in his house so God takes his best contentment in his Church and people they are the most beloved of all mankinde 4. As in a house we use to lay up our jewels precious things so God layes up in his Church whatsoever is precious his prayses his graces yea whatsoever is good and of high esteeme that hee bestowes upon his Church and people For the further clearing of this wee must know that the Church and children of God are said to be his house either 1. As a family is said to be house or 2. As the fabrick or building is said to be the house First a man provides for his family and hee that neglects it is worse then an insidell so doth God provide for his Church the very Dragons and Ostriges the worst of the creatures al have some respect to their yong ones much more will God provide for his owne And as a man protects his house from all enemies so will God protect his Church and people and be a wall of fire and a defence round about them Now there is a mixture in the Church as in a house of good and bad vessels but the godly are especially Gods house as for hypocrites and false professors they are no more in the house then the excrements are in the body they are in the body but not of the body and therefore as Ishmael they must be cast out at length And as in every house or building there are some open places and some private closets c. So is it here God hath his private chamber and his retyring place which is the heart of every true Christian Hee counts it not sufficient to dwell in his house at large but hee will dwell in the best part of it the heart and the affections therefore he knocks at the doores of our hearts for entrance and his best children are glad he will reside in them they set him up in the highest place of their soules and set a Crowne upon him their desire is that God may governe and rule their whole conversation they have no Idoll above God in their hearts What a wonderfull mercy is this that wee are Gods house that hee will vouchsafe to dwell and take up his lodging in such desiled houses as our soules are It is no meane favour that God should single out us poore wretches to have his residence and abiding place in our soules considering there is so much â—ickednesse in the hearts of the best of us Oh what comfort ariseth to a christian soule from the due meditation of this point If wee are Gods house then God wil be our house Thou art our habitation saith Moses from generation to generation Howsoever we shuffle in the world as they did in the wildernesse now here and now there having no certaine place of abode but are here to day and gone to morrow yet in God wee have an house thou art our habitation he is ours and we are his And what a comfort is this that wee are Gods house Certainly God will provide for his owne house hee that layes this charge upon others and hath put that affection and care of provision into others for their families will he neglect his own hee that makes us love and puts that naturall affection into us of those that belong unto us hath hee not infinitely more in himselfe when as that which wee have is but a beame or ray from his infinite brightnesse This should then instruct us to labour that God may dwell largely and comfortably in us to deliver up all to this keeper of our house and suffer him to rule and raigne in us The Romish Church is become the habitation of Devils that which was Bethel is now become Bethaven Why because they would not suffer God to rule in his owne house but would have coadjutors with Christ as if he were not a sufficient head of the Church to govern it but he must have a Vicar the Pope who as if Christ were too weak will not suffer him to exercise his Kingly office unlesse hee may support help him thus they set up the abomination of desolation in the temple of God Oh beloved it much concerns us to cleanse and purifie our hearts that so wee may entertaine Christ and he may delight to abide and dwell with us you know how hainously hee tooke it when his house was made a den of theeves and will hee not take it much worse that our hearts should be made the very sinks and cages of all manner of uncleannes How should wee begge and cry to God that he would whip out these noysome lusts corruptions out of the temple of our hearts by any sharp correcction or terrour of conscience whatsoever rather then suffer them to reside there still to grieve his good Spirit Wee should take a holy State upon us as being temples of the holy Ghost and therefore too good to be desiled with sinne Our hearts should be as the Holy of Holies And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to abstaine from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit for this cause that God may dwell amongst us for What communion â—â—th light with darknes Are Gods people his house Then let the enemies of the Church take heed how they deale with them for God will have a speciall care of his owne house howsoever he may seem for a time to neglect his children yet remember this they are his house still and no ordinary house but a temple whereon on sacrifice is offered to him continually hee that destroyeth the temple of God him will God destroy Here a question would bee answered which some uncharitable spirits make and that is this Whether England bee the house of God or no I answer The whole Catholike militant Church is but one house of God though there bee divers branches of the same As there is but one maine Ocean of the Sea yet as it washeth upon the British coast it is called the Brittish Sea and as it washeth on the Germans the German Sea c. It hath divers names of the divers Countries which it passeth thorow neverthelesse there is still but one maine Sea So it is with the house of God God hath but one true Church in the whole world which spreads it selfe into divers Nations and Countries upon the face of the earth One branch wherof is among us at this day How prove you that Doth not Christ dwell amongst us by his Ordinances by his Spirit working effectually in the same If a house be not in perfect repaire is it not still a house I beseech you let us rather give God cause to delight to dwell still with us then call in question whether hee dwelleth amongst us or no. But to proceed Hence further wee see that the house of God after some time will need visiting and purging seeing it will soone gather soyle
thou wilt not be better thou art in league with some secret sinne thy heart riseth against those that reprove thee of it thine owne conscience tells thee that thy heart is naught for if thou wouldst set thy selfe to obey God in truth assuredly he would deliver thy soule And therefore the Apostle to prevent such doubts speakes of deliverance from evill workes as comming from God But some may object we sin every day and if we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us You must not understand this Phrase Legally in the vigor of it as that God will deliver us from every ill thought or rising in the heart or from every outward slip and failing c. But by every evill worke the Apostle meanes every reproachfull sinne that breakes the peace of our conscience that swallowes up a mans salvation from such kinde of sins that bring a staine and discredit unto a mans profession that wound his soule and may discourage others the Lord will deliver his he will keepe them from greater sinnes altogether and from being in league with lesser You know in falls there are severall degrees there is a slip a falling and a falling on all foure as we say a flat falling Now God will deliver his children from falling so fouly Nay Sometimes he will deliver them from evill workes by not delivering them from evill workes Hee will deliver from great ill workes by letting them alone in losser ill workes God delivers from evill divers wayes he delivers from falling into ill and he delivers out of ill when we are fallen he delivers from ill likewise by supporting us nay which is more he delivers from ill workes by ill workes How is that How doe Physitians deliver from an Apoplexie â— from a Lethargâ—e Is it not by casting the sicke person into an Ague to awaken that dull sicknesse so God to cure the conscience of a man when he sees him in danger of security by those soule-killing sinnes Pride Covetousnesse Loosenesse Hypocrisie and the like suffers him sometimes to fall into lesse offences to awake his conscience that being rouzed up he may fly to Gods mercy in Christ so infinite is Gods care this way that he will deliver either from ill workes or from the evill of ill workes or if hee deliver not from ill workes yet hee will deliver us from worse workes by those ill workes Austin saith I dare presume to say it is profitable for some men to fall if a man be of a proud peremptory disposition or of a blockish dull and secure nature it is good he should bee acquainted what sin he carryes in his breast where his corruptions are c. that so he may know himselfe and his danger the better I beseech you make use of this to helpe your faith and thankfulnesse when we are delivered from evill workes it is God that doth it The consideration whereof mee thinkes should strengthen our faith against Satan and all his fiery darts and incourage us to set confidently upon any corruption that we are moved to by others or our owne naturall inclination It is Gods enemy and it is my enemy it is opposite to Gods will and it is an enemy to my comfort God will take my part against that which is opposite to him he hath promised me to assist me against every evill worke by his holy Spirit A Christian is a King and hee hath the triumphing Spirit of Christ in him which will prevaile over all sinne in time But some poore soule may object Alas I have beene assaulted by such a corruption a long time in a grievous manner and am not yet delivered from it God doth by little and little purge out corruption as every stroke helpes the fall of the oak the first stroke helpes forward so every opposing of corruption never so little helpes to root it out and it is weakned by little and little till death accomplish more mortification But to proceed God doth not onely deliver from evill workes but preserves us to his heavenly Kingdome We must take preserve here in its full bredth he preserves us whilst he hath any worke for us to doe in this life and when he will have us live no longer he will preserve us to heaven howsoever by death he takes us away yet even then the Lord still preserves us Hee will preserve us in our outward estate by himselfe and by under-preservers for there be many such under God as Angels that are his ministring spirits and Magistrates who are the shields of the earth they may preserve under God and likewise Ministers that are the Chariots and horsemen of Israel and good Lawes c. but God is the first turner of the Wheele we must see him in all other preservers whatsoever And therefore the Apostle in the language of the holy Ghost and of Canaan saith here The Lord will preserve me And rather than a man shall miscarry when God hath any thing for him to doe God will worke a miracle The three men could not be burned in the fire God so suspended the force thereof Daniel could not bee devoured of the greedy Lions c. rather than Gods purpose shall faile that a man should perish before the time that God hath allotted him the Lions shal not devoure and the fire shall not burn God hath measured our glasse and time even to a moment and as our Saviour Christ out of knowledge of this heavenly truth saith My time is not yet came so let us know that till 〈◊〉 houre comes all the Devils in hell cannot hurt one haire of our head And this is a wondrous ground of confidence that we should carry our selves above all threatnings and above all feares whatsoever Thou canst doe nothing except it were given thee saith Christ to bragging Pilate who boasted of his power alas what can all the enemies of Gods people doe except God permit them If a King or a great man should say to an inferiour Goe on I will stand by thee and preserve thee thou shalt take no harme what an incouragement were this Oh but when God shall say to a Christian walke humbly before me keepe close to my word be stedfast in the wayes of holinesse feare not man you are under my protection and safeguard what an incouragement is this to a beleeving soule But put case wee cannot bee preserved from death for so it was here with the Apostle hee dyed a bloody death Why let us observe his blessed carriage in all this and doe likewise I regard not that saith hee doe your worst God will preserve me still So it should be the bent of a Christians soule to come to God with this limitation in his faith and in his prayer Lord if thou wilt not deliver me from suffering ill preserve me from doing ill If thou wilt not preserve mee from death preserve me
souls Nay rather then those that belong to God shall want that which will drive them unto him God himselfe will bee a Lion unto them as unto Ephraim Hosea 5. 14. which made David pray O Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy het displeasure Of all the troubles which a child of God undergoeth in his way to heaven these bring him lowest when the body is vexed and spirit troubled it is much but when God â—rownes when neither Heaven nor Earth yeelds comfort to a distressed soule no evill in the world is like to this Imagine the horrour and straits of such a soule when all things seeme against it and it selfe against it selfe as neare to the paines of the very damned in hell The reasons of this dispensation of God are 1. because we are so desperately addicted to present things and so prone to put conâ—idence in the arme of flesh that unlesse God driveth us from these holds by casting us into a perplexed estate wee shall never know what it is to live by faith in God alone when all other props are puld away and when the streame of things seeme crosse unto us That God therefore may traine us up to live the spirituall life of the just which is by faith in him when all else faile he suffereth us to fall into the Lions mouth that so our prayers which are the flame of faith may bee more ardent and peircing rather cryes than words Why cryest thou unto me faith God to Moses when was this even when hee knew not what way to turne him It was out of the depths that David cryed most earnestly unto God and Christ in the dayes of his flesh cryed unto God with strong cryes and teares in a deepe distresse and was also heard in that which he feared strong troubles force from the afflicted strong cryes even experience shewes in prosperity and a full estate how faint and cold the prayers and desires of men are 2. Besides it is meet that the secrets of mens hearts should bee discovered for when all is quiet we know not the falsehood of our owne hearts Some over-value their strength as Peter others underprize themselves and of the gifts and graces of Gods spirit in them thinking that they want Faith Patience Love who yet wheÌ„ God calleth theÌ„ out to the crosse shine forth in the eyes of others in the example of a meeke and faithfull subjection The wisdome of God therfore judgeth it meet that there should bee times of sifting that both the Church and our selves may know what good or ill is in us what soundnesse or loosenesse remaines in our hearts When therefore we are wanting in fanning our selves God in love takes the fanne into his hand It is likewife behoovefull that false Brethren may be discovered Afflictions are wel called tryalls because then it is known what metall men are made of whether Pure of Reprobate silver thinke it not strange then when our estate seemes desperate it is but with us after the manner of Gods dearest ones why should we have a severed condition from them Remember this that God as he suffers his children to fall into the Lions mouth so he delivers them out and that hee never leaves his especially in extremity but in fit case of soule to receive the greatest comfort and to render him the greatest glory for then it is knowne to be Gods worke our extremity is his opportunity God will especially shew himselfe at such a time and make it appeare that the Church stands