hear me Preach the Word Tho' Peradventure thâ— would lift up and exalt and please that Worldly Corrupt Nature which I confess and speak to my shame 〈◊〉 yet too much in me Some do Account themselves 〈◊〉 ry much because perhaps they are beloved of or Popular amongst their Neighbours another for his Honour another for his Courage and Might and becauâ—â— by such an one The Lord hath given Deliverance froâ— the Syrians or for his having wrought Great Aâ—chievâ— ments Another perhaps is lifted up in Soul because 〈◊〉 the Gifts that are given him and the word of wisdom 〈◊〉 committed unto him which is the most Valuable 〈◊〉 all the Priviledges of Mankind but here it is alleviated again with this consideration that where are Great Gifts there must be Great Accounts Another is Delighted and Transported within himself because he hath a Wife and Children to his Mind or because he hath some other Worldly Blessing And so one is lifted up for one thing another for another if we did run throughout the several Particulars among the Children of Men. But all these and such like are but light and small things in Comparison of the great things of Eternity and the exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory As God said unto Solomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long Life neither hast asked Riches for thy self neither hast asked the Life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy self Vnderstanding to discern Judgment Behold I have done according to thy Words Lo I have given thee a Wise and Understanding heart So that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee And I have also given that which thou hast not asked both Riches and Honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy Days And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my Statutes aâ—d my Commandments as thy Father David did walk then I will lengtâ—â—n thy Days 1 Kings 3. 11 12 13 14. And as it is written For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. From all this put together it is my inward and very thought As I behold and observe how Men differ from one another and one Prides himself in this thing another in that whereas none should be Proud for any thing which he hath but be humble and thankful for each distinguishing blessing or mercy received As it is Written But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent Mark that word excellent in whom is all my delight And as there is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory So each Man or Woman doth excell or differ from one another in Glory or real worth according â—s they know and understand and have more of the Mind of God All your excellency is of me saith the Lord and derived from him And as long as we walk and breath a little longer on this Earth The more any one is in favour with God and hath more of his will and secret The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Herein only one Man excelleth another or differeth from and exceedeth such an one in real worth That Courtier who can soonest obtain a favour from his King or Prince he is the best Courtier So amongst the vast Number of we Fellow Creatures on Earth altho' there is no difference between the Flesh of a Saint or of a Sinner for our flesh is as their flesh and our Children as their Children and we are all near the same both Godly and Ungodly as to the same outward Frame and Composure But that is the best Man or Woman who hath most interest now in the Court of Heaven who even whilst here on Earth is soonest heard by the Great King for this is an Earnest and Assurance before-hand that he shall one day stand in his Presence Who is an Israelite indeed a true Son of Jacob Hath Power with God Yea he had Power over the Angel and Prevailed Hosea 13. 3 4. As a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast Prevailed Gen. 32. 28. Who like another Lot hath that Interest and Prevalency with God that himself saith I cannot do any thing till thou come thither Gen. 19. 22 Altho' it were to be in the Destruction and Punishment of the wicked yet God could not do it till he came out from amongst them And so he speaks on that wise to his Servant Moses Let me alone that is Do not Pray or Interceed for them that I may consume this People in a moment Or like another Elias who was a Man subject to like Passions as we are And he Prayed earnestly that it mighâ— not Rain and it Rained not on the Earth by the space of Three Years and Six Months And He prayed again and the Heaven gave Rain and the Earth brought forth her Fruit James 5. 17 19. Who is here brought in as aâ— Example that the effectual â—ervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much Who when God heareth not sinners but if any be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth hath this Testimony that he is a VVorshipper of God and doth his VVill because that God heareth his Prayer If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the Voice of my Prayer Psal 66. 18 19. By which it follows of Consequence that the Psalmist did not regard Iniquity in his heart For God to be nigh unto us in all things that we call upon him for and to hear our Prayer is the greatest of all Wordly Blessings and Mercies put together either long Life Riches or what we would have in this World for if God hears our Prayer then we shall have what we would have in the next world which is much better and more enduring Go and say to Hezekiah thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father This and the foregoing Verses are a kind of Dialogue between the Great God and his Creature Hezekiah which Dialogue or Conference God manages by his Prophet Isaiah That God should hearken unto the Voice of a Man Joshua 10. 4. Seems wonderful if we have but those just and raised thoughts of the God-head in Comparison of whom in Greatness or Bigness the vast Fabrick of the whole World is but as a Dust of the Ballance and the true Knowledge of our selves But yet the Lord who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth is pleased to keep a care over and a Communication with his Creatures The whole Scripture is but a Declaration in order of what hath passed and been
perceive somewhat more as we come near to the end of our Hope the Day of Death which is indeed to the Children and Servants of God the Birth-Day of Immortality Therefore only it is that we have not more Profit because we did not so much as we should walk Mournfully but we should have walked yet more closely before the Lord of Hosts To walk Mournfully is according to the Reproach and manner of Speech of the People of the World for they imagine and say as if Religion and the Service of God was a Melancholly and Irksome thing whereas if it be True and Universal Inward and Real it is the greatest satisfaction and Peace to the Soul of Man of any thing in this World In a Dying Hour when all things fail and slip from us God and Religion are the only Resort My Soul cleaveth fast unto thee saith the Psalmist by the Spirit But though hardly ever any one in a dying Condition did say that it would have been vain for them to have served God we have heard of Thousands sad Examples on the other Hand crying out upon their Death-beds of the Misery and Deceitfulness of Sin with Anguish Bitterness and Vexation of Spirit that ever they themselves should give way unto it and really and sincerely then wishing that themselves had lived otherwise Then they confess and acknowledge that it was an evil and bitter thing to have forsaken the Lord and that his Fear was not in them And they have not cried unto me with their Heart when they howled upon their Beds Hos 7. 14. That is upon their Sick and Dying Beds By the Phrase of Howling the Holy Ghost doth seem to allude unto that kind of Noise which Dogs usually make when they are in Pain and Misery the Sense or Smart whereof makes them to Howl when they have no Reason of Soul to comfort and mitigate the other Even so the Sinners and Hypocrites when they are under violent Pains of Body or the languishing of Pining Sickness and yet much more from that fearful Expectation of those dreadful things of the Invisible World all this will sometimes make them cry out and howl and yet at the same time they do not cry out with their Heart to God for that hath been a long time at enmity and distance from him and indeed they are ignorant and unacquainted with him In a Dying Hour things will appear in a just and real value and then will be discerned what was best to have been done Then shall ye return and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not In the latter Days ye shall consider it perfectly It is certain that we must give Account for all and the several Talents which we have received as Knowledge Health Riches Time and such like Now to instance in this last which is most proper because we are here speaking of a Dying Hour When Time is ended and shall be no more which do you think will tend to better Reckoning when we come to give an Account for so many Days and Hours spent Either so many Days or Hours were spent in Hearing or Reading or Meditating on the Word of God in his Law doth he meditate Day and Night Psal 1. 2. Item So many Hours in Worship and Prayer Item So many Hours expended in good Works and the Duties of Christianity Item So many Hours in Honest Labour in our Trade or Employment which is a complying with that Prime Ordinance of God In the Sweat of thy Face shalt thou eat thy Bread till thou return unto the Ground Gen. 3. 19. All these will turn to Good and Profitable Accounts that we may find Mercy Comfort and Reward from the Lord in that Day 2 Tim. 1. 18. But then comes in also the Account which some must be forced to make on the other and worse Hand Imprimis So many Hours spent in serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Item So many Hours in Cards and Dice and in other vain and unnecessary Recreations Item So many Hours in Carnal Visits and Company Item So many Hours in Pride and Dressing Item So many Hours in Stage-Plays Item So many Hours in Taverns or Ale-Houses Item So many Hours expended in serving of Mammon Covetousness and getting of unjust Gain All these and such like will tend to Loss and Punishment at that Day This Question is easie to be answered and it will be seen which of these Two will tend most to Mens and Womens Happiness at the Last Day Seeing we must all unavoidably give Account for so many Sabbaths as we have had Will it not tend to better Account to have spent the remaining Hours thereof after the Publick Worship is over in Hearing the Scriptures and what Truths do flow from them for on the Sabbath-day besides the double Burnt Offering was to be a continual Burut Offering Numb 28. 9 10. The Holy Ghost thereby signifying that that Day was to be wholly and throughly spent in the immediate worship of God and Hearing Reading or Meditating on his Word Or the very same Time expended in Worldly Company and therein speaking their own Words contrary to Isa 58. 13. Or in Carnal Perambulation in the Fields Ay but here some will be apt to say Sâ—ould not they who are Working and Trades People all the Week long have some Delight and â—ecreation on this Day of Rest To which I answer they should call the Sabbath a Delight and delight themselves in the Lord Isa 58. 13 14. And delight to do thy Will O my God Psal 40. 8. And so to Hear his Will for if Heaven is not thus begun with them whilst on Earth as to deligâ—t in that which is good it will not be their Portion when they come to die As Isaac went out to Meditate in the Margent there it is to Pray in the Fiâ—ld at Eventide Gen. 24. 63. So it seems to be no Sin to walk out into the Fields in the Evening of the Sabbath if it be for Meditation or Prayer or to discourse together only of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God But it seems to be sinful to spend the Evening of the Sabbath or Lord's Day in Loytering and Idleness or standing by the Walls or in the Doors of the Houses Ezek. 33. 30. when they will not go to hear what is the Word that cometh forth from the Lord as the same is truly and faithfully alledged from the Bible Some of my Kindred according to the Flesh have despised me upon the Account of my Preaching in a little Meeting or Assembly of Christians as if it was mean little pitiful and unbecoming that Birth Education and Family I am off Good God! what kind of Imaginations do lurk in the Heart of Man Can any one be too good to serve thee And is it beneath those of what 〈◊〉 called a Genteel Birth and Extraction which eccho like 〈◊〉 a Voice and nothing else for they
