as sure to go to Heaven as if he were in Heaven already These are the Reasons why we must examin our selves before we approach to the Lord's Table Quest. 5. What must we Examine Answ. 1. Our Sins 2. Our Graces First Our Sins Search if any dead Fly might spoil this sweet Oyntment When we come to the Sacrament we should do as the Jews did before the Passover they searched for Leaven and having found it did burn it 1. Let us search for the Leaven of Pride This sowres our Holy things We are born with a Spiritual Tympany Will an humble Christ be received into a Proud Heart Pride keeps Christ out Intus existens prohibet alienum Pride swells the Heart and Christ cannot come into the Heart if it be full already To a proud Man Christ's Blood hath no Vertue 't is like Dioscordium put into a dead Man's Mouth which loseth its Vertue Let us search for this Leaven of Pride and cast it away 2. Let us search for the Levaen of Avarice The Lord's Supper is a Spiritual Mystery it represents Christ's Body and Blood what should an earthly Heart do here The Earth puts out the Fire Earthliness quencheth the Fire of holy Love The Earth is Elementum Gravissimum it cannot ascend A Soul belimed with Earth cannot ascend to Heavenly Cogitations Col. 3.5 Covetousness which is Idolatry Will Christ come into that Heart where there is an Idol Search for this Leaven before you come to this Ordinance How can an earthly Heart converse with that God which is a Spirit Can a Clod of Earth kiss the Sun 3. Search for the Leaven of Hypocrisie Luke 12.1 Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie Aquinas describes it Simulatio Virtutis Hypocrisie is a counterfeiting of Vertue The Hypocrite is a living Pageant he only makes a show of Religion He gives God his Knee but no Heart and God gives him Bread and Wine in the Sacrament but no Christ. Oh let us search for this Leaven of Hypocrisie and burn it Secondly We must examine our Graces I shall instance only in one Our Knowledge 1. Whether we have Knowledge 2. Whether it be rightly Qualified 1. We are to examine whether we have Knowledge else we cannot give God a reasonable Service Rom. 12.1 Knowledge is a necessary Requisite in a Communicant Without Knowledge there can be no Fitness for the Sacrament A Person cannot be fit to come to the Lord's Table who hath no Goodness but without Knowledge the Mina is not good Prov. 19.2 Some say they have good Hearts tho they want Knowledge As if one should say His Eye is good but it wants Sight Under the Law when the Plague of Leprosie was in a Man's Head the Priest was to pronounce him unclean The ignorant Person hath the Plague in his Head he is unclean Ignorance is the Womb of Lust 1 Pet. 1.14 Therefore it is requisite before we come to Examine our selves what Knowledge we have in the main Fundamentals of Religion Let it not be said of us that to this Day the Vail is upon our Heart 2 Cor. 3.15 But sure in this Intelligent Age we cannot but have some Insight into the Mysteries of the Gospel I rather fear we are like Rachel who was fair and well-sighted but barren Therefore 2. Let us examine whether our Knowledge be rightly Qualified 1. Is it Influential Doth our Knowledge warm our Heart Claritas in intellectu parit ardorem in affectu Saving Knowledge doth not only direct but quicken 'T is Lumen Vitae the Light of Life Iohn 8.12 2. Is our Knowledge Practical We hear much do we live the Truths we know That is the right Knowledge which doth not only adorn the Mind but reform the Life Secondly This solemn preparing for the Sacrament as it consists in examining our selves so in dressing our Souls before we come And this Soul-dress is in two things 1. Washing in the Laver of Repenting Tears To come to this Ordinance with the Guilt of any sin unrepented of makes way for the further hardening of our Heart and giving Satan fuller possession of us Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him The Cloud of Sorrow must drop into Tears We must grieve as for the Pollution so for the Vnkindness in every sin To sin against Christ's Love who died for us When Peter thought of Christ's Love who call'd him out of his Unregeneracy made him an Apostle and carried him up to the Mount of Transfiguration where he saw the Glory of Heaven in a Vision and then to think of his Denying Christ it broke his Heart he wept bitterly Matth. 26.75 To think before we come to a Sacrament of our sins against the Bowel-Mercies of God the Father the bleeding Wounds of God the Son the blessed Inspirations of God the Holy Ghost it is enough to broach our Eyes with Tears and put us into an Holy Agony of Grief and Compunction And we must be so distressed for sin as to be divorced from sin The Serpent before he drinks casts up his Poyson In this we must be wise as Serpents before we drink of the Sacramental Cup we must cast up the Poyson of sin by Repentance Ille verè plangit commissa qui non committit plangenda He doth truly bewail the sins he hath committed who doth not commit the sins he hath bewailed And this is the Dressing our Souls before we come washing in the Waters of true Rpentance 2. The Soul-dress is the exciting and stirring up the Habit of Grace into a lively Exercise 2 Tim. 1.6 I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee i. e. The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit The Greek Word to stir up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to blow up Grace into a Flame Grace is oft like Fire in the Embers which needs blowing up It is possible that even a good Man may not come so well disposed to this Ordinance because he hath not before taken pains with his Heart to come in Due Order He hath not stirred up Grace into its vigorous Exercise and so tho he doth not eat and drink Damnation yet he doth not receive Consolation in the Sacrament Thus you see what this Dressing of our Souls is before we come Thirdly This Solemn preparing for the Sacrament is in begging a Blessing upon the Ordinance The Sacrament is not like Physick which hath an inherent operative Vertue No but the Efficacy of the Sacrament depends upon the Co-operation of the Spirit and a Word of Blessing In the Institution Christ blessed the Elements Iesus took Bread and blessed it In the Text the Sacrament will no further do us good then as it is blessed to us We ought then before we come to pray for a Blessing on the Ordinance that the Sacrament may be not only a Sign to represent but a Seal to confirm and an Instrument to convey
God Resp. God is a Spirit Infinite Eternal and Unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness and Truth Here is 1. something implied That there is a God 2. Expressed that he is a Spirit 3. What kind of Spirit 1. Implied that there is a God The question What is God takes it for granted that there is a God the belief of God's Essence is the Foundation of all Religious Worship Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must believe that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be a first Cause which gives a Being and Existence to all things besides We come to know that there is a God 1. By the Book of Nature the Notion of a Deity is engraven in Man's Heart it is demonstrable by the Light of Nature I think it hard for a Man to be a natural Atheist he may wish there were no God he may dispute against a Deity but he cannot in his Judgment believe there is no God unless by accumulated Sin his Conscience be sear'd and he hath such a Lethargy upon him that he hath sinn'd away his very Sense and Reason 2. We come to know that there is a God by his Works and this is so evident a Demonstration of a God-head that the most Atheistical Spirits when they have considered these Works of God have been forced to acknowledge some Wise and Supream Power the Maker of these Things as 't is reported of Galen and others 1. We will begin with the greater World 1. The Creation of the glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth sure there must be some Architect or first Cause the World could not make itself Who could hang the Earth on Nothing but the Great God Who could provide such rich Furniture for the Heavens the glorious Constellations the Firmament bespangled with such glittering Lights all this speaks a Deity We may see God's Glory blazing in the Sun twinkling in the Stars Who could give the Earth its Clothing cover it with Grass and Corn adorn it with Flowers enrich it with Gold only God Iob 28.4 Who but God could make the sweet Musick in the Heavens cause the Angels to joyn in consort and sound forth the Praises of their Maker Job 38.7 When the morning-stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy If a Man should go into a far Country and see stately Edifices there he would never imagine that these could build themselves but that some greater Power built them To imagine that the Work of the Creation was not framed by God is as if we should conceive a curious Landskip to be drawn by a Pensil without the Hand of a Limner Acts 17.24 God that made the world and all things therein To Create is proper to a Deity 2. The wise Gubernation of all things evince there is a God God is the great Superintendent of the World he holds the Golden Reins of Government in his Hand guiding all things most regularly and harmoniously to their proper end who that eyes Providence but must be forced to acknowledge there is a God Providence is the Queen and Governness of the World it is the Hand that turns the Wheel of the whole Creation Providence sets the Sun its Race the Sea its Bounds If God should not guide the World things would run into an Ataxy and Confusion When one looks on a Clock and sees the motion of the Wheels the striking of the Hammar the hanging of the Plummets he would say there were some Artificer did make it and put it into that Order So when we see the excellent Order and Harmony in the Universe the Sun that great Luminary dispensing its Light and Heat to the World without which the World were but a Grave or Prison the Rivers sending forth their silver Streams to refresh the Bodies of Men and prevent a Drought and every Creature acting within its Sphere and keeping its due Bounds we must needs acknowledge there is a God who wisely orders and governs all these things Who could set this great Army of the Creatures in their several Ranks and Squadrons and keep them in their constant March but he whose Name is The LORD of Hosts And as God doth wisely dispose all things in the whole Regiment of the Creatures so by his Power he doth support them Did God suspend and withdraw his Influence never so little the Wheels of the Creation would unpin and the Axle-tree break asunder 3. The Motion of the Creatures All Motion as the Philosophers say is from something that is unmoveable As for Example The Elements are moved by the Influence and Motion of the heavenly Bodies The Sun and Moon and these Planets are moved by the highest Orb call'd Primum Mobile now if one should ask Who moves that highest Orb or the first Mover of the Planets Sure it can be no other hand but God himself 2. Let us speak of Man who is a Microcosm or lesser World The excellent Contexture and Frame of his Body who is wrought curiously as with Needle-work Psal. 139.15 I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth And the Endowment of this Body with a noble Soul who but God could make such an Union of different Substances Flesh and Spirit In him we live and move and have our being The quick acute Motion of every Part of the Body shews that there is a God we may see something of him in the sparkling of the Eye And if the Cabinet of the Body be so curiously wrought what is the Jewel The Soul hath a Coelestial Brightness in it as Damascen saith 'T is a Diamond set in a Ring of Clay What noble Faculties is the Soul endowed with Understanding Will Affections which are a Glass of the Trinity as Plato speaks The Matter of the Soul is Spiritual 't is a Divine Sparkle lighted from Heaven and being spiritual is immortal as Scaliger notes Anima non senescit the Soul doth not wax old it lives for ever And who could create a Soul enobled with such rare Angelical Properties but God We must needs say as the Psalmist It is he that hath made us and not we our selves Psalm 100.3 2. We may prove a Deity by our own Conscience Conscience is God's Deputy or Vicegerent Conscience is a Witness of a Deity If there were no Bible to tell us there is a God yet Conscience might Conscience as the Apostle saith either accuseth or excuseth Rom. 2.15 Conscience acts in order to an higher Judicatory 1. Natural Conscience being kept free from gross sin excuseth When a Man doth Vertuous Actions lives soberly and righteously obeserves the golden Maxim Doing to others as he would have them do to him then Conscience approves and saith well done Conscience like a Bee gives Honey 2. Natural Conscience in the Wicked doth accuse When Men go against the Light of Conscience then they feel the Worm of Conscience Eheu quis intus scorpio Sen. Conscience being sinned against spits fire in Mens
glory he hath fore-ordained whatsoever shall come to pass I should come now to speak concerning the Decrees of God but I have already spoken something to this under the Attribute of God's Immutability God is unchangeable in his Essence and he is unchangeable in his Decrees his Counsel shall stand he hath decreed the Issue of all things and carries them on to their Period by his Providence and therefore I shall proceed to the Execution of his Decrees Quest. VIII The next Question is What is the Work of Creation Resp. It is God's making all things of nothing by the word of his power c. Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth The Creation is glorious to behold it is a pleasant and fruitful study Some think that Isaac when he went abroad into the Fields to meditate it was in the Book of the Creatures The Creation is the Heathen Man's Bible the Ploughman's Primmer the Travellers Perspective Glass through which he receives the Species and Representation of those infinite Excellencies which are in God The Creation is a large Volume in which God's Works are bound up and this Volume hath three great Leaves in it Heaven Earth Sea The Author of the Creation is God so it is in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God created The World was created in time and could not be from Eternity as Aristotle thought The World must have a Maker it could not make it self If one should go into a far Country and see stately Edifices there he would never imagine that these could build themselves but that there had been some Artificer there to raise such goodly Structures so this great Fabrick of the World could not create it self it must have some Builder and Maker and that is God In the beginning God created To imagine that the Work of the Creation was not framed by the Lord Jehovah is as if we should conceive a curious Lanskip to be drawn without the Hand of a Limner Acts 17.24 God that made the World and all things therein In the work of the Creation there are two things to be considered The making of it The adorning of it I. The making of the World Here consider 1. God made the World without any praeexistent Matter This is the difference between Generation and Creation In Generation there is materia habilis disposita some Matter to work upon But in Creation there is no praeexistent Matter God brought all this glorious Fabrick of the World out of the Womb of Nothing We see our Beginning it was of Nothing Some brag of their Birth and Ancestry you see how little cause they have to boast they came of Nothing 2. God made the World with a Word When Solomon was to build a Temple he needed many Workmen and they all had Tools to work with but God wrought without Tools Psal. 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made The Disciples wondered that Christ could with a word calm the Sea Matth. 8.26 27. But it was more with a word to make the Sea 3. God made all things at first very good Gen. 1.31 no defect or deformity The Creation came out of God's hands a curious Piece it was a fair Copy without any Blot written with God's own fingers Psal. 8.3 So perfect was God's Work II. The adorning of the World First God made this great Lump and Mass Rudis indigestaque moles and then beautified it and put it into a dress He divided the Sea and the Earth he deck'd the Earth with Flowers the Trees with Fruit but what is Beauty when it is mask'd over Therefore that we might behold this glory God made the Light The Heavens were bespangled with Sun Moon and Stars that so the Worlds Beauty might be beheld and admired God in the Creation began with things less noble and excellent Vegetables and Sensitives and then the Rational Creatures Angels and Men. Man was the most exquisite Piece in the Creation he is a Microcosme or little World Man was made with deliberation and counsel Gen. 1.26 Let us make Man It is the manner of Artificers to be more then ordinary accurate when they are about their Master-pieces Man was to be a Master-piece of this visible World therefore God did consult about the making of so rare a Piece A Solemn Councel of the Sacred Persons in the Trinity was call'd Let us make Man and let us make him in our own Image On the King's Coin his Image or Effigies is stamp'd so God stamp'd his Image on Man and made him partake of many Divine qualities I shall speak 1. of the Parts of Man's Body 1. The Head the most excellent Architectonical Part 't is the Fountain of Spirits and the Seat of Reason In Nature the Head is the best Piece but in Grace the Heart excels 2. The Eye It is the Beauty of the Face it shines and sparkles like a lesser Sun in the Body The Eye occasions much sin and therefore well may it have Tears in it 3. The Ear which is the Conduit-pipe through which Knowledge is conveyed Better lose our seeing than our hearing for faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 To have an Ear open to God is the best Jewel on the Ear. 4. The Tongue David calls the Tongue his glory Psal. 16.9 because it is an Instrument to set forth the Glory of God The Soul at first was a Viol in tune to praise God and the Tongue did make the Musick God hath given us two Ears but one Tongue to shew that we should be swift to hear but slow to speak God hath set a double fence before the Tongue the Teeth and the Lips to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our Tongue 5. The Heart This is a noble part and Seat of Life 2. The Soul of Man This is the Man of the Man Man in regard of his Soul partakes with the Angels nay as Plato saith the Understanding Will and Conscience are a Glass that resemble the Trinity The Soul is the Diamond in the Ring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul is a Vessel of Honour God himself is serv'd in this Vessel It is a Sparkle of Coelestial Brightness saith Damascene If David did so admire the rare Contexture and Workmanship of his Body Psal. 139.13 I am wonderfully made I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth If the Cabinet be so curiously wrought what is the Jewel How richly is the Soul embroidered Thus you see how glorious a Work the Creation is and Man especially who is the Epitome of the World Quest. But why did God make the World Resp. 1. Negatively Not for himself he did not need it being infinite He was happy before the World was in reflecting upon his own sublime Excellencies and Perfections 2. God did not make the World to be a place of Mansion for us we are not to abide here for ever Heaven is the Mansion-House Iohn 14.2 the World
Body I will enter into thee again and be eternally married to thee Use 3. The Resurrection of the Body is a Cordial when a Christian lyes a dying Thy Body though it drop into the Sepulchre it shall revive and flourish as an Herb in the Resurrection The Grave is a Bed of dust where the Bodies of the Saints sleep but they shall be awakened by the Trump of the Arch-angel The Grave is your long home but not your last home Though Death strip you of your beauty yet at the Resurrection you shall have it restored again As David when he found Saul asleep took away his Spear and Cruse of Water but when he awoke he restored them again 1 Sam. 26.22 So though at death all our strength and beauty be taken away yet at the Resurrection God will restore all again in a more glorious manner Quest. 4. But how shall we know that our Bodies shall be raised to a glorious Resurrection Resp. If we have a part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 Blessed is he that hath a part in the first Resurrection Quest. What is meant by this Answ. It is a rising by Repentance out of the Grave of Sin He who lies buried in sin can have little hope of a joyful Resurrection His Body shall be raised but not in Glory O then ask Conscience Have you a part in the first Resurrection Hath the Spirit entred into you and lifted you up Hath it raised you out of your Unbelief Hath it raised your Hearts above the Earth This is the first Resurrection and if your Souls are thus Spiritually raised then your Bodies shall be gloriously raised and shall shine as Stars in the Kingdom of Heaven Regeneration makes way for a glorious Resurrection Use Seeing you expect your Bodies should arise to Glory keep your Bodies unspotted from sin Shall a drunken Body rise to Glory Shall an unclean Body rise to Glory Shall a thievish Body steal into Heaven O keep your Bodies pure Keep your Eyes from unchast Glances your Hands from Bribes your Tongues from Slander Defile not your Bodies which you hope shall rise one day to Glory Your Bodies are the Members of Christ and hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6.15 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid O keep your Bodies unspotted let them be Instruments of Righteousness 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your Body If your Bodies glorifie God God will glorifie your Bodies Quest. 5. But seeing our Bodies must be laid in the Grave and they may lye many years rotting there before the Resurrection What may support and comfort us in this case Resp. 1. That God will not leave his People in the Grave Our Friends bring us to the Grave and leave us there but God will not God will go to the Grave with us and watch over our dead Bodies and take care of our Ashes Rizpah watched over the dead Bodies of the Sons of Saul and guarded them against the ravenous Fouls of the Air 2 Sam. 21.10 Thus the Lord watcheth over the dead Bodies of the Saints and looks to it that none of their dust be missing Christian thou hast a God to watch over thy Body when thou art dead 2. The Bodies of the Saints in the Grave though separated from their Souls are united to Christ. The dust of a Believer is part of Christs Mystical Body 3. When the Bodies of the Saints are in the Sepulchre their Souls are in Paradise The Soul doth not sleep in the Body but returns to God that gave it Eccles. 12.7 The Soul immediately partakes of those Joys the blessed Angels do When the Body returns to dust the Soul returns to rest When the Body is sleeping the Soul is triumphing When the Body is buried the Soul is crowned As the Spies were sent before to taste of the Fruits of the Land Numb 13. so at Death the Soul is sent before into Heaven to taste of the Fruit of the Holy Land 4. When Gods time is come the Graves shall deliver up their Dead Rev. 20.13 When the Judge sends the Goaler must deliver up his Prisoners As God said to Iacob Gen. 46.4 I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will surely bring thee up again So the Lord will go down with us into the Grave and will surely bring us up again 5. Though the Bodies of the Saints shall rot and be loathsom in the Grave yet afterwards they shall be made Illustrious and Glorious Concerning this consider 1. The Bodies of the Saints when they arise shall be comely and beautiful The Body of a Saint in this Life may be deformed Those whose minds are adorned with Virtue yet may have mis-shapen Bodies as the finest Cloth may have the coarsest List But this deformed Body shall be aimable and beautiful This beauty consists in two things 1. Perfection of parts There shall be a full Proportion of all the Members In this Life there is oft a defect of Members The Eye is lost the Arm is cut off but in the Resurrection all parts of the Body shall be restored again Therefore the Resurrection is called the time of restoring of all things Acts 3.19 Malcha's Ear cut restituit 2. Clarity and Splendor The Bodies of the Saints shall have a graceful Majesty in them they shall be like Stephen whose Face shined as if it had been the Face of an Angel Acts 6.15 Nay they shall be made like Christs glorious Body Phil. 3.21 2. The Bodies of the Saints when they arise shall be free from the Necessities of Nature as Hunger and Thirst Rev. 7.16 They shall hunger no more Moses on the Mount was so fill'd with the Glory of God that he needed not the Recruits of Nature Much more in Heaven shall the Bodies of the Saints so fill'd with Gods Glory be upheld without Food 3. The Bodies of Saints when they arise shall be swift and nimble our Bodies on Earth are dull and heavy in their Motion then they shall be swift and made fit to ascend as the Body of Elias in the Air. Now the Body is a Clog in Heaven it shall be a Wing We shall be as the Angels Matt. 22.30 And how nimble are they The Angel Gabriel in a short time came from Heaven to the Earth Dan. 9.21 As the Helm turns the Ship instantly whether the Steersman will so the Body in an instant will move which way the Soul will 4. The Bodies of the Saints at the Resurrection shall be very firm and strong 1 Cor. 15.43 It is raised in power Through frequent Labour and Sickness the strongest Body begins to Languish But at the Resurrection we shall be of a strong Constitution Then there will be no Weariness in the Body nor Faintness in the Spirits This may comfort you who now conflict with many bodily Weaknesses This weak Body shall be raised in Power The Body which is now a weak Reed shall be like a Rock
