had put his hand to the Plough Alexanders opposing because it sprung from extremity of malice towards the profession of godlinesse him he curseth The Lord reward him c. Weaker Christians who failed him from want of some measure of spirit and courage tetaining still a hidden love to the cause of Christ their names he conceales with prayer that God would not lay their sinne to their charge But whilst Paul lived in this cold comfort on Earth see what large encouragement had hee from Heaven Though all forsooke me yet sayes he God did not for sake me but stood by me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliver me c. In the words wee have in Pauls example an expressing of that generall Truth set downe by himselfe Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. So here affliction breeds experience of Gods mercy in our deliverance experience breeds hope of deliverance for the time to come and both his Experience and Hope stirres him up to glorifie God who was his deliverer so that here offer unto us to be unsolded 1. Pauls experience of Gods loving care of him in his deliverance past 2. His assured hope built upon his experience for the time to come set downe in two Branches 1. The Lord will deliver me froÌ„ every evill work 2. He will preserve mee to his heavenly kingdom 3. The issue hee maketh of both as they flow from Gods grace so he ascribes him the glory of both To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen For the first I finde that most both Ancient and Moderne writers by Lion understand Nerâ— that cruell Tyrant thirsty of blood especially of Christians Some also understand it to be a provetbiall speech to expresse extremitie of danger both which are true but if wee take the words in the just bredth of the Apostles intent we may by Lion understand the whole united company of his crull enemies as David in many places hath the like and by the mouth of the Lion the present danger he was in by reason of their cruell malice Whence observe 1. That enemies of the truth are oft for power alwayes for malice Lions 2. That God suffers his dearest children to fall into the mouthes of these Lions 3. That in this extremity of danger God delivers them For the second his hope built upon his experience both Branches thereof hath its limitation and extent The Lord shall deliver me not from evill suffering but from evill workes this hee could boldly build on he could not conjecture what he should suffer because that was in the power of others but he could build upon this what God would give him grace to doe and so he limits his considence He will deliver me from evill workes and he will preserve me from what from daâ—ger from death no here is the limitation He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome He will not preserve me from death and yet he will doe that whilst I can doe his service by my life but sure I am hee will preserve me beyond death to a state of security and happinesse He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome And then for the third after his experience confidence and hope wel built as his fashion is when his heart was once warmed he breakes our into thanksgiving in the consideration of Gods favours past and to come his tongue is large thereupon and God hath the fruit of it To whom be glory for ever and lastly he seales up all with the word Amen I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion c. Beloved by nature we are all Lions and nothing will alter us save the effectuall knowledge of Christ Education may civilize but not subdue A Sound knowledge of Gods Truth hath a changing power for when the spirit becomes tender and when the heart which lyes in a cursed estate under and in danger of the wrath of a iust God whose eye cannot spare iniquity unrepented of is cited and affrighted effectually by the spirit of bondage it will cast downe and pull sorrow from the strongst spirit making it melting and tender Againe in this estate when the soule hath felt favour shining upon it when the eye is opened to see the high prerogatives and exceeding riches of Christ when we finde ourselves that we are delivered from the Lions mouth wee cannot but shew that pity to others which wee felt from God our selves Paul thirsts as eagerly after the conversion of others now as ever he did for their blood before The Iaylor also a man by nature custome and calling hardened in the practice of cruelty yet after hee had felt the power of Gods blessed truth shewed forth those bowels of pitie hee felt from Christ which were shut before Let us then be thankfull that God hath changed us from being Lions and with meeknesse submit our selves unto Gods ordinances desiring him to write his Law not onely in our understandings but in our very hearts and bowels that wee may not onely know that we should walke harmelesse and full of good but be so indeed resembling him by whom we hope to be saved in a right serviceable plyablenesse to all duties of love And because our impersect measure of mortification in this life hinders us from a full content in one anothers communion let this make us the more willing to be translated to Gods holy Mount where being purged from all such lusts as hinder our peace and love we shall fully enioy one another without the least falsenesse or distrust then shall wee see totall accomplishment of these promises which are but in part fulfilled in this life That God suffereth his children to fall into the mouth of Lions or into some danger proportionable where in they shall see no helpe from him is a truth cleare as the Sunne The History of the Church in all ages shewes as much Was not Christ in the mouth of the Lion so soone as borne when Herâ—d sought to kill him Did not satan and all the spirituall powers of Hell daily come about him like ramping roaring Lions And hath it not been thus with Gods Church from Abel to this present as appeares by the children of Israel in Egypt at the redsea and in their iourney to Canaan being invironed round about with cruell enemies and dangers on every side like Daniel in the midst of Lions So farre God gave them up to the power of their enemies that the wisest of the Heathen iudged them a forlorne people hatefull to God and men For particular instances see Iob and David so neare as there was but a step betweene them and death Besides God often awakens the consciences of his children and exerciseth them with spirituall conflicts their sins as so many Lions stand up against them ready to teare their