not by mans strength When Christians are at a losse and know not which way to turne themselves then is God nearest hand and careth most for them And this the Lord doth both for the greater shame of those that contrive mischiefe when they make themselves sâ—rest to bring their wicked plots and purposes to passe then their designes are most frustrated As also to draw on others not yet called that they seeing Gods immediate care over his Church and children may come in and obtaine like protection and deliverance The manner how God delivereth his children out of the Lions mouth is divers 1. By suspending their malice for the time as in Noahs Arke the fiercenesse of the wilde creatures was stopt by Divine Power from preying upon the tamer so the Lions mouthes were stopt from preying upon Daniel in the Lions Den. 2. By stirring up one Lion against another as the Persians against the Baby lonians Grecians against Persians Romancs against the Grecians and the other barbarous nations as the Gothes and Vandals against them so whilst Lions spit their fury one upon another the Sheepe are quiet Thus the Turke and other enemies have kept Popish Princes from raging and tyrannizing over the Church to the height of their malice 3. By casting something unto these Lions to divert them another way from their intended prey as when a man is in danger a Dogge is cast unto the Lion Thus when Saul was ready to devoure David the philistines made a breach upon him invaded the Land and turned his fury another way 4. By altering and changing Lions to be Lambes as when Paul was set upon havock and mischiefe God by changing his heart gave the Churches cause to glorifie God for him of whom before they were most affraid 5. God shewes himselfe a Lion to these Lions by breaking their teeth and Jaw-bones striking them with sudden and fearefull judgement as Herod and the persecuting Emperors and as in 88 when God with his foure windes fought for us against the enemies of his truth 6. By making them Lions to themselves witnesse Achitâ—phel Saul and other such like enemies of Gods children 7. Againe God maketh them friends without changing their disposition by putting into their hearts some conceit for the time which inclineth them to favour as in Nehemiah God put it into the Kings heart to favour his people Esau was not changed onely God for the time changed his affections to favour Iacob so God puts it into the hearts of many groundedly naught to favour the best persons 8. Lastly God maketh his owne children sometimes Lions to their Adversaries for the Image of God shining in his children hath a secret Majesty in it and striketh an awe upon wicked men so Pharaoh at length could not endure to see Moses and Aaron any more and Foelix trembled whilst Paul disputed of temperance and judgement Thus we see the Lord knows how to deliver his and can if he will and will doe it in their extremities when is most â—or his glory his peoples comfort and confusion of his owne and their enemies never despaire therefore of thy selfe or the Church of God it shall rather than faile breed in the Lions den Paul salutes the Philippians from the Church in Caesars house a place in appearance little fitter for a Church than hell it selfe what though things seeme
past recovery abroad when they are at the worst then are they nearest mending When the taske of brick was doubled by Pharaoh upon Israel then came Moses to worke out their deliverance when the Iewes heard newes of their liberty to returne from captivity they were as those that dreamed they could not suddenly beleeve it it seemed so strange a thing in that their hopelesse estate Learne wo then from this dealing of God with his people in the midst of all extremities to alleage unto God the extremitie we are in Helpe Lord for vaine is the helpe of man is a prevailing argument Alledge the pride of enemies the presumption of those that feare not God c. and that hee onely can give issue from death when he will And as God brings us to heaven by contraries so let us in one contrary beleeve another hope against hope In misery looke for mercy in death for life in guiltinesse for forgivenesse Learne to wrastle with God when he seemeth thy enemy oppose unto God his former dealings his nature his Promise c. Iob had learned this Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Be of Iacobs resolution I will not leave hold of thee untill I get a blessing whatsoever wee are stript of let us never forsake our owne mercy This one word I despaire takes a â—ay God and Christ all at once We must remember Our sinnes are the sinnes of men but mercy is the mercy of God God will never leave us but be with us whilst we are with him The world and all comforts in it leave a man when they can have no more use of him nor hee of them Satan leaves his sworne vassals at their wits end when he hath brought them into danger But blessed be for ever our gracious God then of all other times he is nearest to helpe us when we stand most in need of him He was never nearer Moses than when Moses seemed furthest from comfort never nearer Iacob than when heaven was his Canopie and a Stone his pillow never nearer Ioseph than when in prison Ionas then in the belly of the Whale for God went downe with him never nearer Paul than when in the Dungeon A Christian is not alone when left alone not forsaken when forsaken God and his Angells supply them the want of other comforts Is it not a greater comfort that a Prince should come in Person to a subject and cheare him up than send a meaner man And whence is this to me said Elizabeth that the mother of my Lord should come unto me Is it not the greatest comfort to a Christian soule when God in want of meanes comes immediately himselfe unto us and comforts us by his Spirit for in defects of second causes comforts are ever sweetest therefore in all extremities let us wait and hope still for mercy If the vision stay saith Habakkuk wait for it will come This is a maine difference betwixt the Child of God and a person destitute of sound grace for the Child of God in extremitie recovers himselfe as David after a great conflict gets still the upper hand Yet my soule keepe thou silence unto God for God is yet good to Israel as if hee should say Though when I look upon my present outward condition I stagger yet when I consider more deepely of his dealing I am resolved God is good to Israel thus after much tossing they get up upon that rock which is higher than they But those who are not upright-hearted in any great extremity sinke downe with despaire as heavy bodies to the Center of the Earth without stop The reason is in their best estate they never were acquainted with relying upon God but bore themselves up with fleshly helpes which being taken away they must needs fall down right But a sincere Christian in midst of his flourishing estate acquainteth himself with God and sets not his heart upon present things Iob sayes that which he feared in his best case that â—efell unto him Therefore they can rest upon Gods mercy when other props are taken away Yet there be divers degrees of upholding us when we are at a spirituall losse for usually in what measure we in the times of our peace and liberty inordinately let loose our affections in that measure are wee cast downe or more deeply in discomfort when our adulterous hearts cleave to outward things more than becomes chasâ— hearts it makes the crosse more sharpe and extreame For That which is not enjoyed with overmuch pleasure is parted withall without overmuch griefe But for spirituall extremities oftentimes the strongest feele them with quickest sense for God herein respects not alwayes sinnes past or more or lesse measure of grace as in Iobs case who could without much distemper of soule endure extremities of body and estate but when God wrote bitter things against him presently he begins to sinke and but begins onely for when hee was at worst he stayes himselfe upon his Redeemer to the glory of Gods Grace and shame of the devill Thus sometimes God makes his Children triumph whom he sets as Champions in defiance of Satar They in weaknesse thinke they shall utterly faile and perish but their standing our in greatest conflicts shewes the contrary But to come to that which I intend chiefly to insist on The Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke c. wherein we may see 1. The Author of his safety 2. The deliverance it selfe The Author is the Lord No lesse then an almighty power is necessary to deliver from any evill worke For such is our inclinablenesse to joyne with temptation such the malice and strength of our enemy so many bee the snares and so cunningly spread in every thing we deale withall that whatsoever delivereth us must bee above Satan and our owne evill hearts more wise more powerfull more gracious to preserve us than any adverse power can be to draw us unto evill workes In which case well said Moses when God in his wonted glorious presence refused to goe along with them O saith Moses if thou goâ— not with us carry us not hence Deliver supposeth danger possible or present Beloved Our lives are such as stand in need of perpetuall deliverance Our estate here is waving The Church lives alwayes in tents hath never any hope of rest untill the day of triumph therefore after forgivenesse of sinnes followes lead us not into temptation because though sins past be forgiven yet we are in danger to be led into temptation let none promise a truce to himselfe which God promiseth not if Satan and our corruptions joyne we cannot be quiet after sinnes of youth we are in danger of sinnes of riper age for though by grace in some sort sinne be subdued yet untill it be wholly mortified there will be some stirring up untill that which is imperfect in us be abolished But I hasten to that
which followes The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke Whence from the forme of the argument observe that We ought to reason with God from former experience to future yea it is a binding Argument with God he loves to be sued and pressed from former mercies and suffers them to be bonds unto him men will not doe so because their fountaine is soone drawne drie But God is a spring that can never be emptied as he was able to helpe in former time so hee is also for the time to come He is alwayes I AM JEHOVAH alwayes where he was his Arm is not shortened what hee hath done heretofore he can do now We should therefore register Gods favours â—hich is the best use wee can put out memories to and make them so many arguments to build upon him for time to come as David The Lord that delivered me saith he out of the pawe of the Lion and out of the pawe of the Beare will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Oh were we but acquainted with this kinde of reasoning with God how undaunted would we bee in all troubles we should bee as secure for the time to come as for the time past for all is one with God Wee doe exceedingly wrong out owne soules and weaken our faith by not minding of Gods favours How strong in faith might old men be that have had many experiences of Gods love if they would take this course every former mercy shoâ—ld strengthen our faith for a new as conquerours whom every former victory incourageth to a new conquest So old favours should helpe us to set upon God afresh But what is the limitation here from every evill worke which words we will first touch a little severally and then consider more particularly of them Sometimes God speakes of duties as they issue from man because indeed the will is mans from whence the duty comes and therefore the Scripture speakes as though the duty came from us because the powers are ours from whence they spring Sometimes the Scripture speakes of holy duties as they issue from a higher power from God so here The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke he meanes that God would stirre up his heart to a care to avoid evill workes We are agents and patients in all we doe we are agents because the powers are ours we are patients because the Lord doth all Now it is the language of the holy Ghost for the most part when he speakes of good duties to goe to the fountaine especially when faith is to bee strengthened But how doth God deliver By keeping us from occasions or by ministring strength if occasions be offered by giving occasions of good and by giving a heart to entertaine those occasions He preserves us from evill works by planting the graces of faith and of feare in us whereby wee are preserved and by peace which guards our soules from despaire and tumultuous thoughts yea hee preserves us from evill workes through faith unto his heavenly Kingdome In a word God preserves his children by making them better by weakning corruptions by his Spirit stirring up a cleare sight and hatred of the same in them and by withdrawing occasions which might prevaile over us and by keeping us from betraying our selves unto them by chayning up Satan untill our strength be such as may incounter him a great mercy it is though little thought on that God lettetâ— not loose Satan upon us every moment how should this stirre us up with David to thankfulnesse and dependance upon God He delivers also wicked men from dangers not out of any love to their persons but because he hath some base service for them to undertake to exercise the patience of his children and vexe others better than themselves which is not fit for godly men to doe They are onely gods Rod and their deliverance is no preservation but a reservation to worse mischiefe it is not a bettering deliverance But God delivers his graciously not onely from danger but from those evill workes they are subject to fall into in their danger it is not ill to suffer ill but to doe ill For doing ill makes God our enemie suffering ill doth not doing ill staines and defiles the soule and blemisheth the Image of God in us suffering ill doth none of this doing ill â—inders communion and acquaintance with God suffering ill doth not God is more immediately acquainted with the soule in suffering ill Doing ill is the cause of all iâ—s suffering ill comes from doing ill the ill of sinne is the ill of ils because it is evill it selfe and the cause of all other evills whatsoever We may thanke our ill in doing for our ill in suffering and therefore the Apostle is well assured what he sayes The Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke not from every inward infirmity and weaknesse but from every evill worke that is scandalous and offensive to him It is an aggravation of ill when it is manifested for then it either taints orgrieves others Indeed so soone as the resolution of the soule hath passed it when the will resolves on such a thing it is done both in good and evill before God But in regard of the world and of the Church we live in the bringing of the worke upon the stage as it were is an aggravation of evill because besides the hurt which is done to evill men good men are either hurt or vexed at it Therefore the Apostle saith The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke This a Christian should especially labour for that God in all things would keepe him free from sin Yea this differenceth a Christian from another man take a carnall man when hee is like to fall into danger he studies how to get out of suffering evill not how to prevent doing evill hee plots devises and intangles himselfe in his owne wit and makes the matter worse by equivocation and such like sinfull courses as we might learne from the Papists if we had not enough from our owne breast But Pauls care was to be delivered from evill workes For a man indeed is never overcome let him be never so vexed in the world by any till his conscience be crackt If his conscience and his cause stand upright he prevailes still In all these things wee are more than conquerors saith the Apostle The meaning is sufferings cannot quell our courage they cannot staine our conscience they doe not hurt the cause but it gets victory in despight of them so that our courage is undaunted and our conscience abides unstained let it be our care therefore to take heed of evill workes Looke into the world and see what is the care of most men we converse with oh if they can get such a place if they can get such an estate I but it cannot be had without finful abasement without cracking of conscience and unlawfull engagement O say they it is
