Verse to set forth the earnestnesse and fulnesse of the spirit of Idolaters towards their Idols Where have we five such expressions together to set out the fulnesse of the worke of mens spirits in following after the Lord It was said of Ahab that hee sold himselfe to work wickednesse what a fulnesse of spirit was there in him in doing wickednesse Ier. 23. 10. It is said there of the people that their course was evill and their force was not right That vis that strength and force that was in their spirits was not right it was not after God but after the wayes of sinne How many difficulties will men passe thorow for their lusts what cost will they bee at how great things will they suffer nothing is so deare unto them but they will be content to part with it for and bestow it upon their Idols How soon did the people Exodus 32. break off their golden Ear-rings from their Eares to make an Idoll withall and shall not then our hearts and lives bee more fully after the blessed God Wee see wicked men sticke close to their wicked principles they are bold they will not bee daunted they will goe thorow with the worke they have begun what ever come of it should not wee much more stick to our principles should not wee much more bee undaunted in our way and goe thorow with our worke I remember I haue read a passage in Saint Cyprian how he brings in the devil triumphing over Christ in this manner As for my followers I never dyed for them as Christ did for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers than hee and they doe more for mee than his doth for him O let the thought of our giving the devil occasion thus to triumph over Christ in our slacknesse and negligence in following after him cause shame and confusion to cover our faces and yet to put on this Argument a little more close It may bee you your selves heretofore have followed sinne fully your hearts have beene strong after evill and your lives have beene fruitfull in it it may bee you have beene forward in putting forth your selves ring-leaders in that which was evill not onely stout and perverse your selves but maintainers encouragers of much evill in others you gave up yours members your estates and what you had to the service of sin much time was spent much sleepe broke in plotting and contriving wickednesse much paines taken in the execution of it and now your hearts and wayes seeme to bee for God and is a poore sleight scant dead-hearted service sufficient for him Oh bee ashamed and confounded in thy thoughts let Conscience judge betweene God and his Creature Doest thou thus requite the Lord is this thy kindnesse to him Is there not infinite reason that as you have yeelded your members servāts to uncleannes to iniquity unto iniquity even so you now should yeeld your members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6. 19. Marke the opposition there there are three to 's in the expression of the service to sinne To uncleannesse To iniquitie Vnto iniquitie but in the service of God there are onely two To righteousnes Vnto holines It is true in this life there will never be that fulnesse of spirit in following after God as there was in following after sinne because there was nothing but sinne in the soule before no other streame to abate it but now there is somthing else besides grace a streame of corruption to oppose it but yet wee should bee ashamed that there should be such a difference the thought of it should cause a dejection of heart within us and we should judge it infinitely equall reasonable that we should indeavour to the utmost wee are able to follow God as fully now as ever wee followed sinne before Saint Paul Acts 26. 11. confesseth that in his former way he was madd in the persecution of Gods servants and when God turned the streame others judged him as mad in the other way 2 Corinth 5. 13. For whether we bee besides our selves it is to God the love of Christ constraineth us And hence we may observe that the same word that signifies to persecute he useth to set out his earnest pressing towards the Marke Phil. 3. 14. I presse towards the Marke for the price of the high calling of God The word that is there translated presse towards it is this same that signifies to persecute because the earnestnesse of his spirit in pressing towards the marke now is the same that it was in his persecution of those that pressed towards the marke before Sixthly the more fully we follow God the more full shall our present peace and joy and soule satisfying contentment be Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light the beginning of following God is sweet and good but the further wee doe goe on the more sweet we shall finde as they who walked toward Sion Psalm 84. 7. They went from strength to strength so they who walke after the Lord they goe from peace to peace from joy to joy frō one degree of comfort unto another for if the entrance into our way be so good and sweet what will it bee when wee come into the midst of it Prov. 8. 