rule over him bring him forth and slay him before me FINIS THE SOVL SECVRED OR A Sermon preached in Covent Garden upon PSAL. 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth BOth upon humbling dayes and upon joyfull dayes it is ever good to Secure our souls In humbling times if we do it not we will be swallowed up of sorrow If we do it not in joyfull times we will be swallowed up of sinne Therefore we living in both these times times of sorrow under the burthen of publike calamities and times of joy when God flings in varietie of particular mercies to be as the first fruits of a larger harvest it is our duty to engage our souls to seek their own security without which we perish And that we may do it it is a comfortable thing to know where our strength lies Sampson knew the hair of his Nazariteship Hares know the thickets and Conies the stony rocks so wee must know some place of safety or else we are in ill case Look therefore upon David He was in fearfull troubles and he knew that his life was kept by committing it to God Hence he beats upon it again and again in prayer in this Psalm as if he were never weary of asking the same protection from his good God This David doth not out of Poverty of spirit Matth. 6.7 which brings forth these idle repetitions condemned by Christ Matth. 26.42 but out of aboundance of spirit as Christ did in time of the hour of darknesse to shew the excellent use of repetitions in this case and to clear fervency of spirit when a man would settle and assure any good to the soul Amongst other things commended to God Davids soul hath a chief place in this verse read In which be pleased to consider 1 Davids confession of God 2 Davids profession for himself His confession is his foundation and his profession is his building upon it We cannot build upon God except we know him David through the mercy of God knew him and thence makes use of it in confessing him 1 For soveraignty to be his Lord Redemptoris jus 2. 1 Propinquitatis 2 Proprietatis 2 For the signe of it thou hast redeemed me for he had the right of propriety to him Masters might redeem their servants and Lords their vassals 3 For his veracity O Lord God of truth thou hast promised to deliver me and thou hast been as good as thy word Hence I might discourse unto you of Gods Lordship over his people and therefore that they must walk before him with fear and trembling as those that must give an account unto him of all their doings I might discover more fully the use that God makes of his Lordship not to tyrannize but to deliver poor captives which is an excellent president for those in high places I might presse the condition that Gods people are subject unto to be in bondage to miseries and the footing we have in God for our rescue that he is a God of truth and will be as good as his word without exception But I passe these things and onely pitch upon Davids profession for himself into thy hands I commit my spirit From whence I present three particulars 1 The Nature of the soul 2 The Castle of the soul 3 The Care of the soul For nature you learn that the soul is a spirit The nature of the soul It is a spirit If you refer the word Spirit unto a man it signifies sixe things in the Scripture 1. The hid man of the heart as when it is said Joh. 3.6 that which is born of the spirit is spirit that is is the new creature the spirituall part of man 2. It signifieth Conviction as when it is said of reprobates that sinne unto death that they are made partakers of the Spirit Heb. 6.4 that is they are convinced of the truth of the Gospel 3. It signifies Sanctification as when David prayes Psa 51.11 renew a right spirit within me that is give me a sanctified soul that I may go right in thy way 4. It signifies Extrordinary graces as when it is said of Stephen that he was filled with the Spirit that is Act. 6.5 he had extraordinary gifts and graces 5. It signifies the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 as when we are said to be Preachers of the Spirit that is of the Gospel which brings life to the soule 6. It signifies authoritie as when Paul saith when ye are gathered together and my spirit 1 Cor. 5.3 that is by vertue of my authoritie But among the rest it signifies the soule as when Christ saith Father Luk. 23.46 into thy hands I commend my spirit and Peter saith that Christ by Noah 1 Pet. 3.19 that Preacher of righteousnesse preached unto the spirits that are now in the prison of hell Heb. 12.9 and the Apostle to the Hebrews calls God the Father of spirits In all which places the word spirit signifies the soule Ob. You will say then it may be that the soule is God because God is a spirit Joh. 4. Sol. But it follows not because the soule is a created spirit but God is uncreated God is a simple spirit without all mixture but the soule is compounded of a present being and a possibilitie not to be if God please Yet for all that the soule is the more excellent for being a spirit as God is because in it it resembles God in his Immortalitie for time to come A parte post Gen. 2.3 whereof there are three arguments in the creation of it That it was as it were breathed by God into man and therefore more heavenly and that it was breathed for the breath of lives Lives is spoken dually to signifie the life of it hereafter as well as here Therefore Christs convincing argument makes for it Mat. 22.32 that God is not the God of the dead but of the living therefore though Abraham Isaac Jacob be dead in body yet they live in spirit Domus viventium in which respect the grave is called the house of the living Use 1 Hence give me leave to make a threefold exhortation unto you If the soule be a spirit provide spiritually for it Joyne it to him that is spirit and thinke of a better place for it then here First provide spiritually for it If a child aske a father bread Matth. 7.9 10. will he give him a stone If he aske him a fish will he give him a serpent will he not provide for him according to his nature Deale you no worse with your soules and it will be the better for you I read of an usurer who loved his bags so well that when he died he chewed and swallowed and being asked the reason he said that he was eating up his mony and when he saw that he must dye he offered all to his poor soul to stay with
