receive a Prophet into the House without advising with her Husband 2 King 4.10 In disposing of her Husband's Goods we find still the man's hand in it the propriety is in him and the use is to her So that unless there be a notorious Impotency in him or some Tacite or General Consent or some case of present and absolute Necessity as in the case of Abagail she ought not to dispose her Husbands Goods Indeed he ought according to the general Obligation of their Relation and according to the particular Discretion of his Wife intrust her in the ordinary affairs of her sphear and by his Bounty enable her to do good where there is need and not to put her by his penuriousness upon the temptation of purloining from him but if he do forget his duty let not her forget hers which is to do him good and not evil all the days of her life Prov. 31.12 But her hardest task is in the loving and thankful bearing of Reproof which is a bitter pill to flesh and blood especially when there is a proud and contentious spirit But herein she ought to consider that she is not without infirmities which as none hath so much opportunity to see so none is so much obliged to represent unto her as her Husband And to answer him with a froward tongue or a cloudy brow or a careless negligence is the greatest ingratitude and discouragement in the world But if her heart be full of Reverence to him and especially if she believe his heart to be full of love to her this pill will be well digested and by the blessing of God work a real amendment in her 3. The Real effects of the Wife's Reverence to her Husband is seen in her Bebaviour towards him which ought always to be chearful and respectful She must not allow or nourish that crossness of humour to be sullen or dumpish when he is pleasant or on the contrary contemptuously frolick when he is sad but must (u) Omnes illius vultus sumet ridenti arridâ—bitâ— moesto se praebebit mâ—stam servata semper authoritate matronalis integritatis virtutis ut magis illa ex amico proveniant animo quam adulterino L. Vives ubi supra compose her carriage her garments her converse to give him content and to increase his delight in her For if his heart be once estranged from her unless the fear of God with-hold him he may quickly render her condition unspeakably miserable She ought therefore always to express Contentedness in her estate and that will help and move him to be content in his She must entertain him into his House with a (x) Magna amaritudo est in domo uxor tristis Ambr. to 5. p. 265. chearful countenance that he may delight to be at home and study the arts how to pacifie him if ought have provok'd him or how to convince and reform him if ought have insnar'd him She must observe when and how his meals his clothes his lodging do please him and shew the greatness of her respect in these lesser things For even about such things arise the most frequent and sharp contests which a discreet and godly woman will labour to prevent not only because disquiets do (y) Nec aliquid est quod ita alienet virum ab uxore ut crebra rixa uxoris lingua omaruleâ—a Compar'd to a continual dropping which drives a man out of his house Prov. 27.15 Lu. Vives ubi supra alienate the heart but because she cannot live under his frown nor eat nor sleep contentedly while he is angry And notwithstanding the freedom and familiarity of their converse together yet she must still behave her self with all respect towards him and that familiarity must not beget contempt His love must not make her to forget her (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Col. hom 10. duty nor his fondness her respect The more he condescends to her the more she must descend into her place and thus oblige him by her demeanour She must consider that it 's better to (a) Quae malunt fatuis imperare viris quam obtemperare prudentibus eorum sunt similes qui in via coecos ducere malunt quam videntes itineris peritos sequi Plutarch praec conj obey a wise man than to rule a fool as it is better to follow a skilful guide than to lead one that 's blind Few Husbands so bad but the discretion and respect of a Wife would reform them and few Wives so ill-temper'd but the wisdom and affection of a Husband would make them better And so much for their particular Duties to each other I know that many will turn off all this by saying We all fall short of our Duty in these things we ever did and ever shall and so they neither grieve for their miscarriages past nor seriously indeavour to reform them and so leave the cure desperate because the Disease is common But a just and holy God will not be so mocked He gives not his sacred Laws to be so lightly put off If we make not conscience here we make a conscience no where yea though the best will fail unless we study with all our skill and strive with all our strength to be faithful in all these things our other Duties will be abhorred He that regards not all regards not at all in God's account And if Divine Vengeance do not meet with them in this life as it often doth yet without doubt it waits for them in another But I hope better things of you and things that accompany salvation though I thus speak I come at last in the Fourth place to present you with some Directions how to accomplish these Duties that so husbands and wives may most certainly be blessings to each other And they are these 1. Maintain Purity in Soul and Body in Single-age This will greatly dispose you for the Duties of a Married life and also lay up a Blessing for it Let every one of you know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour 1 Thess 4.4 He that gives the reins to his vitious affections before Marriage will find them as impetuous after Marriage For Marriage as (b) Mr. Whately One well saith is like Salt which will keep sweet that which is untainted but restores not that which is already unsavoury A chast and honest heart will with the blessing of God by marriage be preserved but a filthy heart will find occasion to be naught in any condition Beware therefore of the beginnings of Lust flee them like poyson forbear such (c) Laâ—aena quaedam marita juveni rem foedam roganti Darem inquit si meum peteres nam quod petis patris erat dum essem virgo nunc mariti postquam nupsâ— Lu. Viv. de Cr foem p. 699. company and discourse as debauch the heart avoid speculative uncleanness snd keep the heart stored with religious thoughts and the body imployed
and no necessary Grace shall be wanting unto you Look that you be patient in waiting and patient in bearing Do not misinterpret God's dealings with you There are two passages I would have you take special notice of that Ground that brought such Fruit as answer'd expectation (d) Luk. 8.15 was an honest and good heart which kept the Word and brought forth fruit with patience The other is in your patience possess your souls patience contributes much to both Fruitfulness and Comfort Let 's make an Essay Thou would'st have God manifest his Love to thee in a more ravishing manner stay a while thou wantest another kind of dispensation first and most viz. to feel more of the evil of sin that thou mayst be more watchful and more holy So soon as a tryal comes thou wouldst have it remov'd stay a while it hath not done the work for which God sent it God in kindness binds on the Plaister till he hath effected the Cure Thou art at a loss thou knowest not what God will doe with thee be it so it is not fit thou shouldest God doth not use to tell his Children before-hand what he will do with them God expects we should gather up our Duty from the Precepts of his Word and from the hints of his Providence We read (e) 2 King 13.17 18 19. that when the Prophet Elisha had given King Joash a Promise and a sign of deliverance from Syria God expected that his own reason and faith should prompt him so to improve a second sign as to pursue the victory to a conquest but he understood it not and so miscarryed Do you learn to hold on in the use of all Means for the engaging of your hearts more to God We (f) Heb. 6.11.12 13. desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full Assurance of Hope unto the end that you be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Not expecting to obtain the Promise till you have patiently endured and the same Apostle in the same Epistle tells us (g) Heb. 10.36 that you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you might receive the Promise Thus much for the inward Means of loving God Outward Means for engaging our Hearts to love God are either Directing or Exemplary I. Directing The onely directing Means is the Word of God but seeing you shall in the following Sermons have particular directions about both Hearing and Reading of the Word I shall only hint these few things 1. Prize the Word Though our estimation of it will be exceedingly heightned by a further acquaintance with it yet you will find it singularly advantagious to the enflaming of your hearts to get your hearts as it were graciously forestalled with the valuation of the Word When we can count the Word sweeter than Honey to the taste better than Gold for a treasure more necessary than Food for our sustenance (i) Job 23.12 how can the Soul choose but love God whose love indited it Shall filthy books provoke carnal love and shall not the Book of God provoke Divine love endeavour to get but as spiritual a sence and relish of Divine Truths answerable to mens carnal gusts and feeling of other things do but dwell upon Truths till they affect you Only here observe this necessary Caution Dwell not so upon difficulties as to hinder your further enquiry into things more easily understood but wait in a course of diligence and you will be able to master those difficulties which 't is next to impossible suddainly to fathom Do but steer an even course between a careless neglect and an anxious perplexity about what you read or hear and you will certainly attain a deep knowledge of the things of God and a high measure of love to God 2. Set immediately upon the practice of those things which you shall be convinced to be your Duty Let not your Affections cool upon any duty pressed upon you Do something like that of (k) Dan. 2.8 c. Nebuchadnezzar God revealed to him something of moment he had lost the matter and understood not the meaning but was as others thought unreasonably importunate to recover both and that presently before the impression wore off and the heat went over So my brethren fix the Word by speedy practice Though the seed of the Word is long in growing to perfection yet it presently takes root in order to growth Were I therefore now exhorting you to Repentance and could bring you to no nearer a resolution than to repent to morrow my Exhortation were lost So now while I press you to love God and demonstrate from Scripture that it is your Duty offer you Scripture-helps that may be effectual provoke you with Scripture encouragements that may be overcoming if you now put off all this till a fitter time 't is a thousand to one you put it off for ever Read this over again and then think why should not I now believe this and how can I say I now believe it if I do not now put it in practice and how can I say I practise it if I omit any one Direction II. Exemplary Means And here I shall give you as short a touch as may be of Men Angels and Christ himself We are much drawn by Examples Examples they are not only Arguments but Wings They give us a demonstration that Precepts are practicable 1. Men. Why should not we love God as well as ever Abraham did God gives the word (k) Gen. 22 2.3 Abraham take now thy Son thy only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and offer him for a burnt-offering And Abraham rose up early in the morning c. Had he not loved God so far as the Creature can love God infinitely every word would have been as a dagger to his heart q. d. Abraham I gave thee that Name from thy being a Father of many People but now be thou the death of that seed which I intended to multiply God seemed to change his Name to Abraham as Solomon named his Son Rehoboam an Enlarger of the People who enlarged them from twelve tribes to two Take now no time to demur upon it Thy Son so many years prayed for and waited for Thine onely Son all the rest of thy children are not worth thy owning Isaac the Son of thy Laughter now the Son of thy Sorrow Whom thou lovest more than ever Father loved a child and that upon several justifiable accounts And get thee into the land of Moriah though no time to deliberate before thou resolvest yet time enough for repentance before thou executest thy resolutions And offer him there for a burnt-offering 't is not enough to give him up to be sacrificed by another but thou thy self must be the Priest to kill thy lovely child and then to burn him to ashes And Abraham rose up early c. he quarrels not with God What
doth God mean to give me such a command as never to any one else in this world He consults not his Wife Oh what will Sarah say He sticks not at what might expose Religion What will the Heathen say You may well suppose great struglings between Nature and Grace but God seemed to press upon him with this Question Whether dost thou love me or thy child most Abraham doth as it were answer Nay Lord if that be the question it shall soon be decided how and where thou pleasest Another instance we have in Moses (k) Exod. 3.13 and 33.15.18 if you will compare two or three Scriptures Moses at first he enquires of God as we do of a stranger what is his Name upon Gods further discovery he begs more of his special presence and upon God's granting of that his Love grows bold and he said I beseech thee shew me thy Glory upon his finding God propitious he begs that God would remove the cloud and shew him as much of his Glory as he was possibly able to bear the sight of Take one instance more and that is of Paul who thinking God might have more glory by saving of many than by saving of him was willing to quit the happiness of salvation for not the least Grace much less grace in the height of it could possibly choose a necessity of hating and blaspheming God which is the venom of Damnation but his Love to God is greater than his love to himself and so he 'l reckon himself happy without Glory provided God may be more glorified And thus I have produced three Examples of one before the Law one under the Law and one under the Gospel How will you receive it if I shall venture to say We have in some respect more cause to love God than any than all these Persons put together What singular gleams of warm Love from God they had more than we are in some respects exceeded by the noon-day light and heat of Gospel-love that we have more than they What love-visits God was pleased to give them are excelled by Christs as to them extraordinary presence among us What was to them a Banquet is to us our daily bread God opens the windowes of heaven to us God opens his very heart to us We may read more of the Love of God to us in one day than they could in their whole Life 2. Angels that unweariedly behold the face of God (l) Mat. 18.10 they refuse nothing that may evidence their love to God 'T is ordinarily the Devils work to be the Executioners of Gods wrath it is said (m) Psal 78.49 he cast upon them the fierceness of his anger wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evil Angels among them but the good Angels will not stick at it when God requires it (n) 2 King 19.35 The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians 185000. But now we have more cause to love God than the Angels God hath expressed greater Love to us in Christ than he hath to them He took no hold of Angels c. (o) Heb. 2.16 not any one of them receiv'd so much as the pardon of any one sin God would not bear with them in so much as the least tittle So soon as they ceased to love God with a perfect love God hated them with a perfect hatred And for the blessed Angels (p) Heb. 1.14 are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation but none of the Saints are to minister to the Angels in any thing How should we love such a Master but I have a Pattern to commend to you above the Angels 3. Christ and oh that the mention of Christs Love to his Father might transport us though Christ did nothing but (q) Joh. 8.29 what pleased his Father Christ suffered every thing that might please him ( ) Phil. 2.8 Christ obeyed every Command endured every Threatning that it was possible to endure and that to the intensive extent of them yet God dealt more hardly with Christ than ever he doth with any of us (s) Isa 53.10 It pleased the Father to bruise him and to put him to grief whereas the Church in the midst of her Lamentations must acknowledge (t) Lam. 3.33 he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men yet Christ pray'd (u) Joh 17.23 that the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Should not we then pray and strive to love God as near as it is possible as Christ loved him Christ had not one hard thought of Gods severe Justice no not when he endur'd what was equivalent to the eternal torments of the Damned and shall our love shrink at Gods fatherly Chastisements Christs love to God did not abate while God poured out his Wrath and shall ours abate under Medicinal Providences whatever our outward condition is in this World 't is better than Christ's Thus I have endeavoured to acquaint you what Abilities are requisite and how to attain them that you may love God c. How to improve and augment our love to God 4. How to improve and augment all our possible abilities to love God with all our Heart Soul Mind and Strength and for this I shall give you one general yet singular direction though I must inform direct and press several things under it and that is set your selves to love God Set upon it as you are able do for the engaging of your love to God as you would do for engaging your hearts in love to a person commended to you for marriage Here 's a person commended to you which you never saw nor before heard of All the report you can hear speaks a great suitableness in the person and consequently happiness in the match you thereupon entertain the motion and a treaty to see whether reports be true and affections feasible though at first you find no affection on either side yet if you meet with no discouragements you continue converse till by a more intimate acquaintance there ariseth a more endearedness of affection at length a non-such love becomes mutual Do something like this in spirituals I now solemnly bespeak your highest love for God Perhaps God and thy soul are yet strangers thou hast not yet met with him in his ordinances nor savingly heard of him by his spirit Don't slight the overture for from thy first entertainment of it thou wilt be infinitely happy Every thing of Religion is at first uncouth the work of mortification is harsh and the work of holâ—ness difficult but practice will facilitate them and make thee in love with them so the more thou acquaintest thy self with God the more thou canst not but love him especially considering that God is as importunate with thee for thy love as if his own happiness was concern'd whereas he is infinitely above receiving benefit
quoad modum tendâ—nd in objectam 1 Cor. 13.8 Voet. ibid. Love never faileth the same kind of love the same Numerical love that was in gracious Persons on Earth shall be continued in Heaven and receive it's perfection presently after its delivery from the Body of Death There will be a greater change in all our Graces than in our Love A great part of our Life is taken up in the Exercise of those Graces that I may in some respect say dye with us The one half of our Life is or should be spent in Mortification The whole of our time needs the exercise of our Patience Our Life at best is but a Life of Faith much of our sweet Communion with God is fetch'd in by secret Prayer But now in Heaven there shall be no sin to be mortifi'd nothing grievous to be endured Faith shall be swallow'd up in Enjoyment and your Petitions shall be all answer'd So that now Christians set your selves to love God and you shall no way lose your labour Other Graces are but as Physick to the Soul desirable for something else which when obtained they are useless but Love to God is the healthful Constitution of the Soul there 's never any thing of it in any sence useless Most of the Graces of the Spirit do by our Souls as our Friends by our Bodies who accompany them to the Grave and there leave them But now love to God is the alone Grace that is to our Souls the same that a good Conscience our best Friend in both Worlds 4. This Divine Love is so unknown to the World that when they behold the Effects and flames of it in those that love God in an extraordinary manner they are ready to explode it as meer Vanity Folly Madness Ostentation and Hypocrisie When Paul manag'd his Audience more like a Sermon than a Defence Festus cries out upon him as mad (h) Acts 26.24 Yea when Christ himself in love to God and Souls is more hungry after Converts than Food his nearest Relations think him craz'd and the multitude cometh together again Mark 3.20 21 32. so that they could not so much as eat bread and when his Friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said he is beside himself But were they any other but his carnal and graceless Relations that did this See behold thy Mother and thy Brethren without seek for thee (i) 1 John 3.13 No marvel then that Enemies reproach you Friend forsake you Relations slight you and the World hate you Christ tells us (k) Joh. 15.18 23. if the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you But how can the World hate Christ who in love to it came to dye for it Christ tells his Hearers the true Reason (l) Joh. 5.40 42. I know you this is no groundless surmise nor censorious rashness but I know you that you have not the love of God in you Let what will appear at the top this lies at the bottom And therefore judge I pray you who more phanatick those that hate God when they pretend to love him or those that are counted phrantick for their serious Love to God I shall neither name more nor enlarge further on this first rank of Characters but be brief also in the second The Absolute Properties of Love to God are among many some of them such as these 1. It is the most ingenious of all Graces In poor inconsiderable Loves not worth the mentioning how do persons contrive wayes for the expressing and exciting of Love and there 's no way to prevent it Oh how much more when the Soul loves God there 's nothing meliorates the parts like Grace Divine Love makes the best improvement of Wit Parts Time when a Person loves to pray though he can scarce speak sence to men he can strenuously plead with God a person that loves to meditate though he knows not how to make his thoughts hang together in other things they multiply on his hand with a spiritual and profitable consistency In short to do any thing that may engage the Heart to God what gracious stratagems doth Love abound with That (m) Nieremberg de art Vol. p. 114. as he that beholds his Face in a Glass makes the Face which he sees his very look is the Pensil the Colour the Art so he that loves God sees such a Reflexion of God's love to him that a proud person doth not more please her self in her own fancyed beauty than this gracious Soul is graciously delighted in the mutual dartings of Divine Love Keep from Will-worship and humane Inventions in the things of God especially from imposing upon others your Prudentials of Devotion and then I will commend it to you to try all the Experiments which the Scripture will warrant to encrease the flame of your Divine love 2. Love to God is the most bold strong constant and daring Grace of all the Graces of the Spirit of God (n) Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as Death every one knows what work Death makes in the World It is not the Power of Potentates nor the Reverence of Age nor the usefulness of Grace can prevent its stroke it conquers all So doth love to God Nothing can stand before it what dare not love to God attempt It designs impossibilities viz. Perfection and is restless for the want of it I may in some sence say it would fain have contradictions true viz. to be without the Body while in it the Body's being a clog is so wearisome Love to God not only baffles Satan but through God's gracious condescension it even prevails with God himself that God will deny nothing to the Soul that loves him 3. Love to God is the onely self-emptying and satisfying Grace (o) Nieremb p. 322 c. spaâ—siâ— Love 't is self's egress 't is a kind of Pilgrimage from self he that loves is absent from himself thinks not of himself provides not for himself But oh how great is the gain of renouncing our selves and thereby receiving God and our selves we are as it were dead to our selves and live to God nay more by love we live in God (p) 1 John 4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him By Faith we live upon God by Obedience we live to God but by Love we live in God It is herein alone that we can give something like a carnal though 't is indeed an highly spiritual answer to Nicodemus his question (q) Joh. 3.4 How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers Womb and be born We have our Soulâ— immediately from the Father of Spirits by Regeneration we return to God again from whom by Sin we are estranged and by love we live in him in some little resemblance to the Child's living in the Mother's womb what the mother loves the
apt to credit and believe By pious Education the true Religion is kept up in the world and propagated from Age to Age. The care of the two Tribes and an half of propagating the true Religion to their Posterity is very notable in that famous Scripture Josh 22.24 25. They built an Altar of Testimony v. 10. At this their Brethren the Israelites are highly offended but received full satisfaction when they were assured that this was done for the sake of Posterity lest they should be made to cease from fearing the Lord. 6. Parents have many and great advantages above all others for the successful instructing and educating of their children 1. Children are more confident of their Parents love than any others Whether Ministers and strangers speak to them in love they are uncertain but of their Parents love they are well assured Now nothing takes so much with any one as that which is believed to proceed from love specially by one that loves This instruction saith the loving Child comes not only from my dear Father's lip or head but from his affectionate heart and therefore I will readily receive it and lodg it in my own 2. Parents have their children in hand betimes before they are fly-blown with any false Opinions or leven'd with bad impressions before they have any other sin than that which was born with them Parents therefore have an opportunity of making the first impressions on them even while they are most docile tender flexible and least apt to make resistance against instruction But now when they come to their Minister Instructer Tutor they are as a Paper Printed before and therefore unapt to receive another Impression They have much to be untaught before they can be taught fraught with self conceitedness and proud objections more apt to strive against and resist Instruction than humbly and readily to receive it 3. To wind up this Argument on the closest Bottom Children wholly depend on Parents for their present maintenance and their future Portions and they know 't is their interest to hearken and obey Parents Authority over their Children is most unquestionable They dare not open their mouths against it as they will adventure to do against Ministers Parents have the Power of the Rod to back Instruction Prov. 22.15 They best know the peculiar Diseases and temperatures of their Children and so best know how to chuse and apply the most proper Remedy Parents are nearest their Children and can best discern all their faults in time and have opportunity of speaking to them in the most familiar manner that may best be understood and after this to inculcate their Instructions and drive them home that what is not done at one time may be done at another By all these advantages it appears that God hath furnished Parents above all others to be Instruments of their Childrens good and the first and greatest promoters of their Salvation Object 1 But methinks I hear some Parents muttering To instruct Children is the grand Duty of our Ministers 'T is they that are to take the great charge of the Souls of these our Lambs 1. And do you indeed give up these your Lambs to be fed to be instructed by them 2. Suppose you did as Heaven knows thousands of Parents do not as they ought yet know That every Parent is as deeply charged with the souls of his Children as any Pastor is with the souls of his Flock and more deeply too 1. You are as oft and as expresly charged to use the means to save your Childrens souls and to breed Grace in them as any Minister is Read consider remember Exod. 13.18 Thou shalt shew thy Son the meaning end use of the Sacrament Deut. 6.6 7. Psal 78.5 Eph. 6.4 Shew me any Text of Scripture more express and peremptory for any Ministers Instructing of his Flock 2. Parents stand obliged to their Children by more and stronger Bonds than any Pastor can be to his Flock Bonds of Nature as well as Grace 3. Parents have more means and opportunities to prevail with their Children than any Pastor living can have to do good on his Flock What a surpassing Interest have Parents in the esteem love affection of their Children What Advantage may they take of their Childrens tender years What continual Converse with them What an awful Authority over them What strict Obligations upon them which no Minister can so much as pretend unto The truth is none upon Earth have such fair opportunities to instruct and bring others to goodness as Parents have This was that that holy Hezekiah meant in his Prayer Isa 38.18 19. The Living Deut. 4 10. the Living he shall praise thee and who among all the Living The Father he shall do it chiefly principally but how by making known Thy truth to their Children q. d. Parents by deriving Religion to their Posterity may greatly honour God above others Obj. 2. But to what end should we teach Children Alass they do not understand what they say They do but Act the Parot know not what it is they do repeat and so whilest we pretend to advance the fear and service we do but make our Children to profane the Name of God or to take it in vain Sol. 1. Our carnal Reasonings ought not to countermand Divine injunctions The Text is express Train up a Child Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children or whet and sharpen my Law upon them Timothy's Instruction and that from a little sucking Child is commended by the Apostle as a fair president to the whole Christian World 2 Tim. 3.15 We know not who are under God's Election nor the appointed time of his effectual Calling and therefore must use the means to all especially to Children that are under the federal stipulation such are commanded to Remember their Creator in the days of their Youth Eccl. 12.1 And who should endeavour to make deep impressions of God upon their Hearts Eph. 6.4 but those that are over them by Divine appointment who ought to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. 2. If this fear and jealousie must hinder Catechising of Children who knows how long it will be hindered for even Children well grown up being not before Catechized are not likely at their first Teaching so to understand what is said to them as to repeat it with due reverence Do we not find Christ himself instructing Nicodemus in the great Mystery of Regeneration when he was able to return him no more than that childish Answer How can a Man be born again when he is old John 3.4 Can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb We find our Saviour delivering a Divine Truth to those that were known to be his Disciples who still accompanied him and repeated themselves what he spake to them in the very same words wherein he delivered it and yet when all was done confessed they could not tell what he said Joh. 16.16
but incur the great displeasure of God for so doing 2. But there is another way of discerning the Lord's body in this supper and that is by a spiritual tast and relish for the palate hath not a greater ability of discerning the different relish in the variety of meats man feeds on than the soul of man that hath its spiritual senses exercised hath in tasting the things of God and of judging the different sweets thereof This is that spiritual faculty that Jesus Christ speaks of when he tells Peter that he savoured of the things of man Math. 16.43 but not of the things that be of God Now this you must well observe you that do partake of this Supper whether you do relish the love of the Lord Jesus in his dying for sinners and for you in particular is this great love of Christ sweet to your souls sweeter than honey or the honey comb can you admire the heights and depths of this love and wonder that the Son of God should take a body to be bruised wounded slain for the vilest of sinners among which you reckon your self as one do you find this love of his to you draw your hearts to a love of him and a delight in him and a readiness to part with all for him this is indeed to discern the Lord's body in this supper and by this you are enabled to see a vast difference betwixt this supper and all the feasts of fat things that ever you were at in all your lives If it be so with you then are you qualified for this supper and are by Christ's command obliged to partake thereof 2. Those that have fellowship with God in Christ they are those Christ hath obliged by his command to partake of this supper This is another qualification the Apostle gives us in 1 Cor. 10.18 20 21. where discoursing of the nature of Divine and likewise of Diabolical sacrifices of the reason of the Priests and Peoples eating some part thereof he also shews the reason of our partaking of the Lord's Table which though it is not properly a sacrifice that is there offered yet it holds some resemblance unto the sacrifices of the Law and to the Peoples eating thereof inasmuch as it is a Commemoration of that one sacrifice Christ offered up to the Father for our sins of the benefits of which one sacrifice those that communicate at the Lord's Table do as effectually partake as if Christ was offered up as often as you there do eat and drink Now saith the Apostle of the Legal sacrifices v. 18. they which eat thereof are partakers of the Altar that is are partakers of the blessings of that God to whom that altar is erected and to whom those sacrifices are offered And not only so but there is yet a further meaning which is that those that eat of the Altar do thereby declare that they take the God of that Altar to be their God from whom they expect all that good they are capable of in this life and that which is to come and likewise they thereby declare that him and him only will they worship and serve Now this engagement of themselves to God signified by eating of the sacrifice is that fellowship spoken of v. 20. where the Apostle further tells you that there is the very same intendment in those sacrifices that are offered to Devils and the peoples eating of those feasts that attended those sacrifices they thereby did signifie that they took those Devils to be their Gods and resolved for the future to worship and serve them as Gods which is the proper meaning of that 20 v. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils i.e. I would that you would not associate with devils or enter into a confederacy with them to serve and worship them as the Idol-feasts do signifie Now if the Idol-feasts signified the confederacy betwixt the Devils and their worshippers so also did the feast that attended the Jewish sacrifice signifie a fellowship betwixt the true God and his worshippers whereby the true God was acknowledged as their God and that they would worship and serve him only Thus the Apostle having illustrated the meaning of eating of the Jewish and also of the Gentile sacrifice he proceeds to accommodate those notions to that of the Lord's Table v. 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakes of the Lord's Table and of the table of devils The meaning is this you cannot serve two such contrary Masters as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and devils also for if you eat of Idols feasts you thereby declare you own devils as Gods and then coming to the Lord's Table you thereby declare you only acknowledg the true God to be your God in and through Jesus Christ your Sacrifice and Mediator which practices are very absurd and contradictory The Conclusion is this that those that partake of the Lord's Table are such that from the heart do take the God of that Christ whose death is remembred in that Supper to be their God and that do believe that God is really reconciled to them by that sacrifice and they declare likewise hereby they will worship and serve this God in this Christ and him only now if any of you are thus engaged to God in Spirit you have fellowship with him and you are those that have right to partake of this Supper Having thus opened the words of the Text I shall now give you that chief point I would have you observe which is this Doct. That it is the indispensable duty of all such members of Jesus Christ that can discern the Lord's body in this Lord's Supper and have fellowship with the Father by this crucified Jesus to come to this Supper and to partake thereof There is not any thing in the Doctrine I shall insist on except this one which is to prove it is your duty to partake of it and that it is therefore indispensable because the neglect of it is a very great sin Which I prove by this one argument Jesus Christ who instituted it he hath commanded you to remember him in it and therefore if you do it not you break his command and what is that but to sin against him for what else is sin but either to do what your God and Saviour forbids or not to do what he commands this is so plain that it were but to waste time to use more words for the clearing thereof What I have therefore more to say is to shew you those many things that accompany this sin that tend to aggravate it that when you understand not only that the neglect of this duty is a sin but a very great one you may be deterred from continuing any longer in it 1. I beseech you consider whose command it is you break it
and therefore though her Beauty be decayed her Portion spent her Weaknesses great and her Vsefulness small yet she is a piece of my Self and here the wise God hath determined my affection And when all is said This is the only Sure Foundation and holds perpetually 2. This Love must be right for the Extent of it I mean it reaches the whole Person both Soul and Body Every man should choose such an one whose outward features and proportion he can highly esteem and affect and it speaks the admirable Wisdom of God to frame such variety of fancies to answer the variety of persons and there being such choice it is sottish folly to choose where a man cannot love and the greatest Injury possible to the wife to insnare her heart and bind her to one that shall afterwards say he cannot love her But besides this true Conjugal Love to a Wife reaches her Soul So as to see an amiableness in her mind and disposition so as to study how to polish her Soul more and more with wisdom and piety and to indeavour that her Soul may prosper as her body prospers 3. Right for the Degree of it It must be transcendent above your Love to Parents For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his Wife Gen. 2.24 The Husband must honour his Parents but he must love his Wife as himself and must yet with all prudence prefer her in his respects when ever they come in Competition and those Parents have forgotten the Relation and Duty of an husband that expect other from their Children when they are married And so he must prefer her in his affection before his Children and (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Eph. 5. rather love them for her sake than her for theirs and before all others in the World In short he must so love her as to delight in her company above all others Let her be as the loving hinde and pleasant roe let her breasts satisfie thee at all times and be thou ravisht always with her love Prov. 5.19 20. 4. The Husbands love must be right for the Duration of it And the last named Scripture clears that be thou always ravisht with her love Not only kind before other folk and then cold in private but always not for a week or moneth or the first year but while life lasts Yea as he hath experience of her vertue and sweetness his love should daily (m) Vbi uxo â—m magis fueris expertus teneriùs est amauda Illud verò ubi uxore ad satietatem fueris potitu refrigescere amorem quem arder ut videtur libidiuis accenderat hominum est spurcorum abjâ—ctissimorum imò verò non hominum sed belluarum Lud. Vives de off mar increase as you know we love any creature the more by how much the longer we have had them and nothing more betrays the baseness of a mans spirit then to neglect his Wife when his sensual appetite is once cloyed For you have had her beauty and strength why should you not also have her wrinkles and infirmities yea and give the more respect to her tryed fidelity However this is certain still you are one Flesh and every man continues kind to his own flesh how infirm and noysom soever it be And if there be less comliness in the body yet usually there is more beauty in the mind more wisdom humility and fear of the Lord so that still there are sufficient Arguments in her or Arguments in the Bible to perpetuate your conjugal Affection 2. Let us trace the Husbands Love to his Wife in its Pattern laid down in the Scripture and particularly in the Context and Words which I am handling And 1. The Husband ought to love his Wife as our Saviour Christ loveth his Church Ver. 25. Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved his Church He must nourish and cherish her even as the Lord the Church ver 29. Now these Texts direct us to the quality of our Love though we cannot reach to an equality with Christ herein How then doth Jesus Christ love his Church I shall search no farther into this Depth than so far as it is proposed in this Context for a Pattern surely to all Husbands in their love And this his Love is represented here to be 1. Hearty without dissimulation Ver. 25. He loved the Church and gave himself for it His Love was Real for he Dyed of it The Husband must write after this Copy Not to love his wife in word and tongue only but in deed and in truth that if his heart were opened her Name might be found written there Some vain complemental persons there are that do outstrip in their overt addresses many sincere and true-hearted husbands but neither doth God nor should a discreet wife look only at the appearance but at the heart 2. Free without being prevented before or likely to be rewarded after For ver 26. he gave himself that he might cleanse his Church which implies that she was in ill plight when he began his motions She was no beauty no we loved him because he loved us first The Husband must precede and by his love draw out the love of his wife for (n) Ego tibi monstrabo amatorium sine medicamento sine herba Si vis amari ama Hec in Sen. Ep. 9. Love is the whetstone of Love And if she appear weak as their sex by constitution is both in wisdom strength and courage or prove unlovely and (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Eph. 5. hom 20. negligent of her duty yet he must love her For love seeketh not her own True love doth more study to better the object beloved than to advantage the subject that loveth And to love a Wife only in hopes of some Advantages by her is unworthy the heart of an Husband and no way like the example of Christ 3. Holy without impurity For ver 26. He loved his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that is by the use of the Word and Sacraments The Husband cannot have a better Copy and is taught hereby to indeavour at any cost and pains whatsoever to further the sanctification and salvation of his wife Of which before 4. Great without comparison For greater love hath no man than this to lay down his life for his friend and so did our Saviour ver 25. he (p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affectum indicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effectum amoris demonstrat Daven in Col. p. 340. gave himself for his Church He took not on him the Nature of Angels but preferr'd the seed of Abraham The Husband must herein imitate his Lord and Master by preserving a singular and superlative respect for his wife because she is a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones But of this also before 5. Constant without alteration
