aloft and thy heart below grovelling upon the Earth Is it not a shame for thee to be upright in body and to creep upon the Earth in thy mind God that cannot away with a heart that is puffed up he expects a heart that is lifted up and thus elevated to him Therefore in the Old Testament we find that in all holy performances to signifie the elevation of the heart the Saints went up Christ would be transfigured in the top of the Mount he often Preached to the People from Mountaines to note his Heavenly Doctrine He did oft withdraw himselfe for Prayer and he prayed upon the Mountaines So did Daniel get himselfe into an upper Roome So Peter in the Acts he got to the top of the House not onely for privacy but to note that a man that will goe to meet God he must ascend higher in his spirit Therefore Jacob saw a Ladder in his Dreame to note that every man that comes before God in Prayer or in any holy performance he must ascend Sayth St. Ambrose well ascend thou in holy performances let thy heart be lifted up Doe that indeed that thou art incited to in receiving the Sacrament Lift up your hearts it must be a Roome aloft an upper Roome We lift them up to the Lord. Then know if thou wilt be partaker of those divine Mysteries if thou wilt have true comfort of that supreame union as St. Austin speaks Pietas c. Devotion will knit those together that the Elements in the World hath seperated we are seperated from the Saints in Heaven but faith and a heavenly conversation will knit us together we shall have union with that society If we will give God a Roome fit to welcome him it must be a large Roome and an upper Roome a heavenly heart Lastly it must be a furnished Roome what is the furniture The variety of graces wherewith the heart and Conscience of a man is to be adorned that is the Furniture Carefull we are to provide furniture for our bodies and for our Houses and for our Chambers in which we lodge but there is a Chamber that is in us that is neglected The Saints of God had a care of this sayth St. Bernard Every Saint provided some furniture when they came to God Mary Magdalen the furniture that shee provided was in humility shee laid a sure foundation Thomas the Apostle he made his provision in solidity of faith John the Apostle he made his provision in the enlargement of love Paul made his furniture in the intimate inward secrets and Mysteries of divine wisdome and Peter his in repentance So every one that will receive Christ and wellcome him must make provision What is the provision that he requires Faith and repentance the beleiving heart and the pâ—nitent heart Let the roome be washed let there be repentance and then it is provided Let the Roome be swept let there be faith and then it is provided These are the hangings and the furniture and much more that you may add in your owne Meditations This is the heart where Christ will loâ—ge Remember these things you that are to receive the Mysteries This man that gave entertainment to Christ thought it a dishonour to bring him into any Room that was not prepared he made it ready before Christ sent by the instinct of the Spirit by one word of the two Disciples God sends to you Disciples not so powerfull in speaking but Disciples after Disciples and intreats you to make ready He sends not a Commanding word where is it He asks not so but he beseecheth you that you would make your hearts ready Now is the solemne time to bring furnished hearts it was at this time when Christ went in triumph to Jerusalem they cut boughs of palme and strewed them in the way to shew that he was the only Conquerour it was then that they cut downe boughs of trees to shew how powerfull the Evangelicall Axe was that was laid to their consciences to bring them to the duties of pietie they did not only strew boughs but their garments that is saith St. Ambrose well all their glorie and dignitie they were not ashamed to lay all at Christs feet it may be some of their cloathes were costly you will not part with a fashion you will not consecrate one to Christ nay the more you are spoken to and entreated the more you encrease in your exorbitancie Doe you think that ever Christ will lodge in that bosome that is set to sale to every ludibrious wanton eye will Christ take his roome there judge ye thinke with your selves will he remaine in that braine to sanctifie the imaginations of it that is so frizled and that he will glorifie that face that is so altred to another colour then he gave it doe you furnish and provide your bodies so for Christ cares he for these carriages must these be your Easter entertainment will ye thus prepare to come to the Lords Table I tell you I am conscious to my selfe of worse infirmities then you have I dare not deny to adminster the sacrament to any man that reacheth out his hand to take it if there be any that goe on in sinne my charitie shall thinke that there is repentance within but I doe it with a trembling heart I rather wish my selfe No Prophet nor the Sonne of a Prophet Never come to Church and receive those mysteries in such a habite where the outward vanitie is I say there is not the inward preparation there is not a making readie Wee had need to provide more zealously and carefully for the eating of the Lords Supper then they for the Passover it is a Sacrament of more worth and eminencie O that there were but the same man to guide you the man with the pitcher of water I come to you with the booke and with the word of God follow yet that direction and if you will give me the other so shall you have the approbation here that Christ gave this man he shall not say where is the guest-Chamber but I have found it here is a heart for me to dwell in and reside in even this man is he that hath chosen me an upper Roome large and Furnished there I will prepare and make readie So much for this time Angells Inspection DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON EPHES. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the principallities and powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. 1 PETER 1.12 Which things the Angells desire to looke into THAT the Mysteries of the Gospell are things well worthy the Studie of Apostles I shewed in the beginning of this Feast from the Text that I handled the first day I then spake of it and I
Crowne and that Crowne hath the best appendix set unto it it is the Crowne of life the Crowne immortall of these I spake Now these other two parts that follow in this verse they are added as an appendix or supplement The one a supply De gratia dispensationis of the courâ—e and dispensation the course that God takes in dispensing this reward under both these notions When he is tryed then he shall receive The other is of the fellowship of participation and communion that all Saints have in the Crowne The man that endures temptation first enlarged after to all that love him These are the parts I am to speake of these two supplements of the two former And the first in order is that that concerns the course and dispensation of God in those words when he is tryed he shall receive In that there are two things Modus Tempus The manner of the exhibition he shall receive Then there is the time of reception when hee is tryed when he is fully tryed then he shall receive The manner of the exhibition is very well expressed here by a receiving He shall receive Now recipere is a relative word and being a relative it must have a correlative that belongs to it and what the correlative is of receiving we all know Giving that hath reference to receiving there can be no receiving where there is no giving The Philosopher saith well dari accipere It is true speaking of passages betweene man and man receiving doth not alwayes necessary imply freenesse of gift there may be receiving where there is not freenesse of donation Wages when they are payed debts when they are discharged pledges when they are restored commodities when they are bought they are truly received yet there is no gift goes before But yet when we speak of passages between God and man there is never receiving on manâ— part but it is the free gift of God because man cannot deserve of his Creator and Maker Therefore it comes to passe that whatsoever thing it is that we receive the very foundation and principles of Christianity doth suppose it to be of the freeness of God that is the Scriptures reception St. Paul shews it very well 1 Cor. 4. What bast thou that thou hast not received That question it is equivalent to an universall negative there is nothing that we enjoy or have in the world but we receive and receive how we receive it as Gods free bounty as a gift or donative If it be so in lesser things much more in greater if it be so in temporals much more in spirituals much more yet in eternals the eternall of all eternall life cannot come to us but by Gods gift So these three things this word affords First it is a word of benignity of free donation he shal receive from the hands of God The receiving here is without addition but the addition is to be made up Beatitude immortality the joy and blisse of heaven with all things that belong to it of all other is Gods most free and bountifull gift So it is still in Scripture under what similitude soever you find it There are diverse similitudes and all glorious still there is gift added You have it set forth under the similitude of hidden manna but of gift To him that overcomes will I give of the hidden manna I wil give it You have it set out under the similitude of the tree of life but giving is added To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God It is set out under the similitude of a Kingdome but still of gift Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome It is set out under the similitude of a Crowne the Crown of life but of gift still Be faithfull to the death and I will give thee the crowne of life It must needs be so that the grand great blessing is of gift for all inferiour blessings that have reference to it they are all of gift both the root and the boughs and the branches and the leaves and the fruit of the tree of life they are all of gift Glory and what ever belongs to glory The Gospel of the Kingdome which points out to us this Crowne that is given to uâ— and of grace To you it is given to know the misteries of the Kingdome of God Christ that is the substance of the Gospel hee is the great gift that God gave freely to the world God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Faith that lays hold of Christ and applyes his merits that is the gift of God To you it is given to believe and to suffer The holy Ghost that begets faith in the heart even he is a gift it is one of his names Donum dei he is the gift of God it is one of the names that he takes he wil give to us his holy spirit Take all in a word both grace and glory are equally of gift St. Paul coucheth them both in many severall places The grace that is given to us saith he in one place The gift of God is eternoll life saith Saint Paul in another all is gift It is true there is another name by which it is stiled sometimes that seemes a little to derogate from the liberty and freenesse of gift It is called wages received it is called the reward that is given But this word of gift regulates all it lets us understand that however we consider it whether we consider it as it is mercis laborantium the wages of them that labour and work in the vineyard Or premium vincentium the reward of them that overcome and fight in the lists Or repromissio credentium the promise made to them that believe and so being a promise is a kind of debt and stipulation yet in all considerations of reward and wages and promise in all it is to be taken so to be taken as a gift That we may learn all hence that that Moses said to the people of temporall Canaan it is true much more of the â—â—â—est allâ— God hath brought you â—o that good land not for your righteousnesse so God hath translated us allâ— he wil if we walk in his Commandements in time he will translate us â— to that good way to that better way that best of all not for our righteousness not for any merits of ours but for his goodnesse out of his bounty because he would be pleased to give it it is meer mercy and gift That we may learn I say with the Elders in the Revelation we may well learn of the Saints in heaven and learn humiliation and acknowledgment of them that are in possession They had Crownes on their heads Rev. 4. and what then They cast downe their Crownes they take off their Crownes and cast them downe before the Throne of God and the Lamb for what purpose St. Gregory
