Not fear, but love a sermon preached before the governors of the Charity for Relief of Poor Widows and Orphans of Clergy-men, at St. Mary le Bow, on the 7th day of Decemb., 1682 / by Ar. Bury ... Bury, Arthur, 1624-1713. 1683 Approx. 94 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A30672 Wing B6203 ESTC R37172 16263823 ocm 16263823 105166 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30672) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105166) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1089:11) Not fear, but love a sermon preached before the governors of the Charity for Relief of Poor Widows and Orphans of Clergy-men, at St. Mary le Bow, on the 7th day of Decemb., 1682 / by Ar. Bury ... Bury, Arthur, 1624-1713. [4], 48 p. Printed by L. Lichfield ..., Oxford : 1683. Reproduction of original in the Trinity College Library, Cambridge. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Bible. -- N.T. -- Romans X, 15 -- Sermons. God -- Love -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2006-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-02 Robyn Anspach Sampled and proofread 2007-02 Robyn Anspach Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Not FEAR , but LOVE . A SERMON PREACHED Before the Governors of the Charity for Relief of poor Widows and Orphans of Clergy-men , at St. Mary le Bow , on the 7 th . day of Decemb. 1682. By Ar. BVRY , DD. Rector of Exon. Coll. Oxon. Ama , & fac quicquid vis . D. Aug. OXFORD , Printed by L. Lichfield , Printer to the University , in the year , 1683. ADVERTISEMENT . THIS following Sermon ( dear Reader ) I send to wait upon the foregoing Treatise , as being thereto both very neer of Kin , and very Serviceable . Neer of Kin , as being a Restorer of Communion with our Lord ; for This laboreth to Restore our Communion with the Father and the Son , to that Full joy which St. John declareth to be the Summ of his message ; as That doth , to Restore our Communion with the Son in his Flesh and Blood , to that Constancy which himself made due to it : And Serviceab'l , not only in casting out the spirit of Fear , which is the common enemy ; but particularly in caling to a more strict account that Self-examination , which , as prescribed , and practised by the best , is the greatest discorager from the Lord's Supper . Here , tht Sermon advanceth beyond the Treatise , denying it so much as adviseabl to a good person , either upon That or any Other occasion . I say , to a good person : For to others I acknowledge the Prophets admonition always necessary , that they search and try their ways , and turn unto the Lord : but for those who have already do'n this necessary work , I see no Reason to be always repeting it . Many exhortations I find encoraging them to rejoice in the Lord alway , but not one to be always tormenting themselvs , with examining their interest in him . This , and another ( no less heterodox ) assertion concerning Repentance , my design invited me to Touch , but my time forbad me to Handl , in any proportion to the need : which defect I have now endeavoured to supply by additional Annotations , wherein I have accounted for such texts as seem to discountenance them . More or Less than this cannot be required : A sound mind cannot acknowledg the Scripture to be the adequate rule of faith and manners , yet fear to appeal to it . But to manage the appeal is not every one's work : it requireth good acquaintance with the Original language , som Academical improvement of the understanding , a Carefuley , a Free Heart , and a Good Key . For the last of these we stand obliged to the great Erasmus , who hath furnished us with This , as the best key to understand mystical Scrpture , that we observ what the speaker aims at . With this key I have unlocked such texts as stood in my way : And I add this to Erasmus's rule , That as every particular word must be unlocked by the Author's aim , as by its proper key ; so must every text , and its particular key ; conform to the Universal Aim of the Gospel , as their Common and Supreme King-key . This then I say and inculcate , and wish the whole Christian world would hear it . As sure as St. John hath proclamed , that this is the design of the Gospel , that our joy may be full ; as sure as St. Paul hath determined , that the Kingdom of Heaven is Righteousness , and Peace , and Joy in the Holy Ghost , &c. so sure it is , that the King-key , wherewith we must unlock every abstruse text of Scripture ; the Test , whereby we must try every Doctrine of Faith or Manners ; the Oracle , which we must consult in all doubts of Conscience ; is this : Whatever will most exalt the Joy of the Wise and Good , is most properly Evangelical , and most certainly True. Were this as generally believed , as throghout the whole New Testament it is plainly declared , how great , how happy a change would it work in the Christian world ! How would it advance both the Honor and Power of the Gospel ! How would it promote both the Joy of the Godly , and the Conversion of the Profane ! How would it exalt the Glory of Gods love trward Us , and the Ardor of Ours towards Him ! Whereas , not to know what spirit we ate of , is the most pernicios Ignorance : It made our Lord's Apostls uncharitabl to the Samaritans , and it still makes his best intentioned disciples Tormentors to Themselvs , and Scare-crows to Others . How serviceabl the discovery may be , God grant Experience may verify , as much as Reason promiseth , beyond what this poor Sermon can express ; which that it may contribute its mite , offers its self and its unvulgar assertions , to thy most deliberate examination . But remember , we appeal from All Human authority , to Divine . Rom. X. 15. How shall they preach except they be sent ? as it is written , How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace , and bring glad tidings of good things ! WE shall not now consider these words as Part of an Argument , but as an Entire one . And since an Argument moveth more Gracefully ( perhaps ) from the Consequent to the Antecedent , but more Strongly from the Antecedent to the Consequent ; it will be reasonab'l we should invert the Apostl's order : for so we find a Sorites of three pieces : The Gospel is glad tidings , therefore the Messengers feet are beautiful , therefore no man may preach except he be sent . A Gospel ! A Gospel of Peace ! Glad tidings ! Good things ! How doth the Apost'l travel to bring forth an expression suitab'l ? Such glad tidings of great joy , an host of Angels found worth a jorny from Heaven to bring ; and perhaps for that reason its first Preachers were stiled Angels of their Churches . And their reception was suitab'l both to this title , and those tidings : You received me , saith our Apost'l to the Galatians , as an Angel of God , even as Christ Jesus . — If it had been possibl , you would have pluckt out your own eys , and have given them unto me . And here he saith not much less . How beautiful are what ? the Lips , the Eyes , the Countenances ? yea , the very Feet ! the very feet of Messengers ! the feet of Messengers in those countries , where they must needs be Dirty , bicause naked . The charms of this beauty , like Aaron's ointment , run down from the Face to the very Feet . And for this reason no man may take this high honour to himself , but he that is caled of God , as was Aaron . For as this encoraged our Apost'l in his work , so did it temt popularly ambitios spirits to dubl his task : he must not only Execute his commission , but Assert it : His next words speak him no less troubled with Rivals , than with Persecutors ; and This makes it necessary to urge as in my Text , they must not preach except they be sent . Thus may the order of my Text be inverted , thus may it make a weighty argument , not perhaps so proper to the Apost'ls own design , as to that which hath brought us together . If the beauty of the Preachers descend from their Heads to their very Feet , needs must it descend from the head of the family to its neerest members : and you may justly expect , that from this expression I should take occasion to plead the right of those unhappy widows and orphans , who have nothing left them by their deceased husbands and fathers but their merits to administer . But oh the disappointment ! Our Apost'l , after his so great boast of the Galatians love , quickly complains , Where is the blessedness you spoak of ? And well may we demand , Where is this great beauty that so descends to the very feet ? Hath age withered it to a deformity equal to its youthful loveliness ? Our very eyes are as loathsom as the primitive Preachers very feet were beatiful ; and the deformity descends to our posterity as their only sure inheritance : yea som are so impios as to make God a party with themselvs in the entayl , pretending that Clergy-mens children are equally hated of God and Man , seldom or never attaining , either worth in themselvs , or prosperity in the world . God be blessed , we are henceforth secured from that malicios slander ; This conspicuos , and perhaps matchless assembly , having for ever rooted that fals toung out of its dwelling . Yet , thogh the Toung be rooted out , the Heart is still the same ; so void of Love , so full of ' spite , against this once so honored caling . that we must think it a great bargain if we can compound for ordinary charity , and depose my Text to this poor plea , The Preachers of the Gospel bring no evil tidings ; therefor they deserv not to be hated . And since it is better to Cure an evil than to Complain of it , I conceve I cannot do better service to my Text , the Gospel , and its Preachers , than by removing the cause of the hatred we sink under ; which indeed is no other than that Epidemical mistake , the root of all misery , the taking things by wrong handl . The Gospel hath two handls , Threats , and Promises : its threats are Few , and its promises Many : its Threats shew us our danger , only that we may rejoyce in our escape ; its Promises immediately raise our joys . Threats therefor , both in quantity and design , sit upon the face of the Gospel , as beauty-spots do upon that of a fair Lady ; here one , and there another , to this only end , that by their vanquished blackness they may set off the lustre of the beauty which is to adorn the very feet ; but by the unhappy officiosness of melancholy messengers , those spots have been enlarged to a visor , which so cover the face of Religion , that we cannot see its Joys for its Fears ; and the very grace of God which bringeth salvation , appeareth like the inhumane Nero , saying , Let them Hate me , so they Fear me . This ugly visor shall I endeavor to pull off , as my Text directs me , by two Propositions . 1. The Gospel doth not design to bring us to God by Fear , but by Love : For it is a Gospel of Peace , glad tidings of good things . 