THE I. LECTURE.

THE Word Catechise, which is often to be met with in the Greek of the New Testament, does import a general In­struction in those Christian Truths, which are afterwards to be more particularly and di­stinctly learn'd by those who have entertain'd the Profession of the Gospel. Some give us its original Meaning by another Word, which sig­nifies to Build, intimating thereby, that a Ca­techism must consist of the main and funda­mental Principles of Christianity, such as are fitted to build up a firm and unshaken Christian withal: And others derive it from the Word Eccho, because these Principles must, by often repeating, be infused into us.

And now agreeably to this original Meaning of the Word, A Catechism may be defin'd to be a General Instruction in the Fundamental Principles of [Page 2] the Christian Religion necessary to be learn'd of every Person, in order to his Confirmation.

First, It is a General Instruction in the Funda­mental Principles of Religion. Now the Christian Religion is out of Christian Principles, to live an holy good Life; and together therewith to depend upon Christ's Mediation for us with the Father, that our imperfect Righteousness may be graciously accepted to our Justification.

1. Morality, or a good Life, consisting in a conscientious Dischar [...]e of our Duty to God, our Neighbour, and our selves, is a most neces­sary and essential Part of Christianity, as ap­pears from that of St. James, 1.27. Pure Reli­gion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions, and to keep one's self unspotted from the World. And to implant this Morality amongst Men, was the great Design of our Saviour's Coming into the World. Thus, Titus 2.11,12,13,14. The Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation to all Men, hath appeared, teaching us, that denying Ʋngodliness and worldly Lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present Word; looking for that blessed Hope, and the glorious Appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave him­self for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works.

2. But it is not enough to live virtuously, but withal it must be from Christian Principles. They who are temperate only because it pre­serves their Health, just and charitable in order only to maintain their Reputation and Int'rest [Page 3] in the World, and fast and pray only to be seen of Men, Verily I say unto you, they have their Re­ward. Mat. 6.2.

Nor is it enough to entitle any one to the Name and Reward of a Christian, to live a good Moral Life, as mov'd thereunto by the meer Principles of Natural Religion, as upon the Per­suasion there is a God, and Providence, and a fu­ture Judgment; but to render any one capable of being justify'd by the Law of Grace (and there is no other Law according to which we can be justify'd) it is necessary we believe and act according to Christian Principles; for in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Je­sus Christ, it will be according to his Gospel. Rom. 2.16. And,

3. When all is done, a Christian's Principle will teach him not to depend upon his own Righteousness, though perform'd according to the Conditions of the Gospel, but to depend solely upon the Mediation of Christ, that his imperfect Righteousness may be accepted; for since we all have sinned, or come short of the Glory, or Approbation, of God, Rom. 3 23. It is in Jesus Christ we have Bolduess, and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him. Eph. 3.12.

And indeed such Dependance upon the Medi­ation of Christ for our Acceptance, is the distin­guishing Character of a true Christian; for though it should be suppos'd that many Pagans, by the Force of the mere Principles of Natural Religion, have led very plausible and blameless Lives; yet that the best of our Performances are so imperfect, that it was thought requisite [Page 4] in the Divine Wisdom, that the Son of God should become a Sacrifice to expiate their Guilt, and a Mediator with the Father to obtain their Acceptance, is what the proud hearts of Natu­ral Man never thought of, and no Religion but the Christian ever taught: And therefore this Dependance upon Christ is necessary to take down that arrogant Conceit of our own Righ­teousness, which is a Temper of Mind so displea­sing to God: So the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.29,30,31. To the end that no Flesh might Glory in God's Pre­sence, Jesus Christ is by him made to us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption, that so he that glorieth, may glory in the Lord. And thus you see what is the Christian Religion.

And now the Fundamental Doctrines of this Religion must be such as are the Foundation up­on which such a Religion can only be built, or the Spring from whence it can flow; that is, such Doctrines as powerfully tend to render those who do embrace such Principles, in the first Place good Livers; and, next to that, so humble as to depend upon the Mediation of Christ the Son, for their Acceptance with God the Father.

And such is the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace, wherein we learn the Engagement we made at our Baptism to be thus Religious; such also are all the Articles of our Christian Faith, which are every one of them most power­ful Motives to a Holy Life, and some of them, moreover, such as send us to Christ to intercede with God for its Acceptance. Such are the Ten Commandments, which are the general [Page 5] Rules out of which, all, or most of those parti­cular Duties wherein consists our Holy Living do flow. And such, lastly, are the Doctrine of Prayer, and the Sacraments, which are the Means; the former, the Means of obtaining the Divine Grace and Assistance, without the Help of which we cannot be Religious; the latter, the Means of conveying this Grace to the Souls of Men. And thus you see, as what is meant by the Christian Religion, so what are to be accounted its Fundamental Principles.

And now, A Catechism is a General Instruction only in these Fundamental Principles. A Catechism must be a general, short, and comprehensive Instruction in these Necessary and Essential Points of Christianity. Hence Rom. 6.17. It is called a Form of Doctrine that was delivered to the First Christians. And such is the Catechism of our Church, which does contain those very Points which are stil'd the First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Heb. 6.1. So that as to the Matter you see of which a Catechism is to consist, it is a General Instruction in the Fundamental, and Necessary Principles of the Christian Reli­gion.

The second Thing mentioned in the Defini­tion of a Catechism, are the Persons who are to be instructed. And a Catechism is an Instruction necessary to be learnt of every Person. No Building can stand without a Foundation: And as to Re­ligion, you will find, Mat. 7.24. a Person well-grounded in Religious Principles, shall be able to bear the Shock of the fiercest Tempta­tions; but a Person, whose Religion is founded [Page 6] upon no Principles, shall not be able to with­stand the least: So that there is an apparent necessity, that every Person of what Age, Qua­lity, or Condition soever, should be well ground­ed in Religious Principles by Catechetical Instruc­tions: And the Contempt of Catechising, is ever the Effect of Pride, and the Cause of Ignorance.

True it is, the Seeds of Virtue, and Princi­ples of Religion, can never be too early sown; and therefore 'tis undoubted that all Children especially ought to be Catechis'd. But since the Principles of Religion are for the most part deep Mysteries, hard to be understood, the fit­test Persons to receive an Exposition of these things, and then to be demanded an Account of what they are so taught, must be Youth grown up to some Years of Discretion; so that it is not below Persons of any Age, or Quality, to lay the Foundation of their Christian Knowledge in Catechetical Instruction.

Thirdly, And now it only remains, in order to compleat the Account I have given of a Cate­chism, to declare to you the end of it. And its De­sign is to prepare you to be Confirm'd by the Bishop. Confirmation consists in Two Parts: First, in a Person's solemn renewing of his Baptismal Vow and Covenant with God, after that he comes of Years to take upon him those Vows which were made for him by his God-fathers, and after that he has by Catechising been instructed in the Nature, Weight, and Benefit of such a Covenant. And then, secondly, it consists in the laying on of the Hands of the Bishop, accompany'd with his Blessing and Prayers. And a Rite this is, both greatly [Page 7] necessary, and of singular Benefit in the Church of Christ.

And, First, It is highly necessary, that every Baptised Person, when he comes to Years of Un­derstanding, should solemnly declare his Accep­tance of all the Mercies of God, on those Condi­tions his Sureties have engag'd in his Name; or else he may be reasonably deem'd to have re­nounc'd that Covenant of Grace, and to have repented it was ever made in his behalf: To have renounced that Blessed Covenant, I say, and all claim to the Privileges and Promises thereof; which puts us so much above the Con­dition of Infidels and Heathens, who are without Christ, and Strangers from the Covenants of Pro­mise, having no Hope, and without God in the World; which the Apostle mentions as a most desperate and forlorn Condition, Eph. 2.12. And Confir­mation is also highly necessary, as it consists in the Episcopal Benediction, and laying on of Hands. This Rite of laying on of Hands being reckon'd, Heb 6.1,2. amongst the First Princi­ples of the Doctrine of Christ.

Secondly, And Confirmation is also an Ordi­nance of singular Benefit to Men's Souls, whe­ther, First, As the Solemn Profession therein made to be true to our Baptismal Covenant, imprints upon our Hearts serious Thoughts, and Religious Purposes, and Resolutions; Or, Se­condly, As the Episcopal Benediction, Prayers, and Laying on of Hands, have Spiritual Blessings at­tending them: For that much Benefit may be expected from the Devout Prayers and Pa­ternal Benediction or Blessing of a Father of the [Page 8] Church, who is Commission'd to pray to God in the behalf of others, and to bless the People in his Name, is what we are assur'd, Jam. 5.14. Nor have we reason to doubt, but that God will have a particular regard to his own Institutions, and will bless those means of conveying his Grace, which he himself has appointed. So that thus you see what it is to be Confirm'd by the Bi­shop; and withal, how necessary and beneficial it is to the Souls of [...]en to be so Confirm'd.

And now, Catechising is highly necessary to prepare Persons to be accordingly Confirm'd,

And, First, In order to their Solemn Ratifying their Covenant with God. For what so requisite as that every Person before he takes upon him so great and weighty a Business, as the perfor­mance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, should be first Instructed, so as to under­stand them well; both what those Conditions of Repentance, Faith, and Obedience are; and what mighty Blessings God vouchsafes to make over to him in the same Covenant, which should be a reasonable Consideration to under­take so great a Charge. What King, says our Saviour, Luke 14.31. going to make War against another King, sitteth not down first, and consulteth, whether he be able with ten thousand, to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? And in like manner, every one who will act wisely before he engages in a Spiritual Warfare a­gainst the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, ought to be instructed in the Nature and Man­ner of this Warfare. So necessary is Catechi­sing in order to the Renewing and Ratifying in [Page 9] Confirmation, that Covenant and Vow which was made in Baptism.

Nor, Secondly, Is it less necessary to the recei­ving Benefit by the Prayers, the Blessing, and by the Laying on of Hands of the Bishop in Confir­mation. For as beneficial as these really are to all those who shall come duly Prepar'd; yet it is certain, that without some necessary Qualifica­tions in such as come to be Confirm'd (amongst which, to understand the Nature, Terms, and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, and seri­ously to intend to perform the same, are the first and chief) none will be much the better for the Bishop's Prayers, Benediction, and Laying on of Hands. And therefore Catechising, which is the only proper Means to give Persons such an Understanding, must needs be exceeding neces­sary to their being Benefitted also by what the Bishop shall perform in their Confirmation.

And thus you have had an account, First, Of the Matter of which a Catechism is to consist: Secondly, Of the Persons to be Catechised: And, Thirdly, In some measure you have been told the End and Reason of Catechising. But there being several other great Advantages in this Method of Instruction, I shall defer the Consideration of them to the next opportu­nity, as further Motives to you duly to at­tend it.

THE II. LECTURE.

YOU have already been told the Nature of a Catechism: First, That it is a General Instruction in the Fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion. Secondly, That the Persons proper to be Catechised, are all New Beginners in the School of Christ, be they of what Age or Quality soever. And, Lastly, I have shew'd you, that the end thereof is to fit and prepare Per­sons for Confirmation, both to renew their Bap­tismal Vow before the Bishop, and to Quality such as are Confirm'd to receive Benefit by the Bishop's Prayers, Benediction, and Laying on of Hands.

But because there are several other Benefits of Catechising, and those such as will raise a due esteem of it, I will proceed to shew you those other Ends and Purposes to which Catechising serves, before I enter upon Expounding the Ca­techism it self.

II. And as for Confirmation, so Catechising is also requisite to sit and prepare Persons to be [Page 11] Worthy Communicants in the Lord's Supper. In both Confirmation, and in the Lord's Supper, you are to renew the Covenant with God. To both therefore you ought to come with the like Knowledge of what you are to do.

And alas! to what is it but to their having never been Instructed in their Catechism, that so many come so Ignorantly, (and if Ignorant­ly, then Unworthily) or else not at all to the Lord's Supper? Ignorantly in not understand­ing the Importance of that Blessed Sacrament to be the New Covenant in Christ's Blood, 1 Cor. 11.25. that is, that it is the Seal of that Covenant which was Purehased by, and Ratify'd in his Blood.

And to their not having been Catechis'd, whereby they would have understood the un­speakable Benefit of being in Covenant with God, it is to be imputed, that so many turn their Backs upon, and come not at all to the Lord's Table. To which there needs no greater Motive to Invite any considering Person than this, that God does as well condescend in that Blessed Ordinance to seal to us a Title to the Pardon of Sins, and to Eternal Life and Happi­ness, as we do Ratify our Vows of Faith and Obedience unto him.

III. Catechising is very useful to render you ca­pable to be Edify'd by the Preaching of the Word, and to the Profiting by Sermons. That is truly Edifying Preaching which explains the Mean­ing, and proves the Truth of the Doctrines of Christianity, which states the Nature and Ex­tent of Christian Duties, and which warms the [Page 12] Heart with a Love of our Duty, and does vigo­rously excite us to the Practice of it. And whereas an uncatechis'd and ungrounded Per­son will be sure to prefer the most empty and noisy, to the most substantial Discourses upon the Points of Religion; He who has been truly Catechis'd, will be able to make a better Judg­ment of what he hears, and will turn it to far better use. And by having a Regular Scheme of Divinity laid up by Catechetical Instruction in his Head and Heart, he will be able to range every thing he shall at any time hear, into its proper Place and Order; as also to distinguish between the more and less material Parts of Christianity.

IV. Catechising is of Excellent Ʋse to prevent your being seduc'd into Heresy and Errour. That Heresies will arise in the Church, and that by the Permission of God, for a trial of our sted­fastness to the Truth, is what the Apostle does warn us of, 1 Cor. 11.19. There must be Heresies, that they who are Approv'd may be made manifest. But as great as is the Danger, that one who has never been well Catechis'd, will be seduc'd; yet he who shall hold fast that Form of Sound Words, 2 Tim. 3.13. which has been taught in his Ca­techism, will be able, by them, as by a certain Touchstone, to discover what are True, what are Erroneous Doctrines.

Lastly, Catechising is exceeding useful to pre­serve a young Person from falling into any gross and wasting Sin, and especially into any ungodly course of Living: Or if he has been seduc'd by evil Com­pany, the having the Seed of good Principles sown [Page 13] in the Heart, by a timely Catechising, will be the most likely means to recover such a one out of the Snares of the Devil.

First, It is exceeding useful to preserve Youth from falling into any gross and wasting Sin, and espe­cially any ungodly course of Living. Thus it was the Counsel of the Wise-man, Prov. 22.6. to Train up a Child in the Way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. And the Ex­perience of all Men, and of all Ages shews it, that those are not easily, and but very rarely corrupted, who have had their Minds possess'd betimes with the Apprehensions of God, of his Justice, Goodness, Truth, and Holiness; and who have learn'd what the Son of God has done for them, to rescue them from the Power of the Devil; and who have been made sensible of their Vows and Engagements to God.

Experience, I say, shews us, that Persons thus Principl'd betimes, rarely miscarry, whereas our uncatechis'd, untaught Youth fall immediately, without any restraint, into the most horrid and vile Courses.

It may indeed now and then happen, that a Person well Principl'd may be overcome through the Strength of Temptation, but such a one soon recovers again. Or it may some­times be found, that falling into loose Company, he may become for a time harden'd in Wick­edness, and be deliver'd up to follow all Un­cleanness with Greediness; but however, this may be ever observ'd, that whereas one who had never receiv'd any Principles of Religion, is scarcely ever after reclaim'd by any Methods [Page 14] of Providence, such as Sickness, or other Af­flictions, because he is not sensible from whom they are sent, and whither, and to whom they would call him; yet if one that has been former­ly instructed in the Necessaries to Salvation shall happen to be so visited, it is very great odds, but his former good Principles reviving in him, do make him sensible of his foul Rebellion against his Gracious Father, so that with the Prodigal Son he will resolve to arise and go to his Father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired Ser­vants, Luke 15.18,19. So that in short, by virtue of good Principles early sown, a young Person shall be either prevented from falling into a vi­cious course of Life, or soon recover'd out of it, which alone were enough to demonstrate to you the use of Catechising. And this I am sure, together with all the forementioned Reasons for it, speak it to be the most necessary, as well as it is the wanted Method of Instruction at this Day in our Church.

THE III. LECTURE.

THough this Question seems not very mate­rial to some, yet a more proper one could not be put at the beginning of a Christian Ca­techism than this, which obliges you to give up your Christian Name to the Minister and Congregation: For,

• First, The asking you what is your Christian Name, may put you in mind of your Christian Profession, which you took upon you under that very Name, and of that Strictness of Life, which is re­quired of those who bear the Name of Christians.
• Secondly, It gives occasion to remind you, that the bad Lives of such who bear the Name of Christi­ans, do an infinite Prejudice and Dishonour to Christi­anity. And,
• Thirdly, It gives occasion to the Minister to ex­hort you therefore to stand upon the Dignity of the Christian Name and Profession, by living such Lives as may be an Honour, not a Disgrace unto it.

And, First, I say, the asking you of your Christian Name may put you in mind of your Christian Pro­fession, which you took upon you under that very [Page 16] Name, and of that Strictness of Life which is requi­red of those who bare the Name of Christians.

For why? There is the greatest Force in a Christian Name to make a Man lead a Christian Life, as under that Name having listed himself, 1. A Disciple of a most Holy and Excellent Religion. Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ, or upon whom the Name of Christ is called, depart from Iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.19. For indeed it is ever expected, that those who pro­fess to be guided by the most perfect Doctrine, should answerably live the most perfect Lives. 2. Every one of you, under your Christian Name, have in a Publick and Solemn Manner at your Baptism, listed your selves Servants and Soldiers of a most Holy and Just God: Of a God that hath no Pleasure in Wickedness, neither shall any Evil dwell with him; in whose sight the Foolish shall not stand, and who hateth all the Workers of Iniquity, Psal. 5.4,5. 3. It is un­der your several Christian Names, that you have Listed your selves to fight under God's Banner against his, and your own Enemies, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, declaring you will so Renounce every one of them, as not to be tempted, or drawn off by either of 'em to sin against God. 4. Under your respective Christian Names you have profess'd firmly such Articles as are the most powerful Motives in the World to deny all Ʋndodliness, and Worldly Lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World. 5. And accordingly you have engag'd your selves under your several Christian Names in the strongest Covenants, in [Page 17] hopes of the most Glorious Rewards; and, out of fear of the sorish Punishments, to obey the most Righteous Laws of God, by living thus soberly, righteously, and godlily. And lastly, un­der this very Christian Name, you have recei­ved of God most sure Promises of most power­ful Assistances to do all this. Thus may the very Asking you what is your Christian Name, put you in mind of your Christian Profession, and of the Strictness of Life, which is requir'd of those who bear the Name of Christians.

Secondly, And the same Question and Answer about your Christian Name, gives occasion to remind you, that the bad Lives of such who bear the Name of Christians, do an infinite Prejudice and Disho­nour to Christianity. For nothing does more hinder the Conversion of Infidels, than their seeing profess'd Christians live, as if they them­selves did not believe the Truth of Christiani­ty. Nor does any thing open the Mouth of the Enemy more against the Blessed Author of our Holy Religion; for the Name of God is blas­phemed amongst the Gentiles, through those who live unanswerably to their Profession, Rom. 2.24. But especially it puts bitter Reproaches into the Mouths of Atheists, when Wickedness is committed under the Disguise, and Pretence of Religion; which two Considerations should oblige all who are named Christians, to see that they walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Eph. 5.15.

And indeed since we seldom see a Person of so abject and mean a Spirit, as to endure with Patience, that the Calling or Profession he is [Page 18] of, whatever it is, should be set at nought: As therefore you would not shew your selves to have less Honour for your Christian Religion and Profession, than secular Men have for their worldly Callings;

Thirdly, I must therefore take occasion from the mention of your Christian Name, to exhort you to stand upon the Dignity of your Christian Name and Profession, by living such Lives as may be an Honour, not a Disgrace unto it. For why? 1. It may be considered, that all Titles of Honour are but mean and inconsiderable, in respect of our Christian Title. 2. There is so near an Alliance between the Christian Name and Pro­fession, that in Baptism they both began toge­ther. 3. It deserves to be consider'd how the Primitive Christians did, by virtue of the Chri­stian Name, resist the fiercest Temptations, their usual Answer to those that did solicite them, and by Tortures would force them to renounce their Religion, being no more than this, I am a Christian, it is therefore in vain for you to tempt me. 4. 'Pray' think upon the Indecency of living un­suitably to the Christian Name and Profession. Know you not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ? Shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid, 1 Cor. 6.15. And, 5. Bethink your selves, that to quit other Purposes we give up our selves to be Christians; namely, to season and guide the World by the Exemplariness of our Lives, for which reason we are called the Salt of the Earth, Matth. 5.13. and the Light of the World, v. 14. Lastly, And indeed since most Christian Names [Page 19] do afford some Examples of Vertue, which should prompt Christians to an Imitation of those who were eminent under these Names; I would therefore advise Parents to chuse for their Chil­dren the Names of Persons eminent for Vertue, not infamous for Vice. And let this suffice to have been observed upon the Question and An­swer concerning your Christian Name.

THE IV. LECTURE.

THe most easie Method of Instruction, and such as does most effectually convey Knowledge to the Minds of Men, is that which gives first some general Notices of the Art or Science about to be taught, and which does then descend to a larger Explication thereof in its several Particulars. And accordingly our Catechism gives you an entire Instruction in the Covenant of Grace, both generally and parti­cularly: Generally, In the three first Questions and Answers now read to you, which are there­fore usually call'd Preliminary: Particularly, In the Creed, Decalogue, the Lord's Prayer, and in the Doctrine of the Sacraments.

1. I shall begin with the General Nature of the Covenant of Grace, which I shall have sufficient­ly explain'd by then I have gone through with my Exposition of these Words now read Now,

As to the general Notion of such Covenants, as are usually made betwixt Governors and their Subjects; which approach nearest to the Na­ture of ours; such a one, if it be perfect in all its Parts, and fully exprest, may be defin'd to be

A Mutual Agreement between the Two Parties, wherein there are Promises, Rewards, or profitable Considerations made over on one part, on certain Conditions to be perform'd on the other: And wherein also there is an Obligation on the one side, of under­going some certain Penalties, in case of not perform­ing those Conditions consented unto by him, and im­pos'd on him by the other.

A Covenant, I say, is a mutual Agreement be­tween two Parties. For where both the Parties are not Consenting to the Terms, the one to the making good the Promises, the other to the performance of the Conditions, the Agreement is none at all, or is not perfected; nor is it obliging on either side. And tho' where the one Party has Sovereign Authority over the o­ther, there arises from that an obligation to Obedience, yet without the Formality of a mu­tual Agreement, the Will of the Superiour is then only a Law, not a Covenant.

Farther yet, In a Covenant there are certain Promises, Rewards, and profitable Considerations made over on one part, on certain Conditions to be perform'd on the other. And upon the performance of these Conditions there accrues a Title to [Page 22] the Promises, insomuch that upon our Repentance, and Confession of our Sins, God will reckon him­self in Justness and Faithfulness bound (since the giving of the New Covenant) to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all Ʋnrighteousness, 1 Joh. 1.9. And this may suffice, in order to shew the general Nature of a Covenant.

And now to understand the distinct Nature and Notion of the Covenant of Grace, we must look back even as far as the Creation, and consi­der how that God having made Man upright, and put him into a Capacity never to have violated his Covenant; he did then engage him to a Per­fect, Exact, and Unsinning Obedience. The Re­sult whereof was, that Man being overcome by the Temptation of the Devil, he did transgress the Law given by his Maker, Gen. 2.17. and did violate his Covenant with him. Whereupon the Divine Justice, Wisdom, and Holiness re­quir'd Satisfaction; and it was requisite that Pu­nishment must ensue, if it were but to manifest the Divine Hatred of Sin, and for the Security of God's Government in the World.

But what Creature is there in the Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, whose Punish­ment could be of that Value and Consideration, as to be a sufficient Satisfaction for the Sins of Mankind? It is certain, no Man can redeem his Brother, or pay God a Ransom for him; for the re­demption of his Soul is precious, (too precious for that) Psal. 49.7,8. And Man being himself uncapable to make it, by less than suffering an everlasting Punishment; the Son of God did himself therefore most graciously offer to die [Page 23] in our stead, and did undertake by the Infinite Merit of his own Sufferings, to make Satisfacti­on to Infinite Justice, which we could not; so 2 Cor. 5.21. He made him to be Sin, or a Sin-offering for us, who knew no Sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him; and because whilst under the First Covenant, which requir'd a Perfect, Exact, and Unsinning Obedience, it was impossble for us to be sav'd, the Son of God did therefore Cancel that upon the Cross, and did purchase by his most precious Blood, a Covenant of Grace in its stead; for which reason he is called the Mediator of a better Cove­nant, Heb. 8.6. he did purchase a Covenant of Grace, I say, consisting of Conditions perfor­mable in our fallen State, wherein Repentance, Faith, and a sincere Obedience is accepted, in­stead of a perfect, and an indefective Righte­ousness.

In short, the Covenant of Grace resembles the Articles of Accommodation made through the Intercession of a Prince's Eldest Son, betwixt that Prince and his Rebellious Subjects, to whom upon the Intercession of his Son, the King is graciously pleas'd to grant, not only Pardon of all their former Crimes; but more­over certain great Privileges and Freedoms, Protection, and several particular Favours, Lands and Possessions, and the like, on conditi­on they will thenceforward Renounce and for­sake all his Enemies, and place no farther Trust nor Confidence in them, and on condition they will not disobey him for the future, in any of his just and reasonable Commands, but pay him a [Page 24] true and faithful Obedience to all his Laws.

Much of the same Nature is the Covenant of Grace; and as it does extremely much con­cern every Christian to be well instructed in it; so there is little necessary to be known in the Christian Religion, besides the Articles of this Covenant. And the Catechetical Method of Instruction being the most useful to that purpose, of all others, it does therefore very much con­cern you to pay a due attendance to it.

THE V. LECTURE.

A General View of the Covenant of Grace, I have already given you. And these Words, Wherein I was made a Member of Christ, do contain the first of these invaluable Privi­ledges made over to us in this Covenant.

Now, to be a Member of Christ, is to be a Member of Christ's-Church, as will appear from Col. 1.18. compared with Eph. 5.30. And that you may be sensible how happy a thing it is to be a Member of Christ's Church.

