great mercy to our selves The Oyl of grace like the Widows 2 King 4. 6. increaseth by powring out an opportunity is a special season which God affordeth us for the benefit of our own and others souls When time and helps meet and marty their off-spring is opportunity Thou dealest with those at one time whom thou mayst never see again possibly their hearts being big with sin they bring forth in thy presence either swearing or slandering or mocking at holiness now God gives thee an opportunity by a prudent affectionate reproof and by serious savoury advice to kill those brats of Hell as soon as they are born and to make the Parents barren in regard of such a cursed brood for ever after which if thou neglectest thou shalt never have again The Bird of opportunity is usually upon the wing she flieth away of a sudden and we never fee her again therefore whilst thou hast her make the best use of her Thou thinkest it may be that thy counsel to such men would be but cast away as pure water in a nasty sink but do thy work which is to endavour their conversion and leave the success which is Gods work to him Benhadads Souldier drew a Bow at a venture and his Arrow pierced within the joynts of the Harness and slew Ahab the man shot the Arrow at he knew not who but God levelled it at the King amongst all the company Do thou draw the Bow according to thy duty and God may so direct the Arrow of admonition as to make it enter the sinners heart and let out the very life of his sin Sometimes things are done best on a sudden Tiberius was happier in his extempore speeches then those which he made upon study and premeditation Thou mayst as Philip to the Eunuch fall in with a person on a sudden whom thou never sawest before nor shalt ever see again and by seasonable counsel be instrumental to his eternal comfort It may be thou meetest with such as do believe then thy care must be to build them up Saints must be Land-markâ— to direct others in the way to life Apollos was a stranger to Aquila and Priscilla but coming into his company they expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 25. The members of the mystical body must be helpful to one another Christians with whomsoever they converse ought to endeavour either their gaining to or growing up in Jesus Christ. Alexanders body was of so exact and rare a constitution saith the Historian that it perfumed every place where he came The gracious soul being it self filled with spikenard and Calamus and Cassia and all sweet spices may well leave a sweet savour among the persons with whom he converseth They are dead and withered grains of Corn out of which there doth not one ear spring up A Good Wish of a Christian in Relation to his dealings with all men wherein the former Heads are applied THe Living and Eternal God whose I am and whom I am infinitely bound to serve whose unquestionable dominion over me calleth for universal subjection from me having commanded me in his word to be holy as he is holy in all manner of conversation and to walk by rule in my commerce with men as well as in my immediate converses with his glorious Majesty I wish in general that I may make Religion my business not onely in my sacred duties but also in my civil dealings that I may trade with God in divine performances as if men saw me and traffique with men in humane affairs as knowing that God beholdeth me and herein dayly exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men I Wish in particular that my earthly actions may never clash with or incroach upon my heavenly calling that I may not endanger the loss of Religion in the throng and crowd of outward dealings but may be so limitted and directed therein by Gods Law that all my works may be â—orship and when I am labouring for my body and family I may be furthering the good of my soul and my eternal felicity that as my chief natural quality Reason commandeth in my lower actions of eating and drinking so my supernatural excellency Religion may bear sway in every passage of my life Lord who hast given me a perfect rule and appointed me to order my life in all things according to it be pleased to write all thy laws in my heart that I may be tender of both Tables love thee with all my soul and strength and love my Neighbour as my self for thy sake If one link of the golden chain of thy commands be broken the whole is dissolved they love one another too well to part company where one precept is wilfully despised all are disobeyed Thou hast said it He that breaks one is guilty of all O enable me to be as universal in my conformity and duty as thou art in thy mercy and bounty for then shall I not be ashamed when I shall have respect to all thy Commandements I Wish that the soundness and integrity of my heart may appear in the cleaneness and purity of my hands The sound will speak what Mettal the Bell is of the Flowers that shew themselves above ground will declare the nature of the root which lieth hid How often doth the face discover the faults of the vital parts If my tongue and speech be double my spirit cannot be single If my actions be unrighteous my inward man must needs be irreligious How grossely do I delude my self if I presume that I am holy because I mind the first Table if I be dishonest and live in the breach of the second when there is so much Religion in the duties of the second Table that there can be no Religion without them My deceitful heart is apt to suggest that it s but a small matter If I should supplant my Brother and that there is no such need of care in my ordinary outward carriage But my Soveraign to whom I have sworn Allegiance hath told me in the word of truth Mat. 23. 23. that justice and mercy are the weighty matters of the Law and hath commanded me Micah 6. 8. to do justly and to love mercy throughout my whole life O that I might never allow my self in the breach of those precepts which in the worlds blind judgment are the least of his commands and by my pattern teach men so lest I be found at last the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Lord thou hast enjoyned me to keep thy Law as the Apple of mine eye Prov. 7. I know a small thing will pain a little dust will offend mine eye but thy Law is infinitely more tender thy Word forbids and condemneth the smallest wandring the very conception of sin in a vain thought much more its birth in an unrighteous action is abominable and odious to it Thou hast commanded me to keep thy
