God in the glasse of his Ordinances for one hour what will there be when thou shalt see him face to face and alwayes behold the face of thy Father When Christ and thy soul meet sweetly in a duty on the Lords day and thou sittest under his shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto thy taste thou thinkest the duty is done too soon and the Sabbath is too short thou couldst wish the Sun would stand still as in the dayes of Joshua aâ—d that day to be longer but be encouraged though thy Sabbaths now begin and end yet within a few dayes thou shalt begin that eternal Sabbath which shall never end In his Epistle before Discourse of t ue happiness Certain it is saith Mr. Robert Bolton that if a man were crowned with the royal state and imperial command of all the kingdoms upon earth if his heart were enlarged to the utmost of all created capacities and filled with all the exquisite and unmixed pleasures that the reach of mortality and most ambitious curiosity could possibly devise and might without any interruption or distaste enjoy them the length of the worlds duration they were all nothing to the precious and peerless comforts of the Kingdom of Grace but for one hour I speak the truth in Christ and use no Hyperbole the Spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true Christians bearing me witness What then will it be my friend to enjoy the unconceivable comforts of the Kingdom of Glory for ever If one day in Gods Courts on earth be better to thee than a thousand elsewhere how happy wilt thou be when thou shalt dwell in the heavenly House of the Lord and that for ever ever when thou shalt be a pillar in the Temple of thy God and shalt go no more out for ever Rev. 3.12 O sweet word ever ever thou art musick to the ear and honâ—y to the taste and melody to the heart indeed to be free from all evil both of sin suffering and to be for ever free from them to be with the Lord enjoying all good imaginable and ever to be with the Lord. O how much worth doth this one word ever adde to the Saints portion in the other world Mortality is a flaw in all earthly tenures which abateth their price and imbittereth their pleasures but eternity is a diamond which sparkleth most radiantly in the crown of glory and maketh it beyond all expression or comparison weighty Christian how may this perswade thee to be exact in thy walking with God when in doing of his commands there is such great reward Thy temporal obedience shall have an eternal recompence If Zeuxis the famous Painter was so curious in drawing his lines because he painted for Eternity how exact shouldst thou be in all thy duties how curious in the whole course of thy life when thou dost all for eternity How may this support thee in the greatest dangers Thy sufferings are temporal but thy solace shall be eternal If Saul when called to an earthly kingdom for a short time could hold his peace when men despised and derided him surely thou mayst be steady in the greatest storm and in all hardships bear up thy spirit with the lively hope of that heavenly eternal Kingdom to which thou art called Dost thou not know that all the sufferings of this life though all the sufferings of the mystical body of Christ were laid on thy back are not worthy to be compared to that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Rom. 8.18 Thus thy felicicy in heaven will be compleat felicity and thy consolation in the fore-thoughts of it may well be a full consolation since for its perfections it is unspeakable thy fruition of it is unquestionable and thy condition in it will be unchangeable and eternal When thou hast filled thy heart with that fulness of joy and bathed thy soul in those rivers of pleasures as many millions of yeares as there have been minutes since the Creation and after that as many thousand ages as there are creatures great and small in heaven earth and sea and after that as many thousand millions of ages as all the men in the world can reckon up all the time of their lives yet after all this thou shalt not have one moment lesse to continue in heaven and enjoy that perfect happinesse The very greatest and highest numerations and multiplications of time are but drops yea ciphers and nothing to this boundless bottomless ocean of eternity For of eternity as Drexelius saith Truly there is no FINIS
Piscator will by no means grant it to be the mind of the Spirit in this place In the words you may see the sign of a Saint to him to live is Christ and his solace to him to die is gain his holy description in the former his happy condition in the latter The Text being thus explained affordeth this truth taking both parts of it together Doctrine That such as have Christ for their life shall have gain by their death He that liveth in Christ on earth shall live with Christ in heaven Where the soul hath the seed of holinesse it shall reap an harvest of happinesse The Apostle when he summeth up the estate of a believer counteth death as a part of his riches Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death all are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 and ye are Christs he that can say I am Christs may as truly say Death is mine If thou canst say I am Christs servant I am Christs Subject thou mayest say Death will be my preferment death will be my advancement For