• First, I will shew you what kind of Body the Church of Christ is.
• [Page 25]Secondly, What it is to be a Member of it. And then,
• Thirdly, What exceeding great and invaluable Privileges do belong to every Member of Christ's Church. And,

1. I will shew you what kind of Body the Church of Christ is. And it is the Universal Society of all Christians, consisting both of Lawful Governors and Pastors, and also of the People of God com­mitted to their Charge; and who are call'd from out of the wicked World by the preaching of the Gospel, to a Holy Profession and Calling; namely to Repentance, Faith, and Obedience towards God; and to the Enjoyment of unspea­kable Privileges from God: And who to the end of being incorporated into one Society, and of having God to be their God, and they themselves his People, have entered into Covenant with him by Baptism, and do often renew the same in the Lord's Supper, and are Incorporated thereby into one Body, subdivided indeed into several particular Bodies, and Churches, for the convenience of Government and Worship; but holding Communion with one another, in one and the same necessary Points of Christiani­ty, necessary to constitute the Church under Jesus Christ their Supreme Head.

And first, I say, the Church of Christ is the So­ciety of Christians, consisting both of Lawful Go­vernors and Pastors, and of the People of God committed to their Charge. The Church of Christ is not a Headless Multitude, but a well ordered Society, consisting of Superiors and Inferiors; of Governors and Governed. Hence it is [Page 26] call'd, The Kingdom of Christ, Rev. 11.15. And Eph. 2.19,20,21. the Members thereof are stil'd Fellow-Citizens, Members of an Houshold, and Parts of a Temple; all which Expressions speak the Church of Christ to be a Regular So­ciety of Men, combin'd and knit together by Laws, deriv'd from some Supreme Head and Governour.

And in the Constitution of Christ's Church, it is requisite that the Governors and Pastors there­of should be lawful ones; that is, such as Christ has Commission'd to these Offices; for St. Paul does sharply demand, Rom. 10.15. How any shall Preach the Gospel, except they be sent? And that an Episcopal Clergy are undoubtedly Autho­rized, and sent (whatever others are) cannot be question'd, since our Saviour, when he sent forth his Disciples into the World, to Preach the Gospel, and to gather a Church, he told them, Mat. 28.20. That he would be with them, or stand by them in giving Authority and Success to their Ministry, to the end of the World; whereas for 1500 Years it is certain, that he did Authorize no other than those Episcopally Ordain'd; for there were no other than Episcopal Churches during that time, as appears from the Histories of all Ages.

Secondly, The Church of Christ is the Ʋniversal Society of Christians. The Church under the Law was confin'd to the Jewish Nation, but now under the Gospel, in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness, is accepted of him, Acts 10.35. For Christ is our Peace, and hath made both one, and hath broken down the mid­dle Wall of Partition between us, Eph. 2.14. It [Page 27] is not indeed either Jews or Gentiles, while they continue such, that are of the Church of Christ. But,

Thirdly, It consists of such, who are called forth out of the wicked World, from amongst both. The whole World by then our Saviour came into it, was over-run with Wickedness; and therefore did Christ come to call us out of the World; for which Reasons, Christians are in many Places stiled the Called: And Joh. 17.6. they are said to be such, whom the Father hath given our Sa­viour out of the World; and tho' they are in the World, yet they are not of the World, v. 16. And tho' it is too true, that many of those of whom the Church is composed, do not effectually obey this Call, but continue ungodly; and therefore the Church is liken'd, Mat. 13.24.30. to a Field in which the Wheat and the Tares grew up together until the Harvest. However,

Fourthly, All the Members of the Church of Christ, are called by the Preaching of the Gospel, to a Holy Profession and Calling; namely, 1. To Repentance; for so our Saviour says, that he came to call Sinners to Repentance, Matth. 9.13. And, 2. they are called to the Knowledge, Be­lief, and Service of the One True God, Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. The greatest part of the World before our Saviour's coming into it, were ignorant of the True God, and Slaves to the Devil; but our Blessed Lord when he gave Commission to his Disciples to gather a Church out of the World, he bid them go and Disciple all Nations, Baptizing Persons into the Knowledge, Belief, and Service of Three Per­sons, [Page 28] Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in that one Godhead, Matth. 28.19.

Fifthly, And as Christians are a Society of Persons called out of the World to Repentance, Faith, and Gospel-Obedience; so to the En­joyment of those inestimable Privileges of the Gospel, viz. most Reasonable and Excellent Laws to conduct them to Heaven; Laws written in their Minds, and in their Hearts, Heb. 8.10. They are called also to the Enjoyment of Divine Grace and Assistance, to enable them to obey those Laws; for Grace is come by Jesus Christ, John 1.17. They shall be privileged with the Pardon of Sins, upon their Repentance, for the Violation of those Laws; for God has promis'd Christians to be Merciful to their Ʋnrighteousness, Heb. 8.12. And lastly, they shall be called to the Enjoyment of Eternal Life and Happiness, upon their sincere Obedience; for Christ does assure us, Joh. 17.2. That the Father hath given him Power over all Flesh, that he should give Eternal Life to as many as are given him, or are given him out of the World, v. 6.

Sixthly, The Church consists of such, who to the end of being incorporated into one Society, and of having God to be their God, and they them­selves his People, have entred into Covenant with him. It is the Royal Charter granted by the King that makes any number of Men a Cor­poration. And it is the Covenant of Grace granted by the King of kings, which embodies and joins us Christians into one Spiritual Socie­ty. So that we are no more Strangers and Foreig­ners, [Page 29] but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houshold of God, Eph. 2.19.

And by being in Covenant with him, we come to have God to be our God; and we do there­by become his People. Thus Heb. 8.10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days; that is, in the time of the Gospel, I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People.

Seventhly, Christians are thus entered into Covenant with God, and thereby made Mem­bers of Christ's Church, in their Baptism, which is the Outward Sign and Solemnity whereby our Blessed Lord thought fit to initiate all the Mem­bers of his Church into Covenant with him. Go and Disciple, or make Disciples and Members of my Church, out of all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Matth. 28.19. And hence 1 Cor. 12.13. it is said That we are all Baptized into one Body, or admitted by Baptism into one Church.

Eighthly, And all the Members of Christ's Church, when grown up to some State of Per­fection, are appointed to Renew the same Co­venant, by Feasting often together at the Lord's Supper. Upon the account of which Feasting together, it is said, 1 Cor. 10.17. That we be­ing many, are one Bread, and one Body, for we are all Partakers of that one Bread.

Ninthly, And now upon these foremention­ed Accounts, the Church of Christ is one Body. Thus Eph. 4.4,5,6. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are all called in one hope of your Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one [Page 30] God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Tenthly, This one Body or Society the Church, is divided into several particular Bodies or Churches, both for the convenienee of Discipline and Govern­ment, and also the convenience of Divine Worship. For the convenience of Government, the Church has from its first Foundation been divided into Diocesan Churches, inspected by distinct Bishops, as will appear from Rev. 2.3. Chap. where you will find that the several Churches of Asia had their distinct Bishops (there called Angels) pre­siding over them. For the convenience of Divine Worship, because all the Christians of one Diocess or City, could not meet together in one Place, the Bishop's See was therefore sub-divided into particular Congregations and Assemblies under its respective Pastors. Hence we read 1 Cor. 14.34. of several Churches in that one Church and City of Corinth.

But notwithstanding that, for the foremen­tioned Reasons, the Church of God is divided and subdivided into Diocesan and Parochial Chur­ches, yet they are all united by Virtue of the same Covenant, Spirit, and Sacraments, into one Church; For as the Body is one, and hath many Members, and the Members of that one Body being many, are one Body; so also is Christ, or the Christian Church; for by one Spirit we are all Ba­ptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gen­tiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.12,13. And these several Churches were also one. Be­cause in the

Eleventh Place they all hold Communion with each other. And their Communion with each other, consisted in Hearing the same Word or Doctrine together, in joining in the same Com­mon Prayers, in partaking of the same Sacra­ments, and in affording to each other mutual Assistances, as you will find, Acts 2.42. They con­tinued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine, and Fellow­ship, or Communication of Charitable Assistances, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers.

Lastly, The Church of Christ, or this whole Society of Men, call'd forth out of the World to such Duties and Privileges, as has been spoke, is to be united into one Body, as has been declared, under Jesus Christ its Supreme Head. There can be no Body without a Head. And Christ is both the Political Body of the Church, Governing this his Spiritual Kingdom, as a Monarch does his State, by his Laws; for the Father having raised him from the Dead, did put all things under his Feet, and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is his Bo­dy, Eph. 1.20,21,22,23. And as a King he sends his Ambassadors and Ministers to Teach Mankind, to observe all things whatsoever he Commanded them, Matth. 28.20. And Christ is also the Mystical Head of the Church; for as the Natural Head of the Body is the Fountain of Life and Spirit, from whence it is deriv'd in­to all the parts of the Body, to enable and en­liven all the Members thereof to discharge their several Offices and Duties; so is Christ said to be the Mystical Head of the Church, from whom all the Body, by Joints and Bands, having nourish­ment [Page 32] ministred, increaseth with the increase of God, Col. 2.19.

And thus in order to a due understanding of this first Privilegial Article of the Baptismal Covenant; Wherein I was made a Member of Christ, you have seen what kind of Body the Church of Christ is. And from the whole it does appear to be, what it is often call'd in Scrip­ture, viz. The Kingdom of God, and of Christ, as Matth. 21.31. Rev. 11.15. that is, as ye have been told, it is a Spiritual Kingdom put up by God in the World, on purpose to reduce Man to his due Allegiance to his Maker, and to de­stroy the Dominion of Satan, which he had so long usurp'd over Mankind. And thus having as briefly, as possibly I could, shew'd you what kind of Body the Church of Christ is.

2. I am next to shew you what it is to be a Mem­ber of Christ's Church.

And from what has been said, it may easily be collected, that a Member of Christ's Church is every one who has been entered into this visible Society of Men Renouncing the Devil, and Pro­fessing themselves the Servants of God. He is one who has Covenanted to that purpose with God in Baptism, and who without swerving a­side into Separate Assemblies, holds a constant Communion with that particular True, and Or­thodox Church, whereof he is a Member, and in whose Verge he lives.

In short, a Member of the Church of Christ, is a Member of the Kingdom of Christ; and so he is one who is deliver'd by God from the Power of Darkness, and is translated into the Kingdom of [Page 33] his dear Son, Col, 1.13. That is, he is one of those, who is deliver'd by the Gospel from under the Tyranny of Satan, under which the whole World was held Captive, and is made a Subject to the Gracious Government of the Son of God.

From what has been said, it does plainly ap­pear, I think, that such, and such an one only, is a true Member of Christ's Church.

And in the Sense of the Catechism, which teaches all to answer, that in their Baptism they are made Members of Christ: Every Person, who has been admitted into the Church by Baptism, is a Member of Christ, and shall con­tinue such, till he is cut off by the just Sentence of those Governors of the Church, who have the Power of the Keys to receive in, or to shut out: Or till he cuts off himself from that My­stical Body, by a causeless Schism and Separa­tion from any of its sound Parts.

Every Baptized Person, I say, is a Member of Christ's Church. So the Apostle, Gal. 3.27. As many as have been baptized into Christ; that is, the Christian Religion, have put on Christ, or have put on that Relation to Christ, which Members have to the Body, and tho' too many are unsound Members, yet Members of the Visible Church they will continue till cut off by the just Sentence of those, who have the Power of the Keys to receive in, or to shut out: Or till they cut off themselves by a causeless Separation and Schism.

Some are cut off from the Communion of the Church by the Governours thereof, who have given [Page 34] unto 'em the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, of the Church, Matth. 16.19. and who have the Authority, as to admit into the Church by Baptism, all who have made Profession of Chri­stianity, so to expel out of it by Excommunica­tion all those scabby Members thereof, who con­trary to such their Holy Profession, either by their pestilent Heresies, or by their scandalous and ill Lives, are unworthy of its Communion, or in danger to infect it. And when upon either of these accounts any one is Excommunicated, such an evil Member becomes no Member, and is to be to the rest as a Heathen Man, and a Pub­lican; that is, one who is out of the Church, Matth. 18.17.

And so likewise is he, who cuts himself off from that Mystical Body the Church, by a causeless Separa­tion and Schism from any of its sound Parts: For whatever National Church has nothing in its Do­ctrine, nor Worship, which is sinful, every Per­son is bound to continue stedfastly in the Do­ctrine, Prayers, Sacraments, and Fellowship of that Church, as in the Apostles Times they did, Acts 2.42. and to reject the Communion of all other Sects and Parties of Christians; or other­wise, he will cut himself off from the Church, and will cease to be a real Member of it, as my Finger will cease to be of the Body, when it is cut off as well by my self, as by another, from the Arm. But excepting these two Cases, every Ba­ptized Person is a Member of Christ's Church, and so shall partake of those exceeding great Privi­leges, which belong to the Members of it; which what, and how great they are, I am next to de­clare unto you.

THE VI. LECTURE.

HAving sufficiently made it appear in the former Discourse, First, what kind of Body that is, which is called, the Church of Christ: And also, Secondly, having shew'd you what it is to be a Member of it; it will be now requisite that I should likewise make it clear to you, Thirdly, What vast and invaluable Privileges do accordingly belong to every Member of the Church of Christ. And the Privileges which do belong to them as such, are,

• First, A most Excellent Body of Religion, Laws, and Ordinances, appointed us by Christ our Supreme Head and Governour, as the Rule we must walk by in our way to Heaven.
• Secondly, A sufficient measure of Divine Grace and Assistance, derived down upon us from him our Mystical Head, and convey'd by those his Ordinances, to enable us to Conform our selves to his Religion, and to obey those Laws.

I. And as the Members of Christ's Church we enjoy the Privilege of having a most Excellent Body of Religion, Laws, and Ordinances: A Religion so Excellent, that whether we compare it with the Pagan, or Mahometan Superstition, or with the Jewish Dispensation; or whether we consider it in its own Nature, it will appear to be a most [Page 36] singular Institution, and Body of Laws; and such as we ought to esteem it our very great Happi­ness and Privilege above other Men, that we are under the Government of such.

Alas! As to the Pagan Superstition, what else did it tend to, but to debase Mankind infinitely below the Dignity of their Nature, and to de­file 'em much more than the Brutes? For why? The very Gods the Heathens worshipped, were at best the most infamous Men and Women; and many of 'em paid Divine Honours to the very Devils themselves. And what then could be expected, but that their Worship should consist in Lewd, Barbarous, and Cruel Rites? And so it actually did; For they Sacrific'd their Sons and their Daughters unto Devils, and shed Innocent Blood, even the Blood of their Sons, and of their Daughters, whom the very Jews, having learnt it from the Pagans, Sacrificed unto the Idols of Ca­naan, Psal. 106.37,38.

Nor in the Mahometan Superstition is there any thing worthy of God, whereby we should judge him to be the Author of it; but as one ob­serves, It is a Mass of Foolish Opinions, odd Stories, uncouth Ceremonies, compounded chiefly of the Dregs of Christian Heresies, together with some Ingredients of Judaism and Paganism, confusedly jumbl'd, or unskilfully mixt one with another. And what is worst of all, its Principles do too sadly tend to Lust and Cruelty.

And even Judaism it self, which had God for its Author, was but an Imperfect and an Un­finish'd draught of Religion. Its Ceremonial part consisted of poor and beggarly Elements, Gal. 4.9. [Page 37] and of Shadows only of good things to come, Heb. 10.1. And even its Moral part was defective, Moses for the hardness of their hearts, Matth. 19.8. being forc'd to indulge 'em, what the Perfection and Purity of the Christian Religion will by no means allow of.

But Christianity (under whose Guidance we have the Happiness to be, as we are Members of Christ's Church) is a most Excellent Religion, since nothing can represent God in more Noble Characters, and Glorious Perfections, and no­thing can give a more Honourable and Rational Draught of his Proceedings with Man, both in the Creation and Redemption of him, than it does. And as the Christian Laws are infinitely beyond what the Wisdom of any Humane Law-givers did ever yet contrive for the good Order of Man in this World, and for his real Happiness both in this, and in the World to come; so no Motives, nor Reasons can possi­bly be more persuasive than those which Chri­stianity does give us to obey those Laws.

And indeed even the positive Institutions and Ordinances appointed in the Gospel, are an Ex­cellent part of a Christian Priviledge, which he enjoys as he is a Member of Christ's Church. And that which our Law giver has appointed of this Nature, are as follows; He has or­dain'd Solemn and Set days, viz. the Christian Sabbaths for his Service; He has order'd that Publick Assemblies of all Christians should be held upon these days; He has Authoriz'd and Commanded the Preaching of his Laws at those Publick Assemblies; He has appointed that [Page 38] Common Prayers, Supplications, and Thanks­giving, principally for Divine Grace and Assi­stance to enable us to perform these Laws then preach'd, and for other Mercies; I say, he has Ordered that these should be jointly put up to him by all Christians on those Solemn Days, and those Publick Assemblies; And lastly, He has enjoin'd therein the use of Sacraments, as means of conveying such Grace and Assistance, and al­so as Oaths and Obligations upon us to be obe­dient to these Laws. These are the positive In­stitutions and Ordinances of the Gospel; and all these are Privileges which belong to the Mem­bers of Christ's Church, as may be gathered from Acts 2.41,42.

And they are indeed most singular Favours and Privileges vouchsafed only to such as are Members of Christ's Church, and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right and Admittance to. For alas, the Infidel part of the World, whe­ther Jews, Turks, or Pagans, have not the Be­nefit of the Word and Sacraments; and where there is no Vision, or no Word and Ordinan­ces of Divine Revelation, The People perish, Prov. 29.18.

And even the positive Institutions also are most Excellent Privileges considered in themselves; and that first, as being most admirable Helps towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws, every one of these outward Ordinances conducing much to our Edification, and Improve­ment both in Faith and Practice, and to the quickening of our Affections to the ways of God: And every one of them being also exceed­ingly [Page 39] comfortable to the Souls of those who do enjoy them, according to the Testimony of the Psalmist. Blessed is the Man whom thou chusest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: He shall be satisfied in the Goodness of thy House, even of thy Holy Temple, Psal. 65.4.

The Privileges of Publick Ordinances are indeed seldom sufficiently valued, till most wan­ted; but when through Persecutions, or the like, Persons are depriv'd of them, then they become so sensible of the Benefit and Comfort thereof, as to be at any Pains, Fatigues, or Dangers to enjoy them. They will then wander from Sea to Sea, and from the North even to the East; they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it, Amos 8.12. And let this suffice for the first great Priviledge, which does peculiarly belong to all the Members of Christ's visible Church, as they are Members of such a Society: namely, the Enjoyment of a most reasonable and excellent Body of Religion and Laws; together with most profitable and edifying Institutions and Ordinances, given and appointed us by Him, our Supreme Head and Governour, to conduct us to Heaven. The

II. Privilege we enjoy thereby, is a great Mea­sure of Divine Grace and Assistance, derived down from Him our Head, and conveyed by those his Ordinances to enable us to conform to his Reli­gion, and to obey his Laws; for as in the natural Body every part partakes of Life, and Sense, and Motion, from the Head, so do we by be­ing [Page 40] baptized Members of Christ, derive Grace and Help from him our Head, from whom all the Body by Joints and Bands having Nourishment ministred, increaseth with the increase of God, Col. 2.19. And the means of Union betwixt Christ and his Members, being the Members Union to the Catholick Church, the Body of Christ; and their Union to the Lawful Gover­nours and Teachers of the Church, which are the principal parts in the Mystical Body. And lastly, their use of Christ's Institutions and Ordinances, viz. Sacraments, Preaching, Pub­lick and Common-Prayers, and such like Pub­lick Offices, which are the Vessels and Convey­ances of Divine Grace, through the principal Parts from Christ our Head: These, I say, be­ing the necessary Means of Union between Christ and his Members, it will therefore fol­low, that so long as any Member shall continue in Unity with the Mystical Body of Christ, his Church, and with its Lawful Governours and Teachers, and in the use of Sacraments, and other Divine Ordinances, those Conduits and Conveyances of his Holy Spirit to us; so long he shall have spiritual Life, and Strength, and Vigour, derived down from Christ our spiri­tual Head, in like manner as in the natural Body of Man, the Animal Life and Strength, and Vigour is derived to all the parts of the Body, from the natural Head.

And the having of God's Holy Spirit to as­sist us, is a most singular Privilege, if com­par'd with that little, or nothing of this Na­ture, which others, who are not the Members [Page 41] of Christ's Church, do enjoy; for if God would have ordinarily, and in the way of a constant Dispensation, imparted so excellent a Gift as the Grace of his Holy Spirit to any, to be sure it would have been to the Jewish Church; but so unsteady, and scanty were the Measures of it communicated under the Law, to what are under the Gospel, that the former is stiled upon that account by the Apostle, the Ministration of Condemnation, but the Gospel the Ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8,9.

And this having of the Holy Spirit to assist us is a most exceeding advantage, consider'd in it self, considering that all the Members of Christ have constant supplies of Grace afforded 'em proportionable to their Station and Em­ployment in the Church, whether Governours, or Teachers, or private Christians; for the Ma­nifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal. So that to one is given by the Spirit, the Word of Wisdom, to another the Word of Know­ledge, by the same Spirit, to another Faith by the same Spirit, 1 Cor. 12.7,8,9.

And the Graces and Assistances derived down from Christ the Head, to the several Members of his Spiritual Body, because they may be such as shall be necessary and proper for 'em, are distributed in such Measures and Proporti­ons as shall be wanting according to the diffe­rent Times and Occasions in the Church; and therefore in the first Ages, because there was a necessity of uncontroulable Evidences of the Truth of Christianity, as well to beat down the false Superstition of the Pagans, and the [Page 42] Antiquated Religion of the Jews, as to convince those who were to yield themselves up to be Christ's Disciples; for this reason therefore, did Christ, according to these greater Exigen­ces of the Church in those Times, bestow upon his Apostles divers extraordinary Gifts of Mi­racles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, divers kinds of Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues, 1 Cor. 12.10. And so much for the first of these Pri­vileges made over to us in the Covenant.

THE VII. LECTURE.

THis is the second of those invaluable Privi­ledges made over to us on God's part, in the Covenant of Grace. To make you sensible of the vastness of which, I will,

• First, Shew you what is meant in Scripture, and here in your Catechism, by a Child of God.
• Secondly, What an inestimable Privilege ac­cordingly it is to be a Child of God. And,

I. As to the Importance of the Words; A Child of God, is a Phrase which bears various Acceptations in the Holy Scriptures, which must all of them be cousider'd, ere we can come to the proper meaning of it here in the Catechism.

And, First, In the highest, most natural, and most proper meaning of the Word, there is He who is the Son, or Child of God by an Eternal Ge­neration, viz. our Saviour Jesus Christ, who be­ing begotten of God the Father from all Eter­nity, in a peculiar, inconceivable, and inexpres­sible manner, so as to be coequal and coeternal with the Father himself, is called the only Begot­ten Son of God, Joh. 3.16. But this is a Sense infinitely too high for either Angels or Men to pretend to.

Secondly, By a Temporary Creation all reaso­nable Creatures, both Angels and Men, are the Sons of God, as may be gathered from Job 1.6. and Luke 3.38. But that which is meant by the Son of God here in the Catechism, being a Pri­vilege such as all Mankind cannot pretend to, this is a sense too wide wherein to understand the Phrase.

Thirdly, By Spiritual Regeneration, all those who have been sanctify'd by the Holy Spirit, and have their whole Natures and Dispositions so altered for the better, that from Vicious and Ungodly, they are chang'd to Vertuous and Ho­ly Tempers and Inclinations; in a way of Spi­ritual Regeneration, I say, all Holy Men and Wo­men are the Children of God: So the Apostle af­firms, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, Rom. 8.14.

But then, since it is plain, that in Scripture many are called the Children of God, who are no more dutiful to their Father which is in Hea­ven, than all Children are to their Natural Pa­rents, according to that complaint of God a­gainst [Page 44] such, Hear, O Heaven, and give Ear, O Earth, for I the Lord have spoken it; I have nourished and brought up Children, and they have Rebelled against me, Isai. 1.2. And since in the Catechism it is required of every Baptized Per­son to Answer, that in his Baptism he was made a Child of God, whereas many Baptized Persons are not actually renew'd and converted; It must therefore follow, that a Child of God by Spiritual Regeneration or Godlike Imitation must be a meaning of the Phrase as much too nar­row to be the sense of it here in the Cate­chism, as a Child by Creation was too wide.

Fourthly and Lastly, Then, by a Child of God must be meant in the Catechism, every one who may be so stiled either by a Covenant Re­lation, or by virtue of Adoption. By a Cove­nant Relation all those who have enter'd into the Covenant of Grace, and have been Baptized into Christ's Church, and who do profess the true Religion, and themselves the Servants of the True God, are stiled his Sons, or Children. Thus 2 Cor. 6.16,17,18. you will find that with relation to all those, con­cerning whom God declared, He would be their God, and that they should be his People, which are the express Terms of the Covenant, be­twixt God and all Christians; as you will see, Heb. 8.10. And with relation to all those whom he commanded to come out from among the Gentiles, and to be separate, and not to touch the unclean thing, that is, not to partake in their Idolatry, which is the very Description of the Members of Christ's Church; I say, with rela­tion [Page 45] to all these, he declar'd He would be a Fa­ther unto 'em, and that they should be his Sons and Daughters. So that by virtue of their Cove­nant-Relation, all Baptized Persons may be truly stiled the Children of God.

And so also by virtue of their Adoption, which according to the use of it, both among the Jews and Gentiles, was the Taking in of a Stranger, up­on the want or loss of Natural Issue, into the Rela­tion of a Child, and into the Rights and Privi­leges of a Son by Nature.

And now that we may understand how we Christians, especially such of us as are descen­ded from the Gentiles, are accordingly Adopted to be the Children of God, we are to consider that to the Israelites did once pertain the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Service of God, and the Promises, Rom. 9.4. But that Covenant, by entring in­to which they were made his Children, was only Temporary, to last no longer than till the Publishing of the Gospel; after which they, and all Christians were to be Children of God by Faith in Christ. Before that Faith, or the Gospel came, the Jews were kept under the Law, shut up unto the Faith, which should afterwards be revealed, which was their School-Master, to bring them to Christ; but after that Faith, or the Go­spel was come, they were to be no longer under a School Master, but were to be Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ, Gal. 3.23,24,25,26. And accordingly, when the fulness of Time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the [Page 46] Law, that they might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gal. 4.4,5. But the Jews adhering to their Law, and refusing Christ and his Gospel, in whom God had predestinated all into the Adoption of Children, Eph. 1.5. the Apostles upon this their Con­tempt of the Gospel-Covenant, turned them­selves unto the Gentiles, preaching Christ and Salvation unto them; And to as many as received him, to them he gave Power, or the Right and Pri­vilege, to be the Sons of God, John 1.12. So that by a Child of God, you see, is meant in the Cate­chism, not every Child by Creation, which is a sense too wide; nor on the other side only a Child of God by Regeneration, which is a sense as much too narrow: But every one is such, who has en­tred into Covenant with God, and whom the Heavenly Father has thereupon Adopted into his Family, to partake of the Privileges which be­long to his Adopted Sons; which brings me,

Secondly, To enquire what an inestimable Pri­vilege accordingly it is to be made a Child of God. And in general, it is such as an indulgent, but wise Father, may be suppos'd to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers. But more particularly, the

First Privilege belonging to us upon the ac­count of this Relation of being made the Children of God, is pardon of Sins, upon condition of our hearty Repentance, which is more than what Aliens and Strangers from the Covenant have any sure Grounds to hope, as may be concluded from Eph. 2.11,12,13,14.

