new increasing for that crosse accident presently ensue not yet whilest the purpose is continued though the act be not at large performed howbeit pardon we must think God in this Case dispenseth Herein alas Which of us must not be forced to say Miserere Lord be mercifull unto me in this That in our vows we are behinde with our God There is in our Baptisme a solemn vow made to renounce the Devill and all his works to beleeve in God and to obey him according to all his Commandments I dispute not the question now First Either whether it be a vow properly Secondly Or whether it be the vow of the sureties or of parents children be bound once this I am sure of Baptisme is the entrance of our covenant with God wherein as God bindes himself under his hand and seal to give us remission of sinnes and life everlasting so we by the very fact covenant and are bound to new obedience And if not the sureties yet the parents are bound to Quantum in se that these things be performed by their children And yet who may not remember how his infancie yea nonage much hath been led in vanity disobedience and how the Spirit of the air hath ruled in him It is enough that we have violated the Precept it should go near our hearts that we have withall violated that solemn vow made to God in our Baptisme Secondly If that may seem excusable because not so personally made and entered in daye of our nonage what say we to the renewing of our vow and covenant at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper What time we thither present our selves we are or should be men of discretion Masters of our own actions that we daily offer up bodies and souls and lives all corruptions to be mortified all that the faculties of soul and body will stretch unto to be employed to the service and glory of God And yet when see we in one of a thousand care to perform what we so oft have undertaken and vowed to our God Fools as we are If God make not good all that he hath promised for spiritualls or temporalls we are ready to quarrell and grumble at him and to question his fidelity who promising so largely performs so faintly Whereas truth is First God never promised absolutely but upon condition of our obedience Secondly Hath performed more then his promise keeping touch with us even when we deal perfidiously in his Covenant Thirdly And our own hearts examined will tell us we have failed in our Restipulation What if we perish as our brethren by plague pestilence famine sword is God unrighteous or unfaithfull that takes vengeance We rather who have dealt so treacherously in our covenant seriously think of it and now we are again to renew our ancient vow so often iterated at least bethink we our selves of our Restipulation What should I speak of those other particular vows speciall perills have extorted from us in sicknesse in other dangers yet the storm over-blown how have we returned as the dog to his vomit The issues of men thus perfidiously dealing with God ye may observe to be these First God is made more inexorable in our greatest Necessities and then begins to laugh at our destruction and mock when our fear cometh Prov. 1. that though we make many prayers yet then he hears not Isa 1. Secondly Commonly worse and greater calamities befall us as Iob 5.14 Psal 16. There being nothing wherewith God is more provoked then by being deluded Thirdly else our hearts more flinty and obdurate in evill so that we grow desperate in contempt and carelesse neglect of making our peace with our God make but your observation and tell me if you finde it not true that our Saviour hath Matth. 12. The Devill returning after casting out by vow and promise and purpose brings with him more and worse then himself The circumstance of the time Now might not impertinently be handled see Eccles 5. Deut. 23. I touch upon it onely Amongst the circumstances of our negligence let not this be forgotten That whereas the vow bindes us from infancie we have scarce in old age performed our Restipulation and this account make thy account to God will be from thy very Baptisme The third thing I rather chuse to insist on is on those words In the presence of all his people confer Vers 18 19. Why doth David chuse publique performance of his vows Perhaps they were privately made and I am perswaded it is true there were many more witnesses of the performance then was of the making was he vain-glorious Answ Not vain-glory is when either by vain means which deserve not praise or when by good duties in themselves praise-worthy men seek the praise of men more then the glory of God Ioh. 12.43 otherwise by holy means to seek good name amongst men with intentionall reference to the glory of God is not to be vain-glorious see Phil. 4.7 What then moved him to make this choice First The good of men Secondly The glory of God It is warrantable for a childe of God to chuse the publique performance of his devotions or other morality and to preferre it in his choice to the private our Saviour said not in vain Let your light shine before men and let them see your good works Matth. 5.16 Nor Saint Paul Shine as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 Tit. 3.8 14. to maintain or go before in good works Nor Saint Iames chap. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works The Reasons are of it First Our own fame Phil. 4.7 Rom. 12.17 Provide things honest in the sight of all men Secondly The adorning of the Gospel Therefore shew all good fidelity Tit. 3.10 To be faithfull sufficeth thee perhaps for thy conscience but it sufficeth not for the adorning of the Gospel for as good not done as not known done for that end Thirdly For winning of Aliens at least by way of preparation see 1 Pet. 2.13 and 3.2 16. Fourthly For excitement by example 1 Tim. 4.12 neither is that true of Ministers onely but of the people whose duty is also to be examples to the Churches of God 2 Cor. 9.2 Filfty For stopping the mouthes of them that are ready to blaspheme 1 Pet. 3.16 We are grown horribly wilde and wanton in playing with Scriptures and inferring from them since God hath restored us liberty to acquaint our selves with the Letter I am perswaded God will one day plague it in us For example Because our Saviour said Mat. 6. When thou prayest enter thâ— Closet the inference is Therefore no man may use his Private Devotions in a Publike place Absurd I dare say our Saviour never meant it except S. Paul contradict our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.8 Pray in all places and Hannah her instance warrants the same 1 Sam. 1.13 Secondly May we give an Alms in a Market-place I doubt not we may and even affect in Case mens beholding of our Charity though our Saviour said Let
not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth Matth. 6.3 For your better information First It was never our Saviours intention to inhibite all publique performance of any personall duty for see Matth. 5.16 He would never then have said Let them see your good works see the place Matth. 6.5 First Actus Secondly Aff ctus Thirdly Gestus Fourthly Locus Fifthly Finis Thus conceive when the praise and notice of Men is made utmost end of our Devotion and Charity that is forbidden when we seek it as our reward ver 2. Understand therefore that these are to be understood Comparatively Rather Secret wholly thy Devotion thy Charity then make mens applause the utmost intention as Matth. 5.29 40 41. Thinks any man but a scoffing Iulian that he is bound to the Letter simply or onely comparatively So true so here if we could be informed I would I might perswade you to be thus wise in your choise of Times and Places so to do your good works that men may see them let their loynes blesse you I know not how we pretend such declining of Vain-glory that we neglect the glory of God and we are so loath to do our devotions and good duties in the sight of men that we chuse rather to omit what is convenient in Devotion and Charity If ever there were Times for Publication Practicall now are the dayes We have been long branded for Solifidians and now it seems The Two Religions are come upon the stage contending which is Truer Saint Iames his rule is this Pure Religion is to visit the fatherlesse and widows Iam. 1.27 And you be not ignorant that by these outward fruits judgement of Ignorants is most inclined VERSE XV. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints LOok not any dependance to be here noted The Text is absolute and intire in its self containing matter of new observation In which are three things First Actus Secondly Fundamentum Thirdly Materia First Actus Observation and inference made thereout For the generall of observation we treated it ad vers 5. Marry there onely as it concerned the Nature of God and verities delivered us concerning it Here it is rather of something that concerns his children and Gods regard to them wherein if in any thing our observation should be curious for that by specialty God is their God and his favours to them are all Cum Privilegio Some favours indeed are common to his children with the world as preservation but herein have Gods own their specialty 1 Tim. 4.10 Sunne Moone Starres their light and influences he hath made to serve all nations marry to fight for his people as Iudg. 5.20 Privelege to Israel The works of God lie open to every mans view Psal 19.1 But his word is shewn to Iacob onely his statutes to Israel Psal 147.20 To his Church visible and hypocrites therein he gives his word but to them mostly in Parables To you it is given to know the mysteries Matth. 13. To some is knowledge given of his word but through their neglect it aggravates their damnation Matth 11. To his children onely it is Gods power to salvation Rom. 1.16 Herein therefore we should be specially observant First That we might see and comprehend the specialty of love Eph. 3. Secondly That our hearts might be more excited to thankfulnesse sith speciall favours require speciall thankfulnesse Besides temptations tending to doubtfulnesse do not so oft betide Gods children either about his Nature in generall or about common blessings as about those that are priveleges and characteristicall whether God be Almighty Just Mercifull c. in his own Nature or whether so in those graces that are convayed to them with a p ivelege about Adoption Regeneration Perseverance c. This part of Prudence let us learn Trust my experience no more if you finde it not extraordinary comfortable in the evill day In five degrees ye shall finde all favours of God to stand First Some common to us with all his creatures Secondly Some common with all men Thirdly Some common with his visible Church Fourthly Some common with all his Children Fiftly And there â—re wherein every of Gods children have something extraordinary I would have none of Gods favours put over without notice and observation specially those that are peculiar to his children least of all those wherein God hath manifested his mercy towards us above his children and own dear servants because for these God expects extraordinary measure of thankfulnesse and obedience and the rather would I ye should notice this because that most moves us in Christian duties and courses that we see not some speciall reward twixt him that serveth God and others see Mal. 3.14 Speculative knowledge I confesse is an excellent gift of God and necessary to salvation yet we erre if we think it sufficient see Phil. 3.8 There are these evidences whereby you may judge of it in your selves First What grace or mercy we taste from God we are propense to shew to others Ephes 5.1 In forgivenesse Eph. 4.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in patience in communicating what our selves have experimented 2 Cor. 1.6 c. Secondly Wonderfull desirous of winning others to like experience of Gods favour see Psal 34.8 Psal 66.16 Thirdly None more hopefull of others conversion be their state never so desperate for the present Therefore is infidelity or doubting of generall conclusions in none more tollerable then in Gods Sâ—ints The Reason is Because they have a furtherance to faith which others want to wit Experience of Gods favour and speciall love to them The Fundamentum or ground of inference is his own experience as if he had said Truly I may say it for in mine experience I have found it so oft hath he delivered and rescued me from the jaws of death So pleaseth it God to give his children speciall experience of generall documents therefore saith David Psal 34.8 Taste and see 1 Pet. 2.3 Ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Phil. 1.9 Knowledge and experience Reasons are First To increase their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that though it be true their faith rests principally upon Authority of the Divine Revealer yet confirmation it receives from experience That the word of God is his power to Salvation is the document and though there were nothing else but his Testimony we should beleeve it but God makes it so to the experience of his children that they may be more certainly assured of it in their souls see 1 Thes 2.13 Secondly There is in it a condescending to humane infirmity Simple we are all by nature and are generally inclined to walk by sense rather then by faith 2 Cor. 5. God considereth our mould Psal 103. and therefore tempers his proceeding to our infirmity and after a sort humours our nature in the motions of grace This favour of God let us not passe over without admiring the riches of Gods bounty to us Lord what is man that