Psal 139.12 13. and hidden lusts A man that made a work can easily espie the least fault that another makes in it so God can see all the disorders that Satan and thy wicked heart hath wrought in thee and this must make thee walke in feare of offending such a God and with a resolution to doe all things to the honour of him that made thee Every man that makes a thing doth desire to have the comfort and credit of it much more doth God who made man for himselfe Prov. 16.4 as well as all things else Vse Therefore Whether thou eate or drink 1 Cor. 10.31 or what ever thou doe doe all to the glory of thy God Doe to his glory in thought word and deed do to his glory in disposing thy selfe in all the occurrences of this life Thou mayst make other comfortable reflexions upon thy soule from this point if thou weigh the Texts in the margine Psal 149.2 Psal 119.73 Psal 100.1 2 3. Job 30.13.15 but I leave them to thy own meditations as God shall quicken thy heart with a love to the good word of God Tell me next 2. Q. Who Redeemed thee A. Jesus Christ Mark my good child Christ Redeemed us 1 Tim. 2.6 It is Christ that gave himselfe a ransome for us even the ransome of his blood by which he hath redeemed us out of all the world Apoc. 5.9 To redeeme is to buy thee again when thou wert lost in thy enemies hands Thou wert lost by the sinne of Adam As thou seest when a Carp is taken by a Fishers hooke or net and dieth thousands of spawnes in his belly are caught and die with him so was it with thee and all mankind We were all in that one man in his first transgression Therefore Blessed Paul saith Rom. 5.12 14. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and passed upon all men even over those that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression for that all have sinned When thou wast in this cursed condition with all mankind Christ came and bought thee again Joh. 10.11 by laying down his life for thee Vse Remember this and make such use of it as Paul would have the Corinthians Ye are not your own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. for ye are bought with a prize therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods If you buy any thing you expect the comfort of it whether it be for the health of your body or of your soule Thinke but the same of Christ and you will be willing to live to him that died for you 2 Cor. 5.15 and rose again Tell me next 3. Q. Who sanctified thee A. The holy Ghost Mark here The holy Ghost doth sanctifie us If I should aske thee What it is to be sanctified it is to be made holy But when I aske thee who sanctified thee it is to make thee holy and this is the worke of the holy Ghost Therefore Paul telles the Corinthians when they were changed in their state That they were sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Now the holy Ghost doth sanctifie thee by taking away of sinne and giving of grace As if thou wert to give entertainment to a great and good friend thou wouldst first sweep out the dust and brush down the cobwebs and then lay out thy carpets cushions and other ornaments so the holy Ghost takes the besome of destruction the hammer Jer. 23.29 and fire of the word and sweeps out thy raigning sinnes by Repentance and the spirit of Judgement Esa 4.4 Gal. 5.22 23. Eph. 3.17 1 Cor. 3.16 and then brings in the graces of the Spirit to make thee an holy Temple for Christ to dwell in by faith All this the holy Ghost works by the Word Sacraments and Prayer By the Word for Christ prayeth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth By the Sacraments for Paul saith Eph. 5.26 That he sanctifies and cleanseth his Church with the washing of water by the word and that We being many are one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10.17 for we are all made partakers of one bread Implying that in the Lords Supper we are sealed up into the body of Christ and we cannot be properly without holinesse By Prayer for Christ saith that if we aske the Father he will give us his spirit Vse Therefore my deare child ply the holy Ghost in this way wherein thou art sanctified and shalt encrease it more and more 2 Cor. 7.1 till thou grow to or perfect thy holinesse in the feare of the Lord. If there were but one Mart or Market where all necessary commodities were to be had thou wouldst ply that upon all urgent occasions so must thou deale with the Word Sacraments and Prayer if thou wouldst have the holy Ghost shine upon thee in the beautie of holinesse Tell me next because thou namest the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost even these three 4. Q. How many Gods are there A. There are three persons and to us Christians but one God Goe to Jordan and thou shalt see the heavens opened There are three persons Matth. 3.16 17. whence the Father sent a voice from heaven the Sonne baptized and the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove to make up three persons Reflect upon thy own Baptisme and thou shalt behold thy admittance into the Church in the name of the Father Matth. 28.19 and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost to make up three persons again Consider our witnesses and thou shalt finde that we have three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word 1 Joh. 5.7 and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one For though there are three names or persons in the Godhead Yet is there but one God 1 Cor. 8.5 6. and though there be many that are called Gods and Lords yet to us Christians there is but one God This heavenly mystery may be shadowed unto thee a little in a fiered coale There is the substance of the coale the light of the coale and the heat of the coale and yet but one fiered coale So soone as ever the coale is fiered there are these three the substance of the coale the light and heat of it So in the same Divine Essence though in a more transcendent way is there the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Yea it may be shadowed in thy selfe So soone as ever thou art borne into this world thou art a creature to God a childe to thy Parents and a subject to thy King and yet art thou but one So so soone as ever as God is that is from all eternitie he is Father Sonne and holy Ghost and yet but one God Vse This will help thee mightily in cleaving to the Scriptures and in all thy devout prayers to God Art thou tempted to question the truth of
