breaking out of desires They are the breath and vapour of the soule Let us consider what is set highest in our soules what we desire most of all Oh! a Christian soule that hath tasted of the loving kindnesse of the Lord accounts it better then life it selfe It is not Corne and wine and oyle he desires but Lord shew me the light of thy countenance The desires of his heart are large to serve God and to doe good more then for the things of the world He desires earthly things but as instruments for better things and this is the desire of every sanctified soule in some measure Let us hence make a use of convinction of the folly of base men that live in the Church and yet come not so farre as Balaam that come not so farre as those that shall goe to hell They turne over all Religion to a Lord have mercy upon us and Christ dyed for us and we hope we have soules to God ward as good as the best and to a few short broken things They turne Religion to compendiums to a narrow compasse and make the vvay to it wide and broad and complaine of Preachers that they straiten the way to heaven This is the disposition of worldlings whereas alas there must be a righteousnesse that must exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises there must be a righteousnesse from an inward principle there must be a strong constant desire of righteousnesse more then of any thing in the world before we can be assured of our interest and part with Gods people Let us take heed that we delude not our selves this way But to come to an use of direction How may we so carry our selves as we may have a spring of blessed desires a spring of holy desires that may comfort us that we may have our interest and portion in the state of Gods people That we may have these desires let us desire of God the spirit of revelation desires follow discovery for desires are the vent of the soule upon the discovery of some excellency it beleeves Therefore let us beg of God the spirit of revelation to discover the excellent estate of Gods people And because this is given in the use of meanes let us present our selves with all diligence under such means as where we may have somewhat of the Kingdome of God that the riches of Christ being unfolded our desires may be carryed to such things for there is never any discovery of holy and good and gracious things to a Christian soule but there are new desires stirred up Our soules are like a mill that grinds what is put into it so the soule it workes upon the things that are put into it if it have good desires and good thoughts put into it by good meanes used and by prayer it feeds upon them let us alway therefore be under some good meanes that good thoughts may be ministred unto us that may stirre up gracious desires for the soule to worke upon Let us be in good company Saul among the Prophets we see hee prophesied and the heart is kindled and enflamed when we are among those that are better then our selves especially if their hearts be inlarged to speake of good things but to come nearer That we may have holy and gracious and constant desires let us take notice and make tryall continually of the state and frame of our soules which way for the present they are carryed in what current our desires run If they runne the right way to heavenly things it is well if not take notice what drawes and diverts and turnes the streames of our desires the false way let us thinke what the things be and the condition of those things that drawes our desires downe and make us earthly and worldly whether the pleasures or profits or honours of this life The way to have better desires is to weane our selves from these things by a constant holy meditation of the vanity of these things that the soule is carryed after Salomon to weane his heart from these desires from placing too much happinesse in these things he sets them before him and saith they were vanity and vexation of spirit Let us set them before us as nothing as they will be ere long Heaven and earth will passe away the world will passe away and the concupiscence and lust of it Let us consider the basenesse ficklenes and uncertainety of things that our soules are carryed after and this will be a meanes to weane them from them And the soule being weaned from earthly things it will run amaine another way Let us study therefore to mortifie our base affections and study it to purpose to cut off the right hand and to pull out the right eye spare nothing that God may spare all that God may have mercy upon us and spare us let us spare nothing These lusts they fight against our soules And as I said before feed our soules minister unto them better thoughts continually Those that are governours of those that are yong season them while they be yong with good things for while the soule is not filled with the world and while covetousnesse and ill lusts have not wrought themselves into the soule good things and good desires are easily rooted and planted and grow up in the soule As letters graven in the body of a tree they grow up with the tree and the fruit of the tree growes up with the tree and therefore the twigs breake not with the greatnesse of the weight of it because they grow up together so plant good things in those that are yong inure them to know good things to hate ill wayes plant in them blessed desires and inure them to holy exercises and good duties that good exercises may grow up with them as the fruit wth the tree We see what 〈◊〉 hard matter it is to convert an old man to draw the desires of a carnall worldly man to heaven when we speak of good things to him his soule is full of the world what is in his brain the world what is in his heart the world So he is dry and exhausted of all good things and that that is in him is eaten up with the world It is a great improvidence in those that governe youth that they labour not that their desires may be strong to the best things And let us all both young and old labour for heavenly wisedome that when good things are ministred to us from without or good motions stirred up by the Spirit of God to close with them and not to quench those motions and resist the Spirit but to imbrace those motions and cherish them till they come to resolutions and purposes and actions If we have a motion stirring us up to repentance let us ripen it till it come to perfect repentance till we repent indeed and have turned from all our evill wayes and turne to God with full purpose of heart
more restrained either inwardly by the Spirit and by the conscience or outwardly by the Lawes and terrour the more mercifully God deales with men so the more free the current of the disposition runs in ill wayes the more wretched a man is Yea but will the heart of some Atheisticall person presently say what punishment is it as long as I have liberty in evill and meet with no hinderance in my courses and feele no harme but rather the contrary as many that get their riches by ill meanes and those great Papists those great Vsurpers wee see what estates they get to themselves I answer Spiritual Iudgements are so much the greater by how much they are lesse sensible because if they bee not sensible to us here they will bee the more sensible to us hereafter And those that have their will most here shall suffer most against their will hereafter It is the greatest judgement in this world for a man to have his wil in sinfull courses Hee that shall make an Idoll of his will especially a man that is in great place of Honour that shall make all wayes serve for the accomplishment of his will when he hath â—…t he is the most miserablest man in the world â—…or hee that hath his will most in courses unjustifiable shall suffer most against his will when he commeth to a reckoning such men therefore are the more miserable because such taking themselves to be absolute persons and their waies the best wais though they have many determents from their base courses yet they will heare no counsell and therefore the â—…rder to be reclaimed It doth not therefore take away from their punishment but rather aggravate it I beseech you let me presse this a little that these Iudgements are great Iudgements although wee doe not feele them when with a free consent we give our selves unto ill It is a heavie Iudgement when God leaves us to our owne lusts and takes away the guidance of his Spirit we had better that God should give us up to the Devill for a while to bee tormented we had better be in Hell if a man might come out at a certaine time then to bee given up all our life time to doe with our owne consent and will that which is liking to our owne will and lust because by yeelding to our own will wee yield to the Devill that rules in a Mans affections and will For a Mans affections when they are carried to evill they are the Chariots of Sathan when the Devil sees excessive sinfull affections as excessive sinfull joy and delight in sinfull pleasures he being about us is alwayes carried in these affections and carries us also strongly in the wayes that lead unto eternall perdition Wee judge when a man suffers some outward punishment as casting into prison or the losse of his sight oh hee is infearfull case but what is the case of a man blinded by Sathan and his owne lusâ—…s A man that is a slave to his owne base affections and by consequent to the Devill which rules in his affections and so consequently to damnation A man that lies under the wrath of God that hath no heart to repent If a man had spirituall eyes to consider the case of that man he would never pitty so much the case of those men that suffer outward losses as hee would pitty those which he sees to live and oftentimes to die in evill courses of life This should therefore be an use of direction to us that seeing we heare that God rules the hearts of men that hee takes away his Spirit and leaves men to occasions wee should pray to God to rule our hearts himselfe Lord take thou the rule of our hearts to governe them thy selfe It was a good prayer of the Ancient Church Oh God from whom all holy desires and all good counsels doe proceed c. Indeed it is hee from whom all good counsels doe proceed These ten Hornes they were ten Kings no doubt but as they were men of great place so of great parts but without Gods Spirit without his light the greatest and the wisest man is but mad he is as a man out of his wits puzzeled in darknesse and knowes not which way to goe When God gives men over to their own lusts to their blind affections they lead men to judgement they must needs fall into the pit Let us desire God to put into our hearts holy desires holy purposes for from him all holy desires come let us desire him not only to governe our estate and to preserve our bodies from danger but Lord keepe thou our hearts we cannot keepe our hearts of our selves doe thou bend our understandings bow our affections and our wils that they may run in the right way And to stirre us up to this the more wee must know that that Evill which wee do not we are beholding to God for as much as for the good wee doe Why doe not men having an ill disposition and corruptature doe ill Because God offers not occasions of ill if God should offer occasions they would commit the Evill as well as others It is God that puts into mens hearts to hate that Evill If God should take away his Spirit men would not hate evill when occasions are offered as these men did not when the occasion was offered They gave up their kingdomes and thrones to the Beast So that we are beholding to God for all the ill that we do not either it is his not offring occasions or else his giving us strength in the occasions This we forget Wee are apt to say this wicked man hath done this this good man is fallen into this this man hath done that but where is our devotion at this time we should rather say Lord it was thee for causes thou best knowest for if thou hadst left me especially when occasions were presented and offered and there was a correspondent corruption in my heart to close with the occasion I had fallen into the like sinne it was thy keeping and not my goodnesse One thing more the Beast is exprest before in Chapter 13. to bee lead by the Devill So that howsoever the Devill who by Saint Paul is called the God of this world and the Pope the subordinate Vicar to the Devill and so by consequence he is the Devill for the Devill the Dragon rules him Howsoever I say there be the Devill the God of this world and the Pope in this world the Vicar of that Dragon yet there is but one Monarch one that rules all both Devill and Pope and all the wicked limbs of both to his owne ends It was God that put it into the hearts of these Kings to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast It is he alone that is absolute that gives the liberty of the Chaine both to men and devils Thus farre they shall goe and no further It is a good saying of the Schooles There is no Ill so ill as there is
