A Sermon Preached Before the House of Commons. March 31, 1647 9780231877244

Table of contents :
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
To THE HONOURABLE Houfe of COMMONS
John ii 3,4
Die Mercurii ultimo Martii. 1647

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THE

FACSIMILE

SERIES

III:

TEXT

SOCIETY

PHILOSOPHY

VOLUME 2 RALPH CUDWORTH A SERMON 1647

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H.

BLACKWELL,

LTD.,

50 & 51 Broad Street, Oxford, England.

RALPH CUDWORTH A

SERMON

P R E A C H E D BEFORE T H E HOUSE OF C O M M O N S MARCH

31,1 647

Reproduced from the Original

Edition

T H E F A C S I M I L E T E X T SOCIETY N E W YORK 1 9 3 0

Printed in the United States of America by T h e National Process Company, New York

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL

NOTE

A Sermoti Preached before the Honourable House of Commons, At Westminster, March J/, 1647, by Ralph Cudworth is reproduced from a copy of the original edition in the library of Union Theological Seminary; this copy has been compared with another copy of the same edition in the same library, and no variations have been found. F.A.P. Columbia University July 15, 1930

ΛΑ A

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¡SERMON

Preachcd before the Honourable Houfe of

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At f F E S T M I ^ S T E % March 31. 1 6 4 7 .

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By R. C u d w o r t H J B. D. 'Eucrs£« ώ riwov ο

Έυο-&ζων άκρως

Χ&ηζνίζα» CAM®

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Printed by (Z^ogw Daniel, Printer to the Universitie. 1647.

1*

To

THE

HONOURABLE Houfe of

COMMONS. ~

He Scope of this Sermon, Tfhich not long finte exercifed your 'Patience ( Worthy Sena-

tours ) "tyas not to contend for this or that Opinion j but onely

to perfide

men to the Life of

Chrift, as the Tith and Kernel of all ^eltpon. Without Which, I may boldly f a y , all the federali Forms of Religion m the World, though Tbe

pleaje our fehes neyer ß> much m them, are but fo many fever JI Dreams. And thofe many Opini«» ons about Religion, that are every Tfhere fo eaf

I

gerly contended for on all fides y ft>here This doth not lie at the Bottame, are but jo many Shadows figkmg'tokh me another : f o tbatlmay iteli f a y , of the true Cbrilitan, that is indeed p o j f e f f z d of the Ufe of Ckrijharúty y in oppofition to all thoje that are but lightly tinctured "frith the Opinions of it y in the language of the Toet, *Qm$ Tn-mrrcq ΤΌ\ «Λ* ¿s

own corrupt hearts, and having the eye o f our ibul ttnElured by the fuffaiions of our own lufts. And therefore, becaufe we mortali s can fondly love and hate,and fometimes, hug the very Vices,of thofe to whom our affections are engaged, and kiíTe their very Deformities · we are Γο ready to iliape out a Deity like unto our felves, and to fafliion out iuch a God, as will in Chrift at leaft,hug the very wickedneffe o f the world : and in thofe that be once his own, by I know not what, fond affeótion, appropriated to himfelf, connive at their very iinnes, fo that they fhall not make the leaft breach betwixt himfèlf and them. Truly, I k n o w not whether o f the two,be the worfe Idolatry, and o f the deeper ftain ; for a man to make a god out o f a piece of mod, and jail down unto it and wor~ ßip itj and fay, Deliver me, for thou art my God, as it is expreííed in the Prophet Ijaiab^ or to fetup fuch an Idol-god o f our own Imagination as this is, fafhioned out according to the frmilitude of our own fondnejfe and wickednefle : and when we fhould paint out God with the livelieft Colours, that we can pofsibly borrow from any created being, with

(*4>

with the pureil Perfe&ions that we can abftraít from them; to draw him out thus with the blacked Coal of our own corrupt heaitsj and to make the very blots and blurs of our own fouls, to be the Letters, which we ipell out his name by. Thus do we that are Children of the Night, make black and ugly reprcfentations of God unto our felves, as the -Ethiopians were wont to do, copying him out according to our own likeneiTej and letting up that unto our felves for a God, which we love moil dearly in our felves, that is, our Lulls. But there is no fuch God as this any where in the world, but onely in íbme mens falie imaginations, who know not all this while, that they look upon themfelvcs inilead of God, and make an Idol of themfelves, which they worfliip and adore for him · being io full of themièlves, that whatfoever they tèe round about them, even God himièlf, they colour with their own Tin ¿ture: like him that Jriftotle fpeaks of, that whereioever he went, and whatfoever he looked upon , he faw ilill his own face, as in a glafle, rcprefented to him. And therefore it is no wonder if men feem naturally more

(*5> more devoutly affe&ed toward fuch an Imaginary God, as we have now defcribed, then to the True Reali God,clothed with his own proper Attributes ; fincc it is nothing but an Image of themfelves, which NarciJfuJlike they fall in love with: no wonder if they kiife and dandle fuch a ^aby-^godzs this,which like little children, they have dreiTed up out of the clouts of their own fond Phancies, according to their own liknciTe, of purpoie that they might play and fport with it. But God will ever dwell in fpotlefle light, howloeverwe paint him and disfigure him here below : he "will ftill be circled about, with his own raies of unftained and immaculate glóry. And though the Gofpel be not God, as he is in his own Brightneffe, but God Vailed and Masked to us, God in a ftatc of Humiliation, and Condefcent, as the Sun in a Rainbow j yet it is nothing elfe but a clear and unipotted Mir'rour of Divine Holinefle, Goodneííe, Purity ,· in which Attributes lies the very Life and EiTence of God himielf. The Gofpel is nothing elfe, but God de« fcending into the World in Our Form , and converfing with us in our likenefTe ,· that he E might

