Iude v. 9. It is said of Michael the Archangel He durst not bring a railing accusation he had not the boldness when the Commandment of God was in his way 3. Many times we are doubtful of success and so our hands are weakned thereby we forbear duty because we do not know what will come of it Now a sense of Gods Authority and Command doth fortifie the heart against these discouragements Luk. 5. 5. Master we have toiled all the night howbeit at thy command we will cast down the net A poor soul that hath long lain at the Pool that hath been labouring following God from one duty to another and nothing comes sensibly of it Yet at thy command c. they will keep up their endeavours still This is the very case in the Text Blessed is the man that keeps thy precepts and that seeks him with the whole heart then presently Thou hast commanded that is though our obedience had no promise of reward and our felicity were not proposed as the fruit of it yet the command it self and the Authority of God is a reason sufficient 4. In some duties that are not evident by natural light as believing and owning of Christ the heart is more bound to them by the sense of a command than by any other encouragement It is Gods pleasure it should be so Ioh. 6. 29. This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ. It is enough to set a servant about his work in that it is his masters pleasure Thou dost not stand disputing whether thou shouldst repent or no obey or no abstain from fleshly Idols yea or no or from fornication and why should you stand aloof from the work of faith and doubt whether you should believe or no We have many natural prejudices but this his command is a mighty relief to the soul It is his command we should believe in his Son It is not only a matter of comfort and priviledg but also a matter of duty and obedience and therefore though we have discouragements upon us I am unworthy to be received to mercy yet this will bend the heart to the work God is worthy to be obeyed it is his Commandment Thou dost not question whether thou shouldst grieve for thy sins why should you question whether you believe in Christ If God had only given us leave to believe we could not have had such an advantage as now he hath interposed his authority and commanded us to believe Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice Phil. 4. If God had only given us leave to refresh our selves in a sense of his love it were an unvaluable mercy but we have not only leave to rejoice but a charge 't is our duty to work up our heart to a comfortable sense of the love of God and a fruition of his favour 5. Obedience is never right but when it is done out of a Conscience of Gods authority intuitu voluntatis the bare sight of Gods will should be reason enough to a gracious heart it is the will of God it is his command So it is often urged 1 Thes. 4. 3. the Apostle bids them follow holiness for this is the will of God your Sanctification And servants should be faithful in their burdensome and hard labours 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men And 1 Thes. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you That 's argument enough to a a godly Christian that God hath signified his will and good pleasure though the duty were never so cross to his own desires and interests They obey simply for the Commandment sake without any other reason and inducement There is indeed ratio formalis and ratio motiva there are incouragements to Gods service but the formal reason of obedience is Gods will And this is pure obedience to do what he wills because he wills it The Uses are 1. To exhort thee to take this course with thy naughty heart when it hangs back from any duty or from any course of strictness urge it with the authority of God these precepts are not the advices and counsels of men who wish well to us and who would advise us to the best but they are the commands of God who must and will be obeyed Or when thou art carried out to any sin it is forbidden fruit there 's a commandment in the way and that 's as terrible to a gracious heart as an Angel with a flaming sword To back these thoughts let me propound a few Considerations Consider 1. God can command what he will he is absolute his will is the supreme reason of all things It is notable that God backs his Laws with the consideration of his Soveraignty you shall do thus and thus why I am the Lord that 's all his reason Lev. 18. 4 5. it is repeated in that and many places in the next Chapter The Papists speak much of blind obedience obeying their superiors without enquiring into the reason of it Surely we owe God blind obedience as Abraham obeyed God not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. Iohn Cassian makes mention of one who willingly fetched water near two miles every day for a whole year together to pour it upon a dead dry stick at the command of his superiour when no reason else could be given for it And I have read of another who professed that if he were enjoin'd by his superiour to put forth to sea in a Ship that had neither Mast Tackling nor any other Furniture he would do it and when he was asked how he could do this without hazard of his discretion he answered The wisdom must be in him that hath power to command not in him that hath power to obey Thus do they place merit in this blind obedience in giving up their wills absolutely to the power of their superiour Certainly in Gods commands his Soveraignty is enough the uttermost latitude of this blind obedience is due to him if he hath said it is his will how contrary soever it be to our reason lusts interests it must be done It is enough for us to know that we are commanded To command is Gods part and to obey that 's ours whatever shall be declared to be his will and pleasure 2. God can most severely punish our disobedience and therefore his commands should have a power upon us Iam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy with a destruction indeed and salvation indeed so there is but one Law-giver in this sense He truly hath potestatem vitae necis God hath the power of life and death why because he can punish with eternal death and bestow eternal life 3. He is neither ignorant nor forgetful of our prevarications and disobedience The Rechabites were tender of the Commandment of their dead Father Ier. 35. who could not take cognizance of their actions Our father commanded us certainly we should be tender of the commands of the great God Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are
found out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a first mover and a first cause but when and how the world was made they were left in uncertainties which was first the Egg or the Hen the Oak or the Acorn Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear A child is taught more than they could find out by their profound researches So concerning the Fall of Man Conscience will inform us of a distinction between good and evil and Heathens by the light of Nature could speak of Vertue and Vice as moral perfection and a deordination but nothing of sin and righteousness relating to a Covenant and whence this mischief began they knew not They complained of Nature as of a Step-mother observed an inclination to evil more than to good that vices are learned without a Teacher that man is born into the world crying beginneth his life with a punishment but the first spring and rise of evil was a secret to them but clearly discovered to us Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Mans restitution and redemption by Christ is wonderful indeed 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory This could not be found by man how could they know the free purposes of Gods Grace unless God revealed them This is the Mystery of Mysteries which Angels desire to pry into 1 Pet. 1. 12. So excellent and ravishing a Mystery is this plot of salvation of lost sinners by Christ incarnate that the very Angels cannot enough exercise themselves in the contemplation of it So union with Christ and communion with him a Mystery that Nature could never have thought of Gods keeping a familiar correspondence with his Creatures Gods dwelling in us our dwelling in God 1 Iohn 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit Words we should not dare to have used if God had not used them before us it would have lookd like blasphemy to speak so if we had not the warrant of Scripture So the resurrection of the body and life eternal they are all wonders 2 Tim. 1. 10. But is now made manifest by the appearance of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Heathens might dream of a life after death but could never understand it distinctly It is brought to light Their wise men saw it like the blind man who saw Men walking like Trees or a Spire at a distance no clearness no certainty Lord thy testimonies are wonderful Thirdly It is wonderful for purity and perfection The Decalogue in ten words compriseth the whole Duty of man and reacheth to the very soul and all the motions of the heart All the precepts of morality are advanced to the highest perfection Those fragments and sorry remainders of the light of Nature that have escaped out of the ruines of the Fall will shew us the necessity of a good life But the word of God calleth for a good heart a regeneration as well as a reformation not only abstaining from acts of sin but lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims that ye abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Not only the outward work but the spirit that is weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary Prov. 16. 2. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits It mightily establisheth faith fear and love to God as the essential Graces When we consider Duty in the lump we have no admiting thoughts but when we look abroad into all the parts and branches of obedience whereunto the Law diffuseth it self then the holiliness which the Law requireth is admirable then we see it no easie matter to serve this holy and jealous God it is no easie matter to go to the bottom of this perfection Fourthly It is wonderful for the harmony and consent of all the parts All Religion is of a piece and one part doth not interfere with another but conspireth to promote the great end of subjection of the Creature to God The Law hath a mighty subserviency to the Gospel and the first Covenant shutteth up the sinner immediately under the curse that mercy may open the door to him The Gospel is first darkly revealed and still it groweth as the light doth till noon-day At first an obscure intimation The seed of the woman to Abraham In thy seed which after was repeated to Isaac to cut off Ishmael then to Iacob to cut off Esau yet not what Tribe Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor the Lawgiver from between his feet till Shilo come yet not what Family of Iudah to David 2 Sam. 7. 13. I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever then Isai. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and call his name Immanuel then Iohn the Baptist Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world points with a finger to Christ. This while in short the Scriptures do so set forth the mercy of God as that the duty of the Creature is not abolished so offers Grace as not to exclude our care and use of means Justification and Sanctification promote one another all is ordered with good advice 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Thus the wonderful harmony order and consent of all the parts with respect to the great end which was the glorifying of God and the subjection of the Creature demonstrate the wonderfulness of Gods testimonies The glorifying of Gods Grace and Mercy in those that are saved and his Justice in those that are damned With respect to this God made man upright furnished with abilities to do his will but mutable and in case of a Fall to begin with a new Covenant He will have his mercy honoured without prejudice to his justice the comfort of the Creature established so as Duty not abolished not all of commands nor all of promises but these interwoven that they may serve one another A Promise at the back of a Command to make it effectual Command besides a Promise to cause humbling neither looseness nor rigour If the Covenant had been left to our ordering it had been a confused business Now it is wonderfully suited God keepeth up his Dominion and Sovereignty notwithstanding his Grace and condescension Justice hath full satisfaction yet Grace glorified Fifthly Wonderful for the
est Debitor saith Aquinas quia non est ad alia ordinatus reddit Debita nulla debet His Covenant doth inferr a Debt of Favour not of Justice We may challenge him upon his promise Psal. 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope But God doth it not with respect to our work but his own promise In Covenants of Justice between man and man there is a proportion and correspondence between the Conditions on the one part and the other In the Covenant between God and us is a Deed of favour containing large Grants of Priviledges and noble Conditions upon terms and restipulations which had no proportion to the favours granted As if some Prince or Person of Honour should out of pure love to a poor mean Virgin that hath no Portion covenant to give her a rich Dowry and Joynture suitable to his own degree so doth God with us in the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 16. 8. Now when I passed by thee and looked on thee behold thy time was a time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto thee saying Yea I have loved thee with 〈◊〉 everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Indeed in the Covenant of Works Justice hath a greater predominant influence than Grace though in exact Justice God is not bound to remunerate us there neither Seventhly The Conditions in both Covenants were suitable to the ends and scope appointed In the first Covenant God would shew forth Justice in rewarding mans works and his own obedience Now what more suitable condition than works without the least indulgence in case of failing Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them And what more suitable to shew forth Grace than the condition of Faith required by the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it was of faith that it might be of Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all So he would make it full of comfort to the Creature and honour to his Justice 2. The differences between these two Covenants First They differ in the ends both as to man and God First As to man The end of the first Covenant was to preserve and continue man in that happiness wherein it found him and in which he was created but the Covenant of Grace was for the reparation and restitution of mankind to that happiness which he had lost and from which he had fallen The Law saith to man in his best his pure and perfect estate Continue in it it speaketh to the innocent That they may continue in their original happiness The Gospel saith Be ye reconciled and renewed 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead Be ye reconciled to God for it speaketh to the fallen and miserable it is a restitution of what was lost and redeeming us from misery and sin The one was made with man in statu instituto as he came out of Gods hand in his primitive integrity when he was a lively resemblance of God and his abilities for obedience not yet broken The other Covenant was made with him in statu destituto when at the worst sinful and wretched in his fallen estate disabled for obedience to God Rom. 8. 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh. In the one there was perfect amity between the Confederates God and Adam and this Covenant was made for the continuance and standing thereof but there was enmity and distance between the Parties when the New Covenant was set afoot and this was to be taken away and the breach made up and therefore it is called a Covenant of Peace Isai. 54. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Secondly As to God In the one God is considered as a gracious and merciful Redeemer who being displeased with them for the breach of the first Covenant did enter into a new Covenant to shew the riches of his Grace and mercy Eph. 1. 6. Unto the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Man fallen was not a suitable object of Gods love as man in innocency he was then lovely and an alluring object because of the beauty God had put upon him but now he was loathsome like an Infant in his blood and filthiness Ezek. 16. 6 7 8. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field and thou hast encreased and waxed great and thou art come to excellent ornaments thy breasts are fashioned and thy hair is grown whereas thou wert naked and bare Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine saith the Lord. Therefore God had a different end as to himself The Glory of his creating bounty was the end in the old Covenant the Glory of his redeeming Grace and pardoning mercy was the end in the new Covenant shewed in the recovery of lost sinners In the one he intended the advancement of those Attributes that were known to man by the law and light of Nature as Wisdom Power Goodness Bounty and Justice Psal. 8. 9. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth The end of the Covenant of Grace was to set forth redeeming mercy Rom. 5. 22. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. If the Creature had never been in misery mercy had never been known and Grace had not been so glorious as in giving Christ. All the natural Attributes of God receive a new lustre in Christ. 2. They differ in their nature The Covenant of Works stood more by Commands and less by Promises but the Covenant of Grace standeth more by Promises and less by Commands therefore called the Promise Gal. 3. 18. For if the inheritance be
loved from the grave for so it is in the Hebrew Isa. 38. 17. Thou hast loved my soul from the pit of destruction To be loved out of a danger and loved out of a sickness oh that 's a blessed thing USE 1. To acknowledg the Lords goodness in these common mercies We did not give life to our selves and we cannot keep it in our selves God made us and God keepeth us It was not our Parents that fashioned us in the womb they could not tell what the child would prove male or female beautiful or deformed They could not tell the number or posture of the veins or bones or muscles it was all the curious workmanship of a wise God and it is the same God that hath kept us hitherto Isa. 46. 3 4. By me ye are born from the belly and carried from the womb even to old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carry you c. We have been supported and tenderly handled by God as Parents and Nurses carry their younglings in their arms Many times wanton children are ready to scratch the faces of those that carry them so have we put many affronts upon him yet to the very last doth he carry us in the arms of his Providence In infancy we were not in a capacity to know the God of our mercies and to look after him but nevertheless he looked after us Afterwards we knew how to grieve him and offend him long before how to love and serve him Oh how early did our naughty hearts appear and all along how little have we done for God in whom we live and move and have our being He is not far from us in the effects of his care and Providence but we are far from him by the distance of our thoughts and affections by the carnal bent of our hearts It is a good mornings-exercise for us humbly and thankfully to consider of his continual mercies For Gods compassions are new every morning Lam. 3. 22. as fresh as if never tired with former acts of grace nor wearied with former offences It is some recompence for the time of sleep half our time passeth away and we do not shew one act of love and kindness unto God therefore as soon as we are awakened we should be with God Psal. 139. 18. How many are gone down to the Chambers of death since the last night 2. It quickneth us to love and serve God who is the strength of our lives and the length of our days Deut. 30. 20. Thy life is wholly in Gods hands Man cannot add a cubit to his stature nor make one hair white or black at his own pleasure It is the Lords Providential influence that keepeth thee alive in point of gratitude thou shouldst serve him Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live But I may urge also in point of hope Gods servants can best recommend themselves to his care and keeping by prayer and expect to walk continually under divine protection Those that provoke God continually they may be continued by the bounty and indulgence of his providence but yet they can look for no such thing and in the issue it proveth to be in wrath for their sins are more and judgments greater it is but to treasure up wrath to the day of wrath 3. If life temporal be the fruit of Gods bounty much more life eternal Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life One is wages the other a gift 4. It informeth us that we may lawfully pray for life with submission to the will of God and that death may not come upon us suddenly contrary to the ordinary course of nature I was loth to make a distinct doctrine of it yet I could not decline the giving out of this Truth How will this stand with our desires of dissolution and willingness to depart and to be with Christ which certainly all Christians that believe Eternity should cherish in their hearts To this I answer 1. by concession That we are to train up our selves in an expectation of our dissolution that we may be willing when the time is come and God hath no more work for us to do in the world we are to awaken our desires after the presence of Christ in Heaven to shew both our faith in him and love to him Since Christ was willing to come down to us though it were to meet with shame and pain why should we be loth to return to him Iacob's spirit revived when he saw the Waggons which Ioseph sent to carry him Death is the Chariot to carry you to Christ and therefore it should not be unwelcome to us 2. By correction though it be lawful and expedient to desire death yet we are not anxiously to long after it till the time come there may be sin in desiring death as when we grow weary of life out of desperation and the tiresomeness of the Cross and there may be grace in desiring life that we may keep his word longer express our gratitude to him here in the world to mourn for sin to promote his glory More fully to make this evident to you I shall shew how we may desire death how not To answer in several propositions 1. There is a great deal of difference between serious desires and passionate expressions The desires of the children of God are deliberate and resolved conceived upon good grounds after much strugling with flesh and blood to bring their hearts to it Carnal men are loth that God should take them at their word as he in the Fable that called for death and when he came desired him to help him up with his burden Alas they do not consider what it is to be in the state of the dead and to come unprovided and unfurnished into Gods presence We often wish our selves in our graves but if God should take us at our word we would make many pauses and exceptions Men that in their miseries call for death when sickness cometh will run to the Physician and promise many things if they may be recovered None more unwilling to dye than those that in a passion wish for death 2. We must carefully look to the grounds of these wishes and desires Carnal wishes for death arise either 1. out of violent anger and a pet against Providence as Jonah 4. 8. The Sun beat upon the head of Ionah that he fainted and wished in himself to dye and said it is better for me to dye than live The children of Israel murmured when they felt the Famine of the Wilderness Exod. 16. 3. And the children of Israel said unto them Would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt c. When men are vexed with the world they look upon death as a relief to take vengeance upon God to deprive him of a servant 2. In deep sorrow as Iob 3. 3. Elijah 1 King 19. 4. He requested for himself that
been so long owned in the world and his knowledge so far propagated why should we dream of any other way of salvation To us there is but one God and one faith The good-fellow-gods of the Heathen could brook company and partnership but the true God will be alone acknowledged As the Sun drowns the light of all the Stars so Godwill shine alone No man can be saved without these two things without a fixed intention of God as our last end and a choice of Jesus Christ as the only way and means of attaining thereunto These things are set down in Scripture as of infallible necessity to salvation and therefore though there be several apprehensions and contentions about ways of salvation and righteousness yet there 's but one true Religion and all other ways are false Prop. 3. As soon as any begin to be serious they begin to have a conscience about the finding out this one only true way wherein they may be saved Alas before men take up that Religion which the chance of their education offers without examination or any serious reason of their choice they walk in the language of the Prophet according to the trade of Israel they live as they are born and bred and take up truth and error as their faction leads them or else pass from one Religion to another as a man changeth his room or bed and make a slight thing of opinions and float up and down like light chaff in a various uncertainty according as their company or the posture of their interest is changed But a serious and an awakened conscience will be careful to lay the ground-work of Religion sure they build for Eternity therefore the foundation needs to be well laid The woman of Samaria as soon as she was touched at heart and began to have a conscience she began also to have doubtful thoughts about her estate and Religion Christ had convinced her of living in Adultery by that means to bring her to God but now she would fain know the true way of Worship Joh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship They that have a sense of Eternity upon them will be diligent to know the right way The same errand brought Nicodemus to Christ Joh. 3. 2. Master we know that thou art a teacher come from God He would fain know how he might come to God So the young Nobleman in the Gospel Matt. 19. 16. Good Master what good thing shall I do that I might have eternal life Though he disliked the bargain afterwards yet he cheapens it and asks what way he must take For a great while persons have only a memorative knowledg some apprehension which doth furnish their talk about Religion and after their memory is planted with notions then they are without judgment and conscience but when they begin to have a judgment and a conscience then it is their business to make Religion sure and to be upon stable terms with God Prop. 4. When we begin to have a conscience about the true way we must enquire into the grounds and reasons of it that we may resolve upon evidence not take it up because it is commonly believed but because it is certainly true not take it up by chance but by choice not because we know no other but because we know no better It is not enough to stumble upon Truth blindly but we must receive it knowingly and upon solid conviction of the excellency of it comparing doctrine with doctrine and thing with thing and the weak grounds the adversaries of the truth have to build upon The precepts of the word are direct and plain for this 1 Thes. 5. 22. Prove all things hold fast that which is good And 1 Joh. 4. 1. Try the spirits whether they are of God There must be trying and searching and not taking up our Religion meerly by the dictates of another The Papists are against this which argueth a distrust of their own doctrine they will not come to the waters of Jealousie lest their belly should swell and their thigh rot They dare not admit people to tryal and choice and give them liberty to search the Scriptures whereas Truth is not afraid of contradiction they first put out the light then would have men shut their eyes But what do they alledg since we are bidden to prove all things and to try the spirits That these places belong to the Doctors of the Church and not to the people But that exception is frivolous because the Apostolical Epistles were directed to the body of the people and they who are advised to prove all things are such as are charged to respect those that are over them in the Lord v. 12. and not to despise prophecies v. 20. and then prove all things v. 21. and in another place those that he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little children them he adviseth to try the spirits all that have a care of their salvation should thus do Eusebius doth mention it as one of the errors of Apelles that what he had taught them they should not pry into and examine but take it and swallow it And Mahomet forbids his followers to enquire into their Religion Object But is every private Christian bound to study Controversie so as to be able to answer all the adversaries of the Truth I answer No it is a special gift bestowed and required of some that have leisure and abilities and it it a duty required of Ministers and Church guides to convince gain-sayers and stop their mouths Ministers must be able to hold fast the truth the word is Tit. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holding fast the faithful word it signifies holding fast a thing which another would wrest from us we should be good at holding and drawing to preserve the Truth when others would take it out of our hands otherwise he tells us Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in faith receive but not to doubtful disputations Yet every true Christian is so far to be setled in the true Religion and study the grounds of it that he may be fully perswaded in his own mind Rom. 14. 5. and may not be like chaff but may be at a certainty in the way of truth Surely the business is worthy our serious care Eternal life and death are not trifles therefore be not rash in this but go upon sure evidence 1. The Providence of God doth necessitate us to such a course Because there are different ways propounded to man therefore he must follow all or take up one upon evidence Not only in point of practice as life and death is set before us Deut. 30. 15. and the broad way and the narrow Mat. 7. 13 14. not only to counterwork the rebellions of the flesh and the way of wisdom and folly Prov. 9. No but in matters of opinion and controversie about Religion there will meet us several ways Ier.
understanding heart to judg thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judg this thy so great a people And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing Oh beg it of God 1. The way of Gods statutes is worthy to be found by all 2. So hard to be found and kept by any 3. It is so dangerous to miss it that this should quicken us to be earnest with God 1. It is so worthy to be found it is the way to eternal life and escape eternal death and in matters of such a concernment no diligence can be too much Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise to depart from hell beneath It is the way that leadeth to life and true happiness 2. It is so hard to find and keep it is a narrow way Mat. 7. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it There is defect here excess a gracious spirit that would keep with God in all things is sensible of the difficulty there are many ways that lead to Hell but one way to Heaven 3. It is so dangerous to miss it in whole or in part in whole you are undone for ever in part in every false Religion such disadvantages so little of Gods presence and the comforts of his spirit 1 Cor. 3. 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire A man should look after the most clear and safe way to Heaven 2. Doct. That Divine Teaching is earnestly desired by Gods children How often doth David repeat this Request These expressions are strange to us who as soon as we have gotten a little knowledg think we know as much as we need to know and are wise enough to guide our way without further direction but they are not so to the People of God Reason 1. It is an hard matter to understand a thing spiritually and as it ought to be understood there is an understanding of things litterally and a spiritual discerning 1 Cor. 2. 14. A natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned There is a knowing things at random and by a general knowledg and a knowing things as we ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know there is a knowing the truth as in Jesus Ephes. 4. 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus It is not every sort of knowledg that is saving a man may go to hell with speculative light that never reacheth the heart such as is practical and operative the Scripture presseth knowledg and the modus of it 2. Gods children are sensible of their own insufficiency and so of the need of a constant dependance upon God sound and saving knowledg is ever humble they have clearer light than others and so best see their own defects Prov. 30. 2. Surely I am more bruitish than any man and have not the understanding of a man and are too most sensible of corruptions and see most of the excellency of the Object 1 Cor. 8. 2. If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know they study their own hearts and so are conscious to many weaknesses they know how easily they are misled by the wiles of Satan and the darkness of their own hearts whereas a presumptuous Formalist goeth on boldly and in the confidence of his own wit runneth headlong into Temptations 3. Their strong affection to knowledg they desire to know more for there is more still to be learned in the Word of God though taught in part they see what a small measure of knowledg they have attained unto till they attain the Beatifical vision they are never satisfied Hos. 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord still increasing and bettering their notions concerning the things of God 4. Their great care that they may not go astray nor offend in matter or manner or Principle and end they whose hearts are set upon exact walking would fain know what God would have them to do in every action and in every circumstance Lord teach me let thy holy Spirit guide me and direct me in performing acceptable obedience to thee It was Davids resolution v. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart Now we have his prayer for direction in this verse Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes I would know it that I may keep it 'T is a very troublesome condition to a child of God when he is in the dark and knoweth not what to do and is forced to walk every step by guess and cannot find the ground sure under him The conflict between duty and danger doth not trouble so much as between duty and duty John 12. 35. He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth Oh it is a sad Judgment to wander in a maze of confusions and to be like those that thought to go to Dothan and found themselves in Samaria 2 Kings 6. 20. Well then the Use is Have we this temper of Gods People do we look after spiritual Knowledg such as will not only store the head with notions but enter upon the heart are we sensible of our weakness and Satans wiles and that God that hath begun the work must perfect it do we make it our happiness to grow rich in knowledg and better our apprehensions concerning God and the things of God would we understand every point of duty that we may fulfill it as face answereth to face in water so should heart to heart the heart of one child of God to another Doct. 3. All that teaching that we expect or get from God must still be directed to Practice Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end 1. This is Gods intention in teaching therefore should be our end in learning The end of sound knowledg is obedience Deut. 4. 5 6. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments even as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it Keep therefore and do them for this is thy wisdom Others do little more than learn them by rote when they know them only to talk of them or fashion their notions and plausible opinions that they may hang together 2. It is not the knowing but obeying will make us happy We desire to know the way that we may
full assurance of understanding The best have but a fluctuating doubting knowledge of spiritual Truths Not a full assurance and Perswasion of them Therefore we need to ask Establishment Thirdly consider the Utility and Profit of it when once the Word is established to us we shall know how to Live and how to Dye and upon what terms to maintain Comfort and Holiness whereas otherwise men Live loosly and carelesly 4. Heb. 2. The Word Profited not not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Until the word of God be owned as it is a divine and infallible Truth it hath no Efficacy upon us When it is received meerly by Conjecture as a Possible truth it works but weakly I but then it profits when we receive the word of God as the Word of God as a certain truth when the soul comes to determine surely these are truths in which I am deeply concerned upon which my eternal Life or Death doth depend without this God can have no service and we no Comfort but are at a great uncertainty of Spirit On the other side let me tell you that all our Coldness in Duty and all our Boldness in sinning it comes from unbelief 1. Our Coldness in Duty What 's the reason when God offereth such great things to us as the eternal enjoyment of himself Glory Comfort and Happiness as much as heart can wish that men are so dead hearted liveless and careless in the ways of God when our work is so good our ways so Excellent what 's the reason of all our Coldness and Carelesness in the Profession of Religion We have not a lively Sense of Eternity we do not bellive God upon his word if we did it would put Life into us Saith the Apostle 3 Phil. 14. This one thing I mind and I press towards the work Why For the prize of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ. When we mind our work seriously and above all other things not superficially and by the By when we can see the prize of our high calling as to run and hold the eye upon the mark then he presseth onward that he may not lose the garland So when we feel the rewards of Grace when we are perswaded of them this puts Spirit into us and encourageth us against all deadness and faintness I press on ward then with a great deal of vehemency and earnestly So 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord here is the description of a Godly man How shall we do to keep the heart in such an earnest frame By a sound Belief of the Promises for so it follows for as much as you know that your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord If holiness doth not flourish there is a Worm at the Root Atheism and Unbelief lies at the heart and the want of such an assent to those great and glorious Promises which God hath made known to us in Christ. 2. Our boldness in sinning Why do men go on securely in ways of disobedience against God because they do not know whether the Word be true yea or no. If a man had Heaven and Hell in his Eye if he were soundly perswaded of these things certainly he would not venture the loss of Heaven for a trifle and would not upon such small temptations run the hazard of everlasting torments You cannot drive an ass the most stupid creature into the fire which is burning before his eyes So if these things were before our eyes we would not be so bold with God and so daring as we are Temptation to sin must needs prevail with us when we have not Faith for when the Temptation is strong and Faith weak where are we A man will yield to his base Lusts for there is present profit present pleasure and we have no undoubted certainty of the rewards of obedience and of the promises which are to be set against the Temptation But now when we consider we have so great and precious Promises this will make us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit we will not easily sin against God kick against the pricks and run upon danger laid before our eyes In vain is the snare laid in the sight of a Bird. Use 1. To reprove us for looking so little after the establishment of the Word There are many that content themselves with a loose profession of the name of Christ but are not established in a sound Belief of the Scriptures Ask them why they are of this and that Religion They have been taught so been brought up in it and so they might have been Mahometans upon the same account that they are Christians if they had been bred there where the name of Mahomet is of more request than the name of Christ. But then there are others that live by guess and carry on some natural Devotion but their Souls were never acquainted with the mystery of Grace never soundly established in it they have a conjecture There are others that can dispute for their Religion that see a reasonableness in the Christian Faith and why they should be of this Opinion rather than that I but their hearts were never subdued to God Hath the Spirit established Divine truths upon thy Soul and wrought these things upon thy heart hath it convinced thy Judgment awakned thy Conscience changed thy heart given thee any taste of Gods love in Christ drawn thee out of the World into near and sweet Communion with God truths are by him establisht to us and represented with evidence and power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Alas all else we can attain to is but cold and fruitless notion which will not warm the heart some cursory opinions that will not hold thy heart under the awe of God and guide thee in the paths of Holiness to eternal Life and therefore rest not in this that you have some knowledge concerning Christ and priviledges by him But are your hearts established have you a sence of these truths wrought in you by the Holy Ghost Use 2. It exhorteth us to use the means whereby the Word may be established 1. Chiefly observe Experiences how it is accomplished in the course of Gods Providence and inward feeling of thy own heart What answers of Prayer have you when you have been wrestling with God and putting his Promises in Suit at the Throne of Grace Every day God is fulfilling one Promise or another to train us up to look for more at his hands That we may trust him for our Inheritance and our final Blessing he first giveth us a proof of his Truth in lesser matters The more you observe the dealings of God with your own Souls and the fulfilling his Word to you the more will your heart be confirmed against Atheism and established in the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scripture It concerns us much to look to this that our hearts be firmly setled against Atheism especially when
such Errors are abroad and Divisions in the Church and the name of God is Blasphemed Now by these daily mercies doth God stablish his Word makes it good to your Souls Psal. 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is a tried Word there is more than Letters and Syllables God standeth to it it is a tryed word When you have challenged him you have found the Scripture fulfilled upon appeals to God and applications to the Throne of Grace When you have been pleading with God Lord is not this thy hand-writing the Promises thou hast made to thy people The Lord hath answered this from Heaven and said yea this is my Promise He hath given in an answerable Promise 2. It ingageth you to dependance and assurance of Faith Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee For thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Whosoever hath observed Gods dealings will see God is to be trusted he may be depended upon if he hath said any thing in his Word they that know thy name they that have acquainted themselves with God and the course of his dispensations The Promises will not lie by as a dead stock Psal. 116. 1 2. God hath heard my voice and my supplications therefore will I call upon him as long as I live This is that which will quicken you to rejoyce in God and to a holy thankfulness when you compare his Word with the effects of it when you see how it is made good Psal. 56. 10. In God will I praise his word In the Lord will I praise his word A single mercy is not so much nor so engaging upon our hearts to thankfulness as when observing the mercy hath been the fruit of a Promise This hath been the practice of Gods Saints Ioshuah takes notice of it Iosh. 23. 14. Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you 1 Kings 8. 56. There hath not failed one word of all his good Promises which he hath promised by the hand of Moses his Servant You will often find the very Letter of the Promise made good in the course of Gods dealings and if you would but observe his daily Providence you would be trained up in more waiting upon God for your final Blessings Secondly Let us come to the Person for whom he prayes Stablish thy Word but to whom to thy Servant Here note Doct. That Particular Application of general Promises is necessary This word which he would have to be established was most likely to be a Promise of Sanctification for in the former verse he had prayed for Mortification and vivification and now for Sanctification But be it any other Promise certainly that word which was made to others was likewise made to me as if he had been specified therein by name Thus must general truths be taken home by particular application that they may lye the closer to our hearts Psal. 27. The offer of Gods Favour is general seek ye my Face but the application is particular to himself Lord I will seek thy face David takes it as spoken to him in particular So Psal. 1â—…6 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and then truly Lord I am thy Servant and the Son of thy handmaid The comfort concerned all Gods Children the life and death of the Saints is very precious in the eyes of God he hath a particular care over them and tells all their bones now Lord saith David let me have the comfort of this promise I am thy Servant So 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying c. whereof I am chief This holy Art should we learn of creeping under the covert of a Promise and working our selves by Faith into the comfort of it But rather Secondly you may observe the Character that he puts upon himself Thy Servant David was a King but at the Throne of Grace he stiles himself Gods Servant the fittest title that he could use when he prays for Grace Hence note Doct. He that is a Servant of God may seek and expect Grace from him Here I shall shew 1. Who is Gods Servant 2. Why we must use this Plea when we come to have promises accomplished First Who is Gods Servant I Answer He that dedicates himself to Gods use and he that lives under a sense and conscience of his Dedication 1. He that dedicates himself to Gods use We are Gods Servants by Covenant and voluntary Contract 'T is true our service is due to him upon other accounts but we enter into it by contract It is due by vertue of Creation for he made us out of nothing therefore we owe him all that we have and thus all Creatures were made for Gods Service Psalm 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine Ordinances for all are thy Servants Heaven and Earth and Sun and Moon and Stars and Beasts and every creeping thing and every Plant and Herb they all serve God according to the ends for which they were made But especially Men and Angels they were made for Gods use immediately Other things were made ultimately and terminatively for God Man immediately for God Psal. 103. 21. The Angels are his Ministers and so is Man Gods Servant And then by the right of Redemption we are bound to serve him as the Captive was to serve the Buyer He that bought another out of Slavery all his time and strength belonged to him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God with your Souls and Bodies But this shews only de jure what we ought to be we ought all to be Gods Servants as he Created us and Redeemed us by the Blood of Christ. But de facto none are his Servants but those who resign and yield up themselves to his use Rom. 6. 13. Yield up your selves to the Lord God will have his right and title confirmed by our consent and therefore he that is a Servant of God one time or other hath entred into Covenant with God he hath consented to yield up himself to walk with God in a strict obedience All that thus yield up themselves to be Gods Servants they do it with Shame they are ashamed they did no sooner think of their Creator in their youth at their first coming to the use of Reason and think of him that bought them by his Blood 1 Pet. 4. 3. for the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles c. They have too long dishonoured God destroyed their own Souls and kept their Creator out of his right And they do it too with a sense of Gods Love in the new title he hath by Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the Love of Christ constrains us c. 2. He is one that liveth under a sense and conscience of his Dedication not as his own but Gods When you have given up your selves to Gods
ready to make Profession 1 Pet. 3. 5. bids us do it with meekness and fear Meekness respects Men Fear a care to approve our selves to God The Fear of Men is checked by the Fear of God Isa. 8. 12 13. Neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Luke 12. 4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell An holy Impression of God's Excellency and Greatness left upon the Heart is this Fear that carrieth the Cause clearly for God And as one Nail driveth out another the Fear of Men banisheth the Fear of God out of our Hearts We are obliged to none so as to God who hath the power of Eternal Life and Eternal Death What is a Prison to Hell a little vain Glory to Eternal Glory the Creature to God! 4. A deep sense of the other World When we translate the Scene from Earth to Heaven from this World to the next and consider who is scorned there received there or rejected there the Temptation is lessened The Apostle sheweth that a Spirit of Faith is at the bottom of Confession with the mouth 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same spirit of faith believe and therefore speak He that believeth another World and hopeth for it will never be cowardly and bashful but will confidently confess Christ and own him both in Worship and Conversation A Spirit of Faith cannot be suppressed but will break out and shew it self and not be ashamed of Christ his Truth and Ways Well then Christians should be ashamed of that Spirit of Fear Bashfulness and Inconfidence which keeps us from confessing Christ and owning his Ways Kings are more formidable by their Place and Power than the rest of the World but alas we give place to the meanest Men and the smallest opposition maketh us give out 2 Tim. 1. 7. We have not the spirit of fear but the spirit of love power and a sound mind The Christian Spirit is a sober Spirit that valueth all things according to their weight but not a dastardly Spirit a Spirit of Love and Power that owneth Christ with meekness and a due respect to earthly Tribunals and yet with courage as looking higher to the Throne of God 2. We must not be ashamed to own the Testimonies and Ways of God before any sort of Men in the World The Apostle telleth us Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. The Gospel is such a pure sure Rule and offereth us such glorious Hopes that we should be ready to profess it without being ashamed of it So he bids Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 11. Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of me his prisoner neither of the Profession nor of our Companions in the Profession when they are under the greatest disgrace So again 1 Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalf It is matter of Thanksgiving not of shame David is an Instance when Michol scoffed at him I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6. 22. It is an honour to be dishonoured for Christ. The Primitive Christians when the Heathens reproched them Art thou not ashamed to believe in him that was crucified The Answer was I am ashamed to believe in him that committed Adultery meaning the Heathen Iupiter Affliction is no disgrace but Sin is But what danger is there of being ashamed of the Gospel since Christianity is in fashion Answ. 1. Sometimes the Simplicity of the Gospel is contemned by the Wits of the World and therefore they either muster up the Oppositions of Science falsly so called or else droll upon Religion and make it the common Jest and By-word 2. The stricter Profession of the Ways of God is under reproch Though the nominal Christian and the serious Christian have the same Bible and believe the same Creed and are baptized into one and the same Profession yet those that are false to their Religion will hate and scorn those that are true to it and among the carnal it will be matter of reproch to be serious and diligent Now though a gracious Heart can be vile for God yet others are afraid they shall be marked and accounted Precise or Puritans and so by resisting an imaginary Shame they fall into an eternal Reproch 3. It may be the strict sort of Christians are the poorer sort and though they be precious in the eyes of God yet they are despised by Men Iohn 7. 49. This people that knoweth not the law are accursed Have any of the Pharisees believed in him any People of Quality They shall be accounted People of no Port and Breeding if they are strictly Christian. Quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est ubi Religio ignobilem facit coguntur esse viles ne mali videantur Religion is too mean a thing for Persons of Quality of their Rank Thus with many God's Image is made a scorn and the Devil's Image had in honour and serious Godliness is made a By-word Now to fortifie you against being ashamed of God and his Ways take these Considerations 1. The short continuance of this Worlds Glory Within a while we shall be levelled with the lowest and our Dust mixed with common Earth And shall we love the praise of Men more than the praise of God This corruptible Flesh must turn into a loathsom rottenness though now it looketh high and sets forth it self and would be brave and Lordly but the spirit must return to God that gave it to be commanded into unseen and unknown Regions 1 Pet. 1. 21. All flesh is grass and the glory of man as the flower of grass 2. God is the Fountain of Honour all Things and Persons receive an Honour by having relation to him Iames 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons Services mean in themselves are accounted honourable with respect to Princes The Reproch of Christ is enough to weigh down all the Honours in the World Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt 3. If your hearts be sincere with God you will not be ashamed of his Ways For Wisdom is justified of her children In Luke it is All her children Luke 7. 35. They that have a Faith which is the fruit of Conviction onely may be ashamed Iohn 12. 42 43. Among the rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God But that Faith which is the fruit of Conversion will make us courageous in God's Cause
Hope in him to be born out in his Work Now if God hath specially excited your Faith it is not a foolish Imagination or vain Expectation like as of them that dream it is God's Word you build upon and it is by a Faith of God's operation he raiseth it in us 2. The Prayer of Faith is the Voice of the Spirit and God heareth the Voice of the Spirit always who maketh requests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the will of God Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth and trieth the hearts knoweth what is a groan of the spirit and what is a Fancy of our own what is a Confidence raised in us by the operation of his own Spirit For there may be a mistaken Faith seemingly built upon the Promises whenas it is indeed built upon our own Conceits Now God is not bound to make that Faith good But when we can appeal to the Searcher of Hearts that it is a Faith of his own working surely we may have confidence Now how shall we know that it is a Faith of God's raising 1. If the Promise be not mistaken and we do not presume of that absolutely which God onely hath promised conditionally and with the limitations of his own Glory and our good which are joyned to all Promises which concern the present Life In temporal things God exerciseth his Children with great uncertainties because he seeth it meet to prove our submission in these things for our Happiness lieth not in them Those things wherein our Happiness doth consist as Remission of Sins and Eternal Life are sure enough and that is encouragement to a gracious heart 2 Tim. 3. 18. God hath delivered me out of the mouth of the lion and will deliver me from every evil work In the Old Testament when God discovered less of Heaven he promised more of Earth but in the New Testament where Life and Immortality are brought to light we are told of many Tribulations in our passage yea the eminent Saints of the Old Testament that had a clearer view of things to come than others had were more exposed to the Calamities of the present Life because God thought the sight of Happiness to come sufficient to countervail their Troubles and if he would give them Rest in another World they might well endure the Inconveniencies of their Pilgrimage Heb. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city The holy Patriarchs lest their Countrey flitted up and down upon this hope but to us Christians the case is clear Rom. 8. 18. For I râ—…on that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4. 17. For this light affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2. When the Qualification of the Person is not clear we must not absolutely promise our selves the Effect Ionah 3. 9. Who can tell whether God will turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not So Ioel 2. 14. Who knoweth if he will return and leave a blessing behind him In this Clause I put Believers who have sinned away their Peace and Assurance 2 Sam. 12. 22. Who can tell if God will be gracious unto me that the child may live He speaketh doubtfully Zeph. 2. 3. It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords fierce anger Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good it may be the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Ioseph In such cases the Soul is divided between the expectation of Mercy and the sense of their own Deservings and can speak neither the pure Language of Faith nor the pure Language of Unbelief half Canaan half Ashdod There is a Twilight in Grace as well as in Nature God in these cases raiseth no other Confidence to heighten Mercy and try how we can venture upon God and refer our selves to his Will when we have any business for him to do for us Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. And the king said to Zadok Carry back the ark of God into the city if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him 3. In the Promises of Spiritual and Eternal Mercies when God's Conditions are performed by us we may be confident and must give glory to God in believing and being persuaded that he will fulfil them to us 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Rom. 8. 38 39. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. I am persuaded there is no doubt The stronger our Confidence the better 2. When God raiseth in our Minds some particular express Hope as in some cases he may do to these things that are of a Temporal nature and are conditionally promised and where our Qualification is clear he will not disappoint us 2 Cor. 1. 12. Though the Promises of Temporal things have the limitation of the Cross implied in them and are to be understood in subordination to our Eternal Interest and God's Glory without which they would not be Mercies but Judgments yet his usual course is to save deliver and supply them here Psal. 9. 10. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And when God by his Spirit doth particularly incline his People to hope for Mercy from him he will not fail their Expectations Where the Qualification is uncertain yet the Faith of general Mercy wrastleth against Discouragements as in the case of the Woman of Canaan There is the Plea of a Dog and the Plea of a Child in grievous Temptations to fasten our selves upon God God will make good the Hope raised in them by his Spirit Use is for Direction what to do in all our Distresses Bodily and Spiritual Our Necessities should lead us to the Promise and the Promise to God 1. Be sure of your Qualification for David pleadeth here partly as a Servant of God and partly as a Believer First Remember thy word unto thy servant and then wherein thou hast caused me to hope There is a double Qualification with respect to the Precept of Subjection with respect to the Promise of Dependence The Precept is before the Promise They have right to
Poverty with a Promise Captivity with a Promise is better then Health Riches Liberty without one yea Death with a Promise is better then Life What you possess without a Promise you may lose when most secure Luk. 12. 19 20. I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years eat drink and be merry But God said unto him Thou fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided But in the eye of Faith that which we hope for is more then that which we possess for we have God's Word it is set before us Use 1. Is for Information 1. How likely it is that the Children of God will be excercised with Afflictions because God in his Word hath laid in so many Comforts before-hand a full third of the Scriptures would be lost and be as Bladders given to a man that stands on dry Land and never meaneath to goe into deep Waters Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward Job 5. 7. Many think they come into the World not to bear Crosses but to spend their dayes in Pleasure but alas how soon do they find themselves mistaken and confuted by Experience If Life be any thing lengthened out it is vexed with the remembrance of what is past or trouble of â—…at is present or fear of what is to come The first part of our Life we know not our 〈◊〉 in the middle we are filled with Cares and Sorrows our last burdened with Weakness and Age. But now the godly are more appointed to troubles because God will try their Faith perfect their Patience train them up for a better World they are now hated by the World 2 Tim. 3. 12. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution Acts 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God He that would not be exempted from the Hopes of Christians he must not look to be exempted from the Troubles of Christians 2. The Excellency of the Word of God and the Religion it establisheth it containeth store of sure Comforts and when all other Comforts can do us no good then the Word of God affordeth us Relief and Support Bare humane Reason cannot find out such grounds of Comfort in all their Philosophy it doth not penetrate to the inwards of a Man it will tell us it is in vain to trouble our selves about what we cannot help Ier. 10. 19. it is an evil and I must bear it that we are not without fellows others suffer as much as we doe c. But the Word of God giveth us other Consolations the Pardon of Sin the Promises of a better Life that if we lose Temporal things we shall have Eternal that we would not fear the Threatnings of Men having the Promises of God c. nor Death which hath Life at the back of it these are Comforts indeed When David was even dead in the Nest the Word that was not so clear then in these Points as now revived him what would he have said if he had known the Gospel so fully as we doe how should we be affected that live in so much Light Use 2. Is for Reproof 1. To those that seek other Comforts 1. In the Vanities of the World this is too slight a Plaster to cure Man's Sore or heale his Wound the Comforts of this World appear and vanish in a moment Every blast of a Temptation scattereth them it must be the Hope and Injoyment of some solid satisfaction that can foâ—…y the heart and breed any solid and lasting Comfort and this the World cannot give unto us But in the Word we have it Alas what is a dream of Honour or the good Will and Word of a Mortal man Everlasting Glory is as much above all these as the Treasures of a Kingdom before a Child's Toyes Maygames vain Pleasures are gone before we well feel that we have them 2. Or in Philosophy that cannot give a true ground of Comfort That was it the Wise men of the World aimed at to fortify the Soul against Troubles but as they never understood the true ground of Misery which is Sin so they never understood the true ground or way of Comfort which is Christ. That which Man offereth cannot come with such Authority and Power as that which God offereth The Light of Reason cannot have such an Efficacy as Divine Testimony This is a poor Moon-light that rotteth before it ripeneth any thing In short They were never acquainted with Christ who is the Foundation of Comfort nor the Promise of Heaven which is the true Matter of Comfort nor Faith which is the Instrument to receive Comfort so that you leave the Fountain of Living water for the Dead puddle of a filthy Ditch if you think the Writings of the Heathens will comfort you and revive you and neglect the Word of God that brings rest for the Soul 3. Those are to be râ—…oved that are under a Spiritual Institution and profess to keep to it and do so little honour it either by their Patience or Comfort or Hope under Troubles Wherefore were the great Mysteries of Godliness made known to us and the Promises of the World to come and all the Directions concerning the subjection of the Soul to God and those blessed Priviledges we enjoy by Christ if they all be not able to satisfie and stay your Heart and compose it to a quiet submission to God when it is his pleasure to take away your Comforts from you What Is there no balm in Gilead is there no physician there Will not all the Word of God yield you a Cordial or a Cure Oh consider what a disparagement you put upon the Provision Christ hath made for us as if the Scripture were a weaker thing than the Institutions of Philosophy or the vain Delights of the World But what may be the Reasons of such an obstinacy of Grief 1. Sometimes Ignorance They do not study the Grounds of Comfort or do not remember them for Oblivion is an Ignorance for the time Heb. 12. 4. Have ye forgotten the exhortation that speaketh to you as children They are like Hagar had a well of comfort nigh and yet ready to die for thirst The Scripture hath Breasts of Comfort so full as a Breast ready to discharge it self and yet they are not comforted 2. They indulge and give way to the present Malady hug the Distemper and do not consider the evil of it As Rachel refused to be comforted Ier. 31. 15. 3. They do not chide themselves ask the Soul the Reason cite it â—…fore the tribunal of Conscience which is one way to allay Passions Psal. 42. 5. Why arâ—… 〈◊〉 so disquieted O my soul They look to the Grievance not to the Comfort as that which is of no use They aggravate the Grievance and lessen the Love of God Are the consolations of God so small with thee Iob 15.
