death and the grave and Hell and the Devil in chains after him as conquerors in war were wont to lead their vanquished enemies whom they had taken prisoners in chains of Captivity after them exposing them to the publick scorn of all spectators Thus we are to ascribe the glory of the work of Redemption to Jesus Christ the Son of God and thereby do honour God in our sanctifying of his holy Sabbath Thirdly We likewise glorifie the Holy Ghost when we ascribe to Him the honour of the work of Sanctification Whether we look upon it in that first miraculous effusion of the spirit which our Lord Jesus as the King and Head of his Church did first purchase by the blood of his cross and afterward ascended into heaven and obtained of his Father when he took possession of his Kingdom and lastly did abundantly pour down upon the Apostles and other officers and members of his Evangelical Church in the day of Pentecost Acts 2.1 Which was as it were the Sanctification of the whole Gospel-Church at once in the first-fruits Or whether we understand that work of sanctification which successively is wrought by the Holy Ghost in every individual elect Child of God happily begun in their first conversion and mightily upheld and carried on in the sâ—ul to the dying day This is a glorious work consisting in these two glorious branches of it mortification of corruption which before the Holy Ghost hath done shall end in the total annihilation of the body of sin that blessed priviledge groan'd for so much by the blessed Apostle Rom. 7.24 and the erecting of a beautiful fabrick of grace holiness in the soul which is the very Image of God Heb. 1 3â— an erection of more transcendent wonder and glory than the six days workmanship which the Holy Ghost doth uphold and will perfect unto the day of Christ And this is the great end and design of the Sabbath and of the Ordinances of the Gospel according to the word which the great maker and appointer of Sabbaths speaketh I give them my sabbath to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them Here then is the third branch of our sanctifying the Sabbath namely the ascribing to God the Holy Ghost the glory of the work of sanctification And this is proper work for Christians in the intervals and void spaces between the publick Ordinances to sit down and first seriously and impartially to examine the work of grace in our souls 1. For the truth of it 2. For the growth of it And then if we can give God and our own Consciences some Scriptural account concerning this matter humbly to fall down and to put the Crown of praise upon the head of Free-grace which hath made a difference where it found none And so much for this Text at this time How we may hear the Word with profit Serm. VII Jam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls THese Jews to whom the Apostle writes were guilty of many foul and scandalous sins but their master sin was the love of this world c. 4. ver 4. (a) Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God and from this sin arose many other Evils wherewith they are charged in this Epistle as 1. Their tickling joy in hopes to get gain ch 4.13 (b) Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain 2. Their Hoarding up of riches ch 5.3 (c) Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last daies 3. With-holding the pay of the labouring man chap. 5.4 (d) Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth and the cries of them which have reaped are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath 4. Their fightings and Contentions one with the other yea their killing one the other to get their Estates ch 4.1 2. (e) From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not even from your lusts that war in your members ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have cannot obtain their desiring to have made them kill one the other as Ahab did Naboth 5. Their Admiring the rich and villifying the poor ch 2.3 (f) If there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel and there come in also a poor man in vile rayment And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and lastly to name no more Hence arose their unprofitable hearing of the word ch 1.22 (g) But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves They heard they had the best places at meetings but they were hearers only they did nothing for Riches as Christ tells us Choak the word Luke 8.14 (h) And that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choaked with cares and riches And as they were guilty of these moral vices so erroneous in the Doctrine of faith especially in that main Article of Justification Holding an empty and inefficatious faith sufficient to interest a man in Christ ch 2.14 (i) What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith have not works can faith save him can such a faith save him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can that faith save him can such a faith save him that Faith that saves is alwaies fruitful and that faith which is not fruitful is no true Faith the Apostle doth not deny that we are justified by Faith by Faith only but he denies that faith without works is a true faith it s only an empty and aiery notion and such a faith cannot justifie nor save a man Well then this being the case and condition of the people it was impossible they should be quiet and patient hearers of the word but must needs fret and fume against it as that which contradicts their Lusts Errors and Delusions The Apostle therefore to take them off from this bitter and untoward spirit in Hearing the word gives them this wholsome counsel and advice from God Wherefore laying apart all filthiness c. All filthiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 'le not restrain it to covetousness nor to scurrilous and reproachful speeches but take it in its utmost Latitude as denoting sin in the General 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies the filth of the flesh 1 Pet. 3.21
