doe if they bring not forth fruit if they glorifie not God they are dead See what a price is put into your hands see what yee have done and mend whiles yee may bestow not your price amisse There are many Talents yet none like this of life take therefore the Apostles exhortation Gal. 6. While yee have time doe good life is but an acting yee then live when ye are doing good We see how many men fall from the Tree of life as leaves in Autumne the candle of this life is quickly blowne out have therefore a better life in store bee not alwayes building never inhabiting alwayes beginning never finishing Stultitiae semper incipit vivere folly alwayes beginns to live It is the fault of most men they are alwayes beginning and neuer goe on Lâ—t us take therefore the Apostles counsell 1 Pet. 4.3 Thinke it sufficient that we have walked formerly as we have done the time which remaines let us reckon it precious and bestow it to better purpose Secondly if every one that is in Christ be in an happy estate of life then let men from hence know their state and condition let them often reflect on their priviledges behaving themselves as men that prize them and bestowing their time as well as may bee let as few rivulets runne out of this streame as you can Wee pray that wee may doe Gods Will on earth as perfect as the Angels doe it in heaven wee should therefore practise this as we pray for their life is without interruption they are in communion with God let us then be alwayes doing having our thoughts above let not cares and businesse call us off but let us comfort our selves in God acting that which is for his glory wherefore prize this life esteeme it much know what ye have by Christ and consider the excellency of this life above all others That yee may know the excellency of this life consider it comparatively with this other life that we live It hath three properties wherein it differs from and excells this common life which we all live First it is an eternall life Ioh. 6. Your fathers did eate Manna and died but hee that eateth of this bread shall die no more but he shall live for ever that is this is the advantage that yee have by the life that I shall give you those that did eate Manna the food of Angels died and Ioh. 4. Those that drinke of this water shall thirst againe that is those that live another life than this shall die and thirst but those that live this life shall never die To live this life is when the soule lives in the object there is a living in the subject yet this spirituall life is when the soule lives in the object when as it is set on God Take men that live other lives yee shall see that their lives are short A man living in honour that being the thing he mindes and intends it is in potestate honorantis there is no constancy in it it is brickle If a man lives in wealth sets his minde on it Why riches take their wings and fly away Pro. 23. and then their life is ended So if a man lives in pleasure and musicke they passe away and then he is dead those who live in these things suffer many sicknesses and many deaths as their hearts are more intent upon them But it may be wee may not minde these things Yes as if we minded theÌ„ not as a man that hears a tale and hath his mind elsewhere or as a man that baits at an Inne his minde being somewhere else If yee mind them ye die in them he that minds the best things never dies because there is no change in them God is alwayes the same his favour and love is constant see therefore that yee prize them As a time that is infinitely long exceeds that which is a but a span long in quantity so doth this life exceed the naturall life in perpetuity and excelles all other lives in excellencie Secondly this life is a life indeed as that that feeds it is meate indeed the other is not so looke upon all the comforts of this present life they are not such indeed take wealth pleasures honours and the like wealth is but a false treasure Luke 16.11 it is called the unrighteous Mammon the false treasure Et falsus Hector non est Hector in comparison of the true treasure it is nothing Therefore Salomon Pro. 23.5 speaking of riches saith Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not these riches are nothing So for honours all praise among men is nothing it is but vaine-glory and vaine because it is empty and hath nothing in it so the pleasures of this life are but sad pleasures the heart is sad at the bottome the riches the comforts of this life and onely these are riches and comforts indeed the actions of this life are actions indeed In eating and drinking there is sweetnesse but when we feed on the promises by faith then we taste sweetnesse indeed in them One that is weary being refreshed with sleepe finds sweetnesse and ease but it is another refreshing that those finde who have beene weary and heavie laden with sinne and are nâ—w refreshed this brings comfort to the soule So to thinke of houses wife children and lands to consider all the actions that wee have done under the Sunne and all that we have passed thorow is pleasant but to thinke of the priviledges we have in Christ that we are Sonnes of God and heires of Heaven this is comfort indeed especially to thinke of the good workes wee have done what good prayers wee have made what good duties wee have performed these are actions indeed and bring comfort indeed All the actions of this life are actions indeed this life is a life indeed in death you shall finde it so that Christs body and bloud are meate and drinke indeed that remission of sinnes and peace of conscience are comforts indeed peace indeed they are such now though ye thinke not so yee shall then know that this life is life indeed Thirdly this life of grace is a prevailing life swallowing up the other 2 Cor. 5.4 the Apostle desired death not to be uncloathed but to be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life that is desiring death I desire not to be deprived of the comforts of this life then I were unwise I would not put off my cloathes but to be cloathed with a better suite I desire a life to swallow up this life not as a Gulfe swallowes that which is cast into it or as fire swallowes up the wood by consuming it but a life that swallowes it up as perfection swallowes up imperfection as the perfecting of a picture swallowes up the rude draught as perfect skill swallowes up bungling or as manhood swallowes up childhood not extinguishing it but drowning or rather perfecting it