looketh upon all the Inhabitants of thâ— Earth He fashioneth their Hearts alike He considereâ— all their Works Psal 33. 13 14 15. So that his Eyes being upon all the ways of the Sons of Men and he considering all their Works he must of Necessity Remember them Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle Are not these things noted in thy Book Are not Five Sparrowt sold for a Faâ— thing And not one of them is forgotten before God Aâ— so the very Hairs of our Head are all numbered Goâ— knoweth all things which shews also that he rememberâ— for Remembrece is a Knowledge and keeping in Mind 〈◊〉 past things all things that have been done on this Eartâ— by all the Creatures and Things therein Known unto Goâ— are all his Works from the beginning of the World Yâ— they are Registred and set down by him The Sin of Judah is Written with a Pen of Iron and Graven with 〈◊〉 point of a Diamond Altho' no Man did ever speak or takâ— notice thereof And so seeing that God knows aâ—â— Things and Remembers all Things in all Persons anâ— Creatures What need had therefore Hezekiah or any other of the Saints and Servants of the Lord to praâ— unto him in that manner of Speech Remember me Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy People Psal 126. 4. Lord Remember David and all his Afflictionâ— Whereas God doth and will Remember without being prayed unto for so to do But as to this the Lord doth speak by Ezekiel that tho' He would do such a thing for Israel yet for all that He would be enquired of by Israel for that thing And so tho' God will do many things Nevertheless yet he would have the Creature pray unto him for it Both in obedience to his Commandment of Calling on his Name as also to shew forth that dependance subjection and desire which the Creature hath after the same from his Creator Herein also his Servants do speak after the manner of Men when they pray in such a manner Think upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people Neh. 5. 19. Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the Greatness of thy Mercy Remember me O my God for Good Neh. 13. 22 â—1 And in another place he saith to this purpose Wipe not my Good Deeds out of thy sight Hezekiah prays That God would Remember the Good Life which he had led He might have thus known that there had been no need for him to use those words for God would have Remembred his Good Life Nevertheless It may be convenient and necessary to keep a Catalogue of our sins and a Catalogue of Gods Mercies toward us The first to the intent that we may confess and be sorry for them that so God according to his Gracious method and promise may forgive them That we see and eye continually the Rock whereon we had well nigh split and more certainly avoid and pass by the same for the future That we may bear Iniquity and lothe our selves in our own sight for them That all the few and evil Days remaining of our Pilgrimage We may walk in the Bitterness of our Souls because we have transgressed against the Lord our God Which same will be a Reaping in Joy in the life that is to come For according as our present grief for sin hath been so accordingly will our future Degree of Consolation be And so again it is convenient and necessary to keep 〈◊〉 us a Catalogue of Gods Mercies that we may be alwaâ—â— mindful of them and endeavour to render unto the 〈◊〉 according to the Benefit which we have received that 〈◊〉 may offer unto him the Sacrifice of Praise continual 〈…〉 Because he loadeth us with his Benefits daily that his greâ—â— Goodness and Mercy may engage us yet more to closâ—â— strict and Universal Obedience unto all the Words of 〈◊〉 Law that we may offer him Praise and Glorifie him 〈◊〉 ordering our Conversation aright and such like But it is neither convenient nor yet necessary to keeâ— by us any Catalogue at all of our several good Deedâ— for God himself will keep a true faithful and exact Register of them For God is not Vnrighteous to forget yoâ— Work and labour of Love which you have shewed towarâ— his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and 〈◊〉 minister Heb. 6. 10. Not the least good deed even to 〈◊〉 Cup of cold Water ministred unto one in the Name of a Dâ—ciple of Christ Mat. 10. 42. shall be forgotten nor 〈◊〉 paâ—s unrewarded before God But as he remembers all our good Deeds from thâ— greatest of them to the least of them to recompence 〈◊〉 every one according to his ways and according to thâ— fruit of his doings for thou Lord only knowest all that 〈◊〉 in the hearts of all the Children of Men so he remembeâ— all our Sins and Evil Deeds from the greatest to the leaâ—â— of them Thou hast set our Iniquities before thee and 〈◊〉 secret Sins in the Light of thy Countenance Psal 90. 〈◊〉 For God shall bring every Work into judgment with eveâ— secret things whither it be good or bad Eccles 12. 14. 〈◊〉 order to do which he must of necessity remember eaâ—â— and every one of both sorts which again is as certaiâ— as that he knows all things for he keeps and continuâ— them in Knowledge which is Memory or Remeâ—brance Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee Thâ— they should more especially remember and be put 〈◊〉 mind of who live without God in the World or whâ— have not that constant Sense of the Invisible God upoâ— their Souls and Spirits as they ought to have Althougâ— they do forget God and not think of him yet still 〈◊〉 their Workings Motions and goings are before him Mans goings are of the Lord How then can a Man understand his own way Prov. 20. 20. Tho' we do not see God yet he seeth us but then indeed we should have a continued sense and knowledge of God seeing us which should engage us to exceeding Cautiousness and Circumspection in all Godly Righteous and Sober living For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth Psal 102. 19. Even so we should with the Eye of Faith and with the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened Eye him continually as he sits above on his Throne in the High and Lofty Place the Inhabitation of Eternity Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress 〈◊〉 So our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that He have mercy upon us And so it is elsewhere written in like manner At that Day shall a Man look unto his Maker and his Eyes shall have respect unto the holy one of
search for me with all your heart and I will be found of â—ou saith the Lord Jer. 29. 13 14. In both these observable Scriptures is contained the inseparable condition â—nnexed to which the promise is made of acceptance from the Lord If thou shalt seek him with all thy Heart â—nd with all thy Soul There must be no Exception or Reserve and nothing in the least is to be taken out of the heart for it to be fixed or employed about saving God only and the things pertaining to his Kingdom This is to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart which did yield to Hezekiah so much inward comfort as streamed forth in outward Tears when He laid upon his Bed of Sickness It will do the same also to every one besides that shall do the like things As we have a further Example and confirmation hereof in another Servaâ—â— of the Lord who thus witnesseth of himself That we were 〈◊〉 pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Deaâ—â— in our selves this was a sad Case and Extremity Buâ— he goes on to add sweetly for our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience That in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of Goâ— we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1. 9. 10. 12. Hence may be seen again the absolute necessity of 〈◊〉 Godly Life foregoing which is to yield this rejoycing Hence also suspect and tremble at and do not for Te 〈…〉 Thousand VVorlds trust thy Soul upon that uncertainty oâ— huddling up the matter by a Death-Bed Repentance which will Administer Horrour or only Carnal Peace anâ— Stupidity which will be after followed by the gnawing 〈◊〉 the Worm which shall never die For such can neveâ— make that comfortable Reflexion as Hezekiah did in thâ— Text Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I havâ— walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart anâ— have done that which is good in thy sight This is the Third thing proposed to be spoken unto And here I would recommend to all such as shall Rea 〈…〉 this which may also be applied unto the two foregoinâ— particulars That whatever ye do meet with in the courâ—â— of your Reading the Scriptures which were given to maâ—â— us wise unto Salvation concerning doing good Be here 〈◊〉 structed that this is written for your Admonition also Tâ—â— Time would fail me to speak of all those many and 〈◊〉 veral Texts of Scripture which speak of this Thing 〈◊〉 doing Good Now as all Making or Preaching of Sermoâ— if they be managed aright are but a Reasoning out 〈◊〉 the Scriptures concerning the same Things So if the Hearers or Readers of the Word would also compare Place with Place and narrowly mind and observe from within themselves what further Significative and true Thoughts do arise from thence they might be Preachers also at least to themselves that is to their own Hearts or Consciences In which sence they might Hear a Sermon or rather a still Voice within them dictating to Good and Testifying against Evil all the week long Whereas I could bring more out of this Treasury of Divine Truths as pertaining to this Subject I shall Instance â—ut in two or three Texts of Scripture that being Sufficient for in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word shall be established The first is Psal 37. 3. Trust in â—he Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land and â—erily thou shalt be â—ed Whereby is shewn forth That Good is not only to be done at the time of our Death but even in the very midst of and throughout the time we dwell in the Land that is on this Earth where we now Inhabit And by the first and last words of this Verse Trust in the Lord verily thou shalt be fed The Holy Ghost doth hereby tacitly anticipate and meet with an Objection or Surmise in heart as if People should think or â—ay that if they did Good they should be impoverished â—nd come to want themselves But here by Arming their minds before-hand with Trust in the Lord which is a relative Term and Presupposes danger and difficulty through which God will carry them for all and then comes in at the close thereof Verily thou shalt be fed This again satisfies the heart not so much of the Natural Man who doth not altogether so well discern these things â—ut it doth the Spiritual Man and Faithful Soul who doth discern and lay hold of the promise so far that tho' if He should do so much good as He would He must of necessity â—ell all his Estate or give all his Goods to feed the Poor for that of Almsgiving seems to be the doing of good here meant and intended yet nevertheless He will do some good according to his Ability And also withal observe the Rules of Justice to his Kindred and Family as well as those of Mercy and Almsgiving to the Poor For this is a constant Rule that we should not break one Commandment of God to yet more fulfill another Nor yet jostle and thrust out one Duty out of 〈◊〉 greater Zeal for the observance of another For as haâ—â— been aforesaid We should walk before God with a perfeâ—â— heart Even so good should be done Universally withoâ—â— doing it only in some things and not in other things 〈◊〉 Good Man will guide his Affairs with Discretion Psal 11â— 5. So He is good in all Relations and will approve hiâ— self Universally so in all things in all Times and Placeâ— and in reference to all Persons The Second Scripture which I shall Instance in is Joâ—â— 5. 29. They that have done Good shall come forth unâ—â— the Resurrection of Life This again is to be Understooâ— of having done good throughout the course of our Life hâ—â— on Earth So wonderfully much doth the Scripture speâ—â— of and make for this Thing of Good Life And Hezekiâ—â— knowing this by the same Spirit that the having doâ—â— Good would intitle to the Resurrection of Life like as 〈◊〉 Man who is a drowning or sinking doth catch hold 〈◊〉 somewhat to save and Preserve himself so he doth he 〈…〉 fitly and properly make his Appeal unto God on this wi 〈…〉 now he was a surrendring up his Life into his hands o 〈…〉 of a Desire and Expectation that a Better and more End 〈…〉 ring Life may be Given unto him instead thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have done tâ—â— which is Good in thy Sight The Third Scripture which I think convenient and necessary to alledge for this Purpose is Acts. 10. 38. Hâ— God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and wiâ—â— Power who went about doing Good and healing all tâ—â— were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Tâ—â— same Jesus is elsewhere called the Prince of Life Acts. â— 15. in the Margent it is the Author of
