prayers of his people as he did the seed of Isaac Gen. 26.12 with an hundred fold encrease As Gods word never returns empty unto him so the prayers of his servants never return empty unto them and usually the câ—op of prayer is greater then the seed out of which it grew as the putting in of a little water into a Pumpe makes way to the drawing out of a great deale more Isaac and Rebecca had lived twentie yeares together without any children and he grew now in yeares for he was forty yeares old before hee married hereupon he solemnly prayes to God in behalfe of his Wife because shee was barren and God gave him more then it is probable hee expected for hee gave him two Sonnes at a birth Gen. 25.21 22. As the cloud which riseth out of the earth many times in thinne and insensible vapours falleth downe in great and abundant showres so our prayers which ascend weak and narrow returne with a full and enlarged answer God deales in this point with his children as Ioseph did with his brethren in Egypt he did not only put corne into their Sacks but returned the money which they brought to purchase it Gen. 42.25 So he dealt with Solomon he did not onely give him wisdome and gifts of government which he asked but further gave him both riches and honour which he asked not 1 King 3.13 The people of Israel when they were distressed by the Ammonites besought the Lord for help he turnes backe their prayers and sends them to their Idols to help them they humble themselves and put away their Idols and pray againe and the highest pitch that their petitions mounted unto was Lord Wee have sinned doe unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee onely deliver us we pray thee this day Iudg. 10.15 and God did answer this prayer beyond the câ—â—tents of it hee did not onely deliver them from the Enemy and so save them but subdued the Enemy under them and delivered him into their hands he did not only give them the relief they desired but a glorious victory beyond their desires Iudg. 11.22 God deales with his servants ar the Prophet did with the woman of Shunem when he bid her ask what she needed and tell him what she would have him doe for the kindnesse she had done to him and she found not any thing to request at his hands he sends for her again and makes her a free promise of that which shee most wanted and desired and tells her that God would give her a sonne 2 Kings 4.16 So many times God is pleased to give his servants such things as they forget to ask or gives them the things which they aske in a fuller measure then their owne desires durst to propose them David in his troubles asked life of God and would have esteemed it a great mercy onely to have beene delivered from the feare of his Enemies and God doth not onely answer him according to the desire of his heart in that particular and above it too for he gave him length of dayes for ever and ever but further setled the Crowne upon his head and added honour and majesty unto his life Psal. 21.2 3 4 5. And the Reasons hereof are principally two 1 We beg of God according to the sense and knowledge which we have of our owne wants and according to the measure of that Love which we beare unto our selves The greater our love is to our selves the more active and importunate will our petitions be for such good things as we need But God answers prayers according to his knowledge of us and according to the Love which hee beareth unto us Now God knowes what things we want much better then we doe our selves and he loves our souls much better then we love them our selves and therefore he gives us more and better things then our own prayers know how to ask of him A little childe will beg none but trifles and meane things of his father because he hath not understanding to looke higher or to value things that are more excellent but his father knowing better what is good for him bestowes on him education traines him unto learning and vertue that he may be fit to manage and enjoy that inheritance which he provides for him so wee know not what to aske as we ought Rem 8.26 and when we do know our spirits are much straitned we have but a finite narrow love unto our selves But Gods knowledge is infinite and his love is infinite and according unto these are the distributions of his mercy Even the Apostle himselfe when he was in affliction and buffetted by the messenger of Satan and vexed with a thorn in his flesh besought the Lord for nothing but that it might depart from him but God had a farre better answer in store to the Apostles prayer and purposed to do more for him then he desired namely to give him a sufficiency of grace to support him and to magnify his strength in the infirmitie of his servant 2 Cor. 12.9 When the Prophet had encouraged men to seek the Lord and to turne unto him and that upon this assurance that he will not only heare petitions for mercy and forgivenesse but will multiply to pardon that is will pardon more sinnes then we can confesse for with him there is not only mercy but Plenteous redemption Psal. 130.7 he further strengthneth our faith and encourageth our obedience unto this duty by the consideration of the thoughts of God to wit his thoughts of love mercy and peace towards us My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord for as the heavens are higher then the earth so are wâ— wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts Esa. 55.7.8.9 He can pardon beyond our petitions because his thoughts of mercy towards us are beyond our apprehensions See the like place Ier. 29.10 11 12. 