(ló) might allure, and draw us up to God , and make us partakers of his Divine Form. ©JO'S y¿y>Hi Aiffa&oi (as Athanafius ipeaks) ϊνα Ts ci ίβωΊω fetwotiaH, God was therefore incarnated and made manjhat he might Deifie us, that is , ( a s S. expreíTeth it ) make us partakers Of the Divine nature.Now,I lay,the very properChara&er, and EfTentiall T i n t u r e of God him* ièlf, is nothing elfe but Goodnejfe. Nay, I may be bold to adde, That God is therefore God, becaufe he is the higheft and moil: perfect Good : and Good is not therefore Good,becaufe God out of an arbitrary will of his, would have it fo. Whatfoever God doth in the World, he doth it as it is fuitable to the higheft GoodneíTe ; the firft Idea, and faireft C o p y of which is his o w n Eflence. Vertue and HolinelTe in creatures, as TLito welldi* ícoLiríeth in his Euthyphro , are not therefore Good , becaufe God loVeth them, and w i l l have them be accounted fuch 5 but rather, God therefore loVeth them becauje they are in themßhes fimply good. Some of our o w n Authors, go a little further yet, and tell us ; that God doth not fondly love himièlf, becaufe he is hi?nfelf, but therefore he loveth him-

himfelf becaufe he is the higheft and m oft abfolute Goodnejfe : ί ο that if there could be any thing in tne w o r l d better then G o d , G o d w o u l d love that better then himfelf : but becauiè he is EiTentially the moli: perfeófc GoWä therefore he cannot but love his o w n goodneffe, infinitely above all other things. A n d it is another miftake w h i c h fometimes w c have of G o d , by ihaping him out according to the M o d e l o f our {elves, w h e n w e make h i m nothing but a blind, dark, impetuous Self will, running through the w o r l d } fuch as w e our felves are luriouily a & e d with, that have not the Ballaft o f abfolute goodneße to poize and fettle us. T h a t Í m a y therefore come nearer to the thing in hand : G o d w h o is abfolute goodneffe, cannot love any o f his Creatures & take pleafure in them, without beftowing a communication of his G o o d nefíe and LikeneiTe upon them. G o d cannot m a k e a Gofpel, to promife men L i f e & Happinefle hereafter,without being regenerated, & made partakers of his bolinejfe. As foon m a y Heaven and Hell, be reconciled together,and lovingly fhake hands with one another j as G o d can be fondly indulgent to any finne, E 2 in

(ι8)

in whomfoever it be. As foon may L i g h t and Darknefle be efpoufed together, and Mid-night be married to the Noon-day . as God can be joyned in a league of friendfhip, to any wicked Soul. T h e great D e f i g n e o f G o d i n t h e G o f p e l , is to clear up this Mill: of Sin and Corruption, which w e are here furrounded w i t h : and to bring up his creaturcs, out of the fl?adow of death, to the (Region of Light above, the L a n d of Truth and Holinefle. T h e great Myftery.of the Gofpcl, is to eftabliih a Godlike frame and diijpofition of fpirit, which coníiíts in Righteouíheíse and true Holinefse , in the hearts of men. And C h n f t , w h o is the great and mighty Saviour, he came on purpoie into the World · not onely to lave us from Fire and ΈήηιϊΙοΜ, but alfo to iave us f r o m our Sins. Chrift hath therefore made an Expiation of our fins, by his death upon the Crofle,that w e being thus delivered out of the hands of thele our greateft enemies, might ferVe God without fear, inkohnejfe andrighteoufneffe before him, all the dayes of our life. This grace of God that bringethfalvationi hath therefore appeareâ to all men, in the Goipel, that it might

teach us to deny mgodlinejfe and Worldly lujls, ami that We flmld live foberly, right eonfly,andgodlily in this prefent World : looking for that bleffed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jejus Chrifl ¿ who gave him/elf for us9 that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himfelf a peculiar people, Zealous of good Worh· Thefe things I Write unto you ( faith our ApoHle a little before m y text ) that you firme not : therein exprefsing the end of the whole G o ipel, which is, not onely to cover finne, by fpreading the Purple R o b e o f Chrifts death and fufferings over it, w h i l f t i t f t i l l remaineth in us with all its filth and noifomncfie unremoved · but alfo, to convey a powerfull and mighty Spirit of holineife, to cleanfe us, and free us f r o m it. A n d this is a greater grace of Gods to us, then the former, which ftill go both together in the Golpel ; befides the free remifsion and pardon of finne in the bloud of Qhrift, the delivering of us f r o m the power of finne, by the Spirit of Qmfi dwelling in our hearts. Chrift came not into the w o r l d onely, to caft a Mantle over us, and hide all our filthy fores, f r o m Gods avenging eye, with his merits and righteoufnefiej E 3 but

Oo) but he came likewife, to be a Chirurgeon, and Phyfitian of fouls, to free us f r o m the filth and corruption o f t h e m 5 which is more grievous and burdenfome, more noyfome to a true Chriilian, then the guilt of finne it felf. Should a poore wretched, and difeafèd creature, that is full of fores and ulcers, be covered all over with Purple, or clothed w i t h Scarlet ; he would take but little contentment in it,whileft his fores,and w o u n d s , remain upon h i m : and he had much rather be arraied in rags, fo he might obtain but foundnefle and health within. T h e G o f p e l is a true rBetheJdaì a pool of Gracc, where fuch poore,lame,and infirme creatures, as w e are, u p o n the m o v i n g of Gods fpirit in it, may defcend d o w n , n o t o n e l y t o w a f h our skin andoutfide, b u t a l f o to be cured of our difeaies within. And what ever the world thinks, there is a powerfull Spirit that moves lipon thefe "Waters, the waters of the Goipel, for this new Creation, the Regeneration of fouls. the very f i m e Spirit, that once moved upon the Waters of the univerlc at the fir ft Creation, and fpreading its mighty wings over them, did hatch the n e w born World into

(3·) into this perfe&ion : I lay, the fame Jlmighty fpiritof Çhnft, itili workethinthe Goipcl, fpreading its gentle, healing , quickening wings, over our fouls. The Goipel, is not like Abana and Tbarphar, thoie common Rivers of Damafcus, that could onely cleanfe the outfide ; but it is a true Jordan, in which fuchleproufe Naamans, as we all are, may Wafl) and be clean. Blejfed indeed are they, •frhofe imquities are forgiven, and "frhoje finnes are cohered : Bleßed is the man to τ¡t>bom the Lord "fr ill not impute fimie : but yet, rather Blefl'ed are they, whole finnes are removed like a Mornmg-cloud, and quite taken away from them: (BleJfed, thrice blefled, are they, that thirfi after righteoufnejfe, for they fhall be Jatisfied ' Blefied are the pure in heart for they fi?all fee God. Our Saviour Chrift came ( as John the ßaptifi tells US ) "frith a Fan in bis hand, that he might throughly purge his ßoore arni gather his "frheat into his gamer : but the chaff he "frill burn up, "frith unquenchable fire. He came ( as the Prophet Malachy fpeaks ) like a Refiners fire, and like Fullersjope-to fit as a Refiner a?id Purifier of fifoer, and to purifie all the finnes of LeYi, and purge them as gold and fiber, that they may