good that is good there is not any ill so strong as God is good but every ill must come under the government of God The Devill himselfe nor the vile heart of man cannot goe out of his rule yet may runne out of his Commandements but then it runs into his Iustice hee may goe against the revealed will of God but then hee runs into his secret will there is no Ill Ill in that degree that God is good but every Ill is in somewhat and from somewhat and for somewhat that is good as it is over-ruled by God The crucifying of Christ which was the worst action that ever was yet it tended to the greatest good viz. the salvation of mankind So this giving to the Beast of these ten Thrones by these ten Kings it was a sinne and a punishment of their sinne but it was for a good end as wee shall see afterward if the time will give leave This should teachus absolute dependance and subjection to this great God they need feare no creatures that feare God they need feare no Devill nor Turke nor Pope nor all the lims of them for God is the absolute Monarch of the world he can doe what hee will and if God be on our side who can be against us It is said that hee is a wise Politician that can make his owne ends out of his enemies designes The great Governour of heaven and earth can doe so He can put a hooke into the nostrils of the Leviathans of this world and can draw them and rule them as hee pleaseth they may doe many things but it shal be all to accomplish his ends and purposes they shall doe his will God put it into the hearts of these Kings to fulfill his will Hee put it into their hearts to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast and so they did submit themselves to Antichrist for a great while In the next place it is expressed how this came They Gave their Kingdomes to the Beast Wee are to see how farre faulty these Kings were and how farre faulty the Pope the Beast was to whom they gave their Kingdomes For it may be objected that these men they did but obey God for hee put it into their hearts and for the Pope they offered their Kingdomes to him and who would not receive offered Gold But here is a deale of devillish deceit for first God gave them over to themselves and they gave themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast what then was sinfull in them This to give their Kingdomes to the Beast This they betrayed their Kingdomes Here is a wrong to God a wrong to themselvs and a wrong to their Subjects A wrong to God whose Vice-gerents they were did he give them their Kingdomes to give them to his Enemy to give them to the Beast and by consequence to the Devill Doth God raise up men to rule that they should enthral themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast to give them to Gods Enemies No Kings raigne by Him The Pope saith by mee Is their constitution of men No Kings raigne by God they derive their authority from him It is he that hath power over Kings Dan. 2. They raigne not if he will and they may rule â—…f he will by his will permitting else no man can raigne By mee Kings raigne If then they reigne by him it is a treason against God to betray the Kingdomes that hee hath given them into the hands of his Enemies It is a wrong to Christ whereas they should kisse the Sonne by kisses of subjection as Princes use to doe in the Eastern Countries to fall downe and kisse their Soveraignes toes they doe in this the cleane contrary Here is a wrong to themselves they betray their owne authority that when God hath made them Kings to rule they will bee slaves and it is a great sinne for a man not to maintain his standing as it is well observed by his Majestie who if ever Prince did doth vindicate himselfe and challenge his regall authority and it shall continue and make him live even to the worlds end It is the greatest sinne for a man to betray himselfe Every man is to maintaine that place and standing that God hath set him in These ten Hornes they wronged themselves and their place God made them Kings over their people and they become slaves to an Antichristian Priest It was a great wrong to their Subjects kingdomes we know follow their Kings and if Ieroboam make Israel to sinne all Israel will quickly sinne diseases come from the head if the head be naught there will bee a disease in the body ere long A greater stone being tumbled downe from a Hill it carries lesser stones along with it so great Kings when they fall themselves they draw their Kingdomes after them therefore the phrase of the Scripture is God put into their hearts to give not onely themselves but their Kingdomes to the Beast for commonly the Idoll of the people is their King and being led by sense and not by faith they feare him more then they feare God and their owne restraint more then they feare Hell and so they come to this damned Religion by depending upon him therefore it is a wrong to the people knowing they are so slavish by nature and wanting faith are fearing terrour led by the present command of their King Thus it was a wrong in these Kings every way But the Pope the Beast what was too blame in him He did but take that which was offered him They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast I answer Indeed hee tooke that which was offered him but he did abuse these Kings hee abused the Christian world Hee had no title to these Kingdomes but was a fraudulent Possessor of them because hee came to them by a slight Hee raised himselfe to the Popedome by the ruines of the Empire for upon the divisions of the Empire the Emperour having enemies in the East hee was faine to rest in Constantinople and thereupon Rome being much neglected at last was over-run by the Gothes and Vandals and the Pope taking occasion of the absence of the Empeâ—…our set up himselfe thus raising himselfe by â—…e ruâ—…nes of the Empire and then hee being â—…stablished set up Pepine Father of Charles the Great and put downe Childerick who being 〈◊〉 weake Prince he deposed and set the other 〈◊〉 that he might gratifie him so so hee colâ—…ogued with Princes And then againe hee wan respect and authority from the Hornes by diabolicall and 〈◊〉 courses For first hee abused their underâ—…andings keeping them from the Scriptures â—…nd then he abused their affections and drew â—…em this way and that way with toyes They â—…ave him great matters and he gave them Inâ—…ulgences and Pardons consecrated Grains â—…nd such like things Then againe hee would oft force them to â—…ield by Excommunications and many false â—…itles of Peters Successor and Peters Chaire so by the terrour and dread of
God now in Christ's For there is enmity betweene the nature of God and the nature of man of sinfull man but that Christ hath taken our nature now and made it lovely to God and God lovely to us Christ Emanuell God and man God with us hath made God and us friends therefore now we must go to God in that Emanuel in Christ that Ladder that joynes heaven and earth together See Gods face shining in Christ his gracious face and this will incourage us to go to God together with our wants goe not to absolute God a god without a mediator for then God is a consuming fire In the next place when we goe to God and seeke to God be sure to seeke his favour and grace in the first place If we want any particular thing protection or direction or comfort in distresse goe not for that in the first place but let us see in what tearmes God and we are let us be sure that reconciliation and peace be made For if we seeke to God in our particular wants and have not made our peace before but have sought to other gods to men and to our shifts God may say you seeke to me Goe to the gods you have served to the great men you have served to the riches you have trusted unto goe to your shifts Therefore first make peace and reconciliation with God before you seeke other things If a man have offended a great person he doth not goe and seeke particular favours till first he have made peace and taken up the quarrell Let us take up the quarrell between God and us by repentance and a promise of new obedience get reconciliation that way and then seeke for particular favours after For what if God give you particular favours if they bee not from his grace and favour what will they doe us good What will all that a reprobate wretch hath doe him good What will his favours his riches and honours and preferments doe him good when he dies when hee shall conflict with the anger of God when he shall see hell before him and see heaven shut Hee seeth he hath all from a generall providence and as a reward for his care in this world God answereth him with a civill inlargement for his civill obedience but he hath his reward heaven he hath not hee cared not for it what will all doe without the love of God in Christ therefore I beseech you let us first seeke the favour and mercy of God in Christ. And then for particular things goe to him as the exigence is for in God there is a supply for all turnes and that is the ground of seeking for our seeking it must be a wise seeking now it were not wise unlesse there were a supplie in God for every want whatsoever it is If the creature could doe any thing without God we should upon good ground make that God If any thing could raise us without God I mean to comfort we might seeke to them and make them God upon good reason but what can they doe In anger God may let a man enjoy favours as the fruits of his displeasure but what can they doe without him They can doe nothing Therefore it must be the supreame cause the highest cause the great wheele that turnes every little inferiour wheele in the world they turne with the great wheele of divine providence and goodnesse therefore goe to him as the first cause Againe in seeking the favour of God we must search our consciences to come with pure and cleane hearts to God to seeke him If we regard iniquity in our hearts God will not heare our prayers Wee come to God with a purpose to offend him if we come not with a purpose to leave our sins why do we come God will not regard our prayers We must come with pure consciences to God as it is excellently set downe Psal. 24. 3. Who shall assend into thy hill O Lord who shall stand in thy holy place He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart And then he saith after This is the generation of them that seeke him those that have cleane hands and a pure heart Thou hast foule hands thou art a briber a corrupter thou hast an impure heart thou art a filthy creature thou hast lived in such and such sins cleanse thy hands and thy heart This is the generation of them that seeke him If a man seeke the pure and holy GOD with an uncleane heart and uncleane hands if he be corrupt in his hands and in his heart that is the fountaine he may seeke God long enough before hee finde him and if he see GOD it is in anger Againe if we would seeke the face and favour of God let us study the word hard study the promises as I said before bind him with his own word thou hast said thus I alleage thy owne word Iacob when he wrastled with God Genesis 32. then he saw God he called the place Penuell that is the face of God because of seeing God Vpon wrastling when the heart by faith wrastleth with God by the promise Lord thou hast done this though I feele no comfort yet I will rest upon thee that place will bee Penuell The face of GOD will bee there GOD will shew himselfe And let the extremity be what it will seeke God in extremity alleage the Word of God in extremity What word have you for extremity In the mountaine God will bee seene His face will be seene in the mount that is when there is no other help whatsoever God is a present helpe in trouble Psal. 46. He is the God that comforteth the abject that none else can comfort And he that is in darknesse and sees 〈◊〉 light let him trust in the name of the Lord. And though I were in the valley of the shaddow of death if the Lord be with me I will trust in him Psal. 23. And though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee saith Iob. In extremity seeke God then and find out words and promises then as the Scripture is large in that kind for then there is most need of seeking God Lord if thou help not now none can help And this is the difference betweene a true Child of God and another in the time of extremity Saul seekes to the witch but David seekes to God as here Lord thy face will I seeke Many things upbraided David no question with his sinne and the affliction he was in Thou seeke God thou hast offended him and now thou indurest some signe of his displeasure a heavie case beloved somtimes especially in the time of extremity then conscience saith I am in extremity and withall God followes mee with such and such sins a guiltie conscience meetes me in my prayers to God and upbraids me thou hast done so and so that if there be not faith and a word of God to lay hold on in extremity
what will become of the poore soule It is swallowed up No question David was now in pangs and many things offered to thrust him off and he might say I have many things to discourage me yet thy face Lord will I seeke for deliverance out of trouble and for pardon of sinne Set the promise of God and the pardon of sinne above all extremity whatsoever God is the God of all and above all he is the God of comfort if comforts be wanting hee can make them a new In the want of means and when meanes are against us let us see lie to God Ionah in the Whales belly that was a creature that might have consumed him with heate When he was in the belly of hell he called unto God If a man be as low as hell if he have a command to come and a promise it will fetch him thence therefore alleadge the promises and the word What a miserable taking are they in that in extremity have no acquaintance with Gods word with the promises or good examples that have stored up nothing Alas they are in the middest of a storme naked in the middest of warre and opposition disarmed they lie open to all assaults Therefore as you love your own soules gather grounds of comfort treasure up promises and holy truths that in extremity you may say with David upon good ground Lord thou hast said thus and thus and in this extremity I come to thee Thy face LORD will I seeke breake through all feares and discouragements whatsoever alleadge the command of God and the promise of God and the incouragements of God my discouraged heart saith thus and Satan saith thus but Lord thou sayst thus seeke my face shall not I believe and obey God more than the devill or mine own lying false heart therefore except we will betray our soules to temptations and betray the comforts that wee have let us seeke GOD in all extremities I desire you to remember these directions and bee incouraged to seeke to God joyne the seeking in extremity with the seeking him in his ordinances If we doe not seeke him in his ordinances in the time of peace let us never thinke he will be so familiar with us in the time of trouble If wee be not acquainted with him in his ordinaces in prosperity in extremity he will be farre off Therefore seeke the face of God now in all his ordinances that is the way to have provision of strength against all other extremities whatsoever It is a great comfort in extremity to one that hath sought God in his Ordinances before Foolish Atheisticall men seeke not the wisedome of God in his Ordinances God cries to them and they regard it not but then they cry to God and God will not answer them but laugh at their destruction And as it is in Zachary you cry and I will not heare because I cryed and yee would not heare When GOD speaks and we regard it not we shall cry and he will not regard it Therfore as we desire his presence in the evill day let us labour to heare him now Let us search his will what hee requires of us and what he will doe for us and labour to be armed with obedience against the time of distresse And let us seeke him betimes now presently seek the favour of God you that are young In the morning early will I seeke thee Psalm 63 In the morning of your yeares In the morning of the day it is good to seeke God before the heart be possest with other businesse that he may blesse all our affaires Seeke his face that his blessing and direction and strength may be upon all Let us set upon things in his wisdom and strength and hope on his blessing And in the morning of your yeares early put not off for here is the mischiefe if weâ—… seeke not God early betimes the heart wiâ—… be hardened and willgrow worse to morroâ—… we shall be more unfit then to day Theâ—… those that seeke in their sicknesse and at thâ—… houre of death that is selfe-love it is grace to seeke God for himselfe out of old acquaintance and love but to seeke him in sicknesâ—… only and to neglect his ordinances it is meeâ—…ly selfe-love As a malefactor that carries himselfe ill in prison and then seekes the judges face at the barre when God arraignes 〈◊〉 man at the barre then to seeke him it come from selfe-love But that obedience we owâ—… to God is to seeke him out of a new nature oâ—… of love of Gods goodnesse and grace whâ—… we seeke him in extremity not out of the loâ—… of grace but to escape the danger of hell and damnation such seeking seldom proves good Many make a great shew of repentance and turning to God many of those prove false Hee that is good in affliction onely is never good Therefore put not off seeking Gods facâ—… by prayer and the use of all good meanes Many men first settle their estates and then send for a Physitian and the divine laâ—… of all when they are sicke Oh but seeke God first and above all things in the world or else wee have adulterous Idolatrous hearts to make the face of man our Idoll or health ouâ—… Idol we should seek Gods face above all The Scripture sets him out sweetly to us â—…erefore one way to encourage us to seeke to â—…OD is to present to our soules GOD under â—…ose sweete tearmes He is a rock in the midâ—…st of the waves Hee is a habitation in the â—…ddest of a storme thou art our habitation â—…e is called a hyding place he hath the shadâ—…ow of his wings to coverus let us flie under â—…e shaddow of his wings hee is presented â—…eetly to us in Christ. Therefore let us have â—…course to him upon all occasions and now â—…w that we may be familiar with him that â—…e may bee acquainted with him now in the â—…yes of our youth and he wil know us in age â—…d sicknesse if we be not acquainted with him â—…w hee will not acquaint himselfe with us â—…en therefore seeke his face now and above â—…l things seeke it And can we have more incouragement â—…here was never any that fought the face of â—…od that went away sorry It is said of some â—…ood Emperours that never any man went sorâ—… out of their presence either they had the â—…rant of their sutes or good words God sends â—…one sorry away there are none that come â—…to the presence of God but they are the bet â—…er for it they goe away more chearefull and â—…ore satisfied their consciences are quieted â—…hen they poure out their soules to God There is the peace of God which passeth understanâ—…ing preserves their soules as it is Philip. 4. In â—…othing be carefull but let there bee thanksgiving for favours received and let your requests be 〈◊〉 knowne to him and the peace of God shall preseâ—… your hearts and mindes You shall not despaire and
