Page images
PDF
EPUB

wellfare thereof did fo much concern him, that he would truft none but God with it. ·Pfal. 31.5. Into thy hand, I commit my Spirit. But for the generality, though called Christians, yet, for this, deferve not the name of Men, that they deal worfe with their Souls, than Joshua did with the Gibeonites. He made them but hewers of Wood, and drawers of water, but it was for the fervice of the Tabernacle. But they cause their Souls to attend the fervice of the World, and that in the bafeft drudgery; and to fpend, and wear away their ftrength, in making provifion for the lufts of the flesh, the -luft of the Eye, and the pride of life. (But this I may fpeak to, if the Lord pleafe, in the Application.) Only, I would ask, Who is he that can think of it, without fadness, that fo noble a Creature fhould be fo bafely abused? That being fo Spiritual in its Constitution, it fhould be fo Senfual, fo Carnal, in its Ope

[ocr errors]

rations ?

1

This is all that I fhall fay of the first branch, of the first thing that was propofed; What the Soul is, in its original conftitution. Unless this be well confidered, we fhalf never be convinced, That of all profperity, the profperity of the Soul, is the most defirable profperity.

2. I now proceed to the fecond branch; In what case it is, in its unconverted state,

by

by reafon of original Corruption. If I should fay no more then this, it were enough: That it is in as bad a cafe, as fin can make it, having loft the image of God, the favour of God,and all communion with God; as it is fet forth unto us, in that threefold Parable, Luk. 15. of the loft Groat, the loft Sheep, and the loft Son. But this is not all; for what by reafon of original fin imputed, I mean the first fin of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit, and believing the Father of Lies, before the God of truth.

1

This is char

ged upon every Soul, because the common Soul of Mankind was then in Adam: And even for this, every Soul in its unregenerate ftate, isla curfed Soul. And then farther, by reason of original fin, communicated, and imparted, the very image of Satani is engraven upon it; fo that it is full of unrighteoufnels, a very Seed-plot of all ungodlinefs. I fhall farther amplifie this, in fpeaking a little, and but a little, of that woful defolation, that is made hereby, in all those faculties of the Soul, mentioned but now. Something of this had need be faid, and well confidered of; otherwife, a Man will never be convinced of the abfolute neceffity, of minding the profperity of the Soul, above all other profperities.

1. It is undeniable, that a woful defolati on is made in the understanding, for it is

I

;

filled with vile, and unworthy apprehenfi ons, and misapprehenfions of God. Pfal. 50. 21, Thou thoughtest, that I was altogether fuch a one as thy felf. That he lookt upon the most notorious fins, but as Human infirmities, for fo the man spoken of there, did not any light at all in it, to feek after Reconciliation with God, in that way, wherein it may be found. Rom. 3.11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that feeketh after God. Full of Pride, and flefhly Reafonings it is, and contradictions against the truth. No more able to discern Divine, and Supernatural Truths, as they ought to be difcer ned, then a Beast can difcern the things of Man. 1 Cor. 2. 14, But the natural Man receiveth not the things of the rit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually dif cerned. It is faid Col. 2. 23. to be a fleshly mind: So that though every one be not born a Natural Fool, yet every one is born a Spiritual Fool. The most refined, generate perfon is no better. Thofe VirSures gins Matth. 25. that made fo fair a profef fion, are faid to be foolish Virgins, contenting themselves with Lamps without Oyl. Thus the eye of the Soul is darkened; How great then (as our Saviour faith, Matth. 6. 23.) is the darkness of the whole Soul? So great it is, that it is wholly thereby eftranD

[ocr errors]

ged

ged from the life of God. Ephef. 4. 18.

2. No lefs defolation is made in the Confcience: As the Mind, fo the Conscience is defiled, Tit. 1. 15. This is very fad, if we confider either the Office the Confcience is defigned for, or the particulars wherein the defilement of it, confifteth.

1. Its Office. It is the Candle of the Lord, by which a Man fhould be directed in the way wherein he ought to walk. Indeed, God having given it fuch a power, and command over Man, that nothing but God is above it: therefore it is, that though a Man may do that fometimes, which is against his will, and against his affections, and not fin; yet he ought not to go against his Confci ence, though it be Erroneous, because Confcience witneffeth for God; fo that to go against Conscience, though the thing be not materially finful, yet formally it is; because the autority of God is contemned: therefore it is faid Rom. 14. 23, He that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith, is fin.

2. For the defilement of Confcience, I fhall inftance only in two branches.

I. It is defiled with ignorance: Such a thick vail of darkness is grown over it, as though it obferves every thing that is done; yet it often moft fhamefully mistakes Evil

for

for Good,and Good for Evil. I told you, that it fhould be to a Man's actions, as the Pilot to the Ship, to Guide and Steer it right, by a right Rule, to a right End. But having no light, it leads a Man down to Hell, when he thinks he is in the high way to Heaven. As a Pilot having foit his Compafs, or the use of it, in a dark night, runs upon the Rocks, when he thinks he is enter ing into the Haven. Joh. 16. 2,-The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think be doth God fervice. A&t. 26. 9. I verily thought, with my felf, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jefus of Naza reth:

2. It is defiled with stupidity, and unfenfiblenefs. 1 Tim. 4.2, having their Confcience feared with an hot Iron. It is true, the Apoftle fpeaks there, of an habitual hardness, grown upon Men by long continued custom of finning; till they fin, and know not; till they fin and care not: Yet it is originally in the Confcience at firft, and doth not fo much come into it, as grow out of it; as that fprigg of an Oak, which at firft (when it first appears) is very tender, eafily turned this way, or that way; but grows at laft, and that by its inbred quality, into a hard and ftubborn bough; fo it is here. It is worth our obferving to this purpofe, that What the Prophet David, Pfal. 14. 3. and

« PreviousContinue »