A

 

SERMON

 

PREACHED AT

 

 

 

ST. PAUL'S CROSS, London, APRIL 15, 1627.

 

GEN. 20: 6.

 

 And GOD said unto him in a Dream; Yea, I know that you didst this in the integrity of thine heart: For I also with-held thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

 

 FOR our more profitable understanding of these words, it is needful that we should have in remembrance the whole story of this Chapter. ABRAHAM cometh, with SARAH his wife, and their family, as a stranger, to sojourn among the Philistines in Gerar; and covenanteth with her before-hand, thinking thereby to provide for his own safety, because she was beautiful, that they should not know that they were any more than brother and sister. ABIMELECH, King of the place, heareth of their coming, and of her beauty; sends for them both; inquireth whence and who they were; heareth no more from them, but that she was his sister; and dismissing him, taketh her into his house. Hereupon GOD plagueth him and his with a strange visitation; threateneth him also with death; and giveth him to understand, that all this was for taking another man's wife. He answers for him-self; GOD replieth. The answer is in the two former verses; the reply in this and the following verse.

 

 His answer is by way of apology: he pleadeth first ignorance, and then his innocence; "And be said, LORD, wilt you slay also a righteous nation Said he not unto me, She is my sister And she, even she herself, said, He is my brother: In the integrity of my heart, and innocency of my hands, have I done this." GOD fitteth it with a reply most convenient for such an answer; admitting his plea, so far as he alleged it, that what he had done, in taking ABRAHAM'S wife, he had done it simply out of ignorance,—" Yea, I know you didst this in the integrity of thine heart;" and withal supplying that which ABIMELECH had omitted, as to what he had not done, in not touching her, by assigning the true cause thereof, namely, his powerful restraint; " For I also with-held thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her."

 

 By occasion of those first words of the text, "And GOD said unto him in a Dream," if we should enter into some inquiries concerning the nature and use of divine revelations in general, and in particular of Dreams, the discourse would not be wholly unprofitable. Concerning those points, these several conclusions might be easily made good: First, That GOD revealed himself and his will frequently, in old times, in sundry manners, as by Visions, Prophecies, Extacies, Oracles, and other super-natural means, and among the rest by Dreams. Secondly, That although GOD have now tied us to his holy written Word, as unto a perpetual and infallible rule, against which we may not admit any other direction as from GOD; yet he has no where abridged himself of the power and liberty, even still, to intimate unto the sons of men the knowledge of his will, and the glory of his might, by Dreams, Miracles, and other like supernatural Manifestations, if at any time, either in the want of the ordinary means of the’Word, Sacraments, and Ministry, or for the present necessities of his church, or of some part thereof, or for some other just cause, perhaps unknown to us, he shall see it expedient so to do. He has prescribed to us, but he has not limited himself. Thirdly, That because the Devil and wicked spirits may suggest dreams, and work many strange effects in nature, which, because they are out of the sphere of our comprehension, may, to our view, have fair appearances of divine revelations or miracles; it is not safe for us to give easy credit to Dreams, Prophecies, or Miracles, as divine, until upon due trial there shall appear, both in the end, to which they point us, a direct tendency to the advancement of GOD’s glory, and in the means also which they propose to us, a conformity unto the revealed will of GOD in his written Word. Lastly, That there is yet to be made a lawful, yea and a very profitable use, even of our ordinary dreams, and of the observance thereof, and that both in physic and divinity; not at all by foretelling particulars of things to come, but by taking from them reasonable conjectures of the present estate both of our bodies and souls. As to our bodies, first; our ordinary dreams may be a good help to discover, both in time of health, what our natural constitution is; and in times of sickness, from which of the humors the malady springeth. And as of our bodies, so of our souls too: for since our dreams, for the most part, look the same way to which our frecest thoughts incline, (as the voluptuous dreameth most of pleasures, the covetous most of profits, and the proud or ambitious most of praises, preferments, or revenge,) the observing of our ordinary dreams may be of good use to discover which of these three is our Master-Sin; for unto one of the three every other sin is reduced, "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life."

 

 But concerning Revelations and Dreams, it shall suffice to have only proposed these few conclusions. We proceed to the substance of GOD’s reply; and therein begin with the former part, in which is GOD’s admission of ABIMELECH'S plea. GOD alloweth the allegation, and acknowledgcth his integrity; " Yea, I know that you didst this in the integrity of thy heart."

 

 From GOD’s approval of ABIMELECH'S answer, and acknowledgment of the integrity of his heart, we learn, that some ignorance has the weight of a just excuse; for we noted before, that ignorance was the ground of his plea. He had indeed taken SARAH into his house, who was another man's wife; but he hopes that shall not be imputed to him as a fault, because he knew not that she was a married woman, the parties themselves, upon inquiry, having informed him otherwise. And therefore he appealeth to GOD himself, the trier and judge of men's hearts, whether he were not innocent in this matter; and GOD giveth sentence for him; " Yea, I know that you didst it in the integrity of thy heart." Here you see his ignorance is allowed to be a sufficient excuse.

 

 I proceed to the remaining words: " For I also with-held thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I thee not to touch her." The word wren signifies properly to hold in, or to keep back; retinui, or cohibui, or as the Latin has it, custodivi te, implying ABIMELECH'S forwardness to that sin; into which he certainly had fallen, if GOD had not kept him in, and held him back. The Greek rendereth it, *, I spared thee. And indeed GOD spareth us much more, when he maketh us to forbear to sin, than when having sinned he forbeareth to punish; and as much cause have we to acknowledge his mercy, and to rejoice in it, when he holdeth our hands that we sin not, as when he holdeth his own hands that he strike not.—" For I also with-held thee from sinning against Me." How Did not ABIMELECH sin in taking SARAH, or was not that, as every other--sin is, a " sin against GoD" Certainly, if ABIMELECH had not sinned in so doing, and that against GOD, GOD would not have so plagued him as he did. The meaning then is, not that GOD with-held him wholly from sinning, but that GOD with-held him wholly from sinning against him in that foul kind, and in that high degree, which but for GOD’s restraint he had done.—" Therefore suffered I thee not;" ax aQnxa; nun dilleisi te; that is, I did not let thee go; I did not leave thee to thyself; or most agreeably to the letter of the text in the Hebrew, I did not deliver, or give. That may be, I did not give thee leave; and so giving is sometimes used for suffering, as Psal. 16: Non dabis sanctum tuum, a you wilt not suffer:"—Or I gave thee not to thyself; for a man cannot be put more desperately into the hands of any enemy, than when he is delivered into his own hands, and given over to the lust of his own heart:—Or as it is here translated, " I suffered thee not." We should not draw in GOD as a party, when we commit any sin, as if he joined with us in it, or lent his helping hand for it: We do it so alone, without his help, that we never do it but when he letteth us alone, and leaveth -us destitute of his help. As to the kind, and manner, and measure, and circumstances of sin, GOD so over-ruleth them by his almighty power and providence, as to make them serviceable to his most wise, most just, most holy purposes: but as for the very sin itself, GOD is (to make the most of it) but a sufferer.—" Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her;"—signifying that GOD had so restrained ABIMELECH from the accomplishment of his wicked purposes, that SARAH was preserved free by his good providence, not only from adultery, but from all wantonness also with ABIMELECH.

 

 It was GOD’s great mercy to all the three parties, that he did not suffer this evil to be done; for by this means he graciously preserved ABIMELECH from the sin, ABRAHAM from the wrong, and SARAH from both. And it is to be acknowledged as the great mercy of GOD, when at any time he cloth, by his gracious and powerful restraint, with hold any man from running into those extremities of sin and mischief to which his own corruption would carry hire headlong, especially when it is impelled by the cunning persuasions of SATAN, and the manifold temptations that are in the world.—The points then which arise from my text are these: 1. Men do not always commit those evils to which their own desires or outward temptations prompt them. 2. That they do it not, is from GOD’s restraint. 3. When GOD restraineth them, it is of his own gracious goodness.—The subject of all these three points being one, namely, GOD’s Restraint of Man's Sin, we will therefore wrap them up together in this one entire Observation: GOD in his Mercy often restraineth men from committing those evils which, if that restraint were not exercised, they would have committed.

