indeed when they came to receive their wages but saith the M r of the vineyard did you not agree with me so so you agree with God all you intend in Gods service is that you may have some present comfort in this world you dare not trust God for the future and here is that that God will shew his infinite displeasure against the sin of distrust by that when the Lord propounds now in this day of grace such glorious and blessed things to the children of men and for ought you know any of you may have your portion in them as well as others yet you dare not trust God for these gratious things you think rather with your selves let me have somewhat now somewhat for the present that for the present is reall that which you talk off is to come I know not whether they be imaginations or no Therefore you mean it seems to serve God for your present pay present pay you shall have no more there are some servants that are your day labourers that expect their pay at night and if you give them that there is an end but there are other servants that will serve you in expectation of a reversion expectation of preferment especially when they serve noble men Princes though they have no present pay given them at night yet they go on cheerfully in their service they expect some great reversions and leases preferments afterwards now though they have nothing at present yet when the other befalls them they and their posterities are inriched this is the direct difference between the men of the world Gods children the men of the world will do nothing without present pay that which is just before them they must needs have their hearts are upon that but the Saints they hear what a blessed thing God hath revealed in his word what a blessed Covenant of grace there is what rich promises of glorious things to come now they believe God and trust in God for these and they say Lord let me have my portion in the life to come and what ever thou doest with me here I care not as it was the speech of Austin Lord here burn here cut mee but spare mee hereafter I am content Lord to be burnt to be cut to endure any thing in the world onely hereafter I look for somewhat else and I 'le wait for hereafter You 'le not wait for hereafter but you must have it for the present and that is the reason you are put off here O it is a serious thing I speak off to you many a soul will wring its hands and curse it self eternally that it was not content to trust God for hereafter but would have present pay you that are great Merchants if you buy a thing that is but a trifle you pull out your purse and give the mony down presently but suppose you go to the exchange and bargain for 1000 l. there you may give a little down now but the great pay must come upon pay dayes afterwards it is not expected it should be presently done so there are some men in the world will trade with God but they trade with God for pidling things for their credit and applause and for their preferments and estates God gives down the pay presently you shall have it there is your mony presently it is done but now there are other of Gods Saints that trade with God for great things for immortality and glory a Kingdom and the Crown of eternall life now they expect not to have it down presently they are content to stay O these are the best Traders the best Merchants that will trade with God for great things and be content to stay Further these things that are here they are the onely suitable things to your hearts and what will you do with any more hereafter these things doe exceedingly please you and give you content as agreable to you and the things that are to come are disagreable what would men do that are carnall and wicked now what would they do in heaven certainly if you hate Gods Saints now that have but a little grace you would hate them infinitely more afterwards when they are perfect in grace when all your common gifts shall be taken away for so it shall be now the things of God are unsuitable to you though you have now many common gifts and you now abhorre the grace of God though it be imperfect what then when all common gifts shall be taken from you and grace made perfect how insuitable will it be then to you therefore expect nothing hereafter Again 5. You abuse your portion you have now what will you do with more who will trust you with the true riches you abuse that you have indeed men of the world that are wicked and very rich and preferr'd to places of honour and power O what a deal of mischief they do in the world what dreadfull evills are they unto the earth such men how do they abuse their portions why now as it is with a tooth in a mans head a tooth indeed is preferr'd to have an eminent place in the head but when the tooth comes to be rotten painfull what do we but pull it out and throw it away so though God preferres men to eminent places when through their wickednesse they grow rotten and do hurt the Lord pluckes them out in his anger they abuse their portion and do a great deal of mischief therefore must expect to be thrown away But above all the argument is because they have no interest in Iesus Christ the rich treasures of the infinite grace of God are let out in Christ God hath divers conduit pipes as I may say of his grace to let out unto his creatures there are some lesser conduit pipes and those conduit pipes may be opened through the generall bounty of God but now the Lord hath the great current of his eternall mercies for some that he doth intend eternall good unto and this great current of his it is stopped by justice the infinite justice of God doth stop this great current so as it cannot be opened to have any drop of that mercy let out untill the divine justice comes to be satisfied in the mean time the other smaller pipes run the generall bounty of God still flowes Christ therefore out of pitty to mankind that they may not be put off with these generall outward comforts he comes and satisfies Gods infinite justice that he might open the current the sluce of his infinite eternall grace to others now happy are those creatures who have interest in the Lord Christ for this is his work to satisfy the justice of the Father that so the great pipe may be opened and then flowes in all grace infinite eternall grace when that comes once to be opened no mervail though we hear of such glorious things that the Saints of God have in the life to come no
THE SAINTS INHERITANCE AND THE VVORLDLINGS PORTION Representing The Glorious condition of a child of God and the Misery of having ones Portion in this World Vnfolding the State of true happiness with the Marks Means and Members thereof By IER BURROUGHS Psal 144.15 Blessed is that People whose God is the Lord. LONDON Printed for Francis Eglesfield at the Marigold in St. Paul's Church-yard 1657. The Authours Epistle to the Reader IT hath been the way of God in speaking to men and drawing their hearts to him to apply himself to them in those things they have skill of and are acquainted with When Christ was revealed to the Wise men that came from the East it was by a Star they were Astronomers and conversed much in the contemplation of the Stars and God speaks to them accordingly When our Saviour called Fishermen to follow him he tells them Hee will make them Fishers of men hee expresseth himself unto them in their own way And it may be the sutablenesse of these subjects may invite some to read this treatise especially it being the desires of many that heard the same and found some work of God upon their hearts by them to have it by them at first I was unwilling to let such sudden things appear so publike but after considering that some way it may be usefull and a little good is worth much of my time and labour who knows what a truth what a hint fitted to the apprehensions of people in their own way may doe therefore here you have it and the Lord prosper it to you Yours in Christ IER BURROUGHS KNow Christian Reader that Part of this Work was perfected by the Authour in his life time But it pleased God to take him away before the rest was finished whereby the Copie was for a time mislayed with some difficulty at length procured which is now published for thy good Bless God for preserving such a Iewell and see thy soul bee inriched by it Let it not be said there was a Prize put into thy hand but thou hadst not a heart to make use of it Remember thou hast an immortall soul and art capable of living in immortall glory therfore be not put off with the things of this life Let not that satisfy thy soul which may stand with the eternall hatred of the great God least while others partake of an Inheritance above thou have a Portion with reprobates belowe Thou mightst have been past reading or hearing of these things and have found by sad experience what it is to be excluded the Saints felicities Imbrace the Opportunity and pass by the escapes of Printing So Farewell THE VVORLDLINGS PORTION 17. Psalm 14. From men of the world who have their portion in this life THis Psalme is Davids moan unto God under Sauls persecution sine dubio Saulum saith Molerus upon it without doubt the Psalmist aymes at Saul in it wherein we have these 4. things First he appeals unto God to judge the uprightnesse of his heart towards Saul Let my sentence come from my presence from Saul and his Courtiers there comes a hard sentence they call me Traytor they call me Rebell but Lord leave me not unto their sentence let my sentence come from thy presence that I know will be another sentence then what cometh from them for thou hast proved me and tried me and findest nothing in me that is the first thing Secondly his prayer to God to keep him in his way his going and his footsteps from sliding Lord whatsoever the wrath of Saul be against me yet let neither that nor any other thing put me out of thy way but keep my heart close unto thee and keep my paths in thy way let not my footsteps so much as slide from thee for Lord they watch at my halting if they can find but the least slip from me they take advantage of it to the utmost and I am a poor weak creature therefore Lord keep me that my footsteps may not slide Thirdly he prayes for deliverance shew thy marveillous loving kindnesse to me O Lord my straights they are marveillous I know not what to do nor whether to turn me but my eyes are towards thee as my straights are marveillous so let thy loving kindnesse be marveillous towards me and keep me as the apple of thy eye O Lord I am but as a dog a vile creature in the eyes of Saul and those about him but blessed be thy name I can look up to thee and know that I am dear unto thee as the apple of thy eye all the Saints of God are dear to God at all times but the persecuted Saints they are the apple of Gods eye if at any time they are dear to God then especially when they are most persecuted they are the apple of his eye and the apple of an eye you know is weak and little able to resist any hurt which makes men the more tender of it the more weak and shiftlesse Gods people are for themselves the Lord is so much the more tender over them And one argument that the Psalmist useth in praying against his enemies is this and a speciall one because they prospered so much in this world they are inclosed in fat and have their hearts desire and thou fillest their bellies with thy hid treasure they leave to their babes they have their portion in this life Lord keep me from them Lastly he doth professe his resolution yet notwithstanding all the dangers he was in to go on in the wayes of God and expects a gratious issue but I saith he will behold thy face in righteousnesse indeed I cannot behold the face of the King without danger there are a great many that run to kill me and I desire his face but though I cannot see his face yet Lord I shall behold thy face I will behold thy face and it shall be in righteousnesse I will still keep on in the wayes of righteousnesse and when I awake for I believe that these troubles will not hold long I shall not sleep a perpetuall sleep but I shall be delivered and satisfied with thy likenesse there shall be the manifestation of thy glory to me that shall satisfy me for all the troubles that I have endured for thy names sake that my soul shall say I have enough this is the summe of this Psalme Now the words read unto you are a description of Davids adversaries implying an argument why he would be delivered from them they are described to be men of this world they were onely those that were adversaries to him and a comfort it must needs be to the Saints of God to see that none are their enemies but wordly persons men of this world who have their portion in this life they have somewhat here and here is all they are like to have Secondly it implies the argument why he would be delivered Lord deliver me from them because they are men of this world who have