2. The mistake of this is the cause that the Gospel and its Preachers are so hated by the world : For if Glad tidings make the messenger beautiful , Evil tidings must make him loathsom . I. THE Gospel doth not draw men to God by Fear , but by Love. This , as it is clearly exprest in my Text , so is it almost in every page of the New Testament : I shall instance but in one or two places more , which expresly offer one handle , and reject the other . In this same Epistle ch . 8 v. 15. our Apost'l declareth as clearly as possib'l , You have not receved the spirit of bondage again fear , but the spirit of Adoption , whereby we cry Abba , Father : And no less clearly , 2 Tim. 1.7 . God hath not given us the spirit of Fear , but of Power , of Love , and of a Sound mind . In the former place he opposeth the spirit of the Gospel to That of the Law ; and in the later , he vieth with the Philosophers , who pretend to exalt the mind to the highest freedom and perfection . If this can be yet more clear , St John hath made it so : for with pomp unmatched by any other pen , he ushereth his first Epistl with This proclamation , These things we write unto you , that your joy may be full : and throghout the whole body of the following Epistl exalteth Love , as the only way to this fulness of Joy ; ch . 4. v. 18. There is no fear in Love , but Love when it is perfected casteth out fear , bicaus Fear hath Torment . It is impossib'l to find Plainer , and therefor needless to seek for More declarations of this truth : Nothing can remain , but that we reconcile them with such other words of Scripture as seem to contradict them . Two such especially there are : One spoken by our Lord , and another by our same Apostl : * to which may be reduced all others of the same air . These two therefore if we can reconcile , we shall both State and Clear the truth . 1. Our Apostl himself seemeth to contradict this : Phil. 2 , 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling . Doth not this offer salvation by that handl which but now he rejected ? That we may now or at any other time reconcile appearances of contradiction , we must carefully consider which of the two Propositions may best be broght to compliance . It is plain , that what we have heard declared a-against Fear , cannot be bent to any other sence : we must therefor try whether the fear and trembling , which he recommendeth to the Philippians , may agree both with his declaration in two other Epistl's , that we have not receved the spirit of fear ; or with his exhortation in the same Epistl , ch . v. Rejoyce in the Lord evermore , and again I say rejoice . To find out this , it is necessary we look about us , and see how he useth the same phrase upon other occasions , possibly it may be an Idiom . Twice more we find him at the same phrase , and in both places his meaning will very well comply with Love and Joy. Eph , 6.5 , Servants obey your Masters with Fear and Trembling . What ? doth not a Servant please both God and his Master better , if he Obey him with Love and Chearfulness ? And what shall we say to the 9 th . verse , And you Masters do the same things to Them. Must Masters also treat their Servants with Fear and Trembling ? Yes , but such as may circulate between the best Masters , and the best Servants ; even such as himself explaineth by good will , v. 7. This possibly will be plainer by 2 Cor. 7.15 . His inward affection is more abundant towards you , while he remembreth the obedience of you all , how with Fear and Trembling you receved him . Titus came in kindness to visit them , and they welcomed him with such endearing caresses , as made his ( already great ) inward affection more abundant than before : Here certainly the Fear and Trembling which so welcomed and heightned Love , must be so far from excluding it and Joy , that they import an extraordinary mesure of them . Yea , we need look no farther for a good light , whereby to see the meaning of this phrase in That his exhortation to the Philippians , than the encoragement wherewith he quickneth them in the words immediately following : For it is God which worketh in you both to Will and to Do of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good will. It is the very same word wherewith the Angels broght their glad tidings of great joy , and it were strange if out of the same breath should come Gladness and Fear , Joy and Trembling . That we may not seem bent wholely to pull down the obvios sence without bringing a better in place , this we offer as the Apostl's meaning : It was only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the loving kindness of God , which wrought in you the desire of salvation : and the same loving kindness will crown That desire with success , if it be attended with endeavor : do you therefor your part with such affection , as shall make you even Tremble again . And that we may give account of the Idiom as well as of the Argument ; we must observe , that Any passion whatever , if vehement , will cause Trembling : But bicaus this is most visib'l in Fear , therefor Fear is added to express the certainuy of Trembling , as Trembling is used to express the vehemence of the Passion . 2. HAVING Thus interpreted one saying of our Apost'ls by another , we com now to do our Savior the same service , who also seemeth to contradict our position , Lu. 12.4 I say unto you my friends , be not afraid of them that kill the body , and after that have no more that they can do : but I will forwarn you whom you shall fear : Fear Him , which after he hath killed you , hath power to cast into hell ; yea , I say unto you , Fear Him. It is plain , that Fear in this place can signifie no other than the Properest , and no less than the Greatest ; and is enforced by our Lord in the most pressing manner ; inculcated by sundry repetitions , and urged with a most dreadful reason . This cannot be denied , but must be interpreted by our Lord 's own parab'l , Lu. 14.16 . A certain man made a great supper , and bad many , and he sent his servants at supper time to say to them that were bidden , Com , for all things are now ready ; and they all with one consent began to make excuse ; and the Lord said unto his servants , go out into the high ways and hedges , and compell them to com in , that my house may be furnished with guests . This parab'l will fully reconcile our Lord's threats with the spirit of Love : for it declareth , that the Lord 's proper design was not to Troubl his neighbors , but to Fest them . His first work was to provide a great supper , and then many guests to enjoy it ; to which end he secondeth his large provisions with kind invitations : But when few or none can this way be prevailed with , to leav the farms and cattel which they have boght , or the Lusts which they have espoused ; either all the provisions must be lost , or som other means used , more suitab'l to the necessity than to the nature of a fest . We must therefore distinguish the Principal End from the Subordinate Means , who 's whole buisiness is to serv That End : And since the End is chosen for its own sake , and the Means only for the Ends sake ; we must advance the spirit of Love as much as is Possib'l ; but That of Fear , only so much as is Necessary ; Comply with it so far as to follow it from the Hedg to the Hous , and then dismiss it to exercise its kind rudeness upon others who need it . And thus I hope I have fully accounted for my first position ; The Gospel doth not design to draw us by Fear , but Love ; and it is for Love's sake , if Fear be at all employed . Com we now to our Secund. II. THE mistake of this is the cause that the Gospel and its preachers are so hated by the world . What can we expect , but contrary causes must produce contrary effects ? If therefor our preaching be different from that of the Apostl's , our reception must be so to : if glad tidings make the messengers feet beautiful , evil tidings must needs make them loathsom . Ahab's inference is Natural , thogh scarce Reasonab'l : I hate him , bicaus he prophesieth not good of me , but evil : And whatsoever Jehoshaphat can say to the contrary , such a Prophet shall be sentenced to the bread and water of affliction . And hereof the proof is but too evident , in all our enemies , which may be reduced to two regiments . 1. Those that hate All religion in general . 2. Those that hate Ours of the Church of England in particular . 1. Of those who hate All Religion in general , som are Atheists , and som are Semi-atheists . I. THE ATHEISTS are made such by the spirit of Fear . Upon This only ground did Epicurus build his impudent pretence to that gracios title , which the Scripture teacheth us to pay our Lord THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD . For he bosted , that he delivered his disciples from the torment of Fear : But we now heard St. John declare , that this is do'n by the spirit of Love : Love casteth out Fear , and for this reason too , bicaus Fear hath torment . The question therefor between Atheism and Religion , is not whether Fear shall be cast out or no ? but whether of the two doth it most effectually ? Christ , or Epicurus ? Should we insist upon the Weakness or Dangerosness of Atheism , we might easily prove it both insufficient to give any settled peace to the never-that-way secure conscience , and terribly dangeros if at last it prove fals . But my present work rather promts me to insist upon this , that it maketh not the least pretence to the Beauty admired in my Text , but wholely renegs all glad tidings of good things : It 's utmost aim is to cast out Fear , without a thoght of making our joy full . And this indeed is the proper ground whereon to fight out the quarrel . Whilst we dispute whether there be a God and Providence , or no , we maintain but a hedge fight , wherein the enemy may make a bad shift to skulk behind his bushes and ditches : But if we dispute concerning our own Happiness , even our Present happiness , whether it be greater in a Religios life or in a Sensual , then we charge him home in his own ground , and leav him no shelter . Colotes it seems was the first Epicurean , that ever appeared in this field : For he wrote a Treatise professing to prove , that upon the principls of the Religios , it is impossib'l to live pleasantly . Against this Plutarch opposeth another Treatise , proving that upon the principls of Epicurus a man cannot so much as live ; and thus bosteth of his work : This is to trampl upon their bellies , and put them to fight for their very flesh ; to take plesure from men that do nothing but cry , we are no good soldiers , nor scholars , nor magistrates , but we love to make good chear , to banquet , and fill our flesh with all delights , until the plesure mount to the very soul ; to rob such men of plesure is to rob them of life . Thus doth he crow , and upon this ground comparing the plesures of the Spirit in Religios Fests , with