from sinfull workes This we may build on that either God will preserve us in life or if we die he will preserve us in death to his heavenly Kingdome And sometimes God preserves by not preserving from death for indeed death keepes a man from all danger whatsoever hee is out of all gun-shot when he is once dead death is a deliverance and a preservation of it selfe it sends a man to heaven straite and therefore the Apostle knew what he said The Lord will preserve mee to his heavenly Kingdome That is he will preserve me til I be possest of Heaven hee will goe along with me in all the passages of my life he will cary me through all and bring mee thither at last As the Angell that strooke off Peters bolts shined in the prison and carryed him out into the City So God by his Spirit shines into our soules and carryes us through all the passages of this life never leaving us till he have brought us to his heavenly Kingdome And not to open unto you things that are beyond my conceit much more my expression what a state this heavenly kingdome is unto which S. Paul hoped to be preserved observe briefely thus much 1. It is a Kingdome of all conditions the freest 2. The most glorious 3. The most abundant in all supplies 4. It is a heavenly Kingdome 5. It is an everlasting Kingdome Things the neerer the Heavens they are the purer they are 1. heaven is a most holy Kingdome no uncleanenesse can enter there 2. it is a large Kingdome and 3. an everlasting Kingdome Other mens Kingdomes determine with their persons perhaps they may live to out-live their glory in the world as Nero did the king that Paul was under now when hee wrote this Epistle who came to a base end But this Kingdome can never be shaken Gods preservation shall end in eternall glory Here is a speciall ground to Gods children of perseverance in weldoing what doth God undertake even from himselfe to deliver us from evill works which might indanger our salvation and to preserve us untill he have put us into heaven where is the popish doctrine of falling away then Oh but I may sin and so fall away I but God will deliver us from evill workes he takes away that objection Hee that keepes Heaven for us keepes us for heaven till he have put us into possession of it We are kept we are guarded as the word is by the power of God to salvation Salvation is kept for us and we for that If we indanger heaven any way it is by ill workes and God keepes us from them what a most comfortable doctrine is this But to adde a second against that foolish vaine and proud point of Popish Merit we see what a straine they are in first before conversion they will have Merit of congruitie that it befits the goodnesse of God when we doe what we can that we should have grace 2. When wee are in the state of grace they will have Merit of condignity but how can that be when as free grace runnes along in all God preserves us from evill workes and preserves us to his heavenly Kingdome of his meere love and mercy where then is the merit of man Indeed wee doe good when we doe good but God inables us wee speake to the praise of God but he opens our mouth we beleeve but God draws our heart to it as Austin sayes we move but God moves us I beseech you observe further here How compleat Gods favours are to his He deales like a God that is fully and eternally with his children If he deliver it is from the greatest evill if he preserve it is to the greatest good Who would not serve such a master O the basenesse of the vile heart of man that is a slave to inferiour things and affraid to displease men never considering what a blessed condition it is to be under the government of a gracious God that will keepe us from ill if it be for our good for ever Outwardly from evill workes inwardly from the terrors of an il conscience that will preserve us here in this world and give us heaven when we have done I beseech you let this compleate and full dealing of God quicken us to a holy courage and constancy in his service And see here a point of heavenly wisdome to looke when we are in any danger with the Apostle to the heavenly Kingdome When we are sicke look not at death Paul cared not for that but sayes he The Lord will preserve me to his kingdome Hee looked to the bank of the shore as a man that goes through a river hath his eye stil on the shore so the Apostle had his eye fixed upon heaven stil I beseech you therefore in all dangers and distresses whatsoever if you would keepe your soules without discouragements as you should bee much in heaven in your thoughts minding the things above and conversing with God in your spirits Look to the Crowne that is held out to us let our mindes be in heaven before our soules It is a wondrous helpe to our weakenesse in the time of trouble not to thinke I am full of paine I must be turned into the grave and rot and what shall become of me then c. away with this carnall reasoning it much weakens faith and damps the hearts of Christians Againe How doth this arme the soule with invincible courage in any trouble God may call mee to trouble but he will preserve me in it that I shall not staine my conscience What a ground of Patience is this Patience is too meane a word what a ground of joy and triumphing is it We rejoyce under the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. A Christian should triumph in soule over all evills whatsoever and be as the Apostle faith more than a Conqueror considering that God will be present with him all his life long and after that bring him to an everlasting kingdome what an incouragement is this Heaven is holy and shall we not fit our selves for that blessed estate There is much holinesse required for heaven the sinfull wicked malicious poysonfull world layes reproaches upon holinesse but without it no man shall see God Doth that man beleeve he shall obtaine a heavenly kingdome who never sits himselfe with holinesse for it Oh no Faith and hope have this efficacie in the breast wheresoever they are to frame the heart to the thing beleeved If I beleeve a kingdome to be where righteousnes and holinesse dwelleth this beliefe forceth me to carry my selfe answerable to the state there And therefore saith the Apostle Our conversation is in heaven from whence we looke for the Savioure c. because he was assured of heaven therefore he conversed as a Citizen of heaven before he came there Hee praised God kept himselfe undefiled of the world and conversed with the best people
good and his glory he knowes that Christ is wiser than he therefore hee resignes himselfe to his disposall resolving if he live he lives to the Lord and if he die he dies to the Lord that so whether he live or die he may be the Lords Oh beloved that we had the spirit of S. Paul and the spirit of Christ to set us a worke to doe good while we are here to deny our selves oh it would bee meate and drinke as it was to our blessed Saviour Christ to doe good all kinde of wayes consider all the capacities and abilities wee have to doe good this way and that way in this relation and that relation that we may bee trees of righteousnesse that the more we beare God will mend his owne trees hee will purge them and prune them to bring forth more fruit God cherisheth fruitfull trees in the law of Moses when they besieged any place he commanded them to spare fruitful trees God spares a fruitfull person till hee have done his worke we know not how much good one man may doe though he be a meane person sometimes One poore wise man delivereth the citie and the righteous delivereth the Iland Wee see for one servant Ioseph Potiphars house was blessed Naaman had a poore maid-servant that was the occasion of his conversion Grace will set any body aworke its puts a dexterity into any though never so meane they carry Gods blessing wheresoever they goe and they bethinke themselves when they are in any condition to doe good as he saith in Hester God hath called mee to this place perhaps for this end wee should often put this quaere to our selves why hath God called me to this place for such and such a purpose Now that wee may bee fruitfull as Paul was let us labour to have humble spirits God delights in an humble spirit and not in a proud spirit for that takes all the glory to it selfe God delights to use humble spirits that are content to stoope to any service for others that thinkes no office too meane 2. Get loving hearts love is full of invention how shall I glorifie God how shall I doe good to others how shall I bring to heaven as many as I can love is a sweet and boundlesse affection full of holy devices 3. Labour to have sufficiency in our places that you may have abilitie to doe good oh when these meet together abilitie and sufficiencie and a willing a large and gracious heart and a fit object to do good too What a deale of good is done then 4. And when we finde opportunitie of doing any good let us resolve upon it resolve to honour God and serve him in spight of flesh and blood for we must get every good worke that we doe out of the fire as it were we must get it out with travaile and paines wee carry that about us that wil hinder us let us therefore labour to have sincere aymes in that we doe to please God and then resolve to doe all the good we can To stirre us up to bee more and more fruitfull in our places let us consider wee live for others and not for our selves when wee are good Christians once It was a good speech of that godly Palsgrave great grandfather to him that is Frederick the godly they called him when he was to die satis vobis saith he I have lived hitherto for you now let me live for my selfe we live here all our life for others therefore let us think while we live how we may doe most good in the Church of God For encouragement hereunto consider God will undertake to recompence all the good we doe to a cup of cold water we shall not lose a sigh a groane for the Church God would account himselfe dishonoured if it should not be rewarded hee hath pawned his faithfulnesse upon it Hee is not unfaithfull to be unmindfull of your good workes Nay wee have a present reward and contentment of conscience as light accompanies fire so peace and joy accompanie nie every good action All is not reserved for heaven a Christian hath some beginnings of happinesse here when he doth that that is contrary to flesh and blood how full of sweet joy is a fruitfull soule those that are fruitfull in their places never want arguments of good assurance of salvation It is your lazie luke-warme Christian that wants assurance Therefore I beseech you be stirred up to live desired in the world and die lamented labour to be usefull in your places all you can to be as the Olive and fig-tree delighting God and man and not to cumber the ground of the Church with barrennesse sinnes of omission because men were not fruitfull in their places was a ground of damnation Cast the unprofitable servant into utter darknesse put case hee did no harme I but he was unprofitable such was the cursed disposition of Ephraim hee brought forth fruit to himselfe Oh this looking to our selves whē we make our selves the begining the end of all the good we doe it is an argument of a barren person none ever came to heaven but those that denyed themselves I see I cannot proceed in this point you may by the spirit of God inlarge it in your thoughts and bring home what hath been said to your ownes soules labour that you may bee such as others may make use of you and not be the burthens and calamities of the time as many are that live for nothing but to doe good men good by vexing of them that is all the good they doe by vexing their patience they exercise their grace a contrary way let us not be bryers and unfruitfull plants labouring to be great by the publique miserics As they say great fishes grow bigge by devouring many little ones as a dragon comes to be great by devouring many little serpents so many grow great by the ruine of others Oh beloved it had beene better for such that they had never beene borne Therefore as we desire to have comfort when we die let us labour to be fruitfull while we live S. Paul when the time came that he should die when hee had done his worke you see he that was thus full of selfe-deniall how gloriously he ended his dayes The second Epistle to Timothy was the last Epistle that ever he wrote and when hee had done his worke saith hee I have sought a good fight I have kept the faith I have finished my course from henceforth there is a crowne of righteousnesse reserved for me what a glorious end is here and indeed those that are thus carefull and fruitfull in their lives and conversations end their dayes full of comfort and resigne their soules to God with full assurance of a blessed change and onely those For you have many when they come to die what hinders them Oh I have beene unfruitfull I have not done that good that I might I have not wrought out
incouragement from him Indeed he was a man of speciall use and service and as he honored God in his life so God hath honored him in his death as you may see by this honorable assembly of worthy people met in love to him His death was as the death of strong men useth to be with conflicts betweene nature and his disease but with a great deal of patience and in his sicknesse time hee would utter Pauls disposition Oh saith he You keepe me from heaven you keepe me from glorie being displeased with those that kept him alive with conference out of love Hee had a large heart to doe good for though hee were fruitfull and studied to be fruitfull yet oft in his sicknesse in a complaining manner hee would say Oh I have not beene so wise for my owne soule as I ought to be I have not beene provident enough in taking opportunities of doing and receiving good Beloved shall such a man as he was so carefull so fruitfull so good shall he complaine thus what shall a company of us do Beloved those that have warmed their hearts at the fire of Gods love they thinke zeale it selfe to be coldnesse and fruitfulnesse to be barrennesse Love is a boundlesse affection hee spake not this from want of care but love knows no bounds therefore hee tooke the more opportunities of doing good Well I beseech you beloved let not this example Passe without making good use of it God will call us to a reckoning not only for what we heare but for what we see he will call us to a reckoning for the examples of his people therefore as wee see here what a holy disposition was in St. Paul and in this blessed man now with God so let us labour to finde the same disposition in our selves Paul hath now his desire hee is dissolved and he is with Christ that is best of all This holy man hath his desire he desired not to be kept from his glory and happinesse on which his mind was set before let us therefore labour with God in the use of good meanes to have the same disposition And in this moment let us provide for eternitie out of eternitie before and eternitie after issueth this little spot of time to doe good in Let us sow to the spirit account all time lost that either we doe not or take not good in opportunitie is Gods Angel time is short but opportunitie is shorter let us catch at all opportunities this is the time of working oh let us sow now shall we goe to sowing then when the time comes that wee should reap some begin to sow when they die that is the reaping time while we have time let us doe all good especially where God loves most to those that are good Consider the standings and places that God hath set us in consider the advantages in our hands the price that wee have consider opportunitie wil not stay long let us therfore doe all the good wee can and so if we doe beloved we shal come at length to reape that that this blessed Saint of God Saint Paul here in the text and this blessed man for whose cause we are now met doe enjoy Therefore if wee desire to end our dayes in ioy and comfort let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine it is no easie matter But to die well is a matter of every day let us daily doe some good that may helpe us at the time of our death every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin that so when death comes we may have nothing to doe but to die to die well is the action of the whole life he never dies well for the most part that dies not daily as Paul saith of himselfe I die daily he laboured to loose his heart from the world and worldly things if we loose our hearts from the world and die daily how easie will it be to die at last he that thinks of the vanity of the world and of death of being with Christ for ever and is dying daily it will be easie for him to end his daies with comfort but the time being past I will here make an end Let us desire God to make that which hath been spoken effectuall both concerning Paul and likewife concerning this blessed man for whose cause we are met together FINIS CHRISTS SUFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE Laid open in a Passion Sermon at Mercers Chappell London vpon Good Friday By R. SIBBS D. D. Isay. