Sections, that the Practice of all those Virtues which are included in the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life tends directly to∣wards the heavenly State, and naturally grows up into it; I shall now briefly con∣clude this Argument wth some Motives to persuade men to the Practice of them. And these I shall deduce,

• 1. From the Suitableness of them to our present State and Relation.
• 2. From the Dignity.
• 3. From the Freedom.
• 4. From the Pleasure.
• 5. From the Ease, and
• 6. And lastly, From the Necessity of them.

I. Therefore let us consider the Suitable∣ness of these Virtues to our present State and Relation. For in our Baptism, wherein we gave up our Names to Christ, we be∣come Denizens and Freemen of Heaven, and were received into a Covenant that upon

Performance of our Part of it actually intituled us to all its blessed Priviledges and Immunities. So that in that sacred Solemnity of our Initiation into the Chri∣stian Covenant, we contracted a strict Alli∣ance with the blessed People of Heaven, and became their Brethren and Fellow-Citizens. For so the Apostle tells us, Eph. ii.19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and for∣raigners, but fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God; and the houshold of God consists of the whole Congregation of the Saints, whether militant upon Earth or triumphant in Heaven. For so, Eph. iii.15. it is called the whole family of heaven and earth. So that we are Confederates with them in the same Covenant, even that by which they hold all the Joys and Glories they are possessed of; and if we will do as they have done, that is, perform the Con∣ditions of it, we shall be Cohabitants with them in the same Glory. We are adopted Children of the same Father with them, Members of the same Family, Coheirs of the Promise of the same Glory, Brethren of the same Confraternity and Corporation; and all the difference between them and us is only this, that we are abroad and they at home; we are on this, and they on t'other side Jordan; we in the Acquest and they in

the Possession of the heavenly Canaan; to which we are intitled as well as they, and that by the same Grant from the supreme Proprietor. So that by calling our selves Christians, we do in other words call our selves Brethren, Coheirs, and Fellow-Citizens with the blessed Inhabitants of Heaven. And what can be more suitable to such a Profession than for us to live as they do, in the continued Practice of all these heavenly Virtues? And what a shame will it be for us that are by Profession their Brethren, not to coppy and imitate their Behaviour; that we who are below Stairs in the same House and Family should abandon our selves to Sensuality and Devilishness, whilst our blessed Kindred above are entertaining themselves with those heavenly Pleasures which result from the perfect Exercise of all heavenly Virtue; that we should be neglect∣ing, provoking and blaspheming God, whilst they are contemplating and admiring, loving and praising, imitating and obeying him; that we should be cheating and defrauding, envying and despising, maligning and embroil∣ing one another, whilst they are conversing together with the greatest Freedom and In∣tegrity, with the most obliging Respects and Condescensions, and in the strictest Vnity and dearest Friendship? What a vile Reproach

are our wicked lives to the Conversation of these our Fellow-Citizens above? For while we profess our selves their Brethren, those who understand no better will be prone to suspect that they live as we do; and how would such a Suspicion tempt an ho∣nest Heathen to renounce Heaven, as the Indian King did, when he was told that the bloudy Spaniards went thither; and rather chuse to go down to the darkest Hell than to a Heaven that is peopled with such dia∣bolical Company? So that by our wicked and unsaint-like Lives, we take an effectual Course to bring Heaven it self into Disgrace, and to cast such a Slander on its blessed In∣habitants, as may justly expose them to the Scorn and Hatred of all those honest Minds that know them no otherwise than by us their unworthy and degenerate Fellow-Citi∣zens; and could those blessed Spirits look down from their Thrones of Bliss, and see what a Company of wretched Christians there are that claim Kindred with them, they would doubtless be ashamed of the Relation, and count themselves highly dis∣honoured and disgraced by it, and heartily wish that we would disown our Sins or our Baptism, and openly renounce their Alliance or more strictly imitate their Manners. And really 'tis a burning Shame that we should

profess our selves Fellow-Citizens with them for no other purpose but to scandalize and reproach them; and it were heartily to be wished even for the Credit of Heaven and of our blessed Brethren that inhabit it, that if we will not be so generous as to fol∣low their Example, we would at least be so honest as to renounce their Kindred, and not to claim a Relation to their Family meerly to shame and disgrace them.

II. CONSIDER the Honour and Dig∣nity of the heavenly Life. For if we may estimate Actions by the Examples from whence they are copied, as in other Cases we are wont to do, doubtless the most noble and honourable are such as are copied from the Lives of the glorious Inhabitants of Heaven. For besides that sublime Rank of Dignity whereunto they are advanced, as being the Courtiers and immediate At∣tendants of the Almighty Sovereign of Hea∣ven and Earth; a Dignity which by how much more it excells that of the greatest Potentate of this world, by so much more it authorizes the Examples of those that wear it; besides this I say, their Examples being the most perfect Copies and Imitations of the Life of God, are thereby rendred not only more eminent and glorious, but also more obliging and authoritative. For by

following them, we follow God, who is the Standard of all rational Perfection, and who by being the first and best in the whole kind of Rational Entities, is the supream Rule and Measure of them all. So that in imitating the blessed People above, we imi∣tate those who in their Place and Station do live at the same Rate as the great God doth in his, and regulate themselves by the same infallible Reason. We do what God himself would do if he were in our Place; and there is no other difference between his life and ours, but what necessarily arises out of our different States and Relations. And what more glorious thing can we do, than to live by the Pattern of their Lives, who live so exactly by the Pattern of God's? For the Example of living which those blessed People set us, is the Example of God at se∣cond-hand; 'tis his most rational Life tran∣scribed, so far as it is rationally imitable, that is, so far as it is honourable and glorious for a rational creature to transcribe it. For in the State of finite Creatures they live in a perfect Conformity to the same immuta∣ble Reason whereby God regulates himself in the State of an infinite Creator. So that their Example is an Imitation in kind of all those particular Excellencies in him, which they may and ought to imitate; and 'tis an

Imitation in general of that eternal Deco∣rum with respect to Conditions and States, which he constantly observes in all his transactions with his Creatures. And as their Example is a perfect Copy of God's, so 'tis a Copy fitted in all particulars for our Use and Imitation. For it doth not only describe to us all those particular Excellen∣cies in him which are to be imitated by us, but all those particular Duties to which that eternal Law of Equity and Goodness by which he governs himself in his State re∣quires of us in ours; and shews not only wherein we are to imitate him in kind, but also wherein we are to follow him in general, in doing what is most fit for us in the State and Relation of Creatures, even as he doth what is most fit for him in the State and Relation of a God and Creator. So that the Example of those heavenly Inhabitants is the Example of God himself, exactly fitted and attempered to the State and Condition of Creatures. For just as they live, the All-wise and All-good God himself would live, if he were in their State and Relation. Wherefore by imitating their heavenly Lives and Manners, we do our selves the greatest Right, and do most effectually consult the Glory and Honour of our own Natures. For whilst we tread in theirs, we tread in the

Footsteps of God, and have his glorious Example to warrant and justifie our Acti∣ons; we behave our selves as it becomes the Children of the King of Heaven, and so far as it consists with the condition of Crea∣tures, we live like so many Gods in the world; which is doubtless the utmost height of Honour and Glory that any rational Am∣bition can aspire to. So that methinks had we any spark of true Gallantry and Bravery of Mind in us, we should despise all other kinds of Life but this, and pity those gilded Bubbles that have nothing to boast of but their fine Cloaths and great Estates and emp∣ty Titles of Honour; we should look upon all other Dignities as the trifling Play-games of Children in comparison of this, of living like the great Nobility of Heaven, that do all live by the pattern of the Life of God.

III. CONSIDER the great Freedom and Liberty of a heavenly Life. So long as we live earthy and sensual Lives, our free∣born Souls are imprisoned in Sense, and all their Motions are circumscribed and bound∣ed within the narrow Sphere of sensitive Goods and Enjoyments. So that when we would follow our Reason, and do as that prescribes and dictates, we find our selves miserably hampered and intangled; the Lusts of our Flesh do hang like gyves so heavily

upon us, that when ever our Reason and Conscience call we cannot move with any Freedom, but are fain to labour at every Step, and after a few faint Essays are utterly tired under the weight of our reluctant In∣clinations. So that the good which many times we would we do not, the law in our Minds being counter-voted by the law in our Members. Our reason and conscience tell us that we ought to love God above all, to adore and worship him and surrender up our selves to his Command and Disposal; and we are many times strongly inclined to follow its Dictates and Directions; but alas when we come to put them in Execu∣tion, we find so many pull-backs within us, ••o many strong and stubborn Aversions to our good Inclinations, that we have not the power to do as we would, or to dispose of our selves according to our own most reaso∣able Desires, but like miserable Slaves that are chained to the Oar, we are fain to row on whithersoever our imperious Lusts do command us, though we plainly see we are running on a Rock and invading our own destruction. And as we are not free in this ill State of life to follow our Reason, so neither are we free to follow our Lusts. For as when we would follow our Reason, our Lusts cling about and intangle

us, so when we would follow our Lusts our Reason clogs and restrains us; and by objecting to us the Indecency and Danger, the infinite Turpitude and Hazard of our sinful Courses, lays so many Rubs in our way that we cannot sin with any Freedom, but whithersoever we go we walk like Pri∣soners with the Shackles of Shame and Fear on our heels. So that which way soever we turn our selves, we find that our Power to dispose of our selves is under a great Restraint and Confinement, and we can nei∣ther get leave of our Lusts to follow our Reason, nor of our Reason to follow our Lusts. For when we attempt the latter, our Reason curbs us with Shame and Fear; and when we endeavour the former, our Appetite bridles us with Dislike and Aver∣sation. In this extremity therefore what is to be done that we may be free? Why the case is plain, we must resolve to conquer either our Reason or our Lusts: if we con∣quer our Reason, (which we shall find by far the harder Task of the two) we shall acquire the Freedom of Devils and Brutes, the Freedom to do Mischief and wallow in the mire without Shame or Remorse; but if we conquer our Lusts, we acquire the Freedom of Men, yea of Saints and of An∣gels; the freedom to act reasonably with∣out

Reluctance or Aversation; and this being much more easily to be acquired than the former, I dare appeal to any mans Reason which of the two is in it self most eligible. If therefore we would vindicate our rational Freedom, we must resolve to shake off those slavish Fetters, our brutish and our devilish Appetites, that do so perpetually turmoil and incumber us in all our virtuous Attempts and rational Operations; we must tie up our selves from executing their Commands and serving their wicked Wills and Plea∣sures, and heartily resolve to act as it be∣comes us in the Capacity of rational Crea∣tures related to God and one another. And then though at first we must expect to find our selves confined and straitned by our vi∣cious Aversations, we shall be immediately released from all that Shame and Fear which did so continually curb us in the carreer of our Wickedness; and even our vicious Aver∣sation (if we couragiously persist in our good Resolution) will grow weaker and weaker, and be every day less and less combersome to us, till it is totally extinguished. And then we shall feel our selves intirely resto∣red into our own Power, and be able with∣out Check or Controle to dispose of our selves and all our Motions according as it shall seem to us most fit and reasonable; then we

shall act with the greatest Vigour and Free∣dom, having no counter-striving Principles to restrain or retard us, no vicious Aver∣sations on the one side, or guilty Shame or Fear on the other to counterpoize us in our rational Motions; then we shall move with∣out Check or Confinement in a large and noble Sphere, for we shall be pleased with what is fit and wise and good without any Re∣serve or Exception, and we shall do what we please without any Let or Hindrance. So that by ingaging our selves in the heavenly Life, we enter into a state of glorious Liber∣ty, and if we constantly persist in it and do still prevalently list to live as becomes us, we shall be more and more free to live as we list, till at last we are arrived into a per∣fect Liberty, wherein we shall live without Restraint or Controul, without check of Conscience, or reluctance of Inclination, which are the two main Bars that confine and straiten men in their Operations. If therefore we would ever be free, let us im∣mediately come off from our vicious Cour∣ses to the Practice of this divine and heavenly Life, wherein by degrees if we couragiously hold on we shall wear off those Shackles that do so miserably hamper and intangle us; and then we shall be intirely free to do whatsoever our reason dictates to us; then

we shall run the ways of Gods commandments, and like our blessed Brethren above be all Life and Spirit and Wing in the discharge of our Duty to him.

IV. CONSIDER the Pleasure of this heavenly Life. 'Tis true there is a sort of Pleasure that results from all the Acts of a sensual and earthly Conversation; but we find by Experience, that though in the pur∣suit it strangely allures and inchants us, yet in the Fruition it always disappoints our Expectation, and scarce performs in the En∣joyment one half of what it promised to our Hope; and at the best 'tis but a present and transient Satisfaction of our brutish Sense, a Satisfaction that dims the Light, sullies the Beauty, impairs the Vigour, and restrains the Activity of the Mind; diverting it from better Operations, and indisposing it to the fruition of purer Delights; leaving no comfortable Rellish or gladsome Memory be∣hind it, but oftentimes going out in a stink, and determining in Bitterness, Regret and Disgrace. But in each act of this divine and celestial Life, there is something of the Plea∣sure of Heaven, something of those divine Refreshments and Consolations upon which the good People of Heaven do live. For the greatest part of their Heaven springs from within their own Bosoms, even from

the Conformity of their Souls to the hea∣venly State and the sprightful out-goings of their Minds and Affections towards the heavenly Objects; from their contemplating and loving, their praising and adoring the most high God, from their Imitation of his Perfections, their Subjection to his Will, and Dependance on his Veracity; all which Acts, as I have already shewed, have the most ravishing Pleasures appendant to them, and are so necessary to the Felicity of rational Creatures, that the Wit of Man cannot fancy a rational Heaven without them. For the heaven of a rational Creature consisting in the most intense and vigorous Exercise of its rational Faculties about the most suitable and convenient Objects, what Object can be more convenient to such Faculties than that Almighty Sovereign of Beings, whose Power is the Spring of all Truth, and whose Nature is the Pattern of all Goodness. So that without a perfect Union of our Minds and Wills and Affections with God, there can be no possible Idea of a perfect Heaven of rational Pleasures, but in this blessed Union lies the very Soul and Quintessence of Heaven. Since therefore in every Act of every Virtue of the divine Life, there is at least an imperfect Union of the Soul with God, it necessarily follows that there must

be some degree of the Pleasure of Heaven in every one. So that if we do not experi∣ence much greater Joy and Delight in the Acts of this divine Life, than ever we did in the highest Epicurisms and Sensualities, 'tis not because there are not much greater in them, but because we never exerted them with that Sprightliness and Vigour as we do our sensual Appetites and Perceptions; be∣cause we are clogg'd in the Exercise of them either by false Principles, or bodily Indis∣positions, or sinful Aversations. But if we would take the pains to inure and accustom our selves to these heavenly Acts, we should find by degrees they would grow natural and easie to us; and our Souls would be so habituated, contempered and disposed to them that we should upon all Occasions exert them with great Fredom and Inlargement. And then we should begin to feel and relish the Pleasure of them; then we should per∣ceive a Heaven of Delights springing up from within us and unfolding it self in each beatifical Act of our heavenly Conversation; then we should find our selves under the central force of Heaven most sweetly drawn along and attracted thither by the power∣ful Magnetism of its Joys and Pleasures; and in every act of our celestial Behaviour we should have some Foretast of the celestial

Happiness. So that now we shall no longer need external Arguments to convince us of the Truth and Reality of that blessed State; for we shall feel it within our selves, and be able to penetrate into its blessed Myste∣ries by the light of an infallible Experience. Now we shall have no Occasion to search the Records of Heaven to assure our selves of our Interest in it; for by a most sensible Earnest of Heaven within us, we shall be as fully satisfied of our Title to it, as if one of the winged Messengers of Heaven should come down from thence and tell us that he saw our Names inrolled in the Book of Life. And with this sweet Experience of Heaven within us we shall go on to Heaven with un∣speakable Triumph and Alacrity, being tol∣led all along from step to step with the allu∣ring Relishes of its Joys and Pleasures; and in every vigorous Exercise of every Virtue of the Heavenly Life, we shall have such lively tasts and sensations of Heaven, as will con∣tinually excite us to exercise them still more vigorously; and still the more vigorously we exert them the more of Heaven we shall tast in them; and so the Vigour of our Virtue shall increase the Pleasure of it and the Plea∣sure of it shall increase its Vigour, till both are perfected and grown up into the blessed State of Heaven. Wherefore as we do love

Pleasure, which is the great Invitation to Action, let us be persuaded once for all to make a through Experiment of the heavenly Life; and if upon a sufficient Trial you do not find it the most pleasant kind of Life that ever you led, if you do not experience a far more noble Satisfaction in it than ever you did in all your studied and artificial Luxuries, I give you leave to brand me for an Impostor.

V. CONSIDER the great Repose and Ease of a Heavenly Life and Conversation. In every sensual and devilish Course of Life, we find by Experience there is a great deal of Vneasiness and Disquiet. For the Mind is disturbed, the Conscience galled, the Af∣fections divided into opposite Factions, and the whole Soul in a most diseased and rest∣less Posture. And indeed it is no Wonder it should be so, since 'tis in an unnatural State and Condition. For whilst 'tis in any unreasonable Course of Action, the very Frame and Constitution of it, as it is a ra∣tional Being, suffers an unnatural Violence, and is all unjointed and disordered. And therefore as a Body when its Bones are out, is never at Rest till they are set again; so a rational Soul when its Faculties and Powers are dislocated and put out of their natural, i. e. rational Course of Action, is continually rest∣less

and disturbed, and always tossing to and fro, shifting from one Posture to another, turning it self from this to t'other Object and Enjoyment, but finding no ease or sa∣tisfaction in any till 'tis restored again to its own rational Course of Motion, and that is to act and move towards God, for whom it was made, and in whom alone it can be happy. And if its Reason were not strangely dozed and stupified with Sense and sensitive Pleasure, it would doubtless be a thousand times more restless and dissatisfied in this its preternatural State than it is; it would feel much more Distraction of Mind, Anguish of Conscience, and Tumult of Affections than 'tis now capable of, amidst the nume∣rous Enjoyments and Diversions of this World. For as a musical Instrument, were it a living thing, would doubtless be sensible of Harmony as its proper State (as a great Author of our own ingeniously discourses) and abhor Discord and Dissonancy as a thing preternatural to it; even so were our Reason but alive and awake within us, our Souls which according to their natural Frame were made Vnison with God, would be exqui∣sitely sensible of those divine Virtues where∣in its Consonancy consists, as of that which is its proper State and native Complection; and complain as sadly of the vicious Distem∣pers

of its Faculties, as the Body doth of Wounds and Diseases; 'twould be perfectly sick of every unreasonable Motion, and ne∣ver be able to rest till its disjointed Faculties were rectified, and all its disordered Strings set in tune again. Which being once effect∣ed (as it will quickly be in a continued Course of heavenly Action) we shall presently find our Souls disburthened of all those malig∣nant Humours that do so perpetually dis∣ease, disquet and disturb us. For by relying upon God, we shall totally quit and dis∣charge our selves of all those restless Cares and Anxieties which circle and prick us like a Crown of Thorns; by our hearty Submis∣sion to his heavenly Will, we shall ease our Consciences of all that Horror, Rage and Anguish which proceeds from the invenom∣ed Stings of our Guilt; by loving, admiring and adoring him, our Affections will be cured of all that Inconsistence and Inordi∣nacy that render them so tumultuous and disquieting. And these things being once accomplished, the sick and restless Soul will presently find it self in perfect Health and Ease. For now all her jarring Faculties be∣ing tuned to the musical Laws of Reason, there will be a perfect Harmony in her Na∣ture, and she will have no disquieting Prin∣ciple within her; nothing but calm and gentle

Thoughts, soft and sweet Reflections, tame and manageable Affections, nothing but what abundantly contributes to her Repose and Satisfaction. So that do but imagine what an Ease the Body enjoys when after a lingering Sickness it recovers a sound Con∣stitution and feels a lively Vigour possessing every Part, and actuating the Whole; such and much more is the Ease and Quiet of the Soul, when by the diligent Practice of the heavenly Life it feels it self recovered from the languishing Sickness of a sensual and de∣vilish Nature. Now she is no more tos∣sed and agitated in a stormy sea of restless Thoughts and guilty Reflections, no more scorched with Impatience, or drowned with Grief, or shook with Fear, or bloated with Pride or Ambition, but all her Affections are resigned to the blessed Empire of a spirit∣ual Mind, and cloathed in the Livery of her Reason. Now all the War and Contest be∣tween the Law in her Members and the Law in her Mind is ended in a glorious Victory and happy Peace; and those divided Streams her Will and Conscience, her Passions and her Reason are united in one Channel and flow towards one and the same Ocean. And being thus jointed and knit together by the Ties and Ligaments of Virtue, the Soul is perfectly well and easie, and enjoys a most

sweet Repose within it self. Wherefore as you value your own Rest and Ease, and would not be endlesly turmoiled and disqui∣eted, be persuaded heartily to ingage your selves in the Course of a heavenly Conver∣sation; and then though at first you must expect to find some Difficulty in it by reason of its Contrariety to your corrupt Natures, yet if you vigorously persist in it, you will find the Difficulty will soon wear off, and then 'twill be all Ease and Pleasure. For when our Nature is depraved either by Sensuality or Devilishness, 'tis like a Bone out of joint, full of Pain while it is out, and much more painful while it is setting, but as soon as that is done, 'tis immediately well and easie.

VI. AND lastly, Consider the absolute Necessity of this heavenly Life and Conversa∣tion. For besides that God exacts it of us as an indispensable Condition of our Happi∣ness, and hath assured us that if we live after the flesh we shall die, and that without holiness we shall never see the Lord, besides this, I say, an heavenly Conversation is in the Nature of the thing necessary to qualifie us for Heaven, or, as the Apostle expresses it, to make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. For Happiness being a relative thing, implies in the very Nature of it a mutual Correspondence between the Objects

which felicitate and the Faculties which are felicitated by them; and be the Objects never so good in themselves, never so preg∣nant with Pleasure and Bliss, yet if they do not agree with the Faculties whereunto they are objected, instead of blessing, they will but afflict and torment them; and if a man were placed in the midst of Heaven among all the ravishing Fruitions with which that blessed place abounds, yet unless his Mind and Temper did suit and agree with them, they would be so many Miseries and Vexa∣tions to him, and he would be afflicted even in Abraham's Bosom, and grope for Heaven in the midst of Paradise. So that supposing that God were so unreasonably fond of the Happiness of wicked Souls, as to prefer it be∣fore the Honour of his Government and the Purity of his Nature and the Sanction of his Laws, yet still there is an invincible Obstacle behind that must render their future Felici∣ty impossible; and that is, that it cannot be without a plain Contradiction to the Nature of things, the Temper of wicked Souls being wholly repugnant to all the Felicities of the other World. So that if they were all set before them, they would not be able to enjoy them, but must be forced to pine and famish amidst all that plenty of Delights, there being no viand in all that heavenly

Entertainment that they would relish any Sweetness in. And therefore if God should so far pardon them, as not to punish them himself by any immediate stroke of Ven∣geance, that would be the utmost Favour that his Omnipotent Goodness could do for them whilst they continued in their Sins; which, notwithstanding such a Pardon, would for ever continue them extremely miserable. And what great matter doth a Pardon signifie to a Malefactor that is dying of the Stone or Strangury? he could but have died though he had not been pardon∣ed, and die he must though he be. And just as little almost would it signifie to a depraved Soul to be pardoned and absolved by God, whilst it hath a Disease within that preys upon its Vitals, and hastens it on to a certain Ruine. For it could have been but miserable in the future Life if it had not been pardoned, and miserable it must be, if it continue wicked, whether it be pardoned or no. For it is not so much the Place as the State that makes either Heaven or Hell; and the State of Heaven and Hell consists in perfect Holiness and Wickedness; and proportionably as we do improve in either of these, so we do ap∣proach towards the one State or the other. For as Heaven is the center of all that is

virtuous, pure and holy, and all that is good tends thither by a natural Sympathy; so Hell is the center of all Impiety and Wicked∣ness, and all that is bad doth naturally press and sink down thither, as towards its proper Place and Element; and should not the di∣vine Vengeance concern it self to exclude wicked Souls out of Heaven, yet their own Wickedness would do it. For that is a Place of such inaccessible Light and Purity, that no Impurity or Wickedness can approach it, but must of necessity be beaten off with the dreadful lightnings of its Glory, and tumbled headlong down as oft as it essays to climb up thither; as on the other hand, should not God by an immediate Vengeance precipitate wicked Souls into Hell, yet their own Wickedness by the mighty weight of its own Nature, would inevitably press and sink them down into that miserable Condition. What egregious Nonsense there∣fore is it, for wicked men to talk of going to Heaven? Alas! poor Creatures what would you do there? There are no wanton Amours among those heavenly Lovers; no Rivers of Wine among their Rivers of Pleasure to gratifie your unbounded Sen∣suality; no Parasites to flatter your lofty Pride; no Miseries to feed your meagre Envy; no Mischiefs to tickle your devillish

Revenge; nothing but chast and divine, pure and spiritual Enjoyments, such as your brutish and devilish Appetites will eter∣nally loath and nauseate. Wherefore if we mean to go to Heaven, and to be happy there, we must now endeavour to dispose and attemper our Minds to it; which is no other way to be done, but by leading a heavenly Life and Conversation; which by degrees will habituate and naturalize our Souls to the heavenly Virtues, and so work and inlay them into the Frame and Temper of our Minds, that 'twill be our greatest Pleasure to be exerting and exercising them. And then our Souls will be dressed and made ready for Heaven, and when we go from hence to take Possession of its Joys, they will be all so agreeable to our prepared Ap∣petites, that we shall presently fall to and feed upon them with infinite Gust and Re∣lish. But till by living a heavenly Life we have disposed our selves for Heaven, we are utterly incapable of enjoying it. So that now things are reduced to this Issue, that either our Sins or our Souls must die, and we must necessarily shake hands either with Heaven or our Lusts. And therefore unless we value eternal Happiness so little as to exchange it for the sordid and trifling Pleasures of Sin, and unless we love our Sins

so well as to ransom them with the bloud of our Immortal Souls, it concerns us speed∣ily to ingage our selves in this heavenly Life and Conversation. For this is an eter∣nal and immutable Law, that if we will be wicked, we must be miserable.

CHAP. IV. Concerning the militant or warfaring Part of the Christian Life, by which we are to acquire and perfect the heavenly Virtues; shewing how effe∣ctually all the Duties of it conduce thereunto.

HAVING in the former Chapter given a large Account of the heavenly Part of the Christian Life, and shewn how di∣rectly and immediately the Practice of all the Virtues that are comprehended in it tends to the heavenly State, and how naturally they all grow into eternal Happiness; I shall in the next Place endeavour to give some brief Account of that Part of the Christian Life which is purely militant, and which wholly consists of those instrumental Duties,

by the Use of which we are to conquer the difficulties of those heavenly Virtues, and to acquire and perfect them. Which Diffi∣culties, as I shewed before, Chap. 2. are the inbred Corruptions of our own Nature, together with those manifold Temptations from without, by which they are continu∣ally provoked and excited: and so to subdue and conquer these, as that they may neither take us off from nor clog and indispose us in the Exercise of the heavenly Virtues, is the great Design and Business of this warfaring Part of the Christian Life.

THAT I may therefore handle it di∣stinctly, I shall divide it into three Parts, and endeavour with as much Brevity as I can; First, To explain the Duties of each Part, and to shew how they all conduce to our conquering the Difficulties of the hea∣venly Virtues, and to the acquiring and per∣fecting them; and, Secondly, To press the Duties of each Part with proper and suitable Arguments.

IN this part of our Christian Life there∣fore there is,

1. Our Beginning or Entrance into it, which is in Scripture called Repentance from dead works.

2. Our Course and Progress in it, and this is nothing but a holy Life.

3. Our Perfecting and Consummation of it, and this is final Perseverance in well do∣ing. Each of which have their proper and peculiar Duties, which I shall endeavour in this Chapter to explain and inforce.

SECT. I. Concerning those Duties that are proper to our Beginning and Entrance into this war∣faring Part of our Christian Life; shewing how they all conduce to the subduing of Sin, and acquiring the heavenly Virtues.

THIS first part of our militant Life be∣ing nothing but our Initial Repentance, or the first turning of our Souls to God from a state of wilful Sin and Rebellion, the Duties that are proper to it, and by which this turn of our Souls is to be introduced and per∣formed, may be reduced to these six Heads,

1. A hearty and firm Belief of the Truth of our Religion.

2. A due Consideration of its Motives, and a ballancing of them with the Hard∣ships and Difficulties we are to undergo.

3. A deep and through Conviction of our great need of a Mediator to render us acce∣ptable to God.

4. A hearty Sorrow, Shame and Remorse for our Sins past.

5. Earnest Prayer to God for Aid and Assistance to enable us effectually to re∣nounce them.

6. A serious and well weighed Resolution to forsake and abandon them for ever.

I. IT is necessary to our good Beginning of this our Christian Warfare, that we should heartily believe the Truth and Reality of our Religion. For our hearty Belief of the Go∣spel is in Scripture represented as the main and principal Weapon by which we are to combat against the World and our own Lusts. And hence it is called the shield of faith, and the breastplate of faith, which are the two principal parts of Armour of Defence, denoting that an hearty Belief of the Gospel is the principal Defence of a Chri∣stian against all the fiery darts of Tempta∣tion; the Armour of Proof that guards our Innocence, and renders us Invulnerable in all our spiritual Conflicts. For, above all things, saith the Apostle, take the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, Eph. vi.16. And as it is the principal part of our defen∣sive, so it is also of our offensive Armour. For so we find all the Victories and Tri∣umphs of those glorious Heroes, Heb. xi.

attributed to this irresistible Weapon of their Faith. 'Twas by Faith that they de∣spised Crowns, confronted the Anger of Kings, and triumphed over the bitterest Torments and Afflictions; by faith that they wrought righteousness, obtained promi∣ses, stopped the mouths of lyons, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, and out of weakness were made strong. Nay so great a share hath Faith in the Successes of our Christian Warfare, that it is called by the Apostle, the good fight of faith, 1 Tim. vi.12. and S. John assures us, that this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith, 1 John v.4.

FOR if we firmly believe the Gospel, that will furnish us with undeniable Answers to return to all Temptations, and enable our Faith infinitely to out-bid the World whatsoever it should proffer us for our In∣nocence. For our Belief of the Gospel car∣ries in the one hand infinitely greater Goods, and in the other infinitely greater Evils to allure and bind us fast to our Duty, than any the World can propose to entice or terrifie us from it. For on the one hand it discovers to us those immortal Regions of the Blessed, which are the proper Seat and pure Element of Happiness; where the blessed Inhabitants live in a continued Frui∣tion

of their utmost Wishes, being every moment entertained with fresh inravishing Scenes of Pleasure; where all their Hap∣piness is eternal, and all their Eternity no∣thing else but one continued Act of Love and Praise and Joy and Triumph; where there are no Sighs or Tears; no Intermix∣tures of Sorrow or Misery, but every Heart is full of Joy, and every Joy is a Quintessence, and every happy Moment is crowned with some fresh and new Enjoyment. On the other hand it sets before our eyes a most frightful and amazing Prospect of those dis∣mal Shades of Horror, where mighty Num∣bers of condemned Ghosts perpetually wan∣der to and fro, tormented with endless Rage and Despair; where they always burn with∣out consuming, always faint but never die, being forced to languish out a long Eternity in unpitied Sighs and Groans. And after such a Prospect as this, what poor, incon∣siderable Trifles will all the Goods and Evils of this world appear to us? But yet unless we believe the Reality of them, how great soever they may be in themselves, they will signifie no more to our Hope and Fear (which are the Master Springs of our Action) than if they were so many golden Dreams or live∣less Scare-crows. For all Proposals of good and evil do work upon the Minds of men

proportionably as they are believed and as∣sented to; and as that which is not true, is not, so that which we do not believe, is to us as if it were not. How then is it pos∣sible we should be moved by that Good or Evil which we do not believe, and in which by consequence we cannot apprehend our selves concerned?

WHEREFORE in our Entrance into the Christian Warfare, it is highly necessary that we do not take up our Faith at a ven∣ture, and believe winking, without knowing why or wherefore; but that we should, so far as we are able, impartially examine the Evi∣dences of our Religion, and search into the Grounds of its Credibility, that so we may be able to give some Reason to our selves and others of the Hope that is in us. For which End it will be needful that we should read, and impartially consider, some of the Apo∣logies for the Christian Religion; of which we have sundry excellent ones in our own Language * 1.5; and if we will but take the pains to instruct our selves in the plain and ea∣sie Evidences of Christianity, we shall quickly see abundant cause to assent to it; and then our Faith being founded on a firm Basis of Reason will be able to bid de∣fiance

to the World, and to out-stand the most furious Storms of Temptation.

II. TO our good Beginning of this our Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that we should duly consider the Motives of our Religion, and ballance them with the Hard∣ships and Difficulties we are to undergo. For thus our Saviour makes Consideration a necessary Introduction to our Christian Warfare, Luke xiv.28. where he compares mens rushing headlong into the Difficulties of the Christian Life without Consideration, to a mans resolving to build a Tower with∣out computing the Charge of it, or a Kings going to War without ever considering be∣fore-hand whether with his Army of ten Thousand he be able to encounter his Ene∣my with Twenty. By both which Com∣parisons he intimates to us the unprosperous Issue of mens listing themselves under his Banner to combat the Devil, the World and their own Lusts without ever considering before-hand either their own Strength or their Enemies, the Arguments with which they must fight, or the Difficulties that will trash and oppose them. So that when they come to execute their rash Resolutions, there start up so many Difficulties in their way which they never thought of, and against which they took no care to fore-arm them∣selves,

that they have not the Heart and Courage to stand before them, but after a few faint Attempts are presently sounding a cowardly Retreat.

FOR indeed Consideration is the Life and Soul of Faith, that animates and actuates its Principles, and elicits and draws forth all their natural Power and Energy. And let the Truths we believe be never so weighty and momentous in themselves, never so apt to spirit and invigorate us, yet unless we seriously consider and apply them to our Wills and Affections, and take the pains to ex∣tract out of them their native Vigour and Efficacy and to infuse it into our Faculties and Powers, they will lie like so many dead Notions in our Minds, and never impart to us the least Degree of spiritual Courage and Activity. And accordingly our Saviour attributes the ill Success of Gods Word in the Hearts of men (which he compares to the high-way, the stony and thorny Ground) either to their not considering it at all, or to their not considering it deeply enough, or to their not considering it long enough. Either the divine Truths which they heard went no farther than their Ears, and so lay openly exposed like so many loose corns upon the high-way to be picked up by the Fowls of the Air; or if it entred into their

Mind and Consideration, it was so slightly and superficially, that like corn sown in a rocky ground it had not Depth enough to take root, to fasten and grow into their minds and digest into Principles of Action; or if they at present received it into their deeper and more serious Consideration, it was but for a little while, for by and by they permit their worldly Cares and Pleasures, like Thorns, to spring up in their Thoughts and Choak it, before it was arrived to any Ma∣turity. But that which rendred it so prospe∣rous and fruitful in good and honest Hearts, was, that having heard the word they kept it, i. e. retained it in their Thoughts and Con∣sideration, and so brought forth fruit with pa∣tience, Luk. viii.12, 13, 14, 15. So that to the making of a good Beginning in Religion, it is not only necessary that we should ponder the Motives and Arguments of Religion, and ballance them with the Difficulties of it, but that we should revolve and repeat them on our minds till we have represented to our selves with the utmost Life and Reality, whatsoever makes for and against our En∣trance into the Christian Warfare; and up∣on our having weighed them over and over in the Scales of an even and impartial Judg∣ment, we have brought the Debate to this Result and Conclusion, that there is infi∣nitely

more Weight in the Arguments of Religion to persuade us to it, than in all the Difficulties of it to dishearten us from it. For unless we enter into Religion fore-armed with the Motives, and forewarned of the difficulties of it, we shall never be able to stand our Ground; but finding more Oppo∣sition than we expected, and having not a sufficient Strength of Argument to bear up against it, we shall quickly repent of our rash Undertaking, and be forced to retreat from it with Shame and Dishonour. For this is usually the Issue of those rash and unsetled Purposes which men make in the heats of their Passion; when they have been warmed by some pathetick Discourse, or startled by some great Danger, or chafed into a Displea∣sure against their Sins by the sense of some very dolorous Accident whereinto they have been betrayed by them; in these or such like Cases, its usual with men to make hasty Resolutions of Amendment, without considering either the Matters which they resolve upon, or the Motives which should support their Resolution; and so finding when they come to Practice, more Diffi∣culty in the Matter than they were aware of, and having not sufficient Motives to carry them through it, their Resolution flags in the Execution, and very often yields

to the next Temptation which encounters them.

NOW though I do not deny but that those Heats of Passion are good Opportu∣nities to begin our Religion in, and if wisely improved will very much contribute to our Voyage heavenwards, and like a brisk Gale of Wind render it much more expedite and easie; yet if in these Heats we resolve too soon, without a due Consideration of all Particulars, and of the Difficulties on the one side and the Arguments on the other, it is hardly possible that our Resolution should ever prove a lasting Principle of Goodness. For when we resolve inconside∣rately, we resolve to do we know not what, and our Resolution includes a thousand Par∣ticulars that we are not aware of; most of which being repugnant to our vicious In∣clinations, will when we come to practise them be attended with such Difficulties as will easily startle our weak Resolution, which having not a sufficient Foundation of Reason to support it, will never be able to outstand those boisterous Storms of Tem∣ptation whereunto it will be continually exposed. If therefore we mean our Reso∣lution should hold out, and commence a li∣ving Principle of Goodness, we must found it in a through Consideration both of the

Duties and Difficulties of Religion, and of the Motives which should ingage us to em∣brace it; we must set before our Minds all the Sins we must part with, and all the Du∣ties we must submit to, and fairly represent to our selves all the Difficulties and Tem∣ptations wherewith we must ingage; and as much as in us lies render them actual and present to us, by supposing our selves already ingaged in our Spiritual Warfare and surrounded with all the Temptations both from within and without that we can reasonably expect will oppose themselves against us; and having thus placed our selves in the midst of the Difficulties of Re∣ligion, we must never cease urging our selves with the great Arguments and Motives of it, till we have throughly persuaded our stubborn Wills and obtained of them an explicit Consent to every Duty that calls for our Consent and Resolution.

III. TO our good Beginning of the Chri∣stian Warfare it is also necessary that we be deeply and throughly convinced of our great need of a Mediator to make a Propitiation for our Sins and render us acceptable to God. For 'tis to convince us of this ne∣cessary Truth that the Scripture doth so expresly declare that as there is one God, so there is one Mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. ii.5. that if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and that he is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world; and that 'tis for his name sake that our sins are forgiven, 1 John ii.1, 2, 12. that we have redemption through his blood, Eph. i.7. and that without the shedding his blood there is no remission, and that 'twas by the sacrifice of himself that Christ put away sin, Heb. ix.22, 26. that we are accepted of God through his beloved Son, Eph. i.6. that Christ is entred into heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us, Heb. ix.24. and that there he ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. vii.25. that 'tis through him that we have access unto the Father, Eph. ii.18. and by him that we have admittance to his grace and fa∣vour, Rom. v.2. The design of all which is, throughly to convince us of this great truth, that by our Apostacy from God and Rebel∣lion against him we have all rendred our selves so very obnoxious to his Vengeance, that he would not pardon us upon any less Atonement than the precious Blood, nor admit us into favour upon any less Motive than the powerful Intercession of his own Son; that by the heinousness of our Guilt we have so highly incensed the Father of

Mercies against us, that no less considera∣tion than the Death and Advocation of the greatest and dearest Person in the whole world will move him to admit of our Re∣pentance and listen to our Supplications. And certainly next to exacting the Punish∣ment due to our sins at our own hands, the most dreadful Severity he could have ex∣pressed was to resolve not to remit it upon any other consideration than that of his own Sons undergoing it in our stead; by which he hath given us the greatest reason that Heaven and Earth could afford to tremble at his Justice, even whilst we are inclosed in the Arms of his Mercy.

THIS therefore we ought to be deeply and throughly convinced of, that our Sins have set us at such a distance from God, that 'tis nothing but the bloud of Christ will reconcile him to us; and that though without our Repentance he will never be reconciled to us, yet 'tis not for the sake of that or any thing else we can do that he will be induced to receive us into favour, but only for the sake of that precious Sa∣crifice which his eternal Son hath offered up for us. The firm Persuasion and Consi∣deration of which will mightily over-awe our minds, and imprint upon them such gastly and horrible Apprehensions of sin, as

will scare us from all thoughts of Compli∣ance with it; the dreadful demonstration which God hath given us of his righteous severity against it in the very Reason of his pardoning it, will effectually antidote us against all our sinful Securities and Confi∣dences: For this way of Gods pardoning us upon the Sacrifice of his Son, guards his Mercy with such an awful Terror, as is sufficient to dishearten the most desperate sinner from presuming upon it. For he that dares presume to sin on upon a Mercy that cost the bloud of the Son of God, hath courage enough to out-face the Flames of Hell, and is not capable of any Mercy that the great God can indulge with safety to his own Authority. For what Mercy can be safe from that mans Abuse and Presum∣ption, that dares abuse a Mercy so guarded and secured as this is, by being founded upon such a dreadful Consideration?

AND as a through Persuasion of the Necessity of Christs Sacrifice to the Forgive∣ness of our Sins will fill us with awful Ap∣prehensions of the divine Severity, and set before us a most dismal Prospect of the vast demerit of our Sin, both which are ne∣cessary to ingage us to a through Reforma∣tion; so a through conviction of the Neces∣sity of his Intercession to render our Duties,

our Prayers and Persons acceptable to God, will effectually humble and abase us in our own eyes, which, as I shall shew you by and by, is highly conducive to a good Be∣ginning of this our Christian Warfare. For next to banishing us from his Presence for ever, the most effectual course God could take to abase us was to exclude us from all immediate Intercourse with him, and not to admit of any more Addresses or Suppli∣cations from us, but only through the hands of a Mediator; which is a plain Demonstra∣tion how infinitely pure he is, and how base and vile our Sins have rendred us: inso∣much that he will not suffer a sinful Crea∣ture to come near him otherwise than by a Proxy, that he will not accept of a Service from a guilty Hand, nor listen to a Prayer from a sinful Mouth, till 'tis first hallowed and presented to him by a pure and holy Me∣diator. So that unless we are strangely in∣considerate, we cannot but be touched with a deep sense of our own Vileness, when we think at what a distance the pure and holy God keeps us; how he stands off at the Stench of our Abominations, and notwith∣standing all his Benignity towards us, will neither hear us, nor have any thing to do with us, without the powerful Intercession of his own Son.