those of the Flesh in Sensual ; apparently trampl the Epicurean to dirt : yet with force how short of the Gospel ! who 's Joys are fed with Hopes more glorios , and Evidences more incontestab'l , than could enter into Plutarch's imagination . Here then let us take our post : Let us not so much contend for the Truth of the Gospel , as its Joys : Yea let us argue from its Joys , for its Truth ; since infinite goodness will not fail to make That truest which is Best . Let us compare the Fruits of the Spirit with That of the Vine ; the Beauty of Holiness with That of a Whore ; the Plesures of an Angel with those of a Beast ; and he cannot scape the evidence , that his choice is as foolish as impios . True ( saith Plutarch ) we must be careful to shun superstitios fear , as the most pernicios error in the world : and herein he proceedeth so far as to say , that it is less impios to deny God to have Any being , than to character him such as superstition apprehendeth him . Let the comparison pass for odios , our Apost'l putteth us above any need of it : When he saith , Love casteth out Fear , he condemneth it sufficiently , thogh he say not whether it be more or less guilty than its daughter Atheism . Objection . What then ? must we not fear God as our Savior admonisheth ? Answ . Yes , as our Savior admonisheth , but no otherwise : For we must distinguish Fear that hath Torment , from fear that hath only Caution . Love casteth not out That fear that keepeth waking , but that which tormenteth ; it Therefor casteth it out , BICAUSE it hath torment ; That is the Reason , and That is the Mesure ; Just the same Fear , and in the same Mesure , as That Reason requireth , but no more . The Best and Greatest Subject so feareth the Law of his Prince , as to beware he run not upon its Punishments ; yet is he not thereby hindred from living chearfully upon those honors and riches , which by the same Law he enjoyeth : A good man may be very careful to avoid the Threats , yet chearful in festing upon the Promises of the Gospel . Yea , our Apost'l himself so far cherisheth this kind of Fear , as to say , I keep my body in subjection , lest possibly when I have preached to others , I my self should be a cast away . II. THE SEMIATHEISTS , who mount not the scorners chair , so as to oppose All Religion ; yet keep distance from a Religios life , and they are kept at that distance by Fear : And under this character com not only the Worst , but the Most : Not only those for whom the Apost'l declareth the Law to have been made , the lawless and disobedient , the ungodly and profane , &c. but the unscandalously wicked ; yea such moral men , of whom we may say as our Lord did of the young man , they are not far from the Kingdom of God : Such as would pass thro the world with as litl guilt as possib'l , but with as litl troubl too ; and therefor put repentance as an evil day far from them , not in love to their Lusts , but their Ease . They hear an evil report of Repentance , which must be their entrance upon a Religios life : Those who press it and its conditions , speak in a stile opposit to St. John , these things we write to you , that your grief may be full . Those who adventure upon it , complain that such a grief is no more in their Power , than it is for their Pleasure : And those who have long served under it , are as far from freedom as at first ; but live as much tormented with fear that their repentance is insufficient , as at first they were with repentance it self . For those who are broght to Repentance by Fear , are still to cherish That fear , as their best security from relaps : They must ever and anon , but specially when they are to receve the holy communion , be anxiosly examining themselvs , whether their repentance be sound , and themselvs in the state of grace , or no ? and they are directed by Teachers as melancholy as themselvs , and marks , which rather multiply than remove their fears . They are told of a twofold hypocrisy , open , and secret ; and the bounds between the Least that saving grace requireth , and the Most that a hypocrite may perform , are so undiscernab'l , that they cannot be sure whether they be in the one state or the other : But still , the more they Examin , the less they Satisfie themselvs ; they bate and flutter without End , or any other fruit but this , that they entang'l themselvs more ; and perhaps at last sink into deep melancholy , incurab'l either by Spiritual or Corporal Physician : and by so sad a spectacl the by-standers take warning to shun the place of Torment , and hate their Ministers as Tormentors : So the Christian World is almost all divided , between such as are frighted from a Religios life , and such as live fearfully under it . It is worth more time than I can allow , fully to convince either party of their error : but it is of so great import , that I must ( however briefly ) avow that it proceedeth in Both from taking repentance by the wrong handl . I. THOSE who are frighted from Religion by the hardship of Repentance . It would not be so terribl if we receved it by the spirit of Love : bicause it would be neither so Difficult to be obteined , nor so Troublesom in the performance . 1. Not so difficult to be obteined : Observ the Love of God as proclamed in the Gospel , and answer that Love of God , so as to be able to say with the Apost'l , We love God , bicause he loved us first ; and forbear grieving for your sins , if you can . I say again Love God , and forbear to griev for having offended him , if you can . But be sure you cannot , for it is utterly impossib'l to forbear grieving , when we have offended whom we love . 2. Yet fear not you that love your Ease ; this grief will not disturb it : For as I said of Fear , so say I of Grief ; there is a grief that hath Torment , and there is a grief that hath only Tenderness ; a grief that hath Bitterness , and a grief that hath only Sharpness : and That , such a sharpness , as shall not mar your fest , but improve it with its poignance . This is that grata aciditas which recommendeth bankets ; it is so sweetned by the sence of God's pardoning goodness , that it is none of the meanest part of the joys of the Spirit . I pray you take notice , and remember it , I deny not but grief is necessary ; I confess it is impossib'l a penitent soul can be without it . But this grief as it is Necessary , so it is Natural ; as a gracios foul cannot be without it , so can he not Wish to be so : it costs him no pain , either to obtein or exercise it . But the grief that proceedeth from the spirit of Fear is every way contrary . I. It is hard to be obteined . To fear God's punishment , and for That reason to griev for sin , and thence to love God for pardoning upon such repentance ; This is to go quite against the hair , both in grace and nature : In Grace , bicause the Apost'l declareth , that Love casts out Fear , and how can Fear bring in that Love by which it self is cast out ? In Nature , bicause That cannot but shun Fear and Grief ; and that , not only as it is corrupted , but in its whole integrity : When we address our selvs to Love , we shall not miss of the grief of Tenderness , bicause it is Love's certain attendant ; but if we address our selvs to Grief , we court the Handmaid , which we cannot obtein b●n by the Mistress ; and if we ad-dress to That grief which proceeds from Fear , we court a Scoundrel , that is as coy as worthless ; no less an enemy to Loving grief , than to our own inclinations . Obj. Is not Repentance the first step to Conversion ? and is not Repentance , Grief ? Answ . That duty which the Gospel prescribeth as necessary to salvation , is not only a Step to conversion , but Conversion it self ; it is not only Grief for what is past , but Change for the future . We are miserably abused by a base Translation : I appeal to you that understand the Greek and Latin Toungs , whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be any kin to the Latin words , Repentance , Penance , Attrition , or Contrition , by which the Latin Priests ( a with no less injury to the Gospel , than to the words ; to their own great advantage , but inestimab'l loss of souls , ) have translated them ; that so they might translate the Duty it self , from Turning to Grieving - And I appeal to your b Bibles , whether in the whole New Testament you meet any word that declareth Grief necessary to salvation ? I know St. James prescribeth it to the insolent wanton rich , as a specifik for That particular vice ; but where do you find it enjoyned as universally necessary for All kinds of sinners ? No , the Spirit of God knew , that the Grief which issueth from Love , needs not be commanded , bicause it floweth naturally from that fountain : and the other grief , which proceeds from Fear , is not worth commanding , bicause it is not worth accepting , as having nothing but Torment . It is a great maim to the happiness of mankind , but a much greater to the glory of God's goodness in Christ ; that for That very reason it is enjoined , for which it is to be cast out . For we are told , that Christ hath not redeemed us from Temporal punishment , tho he have from Eternal : but we must our selvs pay the temporal price , either in this life by voluntary grief and penances , proportional to our guilt , or in the other life by the fire of Purgatory , &c. Were this true , it would make one half of the Gospel : And as the story it self is a great disparagement to the sufficiency , either of our Lord's Sufferings , or his Love ; if Those could not purchase , or This would not grant us a full redemtion , as well from the one punishment as the other ; so is it a greater to his Faithfulness , if he would concele from us the knowlege of what he had left necessary for us to do for our selvs . How many Souls must there now and in all ages ly frying in Purgatory , that had never com'n thither , if our Lord had been as kind as himself charactered the damned rich man , who did all his possib'l , that his brethren might have warning of that place of Torment ! And how can such poor souls scape the tentation , to blaspheme that Neglect , that exposed them to such danger without warning ; yea ! That Treachery , that deluded them with promises of Full and Free pardon , without the Least intimation of any grief or penance , necessary to be suffered either in the one life , or the other ! Were this true , the sum of Christ's benefits must upon due computation rise no higher than this , that he Redeemed us from Hell , and Betrayed us to Purgatory . Blessed be God , who hath shewen us a better escape than by Grief and Penance : The Love that casteth out Fear , for this reason bicause it hath torment , will for the same reason cast out such Grief too : In Christ Jesus nothing else is Needful , bicause nothing else Availeth , but Faith working by Love : Let That so inflame our hearts , as to melt them with a genuine sorrow , purging them from all their dross ; and we need not fear any other Purgatory , nor seek any other Grief . II. THOSE who make , not Repentance only , but the whole cours of a Religios life a state of Torment , are no less abused by the same spirit of Fear ; which perpetually tormenteth them with doubts , and putteth them upon enquiries , whether they be in the state of salvation or no ? This they cal Self-examination , and their Teachers prescribe it as a Spiritual duty frequently to be used , but especially before the holy Communion . But if Fear will hear reason , it may consider , That however Self-examination be by all wise men of all Religions highly magnified , yet is it not to be exercised by All men in the same manner . 