may require frequent accesses to the throne of grace in a day But I humbly think at the least once a day which seems to be imported by that passage in our Lord's prayer give us this day our daily bread Since after our Lord's appointment of secret prayer in the text he gives us this prayer as a pattern to his Disciples Qu. 3. When persons are under temptations or disturbance by passions is it expedient then to pray 1 Tim. 2.8 Ans Since we are enjoin'd to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting I judg it not so proper to run immediately to prayer but with some foregoing ejaculations for pardon and strength against such exorbitances and when in some measure cooled and composed then speed to prayer and take heed that the Sun go not down upon your wrath without holy purgation by prayer Eph 4.26 though I must confess a Christian should always endeavour to keep his course and heart in such a frame as not to be unfit for prayer upon small warnings The very consideration of our frequent communion with God should be a great bar to immoderate and exuberant passions Qu. 4. Whether may we pray in secret when others must needs take notice of our retirement Ans I must confess in a strait house and when a person can many times find no seasons but such as will fall under observation I think he ought not to neglect secret duty if his heart be right before God for fear of others notice we must prevent it as much as may be and especially watch our hearts against spiritual pride and God may graciously turn it to a testimony and for example to others Qu. 5. Whether we may be vocal in secret prayer if we can't so well raise or keep up affection or preserve the heart from wandering without it Ans No doubt but yet there must be used a great deal of wise caution about extending the voice De Orat. That of Tertullian counselling persons at prayer ne ipsis quidem manibus sublimius elatis c. Ne vultu quidem in audaciam erecto Sonos etiam vocis subjecios esse oportet aut quantis arteriis opus est si pro sono audiamur c. qui clarius adorant proximis obstrepunt imò prodendo orationes suas quid minùs faciunt quam si in publico orent Advises that both hands and countenance and voice should be ordered with great reverence and humility What arteries need we if we think to be heard for noise and what else do we by discovering our prayers than if we pray'd in publick yet surely if we can obtain some very private place or when others are from home and the extension of the voice be found to some persons by long experience to be of use such may lawfully improve it to their private benefit Q. 6. How to keep the heart from wandring thoughts in prayer Ans Although it be exceeding difficult to attain so excellent a frame yet by frequent reflecting upon and remembring the eye of God in secret by endeavouring to fix the heart with all possible watchfulness upon the main scope of prayer in hand by being very sensible of our wants and indigencies by not studying of impertinent length but rather being more frequent and short considering God is in heaven and we upon earth and by exercise of holy communion as we may through the implored assistance of the spirit attain some sweetness and freedom Eccl. 5.22 so likewise some more fixedness of spirit in our addresses before the Lord. Qu. 7. What if present answers seem not to correspond to our Petitions Ans We must not conclude it by and by to be a token of displeasure and say with Job Job 10.2 shew me wherefore thou contendest with me but acknowledg the soveraignty of divine wisdom and love in things that seem contrary to us in petitions for temporal mercies and submit to the counsel of Elihu 33.13 since he giveth no account of any of his matters neither can we find out the unsearchable methods of his holy ways to any perfection 11.7 There be other cases and scruples that might be treated of as about prescript words in secret prayers to which I need say but little since such as are truly converted (d) Gal. 4 6. Rom. 8.26 Zech. 1◠10 Acts 9.11 have the promise of the spirit of God to assist and enable them and they need not drink of another's bucket that have the fountain nor use stilts and crutches that have spiritual strength neither are words and phrases but faith and holy groans the nerves of prayer Yet for some help to young beginners doubtless it 's of use to observe the style of the spirit as well as the heavenly matter of several prayers in the holy Scriptures Psal 23.6 139.17.18 Neither need I to press frequency to a holy heart that is saln in love with spiritual communion for he delights to be continually with him the thoughts of God are so precious to him his soul is even sick of affection and prayes to be stayed with more of the flagous and comforted with the apples in greater abundance Cant. 2.5 To some though I fear how few how far it is lawful and expedient to withdraw for the necessity of the frail body in this vale of tears It may be replyed (g) Jam. 5.11 Hos 6.6 that the Lord is very pitiful and gracious to our frailties that he had rather have mercy than sacrifice in some cases Though I doubt these Phaenixes are but rare that are in danger of expiring in prayer as martyrs of divine love as Gerson expresses Gers T. 2. kk 5. Having now finisht with what brevity I could the foregoing queries I should treat about short sudden occasional prayers commonly call'd ejaculations but indeed that requires a set and just discourse yet because of a promise above recited I shall give a few tasts of it and then conclude with some application Ejaculatory Prayer Is a sudden short breathing of the soul towards Heaven upon instant and surprizing emergencies In holy persons it 's quick and lively rising from a vehement ardour of spirit swifter than the flight of eagles and keeps pace with a flash of lightning It flies upon the wings of a holy thought into the third Heavens in the twinkling of an eye and fetches auxiliary forces in times of straits There are many presidents recorded in sacred page upon great and notable occasions with strange success When good magistrates are busie in the work of reformation Neh. 13.14.22 let them imitate Nehemiah when redressing the profanation of the Sabbath Remember me O my God concerning this c. When Generals and Captains go forth to war Josh 1.17 observe Israel's apprecation to God rather than acclamations to men The Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses In time of battels or pursuit of the enemy valiant Joshuah darts up
repent of their sins and accept of God's Son to come into and to keep in God's vvays vvhen they see vvhither those vvays have brought them There they vvill meet vvith all the Holy Martyrs so famous in their generations for their courage and constancy vvith all the Holy Prophets and Apostles the Pen-men of the Scriptures so famous in their time for the large and plentiful effusion of the Spirit of God upon them vvith all the good Kings and Princes and all the righteous persons vvhatever that have lived in all ages and generations of all kinreds Nations and Languages they shall then be gathered all into one body under Christ their head and joyn together in blessing and praising and singing Hallelujah's unto the Lord for ever 2. In Heaven pardoned persons will have the company of all the glorious Angels here the Angels guard them and are ministring Spirits unto them Heb. 1.14 Hereafter they will be their companions and there will be mutual and most sweet converse between them Some delight in the company of Nobles and the great ones which belong to the Courts of great Princes they shall have the company and conversation of the glorious Angels who are the Nobles of Heaven and Courtiers of the King of Kings How the Angels and Saints will converse together and communicate their minds one to another is too high for us to conceive and too difficult for us to determine but