dependent felicity and it is so much the worse because it depends on the creature which is mutable and uncertaine how much better is it to depend on God in whom is no shadow of variety or change Every creature is weaker by how much it hath more dependency on another creature and so are yee weaker by how much more yee depend on outward things If yee depend on friends they may change their affections and become your enemies or death may take them away and then your happinesse is gone If yee depend on riches Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not For riches certainely make themselves wings and flie away like an Eagle towards heaven and then your happinesse is gone But if yee seeke and place your happinesse in God in whom is no change nor alteration then it is perpetuall A dependancy on things that are mutable will yeeld no comfort because God will have all to depend on himselfe therefore 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ of God is made unto us Wisedome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption That no flesh might reioyce in its selfe but that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. For this end God conveied Christ unto us that hee might make us beleeve that we fare not the better for any creature that so wee might rejoyce onely in the Lord therefore hee hath made Christ redemption from all evill that hee might furnish us with all good Christ hath redeemed us from hell and misery from want of good things seeke not then a dependancy on the creature thinke not that it will better you and this will make you to depend on Christ. Therefore for these regards correct your opinion of worldly and outward things and judge of them with righteous Iudgement depend onely on God if you will have him to be your portion as hee was the Levites Refuse him not as the Israelites did depend on him in good earnest A little you say with Gods blessing will doe much Labour not therefore neither toile yee to leave great portions to your children the common pretence that men have for their covetousnesse though you leave them never so much if Gods blessing bee not on it it is nothing it can yeeld them no comfort yea many times it is an occasion of their hurt If then Gods blessing be all in all if that onely can administer comfort and make us happy I would aske you this question What if ye did leave your children onely Gods blessing would it not be sufficient though you leave them little or nothing else Yee thinke not so and yet whatsoever ye can leave them without Gods blessing is nothing worth Preachers labour much in this to draw you from worldly things and all to little purpose It must be Gods teaching that perswades within that must effect it yee must therefore take paines with your hearts the generality of the disease shewes that it is hard to be cured Labour therefore to finde out the deceipts which do hinder your practise of these things which are these One Deceipt that deceives men is that they are ready to say that these things are the blessings of God Why then should not wee rejoyce in them As for afflictions they are crosses and therefore wee grieve for them if these then did not adde to our blessednesse why count wee them blessings and account Povertie as a crosse To this I answer that if yee take them as blessings yee may rejoyce in them as the instruments by which God doth you good Blessings are relative wordes they have reference unto God if yee consider them without reference unto him they cease to be blessings therefore if yee consider them meerely as blessings yee may rejoyce in them Now yee receive them as blessings First if yee depend on God for the disposing continuing and want of them if yee thinke yee shall enjoy them no longer than God will If yee thinke this with your selves wee have Wives Children Friends and Riches 't is true we have them but yet they shall not continue with us an houre or minute longer than God will If ye thinke so in good earnest then yee rejoyce in them as blessings A man that is relieved when he is in danger lookes more to the will than to the hand of him that helpes him wee looke more to the good will of our friends than to their gifts so we should looke more to Gods Will and pleasure than to the benefits which he bestowes on us The consideration of these things as blessings must raise up your thoughts to heavenly thinge to consider that whatsoever is done in earth is first acted in heaven the Sunne is first eclipsed there and then here so your estates are first eclipsed there before that they are here Looke therefore on GOD and on these as meerely depending on Gods will and then you enjoy them meerely as blessings Secondly yee looke on them as blessings if yee looke on them so as to know that yee may have them in aboundance without any comfort Instruments have nothing of themselves whatsoever they have is put into them A man may have wealth friends and all other outward things his mountaine may seeme to be strong yet without Gods blessing on them he may want comfort in them When as yee thinke thus that yee may have these things without comfort it is a signe that your eye is on God that yee looke on them onely as the Vehiculaes or Conduit pipes to convay comfort The aire yeelds light as an Instrument though it hath no light of its owne the water may heat but not of its selfe but by that heate which is infused into it by the fire So if a man drinke a Potion in beere the beere of its selfe doth not worke but the Potion worketh by the beere So it is with all outward blessings they of themselves can yeeld you no comfort at all but if they yeeld you any it is by reason of that comfort which God puts into them Thirdly yee doe then enjoy them as blessings if you thinke that you may have comfort without them the ebbing and flowing of outward things doth not augment your comfort or diminish it Those that have not any outward blessings may have more gladnesse and comfort in their hearts than those whose corne and wine are increased Psalm 4.7 Those who have but a small Cottage and a bed in it are many times more happie more healthy and sleepe more quietly than those rich men whose wealth will not suffer them to sleepe Eccles 5.12 Many there are that seeme to want outward things and comforts yet are full of inward comforts and delights Many there are who like Paul and the Apostles Seeme to have nothing and yeâ— possesse all things As it is all one with God to helpe with few as with many So he can comfort with few friends and externall blessings as well as with many Yea hee can make a little
your life consists not in abundance He is but a foole that thinkes that these things will make him happy that these will make him rich all they that are not rich in God are poore and if they thinke themselves happy and rich in these things they are but fooles Secondly the desire of superfluitie is sinfull because it proceeds from an evill roote the fruit cannot bee good that proceedeth from an evill and bitter roote but this desire proceeds from such a roote That is from lust it comes not from Gods spirit which biddeth every man to be content with food and rayment Nor yet from nature which seekes not superfluities therefore proceeding from lust it must needs be sinfull Thirdly what yee may not pray for that ye may not desire to seeke after but we may not pray for superfluities Prov. 30.8 Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with food convenient for me not with superfluities And in the Lords Prayer we are taught not to pray for superfluities but Give vs this day our daily bread that is as much as is necessarie for us and no more therefore we may not desire it The seeking of more than is necessary doth hinder us and not further us a shooe that is too big doth hinder a traveller as well as one that is too little Fourthly it is dangerous for it doth choake the word and drowne men in perdition therefore it is Agurs Prayer Prov. 30.8.9 Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for mee least I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Fulnesse and excesse is alwayes dangerous full tables doe cause surfeits full cups make a strong braine giddy The strongest Saints hath beene shaken with prosperity and excesse as Dauid Hezekiah Salomon they sinned by reason of excesse in outward things It is dangerous to bee rich therefore it is Davids counsell Psal. 