Scandal or Apostacy 4. Men leave off pursuing the Kingdom of Heaven out of Timorousness if they persist in Religion they may lose their Places of Profit perhaps their Lives The reason saith Aristotle why the Camelion turns into so many Colours is through excessive fear When Carnal fear prevails it makes Men change their Religion as fast as the Camelion doth its Colours Many of the Iews who were great followers of Christ when they saw the Swords and Staves deserted him What Solomon saith of the Sluggard is as true of the Coward he saith there is a Lyon in the way Prov. 22.13 he sees dangers before him he would go on in the way to the Kingdom of Heaven but there is a Lyon in the way This is dismal Heb. 10.38 If any Man draw back in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he steals as a Soldier from his Colours my Soul shall have no pleasure in him VSE III. Of Tryal Let us examine whether we shall go to this Kingdom when we dye Heaven is called a Kingdom prepared Matth. 25. Quest. How shall we know this Kingdom is prepared for us Answ If we are prepared for this Kingdom Quest. How may that be known Answ. By being Heavenly persons An earthly heart is no more fit for Heaven than a Clod of Dust is fit to be a Star there is nothing of Christ or Grace in such an heart It were a Miracle to find a Pearl in a Gold Mine and it is as great a Miracle to find Christ the Pearl of Price in an earthly heart Would we go to the Kingdom of Heaven are we heavenly 1. Are we heavenly in our Contemplations do our Thoughts run upon this Kingdom do we get sometimes upon Mount Pisgah and take a Prospect of Glory Thoughts are as Travellers most of Davids Thoughts travelled Heavens Road Psal. 139.17 Are our Minds heavenlâ—z'd Psal. 48.12 walk about Sion tell the Towers thereof mark ye well her Bulwarks Do we walk into the Heavenly Mount and see what a glorious Scituation it is Do we tell the Towers of that Kingdom While a Christian fixeth his Thoughts on God and Glory he doth as it were tread upon the Borders of the Heavenly Kingdom and he peeps within the Vail as Moses who had a sight of Canaan though he did not enter into it so the heavenly Christian hath a sight of heaven though he be not yet entred into it 2. Are we heavenly in our Affections do we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set our Affections on the Kingdom of Heaven Col. 3.2 If we are heavenly we despise all things below in comparison of the Kingdom of God We look upon the World but as a beautiful Prison and we cannot be much in love with our Fetters though they are made of Gold our heart is in Heaven A Stranger may be in a Forreign Land to gather up his Debts owing him but he desires to be in his own Kingdom and Nation so we are here a while as in a strange Land but our desire is chiefly after the Kingdom of Heaven where we shall be for ever The World is the Place of a Saints Abode not of his Delight is it thus with us Do we like the Patriarks of old desire a better Country Heb. 11.16 This is the temper of a true Saint his Affections are set on the Kingdom of God his Anchor is cast in Heaven and he is carried thither with the Sails of Desire 3. Are we heavenly in our Speeches Christ after his Resurrection did speak of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1.3 Are our Tongues tuned to the Language of the heavenly Canaan Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often to one another Do you in your visits season your discourses with Heaven There are many say they hope they shall be saved but you shall never hear them speak of the Kingdom of Heaven perhaps of their Wares and Drugs or of some rich Purchase they have got but nothing of the Kingdom Can Men travel together in a Journey and not speak of the Place they are travelling to are you Travelers for Heaven and never speak a word of the Kingdom you are travelling to Herein many discover they do not belong to Heaven for you shall never hear a good Word come from them Verba sunt speculum Mentis Bern. The Words are the Looking-glass of the Mind they show what the Heart is 4. Are we heavenly in our Trading Is our Traffick and Merchandize in Heaven Do we trade in the heavenly Kingdom by Faith A Man may live in one place and trade in another he may live in Ireland and trade in the West-Indies so do we trade in the heavenly Kingdom They shall never go to heaven when they dye who do not trade in Heaven while they live Do we send up to Heaven Vollies of Sighs and Groans Do we send forth the Ship of Prayer thither which fetcheth in Returns of Mercy Is our Communion with the Father and his Son Jesus 1 Iohn 1.3 Phil. 3.20 5. Are our Lives heavenly Do we live as if we had seen the Lord with Bodily eyes Do we aemulate and imitate the Angels in Sanctity Do we labour to copy out Christs Life in ours 1 Iohn 2.6 'T was a custom among the Macedonians on Alexanders Birth day to wear his Picture about their Necks set with Pearl and Diamond Do we carry Christs Picture about us and resemble him in the Heavenliness of our Conversation If we are thus heavenly then we shall go to the kingdom of Heaven when we dye and truly there is a great deal of Reason why we should be thus Heavenly in our Thoughts Affections Conversation if we consider 1. The main end why God hath given us our Souls is that we may mind the kingdom of Heaven Our Souls are of a Noble Extraction they are akin to Angels a Glass of the Trinity as Plato speaks Now is it rational to imagine that God would have breathed into us such noble Souls only to look after sensual Objects Were such bright Stars made only to shoot into the Earth Were these immortal Souls made only to seek after dying Comforts Had this been only the end of our Creation to eat and drink and converse with Earthly Objects worse Souls would have served us Sensitive Souls had been good enough for us what need our Souls be rational and divine to do only that work which a Beast may do 2. Great reason we should be heavenly in our Thoughts Affections Conversation if we consider what a blessed kingdom Heaven is it is beyond all Hyperbole Earthly Kingdoms do scarce deserve the Names of Cottages compared with it We read of an Angel coming down from heaven who did tread with his Right Foot upon the Sea and with his Left on the Earth Rev. 10.2 Had we but once been in the heavenly kingdom and viewed the superlative glory of it how might we in an holy scorn trample with one Foot upon
two Talents take the Venison and take a Blessing with it Take the Oil in the Cruse and take my Love with it Take two Talents 'T is observable Christ joins these two together Give us our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as if Christ would teach us there is little comfort in daily bread unless sin be forgiven Forgiveness doth perfume and drop sweetness into every earthly enjoyment 11. If sin be forgiven God will never upbraid us with our former sins When the Proâ—igal came home to his Father the Father received him into his loving embraces and never mentioned his former Luxury or spending his Estate among Harlots So God will not upbraid us with former sins nay he will intirely love us we shall be his Jewels and he will put us in his bosom Mary Magdalen a pardoned Penitent after Christ arose he appeared first to her Mark 16.9 So far was Christ from upbraiding her that he brings her the first New of his Resurrection 12. Sin being pardoned is a pillar of support in the loss of dear Friends God hath taken away thy Child thy Husband but withal he hath taken away thy sins He hath given thee more than he hath taken away He hath taken a-away a Flower and given thee a Jewel He hath given thee Christ and the Spirit and the earnest of Glory He hath given thee more than he hath taken away 13. Where God Pardons Sins he bestows righteousness With Remission of sin goes Imputation of Righteousness Isa. 61.10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness If a Christian can take any comfort in his Inherent Righteousness which is so stain'd and mix'd with sin O then what comfort may he take in Christ's Righteousness which is a better Righteousness than that of Adam Adam's Righteousness was Mutable but suppose it had been Vnchangeable yet it was but the Righteousness of a Man but that Righteousness which is Imputed is the Righteousness of him who is God 2 Cor. 5.21 That we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him O blessed priviledge to be reputed in the sight of God Righteous as Christ having his Embroidered Robe put upon the Soul This is the comfort of every one that is pardoned he hath a Perfect Righteousness and now God saith of him Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.7 14. A pardon'd Soul needs not fear death He may look on Death with Joy who can look on Forgiveness with Faith To a pardoned Soul death hath lost his Sting Death to a pardon'd sinner is like the Arresting a Man after the Debt is paid Death may Arrest but Christ will shew the Debt-book Crossed in his Blood A pardoned Soul may Triumph over Death O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory He who is pardon'd needs not fear death it is not a Destruction but a Deliverance It is to him a day of Iubilee or Release it releaseth him from all his sins Death comes to a pardoned Soul as the Angel did to Peter it smote him and beat off his Chains and carried him out of Prison So doth Death to him who is pardon'd it smites his Body and the Chains of Sin fall off Death gives a pardon'd Soul a Quietus Est it frees him from all his Labours Revel 14.13 Faelix transitus à labore ad Requiem Death as it will wipe off our Tears so it will wipe off our Sweat Death will do a pardon'd Christian the greatest good turn therefore it is made a part of the Inventory 1 Cor. 3.22 Death is yours Death is like the Waggon which was sent for old Iacob it came ratling with its Wheels but it was to carry Iacob to his Son Ioseph So the Wheels of Death's Chariot may rattle and make a noise but they are to carry a Believer to Christ. While a Believer is here he is absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 He lives far from Court and cannot see him whom his Soul loves But Death gives him a sight of the King of Glory in whose presence is fulness of Ioy To a pardoned Soul Death is Transitus ad regnum it removes him to the place of Bliss where he shall hear the Triumphs and Anthems of Praise Sung in the Quire of Angels No cause hath a pardoned Soul to fear Death What needs he fear to have his Body buried in the Earth who hath his Sins buried in Christ's Wounds What hurt can Death do to him It is but his Ferry-man to Ferry him over to the Land of Promise The day of Death to a pardon'd Soul is his Ascension day to Heaven his Coronation-day when he shall be Crown'd with those delights of Paradice which are unspeakable and full of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Thus you see the the rich Consolations which belong to a pardoned sinner Well might David proclaim him blessed Psal. 32.1 Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven In the Hebrew it is in the plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessednesses Here is a Plurality of Blessings Forgiveness of sin is like the first link of a Chain which draws all the links after it it draws these 14 Priviledges after it It Crowns with Grace and Glory Who then would not labour to have his sins forgiven Blessed is he whose Iniquity is forgiven whose sin is covered Now followeth the Duties of such as have their sins forgiven Mercy calls for Duty Be much in Praise and Doxology Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul who forgiveth all thy Iniquities Hath God Crowned you with pardoning Mercy set the Crown of your Praise upon the head of Free Grace Pardon of sin is a Discriminating Mercy a Jewel hung onely upon the Elect this calls for Acclamations of Praise You will give thanks for daily bread and will you not much more for Pardon You will give thanks for deliverance from Sickness and will you not for deliverance from Hell God hath done more for you in forgiving your sin than if he had given you a Kingdom And that you may be more thankful do but set the Unpardoned condition bâ—fore your eyes How sad is it to want a pardon all the Curses of the Law stand in full force against such an one The Unpardoned Sinner dying he drops into the Grave and Hell both at once He must quarter among the Damned and will not this make you Thankful that this is not your condition but that you are delivered from wrath to come 2. Let God's pardoning love inflame your hearts with love to God For God to pardon freely without any desert of yours to pardon so many offences that he should pardon you and pass by others that he should take you out of the ruines of Mankind and of a clod of dust and sin make you a Jewel sparkling with Heavenly Glory Will not this make you love God much Three Prisoners that deserve to die if the King pardon one
Book against Wrath Anger Et ipse mihi irascitur yet he falls into a Passion of Anger with me So this Minister preacheth against Drunkenness yet he will be drunk he preacheth against Swearing yet he will swear this reproacheth God and makes the Offering of the Lord to be abhorred 3. Masters of Families do you glorifie God season your Children and Servants with the Knowledge of the Lord your Houses should be little Churches Gen. 18.19 I know that Abraham will command his children that they keep the way of the Lord. You that are Masters know you have a Charge of Souls under you for want of the Bridle of Family-discipline Youth runs wild Well let me lay down some Motives to glorifie God 1 Motive It will be a great Comfort in a dying hour to think we have glorified God in our Lives it was Christ's Comfort before his Death Ioh. 17.3 I have glorified thee on earth At the hour of Death all your earthly Comforts will vanish if you think how Rich you have been what Pleasures you have had on Earth this will be so far from comforting you that it will but torment you the more What is one the better for an Estate that is spent But now to have Conscience telling you that you have glorified God on Earth what sweet Comfort and Peace will this let into your Soul how will this make you long for Death The Servant that hath been all day working in the Vineyard longs till Evening comes when he shall receive his Pay They who have lived and brought no Glory to God how can they think of dying with Comfort they cannot expect an Harvest that never sowed any Seed How can they expect Glory from God that never brought any Glory to him O in what Horrour will they be at Death the Worm of Conscience will gnaw their Souls before the Worms are gnawing their Bodies 2 Mot. If we glorifie God he will glorifie our Souls for ever by raising God's Glory we encrease our own by glorifying of God we come at last to the blessed Enjoying of Him and that brings me to the second The Enjoying of God Secondly Man's chief End is to Enjoy God for ever Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee Quasi What is there in Heaven I desire to enjoy but thee Ibi Angeli musculus There is a twofold Fruition or enjoying of God the one is in this Life the other in the Life to come 1st An enjoying of God here in this Life The enjoying of God's Presence it is a great matter to enjoy God's Ordinances a Mercy that some do envy us but to enjoy God's Presence in the Ordinances is that which a gracious Heart aspires after Psal. 63.2 To see thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary This sweet enjoying of God is when we feel his Spirit co-operating with the Ordinance and distilling Grace upon our Hearts 1. When in word the Spirit doth quicken and raise the Affections Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us 2. When the Spirit doth transform the Heart leaving an impress of Holiness upon it 2 Cor. 3.8 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 3. When the Spirit doth receive the Heart with Comfort it comes not only with its Anointing but its Seal it sheds God's Love abroad in the Heart Rom. 5.5 this is to enjoy God in an Ordinance 1 Joh. 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and his son Iesus In the Word we hear God's Voice and in the Sacrament we have his Kiss this is enjoying of God And what infinite Content doth a gracious Soul find in this The Heart being warm'd and inflamed in a Duty this is God's answering by Fire When a Christian hath the sweet Illapses of God's Spirit these are the first Fruits of Glory when God comes down to the Soul in an Ordinance Now Christ hath pull'd off his Veil and showed his smiling Face now he hath led a Believer into the Banqueting-house and given him of the spiced Wine of his Love to drink he hath put in his Finger at the hole of the Door he hath touch'd the Heart and made it leap for Joy Oh how sweet is it thus to enjoy God! The Godly have in the use of the Ordinances had such Divine Raptures of Joy and Soul-transfigurations that they have been carried above the World and despised all things here below Use 1. Is the enjoying God in this Life so sweet how prodigiously wicked are they that prefer the enjoying their Lusts before the enjoying of God 2 Pet. 3.3 The lust of the flesh the lust of the eye the pride of life is the Trinity they worship Lust is an inordinate Desire or Impulse provoking the Soul to that which is evil there is the revengeful Lust and the wanton Lust Lust is like a feaverish Heat it puts the Soul into a Flame Aristotle calls sensual Lusts bruitish because when any Lust is violent Reason or Conscience cannot be heard the Beast rides the Man These Lusts when they are enjoyed do besot and dispirit Persons Hos. 4.11 Whoredom and wine take away the heart They have no heart for any thing that is good how many make it their chief end not to enjoy God but to enjoy their Lusts As that Cardinal said Let him but keep his Cardinalship of Paris and he was content to loose his part in Paradise Lust first bewitcheth with Pleasure and then comes the fatal Dart Prov. 7.23 Till a dart strike through his liver This should be as a flaming Sword to stop Men in the way of their carnal Delights who would for a Drop of Pleasure drink a Sea of Wrath Use 2. Let it be our great Care to enjoy God's sweet Presence here which is the Beauty and Comfort of the Ordinance Enjoying spiritual Communion with God is a Riddle and Mystery to most People every one that hangs about the Court doth not speak with the King We may approach to God in Ordinances and as it were hang about the Court of Heaven yet not enjoy Communion with God we may have the Letter without Spirit the visible Sign without the invisible Grace it is the enjoying of God in a Duty we should chiefly look at Psal. 42.2 My soul thirsteth for God for the living God Alas what are all our worldly Enjoyments without the enjoying of God What is it to enjoy a great deal of Health a brave Estate and not to enjoy God Job 30.28 I went mourning without the sun So maist thou say in the Enjoyment of all Creatures without God I went mourning without the sun I have the Star-light of outward Enjoyments but I cannot enjoy God I want the Sun of Righteousness I went mourning without the sun This should be our great Design not only to have the Ordinances of God but the God of the Ordinances The enjoying God's sweet Presence with us here is the most contented Life he is an Hive of Sweetness a Magazine of Riches
and Majesty yet chiefly he will have the worship of the Soul 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit Spirit-worship God prizeth because it comes so near to his own Nature who is a Spirit Quest. What is it to Worship God in the Spirit Resp. 1. To worship him without Ceremonies The Ceremonies of the Law which God himself ordained are now abrogated and out of date Christ the Substance being come the Shadows flie away and therefore the Apostle calls the Legal Ceremonies Carnal Rites Heb. 9.10 and if not use those Iewish Ceremonies which God did once appoint then not those which he did never appoint Resp. 2. To worship God in Spirit is to worship him 1. With Faith in the Bloud of the Messiah Heb. 11.9 And 2. to worship him with the utmost Zeal and Intensness of Soul Acts 26.7 Our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Intensness of Spirit not only constantly but instantly This is to worship God in the Spirit The more Spiritual any Service is the nearer it comes to God who is a Spirit and the more excellent it is the spiritual part of Duty is the Fat of the Sacrifice it is the Soul and Quintessence of Religion The richest Cordials are made of Spirits and the best Duties are such as are of a Spiritual Nature God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit It is not Pomp of Worship but Purity which God accepts Repentance is not in the outward Severities used to the Body Pennance Fasting and Chastising the Body but it consists in the Sacrifice of a broken Heart Thanksgiving doth not stand in Church-Musick the Melody of an Organ but rather making Melody in the Heart to the Lord Eph. 5.19 Prayer is not the Tuning of the Voice into an heartless Confession or telling over a few Beads but it consists in Sighs and Groans Rom. 8.26 When the Fire of Fervency is put to the Incense of Prayer now it ascends as a sweet Odour that is the true Holy Water not which the Pope sprinkles but what is distilled from the Limbeck of a Penitent Eye Spirit-worship best pleaseth that God who is a Spirit Ioh. 4.23 The Father seeks such to worship him to shew the great acceptance of such and how God is delighted with Spiritual-worship This is the savoury Meat God loves How few mind this worshipping him who is a Spirit in the Spirit they give him more Dreggs then Spirits they think it enough to bring their Duties but not their Hearts which hath made God disclaim those very Services he himself appointed Isa. 1.12 Ezek. 33.31 Let us then give God Spirit-worship this best suits with his Nature a Soveraign Elixar full of Vertue may be given in a few drops a little Prayer if it be with the Heart and Spirit may have much Vertue and Efficacy in it The Publican made but a short Prayer God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 but it was full of life and spirit it came from the Heart therefore was accepted Use 2. of Exhortation Pray to God that as he is a Spirit so he will give us of his Spirit The Essence of God is incommunicable but the Motions the Presence and Influences of his Spirit When the Sun shines in a Room not the Body of the Sun is there but the Light Heat and Influence of the Sun God hath made a Promise of his Spirit Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you Turn Promises into Prayers O Lord thou who art a Spirit give me of thy Spirit I Flesh beg thy Spirit thy enlightning â—anctifying quickning Spirit Melancthon's Prayer Domine accende animam meam Spiritu tuo Lord inflame my Soul with thy Holy Spirit How needful is his Spirit we cannot do any Duty without it in a lively manner when this Wind blows upon our Sails then we move swiftly towards Heaven Pray therefore that God will give us of the Residue of his Spirit Mal. 2.15 that we may move more vigorously in the Sphere of Religion Use 3. of Comfort As God is a Spirit so the Reward that he gives is Spiritual that is the Excellency of it as the chief Blessings he gives us in this Life are Spiritual Blessings Eph. 1.3 not Gold and Silver he gives Christ his Love he fills us with Grace so the main Rewards he gives after this Life are Spiritual a Crown of Glory that fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 Earthly Crowns fade but the Believer's Crown being Spiritual is Immortal a never-fading Crown It is impossible saith Iulius Scaliger for that which is Spiritual to be subject to Change or Corruption This may comfort a Christian in all his Labours and Sufferings he lays out himself for God and hath little or no Reward here but remember God who is a Spirit will give Spiritual Rewards a sight of his Face in Heaven white Robes a weight of Glory Be not then weary of God's Service think of the Spiritual Reward a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away GOD is INFINITE Quest. WHat kind of Spirit is God Resp. He is Infinite so he differs from all created Beings which are Finite Though Infinite may be applied to all God's Attributes he is infinitely Merciful infinitely Wise infinitely Holy yet if we take Infiniteness properly so implies 1. God's Omnipresency the Greek word for Infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies without Bounds or Limits God is not confined to any place he is Infinite and so is present in all places at once His Centre is every-where Divina essentia nusquam inclusa aut exclusa Aug. 1 Kings 8.27 Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee This the Turks have a Notion of they build their Temples open on the top to show that God cannot be confined to their Temples or circumscribed but is in all places by his Presence God's Essence is not limited either to the Regions above or to the Terrestrial Globe but his whole Essence is every-where This is to be Infinite As Philosophers say of the Soul it is Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte The Soul is in every part of the Body in the Eye Heart Foot so we may say of God he is Ubique his Essence is every-where his Circuit is in Heaven and Earth and Sea and he is in all places of his Circuit at once This is to be Infinite God who bounds every thing else is himself without Bounds He sets Bounds to the Sea Huc usque Hitherto shalt thou come and no further He sets Bounds to the Angels they like the Cherubims move and stand at his appointment Ezek. 10.16 but he is Infinite without Bounds He who can span the Heavens and weigh the Earth in a pair of Scales must needs be Infinite Isa. 40.12 Object Vorstius That God is in all places at once but not in regard of his Essence but Virtute potentia by his Vertue and