under your care and are they to be neglected I have been the more large upon this Head because this sin is so common and of such dismal consequence and so little care is taken for the redress of it I come now to lay down the positive duties of Masters and that I shall do with somewhat more brevity 〈◊〉 First Let all Masters endeavour to be God's Servants True Religion and divine Principles in the heart will give a man the best measures of action the grace of God will teach him to deny his pride passion sensuality and worldly lusts and to live holily soberly and righteously in this present world Religion in its power O how lovely doth it make a man with what wisdom and prudence doth such an one act with what sweetness and love and yet with what majesty What a brave Master was Abraham and what made him so but the fear of God Mat. 11 28. this this will make a man merciful patient meek heavenly minded and yet diligent in his place this will make him exemplary and as much as in him lyes to act like God in his place And what injury can such a person do can he be cruel that hath such a Master as Christ can he find in his heart to be unmerciful who hath obtained mercy if a man be very holy himself his example will have a drawing power in it to allure to that which is so good and be a constant check to that which is bad Such a one is under the promise of God's blessing and he will teach him and give him wisdom to discharge the duty of his place He is made partaker of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Epictetus Philem. 2â— and so enabled in some measure to act in a conformity to the Divine will It was no small commendation which Paul gave of Philemon when he spake of the Church in his house When our first Parents were in their pure state what homage did all the creatures give them as their visible Lord and had not man by his fall forfeited this prerogative and by denying God's soveraignty lost their own they had no doubt still kept their dominion over the Creatures And now the more of holiness is in a man and the more near God and like him the more likely to get and keep a majesty and dominion in his place Pythagoras Surely great holiness commands respect and reverence and rather choose to have your inferiours reverence than fear you for admiration and love accompany reverence but hatred fear O! what a noble thing were man Hierocles if goodness and purity did always accompany superiority and government these are and shall be honourable in spite of malice it self A right worshipping of God is the captain of all vertue and when this Divine seed is cast into the soul Idem it lays the foundation of brave and true honour and respect such a one he offers himself a sacrifice to God and makes a Temple for God in himself and then in his family and such a Master who would grudg to serve How sweet must obedience then be when nothing is commanded but what God commands and it's interest and profit to obey O Sirs 1 Pet. 5 1. little do you think how much power a meek holy grave conversation hath who that hath the least spark of ingenuity in him will not be restrained if not conquered by it O that Masters would but try this way and if honouring God do not more secure their honour than severity then let me be counted a deceiver this this is the most effectual way to make Servants good 1 Sam. 1.21 to be good your selves this will bring them to a true relish of Religion when it is pressed upon them by precept and example I have known some Servants that have blessed the day that ever they saw their Masters faces O let your excellency allure and draw those under you as the Sun doth mens eyes Aâ— Epict. Anton l. 6. n. 27. or as meat and drink doth the hungry Secondly Endeavour the good of the souls of those under your charge with all your might be in travail to see Christ formed in their souls Rom. 10.1 Give them no rest till you have prevailed with them to be in good earnest for heaven allow them time for prayer reading of the Word hearing of good Sermons and for conversing with good Books commend to them Baxter's Call to the Vnconverted and Mr. Thomas Vincent's Explanation of the Assemblie's Catechism c. and observe what company they keep and if you know a holy experiâ—nced Servant commend their Society and example to them keep â—â—â—stent watch over your Servants remember what temptations they are exposed to know how they spend their time call them oft to an account and look well to your Books it will do them no hurt and you much good be oft in meekness and pity treating with them about their everlasting concerns and let your carriage bring full evidence along with it of your dear love to their immortal souls Labour as well as you can to convince them of the corruption of their nature of the evil of sin of their lost and undone state of their impotency and utter inability to save themselves or to make the least satisfaction to Divine justice or to bear that punishment that is due unto them for every sin shew them their absolute need of a Christ and that without him there is no salvation make them to understand what the new birth is what kind of change it is and how necessary and warn them of the danger of miscarriage in conversion and of taking up with a half work and resting in the outward part of Religion Mat. 5.20 Joh. 17.3 Prov. 3.17 Rom. 12.1 Mat. 11.28 1 Tim. 4.8 and their own righteousness Put them upon labouring to know God in Christ this is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Do what you can possibly to convince their Judgments of the reasonableness profitableness and sweetness of Religion where it is in its reality vigour and constancy take off the imputations and aspersions which the unexperienced foolish Infidel would cast upon Christianity Cant. 5.16 Prov. 3.15 Never think you can commend Christ too much to them O! if you could allure their souls captivate their hearts and make them in love with him who is altogether lovely O! let them not alone till you see them deeply affected with these things expostulate the case with them frequently by themselves ask them what they think of the estate of their Souls and leave not with their sullen silence ask them plainly how they can eat or drink or sleep without Christ and pardon and what they mean to be so unconcerned Tell them that death may be nearer them than they imagine and that as death leaveth them judgment will find them Tell them that their stupidity is an effect
is as earnest for grace as for glory Thou hast delivered my soul from death wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling c. Psal 56.13 and refrain them from every evil way Psal 119.101 Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy commandements Psal 119.166 But Presumption makes men more remiss and careless in their whole course it does not quicken our endeavours and make us more active for God as hope does by which we purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 it puts us upon preparing our selves for the actual possession of what we hope for that we may be meet for the Kingdom of God and ready to enter in with the Bridegroom it uses all means to attain its end If thy hope be not a heart-purifying hope a life-reforming hope 't is no better than presumption 1 Pet. 1.13 and Psal 37.3 5. Those things that presumption counts upon in a careless way it doth not bring them so close to the Soul it doth not give us that lively taste and sense of them as true hope does they do not work so kindly upon the heart Presumption apprehends something in gross in a confused manner pleasing it self with the names and empty notions of things rather than with the things themselves is contented with a negative happiness and understands no more by going to heaven and being saved than that he shall not be damned and be tormented in hell A presumptuous person knows not what heaven is what the blessedness of the Saints is he studies not those things but at all adventures he would exchange hell for heaven and pleaseth himself with an imaginary happiness Presumption never makes men heavenly minded for all their high words and confident boasting yet they are not in earnest for heaven they don't savour these things something they must say something they must pretend to to silence their consciences and to keep down those fears that otherwise would distract them There may be an affectation of heaven where there is no true affection for it Heaven glory and eternal life are gay things and signifie some great good but what they know not But hope brings things home to the heart we see the substance of what we hope for Heb. 11.1 Faith comments upon our hope discourses of the excellent nature of those things we wait for tells us many pleasing stories of heaven and Christ and the glory that is above this mightily heightens hope ravishes the soul makes it even leap for joy that its reward shall be so great in heaven faith lifts us up within the vail gives us a strong taste of the powers of the world to come and so feeds and nourishes hope encourages it to a patient waiting for that which will quit cost at last and fully answer our expectations 6. Presumption as it neglects the use of all means for the attaining its end as I said before so it is signally guilty of the neglect of Prayer Psal 10.4 'T is the presumptuous sinner blessing himself in his wickedness David there speaks of verse 3. But true Hope is full of holy breathings and longings after that which it hopes for Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 That hope may well be suspected that puts us not upon frequent and earnest prayer they have little ground for their hope of Salvation Omne desiderium post spem impatientius who call not upon the Lord Rom. 10.13 If thy hope be not a praying hope 't is a presuming hope 7. Presumption though it talk much of Christ as one who must do all for us and will save us yet such an one studies not the mystery of Christ doth not make it his business to search the Scripture to enquire after him to satisfie himself about him that he is able to save Herein appears the unreasonableness of this sin we trust we know not whom for a man to commit his greatest concern to an unknown hand and to rest secure is very unreasonable but true Hope is well acquainted with Christ much in the studies of the Mystery of Christ having repos'd so great a trust in him is very desirous to know him throughly and can never act with confidence till then I know saith Paul in whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 2 Tim. 1.12 I dare trust him he wo'nt fail me The reason of our hope must be fetch 't from somewhat in Christ rendring him sufficient for the work he hath undertaken else 't is unreasonable nay it must needs sink and die without Christ without hope Eph. 2.12 When God sent Christ into the world to save us what a high Character doth he give of him purposely to encourage us to trust in him I have laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 able to save to the uttermost mighty to save Isa 63.1 Isa 49.26 Take all the promises of the Gospel nay all the contents of the Bible and consider them apart by themselves not in conjunction with God nor in relation to him who is the author and owner of them and the great undertaker of all things mentioned therein we shall have little ground to believe them but in God I will praise his word Psal 56.4 In God I have put my trust ibid. Christ in us is our hope of glory Col. 1.27 How glad is a believer to hear any thing of the fulness power and excellency of Christ O his heart leaps within this is my God my Saviour my Redeemer what a happy man am I Psal 144.15 This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughter of Jerusalem Cantic 5.16 A believer is very proud of Christ if I may so speak this enlivens hope and raises it to a very high pitch if our thoughts of Christ and love to him be not raised and heightened by our hope in him 't is not right There is nothing more common in the mouths of the ignorant profane sort than to say I hope to be saved by Jesus Christ but who ever thou art that sayst so of course not minding what thou sayst take up those words again and make common sense of them if thou canst to thy own understanding what hope to be saved by Christ whom thou knowest not hast no acquaintance with art a meer stranger to O lay aside those vain hopes till thou hast learned Christ let me enjoyn thee never to utter those words more till thou knowest Christ better how possible thy Salvation may be I will not now dispute but I am sure thy present hopes of it are very unreasonable and groundless Thus having shew'd the difference between Presumption and Hope I shall in the next place speak something but more briefly of the difference between Despair and Hope As I did before distinguish of a double Presumption so I must in the same terms distinguish of a double Despair Despair is either 1. Of our Selves which is an humble holy despair very consistent with hope and a necessary
preparation and introduction to it a valley never to be fill'd up the Gospel doth by no means allow of Self-Exaltation no flesh must glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 we must still seem vile in our own eyes 2. Of God and of his mercy which is two-fold 1. Privative which is a total privation of the habit root or principle of true saving hope as in all unbelievers 2. Negative a cessation of the acts of hope which is twofold A total cessation at least as to our sense and discerning of the actings of Hope for a time this is temporary Despair Gradual arising from a weakness in the actings of Hope which is Despair in opinion counted so by weak doubting Christians both these last mentioned are incident to true Believers and occasion much sorrow and sadness to them But this Privation or negation of hope doth not fully set forth the nature of despair in which there seems to be somewhat positive recessus a re desiderata as the Schools speak an actual with-drawing from Christ the heart falls off from the Promises doth act against them puts them from us despair argues and reasons the soul out of its hope puts in a caveat against it self cannot think that a person under such circumstances can be within the meaning of the promise and so sinks and faints away Job 17.15 This is more than meer privation or negation there is an evil disposition wrought in the heart by unbelief which fills the soul with many prejudices against the truth makes it pertinaciously to adhere unto its own erroneous judgment so that it can do nothing now but quarrel dispute and except against all that may be said on t'other side These things premis'd I now come to shew the difference between Despair and Hope 1. Despair is the result of strong legal convictions urging the sentence of the Law against us without any consideration of Gospel-Grace for our relief and succour This works great consternation fills the soul with amazing fears shuts it up in a dark dungeon claps it in irons binds it hand and foot and so leaves it under a fearful expectation of fiery indignation to devour it But Hope deals in the promises is begotten by them and bears up the soul under the condemnation of the Law 2. Despair indisposes the soul from hearkning to the free grace of the Gospel when 't is offered because it still retains those strong impressions and dreadful apprehensions which the Law hath wrought and will not be comforted But Hope allayes these fears makes the soul willing to debate the matter to hear what the Gospel sayes to see what may be done in so dangerous a cause 3. Despair sees more in sin than in Christ and supposes the wound incurable my sin is greater than can be forgiven But Hope sees Grace superabounding large enough to cover all our sins 4. Despair is very peremptory and positive in concluding against it self 't is resolv'd upon nothing but death greater than can be forgiven a lost undone creature to all eternity it cannot be otherwise As in the highest decree of faith and hope there is assurance of salvation so here there is a dismal uncomfortable assurance of damnation But Hope though it may be accompanied with many fears and doubts yet there is some expectation of good a patient looking for and sollicitous waiting though sometimes with trembling for salvation the soul doth not give over its pursuit after life and pardon but when 't is at the lowest ebb doth apprehend some possibility of escape through Christ it may be for all this we shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2.3 it may be we shall be delivered from the wrath to come Thus Hope draws on the soul to Christ encouraging it to come forward Directions how to avoid both extreams 1. Against Presumption whether of our selves or of God 1. Against that Presumption that is of our selves take these following Directions 1. Take up so much of a sense of sin into the mount of Hope as may keep thy hope from swelling into presumption or from feeding upon any thing in thy self 2. Be much in proving thy hope in giving thy self and others a reason of it 1 Pet. 3.15 this is the way to keep it right consider what that reason is whether it be a true Gospel-ground of hope as natural affections in a man must be guided by reason so spiritual affections in a Christian must be regulated and influenced by Faith I believed and therefore have I spoken 2 Cor. 4.13 so it holds here I believe and therefore do I hope 3. Suspect those acts of Hope that have their rise from any thing else but Christ and the promises the heart of man is deep and very deceitful 't is no easie matter to understand our hope at all times and to manage it aright we are apt to forget our selves flesh will be putting in and contributing something from its self towards the support of our hope it will be casting in something into the scale with Christ to make better weight This we must carefully watch against keeping our eye only upon Christ as David Psal 62.5 6. When we find our hearts pleasing themselves with any self-reflections upon our own personal worth in any kind we should fear lest those thoughts should gather too fast and puff us up in a vain conceit of our selves we should see nothing but meanness vileness and unworthyness in our selves under the highest actings of our hope in Christ Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul Job 8.21 4. Begin thy Hope with an act of humble holy despair of thy self that thy hope may be discharged on that hand forc't to quit all expectations from thence and not be tempted to any sinister aspect that way upon so poor empty insufficient a thing as thou knowest thy self to be We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 20.12 Our hope though it look never so directly upon Christ yet it is too too apt to take in some collateral encouragements from self which do cause a further dilation in the heart and make some secret and if we observe our own spirit some sensible additions to the joy and complacency we have in our hope we bless our selves the more and though we are pleased with Christ yet we are pleased with something besides Christ and this spoils all it poysons our hope is like a Canker eats like a Gangrene and is a great blemish to our hope 5. If all this will not do but still thy proud heart is big with expectation of something from God upon its own account and thou canst not separate self from Christ in the out-goings of thy hope then my advice is Answer thy foolish heart for once in its folly and take its supposed worth into thy serious consideration weigh it well prove it examine all its pretences that the truth may appear and that you may do this
upon experience you find to be fittest for such a work solemnly place your selves in Gods presence beg of him the fixing and the flowing of your thoughts that your thoughts might be graciously fix'd yet as graciously enlarg'd let the subject matter of them be something Spiritual endeavour to fill your heads and affect your hearts with holy musings till you come to some resolution which resolution close with Prayer and follow with endeavours O how would this even e're you are aware engage your Souls to love God though you cannot methodize your Meditations to your mind yet inure your selves to an holy thoughtfulness about things above Endeavour as you are able to tye your thoughts together and so fasten them that they may not be lost that your musing time may not be reckon'd among your lost time I distinguish between Meditation and Study Study is for knowledge Meditation is for Grace Study leaves every thing as we find it Meditation leaves a Spiritual impress upon every thing it meddles with Though I will not assert I may enquire whether Meditation be not one of those duties of which the very constant performance speaks the Soul to be gracious i. e. though I dare not say they are not gracious that do not every day solemnly meditate yet whether may I not say they are gracious that do Try therefore whether you may not say with the Psalmist (t) Psal 39.3 whilst I was musing the fire burned whether while you are musing your heart may not be inflamed with love to God 7. Choice of friends I dare appeal to all experienc'd Christians whether ever they met with lively Christians that carried it like Christians without some warming of their hearts with love to God and Godliness the truth is Christian-conference hath the most speedy and effectual efficacy of any Ordinance of God whatsoever Do therefore in Religion as you do in other things e.g. If you meet with a Physician all your discourse shall be something about your health If you meet with a Traveller you are presently inquisitive about the places he hath seen Why should not Christians when they meet converse like Christians and presently fall into a Heavenly Dialogue Christians this you know there must be a forsaking of all wicked company e're you can pretend the least love to Christ mistake me not I do not mean that the bonds of Family-relations must presently be broken that Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Covenant-servants must presently separate if one of them be ungodly No where the relation is such as cannot be dissolved without sin then those that are Godly must converse with the ungodly as Physicians with their sick patients But this is it I say you must not willingly and out of choice make Gods Enemies your familiar Friends Those that are alwayes speaking well of God insensibly draw out their hearts in love to him When Christ's Spouse (u) Cant 5.9 c 6.1 had told the Daughters of Jerusalem what Christ was more than others they presently offer themselves to seek him with her as evil communication (w) 1 Cor. 15.33 corrupts good manners so good communication corrects evil manners In short you cannot but observe that none is able to hear any one spoken against whom they love and that every one delights to speak and hear of whom they love so that here you have a means to enflame an imploy to exercise and a touchstone to try your love to God 8. Thanksgiving That person that makes conscience of thanksgiving will thereby grow in love to God that person that takes every thing kindly and thankfully from God cannot but love him and Christians if we be not basely wanting to our selves we may by thankfulness make every thing a help to promote divine love e.g. I hear a man swear and curse and blaspheme God O what cause have I to love God that he hath not left me to do so I am under the rebukes of God I feel his anger in such a providence O what cause have I to love God that he will take any pains with me and give me medicinal correction not giving me up to my own hearts lusts till I perish Alas I am not so spiritual as to make such Inferences yet blessed be God I really value it as a priviledge to be able to put a good interpretation on all Gods dealings O that I could love God for the very means and helps and incouragements to love him I shall name no more though I might many promoting means But 3. Sustaining and Conserving Means Here several Graces are singularly useful I shall name only three 1. Faith whereby we are perswaded that what God hath spoken is true and good (x) Mark 9.23 If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Now then take some Particular Promise Why not that which hath already affected thy heart you can't press a Promise as you squeeze an Orange to extract all that is in it no 't is called drawing water (y) Isa 12.3 out of a Fountain though you draw out never so much there 's no less behind Well then take that promise (z) Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me I may here by my love to God make out Gods love to me and so by these claspings of love have my love inflam'd and preserv'd But Christians be sure to remember this whenever you lay one hand on a Promise lay the other on Christ you will thereby get your Objections answered and your Fears removed e. g. I am unworthy of Divine Love but so is not Christ I know not how to come to God our access is by Christ Though I come I know not how to believe Joh. 6.37 thy coming is believing Oh for more acquaintance with the Life of Faith it is mostly with us in spirituals according to our Faith 2. Hope whereby we expect a future good Hope is the daughter of Faith Many a time the weak Mother leans upon the Daughter Hope at least to our apprehensions hath not so many Obstructions and hinderances as Faith I dare say I hope what I dare not say I believe Though I must tell you That which the over-modest Christian calls a weak Hope God often calls a strong Faith Remember (a) Psal 119.49 the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope There 's a prayer of Hope and here 's a Promise-answer to Faith Thou (b) Isa 26.3 wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee c. So that in a word as to the present Case though I yet cannot love God as I would I hope God will help me that my Love shall be alwayes growing 3. Patience (c) Jam. 1.4 Let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and intire wanting nothing And do but with Patience go on with your work
so he must minister the same to the souls and bodies of others 1 Pet. 4.10 Jam. 2.15.16 1 Joh. â— 13 If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them Go in peace he you warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not the things that are needful to the body what doth it profit A man would find little profit in it himself if he should feed himself only with good words and wishes True love is not in Word and Tongue only but in Deed and in Truth Contrary to this endeavouring others good is to stand up in the way and stop the passage wherein good should flow in upon them and to be (a) Invidentia est aeg iâ—udo iuscepta p opter alterius res secundas quae nihil nocent invidenti Cic. Tuâ—t qu. l. 4. envious at the prosperity of others if they be able without our help to attain it Many men think themselves not well unless it be ill with others (b) Novum ac inaestimabile nunc in plutimis malum est parum alicui est si ipse sit felix nisi alter sec in infelix Salvianus de Gub. Dei it is not enough for them to be happy unless they see their brethren miserable 2. We have seen now in what things we do and may shew love to our selves we come now to speak of the manner of loving our selves and to shew that after the same manner we ought to love others also 1. We do or should love our selves holily i. e. in and for God we may not have a divided interest from God though God allows us to love our selves it must be in order to him and to his Glory Our love to our selves as it must be regulated by the will of God and extended or restrained according to that So God must be our utmost end in it whether it be exercised about the obtaining things temporal or spiritual for body or soul Salvation it self although it be our end must not be our last or utmost end but that God by it as by all things else may be glorified Therefore in this manner we must love others as God hath an interest in them and is or may be glorified by them and there is no man in the world but God is or may be glorified by him Every man is a creature upon whose Soul there is in a sort the Image of God and doth him some service in the place wherein he stands Isa 44.28 and 45.1 God calleth Cyrus a heathen his Shepherd and his Anointed and he did him eminent service in his generation The same may be said of every other man in some degree and proportion God hath given him some gifts whereby he is and may be serviceable to him at least in the affairs of his providential kingdom Besides all men having immortal souls within them are capable of blessedness with God for ever in the kingdom of Glory they who are at present enemies to God may be reconciled and made friends what was the most glorious Saint now in heaven but an enemy to God once when here on earth We our selves saith the Apostle were sometime foolish disobedient deceived Tit. 33.4 serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Obj. How could David then say do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved with these that rise up against thee Psal 139.21.22 I hate them with a perfect hatred He says that he hated them perfectly and approves himself to God in the thing Do not I hate them O Lord Ans There is a twofold hatred Odium simplex Odium redundans in personam as the Schooles speak a simple hatred and a hatred redounding to the person A simple hatred which is of the Sin of any man is our duty Psal 97.10 ye that love the Lord hate evil but to hate the Person of the sinner would be our sin as we are to abhor that which is evil Rom. 12.9 so we must cleave to that which is good David who was a man after Gods own heart knew how to distinguish between the sin and the person See how he expresseth himself elsewhere I hate the work of them that turn aside not them but the work of them Psal 101.3 he hated their sin saying it shall not cleave to me Hear him again I hate every false way this shews us plainly Psal 119.104 that he hated sin perfectly he hated sin so as that it should not cleave to him he hated it where ever he found it Every false way For what is perfect hatred Austin describes it very well He est perfecto odio odisse ut nec homines propter vitia oderis nec vitia propter homines diligas This is to hate with perfect hatred not to hate men for their Sins sake nor to love the sin for the mens sake This is one manner how we ought to love our Neighbour as our selves it must be holily 2. Our love to our selves is or should be orderly we must first and chiefly love our souls and then our bodies The Soul is of far greater worth than the body A world of things for the body will stand a man in no stead if his soul be lost and where the soul goes either to a place of bliss or torment the body must follow after and therefore when we are charged to take heed to our selves we are charged to keep our souls diligently only take heed to thy self Deut. 4 9. and keep thy soul diligently if the soul be safe all is safe if the soul be lost all is lost In like manner we ought to love our Neighbour we must desire and endeavour that it may be well with him in every respect both as to his body and outward estate but chiefly that his Soul may prosper and his outward concerns as they may be consistent with that third Epistle John ver 2. I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth 1. We must seek the conversion of those that are unconverted lest their souls be lost for ever If we can be instrumental in this we shew the greatest love imaginable to give a man bread when he is hungry or cloathing when he is naked is somthing but to convert a soul to God is a greater kindness by much Brethren Jam. 5 19.20 if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death He speaks of it as a great thing when he says Let him know that he
visited us So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Christ's whole work was to love and his whole love was free We purchase nothing without leaving of our money behind us All his saved ones have nothing of their own but impotency and antipathy nothing of their own to move God to save them The Law discovers God's will and the gospel discovers his good will 3. The gospel is called grace because it is the instrument under the Spirit of God of bestowing the benefits of free grace upon us It is an invitation to the benefits of free grace and it is our warrant of receiving those benefits and of applying them The Gospel is not only a story to tell us what is done and what is obtained for believers but it is a Testament to cause and to shew unto us our interest in them by Faith We shall lay hold upon it when he who Ordained the Gospel doth accompany it The Gospel brings Salvation Tit. 2.11 Therefore the Gospel is called the Ministration of Righteousness and the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 9. The Instrument made use of by the Spirit of God for enabling us to apply the Righteousness of Christ and all the benefits of Free Grace contained in it And so I have opened the first thing in the Exhortation and shewn vvhat vve are to understand by the Grace of God even the Doctrine of the Gospel Sect. 3 2. The second particular in the Exhortation to be opened is The receiving thereof in vain How is the Doctrine of the Gospel said to be received in vain In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies to receive it emptily unfruitfully unprofitably and indeed so it is too often received It is true the Gospel is to be received and it cannot save us unless it be received and therefore you read several times in the Scripture of receiving it Mat. 13.23 The receiving of the seed into good ground Act. 22.41 They received the word of God gladly And in Act. 11.1 The Gentiles received the word And in Act. 17.11 They received the word with all chearfulness So in 1 Thes 1.6 They received the word in much affliction But as the Gospel must be received so it may be received unprofitably ineffectually and in vain And for the opening of this the Gospel may be said to be received in vain in two respects I. In regard of the manner of receiving II. In regard of the Event or the Issue of receiving it First It is received in vain in regard of the manner of receiving it And that is When we receive the Gospel but not with an Empty hand When the grace of the Gospel is not so received as to be empty of the the opinion of our own works and righteousness This is a vain empty reception for the Rich are sent Empty away 2. It is received in vain when it is not received with the highest Estimation and Valuation ◠Tim. 1.15 When it is not looked upon to be worthy of all acceptation as the Apostle expresseth it When it is not received as a Pearl as a Jewel of greatest price If all be not sold for it soon will it be left fot any thing 3. When it is not received vvith the greatest ardency of desire with hungring and thirsting after the benefits contained in it All the inclinations of our souls towards all Earthly objects we owe to the benefits of the Gospel which if vve pursue not ardently we shall never procure succesfully 4. When we do not receive it with a particular fiducial application of Jesus Christ upon the warrant of the Infallible Gospel but only by a general assent When vve receive in into our Heads by Light but do not receive it into our Hearts by Faith When vve do not believe with the Heart but only assent vvith the head When we receive it only into our Ears and into our lips and into our Professions but dot receive it as the good seed vvhich is to be laid up in the furrows and the soil of the soul Thus the Gospel is received in vain in regard of the manner of receiving it Secondly It is received in vain in regard of the Issue the Event of receiving it and that several ways 1. When it is not received so as to purifie the heart as to kill corruption when this grace of God doth not teach us effectually to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts when men will have an Angelical Gospel but will live Diabolical lives when they are not thrown into the mould of the Gospel and have not Hearts and practices sutable to it 2. When it doth not quicken us to new obedience when there is a receiving without returning without any activity for God in holy walking where there is no Delight in the Law of God when his commandments are grievous when the law doth only compell but the Spirit of the Gospel doth not encline our wills to the obedience of the Gospel when by the receiving of the Gospel we are not made a willing people to give up our selves to God in the ways of duty when faith is not made incarnate as Luther speaks by maintaining good works Tit. 3.8 3. When we so receive grace as that it doth not sustain us in our troubles nor bear us up in our sufferings when it is not a word of patience as it is called Rev. 3.10 Thou hast kept the word of my patience The Gospel duly received as to the Issue of its reception maketh us patient to bear whatever is displeasing and ungrateful unto sense When we see that the Justice of God is satisfied we can easily bear the injustice of men When we see that God's wrath is appeased towards us we shall look upon the wrath of man yea all outward troubles to be cold and feeble 4. When we so receive grace as not to impart it and communicate it unto others If we be living we shall be lively Christians If we have the life of Grace in us we shall warm others If we do no good it is a sign we have got no good If there be a Spiritual Life bestowed upon us by the Gospel there is always a Seminal virtue an inclination to disseminate and to scatter Grace among others 5. And lastly grace is received in vain as to the Issue of our receiving of it when it is so received as that thereby we do not obtain salvation It is the Gospel of Salvation but a mere visible owning of the Gospel saveth none The receiving of it into your houses into your heads into your mouths brings not any to Heaven Christ will profess to those that are empty Professors and only have externally and as to the outward priviledges of Grace received the Gospel I never knew you depart from me Mat. 7.23 We are not only to received the priviledges of Grace but Grace by the priviledge if we expect Glory Thus I have shewn what is meant by
accompany with most life and power As it is in other cases so it is for the most part here you are commonly more affected with what you hear Men speak than with what they write Ministers may write or print their Sermons but not their Affections not that Power and Spirit of the word which themselves feel and you perceive in them You are most like to be warmed by the word when you hear it coming out of a hot heart When you see your Teachers affected with the truths they deliver and speaking like those that feel what they speak you are most like to be affected too Though indeed the great reason of hearing is because it is God's Ordinance and he hath not only taken care that the word should be written that so all may read it but hath appointed Officers too purposely to Preach it that so all may hear it But withal be sure to be regular in your hearing Take heed how you hear Luke 8.18 and take heed what you hear Mark 4.28 and from both will follow that you must take heed who you hear too Hear those that are most knowing and best able to instruct you those that are most sound and least like to mislead you Do not choose to put your Souls under the conduct of blind-guides Seek for the Law at their mouths whose lips do best preserve knowledge And when you have found such keep close to them Settle your selves under the guidance of some faithful Pastor upon whose Ministry you may ordinarily attend That running to and from which is usual among us is quite another than what Daniel speaks of ch 12.4 and I am sure is not the way to encrease knowledge Rolling stones gather no moss Such rovers seldom hit upon the right way Such wandring Stars may be soonest bemisted They that thus run from one Minister to another may soon run from one opinion to another and from one errour to another I dare safely say you may get more sound knowledge of the things of God by constant attendance upon the Ministry of one of less abilities than by rambling up and down to hear many though of the greatest gifts It is a great advantage to your gaining knowledge to hear a Minister's whole discourse and be able to take up the full design of his work and not merely to hear in transitu by snatches to pick up here a notion and there a notion or hear one Man's Doctrine in the Morning and another's Application in the Afternoon It is no wonder if Men that run to and fro Eph. 4. be tossed to and fro They that are so light of hearing may easily be carried about with every wind of Doctrine the word of Christ seldom dwells in such vagabond hearers 1. Pray earnestly for knowledge We are to cry after wisdom and lift up our voice for understanding Prov. 2.3 Ask it of God Jam. 1.5 Especially address we our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 The great Prophet and Doctor of the Church in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Who of God is made unto us Wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 Who liveth in the bosom of the Father and declares him to us John 1.18 He that was his Father's Counsellor in making his Laws and his Messenger in publishing them is best able to make us understand them As it is our duty to Hear him so it is his business to instruct us Only beside the use of all other means we must look to him for his teaching He only can make all means effectual and none learn as they should but they that learn of him There is no learning like that we get upon our knees that is the only saving knowledge which we fetch from Heaven If you put your Children to a Trade you will have them learn it of such as are most skilful in it If you would your selves understand any art well you seek for the best Artist you can to instruct you Who can teach you all things like him that knows all things who can enlighten you like him who is the true light John 1.9 Men when they teach their Scholars oftentimes complain of their dulness they can but propound their notions to them not beget an understanding in them And Ministers complain of their hearers as the Apostle did of the Hebrews ch 5.11 that they are dull of hearing Quod â—aev à in parte mamillae Nil a lit Arcadico juveni Juven They spend their strength upon them but cannot work the truth into them But the Lord Jesus Christ is such a Teacher as is beyond all Teachers He can give the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation as it is called Eph. 1.17 and promiseth to do it John 14.26 He can give inward light as well as outward eyes as well as objects understandings to receive the truth as vvell as truths to employ your understandings 7. Take sit time for the getting knowledge You have a great deal to learn you had need be early up that you may have the most time and the best time Begin young before your minds be corrupted with errors or possessed with prejudices before you have learned too much of those things which must be unlearned if ever you would learn the things of God It is a great advantage in this case when Men are instructed in the Scriptures from their childhood 2 Tim. 3.15 when the first thing they learn is to know God and Christ and themselves their own condition their duty their hopes The time of youth is the best time for getting knowledge as of other things so of Spiritual things Qui legem discit in puerit â similis est ei qui scribit in charâ—à novâ qui in senecture similis est ei qui scribit in charta vetere R. Eliaz. apud Drâ—â— There is then least within to keep knowledg out and what is then received usually enters most deeply and proves to be most durable The more pliable the wax is the deeper the impression and the deeper the impression is the more like it is to last Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 It is I am sure a preposterous course to learn other things before you learn what is most necessary to get a Trade before you have a Religion to learn to know the World before you know God 8. If you say this concerns your Children rather than your selves I add be much in teaching others the things of God that is the way to learn them more fully your selves The communicating your knowledge is the way to encrease it You will get more than you give and while you impart it you will best retain it While you instruct others God will instruct you and you may come to see more in his truths when you teach them others than ever you did when you learned them first
he had made and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made This some learned Divines suppose to have been by way of Anticipation only to be a Sabbath in Deck as it were until the Church should have need of it Others as eminent and learned as they do assert it to have been by way of institution a notion of a far more easie understanding than the former and more useful This Sabbath rested it seems sometimes in silence Save only that we may possibly spell it out in some imperfect Characters in their offerings and sacrifices before ever the Law was given which were originally proper Sabbath work until at length we may read of it in words at length Exod. 16.22 23. and Moses spake to the people this is that which the Lord hath said to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath And this some conceive to be a second and renewed Institution but with little probability Moses rather speaks of it as a thing notoriously known to the Israelites in the Wilderness it being of a more antient Original than the Miracle of the Manna yet it may serve as a testimony unto the Sabbath and of use unto our purpose From thence therefore we must step on as far as Mount Sinai for a new institution and there we may find it standing in the midst of the 10 Moral precepts the fourth whereof it makes in number Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day c. Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. Then was that command which before was given by word of mouth and continued by tradition now written in words at length engraven in stone by the immediate finger of God and there it stands during all the time of Moses and the Prophets on its own basis until the Messiah came who put upon it his own Sanction Mat. 5.17 to the end And under that Sanction did the seventh day Sabbath continue until upon the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that sun of Righteousness and by his Command to his Apostles Acts 1.2 the Sabbath was translated to the First day of the week and that continued by Apostolical practice and by the practice of succeeding ages of the Evangelical Church the Gospel Sabbath or Lords Day even to this present generation Such I say hath been the care and love of God to his Church to this day Lam. 2.6 that it never was without a Sabbath unless it were when the want of a Sabbath was the Punishment of sinful neglect and obstinate violation of the Sabbath And this care God used upon a twofold account 1. Upon the account of his own Soveraignty Sc. that by reserving one day in seven for his own immediate worship he might be actually acknowledged as the great Soveraign Lord of our selves and of our time The Sabbath is as the first fruits among the Jews whereby we do not only intitle God to the whole harvest but whereby the whole lump and mass is sanctified to us 2. A Second Account is Gods pity and compassion to his Creatures Eccles 3.11 God saw the heart of man since the Fall so fixed to the world and immersed in the Pleasures and Profits thereof that had he left man to himself he would not have spared for Divine worship one day in seven weeks not possibly in seven months or in the whole year but he would have even drudg'd himself and the irrational Creature to death in the pursuit of worldly fruitions And therefore God hath injoined him the severe observation of one day in seven that he might lay upon him the necessity of minding and seeking the things of eternity and whilest the rational creature did enjoy a spiritual rest for the soul the irrational creature might have natural rest for self-preservation Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift 2. Observe Rule or N teâ— this day God was pleased to honour with the title of a Sabbath as both here and in the fourth Commandment which signifies rest because on this day both God the Father and God the Son respectively Gen. 2.2 did rest from their own proper work and by their precept and pattern command it and commend it for a stated rest to the Church of God for ever What the reason therefore is why some learned men of our generation should be so exceedingly offended at that name Sabbath that they cannot so much as hear it with patience is to me a wonder even to astonishment And while they are so much offended at the name the vulgar sort of Christians are thereby I am afraid as much offended at the thing As to the first of these I have heard some say they like it not because it is Jewish but to that we reply 1. Not the Jews but the God of the Jews gave it that name here and elsewhere and 2. The notion of a Sabbath signifies no more but Rest and is Rest Jewish Oh that men would look into their hearts to see whether the reason of this disgust is not more latent there 3. And were it a Jewish name indeed is not the Jewish name Sabbath better than the Heathenish-name Sunday The name which Heathenish Idolaters gave it in their Dedication of that day to the Created Sun Notwithstanding consult their Calenders Writings and Languages and you can meet with no other name or notion but Sunday all over At this we have more cause to be offended than they have at the notion of a Sabbath As for the vulgar sort of people it is the thing which offends them more than the name not the Rest so much as the Nature of the Rest is that which they dislike were it a Carding Rest a Gaming Rest a Dancing Rest such an one as the Israelites once celebrated in the wilderness wherein they did eat and drink and rose up to play such an one for all the world as the Popish Devotion celebrates after Mass and Even Song as they call it pipe and dance and then to the Ale-house or Tavern such a Rest would gratifie the sensual world of carnal Christians but for an holy rest a rest to be spent in Publick Domestick and Secret duties of Religion Reading the Scriptures praying singing of Psalms Hearing the word preach't repeating at home what they heard in publique Catechising their families Meditation c. These things do not please the unregenerate part but men are ready to murmur as they did of old what a weariness is it and when will the Sabbath be over Amos 8 5. c. This is a lamentation c. Rule 3 From these words my holy day take a third Rule We must look upon the Sabbath as a day of Divine Institution not of an humane ordination the Sabbath hath a jus divinum written upon it more authentique than theirs that decry it My holy day and the