(3*) may o f f e r unto the Lord an offering in righteoufnefse. Chrifi: came not onely, to write Holinefse to the Lord upon Karons forehead, and to put his Urim and Thummim upon his Breaft-plate,but This is the Covenant, faith the Lord, that I "bill make "frith them in thofe day es · I "frill put my Law into their inward parts, mid "frrite it in their hearts and then. I "frill be their God, and they frail be my people ' they ¡hall be all t\ings and Vrietts unto me. God fent his own fonne ( iaith S(. Taul ) in thelikeneße of finfull fle[h, and by a facrifice for finne, condemnedfinne in the fleß? that the righte* oufnefse of the Law might be fulfilled in us, "frho "fralk not after thefieß), but after the Spirit. The firsl Adam, as the Scripture tells us, brought in a reali defilement, which like a noifome Leprofie, hath overipread all mankind : and therefore the fécond Adam muft not onely fill the World with a conceit, of HolineiTe, and racer Imaginary RighteouíheíTe ; but he muft really convey, fuch an immortali feed of Grace into the hearts of true Believers, as mayprcvaile ftill more and more in them, till it have at laft, quite wrought out that poifon of the Serpent. Chrift, that was nothing, but Divinity dwelling in a Tabernacle of flefli.

(») fleß?, and God himfelf immediatly a & i n g a h u m a n e nature j he came into the World to kindle here that Divine life a m o n g f t m e n , w h i c h is certainly dearer unto God, then any thing elle whatfoever inthe W o r l d . and to propagate this Celeftiall f i r e , from one heart ftill unto another, untili the end of the World. Neither is he, or was he ever abfent f r o m this Spark of his Divinity, kindled a m o n g f t men, wherefoever it be, though he ièem bodily to be w i t h d r a w n f r o m us. H e is the (landing, conftant, inexhaufted Fountain, of this divine Light and Heat ; that ftill toucheth every foul that is enlivened by it, w i t h an out-ftretched Ray, and freely lends his Beams, and difperfeth his influence to all, f r o m the beginning of the World to the end o f it. We all receive of bis fulnefse, grace for grace, as all the Starres in heaven, are (aid to light their Candles at the Suns flame. For though his body be withdrawn f r o m us, yet by the lively and virtuali Contati of his Spiri^ he is alwayes kindling, cheering, quickening, w a r m i n g , enlivening hearts. N a y , this Divine life begun and kindled in any heart, wherefoever it be, is fometb'mg of God tnflep? · F and

(54) and, in a fober and qualified fence, Divinity incarnate. and all particular Chriftians, that are really poifeffcd of it, fo many Mytticall Qmíls. And God forbid , that Gods own Life and Nature here in the World, ihould be forlorn, forfaken, and abandoned of G o d himfelf. Certainly, where-ever it is, though never fo little, like afweet, young, tender Babe, once born in any heart when it crieth unto G o d the father of it, with pitifull and bemoning looks imploring his compafsion ; it cannot chule but move his fatherly bowels¡ and make them yertie, and turn towards it, and by ftrong lympathy, d r a w his compaiiionate arm to help and relieve it. Never was any tender Infant, fo dear to thole B o w els that begat it as an Infant new-born Chrifi, formed in the heart of any true believer, to G o d the father o F it. Shall the children of this World, the fonnes of darknejfe, be m o v e d with (lichtender affeótion, and compafsion, towards the fruit of their bodies, their o w n Naturali ofïpring ; and (hall God w h o is the Father of lights, the fountain of all goodnefle, be moved with n o compafsion towards his true Spirituali Offpring, and have n o regard to

(il) co thofe fweet 'Babes of Light, ingendered by his o w n beams in mens hearts, that in their lovely countenances, bear the refemblance of his o w n face, and call him their father ? Shall he fee them lie fainting, and gafping, and dying here in the World, for want of nothing topreferve and keep them, but an Influence from h i m , w h o fir ft gave them life and breath ? N o · hear the language of Gods heart, heare the founding of his bowels towards t h e m : Is it Ephraim my dear fonne ? Is it that pleafant child ?finceIfpake of him I do earneïlly remember him, my bowels, my bowels a, e troubled for him ; libili jurely hay e mercy upon himi faith the Lord. If thofe cxprefsions of goodneiTe and tender affeótion nere amongft creatures, be but drops of that full Ocean that is in G o d } h o w can w e then imagine, that this Father of our fpirits3 fhould have lo little regard to his o w n dear Offpring, I d o not fay our fouls, but that which is the very Life and Soul of our fouls, the Life of God in us ; which is nothing elfe but Gods o w n Self communicated to us, his o w n Sonne born in our hearts · as that he íhould íuffer it to be cruelly murdered in its Infancy by our Sinnes, F 2 and

oo and like young Hercules in its very cradleito be itrangled by thofe filthy Vipers·,that he fhould lee him to be crucified by wicked Luíts}nú\ed fail to the crofle by invincible Corruptions} pierced and gored on every fide with the poiloned fpears of the Devils temptationsy and at lail to give up the G h o f t . and yet his tender heart not at all relent, nor be all this while impafsionated with fo lad a fpe&acle ? Surely, we cannot think he hath liich an adamantine breaft, iuch a.flinty nature as this is. What then ? m u d we fay that though indeed he be willing, yet he is not able, to relcue his crucified and tormented Sonne, now bleeding upon the croífe ; to take bini down from thence and fave him ? T h e n muß: Sinne be more powerfull then God : that weak, crafie, and fickly thing, more ftrong then the ock of ages : and the Devil the Prince o f Darkneife, more mighty, then the God o f Light. N o Íìirely, there is a weaknefle and impotency in all Evil, a malculine ftrength and vigour i n a l l G o o d neiTe : and therefore doubtlefTe the Higheît Goodt the wfa%t ¿>αθβν as the Philofophers call it, is the ftrongeft thing in the World. Nil