AND as our Conviction of the Necessity we have of Christs Sacrifice and Intercession is very apt to affect us with holy Sorrow and Fear, both which are very powerful Instruments of our Reformation; so our persuasion of the Reality and Excellency of his Mediation is no less apt to inspire us with a mighty Hope and Assurance of Acceptance with God if we reform and amend. For it seems that upon propitiatory Sacrifices and interceding Spirits, guilty Minds have been always inclined to place their Confidence of Acceptance with God. Hence it was a Principle generally received by men of all Nations and Religions, (however it came to pass I know not,) that for sinful men to ap∣pease the incensed Divinity it was necessary, first, that some Life should be sacrificed to him by way of Satisfaction for their Sins, and that the nobler it was, the more pro∣pitious it rendred him. 2. That some high Favourite of his should be prevailed with to intercede with him in their behalf. Where∣upon understanding by universal Tradition that there were a sort of middle Beings (whom they called Demons) between the sovereign God and Men, they began to ad∣dress to these and to bribe them with sacred Honours to interpose with God in their Be∣half. And if they could make a shift to

rely upon Sacrifices, the most precious of which were the Lives of sinful Men; and to depend upon Intercessors of whose Inte∣rest with God they had little or no Security; what a mighty ground of Confidence and Assurance have we, for whom the Son of God once offered such a meritorious Sacrifice upon Earth, and continues to make such a powerful Intercession in Heaven? For besides that as he was a spotless and innocent Person, his Sacrifice was wholly meritorious for guil∣ty offenders, and besides that as he was a Per∣son of infinite Value and Dignity his Sacrifice was meritorious for a World of guilty offen∣ders; God, upon whose good Pleasure the Admission or Refusal of it intirely depended, has openly declared his Acceptation thereof as a Propitiation for the sins of the World, and ingaged himself by a publick Grant and Charter of Mercy to indemnifie for the sake of it every sinner in the World that will but return to him by a serious and hearty Repen∣tance; neither of which great things could ever be said of any other Sacrifice. And in the virtue of this Sacrifice, as well as of his own personal Interest with his Father, he now intercedes in our behalf; and pleading our Cause, as he doth, with the price of our Souls in his hand, even his precious Blood by which he redeemed them, we may

be sure that with that powerful Oratory he cannot fail of succeeding in our behalf. For having purchased for us by his Blood, all those favours which he intercedes for, he is invested with the Right and Power of be∣stowing them upon us. So that now, for our greater Security, all those Favours which God hath promised us, are actually deposited in the hands of our Mediator; and though his bare Promise is in it self as great an Assu∣rance as can be given us, yet it is to be con∣sidered that guilty Minds are naturally an∣xious and full of unreasonable Jealousies, and consequently whilst they looked upon God as their adverse Party, and a Party infinitely offended by them, would have been very prone to suspect the worst, had they had nothing but his bare Word to depend on. And therefore in Condescension to this piti∣able Infirmity of his sinful Creatures, he hath not only promised them his Acceptance and Favour upon Condition of their Return to him, but hath also put the Performance of his Promise into a third Hand, even into the Hand of a Mediator, who by the Na∣ture of his Office is equally concerned for both Parties; as well that God should per∣form his Promise, if we performed our Duty, as that we should perform our Duty if we received the Benefit of his Promise. And

hence, Heb. vii.22. our Mediator is called the Sponsor, or Surety of a better Covenant. So that now we have no longer to do with God immediately as our adverse Party, but by a Mediator, who by his Office is obliged to be on our side as well as Gods, and to take care that neither receive the others Part of the Covenant without performing his own. Thus as he hath been sometimes pleased in Complyance with humane Weak∣ness to enforce his Promise with his Oath, not that the one is in its own Nature a great∣er Security from God than the other, but because with Men an Oath is more obliging than a Promise; so in great Condescension to the unreasonable Diffidence of our guilty Minds, he hath not only promised us Par∣don and Acceptance upon our Repentance, but he hath also given us a collateral Secu∣rity for the Performance of it, even the Security of a Mediator, in whose hands he hath deposited whatsoever he hath promised us. Not that in it self this is a greater Se∣curity than his own bare Word and Pro∣mise, which he cannot falsifie without re∣nouncing his Being: but because this way of giving Security by a third Person is more accommodate to the Method of our Cove∣nants and Agreements with one another, and consequently more apt to satisfie our anxious and diffident Minds.

AND thus the Conviction of our need of a Mediator, and the Persuasion of the Reality and Excellency of his Mediation will powerfully work both on our Hope and Fear, which are the main Springs of all our religious Endeavours; and give us at once the most horrible Prospect of the Evil of Sin, and the most comfortable Assurance of Par∣don and Acceptance with God upon our Re∣pentance and Amendment; both which are absolutely necessary to our successful En∣trance into the Christian Warfare.

IV. TO our Beginning of this Holy War∣fare it is also necessary that we should be affected with a deep Sorrow and Shame and Remorse for our past Iniquities. For this the Apostle calls sorrowing to repentance, and tells us that godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of, 2 Cor. vii.9, 10. and accordingly it is recorded of St. Peter's Converts that the beginning of their repentance was their being pricked at the heart, Acts ii.37. and even Repentance it self is in Scripture called a broken and con∣trite heart, this being the most immediate Preparation to a true Repentance or Change of mind, Psal. li.17. And hence the ancient Penitents are described in Scripture as gird∣ing themselves with sackcloth and repenting in dust and ashes; in Allusion to the antient

manner of great and solemn Mournings, which was to put on Sackcloth, cover the Head with Ashes, and sit in the Dust. And in the primitive and purest Ages of Christi∣anity it is evident that the bitterest Sorrows and Remorses were looked upon as necessa∣ry Preparations to Repentance; for the Pe∣nitents in those days, as Tertullian and Na∣zianzen describes them,

lay prostrate at the Church Doors in Sackcloth and Ashes, supplicating the Prayers of the Presbyters and Widows, hanging on the Garments and Knees of those that entred into the Church, kissing their Footsteps and with rivers of Tears in their eyes beseeching their Prayers to God for their Pardon.

Now though we are not under the Severi∣ties of such an Ecclesiastical Discipline, yet are we equally obliged with those ancient Penitents to exercise it internally in our Hearts. For sin is as bad now as it was then, and as great an evil in us, as it was in them; and therefore ought to be lament∣ed by us with an equal Sorrow and Remorse. And indeed if we ever mean to wage War with it with Success, it is necessary we should acquire before-hand a through sense and feeling of the Evil of it; that we should chastise our souls with some degree of that bitter Sorrow and Regret it deserves, and

inflict upon our selves some part of that Hell of infinite Horror and Anguish that is ingendring in its Womb; that so being the more sensible of its Malignity, we may be the more enraged against it and enter the Lists with it with the greater Resolution and Animosity. For our Sorrow and Remorse for our Sins, if it be serious and hearty, will convert into Hatred and Indignation against them, and that Hatred will animate us in all our Conflicts with them, and render us more obstinate against their Terrors and A∣lurements. So that when in the aftercourse of our Warfare against them, we are tem∣pted afresh to yield and comply with them, the Remembrance of the past Shame and Sorrow, Remorse and Confusion we have un∣dergone for their sakes, will render us far more deaf and inexorable than otherwise we should be to their Solicitations.

IF therefore we would ingage in this spiritual Warfare with Success, we must be often reflecting upon our past Sins, and re∣presenting them to our selves in all their ag∣gravating Circumstances. And when we have surveyed them round about, and con∣sidered them in all their natural Turpitude; Disingenuity and Indecency, and applied them to our selves with all their appendant Stings, shameful Effects and dismal Circumstances,

so that our hearts begin to feel them, and to smart and bleed under the dolorous Sense of them; then must we pour them out be∣fore God in sad and mournful Confessions. For the very Confession of our Sins before so pure and great a Being, is in it self an effe∣ctual Means to increase our Shame and Sor∣row for them; and he must have a very hard Heart that can ingenuously and with∣out any Reserve lay open his crimes before the God of Heaven and Earth in all their black Aggravations, without being stung with a sensible Regret and Confusion; espe∣cially if he frequently repeat his Confessions as he ought to do.

V. TO our successful Beginning of this our Christian Warfare it is also necessary that we earnestly implore the divine Aid and Assistance to enable us to go through with it. For God knowing how unable we are of our selves to ingage in this great Enterprize with that good Conduct that is necessary to give us any probability of Success, hath promised us his own Presence and Assistance even from the Beginning to the End of it; and if in any part of it his Assistance be necessary, 'tis doubtless in the Entrance, which, as I shall shew you by and by, is by far the most difficult and ha∣zardous. If therefore we presume to enter

upon it without supplicating God to second us with his Grace and Assistance, we shall quickly find our selves shamefully foiled and defeated. For though he hath promised to assist us, yet 'tis upon Condition that we earnestly beg and seek him; he will give his Spirit, but it is to those that ask it, Luke xi.13. he will draw near unto us, but first we must draw near unto him, James iv.8. and we are assured that we shall have if we ask, that we shall find if we seek, and that it shall be opened unto us if we knock, Mat. vii.7. And therefore we are bid to go boldly to the throne of grace that we may ob∣tain mercy and find grace to help us in the time of need, Heb. iv.16. and not only to pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. v.17. but in every thing by prayer and supplication to let our requests be made known unto God, Philip. iv.6. and if in every thing we ought to make known our Wants to him, then much more in this great and difficult Underta∣king, in which it will be impossible for us to succeed without his heavenly Aid and Assistance.

WHEREFORE as we hope for Victo∣ry in this our spiritual Warfare, we must earnestly implore his Concurrence with us, and beseech him to second us in all our weak Efforts and Endeavours. We must

lay open our woful Case before him, and re∣monstrate to him that we are heartily willing to do what we are able, but that without him we are abundantly sensible all will be in vain. We must tell him that our De∣pendance is upon him, and that all our Hope of Success is in him, and that we dare not stir one step without him; and beseech him that he will not stand by, and see us spend our selves in ineffectual Struglings, but that he will graciously stretch forth his helping Hand to us, and not suffer us to miscarry for want of his necessary Assistance. Which if we do, we may assure our selves that the merciful God, who is the Father of our Spirits, will never abandon his own off∣spring whilst it cries out to him, and with pitiful and bemoaning Looks implores his Aid and gracious Co-operation.

WHILST therefore we are thus endea∣vouring to prepare our selves for our spi∣ritual Warfare, we ought in every act of Preparation to look up to God, and earnest∣ly supplicate the Concurrence of his Grace and Spirit. While we are endeavouring to believe, we must beg him to help our Vn∣belief, to remove all Prejudices from our minds and present the Evidences of our Religion to our Understandings in a clear and convincing Light. When we are setting

our selves to a serious Consideration, we must beseech him to fix our Thoughts, to suggest to and repeat his heavenly Motives and Arguments so fast and thick upon our Minds, that no sinful or worldly Thought may be able to crowd in to disturb or divert our Meditations. When we are labouring to persuade our selves of our Need, and the Reality of our Saviours Mediation, we must earnestly intreat him to open our eyes, and convince us effectually of the horrible Danger of our sin, and of the infallible Effi∣cacy of that blessed Remedy. When we are attempting to affect our selves with the bitter Sense of our past Transgressions, we must implore him to strike in with us, and to inspire our Minds with such piercing and powerful Convictions of the infinite Shame, Baseness and Danger of them, as may sting our brawny Consciences to the quick, and dissolve our frozen Souls into a sorrowful Repentance; that so when we enter the lists and proceed to Resolution, which is the Beginning of our spiritual Warfare, we may be armed against our Sins with such a lively Faith, such puissant Considerations, such Horror and Animosity against them, and such an assured Hope of being rescued from the fatal Issues and Effects of them, as that we may be able to promise our selves

a happy Success in the ensuing Course of our Warfare against them. And having thus fitted and accoutred our selves for this great and momentous Enterprize;

VI. WE are to enter into a serious and solemn Resolution of Amendment, of forsa∣king and renouncing all our Sins and never returning to them more, whatsoever Tem∣ptations may invite, or Difficulties encoun∣ter and oppose us. Which Resolution is in Scripture called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which we tran∣slate Repentance, but in strictness signifies a Change of Mind or of Purpose and Resolu∣tion, a renouncing our sinful Purposes and solemnly ingaging our selves in a contrary Resolution of living soberly and righteously and godly in this present World. So that wheresoever the Precept of Repentance is expressed by this word, the meaning of it is, to oblige us to change the wicked Pur∣poses of our Hearts into a firm and serious Resolution of forsaking all ungodliness and worldly lusts and intirely resigning up our selves to the Will and Disposal of God. And hence it is that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. to change our minds and convert or turn, are in Scripture so often put together; the one denoting the inward Change of our Resolu∣tion, the other the outward Change of our Practice pursuant to it. So Acts iii.19. re∣pent

and be converted, and Acts xxvi.20. that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance; that is, that they should resolve to forsake their Sins, and submit to their Duty, and put their Re∣solution into Practice. And so that other word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which we also render Repentance, strictly signifies an after-care, that is pursuant unto this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Change of Resolution.

NOW this Repentance or Change of Resolution is the Initial Act of the Religion of Sinners, whereby they resume their in∣ward man from the Service of sin, and sub∣mit and resign their Wills to God; whereby in Heart and Will they forsake the Devils Colours, and list themselves Volunteers un∣der the Banner of Christ. And being so, it ought to be performed with so much the more Care and Preparation. For the Beginning of all great Enterprizes is the Ground and Foundation of them; which if it be not firmly laid will be apt to sink un∣der the Superstructures, and to endanger their Ruin and Downfal. Now all the fore∣going Duties being necessary Preparations to a good Resolution, we ought before we resolve, to spend a considerable portion of time in the diligent Practice of them; and not to resolve hand over head till we are

duly and throughly prepared for it, till by exercising our Faith and Consideration, &c. we have broken and tamed our perverse and obstinate Wills, and throughly persuaded them to part with every Sin, and to approve of and consent to every Duty that is com∣prehended in a through Resolution of A∣mendment. And if when we are about to resolve, we find upon a strict Examination any secret Reserve or Exception in our Wills, if there be any Lust which they are not throughly persuaded to part with, or any Duty to which they are not fully reconciled, we ought for that time to forbear resolving, and to go on in the Exercise of the prepara∣tory Duties, till we find our reluctant Wills throughly conquered and persuaded by them. For if there be any leak left open in our Re∣solution for any Sin to creep in at, that will be sure to insinuate in the next Storm of temptation; and if it should not let in other Sins after it, as 'tis a thousand to one but it will, 'twill by its own single Weight sink us into eternal Perdition. Wherefore before ever we enter into the Resolution of Amendment, we ought to be very careful that our Wills be throughly prepared for it; that they be reduced to a fair Compliance with the matter we are resolving upon, and effectually dissuaded out of all Resolution

to the contrary; and when this is done, we may chearfully proceed to the forming of our good Resolution.

WHICH ought to be performed by us, between God and our selves, with the greatest Seriousness and Solemnity. For now our Hearts being ready, we are to betake our selves to our Knees, and in these or such like words to devote our selves to God, O thou blessed Author of my Being, I am now fully convinced that I ow my self to thee by a thousand Ties and Obligations, and am in∣finitely sorry and ashamed that I have so long sequestred and withdrawn my self from thee to serve my own base Lusts and Affections. Wherefore now in thy dread Presence, and in that of thy holy Angels, I here intirely resign up my self unto thee, and do resolve without any Reserve or Exception that whatsoever Temptations I may meet with for the future, I will never wilfully withdraw or alienate my self from thee more. From henceforth I hear∣tily renounce all my Sins, and particularly those that have been most dear and pleasant to me, and do faithfully promise to continue thy true and loyal Subject as long as I breath, and that whatsoever Invitations I may have to the contrary I will never revoke the Reso∣lution I now make, or any part of it. So help me O my God.

AND having thus solemnly resolved, it will be highly necessary that for the farther Ratification of it, we should yet more so∣lemnly repeat it in the holy Sacrament; wherein, according to the Custom of Feasts upon Sacrifices, God and every faithful Communicant do mutually re-oblige them∣selves to one another, and upon the sacred Symbols of the Body and Blood of Jesus do ratifie to each other each others Part of that everlasting Covenant which by the Federal Rite of his meritorious Death and Sacrifice was inviolably sealed and confirm∣ed. So that when we take those holy Ele∣ments into our hands, which the Priest in Gods stead presents and offers to us, we do in effect make this solemn Dedication of our selves to God; Here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies to be a reasonable, holy and lively Sacrifice unto thee; and here we call to witness this sacred Blood that redeemed us, and those vocal Wounds which do now inter∣cede for us, that from henceforth we oblige our selves never to start from thy service what Difficulties soever we may encounter in it, or what temptations soever we may have to for∣sake it. And having thus resolved and con∣firmed our Resolution by the Body and Blood of our Saviour, and taken the Sacra∣ment

upon it not to depart from what we have resolved, we have actually listed and ingaged our selves in a Warfare against Sin, the World and the Devil, upon the final Success whereof our everlasting Fate de∣pends. And thus you see what Duty is implied in the Beginning or Entrance of this warfaring Part of the Life of a Christian.

SECT. II. Wherein some Motives are urged to per∣suade men to the Practice of those Duties that are proper to the Beginning of the Christian Warfare.

HAVING in the former Section given a brief Account of those Duties which are necessary to the well Beginning of our Chri∣stian Warfare, I shall now, for a close of that Argument endeavour to press and per∣suade those who have not as yet begun, to enter immediately upon it, by putting in practice these Initial Duties of it. You who have been hitherto warring against God, and striving against your Duty and your Happiness, be at last persuaded to make a Stand for a while, and to listen to the voice of Reason and Religion, which do both call aloud to you to face about, to desert the

Party wherein you are ingaged, and come over to the Side of Virtue. And that I may if possible prevail, I do here earnestly be∣seech you even by all that is dear and pre∣cious to you, by the Love of God and by the Lives of your Souls, and by all your Hopes of Happiness in the world to come, seriously to consider with me these follow∣ing Motives.

1. That there is a vast Necessity of begin∣ning this our Spiritual Warfare one time or other.

2. That 'tis unspeakably most secure and advantagious for us to begin it now.

3. That the final Success of it doth very much depend upon the well Beginning of it.

4. That when once we have well begun it, the main Difficulty of it is conquered.

I. CONSIDER the vast Necessity there is of beginning this Spiritual Warfare one time or other. For that which is necessary for us to accomplish at last, is necessary to be undertaken by us one time or other. Now it is as necessary for us to oppose and vanquish the Temptations of the World and the Cor∣ruptions of our own Nature, as it is not to go to Hell, or not to miss of Heaven. For in this great Battel the everlasting Fate of our Souls is to be decided, and if we come

off Victors, we are made, if vanquished, we are undone to eternity. So that in this spi∣ritual Warfare we do not contend like the Warriors of this World for a Triumphal Wreath that will wither upon our Brows, or for Fame and Renown which is nothing but the Breath of a company of talking Peo∣ple, or for the enlarging of our Empire over the next handful of a Turf; but we are con∣tending with Enemies that are pursuing us to Hell, and binding us in Chains of ever∣lasting Darkness. We are to fight for our Im∣mortality, for all our hopes of Happiness and Well-being in a never-ending Life a; nd when so much depends upon the Success of our Conflict, and we must conquer and be crown∣ed or die; win the Field and Heaven or yield our selves captive to eternal Misery, I leave you to judge whether we are not obliged under the vastest Necessity one time or other to begin. And if we must begin one time or other, why not now as well as hereafter? and to what purpose should we defer entring upon that Work, which we all confess we must at last not only begin but accomplish? For to have accomplished a necessary Work, especially when it is diffi∣cult and important, is a great Satisfaction to the Mind; and whereas while it is yet to do, the prospect of the pain and labour of it

creates in us a great deal of Trouble and Anxiety; when once it is done, or the main Difficulty of it is over, every Reflection on our past pains sweetens our present Repose, and crowns it with Joy and Triumph. And thus it is in our Entrance into the Christian Life, which we all confess to be both neces∣sary and difficult; and it being so, what do we else by our delaying it, but only prolong the pain and trouble of it? And whereas by one brave Attempt we might ease our selves and set our Souls at Rest for ever; we lan∣guish away our life in misery, and are sick with the Fear of our Remedy. Just like poor men that are under the torment of the Stone, they know they must be cut or die, but out of a frightful Apprehension of their Remedy they put it off from time to time; they pro∣mise they will endure it rather than lose their Lives, but when they come to the Trial their Hearts fail, and they must needs have a little longer Respit; but all the while they endure not only the pain of their Dis∣ease, but also the Apprehensions of their Cure, which at last they must also actually endure, or Death which is much more ter∣rible to them. Whereas had they been cut at first, they might have saved themselves all that Torment and Fear of farther Tor∣ment, which they endured in the time of

their Delay. And just thus it is with those who defer their Repentance, which had they begun at first when they fell into their sinful Courses, their Hearts might have been at Ease a great while ago, and they might have saved themselves all those Gripes and Twinges of Conscience, and all those painful Apprehensions of the Smart and Dif∣ficulty of repenting at last, which they have been forced to endure in the several periods of their Delay. But alas, Repentance is a sad Remedy! Well, be it never so sad, you know you must endure it or that which is a thousand times worse. Why then you will endure it, that you are resolved upon, but fain you would have a little longer Respite. Ah foolish Souls! why will you prolong your Misery and linger out your Lives in Torment, when as by enduring now what you must endure at last, you might be presently at Ease, not only from the Pain of your past Guilt, but from the Fear of your future Repentance.

II. CONSIDER that 'tis unspeakably most secure and advantagious for us to begin our Christian Warfare now. For this Life is the only time of our Trial and Probation, the Field in which our spiritual Warfare is to be fought, and from which we must all go off triumphing Conquerors or eternal

Slaves. And alas such a slippery and uncer∣tain thing is this our present Existence, that there is no one part of it we can call our own, but what is present. For all our Futu∣rity is in Gods Hand and Disposal, and how he will shorten or prolong it we are not able to prognosticate. So that for ought we know the next moment may finally deter∣mine our everlasting Fate, and the Hopes of eternity which are now in our hands may slip through our fingers before to morrow morning, and leave us desperate for ever. What a dreadful Venture therefore do those men run, that delay from time to time the securing their Salvation by a timely Repen∣tance? When 'tis now in their own Power, would they but lay hold on the present Opportunity, to secure their Victory and Crown, they rather chuse to go to cross or pile for them, and to stake them upon a Contingency that is not in their Power to dispose of.

BUT suppose they could secure that hereafter to themselves to which they do so venturously defer their Repentance, yet still there is another Venture of which they can never be secure, and that is, whether when that hereafter comes, God will not out of a just Resentment of their present Despite to, and Contempt of his Grace withdraw it from

them. Which if he should, they would be left in as great an incapacity of repenting as if he had withdrawn their Lives from them; it being as possible for us to repent without Life when we are dead, as without Gods Grace while we are living. So that promising that we will repent hereafter, we promise not only for our selves but for God too; we promise that he shall wait our lei∣sure and dance Attendance after us through all the tedious Stages of our Delays and Procrastinations; that he shall tamely put up all those Affronts and Provocations which between this and our hereafter we are resol∣ved to offer him, and in the end be as much at our beck, and as ready to come in to our Assistance, when we shall think fit to call for him, as if we had never given him the least Offence or Provocation to the con∣trary. For unless we can secure our selves of this, it will be every whit as uncertain whether we repent hereafter if we live, as whether we live to hereafter to repent. And what a madness is it for men that have now their Lives and Souls in their own hands, to stake and venture them upon two such contingent Issues, that are both of them so far out of their Power and Disposal?

BUT suppose there were no Hazard in either of these, that we were as secure both

of our own Lives and Gods Grace as we are of the present Moment, yet we can never hope to begin our Christian Warfare so ad∣vanaagiously as now. For all the time we are deferring it, our Enemies are gathering Strength and mustering up their Forces a∣gainst us; our bad Inclinations are ripening and improving, and our evil Habits are growing more inveterate; and so many De∣grees of Strength as these get, we lose; and so proportionably as their power to offend us increases, ours to defend our selves against them decreases. What a madness therefore is it for men who pretend to be resolved to ingage in the Christian Warfare, to defer it as they do from time to time, when they cannot but be sensible, if they take any no∣tice of themselves, how much every further Delay improves their Lusts and impairs their Reason, how it fortifies their Enemy, and weakens themselves. You say you are con∣vinced of the Necessity of this Warfare, and resolved to undertake it one time or other, though as yet you cannot prevail with your selves to enter upon it. And why not yet? why for some reason or other forsooth you find your selves averse to it; and do you imagine that if you are averse to it to day, you will be less averse to it to morrow or next day? No, fond Men, do not abuse your

selves, for if you will not enter upon it now, be assured of this you will never find your selves either so willing to it, or so fit and able for it again as long as you live. For your Lusts will grow every day dearer and dearer to you, and so twine and wrap them∣selves by degrees about your Hearts and Affections, that you will every day find your selves more and more unwilling to part with them; and at last they will cling so fast, that there will be no pulling them from ye without pulling away your Souls with them. Wherefore talk no more, I beseech you, of repenting hereafter, but resolve once for all that you will repent now or never.

III. CONSIDER the final Success of this your spiritual Warfare doth very much depend upon your well beginning of it. By what hath been said you plainly see there is an absolute Necessity of beginning it one time or other, and that you can never begin it so securely and advantagiously as now; but unless you begin it well now, that is with a through Preparation of Heart, you were e'en as good sit still and not begin at all. For when once you come to the Trial, to encounter the Oppositions of a corrupt Na∣ture, and contend with the Difficulties of a holy Life, you will then quickly find your

sappy Resolutions sink, and like so many rotten Banks yield and give way at every spring-tide of Temptation. But as the well laying the Foundations of a house secures the Superstructures against the violences of all future Storms and foul weather, so the first setling of your Resolution upon a firm and stedfast Basis will be a mighty Safeguard to it against all ensuing Storms of Temptation. That well-grounded Faith and through Con∣sideration which induced us to it, will go along with it and guard it through the Ene∣mies Quarters with such invincible Reasons as no sinful Motive will be able to disprove or cope with. That hearty Shame and bitter Sorrow and Regret which we felt in the forming our Resolution will animate and ren∣der it more firm and inexorable against all the Solicitations of sin for the future. Those fervent and earnest Prayers which preceded and accompanied it, will not only ingage us to take the more care and regard of it, but ingage God also to contribute more aid and assistance to it in all its ensuing Conflicts and Encounters. And when in the framing of our Resolution we have taken effectual care before-hand not to resolve upon any thing but what we have considered the difficulty of, or against any thing but what we have felt the shame and smart of, or upon any

Reason, but what we have throughly pon∣dered and do firmly believe, and together with all this have ingaged by our earnest Prayers the God of all Grace to aid and assist us, we may with some Assurance pro∣mise our selves a blessed Issue and Success. For now we are forewarned of, and fore-armed against all that can happen to us in our spiritual Warfare; now there is no Diffi∣culty can arise in our way which we did not foresee and provide against when we first set forward to Heaven. So that if from henceforth we do but take an honest care to watch the Motions of our Enemy, and to keep up our own Hearts and Cou∣rage, we cannot miss of a glorious Victory, and after that an everlasting Triumph.

BUT if we make a rash Beginning, and resolve precipitantly without observing the above-named Rules and Directions, in all probability our hasty Purposes will end in a leisurely Repentance. So that unless we intend to take a great deal of pains in Re∣ligion to no purpose, to weave a Penelope's web, and do and undo as long as we live, and only to dance round in an eternal Circle of sinning and resolving against it, resolving and sinning again, without ever making a step forward but still wheeling about to the same Point; let us now at last resolve to

begin in that prudent Method which God hath prescribed us.

IV. CONSIDER that when once we have begun it well, we have conquered the main Difficulty of this our spiritual Warfare. For though it be an easie matter to begin ill, to resolve against our sins in a sudden Pet, or transient Heat of Passion; yet it must be confessed that to resolve well and wisely, that is, with that firm Belief and through Consideration of things, with that Shame and Sorrow and those earnest Cries to Heaven for Aid and Assistance, which are necessary to the founding of a strong and lasting Resolution, is no so easie a matter. For in all those preparatory Exercises, we have a roving Mind, a hard Heart, and a perverse Nature to contend with; and we shall find it a very hard matter to call in our wandering Thoughts and unite them to∣gether into a fixt and steady Consideration of the Evidences of the Truth of Religion, and of the Duties and Motives and Diffi∣culties of it. And whilst we are entertain∣ing them with this unwonted Argument, there are a thousand Objects with which they are better acquainted that will be cal∣ling them away; so that without a great deal of Violence to our selves we shall never be able to keep them together so long, as

is necessary to the forming a firm Assent to the Truth, and the passing a true and im∣partial Judgment upon the Proposals of Religion. And when we have fixt our Thoughts into a serious Consideration of the Evidences of Religion, we shall find that our Lusts will object much more against them than our Reason; that they will be casting mists before our Eyes and bribing and biassing our Understanding the other way, and that thereupon 'twill be more difficult than we are aware to convince our selves throughly of the truth of a Religion that is so diame∣trically opposite to our vicious Inclinations. But when this is done and we proceed to consider the Duties of Religion, and to bal∣lance the Motives with the Difficulties of them▪ in order to the obtaining of our selves a full and free Consent to them; here again we shall find our selves at a mighty Plunge. For though the Motives to our Duty are at first View infinitely greater and more con∣siderable than the Difficulties of it; though it be unspeakably more intolerable to lose the Joys of Heaven and incur the Pains of Hell than to endure the sharpest Brunts of this spiritual Warfare; yet these being present and sensible have a more Immediate Access to us, and consequently are apter to move us than either of those Motives which are

both of them future and invisible. So that unless we do earnestly press and urge our selves with those Motives, and imprint them upon our minds in the most lively and real Characters, we shall find our selves over∣ruled in despight of them by these present and sensible Difficulties that are before us. But when we have effectually convinced our selves that those Difficulties of our Duty are much less considerable than the Motives to them, we shall find it a hard Task to persuade our Wills into a free and explicit Consent to all the Particulars of it. For now we shall find a strong Aversation in our Natures to sundry of those Duties that call for our Approbation, and there will be a mighty Counterstriving between our Rea∣son and Inclinations. Our darling Lusts, those bosom Orators within us, will now employ all their Rhetorick to dissuade us from parting with them; they will clasp about our Souls, like departing Lovers, and use all their Charms and Allurements to hold us fast and reconcile themselves to us; and under these Circumstances, though we have all the reason in the world on our side, we shall find it will be no such easie matter effe∣ctually to dispose our Wills to close with so many offensive Duties, and part with so many beloved Sins. But when this is done,

which to be sure will cost us many a vio∣lent Struggle and Contention with our selves, there are other Difficulties to be mastered. For now we must reflect upon our past ill Life, and expose it to our own Eyes in all its natural Horror, Turpitude and Infamy, and never leave reproaching our selves with the Foulness and Disingenuity, the Madness and Folly of it, till we find our hearts affe∣cted with Shame and Sorrow for and Indig∣nation against it. And for us that have been so long used to cokes and flatter our selves, to paint and varnish our Deformities▪ and crown our Brows with forced and undeser∣ved Applauses; for us to condemn and up∣braid our selves, to strip our Actions of all their artificial Beauty, and set our selves before our own Eyes in all our naked, un∣disguised Ugliness, and not look off till we have lookt our selves into Shame and Hor∣ror and Hatred of our selves, will be, at first especially, a very ungrateful Employment; and yet it may be a good while perhaps be∣fore our hard and unmalleable Hearts will yield to the impressions of godly Sorrow and Remorse. But when this Difficulty is con∣quered, our Work is not yet totally finished. For now we must come off from our selves and all our presumptious Dependances upon our own Ability and Power, and in a deep

sense of our own most wretched Weakness and Impotency throw our selves wholly upon God, and with earnest and importunate Out∣cries implore his gracious Aid and Assist∣ance. And let me tell ye, to men that have been all along inured to such glorious Conceits of themselves, such mighty Confi∣dences in their own Abilities; that have promised themselves from time to time that at such and such a time they would repent and amend, as if without Gods Help 'twere in their Power to repent when they pleased; for such men as these, I say, to come out of themselves and their own self-confidences, and wholly cast themselves upon a foreign Help; so sensibly to feel, and ingenuously to own their own Inability, as to fly to God, and confess themselves lost and undone with∣out him, is a much harder matter than we can well imagine till we come to make the Experiment. And yet this, all this, must be done bfore we can be well prepared to resolve upon the Christian Warfare.

THIS I have the longer insisted on, be∣cause I would deal plainly with you, and shew you the worst of things. For whether you are told of it or no, you will find it, if ever you make the Experiment, that all your good Resolutions without these Prepa∣rations will soon unravel in the Execution;

and that after you have resolved a thousand times over you will be just where you are, and not one step farther in Religion. But for your Encouragement, know that when with these necessary Preparations you have solemnized your Resolution, you have won the main and toughest Victory in all your spiritual Warfare; a Victory by which you have pulled down your Sin from its Throne, and broken and disarrayed its Power and Forces; so that now you are upon the pur∣suit of a flying Enemy, and if you do but diligently follow your Blow, and pursue your brave Resolution through all Temptations to the contrary, and do not suffer your van∣quished Enemy to rally and reinforce himself against ye, you will sensibly perceive his Strength decay; and those Lusts which seemed at first invincible, will languish away by degrees from weak to weaker, till at last they expire into the Habits of their con∣trary Virtues; and so proportionably those Virtues which through our vicious Aversa∣tions to them seemed at first impossible, will grow on by degrees from possible to easie, and from easie to necessary; and then the Sins will be more impossible to us than the Virtues.

NOW what a mighty Encouragement is this to make a good Beginning of the Chri∣stian

Warfare, that in so doing we are sure to conquer the main Difficulty of it; that when we have broke through all those Oppositions that lie in the way to a wise and good Resolution, we are past the Fron∣tiers of Religion, and having gotten over those steep Alps at its Entrance shall be sure to find the Region round about a plain and an easie Champain, in which the further we go, the smoother 'twill be, and so smoother and smoother till at last 'twill be all sweet and delightful, like the flowry Walks of Paradise. Let us therefore be persuaded, without any farther Delay, to enter imme∣diately upon this our holy Warfare, and by Faith and Consideration, &c. to lay the Foun∣dations of a religious Resolution; that so when we are actually ingaged against our spiritual Enemies we may be able to stand our ground against all Temptations, and that having finally conquered and subdued them we may receive that Immortal Crown which God the righteous Judge hath laid up for the victorious.

AND so I have done with the First Part of our Christian Warfare, viz. our Entrance into it.

SECT. III. Concerning the Second Part of the Christian Warfare; with a particular Account of the Duties thereunto appertaining.

I SHALL now proceed to the Second Part of our Christian Warfare, viz. the Course and Progress of it, which consists in holy li∣ving. For when once we have reduced our Wills to a firm and well-grounded Resolution of entring into this militant State, that which is next incumbent upon us is to pursue our Resolution in the future Course of our Lives and Actions, that is, to abstain from all Sin and endeavour to mortifie our Inclination to it, and to practise all the contrary Graces and Virtues, and endeavour to improve them to farther and farther degrees of perfection; or as the Scripture expresses it, to cease to do evil and to learn to do well; to strive against sin and to die to it, and to grow in grace and perfect holiness in the fear of God. In this consists the Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare. In order whereunto it's indispensably necessary that we should still repeat the Practice of those Duties by which we were first prepared to enter into it; all those means by which our good Re∣solution

was produced, being naturally con∣ducive to maintain and support it. And therefore we find that Faith and Considera∣tion, &c. are not enjoined as temporary Du∣ties, that are only to be practised in the Be∣ginning of our Warfare, but as means that will be always necessary for us throughout our whole Progress to Heaven. For so we are commanded not only to acquire a sincere Faith or Belief of the Gospel, but to continue and be stablished in it, Col. i.2, 3. compared with Cap. ii.7. And so again we are injoin∣ed not only to admit the proposals of Reli∣gion into our Consideration, but to keep them there, Luk. viii.15. and suffer them to dwell richly in us, Coll. iii.16. And so for all those other preparatory Duties. For that from a hearty Conviction of our need of Christ we should beg all Mercies of God in his Name and for his sake, is a standing Pre∣cept of Christian Devotion, John xvi.24. and so is also Confession of our sins to God, 1 John i.9. and Prayer for his Grace and Assistance, Coll. iv.2. Nor is it only re∣quired that we should once repent or change our bad Resolution for a good one, but that we should also repeat and confirm our good Resolution; that we should stablish our hearts, that is, keep our Wills fixed and determined to all good Intentions and Pur∣poses,

James v.8. and stand fast in the Lord, that is, adhere to the Profession and Practice of Christianity with a firm and constant Re∣solution, Phil. iv.1. For to proceed in our Christian Warfare, is constantly to live up to our good Resolution, which will require a continued Application of those means by which we were first prepared and disposed to enter into it. Thus Faith is no less ne∣cessary to inable us to perform, than it was to prepare us to make our good Resolution; and still the more we believe our Religion, the more we shall think our selves concern∣ed in its proposals, and consequently the more firmly we shall be resolved to close with and embrace them; and so still as our Faith improves in degrees of Certainty, our Resolution will proportionably grow strong∣er and stronger. Again, if it were necessa∣ry to the Birth of our Resolution that we should first duly weigh and consider the Mo∣tives and the Difficulties of the Duties we were resolving on, then it will be no less necessary to the Growth and Emprovement of it that we should frequently consider over these Motives and Difficulties again, and ballance them one against another. And at first especially, while our good Resolu∣tion is yet in its Infancy, it will be very ne∣cessary that we should every day before we

go abroad into the World spend some por∣tion of Time in fore-thinking of the many Temptations that do lie in wait for us, whe∣ther in our Business or Company or necessary Refreshments and Diversions; and fore-arm∣ing our selves against them with the Mo∣tives and Arguments of our Religion; that so we may have our Weapons ready when ever they shall assault us, and be always provided to resist them. Again, if it were necessary to the forming our Resolution, that we should be convinced of the Necessity and Reality of our Saviours Mediation, then it will be no less necessary to the performance of it that our Hope and Fear which are the Springs of our Action should still be excited by the glorious Assurance of Mercy and hor∣rid Prospect of Sin which this Conviction implies. Once more, was it necessary to the well making of our Resolution that we should affect our selves before-hand with a hearty Shame and Sorrow for our past Trans∣gressions, then will it be no less necessary for the strengthening and confirming it, that we should ever and anon revive this our Shame and Grief, by reflecting on the Filthiness of our past State, and the Weakness and Imperfection of our present, and by an inge∣nuous Confession of both to the high and holy God; that so our Shame and Sorrow for

our Sins being digested into Anger and Dis∣pleasure, may sharpen our Resolution and animate it more and more against them. In short, if it be necessary to the founding of our Resolution, that we should first ear∣nestly implore the divine Grace and Assist∣ance, then it will be no less necessary for the continuance of it, that for the same pur∣pose we should continually apply our selves to the Throne of Grace; that we should every Morning commit our selves to Gods Grace and Protection, and never presume to venture among the Snares of the World without him; that we should count it as unsafe for us to go out of our Chambers without being armed with Gods Aid, as 'tis to rush naked into a Battle amongst Swords and Spears: in a word, that we should every Morning and Evening at least, recommend our selves to God, and beseech him to de∣fend us against all those Terrors and Allure∣ments which either the Devil or our own Lusts shall propose to withdraw us from our good Resolution. And if upon all these preparatory Exercises of our Faith, Consi∣deration, &c. it was at first necessary for us to enter into a solemn Resolution, it will be no less necessary that with the same conti∣nued Preparations we should frequently ite∣rate and renew it; especally at first, till the

Strength of our bad Inclinations is in some measure broken and abated. Now we should take care to go every day out of our Cham∣bers fresh armed, as men that expect an E∣nemy at the Threshold; and not to trust our weak Souls among the Temptations of the World till we have first chained up our Inclinations with new Vows of fidelity. So that you see the Duties of our Entrance into the Christian Warfare are not so peculiar to to that State, but that they are also to be practised in the Course and Progress of it.

BUT then besides these, there are sundry others that are necessary to our successful Progress therein. All which I shall reduce to these following Heads,

1. That we take care to arm our selves with Patience and Courage to undergo and encounter the Trouble and Difficulty of it.

2. That we propose to our selves the most excellent Examples.

3. That we apply our selves to our Spi∣ritual Guides for Direction.

4. That we be very curious of our Aims and Intentions.

5. That we should possess our minds with a lively Sense and awful Apprehension of Gods Presence with, and Inspection over us.

6. That we frequently examine and re∣view our own Actions.

7. That we be very watchful and cir∣cumspect in the Conduct and Management of our selves.

8. That we should betake our selves to some honest Calling, and behave our selves diligently and industriously therein.

9. That we should endeavour after a chearful Frame of Spirit.

10. That we should maintain in our minds a constant Sense and Expectation of Heaven.

11. That we should live in the constant use of the external Ordinances and Institu∣tions of our Religion.

I. TO the Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare, it is necessary that we arm our selves with Patience and Courage to undergo and encounter the Troubles and Difficulties of it. For so we are command∣ed to be strong in the Lord, Ephes. vi.10. and to be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. ii.1. that is, to fortifie our selves with the Grace of God and the Mo∣tives of Religion against all those Hardships and Oppositions which may rise up against us in our March to Heaven; for we are assured before-hand that we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we

may receive the promise, Heb. x.36. and therefore we are bid to strengthen our selves with all patience and long suffering with joy∣fulness, Coll. i.11. and to run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb. xii.1.

FOR though it is certain that when we have well and wisely resolved, the greatest Difficulty of our spiritual Warfare is over, yet it cannot be dissembled that even when this is performed, and we proceed from hence to Execution, there will, at first especially, arise such Difficulties and Oppositions in our way as will sufficiently try our Courage and Patience. And though if when we were forming our Resolution we considered the whole matter, we could not but foresee great Difficulties in the Execution of it, and be very sensible what strong Inclinations from within and Temptations from without we were to struggle and contend with; yet alas the Difficulties of all Undertakings are usu∣ally much less in our Foresight, than in our Sense and Experience of them. For while they are in our Foresight we have only the Notions and Ideas of them to encounter, and these being not so stubborn as the things themselves are much more easily conquered by us. So that when instead of our own easie and compliant Notions we come to con∣tend with the Difficulties themselves, we

very often find the Face of things quite chan∣ged, and those Difficulties which did so easily submit to our Apprehensions, do many times make an obstinate Resistance to our Endeavours. And thus many times it is in the matter in hand. So that when we are fore-casting the Difficulties of Religion in our Minds, we must always allow for the Distance of them which usually lessens their Appearance, and conclude with our selves that when we are actually ingaged with them we shall find them much more stiff and incompliant to our Endeavours than they are now to our Thoughts; and accord∣ingly prepare and arm our selves against them. For when from considering we pro∣ceed to encounter them, we must expect to find that to discourse and execute are things of a widely different nature; and that those Difficulties which we so easily vanquished in our Thoughts and Discourses, will when we are actually contending with them put us to a much harder Trial of our Valour and Constancy than we were aware of.

FOR if we should have nothing but our own bad Inclinations and the ordinary Tem∣ptations of the World to struggle with, yet even these we shall find sufficient to exercise our utmost Patience and Constancy. For we must not expect that our bad Inclinations,

especially after they have been pampered and improved by a long and frequent Repe∣tition of forbidden Enjoyments, will be pre∣sently subdued and mortified when there are so many Temptations all around us cotinu∣ally exciting and provoking them. No, you may be assured they will struggle for their lives before they give up the Ghost, and if they are deeply radicated, will not be torn from their Roots without a great deal of Time and Labour. So that unless you have a great stock of Patience and Courage to endure and out-stand their tedious Resistan∣ces to your pious Endeavours, and to deny them those vicious satisfactions which they feed and live upon, till you have starved them out, you will quickly be weary of con∣tending with them, and rather chuse to yield them their Desires, than be plagued with their restless Importunities.