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are wee healed LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. CHRISTS SVFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE MATH 27. 46. About the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Ely Ely Lamasabac-thany that is to say My God my God wâ—y hast thou forsaken me THâ— dying speeches of men of worth are most remarkeable at that time they stirre up all their spirits abilities which remaine that they may speake with greatest advantage to the hearts of others and leave the deeper impression behind them These be some of the last words of our blessed Saviours uttered from the greatest affection with the greatest faith and to the greatest purpose that ever any words were spoken and therefore deserve your best attention In this Portion of Scripture you have Christs Compellation My God and his Complaint Why hast thou forsaken me A compellation with an ingemination or reduplication of the words My God my God to shew the strength of his affection and desire of help at this time A complaint by way of exposâ—ulation Why hast thou forsaken me I will draw all that I have to say into these foure propositions 1 That Christ was forsakenâ— 2 That hee was very sensible of it even unto complaint Why hast thou for saken me 3 His disposition and carriage in this extremity his faith failed not My God my God his present griefe tyed him the closer and faster to his God 4 Neither was it onely faith but a faith flaming in prayer wherby hee expressed that God was his God Hee not onely prayed but cryed to him My God my God c. This is the summe of what I intend Christ being in extremity was forsaken Being forsaken hee was very sensible of it and from sensiblenesse complaines powring out his soule into the bosome of his Father And not onely complaines but beleeves certainly that his Father will helpe him And to strengthen his faith the more he puts it forth in prayer the fire of faith in his heart kindled into a flame of prayer and that not in an ordinary manner but in strong supplications he cryed out My God my God why hast thou for saken me To come to the particulars Christ was forsaken I will briefly
to reconcile justice and mercy to Christ But what stirred up this wisdome of God Oh bowels of compassion to man he would not have man perish when the Angels did without remedy Therefore let us desire to be inflamed with the love of God that hath loved us so much All the favors of God in Christ tend next after satisfaction to justice to inflame our hearts to love him againe wherefore else are the favours of creation and Providence How sweet is God in providing for our bodies giving us not onely for necessity but abundance withholding no comfort that is good for us c. But chiefly in his Master-piece God would have us apprehend the greatest love of all other because there hee hath set himselfe to glorifie his mercy more than any thing else therefore wee may well cry with the Apostle Oh the height of his love c. I beseech you fixe your thoughts on this think not now and then sleightly of it but dwell on the meditation of the infinite love of God in Christ till your hearts be inlarged and warmed and inflamed with the consideration thereof and then love will set you forward to all good workes what need we bid you be liberall to the poore to bee good subjects just in your dealings c all this may bee spared when there is a loving heart And when shall we have loving hearts when they are kindled and fired at Gods fire when they are perswaded of Gods love then the apprehension of his love will breed love in our hearts againe and that is the reason why the Apostles are not so punctuall as heathen Authors in particularities of duties they force upon men especially the love of God and the ground-points of religion as knowing when the heart is seasoned with that once it is ready prepared to every good duty Thinke seriously of this The love of Christ constraineth mee ◠there is a holy violence in love there is a spirituall kinde of tyranny and prevailing in this grace One thing further wee may learne from this forsaking of Christ viz. that It is no strange thing for GODS deare children to bee forsaken To have the apprehension of their sinnes and the wrath of God to bee forsaken in regard of sense of all comfort doe we not see it done in the naturall sonne and shall we wonder that it is done in the adopted sonnes Wee see this forsaking was in the natur all branch and shall wee wonder that it is done in the grafted branches It was done to the greene tree and shal we wonder if it be done in the drie no certainly The whole Church complaines Psal. 44. Of drinking Gall and Wormewood that God was hid in a cloud c. both the head complaines and the body too as wee see in David Iob and other Saints so that there is a kinde of desertion and forsaking that the childe of God must undergoe What is the ground and end of it First Gods prerogative is such that sometimes when there is no great sinnes to provoke him to withdraw comfort yet will he leave holy men to themselves to shew that hee will doe as pleaseth him Another ground is our own estate and condition wee are here absent from the Lord strangers on earth now wee would take our pilgrimage for our Countrey if wee had alwayes comfort and new supplies of joy Againe our disposition is to live by sense more than by faith wee are as children in this wee would have God ever smile upon us that we might walke in abundance of cōfort and I cannot blame Christians for desiring it if they desire the work of grace in the first place if they desire the worke of God in them rather than the shining of comfort by the Spirit for that is the best worke Now because Christians desire rather to live by sight than by faith wherein they might honour God more he leaves them oftimes Sight is reserved for another world for the Church triumphant there wee shall have sight enough we shall see God face to face Sometimes Gods Children are negligent and keepe not a holy watch over their soules they cleave to the creature too much and then no wonder though God forsake them since they will have stolne waters of their owne and fetch comfort else-where But one maine ground is conformity to Christ he suffered for our sins and God will conforme the members in some measure to their head though Christ dranke the cup of Gods wrath to the bottome yet wee must sip and taste a little that we may know how much we are beholding to Christ and there are few that come to heaven few that truly belong to GOD but they know what sinne is and what the wrath of GOD is first or last the wrath of God is the best corrosive in the world to eate out sinne A little anger of GOD felt in the conscience will make a man hate pride and malice and all sinne whatsoever But for what end doth GOD leave his children as he did here our blessed Saviour 1 In regard of himselfe 2 In regard of his Children In regard of himself he leaves them that he may comfort them more afterwards that hee may bring more love with him and that they may love him more than before there will after a little forsaking be a mutuall reflection of love betweene GOD and a Christian God delights to shew himselfe more abundantly after a little forsaking and the soule inlargeth it selfe after it hath wanted the love of God for want inlargeth the capacity of the soule and want makes it stretch it selfe to receive more comfort when it comes God doth this for the increase of his love to us and of our love to him againe he both drawes nigh to us and goes away in regard of feeling for our good That wee may bee more watchfull over our hearts for the time to come that there may bee a more perfect divorce and separation wrought in us to the creatures our adulterous hearts have stolne delights that GOD likes not and therefore when wee have smarted for it in the anger and displeasure of God a divorce will bee wrought It is hard to work a separation from sinne sinne and the soule being so nearely invested together yet God therefore uses this way of spirituall desertion to effect the same Likewise to make a Christian soule ransacke and search the ground of all the comforts that are left him by God It wil make him rifle and search all the Scriptures Is there any comfort for mee poore wretch that am troubled with sinne It will make him search the experience of other Christians Have you any word of comfort for me It will make him regard a gracious man as one of a thousand it will make him stretch his heart in all the degrees of grace Have I any evidence that I am the Childe of God and not a cast-away It will make him
for theÌ„ why did he cry out My God my God c. Sight was due to him from his Incarnation in himselfe considered not as our sâ—rety Now that which made a stopp of the influence of comfort to his soule was that he might fully suffer for our sinnes that hee might bee humbled and â—empted and suffer even death it selfe Therefore in regard of the state of humiliation there was faith in him faith of dependance thâ—re was hope in him and he made great use therof to support himselfe But what supported the faith of Christ in this woefull rufull estate he was in being forsaken of God as our Surety Christ presented to his faith these things The unchangeable nature of GOD My God c. Whom he once loves hee loves to the end therfore he layes claime to him Thou hast beene my God heretofore and so thou art stâ—ll Againe faith presented to the soule of Christ Gods manner of dealing he knew well enough that God by contraries brings contraries to passe Hee brings to heaven by the gates of hell hee brings to glory by shame to life by death and therefore resolves notwithstanding this desertion I will depend upon my God Againe Christ knew well enough that God is nearest in support when he is furthest off in feeling so iâ— is ofâ— where hee is nearesâ— the inward man to strengthen it with his love he is furthest off in comfort to outward sense To whom was God nearer than Christ in support and sanctifying grace and yet to whom was he further off in present feeling Christ knew that there was a secret sense of Gods love a sensible sense of Gods love he had a secret sense of God that hee was his Father because he knew himselfe to be his Sonne but he had it not sensibly Faith must bee sutable to the thing beleeved Now Christ in saying my God suites his faith to the truth that was offered to him he knew GOD in the greatest extremitie to bee nearest at hand Be not farre off for trouble is neare c. This should teach us in any extremity or trouble to set faith on worke and seed faith with the consideration of Gods unchangeable nature and the unchangeablenesse of his promises which endure for ever we change but the promise changeth not and GOD changeth not My God still The word of the Lord indureth for ever GOD deales with â—is people in a hidden maner hee supports with secret though not with sensible comfort and will bee nearest when he seemes to be furthest off his Children I beseech you acquaint your selves with these things and thinke it not strange that GOD comes neare you in desertions considering that it was so with Christ present to thy soule the nature of GOD his custome and manner of dealing so shalt thou apprehend favour in the middest of wrath and glory in the middest of shame we shall see life in death we shall see through the thickest Clouds that are betweene GOD and us for as God shines in the heart in his love secretly through all temptations and troubles so there is a spirit of â—aith goes backe to him againe My God my God for faith hath a quicke eye and seeth through contraries There is no cloud of griefe but faith will pierce through it and see a fathers heart under the carriage of an enemy Christ had a great burden upon him the sinnes of the whole world yet he breakes through all I am now sinne I beate the guilt of the whole world yet under this person that I sustaine I am a sonnâ— and God is my God still notwithstanding all this weight of sinne upon mee And shall not wee beloved say My God in any affliction or trouble that befals us oh yes In the sense of sinne which is the bitterest of all and in the sense of Gods anger in losses and crosses in our families c. let us break through those clouds and say My God still But you will say I may apprehend a lie perhaps God is not my GOD and then it is presumption to say so Whosoever casts himselfe upoÌ„ GOD out of the sense of sinne to be ruled by God for the time to come shall obtaine mercy Now dost thou so doth thy conscience tell thee I cast my selfe up on God for better direction I would be ruled as GOD and the Ministery of the Word would have mee hereafter If so thou hast put this question out of question thou doubtest whether ther God be thy God I tell thee God is the God of all that seck him and obey him in truth but thy conscience tels thee thou dost this certainly then whatsoever thou wert before God is now before hand with thee hee offers himselfe to bee thy God if thou trust in him and wilt be ruled by him and not onely so but he intreats us we should beseech him but he intreates us such is his love nay he coÌ„mands us to beleeve in his Sonne Jesus CHRIST Now when I joyne with Gods intreatie Oh Lord thou offerest thy selfe thou invitest mee thou commandest me I yeeld obedience and submit to thy good word then the match is stricken and made up in doing so God is thy God and Christ is thy Christ and thou must improve this claime and interest here in all the passages of thy life long Lord thou art my God therefore teach me thou art my GOD I have given my self to thee I have set up thee in my heart above all things thoâ— art in my soule above all sinne above all profits and pleasures whatsoever therefore save mee and deliver mee have pitty upon me c. The claim is good when we have truely given our selves up to him else Goâ— may say Goâ— to the gods you have served 〈◊〉 were your gods for whom you cracked you consciences â—â—ches and pleasure were your gods goe to them for succour Oh beloved it is a harder matter to say My God in the middest of trouble than the world takes it there was a great conflict in Christ when he said My God when he brake through all molestations and temprâ—â—â—ons of Sathan together with the sense of wrath and could say notwithstanding My God there was a mighty strong spirit in him But no wonder faith is an Almighty grace wrought by the power of God and laying hold upon that power it layes hold upon Omnipotency and therefore it can doe wonders it overcomes the invincible God hee hath made a promise and cannot deny his promise hee cannot deny himselfe and his truth put case his dealing be as an enemy his promise is to bee as a friend to those that trust in him he is mercifull forgiving sinnes his nature now is such satisfaction to his justice makes him shew mercy I speake this that you might beg of God the gift of faith which will carry you through all temptations and afflictions yea even through the shadow of death as David faith