(37) JSlil potentini Swnmo Bom· G o d s Power difplaied in the W o r l d , is n o t h i n g but his Goodneffe ftrongly reaching ?11 things, f r o m heighth to d e p t h , f r o m the higheft Heaven,to the l o w e f t Hell : a n d irrefiftibly imparting it felf to every t h i n g , according t o thofe inverali degrees in w h i c h it is capable of it. H a v e the Fiends o f D a r k n e f l e then, thoiè p o o r e f o r l o r n ipirits, that are fettered and locked u p in the Chaînes of their o w n wicked neííe, any ftrength to w i t h f t a n d the force of infinite Goodnejse, w h i c h is infinite Tower ? or d o they not rather skulk in holes o f d a r k nefle, a n d flie like Bats and O w l s , before the a p p r o c h i n g beams of this Sun o f R i g h t e o u f netfe ? Is G o d p o w c r f u l l to kill a n d t o deftroy, t o d a m n e and to t o r m e n t , and is he noe p o w e r f u l l to fave ? N a y , it is the Í weeteft F l o w e r in all the Garland of his Attributes,it is the richeft D i a m o n d in his C r o w n oí Glory, that he is Mighty to fave : a n d this is farre m o r e magnificent for h i m , t h e n t o b e ftiled Mighty to deßroy. For that, except it be in the w a y o f Juftice ; lpeaks n o P o w e r at all, but mere Impotency, for the R o o t of all P o w e r , is GoodneíTe.Or m u l l w e fay laftly,that G o d F 3 indeed

indeed is able to refcue us out o f the Power o f iinne Sc Satan, when we iigh & grone towards him, but yet fomctimes to exercife his abfolute Authority,his uncontrollable D o m i nion,he delights rather in plunging wretched fouls down into infernali Night, & everlafting Darkneffe?What lliall we then make the God o f the whole World?Nothingbut a cruell and dreadfull Erynnis, wich curled fiery Snakes about his head, and Firebrands in his hands, thus governing the World ? Surely this will make us either iecretly to think, that there is no God at all in the World, i f he muit needs be fuch, or elie to wifh heartily, there were none. But doubtlelTe, God will at laft, confute all thefeour Mifapprehenßons of him, he will unmask our Hypocriticall pretences, and clearly cail the ihame o f all our finfull Deficiencies, upon our leí ves,and vindicate his own Glory from receiving the leail ftain or blemiili by them. In the mean time, let us know, that the Golpel now requireth, far more o f us, then ever the L a w did · for it requireth a New Creature, a DiVine Nature, Chrijt formed in us : but yet wichall, it beftoweth a quickening Spirit, an enlivening

(19) enlivening Tower to inable us, to expreffe that, which is required o f ust Whofoever therefore truly knows Qmft, the fame alfo keepeth Qhrifls Çonimanâments. But, he that faith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him, Τ Have now done with the Firft part o f my Difcourie, concerning thole Objections, which ariie naturally from the Words, and offer themfelves to us : I fliall in the next place, proceed to make Tome generali nipplication o f them, all together.

N

O w therefore, I befeech you, Let us conilder, whether or no we know Chrift indeed : N o t by our acquaintance with Syftems and Modells o f Divinity · not by our skill in Books and Tapers · but by.our keeping of Qmjls (Commandments. All the Books and writings which we converfe with, they can but reprefent fpirituall Objects to our underllandings. which yet we can never fee in their own true Figure, Colour, and Proportion^ untili we have a Divine light within, to irrradiate

(40) irradiate, and Aline u p o n them. T h o u g h there be never fuch excellent truths concerning Chrift, and his Goipel, fet d o w n in w o r d s and letters j yet they will be but unk n o w n Characters to us, until! w e have a Living fpirit within us, that can decypher t h e m : untili the fame Spirit,by fecret Whifpers in our hearts, d o c o m m e n t upon t h e m , w h i c h did at firft endite them. There be many that underftand, the Greek and Hebrew of the Scripture, the Originali Languages in which the Text was written, that never underftood the Language oj the fpirit. There is a Qaro and a Spiritus, a Flefb and a Spirit, a ßodie and a Soul, in all the writings of the Scriptures : it is but the Fleß?, and 'Body^oî Divine T r u t h s , that is printed upon Paper ; which many Moths of Books and Libraries, d o onely feed upon ,· many Walking Scheletons of knowledge, that bury and entombe T r u t h s , in the Living Sepulchres of their fouls, d o onely converfe w i t h : fuch as never did any thing elfe, but pick at the mere Bark and Rind of Truths, and crack the Shels of them. But there is a Soul3 and Spirit of divine Truths,that could never yet be con gealedinto Inke.

(40 Inke, that could never be blotted upon Paper, which by a leeret traduction and conveiance,pafleth from one Soul unto another-being able to dwell and lodge no where, bue in a Spirituali being, in a Living thing ¿ becaufe it lèlf is nothing but Ufe ana Spirit. Neither can it, where indeed it is, expreíTe it iclf llifficiently in Words and Sounds, but it will beft declare and Ipeak it iclf in Actions : as the old manner of Writing among the Egyptians was, not by Words, but Things. T h e Life of divine Truths, is better expreifed in Actions then in Words, becauie Adtions are more Livingô things, . ^ ' then words ?>Words'7 are nothing but the dead Reièmblances, and Pictures of thole Truths, which live and breath in Aftions : and the JQngdome of God ( as the Apoftle fpeaketh ) confitteti? not in Wordy but in Life, and Tower. Ta ©/»0£ΛΤ», ν ^op^òv we weave fometimes a Web of Holinejfe, but then we let our lufts come, and undoe, and unravell all again. Like Stßpbus in the Fable, we roll up a mighty Stone with much ado, fweating and tugging up the Hill ¿ and then w e let it go, and tumble down again unto the bottome : and this is our confiant work. Like thoie Vanaides which the Toets (peak of, we are alwayes filling water into a Sive, by our Prayers, Duties, and Performances ; which ftill runs out as fail as w e poure it in. What is it that thus cheats us and gulls us of our Religion ? That makes us, thus conftantly to tread the fame Ring, and Circle of Duties, where we make no progrefle at all forwards - and the further we go, are ftill never the nearer to our journeys end ? What is it that thus ftarves our Religion ; and makes it look like thofe IQne in Pharaohs Dream, illfaimred and lean flefhed·

w

that it hath no Colour in its face, no Bloud in its veines, no Life nor Heat at all, in its members ? What is it that doth thus bedwarfe us in our Chriftianity ? What low, fordid, and unworthy Principles do we aót by, that thus hinder our growth, and makeusftand at a ftay, and keep us alwayes in the very Porch and Entrance, where we firft began ? Is ic a ileepy, íluggiíh Conceit, That it is enough for us, it we be but once in a State of Grace, ir we have but once itepped over the threfliold, we need not take ίο great paines to travel any further ? Or is it another damping, choaking, ftifling Opinion, That Chnft hath done all for us already without us9 and nothing need more to be done "toithin us ? No matter, how wicked we be in our (elves, for we have holineffe "toithcut us i no matter, how fickly and diieafed our ibuls be within, for they have health "Without them. Why may we not as well be iatisfied, and contented, to have HappineiTe without us too to all Eternity, and fo our felves forever continue miferable ? Little Qnldren let no man deceive you : be that doth righteoufnejfe, is righteous, even as he is righteous : but, he that committeth