name and repay him for the loss of his credit Here was uncharitableness and want of love towards the poor Ninivites whose condition called for the deepest compassion What answer can be judged tart enough to such a passionate prayer What language can be too harsh what carriage can be too heavy towards such a cross-grain'd child It s abominable for any man to contend with his Maker It s bad for servants to strive with their Master or children to resist their Father though both these are their fellow-creatures But for any to contend with God whose dominion over us is unquestionable and their dependance on him indispensable between whom and them there is an infinite distance is infinitely worse But for Ionah not onely a man but a new man a child of God a Prophet of the Lord that should have taught others by his precepts and by his pattern to submit to the severest Divine pleasure one that had been signalized above others with eminent and distinguishing favours both for this and the other world to flie thus in Gods face is worst of all Surely no punishment can exceed the desert of such peevishness such passion Some dreadful thunder cannot but be expected as the consequent of such hot weather But hear O heavens give ear O earth and be astonished at the calm milde voyce of the Great God And the Lord said unto Ionah Ionah dost thou well to be angry Mark what love sounds in this language Such an affectionate voyce after such gross disobedience might make even marble to weep and as that voyce from heaven turn a Saul into a Paul Could the fondest and most indulgent Father in the world be more meek more milde in his expression He appeals to Ionah's conscience whether such behaviour was answerable to his Oath of Allegiance Dost thou well to be angry Is this passion sutable to that submission which thou owest to me and my Providences Eli said as much to his wicked sons It is not a good report which I hear of you my sons c. when God was so incensâ—d against him for his mildness that he sends him an ear-tickling and an heart trembling message And yet God himself is so favourable and compassionate to one whose sin admitted of greater aggravations in some respects then those of Eli's sons Ionah sinned after such a miraculous salvation and that against chusing calling pardoning saving love which Eli's sons did not nay and when the Malefactor upon the reading of this gentle Indictment to him instead of pleading guilty and begging a Psalm of mercy had stubbornly and obstinately justified himself God who might have awarded judgement against him according to law still forbeareth him and when his pathetical words would not reclaim him he trieth if a miraculous work will reduce him to his allegiance O the tenderness of God towards his froward Children I have sometimes wondred at his infinite patience towards so disobedient a Prophet but alas I experience it daily in his superabundant grace and goodness towards my own soul notwithstanding my greater provocations Reader by all this thou mayst see what cause thou hast to bear with thy fellow-Christians when God beareth with his creatures notwithstanding those multiplied affronts and dis-respects which they offer to his glorious holy and infinite Majesty Secondly We may observe in the foregoing Text the prevailing Argument to this Precept And so fulfil the Law of Christ. This was the great Law which Christ commanded so frequenty so affectionately and the Apostle mentioneth it here as if it were the onely Law or all the Law because this love is the fulfilling of the whole Law As if he had said O my Galathians if ye have any love to Christ and would evidence it to your selves and others let there be no bitterness nor envyings nor heart burnings amongst you but love your Neigbours as your selves suffer with them in their sufferings let their sore eyes and tears for sin set your eyes a watering pardon them though they may offend and provoke you bear with them notwithstanding their passion and peevishness for hereby ye will obey that great Law which is indeed the whole Law containing your duty toward your brother or that Law which the heart of Christ was so infinitely set upon that he will have it called his Law the Law of Christ â—his is my commandment that ye love one another Though he was the Churches onely Law-giver and so all the commandments enjoyned her were his yet as amongst all the Disciples there was one that had most of his heart and was called the Disciple whom Iesus loved so possibly amongst all the commendments that of love had most of his heart and may fitly be called the commandment which Iesus loved My commandment the Law of Christ. O how sweet is the musick when Saints joyn thus in consort and how harsh is the sound of jarring strings a mutual yeilding and forbearance is no small help to our peace and safety There is a story of two Goats which may excellently illustrate the benefit of this duty They both met on a narrow bridge under which a very deep and fierce stream did glide there was no going blindly back neither could they pass forward for the narrowness of the Bridge Now had they fought for their passage they had been certain both to perish this therefore they did they agreed that the one should lye down and the other go over him and by this means both their lives were preserved Whilst Christians are fighting like some small chickens they are a prey to Kites and other ravenous creatures In quietness shall be their strength Isa. 30. 15. is true in this as well as other senses SECT VI. THirdly Christians ought in good Company not onely to do what good they can to each other but also to receive what good they may from each other God sets up such candles not for us to play but to work by The strongest Christian may gain by the weakest A small brimstone match may help to light a great Torch A servant may sometimes think of a way to inlarge his imprisoned Master when his Master dreams not of it Every loop or pin was helpful to the Tabernacle An homely digger that is poor doth sometimes discover rich Mines which wealthy Merchants took no notice of Apollo one mighty in the Scriptures is content to learn of an Handy-craft man Cordials are not to be refused because brought to us in a wooden spoon Who ever sent away silver or gold because brought to him in a bag of Leather The Moon though she be but small and seated in a lower Orb then the stars of the first magnitude and though she hath her spots and imperfections yet she lends an useful light to men prevents their stumbling and wandring out of their way and produceth here and there a motion subordinate and obedient to an heavenly influence when those luminaries that are above her in place are below her in use
bold as to dare God why should I be so bashful as to fear him Love that he may discern my affection to his soul in my detestation of his sin If he suspect me to bear ill-will in my heart he will throw my potion in my face What man will take Physick from an enemy Lord shouldst thou suffer me to go on in sin and not call me back though by a severe admonition it were a sign thou didst hate me Thou didst never strike Ephraim worse then when thou didst forbear to strike at all but saidst Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Should I not seek to pluck my brother out of the fire of sin into which he is fallen but suffer him to lye there I hate him and am in thine esteem a murderer O deliver me from such blood-guiltiness thou God of my salvation Let thy good Spirit so strengthen and direct me when ever thou callest me to this duty that I may do it with zeal to thine honour not daring to jest with such an edged tool as sin is and with love and wisdom that if by any means I may bring back a wandring sheep to thy fold I Wish that I may receive as well as do good by all my converses with those that are good Christians are trees of righteousness planted in Gods Vineyard and it s my own fault if I gather not some good fruit from them My God tells me The lips of the righteous feed many if then I rise hungry from the Table it s a sign I am sullen and will not eat My Father delights to see his Children distributing their spiritual food as the Disciples the Loaves and Fish to the multitude amongst their brethren till they all are filled He hath acquainted me that its an argument of wisdom to receive and folly to refuse counsel Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man and he will increase in learning Prov. 9. 