to reconcile justice and mercy to Christ But what stirred up this wisdome of God Oh bowels of compassion to man he would not have man perish when the Angels did without remedy Therefore let us desire to be inflamed with the love of God that hath loved us so much All the favors of God in Christ tend next after satisfaction to justice to inflame our hearts to love him againe wherefore else are the favours of creation and Providence How sweet is God in providing for our bodies giving us not onely for necessity but abundance withholding no comfort that is good for us c. But chiefly in his Master-piece God would have us apprehend the greatest love of all other because there hee hath set himselfe to glorifie his mercy more than any thing else therefore wee may well cry with the Apostle Oh the height of his love c. I beseech you fixe your thoughts on this think not now and then sleightly of it but dwell on the meditation of the infinite love of God in Christ till your hearts be inlarged and warmed and inflamed with the consideration thereof and then love will set you forward to all good workes what need we bid you be liberall to the poore to bee good subjects just in your dealings c all this may bee spared when there is a loving heart And when shall we have loving hearts when they are kindled and fired at Gods fire when they are perswaded of Gods love then the apprehension of his love will breed love in our hearts againe and that is the reason why the Apostles are not so punctuall as heathen Authors in particularities of duties they force upon men especially the love of God and the ground-points of religion as knowing when the heart is seasoned with that once it is ready prepared to every good duty Thinke seriously of this The love of Christ constraineth mee ◠there is a holy violence in love there is a spirituall kinde of tyranny and prevailing in this grace One thing further wee may learne from this forsaking of Christ viz. that It is no strange thing for GODS deare children to bee forsaken To have the apprehension of their sinnes and the wrath of God to bee forsaken in regard of sense of all comfort doe we not see it done in the naturall sonne and shall we wonder that it is done in the adopted sonnes Wee see this forsaking was in the natur all branch and shall wee wonder that it is done in the grafted branches It was done to the greene tree and shal we wonder if it be done in the drie no certainly The whole Church complaines Psal. 44. Of drinking Gall and Wormewood that God was hid in a cloud c. both the head complaines and the body too as wee see in David Iob and other Saints so that there is a kinde of desertion and forsaking that the childe of God must undergoe What is the ground and end of it First Gods prerogative is such that sometimes when there is no great sinnes to provoke him to withdraw comfort yet will he leave holy men to themselves to shew that hee will doe as pleaseth him Another ground is our own estate and condition wee are here absent from the Lord strangers on earth now wee would take our pilgrimage for our Countrey if wee had alwayes comfort and new supplies of joy Againe our disposition is to live by sense more than by faith wee are as children in this wee would have God ever smile upon us that we might walke in abundance of cōfort and I cannot blame Christians for desiring it if they desire the work of grace in the first place if they desire the worke of God in them rather than the shining of comfort by the Spirit for that is the best worke Now because Christians desire rather to live by sight than by faith wherein they might honour God more he leaves them oftimes Sight is reserved for another world for the Church triumphant there wee shall have sight enough we shall see God face to face Sometimes Gods Children are negligent and keepe not a holy watch over their soules they cleave to the creature too much and then no wonder though God forsake them since they will have stolne waters of their owne and fetch comfort else-where But one maine ground is conformity to Christ he suffered for our sins and God will conforme the members in some measure to their head though Christ dranke the cup of Gods wrath to the bottome yet wee must sip and taste a little that we may know how much we are beholding to Christ and there are few that come to heaven few that truly belong to GOD but they know what sinne is and what the wrath of GOD is first or last the wrath of God is the best corrosive in the world to eate out sinne A little anger of GOD felt in the conscience will make a man hate pride and malice and all sinne whatsoever But for what end doth GOD leave his children as he did here our blessed Saviour 1 In regard of himselfe 2 In regard of his Children In regard of himself he leaves them that he may comfort them more afterwards that hee may bring more love with him and that they may love him more than before there will after a little forsaking be a mutuall reflection of love betweene GOD and a Christian God delights to shew himselfe more abundantly after a little forsaking and the soule inlargeth it selfe after it hath wanted the love of God for want inlargeth the capacity of the soule and want makes it stretch it selfe to receive more comfort when it comes God doth this for the increase of his love to us and of our love to him againe he both drawes nigh to us and goes away in regard of feeling for our good That wee may bee more watchfull over our hearts for the time to come that there may bee a more perfect divorce and separation wrought in us to the creatures our adulterous hearts have stolne delights that GOD likes not and therefore when wee have smarted for it in the anger and displeasure of God a divorce will bee wrought It is hard to work a separation from sinne sinne and the soule being so nearely invested together yet God therefore uses this way of spirituall desertion to effect the same Likewise to make a Christian soule ransacke and search the ground of all the comforts that are left him by God It wil make him rifle and search all the Scriptures Is there any comfort for mee poore wretch that am troubled with sinne It will make him search the experience of other Christians Have you any word of comfort for me It will make him regard a gracious man as one of a thousand it will make him stretch his heart in all the degrees of grace Have I any evidence that I am the Childe of God and not a cast-away It will make him
conceit a latitude and breadth in their courses that they may doe so and so and yet doe well at last but who tells them this Is it not a spirit of illusion Indeed punishment is often deferred it comes not like thunder and lightning all at once yet as sure as God is true sinne will be bitternesse in the end when the hony is gone the sting will remaine To conclude this point when we are tempted to any hurtfull designe let us look upon Christ and that great project for our redemption undertaken by him and reason thus with our selves Hath he plotted and wrought my salvation and shall I plot against him in his members I beseech you stirre up your hearts to conceive and bring forth good purposes Satan is an enemy to all strong resolutions and masculine conceptions indeavoring to kill them in the very birth Alas how many good thoughts are conceived whilest the word is hearing which yet prove abortive and sticke in the birth How few actions come to their due ripenesse and perfection I am sure our incouragements to good are farre more than our incouragements to evill we serve a better master and for better wages they may prosper for a time but nothing is more wretched than the happinesse of wicked men it first hardens them and then destroyes them Our onely way is 1. to get into Christ the true vine then wee shall take and beare fruit presently and draw and sucke out of him the same disposition 2. And then lay up good principles and looke with a single eye to the maine end of our life and see that all the particular passages of our life tend to that It is an arguement of a narrow heart to bewise in some particular businesse for some particular end and yet to bee carelesse