Hezekiah had walked before God in Truth For the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him in Truth and with a Perfect Heart which is a whole and not a divided heart Therefore it was that the Lord heard his Prayer I have seen thy Tears It commonly gains the Point or obtains the thing Requested for when the People and Servants of God do shed Tears in Prayer if this be done not in Hypocrisie or Dissimulation but out of great Earnestness and Reality of Soul the Truth whereof is here fulfilled for therefore it was that Goâ— heard his his Prayer and saw his Tears Though we Creatures do not see God yet God 〈◊〉 we Creatures and knows how it is with us The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their Meat in due Season And there doth arise a little Anguish and great Thought and Searching of Heart in the Reasonable Creature who have also Eyes in their Understanding as well as Outward Bodily Eyes Why They cannot see God Why in this Life and in this State here on Earth No Man hath seen God at any Time the only begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him And so the Son who is the Word And the word Preached or Spoken doth declare God that is make him to be Conceived or Understood Though we do not see God yet we see his Works which we cannot so much as look without doors but we behold them For t is his Heavens which â—e Created and his Earth which we tread on By which together with that Invisible Reason and Knowledge which he hath given us The Invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World may be clearly seen being Vnderstood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-Head So that though we cannot see God as yet with this Outward Bodily Eye of ours yet with the Eye of Faith or with the Eyes of our Understanding being Enlightened we may see him that is Invisible And so after our Spirits are Dislodged from these Bodies we shall see him Face to Face and know him as we are known as he knoweth us and we now know one another Certain it is that his Eyes are upon all the ways of the Children of Men to Recompence to every one accordingly whether they be Good or Evil And so he sees and beholds whatever we do whether we Laugh or Mourn are Merry or Sad. I have seen thy Tears As our Lord did argue to the Pharisee Ye Fools Did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also In like manner it may be truly reasoned He who sees that which is without sees that which is within also And so the same God who sees our outward Tears sees also that Sorrow of Heart and Vexation of Spirit that secret Anguish and Discontent of Mind from whence these Tears do floâ— forth and proceed He sees every le 〈…〉 crany and corner of our Inside also and seeing that 〈◊〉 is the will and appointment of God To comfort all thâ— mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to giâ—â— unto them Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of Joy for Mournning the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heavinesâ— Here God is like unto a skilful Physitian Shall not 〈◊〉 that teacheth Man Knowledge know Who knoâ— the bottom and ground of the Sore or Disease whâ—â— he hath in hand to heal and recover Even so our Goâ— knows and understands to the utmost all that Mourning and Spirit of Heaviness with the true causes and oâ—casions thereof that is in the hearts of all or any of thâ— Children of Men which is necessary in order to Administer Comfort Joy and Relief to it The trouble Spirit and the restless Spirit the groaning Spirit and 〈◊〉 dissatisfied Spirit or whatever doth afflict is painfâ—â— or irksome all couched and comprehended under that 〈◊〉 word the Spirit of Heaviness All these and whatevâ—â— is more or such like is Known to God the Father 〈◊〉 Mercies and the God of all Consolation Saith 〈◊〉 Psalmist Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle Are 〈◊〉 these things Noted in thy Book I am weary with 〈◊〉 Groaning all the Night make I my Bed to Swim I waâ—â— my Couch with my Tears Psal 6. 6. And then it folloâ— For the Lord hath heard the Voice of my Weeping Whiâ—â— is Parallel unto and is another Example to confirm tâ—â— Truth of our Text That God doth see the Tears 〈◊〉 hear the Voice of the Weeping of his Servants and Peopâ—â— According to what is elsewhere Written I cried 〈◊〉 God with my Voice even unto God with my Voice and 〈◊〉 gave Ear unto me For this is to be understood and attended unto that as in one sence God hears the Liâ— labour of the formal Half-Christian or of the Wickeâ— and Ungodly for they do sometimes in custom and 〈◊〉 little to satisfy Natural Conscience Pray unto hiâ— And so he doth hear the mumbling of the Papist ovâ—â— his Beads the much speaking of the Heathen and 〈◊〉 Worship of the Jew as it is at this Day as He is aâ—â— knowing for there is not a word in my Tongue bâ— thou O Lord knowest it altogether And so he heaâ—â— their Devotion as we do the humming and noise of a â—â—ye which we are forced to hear but we do not Mind or Regard But he doth not hear the sinful or false Worshippers in such wise as they are not to think that they shall receive any thing from the Lord. But in Scripture sence when God hears the Prayer of his chosen People and Servants He doth fulfil their Petitions and give and grant unto them what they Pray unto him for In like manner God doth see the Tears of such a Profane Person as Esau as he doth see all things And so he doth hear the howlings of them upon their â—eds Who did not cry unto him with their heart Hos 7 14. But yet he is not so far moved with one or the other as to admit the one to Repentance or Vouchsafe a Pardon to the other According as he saith and declareth elsewhere Yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should hear the Law and the Prophets which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts Therefore it came to pass that as he cried and they would not hear so they cried and I would not hear saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 7. 12 13. Such did heretofore harden themselves against God and now God will harden himself against them altho' they are his Creatures and the work of his own hands And so the same God tho' in his Love and Pity to Poor Mankind â—e redeemed them That is like setting up one again after they had been broke or Bank-rupt and tho' he 〈◊〉 very Pitiful and of tender Mercy which is over all â—is works But
or to those Methods and arts of hardening and Insensibility as have been heretofore used This End of Life hath long since come upon Hezekiah although he had Fifteen Years more added unto his days VVhy they are over and gone and near upon three times Fifteen Hundred more since the Lord by Isaiah spake thus unto him Now as in truth nothing is long that hath an End and as it is written It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to Restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the End of the Earth So in like manner it may be truly Reasoned it is a Light thing that God should give unto us the Reasonable Inhabitants of this his Earth Threescore Years and Ten or Fourscore Years nay if it were to every one of uâ— also the days of Methusaleh nine hundred sixty and nine years for it is immediately afterwards recorded And â—â— died Gen. 5. 27. For we can conceive and apprehenâ— somewhat more Namely what is like unto what is expressed here to Restore the preserved of Israel That is in the sence which we would allude and apply unto for to thâ— agree the other Scriptures of Truth As God in the first anâ— continued forming of Man of the dust of the Ground Br 〈…〉 thed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became 〈◊〉 Living Soul And as he doth preserve this Breath of Liâ—â— in and holds our Souls in Life all the days we Breatâ— live and move on this Earth So it is an easy thing foâ— this same God to preserve this Breath of Life again after it is gone forth and the Man returns to his Earth and also to preserve the dust of the Ground which he doth accordingly into which his Body turns and Moulders So as in the Resurrection for God will do so to Restore the preserved of Israel to restore the preserved of Adam even of all his Children and Posterity So that he will restoâ—â— the preserved whole Body and Soul of each and every oâ—â— of them Why the Soul was preserved all the while 〈◊〉 the Cabinet Archives and keeping of God according 〈◊〉 the Scripture Phraseth it Commit the keeping of their Souâ—â— to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator And he w 〈…〉 restore and raise up the Body also which all the whilâ— was preserved in his dust and ashes according as it was either buried in the Ground or burnt with Fire according to the two ancient ways of Interment and disposal thereof after it was dead and the Soul gone out of it Yea and it would be a light thing if God should not do thus as to raise up all the descendants of Adam the Tribes of Jacob and in this sence also To Restore the Preserved of Israel that his own great work of Creation might be Perfect and Compleat unto the End of the Earth unto the End of time yea unto the end of his whole work of Creation for that would not be Perfect and Compleat unless he should annex salvation unto it That is save and bring it up again from that Perishing and Corruption that Death and Dissolution which hath already come in part and is yet further to come upon the whole Creation of God Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious liberty of the Children of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth the reason whereof is that Perishing and Corruption the Death and Dissolution which as yet it is subject unto and Travaileth in Pain together until now Rom. 8. 21 22. But when God shall extend his salvation so far as to save and preserve the whole from the same Perishing and Corruption Death and Dissolution which it hath underwent when the New Heavens and the New Earth under which are comprised all things contained in them which He will make shall remain Isa 66. 22. By which word remain 〈◊〉 denoted an Eternal Immutable and Irreversible State of things For if it was to be for never so many Millions of Years it would not be properly remaining but transitory because that the several Parts and Portions of time do pass and succeed one another Then the whole Creation instead of the former Groaning and Travailing in Pain will rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Because that thus it will be delivered from the former Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God and then shall be brought to pass that saying I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Eccles 3. 