9. The holy Apostle though high in the School of Christ and in the uppermost Form yet hoped to learn somwhat from those that were far meaner Scholars He writes to the Romans that he hopes to be filled with their Company They that are Dwarfes in Religion may do service to the tallest if they be willing to accept it A Rush Candle may give me some light if I do not wilfully shut mine eyes A brazen Bell may call me to prayer as well as one of silver if I do not stop mine ears The smallest and meanest creatures were serviceable to the Great God against the Egyptians and shall my proud heart refuse the help of mean Christians against the enemies of my salvation Did a Damsel possessed with a Devil bring her Master much temporal gain and may not a poor servant filled with the holy Spirit bring me much spiritual gain What or who am I that none must teach me but those that are eminent in grace and gifts I am sure I have nothing that good is but what I have received and this pride of my heart is too great an evidence that I am but poor in holiness Those branches that are fullest laden bend most downward Those trees that abound in clusters of fruit do not disdain to receive sap from the mean earth which every Beast trampleth on It s no wonder if a soul decline in strength that refuseth its food because it s not brought by the Steward but by some inferiour person of the Family If Satan can keep me in this proud humour he doth not doubt but to keep me in a starving condition and to hinder the efficacy of all means for my growth in grace When this Dropsie once seiseth upon my vitals I may expect a Consumption of my whole body Lord it were my duty to hear thy voice though it were through the mouth of a Balaam thou hast sometimes conveyed the water of life through these Pipes of Lead and sent considerable presents to thy chosen by contemptible messengers O suffer me not to be wise iâ— mine own eyes and thereby to turn away mine ears from the words of them that are endued with spiritual wisdom but cause me to hear counsel and receive instruction that I may be wise for my latter end I Wish that I may be so much my own friend as to esteem a bitter admonition better then the sweetest flattery and never quarrel at any for waking me out of my spiritual Lethargy The World indeed is full of them that rage at such as would prevent their ruine choosing rather to have their wounds fester though they kill them then be searched throughly to recover them Their words to their Neighbours are like the Jews to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things Prophesie unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits Isa. 30. 10. And their works are like theirs too If a Stephen deal but faithfully with them and tell them of their faults they are presently cut to the heart and gnash at him with their teeth Their bones are so out of order that the smallest disturbance makes them fret and fume Like Owles if any offer to lay hold on them they soon make him feel their claws Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee But I have not so learned Christ Though Toads are no sooner toucht but they swell and are ready to spit out their poison in the face of him that hindleth them yet Sheep will be felt and shorn and suffer their sores to be drest with patience Though fools hate him that reproveth in the gate yet rebuke a wise man and he will love thee saith God Prov. 9. 8. O that I might never be so void of love to my fallen brother as not to give him a serious reproof nor so void of love to my self as not to receive a serious reproof The nipping frosts though not so pleasant are as profitable as the Summer sunshine I deceive my self if I judge no liquor wholsom but what is toothsom There is no probable way of curing some diseases but by Blisters and â—â—pping-glasses and painful medicines Is it not better for me to accept an admonition and amend then to walk on in a wicked way to my destruction Will it not be much easier for me to bear a rebuke given in love and with meekness from my fellow-creature then to provoke the Iealous God with eyes full of fury to take me by the throat and ask me what I am doing How I dare thus slight his Laws and contradict his Will O how can my heart endure or my hands be strong in the day that he shall deal with me Well might my God say He that hateth reproof is brutish Lord let me never be so much a beast as to lye snoring in a nasty kennel of filth and when any come to wake me flie in their faces but let me prefer a sharp admonition before the smoothest deceits When any praise me for the good in me cause me to suspect
Precepts diligently O that my ways were directed to keep all thy Commandements Though I abound and am never so strict in thine Ordinances if I be careless and loose in my Contracts with men thou canst espie the evil constitution of my soul notwithstanding such painting Thou canst see the rottenness of my heart in the rottenness of my wares under the false gloss I put upon them And if thy moral precept find not obedience with me my spiritual performances will never find acceptance with thee The Pie a speckled Bird whose Feathers were white and black was unclean Should I seem pious in those duties which concern thy worship and yet be perverse in my dealings with men I am in thy judgement a wicked person Thou hast said of such Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and with the bag of deceitful weights Micah 6. 11. If there be iniquity in my hands there is hypocrisie in my heart How clearly doth a person that picketh and chooseth his food liking this and loathing that though neâ—er so wholsom prove a foul stomach and how fully do I demonstrate secret filth in my inward parts if I pick and choose amongst the food of my soul the precepts When the soul is clean and sound every command will be sweet if my heart be sincere all my dealings will be square O let me never be like those Pharises who made long prayers for a cover that they might prey the more closely upon their Neighbours but let thy spirit in my heart send up the sap of grace into every branch of my life that all the passages thereof may abound in the fruits of righteousness and I may esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right I Wish that the glory of Religion may be so dear to my heart that I may render it amiable to the eyes of others by walking every way sutable to my profession The name of my God is holy and reverend and shall I offer it to reproach Some write that the Iews would not foul their mouths with that unclean word of blaspeming God but always expressed it by a contrary word of blessing God If it were so execrable that they hated to speak it shall I be so vile as to act it It were a sin to wrong a man of his good name what is it then to rob my God If I dress my self in the livery of Christ and in that habit wallow in the mire of unrighteous dealings I give up the blessed Redeemer to the scorn and derision of the world Every one that nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity The colours of Christ which I wear cause many to look upon me Every professor is like a City on an Hill visible to all Spots are sooner seen in scarlet then in sackcloth Blots appear fouler in a strict professour then in a loose and prophane person None wonders to see swine dirty but to see the Ermins beautiful skin bemired is prodigious How watchful are the wicked to observe my wandrings All my familiars watch for my halting they mark my steps when they watch for my soul If they can sinde the least tincture of falseness in my words or colour of unfaithfulness in my works they soon make it much greater looking on it through the Spectacles of malice How quick do they post it abroad and publish it amongst their companions I hear the defaming of many fear on every side Report say they and we will report it What a shame was it that the Great Turk should take the violated Covenant of the Hungarian King out of his bosoâ—e and present it to the blessed God as the act of those that wore his livery and prosest them selves his servants When those that should be the beauty of Israel are slain in the high places and those that by their profession are the mighty fall in the streets they soon tell it in Gath and publish it in Askelon the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce the Sons of the uncircumcised triumph then the banks of blasphemy are broken down and the floods of scoffs and scorns come pouring in And when they went among the Heathen they prophaned my holy name when they said to them These are the people of the Lord. How doth the World conclude Surely the Parents are very bad whom their own Children discommend so much Certainly there is little love or power or faithfulness in their Father when his own Sons dare not trust him for a little food but go up and down to steal and filch from others O how ordinary is it for the prophane to throw the dirt of professours sins on the face of their profession None give such wounds to the credit of the blessed God as some who pretend to be his own children The higher the place is whence a stone fals the deeper it piercethâ— No blows more mortal then those of a Thunder-bolt My profession is high if my practices be vile and base I strike religion to the very heart O let me never be so vile a Traytor as by my sordid courses like Judas to betray the holy Iesus to the buffetings and mockings of his adversaries Why should I harden the bad by my sinful shifts in their wickedness Shall I be the Divels broker to put off those rotten wares for him of cozening and cheating which otherwise might lie upon his hands Why should I sadden the good Shall I cause them to hang down their heads with sorrow as the Patriarchs did theirs when the cup was found in Benjamins sack Lord thou art tender of the Reputation of thy chosen and hast many a time wrought wonderfully for their renown and credit When the wicked world hath blown upon their names endeavouring to blast them and make them unsavoury thou hast magnified thy power to vindicate their honour And shall I make thy glorious name contemptible when thou makest my vile name honourable Can I be so void of love to thy Majesty as to tread upon that name of thine that is more worth then Heaven and Earth Besides Many a season I have pleaded thy name in prayer and that with success My voice hath been in the behalf of my own soul For thy names sake pardon mine iniquity for it is great Thou art my Rock and my Fortress therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me When thou haste answered me Behold I even I am he that blotteth out thine iniquities for my names sake I will defer my anger for mine names sake and for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off O how many a blessing hath thy name been both the Oratour to procure and the Messenger to bring when many others have treated to little purpose that that hath been the undeniable Ambassadour to prevail for peace and pardon Thy name hath been by shelter in many a storm and my supply in many a straight and shall I be an enemy to that
be charily lookt to or they fade away so Saints if the Spirit of God were not choyce of them and ever watchful over them would perish How lovely are flowers to the eye how pleasant to the taste how soft to the touch what ornaments to an house How amiable are the children of God to those that have eyes to see his image on them how fragrant is the smell of their Spiknard and Calamus and Cassia what a grace are they to any Family or Society Dost thou walk into thy Garden to observe how thy flowers thrive so Jesus Christ goeth into his garden to see how his plants flowrish Thou wilt not allow any weeds or barren flowers in thy Garden and Jesus Christ will not permit such wicked unprofitable ones in his Church Flowers are lovely and beautiful one day and withered and fallen off the stalk the next so man is a comely living creature one day and a deformed corps the next Thus a Saint may make every flower like the Gilly-flower cordial to him If thou walkeâ—t by a River thou mayst change the water there into spirits by meditation How fitly may thy thoughts be raised by that object to the cleansing refreshing properties of the Word of God to the water of life to the Well of salvation to the river whose streams make glad the City of God to the rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore The same water which being liquid is penetrated with an horse hair will bear the horse himself when hard frozen So those threats and judgements of God which penetrate deep into the tender consciences of the regenerate enter not at all into the hearts of carnal men hardned by custom in sin and hence thou mayst gather the reason whence the sword of the Word that in some divideth the joynts and marrow in others glanceth only or reboundeth not making the least dinâ— or impression upon their frozen adamantine hearts If thou art eating and drinking thou mayst feed thy soul as well as thy body by meditating on the meat that endureth to everlasting life on that flesh which is meat indeed and that blood which is drink indeed Thou mayst think if my outward man need food and without it cannot subsist surely spiritual food is as needful for my inward man and without it that will starve If a famine of bread and water be so dreadful that the tongues of men cleave under it to the roof of their mouths and their countenances become as black as a coal how dreadful is a famine of the Word of the Lord If natural food be so pleasant and savoury to my taste surely spiritual food is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb If all the labour of man be for his belly what labour doth the soul deserve If the ordinances of my God now are so pleasant to me that my soul is even filled as with marrow and fatness and refreshed as with Wine on the Lees well refined what a blessed day will it be when I shall eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven and drink new wine in my Fathers Kingdom O blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. If thou beholdest thy candle thou mayst consider how that light which makes small shew in the day yeilds a glorious lustre in the night not because the Candle hath then more light but because the Air hath then more darkness so that holiness and grace which in a day of prosperity