in the maine Other creatures are carryed by a particular instinct to some particular thing A spider is witty to catch flies a bird to build nests c. As man hath larger parts so hee should have larger aimes That which we should especially labour for is 1. to bee good in our selves and 2. to doe all the good we can to others even as God our father is good doth good and the further our good extends the more we resemble our Father Such as we are such are our thoughts such are our devices A good man wil devise of liberal things c. Every vermine can doe mischiefe we see some are never in their element but when they are plotting or working mischiefe as if they were borne for no other end but to exercise the graces of men better than themselves It is a poore commendation to be counted a cunning person for selfe-ends alas the heart of man which is deceitfull above measure hath abundance of turnings and windings in it and can suggest trick enough to circumvent the best of us I come in the third place to our duty which is to Behold the ordinary beakon kindled to discover some extraordinary thing But what is here to bee beheld Behold the subtlety malice and restlesse indeavour of the enemies of goodnesse Is it not a matter with griefe to be beheld that one member should teare another that one professing the same religion should study to supplant and devoure another behold likewise their bootlesse enterprise they bring forth a lye But especially behold the mercy of God to his children his wisdome in discovering his justice in confounding the mischievous practises of their enemies making them the workers of their owne ruine The things which especially deserve our beholding are either 1. things excellent and so are all Gods works in their reason yea Iustice it selfe or 2. Things rare as comets and eclipses or else 3. Great things as starres of the first magnitude c. Even such and much more is Gods mercy to his children and justice against his enemies Behold what great things hee hath done for them Shall the heathen say so and shall not Israel much more Beloved wee ought to seek out Gods workes and shall wee not take notice of them when they are offered to our view this is especially the duty of the Saints of God All thy workes praise thee and thy Saints blesse thee saith David The workes of God praise him by our mouths by our tongues Were it not for some few that by a more divine light and spirituall eye see more of God than others doe what glory should God have in the world God hath not brought us on the stage of this world to be meere gazers but to extract something out for our owne use and to give him the glory of his excellencies But we are too wise to admire any thing it is a matter too meane for our parts to take notice of God and his workes you have some that can see nothing in the workes of God worth the admiring and yet they will have mens persons in admiration in hope of some advantage by them Wee are apt to admire any outward excellency like the disciples before the Holy Ghost came upon them who stood admiring of the goodly stones of the temple When our mindes are thus taken up it were good if we heard Christ speaking to us as he did to them Are these the things you wonder at Beloved it is our duty to observe speciall occurrences not out of any Athenian curiosity but to begin our employment in heaven now whilest wee are upon earth to take occasion from thence to blesse God We should compare the ruâ—e and the event together and observe what truth or attribute God makes good by that which is so fallen out see how God commenteth upon himselfe by his owne actions and from observation of particulars it is good to rise to generals as Deborah from the destruction of one enemy to the destruction of all So let all thy enemies perish O Lord This was Moses song and Hannah's and the Virgin Maries c. they mounted from a consideration of their owne particular and had their thoughts inlarged with the mercy and instice of God to others in succeeding generations And among all Gods works wee should more take notice of his mercy to the Church than of his iustice towards his exemies because his justice is as it were a foile to give lustre to his mercy God delighteth more in mercy as being his proper worke issuing from his owne bowels than in works of â—ustice that are occasioned by the malice of men God is wonderfull in his Saints and more in saving them than in destroying his enemies Considering therefore that mercy beares the chiefe office in the great workes of God we ought to dwell most in consideration thereof and feede our thoughts more with the meditation of his saving workes to his Church than of the ruine of his enemies We pray hallowed be thy name unlesse wee practise what wee pray for we mock God and deceive our owne soules Let not God lose any glory
which followes The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke Whence from the forme of the argument observe that We ought to reason with God from former experience to future yea it is a binding Argument with God he loves to be sued and pressed from former mercies and suffers them to be bonds unto him men will not doe so because their fountaine is soone drawne drie But God is a spring that can never be emptied as he was able to helpe in former time so hee is also for the time to come He is alwayes I AM JEHOVAH alwayes where he was his Arm is not shortened what hee hath done heretofore he can do now We should therefore register Gods favours â—hich is the best use wee can put out memories to and make them so many arguments to build upon him for time to come as David The Lord that delivered me saith he out of the pawe of the Lion and out of the pawe of the Beare will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Oh were we but acquainted with this kinde of reasoning with God how undaunted would we bee in all troubles we should bee as secure for the time to come as for the time past for all is one with God Wee doe exceedingly wrong out owne soules and weaken our faith by not minding of Gods favours How strong in faith might old men be that have had many experiences of Gods love if they would take this course every former mercy shoâ—ld strengthen our faith for a new as conquerours whom every former victory incourageth to a new conquest So old favours should helpe us to set upon God afresh But what is the limitation here from every evill worke which words we will first touch a little severally and then consider more particularly of them Sometimes God speakes of duties as they issue from man because indeed the will is mans from whence the duty comes and therefore the Scripture speakes as though the duty came from us because the powers are ours from whence they spring Sometimes the Scripture speakes of holy duties as they issue from a higher power from God so here The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke he meanes that God would stirre up his heart to a care to avoid evill workes We are agents and patients in all we doe we are agents because the powers are ours we are patients because the Lord doth all Now it is the language of the holy Ghost for the most part when he speakes of good duties to goe to the fountaine especially when faith is to bee strengthened But how doth God deliver By keeping us from occasions or by ministring