where he discovereth his Glory in the utmost Latitude It is notable in Scripture sometimes God is said to dwell in Light 1 Tim. 6. 16. And sometimes to make Darkness his dwelling place Psal. 18. 11. How doth he dwell in Light and how in Darkâ—ess Because of the glorious maniâ—estations which are above therefore it is said he dwells in Light and because of the weakness and incapacity of our apprehension therefore he is said to dwell in Darkness 2. To try our Faith and our Obedience that he might see whether we would live by Faith yea or no whether a Believer would love him and obey him tho he were invisible and withdrawn within the Curtain of Heaven You know when the Israelites saw the Glory of God then they cryed All that God hath commanded us we will do Deut. 5. 27. But as soon as that Manifestation ceased they were as bad as ever If all were liable to Sense there would be no trial of this World but God hath shut up himself that by this means the Faith of the Elect might be manifested for Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Where there is no sight there is exercise for Faith And that our Love might be tried 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory And this is that which discovereth the Faithless and disobedient World Job 22. 12 13 14. Is not God in the height of Heaven How doth God know Can he judg through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of Heaven 3. It is fit there should be a better place into which the Saints should be translated when the course of their Obedience is ended Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places The main of Christ's Purchase we have in Heavenly Places It is fit the place of Trial and place of Recompence should differ therefore the place of Trial that 's God's Foot-stool and the place of Recompence that 's God's Throne The World that 's a place of Trial it is a Common Inn for Sons and Bastards for the Elect and Reprobate a Receptacle of Man and Beast Here God will shew his Bounty unto all his Creatures But now in the place of his Residence he will show his Love to his People Therefore when we have been tried and exercised there is a place of Preferment for us Fourthly What Advantage have we in Prayer by considering God in Heaven Very much whether we consider God absolutely or with respect to a Mediator both ways we have an Advantage First If we consider the Father Son and Holy-Ghost who have their Residence in Heaven consider them without respect to a Mediator Why the looking up to God in Heaven 1. It sheweth us that Prayer is an act of the Heart and not of the Lips that it is not the sound of the Voice which can pierce the Heavens and enter into the Ears of the Lord of Hosts but Sighs and Groans of the Spirit Christians in Prayer God is near to us and yet far from us for we must look upon him as in Heaven and we upon Earth How then should we converse with God in Prayer Not by the Tongue only but by the Heart The Commerce and Communion of Spirits is not hindred by local Distance but God is with us and we with him when our Heart goeth up 2. It teacheth the great work of Prayer is to lift up the Heart to God To withdraw the Heart from all created things which we see and feel here below that we may converse with God in Heaven Psal. 123. 1. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens And Lam. 3. 41. Let us lift up our Heart with our Hands unto God in the Heavens Prayer doth not consist in a multitude and clatter of Words but in the getting up of the Heart to God that we may behave our selves as if we were alone with God in the midst of glorious Saints and Angels There 's a double Advantage which we have by this getting the Soul into Heaven in Prayer It 's a means to free us from Distractions and Doubts To free us from Distractions and other inter-current Thoughts Until we get our Hearts out of the World as if we were dead and shut up to all present things how easily is the Heart carried away with the Thoughts of earthly Concernments Until we can separate and purge our Spirits how do we interline our Prayers with many ridiculous Thoughts It is too usual for us to deal with God as an unskilful Person that will gather a Posy for his Friend and puts in as many or more stinking Weeds than he doth choice Flowers The Flesh interposeth and our carnal Hearts interline and interlace our Prayers with vain Thoughts and earthly Distractions When with our Censor we come to offer Incense to God we mingle Sulphur with our Incense Therefore we should labour all that we can to get the Heart above the World into the Presence of God and company of the Blessed that we may deal with him ad if we were by him in Heaven and were wholly swallowed up of his Glory Tho our Bodies are on Earth yet our Spirits should be with our Father in Heaven For want of practising this in Prayer these Distractions encrease upon us So for Doubts when we look to things below even the very manifestations of God to us upon Earth we have many Discouragements Dangers without and Difficulties within till we get above the Mists of the lower World we can see nothing of Clearness and Comfort but when we can get God and our Hearts together then we can see there is much in the Fountain tho nothing in the Stream and tho little on Earth yet we have a God in Heaven 3. This impresseth an Awe and Reverence if we look upon the Glory of God manifested in Heaven that Briâ—ht and Luminous Place This is urged by the Holy-Ghost Eccles. 5. 2. Thou art upon Earth and God is in Heaven therefore let thy Words be few Gen. 8. 27. Who am I that I should take upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes We are poor crawling Worms and therefore when we think of the Majesty of God it should impress an holy awe upon us Mean Persons will behave themselves with all Honour and Reverence when they supplicate to Men of Quâ—lity So should we to God who is so High and so much above us he is in Heaven It is a Diminution of his Greatness Mal. 1. 14. when we put off God with any thing and come slightly and carelesly into his Presence 4. It teacheth us that all our Prayers should carry a Correspondence with our great Aim What 's our great Aim To be with God in Heaven as remembring that 's the Center