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them A rich man cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle than for him to enter into Heaven For if a man be rich it is a thousand to one but that hee trusteth in his riches and it is impossible that hee who trusteth in his Riches should enter into heaven Lastly to desire superfluity must needs beâ— sinfull because wee have an expresse command to the contrary 1 Tim. 6.8 If wee have food and raiment let vs therewith be content This is the bound that God hath set us we must not goe beyond it If it were lawfull for any man to desire and have abundance then it were lawfull for Kings yet God hath set limits to them Deut â—7 17 Hee shall not multiply Horses nor Wives to himselfe that his heart turne not away neither shall he greatly multiply to himselfe silver and gold that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren God hath set us downe limits and bounds how farre wee should goe therefore to passe beyond them is sinfull but we passe beyond them when as we desire superfluity therefore the desire of superfluity is sinfull But may not a man use his calling to increase his wealth I answer that the end of mens callings is not to gather riches if men make this their end it is a wrong end but the end of our calling is to serve God and man The ground of which is this Every man is a member of the Common wealth every man hath some gifts or other which must not lie idle every man hath some Talents and must use them to his Masters advantage and how can that be except hee doe good to men Every one is a Servant to Christ and must doe Gods worke no man is free every one is Christs servant and must bee diligent to serve Christ and to doe good to men He that hath an office must be diligent in it and attend on it every man must attend his calling and bee diligent in it If riches come in by our calling that is the wages not the end of our calling for it lookes onely to God wee must not make gaine the end of our callings there are many that make gaine their godlinesse and the end of their professions Some preach onely for gaine others use all other callings onely for gaine but if any man wil make gaine the end of his calling though he may conceale and hide his end from men yet let him be sure that hee shall answer God the searcher of the hearts for it on the other side if a man by diligence in his calling have Riches following him hee may take them as a blessing of God bestowed on him and as a reward of his calling The diligent hand maketh rich that is GOD will surely reward it not that we must eye riches and make them our end GOD makes a man rich and man makes himselfe rich God makes us rich by being diligent in our callings using them to his glory and mans good he doth cast riches on us Man makes himselfe rich when as he makes riches the end of his calling and doth not expect them as a reward that comes from God I shall expresse it by Iacob Iacob he serves Laban faithfully and God blessed him so that hee did grow rich hee went not out of his Compasse and Spheare hee tooke the wages that was given him and because Gods end was to make him rich God enriched him by his wages as a reward of his service The more diligent a man is in his calling the more sincere and upright the more God doth blesse him and increase his riches God makes men rich when as hee gives them riches without sorrowes and troubles when as they come in with ease without expectation and disquiet Man makes himselfe rich when as there is great trouble in getting keeping and enjoying them when as he useth his calling to get riches or when as hee useth unlawfull meanes The method that God useth to inrich men is this He first bids us seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and then all these things shall bee administred unto us as wages we must looke to our duty and let God alone to provide and pay us our wages he that takes a servant bids him onely to looke to his duty and let him alone to provide him meate drinke and wages We are all but servants God is our Master let us looke to our duty and leave the wages to him But whether may not a man take care to get wealth Is not a man to take care for his estate to inâ—rease it and fit it I answer hee may lawfully take care of it observing the right rules in doing it which are these First hee must not goe out of his compasse but walke within his owne pale he must not step out of his owne calling into other mens and in his owne calling
holinesse blase in their eyes they say it is but guilded over it is but hypocrisie These reasons may prepare and confirme but they cannot perswade we must therefore beleeve that there is such a life Iohn 3 Christ treates of this that there is such a life he tels Nicodemus that hee must live it and be borne againe He wonders at it how it can be Christ therefore concludes in the 12. verse If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things that is it must be beleeved that there is such a life sense beleeves it not yet it is easier to beleeve it because it is wrought on earth others things are harder than this to beleeve because they are wrought in heaven though this be wrought on earth yet it is hard to beleeve and must be beleeved And thus much for the first part of the doctrine that there is such a life For the second what this life is yee may know one Contrary by another wee have shewed already what death that is contrary to it is by which yee may partly perceive what this life is yet wee will give you some other signes how to know it This life is a reall life as reall as the other though it consist not in eating and drinking as the other doth it is a life of faith it is not seene yet it is as reall as the common life as will appeare by comparing it with the common life First in this common life of nature there must be temper of body disposition of instruments so in this life of grace there is a frame of heart a composition of soule on which it doth depend there are humors and ingredients of this life and they are the things yee know there is a realitie in this life as well as in the naturall life Secondly as the naturall life hath a temper of body hath divers mixtures so it abhorrs things that are hurtfull to it and desires things that chearish it so in this life of grace there in an appetite those that live it they are carried to the things that helpe them they hunger after the Word and that which buildâ— them up they abhorre sinne and lust that would destroy them Thirdly