to teach what should be the affection of all Gods people that is as Saint Paul * 2 Cor. 1.6 To draw others to joyn with us in our praising God Thirdly If ye respect the lavish multitude I am perswaded it was one end that if by nought else yet by the belly they might be drawn to know and glorifie the Name of God From which ceremonious Ordinance grounded upon these foundations something might be observed which toucheth us ye have been taught that though ordinances of Jews binds us not in their superficies or according to the Letter yet they binde according to their Morall Intelligence as for example though we be not bound to abstain from Swines-flesh yet we are taught by the Ceremony to abstain from Luxury which that Ceremoniall Observation led unto So though we be not bound to our Sacrifices of Goats and Bulls no not in Thank-offerings yet to the Morall Intelligence we are bound As this First To stirre up our selves by all holy outward means to praise God with alacrity and chearfulnesse of heart for the favours he hath vouchsafed us and that I am sure is a duty I mean not onely to praise God but to use all good means to excite our selves with chearfulnesse to praise his Name see Psal 103. Isa 38. This is that which the Rule interpreting the Commandments leads us unto that is Where a duty is prescribed there all holy means leading to the duty are prescribed as thus To speak Ad cor nostrum where it is commanded to provide for families all holy means conducing thereto are prescribed because the duty without it cannot be acquired frugality therefore is required so where drunkennesse is forbidden company with drunkards is forbidden where chastity is commanded abstinence from lascivious company is commanded where giving to them that need there labour is enjoyned Eph. 4.28 c. We seem to love good duties Vse yet to be out of the love of the means fain we would go to heaven but we are loath to be sent thither by preaching yet * 1 Cor. 1.21 by it we must thither Fain we would have preaching but we are loath to afford the Minister his maintenance it must be ere ye have it as ye should have it Fain we would have assurance of salvation but we are loath to mortifie the flesh seemingly we fain to mortifie the flesh yet we are loath to pinch the belly or the back c. What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder God never meant to bestow heaven on us or any thing leading thereto but by means I mean for that which is ordinary I beseech you let these Reasons sway you First God never accounts that man willing to be saved or to do any thing available to salvation that refuseth the means he affords to salvation Matth. 23.37 I would have gathered you you would not Would not who would not be gathered to God But in as much as they refused the means therefore saith our Saviour they would not Secondly The means we chuse may prove no means but impediments when God appoints the end himself will make the choice of the means but for gathering and strengthening his Church he hath ordained Word and Sacraments will we be saved without these means we shall never be saved Thirdly Why do we not consider the means may be taken from us I know no Kingdome or Church in the world to which they are entailed The Church of the Jews those of Asia were Churches as we are so was that of the Palatinate yet now we see what is their Fate Though God will ever have a Church upon the earth yet hath he no where promised to have a Church in England see Am. 8.11 Fourthly Suppose the means stay with us yet First Upon our contempt they may be * Isa 6.10 cursed to us that though we hear we shall not understand and become occasions of our farther blindnesse and hardening Secondly We may be taken from them by sicknesse prisonment banishment death and then what becomes of our poor souls I mean still where we have carried our selves contemptuously toward the means This then I would advise use the means which God hath prescribed Now whereas David according to Gods ordinance draws others to joyn with him in praising God we observe our duty and that is not to content our selves onely to do religious duties but to draw others to fellowship in them so did Andrew and Philip Ioh. 1.46 so it was prophesied of the last times Zech. 8. Isa 2. but our times live to confute prophesies We have these Reasons First Our reward is greater Dan. 12. such shine as Starres Secondly They may supply our defects all having not like faith nor like fervency nor like disposition to receive joyn all together we may perhaps make a complete sacrifice Thirdly Compassion me thinks should move us Iud. 23. It is likely they that praise God for us would more praise him for themselves Taxed here are First Negligents in this duty who though for their own persons they be carefull yet for others are regardlesse * Gen. 18.19 Abrahams commendation was he would charge servants and children after him His sonnes we are if we walk in his steps Secondly Hinderers of the duty First Positively Doing what deterres from religion for whom I may say is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever whether it be by counsell or threatening or punishment Oh that such would consider what Saint Paul speaks * Rom. 14. Destroy not thou thy brother for meat for whom Christ died What doest thou but as much as in thee lies hinder the intention of our Mediatour What should I say for example though this I know the exemplury sinner is the most grievous of all sinners To him not onely his personall sinnes but those which have been by his example shall be imputed And what say you to toleration of evill 1 Cor. 5. if it be but connivence at omissions certainly it suits not with that should be in Christians I beseech you hither let us bend our selves First We see Adversaries Atheists Papists all drawing to their practise Shall not we be as zealous for our God as they are for the Devill Secondly We see the Devill himself bestirring himself because his time is * Apoc. 12.12 short and how short our time is who knows once this we know he that * Pro. 11.30 winneth souls is wise and he that converts another to righteousnesse shall * Iam. 5.20 save a soul and cover a multitude of sinnes Thirdly If we shame to learn of carnall men or of the Devill let us learn of God and consider the end why he gives us gifts not for our own benefit onely 1 Cor. 12.7 but for the benefit and profit of others see Luke 20.32 When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Next considerable are the means David chuseth to draw the people to fellowship in his thanksgiving It is by a Banquet
fasting alms devotion in this or that measure to be performed Fourthly Perpetuall where a man bindes himself for perpetuity as Rechabites to drink no wine nor plant vineyards Is it lawfull in state of New Testament to make vows Answ Some Divines have made it questionable The more judicious ancienter and later otherwise judge with whom I consent First It is that to which there is a naturall instinct and that universall as to pray give thanks c. Secondly Uses of it under New Testament as gratitude firmer obligation to morall duties prevention of exorbitances Cautionate yet we must be all in entring such an obligation And thus generally are the Rules given First That the thing moved implie neither impiety or injustice nor uncharitablenesse Reasons are First Because to Piety Justice and Charity Gods law peremptorily bindes under the pain of eternall damnation Secondly Because this crosseth the maine end of a Vow which is to obliege our selves more strictly to serve God according to all his Commandements I spare mention of the horrible and hellish vows of the Papists c. I have heard and taken some such from our people that conceiving dislike of the Minister have vowed never more to hear him Impious wretch Wilt thou therefore neglect and contemne the Word of God because thou distastest the person of the Minister What a poor vengeance is this And on whom falls it but upon thine own soul Thou art angry at the Minister therefore thou wilt put from thee thine own salvation Act. 13. Such that of many mercilesse and hard-hearted Nabals who to save their Penny their Crums by vow binde themselves never to lend never to give Deut. 15. thoughts of Belial saith Moses How dwells the love of the Father in you how observe you the precept Do good to all Gal. 6.10 how observe you the end of Gods larger distribution Ye are Luke 12.42 Stewards But sure this goes to the heart That in our self-will we either vow or set purpose to restrain our selves from duties of Charity to which by instinct of Nature we stand ever obliged especially to the children of our own loynes Let them grow though in fervour of youth to notorious exorbitancy we have vowed it seems never more to admit them to society conversation no not sight or conference Have we vowed That vow is impious Have we but purposed That purpose is impious uncharitable unnaturall for shame for sinne alter it First Doth not Religion Charity Nature teach a Parent to seek the salvation of the Child yea though exorbitant and disobedient How long bindes this Precept Bring them up in discipline and information of the Lord. Ephes 6. How long art thou bound Personally to apply Counsells Admonitions Comforts Encouragements saith Solomon so long as there is Hope and that is as long as there is Life Are we bound to it towards Neighbours And not much more to Children for sinne and shame amend it Secondly Hath God given them seeds of Grace Oh for sinne and pity water them let them not by thy default die discourage them not Collos 3. Thirdly But hath he given them repentance to come out of the snare of the Devill How do Angels joy in them how should all Christians rejoyce in it most of all Parents Luk. 15. What grief like this To think I am father of a Castaway specially when Conscience suggests I have faulted in duty see 2. Sam. 18.33 O Monica Monica Saint Austins mother How did she sue him with Prayers Tears Vows to God how did she follow him from Countrey to Countrey though a Manachee a Fornicatour as his own confession is till she had procured from God his conversion And what a worthy Instrument of Gods glory proved he Certainely it is true scarce any have proved more excellent Instruments of Gods glory then such as have been most exorbitant witnesse Saint Paul And I beseech you take heed when God begins to shew mercy be not you unmercifull uncharitable unnaturall Secondly That they be of things within compasse of our Ability if not naturall yet gracious Reasons are First To vow an impossibility what is it but to tempt God Secondly To entangle our selves in a snare And thence is the exception our Divines justly take against the vows of Chastity in single life which they impose on all that enter state of Religion especially upon their Priests Their evasions are That they binde no man simply to enter such Vow Answ Not simply upon an Hypothesis that is if he will be a Priest and in that office serve God that Vow he must enter be he never so well gifted for the work be Characters of his gifts never so great though God call him without imposing such Vow yet he must Vow or not enter Secondly That it is possible by Grace though not by Nature as chastity in marriage and other sanctity