1. To those that are Enemies or Strangers to Godliness , as it is most necessary , so it is most easie : They need not much examining whether they be in a good state or no ? the first glance discovereth the contrary ; the Question proper to Them is this , Whether it be better to continu in That state , or com out of it ? To which question more Seriosness than Time is required . 2 , Those who have forsaken their sins , especially those who have for any considerabl time do'n so , may with as great Fruit as Pleasure examin , 1. What progress they make ? By comparing their present stature in Christ , with that of the last moneth or year , they may increase it . 2. They may daily examin their daily actions , that they may beg pardon for what they shall find ill do'n , and pay thanks for what they shall find well ; and take Warning from the One , and Corage from the Other , to do better the next day . 3. But to question their whole interest in Christ , whether they be Children or Enemies to God ? to be anxiosly solicitos upon such a question as This , c I am not so sure that it is a Religios , yea or a Safe exercise at all ; as I am that there are pernicios mistakes in the Rules prescribed for the performance ; particularly in this , that there is too much partiality shewen for Fear against Hope ; whereas plain Reason would perswade us , to judge as favorably for our selvs as our evidences can permit , since severity can do very litl ( if any ) good , but may do much hurt . 1. It can do but litl good , for it can only repete the lesson wherein we are already perfect : Our Fear of the worst is the very Reason which puts us upon examining our selvs ; when we severely censure our selvs , this is no more but that we fear the worst : so we end where we began : the whole exercise is running a circle of Fear , without the least progress in Grace . 2. It is not only a Fruitless labor , but a Dangeros tentation , If we fear that God hateth Us , nature will promt us to hate God in our own defence ; and so far to turn Atheists , as to wish there were no God. Such fear as this , Love certainly must cast out , and it cannot be our duty to help It to cast out Love ; but on the contrary to cherish the Antecedent of the Apost'ls argument for the Consequent's sake : We love him , bicause he loved us first ; and thence take spurr to serv him by the mesures of thankfulness , i.e. without mesure . II. WE HAVE seen what an enemy Fear is to Religion in general : Consider we now how much it is so to our own in particular ; and we shall soon discover that our enemies on Both hands , the Papists , and Nonconformists , are made such by the spirit of Fear . I. THE PAPISTS ( it is plain ) have corrupted the Gospel from a doctrine according to Godliness , to a doctrine according to Interest ; especially in its two great limbs , Faith , and Repentance . Articls of Faith they have multiplied , and in every one multiplied difficulties , on purpose to make an infallib'l guide necessary to determin them : and Conditions of Repentance they have multiplied and imbittered , on purpose to fright men , not out of their Sins , but out of their Reason and their Mony : They drive men To Repentance by fear of Damnation , and From Repentance by fear of its Torments , and allow them no quiet but by the Priest's Absolution . If now there be This only difference between Us and Them , that We Drive men to Repentance by the same Fear , and Torment them in it with the same Grief , but do not reliev them by the same Remedies ; we have much less reason to wonder , that som half-considering peop'l run from us to them , than that so many scape the temtation ; especially seeing how greedily Fear and Pain catch at any ( however improbab'l ) offer of help . II. That the NONCONFORMISTS on the other side are possessed by the same evil spirit , needeth no other evidence but this , That they are frighted from our Communion , by such things as themselvs acknowledge Indifferent . Fears and Jealousies fill both pages , both in their Religion and Polity . Their whole constitution is sowred by the melancholy humor ; uneasy both to Themselvs and others , especially their Governors . It is not possib'l in fewer and plainer words , both to Describe and Condemn this unhappy spirit , than we have found do'n by our Apost'l : You have not receved the spirit of Fear , but of Power , of Love , and of a Sound mind . Love is opposed to Fear ; Power , to Weakness ; a Sound mind , to a Pained one . I wish he had never spoken worse , who said , that to be much and long troubled with any scruple , is a certain indication of a weak and cowardly spirit ; bicause if the weight be considerably greater in either scale , the suspens will soon be ended ; if not , the cause of doubt must be very light ; and to be much troubled about light maters , must needs signifie great weakness . Objection , What then ? must we think any sin litl ? or can we be too fearful of the least ? Answ . Distinguish between Sin Known , and Sin Suspected . We must more fear the least Known sin , than the most cruel death : But to fear that which we only Suspect to be sin , as much as that which God hath declared to be so ; This is it self a sin against God , bicause it maketh our own Suspicion equal to his Laws ; and against our Selvs , our Country , and our Governors ; bicause we troubl them without competent reason . Our Lord's parab'l will illustrate this : The Gospel is a great Lord's Fest ; and at such a Tab'l you may easily discern the Welbred from the Clown , by the frankness of his cariage . He payeth all due deference to his great Inviter ; careful not to do or say any thing that may offer him the least disgust , nor to neglect any thing that may in any degree please him , specially to cary himself with such a decent mixture of Humility , and Chearfulness , as may speak his joy and thankfulness for the favor do'n him . In the Other , you find not the least air of chearfulness ; but a Fear to mis-behave himself in every motion of hand or ey , every bit that he bringeth To his mouth , and every word that he uttereth Out of it ; and thus by too much fear of misbehaving himself falleth into it . Thus differ the truly Religios and Superstitios ; the One serveth God with a Careful , yet Chearful spirit ; will rather incurr the worst death , than the least sin ; yet despiseth litl scrupls as unworthy to discompose his frank spirit : the Other disordereth the whole frame of his conversation , by timorosnes in such maters as he Knoweth to be Indifferent , yet Suspecteth to be evil : a mere Spiritual Clown ! Which of the two is best manners in the Kingdom of God , our Apost'l taght both the Corinthians , and Romans . Both those Churches were troubled with a scruple concerning meats offered to Idols ; a scruple the more considerab'l , bicause himself had taght them , that it is impossib'l to partake the Lord's tab'l , and the tab'l of Devils : How doth the Apost'l treat this great question ? Why , he spurns it , as no other way considerab'l , but in the mischief it might do to the peace of the Churches : The Kingdom of Heaven ( saith he ) is not meat and drink , but Righteosness , and Peace , and Joy in the holy Ghost : for he that in these things serveth Christ , is accepted of God , and approved of men : Let us therefor pursue the things that make for Peace , &c. Apply this decision of that Great controversy , to those pety ones that troub'l our peace , it will Determin them them the best way , by Destroying them . The Kingdom of Heaven is no more Vesture and Gesture , than it is Meat and Drink ; Righteosness , and Peace , and Joy in the holy Ghost , are still the best manners in sight of God and Man : and to pursue the things that make for peace , is still the best cours in such litl questions as endanger it . We have therefore nothing to enquire but this , Who best conform to this Rule ? They who in such small maters submit to their Governors , or they who disturb the peace of the Church ? However obvios the answer be , it is more obvios what the spirit is , that maketh men in such things troublesom to themselvs , and their country : d Nothing certainly but fearfulness can make a man so to fly his own shadow , as to run into the ditch . We see the Apost'l thinketh no way better to preserv the peace , than by settling our Fundamental Position : Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost are the best manners in the Kingdom of Heaven , most pleasing to God and man , and the best preservative both of Publik and Private quiet : which is in other words , The Gospel designeth not our Fear , but our Love. I HOPE I have now effectually performed the task I undertook , which was not to exhaust all the contents of my Text , but to dig up that root of bitterness , which so undeservedly troubleth the world , and especially the Ministers of the Gospel ; and most especially those of our Own Church , who are of all others most unhappy , because whether they they prevail or no , they are sure to create themselvs enemies . If they prevail not , then are they treated by the impenitent , as our Lord was by the Devils : What have we to do with thee ? art thou com'n to torment us ? If they do prevail , they do no better than journy-work ; either for the Papists , to whom the Sanguin run for Anodynes of Absolution ; or for the Nonconformists , to whom the Melancholy run for food for their unsatisfiab'l scruples : So we are hated on All hands ; by our enemies in Religion , bicause we will not torment our selvs with Their fears ; and by our enemies in Irreligion , bicause they suspect we will betray them to that place of torment , which others hate us for renouncing . But in all that I have spoken to this too necessary purpose , how short am I falen of the requires of my Text ? I have not be'n able to display any of the glad tidings of good things : cannot say , as St. John doth , These things have I spoken , that your joy may be full ; or as St. Peter , We rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorios . Yet have we made no slight advance toward all this , if we have cast out Fear : For this visor once pluckt off , holiness will so display its beauty , that we shall soon find Plato's aphorism verified in its charms . And now I have mentioned Plato , I shall vouch not only his Opinion , but his Experience : He spoke so much , and so well of the excellences and powers of Love , that the best Fathers of our Religion have not disdained to write after his copy , stiling him the Christian Philosopher . a Dion , the greatest Noble-man in Syracuse , went to Athens to hear him , and afteward prevailed with him to take a voyage to Sicily , to convert his unhappy Prince , miserably corrupted by ill education . He came , and his First labor was to encorage his hearers , that they should not be afraid of vertu : This he perpetually inculcated , and having removed that prejudice , he charmed the whole Court , and especially the young Prince , into such a love of virtu and himself , that never was Lover more fond or jelos : He would not endure that Plato should go out of his Palace , hardly out of his sight ; was impatient that any beside himself should have any interest in Plato's love , made Plato Lord of all his power and wealth ; and had he not be'n countermined upon reasons of State , was in a fair way to have resigned up to the love of Plato and vertu , that unjust Kingdom , from which he was afterward banished . For this Diogenes upbraided Plato , saying , he had flattered a Tyran ; and I doubt not , but som of the same Cynical humor will object against me , that I would have the Clergy flatter the Peop'l . Plato owned the charge , and so do I. It is our work to flatter our peop'l , just as Plato did Dionysius ; not In their lusts , but Out of them ; not for our Own benefit , but Theirs : We must out-flatter Epicurus , yea we must out-flater Plato , we must flater like our Apost'l , the greatest flatterer in the world : Read his Epistl's with application ; see if you can match them for tenderness in any of the Romances : He saith in one of them , that he had espoused his disciples to Christ ; and in that and all the rest he courted them with all the arts and insinuations of a wooer . And he plainly telleth us , that His and Our Commission require it : We are ( saith he ) Embassadors for Christ : as if God did beseech you by us , we pray you in Christ's stead , be ye reconciled to God. Which is a great improvement of my Text , and giveth us title to a nobler welcom : We are not only Messengers , to bring Tidings of peace ; but Embassadors , to Negotiate for its acceptance : to Negotiate as in the Person of Christ , yet in the Posture of supplicants . Christ again deposeth himself from his Majesty , and creepeth to his rebellios subjects like a petitioner , begging in most humb'l manner ( what ? that they would not again destroy him ? no , but ) that they would permit him to save them : and in this posture are we commissioned to represent him . True , Embassadors , if they find it necessary , may sharpen their importunities for peace , by displaying the terrib'lness and unavoidabl'ness of That destruction , which is to be the portion of the irreconcileab'l ; provided they do it with such tenderness , as may speak their Master's goodness equal to his power ; more loth to destroy them , than themselvs are to perish . A preacher of the Gospel ( sure ) must not com short in kindness to a prophet vnder the Law : yet in this posture doth Ezekiel represent God : As I live faith the Lord , I desire not the death of him that dieth , but rather that he will turn and live : turn ye , turn ye , why will ye dy , ye hous of Israel ? Do ye say , that he offereth salvation only to a few Elect ? Behold , he saith , yea he sweareth , that he desireth not the death even of Him that dieth . The difference is very observab'l , which our Savior puts between the two sentences . The blessed are invited to the Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world : but the cursed are dispatched to the fire that was prepared ( not for Them , but ) for the Divel and his Angels . There is therefore great difference between Election and Reprobation : The one is a Positive act , the other a mere reterition , which doth not deprive men of Sufficient , yea Abundant means of salvation : The Reprobates are so far from prepared for hell-fire , that the fire is not prepared for Them , but only for the Divel and his Angels . Many indeed will at last find it their portion , but by their own carving : God useth all the means that a Wise and Good father can , to hinder them from it : His Wisdom will not work miracl's except in cases extraordinary ; and in such cases ( possibly ) he may by irresistib'l grace qualify som few chosen vessels for som extraordinary service ; but in ordinary , he offereth no such violence to Nature , thogh he use all means suitab'l to it , for the benefit of the creature whom he endeavoreth to make happy . His Laws are far from grievos , he requireth no Satisfaction for the past , but Amendment for the futur ; and That Amendment too , he requireth for This only reason , that we may be as happy both now and hereafter as we are capab'l - We are fond of our hedg-fruit bicause we know no better , but he provideth for us bankets infinitly more delicios ; and he Inviteth , he Intreateth ; if this will not prevail , he Driveth us , to this purpose only that we may be happy in his fellowship . Plato broght the most dissolute to the love of vertu , thogh he had no other motive but its mere beauty , unendowed with any other reward than its self . But we have commission to promise you a dowry great as its beauty , and to embellish that beauty with most glorios additions . The glory of God's love shineth infinitely brighter in the face of Jesus Christ , than in That of the Sun , which was the best glass Plato had to see him in : The earnest of our inheritance ( never heard of by Plato ) is infinitely more valuabl for the inheritance it secureth ; the joys of Hope being incomparably more ravishing , than those which tast nothing but the present . And is it not both very Sad and very Admirab'l , that Plato under such disadvantages , should so inamor a dissolute company with naked vertu , and himself its preacher ; yet We with such great advantages , prevail no otherwise than to drive our hearers into hatred both of our message and our selvs ? Can any thing be more worth our Consideration ? When we have duly eonsidered , we shall find that Plato better deserved the title of a preacher of the Gospel , than most have do'n for many ages : For his preaching was in St. Paul's stile ; he preached not the spirit of Fear , but of Love : But the modern way hath be'n quite contrary ; we have heard litl of Love , but much of Fear , and our success hath be'n as different as our message . Now should I apply all this to the service both of the Gospel and its Ministers : but as I have not Time , so ( if what I have said be well considered ) there will be no Need : Not in behalf of the Gospel , bicause if it be once freed from this vizor , its beauty will need no other persuasive to draw us to its embraces : Not in behalf of its Ministers , bicause your very Presence upon this occasion , deserveth applaus , but supersedeth exhortation : I shall therefor say no more , but pray , that as you have begun a good work , you may go on prosperously in it ; that your kindness to those who have at least a dubl titl to it , may return a thousand fold in blessings upon you and yours , both in This world and the better ; that the peace of God which passeth all understanding , may keep your hearts and minds &c. ANNOTATIONS . ANnot . 1. To which may be reduced all others of the same air . ] Such is that which we meet in the close of Heb. 12. Serv God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear : for our God is a consuming fire . This seemeth to contradict our Position both in Plain terms , and with a potent Reason : but if we carefully view the whole context , it will appear otherwise . For the words immediately ' foregoing say , Wherefor we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let us be thankful , that we may serv God acceptably : Where that we may reconcile Fear with Thankfulness , we must look back to the premises , whence the inference is drawn , which is offered in the word Wherefor : which are no less than a Rhetorical , or rather Poetical , Amplification , of what we but now found plainly laid down We have not received the spirit of bondage again to Fear , vers . 18 , 19 , 20 , 21. but we have received the spirit of Adoption . vers . 22 , 23 , 24. whence the 25th verse immediately inferreth , See that ye refuse not him that speaketh ; for if They escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth , much more shall not We escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven : which again is repeted with a threat , which requireth us to look much further back to Deut. 4.23 . where Moses warneth his Israelites in these words , Take heed unto your selvs lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God , for the Lord thy God is a consuming fire , even a jelos God. The words then being mesured by the proper design of the whole discours , must be a threatning of those that shall turn from Christ : mesured by the Premises which they attend as a Conclusion ; they must import so much greater punishment to be due to those that desert the Gospel , by how much the Covenant is more gratios : so that the Threat is not leveled against those that Profess the Gospel , but against those that Forsake it ; and it is so far from contradicting our Position , that it is built upon its Amplification - ANnot . 2. We are miserably abused by a base Translation . ] For upon no better ground than this wretched Translation is built the whole doctrine of Penance among the Papists , and the dread of Repentance among the Reformtd . The Papists , having once taken the confidence to render the indispensab'l duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Poenitentia , proceed to improve this their precious word , by straining it as much beyond its constant signification , as That exceedeth the import of the word , which it pretendeth only to translate . For whereas [ Poenitentia ] in no other case signifieth any more than [ Repentance ] i. e. Grief of mind , they have enlarged it to signifie [ Penance , ] which signifieth a further punishment of Body or Purs : and upon this dubly fals ground they have thus built their Sacrament . He that is fallen into sin after Baptism , cannot be restored but by the Sacrament of Penance , which consisteth of three parts , Contrition , Confession , and Satisfaction . 