as in the naturall life so in this there is a taste a palate that helps this appetite Rom. 12.2 Be yee changed by the renewing of your minde that yee may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God that is that yee may bee able to discerne of it as the touchstone discernes of gold or the taste and palate of meates Fourthly as in the other life there is hunger and thirst so is there in this men who live it are sensible of paines and refreshings they are sensible of sinne judgements and threatnings which others are not being hard and dead Fiftly as the other life is fed with food so is this the food which a man eats is not presently turned into flesh and bloud that nourisheth but there is a nutritive facultie that nourisheth and turnes all we eate into nourishment So the Saints who live this life have a nutritive facultie they assimulate and turne all things to a good use there is a living and vitall faculty in them that sets them forwards Ephe. 4.16 They being knit to Christ according to the eflectuall power working in every part increase and edifie themselves in love Lastly as this common life hath beside other things that maintaine it some other indowmâ—nts to helpe it out as company recreation riches and the like so hath this spirituall life it hath riches and friends it hath its heritage company habitation God is our habitation from everlasting with the same realitie though not with the same visibility and so exposed to sence as the other The cause of this life is the holy Ghost who is to the soule as the soule is to the body hee is the cause of it the end of it is the Lord all is done to God No other life is so this life is of God through God and for God when you finde such a realitie in your actions tending to God when he is your aime then ye live this life If this bee the condition of all that are in Christ to live and bee quickned see what is expected from you to whom this talent is committed every excellency is a talent it must not lie dead but bee improved for our masters use the sinne is great if ye doe it not the neglect being of a greater thing the sinne is greater God sets a proportionable account On his benefits and expects a severe account from us if wee use them not Bee exhorted then to live this life some live much in a short time some never live this life at all one man may live more in one day than another man in an hundred for to live is nothing but to be stirring and doing 1. Tim. 5.6 Those who live in pleasures are dead whilst they live so hee that is occupied about riches or honours is dead all that time that men are occupied about riches and their estates about credit honours and the like making them their end is a time of death yee have lived no longer than yee have acted duties of new obedience If you summe up your lives according to this computation to how short a reckoning will they come A wise man speakes more in a few words than a foole doth in a multitude one peece of gold hath more worth than a hundred peeces of brasse as we say of an empty oration that there is a flood of words but a drop of matter so if you consider your lives and see how long yee have lived in death bungling out your time you will see that yee have lived but little in a long time therfore now be doing something redeeme the time bee busie in doing or receiving good be still devising to doe something for God and to put it in execution spend your fat and sweetnesse for God and man weare out not rust out flame out not smother out burne out bee not blowne out So did Christ so did Moses so did Paul making the Gospell to abound from Ierusalem to Illyricum so did David the text saith that he served his time hee did not idle it out that is hee lived not as his owne master but hee did doe all to God as to a master All the worthies of the Church have lived thus and not onely they but poore Christians likewise are still doing they serve God and men they are usefull they are the men that live Those who spend their time in sports in gaming in businesse in serving wealth and honour in morall discourses in Histories in hearing and telling of newes as the Athenians did these are dead men they doe not live As we say of Trees that if they bring not forth fruit they are dead so what ever men
people fasted and assembled themselves together but it was but for Corne and Wine take away our respects wee are cold these are desires that should be denied Fourthly if all that have interest in Christ must deny themselves then try whether you have interest in Christ or no are ye willing to deny the flesh Are ye willing to undergoe the crosse To crucifie the flesh for Christ Else ye are not in him He must deny himselfe that is in Christ all are ready to say that they deny themselves when as it is spoken in generall but if yee will know whether you deny your selves or no consider but these three things First are ye willing to be informed Will ye try and sift thing to the bran Try ye if the thing be lawfull which yee desire If yee stop your eyes and eares and will not examine it you doe not deny your selves it is all one to stop the light as to have it and not to follow it Is there not a secret light within you that tels you this and this is a sinne doth your conscience whisper within you if it doth ye deny not your selves except yee desire to be informed Num. 22.20 Balaam would not goe upon any tearmes to curse Israel at the first and second request he had a secret light within him that told him that hee should not goe though God bade him goe but yet God who knowes the waies of the flesh and Spirit saw that hee lingred after Balacks wages and therefore he bids him goe and he went hee did not satisfie his conscience So SAVL caried it fairely when as he offered Sacrifice before SAMVEL came so hee did when hâ—â—â—ared AGAG and the best things pretendiâ—g Sacrifice to be made with them yet his conscience told him that it was a sinne he did not satisfie it· Examine things to the full else yee deny not your selves Wee preach to you that you must doe thus and thus peradventure yee deceive your selves and reason against it yet your Consciences are convinced 2 Corinth 4.2 Wee speake to your Consciences and approve our selves to them we preach not to the wits and humours of men but to their consciences in the sight of GOD and men You must love the light Ioh. 3.12 Hee that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought of GOD. Doe yee choose the light without seeking any â—istinctions or evasions If a man seeke evasions it is a signe hee is not of the truth Hee that loves the truth is of the light approves things that are excellent he is willing to hold up his actions to the Sunne as one doth a vessell to see if there be ever a flaw in it Yee may call sanctifying the Sabbath Iudaisme yee may call strictnesse of life Hypocrisie and Precisenesse Zeale indiscretion But what say your consciences of them If that which we doe bee but hypocrisie why doe you not it in reality Yea but you are more strict than the rule Why then try whether it bee so or no take not the word upon trust 1 Corinth 3.5 Wee are the