understand it better St. Paul sometimes calls it a growing up to strength Rom. 15. Somtimes a growing to full age Collos 2. Sometimes a growing up to a perfect man You may please to take notice for the better understanding of it in every place St. Paul speaks of a double man the outward man and the inward man the inward man is the same in Pauls language that the hidden man of the heart is in Peters the Soul the inner man There is not onely two parts the Philosophers could goe no further they made two essentiall parts the Scripture inlargeth more and makes two men the outward man and the inward man The soul alone is called by the name of the whole man because it hath the preheminence the body it is but as the Organ the instrument it is the mind that is the man What shall it profit a man to gaine the World and lose himselfe Sayth one Evangelist And lose his soul sayth another His soul is himselfe it is the inner man The reason is because in the soul there are all the perfections of the body not onely originally but by resemblance there is all in the soul spiritually that makes the spirituall man The soul hath a spirituall mouth and spirituall lips sayth Ambrose whereby it converseth with God And what are the spirituall lips of the mind The desires of the Christian heart and the breathings and openings of the heart to God here are the lips and mouth of the soul whereby it talks with God And the soul hath her spirituall nostrills that is the judiciary faculty whereby shee resents and discernes between good and evill because there is nothing more noysome to the soul then sin and nothing more fragrant then Piety the judiciary part is the Nostrill of the mind Then it hath its eyes too as Paul sayth Ephes 1. That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened there is the lightnesse and the darknesse of the eye of the mind And then shee hath spirituall hands and knees as Paul speaketh Heb. 12. Lift up the hands that hang downe and the feeble knees that is cast off all dullnesse and indisposition to Piety quicken your selves to the work Put these together and here is enough to make a spirituall man and if there be a spirituall man there must be growth As in the outward man we are borne Children yet that infancy comes by growth much lesse come we to manhood without growth If we would attaine this that the Apostle calls the spirituall man the perfect man there must be growth a going forward and proceeding The soul is capable of growth as well as the body though it grow not as the body doth the body growes by augmentation of substance and quantity that is by extention of dimensions the soule growes not so there are no dimensions therefore there can be no extention but it growes in habits and qualities habits of all kinds naturall morall intellectuall spirituall habits of all kinds this is the more noble growth a great deale This we are all to take notice of if we be grafted into Christ there will be growing up in him if the new Creature be formed in the heart of a Christian there will be growing up in grace Thereupon grace is compared to light to leaven to seed those of all things else are most multiplying and of a diffussive growing nature If grace be in the heart as light it will shine more an more Pro. 4. If it be in the heart as Leaven it will never leave till it work it selfe to a greater lump If it be in the heart as seed it will fructifie and multiply from ten to thirty and to sixty and to a hundred fold Let none deceive himselfe it is one of the best trialls whereby a Christian may prove his estaâ—e prove himselfe whether he be in the faith or no. Wouldest thou prove thy selfe There is no way so ready and sure for the generall whereby a man may understand the condition of his soul how his estate stands how it is between God and his soul whither he be in Christ or no. If there be a growing if there be a declining if there be not a growth if he wax worse if there be but a standing still it is a shrewd suspition that there was no true insition Whereas men think it enough to get into Christ it is true if a man get into Christ it is enough he cuts off none that are in that Vine he casts off none but take this withall take heed thou deceive not thy selfe to think thy selfe ingrafted into him when thou art not If there be true insition there will be living in Christ and if so there will be a growing up in him It is so essentiall a signe of our true being in Christ that unlesse there be this growth we have little cause to presume that we are in him Therefore it is laid downe by Divines well and by all Writers as an Axiome in Christianity that not to goe forward is to goe backward Christ layes the foundation of it He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth and Leo magnus well Paraphraseth upon it there is no medium betweene these two in Christianity he that doth not profit something daily it is a shrewd signe it is a true argument that he is dificient in Christ if he goe not forward he goes backward if he get not something he loseth St. Chrysostome expresseth it by a sweet similitude The state of a Christian is as a Ship sailing with the wind against the streame now the state of that Ship is such if the wind be stronger then the streame it is carried against the streame but if the wind slack it stands not still but goes backwaâ—d if it goe not forward if it gâ—ine not ground it loseth r So it is with the state of a Christian here Vbi incipis c. sayth Bernard where a man hath once set up a resolution to goe no further without doubt he declines and when he doth not labour to grow better certaily he growes worse Because grace if it be in the soul will be active if there be a new man formed there will be motion and the excellentest motion growth So here is the sum of the phrase under the second consideration they goe on or they grow on So I have done with the first the quality of the motion The next I told you was the mark to which this motion is directed for he that walks or moves hath still some mark somthing that he aimes at that is here set downe to be strength or virtue They goe on to virtue or strength Both wayes it is right there is not much difference they come to the same because vertue and strength especially in spirituall things they are taken for one and the same Virtue and strength in Scripture they are used as words equivalent When the Scripture speaks of God it is one of his
the mind with grace and reason and for what end That while he is upon Earth he should know which way to have his converse in Heaven which cannot otherwise be done but by the mind that now while he is in the body he might make himselfe present with the Lord he cannot doe it but by lifting up of the heart So it is both these eyes that are meant here I lift up mine eyes to thee And to shew that both are meant the Plurall is used the word is used foure times in these two Verses and it is Plurall in all Once in the first Verse and thrice in this Verse Vnto thee I lift mine eyes and the eyes of a Servant and the eyes of a Hand-maid So doe our eyes David runs upon it oft to point out that it should be done alway or to shew the diversity of eyes that are in us There are but two of the body but there are many more of the mind That that is said of the Saints glorified of the living Creatures Revel 4. That they were full of eyes before and behind There is good reason to be given of that why they should be full of eyes before and behind because they were to receive happinesse in every part Seing beatificall happinesse consists in Vision they must be all eye that they may be all blessed that they may be full of vision they are full of eyes before and behind there is good reason that the glorified Saints should be full of eyes And there is good reason that the Saints millitant should be full of eyes too The eyes that they have have both positures to look back to the promises fullfilled and to look forward to the promises that are to be fulfilled and to look downe upon Earth but not except it be to the contempt of it and to look up to Heaven with a desire after it they have eyes within and eyes without that both may be directed to God They are full of eyes There is the eye of devotion that is lift up in Prayer In the morning will I direct my Prayer to thee and will looke up Where ever there is Prayer there is looking up Prayer is the Messenger that we send up and the eye is a second Messenger that we send after it for Conduct the eye carries the Candle to our Prayers to lead them the way to Heaven it goes before them to point them the way there is the eye of Devotion in Prayer and there is the eye of contemplation that is lift up in meditation and the eye of faith that is lift up to God in trust and beleiving There is the eye of patience in hope and the eye of attendance in giving obedience to God Look how many heavenly duties there are so many eyes there are Because there is no duty or work can be done without the light of the eye it is that that is the Guide and light So now the summ of all is this that it is a speciall act of Religion to lift up our eyes to God It is an act of Religion not onely for the mind but to lift up the eyes of the body It shall appeare to be an act of Religion easily an act of piety by the contrary The Scripture useth the other the contrary as an act of superstition and Idolatry In Ezek. 18. God blames them there and threatens them because they lifted up their eyes to the Idolls of the House of Israel they lift up their eyes that is they Worshipped them it was an act of Religion it was religious worship they gave them when they lifted up their eyes When we lift up our eyes to God it is an Act of piety it is so and we must make it so There is good reason why we should make it so We owe God the strength of our bodies as well as of our souls He that sayth we shall worship God withall our soule saith we shall worship God with all our strength If we owe God the strength of our bodies we owe him no part more then the eye The eyes are the glory of the body those Lamps have more of Heaven then any part of the body there is no part of the body that pertakes so much of Heaven as the eye There is no part that God bestowed so much cost on in the creation as on the eye Therefore the strength of the eye must returne upon him the curiosity of the eye is such that all the Jewells and precious stones in the World are not able to match the excellency of the eye The next reason is because when the soule is lifted up if the eye goe with it it makes a perfect Elevation There is the soule for all within and the eye carries all without there is a perfect elevation of the whole man Then the third reason is because the soule cannot be lifted up without the eye for there is no part that the soul shews it selfe so much in as in the eye What ever the affection of the heart be it will appeare in the eye If it be sorrow it will appeare in the eye the eye will be dejected If it be anger the eye will sparkle If it be devotion the eye will be lift up It is the very beames the strength of the beames of the eye when they are enlivened by faith that pierce Heaven as well as our words pierce Heaven with ejaculations God reads the very notions and thoughts of our hearts in our eyes though he need not these wayes to know them for he reads them in the heart it selfe but when the eye testifies them it is a testimony of that we think given by our eye There are many testimonies in the lifting up the eyes to Heaven First it is a testimony of a beleiving humble heart Infidelity will never carry a man above the Earth Pride can carry a man no higher then the Earth neither The proud man looks aloft his eyes are high yet they are below they are upon the Earth still the loftinesse is the lownesse there is nothing lower then pride The humble mans eye is aloft though it be below and the proud mans eye is low though it be aloft infidelity and pride will not carry above the Earth but faith carries to Heaven to the Throne of God and looks on him as a helper as a rewarder and a Judge It is a testimony of a beleiving heart And the lifting up of the eye it is a testimony of an obedient heart A man that lifts up his eye to God he acknowledgeth thus much Lord I am thy Servant he acknowledgeth that he hath all from him his body and his soule his body is not his owne his eyes are not his owne but for Gods service he acknowledgeth that he will dedicate to God both soule and body that he will subject both to his will and appointment It is a testimony of an obedient heart And it is a testimony thirdly of a thankfull heart A man that
hath turned to us in mercie when we have been in trouble wee have prayed and he hath heard us wee have confessed our sinns and he hath given us pardon things have succeeded well Nay there is the bond of example see it in many holie and wicked men there was never any that returned to God Rehoboam Manasses who not the Prodigall the Publican when he returned no sooner he thought of turning to God but God turned to him We have that bond of incouragement to move us There is the bond also of hope hope is grounded on the promise of God he hath promised to turne if we turne Lastly there is the bond of feare to prevaile if love will not feare may prevaile let that bond move us that is a great obligation we are in danger if wee turne not he hath Whet 〈◊〉 sword and bent his bow he hath prepared the instruments of death he still hovers to see if we will returne and he forbeares and though we have been desperate in committing sinne let us not be desperate in impenitencie and though wee have been unhappie in sinning let us be happie in returning For simplie speaking sinne is not so damnable as going on in sinne it is not so fatall and mortall to sinne as to cotinue and goe on in sinne As it is with health and phisicke a man were better want health then want phisicke if a man want health there is hope of recoverie if he have phisick but if he want phisick there is no hope of recoverie So repentance is the phisick sinne is the disease it is not so much danger to sinne as to be impenitent repentance that is the physick if a man sin there is a way to pardon but if he be impenitent there is no pardon impenitencie excludes pardon Therefore feare should make us turne to God Impenitencie is that only sinne that is damnable and mortal impenitency is that that shuts the pits mouth impenitency is that that settles us on our lees that hardens our hearts and makes God absent himselfe for ever it makes judgements irrevokeable impenitencie seales up the den of the Lyons it rols the stone to the doore of the Sepulcher it leaves no possibilitie of forgivenesse it makes sinne infinite and uncureable Therefore let us not drowne our selves in that estate that will shut us out from all hope not only of having judgement diverted but of having sinne pardoned O! it is a theame that we should alway thinke of and never end speaking of it is the summe of the Law and of the Gospell the effect of Gods grace of his punishments it is that that God expects at all times from the best men from the most wicked men Therefore to shut up all with that excellent speech of Zephanie Zeph. 1. Gather your selves together O Nation not desired It suits well with us thus far gather your selves together O Nation not desired We are a Nation not desired as the case stands What then Forsake your evill wayes leave your sins turn from your iniquities and seeke Gods face it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger There is another It may be like that of Amos it may be you shall be hid it is true now it is but it may be It may be the day is past the day of returning Time was when there was more then probabilitie it is to be feared now God is gone too farre he hath wrestled so long that he will not be now intreated yet for all that yet it may be peradventure God will turne we know not he is rich in mercie let us not be wanting to our selves if that succeed not that he returne from this plague yet he will turne from his wrath to those that feare him Let it be done with one consent all the