Answ But the quaere is Whether by Grace common or by Grace speciall and proper or as they call it Priveleged Saint Paul saith it is a proper gift 1 Cor. 7. our Saviour non datur omnibus Secondly They must shew that God hath given promise they shall receive if they seek it as he hath for graces of Christianity Ezek. 36. Thirdly That to any one person that for the time hath the privelege God will continue it for perpetuity Quid multa How fearfull have the fruits been of such interdicts What are their Priests their Covents of Monks and Nunnes many of them other then Stews And here by the way let me minde and monish you that you be not over-ventrous in binding your selves by vow to measures of gracious performances though in Christian duties beyond assurance of ability in the promise or something equivalent from God Suppose a man should by vow binde himself never to doubt of the promise of God never to admit wandring thought in his prayer or hearing c. The vow were rash and may prove a snare to the conscience For first Where hast thou promise God will give such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to Abraham Secondly Where hast thou promise thou shalt never conflict with doubting never have thy attention disturbed with wandering imaginations The main of the graces for their substance God hath promised the measure and degrees he hath kept in his own power to dispose more liberally or otherwise as he shall see expedient for every mans salvation The third caution respects the intention and minde of the vower which varies the case so far in vows that it makes them and the offers therein vowed either pleasing or abominable in Gods sight though perhaps the matter it self be possible and lawfull as for example to vow as Rechabites abstinence from wine or strong drink is not simply unlawfull to vow abstinence from such or such a meat c. not simply unlawfull for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things left to liberty to be taken or refused and so thou mayest carry thy self in such vows that thy
as * Psal 106.15 Israelites desiring flesh when leannesse was withall sent into their souls There are three things that hinder such motions of love to our God First That many scarcely acknowledge any work of providence in swaying these outward things supposing all guided by nature or fortune Secondly That we look not through second causes to the chief and principall sender whose but instruments these are Hab. 1.16 17. And we in part the like as if the vigour of the disease because of Nature stayed or as if the cold of the time were the onely cause of mitigation whereas if we would speak or think as Christians we should see God in the means Thirdly The proud opinion of merit if any thing in the world overthrows it I shall never beleeve any Merit-monger doth or can think himself beholding to God for any his favours bestowed on him for while he thinks he hath obliged God unto him by his devotion how doth he not rather think God ows him thanks rather then himself any way indebted unto him But that our hearts may the better be stirred up to the Duty Consider we First our no-merits our Merita malae yea how stained the very prayers we made were with manifold blemishes as doubtings of obtaining coldnesse of affection c. Secondly See misery of the want Thirdly Preferment God hath given thee in it Fourthly The sweetnesse in enjoyment passeth all treasures Cant. 8.8 The whole substance given for love would be contemned surely it is something that * Numb 22.18 Balaam said if Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord yet said the Apostle of him he * 2 Pet. 2.15 loved the wages of unrighteousnesse and ran greedily after the * Iud. ver 11. reward power of providence restrained but when Will restrains and we so highly prize Gods favour that for no thing never so precious we will adventure his offence this is supernaturall Lastly All things work together for the good of them that * Rom. 8.28 love God VERSE II. Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live THis Verse containeth another part of that fruit that the mercy of God brought forth in him A Vow of limiting his Devotions to God wherein are two things observable First The matter of it Secondly The incentive or motive In the first take notice of the thing resolved of Invocation of Gods name Secondly The time In diebus meis in my dayes as the Hebrew bears it or as it is rendred in our last best Translation As long as I live Secondly The motive is because he hath inclined his ear unto me Because he hath inclined his ear Take heed ye here conceive nothing grosly of the Godhead as if he had any such fleshly or bodily member as eye or ear c. God is a * Ioh. 4.24 Spirit a substance * Luke 24.39 incorporall immateriall but as David teacheth to interpret hereby he signifies not the instrument but the faculty and ability to do what by these bodily organs we perform Psal 94.9 The inclining of the ear signifies the bending of our best attention to take notice of what is spoken for such gesture we use when we desire thorowly to understand what is said to us see Psal 45.10 Pro. 22.17 Psal 86.1 it is that with Psal 130.2 he calls attentivenesse of the ear yet withall somewhat else is imported namely the Lords demitting and humbling himself so low as to take notice of his petitions Prov. 22.17 and Ier. 7.26 and 25.4 Pro. 5.13 As if he had said Sith the Lord hath pleased so low to demit humble himself as to attend to my prayer therefore c. And certainly it is a matter of marvell as to me it seemes that the great God of heaven and earth should stoop so low as to regard the prayers of the sonnes of men so every where it is accounted by Saints and they are a little astonished at the wonderfulnesse of it so David * Psal 103.5.6 who is like the Lord our God who dwelleth on high and yet humbleth himself to behold the things in heaven and earth And observe Davids stile of this mercy of God to men expressing ever matter of wonder as Psal 107.6 8. and 19.21 and 28.31 compare Psal 102.17 18 19 20. and 17.6 7. shew thy marvellous loving kindnesse Ps 31.21 22. he hath shewed me his marvellous loving kingdnesse because he heard the voice of my supplications And certainly if ye please to compare the greatnesse of Gods Majestie First with the infirmity of man in his best estate Secondly With his quality as it is now depraved Thirdly Considering the quality of our prayers Fourthly The preferment we have in it above Angels ye will see in it mercy no lesse then marvellous See Salomon admiring it 1 Kings 8.27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth Vox admirantis non dubitantis behold Heaven of heavens cannot contain thee yet wilt thou here manifest thy presence by hearing prayers What is * Psal 8.4 and 1 Chron. 29.14 man and who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer c. confer v. 12. but consider him as depraved the wonder grows yet more marvellous as it is amplified Ps 107.6 8 19 21. that the Lord should humble himself so low as to hear prayers of sinfull man provoking him daily with his sins And what prayers full of doubtings wanderings coldnesse of affection c. and see our preferment First Above Angels as Heb. 2.14 for hither also may that amplification be referred Secondly To other men not of the Church Deut. 4.7 what nation so great to whom God comes so nigh as the Lord our God to us in all that we call unto him for Do we enquire reason of it None can be given save this onely Deut. 10.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.4 the love of God to man and there is no marvell if that love of God to man amongst all Gods loves hath its speciall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. are not read but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his specialty of favour is this Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse Vse and declare the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of Adam How can we amplifie the kindnesse of great men of Kings as * Hest 5.11.12 Haman nay if it be a farre meaner man a Basket-justice or a petty Gentleman that vouchsafeth us a greeting or grants a request how pride we our selves in it How do we never satisfie our selves in praising their courtesie their affability their humility And yet they do but duty are men of our own mould subject to * Iam. 5.17 like passions as we Oh that there were such hearts in us towards our God who is so ready to hear us that King of kings and
not of their minde who ensure truth of religion by outward things I know the primary rule is Gods word But Secondly when Gods word hath so clearly warranted our religion and withall we see the might of his marvellous Acts in prospering those states and kingdomes that professe it It is a secondary argument to encourage us to continue in the grace of God I beseech you brethren think upon this above all other duties when I am dead and gone Above all nations that ever were Christian never saw any more plentifull tokens of Gods favours then we if we shal now turn back to Popery take heed lest he make not us a spectacle to all the Churches of the world as he did the Jews Now the good Lord unite our hearts to fear his Name to continue in the grace of God to limit and appropriate our religious services and devotions to that God whom we have so often experimented to be so gracious unto us that by no imposture of the wicked we may be drawn away and fall from our stedfastnesse To him for his mercies in hearing our prayers be glory for ever and ever Amen VERSE III. The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of hell gat hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow THis tends as I think to explication of what is foresaid of Davids fervent love and vowing himself Gods servant For it may be demanded What is the favour of God so great that thus maketh thee devoted to his fear I 'le tell you I was in misery inextricable and he helped me Three things we have here to be noticed First Davids state in this Verse Secondly His behaviour Vers 4. Thirdly The event Vers 5 6. Sense The sorrows of death compare Psal 18.5 Act. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pains of Death yea as it were of a woman in travell compassed me as Psal 40.12 and 118.10 11 12. so that there appeared no possible way of escape Pains of Hell Sheol that is Mortiferi Lethales Deadly and Mortall Sheol oftentimes in Scripture signifies the Grave as Gen. 37.35 and 42.38 and 44.29 31. sometimes Hell of the damned Psal 86.13 Deut. 32.22 Ps 9.17 The summe is Pulls and straights of mischief so great as seem to threaten me with Death In a word so called First Either by similitude like or proportioned to them Secondly Effective such as threaten me with Death and the Grave Deadly Hellish are the pains and torments I feel Found me See Gen. 44.34 Now so calls he the perils he was in from Saul and other persecuters by Metonymie of the effect sorrows for perills because they wrought in him such Deadly and Hellish sorrow as in the end of the Verse Observ But so see what straights of trouble what perplexed sorrows and inextricable pulls Gods dearest Saints are sometimes plung'd into see 2 Kings 19.3 Children come to birth and there is no strength to bring forth his whole Church see in like straights Exod. 14.10 13. Three children Dan. 3.21 Daniel himself Dan. 6.16 see Psal 88.3 What Reasons See Deut. 8.2 There was a nearer cut into Canaan then by the wildernesse and such as wherein they should not have fallen upon so many exigents Red sea Famine Thirst c. Why that way Psal 10.4 5 6. the ungodly is so proud he cares not for God neither is God in all his thoughts especially when all things are prosperous then flourisheth this pride That cursed nature we have all in us except by grace and gracious means it be restrained or reformed Marry when extremity of pain and perill comes as David notes of the Israelites Psal 78.34 and as it is noted also of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.12 13. then they sought God shortly then it was to pull down their pride and to drive them to their God in true devotion Secondly To prove what is in their hearts as it is said of Ioseph that the word of the Lord * Psal 105.19 tryed him the basest Persian will be a * Hest 8.17 Jew to enjoy their privileges and I doubt not but there are some who endure some fight of afflictions but when it comes to matter of exigent and extremity ye then see them to flie off from God and say it is * Mal. 3.14 15. vain to serve him Thirdly To glorifie his power and mercy and grace in their deliverance or sustentation 2 Cor. 12.9 to see a creature so frail with constancie to endure fire frying sawing asunder Heb. 11.37 lie long as Lawrence and yet insulting over the fury of Tyrants and daring them to do their worst who can but say Digitus Dei est hic The finger of * See Exo. 14.13 God is here and none but his Fourthly To teach us saith * 2 Cor. 1.8 9. Paul not to trust in our selves but in the living God How loth is nature how hard is it in grace not to * Pro. 3.5 leave a little to our own wisdome and power that oft till all other hold-fasts fail us we forget to cast our care upon God or to relie upon him The Lord to beat us off from these sometimes permits unto extremities Take heed how ye condemn broken reeds Vse men of God in sincerity for this because God writes * Iob 13.26 bitter things against them lest ye condemn the generation of the just yet so did the wicked in Davids time Psal 22.8 and Psal 71.11 You must Know First That Gods love is not known by * Eccles. 