 

 This Restraint, whether we consider the Measure, or the Means, which GOD uses therein, is of great variety. —As to the Measure: GOD sometimes restraineth men from the whole sin to which they are tempted; as he did JOSEPH from consenting to the persuasions of his mistress: sometimes he restraineth them in part, and that more or less, as in his infinite wisdom he seeeth expedient; suffering them perhaps only to desire the evil, perhaps to re-solve upon it, perhaps to prepare for it, perhaps to begin to act it, perhaps to proceed far in it, and yet keeping them back from falling into the extremity of the sin, or accomplishing their whole desire.—And as for the Means whereby GOD with-holdeth men from sinning, they are also of wonderful variety. Sometimes he taketh them. off, by diverting the course of the corruption, and turning the affections another way: sometimes he awakeneth conscience: sometimes he affrighteth then with apprehensions of outward evils; as shame, charge, envy, loss of a friend, danger of human laws, and sundry other discouragements: sometimes he cooleth their resolutions, by presenting to their thoughts the terrors of the law, the strictness of the last account, and the torments of hell-fire: sometimes, when all things are ripe for execution, he denial' them opportunity, or casteth some unexpected impediment in the way: sometimes he disableth them, and weakeneth the arm of flesh wherein they trusted, so that they want power to their will: and sundry other ways he has, more than we are able to search into, whereby he layeth a restraint upon men, and keepeth theta back from many sins, to which otherwise nature and temptation would carry them. Not to speak of that sweet and most blessed Restraint, which is wrought in us by the Spirit of Sanctification, renewing the soul, and subduing the corruption that is in the flesh unto the obedience of the Spirit.

 

 In all these instances, wherein, when there was intended before-hand so much evil to be done, and when there was in the parties a forward desire and preparation to have done it, yet, when all came to all, so little or nothing was done of what was intended, but rather the contrary; it cannot, first, be imagined that such a stop should be made, but by the powerful restraint of some over-ruling hand; neither may we doubt, in the second place, that. every such restraint, by what, secondary and subordinate means soever it be furthered, is yet the proper work of GOD, as proceeding from and guided by his almighty providence. It was GOD that. turned BALAAM'S curse into a blessing; it was the same GOD that turned LASAN's revengeful thoughts into a friendly expostulation; and it was the same GOD that turned EsAU's inveterate malice into a brotherly congratulation. He that has set " bounds to the sea," which, " though the waves thereof rage horribly, they cannot pass," who commanded the waters of the Red Sea to stay their course, and stand up as in heaps, and who by his power could force the waters of the river Jordan to run quite against the current; up the channel; he has in his hands, and at his command, the hearts of all the sons of men, yea though they be the greatest Kings and Monarchs in the world, as the rivers of waters, and can turn them at his pleasure, inclining them which way soever he will. " The fierceness of men shall turn to thy praise," (says DAVID in Psal. Ixxvi. 1O,) and the fierceness of them shall you restrain." The latter clause of the verse is very significant in the Original, and cometh home to our purpose; as if we should trans-late it, " You shall gird the remainder of their wrath," or " of their fierceness." The meaning is this: suppose a man's heart to be never so full fraught with envy, hatred, malice, wrath, and revenge, let him be as fierce and furious as possible, GOD may indeed /suffer him, and he will suffer him, to exercise so much of his corruption, and proceed so far in his fierceness, as he sceeth expedient and useful for the forwarding of his other secret and just and holy appointments, and will so order the sinful fierceness of man by his wonderful providence, as to make it serviceable to his ends, and to turn it to his glory: but look, whatsoever wrath and fierceness there are in the heart of a man, over and above so much as will serve for those his purposes, all that overplus and remainder, whatsoever it be, he will gird; he will so bind, and hamper, and restrain him, that he shall not be able to go an inch beyond his tether. " The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise," so much of it as he does execute; " and the remainder of his fierceness you shall restrain," that he execute it not. Be he ever so great a prince, or have he ever so great a spirit, all is one, he must come under. There is no difference with GOD, in this, between him that sitteth on the throne, and her that grindeth at the mill: " He shall restrain the spirit of Princes, and is wonderful among the Kings of the earth."

 

 This Restraint, as it is from GOD, so it is from the Mercy of GOD. Hence it is that Divines usually bestow upon it the name of Grace; distinguishing between a two-fold grace, Renewing Grace, and Restraining Grace. Even this is Grace: for first, in respect of GOD, every Restraint from sin may be called Grace; in as much as it proceeds from the mere good-will and pleasure of GOD, without any cause, motive, or inducement, in the man that is so restrained. For take a man in the state of corrupt nature, and leave him to himself; and think, how it is possible for him to forbear any sin, whereunto he is tempted. There is no power in nature to work a restraint; nay, there is not so much as any proneness in nature to desire a restraint; much less, then, is there any worth in nature to deserve a restraint. Issuing therefore. not at all frog-the powers of nature, but from the free pleasure of GOD, as a beam of his merciful providence, this Restraint may well be called Grace. And so it may be, secondly, in respect of the persons them-selves; because, if it be not available to them for their everlasting salvation, yet it is some favor to them, more than they have deserved, that by this means, their sins are so much less than otherwise they would have been; whereby also their account shall be so much the easier, and their stripes so many the fewer. St. GHRYSOsi-omi often observeth it, as an effect of the mercy of GOD upon them, when he cutteth off great offenders betimes with some speedy destruction: and he does it out of this very consideration, that they are thereby prevented from committing many sins, which, if GOD should have lent then a longer time, they would have committed. If his observation be sound, it may then well pass for a double mercy of GOD to a sinner, if he both respite his destruction, and withal restrain him from sin; for by the one, he giveth him so much longer time for repentance, which is one mercy; and by the other, the prevcntcth so much of the increase of his sin, which is another mercy.. Thirdly, it may be called Grace, in respect of other men: for in restraining men from doing evil, GOD intends, as principally his own glory, so withal, subordinately, the good of mankind, especially of his church, in the preservation of human society; which could not subsist an hour, if every man should be left to the wildness of his own nature, to do whatever mischief the Devil and his own heart would put him upon. So that the restraining of men's corrupt purposes and affections proceeds from that love of GOD to mankind, whereby he willeth their preservation; and it might therefore, in that respect, bear the name of Grace, though there should be no good at all intended thereby to the person so restrained. GOD here restrained ABI1IEl.ECx, as on other occasions he did LABAN, and Esau, and BALAAM, and others, not so much for their own sakes, though that also, as for the sakes of those whom they would have injured by their sins.

 

 The inferences, which we may draw from hence, are of two sorts; resulting from the consideration of Gou' Restraining Grace, either as it may he upon other men or as it may he upon ourselves. First, from the consideration of GOD’s Restraint upon others, the children and servants of GOD may learn to whom they owe their preservation, even to the power and goodness of their GOD, restraining the fury of his and their enemies. We live as sheep in the midst of wolves; and they that hate us without a cause are more in number than the hairs of our heads: and yet as many and as malicious as they are, still by the mercy of GOD, we live. Are any thanks due to them None at all. The " seed of the serpent" beareth a natural and an immortal hatred against GOD, and all good men; and if they had power answerable to their wills, we should not breathe a minute. Are any thanks due to ourselves None: we have neither number to match them, nor policy to defeat them, nor strength to resist them; weak, silly, " little flock," as we are. To whom then owe we thanks As if a little flock of sheep escape, when a multitude of ravening wolves watch to devour them, it cannot be ascribed, in whole or in part, either to the sheep in whom there is no help, or to the wolf in whom there is no mercy, but it must be imputed wholly to the care of the shepherd, in safely guarding his sheep, and keeping off the wolf; so for our safety and preservation, in the midst and in spite of so many enemies, " not unto us, O LORD, not unto us," whose greatest strength is but weakness, much less unto them, whose tenderest mercies are cruel,--" but unto thy name be the glory," O you " Shepherd of Israel," who out of thine abundant love to us, the sheep of thy hands, has made thy power glorious, in curbing and restraining their malice against us. " O that men would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he does for the children of men I" Wonders we may well call them; indeed they are miracles, if things strange, and above and against the ordinary course of nature, may be called miracles. 