dram of saving grace intitles men to the favour of God which is better then life What a difference is there then between the having the least dram of grace and the enjoyment of all the world and what a goodly portion is there here that thou so much rejoycest in certainly thy heart is strait that thou thinkest these things to be so big as in a narrow vessel a thing will appear big but in a mighty wide vessell it appears little so when the Lord by grace shall widen and enlarge thy heart then all the things of the world will be little to thee Indeed if a man be below here he looks upon that which is next to him that hath any bignesse in it as somewhat great but if a man were advanced on high on the top of a pinnacle then that which seemed great appears but little to him so the men of the world that are here lie graveling below and the curse of the serpent is upon them and they think the things of the world great matters but grace lifteth up the heart on high to God and Christ mounts it up to eternity and then we look upon all things here below as mean this was the reason that Luther when he had great gifts sent to him by many of the great men of Saxonie he began to be afraid least the Lord should reward him here in this world and he hath this expression I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so that is his word according to the manner of his language thus he speaks when there came in things of the world and he began to be tickled with honour and great men did respect him O thought he I shall be some body now in the world thus corruption began to work but grace did prevail and he breaks out with this expression I did professe God should not put me off so the Lord shall not put me off with worldly honors and dignities there are other things I look for things that are better and higher these are poor pittances for this soul of mine to be put off with all there are other things I must have from the Lord or else I cannot be satisfied that is the first thing the poor things of the world which is the portion of wicked men Secondly consider the tenure by which they hold it all you have in the world you hold it not by very good tenure it is not held in Capite I confesse this I think not the men of the world to be usurpers for what they lawfully get in the world I think not they shall answer meerely for their using what they do meerely for their right to use what they have but they shall answer for their not right using the same they shall not answer I say for their right to use but for their not right using they have some right but what right is it There is a 3. fold right 1. a right of justice that we may claim to a thing as a due what is not your right you cannot claim 2. there is a right of Creation that God gave to man at first you have lost that right now 3. there is a right of promise God hath promised all good things to his people you have not that right neither you have neither the right of justice to claim nor the right of your Creation nor the right of promise what right then There is a fourth right and that I confesse you have which is a right of donation God is pleased to give to you And thus you hold all your honours and estates that are ungodly men just thus even as a man that is condemned to dye and there being a little reprieving for 2. or 3. dayes before his execution the Prince out of his indulgence gives order to have provision made for him according to his qualitie that if he be a Gentleman he should have such provision if a Knight or a Nobleman he shall have provision according to his qualitie till his execution now no man can say this man usurpes though he hath forfeited all his right to his lands and estates yet if the King will give him this refreshment he is no usurper but it is a poor right he hath it is a right of donation and thus God gives the ungodly men in this world their right to outward comforts you have your portion but you see how you hold it The next thing to be considered is that this portion here as it is poor in regard of the mean things and the Tenure so there is a great deal of mixture there in and the truth is all the good things wicked men enjoy in this world will scarce bear charges that is there is so much trouble they meet withall in this world with their portion that what they have will scarce bear charges if a man goes a voyage we use not to count any thing he spends by the way to be part of his treasury now all we have here in this world is but spending money to bear our charges in religion God knows we shall be at a great deal of charges and afflictions we shall meet with here but besides there is a mixture of Curse in every portion of an ungodly man if any of you think you get such a rich match you get an heire that is a very rich match you get her portion if it be in money there you go fetch away the bags of gold that are her portion but if it should prove that every bag of gold you have of your wives portion had the plague in it it were but a poor portion certainly it is thus with all ungodly ones in the world that all the while they live whatsoever they enjoy continuing wicked men they have a curse of God that goes along with it and makes way unto eternall misery for them as those that are godly have the blessing of God in outward things that makes way for their eternall good so thou hast the curse of the Lord mingled with all thy outward things that makes way for eternall evill unto thee And then consider what portion thou loosest thou hast got one but thou loosest a great deal more if a man had been at the exchange and made a bargain about some petty thing and afterwards when he comes home knows that by not being at home he hath lost a purchase that would have made him and his posterity he hath little cause of rejoycing in that bargain so though thou hast got a portion that may seem to satisfie thee somewhat know thou hast lost a portion of infinite worth and value It is impossible to shew you what this portion is for the devil could shew Christ all the glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye but if I should come to shew you the glory of Heaven I had need have eternity to shew you what the portion of the Saints is but though I cannot shew it
poor man hath not so much fewel for his uncleanesse as you have nor so much fewell for his pride and malice as you have and many rich men account the blessing and happinesse of their estates to consist in this very thing that now they may have a larger scope for their lusts then ever they could before alas a poor man cannot go abroad and drink as you can do a poor man cannot lay out so much upon a whore and an unclean wretch as you can do and you rejoyce in this if this man hath not his portion in this world who hath the Lord strike thy wretched heart A gracious man when God blesseth him in this world though there be but a little grace in him it will work thus the Lord hath raised my condition above my brother why the Lord giveth me a larger opportunitie to do him service then my brother hath or then I had before there is such a poor man he is an honest man but God knows he can do but little in the place where he is he hath but little means but God hath given me means and this means enlarges my opportunities to do God service and for this my soul blesseth God I account my estate happier then before I now may be of more use and do God more service then otherwise I could do have you such workings in heart you rich men if you have not never be at quiet till you get your hearts working in this manner this will be a blessed testimony that God gives you a portion here and intendeth another portion for you in the world to come Again what is that thing that you strive to make most sure that which a man strives to make most sure that he counts his happinesse to consist in O for thy Land and debts thou strivest with all thy might to make them sure but as for the matter of thy salvation and peace in Christ thou hast a good hope thereof but takest no pains to make it sure See what thou dost most admire men for O such a man is happy he hath so much coming in and hath so much a year but dost thou call the vile man happy this is a signe that thou hast not thy eye enlightned canst thou look upon those that are poor and mean in this world as most happy creatures because the Lord gives them the grace of his spirit and think well it is true I have a greater estate then such a poor man that is my neighbour or then such a poor kindsman but God knows he doth God more service then I do he prayes more and more heartily in one day then I do in a whole year O the Lord hath other manner of prayers and sighes come from his poor cottage then ever he had from my brave pallace I have my citie house and my countrey house but they were never so perfumed with prayers some that live in poor cellars send up more prayers and God hath more honour from them then he hath from me in my familie perhaps there is cursing and blaspheming of God in such poor cottages there is perhaps blessing and praysing of God now canst thou look upon them as the most happy people in the world Lastly what art thou most carefull to lay up for thy children if the things of the world take up thy care for thy children most it is an argument thou thinkest thy children shall have a good portion if thou canst leave them so many thousands it is like it is thy portion too if thou countest it theirs Examine also thy services what they are dost thou put off God with slight services then know thy portion is like to be of Gods slight mercies Again art thou hypocriticall in thy service dost thou ayme at the praise of men in outward duties that is a signe thou hast thy reward here and are thy services forced that thou art compelled it is meerely conscience compells thee and not an inward agreablenesse between the frame of thy heart and holy things then it is like a servants portion will be thine and not a childs portion Further hast thou heretofore been a forward professour in religion and hast now forsaken the wayes of God I 'le give you a dreadfull Scripture for this in the 17. of Ieremiah All you that forsake the Lord shall be ashamed they that depart from me shall be written in the earth if thou hast been forward heretofore and now thou comest to be more ancient and now thou art dead and dull and cold here is a Text for thee go home tremble least thou be a man whose name is written in the earth And doth not God for the present curse thy portion thou findest the more thou hast the worse thou growest as if a man should eat meat at ones table and assoon as he hath eaten it begin to swell he will conclude certainly the meat was poysoned so when thy estate rises thy heart rises with pride surely it was poysoned with the curse of God that was in it Again I 'le onely name one signe more what sayest thou to this that man that spends his dayes without having some fear least God should put him off with the things of this world there may be some danger of that it is said of some that they feed themselves without fear you can go to a merry meeting and feed upon the chear and eat without fear but never have such a thought as this in your heart what if God should put me off with these things I hear indeed there are some menare put of so what if that should prove to be my portion what a miserable creature were I I fear there were some men never had such a thought in their lives what if it should prove so with me what a miserable creature were I. I have one word of exhortation to you all then I have done this exhortation must be divided First unto you that have some evidences that God hath given you a better portion that God hath not put you off with the portion of this world O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to you that ever he hath shewed you better things then the world affoords your line is fallen into a good ground you have a goodly inheritance though thou hast not so much as others have yet thou hast that that will make thee happy forever I have read of one Didimus a learned godly Preacher but he was blind whereof he complained was much troubled for his want of sight whereupon a Christian friend rebuked him sharpely what saith he hath God given you that that is the excellency of an Apostle of a Minister of Christ and are you troubled for want of your sight that a pismire may have that a bruit beast may have for the want of thy sight that the rats and mice may have are you troubled with that and rather not taught to blesse God that hath given you