Though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no ill why because thou art with mee my God and my shepheard Though wee be in the valley of the shadow of death yet notwithstanding if God bee with us if wee bee in covenant with him and can lay just claime to his promise by giving up our selves to him we shall not feare one beame of Gods countenance when wee are in covenant with him will scatter all Clouds whatsoever I beseech you therefore labour more and more for this precious grace of faith and increase it by all saâ—ctified means hearing the Word reading the Scriptures and treasuring up promises considering what speciall use wee have of this above all other graces But to proceed Christ here doth not onely beleleeve but He vents his faith by prayer Good workes are but faith inincarnate faith working they differ not much from it so prayer is but faith flaming the breath of faith as it were for when troubles possesse the soule it sends out its Ambassadour presently it speeds prayer forth and prayer stayes not till it come to heaven and there takes hold upon GOD and gets a message and answer from him backe to comfort the soule faith and prayer are all one in a manner when the soule hath any great desire of grace or is in griefe apprehending the displeasure of GOD faith would if it could worke to heaven but we are on earth and cannot till wee dye therefore when it cannot goe to heaven it sends prayer and that mounts the soule aloft and wrastles with God and wil give him no rest till the petition bee granted and it can say My God Therefore if you have any faith at all exercise it and make it bright by often prayer The prayer of faith prevailes much How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved Indeed it is no prayer at all without faith great faith great prayer weake faith weake prayer no faith no prayer they both goe on in an even strength Christ here prayes to God under this complaint Why hast thou for saken me There is a hidden prayer in it oh doe not forsake mee deliver me out c. I beseech you even as you would have comfort from the â—ountaine of comfort that usually conveyes all grace and comfort to us by a spirit of prayer labour to be much in communion w th God in this blessed exercise especially in troubles Call upoÌ„ me in the day of trouble the evil day is a day of prayer of all daâ—es in the day of trouble especially Make your request knowne to God But perhaps GOD will not heare mee Yes this fruit followes The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keepe your hearts and mindes When you have eased your soules into the bosome of God by prayer you may goe securely and know that he will leâ— you reape the fruit of your prayers in the best time Yea but 〈◊〉 prayed long and have had no answer Wait in prayer Gods time is the best time The Physition keepes his owne time he turnes the glasse and though the paâ—iâ—◠〈◊〉 ouâ— that he tormeÌ„ts him it is no matter he knows his time The Gold-smith will not take the metall out of the fire till it bee refined so God knowes what to doe waite his good leasure In the meane time because wee must have all from God by prayer I beseech you derive all from him this way pray for every thing and then we shall have it as a blessing indeed But put the case I cannot pray as sometimes wee are in such a case that we cannot make a large prayer to God Then doe as Christ did Crie If thou canst not pray groane and sigh for they are the groans and sighes of Gods Spirit in thee there is a great deal of oratorâ— in these words What is the use of eloquence but to perswadeâ— and what could perswade God more than when Christ shewed how he esteemed his love and how he was now In the absence of it environed with griefe before him Here was Rhetorick if Christ had not spoken his wounds had said enough and his pittifull ease spake sufficiently every thing hath a voyce to 〈◊〉 for mercy 〈◊〉 â—hee adds his voyce to all and cries vocally aloud My God my god why hast thou forsaken me Beloved if you acquaint your selves with GOD in prayer then you may goe readily to him in any extremity therefore in time of health and prosperity cherish communion with his blessed Majesty make him your friend and upon every good occasion improve this plea Oh my God If wee have riches if we have a friend in the Court wee will improve them if wee have any thing we will make use of it have we a GOD and will we not improve him have wee a God that is our GOD and doe wee want grace doe wee want comfort and strength and assistance and have wee a God the Fountaine of all to goe to Shall we have such a prerogative as this to have Jesus Christ to 〈◊〉 be our great peace-maker that we may go boldly to the Thron of grace through him and shall we not improve the same Wee may goe boldly to God and welcome because GOD is infinite and the more wee goe and beg the more he gives wee cannot exhaust that Fountaine oh let us improve this blessed prerogative then wee shall live the life of heaven upon earth especially when the Conscience is troubled with sinne as Christ was now with the displeasure of his Father then let us go to God plead with his Majesty and we may plead lawfully with him Lord thy Iustice is better satified in Christ than if thou shouldest send me to hell if thou wilt thou maist destroy me for conscience must come to a great resignation it cannot desire mercy but it must see its own misery Lord 〈◊〉 maist justly cast me to hell but it would not bee so much for thy glory thou art more glorious in satifying thy justice in Christ than if thou shouldest damne mee to hell Why Because Gods justice is better satisfied in Christ. Man sinned but God-man satisfied for sinne man would be like God in pride God becomes man in humilitie the expiation of God is greater than the sinne of man He prayed for his persecutors and gave his life for them doth not this proportion more the justice of God than the sinne of man The Law doth but require a nocent person a guilty person to suffer Christ was innocent The Law requires that man should suffer Christ was GOD therefore Christ hath done more than satisfied the Law the satisfaction of Christ is more than if we had suffered Wee are poore men creatures that was the satisfaction of God-man our sinnes are the sinnes of finite persons but he is infinite therefore the soule may plead Lord I am a wretched sinner but I should take
those that have coyne bring it to the touchstone and if it prove counterset they presently reject it and will have none of it Oh that wee had this wisedome for matters of eternity If men would search and plough up their owne hearts they would not need the plowing of Gods enemies wee should not neede Gods judgements if wee would judge ourselves The Church complained that the enemies had made long surrowes on her backe but if shee had plowed her selfe she had saved the enemies that labour Before any judgement comes let us store up the fruits of a holy life every day be doing something doe that now which may comfort thee then store up comforts against the euill day when the night is come wee cannot worke let us therefore walke while wee have the light let us looke about us and do what good wee can whilest wee have time as the Apostle saith The time will come ere long that thou wilt wish Oh that I had that opportunity and advantage of doing good as I have had Oh that I had such meanes of doing good as I have had but then it will be too late then that where by thou shouldest doe good wil be in thy enemies hands and therefore while wee have time let us be doing and receiving all the good wee can Againe if wee would have God to shield us and be an hiding place to us in the worst times let us mourne for our owne sinnes and the sinnes of the times wherein wee live Let us keepe our selves unspotted of the sins of the world let us not bring sticks to the common fire let us not make the times worse for us but better that the times and places wee live in may blesse God for us And let us not onely mourne for the sinnes of the times but labour also to represse them all we can and stand in the gappe endeavouring by our prayers and teares to stop Gods judgments And wee should set a high price upon that Religion and the blessings of God which wee doe injoy lest wee force God to take them from us and so wee come to know that by the want of it which wee did not value when wee possessed it Oh let us esteeme the treasure of the Gospell at a higher rate then ever wee have done wee see how it is slighted by most of the world how they shake the blessed truths of God and call them into question being indifferent for any Religion Is this our proficiency beloved It behooves us to store up all the sanctisied knowledge wee can and to take heed wee yeild not to any that would either weaken our judgement in Religion or our affections to the best things wee should every one in his place labour to stoppe diffentions in this kinde and knit our heart together as one man in unity and concord factions have alwaies fractions going with them unitie makes strong but Division weakneth any people Even Sathans kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand What is the glory of England take away the Gospel and what have wee that other Nations have not better then our selves Alas if wee labour not to maintaine truth wee may say with Elies daughter The glory of God is departed from us Sarah had her handmaids and so hath Religion beene attended with prosperite and peace preservation and protection amongst us even to the admiration of other Countryes Shall we not therefore make much of that Religion which if we had it alone joyned with many crosses and sufferings yet were an inestimable and unvaluable blessing And shall wee not now much more considering it hath beene attended by God with so many mercies cherish and maintaine the same all we can Doe we thinke it will goe alone when it goes whensoever God removes it from us No no therefore I beseech you let us highly esteeme of the Gospell whilest we doe injoy it if wee suffer that to be shaken any way our peace and prosperity will then leave us and judgement upon judgement wil come upon us If wee will not regard the truth of God which he esteemeth most hee will take away outward prosperitie which wee esteeme most But I come to the fifth point that judgement must begin at the house of God Why doth God begin with his owne Church and people 1. Usually because hee useth wicked men and the enemies of his Church for that base service to correct and punish them 2. To take away all excuse from wicked men that they seeing how severely God deales with his owne deare Children might be stirred up to looke about them and consider what will become of themselves at the last if they goe on in their sinfull courses so many crosses as befall Gods children so many evidences against secure carnal persons for if God deale thus with the greene tree what will he do with the dry If he scourge his children thus with rodds certainely the slaves shall be whipped with scorpions 3. God begins with his own servants that his children might be best at last if he should not beginne with them they would grow deeper in rebellion against him and attract more soyle and filth to themselves and be more and more ingaged to error and corruption Gods love to his people is such that hee regards their correction before the confusion of his eâ—emies Againe God doth this that when hee sends them good dayes afterwards they might have the more tast and relish of his goodnesse after an afflicted life we are more sensible of happy times God deales favourably therefore with a man when hee crosseth him in the beginning of his daies and gives him peace in his latter end This is a point of marvellous comfort and incouragement to the faithfull servants of God for 1. though God correct them sharply yet hee shewes therby they are of his houshold When a man corrccts another wee may know it is his childe or servant c. God shewes that we are of his house and family by the care hee takes to correct us the vine is not hated because it is pruned but that it may bring forth more fruit the ground is not hated because it is ploughed nor the house because it is cleansed But what is meant by judgement here Iudgement is correction moderated to Gods children Iudgment is twofold in Scripture the statutes of God are called judgements and the corrections of God are called judgements The Statutes are called judgements because they judge what we should doe and what wee should not doe Now when wee doe not that wee should hee is forced to judge us actually with reall judgments The reall judgements of God are either 1. upon the wicked and so they are judgements in â—ury for there is not the least tast of his love in them to wicked men they can make no sanctified use of them becausâ— they are not directed to them for their good
Or 2. to Gods children and so they are moderate corrections and therefore the Prophet so often urgeth Correct us ô Lord in judgement c. God alwaies moderates afflictions to his owne children but as for the wicked he sweepes them away as doung as drosse and as chaffe c. Againe it is a comfort to Gods children that he beginnes with them first rather then God will suffer them to perish and be condemned with the world hee beginnes with them here they have their worst first and the better is to come This likewise is some comfort that the time when God corrects his children is most seasonable â—it for them God pruneth his trees in the â—ittest time A plant cut unseasonably dieth but being cut in due time it flourishes the better All the works of God are beautifull in their season Every Châ—istian may truly say God loves me better then I doe my selse hee knowes the best time of purging and visiting his people This is the time of lacobs trouble c. therefore we should lay our hands upô our mouths kisse the rodd and stoope under judgements as côsidering Gods time to be the best time and that hee knowes better what is good for us then wee doe our selves Thus you see though we have cause of fearing Gods judgments yet there is something to comfort us in the midst of all God mingles our Comforts and Crosses together whilest we are here both to keepe us in awe of offending his Majesty and to incourage uâ— in well-doing Therefore let us alwayes looke what matter of feare and what matter of hope wee have for both these are operative affetions Oh that I could stirre up this blessed feare in you it is that which preserves the soule and God hath promised that hee will put his feare into our â—earts that wee shall not depart from hiâ— I beseech you plie the thronâ— of grace and desire the Lord that it may bee to every one of your soules according to his good word Labour likewise â—or iâ—câ—urâ—gement in the waies of holinesse blessed be God yet wee have a time of respite God forbeares us with much patience goodnesse Answerable to our good courses that we take nâ—w will be our comfort in the evill day If wee carelesly goe on in sinne thinke it time enough to renew our covenant with God then when his judgments are abroad and ready to ceasse upon us we doe but delude our owne soules expose our selues to inevitable dangers Marke what the Lord saith Because I called and you would not heare c. therefore will I laugh at your destruction Is it not strange that the mercifull God should laugh at the calamity of his poore creatures yet thus it is with every wilfull sinner that dallies with God and puts off his repentance from time to time God will take pleasure in the ruine of such a man and laugâ— when his feare cometâ— because those that seeke him then doe it not out of any love or liking of God and the waies of goodnes but merely out of selfe-love and respect to their owne well-fare THE VNGODLIES MISERY SERMON II. And if it first beginne at us what shall the end of those be that obey not the Gospell THESE words are pâ—opounded by way of admiraâ—â—â— as if the Apostle had beene at his wits end could not certainly set downe how great the judgment should bee of those that obey not the Gospell it was