 

 When we read the stories in the Scriptures, of IDANIEL, cast into the den amongst the lions, and not touched; of the Three Children walking in the midst of the fiery furnace, and not scorched; of a viper fastening upon PAUL'S hand, and no harm following; we are stricken with some amazement, at the consideration of these strange and super-natural accidents, and these we all confess to be miraculous. Yet such miracles as these, and such escapes, GOD worketh daily in our preservation; notwithstanding that we live encompassed by so many fire-brands of hell, such herds of ravening wolves and lions, and such numerous generations of vipers; I mean, wicked and ungodly men, who have it from their father, to thirst after the destruction of the saints and servants of GOD, and to whom it is as natural so to do, as for the fire to burn, or for a lion to devour. " O that men would therefore praise the LORD for" this "his goodness," and declare these his great wonders, which he daily " does for the children of men."

 

 Secondly, since this Restraint of wicked men is only from GOD, so that nothing which either they or we, or any creature in the world, can do, can with-hold them from doing us mischief, unless GOD lay his restraint upon them; it should teach us to take heed how we trust them. It is best for us, as in all other things, so in this, to keep the mean, that we be neither too timorous, nor too credulous. If wicked men then threaten and plot against thee, fear them not; GOD can restrain them if he think good, and then, assure thyself, they shall not harm thee. If, on the other side, they show much kindness to thee, yet trust them not; GOD may suffer them to take their own way, and not restrain them; and then, assure thy-self, they will not spare thee. You may think, perhaps, of one or other of these, that sure his own good nature will hold him in; or you have had trial of him heretofore, and found him faithful; or you have some such tie upon him by kindred, neighborhood, acquaintance, covenant, oath, benefits, or other natural or civil obligation, as will keep him off, at least from falling upon thee all at once. Deceive not thyself; these are but slop, der assurances. Good nature! alas, where is it Since ADAM fell, there was never any such thing in mere nature. If there be any good thing in any man, it is all from grace. Nature is all naught, even that which seems to have the pre-eminence in nature. We may talk of this and that; of good-natured men, and I know not what! But the very truth is, set grace aside, (I mean all grace, both renewing and restraining grace,) and there is no more good-nature in any man, than there was in CAIN and in JUDAS. That thing, which we use to call good-nature, is indeed but a subordinate mean or instrument, whereby GOD restraineth some men, more than others, from their birth, from sundry outrageous exorbitances; and so it is branch of this Restraining Grace whereof we now speak. And as for thy past experience, that can give thee little security: you knows not what fetters GOD laid upon him thens nor how he was pleased with those fetters. GOD might, against his will, not only restrain him from doing thee hurt, but also constrain him to do thee good; as once he commanded the raven to feed ELIJAH,—a bird so unnatural to her young ones, that they might famish for her, if GOD did not otherwise pro-vide for them; and therefore, it is noted in the Scripture, as a special argument of GOD’s providence, that he feedeth the " young ravens" that call upon him. But as nothing that is constrained is durable, but every thing, when it is constrained against its natural inclination, if it be let alone, will at length return to its own kind; so a natural man is a natural man still, howsoever over-ruled for the present; and if GOD, as he has hitherto by his restraint with-held him, shall but another while with-hold his restraint from him, he will soon discover the inbred hatred of his heart against good things and good men, and make thee bewail thy folly in trusting him. And therefore, if he has done thee seven courtesies, and promise fair for the eighth, yet trust him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. And as for whatsoever other tie you may think you have over him, be it ever so strong, unless GOD manacle him with his powerful restraint, he can as easily unfetter himself from them all, as. SAMPSON did from the green withs and cords, where-with the Philistines bound him. Al] those fore-mentioned relations came in since; whereas the hatred of the wicked against goodness is of an ancient date; it has its root in corrupt nature, and is therefore of such force, that it maketh void all obligations, whether civil, domestic, or any others, that have grown up by virtue of any succeeding contract. It is a ruled case, that a man's enemies may be they of his own house. Let not any man, then, that has either religion or honesty, have any thing to do with, at least let him not trust, more than he needs must, him who is an enemy either to religion or honesty. So far as common humanity and our lawful occasions and callings require, we may have to do with such persons, and rest upon the good providence of GOD for the success of our affairs, even in their hands; not doubting but that GOD will both restrain them from doing us harm, and dispose them to do us good, so far as he shall see expedient for us: But then, this is not to trust them, but to trust GOD with them. But for us to put ourselves needlessly into their hands, and to hazard our safety upon their faithfulness, by way of trust,--there is neither wisdom in it, nor warrant for it. although GOD may do it, yet we have no reason to presume that he will restrain then for our sakes, when we might have prevented the danger ourselves, and would not: And this we are sure of, that nothing can preserve us from receiving mischief from them, unless GOD restrain them; therefore, trust them not.

 

 Thirdly, if at any time we see wickedness set on high, if bad men grow great, or great men show themselves bad, sinning with an high hand, and GOD seems to strengthen their hand by adding to their greatness, and increasing their power; if we see the wicked devouring the man that is more righteous than he, and " GOD hold his tongue;" if we see the ungodly course up and down at pleasure, without controul, like a wild untamed colt in a spacious field, GOD (as it were) laying the reins on the neck, and letting them run;--in a word, if we see the whole world out of frame and order,—we may yet frame ourselves to a godly patience, and sustain our hearts amidst all these evils, with this consideration, that still GOD keepeth the reins in his own hands; and when he seeeth his time, and so far as he seeeth it good, he both can and will check and controul and restrain them at his pleasure. What then if GOD suffer those that hate him to prosper for a time, and in their prosperity, to LORD it over his heritage! What if princes should " sit and speak against us without a cause," as was sometimes DAVID'S case! Let us not fret at the injuries, nor envy the greatness of any: let us rather betake us to DAVJD'S refuge, which was to be occupied in the statutes of GOD, and to meditate in his holy Word. In that holy Word we are taught, that the hearts even of Kings, how much more then those of inferior persons, are in his rule and GODernance, and that he does dispose and turn them, as seems best to his godly wisdom; that he can restrain the spirit of princes, binding kings in chains, and nobles in links of iron; and though they rage furiously at it, and lay their heads together, in consultation how to break his bands and cast away his cords from them, yet they imagine but a vain thing. Whilst they strive against him on earth, he laugheth them to scorn in heaven, and maugre all opposition will establish the kingdom of his CHRIST, and protect his people. Say then that the great ones of the world exercise their power over us, and lay what restraints they can upon us; our comfort is, that they have not greater power over us than GOD has over them; nor can they so much restrain the meanest of us, as GOD can restrain the greatest of them. Say that they who hate us are more in number than the hairs of our head; our comfort is, that the very hairs of our head are mum., bered by him, and without his sufferance, not the least

 

hair of our heads shall perish. Say (to imagine the worst) that our enemies prevail against us, and they that hate us are LORDs over us for a time our comfort is, that he who loves us is Loin over them, and can bring them under us again. In all our fears, in all our dangers, in all our distresses, our comfort is, that GOD can do all this for us: our care should be, by our holy obedience, to strengthen our interest in his protection, and not to make him a stranger from us, yea, an enemy unto us, by our sins, that so we.may have yet more comfort, in a cheerful confidence that GOD will do all this for us. He that is, indeed, the great king over all the children of pride, who has better title to the style of " most catholic king," than any that ever yet bare it, and whose territories are large as the earth, and spacious as the air, I mean the Devil, the Prince of this World, even he is so fettered with the chain of Gob's power and providence, that he is not able, with all his might and malice, to do us any harm in our souls, in our bodies, in our children, in our friends, in our goods, without the special leave and sufferance of our good GOD.