2 God answers prayers not alwayes with respect to the narrow compasse of our weak desires but with respect to his owne honour and to the declaration of his own greatnesse for he promiseth to beare us that wee may glorifie him Psalme 50.15 Therefore he is pleased to exceed our petitions and to do for us abundantly above what we ask or think that our hearts may be more abundantly enlarged and our mouthes wide opened in rendring honour unto him When Perillus a favorite of Alexander begged of him a portion for his daughters the King appointed that fifty Talents should be given unto him he answered that ten would be sufficient the King replied that tenne were enough for Perillus to ask but not enough for Alexander to grant So God is pleased many times to give more then we ask that we may look upon it not only as an Act of mercy but as an act of honour and to teach us in all our prayers to move God as well by his glory as by his mercy So Moses
it and of the frequent decayes and abatements of the grace of God in us 12. By prayer and faith get a heart fixed upon God 13. Great comfort that our conversion and obedience dependeth on the power of God This no ground of supine neglect of duties for grace so worketh in us as that it disposeth us unto working the means being decreed as well as the end 14. Other mens wills are in Gods keeping He the author and orderer of our troubles 15. Repentance breaks off sin and makes haste out of it 16. God heareth onely penitents Our persons accepted before our prayers A wicked man may pray a prayer of nature not of faith Two wills in prayer Ours and Gods when a wicked man prayes for mercy he prayes against Gods will when for grace against his own 17. When we pray for outward things our aimes must be spirituall The way to have all our other ends is to make God our chiefe end 18. Prayer the Key of obedience The principles of service are the fruits of prayer 19. Words Ammunition against Armes that way as prayer goes God goes 20. Sound conversion engageth Gods protection and yeeldeth comfort in all conditions of life Sermon VII Sect. 1. THe seal of the Prophets Doctrine Interrogation denying wishing demonstrating awakening 2. In spirituall things mentall knowledge seconded with practicall wisdome 3. The wayes of the Lord his providence his precepts 4. Few men wise to salvation 5. The weaker part more then the wiser The word a sweet savour to 〈…〉 singularity sinfull pious singularity necessary 6. 〈…〉 pondreth all Gods wayes Wisdome particular geneâ—all 7. Wicked mâ—n shape their own end and apply sinfull means by a sinfull wisdome unto it God only the last end of righteous men 8. All wisdome is for obtaining of good avoiding of evill The excellency of every thing in Beauty Vse 9. Wisdome of Angels conversant about the Word Scripture the best Counsellor The plenitude thereof The pernicious influence of corrupt doctrines upon the present state of the Church 10. Twofold knowledge of judgements and blessings 11. The rectitude of Gods wayes in their equity and reason ablenesse their perfect harmony their directnesse to their end their conformity to the will of God their plainnesse and perspicuity 12. We are apt to pick quarrels at the Word 13. Wicked men set up their wills against Gods and invent distinctions to reconcile Gods will to theirs 14. Ministers may not stamp Gods mark on doctrines of humane invention nor superinduce any thing upon the Scripture People have a judgement of discretion to try the spirit 15. Obedience the end of the Ministry Ordinances not obeyed ripen and increase sin and hasten judgements 16. None but righteous men will obey the Word Every wicked man doth in some thing or other gainsay the truth 17. The right wayes of the Lord are unto wicked men matter of scandall 18. They stumble at the profoundnesse of the Word as being above reason 19. At the the strictnesse of it as being against their peruliar lust 20. At To the seraching power and simplicity of the Gospell 21. At impossibility of fulfilling the law which is but accidentall To ergenerate men the Law is Evangelically possible Wicked men hardened willingly as well as judicially 22. At the grace of the word by presumption at the threatnings and judgements of it by stubbornnesse 23. Wicked men stumble at the word not only unto scandall but unto ruine The First SERMON UPON HOSEA Chap. 14. Vers. 1 2. HOSEA 14.1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God 〈…〉 hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously or give good so will we render the 〈◊〉 of our lips THe blessing of Ephraim was according to his name Fruitfulness The fruitfulness of the Earth a bough by a well and the fruitfulness of the womb and of the brests Gen. 49.22.25 Deut. 2â— 1â— 17. Contrary unto which two blessings 〈…〉 in our Prophet two Iudgments threatned against him for his sins chap. 13 15 16. Though he be fruitful amongst his brethren an East wind shall come the wind of the Lord shall come up from the Wilderness and his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dryed up he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels Samaria shall become desolate for she hath rebelled against her God they shal fall by the Sword their Infants shal be dashed in pieces and their women with child shall be ript up And throughout the whole Prophecy if you read