9.1 outward things Secondly And what think you of our Saviour A man of * Isa 53.3 sorrows and extremities and who saw as many exigents as any Yet of him proclaims the Father from heaven He is my * Mat. 3.17 beloved Sonne in him I am well pleased But Secondly is it not strange Gods children should so judge of themselves on this occasion Certainly it is true what censure they would tremble to passe on others in like case they spare not oft to passe on themselves Of all passages in the story of Iob that one thing wonders me that with all the pleading of his friends whereby they labour to prove him hypocrite yet still he maintains not that he was without sinne but void of grosse hypocrisie Thirdly Think not when thou comest to Gods service and hast for Gods cause forsaken the world as * Iudg. 17.13 Micah therefore God must now blesse thee in outward things especially whilest precisely thou keepest this way First Where is thy promise absolute and unlimited I dare say thou canst not alledge one Secondly Hast thou a privilege above all Gods servants or hath God or will he for thy sake make another way then by the Crosse Act. 14.22 I know God is pleased to respect our infirmities yet without some afflictions and perhaps exigents canst thou hope to enter Gods kingdome or think thou walkest with a right foot to the Gospel see 2 Tim. 3.12 Thirdly Hast thou not learnt that God
save sinners Saint Peter to Cornelius Act. 10.34 I perceive of a truth that God is no respecter of persons David Psal 147. He bindeth up the broken in heart he tells the number of the starres Why goes he not on in his numeration Devotion wills him to notice this observation Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite The benefits thence accruing to us are specially two First It is an excellent strengthening of faith concerning all truths God hath revealed touching his Nature and Will ye may observe Gods owne servants sometimes overtaken with doubtings of the Attributes of God of his Mercy and Grace the Prophet Psal 77.7 8. of his Truth Ieremiah Ierem. 15.18 Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a Lyar and as waters that faile Of his Power Zechariah Luke 1. and Sarah Gen. 18. yea Moses who had so often seen the power of God yet at a time doubted Num. 20.12 Here now hath Observation place as a potent means to strengthen our Faith The Nature of God and Conclusions touching it we have delivered in the Scriptures and had we no experiment are bound to beleeve them the evidence of all and arguments demonstrating them we have in his works of Creation and Providence specially in the things that we see wrought before our eyes To this end tends the History of Scripture and had we wisedom we should observe in the daily proceedings of providence towards others towards our selvs what would silence the godlesse thoughts of Infidelity Justice Trueth Power Mercy Goodnesse c. we daily experiment and yet fools as we are observe not No marvell then if in time of Temptation our Faith grows so languishing A second benefit thence issuing is hope of obtaining what ever good thing we experiment according to the promise of God See 1. Sam. 17.36 37. in David and Paul 2. Cor. 1.10 and 2. Tim 4.17 18. David goes farther to time of forefathers Psal 22.4 5. And the reason is good such as the Lord hath been to others to us so will he be to us if we resemble in behaviour I say as Moses Oh that this people were wise Vse that we had all this wisedome to observe the Lords Actions of Justice Mercy Providence Truth Goodnesse to others to our selves There lives not the man on earth but tastes all these in his own person yet how few are they that observe them So of Threatnings Sundry precious Promises are given unto us faith * 2 Pet. 1.3 Peter Not one I dare say but his Children rightly qualified have seen or may see exemplified That he will be a God to the righteous Parents and to their seed who can but observe certainely it ravisheth me to consider and though weak in Faith and much conflicting with doubtings yet it strengthens my Faith to see Gods Grace towards others So of Comminations for Drunkards Whoremongers c. I see it daily exemplified Why doubt I But surely if in our own particulars we would be observant we should much more be fortified David fetcheth it ab ovo from his Birth from the Wombe of his mother * Psal 139.13 On thee was I cast from my mothers wombe thou hast been my God from the wombe I beseech you be exhorted to this point of Prudence beleeve me no more if you see not Athisme Infidelity Distrust Unthankfulnesse Disobedience all evills die in you Two things there are that hinder it First Opinion of fortune in all these Accidents of common life as if there were no providence guiding them yet to a Sparrow our Saviour extends * Mat. 10.29 it yea even to * Pro. 16.33 Lots the things most chanceable Secondly The second hinderance is the ascribing the good or ill successe of our lives to the means if evil to our imprudence or wilfulnes if good to our own wisdome industry whereas alas What is our All except the Lord give the * Psal 127.1 blessing The second thing observable in this passion of devotion is the passionate and devout expression and celebrating with due praise the attributes of God which he had experimented so filled he is with ravishment in the contemplation that interrupts his speech he cannot expresse the benefit but first he celebrates the praise of the attribute like passages you may observe many in reading the Psalmes speeches broken and seemingly interrupting the sentence and making a kinde of solecisme when yet if you truly did understand the affection of a soul truly devout you will finde them most pertinent Ephes 2.4 5. The Apostle intends to remembrance the people of their blessed change of estate from being dead in trespasses and sinnes to spirituall life the speech would have passed full enough for the sense in the simplest commemoration but mark how devotion interposeth God which is rich in mercy of his great love wherewith he loved us hath quickened like see 1 Tim. 1. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant in faith and love Do you ask me a reason of it and I ask you Why doth the Sunne shine Why doth fire burn No man can give reason of it It is the nature of the creature and this is the nature of devotion Marry if you would ask me a reason why he should so do I could give many but it is impertinent to the point in hand we handle not now matter of duty to urge obedience but matter of property that tends rather to triall And so make use of this point see how thou art affected when thou meditatest the many benefits God hath done to thy soul feelest thou such motions as these thy belly as * Iob 32.19 Elihu speaks is full as bottles of new wine thou must speak to the praise of God else thou breakest as Ieremie I cannot hold it is well and I blesse thy soul my belly saith David Eructabit shall belch out thy praise But on the deadnesse of our indevout hearts in this behalfe We can sometimes speak of the blessings we enjoy from God and perhaps we sometimes expresse our noticing the hand of God teaching these favours to us but shew me the man of Davids spirit that breaks out into the magnifying of the grace or mercy or power or goodnesse of God In a word two faults I observe in this kinde in us First That either we languish in the praise of the God that hath done so great things for us and with a little bare lip-thanks passe over his benefits Secondly Else are not distinct or particular in noticing the speciall attributes we have experimented me thinks I would have a Christian so skilfull in this kinde that he should know to what property of God he should ascribe every benefit he enjoys every work or operation of God to his creatures in some shine wisdome in some goodnesse in some long-suffering in some patience in some grace and mercy in some justice c. But the wisdome of a Christian should be this to be so distinct
will and unfained desire or strenuous endeavour Rom. 7.18 but meerly from defect of ability Evidences of it you may thus number First Notes of sincerity When it is according to all Gods Commandments Luke 1.6 that there is not a duty nor parcell of duty which wittingly and willingly a man omits see also Psal 119.6 Understand it thus First As farre as knowledge and illumination goes and opportunities are offered for their performance the whole of mans duty Paul Tit. 2. hath referred to three generall heads First Purity Secondly Justice Thirdly Sobriety In one of these all hypocrites have failed in all of these Gods children are found upright Secondly Constancie in Gods service without defection accompanies sincerity Psal 119.33 It is not the hypocrites flashes Matth. 13.21 be they never so eager and fervent that forms our services to sincerity Iehu drives in fury Better the slow pace so we keep going in the right way and sooner we come to our heaven yet pardon we must all pray for interruptions in courses of obedience as Peter David and for our standings at a stay for abatements of our fervour when the temper of the Angel of Ephesus shall as not seldome light on us Rev. 2.3 Thirdly The contentment and chearfulnesse and * See 1 Chron. 28.9 Ephes 6.7 Isa 58.13.14 willingnesse we finde in doing God service specially is remarkable Psal 40.8 I am content to do thy will O Lord saith David glad of occasion to do God service Oh that my heart were made so direct Ps 119. whereas it is a wearinesse to the hypocrite Mal. 1.13 Movites hereunto First Weak services sincerely performed have acceptance with God more then the more glorious that are done in hypocrisie Pro. 15.8 Secondly Defects are winked at Lord how many while in the main the heart is upright see in Asa and Iâ—hoshaphat c. Thirdly The reward certain The Mean remains Before God Meditation of Gods Omnipresence see Ps 139. Heb. 4.12 1. Chr. 28.9 To ignorance or unbeleef or inconsideration of this principle we may impute hypocrisie all evills see Ps 10.11 and 73.11 and 94.7 Thus for confirmation of our judgements in that principle First Let us consider Gods effects in his creatures he hath given us eyes to see ears to hear hearts to understand and can we then suppose himself void of that faculty see Ps 49.9 Secondly We are his workmanship our thoughts and motions of our hearts are for the substance of them his operations the ill application is from us the draught is from God Thirdly His word in our mouthes searcheth to the discerning of the thoughts Heb. 4.12 and this me thinks should make an Athiest say God is in us of a truth see 1 Cor. 14.25 Fourthly Our conscience hath this power 1 Ioh. 3.20 How much more God who is greater then our hearts c. Lord Thou hast dealt graciously with thy servants and magnified thy mercy to us in this kingdome pardon we pray thee our unthankfulnesse stirre up our hearts to more diligence in thy service lest we provoke thee to make us spectacles of thy wrath as thou hast hitherto graciously made us of thy mercy And Lord purge our hearts of the leaven of hypocrisie that in singlenesse of heart we may serve thee To this end cause us alwayes to consider that we are in thy presence to whose eyes all