strength if occasions be offered by giving occasions of good and by giving a heart to entertaine those occasions He preserves us from evill works by planting the graces of faith and of feare in us whereby wee are preserved and by peace which guards our soules from despaire and tumultuous thoughts yea hee preserves us from evill workes through faith unto his heavenly Kingdome In a word God preserves his children by making them better by weakning corruptions by his Spirit stirring up a cleare sight and hatred of the same in them and by withdrawing occasions which might prevaile over us and by keeping us from betraying our selves unto them by chayning up Satan untill our strength be such as may incounter him a great mercy it is though little thought on that God lettetâ— not loose Satan upon us every moment how should this stirre us up with David to thankfulnesse and dependance upon God He delivers also wicked men from dangers not out of any love to their persons but because he hath some base service for them to undertake to exercise the patience of his children and vexe others better than themselves which is not fit for godly men to doe They are onely gods Rod and their deliverance is no preservation but a reservation to worse mischiefe it is not a bettering deliverance But God delivers his graciously not onely from danger but from those evill workes they are subject to fall into in their danger it is not ill to suffer ill but to doe ill For doing ill makes God our enemie suffering ill doth not doing ill staines and defiles the soule and blemisheth the Image of God in us suffering ill doth none of this doing ill â—inders communion and acquaintance with God suffering ill doth not God is more immediately acquainted with the soule in suffering ill Doing ill is the cause of all iâ—s suffering ill comes from doing ill the ill of sinne is the ill of ils because it is evill it selfe and the cause of all other evills whatsoever We may thanke our ill in doing for our ill in suffering and therefore the Apostle is well assured what he sayes The Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke not from every inward infirmity and weaknesse but from every evill worke that is scandalous and offensive to him It is an aggravation of ill when it is manifested for then it either taints orgrieves others Indeed so soone as the resolution of the soule hath passed it when the will resolves on such a thing it is done both in good and evill before God But in regard of the world and of the Church we live in the bringing of the worke upon the stage as it were is an aggravation of evill because besides the hurt which is done to evill men good men are either hurt or vexed at it Therefore the Apostle saith The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke This a Christian should especially labour for that God in all things would keepe him free from sin Yea this differenceth a Christian from another man take a carnall man when hee is like to fall into danger he studies how to get out of suffering evill not how to prevent doing evill hee plots devises and intangles himselfe in his owne wit and makes the matter worse by equivocation and such like sinfull courses as we might learne from the Papists if we had not enough from our owne breast But Pauls care was to be delivered from evill workes For a man indeed is never overcome let him be never so vexed in the world by any till his conscience be crackt If his conscience and his cause stand upright he prevailes still In all these things wee are more than conquerors saith the Apostle The meaning is sufferings cannot quell our courage they cannot staine our conscience they doe not hurt the cause but it gets victory in despight of them so that our courage is undaunted and our conscience abides unstained let it be our care therefore to take heed of evill workes Looke into the world and see what is the care of most men we converse with oh if they can get such a place if they can get such an estate I but it cannot be had without finful abasement without cracking of conscience and unlawfull engagement O say they it is
every way he carryed himselfe as much as earth would suffer him as they doâ— in heaven Certainly He that hath the hope of a heavenly kingdome is pure as Christ â—s pure He endeavours and aimes to be holy as God is holy who hath called him Faith is of efficacy to conforme a Christians carriage to the likenesse of him whom he beleeves to be so excellent And therefore they are insidels and have no saving faith prophane persons who live in sinnes that staine their consciences and blemish their conversation not beleeving that there is a heaven Deceive not your selves neither Whoremongers nor Adulterers nor Extortioners c. shall inherit the kingdome of God Doe men who live in these sinnes without remorse thinke to come to heaven as though they should come out of the puddle to heaven no no away you workers of iniquity I know you not faith Christ. Let no man cherish presumptions of a heavenly kingdome except hee abstaine from all sinnes against conscience The Apostle when hee would urge to holiness of life uses this argument If you be risen with Christ seeke those things that are above where Christ is at the right hand of the Father Well let us oft I beseech you present unto our soules the blessed condition to come which will be effectuall to quicken and stirre us up to every good duty and comfort us in all conditions whatsoever What will a man care for crosses and losses and disgraces in the world that thinkes of a heavenly Kingdome What will a man care for ill usage in his pilgrimage when he knowes he is a King at home Wee are all strangers upon earth now in the time of our absence from God what if we suffer indignities considering that we have a better estate to come when we shall be some body What if wee passe unknowne in the world It is safe that we should doe so God will preserve us to his heavenly kingdome and all that we suffer and endure here it is but a fitting for that place David was a King annointed many yeares ere hee was actually possessed of his Kingdome but all that time betweene his annointing and his investing into the Kingdome it was a preparing of him by humility that he might know himselfe and learne fitnesse to govern aright So wee are apointed Kings as soone as we beleeve for when we beleeve in Christ who is a King Priest and Prophet wee communicate with his offices we have the same blessed anointing powred on our Head and runnes downe about us But we must be humbled by crosses and fitted for it wee must bee drawne more out of the world and bee heavenly minded first Would you know some rules of discerning whether heaven belongs to you or not In brief doe but remember the qualification of them that must reign those that labour daily to purge themselves of all pride and self-confidence that see no excellencie in the creature in comparison of heaven that see a vanity in all outward things which makes them humble in the midst of all their bravery those that see themselves empty of al without Gods favour The poore in spirit c. theirs saith Christ is the Kingdome of Heaven 2. Faith makes us Kings because thereby wee marry the King of Heaven the Church is the Queene of Heaven â—and Christ is the King of Heaven Where this grace is in truth