the Explication of this doctrine I shall shew first what is meant by that phrase to me to live is Christ and secondly wherein it will appear that death to such a man iâ— gain Four things in the phrase To me to live is Christ For the former To me to live is Christ may imply these four things 1. Christ is the principle of my life All living creatures have an inward principle by which they live and according to which they act Plants have a principle of vegetation beasts have a principle of sense Ad vitam spiritualem quod attinet certum est adnos derivari exiguos quosdam rivulos ipsum autem fontem in Christo latere Daven in Col. 3.3 men have a principle of reason and their lives are different answerable to their different principles But a Christian hath an higher principle that is Christ dwelling in his heart by faith Ephes 3.17 and thence it is that he lives an higher life As the body liveth by its union with the soul so the Christian liveth by his union with Jesus Christ Christ is the fountaine and spring of his life the soul of his soul and the life of his life I live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God As the branches they live but it is by the root they derive sap from it and so live by it So the believer he liveth spiritually but it is by Christ he deriveth the sap of grace from this true Vine and so liveth by him The water in the Rivers doth not more depend upon the Ocean nor the light in the air upon the Sun than the life of a Christian dependeth on Jesus Christ And therefore the Holy Ghost telleth us He that hath the Son 1 Joh. 5.12 hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life I have sometime read that the Lioness bringeth forth her whelps dead till after some time the lion roareth aloud and then they live This is certain every man and woman is born dead dead to God dead in sins and trespasses till this lion of rhe tribe of Judah uttereth his voice then they arise from the dead and Christ giveth them life When the soul like the body of Lazarus hath been dead so long that it stinketh and is unsavory when it hath been many dayes nay many years rotting in the grave of corruption then if Jesus Christ calleth effectually Lazarus come forth sinner come forth of thy carnal unregenerate estate then and not till then the soul heareth the voice of the Son of God and liveth Grace is of a divine birth Joh. 3.3 it is the seed of God John 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except a man be born from above 1 Joh. 3.9 an unction from the holy One 1 Joh. 2.27 called dew which is of a coelestial extraction Psal 110.3 and light 1 Joh. 1.7 the fountain of water is in the earth but the fountain of light is in the Heavens Non nascimur sed renascimur christiani The web of godlinesse was never spun out of mans own bowels As none can see the Sun but by its own light so none can with an eye of faith see the Sun of righteousnesse but by the light of grace derived from him We are his workmanship saith the Apostle created in Jesus Christ unto good works His workmanship not only in our natural capacity as men as creatures and in our civil capacity as rich or poor high or low but also in our spiritual capacity as Christians as new creatures Secondly To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is the pattern of my life my life is not onely from him but according to him Christ is the rule according to which I walk the copy after which I write As sin and disobedience is a resemblance of the first so grace and holinesse is a resemblance of the second Adam True christianity consisteth in nothing but our conformity to Sanctitas dicitur per quam mens scipsam suos actâ—â— applicat Deo So the Schoolâ—e and imitation of Jesus Christ And indeed as the child in generation receiveth from the parent member for member part for part and the paper from the press word for word letter for lettter and the wax from the seal figure for figure So in regeneration Christ is formed in the soul and it receiveth according to its proportion grace for grace One end of Christs incarnation and life in the flesh was to set an exact pattern for our lives in the spirit He left us an example that we shoeld follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 All the actions of Christ are instructions to a Christian His actions were either moral or mediatory In both the Christian imitates him In the former doing as he did exercising the same graces performing the same duties resisting the same temptations forbearing the same corruptions In the latter by similitude dying to sin as he died for sin rising to a spiritual life as he rose again to a natural life None indeed can parallel the life of Christ but every new creature imitateth Christ in his life he walketh as Christ walked Philip. 2 1 Joh. 2.6 The same mind is in all the Saints so far as they are regenerated that was in Christ the same will the same affections they love what he loveth they loath what he loatheth what pleaseth him pleaseth them what grieveth his spirit grieveth their spirits As the wicked are like their father the Devil unholy as he is unholy so the children of Christ are like their everlasting Father holy as he is holy onely with this difference in Christ there is a fulnesse in them a measure in Christ pureness in them a mixture Thirdly To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is the comfort of