and observe it you will find the Judgments of God against Ephraim to be expressed by weeds emptiness barrenness dryness of roots of fruits of branches of springs and by a curse upon their Children as on the other side the blessing here in this Chapter renewed unto Ephraim repenting are all expressed by Metaphors of fruitfulness ver 5 6 7 〈…〉 two woful Iudgments against the fruitfulness of their springs and the fruitfulness of their wombs by the desolations of a bloody sword our Prophet taketh occasion once more for all to awaken and drive them to a timely repentance that so they may recover the blessing of their name Ephraim may be Ephraim again a plentiful a fruitful a flourishing people That when Gods Iudgments are in the earth they would then at least set themselves to learn righteousness that they may wash their feet in the blood of the wicked Of all Nations under Heaven this Land of ours hath had the blessing of Ephraim upon it fruitfulness of the Earth abundaâ—â—e of plenty fruitfulness of the womb abundance of people But our misery is that the abundance of our sins hath mightily outvied the abundance both of our plenty and of our people sins too too paralel to those of Ephraim if you will but read this Prophet and compare the behaviours of this Nation with him And this parity of sins hath no doubt called upon God for a parity of judgments It is but a very little while since the Lord seemed to call for a North-wind as he doth here for an East-wind two Armies there met ready to look one another in the Face but his heart turned his repentings were kindled he would not give up Ephraim then He seems once more to be drawing of a Sword and having in vain hewed us by his Prophets as he complains chap. 6.5 to try whether hewing us by his Iudgments will work upon us So that now thouâ—â— I must read my Text O Israel yet I must apply it O England Return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words c. The whole Context containeth two general parts An Invitation unto Repentance Vers. 1. And an Institution how to perform it in the two verses following Before we come to the particulars of the Invitation let us first briefly observe That in the midst of Iudgments
Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
leaven that defile our Passeovers and urge God to passe away and depart from us these the obstructions between his sacred Majesty and you and between both and the happinesse of the Kingdome Think seriously what wayes may be most effectual to purge out this leaven out of the Land The principall sacrificing knife which kils and mortifies sin is the Word of God and the knowledge of it It would have been a great unhappinesse to the Common-wealth of Learning if Caliguâ—a 〈◊〉 as he endevoured deprived the world of the writings of Homer Virgil and Livy But O! what an Aegyptian calamity is it to have in this Sun-shine of the Gospel thousands of persons and families as I doubt not but upon inquirie it would appear without the writings of the Prophets and Apostles A Christian souldier without his sword a Christian builder without his rule and square a Christian calling without the instruments and ballances of the Sanctuary belonging to it O therefore that every Parish had an indowment â—it for a learned laborious and worthy Pastor and Pastors worthy of such endowments that provision were made that every family might have a Bible in it and if by Law it might possibly be procured the exercises of Religion therewithall this would be the surest Magazine to secure the happinesse of a Kingdome that all reproachfull titles which the devill useth as scarcrows and whiâ—lers to keep back company from pressing in upon Christs Kingdome were by Law proscribed That scandalous sins were by the awfulnesse and severity of Discipline more blasted and brought to shame That the Lords house were more frequented and his day more sanctified and his Ordinances more reverenced and his Ministers which teach the good knowledge of the Lord more encouraged then ever heretofore In one word that all the severall fountains of the Common-wealth were settled in a sound and flourishing constitution That in every place we might see Piety the Elme to every other Vine the supporter to every other profession Learning adorned with Piety and Law administred with Piety and Counsels managed with Piety and Trade regulated with Pietie and the Plow followed with Pietie That when Ministers fight against sin with the sword of Gods Word you who are the Nobles and Gentry of the Land would second them and frown upon it too a frown of yours may sometimes do as much service to Christ as a Sermon of ours And he cannot but take it very unkindly from you if you will not bestow your countenance on him who bestowed his blood on you That you would let the strictnesse of your lives and the pietie of your examples put wickednes out of countenance and make it appear as indeed it is a base and a sordid thing If we would thus sadly set our selves against the sins of the Land no power no malice no policies should stand between us and Gods mercies Religion would flourish and peace would settle and trade would revive and the hearts of men would be re-united and the Church be as a City compacted and this Nation would continue to be as it hath been like the Garden of Eden a mirrour of prosperity and happinesse to other people and God would prevent us in the second part of our Petition with the blessing of