Secondly, By being his Children, he will not be so severe as to mark what is done amiss by [Page 47] Sins of Infirmity. The first Covenant made no allowance for any the least Offence. Its Lan­guage was, In the Day thou shalt eat thereof, thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2.17. But the Voice of the Gospel, tho' it be exprest by the Psalmist, is, As a Father pitieth his own Children, even so the Lord pitieth them that fear him; that is, who do not willingly displease him, Psal. 103.13.

Thirdly, To the Children of God is granted an easier access by Prayer, to the Throne of Grace, for pardon of Sins, and other Mercies, than was to either Jews or Gentiles, who for want of such gracious Covenant Promises as we enjoy, were kept in a servile Fear. Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear, as under the Law, but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry unto God, Abba, Father, Rom. 8.15.

Lastly, A Child of God is more surely in­stated in the Heritance of Heaven, than others. If a Child of God, then Heirs, we are told, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Christ, Rom. 8.17. But the vastness of this Privilege will best be considered in our Explication of the next Arti­cle of our Baptismal Covenant, viz. what is meant by an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

THE VIII. LECTURE.

THis is the third of those Privileges con­ferr'd upon us by the second Covenant; and the Perfection it is of all God's Promises and Favours vouchsafed to us therein. It comes last and Crowns all the rest. Be faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. And that I may so explain it to you, as to ex­cite you thereby to render your selves capable to be Partakers thereof.

• First, I will shew what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Secondly, What it imports to be an Inheritor of it.
• And then lastly, I will lay before you the vastness of our Privilege in being made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

And 1st. By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant in Scripture, either first the Kingdom of Grace in this Life; or secondly, The Kingdom of Glory in the Life to come. First, By the Kingdom of Grace in this Life, is to be understood that Happy and Blessed State of us Christians, now [Page 49] under the Gospel; wherein we enjoy the Hap­piness of living under a Government, wholly made up of manifold Graces and Favours; ha­ving a most Gracious God governing us by most Gracious and Reasonable Laws, affording us a plentiful measure of Divine Grace and As­sistance to perform those Laws, and proposing to us most encouraging Rewards to a diligent observance of them. It is this happy State which was foretold by St. John the Baptist to be ap­proaching, Mat. 3.2. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And it is this, for an undue Enter­tainment of which, the Scribes and Pharisees were upbraided. Mat. 13.24.

And the reason why this State of the Gospel should be so often dignified, as we find it is in Scripture, with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven, is because it so directly tends to ren­der Men so exactly like the blessed Saints and Inhabitants in Heaven, according to that noble Prophecy concerning the genuine Nature and Disposition of the Gospel, Isa. 11. which you would do well to consult at large. But,

Secondly, By the Kingdom of Heaven, here in the Catechism, is to be understood the King­dom of Glory, mentioned Matth. 5.3,20. Chap. 7.21. and elsewhere. That exalted State of Bliss in Heaven, I say, which is a State so glorious, that there is nothing wherein we can imagine the greatest Glory and Happiness, as a Kingdom, a Crown, a Throne, a Marriage, a Feast, but are set forth to represent to us the Joys and Glories of our Future State; and yet as if a Kingdom, a Crown, a Throne, were [Page 50] infinitely too short to set forth the Joys and Glories of Heaven, and those infinite Blessings which do await the Sons of God: St. John tells us, It does not yet appear what we shall be, 1 Joh. 3.2.

II. And having thus seen what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven; next, let us enquire what it is to be an Inheritor of it. And Heirship does betoken something of Privilege more than ordinary, as you will find Gen. 21.10. And as among Men an Heir is one, whose Estate is not precariously depending upon the meer Will and arbitrary Pleasure of another, but he has it so settled and secured to him, as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to him, so long as he does not forfeit his Title by not performing the Conditions on which it de­pends: So in Christianity, an Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven, does not depend meerly upon the Ʋnco­venanted Goodness of God for his Hopes of Heaven and Happiness; but he is one, who being taken into the Relation of a Child of God, has through Christ a legal Claim to the Joys of Heaven, If a Son, then an Heir of God through Christ, Gal. 4.7. As an Heir, I say, he has a legal Claim and Title to the unspeakable Glories made over to him by God; God having by solemn Promise engaged to bestow upon him the most unspeakable Joys of Heaven, provided he swerves not from his Allegiance and Obedience to him; but renouncing all God's Enemies, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, he will Believe in him, and Obey him, truly and faithfully, all the Days of his Life. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they [Page 51] may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the Gates into the City, Rev. 22.14.

III. And now it will appear, that to be thus an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven, is in it­self an exceeding great Privilege. And if com­par'd with what others enjoy, a most singular one also.

1. Consider it in it self, and what can be a greater than to have the invaluable Possession of Heaven so settled and ensured to us, as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to us in Christ? Then to have a Right to the Tree of Life, Rev. 22.14.

And if compar'd with what the Heathens en­joy of this Nature, it is a singular Privilege: For why? The best among the moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes, built upon uncertain Conjectures, of a Future Happiness. And their Hopes being faint, they could not in the strength thereof overcome any mighty Temptations: But the Christian Hopes are sure and stedfast, as founded upon the express Promises and Cove­nant of the God of Truth: For God, willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the im­mutability of his Counsel, confirmed it by an Oath: That by two immutable Things, in which it was im­possible for God to lye, we might have a strong Con­solation, Heb. 6.17,18.

And in Hopes being so strong, and so firmly grounded, there is no Temptation so alluring, nor Suffering so great, which he may not over­come in virtue of the same. He that hath this Hope purifieth himself even as God is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3. [Page 52] And he may, with St. Paul, be perswaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principa­lities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate him from the Love of God which is in Christ, Rom. 8.38,39.

But suppose a well-moralized Heathen could have a Certainty that God would reward his Vertue, yet depending only upon the Ʋncove­nanted Goodness of God, he could promise him­self no greater measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve, which alas must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven; since the best upon Exami­nation will find themselves to have been but un­profitable Servants, Luk. 17.10. But a Chri­stian, to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory, may, without presumption, rely upon him to make good the same. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which God the Righ­teous Iudge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim. 4.7,8.

And now to sum up those infinitely Gracious and Invaluable Privileges made over to us on God's part in the Covenant of Grace; hereby we are made, First, Members of Christ, that is, are made Members of that Body of which Christ is the Head, (viz.) the Church; and so have to­gether with a most excellent Body of Religion and Laws, all necessary Grace and Assistance con­veyed and communicated to us, as Members [Page 53] from him the Head, to enliven, support, and enable us in the Discharge of all those Religious Duties, and Christian Performances, requir'd at our hands.

The second Privilege is, that we are also hereby made Children of God; that is, having embrac'd Christianity, and being Incorporated into the Church of Christ, we are thereby A­dopted, and Chosen out of the rest of the World, by God, to enjoy this grand Privilege of Sons, to have Pardon granted us, when with the Prodigal Son we return home to him our Offended, but Gracious God, by Repentance. And we shall find him not over severe in respect of our lesser Failings, and the unavoidable In­firmities of our Nature, but shall always have him ready to hear our Prayers for Mercy, both in respect of our greater and lesser Trans­gressions.

And, lastly, the third Privilege you have been now told is this, That to compleat all, we are made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Hea­ven; that is, we have a Right and Title to the unspeakable Joys and Glories of Heaven se­cur'd to us; a Privilege which consider'd in it­self is exceeding great, and as all the rest, if compar'd with what others enjoy, is a very singular one.

These now are the inestimable Privileges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace; Privileges, which as they are of infinite Advan­tage to us, so we shall never fail of obtaining them, if we will but take care to perform the Conditions requir'd on our Parts; and so, First, [Page 54] renounce the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh. Secondly, on Condition we will believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith: And thirdly, obey God's holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same all the Days of our Lives. Which Conditions, what they are, and what they do import, I come next to declare unto you.

THE IX. LECTURE.

IN my Explication of these Words, A Mem­ber of Christ, a Child of God, and an In­heritor of the Kingdom of Heaven, having given you to understand those inestimable Privileges made over to us on God's part, in the Cove­nant of Grace; I come now to do the same as to the Condition on ours, shewing you,

First, What it is to Renounce the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh. In or­der to which,

I. I will shew you who the Devil is, and what are his Works, and what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works, and how absolute­ly necessary it is we should do so.

And First, by the Devil, is to be understood that wicked and infernal Spirit, who is chief of all the Enemies both of God and Man. He was once, as may be gathered from his Supe­riority to Michael the Archangel, who upon that Account durst not bring a railing Accusation against him, Jude 9. the highest Angel, the most glorious Spirit; but having himself re­volted from God, and withdrawn many Legions of inferior Angels into the same horrid Con­spiracy with himself, he was banished Heaven into those dark Mansions of Sorrow, which we call Hell, there to be reserved unto the Judgment of the Great Day, Jude 6. But being a Prisoner at large, and being acted with a Spirit of Enmity to, and Revenge against the Glory of God, he afterwards withdrew Mankind also to join with him in his Rebellion; as may be seen in the Hi­story of Adam's Fall, Gen. 3. And in process of time prevailed so far, till God's Authority was almost utterly banished from among Men, both Jews and Gentiles, by that time our Saviour came into the World, being dead in Trespasses and Sin; wherein in time past they walked accord­ing to the Course of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience, Eph. 2.1,2. Where­upon, at last, the Son of God came into the World to recover Mankind from under the Dominion of Satan, as we read 1 Joh. 3.8. The [Page 56] Devil sinneth from the beginning; and for this pur­pose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil. Which brings me,

2. To enquire what are the Works of the Devil: And in general they appear,

• First, To be Sin.
• Secondly, The tempting of us to Sin.

And the first general Work of the Devil is Sin: So the Apostle, 1 Joh. 3.8. The Devil sin­neth from the beginning. Now by Sin God's Au­thority is thrown off, his Government disown'd, and his Power defy'd. And therefore whosoever does wilfully sin, does strike against God's Au­thority; for which cause no Sin should be made light of, much less the Subject of our Mirth and Laughter.

But there are some Sins which are more par­ticularly the Works of the Devil; namely, First, such as are more directly levelled against God's Authority, as Idolatry, Sorcery, Charming, Witchcraft, and Conjuring; as also resorting to such as use those unlawful Arts. So also, se­condly, are such as express more of the Devil's Temper than others; as Pride, and Malice. And lastly, such as are more the Devil's Practice than other Sins; as Murther, Apostacy, Lying, or E­vil-speaking. The Devil was a Murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him; when he speaketh a Lye, he speak­eth of his own, for he is a Lyar, and the Father of it. John 8.44. And thus having seen who the De­vil is, and, secondly, what are his Works of Sin.

III. We are next to enquire what it is to Renounce the Devil, and all his Works of Sin, and how necessary it is we should do so.

And as to the importance of the Word Re­nounce, when it is said we must Renounce the De­vil, and all his Works; to Renounee the Devil, in the Sense of the Ancient Church, was to disclaim his usurp'd Dominion and Authority over Man­kind. For the Devil, at the first rise of Chri­stianity especially, having obtain'd a visible Kingdom, and in a manner an Universal Mo­narchy over Men: whence he is called the Prince of this World, John 14.30. and the God of this VVorld, 2 Cor. 4.4. When therefore any were converted from Paganism to Christianity, the Primitive Christians did expresly require from all that were admitted into that Kingdom of God, the Church of Christ, a publick and an open Renunciation, or Abjuration, of the De­vil; or an utter disowning and abandoning the Devil's Authority, and the paying any Ho­mage, Service, or Obedience to him, by wor­shiping him, or his wicked Angels. And to Renounce his Works of Sin, was, in their Sense, to abandon and forsake every Sin, as being the proper Service of the Devil; and in the real meaning of it, no less than a throwing off God's Authority, and a disowning his Power. And that this was the primitive Sense and meaning of Baptismal Renunciation, may be gather'd from Rom. 6.11. Where we shall see, that Christians being Baptiz'd, were to reckon themselves to be dead unto Sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Load.

And now if it be demanded, how far we are thus to renounce and disclaim both the Devil, and all his Works of Sin, we must absolutely and entirely [Page 58] Renounce both. For why? There is nothing but Evil proceeds from Satan, who is there­fore by way of Eminence stiled the wicked One, Mat. 13.19. And as to his Works of Sin, whe­ther we consider Sin in itself, or in its sad Effect and Consequents, it is the utmost Evil. So that no Sin, or any thing the least of Sin, must willingly be complied with: For if a Man keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all. Jam. 2.10.

And indeed if the Nature of Satan, and of Sin, and the horrid Consequence of yielding to either, were well considered, it is hardly pos­sible not absolutely and entirely to Renounce both: For as the Devil is the worst, and most dread­ful, Being in the World; so he that committeth Sin is of the Devil, as we are told, 1 Joh. 3.8. that is, he is of the Devil's Party, he is a Sharer in the Devil's Rebellion against God, and in his cur­sed Designs to destroy the Divine Authority. But however, whether People will consider it, or no, so necessary it is that every Christian should absolutely and entirely renounce the Devil, and all his Works of Sin; that this, if you do not do, you will forfeit all your Right and Title to those infinite Blessings held forth to you in the Covenant of Grace, and purchased for you by the Blood of Christ. If you do not en­tirely Renounce the Devil, by having nothing to do with him, in his foul Rebellion against God, you will be accounted no Members of Christ's Church, but of the Synagogue of Satan; as the Apostatizing Gnosticks, those great Enemies of God, are called, Rev. 2.9. and that for their [Page 59] Halting betwixt God and Satan. And except you do also utterly renounce his Works of Sin, by abandoning every known Sin, as that whereby the Divine Authority is thrown aside, and his Power disown'd, you will be far from being Children of God, that you will be stil'd no better than the Children of the Devil: For whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin, as it is said 1 Joh. 3.9. that is, Does keep himself strictly from all deliberate Sin. And in this the Children of God are manifested, and the Children of the De­vil; whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God, as the Apostle goes on, v. 10. And who else is it, think ye, but he who overcometh the Devil, and all his Works of Sin, that shall ever Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven? Why he, and none else, shall Inherit so inestimable a Blessing. We are assur'd, Rev. 21.7,8. He that overcometh shall inherit all Things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. But the Fearful, and Ʋnbe­lieving, and Abominable, and Murtherers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars, shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second Death. So necessary upon these several Accounts it is, that accordingly, as has been explain'd, you should Renounce, that is, Disclaim, Abhor, and Abandon the Devil, and all his Works of Sin; which that you may all of you do, God Almighty grant, of his infinite Mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE X. LECTURE.

I Have already shew'd you who the Devil is; that he is a Spirit, who Rebels against the Power and Authority of God: And I have also shew'd you, in part, what are his Works, prin­cipally his Works of Sin, whereby he has all along, and does still, continue to rebel against his Maker.

Secondly, And now I am to shew you, that as Sin, so his tempting us to Sin, is another main and principal Work of the Devil; And also I shall shew you in what Sense, and how far, we must Renounce such his Temptations.

Now to Tempt, is in the general Notion of the Word, to make tryal of a Person, and is a Thing either morally Good, or Evil, according to the End for which such a Tryal and Experi­ment is made. And if it be to prove a Man's Vertue, or to discover his Corruption, this is no more than what is consistent with the Justice, Wisdom, and Goodness of a Governor to do: For even God himself tempted Abraham to slay his Son Isaac, that so having try'd his Faith, he might Reward him for it. Gen. 22.2. And [Page 61] he also tempted or try'd Hezekiah, whether he would vainly and ostentatiously shew to the Ambassadors of Babylon his great Wealth; and this was done in order to discover to that Prince his own Hypocrisy and Corruption, and the Pride of his Heart, that so he might be humbled in the Sight and Sense thereof. 2 Chron. 32.31.

But now these Temptations of God are not such as we are to Renounce; but rather, if of the former kind, and in order to try our Faith, We have reason to count it all Joy when we fall into them; knowing this, that the tryal of our Faith worketh Patience, James 1.2,3. And if they are of the later kind, and to discover our Corruption, they tend to make us better.

But as for those Temptations which are pro­perly the Works of the Devil, there is quite a different End in them; and they are design'd meerly to enforce and ensnare a Person into some Sin, that so God may be affronted, his Government despis'd, and that his Anger be­ing kindled, the Sinner may be punish'd for his Transgression. And because it is to this End that the Devil tempts us, he is therefore so frequently in the Scripture, particularly, Mat. 4.3. and 1 Thes. 3.5. stil'd the Tempter.

And since it does so infinitely concern us to know his Temptations, and in what Ways and Methods he usually prevails against Men, lest Satan should get an Advantage over you, I will reduce and consider them under these several Heads. First, Such whereby he attempted the whole Race of Mankind, to draw them off from their [Page 62] Obedience to God, to do Service to him. Secondly, Such as he Levels against the Church of Christ. Thirdly, Such as he Points against the most eminent Members in the Church. And, Fourthly, Against any Persons indifferently, on purpose to draw them into Sin. And,

I. Let us consider his first and more general Temptations, those whereby he attempted the whole Race of Mankind, to draw them off from their Obe­dience to God to do Service to him. And the Means whereby he attempted the universal Rebellion of Mankind were,

1. By Insinuating into the Minds of Adam and Eve false Notions of God, and an ill Opinion of their Maker and Governor, particularly with respect to his Justice and Mercy: He insinuated, That it would have been an unjust Tyranny to give Men Appetites, and not Liberty to gratify them with what they please; and therefore though Adam should transgress the Command of God, forbidding him to eat of the Forbidden Fruit, it might be presum'd the Divine Mercy would not permit God to punish the Sin, Thou shalt not surely die, Gen. 3.4. But all such wrong Con­ceptions concerning the Justice and Mercy of God, as they are still too common, so they are to be look'd upon as the Suggestions of Satan, and are to be renounc'd accordingly.

2. And so must that next fatal Wile of his, whereby under the Pretence of enlarging our first Parents Knowledge of Good and Evil, Gen. 3.5. by making an Experimental Knowledge of Sin, he brought Ignorance of Divine Things into his Understanding, from whence there [Page 63] cou'd issue out nothing but Ill. The Mind of Man naturally desires Knowledge; but no sooner do we experimentally know Sin, but such filthy Steams of Lust fume up, as do cloud the Mind, so that it cannot perceive with so much quick­ness, as before, Divine and Spiritual Things: And even meer curiosity after less profitable Matters takes off from the Knowledg of God and our selves, and the Means of Happiness; whence not many wise Men after the Flesh are cal­led, 1 Cor. 1.26. And now the Devil, by thus encreasing sinful and useless Knowledg, having brought in an Ignorance of what is truly Good and Profitable to be known, to the Ruin of our first Parents in the beginning, and to the De­struction of many ever since: The making there­fore an experimental Knowledg of Sin, as also Cu­riosity about less concerning Matters, is another of Satan's Politicks, which must be renounced and avoided by us.

3. Satan did in the beginning, and does to this day, inveigle the greatest part of Mankind into Sin, by Bribing their Affections with some­thing that is nearest their Hearts; and rather than disoblige, or lose which, they will com­mit any Thing that is Evil. Thus he tempted Eve, with the Fairness of the Forbidden Fruit; and Adam, by the Solicitations of his Beloved Wife. Gen. 3.6. And thus he does continue to ensnare us, by whatever we do place our Af­fections most upon: And therefore does our Saviour caution us in such unusual Terms, a­gainst loving too much our very nearest Rela­tions; telling us, That if any one come to him, and [Page 64] hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife and Chil­dren, and Brethren, and Sisters, yea, and his own Life also, he cannot be my Disciple, Luk. 14.26. that is, he would have us beware lest our fond Affection to them should withdraw us from God; and he would have us therefore bear such an Indifferency of Affection, even towards our very nearest Relations, as to be able to for­sake them, and their Interests, rather than God.

4. The last of these more general Sort of Temptations, which Satan did spread before our first Parents, and does still before us, and that such a One as he might contrive the highest dishonour to God thereby, was his raising their Lusts and Appetites, by the Proposal of such Things as would gratify them, to rebel against their Reason. Thus when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was pleasant to the Eye, she took of the Fruit thereof, and did eat. Gen. 3.6. And nothing could be contriv'd to reflect more dishonour upon God, than to have the most brutish Part of us gra­tified before him. But so it is, that by the very same Methods he does prevail to this day with the greatest part of Mankind to rebel against God: For Man being made up very much of Sense, so that nothing enters into the Soul but through the Door of our Senses, we are most of us easily prevail'd upon by what gratisies them, especially the Senses of Seeing and Tasting. But our being thus taken with outward Things, so as to disobey God for the sake of them, is so high an Ingratitude to our great Benefactor, who hath provided so much [Page 65] better for us, and such an Abuse to our own Souls, which are capable of relishing higher Enjoyments, as is not to be endur'd; and the Temptation therefore by those sensible things which will most gratifie our Appetites, must be resisted by us. And so much for the first sort of Satan's Temptation, those whereby he attempted the whole Race of Mankind, to draw them off from the Obedience of God, to do Service to him.

THE XI. LECTURE.

MY present Undertakings, is to lay open be­fore you the Temptations of Satan; and in order thereunto, I have already shew'd you by what Temptations and Methods he over­threw the whole Race of Mankind, and drew it off from Obedience to God, to do Service to him. And now,

II. I shall discover to you such as he le­vels against the Church of Christ, the true Ser­vants of God, either utterly to destroy them from off the Face of the Earth, or at leastwise so to corrupt the Notions of God and Religion, that by [Page 66] their very Christianity they may dishonour Him.

And, in order to know this, we must con­sider, that no sooner had Satan seduc'd the whole Race of Mankind into a most unnatural and ungrateful Rebellion against their Maker, but God, out of his infinite Goodness did re­cover to his Service a Body of Men, the Church, listing them under the Seed of the Woman, Je­sus Christ, to Fight against Satan. And the Devil being enrag'd to have his Prey thus snatch'd out of his Teeth, continually attacks it. And indeed,

His first and chief Endeavours have been to de­stroy the Church of God from off the Face of the Earth. And this he endeavour'd to do by nip­ping it in the Bud, by the Murther of Abel, to slay whom he excited his Brother Cain. And when he fail'd in this, and the Church was afterwards recruited in the Family of Seth, yet he reduc'd it again by the bloody Poste­rity of Cain to eight Persons in the Days of Noah.

Nay, and when after the Flood, God chose Abraham and his Posterity, to be a special Peo­ple unto himself, Satan did again endeavour utterly to extinguish them by his Servant Pha­raoh. And indeed, in all Periods till our Sa­viour's coming, he stirr'd up the Idolatrous Nations, their Neighbours, especially the four Monarchies, to harrass them.

But when our Saviour Christ appeared in the World, then did he most vigorously exert his Malice against it; so that for the first 300 Years we hear of nothing but bloody Persecu­tions. [Page 67] The Emperors of Rome, true it is, were the Instruments, but Satan was the Instigator. And to this day, wheresoever any Attempt is made to Convert a Country from Paganism, he does instigate the Princes and People thereof to persecute and destroy the Preachers of the Go­spel. Nor is he less industrious to drive Christia­nity out of those Countries wherein it has gain'd possession. And even in the Bowels of Chri­stendom, he has an Antichristian, and Persecu­ting Party, most sadly weak'ning Christ's, and most effectually promoting the Interests of his own Kingdom; of which the whole Book of Revelations may serve for a Testimony. Thus does the Devil first attack the Church, by the most violent and furious Methods.

And now all Christians are so far to re­nounce Satan, with respect to these his Perse­cuting Temptations, as to submit to the sorest Sufferings which he and his wicked Instru­ments can inflict, rather than deny Christ and his Truths; for this our Saviour has made the indispensible Condition of Salvation to all his Followers, Matth. 16.24 If any Man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me. But,

Secondly, When these bloody Methods fail him, and instead of extinguishing Christianity, the Blood of the Martyrs proves the Seed of the Church: Then with all the Art and close Contri­vance possible, does he endeavour to corrupt Mans Notions of God and Religion, so that by their very Christianity they may dishonour him.

These Politick Methods of his are discover'd to us, Matth. 13.24. under the Parable of a malicious Enemy coming privately in the Night, and sowing Tares where the Husband-man had before sown good Seed. And Satan, like a skil­ful Husband-man himself, is exquisitely choice about the Nature of the Seed, the Temper and Preparedness of the Soil, the Fitness of the Season, and the Skilfulness of the Seedsmen which he does employ.

And, First, As to the Nature of the Seed, he takes care his Heretical Opinions and Prac­tices should bear some resemblance of Divine Truth, that so he may the better conceal their discovery. And therefore he does gild his Errors where the Light of the Gospel does most clearly shine, as here amongst us, in this following Method; 1. Under the plausible ap­pearance of advancing God's Honour in some of his Attributes, he endeavours to render him odious, and despis'd in others; as under the co­lour of advancing God's Power and Dominion, he makes him absolutely to decree Mens Repro­bation and Condemnation, to the Disparage­ment of the Divine Goodness and Mercy.

2. It is usual with him, or his Agents, under the colour of advancing Gospel-Truths, to pro­pagate Heresies, which do undermine Religion, and the necessity of a Holy Life; as under the pretence of exalting Free Grace, to preach down the necessity of our own inherent Evan­gelical Righteousness.

3. Nothing is a more common Artifice of this Deceiver, than to exalt some eminent [Page 69] Christian Duty, or some part of a Duty, or one way of performing a Duty to the dispa­ragement of another; as to prefer Prayer to the neglect of Preaching, or Sermons to the contempt of Prayer. As also Praying by the Spirit, is by his subtilty made to justle out Bodily Worship, and Extemporary Prayer is most fatally extoll'd to the Contempt of Forms of Prayer; by which means Satan has utterly defeated, and rendred useless to too many, both Families and Private Persons, as well as Publick Congregations, those excellent Helps of Devotion we have in our Church, and has brought in a total neglect in a manner, of Publick, Family, and of Private Prayers. Thus does Satan make choice of such Tares to sow in the Field as do nearly resemble the pure Seed. He cunningly gilds over, and disguises his Errors with something of a resem­blance of Divine Truth, in order to prevent their Discovery.