surely the converse will be very sweet and full of love and delight 3. In Heaven pardoned persons will have the company and fellowship of the glorious Spirit the Holy Ghost here they have his presence and powerful operations they feel now especially at some times his sweet breathings and powerful operations which do wonderfully enlighten them greatly quicken and inflame their hearts with divine love yea and fill their hearts with spiritual and heavenly joy But in Heaven they shall have a fuller sweeter more powerful and constant presence of the glorious Spirit they shall there be filled with the Holy Ghost as full as they can hold yea beyond their present capacity they shall be under the sweet breathings of the Spirit whereby the flame of divine love will be kept alive in them perpetually in the greatest height and heat of it and this shall abide to Eternity 4. In Heaven pardoned persons shall have the company of the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory Here they have heard of him there they shall see him here they see him with the eye of Faith there they shall see him eye to eye and face to face Austin did wish to have seen three things above all other things that were to be seen in the World Rome in its Glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the flesh The righteous in Heaven will see that which is far beyond Austin's wish they will see Zion in its Glory Paul in his Glory and Christ in his Glory They will see Zion in its glory which will far exceed Rome in its greatest splendour when it was most illustrious for wealth and riches through the spoyls of so many conquered Kingdoms which were brought into it when it was most illustrious for stately houses and sumptuous buildings for wise and learned Men famous and valiant Captains and Souldiers The new Jerusalem Mount Zion which is above will out-shine Rome in glory more than the Sun doth out-shine the smallest Star in Heaven or the faint light of a Candle here upon earth They shall see Paul in his glory they shall hear him praising God with triumphant acclamations of joy which will be far more than to hear him preach in a state of weakness and infirmity but chiefly they shall see Christ in his glory the sight of Christ in his humiliation was nothing in comparison of a sight of him in his state of exaltation They shall see him then as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Behold now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Christ was never seen on earth as he is his glory was shadowed his Divinity was vailed and his humanity was most evident to the view which had its infirmities but hereafter his humanity will appear to be lifted up into such glory as doth exceed all created glory of Men or Angels and his Divinity will be most illustrious to the view of the Saints at the sight of which they will be astonished with admiration and love and O how will they gaze and wonder at his marvellous beauty and shining excellency when they see him come down from Heaven attended by all the holy Angels and when they shall not only see him but meet with him be owned and welcomed by him and be taken to live with him 1 Thes 4.16 17. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It was a great priviledg which the Apostles had to live with Christ when he was humbled and vilified here on earth what a priviledg then will it be which all the righteous shall have to live with Christ when he is glorified in Heaven and that not for a few years but for ever What a happiness will it be to see the glory which Christ had with the Father before the World was and not only to see it but to share in it 5. In Heaven pardoned persons shall have the company of the Father they have his gracious presence here on earth they shall have his glorious presence in Heaven there they shall have the immediate Beatifical vision of him and the full most blessed fruition of him The sight of God's back-parts the glimpses and glances of his eye at a distance the mediate enjoyment of him in and by Ordinances doth sometimes even transport them and strangely fill them with wonder and delight but O what Soul-ravishing admirations what transports and extasies of joy will they have when in Heaven they shall behold God's face be alwayes under the beams of the light of his countenance and have continual close intimate full enjoyment of him fellowship and communion with him and this to abide for ever and ever In Heaven they shall dwell with God and God will dwell with them Rev. 21.3 I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God This this will be happiness indeed to have God himself to dwell with them and manifest himself not only in his grace but in his glory unto them therefore it followeth v. 4. And
it known than pleaseth Holy Church i. e. no more than is for the interest of the Pope's pride and the Priest's panches Knowledg hath already done them no small mischief and how can that choose but be too much light which endangers the ruin of the kingdom of darkness thus those Scribes or Jewish Lawyers Luk. 11.52 Took away the key of knowledg they entred not in themselves into the Kingdom of Heaven and them that were entring they hindered and 1 Thes 2.16 The Jews forbad the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved And how great a sin is it to grudg others the grace of Christ and the Kingdom of God to drive a design for the damnation of Souls It is a wretched thing for Men to build their greatness upon the ruine of others and rather to let thousands of Souls be damned than their stakes should not be saved Doubtless if they considered how little comfort they are like to have in Hell in the society of those they have brought thither they would at least be content to perish alone Vse 2. What a Reproof is here for ignorant Souls They that are ignorant not because they want the means of knowledge but either because they hate it or because they are too busie or too lazy or too proud to learn I would be-speak such but even in their own Language Why should you be wiser than your forefathers and wiser than your teachers They that lived before you or I were born were fond of the truth studied the Scriptures inquired into God's will made his Law their meditation their delight their counsellor So did David Psal 119.24 97. Such a one was Daniel ch 9.2 And such were other Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 12. And such were the Apostles it was their glory to have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 And such were the primitive Christians The Beraeans were commended for searching the Scriptures Act. 17.11 And such the Martyrs They would have made much of any single leaf of the Bible And why then should you be wiser than they Why should you think to be saved without knowledge when they could not Have you found out any newer or nearer or better way to Heaven than they knew of Will God be more favourable to you than to them Will