happines belongs to that soule 3. Those that are Kings have aâ—royall spirit the hopes of a yong Prince puts into him a great deale of spirit otherwise perhaps above his disposition So all that are Kings have a royall spirit in some measure which naiseth them above all earthly things and maketh them see all other things to bee nothing in comparison of Christ to bee but drosse and dung as holy S. Paul saith Those therefore that are slaves to their base justs to riches honour pleasure c. know not what belongs to this heavenly Kingdome What doe men thinke to reigne in heaven when they cannot raigne over their owne hase corruptions Wee see David prayes to God for an inlarged spirit that hee might bee capable of the best things and certainely those that have this knowledge are of a spirit above the world more excellent than their neighbours as the Wiseman saith You cannot shake them with offers of preferment or with feares they will not venture their hope of eternity for this or that base earthly thing they are of a more royall spirit than so I beseech you therefore let us discerne of our spirits what they are whether God hath stablished us with a free spirit or not the kingdome of Heaven is begunne upon earth the doore whereby wee must enter in is here Those graces must be begunne here which must fit us for happinesse hereafter as the stones of the Temple were first hewne and then laid upon the Temple so wee must bee he wne and fashioned here ere we can come thither those that are not fitted and squared now must never thinke to be used of God as living stones of his Temple then A word now of Pauls use of all and so I conclude To whom be glory for ever and ever When he had mentioned the heavenly kingdome and set himselfe by faith as it were in possession of it hee presently beginnes the employment of heaven to praise and glorifie God even whilst hee was on earth For faith stirres us up to doe that which wee shall doe when we obtaine the thing beleeved it is called the evidence of things not seene and makes them as it were present to the soule Because when we are in heaven indeed we shall doe nothing else but praise God Faith apprehends it as if he were now there for all is sure to faith God having said it who will doe it and sets the soule upon that employment here which it shall have eternally with God hereafter It is therefore Christian wisdome to fix our soules on good meditations to have them wedded to good thoughts to have those praeclar as cogitationes beâ—itting Christians that may lead us comfortably in our way to heaven Let a man thinke of Gods deliverances past and that will strengthen his faith for the future deliverances Let him thinke of future deliverances and that will lead him to a kingdome to praise God and this praising of God will stretch his soule forâ—ver and for ever as if there were no time sufficient to glorisie God that is so excellent and glorious What a blessed condition is this to have Gods spirit warming our soules and perfuming our spirits with holy ejaculations continually putting us upon the employment of heaven till at length it hath safely brought us thither Here then is the use of al uses What is the former use which Paul makes of the experieÌ„ce of Gods deliveraÌ„ce The Lord hath delivered me aud therefore he will deliver me but what use doth he make of this that God
will deliver him To glorisie God here is the end of all ends to praise God happy wee when Gods end and our end meet together Hee hath made all for his owne glory and when wee with a single eye can ayme at that too what a sweet harmony is there To direct us in this duty in praising God let us with Paul for I goe no surther than the text leads me seriously meditate on Gods mercies both past and to come nothing moves thankfulnesse more than this A Christian when hee lookes backwards hath comfort and when he lookes forward he sees comfort still for preservation and Kingdomes and Crownes abide for him If a man would praise God therefore let him consider how graciously God hath dealt with him Hee hath delivered me already by Jesus Christ from sinne and eternall wrath and he will deliver mee from every evill worke to come that may indanger my salvation Thinke of these things and see whether your hearts can bee cold and dead or no see if your spirits can be streightned Certainely both heart and mouth will be full thou canst not but say in the apprehension of Gods mercies To him bee glory for ever 2. Consider the kindes of favours thou receivest they are either positive or privative spirituall or temporall Positive the Lord will preserve me privative the Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke Temporall the Lord in this life will keepe me spirituall he will deliver me from the power of sin Eternall Hee will preserve mee to his heavenly Kingdome Thinke forward or backwards outward or inward spirituall or temporall where ever you looke tell me if you can doe otherwise then breake out with the holy Apostle in the praises of so good a God And 3. Thinke of the greatnesse of all these the greatnesse of the deliverance from sinne and damnation The Apostle to make himselfe the more thankfull saith he was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion he had large apprehensions of Gods goodnesse So should we beloved consider the greatnesse of the misery we are in by nature being slaves of Satan in danger to slip into Hell every moment and when God hath secured us from this thinke of the greatnesse of the benefit a heavenly kingdome When we think not only of the benefits but of the greatnesse of them it is a wondrous incouragement to bee thankfull Labour then to have a due and high esteeme of every mercy God hath brought us out of darknesse into marvellous light saith the Apostle Great is the mystery of godlinesse and the unsearchable riches of his grace he had not words bigge enough to expresse Gods goodnes Oh the heighth and bredth and depth and length of his love When we consider these dimensions our thankfulnesse must be answerable Againe if you would bee thankfull Labour to have humble spirits to see God in all things and then you will sacrifice to him alone not to thy parts and graces friends abilities c. the meeke are fit to pray to God Seeke the Lord yee meeke of the earth and an humbled meeke soule is the fittest to praise God of any other he that knowes he is worthy of nothing will blesse God for any thing he that knowes he hath nothing in himselfe will be thankfull for the least measure of grace an humble soule is a thankfull soule We see it was Pauls disposition here he gives all to God which makes him so breake out in praising his name Againe if wee would bee thankfull as Paul here and beginne Heaven upon Earth Labour to be assured of salvation and perseverance in thy Christian course The Papists that speake against Assurance and Perseverance kill prayer and praising of God Shall a man praise God for that which he doubts of I cannot tell whether God will damne me or not perhaps I am but fitted as a sheepe to the slaughter c. how shall a man praise God for any blessing hee enjoyes when these thoughts are still with him how shall a man praise God for salvation when perhaps he shall not come to it how shall a man praise God for that which perhaps he may fall from before hee die