so terrible and unavoydable The points considerable are these 1. That the seeming prospâ—rity of the wicked shall have an end 2. That it is wisedome to conâ—ider the end of gracelesse persons 3. The description of them in these words they are such as obey not the Gospell It is naturally in the hearts of carnall persons to thinke it shall be alwaies well with theÌ„ whereas the Prophet saith the happinesse of a wicked man is but as a candle that ends in â— snuffe or like a Rose the beauty whereof suddenly fades and nothing remaines but the prickles The favours of men for which theyso much offend God shall have an end their strength shall end their pleasure shall end alas they are but pleasures of sinne for a season their life it selfe the foundation of all their comforts that shall have an end but their sinnes by which they have offended God shall never have an end See what a feareful judgmeÌ„t followes every wicked wretch that which he sinnes for his honor riches delights all shall vanish and come to nothing they shall not be able to afford him one droppe or dramme of comfort at his dying day but the sinne it self the guilt of that and the punishment due to the same shall indure for ever to torment his soule without serious repentance turning to God in time But secondly if the happinesse of wicked men shall have an end and their misery shall have no end let us not bee dazeled with their present happinesse so as to imâ—tate their evill waies let us tremble at their courses whose ends we tremble at if we walke in the same path shall wee not come to the same end All wicked men that delight in the company one of another here are brethren in â—vill and shall bee like a company of tares all cast into hell fire together hereafter It is pitty they should be sâ—vered then that will not be severed now Those mens courses therefore which wee follow here of their judgmeÌ„t wee shall participate eternally afterwards Let this admonish us to have nothing to do with sinfull persons nor to bee troubled with their seeming prosperity They stand in â—lippery places God lets them alone for a while but their pleasure will end in bitternesse at last all their riches shall end in poverty beggery They shall not have a drop of â—ater to coole their tongues All their honour and greatnesse shall end in conâ—usion and shame and lie in the dust ere long In deed we should rather pitty them if wee consider their latter ends Alas what shall become of them ere long The fall of there wretches shall bee so terrible that peter could not set it downe but leaves it to the admiration of the Reader What shall the end of such be c. One difference betwixt a wise man and a foole is that a wise man considers his end and frames his life sutable therunto therefore if we would be truly wise let us consider the end of those things in this world which wicked men offend God for and set so light by Heaven and everlasting happinesse for the procurement of Alas whatsoever is here shall have an end A Christian should frame his course answerable to eternity that when his happinesse shall end in this world it may beginne in the world to come els wee may out-live our happinesse This is the misery of wicked men that their soules are eternall
in the day of tryall And wee should labour that our obedience bee free and cheerfull alwayes upon the wing as we say for that is Euangelicall obedience Gods people under the Gospell are a voluntary ready people zealoâ—s of good workes Oh beloved did we but consider what GOD hath done for us here and what hee meanes to doe for us in another world how would our hearts be inlarged in duty to his Majesty did wee but consider of his inestimable love in the Lord Christ pardoning such wretches as wee are and not onely so but accepting our service and us to life everlasting taking us from the lowest misery to the highest happinesse from the lowest hell to the highest heaven of traytors to be Sonnes of slaveâ— to bee heires of the Kingdome c Oh did wee but seriously consider and beleeve these things how would they warme our hearts and make us plyable and constant to every good worke and way The Apostle having tasted the sweet favour of GOD in Christ might well use it as a motive to quicken others I beseech you by the tender mercies of Christ c. He knew this was a powerfull argument and if that wrought not upon mens hearts nothing would Let our obedience therefore be cheerefull for now wee are not in the oldnesse of the letter we have not a Legall Covenant since Christs comming but wee serve God in the newnesse of the Spirit that is coÌ„sidering that the Spirit is given in more plenty since his ascention wee should bee more spirituall and heavenly in our service of God considering that our Head is already entred into that high and holy place and wee ere long shall bee present with him having but a spot of time to passe here below how ready and zealous should wee bee in obedience to Gods will and not suffer a heavy lumpishnesse and deadnesse of spirit to cease upon us in holy performances but I hasten to the second Amplification THE DIFFICVLTY OF SALVATION SERMON III. If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare BY righteous here is meant that Euangelicall righteousnesse which wee have in the state of the Gospell namely the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us for Christ himselfe being ours his obedience and all that hee hath becomes ouâ—s also and whosoever partaketh of this righteousnesse which is by faith hath also a righteousnesse of sanctification accoÌ„panying the same wrought in his soule by the Spirit of God whereby his sâ—nfull nature is changed and made holy for if any man be in Christ hee is a new creature The same Spirit that assures us of our interest in Christ purifies and clenseth our hearts and worketh a new life in us opposite to our life in the first Adam from whence flowes new workes of holinesse and obedience throughout our whole conversation There must bee an inward inherent righteousnesse before there can bee any workes of righteousnesse an Instrument must bee set in tune before it will make musicke so the Spirit of God must first worke a holy frame and disposition of heart in us before we can bring forth any fruits of holinesse in our lives for we commend not the works of grace as we doe the workes of Art but referre them to the worker all that flowes from the Spirit of righteousnesse are workes of righteousnesse When the soule submits it selfe to the spirit and the body to the soule then things come off kindly Take a man that is righteous by the spirit of God hee is righteous in all relations he gives every one his due he gives God his due spirituall worship is set up in his heart above all hee gives Christ his due by affiance in him hee gives the holy Angels their due by considering hee is alwayes in their presence that their eye is upon him in every action he doth and every duty hee performes the poore have their due from him those that are in authority have their due if he be under any hee gives theÌ„ reverence and obedience c. He will owe nothing to any man but love hee is righteous in all his conversation he is a vessell prepared for every good worke I deny not but hee may erre in some particular that is nothing to the purpose I speake of a man as hee is in the disposition and bent of his heart to GOD and goodnesse and so there is a thread of a righteous course that runs along through his whole conversation the constant tenure of his life is righteous he hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse and labors to be more and more righteous still every way both in justification that he may have a clearer evidence of that as also in sanctification that he may have more of the new creature formed in him that so hee may serve God better and better all his dayes Now if this man shall scarcely bee saved where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare where you have two branches 1. The righteous shall scarcely be saved 2. The terrible end of sinners and ungodly Where shall they appeare c. Now in that the righteous man thus described by me shall scarcely be saved consider two things 1. That the righteous shall be saved 2. That they shall scarcely bee saved What doe I say the Righteous shall be saved he is saved already This day is salvation come to thine house Iaith Christ to Zacheus Wee are saved by faith and are now set in heavenly places together with him wee have a title interest to happinesse already there remaines onely a passage to the Crowne by good workes We doe not as the Papists doe worke to merit that wee have not but wee doe that wee doe in thankfulnesse for what we have because we know we are in the state of salvation therefore wee will shew our thankfulnesse to God in the course of our lives How can we misse of salvation when we are saved already Christ our Head being in heaven will draw his body after him What should hinder us the world Alas wee have that faith in us which overcometh the world as for the flesh you know what the Apostle saith Wee are not under the law but under grace the spirit in us alwayes lusteth against the flesh and subdues it by little and little neither can Sathan or the gates of hell prevaile against us for the grace we have is stronger then all enemies against us GOD the Father is our Father in Christ and his love and gifts are without repentance when once we are in the state of salvation Hee will preserve us by faith to salvation and wee are knit to God the Sonne who will lose none of his members the marriage with Christ is an everlasting union whom he loves he loves to the end As for God the Holy Ghost saith Christ I will send the Comforter and hee shall bee with you to the end The blessed Spirit
will bee our trouble and the more wee doe the will of God and strive against our corruptions the more will make holy duties delightfull to us but if wee favour and cherish corruption it will make Religion harsh for the wayes of wisedome are wayes of pleasure in themselves and to the regenerate c. I come now to the second clause Where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare By sinner he meanes him that makes a trade of sinne as wee say a man is of such a trade because he is daily at worke of it and lives by it so a man is a trader in sinne that lives in corrupt courses for it is not one act that denominates a sinner but the constant practice of his life Now this qâ—estion Where shall the ungodly appeare implyes a strong denyall He shall bee able to appeare no where especially in these three times 1. In the day of publike calamity when God judgements are abroad in the world the wicked are as Chaffe before the winde as waxe before the Sun as stubble before the fire when God comes to deale with a coÌ„pany of gracelesse wretches how will he consume and scatter them and sweep them away as dung from the face of the earth he will universally make a riddance of them all at once where shall a Naball stand when judgement comes upon him alas his heart is become a stone Where shall Balthazar appeare wheÌ„ he sees a hand-writing upon the wall Oh how the wicked tremble and quake when G O D comes to judge them in this world though they were a terrour to others before But where shall they stand in the houre of death when the world can hold them no longer when friends shal forsake them when GOD will not receive them when Hell is ready to devour them c. And lastly Where shall the sinner appeare at the day of judgement that great and terrible day of account when they shal see al the world in a combustion rouÌ„d about them and the Lord Jesus comming in flaming fire with his mighty Angels to take vengeance on such as obey not the Gospell how will they then call for the Mountaines to cover them and the Hills to fall upon them to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe c. Beloved I beseech you let the meditation of these things sinke deepe into your hearts dwell upon them remember that they are matters which neerly concerne your soule and no vaine words touching you and your welfare THE SAINTS SAFETY IN EVILL TIMES SERMON IIII 1 PET. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soâ—les to him in well doing as to a faithfull Creator THough Divinity be cleare in other differences from carnall or naturall reasons yet it hath homâ—geniall reasons and grounds Of its owne whence come inserences as naturall as for the tree to beare fruit or the Sunne to shine so upon the former divine grounds for it is a matter of suffering wherein wee must have pure Divinity to support our soules The Aposlle comes to bring a spirituall inference sutable to the same in the words read unto you Wherefore concluding all to bee true that was said before Let them that suffer c. Wherein consider 1. That the state and condition of Gods children is to suffer 2. The dispensation of that suffering they suffer not at all adventures but according to the will of GOD. 3. Their duty in this estate namely to commit the keeping of their soules to God In the duty we have these particulars comprehended 1. An action To commit 2. An object what wee must commit the soule 3. The person to whom to God 4. The maner in well doing Lastly the reason which should move us hereunto implyed in these words as unto a faithfull Creator Whatsoever may support the doubting of a godly man in any trouble and inforce upon him this duty of committing his soule to God is briefly coprised in this that God stands in that near relatioÌ„ of a Creator yea of a faithfull Creator to us this is the scope of the words Observ. 1. That the state of Gods children is to suffer yea to suffer of God for sometimes hee seemes to bee an enemy to his dearest servants as unto Iob but chiefly they are in a militant estate and condition here Because they live among those that they cannot but suffer from wheresoever they live Suppose they live among Christians yet there are many Christians in name that are not so in deed there hath beene secret underminers in all ages and what else may they looke for but suffering from these All that ever truly â—eared GOD and made conscience of their wayes have found afflictions among false brethren It was never heard of that a Sheepe should pursue a Wolfe They must suffer also in regard of themselves for the truth is the best of us all have many lusts to be subdued and a great deale of corruption to bee purged out before wee can come to heaven that pure and holy place into which no uncleane thing can enter Though a Garden he never so fruitfull yet after a showre it will need weeding so after long peace the Church of God gathers Soyle and needes clensing But some carnall wretch will say I thanke God I never suffered in my life but have enjoyed peace and prosperity and my hearts content in every thing Then suspect thy selfe to bee in a bad estate for every true Christian suffers in one kinde or other either from without or within sometimes Gods children are troubled more with corruption than with affliction at other times their peace is troubled both with corruption within and with affliction without at the best they have sufferings of sympathy Shall the members of Christ suffer in other countries and wee professe our selves to bee living members and yet not sympathize with them wee must bee conâ—â—rmable to our Head before wee can come to heaven But the dispensation of our suffering is according to the will of God where note two things 1. That its Gods will be should suffer 2. When we suffer we suffer according to his will To passe briefly over these as not being the thing I ayme at Gods will concerning our suffering is permissive in respect of those that doe us harme but in regard of our patient enduring injuries it is his approving and commanding will wee are enjoyned to suffer and they are permitted to wrong us It seemes then there is some excuse for those that persecute the Saints they doe but according to Gods will and if it bee so who dares speake against them It is not Gods coÌ„manding will but his suffering will hee useth their malice for his owne ends God lets the rayne loose upon their neckes as a man is said to set a dogg upon another when he unlooseth his