every messenger welcome for his sake that sendeth him thou needst not fear any servant can night or day knock at thy door with ill news how willingly wilt thou go to duty and with what alacrity perform them knowing the God whom thou drawest nigh to is thy loving Father the Christ in whose Name thou approachest is thy lovely Saviour nay how joyfully maiest thou think of death as the portal through which thou shalt go into thy Masters joy and endlesse life Believe it thy life will be an heaven upon earth And shouldst thou find thy estate lost will it not be an infinite mercy to thee that thou didst know it before it was too late how will it awaken thee out of thy security and affrighten thee upon the apprehension of thy misery how will it quicken thee to mind thy duty in loathing thy self in leaving thy sins and in flying to thy Saviour Sound conversion begins at self-examination First we search and try our wayes and then turn to the Lord Lament 3.39 The way to have our sores cured is first to have them throughly searched I considered my wayes and turned my feet to thy testimonies Psal 119.59 If thou wouldst have thy face clean look into the glasse of the Law and view thy spots He that knoweth not that he is in a wrong path will not turn back though the farther he goeth the greater is his deviation and danger Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed or after I was made known to my self I repented As Abigail said to David if thou hearken to thy servant it will be no grief of mind hereafter to my Lord that thou art kept from shedding of blood so say I to thee If thou wilt faithfully examine thy self it will be no cause of sorrow hereafter to thee that thou wert thereby kept from a further shedding the blood of thy soul Bish Halls Meditat. Vows Cent. 2. Meditat. 4. I will conclude this motive with the meditation of the learned and holy Bishop now with Christ That which is said of the Elephant that being guilty of his deformity he cannot abide to look on his face in the water but seeks for troubled and muddy channels we see well moralized in men of evil conscience who know their souls are so filthy that they dare not so much as view them but shift off all checks of their former iniquity with the excuses of good fellowship Whence it is that every small reprehension galls them because it calls the eye of the soul home â—o it self and makes them see a glimpse of what they would not So have I seen a foolish and timerous patient which knowing his wound very deep would not endure the Chirurgion to search it whereon what can ensue but a festering of the part and a danger of the whole body so have I seen many prodigal wasters run so far in books that they cannot abide to hear of a reckoning It hath been an old and true Proverb Oft and even reckonings make long friends I will oft summe my estate with God that I may know what I have to expect and answer for neither shall my score run on so long with God that I shal not know my debts or fear an audit or despair of pardon I come now to the touchstone by which thou must be tried whether thou art true gold or counterfeit it is likely thou presumest thy estate is good well art thou willing the Word of God that must whether thou wilt or no judge thee for thy eternal life or death at the last day Ad bunc librum ut judicem ad alias ut â— judex divenio saith Melancth of tâ— â—ble should try thee at this day If thy wares be right and good thou wilt not be afraid to bring them out of thy dark shop into the light If thy title be sound and good I know thou wilt be ready for a fair Trial at law even at the Law of God I shall try thee two wayes though both will lead to the same place I must first intreat thee to put those four particulars to thy soul which in the beginning I told thee were included in that expression To me to live is Christ 1. Ask thy soul what is the principle of thy Religious performances what is the spring of thy obedience men indeed judge of others principles by their practices because they cannot discern the heart whether it be right in a duty or no but God judgeth of mens practices by their principles as we may see by his speech of Paul Behold he prayeth Act. 9.11 Paul was a Pharisee one of the strictest of them and they were much in prayer but God who knew his heart was wrong in former duties takes not any notice of them now behold he prayeth he might say a prayer before but he never pray'd a prayer til now when he had a right principle being regenerated by the holy Ghost then and not till then he made a right prayer Til the Tree be good the fruit can never be good Matth. 