11. It is spoken to them who have high thoughts of their Troubles low thoughts of God's Comforts 4. Uncertainty in Religion Principles must be fixed before they can be improved and we can feel their influence and Power But People will be making Essays and try this and try that God's grounds of Comfort are immutably fixed God will not change his Gospel-Laws for thy sake and therefore unless we would have a Mountebanks Cure we must stand to them Ier. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls When we have tried all we must come home at length to these things and our uncertainty in Religion will be none of the meanest causes of our Troubles 5. They look to Means and their natural Operation and neglect God And God onely will be known to be the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comforts who comforteth us in all our tribulation Use 3. Is to exhort us 1. To prize and esteem the Scriptures and consult with them often There you have the Knowledge of God who is best worth our knowing and the way how we may come to enjoy him wherein our Happiness lieth It is a petty Wisdom to be able to gather Riches manage your Business in the World ordinary Learning is a good Ornament but this is the excellent deep and profound Learning to know how to be saved What is it I press you to know the Course of the Heavens to number the Orbs and the Stars in them to measure their Circumference and reckon their Motions and not to know him that sits in the Circle of them nor know how to inhabit and dwell there Oh how should this commend the Word of God to us where Eternal Life is discovered and the way how to get it Other Writings and Discourses may tickle the Fancy with pleasing Eloquence but that Delight is vanishing like a Musicians voice Other Writings may represent some petty and momentany advantage but time will put an end to that so that within a little while the advantage of all the Books in the World will be gone but the Scriptures that tell us of Eternal Life and Death their Effects will abide for ever Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfections but thy commandments are exceeding broad When Heaven and Earth pass away this will not pass that is the Effects will abide in Heaven and Hell Know ye not that your Souls were created for Eternity and that they will eternally survive all these present things and shall your Thoughts Projects and Designs be confined within the narrow bounds of Time Oh no let your Affections be to that Book that will teach you to live well for ever in comparison of which all Earthly Felicity is lighter than Vanity 2. Be diligent in the Hearing Reading Meditating on those things that are contained there The Earth is the fruitful Mother of all Herbs and Plants but yet it must be tilled ploughed harrowed and dressed or else it bringeth forth little Fruit. The Scripture containeth all the grounds of Hope Comfort and Happiness the onely Remedy of Sin and Misery our Rule to walk by till our Blessedness be perfected but we have little benefit by it unless it be improved by diligent Meditation Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate day and night This must be your chief Delight and you must be versed therein upon all Occasions Psal. 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day when we love it and prize it it will be so for our Thoughts cannot be kept off from what we love and delight in 3. Reader hear meditate with a Spirit of Application and an aime of Profit Iob 5. 27. Hear it and know thou it for thy good as the Rule of your Actions and the Charter of your Hopes Rom. 8. 31. What shall we then say to these things That you may grow better and wiser and may have more advantages in your Heavenly progress take home your Portion of the Bread of Life and turn it into the Seed of your Life It is not enough to seek Truth in the Scriptures but you must seek Life in the Scriptures it is not an Object onely to satisfy your Understandings with the Contemplation of Truth but your Hearts with the enjoyment of Life and therefore you must not onely bring your Judgment to find the light of Truth but your Affections to embrace the goodness of Life offered Think not ye have found all when you have found Truth and learned it No except you find Life there you have missed the best Treasure you must bring your Understandings and Affections to them and not depart till both return full SERMON LVII PSAL. CXIX 51. The proud have had me greatly in derision yet have I not declined from thy law IN these Words are 1. David's Temptation 2. His Constancy and Perseverance in his Duty notwithstanding that Temptation 1. In the Temptation observe 1. The Persons from whom the Temptation did arise the Proud The wicked are called so for two Reasons 1. Because either they despise God and contemn his Wayes which is the greatest Pride that can fall upon the heart of a Reasonable Creature Rom. 1. 30. haters of God despitefull proud 2. Or else because they are drunk with worldly Felicity In the general Scoffing cometh from Pride What is Prov. 3. 34. He scorneth the scorners and giveth grace to the lowly is Iam. 4. 6. He resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 2. Observe the Kind or Nature of the Temptation he was had in derision This may be supposed either for Dependance on God's Promises or for Obedience to his Precepts Atheistical Men that wholly look to the pleasing of the Flesh and the Interest of the present World make a mock of both We have instances of both in Scripture 1. They make a mock of relyance upon God when we are in distress think it ridiculous to talk of relief from Heaven when Earthly Power faileth Psal. 22. 7 8. They laugh me to scorn saying He trusted in the Lord. The great Promise of Christ's coming is flouted at by those Mockers 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. There shall come in the last days mockers walking after their own lusts and saying Where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the Creation Such Scoffers are in all Ages but now they overflow These latter times are the dregs of Christianity in which such kind of Men are more rife then the serious Worshippers of Christ. At the first Promulgation of the Gospel while Truths were new and the Exercises of Christian Religion lively and serious
's the reality Matth. 22. 7. They which were invited to the Wedding varnished their denial over with an excuse Delay is a denial for if they were willing there would be no excuse To be ridd of importunate and troublesome Creditors we promise them payment another time and we know our Estate will be more wasted by that time it is but to put them off So this delay and putting off God is but a shift Here 's the misery God always comes unseasonably to a carnal heart It was the Devils that said Matth. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before our time Good things are a torment to a carnal heart and they always come out of time Certainly that 's the best time when the word is prest upon the heart with evidence light and power and when God treats with thee about thine eternal peace Reason 6. There are very urgent reasons to quicken us to make hasâ—…e 1. The state wherein we are at present is so bad and dangerous that we can never soon enough come out of it The state of a man in his Carnal condition is compared in Scripture to a Prison Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded or shut them all up in unbelief And mark it is a Prison that is all on fire Oh when poor Captives are bolted and shut up in a flaming Prison how will they run hither and thither to get out So should we run and strive to get out of this flaming Prison You cannot be too soon out of the power of the Devil or from under the curse of the Law the danger of hell fire and the dominion of sin Matth. 3. 7. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come He doth not say to goe nor to run but to flee Fleeing from wrath to come that 's the truest motion And so Heb. 6. 18. They which had the avenger of blood at their heels fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before them If there be poyson in our Bowels we think we can never soon enough cast it out If fire hath taken hold of a building we do not say we will quench it hereafter the next week or next moneth but think we can never soon enough quench it Or if there be a wound in the Body we do not let it alone till it 〈◊〉 and rankle Christians you may apply all this to the present case here the danger is greater There is no Poyson so deadly as Sin which hath infected all Man-kind no wound so dangerous for that will be the death of Body and Soul no fire so dreadfull as the wrath of God therefore we cannot soon enough come out of this condition 2. We cannot be happy soon enough for the state we make after is the arms of God the bosome of Iesus the hopes of Eternal Life we cannot soon enough get within the compass of such priviledges Oh shall Christ lie by as a dead Commodity or breaded ware It shews we know not the gift of God Iohn 4. If we had a due sense and value of his Excellency we would take the morning Market and let not Christ Iesus with all his benefits lie by as a Commodity that may be had at the last at any time of the day we would look upon him as the quickest ware in the Market and flock to him as Doves to the windows Isa. 6. You would force your way that you might get into his heart you would count all things but dross and dung that you might gain him It will be sweet to be incircled in the embraces of Iesus Christ to have his left hand under your head and his right hand to embrace you Cant. 2. 6. and will you delay when he stands offering himself and stretching out his hands all the day long to receive you SERMON LXVIII PSAL. CXIX 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments I Come now to the Application Use 1. Is to reprove the dallying with God which we are conscious to in the work of Conversion which is so common and natural to us We are apt to put off God from time to time from Child-hood to Youth from Youth to Mans-age from Mans-age to Old-age from Old-age to Death-bed and so the Devil steals away one hour after another till all time be past I shall 1 speak of the causes of this delay 2 represent the hainousness of it that you may not stroke this sin with a gentle censure and think lightly of the matter I. Of the causes of this delay 1. Unbelief or want of a due sense or sight of things to come If men were perswaded of Eternal Life and Eternal Death they would not stand hovering so long between Heaven and Hell but presently engage their hearts to draw nigh to God But we cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. Nature is purblind to carnal hearts there 's a mist upon Eternity they have no prospective whereby to look into another World therefore it hath no influence upon them to quicken them to more speed and earnestness If we had a due sense of Eternal Death surely we would be sleeing from wrath to come no motion should be earnest and swift enough to get from such a danger If we had a due sense of Eternal Life we would be running to take hold of the hope that is before us Heb. 6. 18. 2. Security If men have a cold belief of Heaven and Hell if they take up the currant opinions of the Country yet they do not take it into their serious thoughts they put far away the evil day Amos 6. 3. Things at a distance do not startle us as a clap of Thunder afar off doth not fright us so much as when it is just over our heads in our own Zenith We look upon these things as to come so put off the thought of them Next to a want of a sound belief the want of a serious consideration is the cause why men dally with God If we had the same thoughts living and dying our motions would be more earnest and ready When Death and Eternity is near we are otherwise affected than when we look upon it as afar off One said of a zealous Preacher he Preacheth as if Death were at my back Oh could we look upon Death as at our back or heels if men did but consider that within a few dayes they must go to Heaven or Hell that there is but the slender thread of a frail Life upon which they depend that is soon fretted asunder they would not venture any longer to be out of a state of Grace nor dally with God But we think we may live long and time enough to repent by leisure we put far off the day of our change and so are undone by our own security 3. Aversness of heart from God That which makes us desirous to stay longer in a way of Sin doth indeed make us loth to turn at all and what 's that Obstinacy and unsubjection
work of the Law written in their hearts There is veritas naturalis and veritas mystica some objects of Faith depend upon mere Revelation but the Commands of the moral Law are clearer than the Doctrines of Faith they are of Duties and things present not of Priviledges to be enjoyed hereafter such as the Promises offer to us Now it is easier to be convinced of present Duties than to be assured of some future things promised 2. That these Commandments be received with that Reverence that becometh the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of so great a Lord and Law-giver It is the work of Faith to acquaint us with the nature of God and his Attributes and work the sense of them into our hearts The great Governour of the World is invisible and we do not see him that is invisible but by Faith Heb. 11. 27. By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Temporal Potentates are before our eyes their Majesty may be seen and their terrours and rewards are matter of sense that there is an infinite Eternal and all-wise spirit who made all things and therefore hath right to command and give laws to all things Reason will in part tell us but faith doth more assure the Soul of it and impresseth the dread and awe of God upon our souls as if we did see him with bodily eyes By Faith we believe his being Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is His Power so as to oppose it to things visible and sensible Rom. 4. 21. being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform That there is no standing out against him who with one beck of his will can ruine us everlastingly and throw the transgressor of his Laws into eternal fire a frown of his face is enough to undoe us he is not a God to be neglected or dallyed with or provoked by the wilfull breaking of his Laws He hath truly potestatem vitae necis the power of life and death Iames 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy These considerations are best enforced by Faith without which our notions of these things are weak and languid You are to charge the heart with God's Authority as you will answer it to him another day not to neglect or despise the duty you owe to such a God No terrour comparable to his frowns no comforts comparable to his Promises or the sense of his favour 3. That these laws are holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good This is necessary because in believing the Commandments not onely Assent is required but also Consent to them as the fittest laws we could be governed by Rom. 7. 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent to the Law that it is good Consent is a mixt act of the Judgment and Will they are not onely to be known as God's laws but owned and embraced not onely see a Truth but a Worth in them The mandatory part of the word hath its own loveliness and invitation as the Promises of Pardon and Eternal life suite with the hunger and thirst of Conscience and the natural desires of Happiness so the Holiness and Righteousness of God's Laws suit with the natural notions of good and evil that are in mans heart These Laws were written upon mans heart at his first Creation and though somewhat blurred we know the better how to read a defaced writing when we get another Copy or transcript to compare with it especially when the heart is renewed when the Spirit hath wrought a suitableness there must needs be a consenting and embracing Heb. 8. 10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts There is a ready willing heart to obey them and conform to them in the Regenerate therefore an Assent is not enough but a Consent this is that they would choose and prefer before liberty they acquiesce and are satisfied in their Rule as the best Rule for them to live by But let us see the three Attributes holy just and good 1. They are holy laws fit for God to give and man to receive when we are convinced of this it is a great help to bridle contrary inclinations and to carry us on chearfully in our work They are fit for God to give they become such a being as God is his Laws carry the express print and stamp of his own nature upon them We may know how agreeable they are to the nature of God by supposing the monstrousness of the Contrary if he had forbidden us all Love and Fear and trust in himself all respect and thanks to our Creator or bidden us to worship false Gods or change the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to a corruptible man as birds four-â—…ooted beasts and creeping things or that we should blaspheme his name continually or despise his glory shining forth in the work of his hands and that we should be disobedient to our Parents and pollute our selves as the beasts with promiscuous lusts and fill the world with Adulteries Robberies and Thefts or slander and revile one another and leave the boat to the stream give over our selves to our passions discontents and the unruly lusts of our corrupt hearts these are conceits so monstrous that if the beasts were capable of having such thoughts transfused into them they would abhor them and would infer such a manifest disproportion in the Soul as it would in the body to walk with our hands and doe our work with our feet And they are fit for man to receive if he would preserve the rectitude of his nature live as such an understanding creature keep Reason in dominion and free from being a slave to the appetites of the body To be just holy temperate humble meek chast doth not onely concern the Glory of God and the safety of the world but the liberty of the reasonable nature that man may act as a creature that hath a mind to know things that differ and to keep him from that filthiness and pollution which would be a stain to him and infringe the glory of his being There is no middle thing either a man must be a Saint or a Beast either conform himself to Gods will and look after the interests of his Soul or lose the excellency of his Nature and become as the Beasts that perish Either the Beast must govern the Man or the Man ride upon the Beast which he doth when he taketh Gods Counsel 2. Just. because it referreth to all God's Precepts I take it here not strictly but largely how just it is for
may discern much of faithfulness in their Afflictions this will appear to you by these Considerations 1. In the Covenant of Grace God hath promised to bestow upon his People real and principal Mercies those are promised absolutely other things conditionally God doth not break his Covenant if he doth not give us temporal Happiness because that is not absolutely promised but onely so far forth as it may be good for us but eternal Life is promised without any such exception unto the Heirs of promise Eternal Promises and Threatnings being of things absolutely good or evil are therefore absolute and peremptory the Righteous shall not fail of the Reward nor the Wicked escape the Punishment but temporal Promises and Threatnings being of things not simply good or evil are reserved to be dispensed according to God's Wisdome and good pleasure in reference and subordination to eternal Happiness It is true 't is sad 1 Tim. 4. 8. That godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come but with this reference that the less give place to the greater if the Promises of this life may hinder us in looking after the Promises of the life to come God may take the liberty of the Cross and withhold these things and disappoint us of our worldly hope A man lying under the guilt of Sin may many times enjoy worldly Comforts to the envy of God's Children and one of God's Children may be greatly afflicted and distressed in the World for in all these Dispensations God looketh to his end which is to make us eternally happy 2. This being God's end he is obliged in point of fidelity to use all the means that conduce thereunto that he may attain his eternal purpose in bringing his holy ones to glory Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God Good what good it may be temporal so it falls out sometimes a man's temporal good is promoted by his temporal loss Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought evil against me but God meant it for good they sold their Brother a slave but God meant him to be a great Potentate in Egypt It may be spiritual good Psal. 119. 71. 'T is good for me that I have been afflicted but to be sure eternal good to bring about his eternal purpose of making them everlastingly happy And in this sense the Apostle saith all things are yours 1 Cor. 3. 22. Ordinances Providences Life Death all dispensed with a respect to their final Happiness or eternal Benefit not onely Ordinances to work internal Grace but Providences as an external help and means for God having set his end he will prosecute it congruously and as it may agree with man's nature by external Providences as well as internal Grace see Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the back of the righteous God hath power enough to give them grace to bear it though the Rod had continued and can keep his People from iniquity though the Rod be upon them but he considereth the imbecillity of man's nature which is apt to tire under long Afflictions and therefore not onely giveth more Grace but takes off the Temptation He could humble Paul without a Thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12. 7. but he will use a congruous means 3. Among these means Afflictions yea sharp Afflictions are some of those things which our need and profit requireth they are needfull to weaken and mortify Sin Isa. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged to increase and quicken Grace Heb. 12. 10. But he chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Without this Discipline we should forget God and our selves therefore that we may return to God he afflicts us Hos. 5. 6. In their afflictions they will seek me early and come to our selves Luke 15. 17. The Prodigal came to himself Afflictions are necessary for us upon the former Suppositions namely that God hath ingaged himself to perfect Grace where it is begun and to use all means which may conduce to our eternal welfare that we may not miscarry and come short of our great hopes 1 Cor. 11. 32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world The carnal reprobate World are left to a looser and larger Discipline Brambles are not pruned when Vines are New Creatures require a more close inspection than others do Self-confidence and spiritual Security is apt to grow upon them therefore to mortify our Self-confidence to awaken us out of spiritual sleep we need to be afflicted and also to quicken and rouse up a spirit of Prayer We grow cold and flat and ask mercies for forms sake Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them And that we may be quickened to a greater mindfulness of heavenly things the best of us when we get a carnal Pillow under our heads are apt to sleep secure God will not let us alone to our ruine but afflicts us that we may be refined from the dreggs of the Flesh and that our gust and relish of heavenly things may be recovered and that we may be quickened to a greater diligence in the heavenly Life Look as earthly Parents are not faithfull to their Childrens Souls when they live at large and omit that Correction which is necessary for them Prov. 29. 15. The rod and reproof give wisdome but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame The Mother is mentioned because they are usually more fond and indulgent and spare many times and marr the Child but our heavenly Father will not be unfaithfull who is so wise that he will not be blinded by any passion hath such a perfect love and does so fixedly design our eternal welfare that he rebuketh that he may reform and reformeth that he may save 4. God's faithfulness about the Affliction is twofold in bringing on the Affliction and guiding the Affliction 1. In bringing on the Affliction both as to the time and kind when our need requireth and such as may doe the work 1 Pet. 1. 6. Ye are in heaviness for a season if need be When some Distemper was apt to grow upon us and we were straggling from our Duty Psal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray Some disappointment and check we meet with in a way of Sin which is a notable help in the spiritual Life where God giveth an heart to improve it 2. As to guiding the Affliction both to measure and continuance that it may doe us good and not harm 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Violent Temptations are not permitted where the Lord seeth us weak and infirm as Iacob drove
have it sought out this way Ezek. 36. 37. I will yet be inquired after to do it for them So Isa. 29. 10 11. Now the Reasons are these 1. Because in Prayer we act Faith and spiritual desire both which are as the opening of the Soul Psal. 81. 10. To raise our confidence or draw forth the principles of trust 2. We ask Gods leave to apply in particular what is offered in the word in general as in the next Verse let thy tender mercies come unto me Verse 77. In every thing we must ask God leave though we have right though in possession we ask leave because we may be mistaken in our claim Thirdly It is a fit way of easing the heart and disburthening our selves Phil. 4. 6 7. When we pray most and most ardently we are most happy and finde greatest ease Fourthly God will be owned as the Author of comfort whoever be the Instrument Isa. 57. 19. in prayer we apply our selves to him the Word is a soveraign Plaister but Gods hand maketh it stick many read the Scriptures but are as dead hearted when done as when they began The spirit is the comforter we are very apt to look to the next hand to the comfort but not to the comforter or the root of all which is loving kindness in God Fourthly The Subject capable thy Servant Here we may ask the Eunuchs question of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man Of himself questionless under the Denomination of Gods Servant But then the question returneth Is it a word of promise made to himself in particular or Gods Servants in the general Some say the former 2 Sam. 12. 13. the promises brought to him by Nathan I incline to the latter and it teacheth us these three truths 1. That Gods Servants are onely capable of the sweet effects of his mercy and the comfort of his promises Who are Gods Servants 1. Such as own his right and are sensible of his Interest in them Acts 23. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve 2. Such as give up themselves to him renouncing all other Masters Renounce we must for we were once under another Master Rom. 6. 17. and Matth. 6. 24. and Rom. 6. 13. 1 Chron. 30. 8. 3. Accordingly frame themselves to doe his work sincerely Rom. 1. 9. Serve with my Spirit and Rom. 7. 6. In newness of Spirit so as will become those who are renewed by the Spirit diligently Acts 26. 7. and universally Luke 1. 74. and wait upon him for Grace to doe so Heb. 11. 28. These are capable of comfort The Book of God speaketh no comfort to persons that live in sin but to Gods Servants such as do not live as if they were at their own dispose but at Gods beck if he say goe they goe They give up themselves to be and doe what God will have them to be and doe 2. If we would have the benefit of the promise we must thrust in our selves under one Title or other among those to whom the promise is made if not as Gods Children yet as Gods Servants Then it is as sure as if our name were in the promise 3. All Gods Servants have common grounds of comfort every one of Gods Servants may plead with God as David doth The comforts of the word are the common portion of Gods people They that bring a larger measure of faith carry away a larger measure of comfort Oh then let us lift up our eyes and hearts to God this day and in as broken hearted a manner seek this comfort as possibly we can SERMON LXXXV PSAL. CXIX 77. Let thy tender Mercies come unto me that I may live for thy Law is my delight THE man of God had begged mercy before now he beggeth mercy again the doubling the request sheweth that he had no light feeling of sin in the troubles that were upon him and besides the People of God think they can never have enough of Mercy nor beg enough of Mercy they again and again reinforce their Suits and still cry for Mercy after he had said let thy mercifull loving kindness be for my comfort he presently addeth let thy tender Mercies come unto me that I may live In the words we have two things 1. His request let thy tender Mercies come unto me 2. A reason to back it that I may live First the request consists of three Branches 1. The Cause and Fountain let thy tender Mercies 2. The influence and outgoing of that cause or the personal application of it to David let them come unto me 3. The end that I may live 1. The cause and fountain is the Lords tender Mercies 't is remarkable that in this and the former verse he doth not mention Mercy without some additament there 't was mercifull kindness here tender Mercy Mercy in men implyeth a commotion of the bowels at the â—…ight of anothers misery so in God there 's such a readiness to pity as if he had the same working of bowels Ier. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him or sound for him Now some are more apt to feel this than others according to the goodness of their Nature or their special interest in the party miserable We expect from Parents that their bowels should yearn more towards their own Children than to strangers so God hath the bowels of a Father Psal. 103. 13. Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him There needeth not much a-doe to bring a Father to pity his Children in misery if he hath any thing fatherly in him 2. The outgoing of this Mercy is begged let it come unto me where by a fiction of persons Mercy is said to come or find out its way to him 3. The effect that I may live Life is sometimes taken litterally and in its first sense for life natural spiritual or eternal 2. By a metonymy for joy peace comfort now which of these senses shall we apply to this place 1. Some take it for life naturall that he might escape the death his enemies intended to him Certainly in the former Verse he speaketh as a man under deep troubles and afflictions and in the following words he telleth us that the proud dealt perversely with him and therefore he might have some apprehensions of dying in his troubles which he beggeth God to prevent 3. Some think he beggeth Gods mercy to preserve him in life Spirituall and 3. Bellarmine understandeth it of life Eternall But I rather take it in the latter sense for joy and comfort which is the result of life where 't is vitall and in its perfection Non est vivere sed valere vita 1 Thes. 3. 8. We live if ye stand fast in the truth A man that enjoyeth himself is said to live But if we take it in this notion a double sense may be started for it may imply either a release from temporal sorrows and so the sense will be have pity
any thing for something cannot come out of nothing therefore we must stop in some first Cause and Eternal Being 3. That Eternity belongeth to God is to be seen in all his Attributes for if God be Eternal his Wisdom Power and Goodness are Eternal also First His Wisdom is Eternal for all things are present to the knowledge of God Things come to our knowledge successively some before and some after We see and know things according to their duration and existence We compute by days and years yesterday to morrow last year and next year one Generation passeth and another cometh but in God's understanding there is no succession of before and after Known to God are all his works from the beginning Acts 15. 18. God that doth all things in time knew them all before time otherwise his knowledge was not infinite and eternal they are all present to his understanding Hence is that expression 2 Pet. 3. 8. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day All those differences of Duration which to the Creatures are longer or shorter are all alike to God for all things are constantly present to God and under his view and prospect Indeed the Lord is pleased to condescend to our shallow capacities and to give us leave to express his Duration in our own terms whil'st he calleth himself yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. And Rev. 1. 4. From him which is which was and which is to come Yet in proper speaking God always is I am is his Name and all things to him are present either past present or to come Time hath no succession to him he beholdeth at once what is not at once but at several times there is nothing past to him to come to him but all present He knoweth the end of all things before he giveth them a beginning 2dly His Power is Eternal Therefore 't is said Rom. 1. 20. that his Eternal Power and Godhead is clearly understood from the Creation of the world and seen in the things that are made how could else so many things be educed out of nothing and still kept from returning into their original nothing if there were not an infinite and eternal power then and still at work So Isa. 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength We may depend upon him for his Arm is never dried up nor doth his Strength fail there is no wrinkle upon the Brow of Eternity God is where he was at first he continueth for ever a God of infinite power able to save those that trust in him 3dly His Goodness and Mercy they are Eternal Psal. 136. 't is often repeated For the mercy of the Lord endureth for ever 'T is true à parte antè his mercy did not begin of late but was towards us before we or the world were from all Eternity we were thought upon that he might do us good himself 'T is said With an everlasting love have I loved thee and therefore with loving kindness I have drawn thee Jer. 31. 3. Whomsoever God draweth to himself in time he loved them before all time and à parte post it holdeth good his love and affection continueth the same and shall do for ever he is not weary of doing good nor is his mercy spent you have both Psal. 103. 17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him The mercy was decreed and prepared before the beginning of the world and we shall have the fruits and effects of it when the world shall be no more 'T was from everlasting for God foreseeing the Fall of Adam provided us a remedy in Christ and having all lapsed Mankind in his prospect and view did out of his free love chuse some whil'st others are passed by to life and salvation by Christ. That God did from Eternity decree and purpose this is manifest because he doth in time effect it otherwise he should not work all things according to the counsel of his will Ephes. 1. 11. or else his Will would be mutable willing that in time which he willed not from Eternity whereas in him there is no variableness or shadow of turning And that his mercy is to everlasting appeareth because he doth in time convert and sanctifie them and so brings them to glory and blessedness for the eternal God will make his people eternally happy with himself 4. That God sheweth himself as an Eternal Being both as a Governor and Benefactor First As a Governor His Eternity is seen in his Government in threatning eternal misery to the wicked and appointing eternal happiness to the godly Mat. 25. 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life everlasting The joys of the blessed are everlasting there shall never be a change of nor an interruption in their happiness but after millions of years they are to continue in this life as if it were the first moment Thy Crown will be thy Crown for ever Thy Kingdom thy Kingdom for ever This Glory will be thy Glory for ever Thy God will be thy God and thy Christ for ever We affect the continuance of this life though it be a life of pain and misery Skin for skin and all a man hath he will give for his life Oh! how much more valuable should this eternal life be which is a life of uninterrupted joy and felicity On the other side the punishment is everlasting the loss is eternal the wicked are everlastingly deprived of the favor of God The Disciples wept when Paul said Ye shall see my face no more Oh! how much more terrible will it be to be banished everlastingly out of God's presence Mat. 25. 41. Besides the pain will be eternal as well as the loss This worm never dieth this fire shall never be quenched Mark 9. 44. Neither Heaven nor Hell hath any period or end either of them are eternal Now this way God ruleth and governeth the creature as becoming his infinite and eternal Majesty The Laws of Kings and Parliaments can reach no further than some temporal punishment their highest pain is the killing of the Body their highest Reward is some vanishing and fading Honour or perishing Riches but God's Law concerneth our everlasting estate our eternal well or ill being eternal life or eternal death is wrap'd up in these Commandments These are Rewards sutable to the Eternal Majesty of the Law-giver And if thou do evil there is an eternal loss of Heaven and an eternal sense of the wrath of God If you believe and obey the Gospel there is eternal salvation provided for you for Christ is the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 2dly As a Benefactor he sheweth himself also an Eternal Being There is a double beneficial goodness of God common and special His common goodness runneth in the channel of Creation and common
useful and refreshing when used in the day but if kept all night it perished and was useless It was useful in the Wilderness but ceaseth when they came to Canaan Uses are many First comfort to the Godly for their own particular He is an eternal God that ordereth and guideth all things that he may bring them to their eternal felicity and will in time admit them into it Psal. 48. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even unto death After death he will be their God still death doth not put an end to this relation for God is Abraham's God when he is dead Matth. 2â—… 32. God is the same still both in himself and to those that believe in him he will constantly guide them all the days of their life and after death receive us to the everlasting enjoyment of himself and revive our dust Oh what a blessedness is this to have an interest in such an eternal God! 2. As to the Community and Society to which they do belong God's Eternity is the Churches stability and so 't is urged in Scripture Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed Psal. 102. 27 28. Thou art the same and thy years shall have no end The children of thy servants shall continue So when the flourishing of the wicked is spoken of when they spring as grass Psal. 92. 8. But thou O Lord art most high for evermore If they be high God is higher and they are but upstarts to him their power is of a late rise and short continuance So Psal. 93. 2. Thy throne is established of old thou art from everlasting God's Throne is as eternal as his Being So Lam. 3. 17. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Is the life of thy Enemies long God endureth for ever Is their power great 't is but dependent God had power before them and will have power when they shall be no more Second Use Is Terror to the wicked Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God They may out-live other Enemies but they cannot out-live God who abideth for ever to avenge his quarrel against them and judge you if his Controversie against them be not just since they are such impious Fools and Brutes as that they prefer the creature before the Creator and chuse temporal things rather than everlasting and prefer Earth before Heaven and the satisfaction of their bodily lusts before the saving of their souls Can you blame God of any injustice in dooming them to everlasting misery What part of the punishment would you have relaxed the Loss or the Pain the Loss is double of God's favor or their natural comforts Would you have God admit those to the sight and everlasting fruition of himself who never cared for him Or return again to their natural comforts that they may eternally run Riot with them or abuse them to an occasion of the flesh Or is it the pain Would you have God take off that when the sin and impenitent obstinacy doth still continue since they preferred a temporal good before that which is eternal and would sell their birthright for one morsel of meat Heb. 12. 16. How just is it for God to make them everlastingly to lie under the fruits and effects of their own evil choice Third Use. Is to press us to seek after the everlasting fruition of this blessed and ever glorious God because many live as if they had never heard of things eternal most live as if they did not believe any such thing the best do not improve those things as they ought therefore I shall a little insist upon a quickening exhortation to stir you up to seek an eternal happiness in God 1. As we are reasonable Creatures we were made for Eternity for God hath given us an immortal spirit and there is no proportion between an immortal soul and temporal things it cannot be content with any thing that shall have an end for then we may survive our happiness if we had souls that would perish it would be more excusable to look after things that perish What will you do when your Souls shall be turned out of doors when ye fail Luke 16. 9. To what Region will the poor shiftless harborless Soul betake it self when you dye All your thoughts that concern the present world perish and if you did perish too it were no such great matter But you shall live and what will you have to comfort your selves if you have not an interest in the Eternal God in whose hands will you be if you have slighted him while you were upon earth and the eternal happiness he offereth to us and could not find enough in God and his Eternal Salvation to take off your hearts from the pleasures and vanities of the world Can you expect that he will favour you and be kind to you 2. Eternity is made known to us Christians and clearly set before us in the doctrine of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. he hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel Nature hath but guesses at it the Law but shadows but here 't is clearly certainly and fully revealed You know that you have an Eternal God to please and an infinite and eternal reward to expect The whole drift of our Religion is to call us off from Time to Eternity from this world to a better Christ came not to settle us here in a state of prosperity nor to make this world our Rest and Portion but to draw us up to God and Heaven 3. The same Religion sheweth that we are already involved in an Eternal misery and stand under a sentence binding us over to the Curse and Everlasting wrath of God Ioh. 3. 18. He that beleiveth not is condemned already and this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil God hath offered Life and Immortality to them who have so miserably lost it and involved their souls in Eternal death Therefore if we know what it is to be liable to the wrath of an eternal God and to be interessed in the hopes of eternal glory we should awaken and be more serious in a business of such concernment 4. You will shortly be summoned to give an account Luke 16. 2. You have received so much from me such Riches Honours Parts Sufficiencies such Invitations to draw you home to me what will you answer Nay there is not only a little time between you and Judgment but a little time between you and Execution nothing but the slender thread of a frail life which is soon fretted asunder and will you can you sleep in sin so near Eternity and laugh and dance over the brink of Hell you cannot soon enough flee from wrath to come 5. Consider what poor deluded
then 't is broad for its duration and continuance First 'T is broad for use A Man may soon see to the bottom of the Creatures but the wisdom and purity and utility of the Word of God and the Mysteries therein contained and the spiritual Estate that we have thereby you cannot see to the end of that it extendeth to all times places persons actions and circumstances of actions it hath an unconceivable vastness of purity and spirituality But you will say there is a set number of Precepts how say you then 't is exceeding broad Their use is large and 't is here put for the whole Word of God Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum tuarum saith Tertullian Here are Remedies for every malady and a plentiful Storehouse of all comforts satisfaction to every doubt nothing pertaining to the holiness and happiness of Man is wanting nothing requisiter to direct comfort and support men in all conditions prosperity adversity health sickness life death what shall I say 'T is the Word that sanctifies all our comforts 1 Tim. 4. 5. 'T is the Word that maintaineth our lives Mat. 4. 4. 'T is the Word that fitteth us to an immortal being 1 Pet. 1. 23. We cannot easily express the comprehensiveness of it and the benefit that we have by it When all earthly things fail the Word will be a sure Comforter and Counsellor to us it doth not only tell us what we should do but what we shall be In short the Word of God describeth the whole state of the Church and the world and what shall become of it in the world to come There is a foolish curiosity that possesseth many in the world who desire to know their destiny and what is in the womb of futurity as the King of Babylon stood upon the head ways to make divination Now let this curiosity be turned to some profitable use nothing deserves to be known so much as this what shall become of us to all Eternity If the question were Shall I be rich or poor happy or miserable in this world it were not of such great moment for these distinctions do not out-live time but the question is of great moment Whether I shall be eternally miserable or eternally happy 'T is a foolish curiosity to know our earthly state the misery of which cannot be prevented by our prudence or foresight but it concerneth much to know whether we are in a damnable or saveable condition while we have time to remedy our case and this the Word of God will inform you of assuredly Well the Commandment is exceeding broad This is the Word that discovereth to you the nature of God and the holy Angels the souls of men the state of the world to come who is the Author of Scripture God thy Commandments the matter of Scripture God 't was not fit that any should write of God but God himself What is the end of this Word God Why was this Word written but that we might everlastingly enjoy the blessed God As Caesar wrote his own Commentaries so God when there was none above him of whom he could write he wrote of himself by Histories Laws Prophesies and Promises and many other Doctrines hath he set himself forth to be the Creator Preserver Deliverer and Glorifier of Mankind and all this is done in a perfect manner Men mingle their imperfections with their Writings though holy and laudable for their names yet they discover themselves in all they do their words and speeches are never so perfect but there is something wanting and here you can find nothing but God here God hath written a Book whose works are perfect nothing can be added nothing taken away To say there is an idle word in Scripture is great blasphemy saith Basil. We have no reason to run to humane inventions for the Word prescribeth every duty every thing that is to be believed and done in order to salvation Open the Gap once and there is no end one brings in one thing and then another and from hence comes all the Ceremonies that do abound in the Church 't is not only most perfect but most profitable and containeth all kind of learning Common Crafts will teach us how to get our Bread but this how to get the Kingdom of Heaven Law preserveth Estates the Testament of Men this the Testament of God the Charter of our inheritance Physick cureth diseases of the body this afflicted minds and distempered hearts Natural Philosophy raiseth Men to the contemplation of the Stars but this to the contemplation of God their Maker By History we come to know of the rise and ruine of Kingdoms States and Cities by this the Creation and Consummation of the world Rhetorick serves to move affection this to kindle divine love â—…oetry causeth natural delight this delight in God no writing like this Secondly As it hath a breadth for use so for duration and continuance 't is the eternal truth of God that shall live for ever Mat. 5. 18. Heaven and earth shall pass away but not one jot or tittle of the law shall fail So Mat. 24. 35. Heaven and earth shall pass away but thy Word shall not pass away But how doth the Word continue for ever Not the Word it self but 1. The Obligation and Authority of the Word continueth for ever 't is an eternal Rule of Faith and Righteousness to the Church that 's more stable than Heaven and Earth Let me shew you how the Doctrine is perpetual The original draught is in God himself the substance and matter of the Moral Law is perpetual viz. namely the perfect love of God and of our Neighbor but the form is not we shall have no need of precepts and prohibition and promises and threatnings in the light of Glory which we have need of in the light of Grace Fierce Horses need a Bridle and there is other kind of Discipline for Children when grown up than when young When they are young we correct their bodies but when they are grown up we correct and punish them by disinheritance The Prop is removed when the thing standeth fast upon its own Basis when we come to Heaven we have intuitive apprehensive knowledge we shall have no other Bible but the Lamb's face many things that are necessary by the way are not necessary when Faith is changed into Vision and Hope into Fruition Scripture is necessary as letters to the Spouse from her Beloved while absent when present there is no such need We need not a Bond when payment is made so Scripture is the Indenture between us and God here but when that is past we shall not need Scripture 2. 'T is eternal in the â—…ruit it bringeth forth the blessing of eternal life to them that keep it and obey it 2d Epistle of Iohn chap. 2. For the truths sake that dwelleth in us and shall be in us for ever So Iohn 8. 51. He that believeth in me shall never see death Why holy men dye as well as others but they have a being in the world to come and therefore the Word of God is called the Word of eternal life John