Nor secondly, Is he less skilful in judging of the preparedness of the Soil; for in those Churches where the Scriptures are lock'd up, and Igno­rance prevails, he imposes there the grossest He­resies as Articles of Faith; especially into such he introduces Idolatry, and Superstition, where­by he is most directly and immediately serv'd.

Thirdly, And as to the fitness of the Season, he is wonderfully dexterous in accommodating his Counsels, his Actions, and his manner of acting to such Seasons as are most proper to his purpose of seducing Mankind. Hence in dark and ignorant Ages, nothing so common as the Apparition of Saints, as was pretended; and [Page 70] under this shape he appeared in order to intro­duce the Belief of Purgatory, Image-Worship, and the like Superstition. And on the contrary in Learned and Philosophical Ages he is as shy in appearing, lest he should destroy the prevailing Saducism, which denies the Being of Spirits.

Fourthly, And as to the skilfulness of the Seeds­man, Satan is wonderfully cunning in making choice of fit and proper Instruments, and in fur­nishing those with the proper Arts of deceiving, and with suitable Qualities, whom he employs to sow the Seed of Corrupt Doctrine in the Souls of Men. This the Holy Spirit is parti­cularly careful to inform us of, and to forewarn us against, especially 2 Cor. 11.14. where the Apostle tells us, That as Satan himself is trans­formed into an Angel of Light, so that these Teachers, his Agents, who do infuse any of his false Doctrines into Mens Hearts, are deceitful Workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, v. 13. As for instance, such as place all Religion in Morality, shall be adorn'd with Hu­manity; and on the contrary, such as turn it all into Mystery, shall be gifted with Canting; and yet to see the crooked windings of this subtil Serpent, you shall often find that by Men of Godliness he will propagate such Principles as will open a way to a Flood of Immoralities, as is seen amongst the Antinomians. Thus does this great Deceiver with all the Art and close contrivance possible, endeavour to cor­rupt Mens Notions of God and Religion, so that by their very Christianity they may dis­honour him.

And there is not a more difficult part in a Christian's Warfare than to preserve ones self untainted with Heretical Pravity, coloured over with the Varnish of Gospel-Truth. But the Cheat must be discovered, and Satan's Arts here­in Resisted, and Renounced; for our Salvation depends upon it. Beloved believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they are of God, because many false Prophets are gone out into the World, 1 John. 4.1.

And the Scripture does give us two most in­fallible, and sufficient Rules whereby we may try these false Doctrines. The 1st is Matth. 1.10. You shall know them by their Fruits; that is, if the tendency of those plausible Doc­trines be to encourage, and countenance Men in any sin, they are undoubtedly false. The other Rule given us to this purpose, is, 1 John 4.2,3. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; eve­ry Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come into the Flesh, is not of God. By Jesus Christ be­ing come in the Flesh, is meant, that Jesus Christ took our Nature upon him, that he might be a Mediator betwixt God and us, to reconcile the Father to us, by his Satisfaction and Intercession for us. So that if there be any Doctrine which takes us off from our dependance upon the Me­diation of Christ, for the acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness, it is False and Hereti­cal.

And therefore from both those Rules put together, you may conclude, that tho' Satan's Agents seem never so demure, and appear ne­ver so sanctify'd, yet if they shall endeavour to [Page 72] instil into your Minds any undue Apprehensions of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, con­trary to what you are taught out of the Scrip­tures in the Doctrine of our Churches; or any pernicious Opinions, which in their Nature and Tendency shall render a Holy, Good Life, un­necessary to our Justification: The Teachers, I say, of either of those Doctrines, let them be never so plausible, you may assure your selves are no Ministers of Christ, but of Satan; and are set on work by him, to destroy God's Au­thority amongst Men, and to set up his own Throne in their Hearts; the thing he aims at. And therefore beware of these Wolves who come to you in Sheeps cloathing, you shall know them by their Fruits, Matth. 7.15,16.

THE XII. LECTURE.

IN my last Discourse, I laid before you such Temptations of Satan as he levels against the Church of Christ, the true Servants of God, with a Design, either utterly to destroy them, or so to corrupt their Worship, that by their very Religion they might dishonour their Maker.

III. I am now to shew, that next to his destroying of whole Churches, his great Industry is to gain over to his Party, or to tempt to some Grie­vous, and Scandalous Enormity, such Persons, as are more than ordinarily Eminent for their Rank or Quality, their Order, or their Piety in the Church of God.

First, Such as are most Eminent for their Rank or Quality. Hence Elymas the Sorcerer, that Child of the Devil, apply'd himself so dili­gently to Sergius Paulus, a Deputy, and great Man in his Country, to turn him from the Faith, Acts 13.7,8. And the Reason why Satan is so industrious to get over the Honourable, and the Rich to his Party, is because such being Leading Men, if their Examples be bad, they are of malignant Influence, because conspicuous: And because they will bring upon their Souls not only the guilt of their own, but also of other Mens sins; the Actions of Great Men ha­ving the force of a Precept, as well as of a Pat­tern, which Inferiors are afraid to shew their dislike of. So that it does infinitely concern Per­sons of Quality, of all Men living, utterly to Renounce the ways of sin, because their ill Ex­amples are of such bad and malignant Influence upon others.

Secondly, The Devil is wonderfully indu­strious to tempt into some scandalous sin, or wicked course of Life; or at leastwise to in­vent and propagate some scandalous story, a­gainst such as are eminent on the account of their Order, viz. the Ministers of Religion. And he is doubly enrag'd against such, both be­cause [Page 74] in the Nature and Design of their Office, they are to destroy his Kingdom; and because the rest of the World do altogether eye them for their Pattern. For this Reason no Temptati­on to draw such into some scandalous Enormity shall be left untry'd by him. So our Saviour told his Disciples, Behold Satan hath a desire to have you (you above all others) that he may sift you as Wheat, Luke 22.31. And the more in­dustrious a Minister of Religion is in doing good to the Souls of Men, the more watchful is Satan to overcome such a one. Nay, and this Impostor will so order it, that in the very way a Minister of the Gospel may be most serviceable to the Church of God, he will render him most mischievous, as by turning his Zeal into Faction, his Spiritual-mindedness into Enthusiasm.

And to see the Malice of this subtil Adver­sary, when with all his Wit, and Artifices, he cannot prevail over the Man of God, but that he is still baffled in all his Attempts upon him; then he sets his Agents, Slanderers, and Whis­perers on work (for that their Tongues are set on fire of Hell, the Scripture tells us, James 3.6.) to invent and propagate Scandals concerning him.

He knows very well how much it concerns the Interest of Religion, that the Reputation of its Ministers be kept unfully'd, and that slanderous Reports lessen the Authority and Influence of the Clergy, almost as much as real sin; and therefore it is, that Satan, and Satanical Men are so industrious to blast it; which St. Paul be­ing aware of, charges Timothy, that against an [Page 75] Elder, that is, against a Minister of Religion, he should not receive an Accusation under two or three Witnesses, 1 Tim. 5.19. that is, that he should utterly discourage the Defamation of the Clergy.

Thirdly, The Devil is most incessantly busied to tempt to the Commission of some Scandalous Enormity, such as are signal for their extraordi­nary Piety and Vertue. Good Men the Devil knows will be grievously scandalized at such a ones Fall: And the Atheistical will Triumph in it. And withal, the Laps'd Person will be ren­der'd almost uncapable ever after of Converting others by his Example, or Exhortations; ( except­ing the Matter of Ʋriah, is to this day a Blot in David's Scutcheon.) Therefore against this Bul­wark of Religion, the Devil draws up all his Ar­tillery, as is seen in the Case of Job, Chap. 1.2. and there is nothing he will so pride himself in, as in such a Conquest. The more exemplary therefore, and Pious any Man is, the more it concerns him to beware of Satan, and all his Temptations. Ye therefore, Beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware, lest ye also being led a­way with the Error of the Wicked, fall from your own stedfastness, but grow in Grace, and in the Know­ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 3.17,18. And so much for those Temptations which Satan our Adversary does more particu­larly level against such as are most considerable for their Rank, or Quality, their Order, or Piety in the Church of Christ.

THE XIII. LECTURE.

HAving in my last Discourse upon these Words of the Catechism discovered to you how in a more especial manner Satan does level all his Temptations against such as are more pe­culiarly eminent for their Rank, or their Quali­ty, their Order, or their Piety in the Church of Christ; I am now,

IV. And lastly, in order to a more full Display of that Work of the Devil, his tempting of us, to discover to you some of the more remarkable Temp­tations at leastwise, whereby he applies himself to all Persons indifferently considered, in the Church of Christ, be they high or low, to draw them into sin.

The Devil's Temptations are not easily known to be his, nor are they always distinguishable from those of the World, and the Flesh, which are manag'd and directed by him. However I shall undertake to discover some of the more conside­rable of Satan's, Temptations of this last kind, under these following Characters. As,

First, He permits, if not furthers Persons in a partial Obedience to God in some Particulars, the better to detain them perfect Slaves to him in [Page 77] others; and therefore, when Men are thus par­tially Obedient, it is call'd a Dividing betwixt God and Mammon, Luk. 16.13. And there is not a more fatal Delusion of Satan's than this is, especially when the partially Obedient exchange such sins of a scandalous Name, such as Drun­kenness and Lewdness, for their contrary Ver­tues, the Person becoming Chast and Sober, but yet notwithstanding, is possess'd with other Impieties of a higher Nature, such as Spiritual Pride, and a Sacrilegious Pretence to Inspiration, as is daily seen in most of the Quakers. In this Case it may be said, That the Ʋnclean Spirit went out of that Man, only to return into the House, from whence he went out, and to take with himself seven other Spirits more wicked than himself, that they en­tering in, and dwelling there, the last state of that Man might be worse than the first, Matth. 12.43,44,45. And there are not more irreclaima­ble sort of sinners than these are.

Secondly, It is usual with him to put plausible Names upon the worst sins, and under that dis­guise, to cheat Persons into a good Opinion of them, and then to commit them. And thus he tempted even our Saviour to throw himself headlong from the top of the Temple, and would have this presumption thought a trusting in God, Matth. 4.6. And most sins under this disguise, get Reputation amongst Men.

Thirdly, Nothing is a more usual Policy of his, than to change the Nature of several Divine Graces and Vertues, so that they degenerate in­to very great sins. This he does by transport­ing Persons out of the Moderation wherein Ver­tue [Page 78] does for the most part consist, into that Excess, which much resembles it, but is really very sinful and hurtful to Men's Souls. Thus the Corinthians Zeal against the sin of Incest, had like to have been heightened into an irreconcila­bleness to the Sinners, which was called a Device of Satan's, 2 Cor. 2.11. And it is seldom that sins of this nature are ever repented of; for even when your Zealots, and Bigots do Murder and Persecute, they think they do God good Service, John 16.2.

Fourthly, It is a most destructive Policy of Sa­tan's to put Novices and new Beginners in the Spiritual Life, upon undertaking Severities greater than they can go through with, on design that when they grow weary thereof, they may, together with their voluntary Severities, throw all Religion aside, as too burthensome, and not at all practicable. And that this is a Policy of Satan's we may see, 1 Cor 7.5. And yet to see the crooked windings of this wily Serpent, as much as he is for screwing Persons up to Excess in Religion.

Fifthly, Satan by injecting evil thoughts into our Minds, to disorder and disturb our Devo­tions, is very industrious to unhallow, and spoil those Services whereby we shall really, and im­mediately, and directly honour and glorifie our Maker, and benefit our own Souls. Thus we read, Job 1.6. That when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also amongst them. And that in hearing the Word; he brings a drowsiness and inadver­tency upon the Hearers, on purpose to hinder its [Page 79] Efficacy, is seen, Matth 13.19. When any one heareth the Word, and understandeth it not, or con­siders it not, then cometh the wicked one and catch­eth away that which was sown in the Heart.

Sixthly, The Devil observing the outward wants and necessities of Persons is wont to tempt them to the use of unlawful and undue Means to remove those Evils. And that thus he tempted our Saviour you will see, Matth. 4.2,3. and would have him out of an impatience of waiting the ordinary Means of satisfying his hunger, to tempt God to feed him super­naturally, and by way of Miracle.

Seventhly, The Devil knowing every parti­cular Persons inward Dispositions, both of Body and Mind, better many times than he himself does, he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy, as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a one, to commit some grievous sin. And hence no doubt it is, that Persons of a melan­choly temper of Mind, are so apt above others, to be troubled with Blasphemous Thoughts, tho' Persons of great Piety, and are sometimes tempted to kill themselves. Both these appre­hensions are some of those fiery darts of the wicked one, mentioned, Eph. 6.16. and are cast into the Soul at such times, when they are least able to repel them.

Eighthly, The great Battery of the Devil, whereby he does storm the Innocency, and shake the Constancy of the greatest part of Mankind, is his representing to the Fancies of Men, the Conveniency of Riches, the Glory of Honours, and the Sweetness of Pleasures, thereby to [Page 80] bribe them to Rebel against God, and to sin a­gainst their own Souls. And thus, when he had fail'd in all other means, he tempted our Sa­viour; and when he found that this would not do, he then left him, Matth. 4.9,11. And such is Satan's management here, that in his Re­presentation of this World's Goods, he shews only the outside of those things to allure us into sin, industriously concealing all that is hurtful therein, which could deter Men from it; and therefore,

Ninthly, When any have been once prevail'd upon by the Conveniency, the Beauty, the Ho­nour, or the Pleasure of any of these outward things, which the Devil has represented to their Fancies, to commit sin to obtain them: Then he fails not to lay the Shame, and Disgrace of their sins before them, and will persuade them to commit another horrid wickedness, to hide from the Eyes of Men the shame of the former. All which management of his, is seen in the case of David with Ʋriah, and his Wife Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11 ch.

Tenthly, When he has once engag'd such a Per­son into many notorious Crimes, he will then either lull him into a fatal security, whereby he foolishly persuades himself, that God will deal more mercifully with him, than he has de­clared in his World; or else Satan will not fail to present at last to such an enormous Sinner's Conscience, the infinite Guilt and Horror of his Crimes, to make him, if he can, despair that ever they will be forgiven, they are so many and monstrous: That so the Sinner may never [Page 81] endeavour to repent, or so much as fly to God in Prayer, to have mercy on him. And now,

Lastly, There are a Sort of far gone Sinners, whom God in Punishment does abandon over to the Devil, to be wholly in a manner ordered and acted by him. And these are of Three Sorts.

First, Such ill-disposed Minds, as out of ha­tred to the ways of God, and out of love to their own Lusts, do endeavour to possess their Minds with such Principles; and do seek to themselves such Teachers, as will make Sin easy to their Consciences, and will reconcile the hopes of Heaven, and a bad Life together. As to such Men, Because they receive not the Love of the Truth, that they might be saved, God does threaten to send them strong Delusions, that they should believe a Lye. 2 Thes. 2.10,11.

Secondly, There is a farther degree of this Sort of Sinners, who seem to be wholly aban­don'd by God, and yielded up to Satan to be manag'd by him at his Pleasure; and they are such, who in a long Course of many Damning Sins, have laid waste the Conscience, have baf­fled at length all the Methods of his Grace to reclaim them, and have resisted and Grieved his Holy Spirit so long, till Grace be wholly with­drawn from them: And such are stiled Children of Disobedience, in whom the Evil Spirit worketh. Eph. 2.3. And if there be any more abandon'd by God, and more under the Devil's Manage­ment than these, they must be,

Thirdly, Witches, Magicians, Conjurers, and the like; who have Covenanted away both Body [Page 82] and Soul to the Devil, on condition he will be for some time at their beck, to execute their vile and malicious Purposes.

And thus I have at length, as before, shew'd you who the Devil is, and what are his Works of Sin, and how you are to Renounce both him and them: So I have now, in these last Discour­ses, laid before you those manifold Methods of Temptation, whereby he did and does still at­tempt, First, The whole Race of Mankind. Se­condly, The Church of Christ. Thirdly, The most Considerable and Leading Persons therein. And lastly, all Sorts of Persons indifferently consider'd.

And upon the general View of the Works of the Devil, both of Sin and Temptation, it does appear, that his drift is no less than to usurp God's Throne, and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same cursed Rebellion with himself, against the Majesty of Heaven.

And now it remains only to shew you, and then I shall have done with this Point, What it is, and how we must renounce this great Work of the De­vil, his tempting us to Sin. And, in a word, the Temptations of Satan are then only properly Renounc'd, when they are Resisted by us; a Thing which we are commanded to do, Jam. 4.7. Resist the Devil; as also 1 Pet. 5.9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith.

And you shall be able effectually to resist his Temptations these Three ways,

• First, By keeping your selves always Sober.
• Secondly, By Watchfulness, that you may not be ensnared by them.
• Thirdly, By Prayer to God, to protect you from them, And,

1. By keeping your selves always Sober, that is, free both from Drunkenness and from Passion; or else you will be depriv'd of Reason, and the Grace of God, whereby alone you can resist them. Thus, 1 Pet. 5.8. Be sober, because your Adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist stedfast in the Faith.

2. Watchfulness, is another Means to resist Satan's Temptations. Be sober, be vigilant, 1 Pet. 5.9 He, for his part is vigilant to do you Mis­chief, and watches all Advantages to get you in­to his Power and Reach; and it lies upon you to be as careful to guard your selves against all his Batteries, which he plays against you. And,

3. As you will secure your selves against the Temptations of the Wicked one, you must con­stantly pray to God to protect you from them. Thus Jam. 4.8. after we are commanded to resist the Devil, and he will fly from us; as an effectual way so to do, we are bid to draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to us; that is, if we will make our humble Addresses to God by Prayer, he will be ready to assist us against all his Temp­tations. In short, Since the Temptations of the wicked One are so many, and so subtil, it concerns you, according to the Advice of St. Paul, Eph. 6.13,18. to take unto you the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil Day, and having done all to stand. And especially to pray always, with all Prayer and Sup­plication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all Perseverance.

THE XIV. LECTURE.

HAving given you to understand the ut­most of what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works.

Secondly, I am now in like manner to explain unto you, what is meant by the Pomps and Va­nity of this wicked World; and to shew you in what Sense, and how far, you must renounce the wicked World, with its Pomp and Vanity.

To Renounce the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World. In which Words there being three Things necessary to be explain'd: First, The World. Secondly, The wicked World. And, Thirdly, The Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World.

I. I am to shew you, what is meant by the World, and in what Sense, and how far, you are to renounce the World. And the World is to be consider'd both generally and particularly.

1. By the World in general, is meant that whole Frame of Nature which we behold, and all the Variety of Creatures which it contains, [Page 85] and is given us by the Bounty and Goodness of God for our Use and Benefit. Now the World, in this Sense, is not in itself Evil, but only accidentally, by Man's abuse of himself, or it: Considered in itself, indeed, it is very good, and convenient to us. God saw every Thing that he had made, and behold it was very good, Gen. 1.31. And as it is not in itself ab­solutely Evil, so neither is it entirely to be renounced; but being Good in its self, it may in some measure be desired and enjoyed by us.

Nevertheless, through our own Corruption, whereby we abuse the good Things of the World, it becomes accidentally the Occasion of most of our Sins, and of our Estrangement from God our Sovereign Good. This it does by captivating our Affections, and by withdraw­ing us from God. So far therefore as it en­gages our Affections too closely to it, so as to make us inordinately and irregularly to mind it, and to neglect our great Concern, the business of Religion, it is to be renounced and resisted by us. Love not the World, nor the Things of the World; if any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 Joh. 15.2.

So long indeed as we wear these earthly Bo­dies about us, we are permitted the Use and Enjoyment of worldly Goods, provided in Things lawful, and Degrees allowable: But be­ing our Souls are the principal part of us, and are soon to remove to Heaven, we must chiefly set our Affections on Things above, and mainly [Page 86] endeavour to attain them. And in this Sense St. Paul professes, The World was Crucified unto him, and he unto the World. Gal. 6.14. And so much for Renouncing the World in general.

2. Let us next consider the World in its Particulars, and those Temptations which re­sult both from the Good and the Evils thereof, as they are distinguished Luke 16 25. And the good Things of the World are summ'd up un­der these Heads; the Riches, Honours, and the Pleasures it affords: And its Evils, on the con­trary, may be reduced to Poverty, Disgrace, and those Afflictions of all Sorts, which in innumer­able ways do assail us. And there are also some Things therein of a middle Nature; as different Callings, Conditions, and States of Life, and also the Cares of this World, which are the Ap­purtenances to it, and afford great matter of Temptation and Tryal to us therein; and in what Sense, and how far, you are to Renounce it, with reference to each of these, I will en­deavour to shew you. And,

First, If we consider the Riches of this World, these are not in themselves hurtful; but good and convenient, and are bestowed on us by God to many good Ends and Purposes; and those who enjoy them have great Advantages of doing Good therewith, to others Comfort, and the Benefit of their own Souls. Neverthe­less Riches are a mighty Temptation, whether we consider Men as Getting, Possessing, or as Part­ing with, or Losing them.

And 1. In the over-eager pursuit and Get­ting of Riches, Men do run themselves into [Page 87] many grievous Sins, as also into many miser­able Snares, so as to be hardly ever able to dis­entangle themselves out of them. For as Resti­tution of ill-gotten Wealth is necessary to ha­ving Peace with God; so it is extremely diffi­cult to be willing, or able, afterwards to make it. Indeed, They that will be Rich, who resolve right or wrong to be Rich, fall into Tempta­tions, and a Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Destruction. 1 Tim. 6.9.

2. And no less Temptations are those sub­ject to, who do possess Riches: Experience tel­ling us, that a great Estate is a very great Temptation to Idleness and Luxury, to Pride and Insolence, to Irreligion towards God, and a prophane idolatrous Trust in Riches; and, in a word, to commit the highest Offences to­wards God, their Neighbour, and themselves. In my Prosperity I said I shall never be removed, holy David confesses it of himself, Psal. 30.6. But,

3. The great Sins of all are occasion'd by a Loathness to part with, and a Fear of losing our Riches. From a Loathness to part with Riches arises unmercifulness to Men; as was seen in the Case of Dives, who would spare no more than the Crums which fell from his Table, Luke 16.21. to relieve the poor Lazarus, his Heart was so much set upon his Wealth. From the Fear of losing them, Men become Guilty of no less than Apostacy from God, and a Denial of the Truth, as is seen in the Case of the young Man in the Gospel, Matth. 19.21,22. who [Page 88] when he heard, that if he would be Christ's Disciple, he must leave all he had, as the Case then stood, and does often in Times of Perse­cution ever since He went away sorrowful, for he had great Possessions. Thus you see what great Temptations Riches will give you; whe­ther you consider your selves in the Getting, Possessing, or as Parting with, or Losing of them.

And now the great Question will be, In what Sense, and how far, Riches are to be renounc'd in all these respects? And in general, being they are not Evil in themselves, they are in those Cases only to be Renounced by us, wherein we cannot without Sin, Pursue, Possess, and Enjoy them.

As, First, if we consider Riches in the Get­ting, no Man must so put his Heart upon them, as to esteem them his chiefest Good and Happi­ness, for this God alone is; and he will not en­dure the Riches of this World should be made a Competitor with him for our Service. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon, says our Saviour, Matth. 6.24.

Nor must we labour after Riches with im­moderate Care, so as to neglect the great Du­ties of Religion and Devotion; but must seek first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Matth. 6.33. Especially you must beware of enriching your selves by any unjust Means; such as Oppression, Wrong, Robbery, or Sacri­ledge. Wo be to him that buildeth his House by Ʋnrighteousness, and his Chambers by Wrong; that useth his Neighbour's Service without Wages, and [Page 89] giveth him not for his Work Jer. 22.13. And who­ever has unjustly gained any Thing, must Re­nounce it, by making Restitution thereof; as good Zaccheus did; Behold, Lord, if I have taken any Thing from any Man, by false Accusation, I here restore him fourfold. Luke 19.8.

Secondly, Riches, if consider'd in the Possession, are to be Renourc'd, by paring off those Super­fluities which tempt to Idleness and Luxury, to Pride and Insolence, and an Idolatrous Trust in Riches, and by bestowing them to Pious and Charitable Ʋses. Nor is this a more hard and unreasonable Lesson, than what was given by our Saviour in a like Case, Matth. 5.29. If thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: For it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell. So we may say in this, It is much better to part with Superfluities, than to be Damn'd for them; and the giving of them to Pious and Charitable Uses, is that which is called, Making Friends of the Mammon of Ʋn­righteousness. Luke 16 9.

Lastly, And it remains now only to be con­sider'd, how far the Rich are to Renounce their Wealth, in parting with it in Works of Mercy, aad in suffering the Loss thereof, rather than incur Apostacy. And, in a word, at all times rich Men ought to make to themselves Friends of the Mammon of Ʋnrighteousness, Luke 16.9. by giving to Pious and Charitable Uses: And in Times of Suffering, they who have ne­ver so much, as they will be Christ's Disciples and Followers, must deny themselves, and take [Page 90] up their Cross and follow him; that is, forsake all for his sake, Matth. 16.24. And alas why should any Man, though the Richest upon Earth, stick at doing this: For what shall it profit him, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul; or what shall Man give in exchange for his Soul? Ver. 26.

THE XV. LECTURE.

THE subject of our present Consideration, is the Renouncing of the World; and I have already shew'd you in what Sense, and how far, we must Renounce the World in General; as also that first and principal of its Parts, the Riches of the World.

Secondly, I am now to speak to another of its Particulars, the Honours of it; and to shew you what they mean, and in what Sense, and how far, you are to Renounce the Honours of the World.

Honour strictly signifies an inward Esteem, sig­nified by an outward Respect. But in common Language, by Honours are meant the Advan­tages [Page 91] or Qualities themselves; upon the ac­count of which, Persons are so Honour'd, and those outward Respects given them, in regard to those Advantages.

And they may be reduced to these; Nobility, Preheminence, Reputation, Applause, and such out­ward Respects, as are given upon the Account of any of these.