14. And the Works of God will be found worthy of himself that is Eternal It stands on this wise in the order and decree of things to do them at first in a lesser degree in order to a greater To carry and advance them from Imperfection to Perfection It is sown in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption To first make them with a Perishing Nature and afterwards Graft on and add an Eternal Nature that they are never more to be done away nor yet to cease to be All this cometh from the Lord of Hosts which is wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working And all this is as certainly true and will be found so in the appointed time as God is God which again is as certain as that there is a world and any thing in it for he is the Maker of all things and by whom they subsist Then Philip opened his Mouth and began at the same Scripture and Preached unto him Jesus So if one was to begin at this same Scripture Behold I will add unto thy Days Fifteen Years and from thence Preach unto you Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began for discovery was made thereof by little and little unto the Fathers But hath in due times manifested his word through Preaching Titus 1. 2 3. It might at first seem hard and perplex unto ye how the Preacher would draw forth and infer Eternal Life from these Words which at first sight and appearance rather shews the contrary that the Life of Man will come to an utter end And yet it hath been made out in some Measure But the Reasoning and Inference of Eternal Life doth yet further arise from that word add For as the Apostle Paul argues somewhat yea very much in reference to the case in hand If there be no Resurrection of the Dead then 〈◊〉 Christ not risen for if the Dead rise not then is Christ not raised 1 Cor. 15. 13 16. So in like manner it may be here reasoned if God did add Fifteen Years unto Hezekiahs Life because he had heard his Prayer and seen his Tears so he will add unto him and to all others who pray and cry for and shall be Judged worthy that Blessing which the Lord hath commanded even Life for evermore Psal
The Exceeding Great COMFORT AND BENEFIT Of having walked before GOD in TRUTH And with a PERFECT HEART And of having done that Which is good in his Sight Set forth in several Discourses on Isaiah 38. 2 3. By Richard Stafford formerly of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD For our Rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with Fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1. 12. I have Fought a Good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that Love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. London Printed and are to be sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AS the Apostle did Write to those of his time so I according to the knowledge given me would willingly do the same as to the People of this my Generation and Countrey Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stiâ— you up by putting you in Remembrance Knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle Moreover I will Endeavour that you may be able after my Decease to have these things always in Remembrance Which good Endeavour of St. Peter was so brought to pass only by his Writing down those very Words which are now Printed and thereby made known unto us For if Peter or Paul had only spoken those Words unto the few Christians then present with them but had never Written them they would have been like A Voice Crying in the Wilderness which is emphatically remarked concerning John Baptist by Esaias in Mat. 3. 3. for John spake four or five Sentences which are there Recorded and Written for him by the Evangelist But he himself Writing nothing hereof was as a Voice of one crying in the Wilderness which we know instantly perishes in the utterance and seems as nothing afterwards In the Wilderness thereby is signified the Church or Servants of God they being fewest in Number as that place hath fewest Inhabitants His Servant Job who had the character from God to speak â—f him the thing that was right saith on this wise Oh that my Words were now Written Oh that they were Printed 〈◊〉 Book That they were Graven with an Iron Pen and had in the Rock for ever Job 19. 23 24. Moreover There is the express Commandment of God to Isaiah Now go Writâ— it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it â—ay be for the time to come for ever and ever Isa 30 8. A word spoken or a voice uttered Perishes in the Speaking â—â—d Vtterance And tho' it never so much affects the Auditory for the present time yet it goes off as a Flash and is soon forgottn both by Speaker and Hearers But a Word or Sentence written that remains and People may at any time have Recourse and turn unto it Hereby also it may be effectually Prevented thâ— People shall not become forgetful Hearers of the Word as tâ— which the Scripture saith Whoso is not a forgetful Heareâ— but a doer of the Work this Man shall be Blessed in his deed And accordingly the Prophet having obeyed the aforementioned Commandment of God herein so as to have Wrote down his Words they stand and remain longer then any Gates of Brass or Bars of Iron or the most Ancient Buildings in the World for time hath defaced them and the place of them knoweth it no more But the words of Isaiah are as fresh intire sound and perfect to and at this very day all one as they were in the first Moment be uttered them or as they were in that hour wherein he first Wrote them down God having been pleased to preserve his Writings in the World For by the way there hath been great Opposition against these kind of things by Satan and his Incarnate Instruments and the Powers of Darkness The Bible it self wherein then were all the Books of Moses was very â—nigh lost in the days of Josiah when there was but one Copy thereof accidentally found to have been hidden in the Temple It being supposed that some Idolatrous King a little before had Destroyed or Burnt them all As the like was usual with the Persecutors of the first Christians Who again would hide them and rather lose their lives then give up and surrender their Bibles Wherein they were more Noble then some now a days who say They do not much value the outward Letter if they should be tryed but the tenth part so far for they say they have it in their Heart â—ut by their good leave it would not long remain in their â—eart if neither they nor others for them had it not also Writâ—â—n in Ink and Paper for to turn unto Read and seek out of it 〈◊〉 any time Thâ—s also discovers the Sin and Hypocrisie of those of the Romish Church who say they are Christians but they are not but of thâ— Synagogue of Satan and Antichrist for they also have used the very same methods to Suppress or Burn all such Bibles as aâ— in the National Tongue of any Countrey and all those Booâ—s which contain words of Truth which spring up any where aganst their own Errour Idolatry and Superstition Which agâ—in is the duty of all such as are Children of the Truth to prâ—â—erve and keep a foot in the World as the others seek to destâ—ry and suppress them for as to this the Rule is certain althâ—ugh it is not altogether so clearly apprehended by many That as words of Goodness and Truth are kept up above board and mâ—de known Openly and Vniversally on this Earth wheâ—e Sâ—tans seat is So his Kingdom doth accordingly by degrees fâ—ll and lose Ground in the World As contrariwise the Kingâ—om or Interest of Christ who is the Eternal Word would 〈◊〉 much increase and prevail in the World According as â—ood words and true words and right words are made Publick â—nd received in the World This is a Truth of great Importance 〈◊〉 would to God it were understood throughly by all Persons of whatever opinion or denomination for they should not seek their â—wn party but the things of Jesus Christ and done accordingly Another Reason of my willingness to write and Publish Books not which Minister to Contentions and Strivings for they are unprofitable and vain Titus 3. 9. But such as are to the use of Godly edifying may be gathered from what is said in psal 102. 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come and the People which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For by my sending Books or Printed papers unto them I may Preach unto People at many miles distance and put them in mind that they may obey the word of the Lord as in my presence
same Order Decree and Purpose of God Now here is the strange thing which rather shews that Satan acted in Balaam as to that that when Balaam knew this before and how desirable indeed it was to dye the Death of the Righteous yet that he should presently hereupon love the Wages of Vnrighteousness which he might conclude would cut him off and hinder him from the other good and desirable thing But truly Satan deceiveth not only the Poor and Foolish but even the more Wise and Learned and Eloquent of Mankind for so was this Balaam And so as Rabshakeh could speak in the Person of his Master for thus saith the King of Assyria Make an Agreement with me by a Present and come out to me Isa 36. 16. So if the Great God of the World should speak on that wise unto the Inhabitants of the Earth as indeed he doth not but rather disclaims and disowns and denies that sort If I were Hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the fulness thereof Thinkest thou that I will eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High But suppose that any false or pretended Messengers or Ministers from him should Preach unto you on this manner For thus saith the Lord God make an Agreement with me so far is no false Doctrine for Jesus Christ the Truth it self Preacheth the same to Mankind Agreâ— with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way But here comes in the Falshood and it is falsly applied Make an Agreement by a Present and that must be Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands Rivers of Oyl The cunning corrupt Romish Priests have hence drained a great deal of Tithes and Alms to feed and enrich themselves for they have fallaciously Reasoned and Perswaded the People that what was given unto them this way was making a Present unto the Lord and consequently an Aâ—tonement for their Sins But all this will not do for iâ— one should go yet further and as those who gave up their Children unto Moloch so they would give up their very Children which came out of their very Bowels as Sacrifices to appease God their first Born for their Transgression and the Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul All this is more besides the matter still for God requires none of these things What are Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl unto him whose is the World and the fulness thereof But this is more than all the Sacrifices and Alms in the World which make so great an outward shew and noise to walk humbly with thy God that is to be obedient unto him for this is the best and most real instance of Humility And this walking Humbly with thy God denotes a doing so throughout ones Life even as long as we walk at all In truth if we do thus walk Humbly with our God we have no Reason to fear as concerning the Sin of our Soul For we may let God alone to do as to that even according to the Words of his Covenant and Truth provided always that we be and continue in Covenant with him For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Most Precious and Comfortable Words which I had rather in truth to belong unto me when I lie upon my Death Bed or in whatever Hoâ—â— I am taken either violently or suddenly out of this World then to have a Medicine or means found out how I might live