when perhaps hee is Gods to day and may be the Devills to morrow How can there bee a hearty thankes but when a man can say The Lord will deliver me from every evill work that by mine owne weaknesse and Satans malice I may occasionally fall into betwixt this and Heaven Therefore if we would praise God as we should let us worke our hearts to labour after assurance of Gods favour let us redeeme our precious time and every day set some time apart to strengthen our evidences for heaven which will set us in a continuall frame to every good worke Thus wee see out of Pauls example how we should be disposed here to be in heaven before our time For undoubtedly he who praiseth God is so much in Heaven as he is given to thankfulnesse for hee is in that imployment now which shall be there altogether But how long doth he desire that God should have glory For ever and ever A Christian should have the extent of his desires of Gods glory carried to eternity Upon what ground because God intends him glory for ever and ever a Christian that is assured of his salvation is assured that God will eternally glorisie him He knowes that Christ is King for ever He knowes that Christ is a Priest for ever He knowes that the state and condition that he is kept for is everlasting It is an inheritance immortal and undeâ—iled that fadeth not away and therefore he saith Hath God eternall thoughts of my good and is Christ an eternall head an eternall King to rule me both in lise and in death Surely I will extend my desires of his glory as farre as hee extends his purpose to doe me good Now his purpose to doe mee good is for eternity and my desire that he may have glory shall be â—or eternity world withont end This is the disposition of a gracious soule not that God may be honoured by him alone but of all To whom be praise not by me but by all I am not sufficient enough to praise him To him be praises in the Churches throughout all ages for ever David had not largenesse enough in himselfe to blesse God and therefore hee stirres up his spirits and all within him to praise his holy name as if all were too little to set out the glory of Gods infinite goodnesse mercy wisedome and power those gracious attributes that shew themselves glorious in bringing man to salvation and in governing the Church Learne this duty therefore If we will make good to our owne soules that we are in the state of grace we must plot for eternity and indeavour to lay a ground and foundation that the Church may flourish for eternitie No man can warrant himselfe to be a good Christian but he that labours to
in the day of tryall And wee should labour that our obedience bee free and cheerfull alwayes upon the wing as we say for that is Euangelicall obedience Gods people under the Gospell are a voluntary ready people zealoâ—s of good workes Oh beloved did we but consider what GOD hath done for us here and what hee meanes to doe for us in another world how would our hearts be inlarged in duty to his Majesty did wee but consider of his inestimable love in the Lord Christ pardoning such wretches as wee are and not onely so but accepting our service and us to life everlasting taking us from the lowest misery to the highest happinesse from the lowest hell to the highest heaven of traytors to be Sonnes of slaveâ— to bee heires of the Kingdome c Oh did wee but seriously consider and beleeve these things how would they warme our hearts and make us plyable and constant to every good worke and way The Apostle having tasted the sweet favour of GOD in Christ might well use it as a motive to quicken others I beseech you by the tender mercies of Christ c. He knew this was a powerfull argument and if that wrought not upon mens hearts nothing would Let our obedience therefore be cheerefull for now wee are not in the oldnesse of the letter we have not a Legall Covenant since Christs comming but wee serve God in the newnesse of the Spirit that is coÌ„sidering that the Spirit is given in more plenty since his ascention wee should bee more spirituall and heavenly in our service of God considering that our Head is already entred into that high and holy place and wee ere long shall bee present with him having but a spot of time to passe here below how ready and zealous should wee bee in obedience to Gods will and not suffer a heavy lumpishnesse and deadnesse of spirit to cease upon us in holy performances but I hasten to the second Amplification THE DIFFICVLTY OF SALVATION SERMON III. If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare BY righteous here is meant that Euangelicall righteousnesse which wee have in the state of the Gospell namely the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us for Christ himselfe being ours his obedience and all that hee hath becomes ouâ—s also and whosoever partaketh of this righteousnesse which is by faith hath also a righteousnesse of sanctification accoÌ„panying the same wrought in his soule by the Spirit of God whereby his sâ—nfull nature is changed and made holy for if any man be in Christ hee is a new creature The same Spirit that assures us of our interest in Christ purifies and clenseth our hearts and worketh a new life in us opposite to our life in the first Adam from whence flowes new workes of holinesse and obedience throughout our whole conversation There must bee an inward inherent righteousnesse before there can bee any workes of righteousnesse an Instrument must bee set in tune before it will make musicke so the Spirit of God must first worke a holy frame and disposition of heart in us before we can bring forth any fruits of holinesse in our lives for we commend not the works of grace as we doe the workes of Art but referre them to the worker all that flowes from the Spirit of righteousnesse are workes of righteousnesse When the soule submits it selfe to the spirit and the body to the soule then things come off kindly Take a man that is righteous by the spirit of God hee is righteous in all relations he gives every one his due he gives God his due spirituall worship is set up in his heart above all hee gives Christ his due by affiance in him hee gives the holy Angels their due by considering hee is alwayes in their presence that their eye is upon him in every action he doth and every duty hee performes the poore have their due from him those that are in authority have their due if he be under any hee gives theÌ„ reverence and obedience c. He will owe nothing to any man but love hee is righteous in all his conversation he is a vessell prepared for every good worke I deny not but hee may erre in some particular that is nothing to the purpose I speake of a man as hee is in the disposition and bent of his heart to GOD and goodnesse and so there is a thread of a righteous course that runs along through his whole conversation the constant tenure of his life is righteous he hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse and labors to be more and more righteous still every way both in justification that he may have a clearer evidence of that as also in sanctification that he may have more of the new creature formed in him that so hee may serve God better and better all his dayes Now if this man shall scarcely bee saved where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare where you have two branches 