20. I lead in the way of righteousnesse in the midst of the pathes of judgement marke what followes there verse 21. That I might cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Then doth the soule inherit substance indeed then are the treasures of it filled when wisedome leades it not onely in the way of righteousnesse but in the midst of the paths of judgement The way of the just is compared to the shining of the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. The further hee goes on his way the more light hee hath the more glorious shine is upon him Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied and they shall drinke of the River of pleasures Who are those that shal be thus abundantly satisfied and shall have this River of pleasures they are verse 10. the upright in heart That soule that walkes on before the Lord in the uprightnesse of it shall not want satisfaction shall not want pleasure Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy law It is more to love Gods law thē to do the thing that is commanded in it That soule which doth not onely submit to the Law but loves it will be abundant in duty for love is bountifull great peace hath such a soule that thus loves Gods Law Every good motion in the soule is as the budd of the Lord and that is beautifull and glorious but how excellent and glorious is the fruit of it then the good beginnings which are as the budding of the Pomegranate and the putting forth of the tender Vine are delightfull to God and
in the worke of grace is a perfect beauty and comlinesse Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting there is all true spirituall blessings Ephes 1. 3. Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings so the words are in your bookes but in the Originall blessings is in the singular number with all spirituall blessing there is all and yet but one blessing to note that spirituall blessings are so knit together that they all make up but one blessing and therefore where there is one truely there none can be wanting there is such grace as in the growth of it it springs up to eternall life There is such a perfection as wants onely the ripening and it would bee the same with the life in heaven but where there wants any essentiall part though it bee ripened never so much let it grow up never so fast it will never come to be perfect Thus if there be any worke of grace wanting if there be any defect in the principle though that that be there grow up never so fast yet it would never attain unto eternall life Therefore in the work of sanctification where it is true though it bee never so weake yet there is this perfection that there are all graces in it but where there is onely a sweet nature where there is onely some morall worke upon the spirit there are onely some particular excellencies The most Morall man that ever lived hath had some way of evill that his spirit hath run out unto 4 Where there are true spirituall excellencies there is an impulse of heart a strong bent of spirit in following after the Lord there is such a powerfull impression of divine truths upon the soule as presses it on with strength in Gods wayes so that it cannot easily bee hindered as the Propher saith Esay 8 11. That the Lord spake to him with a strong hand that he should not walke in the way of the people such a spirit hath not onely some desires and some wishes to that which is good but goes on bound in the spirit as S. Paul sayes of himselfe The love of Christ constraines him there is a power of godlinesse where it is true When Eliah had cast his Mantle upon Elisha the spirit of Elisha was prest to follow him 1 King 19. 19 20. so that when Elisha desired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them and said that then he would follow him Eliah answershim What have I done to thee Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance to draw him after him for what was the casting of his Mantle upon him to worke such an effect in him but together with the casting of his Mantle there went a spirit into Eliah that hee could not but follow him Such a powerfull worke is there in the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit as with strength to cause the soule to follow him there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it as before there was a law of sinne But where there are onely sweet natures there men are easily drawne one way and as easily drawn the other way they joyne with those that are good in good actions but their hearts are not so set on that they doe but that they may bee easily taken off and carried another way Fifthly where there are onely moral principles there the soule sees not into is not sensible of turnes not from the evill of sinne as the greatest evill it sees not such evill in it as to make it subscribe to the righteousnesse of God in all those dreadfull things that are threatned against it but thinkes they are too hard Surely God is not so severe a God God forbid things should bee so as those wee read of in the Gospell When Christ spake that Parable concerning those who smote the servants of the Lord of the Vineyard Luke 20. 