mens speech all the day no jest so idle no story so common and fruitless but will pass at our tables and in our private conference Many spend the best of their time no better than the Idolatrous Athenians did their worst in nothing else but either telling or hearing some new thing What news is the most innocent question wherewith I would I could not say most men fill up the vacancies of a Sabbath And is that sinful will you say was it not in Nehemiah's question Nehem. 1.2 Hanani one of my brethren came he and certain men of Judah and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped which were of the Captivity and concerning Jerusalem c. presently what news And why may not Christians ask the same question yes they may when they ask it with Nehemiah's spirit to Nehemiah's end sc that we may get our hearts sutably affected with the miseries or prosperity of the Church of God abroad or at home see what a gracious use he makes of his news in that and in the following chapter at your leisure go ye and do likewise and it shall be your honour But to tell news and to inquire after news meerly for novelty sake and to fill up time for want of better discourse is a miserable idling out of precious time which might be spent to mutual edification whereas by ordinary and unsavoury discourses which are usually heard amongst us people do edifie one another indeed but it is Ad Gehennam they edifie one another to hell You that pretend to be the Lords people be more jealous for the Lords day and honour The Lord takes pleasure in his people Oh let the Saints be joyful in glory Psal 149.4 5. Let your speech be always seasoned with salt especially on Gods day that you may season your children and servants which otherwise will be corrupted by such rotten communication O let your prayer be all times but especially on the Sabbath day that o holy David set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips the sabbath is Gods glory let your tongues be so too The like caution we ought to use about our thoughts by the rule of proportion they being the language of our hearts 8th Rule and as audible in the ears of God as our words are to mens yea whereas men understand our hearts by our words God understand our words by our hearts Moses did set bounds about the mount that neither man nor beast might break in whatsoever touch't the mountain must dye Exod. 19 12. 19. so must we set bounds about our heart that neither humane nor brutish distractions may break in There is death or life in it and therefore of all keepings keep thy heart Prov. 4 23. for out of it are the issues of life The heart indeed is not so fenceable as the mountain but the more open it lieth the stronger-guard had we need to set upon it and to pray for a guard from heaven as David Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart Psal 19 ult be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer If vain or vile thoughts break in upon thee do as the ravished virgin was to do in the Law cry out to God and thou shalt not be held guilty Deut. 22.27 Christians this caution is of a special concern to you O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved Jerem. 4.14 how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Resolve the Text into its integrals and it will afford you some such observables 1. Thoughts will defile the heart as well as deeds Wash thy heart 2. This defilement will damn the soul wash that thou mayst be saved 3. The reason is implied they are wickedness wash thine heart from wickedness 4. All this evil is even in vain thoughts as well as in vile thoughts how long shall thy vain thoughts c. 5. Therefore we must wash our hearts from vain thoughts as well as from wicked and blasphemous thoughts Hence I infer 6. If this should be the work of a Christian every day how much more on Gods day the purer the paper the fouler the stain and blot Christians look to your hearts Further take notice of the appropriation Thy own ways Thy own pleasureâ— thy own words Object And are not holy ways and holy pleasures and holy words our own as well as such as are carnal and sensual yes they are but God speaks here according to our sense and apprehension from whence Note how brutish and sensual laps't man is in his notions and apprehensions of things that he can call nothing his own but what relateth to the flesh Hâ—seâ— 8.13 I have written to him saith God the great things of my law but they were accounted a strange thing Alienum forreign and of no concernment to himself at all And let this also serve for a tenth rule In our sanctifying of the Sabbath we must be specially careful to distinguish what is Gods and what is our own Indeed we must distinguish between what is Satans Our own and Gods There be sinful wicked pleasures ways words thoughts I say wicked and sinful in themselves and these are properly the Devils pleasures the Devils ways the Devils words and thoughts and these are lawful at no time much less on Gods time Gods day and the Devils imployment do not well agree And there are our own pleasures ways words and thoughts such as concern the present life relating to the body and outward man These may be lawful on our days six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but are not lawful on the Sabbath day In it thou shalt do no manner of work c. save what is of necessity or Charity And then there are Gods pleasures ways words and thoughts i. e. of Gods command and such as lye in a direct tendency to the worship and service of God in publique private or secret and these only we may and must do and mind upon the Sabbath if we mix any of the Devils or our own pleasures and profits with Gods we pollute the holy things of God and profane his Sabbath This is the sum of what time will give me leave to say upon the Negative part of this Model only before I dismiss it let me add this short note of observation that if what hath been spoken even on this negative part be the mind and will of God concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath then may the generality of Christians lye down in the dust and smiting upon their thigh with brinish tears upon their cheeks confess with a Pious Honourable Lady upon her dying Bed O I never kept a Sabbath in all my life The Lord teach us so to lay this sin to heart that God may never lay it to our charge Having thus briefly dispatcht the Negative part of Sabbath-Sanctification contained in this model I
(k) Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied to filthy garments Zach. 3.3 (l) And Joshua was clothed with filthy garments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it may be taken Jam. 2.2 (m) A poor man in vile rayment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence we learn that sin is a filthy thing sin is called filthiness Prov. 30.12 (n) There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness and therefore when God calls us from sin he bids us wash our selves Isai 1.16 (o) Wash ye make you clean 2 Cor. 7.1 (p) Having therefore these promises dearly beloved Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and we read of this as that they are ashamed of their sins and loath themselves for them and abhor themselves because of sin and cast them away as a polluted and menstruous cloth all these expositions denote the filthiness of sin And superfluity of naughtiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken in the Scripture for malice 1 Cor. 5.8 (q) Therefore let us keep the truth not with old leaven not with leaven of malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because it hath here no article and because it often signifies all manner of sin I 'le give it rope without any limitation The Apostle then by superfluity of naughtiness means the redundancy and overflowing of sin amongst those professors There is a Chaos of sin in all of us but it was very spreading and luxuriant in these professors and no marvel for they loved money which is the root of all evil Laying apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or laying down Acts 7.58 (r) The witnesses laid down their clothes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the rejection Casting off or Putting away of sin put ye off all these things saith Paul and again put off the old man and so Peter 1 Pet. 2.1 (s) Wherefore laying aside all malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receive with meekness receive that is hear it entertain it give it entrance and admission With meekness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the moderation or rebatement of sinful Anger for then when the Apostle saith Receive the word with meekness his meaning is do not shut out the word by a peevish froward stormy and Angry spirit but take it in with calmness mildness and submission The engrafted word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word used for engrafting Rom. 11. yet since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies graftings and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to graft the translation is warrantable but yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may respect the planting or the sowing of the word and may be read the word planted or the word sown that is sown in your hearts by the hand of Christs Ministers see Mark 4.15 (t) But when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts Which is able to save your souls that is from hell and damnation there is this power in the word but it is mutuatitious extrinsecal and borrow'd it is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 (u) I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation the word of it self saves not but God by the word 1 Cor. 1.21 (x) It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe The words thus open'd the Case I am to speak to is this How we may hear the Word so as to profit by it For the resolution of this question I shall first tell you what we mean by the word Secondly what by profiting And thirdly how we shall profit by the hearing of it 1. By the Word I understand the Word of God which Word of God may be considered either as it is written in the Scripture or as it is preach't that is expounded and applied by the Ministers of Christ The question is concerning the word preach't How we may hear it so as to profit by it Ministers are to preach the word 2 Tim. 4.2 (y) Preach the word preach the word what is that that is open and unfold the Scripture with a suitable application of them to the estate and the condition of the hearers Reprove from them Rebuke from them Exhort from them This was Christs preaching Luk. 4.17 (z) He found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord is upon me c. and then be expounds it v. 21. This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 24.27 this was Peters Preaching Act. 2.2 (a) And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets be expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself in this Sermon he chiefly insists upon two Scriptures and expounds them both and then applies all to their Consciences v. 36. (b) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ and this was Pauls Preaching Act. 28.23 (c) There came many to his Lodging to whom be expounded and testified the kingdom of God perswading them concerning Jesus both out of the Law of Moses and the Prophets from morning till evening and for the Levites before Christ who taught the People the good knowledge of the Law they Preacht after this manner Nehem. 8.7 8. (d) So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading and that was the manner in the Synagogues after Christ Act. 13.15 (e) And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying ye men and brethren if you have any word of exhortation for the people say on Moses was not only read but preacht Act. 15.21 (f) Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him and Paul prescribes the way of Preaching to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.13 (g) Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine I understand it of publique reading the Scriptures in the Church with the application of them by way of Doctrine and Exhortation well then by the word we understand the word Preacht which is the opening and unfolding the Scriptures by the Ministers of Christ 2. What is meant by profiting or what is it to profit by the word I answer we profit by the word when we get that good and spiritual Advantage from it for which it was appointed and designed by God Now God hath appointed his word I. For Learning and Instruction 1 Cor. 14.31 (h) For you may all Prophesie one by one that all may learn â—nd all may be comforted the Colossians
learned by the Ministery of the word (i) As you also learned of Epaphras Col. 1. 7. and the Philippians learned by Paul Phil. 4.9 (k) Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do the things that are to be heard by the Ministry are matters of Faith and matters of Practice and if by hearing the Word we gâ—t a good understanding in things that are to be believed by us and the things that are to be done by us then we profit by it But if we remain ignorant as to these things after mercy received then we hear the Word without profit II. For Conversion God hath appointed his Word Act. 26.18 (l) To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to ligâ—t and the Angel speaking of John Baptists ministry saith Luke 1.16 (m) And many of the Children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God now the Word turns man unto God 1. As it discovers sin If the Scripture be dextrously handled they will search into the very secrets of mens hearts 1 Cor. 14.24 25. (n) And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest the Baptists preaching discovered to the Jews their carnal security in trusting to Abram Mat. 3.9 (o) And thiâ—k not to say within your sâ—lves we have Abraham to our Father their want of charity their covetous and humorous disposition Luk. 3.11 (p) He that hath two Coats Let him imâ—art to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise it discovered the Publicans exactings v. 13. (q) And he saith to them exact no more than that which is appointed you and the souldiers violence v. 14. (r) And he said unto them do violence to no man 2. As it brings people to the confession of sins the Baptists Preaching brought his hearers to confess their sins Math. 3.6 and so did Pauls Act. 19.18 (t) And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds 3. As it works a kindly mourning and sorrow for sin Upon Peters sermon the Jews were pricked at the heart (s) And they were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins Act. 2.37 the people wept when they heard the word of the Lord. Nehem. 8.9 After the children of Israel had heard these words they wept for the perverseness of their nature Jer. 3.21 the word which they heard was v. 20. surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel saith the Lord. 4. As it works amendment and reformation the Word turns people from their sins 1 Thess 1.9 (u) They themselves shew of us what manner of entrance in we had unto you and how you turned to God from Idols to serve the living and the true God and makes them fruitful toward God Col. 1.5 6. (w) Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit now then if the Word converts you to God if it discovers your sins if it causes you to confess them to mourn for them and to leave them then you profit by the word But if under Hearing you do not see the sins that reign in you as pride covetousness passion if you do not confess them heartily before God if you do not mourn kindly for them nor leave them you hear without profit III. God hath appointed his Word for the building up of those that are called converted and sanctified Act. 20.32 (x) I commend you to God and the word of his Grace which is able to build you up Apollos by his Preaching helped them that had believed through grace Act. 18.17 (y) And he went over all the Country of Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the Disciples the Word doth not only serve for the implantation of grace but it excites strengthens and draws out the graces of Petitioners Pauls Preaching strengthned the Disciples Act. 18.23 Gods Word is compared to meat Luke 12.42 (z) Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season and meat strengthens and nourishes the body and so the Word of God 1 Tim. 4.6 Well then if by the hearing of the Word you are built up and grown by it (a) Thou shalt be a Good Minister nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine if your Faith grow exceedingly if your Love abound if you bring forth much fruit then you profit by it but if your sins grow not vveaker and your graces stronger then you hear it without profit 4. And lastly to name no more the Word was appointed for Consolation 1 Cor. 14.31 (b) You may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all be comforted the Samaritans rejoiced at Philips Preaching Act. 8 5.8 (c) Then Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preacht Christ to them and there was great joy in that City and so did the Eunuch v. 29. and so did the Jaylor at Pauls preaching Act. 16.34 (d) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and he rejoyced believing in God with all his house now the Word comforts as it opens Gods Attributes such as his Mercy Wisdom Faithfulness and Power Secondly As it discovers Christ the Promises and Priviledges of the Saints Thirdly As it discovers and reveals the marks and Characters of Gods Children Fourthly As it answers the doubts and fears of Saints well then if in hearing the Word you find that it supports strengthens and revives your hearts like a Cordial then you profit by it But if you find nothing sweet nor refreshing in it you hear it without profit I come now to the third thing how we shall profit by hearing of the Word that is how shall we attain the benefit from the Word of God for which it was appointed It was appointed for instruction conversion edification consolation How may we hear it so that we may obtain these things by it I shall give you four directions and conclude 1. First Hear it attentively Christ in the beginning of his Sermons calls upon his auditors to hearken Mark 4.3 (e) And he said unto them in his doctrine hearken and so doth Paul Acts 13.16 (f) Men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience and Rev. 2.7 (g) He that hâ—th an ear let him hear what the spirit saith to the Churches and you read Luke 19.48 all the people were very attentive to hear him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hung upon him hearing that is they hung their ears upon his mouth that they might receive every vvord and miss nothing This phrase is common in Greek Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Latine warrantis conjux pendet ab ore viri and Augustine speaking of his hearing Ambrose saith verbi ejus susâ—endebar intentus and one
heart 2. A believing heart 3. A loving heart 1. Then hear the Word with an understanding heart The vvay-side hearers hear but do not understand Mat. 13.19 (y) When any one heareth the word and understandeth it not this is he that receiveth the seed by the ways side but they that receive it into good ground that is into an honest heart understand it v. 23. (z) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it Jesus Christ calls upon his auditors to hear and understand Mar. 7.14 (a) Hearken unto me every one of you and understand and blames them that do not understand v. 18. (b) And he saith unto them are ye so without understanding also and it was his manner after preaching to ask if they understood him Math. 13.51 (c) Jesus saith unto them have ye understood all these things the generality of hearers are vvithout understanding they neither understand doctrinal nor experimental truths not the one for lack of knowledge nor the other for lack of feeling and hence it is that they remember so little of the Word and that they are so little affected with the Word 2. With a believing heart Mar. 1.15 (d) Believe the Gospel 2 Chron. 20.20 (e) Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper Two things especially vve are to mingle our faith with the threatnings and the promises With the threatnings so the people of Nineveh Jonah 3.5 (f) So the people of Nineveh believed God With the promises Exod. 4.31 (g) And the people believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel they bowed their heads and worshipped Were the threatnings and promises which are constantly preacht fully understood throughly believed and brought home to your Consciences by spiritual application this would quickly put an end to sin for the threatnings would scare you from sin the promises would allure you to duty 3. With a loving heart 1 Pet. 2.2 (h) As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word as new born babes love the brest David was a great lover of the Word of God Psal 119.140 (i) Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it He loved it exceedingly 167 (k) My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly his longing after the word was so vehement that it almost consumed him v. 20. he loved it far better than gold 127. but hovv far he loved it he could not tell 97. and therefore leaves it with God to judge his love to it 159. (l) Consider how I love thy Precepts Brethren had there been such a love in the people of England to the word the mouths of so many Ministâ—rs had never been stopped and whereas we judge that such and such are the causes of it pray let us remember that no man living can take the word from us unless they be first impowred by our disaffection to it 4. And last Direct If you would profit by hearing of the word keep what you hear of it Luke 8.15 Having heard the word keep it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hold fast the word that it slip not from us 1 Thess 5.21 Luke 4.42 1 Cor. 15.2 you know if the seed be not kept in the ground it is sown to no purpose so if the Word be not kept in the memory and in the heart it will come to nothing keep therefore the Word in your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold it fast lest the Devil snatch it from you for look as the fowls of the air follovv the seeds-man to pick up the corn as soon as he hath scattered it so the prince of the air the devil is at hand to take the Word out of our hearts Mar. 4.15 (n) But when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts Immediately as soon as we have heard the Word the Devil is at hand to take the Word out of our hearts He taketh the Word out of our hearts in Matthew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he snatcheth it and if you would know vvhy the Devil is so hasty to snatch away the Word Christ tells you Luk. 8.12 (o) Then cometh the Devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved But how shall we keep the Word 1. Repeat it in your families the Bereans conn'd over Pauls Sermons and examined his proofs and allegations Act. 17.11 (p) They received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scripttures daily whether those things were so 2. Talk of it as you go from hearing Jesus Christs hearers talkt of the Word by the vvay Luke 24.32 (q) Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures after Paul had preacht the Jews departed and had great reasoning amongst themselves Act. 28.29 (r) And when he had said these words the Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves 3. Pray to the Lord that he would preserve the Word in your hearts by his spirit the Devil vvould snatch away the Word of God from us if there were not a stronger to guard it and that is the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 1.14 (s) That good thing which was committed to thee keep by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us pray then after the Word as David 1 Chron. 29.18 (t) The Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers keep these for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people and such a prayer coming from an honest heart shall secure the word so that it shall abide with you and it shall come after to your minds it shall come seasonably in the very nick and stress of exigency and it shall come with efficacy and power Thus much shall serve for the resolution of the question how to hear the word so as to profit by it only this I add and conclude that if God shâ—ll bless these directions and give us thus to hear his word it will be an excellent sign that God will continue the preaching of it to us and that his Ministers shall teach these things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding them How we may Read the Scriptures with most Spiritual Profit Serm. VIII Deuteronomy 17.19 And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the Words of this Law and these Statutes to do them WHat Cicero said of Aristotle's Politicks may not unfitly be said of this Book of Deuteronomy it is full of golden eloquence In this Chapter God instructs the People of the Jews about setting a King
Pearl of price is hid it is a Rock of Diamonds it is a sacred Collyrium or Eye-salve it mends their eyes that look upon it it is a spiritual Optiâ—k-glass in which the glory of God is Resplendent it is the Panaâ—y or (n) Vitae pharmacum Quistorpius universal Medicine for the Soul The leaves of Scripture are like the leaves of the Tree of life for healing of the Nations Rev. 22.2 The Scripture is both the Breeder and (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Feeder of Grace how is the Convert born but by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 how doth he grow but by the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 The Word written is the Book out of which our Evidences for Heaven are fetched it is the Sea-mark which shows us the Rocks of Sin to avoid it is the Antidote against Error and Apostasie the two-edged Sword which wounds the old Serpent It is our Bulwark to withstand the force of Lust like the Capitol of Rome which was a place of strength and ammunition The Scripture is the (p) Cant. 4.4 Tower of David whereon the Shields of our Faith hang. Take away the Word and you deprive us of the Sun said (q) Si verbum Dei auferas Solem è Mundo sustulisti Luth. Luther The Word written is above an Angelical Embassy or voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1.18 This voice which came from Heaven we heard we have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure Word O prize the Word written prizing is the way to profiting If Caesar so valued his Commentaries that for preserving them he lost his Purple Robe how should we estimate the Sacred Oracles of God Job 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food King Edward the Sixth on the day of his Coronation had presented before him three Swords signifying that he was Monarch of three Kingdoms the King said there was one Sword wanting being asked what Direct 12 that was answered The Holy Bible which is the Sword of the Spirit and is to be preferr'd before these Ensigns of Royalty Robert King of Sicily did so prize God's Word that speaking to his Friend Petrarcha he said I protest the Scriptures are dearer to me than my Kingdom (r) Juro tibi Petrarcha multo mihi chariores esse sacras Scripturas quà m regnum c. Corn. à Lap. and if I must be deprived of one of them I had rather lose my Diadem than the Scriptures 12. Get an ardent love to the Word Prizing relates to the judgment Love to the affections Psal 119.159 Consider how I love thy (s) Rom. 7 22â— precepts He is likely to grow rich who delights in his Trade he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Learning will be a Scholar St. Austin tells us before his Conversion he took no pleasure in the Scriptures but afterwards they were his chaste (t) Sint castae delitiae mâ—ae scripturae Aug. delights David tasted the Word sweeter than the Honey which drops from the Comb (u) Quod spâ—nte ex favo stillat mellis medulla vocatur plus autem melleae dulcedinis ab uberibus Scripturae sugitur Psal 19.10 Thomas a Kempis used to say He found no content but to be in angulo cum libello in a Corner with the Book of God in his hand Did Alphonsus King of Sicily recover of a fit of Sickness with that great pleasure he took in reading of Quintus Curtius What infinite pleasure should we take in reading the Book of Life There is enough in the Word to breed holy complacency and delight it is a specimen and demonstration of God's Love to us The Spirit is God's Love-Token the Word his Love-Letter How doth one delight to read over his Friend's Letter The Word written is a Divine Treasury or (x) Pietatis gazâ—â— hylacium Quistorp Store-house in it are scattered Truths as Pearls to adorn the hidden man of the heart The Word written is the true Manna which hath all sorts of sweet taste in (z) Manna cujuslibet Saporis it it is a soveraign Elixir it gives wine to them of an heavy heart I have read of an ancient Rabbi who in a great concourse of people made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial he had to sell many resorting to him and asking him to shew it he opened the Bible and directed them to several places of Comfort in it Holy David drank of this Cordial Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction thy Word hath quickned me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys Hom. in Psal 44. Garden every line in it is a fragrant Flower which we should wear not in our bosome but our heart Delight in the Word causeth profit and we must not only love the comforts of the Word but the reproofs Myrrh is bitter to the Palate but good for the Stomach Direct 13 Come to the reading of the Word with honest hearts Christ speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honest heart Luke 8.15 Quest Question What is it to read the Word with an honest Heart Answ 1. Answ 1 To come with an Heart willing to know the whole counsel of God a good Heart would not have any Truth concealed but saith as Job What I see not teach thou (b) Job 34.32 me When men pick and chuse in Religion they will do some things the Word enjoyns them but not others these are unsound Hearts and are not benefited by holy Writ These are like a Patient who having a bitter Pill prescribed and a Julip he will take the Julip but refuseth the Pill 2. To read the Word with an honest Heart is to read it that we may be made better by (c) Cor integrum i. e. quod prorsas desideret proficere Brugensis it The Word is quoad se the Medium and Organ of Sanctity and we come to it not only to Illuminate us but Consecrate us John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth Some go to the Bible as one goes to the Garden to pick Flowers i. e. fine Notions Austin confesseth that before his Conversion he went to hear Ambrose more for the elegancy of Speech and quaintness of Notion than the spirituality of the Matter This is like a Woman that paints her Face but neglects her health But this is to have an honest Heart when we come to the Scriptures as Naaman to the Waters of Jordan to be healed of our Leprosie Oh! saith the Soul That this Sword of the Spirit may pierce the Rock of my Heart that this blessed Word may have such a virtue in it as the water of jealousie to kill and make (d) Num. 5.27 fruitful that it may kill my Sin and make me fruitful in Grace Direct 14 Learn to apply Scripture take every
word as spoken to your selves When the Word thunders against Sin think thus God means my Sins when it presseth any Duty God intends me in this Many put off Scripture from themselves as if it only concern'd those who lived in the time when it was written but if you intend to profit by the Word bring it home to your selves a Medicine will do no good unless it be applied The Saints of old took the Word as if it had been spoken to them by Name When King Josiah heard the threatning which was written in the Book of God he applied it to himself he rent his clothes and humbled his Soul before the Lord 2 Kings 22.13 Direct 15 Observe the preceptive part of the Word as well as the promissive the Precepts carry Duty in them like the Veins which carry the Blood the Promises carry Comfort in them like the Arteries which carry the Spirits Make use as well of the Precepts to direct you as the Promises to comfort you Such as cast their eye upon the Promise with a neglect of the Command are not edified by Scripture they look more after Comfort than Duty They mistake their Comforts as Apollo embraced the Laurel-tree instead of Daphne The Body may be swelled with wind as well as flesh a man may be filled with false comfort as well as that which is genuine and real Let your thoughts dwell upon the most Material passages of Scripture The Direct 16 Bee fastens on those Flowers where she may suck most sweetness though the whole contexture of Scripture is excellent yet some parts of it may have a greater Emphasis and be more quick and pungent Reading the names of the Tribes or the Genealogies of the Patriarks is not of the same importance as Faith and the new Creature Mind the magnalia Legis the weighty things of the Law Hos 8.12 They who read only to satisfie their curiosity do rather busie then profit themselves The searching too far into Christ's Temporal Reign hath I fear weakned his Spiritual Reign in some mens hearts Compare your selves with the Word See how the Scripture and your Direct 17 hearts agree how your Dial goes with this Sun Are your hearts as it were a Transcript and counterpane of Scripture is the Word copied out into your hearts the Word calls for humility are you not only humbled but humble the Word calls for regeneration John 3.7 Have you the signature and engraving of the Holy Ghost upon you have you a change of heart not only a partial and moral change but a Spiritual is there such a change wrought in you as if another Soul did live in the same body 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified (e) Similia habet Nazianz. orat sunebri in laudem Cypriani ubi enarrat mirabilem ejus post gratiae adventum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Word calls for love to the Saints 1 Pet. 1 22. Do you love grace where you see it (f) I em est motus animi in imaginem rem do you love grace in a poor man as well as in a rich a Son loves to see his Father's Picture though hung in a mean frame do you love grace though mixt with some failings as we love Gold though it be in the Oar the bringing the rule of the Word and our hearts together to see how they agree would prove very advantagious to us Hereby we come to know the true complexion and state of our Souls and see what Evidences and Certificates we have for Heaven Take Special notice of those Scriptures which speak to your particular Case were a consumptive person to read Galen or Hypocrates he would chiefly observe Direct 18 what they writ about a Consumption Great regard is to be had to those Paragraphs of Scripture which are most apposit to ones present case I shall instance only in three cases 1. Affliction 2. Desertion 3. Sin 1 Case First Affliction Hath God made your chain heavy Consult these Scriptures Heb. 12.7 If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as Sons (g) Job 36.8 Deut. 8.15 1 King 11.39 Psal 89.30 Heb. 12.10 11. Psal 37.39 Rom. 8.28 1 Pet. 1.6 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Rev. 3.19 2 Cor. 4.16 Job 5.17 Micah 6.9 Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his Sin (h) Flagellis domini lasciva caro atteritur anima pennis virtutum ad coelestia sublevatur Bern. Ser. 10. de Coen d. John 16.22 Your sorrow shall be turned into joy The French have a berry which they call uve de Spine the grape of a thorn God gives joy out of sorrow here is the grape of a thorn 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more eternal and exceeding weight of glory The Limner lays his Gold upon dark colours God first lays the dark colour of Affliction and then the Golden colour of Glory 2 Case Secondly Desertion Are your spiritual comforts eclipsed see (i) Lam. 3.31 Psal 106.6 9. 103.9 Mark 15 34. Isa 8.17 49. ch 15.50 ch 10.54 2 Cor. 7.6 Isa 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee The Sun may hide it self in a cloud but it is not out of the Firmament God may hide his face but he is not out of Covenant Isa 57.16 I will not be always wroth for the Spirits should fail before me and the Souls which I have made God is like the Musician he will not stretch the strings of his Lute too hard least they break Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous A Saints comfort may be hid as seed under the clods but at last it will spring up into an harvest of Joy 3 Case Thirdly Sin 1. Are you drawn away with lust read Galat. 5.24 Jam. 1.15 1 Pet. 2.11 Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against your Souls (k) Pravae cupiditates sunt portae inferni per quas homines descenâ—unt ad inferos Lust kills with embracing Prov. 7.10 22 23. There met him a woman with the attire of a harlot he goeth after her as an Ox goeth to the Slaughter till a dart strike through his liver (l) Plato in Hepate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponit c. Prov. 22.14 The mouth of a strange Woman is a deep Pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein Go to the waters of the Sanctuary to quench the fire of lust 2. Are you under the power of Vnbelief read Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Mr. Bolton speaks of a distressed Soul who found much comfort from this Scripture on his sick bed (n) Zeph. 3.12 Psal 34.22.55.22.32.10 Mark 9.23 1 Pet 5.7 2 Sam. 22.31
wont of the Puritans which were the most pretious Christians to Eccho forth the praises of the great Jehovah in this Duty especially upon the Lord's Day Then was there a holy Quire in their houses their Children were the little birds to sing the praises of the Creator the Servants likewise joining in the harmony to make up a fuller Musick But alas Now the voice of the Bride singing to her Beloved is not heard in the places of our abode there is silence instead of singing and prating instead of praising frivolous discourses instead of joyous praises It might behove us to ponder how much of Heaven do we lose in neglecting this Service In singing Psalms we begin the work of Heaven In Heaven we read of the Song of Moses and of the Lamb Rev. 15.3 And of a new Song Rev. 14.3 And the Angels though they have not Tongues yet they have voices to sing the praises of the Most High and therefore that this Heavenly service is so neglected and unexercised is a lamentation and shall be for a Lamentation Ezek. 19.14 This likewise checks those who formalize in this Duty who Act a Part not a Vse 4 Duty they make a noise and not Musick and more provoke the Eyes than please the Ears of God Hierome pathetically Exclaims against those Formalists We must not saith he Act as Players who stretch their throats to accommodate their Tongues to the matter in hand but we must sing Psalms as Saints praising God not only with our Voice but with our Heart not only with a sweet voice but with a melting heart Bernard makes two conditions of grateful singing 1. We must sing purely minding what we sing nor must we act or think any thing besides there must be no vain or vagrant thoughts no dissonancy between the Mind and the Tongue 2. We must sing strenuously not idly not sleepily or perfunctorily we must sing ex animo most heartily and Energetically Vse 5 Let us get an interest in Christ If we are not in Christ we are certainly out of tune The singing of a sinner is natural like the singing of a Bird. But the singing of a Saint is musical like the singing of a Child Saints in singing perform a grateful duty But sinners offer a vain oblation Isa 1.13 It is Christ must put an acceptation upon this service as well as others Here the Altar must sanctify the gift Christ perfumes the prayers of the Saints Rev. 5.8 And he must articulate the singing of the Saints Indeed he alone can turn our tune into melody and though in our selves we have Esau's garments yet he can give us Iacobs voice We are accepted in Christ in this offer of love Therefore let us get into Christ he can raise our voice in singing to a pleasing Elevation Let us be in him and then our steps shall be metrical our pauses musical and our very Cadencies shall be Seraphical Our singing of Psalms shall be the musick of the Sphears Vse 6 Let us sometimes raise our hearts in holy Contemplation Let us think of the Musick of the Bride-Chamber There shall be no crack't strings displeasing sounds harsh voices nothing to abate or remit our melody there shall be no willows to hang up our harps upon Psal 137.2 In the Bride-Chamber there shall be no sorrow to interfere when we sing the song of the Lamb Rev. 21.3 No grief to jar our harmony These pleasing Meditations should sometimes possess and sweeten our Spirits that while we are walking in the galleries Cant. 7.5 we may be nearer to the Palace of the great King Psal 45.15 How ought We to Improve our Baptism Serm. X. Acts 2.38 Be Baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins THis Chapter gives us an account of the pouring out of the Spirit according to the promise presently after Christ's Ascension as soon as the Spirit was poured out the Apostles were enabled to speak in various Languages to the astonishment and wonder of the Hearers This was for the Glory of God the Confirmation of the Gospel and to authorize them as Special Messengers sent by Christ At the sight of this Miracle some wonder others mock as if this speaking with divers Tongues had been a confused jabbering that proceeded from the fumes of Wine rather than the gift and operation of the Holy Spirit To satisfie both Peter declares in a Sermon the effect and intent of the Miracle proving Jesus whom they had Crucified to be Lord and Christ When they heard this many of the most obstinate among them were pricked at the heart and relented An happy Sermon it was that Peter preached it brought in thousands of Souls to Christ the first hansel of the power of the Spirit and success of the Gospel 'T is good to observe what course they took for ease and relief after this piercing and brokenness of heart they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do This is the usual Question of men under a sound and thorow Conviction To their serious Question Peter makes a seasonable Answer v. 38. 'T is the part of a good Physician not only to discover the Disease but also to prescribe a Remedy especially should spiritual Physicians be tender of broken-hearted Sinners and willing and ready to give them Counsel In Peter's Direction and Counsel to them observe first What he perswades them to do Secondly By what Motive and Argument what they should do and what they should receive In the Advice he perswades them to Repentance and to be Baptized in the Name of Christ The latter we are upon For Explaining it we may enquire First Why is Baptism mentioned rather than Faith and other things more internal and necessary to Salvation I answer Certainly Faith is implied for Mark 16.16 He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be Saved Baptism is an open and real Profession of Christ Crucified So that Be Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ is as much as Be Baptized Believing on the Name of the Lord Jesus for the Remission of Sins Secondly Baptism is mentioned because it was the visible Rite of receiving Proselytes to Christ Now it imported them who were convinced as Persecutors to turn Professors if they would have ease for their Consciences and therefore not only to Believe with the Heart but to make open Profession of Faith in Christ Rom. 10.10 Quest 2. Why in the Name of Christ only the Father and the Holy Ghost is not mentioned according to the Prescript-form Mat. 28.19 I answer he speaks not of the Form of Baptism but the use and end thereof Now the great use of Baptism is that we may have benefit by the Mystery of Redemption by Christ therefore elsewhere we are said to be Baptized into Jesus Christ Rom. 5.3 And to put on Christ Gal. 3.27 He is the Head of the Church and by Baptism we are planted into his Mystical Body This being
doing of greater good in humane Society for the time to come but more especially in Religious Nurture instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.16 and as it follows in the admonition of the Lord In the best and highest kind of Nurture that which is drawn and fetcht from the Word of the Lord and so will be most accepted of him and most profitable to Children Not only in Arts and Sciences to make them Worldly wise and Learned nor only in the Mysteries of Trading and Worldly employment to make them Rich nor only in matters of Morality and Civil honesty to make them Sober and vertuous but in the mysteries of true Religion in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 1 Tim. 4.6 in the words of Faith and good Doctrine to make them truly happy 2. Presidents It was the constant practice of the Saints of old carefully to instruct their children in the things of God And that 1. In the Truths and Worship of the true God Thus Divines conclude that Adam instructed his Sons Gen. 4.3 4. Cain and Abel to bring their Offerings to the Lord And from Adam down along to Moses for the space of two thousand years how was the true Religion communicated but by Oral Tradition from Parents to their Children Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him In this Text we have Abraham's Testimonial subscribed by God himself Wherein God 1. Asserts what Abraham was for the present a man of integrity a man greatly beloved of God I know Abraham I know his judgment I know his heart I am well acquainted with the frame of his spirit the inclination of his Will the bent of his Affections and I know him so well that I cannot but highly approve and dearly love him and will trust him with an Arcanum make him as it were of my Privy Councel in imparting to him my great design concerning wicked Sodom 2. Foretells for the future 1. What Abraham would do for God viz. That he would endeavour to bring all that were under his Command to be at God's Command Abraham will not leave his children and servants to their own Genius counsels lusts ignorance idleness superstition idolatry but command them to keep the way of Jehovah Abraham will endeavour to set up God in his Family to instruct it in that way of Faith Worship and Obedience which God requireth 2. What God will do for Abraham viz. fulfil his Promise keep his Word Holy Job that Non pareil of the World none like him in the Earth Job 1.8 that perfect that upright man Job sends and sanctifies his children i. e. says that late burning and shining Light sent a Message to them to command them to prepare and fit themselves for the holy duty of Sacrificing This preparation to holy Duties is often call'd Sanctifying Exod. 19.20 1 Sam. 6.5 Job 11.55 Job 1.5 Josâ—ph Caryl on Job 1.5 Job's main and special care was for the Souls of his children Job's Message to his children was not to ask them how they did after their Feasting whether they had surfeited how the reckoning was inflamed No his eye and heart mostly fixt on this that they might be sanctified His holy Soul struck a perfect light to Paul's desire before Agrippa Acts 26.29 I would to God that not only thou but all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am And to John's joy John Ep. 3.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that thy children walk in the truth Thus David that man after God's own heart Psal 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. But more especially I would commend to your most accurate view that lovely Prospect presented to us in Prov. 4.3 4. Behold there a great and glorious King descending from his Imperial Throne laying aside his Golden Crown and Royal Scepter and sitting down on a lower seat with a Child a Solomon at his knee So that the King is now humbled into a Tutor the Prince into a Pupil A brief account of the Lecture the Text gives us I was my Father's Son i. e. I was so my Father's Son as that I was also his Jedidiah so beloved as if I had been his only Son He taught me also and said unto me Let thine heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live Thus we have seen the practice of godly Fathers but what have godly Mothers done have they been so cruelly forgetful of their children as not to have compassion on the Sons of their Womb What! worse than Sea-Monsters who draw out their breasts and give suck to their young ones No Lam. 4.3 no those true Daughters of Sarah have been more spiritually kind and benign 1. In the Front of these stands our Mother the Spouse of Christ Can. 8.2 Ass Annot in Cant. 8.2 I would lead thee and bring thee into my Mothers House i. e. into mine own House or Mansion as is usual with us to call our own Houses the Houses of our Fathers The Church in her Universal Latitude is the Mother of all her Members who would or doth instruct me The Church John 6.45 who is the Pillar and ground of truth in this respect that she presenteth and holdeth forth that truth outwardly which only Christ bringeth to the heart and makes effectual 2. Upon her right hand stands David's Royal Consort Queen Bathsheba whom we find laying the Law before King Lemuel i. e. her Son Solomon called Lemuel i. e. of God because God had ordained him to be King over Israel rather than any of his Elder Brethren 1 Kings 2.15 22. The words of King Lemuel the Prophesie Doctrine or Instruction that his Mother taught him 2. What my Son and what the Son of my Womb Prov. 31.1 2. and what the Son of my Vows 3. Upon her left hand let the hoary-headed holy Grand mother Lois and the tender discreet pious Mother Eunice be placed who even from the Dug as it were instructed their hopeful Timothy in the knowledg of the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.5 3.15 16 11. which were able to make him wise unto Salvation 2. In the ways and works of God's Providence Thus Gideon gives testimony to his Forefathers that they had told their Children of all the Miracles which the Lord had done saying did not the Lord bring us from Egypt Jud. 6.13 Thus the Psalmist Psal 44.1 2. We have heard with our ears O God Psal 44.1 c. our Fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days in the times of old And again Psal 78.3 4 5 6 7. Sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us 4. We will not hide