1. Contrition is grief of mind in sence of guilt incurred . Guilt importeth obligation to Punishment ; from which the sinner cannot be absolved , but by the Priest , to whom Christ hath given power to bind and loose : This power the Priest cannot exercise without knowledge of the guilt , wherewith the Penitent is bound : therefor 2. The Penitent must humb'l himself before the Priests Tribunal , ( it is the very expression of Trent ) with full and particular Confession of every sin , and every circumstance , submitting to such punishment as he shall prescribe , in order to Absolution : and 3. The Priest must not grant Absolution , without such Penance as may bear som proportion to the crime . For ( saith the Trent meeting ) Christ hath satisfied for the Crime , but not for the Punishment ; which the B. of Condom hath made easier to be Vnderstood , but not easier to he Believed , by this explication : That he hath changed a greater punishment into a lesser , i. e. Eternal into Temporal . If therefor the Penitent fail either of fully confessing every sin , or of fully performing the penalty imposed ; Either of These , or som other desects , must be abundantly punished with the fire of Purgatory , which cometh short of Hell only in duration . If we look for Reasons for all this , we shall find none in Scripture , but abundanco in the world . All the Abbies , Priories , Chantries , &c. in Christendom , All the pomp and grandeur of the court of Rome &c. are so many benefits of this Sacrament to the Clergy ; and assurance of Absolution upon easie Penance , to the Laity . For can it be , but the Priest must be highly reverenced , to who 's Tribunal the greatest must creep , to who 's ears they must communicate their most shameful sins , and from who 's mouth they must receiv their sentence ? without who 's help they cannot hope for pardon , and by who 's help they are secure of it ? Or can any person of bowels think any cost too much , to pay off the intolerabl torments , wherein their own or their dearest friends souls may fry , they know not how long , in the flames of Purgatory ? It was but lately proved that a poor Maid gave , not only all she was worth , but a Bond for a greater Summ , to a greedy Priest , who refused on any cheaper terms to free her father's soul ; and how often they meet such bargains in the fears of dying persons , it is impossibl to compute . God be blessed we have reformed from all the base gains which are gotten by the word Penance : but we still retain too strong a tincture of its first princip'l , in point of Fear and consequent Grief , derived from the word Repentance ; the very sound whereof striketh so hard upon our minds , that we cannot but believ , the great Duty which is expressed by That Word , must be performed by That Passion . We do ( indeed ) well to distinguish between two kinds of Grief ; and we do well to declare , that Grief which ariseth from Fear , is nothing worth , if it bring us not to that which issueth from Love : But still we stick to This , that Repentance is Grief : and that however it be not accepted until it amount to Contrition , yet doth it ordinarily begin at Attrition , to which therefor we must first apply our selvs . But 1. What reason have we to believe that Attrition will bring us to Contrition ? Do we conclude them neer of kin , bieause they wear the same surname ? Let us not look so much to the Name , as the Family . Fear ( we know ) is no friend to Love ; and why shall we believ that Grief which issueth from the One , must be our best mediator to the Other ? 2. Why must wee needs make our first addresses to Grief of either kind ? Grief is an Enemy , but Love is a Friend : It is the first mover in all our affections , even those which seem most opposit to it : We neither Hate , nor Fear , nor Griev , but by the dictates of Love : And the Love of God will constrain us to ( do , what without it we can hardly obtein of our selvs ) griev when we have offended him . If we perform this great duty in the proper sence of the words , Turn to God with all our heart ; the weeping and mourning will not fail to follow ; nor hath the Scripture been deficient , thogh it have not prescribed them . This is not a bare contention about words , but the most practical consideration in the world : Holiness of life is highly concerned in it , as having suffered more by This than All other errors : For on One side , men are Frighted by the apprehension of Grief , as an enemy to our quiet ; and on the Other side , they are encoraged to hope , that this may with more ease , and equal safety be undergon , when the days com wherein we shall say , we have no pleasure in them , or when that hour cometh , when we ean do nothing else but griev . This conceit , however discountenanced by Divines , yea by Experience , which sheweth that generally men dy as impenitent as they live ; yet so partial are we to our sins and sloth , that the word [ Repent ] shall carry it against all the weight that can be laid against it . And here I cannot but applaud the amendment our Church hath made in the first sentence of our Liturgy . Of old it was , At what time soever a Sinner shall Repent from the bottom of his heart , I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance , saith the Lord ; which was wont to be pleaded in behalf of death-bed repentance : But now the very words of the Prophet are set forth , When the wicked man turneth away from wickedness that he hath committed , and doth that which is lawful and right , he shall save his soul alive : which may infer , that the promise is made , not to Grieving , but Turning ; and to such Turning too , as proceedenh to contrary actions . Were our Translation of the New Testament so reformed , that in stead of Repentance we might read , Turning , Changing , Amendment , or som such honest word , as would faithfully render the Original ; it would remove that unhappy tentation , which hath so much discountenanced Conversion , by representing it both Hard and Needless in Youth , Easie and Safe on the Death-bed . ANnot . 3 . I appeal to your Bibles . ] We find one text that seems to look That way , and for That reason , as it makes much talk , so doth it deserv our careful consideration . It is in 2 Cor. 7.10 . Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of ; but the sorrow of the world worketh death . These words separated from the Context , thogh they deny that Grief and Repentance be the same thing ( for if the One work the Other , they must differ as the Workman doth from his Work ) yet bicause they seem to import a dependence of One upon the Other , require our answer . And 1. Tho these words seem to look this way , they com short of the concept we contend against . For the most they import is this ; that the Apostl's reproof had made them so sory , that they amended their falt ; which certainly falleth very short of making That Repentance which the Gospel requireth of every sinner , to be no more nor less but Sorrow . 2 : Those words do not look this way , as we must needs perceiv if we look about us : for Such was the Apostl's Evangelical spirit , so unwilling to exercise Punishment upon offenders , that he shunneth the very word , and expresseth it by Grieving . This appeareth most evident in the twelfth chapter of the same Epist'l , vers . 20. I fear lest when I com I shall not find you such as I would , and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not ; lest there be debates , wraths , &c. and lest when I come again my God will humb'l me among you , and that I shall BEWAIL many , which have sinned already , and have not repented &c. And chap. 12.2 . I told you before , and ' foretell you as if I were present the secund time , and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned , and to all other , that if I com again , I will not spare . He had in his former Epist'l reproved them for not censuring a most scandalous person , 1 Cor. 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you , and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles , that one should have his fathers wife ; and ye are puffed up , and have not rather mourned , that he that hath do'n this deed might be taken away from among you , i. e. in the sense now mentioned , you have encouraged him , and not punished him by excommunication . In this Epist'l he taketh notice of that affair : in the seeond chapter he justifieth himself for having grieved them , approveth of their obedience , and adviseth them to absolve the criminal , now sufficiently punished . And in this chapter taketh occasion to resume it , as appeareth by v. 8. For tho I made you sory with a Letter , I do not repent thogh I did repent ; and more plainly v. 12. thogh I wrote unto you , I did it not for his cause that did the wrong , ( i. e. the incestuous Son , ) nor for his cause that suffered wrong , ( i. e. the injured Faether , ) but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you . The eleventh verse , which setteth forth the fruits of their sorrow , is closed with this Epiphonema : In all things you have approved your selvs to be clear in this mater : which plainly sheweth that the sorrow which he so applaudeth , was not sorrow for any crime of their Own , and consequently was not such Repentance as is necessary for every sinner in respect to his Own sins ; but an Idiom of the Apost'l , whereby he expresseth Ecclesiastical censures : which in the tenth vers he compareth with Civil punishments , saying that the one worketh the greatest good without the least ill consequence , but the other worketh death . This exposition seemeth more necessary to enlighten the Apostl's discours , than to answer what may be thence objected . For whether you accept it or no , you cannot avoed acknowledging that the discours is very obscure in many of its clauses , and in its whole design : and This very Obscurity is sufficient to disable it from stablishing a fundamental doctrine . Heb. 12.12 . We find Repentance from dead works Owned for a Foundation of the Gospel : Had he said Repentance FOR dead works , Grief might have pleaded som title ; but the partic'l FROM importeth more than a Passion , and no less than Turning : to Turn from dead works is a good phrase in Grammar , as well as a good work in Morality ; but to Griev From an ill work , is a stile unpractised in any language that I know , Yet this is a Foundation , and as such oght to be firmly laid : Can we then justify our Lord as no less faithful than Moses in all his hous , if nether by himself nor any of his Apost ls , he left any One Precept , so clear as to be above danger of mistake ; but we must retein for all our knowledge of our Fundamental duty , to an accidental word , occasionally dropt by our Apost'l , and that so obscurely , that we cannot be secure of its meaning ? Such a concept certainly will it self need Repentance . ANnot . 