a delightfull work as they are together to praise God Christ is praising him as they worship Christ is worshipping Now every Saint of God hath the spirit of Christ in him and so he delights in the society of the Saints on this ground because there is worshipping of God and God is praised solemnly among them If there be any place in the world wherein God hath solemne worship it cannot be grieve a gracious heart that he is not with them for his heart is with them he delights to be with them especially in such a work as that it grieves him that he cannot be there It is a note of an Interpreter that I have met with upon Isaiah 6. where the Angles cry Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts the Prophet cryes Woe unto me for I am undone c. saith he upon this ground because he could not joyn with those blessed creatures and so magnifie and praise and worship God that he through his sinfulnesse was not able to joyn with them he cryes Woe is me I am undone So when any gracious heart doth but hear that there is a people in the world that are precious ones the excellent on earth that joyn in the worship of God and honour God in his own way and enjoy communion with God and I cannot joyn with them woe to me that there should be any let or hinderance that I cannot come and joyn with them for my heart is there my delight is in the Saints when they are jointly together because Gods solemne worship is there But thirdly my delight is in the Saints jointly in regard of the wonderfull delight God hath in them A gracious heart must needs delight in them because God himself takes so much delight in them but especially when they are jointly together There are speciall expressions in Scripture of Gods taking delight in the Saints jointly as in Zephany Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing What expressions are here of Gods delighting in his people The Lord thy God will rejoyce he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will love he will rest in his love and joy and joy over thee with singing And in Isaiah you shall find that the Church is called Hephzibah Gods delight Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed Desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzi bah and thy land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall be married Isaiah 62.4 it is a wondrous delight that God hath in his Saints There are wonderfull expressions in Scripture for the manifesting of Gods delight even to admiration especially in the Church jointly together They are such expressions as we could not think or invent as namely that he calls his people his portion his pleasant portion for the Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32.9 God calls them his inheritance the lot of his inheritance Ier. 12.7 he calls them the dearly beloved of his soul Exod. 19.5 he calls them his peculiar treasure Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people God hath treasures in the world the creatures that are called the good treasures of the Lord Deut. 28. but his people are called his peculiar treasure there is a particularity There is another kind of excellency in the people of Gods delight then in all other creatures they are his common treasure but his people are his peculiar treasure God calls them his glory I will glorifie the house of my glory I will place salvation in Zion for my glory Isa 46.13 The crown of his glory Isa 60.7 he calls them the Throne of his glory Isa 62.3 Thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall diadeem in the hand of thy God In severall places that I cannot stand on His glory the House of his glory the Crown of his glory the Throne of his glory He calls them the royall Diadeem he calls them his ornament an ornament set in Majesty and glory There are the expressions and more I might name of Gods delighting in his people Therefore if God delight in them and find satisfaction much more should we Christs speaks of his Church O my sister my spouse my heart is ravished with thee It is a strange expression for Christ himself to be ravished with his people It is an expression beseeming the Church to have said so to Christ but for Christ to say to the Church it is wonderfull And again My love my dove my undefiled one Cant. 2. and at that very time when the Church was in a state of security that Christ should call her his love his dove his undefiled all to expresse the abundance of delight in his people Well if God have such delight in them much more should the Saints Again if we consider further the presence of God among his people it is another argument why the Saints of God should take so much delight in other Saints especially when they are joyned together because God is present there The Lord is here is the name of all their assemblies The Lord dwells and hath his tabernacle in Sion It is a strange expression concerning the presence of God in that he makes his people his habitation As the people of God call God their habitation so God calls his Church his habitation God dwells in Sion Psal 90. Would you not delight to keep house with God Where Gods people are God keeps house and we should long to have it our own house and not come as strangers A man may come as a stranger and take a bit and be refreshed in a family but it is not his house But now Gods people when they go to others of the Saints they see God there and they have that house for their house It is called as I told you the house of his glory that house that God desires to dwell in he hath a mighty love to that house to dwell among his people In Psalm 132. there are many great and excellent expressions For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation Psal 132.13 14. God desires Zion what is Zion but onely his Saints and people joyned together Zion was a type of the Church so now all the Saints of God together are Zion Now God hath a desire to this habitation God dwells in the high and holy place the highest heaven is God habitation but though God have such a house in heaven yet he is not as it were contented with that house but he desires another house he hath a desire to Zion to be his habitation and the house where his honour dwelleth You know a Prince may have some houses of meaner
never think what you do what you aim at I and my family are now going to seek the great God in prayer I am now going to joyn with my father or my master now that we are altogether in this family to tender up that worship and homage that we poor creatures owe to that infinite glorious first being of all things whereby to testifie our high respect and esteem of him Now if thy prayer be a customary way of prayer it is vanity it hath not a right end It may be thou goest to prayer meerly to satisfie conscience· Or some have this by end in prayer a wicked end that is they think to satisfie God for their former sinfull wicked wayes They take liberty in company to drink and please the flesh and as they served themselves then so now they will serve God and set one against another Sometimes they will give liberty to the flesh to take contentment that way but they will not alway do so sometime they will be devout serve God There is no man so wicked as to be alwayes in the acts of wickednesse but they think God must have his turn and they must have their turn sometimes And this is the prayer of many people to put their sins in one scale and so many devout prayers in the other scale and the one shall poize the other This is vanity this is not the end of prayer When God doth not see thy expressions filled with the graces of the Spirit this is vanity Take heed of vain expressions when there is nothing but nature in prayer though there be never so much earnestnesse in prayer if there be but a naturall spirit it is vanity we must pray in the spirit as the Scripture speaks And take heed of sluggishnesse in prayer that makes it vanity The breath that comes from life in mans body is warm but the breath that comes from bellows is artificiall and cold some mens breath in prayer is artificiall and cold but the prayer that comes from life is warm breath that comes up to God Again vanity in prayer is this when all is eaten out with vain thoughts thy heart roves in prayer thou knowest not where thou art thou canst not call that which thou makest a prayer A prayer with vain thoughts it like beer or wine that is dead and hath lost the spirits Vain thoughts are worms that eat out the strength of a duty would you present a dish to your superiour that were worm eaten or that were gnawn on before when we let out our thoughts in duties and present them to God they are worm-eaten and torn the strength of them is quite gone And after you have prayed take heed that you make not your prayers vain by not looking after them for the accomplishment of them or by being proud of your prayers gifts by resting in them And again it is vaniâ—y when thou undoest all as soon as thou hast done by going contrary to thy prayer in thy life not adding watchfulnesse to prayer If a man take pains to weave a web and spend so many hours in it and then ravell it out this man spends his time in vain So do most people with their prayers they pray for mercie and grace and as soon as they have done they go quite contrarie and ravell and undo all is not this vanity No marvell if thou thinkest it in vain when there is nothing but vain thoughts in thy prayers And take heed that you make not the prayers of others vain Luther writes to Melancthon angerly in regard of his fear of the power of his adversaries saith he You make our prayers void So it may be said of many that are cold and luke-warm and dead-hearted and do not take to heart the cause of God that fear the displeasure of this bodie and that bodie you make our prayers void You that have praying friends it may be fathers mothers that are dead whose prayers are put up in heaven take heed that you make not their prayers void that you give them not cause if they should come to live again from the dead to weep and cry out O how are our prayers made void by the prayers of such and such But you will say Lord what will become of us we have abundance of vanitie in our prayers Therefore that you may not be discouraged know that though there be manie vain thoughts in prayer yet if there be sighing and mourning and humbling of the soul and panting of the heart after God in groning and sighing though there be a mixture of vanitie yet there is a working of the Spirit of God and of grace in the heart after God know that the Lord will not charge this vanitie on thee the Lord will do away thy sin therefore let not that discourage thee The efficacy lies not in the excellencie of thy prayer but in the merits of Christ and his mediation Onely Christ will have somewhat of thy self in thy prayer he will have thy heart pant work after him but there may be abundance of vanitie thou drawest a line and makest a blot and another line and another blot Christ draws all fair again and presents to his Father But another question is this you say it is vain to pray Can you make good that you are one of the seed of Iacob This priviledge belongs to them it may be you are of the seed of Esau The seed of Esau what is that The Apostle speaks of Esau what his guise was Heb. 12.6 and saith Take heed that none of you be such as Esau lest there be any fornicatour or profane person as Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right Now if thou prove a fornicatour thou art of the seed of Esau or a profane person what is that for one morsell of meat he sold his birth-right that is to please and satisfie and content the flesh he sold his birth-right that was the land of Canaan so typified the priviledges of the Church of God and even a type of heaven it was His birth-right had a spirituall meaning it had reference to the spirituall priviledges that the Saints of God have to this day in all the ordinances of God That man or woman that priseth any carnall contentment before spirituall priviledges they are of the seed of Esau and not of Iacob Thou thinkest there is some savour in monie and in a good trade and in good chear and such a day as this November 5. is better then a fastday because of the good chear but for the spirituall duties of this day to come and magnifie God and to attend upon his word thou thinkest they are circumstances and by matters and thou art troubled if the Sermon be too long to hinder thee of thy dinner thou art a prophane Esau all that I have said belongs not to thee thou dost not belong to Iacob but to Esau that preferrest carnall things for the