BUT then besides these ordinary Diffi∣culties of denying your sinful Desires and Inclinations, it may be your Lot to take up the Cross too, and to follow your Saviour through a dark Lane of Sufferings and Per∣secutions; and then you will need a world of Patience and Courage to undergo all that Shame and Reproach, Loss and Pain, Fear and Suffering, through which you must fight your way to Heaven if ever you come

there. Since therefore this may happen to ye, and is not altogether unlikely, it con∣cerns ye as ye hope for Heaven to fore-arm and prepare your selves against it. So that our Christian Warfare exposing us, as it doth, to so many certain and probable Diffi∣culties, it is not without reason that the A∣postle exhorts us to be stedfast and immova∣ble, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

II. TO the Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare it is necessary that we propose to our selves the most excellent Ex∣amples. For Experience tells us that good Example hath a stronger Influence upon men than good Precepts or Counsels; and the reason is plain, because he that only gives others good Advices or Instructions doth not give them that Security that he believes himself, as he that seconds his Coun∣sel with his own Example. For they who are instructed do in a great measure depend upon the Judgment and Authority of their Teachers, and therefore must have a rea∣sonable Security that their Teachers do be∣lieve themselves before they will be induced to believe and comply with what they are taught; and such a Security is not to be fetcht so much from their Words as from

their Actions. But when by their Examples they transcribe their own Doctrines, it is visible they are in earnest, and that is a probable Argument to their Disciples that their Doctrine is true. So that good Exam∣ple teaches with greater Force and Authority than good Doctrine can do, because it more sensibly confirms what it teaches, and doth at the same time direct us what to do, and by a very popular Argument prove that we ought to do it. Besides when the matter which the Teacher advises or enjoins is hard and difficult, he ought for the Encou∣ragement of those whom he teaches, to give them a full Assurance that 'tis practicable; which no Argument will so effectually do as his own Example. For when they see that he himself practises what he teaches, that is an ocular Demonstration to them that 'tis practicable. So that good Example carries in it this strong Encouragement to Good∣ness, that there is nothing in it but what is possible, and that the greatest Difficulties that attend it are such as may be conquered by Diligence and sincere Endeavour. And as it gives us the most sensible Direction and Encouragement to Virtue, so it also re∣presents it to us to the greatest Advantage. For whereas Precepts and Discourses of Vir∣tue are only the Pictures and artificial De∣scriptions

of it, a virtuous Example is Virtue animated and exposed to our view in all its living Charms and Attractions. And there∣fore by how much Nature exceeds Art, and the most accomplished Beauties excel their Statues and Pictures, by so much is Virtue in Examples more amiable and attractive than in Precepts and Discourses. Since therefore in good Examples we see Virtue alive and in motion, exerting it self in the most comely Actions and graceful Gestures, this must much more effectually recommend and indear it to our Minds and Affections than the most pressing Discourses or lively Descriptions of it.

THIS therefore is one of those great means of holy living which the Gospel hath prescribed us, viz. that we should propose to our selves the best and most excellent Examples; that we should be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises, Heb. vi.12. and that we should be followers of the Apostles and Leaders of the Flock of Christ, as they were of Christ himself, 1 Cor. xi.1. But because the Exam∣ples of the best of Men have a great many imperfections in them, and are very often intermixt either with Excesses or Defects, and tainted with Superstition or Enthusiasm, by reason whereof they frequently mislead

those that tread too close upon the heels of them; therefore we are more particularly directed to the Example of the great Master of our Religion; which though it consists of an unspotted Innocence and perfect Virtue, yet is every way accommodated to the State and Condition of humane Nature and Con∣versation. For he conversed among men with a modest Virtue, and such as was every way consistent with an ordinary Course of life. His Piety was even and constant and unblameable, but such as fairly complied with civil Society and a secular Conversation. It affected not high Transports, and Raptures of Devotion, but was such as was both fit and easie for Mortals to imitate. His Virtue consisted not in prodigious Fastings, or sour and unpracticable Abstractions from Sense, but in a life of Justice and Temperance, of Humility and Charity and Patience, and the like; that is, in such a life as is not only proper, but possible for us to transcribe. So that in his glorious Example he hath trans∣mitted to us an imitable Virtue; for he took care not to out-run the Capacities of Men in inimitable Expressions of Sanctity and Vir∣tue, but so far as he could innocently, com∣plied with our Weakness, and kept pace with our Strength; that so he might entertain us all along with the Comforts of his Com∣pany,

and the Influence of a perpetual Guide. And as that Rule of Faith which he hath propounded to us, is fitted to our Under∣standings, being very short, easie and intel∣ligible; so, as an excellent Writer of our own hath observed, that Copy of Manners which he hath set before us, is not only fitted with Excellencies worthy, but also with Compliances possible to be imitated by us.

AND as his Example is all imitable, so it is all throughout substantially good. For it consisted in a modest Piety, a simple and unaffected Goodness. His Devotions to God never affected the Stage, nor did they ever evaporate in enthusiastick Rants, or unac∣countable Raptures of Passion, but were al∣ways secret and serious, calm and manly, animated with a seraphick Fervour, and yet conducted with Reason and Sobriety. His Government of himself was exact and regu∣lar, his Affections were always fixt to their proper Objects, and never exceeded the just Limits of Reason; and his Appetites were always moderated by his Vnderstanding, and never transgressed the bounds of Tem∣perance and Nature. His Conversation a∣mong men was most innocent and candid, free and ingenuous; neither vain nor morose, haughty nor sordid, but equally poised be∣tween all Extremes. He was just without

Partiality, humble without Affectation, charitable and beneficent without Noise or Respect of Persons. His Zeal was wise, tem∣perate and substantial, such as did not spend it self in a furious Contention for, or Opposition to things of an indifferent Nature, but it qui∣etly submitted to the Customs of his Coun∣trey and of the Church in which he was born and educated; and all his Invectives were against Hypocrisie and Immorality, which were the only things to which his noble and generous Temper could never be reconciled. In a word, his whole Re∣ligion was modest and serious, and affected rather to be seen than to be heard, and to be than to be seen. His Heavenly-minded∣ness was such as rendred him neither too sour nor too talkative; and his Patience was always equally distant from Stupidity and Effeminacy. For so when he endured that miserable Death of the Cross, he suf∣fered like a Man that was sensible of Pain, and yet very well knew how to undergo it as became him. For as on the one hand he did not breath out his Soul like an effe∣minate Epicure, in whining Complaints and wretched Lamentations; so neither on the other hand did he give up the Ghost like a flanting Stoick in a huffing Contempt of death, or an affected Insensibility of Pain

and Misery. But from the beginning to the end he acted his Part in that bloody Tragedy, as one that was neither insensible of Torment, nor conquered by it. For the last words which he breathed, which were a hearty Prayer for his Murderers, mani∣fested his Soul to be calm and serene under all the Agonies of his Body. Thus is his great Example intirely composed of those excellent Virtues, that are the proper Gra∣ces and Ornaments of humane Nature. Now though there be some Actions of our Savi∣ours Life which were never intended for our Imitation, viz. such wherein he either exercised or proved and asserted his divine Authority; yet whatsoever he did of pre∣cise Morality, and in pursuance to his own Laws, he designed and intended for our Imi∣tation. So that in all such matters, as his Law is to be our Map and Rule, so his Pra∣ctice is to be our Guide and President.

FOR this is the great End of our Reli∣gion, to which God hath predestinated us. namely, to be conformable to the Image of his Son, Rom. viii.29. and in this consists our putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ, namely, in imitating his Manners, and following the Garb and Fashion of his Con∣versation; and accordingly our Saviour tells his Disciples, John xiii.15. I have given you

an example (that is of Humility and Cha∣rity) that you should do as I have done to you; and 'tis one of his great Commands that we should learn of him who was meek and lowly of heart, with a promise that in so doing, we should find rest unto our Souls. Mat. xi.29.

WHEREFORE if we would lead a holy Life, pursuant to our holy Resolution, we must set holy Examples before our eyes, and especially that most holy one of our blessed Saviour. We must peruse the History of his sacred Life, and diligently observe his Carriage and Demeanour in all those Ca∣pacities and Circumstances wherein he was placed, and closely apply it all to our selves as a perfect Pattern of Action. Thus and thus did my Saviour, Sic ille manus sic ora— so he demeaned himself when he was in my Circumstances, after this manner he acted and thus he suffered; and can I follow a more glorious Example, nay would it not be a burning Shame for me not to imitate his Manners whilst I profess my self his Disciple? Think, O my Soul, what would he have now done, if he were in thy Con∣dition and had thy Temptations before him. Would he have pawned his Innocence for such a Trifle, or prostituted himself to such a base, infamous Action, to avoid such an inconsiderable Inconvenience? No, doubt∣less

he would not; and art thou not ashamed to comply with such a Temptation, knowing with what Indignation thy Saviour would have rejected it? If we would but thus in∣ure our selves to reflect upon our Saviours Example, and apply it to and compare it with our own Actions, we cannot imagine with what a divine Emulation 'twould inspire us; how it would animate our Weaknesses, and shame our Irregularities, and inamour our Souls with true Virtue and Goodness.

III. TO the Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare it is also necessary that we should frequently apply our selves for Advice and Direction to our spiritual Guides. For it is to be considered that men of a secular Life and Conversation are generally so engaged in the Business and Affairs of this World, that they very rarely acquire Skill enough in Religion to conduct them∣selves safely to Heaven through all those Difficulties and Temptations that lie in their way. For before they can be capable to guide themselves safely, they must in all points of great moment be able to distin∣guish between Truth and Falshood, and to make a difference between good and evil, which in many Instances do border so near upon one another, that it requires much greater Skill and Knowledge than the Gene∣rality

of men are Masters of to discern the Point and Boundary that parts them. And supposing their Vnderstandings to be so well instructed as to be able to resolve them truly in all those doubtful Cases wherein they are or may be concerned, yet still there is ge∣nerally such a fault in their Wills as renders them incompetent Judges for themselves; and that is, that through an Excess of Self-love they are prone to be partial in their own Concerns, and consequently, unless the Case be very plain, to vote that true that is most for their Interest, and determine on that side they are most inclined to. For when a mans Judgment is before in Su∣spence, a very small weight of Interest on the wrong side of the Question usually turns the Scale against the greater probability on the right. And whilst Interest fees mens Affections, and their Affections bribe their Judgments, it will be almost impossible for them to secure their Innocence whilst they determine all Cases of Right and Wrong at the Tribunal of their own Reason. For when once they have determined falsly (as many times to be sure they will) besides the many single Miscarriages in Practice that will be consequent thereunto; by practising on upon their false Determinations, they will intangle themselves in such evil Customs

and Habits, as by that time they have dis∣covered the Error of their Judgment will render it very difficult for them to correct the error of their Practice. And therefore to secure our selves in our Innocence and Duty, it is mighty necessary that in all doubtful Cases we should appeal from our selves to the Judgment of others, who ha∣ving no Interest to biass them one way or t'other, will be much more impartial, and therefore (if they have but equal Under∣standing) more competent Judges of our Case than our selves.

UPON both which accounts the Chri∣stian Religion hath wisely separated an Or∣der of Men from the World to be the Guides and Conducts of Souls, to oversee and direct the secular Flock, who upon the above-mentioned accounts cannot be supposed to be in all Cases competent Guides of them∣selves. For 'twas to this purpose that our Saviour before his Ascension commissioned his Disciples, Mat. xxviii.18, 19, 20. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bapti∣zing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com∣manded you: and lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. And that he did

not intend this meerly for a temporary Com∣mission which was to expire with the first Bishops and Propagators of the Gospel, but designed to have it derived from their hands to all the succeeding Ages of Christianity, is evident not only from the Promise an∣nexed to it, that he would be with them to the end of the world, which plainly shews that 'twas to continue in force till then; but also from hence, that they to whom this Commission was immediately given, did actually derive it to others, 2 Tim. i.6. with a strict Charge that these also should successively derive it to others, Tit. i.5.

AND as by this perpetual Commission Christ hath Established a Succession of men to be the Guides of Souls to the end of the World, so he hath obliged all Christian People to attend to and respect them as such. For he that heareth you, saith he, heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me, Luk. x.16. and 1 Cor. iv.1. the Apo∣stle injoins all Christians to account of these spiritual Guides as of the Ministers of Christ, and stewards of the Mysteries of God; so also 1 Thess. v.12, 13. he earnestly beseeches them, as a matter of vast importance, that they would know them which labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and were to

admonish them, and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake; and Heb. xiii.17. he gives this Injunction, obey them which 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.

THERE being therefore an Order of men that are thus sanctified and set apart from the World, by the Commission of our Saviour, to consult the various Necessities of Souls, and administer to them in all their religious Concerns; it would doubtless mightily contribute to their successful Pro∣gress in the Christian Warfare, if in all their streights and difficulties men would apply themselves to them for Counsel and Dire∣ction with such Modesty and Sincerity as they ought to do. For besides that they might reasonably expect a greater Blessing upon their Counsels than other mens, they being commissioned Guides under the great Shepherd of Souls, who, we must needs suppose, will more especially cooperate with the Means of his own Ordination, besides this I say, they being persons that are wholly devoted to the Study and Ministries of Re∣ligion, must needs be supposed caeteris pa∣ribus, to have a farther Insight into the Cases

of Souls, into their Dangers and Refuges, Diseases and Remedies, and consequently to be better able to counsel and direct them than men of a secular Life and Conversa∣tion. If therefore men would be but so kind to themselves, as to apply themselves in all their spiritual Exigencies to a holy, wise and well-instructed Guide; to uncover their Sores, lay open their Cases, and reveal the Secrets of their Souls to him, so far as is necessary to enable him to make proper Applications; it is not to be expressed what a vast Ad∣vantage they might make of him. He would be instead of a good Genius or Tutelar Angel to their Souls, to suggest many a good Thought to them, and feed their Medita∣tions with many an useful Notion; to en∣able them to extract from the Articles of their Belief their just and proper Inferences, and reduce them to practical Principles; to rectifie their Wanderings, and extricate them from their Doubts; to comfort them in their Sorrows, and quicken them in their Indis∣positions; to warm their Indifferencies, and moderate their Zeal, so as that they may neither be becalmed by the one, nor over-born by the too violent Gusts of the other; and in a word, to direct them to the proper Methods of mortifying their bad Inclinations and conducting their Religion so, as to render

it more easie and delightful to them. These and a great many other good Offices a wise and well-experienced Guide would be able to do men, if they would but take him along with them in their Journey to Heaven, and modestly submit themselves to his Con∣duct and Direction. And in thus doing they would act not only with greater Se∣curity to their Innocence, but with greater satisfaction to their Consciences; because then their Actions would be warranted not only by their own private Sentiments, which in many Cases they will have just cause to suspect, but also by the better and more impartial Judgment of an authorised Guide. For if under his Conduct they should happen in any doubtful Instance to err from the way of Truth or Righteous∣ness, they will have this Satisfaction, that they have used the best Means to prevent it, the Means to which God himself hath remitted them, to whom alone they are accountable for their Actions, and who, as they may well imagine, will very much compassionate such Miscarriages as may fol∣low upon their Submission to his own Ap∣pointments. But if notwithstanding the great Care that he hath taken of their Souls, in appointing them Pilots to steer them safely to Heaven, they will embark without

them, and presume so far upon their own Skill as to venture to their eternal Port through all those Rocks and Quicksands that lie in their way; they must needs be in great Danger of miscarrying, which if they do; they may thank themselves for it and can expect no Pity from God, whose care∣ful provision for their eternal Safety they have so ungratefully contemned and neg∣lected.

IV. TO our prosperous Course and Pro∣gress in the Christian Warfare it is also ne∣cessary that, as often as we can, we should actually intend and aim at God in the Course of our Lives and Actions. For it is of mighty Advantage to the Conduct of a mans Life to have his Intentions united, and continu∣ally to act with one steady Drift and Aim. Because while he intends but one thing, he unites the whole Vigour of his Nature in the pursuit of it, and is continually driving at it with all the Force and Activity of his Faculties. 'Tis an Italian Proverb, From the man of one Business good Lord deliver me; because minding that only, he must needs be supposed to be the more expert and saga∣cious in it, and consequently the more able to exceed and over-reach another man who hath only minded it by the by; but when a man acts with a multifarious Intention,

he must needs be distracted in his Opera∣tions, and the force of his Faculties being divided by the multiplicity of his Aims must needs be so weakned that 'twill be impossible for him to pursue any one of them with Vigour and Activity. 'Tis one of Pythagoras his Maxims, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a man ought to be one, i. e. so far as he is able, to fix all his Aims upon one End and unite them in one Center, and not to suffer himself to be tossed hither and thither by independent Designs and Intentions; be∣cause this will unavoidably distract him in his prosecutions, and so divide and weaken his Principles of Action that he will be able to do nothing to any Purpose. God there∣fore being the great Object of Religion, it is necessary in order to our progress therein, that we should, as much as in us lies, re∣spect and aim at him in the whole Course of our Actions; that we should continually look up to him as to the directing Star by which we are to steer our Motions and con∣duct our whole Lives under a fixt Intention to obey his Will, and imitate his Nature.

AND indeed unless we do this, we are not good Men in the Sense and Judgment of Religion. For Religion, as such, is a Rule of divine Worship; and under this Notion the Christian Religion in particular enjoins

all its Duties, viz. of Homage and Worship, to God. For it requires us to do all as unto God, Col. iii.23. and to do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x.31. that is, to do all in Obedience to him, and Imitation of him, from a sincere Acknowledgment of the Perfe∣ctions of his Nature, of his sovereign Au∣thority over us, and immutable Right to rule and command us. Not that an actual, explicite Intention of obeying or imitating God is necessary to every good Action; for our Occasions of doing good, being so in∣finite and so often occurring in our secular Affairs, and our Minds being so incapable as they are of attending many things at once; it is impossible for us actually to intend Obedience to God in every good thing we perform; but that in the general we should heartily intend it is indispensibly necessary to the consecrating our best Actions, and adopting them into the Family of Religion. For that we must obey God, is the funda∣mental Law of Religion, from whence all the particular Commands and Prohibitions of it do receive their Force and Obligation. So that unless we do what he commands with a general Intention of Mind to obey him, we do not act upon a religious Obli∣gation, and consequently though our Actions should be materially good, yet are they not formally religious.

NOW to the fixing and setling such a general Intention in our Minds, it is neces∣sary that in the particular Exercises of our Religion we should; so far as we are able, actually intend and aim at God; that we should throw by all other Ends, so far as we are able, and refer our Actions directly and immediately to him; in a word, that we should formally devote and dedicate them to his blessed Will and Pleasure, so as to be able to say, this and this I do purely to please God, with a single Intention of Soul to resemble and please him, to transcribe his Nature and comply with his Will. For which end we must take care as oft as we can to perform our religious Actions in such a manner, as that no secular Ends may in∣terpose between God and our Intentions; to be as private and as modest as we can in our Religion, and not expose it any more than needs must to the eye of the World, lest Applause and Reputation should intrude themselves upon us, and carry away our Intention from God. For thus our Saviour advises in the Case of Charity and Prayer, Mat. vi.1, 7. that we should not do our alms before men, to be seen of them, nor sound a trumpet before them, to make the Streets ring of our Charity; nay, if possible, that we should not let our left hand know what our

right hand doth; but that our Alms should be secret, and known only to God and our selves; and that when we pray, we should not affect to make a pompous shew of it, in the Synagogues and corners of the streets, but that we should enter into our closets and shut our door and in the most private manner unbosom our Souls to God; the sense of all which is that should we endeavour, so far as in us lies, so to circumstantiate our Charity and Devotion as not to give any Opportu∣nity to secular Ends and Aims to obtrude themselves upon us, to mingle with our pi∣ous Intentions and deflower the Purity of them.

NOT that I think it unlawful for a man to intend any thing but God in the dis∣charge of his Duty, or that our Intention is bad when it immediately respects any worldly End, such as Pleasure or Profit or Honour, which are proposed by God him∣self as Arguments to persuade men to their Duty; and what hurt can it be for men to aim at that in the discharge of their Duty, which God hath proposed to them as an Encouragement to it? 'Tis true if worldly Advantage be the only or chief End we aim at, our Intention is naught, and so are all the Actions thence proceeding; but if toge∣ther with that we do so heartily intend and

aim to please God and conform our selves to his blessed Will and Nature, as to con∣tinue on in the path of our Duty to him not only when we have no prospect of out∣ward Advantage to induce us to it, but when outward Evils and Inconveniences lie in our way, we need not doubt but our Intention is truly good and sincere, notwith∣standing those immediate Respects which it many times hath to secular Ends and In∣ducements. But yet it is certain that the more it respects these, the more imperfect it is, and the more liable to be vanquished by outward Temptations. For it's a plain sign that 'tis conscious of its own Weakness, when it dares not stand alone, but is fain to call in to it the Assistance of these worldly Ends to support and defend it; and the less of worldly Aim there is in our religious Intention, to be sure the more pure and simple it is, and the more of substantial Piety there is in it; and though it may be truly sincere notwithstanding its being com∣pounded with secular Aims and Respects, yet the more of these there is in it, the weaker and more instable it must necessarily be. For, our Mind being finite, cannot possibly intend many things with equal Strength and Vigour, as it can do one; and when its In∣tention is dispersed among various Objects

it must necessarily be more languid than when 'tis collected, united and fixt upon one; and consequently the more a mans Intention respects the World, the less in proportion it must respect God, and so on the contrary. And then the less a man re∣spects God in his Duty, and the more he respects the World, the more liable he will be to the Temptations of worldly Loss or Advantage. For when those Advantages which he so much respects lie on the oppo∣site side to his Duty, to be sure he will be so much the more inclined to desert it; and as often as Fortune shifts sides, and carries with it the Advantages of Pleasure, Profit or Honour, from Virtue to Vice, or from Vice to Virtue, he will still be ready to face about with it, and be always veering like a Weathercock to a contrary Point up∣on every Change of Wind. Whereas when a mans Intention purely respects God, 'twill be immovably fixt among all the Changes and Alterations from without. For there is no outward Change or Capricio of Fortune can hinder a man from pleasing God, whose Love to us depends not upon our being poor or rich, pleased or pained, depressed or advanced, but upon our being truly virtuous and religious. And therefore if our Aim be purely to please him, we shall be sure

to continue so, which side soever Fortune smiles upon.

WHEREFORE to our successful Pro∣gress in Religion it is highly necessary that, so far as in us lies, we should abstract and separate our religious Intentions from all these worldly respects; and this must be done by looking frequently up to God, and actually referring and dedicating our Actions to him; by shutting our eyes, when we are entring upon any Duty, to all world∣ly Considerations, and determining with our selves, this I will do purely because 'tis Godlike, or because God hath commanded it; whether I shall be commended or dis∣graced for it, whether I shall get or lose by it I will not now regard, it is sufficient that it is good, and that God hath commanded it, and therefore for this Reason only I will do it, without any other Respect or Con∣sideration. By which means we shall by degrees so purifie our Intentions, and refine them from worldly Aims, that we shall be able to act vigorously in Religion without any other Respect but that of pleasing God, and conforming our selves to his Will and Nature. And when once we can do thus, we are in a great forwardness in Religion. For now the Will of God hath got such an Ascendant over ours, that as we can cheer∣fully

obey him without external Induce∣ments, so we can freely contemn all Induce∣ments to the contrary; and it being our great and chief Aim to please and be like him, the things that are without us will have very little Power to move us one way or 'tother. Because now our great Aim is above them, and our eyes are so stedfastly fixt upon God, that we are not at leisure to regard them. And our Mind being thus in∣disposed to listen to the restless Importuni∣ties of external Goods and Evils, our Inno∣cence is safe, and we may pass triumphantly through all their Temptations. 'Tis a noble Saying of Epictetus, lib. 2. c. 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e.

there is no other way for a man to eject sorrow and fear and lust from his soul, but by looking up to God alone, and resigning our selves to him only, and devoting our lives to the Obedience of his Commandments.

And elsewhere he tells his Scholars, that the main thing which he drove at was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e.

to make them free and blessed by persuading them to look up to God in every thing whe∣ther

it be small or great, lib. 2. c. 19.

For whilst in our religious Intentions we do too much respect the things that are without us, we do in a great measure intrust them with our Virtue and Religion; and so far as we make them Inducements to our Duty, so far it is in their Power to secure or betray it. As for Instance, so much as I aim at Profit in any religious Action, so much Power Profit hath over my Religion; and if the same Profit should invite me to a wicked Action, it will have as much Power to be∣tray my Religion, as it had to secure it; for the same Gain will have the same Influ∣ence on me when it tempts me to sin, as it hath when it tempts me to obey. What a dangerous thing therefore is it for men to intrust such a treasure as their Innocence and Religion in such irresponsible hands, and to give those outward things which are the Temptations of Vice, a power to dispose of their Virtue? What is this but to commit the keeping of our Sheep to a Wolf, or of our Chastity to a Goat? Wherefore as we would be safe in our religious Progress, it highly concerns us to purifie our good Intentions so far as we are able from all worldly Re∣spects, and to level them directly and imme∣diately at God. And in order hereunto,

V. To render the Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare successful, it is also necessary that we possess our Minds, with an awful Apprehension of Gods Presence with, and Inspection over us. Among the many excellent Rules, which the Heathen Mora∣lists have given for the Conduct of mens Lives, this is one, that in the whole Course of their Lives they should imagin some ex∣cellent person, for whom they have a great Veneration, to be present with 'um, as a Witness and Spectator of all their Actions. And it was wholesome Advice that one gave his lewd Friend, that he should hang the Pi∣cture of his grave and serious Father in the Room where he was wont to celebrate his Debauches; imagining that the severe eye of the good old Man, though but in Effigie, would give a mighty check to the wanton Sallies of the intemperate Youth. And if the bare Fiction of a Mans being present with us, or his being present only in a dead Picture, may be rationally supposed to have so strong an Influence on our Actions; of how much greater Force must our firm Be∣lief and Sense of Gods Presence with us be to regulate our Lives and Actions? And that he is thus present with us we have suffi∣cient reason to conclude, not only from the infinite Plenitude of his Essence, which being

Self-existent could not be bounded or limited by any Cause from without, and therefore must necessarily be boundless and immense; but also from express Assertions of Scrip∣ture, which assures us that his eyes are in every place beholding the evil and the good, Prov. xv.3. That he is a God at hand and not a God afar off; and that no man can hide him∣self in secret places that he shall not see him; and that he fills heaven and earth, Jer. xxiii.23, 24. and that we can go no whither from his presence, Psal. cxxxix.7, 8. and that all things are naked and open to his eyes, Heb. iv.13. that is, that the World is surrounded and filled with his Being, which is both the Womb that contains, and the Soul that pervades the Creation; and that being thus present with us wherever we are, he must needs be supposed to have a constant Inspe∣ction over us, and a clear Sense and Percep∣tion of whatsoever we do.

AND he being thus present with us in Reality and not in Fiction or Picture, it must doubtless be of mighty avail to the Well-government of our Lives; to be continual∣ly inspired with an actual and vigorous Sense of it. And therefore our Saviour com∣mands us to do good from a lively Sense that Gods eye is upon us, Matt. vi.4.6. That our father who sees us in secret shall

reward us openly. And this I conceive to be the meaning of that comprehensive Precept which God gave to Abraham, Walk before me and be thou perfect, Gen. xvii.1. i. e. be∣have thy self as one that art sensible thou art always in my Presence, and under my eye, and in the sense of this see thou beest up∣right and sincere, and that thou dost not vainly attempt to impose upon me by any demure Shews or hypocritical Pretences. And the same is implied in that of the Apo∣stle, Col. iii.22, Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God, i. e. be not like those Servants that do their Duty for no other end but to ingratiate themselves with their Masters, and accordingly do it no longer than while their Masters eye is upon them; but do you it with all Sincerity, out of an awful respect to God, considering that when mans eye is off, his eye is upon you. The sense of all which is, that after the example of holy David, Psal. xvi.8. we should en∣deavour to set the Lord always before us, and to possess our minds with a quick and lively Sense of his being continually present with us, wheresoever we are, and whatso∣ever we are about, and a constant Witness and Spectator of all our Actions.

AND this we shall find will be of un∣speakable Use to us in the whole Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare. For,

1. It will mightily restrain us from all sinful Actions. For as St. Austin observes, the greatest part of Sin is taken away if a man hath but a Witness of his Conversati∣on; and much more if he be sensible that he hath such a Witness as God, with whom he is infinitely more concerned than with all the World besides; who is the Judg of all his Actions, the Rewarder of Vertue, and Punisher of Vice, the eternal Source of all those Evils or Goods that he can fear, or hope for. And who but a man that is des∣perately wicked, dares do an evil Action in the Presence and Sight of such a formidable Witness? For suppose you beheld this Al∣mighty Being sitting upon a Cloud in some visible Form, with a Thunder-bolt in his hand; and from thence looking down upon you, curiously observing how you demean your selves, and closely pursuing you with his awful eye through all your dark Re∣treats and Privacies; would not the thought of any Action that is displeasing to him be ready to strike you into Trembling and Hor∣ror? Could you imagin your selves to be any where secure in your Wickedness while you saw your selves uncovered to his All-seeing

Eyes, to which your Closets lie as open as your Halls, and your Hearts as the High-ways? Doubtless you could not. Why now the lively Belief and Apprehensi∣on of a thing, is equivalent to a sensible Per∣ception. If I were throughly assur'd that the King were listening behind the Curtain, and heard every word that is spoken in the Room, I should doubtless be as much afraid of talking Treason against him, though I saw him not, as if he stood just before me. And so though God be with me in an invisi∣ble manner, and I am not able to see him through that thick Curtain of Matter which is drawn between me and his Spiritual Es∣sence, yet if I firmly believe that he is be∣hind it, and am constantly aware that he is listening to what I say, and prying into what I do, that he keeps Intelligence with my Thoughts, and is intimately acquainted with all my Designs and Intentions, it will render me as cautious of my Thoughts and Words and Actions, as if I saw him standing by me in a visible Shechinah or Glory, to record every Passage of my Life, and enter into his Debt-books every Item of my Guilt against the great Day of Accounts. But how much the want of such a due Apprehension of Gods Presence with us, lets men loose to all Wickedness, may be collected from that of

the Prophet, Ezek. ix.9, The iniquity of the house of Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of per∣verseness, and how comes this to pass? Why, they say, the Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not; whereas, on the contrary, David attributes his keeping Gods precepts and testimonies, to the lively Sense he had that his ways were always be∣fore God, i. e. lay open to his Sight and In∣spection, Psal. cxix.168. But then,

2. Such a lively Sense of Gods Presence with, and Inspection over us, will be of mighty Use to keep us sincere and upright in the whole Course of our Actions. For alass to what purpose should we dissemble and conceal our Wickedness from the eye of the World, so long as we lye open to the eye of God? Would you not think it very strange to see a Company of Prisoners that within a few Hours are to be tryed for their Lives, solicitously concerning themselves how to appear lovely and innocent to one an∣other, hiding their Deformities, and disgui∣zing their Crimes with artificial Pretexts and Apologies, that so they may cheat and juggle one another into a mutual good Opi∣nion of themselves; but in the mean time take no notice of their Judg, who sits be∣fore them upon the Bench, observing all their

Tricks and Impostures, and holds their Lives in his Hands, being commissionated to dis∣charge or condemn them according as he finds them innocent or guilty. And yet just thus do those men act whose Religion is nothing but a vain Ostentation and Ambition of po∣pular applause; they skrew their Looks, study their Actions, force their Inclinations, and all to compose themselves into an outward Semblance of Religion; they imploy a world of Care and Art to disguise them∣selves, and with the Colours of Sanctity to varnish their unhallowed Natures; they o∣penly deny themselves their dearest Plea∣sures, and in the view of the world are ma∣ny times forced to act against the grain of their strongest Inclinations; and all this to mask their depraved Tempers, that they may appear what they are not, in the view of the world, and juggle themselves into a Saintly Reputation: but whilst they are thus industriously courting the good Opini∣on of their Fellow-prisoners, their All-seeing Judg upon whose final Sentence their ever∣lasting Fate depends, is present with them; and, though they take no more notice of him than if he were a cypher in the World, is perfectly conscious to all their Artifice, and sees through all their hypocritical Dis∣guizes, and will ere long unmask and expose

them to the View and Scorn of all the World. And this considered, what a ridi∣culous Folly is Hyprocrisie, that hides us on∣ly from those that have little or nothing to do with us, but leaves us bare and naked to his eye with whom we are most concerned. Alas! what a poor project is it to take so much pains, as we do, to recommend our selves to men, to men that must stand at the same Tribunal, and undergo the same Judg∣ment with our selves? For what will their good Opinion avail us, if the Judg disaprove us, in whose hands our Lives and Souls are? If he think well of us, we are safe though all the World should condemn us; but if he condemn us, though every Creature should acquit, they cannot rescue us from his Sen∣tence. But alas! how differently soever God and Men may think of us now, yet when he comes to discover his Thoughts of us, in his publick Judgment and Sentence, all the World will be of his Mind; and if we stand right in his Opinion, we shall be applauded by the whole Universe, howsoe∣ver we may be vilified now; as on the con∣trary, if he condemn us, we shall be sure to be hissed at throughout all the Congre∣gation of Spirits, how gloriously soever we may be thought of at present. And by how much the better we are esteemed of

now, by so much the more we shall be hissed at then, when the Cheat is discovered, and the hypocritical Vizor is pluckt from our Devils faces.

THIS if men duly considered, and fixt it in their Minds, would effectually cure them of all their Hypocrisie. For alas! what Hypocrisie can so cunningly disguise them, as to render them Incognito to Omniscience? If men will be wicked therefore, they were e'en as good put on a bold Face, and be wick∣ed openly; for 'tis to very little purpose for them to sneak into Corners, unless they could find one dark enough to conceal them from God, and cover them from his All-see∣ing Eye. For why should that man be asha∣med or afraid to let a Boy or Neighbour be conscious to his Wickedness, that never scru∣ples to commit it in the open View of the dreadful Majesty of Heaven, by whose final Sentence his everlasting Fate must be decided?

AND so on the other hand, to what purpose should we study to be more devout and temperate, sober and charitable in the view of the World, than we are in our Re∣tirements, when we have no other Eye but God's upon us? That which we are mainly concerned in, is to approve our selves to him, and if we can do this, what great mat∣ter

is it though our Closet be all our Stage, and Heaven our only Spectator? God hears the softest Whispers of our Souls, and sees through all our honest Intentions, and our most secret Vertues are as legible to his Eye as if they were written on our Foreheads with a Sun-beam. We need no Trumpet to proclaim our Alms in his Ears, for he knows by whom such a poor man was relieved, such a starving family succoured, though we should not superscribe our Names upon our Charity, nor let our left hand know what our right hand hath done. And if by the sin∣cere Discharg of our Duty we have appro∣ved our selves to God, what need we con∣cern our selves any farther? since 'tis not from Men, but from God, that we expect the Recompence of our Obedience. No doubtless, did we but live under the con∣stant sense of God Presence with, and Inspe∣ction over us, we should regard him much more in every good Action, and the good Opinion of the World much less than we do; and the more secret our good Deeds were, the more we should rejoice in them, because they would give us a stronger Testi∣mony of our Simplicity and Sincerity. For what should move us to be good when God only sees us, but pure Respect to his Autho∣rity, and an honest Intention of obeying

him? And if Obedience be our Design, the more private our good Deeds are, the more Pleasure they will afford us, because those good Deeds have most of Obedience in them, that have least of the Theatre.

VI. To prosper our Course and Progress in the Christian Warfare, it is also necessa∣ry that we should frequently examin and re∣view our own Actions. For this our Religi∣on injoins as a necessary Part of the mili∣tant Life of a Christian, So 2 Cor. xiii.5, Examin your selves whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves; and particu∣larly, it is injoined as a proper Preparati∣on to the Sacrament, Let a man examin himself, and so let him eat, 1 Cor. xi.28. So also Gal. vi.4. Let a man prove, or examin, his own work, where the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which in all these Texts we render to prove or examin, hath two Significations. First, to call our selves to Account, to try our past Actions by the Rule, whether they be good or evil; Se∣condly, to take such a due Care of our Actions as that upon a strict Tryal of them we may be able to approve them to God and our own Consciences. In the first of which Sences the New-Testament doth most com∣monly understand it, namely to call our selves to Account, and make a strict Survey

of our Actions, and pass an impartial Judg∣ment upon them, whether they are good or evil; and accordingly, 1 Cor. xi.31. instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the 28th Verse, i. e. let a man examin himself, the Apostle uses as a sy∣nonimous Phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. if we judg our selves, if we summon our past acti∣ons before the Tribunal of our Consciences, and try and examin them by the Rule whe∣ther they are good or evil, and according as we find them, to approve or condemn our selves for them.

AND this is a Duty of great Necessity to the successful Prosecution of our Christi∣an Warfare. For unless we do frequently reflect upon our selves, and take a strict Ac∣count of our past Actions and Behaviour, we shall incur a thousand Errors and Immo∣ralities in the Hurry of our secular Occasi∣ons, without taking any Notice of them; and those sins which we heedlesly commit, and never think of afterwards, though at first perhaps they may have little or no Ma∣lice in them, do yet leave a malicious Infu∣sion behind them, and infect the will with bad Inclinations, and insensibly dispose it to wilful and deliberate Sins. For the Pleasure of one bad Action will be still inviting us to another, and that to a third, and so we shall be inconsiderately tolled on from Sin to Sin

in the course of a heedless and unreflecting Life, till, before ever we are aware, our In∣clination to the Sin which we have so heed∣lesly repeated, becomes too strong for our pious Resolution. For when we have care∣lesly permitted one Sin to break through our Fence, that will open a gap for another to follow, and if this be not presently stopt by Repentance, 'twill make the Breach yet wi∣der for others, and those again for others, till at last they have quite trodden down our good Resolution, and made a Through-fare in our Wills for a Custom of sinning. But if we frequently reflect upon, and examin our selves, 'tis impossible our Faults should long escape our Discovery, and we shall be sure to see them time enough to correct and amend them before they are too deeply root∣ed in our Natures, and have wound them∣selves too far into our Inclinations; and a wound in our Innocence, as well as our Bo∣dies, may be easily cured if it be taken in time, but if it be neglected too long, it will rancle by Degrees into an incureable Gan∣green.

AND as frequent Self-Examination is a great Bridle to our Sin, so it is also an effe∣ctual Spur to our Vertue. For as when a man reflects upon his Sins and Miscarriages, and considers how and where he hath done

amiss, his Conscience will be presently urg∣ing and exciting him to Repentance and A∣mendment; so when he reflects upon his own Vertue and Sincerity, his conscience will smile upon and crown him with Applau∣ses, and give him such a sweet and grateful Relish of his own Actions, as will mightily incourage him to persevere in Well-doing. For in all our Self-examinations we taste the difference between Good and Evil, the Sweet∣ness of that, and the Bitterness of this, and consequently, the oftner we do so, the more we shall be sure to like and approve of the one, and to dislike and nauseate the other.

WHEREFORE to secure a good suc∣cess to this our Christian Warfare, as it is necessary, especially at first, that we should every Morning, before we go into the World, repeat and inforce our good Resolution; so it is no less requisite, especially till we have made some considerable Progress, that we should every Night, when we are with∣drawn from the World, strictly examin the performances of the Day, whether they are such as do comport with our solemn Engage∣ments. And if upon an impartial Survey, it appear that they do, though as yet it be but weakly and imperfectly, let us attend to the Sense of our own Minds, to that silent

Melody that resounds from our Consciences to our Actions, and so lye down in Peace, blessing and adoring that Grace, by which we have been assisted and preserved. Or if it appear that we have been unwarily faulty, for want of due Care and Watchfulness, let us resolve to take more Care for the future, and thereby to put a timely Stop to our Sin before it hath too far insinuated into our Will and Inclinations; but if we are consci∣ous of any wilful Breach upon our Morning Vows of Obedience, let us lament and be∣wail it with Shame and Indignation. What have I done, O wretched Traitor that I am to God and my own Soul! I have falsified my Vows to Heaven, and broke those Sa∣cred Bands by which I was tyed up from my Lusts and my Ruin, What can I plead for my self, base and unworthy that I am? with what Face can I go into his dreadful Pre∣sence whom I have so often mocked with my treacherous Promises of Amendment? Yet go I will, though I am all ashamed and con∣founded, and confess and bewail mine Iniquity before him.

IF we would but take care thus to call our selves to Account every Night, and im∣partialy to censure the Actions of the day, it is not to be imagined how fast 'twould set us forward in our Christian Warfare; how

much the Reflection on a well-spent Day would chear and enliven us; how the grate∣ful Sense of it would spirit our Faculties, and encourage us to go on against all Oppo∣sitions; how much the Review of the Sins of the Day would contribute to make our Rea∣son more vigilant, and our Consciences more tender for the future; how much the Pleasure of our Sins would be allayed and a∣bated by the stinging Reflections we should make upon them, and how much the Dread of having the same Reflections repeated to us at Night, would secure us against the Temptations of the Day.

VII. TO prosper the Course of our Chri∣stian Warfare, it is also necessary that we should be very watchful and circumspect. For this also is one of those militant Duties which the Gospel injoins us. Thus Matt. xxvi.41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; and Mark xiii.37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch: so also, 1 Cor. xvi.13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit your selves like men; and 1 Thes. v.6. Wherefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober; where the Nature of the Duty is plainly discovered by its Opposite or Contrary, let us not sleep, but watch, i. e. do not behave your selves like men that are asleep, that take no Notice or

Regard of what is done by, to, or about them; but be sure you exercise a suitful, prudent and constant Care over your own Actions and those manifold Temptations that assault and surround you. And there∣fore elsewhere 'tis exprest by walking circum∣spectly, Eph. v.15. i. e. looking round about you, weighing the nature and circumstances of your Actions, and using all honest Care either to prevent the Temptations that threaten you, or to provide against them; so that in short the sense of this Duty is this, that we carefully avoid acting rashly and precipitantly without considering before-hand the Nature of our Action whether it be good or evil; that in all doubtful and su∣spicious Cases we impartially consult our Rule and Conscience, and look before we leap, and take care to satisfie our selves of the Goodness of our Designs, before we put them into Execution; in a word, that we do not carelesly run our selves into Tempta∣tions, but, if possible, to avoid them, if not to be sure to arm our selves against them, and keep as far off from all sin, especially from that we are most inclined to, as is con∣sistent with our necessary Occasions; or, in fewer words, 'tis to be always well advi∣sed in what we do, whether it be good or evil; and if it be evil, to remove so far as

we can from all Occasions that lead to it, and provide our selves with Considerations a∣gainst it, and to keep them always awake in our Minds, that we may not be surpri∣zed by it unawares.

WHICH is a Duty indispensably neces∣sary for us in the whole Course of our Chri∣stian Warfare, For whilst we accustom our selves to act rashly and inconsiderately, with∣out bethinking before-hand what we say or do, we wander like blind men in a Field that is full of Pits and Quagmires, and are every moment in Danger of stumbling into one Mischief or other, and shall certainly plunge our selves into many an evil Custom before ever we have bethought our selves of the evil of it; and so instead of conquer∣ing our old Sins, we shall be ever and anon running our selves into new ones, and while we are running away from one evil, shall many times stumble into another, and to avoid the Defects of Vertue leap head-long into the Excesses of it. For in most moral Actions the Transition from the utmost of what is lawful into the nearmost of what is sinful is indiscernible; and that line which parts this Vertue from that neighbouring Vice is generally so small, that 'tis hard to distinguish where they are separated, and to fix the just Boundary whitherto we may

go and no farther. But then considering that almost every Vertue lies in the Middle between two sinful Extremes, neither of which are separated from it by any plain or visible Land-mark, how is it possible for us, without great Care of our Steps, to keep on stedfastly in the right Path, when there are so many wrong ones bordering upon it? For when we perceive we have wandred too far towards either Extreme, and are indea∣vouring to retrieve our selves, if we do not take great Care of our Steps we shall be apt to wander as far the other way, and so stum∣ble out of one Extreme into another. For he who lives heedlesly and incuriously, re∣gards not how near he approaches to any sin, provided he doth but keep himself out of it; and when once a man takes the Li∣berty to go as near to any Sin as he thinks he lawfully may, it is a thousand to one but he will be transported by his Inclination a great deal further than he should. So true is that of Clem. Alex. Paedag. lib. 2. c.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. they who will do all things that are lawful, will quickly be in∣duced to do what is unlawful; especially if they be strongly inclined to it; because the very Nearness of what a man loves, doth always render it more tempting and

alluring to him. Thus he that hath a strong inclination to Lying, can never be safe so long as he allows himself to be excessively talkative; he that is vehemently propense to fleshly Lust, must needs indanger his In∣nocence if he come too near the farthermost Limits of a modest Freedom; and he whose nature is prone to Malice and Revenge can∣not but run a mighty Hazard if he indulge to himself the utmost Degree of a just and lawful Resentment. For bad Inclinations are never so impatient of Restraint, as when they are within Prospect of their proper Sa∣tisfactions, and the objects which attract them are near and easie to be injoyed. Up∣on which Account it must needs be a very dangerous thing for such as are ingaged in the Christian Warfare to live within Sight of the Temptations they are most inclined to; because the nearer they are to them the more they will court and importune them, and while a man comes near a beloved Lust and doth not enjoy it, he doth but Tanta∣lize himself, and inrage his Appetite after those vicious Satisfactions whose alluring Re∣lishes he had almost forgotten. If therefore he would obtain a perfect Victory over his Lust, he must not only forbear to act, but also to approach it; at least, till he hath so far weaned his Inclination from it, as that

its Nearness ceases to be a Temptation to him. For Inclination, like all other Moti∣on, is always swiftest when it is nearest its Center, and when once 'tis within the Reach and Attraction of it, it hurries towards it with Fury and Impatience; and if in this its violent Rage it happen to break out to its beloved Sin, and to tast the forbidden Pleasure of it, 'twill thereby immediately recover all its impaired Strength, and become as headstrong and outragious as ever; and so all that Ground which we get in a Months Abstinence from our sin, we shall lose in a Moments Injoyment of it. Upon this account therefore it highly concerns us, if we would succeed in our Christian War∣fare, to be very watchful and circumspect, to look well to our Steps, and not approach too near to any Sin, but especially to any that we are strongly inclined to.