be over much cast downe peace will preserve you And if we doe not seeke the face of God now when we may enjoy his presence weâ—… shall never see his face in glory hereafter 〈◊〉 must now be acquainted with him or else we shall not when we would Therefore as we may injoy the presence of God in his Ordinances so in all our affaires let us seeke his face and blessing let us have what we have and doe what we doe in his blessing and assistance and not in the strength of wit and shifts Let us do what we do by divine strength and in confidence of his blessing That that we do by his strength we may expect his blessing on we cannot doe so by our shifts Let us in ure our selves in these courses and we shal find much peace and by long acquaintance with God we shall be able to commit our soules to him we shall be able to looke him in the face at the houre of death He that lookes God iâ—… the face often in prayer and seeking him may looke death in the face These things may be made effectuall if your hearts be prepared as the Scripture phrase is And because I mentioned preparing that is a word in Scripture that is set before seeking Rehoboam did not thrive he did not prepare his heart to seeke God Iehosaphat was blessed of God hee prepared his heart to seeke the Lord. Therefore let us come prepared to seeke God prepare our hearts to seeke him Thinke when I goe to the congregation I goe to seeke Gods face therefore come in humility and subjection And in all the courses of our lives let all of us prepare and set our hearts in frame to seeke God in all things and let us set upon nothing that we cannot depend on him for assistance and looke to him for a blessing And when wee cannot injoy his favour and blessing in any thing we were as good be without it as have it This is the way to have our wills in all things Christ the truth it selfe hath left â—…s this one sweete promise Seeke yee first the kingdome of God He speakes there of seeking our owne good what is the best thing wee should seeke for Seeke ye first the kingdome of God of grace and of glory the favour of God and the fruit of his favour grace Seeke those best things in the first place what then It is the way to have all things else as farre as they are for our good But we would have more we thinke if we seeke to God and depend upon Gods divine principles and rules it is a way to beggery and disgrace Oh no It is the way to have our owne desire in all things as farre as is for our good Let us seeke first the kingdome of God that God may rule and raigne in us and we shall raigne in the kingdome of God For other things God will bring it to passe I know nothow they shall be cast upon us He that is fâ—…ll for heaven and happinesse GOD will make him full for the world and successefull as much as he sees 〈◊〉 to bring him to heaven if God see any thing that would hinder him he must leave that to his wisdome Therefore let us labour to bee able from truth of heart to returne to the commandement and promise of God this sweete and gracious answer of the holy man David when God saith generally or particularly Seeke my face Thy face Lord will I seeke FINIS FAITH TRIVMPHANT In five Sermons on HEB. 11. 13. By The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE LUKE 7. 50. And hee said to the woman thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. FAITH TRIVMPHANT HEBR. 11. 13. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seene them afarre off they were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth THis Chapter is a little booke of Martyrâ—… it discovers the life and death of the holy Patriarchs and by what meanes Gods Children are brought into possession of that that they have an interest and right unto upon earâ—…h it is by faith by faith we do and suffer all that we doe and suffer all that God hath ordained us to goe through till he have brought us and invested uâ—… to heaven which is prepared for us In the former part of the Chapter there is an induction the instances of perticular blessed Patriarchs and after he had named diverse particulars he summes them up in this generall All these died in faith In this verse there is First the generall set downe All these died in faith And then the particular unfolding of this They received not the promises having scene them a-farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on earth He sets downe their faith particularly hereby setting down what might hinder it and yet did not hinder it the not receiving of the promises They received not the promises and yet they beleeved the promises that is the things promised they were afarre off and yet they saw them They saw them that is the first degree They were perswaded of them that is the second They imbraced them that is the third They confessed they were pilgrims and strangers that is the fourth All these died in faith There is one faith from the beginning of the world as there is one Christ one salvation so there is one uniforme faith for the saving of our soules wee hope to bee saved by Iesus Christ as they were I doe but touch that Then againe here is implied a continuance and perseverance in faith All those died in faith that is they lived in faith and by saith till they died and then they died in faith Faith first makes a Christian and then after he lives by faith it quickens the life of grace and then he leades his life by that faith he continues in it till he come to death which is the period of all and then he dies by that faith But of perseverance to the end and the helps to it I spake at large upon another occasion therefore I omit it All these died in faith Faith carried them along all their life time till death it selfe Now that faith that helped them through all the difficulties of this life that faith by which they lived in that faith they died They dyed in faith In the faith of the Messias infaith of Canaan in faith of heaven For the Patriarchs they had not Canaan till many hundred yeares after it was a type of heaven they had not Christ till some thousands of yeares after So they died in faith of Christ of
that You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates when we die faith sees life when we most apprehend our sins faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes when we are in the greatest mystery faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse and glâ—…y through all It sees a farre off notwithstanding the interposing of any thing contrary by flesh and bloud Faith is sometimes called tast and by the name of other senses but especially by the name of sight As in sight there is both the light outward and a light in the eye and the application of the light in the eye to the object so in faith there is a light in the things revealed a promise and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell and an inward light in the soule answerable to the inward light in the eye for a dead eye sees nothing and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre So there is a double revelation by the word and by the spirit the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule and then it discovers to it the things of God They saw them a farre off God created a new eye in the soule a new sight which they had not by nature for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are invisible so the naturall man cannot see the things of God which are seene not by a naturall but by a supernaturall eye eye hath 〈◊〉 seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared 〈◊〉 his children 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The eye there-therefore that must see things a farre off it must bee a supernaturall eye and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth for reason cannot see the resurrection of the body and the life to come and such glorious things as the word of God reveales to us If you aske why this sight of faith is so necessary this supernaturall sight I answer nothing can be done in religion without the supernaturall eye of the soule nothing at all for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye and be never a whit the better a man may see the joyes of heaven he may heare much of heaven and happinesse and forgivenesse and thinke oh these are good things but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye he doth not see these things to be holy and gracious and to be fit for him he wisheth them with conditions but not with the altering of his disposition As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye because he sees God in it and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things but he must look upon them as things sutable or else all is to no purpose How doth faith see this how comes faith to have this strength Because faith sees things in the power of God it sees things in the truth of God he 〈◊〉 Iehovah he gives being to things therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time when they are not so faith in his promises sees that these things will bee it sees things in the truth of God in the promise of God there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees to neglect riches and honours and pleasures and to stand admiring of things that it sees not for a man to rule his course of life upon reasons which the world sees not because there is a happinesse to come and a God that he believes in c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God so it layes hold upon the power of God that the promises shall be performed In all the promises it sees and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God and therefore it hath such an eye Our duty then is to labour to have our faith cleare to have this eye of faith to have a strong faith a strong sight When is the sight of faith strong When it is as the faith of these Patriarchs was There are three things that make a strong sight that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight When the things are farre of that we see then if the eye see them it is a strong sight a weake eye cannot see a farre off Secondly when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare yet when there are clouds betweene to breake and pierce through them there must be a strong sight Then thirdly when there is but a little light when there are many obstacles in the middest and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote here is a strong eye and this was the sight of these blessed men they had a strong eye For the things they looked on were remote a farre off diverse thousands of yeares they saw Christ by faith the soule mounted up on the wing of faith it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment and see Christ the Messias and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan So swift is the eye of faith it mounts over all in a moment As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the vâ—…sible heavens so a strong faith it sees Christ in heaven And then betweene them and that they looked to what difficulties were there Blessed Abraham who was a type of Christ how many difficulties had he besides other of the Patriarchs We see God commanded him to slay his sonne a command one would thinke against reason against affection against hope it was faith against faith as it were It was against reason in the eye of flesh Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here against sense and against affection hee must hope against hope hee must have faith against faith he must deny affection hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac and he must be the executioner and butcher himselfe and slay him for a sacrifice Here must be a strong faith in the power of God that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead as he did after a sort for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket and to be offered and Isaac escaped It was a strong faith to breake through all these Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac So faith that is strong it