 

 Fourthly, since this Restraint is an act. of GOD’S mercy, whom we should strive to resemble in nothing more than in sheaving mercy; let every one of us, in imitation of our heavenly Father, and in compassion to the souls of our brethren, endeavor faithfully to do the best we can in order to restrain and keep back others from sinning. The Magistrate, the Minister, the Householder, and every other man in his place and calling, should do their best by rewards, punishments, rebukes, encouragements, admonitions, persuasions, and good example, to suppress vice, and restrain disorders, in those that may in any way come within their charge. Our first desire should be, and for that we should bend our utmost endeavors, that their hearts may be seasoned with grace, and the true fear of GOD. But where we cannot attain to the full of our first aims, we may take some contentment in it, as sonic fruit of our labors, if we can but wean them from gross disorders. Our first aim is, to make you good: yet some rejoicing it is to us, if we can but make you less evil men; we are glad, if of dissolute, we can but make you good moral men. If instead of the power of godliness in the reformation of the inner man, we can but bring you to some tolerable stayedness in the conformity of the out-ward man;—if we can do but this, our labor is not altogether vain in the LORD. Do you then that are Magistrates, let us that are Ministers, let Fathers, Masters, and all others whatsoever, by wholesome severity (if fairer courses will not reclaim them) deter audacious persons from offending, break those that are under our charge of their wills, restrain them from licentious practices and company, and not suffer sin upon them for want of re-proving them in due and seasonable sort, but snatch them out of the fire, and bring them, as far as we can, out of the snare of the devil, towards GOD; and then let us leave the rest to him. Possibly, when we have faithfully done our part, to the utmost of our power, he may graciously do his part, in their perfect conversion. If by our good care they may be made to forbear swearing, and cursing, and blaspheming, they may in time, by his good grace, be brought to fear an oath: if we restrain them from gross profanations of his holy day, they may come at length to think his Sabbath a delight: and so it may he said of other sins and duties. I could willingly en-large, but that there are sundry other uses to be made of this Restraining Grace of GOD; and therefore I now pass on to them.

 

 First, there is a root of pride in us all, whereby we are apt to think better of ourselves than there is cause to do; and every infirmity in our brother serveth, as fuel, to nourish this vanity. Now, if at any time, when we see any of our brethren fall into some sin, from which by the good hand of GOD we have been hitherto preserved, we feel this swelling begin to rise in us, the point already delivered may stand us in good stead. We may consider, that this our forbt,mtr}nce of evil, wherein we seem to excel our brother, is not from nature, but from grace, not from ourselves, but from GOD. And here a little let me close with thee, whosoever you art, that pleasest thyself with the thoughts that you art neither extortioner, nor adulterer, nor drunkard, nor swearer, nor thief, nor slanderer, nor murderer, as such and such are. It may be you art none of these; but I can tell thee what you art, and that is as odious in the sight of GOD as any of these; you art a proud Pharisee. To let thee see you art a Pharisee, do but give me a direct answer to that question ofE St. PAUL, " Who has made thee to differ from another" Was it GOD, or thyself, or both together If you sayest, it was GOD; you art a dissembler, and thy boasting has already confuted thee: for what has you to do to glory in that which is not thine " If you have received it, why dost you glory, as if you hadst not received it" If you sayest, it was from thyself; what Pharisee could have assumed more All the shift you have left is, to say it was GOD indeed that made the difference, but he saw something in thee for which he made thee to differ: you acknowledgest his Restraint in part, but thine own good nature did something. If this be all, you art a very Pharisee still, without all escape. The Pharisee of old never denied GOD a part, no nor, the chief part neither; he began his vaunting prayer with an acknowledgment of GOD’s work; " I thank thee, O GOD, that I am not as other men are." It was not the denial of all unto GOD, but the assuming of any thing unto himself, that made him a downright Pharisee; go thy way then; and if you wilt do GOD and thyself right, deny thyself altogether, and give to GOD the whole glory of it, if you have been preserved from any evil. And from thy brother's fall, besides compassionatirmtr our forlorn nature in him, draw a quite contrary use unto thy-self; even to humble thyself thereby, with such thoughts as these; considering thyself, lest you also be tempted,"

 

 Am I better than he of better mould than he or better-tempered than he Am not I a child of the same Adam a vessel of the same clay Why then should I be, high-minded, when I see him fallen before me Why should I not rather fear, lest my foot slip, as his has done I have much cause, with all thankfulness, to bless GOD for his good providence over mc, in not suffering me to fall into this sin hitherto, and with all humility to implore the continuance of his gracious assistance for the future, without which I am not able to avoid this, or any other evil.

 

 Secondly, since all restraints from sin, by what means soever they are conveyed unto us, or forwarded, are from the merciful Providence of Goo; whensoever we observe that GOD has vouchsafed to us, or does offer to us, any means of such gracious restraint, it is our duty joyfully to embrace those means, and carefully to cherish them, and with all due thankfulness to bless the name of GOD for them. O how often have we contrived a course for the expediting of our perhaps ambitious, perhaps covetous, perhaps malicious, perhaps voluptuous designs, and by the providence of GOD some unexpected accident has marred the curious frame of all our projects. How often have we been resolved to sin, and prepared to sin, and even at the pit's brink, ready to cast ourselves into hell, when he has plucked us away, as he plucked LOT out of Sodonz, by alarms of conscience, by apprehensions of danger, by taking away the opportunities, by ministering impediments, by shortening our power, and by sundry other means! Have we now blessed the name of GOD, for affording us these gracious means of prevention and restraint Nay, have we not rather been enraged thereat, and taken it with much impatience that we should be so crossed in the pursuit of our vain and sinful desires and purposes And as wayward children cry, when the nurse snatcheth a knife from them, wherewith they might perhaps cut themselves, so we are offended with those who reprove us, and impatient under those crosses which disable us. Yea, we fret and turn again at the powerful application of the holy word of GOD, whenit endeavoreth to reform us, or to restrain us from those evils wherein we delight. Let us henceforth mend this fault, and cheerfully submit ourselves to the discipline of the Almighty.

 

 Thirdly, since we owe our standing to the hand of GOD, who holdeth us up, and without whose restraint we should fall at every turn, and into every temptation, we cannot but see what need we have to seek to him, daily and hourly, to with-hold us from falling into those sins, into which our corrupt nature would lead us, or outward occasions would draw us. No man, though he be ever so good, has any assurance, upon his own strength, though it be ever so great, that he shall be able to avoid any sin, though it be ever so foul. When a heathen prayed unto Jupiter to save him from his enemies, one that over-heard him would mend it with a more needful prayer, that Jupiter would save him from his friends. He thought they might do him more hurt, because he trusted them; but as for his enemies he could gue d him-self well enough from receiving harm from them. We that are Christians had need pray unto the GOD of heaven, that he will not give us up into the hands of our professed enemies; and to pray unto him also, that he will not deliver us into the hands of our false-hearted friends: but there is another prayer, yet more needful than either, that GOD will save us from ourselves, and not give us up into our own hands; for then we are utterly cast away. Alas! we do not think what a man is given over to, who is given over to himself: he is given over to vile affections; he is given over to a reprobate sense; he is given over to commit all manner of wickedness with greediness. It is the last and most fearful of all other judgments, and is not usually brought upon men, but when they have obstinately refused to hear the voice of GOD in whatsoever other way he has spoken unto them, then to leave them to themselves, and to their own counsels: " idly people would not hear my voice, and Israel would none of me: so I gave them up unto their own hearts' lusty and let them follow their own imaginations." Let us therefore pray faithfully and fervently unto GOD, as CHRIST himself has taught us, that he will not, by leaving us unto our-selves, " lead us into temptation," but, by his gracious and powerful support, deliver us from all those evils from which we have no power at all to deliver ourselves.