(59) committeth finne is of the Devil. I (hall therefore exhort you in the wholeiome words o f S. Teter 5 Give all diligence, to adde to jour faith (vertue ; and to , and to temperance, patience j to patience jgodlinejf e 5 and to godlineffe, brotherly kindnefs e ; and to brotherly kindnejse, charity · For if thefe things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye frail neither be barren, nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord fafus Chrift. The jfpoUle ftill goes on, and I cannot leave him yet j But he that lacketh thefe things is blind, and cannot fee far ojfy and hath forgotten that he "toas once purged from his old finîtes. Wherefore the rather Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and elefiion fure : for if ye do thefe things, ye ¡ball never fall. Let us not onely talk and difpute of Chrift, but let us indeed put on the Lord $efus Chrift.Having thoCcgreat and precious promtfesj which he hath given us, let us ftrive to be made partakers of the Divine Nature, efcaping the corruption that is in the "foorld through luft ' and being begotten again to a lively hope o f enjoying Chrift hereafter , let us purifie our felves as he is pure. Let us really declare, that we know Chrift, that we are his Difciples, by I 2 our

(6o) our keeping of his Qommandments : and amongft che reft, chat Commandment eipecially which our Saviour Chrift himfelf commendech to his Difciples in a peculiar man* ner¡This is my commandment ¿That ye bye one another's I have loVed you:and again; T7?e/è things I command you^hatyou love one another. Let us "follow peace "frith all men,and holinejfewithout "tohick, no man (hallfee God. Let us put on as the EleSl of Gody holy j and beloVed]bou>els of mercies, kindneffe, humblenefse of mind, meeknefse, longjujfering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarel againß any, eVenas Chriß forgave us : And above all thefe things let us put on Charity, Iphich is the bond of perjeHneffe. Í£t us in meeknejse, inßruU thofe that oppofe themfehes} if God peradventure fi? ill give them reperì* tance, to the acknowledging of the truth, that they may recover themjelves out of the fnares of the Devilj that Are taken captive by him at his "¡bill. 'Belovedj Let us love another, for LoVe is of Gody andlohofoeVer loVeth is born of God and knoweth God. O Divine Love ! che fweet Harmony ofibuls ! the Mufick of Angels ! The Joy of Gods own HearCjthe very Darling of his Boiome ! the Sourfe of true HappineiTe ! the pure

(6ι) pure Quinteffence of Heaven ! T h a t which reconciles the jarring Principles of the World, and makes them all chime together ! T h a t which melts mens Hearts into one another ! fee h o w S. Taul defcribes it, and it cannot choofe but enamour your afFe&ions towards it : Love envieth noti it is not puffed up, it doth not behave it felf unfeemly, feeketh not her own} is not eafily provoked, thinketb m evil, rejoyceth not in iniquity ; beareth all things, helieVeth all things, hopeth all thingsy endureth all things : 1 may adde in a w o r d , it is the beit n a t u r d thing, the beft complexioned thing, in the W o r l d . Let us expreiTe this fweec harmonious AfFeCtion, in theie jarring times : that ί ο if it be pofsible,we may tune the World at laft, into better Mufick. Efpecially, in matters of Religion, let us Arrive with all meeknefleto inftruótand convince one another. Let us endeavour to promote the Gojpel of 1 Peace, the Dove-like Go/pel with a DoVeJike Spirit. T h i s was the way by which the Gofpel at firft, was propagated in the w o r l d : ChriU did not cry3 nor lift up his njoice in the ßreets, a bruifed reed he did n&tbteak, and the fmoking flax he did not quench I 3

and

(6ι) and yet he brought forth judgement into y'tSiory. H e whiipered the Gofpel to us f r o m M o u n t Si*«, in a ftill voice, and yet the found thereof went out quickly throughout all the earth. T h e Goipel at firft came d o w n upon the world gently and foftly, like the Dew upon Gideonsfleece,and yet it quickly foaked quite through it : and doubtlefle this is ftill the moil effettuali way to promote it f u r ther. Sweetneife, and Ingenuity , will more powerfully c o m m a n d mens m i n d s , then Pafsion, SowreneiTe, and Severity : as the foft Pillow fooner breaks the Flint, then the hardeft Marble. Let us άλτή·ίΰ{ι cV ¿yd-ny, follow truth in loVe : and of the t w o indeed, be contented rather, to miiTe of the conveying of a Speculative T r u t h , then to part w i t h Love. When we would convince men of any errour by the ftrength of Truth, let us withall poure the fweet Balme of Love upon their heads. Truth and Love, are t w o the m o f t powerfull things in the w o r l d , and w h e n they both go together, they cannot eafily be withftood, T h e Golden Beams of Truth, and the Silken Cords of Love,twifted together, will draw men on with a fweet

(¿3)

fweet violence, whether they will or no. Let us take heed we do not fometimes call that Zeal for God, and his Gofpel, which is nothing elfe., but our own tempeftuous and ftormy Paision. True Zeal is a fweet, heavenly and gentle Flame, which makethus active for -God , but alwayes within the Sphear of Love. It never calls for Fire from Heavenj to coniume thole that differ a little from us in their Apprehenfions. It is like that kind of Lightning, ( which the Philofophers fpeak o f ) that melts the Sword within, but fingeth not the Scabbard : it itrives to iàve the Soul, buthurteth not the Body. True Zeal is a loving thing, and makes us alwayes aótive to Edification, and not to T>eßruHton. I f we keep the Fire of Zeal within the Chimney , in its own proper place, it never doth any hurt 5 it onely warmeth, quickeneth, and enliveneth us : but if once we let it break out, and catch hold of the Thatch of'ourFlefh, and kindle our corrupt Nature, and (et the Houfe o f our Body on fire, it is no longer Zeal, it is no heavenly Fire, it is a moil deftru&ive and devouring thing. True Zeal is an Ignis lam-

( ¿4) bens, a fofc and gentle Flame, that will not fcorch ones hand¿ it is no predatory or voracious thing : bue Carnali and flefhly Zeal, is like the Spirit of Gunpowder fet on fire, that tears and blows up all that ilands before it. True Zeal is like the Vitall heat in us, that we live upon, which we never feel to be angry or 'troublefome } but though it gently feed upon the (Radicali Oy I within us, that fweet Balfame of our "Naturali Moiíiure ; yet it lives lovingly with it, and maintains that by which it is fed: but that other furious & diftempered Zeal, is nothing but a Feaver in the Soul. T o conclude, we may learn what kind o f Zeal it is, that we iliould make ufe of in promoting the Gofpel, by an Emblem of Gods own, given us in the Scripture, thoie Fiery Tongues that upon the Day oí Tentecoß, íate upon the Apoftlesj which fure were harmlefle Flames, for we cannot reade that they did any hurt, or that they did fo much as linge an haire of their heads. I will therefore ihut up this, with that o f the ^fpofile : Let us keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let this fort and filkenKnot o f Love, tie our Hearts together ¿ though