on of water that doth forgive thy sins nor doing of it in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost but it is God that doth it for the merits of Christ and by the assistance of the holy Ghost and sealeth it to thee in the covenant of Baptisme if thou keep it according to the measure of grace given 32. Q. What benefit hast thou by the Supper of the Lord A. The body and bloud of Christ verily and indeed taken and received by my beleeving soul Mark this comfortable benefit by the Lords Supper The benefit of the Lords Supper Thy body receives the bread and wine Thy soul receives the body and bloud of Christ by beleeving God offers him in a promise this is my body this is my bloud and thou canst not receive a thing in a promise but by beleeving it If I promise to give thee houses and lands and seal a conveyance of them to thee thou canst not receive it but by beleeving my words and conveyance so it is with thee in this Sacrament Christ in respect of his bodily presence is in heaven for they are not to receive him Act. 3.21 till the time of the restitution of all things yet in the Sacrament we have his body and bloud taken and received As a maried woman hath her husband one flesh and heart with her though he be a thousand miles off Prov. 2. by vertue of the Covenant of God which they made so by vertue of the covenant and promise of God in the Sacrament though Christ be in heaven and thou upon the earth thou hast his body and bloud A man may be present in a place or to a place In a place as thou art here with me To a place as Paul was absent in body 1 Cor. 5. but present in spirit to the Corinthians that is by his Apostolicall spirit power and authority So is Christs body and bloud present to the receivers of the Sacrament faithfully When the Sun shines full upon our window we say that the Sun is come into the house yet it is not the Sun but the shining of it so we say that Christs body and bloud is in the Sacrament yet it is not Christs body and bloud carnally bloudily but the Rayes of his person and merits to the comfort of thy soul Every thing is received by us as it is perceived of us Thou receivest a colour by the eye because that perceives it Thou receivest a sound by the ear because that perceives it Thou receivest a scent by the nose because that perceives it Thou receivest savourie things by the taste because that perceives it Thou receivest the Revolution of the heavens by the understanding because that perceives it but thou receivest Christ in the Sacrament none of these wayes Thou seest him not feelest him not tastest him not hearest him not smellest him not understandest not how bread and wine both before in 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Cor. 11.27 28. and after consecration can be the naturall or glorified body and bloud of Jesus Christ and yet be bread and wine yet set thy faith on work upon Gods promise and thou canst truly receive Christ because thou perceivest him by faith and no otherwise He is given to thee as he may satisfie thee that desires him but thou desirest him to satisfie not a corporal but a spirituall hunger Joh. 6.35 36.62.64 Joh. 6.63 He is given as he may do the good but it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Ob. If thou think that though his naturall flesh profits nothing yet his glorified flesh would Sol. Christ tels thee that it is his naturall body that comforts thee in the Sacrament not his glorified for Christ saith this is my body which is broken for thee this is my bloud which is shed for thee and I am sure that his glorified body was not thus dealt withall Ob. If thou ask me why the bread and wine consecrated in the Sacrament should then be called the body and bloud of Christ Sol. I tell thee it is not because it is properly so but first because of the Sacramentall union between the signe and the thing signified by Gods pact and covenant If thou receive the signe faithfully 1 Cor. 10.16 thou shalt have a reall communion with Christ by promise Next because of the change of the bread and wine from common to holy use Though there be not a substantiall change of them yet is there a change in use in name and in honour In use it is not used as common bread and wine but as the Supper of the Lord. In name during the time it is not called bread and wine but the body and bloud of Christ In honour It is used by the faithfull to give a reall communion with Christs body and bloud Use Therefore my dear childe make speciall use of this sweet benefit Who would not joy in such a communion Who would not be glad when he comes unto it Who except fools or mad men would not cashier all wicked society for this with Christ Nay if thou love thy soul and thy Christ the Saviour of it thou must abandon it As David said Away from me ye wicked Psal 119. I will keep the commandements of my God so thou must say away ye wicked I will have communion with the body and bloud of Christ Be of his minde that thought one dayes fellowship with Christ to be more worth then all the world But remember that thy soul must be a beleeving soul or else thou wilt never draw water out of this well suck honie out of this Rock There are thousands in the Church who presume to come to the Sacrament and think they may have fellowship with Christ yet keep their old sins their old fellowship also who never look what faith they have to carrie Christ home But what ever they do be thou sure to follow Gods will and my counsell about it forsake all and follow Christ If thou say that thou maist come to the Sacrament long enough before thou be assured that thou doest take and receive the bodie and bloud of Christ I le tell thee that I have observed two wayes whereby thou maist get some comfortable witnesse in thy soul of it First by the Spirit of Christ His bodie and bloud were never dis-united from his divine nature How we may be assured that we receive Christ in the Sacrament Ezek. 1.21 Therefore where his body and bloud goes his spirit goes along with it As the Prophet saith the spirit of the horses were in the wheels so the spirit of Christ is in his body and bloud to make them act for thy good Doest thou then finde his spirit Mark what Paul saith where the spirit of Christ is there is a killing vertue to subdue the flesh Rom. 8.9 10 11. and a quickning vertue to raise you from the death of sinne to the life of grace If it