you all I will onely give you a hint or two that you know somewhat what it is 1. It is such a portion as is fit for the spouse of the Lamb as is fit for the spouse of one that is to marry the Son of God the second person in Trinity 2. it is such a portion as is fit and suitable to an heire of life glory an heire of Heaven and Earth yea it is such a portion as God doth give men to this very end to declare what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to the height of happinesse what think you this must be that I say it must therefore be done that it might declare to Angels and all creatures what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to happinesse glory this must be somewhat Again it must be such a one as in which God must attain unto the great designe that he had from all eternity in making of Heaven and Earth which was to magnifie the riches of his grace to a Company that he had set apart to glory it must be such a portion and guesse you what this must needs be Yea it is such a portion as must require the infinite power of God to support a creature to bear the weight of that glory and all this must be now to all eternity I remember when Esau did but hear Isaac his Father tell what a blessing he had given unto Iacob he fell a weeping O that God would so strike unto the hearts of men that have so little minded any thing but the world Thou hearest but a few words to what the Lord hath reserved to all eternitie for his Saints and compare but that with what is thy portion and thou hast cause to weep I but more cause you 'l have to weep if you consider the last thing and that is what is like to be the end of all thy portion in this world if indeed thou could'st ruffle it out in this world and enjoy thy hearts desire and there an end it were somewhat O but there is somewhat else remains afterwards as 1. O the perplexity of spirit that any worldly man will have when death comes when he shall see an end of all the comforts of this world now farewell house farewell lands and farewell friends farewell acquaintance and all merry meetings and joviallities I shall never have comfort more in you as it was the speech of Pope Adrian when he was to die O thou my soul my soul whither art thou going whither art thou going thou shalt never have more jests nor be merry nor be jocund any more where art thou going so may a man that hath his portion in this world say at his death where is this poor soul of mine going I have lived here thus many years and I have had many merry meetings I have eaten with the strongest and have drunk the sweetest and gone in brave array but now my day is gone what shall become of me what peace have I now when all is gone I remember Latimer hath a story in one of his Sermons that he preached before King Edward of a rich man that when he lay upon his sick bed there came one to him and tells him that certainly by all reason they can judge he was like to be a man for another world a dead man assoon as ever he hears but these words what must I die send for a Phisitian wounds sides heart must I die wounds sides heart must I die and thus he goes on and there could be nothing got from him but wounds sides heart must I die must I die and go from all these here was all here was the end of this man that made his portion in this world Another rich man that lived not far from the place that I my self lived in heretofore when he heard his sicknesse was deadly he sends for his bags of money and hugs them in his arms O must I leave you O must I leave you And another lying upon his sickbed layed a bag of gold to his heart and then bids them take it away it will not do it will not do Another when he lay upon his sickbed his servants came to him said what lack you would you have any beer what do you want O saith he I want onely one thing peace of conscience that I would have it is not beer nor friends nor an easy pillow I want but ease of conscience O consider whether there be not like to be perplexitie in your spirits And then brethren you must be called to an account for all though as I told you before not to account for the right to use but for not right using and do but think with your selves if you now have so much as you cannot reckon how then will you be able to reckon for it if now you cannot count how will you be able to give an account at the last day especially when you have had no thoughts of this before hand There will be a dreadfull portion indeed at the day of judgement O the shame and confusion that will be upon the faces of the men of the world in that houre when they shall see their poor neighbours have their portion with Christ in glory perhaps a poor servant in the house advanced to glory and they stand on the left hand to be cast out perhaps some of these poor hospitall boyes shall be advanced to eternall glorie when as some of you that are their great masters shall be cast out eternally what an infinite shame and confusion will this be to you O now I see what it is to trust in God and not to trust in him those are happy that would trust for the future but I miserable that dar'd not trust in him The Lord will rain snares and fire and brimstones here is the portion of the ungodly at last appoint him his portion with hypocrites saith Christ where there is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth that is the portion of hypocrites in the conclusion Now here thou seest the end of all what dost thou think then of thy portion now think but of one Text and I have done What hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained when God takes away his soul Mark there are many hypocrites that aymed to get estates in the world but cannot thrive God crosses them well but suppose thou aymest to gain and hast got all thou wouldst desire what hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained though he hath grown never so rich and got all he desires when God takes away his soul this time is coming it will be ere long and it may be suddenly the portion of some that are here present and perhaps this Text of mine may then ring in their ears when they lie upon their sick beds perhaps within a month or six weeks when Gods time shall be and then conscience
so great a mercy as to make you such an instrument of his service so may I say to you that are godly hath God given you Iesus Christ hath he given you his Son hath he given you his Spirit hath he given you himself to be your portion and are you troubled that you have not more of that that beasts may have as well as your selves O be ashamed of any mournfull discontentments for want of the comforts of this world And do not envy wicked men for their outward prosperity I remember a story of a poor souldier that was condemned to die meerely fortaking a bunch of grapes from a Vine for there was a strict law that who ever should take any thing from that place they went through he should dye for it Now he had taken a bunch of grapes and was condemned to die and as he went to execution he went eating of his bunch of grapes and some came to him and said dost thou go eating thy grapes thou shouldst think of somewhat else he answers I beseech you Sir do not envy me my grapes they will cost me dear so may I say of all the men of the world we have no need to envy them of any thing they have it will cost them very dear one day Thirdly live like such as God hath not put off with the portion of this world manifest in it your conversations that you look for higher better things then what this world affoords shew they are but slight in your eyes look upon your estates as despicable be willing to improve them all for publick good yea to jeopard not estates onely but your names your liberties and your lives in a publick cause and those that shall do so however the world may look upon them in a sad condition and say O such a man is like to be undone and his life is in danger I tell you such a one that shall out of a good principle be willing to venture life and estate and appear for God that man shall be most honoured and be found the most happy man at last and indeed herein he shews himself to be a man that looks for a higher portion then these things here as those in the Hebrews By that they said and did they shewed plainly they looked for another Country so see you men that might live as comfortably in outward things as you and did their consciences give way they could be as quiet as you but conscience puts them upon it that seeing God calls them to a publick place they can be content to put all at Gods feet Now though you may think that such are in most danger they shew plainly they are men of another countrey and should be most honoured and take but this principle with you the more any one gives up his estate to God the more comfort he hath in his estate whether in the enjoyment of it or in the losse of it I expresse it thus when one resignes up all he hath his estate liberty name life to God the oftener it comes into Gods hands the better it comes when God gives it him again a carnall heart when once he hath these things he will not trust God with them but he will have them in his own keeping but a gracious heart though he hath all these from God yet every day he is willing to give up all to him and to trust God with them again though he be a rich man he is willing every day to come and beg his bread at his Fathers gate and give up all now he gives up all in the truth of his heart to God and God gives it him all again as long as in a lawfull way he enjoyes it he hath it a fresh from God now this I say the oftener any thing comes out of Gods hand the sweeter the better it is wicked mens estates come but once out of Gods hands and therefore there is not so much comfort in them but a godly mans estate comes 100. and 100. times from God for every resignation gives it to God and God gives it him again therein is comfort and O blessed are they that live so as that they declare they look for another Countrey and that their portion is not here let the men of the world think them foolish that will venture themselves so God and his Saints have declared that their portion it not here And now to you all the word of exhortation from God is that every one in this place would put on to make more sure of another portion besides the portion of this world put on I say for you are all made capable of higher and better things then the things of the world and never a one here but hath an immortall soul and is capable of Communion with Father Son and Holy Ghost and that is another manner of businesse then to eat and drink and have pleasure with the flesh here for a while God hath made your natures capable of such glory do not debase your selves to rest satisfied with husks when you may have meat enough in your Fathers house and therefore put on and let the poorest sort put on that have but a little portion here yet there is as fair way for you to have the God of Heaven and Earth to be your portion to have whatsoever Iesus Christ hath purchased by his bloud to be your portion to have eternitie and immortality to be your portion I say there is as fair a way for it as for the greatest Princes in the earth you may come to have a portion here Indeed many a poor apprentice may say my Father is dead and hath left me no portion I but you that are poor apprentices and others and the poor Hospitall boyes that live upon charitie it is possible some poor wretches there may come to have their portion in God and Christ and immortality as well as the greatest and richest of all therefore raise up your hearts here you that are the poorest and meanest know you are born for high things If I should come and tell one that is a poor boy in a blew coat now what ever you are now there is such a rich man will adopt you to be his child and make you his heire that would raise up his heart well how ever meanely you live now you may be a glorious creature hereafter if so be you have now a heart to put upon it and to seek after it for your portion But you 'le say Lord what should we do that our portion may be a higher portion then in this world the first thing I would put you upon is this let the whole course of your life be steared as it were with the fear of God have a continuall jealousy least God should put you off with the things of this life hold forth this in every action that any one may see by your conversation surely this man this woman hath some fears least
in prayer God gives them the key of all his treasures to come and open them and take what they will it is a glorious priviledge that belongs to the Saints in any condition God gives them a gracious praying heart and that is the key of all the treasures of God of all the excellencies of God that they have liberty to come and take out what they will be it unto thee as thou wilt These are the excellent of the earth that have these priviledges Again they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them As the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it There is not any one gracious action but it hath more excellency then heaven and earth Not onely grace it self but any action that comes from grace hath more of God in it and God more delights in it then in all other things in heaven or earth It is an expression of Luther though he were a great advancer of faith yet he was also an advancer of holinesse as well as of faith therefore speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman saith he preciosa c. it is more precious then heaven and earth And then he goes on with another expression I had rather be able to perform any one gracious act of the poorest woman or maid of the poorest Christian that is then to be able to do all that ever Alexander or Iulius Caesar had done The least act that comes from faith from a sanctified heart he had rather be able to do it then to get all the victories of Iulius Caesar and Alexander all their triumphs and trophies were nothing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly that which comes from them are exceeding excellent Now I reason they must needs be excellent that have such excellent things come from them As when there were such excellent things came from the body of Paul that had such virtue in them that had such virtue in them that noted that there was a great deal of excellency that God conferred upon that Apostle and a great deal of honour that was put upon him So when there comes flowing such precious liquor such precious things from the Saints as an holy action is it shews that there is a great deal of excellency in them Which by the way should teach us to abound in holy duties though our actions as they are from us corrupted we look on them as despicable yet know that God looks on them as the most glorious things in the world any breathing of a gracious heart therefore he despiseth not the broken heart nor the sighing of a contrite spirit Psalm 51.17 God can despise Monarchs and Princes of the world but God cannot despise a broken heart nor any breathings from it Though thou mayest despise it thy self and look on it as despicable the Lord cannot despise it