goodnesse as soon as ever iniquity were removed he would do us good which is the second thing here directed to pray for Receive us graciously In the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take good to wit to bestow upon us so Taking is sometimes used for Giving He received gifts for men so in the Psalm he gave gifts to men so in the Apostle and it is not improbable that the Prophet here secretly leadeth us to Christ the Mediatour who first receiveth gifts from his Father and then poureth them forth upon his Church Act. 2.23 The meaning then is Lord when thou hast pardoned weakned mortified sin go on with thy mercy and being in Christ graciously reconciled unto us give further evidence of thy Fatherly affection by bestowing portions upon us They shall not be cast away upon unthankfull persons we will render the Calves of our lips they shal not be bestowed upon those that need them not or that know where else to provide themselves It is true we have gone to the Assyrian we have taken our horses instead of our prayers and gone about to finde out good we have been so foolish as to think that the Idols which have been beholden to our hands for any shape that is in them could be instead of hands and of God unto us to help us in our need but now we know that men of high degree are but a lie that horses are but a vanity that an Idol is nothing and therefore can give nothing That power belongeth unto thee none else can do it That mercy belongeth unto thee none else will do it therefore since in thee only the fatherlesse find mercy be thou pleased to do us good We will consider the words first absolutely as a single prayer by themselves Secondly relatively in their connexion and with respect to the scope of the place From the former consideration we observe That all the good we have is from God he only must be sought unto for it we have none in our selves I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good Rom. 7.18 we can neither think nor speak nor do it And missing it in our selves it is all in vaine to seek for it in things below our selves They can provide for our back and belly and yet not that neither without God the root out of which the fruits of the earth do grow is above in heaven the Genealogy of Corn and Wine is resolved into God Hose 2.22 But if you go to your Lands or Houses or Teasuries for physick for a sick soul or a guilty conscience they will all return an Ignoramus to that enquiry salvation doth not grow in the furrows of the field neither are there in the earth to be found any Mines or harvests of Grace or Comfort In God alone is the fountain of life he that only is good he only doth good when we have wearied our selvs with having recourse to second causes here at last like the wandering Dove we must arrive for rest Many will say who will shew us any good Do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal. 4.6 From him alone comes every go O gift Iam. 1.17 whether Temporall it is his blessing that maketh the creature able to comfort us The woman touched the hem of Christs garment but the vertue went not out of the garment but out of Christ Luk. 8.44 or whether Spirituall sanctified faculties sanctified habits sanctified motions glorious relations in Predestination Adoption and Christian Liberty excellent gifts heavenly comforts all and onely from him And that without change and alteration he doth not do
in this place under severall considerations for we may consider it I. Ut materiam pacti as the matter of a Covenant or compact which we promise to render unto God in acknowledgment of his great mercy in answering the prayers which we put up unto him for pardon and grace It is observable that most of those Psalmes wherein David imploreth helpe from God are closed with thanksgiving unto him as Psal. 7.17.13 6.56 12 13 57 7 10 c. David thus by an holy craft insinuating into Gods favour and driving a trade between earth heaven receiving and returning importing one commodity transporting another letting God know that his mercies shall not be lost that as he bestows the comforts of them upon him so he would returne the praises of them unto heaven again Those CounCountries that have rich staple commodities to exchange and return unto others have usually th freest and fullest trafick and resort of trade made unto them Now there is no such rich return from earth to heaven as praises This is indeed the onely tribute we can pay unto God to value and to celebrate his goodnesse towards us As in the fluxe and refluxe of the sea the water that in the one comes from the sea unto the shore doth in the other but run back into it self again so praises are as it were the returne of mercies into themselves or into that bosom and fountain of Gods love from whence they flowed And therefore the richer any heart is in praises the more speedy copious are the returnes of mercy unto it God hath so ordered the creatures amongst themselves that there is a kinde of naturall confederacy and mutuall negotiation amongst them each one receiving and returning deriving unto others drawing from others what serves most for the conservation of them all and every thing by various interchanges and vicissitudes flowing backe into the originall from whence it came thereby teaching the souls of men to maintain the like spirituall commerce confederacie with heaven to have all the passages between them and it open and unobstructed that the mercies which they