Job 21.14 Rom. 6. depart from me I desire not the knowledge of thy laws I will sinne that grace may abound 1 Cor. 15. let us â— at and drink for to morrow we shall die But let it not be so with thee Let thy soul move to God against sinne by confession and suits for pardon For grace by petitions and thankesgiving yea and for all other blessings that thou maist acknowledge him the fountain of them serve God with joyfulnes and gladnes of heart for the aboundance of all things Deu. 28.47 Use Thus maist thou my childe conceive what prayer is and therefore be sure that thine be such The wicked are ready to say Job 21.15 what is the Almighty that we should serve him Eph. 6.18 And what profit should we have if we should pray unto him But let thy soul alwayes move to God with all religion against sinne and for grace 1 Thes 5.17 If thy prayers be like the golden sockets of the holy lights boyling with speculations and not like the Bowles of the Altar full of the liquor of heavenly religion they will prove but like the Aegyptian flesh-pots reeking out the hot vapours of the onyons and garleek of thy own vain heart If they be fair words of uncharitable hearts they are like Ezekiahs bloudy pots Ezek. 24.6 that boyl with the scum of rust and lust But if they be the interpreters of a broken and bleeding soul moving to God they shall be Zacharies pots Zach. 14.20 and the bowles of the Altar sending up sweet incense which shall fill the whole heart with the savour as the house was filled with the odour of Maries oynment Joh. 12.3 The moving of thy feet to the assemblies of Gods people the moving of thy body by kneeling and beating thy breast and lifting up of hands and eyes to heaven the moving of thy tongue and lips will be nothing without this moving of thy heart and soul for fellowship with God in Christ Oh let thy heart move against sinne O Lord it hath oppressed me undertake for me My sinne in Adam my sinne of nature my sins of life in thought word and deed are before thee O pardon them for Christ his sake Let thy heart move for grace O Lord I want thy preventing grace thy assisting grace thy pardoning grace thy sanctifying grace thy sealing grace thy persevering grace Oh give them for Christ from Christ or else I die and perish Let thy heart move for all blessings O Lord I have nothing but under thee from thee Thou hast given me a naturall right to meat drink and apparel health peace and libertie Oh give me the right of a childe of an heir and accept my bodie and soul as holy living and acceptable sacrifices in Jesus Christ thy Sonne in whom thou art well pleased The God of heaven enlarge thy heart and give thee by his helping spirit Rom. 8.26 27. to vent thy soul with groanes and sighes that cannot be expressed These God that searcheth the heart and knowes the minde of the spirit will understand to thy eternall peace 37. Q. Where canst thou more fully learn the matter of prayer A. In that which is commonly called the Lords prayer The Lords prayer is the matter of prayer Thy blessed Saviour made many prayers which may bee called the Lords prayers but there is one which he hath set down as a doctrinall matter of prayer Matth. 6.9 when he saith after this manner pray ye and as a formall prayer when he saith Luk. 11.2 when ye pray say Our Father which is more peculiarly called the Lords prayer This is a brief comprehension of all confessions suits for or against of all intercessions and praises This hath the best authoritie in the world the wisedome of God the Son of God the onely beloved of God who is in the bosome of the Father and so of Gods nearest Court and nearest counsell This must give the graines of weight to all thy Petitions without which they will be found too light Vse Therefore my dear childe learn to pray from this thy blessed master Joh. 3.31 Christ that is from heaven is above all earthly masters will learn thee earthly prayers but he that is from heaven will learn thee heavenly Joh. 1. He is full of grace and truth for the perfections of thy understanding and of thy will He is the way wherein all thy prayers must walk to God Joh. 16.23 To aske in his name is to ask salvation and this is to ask himself which he cannot deny To ask in his name is to use his mediation and this is the right way to the throne of grace God the Father bears singular love to him Matth. 3.17 and and the efficacie of his merits are such as if they be presented in prayer they are powerfull and prevailing Revel 8.2 as the golden Altar before the throne on which are offred the prayers of all the Saints Wouldst thou have any grace learn of Christ to pray Wouldst thou forsake any sinne learn of Christ to pray Prayer is a most important dutie Dan. 6. Daniel chose it rather then to avoid Lions and David gave himself unto prayer Other duties are for certain seasons but this must must be continually in habit or act Luk. 18.1 Thou shalt finde thy self hardly drawn to prayer Easie businesses we are easily drawn unto because they are of quick dispatch but weightie businesses stick as the flaying of an Oxe at the head Thou must have many motives to draw thee to pray Christs command Christs promise Christs example and Christs doctrine This shews the weight of this dutie and how necessary it is to learn the matter of it from thy best Master Ob. Thou must think that every good Christian hath abilitie to pray and that therefore thou needest not learn Zach. 12.10 especially considering the promise I will powr out upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Sol. But understand that there is a double power and abilitie an inward power by which the heart moves and goes out of it self after God for all good This all good Christians have from the Spirit which they vent Rom. 8.26 by groanes and sighes which cannot bee expressed an outward power by which they are able distinctly to expresse the motions of their hearts about fit matter This they have not all neither hast thou Therefore must thou be willing to learn it from this blessed summe of Christ even all things to be hoped for I tell thee that it is much abused by three sorts of persons Ignorant persons who understand it not Impenitent persons who practise it not and carelesse and superstitious persons who minde it not in sence and power but rest in the emptie repetition of the words Be thou none of these know the words and sense of it use it as a penitent beleever and possesse the matter and contents of