people as one man with one mind and voyce turne from sinne if there be any prophane let him turne from blaspheming Gods name if there be any Drunkards of Ephraim let them turne from their revelling and not only Drunkards but Sippers that tipple and wast their time and credit and dream over the pot those are worse then Drunkards for they doe but wast that estate they have before men but the other wast that precious time that they should get salvation in their hearts are after wine if there be any that neigh after their neighbours wives any adulterous seed any that have hands of blood and oppression those that grind the faces of the poor those that have fingers of coveteousnesse men that have fraudulent hands that practise the mysteries of their Trade let them turne from their evill wayes Gather your selves together O Nation not desired forsake your sinnes and come to the Lord It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger That is the summe of this exhortation to this first dutie that the Prophet gives in these words Turne to the Lord and in turning Take to you words SERMON II. Hosea 14.2 Take to you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquitie c. THERE is no commendable vertue but it is beset with extreames on both hands one on the right hand and another on the left For morall vertues it is evident and for naturall habits whether they be outward or inward we may instance but in one for all that is The gift of speech it hath extreames that hedge it in both wayes There is one extreame in the defect that is Silence and of that it is that the Prophet accuseth the Shepheards of Israel that they did betray the salvation of the people by their silence they were as dumb Dogs that could not bark And the other extreame is in excesse and that is called much speaking and of that Solomon tells us in the Proverbs in multiloquio c. In the multitude of words there never wants sin It is so in naturall language and in civill kinde of speech and it is so also in the spirituall language and in the conference we have with God Prayer is the language of the heart and it hath extreames on both hands For the extreame that is in excesse Christ toucheth it in the Gospell he tells us of the Pharisees that thought they should be heard for their long prayers and much babling that is one fault And for the extremity in the defect we have it in Job 21. and Job 32. where he complaines of prophane persons those that God was not in their thoughts and so not in their tongue to speak of him with reverence Who is the Almighty that we should serve him or what helpe is there in the Lord that we should pray to him The Children of Israel were guilty of both these extreames and that kept them that they could not hit the mediocrity to observe a good decorum in prayer to God For the multitude of their words the Prophet Malachy sets it down Chap. 3. they were come to that height they durst reason with
words it is impossible to continue Thirdly It is the meanes to glorifie God more In prayer we glorifie God in body and soule It is not enough that we glorifie God within we may doe it within but who knowes it Then it is onely to our selves but when it is with the lips we doe it to others Even the Saints in Heaven use language in the glorifying of God they sing to the glory of God Halelujah that song of praise to God and expresse it by words because there may be a common participation that they may make an eccho Therefore David though he were a man that had a mentall gift of prayer yet he confined not himselfe to it I called to God with my voice and he heard my prayer I will sing of thy kindnesse for ever and with my mouth I will declare it Marke I will sing of it and declare it with my mouth and call to God with my voyce Therefore because there is a necessity of Vocall prayer to glorifie God that is the first reason the Prophet saith Take words that is the first duty Secondly He shewes the necessity of preparation It is not onely use words the Heathen that thinke to be heard for much babling they use words but they take not words What is that To study to single and cull out words before to cast about where to get words Looke into the closet of your heart and see what things you want see what acceptable formes the Saints used then come and humble your selves before God but take to you words The necessity of preparation in the duty of prayer is briefely layd downe by Solomon in Eccles 5. Be not rash to utter a thing before God for he is in Heaven That is Rush not upon prayer goe not into Gods presence before thou be fitted there must be holy preparation not onely before publike but private prayer Beloved we come to pray and the reason why our petitions are denyed is because our hearts rove He will never come into Gods presence with reverence one day that prepares not somewhat the day before that sets not worldly things aside the day before As in publike so in private prayer prepare before you come to Church and after How ever some would scare Christians out of piety they shall not scare Christians from their duty They say it is superstition for a man to humble himselfe before God when hee comes to the Church and Congregation they say hee must joyne with the Congregation there must not be a sequestration though it be never so short to fit himselfe It is true a man humbles and prepares himselfe before but now he comes to the performance of it I humble my selfe before but now I come to the performance give me such a heart as I may joyne with thy Servants to confesse our sins and to make knowne our wants And this must be superstition in their interpretation because we doe not joyne with the Congregation They make no conscience of it if they did they would not keepe their owne posture at the Creed they to sit and others stand I will be bold to say it is fancie The hearts of Christians must not be troubled whereby there comes a great deale of offence they run out of the Church if a Minister humble himselfe before God in the Pulpit what they please must be superstition No when we come before God there must be preparation David prayed before he prayed Let the lifting up of my hands be as Incense Micah studyed before he prayed Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and make my supplication What gesture shall I use and what preparation shall I make So should every good Christian and the reason is good prayer is weighty the tongue is slippery and the affections roving a man had need to hedge in his heart with all preparation If a man speak to men as I come to speak to you yet I dare not come without due preparation and yet I speak to men as my selfe much more when a man comes before God If a man when he speaks to men labours to shun Shelves and Solicismes of speech and to ingratiate his person and presse it home upon the hearts of his hearers how much more when he speaks before God that reads the language of the heart who is a God that heares prayer to whose presence all flesh comes Moses when he was to speak to Pharaoh durst not goe because he wanted words and was a man of flow speech and so Jeremie yet they were but to speake to men If any man say there was a necessitie because they went on Gods errand that was not the reason looke back to humane oratours Demosthenes Tullie see what preparation they made to speak before humane auditorie yet they would correct their errours and set every word in due place they would get words pick up phrases if any tittle of pronunciation were more advangious then other they would get that meerely to prevaile in civill causes for men how much more when we come to God in prayer and not only be orators but petitioners and for the best of his mercies for grace the richest jewell in all his Store-house and God that searcheth the heart and sees if the heart and Spirit be answerable to the tongue and hand a man had need to be prepared before-hand Therefore Abraham a man that had heavenly acquaintance with God he fitted himselfe before he would come in prayer see how many prefaces he useth six times he prayes and every prayer hath a preface Let not my Lord be angrie and I will speake Behold I have taken upon me to speake that am but dust and ashes He useth those holie prefaces to ingratiate himselfe with God knowing how great an honour it is for God to vouchsafe a mortall creature to speake to him so will we if we consider the greatnesse of Gods majestie we will pray that we may pray search and examine and see what blessings God hath bestowed and then we shall know what to give thankes for see what evill we have committed and then wee shall know what to mourne for see what judgements and temptations God hath removed and then wee shall know how to blesse him what sinnes we are prone to that wee may know what to pray against and see what temporall things wee need and then we may know what to beg this the Prophet would have Take words studie words before you come take not perfunctorie words use not such as come first to hand deale not so boldly and familiarly with the glorious presence of God speake to God as if you did speake to men nay as if you were to speake before the judge of all men Lastly here he gives a direction what words to use in prayer The language of prayer is of a great extent looke how many our wants are so many severall formes and dialects our prayer hath and looke how various mens hearts are so various is prayer but for
were formes sâ—t in the old Testament for the blessing of the people thâ—â—e is a forme soe that Numb 6. they were to blesse them thus saying The Lord blesse you When the Arke removed there was a forme for that the forme then was Arise O Lord in thy resting place among the many thousands of Israel When the Arke stood still Returne O Lord to the many thousands of Israel For the worke of purification when any place was to be cleansed from the guilt of blood that lay at the doore of the Citie thus they were to say Lord be mercifull to thy people and lay not guiltines of blood to us In the time of repentance and humiliation the Prophet then sets a forme for them Joel 2. Let the Priests the Lords remembrancers stand betweene the porch and the Altar and say spare thy people O Lord. And here Hosea seeing the necessitie in regard of the great defects and many wants of the people he cals on them to call upon God and that their prayer might be accepted as one that ministred to their infirmities and helped their necessities therefore he gives them this forme he gave it to them and the Spirit of God commends it to us by leaving it in Scripture as an example for us to make our prayers by as a warrant upon occasion especially in publick to use such a forme Take to you these words that I prescribe and say thus to him The Chaldee paraphrase so descants upon it and some other Rabbies use either these or the like words as these Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously So I have done with the preparative that is the rule of exhortation Now Secondly the rule of direction and that hath two parts One is precatorie take away all sinne The other part is promissorie So will we render the calves of our lips I begin with the first of these that is the part precatorie and therein are two things The parts of which the prayer consists And the order of the parts The parts of which the prayer consists are two One is Take away all ill The other is Shew us good receiveus graciously The first part is for the taking away of all ill and the worst ill the ill of sinne It is but short but it is very pithie There are three words in it and they all have their emphasis it is not called sinn but iniquitie it is not this or that sinne but all it is not only lay it aside for a time but take it away remove it So these three make three parts There is first the thing deprecated and prayed against that is iniquitie and sinne Secondly the extent of it how farre the deprecation reacheth not to a few not to some but all take all iniquitie away and leave none behind Then thirdly the manner of the removing of it a word that is very full Take it away We shall see the meaning of that when we come to it The first is the thing deprecated sinne The Prophet labours hereby by setting this forme to draw them to the acknowledgement of their sinne and not only to an acknowledgement but to an aggravation To an acknowledgement in that he wisheth them to pray thus Take away iniquitie Saith Tertullian well there is in all Petitions of mercie a secret confession of sin he that begs pardon acknowledgeth sinne He would not only draw them to an acknowledgement but to an aggravation Therefore he useth not the common word take away sinne but take away iniquitie iniquitie hath a greater stroake saith Austin it is plaine that sinne is common iniquitie is extraordinarie There are none of us all but acknowledge our selves sinners and we doe not think much to be so called but men will blush and be ashamed and loath to be accounted those that are impious that have iniquitie Austin shewes by it that there is more in iniquitie then in sin therefore the Prophet useth that phrase to teach us what is the greatest ill against which we are to bend all our prayers what was the great evill against which they were to millitate with their prayers sinne and iniquitie All a Christians labours all his examinations all his prayers and devotion are to looke this way to the taking away of iniquitie It is the most frequent Prayer that we are to put up it is that daylie prayer that wee are to put up what ever we doe and what ever wee stand in need of there is no blessing that we are to beg of God but this must goe in aske in the first place pardon of sinne If a man be to sit downe at his Table to eate meate first beg pardon of sinne because sinne will be a meanes to curse it to him it cannot be good without Gods blessing sinne may hinder the naturall worke of the creature if a man be to goe a journey and beg Gods protection let him first aske pardon of sinne for that will expose him to danger there is no keeping of sinne in the house and in the heart first beg for the removing of that If a man goe about his worke he begs Gods blessing upon his labour but first let him aske reconciliation and pardon of sinne for sinne will make a mans labour unfruitfull and unprofitable and bring a curse upon his labour If a man come to the House of God to heare the word of God and to joyne in prayer with the people of God O let him though he meane to aske a blessing that it may edisie yet let him first beg pardon for sinne stops the eares of a man in hearing and stops the eares of God in hearing When God speakes to us if sinne be not purged out of our hearts we shall not benefit by the word and we shal have no benefit by our prayers If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Therefore this is the reason the Prophet would have them bend the Forces of their indeavours and prayers against sinne It is not take away our punishment or take away thy plague they were in miserie now the Prophet teacheth them not so much to pray for that in generall but that that they should stand upon is Take away iniquitie And that is the reason why of all other prayers the Devill most opposeth a man both in making of this Petition and in the comfort by it He contradicts this prayer especially because it is a choice fruit of Gods Spirit and it is that prayer that ruins his Kingdome reconciliation puls it downe therefore he opposeth that One way whereby he opposeth it is by keeping men from seeing their sinnes He that sees not his sinnes begs not pardon if we be blind we shall be dumb in that sence If he cannot hinder from the sight he will hinder from the sence a man will never aske pardon of that that he feeles not burthensome If he prevaile not with that then he will keep them from the hope of pardon and make