grounds of divine truth that hath a majesty and a spiritualnesse in it selfe but it was meerely wrought out of forraine grounds Now we see a meaner man that hath his knowledge wrought by the spirit of God the same spirit seales that knowledge to him with the word of God that indited the Scripture and acted the holy men of God that wrote the Scriptures As his portion is incomparably great so he is perswaded of his interest in those good things the same spirit that convinceth him of the truth and of the certainty of the things it convinceth him likewise of his part in them and this supernaturall perswasion together with his interest in those good things perswaded of sets downe the soule so as it will not move he holds out in persecution because he hath felt the worke of divine truth in his soule he hath found the spirit of God casting him downe and raysing him up to comfort therefore he holds out in his perswasion in all tryalls and never apostatizeth from that estate and condition And so for unfruitfulnesse in conversation notwithstanding all those motives we have in the word of God a man that is not convinced spiritually of those excellent things he goes on deadly as if there were no motives because the spirit of God hath not sealed them to his spirit hee hath not given him an apprehension of the divine incouragements wrapped up in the promises in the Scripture and when death and danger come for the most part such men are desperate notwithstanding all their learning and knowledge literall that they have For it will not hold water all knowledge that is not wrought by the spirit of God sealing divine truth to the soule with some evidence of the power of it it will not hold out in the tryall all Especially when Satan with his fiery darts comes with strong temptations for the soule never felt the working power of the word It feeles then the temptation it apprehends the poysonfull fiery temptation but it hath not so inwardly digested the truths of the spirit and therefore is surprized with the horrour and spaire there is not wrought in heart an deexperimentall feeling of knowledge and therfore the heart cannot beat backe the temptation When the Devill shall come and tell men you have beene thus and thus and they have not felt the truth of that they seemed to believe conscience tels them it is true I have heard and read such and such things I never believed them they never sunke deepely into my heart when temptation shall bee nearer the soule then the truth shall bee when temptation presseth sore they are swallowed up of despaire therefore let us labour that our generall knowledge from the word and our particular knowledge and perswasion that it may be spirituall Now how doth the spirit worke this particular perswasion I answer the spirit of God workes it in the soule together with the word the spirit and the word goe together All the men in the world cannot perswade the soule without the spirit of God joyne Paul preached but God opened Lidia's heart We have it not of our selves it must come from without from Gods spirit opening our eyes and perswading and convincing our hearts God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem no creature can do it it is passive it is said here they were perswaded That perswasion that is sound that carries a man to heaven by which hee dies in faith 〈◊〉 must be from the spirit of God All the words of the ministery and all reasons nothing will do it but God God must perswade thesoule Now what doth the spirit here The spirit enlightens the understanding which I spake of before it opens the understanding in perswasion it doth propound arguments and motives from the excellency of the things promised and the priviledges of religion and the good things we have by Christ c. and together with propounding these excellent incouragements and motives the spirit strongly works upon the disposition upon the will and affections it works upon the soule and so doth perswade and convince And thereupon comes imbracing which I shall have occasion to speake of afterward The soule being perswaded imbraceth Now this perswasion is not only by propounding of arguments by the word and spirit but likewise a working upon the will from whence there followes an inclination of the will and an imbracing of the things wee are perswaded of For let all the arguments in the world bee brought to a man to perswade him that God will be mercifull to him in Christ tell him of the free offer Whosoever will let him come in all that will a large offer let him joyne to that offer of mercie the inviting Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you a sweete inviting Ioyne with the invitation a command it is his command that wee should believe in his son Iesus let him strengthen that command with the threatning he that believes not is damned already Let a man remove all objections that the soule can make of its unworthines Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you though you groane under the burden of your sinne Let a man object againe I have nothing worthy in my selfe Why come and buy though you have no money Let him strengthen all these proposalls with examples of the mercy of God to Manasses to Peter to Paul a persecutor to Mary Magdalen and the like let all these arguments be wondrous effectually propounded the soule will not yeeld unlesse Gods spirit joyne with these arguments and all in that kind and convince the soule of our particular interest in these things and perswade the will to imbrace these things offered That God hath reserved in his own power to bring our hearts and the promises together to bring our hearts and divine truths together Let there be never so much set before us in the ministery he hath reserved this prerogative and authority that our hearts and the truth should close together to imbrace them in hearing All things depend upon the spirit when we doe not regard the spirit in hearing and reading c. Let all the things the Scripture hath be propounded and set on with all the excellency and eloquence that may be GOD hath reserved it to himselfe by his spirit to give faith to perswade our soules that these belong to us and to incline and draw the will I have shewed you then the kinds of perswasion generall and particular and how it is wrought by the spirit that unlesse this perswasion be wrought by the spirit we shall never hold out in it though we have all the arguments in the world we shall be disobedient Disobedience comes when things are not discovered by the spirit and apostacie when the perswasion is not wrought by the spirit and desperation when the knowledge is not spirituall Now the
manner is by removeing contratraries and moving the heart and drawing it With the word of man God enters into the very will and affections for as hee made the soule and framed it so hee knowes how to worke upon it and to draw it sweetly by reasons but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule and sweetly with reasons For God first comes into the soule by divine light by reasâ—… â—…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit â—…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand â—…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the â—…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and â—…he sutablenesse to our condition and the reasons of it how they agree to our nature hee doth not force the soule but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly And â—…e doth it strongly that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind it is so strong that the perswasion and â—…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the â—…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing â—…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive â—…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is â—…et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion It is a strong worke to perswade the soule For the spirit of God When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it when it shines upon the soule and discovers better things it brings other graces â—…o perswade and to imbrace the things it discovers As it is an infinite mercy and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent things as we may be perswaded of as if 〈◊〉 estate to be such as indeed it is above our 〈◊〉 prehension in this world neither eye hath 〈◊〉 nor â—…are heard nor hath entred into the heart 〈◊〉 man the things that God hath prepared for 〈◊〉 that love him so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this it is as mâ—…ch power to 〈◊〉 the soule to this perswasion as it is mercy 〈◊〉 discover them in a manner there is such 〈◊〉 ward rebellion and distrust in the soule 〈◊〉 ling these truths into question as if theâ—… things were too good to be true Considerâ—… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying theâ—… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thinâ—… for Gods children except the heart be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tily wrought on unlesse together with 〈◊〉 swasion there be some worke in the soule whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong because the spirit of God hath singâ—…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidenceâ—… of grace It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be For as I said before together with the Scripture there must a spirit of perswasion goe there is a secâ—…et messengeâ—… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the â—…guments will not be to purpose they will be â—…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and â—…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love â—…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD â—…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs â—…me what miracles did they see yet their â—…earts were hardned because God together â—…ith his shining in the outward meanes did â—…ot subdue the rebellion of their wiâ—… and afâ—…ections and therefore the more they saw â—…he more they were hardned the Scribes and â—…harisees and some of their desperate folâ—…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth â—…his great worke let us labour that our knowâ—…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and â—…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spirituâ—…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellentâ—…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no â—…an knowes the things that are in man but the spiâ—…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and porâ—…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne â—…it and parts to Gods truth â—…o sermons and â—…ookes wee may never be the better if wee â—…ome not with a spirituall intention with â—…everent and humble hearts and implore the â—…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may beeâ—… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outwâ—…rd teaching there may bee the inwarâ—… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the â—…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hearâ—… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scripâ—… phrase is It is facâ—…legious presumption to come 〈◊〉 holy places and to set upon holy duties 〈◊〉 heare or read the word of God without 〈◊〉 ting up our hearts to God for his holy 〈◊〉 We cannot plow without his Heifer Can 〈◊〉 know the mind of God without the 〈◊〉 God What arrogancy is this to thinâ—… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presumpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God knowâ—… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 â—…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that Gâ—… meanes us by his owne 〈◊〉 and therefore let us labour every day more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and heavenly minded And above all things to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our desires as it 〈◊〉 Luke 11. to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit he will give his holy spirit to them that 〈◊〉 it it is the best and the chiele gilt of all 〈◊〉 this makes our knowledge heavenly our 〈◊〉 swasion heavenly and sound and constant in â—…e and death And this spirit carries the whole soule with it this spirit makes us like the word of GOD because it is spirituall it makes us so and we love it in our inward man and consent to it and joy in it Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire and water as heaven and hell The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world it slights the comforts of the word to carnall comforts and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men The proud man
should not be carried in his affections to a good that he is perswaded of and how is it possible he should not loath ill and dest 〈◊〉 things If he were perswaded that hell were such as it is and that these courses lead to hell and destruction and estrange him from the favour of God whose loving kindnesse is better then life it self if men were perswaded of 〈◊〉 things in any strength their soules would not be affected as they are Therefore if wee would know whether nature be corrupted or no we may do it by this You have some men that are conceited especially when they are in their ruffe and have all things plenty Divines talke much of the corruption of nature and such things they think all is well O! but do but lay these things together the excellency of the things promised and the terrour of the things threaâ—…ed and our â—…ndisposition to these things in regard of perswasion that we live as if we did not think these things to be true What a disposiâ—…on oâ—… soule is that that cals divine truths into question To believe the lies of our owne hearts and the temptations of the devill and the world that lies in mischiefe before the 〈◊〉 ved truth of GOD it selfe that is sealed 〈◊〉 the oath of God And yet the heart of man 〈◊〉 naturally carried to believe these things moâ—… than God himselfe Witnesse the lives of meâ—… who have dead carâ—… base affections 〈◊〉 regard of heavenly things they shew 〈◊〉 they are not perswaded of them notwithstanding all the sweete arguments and perswasions that the Scripture hath They doe not professe that they call them in question yet they live as if they made no doubt that they are all false It is a folly not to believe those things that are sealed by so many evidences as divine things are but it is more desperate folly to live as if wee did not believe them at all If these things were digested they would make us out of love with our owne naturall estate and to labour for a spirit of faith to perswade our soules both that those things are so indeed that God hath revealed and to get assured perswasion of our part and interest in them Indeed a dead faith is no faith at all it is the effect of the whole Epistle of S. Iames that it is no faith that is dead it doth not worke upon the heart and affections nor the life and conversation a dead faith is no faith at all Let us shame our selves therefore Lord doe I professe I see things above nature that I see Christ in heaven and see my selfe there and do I professe that I am perswaded that the word of God is true and am I no more affected where is my love where is my joy where is my comfort doth my heart runne after other things that professe my selfe to bee perswaded of better things Let us never rest but bee angry and wroth with our hearts and affections for they are made for these promises our precious faith is made to imbrace precious promises and to carry the whole soule to them And let us helpe this with complaining of our selves and with prayer Lord thou hast discovered excellent things in thy word and hast perswaded me Lord open my heart the heart is thy throne the heart and will and affections thou dealest with especially Lord incline my heart inlarge my heart The LORD hath promised in the new covenant to teach our bowels to love Lord teach my heart to love thee Thou hast opened my understanding to conceive holy things or else I had never beene able to understand thee and thy truth teach my bowels also to love teach them to cleave to the things take off my love my joy and delight from earthly things and plant them where they should be inlarge them the right way fill my heart with thy selfe as thou hast made it for thy selfe This should be our desire What be the affections wherby the soule imbraceth these good things it is perswaded of The soule imbraceth these things in the affections of faith and hope in the first place for faith is an emptiegrace in it selfe it is carried to somewhat out of it selfe that it imbraceth and layeth hold on and hope is with faith alway Together with the work of faith and hope there is a sanctifyed affection of the imbracing soule there is a love of the things promised which is imbracing and a love of the meanes and likewise joy and delight in them expressed by thankfulnesse As you see the Patriarchs in the story of Genesis when God discovered holy things to them aâ—…resh that he would give them the land of Canaan and the Messias to come and all that happinesse there was thankfulnesse presently they built Altars to God And which alway accompanies thankfulnesse humility As Abraham Genesis 17. 