16. and told them that the Lord should come destroy those Husbandmen and give his Vineyard to others It is said When they heard that they said God forbid So many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of God denounced against sinne they say God forbid they thinke indeed that sinne ought not to bee committed but they doe not thinke it so great an evill as to procure so great miseries but if their spirits were right they would apprehend sinne as opposite to an infinite good and so having a kind of infinitenesse of evill in it they would not onely yeeld to the Justice of God revealed but acknowledge that there are greater and more fearefull miseries due to it than can be conceived yea they would see cause that if God should bring those evils upon them for their sinne that there is infinite equitie that they should lay their hands upon their mouthes and take shame to themselves and acknowledge the Lord to bee righteous for ever Sixthly where there are onely naturall and morall excellencies they do not raise the soule to a love of the strictest wayes of God they thinke of accuratenesse and exactnesse in Gods wayes to be but nicenesse and too much precisenesse luke-warmenesse is the onely temper sutable to them they thinke wisedome consists in the remission of godlines not in the improvement of it what is beyond their temper they judge as weaknes and folly and it must needs bee that morall men must have such thoughts of the strictnesse of the wayes of God because that good they have is such as arises from the principles of naturall reason and makes a naturall good its end and therefore all their vertue and goodnes must be such as must not stretch nature but must be subserviet to that naturall good they frame to themselves Now the observing of some Rules and Duties of Religion will suite well with this and so farre they approve and like well of Religion and here they sticke and thinke any thing that is further than this is folly and more than needs The worke of godlinesse in the power of it must needs be distastefull to them because it seekes to empty a man of himself to cause him to deny himselfe to fetch all from principles beyond himselfe to be for a higher good than himselfe is which is an infinite good and therefore if it were possible it would work infinitely towards it but howsoever it will set no limits to it selfe Seventhly where there is onely nature or morality there is no sense of the breathings of Gods Spirit in his Ordinances the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them a meere morall man can like well enough of presenting himselfe in the Ordinances but he feeles no vertue in them no impression that they worke upon him that abides on his spirit after the Ordinances are done he knowes not what it is to enjoy God in them he knowes not what it is to stirre up himselfe to take hold on God in the exercise of them those excellencies that hee hath
all the workings of God in the waies of his Providence they are mercy unto such they work mercifully for their good And further observe they are not onely mercy but mercy in truth God hath ingaged his truth that they should thus worke for them God hath tyed this mercy to them by his truth See here the difference between Gods mercy to his people and his mercy to other men First some of Gods pathes may be mercy to other men but not all or some particular acts of God rather than his pathes God doth not ordinarily goe on in a track and course of his mercies with them as hee doth with his people As their obedience is onely in some particular acts and no continued course so Gods mercy to them which comes from his generall bounty is manifested onely in some particular acts of his and not in any constant course But it is otherwise in his dealings towards his people they goe on in a constant course of obediēce they make Gods Commandements their pathes and therefore God goes on in a constant course of loving kindnesse towards them hee makes his mercy to them the ordinary pathes wherein hee walkes As Psalm 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindnesse to them that know thee and thy righteousnesse to the upright in heart The word in the Originall is Draw out thy loving kindnesse Gods mercies to his owne are a continued Series they are drawne out from a constant Spring they come forth from a never-failing Fountaine there is a connexion betweene one mercy and another but as for others God now and then onely casts his favours on them And observe a second difference all Gods paths are mercy to his people not some few there are none of Gods dealings but ayme at good towards them if God should cause one favour to follow another towards some wicked man out of the fulnesse of his bounty yet it cannot be said of any wicked man in the world that all the pathes of God are mercy towards him God hath his pathes of wrath and judgement wherein he is comming towards him though hee bee little aware of it But this blessing of all the pathes of God being mercy is a peculiar blessing to such as follow the Lord fully in the uprightnesse of their hearts in all the pathes of service and obedience And thirdly observe yet a greater difference than the former All the pathes of God are not onely mercy but mercy and truth to his people though God may shew mercy to others yet he hath not tyed his mercy to them by his truth they cannot challenge mercy from him by vertue of his truth if they have mercy it is more than they could have expected they cannot be sure of the continuance of it one houre they have nothing to shew for their mercy they doe not hold their mercy upon that Tenor of Gods truth which his people doe Nay when God comes to make good his truth to give his truth the glory of it then there is an end put to their mercy it is cut off from them but there is a blessed connexion between Mercy Truth in the good which Gods people doe enjoy according to the like expression in the forenamed 36. Psa 10. the loving kindnesse and the righteousnesse of God are put both together as the portion of an upright heart And hence the mercies they have are no other than such as they may expect as they may build upon before they come such as are made over to them by the truth of God and when they are come they may bee sure to hold them because they hold them upon such a blessed Tenure as GODS owne truth And hence the Scripture calls them sure mercies See how confident David was of holding Gods mercies Psalm 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And further all that God hath is for their good the heavens and earth and all Creatures are theirs and worke continually for them Hosea 2. 