And I. Let us consider Nobility or Gentility, and in what Sense, and how far, it is at any time to be Renounced by us. This is an Ho­nour deriv'd from worthy Ancestors, and has usually certain Titles and Badges, which di­stinguish such Persons from the Crowd of Men: And such Distinctions in the Body Politick is both allowable and useful; as may be seen 1 Cor. 12.23. only there are very great Abu­ses which this kind of Honour is subject to, and in such Instances it is to be Renounced. As,

First, A Gentleman, or Nobleman, be he of what Rank or Quality soever, must utterly Re­nounce all that Honour which pretends to put him above the Laws of God or Man; and be­yond Reproof or Punishment when he has vio­lated either: Nay, but on the contrary, such a One is bound above others to be a strict and orderly Liver, and upon his Failure lies more open to the Reproof of the Ministers of God here, and provokes more than others the Pu­nishment of an incensed Deity hereafter. And accordingly Herod the Tetrarch was reproved by John the Baptist, for Herodias his Brother Philips Wife, and for the Evils which Herod had done. [Page 92] Luke 3.19. And in the World to come, such a one, as having received much, will, above all others, be beaten with many Stripes. Luke 12.47

Secondly, And that Nobility, or Gentility, is also to be renounced and detested, which exalts Persons above their Brethren, to that degree, as to make them Despise and Oppress the rest of Mankind; as if these were but a Lower Rank of Creatures, and had not the same God to their Father, Bodies formed out of the same Clay, and Souls as excellent in their Natures, and as capable of Improvements; as precious in God's Sight, and as much the Heirs of Hea­ven as their own. And let the Proud One's know, that there is no ground in the World for that mighty Distance, much less for that miserable Slavery which some of them put their Fellow-Creatures to; for have we not one Father, and hath not one God created us. Mal. 2.10. But,

Thirdly, Those Persons ought indeed even to Renounce all Pretentions to Honour, who have basely degenerated from those worthy Qualities which enobled their Ancestors. We have Abraham to our Father, was the constant cry of the Jews, when they had least of the Faith and Vertues of Abraham. But what says St. John Baptist, Think not to say within your Hearts we have Abraham to our Father; for I say unto you, that God is able out of these Stones to raise up Chil­dren unto Abraham, Matth. 3.9. that is, by ha­ving degenerated from Abraham, you have for­feited your Title to the Name and Honour of [Page 93] being Abraham's Children; and the vile Gentiles, as you account them, shall be taken into that Dignity and Relation in your stead.

Fourthly, But especially such ought to Renounce even all Pretentions to Honour amongst Chri­stians, at leastwise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues, as Qualities beneath them; which because so many do, Not many Mighty, not many Noble, are called. 1 Cor. 1.26. So that though such are accounted Honourable, and may be never so much respected by vain Men, they are really despicable both in the sight of God, and all wise Persons. And thus you see how far Paternal Honour is to be Renounced.

II. Let us next enquire, in what Sense, and how far, Civil Honour is to be Renounced; whe­ther the Favour of Princes, or the Effects of their Favour, Posts of Honour, which indeed are darling and bewitching Things, and betray many into very great Crimes. But,

First, A Prince's Favour, though extremely valuable in itself, when it can be obtain'd and preserv'd without Sin; yet no Man must either Gain, Possess, or Retain it by wicked Arts, or sin­ful Compliances: But, like good Obadiah, must take care to be one that Fears God in a wicked Prince's Court, 1 Kin. 18.3. Nor,

Secondly, As to the Effects of these Favours, High-Places, and Titles of Honour, ought any Man to grasp at that which is above his Capaci­ty, and Ability to manage to the Publick Good; An Ambition which is mischievous both to the Church and State. Instead of which, every Man ought to think soberly of himself, according [Page 94] as God has dealt to every Man his Measure of Faith. Rom. 12.3. Nor,

Thirdly, Ought Persons of the best Capaci­ties, and greatest Abilities, be over-eager and importunate in their Suits and Applications to those who bestow them: Especially none, though of the greatest Capacities, must violently thrust themselves into them to the disturbance of the Church or State, lest they perish in the Gain saying of Korah. Num. 16. Jude 11. for their factiously grasping at undue Places.

III. There is another sort of Honour consist­ing in the high Esteem and Reputation in which the wise and vertuous part of Mankind have a Person, oceasion'd by the excellent Gifts and Qualities, and Divine Graces shining in him, or upon the account of some extraordinary Actions perform'd by him. This is what the Wise man calls a Good Name, and is more va­luable than Riches, or Gold, or Silver, Prov. 22.1. And indeed it is not only a more peculiar Bles­sing than any the greatest Treasures; but it procures greater Security to our Persons and Estates. So that whereas in Dearths and Fa­mines, Persecutions and Invasions, the more Wealthy any Man is, the more he is the object of Envy, and subject to Rapine and Violence; the very Reputation of Uprightness and Inte­grity, Goodness, Mercy, and Charity, will be a safe Retreat, and Shield against the Storm.

What shall I say? A good Name is a Trea­sury that must be preserv'd by Men in Holy Orders, 1 Tim. 3.7. and for the like Reason, by all others in any publick Station. For [Page 95] why? It is not only comfortable to one's own self, and smells, like Ointment, sweet in the World; but what is chiefly to be regarded, it renders a Person capable of doing good in it. Because I delivered the Poor when he cried, and the Fatherless, and him that had none to help him; unto me Men gave Ear, and waited and kept silence at my Counsel. Job 29.12. And therefore a desire of Reputation and Credit is not only a Thing implanted in our Natures by God; but to preserve it untainted and unsuspected of Evil, is a Duty enjoin'd upon us by his Laws. Be blameless, ye Sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and per­verse Nation, amongst whom shine ye as Lights in the World. Phil. 2.15. So valuable is a good Reputation in itself, so desirable to be attain'd, and so carefully to be preserv'd. And yet even Esteem and Reputation itself, as well as the Temptations it gives us, is to be Renounc'd by us.

As, First, we must so far Renounce the Ho­nour that shall accrue to us from our own good Works, as not to make our own Glory the End and Reason of any Good we do: For that we are bid to let our Light shine before Men, the Reason of it is this, that others seeing our good Works, may Glorify our Father which is in Heaven. Matth. 5.16.

Secondly, We must not Affect, but Renounce those Praises which are above our Deserts; or we must not be desirous of Vain-glory. Gal. 5.26.

Thirdly, We must beware of taking the Ho­nour and Respects given us for any worthy Per­formances wholly to our selves; and of not transferring them to God, to whom the Glory of all that is good in us does properly belong. Not uuto us, not unto us, but to thy Name be the Praise. Psal. 115.1.

Fourthly, We must abhor making a Reputa­tion for Religion an Instrument only to our worldly Advancement. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye devour Widows Hou­ses, and for a Pretence make long Prayers, there­fore ye shall receive the greater Damnation. Mat. 23.14. But, on the contrary, you must use the Au­thority your Credit shall give you to discoun­tenance Vice, and to encourage Vertue, in the World.

Fifthly, As valuable as is a good Name, and Reputation amongst Men, we must Renounce all undue Means of preserving it; such as are Duelling upon the account of Affronts, as is usual amongst the great Ones; and going to Law for Slanders, as is frequent amongst com­mon People. Now therefore there is utterly a Fault amongst you, because ye go to Law one with another, why do you not rather take Wrong? 1 Cor. 6.7.

And, Lastly, we must utterly Renounce and Forfeit the Esteem of Men, rather than incur the Disfavour of God: For as it will often happen, that you shall be evil spoken of for well-doing; so when it does, you are to ac­count it a Blessing, when Men shall revile you, and speak all manner of evil against you, for Christ's sake, and for adhering stoutly to the [Page 97] Rules of his Gospel, for great will be your Reward in Heaven, Matth. 5.11,12.

IV. Next to that high Esteem and Reputation, in which the Vertuous and the Wise shall hold you, upon the account of well-doing, it de­serves to be considered, how far that Honour is to be Renounc'd, which consists in the Applau­ses of the Vulgar, upon what they may account Praise-worthy and Honourable; such as insolent Swaggering, Swearing, Drinking, Whoring, and the like. And in a word, this sort of Ho­nour is utterly, and with all possible Indigna­tion to be Renounced; for in such Cases, and with respect to such Practices as these, it is said, Woe unto those of whom all Men shall speak well, Luke 6.26.

V. And lastly, It now remains only that I in­struct you in what Sense, and how far we must Renounce those Outward Expressions of Respect, ei­ther by Word, or Deed, which are usually given upon the account of any of the fore-mentioned Honours. And,

First, No Created Being, either Men or An­gels, must suffer those Respects to be given them, whether by Word, or Deed, which are proper and peculiar to signifie our Sense of God's Majesty and Perfections, rememb'ring how the Angel refused Divine Worship, when it was offered to him by John, Rev. 22.9. And young Women would do well to take care that they Renounce with the utmost Detestation those Blasphemous Complements, whereby Divine Per­fections are usually ascribed to 'em by their Vain Lovers, rememb'ring how signally Herod was [Page 98] punished by the hand of God for suffering him­self to be so flatter'd, Acts 12.21,22,23.

Secondly, All Persons must Renounce, and Re­fuse those Titles and Respects, and Precedences, which are not their due, but belong to those a­bove them, There is an Evil which I have seen under the Sun, says Solomon, Eccl. 10.5,6. viz. Folly set in great Dignity, and the rich sit in low Places. And,

Lastly, It becomes all Persons in Modesty, and Humility, and good Manners, to decline in some measure, even their due Respects. And they must ever Renounce the Entitling, and the Placing of themselves in the highest rooms; for this is com­manded, Luk. 14.8,9,10,11. as a necessary, and becoming Piece of Christian Modesty.

THE XVI. LECTURE.

HAving already consider'd the Riches, and the Honours of this World, and how far we are to Renounce either of them.

Thirdly, I am next to take into consideration the Pleasures of it, and to shew you in what Sense, and how far you are also to Renounce them.

Now Pleasure is that Satisfaction and Delight, which any part of our Nature perceives, when its Ap­petites are gratify'd with what it desires. And an­swerable to the several Capacities of our Na­ture, there are Rational, Sensitive, Sensual, and Recreative Pleasures; of which in their Order. And,

I. As to Rational Pleasure. This is that high Satisfaction, and sweet Delight which the Soul perceives, when it finds it self improve in Knowledge, or in Vertue; or when it reflects upon the good it has done. And a most Excel­lent and Divine Pleasure this is: And yet there is room for Renuntiation even with respect to this. For,

First, No Man must make the end of his Knowledge to be the meer Pleasure of Knowing; that is, we must not seek after Knowledge, purely for Knowledge-sake, and not for the Use and Instruction of our selves and others. And therefore it is required of a Bishop, whose Knowledge is suppos'd to exceed other Mens, that he be apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3.2. Nor,

Secondly, Must that Satisfaction and Delight which arises from the Sense, and Conscience of Good and Worthy Deeds be so much, because we are admir'd and applauded for them, as be­cause they are pleasing to God: For whatever Good we do, if it be to the end we may be seen of Men, we shall have no reward of our Father which is in Heaven, Matth. 6.1.

II. Sensitive Pleasure, is when the Animal Life, or the Bodily Senses are gratify'd with those Objects which are agreeable to them▪ and this it [Page 100] is lawful to do, as may be seen, Eccl. 5.18. till such time as they be come.

III. Sensual, and that they will degenerate into, and must therefore be Renounc'd, in these Cases following.

First, When we shall prefer the Pleasures of Sense, as Eating, Drinking, and the like, in our Judgments and Desires, either before our Joy in God, or the eternal Enjoyments of his King­dom; whereas on the contrary, with the Holy Psalmist, we must be able experimentally to say, The Fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever, the Judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether: more to be desired are they than Gold; yea, than much fine Gold, sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb, Psal. 19.9,10.

Secondly, We must Renounce it as a great sign of a Sensual Spirit, which relishes no Enjoyments like those of Sense; when a Person may be observ'd to be wholly in a manner purveying for the Belly. Do ye not yet understand, that whatever entereth into the Mouth, goeth into the Belly, and is cast out into the Draught? Mat. 15.17.

Thirdly, It must be Renounc'd as an high, and sinful piece of Sensuality, to glut our Senses, so as to Surfeit on these Sweets. And this, not only because it is most sinful in it self, but be­cause such Sensuality is the Parent and Cause of the most violent, and outrageous Wickednesses, that are otherwise committed amongst Men, as may be seen, Jer. 5.7,8.

Fourthly, The Deliciousness of Sensitive Plea­sures must not cause any one to load and burthen his Nature therewith, so as to render himself unfit for the Duties of his Calling and Religion: [Page 101] For the only lawful end of all Pleasures in gene­ral, as well as of Recreations in particular, is to render us not useless, but more vigorous and lively in the Service of God, and the proper business of our Calling: Which brings me,

IV. To consider Recreative Pleasures, and to shew you what they are, and in what Sense, and how far we are to renounce those sorts of Pleasures. Now Recreations are Diversions of the Mind or Body from serious Business and Em­ployment, and being pleasures of a middle Na­ture, neither Good nor Evil, in themselves, they are not absolutely to be Renounc'd by a Christian. But you must know that the most innocent Re­creations are to be very moderately, and saving­ly us'd by every Disciple of Christ, because every one who will come after him, must deny himself, Matth. 16.24. And indeed, whoever aims at Perfection, must sometimes use Severity in order to mortifie the Corrupt Nature. Nor may those of any Quality, think themselves excepted from such restraints, as will be not a little uneasie to Flesh and Blood.

And thus having at length finish'd all that I think necessary to be said concerning Renouncing either the World in general, or those particular Good Things into which it is divided, viz. the Riches, Honours, and the Pleasures of it.

Secondly, I am next to consider the Evils of the World, viz. Poverty, Disgrace, and Af­flictions, and how far, and in what Sense we much Renounce them. And.

I. As to Poverty and Afflictions, tho' instead of Temptations to Sin, and Hinderances to [Page 102] Vertue, those do very often prove Mortifiers of Vice, and the great occasion of a Holy Life, yet they are often great Temptations to ma­ny Sins and Impieties. And therefore with re­ference to them,

First, It behoves those who labour under Po­verty, or any kind of Affliction, to beware of Impatience and Discontent, considering that whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth, Heb. 12.6.

Secondly, Those who are cast into the worst of Circumstances, must beware of envying the out­ward Felicity of the Wicked, Fret not thy self a­gainst the Evil Doers, neither be thou envious a­gainst the workers of Iniquity, Psal. 37.1.

Thirdly, A Person that is poor, must be infi­nitely careful, lest to rescue himself out of it, he be tempted to Fraud, especially not to stealing, or purloyning, but must resolve with Job, tho' stript naked of all, Not to remove his Integrity from him, Job 27.5,6.

Fourthly, Persons must not think that be­cause they are poor, they are ever the more dis­engag'd from the Service of God, and from their Attendance upon him in all the parts of Di­vine Worship, remembring that our Saviour apply'd himself particularly to them. The Poor have the Gospel Preached unto them, Matth. 11.5. II. The last of this World's Evils is Disgrace, and so great a Temptation it is, and Discouragement to do good, that it made Nicodemus come to our Saviour by Night, John 3.1,2. But this we must despise, considering, that Whosoever is asham'd of Christ before Men, of him will the Son of [Page 103] Man be asham'd, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels, Mark 8.38. And thus, having consider'd both the World in gene­ral, and the Good, and Evils of it in particular; it only remains, that I do the like.

Thirdly, and lastly, concerning some things therein of a middle Nature, viz. the Callings, Conditions of Life, and the Cares of this World. And,

I. Let us consider the Callings of the World, and how the Temptations which they give us, are to be Renounc'd. And it is requisite in the first place, to consider that every Man is to be­take himself to some Business; and his Calling must be such as Providence has fitted him with Abilities for. And for whatsoever Calling his peculiar Abilities do fit him, to that he is to look upon himself as preparatively call'd, or appointed to by God; and lawful Authority in Church or State, is that which must determine his Call. And then being thus appointed to his Calling, he must employ himself therein to God's Glory, and his own, and the Publick Good. And now the Question will be, what is to be Renounc'd with respect to the Callings of this World. And,

First, All Men must Renounce all such Cal­lings, and Professions as are directly sinful, and wicked, a thing so evident in it self, as to need no proof. And,

Secondly, All such Callings also as tend to the Hurt, not the Good of the Publick; and con­sequently, nothing ought to be took up as a [Page 104] Calling, which impoverishes, or corrupts, the Manners of a People.

Thirdly, Christians must Renounce all those Wicked Arts, whereby some do abuse the most Worthy and Useful Callings, unjustly to serve their Worldly Ends. And indeed, as every Calling has its particular Temptations belonging to it; so what is worse, most Men think they may innocently enough comply with sinful Me­thods of Gain therein, and they think it a ne­cessary part of their Profession so to do. But if Esau stands upon Record for a Foolish, as well as a Prophane Person, who in extremity of Hun­ger sold his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage, Gen. 25.33,34. What is that Christian, who shall sell his Eternal Inheritance, for a thing in comparison of no value?

Fourthly, All Levity, and Desultory Skipping from one Calling to another is to be Renounc'd, according to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7.20. Let every Man abide in the same Calling wherein he was called. But above all, that change of Callings is to be Renounc'd, as the highest Prophaneness, where Laymen and Tradesmen; nay, Women, as a­mongst the Quakers, so expresly contrary to the Commands of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 14.34. do Sacrilegiously Ʋsurp the Sacred Office of the Mini­stry, and set up for Teachers without a lawful Call, or Ordination thereunto. Which brings me,

Fifthly, To shew that any Calling whatsoever, is to be declin'd, for which a Person is not qua­lify'd both by Education, Ability, Inclination, and Legal Appointment, especially Callings of [Page 105] high Importance, such as the Ministry, must be declin'd till all these Qualities and Qualifications concur, which are requisite thereunto, lest the Pretenders to it fall under the same Rebuke, with those who desiring to be Teachers, under­stood neither what they said, nor whereof they af­firmed, 1 Tim. 1.7.

Sixthly, Idleness in any Calling is to be Re­nounc'd: Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do, do it with all thy Might, Eccl. 9.10. Nor is Idleness allowable even in the Gentleman himself, as be­ing one of the greatest Temptations that is to Sin, and in it self a very great Sin, the idle Person, especially if one of Quality and For­tunes in the World, being one that has Powers given him, but hides his Talents in the Earth, Matth. 25.25. And Lastly, No Man must live above his Calling, as that which exposes to many Temptations, and often leads Men into the most sinful Courses. The

II. Amongst those things of the World of a middle Nature, which are to be consi­der'd, are the different Conditions and States of Men therein. And the greatest part of Man­kind are in the State, either of Masters, or Ser­vants. And the whole World are either Single or Married Persons. And,

1. As to the state and condition of a Master. He is one who has great Advantages of doing Good. But all that Dominion is to be utterly Renounc'd amongst Christians, which treats Ser­vants no better than Slaves and Beasts, Know­ing that both have a Master in Heaven, with whom there is no respect of Persons, Eph. 6.9.

2. As to the state of Servitude, it is not in it self unhappy; only first, it concerns those who are to live by a service, to Renounce and Refuse such Services as a state of shrewd Temptations, where a great deal of Wicked­ness is practis'd without controul, and little of the fear of God is to be seen amongst Ma­sters and Servants: And, Secondly, If a Ser­vant happen into an irreligious Family, he must put on a stedfast Resolution, as Joseph in the House of Potiphar, Gen. 39.8. to preserve his Innocence.

3. The next State, and that wherein the greatest part of Mankind in this World are found, is the state of Celibacy, or the single Life. And this, tho' it is advantageous to De­votion, and is safest in times of distress, yet even this state must be Renounc'd, and forsaken by those who cannot contain, according to the Advice of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7.9. And,

4. In the Married State, which is ordained by God, Matth. 19.4. First, All solicitations from either of the Married Couple must be Renounc'd, whereby they would perswade ei­ther the other against the discharge of any Christian Duty, or to the commission of any Sin. And Secondly, Even in the Married State all those Worldly Cares which choak up, or di­sturb Devotion, must be utterly laid aside, as will be shew'd under the next. And,

Last of those things pertaining to this World, which afford great Matter of Temptation to us, viz. The Cares thereof. These are in­deed in some measure necessary, and we are [Page 107] not to be slothful in business, Rom. 12.11. But First, It concerns Christians to Renounce that Multiplicity of Worldly Cares, which distract their Thoughts, and shew them to have no other aim, but at this World. And, Secondly, it behoves us so far to Renounce any Worldly Care, as is does alienate our Affections from God, and Heavenly Things, and does withdraw our At­tention from him in the Services we are bound to pay him, rememb'ring how Martha was chid by our Saviour for cumb'ring her self too much with such Cares, to the hind'ring of her At­tention to our Saviour's Discourses, Luke 10.40,41,42. And indeed, Lastly, All Persons whatsoever, whether more or less engag'd in wordly Cares, when grown in Years, should wholly, in a manner, throw them off; and re­tiring as much as may be from the World, should employ the remainder of their Time in clearing their Accounts with God and Man; and in preparing themselves for the Tryal of the great Day. To whom particularly may be apply'd the Advice of the Prophet, Set thy House in order, for thou shalt die, and not live, 2 Kings 20.1.

THE XVII. LECTURE.

I Have at last explain'd, and shew'd you how far, and in what sense you are to Renounce the World. And now,

Secondly, I am to give you a survey likewise of the Wicked World, and to shew you in what sense, and how far you are to Renounce the wicked World.

Now, by the wicked World can properly be meant no other than wieked Men, there being no Creature upon Earth besides Man, that is capable of doing any thing morally Good or Evil, so as to be stil'd from the latter, Wicked. Nor is it every Sinner who in the Language of the Scripture, or in common Account, may be call'd a wicked Man. But it must be some one of a more than ordinary Impiety, so as to ap­proach something near to Satan himself in Sin and Wickedness, who can deserve so black a Character. Now, the Devil is often term'd the wicked One; and particularly, Matth. 13.19. he is so stil'd upon the Account of his Tempting others to Sin. And upon the same account [Page 109] therefore, those do more peculiarly deserve the Character of wicked Men, who are not only guilty of notorious Crimes themselves, but make it a part of their business to Corrupt, and Tempt others to Sin.

And now you must heartily Renounce, and re­fuse to conform your selves to those wicked Men, either, First, By becoming Tempters your selves of other People. Or, Secondly, By yielding of your selves to be overcome by other Mens Tem­ptations. And,

I. You must Renounce that Diabolical Wickedness of becoming Tempters your selves of other Persons. Renounce, do I say? You must Abhor, Abo­minate, and Detest this their Wickedness of Corrupting others, and of Tempting them to Sin, as being a practice which of all others will render you likest the Devil; and such a Wretch will find himself treated with unusual Indignation and Language upon that Account, as may be seen, Acts 13.8,9,10.

And indeed, it must bring a dreadful Guilt upon that Man, who shall be found an Instru­ment of anothers Damnation. It being an Injury to Mens Souls, in some Cases hardly ever, in others impossible to be repair'd. These Tempters are the Persons by whom Offences come. And what says our Saviour to such? Whoso shall Offend one of these Little Ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a Millstone were hanged about his Neck, and he were cast into the midst of the Sea, Matth. 18.6. So that of all things in the World, it concerns you to take care you never become Tempters of others to [Page 110] Sin, and either to Omit that which is good, or to Commit that which is Evil.

II. Nor does it less concern you to refuse Con­forming your selves to wicked Men, when they shall tempt you, which they will endeavour to do several ways; namely, by their Examples, by their Company, by their Flatteries, by their Discouragements and Incouragements, by their Perswasions, and by their Customs. And,

First, You must Renounce or Refuse to Conform your selves to the evil Examples of wicked Men, which would influence you to Sin. Examples have the greatest Influence upon Mens Practices, especially in these four Cases. If 1st. they are the Examples of Sin. If 2dly, they are Common and many. If 3dly, they are the Examples of such, for whom we have a great Esteem. And if 4thly, they are the Examples of those of whom we stand in Awe. But however,

1. We must by all means Renounce and Re­fuse Conformity to such bad Examples; for why? First, A Christian is call'd out to combat against the wicked Examples of the World, as much as against any one sort of Enemy in his Christian Warfare: Like Elisha who preserv'd himself a true Worshipper of the True God, tho' he thought there was not one Man left in Israel, who had not bowed his knee to Baal, 1 Kings 19.14. Nay, Secondly, a Christian is to con­front the bad Examples of the World, with a good Example of his own, and in the midst of an Evil and Adulterous Generation, he must shew himself an excellent Example of Religion and Vertue. And therefore to this purpose we [Page 111] are to let our Light shine before Men, that they may see our good Works, and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven, Matth. 5.16.

Secondly, You must refuse to conform your selves, as to the Examples, so to the Company of wicked Men, when hapning into ill Company, they would entice you to join with them in sin. Alas, the Com­pany of wicked Men is extremely infectious, insomuch that most of the more heinous Mis­carriages of your greater Sinners are owing to it. It is this which makes Men Atheists, Li­bertines, Thieves, and Robbers, Drunkards, and Sabbath-breakers. In short, the Evil Com­munications of bad Company corrupt all good Manners, 1 Cor. 15.33. and therefore it does infinitely concern you to take the Advice of the Wise Man, Prov. 1.10,11. My Son, if Sinners entice thee, consent thou not; nay, my Son walk not in the way with them, refrain thy Foot from their Path. Particularly, 1st. I would advise you who are Young Women, to shun the corrupt Communication of those Young Men whose Conversation, when they meet together, is such Filthiness, and Foolish Talking and Jesting, which are not convenient, and are forbid, Eph. 5.3,4,5. to be so much as once named amongst Christians. 2. And indeed, it concerns all Persons of either Sex, both Young and Old, considering how in­sensibly the Tincture of those Persons Manners and Humours with whom we do much con­verse, does glide into our Imitation; it con­cerns therefore, I say, all Persons, as much as 'tis possible, to avoid the Society of wicked Men, who not only do ill things themselves, but [Page 112] take pleasure in them that do them, Rom. 1.32. But, 3. If your necessary Occasions, and the Na­ture of your Employment shall draw you forth into the World, then that which you have to do, is absolutely to refuse to conform your selves to the Manners of evil Company, according to that of the Apostle, Rom. 12.2. Be not con­formed to this World. Nay, but on the contrary, you must first discountenance their Profaneness and Riot: Secondly, you must endeavour pru­dently to divert 'em from both, by useful Dis­course: Thirdly, and when these Methods fail, you must openly reprove 'em.

To do this Service to God, though it is what we have listed our selves in our Baptism, under Jesus Christ the Great Captain of our Salva­tion, to perform, is what we shall be much dis­couraged from by Men. But however we have vast Encouragements given us by God, to be thus faithful to the Honour and Interest of his Government. It is what in Scripture is call'd a Confessing of him: And our Saviour assures us, that if we shall confess him before Men, he will con­fess us before our Father which is in Heaven. Matth. 10.32.

THE XVIII. LECTURE.