Influence as the Body of the Sun is in Heaven it only sends forth its Beams and Influences to the Earth or as a King who is in all places of his Kingdom Authoritative by his Power and Authority but he is personally in his Throne Resp. But to answer God who is Infinite is in all places at once not only by his Influence but his Essence for if his Essence fills all places then he must needs be there in Person But Ergo Minor in Ier. 23.24 Do not I fill heaven and earth Object But doth not God say Heaven is his Throne Isa. 66.1 Resp. It is also said that an humble Heart is his Throne Isa. 57.15 The humble Heart is his Throne in regard of his gracious Presence and Heaven is his Throne in regard of his glorious Presence and yet neither of these Thrones will hold him for the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him Object But if God be Infinite in all places then he is in places impure and he mingles with that Impurity Resp. Though God be in all places in the Heart of a Sinner by his Inspection and in Hell by his Justice yet he doth not mingle with that Impurity or receive the least tincture of Evil Divina natura non est immista rebus aut sordibus inquinata Aug. No more then the Sun shining on a Dunghil is defiled or its Beauty spotted or then Christ going among Sinners was defiled his Godhead was a sufficient Antidote against Infection Reason why God must needs be Infinite in all places at once not only in regard of the Simplicity and Purity of his Nature but in regard of his Power which being so glorious who can set him Bounds or prescribe him a Circuit to walk in 'T is as if the Drop should go to limit the Ocean or the Star to set the Sun its Bounds Use 1. It condemns the Papists who would make more things Infinite then the Godhead they hold that Christ's Body is in many places at once that it is in Heaven and in the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament Though Christ as he is God is Infinite and in all places at once yet as Man he is not Christ when he was on Earth his Manhood was not in Heaven though his Godhead was and now he is in Heaven his Manhood is not on Earth though his Godhead be Heb. 10.5 't is spoken of Christ A body hast thou prepared me This Body cannot be in all places at once for then it is no more a Body but a Spirit Christ's Body in Heaven though it be Glorified it is not Deified it is not Infinite for so it must be if it be both in Heaven and in the Bread and Wine by Transubstantiation If God be Infinite present in all places at once then it is certain he governs all things in his own Person he needs no Proxies or Deputies to help him carry on his Government He is in all places at an instant and manageth all Affairs both in the World and Heaven A King cannot be in all places of his Kingdom in his own Person therefore he is fain to govern by Deputies and Vicegerents and they often pervert Justice but God being Infinite needs no Deputies he is present in all places he sees all with his own Eyes and hears all with his own Ears he is every-where in his own Person therefore is fit to be the Judge of the World he will do every one Right If God be Infinite by his Omnipresency then see the Greatness and Immensness of the Divine Majesty What a Great God do we serve 1 Chr. 29.11 Thine O Lord is the greatness and the glory and the majesty and thou art exalted as head above all Well may the Scripture display the Greatness of his Glory who is Infinite in all places He transcends our weak Conceptions how can our finite Understanding comprehend him who is Infinite He is infinitely above all our Praises Neh. 9.5 Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise O what a poor Nothing is Man when we think of God's Infiniteness as the Stars disappear at the rising of the Sun O how doth Man shrink into nothing when Infinite Majesty shines forth in his Glory Isa. 40.15 The nations are as a drop of the bucket or the small dust of the ballance O what a little of that Drop are we The Heathens thought they had sufficiently praised Iupiter when they called him Great Iupiter Of what Immense Majesty is God who fills all places at once his is excellent Greatness Psal. 150.2 If God be Infinite filling Heaven and Earth see what a full Portion the Saints have they have him for their Portion who is Infinite His Fulness is an Infinite Fulness and he is infinitely sweet as well as infinitely full If a Conduit be fill'd with Wine here is a sweet Fulness but still it is Finite but God's is a sweet Fulness and it is an Infinite He is infinitely full of Beauty of Love his Riches are call'd unsearchable Eph. 3.8 because they are Infinite Stretch your Thoughts as much as you can there 's that in God exceeds it is an Infinite Fulness He is said to do abundantly for us above all that we can ask Ephes. 3.20 What cannot an ambitious Spirit ask he can ask Crowns and Kingdoms Millions of Worlds but God can give more then we can ask because he is Infinite nay or think We can think what if all the Dust were turn'd to Silver if every Flower were a Ruby every Sand in the Sea a Diamond yet God can give more then we can think because he is Infinite O how rich are they who have the Infinite God for their Portion Well might David say The Lord is the portion of my inheritance the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places and I have a goodly heritage Ps. 16.5 We may go with the Bee from Flower to Flower but we shall never have full Satisfaction till we come to the Infinite God Iacob said I have enough in Hebrew Li col I have all Gen. 33.11 because he had the Infinite God for his Portion God being an Infinite Fulness there is no fear of Want for any of the Heirs of Heaven though there be Millions of Saints and Angels which have a share in God's Riches yet he hath enough for them all because he is Infinite Though a thousand Men behold the Sun there is Light enough in the Sun for them all Put never so many Buckets into the Sea there 's Water enough in the Sea to fill them Though an innumerable Company of Saints and Angels are to be filled out of God's Fulness yet God being Infinite he hath abundantly enough to satisfie them God hath Land enough to give to all his Heirs there can be no want in that which is Infinite If God be Infinite he fills all places is every-where present this is sad to the Wicked God is their Enemy and they cannot escape him
nor flie from him for he is every where present they are never out of his Eye nor out of his Reach Psal. 21.8 Thy hand shall find out all thy enemies What Caves or Thickets can Men hide in that God cannot find them go where they will he is present Psal. 139.7 Whither shall I flie from thy presence If a Man owes a Debt to another he may make some Escape and flie into another Land where the Creditor cannot find him But whither shall I flie from thy presence God is Infinite he is in all places so that he will find out his Enemies and punish them Object But is it not said Cain went out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4.16 Resp. The meaning is he went out from the Church of God where were the visible Signs of God's Presence and where God did in a special manner manifest his sweet Presence to his People But Cain could not go out of God's sight for God being Infinite is every-where present Sinners can neither go from an Accusing Conscience nor a Revenging God If God be every-where present then for a Christian to walk with God is not impossible God is not only in Heaven but he is on Earth too Isa. 66.1 Heaven is his Throne there he sits the Earth is his Footstool there he stands He is every-where present therefore we may come to walk with God Enoch walked with God Gen. 5.21 If God were confin'd to Heaven a trembling Soul might think how can I Converse with God how can I walk with him who lives in Excelsis above the upper Region but God is not confined to Heaven he is Omnipresent he is above us yet he is about us he is near to us Acts 17.27 Though he be not far from the Assembly of his Saints He stands in the Congregation of the Mighty Psal. 82.1 He is present with us God is in every one of us so that here on Earth we may walk with God In Heaven the Saints rest with him on Earth they walk with him To walk with God is to walk by Faith we are said to draw nigh to God Heb. 10.22 and to see him Heb. 11.27 as seeing him who is invisible and to have Fellowship with him Hos. 1.3 Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Fellowship is with the Father Thus we may take a turn with him every day by Faith 'T is a slighting of God not to walk with him if a King be in presence it is a slighting him to neglect him and walk with the Page there 's no Walk in the World so sweet as to walk with God Psal. 89.15 They shall walk in the light of thy countenance Psal. 138.5 Yea they shall sing in ways of the Lord it is like walking among beds of spices which send forth a fragrant perfume Use 2. If God be Infinite in his glorious Essence learn to admire where you cannot fadom The Angels wear a Veil they cover their Faces as adoring this Infinite Majesty Isa. 6.3 Elias wraped himself in a Mantle when God's Glory passed by admire where you cannot fadom Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Here we see some Beams of his Glory we see him in the Glass of the Creation we see him in his Picture his Image shines in the Saints but who can search out all his Essential Glory what Angel can measure these Pyramids Canst thou by searching find out God He is Infinite We can no more search out his Infinite Perfections then a Man upon the top of the highest Mountain can reach the Firmament or take a Star in his hand O have God-admiring Thoughts adore where you cannot fathom There are many Mysteries in Nature which we cannot fathom Why the Sea should be higher then the Earth yet not drown it Why Nilus should overflow in Summer when by the Course of Nature the Waters are lowest How the Bones grow in the Womb Eccles. 11.5 If these things pose us how may the Infinite Mystery of the Deity transcend our most raised Intellectuals Ask the Geometrician if he can with a pair of Compasses measure the breadth of the Earth So unable are we to measure the Infinite Perfections of God In Heaven we shall see God clearly but not fully for he is Infinite he will communicate himself to us according to the bigness of our Vessel but not the Immensness of his Nature Adore then where you cannot Fathom If God be Infinite in all places then let us not go to limit God Psal. 78.41 They limited the holy one of Israel 'T is a limiting God to confine him within the narrow compass of our Reason Reason thinks God must go such a way to work or the business will never be effected This is to limit God to our Reason whereas he is Infinite and his ways are past finding out Rom. 11.33 In the Deliverance of the Church it is a limiting God either to set him a Time or prescribe him a Method for Deliverance God will deliver Sion but he will be left to his own Liberty he will not be tied to a Place to a time to an Instrument this were to limit him and then he should not be Infinite God will go his own way he will pose and nonplus Reason he will work by Improbabilities he will save in such a way as we think he will destroy now he acts like himself like an Infinite Wonder-working God Of the Knowledge of GOD. FOr the Lord is a God of Knowledge and by him Actions are weighed 1 Sam. 2.3 Glorious things are spoken of God he transcends our Thoughts and the Angels Praises God's Glory lies chiefly in his Attributes which are the several Beams by which the Divine Nature shines forth Among other of his Orient Excellencies this is not the least The Lord is a God of Knowledge or as the Hebrew word is el Degnoth a God of Knowledges Through the bright Mirror of his own Essence he hath a full Idaea and Cognisance of all things the World is to him Corpus diaphanum a transparent Body He makes an Heart-Anatomy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.23 I am he which searcheth the Reins and the Heart The Clouds are no Canopy the Night is no Curtain to draw between us and his sight Psal. 139.12 The Darkness hâ—deth not from thee There is not a word we whisper but God hears it Psal. 139.4 There is not a word in my Tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether There is not the most subtil Thought comes into our Mind but God perceives it Isa. 66.18 I knâ—w their thoughts Thoughts speak as loud in Gods Ears as Words do in ours All our Actions though never so subtilly contrived and secretly conveyed are visible to the Eye of Omnisciency Isa. 66.18 I know their works Achan hid the Babylonish Garment in the Earth but God brought it to light Iosh. 7.21 Minerva was drawn in such curious Colours and so lively pensil'd that which way soever one turned Minerva's
of their Misery But the Worm the Fire the Prison are all Eternal Rev. 14.11 The smoak of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever Poenae Gehennales puniunt non finiunt Prosper Eternity is a Sea without Bottom and Banks After Millions of years there 's not one Minute in eternity wasted and the Damned must be ever burning but never consuming always dying but never dead Rev. 9.6 They shall seek death but shall not find it The Fire of Hell is such as multitude of Tears will not quench it Length of Time will not finish it the Vial of God's Wrath will be always dropping upon a sinner As long as God is Eternal he lives for Ever to be avenged upon the wicked O Eternity Eternity who can Fathom it Mariners have their Plummets to measure the Depth of the Sea but what Line or Plummets shall we use to Fathom the Depth of Eternity The Breath of the Lord kindles the Infernal Lake Isa. 30.33 and where shall we have Engines or Buckets to quench that Fire O Eternity If all the Body of the Earth and Sea were turned to Sand and all the Air up to the starry Heaven were nothing but Sand and a little Bird should come every 1000th year and fetch away in her Bill but the Tenth part of a grain of all that heap of Sand what a numberless number of years would be spent before that vast heap of Sand would be fetch'd away yet if at the end of all that time the sinner might come out of Hell though long yet there would be some hope But this word ever breaks the heart The smoke of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever What a Terror is this to the wicked enough to put them into a cold Sweat to think as long as God is Eternal he lives for ever to be avenged upon sinners Quest. Here a Question may be moved Why sin that is committed in a short time should be punished eternally Resp. We must hold with St. Augustine that God's Judgment on the wicked Occulta esse possunt injusta esse non possunt may be secret but never unjust The reason why sin committed in a short time is eternally punished is because every sin is committed against an Infinite Essence and no less than Eternity of Punishment can satisfie Why is Treason punished with Confiscation and Death but because it is against the King's Person which is Sacred much more that Offence which is against God's Crown and Dignity is of an heinous and infinite Nature and cannot be satisfied with less than Eternal Punishment Use 2. Of Comfort to the Godly God is Eternal therefore lives for ever to Reward the Godly Rom. 2.7 To them who seek for glory and honour eternal life The People of God here are in a suffering Condition Acts 20.23 Bonds and Afflictions abide me The Head being crowned with Thorns the Feet must not tread upon Roses The Wicked are clad in Purple and fare deliciously while the Godly suffer Goats climb upon the high Mountains while Christ's Sheep are in the Valley of Slaughter But here is the Comfort God is Eternal and he hath appointed Eternal Recompences for the Saints In Heaven are fresh Delights Sweetness without Surfeit And that which is the Crown and Zenith of Heavens happiness is it is Eternal 1 Iohn 2.25 Were there but the least suspicion that this Glory must cease it would much eclipse yea imbitter it but it is Eternal What Angel can span Eternity 2 Cor. 4.17 An eternal weight of glory The Saints shall bathe themselves in the Rivers of Divine Pleasure and these Rivers can never be dried up Psal. 16.11 At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore This is the Elah the highest strain in the Apostles Rhetorick 1 Thess. 4.17 Ever with the Lord. There is Peace without Trouble Ease without Pain Glory without End ever with the Lord. Let this comfort the Saints in all their Troubles their Sufferings are but short but their Reward is eternal Eternity makes Heaven to be Heaven 't is the Diamond in the Ring O blessed Day that shall have no Night The Sun-light of Glory shall rise upon the Soul and never set O blessed Spring that shall have no Autumn or Fall of the Leaf The Roman Emperours have three Crowns set upon their Heads the first of Iron the second of Silver the third of Gold So the Lord sets three Crowns on his Children Grace Comfort and Glory and this Crown is Eternal 1 Pet. 5.4 Ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away The Wicked have a never-dying Worm and the Godly a never-fading Crown O how should this be a Spur to Vertue how willing should we be to work for God though we had nothing here God hath time enough to reward his People the Crown of Eternity shall be set upon their Head Use 3. Of Exhortation 1. In General study Eternity Our Thoughts should chiefly run upon Eternity We are all for the present something that may delight the Sences If we could have lived as Augustine A cunabulis Mundi from the Infancy of the World to the Worlds old Age what were this What is Time measured with Eternity As the Earth is but a small Point to the Heaven so Time is but nay scarce a Minute to Eternity and then what is this poor Life which crumbles away so fast O think of Eternity Annos aeternos in mente habe Brethren we are every day travelling to Eternity and whether we wake or sleep we are going our Journey some of us are upon the Borders of Eternity O study the shortness of Life and the length of Eternity 2. More Particularly Think of God's Eternity and the Soul's Eternity 1. Think of God's Eternity He is the Ancient of Days who was before all Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thales There is a figurative Description of God Dan. 7.9 The Ancient of Days did sit whose Garment was white as snow and the hair of his Head like the pure Wooll His white Garment wherewith he was cloathed signified his Majesty his Hair like the pure Wool his Holiness and the Ancient of Days his Eternity The thoughts of God's Eternity would make us have high adoring thoughts of God We are apt to have mean irreverent thoughts of him Psal. 50.21 Thou thoughtest I was such a one as thy self weak and mortal But if we would think of God's Eternity when all Power ceaseth he is King Eternal his Crown flourisheth for ever who can make us happy or miserable for ever this would make us have adoring thoughts of God Rev. 4.10 The four and twenty Elders fell down before him that sate on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne The Saints fall down to signifie by that humble posture that they are not worthy to sit in God's Presence They fall down and they worship him that lives for ever they do as it were kiss his feet And
whole World but the virtue of it is applied only to such as believe Christ's Blood is meritorious for all not efficacious All are not saved because some put away Salvation from them Acts 13.46 and vilifie Christ's Blood counting it an unholy thing Hebr. 10.29 Use 1. Here is a great Pillar for our Faith the Truth of God Were not he a God of Truth how could we believe in him our Faith were Fancy But he is Truth it self and not a word he hath spoken shall fall to the ground Truth is the object of Trust. The Truth of God is an unmoveable Rock we may venture our Salvation here Isa. 59.15 Truth faileth Truth on Earth doth but not Truth in Heaven God can as well cease to be God as cease to be True Hath God said he will be good to the Soul that seeks him Lam. 3.25 he will give rest to the weary Matth. 11.28 Here is a safe Anchor hold he will not alter the thing which is gone forth of his Lips The Publick Faith of Heaven is engaged for Believers can we have better Security The whole Earth hangs upon the word of God's Power and shall not our Faith hang upon the Word of God's Truth where can we rest our Faith but upon God's faithfulness There is nothing else we can believe in but the Truth of God we cannot trust in an Arm of Flesh we cannot trust in our own Hearts this is to build upon the Quicksands but the Truth of God is a golden Pillar for Faith to stay upon God cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Not to believe God's Veracity is to affront God 1 Iohn 5.10 He that believeth not hath made God a lyar A Person of Honour cannot be more affronted or provoaked then when he is not believed He that denies God's Truth makes the Promise no better than a forged Deed and can there be a greater affront offered to God Use 2. of Terrour to the Wicked God is a God of Truth and he is true in his Threatnings the Threatnings are a flying Roll against sinners God hath threatned to wound the hairy scalp of every one that goes on still in his Trespasses Psal. 68.21 He hath threatned to judge Adulterers Hebr. 13.3 to be avenged upon the malitious Psal. 10.14 Thou beholdest mischief and spight to requite it with thy own hand To rain fire and brimstone upon the sinner Psal. 11.6 And God is as true in his Threatnings as his Promises God hath oft to shew his Truth executed his Threatnings and let his Thunder-bolts of Judgment fall upon Sinners in this Life He struck Herod in the act of his Pride He hath punished Blasphemers Olympius an Arrian Bishop reproached and blasphemed the blessed Trinity immediately Lightning fell down from Heaven upon him and consumed him God is as true in his Threatnings as in his Promises Let us fear the Threatning that we may not feel it Use 3. Is God a God of Truth let us be like God in Truth 1. We must be true in our Words Pythagoras being asked what made Men like God answered Cum vera loquuntur when they speak Truth It is the note of a Man that shall go to Heaven Psal. 15.2 He speaketh the Truth from his heart Truth in words is opposed 1. to Lying Eph. 4.25 Putting away lying speak every one truth to his neighbour Lying is when one speaks that for a truth which he knows to be false A Lier is most opposite to the God of Truth There is as Austin saith two sorts of Lies 1. Mendacium Officiosum an Officious Lie when a Man tells a Lie for his Profit as when a Trades-man saith his Commodity cost him so much when perhaps it did not cost him half so much He that will lie in his Trade shall lye in Hell 2. Mendacium Iocosum a jesting Lie when a Man tells a Lie in sport to make others merry he goes laughing to Hell When you tell a Lie you make your selves like the Devil Iohn 8.44 The Devil is a lier and the Father of it He deceived our first Parents by a Lie Some are so wicked that they will not only speak an Untruth but will Swear to it nay they will wish a Curse upon themselves if that Untruth be not true As I have read of a Woman one Anne Averies 1575. who being in a Shop wished that she might sink if she had not paid for the Wares she took she fell down speechless immeditately and died in the place A Lier is not fit to live in a Commonwealth Lying takes away all Society and Converse with Men. How can you Converse with him whom you cannot believe what he saith Lying shuts Men out of Heaven Rev. 22.25 Without are Dogs and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie And as it is a great sin to tell a lie so it is a worse sin to teach a lye Isa. 9.15 The Prophet that teacheth lies He who broacheth Errour teacheth Lies he spreads the Plague he not only damns himself but helps to damn others 2. Truth in words is opposed to Dissembling The Heart and Tongue should go together as the Dial goes exactly with the Sun To speak fair to ones Face and not to mean what one speaks is no better then a lie Psal. 55.21 His words were smoother than oil but war was in his heart Some have an Art at this they can flatter and hate Hierom speaking of the Arrians saith They pretended friendship they kissed my hands but plotted mischief against me Psal. 29.5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet Impia sub dulci melle venena latent Falshood in Friendship is a lie Counterfeiting of Friendship is worse then counterfeiting of Money This is contrary to God who is a God of Truth 2. We must be true in our Profession of Religion Let Practice go along with Profession Eph. 4.24 Righteousness and true Holiness Hypocrisie in Religion is a Lie The Hypocrite is like a Face in a Glass there is the show of a Face but no true Face So he makes a shew of Holiness but hath no Truth of it 't is but the Face in the Glass Ephraim pretended to be that which he was not and what saith God of him Hos. 11.12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies By a lie in our words we deny the Truth by a lie in our profession we disgrace it Not to be what we profess to God is telling a lie and the Scripture makes it little better than Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Iews and are not O! I beseech you labour in this to be like God he is a God of Truth he can as well part with his Deity as his Verity be I say like God be true in your Words be true in your Profession God's Children are Children that will not lie Isa. 63.9 When God sees Truth in the inward parts and lips in