him This was a poor provision Be you wiser and seeing your souls are spirits let them have spirituall provisions out of Gods Word Use 2 Secondly seeing the soul is a spirit joyn the soul to him that is a spirit Simile nutritur simili Every thing is nourished with that which is proportionable unto it The Lamb so soon as it is yeaned runs to the sides and dugs of the Ewe and the Chicken newly hatched covets the warm body and feathers of the Hen without which it thrives not so well so let your souls run to God that is a spirit He is the father of spirits who will provide for all of his image and superscription The Apostle hath an excellent expression He that is joyned or glewed as Joyners do boards to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 It would be a glorious priviledge to be one spirit with God that we may be made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 in the efficacie of it for our salvation This is the way joyn your souls to the Lord. They are joyned to the world and so they rot in a thousand vanities They are joyned to the flesh and so they perish in sin Oh let them be joyned to the Lord by faith in Christ working by love and then with the whole Church 1 Cor. 12.12 they shall be called Christ and according to their measure they shall fare no worse then Christ did Rom. 8.17 Luk. 24.26 first to suffer and then to enter into Glory Use 3 Thirdly seeing the soul is a spirit think of a better place for it then here You are apt to say with Peter Matth. 17. Master it is good for us to be here let us build Tabernacles Eccles 12. But Solomon tels you that the spirit returnes to him that gave it Let it learn the way now by having an heavenly conversation for it was not made for low places Fire is the driest and lightest element and it desires to be above and therefore it will burn up all combustible matter which lieth in the way So your souls are the divinest parts where should they desire to be Phil. 1. but to be dissolved and to be with Christ therefore secure that place for them Be acquainted with Gods infinite love and mercy in Christ Rest with confidence upon those merits and that intercession which are presented to God the Father in your room Love the Lord and the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Walk before God 2 Thes 3. Gen. 17. and be upright That when you dye you may be received into an everlasting habitation a place sutable for an high-born spirit Consider the order of creation and disturb it not God hath set the heaven above and the earth beneath and hath so framed us that our heads and our hearts are above to think upon heaven and to love and move to it and our feet and heels on the earth to teach us to set earthly commodities at our heels as the new-born Christians laid their money at the Apostles feet Act. 5. It is fearfull to see how ungodly men do disorder this course They set heaven at their heels and all earthly glory at their head and heart by thought loves and a thousand imbracings as if heaven were below and earth above But take you heed This is not the way to secure your souls they are spirits and should have better places then you lodge them in If you will be so earthy and neglect your own salvation there is a worse place even that where Judas is Act. 1. since he went unto his own place where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Thus you have the nature of the soul now consider the Castle of the soul The Castle of the soul is Gods hands Gods hands into thy hands Mark then that the safety of a soul lies in Gods hands Properly the hand is an outward bodily instrument for actions and executions But when it is referred to God he hath three sorts of hands Correcting Revenging and Protecting hands His correcting hand is spoken of in these words Psal 38.2 Thy hand presseth me sore that is thy correction His revenging hand is spoken of in these words Jud. 2.15 The hand of the Lord was against them for evill that is his corrections and judgements were out against them for their sins But his protecting hand is of two sorts Eternall and Actuall The eternall protecting hand of God is the counsell of his will Of this it is said that the Jews did to Christ whatsoever Gods hand and his counsell determined before to be done and no more This is a safe hand without and above exception for as many as were 〈◊〉 this hand and so ordained to eternall 〈◊〉 believed It will preserve them to his everlasting Kingdome The actuall protecting hand of God is either Extraordinary or ordinary The extraordinary protecting hand is that which he holds over some and but at some times as when it is said Ezek. 1.3 the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel that is the spirit of prophesie to guide and protect him in his propheticall way The ordinary protecting hand of God is threefold either General provision Psal 104.28 whereof the Psalmist speaketh thou fillest with thy hand every living thing that is thou providest for them or speciall favour whereof Luke speaketh Luk. 1.66 and the hand of the Lord was with him that is Gods speciall favour was with John Baptist from his infancy or the spirit of strength as when it is said of Elias 1 King 18.46 the hand of the Lord was on him that is he strengthened him with boldnesse and protected him against Ahab and Jezabel The issue is this when God doth provide for favour and protect the soul therein lies the safety of it And it is no wonder when you do consider what manner of hands Gods are What manner of hands God hath They are Holy hands They touch nothing in love but they are the better for them As when God sent an Angel with a coal from the Altar to touch the lips of the Prophet Esay Esa 6. he was the better for it and was very willing to go on his propheticall errand so much more when God toucheth our souls shall they be filled with all grace and goodnesse of which they are capable They are loving hands Cant. 2. therefore the Church cries out to Christ put thy hand under As when Ananias put his hands upon the blinde eyes of Paul Act. 9. they cured him and scales fell from his eyes and he saw plainly so when God toucheth our souls acts of grace love and bounty follow For love strives for such acts and all safety They are powerfull hands The little finger of the Lord is above all Rom. 8. therefore if God be on our side who can be against us His hands will guard us by a mighty power in all