he dispence with your ignorance and would not with theirs And so Why must you needs be wiser than your teachers They are fain to study the Scriptures and labour to know the will of God and spend their time and strength in the search of truth and count it their wisdom so to do both that they may save themselves and them that hear them And what need they go so far about if there were a shorter cut to Heaven What need they seek so much knowledge if less would serve their turn What need they weaken their bodies and wast their Spirits and shorten their days that they may teach you the good knowledge of the Lord and instruct you in the things that concern your peace if you may be saved without knowing them If ignorance were so innocent a thing as many think it Ministers might save their breath and strength for better purposes than the teaching of those that have no need of it Is it not a great shame that there is so much ignorance among those that profess to be enlightned Alas How few be there that can give any tolerable account of the Principles they own How few have any faith but an implicit one any Religion but a Traditional one How many are themselves guilty of what they blame in Papists Papists believe as the Church suppose a Councel or Pope believes and how many Protestants believe as their Parents or as their Ministers believe And so their faith stands not in the power of God but the wisdom or gifts or parts or Authority of Man 1 Cor. 2.5 Use 3. For Exhortation Let every one that desires to be saved labour after such knowledge in Spiritual things as is most conducing to so high an end Labour for the knowledge of the best things and for as much of it as you can get Do not be afraid of too much wisdom of being overcharged with Spiritual knowledg There is no danger that this learning should make you mad To enforce force the duty Consider 1. How useful this knowledg is Prov. 15.2 That the Soul be without knowledg is not good Knowledge in the mind is as necessary and useful as eyes in a guide What a Leader is to his followers The mind is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Hierocles or a Driver to a Chariot that the mind is to the Man He had need of eyes that is to be an Inspector or leader of others As the eye is the overseer of the body so the understanding is of the whole and therefore knowledge is as useful in the one as light in the other And as the knowledge of natural things is useful to a Man as a Man so is the knowledge of Spiritual things most useful to him as a Christian and that 1. In the exercise of holiness the guidance of his will and affections and ordering of his actions in relation to his highest end The Will is of it self caeca facultas a blind faculty and the affections are no better The will can command but cannot judge It hath authority over the inferior powers but such as must be regulated by the discretion of the understanding And the affections are as it were the legs of the Soul They can go this way and that way but they must have the eye of the mind to superintend their motion like a blind Man carrying a lame one on his shoulder who lends his own legs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anthel Graec. and borrows the other's eyes So that though the understanding's work be only to discern consider judge yet without its performing that work the will and affections can never rightly do theirs You can never love or hate choose or refuse as you should such objects as are presented to you unless you first pass a right judgment upon those objects and the understanding determine of their being good or evil And the understanding cannot judge aright if it be not informed aright It cannot lead you if it be not it self enlightned You can never love God supremely if your understandings do not judge him to be supremely lovely If ever you would duly prosecute your true interest you must be first acquainted with it and have it rightly stated If you would do your duty you must first know it You must of necessity either neglect or mis-perform it if you know not the rule of your doing it Where holiness is your work knowledge must be your director And the more knowledge you have the more fit you will be for the practice of holiness The clearer your light and the better your eyes the more circumspectly you will walk The more you see the nature the beauty the
Word Read with a solemn composed spirit Seriousness is the Christian's ballast which keeps him from being overturn'd with vanity Labour to remember what you read Satan would (y) Mat. 13.4 steal the Word out Direct 7 of our mind not that he intends to make use of it himself but lest we should make use of it The memory should be like the Chest in the Ark where the Law was put Psalm 119.52 I have remembred thy judgments of old (z) Memoria est intui scriba Hierom writes of that Religious Lady Paula she had got most of the Scriptures by heart we are bid to have the word dwell in us (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hâ—ud memorià excidat Col. 3.16 The Word is a Jewel adorns the hidden man and shall we not remember it Can a Maid forget her Ornaments Jer. 2.32 such as have a disease they call Lienteria the Meat comes up as fast as they eat it and stays not in the Stomack are not nourished by it If the Word stays not in the memory it cannot profit some can better remember a piece of News than a line of Scripture their memories are like those ponds where the Frogs live but the Fish dye Meditate upon what you read Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy Precepts Direct 8 The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost word to Meditate signifies to be intense in the mind in Meditation there must be a fixing of the thoughts upon the object Luke 2.19 The Virgin Mary pondered those things c. Meditation is the Concoction of Scripture Reading brings a Truth into our head Meditation brings it into our heart Reading and Meditation must like Castor and Pollux appear together Meditation without reading is erroneous reading without Meditation is barren the Bee sucks the flower then works it in the Hive and so turns it to Hony by Reading we suck the flower of the Word by Meditation we work it in the Hive of our mind and so it turns to profit Meditation is the bellows of the affections Psal 39.3 While I was musing the fire burned The Reason we come away so cold from Reading the Word is because we do not warm our selves at the fire of Meditation Come to the reading of Scripture with humble hearts acknowledge how Direct 9 unworthy you are that God should reveal himself in his Word to you God's secrets are with the humble Pride is an Enemy to profiting It is observed the ground on which the Peacock sits is barren that heart where Pride sits is barren an arrogant Person disdains the Counsels of the Word and hates the reproofs is he like to profit Jam. 4.6 God giveth grace to the humble The eminentest Saints have