out of the book of his remembrance that it never rise for accusing or condemning We see that distinction of theirs will not stand before this word Take away our iniquities So now the points hence are these two The reasons why the Prophet chooseth this word for he might have had great variety not pardon thou that is as much not pardon or forgive iniquity but here is a fuller in regard of the effect Take away It is for these two reasons First he would draw them to acknowledge that sin was burthensome that they did detest and loath it For no man will have that taken away that he delights in It is plain the Prophet would have them expresse such affections that it might appeare that their sins were odious and abhominable and they delighted not in them no men would have that removed that they take pleasure in While sin is but the pastime of the impenitent heart no man desires it should be taken away but the prayer of a wicked mans heart is contrary Lord that I may fulfill my lusts that my sinnes may thrive and goe on Where sin is sweet and delightfull that man cannot wish that it should be taken away these are repugnant But where a man wisheth it to be taken away and pardoned it is plain there it appeares a burthen and heavie Looke in any thing naturall and civill A servant a man desires not to put him away while he is profitable but if he be unserviceable You cast not away a garment while it is usefull but when you have done with it when they will serve for your wearing you will keepe them no man will cast a way that that he hath profit or pleasure by It is either somewhat that is hurtfull or unusefull that men cast away So is the nature of sinne sinne only is unprofitable what fruit have you in those things saith the Apostle Sinne is that which is only hurtfull it exposeth men to great danger therefore if a man would truly prepare and fit his heart that he may speak with enlarged affections for the pardon of sinne let him learn first to come to the sense of it to know that sinne in its nature is a burthen David calls it so my iniquities are gone over my head A heavy burthen greater then Aetna greater then all the mountaines pyled one upon another but while sin is pleasing to the soule so long it is not a burthen Water in its place doth not gravitare If a man be at the bottom of the Sea and all the waves be on him hee feels no weight If he be out of the sea a paile of water is heavie Why in the Sea it is in its place Sinne when men delight in it is in its place it hath no weight he that truly desires to have it taken away he must find it burthensom A man that is in danger of drowning hee will cry with fervency for help a man that sees the danger of sinne it will make him cry and roare The reason why we do not cry with such fervency for the removing of sin is because we feele not the sting and sharpnesse of it Therefore a good Christian makes this a part of his study that hee may bring himselfe to find sinne burthensome And that may be done by these meanes If he oft represent the purity of that law that sin transgresseth the law of God The glory of that Majestie that sin provokes the Lord of Hosts The blood of that Saviour that sin crucifies the Lord of life The honour of that profession that sinne disgraceth the profession of Christianity The losse of that happinesse that sinne endamageth the losse of heaven The bitternesse of that place to which sin exposeth eternall condemnation The comfort of that conscience that sin makes shipwrack of that is the conscience that is within a man that shall either be a vessel of comfort or woe He that layes all these together will begin to apprehend that sin is burthensome that sinne hath weight on it and that the Prophet provokes them to by this word The word signifies to take a burthen from a man that is over weary So the same word is that that John useth concerning Christ The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world The weight of sinne lay on the world Christ comes and takes it away he takes it upon himselfe that he might take it from us That they might understand thus much therfore he chooseth this word of weight That is the first reason to bring them to this acknowledgment that their sin was distastfull and burthensome because they could desire God to take them away Secondly another thing it implies is hee would hereby bring them to the acknowledgment of the author of pardon of sin He would hereby let them understand who alone is both able and willing to take away sin That is not in the power of any creature or man himself or any Angell or Prophet or Apostle or Saint whatsoever Here is the second thing requisite in every true convert First he must find sin burthensome Secondly that he acknowledge God to be the author of the pardon of it It is in vaine to come before God and not to know this He that comes to God must believe that he is He that comes to God to remove his sin must believe that God must remove it Shall we come to God and believe and trust the merits of others to remove sinne It is to mock God Let our adversaries of Rome look to this though they pretend God to be the author of pardon yet let them see how it will stand with those poynts One concerning the doctrine of merit and the other concerning free-will For if the Saints by the merit of their intercession can procure pardon or if those to whom the power of the keyes is committed can properly virtually efficaciously and directly remove and take away sinne it is plaine they that hold these cannot acknowledg God to be the sole author of pardon But the Scripture runs in another phrase God expresseth it so and testifies of himselfe that none else can doe it Isa 43. I the Lord blot out your iniquities The Prophet acknowledgeth so much To thee O Lord belongeth mercie and forgivenesse As mercie and forgivenesse belong to God so the taking away of sinne that is to thee alone It hath the force of an exclusive because the depth of mercie belongs to him therefore forgivenesse And we are happy that it belongs to him God knows what successe we should have if it were trusted to men that are so unmercifull Nay if it were in the hands of Angels though they be charitably and well-affected to us that are their fellow-members yet there is a great deal of difference the bowels of Angels would be strait if they were the dispensers of it No it must be a fountaine that cannot be drawn dry it must bâ— an infinite hath that must wash the souâ—e and that
here we acknowledge thankfullnesse to God for mercies and make new purposes and resolutions of obedience we arme our selues with new vowes Now this calls all those notions back to your mind that I delivered before It is called therefore the Eucharist because all Gods mercies are here summed up in the memoriall of them in this blessed Sacrament And here we give God thanks not for one mercy but for all and for the Fountaine and Foundation of all Therefore the Apostle calls it the Cup of blessing that is the Cup of Thankfullnesse Our blessed Saviour gave that ground to the Eucharist for you know that he did breake the bread with giving of Thanks to shew to us sayth Chrysostome how we should carry our selves how we should behave and demeane our selves in receiving these blessed mysteries how we should receive these Mysteries from the hand of that gracious goodnesse that fountaine of mercy that gives them with thankfullnesse receive them so as Christ gave them he gave them with thankfullnesse And here we have occasion of excitement for blessing God for the pardon of sin and of blessing God for giving Christ for giving not onely Christ to be with us but to die for us and not onely so but giving us this memoriall of it in which is the summing up of all mercy So you see here is the summing up of all Therefore let us joyne all these together and when we come to the Lords Table remember this Prayer Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our Lips So much of the first consideration We looke upon the duty of thankfullnesse as it is set downe in literall termes So much for this time SERMON VI. Hosea 14.2 So will we render the Calves of our lips THE Word of God as it is well stored with variety of figures and elegancy of Speech so it doth not abound with any more then with metaphors For a metaphor is as a Glasse in which we see by reflexion that duty which in the literall precept comes to our understanding in a more familiar manner So while we have any precept commended to us in both formes of Speech there is a double benefit to us In the literall forme God shewes us the duty and in the metaphoricall forme he shewes us the beauties and delight that is to be found in those precepts that he gives us Therefore you may observe that there is hardly any duty of piety in all the Scripture but in one place or other it is commended to us in metaphoricall words For the grace of faith the Apostle St. John tells us in Revel 3. I counsell thee sayth Christ to the Church of Laodicea that thou buy of me Gold tryed in the fire faith is set out in that metaphor For the grace of meeknesse and innocency St. Peter shewes us the way 1 Pet. 2. As new Borne Babes desire the sincere Milke of the word that ye may grow thereby Simplicity and innocency is commended to us in that metaphor For the grace of perseverance St. Paul tells us in Heb. 12. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us Perseverance goes on till it come to the end of the race it is commended to us in that metaphor For the grace of repentance the Prophet Joel sets it downe Rend your hearts and not your Garments For Prayer David Let it come before thee as incense And for the work and duty of Thankfullnesse the Prophet Hosea in this place which is one of the harshest metaphors that we meet with in all the Scriptures As for Prayer to be resembled to incense there is a great deale of reason that is obvious to any eye there is a Holy breath a Celestiall smoake that goes out of fervent Prayer as incense from the Altar that ascends up to God Prayer hath an ascending faculty as incense hath But for the work of prayse and thanksgiving to be set out under the metaphor of the Calves of the lips it may seeme at the first view a metaphor far fetched but that there is no title in the Word of God but that it is added upon speciall worth and reason Therefore it will be worth our labour as before I shewed the nature of the duty of thankfullnesse as farr as it concernes the literall part so now to look upon it in the Glasse of this metaphor We will give the Calves of our lips I told you there were 3. things that I would consider in this last part of this Scripture First what the Duty is that the Prophet aimes at to which he would excite them when he adds this to the former Prayer Take away iniquity and receive us graciously so will we give the Calves of our lips That is so will we blesse and praise and magnifie thy name According to this acception I spake of it in the Fore-noone I told you this duty was added the memoriall of it to commend to them the remembrance of somewhat in generall to mind them De vovendo De solvendo Of the Vowing of Thankfullnesse Of the Payment of Thankfullnesse The prophet hereby would engage them he makes them to give a pledge a Hostage to God that if he would be gracious to them they would not be unmindfull of their Covenant againe but returne praise and thanks The things he would remember them of in perticular are these First That Thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies Secondly that it is due to God especially for spirituall mercies for pardon of sin Take away iniquity and then we will praise thee Thirdly that thanks and praise must goe hand in hand together There is no Prayer that we offer to God that must exclude Thankfullnesse First he teacheth them to pray Take away iniquity and then to add so will we give thee prayse and glory Then Lastly that thankfullnesse is the best close of Prayer Prayer is that that opens to all other duties and thankfullnesse is that that shuts up prayer These were the things observed in the first part in the Forenoone Now the second thing that I considered in it was to look upon this duty of thankfullnesse as it is expressed in this metaphor And in the third place to come to the connexion in this Particle So or Then These are the two things I am now to speake of The first is to looke upon the metaphor for there is a great deale of matter couched in that if I mistake not my selfe Therefore I will examine it in these two things What is the ground the foundation upon which this metaphor is pitched that he should rather choose this then any other Secondly what is the reason why the Prophet rather expresseth the duty of Thankfullnesse in a metaphor then in literall termes The first is this what are the grounds upon which this metaphor is built or whence is it derived The Calves of our lips There are two words it might have beene varied either way For the
