CHAP. IV.

A Survey of the Mischiefs arifing from Partial Gon. fideration. ~ Awakening

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EXT to the ftupid and meerly vegetable state of total incogitancy: we may rank that partial and piece-meal confideration, by which Chriftianity is mutilated and deform'd, depriv'd of all its force to attract and fubdue mens hearts: for as in artificial Movements, there is fuch a dependance of one part upon another, that the fubftracting of deftroys the whole frame: fo in this fpiritual Machin defign'd to raise our dull mortality to heaven; the divine wisdom of its maker has combin'd its several parts, that he who fevers ruines, he that applies it not in its united ftrength will find no aid from its unjoynted fcattered particles. S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 12. that in the natural body the making it all Eye, or Hand, the reducing the many members to one is destructive to its being (if they were all one member where were the body v. 20.) and we in reafon must expect the fame event will fol low here. If we advance one part of our Chriftian Faith to the annihilation of the reft, 'tis impoffible that fhould fupply the place of the whole; but the more that member is fwoln above its native fize, the more unwildy, not the more ftrong it grows and loses that active vigor,

which it receiv'd by a focial communication with the other parts.

TIS Gods charge against the Priests, Mal, 2. that they have been partial in the Law,

lifters up of faces in it; preferr'd fome more agreeable parts,and discountenanc'd others; were not only judges of the Law, but unjust judges too. And I fear the enditement may now run more generally against the People alfo; that they have been partial in the Gofpel: culled and chofen out thofe fofter and more gentle dictates which should lefs grate and disturb them: like well the Oil that makes them have a cheerful countenance, but are not fo forward to deal with the Wine which fhould fearch and cleanse their fores. We make all our addreffes to the promises, hug and carefs them, and in the interim let the commands ftand by neglected. A divinity indeed fitly apportion'd to the devotion of these times, which loves to make an offering to God of that which costs them nothing, and yields a preference to that way of worship which af fures Salvation beft cheap, and at the easiest terms; but would men confider, they would find, that the commands are the fupreme and most eminent part of the Evangelical Covenant, the promifes come but as hand-maids and attendants: an honourable retinue to invite the more refpectful entertainment, and it fhould be remembred that of this fort are the threatnings too; and therefore they have furely an equal right to our regard especially when many of them have the acceffion

of

of Gods Oath, to bind and ftrengthen their performance. And what a fcandalous and abfurd partiality is this, that when the precepts come with this folemnity the more to command our reverence, we fingle out this one part of the Train and pay our homage unto it; lay hold on the Promifes, not thofe that speak damnation to impenitence, but the other half of them which give affurances of favour. And like the Benjamites to the daughters of Shiloh, run away with them, poffefs our felves of thefe by rape, in fpight of all the incapacities we lye under;though God has fworn, that no difobedient provoker, shall

enter into his reft.

THAT this is really the cafe of many is more than probable, for by what other artifice is it poffible for them to reconcile their large hopes, with their no purifying, their confident expectations of heaven, with their greedy rapacious pursuits of Earth: their fecure dependance. on the Bloud of their Saviour with their remorf lefs effufions of that of their Brethren? did they: confider the infeparable connexion between the Precepts and the Promifes, 'twere hard for them to be fo wicked, but impoffible to be so fanguine. Did the unclean perfon believe that none but the pure in heart shall fee God, if he could be fo much Swine, as ftill to chufe the mire: yet fure he could not expect to be Rapt from thence into heaven. Did the Drunkard confider the fentence of the Apoftle excluding all fuch from the Kingdom of God, I Cor. 6. 10. if he can be content fo fadly

to

to oberbuy his fin; as to pay that Kingdom for his fhot: yet certainly even he cannot be fot enough to expect the poffeffion of what he has fo fold, or hope that from one of his drunken trances, he fhall awake to glory: did the Covetous extortioner observe that he is involv'd in the fame fentence, remember that fuch Violents fhall take not heaven, but hell, by force; if the terrors of the Lord could not have force enough to melt his bowels, to unclutch his griping hand, or diffeize him of his prey: yet fure it muft difcourage him from grafping of heaven too, from hoping to defraud God as he has done men, and striking himself into an eftate in the land of the living: and in like manner all other hoping finners if they would ruine, yet must ceafe from flattering themselves, muft chufe damnation bare-faced, and not fancy that their posting on in the broad way fhall ever bring them to life. And fure this difcovery of their estate, were a very good step to the curing it: for though 'tis poffible fome few may be of fo Sturdy an impiety as to chufe their fin with all its confequents, yet fure all finners are not of that ftrong complexion, and therefore Satan is put to his wiles and artifices, is fain to hoodwink those that are apt to ftart: and disguises the danger when he fees the true appearance of it will terrifie and avert. This was his old policy with our first parents; he dazles their eyes with the glorious but abufive propofal of becoming like Gods, that they might not difcern how near they were approaching to become like Devils: and

this under the pretence of confidence and friendfhip, difcovering as it were a fecret to them; that God envied them that promotion, which his greater kindness was folicitous to procure for them. And as if the ruine of mankind, in Maffa had been too flight a Trophey for that one Stratagem, he repeats it again to the individuals, perfwades men that the path of obedience which God has chalkt out is ftrait, and narrow, rugged and incumbred; that there is a fhorter cut,an easier paffage to life: that they may be led into Canaan a nearer way, ftep into it immediately from the flesh pots of Egypt, and scape the tedious weary March in the Wildernefs: never fo much as call at Mount Sinai, or be affrighted with the Thunders of the Law. In a word, they need not work out their Salvation, but be they never fo flothful they may in herit the promifes, Heb. 6. 12. this is his one grand Conclufion, though he has feveral medium's to infer it by: wherewith as with fo many tools and Engines he furnishes men for the filing or breaking of that facred link between duty and reward; and of thefe he has great variety fitted to the hands, and skill of those that manage them. Ifhall not undertake to ranfack his workhouse, or give an inventory of his utenfils, but fhall rather in general befeech all thofe, who have made this unhappy feparation to remember from whofe Forge they took their Inftruments: and then confider whether his officioufnefs in fupplying them, can argue any thing but that 'tis his work they are about. Can any think that

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