been but of low stature in their own eyes like the Sun in the Zenith they shewed least when they were at the highest David had more understanding then all bis Teachers Psal 119.99 but how humble was he Psal 22.6 I am a worm and no (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazianz man David in the Arabick Tongue signifies a worm Give Credence to the Word written believe it to be of God see Direct 10 the Name of God in every line The Romans that they might gain Credit to their Laws reported that they were inspired by the Gods at Rome Believe the Scripture to be Coelo missa divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Divine inspiration Who but God could reveal the great Doctrines of the Trinity the Hypostatical Union the Resurrection Whence should the Scripture come if not from God 1. Sinners could not be the Authors of Scripture would they indite such holy lines or inveigh so fiercely against those sins which they love 2. Saints could not be the Authors of Scripture how could it stand with their Sanctity to counterfeit God's Name and put Thus saith the Lord to a Book of their own devising 3. Angels could not be the Authors of Scripture What Angel in Heaven durst personate God and say I am the Lord Believe the Pedigree of Scripture to be Sacred and to come from the (d) Jam. 1.17 father of lights The Scriptures Antiquity speaks its Divinity No humane Histories extant reach further than Noah's Flood but the Scripture writes of things (e) Id verum quod primum Tertul. before time Besides the Majesty Profundity Purity Harmony of Scripture show it could be breathed from none but God himself Add to this the (f) Cum animum tangit est sicut fulmen Luth. Efficacy the Word written hath had upon mens Consciences by reading Scripture they have been turned into other men as might be instanced in St. Austin Junius and others If you should set a Seal upon a piece of Marble and it should leave a Print behind you would say there were a strange vertue in that Seal so that the Word written should leave a Heavenly Print of Grace upon the heart it argues it to be of Direct 11 Divine Authority If you would profit by the Word believe it to be of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some Scepticks question the Verity of Scripture though they have the Articles of Religion in their Creed yet not in their belief Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our Report Unbelief enervates the Vertue of the Word and makes it abortive who will (g) Vbi male creditur ibi nec bene vivitur Hierom. obey those truths he doth not believe Heb. 4.1 The Word did not profit them not being mixed with Faith 11. Highly prize the Scriptures Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of Gold and Silver Can he make a proficiency in any Art who doth slight and depreciate it Prize this Book of God above all other Books Saint Gregory calls the Bible the Heart and Soul of God The Rabbins say that there is a Mountain of sense hangs upon every Apex and tittle of Scripture Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect (h) In illa continentur omnia quae ad perfectam pietatem pertinent Musculus Camero The Scripture is the Library of the Holy Ghost it is a Pandect of Divine knowledge an exact model and Plat-form of Religion (i) Adoro plenitudinem Scripturae Tertul. The Scripture contains in it the Credenda the things which we are to believe and the Agenda the things which we are to practice it is able to make us wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 The Scripture is the (k) Regula mensura veritatis Rivet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenaeus Isa 8.20 Standard of Truth the Judge of Controversies it is the (l) Animarum Cynosura Quistorp Pole-star to direct us to Heaven Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Lamp The Scripture is the Compass by which the Rudder of our Will is to be steered it is the Field in which Christ the
with most Spiritual profit I shall conclude all with two Corollaries 1. Content not your selves with the bare reading of Scripture but labour to find some spiritual increment and profit Get the Word transcribed into your hearts Psal 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart Never leave till you are assimilated into the Word Such as profit by reading of the Book of God are the best Christians alive they answer God's cost they credit Religion they save their Souls 2. You who have profited by reading the Holy Scriptures adore God's distinguishing grace Bless God that he hath not only brought the light to you but opened your eyes to see it that he hath unlocked his hid Treasure and enriched you with saving knowledge Some perish by not having Scripture and others by not improving it That God should pass by Millions in the World and the Lot of his Electing Love should fall upon you that the Scripture like the pillar of Cloud should have a dark-side to others but a light-side to you that to others it should be a dead letter but to you the Savour of Life that Christ should not only be revealed to you but in you Gal. 1.16 How should you be in an holy extasie of wonder and wish that you had hearts of Seraphims burning in love to God and the voices of Angels to make Heaven ring with God's Praises Object But some of the Godly may say they fear they do not profit by the Word they read Resp As in the body when there is a Lipothymy or Fainting of the vital Spirits Cordials are applied so let me apply a few Divine cordials to such as are ready to faint under the fear of non-proficiency 1. You may profit by reading the Word though you come short of others The ground which brought forth but thirty fold was good Ground Mat. 13.8 Say not you are Non-proficients because you do not go in Equipage with other eminent Saints those were counted strong men among David's Worthies though they did not attain to the honour of the first three 2 Sam. 23.19 2. You may profit by reading the Word though you are not of so quick apprehension Some impeach themselves of Non-proficiency because they are but slow of understanding When our blessed Saviour foretold his sufferings the Apostles themselves understood not and it was Hid from them Luke 9.45 The Author to the Hebrews speaks of some who were Segnes auribus dull of hearing Heb. 5.11 Yet they belonged to the Election Such as have weaker judgments may have stronger affections Leah was tender-eyed yet fruitful A Christian's intellectuals may be less quick and penetrating yet that little knowledg he hath of Scripture keeps him from Sin as a man that hath but weak sight yet it keeps him from falling into the water 3. You may profit by reading Scripture though you have not so excellent memories Many complain their memories leak Nec retinent patulae commissa sidelitèr (y) Hâ—â— aures Christian-art thou grieved thou canst remember no more then for thy comfort 1. Thou mayst have a good heart though thou hast not so good a