7.17 Now Friend what is the principle of thy duties is it fear of men hope of honour desire of gain or mearly the stopping the mouth of conscience or custome are these the weights that make thy Clock to go and if these were taken off would thy devotion stand still then thy heart is not right in the sight of God intreat him for the Lords sake that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Or do thy pious actions flow from a renewed will and renewed affections Doth the outward correspondency of thy life to the Law of God proceed from an inward conformity in thy heart to the nature and Law of God from the Law written within if it be thus thy condition is safe for the deeper the spring is from whence the water comes the sweeter the water is and thy services the more acceptable to God Speak thy self whether thou prayest readest hearest singest from the Divine nature within from love to the infinitely amiable God from the delight thou takest in communion with him in duties O how sweet is that hony that drops of its own accord from the comb and how pure is that Wine which floweth freely from the grape So grateful and acceptable is that sacrifice to God which is season'd with sincere love Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandments Psal 128.1 Or dost thou worship God from the same principle the Sadduces do who deny the Resurrection only from a desire it may go well with thee in this life or from the same principle from which the Persians do the divel only from fear least he should do thee hurt surely that service will be sowr which like verjuice is squeezed out of the crabs To serve God with a filial fear is commendable but to serve him from a servile fear is unacceptable The upright Christian worketh from an inward principle the new Creation within and
and take him in Gen. 8.9 Then and not till then he crieth out with the Psalmish Return to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Now Reader what say'st thou how is it with thee Do thy affections as the waters of Jordan overflow their banks at the time of thine earthly harvest Josh 3.15 Or like the bird do'st thou then sing most merrily when thou art mounting up to heaven Art thou willing to be served as the children of Abrams Concubines put off with ordinary gifts or must thou like Isaac have all even Jesus Christ or else thou esteemest thy self to have nothing Gen. 25 5 6. 4. Is Christ the end of thy life Is it thy main scope to live to him that died for thee Doth the compasse of thy soul without trepidation stand right to this pole the glory of Jesus Christ For none of us liveth to himself saith the Apostle and no man dieth to himself but 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 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living Rom. 14.7 8 9. A sincere Christian dedicates his body soul name estate relations interests and his all to the glory of Christ and wisheth he had something better to consecrate to him As the Grecian told the Emperour If I had more more would I give thee so the Saint desireth that he may believe more and repent more and hate sin more and for this end that he may exalt Christ more The Philosopher telleth us that means move by the goodnesse of their ends Media movent bonitate finis not by any absolute goodnesse of their own but by their relative goodnesse the goodnesse of their ends as we take Physick not for Physicks sake but for healths sake So duties and Ordinances move a Christian to mind them not so much for their own sake as for their â—nds sake he prayeth fasteth readeth meditateth that he may thereby and therein please glorifie and enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ But now a Professour without the power of godlinesse hath another end He goeth to Church but it is as the cut-purse not to seek God but his prey He performeth duties but either for self-credit Matth. 6.2 as Pliny observeth of the Nightingale As that Emperor who commanded all golden Idols to be pull'd down out of Churches not out of hatred to the Idols but out of love to the gold that she will sing much longer and louder when men are by then when they are not or else for self-profit Matth. 23.14 Like him in the comedy that cried out O heavens but pointed to the earth Religion is either this mans stirrup by which he hopes to get into the saddle above his Neighbours or else it is his stalking horse which he contentedly followeth all day because it may bring him in some gain at night like Satan he may assume the shape of Samuel but it is only upon some particular errand and for his own ends This man is not holy but crafty and doth not serve God but himself of God Reader search whether thou art not one of these Thou art but an empty vine if thou bringest forth fruit to thy self Hos 10.1 O how many a work materially good being flie-blown with self proves sormally bad and so becomes stinking and unsavoury in the nostrils of God! Self is the pirate which too too often intercepteth the golden fleet of religious performances that they cannot return fraughted with blessings It concerneth thee therefore to observe thy ends what are thy ends in thy eating and drinking and all thy natural and civil actions is thy end to please and gratifie the flesh or is it that thou mayst get health and strength and thereby be the more serviceable to thy Maker and Redeemer what is thy end in thy spiritual undertakings is duty the end of duty or is obedience to the honour of and Communion with Christ the end of thy performances make a pause before thou readest farther and answer the Lord who commandeth thee to examine and know the state of thy soul But because I would willingly find thee out whoever thou art and have thee fully acquainted with thy spiritual condition I shall desire thee to try thy spiritual condition by the efficient cause of it and that is the Spirit of God The holy Ghost is called the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 and indeed he only hath this spiritual