1. The righteous shall scarcely be saved 2. The terrible end of sinners and ungodly Where shall they appeare c. Now in that the righteous man thus described by me shall scarcely be saved consider two things 1. That the righteous shall be saved 2. That they shall scarcely bee saved What doe I say the Righteous shall be saved he is saved already This day is salvation come to thine house Iaith Christ to Zacheus Wee are saved by faith and are now set in heavenly places together with him wee have a title interest to happinesse already there remaines onely a passage to the Crowne by good workes We doe not as the Papists doe worke to merit that wee have not but wee doe that wee doe in thankfulnesse for what we have because we know we are in the state of salvation therefore wee will shew our thankfulnesse to God in the course of our lives How can we misse of salvation when we are saved already Christ our Head being in heaven will draw his body after him What should hinder us the world Alas wee have that faith in us which overcometh the world as for the flesh you know what the Apostle saith Wee are not under the law but under grace the spirit in us alwayes lusteth against the flesh and subdues it by little and little neither can Sathan or the gates of hell prevaile against us for the grace we have is stronger then all enemies against us GOD the Father is our Father in Christ and his love and gifts are without repentance when once we are in the state of salvation Hee will preserve us by faith to salvation and wee are knit to God the Sonne who will lose none of his members the marriage with Christ is an everlasting union whom he loves he loves to the end As for God the Holy Ghost saith Christ I will send the Comforter and hee shall bee with you to the end The blessed Spirit
our selves generally well in all our sufferings 2. In particular Wee must doe well to them that doe us wrong First I say in afflâ—ction our carriage must bee generally good in respect of God by a meeke behaviour under his hand without murmuring against him 2. In regard of the cause of God that wee betray it not through feare or cowardise through base aymes and intentions c. but indeavour to carry it with a good conscience in all things when wee make it cleare by managing any thing that wee are led with the cause and conscience of our duty it works mightily upon them that wrong us 1. It winnes those that are indifferent and 2. CoÌ„founds the obstinate and stops their mouthes Therefore let us carry our selves well not onely before but in suffering we may not fight against them with their owne weapons that is be malicious as they are malicious and raile as they raile Beloved this is as if a man should see another drinke poyson and hee will drinke too for company he is poysoned with malice and thou to revenge thy selfe wilt bee poysoned too What a preposterous course is this Ought wee not rather to behave our selves as befits the cause of Christ as becomes our Christian profession and as befits him whose children wee are Wee should have an eye to God and an eye to our selves and an eye to others and an eye to the cause in hand so wee shall doe well Wee must not commit our soules to God in idlenesse doing nothing at all nor yet in evill doing but in well doing We must have a care if wee would suffer with comfort not to study how to avoid suffering by trickes so to hurt the cause of Christ this is to avoid suffering by sinne to leape out of one danger into another Is not the least evil of sinne worse than the greatest evill of punishment What doth a man get by pleasing men to displease God perhaps a little ease for the present Alas what is this to that unexpressible horrour and despaire which will one day seise upon thy soule eternally for betraying the blessed cause and truth of Christ How can wee expect God should own us another day when we will not owne him in his cause and his members to stand for them now thinke on that speech of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me or of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when hee commeth in the glory of his father Therefore avoid not any suffering by sinne see how blessed S. Paul carried himselfe in this case The Lord saith he hath delivered me and will deliver mee from what from death no from every evill worke What will God keepe him from evill sufferings No for immediately after he was put to death what then why hee will preserve mee from every evill worke that is from every sinfull act which may hurt the cause of Christ or blemish my profession this was it Paul chiefly regarded not whether hee will preserve mee from death or trouble I leave that to him but this I hope and trust to that he will preserve me froÌ„ every evill work to his heavenly kingdome Thus should it bee with every Christian in the cause of religion or in a cause of justice c. for there is not any good cause but it is worth our lives to stand in if wee bee called to it It is necessary wee should be just it is not so necessary wee should live A Christians main care is how to doe well and if hee can goe on in that course he is a happy man But I cannot doe well but I shall suffer ill Labour therefore to carry thy selfe well in suffering evill not only in the generall but even in particular towards those persons that doe thee wrong endeavour to requite their evill with good there is a great measure of selfe-deniall required to bee a Christian especially in matter of revenge to pray for them that carseus to doe good to them that persecute us c. and so heape coales of fire upon our enemies heads How is that There are 1 Coales of Conversion 2. Coales of Confusion You know Coales doe either melt or consume if they belong to God wee shall heape coales of fire to convert them and make them better by our holy carriage in suffering If they bee wicked gracelesse wretches we shall heape coales of fire to consume them for it will aggravate their just damnation when they doe ill to those that deserve wel of them Some will say Christianitie is a strange condition that enforceth such things upon men that are so contrary to Nature It is so indeed for we must be new moulded before ever wee can come to heaven wee must put off our whole selfe and he is gone a great way in Religion that hath brought his heart to this passe None ever overcame himselfe in these matters out of religious respects but hefound a good issue at last It is a sweet evidence of the state of grace none better when a man can love his very enemies and those that have done him most wrong it is an argument that such a man hath something above nature in him What is above nature if this bee not for a man to overcome himselfe in this sweet appetite of revenge Revenge is most naturall to a man it is as Sugar as the Heathen saith and for a man to overcome himselfe in that it argues the power of grace and godlinesse in such a one As Christianity is an excellent estate an admirable advancing of a man to a higher condition so it must not seeme strange for those that are Christians to bee raysed to a higher pitch of soule then other men Sâ—e how our Saviour dealt in this particular Father forgive them they know not what they doe and so likewise Stephen being led by the same spirit of Christ desired God not to lay this sinne to their charge and so all the Martyrs in the first state of the Church when the blood of Christ was warme and the remembrance of Christ was fresh were wont to pray for their enemies committing their soules to God in well doing I beseech you let us labour by all meanes possible to bring our hearts hereunto if any thing overcome this will doe it to suffer well The Church of God is a company of men that gaine and overcome by suffering in doing good Thus the Dove overcomes the Eagle the Sheepe overcomes the Wolfe the Lambe overcomes the Lyon c. It hath beene so from the beginning of the world meeke Christians by suffering quietly have at length overcome those that are malicious and have gained eveÌ„ their very enemies to the love of the truth What shal wee thinke then of the greatest part of the world who never thinke of suffering which is the first lesson in Christianity but study their ease and