(¿5)

though our Heads and Apprehenfions cannot meet, as indeed they never will, but alwayes ftand at fome diftance off from one another. Our Zeal if it be heavenly, if it be true Veítall Fire kindled from above, it will not delight to tarry here below, burning up Straw and Stubble, and fuch combuftible things, and fending up nothing but grofle earthy fumes to heaven 5 but it will rife up, and return back, pure as it came down, and will be ever ftriving to carry up mens hearts t o God along with it. It will be onely occupied, about the promoting o f thofe things, which are unqmíiionably good j and when it moves in the irafcible way, it will quarrel with nothing but firme. Here let our zeal bufie and exerciie it fèlf, every one of us beginning firft at our own hearts. Let us be more Zealous then ever we have yet been, in fighting againft our lufts, in pulling down thoie firong holds of Sinne and Satan in our hearts. Here let us exerciie all our Cou~ rage and Refolution, our Manhood and Magnanimitie. Let us truft in the Mmighty jirme o f our God, and doubt not, but he will as well deliver us, from the Power of Κ

Strine

(66) Sinne in our hearts, as preferve us from the ΤWAth to come. Let us go out againfl: thefe ««. circumctfed Thiliîlims, I mean our Luits, not with Shield or Spear, not in any confidence of our o w n ftrensxh, but in the name of the W

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Lord of Hofts, and we ihall prevail : we (hall overcome our Luits, for greater is be that is in us, then he that is in them. The Eternali God is our refuge, and underneath are the eVerlaiiing arms : He ¡ball thrufi out thefe enemies from be fore usj and he fl;all fay, Veïlroy them. We ihall enter the true Qtnaani the goi d Land of P r o miPe, thatflowethivith milk And honey, the L a n d of Truth and HolinefTe. Wherefore take unto you the "tobóle armour of God, that you may be able to Tbithfiand : let your loines be girt about Tbith truth; have on the brefiplate of righteoufnejfe. and let your feet be fhodlpith the preparation of the Gofpel of peace. Aboye all take the fticld of faith, thereby you frail be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked, and take the helmet of fahation, and the fword of the fpirtt, ~Ü>htcb is the ypord of God. And laftly, be fure of this, T h a t ye be firong onely in the Lord, and in the pomer of his might. There be fome that diíheartenus in this fpirituall warfare, and would make us

(67) us lee our w e a p o n s fall out o f our hands, b y w o r k i n g in us a deipair of Vi&ory. There be f o m e eVtl Spies, that Weaken the hands a n d the hearts of the children of IJrael : and bring an ill report u p o n that land that w e are to conquer, telling of n o t h i n g but ft range Gyants, the jonnes of ^Anak. there, that w e ihall never be able to overcome. The finale kites, ( l a y t h e y ) dwell in the South, the Hittitesj gebüßtes^Amorites in the Mountains and the Canaanites by the Sea-coafi : huge armies of tall invincible Lufls : Jhall ne~\>er be able to go againfl this people, w e fhall never be able to prevail againft our Corruptions. Hearken n o t unto them ( I beieech you ) but hear w h a t Qaleb and Jofiiuah íay y Let us go up at once, and poffejfe it, for Tbe are able to overcome them : not by our o w n ftrength, but by the p o w e r of the Lord of HoHs. T h e r e are indeed Sonnes of Anah there, there are m i g h t y Gyantlike Lufls, that w e are to graple w i t h ; nay there are, Principalities, and Towers too, that w e are to oppoie : but the great Michael, the Captain of the Lords Hoft is w i t h us j he c o m m a n d s in chief for us, a n d w e need n o t be dilmayed. Underfiand therefore this day, Κ 2

That

That the Lord thy God is be, fbhichgoeth before theey as a confuming fire, he ß?all dejlrpy theic enemies, and bring them dornt before thy face. If thou wilt be faithfull to him, and put thy truft in him ; as the fire confumeth the ft ubbie, and as the flame burneth up the c h a f f y fo will he deitroy thy LuTts in thee : their root frail be rottennejsej and their blofsome fhall go up as dufi. But let us take heed that we be not difcouraged, and before we begin to fight, defpair of Viatorie : but to believe and hope well in the power of our God and his ftrength, will be halfaConqueft. Let us not think, Holuieile in the hearts ot men here in the World, is a forlorn, forfaken, and outcaft thing from God ¿ that he hath no regard of. Holinefle where-ever it is, though never fo fmall,if it be but hearty and lincere, it can no more be cut off, and dilcontinued from God ; then a Sun beam here upon Earth can be broken off, from its entercourie with the Sun, and be left alone amidit the mire ancT dirt of this World. The Sun may as well difcard its own ^ y e s , and banifli them from it ielf, into fome Region of darknelle, far remote from it, where they ihall

(•¿Ρ) íhall have no dependence at all upon i t , as C o d e a n forlakeand abandon Holineflein the World, and leave it a poorc Orphane thing, that fhall have no influence at all f r o m him to preferve and keep it. HolineiTe isfomething of God, where-ever it is } it is an Efflux f r o m him, that alwayes hangs upon him, and lives in him : as the Sunbeams though they guild this lower World> and ipread their golden wings over us • yec" they are not ίο much here, where they fhine, as in the Sun, f r o m whence they flow. God cannot draw a Curtain betwixt himfelfand HolineiTe, which is nothing, but the Splendor and Shining of himielf : H e cannot hide his face f r o m it, he cannot deiert it, in the World. He that is once born of God, floall overcome the World, and the Prince of this World too, by the Power of God in h i m . Holineile is n o iolitary negledted thing · it hath ftronger Confederacies, greater Alii · anees then Sinne and WickedneiTe. It is in league with G o d , and the whole Univeriej the whole Creation fmiles upon it : there is iomething of God in it, and therefore it m u f t needs be, a vi&orious and triumphant Κ ; thing.