life that hath this Spirit of life As all the members of the natural body are actuated and enlivened by the same humane spirit from the Head So all the Members of the Mystical body are quickened and actuated by the same Divine Spirit from their Head the Lord Jesus Christ Mark therefore that one place in Rom. 8.9 how full it is to this purpose for upon that place the weight of all I have to speak further about this Use of trial will depend The words are these But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you Mark Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Observe I beseech thee If any man let him pretend never so much let his priviledges be never so many let his profession be never so great and his performances never so numerous yet if he have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his so that if the Spirit of Christ have not its habitation in thee thou hast no spiritual relation to Jesus Christ Now I shall teach thee to know whether the Spirit be in thee or no by two of its effects or properties the first will be more general the second more special 1. The Spirit of God if it be in thee will purifie thee for it is a purifying Spirit Sanctification is the proper work of the Spirit of Christ It is called the holy Ghost and it is holy not only subjectively but effectively it worketh holinesse and makes men holy 1 Cor. 6.11 It infuseth holy habits and principles into the soul whereby it is enabled to fight with and by degrees to foyl its corruptions It changeth the understanding by illumination the will by renovation and the affections by sanctification it doth not infuse new faculties into the soul but it doth renew the old it turneth the same waters into another Channel they ran before after the world and the flesh but now after God and his wayes It is as it were the same viol only it is new tuned before it could make no musick in praying or singing but now it is so melodious that it delighteth the heart and ravisheth the ear of God himself The old Moon and the new are the same only the new hath a new endowment of light from the Sun which it had not before so it is here the purified person
instantly Acts 26.7 stretched out upon the tenters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word signifieth not so much in the length of the petitions as in the acting of holy affections Dost thou labour in prayer Coloss 4.12 i. e. wrastle with God as that word imports bending and straining every joynt of the new man in the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instant in prayer a Metâ—phor from hunting dogs which will not cease following the game till they have got it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 11.8 Nazian saith of his sister Gorgonia that â— prayer she was modestly impudent that they may all help to prevail with God Are all the heavenly forces within thee united when thou prayest that if possible thou mayst take the Kingdome of heaven by storm by violence Matth. 11.12 What sai'st thou Reader dost thou like the importunate Widow take no denial but use an humble impudency as the Word of Christ includeth when thou art intreating the Divine Majesty for spirituals Or dost thou pray but it is as if thou prayedst not so dully and coldly that thou canst hardly hear thy self only as it were between sleeping and waking thou mumblest over a few petitions either out of custome or to stop the mouth of conscience never regarding whether God answer thy requests or no. Didst thou but consider the dreadful Majesty of that God to whom thou prayest the unvaluable worth of the soul and endless state for which thou prayest and the poor pittance of time upon which thy eternity dependeth that thou hast to pray in it might rouse thee out of thy security Common beggery as it is the poorest so it is the easiest trade A whispering devotion is seldome answered with a loud eccho from heaven Dr. Arron Serm. on 1 Sam. 7.12 p. 15. but this special as it is the richest so it is the hardest The fervent prayer is the prevalent prayer Jam. 5.16 The bullet will flie no farther than the force of the powder will carry it That arrow of prayer that would hit the mark must be drawn with full strength He that in prayer for grace through an humble dependence on Christ will not be denied shall not be denied Lip-labour doth no more than a windie instrument makes a loud noise and that is all Prayer without the travail of the soul is but the cold carcass of a duty and no wonder if it be unsavory in Gods nostrils How many among us are there that pray every day for pardon and holinesse and yet shall die without them and perish eternally for want of them and all because they never begg'd them in good earnest but were alwayes indifferent whether God heard them or no No day passed wherein Luther spent not 3 hours in prayer once it fell out that I heard him saith Vitus Theodorus of him Good God what a spirit what a confidence was in his very expressions with such reverence he pray'd as to a God with such assurance as to a Father or friend The child hath escaped many a stripe by his loud cry Heartlesse motions do but bespeak a denial whereas fervent suits offer a sacred violence both to earth and heaven I would have such know that the blessed God valueth his special ware at an higher rate than to bestow it on such