not only Fifteen but if it were Fifteen times Fifteen Years longer for if God is merciful unto my Vnrighteousness which signifies where I have not come up unto but have come short of that great Rule of Righteousness in Scripture and if he remembers my Sins and Iniquities no more then let Death come upon me as soon as it will and what way it will it cannot possibly hurt me But this will never be unless in our foregoing Life God is our God and we are to him a People There is no way to be Blessed in ones Death but to be Godly in ones Life There is no way to have God for our Friend and to be at Peace with us when through the Passage or Entry of Death we come to appear before him but to have lived unto the same invisible God to have served him with our whole Heart and to have obeyed him in all things in these days of our Flesh As we live so we shall dye and so again we shall dye that is Receive after Death according as we have lived These are Truths of great importance and necessary to be Understood aright and done accordingly that Souls may no longer Shipwrack and be lost upon those deceitful and broken Planks As if it were then soon enough to serve God throughly and constantly and Universally when they come to be Sick or in Declining and Old Age or upon a Dying Bed God forbid for this have I found in all my Study out of the Book of Gods Statutes and in all my enquiring and searching diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth that such a Man or Woman who thinks so and will venture and run the risque to Act accordingly It were better that a Millstone were tyed about his Neck and that he be thrown into the Sea for this would only sink him into Temporal Death and Destruction But the other deceit if trusted and relied on will involve them into Everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power Such will never enter into that rest which remaineth for the People of God Inasmuch as they were never his People who did not serve and obey him in the most nor yet in the best part of their life time Altho' some yea too many of that kind of outward worldly Priesthood now among us Who heal the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly crying Peace Peace when there is no Peace Will also huddle up the matter after their rate when People are lying in Fears and Hoâ—rours on their Death Bed and send them out of thâ— world with a vain hope and false thought yet even theâ—â— might have Learned better and more faithful dealing froâ— that afore-mentioned saying of corrupt Balaam for hâ—â— fault and failure only was that he spake well but did illâ— Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hatâ— Blessed and I cannot reverse it So it is on the other hanâ— where we Ministers have received Commandment to Cursâ— or to speak evil As Cursed are all they that err from hiâ— Commandments Or where he hath threatned to Punishâ—â— there God hath Cursed and Threatned and He will Punishâ—â— and we cannot reverse it Not all the Ministers Preachers or Understanding People now living on the Earth can reverse or change from the least Title of thâ— Word of God that it should fail or not
be fulfilled I heard once a Minister of the Dissenting sort whâ— commonly are more faithful herein then those of thâ— Church Ministry say that several People who had lived Ungodly and Ignorant Lives would send for him wheâ— they lay upon their Death Beds And if they were of thâ— Substantial and Richer sort they would perhaps offer him Money if He would speak a word of Peace and Comforâ— unto them when lying in those sore and last Agonies oâ— Soul But it would have been in him a sinful Corruptionâ— if he should have Perverted the Word of God and took it for that end as he did not but it hath been the manner of some so to do Said he however I would go to them but when I came to them I did not Answer their Expectations for I used to repeat before such what is Written in Isa 3. 10 11. Say ye to the Righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eat the Fruit of their doings Wâ— unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for thâ— Reward of his hands shall be given him This Scripture is very pertinent and proper to such an occasion Herein this Minister who probably now is a Partaker of the Truth of the former Verse he being at this time gone off from the Stage of the Earth shewed himself a Workman approved of God Dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one his Portion And indeed any one that rightly knows and understands the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God doth also find that the whole Design Order Drift and Tendency of all that is Written in the whole Scripture stands on this wise They that have done Good shall come forth unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 29. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the Body according to that he hath done whither it be Good or Bad. So that only a Godly Righteous and Sober Life and Good Deeds will avail and stand in stead in a dying Day For tho' the common deceit which each Man hath in the deep of his heart which also is intimated to them to their own Danger and Loss by those who take upon them the Office of Preaching Repentance and Remission of sins that People may turn from their Iniquities some time hereafter a little before their Death That they may have the Pleasures of sin for a Season the expediency of Transgression the Profit and Wages of unrighteousness in the mean while and then leave them off just soon enough to obtain Pardon But certainly this is quite to leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to go backwards to Imperfection not laying again but utterly overthrowing yea and contradicting the Foundation of Repentance from Dead Works for these should be utterly forsaken and Fruits should be brought forth Meet for Repentance And yet further this would make void both Law and Gospel for they require that We observe to do his Statutes and Judgments all the Days that we live upon the Earth Deut. 12. 1. That we serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life Luke 1. 74 75. And however it shall be distributed unto the other sort as to Acceptation or Pardon yet surely I know it shall be better with them that fear God which fear before him and turned from their Iniquities and kept his Commandments in those Days of their flesh whilst others continued in Sin and Disobedience In the latter Days ye shall consider it perfectly Jer. 23. 20. This Jeremiah said when he immediately speaks thereupon of those Prophets Which Ran and Prophesied when God had not spoken unto nor sent them and they did not turn People from their Evil way and from the Evil of their doings Whereby may be seen that if this effect doth not follow also they are no Ministers of Gods ordaining altho' they do take upon them the office and continue in the Exercise thereof after the Law and Commandment the Ordinances and Institutions of Men. But in the latter Days when their time of Tryal is over they shall consider it perfectly and when they come to see every and each Man have his own reward proportioned and adjusted according to his works and obedience Then that which themselves shall miss and come short off will raise bitter anguish within themselves and make to loath those Shepherds See Zech. 11. 8. Which should have Instructed and Guided them otherwise For this is certain on the right and safer side that the sooner any one comes to Repentance and brings forth Fruits Meet for Repentance and abounds in Good Works God is now the better pleased with that Man or Woman and He will give to such a more full reward hereafter Conceive your selves before-hand and whilst in Health let us in serious thought throw our selves upon a Dying Bed just gasping and breathing out our very last and then think what Temper and Disposition of Soul we should be in if we were in this Hour brought to the Gallows or to the Fire for our Life to be taken off from the Earth in a violent manner Here it may be either for the Sins of others as Jesus was hanged on the Cross and so it is of all true Martyrs and Sufferers it is not so much their own Sins as the Sins of their Persecutors which put them to Death But if any one suffers as a Murderer or Robber or an Evil Doer against which there is some Law of God also then he suffers for and dies in his own Sin Or if one is killed by another then it is the Sin of the Murderer which brings him unto Death But however it be a Dying Hour will come upon all one time or another and then if they have any remembrance or understanding Ask now of the Generations that were before thee and did you ever hear of any one that could then say seriously and throughly It is vain to serve God and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Doth it not then rather seem on the other hand It was vain that we have not served God more The Godly and Righteous make such a Reflexion and looking back and the Wicked find it is vain because they did not serve God at all or not so much as can be properly called serving of God for now they experimentally find all other things to be vain When the end thereof is come we are then throughly sensible of what is written Remember how short my Time is Wherefore hast thou made all Men in vain Psal 89. 47. Therefore only it is that we have no more profit because we have not yet better kept the Ordinances of the Lord for the more we do that the more Profit or future Reward we shall receive whereof we shall
according as thy particular Deeds and not others have been either Good or Evil thou shalt be particularly recompenced Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was Condemned Repented himself and brought again the Fifty Pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests and Elders saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed the Innocent Blood And they said What is that to us see thou to that This is a fearful consideration against them who commit Sin or omit Duty which is also Sin to please other Men. For though Judas had committed this sin of betraying the Innocent blood to please the Chief Priests and Elders yet we hence see That when he came once to be in Extremity of Conscience and he was drawing near to God to suffer for this his Evil Deed what a short slighting and vexations kind of Answer did he receive from them VVhat is that to us See thou to that And so it will be as to all the sin that we have committed or as to the Good which we have omitted upon the Account of and to please others why this will be the result and consequent thereof as from them when we come to be punished and lose so much for the same in the future distribution of things if we come to ask for Help Comfort or that they should make it up unto us they will in like manner answer VVhat is that to us See thou to that Whereas those who committed Sin or omitted Duty tâ— please others should herein have made the right Infâ—rence They should have seen to that sooner so as noâ— to have done that same thing at the Instigation of and at the Mind or Pleasure of others Said the chief Priestâ— and Elders unto Judas What is that to us When Judâ—â— did it out of regard and respect unto them and to fulfiâ—â— their desire But herein is shewed forth the very Mind 〈…〉 Temper and Disposition of Mankind they would havâ— such a thing done but then they would not have thâ— Guilt and Punishment thereof They would have the Conveniency Expediency or Pleasure of the sin but theâ— they would escape from and avoid the misery which iâ— Consequent and Annexed thereto Judas liked well enough of the Thirty Peices of Silver but that Repentance and Anguish of mind afterwards which occasioned him to hang himself if he could have had the first without the last this he would have liked well enough And so the chief Priests and Elders thought it expedient to puâ— Christ to Death but thereupon to Contract the deep Dyâ— and Guilt of Murther to fall thereupon under the Wrath and Displeasure of Almighty God And what they falsely furnised that if they had not done it the Romans would have came and taken away their Place and Nation but by their doing of it they took the effectual and ready means to bring them in for thro' their grievous sin of putting Christ to Death the Romans did at length come and take away their Place and Nation Which God might have kept and restrained from them had they not thus grievously offended him in killing his Son Whereupon he made good his Word As to slay those Wicked Men and let out his Vineyard unto others Mark 12. 