things are naked and uncovered Hear us we beseech thee and answer us for thy Sonne our Saviours sake Jesus Christ Amen VERSE X. I beleeved therfore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted COnnexion this Why all this Answ I beleeved therefore have I spoken the sense see 2 Cor. 4.13 The particulars are 1. His Act. 2. The issue or fruit of that Act. In the Act again we consider 1. What it is to beleeve 2. What it was that David here now beleeved For the first First There is doubting that is when a man hangs in aequilibrio in even poyse betwixt both parts of the Contradiction as suppose the question were Whether Adam fell immediately upon his Creation Secondly There is suspition that is When a man hath some inclination to beleeve the thing to be true meerely out of the possibility of the thing to be as suppose the question were Whether Christ should have been incarnate if man had never fallen Thirdly There is opinion that is when a man hath some probabilities inducing him to beleeve the thing propounded to be true as if the question were Whether we shall know each other in heaven Fourthly There is Science when a man upon certain demonstrative proofs assents as upon certainty to the Trueth of the thing propounded suppose the question to be Whether there be a God whether this God be one Fiftly There is Fides when a man firmly assents to the trueth of the proposition not for argument probable or demonstrative but for the authority of the Testis or witnesse that doth speak it as for example Whether God be One and Three There can be no argument a priori brought to demonstrate it onely because God testifies it to be so Who best knows himself and the divers manners of existance Now firmly to assent to this Article is an Act of Faith What was it that David professeth here to beleeve Answ It was That he should walk before God in the land of the living The quaere is Whence was this Testimony Answ It might be that he had as * Isa 38. Hezekiah his word from God that hee should live to raign over Israel notwithstanding all the oppositions of Saul Nay questionlesse it is true he had from Samuels mouth such assurance that he should raign over Israel 1. Sam. 16.12 Secondly There is a Two-fold Testimony of God First One is Verball Secondly Another is Reall as for example When the Apostles preached Christ to the Gentiles they testified it was he whom God had appointed to be Saviour of the World this was a Verball Testimony Secondly But God confirmed this word by miracles by signes and wonders This was a Reall Testimony Heb. 2.4 But whereto serveth all this Answ It is well if from this you understand the nature of Faith wherein who almost erres not not every perswasion or firm assent to a thing as true is divine Faith Saint Paul saith of himself before his Conversion Act. 26.9 he thought and was perswaded he might do many things against the Name of Iesus according to that of our Saviour * Ioh. 16.2 They that kill you shall think they do God good service And who makes question but these all were lead by a word of God sounding to their apprehension such as carryed away their Conclusion cleare I am perswaded it is true there is many a Papist in this Kingdom thinks truly and is throughly perswaded that all the errors of the Trent Councill are Gods Trueth and they are not all so sottish but they see Texts of Scripture alledged to that end And what can you think of
Now unadvised resolutions are in two senses named as there is a twofold ground for counsell to direct it self by First The one is as Saint Paul calls it Flesh and blood carnall reason whereon a man deliberating shall finde a ground for the corruptest action to warrant and encourage to it Secondly Now David he tells us of another Rule Thy statutes are the men of my Councell Psa 119.24 Now thus think though according to flesh and blood they may seem advised resolutions yet think if they be not in their First Matter Secondly Measure Thirdly Manner of carriage subject to Gods Law they are in Religion unadvised resolutions see Rom. 8.7 Yea be they never so wise yet so farre as they are not guided by religion they are unadvised they are foolish 1 Sam. 16. How long wilt thou mourn for Saul is there no end of thy sorrow This makes it Carnall and take heed it occasion not more crosses Ionah 4.4 When Ionah was so over-angry for Gods sparing Nineveh saith God unto him Doest thou well to be angry It was unadvised Anger It seemed an advised perswasion which the elder brother would have fastned upon his father Reason he had for it He hath spent thy living with Harlots It is true yea but he is a Penitent is it not meet then we should joy Luk. 15. I love not to particularize I know not what warrant I have for it but this let me say Whatsoever affection of wrath or love or Grief is not in the ground and measure of it subject to the law of God that 's unadvised Whatsoever resolution seem it never so warrantable in Reason is not subject to the Law of God that 's carnall and to be reputed as foolish and unadvised Not to accept submission of a Penitent not to joy in his penitency which Angels and Saints yea God himself doth not to notice the least degree of Grace and for it to thank God not to cherish that Grace by all means be it never so little c. These Resolutions are not from above but they are Carnall Sensuall I pray God not * Iam. 3.15 Devillish also VERSE XII XIII What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. THe second effect or fruit sprung in David from meditation of Gods mercy and grace in his deliverance the summe of it is publique thankesgiving The Conveyance is in a Rhetoricall consultation or deliberation with himself as a man at a stand or in a muse seeing his many obligations to God by such favours vouchsafed yet not able to recompense something he knew must be done What he should doe as best pleasing to God he studies and deliberates with himself and at last resolves The parts are Two First The Addubitation ver 12. Secondly The Answer or Resolution ver 13 14. He supposeth then there is something which God expects from man in regard of his favours vouchsafed him Wherefore it is blamefull in Hezekiah that he * 2 Chro. 32.25 rendred not according to the Lords kindnesse That question of Moses Deut. 10.12 Now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee supposeth that there is something expected exacted Whence is that tart reprehension Deu. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord Yet take heed you erre not not as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a recompence sufficient for the least favours done unto us our righteousnesse * Psal 16.2 and Iob 22.2 and 35.7 extendeth not to him saith David Thousands of Rams ten thousand rivers of Oil Mic. 6.7 all are too little Our Selves our Lives our Souls our Bodies Rom. 12.1 They are not Beneficij Compensatio they are onely Testimonies and signes of Thankfulnesse so exacted and so onely accepted You have heard I think of Meritum Congrui amongst Papists and though not under that tearm yet some such thing is pressed by others that there is a congruence a meetnesse a kinde of duty God owes to his creature in respect of his own Nature whereby he is obliged to do good unto it because it is his creature Mentior If I think not the generallity of our people in this point Popish though ignorantly so willingly they take notice of what God owes them out of his Nature so hardly are they brought to understand the duty they owe to God How many gracious benefits have we do we daily receive from God His mercies saith the Prophet are * Lam. 3.23 renewed every morning And meet they should for he that made us must save us But what must he do that is made Nothing For life motion * Act. 17.28 being Owe we nothing to our God for the marvellous deliverance of our brethren preservation of our souls from pestilence Is there nothing due to our God Not so much as obedience Not so much as mending what is amisse Not so much as parting with the momentany pleasures of sinne Yet well fare the old heathen And I am perswaded they shall rise up in judgement against us and shall condemn us there was not a victory or a deliverance but wrung from them a sacrifice to those idols which they adored as God Christians onely forsooth God is of congruity at least obliged unto c. Looke you First Congruity of doing good to the creature in respect of God ariseth not from any thing he owes to the creature but of that he owes to himself in respect of his own Nature Secondly To say truth there is no obligation of him to the creature but what ariseth from his voluntary and free promise Promittendo se fecit debitorem and whatsoever men or Angels can claim from God they must claim it Sub titulo promissionis Thirdly Let us weigh that the things which God commands us or exacts from us he exacts not for his own benefit before ever man or Angel was he was God all-sufficient and he made not the world to acquire any thing to himself which he was or had not for he is El-Schaddai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to manifest and to communicate his goodnesse to the creature and the end for which he commands or exacts duty from us is for our good Deut. 10.13 in keeping the Commandments there is great reward to wit to the keeper not to the Prescriber Fourthly That this our want of rendring to God occasions First The diminishing of his blessings Secondly Yea the utter removall so we read how the Gentiles were not thankfull for the light of nature therefore God takes from them very naturall conscience Rom. 1.26 Thirdly Nay usually turns blessings into curses in stead of favours powers down wrath as on Israel What shall I render You may not think David ignorant of that he enquires of Moses had long ago resolved it Deut. 10.12 and himselfe here vers 13. and Psal 50. see also Mic. 6.6 7. What then means the question Answ Two things David commends unto us
they failed in the manner The things I commend unto you in this behalf First See to the state and condition of your persons that you be truely penitent and as David * Psal 66.18 regard no wickednes in your hearts for best duties from such are an abomination to the Lord. Secondly See to this That there be a concord betwixt thy action and affection thy pretence and intention there is nothing which God more abhorrs then hypocrisie in his service for it is both contrary to the simplicity of his Nature and withall argues the basest opinion of God that may be as if he were a God that saw not the hearts Thirdly Let it come cheerfully from thee whatsoever thou performest to God 1 Chron. 28.9 non quantum but ex quanto not what thou bringest but with what good affection and cheare thou bringest is accepted God loves a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 What shall I render The second thing David here commends to us in this his Rhetoricall question is The nature of a heart truely thankfull the best it can render he thinks too base for the Benefactors to whom he renders it see 1 Chron. 