he sees so much excellency in it though it be mixed with thy corruptions yet there is that remainder of excellency in it if there be but so much as may denominate it a gracious act it is a glorious thing in the eye of God Lastly to name no more the excellency of the Saints appears in this the great use that they are of in the world As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world Were it not for a few gracious men and women what glory should God have in all the world They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world by which God hath his glory actively for that is that God aims at It is true God can force glory in spight of mens hearts he will be glorified in spight of Devils but God hath no active glory but from gracious godly people I speak of the inferiour world it is onely the godly that God hath glory from Therefore were it not for them God in some kind had made all the world for nothing Now those that are imployed in such a great work and are of this great use in the world as to bring to God that which he made the world for the main and great end that he made heaven and earth for certainly these are principall in Gods esteem and excellent God can say I have my end in these Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly what glory hath God but of these So for other places where hath God glory but for a few contemptibile ones They are these that God glorifies in high and great services these are the lights of the world the salt of the earth they are these that are the blessings of the world wheresoever they are they are these for whom the world continueth so as it doth There is a notable expression in Isaiah In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the middest of the Land whom the Lord of hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance Isaiah 19.24.25 Wheresoever they are in a Kingdom or a family or a town they are a blessing in that Kingdome in that town and in that family Israel shall be a blessing in the middest of the Land These are they that are the excellent of the earth I would now willingly be over this that I may come to the other but onely there is a word or two of applicatian And that is First to shew what a vast difference there is between those that are godly those that are wicked Many things I might shew that the Scripture expresseth of wicked ones in all their glory let all the glory of the world be put upon them yet the Scripture speaks exceedingly contemptuously of them I must not spend time in those expressions onely one and that is Daniel And in his estate shall stand up a vile person to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdome but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the Kingdom by flatteries Daniel 11.21 It is spoken as most Interpreters carry it of Antiochus Epiphanes he is called a vile person we may observe that David doth here more fully set out the love and affection he bears towards those that feare God by the contrary effect of hatred wherewith he doth prosecute the wicked as in the 4. v. of this Psalm in the 4. vers of the foregoing Psalm the Psalmist saith In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the LORD Psalm 15.4 Of this Antiochus there are three things observed yet he is called a vile person First he was a great enemy to many sinnes Secondly when the Iews wrote to him because they feared his wrath he being a persecutor of the Iews there were
some that lived in Samaria that were Samaritans that wrote to him to desire his favour that were not their own selves Iews but Samaritans and Iosephus saith they wrote to him in this stile To Antiochus c. Antiochus the mighty God they gave him this title of honour He was a great man on earth accounted where he lived among the Samaritans a mighty god yet the Scripture calls him a vile person And then his name Epiphanes which is as much as illustrious or glorious He hath that title of almighty god and illustrious and glorious and yet he was a vile person Thus it is where God sees not the work of grace The consideration of this might give us some hope that there will be a time wherein God will appear for his Saints It is not probable that God will alwayes suffer his Iewels to be trodden under feet in the world that God will alway look upon such as are excellent on earth and see them so abused in the world so contemptible as they are surely this will not be alwayes God hath this time to make it manifest to the world that they are the excellent of the earth They are now Iewels yet they are such as are in the dirt and so are despised contemned but there is a promise that the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people for they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up as an ensign upon his Land Zach. 9.16 As the stones of a Crown God will lift them up and make them honourable And there is another Text which is very observable for every one to take notice of Gods intention to make these excellent ones famous on earth The governours of Iudah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Zach. 12.5 There was a time when the governours of Iudah despised those that were gracious godly but God hath promised that the governours of Iudah shall be convinced of their errour and shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God However now through the calumnies of the world however now through the reproaches that are cast upon the Saints of God it falls out many time that even the governours of Iudah despise and contemne them and say they are seduced people that they are factious and turbulent and so their hearts are against them hate and abhorre them look upon them with such an evill eye as those that they name puritans yet there is a time promised when the governours of Iudah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Ierusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts O ye inhabitants of Ierusalem Gods Church and people his sanctified ones for Ierusalem typified the estate of Gods people under the Gospell Gods sanctified ones under the Gospell shall be such as the governours of Iudah in their hearts shall say My strength is in them I see they are my best subjects my chief strength is in them and they are of principall use for me and my Kingdom is upheld in peace for them and there is the blessing of God on them they shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Now I see God is their God God hears their prayers and hath done much for them we are convinced of it O this will be a blessed time when it shall be that the governours of Iudah shall say so Blessed be God that they do say so in any measure that the governours of Iudah say at all of the inhabitants of Ierusalem of the godly that their strength is in them that they may see those that are the excellent of the earth in any measure to be truly the excellent of the earth It were a ruefull spectacle and would draw tears of bloud to see the excellent ones to have that usage that they have had But now to see those excellent ones countenanced in a publick way especially in publick courts of Iustice it is glorious when the governours of Iudah shall do it And this we are to pray for that it may be more and more seen amongst us and to say no more let us learn to honour them that God hath honoured since they are excellent ones and God hath put excellency upon them do you so too look on them according as God esteems them It is observed that God in the time of the law did not require them to offer in sacrifice Lions and Eagles those brave creatures but Lambs and Doves mean creatures he would have offered in sacrifice So God doth not regard the brave spirits of the world that strut it out but if there be any that be gracious and godly though they he never so poor and mean as Lambs and Doves God honours and respects them they are a sacrifice to him the broken heart is a sacrifice to God The sacrâ—fices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise Therefore when God would lift up himself in glory he saith He that dwells in the high and lofty place What of him he looks to those that are of humble and contrite hearts and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit As if there were no other subject in the world worth looking upon he looks onely to them As a thing that is before ones eye that he prizeth his eye is fastned on that so God looks on them as if they were the onely object to be looked at therefore let them be looked at by us with reverence in our hearts it is fit that we should honour those that God honours Therefore it is observed in the message of the King of Babylon to Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 When Hezekiah was sick and God had given him a sign of his recovery that the sun did go backward It was a wondrous honour that God put on him that the sun should go backward The ambassadours of the king of Babylon came to congratulate with Hezekiah after his recovery but what was the businesse not onely to congratulate with him for his recovery but to enquire of the great miracle so the Text saith the ambassadours of the Prince of Babylon were sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land Why did they enquire of this wonder there were many wonders done but they were not sent to enquire of others but of this Because they worshipped the sun for their god and because their god had put such an honour upon Hezekiah they perceived the altering of the sun that it went backward and they enquired of the matter concerning the alteration in the sun and after enquiry there was news that it was for the sake of Hezekiah Now because they worshipped the Sun as their god and so apprehended that their god had put such an honour upon Hezekiah they honoured him
regard when he goes to his sport he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while but his pallace where he shews his Majestie and honour that is more glorious So the people of God and the Church is called the house of Gods honour it is not a mean house but a house of honour Further it is that house that he means to dwell in for ever he loves it so well This is my house I will dwell in it for ever I am so well pleased with it I will rest in it for ever Surely we have cause to rest our hearts in Gods people when God finds rest there and for ever It may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of God at the first delight in them but your hearts being carnall you soon grow weary of them It is not so with God he delights in his people and rests there and rests there for ever But you will say how is God present with his Saints more then in other places why is God said to dwell among his people his Saints I answer in two regards God is said to dwell among his people in a speciall manner First because he makes himself known to his people more then to all the world besides There are none that know the counsell and mind of God so as his Saints do God is known in Iudah Psal 29.9 There God opens himself In his Temple every man speaks of his glory Secondly because God communicates himself most among his people God is said to be in heaven Why but because there he manifests his glory more then in other places therefore heaven is his habitation If that be his habitation where he manifests himself more then his people are his habitation because he manifests himself most there Secondly heaven is the place of Gods residence because he communicates himself most there then also Gods people are his residence he communicates himself there And he communicates himself to them in a speciall manner in four regards 1. He communicates to his people more choise mercies 2. He communicates mercies more fully 3. He communicates mercies more powerfully 4. More universally then to others 1. He communicates goodnesse among his people and Saints more choisely more choise mercies of God There is a remarkable place in the Psalmes The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion Psalm 143. ult He saith not the Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee either out of heaven or earth but out of Zion as nothing that the choise mercies that God hath to communicate are out of Zion among his people joyned together in the way of worship Would you desire that God should blesse you with the chief mercies that he hath look upon God as blessing out of Zion out of Zion God communicates his choisest mercies therefore it concerns all to be in Zion that they may have God to blesse them out of Zion there runs the sweetest of Gods mercies indeed in Zion Again God communicates his mercies more fully among his people then any other way Psalm 36.7 8. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures They shall be abundantly satisfied how not with the creatures but with the fatnesse of thy house Neither with thy communication to them alone God hath abundance of mercies for his Saints alone but when they are among the Saints jointly together then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he shaâ—l make them drink of his rivers of pleasures While they are alone in corners they may have many sweet drops of pleasure from God but when they are joyned with the Saints there are rivers of pleasure and delight that come to their hearts therefore there is great delight to be had in the Saints of God when they are joyned together Thirdly he communicates them more powerfully mark in Psal 133.3 As the dew of Hermon and the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded a blessing even life for ever more There was blessing the Lord commanded it there went a powerfull work of Gods grace upon the hearts of people there when they were joyned together in Zion there God commanded the blessing If you would have God speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his people you must joyn in a holy fellowship with his people there God commands it In the last place more universally all the goodnesse of God is communicated among his people therefore the Church is called the perfection of beauty Psam 50. that some translate the universality of excellency and beauty There is a universality of all among the Church and people of God And in another place All my springs are in thee Psam 87. speaking of joyning with the people of God that is all my springs of truth that are revealed to me all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul all the springs of grace that I have to quicken me they are all in thee in the joynt society and communion with Gods people I find all Thus we see the presence of God among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy and delight in the Saints jointly together Again further there is abundance of cause to delight in them joyned together in regard of their admirable priviledges as they are joyned together They have priviledges as they are alone but as they are joyned they have committed to them the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 all the ordinances by which God conveyes himself To them are committed the seal of the covenant you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant but joyned with the people of God closing with them To them is committed the very power of Iesus Christ saith the Apostle When ye are together with the power of Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 a glorious priviledge Yea further take this one thing they are inheritours to all the promises that ever God made to the Church from the beginning of the world There is no society of Saints that joyn in Christian fellowship but they are so See a remarkable place for that in Isa 54.17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the LORD That promise that God made to the Churches before this is their heritage And conceive of this one now that is of great use that all that is said in Scripture concerning Gods delight to be among his people and in Zion all were but to type out the excellent
manifested his regard to them Therefore if it be not in vain for the wicked to call unto the Lord much lesse is it in vain for the seed of Iacob the elect of God to call unto him Yea the Lord heareth the cry of the very Ravens the beasts Psalme 147.9 and Psalme 104.21 27 28. Therefore the people of Niniveh would have the beasts eat nothing that they might cry unto God Ionah 3.7 8. Surely if the brute beasts and the fouls be heard when they cry it is good for the people of God to call unto him There is very great reason that we should call unto God because the people of God that have been wise and have conversed with God and have known much of the mind of God have given up themselves and all their strength to the duty of prayer Now it were a weak part and an idle thing for any one to give up his strength all his might to that which in reason we could not expect and whereby there is no great thing to be obtained It is said of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.3 that he feared and set himself to seek the Lord. It is translated composuit faciem suam he set his face he gave himself up fully to seek the Lord. They know what they doe that give up themselves wholly to seek God Indeed carnall hearts condemn the people of God because they see them so earnest in those things that they think to be frivolous For it argueth weaknesse in any man to give up himself with all his strength to things that are vanity and have no strength in them Therefore because carnall men look upon the way of Religion as a thing that hath no end they think it foolish for men to be so earnest to give up their strength their whole souls for it But the Saints of God know what they do when they give themselves up to seek the Lord they know if they call unto him he will answer them Again this is an evidence that there is much advantage by prayer because men that were wise and holy have so prized the prayers of the Saints and made such high account of them Mark the expression of the Apostle writing to the Saints for their prayers Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together in prayer with me in your hearts to God for me The Apostle Paul so great a man and one that had a mighty spirit in prayer writing to private Christians in the Church of Rome he beseecheth them for the Lords sake and for the love of the Spirit that they strive in prayer for him He knew that there was much to be had this way Yea further God is found of them that sought him not Isaiah 65 1. then surely the people of God that call upon him shall receive answer from him Yea yet further God when he intends to shew no mercy giveth a streight charge to his people not to pray or he shutteth up their hearts that they are not able to pray This is an argument that prayer is prevalent because when God will not shew mercy he would not have such a precious thing lost and spent to no purpose Lastly it is not in vain because if it should then a praying heart were not alway a mercy from God but certainly it is Therefore though perhaps you cannot find the thing granted that you pray for yet to have a continuall praying heart know that it is a great mercy from God And those that are spirituall prize more the continuance of a praying heart many times then the granting of the thing they pray for All these put together are full evidences that it is not in vain to call unto the Lord. There be many other evidences which I passe by one purpose that I may have as much time as may be for application But now wherein doth it appear that it is not in vain to seek the Lord what doth prayer do First it is not in vain to seek God if there were nothing else in prayer but the right exercise of the faculties of our souls and of our graces this alone were worth our time The graces of our souls must be exercised about somewhat Now prayer serveth for the exercise of all graces Secondly it is not in vain if it were nothing but the performance of our duty as creatures to God There are many people that are weary of prayer because they have not that by it that they expect But know that there are two arguments to prayer the performance of duty and the obtaining of mercy If there were but onely the former that alone should suffice to keep thee praying as long as thou livest Thirdly it were not in vain if it were nothing but the tendering that homage and worship that we owe to God Prayer is not onely a duty but a great part of the worship that God hath in the world While we are worshipping of God it is worth the time Again it is not in vain if there were nothing but this that we come and shew what side we are of that we joyn and side with God against his adversaries and for his people But these are not the things here intended Further it is not in vain because there is no faithfull prayer that ever was made but God accepts of it in heaven There was never one of the seed of Iacob that ever put up a faithfull petition to God but God took it in his hand and read it A King or any superiour when you come with a petition may refuse to take it but God never refuseth to take any petition from a faithfull soul Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 6.9 The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer He will take it and look on it and read it and not onely so but he will also accept it and take pleasure in it A Prince may take a petition and look on it and after frown and shew anger in his countenance but God doth not so with the prayers of his people The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 he never reads a petition that his people tenders but with a smiling countenance If it be a faithfull petition he accepts it of them and receives it graciously It is an expression of Luther speaking of the prayer of a contrite heart The least sigh of a contrite heart so fills heaven with noise that there is no noise of any thing in heaven or earth heard at that time but onely the noise of prayer Certainly a faithfull prayer taketh the heart of God very much yea every faithfull prayer is recorded in heaven You keep your letters upon the file that you may readily find them when you have occasion to look on such a letter sent from such a countrey so God hath his file in heaven where all faithfull prayers are kept upon record As Princes
declare thy name unto my brethren in the middest of the Church will I sing praises unto thee Christ in the middest of the Church sings praise to God When people meet to praise God Christ praiseth him It is a mighty encouragement in praising God So in prayer when we meet to seek God Christ seeks him for he is at the right hand of the Father making continuall intercession for the Saints Christ himself joynes with them in the work that their prayers may be heard and answered Again it is the stile and title that God glories in to be a God hearing prayer therefore he will hear and answer Again prayer is the pouring forth of the spirit to God the spirit that is so be beautified with the graces of his own spirit now the pouring forth of such a precious spirit to God so beautified and principled with the graces of the holy Ghost certainly this cannot but be answered by God Indeed the Scripture saith of the heart of the wicked that it is little worth Let their heart be poured fourh God doth little mind or regard it but the heart of the righteous is much worth it is very precious before God therefore when their hearts are poured out and God sees the beauty and glory of his graces on them it is exceeding delightfull to him and such pouring out of their hearts are heard and answered If God have a bottle for all their tears he hath a bottle also for all their expressions and pouring out of their hearts in prayer Further the exceeding delight that God hath in his Saints must needs cause God to regard their calling unto him They are his darlings now there is no man that loves to deny a suit to any that he delights in Lastly it were not for the honour of God that his people should call unto him and not be answered nor receive that comfort they pray for It is reported of Titus though he were a heathen Emperour yet he would not that any man should go sad out of the presence of the Prince God accounts it an honour that none should go sad out of his presence Therefore those are called on to rejoyce that seek the Lord. Let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the Lord Psalm 105.3 not onely let the heart of them rejoyce that find the Lord that obtain that they seek but those that seek the Lord while they are seeking should rejoyce in seeking him But now I will onely take away that great objection and reasoning that is in the hearts of many men against this point and then come to the application You tell us that the prayers of Gods people are not in vain But when they call unto him he will answer them and by Gods mercy now and then we have found some comfortable hearing from heaven but ordinarily we find it otherwise How many prayers have we put up to God and find not the issue we pray and pray and the enemies prevail though now and then God give us help Now for the taking away of all unbelieving reasonings against this point I will not go from the Text at this time Therefore the first answer is this You say you have sought God and have not what you would have and therefore God hath not answered when you have called Though perhaps this that you now say is something yet it makes not the text void Remember what hath been before heretofore you have sought God and God had answered your seekings remember the times of old let that for the present a little stay you It was that that stayed the Psalmist he began to reason as you do that he had sought God without answer Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore c. Psalm 7 8. here seems to be as much unbelief as in your reasoning but mark what follows v. 10. And I said this is my death but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high O it is my sinne and weaknesse that I should reason thus I consider not what to do when I reason thus but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high vers 11. I will remember the works of the Lord sureâ—y I will remember the wonders of old v. 12. I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Thy way O God is in the sanctuary who is so great a God as our God Thou art the God that doest wonders thou hast declared thy strength among the people v. 14. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people the sons of Iacob and Ioseph v. 15 Mark at length he recovers himself with this though present things seem to go hard yet he remembred what God had done so do thou in this case In this book of Isaiah you have a complaint of unbelieving hearts as if God had been sought in vain Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Iacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Art thou one of the seed of Iacob and hast sought God and sayest thou hast had no answer God reasons the case and will confute their unbelief Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding He giveth power to the faint to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall v. 28 29 30 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk not faint Hath not God done great things heretofore in 88. and in the powder plot and at other times and though we be in some streights remember what God did before This should appease your hearts what though thou have not present audience for the thing thou seekest yet think I deal with a God that hath an understanding that I cannot search God it may be lets the adversary prevail sometimes I cannot tell what glory God may get by it I cannot conceive how God can bring his own glory about when Israel flees before the Philistines But why sayest thou so O Iacob there is no searching of Gods understanding God sees further then thou canst see that thing that thou thinkest will make against his name may make for it therefore lay thine hand upon thine heart He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might God stayes till men have no might till they faint and are ready to fail and then he comes and helps them That is the meaning of that Scripture in Luke where Christ saith God will avenge his elect that cry night and day to him though he tarry he will