and life seems of small worth and price in a night of adversity and death will be of infinite value Or thus I set up this candle to help and direct me about my business so God sets up the candle of my life and affords me the light of his word for me to work out my salvation not to play by them Or thus this candle is spending it self for my good so I should be willing to spend and be spent for the good of others souls Or this Candle is always consuming and will at last be quite wasted so is my life daily wearing away and ere long will be quite extinguished The great Candles whilst they burn make the greater light but when they go ouâ— leave the greater stench So ungodly men the greater they are the more they shine with glory whilst they live but when they die leave the more stinking savour behind them If thou art putting off thy cloaths thou mayst ponder thy duty to put off the old man which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts and to put off the works of darkness as also that ere long thou shalt put off thine earthly tabernaâ—le Art thou lying down in thy bed thou mayst think of thy grave wherein thou must shortly lye down and never rise up till the morning of the resurrection Is the night dark thou mayst meditate thence on the darkness of thy mind naturally of the works of darkness of the blackness of darkness for ever Ah! what a dark dungeon is Hell where not the least spark of light appears though so much fire My night will end but sinners evening will find no morning If a bed be so refreshing to my wearied body how refreshing is a Redeemer to a wearied soul How lovingly he inviteth me Come to me all that are weary I will give you rest and how refreshing will tha God! When thou wakest in the morning thou mayst say with the Psalmist When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness or When I awake I am still with thee or rouse thy self up with Awake to righteousness and sin not Awake thou that sleepest arise and call upon thy God When thou art rising thou mayst meditate on the Churches garment of needle work the fine linnen of the Saints righteousness thy putting on the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness thy putting on that most excellent cloathing which is for warmth for ornament and defence the Lord Iesus Christ. Dost thou look on the glass to dress thy self think of the glass of Gods law how necessary it is daily to look into it for the discovery of thy spiritual spots and filth Dost thou wash thy hands O wash thy heart from wickedness and forget not that great laver of the blood of Jesus Christ. Doth thy stomach call for some food think of thy spiritual appetite and how savoury it will make the dainties of Gods house to thee They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. Art thou to go about buying or selling or worldly bargains take some thoughts of buying that one Pearl of great price which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase of buying that gold of grace and fine linnen of the Saints righteousness Mat. 13. 44. Rev. 3. 18. Amongst all thy gains and gettings consider What will it profit a man to gain the
for the least of their offences how he hath manifested his justice in the deluge brought on the old world in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in his carriage towards Apostate Angels rebellious Israelites his own chosen people and the Medâ—atour his own Son when he took upon him mans sin in the instruments of eternal death which he hath prepared in Hell for sinners and the solemn triumph which justice shall have at the great day and to all eternity in the other world 5. His holiness how he loaths sin with the greatest abhorrency cannot behold the least iniquity shoots the arrows of his vengeance against its actours and authors will be sanctified in or upon all that approach him is terrible in his holy places forbiddeth the least complyance with sin though but in a sudden thought and makes it his end in his providences ordinances the gift of his Son his Spirit to make men holy I might shew how it exalteth him in all his properties but I pass on It glorifieth him in every part of it Its precepts and commands speak his purity and dominion its promises and covenant speak his boundless mercy and compassion its threatnings and comminations speak his justice and jealousie its prophesies and predictions speak his wisdom and omniscience The Scripture tendeth also to the eternal good of men It is helpful to beget a soul to Christ Of his own will begat he us again by the Word of truth The Word of grace is instrumental for the conveyance of grace Act. 2.37 Rom. 10. 14. It is helpful to build the soul up in Christ as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Grace is increased by the same means by which it is generated as the same Sun that begets some living creatures is helpful for their growth The Word of God of stones raiseth up children to Abraham and of Children maketh Young men and Fathers It is so penned that all sorts of persons all ranks of Christians may be directed into the way of truth and guided by it in the way of life It is able to make us wise to salvation To shew the path of life 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psa. 16. 11. As Ioshua it leads the Israelites into Canaan All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable 1. For Doctrine Where Scripture hath not a tongue to speak I must not have an ear to hear Scriptura est regula fidei Scripture is the rule of faith Hence the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called a foundation Ephes. 2. 20. 2. For reproof It is the hammer of Heresies Ignorance of Scripture is one main cause of error Ye err not knowing the Scripture By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Mat. 4. 4. and the Jews Ioh. 5.45 and Sadduces Mat. 22.29 Lapidandi sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Hereticks are to be stoned with Scripture arguments saith Athanasius The Word of God hiâ—s that unclean bird in the eye and wounds it mortally 3. For correction of manners The sword of the Word pierceth the sinners conscience like Christ to the woman of Samaria It tells him all that ever he did and makes him smite upon his thigh and say What have I done Scripture is a glass which sheweth him the spots that are in the face of his heart and life 4. For instruction in righteousness It is the way in which we should walk the rule of our spiritual race What is written on some Psalms may be written on every Psalm and Chapter in the whole Bible Maschil or Psalm for instruction Its precepts teach us what to follow its prohibitions tell us what to forsake Its promises are to allure us to sanctity its threatnings to affright us from sin the good example of the Saints speaketh as Christ to Peter Follow thou me the wicked actions and ends of sinners cry aloud as Abner to Ioab Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end 5. For comfort There is no such cordial for a fainting spirit as a promise in the Word The Gospel in the Greek is glad tidings and not without cause This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me When souls have been ready to despair under the sense of their wickedness and to sink in deep waters the Word of God hath held them up by the chin and