VIII. TO give us good Success in this our Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that we be diligent and industrious in our particular Callings. This is one of those instrumental Duties which our Religion prescribes throughout the whole Course and Progress of our Christian Warfare. Thus 1 Thes. 4. x, 2. We beseech you brethren that you increase more and more, and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and

work with your own hands, as we commanded ye; and this 2 Thes. iii.10. he backs with an∣other, that if any would not work, they should not eat, i. e. that they should not be main∣tain'd in their Sloth and Idleness, and like Drones be permitted to dwell at ease in the Hive, and devour the Labours of the more industrious Bees; and this verse xi. he calls walking disorderly, and v. viii. and ix. he tells us that 'twas for this cause that he ra∣ther chose to work with his own hands for his Livelihood, than to be maintained by them, as he might justly have demanded; that he might make himself an Example of Dili∣gence for them to follow. So also, Eph. iv.28. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, i. e. imploying himself in some honest Calling, that he may have to give to him that needs; the sense of all which is to oblige us to ingage our selves in some honest Calling or Employment, and to be diligent and industrious in it.

AND how necessary this is to secure us in the whole Course and Progress of our Religion, appears from hence, that we are naturally a sort of very active Beings, that must be imployed one way or other; that we have a Mind within us, that will be al∣ways in Motion, that being a spiritual sub∣sistence,

and as such, of a quite different Na∣ture from dull and sluggish Matter, will ne∣ver admit of Rest and Inactivity; that de∣rives all its Pleasures from Action, and hath nothing to live upon but the grateful relish of its own Motions. And this being the state of that active Principle within us, that constitutes us Men, we had need take great care to keep it honestly busied and im∣ployed. For it being naturally such an ex∣ceeding busie thing, 'twill be sure to find something or other to work upon; and if it be not constantly imployed about honest and lawful things, 'twill quickly divert the current of its Motion another way, and ex∣ert its Activity upon dishonest and unlawful ones. And hence it is that, since the Apo∣stacy of humane Nature, God hath placed the generality of Men in such Circumstan∣ces wherein some honest Calling, and their Diligence and Industry therein, is indispen∣sibly necessary to their comfortable Subsi∣stence. For he wisely considered that such was the Indisposition of our degenerate Na∣tures to the divine and spiritual Exercises of Religion, that 'twould be impossible for us in this imperfect State to keep our Minds always intent upon them, to fix our thoughts continually upon him, and exert our Powers without any Pause or Interruption in perpe∣tual

Acts of Love, Adoration and Imita∣tion of him; that there is such a Repugnance in our tempers to these blessed Operations, that if we had nothing else to do, they would soon grow irksome and intolerable to us; and therefore, lest being quite tired out with these spiritual Acts of Religion, we should hate them, and so turn the Cur∣rent of our Activity into the contrary Chan∣nel, he hath placed us in such Circumstan∣ces, wherein we have frequent Opportuni∣ties to rest our wearied Minds from these abstracted Exercises in such innocent Em∣ployments as are necessary to our comfor∣table Subsistence in this World. So that by putting us under the necessity of im∣ploying our selves in secular Trades and Callings, he hath taken care to intercept our Minds, that they may not fly off from the pure Acts of Religion into the contrary Impieties; and that when they are not di∣vinely, they may be innocently imployed, and by diverting our Activity with honest, when it is weary of spiritual Exercise, he hath taken a wise Course to confine and bound it, and leave it less Scope and Liberty to rove and make Incursions into sinful and prohibited Actions. And therefore, as Aristotle commends Archytas for his Inven∣tion of Rattles, because Children by playing

with them are kept from breaking Vessels of use; so ought we to admire the Wisdom and Goodness of God, for thus necessitating us to exert our Activity in secular Acts and Trades, because by this innocently imploy∣ing our corrupt and busie Natures, he hath taken an admirable Course to divert us from mischievous Actions.

AND he having thus obliged us by our Necessities to follow some honest Calling for a comfortable Livelihood, he expects that we should be diligent and industrious in that particular Calling wherein his Provi∣dence hath placed us. For otherwise he looses his End; which was to restrain us from being sinfully active, by necessitating us to be innocently so. And now that by putting us into those Necessities by which we are put upon furnishing one another with those several Conveniences of life, for the supply of which our respective Trades and Callings are intended, we by being diligent therein approve our selves faithful Servants in the great Family of God, and by industriously discharging those particular Offices wherein he hath placed us, we act as dutiful Ministers of his Pro∣vidence towards one another. Because by so doing we supply those Wants and Ne∣cessities which God hath made, and which

he hath made to be supplyed by our Office and Ministries; So that now to mind our own Business, is a Part of our Religion, and 'tis that particular Part to which Gods Pro∣vidence hath called us. If therefore we are idle and neglective in this, we are undu∣tiful Servants to the common Master of the World, how officious soever we may be in other matters. For this is the proper Work of our Office, and therefore if we are unfaithful in this, we can be faithful in nothing. Should the Bayliff of a Family neglect letting his Masters Lands and gathe∣ring in his Rents, he would be thought a bad servant, how diligent soever he might be in the Kitchen or the Stables; and so if we are remiss in our particular Offices and Employments, we are bad Servants to God, how sedulous soever we may be either in the Offices of other Men, or in the common Services which we all owe him; and he that neglects his own Calling to serve God in his Closet or in the Church, is like an un∣faithful Steward that neglects providing for the Family to dress the Garden and wa∣ter the Flowers.

'TIS true as we ought not to devote to the common Service of God, that Time and Attendance which by the rules of Prudence and good Husbandry are appropriated to

our particular Callings; so neither ought we to permit our particular Calling so to ingross our Time and Attendance as to leave none for our Prayers and those common Services whether private or publick, which as Creatures and Christians we are obliged to render to our Creator. For as he that to serve God neglects his Calling is a religi∣ous Truant, so he that to attend his Calling neglects to serve God is a prophane Drudge. But for a truly pious and industrious Man it is not at all difficult so to keep his Business and his Religion apart, as that they may not interfere with one another; and faithfully to discharge whatsoever his Calling exacts of him, and yet leave void Spaces enough in his time to do all that his Religion re∣quires.

NEITHER are we obliged to be so in∣dustrious in our Calling as to deny our selves any moderate Refreshments or Re∣creations, which are not only useful, but sometimes necessary to breath our Spirits af∣ter they have been almost stifled in a Croud of Business, and divert our wearied Thoughts, which like the strings of a Lute by being slackned now and then will sound the sweeter when they are wound up again. But then we ought to take care that we do not turn our Physick into Food, and make

that our Business which should be only our Diversion; that our Recreations be short, and apt to refresh, but not to steal away our Minds from severer Employments. For long Sports and Recreations are like a large Entry to a little House, they take up so much Room in the narrow Compass of our Time, that there is not Space enough left in it for the more useful Apartments; and so far as our Sports do exceed the Measures of necessary and convenient Recreation, they are unwarrantable Encroachments upon our Calling and Religion. 'Tis true, as for the Measures of Convenience, they are not alike to all; for as for those whose large Fortunes have placed them beyond the Ne∣cessities of the World, they may conveni∣ently allow themselves larger Portions of Recreation than those of meaner Circum∣stances, who having not yet made a compe∣tent provision for their Families, are obliged in Justice to a more constant Industry, lest they fall under St. Pauls Censure of being worse than Infidels. But how plentiful soe∣ver our outward Condition may be, it will by no means warrant us either to live idely, or to make our Recreations our continual Employments; but the more Leisure we have from secular Business, the greater Por∣tions of our Time we ought to consecrate

to Religion, and since our Bodies and our Families are so liberally provided for, to be so much the more industrious in supplying the Necessities of our Souls, that so these may not be the only miserable things about us. But then our Natures being so depraved, as that they cannot dwell long on the severe Exercises of Religion and yet so active as that if in the Intervals of our Religion they be not Innocently imployed, they will be apt to run into Mischief; 'tis in our own Defence necessary, how prosperous soever our outward Condition may be, that we should find out some honest Business or other to keep our Activity regularly Exercised. And this will be no hard matter for us to do, considering how many generous, liberal and ingenuous Employments there are, fit for persons of the highest Rank and Con∣dition. They may dedicate such Portions of their Time to the useful Studies of Philo∣sophy or History, or of the Laws and Customs of their own Countrey; and such to the Inspection of their own Estates, or to over∣look and govern their Families, and such to examine the Complaints of their Tenants, or the Necessities of their Neighbours, or to reconcile Differences or conciliate Love and good Neighbourhood among those that are near or under them; in these and such like Em∣ployments

they may innocently exercise their active Minds, and thereby not only divert themselves from sinful Courses, but also render themselves very useful to the World.

BUT whatsoever our Condition in the World may be, it must doubtless be of very dangerous Consequence to our Religion not to be innocently and usefully imployd. For as the wise Cato hath observed, nihil agendo, male agere disces, i. e, by accustom∣ing your self to do nothing, you will most certainly learn to do ill. For your busie Mind, like Nature, will admit of no Vacuum but must be always full of one thing or o∣ther; and it can no sooner dismiss its pious or honest thoughts, but vicious and unlawful ones will be swarming about it. For reli∣gious, lawful and sinful Objects, are the only Companions our Minds have to converse with, and therefore since they must and will be conversing with one thing or other, we ought to take great care that as soon as ever they have done entertaining religious Objects, they be presently supplyed and presented with lawful ones, with some ho∣nest Business, or innocent Diversion; that so we may not be at leisure to attend to those sinful Objects, which in the others Absence will be perpetually crouding and thrusting

themselves upon us. For when we are nei∣ther honestly nor religiously imployed, we shall be perfectly at leisure to attend to any Invitation to Sin; and since we must still be doing one thing or other, our having no∣thing else to do, will be a strong inducement to do that which is evil, and to spend our restless Activity in some irregular Course or other, accordingly as we are tempted and inclined. If we are of a busie and pragma∣tical Temper, our leisure will presently in∣vite us to be intermedling with other Folks Business, to be tampering with State Affairs and casting new Models of Government, and censuring the Wisdom of those publick Administrations of which we do not under∣stand the Reasons: If we are of a froward peevish and untractable Temper, we shall be apt when we have nothing else to do, to be venting our Activity in factious and turbu∣lent Zeal, in seditious Pratings and Con∣spiracies▪ in backbiting our Adversaries, and fetching and carrying scandalous Re∣ports to create Jealousies and Animosities between Neighbour and Neighbour. In a word, if we are of sanguin and jovial Dis∣positions, our idle hours will be so many tempting Opportunities to Intemperance and Wantonness, Profaness and Scurrility, and all the other Wickednesses of a lewd and

dissolute Conversation. If therefore we mean to be secured from sinful Actions, we must allow our selves no leisure from reli∣gious or honest ones, which for the above named Reason, we shall find utterly unpra∣cticable, if we be not diligent and industri∣ous in some honest Calling.

BUT whilst mens Minds are honestly im∣ployed, they will not be at leisure to listen to Temptation; and 'twill be difficult for any of those Inducements to Sin, which the Devil and outward Objects do perpetually suggest to us, to obtain Admittance to speak with our Thoughts, whilst they are thus taken up with wiser and better Company. But as soon as we dismiss these, we do in effect beckon Temptations to our selves, and invite the Devil and the World to in∣vite us to be wicked. For, as we say Oppor∣tunity makes the Thief, i. e. it tempts him to steal, and so when we give the Devil the Opportunity of an idle Hour, we do there∣by tempt him to tempt us, and importunate∣ly invite him to steal away the Treasure of our Innocence, by putting the Key of it into his hand, and giving him a free Access to it. And though we should be firmly resolved not to sin, yet tis impossible we should be safe so long as we are at leisure to be temp∣ted; because while we are at leisure we

shall be very often disputing and holding Ar∣gument with the Tempter, who by his Quirks and Sophistries will many times cir∣cumvent such Novices as we, before we are aware. But when we are not only resolved against him, but are also so imployed as that we are not at leisure to attend to him, it is past his skill to fasten any Temptation up∣on us. Wherefore, if we would be secure in the Course of our Christian Warfare, we must follow St. Jeroms Counsel to his Friend Rusticus, Semper boni aliquid operis fa∣cito, ut Diabolus te semper inveniat occupatum, be always doing one good Work or other, that so the Devil may always find thee busie.

IX. TO our Course and Progress in the Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that we should indeavour, so far as in us lyes, to keep up a constant Chearfulness of Spirit in our Religion. It is doubtless a great Dis∣grace to our Religion to imagin (as too many superstitious Christians do) that it is an Enemy to Mirth and Chearfulness, and a severe Exactor of Pensive looks and solemn Faces; that men are never serious enough till they are mope'd into Statues, and cloisterd from all Society, but that of their own melancholy Thoughts; that 'tis a Gospel-Duty to whine or to be silent, and retire themselves from the most innocent Plea∣sures

and Festivities of Conversation; and in a word, that all kind of Mirth and face∣tious Humour is to be rankt among those Idle Words which our Saviour tells us shall be brought to Judgment. As if Religion were a Caput mortuum, a heavy, stark, in∣sipid thing, that had neither Heat nor Life nor Motion in it; or were intended for a Medusa's Head to transform men into monu∣ments of Stone. By which false Concepti∣ons of it, they render it much more bur∣thensome than it is in its own Nature. For to make Religion forbid us any thing that is humane and natural, is to render it a real grievance unto humane nature; 'tis to make our Duty run a tilt at the Principles of our Being, and set our Conscience and our Nature at Variance with one another. And there∣fore, since to be risible and sociable, is as na∣tural to us as to be reasonable, to make our Religion an Enemy to our Mirth and Con∣versation, is to represent it as a tyrannical Invader of the essential Liberties and Pro∣perties of humane Nature. 'Tis true in∣deed, though it denies us not the freedom of an innocent Humour, nor disallows those little Plaisances and inoffensive Raileries of Fancy which are somtimes requisite to sauce our Conservation, and give it a quicker Re∣lish; yet hath it taken care to bound our

Merriments with the necessary Precepts of Sobriety and Gravity, that so by too much whifling up and down in the little levities of Fancy, our Minds may not grow vain and light and trifling, and be thereby indisposed to serious Thoughts and Reflections: But so long as we keep within the Bounds of Sobriety, and do not sally out into malicious or scurrilous or prophane Jesting, our Reli∣gion doth not only connive at our Mirth, but commend and approve it: and so remote is it from cramping those Strings and Sinews of the Mind, Chearfulness and Action, that it recollects their scatterd Vigour, and winds up their Slackness to a true Harmony.

FOR it requires that our speech should be alway with grace, Col. iv.6. i. e. as some Ex∣positors understand the Phrase, that it should not be whining and melancholy, but sprightly and chearful; it bids us rejoice e∣vermore, 1 Thes. v.16, and rejoice in the Lord alway, and again rejoice, Phil. iv.4. that is, to indeaver to be chearful in all Con∣ditions, and to bear all Events with a se∣rene and lightsome mind. And therefore the Apostle reckons this among the blessed Fruits and Effects of that Divine Spirit which accompanies and animates Christi∣anity, viz. Joy, or Chearfulness, Gal v.22. and this is one of the Particulars in which

the same Apostle makes the Christian Laws to consist, as they stand opposed to the Ri∣tual Laws of the Jews; the Kingdom of Hea∣ven, i. e. the Laws of the Christian Church, is not meat and drink, i. e. consist not of In∣junctions or Prohibitions of things that are of a Ritual or indifferent Nature; but righ∣teousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv.17. which three Particulars being opposed to things that are unnecessary, must by the Law of Oppositions denote things that are necessary; and therefore as by Righ∣teousness and Peace, must be meant Justice and Peaceableness, so by Joy in the Holy Ghost, must be meant Chearfulness and Ala∣crity in doing the will of God; because Joy can be in no other Sense Matter of Necessary Duty. By all which its evident, that Chear∣fulness of Temper is so far from being dis∣countenanced by our Religion, that 'tis requi∣red and injoined by it, so far as 'tis in our Power and Choice. And indeed it highly becomes us who serve so good a Master, to be free and chearful, and thereby to express a grateful sense of his Goodness, and of those glorious Rewards which we expect from his inexhaustible Bounty; but as for a gloomy Look and dejected Countenance, it better beseems a Gally-slave than a Servant of God. And as Chearfulness is a Duty that

very well becomes our State, so it is highly necessary to support and carry us on in our Christian Warfare.

FOR Chearfulness is Natures best Friend; it removes its Oppressions, enlivens its Fa∣culties, and keeps its Spirits in a brisk and regular Motion, and hereby renders it easie to it self, and useful and serviceable to God and Man. It dispels Clouds from the Mind, and Fears from the Heart, and kindles and Cherishes in us brave and generous Affecti∣ons, and composes our Natures into such a regular temper as is of all others the most fit to receive religious Impressions, and the breathings of the Spirit of God. For what the Jews do observe of the Spirit of Prophe∣sie, is as true of the Spirit of Holiness, that it dwells not with Sadness, but with Chear∣fulness; that being it self of a calm and gen∣tle Nature, it loves not to reside with black and melancholy Passions, but requires a com∣posed and serene Temper to act upon. And hence Tertul. in his de Spectac. Deus praece∣pit Spiritum sanctum, utpote pro Naturae suae bono tenerum & delicatum, Tranquillita∣te & Lenitate & Quiete & Pace tractare; non Furore, non Bile, non Ira, non Dolore in∣quietare, i. e. God hath commanded that the holy Spirit, who is of a tender and de∣licate Nature, should be entertained by us

with Tranquility and Mildness, with Qui∣etness and Peace, and that we should take care not to disturb him with Fury and Cho∣ler, or with Anger and Grief. And indeed Melancholy naturally infests the holy Spi∣rit, and disturbs him in all his operations; it overwhelms the Fancy with black Reeks and Vapours, and thereby clouds and dar∣kens the Understanding, and intercepts the holy Spirits Illuminations; and, like red coloured Glass before the eye, causes the most lovely and attractive Objects, to look bloody and terrible. It distracts the Thoughts, and renders them wild, roving and incohe∣rent; and thereby utterly indisposes them to Prayer and Consideration, and renders them deaf and unattentive to all good Moti∣ons and Inspirations. It freezes up the Heart with dispairing Fears and Despon∣dencies, and represents easie things as diffi∣cult to us, and difficult as impossible, and thereby discourages us from all those vertu∣ous Attempts, to which the blessed Spirit doth so importunately excite and provoke us. In a word, it naturally benums and stu∣pifies the Soul, obstructs its Motions, and makes it listless and unactive, and so by in∣disposing it to co-operate with the holy Spi∣rit, renders it an incapable Subject of his di∣vine Grace and Influence. Thus melan∣choly

you see, by its sullen and malevolent Aspects, doth obstinately resist and counter-influence the holy Spirit, without whose Aid and Assistance we can never hope to prosper in our spiritual Warfare.

WHEREFORE if we mean to suc∣ceed in this great Affair, it concerns us to use all honest and innocent Means to dispel this black and mischievous Humour, and to beget and maintain in our Minds a constant Serenity and Chearfulness of Temper; and when ever our Spirits begin to droop and languish, to betake our selves to such natu∣ral Remedies, such harmless Diversions, Refreshments and Recreations, as are fit and proper to raise them up again; and not to suffer them to sink into a Bog of Melanchol∣ly Humours, whilst 'tis in our Power by any honest Art or Invention to support them. Which if we can but effect, will be of vast Advantage to us in the whole Course of our Religion. For in an even Chearfulness of Temper, our Spirits will be always live∣ly, strong and active, and fit for the best and noblest Operations; they will give Light to our Understandings, Courage to our Hearts, and Wings to our Affections; so that we shall be able more clearly to discern divine and heavenly things, more resolutely to practise, and more vehemently to aspire af∣ter

them; and our Considerations will be more fixt, our Devotions more intent, and all our spiritual Endeavours more active and vivacious. For a chearful Temper will represent every thing chearfully to us; 'twill represent God so lovely, Religion so attra∣ctive, the Rewards of it so immense, and the Difficulties of it so inconsiderable, and thereby inspire us with so much Life and Courage, as that none of all those spiritual Enemies we war and contend against, will be able to withstand our Resolution.

X. TO our Course and Progress in this our spiritual Warfare, it is also necessary that we maintain in our Minds a constant Sense and Expectation of Heaven; that since the things of the other World are future and invisible, and consequently less apt to touch and affect us than these world∣ly things which are continually pressing up∣on our Senses, we should as oft as we have Opportunity, withdraw our Thoughts from these sensible Objects, and retire into the immaterial World, and there entertain our selves with the close View and Contem∣plation of the Joys and Glories it abounds with. For we are a sort of Beings that be∣ing compounded of Flesh and Spirit, are by these opposite Principles of our Nature ally'd to two opposite Worlds, and placed in the

middle between Heaven and Earth as the common Center wherein those distant Re∣gions meet. By our spiritual Nature we hold Communion with the spiritual World, and by our corporeal with this earthly and sensible one; whose Objects being always present with us, and striking as they do im∣mediately upon our Senses, we lye much more bare and open to them, than to those of the spiritual World. So that unless we now and then withdraw our selves from these sensible things, which hang like a Cloud be∣tween, we can never have a free Prospect into that clear Heaven above them. And hence it becomes necessary that we should now and then make a solemn Retirement of our Thoughts from earthly Objects and Enjoy∣ments, that so we may approach near enough to Heaven to touch and feel the Joys and Pleasures of it, which while we transiently behold in this Croud of worldly Objects, is plac'd at such a Distance from us, that it looks like a thin, blew Landskip, next to nothing; and hath not apparent Reality enough in it to raise our Desires and Expe∣ctations.

AND hence we are commanded to set our affections upon, or as it is in the original, to mind those things that are above, Col. iii.2. and that by these things above, he means

the Enjoyments of Heaven, it's plain from v. 1. where he expresly tells us that by the above in which these things are, he means Heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. So that the Sence of the Precept is this, that we should fix in our Minds such lively Representations of the Glory and Reality of the Celestial State, as may raise in our Hearts a longing Desire and earnest Expectation of being made partakers of it. Which Hope and Expectation he elsewhere injoyns us to put on for an Helmet, i. e. for a necessary Piece of defensive Armour a∣gainst the Difficulties and Discouragements of our Christian Warfare, 1 Thes. v.8. and Heb. vi.xix. this hope which enters into that within the veil, i. e. into Heaven, is said to be the Anchor of the soul both sure and sted∣fast, i. e. 'tis that which stayes and secures the Soul in the midst of those many Storms of Temptation it meets withall in its Voy∣age to Heaven; and it being so, we are bid to look to and imitate our Blessed Lord, who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is now sat down at the right hand of God, Heb. xii.2. The meaning of all which is, that we should earnestly indeavour to fix in our minds a vigorous Sense and Expectation of that im∣mortal Happiness with which God hath

promised to crown all that come off Con∣querors from this spiritual Warfare; that all along as we march we should keep Hea∣ven in our Eye, and incourage our selves with the Hope of it to charge through all those Difficulties and Temptations that oppose us in the way; in a word, that we should frequently awaken in our minds the glorious Thoughts of a blessed Immortality, and possess our selves with a lively Expectation of injoying it, if we hold out to the End.

WHICH is a Duty of a vast Conse∣quence to us in the Course of our spiritual Warfare. For Heaven being the End and Reward of our Warfare, must needs be the grand Encouragement thereunto; and con∣sequently if once we lose Sight of Heaven, and suffer earthly things to interpose and eclipse the Glory and Reality of it, our Courage will never be able to bear up against those manifold Temptations that do conti∣nually assault us. But whilst we continue under a lively Sense of that blessed Recom∣pence of Reward, that will so spirit and in∣vigorate our Resolution, that nothing will be able to withstand it; and all the Terrors and Allurements that Sin can propose, will be forced to fly before it, and to retreat like so many impotent Waves that dash against a Rock of Adamant. For while we are un∣der

a lively Sense and Expectance of the Happiness above, we live as it were in the Mid-way between Heaven and Earth, where we have an open Prospect of the Glories of both, and do plainly see how faint and dim those below are in comparison with those above; how they are forced to sneak and disappear in the presence of those eternal Splendors, and to shroud their van∣quisht Beauties, as the Stars do when the Sun appears. And whilst we interchangea∣bly turn our eyes from one to t'other, how fruitlesly do the Pleasures, Profits and Ho∣nours below, importune us to abandon the Joys and Glories above, and with what In∣dignation do we listen to the proposals of such a senseless and ridiculous Exchange? And could we but always keep our selves at this stand, we should be so fortified with the Sight of those happy Regions above, that no Temptation from below would ever be able to approach us; and the sense that we are going on to that blessed State would carry us through all the weary Stages of our Duty with an indefatigable Vigour. For what may a man not do with Heaven in his Eye, with that potent, I had almost said Omnipotent, Encouragement before him? To pull out a right Eye, to cut off a right hand, to tear a darling Lust from his

Heart, even when 'tis wrapt about it, and twisted with its Strings, what an easie At∣chievement is it to a man that hath a Hea∣ven of immortal Glories in his View? The Hope of which is enough to recommend even Racks & Torments, and turn the Flames of martyrdom into a Bed of Roses. For 'twas this blessed Prospect that inabled the Good old martyrs to triumph so gloriously as they did in the midst of their Sufferings; they knew that a few Moments would put an End to their Miseries, and that when once they had weather'd those short storms, they should arive at a most blessed Harbour, and be crowned at their landing; and that from thence they should look back with in∣finite Joy and Delight upon the dangerous Sea they had escaped, and for ever bless those Storms and Winds that drave them to that happy Ports for as the Author to the Hebrews tells us, they sought a heavenly Countrey, Heb. xi.14.16.

XI. AND lastly, To the successful Pro∣gress of our Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that we should live in the frequent use of the publick Ordinances and Instituti∣ons of our Religion; namely, in the religi∣ous Observation of the Lords Day, and in frequent Communion with one another in the Holy Sacrament, both which are of

great Use to us in the Course and Progress of our spiritual Warfare. For as for the Lords Day, it is instituted, and ever since the Apostles Time hath been observed in the Christian Church, as a Day of publick Worship and weekly Thanksgiving for our Saviours Resurrection, in which the great Work of our Redemption was consummated. And certainly it must needs be of vast Ad∣vantage to be one day in seven sequester'd from the World and imployed in divine Offices, in solemn Prayers, Praises and Thank∣sgivings, and be obliged to assist and edifie one another by the mutual Example and Vnion of our Devotions; to hear the Du∣ties of our Religion explained, the Sins a∣gainst it reprehended, and the Doctrins of it unfolded and reduced to plain and easie Prin∣ciples of Practice; what a mighty advan∣tage might we reap from all these blessed Ministries, if we would but attend to them with that Concern and Seriousness which the matter of them requires and deserves? Es∣pecially if when the publick Offices are over, we would not let loose our selves all the rest of the Day, as we too frequently do, to our secular Cares and Diversions, and thereby choak those good Instructions we have heard, and stifle those devout and pi∣ous Affections which have been raised and

excited in us; but instead of so doing, we would devote at least some good Portion of it to the Instruction of our Families, and to the private Exercise of our Religion, to Me∣ditation and Prayer, to the Examination of our selves concerning our past Behaviour, and the reinforcing our Resolution to be∣have our selves better for the future; if, I say, we would thus spend our Lords Day, we should doubtless find our selves better Men for it all the Week after; we should go into the World again with much better Affections, and stronger Resolutions, with our Graces more vigorous, and our bad In∣clinations more reduced and tamed, and whereas the Jews were to gather Manna enough on their sixth Day, to feed their Bodies on the ensuing Sabbath, we should gather Manna enough upon our Sabbath, to feed and strengthen our Souls all the six days after.

BUT to this we must also add frequent Communions with one another in the Holy Sacrament, which is an Ordinance instituted on purpose by our blessed Saviour, for the improving and furthering us in our Christi∣an Warfare. For besides that herein we have one of the most puissant Arguments against Sin represented by visible Signs to our Sense, viz. the bloody Sacrifice of our

blessed Lord to expiate and make Atone∣ment for it; besides that those bleeding Wounds of his which are here represented by the breaking of the Bread and pouring out of the Wine, do proclaim our Sins his Asassines and Murderers, the thought of which, if we had any ingenuity in us, were enough to incense in us the most implacable Indignation against them; besides that his Sufferings for our Sins, of which this sacred Solemnity is a lively Picture, do horribly remonstrate Gods Displeasure against them, who would not be induced to pardon them upon any meaner Expiation than the Blood of his Son, than which Hell it self is not a more dreadful Argument to scare and terri∣fie us from them; in a word, besides that his so freely submitting and offering up him∣self to be a Propitiation for us, of which this holy Festival is a solemn Commemorati∣on, is an expression of Kindness sufficient to captivate the most ungrateful Souls, and extort Obedience from them; besides all this, I say, as it is a Feast upon the Sacrifice of his Body and Blood, it is a Federal Rite, whereby God and we, by feasting together, do accordingly to the antient Customs both of Jews and Heathens, mutually ob∣lige our selves to one another; whereby God, by giving us the mystical Bread and

Wine, and we by receiving them, do mu∣tually ingage our selves to one another upon those sacred Pledges of Christs Body and Blood, that we faithfully perform each o∣thers Part of that everlasting Covenant which was purchased by him. And what can be a greater Restraint to us when we are solicited to any Sin, than the sense of being under such a dreadful Vow and Obligation? With what face dare we listen to any Temp∣tation to Evil, when we remember lately we solemnly ingaged our selves to the con∣trary, and took the Sacrament upon it? And verily I doubt 'tis this that lies at the bottom of that seeming modest Pretence of Vnworthiness, which men are wont to urge in Excuse for their Neglect of the Sacrament; namely, that they love their Lusts, and can∣not resolve to part with them, and therefore are afraid to make such a solemn Abjuration of them, as the eating and drinking the consecrated Elements implies. And I con∣fess, if this be their Reason, they are un∣worthy indeed, the more shame for them, but 'tis such an Vnworthiness as is so far from excusing, that it only aggravates their Ne∣glect. For for any man to plead that he dares not receive the Sacrament because he is re∣solved to sin on, is to make that which is his Fault, his Apology, and to excuse one Sin

with another. Wherefore if we are hear∣tily resolved by the Grace of God to re∣form and amend, let us abstain no longer from this great Federal Rite, upon Pre∣tence of Vnworthiness. For 'tis by the use of this, among other Means; that we are to improve and grow more and more worthy. For the very Repetition of our Resolution, as I have shewed above, is a proper Means of strengthning and confirming it; and cer∣tainly it must needs be much more so, when 'tis renewed and repeated with the Solemni∣ty of a Sacrament. And therefore it is worth observing, how much Care our Lord hath taken, in the very Constitution of our Religion, to oblige us to a constant, so∣lemn Repetition of our good Resolutions. For at our first Entrance into Covenant with him, we are to be baptized, in which Solem∣nity we do openly renounce the Devil and all his Works, and religiously devote our selves to his service. But because we are apt to forget this our baptismal Vow, and the Matter of it is continually to be performed, and more than one World depends upon it, therefore he hath thought fit not to trust wholly to this first Engagement, but hath so methodized our Religion, as that we are ever and anon obliged to give him new Secu∣rity. For which End, he hath instituted

this other Sacrament, which is not like that of Baptism to be received by us once for all, but to be often reiterated and repeated, that so upon the frequent Returns of it, we might still be obliged to repeat over our old Vows of Obedience. For he hath not only injoyned us that we should do this in re∣membrance of him, Luk. xxii.19. i. e. that we should celebrate this sacred Festival in the Memory of his Passion; but by thus do∣ing the Apostle tells us we are to continue the Memorial of it to the end of the World, or to shew his death till he comes, 1 Cor. xi.26. And that this doth not, like the Precept of Baptism, oblige us for once only and no more, is evident from the fore∣going words of this last recited Text, as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, which plainly shews that these sacramental Elements are to be more than once received by us. 'Tis true, how often 'tis to be done neither Christ nor his Apostles have any where defined, but if we consult primi∣tive Example (which in the Absence of express Precept is the best Rule to deter∣mine our selves by) we shall find that it was very frequently received. For from some Passages in the Acts of the Apostles, it seems probable that Christians did then communicate every Day; as par∣ticularly

Acts ii.46. where they are said to continue daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the house, that is as it seems probable, in some upper room of the Temple; though perhaps this daily may refer only to the Lords Day, agreeably to that Acts xx.7. on the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them. But it's certain that whensoe∣ver they assembled to the publick Worship, they closed it with the Lords Supper; which they did for a great while in the Western Churches every day in the Week, and in the Eastern, as St. Basil tells us, Epist. 289. four times a Week, besides Festivals. So that allowing for our Declensions from the primitive Zeal and Devotion, one would think that to communicate now once in four Weeks should be a very mode∣rate Proportion. But as for those that wholly neglect this sacred Institution, for my own part I see not how they can excuse them∣selves from being guilty of a wilful Rebel∣lion against their Saviour, or with what Confidence they can expect either that he should assist them with his Grace on the Way, or crown them with his Salvation in the End, when they so perversly turn their backs up∣on an Ordinance which he hath solemnly

instituted for a Conveyance of the one, and a Seal of the other.

BUT would we take that Care that be∣comes us, to prepare our selves for, and fre∣quent this holy Institution, there is no doubt but we should find it of mighty Advan∣tage to us in the whole Course of our Re∣ligion. For till we are arived to a confirmed State of Good, our holy Fervours will be very apt to cool, our good Purposes to slacken and unwind, and our vertuous En∣deavours to languish and tire; and therefore unless we take care frequently to revive our Religion with this spiritual Repast and Restorative, and still to add new Fewel to it as the Flame decays, it will quickly pine away and expire. But if upon the solemn Returns of this sacred Festival, we would constantly come with due Preparation to our masters Table, and here renew our Vows, re-invigorate our Resolutions, repair our Decays, and put our sluggish Graces into a new Fermentation, we should find our Re∣ligion not only live, but thrive, and be still acquiring new Degrees of Strength and Activity. But because this Argument hath been already so fully handled in our Pra∣ctical Treatises, particularly by the Reve∣rend Dr. Patrick in his Mensa Mystica and Christian Sacrifice, I shall refer the Reader

thither for the farther Consideration of it.

And thus, with all the Brevity I could, I have indeavoured to give an Account of those Duties which are necessary in the Course and Progress of our Christian War∣fare.

SECT. IV. Containing certain Motives to animate men against the Difficulty of these Duties which appertain to the Course of our Christian Warfare.

HOW necessary and useful to us those a∣forenamed Duties are, in the Course of our Christian Warfare, hath been sufficiently shewn. So that now there is nothing that our Sloth and Vnwillingness can object a∣gainst them, but only this, that they are very difficult, and do require more of our Time and Care and Pains than we can con∣veniently spare from our other necessary Occasions; that the Practice of them is so unpleasant and severe, and attended with so much Cumber and Trouble, that we very much doubt we shall never be able to go through with them. And therefore to re∣move this Objection out of mens way, and

to excite them to the Practice of these ne∣cessary Duties, I shall for a Conclusion of this Argument add, to what hath been said of it, these following Considerations.

1. That whatsoever Difficulty there is in the Practice of them, we may thank our selves for it.

2. That in the Course of our Sin there is a great deal of Difficulty, as well as in our Warfare against it.

3. That how difficult soever this War∣fare may be, it must be indured, or that which is a great deal worse.

4. That though it be difficult, yet there is nothing in it but what the Grace of God will render possible to us, if we be not want∣ing to our selves.

5. That the Practice of these Duties is not so difficult, but that it is fairly consistent with all our other necessary Occasions and Diversions.

6. That the Difficulty of them is such as will certainly abate and wear off by Degrees, if we constantly practice them.

7. That with the difficulty of them there is a World of present Peace and Satisfaction intermingled.

8. That their Difficulty is abundantly compensated by the final Reward of them.

I. CONSIDER that whatsoever Difficulty there is in the Practice of them, we may thank our selves for it. For if we had be∣taken our selves to the Practice of Religion as soon as we were capable of it, before we had entered our selves into sinful Courses, and had therein contracted sinful Habits and Inclinations, we might have prevented those Difficulties which we now complain of. For our Religion was made for and adapt∣ed to our Nature, and would have sweetly accorded with all its Affections and Propen∣sions, had we not vitiated them by our own wilful Sin, and clapt a preternatural Biass upon them. But though the Light be na∣turally congruous to the Eye, yet if through a Distillation of ill Humours into it the Eye grow sore and weak, there is nothing more grievous and offensive to it. And so it is with Religion, which to the pure and uncontaminated Nature of a Man, is the most grateful and aggreeable thing in the World; but if by our own ill Government we disease our Nature, and deprave its pri∣mitive Constitution, it is no wonder that Religion which was so well proportioned to it in its Purity, should sit hard and uneasie upon it, in its Apostacy and Corruption. For to a man that is in a Feaver, every thing is bitter, even Honey, which when he

is well, is exceeding sweet and grateful; but the Bitterness which he tasts is not in the Honey but in the Gall which overflows his own Palate; and so to a Nature that is diseased with any unnatural Lust, that which is most congruous to it self, will be most nauseous to its Disease; and those Du∣ties which in its Health 'twould have im∣braced with the greatest Pleasure, will in its Sickness be the greatest Burthen and Op∣pression to it. And when we have spoiled the Purity of our Constitution, and are de∣generated from the humane Nature into the brutal or diabolical one, it is no great won∣der that the Religion of a Man should be a Burthen to the Nature of a Beast or a Devil. So that whatsoever Difficulties there are in Religion, they arise not out of the Nature of the things it requires, but out of the perverse Indispositions of our Natures to them; and these were for the most part contracted by our selves; so that instead of complaining of the Difficul∣ty, we ought to strive and contend the more earnestly against it, because we may thank our selves for it. When a man hath plaid the Fool, and set his House on Fire, the Sense of his own Folly ought to make him more industrious to extinguish it; but if instead of so doing, he should sit with his Hands

in his Bosom and complain of the Mischief, and the Difficulty of stopping it, what would Folks say of him? Mischievous, doth it become thee to sit here idely com∣plaining of the Effect of thy own Villany, whilst 'tis yet in thy Power, wouldst thou but bestir thy self, to quench the Flame, and prevent the spreading of it? For shame get up and do thy utmost Endeavour to repair thy own Act, and to extinguish this spread∣ing Mischief of which thou art the Author. Since therefore we have been so obstinately foolish as to set fire to our own Souls, and kindle in them by our vicious Courses such destructive Flames of unnatural Lust, how monstrously ridiculous is it, whilst 'tis yet in our Power to extinguish them, to sit whining and complaining of the Difficulty of it, and in the mean time permit them to rage and burn on without Interruption? O miserable men, if they are so hard to be quench'd, who may ye thank for it? Was it not you that kindled them, and do you now sit idly complaining of your own Act, when you should be the more industrious to re∣pair the Mischief of it, because it is your own. For shame arise and bestir your selves, and since you are conscious that the Diffi∣culties of your Religion are of your own creating, and that those Lusts which indis∣pose

ye to it are the products of your own Actions, let this excite ye to a more vigo∣rous Endeavour to subdue and conquer them.

II. CONSIDER that in the Course of your Sins there is a great deal of Difficulty, as well as in your Warfare against them. For I dare appeal to your own Experience whether you have not found a great deal of Hardship in Wickedness, especially while you were educating and training up your Natures to it? Did not your Nature often∣times recoil and start and boggle at your vi∣cious Actions; and were you not fain some∣times to curb, and sometimes to spur it, to commit many Outrages and Violences upon it, whilst you were backing and managing it, before you could reduce it to a Through-pace in Iniquity? How often have you put your modest Nature to the Blush, at the sense of a filthy and uncomly Action, whilst your wicked Will hath been dragging it along like a timorous Virgin to an Adulte∣rers Bed; and what terrible Shreiks have your Consciences many times given in the midst of your sinful Commissions, when you were acting the first Rapes upon your Innocence? How many a pensive Mood hath the Review of your sinful Pleasures cost ye, and what Swarms of Horror and dreadful Expectation hath the Reflection on

your past Guilts raised in your Minds? And then with what excessive Difficulty have you been fain to practise some Vices, only to get an Habit of practising them more easily? How often have you been forced to swallow Sickness, to drink dead Palsies and foaming Epilepsies, to render your Intemperances familiar to you, and in what Qualms and fainting sweats, and sottish Confusions have you many times awaked, before ever you could Connaturalize your midnight Revels to your Temper? And when with so much Labour and Violence, you have pretty well trained and exercised your selves in this hellish Warfare, and thereby rendered it natural and habitual to you, to how many Inconveniences hath it daily exposed you, & what base and unmanly Shifts hath it put you upon, to extricate your selves out of those Difficulties wherein it hath involved you? What violent Passions and Perturbations doth it raise in your Minds, and into what wild Tumults of Action doth it frequently hurry you? In a word, how doth it perplex and intrigue the whole Course of your Lives, and intangle ye in a labyrinth of Knavish Tricks and Collusions; so that many times you are at your Wits end, and know not which way to turn your selves? All these Difficulties, and a great many

more, which I cannot presently think of, you must have contended with in a sinful Course of Action, if you have made any considerable Experiment of it.

AND do you complain of the Difficulty of persevering in Religion; you that have so couragiously persevered in a worse Way against Difficulties that are as great, all things considered, if not greater; you that have hitherto sin'd on so industriously, that have broke through so many strong Barri∣cadoes to come at and injoy your Lusts, are you not ashamed to start and boggle as you do, at the Difficulties of Virtue and Religi∣on? Look but how the industrious Sinner up∣braids you? His way leads directly to Ruine, and he knows it, and yet he presses on coura∣giously, as if he were ambitious to be a Heroe in Iniquity, and charges through all the modesty of Humane Nature, through all his native sense of a God and a divine Ven∣geance; he marches forward through Infamy and Diseases, Dangers and a world of Incon∣veniences, and offers a kind of Violence to Hell, as if he meant to force open its brazen Portal, and enter headlong into it before 'tis ready to receive him, whilst you in the mean time like a company of Crest-faln Creatures, stand shivering at a few trifling Difficulties in your Way, though you have

Heaven for your End, and a Crown of Glory for your Reward.

IN short therefore, this is the true State of your Case; choose which side you please, whether to march under Christs or the Devils Banner; you must expect before-hand to encounter some Difficulties, yea and perhaps as great on the one side as on the other; and if so, then you have little else to do but to compare their Ends, and to con∣sider which of the two is most eligible, a Crown of Glory, or eternal Torment.

