LXXX sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London whereof nine of them not till now published / by the late eminent and learned divine Anthony Farindon ... ; in two volumes, with a large table to both.

The Five and Fortieth SERMON. (Book 45)

PART V.

JAMES I. 25.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continu∣eth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

HAving now finished our first Part, The Character of the Gospel, we pass to our second, the Character of the true Gospeller. And first we find that he doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, look into the perfect Law of liberty. And one would think that were soon done. Who doth not look into the Gospel? He that loveth it, looketh into it; and he looketh into it who is an enemy to it. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a word of a fuller significa∣tion, and implieth not a slight cast of the eye, a careless and perfunctory look, but a look with the bend and incurvation of the body.* 1.1 It is the word S. John useth, he telleth us that Peter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, stooping down,* 1.2 and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying. And again, of Mary Magdalene, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre. And of the Gospel it self S. Peter saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that the Angels desire (or love) to look into it. It is then a serious, fixed, earnest look, not a bare and inefficacious knowledge, that is here meant. For who knoweth not the Gospel? To whom hath not this arm of the Lord been revealed? They that blaspheme it, look upon it. They that deny the power of it, look upon it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 implieth more, not a naked knowledge, but a knowledge with the bending and incurvation of the Will. If a man say he looketh into the Gospel, and knoweth Christ, and keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar.* 1.3 He that looketh but slightly looketh not at all, or to as little purpose as if he had been blind. He that saith he knoweth the power of the Gospel, and yet is obedient to the flesh and the lusts thereof, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. For how can one at once look into the Gospel, and see the glory of it, and despise it? What a Soloecism is the Gospel in his mouth who is yet in his sins? It is not a looking but a looking into, not speculative but practick knowledge, that must bring on the end, and crown us with blessedness. It were better not to look on the Gospel, then to look and not to like; better to be blind then so to see: for if

we were blind, we should have no sin, that is, none so great; we should have some excuse for our sin. Carelesly to look on the Law of liberty is not a window to let in Religion, but a door and barricado to keep it out of the heart. For what a poor habitation is a Look for the Gospel and Grace to dwell in? The Gospel is a royal Law, and a Law of Liberty, Liberty from the guilt and from the dominion of sin: We look upon it, and are content well it should be so: We know it, and subscribe to it: But if this would make us Gospellers, what an assembly of Pharisees and Hypocrites, what a congregation of men of Belial, might be the true Dis∣ciples of Christ? I had almost said, What a Legion of Devils might go under that name? We look into the Gospel, and talk of nothing more; In our misery and affliction, in anguish and distress of conscience, we confess the Gospel must charm the storm, and give medicine to heal our sickness. Thus we preach, and thus have you believed. But all this is no∣thing, if you do not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bow and bend and apply your selves to the Gospel. If you acknowledge its all-sufficiency, and trust in the arm of flesh; If when the tempest of affliction beateth upon you, you make a greater tempest in your souls; If ye look, and go away and forget, by such neglectful looking upon it ye make the word of life a killing let∣ter. For what is it to see Sin condemned in Christ's flesh, and to justifie it in our own? to sing that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that triumphant song, over Death, and wilfully to run upon that disobedience of which Death is the wages? to see Satan trod under our feet, and yet to make our selves his slaves? to look upon Life, and yet to chuse Death? to look upon a Law, and break it; upon a Law of Liberty, and be servants of Sin, worse then bored slaves? To look then into the Law of liberty is, so to weigh and consider it as to write it in our hearts, and make it a part of our selves. For every Look will not make a Christian. The Jews did look upon Christ; but they did not look upon him as the Lamb of God: for then they had not butchered him. We may look upon the heavens, the work of God's fingers, upon the Moon and the stars, which he hath ordained, upon this won∣derful frame,* 1.4 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which may be known of God; but we do not alwayes, as David speaketh, so look upon it as to consider it: And then it doth not raise us up to a due admiration of God's Majesty, nor bring us down to a due acknowledgment of our Subjection: We are no more affected with it then as if all were still without form, and void, a lump or Chaos. At first it is a glorious sight, and no more; and at last when we have familiarly looked upon it, it is nothing. We look upon our selves mouldering and decaying; and yet we do not look into our selves: for who considereth himself a mortal? Dives in purple never thought how he came into the world, nor how he should go out of it. We neither look backward, to what we were made; nor forward, to what we shall be. Can a rich man die? He will say he shall; but doth he believe him∣self? Can Herod, an Angel, a God, be struck with worms? We die daily, and yet think we shall not die at all. In a word; We are any thing but what we are, because we do not look into nor consider our selves. We look upon Sin, and condemn it; and sin again: For we do not look into it, and consider it as the work of the Devil, as the deformity of the Soul, as a breach of that Law of liberty which was made to free us, as that which hath no better wages then death and eternal separation from the God of life. If we did look into it, and consider it, we could not com∣mit it. For no man ever yet did considerately destroy himself. What then is it to look into the Law of liberty, and in what is our Consideration placed? He that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, saith our Saviour, is he that looketh into this Law, and observeth it: He hath an E∣vangelical