as we have a Cause to present to God There the High-Priest he entred with the Blood of Beasts but we enter by the Blood of the Son of God O what a great Privilege is this that we have a Father in Heaven In this respect the Holy Place is now open to us Tho we have not a personal Access till Death yet by the Blood of Jesus we may come with Boldness presenting our selves before the Lord with all our Wants and Desires The great Distance between Heaven and Earth shall not hinder our Communion with God if we have a Friend above Therefore it is very comfortable now to say Our Father which art in Heaven that is our gracious and reconciled Father in and by Christ. APPLICATION If we have a Father in Heaven let us look up to Heaven often 1. If we have a Father in Heaven and a Saviour at his right-hand to do all things that are needful for us let us look upon the aspectable Heavens with an Eye of Sense with our bodily Eyes It is good to contemplate the Glory of the heavenly Bodies or the Outside of that Court which God hath provided for the Saints It is not an idle Speculation I press you to The Saints of God have thought it to be worthy of their Morning and Evening-Thought It is notable David doth in two Psalms especially contmeplate Heaven 〈◊〉 seems to be a Nightly the other a 〈◊〉 Meditation The Night-Meditation you have Psal. 8. 3. When I consider thy Heavens the Work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained David was got abroad in a Moon-shining Night looks up and had his Heart affected But now the 19th Psalm that seems to be a Morning-Mediation he speakds of the Sun coming out like a Bridegroom from his Chamber in the East and displaying his Beams and Heat and Influences to the World and then saith he v. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God Morning and Evening or when ever you go abroad to see the Beauty of the outward Heavens say I have a Father there a Christ there this is the Pavement of that Palace which God hath provided for the Saints Christians it is a sweet Meditation when you can say He that made all Things is there It will be a delightful profitable thing sometimes with an Eye of Sense to take a view of our Father's Palace as much as we can see of it here below 2. Let me especially press you to this with an Eye of Faith to look within the Vail and when ever you come to pray to see God in Heaven and Christ at his right-Right-hand The great Work of Faith is to see him that is invisible and the great Duty of Prayer is to get a Sight of God in Heaven and Christ at his right-hand What Stephen did miraculously or in an Extasy we must do graciously in Prayer Now it is said of Stephen Acts 7. 56. Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right-hand of God There is a great deal of Difference about Stephen's Sight How the Heavens could be opened for they are solid Bodies and cannot be divided fluent Air and so come together again How he could see the Glory of God with his corporal Senses which is invisible How he could see Christ at such a Distance the Eye not being able to reach so far Some think it to be a meer intellectual Vision or a Vision of Faith that is he did so firmly believe and had the Comfort of it in his Heart as if he had seen it with his Eyes So they think Stephen saw the Glory of God and Christ at his right-hand as Abraham saw Christ's Day and rejoiced that is he saw it by Faith Some think it to be a Prophetical Vision by seeing those things objected to his Fancy by imaginary Species as Isaiah saw God in a Vision Isa. 6. and as Paul's Rapture Some think it a Symbolical Vision that he saw these thing represented by some corporeal Images as Iohn saw the Holy-Ghost descending in the form of a Dove Some think his bodily Eyes did pierce the Clouds and got a sight of the Glory of Christ. Whatever it be there must be such a Sight in Prayer something answerable to this in a spiritual way this must ever be done Psal. 5. 3. I will pray saith the Psalmist and look up There is a looking up required in all Prayer a seeing the invisible God by Faith If you would have God look down upon you from his holy Habitâ—tion you must look up with an Eye of Faith and converse with God in Heaven Psal. 63. 4. I will lift up my Hands in thy Name If you would have God look upon you with an Eye of Compassion you must look up and see Christ at his right-hand by an Eye of Faith 3. Let us love our Father love God in Christ and love the Place for his sake where his Residence is 1. Love God in Christ. Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee When God hath been so gracious to you Christians if I had no other Argument to press you to love god but that he which is in Heaven offereth to be your Father in Christ Jesus it might suffice because it is a great Condescension that the God of Heaven will look upon poor boken-hearted Creatures that he whose Throne is in Heaven would look upon him that is of a trembling Spirit Isa. 66 2. That the high and lofty One that dwelleth in the high and holy Place will look to him that is of a contrite Heart Isa. 57. 15. That he that is the Lord of Heaven and Earth will be our Father and own us and bless us A great Condescension on God's part and a great Dignity also is put upon us and how should our Hearts be affected with it Therefore though there be a great Distance between Heaven and Earth it should not lessen our Affections to God He is mindful of us visits us at every turn we are dear and tender to him therefore let the Lord be dear to you The Butler when he was exalted forgot Ioseph but Christ is not grown stately with his Advancement He doth not forget us O let not us forget God Let us manifest our Love by being often with him at the Throne of Grace with our Father which is in Heaven A Child is never well but when in the Mother's Lap or under the Father's Wing So should it be with us with an humble Affection coming into the presence of God and getting into the Bosom of our heavenly Father Never delight in any thing so much as conversing with him and serious Addresses to him in Prayer Again 2. Love the Place for his sake God is there and Christ is there We have cause to love the Place for our own sakes and in a short time if you continue patient in well-doing you will be with God It is not only God's Throne but it is your
when we unfeignedly chuse him for our Portion and set apart our selves to act for his Glory 1. When we chuse and cleave to him as our all-sufficient Portion The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul Lam. 3. 24. Sometimes the Lord speaks to us I am thy Reward I am thy Salvation Psal. 35. 3. So the Soul speaks to God Thou art my Portion When we cleave to God He is my Portion for ever Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee c. When our Souls are satisfied in God having enough in him this is to give up our selves to him 2. When we set apart our selves to his Use to live and act for his Glory this is also entring into Covenant with God As in that formal Matrimonial Covenant that was used between the Prophet and his Wife Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt not be for another Man so will I also be for thee So in the Covenant we resolve to renounce all others and to live and act for God The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4. 3. When we are thus set apart for God to serve him and glorify him by this special Dedication of our selves to his Use this is the Act of Grace on our part We were God's by Election but he comes and takes possession for himself by the Spirit and then the Soul sets himself apart for God Secondly That all the Saints have a common Interest in the same God therefore Christ taught us to say Our Father They have one Father as well as one Spirit one Christ one Hope and one Heaven Eph. 4. 6. Questionless it is lawful to say My Father Some have disputed it because they suppose this Expression is used to signify Christ's singular Filiation Christ could only say My Father But it is lawful provided we do not say it exclusively and appropriating it to our selves But here Christ when he giveth us this perfect Form teacheth us to say Our Father As the Sun in the Firmament is every Man's and all the World's so God is every single Believer's God the God of all the Elect. But why would Christ put this in this perfect Patern and Form of Prayer 1. To quicken our Love to the Saints in Prayer When we come to pray there must be a brotherly Love expressed now that 's a distinct thing from common Love Add to brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1. 7. When we are dealing with God in Prayer we must express somewhat of this brotherly Love How must we express it In praying for others as well as for our selves Necessity will put Men upon praying for themselves but brotherly Love will put them upon praying for others Wherein must Brotherly Kindness be expressed in Prayer In two Things 1. In a Fellow-feeling of their Miseries in being touched with their Necessities as we would be with our own To be sensless it is a spiritual Excommunication a casting our selves out of the Body Members must take care for one another We must be grieved with their Pains Who is offended saith the Apostle and I burn not If there be any Power in such a Confession or Title of a Father we must be wrestling with God how well soever it be with us remembring we speak to him in whom others have a joint Interest with our selves 2. It must be expressed in wishing the same good to others as to our selves Many that pray in their own Case with what Earnestness and Importunity are they carried out but how flat and cold in the Case of others Now a good Christian must be as earnest with God for others as for himself Look what Earnestness and Heedfulness of Soul he sheweth when he puts up Prayers for himself the same must he do for all Saints Ephes. 6. 