21. 22. I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the Corne and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall heare Iezreel 1 Cor. 3. 22 23 The world life death things present things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God This is a mysterie that the world is not acquainted with but we know it saith the Apostle The world may thinke that things worke against us yea all things in the world seeme to work against us but we know that all things doe work for good they work together for good though some particular things considered apart may worke for good to other men yet take all together and they worke their ruine but altogether workes for good to us although the good doth not seeme yet to come forth yet it is a working for us stay but till the worke bee done and it will appeare Good it will bee though it may bee not the same good that wee thinke of yet a good that will bee better for us a greater good than we imagined or desired Now then if all that is Gods bee for thee and workes thus fully for thee is there not reason then that all that is thine should be for God and worke as fully for him Thine did I say the truth is there is nothing thine for all is Gods God hath a greater propriety in and right to whatsoever thou art and hast than thy selfe but God is pleased to let it bee called thine that thou maist freely give it to him and if it bee his owne why should hee not have it fully If he thus inlargeth himselfe towards thee how unequall is it that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him and in thine honouring of him Fifthly wicked men doe fully follow after that which is evill an infinite shame confusion then would it be to us an infinite dishonour likewise unto God if wee should not as fully follow the Lord in that which is good Ecclesiastes 9. 3. The heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill and Chap. 8. 11. The heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill The Seventy translate this The heart of man hath a Plerophorie to evill it is set upon it without any doubt or suspition there is a plerophorie of boldnesse to sinne in them why should there not bee a plerophorie that is a full perswasion of faith in Gods servants to that which is good Micah 7. 3. the Scripture saith that wicked men doe evill with both hands earnestly Esay 57. 5. Idolaters there are said to inflame themselves with their Idols and Ieremy Chap. 8. 2. they are said 1. To love their Idols 2. To serve them 3. To walke after them 4 To seek them 5. To worship them all these 5. expressions together in one
receive great things but are content in doing little they put off God with ordinary flight services but the spirits of the Saints are more generous than so if it were possible they would bee infinite in service to God they never thinke they have done enough for him I will yet praise thee more and more saith David Psal 71. 14. I will adde to thy praise so the words are in the Originall as if he should say God hath had some praise in the world already I would faine adde something for my part I would come in withmy share that he might have some more praise for mee and this not an ordinary praise but endeavoures to have the high praises of God in heart and mouth Psal 149. 6. desires to make the praise of God glorious Psal 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes Tit. 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes the words are let them learn to be eminent in good works above others there is a holy ambition in them to get above others in godlines this is indeed to walk circumspectly that the Apostle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there translated Circūspectly signifies To get up to the top of godlines to perfect holinesse in the fear of God therefore he sets the highest pitch of the rule before him would not have the rule come down to him but indeavours to get up to the rule sets before him the highest examples he can he is not willing to offer that to God which cost him nothing but if any thing more choice more excellent better then others it shall be for God he loves to bee abundant in duty hee would not scant God to give onely that which he must of necessity but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works The reasonings of many mens spirits shewes much basenesse in them Why are wee bound to doe this is it absolutely necessary cannot a man bee saved except hee doe thus may not such a thing be lawfully done If thou hadst a raised generous spirit for God it were enough to thee that such a thing is good is commendable it may bee serviceable God may have glory by it I may do good by it and such a thing hath no excellency in it God