6. 68. that is the end and use of it it maketh them capable of eternal life that obey it So 1 Pet. 1. 25. The Word of God abideth and continueth for ever 'T is the seed and principle of eternal life 't is the Charter of their everlasting priviledges they shall enjoy in the world to come But how doth the Word endure for ever 'T is not meant subjectively but effectively because it assures us of eternal life upon obeying it and threatens eternal death to all that reject it Use 1. Oh then let us be much in hearing reading studying and obeying this Word that makes us everlastingly happy if the commandment be so exceeding broad why do we make no more use of it 1. Let our hearts be more taken up about it that should be our main care wherein to busie our selves day and night Psal. 1. 1. Our delight should not be in vain Books and empty Histories but in the Law of God we should often look into the Charter of our great hopes 2. Be directed by the Word of God 't will direct you in every business Psal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path Here is direction for you in prosperity and adversity 3. Study it that you may be sanctified by it Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth This is the great benefit that we have by the Word 't is the instrument of sanctification 4. Be much in the study of the Word that you may be assured by it that you may make out your own qualification to the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 13. 46. Since you put away the Word of God from you you judge your selves unworthy of eternal life When you let God's Book lie by neglected and never hear it nor read it nor mediate on it the thing is past all question you judge your selves unworthy of eternal life Use 2. Let this commend the Word of God to us that eternal life is in it other writings and discourses may tickle the ears with some pleasing eloquence but that is vanishing like a Musician's voice other writings may represent some petty and momentary advantage but how soon shall an end be put to all that so that within a little time the advantage of all these Books shall be gone The Statutes and Laws of Kings and Parliaments can reach no farther than some temporal reward or punishment their highest pain is killing of the body their highest reward is some vanishing and fading honour or perishing riches but God's Word concerning our everlasting estate our eternal well or ill being eternal life and death is wrapt up in these Laws and Commandments these are rewards and punishments suitable to the Eternal Majesty of the Lawgiver Here is life and immortality brought to light and offered to them who have so miserably lost it and involved their souls in an eternal death therefore let us have a precious esteem of the Scripture which shews us the way of escaping that misery into which we have plunged our selves and a way of obtaining eternal blessedness Do not then go to a wrong Guide and Rule nothing more necessary to be known than what our End is and the way that leadeth to that End The most part of men walk at random and run an uncertain Race they have neither a certain scope nor a sure way Mens particular inclinations and humors are an ill ill Guide for they incline us to please the flesh and so we shall miss of everlasting blessedness and wander in a bie-path that leadeth to destruction Naturally Man is more addicted to temporal things than spiritual and to worldly vanities than to spiritual enjoyments and it is in vain to persuade Men to look after better things till the carnal affections be mortified and one way and great means to mortifie carnal affections and inclinations is to consider the vanity of the Creature and when our affections are weaned from the world we must look after some better things to set our hearts upon That good which satisfieth all the desires and capacities of Man had need to be an infinite and an eternal good Now these better things are only discovered in the Word of God the Word of God discovers that there is such an estate as everlasting glory and blessedness The Word telleth us plainly and peremptorily who shall go to Heaven and who to Hell well then if you would have this comfort you must see whether you have embraced it with that reverence faith and obedience which the importance of it doth require SERMON CI. PSAL. CXIX VER 97. O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day IN this Psalm you have a perfect character of a Regenerate Man what he is and what he ought to be in his Meditations his Exercises his Affections and all this recommended to us from the frame of David's heart and example and course of his way Men of spiritual experience can best judge of these affections for as face answereth face in a glass so doth the heart of one Believer to another In these words you have 1 His love asserted 2 Demonstrated from the effect 1. His love asserted O how love I thy Law 2. Demonstrated from the effect of it It is my meditation all the day This is an effect for we are wont to muse upon what we love therefore David loving the Law of God is always thinking of it First For the Assertion Observe the matter asserted and the vehemency of the Assertion The matter asserted is love to the Law The vehemency of the Assertion O how I love thy Law It is an Admiration with an Exclamation David is not contented with a naked affirmation I love thy Law but useth a pathetical protestation of it How love I thy Law The Interrogation expresseth wonder How I love thy Law And the Exclamation O how that gives vent to strong affection as if he had said It is more than I am able to express The Law is taken for the whole Scripture as often in this Psalm Secondly For the demonstration of this affection It is my meditation all the day that is I do often meditate thereof and can spend whole days therein The words may signifie frequency of such thoughts they were not such as did come now and then but all the day his heart was working on holy things as the blessed Man is described Psal. 1. 2. that is every day he is working something out of the Word of God Or 't is my meditation all the day it may note the depth and ponderousness of these thoughts his mind did not run out upon the Law with slighty sallies but he had such thoughts as were solid and serious and did abide with him The Points from hence are two 1. That God's People have a great love to his
honey There was somewhat of Prophetical Vision in these things but generally it is carried not an outward and literal eating but a spiritual taste relishing the sweetness of it Well then the Word must not only be read and heard but eaten What 's this spiritual eating of the Word Three things are in it and all make way for this taste 1 Sound Belief 2 Serious Consideration 3 Close Application He that would have a taste of spiritual things these three things are necessary 1. That there be a sound Belief of it Men have not taste because they have not faith we cannot be affected with what we do not believe Heb. 4. 2. The Word profited not not being mixed with faith in them that heard it What 's the reason Men have no taste in the doctrine of God and in the free offers of his grace It is not mingled with faith and then it wants one necessary Ingredient towards this taste So 1 Thes. 2. 13. Te received the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe If you would have spiritual sense Faith makes way for it we must take the Word as the Word of God When we read in feigned Stories of inchanted Castles and golden Mountains they affect us not because we know they are but witty Fictions pleasant Fables or idle Dreams and such Atheism and Unbelief lies in the hearts of men against the very Scriptures and therefore the Apostle seeks to obviate and take off this 2 Pet. 1. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised fables intimating there is such a thought in man's heart Certainly if men did believe the mystery that is without controversie great that God hath indeed sent his Son to redeem the world and would indeed bestow Heaven and eternal happiness upon them they would have a greater taste but they hear of these things as a Dream of Mountains of Gold or Rubies falling from the Clouds If they did believe these glorious things of Eternity their hearts would be ravish'd with them 2. As Faith is necessary so serious Consideration by which we concoct Truth and chew them and work them upon the heart that causeth this sweetness by knocking on the Flint the sparks flie out those ponderous and deep inculcative thoughts of divine and heavenly things makes us taste a sweetness in them When we look slightly and superficially into the Word no wonder we do not find this comfort and sweetness but when we dig deeply into the Mines of the Word and work out truths by serious thoughts and search for wisdom when we come to see truth with our own eyes in its full nature order and dependance this is that which gets this taste Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey comb which is sweet to thy taste So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it When men are serious look into the nature and see all truths in their order and dependance then they will be like honey and the honey comb this makes way for this sweet taste 3. There is necessary to this taste close Application For the nearer and closer things touch one another the greater their efficacy so the more close you set the Word home upon your own hearts the more it works Iob 5. 27. Know it for thy good break out thy portion of the bread of life look upon these promises and offers of grace as including thee these commands speaking to thee and these threatnings as concerning thee look upon it not only as God's Message in common but urge it upon thy soul. Ier. 15. 16. It was unto me the rejoicing of my heart There must be a particular application of these things These things are necessary to this taste with respect to the Object as there must be eating a taking into the mouth if we would taste so thâ—…e must be a digesting or working upon the Word by sound Belief serious Consideration close Application 2. As to this taste there is somewhat necessary as to the Soul or Faculty we must have a Palate qualifi'd for these delicates Now there 's a double qualification necessary to this taste an hungry Conscience and mortifi'd Affections 1. An hungry Conscience Without this a Man hath a secret loathing of this spiritual food his taste is benummed but to an hungry Conscience the Word is sweet when he is kept in a constant hungring after Christ and his Grace Prov. 27. 7. The full soul loatheth the honey comb but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Cordials they are nauseous things to a full stomach O but how reviving comfortable and sweet are they to a poor broken heart The first time that we got this taste it was when we were under the stings of a guilty Conscience then God came and tender'd his grace to us in Christ he sent a Messenger one of a thousand to tell us he fiath found a ransom and that we shall be deliver'd from going down into the Pit that he will spare us and do us good in Christ Jesus then the man's flesh recovers again like a child's Iob 33. 23. When men have felt the stings of the second death and God comes with a sentence of life and peace by Christ how sweet is it then Now though we have not always a wounded Conscience yet we must always have a tender Conscience always sensible of the need of Gospel support we came to this first relish of the doctrine of eternal life and salvation by Christ when we lay under the sentence of eternal death 2. The heart must be purged from carnal affections for until we lose our fleshly savor we cannot have this spiritual taste Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh do savor the things of the flesh the word may be translated so A carnal heart relishes nothing but carnal things worldly pleasures worldly delights now this doth exceedingly deaden your spiritual taste Spiritual taste is a delicate thing therefore the heart must be purged from fleshly lusts for when fleshly lusts bear sway and doth relish the garlick and onions and flesh pots of Egypt your affections will carry you elsewhere to the vanities of the world and contentments of the flesh Look as sick men have lost their taste and that which is sweet seems sowr and ungreateful to a distemper'd appetite so a carnal appetite hath not this taste from the Word of God to a carnal heart it 's no more savory than the white of an Egg yea it is as gall to them but now to others it is exceeding sweet it is their joy the life of their souls Well then you see what is this spiritual taste that relish which a renewed soul hath for spiritual comforts Use. To persuade you to get this taste and when once you have got it take heed you do not lose it 1 It concerns you very much to get this taste take these Arguments 1. It is a
being near of kin to him she comes in a cunning manner under pretence to worship him and propounds a general question to him she does not at first propose the particular but says in general I have a certain thing to request of thee And what was her Request That one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom Saith Christ To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Mark out of this Story you learn how apt Christ's own Disciples are to dote upon worldly honor and greatness The sons of Zebedee Iames and Iohn those two worthy Disciples employ their mother to Christ in such a message they were dreaming of earthly Kingdoms and worldly honor that should be shared between them notwithstanding Christ taught them rather to prepare for Crosses in this world Do but reflect the light of this upon your own hearts Do we think we are better than those Apostles And that it is an easie thing to shut the love of the world and the honor thereof out of our hearts since they were so inchanted with the witchery of it therefore Christ tells them ver 22. Alas poor Creatures ye know not what ye ask can you pledge me in my Cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with We know not what we do when we are hunting after high places in the world we are to pledge Christ in his bitter Cup before our advancement come Nay to prove this is not only the bare worldlings disease but it is very incident to the choicest of God's people for after Christ had suffer'd and rose again the Apostles were not dispossess'd of this humor but still did dream of worldly ease and honor therefore they come to Christ with this question Acts 1. 6. Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel meaning in the Iewish sense break the Roman yoke and give them power and dominion over the Nations hoping for a great share to themselves when this work was done Thus you see humane weakness and the love of worldly honor bewrays itself in Christ's own Disciples One instance more in Ier. 45. 5. of Baruch Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not Baruch he was Ieremiah's Scribe had written his Prophesie and believed it that dreadful Roll written it over yet he was seeking some great thing for himself The best are apt to think they shall shift well enough for themselves in the world therefore saith Ieremiah for thou to have thoughts of honor and credit and a peaceful and prosperous Estate when all is going to rack and ruine never dream upon such a matter Now judge whether there be not great cause that God should bring his people to such a condition that they should carry their life in their hands from day to day that he might cure them of this distemper 4. That they may value Eternal Life the more which they would not do if they had a stable condition here in the world After death there will be a life out of all danger and a life that is not in our hands but in the hands of God none can take that life from us which God keepeth in Heaven Now that they might look after this life and value and prize it the more they are expos'd to hazards and dangers here The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable When they find the present life incumbred with so many sorrows and expos'd to so many dangers then they conclude surely there 's a better and safer estate for the people of God elsewhere in Heaven God's people cannot be of all men most miserable there is another life they have hopes in Christ and for other things therefore they long for it and look for it Heb. 13. 14. Here we have no abiding city but we seek one to come All things are liable to uncertainties and apparent troubles that we might look after that estate where the sheep of Christ shall be safely lodg'd in their eternal fold now God by their condition doth as it were say to them as Micah 2. 10. Arise this is not your rest Your stable comforts your everlasting enjoyments are not here here all our comforts are in our hands ready to deliver them up from day to day 5. God doth by his righteous Providence cause it to be so that his People carry their life in their hands to try their affections to him and his Word When we sail with a full stream of Prosperity we may be of God's side and party upon foreign and accidental reasons now God will see if we love Christ for his own sake and his ways as they are his ways when separated from any temporal interest yea when expos'd to scorn disgrace and trouble It is easie to be good when it costs us nothing and the wind blows in our backs rather than in our faces the state of affairs is for us rather than against us Halcyon times and times of rest are times of breeding the Church but stormy times are times of trying the Church 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned unto you God will put us into his Furnace there will a fiery trial come to see if we have the same affection to truth when it is safe to own it and when it is dangerous to own it when it is hated and maligned in the world Few Professors can abide God's trial Zech. 13. 9. I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tried When two parts fall away there 's a third part refined and tried by trials When the generality proves dross or chaff or stubble in the Furnace there are some good metal preserved and shine brighter for trial as their zeal is increas'd and their grace kept more lively and their faith and dependance upon a continual exercise God will try whether we can live upon invisible supports and go on chearfully in the performance of our duty in the midst of all difficulty without these outward encouragements They are proved that they may be improved 6. God doth cause such things to befal his People to shew his power both in their preservation and in over-ruling all those cross Providences for their good 1 His power in their preservation when they have no temporal interests to back them God will shew he can preserve his People Psal. 97. 1. The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice let the multitude of isles be glad thereof It is well that the Lord reigns else how could his People stand The Lord reigns and the multitude of Isles they have a share in the joy and benefit One
he is reduced to exigences then is the time to put the Bonds in suit God by promise hath made himself a Debtor As having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. They have all things in the promise though nothing in sense If we have but one gracious promise left to subsist upon we cannot be poor 't is better riches than all the world for then our right to God and eternal Life still remaineth If an Estate here should last till death yet then certainly men try the weakness of their portion When other men find the worthlesness and baseness of their portion you find the sweetness fulness and comfort of yours Carnal men have but an Estate for life at best Luke 16. 25. Son in thy life time thou receivedst thy good things when they come to die they can look for no more then they find the gnawing Worm of Conscience prove matter of vexation and torment but then your heritage comes to the full Psal. 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Not only when all outward comforts fail all Creatures in the world have spent their allowance but when the flesh begins to fail when we consume and faint away and hasten to the Grave Lord then thou failest not thou art the strength of my heart and my portion for ever We have an interest in the eternal God and we shall live eternally to enjoy him God lives for ever and we live for ever that we may enjoy God 2. Now I come to give the Reasons Why it is the property of Believers to chuse this for their portion and why no others can do it It is the property of Believers to do so upon two Grounds 1. Because of the wisedome that is in Faith Faith is a spiritual prudence You shall see Faith is opposed not only to ignorance but to folly because it teacheth us to make a wise choice Reason makes us wise to chuse a good portion in this World The Children of this world are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light Luke 16. 9. But Faith is for the inward and spiritual life Worldly men are wise in worldly employments to make a wise choice and accomplish such things they affect turn and wind in the world there they excel the Children of God but Faith makes us wise for Eternity and therefore it chuseth the better portion Faith is a spiritual light and seeth a worth in other things It is a notable Saying Prov. 23. 4. Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom How came these two things to be coupled If we had no better wisedom than our own we should spend our time strength and care to labour to be rich Humane wisedom doth only incline and enable us to the affairs of the present life but God infuseth a supernatural light into the Saints they have counsel from the Lord Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night seasons as if he had said Ah Lord if I am left to my self and the workings of my own natural spirit I should be as vain and foolish as others are but thou hast given me counsel 2. The next Reason is Because of the nobleness and height of spirit that is in Faith Faith will not be satisfied with any slight fancies it must have better things than the world yieldeth The great priviledg of the Covenant and work of Grace is to give us a new heart that is another manner of Spirit than we had before Our natural spirit is the spirit of the world a cheap vile low spirit that will be satisfied with every base thing Every man seeketh something for his portion for no man hath sufficiency in himself but seeketh it without natural men go no further than the world riches honour pleasure they seek it some in one thing some in another there is none more unsatisfied than a worldly man for his heart cannot find rest and yet none are sooner satisfied a worldly man is not dainty but taketh up what is next at hand You think there is no such excellent spirited men as they that have high designs in the world and can atchieve Greatness and Honour But a poor Christian is of a more excellent spirit these things will not give him contentment nothing on this side God Faith yieldeth a man a choise spirit it makes us take the testimonies of the Lord for our heritage A renewed Soul it hath its aspirings it gets up to God and will not be satisfied with worldly delights but thou art my portion saith my soul Lam. 3. 24. Others hunt after other things beneath God Heaven the Graces of the Spirit the righteousness of Christ. Therefore thus it must needs be the property of Gods Children because they have another understanding and another heart And then none but the Children of God can have these priviledges Why Because though they are very magnificent and glorious yet they are invisible and for the most part future and to come they make no fair shew in the flesh this is hidden Manna meat and drink the world knows not of Carnal men look upon an Estate that lies in the Covenant to be but a notion and mere conceit and they cannot believe they shall be provided for if God bears the purse for them they cannot live immediately upon God they must have something visible outward and glorious and partly this inheritance is to come therefore they cannot have this property Heb. 6. 12. Be ye Followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises The testimonies of the Lord are an inheritance we cannot come at presently there needs a great deal of faith and patience in waiting upon God As a hired Servant must have money from Quarter to Quarter and cannot with the Child expect when the inheritance will befall him A carnal heart dares not trust God cannot tarry his leisure wicked men have their reward Mat. 6. 2. they must have present wages glory honour and profit here they discharge God of other things because it 's a thing which costs them much waiting an humble dependance upon God conflicts with many difficulties and hardships carnal men see no beauty in it and because it is to come it turns their Stomachs SERMON CXXII PSAL. CXIX VER III. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart USE 1. It informs us what 's the reason why a Believer that hath nothing in hand nothing to live upon yet is not only patient but comfortable and joyful as the men of the world when their Corn Wine and Oil encrease Whence are these men maintained supplied and kept up at such a rate of cheerfulness Their inheritance lies in the promise As Christ said I have meat and drink the world knows not of so they have Land and Estate the world knows
it is seen in overcoming the terrours of the Lord Death Hell Judgment to come the fears and doubts of our own Conscience it will not only swallow up the sense of poverty disgrace and affliction but will bear us out in life and death they have a joy that will help them to do and suffer the will of the Lord. When once they have tasted the Comforts of Gods presence other things will go down easie I might press you to look after this rejoycing of heart It makes much for the Glory of God for the Honour of our Portion that we do not repent us of our choice that we bear up chearfully And it is of abundant profit The joy of the Lord is a Christians strength it bears him out in doing for God To this purpose you should beware of sin that 's a clouding darkning thing men or Angels cannot keep their hearts comfortable that sin against God sin takes away all joy peace and the whole strength of men and an Angel cannot make the Conscience of a Sinner rejoyce therefore the Children of God must take heed that they do not allow sin In Act. 9. 31. They walked in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost Usually these two go together and the oil of Grace makes way for the oil of gladness and usually obedience concurrs to the establishing of our joy Above all look after Communion with God for he is the fountain of joy and the more Communion we have with him the more we rejoyce The more Communion in Prayer 1 Sam. 1. 6. when Hannah prayed she was no more sad Prayer hath a pacifying Virtue in it And then in the use of the Seals for these are assuring Ordinances now the more we revive the grounds of assurance the stronger the consolation that appears Heb. 6. 18. Act. 8. 39. The Eunuch when he was baptized went away rejoycing When a man hath an inheritance made over to him past in Court all things done the Title not to be made void then he goes and rejoyceth so when the promises have been confirmed by a solemn ratification it makes joy Then Meditation and Thanksgiving keep this joy alive Thanksgiving gives vent and Meditation that maintains it SERMON CXXIII PSAL. CXIX VER 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always to the end DAvid did not only feast his Soul with Comforts but also minded duty and service In the former Verse he had professed his comfort and joy resulting from an interest in the promise now he expresses the bent of his heart to Gods Statutes Ephraim is represented as an Heifer that is taught that would tread out the Corn but not break the Clods 'T is a fault in Christians when they only delight to hear of priviledges but entertain coldly inforcements of duty and obedience David was of another temper first he said I have taken thy testimonies for an heritage and then I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always to the end In which Words you have all the requisites of Gods service I. The principle of obedience I have inclined my heart II. The Matter of obedience Thy Statutes III. The Mâ—…ner of doing 1. accurately to perform 2. the universality and uniformity always 3. constantly to the end I. That which the Psalmist bringeth in evidence for himself is The frame of his heart he beginneth there not with eyes or hands or feet but my heart Secondly This heart is spoken of as inclined poised and set to shew his proneness and readiness to serve God not compelled but inclined The heart of man is set between two Objects Corruption inclineth it one way and Grace another the law of sin on the one side and the law of Grace on the other when the Scales are cast on Graces side then the heart is inclined to Gods Statutes Now he saith I have inclined 't is the work of Gods Spirit to incline and bend our hearts as David expresseth himself vers 36. But 't is not unusual in Scripture to ascribe to us what God worketh in us because of our subservient endeavours to Grace as we pursue the work of God Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Deus facit ut faciamus saith Augustine It is our duty to incline our hearts to Gods Law which naturally hang sin-ward but 't is Gods work God beginneth by his preventing Grace and the Soul obeyeth the impression left upon it Turn me and I shall be turned Ier. 31. 18. Yea he still followeth us with his subsequent and cooperating Grace we do but act under him I inclined my heart after thou hadst filled it with thy spirit when I felt the motions of thy Grace my consent followed preventing Grace made me willing and subsequent Grace that I should not will in vain Now what was his heart inclined to To perform thy Statutes not to understand them only or to talk of them but inclined to perform them to go through with the Work that is the Notion of performing Rom. 7. 18. how to perform we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it to be compleat in Gods Will to do his utmost therein this not by fits and starts but always a continual care and conscience to walk in Gods Law not suffering our selves for any respect to be turned out of the way Many have good motions by starts temporize a little their goodness is like the Morning Dew 't is thus not for a time but to the end an holy inclination while the fit lasteth is no such great matter this was to the last Some stop in the middle of the Journey or faint before they come to the Goal but David held out to the last Or this is brought as an evidence of his sincerity the Summ is a bent of heart carrying him out to perform whatsoever God doth command all the days of his life I shall speak of what is most material and observe this Point Doct. They that would sincerely and throughly obey God must have an heart inclined to his Statutes Here I shall shew 1. What is this heart inclined 2. The necessity of it 1. What is this heart inclined God expects the heart in all the service that we do him Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy heart not the ear or the eyes or the tongue but the heart the most considerable thing in man in his heart 't is terminus actionum ad intra and fons actionum ad extra 'T is the bound of those actions that look inward the senses report to the fancy that to the mind and the mind counsels the heart Prov. 2. 10. if wisedom enter upon thy heart 'T is also the well-spring of those actions that look outward to the life Prov. 4. 23. Matth. 15. 19. You have both these in one place Let thy heart keep my Precepts let thine heart receive my words Prov. 4. 4. In taking in we end with the heart the Statutes of God they are never well
this may put us upon great seeming zeal and activity So for profit to make a Market of Religion as the Pharisees got themselves credit to be trusted with Widows Estates by their long prayers these are rotten principles Then some are more tolerable not so bad principles as the former as when we serve God out of hope of temporal mercy as when they howl upon their beds for Corn Wine and Oil Hos. 7. 4. or for fear of temporal Judgments when men hang down their heads like a Bull-rush for a while or else for mere fear of eternal death they shall else be damned When Mens Duties are a sin-offering a sleepy sop to appease an accusing Conscience But then there are some that are lawful good and sound as when Duties are done out of the impulsion of an enlightened Conscience that urgeth them to that which is good or upon the bare Command of God his authority swaying the Conscience or when they walk in the ways of God out of the consideration of the reward to come a respect to Heaven this is very good in its place Again there are some excellent principles of Grace and which do most of all discover a Gospel Spirit a well tempered frame of Soul to God and these are love to God because of his benefits and love to us gratitude and thankfulness 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us And Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God When we serve him out of love Again when we serve him out of delight out of love to the Duty find such a complacency in the work that we love the work for the works sake as David I love thy Law because it is pure when we love the Law for the purity of it Or when the Glory of God prevails above all our own interests Or when the promises and Covenant of God enabling of us that 's our principle Heb. 10. 16. I observe this Men usually are brought on from one sort of principle to another from sinful principles they are brought to tolerable and lawful and from lawful to those that are rare and excellent 2. This is such a mercy as gives us hope of more mercy in that kind If God hath held us up and we have been safe hitherto then we may say Thou hast held me up we may look for more new temptation will bring new strength every days work will bring its own refreshment God by giving binds himself more to give for he loves to crown his own work when he hath done good he will do good again Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire He hath saved us and he will save us And it holds good sometimes in temporal mercies 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver But especially it holds good in spiritual mercies 2 Tim. 4. 17. He hath delivered me out of the mouth of the Lion and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdome One act of mercy gives us more God that hath begun will make an end he that hath kept me will keep me Use. It serves to reprove two sorts of people 1. Those that are unthankful after their deliverance We forget his care of us and never think how much we owe to him When the Marriners have gotten to the Haven and Harbour they forget the Tempest so these forget how God stood by them in the temptation and conflict they do not abound more in the work of the Lord. These are like those that would have deliverance that Thorns might be taken out of the way that they might run more readily to that which is evil 2. It reproveth those that faint and despond in Gods ways after much experiences of his help and presence with them The Israelites in the Wilderness upon every new difficulty their faith is at a loss and then back again to Egypt they would go though they had so often experience of God they would not believe him because of his wonders but forgat his works and his wonders that he had shewed them Psal. 78. 11. God had given them wonderful mercy in destroying Pharaoh that it might be meat to their faith yet they believed not Good David was ready to say I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. though he had experience upon experience We should rather encourage our selves and go on in our work notwithstanding all difficulties The last Point from the accuracy and constancy of his obedience I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually This Phrase is diversly rendered the Septuagint render it I will exercise my self in them or apply my heart to them David's regard to Gods law is diversly expressed in this Psalm Doctr. 4. Gods Precepts must be respected and consulted with as the constant measure and direction of our lives Not only respect but continual respect Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule it notes as many as shall walk in rank and order there needeth great accurateness and intention that we may keep within the bounds of commanded Duty So walk circumspectly Some men are so crafty through their self-deceiving hearts through their lusts and interests so doubtful that there needs a great exactness and so apt to be turned out of the way that we need a great deal of care to look to the Fountain and Principle of our actions to look to the matter manner end and weigh all circumstances that we may serve God exactly SERMON CXXIX PSAL. CXIX VER 118. Thou hast trodden down all them that erre from thy Statutes for their deceit is falshood IN the former Verse the man of God had begged establishment in the ways of God and now as an help to what he had prayed for he observe Gods Judgments on those that erre from them It is a special means to preserve us from sin to observe how mischievous it hath been to those that close with it So the Prophet here I will have respect to thy Statutes Why Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes By this means we learn to be wise at other mens costs and are whipt upon others backs Zeph. 3. 6 7. I have cut off the Nations their Towers are made desolate their Cities are destroyed there is none inhabitant I said Surely thou wilt fear me c. God is very much disappointed if we be not bettered and improved by his Judgments Exemplo qui peccat bis peccat He that would plunge himself into a Quagmire where others have miscarried before sins doubly because he neither fears threatnings nor would take warning by their example God looks to be the more reverenced for every warning he gives us in his Providence because then what was before matter of Faith is made matter of sense and needs only a little application Thus it will be with me if I should straggle from
from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the Widow This is particularly insisted upon as the proper fruit of their Change So Dan. 4. 27. Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Repentance is a breaking off the former course of sin the King an open Oppressour Daniel preacheth righteousness and mercy to him They that continue their former unjust Courses never yet truly repented Zech. 8. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your Gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. He would have their repentance thus expressed Fifthly Because it is so lovely and venerable in the eyes of the world A Christian if he had no other engagement upon him yet for the honour of God and the credit of Religion he should do those things that are lovely and comely in themselves and so esteemed by the world for he is to glorifie God 1 Pet. 2. 12. and adorn Religion Tit. 2. 10. to represent his profession with advantage to the Consciences of men God is dishonoured by nothing so much as injustice which is so odious and hateful to men and wicked men are hardned the hopeful discouraged Atheism prevaileth Neh. 5. 9. Also I said it is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies On the contrary when we give every one their due we bring honour to God and credit to Religion you can the better hold up the profession of it against contradiction hold up head before God and man Now Justice is so lovely partly as 't is a stricture of the Image of God as before in which respect 't is said Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Men are convinced that he is a more perfect man fitter to be trusted as being one that will deal faithfully And partly because the welfare of humane Society is promoted by such things Tit. 3. 8. These things are good and profitable for men Sixthly And indeed that is my last reason it conduceth so much to the good of humane Society A Christian is a Member of a double Community of the Church and of the world the one in order to eternal life the other in order to the present life as a man and as a Christian. Without justice what would the world be but a Den of thieves Remove Iustitiam c. saith St. Augustin The world cannot subsist without Justice The Kings Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16. 10. The Nation gets honour and reputation by it abroad Prov. 13. 34. Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Never did the people of the Jews nor any other Nation whose History is come to our ears flourish so much as when they were careful and exact in maintaining righteousness And as to persons all Commerce between man and man is kept up by Justice And if this be a truth that God and not the Devil doth govern the World and distribute rewards and the blessings of this life surely then Justice which is a compliance with Gods will is the way to be exalted and to live well in the World and not lying cozening and dissembling 2. 'T is very comfortable to us to be just The comfort of righteousness is often spoken of in Scripture Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoice Whatever befalleth him good or evil much or little in life or death Good or evil if good he hath comfort in his portion because what he hath hâ—… hath by the fair leave and allowance of Gods Providence Prov. 13. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul he hath enough because he hath what God seeth fit for him he hath enough to supply his wants enough to satisfie his desires sometimes 't is much sometimes 't is little 'T is much sometimes for they are under the blessing of the promise Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayst live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Justice shalt thou follow if you will take care for that God will take care to bless you If it be little that little is better than more gotten by fraud and injustice Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right Prov. 15. 16 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Though it be but a Dinner of Herbs Psal. 37. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures of many wicked The comfort if they will stand to the Scriptures lyeth not in abundance but in Gods blessing There is more satisfaction in their small provisions than in the greatest plenty Suppose their condition be evil whatsoever evil a just man suffers he shall get some good by it living or dying and so still hath ground of comfort if scorned or neglected he hath the comfort of his innocent dealing to bear him out As Samuel when he and his house was laid aside 1 Sam. 12. 2 3. he appeals to them Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or from whose hands have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it If you are opposed and maligned you may plead against your enemies as Moses did Numb 16. 15. Respect not their offerings I have not taken an Ass from them neither have I hurt one of them You may plead thus when you are sure you have not wronged them If you are oppressed as David in the Text you may appeal to the God of your righteousness In life in death they have the comfort of their righteousness In life Deut. 16. 20. as before In death Prov. 14. 32. The righteous man hath hope in his death Isai. 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight When he is going the way of all the Earth this will be a comfort to him that he hath done no wrong but served God faithfully and lived with men without guile and deceit Oh for comforts for a dying hour Now this Comfort ariseth partly from a good Conscience and partly from the many promises of God that are made to righteousness First From peace of Conscience We are told Prov. 15. 15. That a good Conscience is a continual feast Ahasuerus made a magnificent Feast that lasted an hundred and eighty days
the Creature in appointing him such a law God hath the greatest Right and Authority to Command Isa. 33. 22. The Lord is our Iudge and our Law-giver 2. That there is not only direction given to us but an Obligation laid upon us There is this difference between a Law and a Rule a bare Rule is for Information a Law for Obligation So herein the Word of God agrees with a law 't is not only the result of Gods Wisdom but the effect of his Legislative Will He would not only help and instruct the Creature in his Duty but oblige him by his Authority Decretum necessitatem facit exhortatio liberam voluntatem excitat saith the Canonist Exhortation and Advice properly serveth to quicken one that is free but a decree and a law imposeth a force a necessity upon him So Hierom lib. 2. contra Iovin Ubi consilium datur operantis arbitrium est ubi praeceptum necessitas servitutis A Counsel and a Precept differ a Precept respects Subjects a Counsel Friends The scriptures are not only Gods Counsel but his Precept There is a Coactive power in his laws God hath not left the Creature at liberty to comply with his Directions if he please but hath left a strict charge upon him 3. Every law hath a sanction otherwise it were but an Arbitrary Direction the Authority might be Contemned unless it hath a sanction that is confirmed by Rewards and Punishments so hath God given his law under the highest penalties Mar. 16. 16. He that Believeth shall be saved and he that Believeth not shall be damned Gal. 6. 8. If ye sow to the Flesh of the Flesh ye shall reap Corruption Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die God telleth them what will come of it and commandeth them to abstain as they will answer it to God at their utmost peril The Obligation of a law first inferreth a fault that is Contempt of Authority so doth Gods as 't is his law and so will infer a fault in us to break it And as we reject his Counsel it inferreth Punishment and the greater Punishment the more we know of Gods law Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation Wrath and Anguish upon every soul that doeth evil upon the Iew first and also upon the Gentile Why the Iew first They knew Gods Mind more Clearly 4. A sanction supposeth a Judge who will take an account whether his law be broken or kept otherwise all the Promises and Threatnings were in vain The law that is the Rule of our Obedience is the Rule of his Process so the Word of God hath this in common with other laws therefore God hath appointed a Judge and a Judgment-day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath appointed and 2 Thes. 1. 8. He will come in flaming fire to render Vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not the Gospel According to the law they have been under Gentiles Christians they must all appear before the Lord to give an account how they have observed Gods law Now in patience he beareth with men yet sometimes interposeth by particular Judgments but then they shall receive their final Doom 2. Let us see wherein they differ from ordinary laws among Men. 1. Man in his laws doth not debate matters with his Subjects but barely injoyneth and interposeth Authority but God condescendeth to the Infirmities of Man and cometh down from the Throne of his Sovereignty and reasoneth and perswadeth and prayeth Men that they will not forsake their own Mercies but yield Obedience to his laws which he convinceth them are for their good Isa. 46. 8. Remember this shew your selves Men bring it to mind again ye Transgressors Isa. 1. 18. Let us reason together saith the Lord. God is pleased to stoop to sorry Creatures to argue with them and make them Judges in their own Cause Micah 6. 2 3. he will plead with Israel O my People what have I done unto thee And wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me He will plead with Israel about the equity of his laws whether they are not for their good 'T is a lessening of Authority for Princes to Court their Subjects they Command them but God will Beseech and Expostulate and Argue with his People 2 Cor. 5. 20. He draws with the Cords of a Man sweetly alluring their hearts to him 2 The laws of God bind the Conscience and the Immortal Souls of Men the laws of Men only bind the Behaviour of the outward Man they cannot order the Heart God takes notice of a wanton glance of an unclean thought a carnal motion Matth. 5. 28. Mens Words and Actions are liable to the laws of Men they cannot know the Thoughts but the law of God falls upon the Counsels of the Heart Rom. 7. 14. For I know that the law is Spiritual but I am Carnal Heb. 4. 12. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart 3 The law of God Immutably and Indispensibly bindeth all men without distinction no man beggeth exemption here because of their condition there is no Immunity and Freedom from Gods Law Men may grant Immunity from their laws 1 Sam. 17. 25. He will make his fathers house free in Israel Mens laws are compared to spiders Webs the lesser flies are intangled great ones break through God doth not exempt any Creature from Duty to him but speaketh Impartially to all 4 Mens laws do more propend to Punishment than they do to reward For Robbers and Manslayers Death is appointed but the innocent subject hath only this reward that he doth his Duty and escapeth these Punishments In very few cases doth the law Promise Rewards the inflicting of Punishments is its proper work because its use is to restrain Evil but Gods law propoundeth Punishments equal to the Rewards Eternal life on the one hand as well as Eternal death on the other Deut. 30. 15. See I have set before thee this day Life and good Death and evil because the use of Gods law is to guide men to their Happiness This should be much observed 't is legis candor the Equity and Condescension of Mans law to speak of a Reward it commands many things forbids many things but still under a penalty that 's the great design of mans Power in very few cases doth it invite men to their Duty by a Reward only in such cases when every good man would not do his Duty 'T is more exact and vigilant in its proper and natural work of punishing the disobedient that wickedness should not go unpunished the common Peace requireth that but that good should be rewarded there is no humane necessity Humane laws were not invented to reward Good but prevent Evil. Use. Let us humble our selves that we bear so little respect to Gods Word that we so boldly break it and are so little affected with our breaches of it do we indeed consider that this is Gods law The greatest