memory 2. Though thou canst not remember all thou readest yet thou remembrest that which is most material and which thou hast most need of At a Feast we do not eat of every dish but we take so much as nourisheth 'T is with a Good Christian's memory as it is with a lamp though the lamp be not full of oyl yet it hath so much oyl as makes the lamp burn though thy memory be not full of Scripture yet thou retainest so much as makes thy love to God burn Then be of good comfort thou dost profit by what thou readest and take notice of that encouraging Scripture John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost he shall bring all things to your remembrance How we may make Melody in our Hearts to God in Singing of Psalms Serm. IX Ephes 5.19 Speaking to our selves in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. IN the former part of this Chapter especially in the fourth Verse we have the Apostle checking carnal Mirth and accounting that a Sin which the Heathen Philosophers especially Aristotle in his Ethicks made a Vertue viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of jesting which they supposed was an ornament to their speech and a specimen of their ingenuity But in this Verse where the Text is we have the Apostle commending spiritual Mirth which he approves as a Duty which the Heathens especially in the primitive times accounted a Crime In the Verse going before the Text we have the Apostle condemning a Vice universally reputed so both by Christians and Heathens viz. Intemperance which doth usually frollick it in putidos sermones into foolish speeches fond gestures E vini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oritur laetitia quaedam sed impura quae tuming stibus tum inputidis sermoniâ—us se prodit Bod. impure Songs wanton Sonnets as Bodius observes But here in the Text the Apostle teacheth us a more refined way of rejoycing viz. To tune the heart in Psalms to raise the heart in Hymns and to vent the heart in spiritual Songs nay to make the heart a Quire where spiritual Musick may be chanted In the Text we have five parts remarkable viz. 1. The Singers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians especially those who dwelt in the City of Ephesus Christians understand how to rejoyce in God their hearts can so set the Tune that God shall hear the Musick Zanchy well observes that the Apostle doth here make the Comparison between the Mirth which is made ex ubertate Vini from abundance of Wine and that which is made ex ubertate Spiritus from abundance of the Spirit The Drunkard's Song how toyish but the Saint's singing how triumphal how confused the one how sweet the other how empty the one even to the very Companions of their Cups and Mirth but how melodious the other even to the Lord himself And he gravely takes notice that gaudent pii sed garriunt ebrii Saints rejoyce but Intemperate persons drivel in their chat 2. The Song it self and here the Apostle runs division Cantio sacra est vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bod. Psalmi propriè ad locum Ethicum pertinent In Hymnis Dei beneficia facta miramur Qui vero concordiam consensum mundi contemplatur ille spirituali â—anticum canit Hier. diversifying Songs into three species which according to the descants of Learned men may be thus understoood And here Hierom gives us a dextrous Interpretation 1. Psalms saith he may belong to moral things what we ought to put in use and practise 2. Hymns may belong to sacred things what we ought to meditate on and to contemplate as the Power Wisdom Goodness and Majesty of
depths of heaven We read not a word that Moses spake but God was moved by his cry I mean not an obstreperous noise but melting moans of heart Yet sometimes the sore and pinching necessities and distresses of spirit extort even vocal cries not displeasant to the inclined ears of God I cried to the Lord with my voice says David Psal 3.4 Psal 5.2 Psal 39.12 Psal 142.1.5 6 7. and he heard me out of his holy hill and this encourages to a fresh onset hearken to the voice of my cry my King and my God Give ear to my cry hold not thy peace at my tears another time he makes the Cave Eccho with his cries I cried I cried attend to my cry for I am brought very low and what 's the issue Fath gets courage by crying his tears watered his faith that it grew into confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coronabunt and so concludes thou shalt deal bountifully with me and the righteous shall crown me for conquerour Plentiful tears bring bountiful mercies and a crying suitor proves a triumphant praiser Holy Jacob was just such another at the fords of Jabbok he prevailed with the Angel for he wept Hos 12.4 1 Kings 20.5 Jer. 31.18 and made supplications to him Hezekiah may bring up the rear for the Lord told him he had heard his prayer for he had seen his tears Such presidents may well encourage backsliding Ephraim to return and bemoan himself and then the bowels of God are troubled for him Nay we have a holy woman likewise weeping sore before the Lord in Shiloh 1 Sam. 1.10 2.1 and then rejoicing in his salvation The cries of Saints are like vocal musick joined with the instrumental of prayer they make heavenly melody in the ears of God The bridegroom calls to his mourning dove let me hear thy voice for that 's pleasant Cant. 2.14 Gers Tom. 2. Fol. 77. â— What Gerson says of the sores of Lazarus Quot vulnera tot linguas habuit as many wounds so many tongues we may say of sighs cries and groans in prayer so many eloquent orators at the throne of God 5. Importunity and assiduity in prayer is highly prevalent Ambrose de Cain Abel l. 1. c. 9. Mat. 5.7 Epiphan haeres 30. Luke 18.1 1 Thess 5.17 Num. 28.4 6. 2 Sam 9.7 Non ut fastidiosa continuetur oratio sed ut assidua frequenter effundatur not that we should lengthen out prayer with tedious and vain repetitions as the Heathen did of old or as the Euchitae in Constantius his time that did little else but pray but that we should be frequent and continue instant in prayer Whereas our Lord bids us to pray always and the Apostle Paul to pray without ceasing we are to understand it of Constancy at times every day As the morning and evening Sacrifice at the Temple is call'd the Continual burnt-offering As Mephibosheth is said to eat bread Continually at David's table and Solomon's Servants to stand Continually before him i. e. at the set and appointed times So 't is required of us to be constant and assiduous at prayer and to follow our lawful requests with perseverance Thus Hannah is said to multiply prayer 1 Sam. 1.12 and received multiplied answers expresly indeed she prayed but for one Son but she had six children returned in upon prayer When the soul perseveres in prayer 't is a sign of a persevering faith and such may have (b) John 16.23 1 Kings 18.43 what they will at the hand of God when praying according to prescript Nay urgent prayer is the token of a mercy at