Ministers by whom yee beleeve and not what yee beleeve If yee are not willing to search what the good 〈◊〉 of GOD is yee deny not your selves In those things that are in question see that you satisfie your Consciences and that light which is within If there bee a question about sanctifying of the Sabbath and gayning doe as your Consciences bid you see if there be not a reluctancy within Secondly consider what yee doe in case of a strong affection in a strong temptation in a particular humour it is not what a man doth in coole blood but what doe you when as opportunity and strong affections meeâ—e Hee is a good Pilot that shewes himselfe so in a storme hee is a good Souldier that shewes himselfe so in a breach see if you doe as ABRAHAM hee denyed himselfe in his Son It is Selfe-deniall when as a man renounceth himselfe and his flesh when as they aske him violently and importunately Will you omit no duty though it cost you much As DANIEL would not leave off Praier though it should cost him his life Dan. 6.10 wil ye not commit any sinne though you gaine never so much by it as BALAAM did and as those that have the persons of men in admiration because of advantage doe Try what yee doe in such cases as these If some trouble follow such a duty what doe yee Mark 8.38 Hee that is ashamed to professe CHRIST though it brings a Crosse to him hee that will not professe him in time of tryall of him will the Sonne of man also bee ashamed when hee commeth in the Glory of his Father Hath Christ need of the same thing that you your selves have need of will yee bestow it on him Suppose it be a boxe of oyntment or tenne times more the tryall is how we doe deny our selves when as we shall injure our selves Thirdly yee shall know if yee deny your selves by the humility and lowlinesse of your minds Are yee content to be translated from one condition to another An humble man is willing and content to bee translated from one estate to another hee wonders he hath so much hee will be trampled on for GOD. If yee are proud having great thoughts of heart ye never will deny your selves The proud resist GOD and hee resisteth them 1. Pet. 5.5 They are full of murmurings and disquiet The broken hearts make no account of themselves care not for any condition are contented with the lowest roome as the Prodigâ—ll was so they have grace it is enough If ye have this disposition it shewes you are men denying your selves Apply these rules and try if yee deny your selves or not if yee doe not know your condition and labour to bring your hearts to it to deny your selves The wayes to doe it are these First to deny your selves have a right judgement of your selves reckon the inward man your selfe if yee reckon the Flesh your selfe riches honours credit and wealth that perfect the flesh your selfe then yee will lose all for it yee will not deny your selves Such a one will leave Religion wound his Conscience rather than lose his estate But if wee reckon the regenerate part our selves it hath friends and a Kingdome and reckoning it our selfe wee will suffer any thing rather than hurt it we will lose our life and liberty and yet are well because this is safe After a man is regenerate he reckons another thing himselfe than he did before the Spirit is now predominant he is himselfe doing Spirituall things the Spirit is Lord of the house the flesh may come in as a theefe but there is a great difference when as it comes thus and when as it comes as a Lord When as the Spirit is a mans selfe his hold is in heaven Let us judge of our selves and wee shall be able to deny
in old garments that will do thee no good at al the Lord regards not that like new wine in old vessells so it is where there are some new things that are good things in themselves in a carnall and old heart they are not fit for the heart and therefore they never stay long there So saith the text Put a new peece into an old garment and it makes the rent greater Therefore all must be new I say there must be a new nature that these new things may bee there even as the severall creatures are in their severall elements as the elements are in their owne place as the plants are in their proper soyle as the branches are upon their own roote For then they florish then they hold out then they continue Therefore see whether this vigor this efficacy this vertue hath gone out from Christ into thy heart whether it hath not only renewed al in thee but also hath given thee a new nature That is whether it hath wrought such a change in thee that all the wayes of godlines and new obedience become in a measure naturall to thee so that thou canst doe them cheerefully even as wee heare and see and do naturall actions and that thou dost them without wearinesse for you know things that are naturall wee are not weary of them And so thou wilt doe them constantly for what is naturall stayes and abides by us that it out-growes and out-wearies what ever is in us beside Now hath there a vertue gone out from Christ that hath wrought all this in you that hath made all new hath not onely done so but hath made it naturall to thee But you will say must it needs be so cannot Christ take and comprehend me but there must be this wonderfull change wrought who can be saved then I have then but little hope when I am upon my death-bed and then shall looke upon my old nature and finde no such worke as this wrought upon me Beloved I beseech you consider this that there is a necessity of it It is so and it must be so and except you have it you cannot be saved you see the words in the Scriptures are most cleare Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature Doe but consider whether it be so or no there must bee a new-heaven and a new earth You see that was the great promise that was to bee fulfilled in our times of the Gospell Is there not a new priesthood is there not a new covenant and hath not the Lord said there must be a new heaven and a new earth That is new graces from heaven and a new company of men wrought on and changed by those graces Shall those that are borne of old Adam receive a power from him to make them like to him to carry his Image to be corrupt carnall and sinfull as he is And do you not thinke that the New Adam the Second Adam shall have as much efficacy in him to make those new creatures that are in him that come to him Certainely there is as much power life and vigor in the new Adam to change every man that is in him that comes to him to make them new creatures as in the old Adam to make them like to him Besides hath not Christ said plainely I came not into the world to save soules only that is not my busines alone though that was a great part of the businesse and errand for which hee came into the world but saith he I came to purifie a people to my selfe zealous of good workes in the 2 Tit. Now if that were the end of Christs comming dost thou thinke that hee will loose his end Wherefore its impossible that any man should bee saved or have part in Christ that hee should bee in Christ and Christ in him except his heart bee purified so as to be zealous of good workes If Christ dwell in thy heart