9. To commit sin and then to be willing to avoid the Punishment is to endeavour to put a sunder what God hath joyned together which is impossible for our Gracious God in that he might the more deâ—er and keep People from it hath ordered that misery should be linked on to Iniquity So that if People commit the one they must of unavoidable consequent have the other although in thought and desire they would fain let alone and escape it The Creature can never be too hard for God and where he hath committed sin or done things worthy of Punishment he cannot by any Trick or Artifice avoid the severity of his Vengeance Like as Amnon hated his Sister Thamar after he had committed Incest and Folly with her And as the Ten Horns which thou sawest shall hate the Whore So it is usual for sinners upon their Death Beds to hate their Whores their Drunken Companions and such like with whom they have been Partakers in any Sin or Iniquity For the Guilt thereof doth then more appear forth and they are going away to receive for their Evil Deeds The foreknowledge whereof doth raise this Evil Affection of Hatred Dislike and Antipathy So that even upon that Account there is an Actual Inclination upon our Death Bed to turn away our Face from our Fellow Creatures who are to survive a little longer Moreover a full and through knowledge doth then arise in us that they are not able then to give us any Actual help or relief now our Breath is a going forth Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help Psal 146. 3. In the Margent it is salvation which signifies safety or preservation Upon a through Knowledge and Consideration hereof it appears that there is little or no help in them even in the midst of our Life and yet there is much less in that moment wherein we come to dye If we have done never so much to please Men it signifies nothing in the Hour of Death They are under the same Law and Liableness to Death and they cannot deliver themselves So that besides the Evil and Guilt and Sins of Omisâ—â—on which they have been Instrumental unto us to Contract Out of the knowledge how insufficient and unable they be to Administer any Actual help we readily and naturally turn away from them for we must stand or fall wholly to our selves This and such like may be one reason of Hezekiah turning his Face unto the Wall Besides that thereby he might the more abstract from Men and be more intent and fixed on the unseen God For that mind which would pray unto him should cast off and be clear from the thoughts of all other things the more to engage his heart to approach unto the Lord which the more it is done it is 〈◊〉 much a greater obligation unto the Lord for to Heâ— and Answer such an ones Prayer The Prayer of Hezekiah unto the Lord which is heâ— Recorded doth begin after this manner Remember noâ— O Lord I beseech thee As it is Written He that teacâ—eth Man Knowledge shall not He know So He that giveth to Man Memory or Remembrance shall not He Remember And as it is there again Written The Lorâ— knoweth the Thoughts of Man that they are Vanity 〈◊〉 the Lord Remembers all the Thoughts Words and Actions of Man in order to render unto every one accordingly Great in Counsel and Mighty in Work for thiâ— Eyes are open upon all the ways of the Sons of Men 〈◊〉 give to every one according to his ways and according to thâ— Fruit of his doings Jer. 32. 19. The Lord looketh froâ— Heaven He beholdeth all the Sons of Men from the placâ— of his Habitation He
Israel And the Eyes of all Israel as of one Man shall be towards the Lord As God Eyeth us even so we should Eye God But how can this be seeing that God is invisible It must be done by Faith Which being the evidence of things not seen makes them as if they were seen After the Fruits and Effects thereof are reckoned up in Heb. 11. It is said in an observable manner of Moses By faith He forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for He endured as seeing him that is Invisible This is a constant Lesson of Instruction and Admonition to us upon whom the ends of the World are come that by faith we should in like manner forsake and not give way unto the Pleasures of sin for a season nor yet the Titillations of Lust nor yet fear the Terrours of Men nor yet to be perverted and turned aside by their favours but to endure all things in Uprightness and Innocency and according to the Dictates of a Good Conscience as seeing him that is invisible With our Souls which are Invisible we may see or at least understand the Invisible God All one as the outward Eye doth see things visible As all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom wâ— have to do Hell and Destruction are before the Lord 〈◊〉 how much more then the Hearts of the Children of Menâ— Prov. 15. 11. So all People both Godly and Ungodly Righteous and Wicked Saint and Sinner they do alâ— walk in the sight and presence of the Invisible God With this difference The Godly Righteous and Saints do walk as in the sight and presence of the Invisible God That is they have a knowledge and sense thereof and they do thus and thus with an Intention and Thought at the very time that God seeth them and iâ— present But the Ungody and Wicked and Sinners do walk only leaving out the Particle as in the sight and presence of the Invisible God For Hell is Naked before him and Destruction hath no covering God seeth all things He filleth Heaven and Earth all things and all places with his presence So that of necessity they must be in his sight and presence if they are any where but these do not walk as in his presence and in his sight So it is in that sense also All People of both sorts Good and Bad walk before God that is they are in his sight and knowledge But only the good so walk before him as in his obedience and well-pleasing to get his favour and acceptation The Generality of People do not walk before God as Hezekiah did but they â—â—ve at Random and all one as if there was no God to see their doings and as if He would not Judge them and they were to give no future Account for the same God both Sees and Remembers where the least Portion of our Precious Time is not spent in his Service and Obedience but it is Consumed and done away in Loytering or Idleness in Sinful or Vain Things I my self have too much to Answer for in this Nature And my self have too much to Answer for in this Nature And so God sees and Remembers where we do not live up to that Grace â—nd Knowledge He had Given and Intrusted us wâ—thall And so he Remembers also where we are not so Good and Holy as we might have been And also where we have not Improved our Christian Graces and Talents as we might have done When God comes to enter into Judgment He will shew himself to be a Remembring God These things hast thou done and I kept silence Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self as if such and such things were over and forgotten In no wise but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine Eyes Psal 50. 21. Things will then appear vastly different over what they do now For now Fools make a mock at sin They follow it with Greediness and Merriment and account it as a thing of naught as to the doing them any harm But then they will find that this which was formerly so light in their Opinion will sink them down to the lowermost Hell That it will be as a Talent of lead which is Wickedness Which will press down the Souls of those that are Loaded and Encompassed therewith into the lowermost parts of the Earth the Land of Darkness and of the shadow of Death where no Light is of Comfort or Freedom from misery Happy is He that hath the God of Jacob for his help and whose hope is in the Lord his God Happy is He that can make his appeal and sweet Recollection with our Saint in the Text Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth Such a review will be comfortable but it will not be altogether so to have it then said unto them Son Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy Good things Luke 16. 15. For this will be but so much the more Torment when they are slipped and passed away finally and eternally and they are in that place where they want a drop of Water to Cool their Tongue Even we know Experimentally by our selves that when we are now in any Pain or Misery the Remembrance of what Pleasures of Life we have formerly had or what good things we have heretofore enjoyed will not administer one Drachm of present comfort Nay contrariwise It is an Enhancement of the present misery How much she hath Glorified her self and lived Deliciously so much Torment and Sorrow give her Rev. 18. 7. So it will be meted out Adjusted and Proportioned in the future State of the Restitution and Distribution of all things How much Pleasure any one hath had hereon Earth the less He will have after he is removed and gone off from it yea There will be so much Torment and Sorrow given to the Person that had it This is an unanswerable Argument and Terrible consideration against Living in Pleasure on the Earth or being wanton therein or Nourishing their Hearts as in the Day of Slaughter And it should make us to equally fear to enjoy Pleasure however Agreeable or Grateful it may now seem to Flesh and Blood as we would be to take a Snake or Adder into our Bosom for altho it may seem smooth or tickle yet at the last it may sting us unto Death Or as we would be to suck in the Cruel Venim of Asps For so stands the Case with Poor Mankind that their Wine is mingled with Gall and the Clusters out of which it is made are bitter For so it stands in the Order and Connexion of things as they are decreed and appointed by God That for faring sumptuously every Day they must come to the place after these Days of their Flesh are ended where they shall be Tormented for so much Pleasures of Life and Delicacies they have had here after Death they must have so much Torment and