satisfieth not And Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which indureth to everlasting life And partly as it ingageth to Constancy in Obedience for it must last as long as our Rule lasteth You are eternally bound to love God and Fear him and Obey him We must not only begin well or serve him now and then in a good Mood but so love God as to love him for ever so cleave to him as never to depart from him For his Law is an eternal obligation you must never cease your work till you receive your wages and that is when you enter into Eternity Yea much of our work is wages Loving Praising God all Duties that do not imply weakness are a part of our Happiness Thus it hath a greater influence upon our Obedience then we were at first aware of 3. Because it conduceth much to our Comfort The Apostle telleth us that the Comfort of Believers is built upon two immutable grounds therefore 't is so strong Heb. 6. 18. Now this Everlasting Righteousness of Gods Testimonies is a comfort to us 1 In all the changes of Mens Affections towards us sometimes they smile and sometimes they frown but the Promises ever remain the same There is yea and nay with men but not with the Promises they are all yea and amen in Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Times alter and change but the tenour of the Covenant is always the same 2 It Comforts us in the changes of Gods dispensations to us God may change his dispensations yet his purposes of Grace stand firm and are carried on unalterably by various and contrary means We must interpret Providence by the Covenant not the Covenant by Providence We know the meaning of his works best by going into his Sanctuary The World misconstrueth his work and dealing to his Children many times if it be rightly interpreted you will find Gods Righteousness is an Everlasting Righteousness Sometimes Gods Providence is dark but always just Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him Righteousness and Iudgment are the Habitation of his throne Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting O Lord my God That was the Prophet's support in those sad times when a Treacherous people were exalted when he was imbrangled and lost about Gods dispensations this was his comfort and support Gods Eternal Immutability in the Covenant He is always the same loveth his People as much as ever as faithful and mindful of his Covenant as ever only a vail of sense covereth our eyes that we cannot see it 3 It Comforts us against the difficulties of Obedience when it groweth Irksome to us The difficulty and trouble is but for a while but we shall everlastingly have the Comfort of it 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Then 't will be no grief of heart to us to have watched prayed striven against sin suffered continued with him notwithstanding all Temptations Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality eternal Life 4 'T is a Comfort in Death We change and are changed but God is always the same the Righteousness of Christ will bear weight for ever Dan. 9. 24. to bring in an everlasting Righteousness The fruits of Obedience last for ever Psal. 112. 7. His Righteousness endureth for ever How Comfortable is this to remember that we may appear before God with this Confidence which he hath wrought in us that the Covenant of Grace is an everlasting Charter that shall never be out of Date nor wax old Use. Let it be thus with us let it be so deeply imprinted upon our Minds that it may leave an Everlastingness there upon the frame of our Spirits for then we are transformed by the Word and cast into the Mould of it Now who are they that have an Everlasting Righteous frame of heart 1. Such as Act out of an everlasting Principle or the new Nature which worketh above the World The Word ingrafted is called an Incorruptible seed or the seed of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. that abideth in us 1 Ioh. 3. 9. when there is a Divine Principle in us such a Principle as is the seed and beginning of Eternal Life when the Word hath rooted it self in our hearts 2. Such as by their constant progress towards an Everlasting estate are going from strength to strength serving God and cleaving to him in a uniform constant Course of Holiness not by fits and starts but unchangeably Act. 24. 16. to have always a Conscience void of offence Again when you are in such an estate wherein you can bear the Trial of those everlasting Rules Gal. 6. 8. He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live In short If you have everlasting Ends 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Not making things Temporal our scope and aim that will not satisfie us when we are deeply possessed with the thoughts of the other World 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World and look upon all other things by the by and use the World as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7. 29 30. Secondly I come now to the Prayer Give me understanding and I shall live I. Here is the benefit asked Understanding II. The Person asking David Give me III. The Person from whom it is asked from God I. The Benefit asked give me Understanding that is the saving knowledge of Gods Testimonies Doctrine One great request that we have to put up to God should be for the saving knowledge of his Testimonies The Reasons why this should be our great Request to God First The necessity of Understanding that will appear 1. Because of our Ignorance and Folly which is the cause of all our sin Tit. 3. 3. We our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient Therefore Disobedient because Foolish Every natural man is a Fool blind in spiritual things whatever understanding or quickness of Judgment he hath in other things In all things that relate to God and Heaven Blind and Foolish and cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind And you shall find that sinners are called Fools Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity And scorners delight in scorning and Fools hate knowledge Psal. 75. 4. I said unto the Fools deal not foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the Horn. They follow their own Wit and Will to the
Quickning David ever and anon reneweth his request and he is loth to be denied and therefore before he saith Quicken me he saith Hear my Voice Doctrine II. The main Argument which Gods Children have to plead in Prayer is his own favour and Loving-kindness That 's David ' s Argument in the Text Hear my voice according to thy loving-kindness Doctrine III. The Mercy and Loving-kindness of God manifested and impledged in the Promises of the Gospel doth notably incourage us to ask help from him For David doth not only say according to thy Loving-kindness but according to thy Judgment For the first Point One Blessing which the Children of God do see a need often and earnestly to ask of God is Quickening Here I shall inquire 1. What is Quickening 2. Give you some Reasons why the Children of God do see a need so often and earnestly to ask it of God I. What is Quickening 1. By Quickening some understand restitution to Happiness for a Calamitous man is as one dead and buried under deep and heavy Troubles and their recovery is a life from the Dead or a reviving from the Grave so Quickning seemeth to be taken Psal. 71. 20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore Troubles shalt quicken me again and bring me up from the depths of the Earth 2. Othersunderstand by Quickning the renewing and increasing in him the Vigour of his Spiritual Life That he beggeth that God would revive increase and preserve that Life which he had already given that it might be perfected and consummated in Glory That he might be ever ready to bring forth the habits of Grace into Acts. The Use which we should make of it is to press you 1. To be sensible of the temper of your Hearts and see whether you want Quickning yea or no The feeling of spiritual deadness argueth some life and sense yet left You have attained to so much of life and do retain it in such a measure as to be able to bemoan your selves to God Most observe their bodies but very few their souls if their Bodies be ill at ease or out of order they complain Men that go on in a Track of Customary Duties see no need of quickning therefore this humble sense is a good sign Matins and Vespers coldly run over never put us upon the feeling of indispositions but onely Duties done with some spirit and life As a Smith blows not the Bellows on cold iron or a dead Coal Who would seek quickning when not serious in the work They that go on in the cold wont of Duties never regard the frame of their Hearts 2. When you want quickning ask it of God He brought us into the state of Life at first and therefore every moment we must beg of him that he would quicken us that he would continue it and perfect his own work Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after thee There is no running no preserving the Vitality of Grace without his renewed influence Psal. 22. 29. None can keep alive his own Soul Therefore when we find this deadness or decay of Life to whom should we go but to the fountain of Life to repair it no Creature doth subsist of itself or act of itself 3. Ask it earnestly David prefaceth a general Prayer before this request and saith hear my voice as loth to be denied Many ask it of Course rather use it as a mannerly form when they are entring upon holy Duties than a broken-hearted request See you desire it heartily Psal 119. 40. Behold I have longed after thy precepts quicken thou me in thy righteousness A mans heart is set upon it and will not sit down with the distemper as contented and satisfied with a dead frame of Heart quickning is for longing Souls that would fain do the work of God with a more perfect Heart 4. Expect this Grace in and through Jesus Christ who came down from Heaven for this end Ioh. 10. 10. I am come that they might have life and might have it more abundantly That was his end in coming into the World to procure life for his People and not only bare life but liveliness and comfort yea glory hereafter He died to purchase it for us Ioh. 6. 51. This is my flesh which I give for the life of the world His Incarnation and taking on him our Nature is the Channel and Conduit through which the quickning virtue that is in the Godhead is conveyed to us And his offering up himself in that nature by his Eternal Spirit doth purchase and merit the Application and Anâ—…unciation of this his quickning virtue to our souls and prepareth him to be fit meat for souls That same Flesh and Humane Nature of Christ that is offered up a Ransom to Justice is also the Bread of Life for souls to feed upon Souls are fed with Meditations upon his Death and Sufferings the Bread which he giveth by way of Application is his Flesh which he gave by way of Ransom every renewed act of Faith draweth an increase of Life from him 5. Consider how God worketh it in us The Father of Spirits loveth to work with his own tools These three agree in one The Spirit the Word and the renewed Heart The one is the Author the other the Instrument and the last the Object There is the Spirit acting and the Habit of Grace acted upon and the Word and Sacraments are the instruments and means For God will do it rationally and by a lively light God forceth not the nature of second causes against their own inclination 't is pleasing to him when we desire him to renew his work and to bring forth the actings of Grace out of his own seed and to blow with the wind the breath of his Spirit on the Gardens that the spices may flow out Cant. 4. 15. if one of these be wanting there can be no quickning Not the Spirit for he applyeth all and doth all in the Heart of Believers 't is from him that we have the new life of Grace and all the activity of it Gal. 5. 25. If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit Then there must be a renewed Heart for God doth first infuse the principles of the new Life and gracious habits and power into the soul. Next he doth actuate those powers or stir them up to do what is good otherwise we do but blow to a dead Coal Then the Word and Sacraments come as Gods means which are fitted to work upon the New Creature These are full of spiritual Reason and suited to the sanctified understandings of Men and Women 6. Consider Gods loving-kindness how ready he is to grant this He will not deny the gift of the Holy Ghost to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. 'T is an Argument not a Pari but a minore ad majus God is more able and willing to give than earthly Parents who are but half Fathers This is a spiritual and necessary Blessing
intended here inward comfort and contentment of mind Thirdly There is eternal peace that happy and quiet estate which we shall injoy in heaven when we are above all desertions temptations and the trouble of hostile incursions when we shall never have frown more from Gods face when our Sun shall alwayes shine without Cloud or Night When our strife is our over and our Enemies that do infest us now are all overcome there is no Satan to tempt us no Serpent in the upper Paradise no world to trouble or divert us For all the wicked are bound hand and foot and cast into unquenchable fire there is no flesh to clog us for all is perfect this glorious estate is called peace in Scripture as Rom. 2. 10. God will give Glory Honour Peace to every man that worketh Good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile and Rom. 8. 6. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace By death is meant the Torments of Hell and by Life and Peace the Joys Heaven And speaking of the blessedness of those that die in the Lord he saith Isa. 59. 2. They shall enter into peace Now this cannot principally be intended here for the man of God speaketh of what we have not of what we hope for and he speaks of Gods righteous dispensations here in the World for which he praised him and therefore 't is meant of our peace here but yet it 's the sence of peace and happiness we shall have in Heaven that hath an influence upon the tranquillity of our hearts and minds here II. Let me a little explain the qualification that love thy Law The Word Law is sometimes taken in a limited sense for the Decalogue or moral Law or else more generally for the whole doctrine of the Covenant the whole Tenour of Religion Law and Gospel So here and else-where as the Isles shall wait for thy Law Isa. 42. 4. That is shall readily receive and imbrace his doctrine So Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find occasion against this Daniel unless we find it in the Law of his God That is in his Religion So Psal. 1. 2. But his delight is the Law of the Lord. By the Law of the Lord is meant the whole Word of God well now 't is said they love his Law not only keep it but love it A child of God is sometimes described by his faith sometimes by his hope or by his fear but more often by his love That commanding and swaying Affection that sets the whole soul a-work they love thy law there is Emphasis in that III. Here is the Consequent nothing shall offend them The Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have not scandals they have their troubles but no stumbling blocks 1 Iohn 2. 10. There is no occasion of stumbling in them There is the same Word used there which the Septuagint useth here scandal is either active or passive given or taken That which is taken out of weakness as young Professors or out of pride and malice they interpreted many things in a worse sence when they know it might be interpreted in a better Now nothing shall scandalize them peace with God prevents the scandals of weakness and love to the law prevents scandals out of pride and malice Nothing shall scandalize them many things are apt to scanlize men as Gods Judgments for which David did so often every day and so solemnly praise God But they that love his law and thereby obtained great peace they will not stumble at Gods dispensations let them be never so cross to their desires and expectations Because they have a sure Covenant that is a sure rule and sure promises they are not scandalized by the miscarriages of men they can distinguish between the Art and the Artificer if the Artist fail the Art is not to be blamed The reproaches that are cast upon the ways of God it doth not offend them for they have found God in that way others speak evil of Gold is Gold though cast into the dirt dogs will bark at the Moon when it shineth brightest would any man be troubled if a Cripple mock him for going uprightly shall we leave the ways of God wherein we have found comfort and peace because others speak against them He is not offended at this But that which is meant here is such an offence as turneth them from God otherwise a good Man may fall and stumble but not into final Apostacy and he is usually kept from lesser offences a child of God may be offended in lesser cases but not so offended as to fall and break his neck But why is it called great Peace it noteth the excellency of this kind of peace 't is not only peace but great peace such as is rich and glorious Phil. 4. 7. A peace that passeth all understanding or it may note the degree and quantity of it abundance of peace as 't is Psal. 37. 11. and Psal. 72. 7. I speak peace to them that are afar off or peace like a River Isaiah 48. 8. or pure peace Three points I shall handle Doctrine I. That 't is the property of Gods Children to love his Law Doctrine II. Those that love the Law shall have great peace Doctrine III. This blessed peace maketh a man hold on in the way of Obedience what ever impediments stumbling blocks or discouragements he meets withal First Point That it is the property of Gods Children not only to keep his law but to love his Law This is often spoken of in this Psalm now I prove it thus Reasons I. They love God and therefore they love his Law how doth that follow The Love that passeth between God and us is not an arbitrary Love of Equals but the necessary dutiful respect that Inferiours owe to their Superiours such as Children owe to their Father Servants to their Master Subjects to their Prince and Governour Therefore 't is not a fellow-like familiarity but a dutiful submission and subjection to Gods Authority and therefore if we love God we will love his Law 'T is Gods condescension that he will use us like Friends in regard of Communion and converse with us as Abraham was called Gods Friend Iam. 2. 23. Yet we are but servants though we are used like Friends and there is a debt and bond of duty lying upon us and so if we bear any respect to God it must be determined by our respect to his Laws and demonstrated by our obedience to them not by acts of ordinary courtesie and kindness This is often spoken of Iohn 14. 15. If ye love me keep my Commandements and 21 verse He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Iohn 15. 14. Ye are my Friends if you do whatsoever I command you Though none condescendeth to such acts of kindness and friendship as God in Christ hath done yet still he standeth upon his soveraignty if ye love me keep my
spem naturae Gods Assurance prevailed above natural difficulties there rational and humane hope and divine Hope are opposed 4. This Assurance admits of Degrees for it may be full or not full Heb. 6. 11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end The full Assurance is that which removeth all Doubts and Fears and this it may do at some time and not at another it may be interrupted or continue to the end now we must give all diligence that it may do so By slothfulness and negligence it will be lost Presumption and carnal Hope costs a man nothing to keep it it groweth upon us we know not how but this certain hope is not kept lively and upon the wing without great Zeal and Diligence in the Spiritual Life Oh but it concerneth us much so to do This Hope is necessary for us 1. To Quicken and Enliven our Duties Hope of Reward is one of the bands of a man the weight that inclineth us to all Actions much more doth this great Reward which the Christian Faith propounds Acts 26. 6 7. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our Fathers Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come for which hopes sake King Agrippa I am accused of the Iews And Acts 24. 15 16. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men I run not as one that is uncertain 1 Cor. 9. 26. not by guess but sure grounds Phil 3. 14. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 'T is great and sure here 's excellency and certainty a man that hopeth for any thing will be ingaged in the thorough pursuit of it 2. It sharpeneth our Affections after heavenly things when we look for them we will also long for them Rom. 8. 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies Hope stirreth up serious thoughts of Heaven and Blessedness to come and hearty Groans after it and so sets both mind and heart a-work It sets the mind a-work a man cannot hope for a thing but he will be thinking of it as the Scripture speaketh of the Labourer that he lifts up his Soul to the hire which he expects Thoughts will be sent as spies into the Land of Promise to bring us tydings thence And it sets the heart a longing and groaning that we were at home Rom. 8. 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretcheth out the head to see if it can spy it a-coming as when Sisera's Mother expected him she looked through the Lattice there will be strong desires as well as serious thoughts not glances and hasty wishes such as Worldly Persons may have in their serious Moods and sober Fits these vanish and leave the heart never the better but earnest longings such as settle into an heavenly Frame that taste which they have already maketh them groan for what is behind 3. It sets the heart at rest and allayeth our Disquiets and Fears and Cares and Sorrows that so we may go on cheerfully in Gods service 't is the pleasure of God that the heirs of promise should for a while shine as lights in a corrupt World and be exercised with all kind of Temptations that his power may be manifested in their weakness Now that we may ride out the storm he gave us hope not only veniam sperandi leave to hope for his Mercy but virtutem sperandi the Grace of hope strength so to do and what is the use of it but to Calm the heart under all distempers therefore 't is compared to an Helmet and an Anchor To an Helmet 1 Thes. 4. 8. Take to you the helmet of salvation which is hope An Helmet is to cover the head this maketh a Believer hold up head in all his streights and troubles The policy of the Devil is to weaken or darken the hopes of Eternal Life and then he knoweth he shall the sooner overcome us therefore the life of a Christian should be to keep on his Helmet to keep his hopes of heaven lively and fresh and then he will not be dejected Again 't is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an Anchor both sure and stedfast which entereth into that which is within the vail As the Anchor holdeth the Ship in a Tempest so doth hope keep the Mind in a constant temper in the midst of the stormy gusts of Temptation that we dash not against the Rocks that would break our Confidence and Profession It strengthens and quiets the floating heart of Man Things will end well at last how blustering and stormy soever the weather be at the present The floods of Temptation and the Tribulations of this present Life are permitted to invade us but that God hath given us an Anchor that they shall not drive us from the haven of eternal happiness Whatever our Cross be Immoderate Grief for the Death of near and dear Relations 1 Thes. 4. 13. Mourn not as those without hope Cur enim doleas si periisse non credis Cur impatienter ferres subductum quem iterum credis reversurum esse pro festo est quam putâ—…s mortem saith Tertullian de patientia If for loss of Goods and Estate Heb. 10. 34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that in heaven ye have a better and enduring substance If a Poor Man that had all his Wealth about him should fall into the hands of Thieves and Robbers and be rifled by them he must needs cry and take on pitifully for alas he is altogether undone and hath nothing left him wherewithal to succour himself and his Family But a Rich Man that hath store of Money at home and sure locked up in his Chest will never complain and be much disquieted when he hath twenty or forty Shillings taken from him for Worldlings to rage and take on when they must lose their Estates 't is no Marvel those whose portion is in this Life and know no better alas for when these things are gone they have nothing left and are quite undone But those that are heirs according to the hope of eternal Life they know they have a better and a more induring substance they consider what they are born to what they shall enjoy when they come home to God therefore their hearts are calmed and quieted So if it be the oppression of wicked Men and hard Sufferings and Persecutions for the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. For our
the Necessity 2. From the Congruity and Conveniency 3. From the Utility and Profit of it 1. The Necessity of it It must needs be so that Gods wayes must be taken up upon choice because there are several Competitors that bid for the heart of Man where there is but one thing there is no choice There is the Devil by the World through the Flesh seeks to get in and reign in your Hearts and there is God Christ and the Spirit Now there must be a casting out of one and putting in the other Look as in the 9. Prov. the whole Chapter there Wisdom and the foolish woman are brought in pleading to draw in the heart of unwary man to themselves Wisdom is pleading and the foolish woman is pleading In the beginning of the Chapter Wisdom tells what Comfort what Peace they shall have if they will take her Institutions Wisdom offers solid Benefits but Folly offers stolen waters and bread eaten in secret some carnal Mirth when Conscience is asleep ay and the dead are there too The intoxicating Pleasures of this World bring Death along with them when they can choak the sentiments of God that are in his heart Whoso is simple let him turn in hither saith Wisdom and who is simple let him turn in hither saith Folly As the Poets feign of their Hercules that Vertue and Vice appeared to him and the one shewed him a rough and the other a pleasant way Certainly as soon as we come to years of discretion we come to make our choice either to go on in the ways of death or to choose the ways of God either to give up our selves to the Pleasures of sin or else to seek after the comforts of the Spirit Now since there are two Competitors for the heart of man and his love cannot remain idle it must be given to one or another Love and Oblectation cannot lie idle in the Soul either it must leak out to the World or run out to God There is a necessity of a choice of renouncing the bewitching Vanities of the World that we may seriously betake our selves to the service of God 2. Consider the Congruity and Conveniency of it both to the honour of God and nature of Man that no man should ever be happy or miserable but by his own Choice 1. 'T is not for the Honour of God that a man should be Happy or have such great Priviledges setled upon him without his own choice such great benefits as Justification Sanctification and Eternal Glory On the other side that a man should be Miserable without his knowledge or against his will or besides his purpose and consent that God should give Eternal Life whether men will or no. It is not agreeable to the Honour of God to inflict Eternal Death upon them without their consent unless they choose the ways of death Mans Heart else would have a Plea against God Certainly the wise God will never make any happy without their own consent and never make any Miserable but their Destruction is of themselves Hos. 13. 9. 2. Neither will it agree with the Nature of Man who is a reasonable rational Creature or any agent capable of Election or Choice The Brutes are rul'd with a rod of Iron God guides all things by his Providence inanimate Creatures by meer Providence Brutes by their own instinct and Man as a free Agent capable of knowing and prosecuting his Chief End Now every Creature of God is governed according to the nature which is put into it and therefore since man is a free Agent God expects in submitting to his service the Creatures consent and choice and before we can submit to his service before he will admit us to the benefits there must be a choice and an actual will on our parts Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely The business is brought home to us and left with our will If we miss of happiness it is because we would not choose it and the way that leads to it The Lord chargeth it still upon mans Will Iohn 5. 40. Luke 19. 14. Matth. 23. 37. Psal. 81. 11. our Misery is from our wilfulness But in all that are brought into Grace there is a Will 't is true but God prevents them and inclines their Will Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of grace and power You have a grant and an offer of mercy from God and then he inclines and moves you to make a right choice So that of the good and bad it may be said they have their choice If you neglect and refuse holiness you choose your own destruction and neglect life your Hearts must tell you this Thou hast been the fault of it as Plutarch brings in one Apollodorus that dreamt one night that he was boyling in a Kettle of scalding Lead and that his heart cried out to him I have been the cause of all this This Heathen improves it to shew there is a Vengeance that attends sinners I mention it only allusively Now it was your own perverse Choice and Will that made your Hell thou hast but the fruit of thine own choice Indeed as to what is good if you have chosen the Precepts of God there God must have the Glory you must say not I but Christ as the Apostle Ay but there you come in there 's an Act of your Will but as disposed and rightly enclined by God You come both to the Duties and Priviledges of Religion by a choice also though not of your selves but of God 3. Let me reason from the Utility and Benefit A man that takes up the wayes of God upon Choice 1. He is able to justifie the wayes of God for he seeth a Reason for what he chooseth When Temptations come strong there will be many mis-giving thoughts ay but then Wisdom should be justified of all her Children Matth. 11. 19. A blind accidental Love is the fruit of chance but a Love that is grounded upon knowledge and Judgment that 's choice this is so grounded therefore he seeth Reason for what he doth Phil. 1. 9 10. I pray God that your love may abound in all wisdom and understanding That ye may approve things that are excellent They see a Reason for they took it upon choice The Lord hath shewed them the worth and excellency of his wayes therefore they can better justifie God against all their prejudices 2. Such will be more firm and stedfast The cause of all halting in Religion is is the want of a Choice of a purpose resolutely set A wavering double-minded man that is half off and half on will be unstable in all his ways Iames 1. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a two-soul-man a man that seems to have a soul for God and a soul for earthly things and the heart hangs sometimes for one and sometimes for another A scoff or scorn or a little inconvenience a little fear a little enticement or stirring of
was not hearty and durable but only formal and Temporary 2 Because they take all occasions to inlarge themselves out of the stocks of Conscience and as soon as their fear is worn off away go all their Religious Pangs and thoughts of the other World and care about it How often is this verisied by daily Experience Many that were frightned into a course of Religion went on from Duty to Duty out of a Fear of being Damned but their Hearts were another way but afterwards they cast off all when they have sinned away these Fears As Herod feared Iohn and afterwards put him to death Mark 6. 19 20. Yea all the while they did good they had rather do otherwise if they durst and therefore did but watch the occasion to fly out 3 Because men of this frame dispute away Duties rather than practice them and are quarrelling at those things which the new Nature would sufficiently incline them unto if they had it In the New Testament God much trusts Love and the number and length of Duties is not stated so exactly because where the Love of God prevaileth in the Heart men will take all occasions of glorifying God and edifying themselves But when men quarrel How do you prove it to be my Duty to do so much and to give so much when the Duty its self is instituted Love will make God a reasonable allowance and not stand questioning how do you prove it to be my Duty to pray so often in my Family or in secret or hear so many Sermons which our constant necessities do loudly call for Men that have a love to a thing will take all occasions to enjoy it or be conversant about it and a willing heart is liberal and open to God and is rather disputing the restraint than the Command how do you prove it is not my Duty and is loth to be kept back from its delight 3. Some do good out of Craft and Design there is some By-end is the cause as Iehu was not so much Zealous for God as his own Interests 2 King 10. 16. And our Lord telleth us of some that make long Prayers to devour Widows Houses Matth. 23. 14. made Piety a colour and pretext to Oppression and that they might be trusted took as a shew of great Devotion And of this strain were those that followed Christ for the Loaves Ioh. 6. 20. To be fed with a Miracle and to live a life of sloth and ease God never set any good thing afoot but some temporal Interest grew upon it with which men were swayed more than with what belongeth to God Use. II. Is to perswade you to choose Gods Precepts I have chosen thy Precepts said the man of God To this end I shall give you both Motives and Directions Motives why you should choose them and then Directions in what manner things are to be attended upon in your choice First For the Motives 1. Choose them because they are Gods to whom you are indebted for Life Being and all things Shall we not obey him that made us and in whom still we live move and have our being We are debtors to him for all that we have and truly we cannot have a better Master He was angry with his People that when the Beasts would own their Benefactors that his People would not own him from whom they had all things Isa. 1. 3. The Brute-beasts the dullest of them the Oxe and the Ass are willing to serve those that feed them and pay a kind of gratitude and shall not we own God Every day your health strength and comforts come out of his hands so every nights Rest and Ease and after this can you sin against God that keeps you by Night and by day 2. These Precepts are all holy just and good What is it the Lord requires of you but to love him and serve him and fear him and forbear those things which hurt the Soul thus he speaks to Israel Deut. 10. 12. Surely these commands are not unreasonable nor grevious You dare not say sin is better that it is more profitable to please the flesh and to wallow in and seek after worldly things O why then dost thou not choose Gods Precepts before the work which Satan would put thee upon for these Precepts commend themselves by their own Evidence 3. In keeping them there 's a great deal of benefit 1. For the present there 's a deal of Comfort and Peace to be be found in the ways of God If there were no reward of Heaven yet there 's such comfort and peace that attends holy living even as heat from the fire that certainly this should draw our choice All her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3. 17. And again the Prophet tells you the fruit of righteousness is peace A man that doth evil hath a sting in his Conscience and a wound in his own Soul But every good action is followed with a Serenity of Mind and an approbation from the heart of him thar doth it Nay you shall not only have Peace but Joy in the Holy Ghost for if you walk in the fear of God you walk in the comforts of his Spirit Acts 9. 31. And the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Peace ay and a distinct Priviledge Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. What 's the difference between Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Peace is a Tranquility of mind resulting from the rectitude of our actions but this joy is an impression of the comforting Spirit This Joy it hath God for its Author he puts it into our hearts therefore it will more affect us then the bare Act of our natural faculties Peace it is an acquittance from Conscience but Joy in the Holy Ghost it is and Acquittance from God who is our Supream Judge and is the beginning of that endless joy which he hath prepared for them that love him in Heaven 2. For the future and final reward that is great and glorious indeed Surely the Glory of the Everlasting Kingdom should invite us to choose Gods Precepts whatever it may cost us to keep them for in choosing Holiness you choose Life and in choosing the ways of God you choose the heavenly inheritance which is the certain end and issue of them So Prov. 8. 35 36. Whoso findeth me findeth Life and obtaineth favour of the Lord But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love death Christians when you are about choosing these are the terms propounded to you and they should be seriously weighed by us Evil and Death Good and Life will you choose Sin and Death or Holiness and Life Is the Pleasures of the Flesh for a few hours better then the endless Joy of the Saints If you believe Heaven and hell as you profess to do why should you stand demurring are you content to be thrust out from the presence of the Lord with the Devil and his Angels into unquenchable
makes wiser then our enemies p. 638. 642 Engagement of the soul to come to God Its usefulness p. 223 Enjoyment and use of a thing how they differ p. 69 Enjoyment of God should be our end and scope p. 573 Enjoyment of God either mediately or immediately p. 71 72 Enlarged heart given 1. At conversion consists in a freedom from guilt and power of sin 2. A particular enlargement given by exciting grace Necessity of an enlarged heart-p 216 217 218 219. Means 220 Enmity of wicked men against the Church p. 882. 729 730. 995 Entertain Gods word How to do it aright p. 887. 888 Entrance of Gods word giveth light how p. 888 889 Envy difference between Envy and VVrath p. 520 Envy strikes at some excellency p. 137. 563 Envy at the prosperity of the wicked checked by the consideration of Gods judgments upon them p. 135 Envy not the comforts of sinners p. 360 Envy makes men undermine others p. 520 Equity the duty should continue whilst we expect Mercy p. 341 Error about Gods word from 1. Presumption 2. Prejudicate opinions 3. A spirit of opposition 4. Carnal affections 5. Superficial apprehensions c. p. 694 695 Error 1. From ignorance 2. Judicial blindness p. 678 679 Error is Natural to us p 184 185. 1101 Error out of frailty or out of pride p. 129 793 Erroneous principles in policy a cause of persecution p. 144 Errors a ground of Apostacy p. 211. 343 Esteem practical of spiritual things p. 677 Vid. Valuation Esteem of the Word motives to get it p. 869. What it is c. p. 872 873 Eternity applyed to keep the soul awake p. 412 All our actions relate to Eternity p. 340 Eternal things to be secured before Temporal p. 403 404 Eternal Salvation longing for it is the duty property of Gods Children p. 1087 Eternal Life makes us willing to submit to Temporal Death p. 1096 Evangelical obedience and legal how they differ p. 11. 15 16 Evangelical obedience accepted it's imperfections pardoned p. 11. 15 16 Events of things confirm the Truth of the Word p. 285 Events of things are not seen do depend on God p. 31 642 Good or bad holy men provided from them p. 643 Everlasting punishment awarded to the despisers of Everlasting mercy p. 874 Everlasting things should be our chief comforts p. 875 Everlasting Covenant p. 875 Everlastingness of Gods Testimonies what it is p. 889 Evidences of Gods favour to be sought earnestly Why p. 920 Evidence of Blessedness Conformity to Gods Law 1. Inclusive all such are blessed 2. Exclusive none but such are blessed p. 6 Evidence of Reason and of the Holy Spirit differ p. 686 Evil speaking very sinful either against Truth or Charity p. 140 141 Whether in any case lawful p. 300 Exact and constant obedience against all temptations Reasons for it p 668 Examples of purity in Gods Word p. 859 Examples are very prevalent especially in evil p. 864 866. 1101 It is no excuse for sinning p. 864 Examples of others fallings a great Temptation p. 790 Example no safe Rule to walk by p. 4. 1075 Examples and instances of Gods goodness should confirm our Faith and Patience p. 912 To take up Religion merely by example no good Ground p. 1075 Excuses for not speedy turning to God vain p. 406 407 Excuses and cavils against keeping Gods Law argue an evil temper p. 1026 Exercise God may exercise his Children with sharp and long afflictions p. 554. 856 God exercises them according to their Reward p. 178 Exercise in Gods Word how p. 151. It encreaseth knowledge and judgment p. 453 Saints are exercised from within and without p. 921 Exceeding great Love to be given to Gods Commandements p. 1048 Expectation its qualifications p. 547 God has more expectations from those that are related especially to him then from others p. 863 Gods people expect deliverance from him 1. What it is to expect it 2. The Reasons for it 3. The singular excellency of it p. 1080 1081 1082. 1083. When it is right p. 1083 Experience of Gods goodness the priviledge of those that walk with him p. 7 Experience of Gods ways a Reason of our desire after them p. 30. 123. It teaches us how ready we are to wander from them p. 61. Reasons thereof p. 61 Experience brings good and sound judgment p. 453 Experience compared with Gods precepts as to getting understanding p. 651 652 Experience of Gods faithfulness in former ages of great use to succeeding ages p. 581. 962 963 Experience proves the good of Obedience p. 789 Experience of Gods grace a great encouragement p. 791 It breeds Confidence p. 166 It is a ground of our valuation of the word p. 492 It begets high thoughts of Gods tender mercies p. 994 External profession and conformity not accepted without the Heart p 236 237 Extremes two extremes we are apt to run into under affliction either to slight or faint under Gods correction p. 884 Two extremes 1. Self-confidence 2. Desperation p. 320 Extremity God permits his people to be reduced to the Extremity of danger p. 944 Reasons 1. To exercise trust 2. To quicken Prayer p. 944 Extremities are to be endured rather then offered against Gods Word p. 733 Eyes the windows whereby sin hath been let in to the Heart proved doctrinally and historically p. 278 279 They are to be watched Great evils from not watching the Eyes p. 279 280 Eye of God an engagement to obedience Reasons p. 1051 1052 Vid. Sight of God It is always on us p. 340 It hath many blessed effects p. 1053 1054 F. FAce of God shining what it implies p. 924 Face of God implies his favour and strength p. 12 Faility of Spirit a Reason of Apostacy p. 213 Fadingness of the World should excite us to look after an Eternal state p. 613 Faculties of the Soul either such as Command or are to obey p. 1103 Failings in the choisest saints p. 11. 17. 1100 1101 1102 p. 336. pardoned to the sincere p. 11. 17. 1106. daily failings and infirmities p. 19. 27 754 How to discern the infirmities of Saints from other men p. 754. 836 How to distinguish them from wilful sins p. 703 When disallow'd they exclude us not from the priviledges of Gods Servants p 846 We must not be too severe upon men failings p. 336 Fainting of Soul from delaying Salvation p. 540 592 Faintings of Spirit 1. Their Nature 2. Causes 3. Kinds described p. 541 542 543. c. Remedies against fainting p. 541 542 c. It s cured by the Word which is 1. A proper 2. An Universal cure p. 183 Fainting argues weakness if not Nullity of grace p. 416 Faintings Twofold 1. Of Dejection 2. Of Defection p. 541 Faith must conquer 1. Our fears 2. Cares 3. Troubles p. 1086 Faith ultimately resolved into Gods Testimonies p. 9 Exprest by terms of motion p. 12 By lifting up the Eyes p. 833 Faiths Excellencies 1. Eminent wisdom in it 2. Nobleness of Spirit it
33. 456 457. 707 It is not obscure in it self but our eyes are blind p. 107 Law of God is 1. plain 2. good 3. pure 4. sublime 5. sure p. 1023 1024 Laws of God and men how they differ p. 874 875 876 877 878. Love of Gods Law the property of Gods children p. 1023 The word of God is a Law 875 876 877 Necessary that man be under a Law p. 875 Laws have their Sanctions p. 877 Law gives knowledg of sin three ways p. 686 Lawgiver God the Lawgiver will be obey'd p. 320 Laying open our case before God the way to speed p. 162 What it is to lay open our case before God-p 162 163 Laziness of soul requires vows promises to stir up the soul. It causes back wardness in coming to God-p 708 Learning no learning will enlighten savingly without Gods word p. 893 Learners the most knowing of Gods children are but Learners p. 41 True Learners who get the power of what they know upon their hearts p. 41 Legal and Evangelical commands p. 225 Legal and Evangelical keeping Gods Law p. 237 238 Lessons that we are to learn from the word 1. To know 2. To obey the command of God p. 41 Liberty to walk in Gods ways no such freedom as in his ways p. 301 302 303 Liberty carnal is thraldom Reasons of it p. 302 Liberty given by the Spirit 1. From slavish fear 2. Power of lust p. 304 Signes of true Liberty p. 305 Libertines and Papists enemies to Scripture why p. 693 Lie is either 1. Assertory 2. Promissory the latter is the worse p. 830. 186. Way of lying what whence p. 185. Vid. Lying Life prolonged is Gods free grace p. 101. 1094 A mercy to Saints and sinners p. 101 102. 1095 How far desirable p. 104 105. 1093 1095 Life spiritual what it is 1. The life of Justification 2. The life of Sanctification 3. The life of Glorification p. 783 896 897 Excellency of spiritual life above natural p. 783. 671. All life originally in God p. 313 It is life to the soul to have a sense of Gods tender mercy p. 516. 518 When the spiritual life is vigorous p. 784 1. Whâ—…n it shews it self in a sense of Gods love 2. In a holy disposition to please and serve God p. 784 The end why we should desire continuance of life is that we may glorifie God p. 1093 Life should be a continual expression of thankfulness to God the author of it p. 425 Men are loth to leave this present life p. 1089 Two Reasons 1. Unmortified heart 2. Unsetled Conscience Ibid. Life natural it 's uncertainty improved for a speedy turning to God p. 404 Life natural the end of it is that we may glorifie God p. 1093 Life natural spiritual and eternal p. 896 897 Desires of life below a Christian which p. 1097 Life natural rationally preserved by keeping Gods Commandments p. 896 897 Qu. How can the desire of long life consist with the desire of dissolution Answ. p. 1095 Some circumstances of death may make us desire longer life p. 1096 Lifting up of the eyes implys 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Patience p. 833 834 Lifting up of hands its various Uses p. 318 Light its Properties p. 892 893 Light of Nature will not discover the first motions of the heart to be sinful p. 686. 174 Light the Scripture is a light in 3 respects p. 687 687 Likeness to God in purity scorned by the profane 864 Limiting God a very great sin p. 549 Litotes a figurative speech wherein more is intended than is expressed Examples of it p. 44. 559. 866 Little sins allow'd become great p. 1107 Living to God how known p. 609 Living is when the spiritual life is in good plight and vigor p. 782 Living-God must be served with living-service p. 935 Looking of God implys 1. His Favour 2. Providence Looking with favour implys 1. Observation 2. Compassion p. 902 903. Whom will God look on p. 904 Lot it is the lot of Gods children to be spoken against in Counsels and upon the thrones of Iudgment p. 142 143 Longing what it implys p. 1081. Vid. Expectation Encouragements to look long for deliverances 1082 Lot of Gods children to be despised reproached mocked p. 870 Love to God is a love of inferiors to a superior-p 1023 Love to sin secret and hatred of sin remiss very dangerous signs p. 1011 Love and hatred are the two great influenceing affections p. 756. 247. 248 Love carries the soul after the beloved object p. 12. 248 Gods goodness draws out our love p. 475 Signs of true love to God p. 12. 30 It interprets all that God doth to be good-486 1032 Love to Gods Commandments Reasons of it p. 315 Arguments to press the love of Gods word p. 628 Love goeth before delight p. 314 Love to God puts a value upon every thing that comes from him or leads to him p. 317 It 's necessary to keep a good Conscience p. 417 Arguments to enforce the love of Gods Commandment p. 1047 Love of good-will and of complacency p. 533 Love of the word abates the love of the world p. 1033 Love of complacency passeth from the person to the action p 533 Love to Gods word 1. As our Rule 2. Our Charter p. 866. 867 Love and praise are twin-duties p. 420 Love to the word a character of a godly man p 622 Why Ibid. Love of Gods word what it is 1. Negatively 2. Possitively p. 861. Why necessary 1. For Acceptation 2. To make the work easie 3. To make us constant p. 862. Examine upon what Reasons we love Gods word p. 863 Love of the world an impediment to repentance-p 408 Trial whether we love the world p. 259 260 Love of Gods word demonstrated by hatred of sin-1006 What it implieth p. 1006 1007. 1048 Love to the word 1. Weans us from the world 2. Makes us constant in profession 3. Gives understanding p. 628. Trial of love to the word-p 630 Love of God and faith in God the main ingredients of spiritual life p. 784 Love to God accompanied with the hatred of all sin 806 Love of a mans self a reason why men turn not to God how p 409 Love and anger cannot endure to be despised p. 884 Lying the true notion of it reasons against it 1011 1012 Lyes three sorts of lyes to men 1. Mendacium jocosum 2. Officiosum 3. Perniciosum p. 187 All these are sinful p. 187 188 Reasons why the children of God should keep far from the way of Lying p. 188. Vid. Way of lying Loving kindness of God it 's our strongest argument in pleading with God 1. It 's a humble argument 2. A comfortable argument for clearing of which consider 1. The nature 2. The kinds 3. The Proofs 4. The end of this loving kindness 937 938 939. 512 It is to be emproved 1. For a ground of trust 2. For a ground of holy fear p. 940 Luther's notable saying p. 209. 329 M. MAin who