THE thing I am now upon, is to lay before you the Temptations of the wicked Men of this World, and to shew you in what Sense, and how far you must Renounce, both them and their wicked ways of tempting others to Sin. And the force of their Evil Examples, and Evil Customs I have already shew'd you. And now,

Thirdly, I am to consider the Influence of their Flatteries, and to shew you how you must Renounce, and Resist them. And truly Flattery is a very great Temptation to, and occasion of Men's continuance in sin. The ground thereof is that immoderate Self-Love which most Men have of themselves, and which makes them apt to be­lieve every Man their Enemy, who will tell them the Truth, Gal. 4.16. And the Flatterer obser­ving this, does therefore compose himself to admire and extol, or at leastwise to approve, as very well done, the very bad Actions of him, he thus imposes upon, or at least such Practices as if good in themselves, are very indifferently perform'd. And thus Flattery keeping Men [Page 114] ignorant of the good or ill Qualities in them, thereupon the good never comes to perfection, and the ill that is in them becomes incorrigible. And indeed it is this wicked Flattery which a­mong all Ranks and Degrees of Men, does streng­then the Hands of the Wicked, so that he shall not turn from his wicked way, Ezek. 13.22. so mis­chievous a Temptation is Flattery. And there­fore you must utterly Renounce it, as you will a­void the ill Effects of it, And in order thereunto,

1. You must see that you cashier every vain Opinion of your selves. For it is this Inbred Flattery we give our selves, which disposes, and prepares us to a more favourable Reception of it from others; Be not therefore wise in your own Conceits, Rom. 12.16.

2. And having thus dispossest your Breast of an immoderate Self-love, you must so far renounce and reject the Flatteries of other Men, as to take it kindly when you are Reprov'd, remembring that he who hateth Reproof shall die, Prov. 15.10. And especially the Reproofs of God's Ministers are to be kindly received and regarded, remem­bring that he whom Solomon represents as mour­ning at the last, when his Flesh, and his Bones are consumed, was one who in his Heart despised Re­proof that obey'd not the Voice of his Teachers, nor inclin'd his Ear to them that instructed him, Prov. 5.11,12,13.

Fourthly, Wicked Men will proceed farther to tempt others to sin, even by their false and fallacious arguings against the necessity of a Holy Life. By these they would fain perswade themselves and others into such easie Notions of God and Reli­gion, [Page 113] as that they may sin with more security, and less fear. And they are a powerful Tempta­tion to sin in all times, for why such Arguments as these Men are ready, and prepar'd to believe, because they love the thing they plead for, they favour their Lusts, and grant them so much li­berty in what they long for, the satisfying the Flesh, and enjoying the World. But it con­cerns you to resist those false and fallacious Ar­guments, be they never so specious, which do in the least favour your yielding to sin; for there is nothing more plain in Scripture, than that every Sin must with all possible care be avoided. It tells us that we must Deny All Ʋngodliness and worldly Lusts, and live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in this present World, Tit. 2.12. And that all true Christians, having such mighty Rewards and Promises, must be cleansed from All filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfect Holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.

Fourthly, Wicked Men will add Kindnesses and Promises to oblige us to do ill things; and on the contrary, will much Discourage, nay will of­ten with Threatnings compel you to commit sin, or to omit your Duty. And indeed Kindnesses are very apt to Encline easie Tempers, Promises to Corrupt unfaithful Dispositions, Discouragements to cool Men's Zeal in their Duty, and Threat­nings to force their Compliance with Sin. But neither let Kindnesses Corrupt you, nor Pro­mises Bribe you either to Commit what is Evil, or to Omit what God Commands, considering how very unprofitable a Bargain it will be, though a Man should gain the whole World, and lose his [Page 116] own Soul, Mark 8.36. Nor let Discouragement slacken you in, nor the Threatnings of a Mortal Man force you from your Duty; yea, though he could kill the Body, but be afraid of displeasing him rather, who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell, Matth. 10.28.

Lastly, A very prevailing Temptation to sin, wherewith wicked Men will constrain o­thers to join with them therein, are the Evil Customs of the World. And they are the more prevalent, because Custom is apt to take off the Sense and Fear of hurt in the most un­christian Practices. But a Christian must cou­rageously, and vigorously Renounce, and with­stand the force of all sinfull Customs whatsoever, especially such as are Immoral. And indeed there will be the greatest Courage required to the discharge of this part of a Christian's War­fare, Cowardise, and a fear of Reproaches, be­ing, I am perswaded, the only cause of most Mens complying with even the Barbarous Cu­stom of Duelling in vindication of their Honour, and of many other of their sinful Courses. But true Courage and Bravery (as Philosophy and Religion, and the sober Reason of all Wise Men tell us) will despise the vain Opinions of the Unthinking and Impious Croud, which, for the most part are in the wrong; and will steadily pursue what is Vertuous and Fit, and Reasonable, and Religious, notwithstanding the foolish Reproaches of the many. And a truly Christian Spirit will signalize himself by such a close siding with Christ, and his Laws, as being perswaded that he who thus [Page 117] nobly Confesses him before Men, the same will the Son of Man Confess, and own as a Faithful Ser­vant, and applaud as a Noble Confessor, before the Angels of God, Luke 12.8.

THE XIX. LECTURE.

HAving fully survey'd the World, and all therein contain'd, that is fit to be Re­nounc'd by every Christian; and also represen­ted to you those Temptations which are given by the wicked World, and how we must Resist them; I come now to explain to you, what is to be understood by the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World, and to shew you, how much it behoves every Christian to Renounce, and to Despise them. And,

• First, We will consider Pomps.
• Secondly, The Vanity of this wicked VVorld. And,

First, As to Pomps, thereby were anciently meant those Pompous Spectacles, Plays, and Scenical Representations exhibited in the Roman Theatres, which because they were so Lewd, Cruel, and [Page 118] Impious, the Primitive Bishops and Fathers of the Church strictly enjoin'd all Christians at their Baptism, not to frequent, or so much as to be once present, or ever seen at them.

And answerable to these are our Modern Plays acted in the Play-Houses, which are no less inferiour to the ancient ones in Impiety and Lewdness, than they are in Show and Pompous­ness. And having such a malignant Influence upon Faith and Manners, as is own'd by almost all Persons, and is generally complain'd that they have, they ought never to be frequented by Christians; and it may be very well look'd up­on as a breach of your Baptismal Vow, and Co­venant, for any of you to be hereafter present at them.

Secondly, By Pomps in the Sense of the Anci­ents, were meant the Solemn Processions of the Heathens in Honour of their Gods, at which to be present was an Offence, for which that Chri­stian should be cut off from the Church. And not unanswerable to those are the Processions of the Papists in Honour to their Saints, and which must not therefore out of Curiosity, or Fear, be joined in by our Protestant Travellers, when they are abroad; for if they should join, tho' com­pell'd thereunto by force, in the Adoration of those Images, and shall rather comply than suf­fer, they will be wanting in Confessing Christ, and his Truth when Call'd thereunto, which is so much every Man's Duty, as has been already prov'd.

Thirdly, By Pomps, reductively may be under­stood the Revels, and Drunken Riots common [Page 119] at Wakes and Festivals, which because of the Wantonness an Excesses usual at them, all sober Christians will make it a part of Religion, to keep away from. Not but that innocent Hospi­tality, as well as Thankfulness to God for the Blessings then commemorated, may be seasonable at such times. And so much for the Pomps of the World to be Renounced by us.

Secondly, And as the Pomps, so you are also to Renounce the Vanity of this World. And what that is will appear in these Cases following.

1. When Persons outgo their Ability in Building and Furniture, a piece of Vanity for­bid, Jer. 22.13,14.

2. When they vainly affect the uppermost Places, and strive for Precedence, so contrary to the Com­mands of our Saviour, Mark 12.38,39. This Vanity appears when Persons Affect, or are Pleas'd with Titles of Respect and Honour above their Degree and Quality, and desire to be E­steem'd by others more Good and Vertuous than they really are in themselves, a temper of Mind so contrary to what was found in their Lord and Master, who, tho' he was Lord of all, yet came not to be Ministred unto, but to Minister, Mat. 20.28. And who tho' he did no sin, neither was guile found in his Mouth, yet when he was reviled, reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2.22,23. And,

Lastly, This sinful Vanity fit to be Renounc'd, does appear in the Affectation of Costly Apparel and Ornaments, when Persons exceed what be­comes their Rank and Degree in what they wear, when they are proud of their Ornaments, and puffed up like Herod when he was Array'd in [Page 120] Royal Aparel, Acts 12.21. When they Adorn themselves to undue Ends and Purposes; name­ly to inflame Lust in the Beholders, like her mention'd Prov. 7.10. Who met Men in the At­tire of an Harlot. And,

Lastly, When they spend too much time, the time they should bestow in the Affairs and Busi­ness of their Families, and when they deck them­selves at unfiting Seasons, viz. when they should be at the Worship of God, whether Publick or Private, which is often almost over before some can part with their Glass. In all these fore­mention'd Cases, I say, does Vanity appear, a Vanity which must be Renounc'd by the Disci­ples of the Humble and Self-denying Saviour of Mankind.

It is indeed very hard, if not impossible, nicely to fix the precise Bounds to Persons in the mat­ter of Apparel, Ornaments, and the like: But the truest and safest Rule is Decency, and that measured according to what is suitable to the Age, Sex, or Quality; always taking the more sober and vertuous for our Partern in such Cases.

THE XX. LECTURE.

HAving explain'd to you the full meaning of Renouncing the Devil and all his Works; as also the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, which are two of those formidable Enemies we are Listed under Christ to encounter, it remains now only to consider the

Third and last, viz. the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, how far we are also bound to Renounce them. And thus to know our selves, especially our Na­tural Imperfections, as this will give us occasion; so it is the most useful part of Knowledge; and for the more full discovery of so important a Subject,

• 1. I will shew you what is meant by the Flesh.
• 2. What by the Sinful Lusts of the Flesh.
• 3. What by All the Sinful Lusts of the Flesh.

And together with each of these, I will also de­clare unto you, in what sense and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh, and all its sinful Lusts And,

First, Let us enquire what is meant by the Flesh, and in what sense, and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh. There is nothing so differently ex­prest in Scripture as this is; it is call'd the Old Man, the First Adam, the Natural Man, Evil Concupiscence, and lastly the Flesh. And there­by is meant,

The whole unregenerate Nature of Man, spoil'd as to its Original Frame and Constitution, and de­spoil'd of that Image of God, consisting in the Per­fection, Order, and Purity of all his Faculties, whereby he was Originally making towards God his chief End, and Happiness: And it is that Corruption of his Na­ture and Faculties, whereby he is inordinately bent in all the tendencies of Soul and Body, and all the Faculties and Powers thereof, towards the Creature. And,

• 1. I say, by the Flesh is meant the whole unrege­nerate Nature of Man, Soul and Body; for even the former is said to be Fleshly, Col. 2.18. But,
• 2. Thereby is meant the whole Man, not as Created by God, for God made Man upright, Eccl. 7.29. but as he is now in a state of Corrupted Nature; that is,
• 3. As spoil'd in its Original Frame and Constitu­tion, as despoil'd of the Image of God, and as inordi­nately tending towards the Creature.

Now the Original Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature was this, namely, the whole Na­ture of Man was perfect in all its parts, the Un­derstanding quick in discovering momentous and weighty Truths, the Conscience faithful in dic­tating right ways, the Will entirely Obedi­ent to the Directions of Conscience and Reason: [Page 123] The Affections placed upon right and worthy Objects, and both Affections, Lusts and Appe­tites, always under the Power and Government of right Reason. And in the Perfection, Or­der and Purity of all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body, according to this Original Frame and Constitution, did the Image of God, in which he was first Created, consist. And so long as he continued thus, it is plain the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul was towards God.

But now in the unregenerate Nature, I say, that excellent Frame and Constitution wherein Man was originally created, is miserably broken, the Affections, Lusts and Appetites rebelling a­gainst the Reason and Conscience, so that he sees a Law in his Members warring against the Law in his Mind, and bringing him into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in his Members, Rom, 8.2,3. And consequently the Image of God consisting in the Order and good Harmony of the several Faculties and Powers of Humane Nature is mi­serably defac'd. And lastly, the tendency and bent of all the Faculties both of Soul and Body is not towards God, but towards the Creature; for they who are after the Flesh, do mind the things of the Flesh, Rom. 8.5. and do mind earthly things, Phil. 3.19. And now this being the meaning of the Flesh, it is easie to perceive, that,

1. To renonuce the Flesh, is to be renewed in the whole Frame and Constitution of our Nature, to our former State, and after the Image of God; or as the Apostle words it, Eph. 4.22,23,24. It is to put off concerning our former Conversation, [Page 124] the Old Man, which is corrupt according to the de­ceitful Lusts, and it is to be renew'd in the Spirit of our Mind, and to put on the New Man, which ac­cording to God, is created in Righteousness, and true Holiness. Not but that so long as we continue in this mortal State, some Relicks of Sin and Corruption will still remain within us; so that we cannot become in all respects Perfect, whilst on Earth, and have the Image of God perfectly restor'd. But the Image of God, to which we must be renewed in our Regeneration, tho' it cannot attain to that Perfection of Degrees in which we had it before; yet it must indispensibly have the Perfection of Parts, as Divines do distingush; that is, we must have an universal Inclination to all that is Holy, Just, and Good, and an uni­versal Aversion in Body, Mind, and Spirit to all Sin: Thus far we must Renounce the Flesh, and be conform'd to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. And then,

2. We must so Renounce the Flesh, as to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God. This being the true Property of the Regenerate Nature to be exalted above all worldly Things, and to be carried out in our Love and Affection towards God. And accor­dingly the First of all the Commandments, we are told, is this, to Love the Lord our God with all our Heart, and with all our Souls, and with all our Minds, and with all our Strength, Mark. 12.30

THE XXI. LECTURE.

YOU have seen what is meant by the Flesh. I am therefore now,

Secondly, To give you, in like manner, the full meaning and importance of the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, and to shew you in what sense, and how far we are to Renounce them. And as by the Flesh is meant the whole unregenerate Nature, Soul as well as Body, in this its corrupt state; so proportionably by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, must be understood all the Faculties and Powers of this corrupted Natture, as well the Faculties of the Soul, the Understanding and Will, as the Bodily Powers, viz. the Affections, Lusts, and Appetites. Every Faculty and Power of Soul and Body is properly enough termed a Lust, as it craves and desires its Object; and they are all of them sinful Lusts of the Flesh, just as the whole unregenerate Nature was said to be Flesh, that is either, [Page 126]

• 1. As those several Faculties of the Soul do move downwards from God and Heavenly Things, immediately and immoderately to­wards the Creatures. Or,
• 2. As the Inferior and Bodily Powers, the Affections, Lusts and Appetites, do disorderly Rebel against the Superiour Faculty of the Un­derstanding and Reason, and do carry the Will into Slavery to 'em. And as to the Faculties moving downwards.

I. Consider we the Mind, whose proper Ap­petit is after Knowledge; and this very de­sire of Knowledge becomes a sinful Lust of the fleshly Mind, and such as must be Renounc'd by us, in these Cases following, First, When we are desirous to know things which are either hurtful to be known, as the Experimental Know­ledge of Evil or Sin, the thing that ruin'd our first Parents; or when our Curiosity gives us a strange Itch to know Hidden things, such as are not proper for Man to know, as the Decrees of Predestination, and the Counsels of God's Will, which are the Ark that no Mortal Eye, ought to look into, and is forbid, Deut, 29.29. Secondly, This Appetite of the Mind, the de­sire of Knowledge, becomes a sinful Lust of the Flesh, when Persons immoderately Study to be exquisitly skill'd in whatever Arts and Sci­ences, to the neglect, or contempt of Divine Knowledge; whereas the Knowledge of the Christian Religion, and all that concerns our Immortal Happiness, ought to be much pre­ferr'd to any other; for which reason the Apo­stle did so earnestly pray that his Colossians [Page 127] might be fill'd with the Knowledge of the Divine Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Ʋnderstanding, and might increase in the Knowledge of God, Col. 1.9,10. And Thirdly, We must Renounce it as a sinful and fleshly Lust of a corrupted and depraved Mind, when out of pride, Prejudice, and a Contradic­tion to all sacred Truths, Men set up their own Carnal Imaginations and fleshly Reasonings against those Spiritual Notions, and those Mysterious Articles of our Faith, which are deliver'd to us in Scripture. Which being so Rebellious a Lust as it is against God, we must cast down Ima­ginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God, and must bring in every Thought to the Obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.5.

II. And as in the Mind and Understanding, so in the Will, there is this innate Corru­ption resiing in that Faculty, which renders it Fleshly, and tending in all its Choices to­wards the Creature, and so the proper matter of a Christian's Renunciation. The Will, whilst we remain unregenerate, is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8.7. But in its corrupt State, being always averse to the Directions of God's Laws and right Reason, it perversly chuses those things which please only the Senses, and so becomes in the most proper and immediate sense of the Word, a sinful and fleshly Lust. But we must bring our selves to that habit of Self-denial, so as readily to submit to God's Laws, to be govern'd by them, and that in the hardest Instances, as did Abraham the Father of the Faithful, when God [Page 128] commanded him even to slay his only Son Isaac, Gen. 22.10.

III. The Affections in the Carnal Man do sadly degenerate into what may too properly be called the sinful Lusts of the Flesh. These Passions and Affections of ours, such as Love and Hatred, are then right as they should be, when, 1st. we place them upon proper Objects; or, 2dly, when we steer them towards the thing we love, with Desires proportionable to the Good that is in the Object; that is, when the best, and greatest, and most worthy things are pur­su'd with our chiefest and intensest Affections, things of a middle Nature, with less eager Passi­ons, and the lowest of all Goods with the least Desires.

But, 1st, These Affections of Love and Ha­tred, and all the rest, must be utterly Renounc'd, and subdu'd, which we shall find our selves to have misplac'd upon wrong Objects; that is, in­stead of Loving, we must utterly Hate and Abhor all Sin, and sinful Pleasures; so the Psalmist, Psal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord hate Evil.

2. And we must Renounce and subdue our Affections, so far as we find them disproportionate to the true Worth and Evil that is in those Objects, towards which it is lawful to be well or evilly Affected in moderate Degrees; that is, we must not love God, with an Inferior de­gree of Affection, and worldly Things, with a Superiour; but as God is the Supream Good in himself, and the Author of all the Good we enjoy; we must therefore love him according­ly [Page 129] with the intensest Degrees of Affection; so Matth. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind.

III. The last of these Powers of our cor­rupted Nature, which are here to be Renounc'd, are our Lusts and Appetites, which in a state of Unregeneracy are indeed most directly and im­mediately, no other than so many sinful Lusts of the Flesh. And must therefore be so far renounc'd by us, that First we must not give our Appetites a Loose after undue Objects, for Christians must relish better Things than to make Provision to fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh, Rom. 13.15. Nor, Secondly, must we Chri­stians gratify the Cravings of our Appetites in Eating and Drinking to undue Measures, but indeed must take great heed to our selves, lest at any time our Hearts be over-charged with Sur­feiting and Drunkenness, and so that Day come up­on us unawares, Luke 21.34. But especially, Thirdly, it behoves Christians to Renounce those which are peculiarly call'd the Lusts of the Flesh; whether, 1st, Lusting after a strange Woman: Or, 2dly, after a Man's own Wife in unlawful Measures; for Fornication, and all Ʋncleanness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh Saints; for this know, that no Whore­monger, nor unclean Person, hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ, and of God, Eph. 5.3,5. And thus I have fully consider'd those several Faculties ahd Powers both of Soul and Body, as they become so many sinful Lusts of the Flesh, by moving downwards from God and [Page 130] Heavenly Things, immoderately towards the Creature.

Secondly, And now I am to consider the Lower Faculties, viz. the Affections, Lusts, and Appetites, as so many sinful Lusts of the Flesh, under another Notion, and as they do disorderly Rebel against the Superiour Faculties of the Understanding and Reason, and do carry the Will into Slavery to them. And these we are to Renounce, by subduing them to the Go­vernment of Religion and Reason; by which means we shall reduce Man in some measure to his Primitive State of Innocence and Inte­grity, which is the great Design of Christianity. We must subdue, I say, the Flesh, with all its Lusts and Appetites, its Passions and Affections, all our fond and foolish Imaginations, and false Prejudices, to the Power and Conduct of right Reason, enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God, remembring that We are Debtors, not to the Flesh, to live after the Flesh; for if we live after the Flesh, we shall die; but if we through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body, we shall live, Rom. 8.12,13. which brings me to the

Last Particular propos'd to be explain'd, and that is to shew you, What is meant by Re­nouncing All the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, and in what Sense, and how far, we must Renounce them All. And, in a word, by Renouncing All the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, can be understood no less, than that we must indulge no part, nor Faculty of our corrupt Nature in the Trans­gression of any of God's Commands. There [Page 131] must be no Fleshly Lust suffer'd to reign in us, for the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven a­gainst All Ʋngodliness, and Ʋnrightiousness of Men, Rom. 1.18. And particularly, our Care and Business must be to oppose Lusts of Temper and Constitution, which Matth. 5.29,30. is called a cutting off the Right-hand, and a plucking out the Right-eye; which because it is an hard Doctrine to carnal Men, the Necessity of it is much en­deavour'd to be evaded and shisted off, by per­verting the meaning of the Word of God.

And so I have at length throughly explain'd to you this important Subject of Renouncing the Devil, the World, and the Flesh. And from what has been said upon it, it does appear, that as the State you have Listed your selves in your Baptism is a state of Warfare; so now you have in some competent Measure been instructed how you may conquer and subdue all your Spiri­tual Enemies; or as your Catechisin expresses it, how you may Renounce the Devil, and all his Works; the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World; and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh.

THE XXII. LECTURE.

HAving explain'd to you the First of those Conditions requir'd on our parts in the Covenant of Grace, viz. That we should Re­nounce the Devil, &c. I come now in like man­ner to explain to you the

Second, Which is, that we believe all the Arti­cles of the Christian Faith. In commenting up­on which Words,

• I. I will declare to you what is meant by Articles.
• II. What it is to Believe them; and then,
• III. That we must believe them All. And,

First, I am to declare to you something in general concerning the Nature of these Articles, or Christian Truths, which are to be Believ'd. The whole Bible, both Old and New Testa­ment, is the Object of a Christian's Faith, be­cause All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. But there being some Truths Re­vealed in Holy Writ, of greater Importance and Concernment to us than others, because they [Page 133] do more immediately, and directly tend to give us due and worthy Apprehensions of God, and to Instruct us in the only sure Method of Sal­vation, by Jesus Christ; and because they are the strongest Motives to a Holy Life; for these Reasons these Truths are peculiarly call'd the Articles of our Christian Faith, and must there­fore be more peculiarly and explicitely believ'd by us. And what those Articles are, you have summ'd up out of the Scriptures, and given you in that Form of sound Words which we call the Creed.

Secondly, And now I am to shew you, what it is to Believe those Articles, so as to make you ca­pable of Life and Happiness. And you must be so throughly and firmly perswaded of their undoubted Truth, as to be accordingly Influ­enc'd by the Belief thereof, to the practice of Good Works, and then to betake your selves to Jesus Christ to Intercede with his Father for his Gracious Acceptance of the Good that is in you.

1. I say, your Belief of these Articles must be Operative and Practical; it must be such a Faith as does move and influence you to Good Works, or that worketh by Love. Gal. 5.6.

Such was the Faith of Abraham, who by his Belief in God was excited to the highest, and the hardest Act of Obedience that was possible to be perform'd; for Heb. 11.17,18. we read, that by Faith Abraham when be was Tryed, Offer­ed up Isaac, and he that received the Promises of­fered up his only Son, and he a Son too in whom God had promis'd him great Blessings; and [Page 134] yet, at God's Command, he readily Obey'd, believing however, that God would be as good as his Promise to him, though it was by raising him again from the Dead.

And, indeed, Faith is always an Operative and Active Principle, whenever the Things Believ'd are of great Importance, or Concern­ment to us. And such it is certain the Articles of our Christian Faith are, they being all of 'em so many Motives, and those the most power­ful in the World, to stir us up to a diligent Reformation of our Hearts and Lives. Every one that hath this Hope, or Faith in God, Puri­fieth himself, even as God is pure. 1 Joh. 3.3.

2. The Belief of the Articles of our Christian Faith must be such, as withal causes us to be­take our selves to Jesus Christ, to intercede with God the Father, for the acceptance of our good Works; for God hath sent forth his Son to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, to de­clare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins, that are past, through the Forbearance of God. Rom. 3.25.

Lastly, And now I am to shew you, what it is to Believe All the Articles of our Christian Faith. And,

1. To Believe them All, does import, that we must assent with an undoubted Perswasion of their Truth, and Divine Authority to All, and every one, of those Great Articles of Christianity, contained in the Apostle's Creed, that Form of Doctrine which was deliver'd to the Christians. Rom. 6.17. And,

2. To Believe them All, is also to be fully perswaded of All, and every one, of those single Truths contain'd in each of those Articles. And an Heretick may be so by Believing only one of those sacred Truths which are contained in an Article, if so be there are any more of great Consequence to be Believ'd therein: Thus, for instance, To Believe that Iesus Christ was Crucify'd, Dead, and Buried, does import, both that he died a Sacrifice for the Atonement of our Sins, according to that of St. Peter, 1 Pet. 3.18. Christ once suffered for Sins, the Just for the Ʋnjust; And it does also imply, that he died to draw us off from Sin, and to purchase Mercy for us, on condition of our sincere Obe­dience. For he himself bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that we being dead unto Sin, should live unto Righteousness, 1 Pet. 2.24. And now the Antinomian does Fundamentally Err in the Faith for Believing the First without the Second; and the Socinian for Believing the Se­cond without the First; so that to Believe All the Articles of the Christian Faith, the Second of those Conditions requir'd of us in the Covenant of Grace, does imply not only that we are to Believe every one of those Articles, but every Divine Truth contain'd in each.

THE XXIII. LECTURE.

THIS is the Third of those Conditions re­quir'd on our side in our Baptismal Cove­nant. And that I may fully, and to the best purpose, explain this to you, I will,

• First, Lay before you what it is to Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments; or how far you must be Obedient to the Holy Will and Com­mandments of God, as ever you will hope to obtain Salvation, or to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Secondly, I will shew you what it is to walk in the same all the Days of your Life; or how long you must persevere in such Obedience. And this you must to the end of your Lives.
• Thirdly, I will clear the Doctrine of Evange­lical Obedience, as so stated, from those Doubts that may be raised against it. And,

I. As to the Nature and Measures of Chri­stian Obedience, It is a sincere and entire Obe­dience to all the Laws of the Gospel. Sincere it must be, by being a true and undissembl'd Ser­vice [Page 137] of God, opposite to all Hypocrisy, or a false and seigned Pretence of Obeying him, when in reality we only serve our own selves, or our own Lusts and Interests. Entire it must be, by being the Obedience of the whole Man, to the whole Will of God, and that at all Times; with this abatement of Rigour, that all our unwilling and involuntary Failings, which, through Ignorance or Frailty we commit, shall, upon our Prayers to God, be forgiven us; and even our wilful Transgressions, when we re­pent of, and forsake them, through the Me­diation of Christ, and the Grace of the Go­spel, shall not be imputed to our Condemnation. And,

1. Our Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel, must be sincere, by being a true and undissembled Service of God, opposite to all Hypocrisy, or a false and feigned Pretence of Obeying him, when in reality we only serve our own selves. The Lord thy God requires of thee to Love, that is, to Serve him, With all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, Matth 22 37. which shews, that God ac­cepts not of a heartless Service, nor accounts himself Obey'd by what was never intended for him.