contentment accounting the blessed Martyrs too prodigall of their blood c. Others there are who if once they come to suffer presently fall to shifting and plotting how to get forth againe by unlawfull meanes oftentimes making shipwracke of a good conscience and dishonouring the Gospell of God I beseech you consider these things Every man would have Christ and bee religious so long as they may enjoy peace and quietnesse but if once trouble or persecution arises then farewel religion they cast off their profession then I wish this were not the case of many seeming Christians in these our dayes But suppose a man carry himselfe ill in suffering There is not the least promise of comfort in Scripture to such a man unlesse hee returne and seeke the Lord by timely repentance for all incouragement is to well doing Oh what a pittifull thing is it for the soule to bee in such a state as that it dares not commit it selfe to God A man in evill doing cannot goe home to his owne conscience for comfort nor have any inward peace in the least action he performes so long as hee doth it with false aymes and carnall affections c. who would deprive himselfe of the comfort of suffering in a good cause for want of integrity I beseech you therefore carry your selves well in any thing you either doe or suffer otherwise no blessing can bee expected for we tempt the Lord and make him accessary to us when we commit our soules to him in ill doing Even as your Pirates and other Miscreants in the world that will robbe and steale and doe wickedly and yet pray to G O D to blesse them in their base courses what is this but to make G O D like themselves as if hee approved their thest and horrible blasphemy But what must wee commit to God in well doing the keeping of our soâ—les The soule is the more excellent part witnesse he that purchased the same with his dearest blood What will it profit a man saith our Saviour to gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule who could know the price of a soule better than hee that gave his life for redemption of it yea if the whole world were layd in one ballance and the soule in another the soule were better than all Therefore whatsoever estate thou art in let thy first care be for thy soule that it may goe well with that You know in any danger or combustion suppose the firing of an house that which a man chiefly lookes after is his Iewels and precious things I have some wealth in such a place if I could but have that I care for no more let the rest goe So it is with a Christian whatsoever becomes of him in this world hee lookes to his precious soule that that may bee layed up safely in the hands of God Suppose a man were robbed by the high way and had some speciall jewell about him though every thing else were taken a way from him yet so long as that is lest he thinkes himselfe a happy man and saith they have taken a way some luggage but they have lest me that which I prize more than all so it is with a Christian let him bee stripped of all hee hath so his soule bee not hurt but all safe and well there hee cares not much But what should wee desire our soules to bee kept from in this world From sinne and the evill consequents thereof Beloved we have great neede our soules should be kept by God for alas what sinne is there but wee shall fall into it unlesse God preserve us in peace and comfort and assurance of a better estate what would become of our poore soules if wee had them in our owne keeping Achitophell had the keeping of his owne soule and what became of him first hee did runne into the sinne of Treason and afterwards being a wicked Politician and an Atheist having no delight in God was the executioner of himselfe We shall bee ready as Iob saith to teare our owne soules if God hath not the keeping of them wee shall teare them with desperate thoughts as Iudas who never committed his soule to God but kept it himselfe and wee see what became of him The Apostle bids us goe to God in prayer and committing our soules to him to keepe from sinne despaire distrust and all spirituall evill whatsoever and then the peace of God which passeth all understanding as the word in the Originall is shall guard our soules in Christ our soules have need of guarding and we of our selves are not sufficient to doe it therefore wee should commit them unto God for except hee preserve us wee shall soone perish I am ashamed to speake of it and yet notwithstanding the courses of men are such that they inforce a man to speak that which hee is even ashamed of What doe I speake of committing your souleâ— to God when many thousands in the world live as if they had no soules at all I am perswaded that your common swearers prophane wretches who wrong their soules to pleasure their bodies and prostitute both body and soule and all to their base lusts thinke for the time that they have no soules they thinke not that there is such an excellent immortall substance breathed into them by God which must live for ever in eternall happinesse or endlesse misery Did they beleeve this they would not wound and staine their precious soules as they doe they would not obey every base lust out of the abuÌ„dance of prophancnes in their hearts even for nothing as many notorious loose persons doe Oh could wee but get this principle into people that they have immortall soules which must live for ever they would soone bee better than they are but the Devill hath most men in such bondage that their lives speake that they beleeve they have no soules by their-ill usage of them But must wee not commit our bodies and our estates to God as well as our soules Yes all wee have for that is onely well kept which G O D keepes but yet in time of suffering we must be at a point with these things if God will have our liberty if hee will have our wealth if he will have our life and aâ—â— wee must hate all for Christs sake but wee must not bee at such a point with our soules wee must keepe them close to God and desire him to keepe them in well doing Suppose it come to an exigent that wee must either sinne and hurt our soules or else lose all our outward good things We must desire God to preserve our soules whatsoever becomes of these our principall care must bee that that bee not blemished in the least kinde for alas other things must bee parted with first or last this bodie of ours or whatsoever is deare in the world must bee stripped from us and layed in the dust ere long But here is
our comfort though our body be dead yet our soules are themselves still dead S. Paul is Paul still our body is but the case or tabernae le wherein our soule dwels especially a mans selfe is his soule keepe that and keep all I beseech you therefore as things are in worth and excellency in Gods account let our esteeme bee answerable you have many complements in the world how doth your body c. meere complements indeed but how few will enquire how our soules doe alas that is in poore case the body perhaps is well looked unto that is cloathed and care taken that nothing bee wanting to it but the poore soule is ragged and wounded and naked Oh that men were sensible of that miserable condition their poore soules are in Beloved the soule is the better part of a man and if that miscarries all miscarries if the soâ—le bee not well the body will not continue long in a good estate Bernard saith sweetly Oh body thou hast a noble guest dwelling in thee a soule of such inestimable worth that it makes thee truly noble what soever goodnesse and excellency is in the body is communicated from the soule when that once departs the body is an unlovely thing without life or sense the very sight of it cannot bee indured of the dearest friends What an incredible basenesse is it therefore that so precious a thing as the soule is should serve these vile bodies of ours Let the body stay its leisure the time of the resurrection is the time of the body in this life it should bee serviceable to our soules in suffering and doing whatsoever God cals us unto Let our bodies serve our soules now and then body and soule shall for ever after bee happy whereas if wee to gratifie our bodies doe betray our soules both are undone Beloved the Devill and devilish minded men acted with his spirit have a speciall spight to the soule Alas what doe they ayme at in all their wrongs and injuries to Gods children Doe they care to hurt the body indeed they will doe this rather than nothing at all they will rather play at small game than sit out the Devill will enter into the Swine rather than stand out altogether some mischiefe hee will doe however but his maine spight is at the soule to vexe and disquiet that and taint it with sinne all he can Considering therefore that it is Sathans ayme to unloose our hold from God by defiling our soules with sinne so to put a divorse betwixt his blessed Majesty and us oh let it be our chiefe care to see to that which Sathan strikes at most Hee did not so much care in Iobs trouble for his goods or for his house or children c. alas he aymed at a â—urther mischiefe than this his plot was how to make him blaspheme and wound his soule that so there might be a difference betwixt God and him Hee first tempts us to commit sinne and afterwards to despaire for sinne But to whom must the soule be committed Commit the keeping of your soules to God Indeed hee onely can keepe our soules wee cannot keepe them our selves neither can any thing else in the world doe it Some when they are sick will commit themselves to the Physitian and put all their trust in him when they are in trouble they will commit themselves to some great friend when they have any bad naughty cause to mannage they will commit themselves to their purse and thinke that shall beare them out in any thing one thinkes his wit and policy shall secure him another that his shifts may shelter him c. and indeed the heart of man is so full of Atheisme that it can never light upon the right object to trust God alone untill it sees every thing else faile as being insufficient to support the soule or to yeeld any solid comfort in times of extremity and distresse But why must wee commit our soules to God Because he is a faithfull Creator Whence observe That the soule of man being an understanding Essence will not bee satisfied and setled without sound Reasons Comfort is nothing else but reasons stronger than the evill which doth afflict us when the reasons are more forcible to case the minde then the grievance is to trouble it It is no difficult matter to commit our soules to God when wee are once perswaded that hee is a faithfull Creator A man commits himselfe to another man hath no other reason for it but onely he is perswaded of his ability and credit in the world that hee is a man of estate and power to doe him good so it is in this businesse of Religion our soules are carryed to any thing strongly when they are carryed by strong reasons as in this particular of trusting God with our soules when wee see sufficieÌ„t reasons inducing thereto we easily resigne them into his hands This shewes that Popery is an uncomfortable Religion which brings men to despaire they have no reason for what they maintaine What reason can they give for their doctrine of doubting transubstantiation perfect obedience to the law c. these are unreasonable things the soule cannot yeeld to such absurdities it must have strong reasons to stablish it as here to coÌ„sider Godas a faithful Creator c. there is something in God to answer all the doubts and feares of the soule and to satisfic it in any coÌ„dition whatsoever This is the very foundation of Religion not that any worth can accrue to the Creator from the creature but that there is an All sufficiency in the Creator to releive the poor creature If a man consider in what order God created him it will make him trust God Paradise and all in it were ready for him so soone as hee came into the world God created us after his owne Image that as he was Lord of all things so wee should bee Lord of the creatures they were all at his service that hee might serve God therfore after every thing else was created hee was made that so God might bring him as it were to a table ready furnished And not onely in nature but in holinesse having an immortall and invisible soule resembling God We must take God here as a Creator of our whole man body and soule and of the new creature in us God made man at the first but that was not so much as for God to bee made man to make us new creatures God created our bodies out of the dust but our soules come immediately from himself he breathed them into us and in this respect hee is a higher Creator thaÌ„ in the other for wheÌ„ we had marred our first making and became more like beasts than men for indeed every one that is not like God sympathizeth with beasts or Devils one way or other God in Christ made us new againe yea God became man to inrich us with all grace and goodnesse to
no otherwise than by his word till we come to the knowledge of vision in heaven wee must be content with the knowledge of Revelation in the Word And in every promise single out that which best suiteth with thy present condition If thou art in any great distresse thinke upon the Almighty power of God Lord thou hast made me of nothing and canst deliver mee out of this estate behold I flie unto thee for succour c. If thou art in perplexity for want of direction and knowest not what to doe single out the Attribute of Gods wisedome and desire him to teach thee the way that thou shouldest goe If thou art wronged flie to his Iustice and say O God to whom veÌ„geance belongeth heare and helpe thy servant If thou be surprized with distrust and staggering then goe to his truth and faithfulnesse thou shalt alwayes finde in God something to support thy soule in the greatest extremity that can be fall thee for if there were not in God a fulnesse to supply every exigent that wee are in he were not to bee worshipped he were not to be trusted Man is lighter than vanity in the Ballance Every man is a lyar that is hee is false we may bee so and yet bee men too but God is essentially true hee cannot deceive and bee God too Therefore ever when thou art disappointed with men retire to God and to his promises and build upon this that the Lord will not be wanting in any thing may doe thee good With men there is breach of covenant Nation with Nation and man with man there is little trust to bee had in any but in all confusions here is comfort A religious person may cast himselfe boldly in to the armes of the Almighty and goe to him in any distresse as to a faithfull Creator that will not fortake him Oh let us bee ashamed that we should dishonour him who is ready to pawne his faithfulnesse and truth for us If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull to forgive them hee will not sâ—ffer us to bee tempted above that which wee are able When we perplexe our selves with doubts and feares whether hee will make good his promise or not wee disable his Majesty Doe wee not thinke God stands upon his truth and faithfulnesse undoubtedly hee doth and wee cannot dishonour him more than to distrust him especially in his Euangelicall promises wee make him a lyar and robb him of that which hee most glories in his Mercy and Faithfulnesse if wee rest not securely upon him See the basenesse of mans nature God hath made all other things faithfull that are so and wee can trust them but are ever and anon questioning the truth of his promise Wee may justly take up Salvians complaint in his time Who hath made the earth faithfull to bring forth fruit saith he but God yet wee can trust the ground with sowing our seed Who makes man faithfull who is by nature the most slippery and unconstant creature of all other but God onely yet wee can trust a vaine man whose breath is in his Nostrils and looke for great matters at his hands before an Al-sufficient God that changeth not Who makes the seas and the winds faithfull that they doe not hurt us but God and yet wee are apt to trust the winde and weather sooner than GOD as wee see many