as will not esteem it something answerably to its worth It were easie to instance how fiery and fervent the children of God in whom was this spirit of God which is compared to fire have been in their supplications look Gen. 32.24 25. Psal 5. Ps 77. Ps 88. Jacob wrestled with God and would not let him go unlesse he blessed him Christ seemed willing to shake him off Let me go saith Christ I will not let thee go unlesse thou blesse me saith Jacob. My limbs may go my life may go but no going for thee without a pawn without a blessing Thus indeed doth the seed of Jacob seek the face of their God and thence are called Israelites for as Princes they have power with God and prevail Gen. 32.26 27. And this is the difference betwixt the prayer of a living and a dead Christian the prayer of the former is instant and fervent not discouraged but rather increasing by opposition as lime by water cast upon it burneth the hotter see Matth. 15.22 and 25.27 the latter is flat and indifferent easily put off though it be with a crum instead of a crown with a bubble a butterfly instead of the everlasting fruition of God Any temporal good is satisfying to them that have no true spiritual good in them Psal 4.5 And the reason is clear the breath of a pair of bellows is cold because it doth not proceed from a living principle within but the breath of a man is warm because it cometh from a principle of life within so the prayer the breath of an hypocrite is cold because it doth not flow from the spirit of God the onely inward principle of spiritual life but the prayer the breath of a sincere Saint is warm is fervent because it proceedeth from this living principle the spirit of Christ within Indeed the Christian knoweth not how to pray as he ought but the spirit helpeth his infirmities with sighs and groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 Doest thou pray constantly that duty which is done out of conscience will be done with perseverance A godly man will seek Gods face evermore Psal 105.4 and Ps 116.2 He calleth upon God as long as he liveth Breathing heaven-ward in prayer is the beginning and ending of his spiritual life upon earth as we see in Paul Act. 9.6 and Stephen Act. 7. ult He never taketh his leave of prayer till he is entering into the place of praise Prayer is his element he cannot live without it and communion with God in it Prayer is the vessel by which he is continually trading into the Holy Land he sendeth it out fraught with precious graces faith hope desire love godly sorrow and the like and it commeth home many times richly laden with peace joy and increase of grace But now an hypocrite Job saith will not pray alwayes he will not alwayes call upon God Job 27.10 possibly he may sometimes cry out as a Scholar undet the rod or a Malefactor upon the Rack for deliverance out of some affliction but when God openeth his hand and bestoweth the mercy his mouth is shut and his heart too that you shall hear but little more of this duty If he pray on his sick bed and God raise him up he leaves his prayers sick a bed behind him His prayer was but a messenger sent about some particular errand when that is done the messenger returneth As that story of the Friar speaketh how when he was a poor Friar he went ever sadly casting his eyes upon the ground but being Abbot he went merrily looking upward one of his companions asked him the reason of that alteration
and to honour his own Ordinance When he hath begun the work of conversion himself immediately he will not perfect it without the ministry of his Word He sendeth Paul to Ananias Acts 9.21 to learn what he should doe and biddeth Cornelius by an Angel for an Angel must not doe that work to send for Peter and from him to hear words whereby he and his house should be saved Acts 10.5 6. David who was wiser then the ancients then his enemies then his teachers lyeth many months asleep on the bed of security in a most filthy pickle till a Prophet is sent to call him up and awake him then and not till then he mindeth cleansing as appeareth plainly by the title and body of the 51. Psalm So Davids heart smote him for numbring the people but mark the means of it For saith the Text when David was up in the morning the word of the Lord came to Gad and commanded him to goe to David 2 Sam. 24.10 11 12. Yea the very honour of saving souls the most High ascribeth to the ministry of his Word 1 Tim. 4.16 Timothy is spoken of as saving himself and them that hear him i. e instrumentally thus highly God doth magnifie his Ordinances though many men vilifie them Doe not thou therefore forsake the assemblies of the Saints as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 but lie constantly at the pool Some that have come to church to sleep as Mr. Latimer saith have been taken napping praying and waiting for the troubling of the waters of the Sanctuary The Angel of the Covenant may move there and thy diseased soul thereby be healed As thou wouldst learn that lesson whereby thou mayst be wise to salvation do not play the truant but frequent that School where the Prophet of the Church teacheth As thou wouldst not quench the Spirit despise not prophesying 1 Thess 5.19 20. They that came to catch the Preacher have been caught by the Sermon as Austin by Ambrose Aust Confess 5. lib. 14. And they that come to see fashions as Moses came to the Bush maybe called as he was The Souldiers or Officers that went to apprehend Christ were probably apprehended by Christ John 7.46 Wh n Henry Zatphen was Preacher at Breme the Papists sent theâ—r Chaplains to hear that they might intrap him but God converted by his ministry many of them Sleid. Comment If thou wouldst have thy heart throughly humbled make use of the Word you may read of a bad hard cursed heart indeed humbled by this 2 Chron. 