but the whole made up of these parts And the whole must needs be such as the parts are of which it consists Families are but like the Book in loose sheets and Kingdoms like the Book bound up The one but like letters that are single and apart the other like letters joined together Now if the sheets be not good or the letters not good the book or writing cannot possibly be good Give us the best Magistrates let them Enact the best Laws and back them with the strictest Exccution yet Societies will be naught whilest Governours of Families neglect their duty in Religious Education 3. With what a Cloud of Witnesses do the Holy Scriptures present us of Governours of Families that have been greatly conscientious in their faithful discharge of this duty Josh 24.15 We told you before of Abraham's Trained Instructed Catechized servants Gen. 18.19 After him Joshua who resolves that whatever others might do he and his houshold would serve the Lord though others should forsake the Lord yet he like Noah and Lot just in his Generation Joshua doth not only chuse to be saved by Jehovah but to serve Jehovah But more especially observe the latitude and circumference of his choice I and my House Not himself without his Family much less his Family without himself but himself and his Family and first himself and then his Family We vvill serve the Lord. Lo here the firmness and stability of Joshua's choice We will serve the Lord not only we desire to do it but we are fully resolv'd to do it Hear what David promises and pre-ingages when ever he came to sway the Royal Scepter viz. to be a singular example both as a Prince and as a Master of a Family Psal 101. In which respect this Psalm should be often read and ruminated on by such that their Houses may be as the House of David Zech. 12.8 And as Melancthon attests concerning the Palace of George Prince of Anhalt that it was at once Ecclesiastica Academica Curia a Royal Court a Learned Academy and an Holy Church Act and Mor. 1559. fol. Mr. Fox reports that Bishop Ridley often read and expounded this Psalm to his houshold hiring them with money to get it by heart Well what says David here v. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will begâ—n the intended Reformation at my self and then set things to rights in my Family I will walk within my house with a perfect heart and then see what work he makes how conscientiously he demeans himself towards those under his Family-charge from v. 3. to 8. Good Governours of Families are like that Noble-man who had for his impress two bundles of Millet bound together with this Motto Servare servari meum est for the Nature of Millet is to guard it self from all corruption and all those things that lye near it 'T is a rare Elogy that is given the late Reverend and Religious Dr. Chatterton that he was an House-keeper 53 years yet in all that time never kept any of his Servants from Church to dress his Meat saying Clark's lives that he desired as much to have his Servants know God as himself In short observe the strain and current of the whole Scriptures Dr. Jacom â— Dom. Deo Jun. â—07 and you shall find very few or none of those Family-Governours that were really converted themselves but they gave this excellent testimony of the Truth and soundness of the Grace of God in them viz. in being careful and sollicitous to beget and breed it in the hearts of those that were under their roof and charge If Esther fasts so shall her Maids too Esth 4.16 And in the New Testament we find the Masters interest and duty taken to be so great for the Conversion of the rest that as he was not to content himself with his own Conversion but to labour presently that his houshold should join with him that so the whole Family at once might be devoted to God So God did bless his own Order and Ordinance to that end And where he imposed duty on Masters he usually gave such success that commonly the whole Family was converted and baptized with the Ruler of the Family So we read Act. 10.2 Cornelius a Centurion a godly Captain a devout man and one that feared God with all his house to whom the Angel promised that Peter should tell him words whereby he and all his houshold should be saved Acts 11.14 Doth the Lord open Lydia's heart to attend to the things spoken by Paul It follows instantly she was baptized and her houshold Doth the Gaoler believe on the Lord Jesus Paul assuxes him that he shall be saved and his house and so it was for he and all his were baptized streightway for he believed in God with all his house Acts 16.32 33 34. Christ no sooner comes to Zacheus his Soul but Salvation comes to Zacheus house Luke 19.9 Crispus believes on the Lord with all his house Acts 18.8 The Noble man himself believed and his whole house John 4.53 These Family-Governours it seems took special care of the welfare of their Servants Souls did not act like Turks who mind nothing about their Slaves but their doing their own work These judg'd that if it were cruelty not to allow their servants bodily food much more savage and bloody to starve their Souls And therefore it might well be said of those happy Servants whom Providence fixt under their Conduct as the Queen of Sheba of Solomon's Servants 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom Obj. But there are some Masters whose weakness and delusion I cannot but pity that are apt to object thus True 't is good to teach our ignorant Servants but we must question yea in our Consciences doubt whether we may require and command them to learn Will not this incroach on the Liberty of their Consciences which ought to be left free Sol. 1. I cannot but wonder at this depth of Satan who so strangely inveigles men to tolerate all things by meer scrupling of them and to let the Reins loose purely out of strictness To think it a sin in themselves to press a duty on others and no less than a breach of God's Holy Laws to injoin the keeping of them 2. Tell me how comes it to pass that Masters who can allow themselves to be severe enough to their Servants for loytering in their Shops cannot find in their hearts to rebuke them for neglect of their Souls that they who hold themselves bound in Conscience to inform their Servants in all the secrets of their Trade should think themselves as much tied up from pressing them to learn the Mysteries of Religion 3. There is but too much cause of fear lest they who use not all the means they can to bring their own Servants to the Faith be themselves brought at last to an unprofitable Repentance
humiliations more affectionate and evangelical As in that fast I mentioned before Neh. 9. The Levites did stand up among the people and begin the day with blessing God Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise ver 5. and so they proceed to recite a catalogue of God's mercies even from the first call of Abraham to their settlement in the Land of Canaan which reacheth to ver 25. And all this was to bring in the Nevertheless mention'd v. 26. with the greater Emphasis to their humiliation Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy Law behind their backs and shew thy Prophets c. and the same we may observe in Ezra chap. 9. He takes notice of the reviving God had given them in their bondage and the Nail in his holy place and the Wall in Judah and Jerusalem ver 8 9. the more to aggravate the peoples sin in doing according to the abominations of the Canaanites and mingling themselves with the people of the Land ver 1 2. The goodness of God is said to lead men to Repentance Rom. 2. And therefore mention is to be made of it upon a day when the exercise of Repentance is specially in season Yea Thanksgiving also is requisite as an attendant of supplication for the giving thanks for mercy received is an effectual way to obtain New mercy According to that known saying Efficacissimum genus rogandi est gratias agere Giving thanks for mercy received is the most effectual way to obtain new mercy Thanksgiving carries supplication in the spirit of it And if according to the Apostle Phil. 4. We are in every thing to make known our request with supplication and thanksgiving then when ever we come to God with Supplications we are to couple them with thanksgiving 6. The last duty I mention which is the Appendix to the rest is that of Alms-deeds for when we come to beg mercy from God we should not forget to shew it to men And he that stops his ear to the cry of the poor Prov. 21.13 he may cry but shall not be heard yea his prayers are so far from coming up as incense before God that they are an abomination Cornelius that was a man much in prayer and fasting also as is noted of him Act. 10.30 was full also of Alms-deeds Act. 10.31 and both together came up as a memorial before God Alms-deeds as they are not to be confined to a fast day so surely are not to be excluded He that vvill on such a day shut up his purse let him take heed least God shut up against him his ear his heart and his hand The People complain Isa 53.8 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not God tells them they fasted but shewed not mercy and therefore fasted not aright and then tells them what was the fast that he had chosen ver 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and when thou seest the naked that thou cover them c. Certainly those duties that ought to follow our fasting or else it avails nothing with God ought not to be shut out of the duties of such a day if there be call and opportunity thereunto Thus I have shewn the duties of a fast day which are external with respect to the outward performance And next I shall shew what frame of spirit is requisite to such a day without which all these duties may be externally performed and yet the fast not accepted Rom. 2. ult For as the Apostle saith of Circumcision It is that of the heart and of the spirit so is that fasting that is well pleasing to God There may be confession supplication renewing the Covenant Thanksgiving Alms-deeds and yet if there be wanting a suitable frame of heart all this may be but as a body without the soul or matter without form that may have praise with men but none with God Now this frame of soul consists in 1. Self-debasement 2. Godly sorrow 3. Filial fear 4. Ingenuous shame 5. Inward purity 6. Evangelical faith and hope I shall speak briefly to them all 1. Is self-debasement God complains of the Jews fasting Isa 58.5 they did hang down their heads like a bulrush but their souls did not bow down within them We call a fast day a day of humiliation but we have the name but not the thing if the soul be not humbled What is it for the body to wear sackcloth if Pride cover the heart or to spread ashes under us if the soul lye not down in the dust or to fast from bodily food if the soul be not emptied of self-fulness 2. Godly sorrow A fast day is for afflicting the soul and how is the soul afflicted without true sorrow The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies a fast is derived from a root that signifies to afflict so essential is the afflicting the soul to the day It was a charge against the Jews Isa 58.2 Behold in the day of your fast ye find pleasure What kind of pleasure it was is not there mentioned but it was some sinful pleasure that was not congruous to the day Daniel speaks of his fast ch 10.3 I sat full three weeks mourning As at our funerals many enter the house of mourning and wear black but there is no mourning within nor no garment of heaviness covers their soul So do many enter the day and duty of fasting but no godly sorrow enters with them into it or attends them in it Every thing is beautiful in its season Eccl. 3.11 A fast day wants its beauty if no true sorrow attends it We make confession of sin but if there be no sorrow we feel not what is spoken and what will words of confession avail Ephraim is said to bemoan himself Jer. 31.18 And God is said to hear it and he bemoaned him also But how can we think God's heart should be affected with our confessions when our own are not The Jews upon their solemn days had their solemn sacrifices A fast day is a solemn day and it is not to be without its sacrifices and the great Sacrifice or Sacrifices of the day is a broken and contrite spirit psal 51. 3. Filial fear Natural fear hath sometimes brought a people to the duty and a filial fear is to be exercised in the performance of it as Jehoshaphat feared and then proclaimed a Fast 2 Chron. 20.3 And so did the King of Nineveh Jonah 2. when God's judgments are abroad we ought to fear and this fear should lead us to meet him in the ways of his judgment by prayer and fasting for all our serving God is to be coupled with fear Psal 2.11 our rejoycing is to be with trembling much more our mourning In a fast day we especially deprecate God's wrath and therefore we ought to have such a sense of it as may cause sacred fear There is no affection of the soul but ought to be
sanctified to the service and honour of God and so fear among the rest and is then to be exercised when we draw nigh to God especially in the solemn duties of a fast 4. Ingenuous shame Sin is in it self a shameful thing and therefore when it is confessed upon a solemn day it ought to be with shame As Ezra hearing of the sin of Israel after their return from their captivity he sate astonied untill the Evening and then riseth up and rends the mantle and speaks to God O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my faee unto thee Ezra 9.5 And to us belongeth confusion of face said Daniel in his fasting Dan. 9.8 Two things cause shame One is to act contrary to our own reason an I the other is to act unsuitably to another's kindness The one is absurd and the other is disingenuous and both may cause shame And there are both these in sin especially when committed with allowance for right reason doth condemn it and it is a high violation of the law of kindness to return evil where we receive all our good 5. Inward purity by which I mean not a total freedom from sin but a freedom from a corrupt end and the secret allowance of sin in our fasting Either of these will spoil the fast 1. A corrupt end As the Pharisees who fasted to appear religious before men And the Jews in Babylon who fasted but did ye fast to me even to me saith the Lord Zach. 7.5 their end was not right 2. A secret allowance of sin this made the Jews fasting of no avail with God Jer. 14.10 They have loved to wander There is their allowance of sin And when they fast I will not hear their cry ver 12. There their fast turns to no account It is said of Ahab he rent his cloaths put on sackcloth and fasted 1 Kings 21.27 But still he kept fast his sin and so not accepted As when the Jews came to enquire of God Ezek. 14. God tells them he well not be enquired of by them And why because they set up Idols in their heart v. 7. so if men come to God by fasting and prayer and have in their hearts an allowance of sin which God the searcher of hearts can know they bring an Idol along with them in their hearts and their prayer and fasting are rejected of him David well knew this when he saith If I regard iniquity in mine heart God will not hear my prayer Though men while they are fasting and praying are not visibly acting sin yet God seeth the aspect of the soul if that be looking towards sin with pleasure and delight as that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there imports the prayer is rejected Si j'eusse pentè quelque malice c. Or if we read the words as the French Translation I think more properly renders them If I had regarded some wickedness in my heart God would not have heard my prayer the sence is the same to my present purpose 6. Evangelical Faith and Hope in God All our confessions and humiliations and supplications ought to be joined with faith in Christ and hope in God's mercies or else they want the great Ingredients of their acceptableness with God As in Ezra's fast Shechaniah stands up and saith to him we have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives c. Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 And to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses said Daniel in his fasting Dan. 9.9 God's mercy and Christ's merits should bear up our faith and hope while our sin is casting us down with sorrow As Samuel endeavoured to bring the people first to a sense of their sin in their choosing a King and then bears up their faith and hope by telling them God will not forsake his people for his name sake 1 Sam. 22.22 and David while he was confessing his sins of adultery and murther Psal 51. yet stileth God the God of his Salvation ver 14. and whiles he was crying to God out of the depths as he speaks and making his supplication Psal 130.1 2. yet he joins therewith faith and hope in God's mercy ver 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared All our duties even our fasting and humiliations ought to be perform'd Evangelically which cannot be except faith and hope do accompany the performance of them 3. I next proceed to speak of the special occasions that call us to this religious fast 1. Is the affliction and distress of the Church When the Jews were in great distress then Esther appointed Mordecai and the Jews to fast Esther 4.16 When the Ammonites and Moabites invaded Judah with a great Army then Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast 2 Chron. 20.3 When a great famine was upon the land of Israel then said the Prophet Joel ch 1.14 Sanctifie a fast call a solemn assembly And when the Jews were in Babylon then they kept their fast of the 4th 5th 7th and 10th month all the time of their captivity though the several months had respect to some particular calamities that befel them in those months Sympathy and sorrow are naturally exprest by fasting and are spiritually to be exprest with respect to the Churches distress by a Religious fasting 2. Upon the occasion of extraordinary sin If in a particular family it may be a just occasion for a fast in the family if in a particular Church or in a Nation it may be an occasion of a more publick fast As the fast of Ezra chap. 9. and of Nehemiah chap. 9. was upon the occasion of the sin of Israel in making marriages with the people of the Land And Hezekiah rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord upon the occasion of Rabshakehs reproaching and blaspheming God as well as the distress that was upon himself and the people by Senacheribs invasion as we read Isa 37. beginning We should mourn over the dishonour done to God as well as any distress and trouble that may come upon our selves and we read of the Congregation of Israel weeping before the door of the Tabernacle upon the account of the whoredom committed by many of them with the Daughters of Moab and bowing down to their Gods Numbers 25.6 3. For the obtaining some eminent mercy or for success in any great undertakings and enterprizes As Esther Esther 4.11 before she went in to the King to beg for the lives of her People she required her Maidens Mordecai and the Jews to fast And Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek a right way from God for themselves their little ones and all their substance when they were coming out of the Captivity to settle in their own Land Ezra 8.21 When Paul and Barnabas were sent forth to their more publick Ministry certain Prophets fasted and pray'd and laid hands on them and sent them away Act. 13.3 and when they ordained
upon it that may reflect sadness upon all your hearts where hath God a people especially in these European parts of the world but there is a distress upon them whether ye look into France Germany upper or lower Hungaria Silesia Polonia c. And doth not all this make fasting a duty in season when Nehemiah heard from certain that came from Judah that the Remnant left of the Captivity were in great affliction and that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down c. he sate down mourned fasted and prayed before the God of heaven Nehem. 1.4 and this he did though he himself was in a good Office in the Persian Court. Was our Condition ever so good at home yet we should lay to heart the afflictions of our brethren abroad For as we are to rejoice with them that rejoice so to weep with them that weep and what further calamities may yet break forth we know not but the sky looks still red and lowring and pourtends bad weather and it is our wisdom so to discern the face of the sky as to betake our selves to the proper duty of the times And thus to observe and serve the times is good Christian policy 3. Is the agitation of great affairs in the world an occasion for fasting this also requires it of us at this day Are not the Nations embroil'd in Wars both by Land and Sea are there not also some negotiations of peace on foot Is not the great Council of the Land to meet here at home and do not these extraordinary affairs call us to extraordinary duties that they may be all superintended and guided to an happy issue in the end 4. Is there not a strange stupidity and security upon the hearts of most men that they vvill not see the hand of God though they feel it and though God walks contrary to them yet they observe it not but rather walk contrary to him in a course of sin than meet him by repentance in the way of his judgments Now the less others are affected the more should we endeavour to affect our own hearts and to fast the more because they fast not at all and the more others are widening the breach to stand so much the more in the gap Ezek. 22.20 Now if we have these calls from God to this great duty of fasting and prayer let us not fail God herein and though we should obtain nothing for others yet we may deliver our own souls and we know the respect God had to those that sighed and mourned in Jerusalem that the Prophet was bid to set a peculiar mark upon them Ezek. 9.4 2 Chron. 20. And I shall only add this further word of encouragement i. e. That this extraordinary duty of Fasting hath been often answered with extraordinary success as Esthers fast when she went in to the King and Jehoshaphat's Fast when the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites invaded him and Ezra's fast ch 8.23 and upon Daniel's fasting he had the Angel Gabriel dispatched to him to give him understanding in the things he sought ch 9.22 and again upon his fasting in ch 10. he saw a vision wherein a man appear'd to him and told him that he was a man greatly beloved and from the first day that he set himself to understand and chasten himself before God his prayers were heard and sometimes where ordinary prayer hath not prevailed extraordinary hath had success which Christ intimates in saying This kind cannot be cast out but by fasting and prayer Mat. 17.21 Those that now fast and mourn in the Bridegrooms absence shall rejoyce with him for ever at his return then they shall feast but fast no more and the days of their mourning shall be ended as Christ said to his Disciples I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you John 16.21 Though their present fasting and mourning hath a good in it beyond the worlds feasting and rejoycing yet the consequent of it makes it incomparably better The Bridegroom was once upon earth with his Church but departed and so gave her occasion of fasting and mourning but when he comes again he and his Church shall never fast and therefore fasting will then never come into season again as the fast of the 4th 5th 7th 10th month was to the house of Judah joy and gladness Zach. 8. so all the fasts kept by the people of God here on earth will be and that incomparably more joy and gladness to them in heaven and that for ever But to conclude all take these two Rules 1. Fasting being an extraordinary duty ought to be managed with an extraordinary exercise of grace Christ would have his Disciples endued with a greater measure of grace before he would put them upon this duty This new wine must be put into new bottles so that as Christ asked James and John concerned his Baptism are ye able to be baptized with my baptism so may we ask Christians now concerning fasting are ye able to keep a fast 2. Fasting ought to be followed with sincere and universal reformation elso it avails nothing The Jews fasting mention'd Isa 58. vvas rejected upon this account They vvent from their fasts to Strife Debate Oppression Covetousness and no wonder then that they complain and say why have we fasted and thou takest no notice Nay this reformation is so necessary that the denomination of a fast is attributed to it Isa 58.6 7. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to deal thy bread to the hungry c. If moral duties be neglected the practice of the strictest Institutions is unacceptable to God Quest How to manage secret Prayer that it may be prevalent with God to the comfort and satisfaction of the Soul Serm. XIV Math. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly WE have here our blessed Lord's instruction for the management of secret prayer the Crown and glory of a child of God wherein observe 1. The direction prescribed for our deportment in secret duty in three things 1. Enter thy closet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius glosses by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret or recluse habitation and Suidas by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hiding place for treasures by a Metonymy The LXX such as we have it turn the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so frequently by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we need enquire no further as Gen. 43.30 Exod. 8.3 2 Sam. 13.10 1 Kings 1.15 and otherwhere for a chamber a parlour a bedchamber Sometimes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foramen caverna a hole cleft or cavern in a rock as Isaiah 42.22 which they render also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rima The Etymon of the word being derived 〈◊〉
such a prayer as this O that the Lord would lengthen this triumphant day and the (c) Jos 10.12 Lord heard his voice The tribes beyond Jordan in a (d) 2 Chr. 5 23. battel with the Hagarites Jehoshaphat in a sore strait (e) 18.31 at Ramoth Gilead Sampson ready to perish at Lehi (f) Judg. 15.18 16 28. with thirst and when blind exposed to contempt in the Temple of Dagon David near (g) 1 Sam. 30.6 stoning at Ziglag and when flying from Absalom in the ascent of (h) 2 Sam. 15.31 Mount Olivet Elisha at Dothan compast with a Syrian host (i) 2 King 6.17 Lord open the young man's eyes In the midst of lawful and laborious callings Boaz to the reapers (k) Ruth 2.4 the Lord be with you we may pray that our Oxen (l) Psal 129.8 may be strong to labour no breaking in or going out nor no complaining in our streets It sanctifies the plow as Jerom said of the fields of Bethlehem quocunque te verteris Psal 144.14 ad Marcellum p. 129 T. 1. arator stivam teneus Alleluja decantat c. The tillers of the field and the dressers of vineyards sang David's psalms it keeps the shop and inclines the hearts of customers it bars the doors it quenches fire it blesseth thy children (m) Psal 147.13 within thee it preserves thy going out and coming in (n) 128.1 Jacob found it to rest upon his children going a journey (a) Gen. 43.14 to Egypt it closes the eyes with (b) Psal 3.5.4 8. sweet sleep it (c) Job 3â— 10 Psal 139.18 given Songs in the night and wakens the soul in the arms of mercy It sits at the helm when a (d) Psal 107.28 Jon. 1.6 storm rises at sea it gives strength to Anchors in roads and prosperous gales to the venturous Merchant When in the palace at dinner Nehemiah presents the cup to his prince he presents also a Michtam a golden (e) Neh 3.4 2 Chro. 34 27 Luke 17.5 Gen. 49.18 2 Chron. 2 4. Act. 7 60. prayer to the King of Heaven at the reading of the law Josiah was heard as to some secret cries to Heaven At a holy conference in a journey the Disciples occasionally pray Lord increase our faith Jacob on his dying pillow predicting future events to his children falls into a holy rapture I have wait ed for thy salvation O Lord. At sacred death in martyrdom Zechariah cries out the Lord look upon it and require it and Stephen under a showr of stones melts in prayers for the stony hearts that slung them Lord lay not this sin unto their chage and our blessed Saviour in his greatest agonies makes a tender hearted prayer Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23 34. 1 Sam. 1.17 and lastly in the distresses of others Eli puts a sudden petition for Hannah the God of Israel grant thee thy petition In these and many like cases the holy word stores us with patterns for ejaculation in all extremities which I cannot now digest and improve only in a few words lets take a view of the usefulness of such a sudden flight of the soul to Heaven 1. It helps us to a speedy preparative for all duties Lam. 3 4â— with such an ejaculation le ts lift our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens 2. It is a guard against secret sins in the first risings and the first assaults of temptation 3. It suffers not divine mercies to slip by unobserved in a wakeful Christian and proves a fruitful mother of gratitude and praise 4. It sanctifies all our worldly imployments 1 Tim 4. â— 5. it fastens the stakes in the hedge of divine protection and turns every thing to a blessing 5. It s a Saints buckler against sudden accidents a present antidote against frights and evil tidings It s good at all occasions and consecrates to us not only our meals but every gasp of air c. 6. It s a sweet companion that the severest enemies can't abridge us of Outward ordinances and closet duties they may cut off the little (a) Ezr. 9 8. nail in the holy place they may pluck out But no labyrinth no prison not the worst of company can hinder this coelo restat iter in the very face of adversaries we may lift our souls to God No more of this le ts briefly conclude with some uses Vse Vse Cant. 4 12. To convince such of their dangerous state that neglect sacred duties that have no heart-communion that draw no water out of this sealed fountain But all they do is in publick only it 's a suspicious token of hypocrisie since the kernel and soul of religion lies so much in the heart and closet mark the phrase in the text how it varies thy Father that is in secret be sees in secret God's eye is open upon thee in the closet and if thy eye be open upon his thou mayst see a glorious beauty The excellency of grace lies in making conscience of secret sins and secret duties 2. To examine such as perform secret duty but not from a sincere principle like Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.2 that prays but not with a perfect heart like Ahab they mourn but with Crocodile tears such as do it only because they find precept or example for it and therefore to quiet conscience will into secret but converse only in the shell and trunk of a duty that rest in the naked performance but matter not whether they tast of the sweet streams that flow in from heaven in the golden pipe of an ordinance what account can such render that go into their closets but like Domitian to catch flies only Sueton. in Domit. c. 3. and when the doors are shut to the world their hearts are shut to heaven and communion with God He that sees in secret beholds the evil frame of such a heart and will one day openly punish it 3. To excite and awaken all to this excellent duty and to manage it in an excellent manner Would ye live delightfully would ye translate heaven to earth then keep up communion in secret prayer to know him to discern his face to behold the lustre of his eye that shines in secret Remember the glorious person that meets in your closets all the world yields not such a glittering beauty as a gracious person sees when he is in a happy frame at secret prayer Shut your eyes when ye come out for all other objects are but vile and fordid and not worth the glances of a noble soul O the sweetness the hidden manna that the soul tasts when in lively communion with God! Psal 31.19 Part of that which is laid up for Saints in glory let us a little relish our spirits with it 1. Consider what amorous agonies the soul delights to conflict with in serret fears that raise confidence humility that exalts tremblings that embolden bright clouds
shall keep the way of the Lord. This then is undeniable if the Word is to be believed received as our Rule and obedience to be yielded thereunto And the Heathens taught a necessity of instructing youth betimes The reason of this consequence from Family reading and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin dialog cum Tryph 173. Scriptura sacra est 1 DEI cathedra ex qua ad nos loquitur 2 Dei Schola in qua nos erudit informat 3 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritualis rerum medicarum officina 4 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armamentarium in quo â—unit armat nos contra omnis generis hostes 5 Dei manus qua nos per semitas fidei justitiae ducit ad vitam aeternam Gerhar loc com Tom. 1. p. 141. to Family praying is evident we need to beg of God the illumination of his Spirit the opening of the eyes of every one in the Family the blessing of God upon our endeavours without which it will be to no saving benefit and vvill be more manifest if vve consider and lay together these things following First Whose Word it is that is to be read in the Family together the Word of the eternal blessed glorious God And doth this call for and require preceding Prayer no more than if you were to read the Book of some mortal man The Word of God is that out of which God speaketh to us it is that by which he doth instruct us and inform us in the highest and weightiest concernments of our Souls it is that from which we must fetch remedies for the cure of our spiritual maladies it is that from whence we must have weapons of defence against our spiritual enemies that do assault our Souls and be directed in the paths of life and is not Prayer together needful then that God would prepare all their hearts to receive and obey what shall be read to them of the mind of God Is all the Family so serious and so sensible of the Glory Holiness and Majesty of that God that speaketh to them in his Word that Prayer is not needful that they may be so And if it be needful should it not first be done And when it hath been read and the threatnings commands and promises of the glorious God been heard and your sins discovered and God's wrath against them and duties enjoined and precious priviledges opened and promises of a faithful God both great and precious promises made to such as do repent believe and turn to God with all their hearts unfeignedly have you not all need together to fall down upon your knees to beg and cry and call to God for pardon of those sins that by this Word you are convinced you are guilty of and to lament them before the Lord and that when your duty is discovered you might have all hearts to practise and obey and that you might unfeignedly repent and turn to God that so you may apply those promises to your selves and be partaker of those priviledges From this then there is great reason when you read together you should also pray together Scripturis sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula spectabit mundum in delictis suis Piocum praemia Impiorum supplicia religione superatas feras in mansuetudinem câ—nversas intuâ—bitur animas ab ipsa morte revocatas in his omnibus jam majus videbit spectaculum diabolum illum qui totum triumpharet mundum sub pedibus Christi jacentem quà m hoc decorum spectaculum fratres quam jucundum quam necessarium Cyprian 416. Secondly Consider what great and deep mysterious things are contained in the Word of God which you are to read together and there vvill appear a necessity of praying together also Is there not in this Word the Doctrine concerning God how he might be known loved obeyed worshipped and delighted in concerning Christ God-man a mystery that the Angels wonder at and no man fully understands or can express and fully unfold concerning the Offices of Christ Prophet Priest and King the example and the life of Christ the miracles of Christ the temptations of Christ the sufferings of Christ his death the victories of Christ the Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of Christ and his coming to Judgment Is there not in the Scripture the Doctrine of the Trinity of the misery of man by sin and his remedy by Christ of the Covenant of Grace the Conditions of this Covenant and the Seals thereof the many precious glorious priviledges that we have by Christ reconciliation with God justification sanctification and adoption the several graces to be got and duties to be done and of mens everlasting state in Heaven or Hell are these and such like contained in the Word of God that you ought to read daily in your houses and yet do not you see the need of Prayer before and after your reading of it Weigh them well and you will Thirdly Consider how much all the Family are concerned to know and understand these things so necessary to Salvation If they are ignorant of them they are undone If they know not God how shall they love him Invisa possunt amari incognita nequaquam Things unseen may be loved but things unknown cannot We might love an unseen God and an unseen Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 But not an unknown God If they in your Family know not Christ how shall they believe on him and yet they must perish and be damned if they do not They must for ever lose God and Christ and Heaven and their Souls if they do not repent believe and be converted and yet when that Book is read Petit se doceri divinitus ut doctrinam rectè intelligat ex antithesi verò monet omnium hominum mentes esse coecas nec intelligere doctrinam quamdiu non illuminantur à Spiritu sancto monet igiâ—ur quasi velamen esse obductum oculis nostrae mentis vel volumen legis seu doctrinae clausum convolutum esse ut legi intelligi non possit nisi spiritu detrahente velamen oculis nostris evolvente volumen ut oculis nostris subjiciatur ideóque assiduè petendum esse significat ut hic dâ—ctor mittatur in corda nostra qui ea illuminet sapientia coelesti imbuat Moller in Psal 119.18 by which they should understand the nature of true saving Grace is not Prayer needful especially when many have the Bible and read it yet do not understand the things that do concern their peace Fourthly Consider further The blindness of their minds and their inability without the teachings of God's Spirit to know and understand these things and yet is not Prayer needful Fifthly Consider yet further The backwardness of their hearts to hearken to these weighty necessary truths of God and their unwillingness naturally to learn shews Prayer to be necessary that God would make them able
to us all if God had spared him her or them if your house had been consumed by flames and God had turned you all out of doors before morning would you not have said It would have been a mercy if God had safely preserved us and our dwellings and caused us to rest and sleep and rise in safety Why Sirs will you not acknowledg mercies to be mercies till God hath taken them away from you and if you do should you not give the praise daily unto God Was it not God himself that watched over you while you did sleep and could not did not watch your selves When you all did sleep you knew not where you were nor what dangers you were exposed unto nor how you might prevent them but God then was good unto you and should you not conjunctly acknowledg this when you do wake and rise and see that God hath kept you and do enjoy the comfort and the benefit of his watchful Providence over you Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain 2. for so he giveth his beloved sleep And as you have had many Family mercies in the night to bless God for in the morning so you have many Family mercies in the day to give thanks to God for at night before you go to bed If you see not cause to acknowledg God's goodness towards you you are blind if you do and have not hearts you are worse Methinks you should not quietly sleep till you have been together on your knees least God should say this Family that hath not acknowledged my mercy to them this day nor given me the glory of those benefits of which to them I gave the comfort shall never see the light of another day nor have the mercies of one day more to bless me for When sleep doth close their eyes so shall death too they shall live no longer and rise no more this night they shall go to their beds and the day or two after shall be carried to their graves I wonder Sirs that you do not dream of an angry God because thus slighted by you I wonder that you do not dream of some sore judgment or other that might overtake you before the Sun doth rise What if God should say unto you when you are laid down in your beds THIS NIGHT your Souls shall be required of you you that went to bed before you had given me the praise of the mercies that I had given unto you all the day and before you had prayed for my protection over you in the night and should send some suddain sickness to make you feel that he is offended with you for this neglect might not God say shall I keep and preserve that Family till the morning that would not so much as ask me so to do and if I do will not acknowledg it to be a mercy or a kindness to them Take heed though God be patient do not provoke him Reason 2. You should pray to God daily in your Families because there are sins committed every day in your Families 2. 2. Ad candem à defectibus nostris excitamur Do you indeed sin together and will you not pray together what if you should be damned all together Doth not every member of your Family commit many sins every day How great is the number then of all when considered or put together What! so many sins every day under your roof within your walls committed against the glorious blessed God and not one Prayer one sin should be lamented with a thousand tears but you have not one tear shed by one and another by another in Prayer together for a thousand sins Is this to repent daily when you do not confess them daily Would you have God to pardon all the sins of your Family say would you or no If you would not God might justly let you go to your Graves and Hell too with the guilt of sin upon your Souls If you would is not pardon worth asking for Would you have it and not beg it at the hands of God would not all judg that man worthy of death that being justly condemned might yet have life for asking for and will not How do you how can you quietly go to your beds and sleep with the guilt of so many sins upon your Souls and have not prayed to have them blotted out What do you take to make you sleep What is your pillow made of that your heads can rest upon it under the weight and load of so much guilt Is indeed your bed so soft or your heart so hard that you can rest and sleep when to all the sins of commission in the day you add this sin of omission in the evening Lay to heart your daily Family sins and you will feel a reason why you should pray to God in your Families daily Reason 3. 3. You should pray in your Families daily unto God 3. Ad eandem plerisque tum cerporaelium tum spiritualium bonorum indigentiis premimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indiget vir viro sed omnes Deo etiam Hercules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Od. lib. 8. Omne bonum Dei donum because you have many daily Family wants which none can supply but God God wants not your Prayers but you and yours want God's mercies and if you will have them should you not pray for them Can you supply your Families wants If they want health can you give it them If they want bread can you give it them except God first give it unto you Why then did Christ direct us to pray Give us this day our daily bread If they want grace can you work it in them or do you not care though they die without it Is not God the giver of every good gift Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights Mercies are above and good things are from above and prayer is a means appointed by God to fetch them down Jam. 1.5 If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Do you think you do not want wisdom to discharge your duties to God and man that you do not want wisdom to manage your family for their temporal spiritual and eternal good If you think so you are fools and if you think you want it not by those very thoughts you may discern your want of it If you think you have enough it is plain that you have none and should you not ask it of God if you would have it If you and yours want health in your Family should you not ask it of God Can you live without dependance upon God or can you say you have no need of God's help to supply your wants then you speak contradictions for to be under wants and not to be dependent beings is a contradiction to think you do not live in dependence upon God is to think you are