ever He is not the best Archer that drawes the strongest Bowe and shoots the longest length but he that gives the best lose so he is the best Christian who hath so lived that he doth dye well Therefore be sure to have care of your souls in prosperitie adversitie and when death comes If you will ask me Reasons why you must havâ— such a care of your souls There is good cause why Because it is more to make soul good now then to create it at first Then there was onely Gods consultation 2 Cor. 5.19 A participle of the present time signifies a continuall terme of time without intermission Let us make man and his resolution and fiat let it be done and it was so but now God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself He was about it and is doing of it still and will never end till the world ends By how much harder it is to make a soul good by so much more you must care for your souls Secondly Matth. 16. nothing can make up the losse of a soul Christ saith What will it profit if a man gain the whole world and lose his own soul All that cannot make it up to us By how much greater the losse of a soul is by so much greater care must you have of your souls 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Thirdly the soul is not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ By how much more precious the soul is by so much more must you care for it Fourthly there is no proportion betwixt the whole world and the soul Satan will give all â—â— r that Matth. 4. and think himself to have a â—â— od bargain as you see in his offer to â— rist That which is more worth then â—â— e world you must have a speciall care â—â— f and such are your souls Lastly if you â— ose your souls the losse must be made â— p not onely to you Mic. 6.6 7. but to God whose â— hey are and I pray tell me wherewith â— ill you come before God and bow your â—â— lves to the most high God Will you come â— efore him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl Will you give your first born for your transgression and the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soul All will be found too little to make up the losse of your soul to God and surely that which is not in the power of man to make up if he lose it must be kept with all care Use 1 Weigh therefore the truth of which I have convinced you and try your cares for your souls and be provoked to be more carefull Hos 4.15 Though Israel play the Harlot saith Hosea yet let not Judah sinne and though all the world be carelesse yet be you carefull of your souls Josh 24.15 When Joshuah saw the wickednesse of Israel he said Choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord so say you let others suffer their souls like Lambs-grease to melt away in sinne yet I will have a care yea I will have care to keep my soul by Gods hands Ob. It may be you will say you have thiâ— care of your souls what ever men may think Sol. Then try and see impartially whaâ— you most pitch upon If a man could seâ— the whole care of men what could he finde One cares for the back another for the belly a third for worse but who cares for the soul That lies rotting in a thousand lusts though thou knowest not how soon thou shalt say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my brother and sister Indeed you come to the Congregations pray devoutly hear reverently note diligently But will ye be all ear All for carrying in nothing for carrying out from the strength of prayer and preaching To eat much and have no evacuation will soon stifle and suffocate nature so the poor soul will be choaked if from the strength of what it feeds upon it do not work for the Grace of Christ and against the sinnes of nature and life Therefore try as you love your souls try your care Use 2 Secondly be provoked to be more carefull for your souls and as Solomon saith Prov. 4. Guard thy heart with all diligence so say I of thy soul which is all one Say as one when he was tempted to do fearfull things against himself Had it not been for this soul I had not been here now Charles the fift when he was sollicited by a great Counsellour Antonius de Lena to cut off all the petty Princes of Germany and then he should rule alone Anima anima cried out My soul my soul Nay saith that Tyger if your Majesty have a soul give over your Empire The Emperour had a care of his soul this bloud-sucker had none God keep our King and all Christian Princes from such Counsellers in these distracted dayes and ever Let men prize souls at never so low a value have you a care of yours The soul is for Christ to live in by faith The soul is the Master-wheel of all our acts The soul is the chief seat of the image of God The soul is the maker of all our actions good if it be good it self So much good soul as is in every act so much goodnesse is in it Therefore care for your souls Remember that Christ died for souls He emptied himself of glory for souls He swet drops of bloud for souls He cried out I thirst for souls What He that endured so much could not he endure a little thirst at the last Yes yes He thirsted that all the prophesies might be fulfilled for the good of souls Esa 53. How we must care for cur souls He made his soul a sacrifice for sin for souls Shall he do so much to shew so great care and will not you care a little for your souls Q. It may be you will ask me how shall I care for my soul A. I answer do what thou canst to get it out of natures clawes a kinde mother is turned into a cursed mother-in-law Oh put off concerning your conversation in times past the old man and put on the new yea be changed in the spirit of your mindes Let Christ dwell in your souls by faith for this work This hath a preserving power to keep thy soul from rotting Joh. 3.16 he that believeth shall not rot and perish Keep thy soul from the lusts of sinne Put it to a daily task by meditation and prayer for an idle soul will be a sinning soul 2 Sam. 11. Let thy soul work all her works before God think that he stands by with a Pen of Iron Jer. 9. and point of a Diamond to engrave all thy sins and vertues for memory Acquaint thy soul with death Job 18.14 This is the King of terrours which will rouze thee from the dead sleep of security And lastly 2 Cor. 8.5 Give thy soul to God in Christ O Lord when thou committedst my soul to me in Adam I lost it Oh trust me no more As thou wilt not trust me with my life for thou hast hid my life in Christ so trust me not with my soul Thou hast bought it with a price 1 Cor. 6. therfore I humbly and heartily and trustingly commit it it into thy hands oh keep the soul of thy servant Now the God of Peace trample Satan under your feet shortly for the good of your souls and he sanctifie you in body soul and spirit that ye way be found blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Amen Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace and good will towards men FINIS