18. Self-love and Self-respect must not breath only in our Prayers they must be carried out with as much Earnestness as if we would go to God in our own Case 2. Again As it sheweth us what brotherly Love we should express in Prayer so it checketh many carnal Dispositions which we are guilty of and Christ would mind us of them It checks Strife and Contention we are Brethren have one common Father Every where Meekness and Love it is a Qualification for Prayer Let the Husband live with his Wife according to Knowledg that their Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. If there be such Brauls in the Family how can the Husband and Wife call upon God with such an united Heart as is requisite So 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without wrath and doubting Not only lift up pure Hands to God and that without doubting there must be Confidence in our Prayers But that 's not all but without wrath there must be nothing of Revenge and Passion mingled with your Supplication And then it checketh Pride and Disdain Christ teacheth all in all Conditions whether Masters or Servants Fathers or Children Kings or Beggars all to say Our Father for we have all one Father Thou hast not a better Christ nor a better Father in Heaven than they have The Rich and the Poor were to give one Ransom under the Law Exod. 30 to shew they have all the same Redeemer The Weak should not despise nor disdain the Strong nor the Rich be ashamed to own the Poor as Brethren We should never be ashamed to own him as a Brother whom God will own as a Son Which art in Heaven WE have considered the Title given to God with respect to his Goodness and Mercy He is a Father Our Father Now let us consider the Titles given to him with respect to his Greatness and Majesty Which art in Heaven From thence note Doct. It is an Advantage in Prayer to look upon God as a Father in Heaven By way of Explication to shew First What is meant by Heaven There are three Heavens in the Computation of the Scripture There is first the lowest Heaven that where the Fowls of the Air are whence the Rain descendeth therefore the Fowls are called the Fowls of Heaven Job 35. 11. And Iam. 5. 18. Elijah prayed and the Heaven gave Rain Secondly the Luminary Heaven where the Sun Moon and Stars are Therefore it is said Mat. 10. 25. The Stars of Heaven shall fall Thirdly there is the highest Heaven or the Heaven of the Blessed spoken of Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is into the third Heaven the glorious Heaven the blessed Presence of God Mat. 18. 10. In Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven In Heaven that is the third Heaven so it is called by Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. Which was the highest Part because he saw and heard Things which it is not lawful for a Man to utter In this Heaven God is Secondly How is God there since he is every where 1. Negatively It
inordinate Desire of Reputation and Respect with Men. Now when we are plucking out our right Eye and cutting off our right Hand Mat. 5. 29. When we are mortifying and subduing our Lusts when we can deny our selves in those things to which the Heart is most wedded that 's a Sign of Compliance with the Will of God The second Point Doct. 2. That it is the Lord which giveth to will and to do those Things which are pleasing in his sight Therefore we ask it of him Thy Will be done that is as I explain'd it we ask of him a Heart Skill and Strength to do his holy Will Here I shall tell you 1. What I mean by the Point 2. Give you the Proof of it I. What I mean by the Point 1. I mean thus That in the Work of Conversion God doth all Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one Heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony Heart out of their Flesh and I will give them an Heart of Flesh. The Benefit of a tender sanctified Heart is God's Gift Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes Mark a new Heart that is another Heart a Heart to understand a Heart to love a Heart to do the Will of God he gives it He doth not only remove it or prepare it make way for it but I will give you a Heart of Flesh. 2. This is that I mean That after Conversion God still concurreth He doth not only give Grace but actual Help in the Work of Obedience He worketh all our Works in us Isa. 26. 12. His actual Help is necessary to direct quicken strengthen protect and defend us To direct us Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel and bring me to thy Glory In our way to Heaven we need not only a Rule and Path but a Guide The Rule is the Law of God but the Guide is the Spirit of God To quicken and excite us by effectual Motions A Drousiness and a Deadness is apt to creep upon our Hearts and we see in the same Duty it is a hard matter to keep up the same Frame of Spirit the same Vigor of Affection Life and Warmth and therefore vve had need go to God often as David Psal. 119. 37. Quicken thou me in thy Way It is God vvhich doth renew the Vigor of the Life of Grace upon all occasions when it begins to languish and droop To corroborate and strengthen vvhat vve have received Ephes. 3. 16. the Apostle prays there that he would strengthen with might by his Spirit in the inner Man and 1 Pet. 5. 10. Make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you There are many Words heaped up there to shew how God is interested in maintaining and keeping afoot that which he hath planted in the Soul In protecting and defending them against the Incursions and Assaults of the Devil who always lieth in wait to surprize the Soul to withdraw us from God The Regenerate are not only escaped out of his Clutches but are advanced and appointed to be Satan's Judges which an envious and proud Spirit cannot endure therefore he maligns assaults and besiegeth them with Temptations daily Now it is God that defends Iohn 17. 11. Keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me By thy Name that is by thy Power 3. God must not only help us in the general and upon weighty occasions but in every Act from the beginning of the Spiritual Life to the end It is not enough to say that the first Principles and Motions are of God but the flowing forth of all Motions and Actions according to those Principles Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure God not only gives the Desire and Purpose but he gives Grace to do the Good which we will and purpose to do These two are distinct and we may have Assistance in one kind and not in another Willing and Doing I mean are different Paul saith Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not To will is more than to think and to exert and put forth our Will into Action it is more than both and in all we need God's help We cannot think a good Thought nor conceive a holy Purpose much less perform a good Action without God so that every moment we need renewed Strength As long as the Work of Grace is powerful and renewed in us so long we are kept in a warm and healthful Frame but we grow vain loose earthly carnal again and off from God when this Heat and Warmth of Grace is withdrawn And therefore God still concurreth in the whole Business of our Obedience to him II. Having shewed what I mean and how far God is interested in this Work what need we have to desire we may do his Will let us prove it And because it is a weighty Point I shall prove it by parts 1. As to the first Grace that it is God alone which frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will 2. That vvhen vve are thus framed by Grace after Conversion it is God still concurs and must help us to do his Will First As to the first-Grace I shall prove that it is God alone by the Power of his own Spirit vvhich frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will This vvill appear by considering 1. What Man is by Nature 2. The Words by which our Cure is expressed and the Way God takes to put us into a Course of Obedience 3. What the Scripture speaks as to the utter Impotency of Man to the framing of his â—eart to the Obedience of God's Will First This will appear by those Motions or emphatical Terms by which the Scripture doth set forth Man's Condition before God works upon him He is one that is born in Sin Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me and things natural are not easily altered And as he is born in Sin so he is greedy of Sin Iob 15. 16. He drinketh in Iniquity like Water it noteth a vehement Propension as greedy to Sin as a thirsty Man to Drink Thirst is the most implacable Appetite Hunger is far better born It is the constant frame of his Heart Gen. 6. 5. Every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually O how many aggravating and increasing Circumstances are there named c. There is a Mint that is always at work the Mind is coining evil Thoughts and the Heart evil Desires and carnal Motions and the Memory is the Closet and Store-house where they are lodged and kept This is the case of Man
born in Sin greedy and thirsty of Sin and one whose Thoughts are evil continually But may not a Man be reclaimed Oh no for he hath a Heart of Stone Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the Heart of Stone Every Man that comes to be converted hath a Heart of Stone and what 's that insensible inflexible Insensible he hath no feeling of his Condition Inflexible he will not be moved and wrought upon by the Word and the Spirit and Providence How many means are wasted upon him and to no purpose And Ier. 17. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it It invents all kinds of Shifts and Excuses to elude God or rather to cheat it self When God comes to work upon Man it slides away from under his hand as if Salvation it self should not save them Yea but is not the New-Testament more favourable to Man than the Old Or is not Man grown better now there is so much of God's Grace discovered I answer there 's a perfect Harmony between the Testaments there he is stiled a Child of Wrath by Nature Eph. 2. 3. the Elect as well as others were so There you will find him to be a Servant of Sin Rom. 6. 17. Never such an imperious Master as Sin is never such a willing Servant as Man is Sin never leaves commanding and we love to work and therefore are at its beck There you will find him to be represented to a Man that hath a blind Vnderstanding and a hard Heart and one that is averse from the Life of God Eph. 4. 18. There you will find one that is an Enemy to the Law of God Enmity it self Rom. 8. 7. one that neither will nor can please God One that is blind and knows not what to do 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind and with such a Blindness as is far worse than bodily A Man that is blind in his bodily Eyes would think it to be a great Happiness to have a fit Guide as in Acts 13. 11. when Elymas was smitten blind he sought about for some body to lead him by the hand But he that is spiritually blind cannot endure to have a Guide or if one would lead him and direct him in the right way he is angry And as the Scripture represents him as blind so without Strength Rom. 5. 9. Dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 5. yea worse then dead a dead Man doth no more hurt his Evil dyeth with him but there 's a Life of Resistance and Rebellion against God that goeth along I have spoken but little yet put all together and then it shews what a miserable wretched Creature Man is The Scripture doth not speak this by chance it is not an Hyperbole used once or twice but every where where it speaks of this matter it sets out Man to be blind hard dead obstinate and averse from God Certainly Man contributes little to his own Conversion if the Word of God sets him out every where to be such a one he cannot hunger and thirst after Christ that drinks in Iniquity like Water nothing in his Nature to carry him to Grace who is altogether sinful If the Scripture had only said that Man had accustomed himself to Sin and were not born in Sin If it had said that Man is very prone and not greedy and thirsty in Iniquity If it had only said that Man did often think Evil but not continually If the Scripture had said that Man were somewhat obstinate but not a Stone an Adamant and like the nether Milstone That he had been indifferent to God and the World God and the Flesh and not a professed Enemy That he had been a Captive of Sin and not a Servant of Sin That Man had been weak and not dead only a Neuter and not a Rebel Then there might have been something in Man and the work of Conversion and reducing to God had not been so great But the Scripture saith the quite contrary that Man is all this and much more therefore this clears it up that his Conversion is not in himself but it is God must work this good Work upon him or else he can never be renewed Secondly Let us consider the Terms how the Cure is wrought Certainly to remedy so great an Evil requireth an Omnipotent an Almighty Power Therefore see how Conversion is described in Scripture sometimes by enlightning the Mind Ephes. 1. 18. The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his Calling c. Man the best Creature on this side Heaven is stark blind in the things of God If he should go to see with the Light of Nature how would he grope at Noon-day If he should put on the Spectacles of Art he will be but little better Nay let him take further the Glass of the Word yet how blind in a spiritual sence Something there must be done upon the Faculty the Object must not only be revealed but the Eye must be enlightned There are thick Scales upon his Eye as Paul had in his Blindness that must be taken off before he can see into the things of God But is this all enlightning the Eye No the Scripture describeth this Work of God by opening of the Heart Acts 16. 14. God opened the Heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul God doth not only knock at the Heart that he doth by his Word and by the external means but he openeth the Heart he must open the Door before he can come in enter and take Possession As to the means God trieth Key after Key one Providence after another As when a Man would open a Door he knows not what Key will fit the Lock he trieth Key after Key So God trieth one Cross one Affliction after another one Sermon one Message after another but until he puts his Fingers upon the hole of the Lock we shall not open But these Words are not emphatical enough therefore it is expressed by a Regeneration John 3. 3. Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Mark they must not only be reformed but must be regenerated and born again Now because this is an ordinary Work which falleth out in the course of Causes therefore there 's a more solemn Notion used it is exprest by a Resurrection Eph. 2. 5. He hath raised you up together with Christ. Yea but that which hath been may be again therefore it is exprest not only by a Resurrection but by a Creation Ephes. 2. 10. We are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works 2 Cor. 4. 6. He that commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts And we are called New-Creatures And higher than this it is expressed not only by a Creation but by a Victory and overcoming It is resembled by beating and binding of the strong Man and rescuing and
Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way naâ—lâ—ng it to his Cross. He hath disannull'd the Law which binds to suffer the Wrath of God The Law was the Bond by which our Death was ratified 3. There is requir'd an unfeigned purpose to forsake Sin He that hath been released of his Debt must not still run into new Arrears Christ never blotted out our Debts that we might renew them and go on upon a new Score of offending God again this is to dally with God to run into the Snare when he hath broken it for us and given us an escape to plunge our selves into new Debts again In this Prayer Forgive us our Debts then presently Lead us not into Temptation Therefore we must purpose to forsake Sin otherwise we do not draw nigh to God with a true Heart Heb. 10. 22. We do but deal falsely with God in all the Confessions we make and in all the Pleas of Faith unless there be an unfeigned purpose to renounce all Sin and cast it off as a thing that will undo our Souls Thus Christians must you sue out your Release and Discharge in your Surety's Name Vse 1. The Use is first to shew us the Misery of an impenitent unpardoned Sinner he hath a vast Debt upon him that will surely undo him unless he doth in time get a Discharge He is bound over to suffer the Wrath of God for evermore and no Hand can loose him but God's Many times they think of no such matter and cry Peace Peace to themselves but it is not the Debtor which must cancel the Book but the Creditor Have you a discharge from God where 's your legal Qualification poor Creatures what will you do Many take care that they may owe nothing to any Man Oh! but what do you owe to God To live in doubt and in fear of an Arrest O what Misery is that But when Sin lieth at the Door ready to attach you every moment and hale you to the Prison of Hell that 's most dreadful Therefore think of it seriously how do Accounts stand between God and you Sinners are loth to think of it When the Lord came to reckon with his Servants Mat. 18. 