〈◊〉 ruler of his own house Kings are Fathers of their own Countries and Fathers are Kings in their own houses in respect of their rule and authority over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odys lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Odys 9. Direction II. N c sibi nec aliis utilis Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto qui peccat major habetur Juven Sat. 8. 2. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual benefit of the Family the Master thereof should make it his business to be accomplished with gifts and knowledg suitable to the place where God hath set him Ignorance in a Master of a Family renders him uncapable of the discharge of the duties of his place and is worse than in a Child or Servant Such a Family is lik a body that hath a head without eyes It is a shame to see what little knowledg many Governours of Families have in matters of Religion that when they should instruct and catechise their children and servants need to be catechised themselves The Apostle requireth this qualification in Masters of Families that they should be knowing men so some interpret this place 1 Pet. 3.7 as becomes knowing men Naturally men are endued with greater powers to understand than women are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri similiteâ— unà versentur ut scientes decet Beza Piscat Quid est stultius quam quia diu non didiceriâ— non discere Omnis aetatis homines schola admittit Tamduâ— dâ—scendum est quamdiu nescias Sen. Epist 76. and a Master of a Family hath had more time to get knowledg than Children and Servants have and if he hath not attain'd to more it is his shame and reproach and renders him more contemptible in the eyes of those that are subjected to him who have not that reverent awe of him and his authority as they would have if authority were accompanied with knowledg study then you Masters the Scripture more and the grounds of Religion more that you might be able to manage this duty to the greater profit of all in your Families Direction III. 3. It is necessary also to this purpose that the Master of the Family instruct each member of his house in the principles of Religion that they may be able to understand the matter of the Prayers that are put up to God For if the Governour have knowledg how to ask and those that kneel down with him know not the meaning of his words though commonly used and plain to them that have been instructed how shall they concur in such requests or confessions or say Amen to what they do not understand Or what spiritual profit can they get When you lament Original Sin which you and they were guilty of and defiled with if they know not what this means nor how they are corrupted even from their birth how shall they in Prayer be humbled for it If you pray that you may be justified sanctified or have the Image of God engraven on your hearts that you may have Faith in Christ repentance for sin be converted c. how shall they joyn with you if they have no knowledg of these things when they are ignorant what is meant by the Image of God by faith repentance conversion c. and what benefit can they have by such Prayers as to their own concurrence with you to make these things their own desire when yet they are the things you must daily beg of God That Prayer then might be performed to their spiritual edification lay first the foundation be knowing your selves and make them so too and Prayer will be more advantageously done to you and them Nisi priùs in nobâ—s ejusmâ—diâ— affectus exsuscitamus quos altorum animis impressos volumus frustrà erit quicquld conamur Bowl past Evang. Direction IV. 4. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual profit of those in the Family the Master of the Family should get his own heart in good frame and get his own affections warmed in the duty Do you come to Prayer with a lively heart and quickned affections your selves your heat might warm them Quod enim minister Ecclesiae est in templo id pius pater-familias esi indomo ille publico docendi munere fungitur hic privatim suam instituit familiam ad pietatem ac hoâ—â—statem dâ—mesticos suos format Gerhard lo. com de Conjug and your earnest importunity might stir them up unto the same let them see you are in good earnest by your fervent praying as becomes men that are begging for such things as the life of their souls the pardon of their sin the favour of God deliverance from hell and for everlasting happiness Whereas if you come to the duty with flat dull and cold affections this will make them so too As you find it with your selves when you are under a dull and lukewarm Preacher you have little workings of affections so your Family will find it under your Prayers if they be such for as a Minister should get lively workings in his own breast of those affections which he would raise in the People so should you in Family duties get those workings of love joy and sorrow for sin which you would desire should be in those that joyn with you for what a Minister is in the Church that you are proportionably in your house Direction V. Orationis Lex ut non aliter quà m eos decet qui ad Dei colloquium in grediuntur mente animóque compositi simuâ— Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 20. 5. When you are to set actually on the duty prepare your Family by some short advice to carry themselves as becomes those that are going to speak to the great eternal God at least sometimes and the oftner the better Do not rashly rush out of your worldly callings into the presence of the glorious God say to them to this or the like purpose The God we are going to pray unto is a holy just omniscient God that looks into all our hearts that sees and knows the frame of our spirits that will not be mocked and cannot be deceived All we are sinful Creatures that have broke his righteous Laws and thereby have deserved hell and everlasting torments yet this gracious God holds forth his golden Scepter and gives us leave to approach his presence to beg for pardon and for Christ and grace and heaven Our wants are great and many too and yet our mercies are great and many too come then O come let us with a holy fear of God put up our joynt Petitions that God would supply our wants especially of our souls and make joynt confessions of our sins to God with humble broken penitent hearts and joyntly bless him for the mercies we are all partakers of but let us do all as those that would please God while we pray unto him and not by our
Cum isto milite praesens absens ut siâ—s Ter. Eu. present at Prayer absent in mind when present in body God is not pleased with the prostrating of the body when your hearts joyn not in the work Do not so dissemble on your knees with God and man Are you then desiring the mercies prayed for whether pardon of sin strength against sin love to God repentance for sin an interest in Christ and evidences thereof when your minds and thoughts are wandering about other things Which if they do let Conscience call to thee to mind the * Vt vivas igitur vigila HOC AGE Hor. l. 2. Sat. 3. work thou art about for is not this to sin against God when you pretend to be serving of him and to be provoking of him when you should be praying to him to be reconciled unto you and turn away his anger from you Conjunct Prayer should be made with one mouth and with one mind Acts 1.14 They prayed together with one accord * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui rectè orare cupit debet necessario in se esse collectus von distractus aut sensibus dissipatus aut vagus Ames Cas Cons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vox musica significat concentum concentus autem à cantu eo differt quod cantus unius sit concentus non nisi plurium hic vero concentum animorum significat Camer prael Verbo Graeco elegans subest metaphora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de musico vocum concentu harmonicóque sono dicitur tanquam si diceretur non minùs gratam esse Deo concordem pluriuâ— erationem quà m concentus musicus hominum curibus sit gratus Novar in loc ex Crit. Sac. which word is translated Rom. 15.6 one mind that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God but where your thoughts are wandering in Family Prayer though there be but one mouth there be many minds these persons do not accord in Prayer which is great discord before God There should be a sympathy and agreement of hearts in conjunct Prayer Matth. 16 19. If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing they shall ask A harmony of hearts should be in Prayer the word is borrowed from Musicians when several playing together do make an accord in Musick a consent of many voices in one thence translated to the mind denotes a concent of more hearts in one such Prayers make sweet harmony in the ears of God Keep your minds fixed then else though you do agree to go together into one Room to pray there will not be an agreement of hearts when you pray Direction III. 3. Direct Those that joyn should not only attend but also assent to the matter of the Prayer so far as it is agreeable to the Word of God When the corruption of the heart is acknowledged believe that this is true the misery of an unregenerate state lamented believe it to be true when Grace is prayed for as necessary to your salvation and that you are undone without it believe this as a most certain truth for if these things be spoken by him that prayeth and heard by you that joyn and not believed your hearts will not be humbled when sin is confessed nor earnest after Grace when it is prayed for and so you will lose the benefit of that Prayer Direction IV. 4. Direct Do not only believe these things in Prayer but make particular application thereof unto your selves When original sin is acknowledged think and say in your own hearts Lord this is my condition my heart is thus corrupt loathsom and vile When wants are expressed and supplies begged go along with what is said and apply it particularly to your selves Lord this is my want the want of Christ is my want O that he may be given to me the want of love to God and delight in him is my want O that I might love thee O that I could love thee and so in other things this is my sin and these are my doubts and my fears this is my burden and this is my temptation according as these are insisted on in prayer and this will make the duty to be for your spiritual benefit and profit These are the Directions for them that are to joyn with him that is your mouth to God The Directions more common to all that prayer might be managed to spiritual profit are these following Direction 1. Sciamus non alios ritè probèque se accingere ad orandum nisi quos afficit Dei Majestas Calv. Inst Speculator adstat desuper Qui nâ—s diebus omnibus Actúâ—que nostros prospicit A luce prima in vesperam Hic testis hic est arbit r Hic intuetur quicquid est Humana quod mens concipit Hunc nemo fallit Judicem Aur. Prud. Cathemer Hym. 2. For further direction in this point how you should do all in the Name of Christ see the Serm. on Col. 3.17 1. Direct Get and keep upon all your hearts awful lively impressions of the perfection of that God that you pray unto Take heed of coming with low irreverent unsuitable thoughts of God but conceive of him and believe and work and press it upon your hearts that the God you kneel before is most holy most wise most gracious and merciful most just eternal unchangeable all-sufficient true in his threatnings righteous in his commands faithful in his promises every where present and knowing all things that he observeth all your words and ways and looks into your hearts and thoughts that this God you cannot deceive though you should deceive your selves and one another Consider and believe that this God is present among you and doth know your ends your desires and what you are as well as who you are Then think is this that God that we are to speak unto to kneel before and shall we not so manage this duty that we might please this God and if you do you shall find it shall be for your spiritual benefit Direction 2. 2. Direct Put up your prayers to this great and glorious God in the name of Jesus Christ There is no access for sinners to God but by and through a Mediator You shall reap no benefit by praying except you go in the name of Christ Joseph told his Brethren they should not see his face except they brought Benjamin with them Gen. 43.5 nor we the face of God without Christ Eph. 3 12. Heb. 7.25 Col. 3.17 Heb. 13.15 This praying in the name of Christ doth not consist in the bare mentioning of his Name with our tongues but to pray in obedience to his command in his strength for his Glory trusting his promises resting on his merits expecting audience and acceptance only for his sake Direction 3. Quid odiosius aut etiam Deo magis execrandum putamus hac fictione ubi quis veniam peccatorum postulat interim aut se peccatorem non esse cogitans aut certè peccatorem
esse non cogitans quia Deus ludibrio habetur rogando semper inopiam nostram verè sentiamus ac seriò cogitantes omnibus que petimus nos indigere Generalis quidem confusus necessitatis suae affectus illuc eos ducit sed non cos sollicitat quasi in re praesenti ut egestatis suae le vamen petant Calv. Inst 3. Direct Get and keep upon your hearts a true real lively sense of your sins and wants and mercies Hereby shall every part of prayer confession petition and thanksgiving be more profitably managed and you better disposed for the work you have to do upon your knees Know your sin in the intrinsecal malignity of it the vileness of it in its own nature as it is sin Know it also and understand it as to the dreadful consequents of it in its several kinds acts and aggravations of them Get also a sense of your wants and of the necessity of the things you are to pray for If you want grace know that you want it and are undone without it and pray accordingly Pray as persons that believe you must be damned if you are not sanctified that you must perish if you do not repent and pray as men that do believe it And if you have grace already in truth know how much you want of it in respect of growth that you love God but a little which is your shame and Oh what a blessed thing were it to love him more Pray as those that would get at least one degree of love to God more by every prayer you make Think seriously what a little grace you have 1. to what you may have 2. to what you might have had 3. to what you ought to have 4. to what others have 5. to what you need And that 1. to fight against such strong corruptions 2. to resist such strong temptations 3. to bear such afflictions that might befall you 4. to perform such duties as are required from you 5. that you dye at last with peace comfort and joy Know also your mercies personal to body to soul relative what mercy you have one in another by being made mercies one to another Mercies for this life and the life to come think how many how great how precious how suitable how durable how sufficient how satisfying good God hath given you himself Son Spirit promises priviledges much in hand and more in hope and all undeserved A real abiding sense of these things will make you think and say Why me Lord why me and will wind up your hearts to lively praises too much neglected in Family duties so that you shall find the benefit and sweetness of drawing near to God in prayer Direction 4. 4. Direct Realize invisible things to yourselves Istuc est sapere non quod ante pedes modò est videre sed etiam illa quae futura suâ—t prospicere Ter. Adelph Act. 3. by believing of them as certainly as if you saw them with your eyes When you are going to pray look into the unseen world stand and take a view of departed souls and seriously think what is their state and what they are enjoying or suffering that are already gone into eternity and from thence fetch arguments to quicken your hearts when dull and to be laborious when slothful and lively and fervent in your duty O how would a believing view of souls in Heaven and Hell help you to pray in prayer Suppose then you saw the glorious Saints in Heaven and the happiness they there enjoy in that they shall sin no more and suffer no more and be tempted no more and sigh and sob nor weep nor sorrow any more for ever all sin is expelled from those glorious souls and all tears are wiped from their eyes and now are full of love to God solacing themselves in the perfect perpetual and immediate suition of the chiefest good and then think this is the state that I am hoping for and looking longing waiting for and that now I am going to beg and pray I may be fitted and prepared for and hereafter be possessed of and then pray as becometh such that unfeignedly desire to be partakers of their joy and felicity Again stand and take a view of poor damned Souls and suppose you saw them with your eyes rolling in a lake of burning Brimstone full of the fury of the Lord Suppose you heard their direful execrations their doleful outcries their hideous roarings and bitter lamentations ringing in your ears saying Wo and alas that ever we were born that are come to this place of torment to this place of torment Oh! it is it is a place of torment In scipsos furenter exordescent damnati assiduè sibi ipsis iugubrem hanc caâ—tilenam occinent O tempus rerum omnium preciâ—sissimum O dici O horae plusquam aurcae quò evanuistis aeterium non rediâ—urae nos coeci excordes obstructis oculis auribus libidine furebamus mutuis nosmet exemplis trahebamus ad enteritum post longissima annorum spatia nihil de poenis nostris accisum erit sed iterum quasi ab initio pati tormenta incipiemus aâ—que ilà sine interruptione sine fine sine mâ—do volvetur assiduè nostrorum tormentâ—rum rota ibi erit calor ignis rigor frigoris erunt ibi perpetuae tâ—nebrae eâ—it ibi fumus perpetuae lachrymae erit ibi aspectus terrificus daemonum erit clamor in perpetuum O aeternitas interminabilis O aeternitas nullis temporum spatiis mensurablìs Quam grave est in mollissimo lectu per triginta annos immobilem â—â—cere quid erit in sulphureo isto lacu triginta millia millium annorum ardere O aeternitas aeternitas tu sola ultra omnem modum supplicia damnatorum exaggeras Mor erit sine morte finis erit sine fine defectus sine defectu quia mors semper vivit finis semper incipit defectus deficere nescit Quid gravius quam semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nâ—llo quod nunquam non erit In aeternum damnati non assequenâ—ur quod volunt quod nolunt in aeternum pati cogentur Gerhard Meditat. sparsim Once we had praying time and hearing time but we did not improve it for our good else we had not been now in this extremity of pain no we had not no we had not We did pray but we did but triflle in our prayers and did but dally with that God whom now we find and feel to be to us consuming fire and yet we burn and are not consumed we were not in good earnest in those prayers we were at but now we suffer in good earnest and are damned in good earnest Oh! this place is hot it is hot it is exceeding hot Will not God pity us will not God have mercy on us we once thought he would but we did flatter and deceive our selves and thought it would be well because we lived
oplatum finem perduxeris quasi victoriam obtinueris significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 igitur haec duo involvit vehementem quandam animi intentionem quasi pugnam dum veâ—satur in actu orandi assiduam frequentationem orationis Davenant in loc 7. Direct Be laborious and importunate in your prayers If your thoughts do wander call them in if your thoughts be dull stir them up An Heathen advised to do as becomes a man like a Roman and should not you pray as becomes Christians to do but that is not in a dull and sluggish manner Labour at your prayers together as you use to do at your worldly work together and more too for in this you are concerned more Strive and wrestle with joynt fervency and faith as becomes a society to do that are all a praying for their lives for their souls for the pardon of their sin for the favour and the love of God as becometh those that are praying against everlasting flames and for eternal happiness Pray together as persons desirous that you may live in Heaven all together and praise God in Heaven for his love and mercy to you all together But pray not coldly and lukewarmly together lest you be damned and hereafter lye in scorching flames all together You must be instant in this work You will meet with opposition from the Devil and the world and your own hearts You must then strive and tug and labour hard or else your prayer will be spoiled Col. 4.2 the word there is very significant Be present at your work in heart as well as body attend your work and stand to it continue in prayer not only with continuance of time but of earnest importunity till you prevail with God and get the victory over sin and Satan Let me therefore warn praying Families as you love your Souls Defunctiorè multi preces ex formula recitant ac si pensum Deo solverent apparet hoc officio ipsos defungi ex more quia interim frigent animi neque expendant quid postulent Galv Inst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Magnes as you would have God incline his ear to what you say take heed of customariness and formalities Do not rest in the work done in pouring our words before God This is your great danger It must be a fervent Prayer that pleaseth God and profits you Jam. 5.16 Be praying Christians indeed and do not seem only to be so that you might all be happy indeed and saved indeed and not only to be thought to be so And because we are apt to slide into such formality and lukewarmness when we use constant Family Prayer which eats out the very heart and life thereof and hinders our benefit thereby I shall propose twenty five Questions some of which at one time and some at another you may put unto your selves to make you lively in your duty But I shall I must but name them because I would not willingly take up more paper than comes unto my share as also that lying close together you may the better have them in your eye When thou art called to Family Prayer put some of these Questions to thy self WHAT AM I A sinful Sinner Dust Ashes Guilty Oh how should Q. 1 a guilty person going to the dust pray for pardon WHERE AM I In whose presence do I kneel is it not before God Q. 2 and doth not he know whether I trifle or am serious Where might I NOW have been In Hell among Devils and damned Q. 3 Souls and shall I not pray indeed with all my might that I never may be cast into that place or company Whither am I going To eternity Where shall I shortly be In eternity Q. 4 and shall I trifle in my way What am I come about What is now my business About the highest Q. 5 matters that concern my Soul What if this were to be my last Prayer before I dye Should I then fall Q. 6 asleep upon my knees What if my everlasting state should be determined according to my sincerity Q. 7 or hypocrisy in this duty I am now going to Should I dally then with God What if God should tell me if I trifle with his Majesty he would strike Q. 8 me sick or dead or blind or deaf and dumb upon my knees Should I not then watch my heart in Prayer What if I were to speak to an earthly King or were to see some glorious Q. 9 Angel Should I not be filled with fear and reverence and is not God infinitely above these What if I were to give an account to God immediately how I pray and Q. 10 should appear at his Bar as soon as I rise from off my knees Should I then be formal and lukewarm Am I come to have communion with God to pray down my sin to please Q. 11 God and profit my Soul Will careless praying do it What if those that joyn in Prayer with me could look into my heart and Q. 12 see how I do discharge my duty Should I not be ashamed of many of my thoughts and of the deadness of my heart and is not the eye of God ten thousand times more to awe my heart than the knowledg of a fellow Creature Q. 13 Will dead and careless praying yield me comfort when I review it when I come to die Or should I not so pray now that I might have comfort then Q. 14 Should I cozen and deceive my self in matters of the greatest weight Shall I crawl to Hell upon my knees What! pray now and be damned hereafter Awake my heart and mind thy business Q. 15 Will God be mocked And is not heartless praying a mocking of God Q. 16 Should I not do more than Hypocrites do Or shall I not be damned if I do not But may not an Hypocrite pray at that rate as I have too often done Q. 17 Doth not the same God that commands me to pray command me also to give him my heart in Prayer and to do it with life and fervency Do I obey him in the one and shall I not in the other in the lesser and not in the greater and if I do not do I not rebel upon my knees Q. 18 If dead and dull and formal praying stops the mouth of my Conscience now will it do so at the Bar of God And should I not endeavour now to have the witness of my Conscience for me then Q. 19 Will it do me any good to have a name to live among men if I be dead in the sight of God and if others think and say when I am dead my Soul is gone to Heaven but is indeed cast down to Hell Will it lessen my torments that I was applauded dy men and condemned by God Will it ease my pain to be an applauded damned man Q. 20 Should I so pray as to make Prayer a burden to me Liveless heartless Prayer is a burden when lively Prayer is
yet we perish much through our Parents and Masters neglect There stands my Father saith the Son and there stands my Master saith the Servant that never prayed with us we do accuse them they never did and they cannot say they did Will you not then wish you had never been Parents to such Children nor Masters to such Servants As you would avoid this be faithful to your trust and mindful of your duty lest thou wish O Vtinam coelebs mansissem ac prole carerem MOTIVE III. 3. Consider You have but a little time before you for the performance of this trust You and your Families shall live together but a while and if once you are parted by death it will be too late whether you die first or some of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoc. Sâ—es est in vivis non est spes ulla sepultiâ— 1. Suppose some of them dye before you if your Conscience be not feared and your hearts past feeling will you not be almost distracted when you follow them to their Graves to reflect and consider here is one dead out of my house with whom I never prayed we did dwell together and eat together and work together many years but we never prayed together Oh! what if his Soul be gone to Hell through my neglect What if he be damned and I be found guilty of his damnation Prayer was a means appointed by God to have done him good but I did not do it who knows if I had called him to Prayer and I had been confessing sin but God might have broke his heart for sin and given him repentance of which I saw no sign before he died And now Oh! what now if there be one Soul the less in my house and one the more in Hell Oh! this is that which wounds my Soul this is that for which my Conscience now doth sting me that when I had him with me I did not do my duty and now he is gone he is gone and now it is too late O my child my child whither art thou gone whither art thou gone O that he may live with me again were it but for a year or two a month or two that we might do together our before neglected duty If you be wise timely prevent such uncomfortable reviews 2. Suppose you die before them for if they do not die and leave you you must die and leave them and can you die without trembling for anguish of your heart without terrours in your Souls and fearful gripes in your Consciences more bitter than the pangs of Death to consider you leave a wicked prayerless Family behind you through your own neglect Would it not trouble you to leave them poor Wife and Children nothing to live upon if this hath been through your sloth and will it not should it not much more trouble you to leave an ignorant Wife Children and Servants unacquainted with God unaccustomed to prayer and all through your neglect Might you not then say if I had left them poor yet if I had left them good and fearing God and given to prayer by my example I could now have died with joy and left them all with comfort but now I lie a dying it is the wounding of my Soul to take so sad a farewel of my Family If I do live it shall be otherwise if I recover and God trust me with life and time yet further I will hereafter do it but my heart is sick my Spirits fail me and I perceive the symptomes of death are upon me and though I am loth to take my leave of my Wife and Children because I have been no more careful of the good of their Souls yet I see I must I must bid farewel unto them Come then dear Wife farewel Gemitúquo haec addidit alio Non alias hinc ad lacrymas Fata vocant Salve aeternum aeternúmque vâ—le Virg. Aeneid l. xi farewel I shall now be no longer thine and thou shalt be no longer mine but this had been no matter if I and thou had both been his whom we should have prayed unto together but we did not Woe is me poor dying man that we did not Farewel dear Children now farewel adieu adieu for ever but oh how shall I take my leave of you with whom I have not done what God required But yet I must whether I will or no I must now leave you But let me give among you what I have gotten for you Therefore to you my Wife I give so much and to this Child so much and to that so much But when I think I worked for you but never prayed with you this doth trouble me Oh! this doth trouble my departing Soul However you will have my Goods the grave and worms shall have my body but who oh who must now have my Soul This will be a sad parting when ever it shall come and yet this parting hour is a coming Pray now with them and in that manner too that then you may be comforted On the contrary if you discharge your duty faithfully and unfeignedly whether your Family be good or bad when you shall die you might take comfort that you did your duty So Mr. Bolton that was abundant in conjunct Prayers in his Family could comfort himself and did say on his Death-bed to his Children I think verily none of you dare think to meet me at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate condition MOTIVE IV. 4. The love that you should bear unto your Families should engage you often to pray together with them Diligatur Proles non ut nascatur tantum verum-etiam ut renascatur nascitur enim ad paenam nisi renascatur ad vitam Aug. de nupt conc l. 1. cap. 17 Ipsae ferae saevae immanes bestiae prolem nutrire solent at non tantùm curare debent parentes ut liberi sui vivant sed etiam ut Deo benè vivant Ames Cas Cons Will you shew your love unto your Children in providing Portions for them that they may live in credit in this life and will you not so much as pray with them that they may live in glory in the life to come Will you do much for their Bodies and nothing for their Souls You that are fondest Husbands and Fathers never love Wife and Children as you ought till you love their Souls The Soul is the best and more noble part and love to the Soul is the best and more noble Love But to love the Body and neglect the Soul is but cruel brutish Love What do you more for your young ones than the birds and beasts do for theirs Do you feed their bodies do not birds and beasts do the same for theirs Love your Wife Children and Servants as you ought and this will provok you to pray together with them MOTIVE V. Oeconomia est veluti paradisus in quo plantantur arbores quarum fructus odore dulcore suo imbuunt omnes vitae
him and so in his own sense he was not wiser than others But will gold go in Heaven or in Hell There it is nothing worth When you have got much by your trading which keeps you from praying will it not make you loth to dye having laid up no better treasure elsewhere and vex you to the heart that for this you have lost God and Christ and Heaven and your souls and your riches too at last As Mr. Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward the Sixth relates of a rich man that was sick and one coming to him and seeing how he was told him he thought he could not recover but was a dead man who presently flew into a rage saying Must I die Send for the Physician wounds sides heart Must I die must I die wounds sides heart Must I die and leave all my riches and so continued crying out in this language till he dyed and are these the things you are so earnest for that you can find no time to pray for better A like passage Mr. Jeremy Burroughs on Psal 17.14 relates of one that once lived near to him that being sick call'd for his bags of silver and hugging them in his arms said Must I leave you must I leave you Pray for an interest in God and Christ and when you die being his and he yours you shall not leave him but be taken into fuller enjoyment of him Consider again as you cannot take them with you when you die so these things cannot comfort you in your Sickness As the same Author mentions another that on his sick bed call'd for his bags of gold which being brought he laid to his brest as near his heart as he could but after a while said Here take them again take them again these will not do these will not do What will not bags of gold do No they are trash and dirt to a dying man What will they not do They will not procure health to a sick man nor prolong life to a dying man nor speak peace to a troubled man nor procure Heaven for a graceless man No no it will not do it will not do and you shall find it will not do And are these the things you are so bent upon that you have no time for looking after these to pray to God for something that would do you good while you live when you die and after death Consider and be wiser 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocrit Epig. It is a great mistake that Prayer will hinder you in your worldly Callings To drive a trade for Heaven and on Earth may both be done You cannot love both with a predominate love nor serve both as principal Masters but you may work for one and pray for the other When you are in a Journey doth it hinder you to stay and bait If you were travelling far if you bait daily you may come there in time but if you did not bait at all you would never get thither It is a true Proverb Prayer and Provender hinder no man Surely you forget that the success of all your labours depends upon the blessing and providence of God Cannot God blast your endeavours and blow upon your estates and cause you to put it into a bag with holes Hag. 1.6 Nothing is more likely to further you than Prayer 5. Tell me in good earnest and let thy Conscienee speak Non exiguum temporis habemus sed multum perdiâ—us sâ—tis longa vita in maximarum rerum consummationem largè data est si tota bene collocaretur sed ubi per luxum negligentiam defluit ubi nulli rei bonae impenditur ultima demum necessitate cogente quam ire non intelleximus transisse sentimus ità est non accepimus brevem vitam sed fecimus nec inopes ejus sed prodigi sumus Senec de brev vita dost thou not mispend more time every day than this duty would take up Art thou not longer in some impertinent company and longer in some unnecessary business or lingring and loytering at home or abroad or at some Club or other longer than Family Prayer may be profitably performed and yet say thou hast no time 6. What if God should visit thy Family with some lasting sickness and take thee and thy Servants too from your work and callings and make you spend that time in sickness in your beds from your labour which you would not spend in Prayer Must you find a time to be sick and dye and yet find no time to pray Ab quid respondere velit Châ—isto venturo de coelis Cum à te poscet rationem Ob boni remissionem Et mali commissionem Dies illa dies irae Quam conemur praevenire Obviáâ—que deo ire 7. Wilt thou tell God so when thou standest at his Judgment Seat Which of you is the man Stand forth that shall be accused at the Bar of God that he did not pray to God in his Family that will now say he will give God this answer then Lord I was so employed in the World and my Family too that we had no leisure for thy Service No not to look after Heaven nor to seek my favour and my love nor to beg for pardon and salvation Go get you gone Go get you down to a place of torment though you could find no time to pray to me I will find an eternity to plague and punish you Quantus tremor esi futurus Quando Judex est venturus Cuncta strictè discussuruâ— Quid tum miser tum dicturus Quem patronum rogaturus Quam vix justus sit securus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. Enchir. cap. 66. 8. Are you the better for your riches when you have by this labour got them or do you work so hard and spend your time even all your time for such things that when you have them you are no better You account him the best man in the Parish that hath the most riches and is the greatest but so doth not God no the Heathens would not neither but he that is most holy and loves God best and serves him most Those are goods indeed that make you good indeed but you are the worse by how much you spend your time more precious than all in time you get with the neglect of your duties unto God Nolo tollas cupiditatem sed mutes nolo perdas sed lucreris avarum cupiditas argentei nummi incitat ad cupiendum aureum pro quo relinquit argenteum namque ipse valor argentei est in aureo ideo plures aereos atque argenteos pro uno commutat aureo O locupletissimum qui ita suas cupiditates contrahitâ— Commutanda omnia pro Deo sunt totum gaudium nostrum latissimum in uno colligendum Nolo aliquid nimis severum nolo ut consumas cupiditates omnes sed ut resumas omnes in una sumas Nieremb de art volunt p. 369. 9. What if thou
keep out Jealousie that bane of marriage comfort will keep the thoughts fixt and the heart chaste for it is not the Having an Husband or Wife but the Loving of them that preserves from Adultery This will prevent or soon quiet those storms within doors as we see the Mother that dearly loves her Child though it cry all night and disturb her quiet yet Love to it makes them very good friends in the morning If Love be eclipsed for a day or an hour between husband and wife they are (c) Mr. Baxter's Direct p. 520. like a bone out of joynt there is no ease nor order nor work well done till it be restored again 3. Mutual Fidelity especially to the Marriage-bed and also in each others secrets And this is directed 1 Cor. 7.2 Let every man have his Own wife and let every woman have her Own husband By which Rule the thoughts desires and actions of each of them are confin'd to their (d) Choose whether Adam thou wilt imitate the Old or the New the one hath but one Wife the other hath but one Church Hierome cited by Gataker own lawful yoke-fellow as the dearest sweetest and best Object in the world and this by vertue of the Covenant of their God The least Aberration herein if it be not speedily and sincerely mortified will strangely get ground and fester in the Soul and never rest till it come to plain Adultery (e) See of this largely and excellently Lud. Viv. de Christ foemin p. 699. And then the Comfort of their lives the quiet of their consciences and the credit of their families lye bleeding and without true Repentance their eternal happiness shipwrack't Yea this virtually dissolves the Bond of marriage and if the (f) Deut. 22.22 Divine Law were executed brings the offender to a severe Death And though some greater Shame and other Inconveniences do follow the unfaithfulness of the Wife yet man and wife being One flesh and equal power granted to them over the bodies of each other the guilt of this sin is equal unless the wisdom and strength of the man do make his fault the greater And therefore all possible care must be used to avoid all occasions and incentives of wandring desires from home and the rather because he or she that is not content with one will not be content with more for sin is boundless and nothing but Grace and the Grave can limit the desires of the Heart The same Faithfulness is necessary in the wise concealment of each others secrets whether Natural Moral or Civil unless in such cases wherein a superior Obligation doth release them For there cannot be a more unnatural treachery than when Husband or Wife the nearest of Friends make one another obnoxious to shame or harm Bad when it is done by Inadvertence worse when in their Passion worst of all when it is through ill will and malice 4. Mutual Helpfulness Hence they are called Yokefollows And of the Woman it was said at her Creation that she should be an (g) Gen 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Help meet for him which may be rendred an Help like him for they should be both of them Helps to each other There are Three Yokes which they must joyntly carry 1. The Yoke of Cares This all people must expect to bear in a married condition and for the most part that of Labour also And these lying always on one shoulder will overload but when some help comes in the husband takes care without the wife takes care within the husband travels abroad the wife is busie at home then the burden is easier To this end it behoves the Wife to read often the last Chapter of Proverbs and the husband the rest of that Book for their quickning hereunto 2. The Yoke of Crosses and troubles For such as are married though they expect nothing but pleasure yet (h) 1 Cor. 7.28 must have trouble in the flesh losses in their estates afflictions in their children crosses both from friends and enemies Now every man and woman should chuse such yoke-fellows as may be Friends as well as Relations and may comfort support and advise each other with all faithfulness and sympathy 3. The Yoke of Jesus Christ For they should (i) 1 Pet. 3.7 live as heirs together of the Grace of Life And it is the highest end of their Relation to promote one the others everlasting happiness The Knowledg of the husband must help the wife and the Zeal of the wife must help the husband When (k) Cael. Rhodig l. 28. the Sun shines the Moon absconds when that is set this appears When the husband is at home then it is his work to instruct and pray with his Family and sanctifie the Sabbath but in his absence the wife is his stated Deputy and must look to it And both must study both in Prudence and Conscience to be of One mind incouraging reproving or correcting their Inferiors lest their Authority be weakened their spirits distempered and their indeavours frustrateâ— 5. Mutual Patience c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo probabit homo animam suam si pâ—ssit tolerare uxorem malam Buxt ex Miphcah Happen This Grace we are bound to exercise towards all men how much more to such near and dear Relations Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away with all malice And be kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another as God doth for Christ's sake forgive us Eph. 4.31 32. Innumerable are the l Occasions that may minister Contention in the daily affairs wherein they are concerned and Satan is ever ready to blow the coal and they have corrupt and froward Natures and therefore there is a flat necessity of this blessed Grace Alas a civil War within doors is the most intolerable The soul the body the worship of God the affairs the Family are all disordered by it No good can come of it passion reforms nothing but (m) Magis vâ—remur prudâ—ntes quam i acundos plus cogit qu etum imperium quam vehemens imperiosior concitatione quies Lu. Viv. de Christ Foem p. 729. patience may the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God The married Couple therefore must study and pray for a meek and quiet spirit mortifie pride learn self-denial and sometimes wisely (n) Thus Albuâ— us lived with his Terentiana 25 years and P. Rubrius Celer with his Ennia 44 years without a quarrel So Mr. Smith in his Sermons tels of a cholerick couple that kept the peace by each keeping silence when the other was angry withdraw till the storm be over and hold their peace to keep the peace They must consider as Holy Mr. Bolton saith that two Angels are not met together but too sinful children of Adam from whom little can be expected but weakness and waiwardness They must reckon the greatest worth and honour to be first in Overtures of Peace
potion too hot the operation is hindred and his labour worse than lost Admirable was the carriage of Job Job 2.10 when his wife had highly offended him with her words yet hear how mildly he rebukes her Not thou wicked Caitiff but thou speakest like one of the foolish women Sooner or later if she be not brutish she will be thankful and amend 3. The husbands Love must be demonstrated by ready incouragement of his wife when she doth well Prov. 31.28 Her Husband also he praiseth her He that is discreet and faithful herein perhaps taketh the readiest way to do her good For such is the weakness of many that they ever think that reproof proceeds either from an ill Opinion or want of Affection in the husband but when they shall find that he is as ready to incourage them when they do well they are convinc'd and reformed 4. The husbands Love is seen by seasonable comforting his wife in affliction whether it be in mind or body So did Elkanah 1 Sam. 1.8 Hannah why weepest thou and why eatest thou not and why is thy heart grieved am I not better to thee then ten Sons and this brought her to her meat as you may see in the next verse And generally a kind word from an husbands mouth doth good like a medicine And that Husband is worse than a Tigre that supports not his poor Wife at such a time In her troubles of mind he must be her Casuist in weakness of body he must be her Comforter 2. The Effects of an husbands Love to his wife must be in Deed also And that 1. By making Provision for her both of what is necessary and also of what is convenient for her according to his ability Exod. 21.10 Her food and her raiment and her duty of marriage he shall not diminish Not that she hath any priviledg to be maintain'd in Idleness or like a Drone live upon the industry of her husband without adding her helping hand But the main care hereof must lye upon her husband And this is probably (z) So Gataker Hammond concluded to be at least a part of that honour 1 Pet. 3.7 due to the wife as the weaker Vessel the best kind of honour to wit maintenance so that word is frequently (a) Matth. 15.6 1 Tim. 5 2. taken and the reason added carries it this way namely she is the weaker Vessel not able to support her self but depends upon her husband who must therefore give her honour that is maintenance as the weaker Vessel She hath not that wisdom forecast or strength for such purposes as he hath and therefore as he hath the strongest obligation upon him and the greatest advantages he must lay about him by all lawful means to support and provide for her And that not only for her maintenance while he lives but he ought to make provision for her as far as he is able after his departure hence for so did Jesus Christ for his Church And the Husband ought to shew his Love herein by the freedom and chearfulness of his Supplies to the wants of his wife neither doing it grudgingly nor niggardly but rather if he be able intrusting her with some pittance in her own disposal that she may have occasion to exercise her charity and to incourage her Children or Servants in their duty 2. This Conjugal Love is to be shewed in the Tenderness of the husband towards the wife And this Duty is incumbent on him as he is the Head of the wife 1 Cor. 11.3 the head of every woman is the man And hence the husband is bound to Protect his wife from dangers and to Sympathize with her in them Thus Abraham was a Covering to Sarah Gen. 20.16 not only to confine her eye but to defend her person And upon this account he must protect her Soul from temptation her Body from harm her Name from reproach and her Person from contempt either of Children Servants or others For as much as she hath forsaken all her friends and cast her self upon his care and kindness and it would be unpardonable cruelty in him to desert or betray her And then he ought to sympathize with her in her troubles but of this before In short his whole carriage to her should be full of tenderness and composed of Love and Pity 5. The husbands Love is shewed to his wife in Giving her a good Example namely of Piety Gravity Charity Wisdom and Goodness which will be the most constant and effectual Lecture that he can read unto her The (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de cura rei fam l. 1. Philosopher could say That a well-bred wife as soon as she is married accounts the way and course of her husband as a Law prescribed to her by God himself The good or evil Example of a Magistrate Minister or Husband hath a more real though insensible influence upon the actions of their inferiors than all their (c) Homines amplius oculis quam auribus eredunt longumiter est per praecepta breve efficax per exempla Senec. Ep. 6. Laws and Precepts And as for the Husband he is called the guide of her youth Prov. 2.17 If he be holy quiet and industrious she cannot for shame be wicked froward and idle His discourses will direct hers his prayers will teach her to pray his justice temperance and charity will be a law a rule a motive to make her just and sober and charitable If he be an Atheist an Epicure a Pharisee it undoes her He is to go before her and usually she follows him either to Hell or Heaven 4. An husbands Love is to be shewed in his yielding to the reasonable requests of his wife So did David to Bathsheba 1 Kings 1.28 So did Isaac to Rebeka Gen. 28.1 So did Abraham to Sarah Gen. 16.6 though the thing it self was grievous to him So did Jesus Christ daily to his Church He that loves gives and grants and that readily And the Husband should rather prevent his wife and give before she asks than be difficult or hard to be intreated she is to take care that her requests be reasonable and then she needs no Intercessor for her Famous is that instance in Story of Cleopatra who after that her Husband Meleager his Father Mother Neighbours had all in vain solicited his help to defend their City they having disobliged him before At length his Wife runs to him when the enemy was entring and cryes (d) Succurre quaeso mi vir occidimus nisi succurris Plutarch Help good Husband else we are lost And this charm'd and rouz'd him to their rescue One word from her prevail'd more with him than the cryes and arguments of all the rest And to this may be referr'd His taking her counsel in divers cases So did (e) 1 Sam. 1 23. Elkanah so did (f) Gen. 21.12 Abraham For though you may not always perceive Judgment in her Counsel yet you may be