 

 Lastly, since this restraint can give us no solid comfort, if it be but a bare restraint, and no more, though we ought to be thankful for it, because we have not deserved it, yet we should not rest, till we are possessed of an higher grace, even the grace of Sanctification. We may deceive ourselves, (and thousands do so,) if, upon our mere abstinence from sins from which GOD with-holdeth us, we presently conclude ourselves to be in the state of grace, and to have the power of godliness and the spirit of sanctification. For, between this Restraining Grace, and that Renewing Grace, there are sundry wide ditlerences. They differ, first, in their Extent, both of Subject and Object. For the Subject, Restraining Grace may bind one part or faculty of a man, as the hand or tongue, and leave another free, as the heart or ear: Renewing Grace worketh upon all faculties, and, in some measure, sanctifieth the whole man, body and soul, with all the parts and faculties of each. For the Object, Restraining Grace may with-hold a man from one sin, and give him scope to another: Renewing Grace produceth an equal respect to all GOD's Commandments.—They differ, secondly, in their Effects. Renewing Grace mortifieth the corruption, and subdueth it, and diminisheth it, as water quencheth fire, by abating the heat; but Restraining Grace only inhibiteth the exercise of the corruption, for the time, without any real diminution of it either in sub-stance or quality; as the fire, wherein the Three Children walked, had as much heat in it at that very instant, as it had before and after, although by the greater power of GOD the natural power of it was then suspended from working upon them. The lions that spared DANIEL were lions still, and had their ravenous disposition still, although GOD " stopped their mouths" for that time, that they should not hurt him; but that there was no change made in their natural disposition appeareth by their entertainment of their next guests, whom they devoured with all greediness, "breaking their bones" before they came to the ground. Whereas the renewing and sanctifying grace of GOD, by a real change, out of a lion maketh a lamb; altereth the natural disposition of the soul; begetteth a new heart, a new spirit, new habits, new qualities, new dispositions, new thoughts, new desires; and maketh a new man in every part and faculty. Content not thyself then with a bare forbearance of sin, so long as thy heart is not changed, nor thy will changed, nor thy affections changed; but strive to become a new man, to be " transformed by the renewing of thy mind," to hate sin, to love GOD, to wrestle against thy secret corruptions, to take delight in holy duties, to subdue thine under-standing and will and affections to the obedience of faith. So shall you not only be restrained from sinning against GOD, as ABIMELEeH here was, but also be enabled, as faithful ABRAHAM was, to please GOD; and consequently, with all the faithful children of ABRAHAM, be " preserved by the" almighty "power of GOD through faith unto salvation." This grace, and faith, and salvation, may the same Almighty GOD, the GOD of power and of peace, bestow upon us all, here assembled, " with all that in every place call upon the name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD, both theirs and ours;" even for the same our Loxn JESUS CHRIST'S sake, his most dear Son, and our blessed Savior and Redeemer: to which blessed FATHER, and blessed SoN, with the blessed SPIRIT, " most holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity," be ascribed by us, and the whole church, " the kingdom, the power, and the glory," from this time forth and for ever! Amen,

 

A

 

SERMON

 

PREACHED AT

 

A VISITATION

 

AT GRANTHAM IN LINCOLNSHIRE,

 

AUGUST 22, 1634.

 

Rom. 14: 23.

 

For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

 ONE remarkable difference, among many other, between good and evil, is this; that there must be a concurrence of all requisite conditions to make a thing good, whereas to make a thing evil, a single defect in any one condition will suffice. If we propose not to ourselves a right end; or if we pitch not upon proper means for attaining that end; or if we pursue not these means in a due manner; or if we observe not every material circumstance in the whole pursuit; if we fail but in any one point, the action, though it should be in every other respect such as it ought to be, by that one defect becometh wholly sinful. Nay more, not only a real, but even an imaginary defect,—the bare opinion of unlawfulness,—is able to vitiate the most justifiable act, and to turn it into sin. " I know there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." Nay yet more, not only a settled Opinion that the thing we do is unlawful, but the very Doubt whether we may lawfully do it or no, maketh it sometimes unlawful to be done by us, and, if we do it, sinful. " He that" but " doubteth is damned, if he eat; because he eats not of faith." The ground of this the Apostle delivereth in the words of the Text; " For whatsoever is not of faith, is sin."

 

 Many excellent instructions there are scattered through-out the whole chapter, most of them concerning the right use of that liberty which we possess as to things of an indifferent nature. But this last rule alone will find us work enough: and therefore, omitting the rest, we will (by GOD’s assistance) at present treat of this, first, in the Explication, and then in the Application of it. For by how much it is of more profitable and universal use for the regulation of the common offices of life,—by so much is the mischief greater, if it be either misunderstood or misapplied. In the Explication there would be little difficulty, had not the ambiguity of the word Faith left a way open to some misapprehensions. I find three senses of the word especially looked at, by those who have had to with this text; each of which we shall examine in their order.

 

 First, and most commonly, especially in the Apostolical Writings, the word Faith is used to signify that gracious habit, whereby we embrace the LORD JESUS CHRIST, as the only-begotten Son of GOD, and only Savior of the world, casting ourselves wholly upon the mercy of GOD, through his merits, for remission of sins, and everlasting salvation. " It is that which is commonly called a Justifying Faith, whereunto are ascribed, in Holy Writ, the glorious effects of Adoption, Justification, Life, Joy, Peace, Purification of Heart, and Salvation. Of these it is not the proper and primary cause, but the instrument, whereby we apply CHRIST, whose Merits and SPIRIT are the causes of all those blessed effects." And in this notion many of our later divines seem to under-stand it in our present text; whilst they allege it for the confirmation of this position, that " all the Works," even the best works, “of Unbelievers are Sins."

 

 But, I think, that conclusion, what truth soever it may have in itself, has yet no direct foundation in this text. The verb, *, to believe, and the noun warm, faith or belief, are both of them found sundry times in this chapter; yet they seem not to signify, iu any place thereof, either the act or the habit of this saving or justifying faith, but, being opposed every where to doubtfulness of judgment concerning the lawfulness of some indifferent things, must necessarily, therefore, be under-stood of such a persuasion of judgment concerning such lawfulness, as is opposite to such doubting. This kind of faith may be found in a mere heathen, who, never having heard of the mystery of salvation by CHRIST, may yet be assured, that many of the things which he does are such as he may and ought to do. And as it may be found in a mere heathen, so it may be wanting in a true believer, who steadfastly resting upon the blood of CHRIST for his eternal redemption, may yet, through the strength of temptation, the sway of passion, or other distemper incident to human frailty, do some particular act or acts, of the lawfulness whereof he is not sufficiently persuaded. The Apostle, then, here speaking of such a faith as may be found in an unbeliever, and may be wanting in a true believer, it appeareth that by Faith he meaneth not that Justifying Faith which maketh a true believer to differ from an unbeliever; but the word must be understood in some other notion.

 

There is a second acceptation of the word Faith; either for the whole system of that Truth which Con has been pleased to reveal iii the Scriptures, or some part thereof, or else for the Assent of the mind thereunto. In which signification some conceiving the words of this text to be meant, do hence infer a false and dangerous conclusion, namely, that men are bound in every particular action which they do to have direction and warrant from the written Word of GOD, or else they sin in doing it: For, they say, Faith must he grounded upon the Word of Gm). Where there is no Word then, there can be no faith; and then, by the Apostle's doctrine, that which is done without the word to warrant it, must needs be sin, for " whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

 

 I know not any piece of counterfeit doctrine that has passed so currently in the world, with so little suspicion of falsehood, and so little open contradiction, as this hash done. One chief cause of this I conjecture to be, that it seems to make for the honor and perfection of GOD’s sacred law; the fullness and sufficiency whereof none in the Christian Church but Papists will deny. On this account, the very questioning of it now will perhaps seem a strange novelty to many: but as GOD himself, so the holy Word of GOD, is so full of all perfection, that it needeth not to beg honor from an untruth. I hold it very needful, therefore, for the arming of all my brethren, as well of the Clergy as of the Laity, against a common error, so that neither the former may teach it, nor the latter receive it, briefly and clearly to show, that the aforesaid opinion, first, is utterly void of truth; secondly, draweth after it many dangerous consequences; and, thirdly, has no good warrant from my text.

 

 The opinion is, that to do any thing at all without direction from the Scripture is unlawful and sinful. If they would understand this only of the substantials of GOD’s worship, and of the exercises of spiritual and super-natural graces, the assertion were true and sound; but as they extend it to all the actions of common life whatsoever, whether natural or civil, even so far as to the taking up of a straw, it is altogether false and indefensible. I marvel what warrant they who so teach have from the Scripture for that very doctrine, or where they are commanded so to believe or teach. One of their chief refuges is the text we now have in hand, but I shall anon drive them from this shelter. The other places usually alleged speak only, either of divine and spiritual truths to be believed, or else of works of grace or worship to be performed, as of necessity unto salvation, which are not to the point; for it is freely confessed, that in things of such a nature the Holy Scripture furnishes most absolute and sufficient direction. Upon this ground we heartily reject all human traditions, devised and in-tended as supplements to the doctrine of faith contained in the Bible. The question is wholly about things in their nature indifferent, such as are the use of our food, raiment, and the like; whether in the choice and use of such things we may not be sometimes sufficiently guided by the light of reason and the common rules of discretion, or whether we must be able, (and are so bound to do, or else we sin,) for every thing we do in such matters to deduce our warrant from some place or other of Scripture.