4. I am not sure that it is a Religios exercise . ] I Therefor cannot be sure that it is a Religios exercise , much less that it is a necessary Duty , so to examin my self as is vulgarly prescribed ; becaus I neither find it Enjoyned by any Precept , nor Recommended by any Examp'l in holy Scripture . I find indeed two words of St. Paul to the Corinthians , whereof the One seemeth to Intimate it , the Other expresly to Require it . The Former , 1 Cor. 17.27 . Let a man Examin himself , and so let him eat of That Bread , and drink of that Cup : Which is generally believed to signifie , that we must Examin , whether we be worthy to receiv the Lord's Supper or no ? which is not Less but More , than whether we be in the state of Grace , or no ? But upon full consideration we must find , that the Apost'l cannot mean such an Examination as shall leav us in suspense , or forbid our Communicating , ( for the very same breath absolutely requireth us to do it without any exception or limitation , ) but such as shall prevent the crime he there reproveth , which was their doing it in an unworthy Manner : To which end it is not necessary to examin , what Right we have to the Lord's Supper , but what Reverence ? not what we have already do'n , but what we are about to do ? And whatever self-examination exceedeth this end , will be Impertinent ; whatever hindreth the Performance of the later clause of the Precept , ( so let him Eat , ) will be Opposit to the Apostl's intentions , as at large is proved in the foregoing Treatise , and is now further confirmed ; if the practice of such self-examination be useless and prejudicial , not only in order to the Sacrament , but to all other good purposes . The other word , which seemeth expresly to require us to examin our interest in Christ , we meet 2 Cor. 13.5 . Examin your selvs , whether you be in the saith , prove your own selvs , know you not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates ? But all the foregoing and following context will forbid us to imagin , that the Apost'l should require them to examin themselvs concerning what was not then in question or mention . It is plain that his discourse reflecteth upon the punishment which they had Formerly Neglected , and upon his admonition Lately Inflicted , upon a most scandalous offender ; yet so , that som among them seemed to question His authority , and perhaps That of the Church , for so doing , and therefor seek a proof of Christ speaking in him . Such persons in the now-recited words he admonisheth to examin themselvs , not concerning their interest in Christ by his saving grace , but concerning their relation to him as a visib'l Church , and their consequent authority to judge those that are within , as in the former Epist'l he expresseth it . Our Incomparab'l Dr. Hammond hath to this sense paraphrased this text ; wherein he supposeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth , not IN , but AMONG you ; and that the Apost'l thereby alludeth to Exod. 17.7 . where the temting contumacios Israelites , after all the signs and miracl's shewed among them , ask in these very words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the Lord among us or no ? so that the meaning of the Apostl's question here is ; many miracl's of Christ and his Spirit have be'n wroght among you , so that if you do not believ that I am an Apost'l , and so that Christ is among you , you are ( sure ) of the number of those Israelites , who after so many mirac'ls still required more signs . Thus our Excellent Doctor . But if we will not look fo far , we shall find a fair occasion for the word IN , and for his playing with the word Reprobate too , in the third verse . Whereas you seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a Proof of Christ speaking In me : Examin it well , and you shall find him in your selvs , when you censure such offenders as are within ; if not , you are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : which word , that it cannot here signify Reprobates in that strict sens , appeareth , bicause he immediately addeth , I hope you shall find that We are not Reprobate : but he descanteth upon their own word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , repeating it no less than five times in two verses , in a sence which must therefor answer their own : You seek an Evidence of Christ speaking in Me , as in his Apost'l : I have already pleaded , that If I be not an Apost'l to Others , yet doubtless I am to You , for the seal of mine Apost'lship are ye in the Lord , and I need no other evidence : Examin therefore your selvs , whether ye be in the faith which I preached among you : Do ye not know that Christ is in You , as in his Church planted by my ministry , except ye be vile persons , which have no ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) appearance of Christianity ? This the context evidenceth to be the true meaning of those words , who 's singl voice must outvote a multitude of other express texts , and the fundamental design of the Gospel , which invite us to rejoice in God. WE are miserably mistaken in the rules and mesures , ] as may appear , not only by the Reason glanced at from their dangeros tendency , or by the Silence of Scripture , which in mater of duty is equivalent to a Negative ; but by the contrary conduct of the Apost'l in governing this exercise . For however his words seem to prescribe self-examination as every mans duty , yet doth he plainly direct it to a quite contrary purpose . His words are , Gal. 6.4 . Let every man prove his ownwork : Let Every man without exception ; Prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , examin , his own Work , in the most comprehensive sense ( as the French express a man's whole business by son fait ) else will the Plaster be too narrow for the Sore , which is discovered in the words immediatly ' foregoing , ; If a man think himself to be som thing when he is nothing , he deceiveth himself : All this seemeth to amount to no less than Let every man examin the state of his own soul , that he may not be deceived , but certainly understand , whether he be a lively member of Christ or no. I shall not fence with these words , by pleading that by Every man is meant Every man Concerned in the advice , which is directed only to them which are Spiritual ; or that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant not only Prove , but Approve : but , which is much better , I shall mesure the Plaster by the Sore , the Meaning of the Words by the Design of the Author ; which the first verse discovereth to be Charity to offenders : the Means prescribed for this good end is Self-consideration : 1. Consideration of human frailty , whereto while himself is subject , he is neither above the Reach , nor secure against the Power of the tentation . 2. Consideration of his own Experience , which if he examin , may inform him , that himself hath be'n guilty , perhaps of the Same , perhaps of Great●●… crimes . This is the plain design of the precept : it is prescribed as a specifik against a particular evil , to cauterize the proud flesh , to lance the swelling apostem , to divert the sharp humor , from our neighbors to our own weakness or wickedness ; to pass from judging another to judging our selvs ; wherein we shall have better Evidence , better Autority , and better Success . And what success doth the Apost'l promise ? Is it , thou shalt be frighted at thy danger , and confounded with thy guilt ? This ( indeed ) one would expect , as most serviceab'l to the purpose in hand : but bicause it is least so , to the general design of the Gospel , the Apost'l turneth short to a quite contrary inference , and then shall he have rejoycing . How careful , that no particular precept should cross the Vniversal ! that his Precepts should have no wors consequent than his Reproofs ! But may clear themselvs , and say , as he did in his Apology to the Corinthians , for having made them sory , 2 Coo. 7.9 . you have received damage by us in nothing ; which this exercise can hardly be able to plead , if fear hold the scales , and we weigh our selvs by grains and scruples , and those authorized only by the precarios dictates of melancholy . Our Apost'l hath plainly enogh told us , that our adaequate mark is Faith working by Love : If hereby we examin our selvs , the work will be neither tedios in the Performance , nor tormenting in the Issu . Not tedios in the Performance : for it cannot ( sure ) require much skill , time , or labor , to search whether I love or no ? I look no further than mine own bowels for assurance , whether I love this or that neighbor or kinsman ; and why may they not with the same ease and certainty secure me whether I love God or no ? Nor tormenting in the Issu : for at worst I shall be put to no wors penance or task , than to labor for a greater Mesure of Love ; and all Love's tasks are full of pleasure . To ly down and afflict my self with grief for want of Love , or ( as is prescribed in the second place ) for want of grief , or with fear for want of any kind of grief &c. is more likely to quench Love than to inflame it . But to apply my affections to the original of all loveliness , the infinite beauties of God in his own perfections , the glories of his goodness towards his creatures , and to my self in particular , &c. is certainly of all exercises most proper for this end , and most pleasant in the practise : This must needs be the fittest ground for the fruits of the Spirit , Love , Joy , Peace . ANnot . 5. Nothing certainly but Fearfulness . ] It may be worth observing , how the light of Nature concurreth with that of the Gospel , to cast out this spirit . For as in All Ages , Nations , and Religions , it hath possessed and tormented the Weakest ; so hath it in them All be'n exorcised by the Wisest . The Greeks gave it a name which expresseth its Nature , the Latins gave it one that expresseth its Operaetions , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth it in its Cause ; Superstition , in its Effects : That , signifieth Fearfulness towards God ; This , signifyeth Overdoing our duty toward him : yet Both agree in the same apprehensions . For when the Greeks describe its Operations , they paint them with the very same colours as do the Latins , witness Theophrastus's Character : and again , when the Latins define its Nature , they do it by the very name which the Greeks have given it ; witness Varro , who maketh this the essential difference between Religion and Superstition ; that the Superstitios Fear the Gods , while the Religios reverence them as Parents , but do not fear them as Enemies : and what is this other than St Paul's doctrine ? You have not received the spirit of Fear , but you have received the spirit of Adoption . Seneca more Laconically giveth us account both of its Nature and Effects : Superstitio error insanus , amandos timet , quos colit , violat : Superstition is a mad error ; whom it should love , it feareth ; whom it worshippeth , it slandereth . And more largely in another place : Sicui intueri vacet , quae patiuntur superstitiosi , invenies tam indecora honestis , tam indigna liberis , tam dissimilia sanis , ut