to cajol their Votaries into their unscriptural Orders as the Pharisees did Corban (u) Mark 7.1 113. saying it is a gift devoted to God which hypocritical allegation our Saviour disprov'd because they vacated the Commandments of God for their own traditions can be no warrant to invade the rights of Parents for Religion towards God doth not interfere with the necessary duties of our Relation And to do that under a notion of Religion not enjoyned by God against that too which he hath required is impious and to offer that to him which is another's he likes not He is for equity and not for division or confusion Charlemaign made a decree against this dishonour to Parents under the vail and disguise of Religion 2. In the great business of Marriage 't is very requisite to observe their counsel and advice Parents certainly should sway much in this weighty matter as they did in Isaac's matching with Rebekah (w) Gen. 24.6 7 63 67. and Jacob's with Laban's daughter (x) 28.1 2 3. with 29 11 18 19. Ruth though a daughter in law was willing to be disposed of by Naomi in the change of her condition observing her orders in that affair (y) Ruth 2.21 and 3.1 c. yea even Ishmael would take his Mother's advice for a wife (a) Gen. 21 21. and Sampson mov'd for his Parents consent (b) Judg. 14 2. Thamar's words in striving with her lustful brother imply the gaining of her Father's consent requisite (c) 2 Sam. 13.13 and Sechem's words to his Father vvhen he had wickedly defloured Dinah whom he met with in her idling visit do import he was convinc'd it was equitable to have her Father's consent to marry her (d) Gen. 34.3 c For Children ought in reason to think their Parents wiser and better able for the most part to provide for them than they themselves are because likely as they have more experimental knowledg so if Parents be not canker'd with the love of this world their affections are more governable and not so easily biass'd from moving in the fairest way as Childrens often are in their youthful and spritely age when their inward emotions are apt to be more turbulent unless sanctified with grace and moderated vvith vertue And further here it may be consider'd that Parents who brought forth and bred up their Children should by no means be bereft of them vvithout their consent sith they are so much their goods and possessions that it were a kind of purloining to give themselves away without their Parents leave The maid under the law that had made a vow out of her Father's cognizance could not perform it without his consent (e) Numb 30.4 5. Terent. In the Comoedian it was accounted a disparagement to take a vvise against the will of her Father So that complyance with Parents advice here is a business of great effect As one saith ingenuously Mr. Fuller The Child in this case bowls best at the mark of his own contentment who besides the aim of his own eye is directed by his Father who is to give the ground To which may correspond a passage of Cyrus who when a match was propos'd to him said I like the Lady her Dowry and her Family but I must have these agree with my Parents and then I will marry her He belike thought it injurious in finally bestowing himself to neglect his Parents and disregard their counsel in the main business of his life But if Children except and say Exception Answer What if after our real desires to take their counsel they urge us to marry such as we cannot affect I confess your circumstances may be such in this instance as may render the case very intricate and 't would require a discourse by it self to give satisfaction to it All I shall say now is 1. Be sure your non-affection or aversion to the Person propos'd be not without reason remember you are unperienc'd suspect your own judgment and take heed lest some impotent passion or amorous inclination to another person discompose you from attaining to a right opinion of things perswade your selves that as your Parents have experience likely their affections lead them to be careful for your welfare Be therefore earnest in Prayer with God who turns the heart at his pleasure (f) Prov. 21.1 that he would incline your affection to the party propos'd all the while there is no disallowance from above Non amo te Sabide non passum dicere quare c. and you can see no just cause to the contrary having only the mere plea that you cannot love and be importunate with him to rectifie such untowardness of mind lest you at least seem wilful as leads you vvithout good reason to reject an offer of his Providence to you for the promoting of your temporal vvelfare in an hopeful prospect of the Divine blessing But if after this humble and unfeigned address to God you still find your heart altogether averse you may in a reverent way entreat your Parents not to press that match and think of some other wherein you may be better satisfied For my part I do not conceive you are oblig'd to marry those you cannot really affect unless I could see how you might with a good conscience in the presence of God enter into a solemn Covenant of Love (g) Mal. 2.14 with a patty you cannot but upon deliberation at the same instant dislike My reason is not only because it would be an utter frustration of the end of marriage which should be mutual satisfaction but also the beginning of that estate in a kind of perjury or at least with a doubting conscience (h) Rom. 14.13 23. Sith as Qâ—intilian * Declam 376. observ'd Affectus nostri nobis non serviunt we cannot still keep our affections in a subserviency to our own be sure not to another's reason My wise is to dwell with me for ever the half of my lasting joy or my lasting sorrow and if I do not love her we cannot live comfortably together c. 2. If Parents should counsel you to joyn your self to an ungodly person and enforce you to fix there the best Casuijis of our own †Bishop Hall Sanderson Taylouâ— Mr. Baxter will easily resolve you that in such a case you have a negative voice and may humbly refuse to comply with such a motion for though you have not a judgment of positive decision to determine whom you would have yet you have a judgment of discretion and you may with all reverence to your Parents proposing refuse an unworthy person who is like to make your life either sinful or miserable This may be further cleared in considering the extent of Childrens obedience There is another particular yet which concerns Children in this duty of observance and that is 4. To follow their good examples we should take notice of those fair copies they have set us
of that deadness their souls lie under and that if they be not awakned quickly they must be unconceivably and eternally miserable ask them what they have to say against the ways of God and what they have to plead for their neglecting their souls for Sin and for Satan tell them these things are matters of such weight that they need not much time to determine what must be done It 's a matter of such vast importance that it calls for the greatest speed diligence and care imaginable and that you can't be satisfied till you see this work done catechise and instruct them constantly at least once a week Let the Word sound daily in their ears and pray twice a day with them let some time be allowed them for secret duties and put them upon the performance of them spiritually and constantly Keep them not too long at work or in the Shop on Saturday-night The Jews had their preparation for the Sabbath and the ancient Christians did not fall short of them in their preparation for the Lords-day Let the Sabbath be carefully spent in secret family and publick duties and for the better direction in your duties upon that day I refer you to that excellent piece Mr. Wells his Practical Sabbatarian a Book it 's pity any great Family should want Cause your Servants to bear you company to hear the most powerful Preacher you can require an account of what they hear and let the Sermons be repeated in your Family and ask them what it was that did most affect their hearts and labour to press things home afresh upon their souls and if you perceive any good inclinations in them encourage them greatly and improve them all you can and if you do not see what you would presently be not quite discouraged and cast them off as hopeless Exhort them daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 and if you see them still dull hard-hearted and under a spirit of slumber be yet the more earnest who knows but a little more patience and compassion and zeal may prevail But if after long using the fore-mentioned means you find them still refractory stubborn and to slight your counsel and run on in sin and to grow worse and worse you must add sharp reproofs and if they do no good Prov. 29.19 but they make a mock at them and endeavour to jeer their fellow-servants out of their duty too then you must add blows to your words Prov. 26.3 Stripes are fit for the back of a fool and if neither exhortations reproofs nor corrections will prevail but they continue still like sons of Belial rebellious to God and you Psal 101. then remember your duty is to ease your house of them consider well what danger there is of their infecting the rest of your Servants and Children consult your own peace honour and profit Let not a lyar a company-keeper 2 Cor. 6.14 a vile person dwell in your house when you have used all possible means for his reclaiming what fellowship should light have with darkness remember that God hath made you a Prophet a Priest and a King in your own Family Thirdly Another duty of Masters is diligently and faithfully to instruct their Servants in their Calling conceal nothing of the mystery of your Art from them I mean of what is lawful for if you are skil'd in the Art of cheating you must unlearn that your selves and never teach them that which will hazard their ruin Some Masters are ready to hide the most profitable and ingenious part of their trade from their Servants Remember Sirs that Law and Nature Reason and Religion all command you to be faithful in this thing their Parents or Friends put them to you to teach them an honest Calling and you promised you would do it and it's dishonesty in the highest degree to fail in this Fourthly Be just compassionate and loving be as ready to commend and encourage them for doing their duty as to reprove them for the neglect of it let them want nothing that is fitting for them in the place they are in let their food be wholesom seasonable and sufficient Prov. 31.15 let their clothing be warm sweet and decent let their lodging be warm and sweet and wholesom not too far from your eye and ear let them have rest sufficient to recruit nature and to fit them for God's Service and yours And in case of sickness let them have such tendance physick and diet as they need You can't imagine what obligations you may by this lay upon your Servants to fidelity how acceptable this is to God and how much reputation it will get you among men See an excellent example in the Centurion Mat. 8.5 6. Col. 4.1 Job 31.13 Give unto your Servants that which is just and equal It was Job's commendation that he did not despise the cause of his hand-maid Use your tongues to sweetness a soft word sooner prevails than a hard blow or curse Be punctually faithful to your contract with them pay them their wages to the full it 's better to do more than less than your bargain In a word As the Elect of God put on bowels of pity Col. 3.12 Jam. 1.20 Eph. 4.26 and put off all these anger wrath malice cursing remember the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God Be angry for nothing but sin Remember a Christ-like Gospel-spirit is a spirit of love Gal. 5.22 and peace meekness and faithfulness with these things God and man are well pleased Fifthly Discharge your Servants with sweetness and love and do not grudg that they should have a livelyhood as well as you Send them out of your Family with the counsel the good will of a Father and reckon one that was a faithful Servant to you seven years deserves to be esteem'd next a Child ever after To this end it would not be amiss if you give him as good a report as he deserves to raise his reputation and credit and if you help him as far as you are well able in his setting up you will not repent it upon a Death-bed nor at the Day of Judgment In old time God did require That when a Servant served six years Deut. 15 13 14 he should not be sent away empty but saith the Text thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock out of thy floor and out of thy wine-press and that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him And I know not why this may not be practised still where the Master is wealthy and able and the Servant poor and deserving Col. 5 13. Rom. 13.9 10 1 Thes 4.9 Neither do I know where the Gospel gives us a discharge from the works of Charity and Mercy I come now to Exhort Masters to this work to perform their Duty And this I shall press with a few Motives First Consider what a Master God is to his Servants he is
they were evil might there not be some fleeting good mixed with them as a poisonous toad hath something useful No Only evil Well but there might be some intervals of thinking and though there was no good thought yet evil ones were not always rouling there Yes they were Continually not a moment of time that man was free from them One would scarce imagine such an inward nest of wickedness but God hath affirmed it and if any man should deny it his own heart would give him the lye Let us now consider the words by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imagination properly signifies figmentum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to afflict press or form a thing by way of compression And thus 't is a metaphor taken from a potters framing a vessel and extends to whatsoever is fram'd inwardly in the heart or outwardly in the work 'T is usually taken by the Jews for that fountain of sin within us †Alii rectâ—ùs dicunt non esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—si in malum Merc. in loc Mercer tells us it is always used in an evil sense But there are two places if no more wherein it is taken in a good sense Isa 26.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose mind is stayed and 1 Chron. 29.18 where David prays that a disposition to offer willingly to the Lord might be preserved in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of the people Indeed for the most part 't is taken for the evil imaginations of the heart as Deut. 31.21 Psal 103.14 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maimon More Nevoch Par. 3. c. 22. Amam Censur in locum The Jews make a double figment a good and bad and fancy two Angels assign'd to man one bad another good which Maimonides interprets to be nothing else but natural corruption and reason This word imagination being joyn'd with thoughts implies not only the compleat thoughts but the first motion or formation of them to be evil The word Heart is taken variously in Scripture It signifies properly that inward member which is the seat of the vital spirits But sometimes it signifies 1. The understanding and mind Psal 12.2 With a double heart do they speak i. e. with a double mind Prov. 8.5 2. For the Will 2 Kings 10.30 All that is in my heart i. e. in my Will and purpose 3. For the affections as Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart i. e. with all thy affections 4. For conscience 2 Sam. 24.5 David's heart smote him i. e. his Conscience check'd him But Heart here is used for the whole soul because according to Pareus his note the soul is chiefly seated in the heart especially the Will and the affections her attendants because when any affection stirs the chief motion of it is felt in the heart So that by the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are here meant all the inward operations of the soul which play their part principally in the heart whether they be the acts of the understanding the resolutions of the Will or the blustrings of the affections Only evil The Vulgar mentions not the exclusive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so enervates the sense of the place But our Neighbour Translations either express it as we do Only or to that sense that they were Certainly or no other than evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continually The Hebrew All the day or every day Some Translations express it verbatim as the Hebrew Not a moment of a man's life wherein our hereditary corruption doth not belch out its froth even from his youth as God expounds it Gen. 8.21 to the end of his life Whether we shall refer the general wickedness of the heart in the Text to that age as some of the Jesuites do because after the Deluge God doth not seem so severely to censure it Or rather take the exposition the learned Rivet gives of it referring the first part of the Verse and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth to those times Gen. 8.21 Rivet in Gen. exercit 51. and the second part to the universal corruption of man's nature and the root of all sin in the world The Jesuites argument will not be very valid for the extenuation of original corruption from Gen. 8.21 For if man's imaginations be evil from his youth what is it but in another phrase to say they were so continually But suppose it be understood of the iniquity of that age may it not be applied to all ages of the world David complains of the wickedness of his own time Psal 14.3 Psal 5.9 Yet St. Paul applies it to all mankind Rom. 3.12 Indeed it seems to be a description of man's natural pravity by God's words after the deluge Gen. 8.21 which are the same in sense to shew that man's nature after that destroying judgment was no better than before Every word is emphatical exaggerating man's defilement Wherein consider the Universality 1. Of the subject Every man 2. Of the act Every thought 3. Of the qualification of the act Only evil 4. Of the time Continually The words thus opened afford us this Proposition That the thoughts and inward operations of the souls of men are naturally universally evil and highly provoking Some by cogitation mean not only the acts of the understanding but those of the will yea and the sense too But indeed that which we call cogitation or thought is the work of the mind imagination of the fancy Cartes Princip Philos Part. 1. Sect. 9. 'T is not properly thought till it be wrought by the understanding because the fancy was not a power designed for thinking but only to receive the images imprest upon the sense and concoct them that they might be fit matter for thoughts and so 't is the Exchequer wherein all the acquisitions of sense are deposited and from thence received by the intellective faculty So that thoughts are inchoativè in the fancy consummativè in the understanding terminativè in all the other faculties Thought first engenders opinion in the mind thought spurs the will to consent or dissent 't is thought also which Spirits the affections I will not spend time to acquaint you with the methods of their generation Every man knows he hath a thinking faculty and some inward conceptions which he calls thoughts he knows that he thinks and what he thinks though he be not able to describe the manner of their formation in the womb or remember it any more than the species of his own face in a glass In this discourse let us first see what kind of thoughts are sins 1. Negatively A simple apprehension of sin is not sinful Thoughts receive not a sinfulness barely from the object That may be unlawful to be acted which is not unlawful to be thought of Though the will cannot will sin without guilt yet the understanding may apprehend sin without guilt for that doth no more
was to exhort younger as well as elder women and the Apostle wisheth him to do it with all purity or chastity that a temptation lying in ambush for him might not take his thoughts and affections unguarded Engage thy diligence more at solitary times and in the night wherein freedom from business gives an opportunity to an unsanctified imagination to conjure up a thousand evil spirits whence perhaps it is that the Psalmist tells us Psal 17.3 Gen 19.30 Cellulam mearum cogitationum pertimescebam Hieron God had tryed him in the night and found him holy The solitary Cave tainted Lot with incest who had preserved himself fresh in the midst of the salt lusts of Sodom In ill company wherein we may be occasionally cast there is need of an exacter observation of our hearts lest corrupt steams which rise from them as vapours from lakes and minerals being breath'd in by us may tincture our spirits or as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Physitians tell us exhaling from consumptive persons do by inspiration steal into our blood and convey a contagion to us And though above all keepings and watchings we are to keep and watch our hearts Prov. 4.23 because out of them are the issues of life yet we must walk the rounds about our senses and members of the body as the wise man there adviseth v. 24. the mouth which utters wickedness the eyes v. 25. which are brokers to make bargains for the heart and v. 26. the feet which are agents to run on the errands of sin And the rather must we watch over our senses because we are naturally more ready to follow the motions of them as having had a longer acquaintance and familiarity with them before we grew up to the use of reason Besides Plotinus describes thought thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ennead 1. lib. Cor oculi sunt proxenctae peccati most of our thoughts creep in first at the windows of sense The eye and the ear robb'd Eve of original righteousness and the eye rifled David both of his justice and chastity If the eyes behold strange women the heart will utter perverse things Prov. 23.33 Perverse thoughts will sparkle from a rolling eye Revel-rout is usual where there is a negligent government He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls †Prov. 25.28 where any thieves may go in and out at pleasure 3. The third sort of directions are for the ordering of evil thoughts when they do intrude and 1. Examine them Look often into your heart to see what it is doing and what thoughts you find dabling in it call to an account enquire what business they have what their errand and design is whence they come and whither they tend David askt his soul the reason of its troubled thoughts Psal 42.11 Why art thou disquieted O my soul so ask thy heart the reason why it entertains such ill company and by what authority they come there and leave not chiding till thou hast put it to the blush Bring every thought to the test of the Word Asaph had envious thoughts at the prosperity of the wicked Psal 73.2 3. which had almost tript him up and laid him on his back And these had blown up Atheistical thoughts that God did not much regard whether his commands were kept or no as though God had untied the link between duty and reward and the breach of his laws were the readiest means to a favourable recompence v. 13. I have cleansed my hands in vain But when he weighed things in the ballance of the sanctuary by the holy rules of God's patience and justice v. 17. He sees the brutishness of his former conceits v. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee and v. 25. he makes an improvement of them to excite his desire for God and delight in Him Let us compare our thoughts with Scripture-rules Comparing spiritual things with spiritual is the way to understand them comparing spiritual sins with spiritual commands is the way to know them and comparing spiritual vices with spiritual graces is the way to loath them Take not then any thing upon trust from a crazy fancy nor without a scrutiny believe that faculty whereby dogs dream and animals perform their natural exploits 2. Check them at the first appearance If they bear upon them a palpable mark of sin bestow not upon them the honour of an examination If the leprosie appear in their foreheads thrust them as the Priests did Vzziah out of the Temple or as David answered his wicked sollicitors Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God Though we cannot hinder them from haunting us yet we may from lodging in us The very sparkling of an abominable motion in our hearts is as little to be look'd upon as the colour of wine in a glass by a man inclined to drunkenness Quench them instantly as you would do a spark of fire in a heap of straw We must not treat with them Paul's resolve is a good pattern not to confer with flesh and blood †Gal. 1.16 Hic Annibal virtute non mora frangitur We do not debate whether we should shake a viper off our hands If it be plainly a sinful motion a treaty with it is a degree of disobedience for a putting it to the question whether we should suckle it is to question whether God should be obeyed or no. If it savour not of the things of God hear not its reasons and complement it with no less indignation than our Saviour did his officious Disciple upon his carnal advice Get thee behind me Satan Mat. 16.22 23. Excuse it not because 't is little Small vapours may compact themselves into great clouds and obstruct our sight of heaven a little poison may spread its venom through a great quantity of meat Ex hinc nota est infirmitas mea quia multo faciliùs irruunt abominandae phantasiae quà m discedunt Kemp. de Imit Chr. lib. 3. cap. 20. We know not how big a small motion like a Crocodile's egge may grow and how ravenous the breed may prove it may if entertain'd force our Judgment drag our Will and make all our affections Bedlams Besides since the Fancy is that power in us upon which the Devil can immediately imprint his suggestions and that we know not what army he hath to back any sinful motion if once the gate be set open let us crush the brat betimes and fling the head over the wall to discourage the party Well then let us be ashamed to cherish that in our thoughts which we should be ashamed should break out in our words or actions therefore as soon as you perceive it base spit it out with detestation as you do a thing you unexpectedly find ungrateful to your palate 3. Improve them Poisons may be made
medicinable Let the thoughts of old sins stir up a commotion of anger and hatred We feel shiverings in our spirits and a motion in our blood at the very thought of a bitter Potion we have formerly taken why may we not do that spiritually which the very frame and constitution of our bodies doth naturally upon the calling a lothsom thing to mind The Romans sins were transient but the shame was renewed every time they reflected on them †Rom. 6.21 Whereof you are now ashamed they reacted a detestation instead of the pleasure so should the revivings of old sins in our memories be entertain'd with our sighs rather than our joy We should also manage the opportunity so as to promote some further degrees of our conversion * Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is not the most hellish motion but we may strike some sparks from it to kindle our love to God renew our repentance raise our thankfulness or quicken our obedience Is it a blasphemous motion against God It gives you a just occasion thence to awe your heart into a deeper reverence of His Majesty Is it a lustful thought Open the floud-gates of your godly sorrow and groan for your original sin Is it a remembrance of your former sin Let it wind up your heart in the praises of him who delivered you from it Is it to tempt you from duty Endeavour to be more zealous in the performance of it Is it to set you at a distance from God Resolve to be a light shining the clearer in that darkness and let it excite you to a closer adherence to him Are they envious thoughts which steal upon you Let thankfulness be the product that you enjoy so much as you do and more than you deserve Let Satan's fiery darts enflame your love rather than your Lust and like a skilful Pilot make use of the violence of the winds and raging of the Sea to further you in your spiritual voyage This is to beat the Devil and our own hearts with their own weapons who will have little stomach to fight with those arms wherewith they see themselves wounded There is not a remembrance of the worst objects but may be improved to humility and thankfulness as St. Paul never thought of his old persecuting but he sank down in humiliation and mounted up in admirations of the riches of grace 4. Continue your resistance if they still importune thee and lay not down thy weapons till they wholly shrink from thee As the wise man speaks of a fool's words so I may not only of our blacker Eccl. 10.13 but our more acrial phancies The beginning of them is foolishness but if suffered to gather strength they may end in mischievous madness therefore if they do continue or reassume their arms we must continue and reassume our shield * Eph 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking up again Resistance makes the Devil and his imps fly but forbearance makes them impudent In a battel when one party faints and retreats it adds new spirits to the enemy that was almost broken before so will these motions be the more vigorous if they perceive we begin to flag That encouraging command Resist the Devil and he will flye from you †Jam 4.7 implies not only the beginning a fight but continuance in it till he doth fly We must not leave the field till they cease their importunity nor encrease their courage by our own cowardise 5. Joyn Supplication with your opposition Watch and pray are sometimes linkt together * Mat. 26 41. The diligence and multitude of our enemies should urge us to watch that we be not surpriz'd and our own weakness and proneness to presumption should make us pray that we may be powerfully assisted Be as frequent in solliciting God as they are in solliciting you as they knock at your heart for entrance so do you knock at heaven for assistance And take this for your comfort As the Devil takes their parts so Christ will take yours at his Father's Throne he that pray'd that the Devil might not winnow Peter's faith will intercede that your own heart may not winnow yours If the waves come upon you and you are ready to sink cry out with Peter Master I perish and you shall feel his hand raising you and the winds and waves rebuked into obedience by him The very motion of your hearts heaven-ward at such a time is a refusal of the thought that presseth upon you and will be so put upon your account When any of these buzzing flies discompose you or more violent hurricanes shake your minds cry out with David Psal 86.11 12. Vnite my heart to fear thy Name and a powerful word will soon silence these disturbing enemies and settle your souls in a calm and a praising posture 4. A fourth sort of directions is concerning good motions whether they spring naturally from a gracious principle or are peculiarly breath'd in by the spirit There are ordinary bubblings of grace in a renewed mind as there are of sins in an unregenerate heart for grace is as active a principle as any because 't is a participation of the divine nature But there are other thoughts darted in beyond the ordinary strain of thinking which like the beams of the Sun evidence both themselves and their original And as concerning these motions joyn'd together take these Directions in short 1. Welcom and entertain them As 't is our happiness as well as our duty to stifle evil motions so 't is our misery as well as our sin to extinguish heavenly Strange fire should be presently quench'd but that which descends from heaven upon the Altar of a holy soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp Epist ad Phil. terms holy persons must be kept alive by quickning meditation When a holy thought lights suddenly upon you which hath no connexion with any antecedent business in your mind provided it be not unseasonable nor hinder you from any absolutely necessary duty either of religion or your calling receive it as a messenger from heaven and the rather because 't is a stranger You know not but you may entertain an Angel yea something greater than an Angel even the Holy Ghost Open all the powers of your souls like so many Organ-pipes to receive the breath of this Spirit when he blows upon you 'T is a sign of an agreeableness between the heart and heaven when we close with and preserve spiritual motions We need not stand long to examine them they are evident by their holiness sweetness and spirituality We may as easily discern them as we can exotick plants from those that grow naturally in our own soil or as a palate at the first taste can distinguish between a rich and generous wine and a rough water The thoughts instill'd by the Spirit of adoption are not violent tumultuous full
but it prepares us for and in a sense enters us into the Work of the other World for that I conceive lyes much in the holy use of the Tongue we hear of no other imployment of the Saints in glory but that they night and day are praising God he is always in their eyes he is ever in their mouth The work of Heaven will not be uncouth to them that have been much Exercised in holy Heavenly Discourse on Earth but for others that can scarce frame their mouths to a good word on Earth for my part I know not what they will do in Heaven though I think there is no great danger of their coming thither 3. No Discourse is so pleasant next to the Songs of Angels the pious conference of holy men is the sweetest melody our ears can be entertained with other things comparatively found harsh to the things of God neither at the instant affect the Ear with that pleasure nor afterwards leave it in that composure To reflect a little by way of comparison And first let us listen a little to what the World says a buzze there is in both ears but what do we hear Such a man hath play'd the Knave and such a man hath play'd the Fool such a Family is at great Discord or in great distress such a Nation is involved in War or such a Person hath shed the blood of War in Peace for ordinary we hear nothing but what it is a vexation to hear nothing but what may make our Ears to tingle or if ought seems at present to tickle them as profane Jests and idle stories may for a while do this tickling ends in torment the Ear is put out of Order and the Heart as being defiled is not a little discomposed He could see so little pleasure in the Speeches that he abhorred the Songs of Sinners as having no harmony in them their Mirth was rather his Sorrow Eccl. 7.5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the Wise than for a man to hear the Song of Fools But 2. In listning to holy Discourse we hear of the Love of God the glory of Heaven the Graces that do shine in some the Duties that are performed by others we hear of an end that shall be put to all earthly troubles whereby the sharpest sufferings are allayed and by what we may hear further death it self comes to be despised Are the stories we hear on one Ear and the other to be compared we may hearken long enough e're the Ear will be satisfied with hearing except we chance to hear something from Heaven all the good News is in the Word of God and to be heard from good men that bring us stories there-from 4. By neglecting holy Discourse you may lose opportunities of good both to your selves and others that you will wish you had taken 1. It may be as to your selves you were in Company with Persons eminent for grace and knowledg here was an opportunity of doing your own Soul good but by the stream of your impertinent tattle all savoury Discourse was diverted that Season was neglected afterwards you see your lack of knowledg the Instrument is removed Ah Fools do we not then cry out of our selves the opportunity is gone and we are undone How must it gall an awakned Jew to think what Discourse he had with Jesus Christ Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar Here is a Woman caught in Adultery Why do not thy Disciples Fast c. Ah! had I nothing else to enquire of my Saviour Would it not have been more pertinent to have asked what I shall do to be saved But he is gone and I must die in my sins How many Persons have we sent away that have had a word of wisdom in their hearts having learnt only what a Clock it was what weather what News forgetting to ask our own hearts what all this was to us and enquire of them things worthy of their wisdom and our learning Secondly as to others you may rue the opportunities you have lost here lay a poor wretch with one foot in Hell would he not have started back if he had had light to Discover his Danger Well you are together something you must say the same breath would serve for a compassionate admonition as a complacent impertinency which will redound to neither of your advantages you part the man dies in his sins and in the midst of Hell cryes out against you one word of yours might have saved me you had me you might have told me of my danger you forbore I hardned the Lord reward your negligence Oh give not poor Souls occasion to rail at you in Hell for your sinful silence or impertinent converse with them here on Earth You will pretend it may be want of matter in excuse for your forbearing holy Discourse Object No Friend it was want of mind Answ thou art not straitned in thy Subject but in thy self Religious matter has no End Eternity is not sufficient for it but thou art resolved also it shall have no beginning Well you know your duty and do as likes you 3. In order to the right management of our Tongue especial regard must be had to its scope what is aimed at in every motion of it either immediately or ultimately for without some scope it is vain talk and according to the goodness or badness of our scope it is ordinarily good or bad talk I say ordinarily for some talk is so bad that it is scarce capable of a good scope much less of being made good by it yet less evil it does become to instance in blasphemy and lying great moral evils both in their own Nature and no design can destroy the Nature of them in that the Word of God allows not but forbids the doing of evil that good may come of it yet speeches materially so have been passed over the evil as of simplicity pardoned and the good aimed at in them as of sincerity rather rewarded As Paul Rahab and the Egyptian Midwives might be instances but let us take heed of making them Examples But ordinarily as I said before the Scope does much unto the Specification of the Speech so much 1. That fair Speeches become foul if dirty designs be couched under them or carried on by them he cryes out therefore for help against the Flatterer as if he was a Murtherer Psal 12.1 2 3. Help Lord for the faithful fail they speak vanity every one with his Neighbour with flattering lips c. the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips Psal 55.21 His words are softer than Oyl yet are they drawn Swords The like may be said of the fawning Woman that entices to vice Prov. 5.3 4. The Lips of a strange Woman drop as an Honey-comb but her end is bitter as Wormwood sharp as a two-edged Sword 2. Good Speeches become evil to the users of them if evil be meant by them as if we couch under them to cover sinful purposes
the Devil's work in stealing the Seed of the Word of God out of Mens hearts and making it unfruitful These practices beget in men a mean esteem and contempt of God's Word when they see how little good it doth to others and how little power it hath with you that profess it Before I come to the Application two Questions are to be Answered 1. May I not speak evil of another Person when it is true Quest 1. A Man may be faulty in so doing The real secret faults of your Neighbour as I told you you ought not unnecessarily to publish And suppose there be no untruth nor injustice in it yet there is uncharitableness and unkindness in it and that is a sin Thou wouldst not have all Truth said concerning thy self nor all thy real faults publickly traduced Out of thy own mouth will God Judg thee O thou wicked Servant Yea thy own Tongue and Conscience shall another day condemn thee 2. You may speak evil of another Person when necessity requires it It may be necessary sometimes for his good and so you may speak evil of him unto those that can help it as a man may acquaint Parents with the miscarriages of their Children in order to their amendment Thus Gen. 27.2 Joseph brought to his Father the evil Report of his Brethren Sometimes this may be necessary for the caution of others as if I see a man ready to enter into intimate Friendship and Acquaintance with a Person whom I know to be highly vicious and dangerous I may in such a case caution him against it For certainly if Charity commands me when my Neighbour's Ox is ready to fall into a Pit to do my endeavour ro prevent it much more am I obliged to prevent the ruine of my Brother's Soul when I see him so near destruction But for a man to do this unnecessarily and unprofitably this is the sin I have been speaking of 3. If you will speak evil of other Persons do it in the right method Christ hath given us an Excellent Rule Mat. 18.15 16. If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee take two or three more and if he will not hear them tell it to the Church But if Men will be preposterous and will not follow Christ's Order but instead of private admonishing will publish men's faults to others herein they make themselves Transgressors 4. In doubtful cases silence is the safest way It is rarely men's duty to speak evil of Men and when it is not their duty to speak it is not their sin to be silent It is seldom that any suffer by my silence or concealment of his fault but great hazards are run and many Persons commonly are made sufferers by my publication Now as Charity commands me to pass the most favourable judgment so Wisdom obligeth me to chuse the safest course Quest 2 But what if that Man I speak against be an Enemy to God and his People May not I in that case speak evil of him Doth not that Zeal I ow to God engage me to speak evil of such a man as far as I can with truth This I believe is that which induceth many well meaning Persons to this sinful practice of detracting from divers worthy Persons Ministers and others as supposing them to be Enemies to God and to his ways and so they think their reproaching and censuring of such Persons is nothing but zeal for God For Answer to this consider 1. There is abundance of sinful Zeal in the World and in the Church Therefore the Apostle gives us a Caution Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing Otherwise we know it was from Zeal that Paul persecuted the Church Phil. 3.6 Zeal indeed is an Excellent grace in it self but nothing more frequently both pretended where it is not and where Envy Interest or Malice lye at the bottom and abused where it is 2. True Zeal hath an equal respect to all God's commands and especially to those that are most plain and most considerable It is at least doubtful whether the man thou traducest be an Enemy to God and his ways sure I am it is so with some Ministers and Christians that are highly censured and reproached by those that differ from them and it were great Impudence to deny it But this is a certain truth and evident duty Thou shalt not take up an evil reproach against thy Neighbour 3. Consider how easie a mistake is in this case and how dangerous Peradventure he whom thou callest an Enemy to God will upon enquiry be found a Friend of God and his ways But what dost thou mean by the ways of God Possibly thy own ways or party that thou art engaged in take heed of that If you would Judg aright you must distinguish between the circumstantials and the essentials of the ways of God Suppose a man be an Enemy to thy Party and thy way and manner of Religious Worship and Government yea let us suppose that thine is indeed the way of God wherein yet thou maist be mistaken if now this man be an able and zealous Assertor of the substantial and fundamental truths of God and ways of Holiness and this be attended with an Holy and exemplary Life who dare say that this man is an enemy to God and his ways O my Soul come not into the secrets of such Persons 4. You must not go out of God's way to meet with God's Enemies If any man be really an Enemy of God and of his Truths and ways I do not perswade you to comply with him or by sinful silence to betray the cause of God only let me entreat you to do God's work in God's way you may apply your selves to him and endeavour to convince him you may speak or write against his Doctrine provided you do it with modesty and moderation and not with that virulence and venom wherewith too many Books are now leavened But for this way of Detraction and Reproach it is a dishonourable and disingenuous way it is a sinful and disorderly way it is an unprofitable and ineffectual way and no way suitable either to the Nature of God whom you serve or to the Rule and Example of our Blessed Saviour or to the great principle of Love and Charity or to that end which you are to aim at in all things the honour of God and the good of other men Now I come to the Application Lamentation for the gross neglect of this Duty or the frequent Commission Vse 1 of this sin What Tears are sufficient to bewail it How thick do Censures and Reproaches fly in all places at all Tables in all Conventions And this were the more tolerable if it were only the fault of ungodly Men of Strangers and Enemies to Religion For so saith the Proverb Wickedness proceedeth from