III. CONSIDER that how Difficult so∣ever this your spiritual Warfare may be, it must be indured, or that which is much more intollerable. I confess were it not ab∣solutely necessary, we might with some co∣lour of Reason urge the Difficulty of it, to excuse our selves from undertaking and pro∣secuting it; but when our Case is such, as that we must either conquer or perish, swim through, or sink under the Difficulties we complain of, the matter will admit of no further Debate, but we must e'en resolve of the two Evils to choose that which is the least. When the Ship hath sprung a Leak, 'tis a Madness for the Mariners to sit still and complain of the Pains and Labour of pump∣ing; for in the Extremity they are in, there is no more to be said, they must pump or

perish, and it is not to be debated where there is so vast an Inequality between the Objects of their Choice, which of the two they were best to fix upon, whether to take pains for the present to secure the Ship, or to sit still and suffer themselves to be swallowed up in the Ocean. And thus it is in the Case before us; our Soul hath sprung a Leak, and let into its Holds those Stygian Waters of sensual and Diabolical Lust, which will sink us down to Hell if they be not pump'd out again; and this is not to be done with∣out a great deal of Labour and Difficulty. But what then; were we not better labour for a while then perish for ever? do we talk of Labour when our Souls are at stake, and our immortal Life is upon the Brink of an everlasting well or ill-being? In other Cases we never think much to indure a pre∣sent Inconvenience for the Prevention of a future Mischief; we are content to fast, when we perceive it's necessary to obviat an approaching Feaver, to be cupp'd and scar∣rified with all the Artifice of Pain to prevent or remove a dangerous Disease; and in all other Cases are generally willing to pro∣long our Torment that we may be the longer a dying; except where the Prescription is Virtue, and the Death prescribed against is eternal; though this be the most formida∣ble

Mischief of all, as being the utmost Consummation of humane Misery, and com∣pared with which all the Labours and Diffi∣culties of Religion have not the Proportion of a gentle Flea-biting to the acutest Tor∣ments of the Rack or Stone. For I beseech you to consider, will it not be easier for you to indure the short Agonies of a bitter Re∣pentance, than the horrid Despair of a damned Ghost for ever; to thwart a foolish and unreasonable Lust, than to lye roaring to Eternity upon the Rack of a guilty Con∣science? Is there any Proportion between your abstaining from the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a moment, and your being excluded from Heaven and all Hope of Happiness for ever? Alass! if it be so diffi∣cult to you to contend with an evil Habit, to struggle with a stiff and obstinate Inclina∣tion, how difficult will it be to dwell with everlasting burnings, and suffer the dire Ef∣fects of an unappeasable Vengeance to Eter∣nity? Wherefore since we are under an abso∣lute Necessity of induring the one or th'other, in the name of God let us act like Men, and of the two evils choose that which is most tollerable.

IV. CONSIDER that though it be difficult, yet there is nothing in it but what the Grace of God will render possible to us,

if we be not wanting to our selves. I con∣fess the Necessity of it would be no Argu∣ment to ingage us to undertake it, were it not a possible Undertaking; yea, and readily acknowledge, that it very far exceeds our poor Possibility singly and nakedly conside∣red. So that if we were left to struggle with the Difficulty of it in our own single Strength, we might justly despair of Suc∣cess, and so tamely lye down and yield our selves foil'd and defeated. But God be praised this is not our Case; for though when we cast our eyes upon the many vi∣olent Inclinations to evil that are within us, and upon the numberless Temptations to evil that are about us; when we seriously reflect upon the Weakness of our Reason, and the Strength of our Lust, and the Number and Nearness and Prevalency of those Objects from without that are conti∣nually pressing upon and assaulting our good Resolutions; though, I say, when we reflect upon all this, we are ready to cry out as Elisha's Servant did when he beheld the City compassed with Horses and with Chariots, Alas, Master, how shall we do? how shall we be able to withstand all this mighty Army of Enemies? yet if we turn our Eyes from our own Weakness, and our Enemies Strength to those gracious Promi∣ses

of Assistance which the Father of Mer∣cies hath made to us, we shall quickly be able to answer our selves, as Elisha did him, fear not, O my Soul, for they that are with us, are more, and more powerful, than they that are against us. For we have with us not only the outward Arguments of Religi∣on, which are of infinitely more Force than any outward Inducement to Vice whatsoe∣ver; we have with us not only the holy Angels of God, who are as willing and more able to direct and strengthen us, than all the infernal Furies to insnare and captivate us; but we have with us also the Almighty Spi∣rit of God, who by the Oeconomy of Hea∣ven, and the Promise of our Lord, is obliged to minister to us in all our Necessities, and to aid and assist us against all those Difficul∣ties which would be otherwise too hard for us, if we were left to our selves. So that if we do but hold true to our own Interest, and take care that we do not drive him a∣way from us, by siding wilfully with our Enemies against him, we shall not, no we cannot miscarry; unless (which is impossi∣ble) some such Temptation should befal us, as neither we nor he can resist and cope with. For till by our wilful Sin we have forfeited our Title to the promise of his Assistance, we are as sure of his Help in all

things that are necessary, as we can be of our own Endeavour; and 'tis not more in our power to do what we can by the Strength of our own Faculties, than 'tis to ingage him to inable us to do what we can∣not with his Aid and Assistance. For by faithfully indeavouring to persevere in wel-doing, we intitle our selves to all the neces∣sary Assistances of his Grace, and so long as this Title continues, we are Masters not only of our own Strength but of his too, and can do not only whatsoever is within our own Power without him, but also whatsoever is in his Power concurring with ours.

SO that though our Warfare be difficult, it cannot be impossible, unless we will have it so. For to be sure there is nothing in it that can be too hard for Gods Grace co-opera∣ting with the Powers of our Nature; and therefore there can be nothing in it too hard for us, whilst 'tis in our Power to secure our selves of that his gracious Co-operati∣on.

WHEREFORE let us stand boggling no longer at the Difficulty of our Progress in Religion, since God be praised, there is no∣thing required of us beyond what we are a∣ble; do you but your Part which is only what you can, and then doubt not but God will do his; put forth but your honest, hearty

Endeavour, and earnestly implore his Aid and Assistance, and if then you miscarry, let Heaven answer for it. But if upon a Pretence that your Work is too difficult, and your Enemies too mighty for you, you lay down your Arms and resolve to con∣tend with them no longer, let Heaven and Earth judg between God and you, which is to be charged with your ruine; God, that so graciously offer'd you his Help, that stretch'd out his Hand to raise ye up, tenderd you his spirit to guard and conduct ye through all Oppositions to eternal Happiness, or you, that would not be persuaded to do any thing for your selves, but rather chose to perish with Ease, than take any Pains to be saved.

V. CONSIDER that the Practice of these Duties is not so difficult, but that it is fairly consistent with all your other necessa∣ry Occasions. When men are told how many Duties are necessary to their successful Pro∣gress in Religion, what Patience and Con∣stancy, what frequent Examinations and Tryals of themselves, what lively Thoughts and Expectations of Heaven, &c. they are apt to conclude that if they should ingage to do all this, they must resolve to do no∣thing else, but even shake hands with all their secular Business and Diversions, and Cloister

up themselves from all other Affairs. Which is a very great Mistake, proceeding either from their not considering, or not un∣derstanding the nature of these religious Exercises, the greatest part of which are such as are to be wholly transacted in the Mind, whose Motions and Operations are much more nimble and expedite than those of the Body, and so may be very well in∣termixt with our secular Employments, withour any Let or Hindrance to them. For what great Time is there required for a man now and then to revolve a few wise and useful Thoughts in his Mind, to consider the Nature of an Action when it occurs, and reflect upon an Error when it's past and hath escap'd him? I can consider a Temptation when it's approaching me, and with a Thought or two of Heaven or Hell arm my Resolution against it in the twinkling of an eye; I can look up to Heaven with an eye of earnest Expectance, and send my Soul thither in a short Ejaculation without interrupting my Business; and yet these, and such as these, do make up a great Part of those religious Exercises wherein the pro∣per Duty of our Christian Warfare con∣sists. And though to the due performance of these Duties, it will be sometimes neces∣sary that our Minds should dwell longer

upon them, yet it is to be considered that when once we are entered upon the Pra∣ctice of them, our Mind will be much more at Leisure to attend to them; for then 'twill be in a great measure taken off from its wild and unreasonable Vagaries, from its sinful Designs and lewd Contrivances, from its Phantastick Complacencies in the Plea∣sures of Sin and anxious Reflections on the Guilt and Danger of it; and when all this Rubbish is thrown out of the Mind, there will be Room enough for good Thoughts to dwell in it, without interfering with any of our necessary Cares and Diversions. For would we but give these our religious Exercises as much Room in our Minds as we did heretofore freely allow to our Sins; they would ask no more, but leave us as much at Leisure for our other Affairs as ever.

I confess there are some of these Duties that exact of us their fixt and stated Porti∣ons of Time, such as our Morning Conside∣ration and Prayer, our Evening Examination and Prayer, our religious Observation of the Lords Day, and our preparing for and receiving the Holy Sacrament; but all this may be very well spared without any Pre∣judice to any of our lawful Occasions. For what great matter of Time doth it ask for

a man to think over a few good Thoughts in the Morning, and fore-arm his Mind with them against the Temptations of the Day; to recommend himself to God in a short, pithy and affectionate Prayer, and repeat his Purpose and Resolution of Obedience; what an easie matter were it for you to bor∣row so many Moments as would suffice for this Purpose from your Bed and your Comb and Looking-glass? And as for the Evening, when your Business is over, it's a very hard case if you cannot spare so much time either from your Company or Refreshments as to make a short Review of the Actions of the Day; to confess and beg Pardon for the Evils you have faln into, or to bless God for the Good you have done, and the Evils you have avoided; and then to recommend your selves to his Grace and Protection for the future. And as for your religious Obser∣vation of the Lords Day, it is only the se∣venth Part of your Time; and can you think much to devote that, or at least the greatest Part of that, to him who gives you your Being and Duration? And lastly, as for your receiving the Lords Supper, 'tis at most but once a Month that you are invited to it, and 'tis a hard Case, if out of so great a proportion of Time you cannot afford a few Hours to examine your Defects and to

quicken your Graces, and to dress and pre∣Pare your selves for that blessed Commemo∣ration. Alass! how easie were all this to a willing Mind? and if we had but half that Concern for our Souls and everlasting Interest that we have for our Bodies, we should count such things as these not worth our mentioning. How disingenuous there∣fore is it for men to make such tragical Out-cries as they do of the Hardship and Difficulty of this spiritual Warfare, when there is nothing at all in it that intrenches ei∣ther on their secular Callings or necessary Diversions; when they may be going on∣ward to Heaven while they are doing their Business, and mortifying their Lusts even in the Enjoyment of their Recreations, and so take their Pleasure both here and here∣after?

VI. CONSIDER that the Difficulty of these Duties is such, as will certainly abate and wear off by Degrees, if we con∣stantly practise them. For in all Under∣takings whatsoever, it is Vse that makes Perfectness, and that which is exceeding hard to us at first, either through want of Skill to manage, or Inclination to practise it, will by degrees grow easier and easier, as we are more and more accustomed and familiarized to it. And this we shall find

by Experience, if we constantly exercise our selves in these progressive Duties of our Religion, which to a Mind that hath been altogether unacquainted with them, will at first be very difficult. 'Twill go against the grain of a wild and ungoverned Nature, to be confined from its extravagant Ranges by the strict Ties of a religious Discipline; and to reduce a roving Mind to severe Con∣sideration, or a fickle one to Constancy and Resolution, or an unreflecting one to Self-examination; to raise up an earthly Mind to heavenly Thoughts and Expectations; and confine a listless and regardless one to strict Watchfulness and Circumspection; to confine a carnal mind to frequent Sacra∣ments; or an indevout and careless one to its daily and weekly periods of Devotion, will at the first no doubt be very painful and tedious; but after we have persisted in and for a while accustomed our selves to it, we shall find it will quickly grow more na∣tural and easie to us, and from being grie∣vous it will become tolerable, from being tolerable easie, and from being easie de∣lightful. For when once we come to feel the good Effects of those Duties in our Natures, how fast our Lusts do decline, our Dispositions mend and all our Graces im∣prove in the Use of them, the Sense of this

will mightily indear and ingratiate them to us. Just as it is with a Scholar, when he first enters upon the Methods of Learning, they are very tedious and irksome to him; the Pains of reading, observing and recol∣lecting, the Confinement to a Study and the racking his Brains with severe Reasoning and Discourse, are things that he cannot easily away with, till he hath been inured and ac∣customed to them a while, and then they grow more natural and easie to him; but when he comes to be sensible of the great Advantages he reaps by his Labour, how it raises and improves his Understanding, in∣larges its prospect and furnishes its Concep∣tion with brave and useful. Notions; then do his Labours which were formerly so grie∣vous become not only easie but delectable to him. And even so it is with these spiritual Exercises of Religion, which to unexperien∣ced persons that are yet but newly enter'd upon them will be very painful and trouble∣some; but if they have but Patience and Courage to hold on, Custom will quickly render them more tolerable, and when they have practised them so long as to find and perceive the blessed Effects of them, how much they have contributed to the reform∣ing their Tempers, reducing their Inclinati∣ons, filing and polishing their rough and

mishapen Natures; with what amiable Gra∣ces, divine and godlike Dispositions they have adorned and beautified them; their Sense and Feeling of this will convert them all into delightful Recreations. Thus as the Custom of them will render them easie, so the blessed Fruits of them will make them delectable; the former will render them fa∣cil as Nature, the later eligible as Reward. And if so, why should we be discouraged, faint-hearted Creatures that we are, at those little present Difficulties, which our Dili∣gence will soon wear off and convert into Ease and Pleasure?

VII. CONSIDER that with the Diffi∣culty of them, there is a world of present Peace and Satisfaction intermingled. If you fall back again to your old Lusts, instead of these present Difficulties you start at, you must expect to have the Trouble of a guilty Soul to contend with; which, if you have any sense of God and of Good and Evil, will be much more grievous to you than they. But if you go on, you will carry with you a quiet and a satisfied Mind, a Conscience that will entertain you all along with such sweet and calm Reflections as will abundant∣ly compensate you for all the Hardships and Difficulties you encounter on the way; that with innumerable Iterations will be always

resounding to your honest Endeavours those best and sweetest Ecchoes, Well done good and profitable servant, how bravely hast thou acquitted thy self, how manfully hast thou stood to thy Duty against all Oppositions, and with what a Gallant Resolution hast thou repulsed those Temptations that bore up against thee? Now for a man to have his own Mind continually applauding him and crowning his Actions with the Approba∣tions of his Conscience, is Encouragement enough to ballance a thousand Difficulties; and the Sense that he hath done his Duty, and that the God above, and the Vice-god within him, are both satisfied and pleased with him, will give him such a grateful Re∣lish of each Action of his Warfare, that the Difficulty will only serve to inhance the Plea∣sure of it.

AND as he will have great Peace and Satisfaction whilst he is contending with these Difficulties, so when he hath so far conquered them as that they are no longer a∣ble to curb and with-hold him from the free and vigorous Exercise of the heavenly Ver∣tues, but in despight of them he can easily moderate his Passions and Appetites by the Laws of his Reason, and freely love, adore and imitate, submit to and confide in the ever blessed God, and chearfully exert an unfor∣ced

Plainess and Simplicity, Good-will and Charity, Submission and Condescension, Peace and Concord towards all men; when, I say, he hath so far surmounted the Difficulties of his Warfare, as that with any Measure of Freedom and Vigor he can put forth all these heavenly Vertues, he will find him∣self not only in a quiet, but in a heavenly Condition. For these heavenly Graces are the Palat by which the immortal Mind tasts and relishes its Heaven, the blessed Organs and Sensories by which it feels and per∣ceives the Joys of the World to come, and without which it can no more relish and in∣joy them, than the senseless Hive can the sweetness of the Honey that is in it. And consequently the more quick and vivacious these heavenly Organs of the Mind are, and the more they are disburthened of those carnal and devilish Lusts that blunt their Sense and Perception, the more accurately they will, taste the Joys and Pleasures of Heaven. So that when by the constant Practice of the warfaring Duties of Reli∣gion, we have conquered those bad Inclina∣tions of our Natures, which render the heavenly Vertues so difficult to us, and do so clog and incumber us in the Exercise of them, we shall find our selves in a Heaven upon Earth, and each Act of Vertue will

be Presention and Foretast of the Joys of a celestial Life. And being arrived at this blessed State in which all heavenly Vertue is so connaturalized to us, the sweet Expe∣rience we shall have of the unspeakable Joys and Pleasures it abounds with, will cause us to look back with wondrous Content and Satisfaction upon all those Difficulties we contended with in our Way to it, and bless those Prayers and Tears, and Strivings with our selves, those tedious Watchings and Self-exáminations, &c. by which we have now at last conquered and subdued them.

WHEREFORE since the Practice of these our warfaring Duties hath so much present Peace going along with it, and since by its natural Drift and Tendency it's lead∣ing us forward to a State of so much Plea∣sure and Satisfaction, what a Madness is it, for a man to be beaten off from it, by those present little Difficulties that attend it! What man that consults his own Interest would ever desist from the prosecuting such a gainful Warfare, in which to make him amends for the present Pains it puts him to, he is not only possest of Peace of Consci∣ence for the present, but assured of a happy Life for the future, when he hath conquered the Difficulties he contends with.

VIII. CONSIDER that the Difficulty of these Duties is abundantly compensated by the Reward of them. A generous Mind will think no Means too hard which tend to noble and worthy Ends; in the prosecuti∣on of which Opposition only whets its Cou∣rage and Resolution. So that doubtless had we any Spark of Generosity in us, the Vast∣ness and Excellency of the End we pursue, would make us despise all Difficulties in the Way to it. What a Meanness of Spirit there∣fore doth it argue in us to stand boggling, as we do, at the Difficulties of Religion; to think much of spending a few Days or Years in this World in striving and contending with our Inclinations, in Consideration and Watch∣fulness, in earnest Prayer and severe Reflecti∣ons on our selves, when we are assured be∣fore-hand that at the Conclusion of this short Conflict we shall be carried off by Angels in Triumph to Heaven, and there receive from the Captain of our Salvation a Crown of everlasting Joys and Pleasures; when after a few Moments Pains and Labour, we shall live Millions of Millions of most happy Ages in the ravishing Fruition of a boundless Good, and after these are expired have as many Millions of Millions more to live. What an unconscionable thing is it for us to complain of any Difficulty, who have such

a vast Recompence of Reward in our View? In the name of God, Sirs, what would you have? Why we would have Heaven drop down into our Mouths, and not put us to all this Trouble of reaching and climbing af∣ter it. Would you so? 'tis a very modest Desire indeed; that is, you would have the God of Heaven thrust his Favours upon you while you scorn and despise them, and pro∣stitute his Heaven to a company of Drones that don't think it worth their while to go out of their Hives to gather it. O! for Shame look once more upon Heaven, and consider again what it is to dwell in the Pa∣radise of the World with God and Angels and Saints, and in their blessed Company to live out an Eternity in the most rapturous Contemplations and Loves and Joys; to bath our dilated Faculties in an everflowing Ri∣ver of Pleasures, and in perfect Ease, Health and Vigor of Mind to feed upon a Happi∣ness that is as large as our Capacities and as lasting as our Beings. Is this a Reward of that inconsiderable nature, that we should think much to labour and contend for it; is not the Hope of being satisfied for ever, a sufficient Encouragement to induce us to deny our Lusts and Appetites a few Mo∣ments, or is there not good enough in an everlasting Rest, to countervail a few Days

and Years Labour and Contention? What though you pant and labour now while you are climbing the everlasting Hills, God be praised 'tis not so far to the Top but that the pleasant Gales and glorious Prospects you shall everlastingly enjoy there, will so abun∣dantly compensate for the Difficulty of the Ascent, that instead of complaining of it you will to eternal Ages reflect upon it with Pleasure and Delight. Wherefore when your Courage begins to shrink at the Diffi∣culty of your Warfare, do but lift up your Eyes to the Recompence of Reward, and to be sure, if you have any Heart, that will inspire you with such a brave Resolution, as nothing will be too hard for but what is ab∣solutely impossible. For how can we be dis∣heartned at any superable Difficulty, so long as we are animated with this persuasion, that if we have our Fruit unto holiness, our End shall be everlasting Life?

SECT. V. Concerning those Duties which appertain to the Perfection and Consummation of our Christian Warfare, shewing what they are, and how effectually they conduce to the perfecting us in the Virtues of the Heavenly Life.

I PROCEED now to the Third and last Part of our Christian Warfare, viz. the Consummation of it, which is final Perseve∣rance. For after we have actually ingaged, and made some Progress in it, our next Care and Duty is that we do not relapse and base∣ly retreat from what we have so prosperously undertaken, and hitherto so effectually pro∣secuted, but that so long as we live we per∣sist in an open Defiance to our Sins, and En∣deavour to pursue and mortifie our Inclinati∣ons to them, and persevere in the Practice of all Vertue; still indeavouring thereby to improve and grow on to Perfection, that so we may die as we have hitherto lived, and consummate our Warfare in a final Victory, and that when our Lord shall come or send his Herald, Death, to summon us off from the Field, we may be found fighting under his Banner against Sin, the World and the

Devil, and finally die as we have lived, his faithful Soldiers and Followers. For this he indispensably exacts of us, viz. that we should be faithful unto Death, Rev. ii.10. that we should patiently continue in well-doing, Rom. ii.7. that we should indure to the end, Matt. x.22. and hold the beginning of our confi∣dence stedfast to the end, Heb. iii.14. that we should keep his works to the end, and fi∣nally overcome as well as fight, Rev. ii.26. in a word, that having set our hands to the plow, we should not look back, Luke ix.62. but that we should be always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. xv.58. the sense of all which is, that we should not only begin this our Christian Warfare and prosecute it for a while, but that we should proceed and persevere in it as long as we breath, and never lay down our Arms till we lay down our Lives. In order to which, as we must still persevere in the Practice of those Duties which apper∣tain to the Course and Progress of our War∣fare, so there are sundry other Duties which we must practise, and which have a more direct and immediate Influence upon the fi∣nal Success and Consummation of it. All which I shall reduce to these following Par∣ticulars;

1. That while we stand, we should not be over-confident of our selves, but still keep a jealous eye upon the Weakness and Incon∣stancy of our own Natures.

2. That if at any time we wilfully fall and miscarry, we should immediately arise again by Repentance.

3. That to prevent the like Falls and Mis∣carriages for the future, we should indea∣vour to withdraw our Affections from the Temptations of the World, but more espe∣cially from those which were the Occasions of our Fall.

4. That we should more curiously search into the smaller Defects and Indecencies of our Nature, in order to our reforming and correcting them.

5. That, so far as lawfully we can, we should live in a close Communion with the Church whereof we are Members.

6. That we should not out of a fond Opi∣nion that we are good enough already, stint our progress in Religion to any determinate Degree or Measure of Goodness.

7. That we should frequently entertain our selves with the prospect of our Morta∣lity, and endeavour to compose our selves before-hand into a good Posture of dying.

8. That in order thereunto, we should be wondrous careful to discharge our Con∣sciences

of all the Reliques and Remains of our past Guilt.

9. That to compensate for these, so far as we are able, we should take care to Redeem the Time we have formerly spent in sinful Courses, by being doubly diligent in the Exercise of all the contrary Virtues, and the doing all the contrary Good we are a∣ble.

10. That we should labour after a Rati∣onal and well-grounded Assurance of Hea∣ven.

I. TO the Perfection and Consummation of our Christian Warfare it is necessary that while we stand, we should not be over con∣fident of our selves, but still keep a jealous Eye upon the Weakness and Inconstancy of our own Natures. For thus the Apostle declares it to be the Will of God, that we should not trust in our selves, i. e. rely too much upon our own Strength and Ability, 2 Cor. i.9▪ and elsewhere he admonishes, let him that thinks he stands (or, the present being put for the future, as it is very fre∣quently, let him that thinks he shall stand) take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. x.12. so also, Rom. xi.20. Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded but fear, i. e. it is thy Faith that upholds thee, but be not too secure of thy Support, lest thou also fall and perish,

as thy Brethren the Jews have done before thee. And hence we are bid to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. ii.12. i. e. with a holy Solicitude and Jealousie lest one time or other we should be Tempted and overcome, and at the last finally miscar∣ry. And indeed there is nothing doth more expose men to the hazard of falling than too much Confidence in their own Strength. This makes them venture upon a thousand Temptations which they might have fairly and much more prudently avoided; and hurries them hand over head into such in∣viting Occasions and Opportunities of sinning, as do too often inveagle and betray them in Despight of all their good Resolutions to the contrary. Whereas had they but suspe∣cted themselves, and not presumed too much upon their own Stedfastness, they would many a time have kept out of harms-way, and avoided the Snares that did intangle them; but by venturing like Sampson to lay down their Heads in a Dalilahs Lap, in Confidence of the Strength of their own Re∣solution, they have been insensibly inticed, after some coy Refusals, to betray themselves into the Snare of the Devil.

AND as through an over-weening Con∣fidence of our own Strength we expose our selves to many needless Temptations, so

we do also too often provoke God to with∣draw his Grace and Assistance from us, and to leave us to contend alone with those Temptations whereunto we do so confident∣ly expose our selves. For as he is always ready to assist us, so he always expects that we should acknowledge our Need of, and Dependence upon him, and not presume too much upon our own Strength, which without his gracious Concurrence, is Weak∣ness and Impotence. When therefore with∣out Gods Call and Warrant we will needs rush into Temptations in Confidence of our own Ability to resist and conquer them, he many times leaves us without his Aid and Assistance, that so he may chastise our Pre∣sumption by permitting us to be defeated, and convince us by the woful Experiment of our Fall, how unable we are to stand without his Aid and Support. It is our daily Prayer that God would not lead us in∣to Temptation; but if for our Tryal he thinks meet to do so, we have all Assurance that if we be not wanting to our selves, he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it, Cor. i.10.13. But if we will lead our selves into Temptation, in Confidence of our own Ability to contend with and break

through it, God is so far from being obliged to second us in our Folly and unwarrantable Rashness, that he is justly provoked by it to abandon us to our selves, and, as a certain Consequence of that, to permit us to be vanquisht and led captive. Wherefore as we hope to persevere to the End and to bring our Warfare to a happy Conclusion, it is highly necessary that we should always keep a jealous Eye upon our selves, and not confide too much in our own Strength and Ability.

II. TO our final Perseverance in the Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that if at any time we wilfully fall and miscarry in it, we should immediatly arise again by Repentance. For what is forbidden us as to one Sin, equally extends to all, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, Eph. iv.26. that is, if you have wilfully given the Reins to your Wrath, suffer it not to break forth into contumelious Behaviour, but repent of it immediatly, before the Sun sets; accord∣ing to that old Practice of the Pythagoreans, mentioned by Plutarch, who when at any time they fell into reproachful Language out of Anger, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. before ever the Sun set they al∣ways took care to be reconciled, and con∣stantly

shook hands with and embraced one another; and the reason of the Prohibiti∣on, which you have in the next verse, viz. neither give place to the Devil, that is, by suffering your Wrath to grow into invete∣rate Malice, equally extends to all other Sins, which if they be not immediatly root∣ed out by Repentance, will quickly improve into Habits. So that we have as much reason to repent of our Lust before the Sun rises on it, and of our Fraud and Op∣pression before it hath run its course on it, as of our Wrath before it goes down upon it. And consequently, by a parity of Reason, the Prohibition must extend to all other Sins as well as this, and oblige us, when ever we have wilfully sin'd in any Particular, to re∣voke and expiate it by an immediate Act of Repentance.

FOR he that hath sin'd wilfully and not repented of it, doth all the while conti∣nue an obstinate Rebel against God, and is so far from persevering in the Christian Warfare, that he is actually listed a Volun∣tier in the adverse Party. And if after we have thus sin'd, Death should interpose be∣tween us and our Repentance, (as who knows but it may if we repent not immedi∣ately) we shall be so far from consummating our Christian Warfare in Victory, that we

shall die Vassals to the Devil. But then as by sinning wilfully we do desert God, so by continuing impenitent under it we still run farther and farther from him, and thereby make so wide a Gap and Interruption in our religious Progress, as will not be easily re∣paired again; and whereas had we repented and come back without Delay as soon as we had strayed from our Duty, we might have soon recovered the Ground we had lost by it, and by a little more Diligence have got∣ten as far onward as if we had never inter∣rupted our Progress at all; by deferring our Repentance we set our selves farther and farther back and shall every day be more and more indisposed to return. For in the Course of our Religion there is no standing still, but either we are progressive or retro∣grade, going backward or forward as long as we live; so that when once we are out of our Way, we are still going farther out, till such time as we return again; and conse∣quently the longer we are out, the harder 'twill be to return, and the farther we shall have to the end of our Way. For when I first sin, and the Wound of my Innocence is yet green & fresh, it may easily be cured by the timely Application of a sorrowful Confession and new Resolution of Amendment; but if I neglect it, 'twill rot and putrifie, my Sense

of it will be hardned, and my Inclination to it grow every day more inveterate, and then if it be not lanc'd and corroded by a sharp, a long and a painful Repentance, it will turn into an incureable Gangrene. Hence the Apostle bids us exhort one another dai∣ly, while it is called to day, that is, to repent while it is called to day, lest any of us be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. iii.13. So that when we have wilfully sin'd, we run a mighty Hazard of our final perseverance, if we don't repent immediatly. For all the while we delay, our Conscience grows more sear'd, and our Lust grows more confirm'd, and God knows where it will end, but 'tis fearfully to be suspected that that neglected Bruise which we got by our Fall will grow worse and worse, and deter∣mine at last in final Impenitency. Where∣fore as we intend to persevere in wel-doing, it concerns us in the first place to take all possible▪ Care not to give way to any wilful Sin, nor suffer our selves by any Hopes or Fears to be tempted from our good Resolu∣tion; but if at any time our wicked Inclina∣tions should prevail against it, to betake our selves immediately to a serious Repentance, to make a sorrowful Confession of it to our offended God, and solemnly renew our Re∣solution against it, that so we may stop the

growing evil betime, before it's capable of indangering our final Apostacy.

III. TO our final perseverance, it's necessary that to prevent the like Falls and Miscarri∣ages for the future, we should indeavour to withdraw our Affections from the Tempta∣tions of the World, but more especially from those Temptations which were the Occasions of our Fall. For thus we are strictly prohibited to set our affections upon things on the earth, Col. iii.21. to love the World and the things that are in the World, Joh. i, ii.15. to lay up for our selves treasures upon earth, Mat. vi.19. and 'tis the proper Character of a true Christian to be crucified to the World, Gal. vi.14. and to converse as a Stranger and a Pilgrim in it, Heb. xi.13. As on the contrary, to mind earthly things, and to be lovers of pleasures more than lo∣vers of God, are made the proper Chara∣cters of Infidels and Apostates, Phil. iii.19. compared with Tim. ii. 3.4. And so incon∣sistent is an inordinate Affection to the World with our perseverance in the Christi∣an Warfare, that St. James expresly tells us, that the friendship of the World is enmity with God, Jam. iv.4. and 'tis to the Excess of our friendship to it that the Scripture fre∣quently attributes our Apostacy, Tim. ii.4.10. and the Apostle tells us, that they

that will be rich, that is, immoderately covet to be so, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction; and that the love of money is the root of all evil, 1 Tim. vi.9, 10. From all which it's appa∣rent, how necessary it is, in the accounts of Christianity, in order to our perseverance, that we should indeavour to wean and ab∣stract our selves from the World.

FOR this world is the Magazine of all those Temptations by which our Vertue and Innocence is importuned and assaulted; and 'tis either the Hope of some worldly Pleasure, Profit or Honour that allures, or the Fear of some of the contrary Evils which are incident to us in the Course of Religion that affrights us from our Duty. Whilst therefore we immoderately love those Goods and Evils which are the Solicitours of Vice, we are in very great danger of be∣ing conquered and led captive by it. For 'tis not for the sake of sinning that men sin, but for the sake of those Goods, or to avoid those Evils which are appendent to their sinning or not sinning; and consequently, the more a man loves those Goods which cling and adhere to a sinful Action, the more propense he will be to the Commission of it; and the more he dreads those Evils which

he can most easily avoid by a sinful Action, the more prone and inclinable he will be to it. Wherefore to secure our perseverance in this Warfare against sin, it is absolutely necessary that we rectifie our Opinion of the Goods and Evils of this World, and mode∣rate and abate our Affection towards them, especially towards those that have been most prevalent with us. For the Tempta∣tion that prevails upon us discovers the weak Side of our Nature, and instructs the Devil what Good or Evil it is that is most apt to allure or affright us; and to be sure that subtil Tempter, who hath been so many thousand Years studying the Arts of sedu∣cing us, will not fail to assault us again where he hath been already successful; and there∣fore it concerns us to fortifie our selves there where we have so much reason to ex∣pect the Enemy will assault us, and to re∣ctifie our Opinions of and mortifie our Affe∣ctions to those things which have already so much imposed upon our Virtue and In∣nocence. For 'tis our Imagination that gives Life and Efficacy to the Charms and Terrors of the World, and renders them so successful against us; we fancy that to be in them which is not, and so are affected not so much with the things themselves as with the false Representations we make of them.

FOR it's plain the Goods of the World are beholden to our selves for the greatest part of those Beauties with which they tempt and allure us; and 'tis our Fancy that gives the Paint and Fucus with which they charm and inamour our Affections; and so for the Evils of the World, 'tis our own Imagi∣nation that disguises them into such Bugs and Scare-crowes, and puts those gastly Vizors on them with which they fright and amaze us. If therefore we would but take care to rectifie our Opinions of them both, and to strip them out of their imaginary Terrors and Allurements, we should thereby disarm them of their main Strength, and render them much less able to seduce us for the future. And this methinks we might easily do, if we would but fairly re∣present to our selves the present State and Posture of our Affairs. For we are a sort of Beings, that are every Moment travai∣ling from hence to an eternal World, where an unexpressible Happiness or Misery attends us; and all that we enjoy or suffer in this Life, is only the Convenience or Inconveni∣ence of a short Journey to a long Home, but can have no other Influence upon our ever∣lasting Condition, than as it is the Occasion either of our Virtue or Vice, which are the only Goods and Evils that will accompany

us to Eternity, and make us happy or mise∣rable there for ever. But as for Poverty or Riches, Pain or Pleasure, Disgrace or Repu∣tation, they are things which probably with∣in these ten or twenty Years will be as per∣fectly indifferent to us as our last Nights Dream was when we awoke in the Morn∣ing. And this, methinks, duly consider∣ed, were enough to render us very uncon∣cerned at any Good or Evil that can happen to us here. For what a mighty Matter is it whether I fare well or ill for twenty or thirty Years, who when that is expired must be happy or miserable for Millions of Millions of Ages; and what will these lit∣tle Goods or Evils signifie to me, when my Body is in the Grave, and my Soul in Eterni∣ty? When I am stript into a naked Spirit, and set ashore upon the invisible World, then all these things will be as if they never were, and in the twinkling of an Eye I shall lose Sight of them for ever; and of all that I enjoyed or suffered in this Life I shall have nothing remaining but my Virtue or Vice, whose Issues will prove my eternal Happi∣ness or Misery. Doubtless would we but accustom our Minds to such Reflections as these, they would effectually restrain us from the immoderate Love or Fear of the things of this World, and reduce us to a

constant and efficacious Persuasion, that there is no Good in this World comparable to that of doing our Duty, nor any Evil incident to us in this Life that is not infinitely less formidable than Sin. And when once our Affection to this World, and our Opinion of the Goods and Evils of it, are thus modera∣ted and rectified, the Temptations to Sin will quite lose their hold of us, and be no more able to fasten upon our Resolution. So that now we may pass safely through them whilst they are sparkling about us, there being no Tinder in our Breasts for them to catch fire and kindle upon. Now they will be no longer capable to allure or affright us, those bosom Orators being silenced that were wont to contend for them, and to mag∣nifie their Charms and Terrors; and when we neither immoderately love nor fear them, 'twill be no hard matter to defend our Virtue and Innocence against all their Assaults and Importunities.

IV. TO our final Perseverance, it is ne∣cessary that we should more curiously search into the smaller Defects and Indecencies of our Nature in order to our reforming and correcting them. Hence we are commanded to hate even the garments spotted by the flesh, Jude 23. i. e. to take care of the Beginnings of Sin, of any thing that hath

the least Spot or Infection of it; and accor∣dingly we are obliged not only to take care to rub out the greater Stains of our Nature, but to be diligent that we may be found of our Lord in peace without spot and blameless, 2 Pet. iii.14. i. e. to indeavour to reform those smaller and more indiscernable Defects of our Nature, which though they do not totally stain, yet very much spot and blemish it; that so at the coming of our Lord we may be found not only sincere and upright, but, as near as may be, innocent and blameless. For so, Phil. ii.15. we are bid to be blame∣less, harmless, and without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, i. e. to endeavour so to demean our selves in this World as that we may appear not on∣ly honest for the main, but, so near as is possible, spotless and unreproveable. And indeed there is nothing doth more frequent∣ly occasion mens final Miscarriage in Religi∣on, than their not being careful and diligent in this matter. When they first enter into the Christian Warfare, they very industri∣ously set themselves against that Course of wilful Sin in which they formerly lived, and this were wondrous well, if they did not stop here and go no farther; but alas, in the mean time, while they are thus industriou∣sly busied in subduing their old Sins, there

are a great many lesser Flaws and Defects in their Nature. which by a timely Care and Inspection they might easily correct; but these they take no Notice of, but quietly permit them to grow and increase, till at last they become as hurtful & dangerous to them as their old Sins were, against which they have all this while so zealously contended. As for Instance, when they first entered upon a Resolution of Amendment, they were profane it may be, or sensual, or vehement∣ly adicted to Fraud and Oppression; and a∣gainst these they opposed themselves with great Zeal and Animosity; and so far they did well, but in the mean time perhaps there was Pride and Ostentation, Envy and Pee∣vishness, Self-will and Censoriousness se∣cretly budding and sprouting up in their Na∣tures, all which they might have easily cu∣red by timely Applications; but alas! in the Heat of their Contest against their other Sins, they never so much as minded or re∣garded these, but e'en left them alone till they grew up into obstinate and inveterate Habits, and became every whit as fatal and destructive to their Souls as those were which they have been all this while subduing and mortifying. So that after all they have only changed their Sins, and have been con∣juring up one Devil while they have been

laying another; and whilst the Tide of their Wickedness hath been ebbing on this Shore, it hath been flowing on the contrary, and as it hath sunk in Sensuality, it hath swelled into Devilishness. Perhaps whilst you are zealously carrying on your Warfare against your old Sins, you may find your selves too apt to be tickled with Applause, and puff'd with vain Ostentation; have a Care now, that while you are starving one Vice, you do not pamper another. For if you do not correct this little Irregularity of your Na∣ture betimes, 'twill soon be as dangerous and mischievous to you, as ever any of those Vices were against which you are contend∣ing; 'twill by degrees so insinuate into your good Intentions, and so sophisticate the Pu∣rity of them, that at last you will intend nothing else but Applause; and so your whole Religion will be converted into dead Shew and empty Pageantry, and your spiri∣tual Warfare will prove only a passage out of Profaneness into Hypocrisie. It may be whilst you are contending against those flesh∣ly Inclinations by which you have formerly been captivated, your Hearts will begin to swell with an over-weening Conceit of your own Vertue and Godliness, and as a Conse∣quence of that to entertain contemptuous and censorious Thoughts of your Brethren;

beware now, that whilst you are struggling with your old fleshly Lusts, you do not overlook these little Defects and Indecencies of your Nature; lest while you are con∣quering one Sort of sins, you be captivated by another. For if you do not take care to nip them in their Buds, and to check these little Essays and Beginnings of them, they will soon spring up into Habits of Pride and Insolence, Rancour and Vnchari∣tableness, and so your Warfare against Sin will be only a Transition from one Evil into another, from the Pollutions of the Flesh into the Pollutions of the Spirit, and from the Nature of Beasts into the Nature of Devils. Wherefore if you would be final∣ly successful in the Christian Warfare, you must take great Care that while you are contending with the grosser and more inve∣terate Vices of your Nature, you do not neglect its lesser Defects and Irregularities; for whilst they are lesser they may be easily corrected, but if they are not, they will soon grow greater, and in the End prove as dangerous as those you are now contending with. For every Vice is small in the Begin∣ning and easie to be cured, but if it be neg∣lected, like a Scratch in the Flesh, it will corrupt and rancle into a spreading Gan∣green.

V. TO our Perseverance to the End in this our Christian Warfare, it is also neces∣sary that, so far as lawfully we can, we should live in close Communion with the Church whereof we are Members. 'Tis true a particular Church may be so corrupt∣ed, as that its Members may be obliged to disunite themselves from it. For every man is obliged by Vertue of his being in any Society, not to agree to any thing which tends to the apparent Ruine of it. Now the main End of Christian Society be∣ing the Honour of God, and the Salvation of Souls, every man that enters into it is thereby obliged in his own Station to ad∣vance this End; and consequently as to join in all Acts of the Christian Society he is united to, so far as they tend thereunto, so to refuse all such Acts of that Society, if any such should be injoyned, as do apparent∣ly oppose and are directly repugnant to it. So that if any Act that is apparently sinful, be injoyn'd by the particular Church whereof I am a Member, as a necessary Condition of my Communion with her, I am bound to abstain from it, for the sake of the General End of Christian Society. As for Instance, suppose the Church whereof I am a Member, require it as a Condition of my Communion, that I should transgress any

just Law of the Commonwealth whereof I am a Subject; in this Case I am bound ra∣ther to desert that Churches Communion, than live in wilful Disobedience to the Civil Authority. And this is the Case of those men, who though they live in a Christian Commonwealth, have been Baptized into, and bred up in the Communion of particu∣lar Congregations that contrary to Law have separated themselves from the Esta∣blisht, National Church; for if in this na∣tional Church there be nothing imposed on them by the Laws of the Commonwealth that is apparently contradictory to the Laws of Christ, they are bound in Conscience to desert those separate Congregations (allow∣ing them to be true Churches) and to join themselves with the Church National; and if they do not, they are wilful Offenders against the Law of Christ, which requires us to obey all humane Ordinances for the Lords sake. And again, supposing one Na∣tional Church to be subject to another, that which is subject is bound to refuse the Com∣munion of that which is superior, if it can∣not injoy it without complying with Impo∣sitions that are apparently sinful. Which is evidently the Case between us and the Church of Rome, supposing that de jure we were once her Subjects and Members; for

had we been so, we should doubtless never have separated our selves from her, could we but have separated her Sins from her Communion; could we have profest her Creed without implicitly believing all her Cheats and Impostures, or submitted our selves to her Guides without apparent Dang∣er of being misled by them into the pit of Destruction, or joyn'd with her publick Services without worshipping of Creatures, or received her Sacraments without practi∣sing the grossest Superstitions and Idolatries. But when she had made it necessary for us either to sin with or separate from her, we could have no other honest Remedy but on∣ly to withdraw; and if in this our Separa∣tion there had been a sinful Schism on either side, we could have appealed to Heaven and Earth whose the Guilt of it was; theirs that forced us upon it, or ours that were forced to it. But yet the Case of our Se∣paration from the Church of Rome, is vast∣ly different from that of the Separation of private Members from their own particular Churches. For we affirm that the Church of Rome is but a particular Church, whose Authority extends no farther than to its own native Members, and consequently hath no more Power to impose Laws of Communion upon us, than we have upon

her; our particular Church being altoge∣ther as distinct and independent from her, as she is from ours. So that though the Terms of Communion she imposes upon her own Members were all of them lawful and inno∣cent, yet do they no more oblige us as we are Christians of the Church of England, than the lawful Commands of the Great Mogul do, as we are Subjects of the Kingdom of England.

BUT the Case of private members, whi∣ther of ours or any other particular Church, is vastly different. For if we will allow particular Churches to be so many formed Societies of Christians; (as we must do, or else degrade them into so many confused multitudes) we must necessarily allow them to have a just Authority (even as all other formed Societies have) over their own Members. And that they have so, is evi∣dent not only from the Nature of the thing, but also from Scripture, where the Bishops and Pastors of particular Churches are said to be constituted by the Holy Ghost Over∣seers of their particular Flocks, Acts xx.28. which word both in sacred and prophane Writ denotes a ruling Power. And ac∣cordingly these Overseers are elsewhere call'd ruling-Elders, Tim. i.5.17. and the Subjects and Members of their Churches

are required to obey them, as those that have the Rule over them, Heb. xiii.17. and else∣where the Apostle exhorts them to know, i. e. submissively to own the Authority of those that were over them in the Lord, Thes. i.5.12. By all which it's evident, that the Mem∣bers of particular Churches are by divine Institution subjected to the Authority of their spiritual Governors, and obliged in all things to obey them, wherein they are not countermanded by Christ himself. So that though one particular Church may refuse the Impositions of another, and that not only as they are sinful, but as they are Im∣positions, because the other hath no lawful Authority over it; yet is it by no means lawful for the Subjects of any particular Church to disobey their Church-Governors in any lawful matter; because being sub∣jected to their Authority by Christ the su∣preme Head of the Church-Catholick, they are obliged to submit to them as to his Sub∣stitutes and Vicegerents in every thing which he hath not antecedently prohibited. And if rather than do so, they shall choose to revolt from the Communion of their Church, they are Schismaticks, or, which is the same thing, they are Rebels to Christs Authority in that particular Church they Revolt from. For what Faction is in the

State, that is Schism in the Church, viz. an unjust Opposition to Authority; the one to Christs civil Authority derived upon our Magistrates, the other to his spiritual Authority derived upon our Bishops and Ecclesiastical Governors.