3. downe he falls when God made him such a large promise he fals downe on his face as if he were unworthy of such a thing so this disposition alway accompanies a soule that imbraceth together with faith and hope that leads the affections after them there is love expressed in a constant obedience and care of duty to God many wayes As it is an affection that will not bee concealed And joy and delight with thankfulnesse and humility considering the excellency of the things and our unworthinesse that we cannot but have this disposition alway thankfulnes and humility And likewise contentment to end our dayes a disposition that followes imbracing in faith for where imbracing of faith and love is in an imperfectestate there will be joy when that comes that makes way to full imbracing that is in heaven it selfe as Simeon rejoyced when hee imbraced Christ in his armes what did the old man thinke we when he came to heaven when Christ and he met there And Abraham rejoyced to see CHRISTS day with the eye of faith and likewise imbraced it with faith and that wrought joy What did Abraham then when he came to heaven when he see all ended there I say death that makes way to full enjoyning and imbracing in this very respect it is not only patiently entertained of Gods children but comfortably as letting them in to the good things that they esteeme above all the world besides to the possession of Christ to heaven and happinesse Let us consider of these things To come to direct us a little about this imbracing in faith and hope and love and joy and the whole soule when the soule as it were goes out to the things wee are perswaded of How shall this be wrought upon the soule This imbracing wee see it followes upon perswasion and perswasion followes seeing they saw them farre off and were perswaded of them and thereupon they imbraced them Therefore let us labour for a cleare understanding of divine things That which the eye sees the heart grieves for in ill and that that
action of a mans life it is a part of his journey to heaven and therefore he is willing to have direction for every step that he may walke step upon step upon good ground therefore he goes upon good grounds of a good conscience in the duties of Christianity he wil have sound conviction what is good and what is true in religion what religion is true that he may venture his soule upon and what use he may make of his particular calling what hee may doe with a safe conscience and what not and what he may not doe that he will not meddle with and what is cleare to his conscience that he will doe So every step he takes though it be in his particular calling it helpes him forward As Saint Paul saith in the Epistle to the Colossians of servants that they serve God in serving their master so a poore servant in his drudgery may serve God So in our ordinary professions we are in the way to heaven if they be sanctified by prayer before hand and do it in conscience and obedience to God that hath set us in this way There are two callings our generall and particular calling and we shew religion that is our generall calling in our particular calling as wee are placed in this or that calling and what we doe in either of these callings is the way to heaven Now the care of a Christian is that he be well advised what to doe and on what ground And even as a traveller considers of things by the way as they make to his end to further his journey or hinder his journey he looks to heaven as his country that he hopes for and therfore he doth not tangle himselfe with any more than may help him home if they hinder him once away they go if they may help him he takes them A Christian in his travaile in the way to heaven considers of things that may fall out by the way as they may help and further him to heaven If I find that things though they be indifferent in themselves if they trouble me in my way to heaven it may be they are not so to another but they are to me though another can do it yet I must consider whether I can do it and find my selfe inlarged to heaven as at other times if not away with it it is not indifferent to me because it hinders my journey to heaven A wise traveller will venture upon things and courses as they serve or hinder the maine though they bee things perhaps that hee cannot over-well spare yet if they trouble him in his journey off they go that he may be more expediâ—…e and right in his way I wonder at the boldnes of many that professe themselves religious and yet dare ven ture upon any thing Vndoubtedly if they did search their owne hearts they could not but say that such courses doe dead and dull them and make them forget religion that such company is not safe to keepe I find my selfe the worse by it why should I venture upon any thing that may stop and hinder or coole and dead me in my way to heaven If a man be wise he will consider of things as they help or hinder him to that As for sinnes whereof we are convicted it is the Apostles counsell Heb. 12. he puts it out of all question we must cast off all that burden that presseth downe c. A traveller will not have a burden upon him The sin that hangs so fast on we must labour to mortifie to kill our lusts and corruptions more and more and never leave till wee have cast them off these things are undenyable I spake before of things in themselves indifferent and to other men in different if they have a larger measure of wisdome but for corruptions and sins they fight against the soule they fasten us to the world therefore above all things wee must cast off them As Saint Peter saith excellently in 1 Pet. 2. I beseech you brethren as pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against your soules Insinuating that pilgrims and strangers should altogether abstaine from lusts from the cherishing of carnall lusts for these fight against the soule they fight against the comforts of the soule against the graces of the soule and against the eternall well being of the soule The more a man cherrisheth base lusts the more it damps his comforâ—… and grace and weakens his assurance of life everlasting they fight against all good in the soule therefore let us abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule That is cleare all confesse that But the other that I spake of before carefulnesse of things indifferent if we find them not so to us till we get more mastery of our selves we must even be carefull of our liberties and not give our selves those liberties that others doe if we find they hinder us in particular Yet with a secret concealing of it not to entangle the consciences of other men who perhaps may use those things with lesse hinderance then we doe A wise Christian will be warie in that kind If he find the things of the world to hinder him he will not have his heart eaten up with the world nor eaten out with lawful things being therefore to prepare for a better life and to do Gods busines he will only take the things of this life as they may make for a better life and be a furtherance of him to his home he winds home by all meanes he useth all advantages to come nearer to God and whatsoever hinders him he labours to avoyd Againe he that accounts himselfe a stranger here he doth not value himselfe by outward things saith teacheth a man when he is an heire of heaven not to value himselfe by earthly things he thinks himselfe a stranger in his owne house as David did though he were a King as I said every Christian is a stranger at home hee values not himselfe by his honours nor dignity nor by the things that hee hath here nor he doth not disvalue himselfe by poverty or disgrace he knowes he is a stranger he is going home therefore he values himselfe by that he hath at home Christians are Kings and heires they esteeme not or disesteeme of themselves by what they have here below they account them as things in the way that God gives them if they bee good to sweeten their pilgrimage if they be ill to sharpen their journey It is necessary that God should give them these things good things to sweeten their journey and if they loyter in their way to heaven then that they should have crosses to drive them homeward In all confusions in the world faith teacheth a man to stand as a man upon a rocke immoveable because he is a stranger if any thing fall out in the Citie or place where a stranger is he carries his owne Iewels and things about him and so goes
for all for this sickenesse of body and disquiet of mind and all annoyance and adversity and it is revealed before hand for our comfort that there shall be such a time that wee may make use of it that we may ground our patience upon it When Saint Paul exhorts to patience saith hee The Lord is at hand and Saint Iames saith The Iudge standeth at the doore Let us be patient in infamies and sufferings it will bee otherwise ere long Christ is at hand Againe that wee might continually be breathing out thankefulnesse to God Our whole life should be spent in thankefulnesse to God Even as the Angels in heaven that stand in the presence of God and the blessed spirits in heaven they spend that vigour that is in them they spend all that is in them in praising God in thanks and laud to God and sing Glory glory so before-hand knowing that ere long we shall appeare with Christ and appeare in glory let us thank him before hand As Saint Peter saith Blessed be God that hath begotten us againe to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. reserved in heaven for us Let us blesse God before-hand as if we were in heaven already Certainely if we hope to be with those that shall sit in heavenly places in heaven to prayse God we will begin it on earth for the life of heaven is begun on earth we are Kings now we are Priests now wee are conquerours now we are new creatures now we must praise God and begin the imploiment of heaven now for what they do perfectly that we begin to do In heaven we know there is no ill company we will abstaine from it now there is no defilement of sinne wee will conforme our selves to that estate wee hope for There is nothing but praising of God as much as may be wee will warme our hearts with the moditation of what God hath done what he doth and what he hath reserved for the time to come with that we have in hope The best things of a Christian especially are in hope for that which we have by Christ principally is not in this world therefore considering that the best things that Christ died for are in hope let us rejoyce in hope and in rejoycing have our hearts inlarged with praysing of God for that we hope for And be comforted in all the changes of this life all the changes for the time to come and in death it selfe which is the last change are not all degrees to make way for that glorious appearing with Christ for the soule at death goes to heaven and the body shall come after why should wee be loath to die when death is nothing but a change from misery to happinesse a change from the danger of sinning to an impossibility of sinning from a vale of misery to a place of happinesse from men to God from sinfull persons that trouble our peace and quiet to better company in heaven from actions that are sinfull to actions altogether free from sinne It is a glorious and blessed change every way wee shall have better company better place better imployment all glorious then till the time come that all the Elect be gathered together and then body and soule shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thess. 4. Why then should we feare changes when all changes shall end in that that is better Is a labouring man loath to have his hire or a weary man loath to have rest is a King loath to be crowned is a partie contracted loath to have the marriage consummate why should wee bee loath to die Wee should be ashamed of our selves that we have bin so long in the Schoole of Christ and yet have not learned to unloose our affections from earth to beter things that wee stand in feare of death that makes way to the glory of the soule now and the eternall glory of body and soule after In a word wee are exhorted in the beginning of the Chapter to have our minds in heaven where Christ is and wee are exhorted after the text to mortifie our earthly members two necessary duties to have our conversation in heaven before we be there and to mortifie our earthly members to dye in our affections to earthly things before wee dye indeed would wee have strength put into our soules to performe both these Let us oft meditate of the things that are betweene these verses Let us consider that we are dead so we should bee more lively to God Consider that our life is hid with Christ that Christ shall appear ere long and wee with him in glory Wee should raise our thoughts to be with Christ and draw our souls up to Heavenly things for the more our affections are upwards the lesse they will bee below our affections are finice the more we spend them on heavenly things the lesse they will run on earthly As a man in a trance his thoughts are taken up with one matter that he is dead to other things so the soule which is taken up with the glory to come and with Christ it is dead to earthly things only it takes them for necessary use as having use of them in our travell but it useth the world as if it used it not And this issues from this principle that wee shall ere long appeare with Christ in Glory There is no man but will drowne himselfe too much with the things of the world that hath not this to raise up his soule I shall appeare ere long with Christ in glory and then these things will be consumed The last point is how these depend one upon another that because Christ shall appeare in Glory therefore we I will touch it a little because it is a point of faith that helpes our judgement a little It is a ground of Divinity that whatsoever is in us that are members it is in our head first for God is first and then Christ mediator and then we whatsoever is good is in us or shall be to us it is in Christ first He is justified from our sinnes for he was our surety for sinne hee was abased for them first therefore hee shall appeare then without sin to Glory Our sin was but imputed to Christ he became our surety for sin and he must be abased therefore we cannot bee glo rious here because of our corruptions Christ was surety for our sinnes in his first comming now his resurrection shewed that hee had satisfied for our sinnes the second time he shall appear in glory why are we justified from our sins because Christ our surety was acquitted We ascend gloriousâ—… to heaven where is the ground of it he ascended first and we ascend for him and in him We sit in heavenly places why because he is in heaven before hand as the Husband takes up a place for his wife why doth she goe into the countrey and take it up after because her husband hath gone before and taken it Our