not and therefore as for all those Actions they did for the Church of God though God did gain Honour by them yet they did not honour God nor were they accepted of him because they were not in Christ Vse of Exhort To study the Name of the Lord Jesus for by how much the more we know of his Name by so much the more we shall trust in him Psal 9.10 It is the Name which is above every Name Phil. 2.9 His Name is as sweet precious Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 The richest Treasuries of Grace are laid up in that Name of Christ John 1.16 Study it that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth c. of it that you may be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.18 19. There is a surpassing Excellency as in that Name so in the knowledge of it Phil. 3.8 for by this knowledge we come to the fairest and clearest discoveries of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the Lord shines into the hearts of such Students and communicates a glorious Light unto them We come by this knowledge as to see into the Treasuries of Grace in him so to possess and enjoy them and this knowledge carries Eternal Life with it John 17.3 The next Use is of Reproof 1. Too many of great parts Learning and Worth yet have ambitiously affected a great name in the Church and in the World to gain followers and make a party to be cry'd up as teaching Men Mat. 23.8 9 10. This was it which Christ saw was a very prevailing evil among the Scribes and Pharisees and utterly decried it saying be not called Rabbi Rabbi that is do not affect to be so called or through Pride and Ambition delight in these Titles Augustine was a Person of great Piety and Parts and he abhorred this Spiritual preheminency which he took notice of in many in his time who took up their Religion and Faith upon trust and upon the Credit of some Men of great name in the Church non ad 〈…〉 nomen ambulo said he Christi nomen tenea pertâ—em si essem de pâ—â—te pauli â—â—â—omodo non per irem si essem ex parte Donatâ— recedâ—â—t 〈…〉 I walk not according to the names 〈◊〉 Titles 〈…〉 of Christ I should perish if I took 〈…〉 more under the name of Donatus away 〈…〉 the same Augustine in Soliloquio speaking of Christ saith vocast◠〈◊〉 nâ—mine tuo signasti me sanguine tuo unxisti me oleo tuo de quo a ictus fuist at à te Christo dicerer Christianus Thou hast signed me with thy Blood thou hast called me by thy Name I have been anointed by thee and from Christ I am a Christian And Luther Tom. 2. Wittemb saith primum oro nomen meum taceatur nemo Lutheranus sed Christianus appelletur Quid est Lutherus atqui Doctrina non est mea nec pro quopiam sum Crucifixus Vnde mihi putido vermium Sacco hoc accideret ut filii Christi à meo vilissimo nomine denominentur Absit amici deleamus Schismatica nomina denominemur à Christo cujus Doctrinam habemus I desire first that my name may be concealed and that none should be called a Lutheran but a Christian What is Luther my Doctrine is not mine but Christs I was not crucified for any How comes it to pass that I who am but a filthy stinking bag of Worms that any of the Sons of Christ should be denominated from my Name Away with these Schismatical names let us be denominated from Christ from whom alone we have our Doctrine This very thing of affectation of a Name and Fame in the Church hath been very pernicious The greatest Heresies have been owned propagated and maintained upon this account as _____ L. 1. C. 20. tells us the Simonians from Simon Magus and Justin Martyr in his Dialogue saith some have been call'd Marcionites others Valentinians others Bazilidians * _____ some by one name some by another from their first Founders But Lactantius tells us l. 4. de vera sapientia when once men come under such denominations Christiani esse desierunt qui Christi nomine amisso humana externa vocabula induerunt they cease to be Christians when they come under humane names and titles in matters of Religion and therefore Paul would have none follow him further than he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 He rejects the honours which some would have put upon him with an indignation some affected to be call'd by his and other great names in the Church 1 Cor. 1.12 13. Some said they were of Paul c. but when he comes to speak as to himself he speaks with an abhorrence that any should set up his name with Christs What was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized into the name of Paul God forbid that any should be guilty of so great a sin as to come under that denomination 2. Others are to be blamed even the generality of Professors that having taken the Name of Christ upon them and are called by his Name are a reproach to this high and holy Name who are so far from doing all things in the Name of Christ as they do nothing in his Name but do live against that Name they do not depart from iniquity as every Christian upon that account ought to do 2 Tim. 2.19 How many say they are Christians but are not Rev. 3.9 He calls it Blasphemy in them that said they were Jews that is Christians but were not they pretended indeed to be true Christians but held such Doctrines and lived in such lewd sinful practices as were opposite to Christ Such persons profane the sacred Name of Christ who live in such a way as cast a blot and imputation upon him Christians as such should be so far from the practice even of such sins as many have very light thoughts of that they must not so much as name them Eph. 5.3 4. Fornication Uncleanness and Covetousness must not so much as be named by them The Lord Christ and his Gospel suffer more by Christians that bear his Name than by others that despise him they open the mouths of the enemy to blaspheme the holy Name of Christ and the Religion of Christ Jam. 2.7 They blaspheme that worthy Name by which they are called He had spoken before of some Professors who had the Faith of the Lord Jesus with respect of persons v. 1 2 and 6. proud rich ones that did oppress others such men by their wicked practices did blaspheme the Name of Christ by such practices they did cast a blot and scandal upon the Religion which they did profess and by that means caused others to blaspheme the Name of Christ To the like purpose Paul speaks concerning the Jews who were high pretenders to the Law yet lived in the continual breach of it Rom. 2.24 Through them the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles
faithless confidence a fond credulous presumption arising from a groundless over easie perswasion of the mercy of God towards us this kind of Presumption may be joyn'd vvith some sense and conviction of sin and the dangerous consequence of it but presently salves all vvith the general air and breath of a Promise misconstrued and misapplied The Mistakes are these 1. This is more Fancy than Faith or Hope 'T is a vain imagination that deludes men into a belief and expectation of that vvhich they are in no likelihood of in no capacity for they promise themselves vvhat God hath never promised cry peace peace vvhen God hath not spoken peace 2. Such an one doth not rightly distinguish between the vvorkings of natural affection towards any good propounded and the rational actings of Hope for the obtaining of it in a probable or certain vvay in the use of due and proper means Heaven glory and eternal Life are good vvords and better things at the first mention of them vve naturally desire them and vvish for them but shall vve be carried away vvith a meer sound of vvords must vve needs have all vve hear of vve shall quickly bring our selves into a fools Paradise this vvay dreaming vve eat and yet awake an hungry there is more ado than so to inherit the Promises vve must prove our title first the Promises give us an interest in Heaven but 't is Christ that gives us an interest in the Promises he opens the mouth of a Promise to speak comfort to us in him they are all Yea and Amen but out of him they all cry no no vve have nothing for you vvho are out of Christ they vvill deny all the vvorld that come not in his Name and never let out any thing of their treasure to such no vvringing out of one drop of solid comfort The bare History or outward Relation of the Mercy of God in the letter of the Word gives us no interest in the things promised the carnal Jews as Paul observes had the Promises and boasted of them but got little by them Christ is the door of every Promise let us not think to make a forceable entry to climb up at the vvindows like Theives to steal out mercy as if vve cared not how vve came by it you vvill find vvhat is so gotten vvill thrive accordingly and quickly come to nothing What I drive at is this 't is not the report of the vvorth or amiableness of a thing but an apprehension of the possibility of it as to us that causes hope till vve are clear in this our hope cannot act rationally if it have no other ground besides our own desires and natural inclinations raised and kindled in us by the specious appearance and ravishing beauty of some taking objects this argues rather vvhat vve vvould have than any likelyhood of obtaining of our vvishes vvhich is of the very essence of hope earnest desires are very apt to run out into a forward presuming hope vve know not vvell vvhy or vvherefore Quae volumus facile credimus 3. Another mistake in this fond credulous presumption is that it takes up promises in its own sense and not in the true sense and meaning of God So the Jews John 8.33 cryed they were Abrahams seed c. and the Promise run in these very words to Abraham and his seed therefore who but they must be included in it but it was the Spiritual seed that God meant not that after the flesh they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6 No sayes Christ you are the Children of the Devil of your Father the Devil John 8.44 and they took up stones and threw at him ver 59. being not able to bear any contradiction to their false hopes So when we read those Promises of salvation to those that come to Christ believe in him call upon his Name we must not understand them as if a bare form of Godliness and crying Lord have mercy upon us would bring us to heaven No My brethren the Mystery of Religion lies deeper than so 't is the labour of the heart that requires the greatest diligence intention and seriousness imaginable strong workings within great agonies and contentions of Spirit in our dealings with God in any duty The life of our Worship does consist in these inward spiritual motions of the Soul towards God This is that coming that believing that praying to which Salvation is promised The grace of Hope enquires after the Secrets of the Covenant the real intent and mind of God in every Promise prayes for a right understanding of all particulars Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law Psal 119.18 Besides the true meaning of a Promise a Child of God is very solicitous to know whether God do indeed mean him and speak to him and offer those pearls to him whether he be a person rightly qualified and under all those due circumstances that belong to persons entertaining such an hope 't is a great comfort and satisfaction to a Believer when God does own his hope and encourage him in it by some sensible demonstrations of his undoubted interest in such and such Promises he hears God saying to him take eat this is thy portion purchased by Christ for thee thou art my Child and this is childrens bread it belongeth to thee While we are musing and praying over a promise God does sometimes feed us out of that promise himself and with his own hand puts many a sweet morsel into our mouths O this is overcoming kindness this is a double a treble welcome to have such fare and the Master of the Feast standing by and looking on and carving to us himself and crying out as it is Cant. 5.1 Eat O my friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved When we have shut our Bibles and have done with a promise and are setting down the Cup of Salvation out of our hands God many times makes us to mend our draught and go deeper than ever we did drink yea drink abundantly O beloved But presumption is a bold guest thrusts in uninvited catches at this and that in a rude manner The word Presumption notes a taking before-hand before 't is offer'd before 't is due before he is called he runs away with a promise puts his own sense upon it and deludes himself with vain hopes from it and when the King comes to review his Guests shall be cast out into outer darkness Mat. 22.11 12 13. 4. Another errour or mistake in presumption is that it picks and chuses out some Promises and rejects others the priviledges of the Saints it catcheth at freedom from condemnation eternal life and glory but the Promises of Grace Sanctification and Holiness it minds not it hopes to see God without Holiness and to go to Heaven as well as the best it is more for the wages than for the work But the grace of Hope fastens upon every Promise gathers honey out of every flower
with the horror and darkness of thy miserable estate dwell not too long at the gates of hell lest the devil pull thee in but wind thy self up again by renewed acts of faith and fly for refuge unto the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6.18 And all the way thou goest admire the infinite grace and love of God to thee in delivering thee from so great a death My brethren there 's no entring into the maze and labyrinth of sin without this clew in your hands Solitary considerations of sin if we dwell too long upon them will work too violently therefore we should make frequent transitions from sin to free grace from the Law to the Gospel from our miserable and wretched selves to our merciful and mighty Redeemer But you 'l say how can this be to pass from one contrary passion to another who can make such transitions The Schools tell us it must be per magnum conatum by some great endeavour that is a strain beyond ordinary and such endeavours we must put forth counting it as much our duty to rejoyce in mercy as to mourn for sin and we cannot do both at once though there be a connexion of divine Graces as well as moral vertues yet this implies rather a successive continuation than any simultaneousness at least as to the intense actings of different graces 't is true where there is one grace there is every grace that is in semine in the seed or root of it and it may be also as to some weaker latent actual influences yet those particular graces which upon different distinct considerations do work contrary passions in us they cannot be both intensely acted at the same time sed per vices intervalla there is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce a time to fear and a time to hope particular graces do take their turns in the soul and act sutably unto the present occasion 2. Direction against despair for unbelievers convinced of sin but unacquainted with Christ and free Grace The distraction fear and amazement of spirit that seizes upon such is unexpressible till God break in upon them and begin with them speaking peace to them man can do little yet means must be used I shall name a few things 1. Look upon this conviction of sin thou lyest under rather as a mercy than a judgement as a token for good in as much as God hath given thee timely notice of thy danger and fair warning to flee from the wrath to come 2. Look upon thy self now in a far greater capacity for grace and pardon than ever heretofore 3. Set thy self with all seriousness to study the doctrine of free grace in Christ never more need than now meditate much upon the great goodness of God and his excellent loving kindness Psal 31.19 Psal 36.6 Intense thoughts of sin and slight perfunctory thoughts of mercy drive us to despair 4. Be perswaded to come to Christ under all thy fears Hast thou been as a Dove of the valley mourning on the mountains for thy iniquity Ezek. 7.16 come down from those mountains those solitary places and go weeping to the Lord Jer. 50.4 Bemoan thy self at the feet of Christ he will hear thee Jer. 31.18 19. tell God all thou hast to say of thy miserable condition complaining to thy self and to men signifies little it heightens thy fear but God sympathizes with thee Jer. 31.20 put thy self into his hands he will lead thee ver 9. refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 there will be a lifting up Job 22.29 what ever the issue be thou canst be no worse than thou art in thy own judgement to sin is mors animae but to despair is descendere in infernum sin is death and despair is hell cry out of the belly of that hell to Christ and see if he do not bring thee forth But alas those who are under a spirit of bondage and fear have a thousand objections against this I have been pressing them to I shall go over some of these and answer them as I go they come to Christ they 'l tell us They cannot come Tell the Lord then thou art willing to come but canst not be perswaded to come as thou canst canst thou not go into thy chamber into thy closet and shut thy door and throw thy self down in the dust before the Lord this is coming and this thou canst do I am sure do it then and call upon the name of the Lord. But Object 2 I cannot pray Answ It may be not now at this time but how canst thou tell what thou maist do at such a time when in obedience to an Ordinance of God thou hast put thy self into a praying posture in that very hour it may be given and hath been I am perswaded to thousands of God's children he will prepare thy heart Psal 10.17 if thou canst not utter thy mind as thou wouldest pray as thou canst and if thou hast nothing to say if no one savoury expression drops from thee it may be it is because the inward sense thou hast of sin is too big for utterance it may be so sometimes and 't is best when it is so and then out of the abundance of thy heart weep and mourn out thy inward meaning Lacrymae pondera vocis hahent groan and sigh and look wishfully towards heaven and believe that God sees thee when thou hast no sight of him this is prayer But Object 3 I have lived hitherto as without God in the world neglecting prayer altogether I am a mere stranger unto Christ and will he hear such a one as I who come upon this pinch just when necessity drives me certainly no he will tell me to my face as well he may he knows me not and bid me go to those empty creatures I formerly trusted in Answ Don't you take upon you to personate Christ in his dealings with sinners his thoughts are not as your thoughts what if you would do thus and thus if you were in Christs stead does it therefore follow that he must do so too O no as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his thoughts above thy thoughts Isa 55.8 9. do you think and say what you will Christ will act like himself and do that for thee that never entred into thy heart to conceive of his wayes are unsearchable and past our finding out his love passeth knowledge thou dost not know thou canst not tell before-hand what infinite rich grace is able to do for thee O come then and make a tryal and know for thy further encouragement that poor humble sinners are alwayes welcome to Christ but never more welcome than at their first coming Luke 15.22 c. There are two jubilees kept in heaven one at the conversion of a sinner here on earth Luke 15.7 the other at his glorification in heaven Jude 24. Christ does then present us to glory with exceeding joy how glad is Christ
when he hath brought a sinner safe and sound to heaven and secur'd him there to all eternity I mention this to shew the great delight Christ takes in shewing mercy to poor sinners in opposition to those evil surmizes and hard thoughts which thou hast of him but yet it may be thou replyest Object 4 My case is not the case of common sinners none so great an offender as I no sins like mine capable of such high aggravations were there but one man in the whole world to be damned and to go to hell I have reason to believe that I am he and since things are so bad with me I cannot be comforted Answ This is a sad case indeed we see objections rise higher and higher and doubting souls out of our very answers to one objection will pick out matter for another but I am loth to leave thee behind me in the very bottom of the pit let me then reach down a helping hand to thee once more let me give thee one lift more and I hope in answering this objection I shall answer all and silence thy unbelief for ever Is it so that thou art the worst of men the greatest of sinners under matchless guilt be it so we will admit all this to be true and take thee under that black character which thou hast now given of thy self and yet I say there is hope my advice to thee in short is this come as the greatest sinner that ever was in the world to Christ and I dare undertake for thy welcome let that which hath been hitherto thy discouragement turn now to thy great encouragement Christ came not to the whole but to the sick not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance even the greatest of sinners and since thou takest thy self to be so obey this loud call and come immediately to Christ though thy sins be as scarlet and as crimson they shall be as white as snow and as wool Isa 1.18 therefore turn thee to thy God and wait continually on him Hosea 12.6 etiam cum ad culmen perveneris omnium peccatorum as Zanch. upon the place lib. 1. de relig when thou art come to the height of all sin and wickedness Thus whoever thou art O poor trembling doubting soul remember that God hath once more called thee to come to Christ this day to come as thou art in thy rags in thy poverty in thy emptiness and insufficiency that he may be all in all to thee though means and ordinances do not presently take off our doubts and overcome our fears and fully satisfie our souls but still we remain hopeless and heartless and unbelieving yet if they do so far prevail with us as to put us upon the tryal and use of those means we are directed to compelling us to comply with the counsel that God gives us by his Ministers this may be a sign for good that God hath taken a secret hold of thy heart and is drawing thee on in the way wherein he will be found Go home then and say though I am as cloudy and dark as ever unsatisfied as ever though I have no heart to come to Christ no expectation of any success in coming yet I will come however if it be but to satisfie the importunity of others of the Ministers of the Gospel who in Christ's name and in his stead do so earnestly beseech me once more to make tryal of the freeness of his grace Tell Jesus Christ who sent you we will own it at the last day and justifie our message to you tell him then what thou hast heard this day and that thou couldest not make away with thy self and throw thy self headlong into hell till thou hast once more expos'd thy self to his wonted pity and commiseration to such as thou art tell him thy soul is ready to break for the longing desire it hath after Christ cry out and say how long Lord holy and true when wilt thou shine out upon thy poor creature who is walking in the valley of the shadow of death and can see no light O make hast to help O arise and save me come Lord Jesus come quickly with relief and succour to my poor soul offer thy self in this manner to Christ present thy self thus before the Lord and if thou findest thy self pressed out of measure above strength insomuch as thou despairest even of life as 2 Cor. 1.8 9. O then cast thy self burthen and all upon Jesus Christ Mat. 11.28 and when thou canst not gather comfort from any present sensible impressions made upon thy heart then argue from promises made to thy coming take them as an answer from God to thee and make thy best of them as David did Psal 119.81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word hath not Christ said John 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out if he should never speak one word more to thee all thy dayes here is enough said already to support thee we say omne praeteritum est necessarium that which is past can never be recall'd Christ will never unsay what is pass'd out of his lips keep thy hold here and thou art safe to eternity Nothing but raptures and particular revelations some strong sensible feelings of comfort will satisfie some whereas indeed God hath revealed his whole counsel to us in the Scriptures and has nothing more to say to sinners than what is already expressed in the Gospel the particular answers that God gives his people sometimes what are they but inward repetitions of Gospel-promises to the heart sealed up there by the Spirit How a Christian may get such a faith that is not only saving but comfortable and joyful at present Serm. XXV 1 Peter 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory THE Question which this Text was chosen to resolve is How a Christian may get such a Faith as is not only saving at the last but comfortable and joyful at present This case hath two things in it one it takes for granted the other it doth suppose may and sometimes doth come to pass it takes first for granted that joy and comfort arise from Faith viz. Faith unfeigned as the Apostle speaks which purifies the heart and sets love a work to obey the Law and so the commandment hath the end for which it was made 1 Tim. 1.5 and this is very sure for all comfort must begin in God and be derived from him he is the father of mercies and the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 and he hath given us everlasting consolations through grace 2 Thess 2. last but it is not from God absolute or without a Mediator alas there is no comfort in that What comfort can a malefactor that hath myriads of inditements against him upon the file the least whereof must take away his life expect from a just
they must have been for ever without Jesus Christ 2. They learn to give a guess what were the unintelligible amazements and consternatious that were upon the soul of Jesus Christ in their room 3. The blessedness that comes by Jesus Christ And when they have learned their lessons in this School out of the word by this ever blessed Tutor God brings them out with silver joy and gold and comfort 2. Direct Make serious use of marks and signs The best search is in a man 's own heart and there the greatest case of conscience is whether Christ be in you 2 Cor. 13.5 One of the best uses the preacher can make is a use of tryal Skilful ones lay open these marks with much evidence and vehemence beseech require charge that impartial search be made And Christians hear and affect and say it is a home-Sermon but do not seriously upon retirement bring themselves to the truth The Minister may preach his lungs out of his body and it is not minded If self-tryal were impartially practised the blessed spirit in this way would give in evidence and by that comfort for instance Jesus Christ tells us he lays down his life for his sheep John 10. there he gives the marks of his sheep as first They do not follow the voice of strangers i. e. Strange doctrines duties worship as Socinianism Popery Pelagianism new or old Quakerism they fly from them they know not the voice of strangers v. 5. 2. They know Christ with an high appreciating and obedient knowledg v. 14. 3. They hear his voice and they follow him not a stranger v. 28. Now if you would try your selves by these and many very many such like if you would impartially see the complexion of your souls in the glass of the word this would beget certainty and that would beget comfort 3. Direct Be not slothful in the business of Faith remove away far from you a sluggish frame stir up blow up the coals exercise thy Faith exert new acts of application of Jesus Christ to thee daily We want comfort and why Jesus Christ is not in our serious thoughts all the day We eat bread daily for life natural and cloath our selves daily to cover our nakedness before men sure the soul hath as much need of food and rayment as the body Jesus crucified is the onely the Heavenly food and rayment stir up thine appetite Mitte sidem put forth thine hand put him on repeated acts of recumbency and application will rise up into acquaintance and evidence and will let in this precious joy and consolation Believe it Sirs it is a sin of a far greater nature than we are aware of a sin of horrid unkindness neglect slighting of our best friends viz. that we make sure of every thing but Jesus Christ A little land a small Tenement a little money there we cry fast bind and fast find there we have a male in the flock and can defend our diligence very smartly but in the great concern of our souls we are at uncertainties and hap hazard there the blind and the lame is for sacrifice What a noise is there about a civil propriety in mint and cummin and what a Silence and remisness about the soul's propriety in the Son of God 't is a prodigious and inexcusable indiscretion and folly and an unspeakable mischief into the bargain 4. Direct Take heed of thy heart fetch not thy comforts from and terminate not thy joy upon any creature this were clear idolatry therefore check thy joy about these things cut off the suckers and the boughs will be laden with fruit stop these back-ditches and the stream will be strong Remember Job could approve his sincerity by this that he did not rejoyce because his wealth was great and because his hand had gotten much Cap. 31. v. 24. Remember our Lord Christ abated his disciples joy Rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject to you a man may cast out Devils and go to hell but rejoyce rather in this that your names are in the book of life Act Faith to see God the giver Christ the purchaser of your daily mercies and thence fetch your joy into them My cloaths first must have warmth from my body and then they warm me 5. Direct If a Christian would attain to that Faith viz. certainty that will make his life comfortable he must go on to be more holy in both the parts of it he must die to sin more The Scripture calls upon us every where to hate abhor mortifie crucifie viz. to death lay aside as a dead corps put off as filthy rags cast away as a plague-sore what all this while why lusts filthy lusts wrath anger vain-glory pride impatience filthy wanton thoughts You know the Apostle presseth these things as the main use of the Doctrine of Jesus Paul is abundant in this in his Epistles to the Churches do it then dwell upon these Scriptures much daily let them dwell in you be docrs of the word Your ministers are afraid either of the rickets the head is big with airy notions or but notions and the joynts be weak or Childdishness that people are more taken with a little gawdy trimming than with the substance of the cloth Study these truths and look to your hearts and conform to them this is the way for to get and when you have gotten to keep some assurance and that will comfort your hearts the pure in heart shall see God and any glimpse of that is a most comfortable sight The Scripture saith especially in Gospel times that the people of God should walk in the light of his countenance if thou put away iniquity from thy heart thou shalt lift up thy face the more conscience the more sense of love and the more sense the more comfort the less clouds the more fun The old Puritans had a great deal of feeling and much Serious joy 6. Direct Look well to the other part of holiness live to righteousness live in it live the Col. 3.17 read it over and over as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them Gal. 6.16 to such a one Christ will manifest himself Joh. 14.21 his Father and himself will come to such a one and will make their abode with him v. 23. the Father will love him it is meant of love manifestative not initial he will manifest his love there is joy indeed to the upright I will shew the Salvation of God not I will begin to be but I will shew Psal 50. last Look to your trades let there be holiness to the Lord upon your weights and measures look to your family duties study well and observe your relation-duties family-passions cloud Faith disturb duty darken comfort 7. Direct All this while I take it for granted that thou art a Christian Why then if thou wilt get and keep this Faith that will get and keep comfort alive The seventh direction is To be much and frequent in
their hearts and alter their course and who knows at what day or hour he 'l come So long as there 's Life there 's hope of their Conversion What a wicked Son was Manasse yet God wrought upon him at last What a sad life did the Prodigal live yet he returned to his Father at last God can turn notorious Sinners into eminent Saints wait therefore but do not fret 3. The Case is sad but discontent will do no good in it Earnest prayer and quiet submission may do much but impatience will do nothing It troubles me much when I see gracious Parents vexing themselves for their ungracious Children Alas by this they do but hurt themselves but do no good to them 4. I suppose it to be but your affliction not your sin You have done your duty in godly education in setting a good example in exhorting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metrocles to Stilpo concerning his bad daughter in Plutarch's Moralâ— p. 458 reproing c in praying to God for your Children if after all this they will be naught their blood will be required of themselves you have freed your souls from their eternal ruine and perdition 5. God will secure and advance his own glory That 's the thing that cuts you that God should be dishonoured by any that descends from you but as to that satisfie your selves he will even by your sinful Relations one way or other promote his honour If he be not glorified by them which we should desire he will be glorified upon them which we must submit unto 'T is to many Divines an unquestionable truth that when at the day of Judgment the sentence of condemnation shall be pronounced upon wicked Children their Godly Parents shall so rest in God's will and be so swallowed up in his glory that they shall not grieve at this sentence but rather rejoyce at it Now then if God here will harden their hearts and give them up to their own Lusts though you are not to rejoyce at this yet you ought quietly to submit to it 6. 'T is good to reflect upon the grace of God to your selves and to consider that 't is infinite mercy that you are not as bad as they Discriminating grace if duly thought of would be an excellent Antidote against Passion in the present tryal But I must say no more of this I have as briefly as I could for the matter would have admitted of far greater enlargement gone over two grand Cases the one referring to the Estate the other to Relations * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. Orat. 16. H w Consideration is to be managed for the manner of it and shewn under each how consideration is to be acted in order to Contentment There is a third referring to the Body 1. With respect to deformity 2. To defects 3. To infirmittes pain sickness an affliction both very common and also very †great to which I would fain have spoken something but I must forbear lest I should too much exceed the bounds of such a discoutse as this is Onely there is a third General which I propounded at the first to say something of which I will but just touch upon and so dispatch this firâ—t Help or Means to the learning of Contentment Hitherto I have been directing you as to the matter of consideration Now I am to direct you as to the manner of it He that would so consider as thereby to get and keep his heart settled and composed under every trouble he must be therein frequent speedy serious 1. Frequent If you be but seldom in the practice of this duty you will never arrive at being masters of the divine art of Contentment You must consider again and again by repeated thoughts to work upon your hearts that which is proper for the quieting of them By much chasing the ointment pierceth into the part affected and so it gives ease When the disease is hard to be cured or apt to return the remedy must be often useds and so 't is here As to the prevention or removal of Discontent the mind must be often in consideration Plutar. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fiercest creatures by frequent converse become more tame and governable Dogs bark not at those to whom they are used The Moralist applies it to the Passions of the mind which do in a great measure lose their fierceness and are more easily brought under command when a man inures himself to consideration 2. Speedy As soon as ever the hellish fire of Discontent begins to kindle in thy heart presently think of that which may be as water for the quenching of it If you let it alone like other fires 't will get such a head that it will be too hard for you Impatience is the soul in mutiny against God now Mutinies in an Army must be suppressed speedily 'T is good to take the distemper at the beginning as soon as there 's any commotion in the spirit because of this or that cross immediately retire ply the heart with consideration reason with your selves Is not all of God Shall not all be for good and so on as hath been directed Nay indeed 't would be of great advantage to us to be before hand with the affliction not only to see it before it comes but to lay up heart-quieting thoughts for it against it shall come How is an evil * res adversas infregit quisquis prior vidit Senec. de Traâ—q An. lessened by the fore-sight of it praevisi mali mollior ictus how patiently is it undergone when one hath had some forecast in his thoughts about it Few are so fit for consideration after a trouble as they are before it the foregame is much easier to be plaid than the aftergame And its efficacy too is the greater when persons are so early at it Before God strikes the blow cast with your selves What if my Child or my Estate should be taken from me how should I bear such an affliction contentedly why things stand thus or thus and therefore I must be contented What would follow upon this Why matters being digested before-hand the mind would be the more still when the evil shall actually seize upon you 3. Serious Loose and careless and sudden thoughts signifie but little to a froward heart but when they are intent and fixed so as to dwell upon what lies before them then they have a good effect The plaister must lye upon the sore and then it works the cure When consideration is managed with the utmost intention of the mind with the staying of the soul upon the proper object then and never but then doth it further contentation So much for the first Help or means The second Help to contentment viz. Godliness 2. The second is Godliness The Apostle links them together 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gain what may be the reason of this connexion Not only because they do ever accompany each the other or
of the Affliction but what puts a greatness into the affliction why the greatness of the Affection If the Relation was not overloved the loss of him would not amount to such an affliction as 't is usually made he that over-loves will over-grieve Qui nimis amat nimis dolet and he that overgrieves will be apt to murmur Grace then confining the Affections to these sublunary things so it furthers Contentment 4. It makes the Conscience good And a good conscience is that Ark into which God uses to put the manna of concentment It carries joy in it 't is a continual feast Prov. 15.15 now he that hath this joy within is not easily or much moved at any trouble without let the weather be what it will there is nothing but serenity in his soul If the part be sore you cannot touch it but 't is in pain let it be but firm and sound and it can bear a smart blow without complaining when Conscience is sound and good a man can bear any thing but when 't is not so he can bear nothing without being under great anguish of mind 2. Secondly Godliness works Contentment by making a person to have a powerful sense of God's Glory so as alwayes to rest in that as his ultimate end and most desirable good this is that glorious effect which Grace produceth in the heart And thereby it doth effectually further quietness of spirit in every condition Pray observe it Selfishness and lowness of mens ends is at the bottom of all their discontent they look no higher than their sensual ease delight and satisfaction and if they be crossed in these then they storm and are angry But now a Godly man living up to his Godliness his eye is upon God's glory as the thing which he chiefly aims at and mainly centers in and upon this he is content in every state For saith he let my state be what it will God will glorifie himself by it and 't is that state which God did see would most tend to his glory otherwise he had not put me into it oh therefore I 'le like it yea rejoyce in it in as much as it is most conducive to that which is better than all my little comforts namely the Glory of God Methinks he should live in all contentedness who knows and minds these two things that all occurrences tend to the promoting of God's Honour and then too of his Own Good but the knowing and minding of these is proper only to one that is Godly how necessary therefore is Godliness to contentment Take an unregenerate man these neither doe nor can signifie any thing to him for as to the First the advancement of the Honour of his Creator he being all for Self for so every one is before conversion the honour of God is nothing to him and so it can have no influence upon him for the quieting of his heart under troubles and as to the second the advancement of his own good he not being in Covenant with God on which the sanctification of all Providences doth depend can have no assurance of this and therefore cannot from this fetch that which may quiet and comfort him but both of these have their full power and strength where grace is and thereupon it becomes an effectual means to contentment 3. Thirdly In the general habit of Grace there are contained certain special Graces which do very much further Contentment I 'le instance in Humility Faith Repentance Heavenly-mindedness Self-denyal 1. Humility The humble man is alwayes a contented man the proud man is alwayes of a contrary temper Pride puts us upon contending with God Humility upon yielding and submitting to him Pride makes us think we are wiser than God can order our conditions better than he Humility dreads this heart-blasphemy Pride must be at the top of the pinacle no condition no mercy is high enough for it a proud person cannot bear a low state he looks upon himself as wronged if he be not chief as he said to his Daughter Si non dominaris injuriam te accipere existimas Sueton. Humility accepts of the lowest condition and the lowest mercy Oh! saith the humble person what can be too low for me who deserve to be in Hâ—ll what too little for me who am less than the least of all mercies Pride is for charging God Gen. 32.10 Humility is altogether for admiring God that will be finding faults with what God doth this only finds faults with what we our selves do Pride is the heart-disquieting sin Humility is the heart-quieting grace 'T is never well enough with the proud the Angels that fell even when they were in Heaven and Adam even in Paradise in all his Glory were 〈◊〉 â—f his 〈◊〉 alwayes very well with the humble Well Godliness work◠〈…〉 by â—he â—ooâ—ing out of pride and planting humility in the 〈◊〉 2. Faith That 's another Grace which doth eminently help on Contentation how readily and how aptly doth it interpose upon all occasions for the keeping down of all turbulent risings in the heart Doth the man begin to be froward What will become of me and mine be still saith Faith God will provide for thee and thine Oh but such and such blessings are denyed me yet be still Of the pride and vanity of this speech of Alexander see Philo. l. de Cherubim p. 91. saith Faith thou hast all in God thou may'st say that truly which the great Conquerour once vainly said when he had Europe and Asia in his eye haec haec mea sunt these and these blessings yea all are mine for God is mine But the Providences of God towards me are very bitter yet be still saith Faith there is abundant sweetness in the Promise to take off that bitterness that is in the Providence But it is at present very ill with me yet be still saith Faith wait but a little and it will be better But what have I to comfort me why saith Faith enough and enough the unchangeable love of God the pardon of all thy sins the Covenant-state eternal life c. They saith an holy Writer never felt God's love or tasted the forgiveness of sin who are discontented Thus Faith with great readiness and strength answers all Objections which tend to the disturbing of the spirit 'T is the Grace which keeps from * Psal 27.13 fainting and from †Psal 42 11. fretting also 3. Repentance He that truly mourns for sin doth not easily murmur because of some outward cross Where sin is heavy nothing besides comparatively 2 Cor. 4.17 is heavy What light things are afflictions to him who groans under the burden of sin Godliness turns the grief and anger into the right channel it works Contentment by diversions when the sinner would be grieving and complaining because of poverty sickness c. this makes him to look into the naughtiness of his heart and to grieve for that pride and passion and
matter of it were true enough But a Reproach is the Acting of a mind designing of and rejoycing in evil Unto a Reproof it is essential that it spring from Love Whom I love I rebuke is the absolute Rule of these things Let a man rebuke another though for that which indeed is false if it be in Love it is a Reproof but let him rebuke another though for that which is True if it be from a mind delighting in evil it is a Reproach and if it be false it is moreover a Calumny 3. Where a man in such cases is fully justified by the Testimony of his own Conscience bearing Witness unto his Integrity and Innocency yet may he greatly miscarry under the occasion if he attend not diligently unto his own Spirit which most men judge to be set at the utmost liberty under such injurious Provocations as they esteem them Wherefore to keep our minds unto Sedate Christian moderation in such cases and that we may not lose the Advantage of what is befallen us we ought immediately to apply them unto such other Duties as the present Occasion doth require As 1. To Search our own Hearts and ways whether we have not indeed upon us the guilt of some greater evils than that which is falsely charged on us or for which we are reproved on mistake And if it appear so upon examination we shall quickly see what little reason we have to tumultuate rise up with indignation against the charge we suffer under And may we not thence see much of the Wisdom and goodness of God who suffereth us to be exercised with what we can bear off with the impenetrable Shield of a good Conscience whilst he graciously hides and covers those greater evils of our hearts with respect whereunto we cannot but condemn our selves 2. To consider that it is not of our selves that we are not guilty of the evil suspected and charged No man of sobriety can on any mistake reprove us for any thing be it never so false but that it is merely of soveraign Grace that we have not indeed contracted the guilt of it And humble thankfulness unto God on this occasion for his real preserving Grace will abate the edge and take off the fierceness of our indignation against men for their supposed injurious dealings with us 3. Such Reproofs if there be not open malice and continued wickedness manifest in them are to be looked on as gracious Providential warnings to take heed lest at any time we should be truely overtaken with that which at present we are falsely charged withal We little know the Dangers that continually attend us the Temptations wherewith we may be surprized at unawares nor how near on their account we may be unto any sin or evil which we judge our selves most remote from and least obnoxious unto Neither on the other hand can we readily understand the wayes and meanes whereby the Holy Wise God issueth forth those hidden provisions of preventing Grace which are continually administred for our Preservation And no wise man who understands any thing of the deceitfulness of his own heart with the numberless Numbers of invisible occasions of sin wherewith he is encompassed continually but will readily embrace such Reproofs as Providential warnings unto watchfulness in those things whereof before he was not aware 4. When the mind by these Considerations is rendred Sedate and weighed unto Christian moderation then ought a man in such cases patiently and peaceably to undertake the Defence of his Innocency and his own Vindication And herein also there is need of much Wisdom and Circumspection it being a matter of no small difficulty for a man duely to manage self and Innocency both which are apt to influence us unto some more than Ordinary vehemency of Spirit But the Directions which might and indeed ought to be given under all these particular Heads would by no means be confined unto the Limits fixed to this Discourse 3. If the matter of the Reproof be True in fact then it is duely to be considered whether the offence for which any one is reproved be Private or Publick attended with scandal If it be private then it is to be weighed whether it was known unto and observed in and by the Person himself reproved or no before he was so reproved If it were not so known as we may justly be reproved for many things which through Ignorance or Inadvertency or Compliance with the Customs of the World we may have taken no notice of and if the reproof bring along light and conviction with it the first especial improvement of such a peculiar reproof is thankfulness to God for it as a means of deliverance from any way or work or path that was unacceptable in his sight And hence a great Prospect may be taken of the following deportment of the mind under other Reproofs For a readiness to take in Light and Conviction with respect unto any evil that we are ignorant of is an evidence of a readiness to submit to the Authority of God in any other Rebukes that have their Convictions going before them so the heart that is prone to fortifie it self by any Pleas or Pretences against convictions of sin in what it doth not yet own so to be will be as prone unto obstinacy under Reproofs in what it cannot but acknowledge to be evil If it were known before to the person reproved but not supposed by him to be observed by others under the covert of which imagination sin often Countenanceth it self that Soul will never make a due improvement of a Reproof who is not first sensible of the Care and kindness of God in driving him from that retreat and hold where the Interest of sin had placed its chiefest Reserve Sins so far Publick as to give matter of offence or scandal are the ordinary Subject of all orderly Reproofs and therefore need not in particular to be spoken unto Having shewed the Nature of Reproofs in general with such considerations of the matter of them as have afforded occasion unto sundry particular Directions relating unto the duty under Discussion it remains only that we farther explain and confirm the two generals comprised in the observation deduced from the Text namely 1 Why we ought to receive reproofs orderly or regularly given unto us esteeming of them as a singular priviledge and 2 How we may duely improve them unto their proper end the Glory of God and the Spiritual Advantage of our own Souls As to the first of these we may observe 1. That mutual reproofs for the curing of evil and preventing of danger in one another are Prime Dictates of the Law of Nature and that Obligation which our Participation in the same Being Offspring Original and End to seek the good of each other doth lay upon us This God designed in our Creation and this the rational Constitution of our Natures directs us unto To seek and endeavour for each other all that good whereof