inward impellent Motive or Ground of Iustification is the Free-grace of God So in the Text Iustified freely by his grace Which Ambrose expounds Not of the Grace wrought within us but the Free-grace of God The first Wheel that sets all the rest a running is the Love and Favour of God Being justified by his Grace as a King freely Pardons a Delinquent Iustification is a Mercy spun out of the Bowels of Free-grace God doth not justifie us because we are worthy but by justifying us makes us worthy Quest. What is the material Cause or that by which a Sinner is justified Resp. The Matter of our Iustification is Christ's Satisfaction made to his Father If it be asked How can it stand with God's Iustice and Holiness to pronounce us Innocent when we are Guilty This answers it Christ having made Satisfaction for our Fault now God may in Equity and Justice pronounce us Righteous It is a just thing for a Creditor to discharge a Debtor of the Debt when a Satisfaction is made by the Surety Quest. But how was Christ's Satisfaction meritorious and so sufficient to Iustifie Resp. In respect of the Divine Nature As he was Man he suffered as God he satisfied by Christ's Death and Merits God's Justice is more abundantly satisfied then if we had suffered the Pains of Hell for ever Quest. Wherein lies the Formality or Essence of our Iustification Resp. In the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us Jer. 23.6 This is the name whereby ye shall be called Iehovah Tzidkennu THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made to us righteousness This Righteousness of Christ which doth justifie us is a better Righteousness then the Angels theirs is the Righteousness of Creatures this of God Quest. What is the Means or Instrument of our Iustification Resp. Faith Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith The Dignity is not in Faith as a Grace but relatively as it lays hold on Christ's Merits Quest. What is the Efficient Cause of our Iustification Resp. The whole Trinity all the Persons in the Blessed Trinity have an Hand in the Iustification of a Sinner Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa God the Father is said to justifie Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth God the Son is said to justify Acts 13.39 By him all that believe are justified God the Holy Ghost is said to justifie 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are justified by the spirit of our God God the Father justifies as he pronounceth us Righteous God the Son justifies as he imputes his Righteousness to us and God the Holy Ghost justifies as he clears up our Iustification and seals us up to the Day of Redemption Quest. What is the End of our Iustification Resp. The End is 1. That God may inherit Praise Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace Hereby God raiseth the everlasting Trophies of his own Honour How will the justified Sinner proclaim the Love of God and make Heaven ring of his Praises 2. That the justified Person may inherit Glory Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them he also glorified God in justifying doth not only absolve a Soul from Guilt but advance him to Dignity as Ioseph was not only loosed from Prison but made Lord of the Kingdom Iustification is crowned with Glorification Quest. Whether are we justified from Eternity Resp. No for first by Nature we are under a Sentence of Condemnation Joh. 3.18 But we could not be at all condemned if we were justified from Eternity 2. The Scripture confines Iustification to those who believe and repent Acts 3.19 Repent that your sins may be blotted out Therefore their sins were uncanciled and their Persons unjustified till they did repent though God doth not justifie us for our Repentance yet not without it The Antinomians erroniously hold That we are justified from Eternity This Doctrine is a Key which opens the Door to all Licentiousness what sins do they care they commit so long as they hold they are ab Aeterno justified whether they repent or no. Before I come to the Uses I shall lay down four Maxims or Positions about Iustification Position 1. That Iustification confers a real benefit upon the Person justified The acquitting and discharging the Debtor by Vertue of the Satisfaction made by the Surety is a real Benefit to the Debtor A Robe of Righteousness and a Crown of Righteousness are real Benefits Position 2. All Believers are alike justified Iustificatio non recipit magis minus Though there are Degrees in Grace yet not in Iustification one is not justified more than another The weakest Believer is as perfectly justified as the strongest Mary Magdalen is as much justified as the Virgin Mary This may be Cordial-water to a weak Believer Though thou hast but a Dram of Faith thou art as truly justified as he who is of the highest stature in Christ. Position 3. Whomsoever God justifies he sanctifies 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified The Papists calumniate the Protestants they report we hold that Men continuing in sin are justified whereas all our Protestant Writers affirm That Righteousness imputed viz. Iustification and Righteousness inherent viz. Sanctification must be inseparably united Holiness indeed is not the cause of our Iustification but it is the concomitant the Heat in the Sun is not the cause of its Light but it is the concomitant It is absurd to imagine that God should justifie a People and they go on Sin If God should justifie a People and not sanctifie them he should justifie a People whom he could not glorifie God as he is an Holy God cannot lay a Sinner in his Bosom The Metal is first refined before the King's Stamp is put upon it First the Soul is refined with Holiness before God puts the Royal Stamp of Justification upon it Position 4. Iustification is inamissibilis it is a fixed permanent Thing it can never be lost The Arminians hold an Apostasie from Iustification To day justified to morrow unjustified to day a Peter to morrow a Iudas to day a Member of Christ to morrow a Limb of Satan a most uncomfortable Doctrine Indeed justified Persons may fall from degrees of Grace they may leave their first Love they may lose God's Favour for a time but not lose their Iustification If they are justified then they are elected they can no more fall from their Iustification then from their Election If they are justified then they have Union with Christ and can a Member of Christ be broken off If one justified Person may fall away from Christ then all may and so Christ should be an Head without a Body Use 1. See from hence that there is nothing within us could justifie us but something without us not any Righteousness inherent but imputed We may as well look for a Star in the Earth as for Iustification in our own Righteousness The Papists say we are justified by Works But the Apostle confutes it Not of works least
Christians it is but a while and you shall have done Weeping and Praying and be triumphing You shall put off your Mourning and put on white Robes you shall put off your Armour and put on a Victorious Crown You who have made a good Progress in Religion you are now almost ready to Commence and take your Degree of Glory now is your Salvation nearer than when you began to believe When a Man is almost at the end of a Race will he now tire or faint away O labour to persevere your Salvation is now nearer you have but a little way to go and you will set your Foot in Heaven Though the way be up-Hill and full of Thorns viz. Sufferings yet you have gone the greatest part of your way and shortly you shall rest from your Labours 3. How sad it is not to persevere in Holiness you expose your selves to the Reproaches of Men and the Rebukes of God First To the Reproaches of Men. They will divide both you and your Profession Luke 14.28 This Man began to Build and was not able to finish Such is he who begins in Religion and doth not persevere He is the Ludibrium and Derision of all Secondly To the Rebukes of God God is most severe against such as fall off because they bring an Evil Report upon Religion Apostacy breeds a bitter Worm in Conscience What a Worm did Spira feel and it brings swift Damnation It is a drawing back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Perdition Heb. 10.38 God will make his Sword drunk with the Blood of Apostates 4. The Promises of Mercy are annexed only to Perseverance Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh shall be cloathed in white Raiment and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life Non pugnanti sed vincenti dabitur corona Aug. The Promise is not to him that Fights but that overcomes Luke 22.28 Ye are they which have continued with me and I appoint unto you a Kingdom The Promise of a Kingdom saith Chrysostom is not made to them that heard Christ or followed him but that continued with him Perseverance carries away the Garland No Man hath the Crown set upon his Head but he who holds out to the end of the Race O therefore by all this be perswaded to Persevere God makes no account of such as do not persevere Who esteems of Corn that sheds before Harvest or Fruit that falls from the Tree before it be Ripe Quest. 2. What expedients or means may be used for a Christians Perseverance Resp. 1. Take heed of those things which will make you desist and fall away First Take heed of Presumption Do not presume upon your own strength Exercise an Holy Fear and Jealousie over your own Hearts Rom. 11.20 Be not high minded but fear 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lâ—st he fall It was Peter's Sin he lean'd more upon his Grace than upon Christ and then he fell A Christian hath cause to fear lest the Lusts and Deceits of his Heart betray him Take heed of Presuming Fear begets Prayer Prayer begets Strength and Strength begets Stedfastness Secondly Take heed of Hypocrisie Iudas was first a Sly Hypocrite and then a Traitor Psal. 78.37 Their Heart was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his Covenant If there be any Venom or Malignity in the Blood it will break forth into a Plague-sore The Venom of Hypocrisie is in danger of breaking forth into the Plague-sore of Scandal Thirdly Beware of a Vile Heart of Unbelief Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief departing from the Living God Whence is Apostacy but from Incredulity Men do not believe the Truth and then they fall from the Truth Unbelieving and Unstable go together Psal. 78.22 They believed not in God ver 41. They turned back 2. If you would be Pillars in the Temple of God and persevere in Sanctity First Look that you enter into Religion upon a right ground be well grounded in the distinct knowledg of God you must know the Love of the Father the Merit of the Son the Efficacy of the Holy Ghost Such as know not God aright will by degrees fall off The Samaritans sometimes sided with the Jews when they were in favour afterwards disclaimed all Kindred with them when Antiochus persecuted the Jews And no wonder the Samaritans were no more fixed in Religion if you consider what Christ saith of the Samaritans Iohn 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what They were ignorant of the True God let your Knowledge of God be clear and serve him purely out of Choice and then you will persevere Psal. 119.30 I have chosen the way of Truth I have stuck unto thy Testimonies Secondly Get a real work of Grace in your Heart Heb. 13.9 It is a good thing that the Heart he established with Grace Nothing will hold out but Grace 't is only this Anointing abides Paint will fall off Get an Heart-changing-work 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified Be not content with Baptism of Water without Baptism of the Spirit The reason Men persevere not in Religion is for want of a Vital Principle A Branch must needs wither that hath no root to grow upon Thirdly If you would Persevere be very Sincere Perseverance grows only upon the Root of Sincerity Psal. 25.21 Let Integrity and Uprightness preserve me The Breast-Plate of Sincerity can never be shot thorough How many Storms was Iob in The Devil sets against him his Wife tempted him to Curse God his Friends accused him for an Hypocrite here was enough one would think to have made him desist from Religion Yet for all this he perseveres What preserved him it was his Sincerity Iob 27.6 My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not Reproach me so long as I live Fourthly If Persevere be Humble St. Chrysostom calls it the Mother of all the Graces God lets a poor Humble Christian stand when others of Higher Parts and who have higher Thoughts of themselves fall off by Apostacy They are likest to Persevere who God will give most Grace to But he gives Grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5.5 They are likest to persevere who have God dwelling in them But God dwells in the Humble Soul Isa. 57.15 Non requiescit Spiritus Sanctus nisi super Humilem Bern. The lower the Tree roots in the Earth the firmer it is the more the Soul is rooted in Humility the more stablished it is and in less danger of falling away Fifthly If Persevere cherish the Grace of Faith Faith doth stabilire Animum 2 Cor. 1.24 By Faith ye stand 1. Faith knits us to Christ as the Members are knit to the Head by Nerves and Sinews 2. Faith fills us with Love to God It works by Love Gal. 5.6 And he who loves God will rather dye than desert him The Soldier who loves his General will die in
aspects and smiles of Gods Face Which brings me to the third thing 3. The Saints at Death shall not only have a Sight of God but shall enjoy the Love of God there shall be no more Veil on Gods Face nor his Smiles checker'd with Frowns but Gods love shall discover it self in all its Orient Beauty and fragrant Sweetness Here the Saints pray for Gods Love and they have a few drops but there they shall have as much as their Vessel can receive To know this love passeth Knowledge This will cause a Jubilation of Spirits and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints as are Superlative and would soon overwhelm them if God did not make them able to bear 4. Believers at Death shall gain a Celestial Palace an House not made with Hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here the Saints are straitned for Room they have but mean Cottages to live in but they shall have a Royal Palace to live in Here is but their Sojourning House there in Heaven is their Mansion-house An House built high above all the Visible Orbs an House bespangled with Light Col. 1.12 Enriched with Pearls and Precious Stones Rev. 21.19 And this is not their Landlord's House but their Father's House Iohn 14.2 And this House stands all upon Consecrated Ground it is set out by Transparent Glass to shew the Holiness of it Rev. 21.27 5. Believers at Death shall gain the sweet Society of glorified Saints and Angels This will add something to the felicity of Heaven as every Star adds some lustre to the Firmament First The Society of the glorified Saints we shall see them in their Souls as well as in their Bodies Their Bodies will be so clear and bright that we shall see their Souls shining through their Bodies as the Wine through the Glass and Believers at Death shall have Converse with the Saints glorified And how delightful will that be when they shall be freed from all their Sinful Corruptions Pride Envy Passion Censoriousness which are Scars upon them here to disfigure them In Heaven there shall be perfect Love among the Saints they shall as the Olive and Myrtle sweetly embrace each other The Saints shall know one another as Luther speaks If in the Transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias which he never saw before Mat. 17.3 then much more in the glorified State the Saints shall perfectly know one another though they never saw them before Secondly The Saints at Death shall behold the Angels with the glorified Eye of their Understanding The Wings of the Cherubins representing the Angels were made of Fine Gold to denote both their Sanctity and Splendor The Angels are compared to Lightning Mat. 28.3 because of those Sparkling Beams of Majesty which as Lightning shoot from them And when Saints and Angels shall meet and sing together in Consort in the Heavenly Quire what Divine Harmony what Joyful Triumphs will it Create 6. Believers at Death shall gain Perfection of Holiness Here Grace was but in Cunabulis in its Cradle very Imperfect we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without Blotting Believers are said to receive but Primitias Spiritus the first Fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 But at Death the Saints shall arrive at Perfection their Knowledge clear their Sanctity perfect their Sun shall be in its full Meridian Splendour They need not then pray for Encrease of Grace they shall Love God as much as they would Love him and as much as he desires to have them Love him they shall be then in respect of Holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels of God 7. At Death the Saints shall gain a Royal Magnificent Feast I told you before what a glorious Palace they shall have but a Man may starve in a House if there be no Chear The Saints at Death shall have a Royal Banquet shadowed out in Scripture by a Marriage Supper Rev. 19.9 Bullinger and Gregory the Great understand by that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb the stately Magnificent Festival the Saints shall have in Heaven they shall feed on the Tree of Life Rev. 22. They shall have the Heavenly Nectar and Ambrosia the Spiced Wine and Iuice of the Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 This Royal Supper of the Lamb will not only satisfie Hunger but prevent it Rev. 7 16. They shall hunger no more Nor can there be any Surfeit at this Feast because a fresh Course will be continually served in New and fresh Delights will spring from God therefore the Tree of Life in Paradise is said to bear Twelve sorts of Fruit Rev. 22.2 8. Believers at Death shall gain Honour and Dignity they shall reign as Kings therefore we read of the Ensigns of their Royalty their White Robes and Crowns Caelestial 2 Tim. 4.7 We read that the Doors of the Holy of Holies were made of Palm-Trees and open Flowers covered with Gold 1 Kings 6.35 An Emblem of that Victory and Triumph and that Golden Garland of Honour wherewith God hath invested the Saints glorified When all Worldly Honour shall lye in the Dust the Mace the Star the Robe of Ermin the Imperial Diadem then shall the Saints Honour remain not one Jewel shall be pluck'd out of their Crown they shall gain at Death a Blessed Eternity If the Saints could have but the least Suspicion or Fear of losing their Glory it would much cool and imbitter their Joy but their Crown fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 As the Wicked have a Worm that never dies so the Elect have a Crown that never fades Ever is a short Word but hath no ending in fine erit gaudium sine fine Bern. 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are not seen are Eternal Psal. 16.11 At thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermâ—re Who can span Eternity Millions of Ages stand but for Ciphers in Eternity This is the Elah or highest strain of the Saints Glory ever in Christ's Bosom Quest. How come the Saints to have all this Gain Resp. Believers have a right to all this Gain at Death upon a diverse account By vertue of the Fathers Donation the Sons Purchase the Holy Ghosts Earnest and Faiths acceptance Therefore the state of future glory is called the Saints proper inheritance Col. 1.12 They are Heirs of God and have a right to inherit Use 1. See the great difference between the Death of the Godly and the Wicked the Godly are great gainers at Death the Wicked are great Losers at Death They loose Four things 1. They lose the World and that is a great loss to the Wicked they laid up their Treasure upon Earth and to be turned out of all at once is a great loss 2. They lose their Souls Mat. 16.26 The Soul was at first a noble piece of Coin which God stamped his own Image upon this Caelestial spark is more precious than the whole Globe of the World But the Sinners Soul is lost not that the Souls of the Wicked are annihilated at Death but damnified 3. They lose Heaven Heaven is Sedes