receive from thence may not be kept under and imprisoned in unthankfulnesse but may have a free way in daily praises to return to their fountain again Thus Noah after his deliverance from the flood built an Altar on which to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving that aâ— his family by the Ark was preserved from perishing so the memory of so great a mercy might in like manner by the Altar be preserved too Gen. 8.20 So Abraham after a weary journey being comforted with Gods gracious appearing and manifestation of himself unto him built an Altar and called on the Name of the Lord Gen. 12.7 and after another journey out of Egypt was not forgetfull to returne unto that place againe Gen. 13.4 Gods presence drawing forth his praises as the returne of the Sun in a spring and summer causeth the earth to thrust forth her fruits and flowers that they may as it were meet do homage to the fountain of their beauty If Hezekiah may be delivered from death Isa. 38.20 If David from guilt Psal. 51.14 they promise to sing aloud of so great mercy and to take others into the consort I will teach transgressours thy way and we will sing upon the stringed instruments Guilt stops the mouth and makes it speechlesse Matth. 22.12 that it cannot answer for one of a thousand sins nor acknowledge one of a thousand mercies When Iacob begged Gods blessing on him in his journy he vowed a vow of obedience and thankfulnesse to the Lord seconding Gods promises of mercy with his promises of praise and answering all the parts thereof If God will be with me and keep me I will be his and he shall be mine If he single out me and my seed to set us up as marks for his Angels to descend unto with protection and mercy and will indeed give this Land to us and returne me unto my fathers house then this stone which I have set up for a pillar monument shall be Gods house for me and my seed to praise him in and accordingly we finde he built an Altar there and changed the name of that place calling it the House of God and God the God of Bethel And lastly if God indeed will not leave nor forsake me but will give so rich a land as this unto me I will surely return a homage back and of his own I will give the tenth unto him againe So punctuall is this holy man to restipulate for each distinct promise a distinct praise and to take the quality of his vows from the quality of Gods mercies Gen. 28. v. 20.22 compared with v. 13.15 Gen. 35.6.7.14 15. Lastly Ionah out of the belly of Hell cries unto God and voweth a vow unto him that he would sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving and tell all ages that salvation is of the Lord Ionah 2.9 Thus we may consider praises as the matter of the Churches Covenant II. Ut fructum poenitentiae as a fruit of true repentance and deliverance from sin When sin is taken away when grace is obtained then indeed is a man in a right disposition to give praises unto God When we are brought out of a wildernesse into Canaan Deut 8.10 out of Babylon unto Sion Jer. 30.18.19 then saith the Prophet Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry c. When Israel had passed thorow the red Sea and saw the Egyptians dead on the shore the great type of our deliverance from sin death and Satan then they sing that triumphant Song Moses and the men singing the Song and Miriam and the women answering them and repeating over again the burden of the Song Sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his rider hath he thrown into the Sea Exod. 15.1.20.21 When a poore soule hath been with Ionah in the midst of the seas compassed with the floods closed in with the depths brought downe to the bottom of the mountaines wrapt about head and heart and all over with the weeds and locked up with the bars of sin and death when it hath felt the weight of a guilty conscience and been terrified with the fearful expectation of an approaching curse lying as it were at the pits brinke within the smoak of hell within the smell of that brimstone and scorchings of that unquenchable fire which is kindled for the divel and his angels and is then by a more bottomles unsearchable mercy brought unto dry land snatched as a brand out of the fire translated unto a glorious condition from a Law to a Gospel from a cuâ—se to a Crown from damnation to an inheritance from a slave to a Sonne then then onely never till then is that soul in a fit disposition to sing praises unto God when God hath forgiven all a mans iniquities and
did when he prayeth for pardon unto Israel lest Gods Name should be blasphemed Numb 14.15 16 17. So Ioshua did when Israel turned their backs before their enemies what wilt thou do unto thy great Name Josh. 7.9 So Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple Heare thou in heaven thy dwelling place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all the people 〈◊〉 the earth may know thy Name 1 Kings 8.43 So David in his for Israel and for the performance of Gods promise to the seed of David Do as thou hast said let it even be established that thy Name may bee magnified for ever 1 Chron. 17.23 24. So Asa O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 So Iehosaphat Art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the Heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand tâ—ne c. 2 Chron. 