gracious Redeemer that you would be reconciled and that you would befriend your selves and accept of the forgiveness of all your sins I intreat you that you would not through neglect of pardon and perseverance in a sinful course irrecoverably ruine and damn your Souls methinks my heart doth yearn over you and Bleed for you who are wounding your selves and rushing on inconsiderately towards the place of everlasting weeping and wo from whence there is no coming back no coming out for ever Sinners why should you be so hard to be perswaded without any further delay to be reconciled unto God Why do I need to use so many intreaties May I at length prevail with you that you would not be miserable and prove your own Murderers that you would be blessed here and hereafter through your ready acceptation of pardoning mercy What answer must I carry back to my Master who sent me this day to proclaim in your ears the blessedness of forgiveness and to use intreaties with you in his name that you would become thus blessed Must I complain Lord there are a company of obstinate sinners whom I have intreated to accept of pardon but there is not the least spark of ingenuity amongst them nor the least sense of their sins upon them had I been to preach to Beasts or Fowls to the Earth or Stones they would have been as much moved as these sinners Lord I spent my strength and pains my voice and lungs for nought I know not how to perswade I know not which way to prevail with them I thought thy beseechings would have taken with them that the intreaties of God like a sweet flame would have melted their hearts as Wax within them I thought that when thou didst vouchsafe by me to request them to leave their sins and be reconciled unto thee that this would marvellously have affected them and that they would readily have complied in a thing so necessary for them and so much for their own happiness I did begin with terror to them and yet they were not affrighted but I hoped when I came to end with Mercy and to speak in the soft and sweet Language of thine entreaties and to urge th s most winning Argument of thy Requests unto them that then they would immediately have yielded and most thankfully have accepted so gracious proffers made unto them But alas Lord I found it far otherwise than I expected if their ears were open their hearts were shut up and they would not receive my message which from thee in faithfulness and tenderness I delivered unto them And what may I farther hope will prevail with them if thy intreaties be thus disregarded Must I thus complain or may I have occasion to say Lord I have been preaching the blessedness of forgiveness which I backed with thine intreaties of sinners that they would accept of it and through thy blessing the Arguments I used were not altogether in vain some sinners that had stouted it out a long time against thee began at length to relent and yield when they heard thine intreaties of them to be reconciled Lord I heard scalding sighs break forth from such and such whose hearts were breaking within them for their sins I saw brinish tears trickling down from some eyes proceeding from a spring of godly sorrow within newly given them by the Spirit how did they look and seem to long after thy Salvation how greedily did they hearken even like the condemned Malefactor when he hath first tidings of a pardon I hope they are gone home to intreat that of thee which thou hast by me been intreating of them to accept of O Lord grant them their desires be reconciled to that Drunkard and unclean wretch forgive the iniquities of that Swearer Sabbath-breaker and profane Sinner What do you say Sinners will you send me back to my Master sadned or rejoyced Accept of my Message and it will be the joy of my heart yea it will be the joy of Angels in Heaven and however it will cost you some grief and tears in your repentance of sin at the first yet if you so seek after this blessedness of forgiveness as to obtain it the issue will be joy to your selves you will have the beginnings of joy here and in the other world your joys will be full ineffable and eternal Methinks some of you seem almost perswaded O that you were quite perswaded without further delay to put in practice the Directions given for the obtaining the blessedness of forgiveness How we may overcome inordinate love of Life and fear of Death Serm. XXX Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self that I may finish my course with joy c. THE Context tells us that the Apostle was now at Miletus v. 17. and from hence he sends to Ephesus and calls for the Elders of the Church Now these Elders were not Timothy and Trophimus for they were in his company already v. 4. and had been with him in his journey hither but rather those twelve men on whom he laid his hands and bestowed the Holy Ghost in order to their Ministry at Ephesus Acts 19.1 2 6 7. and the rest whom Timothy had ordained whilst he was there From v. 18. of this Chapter we have the Apostle's Farewel Sermon wherein he clears himself by close and smart addresses to their Consciences and Experiences as to all charges and surmises of ministerial miscarriages among them v. 18.27 and works them all within the Conscience of their ministerial charge and trust from God to imitate his Ministerial faithfulness by urging such significant and cogent Arguments as were apt and proper to startle and engage them to and in their work And these Arguments are drawn from the present and instantly succeeding circumstances and concernments of the Church of God They were in danger of Wolves breaking in upon them and seducers arising from amongst them They were the Church of God the price of his Blood committed to the care and guidance of these Ministers to whom the Apostle spake and therefore the interest and worth of Souls and their relation to them and all those sad and dangerous exercises underminings and obstructions which they were sure to meet with in their Pastoral work did call aloud upon them for all possible circumspection activity and resolution in and for their work of all which the Apostle was an exemplary and awakening instance and example My Text is the Generous Heroicism of an awakened and prepared heart occasioned by the Tidings that were brought him by the Spirit v. 23. Who told him there that bonds and afflictions did abide him in every City Here you may see those sinews cut of hopes and fears which might obstruct his Faith Diligence and Perseverance he is mortified to all that love of Life and fear of Death which possibly might controll his better prospect hopes and work In the Words we have the Apostle concerned in reference to
from God's arbitrary ordination but from the very frame and habitude and fitness of means and ends themselves and the sense is this as I have elsewhere lately and largely shewed on the forementioned place though not in print nor fit to be so that unless I be perswaded that God's Majesty deserves and that he can and will reward us for the cost and exercises of Godliness to infinite advantage no man could be prevailed on to be Religious The very difficulties burthens and temptations of Religion under the present circumstances of revolted man would press too sore upon the frailty and concernments of flesh and blood to suffer him to obtain of himself to submit to the discipline and severities of true and powerful Godliness Nor can I see if this be once denied where the Apostles argument prevails and pinches 1 Cor. 15.19 29 23 58. Adam in Innocency was influenced by arguments and I do not see that the oeconomy of grace destroys the frame of nature but rather comes in by way of Medicinal Ordination to repair it that so Religious government may revive again by such energetical arguments and influences as are proper to the case Psal 130.4 Nor did the Son of God and Saviour of the World appear for the supplanting of the Father as to his Throne and interest but rather acted all along in a professed state and way of delegation and ordinate substitution to this end that government might flourish and poor apostate man might be Encouraged to seek and sâ—rve and please his God again and were this well considered I think that all our censorious malignant flames would dye which have no other fewell but such confidences as are grounded on and fomented by our rash mistakes and we might peaceably Credere de verbis but not de jure veritatis And I confess I cannot see how the joys of Godliness can have the vim motivam of pressing arguments to quicken us to what activity faithfulness and resolution and perseverance are enjoyned us and expected from us if persevering Godliness which is the finishing of our course with joy be not the great condition of our Crown and triumph and therefore 't is ignorance and inconsiderateness that strengthens our infidelity and consequent reluctances to run the hazards of Religion and entertain the work and cost of this our Christian course to reach its compensations One piercing glance and sober look within the Vail would strangely help us unto a right estimate of things and make our quick reflections upon our foolish former choice and trifling carriages to minister to our present grief and shame 'T is but a dotage to imagine that any thing short of Holiness and Heaven or inconsistent with our present work can be the true enrichment or content of Souls What man can keep his heart below his work that knows and credits the blessed resolutions wherewith the all-sufficient God is fixt to recompence all self-denying regular and resolved Racers see 1 Joh. 3.3 Who can advance that life into a competition with the present work and Will of God which must be swallowed up of a surpassing immortality when he hath regularly finished his course so that now the way is clear to lead us to answer these Queries Quer. 1. What is this finishing our course with joy which is to influence us into this regardlesness of life and death and every thing in order thereunto 1. Joy is the * Privilegâ—um est Principis benefâ—ciu n contra jus commune indultum non enim est privilegium nisi aliquid indulgeâ—t speciale Say the Civilians priviledge and satisfaction of the Soul at rest in the possession and embraces of its both adequate and desired end and object which is the sum of what is intended by the expression in the Text. 1. I call it a Priviledge as it importeth some considerable excellency in the object or gift and thus 't is God in Christ when he becomes the portion of once Apostate man though now recovered by relative and real grace when he appears in the perfection of his Image favour and presence and that reciprocal intimacy which is consequent thereupon and as its a favour peculiar to some by way of discrimination and difference from others for 't is the joy of God dispenced only to the Godly And I call it 2. Satisfaction as importing sutableness to the subject on whom it is bestowed on all accounts and as such apprehended and resented by it And 3. I appropriate it to the Soul as being first and most concerned in it and most capable of it for till the Resurrection the Soul alone enjoys it Before the dissolution of the body the Soul is only capable of the prospect and improvement of it and therefore most concerned and engaged about it and after the Resurrection of the person and his introduction into glory the Soul is made the most immediate recipient of it and the comforts and perfection of the body are resultant from the Soul's satisfaction and delights and truly subordinate thereunto as both are subordinate unto God not to hâ—s joys but will and honour And 4. I fixt it on the Soul at rest as the result of all its aims and motions for 't is both the recompence and cessation of all its painful exercises and pursuits 5. I make the matter of this joy to be the Soul 's adequate End and Object which none but God can be since it is apparent that neither Heaven nor Earth have any besides God to make and be a portion for the Soul Psal 73.25 And then 6. I lay the formality of this joy in the possession and embraces of this End and Object both as adequate and desired for as it is adequate it speaks no want nor deficiency in the Object and as it is desired so it speaks the preparation of the Subject and as it is embraced and possess'd so it speaks no cost and labours lost nor expectations frustrated And now indeed the Soul is most ravished when all its motions are directed to their End and terminated there with unconceivable satisfaction when God is all in all and the poor painful Christian is through tedious oppositions difficulties and travels safely conducted to its most proper Portion Choice and Joy 2. By Course is meant the Time of Life in reference to our stated work and difficulties The Metaphor is fetcht from that Olympick Exercise which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the Racers ran in Armour because of sharp Assaults and Oppositions all the way In armis Cursorum fuere Galea quam capite Ocreae quas tibiis Aspis sive Clypeus quem manibus ferrent qui eo certamine contenderent Pet. Fab. Agonistic lib. 2. cap. 23. p. 186. Hence we have something in our Christian Panoply answerable hereunto as The Helmet of Salvation Eph. 6.17 Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace answering to the Ocreae v. 15. And the Shield of Faith v. 16. And therefore after the
the folly of these Virgins lieth For you have heard of their Virginity in their separation from and profession against Antichristian Idolatry and mens Inventions and also in their escaping the world's pollutions and you have seen their Virginity in their Espousals unto Christ and visible Communion with the Wise in the enjoyment of Gospel-Ordinances you have heard also of their Light their Hopes their Awaking their Trimming their Lamps and how near they came to Heaven But here now was the one thing lacking that all this was the effect only of an external and ineffectual work wherein though there was something internal it was but light and transient which never wrought a thorow and powerful change of the heart whereas the Wise had an inward and powerful Call to Christ insomuch that the Gospel came to them not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost whereby they were made to know wisdom in the hidden part and became Virgins in affection and disposition as well as in profession and action Mean while the operations of the Spirit are languid weak and transient upon the hearts of foolish ones as we see in the stony ground in which there is no thorow powerful and abiding change And hence it is said The foolish took their Lamps but took no Oyl with them they wanted the Oyl of the Spirit of God and his saving gifts in the Vessels of their hearts Briefly the wise Virgins were sincere professors and followers of Christ the other meer Hypocrites and foolish Builders who laid their foundation on the Sand. And yet I do not say That foolish Virgins have always saving Grace to seek at the coming of Christ because there is Repentance and Pardon to be had in time for Hypocrites A foolish Professor may go forth to meet the Bridegroom with his Lamp only in his hand and no Oyl at all in his heart and yet he may meet with timely awakings by the way and Christ may infuse the Oil of saving Grace into his heart before the Midnight-cry whereby he becometh wise in the latter end who was a fool in the beginning for Christ calls upon Hypocrites as well as others to repent Mat. 23.26 Jam. 4.8 Hypocritical Sardis is called hereunto as well as the other Virgin-Churches of Asia And many unsound Professors have been effectually converted when many others have lived and died in their hypocrisie and perseverance in profession unto Christ is no Argument of a good estate to a dying Virgin except she be found in the way of wisdom 3. There remaineth one thing more to be spoken to for the clearing of the Point and that is That very miserable is the state of such as these who have Grace to get when Christ cometh For the Door is shut upon them In which words is declared their punishment of loss which some have thought to be greater than that of Sense which I shall not dispute but briefly discourse of that of loss as mentioned only in the Text which is inevitably followed by that of Sense 1. All the profession of these Virgins is lost their prayers praises humblings external reformations communications both of their worldly substance and likewise of their Parts and Gifts and so are their sufferings and their witness-bearing to the Truth c. All these are excluded from God's acceptance of them through want of an interest in the Bridegroom for none of these were offered up in Christ and the greatest and most glorious services without unfeigned Faith and Love are nothing Lev. 17.5 6. Heb. 13.15 Col. 3.17 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. 2. All opportunities and means of Grace are now lost never to be enjoyed more the door of opportunity as the Apostle calleth it 2 Cor. 2.12 16.9 is for ever shut against them they have survived all their seasons which now give place unto Eternity For the Bridegroom cometh first by Death and it is appointed unto men once to dye and after this the Judgment not after this and further means of Grace not after this a Sabbath or a Sermon or a time to pray and repent but after this the Judgment And what then succeeds the Judgment the perpetual execution of it in which respect it is called the eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 So that the door of opportunity is now for ever shut 3. There is a door of Hope and that also is shut against them Hos 2.14 These Virgins had hopeful expectations of entrance with the Bridegroom for that was it they waited for whereas now their hope is perished and hath given up the Ghost for at best it was but a fine-spun Spider's web Job 8.14 but never a true lively hope 4. It followeth upon this that the door of Grace is shut never to be opened more Christ stretched forth his hands to them all the day long but now the accepted time and day of salvation is ended and there is no further place for Grace and Mercy nor hopes of seeing the King in his Beauty 5. They have now lost their Communion with the wise Virgins who are safe within the door that whereas they separated from the world to joyn in fellowship with Saints they are now for ever separated from the Saints to take their portion with the world Mat. 7.23 Time was when the Door of Christ's house upon earth which is the Church of God stood open to them as well as unto the wise and the Key of the Kingdom of heaven gave them admission into this lower house upon their visible subjection to his Rule and Government and they had entrance equally with the wise to partake of all the priviledges thereof and now when they think to enter into the Upper House of Eternal Glory the key is turned against them 6. These Virgins now have lost their Vails and are discovered to the wise who see not the Virgins their Companions brought to the King in fellowship with themselves in Glory and now they are discovered also to themselves and to all the world and known to be what they are so that they have nothing henceforth to cover them but everlasting shame and contempt Time was that they were taken together in the same net with them who are within the door but the Angels have gathered the good fish into their Vessels and cast away the bad Mat. 18.47 48 49. That therefore now is taken from them which they seemed to have even the shews and shadows of that Grace they never had by him that brings to light the hidden things of darkness and maketh manifest the counsels of the heart Their Lamps were going out when they awaked at the Midnight-cry v. 8 and now they are quite extinguished never to shine more the Word shall shine no longer to them nor their Knowledge and other Gifts to any 7. It now remains that they who ere while were in their midnights-sleep are now in their midnights darkness even there where the light of a candle never shined nor the voice
and light transient tasts and relishes are no evidences we must have these better things to bear up our hearts against the coming of the Bridegroom It sufficeth â—ot to be enrolled among Professors and to enjoy the charitable thoughts and approbations of the wisest Virgins under Heaven It is singular mercy to be rightly guided in self-esteem and valuation for they that measure themselves by themselves or compare themselves among themselves are not wise The Apostle 2 Cor. 10.12 would not have us to take up with the positive degree of good things but to take our aims by the comparative of better These good things are more light ineffectual and superficial and too often like the Seal that is impressed upon bare Paper whereas these better things are like the Seal's impression on the Wax Yet let no trembling Soul or broken reed be affrighted at the end of these foolish Virgins to see the Door thus shut against them the tender heart of Jesus Christ aimeth not at our consternation but awaking and to prepare and hasten us unto Glory before the Key be turned Nor doth his Apostle in the foresaid place despise the day of small things but his real scope and purpose is to excite Professors to look carefully to their foundations and then to go on unto perfection Heb. 6.1 And blessed for ever be the Lord for the second part of that sixth Chapter to the Hebrews in the close whereof we may see the afflicted heart tossed with tempests and not comforted yet hoping in Mercy and fleeing to Jesus as his Refuge and casting the Anchor of his floating Soul within the Vail whither the Fore-runner is entred for us who himself was once tossed in the Ship of the Militant Church albeit without sin but is now gone ashore to heaven as our fore-runner both to look to our Anchor which is fastned there and to hold all fast and to draw our tossed Ship to shore and to see all safe that where our fore-runner is there may we be also And thus the sweet conclusion of that Chapter doth fully recompence the severity of its beginning Let us comfort our selves and one another with these things Thirdly You have heard the miserable condition of such especially Professors of the Gospel and Pretenders to Christ who have Grace to seek at his coming As for the hapy state of such as are ready to enter in with him into the Bride-chamber of eternal peace and joy I shall speak a little in the Close Now therefore in the remainder of this Exercise it will be expected as seasonable that it be considered What gifts of Grace are chiefly to be in exercise in order to an actual Preparation for the coming of Christ by Death and Judgment For his coming is first by Death and then by Judgment And I say an actual Preparation because there is always a general and habitual preparedness to meet Christ Jesus in hearts that are truly godly but not always a particular actual fitness And this we see here in the five wise Virgins who are found in their midnight-sleep with Lamps that have need of trimming at the coming of Christ Thus Hezekiah was fit to dye as to a general and habitual fitness in that he could assert his sincerity before God when the message of death was brought him but he was to seek of a particular actual fitness in that he begs for longer life with prayers and plenty of tears The Message of Death awaked him and the holy man is startled and hath his Lamp to trim for the tidings of his death at hand was as much in effect as if it had been said unto him by the Prophet Behold the Bridegroom cometh go forth Hezekiah to meet him The nature of his distemper which some by the remedy a lump of Figs applied to the Bile conceive to have been the Pestilence and this considered with the shortness and sharpness of the Message and the Prophet Isaiah's quick abrupt departure from him that the King had then no Heir to succeed him in the Throne and also that he was now at the full strength of Nature being but nine and thirty years of age and his fear also what might become of his Kingdom and of his former Reformation after the grand Apostasie of his Father Ahaz I say these considerations made him to apprehend that there was a rebuke of God in this present Dispensation and therefore he is loth to dye under a temporal frown albeit his a vowed integrity would at the worst have seen him safe at heaven For though a Child of God cannot dye in his debt yet he is unwilling to depart under the sense of his temporal displeasure so as the good Prophet did whom the Lion slew at his return from Bethel to Judah 2 Kings 13.24 When David therefore was under God's rebukes for sin and even almost consumed with the blow of his hand he betakes himself as Hezekiah did to prayers and tears saith he Psal 39.10 11. to the end Hear my prayer O Lord and give ear to my Cry hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Thus you see that the dear Children of God who have a general and habitual fitness to meet Jesus Christ when he is coming to them by Death and Judgment may yet be to seek of a particular actual preparation 2. Before I come to the answer of the Question let me premise this also That though a state of Grace is here supposed seeing Grace cannot be exercised where it is not yet there may be need to have it cleared inasmuch as the want thereof is a great hinderance in the way of this Duty You know that one that feareth God and obeyeth the voice of his Servant Jesus Christ may yet walk in darkness and see no light Isa 50.10 and he may say with Jonah he is cast out of God's sight and his soul is filled with troubles when his life draweth nigh unto the Grave wherefore let your eye be not only on your Lamp but also on your Vessel and examine your Oyl as well as mind your light For though you have received an Vnction from the Holy One and felt the sweet influences of the Spirit and have had the witness in your self yet the Comforter which sometimes relieved your Soul may at the present be far from you and suspend his testimony for Grace inherent is not self-enlightning but like the Moon which holdeth forth Light no longer than the Sun shineth upon it and though the Diall hath its Lines and Figures to declare the time of the day yet you will be to seek if the Sun withdraw hiâ— Light Even thus though the Spirit of God hath drawn the Lines and Figures of his Gifts and Graces in your heart yet if he also do not shine upon them you will not know what
come now to the Positive and Affirmative part There we saw what we are forbidden as that whereby the Sabbath is polluted Here we are informed what we are commanded as that whereby the Sabbath is sanctified i. e. kept holy to the Lord as we are enjoined keep the Sabbath-day tâ— sanctifie it c. in these words following And shalt call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour Him c. In this Positive model are contained four great comprehensive branches or Duties wherein the sanctification of the Sabbath doth consist sc 1. We must call it our delight 2. We must call it Holy or the Holy of the Lord. 3. We must call it Honourable or Glorious 4. We must not only call the day an honourable day but we must really and actually honour God or honour the day The Heads are few but they are very comprehensive and such as will afford us in the opening of them much matter for our use and direction in the sanctification of the Sabbath although I intend in this exercise but briefly to touch upon some few particular heads or rules reserving the more full and ample enlargement thereof to some other opportunity The first is we must call the Sabbath a Delight or the pronoun supplied thy Delight Call it so we are not to account the Sabbath as an ordinary and common thing but to put a very high and precious valuation upon it as delightful the holy of the Lord and of honourable renown A delight thy delight we must call it so account it so or make it so The Sabbath must be a delectable thing to us a nest of sweetnesses the delight of our eyes the joy and rejoicing of our hearts a day wherein all our comforts and pleasures do concentre all our fresh springs must be in it And this I humbly conceive the Holy Ghost doth most significantly oppose unto the pleasures forbidden before in this same verse If thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure c. q.d. must we be excluded and shut out from all pleasures and delights upon the Sabbath No saith the Holy Ghost sanctifie the Sabbath of Jehovah and thou shalt not need to fear the want of pleasure neither shalt thou need to be beholden to the flesh or the world for delights The Sabbath it self will be incomparably more sweet and delectable to thee than all the sensual and luscious contentments and satisfactions which this whole sublunary world can afford Make the Sabbath thy delight and thou shalt need to knock at no other door for pleasurable entertainments If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee call my Sabbath thy Delight he would make his day unto thee a spring of sweetness that shall alwaies be flowing out to eternal life a day well spent with God will fill the soul with joy unspeakable and full of glory Qu. But what shall we do that we may make the Sabbath our Delight or When may we be said to call it so or make it so 1. We then call the Sabbath our delight Rules or signs of making the Sabbath a delight when we can rejoice in the approach of the Sabbath See how holy David doth solace his soul in the joyful expectation of Communion with God when his banishment from the Ordinances did approach Psal 43.4 Then shall I go unto the altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Heb. the gladness of my joy 2. Our early stirring up of our selves to bid the Sabbath welcom to our hearts and habitations Psal 63.1 So the holy Prophet O God thou art my God early will I seek thee The earliness of his devotions shews the delight that he took in them truly the great indulgence that most Christians allow themselves in their bed on the Lords day is an infallible argument how little delight they take in Gods day or in the Ordinances thereof 3. Then we may be said to call the Sabbath our delight when we are universally careful to sanctifie God in all the institutions of the day both publique private and secret And are sollicitous so to Methodize and time them that they may not justle out or interfere with one another that is to say to be so early in our closet-devotion that the closet may not exclude or streighten the duties of the Family and so to perform the Domestick Duties that they may not trespass upon our attendance on the more solemn publick worship of God An universal respect to all the institutions of a Sabbath is an evident demonstration that we call the Sabbath our delight Psal 119.6 As David evidenceth to his own soul the sincerity of his Obedience Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments 4. When we are angry with or impatient of any diversions from or disturbance in any duty or services of the day To be glad of a diversion argueth little love to or delight in the Sabbath I esteemed saith Job the words of his mouth more than my necessary food Job 23.12 Heb. appointed food 5. And lastly Then we call the Sabbath a Delight when the bare having of a Sabbath without the presence of God in the Sabbath and the Ordinances thereof will not satisfie us Psal 16. ult Delight springs principally from the presence of God In thy presence is fulness of joy This delight is promised as a reward in the verse following Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. There is a Delight of Duty and there 's a Delight of dispensation and this is the reward of that that is Our work this is Gods work when a gracious heart sets it self to delight in a Sabbath and in the Ordinances thereof then often God is pleased graciously to come in and to fill the Ordinances and by it the soul with his own presence His Convincing presence Enlightning presence Converting presence Quickning presence Strengthning presence Comforting presence And when the soul cannot be satisfied unless it be in some measure sensible of Gods presence in some of these blessed respects or other then doth it really call the Sabbath a Delight Psal 63.1 Thus doth the holy Psalmist O God thou art my God early will I seek thee why what would he have it follows v. 2. to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary It is not the sanctuary of God only but Communion with God in the sanctuary which Davids soul thirsted after This is to call the Sabbath a delight I come to the second duty We must call the Sabbath the holy of Jehovah Sanctum Domini Lichdosh Jehovah This title is very significant We must not only count the Sabbath holy but the holy of the Lord. It is as it were one of the Titles ascribed to the Son of God for so he is called thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption Acts 2.27 3.14
inordinate desires after more wealth do proceed 2. By a deep conviction of the greatness of the sin of Covetousness as also of the greatness of the folly that accompanieth that sin 3. By frequent and serious meditation upon death and the eternity which follows upon it 4. By the getting true notions of the vanity of riches and all things here be low 5. By the turning the desires into the right channel and the placing of them upon their proper Objects God and Christ and Spiritual things 6. By Considering how well others do who have but a slender proportion of these things and how thankful they are for that little which God measures out to them I do not at all enlarge on these things both because this is not that notion of Contentment which I most design as also because I shall have cccasion to speak more to them in what will follow How as it lies in the quietness of the mind c. 3. Therefore we are to consider Contentment as it imports a calmness and composedness of mind in every condition stilness and sedateness of spirit under all occurrences of Providence When a man likes whatsoever God doth to him or with him doth quietly submit unto and acquiesce in God's dispose of him this is contentment And so there is a great affinity though not a perfect identity 'twixt it and Patience so 't is opposed to all vexing fretting and murmuring to all undue perturbations of mind under God's dispensations towards us though they be never so cross to our natural desires Unquestionably this was one thing if not the main intended by our Apostle when he saith I have learned in every state to be content 'T is as if he had said I am brought to this alwaies to think well of God and of every state into which he is pleased to bring me whatever pleases him pleaseth me be it imprisonment poverty sickness reproach death it self let but God's will be done and I am content I am taught to bear all things with great * A. Christo omnia aequanimiter ferre Sum edoctus Hieron equanimity or eavenness of Spirit The Question then will come to this How may we and Others get this excellent frame to have the heart in every state calm and quiet without being disturbed and discontented under any thing that doth befall us the resolving of this Question will be my present work Three Helps to Contentment For answer to it I will reduce all to these three Helps or Means Consideration Grace or Godliness Prayer He that would learn and live Contentment must be a Considering man a godly man a praying man Consideration will do much Godliness will do more Prayer will do most of all In the former we have what Reason and Judgment can do In the second we have what a Divine Principle can do in the third we have what God himself can do In consideration we have the strength of the Man In grace the strength of the Christian In prayer the strength of God all of which being united they must needs do the work effectually Now as to these three Directions it is with me as it sometimes is at the head of a spring where the stream at first is so narrow that with ease any may stride over it but afterwards it doth very much widen and dilate it self in so much that the little stream is turned into a vast river So here take these three Heads in the General and at the first naming of them so my work seems to lie in a very small compass but when I come to make a further and more distinct inquiry into them truly there is a vast sea before me where 't is hard to find any bounds or limits I shall go over them with as much brevity as the Subject will admit of and as may best conduce to the great end the furtherance of Contentment The first means is Consideration By which I understand Of the past help viz. Consideration not only that which is rational and proper to a Man as a Man but that which is religious and divine both together but especially the latter have a great influence upon contentment Few do live Contentation because few do act consideration we are passionate because we are inconsiderate Were there but more considering doubtless there would be less murmuring David said in his haste All Men are liers Men are hasty and sudden and indeliberate Psal 116.11 they do not duly weigh and ponder things and thereupon passion and discontent prevail over them 'T Is good advice that in Eccles 7.14 In the Day of adversity consider when we meet with any thing which runs cross to our desires which makes it a day of adversity did we but sit down and consider about the matter this vvould much tend to the quieting of our spirits Consideration is an excellent help to Contentation He who is not thoughtful vvill never learn the lesson of the Text. Discomposures of mind are not to be kept off by any Spells or Charms but by solid and judicious consideration But vve must leave the General and come to Particulars and novv I am going out of the Straits and lanching out into the main Ocean The enquiry is How is a Christian to manage consideration in order to his attaining of contentment For your direction in this I vvill 1. Set before you that special Matter Directions how to manage Consideration in order to Contentment which you are to consider upon for this end 2. Instance in some of those common Cases wherein Contentment or Discontent are usually acted and shew what those considerations are which are proper to each for the promoting of the one and the preventing of the other 3. Speak a little to the Manner wherein Consideraion is to be managed For the first Of the special matter of it Would you knovv vvhat is that special and proper Matter which your Consideration is to work upon to further contentment in every state then bring it to to these three Heads Consider 1. Who it is that orders the State 2. What there is in the State it self 3. The excellency of a contented frame Who orders the state and how 't is ordered 1. Who it is that orders the estate surely the Supreme Sovereign all disposing God My times are in thy hands Psal 31.15 'T is so with every man in the world and with every thing about every man all is in God's hands There is an hand above which directs all Events here below He that numbers our hairs orders our state Good and Evil do not come by chance or happen in a casual and fortuitous way but both are disposed by God's Providence and according to his Will This we seem to give a full assent unto and yet in practice we do either wholly forget it or flatly deny it My advice therefore is this when at any time your hearts begin to storm and fret at your condition pray
sit down and seriously consider who it is that orders that condition let your thoughts dwell upon that and see if it be not to your advantage for the suppressing of all undue perturbations of mind Psal 39.3 David tells us while he was musing the fire burned that is the fire of passion as many do expound it There is indeed a musing which tends to heart-disquietment when all our thoughts are taken up in poring upon that which troubles us but that musing which I am now urging hath a quite other effect Vide Boeth de Cons Philos. l. 1 Prosa 6. it will quench the fire not kindle it Methinks that Christian should not easily be disturbed at what befalls him who considers let it be what it will it is all of God What believe and own a Providence as carving out every condition and yet be discontented that 's very sad Is it fit for the Creature to be angry with God as †Jon. 4.9 Is 43.9 Rom. 9.20 Jonas was shall man dispute with God the clay say to the Potter Why hast thou made me thus must Providence be arraigned at our tribunal and our Will clash with God's by no means There 's all the Reason in the world that whatsoever pleaseth God should please the Creature 'T is the Lord saith * 1 Sam. 3.18 Eli let him do what seems him good I was dumb saith †Psal 39.9 David and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it The Lord gave saith †Job 1.21 Job and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. I do not know a more effectual Help to stilness of Spirit than the consideration of this that all is ordered by God And certainly he that is quiet and composed upon this that frame demonstrates him to have not only a good but a great and a noble spirit 'T is an excellent passage that of Seneca †Magnus est animus qui se Deo tradidit pusillus degener qui ob lectatur de ordine murdi malè existimat Deos mavult emendare quà m se Ep. 107. 'T is a great soul which surrenders up it self to God but that 's a poor low soul which contends and thinks ill of the ordering of the world and which would rather mend the Gods than it self But here in our considering in order to the having of the heart smooth and calm 't is good to take in more viz. not only to employ our thoughts upon the thing but also upon the modification and circumstances thereof not only to think of this that all is ordered by God but how and in what manner all is ordered by him Oh this if duly weighed and digested would be of great efficacy to further Contentation Now take an account of this in four things 1. All is ordered by God irresistibly Is 43.13 I will work and who shall let 'T is applicable to God's providential dealings with every single person in the world these are carried on with such a mighty power that 't is a vain thing for any to go about to resist and hinder God in what he will do If Man will be cross and thwart and controll him what doth it signifie God's vvill shall be done for all that He will do all his pleasure there is no contending with him Job 34.33 Should it be according to thy mind he will recompense it whether thou refuse or whether thou choose c. Christian Thou passionately desirest such a mercy thou shalt have it never the sooner for that If God will bestow it thou shalt have it If he will withhold it all thy earnestness and striving will do no good Or thou wouldst fain have such an affliction removed that will not do thy work If God will take it off from thee there 's an end of it If he will continue it thou must bear it still Humble Contentment may do much but proud contending will do nothing God knows what he hath to do and he will not be hindred in what he sees fit to do Pray therefore whenever passion begins to rise in the soul think of this speedily If it be thus that the tide of Providence vvill have its course that there 's no hindring of the Almighty and Soveraign-acting God for he doth whatsoever pleaseth him Eccl. 8.3 and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Eph. 1.11 then our Reason and judgment will tell us that 't is best to yield and submit to this God and to comply with that which we cannot alter 2. All is ordered by God righteously He is righteous and he doth nothing but what is righteous shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.251 Psal 145.17 Rev. 15.3 Psal 97.2 Job 34.23 the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Just and true are all thy wayes O thou King of Saints Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne He will not lay upon man more than right that he should enter into judgment with God This is an excellent subject for our Thoughts to dwell upon when any thing troubles us Well may there be our contentment in every state when there is God's righteousness in every state Providence may sometimes be dark and mysterious yet 't is alwayes just and righteous God may sometimes cross us but he never wrongs us He doth not see it good in all our desires to gratifie us but 't is good for us in all his dispensations to Psal 51.4 Lam. 1.18 justifie him Doth he remove a mercy vvhich vve have not forfeited Doth he lay on an affliction vvhich vve by sin have not deserved and if so doth it not become us to be silent before him Lam. 3.39 Mic. 7.9 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Oh saith the Church I will bear the indignation of the Lord for I have sinned against him 'T is a smart passage that in Prov. 19.3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord we provoke God to afflict us and then we are angry with him whereas we have reason only to be angry with our our selves our own sins being the procuring cause of all our miseries We have often too just Grounds of being troubled with our own hearts because of their pride carnality unthankfulness unbelief c. this is good discontent but we never have any just Grounds of being disturbed at what God doth he being in all his actings holy and righteous Bring it to this in your consideration such a good I want such an evil I feel but is God unrighteous in either surely no For do I deserve the one and do I not deserve the other why then should I quarrel or fret against God Discontent is a bold impeachment of God's righteousness and is not that a thing of a very hainous nature grounded