(70) thing. Wickednefle is a w e a k , cowardly, and guilty thing, a fearfull and trembling Shadow. It is the Child of Ignorance and Darknefle ; it is afraid of Light, and cannot pofsibly withitand the power of it, nor endure the fight of its glittering Armour. It is allianced to none, but wretched forlorn and apoftate Spirits, that do what they can, to fupport their o w n weak and tottering Kingdome of Darknefle : but arc onely ftrong, in WeakneiTe and Impotency. T h e whole Politie and C o m m o n w e a l t h of Devils, is not fo poweriull, as one Child of Light, one 'Babe in Qmït : they are not all able to quench the leaft fmoking flaxy to exftinguiih one fpark of Grace. Darknefle is not able to make reliftance againft L i g h t , but ever as it comes, flies before it. But if wickednefle, invite the Society of Devils to it, ( as w e learn by the fad experience of thefe preient times, in m a n y examples of thofe that were poflefled with Malice, Revengfulnefle, and Luft ) ίο that thofe curfed Fiends do moft readily apply themfelves to it, and offer their fervice to feed it and encourage it ¡ becaufe it is their o w n Life and Nature, their

(7 O their own kjingdome of Darknejfe, which they ftrive to enlarge, and to fpread the D o minions o f : fhall w e then t h i n k that HolineiTe, which is fo nearly a l l i e d unto G o d , hath no good Genius at all in the World, to attend upon it, to help it and encourage it ? Shall not the iQngdome of Light, be as true to its o w n Intereft, and as vigilant for the enlarging of it felf, as the iQngdome of Darknefse ? HolineiTe is never alone in the World, but God is al way es with it, and his loving Spirit, doth ever adoriate, and joy η it felf to it. He that fent it into the World, is with it, as Chrift ipeaketh of himfelf, the Father hath not left me alone, becaufe I do alwayes thofe things that pleafe him. HolineiTe is the L i f e o f G o d , which he cannot but feed and maintain wherefoever it i s . and as the Devils are alwayes active to encourage evil, fo w e cannot imagine, but that the heavenly H o f t o f bleifed Angels above, arc as bufily employed, in the promoting of that which they love beft, that which is deareft to G o d w h o m they ferve, the Life and Telature of God. There is joy in heaven at the converfion of one finner, Heaven takes notice of it ¿there is a ÇLuire

(7θ of Angels that fweetly fings the Epithalamium of a Soul divorced from Sinne and Satan, and efpoufed unto Chnft. What therefore the Wtfeman fpeaks concerning Wifdome, Iihall apply to Holineffe: Take fait bold of Holineffe Jlet her not goy keep her for ß?e is thy Life : i{eep thy heart "toith all diligence for out of it are the iffues of Life^&c of Death too. Let nothing be efteemed, of greater coniequence and concernment to thee, then what thou doeftand a&eft, how thou liveft. Nothing without us can make us either happy,or miferable ; nothing can either defile us, or hurt us, but what goeth out from us, what Springeth and Bubbleth up, out of our own hearts. We have dreadfull apprehenfions, of the Flames of Hell without us j we tremble and are afraid, when we hear of Fire and ßrimßone, whil'ft in the mean time, we fecurely nourifli within our own hearts, a true and living Hell, • • "Et CACO carbimur igni : the dark fire of our Lufts, confumeth out bowels within, and miferably icorcheth out fouls, and we arc not troubled at it. We do not perceive, how Hell fteales upon us, whileft we live here. And as for Heaven, we

in)

we onely gaze abroad, expecting that it ihould come in to us from without, but never look for the beginnings of it to ariiè within, in our own hearts. But left there fliould yet happely remain any prejudice againft that, which I have all this while heartily commended to you ; True Holinefse, and the Keeping of Chriïts commandment j as if it were a Legall and Servile thing, that would fubjeót us to a State of Bondage, I muft here needs a d d e a W o r d o r t w o , either for the Prevention or Removall of it. I do not therefore mean, by Holinefse, the mere performance of outward Duties of Religion, coldly aóted over as a task, not our habituall Prayings, Hearings, Failings, multiplied one upon another ( though theiebe all good, as iubfervient to an higher end J but I mean an inward Soul and Principle of Divine Life, that Ipiriteth all theie · that enliveneth and quickeneth, the dead caikaiTe, of all our outward Performances whatsoever. I do not here urge, the dead Law of out' ward Works, which indeed if it be alone, fubje&s us to a State of Bondage · but the L inmrd

(74) tnward Liw of the Gofpel, the Lau>, of the Spirit of Life, then which nothing can be more free and ingenuous : for it doth not a Law of the Go/pel, it is a kind of Mußcall Souly informing the dead Organ of our Hearts, that makes them of their own accord delight to a& harmomouily according to the Rule of Gods word. The L a w that I lpeak of,it is a Law of Lo"\>ei which is the moft powerfull L a w in the World ; and yet it freeth us in a manner from all L a w without L

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us,

(76) us, becaufeit m a k c t h u s bccomc a Law unto our jebes. T he more it prevaileth in us, the more it eatethup and devoureth, all other Laws without us ; juft as Aarons Lbing d i d f w a l l o w up thole Rods of the Magicians, that were made onely to counterfeit a little Life : Quis Legem det amantibus ? Major lex jímor eñ ftbi. Love is at'once a Freedome from all L a w , a State of pureft Liberty, and yet a L a w too, of the m o f t conftraining and indiipenfablc Necefsity. T h e worft Law in the World, is the Law of Sinne, "¡»hieb is in our members j which keeps us in a condition of m o f t abfolute Slavery, when w e are wholy under the Tyrannicall commands of our lufts : this isacruell (Pharaoh indeed, thatfets his hard task-mafters over us, and maketh us wretchedly drudge in Mire and olay. T h e Law of the Letter without us, fèts us in a condition o f a little more Liberty, by reftraining of us from many outward Aóts of Sinne j but yet it doth not difenthrall us, from the power of finnein our hearts. But the Law of the Spirit of life? the Gofpel-Law of Love,

(77) Jjoìe, ic puts us into a condition of moil pure and perfect Liberty i and whofoever really entertaines this L a w , he hath thruU out Hagar quite, he hath caß out the 'Bondwoman and her Children ; from henceforth, SAMI? the Free Vornanj (hall live forever with h i m , and (lie (hall be to h i m , a Mother of many children j her feed fliall be as the fand of the feaJboar for number, and as the fiarres of heaven. Here is Evangelicall libercy, here is Gofpelfreedome, when the Law of the Spirit of lije in Qhrifi tpefus, hath made us free} from the Law of finne and death : w h e n w e have a liberty f r o m iïnne, and not a liberty to finne : for our dear L o r d and Mailer hath told us, that Whofoever committeth finne ¡ he is the JerVant of it. H e that lies under the power, and vairallage of his bafe luûs, and yet talks of Gofpel-freedome ; he is but like a poore condemned Prifoner, that in his deep dreams of being fet at liberty, and of walking up and d o w n wherefoever he pleafeth ; whilft his Legs are all the while lock't fail in fetters and Irons. T o pleafe our felves with a Notion of Golpel-liberty, whileft we have not a Gofpel-principle of Holinefle within L 3 us,