that it may be a motion to purpose If it be a motion to faith let us never leave cherishing of it by the promise till our hearts be rooted in faith If it be a motion to any other good thing let us cherish and follow them to purpose And imbrace every motion as an Angell sent from heaven from God to a good end to put us in mind to invite us to good and to drive us from ill And because desires are fickle and fading of themselves unlesse there be some art in helping of them therefore let us adde to these things a daily course of renewing of our covenants with God that this day as God shall enable me I have a constant purpose against all sinne I will regard no iniquity in my heart I will have respect to all good wayes discovered Renew our covenants and resolutions of old saith David I have swâ—…rne and will performe it that I will keep thy statutes And as we determine and resolve so make particular vows sometimes against particular hindrances to abstaine from such things What needs all this adoe saith the wicked athiest will not lesse serve the turne but there must be these vowes and purposes and resolutions No God values us by our resolutions and purposes and not by uneffectuall glances and wishes will wishing helpe us take a journey or to doe any thing in this world and can we not doe any thing in this world with wishing and can wee for heaven No certainly there must be resolutions and covenants and purposes c. What is the difference betweene a Christian and another man A Christian unlooseth his heart from base desires nothing shall tie him to the base world but his conscience tells him that he is free from living in sinnes against conscience and as for infirmities he labours and resolves against them therefore he is fit to die and to resigne his soule Whensoever God shall take him hee is in a good way in good purposes and resolutions God values us according to our purposes and resolutions David did not build the Temple Abraham did not offer Isaack but they resolved upon it and it was accounted as done This is our comfort that God takes the resolution for the deed and the perfection of a Christian is that God accepts of these resolutions when hee determines on the best things till he bring his heart in some measure to that estate What is the reason that many men at the houre of death will admit no comfort The reason is their hearts were naught they respected some iniquity in their hearts they were in bad wayes and allowed some reigning sinne and till these be mortified we can minister no comfort It is onely the resolved Christian that is a fiâ—… subject for comfort But to answer an ordinary let or two that the Devill casts in mens wayes in these things But doth not God accept the will for the deed put the case I have a good will to doe a thing though I doe it not God accepts that I answere Gods accepts the will for the deed onely where the impediments and hindrances are impossiâ—…le to be remooved as put the case a poore man would be liberall if he had it God accepts the will for the deed because he wants opportunity But it never holds when a man can doe it God accepts not the will for the deed when a man hath a price in his hand to get wisdome and yet is a barren plant and not a tree of righteousnesse it is a signe of a naughty heart Oh! saith another God quencheth not the smoaking flax therefore though I have weake desires all shall be well It is true God doth not quench the smoaking flax but he doth not leave it smoaking but blowes the sparke that in time it comes to a flame where there are beginnings of goodnesse imbraced it will grow from smoaking flax to a flame they are growing desires as I said before Therefore flatter not thy selfe that Christ will not quench the smoaking flax It is true if there be a desire of growth for then I must speake comfort to a poore Christian that cannot be so good as he would but desires it and complaines oh that my wayes were so direct that I might keepe thy statutes with his desires he complaines that he cannot do it and useth the meanes to grow it is a good signe God will not quench the smoaking Flax till he have brought corruption into subjection in us Let every good soule comfort it selfe with this if thou have these blessed desires God meets with thee for he desires thy salvation and Christ desires thy reconciliation and it is the desire of thy heart and thou usest the meanes thou wilt not live in sins against conscience be of good comfort wee that are the ministers of God and I at this time bring the newes of pardon Christs desire and thine meet in one Let us enlarge these things in our own deep and serious meditation Alas for want of serious meditation in our hearts of such like truthes as these men perish and sinke suddenly to hell There is but a steppe betweene ordinary prophane persons and hell and yet they never thinke of renewing their covenants with God and entring into the state of grace but content themselves with that which comes short of thousands that are now in hell that have had more wishes and desires Men put all upon empty things God is mercifull c. No God will not be mercifull to such as blesse themselves in ill courses his wrath shall smoak against such as I said for in thus reasoning they make a covenant with hell and death as much as they can They that doe thus forget God and good courses and God will forget them they treasure up wrath and God treasures up wrath against them Let us take heed of Balaams wishing and labour to have such desires as may bee accepted of God and comfortable to us FINIS THE FAITHFUL COVENANTER In two Sermons upon GEN. 17. 7. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE NEHE 1. 5. O Lord God of Heaven the great and terrible God that keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that Love him LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE FAITHFVL COVENANTER GEN. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee GOD having framed man an understanding creature hath made him fit to have communion and entercourse with himselfe because hee can by his understanding discerne that there is a better good out of himselfe in communion and fellowship with which happinesse
confederate without there be a likenesse or an agreement there must be more word then on to a Covenant though Gods grace doe all yet wee must give our consent and therefore the Covenat is exprest under the title of marriage in marriage there must be a consent of both parties In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects that are fallen out when they are Rebels there must be an accepting of the pardon and a promise of new subjection So then if God be our God there will bee grace given to take him for our God to give him homage as a King to give him our consent as to our Spouse thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee as to my Lord and Husband Can two walke together saith the Prophet and not be friends there can bee no friendship with God except there be somewhat wrought in us by his Spirit to make us fit for friendship that we may looke on him as an object of love and delight if wee looke on him as an object of hatred what termes of friendship can there be Now that we may looke on him as an object of love fit for converse with him hee must make us such by consent and yeelding to him by framing the inward man to his likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him you see the ground of it of necessity it must be so Well to come to the tryalls but let me first adde this to the former whomsoever God is a God to it is knowne specially by spirituall and eternall favours a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by outward and common things that cast-awayes may have for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing and Esaus portion blessings of the left hand common graces To know undoubtedly therefore that God is our God must be by peculiar matters for those whose God God is are a peculiar people a holy nation severed from others First of all then know what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule for they that are Gods have his Spirit to reveale to their spirits the secret and hidden love of God but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony goe to the worke of the Spirit but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man whereby hee may know that God is his God As the Spirit of God workes in some sort a proportion in him unto God and none can know better what God is to him then by searching of his owne heart what hee is backe againe to God for as God saith to him by his Spirit thou art mine so they say to God thou art mine Let us then come to the tryall by our carrying our selves to God Can we say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee or what is there in earth in comparison of thee when the conscience can tell us that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things then wee make him our God A Christian singleth our God above all things in the world for his happinesse Lord thou art mine whatsoever wealth is mine or riches mine or friends mine I stand not upon that but thou art mine A rich man runneth to his wealth and make flesh his arme he runneth to friends to beare him out in ill causes but a true Christian that hath God for his God he may know it by this he singleth out God for his portion runnes to him in all extremities Lord thou art mine this is a signe that God hath said to his soule first I am thy salvation How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe how can he say as Thomas did My Lord and my God except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule before and have said I am thy salvation It is a signe we have made God our God when wee prize him and value him above all the world and when with Saint Paul Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord what we will doe most for that is our God if wee will doe most for God he is our God if we doe most for pleasures they are our God if wee doe most for riches breake oâ—…r rests and cracke our consciences for them that is our God In a word whatsoever we value highest that is our God Examine what affections wee have to God for it is affection that makes a Christian single out some few that we are most offending in As first for feare it may shame us all indeed a Christian upon his best resolutions is better but the ordinary carriage of men is they feare men more then God they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all For instance is the retyred carriage of men to God such as their carryage is to the eye of the world will not they doe that in secret ofttimes that they will not doe openly in secret they will commit this or that sinne and thinke who seeth there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old that is of any discretion Is this to make God our God when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall creature more then the eye of God that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne that is our Judge is God our God the whiles undoubtedly when God is made our God there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places therefore this is the condition of the Covenant Walke before mee or walke as in my sight how doe wee walke before God as in his sight when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly and before the eyes of men when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men then we make conscience of our spirits to God This may shame us even the best of us who are in Covenant with God and have made God our God we have cause to be abased for this and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled is to compare the different proportion of their carriage how they carry themselves to men whom they respect and to outward things in the world and how they carry themselves to God if God be our God there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places because hee is every-where darkenesse and light are all one to him Trie your selves therefore by this affection if we make God our God wee will feare him above all for there being such a distance betweene God and us He the mighty God and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us but with much reverence