feete carry me to such and such filthy places and abominable courses mine owne heart tels mee that I fight against thee my Creator with those very limbes and weapons which thou hast given me Beloved the conscience of this so stifles the voyce of a wilfull sinner that not withstanding he acknowledgeth himselfe to bee Gods creature yet hee cannot with any comfort plead for mercy at his hand in times of distresse But to a right godly man this is an argument of speciall use and consequence in the midst of troubles he may alleage this and it binds God to helpe him Wee see great ones when they raise any though perhaps there is little merit in them yet they call them their Creatures and this is a moving argument with such to polish their owne worke still and not to desert them Will it not be a prevailing argument with God then for a Christian to pleade with him Lord thou hast raised mee out of nothing yea out of a state worse than nothing I am thy poore Creature forsake not the work of thine owne hands We may see what a fearefull thing sinne is in Gods eye that the works of our hands should make God depart from the worke of his hands as hee will certainely doe at the day of judgement Depart you cursed c. though we bee his creatures yet because wee have not used those gifts and abilities which hee hath given us to serve his Majesty hee will not indure the sight of us in that day But that you may the better practise this duty of committing your soules to God take these directions First see that thou bee thy owne man it is an act of persons free to covenant our soules must bee ours before wee can commit them to God Naturally wee are all slaves to Sathan the Strong man hath possession of us and therefore our first care must bee to get out of his bondage to which purpose we should much eye the sweet promises and invitations of the Gospell alluring us to accept of mercy and deliverance from sinne and death as Come unto mee all you that are weary and heavy laden c. and so cast the guilt of our soules upon God to pardon first and then to sanctifie and cleanse that we may no more returne to folly but lead an unspotted life before him for the time to come It is therefore a silly course and dangerous which poore worldly wretches take who think Lord have mercy upon them will serve their turne and that God will certainly save their soules when as they were never yet in the state of grace or reconciliation with him nor never had any divorce made betweene them and their sinnes and consequently never any league betweene God and their soules to this day Beloved when once a man hath alienated his soule from God by sinne hee hath then no more command of it for the present it is quite out of his power Now when wee would commit our soules to God aright wee must first commit them to him to pardon the guilt of sinne in them when this is done God wil give us our soules againe and then they may truly bee said to bee our owne and not before It is the happinesse of a Christian that hee is not his owne but that whether hee live or die he is the Lords In the second place Wee must labour to finde our selves in Covenant with God that is to finde him making good his promises to us and our selves making good our promises to him For a man cannot commit himselfe to God unlesse hee finde a disposition in his heart to bee faithfull to him There is a passive fidelity and an active 1. Passive faithfulnesse is in the things that wee give trust unto as such a one is a sure trusty man therefore I will relye upon him 2. Active faithfulnesse in the soule is when we cast our selves upon a man that is trusty and depend upon him the more a man knowes another to be faithfull the more faithful hee will bee in trusting of him and thus wee must trust God if ever wee expect any good at his hands and our dependance on him bindes him to bee the more faithfull to us He is counted a wicked man indeed that will deceive the trust committed to him Trust begets sidelity it makes a good man the more faithfull when hee knowes hee is trusted Learne therefore to know thy selfe to be in covenant with God and to trust him with all thou hast traine up thy selfe in a continuall dependance upon him Hee that trusts God with his soule will trust him every day in every thing hee hath or doth hee knowes well that whatsoever he enjoyes is not his owne but Gods and this stirres him up to commit all his waies and doings to his protection esteeming nothing safe but what the Lord keeps He sees it is not in sinfull man to direct his owne steps and therefore resignes up his estate his calling his family whatsoever is neare and deare unto him to the blessed guidance and direction of the Almighty Oh thinkes he that I were in covenant with GOD that hee would owne mee for his and take the care of mee how happy should my condition then be He will likewise commit the Church and State wherein hee lives to God and strengthens his faith daily by observing Gods faithfull dealing with his people in every kinde How behovefull it is for Christians thus to inure themselves to bee acquainted with God by little and little first trusting him with smaller matters and then with greater how can a man trust God with his soule that distrusts him for the petty things of this life They that give to the poore are said to lend unto the Lord and if wee cast our bread upon the waters wee shall finde it againe Beloved hee that parts with any thing to relieve a poore Saint and will not trust God with his promise to recompence it againe but thinkes all is gone and hee shall never see it more c. exceedingly derogates from the truth and goodnesse of the Almighty who hath promised to returne with advantage whatsoever wee give that way Hee hath secret wayes of his owne to doe us good that wee know not of A man is never the poorer for that which hee discretly gives It is hard to beleeve this but it is much harder for a man to commit his soule to God when he dyes with assurance that he shall partake of mercy and bee saved at the last day Againe Take heed of these evill and cursed dispositions that hinder us from the performance of this duty as namely carnall wit and policy and carnall will and affection c. There is a great deale of selfe-denyall to be learned before wee can goe out of our selves and commit all to God ere we can cast our selves into his armes and lay our selves at his feet therefore take heed that wee be not ruled either by our owne