thou mayest easily know it for dost thou thinke that Christ will dwell in a foule and uncleane place hath hee not pure eyes And therefore it is certaine wheresoever hee dwells that place must bee a fit Temple for him to dwell in Wherefore of necessity hee must cleanse thy heart hee must fashion it and keepe it pure cleane and sweet so as it may bee a fit Temple for him and his Spirit to dwell and delight in Besides doth hee not looke to his glory in all those that belong to him he hath many eyes to looke upon them as it were there are many spectators men and Angells to see what they are and how they behave themselves If he should have a company of men to belong unto him that are carnall perverse and worldly minded that have crooked wayes like other men would this be for his honour would it not be said Like men like Master would it not reflect upon him Certainely it would and therefore the Lord so orders it that those whom he hath redeemed shall be holy in all manner of conversation Saith he you must be as I am else it will bee for my dishonour As I am holy so every one of you must be holy in all manner of conversation Therefore let no man deceive himselfe to thinke hee can goe away and yet bee in Christ and bee saved through Christ and the mercies of God in Christ when there goes out no such vertue and power from Christ to change him to worke on him to alter him to make him another creature And therefore I beseech you in the examining of this for its a matter of great moment to consider with your selves if this be wrought in you or no whether you finde any experiment and effect of this mighty power efficacy and vertue and let me bring you a little to particulars Hath there gone out a vertue from him to enable thee to beleeve There is a faith required in the Deity there is a faith required in the promises of God and there is a faith required in the providence of God to thinke that every particular thing is ordered by it There is also a faith in all the threatnings of God Now for the manner of propounding when the Scripture comes to propound any thing it propounds it thus and no more as you see in Moyses he writes nothing but In the beginning God made heaven and earth c. And so the Apostles write Such a thing was done Iesus Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary Thus and thus he did Now when the naked object is propounded other writers wht they deliver or write is rationall They use Reasons and arguments to convince men of those things which thy deliver but when the Scripture sets downe any propositions of faith it doth but barely propound them for there is the Majesty and authority of God in them to confirme them But now here you will demand the proposition being but nakedly laid downe in the Scriptures what will
any of these in the Church put it up to him and put it up with confidence For this is a marriage day as it were it is the time when he reacheth out his scepter as you know the things I allude to and thou maist come to his presence You know when Hester was admitted to the presence of the King then said he What request hast thou when thou art admitted to the familiarity and presence oâ— the Lord he looks for it he asks what request you have to put up to him and the promises are large enough I will give it whatsoever it be if you aske according to my will and therefore do in this case as Moyses used to do you shall find when Moyses drew neere unto the Lord when he was admitted into his presence and saw him face to face for that was the great priviledge Moyses had when there was any special apparition of the Lord to him Moses makes this argument saith hee It is a great mercy that thou wouldest shew mee this that such a poore man as I am should have this priviledge and give mee leave to make use of it Lord if I have found favour in thy sight that is since thou hast vouchsafed mee such a favour in thy sight do thus and thus for me you see he made this request for the whole Church of God and saved them or else they had beene destroied If thou hast not any particular argument in this case say If I have found favour in thy sight do this so I say when thou hast this promise confirmed that Christ hath given himselfe to thee and the symboll of that promise is the bread and wine which he hath given to thee put up thy request O Lord if thou hast vouchsafed to give mee Christ wilt thou not with him give mee all things else Lord if I have found favour in thy sight to do so great a thing for me deny me not this particular request Thus we ought to doe especially when we come to things that are beyond nature when we come let us consider with our selves Indeed I have a naturall disposition that carries me strongly to evill I shall never be able to overcome it there are such duties to doe I shall never be able to performe them In such a case thou must doe it the more earnestly thou must sigh groane to the Lord. Elishah when hee comes to doe a thing so much above the course of nature as to raise a dead child to life hee sighed unto the Lord that is he prayed earnestly Eliah when hee would have Raine he cryed he tooke much paines he prayed So must thou do in this case and know this for thy comfort that though thou thinke thou shalt never be able to doe these things to overcome such lusts such hereditary diseases yet the Lord is able to helpe thee though these are past naturall helpe yet they are not past the helpe of grace though the spirit in us lust after envy yet as the Apostle Iames saith The Scriptures offer more grace that is the Scriptures offer grace and ability to doe more than nature can doe nature cannot heale a spirit that lusteth after envy or any other thing a spirit that lusts after credit after money after the sinne of uncleanenesse or whatsoever is presented now the Scriptures offer that grace that will overcome any of these sinnes be they never so strong or so old Christ healed hereditary diseases he healed those that were borne lame and blind so though thou be borne with such lusts Christ is able to heale thee you see a Prophet could heale Naaman of his Leprosie when there was no other that could doe it so saith Christ Come unto me all ye and I will heale you So that you see wee must put up our requests to God The third Sermon WE have already made some entrance upon the words I told you what the Apostles scope is in them which is to make knowne to all Christians to whom he wrote another great priviledge besides that which hee named before that is That he that hath the Son hath life this saith he is another priviledge that whatsoever you aske you shall have onely remember that you have this assurance in him that is in Christ Iesus That point what it is to be in him that it may be the ground of all the benefits and priviledges wee injoy we handled the last day Now wee come to the priviledge it selfe If we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us The words are so plain I shal not need to spend any time in opening of them but deliver you the point that lyes so evidently before us which is this That all the prayers of the Saints made upon earth are assuredly