hold that the Soul shall be cloathed with a new Body but then it were improper to call it a Resurrection it should be rather a Creation Iob 19.26 Though worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Not in another flesh but my flesh 1 Cor. 15.53 This corruptible shall put on incorruption Quest. 2. By what Arguments may the Resurrection be proved Resp. Argument 1. By Scripture Iohn 6.44 I will raise him up at the last day Isa. 25.8 He will swallow up Death in Victory That is by delivering our Bodies from the Captivity of the Grave wherein Death for a time had power over them 1 Thess. 4.14 Them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him Argument 2. Christ is risen Therefore the Bodies of the Saints must rise Christ did not rise from the Dead as a private Person but as the publick Head of the Church and the Head being raised the rest of the Body shall not always lye in the Grave Christs rising is a Pledge of our Resurrection 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise up us also by Iesus Christ is called the first Fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 As the first Fruits is a sure Evidence that the Harvest is coming on so the Resurrection of Christ is a sure Evidence of the rising of our Bodies out of the Grave Christ cannot be perfect as he is Christ Mystical unless his Members be raised with him Argument 3. In respect of Gods Justice If God be a just God then he will reward the Bodies of the Saints as well as the Souls It cannot be imagined that the Souls of Believers should be glorified and not their Bodies They have served God with their Bodies Their Bodies have been Members of Holiness Their Eyes have drop'd Tears for Sin Their Hands have relieved the Poor Their Tongues have set forth Gods Praise therefore Justice and Equity require that their Bodies should be crown'd as well as their Souls And how can that be unless they are raised from the Dead Argument 4. If the Body did not rise again then a Believer should not be compleatly happy for though the Soul can subsist without the Body yet it hath Appetitum Unionis a desire of re-union with the Body and it is not fully happy till it be clothed with the Body Therefore undoubtedly the Body shall rise again If the Soul should go to Heaven and not the Body then a Believer should be only half saved Object 1. But some may say as the Virgin Mary to the Angel How can this be So how can it be that the Body which is consum'd to Ashes should arise again Resp. It doth not oppose Reason but transcend it There are some Resemblances of the Resurrection in Nature The Corn which is sown in the ground dies before it springs up 1 Cor. 15.36 That which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye In Winter the Fruits of the Earth dye in Spring there is a Resurrection of them Noah's Olive-tree springing after the Flood was a lively Emblem of the Resurrection After the Passion of our Lord many of the Saints which slept in the Grave arose Matt. 27.52 God can more easily raise the Body out of the Grave than we can wake a Man out of sleep Object 2. But when the Dust of many are mingled together How is it possible that a Separation should be made and the same numerical Body arise Resp. If we believe God can Create then he can distinguish the dust of one Body from another Do we not see the Chymist can out of several Metals mingled together as Gold Silver Alchimy extract the one from the other the Silver from the Gold the Alchimy from the Silver and can reduce every Metal to its own kind And shall we not much more believe that when our Bodies are mingled and confounded with other Substances the wise God is able to make an Extraction and re-invest every Soul with its own Body Quest. 3. Shall none but the Bodies of the Righteous be raised Resp. Yes all that are in the Graves shall hear Christs Voice and shall come forth Acts 24.15 There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God But though all shall be raised out of their Graves yet all shall not be raised alike 1. The Bodies of the Wicked shall be raised with Ignominy those Bodies which on the Earth did tempt and allure others with their Beauty shall be at the Resurrection loathsom to behold they shall be ghastly Spectacles as the Phrase is Isa. 66.24 They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh But the Bodies of the Saints shall be raised with Honour 1 Cor. 15.43 It is sown in dishonour it is raised in Glory The Saints Bodies then shall shine as sparkling Diamonds Matt. 13.43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun 2. The Bodies of the Saints shall arise out of their Graves with Triumph The Bodies of the Wicked shall come out of the Grave with Trembling as being to receive their fatal Doom But the Godly when they awake out of the Dust shall sing for Joy Isa. 26.19 Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust When the Arch-angels Trumpet sounds then the Saints shall sing The Bodies of Believers shall come out of the Grave to be made happy As the chief Butler came out of Prison and was restored to all his Dignity at the Court But the Bodies of the Wicked shall come out of the Grave as the chief Baker out of Prison to be executed Gen. 40.22 Use 1. Believe this Doctrin of the Resurrection and that the same Body that dies shall arise again and with the Soul be crown'd Without the belief of this tota corruit Religio all Religion falls to the ground 1 Cor. 15.4 If the Dead rise not then Christ is not risen and then our Faith is vain Use 2. Comfort The Body shall rise again This was Iob's Comfort Iob 19.26 Though Worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God The Body is sensible of Joy as well as the Soul And indeed we shall not be in all our Glory till our Bodies are re-united to our Souls O consider what Joy there will be at the re-uniting of the Body and Soul at the Resurrection Look what sweet Imbraces of Joy were between Old Iacob and Ioseph when they first saw one another Gen. 46.29 Such and infinitely more will there be when the Body and Soul of a Saint shall meet together at the Resurrection How will the Body and Soul greet one another What a welcome will the Soul give to the Body O blessed Body When I prayed thou didst attend my Prayers with hands lifted up and Knees bowed down Thou wert willing to suffer with me and now thou shalt reign with me Thou wert sown in dishonour but now art raised in Glory O my dear
but not the Bloody Axe Numb 23.21 He hath not seen Iniquity in Jacob He will not see Sin in his People so as to destroy them He sees their Sins so as to pity them he sees them as a Physician sees a Disease in his Patient to heal him Isa. 57.18 I have seen his Iniquities and I will heal him Every failing doth not break the Marriage Bond asunder The Disciples had great Failings they all forsook Christ and fled but this did not break off their Interest in God Therefore saith Christ at his Ascension Tell my Disciples I go to my God and to their God 7. If God be once our God he is so for ever Psal. 48.14 This God is our God Gnolam Vagned for ever and ever Whatever worldly Comforts we have are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Season Heb. 11.25 We must part with all as Paul's Friends did accompany him to the Ship and there left him Acts 20.28 So all our earthly Comforts will but go with us to the Grave and there leave us You cannot say you have Health and shall have it for ever You have a Child and shall have it for ever But if God be your God you shall have him for ever This God is our God for ever and ever If God be our God he will be a God to us as long as he is a God You have taken away my God saith Micah Iudges 18.24 But it cannot be said so to a Believer that his God is taken away he may lose all things else but cannot lose his God God is ours from everlasting in Election and to Everlasting in Glory 8. If God be our God we shall enjoy all our Godly Relations with him in Heaven The great Felicity on Earth is to enjoy Relations a Father sees his own Picture in his Child a Wife sees a piece of her self in her Husband We plant the Flower of Love among our Relations and the loss of them is like the pulling a Limb from the Body But if God be ours with enjoying God we shall enjoy all our pious Relations in Glory The gracious Child shall see his Godly Father the Virtuous Wiâ—e shall see her Religious Husband in Christs Arms and then there will be a dearer Love to Relations than ever was before though in a far different manner then Relations shall meet and never part and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Of the Commandments Exod. 20.1 I am the Lord thy God c. TO all such as can make out this Covenant-Union It exhorts to several things I. If God be our God let us improve our Interest in him cast all our Burdens upon him the Burden of our Fears Wants Sins Psal. 55.22 Cast thy Burden upon the Lord. Wicked Men who are a Burden to God have no right to cast their Burden upon him but such as have God for their God are called upon to cast their Burden on him Where should the Child ease all its cares but in the Bosom of its Parent Iudg. 19.20 Let all thy Wants lye upon me So God seems to say to his Children let all your Wants lye upon me Christian what doth trouble thee Thou hast a God to pardon thy Sins to supply thy Wants Therefore roul your Burden on the Lord 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care on him Whence are Christians so disquieted in their Minds they are taking care when they should be casting care II. If God be our God let us learn to be contented though we have the less of other things Contentment is a rare Jewel it is the Cure of Care If we have God to be our God well may we be contented I know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1.12 There was Paul's Interest in God 2 Cor. 6.10 As having nothing yet possessing all There was his Content That such who have Covenant-Union with God may be fill'd with Contentation of Spirit consider what a rich Blessing God is to the Soul 1. God is Bonum Sufficiens a sufficient Good He who hath God hath enough If a Man be thirsty bring him to the Ocean and he is satisfied in God there is enough to fill the Heaven-born Soul He gives Grace and Glory Psal. 84 11. There is in God not only a sufficiency but a redundancy He is not only full as a Vessel but as a Spring Other things can no more fill the Soul than a Mariners Breath can fill the Sails of a Ship But in God is a Cornu-Copia an infinite fulness He hath enough to fill the Angels therefore enough to fill us The Heart is a Triangle which only the Trinity can fill 2. God is bonum Sanctificans a Sanctifying Good First He sanctifies all our Comforts and turns them into Blessings Health is blessed Estate is blessed he gives with the Venison a Blessing Psal. 132.15 I will abundantly bless her Provision He gives us that Life we have â—anquam arâ—abo as an Earnest of more He gives the little Meal in the Barrel as an Earnest of the Royal Feast in Paradise Secondly He sanctifies all our Crosses They shall not be destructive Pâ—â—ishments but Medicines they shall corrode and eat out the Venom of Sin they shall Polish and Refine our Grace The more the Diamond is cut it sparkles the more Gods stretching the Strings of his Viol is to make the Musick better 3. God is bonum seâ—ectum Choice Good all things sub sole are but baâ—â— sâ—abelli as Austin the Blessings of the Footstool but to have God himself to be ours is the Blessing of the Throne Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of the Coâ—â—ubines but he setled the 〈…〉 â—5 5 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac God may send away the Men of the World with Gifts a little Gold and Silver but in giving us himself he gives us the very quintessence his Grace his Love his Kingdom Here is the Crowning Blessing 4. God is Bonum summum the chief Good In the chief Good there must be First Delectability it must have something that is delicious and sweet And where can we suck those pure quintessential Comforts which ravish us with Delight but in God In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima imo rapitur At Gods Right Hand are Pleasures Psal. 16.11 Secondly In the chief Good there must be Transcendency it must have a surpassing Excellency Thus God is infinitely better than all other things 't is below the Deity to compare other things with it Who would go to weigh a Feather with a Mountain of Gold God is Fons Origo the Spring of all Entities and the Cause is more noble than the Effect It is God that bespangles the Creation that puts Light into the Sun that fills the Veins of the Earth with Silver other Creatures do but maintain Life God gives Life God infinitely out-shines all Sublunary Glory he is better than the Soul than Angels than Heaven Thirdly In the chief Good there must be not only Fulness but Variety where
Grave and the Holy Ghosts descending upon the Earth This Day is perfum'd with the sweet Odour of Prayer which goes up to Heaven as Incense This Day the Manna falls that Angels Food this is the Soul's Festival Day on this Day all the Graces act their Part The other Days of the Week are most employed about Earth this Day about Heaven Then you gather Straw now Pearl Now Christ takes the Soul up into the Mount and gives it transfiguring Sights of Glory Now Christ leads his Spouse into the Wine-Cellar and displays the Banner of his Love now he gives her his Spiced Wine and the Iuice of the Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 The Lord doth usually reveal himself more to the Soul on this Day The Apostle Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day Revel 1.10 He was carried up in Divine Raptures towards Heaven This Day a Christian is in the Altitudes he walks with God and takes as it were a turn with him in Heaven 1 Ioh. 1.3 On this Day holy Affections are quickened The Stock of Grace is improved Corruptions are weakened On this Day Satan falls like Lightning before the Majesty of the Word Christ wrought most of his Miracles upon the Sabbath So he doth now The dead Soul is raised the Heart of Stone is made Flesh. How should this Day be highly esteemed and had in Reverence This Day is more precious than Rubies God hath anoynted this Day with the Oyl of Gladness above its Fellows On the Sabbath we are doing Angels Work our Tongues are tuned to God's Praises This Sabbath on Earth is a Shadow and Type of that Glorious Rest and Eternal Sabbath we hope for in Heaven when God shall be the Temple and the Lamb shall be the Light of it Rev. 21.22 23. EXOD. XX. 9 10. Six Days shalt thou labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of Work c. Six Days shalt thou labour God would not have any live out of a Calling Religion seals no Warrant for Idleness 'T is as well a Duty to labour Six Days as to keep Holy Rest on the Seventh Day Six Days shalt thou labour 2 Thess. 3.11 We hear there are some among you walking Disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working not at all Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus that with Quietness they work and eat their own Bread A Christian must not only mind Heaven but his Calling While the Pilot hath his Eye to the Star he hath his Hand to the Stern Without labour the Pillars of a Common-wealth will dissolve and the Earth will be like the Sluggards Field over-run with Briars Prov. 24.31 Adam in Innocency tho he was the Monarch of the World yet God would not have him idle but he must dress and till the Ground Gen. 2.15 Piety doth not exclude Industry Six Days shalt thou labour Standing Water putrifies The Inanimate Creatures are in Motion The Sun goes its Circuit the Fountain runs the Fire sparkles And Animate Creatures Solomon sends us to the Ant and Pismire to learn Labour Prov. 6.6 Chap. 30.35 The Bee is the Emblem of Industry some of the Bees trim the Honey others work the Wax others frame the Comb others lie Sentinel at the Door of the Hive to keep out the Drone And shall not Man much more inure himself to labour That Law in Paradise was never yet repealed In the Sweat of thy Brows shalt thou eat Bread Gen. 3.19 Such Professors are to to be disliked who talk of living by Faith but live out of a Calling They are like the Lillies which toil not neither do they spin Mat. 6.28 'T is a Speech of Holy and Learned Mr. Perkins Let a Man be endued with excellent Gifts and hear the Word with Reverence and receive the Sacrament yet if he practise not the Duties of his Calling all is but Hypocrisie What is an idle Person good for What benefit is there of a Ship that lies always on the shore Or of Armour that hangs up and rusts To live out of a Calling exposeth a Person to Temptation Melancton calls Idleness Balneum Diaboli the Devil's Bath because he bathes himself with delight in an idle Soul We do not use to sow Seed in ground when it lies fallow but Satan sows most of his Seed of Temptation in such Persons as lie fallow and are out of a Calling Idleness is the Nurse of Vice Seneca an Heathen could say Nullus mihi per Otium Dies exit No Day passeth me without some labour An idle Person stands for a Cypher in the World and God writes down no Cyphers in the Book of Life We read in Scripture of eating the Bread of Idleness Prov. 31.27 and drinking the Wine of Violence Prov. 4.17 It is as well a sin to eat the Bread of Idleness as to drink the Wine of Violence An idle Person can give no account of his Time Time is a Talent to trade with both in our Particular and General Calling The slothful Person hides his Talent in the Earth he doth no good his Time is not lived but lost An idle Person lives unprofitably he cumbers the ground God calls the slothful Servant wicked Mat. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothful Servant Draco whose Laws were written in Blood deprived them of their Life who would not work for their Living In Hetruria they caused such Persons to be banished Idle Persons live in the Breach of this Commandment Six Days shalt thou labour Let them take heed they be not banished Heaven A Man may as well go to Hell for not working in his Calling as for not Believing So I pass to the next But The Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work Having spoken already of the Reasons of sanctifying the Sabbath I come now to that Question Quest. In what manner we are to sanctifie the Sabbath Resp. 1. Negatively we must do no Work in it that is expressed in the Commandment In it thou shalt do no manner of Work God hath enclosed this Day for himself therefore we are not to lay it common by doing any Civil Work As Abraham when he went to sacrifice left his Servant and the Ass at the bottom of the Hill Gen. 22.5 So when we are to Worship God this Day we must leave all worldly business behind leave the Ass at the Bottom of the Hill And as Ioseph when he would speak with his Brethren thrust out the Egyptians so when we would converse with God this Day we must thrust out all earthly Employments The Lord's Day is a Day of Holy Rest all secular Works must be forborn and suspended it is a prophaning the Day Nâ—hem 13.15 In these days saw I in Iudah some treading Wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in Sheaves as also Wine-Grapes and Figs and all manner of Burdens which they brought into Ierusalem on
such Secrets that they must not be spoken of again Or as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us VI. Shut up the Sabbath-Evening with Repetition Singing of Psalms and Prayer Beg that God would bless the Word you have heard but I hope your Practice herein will prevent my farther speaking Could we but thus spend a Sabbath we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day Rev. 1.10 our Souls might be nourished and comforted And this Sabbath which we now keep would be an earnest of that everlasting Sabbath which we shall Celebrate in Heaven EXOD. XX. 8 Remember to keep the Sabbath-day Holy Vse I. See here a Christians Duty To keep the Sabbath-Day Holy 1. The whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God It is not said Keep a part of the Sabbath holy but the whole day must be religiously observed If God hath given us Six Days and taken but One to himself shall we grudge him any part of that Day It were Sacriledge The Jews kept a whole Day to the Lord and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath saith St. Austin more than the Jews did The very Heathens by the Light of Nature did set apart a whole Day in the Honour of their False Gods And Scaevola their High Priest did affirm That the wilful Transgression of that Day could have no Expiation or Pardon Whoever do rob any part of the Sabbath for servile Work or Recreation Scaevola the High Priest of the Heathenish Gods shall rise up in Judgment against such Christians and condemn them And they who say that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Iudaical let them show where God hath made any Abatement of the Time of Worship where he hath said You shall keep but a Part of the Sabbath And if they cannot show that it argues much Boldness to go to rob God of his Due That a whole Day be design'd and set apart for God's special Worship is a perpetual Statute while the Church remains upon the Earth saith Pet. Martyr Of this Opinion also were Theodoret Austin Iraeneus and the Chief of the Fathers 2. As the whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God so it must be kept Holy You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day by Reading Meditation Prayer hearing of the Word and by Singing of Psalms to make Melody to the Lord. Now besides what I have said for the keeping this Day holy let me make a short Comment or Paraphrase on that Scripture Isa. 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thy own ways nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Here is a Description of the right sanctifying a Sabbath 1. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath That may be understood either Literally or Principally First Literally If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou withdrawest thy Foot from taking long Walks or Journeys on the Sabbath-day So the Jewish Doctors expound it Or Secondly Spiritually If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou turn away thy Affections the Feet of thy Soul from enclining to any worldly Business 2. From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day That is Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part as Sports and Pastimes This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day 3. And call the Sabbath a Delight Call it a Delight that is esteem it so Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight The Jews called the Sabbath Dies Lucis A Day of Light The Lord's Day on which the Sun of Righteousness shines is both a Day of Light and Delight This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven his Soul is lifted above the Earth and can this be without Delight The higher the Bird flies the sweeter it sings On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God and where the Love is there is the Delight On this Day a Believers Heart is melted q. d. quickned enlarged in Holy Duties and how can all this be and not a secret Delight go along with it On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste How can a Spiritual Heart chuse but call the Sabbath a Delight Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom When we are about Sabbath-Exercises we are dressing our selves and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus And is not this delightful On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things he Feasts the Ear with his Word and the Heart with his Grace Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight and to find this holy Delight is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day 4. The Holy of the Lord honourable In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorious To call the Sabbath Honourable is not to be understood so much of an outward Honour given to it by wearing richer Apparel or having better Diet on this Day as the Jewish Doctors corruptly gloss This is the chief Honour some give to this Day But thou shalt call the Sabbath Honourable that is meant of the Honour of the Heart that we give to this Day reverencing it and esteeming it the Queen of Days We are to count the Sabbath Honourable because God hath honoured it All the Persons in the Trinity have honoured it God the Father blessed it God the Son rose upon it God the Holy Ghost descended on this Day Acts 2.1 And indeed this Day is to be honoured of all good Christians and had in high Veneration It is a Day of Renown On this Day a Golden Scepter of Mercy is held forth The Christian Sabbath is the very Crepusculum and Dawning of the Heavenly Sabbath It is honourable because this Day God comes down to us and visits us To have the King of Heaven present in a special manner in our Assemblies makes the Sabbath-day honourable Besides the Work that is done on this Day makes it honourable The Six Days are fill'd up with-servile Work which makes them lose much of their Glory but on this Day Sacred Work is done The Soul is employed wholly about the Worship of God it is Praying Hearing Meditating it is doing Angels Work Praising and Blessing of God Again The Day is Honourable by vertue of a Divine Institution Silver is of it self valuable but when the Royal Stamp is put upon it it is honourable