24. it is said One was brought to him which ow'd him ten thousand Talents He was loth to come to an account he would fain keep out of the way but he was brought to him So we are unwilling to be call'd to account we shift and delay and will not think of our Misery but the putting off Sin will not put it away our not thinking of our Misery will not help us out and will not be a Release and Discharge 2. If Sins be Debts and an increasing Debt so that Man is ever treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath it presseth us to be more careful to get out of this Condition Saith Solomon Prov. 6. 3 4 5. If thou beest in debt flee as a swift Roe from the hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler O it 's a sad thing to lie in our Sins If you be under this Debt Give not Sleep to thine Eyes nor Slumber to thine Eye-lids get away like the swift Roe from the hand of the Hunter c. And what I say concerning a State of Sin I say concerning daily Failings make your Peace with God betimes if you have contracted a new Debt make all even between God and your Souls that you may not sleep in your Sins 3. This should make us more cautious that we do not commit Sin Why it is a Debt that will render you obnoxious to the Wrath of God in it self it merits eternal Death O therefore sin no more do not run again into the Snare When you give way to Sin you hazard the Comfort of your Acquittance by Christ Psal. 85. 8. The Lord will speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly If the Lord hath given you your Peace and some hope of your being discharged of this heavy Debt take heed of medling with forbidden Fruit and running into debt again 2. From the Subject or Persons which make this Prayer Forgive us Observe Doct. Even those that call God Father ought to beg daily and humbly Pardon of their Sins Forgive Vs who is that Vs that can say in Faith Our Father daily For this is a Patern for daily Prayer as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Petition noteth We need beg for Christ hath taught us here to sue out our Discharge In which begging there is an Exercise of Faith eying Christ Rom. 3. 25. God hath set forth him to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood And there is an Exercise also of Repentance as to mourning for Sin 1 Iohn 1. 9. and Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall have Mercy and as to loathing of Sin Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out And certainly it must be humbly begged for if we seek Pardon we must seek it in God's way We do not beg God to rescind and make void his Laws and those wise Constitutions he hath appointed whereby the Creature shall receive this Grace and the manner wherein he will deal and transact this business with the offending Creature But we seek it as exercising our renewed Repentance that is mourning for Sin and loathing of Sin But of this more hereafter Now that the best of God's Children should be dealing with God about a Pardon of their Sins I shall argue it 1. From the Necessity 2. The Utility and Profit of such a Course First The Necessity of this will appear two ways 1. From the Condition of God's Children here in the World 2. From the way wherein God will give out a Pardon 1. From the Condition of God's Children here in this World The best are not so fully sanctified in this Life but there is some Sin found in them Not only they who walk with no Care but even they that set the most narrow watch over their Ways they are not so sanctified but they need daily to go to God 1. They have Original Sin which remaineth with them to the last they have the sinning Sin which the Apostle speaks of Paul complains of the body of Death Rom. 7. 23 24. Who shall deliver me from it The Hebrews were wont to propound their Wishes by way of Question as O that Salvation were come out of Sion It is in the Hebrew Who shall bring Salvation out of Zion So Who will lead me into Edom That is O that I were led into Edom that I might display the Banner there because of God's Truth So who shall deliver me from the body of this Death that is O that I were delivered Where the Reign of Sin is broken yet there it remains though it be cast down in regard of
Heart either such a Truth as forbids the Evil to which we are tempted or that speaketh Comfort and Encouragement to us under such a Cross or pressing such a Duty as we hang off from The seasonable remembrance of Truths is the great actual help which we have from God Jesus Christ himself by seasonable urging the Scripture defeated the Temptation wherewith he was assaulted Mat. 4. 10 11. The Word quickneth in Affliction Psal. 119. 50. Some proper Comfort is born in upon the Soul by the Power of God It is not the bare remembrance of Truth but the secret Power of God which enliveneth it and makes it effectual in its season to defeat the Temptation Vse It directs you what to do in Temptations to go to God for Help and Strength against them Briefly when you treat with God it should be under a threefold Notion 1. As the Author and Giver of Grace 2. As the Sovereign Giver and Disposer of it according to his own Will 3. As a Judg by Temptation correcting some foregoing Sin by the present Temptation 1. Treat with God as the Author and Giver of Grace Jam. 1. 