hand When Elijah prayed seven times one after another for rain Isa 45.11 the clouds presently march up out of the sea at the command of prayer Ask of me things to come saith the Lord and concerning the works of my hands command ye me When we put forth our utmost strength in prayer and will as it were receive no nay from heaven our prayers must be like the Continual blowing of the silver Trumpets over the sacrifices for a memorial before the Lord Num 10.10 Like the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem which never hold their peace day nor night Isaiah 62.6 7 64 7 are commanded not to keep silence nor to give him rest Nay God seems offended at another time that they did not lay hands upon him that they might not be consumed in their iniquities Such prayers are as it were a holy molestation to the throne of grace It 's said of the man that rose at midnight to give out three loaves to his friend he did it not for friendships sake but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 11.8 because he was impudent so importunately to trouble him at such a season as 12 a clock at night Our Lord applies the parable to instant prayers The like we find of the success of the widow with the unjust judg because she did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18 5 vex and molest him with her sollicitations But of all the pattern of the woman of Canaan is most admirable Mat. 15 23 when the Disciples desired her to be dismist because she troubled them by crying after them and yet she persists May I say it reverently Christ delights in such a troublesom person Though as an Ancient observes by comparing both Evangelists that first (a) Mat. 15.22 she cried after Christ in the streets but our Lord taking (b) Mark 7.23 house she follows him thither and falls down at his feet but as yet (c) Mat. 15.23 Augustin de consensu Evangelist l. 2. p 447. Tom. 4 edit Bâ—â— 1569. Jam. 5. Rhet. Divin p. 353. he answered her not a word In eo silentio egressum fuisse Jesum de domo illa then our Lord going out of the house again she follows vvith stronger importunity and argues the mercy into her bosom and Christ ascribes it to the greatness of her faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as another terms it a laudable and praise-worthy immodesty as in the former case to knock so rudely at midnight is deemed no incivility at the gate of heaven This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Parisiensis reads it deprecatio justi assidua An assiduous prayer is the vvay to become an efficacious prayer It 's ill taken if not importunate Cold petitioners must have cool answers If the matter of prayer be right and the promise of God fervently urged thou art like to prevail like princely Israel that held the Angel by the Collar to speak with reverence and vvould not let him go untill he had blest him Gen. 32.26 v. 24. But 't was hot work most of the night even to break of day to shew that in some cases of extremity vve must hold out in prayers For our Lord in the next verse to the Text does not forbid the length of prayer for he himself upon occasion continues a vvhole night in prayer
bring us into his prâ—sâ— Tâ—ke heed then of quenching the Spirit of God He that is 〈…〉 knows the sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3.8 the voice of the spirit When th◠〈…〉 word or softned by afflictions or feels some holy groans and sighs excited by the spirit that 's a warm time for prayer Rom. 8.27 then we enjoy the sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the intimations of the spirit of God or when prophesies are nigh to expire then there are great workings and searchings of heart in Daniel Zechary Simeon and Anna or when some promise comes with applying power Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee 2 Sam. 7.27 28. Cant. 7.9 for thou hast promised this goodness unto thy Servant When we find promises dropt into the soul like wine it causes the lips of them that were asleep to speak 3. Keep Conscience tender of and clean from secret sins With what face can we go to a friend to whom we have given any secret affronts and will ye be so bold as to come before the God of heaven when he knows ye maintain some secret lust in your heart De Orat. p. 213. Prov. 28.9 Darest thou to bring a Dalilah with thee into this sacred closet True is that of Tertullian Quantum à praeceptis tantum ab auribus Dei longè sumus He that turns his ear from God's precepts must stop his mouth in the dust if God turn his holy ears from his cries When our secret sins are in the light of his countenance we may rather expect to be consumed by his anger and troubled by his wrath Psal 90.7 8. Object But then who may presume and venture into Secret Communion Ans True if God should strictly mark what we do amiss who can stand David was sensible of this objection Psal 130.3 4. but he answers it humbly There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If we come with holy purposes to leave all sin he hath promised to pardon abundantly His thoughts and waies are not as ours Isa 55.7 guilt makes us fly his presence but proclamation of pardoning grace to a wounded soul that comes for strength from heaven to subdue its iniquities Mic. 7.19 sweetly draws the soul to lye at his foot for mercy Though we cannot as yet be so free as formerly while under the wounding sense of guilt Psal 51.12 Psal 69.5 yet when he restores to us the joy of his salvation he will again uphold us with his free spirit Yet take heed of Scars upon the soul God knows our foolishness and our guiltinesses are not hid from him yet we come for purging and cleansing mercy A godly man may be under the sense of divine displeasure for some iniquity that himself knoweth as the Lord spake of Eli yet the way to be cured 1 Sam. 3.13 Mark 5.23 is not to run from God but like the distressed woman come fearing and trembling and fall at his feet and tell him all the truth But if prayer have cured thee sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee For if we regard iniquity in our heart Psal 66.18 the Lord will not hear us but the guilt may stare conscience in the face with great amazement As 't is storied of one that secretly had stoln a sheep it ran before his eyes in prayer that he could have no rest How strangely will memory ring the bell in the ears of conscience If we have any secret sin in deliciis if we look but a squint with desires and secret thoughts after our peace-offerings to meet our beloved lusts again this is dangerous Prov. 7.14 God may justly give up such to cast off that which is good to cleave to their Idols and let them alone Hos 4 17. 