men 3. When we search out our defects and are ever bewailing them with kindly remorse Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 4. When we run by faith to Christ Jesus and sue out our pardon and peace in Christs name until we come to be compleat in him Col. 1. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledg of God SERMON IV. PSAL. CXIX 3. They also do no iniquity they walk in his ways STILL the Psalmist continues the description of a blessed man In the two first Verses Holiness which is the way to and evidence of Blessedness is considered with respect to the Subject and the Object of it the Life and the Heart of man The Life of man Blessed are the undefiled in the way The Heart of man They seek him with the whole heart Now Holiness is considered in the parts of it Negatively and Positively The two parts of Holiness are an eschewing of sin and studying to please God You have both in this Verse They also do no iniquity they walk in his ways First You have the blessed man described negatively They do no iniquity Upon hearing the words presently there occurs a doubt How then can any man be blessed for there is not a man that liveth and sinneth not Eccles. 7. 20. and Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all To deny it is a flat lye against the truth and against our own experience If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1. 8. The expression may be abused on the one side to establish the impeccability and perfection of the Saints on the other side it may be abused by persons of a weak and tender conscience to the hinderance of their comfort and rejoycing in God When they shall hear this is the character of a blessed man they do no iniquity they are very apt to conclude against their own regeneration because of their daily failings To avoid these difficulties I shall enquire 1. What it is to do iniquity 2. Who are the persons among the sons of men that may be said to do no iniquity First What it is to do iniquity If we make it our trade and practice to continue in wilful disobedience To sin is one thing but to make sin our work is another 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God doth not commit sin he doth not work sin And Matt. 7. 23. Depart from me ye that work iniquity That 's the Character of the Reprobate workers of iniquity So Joh. 8. 34. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin Sin is their constant trade Psal. 139. 24. See if there be any wicked way in me None are absolutely freed from sin but it is not their trade their way their work When a man makes it his study and business to carry on a course of sin then he is said to do iniquity Secondly Who are those that are said to do no iniquity in Gods account though they fail often thorough weakness of the flesh and violence of temptation Answer 1. All such as are renewed by grace and reconciled to God by Christ Jesus to these God imputeth no sin to condemnation and in his account they do no iniquity Notable is that 1 King 14. 8. it is said of David He kept my Commandments and followed me with all his heart and did that only which was right in mine eyes How can that be We may trace David by his failings they are upon record every where in the word yet here a Veil is drawn upon them God laid them not to his charge There is a double reason why their failings are not laid to their charge partly because of their general state they are in Christ taken into favour through him and there 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. therefore particular errors and escapes do not alter their condition Which is not to be understood as if a man should not be humbled and ask God pardon for his infirmities no for then they prove iniquities they will lye upon record against us It was a gross fancy of the Valentinians that held they were not defiled with sin whatsoever they committed though base and obscene persons yet still they were as gold in the dirt No no we are to recover our selves by repentance to sue out the favour of God When David humbled himself and had repented then saith Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 13. The Lord hath put away thy sin Partly too because their bent and habitual inclination is to do otherwise They set themselves to comply with Gods will to seek and serve the Lord though they are clogged with many infirmities A wicked man sinneth with deliberation and delight his bent is to do evil he makes provision for lusts Rom. 13. 12. and serves them by a voluntary subjection Tit. 3. 3. But those that are renewed by grace are not debtors to the flesh they have taken another debt and obligation upon them which is to serve the Lord Rom. 8. 12. Partly too because their general course and way is to do otherwise Unumquodque operatur secundum suam formam Every thing works according to its form the constant actions of Nature are according to the kind So the new creature his constant operations are according to grace A man is known by his custom and the course of his endeavours what is his business If a man be constantly easily frequently carried away to sin it discovers a habit of soul and the temper of his heart Meadows may be overflown but marish ground is drowned with the return of every Tide A child of God may be carried away and act contrary to the bent and inclination of the new nature but when men are drown'd and overcome with the return of every temptation and carried away it argues a habit of sin And partly because sin never carries it away clearly but with some dislikes and resistances of the new nature The children of God make it their business to avoid all sin by watching praying mortifying Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue And then there is a resistance of the sin God hath planted graces in their hearts the fear of his Majesty that works a resistance and therefore there is not a full allowance of what they do This resistance sometimes is more strong then the temptation is overcome How can I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. Sometimes it is more weak and then sin carries it though against the will of a holy man Rom. 7. 15 18. The evil which I hate that do I. It is the evil which they hate they protest against it they are like men which are opprest by the power of the enemy And then there 's a remorse after the sin David's heart
ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is A man that desireth to follow God fully would fain know the whole latitude and breadth of his duty A child of God is inquisitive He that desireth to keep all doth also desire to know all It is his business to study the mind of God in all things gross negligence sheweth we are afraid of understanding our duty 2. By often searching and trying his own heart that he may find where the matter sticketh Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways that we may turn unto the Lord. Compleat Reformation is grounded on a serious search A chief cause of our going wrong is because we do not bring our hearts and ways together 3. Desire God to shew it if there be any thing in the heart allowed contrary to the Word Iob 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more And Psal. 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked thing in me and lead me in the way everlasting He would not hold on in any evil course There is no sin so dear and near to him which he is not willing to see and judg in himself 4. When they fail through humane infirmity or imprudence they seek to renew their peace with God 1 Ioh. 2. 1. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous They sue out their discharge in Christs name If a man were unclean under the Law he was to wash his clothes and bath himself in water before evening and not rest in his uncleanness Now if we still abide in our filthiness and do not fly to our Advocate and sue out our pardon in Christs name it argueth that we have not a respect to the Commandment 5. They diligently use all holy means which are appointed by God for growth in faith and obedience 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God and coming up to a greater conformity 6. A care of their bosom-sin to get that weakned Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity Such as are most incident to us by temper of nature course of life or posture of interests the right hand must be cut off the right eye plucked out Mat. 5. 29 30. If thou seekest to cross that sin that is most pleasing to thine own heart seekest to dry up that unclean issue that runneth upon thee by that and the other signs may we determine whether we have a sincere respect to all Gods Commandments 2. The next Circumstance in the Text is the fruit and benefit They that have an intire respect to Gods Laws shall not be ashamed There is a twofold shame The shame of a guilty Conscience And the shame of a tender Conscience The one is the merit and fruit of sin the other is an act of Grace This here spoken of is to be understood not of an holy self-loathing but a confounding shame This shame may be considered either with respect to their own hearts or the world or before God at the day of Judgment 1. With respect to their own hearts and thus the upright and sincere shall not be ashamed There is a generous confidence bewrayed in Duties in Troubles and in Death In Duties they can look God in the face uprightness giveth boldness and the more respect we have unto the commandments the greater liberty have we in prayer 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God But when men walk crookedly and loosly they sin away the liberty of their hearts and cannot come to God with such a free spirit A man that hath wronged another and knoweth not how to pay cannot endure to see him so doth sin work a shieness of God 2. In Troubles and Afflictions Nothing sooner abashed than a corrupt conscience they cannot hold up their heads when crossed in the world a burden sits very uneasie upon a galled back their crosses revive their guilt are parts of the curse therefore they are soon blank But now a godly man is bold and courageous Two things make one bold Innocency and Independency and both are found in him that hath a sincere respect to Gods commandments Innocency when the soul doth not look pale under any secret guilt and when we can live above the creatures it puts an heroical spirit or Lyon-like boldness into the children of God 3. In Death To be able to look death in the face it is a comfort in your greatest distresses When Hezekiah was arrested with the sentence of death in the mouth of the Prophet here was his comfort and support O Lord thou knowest that I have walked before thee with a perfect heart And Job 15. 16. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him 2. Before the world a man will be able to hold up his head that is sincere It is true he may be reproached and scoffed at and suffer disgrace for his strictness yet he is not ashamed Though we displease men yet if we please God it is enough if we have his approbation 1 Cor. 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgment To depend on the words of man is a foolish thing There is more ground of rejoycing than of shame You have the approbation of their consciences when not of their tongues In the issue God will vindicate the righteousness of his faithful servants Psal. 37. 6. He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noon-day There will be no cause in the issue for a Christian to repent of his strict observance of Gods commands Eph. 3. 18. 3. Before God at the day of Judgment 1 John 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming He is the brave man that can hold up his head in that day Wicked men will then be ashamed 1. Because their secret sins are then divulged and made publick 1 Cor. 4. 5. Iudg nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God 2. Because of the frustration of their hopes Disappointment bringeth shame Some do many things and make full account of their acceptance with God and reception to glory but when all is disappointed how much are they confounded Rom. 5. 5. Hope maketh not ashamed because it is not frustrated 3. By the contempt and dishonour God puts upon them banishing
to meet together and after they had read the Word of God every one did acquaint one another with his weaknesses with his temptations and mutually asked counsel and comforted one another out of the Word of God and after this they concluded all with prayer and so every man went to his home These examples did we observe them they would be most useful to us we might drive on a trade to Heaven and be of very great profit in the spiritual life if the gifts of private Christians were managed without pride vain glory and without despising of the weak it would be of exceeding honour to God use and comfort to the Saints SERMON XV. PSAL. CXIX 14. I have rejoyced in the way of thy Commandments as much as in all riches THESE words may respect the 12th Verse as another argument wherewith to back his request Teach me thy statutes for I have rejoyced in the way of thy commandments as much as in all riches Many are for worldly wealth but I have other desires Lord teach me how to understand and keep thy statutes and this will be a greater benefit than any worldly possession whatsoever Or you may refer them to the 13th verse as a reason of his practice every man will be speaking of that wherewith he is delighted Lord thy testimonies are my rejoycing therefore I have and will be speaking of them upon all occasions Or this may be the fruit of what was mentioned before Those that are exercised about the word the study and practice of it and conference about it have a sweet sense of the goodness of it in their own souls so as they delight and rejoyce in it above all things and if we have not felt this effect it is because we are strangers to the word In the words there is 1. A Delight asserted 2. The object of it in the way of thy testimonies 3. The degree of it as much as in all riches By way of Explication The testimonies of God are his word for it testifieth of his will Now the Prophet saith not only I have rejoyced in thy testimonies but in the way of thy testimonies Way is one of the words by which the Law is expressed Gods Laws are ways that lead us to God and so it may be taken here The way which thy testimonies point out and call me unto or else his own practice as a mans course is called his way his delight was not in speculation or talk but in obedience and practice In the way of thy testimonies The degree as much as in all riches as much not to shew the equality of these things as if we should have the same affection for the World as for the Word of God but as much because we have no higher comparison This is that Worldlings dote upon and delight in now as much as they rejoyce in worldly possessions so much do I rejoyce in the way of thy Testimonies For I suppose David doth not compare his own delight in the word with his own delight in wealth but his own choice and delight with the delight and choice of others If he had spoken of himself both in the one respect and in the other the expression was very high David that was called to a Crown and in a capacity of enjoying much in the world Gold Silver Lands Goods largeness of Territory and a compound of all that which all men joyntly and every man severally doth possess yet was more pleased in the holiness of Gods ways than in all the world For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 15. 26. Doct. A gracious heart finds more true joy in the way of Gods word than in all worldly things whatsoever To explain this consider 1. What this delight is 2. How a gracious heart finds more delight in the word of God than in all worldly things 3. The reasons why they do so I. What this delight is I shall give you several distinctions 1. There is a sweetness in the study of Gods word or when we give up our selves to attain the knowledg of it The very speculation and study produces a delightful tast for three Reason 1. Truth is the good of the understanding therefore when the faculty is suited with a fit object this correspondence causeth a rejoycing and delectation Prov. 24. 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb because it is sweet to thy tast so shall the knowledg of wisdom be to thy soul when thou hast found it Every truth if it be but a Natural or Philosophical Verity when we come to consider and see it with our own eyes and have found it out by search and do not repeat it by rote only breedeth a delight Pleasure is applicatio convenientis convenienti so it is true in Theological truths we are the more affected with them the more they are represented with evidence to the soul. 2. Scriptural truths are more sublime than other truths and do ennoble Reason with the knowledg of them Deut. 4. 6. Surely this great Nation is a wise and an understanding people Such doctrines as we meet with in the word of God concerning Angels and the Souls of men the Creation and Government of all things the Redemption of men must needs affect the heart and breed a joy in the view and contemplation of them 3. Because these truths are suitable to our necessities To every man that hath a conscience it cannot but be very pleasing to hear of a way how he may come to the pardon of sins and sound peace of conscience solid perfection and eternal glory Man is naturally under fears of death Rom. 1. 32. and would be glad of a pardon weak and unable to find out or attain to moral perfection would be glad of an exact rule and groapeth and feeleth about for an everlasting happiness Acts 17. 27. So far as any thing is found to this purpose in the writings of men they have a marvellous force and influence upon us Any beam of this truth scattered in Plato or Socrates of mans Reconciliation with a holy and just God there is nothing in their writings the then World was under perplexity But yet of Moral Perfection and an Eternal state of Blessedness there were some glimmerings Now when these are represented to the understanding with such evidence and satisfaction as they are in the Scriptures where you have the only sufficient direction to true Happiness no wonder if they are greedily catched at Now this delight though good I speak not of because it may be in Temporaries who have a tast of the good word to invite them to seek for more Heb. 6. 4. and is a fruit of common illumination The stony ground received the word with joy Luke 8. 13. and though it may affect the heart yet if not above all riches it doth not prevail over carnal affections 2. There is a sweetness found in the way
to the sutableness and proportion which it carrieth to our necessities and desires The Cock in the Fable preferred a Barley-corn before a Jewel the Barley-corn is more sutable to its natural appetite So believers have not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God 2 Cor. 2. 12. therefore the way of Gods Testimonies is more sutable and proportionable to that nature which they have Their wealth and worldly things they indeed sute with the sensitive nature but that is kept under therefore the prevalent inclination is to the word more than to the world 2. There is nothing in the enjoyment of worldly things but they have it more amply in the exactest and sincerest way of enjoyment by the word and walking in the way of its precepts Satans baits whereby he leads men to sin are Pleasure and Profit when bonum honestum the good of Honesty and Duty is declined there remains nothing but bonum utile and jucundum the good of Pleasure and Profit If we be moved with these things it is good to look there where we may have them at the highest rate and in the most sincere manner Now it is the word of God believed and obeyed which yieldeth us the greatest profit and the greatest You have both in one Verse Psal. 19. 10. More to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey-comb Because of the Profit it is compared to Gold and because of the Sweetness and Pleasure we have by it 't is compared to Honey 1. The word of God will truly enrich a man and make us happy The difference between Gods people and others doth not lye in this that the one seeketh after Riches the other not they both seek to enrich themselves only the one seeketh after false and the other true riches as they are called Luk. 16. 11. and so differ from one another as we and the Indians do who reckon their wealth by their Wampenpeage or shells of fishes as we do ours by Gold and Silver the one hath little worth but what their Fancies put upon it the other hath a value in nature or to speak in a more home comparison Counters glass Beads and painted Toys please Children more than Jewels and things of greater price yea than Land of Inheritance or whatever when we come to mans estate we value and is of use to us for the supply of present necessities So worldly men preferring their kind of wealth before holiness and the influences of Grace they do but cry up Bawbles before Jewels To evidence this and that we may beat the world with their own notions and so the better defeat the temptation let us consider what is the true Riches 1. What is indeed true Riches 2. Why these are the true Riches I. What is indeed Riches 1. Gracious Experiences or Testimonies of the Favour of God He is a rich man indeed that hath many of these So it is said Rom. 10. 12. God is rich to all that call upon him it is meant actively not passively it only noteth that God doth give out plentiful experiences of his grace 2. Knowledge Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom Col. 3. 16. And the Apostle mentions the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. this is a treasure indeed that cannot be valued and he is a very poor soul that wants it 3. Faith Jam 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith He is a rich man that is emptied of himself that he may be filled with God 4. Good works 1 Tim. 6. 10. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded c. but rich in good works Oh miserable man that hath nothing to reckon upon but his Money and his Bags so much by the year and makes it all his business to live plentifully in the world laying up nothing for Heaven and is not rich in gracious Experiences Knowledg Faith and Good works which are a Christians Riches II. Why are these the true Riches 1. That is true Riches which maketh the man more valuable which gives an intrinsick worth to him which Wealth doth not that is without us we would not judg of an Horse by the richness of his Saddle and the gawdiness of his Trappings and is man a reasonable creature to be esteemed by his Moneys and Lands or by his Graces and Moral perfections 2. That is Riches which puts an esteem upon us in the eyes of God and the holy Angels who are best able to judg One barbarous Indian may esteem another the more he hath of his shells and trisles but you would count him never the richer that should bring home a whole Ships lading of these things Luk. 12. 20. Such a fool is he that heapeth up treasure to himself and is not rich towards God that hath not of that sort of Riches which God esteemeth We are bound for a Countrey where Riches are of no value Grace only goeth currant in the other world 3. That is Riches which steads us in our greatest extremities When we come to dye the Riches of this world prove false comforts for they forsake a man when he hath most need of comfort In the hour of death when the poor shiftless naked soul is stripped of all and we can carry away nothing in our hands Grace lyeth near the heart to comfort us 'T is said by a voice from Heaven of those that dye in the Lord their works follow them their wealth doth not Our Graces continue with us to all Eternity 4. That is the true Riches which will supply all our necessities and bear our expences to Heaven Wealth doth not this but Grace Mar. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Heaven and earth are laid at the feet of Godliness 5. That is true Riches which will give us a title to the best Inheritance The word of God is able to inrich a man more than all the Riches of the World because it is able to bring a man to an everlasting Kingdom All this is spoken because there is an evil desire that possesseth the whole world they are vehemently carried after riches and as they are encreased so are they delighted but saith David My delight is to encrease in knowledg and grace if I get more life more victory over lusts more readiness for Gods service this comforts me to the heart Now how do you measure your thriving by worldly or spiritual encrease 2. Here is the true delight Spiritual delight in spiritual objects far exceedeth all the joy that we can take in worldly
he might dye and he said It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better than my fathers 3. From the peevishness of fond and doting love 2 Sam. 18. 33. And the King was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept as he went thus he said O Absolom my son would God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my son my son like the Wives of the East-Indians that burn themselves to follow their dead husbands 4. From distrust and despair when the evil is too hard to be resisted or endured Job 7. 15. My soul chuseth strangling and death rather than my life In all these cases it is but a shameful retreat from the conflict and burden of the present life from carnal irksomness under the calamity or a distrust of Gods help There may be murder in a rash wish if it proceed from a vexed heart These are but froward thoughts not a sanctified resolution 2. Such desires of death and dissolution as are lawful and must be cherished come from a good ground from a heart crucified and deadned to the world and set on things above Col. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God From a competent assurance of grace Rom. 8. 23. Even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body From some blessed experience of heavenly comforts having tasted the fruits clusters of Canaan they desire to be there So Simeon Luk. 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation The eyes of his faith as well as the eyes of his body Now Lord I do but wait as a Merchant-man richly laden desireth to be at his Port. A great love to Christ excites desires to be with him Phil. 1. 23. I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 3. 19 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. They long to see and be where he is heart and head should be together Weariness of sin and a great zeal for Gods glory are powerful incentives in the Saints Rom. 7. 23. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They would be in heaven that they may sin no more 3. You must look to the end not have a blind notion of Heaven and look for a Turkish Paradise full of ease and plenty a carnal heaven as the Iews looked for a carnal Messiah but for a state of perfect union and communion with the blessed and holy God 4. The manner must be regarded it must be done with submission Phil. 1. 24. otherwise we encroach upon Gods right and would deprive him of a servant without his leave A Christian will dye and live as the Lord willeth if it be the Lords pleasure a believer is satisfied with long life Psal. 91. 16. With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation he will wait till the change come when God shall give him a discharge by his own immediate hand or by enemies God knoweth how to chuse the fittest time otherwise we know not what we ask 2. Now let me speak of the scope of our lives David simply doth not desire life but in order to service The Point is That if we desire long life we should desire it to glorifie God by obedience to his word Let me give you some Instances then Reasons 1. Instances Psal. 118. 17. I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. This was David's hope in the prolongation of life that he should have farther opportunity to honour God and this argument he urgeth to God when he prayeth for life Psal. 6. 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks It would be better for him to be with God but then the life is worth the having when the extolling of Christ is the main scope at which we aim So Paul Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death c. Paul was in some hesitation which he should chuse life or death and he determineth of both as God might be magnified by either of them and so was at a point of indifference if God should give him his option or wish he would give the case back again to God to determine as it might be most for his service and glory He was not swayed by any low and base motives of contentment in the world or any low and creature-enjoyments these are contemptible things to come into the ballance with everlasting glory it was only his service in the Gospel and the publick good of the Church that made the case doubtful Reas. 1. This is the perfection of our lives and that which maketh it to be life indeed Communion with God is the vitality of it without which we are rather dead than alive Life natural we have in common with the Beasts and Plants but in keeping the word we live the life of God Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God To natural men it is a gloomy thing but to believers this is the life of life and that which is the joy of their hearts To encrease in stature and to grow bulky that is the life of Plants The greatest and biggest of the kind are most perfect To live and enjoy pleasures without remorse that 's the perfection and life of Beasts that have no conscience that shall not be called to an account To gratifie present Interests and to be able to turn and wind worldly affairs that 's the life of carnal men that have no sense of eternity But the perfection of the life of man as a reasonable creature is to measure our actions by Gods word and to refer them to his glory 2. 'T is the end of our lives That God may be served All things are by him and through him and to him Rom. 11. 36. Angels Men Beasts Inanimate creatures He expects more from men than from beasts and from Saints than from men and therefore life by them is not to be desired and loved but for this end Rom. 14. 6 7 8. He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord eateth not and giveth God thanks for none of us liveth to himself and no man dyeth to himself for whether we live we live unto the
will he would fain know what is Gods mind in every particular case Psal. 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy word To offend God and to baulk the direction of God's word that 's the greatest terror to him greater than all other dangers Now such a man is less apt to misearry by the rashness and impetuous bent of carnal affections And he that fears God he aims at Gods glory rather than his own interest and so is rather sway'd by reasons of Conscience and Religion than of carnal concernments Many times the doubtfulness that is upon the spirit is because of conflicts between lust and knowledg our light is weakned by an inordinate affection to our own Interest otherwise we would soon come to the deciding our case by the word of God Now he that would fain know God's mind in every thing this is the man whom God will direct The 2. Qualification is the meek Psal. 25. 9. The meek he will guide in judgment and the meek he will teach his way By the meek is meant a man humble that will submit himself to God whatever condition he shall appoint This man God in his word will teach and direct The 3. Qualification mentioned in order to this is a constant dependance upon God Prov. 5. 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths O! when a man is brought off from this spiritual Idolatry of making his bosome to be his Oracle and his own heart to be his Councellor when he doth in the poverty of his spirit humbly and intirely cast himself upon the help of God and acknowledg him in all his ways then he shall see a clear direction what God would have him to do You have another place to this purpose Psal. 143. 8. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee O! when a man goes every morning to God and desires the direction of his spirit and professeth to God in the poverty of his own spirit that he knows not how to guide his way for that day then God will teach him the way he shall walk So Psal. 25. 4 5. Shew me thy ways O Lord teach me thy paths what 's his argument on thee do I wait all the day When you live in a constant dependance upon God then will the Lord undertake to direct and guide you 4. Obedience or Christian practice that 's one of the qualifications that makes you capable for direction from the word of God Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God A man does not know whether this opinion or that be according to God's mind when there are plausible pretences on every side he that maketh conscience of known truth and walketh up to his light he that doth not search to satisfie curiosity but out of a through resolution to obey and submit his neck to the yoke of Christ whatever he shall find to be the way of Christ that man shall know what is the way in times of controversie and doubtful uncertainty he that will say as a famous German Divine If we had six hundred necks let us submit them all to the yoke of Christ he that is resolved to submit to the mind of Christ how contrary soever to his interest to the prejudices and prepossessions of his own heart he shall know the doctrine that is of God SERMON XXVI PSAL. CXIX 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word THE man of God in this Psalm had spoken before of the common and universal benefits of the word as it agreeth to all times and conditions of believers for it belongeth to all in what state soever they are to look upon it as a direction in the way to get true happiness and to stir up sutable affections in their hearts Now he sheweth what use the word hath in each special condition especially in the time of great afflictions David did often change states but his affection to the word never changeth Here is 1. a representation of David's Case 2. His supplication or petition thereupon Wherein 1. the Request it self 2. The Argument to inforce it 1. The representation of David's Case My soul cleaveth unto the dust The speech is Metaphorical expressing the depth of his misery or the greatness of his sorrow and humiliation 1. The depth of his misery with allusion to the case of a man overcome in battel or mortally wounded and tumbling in the dust or to a man dead and laid in the earth as Psal. 22. 15. Thou hast brought me to the dust of death Sure we are the expression importeth the extremity of distress and danger either as a man dead or near death 2. The greatness of his sorrow and humiliation and so the allusion is taken from a man prostrate and grovelling on the ground which was their posture of humbling themselves before the Lord or when any great calamity befell them Ioseph lib. 19. cap. 7. As when Herod Agrippa dyed they put on sackcloth and lay upon the earth weeping The same allusion is Psal. 44. 25. Our soul is bowed down unto the dust our belly cleaveth to the earth Suitably to which allusion the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the pavement And we read in Theodoret That Theodosius the Emperor when reproved by Ambrose for the slaughter at Thessalonica he lay upon the ground and humbly begged pardon using these words Adhaesit pavimento anima mea The meaning is then that in his dejected condition he would lye prostrate at Gods feet as a poor Supplicant and dye there The Point is That Gods children may have such great afflictions brought upon them that their souls may even cleave to the dust These afflictions may respect their inward or outward condition 1. Their inward condition and so through grief and terrors of conscience they are ready to drop into the grave That trouble of mind is an usual exercise of Gods people see Heman's complaint Psal. 88. from v. 3. to the end of v. 7. My soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave I am counted with them that go down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead like the slain that lye in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand Thou hast layed me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deep Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves Selah 'T was in soul and it was in his soul by reason of the wrath of God and that in such a degree of vehemency that in his own judgment and the judgment of others he could not expect to be long a man of this world little differing from the dead yea the damned So
David Psa. 77. 1 c. I cryed unto God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Selah Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak I have considered the days of old the years of ancient time c. By the sense of Gods wrath he was even wounded to death and the sore running upon him would admit of no plaister Yea the remembrance of God was a trouble to him I remembred God and was troubled What an heavy word was that Soul-troubles are the most pressing-troubles a child of God is as a lost man in such a condition 2. In respect of the heavy weight of outward pressures Thus David fasted and lay all night upon the earth in his childs sickness 2 Sam. 12. 16 17. David therefore besought God for the child and David fasted and went in and lay all night upon the earth And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth but he would not neither did he eat bread with them And when he was driven from his Palace by Absolom and was in danger of his life every moment which some Interpreters think to be the case intended in the Text when he went up the Mount of Olives bare foot going and weeping 2 Sam. 15. 30. And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went bare-foot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went Now the Reasons of this are these 1. To correct them for past sins This was the cause of David's trouble and this puts a sting into all miseries Gods children smart under their sins here in the world as well as others Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner Recompenced in the earth that is punished for his sins Compare with it 1 Pet. 4. 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear God punisheth here that he may spare for ever He giveth some remembrance of the evil and corrects his people not to complete their justification or to make more satisfaction for Gods Justice than Christ hath made yet to promote their sanctification that is to make sin bitter to them and to vindicate the glory of God that he is not partial For these reasons they are even brought to the dust by their own folly 2. To humble them and bring them low in the midst of their great enjoyments therefore he casts them down even to the dust because we cannot keep our hearts low therefore God maketh our condition low This was Paul's case 2 Cor. 1. 7 8 9. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation for we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life but we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead That is not build too securely on their own sufficiencies 3. To try their graces which are never tryed to the life till we be near the point of death The sincerity of our estate and the strength of faith is not discovered upon the Throne so much as in the dust if we can depend upon God in the hardest condition 4. To awaken the spirit of prayer Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord Psal. 130. 1. Affliction puts an edge upon our desires They that are flat and careless at other times are oftenest then with God 5. To shew the more of his glory and the riches of his goodness in their recovery Psal. 71. 20 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort me on every side By the greater humiliation God prepareth us for the greater blessings As there are multitude of troubles to humble and try the Saints so his mercies do not come alone but with great plenty USE 1. Let us bless God that we are not put to such great trials How gentle is our exercise compared with David's case We are weak and God will not overburden us There is a great deal of the wisdom and love of God seen in the measure of the Cross and in the nature and kind of it We have no cause to say our belly cleaveth to the dust or that we are pressed above measure God giveth us only a gentle remembrance if brought upon our knees we are not brought upon our faces 2. If this should be our case do not count it strange It is an usual exercise of God's people let us therefore not be offended but approve Gods holy and wise dispensation If there be great troubles there have been great sins or there will be great comforts or for the present there are great graces As such a dispensation is a correction there is reason to approve it If you be laid in the dust have not you laid Gods honour in the dust and trampled his Laws under foot As it is a trial you have cause to approve it for it is but meet that when God hath planted grace in the heart he should prove the strength of it Therefore if you be kept so long in your heavy condition that you seem dead yet if you have faith to keep you alive and patience be exercised 't is for your greater good Rom. 5. 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience And as affliction is an exercise for your benefit and spiritual improvement The husbandman when he teareth and rendeth the ground up with the plow it is to make it more fruitful the longer the metal is in the fire the more pure it cometh forth nay sometimes you have your outward comforts with advantage after troubles as Job 42. 10 11 12. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob when he prayed for his friends also the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before and the Lord blessed the latter end of Iob more than his beginning O! when we are fitted to enjoy comforts we shall have them plenty enough 2d Point That in such great and heavy troubles we should deal with God for help In the dust David calleth to God for quickning The reasons of this why in great troubles we should go to God for help are 1. From the inconvenience of any other course 1. If
Comforts are God's Comforts and so more powerful and authoritative 2. It is a strong Comfort Heb. 6. 18. That the heirs of promise might have strong consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Other Comforts are weak and of little force they are not Affliction-proof nor Death-proof nor Judgment-proof they cannot stand before a few serious and sober thoughts of the World to come but this is strong Comfort that can support the Soul not onely in the imagination and supposition of a Trouble when we see it at a distance but when it is actually come upon us how great soever it be If we feel the cold hands of Death ready to pluck out our hearts and are summoned to appear before the Bar of our Judge yet this Comfort is not the more impeached that which supported us in Prosperity can support us in Adversity what supports in Life can support us in death For the Comforts of the Word endure for ever and the Covenant of God will not fail us living or dying 3. It is a full Comfort both for Measure and Matter 1. Sometimes for the Measure the Apostle speaketh of Comforts abounding by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. and Acts 13. 52. The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost And the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 7. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyful in all your tribulations Paul and Silas could sing Praises in the Prison and in the Stocks after they had been scourged and whipped Acts 16. 30. And our Lord Iesus Christ when he took care for our Comfort he took care that it might be a full Comfort Ioh. 15. 4. These things have I spoken that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full The Joy of Believers is a full Joy needing no other Joy to be added to it 'T is full enough to bear us out under all discouragements If Christians would improve their advantages they might by their full Joy and Chearfulness entice carnal Men who are ensnared by the Baits of the World and the Delights of the Flesh once to come and try what Comforts they might have in the Bosom of Christ and the lively expectation of the promised Glory 2. For the Matter it is full because of the Comprehensiveness of those Comforts which are provided for us There is no sort of Trouble for which the Word of God doth not afford sufficient Consolation no Strait can be so great no Pressure so grievous but we have full Consolation offered us in the Promises against them all We have Promises of the Pardon of all our Sins and Promises of Heaven it self and what can we desire more We have Promises suited to every State Prosperity and Adversity what do we need which we have not a Promise of Prosperity that it shall not be our ruine if we take it thankfully from God and use it for God for to the pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. But especially for Adversity when we most need there are Promises either of singular Assistance or gracious Deliverance In short the Word of God assureth us of the gracious Presence of God here in the midst of our Afflictions and the eternal Enjoyment of God hereafter that he will be with us in our Houses of Clay or we shall shortly be with him in his Palace of Glory and so here is matter of full Comfort 1. His Presence with us in our Afflictions Psal. 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble and Isa. 4. 3. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee and many other places Now if God be with us why should we be afraid Psal. 23. 4. When I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid for thou art with me and in many other places We see in the Body if any Member be hurt thither presently runneth the Blood to comfort the wounded part the Man himself Eye Tongue and Hand is altogether employed about that part and wounded Member as if he were forgetful of all the rest So we see in the Family if one of the Children be sick all the care and Kindness of the Mother is about that sick Child she sits by him blandisheth him and tendeth him so that all the rest do as it were envy his Disease and Sickness If Nature doth thus will not God who is the Author of Nature do much more For if an earthly Mother do thus to a sickly and suffering Child will not our heavenly Father who hath an infinite incredible and tender Love to his People Surely he runneth to the Afflicted as the Blood to the hurt Member he looketh after the Afflicted as the Mother to the sick Child This is the difference between God and the World the World runneth after those that flourish and rejoyce and live in Prosperity as the Rivers run to the Sea where there is Water enough already but God comforteth us in all our tribulations 2 Cor. 1. 4. His Name and Style is He comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7. 6. The World forsaketh those that are in poverty disgrace and want but God doth not withdraw from them but visiteth them most hath communion with them most and vouchsafeth most of his Presence to them even to those that holily meekly and patiently bear the Afflictions which he layeth upon them and one drop of this Honey is enough to sweeten the bitterest Cup that ever they drank of If God be with us if the Power of Christ will rest upon us then we may even glory in Infirmities as Paul did 2. Of our presence with God when our Afflictions are over that is our happiness hereafter we shall be there where he is Iohn 12. 26. There where I am shall my servant be And Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me When we have had our Trial and Exercise we shall live with him for ever Therefore is our Comfort called everlasting Consolation 2 Thess. 2. 16. Who hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace Nothing more can be added or desired if we have but the patience to tarry for it that we may come to the sight of God and Christ at last Surely this will lighten the heart of that sorrow and fear wherewith it is surcharged here is an everlasting ground of Comfort and if it doth not allay our Fears and Sorrows the fault is not in the Comfort for that is a solid and eternal Good but on the Believers part if he doth not keep his Faith strong and his Evidences clear 4. It is a reviving Comfort which quickneth the Soul Many times we seem to be dead to all Spiritual Operations our Affections are damped and discouraged but the Word of God puts Life into the dead and relieveth us in