Preface which I shall but briefly touch on is which art in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is said to be in Heaven not that he is so included there that he is no where else for the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him ◠Kings 8.27 but the meaning is God is chiefly resident in the Empyrean Heaven which the Apostle calls the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 there God doth most give forth his Glory to his Saints and Angels Quest. What may we learn from this that God is in Heaven Answ. 1. Hence we learn that we are to raise our Minds in Prayer above the Earth God is no where to be spoken with but in Heaven God never denyed that Soul his suit who went as far as Heaven to ask it 2. We learn from Gods being in Heaven his Soveraign Power Hoc vocabulo intelligitur omnia subesse ejus imperio Calvin Psal. 115.3 Our God is in the heavens he hath done whatever he pleased God being in Heaven governs the Universe and orders all Occurrences here below for the good of his Children When the Saints are in straits and dangers and see no way of relief he can send from Heaven and help them Psal. 57.3 He shall send from heaven and save me 3. We learn Gods Glory and Majesty He is in Heaven therefore he is covered with light Psal. 104.2 cloathed with honour Psal. 104.1 and is as far above all Worldly Princes as Heaven is above Earth 4. We learn from Gods being in Heaven his Omnisciency All things are naked and unmasked to his eye Heb. 4.13 Men plot and contrive against the Church but God is in Heaven and they do nothing but what our Father sees If a Man were on the top of an high Tower or Theatre he might thence see all the People below God is in Heaven as in an Tower or Theatre and he sees all the transactions of Men. The Wicked make wounds in the backs of the Righteous and then pour in Vinegar God writes down their cruelty Exod. 3.7 I have seen the afflictions of my people God is in Heaven and he can thunder out of Heaven upon his enemies Psal. 18.13 The Lord thundered in the heavens yea he sent out arrows and scattered them and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them 5. We learn from Gods being in Heaven Comfort for the Children of God when they pray to their Father the way to Heaven cannot be blocked up One may have a Father living in Foreign parts but the way both the Sea and by Land may be so blocked up that there is no coming to him but thou Saint of God when thou prayest to thy Father he is in Heaven and though thou art never so confined thou mayest have access to him A Prison cannot keep thee from thy God the way to Heaven can never be blocked up So I have done with the word Father I shall speak next of the Pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father In the first there is an Appellation Father in the second an Appropriation Our Father Christ by this word Our would teach us thus much That in all our Prayers to God we should act Faith Our Father Father denotes Reverence Our Father denotes Faith In all our Prayers to God we should exercise Faith Our Father Faith is that which baptizeth Prayer and gives it a name it is called the Prayer of Faith Iam. 5.15 without Faith it is speaking not praying Faith is the breath of Prayer Prayer is dead unless Faith breathe in it Faith is a necessary requisite in Prayer The Oyl of the Sanctuary was made up of several sweet Spices pure Myrrhe Cassia Cinamon Exod. 30.23 Faith is the chief spice or ingredient into Prayer which makes it go up to the Lord as sweet Incense Iam. 1.6 Let him ask in faith Mat. 21.22 Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Invoco te Domine quanquam languida imbecilla fide tamen fide Lord said Cruciger I pray though with a weak Faith yet with Faith Prayer is the Gun we shoot with Fervency is the Fire that dischargeth it and Faith is the Bullet which pierceth the Throne of Grace Prayer is the Key of Heaven Faith is the Hand that turns it Pray in faith Our Father Faith must take Prayer by the hand or there is no coming nigh to God Prayer without Faith is unsuccessful If a poor Handicrafts-man that lives by his labour hath spoiled his tools that he cannot work how shall he subsist Prayer is the tool we work with which procures all good for us but unbelief spoils and blunts our Prayers and then we can get no Blessing from God A Prayer that is Faithless is Fruitless As Ioseph said You shall not see my face unless you bring your brother Benjamin with you Gen. 43.3 so Prayer cannot see Gods face unless it bring its brother Faith with it What is said of Israel They could not enter in because of unbelief Heb. 3.19 is as true of Prayer it cannot enter into Heaven because of unbelief This makes Prayer often suffer shipwrack because it dasheth upon the rock of Unbelief O sprinkle Faith in Prayer We must say Our Father Quest. 1. What doth praying in Faith imply Resp. Praying in Faith implyes the having of Faith the act implyes the habit To walk implyes a principle of Life so to pray in Faith implyes an habit of Grace None can pray in Faith but Believers Quest. 2. What is it to pray in Faith Answ. 1. To pray in Faith is to pray for that which God hath promised where there is no promise we cannot pray in Faith 2. To pray in Faith is to pray in Christs meritorious Name Iohn 14.13 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do To pray in Christs Name is to pray in the hope and confidence of Christs Merit When we present Christ to God in Prayer when we carry the Lamb slain in our Armes when we say Lord we are Sinners but here is our Surety for Christs sake be propitious this is coming to God in Christs Name and this is to pray in Faith 3. To pray in Faith is in Prayer to fix our Faith on Gods faithfulness believing that he doth hear and will help this is a taking hold of God Isa. 64.7 By Prayer we draw nigh to God by Faith we take hold of him 2 Chron. 13.14 The children of Iudah cryed unto the Lord and this was the crying of Faith ver 18. They prevailed because they relyed on the Lord God of their Fathers Making supplication to God and staying the Soul on God is praying in Faith To pray and not rely on God for the granting our Petitions irrisio Dei est saith Pelican it is to abuse and put a scorn upon God By praying we seem to honour God by not believing we affront him In Prayer we say Almighty Merciful Father by not believing we blot out all his Titles again Quest. 3. How may we know
a Debtor cannot pay his Creditor how can he merit at his hands 3. That the Scripture is not a perfect Rule of Faith and Man errs therefore they eek it out with their Traditions which they hold to be of equal Authority 4. They teach that an implicite Faith is saving though one may have an implicite Faith yet be ignorant of all the Articles of Religion 5. They say that the inward act of the Mind is not required in Gods Worship Diversion of Mind in Duty though one prayes and never thinks of God is no Sin saith Angelus and Sylvester and other Papists 6. The Papists make Habitual Love to God unnecessary It is not needful saith Bellarmine to perform any acts of Religion out of love to God Stapleton and Cajetan affirm that the Precept of loving God with all our heart is not binding by which they cut asunder the Sinews and Soul of all Religion Thus instead of honouring Gods name the Papists dishonour it Let us pray heartily that this Romish Religion may never get footing again in this Nation God grant that this poysonful weed of Popery may never be watered here But that it being a Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not planted it may be rooted up 5. Gods Name is dishonoured by Carnal Protestants How is Gods name this day dishonoured in England His name is like the Sun in an eclipse Christians instead of hallowing Gods name reproach and dishonour it 1. By their Tongues 2. By their Lives 1. By their Tongues 1. They speak irreverently of Gods name Gods name is sacred Deut. 28.58 That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name The Lord thy God The names of Kings are not mentioned without giving them their Titles of Honour High and Mighty but Men speak irreverently of God as if he were like one of them Psal. 50.21 this is a taking Gods name in vain 2. They swear by his name Many seldom name Gods name but in Oaths How is God dishonoured when Men rend and tear his name by Oaths and Imprecations Ier. 23.10 Because of swearing the land mourns If God will reckon with Men for idle Words shall not idle Oaths be put in the Account-Book O but saith one I cannot help it it is a custom of swearing I have got and I hope God will forgive me Answ. Is this a good Plea a custom of swearing This is no excuse but an aggravation of Sin As if one that had been accused for killing a Man should plead with the Judge to spare him because it was his custom to murder This were an aggravation of the offence Will not the Judge say thou shalt the rather dye So it is here 2. As Men dishonour God by their Tongues so by their Lives What is it to say Hallowed be thy Name when in their Lives they profane his name they dishonour God by their Atheism Sabbath-breaking Uncleanness Perjury Intemperance Injustice Men hang out a Flag of Defiance against Heaven As the Thracians when it thunders shoot their Arrowes against Heaven so Men shoot their Sins as bearded Arrowes against Heaven Sinners are hardened in Sin they despise Counsel they laugh at Reproof they have cast off the vail of Modesty Satan hath taken such full possession of them that when they sin they glory in their shame Phil. 3.19 they brag how many new Oaths they have invented how oft they have been drunk how many they have defiled they declare their sin as Sodom Such horrid impieties are committed that a modest Heathen would blush at Men in this Age sin at that rate as if either they did not believe there were an Hell or as if they feared Hell would be full ere they could get thither Was Gods name ever so openly dishonoured All our Preaching will not make them leave their Sins What a black vail is drawn over the face of Religion at this day Vivimus in temporum faecibus Sen. We live in the dregs of time wherein the common shore of wickedness runs Physitians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there is no part of the Body free from Distemper England hath a Kakexy it is all over disease The whole head is sick the whole heart is faint Isa. 1.6 As black Vapours rising out of the earth cloud and darken the Sun so the Sins of People in our Age like Hellish Vapours cast a cloud upon Gods glorious name O that our Eyes were like Limbecks dropping the water of holy tears to consider how Gods name instead of being hallowed is polluted and profaned And may not we justly fear some heavy Judgments Can God put up our affronts any longer Can he endure to have his name reproached Will a King suffer his Crown-Jewels to be trampled in the dust Do not we see the symptoms of Gods Anger do we not see his Judgments hovering over us Sure God is whetting his Sword he hath bent his Bow and is preparing his Arrowes to shoot Qualis per arva Leo fulvam minaci fronte concutiens jubam Sen. Trag. The Body Politick is in a Paroxism or burning Fit and may not the Lord cause a sad Phlebotomy Seeing we will not leave our Sins he may make us lose our Blood May not we fear that the Ark should remove the Vision cease the Stars in Gods Church be removed and we should follow the Gospel to the grave When Gods name which should be hallowed is profaned among a People it is just with God to write that dismal Epitaph upon a Nations Tomb The Glory is departed And that I may speak to the Consciences of all and deal impartially it were well if only the profane party were guilty but may not many Professors be called to the Bar and indited of this that they have dishonoured Gods name 2 Chron. 28.10 Are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God Are there not the spots of Gods Children Deut. 3◠5 If you are Diamonds have you no flawes Have not you your vanities If your Discourse be not profane is it not vain Have not you your self-seekings rash censures indecent dresses If the wicked of the Land swear do not you sometimes slander If they are drunk with wine are not you sometimes drunk with passion If their sin be blaspheming is not your sin murmuring Are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord The sins of Gods Children go nearer to his heart than the sins of others Deut. 32.19 When the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and daughters The sins of the wicked anger God the sins of his own people grieve him he will be sure to punish them Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities O that our head were waters that we could make this place a Bochim a place of weepers that Gods Children might mix blushing with tears that they have so little hallowed and so
to affright Fire to burn a Lake of Sulphur to choke Chains to bind the Worm to gnaw 2. The Torments of Hell will sieze upon every part both of Body and Soul the Eyes shall be tortured with the sight of Devils the Tongue that hath swore so many Oaths shall be tortured Luke 16.24 Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue The Memory shall be tormented to remember what Mercies have been abused what seasons of Grace neglected the Conscience shall be tormented with self-accusations 3. In the pains of Hell there is no mitigation no mixture of Mercy In this Life God in Anger remembers Mercy Hab. 3.2 but in Hell there is no alleviation or lessening of the pains As in the Sacrifice of Jealousie Numb 5.15 God would have no Oyl or Frankincense put to it so in Hell there is no Oyl of Mercy to lenifie the sufferings of the Damned no Incense of Prayer to appease Gods Wrath. 4. In the pains of Hell there is no intermission The Poets feign of Endymion that he got leave of Iupiter alwayes to sleep What would the damned in Hell give for one hours sleep Rev. 14.11 They rest not day nor night they are perpetually upon the rack 5. In the pains of Hell there is no expiration they must alwayes lye scorching in flames of Wrath Rev. 14.11 The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever but in the Heavenly Kingdom the Elect shall be freed from all infernal torments Jesus hath delivered us from the Wrath to come A Prison is not made for the Kings Children Christ drank that bitter cup of Gods Wrath that the Saints might never drink it 2. In the Kingdom of Heaven there is a Glorious Fruition of all Good Had I as many Tongues as Hairs on my Head I could not fully describe this I may say as Iudg. 18.9 10. Heaven is called The excellent Glory 2 Pet. 1.17 I may as well span the Firmament or drain the Ocean as set forth the Glory of this Kingdom Caelum non habet Hyperbolem The Kingdom of Heaven is beyond all Hyperbole Were the Sun ten thousand times brighter than it is it could not parallel the lustre of this Kingdom Apelles Pensil would blot Angels Tongues would lessen it I can but give you the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dark shadow of it expect not to see it in all its orient colours till you are mounted above the Stars But let us not stand afar off as Moses to behold this Canaan but enter into it and taste the honey Concerning the Fruitions and Priviledges of the Heavenly Kingdom 1. We shall have an immediate Communion with God himself who is the inexhausted Sea of all Happiness This Divines call The Beatifical Vision The Psalmist did triumph in that enjoyment he had of God in this Life Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee If God enjoyed by Faith doth give so much Comfort to the Soul how much more when he is enjoyed by immediate Vision Here we see God but darkly through the glass of Ordinances but in the Kingdom of Heaven we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 we shall have an intellectual sight of God i. e. we shall see him with the eyes of our mind we shall know God as much as the Angels in Heaven do Matth. 18.10 1 Cor. 13.12 We shall know as we are known We shall have a full knowledge of God though not know him fully as a Vessel in the Sea is full of the Sea though it holds not all the Sea To see and enjoy God will be most delicious in God are beams of Majesty and bowels of Mercy God hath all Excellencies concentred in him bonum in quo omnia bona If one Flower should have the sweetness of all Flowers how sweet would that Flower be All the beauty and sweetness which lyes scattered in the Creature is infinitely to be found in God therefore to see and enjoy him will ravish the Soul with delight We shall so see God as to love him and be made sensible of his Love and when we shall have this sweet Communion with God then God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Light to the eye Manna to the taste Musick to the ear 2. We shall in the Kingdom of Heaven with these eyes see the Glorified Body of Jesus Christ. This our Saviour makes a great part of the Glory of Heaven to view the Glory of his Humane Nature Iohn 17.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they may behold my glory When Christ was transfigured upon Earth it is said That his face did shine as the sun and his rayment was white as the light Matth. 17.2 If the Glory of his Transfiguration was so great what will the Glory of his Exaltation be Much of the Glory of God shines in Christ by vertue of the Hypostatical Union Col. 2.9 In whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily Through Christs Humanity as through a bright mirrour we may see some beams of the Divine Majesty shine forth put a back of Steel to a Glass and you may see a Face in it Christs Humane Nature is as a back of Steel put to the Divine Nature through this we may see God and then our Capacities shall be enlarged to a wonderful degree to receive this glorious object and we shall not only see Gods Glory but some of his Glory shall be put upon us non tantum aderit Gloria sed inerit Bern. A Beggar may behold the Glory of a King and not be the happier but Christs Glory shall be ours We shall be like him 1 Iohn 3.2 we shall shine by his beams 3. We shall in the Kingdom of Heaven enjoy the society of innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12.22 Quest. But is there not enough in God to fill the Soul with delight Can the sight of Angels add to the Souls happiness What need is there of the light of Torches when the Sun shines Answ. Besides the Divine Essence the sight of Angels is desirable much of Gods curious workmanship shines in the Angels the Angels are beautiful glorious Creatures and as the several strings in a Lute make the harmony sweeter and the several Stars make the Firmament brighter so the society with Angels will make the delight of Heaven the greater and we shall not only see the Angels with the glorified eye of our understanding but converse with them 4. We shall in the Kingdom of Heaven have sweet society with Glorified Saints then the Communion of Saints will be illustrious O what a blessed time will it be when those who have prayed wept suffered together shall rejoyce together we shall see the Saints in their white Linnen of Purity and see them as so many Crowned Kings in beholding the Saints Glorified we shall behold an Heaven full of Suns Some move the Question whether we shall know one another in Heaven Surely our knowledge shall not be diminished but
of Gods Will Thy Will be done 3. By doing the Will of God we evidence Sincerity as Christ said in another sense Iohn 10.25 The works which I do bear witness of me So it is not all our golden words if we could speak like Angels but our works our doing of Gods Will which bears witness of our Sincerity We judge not of the health of a Mans Body by his high Colour but by the Pulse of the Arm where the Blood chiefly stirs so a Christians soundness is not to be judged by his Profession what is this high Colour but the estimate of a Christian is to be taken by his Obediential acting his doing the Will of God this is the best Certificate and Letters Testimonial to shew for Heaven 4. Doing Gods Will much propagates the Gospel this is the Diamond that sparkles in Religion Others cannot see what Faith is in the Heart but when they see we do Gods Will on Earth this makes them have a venerable opinion of Religion and become Proselites to it Iulian in one of his Epistles writing to Arsatius saith That the Christian Religion did much flourish by the Sanctity and Obedience of them that professed it 5. By doing Gods Will we show our Love to Christ Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me What greater Love to Christ than to do his Will though it cross our own Every one would be thought to love Christ but how shall that be known but by this do you do his Will on Earth Neque principem veneramur si odio ejus Leges habemus Isid. 'T is a vain thing for a Man to say he loves Christs Person when he slights his Commands Not to do Gods Will on Earth is a great evil 't is 1. Sinful 2. Foolish 3. Dangerous 1. It is Sinful 1. We go against our Prayers we pray Fiat voluntas tua thy will be done and yet we do not obey his will we confute our own Prayer 2. VVe go against our Vow in Baptism we have vowed to fight under the Lords Banner to obey his Scepter and this Vow we have oft renewed in the Lords Supper if we do not Gods will on Earth we are forsworn and God will indite us of Perjury 2. Not to do Gods will on Earth is Foolish 1. Because there is no standing it out against God If we do not obey him we cannot resist him 1 Cor. 10. â—2 Are we stronger than he Iob. 40.9 Hast thou an arm like God Canst thou measure Armes with him To oppose God is as if a Child should fight with an Arch-Angel as if an heap of Bryars should put themselves into a battalia against the Flame 2. Not to do Gods will is foolish because if we do not Gods will we do the Devils will Is it not folly to gratifie an enemy To do his will that seeks our ruine Quest. But are any so wicked as to do the Devils will Answ. Yes Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do VVhen a Man tells a lye doth he not do the Devils will Acts 5.3 Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost 3. Not to do Gods Will is dangerous it brings a Spiritual Praemunire If Gods Will be not done by us he will have his will upon us if we obey not Gods will in commanding we shall obey his will in punishing 2 Thess. 1.7 The Lord Iesus shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flames of fire taking vengeance on them that obey not his gospel Either we must do Gods will or suffer it 6. VVhatever God wills us to do is for our benefit Behold here self-interest As if a King commands his Subject to dig in a Mine of Gold and then gives him all the Gold he hath digged God bids us do his will and this is for our good Deut. 10.13 And now O Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and keep the commandments of the Lord which I command thee this day for thy good It is Gods will that we should repent and this is for our good Repentance ushers in remission Acts 3.9 Repent that your sins may be blotted out It is Gods will that we should believe and why is it but that we should be crowned with Salvation Mark 16.16 He that believes shall be saved VVhat God wills is not so much our Duty as our Priviledge he bids us obey his voice and it is greatly for our good Ier. 7.23 Obey my voice and I will be your God I will not only give you my Angels to be your guard but my self to be your portion my Spirit shall be yours to sanctifie you my Love shall be yours to comfort you my Mercy shall be yours to save you I will be your God 7. To do Gods will is our Honour A Person thinks it an Honour to have a King speak to him to do such a thing the Angels count it their highest Honour in Heaven to do Gods will Servire Deo regnare est To serve God is to reign Non onerant nos sed ornant Salvian How chearfully did the Rowers row the Barge that carried Caesar to be imployed in his Barge was an Honour to be imployed in doing Gods will is insigne Honoris the highest ensign of Honour that a Mortal Creature is capable of Christs Precepts do not burden us but adorn us 8. To do Gods Will on Earth makes us like Christ and akin to Christ. 1. It makes us like Christ Is it not our Prayer that we may be like Christ. Jesus Christ did his Fathers will Iohn 6.38 I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me God the Father and Christ as they have but one Essence so but one VVill Christs will was melted into his Fathers Iohn 4.34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me By our doing Gods will on Earth we resemble Christ nay we are akin to Christ and are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven Alexander called himself Couzen to the Gods what Honour is it to be akin to Christ. Matth. 12.50 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Did King Solomon arise off his Throne to meet his Mother and set her on a Throne by him 1 Kings 3.19 such Honour will Christ bestow on such as are doers of Gods will he will salute them as his Kindred and set them on a Glorious Throne in the Amphitheatre of Heaven 9. Doing Gods will on Earth brings Peace in Life and Death 1. In Life Psal. 19.11 In keeping thy precepts there is great reward not only after keeping them but in keeping them when we walk closely with God in Obedience there is a secret Joy let into the Soul and how swiftly and chearfully do the wheels of the Soul move