shall have no glory by it This were enough to cause the soul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one and freely and strongly to reject the other A generous spirit strives to be abundant in doing good and leaves it selfe with God let God doe with him what seemes good in his eyes it doth not maintain jealous suspicious thoughts of God as if it were best to provide for it selfe and not dare to venture upon God Base unworthy spirits discover themselves much in this they will part with nothing but first will see what they shall have they must have present pay bee sure of it in the hand they are jealous and suspicious of every one they are conscious to themselves of basenesse this way and therefore look upon all others as if there were onely for themselves too but a generous spirit findes in it selfe a disposition ready to doe good to others though they can doe little for him yet if they need and he able he finds hee can freely and readily doe it and this makes him to venture upon others that they will likewise out of freedome and generousnesse bee helpfull to him if occasion if need serve though they should not receive recompence from him and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous suspicious thoughts as other baser spirits doe Thus in respect of God hee knowes God is infinitely good and blessed in himselfe and that he out of his own infinite goodnesse is ready to doe good and helpe those in want who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall but that he for his Names sake shewes mercy and loving-kindnesse to his poore creatures because Mercy pleases him and therfore he can venture himselfe upon God Base spirits as they are very jealous in regard of trust so they are very suspicious of love and thinke because themselves are conscious to themselves of unworthinesse and that they themselves love onely for their own ends therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others but so farre as they are usefull to them But one of a generous spirit knowes in himselfe that he can love others not onely because he receives good from them but that he may do good to them and therfore sees this to be infinitely more in God and therefore can relie upon Gods love in sense of his owne unworthinesse Though the Lord can receive no good from me yet he can doe good unto me and this I beleeve is the glorious excellency of the Lord and therefore my spirit shall not give way to suspicious thoughts of his love As David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although sayes he my house bee not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although hee maketh not to grow And this is observable that it is said of him in Vers 1. that when he spake this hee was a man who was raised up on high It is true even in this sense that that expression of his in Verse 5. was an argument of a man whose spirit was truely raised on high and the rather doth a generous spirit abandon base jealous suspicious thoughts of Gods faithfulnesse and his love because it knowes in it self that it hath not such a vile disposition as to abuse this gracious blessed nature that it apprehends of God so as to bee the more secure and loose to give liberty to it selfe in any evill because of this Oh no God forbid this farre from a true generous spirit this the spirit of basenesse this a sordid disposition indeed that it loathes it abhorres the thought of it it findes in it selfe that the sight of this grace of God this blessed nature of God drawes it most sweetly to him to close with him to delight in him it is the strongest Motive to draw it up to holinesse yea To perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it casts out jealous suspicious thoughts of the goodnesse and love of the blessed God as fruits of basenesse of spirit Sixthly though sublime raised as before yet withal it is an humble broken and contrite spirit one who is poor in spirit this a blessed cōjunction indeed though it thinks it self too good for any lust yet not too good to be subject to the least Commandemēt though will not be under the power of any creature yet will lie flat and trembling under the least word of the Lord Esa 66. 2. Though not satisfied with meane things yet accounts it self lesse than the least of all Gods Mercies How sublime was Pauls spirit when hee accounted all things dung
is reported of Nero who proved the very Monster of men for wickednesse yet in the first five yeares of his reigne he behaved himselfe exceeding well so that it was used as a Proverbe to expresse the good beginnings of men Neroes five first yeares So Caligula who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked yet Iosephus reports of him that when he was young he travelled very diligently in good disciplines hee was of a sweet conversation and modest and he governed the Empire the first two yeares of his raigne with most noble directions behaving himselfe graciously towards all men yea Iulian himselfe who proved such a cursed Apostate yet when hee was young was very forward and hopefull he was a publick Reader of holy Scriptures in the Church he seemed to glory in nothing more than in Religion he was of a very temperate dyer content with meane food without much preparation hee used to lie hard in meane bedding to watch much a nights spend his time in study hee was very chaste cleare from the least