Christian He had so digested Christ into his soul by faith that he could speak nothing but Christian So let it be with thee This can faith do and it is wonderfull in our eyes Tell me next 28. Q. How is this faith confirmed and made stronger in thee A. By hearing the same Gospel preached and using the sacraments Here thou knowest the means which confirm thy faith and truly there is not a readier way to do it under God The Thessalonians heard the Gospel preached unto them 1 Thes 3.20 2 Thes 1.3 Prov. 4.18 and though at first there was something lacking in their faith yet as they heard the Gospel their faith grew exceedingly as just men their path was as the shining light which shined more and more unto the perfect day And for the sacraments it cannot seem strange that they should confirm thy faith For if I make a promise unto thee that I will give thee ten twenty thirty forty pounds if thou think me to be in earnest and to be able and willing to give it unto thee the oftener I promise it the more thou wilt beleeve it but if I set my hand and seal to it then thou art sure of it and maist sue me for it Such is the case betwixt God and thy soul He promises to give thee salvation by Jesus Christ if thou beleevest The oftener thi promise repeated the more thou beleevest But when God hath set it under his hand and seal in the word of God and sacraments now thou hast cause to beleeve it more and maist humbly sue him for it at the throne of Grace Vse Therefore my childe remember this Thou wilt presse after assurances and confirmations in every thing for thy body and estate why not for thy soul Thou would'st be sure of houses lands portion and health do what thou canst to be sure of salvation by Christ And because this is the way to hear the Gospel often that the word of grace may dwell richly in thee Col. 3. and to receive the sacraments as thou lovest the comfort of thy soul neglect them not Hear in season and hear out of season and as oft as thou canst ply the seals of Gods love that thy faith may be encreased If thou still doubtest whether yet thou shalt be saved or no God loves the importunity of his children Go to the throne of Grace and implead God Blessed God hast not thou promised that if I beleeve in Christ I shall be saved Hast not thou sent thy Ambassadours to tender this promise again Hast thou not set thy hand and seal to it in the word and sacraments Hast thou not made my heart go out of it self to rest upon thy blessed sonne onely Oh why do I languish in doubting despairs Why do I begin to sink for want of hold on my Saviour How long Lord how long Let the light of thy countenance shine upon me and I shall have peace Thus I have cleared to thee the means to beget and encrease faith and because the Sacraments are one therefore tell me 29. Q. What are Sacraments A. They are signes and seals of the righteousnesse of faith Here thou layest down the nature of Sacraments The nature of the sacraments By the righteousnesse of faith thou must understand that righteousnesse which thou hast by the Covenant of the Gospel that is the meritorious obedience of Christ for thee as thy surety rested upon by faith And the Sacraments Rom. 4.11 are signes and seals of this righteousnesse of faith They are signes because they signifie something unto thee Thou knowest that a picture or similitude upon a poste at an Inn or Ale-house house dore is called a signe because it signifies that thou maist have meat drink and lodging there for thy mony so is the Sacrament called a signe because it signifies something unto thee When thou seest the bread and wine set apart on the Lords table for this speciall service it signifies that God the father hath set apart and sealed Jesus Christ for thy salvation Joh. 6. The bread signifies the body of Christ The wine signifies the bloud of Christ The breaking of the bread signifies the suffering of Christ upon the crosse The powring out of the wine signifies the shedding of Christs bloud upon the crosse The Minister presenting these unto thee signifies God the Father whose Ambassadour he is offering unto thee his sonne for thy salvation and thy receiving of it into thy hand and mouth signifies thy faith by which thou makest Christ and his merit thy own Thus by these signes thou discernest the Lords body and bloud 1 Cor. 11. without which thou catest judgement to thy self which is damnable without repentance will in the issue prove thy damnation So in the other Sacrament of Baptisme water signifies the bloud merit and spirit of Christ laying on of the water as well as dipping and plunging signifies thy death and buriall with Christ Rom. 6. washing and cleansing signifies forgivenesse of sinnes and wiping off the water as well as rising out of it signifies our rising with Christ to a new holy and cleansed estate Sacraments are also seals As Abraham was said to have received the signe of Circumsion Rom. 4.11 as the seal of the righteousnesse of faith so doest thou receive our Sacraments Now thou knowest the use of seals among men When men make a bargain and set their hands and seals unto it then the bargain is concluded When men make a promise and set their hands and seals unto it then their promise is confirmed we have just cause to beleeve it When men convey houses and lands either to other and set their hands and seals to an instrument drawn to that end then those houses and land upon delivery are conveyed and therefore it is called a conveyance For such like reasons the Sacraments are called seals because they do conclude confirm and convey In the Sacrament there is a Covenant or bargain betwixt God Heb. 8.6 and thee Christ is called the Mediatour of a better Covenant Heb. 8.10 By this Covenant God promiseth that he will be to us a God even our God and we shall be to him a people Jer. 31.33 even his people By vertue of this he gives the forgivenesse of sinnes Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10 11 12. illumination sanctification experimentall knowledge and perseverance in the wayes of grace This blessing and blessed covenant is concluded in the Sacraments In Baptisme thou publikely enterest into this covenant Rom. 4.17 and that God who calleth things that are not as if they were is pleased to call thee a beleever not so much by vertue of thy parents faith as by vertue of his covenant to Abraham and his seed according to the flesh Act. 2.36 and according to the spirit which makes parents and their children one and in one covenant In the Lords Supper thou publikely renewest thy covenant Conscience tels thee