attended the doing of our own Will and Happiness the doing of Gods Will 1. Misery hath alwayes attended the doing of our own Will Our first Parents left Gods Will to fulfil their own in eating the forbidden fruit and what came of it The Apple had a bitter Core in it they purchased a Curse for themselves and all their Posterity King Saul left Gods Will to do his own he spares Agag and the best of the Sheep and what was the issue but the loss of his Kingdom 2. Happiness hath alwayes attended the doing of Gods Will. Ioseph obeyed Gods Will in refusing the embraces of his Mistress and was not this his Preferment God raised him to be the second Man in the Kingdom Daniel did Gods Will contrary to the Kings Decree he bowed his Knee in Prayer to God and did not God make all Persia bow their Knees to Daniel 3. The way to have our Will is to do Gods Will. Would not we have a Blessing in our Estate then let us do Gods Will Deut. 28.1 3. If thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to do all his commandments the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth Blessed shalt thou be in the city and blessed shalt thou be in the field This is the way to have a good Harvest Would we not have a Blessing in our Souls then let us do Gods Will Ier. 7.23 Obey my voice and I will be your God I will entail my self upon you as an everlasting Portion my Grace shall be yours to sanctifie you my Mercy shall be yours to save you You see you lose nothing by doing Gods Will this is the way to have your Will Let God have his will in being obeyed and you shall have your will in being saved Quest. How shall we come to do Gods will aright Answ. 1. Get sound knowledge we must know Gods Will before we can do it Knowledge is the eye to direct the foot of Obedience The Papists make Ignorance the Mother of Devotion but Christ makes Ignorance the Mother of Errour Matth. 22.29 Ye err not knowing the Scripture We must know Gods Will before we can do it aright Affection without knowledge is like an Horse full of metal but his eyes are out 2. If we would do Gods Will aright let us labour for self-denyal unless we deny our own Will we shall never do Gods Will. Gods Will and ours are like the Wind and Tide when they are contrary God wills one thing we will another God calls us to be Crucified to the World by Nature we love the World God calls us to forgive our Enemies by Nature we bear malice in our Heart Gods Will and ours are contrary like the VVind and Tide and till we can cross our own will we shall never fulfil Gods 3. Let us get humble Hearts Pride is the spring of disobedience Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice A proud Man thinks it below him to stoop to Gods Will. Be humble the humble Soul saith Lord what wilt thou have me do He puts as it were a blank paper into Gods hands and bids him write what he will he will subscribe to it 4. Beg Grace and Strength of God to do his Will Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will As if David had said Lord I need not be taught to do my own Will I can do that fast enough but teach me to do thy Will and that which may add wings to Prayer is Gods gracious Promise I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36.27 If the Loadstone draw the Iron it is not hard for the Iron to move if Gods Spirit inable it will not be hard but rather delightful to do Gods Will. II. In this Petition Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven we pray that we may have Grace to submit to Gods Will patiently in what he inflicts The Text is to be understood as well of suffering Gods Will as of doing it so Maldonat and the most Judicious Interpreters I shall speak now of patient submission to Gods Will in whatever he inflicts Thy Will be done This should be the temper of a good Christian when he is under any disastrous Providence to lye quietly at Gods Feet and say Thy Will be done Quest. 1. What this patient submission to Gods will is not Answ. There is something looks like Patience which is not namely when a Man bears a thing because he cannot help it he takes Affliction as his Fate and Destiny therefore he endures that quietly which he cannot avoid this is rather Necessity than Patience Quest. 2. What it is may stand with patient submission to Gods Will Answ. 1. A Christian may be sensible of Affliction yet patiently submit to Gods Will We ought not to be Stoicks insensible and unconcerned with Gods dealings like the Sons of Deucalion who as the Poets say were begotten of a Stone Christ was sensible when he sweat great drops of Blood but there was submission to Gods Will Matth. 26.39 Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt We are bid to humble our selves under Gods hand 1 Pet. 5.6 which we cannot do unless we are sensible of it 2. A Christian may weep under an Affliction yet patiently submit to Gods Will. God allowes tears 't is a sin to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural affection Rom. 1.31 Grace makes the Heart tender strangulat inclusus dolor weeping gives vent to sorrow expletur lachrymis dolor Ioseph wept over his dead Father Iob when he had so much ill news brought him at once rent his Mantle an expression of grief but did not tear his Hair in anger only Worldly grief must not be immoderate a Vein may bleed too much the Water riseth too high when it overflowes the banks 3. A Christian may complain in his Affliction yet be submissive to Gods Will Psal. 142.2 I cryed to the Lord with my voice I poured out my complaint before him We may being under oppression tell God how it is with us and desire him to write down our injuries Shall not the Child complain to his Father when he is wronged An holy complaint may stand with patient submission to Gods Will but though we may complain to God we must not complain of God Quest. 3. What it is cannot stand with patient submission to Gods Will Answ. 1. Discontentedness with Providence Discontent hath a mixture of grief and anger in it and both these must needs raise a storm of Passion in the Soul God having touched the apple of our Eye and smitten us in that we loved we are touchy and sullen and God shall not have a good look from us Gen. 4.6 Why art thou wroth Like a sullen Bird that is angry and beats her self against the Cage 3. Murmuring cannot stand with submission to Gods Will Murmuring is the height of impatience it
but if they want forgiveness of Sin they seem to be unconcerned and do not seek after it whence is this Answ. 1. Inadvertency or want of Consideration they do not look into their spiritual Estate or cast up their Accounts to see how Matters stand between God and their Souls Isa. 1.3 My people doth not consider they do not consider they are indebted to God in a Debt of ten thousand Talents and that God will ere long call them to account Rom. 14.12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God But people shun serious Thoughts my people doth not consider Hence it is they do not look after pardon 2. Men do not seek after forgiveness of Sin for want of Conviction Few are convinc'd what a deadly Evil Sin is it is the spirits of Mischief distilled it turns a mans Glory into shame it brings all plagues on the Body and curses on the Soul Unless a mans Sin be forgiven there 's not the vilest creature alive the Dog Serpent Toad but is in a better Condition than the Sinner for when they die they go but to the Earth but he dying without pardon goes into Hell-Torments for ever Men are not convinced of this but play with the Viper of Sin 3. Men do not seek earnestly after Forgiveness because they are seeking other things they seek the World immoderately When Saul was seeking after the Asses he did not think of a Kingdom The World is a golden Snare Divitiae Saeculi sunt laquei Diaboli Bern. The Wedge of Gold hinders many from seeking after a pardon Ministers cry to the people get your pardon sealed but if you call to a man that is in a Mill the noise of the Mill drowns the voice that he cannot hear so when the Mill of a Trade is going it makes such a noise that the people cannot hear the Minister when he lifts up his Voice like a Trumpet and cries to them to look after the sealing of their pardon He who spends all his time about the World and doth not mind Forgiveness will accuse himself of Folly at last You would judge that Prisoner very unwise that should spend all his time with the Cook to get his dinner ready and should never mind getting a pardon 4. Men seek not after the forgiveness of Sin through a bold Presumption of Mercy they conceit God to be made up all of Mercy and that he will indulge them tho' they take little or no pains to sue out their pardon It is true God is Merciful but withal he is Iust he will not wrong his Justice by shewing Mercy read the Proclamation Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord God merciful ver 7. and that will by no means clear the guilty Such as go on in Sin and are so slothful or wilful that they will not seek after Forgiveness tho there be a whole Ocean of Mercy in the Lord not one drop shall fall to their share he will by no means clear the guilty 5. Men seek not earnestly after Forgiveness out of hope of Impunity they flatter themselves in sin and because they have been spared so long therefore sure God never intends to reckon with them Ps. 10.11 He hath said in his Heart God hath forgotten he hides his Face he will never see it Atheists think either the Iudge is blind or forgetful but let Sinners know that long forbearance is no forgiveness God did bear with Sodom a long time but at last rain'd down Fire and Brimstone upon them the adjourning of the Assises doth not acquit the Prisoner the longer God is taking his blow the heavier it will be at last if sinners repent not 6. Men do not seek earnestly after Forgiveness through Mistake they think getting a pardon is easie it is but repenting at the last hour a sigh or a Lord have Mercy and a pardon will drop into their Mouths But is it so easie to repent and have a pardon tell me O Sinner is Regeneration easie are there no Pangs in the new Birth is Mortification easie is it nothing to pluck out the right Eye is it easie to leap out of Dalilahs Lap into Abrahams Bosom This is the Draw-net by which the Devil drags Millions to Hell the facility of Repenting and getting a Pardon 7. Men do not look after Forgiveness through Despair Oh saith the desponding Soul it is a vain thing for me to expect pardon my Sins are so many and hainous that sure God will not forgive me Ier. 18.12 And they said There is no hope My Sins are huge Mountains and can they ever be cast into the Sea Despair cuts the Sinews of Endeavour who will use means that despairs of Success The Devil shews some men their sins at the little end of the Perspective-Glass and they seem little or none at all but he shews others their Sins at the great end of the Perspective and they fright them into Despair This is a Soul-damning Sin Iudas's Despair was worse than his Treason Despair spills the Cordial of Christ's Blood this is the Voice of Despair Christ's Blood cannot pardon me Thus you see whence it is that men seek no more earnestly after the forgiveness of sin Having answered this Question I shall now come to press the Exhortation upon every One of us to seek earnestly after the forgiveness of our Sins 1. Our very Life lies upon the getting of a Pardon 't is call'd the Iustification of Life Rom. 5.18 Now if our Life lies upon our Pardon and we are dead and damned without it doth it not concern us above all things to labour after forgiveness of Sin Deut. 32.47 For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your Life If a man be under a Sentence of Death he will set his Wits a work and make use of all his friends to get the King to grant His pardon because his Life lies upon it So we are by reason of Sin under a Sentence of Damnation now there is one friend at Court we may make use of to procure our Pardon namely the Lord Iesus How earnest then should we be with him to be our Advocate to the Father for us and that he would Present the Merit of his Blood to the Father as the Price of our Pardon 2. There is that in Sin may make us desire Forgiveness Sin is the only thing that disquiets the Soul 1. Sin is a Burden it burdens the Creation Rom. 8.22 it burdens the Conscience Ps. 38.4 A wicked man is not sensible of Sin he is dead in Sin and if you lay a thousand weight upon a dead man he feels it not But to an awakened Conscience there 's no such Burden as Sin when a man seriously weighs with himself the Glory and Purity of that Majesty which Sin hath offended the preciousness of that Soul which Sin hath polluted the loss of that Happiness which sin hath indangered the greatness of that Torment which Sin hath deserved to lay all
and abused and to put it up will be a stain to my reputation Answ. 1. To pass by an injury without revenge is no eclipsing ones credit the Scripture saith Prov. 19.11 It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgression 'T is more honour to bury an injury than revenge it wrathfulness denotes weakness a noble Heroick Spirit overlooks a petty offence 2. Suppose a Mans Credit should be impaired with those whose censure is not to be valued yet consider the folly of challenging another to a Duel 't is little Wisdom for a Man to redeem his Credit by losing his Life and to run into Hell to be counted valorous Object 2. But the wrong he hath done me is great Answ. But thy not forgiving him is a greater wrong he in injuring thee hath offended against a Man but thou in not forgiving him offendest against God Object 3. But if I forgive one injury I shall occasion more Answ. If the more injuries thou forgivest the more thou meetest with this will make thy Grace shine the more often forgiving will add more to the weight of his sin and to the weight of thy glory If any shall say I strive to excel in other Graces but as for this of forgiving I cannot do it I desire in this to be excused What dost thou talk of other Graces the Graces are inter se connexae link'd and chain'd together where there is one there is all he that cannot Forgive his Grace is Counterfeit his Faith is Fancy his Devotion is Hypocrisie Quest. 3. But suppose another hath wronged me in my Estate may not I go to Law for my Debt Answ. Yes else what use were there of Law Courts God hath set judges to decide cases in Law and to give every one his right It is with going to Law as it is with going to War when the just rights of a Nation are Invaded here iâ— is lawful to go to War So when a Mans Estate is trespass'd upon by another he may go to law to recover it But the Law must be used in the last place when no entreaties or arbitrations will prevail then the Chancery must decide it Yet this is no revenge it is not so much to injure another as to right ones self this may be yet one may live in Charity USE 1. Here is a Bill of inditement against such as study revenge and cannot put up the least discourtesie They would have God forgive them but they will not forgive others they will Pray come to Church give Alms but as Christ said Mark 10.21 Yet lackest thou One Thing they lack a forgiving Spirit they will rather want forgiveness from God than they will forgive their Brother How sad is it that for every slight wrong or disgraceful word men should let malice boil in their Hearts Would there be so many Duels Arrests Murders if Men had the art of forgiving Revenge is the proper sin of the Devil he is no Drunkard or Adulterer but this old Serpent is full of the Poison of Malice and what shall we say to them who make profession of Religion yet instead of forgiving pursue others despightfully it was Prophesied the Wolf should dwâ—ll with the Lamb Isa. 11.6 but what shall we say when such as profess to be Lambs become Wolves These open the mouths of the prophane against Religion they will say these are as full of rancour as any O whither is Love and Mercy fled if the Son of Man did come should he find Charity on the Earth I fear but a little Such as cherish Anger and Malice in their Hearts and will not Forgive how can they pray Forgive us as we forgive others either they must omit this Petition as Chrysostom saith some did in his Time or else they pray against themselves Vse 2. Let it persuade us all as ever we hope for Salvation to pass by petty injuries and discourtesies and labour to be of forgiving Spirits Col. 3.13 Forbearing one another and forgiving one another 1. Herein we resemble God He is ready to forgive Psal. 86.5 He befriends His Enemies He opens his Hands to relieve them who open their Mouths against Him 'T was Adams Pride to go to resemble God in omnisciency But here it is lawful to resemble God in Forgiving Enemies This is a God-like disposition and what is Godliness but God-likeness 2. To forgive is one of the highest evidences of Grace When Grace comes into the Heart it makes a man as Caleb of another Spirit Numb 14.24 It makes a great Metamorphosis it sweetens the Heart and fills it with Love and Candour When a Siene is grafted into a Stock it partakes of the Nature and Sap of the Tree and brings forth the same fruit Take a Crab graft it into a Pepin it brings forth the same fruit as the Pepin So he who was once of a sour crabby disposition given to revenge when he is once ingrafted into Christ he partakes of the Sap of this Heavenly Olive and bears sweet and generous fruit he is Full of Love to his Enemies and requites Good for Evil. As the Sun draws up many thick noxious Vapours from the Earth and returns them in sweet showers so a gracious Heart returns the unkindnesses of others with the sweet influences of love and mercifulness Psal. 35.13 They rewarded me Evil for Good but as for me when they were sick my clothing was Sackcloth I humbled my Soul with Fasting This is a good Certificate to shew for Heaven 3. The blessed example of our Lord Jesus He was of a Forgiving Spirit His Enemies reviled him but he did pitty them Their words were more bitter than the Gall and Vinegar they gave him but Christs words were smoother than Oil. They spat upon him Peirced him with the Spear and Nails but he prayed for them Father forgive them he wept over his Enemies he shed tears for them that shed his Blood never such a pattern of amazing kindness Christ bids us learn of him Mat. 11.29 he doth not bid us learn of him to work Miracles but he would have us learn of him to forgive our Enemies If we do not imitate Christs Life we cannot be saved by his Death 4. The danger of an implacable unforgiving Spirit It hinders the efficacy of Ordinances It is like an obstruction in the Body which keeps it from thriving A revengeful Spirit poisons our Sacrifice our prayers are turned into sin will God receive prayer mingled with this strange Fire Our coming to the Sacrament is sin We come not in charity so that ordinances are turn'd into sin It were sad if all the Meat one did eat should turn to Poison Malice poisons the Sacramental Cup men Eat and Drink their own Damnation Iudas came to the Passover in malice and after the Sop Satan entred Iohn 13.27 5. God hath tyed his Mercy to this condition if we do not forgive neither will he forgive us Mat 6.15 If ye forgive not men their Trespasses neither
Sin 4. Prudence and Holiness is seen in this to know what we 〈…〉 and do what we know To know what we should do thereâ—â— the Wisdom 〈◊〉 â—he Serpent to do what we know there is the â—nnocency of the Dove Iohn 〈…〉 Knowledge is a Jewel 〈◊〉 him that wear◠〈…〉 is the 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 of the Mind Knowledge i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eye of the Soul to guide it in the right way but this Knowledge must â—e joyn'd with holy 〈◊〉 To separate Practice from Knowledge is to separate the Dove from the Serpent Many illuminated Heads can discourse fluently in Matters of Religion but they do not live up to their knowledge This is to have good Eyes but to have the Feet cut off They know they should not break the Sabbath they should not defame or defraud but they do not practise what they know Here they separate the Dove from the Serpent Vertue from Knowledge How vain is Knowledge without Practice As if one should know a Sovereign Medicine and not apply it Satan is a knowing Spirit he hath enough of the Serpent but that which makes him a Devil is he wants the Dove he doth not practise Holiness 5. To mix the Serpent and the Dove is to keep two Trades going To understand worldly Affairs there is the Wisdom of the Serpent yet not neglect the Soul there is the Innocency of the Dove God hath said Six Days shalt thou Labour Exod. 20.9 Religion did never grant a Patent to idleness There is a Lawful Care to be had about Secular Things To have insight into one's Calling is a commendable Wisdom but with this wisdom joyn the Dove's Innocency so follow your Calling as not to neglect your Soul The Soul is a precious thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it would beggar the Angels to give half the price of a Soul Our greatest care should be to get Grace While you put Gold in your Bag do not forget to put Oil in your Vessel Trade beyond the East Indies Drive a Trade of Holiness This Merchandice is better than the Merchandice of Silver Prov. 3.14 Live in a Calling but especially live by Faith Look to the providing for your Families but especially to the saving of your Souls The Soul is the Angelical part the loss of this can never be made up again God saith Chrysostom hath given a Man two Eyes if he lose one Eye he hath another but he hath but one Soul if he lose that it is irrecoverable it can never be made up again O unite the Serpent and the Dove Prudence and Holiness use the World but love your Soul Trade on Earth but beware of breaking in your Trade for Heaven How many part these two the Serpent and the Dove they are wise for the World but Fools for their Souls 'T is too often seen that Men pull down their Souls to build up an Estate 6. To join the Serpent and the Dove Prudence and Innocency consists in this To know how to give Counsel and how to keep Counsel He hath the Wisdom of the Serpent that can give Counsel he knows how to advise another in difficult cases and speak a Word in due season 2 Sam. 16.23 The Counsel of Achitophel was as if a Man had enquired at the Oracle of God But this is not enough to have the Wisdom of the Serpent in being able to give Counsel but there must be the Innocency of the Dove too in keeping Counsel If a Friend's secret be imparted to us unless in case of Blood we are not to reveal it A Friend is alter idem as one's own Soul Deut. 13.6 And what he imparts of his Heart should be kept under Lock and Key Prov. 25.9 Discover not a Secret to another lest he that hear thee put thee to shame c. To disclose a Friend's secrets though it be not Treason it is Treachery it is most Unchristian a Word may be spoken in secret which when it is Trumpeted out may occasion Quarrels or Law-suits He that cannot keep a Matter committed to him is like a Vessel that runs out or a sick Stomach that cannot keep the Meat but brings it up again He that publisheth his Friends secret doth publish his own shame 7. To mix these two Prudence and Holiness is to know the Seasons of Grace and improve them To know the Seasons of Grace there 's the Wisdom of the Serpent 'T is Wisdom in an Husband-Man to know the fit time for pruning of Trees sowing of Seed so it is no less Wisdom to know the Golden Seasons of Grace While we hear the joyful Sound while we have praying Hours while the Spirit of God blows on our Hearts here is a Gale for Heaven The day of Grace will not always last the Shadows of the Evening seem to be stretched out Things look as if the Gospel tended a-pace to a Sun-setting Be Wise as Serpents to know what a prize is put in your Hands and with the Serpent joyn the Dove that is in improving the Seasons of Grace The Stork and Turtle not only know their Season but improve it they approach to the warmer Climate against Spring saith Pliny Here is the Serpent and Dove united knowing and improving the Day of Grace when we profit by Ordinances when we mix the Word with Faith when an Ordinance hath stamped Holiness upon us as the Seal leaves its print upon the Wax This is to improve the Seasons of Grace 8. The Serpent and the Dove Wisdom and Innocency is to be moderate yet zealous Moderation is good in some cases Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known to all First Moderation is good in case of Anger When the Passions are up Moderation sits as Queen and Governess in the Soul it allays the Heat of Passion Moderation is Fraenum Irae the Bridle of Anger Secondly Moderation is good in case of Law-Suits so the Greek Word for Moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly taken If there be a Dispute in Law between us and others we are not to take the Extremity of the Law but use Christian Equity and Mildness nay for Peace sake cedere de Iure rather part with some of our right than oppress them this much Honours the Gospel Thirdly Moderation is good in Things indifferent Things ought not to be rigorously imposed in God's Worship which are not of Divine Injunction God never made Governours of the Church to be like Pilots of a Ship to steer Men's Consciences which way they please Moderation and Christian Forbearance in Things indifferent would much tend to the Peace and Unity of the Church All this Moderation is commendable and shows the Wisdom of the Serpent but remember to joyn the Dove with the Serpent We must so exercise Moderation as withal to cherish Zeal St. Paul in some things was moderate he did not press Circumcision Act. 15.25 He was tender of laying a Yoke upon the Consciences of the Disciples but he had Zeal with his