For both past and future things are present unto 〈◊〉 High and Lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity Which 〈◊〉 ternity one defines to be a Perpetual now Even the h 〈…〉 of our head are all Numbred and not any thing is 〈◊〉 gotten before God And as we Remember each thing our past Lives both the Good and the Evil to more 〈◊〉 the one and yet more eschew the other we do the 〈…〉 come nearer to his similitude and likeness And so we 〈…〉 again as we cast an Eye forward upon the things that 〈◊〉 to come Hereby we make the things that as yet be 〈◊〉 to be as tho' they were for shortly they will come 〈◊〉 pass and it is but a little time and He that shall co 〈…〉 will come and will not tarry Talk no more exceeding Proud let not Arrogancy 〈◊〉 out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of Knowledge 〈◊〉 by him Actions are weighed And so the Lord is a God 〈◊〉 Remembrance and a God of Prescience and by him A 〈…〉 on s are weighed And seeing that Actions are weighâ—â— by him our Actions ought to be weighed by us also the Ballance of the sanctuary and of his word so that 〈◊〉 may not be found wanting SERMON III. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Come now to shew and discourse 1. What it is to walk before God in Truth 2. With a perfect heart 3. What it is to do that which is good in his sight And then of the Consequent upon the whole And Hezekiah wept sore As to the first Remember O Lord how I have walk 〈…〉 before thee in Trâ—th We Read in sundry places of Scripture of this Thing â—â—uth But from these words this Doctrine will preâ—â—tly appear That it is the Duty of all who call themselves Servants of the Lord to walk before the Lord in Truth throughout the whole course of their Life So did Hezekiah not for a Season or at such a Ti 〈…〉 only but throughout the general Course Bent and 〈◊〉 nour of his Days Even as long or for the most pa 〈…〉 he walked at all he walked before the Lord in Truth Now the Scripture mentioning this Word Truth so 〈◊〉 often and in all places it doth recommend the same 〈◊〉 exhorts us to the Receiving and Practice thereof as alsâ— finds fault and Reproves where it is wanting or wh 〈…〉 the Truth is not obeyed Gal. 3. 1. Or People do not 〈◊〉 cording to the Truth We may hereby see and un 〈…〉 stand that exceeding great Stress aâ—d Necessity is 〈◊〉 hereon in order to our Eternal Salvation and Happi 〈…〉 Open ye the Gates that the Righteous Nation which 〈◊〉 eth the Truth in the Margent it is Truths may enter 〈…〉 Isa 26. 2. That is Enter into that strong City menti 〈…〉 ed in the foregoing Verse which the Lord hath buil 〈…〉 and prepared for such of the Inhabitants of the Eart 〈…〉 he shall judge and find worthy And here the word 〈◊〉 Promise and the Condition annexed is That is must 〈◊〉 to the Righteous Nation that keepeth the Truth or Tr 〈…〉 Which word Keepeth denotes a constant heed adhere 〈…〉 unto and Observance thereof And not to chop 〈…〉 change with the wind or to turn with the Fashion 〈◊〉 titude and Course of this corrupt world as to say 〈◊〉 thing is Truth to day and another contrary unto or 〈◊〉 ferent from it is Truth at another time No such â—â—ter for his Truth endureth to all Generations Psal 〈◊〉 Like God its Author with the Truth there is no V 〈…〉 bleness nor shadow of Turning And like unto 〈◊〉 Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life it is 〈◊〉 same yesterday to day and for ever So that this man 〈…〉 them to be Children that are corrupters they have fo rs 〈…〉 the Lord Isa 1. 4. That they have Prevaricated 〈◊〉 turned aside from his Truth They are gone away 〈◊〉 ward who speak thus and thus concerning it as the 〈◊〉 ner of many is in these our Days And that they 〈◊〉 not the Righteous Nation or the Righteous People 〈◊〉 keep the Truth to whom this Precious Promise is ma 〈…〉 for such kept it or rather did by Chance happen 〈…〉 light thereon for a Time but they did not keep it 〈◊〉 tinually Blessed are they that keep Judgment and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. and so they 〈◊〉 no Lot and Share nor Right to enter into that â—â—ong City which the Lord hath made for Judah and â—â—rusalem yea for all the Inhabitants of the Earth who â—ould keep the Truth or walk before him in Truth For this Good and Sweet Word of Promise is made â—t only to the Righteous Nation but to every and each â—â—rticular Soul therein that keepeth the Truth So that â—â—ese Two Consequences must necessarily arise That even 〈◊〉 the Unrighteous Nation which Keepeth not the Truth 〈◊〉 those few Inhabitants and Souls therein who are â—â—ghteous and do Keep the Truth shall enter into the 〈◊〉 of our God Again Suppose it were a Righteous 〈…〉 tion and did Keep the Truth here the Denominati 〈…〉 is taken from the greater part and it is called a Righâ—â—â—us Nation where the Multitude or most are so But 〈◊〉 some â—ew therein were Unrighteous and did not Keep 〈◊〉 Truth here the Promise would be only to the for 〈…〉 sort and not to the latter The Reason whereof is 〈…〉 dent Because the Soul that sinneth it shall die The 〈◊〉 shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall 〈◊〉 Father bear the Iniquity of the Son the Righteousness â—he Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of 〈◊〉 Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. So that as 〈◊〉 being an Inhabitant of a Righteous Nation which keep 〈◊〉 the Truth will not give thee Admission or Entrance in 〈◊〉 City of God unless thou be Righteous and keepest the 〈◊〉 thy self So although thou Livest in an Unrighte 〈◊〉 Nation where most are so which Keepeth not the â—â—uth yet if thou art Righteous thy self and Keepest 〈◊〉 Truth yet thou wilt enter into the City of God alâ—â—â—ugh never so few are besides The Marginal Reading 〈◊〉 Truths in the Plural Number shews That it is not the 〈◊〉 Keeping of One or Some of the Truths of God but 〈◊〉 Keeping all of them which is requisite and necessary 〈◊〉 we enter therein It was the same Spirit of God â—â—ich spake that in Isaiah 26. 2. as also which spake that Isaiah 38. 3. and which probably gave Hezekiah that â—â—owledge How necessary was Keeping the Truth or the 〈…〉 king before God in Truth in order to enter into the Ci 〈◊〉 of our God And
same thou shalt receive Reward or Punishment Gain or Loss at the last Day O that we could once have a lively true and through sense how that we Live and Act all along in the sight of the unseen God whom tho' we do not see yet He seeth us And then we should be as careful to please and approve our selves unto him in all things as ever any Servant was to his Master any Maiden to her Mistress or as any Poor Person is to his Rich and Bountiful Benefactor or as we study to please those whom we most Love and are most beholden unto As God standeth behind the skreen of the visible Creatures and always looketh on the Inhabitants of the Earth So we should abstract from these visible things and outward objects and with the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened and turned inward We should look towards our Maker and as both our selves and all our ways are in his sight He seeth the way that I take even so we should with the Eye of Faith continually see him that iâ— Invisible And this is to walk before God or with God as the Scripture doth express it and recommend the same unto us And Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him Gen. 5. 24. Even so for us severally to walk with God whilst we dwell here on the Face of the Earth that when here we shall be no more as it is evident that here we do not continue by Reason of Death God may take us unto himself into the highest Heaven for evermore It was not without good Reason that when Hezekiah had received the sentence of Death which is a removal from this Earth that He should then in a most proper manner make his appeal unto God oâ— this wise Remember O Lord how I have walked before thâ— in Truth and with a Perfect heart and have done thâ— which is good in thy Sight For He knew this to be thâ— ready way by his having done thus that now He wâ— to be taken away from the City of Jerusalem for Gâ—â— to take him up to himself into the Habitation of 〈◊〉 Holiness The same God who in wisdom made and ordereth 〈◊〉 things sent us so many Days here on Earth on purpoâ—â— to call us to an Account and to Judge us for the samâ— The consideration and inference whereof should be this 〈◊〉 to our selves Namely That we should so live every Day as we will averr and justify and stand by the same at the Bar of God and as we will Answer for it at his Judgment Seat For if we are resolved and purposed on this wise then we should do nothing but what is Lawful and Right For when God enters into Judgment nothing but what is so shall be justified in his sight And whether we are of that foregoing Purpose and Resolution of mind or not yet still we must unavoidably give Account and be Judged for the several deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. We must be Judged as certain as that we must die which again is as certain as that we now live This is the difference between the Godly and Righteous and the Wicked Ungodly or Ignorant People of the World The former part so live as thinking and knowing before hand that they must be judged and therefore they are for preparing and making up their Account before hand They are for doing all things that they may stand in that Day and they do intreat their Judge in the mean while for his Favour Acceptation and Reconciliation and Acquital against the Great Day of Everlasting Decision But the Wicked Ungodly and Ignorant do live at Random and in Forgetfullness or Unmindfullness of the future Judgment They being resolved on their way I have loved strangers and after them I will go They do things at a venture and they run the risque of the future Judgment and so they are in danger to be broken snared and taken to fall and be Condemned in that Day In a word Let People do whatever they will in the mean time yet the Great Day of Judgment will surely come and will not tarry one moment longer beyond the appointed Time This we are now warned of again before hand that when it shall come we may have the less excuse or Plea that of this and of every Day of our Life after Years of Discretion we are not only in danger but we shall be certainly called to an Account As the Wise Man saith Remember the End and thou shalt never do amiss So it may be applied and reasoned a little further keep the Judgment of God always in thine Eye and thou shalt never go much astray And Hezekiah wept sore In the Margent it is with great weeping Here it may be â—urmised and asked What need had Hezekiah to weâ—â— sore or with a Great Weeping seeing that He had led so Good a Life which must needs Administer much Comfort and Rejoycing But a manifold Reason may be assigned thereof as will appear in the Sequel of our Discourse One is from that Natural fear and dread which all Men both Good and Bad have at the Instant Approaches of Death especially those under the Old Testament Dispensation as Hezekiah was under that wherein future Life and Immortality were not so clearly and distinctly revealed and made known as under the Gospel Altho' in the midst of Youth Life Health and Vigour we can think of Death without Weeping Probably a Melancholly sigh or a secret inward and sad thoughâ— may arise at the serious and through apprehension thereof But when indeed it shall stand before us like an Armeâ— Man or Messenger and say to the Soul Come along with me then it is no easy matter to Refrain our Voice from Weeping and our Eyes from Tears for that our works shalâ— be judged and we are going away from the Land when we had if not all yet most things comfortable and convenient for us thoâ— none truly satisfactory unto us Aâ— in the midst of Prosperity we do not know throughâ— what Adversity is and as in the midst of fulness we cannot then so well feel what Pinching Hunger is even sâ— in the midst of Life Tho' we are in Death that is subject unto and drawing towards Death yet then we know not throughly what Death is The Ruffling Royster 〈◊〉 the Jolly Merry Man of the World may cast a Contemptuous Smile or Pish at the Hearing of Death when it 〈◊〉 afar off from him but when it shall approach nigh anâ— touch him when He shall be Death struck and the shadow of Death shall sit upon his Eye-lids then his force Smile or Proud Scorn and Disdain will be turned intâ— Weeping and Real inward Sorrow If People will be ever serious they will be so when they come to lie on the Death-Beds and as Death doth Naturally fix the Coun 〈…〉 nance so it is evidently and sensibly seen to work Peopâ—â— into a great Composedness