 

 Before the Scriptures were written, it pleased GOD by visions and dreams, and other like revelations, immediately to make known his good pleasure to the Patriarchs and Prophets, and by them unto the people; which kind of revelations served them for all the same intents and purposes whereto the sacred Scriptures now serve us, namely, to instruct them what they should believe and do for their better service of GOD, and for the furtherance of their own salvation. Now, as it would be unreasonable for any to think that they either had, or did expect, an immediate revelation from GOD, every time they ate, or drank, or bought, or sold, or did any other of the common actions of life, for the warranting of each of those particular actions to their consciences; no less unreasonable it is to think, that we should now expect the like warrant from the Scriptures for the doing of the like actions. without all doubt, the light of reason was the rule whereby they were guided for the most part in such matters; which the wisdom of GOD would never have left in them or us, as a principal relic of his decayed image in us, if he had not meant that we should make use of it, for the direction of our lives and actions thereby. 

 

 You see then that those men are in a great error, who snake the Holy Scripture the sole rule of all human actions whatsoever; for the maintenance of which opinion there was never yet produced any argument, either from reason, or from authority of Holy Writ, which may not be clearly and abundantly answered, to the satisfaction of any rational man. They who think to salve the matter by this mitigation, That our actions ought to be framed according to those general rules, at least, which are found here and there in the Scriptures, (namely, that we should " do as we would he done to," that "all things should be done decently and in order," and " unto edification,") speak somewhat indeed to the truth, but little to the purpose. 

 

 For they consider not, that if men's actions, done agreeably to those rules, are said to he of Faith, precisely for this reason, because the rules are contained in the Word; then it will follow, that before those particular Scriptures were written, wherein any of those rules are first delivered, every action done according to those rules was done without Faith, (there being as yet no Scripture for it,) and consequently was a sin. So that by this doctrine, it would have been a sin, before the writing of ST. MATTHEW'S Gospel, for any man to have done to others as he would they should do to him; and it would have been a sin, before the writing of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, for any man to have done any thing "decently and in order;" supposing these two rules to be only-found in those two places first mentioned, because, this supposed, there could then have been no warrant brought from the Scriptures for so doing.

 

 We see, then, that the former opinion will by no means hold, neither in the rigour of it, nor yet in the mitigation. We are therefore to beware of it, and that so much the more, because of the evil consequences that issue from it; to wit, a world of superstitions, uncharitable censures, bitter contentions, and perplexities of conscience. First, it filleth men's heads with superstitious conceits, making them to cast impurity upon sundry things, which yet are lawful to as many as use them lawfully. For the taking away of the indifferency of any thing, that is indifferent, is in truth superstition; in which soever of the two ways it be done, either by requiring it as necessary, or by for-bidding it as unlawful. He that condemneth a thing as utterly unlawful, which indeed is indifferent, and so lawful, is guilty of superstition, as well as he that enjoineth a thing as absolutely necessary, which indeed is but indifferent, and so arbitrary. They of the Church of Rome, and some in our Church, as they go upon quite contrary grounds, yet both false, so they run into quite contrary errors, and both superstitious. The former decline too much on the left hand, denying to the Holy Scripture that perfection, which of right it ought to have allowed to it, of containing all things appertaining to that super-natural doctrine of faith and holiness which Got, has revealed to his church for the attainment of everlasting salvation; whereupon they would impose upon Christian People, and that with an opinion of necessity, many things which the Scriptures require not; and that is a superstition. The latter go too much on the right hand, ascribing to the Holy Scripture such a kind of perfection as it cannot have, that of being the sole director of all human actions whatsoever; whereupon they forbid unto Christian People, and that under the name of sin, sundry things which the Holy Scripture condemneth not; and that is a superstition too.

 

 From this superstition proceeds, in the second place, uncharitable censuring; as evermore they that are the most superstitious are the most supercilious. There were no such severe censurers of our blessed Savior's person and actions, as the superstitious Scribes and Pharisees were. In this chapter, the special fault which the Apostle blameth in the weak ones, (who were somewhat superstitiously affected,) was their rash and uncharitable judging of their brethren. And common experience among ourselves shows how freely some men spend their censures upon those of their brethren, who without scruple do any of those things, which they upon false grounds have superstitiously condemned as utterly unlawful.

 

 And then, thirdly, as unjust censures are commonly entertained with scorn, they who so liberally condemn their brethren for profaneness, are by them as freely censured for their preciseness; and so, whilst both parties please themselves in their own ways, they cease not mutually to provoke and scandalize and exasperate the one the other, pursuing their private spleens so far, till they break out into open contentions. Thus it stood in the Roman Church, when this Epistle was written. They judged one another, and despised one another, to the great disturbance of the church's peace. And how far the like censurings and despisings have embittered the spirits, and whetted both the tongues and pens, of learned men one against another in our own church, the stirs that have been long since raised, and are still upheld, will not suffer us to be ignorant. Most of these stirs, I verily persuade myself, had been long ere this either wholly buried in silence, or at least well quieted, if the weakness and danger of the error, whereof we now speak, had been more timely discovered, and more fully and frequently made known.

 

Lastly, the admitting this doctrine would cast upon men of weak judgments, but tender consciences, a snare from which they would never be able to disentangle themselves. Men's daily occasions for themselves or friends, and the necessities of common life, require the doing. of a thousand things within the compass of a few days, for which it would puzzle the best text-man that liveth readily to bethink himself of a sentence in the Bible, clear enough to satisfy a scrupulous conscience of the lawfulness and expediency of what he is about to do; but for which, by hearkening to the rules of reason and discretion, he might receive easy and speedy resolution. 

 

 In these cases, if he should be bound to suspend his resolution, and delay that which his own reason would tell him ought presently to be done, until he could haply call to mind some precept of Scripture for his warrant, what stops would it make in the course of his whole life, and what languishings in the duties of his calling How would it fill him with doubt and irresolution, lead him into a maze of uncertainties, entangle him in a world of woful perplexities, and (without the great mercy of God plunge him irrecoverably into the gulf of despair Since, then, the chief end of the publication of the Gospel is to comfort the hearts, and to revive and refresh the spirits, of GOD’S people, with the glad tidings of liberty from the spirit of bondage and fear, and of gracious acceptance with their GOD,—to anoint them with the " oil of gladness," giving them "beauty for ashes," and, instead of " sackcloth," girding them with " joy;" we may well suspect that doctrine not to be evangelical, which thus setteth the consciences of men upon the rack, tortureth them with continual fears and perplexities, and prepareth them thereby for hellish despair.

 

 These are the grievous effects and pernicious consequences which will follow from the opinion of those who hold, That we must have warrant from Scripture for every thing we do; not only in spiritual things, (wherein it is absolutely true,) nor yet only in other matters of weight, though they be not spiritual, (for which perhaps there might be some color, but also in the common affairs of life, and even in the most slight and trivial things. Yet, since the patrons of this opinion build it as much upon the authority of this text, as upon any other passage of Scripture, we are therefore, in the next place, to clear the text from that this-interpretation. The force of their inference standeth thus, (as you have heard already,) that Faith is ever grounded upon the Word of GOD, and that, therefore, whatsoever action is not grounded upon the Word, since it is not of Faith, must needs be a Sin. This inference could not be denied, if the word Faith were here taken in that sense which they imagine, namely, for the Doctrine of Divine Revelation, or for the Belief thereof; which doctrine we willingly acknowledge to be completely contained in the Holy Scriptures alone, and therefore dare not admit, as a branch of Divine Truth, any thing not therein contained. But there is a third signification of the word Faith, which appeareth, both by the course of the whole chapter, and by the consent of the best interpreters, as well ancient as modern, to have been intended by our Apostle in this place; namely, that wherein it is put for a certain Per-suasion of mind, that what we do may lawfully be done. So that whatsoever action is done by us, with reasonable assurance and persuasion of the lawfulness thereof, is so far an action of Faith; without any inquiry into the means whereby that persuasion was wrought in us, whether it were the light of our own Reason, or the Authority of some credible person, or the declaration of GOD’s revealed will in his written Word. And on the other side, whatsoever action is done, either directly contrary to the judgment of our own consciences, or at least doubtingly, and before we are in some measure assured that we may lawfully do it, that is what St. PAUL. here denieth to he of Faith, and what he pronounceth to be Sin.