'TIS true in some Cases, as I hinted be∣fore, withdrawing from the Communion of a Church may be so far from being a Rebel∣lion against Christ, that it may be an Act of Duty and Obedience to him. For where Christ who is my supreme Lord, and my Ecclesiastical Governors who are in Autho∣rity under him, command things that are directly inconsistent, I am doubtless bound to obey him rather than them; yea though their Commands are not inconsistent in them∣selves, yet if I am fully persuaded they are, it is all one to me. Fot when I do what I falsly believe Christ hath forbidden, I am in Will as much a Rebel against his Authority, as when I do what I truly believe he hath forbidden. And so by not complying with my spiritual Governors out of an innocent mispersuasion that what they command is unlawful, I do formally and in Will as much obey Christ in so doing, as if it were really unlawful. So that in short, when the Go∣vernors of the Church whereof I am a Member do impose as the Conditions of my

Communion, things that are either unlawful in themselves, or that, after due Examination, I verily believe are unlawful, I am bound in Obedience to the Authority of Christ, rather to desert that Communion, than to comply with the Terms and Conditions of it.

BUT since to desert the Communion of a Church is a matter of vast Moment, (as I shall prove by and by) it ought not to be done without the greatest Caution and Ten∣derness. For he that rejects sinful Terms of Communion without just Enquiry and suffici∣ent Examination, is formally as much a Schismatick, i. e. he is as much a Rebel in Will to Christs spiritual Authority in his Church Delegates and Vicegerents, as he that rashly rejects innocent and lawful ones. For had it been only the Sinfulness of the Condition that displeased him, he would have made Conscience before he presumed to reject it, duly to inform himself whether it were sinful or no; but by thus rejecting it at a venture, without a due Enquiry into the nature of it, he plainly shews that 'twas not so much the Sin that displeased him, as the Authority that imposed it; and that 'twas not his Conscience that took offence at it, but his Humour; and consequently, that he would have had the same Dislike of it,

though it had been lawful and innocent. For Conscience being an act of the Judgment and Reason, cannot be offended without Reason either real or apparent; and without mak∣ing a due Enquiry into the Nature of the thing we are offended at, we can have no Reason that will either warrant or excuse our Offence.

NOW to a due Enquiry, it is necessary that we should impartially examin both sides of the Question; and that while we are doing so, we should keep both our Ears open to the Matter in Debate, and equally attend to what can be said for, as well as to what can be said against it; and then that upon a full hearing of both, we should de∣termin, as near as we can, on which side the Truth lies, without Favour or Affecti∣on. For he that enquires only what can be said against the Matter he is offended at, doth thereby give a plain Indication that he is resolved to be offended at it right or wrong; and that the End of his Enquiry is not so much to satisfie his Conscience, as to fortifie his unreasonable Prejudice. Where∣fore before we do reject the Conditions of our Churches Communion as sinful, we are obliged under the Penalty of wilful Schism impartially to enquire what is to be said for as well as against them; and for this End to

apply our selves to our Spiritual Governours and Pastors, and propose our Doubts to them, and attend to their Resolutions with an honest, teachable Mind that is willing to be informed; and where we are capable of judging, faithfully to peruse those Books and Arguments that make for the one side as well as the other. For unless we do thus, its plain that we are biassed by a factious Inclination, and that we have a great Mind to separate from the Churches Communi∣on. For if we were not prejudiced against her Authority by a schismatical Temper of Mind, we should be as forward at least to consult what may be said for her Impositi∣ons, as what is said against them.

BUT then if the Matters she imposes are such as a plain and illiterate Communicant cannot judg of, nor comprehend the Force of the Reasons that make for or against them, such Persons in such Cases are obliged humbly to acquiesce in the Churches Authority, and not blindly to separate from her they know not why. As for Instance, suppose the Mat∣ter imposed should be such a Form of Go∣vernment, or such Modes of Discipline, or Rights and Circumstances of Divine Worship as carry no such apparent Evil in them, or express Contradiction to any Command of our Saviour as to inable an illiterate Christi∣an

rationally to pronounce them unlawful, and whither they be unlawful or no is not to be determined perhaps without some Skill in the Original Languages and the critical Acceptations of Phrases, or Insight into Ec∣clesiastical History or Metaphysical Nicities and Speculations; and 'tis by some of these that most of the Controversies between us and our dissenting Brethren are to be judg'd and decided. Now in such Matters as these, where he cannot judg for himself, what should an unlearned Communicant do? Why this he knows well enough, that 'tis his Duty in all lawful things to submit to the Governours of his Church, and reverence Christs Authority in them, but whether the above-named matters they impose be lawful or no, he neither doth nor can know. So that if upon the score of those Impositions, he rejects the Churches Communion, he re∣jects it he knows not why; and to avoid do∣ing that which he doth not know is a Sin, he refuses to do that which he knows is a Duty. So that whether that which the Church im∣poses be lawful or no, 'tis apparent Rebelli∣on in him to refuse it; because for all that he knows it is lawful, and though it should be unlawful, yet that cannot be the Motive of his Non-compliance with it, who doth not understand the Reasons that make it so. He

therefore that separates from the Commu∣nion of the Church for Causes that he can∣not judg of, must necessarily separate with∣out Cause or Reason; he can have neither true nor false Pretence for his Separation; because the Arguments pro and con are be∣yond the Sphere of his Cognizance; and consequently if he thereupon withdraw from the Churches Communion, 'tis not because he cannot comply with her sinful Impositi∣ons, but because he will not submit to her just Authority. Whereas by modestly sub∣mitting our Judgment to the Churches, in Cases where we cannot judg for our selves, we take an effectual Course to secure our Innocence. For though that which the Church injoins us should be materially sin∣ful, yet to us who neither do nor can under∣stand it to be so, it will be imputed only as an innocent Error; because by following the Churches Reason where own cannot guide us, we take the best Course we can not to be mistaken; and if we should be mistaken, we have this to excuse us, that 'twas by following an Authority which God himself hath set over us; whereas if we are mista∣ken on the other side, we are left altogether inexcusable.

BUT then there may be other Conditi∣ons of Church Communion, of whose un∣lawfulness

a Communicant may be very doubtful, though he be not confidently per∣suaded of it; and what is to be done in this Case? To which I answer; First, that 'tis doubtless our Duty not Rashly to determin any thing to be false or unlawful which our spiritual Governors have determined to be true or lawful. For we are bound by the Law of Christian Modesty, to conclude that they having a larger Prospect of things than we, and greater Advantages of enquiring into them, are far more capable Judges of what is true and lawful; and consequently though we may possibly have some little Probability that their Opinion is false or their Command unlawful, yet we ought not to determin it so, unless it be in such plain and evident Cases as do not only outweigh the Probability of their Opinions, but the Au∣thority of them to. Wherefore in Cases of a doubtful Nature, 'tis both modest and safe to subscribe to the Judgment of our Superi∣ors; because in so doing we have not only our own Ignorance to excuse, but their Au∣thority to warrant us; and if we should happen to be in the Wrong through our Mo∣desty and Humility, 'twill be safer for us than to be in the Right through our Pride and Self-conceit. But perhaps the Probability of our side may be so great, or at least seem

so to us, that notwithstanding we give all due Respect and Deference to her Authori∣ty, we cannot forbear doubting of the Law∣fulness of her Conditions of Communion. If so, then, Secondly, 'tis to be considered that 'tis as much our Duty to Obey her Commands in things that are lawful, as not to Obey them in things that are unlawful; and therefore if we only doubt whether her Commands be lawful or no, our Doubt ought to make us as fearful of disobeying as it doth of obeying them, because the Danger of sinning is on both sides equal. And therefore in this Case, wherein I am necessi∣tated to determin my self one way or t'other, it is doubtless my Duty to determin on that side which makes most for the Churches Security and Peace, which next to the Ho∣nour of God and the Salvation of Souls ought to be preferred above all things; and which consequently, if it be of any Weight with me, must necessarily turn the Scale of my Choice when it is before in Aequilibrio; and whither to obey or disobey be most for the Churches Peace, is very easie to be de∣termin'd.

THE Sum of all therefore is this, that 'tis our Duty to continue in strict Obedience to, and Communion with that Particular Church whereof we are Members, so long

as it injoyns us nothing that is plainly and apparently sinful; that if either we cannot judg of the Sinfulness or Lawfulness of her Conditions of Communion, or do only doubt of their Lawfulness, we are obliged to submit to her Judgment and Authority, and not to separate from her till upon an impar∣tial Enquiry into the Reasons of both sides, we are fully convinced that they are sin∣ful.

NOW that this is an indispensable Duty of our Religion, is evident not only from the above-named Scriptures by which the Bishops of particular Churches are constitu∣ted the Overseers and Governours of them, and the Subjects and Members of those Churches are required to yield them Obedi∣ence; but also from those Texts which for∣bid Divisions in the particular Churches, such as, 1 Cor. i.10, I beseech you by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that there be no divisions among you; and which bid us mark them that cause divisions among us and avoid them, Rom. xvi.17. and also which Schisms and Divisions to be Fruits of the flesh, as particularly, 1 Cor. iii.3. and St. Jude xix. and in a word, which require us to indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, Eph. iv.3. to be of one mind, 2 Cor. xiii.11. and to stand fast in

one Spirit, with one Mind, Phil. i.27. all which was spoke to Christians as they were Members of particular Churches, to oblige them by no means to dissent and separate from those Churches, unless they were for∣ced to it by just and manifest Reasons; and methinks 'tis a most pathetical Conjuration of the Apostle, If there be any Consolution in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fel∣lowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mer∣cies; fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, being of one accord, and of one mind, 2 Phil. 1, 2. which Exhortation he gives them as they were a particular Corporation of Chri∣stians under Epaphroditus their Head and Bishop by whom he sent this Epistle to them. The sense of all which is, to oblige us not to disunite our selves from the Church of which we are Members, so long as we are permitted to continue in her Communion without doing any thing that is apparently unlawful. Or if we suppose those Divisions which the Apostle speaks of and forbids, to be meant of Factions within the Church without actual Separation, then much more is Separation which is the highest Faction and Breach of Unity to be lookt upon as wicked and unlawful. So that for men to separate from the Churches Communion upon little Piques, uncertain Scruples, and

blind Prejudices, is a very great and dange∣rous Sin against the Gospel; 'tis a manifest Violation of the Laws of Vnion, and an open Rebellion against Christs Authority in his Church. And being so, it is no Won∣der that in the purest Ages of Christianity 'twas branded with such an infamous Cha∣racter. For thus in the 31 Canon of the Apostles, 'tis called Ambition and Tyranny, and condemned by Ignatius, the Disciple of St. John, as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Original of Evils, Ep. ad smyrn. as a Sin that shuts men out of the Kingdom of Heaven, Ep. ad Philad. and by the African Code 'tis stiled a destructive, sacrilegious Sin, Con. Carth, &c. Can. 100. and St. Cyprian makes it to be more Heinous than the Sin of the Lapsi that offered Sacrifice to Idols to avoid persecu∣tion, and to be such a Sin as martyrdom it self would not expiate, de Vnit. Eccles. and Dionysius Alexandrinus affirms that to suffer martyrdom rather than make a Schism in the Church, is as Glorious an Act as to die re∣fusing to offer Sacrifice to Idols, Euseb. Eccl. Hist. lib. 6. And as they thus decry Schism so on the contrary they extol Union, as the Nurse of Piety, the Fence of Religion, the Quintessence and Extract of all Christi∣an Vertue.

AND indeed 'tis to the Vnity of the members of the Church among themselves, that the Scripture attributes their Growth and Emprovement in Piety and Vertue. For thus the Apostle tells us not only that Chari∣ty (or a mutual Agreement among Church-Members) edifies, 1 Cor. viii.1. but also assures us that the whole Church or Collection of Members becomes an holy Temple and an Habitation of God, by being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 compacted and closely united together in all its Parts, Eph. ii.21, 22. and Eph. iv.16. he tells us, that the Church increases or im∣proves unto the edifying it self in love by be∣ing closely compacted and united in all its parts and members; and Col. ii.19. he tells us, that 'tis not only from its Vnion with Christ, and those nourishing Influences that are thereby conveyed from him, that the Church increases with the increase of God, but also from its being knit together or firm∣ly united in all its Parts. And if Vnion be so necessary to the Growth and Perfection of the Church, it can be no less necessary to the Improvement of each particular Mem∣ber of it. For,

1. Schisms and unnecessary Breaches of Church Communion do naturally sour the Tempers of men, and render them pee∣vish and uncharitable towards one another.

For the separating Party must in their own Vindication be forced to accuse those they separate from of something that may be foul enough to justifie their Separation; and what they want in Reality they must make up in Pretence; otherwise they will be lookt upon as peevish and obstinate Schismaticks; and then the Party they separate from, will be sure to deem itself injured, and in its own Defence be forced to recriminate, and this will alarm the Separatists into greater Heats and Animosities, and so like two Flints dash'd together, they will be continu∣ally sparkling and spitting fire at one an∣other, till they have kindled the quarrel into an inquenchable Flame. Whereas had the Dividers but continued their Communion, all this might have been prevented, and they might have easily continued their Charity, though they had retain'd the Opinions upon which they separated. For had they but exercised that Modesty and Goodness as not to prefer their own private Sentiments be∣fore the Reason and Peace of the whole Church, they would either have kept their Opinions to themselves, or at least not have advanced them into Principles of Separati∣on; and so by continuing in Communion with that Party of the Church from whom they dissented in Opinion, they would have

declared that they judged their Errors to be tolerable. For by not separating from them, they would have plainly manifested that they saw Reason enough to unite upon the score of those Points in which they were agreed, but none to disunite upon the score of these in which they differed; and consequently that they had a great deal of Reason to love, but none to hate and perse∣cute one another; and whilst they mutually retain'd this good Opinion of one another, 'tis very unlikely that their little Differen∣ces should cause any great Breaches in their Charity. Schism therefore being so de∣structive to our Charity, which is one of the leading Vertues of our Religion, must needs have a very malevolent Aspect upon our Perseverance. For he that from a cha∣ritable Temper, relapses into a spiteful and rancorous one, is apostatised from one half of the Religion of a Christian, and hath exchanged one of the fairest Graces of a Saint, for one of the blackest Characters of a Devil. But then

2. Schisms or unnecessary Breaches of Church Communion do naturally lead to the foulest Hypocrisies. For he that sepa∣rates from a Church is a very bad man, if he hath not a great Opinion of, and Zeal for those things upon which he separates; which

Zeal of his, when once he is actually sepa∣rated, will be much more inflamed, and that both by the Opposition of the Church he is separated from, and the Instigation of the Sect he is separated to; and so by Degrees that holy Fervour which should animate him in the plain and unquestionable Duties of Religion, will blaze into a fierce Contenti∣on for those little Opinions that constitute the Sect he is ingaged in. For our Nature being finite and limited in all its Operati∣ons, it is impossible we should operate di∣verse ways at once with equal Force and Vigour; but whatsoever Time and Atten∣tion we bestow upon one thing, we must ne∣cessarily substract from another. Now whilst we continue in a peaceable Commu∣nion with the Church, we have no other use for our Zeal, but to inspire our Devoti∣ons, to quicken our Vertues, and to fight against our Sins with it, and this all men agree is the best Use it can be put to; but when once we are entred into a schismatical Separation, we shall find other Employment for it; namely, to quarrel at Ecclesiastical Constitutions, to wrangle about Modes and Circumstances of Worship, and contend for our trifling Speculations and Opinions. Which must necessarily weaken it in its no∣bler Operations, and render it more remiss

and indifferent in the great and indispensible Duties of Religion; and whilst 'tis thus impertinently busied in picking Straws, and contending about Mint and Cummin, to be sure it must more or less neglect the great and weighty things of the Law; and so pro∣portionably as it grows warmer and warmer about little Opinions and Circumstances of Religion, it will be continually waxing cooler and cooler in the necessary and essential Duties of it, till at last 'tis wholly degene∣rated into Peevishness and Faction, and dwindled away into a fierce Contention about Trifles. That this is the natural Effect of Schism appears by too many wo∣ful Experiments. For how many Instances of men are there among our selves, who had once an honest Zeal for the Life and Substance of Religion, and made great Con∣science of living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, but afterwards becoming Bigots to such a Sect or Party, have diverted the Stream of their Zeal into another Channel, where its irregular Current hath only made a Noise, and fill'd the world with a loud and turbulent Clamour about little things, but as to those great and im∣portant Duties upon which their Happiness depends hath been profoundly mute and indifferent; and so their Religion like an

Hectick Body, hath by degrees been con∣sumed by its own Heats, whilst that Zeal and Fervour which should move and ani∣mate it hath been converted into its Disease, and wholly evaporated into Faction and Turbulency; and whilst their Zeal is thus misimployed about the little Trifles of their Sect, and they are ready to start at an innocent Ceremony, and to swoon at the sight of an indifferent Mode and Appendage of Religion, as if they were afraid lest it should infect them at a distance, they can swallow Camels though they strain at these Gnats, and glibly digest the grossest Immora∣lities.

3. And lastly, Schisms and unneces∣sary Breaches of Church Communion do naturally lead to downright Irreligion. For when once a man is departed from an esta∣blished Church without a just Warrant, there is nothing can confine or set Shores to him, he hath no Principles that can stay him any where, or set any Measures of changing to him. For when upon a meer Humour or Fancy he hath run from the Church to such a Sect, what should hinder him from running from that Sect to another, and so on from Sect to Sect, till he hath run himself out of all Religion? He is rolling down a steep Hill, and hath no Principles to stay him, so

that 'tis impossible to determine whither he will go, or where he will stop; he may per∣haps stay at such an Opinion, but if he doth, it is by chance, and if he doth not, he will be endlesly rolling from one Opinion to ano∣ther, and shifting his Church as oft as his Almanack. For Schism is a large Labyrinth, that naturally divides and subdivides into infinite Paths and Allies, wherein a man may wander to Eternity, and the farther he goes the more he may lose himself; and then when he hath wandred a while out of one wild Opinion into another, and still perceives that the farther he goes, the more he is dis∣satisfied, 'tis a thousand to one if he doth not at last suspect and question all Religion, as if the whole were an intricate maze of absurd or doubtful Opinions, contriv'd on purpose to amuse mens Minds, and intangle them in endless Perplexities. For the Schis∣matick, as I shewed before, doth commonly place a great Part of his Religion in that Opinion upon which he divides and sepa∣rates; so that if once he be dissatisfied with this, as in all probability he will quick∣ly be, having begun already to ring Changes, he will be under a great Temptation to mistrust the whole Religion to be as great an Imposture as he finds this darling Opini∣on is; especially after he hath run through

several Sets of Opinions, and finds them at last to be all Delusions. For as weak Heads, when they perceive the Battlements shake, are apt to suspect that the Foundations are infirm; so weak Understandings will be rea∣dy to suspect even the fundamental Princi∣ples of Religion, when once they perceive those darling Notions totter which they have confidently presum'd to superstruct upon it. Upon this Account therefore I make no doubt, but that the Atheism of this present Age, is very much owing to its Sects and Divisions. For how many woful Examples have we of persons who had once a great deal of Zeal for and Satisfaction in Religion, that upon their causless Defection from the Churches Communion have run from Sect to Sect, and from one extrava∣gant Opinion to another, till being at last convinced of the Cheats and Impostures of them all, they have discarded Religion it self, and made their last Resort into Atheism and Infidelity? Since therefore Schism hath so many Mischiefs attending it, and such as do manifestly endanger our Perseverance in Religion, it highly concerns us, as we would hold out to the End in the Course of our Christian Warfare, to keep close to the Communion of the Church.

VI. TO our final Perseverance in the Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that we should not stint our Progress in Religi∣on (out of a fond Opinion that we are good enough already) to any determinate Degrees or Measures of Goodness. For thus we are injoyned not only to have Grace, but still to be growing in it, 2 Pet. iii.18. and not only to do the work of the Lord, but to abound in the doing it, 1 Cor. xv.58. and not only to walk in all wel-pleasing to God, but to abound in so doing more and more, 1 Thes. iv.1. to forget what is behind, i. e. the De∣grees of Vertue and Goodness we have al∣ready attained, and to be still pressing forward to the mark of our high calling, Phil. iii.13, 14. The sense of all which is, that we should not limit our selves to any present Attain∣ments, out of a slothful Opinion that we are good enough already, but that we should still be proceeding on to farther and farther Degrees of Perfection. For Holiness is every where injoyned in the Gospel in unli∣mited and indefinite Measures, and our Pro∣gress in it hath no other Boundary than the farthermost Degree of possible Perfection. An Injunction which will keep us for ever sufficiently imployed, and oblige us to Eter∣nity to be still aspiring beyond our present Attainments; and the Neglect of this is

doubtless the Occasion of many a Mans final Miscarriage. They aim at no more than what is absolutely necessary to remove them from the Brink of eternal Perdition, and if they can but so far prevail against their Sin, as to arrive at the lowermost Degree of Sincere Obedience, and but just pass the Line which separates between a bad and good State, that so if they die as they are, they may hope to escape Hell and arrive at some Degree of Happiness, they think they have very fairly acquitted themselves. But now besides that that Line which parts those two States of Sin and Grace is not so easily discernable, but that you may very probably be deceived, and imagine that you are got over it into the State of Grace, whilst you are yet upon the Frontiers of the Dominion of Sin, and so may perish at last at the very Mouth of your Harbour; besides that 'tis a fearful Sign that you are yet in your Sins, that you design no farther but just to escape that everlasting Ruine that attends them, which plainly shews that the Fear of Hell is the Soul of your Religion, and that there is not the least Degree of true Love to God intermingled with it, with∣out which your Religion will be altogether insignificant; besides all this I say, while you rest in such an imperfect State of Good∣ness,

you dwell in the next Neighbourhood to a sinful State, and so are in continual danger of returning thither again. For how is it possible you should be safe, while you stay upon the Brink of that miserable State out of which you are but just emerg'd and recover'd, and have so many strong Inclina∣tions within you, concurring with the num∣berless Temptations without you, to thrust you head-long back again into it? So that if you would be secure, it is not sufficient for you just to get out of your sinful State, and stay there, but you must still be removing farther and farther from it, by proceeding on still to farther Degrees of Perfection. For you must consider that there is vast Distance between a State of sincere, and of confirmed Goodness, and that all the while you are passing on from the one to the other, you are more or less in Danger of relapsing. For you have been sincerely good, ever since your first Entrance into a firm and hearty Resolution of Amendment; but alas since that, how many times have you been in Danger of relapsing into your old sinful Courses again? What strong Contentions have there been between your Flesh and your Spirit, your bad Inclinations, and your pious Resolutions? and though the la∣ter hath been most commonly victorious, yet

how often hath it been yielding, yea, how often hath it been vanquisht? Insomuch that if you had not by a quick Repentance revi∣ved it immediately, it had been dead long since, and you had been as much enslaved to your Lusts as ever. And from these dan∣gers you will never be wholly free, till you have utterly extinguisht your vicious Incli∣nations, and inwrought all the Vertues of Religion into your Natures; and then you will be arrived to that confirmed State of Goodness, from which it will be morally im∣possible for you to revolt. If therefore you would secure your Perseverance to the End, beware you do not limit your selves in the Way; for though if you die but just sincere∣ly good, you shall certainly escape Hell; yet in all probability you will not be long sin∣cerely good, unless you be something more, that is, unless you proceed in the Degrees of Vertue, and do more and more suppress your evil, and improve your good Dispositi∣ons and Inclinations. For so long as there remains in you any Lust to evil, you will be in Danger of being betray'd by it; and the stronger that Lust is, the more it threa∣tens your destruction. So that you can ne∣ver be safe, so long as you have an Enemy alive in your Breast, and whilst you rest in any Attainment on this side the confirmed

State of Vertue, in which there is an utter Extinction of all evil Inclinations, you are more or less in Danger, proportionably as you are more or less distant from that happy Period.

VII. TO our final Perseverance, it is also necessary that we should frequently enter∣tain our selves with the prospect of our Mortality, and indeavour to compose our selves before-hand into a good Posture of dy∣ing. For thus we are call'd upon in this our militant State to consider our later end, Deut. xxxii.29. & by the Examples of the best Men are invited to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, Psalm xc.12. and to wait till our change comes, Job xiv.14. to which End we are put in mind that here we have no abiding City, Heb. xiii.14. and that 'tis appointed for all men once to die, Heb. ix.27. and that our life is even as a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away, James iv.14. and to this purpose the Apostle applies this Considera∣tion, 1 Cor. vii.29, 30, 31. Now this I say, brethren, that is, of our Abode and Conti∣nuance here, upon which he exhorts us to compose our selves to a great Indifferency as to the things of this World, it remains that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they

wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passes away, i. e. since your Time here is very short, indeavour before-hand to loosen your selves from this World, and to put your selves into a fit Posture of leaving it; for 'tis but a short Scene that will quickly be shifted, and then there will an eternal State of things succeed.

AND indeed since to die well, is the last Act and final Consummation of our Chri∣stian Warfare, it must needs highly concern us to arm and prepare our selves for it be∣fore-hand, lest we lose the blessed Prize by stumbling just at the Goal, and after a long Voyage miscarry for ever within Sight of Harbour. For in the hour of Death we throw our last Cast for an Eternity of Hap∣piness or Misery, and how much are we concerned to throw that well, upon which so vast a Stake depends? O! 'tis a serious thing to die, to pass this dark Entry of Eter∣nity, through which as we go right or wrong we are made or undone for ever. For to carry us right through, 'tis not a few death-bed Sorrows, or good Wishes, a few extor∣ted Promises, or forc'd Resolutions, or frightful Prayers, or Lord have Mercies upon

us, will serve the turn; O! no, it is an ex∣pensive Passage, which we shall never be able to defray, unless we carry along with us a large Stock of spiritual Preparations. We shall have need of a strong and active Faith, of a Mind well furnished with wise Consi∣derations, of a deep, a large and a tried Re∣pentance, an unrestrained Charity, a confir∣med Patience, a profound Submission to the Will of God, and a well-grounded Hope of a blessed Eternity. For without all these together, we shall be very ill-accoutred to die, and run a dreadful Hazard of miscar∣rying for ever. And these are such things as do not usually spring up like Mushromes in a Night, or in the few disturbed Moments of a dying Time, but do ask a much larger and serener Season to grow and ripen in. So that if we mean to die well, and so come off victoriously in this last Act of our spiritual Warfare, we must now while we are well be frequently entertaining our Meditations in the Charnel-house, and read Lectures to our selves upon the Skeletons and Deaths-heads there, those Emblems and Represen∣tations of our approaching Mortality, and from them take such lively Pictures of the King of Terrors, as may render his grim Visage and fearful Addresses so familiar to us, as that our Thoughts may be before-hand

accustomed to the manner of his Ap∣proaches; with what an Army of Diseases he is wont to lay Siege to the Fort of our Life, how in Despight of all the Resistances of Nature he plants and quarters them in our Veins or our Arteries, our Stomachs or our Bowels, and from thence infests us all over with continual Anguish and Pain; how when he hath tired and exhausted us with his continued Batteries, and worn out our Strength with a succession of wearisom Nights to sorrowful Days, he at last storms the Soul out of all the Out-works of Nature, and forces it to retire into the Heart; and how when he hath marked us for dead with a Baptism of clammy and fatal Sweats, he summons our weeping Friends to assist him to grieve and vex us with their parting Kisses and sorrowful Adieus; and how at length when he is weary of Tormenting us any more, he rushes into our Hearts and with a few Mortal Pangs and Convulsions, tears the Soul from thence, and turns it out to seek its Fortune in the wide World of Spirits, where 'tis either seized on by Devils, and carried away to their dark Pri∣sons of Sorrow and Despair, there to lan∣guish out its life in a dismal Expectation of that dreadful Day wherein it must change its bad Condition for a worse; or

be conducted by Angels to some blessed A∣bode, there to remain in unspeakable Pleasure and Tranquillity, till 'tis Crown'd with a glorious Resurrection. Now since 'tis most certain that we must all one time or other experience these things, but most uncertain how soon; how much doth it concern us to think of them before-hand, and to forecast such Provisions and Preparations for them, as that whensoever they happen we may not be surprized. For besides that the fre∣quent Meditation of death will familiarize its Terrors to us, so that whensoever it comes, our Minds which have been so long accustomed to converse with it, will be much less startled and amazed at it; besides that it will wean us from the inordinate Desire and over-eager Prosecution of the things of this World, which, as I told you before, are the Snares with which our Vices do too of∣ten intangle us; besides all this, I say, it will put us upon laying in a Store of spiri∣tual Provisions against that great day of Ex∣pence. For he that often considers the dread∣ful Approaches, the concomitant Terrors, and the momentous Issues and Consequents of Death, must be strangely stupified if he be not thereby vigorously excited to fore-arm and fortifie himself with all those Gra∣ces and Defences that are necessary to render it easie, safe and prosperous.

VIII. To our final perseverance in the Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that in order to the putting our selves into a good Posture to die, we should discharge our Consciences of all the Reliques and Remains of our past guilt. For so we are comman∣ded to take care that our hearts be sprinkled from an evil conscience, Heb. x.22. and to hold faith and a good conscience, 1 Tim. i.19. and to make this our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world, 2 Cor. i.12. in a word, to live in all good conscience, Acts xxiii.1. and to have a conscience void of offence, towards God and towards men, Acts xxiv.16. Which though they are General Duties, do necessarily imply this Particular, that we should very nicely and curiously examin our Consciences, those faithful Records and Registers of our Actions, and where-ever we find the least Item of an uncancel'd Guilt, immediately cross it out by a hearty Sorrow for and moral Revocation of it. For notwithstanding we may have in the general repented of all our past Sins, yet there are some Siins, which, notwithstanding we react no more, do leave a lasting Guilt upon the Mind, which nothing can cancel but our actual revoking and unsinning them. As supposing that I have heretofore either by

my bad Counsels or Example seduced other men into wicked Courses; it is not suffici∣ent for the Expiation of my Fault, that I my self abstain from those wicked Courses for the future, but I must indeavour to undo the Mischief which I have done to others by them, and by a solemn Recantation of my past Follies, by Persuasion and good Counsel, and the Application of all other pious and prudent Means, indeavour to reduce those whom I have formerly perverted. For till I have done this, I wilfully permit the mis∣chievous Effect of my Sin to remain; and if when I have wounded another, I suffer him to perish without taking any care of his Cure, I am guilty of his Murder though I never wound him more. Suppose again, that I have injured another by any malici∣ous Slander or Calumny; it is not enough to acquit me of the Guilt of it, that I cease to scandalize him for the future, but I must also indeavour by a free Retractation to vin∣dicate his injur'd Name from the ill Surmises of those to whom I have asperst him; for so long as his Reputation suffers through my not Retracting the Calumnies I have cast up∣on it, I wilfully persist to defame and calum∣niate him, and so long the Guilt of it must stick and abide upon my Conscience. Once more, suppose I have injur'd another in his

Estate, either by Theft, or Fraud, or Op∣pression, it will not be sufficient to acquit me, that for the future I forbear defrauding, for∣cing, or stealing from him any more, but, if it be in my Power, I must make Restitution of all that I have wrongfully deprived him of; and that to himself, if he be living, or if not, to those that succeed him in his Rights, and for want of such, to the Poor, who by Gods Donation have the Propriety of all such Wefts and Strays as have no other Owner surviving. For it's certain that my wrongful Seizure of what is another Mans, doth not alienate his Right to it, so that he hath the same Right to it while I keep it from him, as he had at first when I took it from him; and consequently till I restore it back to him, I continue to wrong him of it, and my detaining it is a continued Repeti∣tion of that Fraud, or Theft, or Oppression by which I wrongfully seized it; and whilst I thus continue the Sin, 'tis impossible but the Guilt of it must still abide upon me. In these Cases therefore it concerns us to be very nice and curious in examining our Ac∣counts, to see if there be any of these Scores yet uncancel'd, any of these bad Effects of our Sin yet remaining. For if any such mat∣ter appear in our Accounts, it concerns us as much as our everlasting Interest amounts

to, to use all present Care and Diligence to discharge it, that so before Death summons us to give up our Accounts to the great Au∣ditor of the World, all Scores between him and us may be even'd and adjusted. And indeed if we would be safe, it vastly imports us to leave as little as may be to do upon a Death-bed; for that is most commonly a very improper State for religious Action; since, for all we know, we may be distract∣ed in it by a Feaver, or stupified by an Apo∣plexy, or deprived of the Use of Reason by the insufferable Torments of a Stone; either of which will render us incapable of every thing, but dying. Or if neither of these should happen, yet to be sure a dying State will bring Work enough with it; Sorrows and Care enough, Fears and Impatiencies enough, to exercise all our Vertue, and im∣ploy all our Reason. So that if we carry with us to our Death-bed any Item or Re∣lique of uncancel'd Guilt, 'tis a thousand to one but in the Hurry of dying we shall leave it uncancel'd, and be arrested for it by the Divine Justice when we come into Eterni∣ty. Wherefore, as we would prevent this fatal Issue of our Christian Warfare, it con∣cerns us now we are well, to make a diligent Inspection into our Consciences, to see if there yet remains any old Reckonings of

Guilt undischarged by us; and if there be, not to give rest to our Eyes nor slumber to our Eye-lids, till by an actual unsinning and Revocation of the Facts, we have totally cross'd and discharged them. But then be∣cause many of these may slip out of our Mind, and so be past Recovery,

IX. TO the happy Conclusion of this our Christian Warfare, it is also necessary that to Compensate, so far as we are able, for these Reliques of Guilt in us, we should take care to redeem the time we have for∣merly mispent in sinful Courses, by being doubly diligent in the Exercise of all the con∣trary Vertues, and the doing all the contra∣ry Good we are able. For of all the outward Blessings that God affords us, our Time is incomparably the most precious and inesti∣mable; and therefore though he gives us his other Blessings in great Variety, and pro∣vides for us a plentiful Choice of Meats, Drinks and Raiment, yet in the Distributi∣on of our Time he seems to be more sparing and streight-handed; for he gives it not to us in Rivers, but Drop by Drop and Minute after Minute, so that we can never injoy two Moments together, but when-ever he gives us one, he always takes away another. And yet, good God! what Wast do we make of these precious Drops of which thou art so

nice and sparing? How great a Part of it do we consume in our Childhood upon the indifferent Vanities of Nuts and Rattles, and afterwards upon the much more ridiculous and unreasonable ones of ous vicious, pro∣fuse, and extravagant appetites? So that by that time we come to a serious Prosecu∣tion of the great End of our Beings, the main Part of our time is usually elapsed be∣yond revocation. How much therefore doth it concern us, after we have so prodi∣gally squandered away the greatest Part of the Treasure of our Time, to make the best Improvement of the small Remainder? that so we may at least Morally recover, that which is Physically irrecoverable. For though we cannot cause the past Minutes we have ill spent to be present again, yet we can redouble our Diligence for the future, and thereby render every one Minute to come equivalent to every two that are past. For by a double diligence we may live as much in one Day, as we can in two by a single, and consequently by doubly improving that Part of our time which is yet good and to come, we may morally retrieve that Part which is lost and gone.

THIS therefore the Gospel requires at our hands, that after we have lived out a great Part of our Time to no Purpose, we

should from thenceforth live much in a little while, and retrieve our past Negligence by our future Diligence, and redeem the Time we have spent upon our Lusts, by exerting the contrary Vertues more vigorously for the future; that the more prophane we have been for the time past, the more devout we should be for the time to come; that the more we have abounded heretofore in Frauds and Oppressions, the more we should abound hereafter in Charity and Alms; that the more industrious we have been to seduce and debauch men, the more zealous we should be to reduce and reclaim them; and by our future Candor and Charitable Construction of men, indeavour to compen∣sate for the Malice of our past Slanders and Defamations. Thus Eph. iv.28. Let him that stole, steal no more; ay but that is not enough, but he must also indeavour to re∣deem his past Thefts by a more vigorous Exercise of the contrary Vertue for the fu∣ture; but rather let him labour, working with his own hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. So also, Dan. iv.27. break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, i. e. whereas for the Time past the Course of thy Life hath very much abounded with Cruelty and Injustice, do

thou now indeavour to redeem the Guilt of it, for so the Hebrew Verb signifies, by ex∣erting more vigorously the contrary Ver∣tues, viz. of Justice to all, and of Mercy to the poor and afflicted. And to this Purpose St. Paul's Example is proposed to our Imita∣tion, who, because for the Time past he had been a great Persecutor of Christianity, did for the future labour more abundantly than any other Apostle to advance and propagate it, 1 Cor. xv.9, 10. The Observance of which Rule is highly necessary to the reducing this our Warfare to a prosperous Issue. For, as I told you before, there are many Sins which after we have forsaken the Practice of them, do stick such a guilt upon the Conscience, as without our undoing them so far as we are able, is not to be wiped off; such as wicked Counsel, malicious Detraction, and unjust Gain, all which we are bound, so far as 'tis in our Power, not only to avoid, but actual∣ly to revoke. But alas! there are many of these which in a long Course of Sin are ut∣terly forgotten by us, and consequently are past Revocation, and in this Case all we can do to take off the Guilt of them, is in the general Course of our Lives to abound in the Practice of the contrary Vertues, and to do the utmost Service we are able to the Souls and good Names and Bodies of men.

For Charity, saith the Apostle, shall cover a multitude of sins, 1 Pet. iv.8. that is, when it appears by the Abundance of our Charity, that we would abolish and repair all the In∣juries we have done, if it were in our Pow∣er, God in this Case will accept the Will for the Deed, and deal as mercifully by us as if we had actually done it. For if it appear in his Sight that we would do it if we could, we are in his Account as truly obedient to him as if we had actually performed it, and consequently shall be dealt with by the same Proportions of Mercy. But 'tis only an extraordinary Charity that can evidence this; since what is ordinary we are obliged to though we had no past Injuries to abo∣lish; but to ensure our Reconciliation with God, it is requisite that we should evidence to him our sincere willingness, to do not only what we should have been obliged to if we had not been injurious, but also what we are obliged to since we have been inju∣rious. Now as actual Reparation, so far as we are able, is necessary to evidence this, when we remember the Injuries we have done, so an extraordinary Charity is no less necessary to evidence this, when we have forgotten them. And this I suppose is the meaning of that Parallel Passage of St. James, c. v. v. 20. he that converteth a sinner

from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins, i. e. by such an illustrious Act of Charity to the Soul of his Brother, he shall obtain Pardon of God for many of those forgotten Injuries which he hath formerly done, and is now no otherwise able to repair. So that if we would make sure Work of our Christian Warfare, and ascertain its being finally Crowned with Success, as in general we must indeavour to redeem the past Time we have spent in vicious Courses by abound∣ing in the Practice of the contrary Vertues; so in particular, if for the time past we have lived in any of those injurious Courses which do naturally fix a more lasting Guilt upon the Mind, we must take care not only to repair, so far as we are able, those Injuries we remember, but also to wipe off the Guilt of those we have forgotten by an extraor∣dinary Charity and Beneficence, by laying hold of all Opportunities to do Good, and indeavouring in our several Stations, ac∣cording as God hath inabled us, to reduce the Souls, relieve the Bodies, and vindicate the Reputation of our Brethren.

X. AND lastly, To our final Perseve∣rance in wel-doing, it is also necessary that we should labour after a Rational and wel-grounded Assurance of Heaven. I put this

in the last Place, because 'tis usually the last attain'd, and is not to be presently expected and catch'd at as soon as we are entered into a religious State. For there are a great ma∣ny Stages of Religion to be past, before we can modestly expect to arrive at Assurance. In the Beginning of our Religion, when we are just recovered out of a vicious State, we cannot but be sensible, if we do at all un∣derstand our selves, that we are as yet in a great deal of Danger, and do border so very near upon that bad State we are escap'd from, that 'tis almost impossible to distin∣guish whether we are in or out of it. For though we are fully purposed and resolved against it, yet we cannot well divine what will be the Issue of it. Our Resolution is yet so young, so raw and unexperienced, and besieg'd with so many powerful counter-striving Inclinations, that we cannot confide in it without great Folly and Presumption. For till sufficient Trial hath been made of it, for all that we know, it may prove to be only a Godly Mood, or a short Lucid Inter∣val between the raving Fits of our Lust and extravagant Affections, which in a few days perhaps may return again, and utterly alie∣nate and distract us from all our sober Counsels, and Purposes. And if it should so happen, that which we now look upon

as our Cure and Recovery, will prove but an Intermission of our Disease. And when for sometime we have tryed our Resolution, and found that hath bravely resisted those Temptations that have hitherto assaulted it, yet we cannot presently be reasonably assured of it, considering the fickleness and Inconstancy of our Nature. For it may be it hath not been yet assaulted on the weak Side, or it hath not been nick'd with a sea∣sonable Temptation, or it may be we may be more remiss and careless another time, or more vehemently inclined to a vicious Complyance; and then those Temptations which we have hitherto conquered, may captivate and subdue us. And if it thus happen, that which we now look upon as an everlasting Breach between us and our Lusts, may prove only a Pet or short Di∣stast, and like the Fallings out of Lovers end in the renewing of Love. And till we have made some considerable Progress in the mortification of our sinful Inclinations, and the Acquisition of their contrary Habits, our Religion will have so many Flaws, Defects and Imperfections in it, as will give us great Reason, if we have any modesty in us, to be very fearful and jealous of it. But since without Sincerity in Religion we can have no Title to Heaven, it hence follows

that without a clear Sense of our Sincerity, we can have no Assurance of our Title to it; and such a clear Sense as is necessary to found such an Assurance on, is not to be acquired, you see, without a thorough Tryal of our Resolution in a long and vigorous Course of Religion. So that for men to be immediatly snatching at Assurance, as soon as ever they are entred into a good Life, argues them not to be so sensible, as they should be, of their own Imperfection and Frailty; they ought in Modesty to expect a while, and not conclude too soon for them∣selves, till they have made a through Tryal of their Resolution; and in the mean time to strive on, in Hope that by the Blessing of God concurring with their Endeavours, they shall at last attain such a certain Sense and Feeling of their own Sincerity, as will be sufficient to infer a firm and rational Assurance. For Assurance being the Top of Christian Attainment, we must ascend to it gradually, by the intermediate Staves and Rounds of a tryed and lasting Obedi∣ence, and not leap up in an Instant before we have taken all the Steps and Degrees that lead thither.