Strength of the faculties of his mind and of the parts of his body when he gives the glory of all his actions and intentions when he learnes to deny himselfe He that Sacrificeth he parts with that which he Sacrificeth and he that Sacrificeth himselfe parts with himselfe and denies himselfe He that will come after me let him denie himselfe A man that gives himselfe in sacrifice goes out of himselfe and keeps nothing back when a man brings carnall reason and opens his affections and will to be Subject to God when he brings all those sins which he was addicted to by nature or hath contracted by custome when he brings all to the obedience of Christ and layes them upon the Altar of a penitent contrite heart such a man offers himselfe to God It is a thing most precious with men themselves and it is a thing most precious with God too There is nothing of that value that we can give to God as our selves he that gives his whole selfe gives all the duties that can be performed by man He gives the Sacrifice of praise and Prayer his hands are Dedicated to God in works of Charity his eyes in Chastity his heart in repentance every faculty of his mind all his whole selfe is consecrated to God That is to make a true devotion sayth St. Austin O si quis bene c. If any man will make a perfect vow and Sacrifice to God let him make a dedication of himselfe Hoc est quod debetur imago this is that that God demands this is that that we owe the Image of Caesar to returne to Caesar and the Image of God to God God made man for himselfe therefore we should give our selves See how farr we doe it Christ he gave not any thing of himselfe but himselfe for us his whole selfe we must make such a retalliation to give to God againe not any thing of ours but our selves that God requires If we give any thing to the World we give not our selves to God if any thing to the pleasures of sin if any thing of our selves to our selves we give not our selves to God The way to keepe our selves is to give our selves to God A man never keeps himselfe till he loose himselfe then he is kept sure when he is laid in Gods armes The presumptuous man gives not himselfe to God he gives not God his feare The doubtfull dispairing Christian he gives not himselfe to God he gives not God his hope The covetous man gives the World his desire the World hath his love and his joy He that consecrates himselfe to sin let him see to whom he gives himselfe not to God who is one hat abhors iniquity and transgression You know who was the first author of sin he that dedicates himselfe to sin gives himselfe to him that is the Author of it I abhor to name it to whom we consecrate our selves Christians Baptise themselves into the name of Satan they give themselves in Sacrifice to the Devill To consecrate our selves to sin is to doe so it is plaine the Prophet puts not in the heart here because the whole man is included therefore he sayth not We will give thee the Calves of our hearts but We will give thee the Calves of our lips This for the meaning of it Now look in the second place why the Prophet makes choise of it for there was a large Field of expressions that he could have used David hath this work set downe in much variety of Language so we will praise and glorifie thee and give laud to thy name so will we sing to thy praise and honour thee in our actions any of these would have served yet he chooseth this we will give the Sacrifice of our selves The reasons that make it full for the understanding of it are these three why he passeth by literall phrases and expressions and instanceth in a Metaphoricall So will we render the Calves of our lips First to shew them and to teach to us that thanksgiving and praise is a Sacrifice Every duty of Christianity in which a man consecrates himselfe to God is called a Sacrifice Righteousnesse that is a Sacrifice Psal 4. Offer to God the Sacrifice of righteousnesse Prayer that is a Sacrifice or oblation Psal 141. Let my Prayer be as incense So the Apostle sayth Christ offered up Prayers in the dayes of his flesh Thirdly repentance is a Sacrifice Psal 51. The Sacrifice of God is a humble contrite heart It is not onely one Sacrifice but the Sacrifice the eminent Sacrifice that God delights in a humble heart Fourthly Almes-deeds that is a Sacrifice Heb. 13. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such Sacrifice God is well pleased Againe praise is called a Sacrifice By him that is by Jesus Christ let us offer the Sacrifice of praise Lastly thanksgiving that is a Sacrifice Psal 116. and diverse others I will offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay my vowes to the Lord. Nay and the Apostle St. Peter 1. Pet. 2. he sets downe all Christian duties under this metaphor we are made a holy Priesthood in him we should offer the duties of Christianity there set downe to make an oblation of them they are every duty called there a Sacrifice or oblation The Prophet therefore would draw them to this Consideration that whereas they were much busied and imployed in offering legall Sacrifices that they would look to the spirituall Sacrifices Here are the Sacrifices that are perpetuall the other vanish these continue under Christianity And these are not onely not taken away but perfected in the time of the Gospell The spirituall Sacrifices are Sacrifices that continue still but they are spirituall ones that we offer to God Every Christian duty is as a Sacrifice nay as a severall Sacrifice We may paralell it Repentance is as a Trespasse-offring Zeale is as a Burnt-offring and praise is as a Free-will-offring and thank fullnesse that is as the offring of the first-fruits He that brings sincerity to God there is the oblation of unleavened bread The Apostle sets it out 2 Cor. 5. The unleavened bread of sincerity He that honours God in the works of Charity gives the two young Turtles his hands are as Turtles mercy is as the young turtles offered to God I might instance in other perticulars The incense of prayer the Calves of praise here the Lamb of a humble heart There is no Christian duty but hath some proportion to some Sacrifice it is that in truth and effect that the Sacrifice typified Therefore the Prophet to draw them from looking on their Sacrifices with a carnall eye he instanceth in this to teach them that every duty and in particular the duty of praise is a Sacrifice to God That is the first thing Secondly he would not onely teach them that thankfullnesse was a Sacrifice but that it was a better Sacrifice as I shewed out of the Scriptures that it is reputed
that it assures it to us These two are still joyned in Scripture the cross and the blessing Tribulation and happiness Seeing the Scripture joynes them take heed that we doe not sever them There are two onely wayes whereby we may sever them First doe not sever Tribulation from blessednesse that is one take heed that we doe not that How is that A man then severs Tribulation from the blessing when he would faine be partaker of the beatitude but not indure the Tribulation As there be many men that are very good in their judgement of blessednesse and think beatitude is the best estate yet they are loath to have the Crosse along halfe their judgement is good and halfe naught Remember God hath joyned them he hath made Tribulation walke before If we will reigne with Christ we must suffer with him If we looke to live with Christ we must also endure with him if we will have the reward we must look to the condition Look over all the Scripture and you shall find that no Saint of God was ever exempted from Tribulation Et labor dolor c. as one sayth from the very first man that came into the World to the end godly men have still thornes in their way persecution and trouble and suffering The whole World is as a great Furnace or as a great Ship that carries a great many souls that are in jeopardie of the floud still So the World is to men it is more then so to a Christian the Marks at which the Arrows of Tribulation are shot are especially the whitest marks the fairest marks those that are pure and undefiled in the way The Scriptures doe no where promise the blessing without the Tribulation Nemo c. sayth a Father let no man flatter himselfe and promise himselfe that that the Scripture doth not promise The Scripture no where promiseth blessing to the course of the impenitent no where to them that decline the Crosse but to them that take it up If the blessing be joyned to Tribulation let us joine them and not sever them that is the first Secondly as we must not sever tribulation from blessednesse so we must not sever blessedness from Tribulation How is that done Men sever blessedness from Tribulation when they pronounce godly men miserable because they indure tribulation in the World The World accounts them miserable that God accounts happy those whom God hath made happy it is very vaine and rash judgement for men to pronounce them miserable Generally we think so we think them miserable men though they be holy and righteous if they be oppressed with Tribulation we measure all for the present We must not sever blessedness from tribulation It is just as people that are ignorant when they see the Sun Eclipsed they think the Sun hath no light because for the time it is darkened they think there is no Sun because it is cloudy or that the Sun is lost because he is so to sence Worldly men are Creatures of sence they cannot judge of spirituall things they see the discomforts of godly men they cannot see their comforts The discomforts are without the comforts are within the one is discerned by the carnall the other by the spirituall eye Therefore they conclude they are miserable because they see not their happinesse just as St. Austin sayth as if a man should conclude that the Sea were not deepe because there are shallows towards the shore or that the whole Earth were not fruitfull because there are some Desarts barren or that the frame of it were not round because there are Mountainous places so it is with these temporall afflictions The Mountaines and Hills carry no proportion to so great a body to hinder the perfect roundnesse of the Earth Blessednesse is that that belongs to godly men afflictions and Tribulations as moleâ—hills and un-even places cannot hinder their happinesse In their owne sight it may sometimes it may be there are shallows in Tribulation but glory the Sea is deepe for all that there is deepe glory and comfort reserved for them Heare the pronunciation of the Spirit of God ofter then once Behold we account them happy that suffer saith the Apostle you account them miserable but we account them happy and I think we have the spirit of God he might have said so the spirit of God taught them all these truths we account them happy blessed is the man that endureth temptation Well what is the summ and the use Seing that it is thus pronounced to those that endure Tribulation we all are in love with blessednesse we all desire that if we be desirers of happinesse let us doe wisely take that course that may bring us thither labour to be found in that number that it is promised to if we be found out of that number we must not looke for blessednesse Every man that shall inherit blessednesse must be in the compasse of those quallified persons that it is promised to labour to be of that number I tell you blessednesse is promised to holiness Blessed are the pure in heart He that gets purity of heart hath assurance of blessednesse blessedness is promised to the meek to the poor in spirit to those that feare God and trust in him let us be qualified according to the condition of these persons and we have assurance of blessedness Come to the Text here is a promise To whom is it To those that are at ease in Zion Or to those that Crowne themselves with Rose-buds That let no pleasures passe those that stretch themselves upon beds of Ivory that chant to the sound of the Organ Those that make their Heaven Earth and make their happiness pleasures is the promise to them No it is woe that is threatened to them those that eat Gods people as bread it is not blessing but a woe to them and the woe sleeps not To whom is the promise here Breifly besides all the other promises in Scripture here is one of the principall Blessed is the man that endureth temptation If we be of that number here is blessedness That is the first part the reward promised it is a great and full reward blessedness Now I come from the generall proposition of the reward to the particular That is to goe from good to better though there be nothing better then blessedness yet in our apprehension something may make it more lively in our apprehension to our capacity That is in the otherword the man that endures Tribulation shall receive the Crowne of life that is the particular reward Blessedness is the generall the Crowne of life is the particular And in these words as St. Crysostome sayth well there is great Emphasis they are both emphaticall for life is the best of all naturall things and a Crowne is the best of all things civill Here is the best and the best O then what a blessing and a good is a Crowne and life both joyned together and these in a spirituall