eye; I may say, an Angelical eye: for he boweth and incli∣neth himself to see. And no man hath a clear eye but he that doeth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith our Saviour. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth a firm purpose of Doing, which is to look into. We must distinguish between an active and a Contemplative look or assent. Then we look into this Law, then we actively assent, when we have first considered what difficulties accompany this Law, what fightings within, and terrours without; what a body of sin we carry about with us; what pleasing, what black temptations are ready to meet us at every turn; what enemies we have abroad, and what in our own bosom; how not onely the way, but our feet also are slippery. Then we must consider that eternal weight of glory which Christ hath promised to those who are obedient to this Law. And then exactly observe that certain and inse∣parable connexion which is between this Law and Blessedness; that if the one be observed, the other must naturally and necessarily follow; that if we be true Gospellers here, we shall be Saints hereafter. If this be look∣ed into and rightly considered as it should, the Will must needs bow and be obedient to this Law, which, as it is compassed with difficulty, so it lead∣eth to happiness, which bringeth a span of trouble and an eternity of bliss. From hence ariseth that Love of Christ and his Law which is the root and foundation of all obedience,* 1.5 upon which we build up as high as heaven. For with such a Look we see the heavens open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; nay, coming, and having his reward with him. It is the same method which our Saviour teacheth.* 1.6 For you must do in Looking as you do in Building. Which of you, saith Christ, intending to build a house, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whe∣ther he have sufficient to finish it? If you will look into this Law of liberty, you must count what it may cost you. It may cost you your goods; It may cost you your credit, even with those who profess the same thing with you, who are ready to forsake you; It may cost you your bloud: But all these losses shall be made up and recompensed with eternity. Canst thou see that smiling Beauty, and turn away the eye? Canst thou see that Honour ready to crown thee, and defie it? Canst thou behold Ri∣ches, and esteem them as dung? Canst thou meet the raging persecutor, and pity and pray for him? Canst thou meet Death it self with all its pomp and horrour, and through all these undauntedly press forward to∣wards Heaven? Then thou hast stooped down, inclined thy self, and look∣ed into this Law of liberty. For if we have not this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and full per∣suasion, if we have not laid this foundation, and approved this Law of liberty, both in our understanding and practice, as the onely way to happi∣ness, we may look and look again upon it, and be stark blind, see nothing in it, nothing of that heaven and bliss which is promised. And then every breath is a storm, every temptation will be an overthrow; then every light affliction, every evil that cometh towards us, will remove the eye from this Law, and place it on it self, which we shall look on till we faint and fall down for fear, and forfeit our obedience, & even study how to make that false which is so contrary to our lusts and affections. Faith and a good Con∣science make it a just and full look: If we put that away,* 1.7 presently concerning faith we make shipwreck. For as in Scripture we are then said to know God when we love him; so do we truly look into and consider this Law, not when we make mention of it with our lips, when we think of it, remember it, me∣ditate of it, which is but the extension of our thoughts, but when we draw it & fasten it to our soul, make it as our form and principle of motion, to pro∣mote those actions, that obedience in us, for which the Law was made. This the Fathers call the circular motion of the mind, which first settleth upon the object, then is carried back into it self, and there boweth and swayeth the

powers of the soul, and collecteth it self into it self from all forein and im∣pertinent occurrences, and then joyneth all its forces and faculties, its Will and Affections, to the accomplishing of that Good to which the Law of li∣berty inviteth us.