33.12 and 18. v. Manasses in his affliction humbled himself greatly for God sent unto him Prophets and Seers that spake unto him in the name of the Lord so 2 Sam. 24.10 11 12. Wouldst thou rest upon Jesus Christ for salvation Mind the Word Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me John 6.45 Wouldst thou have thine inward man renewed and changed This may be done by the blessing of God accompanying his Word therefore it is called the engraffed Word Jam. 1.21 To teach us that as the sciences of a good apple graffed into a crab-tree stock hath vertue to change the nature of it so hath the word preached for of that he speaketh as is manifest v 19 22 23. vertue to change the heart of man Reader let me perswade thee to have a reverent esteem of and to be very familiar with the Word of God reading it constantly and hearing it frequently as the Lord shall give thee opportunities but take heed how thou hearest Luke 8.18 how thou readest Attend on the Word having first laid aside all superfluity of naughtinesse weeds must be rooted up before the ground of mans heart is fit to receive the seed of the Word 1. With meeknesse of spirit Jam. 1.21 The humble sinner is fittest to be Christs Schollar The meek he will teach his way the meek he will guide in judgement Psal 25.8 9. When the heart is tender it is most teachable it is like white paper for any inscription like soft wax for any impression A proud person is too good in his own conceit to be taught he quarrelleth and rageth either at the person that preacheth or at the plainnesse of the sermon but to his own ruine He rejecteth the counsel of God but it is against himself to his own hurt Luke 7.30 The weak corn which yeilds to the wind receiveth no dammage by it but the proud sturdy oak which resisteth it is often broken in pieces 2. Attend on the Word with a resolution to obey whatever the Lord shall in his Word command thee O 't is excellent to sit at Gods feet hearing his voice purposely that thou mightest doe his will like a servant to goe to thy master and know his mind that thou mayst fulfill it when thou canst say I am here present before the Lord to hear and doe the things that are commanded me of God Acts 10.33 like the Romans deliver up thy self wholly to that form of doctrine which God hath delivered down unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as mettal for any stamp and mould Rom. 6.17 3. Plato as he walked in the streets if he saw any dissolute or disordered would reflect on himself with Num ego talis Am I such a one as â—his man is Diogen Laert. in vita With self application doe not think this concerneth such a man and now the minister hitteth such a one but consider now God speaketh to my soul and this truth doth nearly concern me If the word be not mixed with faith it will not be profitable to them that hear it Hebr. 4.2 Whilst truths rest in generals little good will be done but when they come to be particularly applied and to sink down into the heart then they work effectually for the souls salvation Truths generally received are like the charging a piece but the particular application of them doth the execution upon sin 4. With supplication before and after reading or hearing begin with God Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law Psal 119.18 Begin duty with duty The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord Prov. 16.1 And after thou hast heard or read pray as the Disciples after they had heard Lord open to us this parable Matth. 15 15. This Scripture Write thy law in my heart and thy truth in mine inward parts teach me thy way lead me in thy righteousness give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Psal 119.34 Urge thy soul with the necessity of this duty that thou must be converted or condemned and it is the law of the Lord that is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 That thou must know thy misery or feel it eternally and it is the preiept of the Lord that is pure enlightning the mind Psa 19.8 That thou must repent or be ruined and it is by hearing that