20.6 So Hezekiah when he spread the blasphemies of Sennacherib before the Lord O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thâ—u art the Lord even thou onely Isa. 37.20 So the Church of God in the time of distresse Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name and deliver and purge away our sinnes for thy Names sake wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God Psal. 79.9 10. As every creature of God was made for his glory Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 so every Attribute of God doth work and put forth it selfe for his glory If he shew mercy it is to shew the riches of his glory Rom. 9.23 Eph. 1.11 12. If he execute justice it is to make his power known Rom. 9.17.22 2 Thes. 1.9 When he putteth forth his power and doth terrible things it is to make his Name known Isa. â—4 1 2 3. If he engage his truth and make his promises Yea and Amen it is for his own glory and that his Name may be magnified in doing what he hath said 2 Cor. 1.20 2 Sam. 7.25 26. â—xod 3.14 15. Exod. 12.41 Iosh. 11.45 Whensoever therefore we pray unto God and therein implore his mercy on us his justice on his enemies his truth to be fulfilled his power wisedome or any other Attribute to be manifested towards his people the highest and most prevailing medium we can use is the glory of his own Name Gods ultimate end in working must needs be our strongest argument in praying because therein it appears that we seek his interest in our petitions as well and above our own This serveth first to encourage us unto prayer because God doth not onely hear and answer prayers which is a sufficient motive unto his servants to call upon him O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come Psal. 65.2.66.20.86.5 6 7.102.17 but because he oftentimes exceedeth the modesty the ignorance the fearfulnesse of our Requests by giving unto us more then wee ask When poore men make requests unto us we usually answer them as the Eccho doth the voyce the answer cuts off halfe the petition The Hypocrite in the Apostle Iam. 2.15 16. when he saw a brother or sister naked or destitute of daily food would bid him be warmed or filled but in the mean time give him nothing that was needfull and so did rather mock then answer their requests We shall seldom finde amongst men Iaels cuâ—tesie Iudg. 5.25 giving milk to those that ask water except it be as hers was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munus cum hamo an entangling benefit the better to introduce a mischief there are not many Naamans among us that when you beg of them one Talent will force you to take two 2 Kings 5.23 But Gods answer to our prayers is like a multiplying glasse which renders the request much greater in the answer then it was in the prayer As when we cast a stone into the water though 〈◊〉 be but little in it selfe yet the circles which come from it spread wider and wider till it fill the whole pond so our petitions though very weak as they come from us and craving but some one or other good thing yet finding way to the fountain of life and unsearchable treasure of mercy which is in Christ are usually answered with many and more spreading benefits The Trumpet exceedingly strengâ—hneth the voyce which passeth through it it goes in at a narrow passage and the voyce is but a silent breath as it comes from the mouth but it goes out wider with a doubled and multiplyed vigour So our prayers usually go up narrow to God but they come down with enlarged answers from him againe As the root is but of one colour when the flower which groweth out of it is beautified with variety Now this should be a great encouragement unto us to call upon God with sincerity of heart because he multiplyeth to pardon because we know not the numbers of his salvation Psal. 71.15 we cannot count the summe of his thoughts towards us Psal. 139.17 18. If there were any man so wealthy that it were all one with him to give pounds or pence and who usually when he were asked silver would give gold every indigent and necessitous person would wait upon this mans mercy Now it is as easie with God to give Talents as farthings as easie to over answer prayers as to answer them at all It is as easie to the Sunne â—o fill a vaste Palace as a little closet with light as easie to the Seâ— to fill a channell as a bucket with water He can satisfie with goodnesse and answer with wonderfull and terrible things Psal. 65.4.5 Oh who would not make requests unto such a God whose usuall answer unto prayer is Be it unto thee as thou wilt Matth. 15.28 Nay who answers us beyond our own wils and thoughts Ephes. 3.20 and measureth forth mercy by the greatnesse of his own grace and not the narrownesse of our desires The shekell belonging to the sanctuary was as many learned men think in weight double to the common shekell which was used in civill matters To note unto us that as God expects from us double the care in things belonging unto him above what wee use in the things of the world so he usually measureth back double unto us againe good measure pressed down shaken together and running over into our bosomes When the man sick of the palsie was carried unto Christ to bee healed Christ did beyond the expectation of those that brought him for he not only cured him of his disease but of his sinne gave him not onely health of body but peace of conscience first Be of good chear thy sinnes be forgiven thee and then Arise take up thy bed and go to thy house Matth. 9.2.6 The Thief on the Crosse besought Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom but Christ