he was the Son of God Satan himselfe tempted him because he did but suspect then that he was the Son of God it was for triall evill temptations are for triall And so are good too there are good temptations of proofe whereby men prove themselves St. Paul calls that by the name of temptation Prove or try or tempt your selves whither you be in the faith or no know you not your owne selves c. When a man makes inspection into his owne heart to find out how his estate stands how he thrives in grace whither he decline or no when he proves every grace and brings it to the Touch stone here he proves and tries his owne heart he makes triall of his obedience of his faith of his patience of his love to God of his meeknesse of his repentance of his growth in all These temptations to good are trialls Last of all to bring it to the point the good tryalls wherewith God is said to tempt men God tempts and tries to see whither we will love him with all our hearts or no God is said to tempt men principally by tribulations they are therefore called trialls But he hath many other wayes of prooving every way whereby he reveales himselfe is a way of triall He hath as many wayes of tryall as he hath wayes of revealing himselfe If he give us his word it is for tryall to prove whither we will bring forth fruit If he take away his word it is for tryall to see how we will walk in the graces that he hath given us If he multiply blessings it is for tryall to see how thankfull we will be and whither we will be drawn by the faire way of invitation by mercies If he take away his blessings and multiply his afflictions it is for tryall still to see how we will beare our selves under the Crosse and take his chastisement Every way that he reveales himselfe whither he send afflictions or remove afflictions whither he send blessing or take away blessings all are for triall Sometimes for the triall of one grace sometimes for the triall of another Sometimes for the triall of obedience Exod. 26. The Lord your God proved and tempted you to see whither you would walk in his Commandements or no. Sometimes for the tryall of our love Exod. 16. The Lord your God prooved you to see whither you would love him withall your hearts And so for all for every grace he sends a tryall But we must understand that God doth not so prove for triall as men doe We take a tryall of things because we are ignorant we doe not know them sufficiently God therefore tries us because he knowes us not that he may have better knowledge of us as we take tryall No God will take tryal of that he knows already or that he knows fully With men every trial is taken either for the gaining or for the bettering of knowledge God that knowes all things and that Searcheth the heart sees what is in us he discernes our thoughts long before There is not a word in our tongues not the least motion in our hearts but he knows it he needs not take a triall for his satisfaction to gaine knowledge or to better his knowledge he knows us better then our selves But there are two reasons why God makes these trialls One reason is given by St. Jerome The other by St. Austin One reason of his trialls is as St. Jerome sayth not that he may know what is in us but that he may make others know otherwise the lustre and light of that grace that God hath given if God should not make it shine out by taking a tryall it could not bring glory to God if it were not exemplary to men the tryall of grace makes it shine He deales with us as Rupurtus sayth as a Merchant of Small-wares a Pedlar doth with his Pack He knows all that is in his Pack but when he comes where Chapmen are he rifles and layes out all not that he may know but that others may know and be invited to buy So God knowes the furnishing of the heart the graces that are there but he rifles them and layes them open by tribulation that others may see the distinction betweene this grace and that that they seeing it may give God the glory Not that he may know but that others may know That is one reason Another Reason why he tempts and prooves and makes tryall Non ut ipse c. not that he may find what is in man but that man may find what is in himselfe we are all strangers to our selves No man knoweth the things of a man but the Spirit that is in man sayth the Apostle Nay we may goe a little further The things of a man knowes not man himselfe It is not all that is in man that can goe to the windings and turnings and Labyrinthes of the heart there are so many partitions and starting-holes that man himselfe cannot find them We know not the weight of our graces nor the depth of our infirmities and Errours God it is that must discover them and how doth he lay them open By tryalls and temptations and tribulations there he lets us see our infirmities and sinfullnesse it is as a Glasse to let us see our infirmities on the one side and as a glasse to see the weight of grace on the other side We could not know the measure of our graces but for trialls how much patience we have and how much faith and how much love and how much thankfullnesse nor any grace a man would never be able to take the true weight of it unlesse it were thus discovered to him and by these trialls Therefore he tries us that he may discover our hearts to our selves to make us see what he hath done for us to make us see what we were what we are and what we may be all this is by triall As a Father deales thus with his Child he takes the Childs finger and puts it to the flame of the Candle or the flame of the fire and bids him proove if it be hot Not but that the Father knowes but that the Child is ignorant that he may learne to shun it So God deales in these Trialls he suffers us to be brought under the flame of Tribulation to be put into the Furnace of afflictions he puts our finger into the flame that we may learne to know that the fire is hot and how hot the fire is that we deserve and had had if Christ had not come he brings us that he may make us know it So sum it up now and then you have the end of all kind of temptations especially these of tribulation they are for triall If that be the end there is no reason we should be out of love with Gods chastisements Were the end evill we had cause to feare and to murmur at tribulations but the end is for good and the best good of all to bring
great reward so any love if it be but little shall have some God will not quench the smoaking flax if it be but a spark of love he will cherrish that If it be lesse then a spark a smoake of love he will cherrish that Yet labour to get abundance it must not be a weak remisse love that is bestowed on God the object is infinite the act must answer the object We must make our love we cannot make it infinite we must extend it as neare infinite as we can come It must not be Amor remissus or Intermissus but perfectus and assiduus True love observe no meane it keeps no measure no bounds can be set to true love the love of God will enlarge and break out more and more We should love him wholly and solely we should love him so as to love nothing besides we should love him so as to love all things in him and for him and without him nothing We should love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength there are foure things that is to love him with every faculty and with the strength of every faculty If I had foure souls as some Philosophers dreamed that we had 3. all those foure were too little were a man all soul all love all that were too little to be bestowed on God It is a high reach it is true indeed but we need not despaire though it be a high reach it is attainable by us because it hath beene attained by others The Saints before are magnified in Scripture for their love of God We have the same meanes the same helps and motives and the same encouragements If love be wanting as it is very much in the World the reason is because men doe not labour to thrive and grow in the love of God God deprives us of the comfort of the love of himselfe because we have no more love one to another But yet if we will apply our selves to the meanes love is recoverable it is not all dead nor all the sparks of love it may be blowne to a greater flame The meanes are various One way whereby we may profite in the love of God is this to empty our hearts of all carnall love whither it be the love of the World or of our selves There is nothing that stands more betweene the love of God and the heart then carnall Worldly love and above all this doting love of our selves Every man is for himselfe we all seeke our selves and not the things that are Christs sayth the Apostle and we all love our selves and not the things that belong to God it is very rare to be found the love of God in sincerity The reason is the love of our selves is so ingrafted and Printed in our hearts that it cannot be gotten out As he that will take his hand full of Corne must first empty his hand if it be full of Sand or Earth or Gravell So if we will replenish our hearts with the love of God there must first be an evacuation an emptying an expulsing and carrying out of carnall love the love of the great World about us and the love of the little World the love of our selves If any man be a lover of the World the love of the Father is not in him sayth St. John The love of the World and the love of God cannot consist together That is the first step to be taken to love God to put the World out of our hearts and to goe out of our selves Christ therefore gives that rule He that will come after me let him deny himselve He that will love God must unlove himselfe We dote upon our selves we are all for our selves therefore we are nothing for God That is one step to love God When we have emptied our hearts of all carnall selfe-love and Worldly love then there is another meanes to consider with our selves oft to call ourselves to those meditations what those motives are that make God so amiable how much beauty and goodnesse there is in God So much beauty that all the beauty of the creatures even of the Angells further then there is somthing of God in them is deformity to the excellency of God all the glory of Heaven further then it is a reflexion of Gods glory it is nothing to Gods beauty And the goodnesse of God how great it is and how great to us to love us and to love us when we were Enemies and in so great a measure to love us as to give his Son to die for us to love us so much as to prepare a place for us If his love reflect upon our hearts it will beget love againe if we come once to think how much God loves us how will it reflect love back One reason we love him so little is we doe not consider how he hath loved us and how Beautifull and Amiable his presence is When we have brought our selves to these meditations another step is to be frequent and conversant in the word of God it is the lively picture of the love of God There are veines and passages of Gods love and incentives to love him in every part we shall not meet with any peice of Scripture but it will kindle some part of love to God He that would Print love let him Print the Bible in his heart if we converse with the word of God that gives documents everywhere of the love of God That is another step Then the fourth that is the step and ascent of prayer A man cannot love God without divine prayer He that loves God will knock at the gate of love love is not to be had but from the God of love Sayth St. Austin pray if you will get the love of God that he would open the door Prayer will fetch every grace so prayer will fetch love for prayer is an argument of love We cannot have recourse to God in prayer but there will be the flight and ascent of love when any Love-suite is sent to God it is not lost he that begs love begs all Lord that I may love thee How much love will this prayer fetch That is another step to attaine the love of God Then when we have made this step there is one more the oft inquisition that we make into our owne hearts and blame our selves that we love him so little O when a man is offended with himselfe for any thing that is contrary it makes him diligent to attaine it A Christian that knowes what belongs to the love of God how doth he blame and condemne himselfe that he loves God so little That he began to love him so late How doth he grudg that any thing should carry any part of his heart or of his love from God He thinks the love lost that is cast upon the Creature he thinks himselfe a thiefe that he should steale any love from God that we should rob God of our love and obedience
God in Zion The motion is in the first part of the words and there are three things in that There is Qualitas motus and Meta and Continuatio motus The quality of the motion they goe on they grow up And the mark to which it is directed to strength And the perpetuation of the motion From degree to degree from Vertue to vertue From strength to strength But before I speake of these perticulars there is one little particle in the front of the words that sets out to us the condition of the persons though it be indeffinitely here exprest that makes this goodly progresse this faire and lovely growth in piety The word is indeffinite They goe or They grow therefore it refers to two Verses before the fourth and fifth there you read who are these they that are here spoken of Elessed is the man in whose heart are thy wayes Blessed is the man whose strength the Lord is Blessed are they that dwell in thy house It is Plurall in the one and Singular in the other It is Singular in Vers 5. Blessed is the man whose strength the Lord is and according to that course and Exposition of the word a man would have thought it should have run thus He will grow from strength to strength But the Psalmist purposely in a great deale of wisdome varies the word and sets downe both expressions In the Singular to let us see that there are not many that have these assentions of God in their hearts or lives there are not many that grow to a high pitch that Grow from strength to strength that is to a great measure Yet he sets it downe in the Plurall to let us see that there are some of those some the same that he pointed at before those that make God their strength that have the feare of God before their eyes and Gods wayes in their hearts That is brieâ—y godly men those that mind piety and Heaven they will be growing they will not stand at a stay or as wicked men goe downward and grow worse and worse as the Apostle speaks and as David sayth From one wickednesse to another Every godly man on the contrary the first thing he minds is to get grace the next thing that he aims at is to grow in grace and that he may grow swiftly and perfectly They grow from strength to strength So much of the Persons Now I come to the other First the quality of the motion They goe It is a corporeall word but it hath a spirituall signification it is a spirituall motion that is represented under this corporeall expression Now of corporeall naturall motions there are two frequent The Locall Motion The Vitall Motion Of locall motions the principall and most noble is the progressive motion going forward Of vitall the motion of augmentation Now according to both the word will carry both here Thâ—y goe on or they grow their going is their growth We may refer it to both both as it sets out the increase of grace by the similitude of a locall motion and as it is exprest by the similitude of a vitall motion First take it as it is set out to us under the similitude of a locall motion They GOE from