BUT though we ought not to be too forward in our Assurance, yet we are bound to labour after it in a due and regular Way;

that is, to persist in our Obedience till we have reduced our inward and outward Mo∣tions to such a Degree of Conformity to the Standard of the Gospel, as that upon comparing our selves with it, we may be able without Flattery or Presumption to conclude our own Sincerity and Vpright∣ness. I know there is a much shorter Pas∣sage to Assurance, which some of late have pretended to; and that is, by certain un∣accountable Incomes and Manifestations of Gods Spirit, who, as they pretend, doth im∣mediatly whisper and reveal to them their Title and Interest in Heaven. But this alas! is too much like the North-east Passage to the Indies, which is shorter indeed, if it could be found, but so very dangerous, that I doubt there are but few that attempt it but miscarry, and 'tis well if they do not finally perish in the Discovery. Not that I do in the least doubt but God doth many times suggest and whisper unspeakable Com∣forts and Assurances to the Minds of good men; but then it is to be considered that this is an arbitrarious Gift, which he seldom if ever bestows but in extraordinary Cases, when 'tis necessary to encourage us to some great Work, or to support us under some extraordinary Suffering. For he is a wise and careful Father of his Children, and

knows 'tis much more necessary for us to be good, than to be ravished and transported; and that such high Cordials are neither proper nor safe for us but in great Extremi∣ties; and therefore for us to expect that he should make them our ordinary Food and Entertainment is an Argument of our Childish Ignorance and Presumption. But though such immediate Whispers and Reve∣lations may serve to good Purposes in a Pinch of Extremity, yet are they by no means to be built upon as the Foundations of our ordinary, standing Assurance. For so long as there is an evil Spirit without, and a disordered Fancy within us, that can imitate these Whispers, we shall be continually liable, so long as we put Confidence in them, to all the Cheats and Impostures of natural and Diabolical Enthusiasm, and unavoid∣ably mistake many an Injection of the De∣vil, and many a warm Flush of Fancy, or brisk Fermentation of melancholy Humour, for a Whisper and Testimony of the spirit of God, and by this means be often lull'd into false Confidences and Assurances, which like Golden Dreams will vanish when we awake, and leave us miserably disappointed. That Assurance therefore which we are to aim at, must be founded in the Testimony of a good Conscience, and infer'd from the

Sense of our own Integrity and Upright∣ness.

AND this we are commanded to indea∣vour after; so Heb. x.22. we are bid to draw near unto God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Confidence, or full assurance of faith, that is, in a firm Persuasion of Gods Love to us and our Interest in his Promises; which Persua∣sion is to be founded upon an inward Sense of our having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies wash'd with pure water; and accordingly Heb. vi.11. to be diligent in good works, to the full assurance of hope unto the end, i. e. to be so diligent in our Duty as that we may thereby acquire such a full Assurance of our Reward as may inable us to continue and hold out to the End. For so St. John tells us, that 'tis by the Inte∣grity of our Vertue, and particularly of our love to one another, that we are to assure our hearts before God, 1 Joh. iii.14, 19. for, saith he v.21. if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; and for this purpose, among others, the same Apo∣stle tells us he wrote this Catholick Epistle, that true Christians might know and be as∣sured that they had eternal life, 1 Joh. v.13.

FROM all which 'tis evident, that 'tis our Duty to labour after such an Assurance of Heaven, as naturally ariseth from the

clear and certain Sense of our Sincerity to∣wards God, and the firm Belief of the Promise of eternal Life, to which our Since∣rity intitles us. For when we are so far improved in Religion, as that upon an impar∣tial Surveigh of our selves we can feel our own Integrity, and sensibly perceive that our Intention is pure, our Resolution fixt, and our Heart intirely devoted to God, we may from thence most certainly infer our Title and Interest to the Promise of Heaven. So that to the obtaining this Assurance, all that we have to do is, so far to purifie our Intentions from sinister Aims, and subdue our bad Inclination to our Resolution of Obedience, as that when ever we reflect upon and compare our selves with the Rule, our Conscience may be able without any Diffidence to pronounce us sincere; and then we may as certainly con∣clude our Interest in Heaven, as we can that Gods Promises are true; and if after we are thus far improved in Religion, we still re∣main unassured, it proceeds not from the Want of sufficient Evidence, but either from a melancholy Temper, or a weak Faith, or a misinformed Conscience; and whichsoever of these is the Cause of it, when that is once removed, we shall as plainly feel our own Sincerity, and therein our Interest in

Heaven, as we do now our bodily Passions. And having once attained this Assurance, 'twill animate our Hearts with an Heroick Courage against all Temptations, and carry us on with unspeakable Alacrity through all the remaining Stages of our Duty; it will invigorate our Endeavours, and wing our Activity, and make us all Life and Spirit in the Exercises of our holy Religi∣on. And as when the Christian Army, af∣ter a tedious march towards the Land of Canaan, came within view of the holy City, and beheld afar off the Towers and Tur∣rets of Hierusalem, they were so Ecstacied with Joy that they made the Heavens ring with triumphant Shouts and Acclamati∣ons, and as if that Sight had given new Souls to them, ran on upon their Enemies with a Courage that forced Victory where∣ever they came; so when a good Man af∣ter a long Progress from one Degree of Vertue to another, is got so far as that from a certain Sense and Feeling of his own Sin∣cerity he can discern the new Hierusalem above, and his own Interest in it, that bles∣sed Sight will fill him with so much Joy, Courage and Alacrity, that no Temptation for the future will be able to withstand or interrupt him. So that his Conscience will be always ringing with Acclamations of

Victory, and the remainder of his March will be all a Triumphal Progress to him; and when he comes to the Conclusion of it, to die, and pass the Gate of this blessed City, the firm Assurance which he hath of Admit∣tance, will dispel the Fears, sweeten the Troubles, and asswage the Pangs and Ago∣nies of the dolorous Passage. So that he will die not only with Peace, but with Joy, and go away into Eternity with Hallelujahs in his Mouth. If therefore we mean to bring this our spiritual Warfare to a happy Conclusion, it concerns us now while we have Opportunity, to labour after a wise and well-grounded Assurance of Heaven.

SECT. VI. Containing certain Motives to Press men to the Practice of these Duties of Perseve∣rance in the Christian Warfare.

HAVING in the foregoing Section de∣scribed all those Duties which appertain to the last Part of our Christian Warfare, to wit, final Perseverance; and shewn how ef∣fectually they all contribute thereunto, I shall now according to my former Method, conclude with some Motives to press and persuade men to the Practice of them; all which I shall deduce from the Considerati∣on of the great and urgent Necessity of our final Perseverance, to which those Duties are such necessary Helps and Means. For unless we take in the Assistance of these Du∣ties, in all Probability we shall never be a∣ble to hold out to the End; and unless we persevere to the End, we are guilty of the most fatal and mischievous piece of Folly in the World. For Consider,

1. If after we have made some Progress in Religion, we wilfully relapse, we shall go back much faster than ever we have pro∣ceeded.

2. If once we totally relapse, we shall thereby forfeit all the Fruit of our past La∣bour.

3. We shall forfeit the Fruit of our La∣bour after we have undergone the greatest Difficulty of it.

4. We shall not only forfeit the Fruit of our past Labour, but also render our Reco∣very more hazardous and difficult than ever.

5. We shall not only render our future Recovery more difficult, but also plunge our selves for the present into a far more Guilty and Criminal Condition than ever.

6. We shall not only render our selves for the present more guilty, but as a certain Consequence of that, Expose our selves, if we die in our Apostacy, to a Deeper and more Dreadful Ruin,

I. CONSIDER, when once we have wilfully relapsed, unless we immediately re∣cover, we shall go much faster back, than ever we went forward. For in the Begin∣ning of our religious Progress, we are fain to sail for a great while against Wind and Tyde, against a strong Gale of Temptation from without, and a rapid Stream of Incli∣nation from within, and while we do thus, we must be contented to get our Ground by Inches, and move forward by slow and in∣sensible Degrees; but in all our wilful Apo∣stacies,

we are carried on secundo flumine, with a full Drift of Temptation and Incli∣nation. So that if when once we have wil∣fully sinn'd we do not immediately check our selves by Repentance, in all Probability we shall be driven farther back in a Day, than we shall be able to get forward in a Week. For your Progress in Religion lying up Hill, but your Apostacy down, you must expect when once you are falling to descend much faster than ever you ascended, and to get far sooner to the Bottom again than you can to the Top, though you should hap∣pen to fall just in the mid-way, and have no farther to the one than to the other. For 'tis hardly to be imagin'd what Strength a bad Inclination gets by a short Repast and Gratification; how when it hath been al∣most pined away by a long Abstinence, a Taste of sinful Pleasure will raise and revive it, and render it as brisk and vigorous as e∣ver; insomuch that it usually requires a great many Acts of Mortification, to re-ex∣tinguish that Life and Strength it acquires in one short Gratification. For as the fierce Tyger after a long Confinement will lye down tamely in his Den, and by Degrees loose all his Fierceness and grow manageable and obsequious, but let him take but one warm Draught of Blood and his old savage

Nature immediately revives, and he grows as cruel and outragious as ever; just so it is with our wicked Inclinations, which being reduced from their Excesses, and kept un∣der the close Confinement of a holy Reso∣lution, will by Degrees grow tame and gen∣tle, and forget the alluring Relishes of Sin, but if once we suffer them to break loose again, and to come at those sinful Pleasures from which they have been a long while alienated, they will soon recover their natu∣ral Wildness, and become as head-strong and violent as ever. Wherefore it mightily con∣cerns us to have a great Care of all wilful Apostacies; for to be sure your first Slip will vehemently incline you to a second, and that more vehemently to a third, and so like men that are running head-long down Hill, the farther you go the more you will be prest forward by your own Weight, and the harder 'twill be for you to stop and reco∣ver your selves. So that if you do not im∣mediately stop, you will by a few Days Sin lose back all the Ground you have got by many a Years Warfare; you will pull down more of your Religion by one wilful Sin, than you will be able to repair again by ma∣ny a vertuous Action; and like some prodi∣gal Drudges spend more in one mad Frolick, than you have earn'd by many a hard Days

Labour. And if you do thus, 'tis impossi∣ble you should ever improve; for what you do in a Week, you will undo again in a Day, and so instead of pressing forward, you will dance in a Circle, and always end where you begun. So that unless you go on and perse∣vere in wel-doing, all your Strife and War∣fare against Sin will be but like rolling of a Sisyphus his Stone, which after you have been a long while raising to the Top of the Hill, will in a moment tumble down again upon you; so that either you must undergo the same Pains to raise it again, or lye down under it, and tamely suffer your selves to be crush'd into eternal Ruine by it.

II. CONSIDER, if after we have made some Progress in Religion we totally Re∣lapse, we thereby forfeit the Fruit of all our past Labour. For so God himself by the Prophet pronounces in the Case, Ezek. xviii.24. When the Righteous turns away from his Righteousness, and commits iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth, shall he live? all his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, in the trespass that he hath trespassed, and in the sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die, i. e. how good soever he may have been for the Time past, if he doth not persevere to the End, but wilfully relapse

into Folly and Wickedness, all the Vertue he hath exercised, and all the Good he hath done, shall be quite struck off from his Ac∣counts, and never so much as mentioned to his Benefit and Advantage, but in that Wickedness wherein he is faln he shall as certainly perish as if all his Life had been a continued Act or uninterrupted Course of Iniquity. So also, Heb. x.38. if any shall draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. And indeed this is a most necessary Effect of our Apostacy; for by falling off from our Christian Courese, we put our selves back into the same State and Condi∣tion wherein we were before we enter'd up∣on it; and the Effect of all those good things which we did from the time we en∣ter'd upon to the Time we deserted it, will be so voided and abolish'd, that there will not remain the least Trace or Footstep of it in our Natures, but our Will will become as obstinate again, our affections and Appe∣tites as wild and extravagant as if we had all long permitted them to run on in an uninterrupted Course of Iniquity. And ha∣ving thus exinguisht all the good Effects of our past Warfare, and rendered by our wil∣ful Apostacy our Natures as corrupt and de∣praved as ever, we shall thereby be exposed again to the Wrath and Displeasure of God

For Gods Love and Hatred are unvariably determined to the same Grounds and Rea∣sons, and herein consists their Immutability, not that he always loves or always hates the same persons, out of a unreasonable Prejudice to the o∣ther, but that he always loves and always hates them for the same Reasons; and he hath expresly declared taht Goodness and Wickedness are the contrary Reasons of this his Contrary affection to his Creatures; which if it be, 'twill hence necessarilly fol∣low, that as his Hatred must convert into Love to us when from wicked we become good, so his Love must convert into Hatred of us when from good we degenerate into wicked. Which Alteration of his Affection towards us, proceeds not from any change in his Nature but from a change in ours; he always proceeds upon steady and unchange∣able Priniciples, and is for ever fixt and constant to the Reasons of his Love and Ha∣tred; which he could not be, if he did not alter his Affection to us when the Reason of it is altered, if he did not abominate us when he sees us fallen and degenerated from that State of Goodness for teh sake of which he loved us and took pleasure in us. So that by wilfully retreating from our religious Progress, we do not only Extinguish all

those good Effects which it had produced in our Natures, not only revive those invete∣rate Lusts we had almost mortified, and blast those tender Graces which we had therein acquired and improved, but as a Consequence of this, we run out of Gods Arms and Embraces; and throw our selves head-long from those glorious Hopes to which we have been all this while advan∣cing with so much Labour and Difficulty. What a Madness therefore is it for men to think of retreating that have once actually ingaged in the Christian Warfare, to surren∣der themselves back into Captivity to their Lusts, after they have fought so many Com∣bats against, and obtained so many Victories over them! O consider but the great Pains you have been at, the many Prayers and Tears, Abstinencies and Self-denials, Strug∣gles and Convertion with your selves, that it hath cost you to retrieve your selves from the Dominion of Sin and the just Ven∣geance of God; and is it not a thousand Pities that all this should prove lost Labour in the End, and be rebder'd as fruitless and insignificant to us as if it had never been? that after you have taken so much Pains to stem the difficult Tyde, and are at last got within fight of Shore, you should now faint and yield to the Fury of it, and suffer your

selves to be born down by it again into that Ocean of Sin and Guilt out of which you were so safely recovered? Wherefore as you would not render your albour in vain in the Lord, and utterly defeat your selves of all the Fruit of your Religious Endeavours, be still persuaded to struggle and contend, to strive and press forward to the mark of your high-calling. For if now you slacken or re∣mit your Endeavourse, yield to the Cur∣rent of Temptation, you will soon be dri∣ven down by it again as far from the Love of God and from the Hope of HEaven, as ever you were in the most degenerate State of your Natures.

III. CONSIDER that if by willfully sinning we retreat from our Christian War∣fare, we shall forfeit the Fruit of our La∣bour after we have undergon the greatest Difficulty of it. For, as I shewed above, the main Difficulty of the Christian Warfare lies in the Entrance of it, and this I suppose you to have already past. You have al∣ready indured those sharep Pangs and Throws that are wont to accompany the Birth of a new Resolution; you have undergon the hard Pennance of a deep and through Con∣sideration, the sharp Stings and Remorses of a solemn and sorrowful Repentance; you have forc'd your most Importunate Inclinati∣ons,

and withstood the most violent Counter-struggling of a perverse and denegerate Na∣ture; you have Conquered your Will in the Height of all its Obstinacy and Resistance, and Rescued it from the Arms of your Lusts when 'twas most inslaved and captiva∣ted by them; all this you did, if you did any thing to any purpose, when you first entered upon this holy Walfare. And ever since, you have been breaking the Strength of your evil Inclinations, and conquering the Antipathies of your Nature to your Religion; in which if you have made any Progress, you must by this Time have broken the Heart of the Difficulty of your Warfare, and have much less Opposition to contend with than ever. So that now in all Probability, there is nothing so difficult between you and Heaven, as that which you have already ingaged with and sur∣mounted; and will you now turn your backs upon your Enemy, when his main Strength is spent, and you have already sustained the most violent Shocks of his Power? If you had retreated at the first Onset, when your Sin was seated in its Dominion, and you were yet but raising your Forces and arm∣ing your Resolution against it, it had been much more excusable; for then you had the sharpest Part of your Conflict to under∣go

being to contend with a flusht and a victorious Enemy, who having as yet all his Strength about him, could not fail to put your Courage to a mighty Tryal. But now to retreat, when you are past the worst, and have gotten above half Way through; when you have pulled down your Lust from its Throne and Dominion, and so far subdued it to your Religion and your Reason that you have henceforward no more to do but to pursue a Victory, which though you got with a great deal of Toil, you may finish with a great deal of Ease and Pleasure; now, I say, to retreat in such a prosperous Juncture, and give up the blessed Prize which you have been so long contending for, what des∣perate Madness is it! If you had never be∣gun this Warfare, or yielded in the first Con∣flict of it, what a deal of Pains might you have saved? How many Prayers and Tears, Struglings and Contentions with your selves might you have escaped and avoided, and at last been in as good a Condition, if not a better, than that wherein your Apostacy will certainly leave you? And when a man hath been so long taking Heaven by Storm and Violence, when he hath broken through so many Oppositions to come at it, and in Des∣pite of all the Darts of Temptation from without, and of all the Weights and Pressures

of Inclination from within, he is gotten up as it were to the Top of the Scaling-Ladder, has laid hands on the Battlements of Hea∣ven, and is ready to leap in and take Pos∣session of the Joys of it, what a Madness is it for him now to let go his Hold and tumble headlong down again into that Abyss of Sin and Misery out of which he had reco∣vered himself with so much Labour and Difficulty! Especially considering

IV. THAT by this our Relapse we shall not only forfeit the Fruit of our past La∣bour, but also render our Recovery more hazardous and difficult than ever. For what the Apostle pronounces concerning Apo∣states from Christianity, is in a great Measure applicable to those who having ingaged in the Christian Warfare, fall off from it again to their old sinful Courses; it is impossible, i. e. 'tis extreamly difficult, for those that were once enlightned, and have tasted of the hea∣venly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the World to come; if they fall away, to renew them again to re∣pentance, Heb. vi.4, 5, 6. For besides that by falling from his first Repentance, a man grieves and chases the Holy Spirit from him, without whose Aid he can neither stand when he is up, nor recover when he is faln;

and having Chased him away, he cannot well expect that he will be so ready to return and co-operate with him after he hath treat∣ed him so rudely by quenching his Motions, unraveling his Workmanship, and extin∣guishing all those heavenly Effects which his Grace had produced in his Soul. For how can this blessed Assistant of Souls but take it in great Disdain to be thus mock'd and disappointed, when he had been so in∣dustriously labouring for a Wretches Good, to lift him out of the Mire wherein he was sunk and perishing; and when he had suc∣ceeded so far in his Labour as to help him quite out, and was washing and cleansing his polluted Spirit and dressing it for the Em∣braces of the Father of spirits, to see this Wretch turn back after all, and plung him∣self headlong into the Mire again, how can he but resent such an ungrateful Disap∣pointment of his Labour with unspeakable Grief and Indignation? And if upon such Resentment he should, as he justly may, whol∣ly retire from him, and leave him forever to wallow in his own Hearts Lust, his Con∣dition will not be only dangerous, but des∣perate. What the blessed Spirit will do in this Case, I cannot certainly determine, be∣cause he may do as he pleases, being totally released by the Sinners Apostacy from all

Obligation of Promise. But it makes my Heart ake to think, how much Reason there is to fear that he will utterly forsake and abandon him, and not throw away any more of his Grace upon a Wretch on whom he hath already spent so much to no purpose. And if the heinous Affront which the bles∣sed Spirit receives by your Apostacy should put him upon this Resolution, you are damn'd above-ground, and everlastingly for∣saken of all Hopes of Recovery. But be∣sides all this, (which one would think should be sufficient to startle any sober Man from making such a desperate Experiment) by falling off from your Repentance, you must needs be supposed to offer a mighty Violence to your Consciences; which having been already awaken'd into a through Sense of your past Sins, must necessarily reflect upon your present Apostacy with unspeak∣able Horror and Affrightment; which if it doth not presently scare ye back again to Repentance, will put ye upon more despe∣rate Courses than ever. For now if your Conscience won't be quiet, you have no other Remedy but to ruffle with it, and out-brave its Horrors by being more couragiously wick∣ed; and as those barbarous Parents that sa∣crificed their Children to Moloch were fain to make Noises round the burning Idol with

Drums and Timbrels to drown their dying Shrieks and Grones, least they should move them to Compassion; so when by your wilful Relapses you have sacrificed your Conscience to your Lust, and it begins to Shriek out from among those Flames of Guilt whereinto you have cast it, you have no other Remedy, unless you repent imme∣diately, but to make a Tophet round about it, and drown its Out cries in Excesses of Riot; to put your selves into a tumultuous Hurry of Wickedness and Folly, that you may not hear those ill-boding Shrieks within, and sear over the Wounds of your Conscience with a thick Custom of Sinning, that they may neither bleed nor smart. So that if once you turn Recreant to your Christian Warfare, you will be forced, in your own Defence, to plung your selves deeper into Sin than ever. For now you must sin not only to greatifie your Lusts, but to stupifie your Conscience, and this last you can never do without being excessively wicked. You must now be puny Sinners no longer, if ever you intend to sin quietly, but resolve to turn Heroes in Iniquity, and out-sin your natural Sense of Good and Evil. In order where∣unto you must give your wounded Spirit Gash after Gash, and follow the Blow till you have left it past feeling; you must heap on

Loads of Guilt upon your Conscience till with the continued Pressure you have ren∣dered it callous and insensible; and when by this means you have sunk your selves deeper into Sin than ever (as you will doubt∣less soon do) how much more difficult and hazardous must your Recovery be? For now you will need much more Assistance than ever you did in your first Repentance, and have much less Reason to expect it. So that though I dare not say your Condition will be desperate; yet I must tell ye 'twill be so fearfully dangerous, that unless God out of a peculiar Mercy to ye, awake ye by some extraordinary providence, and at the same time co-operate with ye by an extraor∣dinary Grace, you must certainly miscarry for ever.

V. CONSIDER that by your deserting of the Christian Warfare, you will not only render your future Recovery more difficult, but you will also plung your selves for the present into a far more guilty and criminal Condition than ever. For thus St. Peter determines in the Case, 2 Pet. ii.20, 21. if after they have escap'd the polluti∣ons of the world, through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein, and overcome, the later end is worse with them than the begin∣ning.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness; then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandement; that is, by relapsing into those sinful Pollutions out of which they had been rescued by the Belief and Knowledg of Christianity, they have ren∣dered themselves much more guilty, than they were before when they were Infidels; so that if they had never been acquainted with the Gospel, nor taken one Step in the Pathes of its holy Commandements, it had been much better for them, and God would have been much less angry and displeased with them. For by our Apostacy into a wicked Life, we do not only return back into as bad at least, if not a worse Condition than ever; but,

First, We do also make void all those Ope∣rations of the Spirit of God, by which we were so effectually persuaded to undertake, and hitherto to prosecute the Christian War∣fare. By relapsing into a state of Sin again, we wilfully undo all that he hath been do∣ing, we revive those Lusts which he hath been mortifying, and root up those Graces which he hath been planting and watering within us; and when with great Contri∣vance and Industry he hath drest and cultiva∣vated our Nature, pluckt up the Weeds of

it and planted it with the Flowers of Hea∣ven, we wilfully spoil and lay it wast again, and turn his growing Sharon into a barren Wilderness. So that besides all that Guilt which arises from those sinful Courses whereinto we are relapst, we are now be∣come guilty of the greatest Outrage to the Spirit of God; we are guilty of destroying the dearest Fruits of his Labour, of laying wast his Inclosures, quenching his Motions; extinguishing his Graces, and strangling all those heavenly Effects which he by his powerful Goodness had produced in our Natures. And what a black Aggravation of our Guilt must it be, thus to baffle and disappoint the Spirit of God? But then

Secondly, As by our Apostacy we offer the rudest Affront to the Holy Spirit, so we commit the greatest Violence both upon our Conscience and Experience. For in all Apo∣stacies we sin with an awakened Conscience, with the Convictions of our Guilt glaring in our Eyes, and are fain to contend and struggle with our own Mind, before we can break through those Checks and Re∣straints it lays upon us, which must needs be a great Aggravation of our Guilt. For the more light and persuasion a man sins against, the more of Will and Malice there is in his Sin, and consequently the more of

Guilt. For what can be more Malicious, than for a man to dare and defie his own Convictions, and charge into the very Mouth of them, while they are spitting fire and roring everlasting Ruine against him? This plainly shews him to be acted by a desperate Resolution, when for the sake of his Lusts he dares confront the Terrors of his Conscience, and rather than be barred the Enjoyment of them, he will plunge him∣self headlong into a foreseen Ruine, and leap after them into Hell with his Eyes open. And yet thus we do in all our wilful Aposta∣cies; we sin against the quickest Sense of our Danger, the loudest Warnings of our Conscience, and the clearest Convictions of our Reason; which being all most horrid Aggravations, must needs swell up our Guilt to a monstrous Proportion. Neither do we sin only against our Conscience, but also against our Experience. For it is to be sup∣posed that we have made some Proof and Tryal of Religion, and having done so, we must needs be sensible that there is nothing in it but what is reasonable and practicable and highly for our Good; nothing but what tends to the Tranquility of our Minds, the Peace of our Consciences, and the Perfecti∣on of our Natures; and being throughly assured of all this, and that not so much by

Discourse as by our own Sense and Experi∣ence, what a horrid Baseness would it be, if notwithstanding this we should renounce and desert it? If we had never tryed it, we might have urged our Ignorance or Want of Experience as an Apology for our Refusal to submit to it; we might have pretended that for Want of a more intimate Acquain∣tance with it, we lookt upon its Commands as impossible, or at least as very difficult and altogether fruitless and ungrateful to hu∣mane Nature, and that if we had once com∣plyed with it, we must have presently renoun∣ced every thing that is pleasant and desira∣ble, and from thenceforth have been con∣tented to sigh away our Lives in unsufferable Severities and a melancholy Retirement from all the Joys and Festivities of humane Con∣versation; for such frightful Representati∣ons men that are unexperienced in Religion, are apt to make of it; which though it be far from justifying, may in some Measure extenuate their Enmity to it. But you that have tryed Religion, must needs have ex∣perienced that all this is false; that its Commands are easie enough to a willing Mind, and that the many Advantages they bring with them do abundantly compensate for their Difficulty; that they are so far from barring men any innocent Pleasure, or

Comfort of humane Life, that they purifie the Pleasures of it, and render them more grateful and generous; that besides this, they bring mighty Pleasures of their own along with them, the Pleasures of a glorious Hope, a serene Mind, a calm and undisturb∣ed Conscience, which are such as do far out-relish the most studied and artificial Luxuries; all this you cannot but know, if you have made any considerable Tryal of a sober and wel-advised Religion. So that if now you Apostatize, you will not only af∣front your Conscience, but your Experience too; and the past Sense you have had of the Goodness of Religion, will rise up in Judgment against ye, and for ever silence all the Excuses you can urge for your selves, and leave ye nothing to say, but that you were sick of your Ease and tired with the Refreshments of Religion. But then

Thirdly, As your Apostacy will be a grie∣vous Affront to the Spirit of God and to your own Conscience and Experience, so 'twill be one of the foulest Dishonours that you can cast upon Religion. If you had never been ingaged in the Christian Warfare, the Ho∣nour of Religion could never have been so nearly touch'd by your wicked Courses, and all considering Men would have attributed your Enmity to it, to your Ignorance and

want of Experience, and never have thought the worse of it when they saw it so contemp∣tuously treated by one that was never ac∣quainted with it. But if now you revolt into wicked Courses after you have made Tryal of it, what will the World say? Look ye, here is one that hath made an Ex∣periment of the Religion you so much cele∣brate, and which you extol and cry up for such a pleasant and amiable thing; if it were what you pretend, how comes it to pass that after so long Tryal and Experience of it, this man should now at last renounce and forsake it? Which is such an Objection, as can be no otherwise solv'd but by demonstra∣ting the man whose Apostacy started it, to be forsaken and abandoned of his own Rea∣son. For if upon the Tryal he hath made of Religion, he had experienced it to be that good and grateful thing it is represented, it is not to be imagined he would ever have revolted from it, had he been capable to de∣liberate of his own Choices and Actions. And how can they that are Strangers to Re∣ligion forbear suspecting the Goodness of it, when they see a man, after Tryal, and in his right Senses, declare by his Actions that Vice is better and more eligible than Ver∣tue, and do behold the Pleasures of Sin prefer'd before the Joys and Satisfactions of

Religion, by one that hath made a through Experiment of them both? So that by Apostatising into sinful Courses after a through Tryal of Religion, we take an ef∣fectual Course to defame and scandalize it, to render it a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to those that have had but little or no Acquaintance with it; and if by our Example any should be disheartned either from entering into or proceeding in the Chri∣stian Warfare, their Blood will be one day required at our Hands, and so we shall raise a most fearful Cry upon ourselves, and have not only the Spirit of God and our own Conscience and Experience, but also the Blood of all those Souls who have stumbled at our Apostacy lifting up their Cries to∣gether to the Tribunal of God for a dire and speedy Vengeance against us.

VI. CONSIDER, if after you have made some Progress in Religion you revolt into sinful Courses, you will not only ren∣der your selves for the present more guilty, but, as a Consequence of that, you will cer∣tainly expose your selves, if you die before your Recovery, to a deeper and more dread∣ful Ruine. For this we may depend upon, that the Judg of all the World will do righteously, and consequently, that as on the one hand he will proportion his Rewards

to our Services, so on the other he will measure his Punishments by our Guilts and Demerits; and if he thus proceed (as he most certainly will) how horrible is it to think of the black and dismal Fate that hangs over the Heads of Apostates, whose Guilt being aggravated by those above-named Circumstances to such a prodigious Bulk and Magnitude, must be supposed to draw after it a Punishment proportionable? And if so, then doubtless the Portion of Apostates among wicked and miserable Spirits will be the most wretched & deplorable. For besides those supernumerary Stripes they must ex∣pect to receive from God, as being Servants that have known their Masters Will, and ex∣perienced the Goodness of it, and yet have finally refused to comply with it, their refle∣ctions on their own Apostacy, and the Folly and Madness of it will doubtless gall and torment them a thousand times more than all the other Stings of their Conscience to∣gether. For how must it inrage them a∣gainst themselves, to ruminate on their own Follies, as they are wandering through the Infernal Shades! O desperate Creatures! from what glorious Hopes have we precipi∣tated our selves into this dismal State! We had once got a fair Way onwards to Heaven, and were arived within Sight of

its blessed Shores: we had shaken off our Lusts, mastered our Inclinations and subdu∣ed our Wills to the Will of God; and in so doing had conquered the most difficult Part of our Voyage; we had weathered the cross Winds of Temptation from without, and stem'd the Tide of corrupt Nature with∣in, so that had we but bore up couragiously a little farther, we that are now howling among damned Ghosts, might have been triumphing with blessed Spirits. But O abominable Fools and Traytors to our selves! after all the successful Pains we had taken to be happy, we have shipwrack'd our Souls at the Mouth of our Harbour; and to gratifie a base Lust, have leapt headlong from the Brinks of the Rivers of Pleasure, into this Lake of fire and Brimstone. And have we thus undone our selves, thus madly, thus without Pretence or Temptation! O! cursed be our Folly, cursed be our Lusts, and for ever cursed be we for harbouring and entertaining them! Thus will these misera∣ble People incessantly rave against them∣selves, and with dire Reflections on their desperate Follies for ever inrage and multi∣ply their own Torments. So that were I descending to the bottomless Pit, and had but so much Time before I came there, as to make one Prayer more in my own Behalf,

next to that of being wholly delivered thence, I know none I should sooner pitch upon, than this, O Lord deliver me from that Por∣tion of Hell, which thou hast reserved for Apostates.

SO that if now that we have so far in∣gaged our selves in the Christian Warfare, we should be so mad as to retreat into our old sinful Courses, it had been a thousand times better for us that we had never in∣gaged in it at all. For unless we repent of our Retreat, and come on again, we have ta∣ken a great deal of Pains in Religion to no other Purpose, but only to to treasure up to our selves wrath against the day of wrath, and heat the Furnace of our future Tor∣ment yet seven times hotter. Wherefore since the Matter is now reduced to this Issue, that if we revolt from our Christian Warfare we shall not only defeat our selves of all the Fruit of our past Labour and Contentions, but also inhance our future Punishment; so that we must either resolve to win Heaven by our Perseverance, or sink our selves into the neithermost Hell by our Apostacy; let us pull up our Courage, and mangre all Temptations to the contrary, continue steadfast and immoveable in our Christian Resolution, remembring what

the Captain of our Salvation hath promised▪ Rev. iii.21. To him that overcomes, will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his Throne.

CHAP. V. Containing some short Directions for the more profitable reading the preceding Discourse, and also for the Conduct and regular Ex∣ercise of our Closet Religion in all the different States of the Christian Life; together with Forms of private Devotion fitted to each State.

IN the foregoing Chapter I have indea∣voured a full Account of all those in∣strumental Duties of Christianity by which we are to acquire, improve and perfect the principal Vertues of it, in the Perfection of which Vertues Heaven which is the great End of Christianity consists. And for the more distinct management thereof, I con∣sidered men under a threefold State; first as entering into the Christian Life; second∣ly as actually ingaged in the Course of it; thirdly as improving towards Perfection by Perseverance in it; and gave a distinct account of all those Instrumental Duties that are proper to each of these States. And now that what hath been said in that and the preceding Chapters may have its due Effect upon the Readers Mind, I have

thought fit to reduce it to Practice by di∣recting men,

First, how to read and apply the several parts of it to their own particular States;

Secondly, By furnishing them with some short Rules for the more profitable Exercise of their private Religion in each of those different States, together with Forms of private Devotion fitted to each State.

I. AS to the first of these, it is to be considered, that to the making men sincere and hearty Christians, it is highly necessary that they should have a right understanding, First, of the Nature of the great and chief End which Christianity proposes to them; Secondly, of the Means by which that End is to be obtained; Thirdly, of the natural Tendency of all the Vertues of Christiani∣ty towards this blessed End, and of the con∣trary Tendency of the opposite Vices to∣wards their eternal Misery and Ruin. Of all which I have indeavoured to give an Account in the three first Chapters of this Book. Wherefore I would advise the Reader,

1. Carefully and seriously to peruse those Chapters wherein (because I have been sometimes forc'd by the sublimity of my Argument to discourse a little more abstruse∣ly than in any of the following Parts) it

will be necessary for him to imploy more of his Thoughts and Consideration, and not to content himself with a slight and cursory Perusal. And when by a serious Conside∣ration of what hath been there discour∣sed, his Mind is fully convinc'd what a kind of Heaven he is to expect hereafter, what kinds of Means are necessary to obtain it, how naturally all the Vertues of Religion do raise up mens Souls to Heaven, and how all the contrary Vices do as naturally sink and press them down to Hell, it is to be hop'd he will be fully persuaded of the indispen∣sible Necessity of entering into the Christi∣an Life; which if he be, I would advise him,

2. Seriously to read over and consider the first and second Sections of the fourth Chapter, wherein are contained the several Duties which are proper to his State of Entrance into the Christian Life, and also proper Arguments and Motives to ingage him to the Practice of them; which if he would read to good Effect, he must by no means content himself with a single Perusal, but read them over at least once a week whilst he continues in that State, till he ful∣ly comprehends the Meaning and Use of all those Duties and the Force and Cogency of those, Arguments; which if he do, it is

to be hop'd he will at last be reduced to a through and wel-weighed Resolution of for∣saking his Sins and actually ingaging in the Christian Life. Which being done I would advise him,

3. With the same Care and Frequency to peruse the third and fourth Sections of the fourth Chapter, wherein are contained all the several Duties proper to this second State of actual Engagement in the Christian Life, as also sundry Arguments or Motives to press and inforce them; and when by the Assistance of these Duties he hath con∣tinued for some time faithful and constant to his good Resolution,

4. Together with the third and fourth Section, let him often peruse and consider the fifth and sixth, wherein are contained the Duties appertaining to the third State of Emprovement and Perseverance in the Christian Life, together with some Conside∣rations to inforce the Practice of them. All which I would earnestly persuade the pious Reader to read and consider over and over again, till his Mind is fully instructed in the Nature and Vse of each Duty, and hath throughly digested the Force and Evi∣dence of every Argument. And this may suffice for the first thing proposed concern∣ing

the profitable Method of reading this practical Treatise.

II. AS for the second Part of it, which is that which I mainly design in this Chap∣ter, viz. the Rules and Directions for the private Exercise of our Religion in each State of the Christian Life, together with the Forms of private Prayer fitted for each, take them in their following Order.

Directions for the more profitable Exer∣cise of our private Religion in the State of our Entrance into the Christian Life.

In the Morning before you go into the World, enter into your Closet, and there consider with your self a while the miserable State you have reduc'd your self to by your past sinful Courses, the absolute Necessity of your forsaking them, and the possibility of your Reco∣very if your heartily indeavour it; and then adress your self to God in this fol∣lowing Prayer.

O Most glorious and eternal God, thou art the fountain of Beings, the Father of Angels and Men, the righteous and al∣mighty

Governour of Heaven and Earth; from thy Throne thou beholdest all the Chil∣dren of men, and their most secret Actions are open and naked to thy alseeing Eye; and such is the Purity of thy Nature that thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Iniquity wheresoever thou beholdest it; with what Face then can I, a most miserable polluted Wretch, appear in thy presence, who by the past course of my Wickedness and Rebellion against thee, have not only rendered my self guilty and justly obnoxious to thy eternal Displeasure, but have also contracted such obstinate Dispositi∣ons and Inclinations to sin on, as without thy Grace and Assistance I shall never be able to conquer! O desperate, vile and ungrateful Wretch that I have been! I have renounced the God of my Being, and the Fountain of my Mercies; I have despised thy Goodness, trampled upon thy Authority, mock'd and abused thy Patience and long suffering, and in Par∣ticular I must confess, to my own Shame and Confusion, I have been wofully guilty of.* 2.1 And now by these my manifold Abominations I have utterly undone my self, unless thou take pity upon me. I confess I have forfeited my soul

into thy hands, and if thou so pleasest thou mayest justly cast me away from thy Presence and make me a dire Example of thy Venge∣ance for ever. But I know O Lord, that thou desirest not the Death of a Sinner, but rather that he should repent and live; and upon the Propitiation of thine own Sons blood, thou hast declared thy self willing to receive re∣turning Prodigals, and to be heartily recon∣ciled to them, notwithstanding all their past Provocations. O that I could return, that I could but shake off those corrupt Inclinations which detain my wretched soul in Captivity! I am willing to contribute towards it whatsoe∣ver I am able, but alass without thee all that I can do will be utterly ineffectual. Where∣fore for thy tender Mercies sake, for thy dear Sons and my Saviours sake, have pity upon a miserable Wretch, that without thy helping hand is lost for ever. And since thou hast given me thy Gospel as an outward means to save and recover me, O do thou inable me by thy blessed Spirit heartily to believe and throughly to consider it. For which end I be∣seech thee to remove all sinful Prejudices from my Mind, that so I may impartially weigh those Evidences thou hast given me of the Truth of it; and do thou suggest them to my Mind with such a clear and convincing Light, as that they may at last conquer my Infidelity,

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and beget in me a firm and lively Faith. And forasmuch as my mind is vain and roving, and utterly averse to all serious Considerations, O do thou who art the Father of Spirits and canst turn the Hearts of men which way thou pleasest, inspire good Thoughts into me and imprint them upon me with such a Power and Efficacy, as that my wandring Mind may be reduced by them to a through Consideration, and my stubborn Will to a firm Resolution of Amendment. Particularly I beseech thee to give me a right understanding of the urgent need I have of a Saviour, and of all those things which he hath done and suffered, and is still doing at thy right hand in order to the cleansing my guilty and polluted Nature, and restoring me to thy Grace and Favour; that so hereby I may be fully convinced how odious my Sins are in thy sight, how base and vile they have rendered me, and at what a mighty Distance they have set me from thee, and that being convinced of this I may put on a holy Shame and Confusion, and abhor my self in dust and ashes before thee. Thou knowest, O Lord, it is not in my power to soften this hard and unrelenting Heart and affect it with that Godly sorrow which is requisite to work a true Repentance. O do thou smite it with such a sharp and piercing sense of my Sins, as may cause the floods of unfeigned

Grief and Contrition to gush forth from it. Cause me to bleed for my sins now, that I may not bleed for them for ever; and that having felt the Smart and Anguish of them, I may utterly detest and abhor them, and never be re∣conciled to them more. Thus do thou assist me, O good God, in the Exercise of all these Duties, till thou hast throughly conquered my Will by them, and prepared it for a firm Resolution to forsake all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. And now that I am going into the world among those very Temptations that have hitherto so miserably captivated and in∣slaved me, O let thy blessed Spirit be present with me to keep my drousie Conscience awake, and arm me against them with his holy Inspi∣rations, that so those good Thoughts and De∣sires which thou hast at present excited in me, may stick fast upon my Soul in the midst of my worldly Occasions, and never cease impor∣tuning my Conscience, Will and Affections, till they have produc'd in me the happy Effect of a serious and hearty Repentance. All which I most earnestly beseech of thee even for pity sake to a poor perishing Soul, and for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose name and words I farther pray, Our Father, &c.

In the Evening when you find your self most sit for serious Thoughts, go into your Closet again, and consider cooly with your self whether you are heartily willing to part with every Sin, and par∣ticularly with your beloved Sin, and to submit to every Duty, and even to those that are most contrary to your vicious Inclination; if you are not (as it's very probable you will not for some time) or if you find the least reason to suspect you are not, press your self anew with such divine Reasons as are most apt to affect you, with the Hope of Heaven and the Fear of Hell, with the love of God and of your Saviour; represent your Obstinacy to your self with all its Base∣ness and Disingenuity, Madness and Folly, till you find your self affected with a sorrowful Sense of it, and then offer up this following Prayer.

O Father of Mercies and God of all Grace and Consolation, who art a ready help in time of need, look down upon me, I be∣seech thee, a miserable and forlorn Wretch, that have wilfully sold my self Captive to the Devil, and am now strugling to get loose from this my wretched Bondage into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. I know, O Lord,

that I am striving for my immortal Life, and accordingly as I succeed I expect to be happy or miserable for ever. I have seriously consi∣dered the Reasons on both sides, and am fully satisfied in my mind that there is infinitely more Force in thy Promises and Threats, than in all the Difficulties of my Duty and the Plea∣sures of my sin. But after all this, I find a law in my Members warring against the law in my Mind, a perverse Will that rejects the counsels of my Reason, that makes obstinate Reservations of some beloved Sins, and Ex∣ceptions to some particular Duties in despite of all the persuasion of my Reason and Reli∣gion. So that after all my Endeavours I am still detain'd in Captivity to the law of sin that is in my Members, and am not able to incline my self to an intire Resolution of Amendment. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Sin and Death! I know, O Lord, though I am weak and impotent, and of my self unable to shake off the Chains and Fetters of my Lusts, yet thy Grace is abundantly sufficient to rescue and deliver me from them; and thou hast promised to assist with it my honest Endea∣vours, and crown them with a blessed Success. Wherefore for thy Truth and Mercies sake▪ suffer not thy poor Creature who with pitiful and bemoaning Looks cries out for help to thee,

to spend himself in weary and fruitless Strug∣lings against this violent Torrent of my sinful Nature, which without thy aid will quickly overcome my poor Endeavours and drive me down into eternal Perdition. My sole Depen∣dence is upon thee, my Hope of Success is wholly in thee, help, Lord, help or else I perish; stretch forth thy powerful Arm to my sinking Soul, and let not this Deep swallow me up; but do thou so quicken my faint Endeavours, so strengthen my weak and doubting Faith, so enliven my cold and languid Considerations, so clear up my Convictions of my need of a Saviour and of the Danger and Odiousness of my Sins, and thereby so increase my peniten∣tial Sorrows and Remorses, as that by all these means together my obstinate Will may at last be conquered, and effectually persuaded to part with every Sin, be it never so dear to me, and to comply with every Duty, be it never so cross to my vile Inclinations. Then shall I freely resign up my self unto thee, and with a firm Resolution devote all my Powers to thy Service. And that I may do so, and by so doing be reconciled to thee, O my offended God, before I go hence and be no more seen, receive me I beseech thee into thy protection this Night, that I may yet see the light of another Day, and have a longer space to finish my Re∣pentance. All which I humbly implore even

for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose name and words I farther pray, Our Father, &c.