29.14 15. First If we compare what we render with what God conferrs Heaven for Earth Deeds for Words Himself for Nothing his Sonne for lesse then Nothing Secondly If we way how in nothing we obliged him for who hath given him first see Rom. 11.35 but onely his meere grace and mercy because he had a favour to us Thirdly How ill we deserved at his hands having sold our Birth-right as Esau for Pottage so we for an Apple Genes 3. Tit. 3. Fourthly How weak and imperfect the purest services are that come from us to him stained as menstruous Clothes Isa 64.6 Prove it as one maine difference twixt Gods true Children and Hypocrites in the Church Cain for forme brings an offering as doth Abel Gen. 4. but God had respect to Abel's not to Cain's Cain brings at adventure any thing he thought would serve his turne Abel brings of the first fruits and the fat of the flock Mal. 1. The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded Halt or Blinde so it were a sacrifice all was well c. Who can in this kinde excuse himself The prime and vigour of our life how have we spent upon the service of Satan our best wits how have we tyred and wasted in vanity The Refuse that age hath left us how hardly affoord we to our God The Attention we yeeld unto Gods Word is it comparable to that we yeeld to a Judge or a Justices charge The Threats of our God do we so tremble at as at the Threats of Men The kindnesse of God do we so value as the favour of Men we do not such is our sensuality such our more love of men of our selves then of our God who yet hath done so great things for us The better to enlarge our hearts to this duty let us consider First That God hath bestowed on us the choice and prime of his favors in all kinds As we are men Reason As his Church his Word his Word not onely purely but plentifully preached Yea his Spirit his Sonne Himself Thus hath he magnified his kindnesse to us Wretched men that we are can we think our best Devotions too good for such a God Secondly Compare our selves with other Churches He hath given us Peace while they are turmoyled in the tumults of Warre Victory when they have been subjected to many Foyles Security and Safety while they dayly carry their lives in their hands Liberty to serve him while they many in corners are forced to steal their Devotions Thus hath God magnified his Mercy to us and yet c. Thirdly Compare our selves with our Brethren in our own Church and Kingdome we shall see God hath vouchsafed us our preheminence It is well towards Thirty yeeres that you have had here the word of God purely and sincerely taught you there be neighbouring Congregations that since the dayes of Superstition never yet enjoyed the blessing to have a preaching ministry setled amongst them If we speak to the Blessing in hand Them God hath delivered over us he hath preserved Fourthly Compare our selves with our Brethren and Neighbours living all under the same means of Salvation How many see you still living and dying in grosse ignorance of God in wilfull Rebellion and Disobedience And yet there be those again that may say God hath blessed the means of grace to them their eyes are enlightned to see their hearts affected to love and obey his Truth Surely if such men can satisfie themselves with an ordinary measure of duty I shall wonder VERSE XIII I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Lord. AN answer to the demand Poculum Salutis The Cup of Salvation You may not think this to be our Drunkards Health God never warrants either drunkennesse or drinkings with excesse of riot to any 1 Pet. 4.3 and yet I am perswaded that profane Custome hath originally grounded it self from hence St Ambrose in his time speaks of some Custome they had to drink Pro Salute Imperatorum but well converts it to Oramus pro Salute Imperatorum The God we serve is not the Idoll Bacchus to be propitiated with drinking or drunkennesse It is devotion and obedience that pleaseth him I could fill you with Expositions but Quorsum This understand The Jewish Church had three kinde of sacrifices First Holocausts wherein the whole was offered by fire unto the Lord neither Priests nor people partaking in them Secondly Sinne-offerings and Trespasse offerings wherein part was burnt unto God the residue was the Priests portion Marry the Sinner or trespasser partook in it Thirdly They had Peace-offerings Levit. 7.11 which were offered in liew of deliverance and safety from God Whose Rite was this That thereof part should be offered to God part accrued to the Priests the residue to the Offerer and those whom he invited to partake in the Feast Examples hereof see 1 Sam. 16.3 Prov. 7.14 and which is most to purpose because I think we have thereof what was done according to the promise here It is said of David He offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings unto the Lord 1 Chron. 16.1 What is this to Poculum Salutis The Cup of Salvation in my Text Answ The Cup of Salvation is by a Synechdoche as much as Sacrificium salutis that is as much as to say A Sacrifice or Banquet made for the people in respect of safety and deliverance vouchsafed unto David read diligently the story 1 Chron. 16. Now if ye ask me the Reason of the Institution Why the people of the Jews must thus upon their deliverances offer such Peace-offerings and with a Banquet liberally eating and drinking before the Lord Answ First One reason seems this namely To stirre up the Offerers themselves with more chearfulnesse and alacrity to praise God for his mercies Secondly If ye respect others it was
Me thinks he would teach us to draw any other with our selves whatsoever he be though it be by the belly to glorifie the Name of God and I assure you I am of his minde and dare avouch it pleasing to God if Saint Paul could say when Christ was * Phil. 1.18 preached whether by pretense or in sincerity I know not but that we may say so God be pleased whether for a little countrey or a great one and if I be not deceived this is the reason Saint Paul urgeth on us to do good to all Gal. 6.10 and our * Matth. 5.16 Saviour Let men see our good works that if nothing else yet the taste of our table-chear may draw them to God surely me thinks whether by the belly or by the back we draw them to God so they be drawn it is not materiall God drew the Magicians of Persia by a * Matth. 2.2 starre fitting the means to their humour Christ his Disciples fishers by promising a fishing of better value and if we keep our selves to the humour of the people while the means are good and the intention honest what harm is it our Saviour fits parables to this end I shall seem a fool in speaking my minde yet I assure you I speak Gods truth and no man can on sound ground contradict me These outward curtesies that are common and publique I should advise Gods people to shew as much if not more to Aliens then to those who professe themselves Gods people My Reasons are First The slighting of them occasions blasphemy of the holy Name of God as if we preached no Doctrine of humanity understand relieving of naturall necessities is a work of humanity not onely of Christian duty Secondly Respect to them occasions their liking of our Religion the Faith that we professe so that without the Word they are wonne by our * 1 Pet. 3.1 conversation Understand This is a naturall notice Deus est beneficus bonus creaturis out of which Principle Heathens can judge whether our Religion be of God for true Religion fashions to the Nature of the God we serve We love I know not how enclosures of our favours to them who are actually the sonnes of God Saint Paul allows them to be prefer'd but if I mistake not he means in private not in publique or common Gal. 6.10 I am sure our God we serve loads with his * Matth. 5.45 temporall blessings the worst men and I know not how we can erre in imitating him VERSE XI.V. I will pay my Vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people A Second Branch of Resolution I will pay my vows Wherein are three things observable First The Act. Secondly The Matter Thirdly The Circumstances What is a Vow Generally a solemn promise made unto God with intention of obliging our selves to performance There is First Propositum Settled and firm * Act. 11.23 1 Cor. 7.37 purpose of heart 1 Cor. 7.37 which place Papists ill traduce to a vow for though a vow presuppose such purpose yet doth not purpose make up the whole nature of a vow Secondly Promissum a promise which adds to Propositum obligation of the Promiser and may be either to men or God when it is made to man truth is violated if performance follow not when to God not truth onely but piety is violated Religion binding to performance and of this nature is Votum Thirdly Iuramentum when to the promise an oath is added for confirmation the Promiser obliging himself to God under the penalty of a losse to performance now whether the thing promised be intended to men or God the oath binds Fourthly There is Votum wherein is a promise and that made to God for vowes and prayers have all the same Objectum cui because they are both Actus Religionis so differs it from a promise generally taken which may be made to men To which if you adde the other two First Solemnity Secondly And intention to binde our selves to performance ye have the full and perfect nature of a vow Kindes are diversly distinguished First By their matter some are Moraliter Pia as when the duties are Morally prescribed precepted here the vow increaseth the obligation examples we have Gen. 28. The Lord shall be my God see also Psal 119. and Psal 56.12 Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praises unto thee If any ask to what use such vows served Answ They are vertuous preventions of inconstancie in morall duties Secondly Monitours and excitements to more carefull observation Thus it fares with us often our necessity or perill oft wrings from us purpose and promises of more strict obedience the storm over-blown we are oft forgetfull of duty as Pharaoh as Israel the pious meditation of a sound obligation by voluntary vow laid upon our selves layes on us a necessity of performance whiles we think every omission of duty becomes a double sinne unto us First By breach of precept Secondly Of Vow Secondly There are vows Moraliter Impia such that of those good fellows Act. 23. who bound themselves by a vow by a cursing to eat nothing till they had slain Paul such frequent amongst Papists confirmed not onely by oathes but with the solemnest receiving of the Sacrament to murder Princes c. In which performances is double sinne First Factum impium A wicked fact done Secondly Abuse of so solemn an Act of Piety to Impiety Thirdly In the old Testament were another sort of vows of duties ceremoniall as of Peace-offerings Thanks-offerings of the severall things they enjoyed Levit. 27. which the people either in perills or otherwise of voluntary devotion vowed unto God see Psal 132. with these in the New Testament we have nothing to do Fourthly Yet something we have a little answerable thereto which may lawfully and conveniently become matter of our vows such I mean as are made De Diophoris or of circūstances in things that are De gonere bororum as to give Calvins instance Suppose a man should observe himself troubled with vain pride in using costly or curious apparell and to prevent this vanity should by vow binde himself to abstain from such attire or if by the use of some delicious diet he should finde himself infested with motions of luxury Nihilo satius fecerit then by vow to binde himself to abstinence and to put this knife to his throat as Solomons phrase is if he be a man given to appetite Like is to be thought of the vow of alms or consecrations to be made to maintenance of works of piety or charity though no necessity to vow yet lawfull and in some respect obligatory and binding Other distinctions of vowes there are many amongst Divines First Absolute made peremptorily without any condition expresse or tacite an example whereof see Psal 101. Secondly Conditionate which binde onely upon supposition Thirdly Temporary vows wherein a man bindes himself for a time or times to