preserved them from drowning Vnless thy law had been my delight I had perished in mine affliction 6. For salvation the Word is called the Kingdom of heaven partly because it revealeth Gods thoughts of such an inestimable happiness to the children of men The celestial Canaan was terra incognita till that discovered it He hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel partly because it prepares the soul for heaven the Word sanctifieth and so saveth precious souls By filling us with grace it fitteth us for glory Rom. 1.16 Ioh. 17.17 Partly because it is the seed of heaven As the Harvest is potentially in the seed and a tall Oke potentially in an acorn so heaven and eternal life is potentially in the Word of life It is called The grace of God that bringeth salvation It bringeth salvation to men and it bringeth men to salvation Secondly Consider it O my soul in its properties they will also speak its preciousness 1. It is pure and holy there are some dregs that will appear in the exactest writings of the best men when they have been shaken by a critical hand but none could ever justly fasten the least filth upon the holy Scriptures The Word of Christ is like the Spouse of Christ There is no spot in it The Alcoran of Mahomet alloweth Polygamy promiseth sensual pleasures as the reward of his servants but the Scripture winketh not at the least sin no not so much as in a motion of the heart or a glance of the eye and its promises are also pure and spiritual The Doctrine of the wisest Heathen and Philosophers were a mixture of good and bad Theft was no fault amongst Lycurgus Laws but if done slily commended highly Aristotle permitted revenge and obscene jesting which Scripture expresly forbids Thy word is very pure The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times There is not the least dross of evil or error in it 1. It s principal Author is the original and exemplar of all holiness his nature is the pattern and his will the rule of purity Exod. 15. 4. Isa. 6. 3. 2. The Scribes of it were holy men moved and actuated by the Holy Ghost 3. It s effect is to sanctifie and make holy Ye are clean through the word that I have given you 4. The matter of it is holy Its commanding part is holy The Law is holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. It s assertory part is holy what it affirmes to be is what it denyeth to
where it ariseth and displayeth its beames dispelleth mists and clounds causeth an alteration in the face of the Air and makes the shadows to flie before it that they cry like Iacob to the Angel Let me go for the day breaketh so the light of the word scattereth that darkness which was before upon the minds of men 1. It dispelleth the darkness of error Mat. 22.29 Naked Truth conquereth Armed Error and Little David with his small stones out of the silver streams of the Sanctuary the great Goliah of Heresie With this silly women have confuted and conquered profound Doctors notwithstanding their deep and intricate arguments and have wounded them as mortally as that woman without weapons did Abimilech that great Captain with a Milstone 2. It dispelleth the darkness of ignorance The word is the key of knowledge and openeth the door that lets us into the treasures of wisdom and knowledge It is that precious eye-salve with which our blind eyes being anointed see It is sent to open the eyes of the blind and to turn men from darkness to light When the word comes the people that sat in darkness see a great light Act. 26. 18. Mat. 4. 16. 3. It dispelleth the darkness of prophaness this weapon of the word stabbeth lust under its fifth rib and letteth out the very heart blood of it The Devil puts off his rotten wares in the dark shops of Heathen and unbelieving and unchristian Christians but where the word hath arisen upon any soul it discerneth his cheat and is too wise to be cozened by him By what means may a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word Psa. 119.9 The word is resembled to Rain to Water to Dew Moses tells the Israelites My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain and my speech distil as the Dew Christ calls it the water of life Joh. 6. 35. 1. Rain is from above God keeps that key under his own girdle Can any of the vanities of the Heathen cause Rain Art not thou he Jer. 14. 22. Man may speak long enough to the cloâ—ds before they will distil one drop but if God command those bottles they are presently unstopped and poure down in abundance He covereth the Heavens with Clouds and prepareth Rain for the earth Psa. 147. 8. Thus the Word of God came down from above Every of the Pen-men of it might have spoken as David The Spirit of the Lord spake by me 2. Sam. 23. 2. It did immediately inspire me what particulars to utter and in what phrases to deliver them That which is said of some of the Prophesies may be said of every Book and of every Chapter and Verse in every Book Thus saith the Lord The word of the Lord which came to Amos The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it It is all one to say The Scripture saith and God saith Compare Rom. 4. 3. and 10. 11. with Rom. 9. 25. and Heb. 4.3 and Gal. 3. 21. with Rom. 11. 32. Some observe that the word which Moses useth for Doctrine dropping like Rain signifieth received Doctrine because the Doctrine in the word is received from God not devised by men Deut. 32. 2. I received from the Lord that which I also delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2. Rain is mollifying and softning When the earth hath been like Brass and Iron under our feet by long drought or hard frosts a few good showres supple it and make it tender Therefore David speaking of the earth saith Thou makest it soft with showres Psa. 65. 10. So the heart of man is compared to a stone to a rock to a flint to an adamant the hardest of stones for its hardness hath been suppled and softned by the word The Jews that had imbrued their hands in the blood of Christ had certainly very hard hearts The thought of such a murder would have made a deep impression upon any conscience that were not seared with a red hot Iron yet this word preached melted them as hard mettal as they were When they heard these things they were pricked to the heart Peters Sermon like Moses rod fetcht water out of the Rock Act. 2. 37. David upon the disorder and intemperance of his soul in the matter of Vriah had an hard swelling which continued and increased upon him several moneths yet when Nathan comes and gently baths it with this Oyl of the Word it groweth soft and tender as appeareth by the title of Psa. 51. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba 3. Rain maketh the earth fruitful therefore some call it the earths Husband because it helps the earth to bring forth He watereth the hills from his chambers the earth is satisfied with his works he causeth the grass to grow for the earth and hearbs for the service of man Psal. 104. 