Sea-men that will thrust forth their goods into the wide Ocean in a small Bark to shift any way rather than trust God with them Yea let Sathan by his wicked Instruments draw a man to some cursed politique reasons for the Devill doth not immediatly converse with the world but in his instruments and hee will sooner trust him than God himselfe so prone are our hearts to distrust the Almighty to call his truth in question and to trust the lyes of our own hearts and other mens before him Let us therefore lament our insidelity that having such an omnipotent and faithfull Creator to relie upon yet we cannot bring our hearts to trust in him There are two maine Pillars Of a Christians faith 1. The Power of God 2. The Goodnesse of God These two like Aaron and Hur hold up the armes of our prayers Let our estate be never so desperate yet God is a Creator still let our sinnes and infirmities be never so great yet hee hath power to heale them Oh how should this cheare up our soules and support our drooping spirits in all our strivings and conflicts with sinne and Sathan that wee yeeld not to the least temptation having such an Almighty GOD to flye unto for succour Cursed is that man which makes flesh his arme he that we trust in must bee no lesse than a Creator Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils saith God hee is a poore creature as thy selfe is raised of nothing and shall come to dust againe If wee would beetrusting as wee needs must for we are dependant persons and want many things whilest wee are here let us goe to the fountaine and not to broken Cisternes for comfort It is no small priviledge for a Christian to have this free accesse to God in times of extremity be we what wee can bee take us at our worst in regard of sinne or misery yet we are his Creatures still I am the Clay thou art the Potter I am a sinfull wretch yet I am the workmanship of thy hands O Lord thou hast framed mee and fashioned mee c. No wicked person in the world can upon good ground plead in this manner though they may say to God I am thy creature yet they have not the grace in their troubles to plead this unto him Why Lord though I bee a rebellious sonne and am not worthy to be called thy servant yet I am thy creature though a sinfull one Surely had weâ— faith wee would take hold by a little I he soule of man is like the Vine 〈◊〉 windes about and fastens upon every little help faith will see day at a little hole and where it sees any thing it will catch at it as the woman of Canaan Christ cals her Dog why be it so Lord I am a dogg yet I am one of the family though I be a Dogge therefore have mercy on me Oh it is a sweet reasoning thus to cling about God and gather upon him it is a speciall art of faith Though a carnall man may reason thus as having a ground from the truth of the thing yet hee hath not grace to reason out of an affectioÌ„ thereunto though hee should say Lord I am thy Creature yet his heart tels him thus if hee would hearken to it I am thy creature Lord but I have made all my members that I have received from thee instruments to sinne against thee and I purpose not to reforme My tongue is an instrument of swearing lying and prophane speeches my hands are instruments of bribery and violence continually working mischiefe in thy sight my
feete carry me to such and such filthy places and abominable courses mine owne heart tels mee that I fight against thee my Creator with those very limbes and weapons which thou hast given me Beloved the conscience of this so stifles the voyce of a wilfull sinner that not withstanding he acknowledgeth himselfe to bee Gods creature yet hee cannot with any comfort plead for mercy at his hand in times of distresse But to a right godly man this is an argument of speciall use and consequence in the midst of troubles he may alleage this and it binds God to helpe him Wee see great ones when they raise any though perhaps there is little merit in them yet they call them their Creatures and this is a moving argument with such to polish their owne worke still and not to desert them Will it not be a prevailing argument with God then for a Christian to pleade with him Lord thou hast raised mee out of nothing yea out of a state worse than nothing I am thy poore Creature forsake not the work of thine owne hands We may see what a fearefull thing sinne is in Gods eye that the works of our hands should make God depart from the worke of his hands as hee will certainely doe at the day of judgement Depart you cursed c. though we bee his creatures yet because wee have not used those gifts and abilities which hee hath given us to serve his Majesty hee will not indure the sight of us in that day But that you may the better practise this duty of committing your soules to God take these directions First see that thou bee thy owne man it is an act of persons free to covenant our soules must bee ours before wee can commit them to God Naturally wee are all slaves to Sathan the Strong man hath possession of us and therefore our first care must bee to get out of his bondage to which purpose we should much eye the sweet promises and invitations of the Gospell alluring us to accept of mercy and deliverance from sinne and death as Come unto mee all you that are weary and heavy laden c. and so cast the guilt of our soules upon God to pardon first and then to sanctifie and cleanse that we may no more returne to folly but lead an unspotted life before him for the time to come It is therefore a silly course and dangerous which poore worldly wretches take who think Lord have mercy upon them will serve their turne and that God will certainly save their soules when as they were never yet in the state of grace or reconciliation with him nor never had any divorce made betweene them and their sinnes and consequently never any league betweene God and their soules to this day Beloved when once a man hath alienated his soule from God by sinne hee hath then no more command of it for the present it is quite out of his power Now when wee would commit our soules to God aright wee must first commit them to him to pardon the guilt of sinne in them when this is done God wil give us our soules againe and then they may truly bee said to bee our owne and not before It is the happinesse of a Christian that hee is not his owne but that whether hee live or die he is the Lords In the second place Wee must labour to finde our selves in Covenant with God that is to finde him making good his promises to us and our selves making good our promises to him For a man cannot commit himselfe to God unlesse hee finde a disposition in his heart to bee faithfull to him There is a passive fidelity and an active 1. Passive faithfulnesse is in the things that wee give trust unto as such a one is a sure trusty man therefore I will relye upon him 2. Active faithfulnesse in the soule is when we cast our selves upon a man that is trusty and depend upon him the more a man knowes another to be faithfull the more faithful hee will bee in trusting of him and thus wee must trust God if ever wee expect any good at his hands and our dependance on him bindes him to bee the more faithfull to us He is counted a wicked man indeed that will deceive the trust committed to him Trust begets sidelity it makes a good man the more faithfull when hee knowes hee is trusted Learne therefore to know thy selfe to be in covenant with God and to trust him with all thou hast traine up thy selfe in a continuall dependance upon him Hee that trusts God with his soule will trust him every day in every thing hee hath or doth hee knowes well that whatsoever he enjoyes is not his owne but Gods and this stirres him up to commit all his waies and doings to his protection esteeming nothing safe but what the Lord keeps He sees it is not in sinfull man to direct his owne steps and therefore resignes up his estate his calling his family whatsoever is neare and deare unto him to the blessed guidance and direction of the Almighty Oh thinkes he that I were in covenant with GOD that hee would owne mee for his and take the care of mee how happy should my condition then be He will likewise commit the Church and State wherein hee lives to God and strengthens his faith daily by observing Gods faithfull dealing with his people in every kinde How behovefull it is for Christians thus to inure themselves to bee acquainted with God by little and little first trusting him with smaller matters and then with greater how can a man trust God with his soule that distrusts him for the petty things of this life They that give to the poore are said to lend unto the Lord and if wee cast our bread upon the waters wee shall finde it againe Beloved hee that parts with any thing to relieve a poore Saint and will not trust God with his promise to recompence it againe but thinkes all is gone and hee shall never see it more c. exceedingly derogates from the truth and goodnesse of the Almighty who hath promised to returne with advantage whatsoever wee give that way Hee hath secret wayes of his owne to doe us good that wee know not of A man is never the poorer for that which hee discretly gives It is hard to beleeve this but it is much harder for a man to commit his soule to God when he dyes with assurance that he shall partake of mercy and bee saved at the last day Againe Take heed of these evill and cursed dispositions that hinder us from the performance of this duty as namely carnall wit and policy and carnall will and affection c. There is a great deale of selfe-denyall to be learned before wee can goe out of our selves and commit all to God ere we can cast our selves into his armes and lay our selves at his feet therefore take heed that wee be not ruled either by our owne
thou wilt serve thy selfe of my credit and reputation I will adventure it for thee If thou wilt have my life of thee I had it to thee I will restore it I will not limit thy Majesty come of it what will I leave it to thy wisedome use mee and mine as thou wilt onely be gracious to my soule that it may goe well with that and I care not Thus wee should wholly resigne our selves to the Lords disposall and thereby wee shall exceedingly honour his Majesty and cause him to honour us and to shew his presence to us for our good which hee will assuredly doe if we absolutely yeeld up our selves to him But if a man will have two strings to his Bow and trust him so farre but not so farre so hee may bee kept from this danger or that trouble c. this is not to deale with God as an Omnipotent Creator For hee that doth a thing truely in obedience to God will doe it generally to all his commands so farre as the reason of his obedience reaches his trust extends hee that commits any thing to God will commit all to him he chooseth not his Objects but upon the same ground that hee commits his soule to God when hee dies hee commits his estate liberty and all hee hath while he lives Hee can never relye on God for greater matters that distrusts him in lesser Againe a man that truely trusts God will commit all his wayes unto him hee will take no course but what hee is guided in by the Lord hee lookes for wisedome from above and saith Lord though it is not in mee to guide my owne way as thy Word shall leade mee and the good counsel of thy Spirit in others direct me so I will follow thee Hee that commits not his wayes to God will not commit his comforts to him God must bee our Counsellor as well as our Comforter Therefore the Wise man bids us Acknowledge God in all our wayes and leane not to our owne wisedome Most men looke how safe their counsels are not how holy and agreeable to God is this to trust in him Will God save us at last and yet suffer us to live as wee liâ—t now Deceive not your selves hee that will have his soule saved must commit it to GOD before hand to bee sanctified Againe those that commit themselves aright to God will commit their posterity to him their wives and children c. Why doe not men make their Wils and commit their goods to them Oh but how doe they resigne them how covetous and full of distrust are they I must leave such a childe so much and so much and why I pray you because God cannot blesse him else Oh fearefull Is God â—yed to meanâ—s cannot heblesse with a little as well as with a great deale Is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Why must God have so much in hand or else hee cannot inrich and raise up thy Children Oh consider he hath declared himselfe to bee the father of the fatherlesse and lookes to the Widdow in a speciall manner he doubles his Providence there hee provides for all but takes speciall notice of them therefore quiet thy selfe they are in covenant with God and God is thy God and the God of thy seed also therefore if thou wilt commit thy soule why not thy Wife Children goods c. Looke into the course of Gods people in all times those that have left but little with honest dealing God hath blessed the same exceedingly whereas those that have left great matters ill gotten in stead of a blessing have often left a curse and a snare behinde them Why then should men take indirect courses and wound their consciences for worldly pelâ—e Consider 1. thy children are Gods and not thine hee gave them to thee at first and he can provide hereafter when thou artgone thou art the father of their body but he is the father of their soule 2. He provided for them before they were borne doth not hee provide care and affection in the Mothers heart doth not he provide suck in the Mothers breasts and will hee not care for them now they are borne as well as he did before they came into the world it is Atheisme to thinke such a thought Those that commit themselves to God in one thing will doe so in all things otherwise they deceive their owne soules for it is a universall Act that runnes through their whole life Committing is an Action of trust and there is a kinde of entercourse of trust betweene God and a Christian continually Lastly those that commit themselves to God wil be faithfull stewards in whatsoever hee hath trusted them withall Thou committest thy selfe and thy health and estate to God and at length thou wilt commit thy soule when thoudiest unto him very well but what doth God trust thee withall hath hee not trusted thee with a Body and a soule with a portion of goods with place time strength and abilities to doe good Hast thou not all thou hast from God as a Steward to improve for thy Masters advantage If ever thou expectest the performance of what thou hast put in him bee faithfull in that trust which hee hath committed to thee Those that have misused their bodies and wounded their soules in their lives how can they commit theÌ„ to God at their deaths How dares the soule looke up to him when the life hath beene nothing else but a perpetuall offending of his Majesty I beseech you let us learne this wholesome lesson great is our benefit thereby Hee that trusts in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot bee moved wee may be shaken but shall never be removed The earth is shaken with Earthquakes but the earth keepes its owne Center still Our best peace is in God and our chiefest safety in his protection I laid mee downe to rest because thou Lord watchest over me saith the Prophet and Returne O my soule to thy rest for the Lord hath beene very beneficiall to thee Is it not a good thing to have a sweete security of soule that whether I sleepe or wake whether I bee at home or abroad live or die I have a Providence watching over mee better then mine owne When I yeeld my selfe up to God his wisedome is mine his strength is mine whatsoever hee hath it is for me because I am his What a heaven upon earth is this that a Christian out of a holy familiarity with God can resigne up his soule to him upon all occasions Set heaven and salvation aside what greater happinesse can be desired How sweet is a mans rest at night after he hath yâ—elded himselfe to God by faithfull prayer I beseech you let us bee acquainted with the practise of this duty and labour to bee in such a state as God may owne us and receive our poore soules to himselfe Let us keepe them pure and undeâ—iled