 

 Observe but the passages of this very chapter, and you will be satisfied as to the sense of the word Faith. In the second verse, the " one who believeth that he may eat all things," is one that is persuaded in his conscience that he may as lawfully eat flesh as herbs, any one kind of meat as any other.—Again, it is written in the twenty-second verse, " Have you faith, have it to thyself before GOD;" that is, Art you in thy conscience persuaded that you may lawfully partake of any of the good creatures of GOD Let that persuasion suffice thee for the approving of thine own heart in the sight of GOD; but trouble not the church, nor offend thy weaker brother, by a needless and unseasonable ostentation of that thy knowledge.—Lastly, in the twenty-third verse, " He that doubteth is damned if he cat, because he eats not in faith:" that is, He that is not yet fully persuaded in his own mind that it is lawful for him to eat some kind of meats, and yet is drawn against his own judgment to eat thereof, because he seeth others so to do, or out of any other such poor consideration, such a man is cast and condemned by the judgment of his own heart as a transgressor, because he adventureth to do that which he does not believe to be lawful. And then the Apostle reduceth that particular case into a general rule, in these words, " Whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin." By the process of his discourse it may appear, that by Faith no other thing is here meant, than such a Persuasion of the mind and conscience as we have now declared, and that the true intent of these words is, Whosoever shall do any thing, which he verily believeth to be unlawful, or at least, of the lawfulness of which he is not persuaded, let the thing be in itself lawful or unlawful, indifferent or necessary, it matters not, to him it is a Sin.

 

 This being the plain, evident, and undeniable purport of these words, I shall not need to spend any more time in the Explication of them, but may address myself rather to the Application. Wherein, because upon this great principle may depend the resolution of very many cases of conscience, which may trouble us in our Christian and holy walking, it will not be unprofitable to resolve some of the most material doubts and questions which may occur on this occasion.

 

First, It may be demanded, what power the conscience has to make a thing, which is otherwise good and lawful, become unlawful and sinful, and whence it has that power I answer, first, that it is not in the power of any man's judgment or conscience to alter the natural condition of any thing whatsoever, either in respect of quality or degree; but still every thing that was good remaineth good, and every thing that was evil remaineth evil, and that in the very same degree of good or evil as it was before, neither better nor worse, notwithstanding any man's particular judgment or opinion thereof. For the differences between good and evil, and the several degrees of both, spring from such conditions as are intrinsical to the things themselves; which no outward respects, and much less men's opinions, can vary. He that esteemeth any creature unclean may defile himself, but he cannot bring impurity upon that creature by such estimation.—Yet, secondly, men's judgments may make that which is good in its own nature become evil to them in the use. This is our Apostle's own distinction in the fourteenth verse of this chapter; "Nothing is unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." But then we must know withal, that it holdeth not the other way. Men's judgments or opinions, although they may make that which is good in itself to become evil to them, cannot make that which is evil in itself to become good either in itself or to them. If a man were verily persuaded that it would be evil to ask his father's blessing, that mispersuasion would make it become evil to him. But if the same man should be as verily persuaded that it would be good to curse his father, or to deny him relief, being an unbeliever, that mis-persuasion could not make either of them become good to him. Some who persecuted the Apostles were persuaded that they did good service in it. 

 

 It was St. PAUL'S case before his conversion, who " verily thought in himself, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of JESUS." But those persuasions would not serve to justify their actions. St. PAUL confesseth himself to have been "a persecutor, and blasphemer, and injurious," for so doing, although he followed the guidance of his conscience therein, and to have stood in need of mercy for the remission of those wicked acts, though he did them ignorantly, and out of zeal for the law.--Thirdly, the conscience has this power over men's wills and actions, by virtue of that unchangeable law of GOD, which he established at our first creation, that the will of every man (which is the fountain whence all our actions immediately flow,) should conform itself to the judgment of the understanding or conscience, as to its proper and immediate rule. So that if the under-standing, through error, point out a wrong way, and the will follow it, the fault is chiefly in the understanding for misguiding the will. But if the understanding show the right way, and the will take a wrong one, then the fault is merely in the will, for not following that guide which GOD has set over it.

 

 It may be demanded, Secondly, whether or not, in every particular thing we do, an actual consideration of the lawfulness thereof be so requisite, as that for want thereof we should sin in doing it The reason of the doubt is, because if otherwise, how should it appear to be of Faith and "'whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin." I answer, 1. That in matters of weight, and worthy of consultation, it is very necessary that the lawfulness and expediency of them be first diligently examined before they be undertaken. And, 2. That even in smaller matters, the like examination is needful when there is any apparent cause of doubting. But, 3. That in small and trivial matters, wherein no doubt arises to trouble us, an actual consideration of their lawfulness is so far from being requisite, that it would rather be troublesome. True it is, that all voluntary actions are done with some deliberation, more or less; because it is the nature of the will to consult with the understanding in every act, else it would be irrational and brutish. Yet there are many things which we daily do, wherein the sentence of the understanding is quick and present, because there is no difficulty in them, such as sitting down, and rising up; or asking the time of the day, or the name of the next town, as we travel by the way. Here an habitual knowledge of the nature and use of indifferent things is sufficient to warrant to the conscience the lawfulness of these common actions of life, so that they may be said to be of Faith, though their be no farther actual or particular disquisition used about them. A very needful thing it is, for Christian men, to endeavor to have a right judgment concerning indifferent things; without which it can scarcely be avoided, but that both their consciences will be full of distracting scruples, and their conversations full of unbrotherly carriage towards others.

 

 It may be demanded, thirdly, since " whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin," what measure of faith, or what degree of persuasion, is necessary for the warranting of our actions I answer, This cannot be positively defined by any peremptory and immoveable rules. There is mostly a latitude in such things as these are, which may be straitened more or less, according to the exigence of present occasions, and as the different state or quality of particular businesses shall require. Nay, I say yet further, and I beseech you, brethren, to take notice of it as a matter of special use both for directing and quieting your consciences, that it is lawful for us to do all those things concerning which there can be nothing brought of moment to prove them unlawful; upon which ground alone if we do them, we do them upon such a Persuasion" of Faith as is sufficient; provided that we have not neglected to inform our judgments in the best way we could for the time past, and that we are ever ready to yield ourselves to better in-formation, whensoever it shall be tendered unto us, for the time to come.

 

 It may be demanded, Fourthly, suppose a man would fain do something, of the lawfulness whereof he is not in his conscience sufficiently resolved, whether he may in any case do it, notwithstanding the reluctancy of his con-science As they write of CYRUS, that to make a pas-sage for his army, he cut the great river Gyndes into smaller channels, which in one entire stream was not passable; so to make a clear answer to this great question, I must divide it into some lesser ones. For there are sundry things considerable in it, whether we respect the conscience, or the person of the doer, or the action to be done;—as, in respect of the conscience, whether the reluctancy thereof proceed from a settled and steadfast re-solution, or from some doubtfulness only, or but from some scruple;—in respect of the person, whether he be his own master, and have power to dispose of himself at his own choice in the things questioned, or be under the command and at the appointment of another;—and in respect of the action, whether it be a necessary thing, or an unlawful thing, or a thing indifferent Any of these circumstances may quite alter the case, and so beget new questions. But I shall reduce all to three questions; whereof the first shall concern a resolved conscience, the second a doubtful conscience, and the third a scrupulous conscience.