(78) us, to free us from the power of finne, it is nothing elfe, but to gild over our Bonds and Fetccrs^and to phaticy our felves tobe in a Golden Cage. There is a Scraitnefle, Slavery, and Nai rownefle in all Sinne : Sinne crowds and crumples up our louls, which if they were freely i'pread abroad, would be as wide, and as large as the whole Univerle. N o man is truly free, bue he that hath his Tön// enlarged to the extent of Gods own will, by loving whatfoever God loves, and nothing eliè. Such a one, doth noe fondly hug this and that particular created good thing, and envaíTal himfelf unto it, but he loveth every thing that is lovely, beginning at God, and defcending down to all his Creatures, according to the feverall degrees of perfection in them. He inj oyes a boundleife Liberty, and a boundlelfe SweetneiTe, according to his boundlefle Love. He inclafpeththe whole World within his outftretched arms, his Soul is as wide as the whole Uni ver fe, as big as yeñerday, to day, and forever. Whofoever is once acquainted with this Difpofition of Spirit, he never defires any thing elfe : and he loves the Life

(79) of God in himielf, dearer then his own Life· T o conclude this therefore 5 If we love Chrift, and keep his commandments, his commandments "frill not be grievous to us : His yoke "frill be eafte, and his burden light : it will not put us into a State of Bondage, but of perfect Liberty. For it is moft true of Evangelical! Obedience, what the wile man fpeaketh of Wifdome . Her "frayes, are "frayes of pleajantnejfe> and all her paths are peace ; She is a tree of Ltfe to thofi that lay Md upon her, and happy are all they that retain her. I will now fliut up all with one or two Confederations to perfwade you further, t a the ketpmgof Chrtßs Commandments. Fi» ft, from the defire which we all have of K¿iou>ledge • If we would indeed know Divine Truths, the onely way to come to this, is by keeping of Qmiis Qommandments. The Groffenefle of our apprehenfions in Spiritual things, and our many miftakes, that we have about them, proceed from nothing, but thofe dull and foggy Sternes, which rife up from our foul hearts and becloud our Understandings. If we did but heartily

( So) heartily comply w i t h Chrifts c o m m a n d ments, and purge our hearts, f r o m all groiTc and fenfuall afte&ions, w e i h o u l d not then look about for Truth w h o l l y w i t h o u t our ielves,and enilave our felves t o t h ; D i l a t e s of this and that Teacher, and h a n g u p o n the Ltps of men ¡ but w e i h o u l d find the Great Eternali G o d , inwardly teaching our fouls, and continually inftruóting us m o r e a n d m o r e , in the myfteries of his will : and out of our bellies jhould flow risers of living "Waters. N o t h i n g puts a flop and hinderance to the paiTage of T r u t h in the W o r l d , but the Carnality of our hearts, the C o r r u p t i o n of our lives. 'Tis not wrangling Difputes a n d Syllogiilicall Reafonings, that are the m i g h ty Pillars, that underprop Truth in the W o r l d · if w e w o u l d but underfet it w i t h the Holineflfe of our Hearts and Lives, it i h o u l d never fail. Truth is a prevailing a n d conquering thing, and w o u l d quickly overc o m e the W o r l d , did not the EarthineiTe o f o u r Diipofitions, and the Darknefle of our falfe hearts hinder it. O u r Saviour C h r i f t , bids the Blind man, w a f h off the Clay that was u p o n his eyes, in the 'Poo/ of Siloam, a n d

(80 then he fliould fee clearly; intimating this to us, that it is the Earthineifeof mens Affections, that darkens the Eye of their underftandings in Spirituali things. T r u t h is alwayes ready, and near at hand, if our eyes were not clofed up with M u d , that we could but open them, to look upon it. T r u t h , alwayes waits upon our fouls, and offers it felf freely to us, as the Sun offers its beams, to every Eye, that will but open, and let them ihine in upon it. If w e could but purge our Hearts, from that Jilth, and defilement, which hangeth about t h e m , there w o u l d be no doubt at all of Truths prevailing in the World. For, Truth is great) and Hronger then all things · all the Earth calleth· upon Truth, and the heaVen blejfeth it, all "toorksßake and tremble atit.TheTmth endurethj and ts alwayesßrong, it livetb and conquereth for evermore. She is the Strength, K¿ngdomey Tower and Majeïtie of all ages. Hie/fed be the God of Truth. LaU of all, if defire a true Reformation, as w e feem to d o ; Let us begin here in refors m i n g our hearts and lives·}in keeping of Qmßs Commandments. AIL outward Formes and Models of Reformation, though they be M never

(δι) never fo goöd in their kind ; yet they are of little worth to us, without this inward Information of the heart. Tinne, or Lead, or any other bafer Metal, if it be caft into never fo good a Mold,and made up into never fo elegant a Figure ; yet it is but T i n , or Lead Kill, it is the lame Metal, than it was before. And if w.e be Molded into never fo good a Form of outward Government, unleile w e new mold our Hearts within too ; we are but a little better, chen we were before. If adulterate Silver, that hath much Allay or Diofle in it, have never fo current a Stamp put upon it, yet it will not pafle notwithftanaing, when the Touch-ftone trieth it. We muft be reformed Tbithin, with a Spirit of Fire) and a Spirit of Burning, to purge us from the Drofle, and Corruption of our hearts ; and refine us as Gold and Silver ; and then w e fliall be reformed truly, and not before. When this once comes to pafle, then fliall Chrift be let upon bis Throne indeed, then the Glory of the Lord frail overflow the Land then we fliall be a People acceptable unto him, and as Mount Sion, which he dearly loved. FINIS.

Die Mercurii ultimo Martii.

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rdered by the Çommons ajfembled in Tarliament : That r S Henry Mildmay, do from this Houfe give thanks unto Mr Cudworth, for the great faines he toof^ in the Sermon he preached on this day at λ/jargarcts VVeftminfter, before the Houfe of Commons ( it being a day of Tullid[ Humiliation ) and that he do defire him to print his Sermon. Wherein he is to haye the iify Trhi ledge in printing thereof as others in h\e k¡nd ufitally hate had. H . Elfynge, Cler. Tari. V.Qom.