nemo fuerit dubitaturus furere eos , si cum paucioribus furerent . If any one be at leisure to view what the superstitious suffer , you shall find things so disgraceful for gentlemen , so unworthy of free men , so unsuitabl to sound men , that no man would doubt but they were mad , were they mad with fewer companions . Give us who can , a better explication of those words of St. Paul , which call it , the spirit of bondage , and oppose it to the spirit of Power , of Love , and of a Sound mind . And all this St. Paul spoke of the Law of Moses , which had been nothing else but Superstition , had not God authorised it : For as throughout the Old Testament Fear is Godliness ; so in all the ceremonies of the Law , Obedience hallowed the exercises . For as I said but now , Superstition , however exploded by the Wisest , ever possessed the Weakest , that is , the Greatest part of mankind : And at That time , the world was not capabl to have it Cured , but only Fomented . And that upon That very account the Law imposed such exercises as the Gospel forbids , we have a clear discours of St , Paul , in the beginning of the fourth chapter to the Galatians Now I say , that the heir , as long as he is a child , differeth nothing from a servant , thogh he be Lord of all , but is under tutors and governors , until the time appointed of the father ; even so we , when we were children , were in bondage under the Elements ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the a , b , c , ) of the world . But when the fulness of time was com , God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law , to redeem them that were under the law , that we might receiv the adoption of sons . And bicause ye are sons , God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts , crying Abba , father . Wherefor thou art no more a servant , but a son ; and if a son , then an heir of God throgh Christ . In this discours you have a full discovery of Superstition , its Nature , its Operations , and its Abolition . 1. It s Nature , childishness , requiring the discipline of Fear to govern it : 2. Its Exercises , childish , weak , and beggarly Elements , the first letters that children learn. 3. It s Cure , the spirit of Adoption , sent forth into the hearts of Gods children now grown up to manhood . Vpon this discours how justly doth he ground his expostulation , ver . 9. Now after that ye have known God , or rather are known of God , how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements , wherein you desire again to be in bondage ? When I was a child , I spake as a child , I understood as a child , I thoght as a child , but when I became a man , I put away childish things . When mankind was unripe in Age , it was so in Vnderstanding , and no wonder its Exercises should be suitabl . It was governed by the rod , and busied about ceremonies ; but now it is com to manhood , you are called to have fellowship with the Father , and with his Son Jesus Christ , 1 Jo. 1.3 . to be partakers of the Divine Nature , 2 Pet. 1.4 . and consequently of his Wisdom and Holines , his Loves , and his Hates : and therefore to approve things that are excellent . Phil. 1.10 . How is it then , that you still spend your time , your strength , and your labour in whipping of topps , bandying of balls , and playing with nuts , no less childish in your imaginations , than the law of Moses could either Find , or Make you ? Thus did the Apostl rebuke the Galatians , and what would he have said to this and som preceding generations , which have outgo'n both Jews and Gentiles in this childishness ? and that especially in two great respects . 1. We find not that either Jews or Gentiles disquieted themselvs about maters of mere Belief , thogh they did about maters of Action . 2. Nor that they disturbed the peace of their Nations , thogh they did that of their own Minds . 1. They disquieted not themselvs with maters of mere belief , conceiving that the true worship of God consisted not in Disputing , but Imitating his Perfections . But we , in mere honor to the glorious promises which are made to Believing , have multiplied Articls of Faith , and Questions upon every Articl , and Doubts upon every Question ; and every one of these we call maters of Faith , and mater of Faith we take to be mater of Salvation , and if we mistake in the One , we believ we shall miss of the Other . Hence is it that Catholik and Heretik among the Romanists , Orthodox and Heterodox among the Beformed , sound so terribly as to fray many a good man , if not quite out of his Wits , yet ( which is almost as bad ) out of his Corage to use them . Reason , we are told , must not presume to medl in maters of Faith , but we must deny our selvs , no less in our Rational faculties , than in our Sensual appetites ; for it is no less impious to Disbeliev God's word , than to Disobey his command : And in This , they speak , not only Truth , but Reason , which therefor they justify by exercising . But , as it is in Moral vertues , so is it in Faith ; it lieth between two extremes , Defect on One hand , and Excess on the Other . It is no less frequent in maters of Faith than in Manners , to teach for Doctrines of God the Commandments of Men ; in the One tormenting the Mind with needless Mysteries , as in the Other , the Body with needless Penances . But to Faith what could have be'n more incongruos ? Repentance , indeed , in its very name carrieth a sower countenance , importing a mortification of our Natural appetites , and consequently a pain to our hearts : But Faith , who 's proper object is Glad-tidings , might justly claim , not only freedom from Pain , but such fulness of joy , as should cast out the grief even of Repentance ; whereas now it is made the harder taskmaster of the two . For however painful it be , it is not impossibl , to cut off hands , or feet , or pull out eys ; but our Reason is not only the Ey , but the Heart of our Soul , not to be cutt or pluckt off : Tormented indeed it may be , and most in those who have most improved it , as the clearest ey is always tenderest : and stupified it may be , yet not to such a privation , but that it will ever and anon feel anxios fits of melancholy , doubting of the truth of som things which are received as matters of Faith , and consequently of our title to Salvation for want of Faith. Few can at all times bost with the Physician , there are not impossibilities enogh in Religion , and fewer with the Father , credo quia impossibile est . It is hard to apprehend , how any thing can be at once True and Impossib'l ; but to make the very Impossibility , a reason why I should believ it , let St. Paul judg , whether this be not cum ratione insanire . For when he would perswade a belief of the Resurrection , he did not urge the impossibility but the contrary : Why should it be thoght a thing incredib'l that God should raise the dead ? and when hereupon Festus charged him with madness , he replied , I am not mad , but speak the words of truth and soberness . What Soberness can there be in a quite contrary argument , yea , what plainer madness , than to talk such extravagant inconsistences , as infer credibility from impossibility ? What other spirit but that of Fear could thus confound mens understandings ? Fear , of all passions the most infatuating ; Fear , which most frequently blindeth the most piercing judgments ; Fear , which maketh every shadow a man , and every bush a thief , and every thief a murtherer ; Fear , and only fear , can so disorder our minds , that we think it equally necessary to salvation , to believ the niceties of Schoolmen , and the Doctrines of the Gospel ; and distrust our interest in Christ , if we can neither satisfie , nor destroy our reason , when it cannot comply with contradictions , which he never enjoyned us to believ . 2. Much less did they embroil the publik peace with controversies in Religion : Whereas among Christians , there is not any question so nice in point of Belief , or so slight in point of Worship ; but hath be'n able to engage whole Families in the fiercest contentions , and whole Nations in most bloody wars ; yea , for two or three ages there hath hardly b'en a rebellion , whereof Religion hath not be'n either the Real or Pretended cause . And This , as it is more notoriosly scandalous than the now mentioned disquiets of private persons , so is it ( if possibl ) more directly opposit to the most earnest endeavours of the Gospel : which doth indeed very frequently exhort us to joy and comfort in our own spirits ; but much more earnestly and solenly provoke us to love and peace toward others : Yea , Love maketh so great a figure in almost every page of the New Testament , that it seemeth not only the Supreme , but almost the Only grace : It looks like unlawful to fight upon Any occasion whatsoever ; but to fight for Religion , seemeth no less contradictious , than to fight for Love : And that the Only Religion which commandeth to beat swords into plow-shares , should be the only religion that forgeth plow-shares to swords ; is a fanaticism so irrational , as nothing but Fear could have produced . The summ therefor is This : The light of Nature agreeth with that of the Gospel , to declare , that we are not to serv God for Fear , but Love : What our Apost'l opposeth to a Sound mind , that our Philosopher caleth a mad error ; but the madness is incomparably greater in a Christian , than ever it was , or indeed could possibly be , in a Heathen : For as it is the utmost extravagance of frensy , to beat our selvs , or our friends ; so in this we exceed the Heathen , that many among Vs , but none among Them , disturb their own souls with anxios doubts concerning Faith , or imbroil their Nation with bloody wars upon difference of opinions in Doctrine or Worship ; so is it more monstrosly mad in a Christian , by how much more clearly and solenly the Gospel hath labored to prevent the one and the other , by declaring that we have not receved the slavish and mad spirit of Fear , but of Power and Love , and of a sound mind . And again , that The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink , but righteosness , and peace , and joy in the Holy Ghost , for he that in these things serveth Christ , is accepted of God , and approved of men : This upright and erect walking , this frank and chearful , this manly yea divine freedom of spirit , as it maketh men more Like God , so doth it make them more Acceptabl to him ; it will not only vindicate religion from the obloquies of its enemies , who either despise or fear it , as a curb to generosity and freedom ; but recommend it to them as most noble and pleasant : nor will it only silence our quarrels , but endear us in mutual affection . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A30672-e640 * See Annot. 1. a Annot. 2. b Annot. 3. c See Annot. 4. d See Annoi . ult . a Plutarch . in Dione .