 

 The first question then is, if the conscience be firmly resolved that the thing proposed to be done is unlawful, whether it may be done or not Whereunto I answer in these two conclusions: first, if the conscience be firmly so resolved, and that upon a true ground, it may not, in any case, or for any respect in the world, be done. There cannot be imagined a higher contempt of Got, than for a man to despise the power of his own con-science, which is the highest sovereignty under heaven, as being GOD’S most immediate deputy. " To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin." Neither maketh it any difference at all here, whether a man be otherwise his own master or not. For although there be a great respect due to the higher powers in doubtful cases, yet where the thing required is simply unlawful, and understood so to be, inferiors must absolutely resolve to disobey, whatsoever come of it.—Secondly, if a man be in his conscience fully persuaded that a thing is evil and unlawful, which yet in truth is not so; the thing by him so judged unlawful, cannot by him be done without sin. Even an erroneous conscience bindeth thus far, that a man cannot go against it and be guiltless; because his practice would then run contrary to his judgment, and so the thing done could not be of Faith. For if his reason judge it to be evil, and yet he will do it, it argueth manifestly, that he has a will to do evil, and so becomes a transgressor of that general law, which bindeth all men to eschew all evil. Yet in this case we must admit of some difference, according to the different nature of the things, and the different conditions of the persons. For if the things judged unlawful be in their own nature indifferent, so that they may either be done or left undone without sin, and if the person, withal, be his own master in respect of such things, no superior power having determined his liberty therein; then, although he may not do any of these things, by reason of the contrary persuasion of his conscience without sin, yet he may, without sin, leave them undone. For example: say that a mall should hold it utterly unlawful to lay a wager: if it be in truth lawful to do so, yet he that is otherwise persuaded of it, cannot do it without sin. Yet supposing it a thing indifferent, he that judges it unlawful, may abstain from it without sin; and so indeed he is in conscience bound to do, so long as he continueth to be of that opinion. But on the other side, if the thing judged to be unlawful, be in any way necessary, either in respect of its own nature, or by the injunction of authority, then the person is, by that error, brought into such a strait, between two sins, that he can by no means avoid both, so long as he persisteth in that error. For if he do the thing, he go against the persuasion of his conscience, and that is a great sin; and if he do it not, either he omitteth a necessary duty, or else disobeyeth lawful authority, and either of these is a sin too; and since, out of this snare there is no way of escape but one, which is to rectify his judgment, it concerneth every man, who unfeignedly desireth to do his duty, and to keep a good conscience, to examine well the principles and grounds of his opinions. Mean time, this is most certain, that whosoever shall do any thing repugnant to the judgment of his own conscience, (be that judgment true, or be it false,) will commit a grievous sin in so doing; because it cannot be "of Faith;" and " whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin."

 

 This applies to cases, in which the Conscience apparently inclineth one way. But say that the scales hang even, so that a man cannot well resolve which way he should take. This is what we call a doubting conscience. And the second question is, what a man ought to do in this case Perfect directions here would require a large discourse; because there are so many considerable circumstances that may alter the case, especially in respect of the cause from which that doubtfulness may spring. Many times it arises from mere fickleness of mind, or weakness of judgment; as the lightest things are soonest driven out of their place by the wind. Sometimes it proceeds from tenderness of conscience; which is indeed a very, blessed and gracious thing, but yet (as tender things may soon miscarry, if they be not the more choicely handled,) very liable, through SATAN'S diligence and subtilty, to be wrought upon to dangerous inconveniences. Sometimes it may proceed from the probability of those reasons that seem to stand on either side, between which, it is not easy to judge which are strongest; or from the different opinions of learned and godly men therein; and from many other causes. But for some general resolution of the question, What is to be done where the conscience is doubtful I answer, First, that if the doubtfulness be not concerning the lawfulness of any of the things to be done, considered in themselves, but of the expediency of them, as they are compared one with another; (as when of two things proposed, whereof one must be done, I am sufficiently persuaded of the lawfulness of either, but am doubtful whether of the two rather to fix upon;)—in such a case, the party ought first to weigh the conveniences and inconveniences of both, as well as he can, by himself alone, and to do that which then shall appear to him to be subject to the fewer and lesser inconveniences. Or, if the reasons seem so equally strong on both sides, that he cannot of himself decide the doubt, then, secondly, if the matter be of weight, and worth the while, he should make his doubt known to some prudent and pious man, especially to his own spiritual pastor, if he be a man qualified for it; resolving to rest upon his judgment, and to follow his direction. Or, if the matter be of small moment, he may then, thirdly, do that to which he has most inclination; (as the Apostle says in one particular case, and it may be applied to many more, " Let him do what he will, he. sinneth not;") resting his conscience upon this persuasion, that so long as he is unfeignedly desirous to do for the best, and has not been negligent in using all requisite diligence to inform himself aright, GOD will accept of his good intention therein, and pardon his error, if he shall be mistaken in his choice.—But secondly, if the question be concerning the thing itself, whether it may be lawfully done or not, and the con-science stand in doubt, because reasons seem to be probable both ways, and if there be learned men, as well of the one opinion as of the other; in such a case, the person is certainly bound to forbear doing that thing, of the lawfulness whereof he doubteth, and, if he forbear it not, he sinneth. This is the very point which the Apostle, in this verse, intends to teach, and for the confirmation whereof he voucheth this rule " He that doubteth," says he, " is damned if he eat; he is ,*, condemned of his own conscience;" because he does that willingly, whereof he doubteth, when he has liberty to let it alone. And the reason why he ought rather to forbear, than to do that whereof he doubteth, is, because in doubtful cases, wisdom dictates that the safer part should be chosen. And that part is safer, which if we choose, we are sure we shall do well, than that, which if we choose, we know not but we may do ill.—But then, thirdly, if the liberty of the agent be determined by the command of some superior power, to whom he oweth obedience, this circumstance altereth the case; and he is bound in conscience to do the thing commanded, notwithstanding his doubtfulness of mind. Whatsoever is commanded us, by those whom GOD has set over us, either in Church, Commonwealth, or Family, which is not evidently contrary to the law and will of GOD, ought to he by us received and obeyed just as if GOD himself had commanded it; because GOD himself has commanded us to " obey the higher powers," and to a submit our-selves to their ordinances."—But you will say, that in doubtful cases, the safer part is to be chosen. So say I too; and am content that this rule should decide the question; only let it be rightly applied. You thinkest it safer, where you doubtest of the unlawfulness, to to forbear than to do; so should I think too, if you wert left to thine own liberty. But if lawful authority direct thee to kneel, which, whether it be lawful for thee to do or not, you doubtest; it cannot be but that you must needs doubt also, whether you may lawfully disobey, or not. Now then, here apply thine own rule, and see what will come of it. Judge, since you can not but doubt in both cases, whether it be not the safer of the two, to obey doubtingly, than to disobey doubtingly. Where there is a certainty, let the uncertainty go, and hold to that which is certain. Now the General Rule is certain, that you art to obey the Magistrate in all things not contrary to the will of GOD; but the Particular is uncertain, whether the thing now commanded thee, by the Magistrate, be contrary to the will of GOD: (I say, uncertain as to thee, because you doubtest of it.) Deal safely, therefore; hold thee to that which is certain, and obey.

 

 There remaineth but one other question, and that of far smaller difficulty: What is to be done, when the con-science is scrupulous I call that a scruple, when a man is reasonably well persuaded of the lawfulness of a thing, yet has withal some jealousies, lest perhaps it should prove unlawful. Such scruples are most incident to men of melancholy dispositions, or of timorous spirits, especially if they have tender consciences withal; and they are much increased by the false suggestions of SATAN, and by sundry other means which I now mention not. As to such scruples, it behoveth every man, first, to be wary that he do not at all admit them, if he can help it; or, if he cannot wholly avoid them, that secondly, he endeavor, so far as may be, to eject them speedily out of his thoughts, as SATAN'S snares, and things that may breed worse inconveniences; or, if he cannot so get rid of them, that then, thirdly, he resolve to go on according to the more profitable persuasion of his mind, and to despise those scruples: and this he may do with a good con-science, not only in things commanded him by lawful authority, but even in things indifferent and arbitrary, and wherein he is left to his own liberty.

 

 Beseech we GOD, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, so to endue us all with the grace of his HOLY SPIRIT, that in our whole conversation we may unfeignedly endeavor to preserve a good conscience, and to yield all due obedience to Him first, and then to every Ordinance of Man for his sake.

 

Now to this FATHER, SON, and blessed SPIRIT, Three Persons, and One Eternal GOD, be ascribed all the kingdom, the power, and the glory, both now and for evermore. Amen.

 

END OF VOL. 12