heard in heaven whatsoever we aske saith hee according to his will hee heareth us onely the conditions must be observed When you heare such a generall as this it must be limited there are certaine bounds set to it which we will name unto you which are these foure conditions First all the prayers that are made upon earth shall be heard in heaven if they be the prayers of a righteous man and are faithfull and fervent The person must be righteous that must first be remembred because although the prayer be never so good yet except the person bee accepted from whom it comes the Lord regards it not you know in the old Law the blood of Swine was reckoned an abominable Sacrifice yet if you take the blood of sheepe and compare them together you shall find no difference It may be the Swines blood is the better then what 's the reason the Swines blood is not accepted even because of the subject of it it was the blood of Swine and therefore you see it was put downe that it was an abominable Sacrifice So it is with prayer Take the prayer of a Saint and the prayer of a wicked man it may be if you looke upon the petition or whatsoever is in the prayer it selfe you shall finde some time the prayers of a godly man more cold and lesse fervent the petitions are not so well framed as the wicked mans yet because this comes from such a person the Lord regards it not you know the condition is mentioned Iames fift The prayer of the righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Now as this is required in the person so there is somewhat required in the praier also that is that it be fervent and faithfull that it be fervent you have it in the same place The prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent that is it must be a prayer made from the sence of the misery that is in us from the mercy of God when a man takes a thing to heart that he prayes for and comes with confidence to bee heard for that makes him fervent This the Lord will have and also he will
have it faithfull Iames the first when the Apostle exhorts them to praier if any man want wisdome saith he let him aske it of God but then marke he carefully puts in this condition see that He pray in faith that is beleeve that it shal be done unto him now this faith includes repentance for no man can beleeve that he shall be heard except he make his heart perfect with God If he allow any sin in himselfe he cannot beleeve upon any good ground therfore when I say it must be faithful that also is included we must regard no wickednes in our hearts for in such a case the Lord heares not hee heares not sinners So that this you must remember First the person must be righteous and the prayer must bee fervent and faithfull Secondly the other Condition you shal heare in the Text it must be according to his will you must not thinke whatsoever you aske if you aske it loosely at Gods hands that it shall presently be graunted you No saith he it must be according to his will if you aske fire from heaven that is not according to his will and therefore you see they that aske it were denyed it with this reason you know not what you aske Likewise to â—it at his right hand and at his left in heaven which was another request of the Disciples he puts them by with this You understand not what you aske of the Father and therefore it must be according to his will And that is the second Thirdly we must aske it in time in due season so the promise is true Knock and it shall be opened to you but you know the foolish Virgins knockt and it was not opened to theÌ„ what was the reason of it because they askt when the time was past for there is a certaine acceptable time when the Lord will be found and when that oportunity is past he is found no more It is true that this life is the time of grace but God in his secret counsell hath appointed a certaine time to every man which is the acceptable time the day of grace therefore he saith unto them This day if you will heare this day if you will come and seeke unto mee if you will pray unto mee I will heare you when it 's past the Lord suffers not the doores to stand open alwayes his eares are not alwayes open therefore that condition must be carefully remembered you must aske in time It is a condition that should be carefully thought on by us For for the most part we fly to prayer as Ioab did to the Altar hee went not to it for devotion for then he would have done it before but when hee was in distresse when hee was in extremity then hee fled to it and therefore you know what successe hee had by it it saved not his life So we goe not to prayer for devotion that is out of love to God to doe him that service but for the most part wee do it out of selfe love when we are in extremity or distresse wee passe the acceptable times he requires and we goe to him in a time of our owne For there is Gods time and there is our owne time Gods time is to come to him when wee may do him service in our youth in our strength in the flower of our graces Our time is to goe to him when we need him Will not a friend say when we never come to him but when we have extreame need of him why do you come now you were not wont to visit me before this is not out of love to me Even the very same answer the Lord giveth Goe to your Idols saith he those that you served in the time of peace and see if they can helpe you The fourth and last condition is That wee referre the time the manner the measure of granting our petitions to the Lord. That is we must not thinke to be our owne carvers to thinke if it be not granted in such a manner such a measure or such a time presently the Lord hath rejected our petitions no he that beleeves makes no haste That is he waits upon God he stayes himselfe upon God he is content to have it in that time in that manner and measure as best pleaseth the Lord For the truth is we know not our selves what is meete for us we are unto the Lord just as the Patient is to the Physitian The patient is importunate with him for such things to refresh and ease him But the Physitian knowes what best belongs to him and when to give him such things in what manner and in what measure So the Lord knowes best what to doe Many times hee doth the same things that we desire though he doe it not in the same manner Even as the physitià he quencheth often the thirst with Berberries or with such kind of conserves what though it be not with drinke is it not all one so the thirst be quenched Is it not all one whether a man bee hindred from striking me or if I have a helmet to defend the blow sometimes the Lord keepes not off the enemy but then he gives us a helmet to keepe off those blowes to beare those injuries and evills that are done to us he is a wise physitian he knowes what manner what measure and what time is best therefore that must be referred to him now these conditions being observed you must know that this great priviledge belongs to every Christian That whatsoever prayers he makes on earth he is sure to bee heard in heaven it is a wondrous priviledge that which wee have all cause to stand amazed at that the Lord should so farre regard the sonnes of men to grant them such a Charter as this no more but aske and have and what so ever you pray for it shall be done to you But a man is ready to say secretly in his heart when he heares it This is too good to be true That whatsoever I aske I shall have My Beloved I confesse it is a hard thing to beleeve it as wee ought to doe and therefore before we come to apply this we will spend a little time in endevouring to convince you of the truth of it that you may not doubt of it that what prayers you make to the Lord hee is ready to heare them First consider that whatsoever prayer you make he takes notice of it he observs every petition there is not one petitioÌ„ that you make to him at any time but he lookes upon it he sees what the prayer is And this thing although you thinke it common and who is there that know not this yet my beloved to beleeve this to thinke that God is present where I make my prayer to him to thinke he stands and heares it even as I speake to a man that stands and heares me and understands what I say to him This is