that cannot lye hath promised â—ods people are a people that will not lye Isa 63.8 but God is a God that cannot lye it is impossible for God to lye Every lye proceedeth either from weakness or from wickedness Some are weak they would be as good as their words but cannot others are wicked they can be as good as their words but will not Neither of these can be charged on the blessed God he is able to perform his promise for he is the almighty God Gen. 17.1 I know that thou canst do all things saith Iob Iob 42.2 Omnipotency never met with a difficulty too hard for it the promises of â—od will eat their way through all the Alps of opposition because he is a â—od of infinite power and as he is able free from weakness so he is righteous holy so free from wickedness There is no unrighteousness in him Psa 92. ult He is light in him is no darkness at all 1 Io. 1.5 There is not the least spot in this Sun His truth reacheth unto the heavens and his faithfulness is above the clouds 2. By an oath God hath confirmed it Omnia verba Dei sunt juramenta quoad certitudinem saith Philo sed infirmatatis nostrae causa ut si non credamus Deâ— promittenti credamus saltem pro nostra saâ—usâ— juranti Hebr. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation Thou wouldst take the word of a good man and wilt thou not take the word of a God But wonder at his goodnesse he tendereth further security by his oath nay by the greatest oath imaginable having no greater to swear by he sware by himself Hebr. 6.16 3. By his Seals we have the broad Seal of Heaven the Seals of the Covenant to confirm this to us The Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 And we have the privy Seal of the Spirit Eph. 4.30 So that if the hand and seal of a God will do it Heaven is ensured to all that are sanctified 4. By an earnest that makes a bargain sure Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 When Christ went from us he left his Spirit with us to assure us that he would come to us and took our flesh with him to assure us that we shall come to him 5. By first fruits Rom. 8.23 which did assure the Jews of their harvest 6. By the death of Christ Heaven is given to the holy by testament by Will John 17.24 Father I will saith the then dying Saviour that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Now because a Testament or Will is of no force whilst the Testator liveth therefore Christ died to make his Will valid Hebr. 9.16 17. Thirdly it is comfortable if thou considerest the eternity of it Though it were never so excellent and certain yet if it were for a short time only it would afford but little comfort Nay the greater our joy were in the possession of it the greater our sorrow would be in our separation from it The very thought of ever losing such incomparable happiness would be a deep wound to a Christians heart and without question abate much of his joy whilst he did enjoy it Nothing lesse than eternity can perfect the Saints felicity And lo here it is thy gain is not only of unspeakable excellency and unquestionable certainty but also durable even unto eternity The pleasures of the Saints are for evermore Ps 16. ult The pleasures of the wicked on earth are like a standing pool quickly dried up by the scorching heat of Gods wrath leaving nothing behind save the mud of vexation But the pleasures of the godly in heaven are rivers of pleasures running over and running ever because they flow from the fountain of living waters The joy of the sinner is like the crackling of thorns under a pot it may make a busling noise but quickly goeth out but the joy of a Saint will be like the fire upon the Altar which never goeth out day nor night Their joy shall no man take from them John 16. The glory of a Christian there will be an eternal weight of glory the shame of a Christian here is transitory like a cloud upon the face of the Sun which will soon be scattered and the honor of a graceless man here is short like a fleeting shadow * Tacitus as Sejanus was one day adored like a God and a little after with the greatest ignominy committed to the Goal But the honor of a Christian there is an eternal noon-tide of glory heaven is an everlasting home to the Saints Luke 16.9 2 Cor. 5.1 when their earthly tabernacles are dissolved they enjoy the building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens They enjoy the society of the good for ever they sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 Standing is a posture of going or at least of but staying little but siting is a posture of staying long They shall enjoy God for ever they shall ever be with the Lord Angels in the Syrisck have their name from a word wh ch signifieth face because â—t is their honor and office alwa es to behold Gods face 1 Thess 4. ult The Saints shall in heaven be like Angels Mat. 22.30 Now Angels always behold the face of their Father Matth. 18.10 Now God sometimes sheweth himself unto and sometimes hides his face from his children that a godly man may say to Christ as Jacob to his Wives I perceive that thy fathers countenance is not towards me as at other times Gen. 31.5 Some sin or other like a cloud interposeth and hindereth the light of his gracious countenance but there will be no cloud or mist of sin and the Sun of Righteousness will ever behold the soul with the same favorable aspect And therefore the joy and happinesse of the Saint will be ever like the Moon at the full because that Sun will ever look upon him with the same lightsome countenance O what a long day will eternity be to the damned and what a short day to the saved Eternal pain will make every moment seem eternity eternal pleasure will make eternity seem but a moment the joyes there will be so great and many that the dayes there will seem small and few the delights there will spring every moment so fresh and full that a Christian like Jacob will think them but few dayes for the love he will bear to them Reader if thou art in Christ ponder much in time the eternity of pleasure which is prepared for thee Consider if there be so much felicity in seeing the lovely face of