13,14 so Psal. 65.9,10,11,12 So the Word of God turns that heart which was as a barren wilderness into a fruitful meadow 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4. Rain reviveth and refresheth the earth when the earth is chopt and faint when it gaspeth and is weary a showre of rain recovers and refresheth it the Psalmist tells us that upon such droppings from above the pastures and valleys shout for joy they also sing Psa. 65.13 Thus the Christian scorcâ—ed with the apprehension of Gods wrath due to him for sin draweth all his comfort and refreshment out of those wells of salvation the promises of the word When conscience is sore and raw through the wounds sin hath made in it and the weight of guilt that lieth continually grating upon it He sendeth his word and health them Psal. 107.20 David had experience what an healing medicine the Word was In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. When Philip had preached the word to the Eunuch he went away rejoycing That milk which runs from the breasts of the two Testaments is never sucked with the mouth of faith without abundant satisfaction that wine which which is drawn from the pipes of the promises rejoyceth the heart of man indeed These things are written that your joy may be full The Saint never sits at a fuller table of joy then when he is feasting on the dainties of the Gospel O my soul how many thoughts mightst thou spend about those several things to which the word is aptly and excellently resembled It is compared to Armour to a tree of life to a portion to milk to strong meat to pastures to seed to an ornament of grace to rest to a Crown of glory to hidden treasures to gold tried in the fire to a glass to oyl and oyntment all which as so many curious colours well laid may help thee to admire and prize more the beauty of that face which they resemble and represent Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Word of God Many books have done vertuously have acted famously for the overthrow of sin and
Satan for the advancement of Christ and holiness but thou hast excelled them all Thou hast changed Lions into Lambs Ravens into Doves Beasts into Men and Men into Angels thou hast subdued head-strong passions mortified natural and riveted corruptions tore up old and sturdy lusts by the roots conquered Principalities and Powers led captivity captive and turned the world upside down By thee wonders are wrought the blind restored to their sight the dead raised the deaf hear the dumb speak the Lepers are cleansed and the poor have the Gospel preached to them and are changed into the nature of it where thou ridest conquering and to conquer the whole world runneth after thee Thy neck is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury wherein there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Thy weapons are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. By thee poor weak and contemptible men have subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained the promises stopped the mouths of roaring lions quenched the violence of hellish fire escaped the edge of Hereticks and persecutors sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in sight turned to flight Armies of the Aliens Thou hast not onely like Saul slain thy thousands but with David thy ten thousands thou hast broken the serpents head destroyed the great Leviathan tramplest on Scorpions and Vipers and nothing can hurt thee Thou bringeth heaven down to earth and carriest earth up to heaven Thou are the joyful message from a far country the river whose streams make glad the City of God Infinite Wisdom contrived thee Infinite Truth proclaimed thee and infinite Goodness discovered thee The Father indited thee the Son confirmed thee and the Spirit revealed thee to the children of men The Countries and Kingdoms of the earth were overwhelmed with worse then Egyptian darkness till thou didst arise upon them and with thy glorious beams enlighten and enliven them by thee fools have been made wise sinners made Saints ignorant men have been instructed wandring men reduced weak ones confirmed and lost ones saved By thee the heavens were established the foundations of the earth formed the sorrowful are comforted the scandalous reformed the needy relieved and the righteousness of God revealed Thou art eyes to the blind and â—eet to the lame and food to the hungry and rest to the weary and physick to the sick and life to the dying The ablest Historian will infinitely fall short in describing thy heroick deeds None can declare thy noble acts or display half thy praise Angels may well pry into thee with admiration and astonishment and make the contents of thy Chapters the subject of their songs and substance of their Halelujahâ— to all eternity When that heavenly host preached on earth thou wert their Text be thou their triumph in heaven for ever O thou savour of life thou living water thou well of salvation thou tidings of great joy to all Nations thou ministration of righteousness thou mystery of godliness thou mine of unsearchable riches thou way of holiness thou word of the kingdom that thou wert written on the tables of my heart and graven with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond on that rock for ever Thou wast once written on tables of stone with the hand of God himself how precious was that book wherein every leaf was immediately of Gods making and every line in it of Gods writing My heart is an heart of stone I find it by too much experience but if thou wert engraven on it 't would be a precious stone its price would be far above Rubies the Onyx and the Saphire should not be valued with it the Gold and the Chrystal should not equal it neither should it be exchanged for Coral or Pearls O that I were manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God known and read of all men O that my soul were the house and thou the inhabitant for ever O that the word of Christ might dwell richly within me that I were able to say with holy David I delight to do thy will O God thy law is within my heart or in the midst of my bowels Thou art the Oracles of God all thy sayings are faithful and true and worthy of all acceptation when O when shall I give it them Thou art worthy of the eye Blessed is he that readeth the words of this Prophesie Rev. 1. 3. Thou art worthy of the ear Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Thou art worthy of the heart O that I could hide thee in mine heart that I might not sin against the Lord Thou art a counsellor to the doubting a comforter to the distressed Thou art health to the navel and marrow to the bones an ornament of grace unto the head and a chain of gold about the neck They that walk in thy ways are safe and their feet do not stumble Thou teachest in the ways of wisdom and thou leadest in right paths O that my ways were directed to keep all thy commandements for thy steps tend to holiness and thy Paths take hold of Heaven O my soul is it possible for thee to hear the excellency of Scripture thus opened to thee and not to burn in love to it Hast thou been all this while in such an hot bath and still cold and shivering Hast thou felt its power tasted its savour seen its beauty often heard its awakening voice and known its universal vertue and dost thou yet doubt its divinity or question its excellency Surely if ever thou shouldst again through unbelief belief ask it the same question which the Scribes did Christ when they beheld his miraculous actions By what authority dost thou these things or who gave thee this authority thou mayst answer thy self in the words of the man born blind and then seeing to the Jews Is it not strange or This is a marvellous thing that thou knowest not whence it is yet it hath opened thine eyes Joh. 9. 30. Was there not a night of dread and horror with thee when thou didst sit in darkness and in the shadow of death till this sun did arise with light and life under its wings O cry out with the Psalmist I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me I was wallowing in my filth weltring in my blood rotting in the grave of corruption till thou didst say unto me Live yea till thou didst say unto me Live Thy voice is powerful overcoming all opposition The love revealed in thee is wonderful far surpassing the love of woman Thy promises are exceeding great and precious more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold Thy Maker may well prevail for thine acceptance Who