To look into the Law, ye see, is of larger extent then the words do im∣port at first sight: and is of singular use. It poiseth and biasseth us in all our wayes, that we may run evenly to that Blessedness which is set before us. It is our Compass, to steer our course amidst the waves, the ebbings and flowings, the changes and chances of this world. It is our Angel, to keep us in all our wayes. It is as the opening of a window into the closet of our souls, that that light may enter which may manifest every mote and atome, where there was nothing before but vacuity. It is our Spy, to dis∣cover the forces of our Enemy, and it is the best strength we have against him. It is as the balance of the Sanctuary, to weigh every blessing in the Gospel to a grain. It is the best divider, giving to God those things that are God's, and to man those things which are man's. It wipeth the paint off from sin, and discovereth its horrour. It taketh temptation from Beau∣ty, and sheweth us fading flesh, dust and ashes. It strippeth Riches of their glory, and pointeth unto their wings. It seeth a deceiver in the Devil; in Christ, a Lord and Saviour; and in his royal Law it beholdeth Heaven and eternity of bliss. All this virtue and power hath this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, this looking into the Law, and due considering of it: Which by being looked into becometh the savour of life unto life; but, when we take off our eye, is made the savour of death unto death. A steddy and heed∣ful look purchaseth, and a careless glaunce forfeiteth, our Liberty. To look is to be free; and not thus to look, is to have Canaan's curse upon us, to be servants of servants for ever. And now, tell me, how many be there that thus look into the Gospel? how many that thus weigh and consider it? Many walk, saith S. Paul (Many look, we may say) of whom we may speak weeping, that they are enemies to the Law of liberty. The Papist looketh into it, and there he findeth a Triple crown. The Schismatick looketh in∣to it, and he findeth a sword to divide him from his brethren. The Anti∣papist Jesuite looketh into it, and findeth the draught and model of a new Discipline. The Enthusiast and Spiritual man looketh into it, and findeth nothing but Ink and Words. The Libertine looketh into it: For the Law is in himself. Quarunt quod nusquam est, inveniunt tamen; They look and seek that which cannot be found, and yet they find it, every man his humour and the corruption of his own heart. There is much in the Eye. For the Law of liberty is still the same; It moulteth not a feather, changeth not its shape and countenance: But it may appear in as many shapes as there be tempers and constitutions of the eyes that looketh into it. An Evil eye seeth nothing but faction and debate. A lofty eye seeth nothing but priority and preeminence. A Bloud-shot eye seeth nothing but cru∣elty, which they call Justice. All the errours of our life, as the Philosophers speak of the colours of the Rainbow, are oculi opus, the work of the Eye. For the Law it self can lend nothing towards them, but stareth them in the face, when the eye hath raised them, to shake and demolish them. It were good then to clear our eye before we look into the Law, lest whilest we find what pleaseth us, we find what will ruine us. But oh that we should have such Eagles eyes in the things of this world, and be such Batts in the Gospel of Christ! The Covetous looketh into the world, and that hath power to transform his soul into earth. The wanton looketh upon beauty, and that turneth his into flesh. David beholdeth Bathsheba in her bath, and is on fire. Ahab looketh upon Naboth's viney∣ard, and is sick. The eye of flesh pierceth deep into the object,

and the object pierceth as deep into the soul. But we look and look again into the Law of liberty, but so faintly that we draw no power from it to renew us in the inward man. It is a Law of liberty, and we look upon it, and yet are slaves. We speak much of Faith, which is the eye of the soul, and what wonders it worketh. And indeed it would do so, if it were right and clear. It is the substance of things not seen. And if it draw Heaven and Glory so near us as to make them as certain to us as those things we see, it were impossible we should turn the back to Eternity to follow a flying and transitory vanity, to pursue that which is as mortal as our selves, and must perish with us, and doth most times perish before us. For Faith, and a full persuasion of the means to the end which we propose, is the hinge on which all the actions of men move and are turned. The Worldling seeth this is the way to wealth, and he laboureth and sweateth in it. The Am∣bitious looketh upon this as his way to the highest seat, and he treadeth it in pain, moveth forward in it, though he meet with many rubs and diffi∣culties, many a disgrace, many a curse, as he moveth. If we believe and are fully persuaded that this will bring us to our end, we lay hold of it and follow its conduct, though it lead us against the pricks. Well said Tertullian, Nemo non in causa Dei facere potest, quod in sua potest; Every man may do that for his soul which he doeth for his body; for his place in heaven, which he doeth for his estate on earth. And if our persuasion were as full for the one as for the other, if our eye of faith were as clear, and our intention as strong, we should see more glory in the Gospel then in all that pomp which swayeth and boweth and inclineth us to it, and should flie from the one, and cleave to the other; see Heaven in this Law of liberty, and then take it by violence. For why should not our Faith be as powerful in the things of God as our Sense is in the things of this present life? To conclude then; The light of the body is the eye, if the eye be single,* 1.8 the whole body will be light. The Judgment, the Persuasion, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the eye of the soul, saith Hierocles. And the body in this place is the Mind. For what the Sight is in the Eye, that is the Judgment in the Mind: And if that be single and clear, it will look and look into an object, and fully consider it. It will see the Gospel, and in it see wonders; see lepers clen∣sed, blind men receiving their sight, and the dead raised to life again. It will see it is a Law, and bow to it; as a perfect Law, and make us perfect to e∣very good work; as a Law of liberty, and enlarge our feet, that we may run the way of God's commandments: It will see it, and in it that glory and riches which will ravish the eye; see it as a ladder reaching up to heaven, and ascend up upon it; see it, and with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord and Law-giver, and be changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, and the power of this Law of liberty; see it, and so be brought at last to the beatifical Vision, a near∣er and clearer sight of God; Which is the end of all, the Blessedness here promised to them that do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thus earnestly look into the perfect Law of liberty.

Notes

• * 1.1

  John 20.••.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 21.
• * 1.3

  1 John 2.4.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 1:19.
• * 1.5

  Ephes. 3.1••.
• * 1.6

  Luke 14.28.
• * 1.7

  1 Tim. 1.19.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 6.22.