17. He is the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect Gift cometh down And so 1. We ought to come to him as renouncing our Strength and waiting for his Grace as able to help us That Address Iehoshaphat made in a Temporal Case is good also in a Spiritual 2 Chron. 20. 12. Lord we have no might our Eyes are unto thee There is a renouncing of their own Strength and a dependance upon God There must be a renouncing of all Self-dependance for God gives Grace to the Humble Jam. 4. 6. The word Humble is to be understood not Morally to those that are of a lowly carriage towards Men of a meek Spirit but it is understood Spiritually of those that in the brokenness of their Hearts acknowledg their own Nothingness and Weakness to these he gives Grace God withholdeth and withdraweth his Influences when we do not acknowledg the daily and hourly necessity of Grace when we do not desire it with such vehemency as we were wont nor receive it with such Thankfulness and Rejoicing In these three last Petitions of the Lord's Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread then Forgive us our Trespasses then Lead us not into Temptation we beg daily Bread daily Pardon daily Strength We can neither live without the one nor the other we cannot live without daily Bread nor live comfortably without daily Pardon nor live holily without daily Grace And therefore you are to wait upon God all the Day Psal. 25. 5. And Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me Now we may be said to set the Lord before us either in point of Reverence when we are sensible of his Eye and Presence or in point of Dependance when we are still waiting for his Strength and that 's the meaning there He is at my right Hand I shall not be moved Look as a Glass without a foot falls to the Ground and is broken as soon as 't is set out of Hand such a sensible Christian apprehends himself to be if he be out of the Hands of God he is broken and falls to pieces Therefore in this Sense he goes to God and desires him to keep him from Temptation Dependance begets Observance If the Creature could once but live of himself tho it were but for a while God would seldom hear from him This is that which is the Bridle upon the new-Creature to keep up his constant commerce with God 2. We must go to him with Confidence in an actual dependance upon the All-sufficiency of his Grace It is not enough to apprehend our Weakness but we must also go forth in the Strength of God that is hold up our Hearts with a Sense of this that God is able to bear us up and defeat all our Spiritual Enemies God would not take off the Temptation from Paul 2 Cor. 12. 9. but saithâ— My Grace is sufficient for thee He can either weaken Temptation or give in further supply of Strength Therefore encourage your selves in the power of the Lord. The Devil cannot tempt us one jot further than the Lord will permit him his Malice is limited and restrained if you be in Satan's Hands Satan is in God's Hands and can do nothing without his leave and permission he begs leave to enter into the Herd of Swine much less can he enter into the Sheep of his Pasture 2. Look upon God not only as the Giver of Grace but as the Soveraign Giver and Disposer of it according to his own Will Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good Pleasure His giving of Grace is altogether free as what measure of Assistance we shall have and by what means it shall be supplied God may enlarge or abate the degree of his Influence according to his own Will Now thus we must come to him with Submission to his good Pleasure either for taking off the Temptation or continuing it for your Exercise or the measure of your Supply When you murmur and fret it 's sign you have too good Thoughts of your selves when we prescribe to God it argues some ascribing to our selves You are to endeavour indeed to pray and use all good means to come out of Temptation but submit if the Lord be pleased to continue his Exercise upon you Nay tho God should continue the Temptation and for the present not give out those measures of Grace necessary for you yet you must not murmur but lie at his Feet for God is Lord of his own Grace 3. You are to look upon God as a Iudg correcting some foregoing Sin by your present Temptation And therefore 1. You must humble your selves under his mighty Hand when you are exercised with great and sore Temptations and accept the Punishment of your Iniquity without murmuring that 's the only way to get it off when you own it as the Fruit of Sin Lev. 26. 41. If then their uncircumcised Hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their Iniquity And Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Acknowledg the Justice of his Providence in this trouble that is brought upon you A Christian must not only look to the Malice of Satan in his Temptations but to the Iustice of God Look as in outward Affliâ—tions we are not to reflect upon Instruments Iob did not say The Caldean and Sabean hath taken but The Lord hath taken chap. 1. 2â— So in these Spiritual Afflictions take the Temptation out of God's Hand as a Judg. Tho Satan pursue you with fiery Darts with Temptations horrible and terrible yet look upon it as the Fruit of some foregoing Sin If he should tempt you by injection of despairing Fears or blasphemous Thoughts these are not your Sins but they may be a Punishment