the throne a Sea of glasse Apoc. 4. such is the world to the Christian troublesome as the sea and transitory as glasse His ship that is the Church which like Noahs Ark floats upon the floud and makes him cry out as the Disciples in that storm save Master we perish His Merchandise that is true and heavenly wisdome Pro. 3.14 whose Merchandise is better then silver and whose gain is better then gold His losses that is his houses and lands Mar. 10. Matth. 16. his father mother wife children life yea and his soul too if he do not watch and pray and then what will it profit him to win the whole world if hee lose his owne soul Secondly a Merchant lends upon adventure He commits what he hath to the mercy of the sea to the unsafety of a ship which staggers up and down like a drunken man and is subject to many a storm and leak and to be indangered by Pyrats So doth a Christian If he look for comfort he casts his burthen upon the Lord and he knowes not when he shall have it If he look for faith peace joy in the Holy Ghost he casts himself upon the meanes and confidently adventures upon the truth of God If he looks for better times he casts the Anchor of hope because he hath them not and looks for new heavens 2 Pet. 3. and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse If he do but a work of mercy Eccles 11. he casts his bread upon the waters hoping after many dayes he shall finde it but he knowes not when the return will come If he finde his expectation to be fruitlesse he sayes as Peter to Christ we have laboured all night and have taken nothing yet at thy command I le cast down the Net and at last findes the successe answerable Thirdly a Merchant fetcheth in the commodities of every Country to enrich himself and his country the gold of Ophir the gummes and spices of Arabia and whatsoever he findes gain and glory in So doth the Christian If any thing be heard of truly good and honest Phil. 4. and of good report he thinks upon these things to do them He knowes how to distinguish betwixt base and valuable commodities If he meet with the superstition of Spain the pride of France the lust of Italy the drunkennesse of Germany he hates them even to the garment spotted of the flesh but whatsoever he meets withall that may be an honour to God an ornament to the Gospel an edification to his neighbour a comfort to his own soul that he brings home to inrich himself and others with it Fourthly a Merchant fetcheth all he hath from far As it is said of the good housewife she is like a Merchants ship Prov. 31. she fetcheth her food from a farre She fetcheth it from the earth to the house from the house to the wheel from the wheel to lomb from the lomb to her houshold her own and her husbands back Thus doth she her husband good and not evill all the dayes of her life So doth the Christian He looks to the earth to the Sea under the earth to the ayr yea and to the Church to espie what may be serviceable to him and his but yet he goes further He dares not make use of any thing he hath or can have before he knocks at the gate of heaven He sees an open trade driven betwixt Christ and his Church and he will not have gold nor rayment Apoc. 3. nor eye-salve no nor a crust of bread before he have beg'd the comfortable use of them from the great owner of heaven Vse Therefore I beseech you Christians be perswaded that it is not so easie to be a true Christian as most men think it to be You know the conceits of too many What is it but to beleeve in Christ and what is this belief but to trust in Christ upon the rotten grounds of their own hearts Oh but a Merchants life is full of care full of fear full of depending prayers full of hazards and losses and so certainly is a Christians also They are deceived that think to stretch themselves upon beds of Ivory Am. 6.4 to drink wine in bowles to eat the calves of the stall to invent instruments of Musick like and then to go to heaven in a Sedan Coach or Chariot as Elias The Kingdom of heaven must suffer violence and the violent take it by force Thorough Sea Land and a thousand difficulties doth a Merchant passe and so must you Ob. But doth not Christ say my yoak is easie why then are we frighted with danger and difficulty Sol. It is true that in many respects Math. 11. the yoak of Christ is easie and his burthen light In comparison of the yoak of Moses exacting perfect righteousnesse to justification or else cursing This was insupportable Act. 15. neither we nor our fathers were able to bear it In comparison of the yoak of worldly Princes These have a double yoak in penall statutes and voluntary decrees and resolves We would account our selves most miserable if we should be galled with the easiest of them In comparison of Adams yoak exacting the perfecting of the law of nature Posse perseverare non actum perseverandi for which he had a power of perseverance though not the act of it Alas we cannot do it we have not this power we cannot bear In comparison of the excellent helps we have to bear it Christ puts into one hand that we may pay him with the other Thus he saith they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 Therefore in these respects the yoak of Christ is easie But in respect of the duties of the Gospel and our weak natures to perform them it is very hard Put your souls to repent and beleeve to deny your selves to take up Christ and beleeve not onely to beleeve but to suffer for Christ to strive unto bloud to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live holily righteously and soberly in this present world to beat down the body and bring it in subjection to mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit not to care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it and to walk in simplicity and godly purenesse it is hard very hard therefore ye have cause to think of the life of the Merchant Yet this addes to the worth of the Gospel that this Christian Merchant trades in this Kingdome of heaven 3 What doth he trade for The commodity traded for is the Pearl Christ Pearles especially for that pearl of great price that godly pearl This represents Christ unto to you who is the Diamond heart and soul of the Gospel And in truth Christ is this pearl in five respects First in respect of rarenesse Pearls are not to be found in every ground nor Christ in every soul How many thousands are there where Christ dwels not It is as impossible not to see a