If upon searching your own Heart, you find that after you have fairly represent∣ed to your self what sinful Pleasures you must part with, what Duties you must submit to, and what Difficulties you must ingage with, you are willing without any Reserve or Exception to submit your self to God, beware you be not too hasty to form your Resolution, but take some little time to try your self; see whe∣ther you will continue to morrow of the same mind you are in now, and if then you perceive you have reason to sus∣pect your self, try a little longer, and at the present indeavour as much as in you lies to confirm and settle your self in the good Mind you are in, by pressing and ur∣ging your self with all those Arguments of your Religion by which you have been thus far convinced and persuaded; and while you are thus trying your self, instead of the former, let this be your Evening Prayer,

O Blessed Lord and most merciful Father, thou art a God hearing Prayer and to thee shall all flesh come; I admire thy Good∣ness,

I adore thy Grace, that after so many heinous provocations I have given thee for which thou mightest have justly shut thine ears against me for ever, thou hast heard my Cries and pitied my Misery, and thus far contribu∣ted towards my Recovery. I acknowledg 'tis by thy Grace that I am what I am, that this stubborn Heart begins at last to relent, this perverse Will to bow and stoop, these lewd Affections to hunger and thirst after Righte∣ousness; that now at last my foolish soul is persuaded to part with those sins which are its Plagues and Infelicities, and to imbrace those blessed Duties by which thou hast designed to raise me to immortal Glory. By these good Beginnings thou hast given me some Reason to hope for a happy Success upon my poor Endea∣vours. Praised be thy Grace, I am at pre∣sent heartily willing to be thine, and were I but sure to continue thus minded and disposed, I would immediately make over my Heart and Will to thee by the most solemn Engagement. But, O Lord, I am afraid of my self, I dread my own Inconstancy, and thou knowest I have too much Reason for it. I have mocked thee too often already with my deceitful Promises and Engagements; I have sin'd and then pro∣mised Amendment, I have promised Amend∣ment and then sin'd again, as if all that I meant by my Promises, were only to ask leave

of thee to sin against thee anew. Now after so many Falsifications I would not for all the World deal treacherously with thee any more; wherefore before I solemnly resign and devote my self to thee by a new Purpose and Engage∣ment, I desire to make some farther Tryal of my own Stedfastness, to see whether this pre∣sent Inclination of my Will be the effect of Passion or a setled Judgment. In the mean time therefore I do most humbly beseech thee to be present with me in all my ways, and conti∣nually to influence my Mind with thy Grace and Spirit; to strengthen my Faith, to fix my Consideration, to persuade my Will, and feed and cherish these my holy Desires with good Thoughts and Inspirations, that so I may re∣main stedfast and immoveable, and no Temp∣tation whatsoever may be able to alter the Temper of my mind or divert it from its good Inclination; and that having had a sufficient Experience of the fixed Disposition of my Soul to obey thee, I may devote my self to thee with a chearful Heart and an assured Hope of my own Sincerity and Constancy. O Lord hear and help me for thy Mercies sake, and for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose most perfect Form of Prayer I farther pray, Our Fa∣ther, &c.

If after a sufficient Tryal of your self, you find you are constantly inclin'd to submit to God, to part with every Sin & comply with every Duty, consider that now it is high time for you to devote your self to God, and what abundant Reason you have for it, and what a powerful Obli∣gation you must lay upon your self by so doing; and when you have seriously considered these things, give up your self to God in this following Form of Prayer, which for the greater Sanction and more awful Solemnity of your good Resolution, you would do well to repeat at the next Sacrament.

O Most merciful Father, so infinite is the Goodness of thy Nature, that thou art always ready to pity and relieve the poor and needy, and to extend thy timely Succours to us helpless Sinners whensoever we cry unto thee. Of the truth whereof thou hast given me, who am the vilest of Sinners, a most sen∣sible Proof and Experiment. For not long ago I was so dead in Trespasses and Sins, that, hadst not thou took pity upon me and quickned me by thy Grace, I had dyed for ever; my Vn∣derstanding was so blind that I saw not my Danger, my Conscience so sear'd that I felt not my Guilt, my Will so inslaved to my Lusts that

I could not indure to think of parting with them; but now, blessed be thy Grace which first excited my Endeavours and hath hitherto prospered them, I do not only see the Danger my Sins have exposed me to, and sensibly feel the Guilt of them, but am freely willing to re∣nounce them for ever, and to part even with those darling Lusts that have heretofore been as dear to me as my right Eye. And now, O Lord, I am come before thee, and I hope with a truly Loyal and sincere Heart, to offer up my Soul and Body to thee, and vow an ever∣lasting Obedience to thy blessed Will. For Jesus sake refuse not this poor Oblation, which though it be infinitely unworthy of thine Ac∣ceptance, is the best thing I am able to present thee. To thee; O glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I do from henceforth eter∣nally devote my self and all my Faculties. [* 5.1 And here at the Table of my blessed Saviour, and up∣on these sacred Memorials of his Wounds and Blood] I utterly abjure all known and wilful Sins and Rebellions, and particularly all such as have been heretofore most dear to me; faithfully promising by thy gracious Assistance from henceforth to observe thy Law without any Reserve or Exception. This in the Sincerity of my Soul I do here vow to thy

divine Majesty, and however I may be hereaf∣ter tempted I will never wilfully depart from it or from any Part of it, so help me O my God for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose own words I farther pray, Our Father, &c.

Directions for the more profitable Exer∣cise of our private Religion in the state of our actual Engagement in the Christian Life.

When you go into your Closet in the Morn∣ing, consider seriously with your self the solemn Engagement you lye under; what a crying guilt it would be to violate it, what Madness and Folly to recede from it, after you have taken so much pains to reduce your self to it, what mighty Rea∣sons you have to persist in it, and what powerful Assistance is promised you, if you be not wanting to your self; and then offer up this following Prayer,

O Eternal God, who art the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and dost through him bestow so many good and perfect Gifts upon thy Creatures, I desire for ever to remember and adore thy Goodness towards me, whom thou hast snatch'd as a Firebrand out of the Fire,

and at length reduced to a serious Purpose of Amendment after a long and obstinate Course of Disobedience, in which if I had still per∣sisted I must have perisht everlastingly. O blessed be thy great Name, that after so many years Rebellion against thee, for which I have long ago deserved to be banish'd into utter Darkness, I do yet behold the light of another Day, and am allowed a farther Space to repent and execute my Purpose of Amendment. And now, O Lord, as thou hast wrought my Will in∣to a good Resolution in despite of all the cor∣rupt Inclinations of my Nature, leave not I beseech thee thy Workmanship unfinish'd, but by the mighty Operation of thy Grace excite and inable me faithfully to perform what I have so seriously resolved. It is a mighty Work that I have undertaken, to cleanse a base polluted Nature, and root up all its filthy Lusts and Affections, and plant it with all the hea∣venly Dispositions, and improve them into everlasting Happiness; and thou knowest what strong Oppositions will be made against me, and with what powerful Temptations I must struggle throughout the whole Course of my future Endeavour. So that unless thou wilt still go along with me, and still quicken and animate me by thy blessed Spirit, my Work is so great, and my Strength so little, that it will be in vain for me to proceed any farther.

These importunate Temptations that surround me will quickly conquer my present Reso∣lution, and I shall do, as I have too often done already, resolve and sin, and sin and resolve, and so increase my Guilt by the Treachery of my Vows and Engagements. Wherefore, for Jesus Christ his sake, withdraw not thy self from me, but continue to assist my weak En∣deavours by thy powerful Grace, till thou hast crown'd them with a perfect Victory. For which End, I beseech thee inspire me more and more with Patience and Constancy of Mind, that I may stand fast in my good Re∣solution in despite of all Temptations to the contrary. Suggest to my Mind those holy Examples thou hast set before me, especially that of my blessed Saviour and incline my Heart to coppy and imitate them. Direct me to some wise and faithful Guide, that may be willing and able to assist me in all my spiri∣tual Necessities; and by frequently exciting me to dedicate my Actions to thee, do thou purifie my Intentions from sinful and from carnal Aims, that so I may always live to thy Glory. And since thou art present with me wherever I am, and dost always behold me whatsoever I am doing, O do thou inspire me with such a strong continual and actual Sense of it, as may be a constant Check to my sin∣ful Inclinations, and render me afraid of

offending thee. Let thy blessed Spirit be my constant Monitor, to put me in mind to con∣sider my Ways, and frequently to examine my Actions, that so whenever I go astray I may be immediatly convinc'd of it, and by my speedy Repentance recover my self before I have wandered too far from my Duty. And grant I beseech thee that the sense of my past Fail∣ings may still render me more watchful and circumspect for the future ; that whensoever I have been carelesly or wilfully faulty, I may from thenceforth be more cautious of my Actions, and more vigilant against the Temp∣tations that betrayed me. And that I may not run my self unnecessarily into Temptation for the future, preserve me, O Lord, from sloth and idleness, and from intermedling with mat∣ters that do not belong to me, and do thou still put me in mind to do my own Business, and to be faithful and diligent in the State and Cal∣ling wherein thou hast placed me. And that I may always serve thee with Freedom and Alacrity, remove from me I beseech thee all unprofitable Sadness and Melancholy, and help me to acquire an equal Tranquillity of Mind, and a becoming Chearfulness of Spirit. For which end, Good Lord, do thou inspire me with a lively Sense and earnest Expectation of that blissful State towards which I am travelling; that having this glorious Prospect always in my

Eye, I may go on with Joy and Triumph over all the Difficulties and Temptations that op∣pose me. And that by all these means I may be more and more strengthened and confirmed in the good Resolution I have made, do thou stir up my slothful mind to a dilligent Atten∣dance on thy publick Ordinances, that so in the solemn Assemblies of thy Saints I may con∣stantly hear thy Word with Reverence and At∣tention, offer up my Prayers with Fervency and Devotion, and approach thy Table with all that Humility and Love, Gratitude and Resignation of Soul that becomes this solemn Remembrance and Representation of my dying Saviour. In these things, and whatsoever else is needful to secure my Resolution of Obe∣dience, assist me, O Lord, for Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thy self and eternal Spirit be render'd all Honor Glory and Power from his time forth and for evermore.

After this Prayer bethink your self a little what Temptations you are like to meet with in the ensuing Business of the Day, and briefly recollect those powerful Ar∣guments which the Gospel urges to forti∣fie you against them, and apply them particularly to the Sin or Sins you are most inclined to, and then renew your Resolution to God in the following Prayer.

O God who art my Hope and Strength, up∣on whose Aid and Assistance I depend, look down I beseech thee upon a poor helpless Creature, who am going forth into a busie World that is full of Snares and Temptati∣ons. Blessed be thy Name, my Heart conti∣nues still resolved upon a through Course of Amendment; and therefore here in thy dread∣ful Presence I do again most solemnly promise and ingage my self, that whatsoever Tempta∣tions I meet with this Day, I will not wilfully commit any Sin, no not the Sin I am most in∣clined to; nor omit any Duty, how contrary soever it may be too my Nature; and that I will faithfully indeavour to keep such a con∣stant Guard upon my self, as that I may not be surprized and overtaken through my own Inadvertence and Vnwariness. But this, O Lord, I promise not out of any Confidence in my own Strength, but in Dependence upon thee, and in Hope that out of thy tender Pity to a poor impotent Wretch thou wilt not be want∣ing to me in any necessary Assistance, but that either thou wilt remove from me all great and importunate Temptations, or inable me by thy Grace to repel and vanquish them; and this I do most earnestly beseech, in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ, with whose Prayer I conclude this my morning Sacrifice, Our Fa∣ther, &c.

In the Evening when you find your self best disposed for religious Exercise, set apart such Portions of your Time as you can conveniently spare from your necessary Refreshment and Diversion, to call your self to Account concerning the Actions of the Day; and enquire whether they have been agreeable to your Morning Promise and Resolution; and upon En∣quiry you will find either that you have faithfully discharged what you promised, or that you have sinned unawares or through Carelesness and Self-neglect, or that you have sinned wilfully and against your own Conscience.

If upon Enquiry it appear that you have been faithful to your Morning Engage∣ment, represent to your self the great Reason you have to rejoice in it, and to praise God for it, and then offer up this following Thanksgiving.

BLessed be thy Name, O most gracious and merciful Father, for those great and numberless Favours which from time to time thou hast heaped upon me, who am less than the least of all thy Mercies; particularly for the signal Mercies of this Day, for that thou hast not shut thine Ears against my Prayers, nor

withdrawn thy self from me, but hast accom∣panied me with thy Grace through all those Snares and Temptations to which I have been exposed. Praised be thy Name, that thou hast not suffered me to be tempted above what I was able, that thou hast so powerfully assist∣ed me against those Temptations I have been ingag'd with, and by putting so many good Thoughts into my Mind, hast strengthened my Resolution and rendred it so successful and victorious. 'Tis to thy Grace that I owe all the good I have done, and 'tis by thy Aid that I have escap'd all the evils I have been tempted to; wherefore not unto me, O Lord, not unto my Strength or Endeavours, but un∣to thy Name be all the Glory and Praise of this days Deliverance and Preservation. O never let the Remembrance of this thy Goodness towards me depart from my Mind, but let it kindle in me such a grateful Sense, as may more and more incite me to love and obey thee and depend upon thee for the future. And as thou hast been pleased to conduct me safely by thy Grace through all the Dangers and Temptati∣ons of the Day, so do thou take me into thy Care and Protection this Night, and grant that I may awake in the Morning with a Heart so inflamed with the Remembrance of thy Goodness, and so incourag'd with this Days success, and so indeared to the Practice

of Vertue by the growing Delights and Plea∣sures of it, as that I may persist in my religi∣ous Course with greater Courage and Alacri∣ty; and this I humbly beg for Jesus Christs sake, in whose name and words I farther pray, Our Father, &c.

If upon Enquiry you find that you have been failing in your Duty, or that you have done any evil Action through meer Heedlessness or Surprize, indeavour to affect your self with a sorrowful Sense of your own Folly, Weakness and Careles∣ness, and then conclude with this Form of Humiliation,

O Most blessed Lord God, who art infinite∣ly glorious in thy own Righteousness and Holiness, and doest for ever will and act according to thy own Nature which is the most perfect Law and Pattern of Goodness. To thy spotless Nature no Evil can approach, who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity; with what Confidence then can such a polluted Creature as I am appear in thy Presence, how can I lift up my guilty Eyes to thy Throne, who to my past Rebellions, which have been more in number than the hairs on my Head, have this day added so many sinful Failings and Defects, that, shouldest thou be severe to

mark what I do amiss, were sufficient to kin∣dle thy Displeasure against me! 'Twas but this Morning that I ingag'd my self to thee, not only to abstain from all wilful and delibe∣rate Sins, but also to set a watch upon my Mouth and Actions that I might not offend thee unawares; but to my Shame I must ac∣knowledg, I have been wofully careless and remiss, having this Day suffered my self through my own Inadvertency to be surprized into such Actions as nothing can render pitti∣able or excusable in thy Sight but the misera∣ble Frailty and Weakness of my Nature. What shall I say unto thee, O thou Judg of all the Earth! I am guilty, I am guilty, and have nothing to plead for my self but the Blood of Jesus, that all-sufficient Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World. O Lord, I do earnestly repent, and am heartily sorry for these my Misdoings, the Remembrance of them is grievous unto me, the Burthen of them is intolerable; have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, most merciful Father, and for Jesus Christ his sake forgive me all that is past, and grant that the Sense of these my Miscarriages, may render me more careful and vigilant for the future. And let thy blessed Spirit be always present with my Mind, to recollect my Distractions, and awake my Considerations, and warn me of my Dan∣gers,

that I may no more be surprized by sud∣den Temptations, nor hurried into evil Acti∣ons by unexpected Hopes or Fears; but do thou so subdue my lower Appetites to my Will, my Will to my Vnderstanding, and my Vn∣derstanding to thy Spirit, as that under his blessed Conduct, I may for the future be pre∣pared against all Temptations, and furnish'd to every good work. And now, O Lord, let not the Failings I have been guilty of this Day, deprive me of thy gracious Protection this Night, but grant that after a safe and comfortable Repose, I may awake in the Morn∣ing with such a sorrowful Sense of them, as may for the future oblige me to be more watch∣ful and resolute against them. All which I beg for Jesus Christ his sake, with whose Prayer I conclude this my evening Sacrifice, Our Father, &c.

If upon Enquiry it appear that you have commited any wilful, deliberate Sin, in∣deavour to affect your self with Horror, Shame and Compunction for it, by re∣presenting to your Conscience the mon∣strous Foulness and Ingratitude, the deep Malignity and desperate Madness of your own Action; and then conclude with this Form of particular Repentance.

O Thou most dreadful Majesty of Heaven and Earth, who hatest Iniquity, and hast proclaimed from Heaven thy fierce In∣dignation against all Vnrighteousness and Vn∣godliness of men, look down I beseech thee up∣on me, a vile and guilty Wretch, who stand here arraigned at thy Tribunal by my own Conscience, and am so confounded with the sense of my Sin, and of thy just Displeasure against me, that I tremble to draw near unto thee, and yet I dare not stay from thee. I acknowledg my self unworthy, infinitely un∣worthy, to come before thee, and am prompted by my own Horror and Shame to hide my self from thee, but yet I know I must come or I must perish. And therefore here, O Lord, I cast my self at thy Feet, and if thou shalt think meet to tread upon me, and to spurn me from thy Presence for ever, I must own that thou art just and righteous in all thy Ways. For thou hast been wonderfully good beyond what I could modestly have wisht, or am able to express; thou tookest pity upon me when I was all wounded and polluted and weltring in my Blood, when I was sleeping securely upon the brink of Perdition, and had scarce any Sense or Feeling of my Guilt and Misery; in this woful plight didst thou visit my poor Soul, and with thy preventing Grace

awake me to a sense of my Danger, and effe∣ctually warn me to flee from the wrath to come. And now when thou hadst brought me to my self, and to a through Resolution of A∣mendment, and my Soul was in a fair way of Recovery, like an ungrateful Wretch as I am, I have flown in the Face of my Physitian, I have abused his Goodness, and baffled his Grace, and wilfully and deliberately torn open my Wounds again. And this I have done most treacherously, as well as ungratefully, not only against all the Obligations of thy Goodness, but also against my own repeated Vows and Engagements. For 'twas but this Morning that I solemnly renewed to thee my Promise of Obedience, and therein vow'd not to offend thee wilfully upon any Temptation whatsoever; but O vile Traytor that I am, both to thee and to my own Soul, I have by * 10.1 most base basely fal∣sified this my Engagement; and this I did with the most unpar∣donable Circumstance, even a∣gainst the Dissuasions of thy Grace, the Checks of my Conscience, and the fairest Warnings of my Danger. Had I done it Ignorantly or unawares or under a Surprize, it had been pittiable; but, O my Guilt, my Guilt, 'twas knowingly, wilfully, basely, and maliciously that I did this evil in thy sight; whereby I

have forfeited my Soul, my Innocence and thy Love, and have got nothing in exchange but the Pleasure of a Minute, and a lasting Shame and Repentance. O vile Wretch, O desperate Fool that I am, what have I done! whither am I fallen! I have grieved thy Spirit, con∣temn'd thy Authority, trampled on thy Good∣ness, and wounded my own Conscience, and by one base Act have thrown my self headlong from all those glorious Hopes whereunto thou hadst raised me. And now, O God, what can I say in my own behalf, my Sin being so great, my Folly so utterly inexcusable! O I am asham'd, I am asham'd of my self, I lament and abhor the Madness and Wickedness of my own Choice; and O that it were in my power to recall it! But woe is me it is past into Act, and by that Act my Innocence is already stain∣ed, my Soul forfeited, and it is no more in my Power to undo what I have done, than to recall the Hours of yesterday. What then shall I do, or whether shall I turn my self! 'Tis against thee, O Lord, against thee I have sinned, and now I have none but thee to flee to. I have nothing of my own to plead in my own behalf, my Conscience condemns me, and my Sin, my Sin, cries aloud against me; so that unless thou wilt be pleased to listen to the interceding Blood of thy Son, and to con∣sult thine own Bowels and Compassions, and

from thence to fetch Arguments of Mercy. I am undone for ever by my own Folly. Where∣fore for Jesus Christ his sake, for thy own Good∣ness and Mercies sake, have pity, have pity upon me, heal my Soul, for I have sin'd against thee; be merciful to my Sin, for it is great. Thou hast promised to receive returning Sin∣ners, to blot out their Iniquities, and to heal their Backslidings. I desire O Lord to return unto thee, I hate and renounce my Sin, and do here abhor my self for it in Dust and Ashes before thee. Wherefore for thy Praise sake, O try me this once more, and do not presently cast me away from thy Presence nor take thy holy Spirit from me, but restrain me by his Grace from all presumptuous Sins, and suffer them not to have Dominion over me. And quicken me, O Lord, for thy Names sake, that for the future I may watch more carefully, re∣sist more vigorously, and walk more circum∣spectly than I have hitherto done. And that from henceforth I may be intirely devoted to thee, and serve thee without Interruption, do thou so confirm me by thy Grace in my holy Re∣solution, as that I may choose rather to die than to offend thee any more. And now, O Lord, though by my Rebellion against thee this Day, I have rendered my self most unworthy of thy fatherly Care and Protection, yet I be∣seech thee to watch over me this Night for

good, and give me a safe Repose in the Arms of thy Providence, that I may have yet a far∣ther Space to repent of mine Iniquity. And grant, I beseech thee, that when I awake in the Morning, I may be warn'd by the woful Remembrance of this Days Fall, to take more Care of my Steps, and to shun or refuse those Snares and Temptations that lie all around me. All which I do most humbly and earnest∣ly beg of thee, even for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose name and words I farther pray, Our Father, &c.

Directions for the Exercise of our pri∣vate Religion in the state of our Progress and Improvement in the Christian Life, with Forms of pri∣vate Devotion fitted for this State.

When you enter into your Closet in the Morning, indeavour to affect your self with Gratitude and Thankfulness to God for his Grace, by representing to your self the Danger and Misery of that sinful State out of which you are reco∣vered, and the great Incapacity you were in to recover without his Assistance▪ and then make this thankful Acknowledg∣ment to him,

O Most gracious and most merciful Fa∣ther, thou art a liberal Benefactor to thy Creation, a never-failing Friend to Mankind, and a most tender Lover of Souls, for whose everlasting Welfare thou hast been always consulting, and hast left no method of Love unattempted, to rescue them from Sin and Misery. O blessed, for ever blessed, be thy great Name for the Experience I have had of this thy fatherly Goodness. I am a mo∣nument of thy Goodness, a living Instance and Wonder of thy Mercy, for me hast thou quick∣ned who was dead in Trespasses and Sins, and who had long ago perish'd in mine Iniquities hadst thou not been infinitely patient and long suffering. I had forfeited my Soul to thee, and thou mightest justly have cut me off, and given me my Portion with Hypocrites, and considering how I provok'd thee to it by my daily Rebellions, I cannot but admire thy Forbearance towards me. But that thou shouldest not only forbear me, but follow me with thy Kindness, and never cease impor∣tuning me to return to my Duty and Happiness till thou hadst conquered me by thy Gracious Persuasions, O incomparable Love! O amazing Goodness! never to be sufficiently admired and adored! Wherefore praised, for ever praised, be thy Grace, which hath redeemed my Life from eternal Death, and my Soul

from the neathermost Hell; which hath res∣cued me from the Snare of the Devil, and the pernicious Bondage of my Lusts, and im∣planted in my Nature these heavenly Graces and Dispositions, and hitherto improv'd and advanc'd them towards my eternal Happi∣ness. This, O my God, all this, I owe to thy free and undeserved Goodness, that I that was dead am now alive, that I that was lost am found, that I that was a slave to my Lusts am made free from Sin, and translated into the glorious Liberty of the sons of God, is purely the Effect of thy free Grace, and to be intirely ascribed to thy all-powerful Goodness. Go on, O Lord, go on, I beseech thee, and per∣fect thine own Work, that so the Glory of it may be for ever redounding to thee; and that as I have been hitherto a signal Instance of thy Goodness, so I may be an happy Instrument of thy Praise to eternal Ages. And grant, I beseech thee, that the sense of thy unspeak∣ble Kindness towards me, may so captivate my Soul and all my Faculties, as that I may be most intirely thine; as that my Reason and Will, my Fear and Hope, and Love and Desire may from henceforth be all resign'd up to thee, and for ever devoted to the Honour and Wor∣ship of thy infinite Glories and Perfections; and this I most humbly beg for Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thy self and thy eter∣nal

Spirit be rendred all Honour, Glory and Power from this time forth and for evermore. Amen.

After this Thanksgiving, consider briefly with your self the indispensible Ne∣cessity of your Perseverance to the End, and how not only vain and fruitless, but also hurtful and mischievous to you all your past Labour in Religion will be without it; and then conclude your morning Devotion with this Prayer for Perseverance.

O God, who art unchangeably holy and blessed, who art the same yesterday, to day and for ever, and dost never swerve or va∣ry from the essential Goodness and Purity of thy own Nature, look down I beseech thee upon me, a fickle, weak and mutable Creature, whom thou hast redeemed to thy self, and hi∣therto conducted by thy Grace and Spirit. Thou knowest, O Lord, the Weakness of my Nature, and how unable I am without thy Strength and Assistance to finish the Race which thou hast set before me; thou knowest what Temptations I must struggle with, and what Difficulties I must yet overcome, before I am seiz'd of the blessed Prize I am contending for, wherefore, since thou hast hitherto been

my constant Support and Defence, forsake me not now for thy Names sake, but as thou hast begun a good Work in me, so I beseech thee to finish and compleat it; to uphold my feeble Soul by thy free Spirit under all Temptations and Difficulties, that so by patient continuance in well-doing, I may seek for, and at last obtain, honour▪ and glory, immortality and eter∣nal life. For which end, O Lord, preserve me from being over-confident of my own Abilities, and inspire me with a holy Jealousie of my self, that whilst I stand I may take heed lest I fall. And if at any time I should be so base, and so unhappy, as to of∣fend thee wilfully (which I beseech thee to prevent for thy Mercy and Compassion sake) O suffer me not to sleep in my Sin, but recal me instantly by the Checks of my Conscience, and the Convictions of thy Spirit, lest while I add Sin to Sin, and one degree of Wick∣edness to another, my Lusts should regain their Domi∣nion over me, and thou shouldest be angry with me and reject me from thy Covenant for ever. And that I may every Day serve thee more freely and stedfastly, wean me, I beseech thee, more and more from those Temptations to Sin that are round about me, and give me such a true understanding of the Nature of all the Goods and Evils of this World, as that neither the Flatteries of the one, nor the Terrors of the other, may ever be able to withdraw me from my Duty. And lest while I am mortifying my old Sins, I should care∣lesly permit new ones to spring up in my Nature, good God, do thou mind me to search and try my own Heart, and take a severe Account even of the smallest Defects and Imperfections within me; that so I may correct and reform them in time, before they are im∣proved into inveterate Habits. And grant that I may be always so sensible of my own Imperfection, as that

I may never rest in any present Attainment, but may still be pressing forward to the mark of my high calling in Jesus Christ. Suggest to me, I beseech thee, fre∣quent Thoughts of my Mortality, that so, while I have Time and Opportunity, I may be preparing for my Departure hence, and making provision for a dying hour. In order whereunto, assist me, O Lord, I be∣seech thee, strictly to examin and review my past sin∣ful Courses, that so if there be any remains of Guilt abiding upon my Conscience, I may purge them away by proper Acts of Repentance, before I go hence and be no more seen. And grant that as I have formerly abounded in Sin, so I may now redeem that precious Time I have lost, by abounding in the contrary Ver∣tues; that so, as far as in me lies, I may revoke and undo the multitude of my past Sins, by doing all the Good I am able for the future. And that I may hold out and persevere to the end, preserve and continue me in the Communion of thy Church, and suffer me not to be led away by the errors of the wicked and to fall from my own stedfastness. And finally I beseech thee to grant that in the use of these blessed Means, I may so far prevail over the Infirmities and Corruptions of my Nature, as that at last I may have a clear and certain Feeling of my own Integrity and Vprightness towards thee; that so being from thence assur'd of thy Love, and of my Title to eternal Happiness, I may run the ways of thy commandments more chearfully, and at last finish my Course with unspeakable joy. And now, O Lord, I resign my self to thee, take me I beseech thee into thy Care and Protection this Day, preserve me from all Evil, but especially from Sin, and quick∣en me by thy Spirit unto every good work, that so I may serve thee with a free and cheerful Mind, and make it my meat and drink to do thy blessed will. All

which I humbly beg for Jesus Christ his sake in whose Name and Mediation I further pray, Our Father, &c.

In the Evening, when you enter into your Closet, consider what is the present Frame and Temper of your Mind; and upon Enquiry you will perceive, either that through the present Preva∣lency of your corrupt Nature, you are averse to divine Offices, or that through bodily Infirmity, you are indisposed to them, or that through Worldly-mindedness and Vanity of Spirit you are cold and apt to be distracted in them, or lastly, that your Heart is very much enlarged, and your Mind and Affections vigorously disposed towards divine and heavenly things.

If upon Enquiry you find that through the present Prevalency of your corrupt Nature you are averse to divine Offices, indeavour to affect your self with Shame and Sorrow for it, by representing to your Mind the great Impiety and Baseness, the monstrous Folly and Ingratitude of this your present Temper, and then offer up this follow∣ing Prayer.

O My most gracious God and most kind and merci∣ful Father, thou art the best Friend I have in all the World, and hast shewn a thousand times more Love to me than ever I shew'd to my self; but after all the vast and most indearing Obligations thou hast laid upon me, this vile and ungrateful Heart of mine still retains some Dregs of its anti∣ent Enmity against thee. Had I but the common Sense and Ingenuity of a Man in me, how could I think of thee without Raptures of Love; how could I draw neer unto thee without Transports of Delight and Com∣placency!

But, vile and ungrateful that I am, I can think of all thy Goodness with cold and frozen Affe∣ctions, and can come into thy Presence not only with Indifference but Reluctancy. Good God what am I made of! what an insensible Soul do I carry about me! O I am asham'd of my self, I am confounded with the sense of my own Baseness; and yet, woe is me, I can∣not help it. I strive to shake off this Clog of my cor∣rupt Nature, but still it hangs upon me, and sinks and weighs down my Soul as oft as 'tis aspiring towards thee. O my God, have pity upon me, deliver me from this Body of Sin, ease my weary and heavy laden Soul of this grievous Burthen under which it labours and groans, and suffer not this spark of divine Life which thou hast kindled in me to be opprest and extinguisht by it; but so cherish it, I beseech thee, with the continual Influences of thy Grace, as that it may, at length it may, break through all this Rubbish that suppresses it, and finally rise into a glorious Flame. Then shall I always approach thee with Joy, and breath up my Soul to thee in every Prayer; then shall my Heart be firmly united to thee in a devout and chearful Affection, and my Prayers shall come up as incense before thee, and breathe a sweet-smelling savour into thy Nostrils. Hear me therefore, O my God, I beseech thee, and strengthen me with all might in the inward man, that for the fu∣ture I may contend more vigorously and successfully a∣gainst these vile Inclinations of my Nature which do so miserably hamper and depress my soul, that so at last I may be a conqueror and more than a conquerer through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

If through any bodily Infirmity, such as Melancho∣ly, Weariness, Drousiness or Sickness you find your self indisposed to divine Offices, indeavour

to quicken your sluggish Mind with the Consi∣deration of some one of the most moving Argu∣ments of your Religion, such as the Love of God and of your Saviour, the Majesty of Gods Presence in which you are, or the blessed Im∣mortality you hope for; and then address your self to God in this following Prayer.

O Blessed God, thou art a most pure and active Spirit, who doest always move with an uncon∣trolable Freedom, and art never hindred or wearied in thy Operations; have pity upon me, I beseech thee, thy poor infirm Creature, who am cumbred with this Body of death, and so deprest by its manifold Frailties, that I cannot lift up my Heart unto thee. Thou knowest, O Lord, my spirit is willing though my flesh is weak; my labouring Soul aspires towards thee, it stretches forth the Wings of its Desires toward thee, and would fain mount up above all earthly things and unite it self with thee in eternal Love; but alas! its Fervours are dampt, and its Endeavours tired by this clog of Flesh that hangs upon it, and perpetually sinks and weighs it down again. O my God, draw near unto me, and touch my Mind with such a powerful sense of thee, as in de∣spight of these my bodily Indispositions may attract and draw up my Soul unto thee. And if it be thy blessed will, release me from these fleshly Incumbrances, and fit my Body to my Mind, that I may serve thee, as I de∣sire to do with a fervent and a chearful Spirit. But if it shall seem good in thine Eyes to leave me strug∣ling under these bodily Oppressions, Lord give me Pati∣ence and Submission to thy heavenly Will; that so when I cannot approach thee with that Pleasure and Satisfa∣ction I desire, I may be heartily content to serve thee upon any Terms, and that what I want of Vigour and

Chearfulness in my Religion, I may make up in Truth and in Reality. And O let the Sense of these my pre∣sent Indispositions cause me more vehemently to long af∣ter that free and blessed State, wherein with fixt and steady Thoughts, with flagrant Love and an entire De∣votion of Soul, I shall for ever worship, praise and glorifie thy name, Amen.

If through present Worldly-mindedness, or Vanity of Spirit, you find your self cold and apt to be distracted in your Religious Offices, indeavour to stir up your Affections by representing to your self the Greatness and Urgency of your spiritual Wants, the Vanity of all outward things, and the Reality and Fulness of heavenly Enjoy∣ments. And do what you can to recollect your wandring Thoughts, by setting your self in the Presence of the great God, to whose All-seeing Eye every Thought and Motion of your Soul is open and naked. And when by thus doing, you have composed your Mind into a more serious Frame, present this following Prayer.

O Thou ever blessed Majesty, who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy Presence, and art always listening to the Supplications of a world of Creatures that hang upon thee; open, I beseech thee, thine Ears of Mercy to me, who am unfit and unworthy to approach thee; who by setting my Affections upon things below, and plunging my self into the Cares and Pleasures of this Life, have estrang'd and alienated my Mind from thee, and lost that delightful Relish of thee, with which I was wont to draw near unto thee. And now that I am retired from the World to converse with thee, and spread my wants and my desires before thee, those world∣ly

Cares and Delights with which I have been too too conversant, are importunately thrusting themselves upon me, to divert my Thoughts, distract my Intentions, and carry away my Affections from thee; by reason whereof my Mind wanders, my Hope droops, and my Desires are frozen, and whilst I am drawing near thee with my lips, my heart is running away from thee. O my God have pity upon me, pluck my Soul out of this deep mire, quicken, raise and spiritualize these my grovel∣ing Affections. Possess this Heart, which opens it self to thy gracious Influences, with such a strong and vigo∣rous Love to thee, as may lift me up above all earthly things, and continually carry forth my Soul in vehement Desires after thee; that so I may always approach thee with a joyful Heart, being glad to leave the company of all other things to go to thee, my God, my exceeding Joy. Give me a sober, diligent and collected spirit, that is neither choaked with Cares, nor scattered with Levity, nor discomposed with Passion, nor estranged from thee with sinful Prejudice or Inadvertency; but fix it fast to thy self with the Indissoluble Bands of an active Love and pregnant Devotion; that so when-ever I prostrate my self before thee, I may presently be born away far above all these sensible Goods in a high Ad∣miration of thee, and a passionate Longing after thee. And now, O Lord, while I am addressing to thee, ga∣ther in I beseech thee my wandering Thoughts, and fix and stay them upon thy self. And O do thou touch my cold and earthy Desires with an out-stretched Ray from thy self, and cause them to rise and flame up to thee in Fervours answerable to my pressing Wants, that I may so ask as that I may receive, so seek as that I may find, so knock as that it may be opened unto me, through Je∣sus Christ my blessed Lord and Redeemer, Amen.

If after this you find your Heart is very much enlar∣ged, and your Mind and Affections vigorously disposed towards God and heavenly things, fix your Mind a little while upon the Beauty and Excellency of his Nature, or upon some of the most affecting Instances of his Love, or upon the blessed State above, and then go on with this following Prayer.

O Thou most excellent Being, thou infinitely amiable and adorable Majesty, thou Pattern of Beauty, and Standard of Goodness, who art glorious beyond all Praise, and dost out-reach all Wonder, and compre∣hend all perfection; blessed be thy Name, thou hast touch'd my soul with a lively sense of thy Glory; I feel it shining through me, and like an active Flame insinuating into my Heart; it fires my Love, cherishes my Hope, wings my Devotion, and diffuses a vital Warmth over all my Faculties; it raises me up into a heavenly State, and fills me with joy unspeakable and full of glory; it captivates every thought into Obedience to thy Will, and brings every Power of my soul into Subjection to thee. Blessed be thy Name, thou hast conquered me by thy Love, and I resign my self to thee with a chearful Heart. I am intirely thine, I am thy Servant, truly I am thy Servant, and in this Title I glory more than in all the Honours of the World. But though I am highly advanc'd and exalted by serving thee, yet thou art so infinitely happy in the boundless perfections of thy own Nature, that thou canst reap no other Advantage from it but only the pleasure of seeing thy poor Creature blessed and made happy by it. What then shall I render unto thee, O thou Joy of my Life, thou Treasure of my Love, thou supream Felicity of my Nature! Alas, I have nothing but my self to give

thee, nothing but this poor Heart, that burns with Love to thee, that pants and breaths after thee, and desires above all things in the world to be eternally uni∣ted to thee in perfect Love. If I had ten thousand Hearts to love thee, ten thousand Tongues to praise thee, I would devote them all to thee, as freely and chearfully as I do my self. For whom have I in hea∣ven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. O God, thou art my God, and my Porti∣on for ever. In thee I am blest, and in the Light of thy Countenance I rejoice more than in all the Joys and Pleasures of the World. I am ravisht with thy Beau∣ty, I admire thy Love, and from the bottom of my Soul adore thy Wisdom and Goodness. My heart is ready, O Lord, my Heart is ready, I will sing and give praise. Awake up my Glory, awake all the Powers of my Soul, I my self will awake and celebrate thy praises. Prai∣sed be the God of Glory, praised be the God of Love, praised be the Father of Mercies, praised be the best Friend of Souls, for thy Goodness reaches to the hea∣vens, thy Glory shines throughout the Creation, and thy Mercy is spread over all thy works. Who can com∣prehend thine infinite Beauties, who can rehearse thy noble Acts, who can shew forth all thy Praise! I do confess my Thoughts are infinitely too short, my Affecti∣ons too narrow, my Expressions too scanty, to compre∣hend and sufficiently admire and celebrate thy Glory. But, O my God, thou knowest that I love thee, and, blessed be thy Name, I feel infinite reasons so to do. O that I could love thee more, that I could love thee but as much as Angels and glorified Spirits do, who yet cannot love thee as much as thou deservest, because thou deservest to be belov'd infinitely. But my soul thirsts for thee, and longs after thee. O when shall I be ad∣mitted into thy blessed Presence, there to see, and admire,

and love, and adore thee for ever! when shall I shake off this clog of sinful Mortality, that sinks and depres∣ses me, and flee to those happy Regions of perfect Love, where I shall continually feed upon thee with inexpressi∣ble Delight, and be filled with a strong and everlasting Sense of thy goodness. O thou that art the beginner and finisher of every good work, be pleased to assist my holy Endeavours, to withdraw my Mind more and more from these sensible things, that it may have a clearer sight of its heavenly Country from whence it came, and whither it desires to return; that so having my Eye al∣ways fixt on that blessed recompence of reward, I may live above this World, and in despight of all its Terrors and Allurements, persevere to the end in a steady and even Course of Obedience. And now, O Lord, since thou hast been graciously pleas'd to inspire my Mind with these delightful Thoughts of thee, and to enlarge my Heart with such sweet Transports of Love to thee; grant, I beseech thee, that they may not only please, but better me; that they may lift me up above all the Temp∣tations of this World, and revive my Strength, and quicken my Endeavours, and compose my distrustful Heart into a stedfast Dependence upon thee, that so I may be fruitful in all good works, and my heart may be establisht unblameable in holiness before thee, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus, Amen, Amen.

After you have used one or more of the foregoing Prayers, according as they suit with the present Temper of your Mind, take a short view of your Defects and Imperfections, and especially of those that cleave most to your Nature; and briefly represent to your Mind the intrinsick Evil and Vileness of them, and how they clog your Religion, blemish your Nature, and obstruct

your Happiness, and then conclude with the fol∣lowing Prayer for Growth in Grace.

O God who art the most excellent Nature, the Per∣fection of all Beauty, and the Fountain of all Graces, who doest infallibly understand what is best to be chosen, and invariably chuse by the best and purest Reason; look down, I beseech thee, upon me thy poor defective Creature, who am ashamed of my self to see how unlike thee I am; how I am laden with Imper∣fections, and how after all my religious Endeavours, my Nature is still vitiated with unreasonable Lusts and Affections; how much Vanity and Impertinence there yet remains in my Mind, how much Perverseness in my Will, how much spiritual and carnal Iniquity in my Affections and Appetites. Lord, I have been long a contending with this corrupt Nature, and yet upon all Occasions I find my self too too prone to be * 17.1 Wo is me, even my fairest Graces have their Spots and Blemishes, my purest Dispositions their sinful Intermix∣tures, and my best Works their Flaws and Imperfecti∣ons. O my God, have pity upon me, who here lie sighing at thy Feet, under a miserable diseased Nature; and as thou hast begun the blessed Cure in me, so for Christ his sake I beseech thee to compleat it; that be∣ing intirely recovered, and raised up unto newness of Life, I may, in the perfect Health and Vigour of my Soul, serve and glorifie thee for ever. For which end, I beseech thee, confirm me more and more in the Belief of those immortal Pleasures beyond the Grave, which thou hast treasur'd up for those that love and obey thee; that by the strength of a lively Faith, and vigorous Hope, my Soul may be rais'd above this World, and

learn to despise and trample upon all its gilded Vanities, whensoever they present themselves either to allure or to terrifie me from pursuing the heavenly Enjoyments. Excite in me such a vehement Thirst after those Rivers of Pleasures above, as may every day render me more cool and indifferent towards earthly things, more con∣tented and satisfied under all the Events and Issues of thy Providence, and more active and vigorous in my hea∣venly Calling. And I beseech thee to inspire me with such clear and lively Apprehensions of thy essential Beau∣ties and Perfections, and of thy bountiful Love and boundless Benevolence to all thy Creatures, as may eve∣ry day more and more raise and improve my Love to thee; that this being the great Spring and Principle of all my Actions, may continually excite me to a chearful Obe∣dience to thy Will, and a vigorous Imitation of thy Perfections. O cause me to love thee for thy self, and Religion for thee, and the Instruments of Religion in order to thy Glory and my own Happiness; that so founding my Content upon thee, and the blessed Interests of a virtuous Life, I may grow in Grace, and be rich in good Works, and go on with a satisfied and trium∣phant Spirit from Imperfection to Strength, from Acts to Habits, and from Habits to Confirmation in Grace; and may be still more and more confirmed in all the hea∣venly Graces, till they are finally consummated into ever∣lasting Glory. And when, by thy Grace and Assistance, I have perfectly conquered the corrupt Nature within, and the Temptations without me, and am arrived into the State of everlasting Triumph, I will lay all my Victories at thy Feet, and with Palms in my hand, and Halelujahs on my lips, celebrate thy praises to Eterni∣ty. Hear me, O my God, in this and whatever else thou knowest to be needful for me, even for Jesus Christ his sake, in whose Name and Words I further pray, Our Father, &c.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plat. Phaed. pag. 398.
• * 1.2

  Ibid. Pag. 386.
• * 1.3

  Paedag. l. 2. c. 1. pag. 141.
• * 1.4

  Ibid. Pag. 139.
• * 1.5

  Dr. Stilling∣fleets Origines. Dr. Patricks Translation of Grotius. Sir Charles Wolsely.
• * 2.1

  Here make a par∣ticular Confession of all those sinful Cour∣ses you have lived in, together with all their aggravating Circumstances of Impudence, Obsti∣nacy and Ingrati∣tude, &c.
• * 5.1

  When you renew your Vow in the Sa∣crament, add
• * 10.1

  Here name the sinful Act you have committed.
• * 17.1

  Here name the particular Infir∣mities that stick closest to your Nature.