Not that God does forbid us intending in some measure our own Advantage in the Perfor­mance of his Commands; for the greatest Saints we read of, had a respect to the Recompence of Re­ward Heb. 11.26. But,

1. That Man's Obedience is Insincere, who, together with his Intention of serving God, joins another [...]ntention of serving Sin, as those [Page 138] who made long Prayers, the better to enable them under that sanctify'd Disguise to devour Widows Houses. Mark 12,40. And,

2. When a Person shall design some Tempo­ral Ends in his Vertuous Practices, as much, or more than he intends God's Service; for, in re­spect of our Love to God, we must even hate Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, the dearest Interests and Concerns we have in this World. Luke 14.26.

2. Evangelical Obedience must be Entire; that is, First, The Obedience of the whole Man. Secondly, To the whole Law. And, Thirdly, Per­form'd at all Times. And,

First, It must be the Obedience of the whole Man. Thus our Saviour states the Measures of it, Luke 10.27. Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, or Will, with all thy Soul, or Affections, with all thy Strength, or Bodily Powers, and with all thy Mind, or Understand­ing. And, 1st, we must Love and Serve him with all our Mind, or Understanding; that is, all the Thoughts and Imaginations, all the Con­trivances and Counsels of our Hearts must be govern'd by, and kept in Obedience to the Laws of the Gospel, or we must bring into Cap­tivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.5. And as with all our Minds, so, 2dly, With all our Wills: For the Choice, as well as the Practice of our Duty, is necessary to render it acceptable with God; for In­stance, Whosoever looketh on a Woman, to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her in his Heart, Matth. 5.28. So that a wicked Will [Page 139] is in God's Sight, as well Criminal, as a wicked Act 3dly, As we will render our Obedience that of the whole Man, and there­by acceptable to God, we must regulate our Souls and Affections, conforming them wholly to what God Commands. No Man, says our Saviour, Matth. 6.24. can serve two Masters; for if he Loves the one, he will Hate the other. By this he lets us know, that our Love and Obedience must go together. And, Lastly, We must obey God with all our Strength, or bodily Powers; and it is not a meer Approbation, and Love to the Ways of God will be enough. Little Children, saith St. John, Eph. 3.7. Let no Man deceive you, he that doth Righteousness is Righteous; that is, you must not be flatter'd by your selves, nor others, as if any Thing less than doing and acting Vertuously, will be ac­cepted by God.

This is the distastful part in Obedience, and therefore many would build their Hopes upon cheaper Services; as that God would accept of the Will for the Deed, and the like. But whatever Men thinks in their Minds, or desire in their Hearts, or profess in their Words to the contrary, if for all that they continue to commit Sin in their Actions, Christ has told them plainly, that he will pronounce (when he comes to sit as Judge) Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity Matth. 7.23.

Secondly, To render our Obedience Entire, it must be an Obedience to the whole Law. We must not think we may pick and chuse in the matter of Duty; for if we Obey not all, we [Page 140] are not right in any; for he who breaks the least, or allows himself in the breach of the least of God's Commandments, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 5.19. that is, none at all. Thus we must Obey All God's Holy Will and Commandments, which brings me to the

Third Thing necessary to render it Entire, and that is this, that our Obedience must be per­form'd at all Times. And this is co incident with the

II. General propos'd, which was to shew you, What it is to walk in the same all the Days of our Life. And the meaning of these Words is, that we must continue in such a sincere and en­tire Obedience, even to the end of our Lives. We must not think to please God by being Obe­dient by fits, or by serving him only at such Times as we are in Humour, and have no Tem­ptation to the contrary: But our Service must be uniform: We must Obey him in all Things, and wilfully transgress in none. For if, after Men have once escaped the Pollution of the World, through the Knowledge of Christ, they are again en­tangled therein, and overcome, then is the latter end worse with them than the beginning, 2 Pet. 2.20. And, He that endureth to the end shall be saved, says our Saviour, Matth. 10.22.

III. And now I am to clear the Doctrine of Evangelical Obedience, as thus stated, from those Doubts that may be raised against it. And it will be objected, that if so sincere, entire, and uniform an Obedience, as has been said, be re­quir'd at the hands of Christians, there appears no difference between it, and that perfect Obe­dience [Page 141] requir'd of Man in his State of Innocence, as also that Legal Obedience requir'd under the Covenant of Works.

And negatively, this difference is not so great, but that our wilful and chosen Sins, committed against Knowledge and Conscience, will still put a Bar to our Salvation, even under the Covenant of Grace; for if he that despised Moses Law, died without Mercy, of how much serer Pu­nishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under Foot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy Thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace, which they do, who sin wilfully, Heb. 10.28,29. So that the difference between the Law and the Gospel is not such, and so wide, as that wil­ful Sins shall be now unpunish'd. But yet the difference is very great and comfortable; and it is this;

First, That as to our unchosen and involuntary Sins, which through the weakness and frailty of our Nature, we cannot avoid; and therefore by Ignorance, and for want of Consideration, we have committed; such Sins as these, I say, through the Mediation of Christ, shall now, under the Covenant of Grace, be graciously passed by; so that those who have sincerely and entirely, in the Sense as has been delivered, obey'd the Laws of the Gospel, shall not be cal­led to an account for such. For Christ who is our High Priest, will have Compassion of the Ig­norant, and of them that are out of the way, Heb. 5.2. And this is the first great difference be­tween the First Covenant made with Adam, [Page 142] wherein the least Sin was unpardonable, and this second Covenant of Grace, wherein through the Mediatiion of Christ, all our unwilling and involuntary Infirmities, shall be graciously pas­sed by.

The Second great Difference is, that even our wilful, and more heinous Sins, when by our Repentance we bewail and forsake 'em, and take better Care to avoid 'em for the future; they also, through the Mediation of Christ, according to the Terms he has obtained for us in the Covenant of Grace, shall be forgiven us, and shall not prejudice, or hinder our being In­heritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Among the Jews, according to the strictness of Moses's Law, the Punishment took place upon the first wilful Breach. He that despised Moses Law, saith the Apostle, if it were in an Instance where the Law threat'ned Death, died without Mercy, Heb. 10.28. But our Saviour came in­to the World to abrogate, as well the Rigour of Moses's Law, as of the first Covenant, and to preach up an universal Pardon upon Repen­tance. And so much is Remission of Sins up­on Repentance the great Doctrine of the Gospel, that our Saviour both began his Preaching with it, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, Matth. 4.17. And when he left the World, he commanded his Apostles, that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name to all Nations. Luke 24.47.

THE XXIV. LECTURE.

IN order to a full Explication of all that pertains to the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, having already, in the first place, given you an account of the Terms and Conditions of it, both on God's part, and on ours; both what it is to be a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven, which are the Mercies and Favours made over to us on God's part: And what it is to Re­nounce the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; to Believe in God, and Obey him, which are the Con­ditions to be perform'd on ours: My next Work must be (and then I shall have Instoucted you in all that pertains to the Nature and Sub­stance of this gracious Covenant) to shew you,

• II. What a happy State of Salvation this is, to be in such a Covenant with God.
• III. To declare to you by whose Mediation we obtain'd it. It was through Iesus Christ our Saviour.
• [Page 144]IV. I am to represent to you by whom we were called into it. It was our Heavenly Father who hath called us to this State of Salvation. And then,
• V. And Lastly, I am to make you sensible, what Infinite Thanks we do owe unto God for Calling us into this State of Salvation.

All which Points we have taught us in these Words, And I thank God our Heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this State of Salvation, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. To pro­ceed then, in order to a more complete under­standing of the whole Nature of the Covenant of Grace, whose Terms and Conditions I have before explain'd.

II. I shall now represent to you, how this Covenant of Grace does restore us to a State of Salvation. Salvation does import a Deli­verance from Danger and Misery, and a State of Salvation does import the being put into a Condition of Safety where one may be safe and secure if he pleases. And if it be ask'd, how we came into a State of Misery before? It was through the Rebellion of our First-Parents, whereupon they, and all their Posterity were expell'd Paradice, and Condemn'd to dye, Gen. 3. And had the first Covenant remain'd uncancel'd, we could have never escap'd. But when we were in this desperate and undone Condition, then was God of his infinite Good­ness graciously pleas'd to Cancel the first Cove­nant, nailing it to the Cross of Christ, Col. 2 14. And he was pleas'd to grant unto us, and to establish with us a Second, by way of Remedy [Page 145] against the Rigour and Extremity of the first; wherein God Almighty, as it were descending from his Majesty and Glory, does oblige himself to make good to such as shall enter into it, and continue faithful therein, those inestimable Fa­vours and Benefits before mentioned, and which I have already explain'd, and prov'd unto you. And now,

III. It will be infinitely worth our while to enquire by whose Mediation we obtain'd such a Civenant of Grace, and were restor'd thereby into a State of Sal­vation. And it was through Jesus Christ our Saviour. For such was the Goodness of the Son of God, that when it was necessary that Satisfaction should be made to Divine Justice, then did Christ Jesus give himself a Ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2.6. And because we must con­tinue still in a miserable State and Condition, whilst under the rigour of the First Covenant, that required a Perfect, Exact, Unsinning Obe­dience, which we in our Fallen State could not be able to perform, he moreover became a Me­diator of a better Covenant which was established up­on better Promises, Heb 8.6. So that through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour, you see it is, that we have been called to this State of Sal­vation.

IV. And now let us enquire, by whom we have been Called to this State of Salvation. And it was our Heavenly Father who hath Called us to this State of Salvation, through Iesus Christ our Saviour; that is, the same Heavenly Father who granted us, and the same Jesus Christ who purchas'd this State of Salvation for us, have al­so [Page 146] most mercifully call'd us to it. Our Hea­venly Father was much concern'd to have us call'd into it, as appears from the earnest man­ner of St. John's Expression, And we have seen, and do testify that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World, Joh. 4.15. And the Son was no less vigorous in it, It was his Meat to do the Will of God that sent him, and to finish his Work, John 4.34.

And how did he graciously woe and impor­tune his own Foolish, Rebellious Subjects to come into this State, and to accept the Terms of Sal­vation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gather'd thee as a Hen gathereth her Chic­kens under her Wings, Matth. 23.37. And that no means might be wanting to the end of the World, to reduce the Rebellious and Miserable Race of Men to a state of Happiness; As the Fa­ther sent him, so he sent Apostles upon the same gracious Message, John 20.21. And having all Power given unto him in Heaven, and Earth, he Commission'd those Apostles to go and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Fa­ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and teaching them to observe all Things whatsoever he had com­manded them, promising to be with them in the car­rying on this Great and Blessed Work, of bring­ing Mankind home to God, even to the end of the World. Matth. 28.18,19,20. And now,

V. And lastly, What infinite Reason have we heartily to thank Almighty God our Heavenly Father, that he hath called us to this state of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour. This is the last thing to be spoke to in the Explication of these [Page 147] Words. And indeed it is a matter which infi­nitely deserves the deepest sense of Gratitude, and the utmost Acknowledgements of the Di­vine Goodness upon two Accounts.

First, Because of the extraordinary advan­tage it is, to have God in Covenant with us; for God condescending by Covenant, to engage himself to make good to us the Benefits con­tained in it, this gives us all possible assurance of these Blessings: And upon that assurance the strongest Consolations and Comforts also, to chear us in going through the Difficulties we shall meet with in our Christian Warfare. Thus the Apostle, Heb. 6.17,18,19,20. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Pro­mise the Immutability of his Counsel, confirmed it by an Oath, or Covenant, that by two immuta­ble Things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong Consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that with­in the Veil, whither the Fore-runner is for us entered, even Jesus.

Secondly, And being call'd into Covenant, and having all God's Mercies thereby secured to us: This is a singular Happiness, when so many Millions of his Creatures, both Angels and Men, do want this favour.

As to the Fallen Angels, the Covenant of Grace was a Favour never afforded by God to any of them; for Christ, that he might deliver them who all their life-time were subject to Bondage, verily took not on him the Nature of Angels, but [Page 148] took upon him the Seed of Abraham, Heb. 2 15,16.

And as to Men; alas! There are many Na­tions now in the World, who have not yet en­joy'd so infinite a Blessing, as this happy Call into a State of Salvation, who have not yet heard of a Saviour, nor the good Tidings of the Gospel, or Covenant of Grace. But now in Jesus Christ, ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the Blood of Jesus, who is our Peace: And are no more Strangers and Foreigners, but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houshold of God. Eph. 2.13,14,19.

THE XXV. LECTURE.

I Have now given you as brief an Account as I could, of the whole Nature, Terms, and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace: And now I am to treat upon the Sacrament, or Solemnity, by which you entered into it, for the declaring whereof, and the full explication of these Words; In my Baptism wherein I was made, it will be requisite that I should in some measure, so far as it relates to the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace, open unto you the Nature and End of Baptism.

And it is an outward Rite, or Ceremony, of our Saviour's own Appointment, for the solemn admitting of Persons into the Covenant of Grace; Instituted by Christ for the better Confirmation and Assuran [...] of its Terms; the Promises on God's part, and the Conditions on ours, it being thus mutu [...]lly se [...]l'd to, betwixt God and us.

First, Baptism, I say, is an Outwa [...]d Rite, or Ce­remony of our Saviour's own Appointment, for the so­lemn admitting of Persons into the Covenant of Grace. To understand which, you must consider that to have some Outward Rites and Solemnities in Re­ligion, is agreeable to the Frame and Constitu­tion of Humane Nature, as being most apt to re­ceive Impressions from sensible Things. And this especially is requisite in the Admistion of Per­sons into Religious Societies by Covenants.

The Israelites, it is well known, they were en­tred into the Covenant God made with them by Circumcision, Gen 17.13. And that they were by Baptism, at leastwise during their sojourning in the Wilderness, is testified by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10 2. They were all Baptized into Moses, or in­itiated into the Religion of Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea. And as to the Heathens, they were initiated into their Superstitions by Purga­tions, or Washings.

And now agreeably to both, the Rite or Ce­remony whereby our Saviour Appointed, that we should be Initiated into the Covenant of Grace, or the Christian Religion, was Baptism, or Washing, which no doubt he chose as what would be acceptable to both Parties; but espe­cially as more significative of Christian Purity. [Page 150] And so indispensibly necessary to our Admission into the Church he has made Baptism, that it is expresly and positively told Nicodemus, Joh. 3.5. Except a Man be born of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And that no Pretences of being Baptized by the Spirit, may be thought enough, to render Water Baptism unnecessary, St. Peter Commanded, even those who had actually and really received the Holy Ghost, as well as himself, to be Baptized in the Name of the Lord. Acts 10.44,47.

Secondly, Baptism was instituted for the better Confirmation, and Insurance of its Terms, the Pro­mises on God's part, and the Conditions on ours, it be­ing thas mutually and interchangeably, as it were, sealed to betwixt God and us There are two Par­ties, concern'd in Baptism, the Minister who is God's Ambassador, or Agent, 2 Cor. 5.20. and the Person Baptized. And the Ministers recei­ving into the Church by the Ceremony of Bap­tism, is a Sealing to the Promises on God's part, as the others presenting himself to Bap­tism, is putting, as it were, his Seal to the Counter-part of the Covenant.

And as it gives wonderful Assurance of mutual Persormances to enter solemnly into Covenant together; so that which is especially to be consider'd in this case, is this; that the Mer­cies on God's part are so infinitely above the meer Merit of our Performances, that we could by no means pretend to such Favours, upon all that we can possibly do in the Service of God; but now after that God has solemnly covenanted upon our Repentance, Faith, and Sincere Obedience, [Page 151] to forgive us our Sins, and to reward us with Eter­nal Life; we have a Legal Right and Title, to those unspeakable Benefits conferr'd upon us. He will be Just to forgive us our Sins, 1 Joh. 1.9. And we shall have a Right to the Tree of Life. Rev. 22.14.

THE XXVI. LECTURE.

HAving spoke to the Sacrament, or Solem­nity whereby we entred into Covenant, exprest in these Words, In my Baptism, I come now to shew you, The great Obligation which lies upon us to perform this our Covenant with him. And if we take the Question and Answer both together, they do plainly import this Do­ctrine; viz.

The vash Obligations which lie upon us from the Mercies of the Covenant, especially from our Vow in Baptism, faithfully and conscientiously to dis­charge our Covenant with God. And to begin with the Mercies,

1. If we consider our selves as Members of Christ, or Members of the Christian Church, why there cannot be an Argument of greater [Page 152] force to keep us right, in a Regular, Orderly Conversation, than that one Consideration should be. For why? The Church of Christ are a selected, separated Body of Men, who are Consecrated as it were, to God's Service, and are Called, and Chosen out of the World, to live another sort of Life than what the World is accustomed to. Ye are a chosen Generation, a pe­culiar People, that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light. Wherefore, dearly Beloved, I beseech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, abstain from fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul, ha­ving your conversation honest amongst the Gentiles, that by your good Works, which they shall behold, they may glorify God in the Day of Visitation 1 Pet. 2.9,11,12.

And to purchase such a Body, as shall more peculiarly and zealously serve God, was the de­sign of our Saviour's coming amongst us. Thus Tit. 2.14. it is said, That he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works. And accordingly he does enjoin us to let our Light so shine before Men, that they might see our good Works, and glorify our Father which is in Hea­ven. Mat. 5.16.

Secondly, Nor is the Consideration of our be­ing Children of God, less fruitful of good Argu­ments, shewing us those vast Obligations lying upon us faithfully, and conscientiously to dis­charge our Covenant with him. For why? Children are bound to the strictest Obedience to their Parents, as owing to them their very Be­ing. [Page 153] But Children of God, as owing both their Being, and Well-being. A Son honoureth his Fa­ther, and a Servant his Master: If I then be a Fa­ther, where is mine Honour? Ad if I be a Master, where is my fear? Mal. 1.6. And therefore does St. Peter, upon this very Score of being Children of God, most earnestly exhort us to a Renuncia­tion of this World, and our filthy Lusts, and to a faithful and careful discharge of our Duty to God our Father. As Obedient Children, says he, Not fashioning your selves according to the for­mer Lusts in your Ignorance, but as he which hath cal­led you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of Conver­sation. 1 Pet. 1.14,15.

Thirdly, As Inheritors of the Kingdom of Hea­ven, we are infinitely concern'd to behave our selves most soberly, regularly, and dutifully; for if the Heir of a Temporal Inheritance will be so careful to please that Parent from whom he expects a great Estate, but yet so, that he shall certainly be disinherited, if he prove un­dutiful: How much a greater Motive must it be to a regular Conversation, [...]o have an Eter­nal weight of Glory, an Inheritance laid up in Hea­ven, a Crown of Life, infallibly ensur'd to those, who shall be faithful unto Death. This sure is enough to encourage us in well-doing, and to preserve us safe and innocent, as it has done thousands before us, amongst all the Persecu­cutions of Evil Men on the one hand, or the Allurements of the World on the other, with­drawing us, or frighting us into Sin. So that in the strength of the hopes of such an Inheri­tance, we may be prevail [...]d upon, faithfully and [Page 154] conscientiously to discharge this Covenant with our God. But,

Fourthly and Lastly, That Obligation upon us faithfully to discharge our Covenant, which ought here particularly to be considered, is that Promise and Vow made for us in our Baptism, that we should do so, Dost not thou think that thou art bound to Believe, and to Do, as they have pro­mised for thee? And it is answer'd, Yes verily.

Now a Vow is defin'd to be a Solemn Promise made unto God, whereby we do in a peculiar manner engage our selves unto him, to the Performance of something. And though to do the thing which is Vowed to be done, were left at liberty be­fore, yet after the Vow, as appears in the Case of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5 1,2,3,4,5. It is a provoking Sin to rob God of what has been once devoted to him. And God's Anger is most commonly observable, and very signal up­on such Occasions.

But when that which is Vowed, as here in our Baptism, is no other than what by the very Law of Nature, we are antecedently obliged to, as to Renounce God's Enemies, and to adhere closely to him in a dutiful Observance of his Commands; to violate such a Vow as this, must be much more provoking to him.

In short, a Vow is much of the same Nature with. an Oath, and therefore to violate it, is Perjury, a Sin which does more certainly draw down Vengeance from God than any other. And as you would not put an Affront upon the Divine Majesty, having been devoted to God, take care you withdraw not your selves from his [Page 155] Service, but as the Wise-man Cautions, Eccl. 5.5. Pay that which thou hast vowed, and say resolute­ly with Holy David, Psal. 119.106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments.

THE XXVII. LECTURE.

HAving fully declar'd unto you the Nature, and Terms of the Covenant of Grace, the Sacrament or Solemnity whereby we en­tered into it; and the Obligations upon us to discharge the same; I come now to the Means of performing it included in these Words: And they are,

• I. A firm Resolution, the Importancce of So I will.
• II. The Help and Assistance of God; And by God's Help so I will. And,
• III Prayer for Divine Assistance. And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may con­tinue in the same unto my Lives end.

And, First, that you may see the Power of Holy and Christian Resolution, (leaving the two latter Points to be also fully treated upon in their proper Place) I will shew you,

• 1. Wherein Christian Resolution does consist.
• 2. How much the forming of a strong Resolution will crnduce to the Performance of the Covenant. And,

First, As to the Nature of Christian Resolu­tion; it is a Peremptory, but Rational Determi­nation of the Will to a vigorous and speedy Ex­ecution of those Vows and Promises made in Ba­ptism, notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary; and this publickly and solemnly de­clar'd.

The Resolved Christian does not Hesitate and Doubt, or Halt betwixt God and Baal, with the unresolv'd Jews, 1 Kin. 18 21. but is determin'd to adhere to God. And in this Determination of his, he is fixt and peremptory, not fickle and un­constant, like some who are sinning and then re­penting; and yet after they have been in their Penitentials, are again sinning.

And Christian Resolution is a Rational Deter­mination of the Will: That is, it it [...] an Obsti­nacy and Stubbornness without o [...] contrary to Reason; but upon a due weighing the Dangers and Difficulties of the one side, not to be com­par'd with the infinite Rewards on the other, it is a fixt Choice of enduring, even the grea­test Difficulties in prospect of such mighty Re­wards, as the wisest course to be taken. And the resolute Disciple of Christ does not weak­ly and faintly with he could, but determines actually to proceed to a vigorous Execution of [Page 157] his Vows and Promises; and that speedily too, like David, who having thought upon [...]s ways made haste, and delayed not to keep God's Commands, Psal. 119.60. Nor does he make Exceptions of some particular Lusts, of some darling Sins, but resolves to mortily his most beloved Lusts, and to encounter the roughest Assaults of all his Spiritual Enemies, being perswaded, with S. Paul, that neither Life, nor Death, shall separate him from the Love of God. Rom. 8.38,39.

Lastly, And the sincere Christian, to complete his Resolution, will Publickly and Solemnly pro­test it to all the World, that it is the full deter­mination of his Heart to adhere faithfully to God against all his Enemies, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Publickly and Declaratively he will do thus when Sinners are most impudent and publick in declaring their own Impieties. And Solemnly he will make these his Resolutions be­fore the Bishop, and the Congregation at his Confirmation, and by pronouncing then that he will perform in his own Person, the Vows made by his God-fathers and God-mothers in his be­half at Baptism.

Secondly, And now I am to shew you, how much the forming of such a Resolution, as you have seen, will conduce to the Performance of your Baptismal Covenant.

And 1st, it will go a great way towards it to be Determin'd in your Will, and fix'd in your Purposes; the having a Will and Mind to a thing; being that which will put a Person on to do any thing towards the attaining it. As we daily see those who are Resolv'd to be Rich, [Page 158] spare no Pains, nor Care, and stick at no Dan­gers that they may compass their beloved Mam­mon. And indeed, Resolution is necessary to­wards the gaining of any Point where there is Danger and Diffi [...]ulty in the way

But especially, i [...] his highly necessary to be very Resolute in opposing the Temptations of Satan, whom t. resist you must be stedfast in the Faith, 1 Pet 5 9. He will try all Methods, not only by subtilty, but by force, to engage you in Sin, and therefore you must Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the Evil Day, and having done all to stand; that is, all will be little enough to enable you to stand, but stand therefore you must, having your Loins girt, says the Apostle, Eph. 6.13,14. which Words do express the utmost Resolution as necessary to defect him. And that will do; for when he finds a Christian is Resolv'd, he then leaves him to the Conduct of God's Holy Spirit.

And the same Resolution is also necessary to overcome the Lusts of the Flesh, which are boi­sterous Enemies, and you must, out of hand, cut them off, and pluck them out, Matth. 5.29. for else, whilst you Parley with them, they will slide into your Hearts. And lastly, the wicked Men of the World are by no means so successful­ly Resisted, as by letting them know, that you are resolved against those Ways and Courses they would draw you into; for finding you resolv'd, lewd Companions will no longer haunt you.

And therefore, 2dly, your Resolutions will be the more powerful to repel all sort of Temp­tations, the more publick they are, and especially if Seal'd to in some Solemn Ordinance, as at Confirmation, or at a Sacrament; for then your Resolutions will be confirm'd as it were, by a Solemn Vow and Oath took in the Presence of God, and his Church; and Solemn Vows and Oaths being what all Men's Consciences, which are not sear'd, will abhor to Violate, your Re­solutions so strongly bound down upon you, will scarcely be broken by you. Having sworn, your own Conscience will press it upon you, that you must perform it, and keep his Righteous Judgments, Psal. 119.106. And upon such an occasion it may be said, and successfully laid home to you by the Minister of God, of by any other kind Friend and Admonisher, Thou hast Vouched the Lord this Day to be thy God and to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Statutes, and to hearken unto his Voice. And the Lord hath avouched thee to be his peculiar Servant, that thou shouldst keep all his Commandments, Deut. 26.17,18. Than which, there cannot be a more obliging and forcible Consideration presented to any Person, to keep him strictly to his Baptismal Covenant and En­gagements.