avenge them he will hear their prayers he will answer their requests But it follows upon it notwithstanding when the Sonne of man comes shall he find faith on earth I verily think that that want of faith hath reference to that very promise specially that God will hear his elect that cry but God may stay so long as that the very time when God shall come to perform it and shall intend to do it it may be a time when their faith is overcome and fails in the promise that they begin to give over and think they have sought God in vain And usually the time when God comes to fulfill his promise and to answer the prayers of his people it is that very time when they fail and are ready to sâ—ck Therefore that may be another argument it may be thou hast not believed this promise Thou sayest thou hast prayed and thou thinkest thou hast not answer hast thou believed this promise in the Text hast thou relyed on it God hath commanded it and hast thou done as he commanded with belief Call unto me and I will answer thee The word of God shall be made good but how upon our faith it shall be made good to us upon our believing though we be never so godly and pray never so well yet if we will have the promises made good it must be upon believing If thou hast not laid the weight of thy soul on the promise thou hast no cause to say that God hath not made his word good it may be thou hast not faith learn to believe the word and then thou shalt have it fulfilled Thou wouldest have it made good and then thou wouldest believe it no thou must first believe the word and then expect that God should fulfill his promise Again God is a great God that we call unto and it is fit for us to wait and to wait long He is great and we call for great things and we are poor mean vile wretches God hath his prerogative sometimes to answer presently sometimes not so Elias was a great praying man he is set for an example of prayer he prayes at one time for fire to come on the sacrifice and fire came down presently another time he prayed for rain and then he prayed seven times and bowed his head between his knees and sent his servant and sent him again and again At one time God comes in at the first at another time not till the seventh hour it is Gods prerogative And take this note it is a true sign of a gracious spirit though God defer yet still for the soul to cling to God to think well of God and of the wayes of God and of the duty of prayer it is an excellent sign and the ready way to find favour with God You have sometimes two beggers follow you for alms one perhaps hath true need pure need and is of a soft tender spirit the other is a sturdy rugged beggar you deny them both he that hath pure need and hath a soft tender spirit he thinks he is unworthy that the other man should be bountifull to him and he falls a weeping yet he thinks well of the man and will be ready to beg of him upon another occasion he hath good thoughts of him But the sturdy begger rails breaks into an angry passionate mood and he will ask no more who of them is like to prevail the soft spirit that hath an ingenious disposition or the sturdy spirit that soon breaks off Thus there are many passionate hearts that are not froward with men but with God they come and ask mercy of God but their hearts are stiff and froward and sturdy if they have not that they would they presently break off and say why should we wait on God and cry it is in vain to seek the Lord. But now a gracious tender ingenious disposition though the thing come not that he prayes for he justifies God in all and speaks well of God and well of prayer and loves that still and waits on God in that way this is the soul that is likely to prevail But further to answer from the Text it may be thou hast not called unto God Call unto me saith God It may be it is somewhat else that thou hast sought in prayer then God though thou name God in thy prayer it may be thy heart hath been after creature-helps and thou hast made more account of the help of the creature of Armies and strength thou hast made account that they would do it rather then prayer and if there be no help but prayer thou thinkest it but a dry businesse A carnall hearted man when he hears of an army of twenty thousand men well clothed and the like he thinks much may be done but for the prayers of Gods people they think they be nothing Now if thou have sought help by creatures rather then by God thou hast not sought God all the while Or if it have been but outward safety that thou hast sought and not the face of God thou hast not sought God Seek my face saith God Psalm 27. This is the generation of them that seek thy face O Iacob Psalm 24. Thou seekest not God without thou seek Gods face without thou seek God for himself And ordinarily God is not sought but thy estate is sought and thou cryest out for the danger thou art in Therefore thou hast no cause to say it is in vain look to thy prayers take up thy prayers again Do as the fishermen do if they find that there comes nothing up that they do not catch they take up their net it may be there is a hole a rent in the net And so the Angler if the fish do not bite he takes up the bait it may be there is somewhat wanting on the hook So look to thy prayers it may be it is not God that thou hast sought take them up and see what is amisse in them Another answer is this it may be thy prayers have been vain and therefore no marvell if nothing but vain come of them Surely God will not hear vanity Iob 35.13 If there be nothing but vanity how canst thou expect that God should hear them Our prayers are ordinarily without form and void that is there is nothing but vanity in them Not that God regards so much the setting of a mans words in form handsomely for the grones and sighs of the spirit of God are accepted though they be not methodicall as the making of a speech to men God looks not to that Many pray and they know not why but because others do but they propound not the true end of prayer I appeal to thy conscience when thou hast gone to pray to God hast thou propounded this end I am going to tender up that worship and homage that I a poor creature owe to to the infinite glorious first being of all things you call your families sometimes to come to prayer and
flesh before the spirituall priviledges of the Saints But how shall I know that I am one of the seed of Iacob How do you know such an ones child but by his likenesse to his father One that hath the spirit of Iacob is of the seed of Iacob There are manie things that the Scripture speaks concerning Iacob and see if you do answer them First Iacob was a mightie man in prayer he was a wrestler with God he wrestled till the day broke was as strong at the last as at the first hast thou the spirit of thy father Iacob art thou not discouraged in prayer though mercy come not presently yet dost thou wrestle all night resolve whatsoever come if thou die thou wilt die wrestling here is a child like the father therefore thou art of the seed of Iacob Secondly Iecob was one that feared God when God appeared to him he looked on the presence of God as dreadfull How dreadfull is this place Genesis 28. because God was there So dost thou look on the presence of God as dreadfull that thou canst say the fear of the great God is on thy soul when thou comest into his presence mark for this is that expression in the Psalm Ye that fear the Lord praise him all the seed of Iacob glorifie him and fear him all ye seed of Israel Psalm 22.23 If you will be sure not to seek God in vain but that you may praise him in seeking him fear the Lord all the seed of Iacob Thirdly Iacobs heart was disingaged from the creature a little of the creature would serve his turn Gen. 28. Lord saith he if thou wilt give me meat to eat raiment to put on He looked no further he minded no great matters Therefore in Ps 24. there the generation of Iacob is set out and one thing is he that hath not lift up his soul to vanity The men of the world have great things in their eyes they are vanitie in Gods eye though they be great in theirs and they lift up their hearts to them Now the sons of Iacob do not lift up their hearts to vanitie though the things of the world be present their hearts stirre not they rise not but if God and Christ and heavenly things be presented their hearts are lifted up If thy heart be lifted up to vanitie if thy heart be as iron and the vanities of the world come and draw it up thou art not a son of Iacob a little would serve Iacob though he were a great heir He was a plain man and dwelt in tents Genesis 25. and had a plain spirit he did not look after great things whereas Esau looked after great things abroad Again he was one of a tender spirit therefore where it is said he prevailed with the Angel it is said he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel there he spake with us That storie of Iacob concerns us how God dealt with our Father If now thou have a tender spirit as he had if when thou goest into the presence of God thou find thy spirit yield and melt and relent thou art one like thy father Iacob Again further Iacob did in the time of his streights repair to the covenant that was a great satisfaction to his heart he looked to the covenant he fastned on that and there he held as the main support of his spirit Gen. 32.9 And Iacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac the Lord which saidst unto me return unto thy countrey and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee c. He heard that Esau was coming against him with a great company what doth Iacob he gets him to God O God of my Father Abraham of my Father Isaac the Lord which said unto me return into thy countrey c. He repairs to the Covenant Remember thy Covenant with Abraham and Isaac and with me to I went on thy word Here was the guise of Iacob canst thou in a straight get thee a word and a promise and brood thy soul over it and clasp it close and say this is the promise that must and will do me good Again Iacob was of an humble spirit I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies He admired at the mercy of God that he had any thing Gods mercies made him more humble this is an excellent disposition we are many times humble and lowly when we are under the hand of God in affliction but when mercies make us humble that the more God is gracious the more vile we are in our own eyes this is excellent And he looked back to his former condition he looked upon his poor beginning and gives God the glory I passed over this Iordan with my staff Many of you came with your staff and God hath given you two bands you are grown great are you willing to think of it and to acknowledge the poor estate that once you were in and to give God the glorie I was thus thus of poor parentage and see how God had dealt with me Another thing remarkable is that Iacob contented himself with God alone he accounted that he had enough in God alone though all were taken from him he did not look upon himself as undone but he had that that might make him for ever In Gen. 33. compare the 9. and 11. verses you shall find a notable difference between Esau and Iacob yet the word in our books is the same but this Scripture is much wronged by the translation In vers 8. Esau when he comes to Iacob when Iacob would have given him his present saith he what meanest thou by all these droves which I met he said these are to find grace in the sight of my Lord and Esau said I have enough my brother It was a strange speech of Esau A covetous wretch that is alway pyning and murmuring for having no more and thinks he shall want before he dye he doth not come so farre as Esau and Esau could say I have enough are there not many of you that never say you have enough I pray thee take my present saith Iacob for I have all things nay saith Esau I have enough The one saith I have enough the other saith I have all things for â—o the word is Col Esau had enough he did not want he had meat and drink and he saw none to interrupt him he was satisfied with his estate as his portion he had enough he cared for nothing more they might talk of other things but that was enough to him Iacob comes and saith I have enough but this was another manner of enough Esaus enough is his estate but Iacobs enough is God for he saith I have all Iacob was meaner for his outward condition then Esau for he had nothing but what he had gotten in hard servitude Now Esau saith I have enough Iacob saith I have all that is God