send me hence Saint Austin Da quod jubes jube quod vis Reasons why it should be so are First It is all the Lord requires of us Deut. 10.12 Secondly It is the Condition of continuing them wherefore when either we grow slack in our acknowledgement or divert our selves to other Authours God is pleased to remove them from us Rom. 1.21 Gentiles cared not to keep God in their acknowledgment therefore Gods gives them over to their own hearts lusts Hos 2.8 9. She knew not that it was I that gave her her corn and wine and oyl c. therefore I will take away my corn in the time thereof Thirdly Adde hereunto that hereto is linked the increase of Gods favours 2 Sam. 12.8 If that had been too little I would have given thee more Oh that there were such hearts in us How would the Lord delight still to do us good marvellous have his favours been in the preservation and deliverances of our State yet what hath it bred but increase of our rebellions Should not the Lord be avenged on such a nation as this It is amongst others a notable presage of our approaching calamity that we have so turned his grace into wantonnesse and as Saint Paul speaks abused his long suffering and bountifulnesse to occasion of hardnesse of heart Rom. 2.5 See then and examine how Gods favours work upon thee It is something not to be despised amongst the testimonies of a gracious disposition to be wrought to acknowledgement and dutifull tendring of our selves unto God you shall never or seldome see that disposition in the unregenerate but the more they apprehend or taste the favours of God the more indulgent they grow to their own lusts Whether it be First That they apprehend not Gods good in them as they in the * Zeph. 1.12 Prophet He will do neither good nor evill Secondly Or whether they think him to work after the necessity of his Nature in loading them with his benefits Thirdly Or whether they think them merited by their own formality and lip-outward-performances Fourthly Or whether they misapprehend the Nature of God making him an Idoll made all of mercy and goodnesse though Saint Paul command to behold the * Rom. 11.22 severity as well as the bounty of God But let such mindes be farre from Gods people Certainly it suits not with grace is not in the ordinary course of it compatible with it Hos 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse and because there is mercy with him Therefore they will fear him Psal 130.4 Thus ye shall discern it in your selves or others excepting the common interruptions that accompany humane infirmity First Every new favour brings accesse to the measure of serviceablenesse to God That which Ichu speaks of Baal Ahab served Baal a little I will serve him much more 2 Kings 10. they much more truly say of their God therefore see the greatest Favourites have been most serviceable Moses more then Aaron or Miriam Num. 12. Saint Paul more then all the Apostles 1 Cor. 15.10 The woman in the Gospel loves much because many sinnes have been forgiven Luke 7. The means to frame our hearts thereto are First Observation and due record of Gods speciall favours to us they are * Lam. 3.23 renewed with every morning if we had the wisdome to keep a Diary of them a daily Register Experto credite they would warm our languishing affections Secondly There is a holy Reminiscentia calling to minde of ancient favours such especially as in times of our ignorance and vanity God bestowed on us even when we knew not God served lusts and divers pleasures how many his loving kindnesses did we experiment David thus fetcheth it Ab ovo Thou art my God even from my youth and on thee have I been cast even since my mothers womb see Saint Austin in his Confessions Thirdly Next see how little we have merited at Gods hand as * Gen. 32.10 Iacob I am lesse then all thy goodnesse and trueth which thou hast shewen me Fourthly How contrary our merits have been as Saint Paul amplifies it Eph. 2. Tit. 3. 1 Tim. 1.15 16. Fiftly How we have requited the Lord Deut. 32.6 since we have received mercy from him Sixtly How notwithstanding our slender retailings God still is pleased to crown us with mercy and loving kindnesse Seventhly How in our best performances we come short of our duties Isa 64.6 Rom. 7.18 so that all we can say is this we would do good yet evill is present Eighthly See how many are behinde us in the favours of God we enjoy He hath not dealt so with other nations Psal 147.20 And my servant Moses is not so Num. 12. Follows now the matter of the Protestation in which observe we the manner of utterance in two things First Rhetoricall Apostrophe Secondly Ingemination expressing either vehemencie of affection or ardour and heat of affection Secondly The grounds of service two First Filius ancillae see Psal 86.16 Secondly Thou hast broken my bonds see Nah. 1.13 Thirdly The expression of it ver 17. I will sacrifice praise We also have causes the same to subscribe and professe our selves the servants of God yea more by many then David here alledgeth for he instanceth in Temporall favours onely First We also are filii ancillae sonnes of his handmaid First Borne children of the Church Secondly Many of us having had Christian education under Christian Parents Certainly these much increase our obligation It is no small favour of God to be borne in the Church of God no slender tie to his service that accrues from our imitation by Baptisme thereunto if ye consider Turks Pagans Infidells what can you say of them but as Saint Paul of Ephesians Chap. 2. They are without God without Christ without hope aliens from the covenants of promise from the common wealth of Israel They do not-derogate from Gods mercy who say That without Gods extraordinary mercy they perish all in their sins die under guilt of eternall damnation Reasons First No name given under heaven whereby we can be saved but onely the * Act 4.12 Name of Iesus Secondly No means to partake him but the knowledge and faith of him The * Isa 53.11 Knowledge of my righteous servant shall justifie many Thirdly No means to know him ordinary but the * Rom. 10.14 Word Nor Creatures nor any Naturall notice can reveale him 1. Cor. 1.21 Secondly If we look back to ancient Times where was a feed of Election the Lord was pleased extraordinarily to grant means of Vocation so to Naaâ—an he sends him to the Prophet so to the Eunuch he sends him to Hierusalem and Philip to him Act. 8. Secondly If we consider other Assemblies of men that boast themselves to be orthodox Churches of God and are not so will the Blessing farther appear False and erronious faith in Fundamentalibus is as perilous as flat Infidelity for example To beleeve that there
is a God and to beleeve that this God is not Just or True or Mercifull is as perillous in point of Salvation as to be an Atheist and to think there is no God To beleeve that there is a Mediatour twixt God and Man the Man Christ Iesus and to beleeve he mediates or merits by us is as perillous as to beleeve There is no Mediatour twixt God and Man To worship God and the Creature as God is as perillous as to worship the Creature in stead of God To worship God otherwise then he will be worshipped or then he hath prescribed us to worship him in his Word is as dangerous as to be meerly without all worship 1 Sam. 15.21 Rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft and in vain they worship who worship after doctrines of men Mat. 15.9 And if this be the Faith and Religion of some so utterly unwarrantable so crossing to the word of our Faith the salvation of our souls I say If this be so then say not but it is a favour of God to be born in the Church where God is worshipped as he out and himself hath prescribed and wherein we have the true means of salvation and as they spake scoffingly to our Saviour The way of God taught truly This favour of God we all enjoy yet who is there who thinks his obligation to serve God hereby increased We dream of the Priveleges of the Church and think it sufficient we are born members of it without taking notice of what they binde us unto First Know every favour of God is an obligation to duty and the greater the favour the greater the obligation see Psal 118.2 3 4. Secondly Where the favors are vouchsafed and the service not performed the greater and heavier will be the vengeance They that sinned without * Rom. 2.12 Law shall perish without Law they that in Law by Law and Matth. 11. Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah are not so severely tormented as children of the Church Thirdly Take heed lest hereby we occasion the Lord to remove our * Apoc. 2.5 Candlestick to take from us the being of our Church and make us by wofull experience know the difference twixt serving God and serving Idols beleeving Christ and giving way to Antichrist If in the other Sense filius ancillae be interpreted Son of a gracious Mother such as Lois and * 2 Tim. 1. 3. Eunich were to Timothy certainly the favour is great and much increaseth our obligation to serve God to be borne and have education from religious Parents First Such birth brings us within the Covenant Gen. 17.7 1 Cor. 7.14 entitles us to the promises of this life and upon condition of resemblance and imitation to the promises of the life to come Secondly Advantageth us much towards Heaven whiles we have First Our information and nurture in the fear of the Lord. Ephes 6.4 Secondly The ayd of their Prayers and Counsells and Admonitions as * 1 Sam. 2.23 Eli Oh my sonnes do not so wickedly Thirdly Their daily example which by a kinde of naturall instinct we are inclined to imitate Lord me thinks what a shame and horrour is it to see a degenerous seed and how do I perswade my self horrour of conscience shall be one day augmented torments of Hell encreased to them who besides the ordinary and common means of salvation in the Church have had their birth and breeding under religious Parents I know not how we pride our selves in this that we can talke of the Devotion and Religion hath been in our progenitours and there are who stick not though profanely to say They hope for their Parents sake and through their faith and piety to go to heaven though themselves walke in the wayes of the wicked First Have you forgotten who said Think not to say We have * Ioh. 8.39 Abraham to our father Secondly Do you not remember who said That if the righteous beget a * Ezek. 18.14 24 Sonne that commits abomination He shall die in his sinne yea be the more tormented because he had so gracious birth and education Thirdly Have ye forgotten the distinction of children by birth and children by imitation As the righteous sonne of a wicked father dieth not for his fathers wickednesse so lives not the wicked sonne of a righteous father by the fathers righteousnesse see Ioh. 8. Wherefore you to whom God hath granted this favour of all others strive to excell in goodnesse and think as David your very birth of such Parents binds you to extraordinary serviceablenesse towards God VERSE XVI XVII Thou hast loosed my bonds I will offer to thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. THe second ground of his Service His Manumission which under this Trope of loosing the bonds Nah. 1.13 the signe put for the thing signified is signified how follows it Thy servant for thou hast freed me Saint Peter answers 1 Pet. 2.16 though free from other bondage yet still the servants of God this being the condition of our liberty received from other bonds that we might serve God As if David would teach us this lesson That our Christian liberty mancipates us unto God or That the freedome God gives us is but an exchange of our service so Zacharie Luk. 1.74 so Peter 1 Pet. 2.16 so Paul every where Rom. 6.18 being freed from sinne ye are made servants of righteousnesse and Gal 5.13 No where doth Scripture teach us That the liberty given us of God or purchased by Christ makes us nostri juris men at our owne absolute dispose to live as we list 1 Cor. 6.19 20. ye are bought with a price therefore ye are not your owne for though you be freed from other Masters yet his servants you are who hath manumitted you Where come to be reproved Two grosse sinnes of these Times First The Understanding Secondly Misapplying or misusage of our Christian liberty issuing there-from Of the first That worthy Doctrine of Christian liberty so plentifully taught by the Apostle from the Law how many be there that misunderstand It is true that Saint Paul saith Rom. 6. We are not under the Law but under grace and Gal. 3.25 Now faith is come we are no longer under the Schole-master and 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man c. with these grounds misunderstood how many runne wilde into all licentiousnesse Every man when his humour takes him taking liberty to sinne because he is not under the Law And when we explicate not under the Law Ceremoniall or Judiciall see the shifts licentious nature hath when they desire to be enlarged that Law is Jewish so Papists for Images a Law for Jews in respect of pronenesse to idolatry So Anabaptists from oathes imposed to decide controversies a Law peculiar to Jews for their rudenesse and propensity to sinne So some profane Antisabbatarians of the fourth Anabaptists of the fifth Gnosticks of the seventh