miserable creatures are all such when they shall say friends have forsaken me wealth hath forsaken me and health hath forsaken me terrours lay hold upon me the wrath of God hath over-taken me but they cannot say God is my God oh such are in a miserable case in a fearefull estate indeed nay suppose they have all these suppose they could say they have a vvorld of riches they have inheritances they have friends c. yet if they cannot say God is my God all is vanity the whole man is this to have God to be our God this is the whole man to feare God keep his Commandements Eccles. 1â—… lâ—…st If a man have all the world and have not God for his God all is but vanity and vexation of spirit never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace till we can say God is my God But secondly when wee have found God to be our God then make this use of it a use of resolution is God my God then I will resolve to please him though all creatures bee against me this was their resolution in the 4. Micah Every Nation walketh in the name of his God but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God whosoever saith the contrarie to walke after the Commandements of God whatsoever others do or say In all discouragements from men or Devils let us set this as a buckler God is my God Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threatnings of men of men of terrour against the Arme of flesh they say they will doe this and this I but God is my God all that they doe they must doe in his strength Arme our selves with this against the power and gates of hell feare not the Devill if wee feare man or Devill more then God feare them so as to doe any thing to displease God we make them God If our conscience rightly tells us that what is to be done by us is the will and command of God and that herein I serve God wee need not feare any opposer but oppose this as an Armour of proofe against all creatures against all discouragements whatsoever And certainely experience telleth us and approoveth it to be true that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God and knowes God will beare him out in it though not from danger in this world and yet for the most part he doth that too those that are the stoutest men for God are oftentimes most safe alwayes freed from inward dejection yet God disposeth of it so as that he that keepes a good conscience shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world and therein hee performes his promise whatsoever discouragements hee endureth outwardly yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God to be his that hee serveth him and that it shall goe well with him at last that God will be Alsufficient to him and this rayseth him above all makes him rule and raign over his enemies and be a terror to those that doe him hurt Againe if God be our God then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things if God be our portion why should we grapple too much after the world then what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world is not God our portion is he not rich enough is not hee Lord of heaven and earth hath not hee promised that hee will not faile us nor forsake us I am thy exceeding great reward saith God to Abraham is not this enough what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consciences by griplenesse after earthly things hee promiseth thou shalt have this and that but I will take God from thee as he did Adam in Paradise thou shalt have an Apple but thou shalt loose thy God All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us Now when God is our God and he hath promised to be our portion let it be sufficient for us let us not for the displeasing of him take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes Againe if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God then let it be a use of exhortation to stir us up to keep and maintaine and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God if we be acquainted with him now hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow in the houre of death therefore cherish acquaintance with him wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much bee much in aring inreceiving the Sacrament in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities be much in the society of Saints God hath promised to be there therefore cherish the society of all that are good what a friendly course doth God take with us he seekes for our acquaintance and therefore giveth us his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments sendeth his messengers the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts to leave the world and vanities of it to make us out of love with bad courses and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity oh let us make use of these blessed meanes checke not these good motions but yeeld unto them and obey them grieve them not the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends who were enemies grieve not the Spirit entertaine his motions that we may be acquainted with God But doe we doe so truly no indeed if God will be our God to save us and let us live in our swearing and lying and deceiving and in other base courses wee would be content with him upon these tearmes but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him and feare him and joy in him above all and have nothing in the world without his favour then let him take his favour to himselfe wee will have none of it though men speak it not with their mouths to the world yet the inward speech of their hearts is to this purpose if wee must bee the people of God upon these tearmes to renounce our pleasures and profits let him bee a God to whom he will for us if he will save us then welcome his favour we will bee glad of his acquaintance otherwise we will have none of it what is the speech of the world but this these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God and say Lord Lord open to us wee have knowne thee in the streetes c. what will God say depart from me you workers of iniquity I know you not you were acquainted with me indeed outwardly in the ministery of my word but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my
he carry himselfe all this while he must needs bee sensible of it and therefore hee expresseth it in most significant words Oh saith he these things were as a sword in my bones There be diverse readings of the words but we will take them as they are laid downe being very well as with a sword in my bones or as it is in the margine As killing in my bones mine enemies reproach me It was as killing to him it did goe to his heart it cut him to the quicke As a sword is to the body and bones so are their words to my soule I cannot endure it it is death to me It is a most emphaticall manner of expressing the enemies disposition and carriage Thus you have the words unfolded I will but touch some particulars those that I thinke most needfull for us to take notice of I will dwell more upon Mine enemies saith hee reproach me Mine enemies There hath beene contrary seedes from the beginning of the World and will bee while Satan is in the world till he be cast into the burning Lake and be there in perpetuall Chaines adjudged to torment he will ray se up men alway that shall be of his side And as long as that grand enemy is and as long as men are that will be subject to his goverment as alway there will be he will have a great faction in the world And by reason that he hath a partie in us the flesh he will have the greatest partie in the world the most goe the broad way so that Gods children even David himselfe shall not want enemies Mine enemies It is strange that he should have enemies that was so harmelesse a man that when they were sick and distressed he prayed for them and put on sack-cloath for them as it is Psal. 41. This compassionate sweete natured man yet notwithstanding you see he had enemies and enemies that would discover themselves to reproach him and that bitterly in the bitterest manner they reproach him in his religion It is a large point if I should give my selfe libertie in it I doe but touch it That we may be armed by this observation against the scandall of opposition that if we meete with enemies in the world we should not be much offended at it grieve we may but wonder we need not Was there ever any that did more good then our Saviour Christ He went about doing good He did never a miracle that was harmefull but onely of the Swine that were drowned in the Sea and that was their owne fault but he went about doing all the good he could yet notwithstanding we see what malicious opposites he had that that is true of the head must be true in the members Therefore we should reioyce in our conformitie to Christ if it be in a good cause that we find enemies and opposition O imperator c. Saith he O the Emperour is become a Christian is was a blessed time oh but the Devill is not made a Christian yet and he will never be made good for he is in termino as we say he is in his bounds his nature is immoveable he is in Hell in regard of his estate though he be loose to doe mischiefe now untill the Devill be good Gods Children shall never want enemies and he will never be good Therefore though there were good Kings and good Governours over all the world yet good men shall never want enemies as long as the Devill is alive as long as he hath any thing to d ee in the world Enemies therefore we must looke for and such enemies as will not conceale their malice neither for that were something if they would suffer their malice to boyle and concoct in their owne hearts but that will not be but out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speake where there is a bad treasurie there will be a bad vent therefore we see here they reproach him mine enemies Reproach me It is the proper expression of malice reproach and it is that that the nature of man can least indure of all The nature of man can indure an outward wrong a losse or a crosse but a reproach especially if it be a scornfull reproach the nature of man is most impatient of For there is no man but he thinks himselfe worthy of some respect Now a reproachfull scorne shewes a disrespect and when the nature of man sees it selfe disrespected it growes to tearmes of impatience There is not the meanest man living but he thinkes himselfe worthy of some regard Therefore I cannot blame David even out of the principle of nature to be affected here when they reproached him and gave him vile termes Mine enemies reproach me Their tongues were tipt from Hell and they did but utter that that was in their hearts If the tongues of wicked men as St. Iames saith be a a world of mischeife what is the whole man What is the heart and tongue and life and all of wicked men Now this reproach of wicked men it is a grievous persecution as Ishmael persecuted Isaak in that manner as it is Gal. 4. taken out of the storie in Genesis I will not enter into the common place of reproach it is but taken by the by here Onely by the way let it be a support to us if we be reproachfully used in the world let us not be much cast downe it is no credit for a man to doe that that the Devill and his instruments doe nor it is no discredit for us to suffer that that David suffered Let this satisfie thee there is not the vilest man living but hath this weapon to serve the Devill with a reproachfull tongue he that sits upon the Ale bench that â—…akes in the Channell the basest wretch in the world hath a tongue to serve the Devill with in reproaches It is no credit for them to doe that that the vilest person in the world can doe â—…and it is no shame for thee to suffer that that the best man that ever lived did suffer So much for that mine enemies reproach me But what is the specialtie of this reproach to come to that more particularly They say unto me Where is thy God They touch him in his Religion They saw him persecuted by Saul scorned by Sauls courtiers they see him driven up and downe as a Partridge in the Wildernesse they saw him banished from the Sanctuarie destitute of friends they saw him in this disconsolate estate and they judge by sence and appearance that they thought he was a man that God regarded not at all therefore say they where is thy God Gods children are impatient as farre as they are men of reproaches but so farre as they are Christian men they are impatient of reproaches in Religion where is now thy God They were not such desperate Atheists as to thinke there was no God to call in question whether there were a God or no though indeed they were little better but
they rather reproach and upbraid him with his singularity where is thy God You are one of Gods darlings you are one that thought no body served God but you you are one that will goe alone your God So this is an ordinary reproach an ordinary part for wicked men to cast at the best people especially when they are in miserie what is become of your profession now what is become of your forwardnesse and strictnesse now what is become of your much reading and hearing now and your doing such things now what is become of your God that you bragged so of and thought your selves so happie in as if he had beene no bodies God but yours We may learn hence the disposition of wicked men it is a character of a poysonfull cursed disposition to upbraid a man with his Religion But what is the scope The scope is worse then the words where is thy God The scope is to shake his faith and his confidence in God and this is that that touched him so neerly while they upbraided him where is thy God Indeed they had some probability and shew of truth for now God seemed opposite to him when he was banished from his house from that blessed communion with him that he had Their purpose was therefore to shake his faith and affiance in God and herein they shewed themselves right the Children of the Devill whose scope is to shake the faith and affiance of Gods people in all his temptations and by his instruments For the Devill knowes well enough that as long as God and the soule joyne together it is in vaine to trouble any man therefore he labours to put jealousies to accuse God to man and man to God He knowes there is nothing in the world can stand against God as long as we make God our confidence all his enterprises are in vaine his scope is therefore to shake our affiance in God where is thy God So he dealt with the head of the Church our blessed Saviour himselfe when he came to tempt him If thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread he comes with an If he laboured to shake him in his Sonneship The Devill since he was divided from God himselfe eternally is become a spirit of division he labors to divide the Sonne from the Father he labors to divide even God the Father from his owne Sonne If thou be the Sonne of God So he labors to sever Christians from their head Christ subjects from their Princes and Princes from their subjects friends from friends and one from another he is a spirit of division where is thy God There was his scope to breed division if he could betweene his heart and God that he might call God into jealousie as if he had not regarded him thou hast taken a great deale of paines in serving thy God thou seest how he regards thee now where is thy God We should labour to make this use of it to counter-worke Satan to strengthen that most of all that the Devill labours to shake most of all shall the Devill labour to shake our faith and affiance in God above all other things and shall we not labour to strengthen that Above all things let us looke to our head as the Serpent winds about and keepes his head Keepe faith and keepe all if faith be safe all is safe let us strengthen that and strengthen all weaken that and we weaken all What cares Satan for other sins that we fall into he aymes at our assurance that we may doubt of Gods love whom we have beene so bold as to sinne against that is it he aymes at to make weake faith in the particular acts of sinne we commit He knowes that sinne naturally breeds doubts as flesh breed wormes where sinne is if it be in never such a little degree he knowes it will breed doubtâ—… and perplexities and where they are he hath that he would have he labors to hinder that sweet communion that should be betweene the soule and God where is now thy God You see wicked men are the children of the Devill right in this Againe they instance here in matter of Religion against him You see how readie wicked and divelish minded men are to tread over the hedge where it is lowest as the proverbe is to adde affliction to affliction especially in that that may touch a man nearest they could not touch him nearer then in this Where is thy God They knew it well enough where is now your Religion this they thought would anger him to the heart here is a devilish disposition you have a terrible Psalme for it Psalme 109. of those that ad affliction to the afflicted They are cursed persons This is the disposition of wicked men they have nomercy malice we say is unsatiable One would thinke that our Saviour Christ when he was upon the Crosse racked there in all his parts a man exposed to so much misery and scorne as he was that they should have had pitty upon him but upon the Crosse they reproached him Aha hee saved others himselfe be cannot save let him come from the Crosse and we will believe in him What abitter Sarchasme was this that came from hekl it selfe Nay when he was dead one would have thought their maliee should have beene buried with his body Malice is ordinarily among men living not the dead but when he was dead This Impostor said c. They laboured to bury his good name that nothing tending to his honour might remaine of him Indeed it is the nature of malice to wish the not being of the thing it maliceth no not the name Let his name perish from the earth It was extremity of malice to worke upon this disadvantage when they see him thus afflicted to vex him with that he was most affected with where is thy God Therefore let those that feele and feed that divellish disposition in themselves to insult over Gods people especially in matters of Religion to vexe them and when there is a wound already to make the affliction greater to adde affliction to affliction let them iudge of what disposition they are They say unto me You see here another circumstance They say unto mee They are so impudent that they are not affraid to reproach him to his face they say to him as if they would stand to their reproach This is one circumstance of aggravation indeed malice is very impudent when it is come to the extremity I onely observe it that if we meet with such insolencie of malice not to be discouraged it hath bin thus before and thus it will be to the end of the world And then they are not wearied their malice is unwearied they say to mee Daily Day by day their malice is fed with a spring with a malicious heart A malicious heart and a slanderous tongue alway goe well together The Divell that was the first grand slanderer hath communion with a malicious heart and