our greatest Distresses Sorrow worketh Death but Joy is the Life of the Soul Now when dead in all sense and seeling the just shall live by faith Hab. 2. 4. and the Hope wrought in us by the Scriptures is a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. Other things skin the Wound but our Sore breaketh out again and runneth Faith penetrateth into the Inwards of a Man doth us good to the Heart and the Soul reviveth by waiting upon God and gets Life and Strength 2. The Provision which the Word hath made for our Comfort It might be referred to four Heads 1. Its Commands 1. Provisionally and by way of anticipation The whole Scripture is framed so that it still carrieth on its great End of making Man subject to God and comfortable in himself Our first Lesson in the School of Christ is Self-denial Mat. 16. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Now this seemeth to be grievous but provideth for Comfort For Self-denial plucketh up all Trouble by the Root the Cross will not be very grievous to a self-denying Spirit Epictetus summed up all the Wisdom that he could learn by the Light of Nature in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bear and forbear to which answereth the Apostle's Temperance patience 2 Pet. 1. 6. Certainly were we more mortified and weaned from the World and could we deny our selves in things grateful to Sense we should not lie open to the stroke of Troubles so often as we do The greatness of our Affections causeth the greatness of our Afflictions Did we possess Earthly things with less Love we should lose them with less Grief Had we more intirely resigned our selves to God and did love Carnal Self less we should less be troubled when we are lessened in the World Thus Provisionally and by way of anticipation doth the Word of God provide against our Sorrows The Wheels of a Watch do one protrude and thrust forward another so one part of Christian Doctrine doth help another Take any piece asunder and then it is hard to be practised Patience is hard if there be no thorow Resignation to God no Temperance and command of our Affections But Christianity is all of a piece one part well received and digested befriendeth another 2. Directly and by way of express Charge the Scripture requireth us to moderate our Sorrow to cast all our Care upon God to look above Temporal things and hath expresly forbidden distracting Cares and Doubts and inordinate Sorrows 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care upon God for he careth for you and Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing We have a Religion that maketh it unlawful to be sad and miserable and to grieve our selves inordinately Care Fear and Anguish of Mind are forbidden and no Sorrow allowed us but what tendeth to our Joy Isa. 35. 4. Say to them that are of fearful hearts Be strong fear not Isa. 41. 10. Fear not I am with thee be not dismayed I am thy God To fear the Rage and Power and Violence of Enemies is cotrary to the Religion which we do profess Fear not them which can kill the body Mat. 10. 26 28. Now surely the Word which is full fraught with Precepts of this nature must needs comfort and stay the Heart 2. The Doctrines of the Word do quicken and comfort us in our greatest Distresses all of them concerning Justification and Salvation by Christ they serve to deaden the Heart to present things and lift it up to better and so to beget a kind of dedolency and insensibility of this Worlds Crosses But especially four Doctrines we have in the Word of God that are very comforting 1. The Doctrine concerning particular Providence That nothing falleth out without God's Appointment and that he looketh after every individual Person as if none else to care for This is a mighty ground of comfort for nothing can befal me but what my Father wills and he is mindful of me in the condition wherein I am knoweth what things I stand in need of and nothing is exempted from his care ordering and disposal This is a ground both of Patience and Comfort Psal. 39. 8. I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it So Hezekiah Isa. 38. 15. What shall I say he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it It is time to cease or say no more why should we contend with the Lord Is it a Sickness or grievous Bodily Pain What difference is there between a Man that owneth it as a Chance or natural Accident and one that seeth God's Hand in it We storm if we look no further than second Causes but one that looketh on it as an immediate stroke of God's Providence hath nothing to reply by way of murmuring and expostulation So in loss of good Children how do we rave against Instruments if we look no further but if we consider the Providence of God Iob 1. 23. not Dominus dedit Diabolus abstulit but The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. So for Contumely and Reproches if God let loose a barking Shimei upon us 2 Sam. 16. 11. The Lord bid him curse To resist a lower Officer is to resist the Authority with which he is armed So in all other cases it is a ground of Patience and Comfort to see God in the Providence 2. His Fatherly Care over his People He hath taken them into his Family and all his doings with them are Paternal and Fatherly It allayeth our Cares Mat. 6. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Our Sorrows in Affliction are lessened by considering they come from our Father Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is that whom the Father chasteneth not but if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons and so those whom God doth love tenderly he doth correct severely 3. His unchangeable Love to his People God remaineth unchangeably the same When our outward Condition doth vary and alter we have the same Blessed God as a Rock to stand upon and to derive our Comforts from that we had before he is the God of the Valleys as well as of the Hills Christ in his Desertion saith My God My God Matt. 27. 46. surely we deserve that the Creature should be taken from us if we cannot find Comfort in God Hab. 3. 18. Although the Fig-tree should not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation Nothing can
a-going as Christ saith I know whence I am and whither I goe They look altogether for the present and if they be well for the present they are contented Alas in what a miserable Case are these Men though they mind it not they seem to me to be like Men that are going to Execution A Man that is going to the Gallows for the present is well hath a great Guard to attend him an innumerable multitude of People to follow him you would think that hardly could a Man be such a Sot and Fool as to think all this should be done for his Honour and not for his Punishment and should onely consider how he is accompanied but not whither he goeth Many such Fools there are in the World that onely consider how they are attended and provided for but never consider whither they are a-going Oh Wretch whither goest thou may we say to one that should pride himself in the resort of Company to his Execution dost thou not see thou art led to Punishment and after an hour or two these will leave thee hanging and perishing infamously as the just reward of thine Offences So many that shine now in the pomp and splendour of worldly Accommodations and are merry and jocund as if all would doe well alas poor Creatures whither are they a-going Iob 21. 12 13. They take the Timbrel and the Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ they spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down into Hell Ye still live and are going to Punishment but mind it not but your Wealth and Honours and Servants and Friends will all leave you to your own doom and yet you are merry and jocund as if your Journey would never end or not so dismally as if you were hastening to a Kingdom and not to an eternal Prison one moment puts an end to all their Joy for ever 2. There are others that wean their hearts from this World and make it their Care that they may carry themselves becoming their celestial Extraction as their Souls were from above by Creation so all their Hopes and Desires and Endeavours are to attain to that Region of Spirits much more as being renewed by Grace do they aim at the Perfection and Accomplishment of that Life which is begun in them and so being made partakers of the Divine nature do they escape the Corruption that is in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 1 4. they are convinced of a better Estate than the World yieldeth and believe it and look for it and long for it and labour for it Now of which number are you or if you cannot decide that because more goeth to the assuring of our Interest than the World usually taketh to be necessary for that end and purpose of which number do you mean to be will you be at home in the World or seek the happiness of the World to come that is in other terms do you mean to be Pagans under a Christian name or Christians indeed you have but the name if you be not Strangers and Pilgrims here upon Earth All Christ's Disciples indeed are called to sit loose from the World and to have an high and deep sense of the World to come as to the other World they are no mere Strangers and Foreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 2. 19. They are of a Family part of which is in Heaven and part on Earth Eph. 3. 15. of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth are named some of their Brethren have got the start of them and are with God before them but the rest are hastening after as fast as they can They are sufficiently convinced that the Earth is no place for them they are strangers there and the contentments thereof uncertain and perishing but they are no strangers to Heaven and the blessed Society of the Saints whose privileges they have a full right to now and hope one day to have as full a Possession and an intimate Communion with their Father and all their Brethren Now that you may resolve upon this and carry your selves sutably I shall 1. Give you some Motives 2. A Direction or two 1. Motives 1. He that taketh up his Rest in this World or any earthly thing is but an higher kind of Beast and unworthy of an immortal Soul The Beasts have an instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that Life which they have and therefore a man doth not follow the Light of Reason that seeketh to quiet his mind with what things the World affordeth and onely relisheth the contentments of the carnal and bodily Life that is satisfied with his Portion here Psalm 17. 14. All their business and bustle is to have their wills and pleasure for a little while as if they had neither hopes nor fears of any greater things hereafter Psalm 49. 20. Man that is in honour and void of understanding is as the beast that perisheth because he meerly inclineth to present satisfactions for Reason is as a middle thing between the Life of Faith and the Life of Sense it were no great matter whether you were Men or Dogs or Swine if Reason be onely given you for the present World and present satisfactions all your Sense of the World to come and Conscience is as good as nothing 2. None are of so noble and Divine a Spirit as those that seek the heavenly Kingdom Amongst men the Ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms that aim at perpetual Fame by their Vertues and rare Exploits are judged Persons of greater Gallantry than Covetous muck-worms and bruitish Epicures yet their highest thoughts and designs are very base in comparison of Christians who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Life Glory and Immortality Rom. 2. 7. and whom nothing less will content than the injoyment of God himself Their desires are after him Psalm 73. 25. whom have I in Heaven but thee and who is there on Earth I desire besides thee So that as Man being immortal should provide for some place of perpetual abode so herein the Christian excelleth other men that nothing less will satisfie him than what God hath promised his People hereafter The Threshold will not content him nothing but the Throne 3. What a sorry Immortality mock Eternity do they choose instead of the true one when they neglect the pursuit of this heavenly Country If they look no higher than this World all that they can rationally imagine is perpetuating Themselves and their Names and Posterity by successive Generations Psalm 49. 11. Their inward thought is that their Houses shall continue for ever and their Dwelling-places to all Generations they call their Lands by their own names This is styled Nodosa Aeternitas when they live in their Children after death but alas to how few mens share can this fall and those who may in likelihood expect it who are Lords of fair Rents fair Lands Houses and Heritages how
coming to them by chance They not onely say good in general but who will shew me c. As they look after uncertain Blessings so they look after an uncertain Authour as they fall out in the course of second Causes if they have these they bless their Hearts and content themselves To convince these Men of the baseness of their Choice and make them bethink themselves their Choice is part of their punishment There cannot be a greater Punishment than that they should have what they choose that they should be written in the Earth Ierem. 17. they shall have this and no more That God should say to them Silver and Gold you shall have but in this matter no Lot nor Portion Act. 8. Their Bellies shall be filled with hid Treasure they shall have gorgeous Apparel dainty Fare Substance enough to leave to their Babes but be deprived of Heaven It 's the greatest Misery that can be to be condemned to this kind of Happiness That we should thus degrade our selves and sit upon the Threshold when they might sit upon the Throne and lick onely the dust of his Footstool But wicked Men will not be sensible of this now but one day they shall of the Misery of this their foolish Choice at death usually Ier. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a fool Then his Heart will rave against him O Fool Mad-man that thou wert not as carefull to get the Favour of God as to get this worldly Pelf when he must goe into another World and he is launching out into the great gulph of Eternity And in Hell they will be sensible Luke 16. 25. Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things c. The Conscience of their foolish Choice is a part of their Torment when their Heart shall return upon them and say This was because thou wouldst look after temporal Things when Snares and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest is poured out upon them what Thoughts have they of their Portion when they are cast out with the Devil and demned Spirits Carnal Men think the difference between them and others will ever hold out when they glitter in the World O but the time is coming when Death will undeceive them And at the day of Judgment they will be sensible of it when they shall be refused as the Out-casts of the World and when the Saints shall have their Portion when the Lord shall take the Godly to himself receive them into his Bosome and welcome them to Heaven and call them to his Right hand and they shall be banished out of his presence with a goe ye cursed when they shall become the loathing of God the scorn of Angels and blessed Spirits when it shall be said as in Psal. 52. 7. Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness O then how will Conscience return upon the wretchedness and folly of their Hearts and be exercised upon it this will vex and gaul them in Hell with anxious thoughts of it to all Eternity As by the fire that never shall be quenched is signified the Wrath of God so by the Worm that never dies the violent working of Conscience upon the folly of choosing perishing Vanities Use 2. It exhorts us to this necessary Duty to choose God for our Portion It is not a slight thing but that upon which your eternal Happiness doth depend it 's the fundamental Article of the Covenant of Grace and the Question God puts you to is whether you will choose him for your Portion therefore he begins the Commandments with this Thou shalt have no other Gods before me God is not your God unless he be set uppermost in your Souls he cannot be your Portion unless he be your chiefest Good There is no possibility of entring into Covenaâ—…t with God unless you subscribe to this main Article Again as 't is a very necessary Work so 't is an Evidence and Fruit of God's Election if a Man would come to know the Thoughts of God concerning him before all the World what his Destiny is God's Election or Choosing of you is manifested by your Election or your choosing of God for all God's Works leave an Impression upon the Creature he chooseth us that we might choose him I will say you are my People and you shall say I am your God Again you must have something for your Portion There 's no Man hath a sufficiency in himself The Soul is like a Spunge always thirsting and seeking of something from without to be filled a Chaos of Desires Man was made to live in dependance Now of all Portions in the World there is none worth the having but God himself nothing else can make you compleatly blessed and satisfy all the Necessities and all the Capacities of Soul and Body When you have outward things what have you for your Conscience If these things could fill up your Affections they bear no proportion with Conscience your Sore will run upon you and your inward Griefs will not be cured But this is such a Portion that besides internal Grace there shall be a competent measure of outward things God will provide for you Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd what then I shall not want This Interest will give you temporal Things and the Comforts of this Life so that you have the Fountain of all other Mercies While others do but drink of the Streams and of Streams where they are muddy where they partake of the Soile through which they run you goe to the clear Fountain Alas others do but pluck the Leaves and Flowers but you have the Fruits and very Root it self the perpetual Fountain and Well-spring of Comfort and Root of all the blessedness the Heart can wish for Again all other Comforts grow upon this Interest and when all other things are lost this can supply you again All worldly Things when we have them yet they have not a Root but you have the Root so that when other things faile this will yield you all manner of Supplies Yea this is that which seasons and makes all other things comfortable when we have them and the Love of God with them This Man of God had a Kingdom and a great deale of Wealth he was a Victorious King as we may see by his Offering 1 Chron. 29. what Cart-loads of Gold and Silver he offers to God yet in the midst of all this fulness he saith Thou art my Portion Other Portions may turn to a Man's hurt as they are occasions of Sin as they expose to Envy and Danger many a man is undone both here and hereafter by making the Creature his Portion but never any man was undone by making God his Portion It was the end of our Creation God passing by all other Creatures set his Heart upon Man He made all things for Man and Man for himself All other things were
in Affection and Estimation Alas the best of us are scarce dark shadows of his Goodness 4. God's Goodness is the Life of our Faith and Trust so long as the Goodness of God endureth for ever we have no cause to be discouraged If we want Direction in the Text 't is said Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes If we want Support and Deliverance Nahum 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him In every streight the People of God find him to be a good God When we feel the burthen of Sin and fear God's Wrath Psalm 86. 5. The Lord is good and ready to forgive and plenteous in Mercy to all them that call upon him David when his old Sins troubled him the Sins of his Youth Psalm 25. 7. Remember not the Sins of my youth nor my Transgressions according to thy Mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake O Lord. When his Enemies consulted his Ruine Psalm 52. 1. Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty Man the goodness of God endureth continually They cannot take away the Goodness of God from you whatever they plot or purpose against you Thus may Faith triumph in all Distresses upon the sense of the Goodness of God In the Agonies of Death the Goodness of God will be your Support Non sic vixi ut pudeat me inter vos vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum We have a good Master who will not see his Servants unrewarded the Goodness of God and his readiness to be gracious to every one that cometh to him is the Fountain of the Saints Hope Strength and Consolation 5. The Goodness of God is the great Motive and Invitation to Repentance Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance How so God is good but not to those that continue in their Sins Psalm 68. 19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with Benefits even the God of our Salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his Trespasses If Goodness be despised it will be turned into Fury How great soever the Riches of the Lords Bounty and Grace offered in Christ are yet an impenitent Sinner will not escape unpunished God is good oh come try and see how good he will be to you if you will turn and submit to him There is Hope offered and Goodness hath waited to save you so that now you may seek his Favour with hope to speed While he sits upon the Throne of Grace and alloweth the Plea of the New Covenant do not stand off against Mercies God hath laid out the Riches of his gracious Goodness upon a design to save lost sinners and will you turn back upon him and despise all his Goodness provided for you in Christ In point of gratitude the least kindness done men melteth them as coals of fire The Borrower is servant to the Lender God hath not only lent us but given us all that we have therefore it should break our Hearts with sorrow and remorse that we should offend a God so Good so Bountifull so Mercifull The odiousness of sin doth most appear in the unkindness of it that infinite Goodness hath been abused and infinite Goodness despised and that you are willing to lose your part in infinite Goodness rather than not satisfie some base lust or look after some trifling vanity Saul wept at the thoughts of David's kindness 1 Sam. 24. 16. Every man will condemn the wrongs done to one that hath done us no evil but much Good and will you sin against God who is so Good in himself so Good to all his Creatures and so Good to you and waiteth to be better and more gracious and return evil for all his good and requite his Love with nothing but unkindness and Provocation Oh be ashamed of all these things What heart is that that can offend and so willingly offend so good a God Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the Mercies of God there is Argument and Endearment enough in that that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service that ye consecrate dedicate your selves to his glory address your selves chearfully to his Service Let the Soul be warmed into an earnest resolution to please him for the future lest you make Goodness your Enemy and Justice take up the quarrel of abused Grace 6. The Goodness of God is the great Argument to move us to Love God If he be Good he is worthy to be Loved and that with a superlative Love for God is both the Object and the Measure of Love a less Good should be loved less and a greater Good more All that is not God is but a finite and limited Good and must be loved accordingly God only is Infinite and Eternal and therefore he is to be loved of all and above all with our chiefest and most worthy Love by preferring his Glory above all things that are dear to us and being content for his sake to part with all that we have in the world But if any lower thing prevail with us we prefer it before God and so contemn his Goodness in comparison of it If the object of Love be Good none so properly deserveth our Love as God For 1. He is Originally Good the Fountain of all Good therefore if we leave God for the deceitfull vanities of this present life we leave The Fountain of Living waters for a broken Cistern Jer. 2. 13. The Creatures are but dry pits and broken Cisterns 2. He is Summum Bonum the Chiefest Good Other things what good they have they have it from him therefore it is infinitely better and greater in him than in them all the Good that is in the Creature is but a Spark of what is in God If we find any good there it is not to detain our Affections but to lead us to the greater Good not to hold us from him but to lead us to him as the Streams lead to the Fountain and the steps of a Ladder are not to stand still upon but that we may ascend higher There is Goodness in the creature but mixed with Imperfection the Good is to draw to him the Imperfection to drive us off from the Creature 3. He is Infinitely Good Other things may busie us and vex us but they cannot satisfie us this alone sufficeth for health wealth peace protection grace glory Necessities that are not satisfied in God are but Fancies and the desires that are hurried out after them apart from God are not to be satisfied but mortified If we have not enough in God it is not
sharpness of apprehension in carnal Things but dull slow and blind in spiritual and heavenly Things Thoughts are spent freely and unweariedly about the one but there is a tediousness and barrenness about the other a Will backward to what is good but a strange bent and urging to what is evil in that which is good we need a Spur in evil a Bridle these things persevere with us but how fickle and changable in any holy Resolution the Memory slippery in what is good but firm and strong in what is evil the Affections quick easily stirred like Tinder catch fire at every spark but as to that which is good they are like fire in green Wood hardly kept in with much blowing Again our delight is soon moved by things pleasing to Sense a carnal gust and savour is very natural to us and rise with us Rom. 8. 5. but averse from the chiefest good and every thing that leadeth to it Surely then we have need to goe to God and complain of Corruption sometimes under the notion of a blind and dark Mind begging the illumination of the Spirit sometimes under the notion of a dead hard Heart or an unperswadable Will begging his inclining as well as inlightning Grace Surely they are strangely hardened that do not see a need of a spiritual Understanding Nay God's Children after Grace received though sanctified betimes yet halt of the old Maim dull in Spirituals alive and active in carnal Matters Carnal and worldly Men act more uniformly and suitably to their Principles than the Children of God to theirs Luke 16. 8. The Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the Children of light that is more dexterous in the course of their Affairs Grace for the present worketh but a partial Cure we have the advantage in matter of Motive we have better and higher things to mind but they have the advantage in matter of Principle their Principles are unbroken but the Principles of the best are mixed we cannot doe what we would in heavenly things there is the back-bias of Corruption that turns us away and therefore they need to be instant with God to heal their Souls sometimes a blind Mind and sometimes a distempered Heart 5. We must be new made and born again before we can be apt or able to know or doe the Will of God as Christ inferreth the necessity of Regeneration from the corruption of Nature he had been discoursing with Nicodemus You cannot enter into the Kingdome of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 5 6. Our Souls naturally accommodate themselves to the Flesh and seek the good of the Flesh and all our Thoughts and Care and Life and Love runs that way now what was lost in Adam can onely be recovered in Christ 't is not enough that God's hands have once made us and fashioned us but there is a necessity of being made and fashioned anew of becoming his workmanship in Christ Iesus Eph. 2. 10. and so the words of the Text may be interpreted in this sense Thou hast made me once Lord new make me thy hands made me O Lord give me a new Heart that I may obey thee In the first Birth God gave us a natural Understanding in the second a spiritual Understanding that we may learn his Commandments First that we may be good and then doe good The first Birth gave us the natural Faculty the second the Grace or those divine Qualities which were lost by Adam's Sin better never been born unless born again better be a Beast than a Man if the Lord give us not the knowledge of himself in Christ. The Beasts when they die their Misery and Happiness dieth with them Death puts an end to their Pain and Pleasure but we that have Reason and Conscience to foresee the end and know the way enter into perfect Happiness or Misery at death unless the Lord sanctify this Reason and give us an heart to know him in Christ and choose that which is good Man is but a higher kind of Beast a wiser sort of Beast Psalm 49. 12. for his Soul is onely employed to cater for the Body and his Reason is prostituted to Sense the Beast rides the Man We are not distinguished from the Bruits by our Senses but our Understanding and our Reason but in a carnal Man the Soul is a kind of Sense 't is wholly imployed about the animal Life There is not a more brutish Creature in the World than a worldly wicked Man Well then David had need to pray Lord thou hast given me Reason give me the knowledge of thy self and thy blessed Will 6. When we seek this Grace or any degree of it 't is a proper Argument to urge that we are God's Creatures so doth David here I am now come to my very Business and therefore I shall a little shew how far Creation is pleadable and may any way incourage us to ask spiritual Understanding and renewing Grace 1. In the general I shall lay down this 'T is a good way of reasoning with God to ask another Gift because we have received one already 'T is not a good way of reasoning with Man because he wastes by giving but a good way with God and that upon a double account Partly because in some cases Deus donando debet God by giving doth in effect bind himself to give more as by giving Life to give Food by giving a Body to give Rayment Matth. 6. 25. God by sending such a Creature into the World chargeth his Providence to maintain him as long as he will use him for his glory God loveth to crown his own Gifts Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand plucked out of the burnings The thing pleaded there is was not this a Brand plucked out of the fire one Mercy is pleaded to obtain another Mercy So God bindeth himself to give perseverance 2 Cor. 1. 10. but this is not the case here for by giving common Benefits he doth not bind himself to give saving Graces And partly too because he doth not waste by giving his mercy endureth for ever The same reason is given for all those Mercies Psalm 136. Why the Lord chose a Church maintaineth his Church giveth daily bread his mercy endureth for ever God is where he was at first he giveth liberally and upbraideth not James 1. 5. he doth not say I have given already Now a former common Mercy sheweth God's readiness and freeness to give the Inclination to doe good still abideth with him he is as ready and as free to give still daily Bread his mercy endureth for ever spiritual Wisdome his mercy endureth for ever indeed the giving of daily Bread doth not necessarily bind God to give spiritual Wisdome but that which is not a sure ground to expect may be a probable incouragement to ask and learn this that though nothing can satisfy Unbelief yet Faith can pick Arguments out of any thing and make use of
compared with all that may be called life Life is either Natural Spiritual or Eternal Compare it with life Natural and there the Psalmist will tell you Psal. 63. 3. Thy loving-kindness is better than life life is not life without it without the feeling of this love or the hope of feeling it it is little worth To have the light of the Sun which is the comfort of the senses without the light of God's Countenance which is the comfort of the soul is a sad and dark estate especially to the Children of God that know they are made for another world and for this onely in their passage thither Natural life onely giveth us a capacity to injoy the comforts of sense which are base dreggy and corruptive but the special favour of God lets us into such consolations as perfect the Soul and affects it with a greater pleasure than our natural faculties are capable of life natural is a frail brittle thing but these saving effects of Gods mercy lay a Foundation of eternal happiness Life natural may grow a burden but the love of God is never burdensome the days may come in which there is no pleasure Eccl. 12. 1. Job 33. 20. his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty food in sickness and age in troubles of Conscience Men do pretty well with their worldly happiness till God rebuke man for sin then all the glory profit and pleasure of the creature doth us no good Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth Iudas halter'd himself when filled with the sense of Gods wrath Iob chose strangling rather than life At death when all worldly things cease and are of no more use to us the sense of Gods love will be of great use to us All the world understand the worth and value of Gods love when death cometh then a child of God feeleth it Oh saith he I would not for all the world but that I had made sure of the love of God before this hour how terrible else would it have been to leave all and leap out into an unknown world Ier. 17. 9. The unjust man at his latter end shall be a fool and Iob 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite if he hath gained when God cometh to take away his Soul 2. Life Spiritual the Soul hath no life but in communion with God who is the fountain of this new life now the more sensible and close this is the more they live the vitality of this life lyeth in the sensible participation of the effects of his special grace and mercy then we have it more abundantly Iohn 10. 10. not onely living but lively 3. For eternal life a comfortable sense of Gods mercy is the beginning and pledg of the true and heavenly life Rom. 5. 4 5 6. The shedding abroad the love of God in the heart of a believer maketh this his hope sure and certain he needeth not be ashamed for he hath earnest beforehand 2. Gods favour furnisheth us with a remedy against all evils and miseries i. e. wants troubles sins The want of other things may be supplyed by the love of God but the want of the love of God cannot be supplyed with any thing else if poor in the world yet we may be rich in faith Iam. 2. 5. if afflicted destitute yet this loss may be made up by the presence of God in the Soul 2 Cor. 4. 16. As our outward man decayeth our inward man is renewed day by day If they want the creature they have God there is no want of a candle when they have the Sun if they want health the Soul may be in good plight 3. Epist. Iohn 2. as Gaius had a healthy soul in a sickly body If they want liberty they ly open to the visits of his grace the Spirit of God is no stranger to them nor can his company and comforts be shut out Tertullian telleth the Martyrs you went out of the prison when you went into it and were but sequestred from the world that you might converse with God the greatest prisoners are those that are at large darkened with ignorance chained with lusts committed not by the Proconsul but God If they want the favour of men they have the favour of God God smileth when the world frowneth they may be Banished but every place is alike near to God and Heaven Some climates are nearer and some further off from the Sun but all alike near to the Sun of Righteousness Ibi pater ubi patria that is our Country where God is we are harrassed beaten afflicted in sundry manners but the sting is gone therod that is dip'd in guilt smarteth most but a pardoned man may rejoyce in tribulations Rom. 5. 1 2. But now on the contrary suppose a man high in honour wallowing in wealth spending his time and wealth in ease and pleasure but after all this God will bring him to Judgment the world is his friend but God is his enemy and he is all his life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14. not always felt but soon awakened and during the time of his comfort and delight he is danceing about the brink of hell liable to an eternal curse and there is but the slender thread of a frail life between him and execution a few serious sober thoughts undoe him 2. Sin that is the great evil both as to the guilt of it and the wages of it the guilt and obliquity of it no creature can provide a plaister for this sore to get our Consciences setled and our natures healed this is the special fruit of Gods mercy in Christ his business is to save us from sin Matt. 1. 21. Acts. 3. 26. God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquity Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob have Gods Image repaired and restored to his Grace and Favour those that have felt sin a burden nothing will satisfie till the Lord looks graciously upon them 3. The favour of the Lord is the fountain of all blessings Get an interest in his special mercy and then all things are yours you have God for your God who commandeth all things 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all things are yours Matt. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it 4. It sweetens every Comfort a piece of bread with the love of God is a plentifull feast A little that a righteous man hath is better than the revenue of many wicked Quid prodest regium alimentum si ad Gehennam pascat What profiteth it to be fatted
will Oh! then live not as your own or Satans and the Flesh's but as the Lords Let us come to the ground of his Plea Save me David doth not say Thou art mine save me but I am thine These two are Correlates he that speaks the one speaks both If we be Gods God is ours I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine and yet David saith I am thine but doth not say Thou art mine for four Reasons 1. Because this is first in our apprehension we know God to be ours by giving up our selves to be his His choice and election of us that 's a secret till it be evidenced by our choice of him till we choose him for our Portion Well then a Believer cannot always say God is his but a Believer is always resolved to be the Lords by his own choice and dedication they resolve to be his and not their own Though you cannot discern your election that God hath chosen you yet it is comfortable to renew your Resignation of your selves to God Resignation that 's our Act and is more sensible to Conscience than God's Election Lord I have none in Heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee God will not refuse such a soul that is thus willing to tack himself upon God will not be put off I am thine As the Campani when they begged the Romans to help them and they refused they came and gave themselves and their whole Estates to be Vassals to the Romans with this Plea If you will not defend us as your Allies defend us as your Subjects Thus a gracious soul will tack himself upon God and will not be put off I will not be my own but thine 2. I am thine he saith so because this was the best check to the present temptation David was then in fear of his life when he spoke this when the wicked lay in wait to destroy him ver 95. They wanted neither malice nor power to do it then saith David I am thine In afflictions God seems to break down the Hedge and lay his People open in common with others to the fury of the judgment that is then upon them In regard of God's outward dealings little appearance different between us and them but then we must say Lord I am thine though involved in the same judgment yet Lord thou canst put a difference I am thine 2 l et 2. 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation how to put a distinction and difference between his own and others so that our distinct interest I am thine it is a relief to the soul. 3. Saints observe a difference when they speak to God and when they plead with their own hearts when they speak to God then they mention their own Resignation Lord I am thine but when they would revive their own drooping souls then they say God is mine Compare the Text with Psal. 42. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul c he is my God God is mine and wilt thou be trou led But when they speak to God I am thine so they raise their hearts in a holy confidence The interest is mutual In dealing with our own unbelief it is best to urge our interest in God He is mine but when in Prayer God's interest in us Lord I am thine 4. This is the more humbling way to urge our own Resignation See Psal. 116. 15 16. Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints then presently Ah Lord truly I am thy servant c. God's children may be exposed to hazards alike but their blood is precious to God Now though the world thinketh lightly of their death yet God doth not think so how doth David apply this comfort Precious in the sight c. He doth not say as the force of the words would seem to carry it Lord I am one of thy Saints but Lord I am thy servant he takes a more humble Title There 's many a man fears and doubts to apply the Priviledges of God's children under some higher Title yet they should apply them in a Title sutable to their condition and measure So did David he presumeth not to say Thou art mine that were a higher challenge but yet such as God's condescention will warrant him but he doth aver and assert his own Resignation which is a more dutiful and humble way of confidence Again he doth not say I am thus and thus but I am thine He doth not plead Property or good Qualification but he pleads God's Propriety in him Lord I cannot say I am perfect and upright as I should be yet I am thine It is good to own God in the humbling way and take hold of Promises on the dark side so doth Paul 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying c. As if he had said Nay if that be a faithful saying then I can put in a Plea I am sinner enough for Christ to save Thus by these lower ways of application we may derive and take out to our selves the comfort of the Promises Doct. 2. God's interest in his People is the ground of his care for their safety It may be pleaded as a ground of his care for their safety Lord I am thine and therefore save me this is David's Plea in a time of danger And so Christ when he was to leave his Disciples to the troubles of a furious opposite world how doth he plead for them John 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me therefore keep them through thine own Name We may pray to God with more confidence for our safety in a time of danger when we can plead his Interest in us How doth his Interest prove a ground of confidence and plea for Prayer in a time of danger 1 God's knowledge of them 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knows those that are his He hath a particular exact knowledge of all the Elect and who they are that shall be saved they are engraven as it were upon the palms of his hands he takes notice of them and of the condition in which they are Iohn 10. 3. He calleth his own sheep by name Christ knows them by Head and Pole 2 His care over them and his affection to them Interest in general is a very endearing thing That which is mine doth more affect me than that which is another mans 1 Tim. 5. 8. He that careth not and provideth not for his own is worse than an Infidel It is an unnatural thing for a man not to affect his own and will God suffer that which is his own to be snatched out of his hands and used by evil men according to their pleasure A Man is careful of his own children to dispose of them in a safe place and careful of his own Jewels the Saints are not as God's Lumber but as his Jewels they are dearer to God than all things else Isa. 43. 3 4. I am the Lord thy God
of them Credit and honour before the world what is more uncertain than the Peoples affections They that cry Hosanna to day will cry Crucifie him to morrow Pleasures they are gone as soon as they come and when they are gone they are as a thing of nought but that they leave a sting in the conscience and a sadness in the heart Riches take wings and flie away Prov. 23. 5. You can be no more confident of them than of a Flock of wild Fowl that pitcheth in your Field Honour is soon gone Haman is one day high in favor the next day high upon the Gallows Strength and Beauty are soon assaulted by diseases 't will be matter of sense better believe it than try it then it will prevent a great deal of vexation and the shame of disappointment Seldom doth a Man act the same part in the world for a year together now joyful anon sad now children then none now married anon in a widowhood condition 'T is much in the desire and thoughts of natural men to have a perpetual enjoyment of this life and the comforts of it but it will never be they perish and we must dye and when we are gone our glory will not be remembred Solomon recordeth his experience of the vanity of all earthly things O! that we would believe it without trying conclusions you that are so eager after the world what will you think of it when 't is parting from you or you from it will they then be found to be such excellent things as you once deem'd them to be O no! at last you must come to this I have seen an end of all perfection and then you will say O how hath the world deceived me I have laboured for nought Secondly I have seen that is with a spiritual eye this should be observed and improved by faith Many are sensible of the vanity of the creature but are not a jot the wiser Psal. 49. 13. This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings They are sensible of the folly of their Ancestors but yet do not mend by it We should not only see with our eyes but understand with our hearts When the wise man went by the field of the Sluggard he saw it overgrown with Thorns and Nettles and the stone-wall thereof broken down Prov. 24. 32. I saw it and considered it well I looked upon it and received instruction We should profit by every thing In this sense we may gather Figs of Thistles and Grapes of Thorns especially should we observe the vanity of all sublunary things Eccles. 7. 2. 'T is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting for this is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart We should make a good use of these occasions a man seeth his own end in the end of others and by their death is admonished of his own frailty and mortality 't is a sad sign when this is not considered Isa. 42. 25. Yet he laid it not to heart Isa. 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see They shall be forced to take notice of what now they will not when God's hand is upon them to their utter confusion Thirdly I have seen Happy they that have such eyes but alas there is a great deal of difference between the sight of the senses and the sight of the understanding when we see things with our eyes there is a natural blindness or brutishness or a vail upon our hearts that we mind them not Men have eyes to see but they have not an heart to see So God complains Ier. 5. 21. They have eyes and see not ears and hear not So Deut. 29. 3 4. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen and the signs and those great miracles Tet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day So Isa. 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this People hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears Though things be never so plainly delivered so powerfully pressed so apparently verified and so they see and hear and receive no more benefit than if they had never heard nor seen it God witholding and withdrawing the efficacy of his spirit whereby it might be beneficial to them for good So Isa. 42. 20. Seeing things but thou observest not opening the ears but thou hearest not They see the wonderful works of God but do not consider them as wise people ought to do Isa. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know My people doth not consider Ezek. 12. 2. Thou dwellest in the middest of a rebellious house which have eyes to see and see not they have ears to hear and hear not That is they make no use of them but strive and endeavour to put it out of their minds So Iohn 9. 39 40 41. And Iesus said for judgment I am come into this world that they which see not might see and they that see might be made blind And some of the Pharises which were with him heard these words and said unto him are we blind also Iesus said unto them if ye were blind ye should have no sin but now ye say we see your sin remaineth There is a great deal of difference between the sight of believers and unbelievers the one sees with an understanding heart the other without it In the one there is a free ready and sincere use of their disciplinable senses that they may learn his word and walk in his ways that they may profit in the knowledge of God and so get understanding and spiritual prudence The other are brutish ignorant or idle negligent and forgetful they shut their eyes and their ears are uncircumcised and so they know not what they know The causes of this are first non-attendency or inadvertency prejudicate opinions and rooted lusts hinder their profiting Look as the Sun Moon and Stars though they move with a most swift and rapid motion seem to a vulgar eye to stand still or at least to move very slowly So these sublunary things though they are always passing yet the inward thought of worldlings is that they shall endure for ever Oh labour then for this spiritual and heart affecting sight If a man could behold this world in the light of a divine knowledge he would find it to be but a vanishing shadow Though the vanity of the creature be a plain truth and taught by daily experience and is easily and commonly acknowledged yet it is not easie to make this truth have a deep impression upon the hearts of men They are naturally unwilling to admit thoughts of a change Amos 6. 2. because