deal with wherein we have comfort except thus * 1 Tim. 4.5 sanctified unto us And if nothing else will move us let our own Necessities Temporall and Spirituall for let it be granted we enjoy all things to the full in things of this life yet how soon can God strip us of them How can he break the * Levit 26.26 Ezek. 4.16 and 5.16 staffe of bread that we shall eat and not be satisfied How can he give us up to that vanity Solomon speaks of To abound with all things yet to have * Eccles 5.19 use of nothing How can he make them snares unto us as the same Solomen speaks That our riches shall be reserved for * Eccles 5.13 hurt to the owner thereof Especially when as * Pro. 30.9 Agur intimates Fulnesse may occasion a deniall of God or a forgetfulnesse of him Whilest as David speaks Our hearts are * Psal 62.10 set upon them Whilest as our Saviour speaks the care in keeping and fear in loosing * Matt. 13.22 choke the word of God or whilest they become fewell to feed our corruption instrument◠of injustice luxury what not that evill is And for our spirituall estate supposing us to be in highest favour with God First How can we suppose it whilest in this duty we are negligent Rom 8.26 Zec. 12.10 Secondly have we attain'd perfection who can or dare say it Phi. 3.13 14. Thirdly Have we command of grace at our own pleasure to exercise it or to increase it experience of all humble hearts contradicts it see 2 Chron. 32. Psal 51. Fourthly In those graces that concern sense have we a promise of their continuance without interruption shew me it so peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost except perhaps we will condemn the * Psal 73.15 generation of the just or if any such promise be so according to Letter yet is it with limitation to our use of means amongst which this is the Prime Prayer unto God And if ever there were times to stir up to this duty now are the daies for us especially of this kingdome The prayer that * Psal 12.1 David makes is fulfilled to us Help Lord for there is not one godly man left the faithfull are minished from among the children of men behold and see our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too all in a tumult every man seeking his own humouring himself * Phil. 2.22 none the things of Iesus Christ the cause of the Gospel few take to heart a little sollicitous we seem to be of peace in our land but whether Religion sink or swim we are generally of * Act. 18.17 Gallio's minde We care for none of those things but What shall we do in the * Ier. 5.31 end thereof Remedy I know none for us private men but onely Preces lachrymae the old weapons of the Church The substance of Vers 18 19. hath been handled before in Vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PSAL. 117. vers 1. O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye people OPportunely we fall upon this Psalme this * On Whit-sunday 1637 Day wherein we celebrate the memory of those miraculous gifts conferred on the Primitive Church especially on the Apostles Act. 2. This Psalme presenting to our notice the great blessing of God in the vocation of the Gentiles whereto that gift of Tongues tended In the words consider we three things First Duty Secondly Persons whom it concerns Thirdly Ground of the Duty Vers 2. Lest the Application of the Psalme to Vocation of Gentiles seem impertinent Read Rom. 15.11 where ye shall observe the Apostle so applying it For farther understanding Know that from the dayes of Abraham and Iacob began God to limit his people to one Family and Nation before that time all being Quoad jus The people of God in their dayes was God pleased for the sinnes of other nations and specially for love to his people according to election to single out the seed of Abraham c. to be his peculiar people and to distinguish them by signes from others by signes I say of speciall Covenant as Circumcision in Abrahams family afterwards the giving of the * Rom. 9.4 Law and the services which was the Maceria spoken of the * Ephes 2.14 Partition wall mentioned by the Apostle insomuch that though all other people and kingdomes of the world retained the Stile and Title of Nations and people at large Yet none of the people of God save Abraham Isaac Iacob and their posterity And this enclosure of grace to them though ye reckon but from the giving of the Law to Christ when the distinction grew compleat unto Christ endured the space of above sixteen hundred yeers what time the Jews growing to height of Impiety were rejected of God and in their stead we Gentiles graffed in as Rom. 11.17 so that in Pauls time they were Concorpores and from that time to now have continued the onely body of Christ the fulnesse of him which filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 So long ago was God pleased to foretell the Calling of the Gentiles see Psal 2. and 50. and 97. What speak we of so late as David even in the very Covenant of Abraham it was signified as Gen. 17.5 and 18.18 and in the signe Rom. 4.11 If the question now be Why the Lord was pleased so long ago to foretell it Thus let him conceive First Predictio futurorum the foretelling of things to come I mean of Contingent things that have no cause in Nature are no small evidence of a Deity whereupon Isa 45. Idols are put to that issue Secondly The accomplishment of such Predictions are excellent nourishers of Hope concerning things to come which we behold onely in the Promise as Iehu makes the observation * 2 King 10.10 No word of God shall fall to the ground many gracious Promises are given us which yet are not performed c. Thirdly Besides God meant from the beginning of the Covenant to nourish his people Israel in the fear of his Name not willing to give them least occasion of being puffed up with Pride in respect of his speciall favour Wherefore also they are often afterwards by the Ancients of the Prophets put in minde of it see Hos 1. That a man would wonder save that blindnesse is come upon Israel in part to read how Jews of old and to this day are averse from the doctrine which teacheth entertainment of Gentiles into the Church of God If ye read the story of the Gospel there was nothing went more harsh in Christs doctrine then this of taking away the kingdome from the Jews and when Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles Act. 13 and 28. preached this doctrine he alwayes became unsufferable But thus deserve they to be blinded in plainest things that refuse obedience to the will of God Other Errors there are noted
therein First That in our rendrings to God we should not follow our self-wisdome or will but be well informed that what we perform be accepted unto him Saul professeth to mean well 1 Sam. 15.21 22. when he reserved of the best of the cattell for sacrifice yet for that he fulfilled his own wisdome more then Gods precept the kingdome is rent from him see also 1 Sam. 13.12 so also Paul Col. 2. Reasons First That may be plausible and pleasing in the eye of flesh which is abominable in the sight of God as when the Gentiles sacrificed sonnes and daughters to God who doubts but by parting with things so dear they thought to promerit God Yet mark Gods Spirits censure of them 1 Cor. 10.20 The things which Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice not to God but to devills Intentionally think you By no means but in as much as they followed therein their own and the devills will rather then Gods Prescript therefore they are said to sacrifice them to Devills Secondly You must remember what Paul hath Rom. 8.7 wisdome of the flesh so farre as it is not subject to the Law of God is enmity to him and if there were nothing else but this that it comes from his enemy God accepts it not Thirdly Nay see how the Lord rejects sacrifices which himself prescribed when in the manner of offering they swerved from his prescript Isa 66.3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man c. Why The things were prescribed for the matter of sacrifice Yea but they have followed their own wayes see also Isa 1.12 13 14 15. Who hath required these things at your hands God prescribed the things yet in as much as they were not indeed in the maner that he prescribed they are as if they had been meer will-worship of so much avail it is to be well informed of what God will accept That I may not runne out upon this occasion to tax all that will-worship in the Church of Rome let us be exhorted this to do We have all in present been partakers of the blessing by compassion of deliverance in our brethren if yet the bowels of compassion be in us personally of preservation for God might as well have stricken us as them as much merit in us as in them perhaps more then in many What shall we render Is a question meet for us We may fall on that that will more provoke him in that himself hath prescribed we may erre in the Modus Two things therefore I prescribe to every man willing to be informed of his duty in this kinde First That for the matter of his service to be sure that he hath Gods word for his warrant it is not difference of meats or strict keeping of Lent it is not numbring of prayers c. Who hath required these things at our hands These have their place according to their kinde and ends but the main of all is this First For the generall break off thy sinnes by righteousnesse Dan. 4.27 else fear a worse thing will come unto thee Ioh. 5.14 Secondly Order thy conversation aright Psal 50.23 that is in the actuall practise see thou conforme thy life to the Law of God Thirdly Serve him more diligently Hos 5.15 It is one end of Gods afflictions to quicken grace in us think not the wonted measure of service will serve the turn but now sith God gives thee rest from thy troubles and fears think he lookes for thy service doubled from thee if not in number of services yet in fervency of performance But if in this blessing we would know what God lookes for from us there is something for the quality of the judgement wherein we may inform our selves both for the sinnes God would have us flie from and duties he requires of us God usually proportions his judgements to the quality of mens sinnes Pestilence a contagious disease the breath the houses the air infects them that come in it What if this be one of the sinnes that God plagues Our neutrousnesse upon lewd society with Drunkards with Whoremongers with Idolaters leprosie it self nor pestilence is more contagious yet will we into such company we willingly sport our selves with their sinnes unwillingly we shall be plagued with their plagues It was wont to be a signe of righteousnesse not to sit in the assembly of * Ier. 15.17 and Psal 26.5 mockers precepts I am sure we have frequent Pro. 4. not to walk in the way with them and Ioh. 3. not to bid such God speed Reasons we have many First They shall be * 2 Thes 3.14 ashamed Secondly Others shall fear Yet herein faulty do we wonder if God send pestilence Secondly what if we say the spiritual contagion our selves carry about us and have cast upon our brethren occasion it If not in counsell and excitement yet at least by example 1 Cor. 5. Know you not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump I beseech you brethren think of this you especially that professe the fear of God abstain you not onely from evill but from * 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill hate you not the flesh onely but the * Iud. ver 23. garment spotted of the flesh Thirdly Ye are called to blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 Why then are curses of plague and pestilence wished upon your cattell your neighbours your children in your fury Is it pestilence or plague we would have You shall have it till God hath consumed you from off the earth these sins break off and think the leaving of these sinnes God specially now requires of us Would you know the positive duties God requires even from the quality of the judgement ye may be informed First the publike service of God in the Congregation how generally is it sleighted by the people any occasion will withdraw from it There was a Law for the Leper He must not till his Leprosie was cleansed come into the Congregation of Gods people the same by proportion is justly holden for the Pestilence I am perswaded God aimed at this That they that would not when they had health might not in their greatest Necessity approach to the Comforts that are tendred unto us Think then the Lord speaks to thee by this judgement as Saint Paul to the Hebrews Heb. 10.25 forsake not the gathering together of Saints for there is God specially many times extraordinarily present with his Ordinance Secondly Christian society of godly neighbours is that the Lord hath ordained for an under means to nourish and increase Grace in his Children Lord how generally is it sleighted What through Pride what through Malice what through Covetousnesse scorne we the company of Gods people we may need the help and society of the meanest And think God by this judgement calls thee to the duty Next for the Modus What shall I render Isa 1.12 Who hath required these things Isa 58.5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen The things were required but