not be truly said to us by way of upbraiding where is now thy God God may be strange to us indeed let us so carry our selves as that God may owne us in the worst times If they had said this truly how grievous had it beene to David but it was more malice then truth For David found experience of God he might rather have upbraided them where is your God and there is no wicked man but a man may in hâ—…s greatest extremity upbraid him and that in truth where is your God your riches honour and estate where is all this that you supproted your selfe with and bore your selfe so big on that you despised all others what is become of all now A man cannot stand in a thing that stands not it selfe A man cannot build upon that that hath no good foundation Now all men that are not truly religious they have some Idoll or other that will deceive them therefore a man may truly say to them that which they falsly and maliciously say to Gods people where is your God So much for their disposition and carriage Now how stands David affected with this that is the second part At with a sword in my bones It was as a sword to his bones Now that that toucheth the bones is the most exquisite griefe That that we call the griefe of the teeth you see what an exquisite griefe it is in that little member when the bones are cut or touched it is a most exquisite griefe As with a sword in my bones my enemies reproach me What was the matter that this reproach where is thy God touched him so to the quick what was the cause The causes were diverse First of all concerning God for when they said to him Where is thy God First it tended to the reproach of God as if God were so fickle a friend as to desert his best friends in the time of misery this touched upon God by way of disparagement therefore it must needs touch David who was Gods friend Then againe it touched God in another thing in his manner of providence as if he had beene a God of the Hills and not of the Vallies as if he had been a God for one time and not for another where is now thy God what is become of him Againe in the third place it touched upon him in this as if he had favoured them being cursed form all hypocrites more then David as if he had favoured their form all hypocriticall base dead courses that were most abominable to Godâ—… for these persecutors were Sauls courtiers and other enemies wicked men they thought to justifie their owne wayes by this reproach You see we are as good as you God respects us wee fall not into such miseries wee have recourse to Saul though he have cast out you and others c. So it tended to Gods reproach in that as if God had justified their course as if they had been dearer to him that were most abominable And this is to make an Idoll of God to make God justifie those courses that he most abhors as it is in Psal. 50. Thou thoughtest I was like unto thee Because God lets a wicked man alone thou thoughtest that I was a companion for thee and would take thee by the hand whereas God will not doe so In these three respects especially God was wronged when they said where is thy God As if thee had nâ—… beene a true and faithfull friend to his Children And besides as if hee had not a providence over his children in the worst condition As if he had allowed and liked of the base carriage and condition and profession of these wretched men as well as of Davids where is now thy God you see God respects us as well as you but there was no such matter he respected David more then a thousand of them Againe this touched upon religion it selfe this reproach where is now thy God where is your goodly profession as if it were in vaine to serve God a horrible reproach to religion It is not in vaine altogether to serve the Devill he bestowes somewhat upon his servants this was a base thought to think that God would do no good to them that serve him that is the fountaine of all good that doth good to his enemies that suffers his Sun to shine upon his enemies for him to desert his friends for a man to be truly religious and to get nothing by it this tended to the reproach of religion and through Davids sides they strike at God and religion as if it were in vaine to serve God as they said in Malachies time And indeed this is in the hearts of men now a dayes if they see a man that makes care and conscience of his wayes under a cloud or that he doth not so prosper in the world as others doe they begin to have weake conceiâ—…s of the profession of religion as if that were the cause as if there were nothing gotten by serving of God but we may be loose professors and goe in â—…bertine course and please God as well as others This is a great griefe to Gods children they know well enough it is not invain to serve God God is not a barren wildernesse to those that serve him they are not barren ground that are carefull in his service so you see upon what ground he was thus affected because God and Religion was touched in it Take away a godly mans religion and his God whom he serves in Religion you take away his life touch him in that you touch him in his best free-hold Therefore when these malicious enemies say Where is thy God they could not more touch David then so Prophane men of the world come and tell them of Religion and such things alas they turne it off with scorne for they would have the world know that they are not very religious they never speake of God and of religion but in scorne or by way of discourse but a man that is religious to purpose and makes it his trade makes it that whereby hee hopes to bee saved hee takes to heart any thing that is spoken against Religion their words are as a sword in his bones while they say unto him where is thy God It is better to bee distempered then not to be moved when God and Religion are touched The Holy-Ghost that appeared in the shape of a Dove appeared at another time in fiery tongues to shew that the meeke spirit of God is zealous other whiles in his children This was another reason he was thus affected And thirdly in this reproach of theirs thus violent Where is now thy God here was a damping of the spirits of all good men in those times that should heare of this reproach Words affect strangely they have a strange force with men especially in weake fancies that are not grounded in their judgement and faith The spies made a shrewd oration and brought an ill report on the Land oh it is
lookes scornefully upon the things of conscience and of the spirit only the spirit of God brings the proud heart of man to be subject to the word of God Nothing that is not spirituall wâ—…ll hold out Whatsoever is not spirituall Christ will not owne at the day of judgment Iâ—… the spirit seale 〈◊〉 and set a stampe upon us Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit where the 〈◊〉 frâ—…its are not the harvest will not so low The spirit is an earnest where the earnest is not the bargâ—…ine will not follow I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes let us â—…ttend upon the word which is the ministery of the spirit and wee shall find that the spirit will alter and change us and shew us our interest in the promises and the goodnesse of them 〈◊〉 more we a â—…end upon the means the more 〈◊〉 shall see it and the more we pray the moâ—… 〈◊〉 shall have the spirit and the more wee obâ—… God the more we shall have the spirit of Goâ—… God gives his spirit to them that obey him And this should reach us when we come 〈◊〉 heare or to read the word of God Loâ—… pen mine eyes LORD penswade my 〈◊〉 LORD bow the necke of my soule 〈◊〉 my inward man that Iron sinew Lord 〈◊〉 away my hard heart and give mee a 〈◊〉 â—…sh teach my heart thou must perswade 〈◊〉 incline me incline my heart Lord. Wee waâ—… religious carriage in this 〈◊〉 come presumptuously upon conâ—… 〈◊〉 wit to heare Seâ—…ons and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so wee come away worse than wee 〈◊〉 Why wâ—… doâ—… not 〈◊〉 too Goâ—… 〈◊〉 swaâ—… us They â—…ere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Manâ—… here 〈◊〉 he opens â—…he eyes and 〈◊〉 hee perswades God perswades the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Vlcar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…wade by darknesse by maintaining 〈◊〉 â—…ome of darknesse The Devill all 〈◊〉 shewes no reason he keepes the soule 〈◊〉 â—…esse and blindnesse Anti christ peâ—… 〈◊〉 men to their religion how by fleshly allure men's not instructing them and opening their eyes inlightning their understandings â—…ut GOD opens their eyes to see and â—…hen teaches and perswades The devils instruments they perswade and so they teach â—…nd draw away they perswade with carnall objects and the like to draw and bewitch the â—…ffections and so the judgment is darke still But where there is true dealing there is no â—…are of the light Therfore those that are enemies to the means of salvaâ—…ion that feare Gods people should know too much they take a course contrary to God for God enlightens and then perswades and knowledge enlightneth so that knowledge is necessary All divine perswasion of faith hath the name of knowledge They were perswaded by the spirit of God of the truth of GOD having their eyes opened It is an evidence we are not perswaded we come to Church and attend upon the means we goe on in a course of sinne wee are not divinely perswaded God hath not perswaded our hearts he hath not enlightned us For if the covetous man were perswaded that neither covetous nor extortioners should enter into the kingdome of heaven would hee not leave that course Light and perswasion alway rule the action for we work as we see and are perswaded in every thing The very beasts do as they see and as sense leads them an Asse beares burthens you know nature hath sâ—…amed and made him for it but can you drive the silly creature into the fire he knowes that will consume him So that men they are brutish they will not bee perswaded by the spirit of God they runne into courses that if they had light in their soules and if they were perswaded whither it tends they would never runne into hell fire If there were a pit open before a mâ—…ns eyes would hee plunge himselfe into that pit that were before his eyes A man that lives in sinnes against conscience hee runs into a pit There are no manner of liers of whoâ—… mongers of covetous persons of such wretches as take the name of God in vaine that shall escape unpunished Men leada life in a course wherein they see a pit before them and yet they runne on are they perswaded No no certainely they are not perswaded And so for the meanes of salvation men that care not for hearing the word are they perswaded it is the word of God to salvation they are not perswaded We may know the truth of our perswasion by the power it haâ—… to râ—…le our lives and conversations What is the reason that a simple man a weake man 〈◊〉 lives Christianly and dies in the faith he lived by when as a great man in conceite in know ledge he lives wickedly and dies worse he cause the one hath not this knowledge of the spirit the spirit of God never opened his eyes the spirit of God never perswaded him hee hath it in bookes and by education and the like There are none that ever hold out but those that have the spirit of God to be their teacher and perswader Wee must see things in their owne proper light the spirit of God hath to deale with the heart God hath only power of that he must deale with the heart we must not trust therefore to education or to outward things If a man should aske the reason of men why doe you leave these courses why doe you doe this good a Christian doth not say I was brought up to this or I cannot doe otherwise but I do it from a principle of the New Creature Let us desire God that we may doe things from reasons of Scripture from reasons of pleasing God that we may doe them from a holy sanctified affection that we may bee perswaded by the spirit and then it will hold out They were perswaded of them And imbraced them They imbraced the promises the good things promised Christs comming in the flesh and Canaan the type of heaven and heaven it selfe though they had not these things yet they imbraced what they had they imbraced the promises That is the nature of faith if it have not that it lookes as it hath not till it come to heaven yet it makes much of that it hath it imbraceth the promises and in the promises the thing it selfe promised Now these things follow one another in a most naturall order for sight brings perswasion sight and conviction brings strong perswasion and perswasion breeds imbracing for we imbrace that in our affections that wee are perswaded of to be good According to the strength of conviction and perswasion is the strength of the affections those things that we have a weake perswasion of we have a weake affection to those things that we are fully perswaded of and are great withall the affections cannot but stretch forth themselves to imbrace them When the understanding was enlightned to see the truth and to be perswaded of