strength to strength It lets us see what is the perseverance of Christianity It is strength by which a Christian walks but it is perseverance that makes him goe on still and gaine new ground and draw nearer to Heaven Therefore there are many frequent places of Scripture that give us charg and put us in mind still to goe on and proceed there are none that command us to sit still The life of Christianity consists in motion not in session session is reserved for Heaven it is a going forward not a standing still Station is for those that are come to their journeys end when men have done their work then they shall stand and sit at the right hand of God then they shall sit upon thrones But now in the way in our Pilgremage there is work to be done there is a great deale of way to be râ—d and a progresse to be made we must still proceed and goe on that is perseverance that make us goe on and hold out Indeed it is true there are some precepts for standing none for sitting Watch ye stand fast quâ—t your selves like men But that station is not an impediment to motion A Christian at the same time spiritually speaking he both stand if he goe forward and move That standing is not an impediment but an advantage to motion So standing in nature it is a maxime of Philosophy nothing moves but there must be a Basis a center that supports it that is unmoveable that gives it ability to move So it is with Trees the surer they are set the better they grow Man the firmer footing he makes the more stedfastly and better he walks In Christianity the more we are stablished in grace which is the standing that the Apostle speaks of the better we walk The life of a Christian is both in motion and standing in regard of that grace that he hath received that he may keep it he is exhorted to stand in regard of that grace that he looks to and advanceth to that he may get it and that he wants he is called on to move still and goe on So we see the life of a Christian is a life in motion he is so far from declining and going back that a Christian doth not at any time take up his rest he would not willingly make any stay with so much firmenesse and eagernesse doth he breath forward to the state of perfection that may be attained here and the glorious Crowne that shall be set on every mans head after And perseverance is that grace that enlivens us to motion it is one of the Excellencies of perseverance it keeps a man still in motion There are three excellencies that we may note in the grace of perseverance all accommodate to this purpose but the last is best One is it is perseverance that sublimates all graces It is not a perticular distinct grace of it selfe but that golden Thread that goes through every grace and carries them to their pitch and perfection Perseverance is not faith but the continuance and stedfastnesse of faith Perseverance is not repentance but the habituall perpetuaion of repentance The pitch of faith the highest flight of love the fullnesse of repentance the lengthening of the line of patience to the greatest extent and longitude all these are nothing but perseverance It is not any one vertue but the Crowne of all it is the grace Lawrell the wreath that carries every grace and vertue to the height That is once excellency Another excellency is that it is the grace that borders next upon Heaven the next grace to Heaven is Perseverance there is but halfe a step between Perseveranee and glory There is no grace that will carry us to Heaven of it selfe without perseverance
lifts up his eyes to Heaven acknowledgeth that he receives every good blessing every perfect gift from above that he receives all from the hand of God It is a testimony of a thankfull heart Then it is a testimony of a Heavenly heart he that lifts up his eyes to Heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the Earth his heart is not there his hope and desire is above A man will cast his eye where his wishes are he will oft cast his eyes where his heart is Either we are all Hypocrites or our hearts are in Heaven If we constantly lift our eyes to Heaven and have our hearts on Earth we play the egregious Hypocrites with God If we lift our eyes up to Heaven and our hearts are not there judge what you doe God looks upon that heart that sends up those eyes and sees whither the heart be there for the lifting up of the eyes is a testimony of a Heavenly heart If we lift not up the heart when we lift up the eye we tell a lye to God with our eyes It is a testimony of a heavenly heart It is a testimony of a devout heart there is no part of the body besides the Tongue that is so great an Agent in Prayer as the eye The Tongue is the greatest in vocall prayer but the eye must be next the Tongue nay in one thing above the Tongue for in Prayer the eye is the Interpreter of the heart together with the Tongue Nay and further it is not onely the hearts Interpreter but the hearts intelligencer which the Tongue is not for as a man takes order for his way he spies and discernes what he can discover if there be any danger the eye is the light of all the body So a man that humbles himselfe in Prayer he lifts up his eyes to Heaven he looks and spies whence Salvation comes where he shall have help and whence he receives comfort the soul looks up and the eye spies out in what distresse soever we are If we be disconsolate the eye looks up for comfort If we be in persecution the eye looks about for rest If we be burthened the eye looks for ease if we be in want the eye looks for supply in every affliction the eye spies out the comfort for all the eye is the souls Intelligencer therefore the lifting up of the eyes is the argument of a devout heart Because all these good things come from above from God therefore the soule is lifted up and whensoever the soule goes to be lifted up the eye as a good Servant waits on it it never goes alone Therefore we must labour and exercise our selves to give God the glory of our eyes as well as the glory of our Lips and then we give him the glory of our eyes when we lift up our eyes and lift up such eyes as God requires What eyes are those Let us take heed what eyes we lift up There are adulterous eyes there are proud and haughty eyes take heed of bringing these to God close them close them rather wink when you come to God open not those eyes First therefore bring eyes that are chast they are Doves eyes that must look up to that God of purity Then they must be humble eyes that must look to that Throne of Majestie they must not be eyes that are fastidious and lustfull Then they must be innocent eyes not bloud-shot not revengefull eyes that must look up to that God of mercy and goodnesse O how pure had a man need to make his eyes that will look up to God How pure should his heart be and his eyes be He must be purified in every part The eye is the purest part If a man doe but look upon the Sun he cannot look with his owne eyes but he must borrow eyes of others both pure and strong eyes Now the eyes of the mind are the strongest if the heart be kept innocent and upright and in purity let us bring these eyes to God look up to him with these eyes I must cut off my selfe in my Meditations the time runs on with swifter Wings then Speech I goe to the next poynt Thus much of the duty that is the Basis of the whole Now the other is more speciall the second is the patterne the Coppy that he propounds to himselfe to write by As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistris There is the Coppy it is set downe with the best advantage if we consider the persons here meant There are three things observable in the forme of Penning this part First it is not said simply as Servants look to their Masters and a Maiden to her mistresse but as the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to her Mistresse What is the reason of this phrase There is good reason Because there is a Service that is to be done to those Masters that are set over us below even with the eye Not with eye-service that is not with eye-service alone saith the Apostle But there is a service that is to be done with the eye A man may shew obedience and observance and reverence with his eye a man may give a shrewd untoward answer with his eye as well as with his Tongue A Servant may testifie his chearfull and diligent attendance on his Master with his eye if there be obedience it will appeare in the eye Againe it should be so generall a respect and good demeanour that Servants should carry towards their Masters that even their eyes should testifie it their eyes should be acquainted with their Masters will as Plauâ—us speaks well a good Servant is so acquainted with his Masters affairs that his very eye knowes what his Master would have you may read it in his fore-head though his Master speak not And look as it is with Masters it is Hillaries Observation A Master may give Commands as well with his eye as with his voyce Non solum ore c. A Master will Command not onely with his voyce but with his hand and with his eye so a Servant may obey and expresse his behaviour and respect and carriage toward his Master he may testifie his obedience not onely in action or Speech or Tongue but with his very eye Non ore c. he eyes and obeys with his eye as well as with his voyce Therefore it is As the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters The Servant is so carefull to content his Master that he will not offend him so much as with his eye There is the first Observation for the phrase It is not simply said as Servants but the eyes of Servants Secondly it is not said simply as the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters but as the eyes of Servants are towards the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse Why is this word added
them to teach us thus much that it was not by their owne words but by the word and power of the Spirit of Gods grace powred upon the Gentiles it was not them but he that converted by their Preaching whose word they preached Is it not so with us now Though we be as Earthen and more earthen vessells that speake to you now as earthen as ever and as weake yet in whose name come we Be the instruments never so meane of the lowest and most inferior note yet there is that that adds Majesty to our word we speake from God we come from the great Master when we presse upon you any Doctrine of Exhortation doe we presse the Exhortation from our selves When we discover to you any sin that you should leave and forsake is it that we call it sin or that the Scripture calls sin When we intreat you to give us your attention doe we intreat you to listen to us No if any man come in his owne name let him have your neglect stop your eares let him be cursed but if we come in the name of Christ in the name of the great Master in the name of God if we tell you it is he your Redeemer your Saviour it is he that speaks it is the Lord your Judge it is the Lord your Master O who will not melt at the hearing of this name The Master sayth it is the word that includes in it all comfort he that can alone teach by his Spirit he from whom you expect Salvation whatsoever this Booke speaks whatsoever it saith he sayth because it was penned by this Spirit it is the Master that sayth it that is the first thing Though I would have you withall remember that it is not the Master beseecheth but the Master sayth that is the Master â—ommands Christ would hereby shew that all hearts all eares they bow to him it is the Master sayth a man would have thought this had beene but a familiar forme to come and have made provision of a Chamber and Lodging for Christ to say the Master sayth nay we come in his name not to entreat and beseech no but to shew that he had the supremacy and Government of all they doe not say the Master intreats but the Master Commands that is the first thing the Message and the strength of their Commission The Master sayth The next is the enquiry after the place they are to provide Where is the Guest-Chamber In this we may observe these two things it sets out to us two things that are contrary See here both the Poverty Plenty of Christ It sets out to us first his Poverty he was one that stood in need of a Lodging to keep the Passover he had no House nay not so much as a Chamber nay neyther he nor his Disciples for if any of his Disciples had had a house or a Chamber it is very likely the Passover should have beene kept at that house and his last Supper should there have been instituted the word signifies an Inn it is so called because men commonly when they have done their businesse and have baited sufficiently they loose from such a place to another they doe not abide in the place there is a departure a loosing a going away nay more it doth not onely signifie the whole house but any Roome that is hired or taken up or marked out Christ had not a Roome not a Chamber of his owne in Jerusalem no not for duties of piety he was faine to goe and entreat for one he sends his Disciples to provide one It is that that himselfe saith The Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head even the inferior Creatures in this particular had that priviledge notwithstanding all the cunning and force of the pursuers yet the â—oxes have Houses and Holes notwithstanding the Snares of the Fowlers yet the Birds you know how they will keep their Nests their houses and places of refuge yet he that was the Lord of the World had not a house on Earth nay not to keepe the Passover he had not a Cradle when he was Borne he was faine to be laid in a Manger he had not a Tomb of his owne when he suffered he was faine to be laid in a Sepulchre that belonged to another he had not a Chamber now to keep his Passover in Let the men of the World heare this that build to themselves stately Pallaces upon Earth that desire to be kept stately to lie softly those whose delight is as the Prophet speaks to build faire Houses and strong for themselves and think they have made themselves a name those that dote so much upon the World that they build so as if they were to live for eternity is that an argument in us that we are men mortified to the world If our affections run that way onely after stately Habitations or doe we think hereby we conforme our selves to Christ Though there is a Liberty that we may take yet if we come to set our hearts upon such things doe we not think that they will draw so much of our affections from Heaven Againe let them heare this that have no House to put their head in here is comfort for them though they want a Habitation yet they want not conformity to Christ it is so oft times now in the World that Christ in his Members wants Lodging they want a place to Lodge in I will cease to wonder at it if ever I live to see it as we may see it too oft the Saints of God wandring abroad destitute afflicted tormented driven to live in Caves of the Earth in Dens and Deserts and Woods and secret places that they may hide themselves from the persecuting of Enemies as now in those parts of the Church beyond the Seas I will cease to wonder seeing that Christ their head and Christ their Redeemer the Lord of our Salvation even he himselfe that was owner Possessor of all things he would not take to himselfe the title of any house when he was below but was faine to borrow If ever it shall be my owne condition or yours I cannot tell yet let us cease to repine and murmure and grudge at Gods providence would we not be willing to tread in that Path and to tread it out and walk to the end that Christ hath set to us in his owne person The condition of diverse of the best Saints of God hath been the condition of Christ himselfe therefore this shall be my contentation and comfort though we misse a Lodging on Earth he that cannot get a grave in Earth as Lazarus we read not that he had any yet he found a Mansion of glory in Heaven a Bosome prepared for him Abrahams bosome though we be thrust out of all mens Doors here yet God will set that open if we be of the number of those that beleive in his name and walke in the wayes of his Commandements the path that he hath set to us