is enough in the want of all if Esau should strip him of all he had yet he had all in God Now one that is of the seed of Iacob in the time of want as some of you may be plundered and then all is gone you say no if thou be of the seed of Iacob if thou have God thou hast all There is such a promise He that overcometh shall inherit all things How is that and I will be his God Revel 21.7 Therefore whatsoever thou wantest if God be thine if thou be Gods child thou hast all Further one of the seed of Iacob is one of the Church of God for all Iacobs posterity was so therefore the blessing in Ruth is The Lord blesse thee like Rachel and Leah which two did build up the house of Israel Why is it not the Lord blesse thee as Rebeccah or Sarah but as Rachel Leah It was a blessing upon a marriage condition the reason is because from Rachel and Leah came onely those that were of the Church that were members of the Church of God but there came others from Rebeccah of Sarah came onely Isaac but Abrahams posterity was otherwise And that Church that was then was but a type of that which should be after that is of a company of people elected and called out from the world to be partakers of the Priviledges of Iesus Christ The people of the Iews the seed of Iacob were the Church of God as the seed of such an one And this typified the Church that should be after a company that are taken out of the world to partake of the priviledges of Iesus Christ Canst thou say that thou art of the Church The word that we translate Church is a company that is called out from the world Canst thou ever tell of a work of God separating thee from the world that when thou wentest according to the world God gave thee a mighty call that made a separation between thee and the world For it is said so of the seed of Iacob Numb 23.9 From the tops of the rocks I saw him and from the hills I behold him lo the people shall dwell alone they shall not be reckoned among the Nations All the seed of Iacob are called out of the world they are separated from them by a mighty work of God to partake of Christ and be a member of him And upon this such an one mightily longs after all the outward priviledges of the Church to enjoy all the outward ordinances of Christ after his way those that are of the seed of Iacob they prize the excellency of Iacob as the greatest excellency their hearts are towards it and they rejoyce in that above all the excellency in the world If you ask what this excellency of Iacob is it is the joyning of Gods people in the way of ordinances and duties of Gods worship in the purity of them This in Scripture is called the excellency of Iacob Psal 47.4 He shall chuse our inheritance for us the excellency of Iacob whom he loved It is an excellent Scripture O it is a blessed thing to give all to God to let God chuse our inheritance What is our inheritance The excellency of Iacob whom he loved What was that The worship of God and his ordinances joyning with the people of God in the way of his ordinances in his temple those were the things that were the ordinances of God in those times those are called the excellency of Iacob and so it is now the excellency of a people to enjoy Gods ordinancies You have another expression to the same purpose And I will bring forth a seed out of Iacob and out of Iudah an inheritour of my mountain and mine elect shall inherit it and my servants shall dwell there Isaiah 65.9 What is the mountain of God Gods Ordinances in his Church I will bring a seed out of Iacob and Iudah and they shall inherit my mountain So that the greatest inheritance of the seed of Iacob is the mountain of the Lord communion with the Church of God and his ordinances if you be of the seed of Iacob your hearts prize and rejoyce in this and that you have in Psalm 24. vers 3 4 5. you shall find how the seed of Iacob prize the enjoyment of God in his Ordinances Who shall ascend in to the hill of the Lord who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Iacob It is so in the book but the particle O is not in the originall and therefore it may be read thus That seek the face of Iacob it may be read in the Genitive case as well as in the Vocative This is the generation of them that seek him even of Iacob and then he turns to God that seek thy face but because his heart was full of this of seeking Gods face though he intend to mention what generation it was the generation of Iacob he puts in that before the generation of Iacob that seek thy face that is this is the generation that so prise God in his ordinances and account it such a blessing of God that joyn themselves to the Church of God and set up his ordinances and wayes this is the blessed generation these are those that seek God truly We seek not God truly unlesse we seek him in his own wayes unlesse we seek him in all his ordinances we cannot comfort our souls that we seek him in truth For as in the way of obedience we cannot have comfort in our obedience that it is true except it be universall to all Gods commandments so we cannot have comfort in our seeking that it is true except it be in all his ordinances and wayes therefore we must be of the generation of them that seek the face of the Church that seek thy face O Iacob So it follows in that place lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in Where should the King of glory come but into his Church Who is the King of glory The Lord strong and allmighty still the Church is called on to entertain Christ in his glory so this is spoken of the Church Thus you may know whether you be of the seed of Iacob Again if you be the seed of Iacob you have the inheritance of Iacob account it your inheritance What was Iacobs inheritance Deuter. 33.2 The Lord came from Sinai and from his right hand came a fiery law The law of God is a fiery law yet in verse 4. Moses commanded us a law even the inheritance of the congregation of Iacob So that though the law be a fiery law a strict law a severe law
melted by the beams of the Sunne then by the scorching of the fire You will say humbled for what There are three things that we have cause to be humbled for upon the consideration of the mercy of God towards us First the sinne of unbelief consider when we were straitned at any time when we heard ill news that our armies fled and came to danger how our spirits were down as if all were gone Let us check our hearts God rebuked us in a kindly manner we might have had a furious rebuke Secondly be humbled for all our murmuring and repining and discontent O we did not think that the wars would have held so long and O what taxations are upon us and all our estates rent away And how manie are there that had rather that all the good that God hath done for his people since these times should never have been done then that they should suffer in their outward estates Be rebuked for all your murmuring and repyning at such difficulties as you have met with in the great cause of God The third thing that this mercy should make us humbled for look back to is that if ever there have risen this thought in any of our hearts that it had been better for me if I had never appeared so much I see how things are like to be the enemie prevails and is like to overrun all had it not been better that I had not ingaged my self so much that I had not appeared so much are they not wiser men that have kept themselves quiet and silent and done as little as they could nothing but what they have been forced to And when the Kings party come if they tax us they can do no more then force us If thou have such a thought pray to God to forgive that thought Let this that God hath done rebuke thee Art thou sorry for what thou hast done thou seest God will do it without thee If thou have been a publick instrument and hast done good and yet if in fear of successe thou hast repented God rebukes thee this day Then labour to love prayer as long as you live as David saith I will call upon God as long as ever live Prayer casts the scals and hath the advantage First the other side they feared not to suffer much if they were overcome they think they have a head and they would be where he was and he would countenance them make good their condition for them but this side if they had been overcome they had been men utterly undone what a mighty advantage was there one way more then another Then the Kings side if he had prevailed he had places of dignitie to bestow if the Parliaments side prevail we are but where we were we do but maintain our own we cannot expect to raise our condition But how many broken Gentry expected to raise their condition on the other side As it is said concerning the Pope and the generall Counsell the Pope prevailed notwithstanding the generall Councell though that were above him why the Pope had Cardinall ships and Deaneries to bestow but the Councell had none they had the advantage that way Again those that appeared on the one side how were they discouraged extraordinarily on the other side they were incouraged to the utmost On the one side how unfaithfull have they been on the other side they have kept to their principles because their principles are suitable to the flesh but there are many on this side that have not gracious principles and had a publick cause therefore they have been unfaithfull We have use of men that have not principles to act by but all the other go according to their own principles The one part acts that they may gratifie mens lusts now the generality of the world love it they know if the one partie prevail they shall have liberty and licensciousness but if the other prevail they shall live under laws Now men would have their lusts therefore when they see on the one side they shall have their lusts and on the other side they shall be more curbed they strive hard for their lusts At the first I wondred that men should be so vile to fight to make themselves slaves but when I considered they shall have slaves under them and have their lusts and the other side be more curbed then I was satisfied and wondered that God should cast the scale the other way they having all the advantages in a carnall way more then the other Only here it is we have people that have prayed and this hath cast the scale Love prayer and praying people and joyn with them be on their side for God is with them and will not suffer them to pray in vain a praying Christian is a usefull Christian in the world Again make this use of all that hath been done Look how far thou thinkest the adversaries would have been hardned if they had prevailed against the cause of God be thou so much the more resolute in the cause of God If they had prevailed how would they have blasphemed and manie thousands of Atheist would have been made more then there was before what a mightie offence and stumbling block would this have been Now since God hath turned it the other way justifie God and his cause settle your hearts in the love of God and his cause and settle your selves more strongly in the reformation in hand Further let us give him reall praise that we may not receive the grace of God in vain By this grace we hope that he hath given us our estates that we were afraid would have been rent from us we have the continuance of our liberties and of the Gospell Let our hearts be ingaged to God to give up our estates this day let us renew our ingagements to God in secret between God and our souls Lord thou mightest have taken away my estate by the spoylers it was near it and thou hast done it to other of my brethren and is mine continued That estate that should have been spent for their lusts I am resolved to spend it in thy service that hast preserved it and I account it a great mercie that I have an estate to honour thy name I feared I should not God expects that ever henceforward you make a more holy use of your estates then before And call your hearts to question what do I do with my estate for God what honour hath God from my estate more then before God expects more or else God may justly say in vain have I preserved this wretched estate there are manie of my servants if I had preserved their estates they would have improved them in the towns and places they lived in and here is a wretch I have preserved his estate and he is more greedy and scrapes up for himself and all his thought is how to repair what he hath lost by taxations c. The Lord may repent of what he hath done