But, Secondly, your Resolution to be faithful in your Covenant with God, must be made, not in Con­fidence of your own Strength, but of God's Grace and Assistance. For, alas! if we consider our selves, such is our natural Weakness, that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves, 2 Cor. 3.5. so that we cannot Pro­mise [Page 160] nor Vow that we will Renounce the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, or that we will Be­lieve in God, and Obey him, in confidence of our own Strength. Yet in full Assurance of the Help of God, we may firmly Resolve with a So I will; for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4.13. But then,

Thirdly, It is Prayer must obtain that Help and Assistance. You must pray unto God to give you his Grace, that you may continue in the same unto your Lives end. Importunate Prayer is a powerful Means to procure from God a supply for all our Wants, for this is the Confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us, 1 Joh. 5.14. But nothing certainly is more agreeable to his Will, than that we should ask that Grace and Assistance which alone can enable us to serve and obey Him; and therefore we may be sure of never failing in such our Petitions. And for the same reason, as well as other more weighty ones, you may also promise your selves a Blessing up­on your Endeavours, from the Benediction and Prayers, accompanied with the Laying on of Hands, of the Father of the Church, when in Confirmation the Bishop shall pray unto God, to encrease in you the manifold Gifts of Grace, the Spirit of Wisdom and Ʋnderstanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Ghostly Strength, the Spirit of Knowledge and true Godliness, and to fill you with the Spirit of his holy Fear, now and for ever.

THE XXVIII. LECTURE.

HAving shew'd you how effectual a Means Holy Resolution will be towards the per­formance of your Covenant with God.

Secondly, I come now to shew you, that it must be a Resolution took up, not in Confi­dence of our own Strength, but of God's Grace and Assistance. In order to make which appear.

• I. I will represent to you how weak naturally we all are; and how unable of our selves to overcome Temptations, and to perform our Covenant with God.
• II. I will then shew you, what the Divine Assistance is; and what measures of it propor­tionably to such our Necessity, God will bestow upon you.

And as to the First, our own natural Weak­ness, which makes the Divine Assistance so ne­cessary to us; nothing is more certain than [Page 162] that the whole Nature of Man is miserably Deprav'd by Sin. Ever since the Fall of our First Parents, the Light of our Understanding, which shou'd direct, is become dark and dim; our Wills crooked and perverse; our Affecti­ons are set upon Earthly Things; and our Lusts and Appetites are wholly bent after what pleases our Senses, in direct Opposition to the Laws of God, and of right Reason. We see, as the Apostle Words it, Rom. 7.33. A Law in our Members; warring against the Law in our Minds, and bringing us into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which is in our Members; so that were it not that Christ, amongst other high Be­nefits, has purchas'd for us sufficient Grace to Renew us throughout, we might have always reason to bewail our State in the following Words of the Apostle, Ver. 24. O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin; But now have reason to thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ver. 25. For we can do all Things through Christ that strengthened us. Phil. 4.13.

Secondly, And what the Divine Assistance is, and what Measures of it, proportionably to our Natural Necessity, God will bestow upon us to enable us to perform our Covenant with him, I will next shew you.

And, by God's Grace, I do mean, A secret Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit, accompa­nying the Word into the Mind and Will, by means whereof the Gospel does more readily and effectually work upon both, to the Renewing of them, and to the restoring the Image of God into the Soul; namely, [Page 163] that Righteousness and Purity which we had lost by our Fall. Such is the Divine Assistance.

And the Measures of it were, and always will be, such as are proportionable to the Ne­cessities of the Church. Governours and Teach­ers in the Church shall have the Spirit of Go­vernment, and Gift of Teaching, and every pri­vate Christian may expect such Graces and Assistances as are necessary and proper for him.

In the first Ages, when the Occasions of Di­vine Assistance were Extraordinary, then did Christ bestow upon his Apostles, and others, divers Extraordinary Gifts; viz. Of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, divers kinds of Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues, 1 Cor. 12.10. But now, that the Church is esta­blish'd, and the Truth of Christianity already Prov'd and Believ'd, God does assist the Mi­nisters of Religion only with the Ordinary Graces of his Spirit, in the discharge of their Ministry.

And yet even the Ordinary Assistances are Extensively very large; insomuch that every Power and Faculty of our Nature, our Under­standings, Wills, and Affections, which are so much deprav'd, shall be so strengthened by the Divine Efficacy, as to discharge their proper Parts in the Service of God. Upon which ac­count all our Christian Vertues are called the Fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5.22.

And the Divine Grace and Assistance is also Intensively very powerful and strong in the working of this Change within us: The Gos­pel [Page 164] being not a Letter that killeth, as was the Law, but the Spirit which giveth Life, 2 Cor. 3.6. that is, Grace which is the Gift of the Spi­rit, is now join'd to, and goes along with the Gospel in a far greater degree than it did un­der the Law. And that in so powerful a man­ner, that St. Paul tells us, that neither is he that Planteth any thing, nor he that Watereth, but God that giveth the Increase, 1 Cor. 3.7. Where the whole Success of our Preaching, in rendring it effectual, he tells us, is from God's Grace, not from our Skill who preach it. And so much for the second Means, whereby you shall be enabled to perform your Covenant with God, namely, the Help and Assistance of God.

THE XXIX. LECTURE.

IN these Words you have Prayer set down, as a third Means whereby you will be enabled to perform your Covenant with God. And in order to make it appear such to you,

• First, I will shew you what is meant by pray­ing unto God.
• Secondly, I will lay before you how, and in which way Prayer will be effectual to the per­formance of your Covenant.

And, First, By Prayer, in the largest Sense of the Word, is meant any Addresses made unto God, as well Confessions and Thanksgivings, as Petitions and Intercessions, as appears in the Instance of the Pharisee and the Publican, Luke 18.10. both which are said to go up to the Temple to pray, when the one Thank'd God, that he was so Perfect, the other Confess'd, he was a great Sinner.

Secondly, And now I am to shew you, how effectually Prayer will contribute towards the [Page 166] performance of your Covenant. And this it will do several ways.

1. As it will morally dispose you to be Obe­dient unto God. For if being in the Presence of an excellent. Person will cast an Awe upon you, so that you cannot easily think, much less do a base Action; how much more will it In­fluence you to be Good and Vertuous, if you shall constantly approach the Divine Presence in Prayer.

Nay, 2. Constant Prayer will more than dispose you. It will naturally inforce you to be faithful towards God. I mean, it is a Duty of that Nature, that it is scarcely to be imagin'd how any one should persevere in Prayer, and yet persist in withal to violate his Covenat with God: The Wise man assuring us, Prov. 28.9. that He who turns away his Ears from hearing the Law, that his Prayer shall be even an Abomination to the Lord. But,

3. And especially Prayer, duly Qualify'd, will be a most effectual means to enable you to discharge your Covenant, as it procures for you the Grace and Assistance of God, without which you cannot perform it; Of which you have a full Proof, Luke 11.13. If you being Evil know how to give good Gifts to your Children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Which Words do, with a great deal of Force, shew how plentifully God will give you his Grace, to enable you to serve him, if you shall ask it of him. And let this suffice to have spoken of [Page 167] those several Means, whereby you shall be ena­bled to perform your Covenant with God.

THE XXX. LECTURE.

HAving Explain'd to you the Doctrine of your Baptismal Covenant, in what per­tains to the Nature, Terms, and Conditions of it; the Sacrament and Solemnity whereby you enter'd into it; the Obligations upon you to perform it; and the Means whereby you may be enabl'd to discharge it: It remains now only to account for two Circumstances relating to it; namely, First, The Time when. Secondly, The Persons by whom, as by Proxies, you were Initiated into the Covenant of Grace.

And, First, As to the Time when; This, as is imply'd in these Words, Wherein I was made, was in your Infancy, an Age thought by some very improper to enter into a Covenant by Baptism; and therefore I shall have occa­sion here to vindicate Infant-Baptism, or to ju­stify your having been Initiated into the Cove­nant of Grace by Baptism, even whilst you were Infants, having been the Children of Believing Parents.

I say, Having been the Children of Believing Parents; for that such have a right to be Bap­tiz'd, or to be took into Covenant, may be fairly concluded from that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 7.14. For the Ʋnbelieving Husband is Sanctify'd by the Wife; and the Ʋnbelieving Wife is Sancti­fy'd by the Husband, else were your Children un­clean, but now are they Holy. Where Children are said to be Holy, not as Inherently Sanctify'd, but as Privilegially, or Federally Holy; just in the same Sense as St. Peter, 1 Ep. 2.9. calls the whole Catholick Church of Christians, Holy, Ye are a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, meaning thereby that they were Holy by Profession, as being Confederated with a Holy God, by a Holy Religion and Covenant. And if the Children of one Believing Parent have the Pri­vilege to be accounted thus Holy, much more may the Children of both. But for farther Evidence, I will briefly prove these Six Parti­culars.

• I. That Infants were Initiated by Circumci­sion, into that Evangelical Covenant made with Abraham.
• II. That they were Initiated both by Circum­cision and Baptism, into that Legal One deliver'd by Moses.
• III. That it was, without all doubt, the In­tention of our Saviour, that under the Gospel Covenant likewise they should be Baptized into the Covenant of Grace.
• IV. That agreeably to the Mind of their Master, the Baptizing of them into it, was in [Page 169] all probability practis'd by the Apostles of Christ.
• V. That it is very agreeable to the Ends and Reason of Baptism, and the Nature of the Co­venant of Grace, that they should be Baptized into it.
• VI. And lastly, That it is a happy, a mighty Advantage for those Infants who have at that Age been Baptized into it. And,

I. I say Infants were Initiated by Circumcision to that Evangelical Covenant made with Abra­ham. The Covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 17. wherein it was promis'd, that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed, was the same in Substance with the Second Co­venant made with Adam, Gen. 3.15. wherein it was promised, that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head; that is, should destroy the Devil's Kingdom. And it was the same also in a more imperfect Edition of it, with that which was made with Christ; for it contain'd the same Gospel Promises of Pardon, Justification, and Happiness, by conferring of which, Abraham, and we, and all his Spiritual Seed, are Blessed; and it had the same Condi­tion on the Performance of which those Promi­ses did depend, viz. an Obedient Faith, for Abraham Believed in God, and it was accounted to him for Righteousness. Rom 4.3.

And now, that Infants, even at Eight Days old, were then to be Initiated into this Covenant by Circumcision, is to be seen, Gen. 17.11,12. And if Infants were then to be Initiated by an [Page 170] Outward Rite, why not now, since it is but the same Covenant? Especially when it is consider'd, that as he was cut off from the Covenant who was not Circumcis'd, Gen. 17.14. The Ʋncir­cumcis'd Manchild, whose Flesh of his Foreskin is not Circumcis'd, that Soul shall be cut off from his People: So that Person is to be Excluded the Church, who is not Baptized; for it is expresly said, that Except we be born of Water, and the Spirit, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Hea­ven. John 3.5.

II. And as Infants was Circumcised into that Evangelical Covenant made with Abraham; so they were both Circumcis'd, and all Baptized into that Legal One deliver'd by Moses. That they were admitted by Circumcision, no one doubts; but that they were Baptized, is not so com­monly understood and known, but wants not its Evidence even from Scripture; as 1 Cor. 10.1,2. where St. Paul tells us, All our Fathers were under the Cloud, and all passed through the Sea, and were all Baptized unto Moses; that is, the Religion of Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea. And that their very Infants, as well as their Parents, were so Baptized is certain, for that all were alike under the Cloud, and in the Sea.

And as for the Testimony of Jewish Wri­ters, they tell us, that during their Travels through the Wilderness, their Children, in­stead of being Circumcis'd (which would make them sore for Travelling) were Baptized in­to the Religion of Moses, and that in all Ages, [Page 171] Proselytes and their Children were admitted by Baptism.

III. And now it seems to me beyond all doubt, to have been the Intentions of our Saviour, that Children should continue to be Initiated into the Christian, Church by Baptism also, he having A­dopted the Jewish Rite of Baptism, for the Sacra­ment of Initiation, without excluding Children from being Baptized: For finding it Customary in the Jewish Church to Baptize them into Co­venant with God, if he had design'd any Alte­ration of the Persons, he would certainly have forbidden Children to be Baptized. And find­ing it Customary so to Initiate them, there was no necessity of his giving any new Command about it, as being Practis'd already. And it is sufficient Warrant to continue the use of it to Infants, that when he Adopted Baptism to be a Christian Sacrament, he did not forbid it to Children, whom he found in Possession of it.

IV. And agreeably to the Mind of their Master, the Baptizing of Infants into the Covenant of Grace, was in all probability practis'd by the Apo­stles of Christ. For why? In three several places, namely, Acts 16.15. and again, v. 33. and 1 Cor. 1.16. we find that whole Families were Baptized: And as it is scarcely to be believ'd, that there were not Children in some of them; so if there were, it must be concluded, that they also were Baptized; especially if we consider, that it was the known Custom in the Jewish Church, from which Christian Baptism was deriv'd, of Baptizing all, both Children [Page 172] and Servants, together with the Heads of the Families, when any were Proselyted and Con­verted.

V. And it was very agreeable to the Ends and Reason of Baptism, and the Nature of the Cove­nant of Grace, that Infants should be Baptized into it. It is a very unreasonable Prejudice to think that Infants are not capable of entring into Co­venant with God. The contrary of which does plainly appear, Deut. 29.10,11,12. Ye stand this day, all of you before the Lord your God, your Tribes, your Elders, your Little Ones, that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God. And that Circumcision, the Token of the Covenant, Gen. 17.11. was imprinted upon In­fants is what every Body knows.

Nor is there any think, in the Nature of the thing, that should exclude Infants from be­ing Parties in it. It consists, as has been of­ten said, of certain Invaluable Privileges and Benefits made over to us on God's Part, and of certain very reasonable Conditions to be per­form'd on ours. And they are doubtless capable of having Privileges conferr'd upon them: For the Child of an Attainted Rebel may be restor'd to his Blood; and Minority is no hin­drance to the Inheriting of an Estate. Nor are they less capable of being bound to Conditions, as appears from the now cited place of Deut. 29.13. where the Children, as well as the El­ders, enter'd into Covenant, oblig'd themselves to be to God a People.

VI. And lastly, And indeed, it is to be at­counted a very great Privilege and Advantage to those Infants that have been so early enter'd into Covenant with God. And this it is, First, Up­on the account of their having Original Sin now wash'd off, and no more imputed to them; the first Covenant which bound it down upon them, being not only Nail'd to the Cross of Christ, but particularly Cancel'd as to them; so that the Condemning Force of it is took away as to their Particulars, by their being admitted into another more Gracious and Merciful Co­venant. Secondly, And it is their Advantage and Happiness, that they have been engag'd thereby so early in the Service of God. By this means they become pre-engag'd to God, before that the Devil, and their Spiritual Ene­mies can attempt to withdraw them; and it will be their Parents Faults, who shall not give them an early Instruction, if they Revolt from him. So that upon the whole, if all these Reasons now given for Infant Baptism shall be rightly consider'd, especially as they depend upon, and add strength to one another, I cannot see but that they carry the greatest Force in them to prove the Reasonableness, the Expedience, the Necessity of your having been admitted by Baptism into the Covenant of Grace, even in your Infancy; which was the first Circum­stance to be accounted for, relating to this great Affair of your entrance into Covenant with God. The second is, your being pre­sented by God fathers and God-mothers, and is the last thing I am to speak to you upon, re­lating [Page 174] to this great Subject of your Baptismal Covenant.

THE XXXI. LECTURE.

THE introducing you into Baptism by God-fathers and God mothers, is the Second and Last Circumstance to be here accounted for, re­lating to your entrance into Covenant with God at your Baptism. And because the Reasonable­ness of it is not so well consider'd by some, I will therefore enquire.

• I. Into the Meaning and Importance of the Words, God-fathers and God-mothers.
• II. Into the Nature of their Office; They did Promise and Vow thrée things in my Name.
• III. I will shew what reason the Church had to appoint God-fathers and God-mothers, both to Represent, and to Engage for the Infant in Baptism.
• [Page 175]IV. And Lastly, For the further Justification of the Thing out of Scripture, I will prove from thence, as a Power and Authority given by Christ, to the Governours of the Church, to make such reasonable Constitutions as they shall think fit, for the greater Order and De­cency of Divine Administrations, and the bet­ter Edification of the Souls of Men; so that their appointing of God-fathers and God-mothers, was a most excellent and useful Institution to this purpose.

And, First, I am to enquire into the Impor­tance of the Words, God-fathers and God-mo­thers. And, in short, they do signify Sureties and Bondsmen; and are a Collateral Security, join'd together with the Natural Parents, in behalf of their Children, which are enter'd into Covenant with God. And this their Se­curity is given to God and his Church, that they will be Instruments in begetting them to God.

Secondly, And as to the Nature of their Office, it imports these Three things.

1. An express Engagement given by Christ and his Church, to the God-fathers and God-mothers in behalf of those Infants presented to Baptism, that so soon as they become capable to be Taught, they shall be Instructed in the Nature of that Co­venant, which they their Sureties have undertook for them. They Engage, that they will take care to have those Infants, whom they have presented to Baptism, Catechiz'd in the Nature of that Co­venant they have in the way of Proxy for them, enter'd into; which is the Importance of these [Page 176] Words, given in charge to the God-fathers and God-mothers; remember, that it is your Parts and Duties, to see that this Infant be Taught, so soon as he shall Learn, what solemn Vow, Promise, and Profession he hath here made by you; which it is the proper work of Catechising to teach them.

2. Having thus took care to have them well Instructed by Catechising, in the Articles and Conditions of their Covenant, their next Care must be to Admonish and Advise them seriously to apply themselves to live according to those Obligations laid upon them in their Covenant with God; for so it follows in that most ex­cellent Exhortation given to the God-fathers and God mothers after Baptism, Ye shall take care that this Child shall be Vertuously brought up, to lead a Godly, and a Christian Life. And then,

3. They are to take care that at Years of Discretion, the Child should take his Vow up­on himself, before the Bishop in Confirmation; for so their Charge runs; Ye are to take care that this Child be brought to the Bishop to be Con­firm'd by him, so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the Vulgar Tongue. So that the utmost Importance of these Words, They did promise and Vow thrée things in my Name, is, 1. an Engage­ment to Christ and his Church, in the behalf of the Baptized Infant, that so soon as he be­comes capable, he shall be instructed in his Co­venant. 2. That he shall be Admonished to live according to it. And, 3. That he shall solemn­ly declare it his sincere Intentions so to [...].

Thirdly, If we now consider what reason the Church had to appoint God-fathers and God-mothers to the 'foresaid Purposes.

1. It is sufficient to justify this Usage, that is for the better Order and Decency of the Administration, that some should be the Month of the Child; that so whilst God by his Mini­ster does Promise on his Part such invaluable Privileges, the Child, who is so infinitely concern'd, may not be silent, but may engage to perform the Conditions of his; since a Si­lence on his side would look like a sullen, un­grateful Refusal of such gracious Overtures, and Terms of Mercy, which would be very in­decent.

2. And it is of exceeding great Concernment to the Church of Christ, that Security be given that every one who is admitted a Member into it, should live to the Reputation and In­terest of it. This is no more than what Socie­ties, whose Honour and Interest is of infinite less Consequence do require; there being no Corporation and Company, that will admit into them any Member, from whom they apprehend any Danger, without giving Security against all Disadvantages that may accrue by his Ad­mission. And shall not the Church of Christ, whose Members, if they should prove Scanda­lous, it would be of exceeding great Disadvan­tage to it, take such a reasonable Security as may be most likely to prevent such a Mischief to it, as the having ignorant and vitious Mem­bers of it?

Nor is it sufficient Security to the Church, that the Parents are bound to take this Care of their Children. Parents may Dye, or be Care­less; and too much Precaution cannot be taken in a Matter of such Consequence, where the Interest and Reputation of the Church of God, and the Salvation of Mens Souls, is so much con­cern'd.

Nor indeed is the Charge given to the God-fathers and God-mothers any unreasonable Impo­sition in itself, it being a Care little more than what is required from one Christian to another in common Charity; that is, to assist in the Christian Education of those who want such Care to be taken of them; and to instruct the Ignorant, and to admonish them that they do not Err. It is a a Piece of Charity, which is more or less incumbent upon every one: But God-fathers and God-mothers, by the Nature of their Office, have peculiar Occasions to exercise it put into their Hands; and for so doing they may expect the greatest Rewards; the Apostle having inform [...]d us, That he who should save a Soul from Death, shall cover a multitude of Sins. James 5.20.

THE XXXII. LECTURE.

HAving shew'd you,

• I. The Meaning of the Words, God fathers and God-mothers.
• II. The Nature of their Office. And,
• III. What Reason the Church had to Appoint God-fathers and God-mothers, both to Represent and Engage for the Infant in Baptism.
• IV. And, Lastly, besides the Reason of the Thing, for the further Justification of the Use of God-fathers and God-mothers, to introduce In­fants to Baptism, I will prove out of Scripture, as a Power and Authority given by Christ to the Governors of the Church, to make such Reasonable Constitutions as they shall think fit, for the greater Order and Decency of Divine Administrations, and the better Edification of the Souls of Men: So that the Churches Ap­pointing of God-fathers and God-mothers, was a most Excellent, Rational, and Useful Institution to this purpose.

I say, Besides the Reason of the Thing; for it is sufficient to justify any Ecclesiastical Institution, [Page 180] that it be reasonable, though not particularly enjoin'd by any express Scripture. Some Things indeed there are in Religion, quite above our Natural Reason, as the Mysteries of Christianity: And other Points of Faith and Practice, though they are cognizable by right Reason, Yea, and why even of your selves, says our Saviour, Judge you not what is right, Luke 12.57. Yet it is by Scripture, as the most perfect Rule that we are to be Go­vern'd in the Belief and Practice of such Things. But as to those Modes and Circumstances requi­site for Order and Decency in Divine Worship, and for the greater Solemnity of Divine Admi­nistrations, it is wholly left to the Reason and Discretion of Church Governors to appoint such, as appears from 1 Cor. 11.13,14,16. Judge in your selves, is it comely that a Woman pray with her Head uncovered, doth not even Nature, that is the Reason of the Thing, teach you? But if any Men be Con­tentions, we have no such Custom, nor the Churches of God; that is, if People will be so perverse, I think it sufficient to tell them, as that which ought to govern them, the Nature and Reason of the Thing, and the Custom of the Church is against them. Well, but to make this Matter clear, upon the due understanding of which, the Peace of the Church does so much depend;

First, I will farther prove out of Scripture, that there has been a Power and Authority gi­ven by Christ to the Governors of the Church, to make such reasonable Constitutions as they shall think fit, for the greater Order and De­cency of Divine Worship, and for the better Edification of the Souls of Men. And then,

Secondly, I will shew you, that their appoin­ting God-fathers and God-mothers was an excel­lent and useful Institution to that purpose.

And as to the First, in order to make that appear, it is very considerable, that such a Power was allowed to the Governors of the Jewish Church, wherein, though there was little need, one would think, of adding to their Ritual, God himself having so particularly prescrib'd Things of that Nature; yet we find that our Saviour Christ did himself observe the Feast of Dedica­tion, John 10.22. though a Feast not of any Di­vine Appointment. And as many other Obser­vances amongst them were of meer Humane In­stitution, so our Saviour commanded his Disci­ples to be conformable to them, Matth 23.2,3. saying, The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's Chair, and therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do.

Nor does he correct that Command of his, when, in another Place, Mark 7.7. he Repri­mands the Pharisees, for Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men: Those Commands of theirs, which he there means, not being a­bout Things of an indifferent Nature in them­selves, but Commands that did indeed over­turn the Moral Law, as the Command of de­nying Maintenance to their Parents in Neces­sity, under pretence of having Devoted their Substance before to God; by which Evasion, he tells them, They made the Commandment of God, concerning Honour due to Parents, of none effect by their Traditions, Ver. 13. and tells them withal, That in vain did they worship God, Teach­ing [Page 182] thus for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. So that it remain, there was a Power given to the Jewish Church to Appoint such Things as did pertain to the Publick Worship.

And the same Power continued also to those who prended in the Christian, our Saviour com­mitting it to their Care, that all Things in Church Assemblies should be done unto Edifying, 1 Cor. 14.12. and that all Things should be done Decently, and in Order, Ver. 40. which Commands being only general, without particularly ex­pressing all the ways whereby those Things may be provided for, he must of necessity be sup­pos'd to leave it to the Discretion of Church-Governors to appoint, what, according to the Change and Customs of Times and Places (which in these Things do often vary) they in their Wisdom should think to be most fit, de­cent, and orderly to be observ'd. And the People he commanded to Obey them that should have the Rule over them, Heb. 13.17. And to sub­mit themselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13.

The Apostle indeed, Gal 5 1. bids them stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, and not to be entangled again in the Yoke of Bondage. But this was a Liberty from the Yoke of Moses's Law, which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear, which he bids them maintain; and relates nothing to the Obser­vance of decent Ceremonies in Divine Worship, which are far from being any Yoke.

Nor are such Constitutions an adding to the Book of Life, a Thing forbid under a severe Penalty, Rev. 22.18. But are indeed, on the Governor's Part, no other than an Executing the Commands of the Book of Life, given 1 Cor. 14 12,40. as was before shewn. So that, I hope, by this it does appear from Scripture, That there has been a Power and Authority given by Christ to the Governors of the Church, to make such reasonable Constitutions as they shall think fit, for the greater Order and De­cency of Divine Worship, and for the better Edification of the Souls of Men. And now,

Secondly, I am to shew you, that their ap­pointing of God fathers and God-mothers was a most useful Institution to this purpose; that is, that it is an Appointment which contributes much to the decent Administration of Bap­tism, and that it is also very serviceable to the Edification of the Baptized Members of Christ's Church. How much it makes for the Decency of the Administration, I have already shew'd you: And that it will likewise contri­bute much to the Edification of the Persons Baptized, will not be doubted, if we con­sider,

• 1. The Nature of their Office.
• 2. The good Effects we often see of Persons having had God-fathers and God-mothers, as Sure­ties for them in Baptism.

And, first, if we consider the Nature of their Office, it cannot but be that Persons who have undertaken to instruct, and to admonish Youth, and to bring them to Confirmation, should ve­ry [Page 184] much contribute to their Edification. And it would be readily own'd, did all Persons who take upon them to be Sureties for others, make a Conscience of discharging their Obligations; but most are generally too regardless of what they have undertaken.

But however, Secondly, there are often seen good Effects of Persons, having had God-fathers and God-mothers in Baptism, to whose pious Care many poor Children owe their Education, and all the Care that hath been taken of them, when their irreligious Parents have been careless of them, or their Poverty would not enable them to provide them of Schooling, Books, and the like; which good Effects would be more seen, were none admitted to be Sureties for others, who have not themselves communicated in the Lord's Supper, as the Church does appoint: For such would make a Conscience of their En­gagements. So that it is not the Churches Fault, that the God-fathers and God-mothers do not do all the good they might. But the Office tending so much, as in its own Nature it does, to the Edification of the Baptiz'd, and to the decent Administration of Baptism, as has been shew'd; this is sufficient to justify the Gover­nors of the Church, in appointing of God-fathers and God-mothers to introduce Chil­dren to Baptism.