not a slight looking into them that will give us this wisdom but an intimate constant acquaintance when we are much in studying out God's mind 2. They are ever with me this may imply also that they should be a ready help Such as derive their wisdom from without they cannot have their Counsellors always with them to give advice But when a Man hath gotten the Word in his heart he finds a ready help he hath a seasonable Word to direct him in all difficulties in all straits and in all temptations to teach him what to do against the burden of the present exigence to teach him what to do and what to hope for Having illustrated the words of the Text I now address my self to make good the Proposition That a Child of God is wiser than his Enemies I shall do it in a twofold Consideration 1. They are wiser in their general choice 2. Wiser as to the particular Controversie or Enmity that is carried on against them by their Enemies as to those contests they have with their carnal Enemies about the things of God for I suppose these Enemies here are not only such as had a private grudge or carnal quarrels but upon a publick account they have more wisdom by God to guide them than their Enemies have craft to ruine them First Supposing these Enemies to be carnal Men for such are the Enemies of God's People they are wiser than their Enemies in their general choice and course of life To determine this let us see what is wisdom and what is folly Saith Solomon Eccl. 7. 25. I gave my heart to seek out wisdom and to know the wickedness of folly even of foolishness and madness Wisdom lies in three things 1 In fixing a right end 2 In the choice of apt and proper means 3 In the acurateness and diligence of our prosecution and as to degrees of comparison he is wiser than another that hath a better end a better way and is more dextrous and vigorous in pursuing the means that he may accomplish his ends For instance If we speak of worldly wisdom the wisdom of the World is to fix the World for our scope He that will be rich saith the Apostle and accordingly he that busieth himself with such means as will conduce to that purpose that wholly gives up himself to worldly pursuits and that with all his heart and vigor makes haste to be rich this is the wisdom of the World He shall not be innocent saith Solomon Then there is heavenly wisdom when we make the enjoyment of God to be our scope take the Law of God for our Rule and make Religion to be our business avoiding evils improving all occasions sparing no cost nor trouble to compass such an holy end that we may come to the enjoyment of the blessed God this is a spiritual wiseman Then among the children of God one is wiser than another as his intention is more fixt as his means are more regular or as his prosecution is more exact uniform and industrious He that keeps close to his purpose of glorifying God and enjoying God and he that understands more of his Rule he is the wiser Man and he that is more acurate and industrious and with greater self denial doth give up himself to God As there are some that are more heavenly more watchful more diligent in the spiritual life than others Well then if wisdom be to be determined by these things the Children of God that are taught by the Word of God will be found to be wiser than their Enemies and all carnal Men. 1 They are wiser as they have a nobler end even the great end for which they were created which is the enjoyment of God surely the higher ends any Man hath the wiser is he now there is none higher than God for that which is the chiefest good that should be our utmost end There is nothing good in itself and for itself but only God when we have God we need not consider what further good to get by him for to get him that 's enough To look at any thing as good in itself without looking further what it is good for it is to put it in the place of God Of all other things besides God we may say What doth it serve for What use may I put it to What am I the better for it But now beyond God there is nothing to be sought food and raiment that is for health and health that is for service and service for the glory of God Every thing riseth higher and higher till it terminate in God Certainly he is a wise Man that lives up to the â—…ighest end and makes this his scope to enjoy God Well now he is a wise Man that doth not mind triffes but doth promote his proper necessary and great interest this is our proper great and necessary interest to make God our Friend and Heaven our Portion beyond these there is nothing more for God is the chiefest good Let me pursue it by another medium certainly an higher end is to be preferred before a subordinate a general good before a particular that which will yield all things before that which will only yield us a limited or particular comfort so he is the wiser Man that chuseth God for his Portion for he that hath God shall inherit all things Rev. 21. 7. and Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things shall be added that 's a more universal good Again a profitable good is to be prefer'd before a pleasing He that prefers a little Pleasure before a solid good you count him a Fool as Esau that sold his birth-right for a mess of pottage And to part with all for a little temporal satisfaction certainly that 's a main folly In short a spiritual good is to be prefer'd before a corporeal why because a Man is more concerned as a soul than a body therefore that wisdom that is only earthly sensual devilish as the wisdom is that is not from above Iam. 3. 15. This is all for the body or outward Man and he is called a Fool that only provideth for his body Luke 12. Why a Fool he had provided but for half his self for the worser and more brutish part and for that half but for a little while therefore thou Fool this night c. Then an eternal good should be prefer'd before a temporal Man that lives for ever must have a happiness that lasts for ever we live longer in the other World by far than here therefore our care should be for that Indeed if a Man did not live after death and there were an end of him when he dies it were the greatest wisdom to make the best use of his time here to look no further than temporal things I but now to look after the world and neglect things to come is to be wise for the present and be Fools to all Eternity we cannot count
of the spiritual Shepherd and this comforts us when we are in the shadow of death in our crosses in confusions and difficulties when we have nothing else left but the promises this is a reviving to the soul. 2. It is a comfort and refreshing to us in spiritual troubles that arise from the guilt of sin and want of the sense of God's love Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God What shall he do Shall he compass himself about in his own sparks O how miserable are we then no but let him depend upon God according to his promise The Word of God is a great part of his Name let him stay his heart upon the Word of God when he walketh in darkness and seeth no light Now that the Word of God is such a light such a sure and clear direction I shall 1 give a direct proof of it from Scripture 2 Some Types of it 3 Prove it by experience 4 By Reason 1 For the proof from Scripture you have the Notions of the Text So Prov. 6. 23. The commandment is a lamp and the law is light It is that which keeps us from stumbling So 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place The world is a dark place ay but now here 's a light that shines in a dark place and that 's the Holy Scripture the sure word of prophecy it sheweth us our way to Heaven and prevents us from stumbling into Hell 2 To prove it by Types Two Types I shall mention one is Israel being directed by the Pillar of a Cloud the other is the lamp of the Sanctuary 1. The Type of Israel's being directed by the Pillar of the Cloud by day the Pillar of Fire by night till they came into the Land of Canaan Exod. 13. 21. still they moved up and down hither and thither as the Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire went before them thus our whole course is to be ordered by God's direction See how this Type is exprest Neh. 9. 19. The pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Mark when they were in the wilderness the Pillar of Cloud and Fire shewed them the way where they were to go this is an Emblem of the safe conduct the Church may expect from Christ Jesus in all Ages God's Pillar departed not from them by night nor day so while we are travelling in the wilderness of this our Pilgrimage his Word and Spirit is continued to us When they entred into Canaan that was a Type of Heaven then this Pillar of Cloud was removed It is notable Iosh. 14. when Israel passed over Iordan we do not read the Pillar went before them but the Ark of God was carried before them so when the Church comes to Heaven the resting place then this conduct ceaseth the Word hath no more use Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd leads his Flock into their everlasting Fold 2. The other Type was the Lamp of the Sanctuary we read of that Exod. 27. 20 21. There was a great Lamp hung upon the Vail to distinguish the Holy of Holies from the other part of the Tabernacle and was fed with pure oil-olive and this lamp was prepared and trimmed up by the Priest daily Now what did this Lamp signifie mark the application this pure oil-olive signifi'd God's pure Word without the mixture of Humane Traditions this hung up in the Vail shin'd in the Church and every day it was prepared furnished set forth by them that are called thereunto for the use of the faithful 3 Let me prove it by experience that the Word is such a sure direction 1. Because natural men have a sense of it and upon that account fear it see Iohn 3. 20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Natural men will not come to the Word they fear it as discovering and therefore never feel it as refreshing Evil doers hate the light they are afraid of the Word lest it should convince them and discover them to themselves therefore they stand off and shun all means of closing with it there is such conviction in the oar a secret jealousie of the searching power that is in the Word of God 2. Godly men do find a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from this light as to all the doubts and fears of the soul. Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes All their scruples vanish here 's an apt and fit doctrine accommodated to the heart of man A man hath never true and rational delight till he is fully satisfi'd in point of Religion till he can have rest for his soul and commodious notions of God Now if you would have rest for your souls Ier. 6. 16. here it is the children of God find it There 's a fair compliance in this doctrine with all those natural principles and ingrafted notions within us concerning God and his Will they find satisfaction in it to Conscience though not to fond curiosity the one is necessary the other dangerous and unprofitable Christians there 's a great deal of difference between these two satisfying Conscience and satisfying Curiosity as much as between quenching the thirst of a sober man and satisfying the lust and appetite of a Drunkard Here 's enough to satisfie Conscience a fair accommodation of excellent truths to a reasonable nature truths becoming God truths suiting with the heart of man and therefore here they find it to be light that is a sure direction The wicked feel the discovery of it and the Saints feel the impression of it 3. We have this external and outward experience to assure us of our rule and light that shines in the Word of God because those that go against this light and direction do sensibly miscarry and are sure to split themselves upon some Rock or other Our first Parent Adam when he hearkned to the voice of the Serpent rather than the voice of the Lord destroyed himself and all his Posterity As long as he obeyed the Word of God he remained in a blessed estate in Paradice but when he gave heed to other counsels he was cast out of Paradice and rendred liable to many sorrows yea eternal death So all that walk in the imagination of their own hearts and have not light from the Word they presently run themselves into sundry mischiefs The young Prophet is an instance of this 1 Kings 13. 21. To go to particular instances would
lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Quest. But when should we renew our Covenant or our Oath of Allegiance to God 1. Partly when we stand in need of some special favor from God or when we draw nigh to him in some special duty As Iacob when God manifested himself to him and he had communion with him at Bethel then he vowed a Vow Gen. 28. 21. So Num. 21. 2. Israel vowed a Vow to the Lord when they were in some distress And Psal. 65. 14. I will pay the vows of my distress which I made when I was in trouble 2. Again after some special mercy when under some love pang of spiritual rejoycing and we have a deep sense of God's love to us or a new pledge of his love to us either in spiritual or temporal benefits and our soul melted out towards God in acts of spiritual rejoycing Psal 116. 8 9. For thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living And when God breaks the force and power of Enemies when he makes the wrath of man turn to his praise then Psal. 76. 11. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God Those Pagan Mariners they made their Vows to God when the Lord deliver'd them from the storm Ionah 1. 16. 3. When all things go to ruine when the state of Religion is collapsed either in a Nation or in our hearts after some notable breaches of Covenant by a people or by a person and we have warped from God seem to have wrested our selves out of his arms then to bind our selves to him again and to renew our Vows for upon this occasion doth Iosiah enter into Covenant with God and cause the people to stand to the oath 2 Chron 34. 4 When we are to draw nigh to God in the use of the Seals of the New Covenant when a Man is to revive his own right in the Covenant of Grace so when we are to draw nigh to God in the Lord's Supper which is the New Testament in Christ's blood which is the Seal of the Covenant then we should solemnly bind our selves to the duty of it and swear to the Lord anew Use. To press you with all earnestness to enter into Covenant with God and then to keep it and make it good to be sensible of the Vow of God upon you and to keep firm in the bond of the holy Oath 1 First To enter into solemn Obligation to God a purpose of holy and close walking with God I shall press you hereunto 1. God's Laws are holy just and good therefore certainly we should not be backward to swear to him because we cannot bring our selves seriously to give up our selves to the Lord they are righteous Judgments Suppose you could be free yet subjection to God were to be chosen before liberty therefore when Christ invites us to take his yoke upon our selves he doth not so much urge his authority All things are given to me of my Father therefore come to me but he urgeth the sweetness of Obedience and the pleasure we may find in coming to him Mat. 11. 29. My yoke is easie and my burden is light If a Man were free to chuse whether he would be for God or no yet the perfection or well-being of the reasonable nature being so much concerned in obedience to God you should chuse those Laws before liberty What doth the Lord require of you to be holy just temperate often praying and praising his Name and are these things hard a Man is not a Man if he do not yield to these things Tit. 2. 12. All our duties are comprised in those three Adverbs soberly righteously godly by being sober a Man delights himself and by being just and righteous a Man delights others without this the World would be but like a Den of Thieves and by being godly he doth delight God If we had only leave to love God and serve him much more when we have a command to serve him to be often in communion with him it is the happiest life in the World There 's a great deal of pleasure sweetness and rational contentment doth accompany the exercise of these three graces Sobriety Righteousness Godliness 2. We are already obliged by God's command so that whether you resolve or no you are bound There are some things that are left free in our own power before the Vow passeth upon us as Acts 5. 4. Was it not in thy power Ay but there are other things that are not in our power God's right over the creature is valid whether he consent to it or no as the natural relation doth infer and enforce duty without consent This is the difference between voluntary and natural relations look as a Father is a Father whether the child own him or no in that quality and relation and without his consent a Father as a Father hath a right to command the child But there are duties that depend upon our consent as in the choice of an Husband or Master So here 's a natural relation between God and us he our Creator we his Creatures he our Superior and we his Inferior by reason of his authority and eternal right and God may urge this I am the Lord though he do not urge that I am the Lord thy God Sometimes I am the Lord Lev. 18. 5. his own Sovereignty Sometimes The Lord thy God ver 2. which argues our choice and consent to chuse him for our God therefore thou art not free 3. Actual consent and resolution on our part is required that the sense of our duty may be more explicite upon our heart 2 Chron. 30. 8. Yield your selves to the Lord. In the Original Give the Lord the hand that is strike hands with him enter into Covenant with him say Lord I will be for thee and thou for me chuse him for your portion and give up your selves to be the Lord's people Rom. 12. 1. Present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service He alludes to the Eucharistical Sacrifices All our offerings must not be sin-offerings but thank-offerings so present your selves Under the Law a Man he brought his thank-offering and laid his hand upon it Lord I am thine It was implied in your Baptism and it is but reason that you should own your Baptismal Vow when you come to years of discretion A bargain that is made for an Heir during his Non-age it is confirmed by him when he comes to age You were dedicated to God's service when you were young and knew not what you did now when you come to chuse your own way and at years of discretion you should stand to what was done in your Name to God therefore there must be a serious and solemn consent of your heart 4. It is for your profit to chuse the strictest Engagements Not only to approve the ways of God
their riches denying them the liberty of their service because 't is in the power of their hands or taking advantage of their low Condition to run over them or making an advantage of their necessity and want of skill Hos. 12. 7. He is a merchant the ballance of deceit is in his hand he loveth to oppress or prejudice their testimony to the truth by our credit and esteem in the Church rendering them so weak or wicked factious or foolish as not to be regarded 2. This is a grievous evil it is so in it self and may be specially aggravated as to Cases First 'T is grievous in it self as 't is so odious to God as being a perversion of the end of his Providence Those that excel in any quality are appointed for the protection and support of the weak and indigent God gave them their Wealth and Parts and Power and Credit and Greatness to the end they might comfort counsel defend and do good to those that want these things Now when they make no other use of their power than Lions and Bears do to mischief others by it they do evil because 't is in the power of their hands Mic. 2. 1. Power if men have not a great tenderness of Conscience and fear of God is an unweildy wilful thing degenerates into oppression Isai. 10. 14 15. There was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith or shall the Saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it as if the Rod should shake it self against them that lift it up or as if the Staff should lift up it self as if it were no Wood. Therefore he went on to oppress and tyrannize in the world because none durst to oppose him Power needs much ballance to temper and allay it Secondly 'T is so offensive to his people and burthensome to them Eccl. 7. 7. Oppression keth a wise man mad it shaketh and discomposeth those of the best temper makes them pray and weep and cry before the Lord Eccl. 4. 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions under the Sun and beheld the tears of such as are oppressed When you lay such heavy loads upon them that they are not able to bear it but cry to God to right them Thirdly The evil it self Oppression 'T is not only theft but murther These expressions we have Isai. 3. 14 15. Ye have eaten up the Vineyard The spoil of the poor is in your houses What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor that is Cause them by your hard usage to pine away So Mic. 3. 1 2 3. And I said Hear I pray you O Heads of Iacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel Is it not for you to know Iudgment who hate the good and love the evil who pluck off their skin and their flesh from off their bones Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the Pot and as flesh within the Caldron 'T is in Gods account humane Butchery and Murder beyond simple Slaughter as they make them dye a lingering death 2. 'T is especially aggravated if they be Gods Servants oppressed for Religion Psal. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy Now will I arise saith the Lord I will set them in safety from him that puffeth at him The proud Persecutor doth little think of the Godly that any power he hath can do any thing to help him therefore mocketh at all his hopes therefore when God hath exercised the Godly for a while he will arise c. I say the sin is aggravated by the innocency the holiness the usefulness of the party oppressed when fitted to glorifie God and do service to the Publick and disabled to the prejudice of both 3. 'T is the highest impiety to fetch power and advantage from any Ordinance of God to commit it Iohn 19. 10 11. Then said Pilate unto him Speakest thou not unto me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Iesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin Courts of Justice that should be Sanctuaries and places of refuge to opprest innocency they make Slaughter Houses and Shops of Cruelty When pretexts of Laws and Justice are used to colour the oppression and persecution of innocent useful persons this makes it more odious in the sight of God Use 1. O pity the oppressed Iob 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty The men of Keilah thought of delivering up David because they feared not God 1 Sam. 23. 11 12. But men have no fear of God but too much fear of men When God is angry God will suffer none to help Psal. 88. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness Job 12. 5. He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease Sensuality will make us forget the afflictions of others Amos 6. 4 5 6. They lye upon Beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and Calves out of the midst of the Stall that chant to the sound of the viol and invent to themselves instruments of musick like David that drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Ioseph Scruples of Conscience through difference in Religion Iohn 4. 9. How is it that thou being a Iew askest water of me Therefore we should pity others we have Gods example 2 Cor. 7. 6. God that comforteth those that are cast down Use 2. Keep from oppression let us be far from this sin Samuel professeth his innocency 1 Sam. 12. 3 4. Behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and his Anointed Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith And they said Thou hast not defrauded nor oppressed us Motives 1. God will right the wrongs of the oppressed Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the Gate for the Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them Prov. 23. 11. For their Redeemer is mighty he shall plead their Cause with thee It belongeth to him as supream Judge and mighty Potentate Eccl. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Iudgment and Iustice in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is
God restored in us Ephes. 4. 24. The new man is created to restore in some measure those abilities we lost in Adam God never yet gave man a liberty to be free from the obligation of the Moral Law He would not pardon any sin against it without satisfaction made by Christ and believed and pleaded by sinful man Christ merited and God restored the Spirit of sanctification that men might keep it He will not spare his own Children when they transgress against it by heinous and scandalous sins as to temporal punishments Prov. 11. 31. The righteous man shall be recompenced upon Earth much more the wicked and the sinner Psal. 30. 31. David and Eli both smarted for their sins No man hath interest in Christ unless he return to the obedience of this Law 1 Cor. 9. 21. To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law Rom. 8. 1 2. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death No interest in mercy else Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace and mercy be upon them We cannot have full Communion with God till we perfectly obey it Ephes. 5. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but it should be holy and without blemish 2. The great priviledg of the Covenant of Grace is To be taught Gods Statutes or to have a real impress of them upon the heart and mind which is the way of Divine teaching Heb. 8. 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people He will cure us of our wickedness weakness and carelesness and inable us to keep his Law 't is Gods undertaking to do so and that out of free Grace and favour for he is not indebted to us 't is to give us knowledge of them and power to keep them Much of the Law natural cannot be severed from it and that is the reason why the Heathens have the Law written upon their hearts Rom. 2. 15. But the writing is very imperfect both as to knowledge and power to keep it God will imprint them more perfectly this is the true Notion of the Law By the mind is meant understanding by the heart the rational appetite In the mind is the directive counsel in the will the imperial and commanding power There is the prime mover of all humane actions he giveth an apprehensive and perceptive power whereby we apprehend things more clearly and effectually desire and affect spiritual delights Use 1. Is to refute the claim of them that would plead mercy but would still go on in their own ways blessing themselves in their sins Till our hearts and minds are suited to Gods Law by a permanent tincture of holiness we are not fit Subjects to ask mercy and the promises of the Covenant 2. If we would have this effect we must go to God who alone can work upon the immortal Soul to reform mould or alter it a new man or Angel cannot do it they may by sense and fancy teach him many things but to make these lively impressions must be the work of the Spirit SERMON CXXXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 125. I am thy Servant give me understanding that I may know thy Testimonies IN this Verse he repeateth his Plea and Request also In the former Verse he mentioneth the relation of a servant and prayeth Teach me thy Statutes And here again First Asserteth his relation to God I am thy servant and Secondly Reneweth his Request Give me understanding Thirdly The fruit and effect of the Grant That I may know thy Testimonies or Then I shall know This repetition hath its use this repeating his relation to God sheweth That where the Conscience of our Dedication to God and our endeavours to serve him is clear and sincere we should not easily quit our claim Deal with thy Servant in mercy yea Lord I am thy servant I have my failings but Lord 't is in my heart to serve thee I can and will avow it as long as I live Our defects and disallowed failings do not deprive us of the title of being Gods Servants we may take comfort in it and assert our interest in the promises as long as we delight to do his will And though unbelief opposeth our claim we must remove it in the face of all objections Christ puts Peter to a threefold assertion of his love to him Iohn 21. 'T is supposed we do not lye in these redoubled professions of our respect and service to God Secondly This renewing his Request sheweth his earnestness to encrease in spiritual understanding Savoury and powerful knowledge of Divine things is in itself so excellent a benefit and our necessity of it is so great that we cannot enough pray for it Only observe that in the former Verse the Notion was Statutes here Testimonies Statutes are that part of Gods Word which we should obey Testimonies that part which we should believe viz. the promises But this may be too critical the words being taken in this Psalm in a greater latitude Doctr. That 't is a good Plea when we want any mercy spiritual or temporal to be able to plead that we are Gods servants I. That there are a sort of people that in a peculiar manner are Gods servants II. These may plead it when they want any mercy spiritual or temporal I. That some are in a peculiar manner Gods Servants The Saints of God are so called 't was Moses's honour They sung the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Ios. 1. 1. Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Paul asserts it of himself Acts 27. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve Here is a true description of a Christian Man he is Gods and serveth God he is Gods by special appropriation and communion with God He serveth God that is walketh answerable to his relation and is ever about Gods work Elsewhere he describeth himself by his service Rom. 1. 9. My God whom I serve in my spirit 1 Tim. 1. 3. God whom I serve with a pure conscience But to know who in a peculiar manner are Gods servants we must distinguish 1. God is served actively and passively by necessity of Nature or voluntary choice Passively by necessity of Nature all Creatures even the inanimate are his servants Psal. 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances for all are thy servants But actively to serve him out of
First To sin in general He whosoever he be that instead of trembling at Gods Word scoffeth at it and maketh more account of this World than of the will of God of the fashions of men than of Gods Word and thinketh the scorn of a base Worm that would deride him for godliness a greater terrour than the wrath of God and the love of his carnal Company a greater happiness than Communion with Christ and instead of working out his salvation with fear and trembling runneth into all excess of riot and carelesly neglecteth his precious soul while he pampereth his frail body and doth voluntarily and ordinarily leave the Boat to the Stream give up himself to serve his corruption without resistance or crying to Christ for help This man is without dispute and in the eye of the world a Slave to sin Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness It is an apparent Case A man that giveth up himself to go on in the ways of his own heart restraining himself in nothing which it affects he is one of sins Slaves So saith our Lord Christ Iohn 8. 34. Verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin He needeth no farther doubt nor debate about the matter He that goeth on in a trade of sin and maketh that his work and business in the world without serious looking after the saving of his soul is one in whom sin reigneth Secondly So some particular sins As we have instances of carnal wretches in general so of some poor Captive Souls that remain under the full power and tyranny of this or that lust and are so remarkable for their slavery and bondage under it that the World will point at them and say There goeth a Glutton a Drunkard an Adulterer or covetous Worldling a proud envious Person Their sin is broken out into some filthy Sore or Scab that is visible to every eye either their Covetousness or Gluttony or ambitious affectation of worldly Greatness one whose God is his Belly who is a Slave to appetite 1 Pet. 2. 19. For of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage They grow proverbial for giving up themselves wholly to such a conquering and prevailing lust As in the natural man several men have their distinct excellencies some are famous for a strong sight some for a quick ear some for a nimble tongue some for agility of Body so these for notable excesses in some corruption Or as the Saints of God are eminent for some special Graces as Abraham for faith Moses for meekness Iob for patience and Ioseph for chastity and Paul for zeal Timothy for temperance so these have their notorious and contrary blemishes Secondly There is a more secret and close dominion of sin that is varnished over with a fair appearance Men have many good qualities and no notorious blemishes but yet some sensitive good and created thing sitteth nearest the heart and occupieth the room and place of God that is loved respected served instead of God or more than God That which is our chiefest good and last end is our God or occupieth the room of God So our Lord telleth us Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon And Iohn 5. 44. How can ye believe that seek honour one from another and not the honour that cometh from God only And Luke 14. 26. If a man come to me and hate not father and mother c. We must be dead not only to carnal pleasure but to credit estate yea life and all It must not sit nearest the heart nor bring it under its command and power 1 Cor. 6. 12. All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any We are besotted and bewitched with some created thing that we cannot part with it or leave it for Gods sake or notwithstanding all the mischief it is to the interest of his Soul Though a man serveth it cunningly closely and by a cleanly conveyance yet all his Religion is but either to hide or feed his lust 2. Distinction There is a predominancy of one sin over another and a predominancy of sin over Grace In the first sense renewed men may be said to have some reigning corruption or predominant sin namely in comparison of other sins That such predominant sins they have appeareth by the great sway and power they bear in commanding other evils to be either committed or forborn accordingly as they contribute to their advancement As a Wen or a Strain draweth all the noxious humours to it self so it appeareth by the violent and frequent relapses of the Saints into them or their unwillingness to admit of admonition and reproof for them or their falling into them out of an inward propensity when outward temptations are none or weak or very few some sins that are less mortified than others or unto which they are carried by a natural inclination constitution or education Thus David had his iniquity Psal. 18. 23. whether in were hastiness or distrust of the promise or an inclination to revenge himself Some sins that men favour most and are most urgent and importunate upon them and steal away their hearts most from God The great Pond into which other Rivulets or Streams of iniquity do empty themselves That sin that out-groweth all the rest as the tall Tree taketh away the nourishment from the under Shrubs That which is loved and delighted in above other sins and when other sins will not prevail the Devil sets this awork as the Disciples looked upon the Disciple whom Jesus loved when Christ told them that one of them should betray him Simon Peter beckoned to him that he should ask who it was of whom he spake Iohn 13. 23 24. Well then in regard of other sins one may reign and sit in the Throne of the heart be beloved more than another but not in regard of predominancy over Grace for that is contrary to the new nature that sin should have the upper hand constantly and universally in the soul for any one thing though never so lawful in it self habitually loved more than God will not stand with sincerity Luke 14. 26. If not our natural comforts certainly not our carnal lusts To love any thing apart from Christ or against Christ or above Christ is a dispossessing Christ or casting him out of the Throne 3. Distinction There is a twofold prevalency and dominion of sin actual or habitual actual is only for the time habitual for a constancy Though a regenerate man be not one that lets sin reign over him habitually yet too often doth sin reign over him actually as to some particular act of sin First The
they God is the great Arbiter of all affairs in the World where all Appeals rest can go no higher than the will of God therefore he must needs be just Thirdly This was Gods great end in giving Jesus Christ that he might be known to be a just God therefore he stood so punctually upon satisfaction that the Sinner must dye or the Surety No Surety so fit to keep up the honour of his Law and honour of his Justice in the Consciences of men as the Son of God Rom. 3. 24 25 26. God had a mind to be gracious to the Creature but without any disparagement to his Justice Now how should this be All the wise men in the World that had any sense of the Nature and Being of God busied themselves in this enquiry How God could be merciful to the Creature and yet just but all their devices were vain and frivolous until God himself found out a ransome and remedy for us as it is Iob 33. 24. Here was the difficulty God would preserve the Notions which the Creature had of his Being and Justice inviolable he would be known as one that would stand to his Law which he had made for the Government of the World Now there was no way to keep up the credit of it but these two strict execution or sufficient satisfaction The execution would have destroyed all the inferior world the reasonable Creatures at least and the love and wisdom and mercy of God would not permit that the world should be destroyed so soon as it was made and man left remediless in everlasting misery Well then strict execution would not do it therefore satisfaction must be the remedy and such satisfaction as might be sufficient to procure the ends of the Law to keep up the honour of Gods Justice in the Consciences of men Now this was done by Jesus Christ whom God had set forth to declare his righteousness that he might exercise his mercy without prejudice to his justice If this ransom had not been found we should either have slighted God and not stood in awe of him or else we had been for ever left under the curse and under doubtfulness and scruple wherewith we should have appeased him but the Lord found out such a means to our hands that he might declare he was a righteous God Foâ—…rthly I prove it from the Divine Nature infused into us As many as are made partakers of Gods Grace are more just than others they hate sin and Sinners so we read Ephes. 4. 24. That the new man was created after God in righteousness and true holiness After God that is after the image and pattern of God Now if the new Creature be made after such a pattern then certainly God was righteous We find by experience the more God-like and vertuous any are the more just they are more apt to give every one his due to live without wrong to any and the more their hearts are set against that which is base and unworthy Therefore certainly God is righteous for he hath put such a quality as the Copy of his Nature into the hearts of men Object If God be so just why then does the way of the wicked prosper Why are those that desire to be faithful with God so afflicted and calamitous This is a Wind that hath shaken the tallest Cedars in Lebanon The choicest Saints of God have been exceedingly hurried and tossed to and fro in their thoughts by this objection against the righteousness of God Ier. 12. 1. Righteous art thou O Lord yet let me plead with thee He holds fast this principle but yet Lord saith he I am not satisfied Let me talk to thee of thy Iudgments that I may be better informed why doth the way of the wicked prosper So David Psal. 73. 1. Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart but yet the wicked thrive and prosper and there 's no bands in their death So Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil c. Lord saith he I know thou art 〈◊〉 holy God but why can thy Providence then look upon them in the world that deal trecherously and perversely The clearest sighted Saints may be so bemisted many times that they are not able to reconcile Gods dispensations with his Nature and Attributes and so quarrel with and reproach and impeach his Providence Yea the Heathens that knew little of sin and righteousness were troubled at the afflictions of the good and the flourishing of the wicked and questioned the Being of a God upon this account and therefore there are two Heathens which have written two worthy Treatises to vindicate the Providence of God Seneca hath written one Treatise Cur malè bonis benè malis to shew why the good may be afflicted though there be a God and Plutarch hath written another Treatise De sera Numinis vindicta why the wicked may be spared and suffered to flourish in the world though there be a God to take notice of humane affairs These Heathens had a sense of this difficulty for 't is an obvious objection I answer First In general Gods dispensations are just though we see not the reason of them The Saints hold their Principle Lord I confess thou art righteous Ier. 12. 1. Hab. 1. 13. The Justice of God must be acknowledged in all his dealings with us and others though it appear not to our reason which indeed cannot discern well and therefore is unmeet to judge of such high matters as these are Psal. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains thy judgments are a great deep The Judgments of God are such a Deep as we cannot easily fathome the bottom of and therefore though we do not see the Justice of it we must believe it and prefer faith above sense The Lord may deal otherwise in many things with us than we can express and see the reason of his doing and yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings and it is the duty of his people to believe it Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne Augustine's words are a good Comment upon that passage The Judgments of God saith he are sometimes secret but always just saepe occulta nunquam injusta We know not what to make of it Clouds and darkness are round about it I but though they are unsearchable and secret they are managed with great judgment and rectitude But more particularly to come to speak to the things mentioned in the objection 1. As to the flourishing of the wicked three things to that First Gods Word doth sufficiently declare his displeasure against them though his Providence doth not There is sententia lata sed dilata Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Mark there 's a Sentence
three concurr in Elijahs speech Kings 1. 19. 10. I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts there 's his zeal why for the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant there 's his Truth perverted they have thrown down thy Altars there 's his Worship overturned they have slain thy Prophets with the Sword there his Servants are wronged So that zeal mainly is concerned when God suffers loss in any of these things if his Truth be perverted his Worship overturn'd his Servants be despitefully used vexed and grieved then zeal presently shews it self in opposing these things or in grieving for them 1. Zeal seeks to preserve the Truth of God inviolable Truth is a precious depositum Trust and Charge which God hath committed to the keeping of his People and without zeal to defend and propagate and maintain it though with the greatest hazard it will never be kept and you will never be faithful to God We are a kind of â—…offees for the present age and Trustees for the future and the charge of Gods Truth is put into our hands and we must see it be transmitted to the World pure and undefiled therefore Iude ver 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints When others would violate the Truth we must contend with them Ier. 9. 3. They are not valiant for the Truth A Christian needs not only the labour of an Ox that he may be diligent but the valour of a Lion that he may appear for God in defence of his Truth when it is invaded and inâ—…roached upon and especially doth this concern the Officers of the Church this zeal they should have for the word Titus 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holding fast the faithful Word The word signifies to be good at holding and drawing that is when others would wrest it out of our hands we should hold it fast as a staff that an other would take out of our hands we hold it faster and wrestle with him so should we wrestle contend and hold fast the truth when others would draw it from us And Phil. 1. 27. Striving together for the Faith of the Gospel O! we should not let one dust of truth perish This is to be zealous for the Truth standing to and striving for the defence thereof in our way and place If God had not raised up zealous Instruments in every Age to plead for his Truth what a sad case would the Church have been in Truth would have been buried under a great heap of prejudices and Christs Kingdom have been crusht in the very Egg and Religion strangled in the cradle But there 's a cloud of Witnesses gone before us in every age God sets up some of all Sexes Ages Conditions that have owned his despised and oppugned Truths and have not counted their lives dear so as they might give their testimony to the Truth of God Rev. 12. 11. and have more greedily embraced Martyrdom then Others honours and dignities in the Church as Sulpitius Severus observes they have with greater desire affected the glory of Martyrdom and Suffering for the Truth that they might be faithful to God and the Souls of Men in future Ages and to preserve Gods Truth inviolate they have greedily sought this honour to suffer for God And Ignatius he could say come saith he I desire the Beasts that are prepared should be let loose for me it is better to dye for Christ then to command the ends of the Earth And Basil when the Arrian Emperour threatned those that did oppose his Religion should dye the Death the wild Beasts let them be let out would to God it were so that I had the honour to dye for the Truth of Christ This was notably for the encrease of Christs Kingdom and thus the Lord hath inspired his people with a Holy Love and Zeal 2. For his Worship that that may not be corrupted but his Institutions kept Pure Zeal is conversant about that too Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God In the first Commandment God forbids a false God in the second he forbids the false Means of Worship as before the false Object Now because the Means of Worship are apt to be perverted the Lord shews how jealous he was for his Worship I am a jealous God if the Institutions of God be perverted then I will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the Third and Fourth Generation of them that hate me The Children are considered in that Commandment because usually the interest of Families is our great snare when an Idol is set up or a false means of Worship the chiefest false worship is an Idol and the greatest sin is put for all the rest before an Idol the Imagination or Invention of men when that is set up The Lord speaks of the interest of Families because men are apt to think they shall undo them and their Families if they contend in this matter Now be you zealous of my worship for I will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children That the interest of Families might not abate our zeal the Lord takes the Family into the Curse for the violation and likewise into the Blessing for zeal for his Institutions And so Christ saith Iohn 2. 17. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up We should be zealous for Gods Worship Ministers they should Preach zealously and Magistrates govern zealously to purge Gods house and Christians pray zealously every one of us as far as the bounds of our calling will permit should be zealous for Gods Worship Quis comeditur zelo Domus Dei saith Austin Who is he that is eaten out with the zeal of Gods house He that desires that no humane invention may be blended and mixed with Gods Worship and would fain amend what 's amiss This zeal is the only right and acceptable Principle of Reformation our great indignation against all false worship whatever I remember the story of Valentinian who was afterwards Emperour when according to the duty of his place being Captain of the Guard to Iulian the Apostate and Emperour he was engaged to attend him into the Heathen Temple of Fortune and the Priests were to sprinkle the lustrating and holy-water for that Ceremony was common to the Heathens with the Papists and a drop of it lighted upon Valentinian he struck the Priest that did it and said thou hast defiled me thou hast not purged me he thought his garments to be contaminated and not his body sanctified and he tore off his Belt renounced his honour rather then he would do any thing that should be contrary to his Religion and for this Iulian sent him into banishment and within a year and few Months the story tells us that he received the reward of his holy Confession and owning of Christ the Roman Empire For the
the word of God many pretend to have an high estimation and respect to the Doctrine of God when they cannot digest the directions of it because 't is contrary to their desires and carnal affections they reserve something in their hearts that makes their love questionable they that have not a real love to the word of God are but lightly tinctur'd with Religion not deeply dyed The stony ground received the word with joy Men may have strong affections and strange stirrings in their souls and yet not be right with God But here 's an undoubted Evidence to love the Word for it's purity A mans love may be questionable because he may love the word upon forreign motives either because of Novelty or fineness of expression or publique countenance and credit or external advantage Iohn 6. 26. Vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum Or they may love it for internal reasons as 't is a good word as they that tasted of the power of the world to come they may look upon it for pleasure and profit but not as good and holy many look upon the Gospel as good and profitable as offering peace and pardon and comfort and eternal life nature that hath naturally a sense of Religion hath also an hunger after immortality and blessedness and therefore the promises of the Gospel may be greedily catched after as offering everlasting Life and Blessedness but now a love to that which is pure and holy leaveth a more durable impression upon the soul. And further many have a liking to the purity of the word and a general approbation of it as 't is a fit rule for Creatures to live by yet unless there be a strong prevailing affection all comes to nothing and therefore nothing but this love to the word because of its purity is unquestionable 4. Unless we love the word as pure we shall fail in many other parts of Religion we shall not love God as we ought for God is lovely not only as the Fountain of blessedness but as he is the most pure and perfect Being He was diligibilis naturae before any emanation of goodness passed from him We are to love him in desertions when we feel no good from him and he seemeth to write bitter things against us Isa. 26. 8. So that we cannot discharge this duty to love God as he is a pure and perfect Being if we do not love the word because 't is pure And we shall not love the Saints as we ought without this Psalm 16. 3. We are to love them for the Image of God in them If you love them that love you what thanks have you Matth. 5. 46. We are to love the Saints as Saints and for that reason Once more we are to hate sin as filthy as 't is a gross absurdity and deordination of the humane nature Psal. 96. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Now till we have this frame of heart to love the Law as 't is pure we can do none of these things For there is the same reason for the one as for the other and therefore 't is not a nicity but a necessary frame of heart Use. 1. Is to inform us that they can never love God and his ways that hate purity till their hearts be changed There are a sort of men in the world whose hearts rise against purity for if they see any make Conscience of sin they brand them with the name of Puritans so those that seek to keep themselves from sin and the more holy they are they are an eye-sore to them Now can they say I love thy Law because 't is pure and cannot endure to see it copied out in others Oh! What a vile disposition is this in you to be despisers of that which is good 2 Tim. 3. 3. None live up to the purity of their profession but you scorn them and let me tell you you scorn that which is most glorious in God himself Would a Father take it well that a slave should mock his child because 't is like him So will God take it well that you should scorn those that are good because they are like their heavenly Father These are of the seed of the Serpent who are full of Enmity they have the old Antipathy Gen. 3. 15. Prov. 29. 27. 'T is a vile scorn of the God of heaven to hate a man for his holiness And they can never love the Law whatever they pretend that do not love the Law for it's purity a carnal distempered appetite hath no tast for the Word of God as 't is a direction to holiness 2 Cor 2. 14. 2. Use is Information to Inform us in what rank to place Principles There are several sorts of Principles there are some that are false and rotten and some more tolerable and some good and sound and some rare and excellent 1. There are some false and rotten principles as carnal Example and Custom Men will do as they have done or as others do they will own the Religion that their Fathers have done be it what it will by the same reason you may serve Mahomet as well as Christ. A man that standeth upon the Vantage ground is not taller than another such are of no better Constitution than the Turks only they stand upon the Vantage ground Another rotten principle is Vain-glory to be seen of Men Mat. 6. they pray and give almes to be seen of Men. Come see my Zeal for the Lord of Hosts saith Iehu Vain-glory many times filleth the sails and carries us on in the Service of God So secular and worldly Interests and Ends as the Pharisees made long prayers that they might devour Widows houses Mat. 23. that is they made long Prayers and show of Devotion to be trusted with the management of Widows Estates to make a prey of them All that I shall say to this principle is this that 't is better for the World that men would serve God any how that Christ should be served out of Vain-glory then not served at all as the Apostle saith some preach Christ out of envy and others out of good will but I am glad so Christ be preached Phil. 1. 18. though they themselves be rotten hearted Hypocrites yet the World fares the better for it 2. There are some more tolerable Principles the hope of Temporal Mercies When we come and Pray and do not seek the Favour of God but seek Temporal Mercies Hosea 7. 14. They howled upon their beds for Corn and Wine Or the fear of Temporal Judgments Isa. 58. 5. Ier. 2. 16. when all that they do is to remove some Temporal Judgment in their Afflictions they will seek me right early And I think I may add one thing more here the fear of Eternal Death when 't is alone otherwise 't is a Grace they shall be Damned else and so 't is a sleepy sop to appease an accusing Conscience and so 't is but a sin-offering Though it requireth some Faith to fear
