(3.) If they do promise themselves any thing of the care of God towards them, and relieve themselves thereby, — as they often do, on one account or another, especially when they are driven from other holds, — all their relief is but like the dreaming of an hungry man, who supposeth that he eateth and drinketh, and is refreshed ; but when he awaketh, he is empty and disappointed. So are they as to all their re- lief that they promise to receive from God, and the support which they seem to have from him. When they are awaked at the latter day, and see all things clearly, they will find that God was their enemy, laughing at their calamity, and mocking when their fear was on them.
So is it with them in trouble. Is it any better with them in their prosperity? This, indeed, is often great, and is marvellovisly described in Scripture, as to their lives, and oftentimes quiet, peaceable ends. But have they any true consolation all their days? They eat, drink, sleep, and make merry, and perhaps heap up to themselves; but how little do these things make them to differ from the beasts that perish ! Solomon's advantage, to have the use and know the utmost of these things, much beyond any of the sons of men of our generation, is commonly taken notice of The account also that he gives of them
VOL. IL 18
274 OF COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
is known: "They are all vanity and vexation of spirit." This is their consolation : — a crackling of thorns under the pot, a sudden flash and blaze, that begins but to perish. So that both adversity and prosperity slayeth them ; and whether they are laughing or crying, they are still dying.
2. They have nojyeace, — no peace with God, nor in their own souls. I know that many of them, upon false bottoms, grounds, and ex- pectations, do make a shift to keep things in some quietness, neither is it my business at present to discover the falseness and unsoundness of it; but this is their state. True and solid peace being an effect of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of believers (as hath been declared), they who are not made partakers of him have no such peace. They may cry, "Peace, peace," indeed, when sudden destruction is at hand. Thej^rin- ciples of their peace (as may be easily evinced) are, darkness or igno- rance, treachery of conscience, self-righteousness, and vain hope. To these heads may all the principles of their peace be reduced ; and what will these avail them in the day when the Lord shall deal with them ?
3. I might say the same concerning their Joy and hope; — they are false and perishing. Let them, then, consider this, who have satis- fied themselves with a persuasion of their interest in the good things of the gospel, and yet have despised the Spuit of Christ. I know there are many that may pretend to him, and yet are strangers from his grace ; but if they perish who in profession use him kindly, and honour him, if he dwell not in them with power, where shall they appear who oppose and affront him? The Scripture tells us, that unless the Spirit of Christ be in us, we are dead, we are reprobates, — we are none of Christ's. Without him you can have none of tJiose glorious effects of his towards believers before mentioned ; and you are so far from inquiring whether he be in you or no, as that you are ready to deride them in whom he is. Are there none who profess the gospel, who have never once seriously inquired whether they are made partakers of the Holy Ghost or no? You that almost account it a ridiculous thing to be put upon any such question, who look on all men as vain pretenders that talk of the Spirit, the Lord awake such men to a sight of their condition before it be too late ! If the Spirit dwell not in you, if he be not your Comforter, neither is God your Father, nor the Son your Advocate, nor have you any portion in the gospel. O that God would awake some poor soul to the con sideration of this thing, before the neglect and contempt of the Holy Ghost come to that despising of him from which there is no recovery ! — that the Lord would spread before them all the folly of their hearts, that they may be ashamed and confounded, and do no more pre- sumptuously !
A
VINDICATION
OP
SOME PASSAGES IN A DISCOURSE CONCERNING COMMUNION AVITH GOD,
THE EXCEPTIONS OF WILLIAM SHERLOCK,
RECTOR OP ST GEORGE, BOTOLPH LANE.
PREFATORY NOTE.
William Sheulock, father of Dr Thomas Sherlock, an eminent bishop of Lon- don, was liimself distinpfuished as an author, and mingled deeply in the contro- versies of his day. His strictures on Owen's work on Communion with God appeared in 1674, after that work had been seventeen years before the public. It seems to have been Sherlock's first appearance in authorship; and some of his subsequent treatises, such as those on Providence and on Death, afford a better specimen of his abilities. They are destitute of evangelical principle and feeling, and imbued throughout with a freezing rationalism of tone; but, nevertheless, contain some views of the Divine administration, acutely conceived and ably stated. He became rector of St George, Botolph Lane, received a prebend in St Paul's, and was appointed Master of the Temple about 1684. His conduct at the Revohition was not straightforward, and laid him open to the reproaches of the Jacobites, who blamed him for deserting their party. There was a contro- versy of some importance between him and Dr South. The latter, on the ground of some expressions in the work by the former on the Trinity (1690), accused him of Tritheism. Sherlock retorted by accusing his critic of Sabellianism. He died in 1707, at the age of sixty-six.