Apostle That is doth he take such care for Oxen as he doth for men Sayth St. Bernard the provividence of God extends to all but his particular care extends to his Spouse to his chosen Out of those other Creatures it is that God drawes particular conclusions of good to them If a man should have come into this Roome he would have thought it had beene for other purposes Christ directs it to the glory of God that that very Roome that was so furnished should be imployed to eat the Passover with his Disciples So I have done with the first There are two points behind I shall be briefe in them We see concerning Christ here is a proofe of his divine knowledge of his power and of his providence The next thing is to consider the humanity of him that received him and that is more for our use A man would have thought that there had beene a contract betweene this Master of the house and Christ that he made ready the Roome when he sent so freely There was but one word spoken there was no deniall received there was no dispute made had it not beene that the great efficacious power of the spirit had wrought mightily and strongly upon his heart he could not have assented so presently Therefore I will refer it to 3 heads First it was the assent of a pious heart it makes not disputes and sayth Who is your Master The Master sends Who is he Upon what acquaintance What have I to doe with him How came he to know that I have a Roome furnished Must I find a Guest-Chamber for him It was the answer of Naball Who is David And who is the Son of Jesse Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I have killed for my Shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be It is the answer of the obstinate heart to God when he comes to knock Who is he that would enter Is it the World or the flesh or sin here is a Chamber provided if it be God there is none at all This good man he raiseth no Scruples why I am to keep the Passover my selfe shall not I be obedient to the Law Must his obedience exclude mine Besides I cannot doe it without a great deale of hazzard and danger of the Scribes and Pharisees they will know that I give entertainment to him I shall bring my selfe in danger He is not ignorant how they waite for him and how they persecute this way to death and will he have a Roome in my House He must pardon me He hath none of these fears he makes none of these scruples That is the nature of true piety it raiseth no vaine feares if there had been fears entertain'd in the way we hâ—d had no Martyrs It never sayth There is a Lyon in the way but leaps over all obstacles If Heaven and Earth should all be crushed together it leaps over all impediments to come to God So it was the Assent of a pious heart Secondly it was the assent of a charitable heart it was a motion of charitie that was made as well as a motion of pietie therefore hee makes not any coveteous demands first here is a roome indeed that may serve your Master but what will you give at this time the whole Citie of Jerusalem is full of people and I can have great allowance for my lodgings will your Master pay for the hire of it he makes none of those demands nay he pretends not any excuse it is true I had a roome but it is taken up alreadie there are friends in it I am sorry you came so late if you had come sooner I should have beene willing to pleasure you but now it is past he layes in the way no discouragements here is a guest-Chamber here are diverse Chambers any of these inferiour ones if any of these will please and content you you shall have them but I may not part with my best I must not have it soiled and wronged it cost much paines in trimming there are none of these objections Charitie casts no doubts it makes no scruples I shall want my self but with a free and large and chearefull heart he assents to the motion as soone as it is made they doe but speake Where is the guest-Chamber and he carries them to it here it is and shewes them the roome so furnished It is the propertie of charitie and pietie to give presently and to give the best to God true pietie will not set the Tith-cock at the end of the land and it may be the worst it will not bring the tith pig to cling together no but out of a large and bountifull heart it saith it is Gods portion he shall have it freely This roome is not mine so much as Gods here take it let your Master come and welcome my house shall be blest with him Thirdly it was the assent of an obedient heart that knew that his house should be honoured by the presence of Christ he knew where Christ came he brought a blessing with him he knew this roome should be recompenced that he should have a roome ten thousand times better in heaven that he should have one of the mansions that Christ had prepared he knew that he cannot want a lodging that gives Christ one therefore he provides a large roome the best that was most fit for the traine of Christ a great upper roome it was most safe for Christ to be in a loft because of the Pharisees that lay in waite for him a roome furnished was most answerable for so great a guest as Christ a roome prepared this was the roome Shall my house be honoured with such a guest thought he will he come and visit me will he tread on this floore O welcome welcome Saviour to my House Must the Temple remove out of its place to my House Shall my House be the first Christian Church Will Christ here keep his last Passover Will the Son of God come under this Roofe The very stones of the wall will leap for joy at his presence it is to be feared the House will fall with joy nay I am sure the House will stand because he will support it But I am unworthy he should come under my roofe I have no fit Lodging for so great a Guest but if he will needs come why doe you aske for a Chamber Take the whole not a Roome onely but the whole House and not upon loane but upon Gift It is mine no longer my Servants and Friends and Children and Wife and my felfe and all will goe out that Christ may come in Thus it is likely he spake he gave no churlish answer he gave even that answer that Christ set downe he that inclined him to give inclined him thus to answer How can the heart denie God when he comes to beg When he that gives all comes to ask He comes oft to us and goes away without his Errand
He comes oft-times in the habite of a Poore man and begs a lodging and askes for the Guest-Chamber and the Roome there are many that are furnished for worse uses and never a Corner that Christ can be thrust into He that found a roome in bloudy Jerusalem is excluded out of the Houses of many Christians and left in the streets He comes oft and solicits thy heart and speaks to thee to pay him his owne not thine to pay his Tithes to burne thy double Leases to Cancell thy soule-condemning Customes to restore those things that thou hast taken away from him by Laws as wicked as he that made them thus he calls for his owne The entertainment that this humble man gave Christ in the Text he finds it not with us we are so far from giving him a Chamber that we shut him out of the House we are so far from giving him any thing that is ours that we take from him that that is his We take the Houses of God into our owne possession Churches and Chancells are in the power of lay-men poore Ministers they bury and secular men they have the fees The Sanctum Sanctorum that the high Priest onely might enter into and onely once a yeare it is now in the possession of lay-persons the place that answers to that the Chancell and the Church Is this an argument of a heart that would receive Christ Would we part with any of our Rooms for Christ that have taken these from him Think of it think of it it may be that little moytie of their estate is that that makes all moulder away when all is done for whosoever hath right to them you have none It was a better resolution that this man makes to himselfe and we should practise that I have done with the second thing Here is the divinity of him that sent them and the great benignity of him that received them as soone as they had made the motion he wellcomes it Now thirdly here is the last thing and then I have done here is the businesse and imployment of them that did goe There prepare and no otherwise Christ as he sent a Message to him so he gave a Commandement to them he made them his Harbingers to mark out his lodging and directs them what lodging he would have as though he had beene acquainted in the House Make ready there prepare for the Passover It was the Command that was then given to them but it is a great deale better direction to us and concernes us more then it did them It hath a truth now there is a Roome of this nature that Christ will be entertained in it must be a large upper Roome and a Roome furnished St. Bernard observes it that there are three Guest-Chambers there are three Rooms in which Christ is received There is the Chamber of the Scriptures that is a large Roome because there is in it all saving Truths That is an upper Roome because it was penned and inspired by the Spirit of God that came from above That is a Roome furnished there is a storehouse of all comforts upon all occasions for men in want for men in affliction for men in prosperity for young for old for all sorts there are truths to be applied and directed When is it that this Room is prepared Then the Roome of the Scripture is prepared for God when the bread of life is rightly broken and divided to the people then this Roome is made ready for Christ Secondly there is another Chamber and that is the Chamber of the Church All the properties also meet in this Roome it is a large Roome the corners of it spread to the utmost parts of the Earth And it is an upper roome the upper part of it is in Heaven the Church tryumphant and thence it is that all grace comes and falls upon it It is a Roome furnished sayth Jerome well It is furnished with variety of gifts and graces with variety of Scriptures and Sacraments that God hath provided and appointed It is a dineing Roome it is a Supping Chamber It is a Guest-Chamber properly that sayth Jerome because there it is that we meet at the Lords Table we partake of the Lords Supper even to the end of the World The Church of God it is a supping Guest-Chamber When is this Chamber provided and prepared for Christ Then when the wheat is gathered into the Barne then when men are gathered into the bosome of the Church and preserved there then when they are built up in this holy faith then this Roome is prepared Thirdly there is yet another the Chamber of the Conscience the Chamber of the heart that is Caenaculum too a spiritnall supping Roome and place for Christ and the Spirit of Christ I will come and sup with him sayth Christ in the Revelation Chap. 3.20 I and my Father will come and sup with such a man Christ will come and Sup with that man that receives him he will sup with the faithfull soule that is he will dwell there and take up his lodging Here is the Roome that Christ wants and that is the Roome that we must prepare It was a materiall Roome that they were to provide that Roome that God calls to us for is the Roome of the heart Think not that it is the Roome the Chamber as St. Austin sayth Christ alludes to it when he sayth of the godly man that in Prayer he will get into his Chamber and shut his Doore Every man that will pray aright enters into the Chamber of his Conscience David sayth plainly in Psal 4. Enter into your Chamber into the Cabbin of the heart this is the Roome that we must provide It hath all the properties too God will not feast in any other hearts then those that are provided First it was a large Roome where the Lord did institute and eat his Supper A large Roome is an enlarged heart enlarged with Devotion and thankfullnesse We must not put Christ in a corner we must not pen him up He will have the whole house and the whole heart it is that he calls for My Son give me thy heart that is as much in effect as Where is the Guest-Chamber there I will lodge there I will baite and there I will stay and abide and dwell make ready that Roome let it be a large Roome and a large heart for God Secondly it must be an upper Roome too the heavenly heart is the upper Roome a heart lift up it is the word that is used in the Psalmes I lift up my heart yet we keep them grovelling upon Earth Art thou not ashamed Look upon thy selfe why hath God given thee eyes and set them in that place aloft whereas he hath set them forwards in other Creatures but that they should be oft lifted up to Heaven Why hath God given man a Spirit and not other Creatures but that it should be lifted up oft Is it not a shame then to have thy head