yourselves in this Psal. 103. 17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his Righteousness upon Childrens Children Yea not only in the changes of your outward Condition is here an everlasting spring of comfort but also in the Ups and Downs of your spiritual condition and the clouds which now and then darken your Comfort and Hope in God In a time of Desertion we seem to be dead and cast off yet remember God loves to be bound for ever 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made an everlasting Covenant Though we are not so punctual exact and faithful but are subject to many Errors and Failings yet God will mind his Eternal Covenant Psal. 89. 33 34. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Lips Death doth not dissolve it nor desertions break it off Now for the second Notion by which the Word of God is expressed thy Law from whence Observe Doctrine That the Word of God hath the Nature and Force of a Law 'T is often so called in Scripture not only the Decalogue which is the abridgement of all Moral Duties but the whole Scripture is Gods Law Isa. 51. 4. A law shall proceed from me and Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of God And the Gospel is called the law of Faith Rom. 3. 28. Here I shall shew you how necessary it was that God should give man a Law both as we are considered apart and with respect to Community And then shew that the Word hath the force of a Law 1. Consider man apart Surely the reasonable Creature as 't is a Creature hath a superior to whose Providence and ordering it is subject so all the Creatures have a law by which the bounds of their motion are fixed and limited Psal. 148. 6. He hath established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass Prov. 8. 29. He gave the Sea his decree that the waters should not pass his Commandment The Sun Moon and Stars are under a law all the Creatures are ballanced in a due proportion and guided and fixed in their Tract and Course by an unerring hand which is a kind of law to them As a Creature Man is subject to the direction of Gods Providence as other Creatures are but as a reasonable Creature he is capable of Moral Government for so he hath a Choice of his own a power of refusing Evil and choosing Good Other Creatures are ruled by a rod of Iron necessitated to what they do by an act of Gods Power and Sovereignty but man being a voluntary Agent is governed by laws which may direct and oblige him to good and warn and drive him from evil This law was at first written upon mans nature and that was sufficient while he stood in his integrity to guide him and inable him to serve and please God in all things propounded to him The law written on the heart of man was his Rule and Principle But that being obliterated by the Fall it was needful that God should give a new law to guide man to his own blessedness and to keep him from erring The Internal principle of Righteousness being lost the laws of men could not be sufficient for they have another end which is the good of humane Society They aim not at such a supernatural end as the enjoyment of God their laws reach no further than the ordering of mens outward Conversations and meddle not with the inward workings and motions of the heart of which they can take no Cognisance these may be inordinate do a great deal of mischief Therefore as the Wise God directed men to give laws to order mens Actions so he would himself give laws to order the Heart which man cannot reach Lay all these together and there is a necessity that God should give a law to man 2. But much more if you consider Man in his Community as he is a part of that spiritual Community called a Church All Societies of men from the Beginning of the World have found the establishing of Laws the only means to preserve themselves from ruine There is no other way against Confusion and would God leave that society which is of his own Institution that of which he is the Head and in which his honour is concerned without a law Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his People which was set apart to serve him and to be to him for a Name and a Praise surely a people that have God so near them and are in special Relation to him have their laws by which they may be governed and preserved as to their Eternal good unless we should say God took lesse care for his own people then for others This necessity is the greater because this Society is spiritual though made up of visible men yet combined for spiritual ends Commerce and Communion with God and that mostly in their spirits which maketh this society the hardest to be governed and this the most seattered and dispersed of all societies throughout all parts of the Earth and therefore should be knit together with the strongest bonds Surely then there needeth a Common law whereby they may be united in their Conjunction with Christ the head and one another that it may not be broken in pieces And this to be given by God that he may preserve his own Authority and Interest among them This law is the Scripture those sacred digests in which God hath discovered not only his Wisdom and Justice but his Will and Imperial Power what he will have us do The one sheweth the Equity the other the Necessity of our Obedience surely this is his law or none The Church to whom the law was given God hath constituted the keeper of its own records never acknowledge another nor can any other make any Tolerable pretence Now having brought the matter home 2dly I shall shew you wherein it hath the Nature and force of a law as we commonly take the Word and here I shall 1. Shew you wherein it agrees 2. Wherein it differs from the ordinary laws of men 1. Wherein it agreeth 1. A Law is an act of Power and Sovereignty by which a Superior declareth his Will to those that are Subject to him There are two branches of the supream power Legislation and Jurisdiction giving the law and governing according to the law so given And so Gods power over the reasonable Creature is seen in Legislation and in the administration of his Providence there is his Jurisdiction In the Scripture he hath given the law and he will take an account of the observance of it in part here at the petty Sessions hereafter more fully and clearly at the Day of General Judgment But for the present here is Gods power seen over
thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in Secret c. We have more inlargement there because we represent our own Case to God Mourn apart Ier. 13. 17. My Soul shall weep in Secret places We are flat cold loose careless in private strive to speak with the same power life holiness in private as you would in publick 4. What you would be in Prayer you must be out of Prayer Prov. 26. 7. The Legs of the lame are not equal so is a Parable in the mouth of a Fool. As the legs of the Lame one doth not answer another They are devout all of a fire in their Prayers but neglectful of God in their Conversations Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance Prov. 28. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be an abomination He doth not live his Prayers We must live in the same frame 5. You must pray as affectionately for Heavenly as you would for Earthly things A Carnal Mans Mind and Heart is upon Worldly things and Spiritual things lye by contrary to Matth. 6. 33. where we are bid First to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof c. And Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple They have no savour for other requests but can find tender affections for safety ease sloth other Petitions do but bear these Company there is their business with God if God will give these things we will give a discharge for other things So that their prayers do not come from Grace but Nature Thanks to his natural Necessities for all the Affections he hath in Prayer 6. We must not onely have our Flashes and good Moods So Balaam Numb 23. 10. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his So those Ioh. 6. 34. Then said they unto him Lord evermore give us this bread Strange strivings for the present but it is onely for Priviledges 'T is vanishing Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwaies call upon God They would have Heaven without Holiness Pardon of sin rather than power against it or a new heart He will pray when he seeth his Time as men take strong-waters in a Pang he hath a praying fit upon him in Adversity not in Prosperity Hosea 5. 15. In their Affliction they will seek me early 7. As you Pray to God so you must intirely Trust him Iames 1. 6 7. Let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed A Carnal Man wavereth he would fain have help from God but his heart runneth upon other things Hosea 7. 11. Ephraim is like a silly Dove without Heart they Call to Aegypt they Go to Assyria Their Hearts are for seeking to other Refuges however they call to God among the rest Ahaz would not ask a sign that would engage him to depend upon God and keep him from running to other shifts Sometimes he thinketh Prayer will do it and by and by desponds dareth not trust God upon his Prayers he knoweth not what course to take whither to shift for himself or to tarry Gods leisure But one that commits all to God is fixed Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil Tydings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. He is freed from Anxious Cares SERMON CLXIII PSALM CXIX VER 145. I Cryed with my whole Heart hear me O Lord I will keep thy Statutes SEcondly Here is the Petition Hear me or as it is in the Heb. Answer me not in Words but Deeds Doctrine Gods Children when they pray are earnest for an Answer To give you some Instances Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak A Gracious Heart doth not make Prayer a vain babling or an empty prattle but a Gracious Exercise that will in time get an Answer and obtain a good return or blessing from the Lord. Therefore they are listening and hearkening after News from Heaven if they can hear any thing from God how he receiveth their Prayers and what he will do for them Micah 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation My God will hear me They are not only waiting but observing and watching what cometh in upon prayer for they are certain 't is not breath poured out into the Air but a petition commended to their God who hath promised to hear them So Hab. 2. 1. I will stand upon my Watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say to me He compareth himself to a Watchman that is spying abroad if he can get any intelligence of any approaching Comfort So Psal. 5. 3. I will pray and look up as Elijah if he could spy a Cloud any preparation towards Mercy Reasons 1. Because they dare not take Gods Name in Vain as all do that pray cursorily and never regard what cometh of it like foolish Boys that knock at a door in wantonness but have no business and therefore will not stay till somebody cometh to open the door 'T is a great sin to take Gods Name in Vain in any Act of Worship much more in Prayer Now all do so that go about this duty as a task not as a means to do their Souls good or to obtain Blessings from God when I hear meerly that I may hear or receive the Lords Supper and rest in the act of receiving Every Ordinance must be gone about in Faith and Obedience expecting the ends of the Duty as well as being imployed in the Acts of it If you do it in good earnest and with respect to Gods institution you must do so All the Ordinances come under a fourfold Notion as Duties as Priviledges as Means as Talents As Duties injoyned and a part of our homage and Obedience to God this will breed an awe upon our Conscience to keep us to a due and constant observance of them 't is not a matter Arbitrary but our necessary Duty As Priviledges this keepeth us from weariness that we may not consider them as a burdensome task As Means of our growth and improvement that notion is necessary that we may not rest in the work wrought but look after the Grace dispensed thereby As Talents for which we must give an account which will quicken us to more earnest diligence in the Improvement Some do not look upon them as Duties and so neglect them Others not as Priviledges and so do not prize them are not Joyful in the house of Prayer Others not as Means and so rest in the bare performance without looking after the fruits to
passage out of the one into the other shall be yours also It is also the beginning and foundation of all Obedience and if this were once seriously and heartily done other things would succeed the more easily He that is indeed Gods will use himself for Gods glory and service and God shall have a share in all that he hath and doth Rom. 14. 7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords They came off so freely 2 Cor. 8. 5. And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the Will of God This enliveneth our whole work it is no hard matter to perswade them that have given up themselves to God to part with any thing for Gods Use. III. Because of the danger both in regard of Sin and Judgment if we do it not aright 1. In regard of Sin rash and sudden engagements are seldom sound Mar. 13. 20 21. The stony ground received the Word with joy and forthwith the good seed sprang up but the blade soon withered usually suddain undertakings are accompanied with faint and feeble prosecutions and though men are warm and passionate for the present within a while it cometh to nothing All their promises are broken as Tow is burnt in the fire 2. In regard of Judgment every Consecration implyeth an Execration if you break with God after you have ingaged your selves to him your Condition is worse it aggravateth every deliberate sin and hastens Judgment for God will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant Lev. 26. 25. better never begin or the word pass out of your Mouths or thought enter into your Heart unless you be sincere mean as you say It is dangerous to alienate things once Consecrated this is the worst kind of Sacriledge that shall not go unpunished Use. You see then what seriousness we should use in devoting our selves to God or promising Obedience to him 1. Remember the weakness of a Creature that you may resolve in God's strength 2. Consider incident Temptations whether any thing be like to shake you in your Covenanted Course that you may arm your selves against it 3. Consider your more particular affections where the business is like to stick most there are tender parts 4. Consider the weight and importance of Subjection he will not be contented with a little Religiousness by the by but you must love him with all your heart and all your soul and serve him with all your might 5. Consider the strength of your Resolution that you be irrevocably everlastingly put under the Soveraignty and Command of God Thus do and you will find success and comfort in your Deed. Now to the words themselves there is first an Intimation of a Prayer where 1. The Vehemency I cryed 2. The Object or Person to whom to thee I cryed David keepeth up his Fervour What Crying in Prayer is I have shewed in the former Verse I shall observe now Doctrine III. That great Trouble and sense of Danger puts an edge upon Prayer and kindleth our Affection in it When Israel was under sore bondage God saith Exod. 3. 6. I have seen the affliction of my people in Aegypt and have heard their cry Afflictions make us cry in prayer not only speak An ordinary Affection is vox orationis it speaketh to God in prayer but a vehement Affection is clamor orationis the cry of Prayer Ordinary prayers speak to God but earnest prayers cry to God and though remiss and cold wishes vanish in the Air yet strong cries pierce the Heavens They have a shrill accent and cannot be kept out from God Iudg. 4. 3. The Children of Israel cryed unto the Lord for he had nine hundred chariots of Iron So Iudg. 6. 5 6 7. They cryed to the Lord because of the Midianites who came up as Grasshoppers David Psal. 18. 6. In my distress I called to the Lord and cryed to my God he heard my voice out of his Temple and my cry came before him even into his ears He prayed not seldom but often and frequently not slackly but with fervency and earnestness 1. Affliction will teach men to pray that never prayed before The rude Mariners in a storm called every man upon his God Qui nescit orare discat navigare Ionah 1. 5. Those that neglect God at other times as if they had no need of him or pray faintly are then glad to seek to him for succor and safety Psal. 73. 34. When he slew them then they sought him and enquired early after God The natural principle of fear of death and love of self preservation puts them upon it So Ier. 2. 27. In their affliction they will say arise and save us Iudges 10. 10. And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying we have sinned against thee And Verse 14. Go and cry unto the Gods that ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation 2. Good ones that prayed before will pray better and oftener and with greater seriousness Therefore God puts his own in streights to quicken their Affections Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them So Hos. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early When we are pressed hard on all sides then the Throne of Grace is more frequented we are driven to it Ioab would not come at Absaloms call till he set his Barly field on fire 1. Use. Be content to be cast into such an estate that you may learn to pray for alas we are but Cursory at other times but then our Necessities whip us to the Throne of Grace that was set up for a time of need Then is a time to put Promises in suit to make use of our interest in God We mis-expound the voice of Gods Providence we expound trouble to be his casting off putting us from him they are his voice calling his hand pulling us to him it is a time of drawing nigh we are allowed Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in a day of trouble The day of Trouble is the fruit of Sin a part of the old Curse when we think him feel him an enemy he is drawing us nearer to him Blessed season to bring God and you together When our Troubles Chase us to the Throne of Grace God is not wholly gone he hath left somewhat behind him to draw us to himself 2. Use. It reproveth them that neglect God in their Troubles Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us yet we have not made our Prayer unto thee You defer the dispensation Now you should make up your former negligene unprofitableness under the Rod is an ill presage when God
work a great change in us A Christian should and in some measure doth carry an equal mind in all Conditions and keep the same pace whither he goeth up-hill or down-hill and have his heart fixed in God whatever falleth out Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. But alas we are much discomposed oftentimes especially at the first onset by our outward estate when under great Afflictions it puts a damp upon our spirits and we cannot serve God so chearfully Levit. 10. 19. And Aaron said unto Moses Behold this day have they offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering before the Lord and such things have befallen me and if I had eaten the sin-offering to day should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord. So Hezekiah it is said of him 2 Chron. 32. 25. When Hezekiah was sick unto death and he prayed unto the Lord and he gave him a sign that Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up We are too apt to be dejected and cast down with worldly Troubles or exalted and puffed up with worldly Comforts and both bring on deadness upon the Heart both worldly sorrow and carnal complacency It is not requisite that a Child of God should be without all sense of his condition and it cannot be supposed that this sense should always be kept within bounds and under the Coercion and Government of Grace considering our weakness and therefore a Christian receiveth some Taint from the changes he passes thorow as the water doth from the soil through which it runneth He is sometimes in Credit sometimes in Disgrace sometime Rich sometimes Poor sometimes sick and in Pain at other times in Health and firm Constitution of Body Now though it argueth small strength to faint in ordinary Afflictions Prov. 24. 10. and a light spirit to be puffed up like a bubble with every slight blast yet when Troubles are heavy and pressing Gods best servants have been ready to dye and faint and in a full estate it is hard to keep down carnal rejoycing By both the freedom of following Gods service chearfully may often be interrupted 4 Because we sin away our life and strength and by our careless walking contract deadness and hardness of Heart The Mind like the Eye is soon offended and out of Temper we forfeit the quickning influences of his Spirit upon which the activity of Grace dependeth To correct our sinful rashness and to teach us more Watchfulness and Caution God withdraweth Phil. 2. 12 13. Be the sin a sin of Commission especially if grievous and hainous as David found a shrewd abatement of Life and Vigor after his foul sin Psal. 51. 11 12. Or a sin of Omission when we neglect God or serve him slightly if we give way to deadness Isa. 64. 6. rest in the work wrought and are more willing to get a Duty over than to perform it with any Life and Vigor God suspends his quickning If you do not mind the work why should God quicken you in it 3. Reason Is taken from the Nature of Gods Dispensation They do often and earnestly ask quickning because God giveth out by degrees and would keep us in constant dependance In him we live move 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have our being Act. 17. 28. both as Creatures and new Creatures There is a constant Concurrence of his motions and influences by their beings and operations God will indear his Grace to us by bringing us daily under new debt and therefore he doth not give us all our stock and portion in our hands lest we neglect him as the Prodigal did his Father By multiplyed and renewed Acts of Grace he doth more commend his love to us every day he must quicken us and in every Duty If so much Rain fell in a day as would suffice the Earth for seven years the Commerce between the Air and the Earth would cease Or if a man could eat so much at one meal as to go in the strength of it all his Life there would be no ground to pray for daily bread therefore God doth dispence his Assistances so as you must still wait upon him and be calling to him He keepeth Grace in his own hand that he may often hear from us Doctrine II. The main Argument which Gods Children have to plead in Prayer is his own favour and loving-kindness I shall shew I. That this is a Modest Humble and Pious Argument II. This is a Comfortable and Incouraging Argument I. 'T is a Modest Argument and 't were good if we could learn this modesty of David He was one much in Prayer diligent in keeping Gods Statutes abundant in all Acts of Devotion spent nights in Meditation and yet after all this placeth all his hopes in the Mercy and Loving-kindness of God and desireth onely to be heard according to mercy But in us there is a secret carnal notion of God as if he were our Debtor if we act for him or suffer any thing for him we carry it as if God were obliged to us Isa. 58. Wherefore have we fasted c. We cannot be at a Fast give a little Alms or make a Prayer but we think we have merited much at Gods hands Oh this is against all reason Alas what profit can we be to God Iob 35. 6 7 8. God is above the injuries and benefits of the Creature what miss had he of Angels and Men in those innumerable Ages of duration that went before any Created Being And as it is against Reason so it is against all the declarations God hath made of himself to us Ezek. 36. 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord of Hosts Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes So Tit. 3. 4 5 6. But after that the kindness and love of God our saviour towards man appeared not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our saviour In short no worth in us or Righteousness of ours is that Merit and Righteousness by vertue of which we are accepted with God Our Works and Righteousness are not that Condition by which we receive and apply this Merit that 's Faith No Works or Merit are a motive or the first inducing Cause to move God to give us that Faith but all is from his Loving-kindness and readiness to do good to the Creatures Again 'T is contrary to the practice of the Saints and Children of God who though never so Holy and never so good yet still they plead Mercy and this by direction from him who knoweth what plea is fittest for Creatures to use to God Luk. 17. 10. As it is not the merit of one part of the Earth that it lyeth nearer the Sun than another onely the Creator would
and sinless Purity for so it is wholly unsuitable to them what should a carnal sensual heart do with heaven or how should they desire it that hate the Company of God the Communion of Saints the Image of God God maketh meet Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light There is jus haereditarium jus aptitudinale though they do not desire to be saved for it they would love holiness more Partly because those conceits that they have of the adjuncts of Salvation and that happiness and personal Contentment which results to them they do not practically esteem it as to value it above the delights of the flesh and the Vanities of the World and they do not think it worthy the pursuit but for the interests of the bodily Life cast off all care of it Heb. 12. 16. As Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright Mar. 22. 5. They made light of it and went their wayes one to his Farm another to his Merchandise Use. I. It informeth us of two things 1. That wicked Men are the Authors of their own Ruine Salvation doth not fly from them but they fly from it they are far from the Law and therefore is Salvation far from them They will not take the course to be saved for they care not for God and his Statutes it is but just ut qui male vivit male pereat that they which despise Salvation should never see it 2. That the wicked buy the pleasures of sin at a dear rate since they defraud their own Souls of Salvation thereby Their loss you have in the Text Salvation is far from them and their gain is nothing but a little Temporal satisfaction and are these things worthy to be compared what is it maketh you wicked but the ease and sloth of the Flesh and the love of some carnal delight And are you contented to Perish for this Whoredom from God Use. II. Let it Exhort us to believe and improve this Truth for if men did surely believe it there would not be so many wicked men as there are neither would they dare to lye in sin as long as they do O! consider if the wicked have no part nor portion in the Salvation offered nor any jot of Gods Favour belonging to them the wicked should not flatter themselves with presumptuous hopes but break off their sins by Repentance 1. Gods Mercy will not help you though he be a God of Salvation yet he will not save the impenitent and such as go on still in their Trespasses Psal. 68. 19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his Trespasses You must not fancy a God all honey and sweetness and that his Mercy should be exercised to the wrong of his Justice the Lord will not spare the abusers of Grace whoever he spareth Deut. 29. 19 20. And it shall come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that if he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his Iealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven 2. No Doctrine preached in the Church will bear you out not Law for that discovereth both Sin and the Curse Convinceth of sin Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of sin what is sin and who is the sinner that bindeth you over to the curse Gal. 3. 10. For as many as are of the law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continneth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them The Gospel that sheweth a Remedy against sin but upon Gods Terms that first with broken hearts we sue out our Pardon 1 Ioh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightcousness Sin must be condemned confessed before pardoned And then that in the way of Holiness we should seek Salvation and Eternal Life The Way and End must not be separated Rom. 6. 22. We must have our fruit unto holiness if we would have our end to be eternal life The pure and undefiled have only part in this salvation but it is far from the wicked Christ disclaims the unholy and unsanctified Mar. 7. 23. Depart from me ye that work iniquity You may as well expect the way to the West should bring you Eastward as to walk in the wayes of sin and hope to come to Heaven at last to think God will save us and suffer us to walk in our own ways or that this undefiled Inheritance shall be bestowed on dirty sinners this had been pleasing to flesh and blood but it is the Devils Covenant not Gods that Article you shall be saved and yet live in your sins is foisted in by Satan that false Deceiver to flatter men with vain Conceits 3. Do you hope of Repentance hereafter But in the mean time ye run a desperate hazard to leave the Soul at pawn in Satans hands it is not easie work to get it out again who would Poison himself upon a presumption that before it cometh to his heart he shall meet with an Antidote Judicial hardness is layed on them that withstand seasons of Grace Isa. 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near Prov. 1. 24 25 26. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh None of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper Luk. 14. 24. 4. The Heart is more hardened the longer you continue in this Course Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Inveterate Diseases are seldom cured a tree that hath long stood and begun to wither is unfit to be Transplanted Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil 5. There is a stint and measure as to Nations Gen. 15. 16. The iniquity of the Ammorites is not yet full Persons Vessels of Mercy Vessels of Dishonour Rom. 9. 22 23. What if God willing to shew his
the rebelling flesh within will make him turn out of the way and how can such a one hold out with God when his way to heaven is a continual Warfare But on the other side a man that is a Christian and a servant of God by Choice his course is likely according to his choice because he is fixt upon Evidence he knowes he is upon sure ground and depending upon God he will not miscarry And therefore Ioshua when he would engage the Israelites to continue faithful with God he draws them on to a Choice and then saith Ioshua 24. 22. Ye are witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said We are witnesses It much strengthens the Bond when a man binds himself freely and willingly and he makes himself the more culpable and the more inexcusable if he do not observe it 3. They will carry on the work of their Heavenly Calling with the more Ease and Delight because a choice is nothing else but the inclination of the Soul guided by Reason strengthned by a Purpose and quickned and actuated by our Love This Reason justifies our choice Purpose binds it makes it firm but now here comes Love which makes it easie and sweet to do what we have resolved upon A resolute Traveller will go through his Journey and overcome the tediousness of it his mind is set to finish it let him have what Way or Weather he will so a Christian will overcome his difficulties when his heart is enclined to this course it is his own choice and he will hold to it It is a hard heart that makes the work hard but when the Will is engaged a firm Resolution of the Will is the life of our Affections and to Affection all is easie Use. I. To shew That they act upon a wrong Principle who are not good and yet do good out of Chance To this end I shall shew you 1. That a Man may do good by Chance and not be good 2. A Man may do good by Force and yet not be good 3. That some do good out of Craft and Design but to do good out of Choice doth only discover the Truth and Sincerity of Religion 1. Some do good by Chance As 1. The Man that taketh up Religion by Example barely and Tradition not out of any sound Conviction of the Truth and Worth of it Thus many are Christians by the chance of their Birth in those Countries where the Name of Christ is professed and had in Honour and the main Reason into which their Religion is resolved is not any Excellency in its self but the Custom and Tradition of their Forefathers Ioh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this Mountain And 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and Gold from your vain conversation received by Tradition from your fathers 'T was hard to reclaim them from their inveterate Customs This is the Religion in which they have been born and bred 'T is true that Tradition from Father to Son is a Duty and a Means to bring us to the Knowledge of the Truth and that Christianity is such an Institution as doth so clearly evidence its self to be of God and speaketh to us of such necessary and weighty matters that it cannot but a little rowse and affect the mind of him that receiveth it however he receiveth it But most men do but blindly and pertinaciously adhere to it as that Religion wherein they have been born and bred without any distinct knowledge of the worth of it So that if there be any goodness in their Christianity as their Profession is good in itself They are but good by chance for upon the same reasons they are Christians if they had been born elsewhere they would have been Mahometans or Idolaters 2. Not only these but also those who stumble upon the Profession of Religion they know not how and those who in a Pang and sudden Motion are all for God and for Heavenly things but this vanisheth into nothing as Fire in straw which is soon kindled and soon out This is a free-will Pang not a choice the heart is not habitually inclined and devoted unto God Ioh. 6. 34. Oh that I might die the death of the righteous Numb 23. 10. Such kind of wishing of holiness as a necessary means there may be as well as happiness These are accidentally stirred up in us 2. Some do good by force These also are of two sorts such as are forced by the fear of Men or of God 1. Forced by the fear of Men because they dare not be bad with credit and security as Fear of Parents Tutors and Governours 2 Chron. 24. 2. Ioash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Iehojadah the Preist He did that which was right as to external Acts but after Iehojadahs death he revolted from the Lord 2 Chron. 24. 17 18. So fear of Magistrates as Iosiah compelled them to stand to the Covenant therefore Ier. 3. 10. Yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly Fear of the times when set for Religion Esther 8. 12. Many of the people of the land became Iews for the fear of the Iews fell upon them 2. Forced by the Fear of God A little unwilling service may be extorted from them by the force of a convinced Conscience There is a slavish kind of Religiousness arising from a fear of Punishment without any love and delight in God Men may be against God and his Wayes when fear onely driveth them to them They do something good but had rather leave it undone they avoid some sins but had rather practice them By the spirit of bondage they are brought to tender some unwilling service to Christ and their only Motives are fear of Wrath and Hell and a sight of the curse due to sin The falseness of this Principle appeareth 1 Because 't is most stirring in a time of eminent Judgements when they are sick and like to dye Isa. 26. 9. When thy judgements are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn Righteousness Ier. 2. 26. In their affliction they will cry Arise and save us Mettle in the furnace is very soft but take it out and it returneth to its old hardness See Psal. 78. 34 35 36 37. The sense of present devouring Wrath and the Terrors of an Angry God may drive men to some Temporary acts of Devotion these proceed only from the Natural fear of Death and love of Self-preservation This may put a stand for a while to their former wayes of Provocation and incline them to seek God with some diligence in the outward forms of Religion but it produceth no stedfastness in the Covenant As if there had been some weak effect upon them as if it brought them for a while to some temper of Piety but it
Right to seek satisfaction to our selves in any State without a subordination and subserviency to his Glory He that giveth and preserveth Life may dispose of it at his Pleasure and our Life so continually preserved by him ought to be devoted to him 3. When he preserveth it in any eminent Danger 't is twice given I say in such Preservations our life is ' twice received from God in our Birth and as spared in the Danger And therefore in all Justice it ought to be dedicated to his service 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we 〈◊〉 that he will yet deliver us Many times there is but a step between us and death as if God were putting the old Bond in suit and executing the sentence of the Law upon us Deliverance in such a Case is called a Pardon and Remission and even in the Case of the Wicked and Impenitent Psal. 78. 38. He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not 'T was but properly a Reprieve for the time a forbearance of the Temporal Judgment not executing the Sentence or not destroying the Sinner presently much more to a Godly Man Isa. 38. 17. Loved my soul from the Grave To be loved out of a danger and loved out of a sickness that is a blessed thing a great Obligation upon us 4. We must surrender our Life to him again and therefore while we have it we must employ it for him Luk. 19. 23. into his hands we must resign our spirits every one must give an account of himself to God what Honour he hath by our Lives 5. We shall never glorifie him in Heaven unless we glorifie God on Earth first or carefully serve him Ioh. 17. 4 5. I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the world was Here is our Trial our present service Saints Above are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's our Reward to Glorifie God in Heaven II. That we may desire Life upon these Ends. As Psal. 39. 12. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more A little time of Relaxation to serve and glorifie thee e're I dye 1. Long Life is in it self a Blessing taken into the Promises though more frequently in the Old Testament than in the New Of this see more at large Verse the 17. 2. 'T is well sought when this is our Scope for then the Request is Lawful both for Matter and End Iam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your Lusts. Life should not be loved but for further glorifying of God for all our Natural Interests must be subordinate to our great End Well then We may Lawfully pray for long Life with submission to the Will of God and that Death may not come upon us suddenly but according to the ordinary Course of Nature But How will this stand with the desires of Dissolution and willingness to Depart and to be with Christ Which certainly all Christians that believe Eternity should cherish in their Hearts To this I Answer I. By Concession II. By Correction I. By Concession 'T is True We are to train up our selves in an expectation of our Dissolution c. See Verse the 17th more fully But II. By Correction Though it be expedient to desire Death yet we are not anxiously to long after it till the time come For First They do not simply desire Death for its self but as a means to enjoy those better things which follow after Death Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 'T is not our Duty to love Death as Death No so 't is an Evil which we must patiently bear and may holily deprecate it but because of the Good beyond it 'T is our Duty to love God to long after Communion with him and to be perfected in Holiness had it not been an evil to be avoided and dreaded Christ had never prayed against it And 2 Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernable do groan being burthened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of Life It were an unnatural desire to desire Death as Death A Creature cannot desire its own dedestruction Jesus Christ before he manifested his submission did first manifest the innocent desires of Nature Father let the Cup pass The separation of the soul from the Body and the Bodies remaining under Corruption is in it self Evil and the fruit of sin Rom. 5. 12 And so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Grace is not given to Reconcile us to Corruption or to make Death as Death desirable or to cross the inclinations of innocent Nature But 2. Upon these Terms Death is sweetned to them and they readily submit to it Though it be not to be desired as it is Death yet Heaven and Eternal Happiness beyond it is still matter of Desire to us Death is Gods Threatning and we are not Threatned with Benefits but Evils and Evils of Punishment are not to be desired but chearfully submitted unto for an higher End Nature abhorreth and feareth Death but yet Grace desireth Glory The soul is loth to part with the body but yet 't is far lother to miss Christ and be without him A man is loth to lose a Leg or an Arm yet to preserve the whole Body he is contented to part with it In short the soul is bound to the body with a double band the one Natural the other Voluntary by Love and Affection desiring and seeking its welfare The Voluntary bond is governed and ordered by Religion till the Natural bond be loosed either in the ordinary Course of Nature or at the Will of God 3. There are certain Circumstances in Death which do invite us to ask longer Life in order to this End As 1. Gods Children would not have the occasion of well-doing or self-denying Obedience taken from them too soon so great is their love and desire of Gratitude to God that they would yet longer Praise God in this self-denying way Death would shut their mouths 2. They would not be taken away in a Cloud or before they see the issue of some present Trials on the Church or them they have no Will to dye till the sense of Wrath be removed Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living 3. They may have some design afoot for God and therefore are desirous of a little more time to attain this design therefore pray
then soon cool in their desires such are slothful Professors p. 2 Children of God desire to be taught of God p. 230 Reasons why they desire it p. 230 231. They long for Eternal Salvation p. 1087 Choice of Gods Testimonies gives us a Right to them p. 742 After enquiry into the way of Truth we must come to the choice of it p. 197. What it is to choose them p. 1071 To do good out of Choice the Character of a good Man p. 1070 1071. Causes of a right choice p. 1078 Effects of a right choice p. 1079 Christ our Surety p. 820 821. By way of Caution and by way of Satisfaction ibid. Christ the object and end of worship p. 12 Christ uses subordinate Teachers not out of Indigence but Indulgence p. 41. Christ a tender Shepherd p. 1107 Christ. All Sin a great injury 1. To his Merit 2. To his Example p. 20 21. Christ's undertaking the end of it to make us blessed in the enjoyment of God p. 72. Vid. Blessedness Christianity is not to be judged by Nominal Professors p. 1069 Christianity its design not to set up a Kingdom of Power but Patience p. 522. Vid. Conditions of Christianity It hath 2 parts 1. Destructive 2. Adstructive p. 184 Christian Religion onely worthy our choice p. 197. Reas. ibid. Church is Christ's School p. 41 Church true and false their difference p. 518 False Church hath usually the advantage of worldly Power above the true Church p. 518 Chusing Gods Precepts what it is why they must be chosen p. 1071. Motives to chuse them p. 177 Directions how to chuse them p. 1378 Civil Policy and Interest not opposed by Religion p. 144 Circumstances in our obedience much insisted on by God p. 26 27. Great prudence in applying Circumstances p. 449 Claim to Comfort from Gods Tender Mercies p. 516 Cold Prayer teaches God to deny p. 121 Comfort denotes two things p. 513. 'T is the Souls strength p. 513 Comfort in all its Causes matter of Comfort p. 592 Comfort right when according to the Tenour of the Word p. 40 Comfort Spiritual Eternal Temporal 551. All to be ascribed to God p. 552 513 Comfort in death from the everlastingness of Gods Testimonies p. 892. When we beg Comfort we must beg Grace to serve the God of our Comforts p. 927 928 Comfort in Afflictions may be askt from Gods Mercy p. 511 Comfort from Gods Word which teacheth us 1. To look off from Men to God 2. From Providences to Promises p. 147 591 629 329 Comfort under Afflictions 1 From God the Author of them 2 From the necessity of Affliction 3 The manner of Gods Afflicting 4 His helps to bear them p. 150 151. False Comforts p. 334 No comforts in Afflictions like those that are fetcht in from Gods Word p. 329. For 1 The quality of those comforts are Excellent 2 The provision he has made for our comfort are great 3 The manner is sweet p. 329 330 331 332 333. Commandements are exceeding broad 1 In respect of their uses 2 Of their duration p. 619 Command of God to be feared as well as the penalty p. 25 Commandments of God called his Ways why p. 22 Commandments of God excellent in their Matter p. 315 Commandments of God above the power of Corrupt Nature why p. 28. Great and small must be obeyed and why p. 33 They make us wiser than our Enemies how?-p 638 Commands for publick and private Duties relating to the outward and inner Man p. 33. To God and Man p. 34 Commandments have 1 God for their Author 2 God in giving them to be considered as a Lawgiver 3 They are holy just and good p. 455 456 Commerce with God Vid. communion Common Favours not to be rested in p. 912 113 Communion of Saints its excellency p. 504 Communion with God makes blessed p. 11. No communion with him without obedience to him ibid. Communion with God discovers his gloriousness and our vileness p. 61 Communion with God in Donatives and Duties p. 951 952 Company of wicked Men how far to be shunned 1. As to Familiarity with them 2. Durable Relation to them 3. Compliance with them in their Sins p. 773 774. Vid. carnal compliance reproof to such p. 353 Company Observations and Directions about it p. 776 777 It is to be kept with those that are gracious Reasons p. 430 431. Complaints under Affliction what they usually are p. 713 714 Complain we may complain to God not of God p. 551 Compliance with God our safety p. 637 Condescension of God in arguing with us p. 877 Condescension of God in using his Supremacy over us 1. In making overtures of Peace 2. In seeking to reclaim us by Mercies p. 131 Condition of him that falleth off from God worse then his that never begun p. 342 Conditions of professing Christianity and of enjoying outward things p. 415 Conduct of the Spirit necessary p. 170 Conference Religious either stated or occasional-p 81 82 Confession of sin with a broken heart argues one sincere p. 1106 Confession of the Truth gives inward Liberty when it brings us into outward Bonds p. 301 Confession of the Truth hindred by 1 Carnal Fear 2 Carnal Shame p. 306 309 331 332 Confession of Sin its Usefulness p. 164 Not enough to believe the Word with the Heart unless wee confess it with our Mouths p. 330. Reasons p. 330 331. Vid. Profession Confidence in Death and in the day of Judgment-p 30 37. Confirmation in the belief of Gods Word a matter of very great Moment p. 285 286 Congruity of choosing Gods Precepts p. 1073 Conscience Erroneons will mislead us p. 4 Conscience hath no Lawgiver but God p. 878 A good Conscience Comfort against reproach p. 301 Conscience must be the Lords as well as our Afflictions p. 15 Conscience its Light not to be opposed p. 21 26. It takes notice of thoughts as well as Actions p. 33 It is a bridle to restrain from Sin and a whip to lash us for sin p. 532. A great Comfort under and against Reproach p. 141 A good Conscience gives Encouragement to come to God p. 1079 Conscience when it works Christ knocks p. 412 Conscience to be kept necessary why How it may be kept p. 417 418 We must have a good Conscience as well as a good cause p. 977 978 Consent of every individual Person to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace necessary to partake of its benefit p. 909 910. Consideration of our ways makes way for Conversion p. 395 Consideration fit matter of it 1 Who made thee 2 Why did God make thee 3 Hast thou answered the End of his making thee 4 What unkindness not to remember him that made thee c. p. 397 398 399 225. Gods Considering our Afflictions what it signifies p. 969 Consideration of Gods Judgments what and how p. 346 Consolation for the afflicted from Gods Word p. 591 Vid. Comfort from Gods Word Constancy in Gods ways a great Duty p. 210. Motives