lay a dying he lift up his head from his Pillow to hear the discourses of his friends that sat by him saying I shall dye with the more comfort if I can dye learning something The Christian both by his painful sickness and approaching death may learn something of the evil of sin and certainly he may dye with the more comfort for godly sorrow and joy may be contemporaries as the Heavens shine and showr at the same time if he dye in a flood of tears for his unkindness to Christ. 4. Charity in a double respect 1. In forgiving them that have wronged thee If the natural Sun should not go down upon our wrath muchless should the Sun of our Lives It s bad to bear anger or malice one hour in our hearts against any but it s worst of all to carry it with us into the other world How can he expect to dye in peace with God who dyeth in war with men when God himself hath said Except ye forgive others their trespasses against you neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Amilcar the Father of Hannibal when he was dying made his Son take a solemn Oath to maintain a perpetual War with the Romans Edward the first adjured his Son and Nobles that if he dyed in his expedition against Bruce King of Scotland they should not inter his Corps but carry it about with them till they had avenged him on that Usurper But certainly its a desperate thing to leave Children Heirs to the Parents wrath and rage as well as to his riches O how dreadful is his estate who takes his enemy by the throat when God by death is taking him by the throat and ready to thrattle him for ever If thou hast wronged others either in name or goods or body seek reconciliation and make satisfaction for this is righteous and just If thy brother hath ought against thee thou hast never more need of reconciling thy self to him then when thou art approaching the Altar of death there to offer up the last sacrifice to God in this world If thy Brother have wronged thee in any sort remit it this is charity to do otherwise is to give place to the Devil Eph. 4. 16 17. and thou hast least cause to give him ground when his rage is greatest and his barteries strongest in thy last conflict with him O! imitate that blessed Martyr Stephen and the incomparable Saviour in begging Gods love for them who hate thee Act. 7. 60. Luke 23. 34. 2. In remembring the poor and afflicted if God hath made thee able its best to be merciful in our life-time to make our own hand our Executors and our own eyes our Overseers for the payment of our Gifts and Legacies to our spiritual Kindred for such have a particular promise that God will make all their bed in their sickness but its good to be charitable when we are dying True friends show most love at parting Though justice must be blind not to see persons yet charity must be quick-sighted to pick out the fittest objects viz. the poor and the pious poor in the first place Our Goods will not extend to God therefore they must to the Saints When Ionathan was beyond the reach of Davids charity he doth for his sake manifest it to his Son God is beyond all our gifts therefore for his sake we must bestow them on the Godly that are his Children Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when that faileth ye may be received into the everlasting habitations Hereby men lay up a good foundation against the time of need Godly Parents are ignorant how their Children may imploy the estate they leave whether as fuel for corruption or as oyl to keep the Lamps in Gods sanctuary burning its good therefore for themselves with prudence to dispose of what they may to Gods Servants and Service Some men have estates dropping on them out of the clouds as it were large inheritances fair patrimonies like Canaan both in regard of their fruitfulness and abounding with all sorts of comforts and in regard of their easiness of obtaining them without sweat or labour they inherit aâ— the Israelites Houses which they built not Wells which they digged not and Vineyards which they planted not upon both these accounts such persons are engaged to do good and distribute and to be rich in good works God expects a return of his Talents with advantage How liberal nay lavish have many Papists been upon their death-beds to Friars and Monks even to the wronging their Wives and Children that some States as Venice have been forced to make Laws to restrain men lest the Church should in time swallow up all the revenues of the Common-wealth and all this upon a foolish vain conceit that they should the sooner pass through Purgatory It is certainly a great disgrace to the Disciples of Christ and no mean dishonour to Christ himself that so many and such large gifts have proceeded from the false faith of Merit-mongers when the faith of his most glorious Gospel doth not work the like in true beleivers How will Christians answer it that an idle Dream and fancied Fear of an imaginary Purgaâ—ory should do more them the sure perswasion of the love of God and the certain hope of eternal life 4. Patience and Submission to the will of God both as to our death or life and also as to our pain or ease in sickness As to our life and death we must know God is wise and will never gather his fruit but in the best season None ununless a fool but will be willing God should chuse for him It s excellent for a sickâ—person to be wholly at Gods disposal as knowing that whilst he is here God will refresh him with the first fruits and when he goeth hence receive him into that place where he shall enjoy the whole harvest It was the speech of dying Iulian he that would not dye when he must and â—e that would dye when he must not are both of them Cowards alike To desire to live when one is called to dye is a sign of Cowardise for such a one is afraid to enter the list with the King of terrors To desire to dye when one is called to live speaks a faint-hearted creature for such a man dares not look an affliction or disaster in the face therefore would take shelter in deathâ— Cato Cleombrotus Lucretia shewed more cowardise then courage in being their own Executioners The Romans commended Terentius for his resolution to live after his Army was routed by Hannibal He is the most valiant person that can dye willingly when God would have him dye and live as willingly when God would have him live He that is weary of his work before the evening is an unprofitable servant and is either infected with idleness or with diseases When Dr. Whitaker was told death was approaching he answered Life or Death is welcom to me which God pleaseth Mr.