were ready to complaine as we see in the verses before they were ready to say with themselves alas what shall wee doe when our Master shall be tooke from our head Our Saviour answers them you shall doe well enough doubt you not for though I be not with you yet saith he go to the father in my name and whatsoever you aske of him you shall have it So that hee answers that objection when a man is ready to say It s true I know that a father is exceeding loving to his Children But it may be my carriage hath not beene such I am full of infirmities I have much in me that may turne the love and affection of my Father from me Put the case you have yet Christ adds this for your comfort If saith he the Father will not doe it for your sake yet doubt you not if you aske in my name he will doe it doe we not see it usuall among men That one that is a meere stranger to another if hee get a letter from a friend he thinkes to prevaile and he doth so because though it bee not done for his sake it may be hee is a stranger one that deserved nothing at his hands yet such a friend may deserve much And when we goe to God in the name of Christ this answers all the objections whatsoever you can say against your selves it is all satisâ—ied in this I goe in his name I am sure he hath supply I am sure hee is no stranger I know hee hath deserved it c. Last of all as he loves us and because we aske in the name of Christ is ready to heare us we will adde this that he is ready to heare us for his owne sake hee is a God hearing prayer saith the Psalmist that al flesh might come to him even for this cause he heares that men may be encouraged to come and seeke to him for if the Lord should not heare then no flesh would come unto him that is men would have no encouragement no helpe therefore he saith he is a God hearing prayer doubt ye not hee will doe it for this purpose that hee might have men to worship him that men might come and seeke unto him Besides that hee shall be glorified Thou shalt call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee now the Lord is desirous of glory it was the end for which he made the world But in not hearing our prayer hee loseth this glory by hearing our requests the more wee are heard the more glory and praise we render unto him Like wise he doth it for the Spectators sake Moyses often presenteth that Reason Lord doe it What will the Heathen say and lest thy name be polluted among them they will say thou hast brought out a people and wast not able to deliver them So David often there are many instances in that I say for the lookers on sake he is ready to doe it All this is enough to perswade our hearts that hee is ready to heare us that when prayers are made to him on earth So the conditions be observed they are surely heard in heaven Now to apply this First if the Lord bee so ready to heare then this should teach us to bee more fervent in this duty of prayer than commonly we are for to what end are such promises as this but to encourage us to do our duties when wee heare that prayer is of so much efficacy that it prevailes with the Lord for any thing shall we suffer it to lye by as it were and not make use of it If a drug or a pretious balme were commended to us and it were told us that if wee made use of it it would heale any wound it will heale any sickenes and this and this vertue it hath Will a wise man suffer it to lye by him will he not use it and see what vertue it hath And when it is said unto us that praier is thus prevalent with the Lord that it is thus potent that it is thus able to prevaile with him for any thing shall wee not make use of it when we are in any distresse when wee need any thing when we have any disease either of soule or body to heale Let us flye to this refuge that himselfe hath appointed If a King of the earth should say to a man I will be ready to doe thee a good turne make use of me when thou hast occasion he would be ready enough to do it Now when the Lord of heaven saith aske what you will at my hands and I will doe it shall we not seeke to him and make use of such a promise as this Beloved we are too backward in this we should be more aboundant in this duty than we are we should make more account of it For whatsoever the case be if you doe but seeke to the Lord if thou doest but set downe thy resolution with thy selfe Well I see it is a thing if I looke upon the creature and the meanes I have little hope of but the Lord is able to doe it and therefore I will goe to him I will weary him and I will not give him over I will not give him nor my selfe any rest till I have obtained it I say it is impossible thou shouldest faile in such a case Onely remember to be importunate for an importunate suiter hee cannot deny You know the parable of the unjust Iudge You know also the parable of the man that is in bed with his children when the widdow was importunate when she knockt and would give him no rest he gives her redresse the other riseth and giveth his friend as many loves as he will saith the Text yea though she were not his friend for this is the meaning of it If saith he the Lord had not much love to you if hee had not such an affection if you did not come to him in the name of Christ whom hee loves in whom he is ready to grant whatsoever you aske if hee were not a friend to you yet for your very importunity he is ready to do it As the unjust Iudge for that is the scope of the parable hee had no minde to grant the widdowes request hee had no Iustice in him to move him he had no mercy nor compassion yet for very importunity he graunted it Remember and observe the condition for this is commonly a fault among us when we goe to prayer we thinke that the very putting up of the prayer will doe it No there is more required than so As it is the error of the Country people when they heare say that such an herbe is good for such a disease they are ready to thinke that howsoever it be tooke or applyed it will heale the disease No it must be applyed in such a manner it must bee used in such a fashion So it is with prayer you must