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing by the by he doth not much mind If ever we would have Heaven we must look upon it as our main concern Other things do but concern our livelyhood this concerns our Salvation then we make Religion our business when we wholly devote our selves to Gods service Psal. 139.18 we count those the best hours which are spent with God we give God the cream of our affections the flower of our time and strength we traffique in Heaven every day we are Merchants for the Pearl of price He will never get an Estate who doth not mind his Trade he will never get heaven who doth not make Religion his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his main business 6. If you would obtain the Kingdom of Heaven bind your hearts to God by sacred Vowes Vow to the Lord that by his Grace you will be more intent upon heaven than ever Psal. 56.12 Thy vowes are upon me O God A Vow binds the Votary to Duty he looks upon himself as obliged by his Vow to cleave to God Bees when they fly in a great Wind ballast themselves with little stones that they may not be carried away with the Wind so we must fortifie our selves with strong Vowes that we may not be carried away from God with the violent wind of temptation No question a Christian may make such a Vow because the ground of it is Morally good he vowes nothing but what he is bound to do by vertue of his Baptismal Vow namely to walk with God more closely and to pursue heaven more vigorously 7. If you would obtain the Kingdom embrace all seasons and opportunities for your Souls Eph. 5.15 Redeeming the time Opportunity is the cream of time the improving the seasons of Grace is as much as our Salvation is worth The Marriner by taking the present season while the Wind blowes gets to the haven by taking the season while we have the means of Grace and the wind of the Spirit blowes we may arrive at the Kingdom of heaven We know not how long we shall enjoy the Gospel the seasons of Grace like Noahs Dove come with an Olive-branch in their mouth but they soon take Wings and fly Though they are sweet yet swift God may remove the Golden Candlestick from us as he did from the Churches of Asia We have many sad symptoms Gray hairs are here and there upon us Hos. 7.9 therefore let us lay hold upon the present season they that sleep in Seed-time will beg in Harvest 8. If you would go to the Kingdom of Heaven you must excubias agere keep a daily Watch Mark 13.37 I say unto all watch Many have lost Heaven for want of watchfulness Our hearts are ready to decoy us into sin and the Devil lyes in ambush by his temptations we must every day set a spy and keep centinel in our Souls Hab. 2.1 I will stand upon my watch 1. We must watch our Eyes Iob 31.1 I made a covenant with my eyes Much Sin comes in by the eye When Eve saw the tree was good for food and pleasant to the eyes then she took Gen. 3.6 First she looked and then she lusted the eye by beholding an impure Object sets the heart on fire the Devil oft creeps in at the window of the eye Watch your eyes 2. Watch your Ear. Much Poyson is conveyed through the ear Let your ear be open to God and shut to Sin 3. Watch your Hearts We watch suspicious persons The heart is deceitful Ier. 17.9 Watch your heart 1. When you are about holy things it will be stealing out to vanity When I am at Prayer saith S. Hierom Aut per porticum deambulo aut de foenore computo either I am walking through Galleries or casting up Accompts 2. Watch your heart when you are in Company The Basilisk poysons the herbs he breaths on the breath of the wicked is infectious Nay watch your hearts when you are in good Company such as have some good in them yet may be some grains too light they may have much levity of Discourse and if no scum boils up yet too much froth The Devil is subtle and he can as well creep into the Dove as he did once into the Serpent Satan tempted Christ by an Apostle 3. Watch your hearts in Prosperity now you are in danger of Pride The higher the Water of the Thames riseth the higher the Boat is lifted up the higher that Mens Estates rise the higher their Hearts are lifted up in Pride In Prosperity you are in danger not only to forget God but to lift up the heel against him Deut. 32.15 Iesurun waxed fat and kicked It is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling and to carry a full prosperous Estate without sinning Turpi fregerunt saecula luxu divitiae molles Sen. Trag. Sampson fell asleep in Dalilahs lap many have fallen so fast asleep in the lap of Prosperity that they have never awaked till they have been in Hell 4. Watch your hearts after holy Duties When Christ had been Praying and Fasting then the Devil tempted him Mat. 4.23 After our combating with Satan in Prayer we are apt to grow secure and put our Spiritual Armour off and then the Devil falls on and wounds us O if you would get Heaven be alwayes upon your Watch-tower set a spy keep close centinel in your Souls Who would not watch when it is for a Kingdom 9. If you would arrive at the Heavenly Kingdom get those three Graces which will undoubtedly bring you thither 1. Divine Knowledge There 's no going to Heaven blindfold In the Creation Light was the first thing which was made so 't is in the new Creation Knowledge is the Pillar of Fire which goes before us and lights us into the Heavenly Kingdom 'T is light must bring us to the inheritance in light Col. 1.12 2 Faith Faith ends in Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith Salvation He who believes is as sure to go to Heaven as if he were in Heaven already Acts 16.31 Faith toucheth Christ and can he miss of Heaven who toucheth Christ Faith unites to Christ and shall not the Members be where the Head is All have not the same degree of Faith we must distinguish between the direct act of Faith and the reflex act Affiance and Assurance yet the least seed and spark of Faith gives an undoubted title to the Heavenly Kingdom I am justified because I believe not because I know I believe 3. Love to God Heaven is prepared for those that love God 1 Cor. 2.9 Love is the Soul of Obedience the Touchstone of Sincerity By our loving God we may know he loves us 1 Iohn 4.19 and those whom God loves he will lay in his bosom Ambrose in his Funeral Oration for Theodosius brings in the Angels hovering about his departing Soul and being ready to carry it to Heaven asked him What that Grace was he had practised most upon Earth Theodosius
replyed Dilexi dilexi I have loved I have loved and strait-way he was by a convoy of Angels translated to Glory Love is a sacred Fire kindled in the breast in the flames of this Fire the devout Soul ascends to Heaven 10. If we would obtain this Heavenly Kingdom let us labour for Sincerity Prov. 28.18 Whosoever walketh uprightly shall be saved The sincere Christian may fall short of some degrees of Grace but he never falls short of the Kingdom God will pass by many failings where the heart is right Numb 23.21 True Gold though it be light hath grains of allowance Psal. 51.6 Thou desirest truth in the inward parts Sincerity is the sauce which seasons all our Actions and makes them savoury it is the ingredient into every Grace It is called Faith unfeigned 2 Tim. 1.5 and Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sincerity Eph. 6.24 Coyn will not go currant that wants the Kings stamp Grace is not currant if it be not stamped with Sincerity Glorious Duties sowred with Hypocrisie are rejected when great Infirmities sweetned with Sincerity are accepted If any thing in the World bring us to Heaven it is Sincerity Sincerity signifies plainness of heart Psal. 32.2 In whose Spirit there is no guile The plainer the Diamond is the richer 1. Sincerity is when we serve God with our heart we do not only worship him but love him Cain brought his Sacrifice but not his Heart This is Gods delight a Sacrifice flaming upon the Altar of the Heart A sincere Christian though he hath a double principle in him Flesh and Spirit yet he hath not a double heart his heart is for God 2. Sincerity is when we aim purely at God in all we do The Glory of God is more worth than the Salvation of all Mens Souls A sincere Christian though he comes short in Duty yet he takes a right aim As the herb Heliotropium turns about according to the motion of the Sun so a Godly Mans actions do all move towards the Glory of God 11. If we would obtain the Heavenly Kingdom let us keep up fervency in Duty What is a dead form without the power Rev. 3.16 Because thou art luke-warm neither hot nor cold I will spue thee out of my mouth Fervency puts life into Duty Rom. 12.11 Fervent in Spirit serving God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boyling over Christ prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more earnestly Luke 22.44 When the Fire on the Golden Censer was ready to go out Aaron was to put more Coals to the Incense Praying with Devotion is putting more Coals to the Incense 't is not Formality but Fervency will bring us to Heaven The Formalist is like Ephraim a Cake not turned hot on one side and dough on the other In the external part of Gods Worship he seems to be hot but as for the Spiritual part of Gods Worship he is cold Oh if you would have the Kingdom of Heaven keep up heat and fervour in Duty Eliah was carried up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot if you would go to Heaven you must be carried thither in a fiery Chariot of Zeal 'T is violence takes the Kingdom of Heaven 12. If we would arrive at the Heavenly Kingdom let us cherish the motions of Gods Spirit in our hearts The Marriner may spread his Sails but the Ship cannot get to the Haven without a gale of Wind so we may spread the sails of our endeavour but we cannot get to the Haven of Glory without the North and South-wind of Gods Spirit blow how nearly therefore doth it concern us to make much of the motions of Gods Spirit motions to Prayer motions to Repentance 2 Sam. 5.24 When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees that then thou shalt bestir thy self for then shall the Lord go out before thee So when we hear as it were a voice within us a secret inspiration stirring us up to good Duties we should then bestir our selves while the Spirit works in us we should work with the Spirit Many Men have Gods Spirit striving with them he puts good motions in their hearts and holy purposes but they neglecting to prosecute these good motions the Spirit is thereby grieved and being grieved withdraws its assistance and that assistance being gone there is no getting to Heaven Oh make much of the motions of the Spirit it is as much as your Salvation is worth The Spirit of God is compared to fire Acts 2.2 if we are careful to blow this spark we may have fire to inflame our affections and to light our feet into the way of peace If we quench the Spirit by our neglecting and resisting its motions we cut our selves off from Salvation The Spirit of God hath a drawing-power Cant. 1.4 The Blessed Spirit draws by attraction as the Loadstone the Iron In the preaching of the Word the Spirit draws the heart up to Heaven in holy longings and ejaculations Now when the Spirit is about thus to draw us let us take heed of drawing back left it be to perdition Heb. 10. We should do as Noah when the Dove came flying to the Ark he put forth his hand and took it into the Ark so when this sweet Dove of Gods Spirit comes flying to our hearts and brings a gracious impulse as an Olive-branch of Peace in its mouth O take this Dove into the Ark entertain the Spirit in your hearts and it will bring you to Heaven Quest. But how shall we know the motions of the Spirit from a delusion Answ. The motions of the Spirit are alwayes agreeable to the Word If the Word be for Holiness so is the Spirit The Spirit perswades to nothing but what the Word directs which way the tyde of the Word runs that way the Wind of the Spirit blows 13. We obtain the Kingdom of Heaven by uniform and chearful Obedience Obedience is the Road through which we travail to Heaven many say they love God but refuse to obey him doth he love the Princes Person who slights his Commands 1. Obedience must be uniform Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed Lo Eboth I shall not blush when I have respect to all thy Commandments as the Son goes through all the signs of the Zodiack so must we through all the duties of Religion If a Man be to go an hundred Miles and he goes ninety nine Miles and there stops he comes short of the Place he is to travel to if with Herod we do many things that God commands yet if we lye in the total neglect of any duty we come short of the Kingdom of Heaven for Instance If a Man seem to make Conscience of duties of the first Table and not the duties of the second if he seem to be religious but is not just he is a Transgressor and is in danger to lose Heaven a good heart is like the Needle which points that way which the Loadstone draws so he moves that way which the Word
nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature We are for new Things we love new Fashions and why not new Hearts But People are full of Prejudices against the new Creature Object 1. If we are new creatures there must be so much strictness in Religion so much praying and watching as discourageth Answ. 1. Is there any thing excellent to be obtained without Labour What pains is taken in searching for a Vein of Silver or seeking for Pearl Men cannot have the world without labour and would they have Salvation so 2. The Labour in Religion bears no proportion with the Reward What are a few tears shed to a weight of Glory The Soldier is content to wrestle with difficulties and undergo a bloody Fight for a glorious Victory In all Labour for Heaven there is Profit 'T is like a Man that digs in a Gold-Mine and carries away all the Gold 3. Men take more pains to go to Hell What pains doth an ambitious man take to climb to the Pinacle of Honour Tullia rid over the dead Body of her Father to be made Queen How doth the covetous man tire himself break his sleep and his peace to get the World Thus some Men take more pains in the Service of sin than others do in the pursuit of holiness Men talk of pains in Religion when God's Spirit comes into one it turns Labour into Delight 'T was Paul's Heaven to serve God Rom. 7.22 The ways of Wisdom are pleasantness Prov. 3.17 'T is like walking among Beds of Spices which cast forth a sweet Perfume Object 2. But if we leave our old company and become new creatures we shall be exposed to many Reproaches Answ. Who are they that speak evil of Religion but such as are evil Male de me loquuntur sed mali said Seneca Besides is it not better that Men reproach us for being good than that God damn us for being wicked Mat. 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you Stars are nevertheless glorious though they have ugly Names given them as the Bear and the Dragon A Saint's Reproachs are like a Soldier 's Scars honourable 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye are reproached for the Name of Christ a Spirit of God and of Glory rests upon you While Men clip your Credit to make it weigh lighter they make your Crown heavier Having answered these Objections I come now to re-assume the Exhortation Above all things labour to be New Creatures MOTIVES 1. In this true Christianity doth consist it is not Baptism makes a Christian Many are no better than baptized Heathens The essential part of Religion lies in the new creature Rom. 2.29 Circumcision is that of the Heart Every thing hath a Name from the better part we call a Man a Reasonable Creature because of his Soul which is the more noble part so one is called a Christian because he acts from a Principle of the new creature which the carnal man doth not 2. It is the new creature fits us for Communion with God We cannot converse with God till then Birds cannot converse with men unless they had a Rational Nature put into them nor can Men converse with God unless being made new creatures they partake of the Divine Nature Communion with God is a Mystery to most Every one that hangs about the Court doth not speak with the King All that meddle with holy Duties and as it were hang about the Court of Heaven have not communion with God 'T is only the new creature enjoys God's Presence in Ordinances and sweetly converses with him as a Child with a Father 3. The necessity of being new creatures 1. Till then we are odious to God Zech. 11.8 My Soul loathed them A Sinner is to God worse than a Toad a Toad hath no Poyson but what God hath put into it but a Sinner hath that which the Devil hath put into him Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye A wicked Man is possessed with an evil Spirit One man is possessed with the Devil of Pride another with the Devil of Malice This must needs make Persons odious to God to be possessed with the Devil Thus it is till we become new creatures 2. Till we are new creatures our Duties are not accepted with God they are but wild Grapes 1. Because God accepts no man but where he sees his Image The new creature is call'd the renewing of God's Image Eph. 4.24 When they brâ—â—ght Tamerlane a Pot of Gold he asked what stamp it had on it And when he saw the Roman stamp on it he refused it So if God doth not see his own Stamp and Image on the Soul he rejects the most specious Services 2. Duties of Religion are not accepted without the new Creature because there is that wanting which should make them a sweet Savour to God The holy Oil for the Tabernacle was to be made of several Spices and Ingredients Exod. 30.23 Now if any of these Spices had been left out it had not been pleasing The unregenerate Man leaves out the chief Spice in his Duties and that is Faith And Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God Faith lays hold on Christ and so is accepted 3. Such as are not new creatures but grow upon the Stock of old Adam get no benefit by Ordinances They are to them as Diascordium in a dead Man's Mouth they lose their virtue Nay not only Ordinances do them no good but hurt It were sad if all a man did eat should turn to poison The Word Preached is a Savour of Death 't is not healing but hardning Nay Christ himself is accidentally a Rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.7 The Wicked stumble at a Saviour and suck death from the Tree of Life 4. Without being new creatures we cannot arrive at Heaven Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth Heaven is not like Noah's Ark that received clean and unclean A Sinner is compared to Swine 2 Pet. 2.22 And shall a Swinish Creature tread upon the Golden Pavement of Heaven Indeed the Frogs came into King Pharoah's Court but in Heaven there is no entertainment for such Vermin 'T is only the new creature qualifies us for Glory This consecrates the Heart and only the pure in heart shall see God The new creature elevates the Soul as the Loadstone elevates the Iron A Soul renewed by Grace is fit to ascend to the heavenly Glory 4. The Excellency of the new Creature 1. the Nobility 2. The Immortality I. The Nobility The new Creature fetcheth its Pedigree from Heaven 't is born of God God counts none else of the Blood Royal it enobles a man's Spirit he aspires after the Favour of God and looks no lower than a Crown The new creature raiseth one to honour he excells the Princes of the Earth Psal. 89.27 and is Fellow-Commoner with Angels II. The Immortality The new creature is begotten of the incorruptible Seed of the Word and never dies It lasts as long as
the Soul as Angels as Heaven God hath laid out much Cost upon it and if it perish he should lose all his Cost When Xerxes destroyed the Temples in Greece he caused the Temple of Diana to be preserved for its beautiful Structure The new creature is God's Temple adorned with all the Graces which he will not suffer to be demolished Riches take Wings Kings Crowns tumble in the Dust Nay some of the Graces may cease Faith and Hope shall be no more but the new creature abideth for ever 1 Iohn 2.27 5. The Misery of the unregenerate creature Dying so I may say of him as Christ said of Iudas Mark 14.21 It were good for that Man if he had not been born Better have been a Toad a Serpent any thing if not a new creature The old Sinner must go into old Tophet Isa. 30.33 Damned Caitiffs will have nothing to ease their Torments not one drop of Honey in all their Gall. In the Sacrifice of Iealousie there was to be no Oil put to it Numb 5. In Hell there is no Oil of Mercy put to the Sufferings of the damned to lenifie them Therefore get out of the Wild Olive of Nature labour to be new creatures lest you curse your selves at last A sinful Life will cause a despairing Death Quest. What shall we do to be new Creatures Answ. 1. Wait on the Ordinances The Preaching of the Word is the Seed of which the new Creature is formed This is the Trumpet which must make the dead in Sin come out of their Grave 2. Pray earnestly for the new Creature Lord thou hast made me once make me again What shall I do with this old heart It defiles all it toucheth Urge God with his Promise Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I give you Say Lord I am as the dry Bones but thou didst cause Breath to come into them Ezek. 37.10 Do the same to me breath a supernatural Life of Grace into me Vse 4. Thankfulness Let such as are new creatures stand upon Mount Gerizim blessing and praising God Ascribe all to the Riches of God's Love set the Crown upon the head of free Grace God hath done more for you than if he had made you Kings and Queens Though you have not so much of the World as others you are happier than the greatest Monarchs upon Earth and I dare say you would not change with them The Apostles seldom speak of the new Creation but they join some thankful Praises with it 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet for the inheritance in light The new creature is a sign of Election a badge of Adoption What distinguishing Love is this that God should make any of us new creatures when he hath left the greatest part of the World to perish in their Sins Such as are Paterns of Mercy should be Trumpets of Praise Of the Government of the Tongue Jam. 3.6 And the Tongue is a Fire a World of Iniquity THE Apostle Iames in this Scripture describes the Evil of the Tongue The Tongue is a Fire a World of Iniquity 1. It is a Fire It burns with intemperate heat it causeth the Heat of Contention it sets others in a Flame 2. A World of Iniquity It was at first made to be an Organ of God's Praise but it is become an Instrument of Unrighteousness All the Members of the Body are sinful as there is bitterness in every Branch of Wormwood but the Tongue is excessively sinful full of deadly Poison vers 8. Doctr. The Tongue though it be a little Member yet it hath a World of Sin in it The Tongue is an unruly Evil. We put Bitts in Horses Mouths and rule them but the Tongue is an unbridled Thing It is hard to find a Curbing bitt to rule the Tongue There is a World of Sin in the Tongue The Devil makes use of Men's Tongues for the promoting most of the Wickedness which is in the World I shall show you some of the Evils of the Tongue I. The Evil Tongue travel a little over this World is the silent Tongue It is wholly mute in Matters of Religion it never speaks of God or Heaven as if it cleaved to the roof of the Mouth Men are fluent and discursive enough in other Things but in Matters of Religion their Lips are sealed up If we come into some People's Company we do not know what Religion they are of whether Iews or Mahometans for they never speak of Christ they are like the Man in the Gospel who was possessed with a Dumb Devil Mar. 9.17 II. The Evil Tongue is the earthly Tongue Men talk of nothing but the World their Wares and Drugs or their rich Purchace Son 's of the Earth they have the Serpent's Curse lick the Dust. Ioh. 3.31 He that is of the Earth speaketh of the Earth as if all their Hopes were here and they looked for an earthly Eternity these have Brutish Minds Seneca being asked of what Country he was answered that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Citizen of this World So many are Citizens of this World all their Discourse and Traffick is here Their Speech bewrays them III. The Evil Tongue is the hasty or angry Tongue They have no command of Passions but are carried away with them as a Chariot with wild Horses I know there is an Holy Anger when we are angry with Sin Christ had this Anger when they made the Temple a place of Merchandice Ioh. 2.15 That Anger is without Sin which is against Sin but that is an Evil Tongue which is presently blown up into exorbitant Passion this Tongue is set on Fire from Hell Isaiah's Lips were touched with a Coal from the Altar Isa. 6. His Tongue was set on Fire from Heaven but the angry furious Tongue is set on Fire from Hell When the Tongue is on Fire it is the Devil that lights the Match Eccles. 7.9 Anger rests in the Bosom of Fools It may be in a Wise Man but it rests in a Fool. More are drunk with Passion than Wine Hierome Water when it is hot soon boils over So when the Heart is heated with Anger it soon boils over in fiery and passionate Speeches 1 King 19.12 after the Earthquake a Fire but God was not in the Fire So I may say of the Fire of rash Anger God is not in this Fire Grace heats the Heart but cools the Tongue makes it meek and calm Passion transports it oft disturbs the use of Reason Brevis Insania and if Reason cannot act much less can Grace Rashness of Anger hinders Holy Duties Hot Passions make cold Prayers A wrathful Spirit is unsuitable to the Gospel It is a Gospel of Peace and it is sealed by the Spirit who came in the Form of a Dove a meek peaceable Creature Thou who art given much to Passion whose Tongue is often set