suspition of lust those Officers that were about him that served for nothing but to maintaine delicacy and luxury hee banished from him hee tooke no delight in publike shewes when hee came to them hee came rather of necessity than for any pleasure hee tooke in them hee saith of himselfe that when he was on the Theater he was more like a derester of their Playes than a spectator of them and was present at them with trouble and disdaine and was joyfull when hee went from them hee loved learning exceeding much hearing of a Philosopher that came to him out of Asia he leaps out of the doore and goes to meet him and kisses him and entertains him with much honour In an Epist of his to one Eodicius a Governour of Egypt he hath this notable expression Some saith he delight in horses others in birds others in beasts but I from my very childhood have burnt with desire after books He had an honorable esteeme of mans soule looking upon the body as vile in comparison of it There is this notable expression reported of him concerning this It is a shamefull thing for any wise man seeing he hath a soule to seeke for praises from any thing that belongs to his body Hee seemed to have much uprightnesse in the course of Justice he would not condemne upon accusations without proofe there is this expression of his concerning this reported of him when one Delphidius accused one before him of a crime of which he could not bring sufficient proofe the party accused denyed the fact this Delphidius answers If it be sufficient to deny that which is laid to ones charge who shall be found guilty Then Iulian answers And if it be sufficient to be accused who can be innocent Many other notable things are reported of him but these I have related more fully because in this example we may see how farre a man may goe in much seeming good what hopefull beginnings he may have and yet what a vile cursed Monster he may prove if he lookes not to it Let none then rest themselves in their good beginnings but as they have made entrance upon this work in following the Lord so let them labour to fill it up as for those who heretofore have seemed to be forward and hopefull while they lived in good families and under the care and watchfull eye of able and godly men and yet have now forsaken the Lord and his wayes let such I say know that it is an evill and a bitter thing to forsake the blessed God to turne from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit so great an evill is it that God himselfe cals the heavens to be astonished at this Ier. 2. 12 13. Be astonished O ye heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord For my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that can hold no water The evill of this forsaking the Lord were great if this were all First that all your labour in Religion that all that you have done is lost In Hosea 8. 2. Israel shall cry to me My God we know thee but verse 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good therfore verse 7. it is said that They have sown the wind and shall reape the whirlewind It is but a sowing to the wind to follow God in some things and not to hold on in our way In the 2 Epist of St. Iohn and the 8. verse Look to your selves saith S. Iohn that wee lose not those things that wee have wrought It is an evill thing to lose all that wee have wrought for but this is not all Secondly if you leave off from following the Lord all the good that ever you have done and made profession of shall serve only to aggravate your sinne and encrease your torment Thirdly this leaving off from following the Lord is a great dishonor to God and his ways an upbraiding of them as if they were not good enough to draw the heart constantly after them as if there were not that in them that they make shew for Hence the Lord pleads with his people Ierem. 2. 5. who had forsaken him What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone farre from mee and have walked after vanity As if he should have said The world may thinke my ways are unequall men may thinke that I have not shewne my selfe a God ready to doe good and to reward those who follow me The forsaking of the truth the profession whereof wee have once taken up it is to put Christ to open shame Heb. 6. 6. Fourthly such men as these doe much mischiefe in the world they are grievous scandals they make the good wayes of God to be evill spoken of they harden mens hearts against them and the profession of them many in hell curse them as the cause of their ruin if a man were borne to doe mischiefe he could not doe greater any way than this So much hurt is done by them they cause such blemishes such sports to be upon the profession of godlinesse as we should be glad if we could wash them off with our dearest heart-blood and account it well bestowed but woe be to them by whom these offences come The greatest part of all the scorne contempt of and opposition against the wayes of God and godly men shall be charged upon these men as the causers of it for were it not for such as these wicked men could not tell what to say for themselves in their opposition of those wayes of godlinesse which in themselves are so equall and good and blessed woe be to them by whom such offences come Fifthly These men shall have their spirits filled with horrour they did not fill up their work in following the Lord but God and conscience