but of two Viz. Joseph and Benjâ—min Now Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof So it must take in all the descendants from Jacob or Israel But because that Rachel was the most true and proper VVife of Jacob the VVife of his Covenant and Labour and because she was most concerned and affected for her Children therefore the Holy Ghost makes use of her Name for indeed she was somewhat a Type and Signification of the Church of God And Answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in Bondage with her Children Gal. 4. 25. The Enemy meant and spoken of in Scripture is Sin Death and the Devil And He shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them Deu. 33. 27. O thou Enemy Destructions are come to a perpetual End Psal 9. 6. This Enemy in both these places spoken of is the Devil who makes use of those two his Instruments Sin and Death for to Destroy So that conceive and put all this together seeing that Sin Satan and Death are the Enemies of Mankind And the Devil would fain yea He doth by the means of Sin and Death bring them at last into his Land which is a Land of Darkness of Dragons and Scorpions where the shadow of Death and no Light is And when He hath them there He would keep them there unless here again Almighty God who is Greater in Power and Might should cause them to return from this Land of the Enemy VVhich He will do in the Resurrection and only to such who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain that Resurrection That will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth to Poor Mankind But here again as for them as Hezekiah will be one of them who shall be Accounted worthy to obtain this Resurrection and to return again from this Land of the Enemy The Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all their Faces How so By doing what is there aforesaid He will swallow up Death in Victory Isa 25. 8. And as they have in the mean while the well grounded hope thereof They may well refrain their Voice from Weeping and their Eyes from Tears It is observed that some constitutions are more subject and inclinable to weeping then others as Children Young People and VVomen are more apt and ready to it then Men of full Age and again some are more inclinable to it then others for in some Men it is evidently seen that their heart is become like the nether Milstone which nothing in the VVorld can make to shed Tears oâ— to really weep But there is no Person living who doth not sometimes Lye and Labour under the thing signified thereby that is Vexation Grief Pain and Sorrow or iâ— somewhat which is a Feeling and Resentment of Misery And Tears of VVeeping are but outward signs of expressing these forth As VVaters when they are deep are most silent and make the least noise in running So that sorrow of mind is then greatest like as fire when Pent in is most raging and violent when it is kept in and not expressed forth in Tears and Weeping for it 〈◊〉 felt and experienced That an Ease and Mitigation thereof is had by sending forth of Tears and by the Voice oâ— VVeeping But when any one is under a Great deep anâ— remediless Misery and He is throughly knowing and sensible thereof it is hard to refrain from Tears VVe shalâ— experience it so When the Rain shall descend and the Floodâ— come and the winds blow and beat upon our Earthly House 〈…〉 In order to make it fall When dangerous Diseases and Death it self shall be upon us Or when we shall be undeâ— deep Poverty with the miserable train thereof Hungeâ— and Thirst Cold and Nakedness or in Imprisonmentâ— when one lies in a low deep and dark Dungeon Saitâ— Jeremiah I called upon thy Name O Lord out of the loâ—â— Dungeon Altho' People make now a Laughter or Jesting 〈◊〉 VVeeping and Tears and some are so Puffed up th 〈…〉 they think themselves above it and as unbecoming them Yet if they did know and consider throughly on the other side That Fear Pit and the Snare are upon them ye Inhabitants of the Earth And how it stands in the Nature of Things and their Establishment And then 〈◊〉 Man look throughly upon his own Frame and Constitution his own Vileness for we are here in Vile Bodies VVeakness and Mortality how he is Dust and Ash 〈…〉 walking up and down like a shadow a little dependaâ—â— Being and much more there is to bring us into a Loâ—â— Trembling and VVeeping condition for lay all this 〈◊〉 heart and it will appear that VVeeping is much more becoming Man then Laughter Nay properly and in Truth Laughter is as unbecoming Men and Women whatever Fashion it be in amongst the Company of the VVorld in this weak imperfect mortal and miserable condition here on Earth who are liable to Death here and Damnation hereafter As Laughter is not becoming any one in Bedlam who is under Shackles and Fetters and lies upon a Bed of Straw For as the Poor Lunatick or Mad Person Laughs because He knows not throughly his own miserable Imprisoned condition devoid of Reason The same also is the very Reason of that Laughter now in use in the VVorld amongst Sinners who are Children of the Devil He who committeth sin is of the Devil and the Servants of sin for they are subject to Death here and endless misery hereafter but this last they know not or do not throughly consider of and therefore it is That they spend their Days in Mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave and from thence to Hell VVe may now hear one speaking from Heaven unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth what He did once to the Daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me but for your selves who are in the VVilderness which may be properly called Bochim A place of VVeeping because of that manifold kind of Tribulation and Trouble ye meet with all in the VVorld and yet ye will have more before ye come to my Kingdom VVe should VVeep yet more especially for those sins which caused the Death of our Lord Christ so as to turn all our VVeeping into Mourning for Sin for this is to lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree For Sin or Ignorance which Ignorance is also a sin is the Root and Antecedent cause of all Sorrow Trouble Affliction and Misery And I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have â—ierced and they shall Mourn for him as one Mourneth for his only Son and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in Bitterness for his first Born Zech. 12. 10. Here we should turn all our Mourning and Bitterness into Mourning and Bitterness for those very Sins Iniquities and Transgressions which Pierced the Lord of Life
〈…〉 all my Years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which Words are Written for our Admonition and Ensample for our Imitation and Practice upon whom the Ends of the World are come Namely That each of us should severally go all our Remaining Years Months Weeks and Days of this our Pilgrimage in the Bitterness of our Souls And if we should also when we come to lie on our Death-Beds Weep sore Provided it be for the very same Reasons as Hezekiah did It would be never the worse but better for us Now with what kind of Use and Application shall I conclude the foregoing Sermons The first Use shall be a short Word of Exhortation Namely for all that shall hear or read these lines To walk before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in his Sight How this may be done hath been already shewed My Business at present is to Exhort and Perswade People so to do Have ye in the past time of your Lives walked before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is Good in his Sight Some have and some have not But this know God requireth that which is past Eccles 3. 15. He will certainly call you to an Account and Judge you for the past time of your Life That is gone by and there is no recalling of it yet the future course of your Life is somewhat more in your Power Do ye therefore secure the Aâ—â—â—ues Walk before God in the beginning of each Day 〈◊〉 all the Day long And as ye do thus in the several Days the residue of your Life that is to come will 〈◊〉 True Perfect and Good For it is not a vain thing â—or you Because it is your Life and through this thing 〈◊〉 shall prolong your Days in the Land whither ye go â—ver Jordan to possess it Deut. 32. 47. It is not a â—ain or Indifferent thing in the first place to Hear or Read the Word of God or not to do it For all that â—ver will be saved will be saved by the Word of God As Contrariwise Destruction and Misery are â—hreatned to those who refuse it or turn their Backs â—rom it or who only give it the Hearing but do not thereafter But Moses saith Set your hearts unto all the Words which I testifie because it is your Life Which is the nearest thing belonging to any one for 't is this which gives the resentment and feeling of all other things And through this thing of walking before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and doing that which is Good in his sight Ye shall Prolong your Days It Prolonged Hezekiahs Days Fifteen Years more and it will prolong your Days a longer space of duration then Fifteen Thousand yea Fifteen Millions of Years in the Land of Eternity whither and when ye go over the Jordan of this Life to possess it The Heart and Conscience of every one must necessarily assent to the Truth of this following Proposition Seeing that Man must live and abide for ever for so it is from the Order Decree and Determination of God concerning us He cannot do otherwise then desire to be happy for ever when He goes over the Jordan of this Life as well and all one as He desires and endeavours to live happily and comfortably in this Life on this side of Jordan Seeing that Mâ—â— must live after Death He must all one and also doth desire to be Happy and Blessed after Death all onâ— as it is Natural and every one doth desire to liâ—â— Comfortably Pleasantly and Happily before Deaâ—â— And seeing again from the Order Decree and Determination of God There is noâ— other way undâ—â— Heaven to be Happy and Blessed for ever but 〈◊〉 walking before God in Truth and with a Perfeâ—â— Heart and by doing that which is Good in his sighâ— throughout all our remaining Life Hereupon 〈◊〉 Word of Exhortation speaks most strong and forciblâ— to every one that would be saved and happy for 〈◊〉 ver as every one would who knows and believes 〈◊〉 future State Go thou and do likewise What I say 〈◊〉 thee I say again to all Go thou and do likewise Ev 〈…〉 to walk before the Invisible God in Truth and wi 〈…〉 a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight all the remaining Days thou walkest moveâ—â— and breathest on this Earth If you do but atten 〈…〉 unto and understand throughly that Reasoning and Truth which lies in this consideration It will appear to be the most Strong and Powerful Argument in the World for to Perswade Men. The other Use which I shall draw and infer from these last words of our Text And Hezekiah wept sore shall be To Recommend unto those who are in Reality and Truth obedient Servants of the Lord to be in a State of Weeping and Mourning Say I these things as a Man For doth not the Law of the Prophets Recommend and say the very same unto ye Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with Fasting the intent whereof is to afflict our Soul Isa 58. 3. And with Weeping and with Mourning Let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2. 12 13 14 17. And in that Day did the Lord God of Hosts call to Weeping and to Mourning and to Girding with â—ack-cloth Little of this is obeyed and observed in this Generation and Countrey of ours but herein is fulfilled what is next Written And behold Joy and Gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating Flesh and Drinking Wine Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this Iniquity shall not be Purged from ye until ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts Isa 22. 12 13 14. But here it may be surmised and said That such kind of harsh and sowre Doctrine may be Reasonably expected from the Old Testament Dispensation which came from Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage from whence the Law was given in Fire in Blackness and Darkness and Tempest of Thunder and Lightning But the Gospel was not ushered nor brought into the World after that manner for it came in a still Voice with a Fear not for behold I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all People Luke 2. 10. Doth this same Gospel Recommend or say any thing concerning this State of Weeping and Mourning For if it should How would it then bring us Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be unto all People Yes assuredly it doth both but herein is Comprised the Mystery of God That the Weeping and Mourning must go before the Joy which is to be manifested in us and had by us