6.3 Gerson T. 2. p. 76.6 But if the face of the heart be not knowingly and willingly spotted with any sin or lust bating infirmities which he mourns under then thy countenance through Christ will be comely in the eye of God and thy voice sweet in his ears and as he said Qui benè vivit semper orat a holy life vvill be a vvalking continual prayer his very life is a constant petition before God 4. Own thy personal interest with God and plead it humbly Consider whom thou goest to in secret pray to thy father who seeth in secret Canst thou prove thy self to be in Covenant vvhat thou canst prove thou mayest plead Psal 50.15 16. and have it successfully issued In prayer vve take God's Covenant into our mouths but without a real interest the Lord expostulates with such what have they to do with it God never graciously hears but 't is upon interest This argument Solomon presses in prayer for they be thy people and thine inheritance 1 Kings 8 51. Thus David pleads (a) Ps 140.6 Thou art my God hear the voice of my supplication (b) 119 94. I am thine Lord save me (c) 116.16 Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Arias turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by obsecro quaeso I beseech thee O Lord I am thy servant God will avenge his elect when they cry unto him I was cast upon thee from the womb Luke 18.7 Psal 22.10 thou art my God from my mothers belly Therefore Asa turns the contest heavenward O Lord thou art our God let not mortal man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 Psal 119.176 Thou takest me for the sheep of thy fold and the servant of thy houshold therefore seek me When Israel shall be refined as silver and tried as gold they shall call on his name and he will hear them I will say it is my people my tried refined golden people and they shall say the Lord is my God Zech. 13.9 When thou canst discern the print of the broad seal of the Covenant upon thy heart and the privy seal of the spirit upon thy prayers and canst look upon the Son of God in a sacerdotal relation to thee thou may'st (a) Heb 5.16 come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need 5. Be very particular in secret prayer both as to sins wants and mercies (b) Psal 32.5.51.9 Hide none of thy transgressions if thou expect a pardon Be not ashamed to open all thy necessities David argues (c) Psal 40.17 70.5.86.1.109.22 because he is poor and needy four several times he presses his wants and exigences before God like an earnest but holy beggar and (d) Psal 142.2 Job 23.4 shewed before him his trouble from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram presents before him his ragged condition and spreads open his secret wounds as Job said he would order his cause before him from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disponerem instruerem marshal every case as a battel in rank and file There we may speak out our minds fully and name the persons that
medicinable Let the thoughts of old sins stir up a commotion of anger and hatred We feel shiverings in our spirits and a motion in our blood at the very thought of a bitter Potion we have formerly taken why may we not do that spiritually which the very frame and constitution of our bodies doth naturally upon the calling a lothsom thing to mind The Romans sins were transient but the shame was renewed every time they reflected on them †Rom. 6.21 Whereof you are now ashamed they reacted a detestation instead of the pleasure so should the revivings of old sins in our memories be entertain'd with our sighs rather than our joy We should also manage the opportunity so as to promote some further degrees of our conversion * Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is not the most hellish motion but we may strike some sparks from it to kindle our love to God renew our repentance raise our thankfulness or quicken our obedience Is it a blasphemous motion against God It gives you a just occasion thence to awe your heart into a deeper reverence of His Majesty Is it a lustful thought Open the floud-gates of your godly sorrow and groan for your original sin Is it a remembrance of your former sin Let it wind up your heart in the praises of him who delivered you from it Is it to tempt you from duty Endeavour to be more zealous in the performance of it Is it to set you at a distance from God Resolve to be a light shining the clearer in that darkness and let it excite you to a closer adherence to him Are they envious thoughts which steal upon you Let thankfulness be the product that you enjoy so much as you do and more than you deserve Let Satan's fiery darts enflame your love rather than your Lust and like a skilful Pilot make use of the violence of the winds and raging of the Sea to further you in your spiritual voyage This is to beat the Devil and our own hearts with their own weapons who will have little stomach to fight with those arms wherewith they see themselves wounded There is not a remembrance of the worst objects but may be improved to humility and thankfulness as St. Paul never thought of his old persecuting but he sank down in humiliation and mounted up in admirations of the riches of grace 4. Continue your resistance if they still importune thee and lay not down thy weapons till they wholly shrink from thee As the wise man speaks of a fool's words so I may not only of our blacker Eccl. 10.13 but our more acrial phancies The beginning of them is foolishness but if suffered to gather strength they may end in mischievous madness therefore if they do continue or reassume their arms we must continue and reassume our shield * Eph 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking up again Resistance makes the Devil and his imps fly but forbearance makes them impudent In a battel when one party faints and retreats it adds new spirits to the enemy that was almost broken before so will these motions be the more vigorous if they perceive we begin to flag That encouraging command Resist the Devil and he will flye from you †Jam 4.7 implies not only the beginning a fight but continuance in it till he doth fly We must not leave the field till they cease their importunity nor encrease their courage by our own cowardise 5. Joyn Supplication with your opposition Watch and pray are sometimes linkt together * Mat. 26 41. The diligence and multitude of our enemies should urge us to watch that we be not surpriz'd and our own weakness and proneness to presumption should make us pray that we may be powerfully assisted Be as frequent in solliciting God as they are in solliciting you as they knock at your heart for entrance so do you knock at heaven for assistance And take this for your comfort As the Devil takes their parts so Christ will take yours at his Father's Throne he that pray'd that the Devil might not winnow Peter's faith will intercede that your own heart may not winnow yours If the waves come upon you and you are ready to sink cry out with Peter Master I perish and you shall feel his hand raising you and the winds and waves rebuked into obedience by him The very motion of your hearts heaven-ward at such a time is a refusal of the thought that presseth upon you and will be so put upon your account When any of these buzzing flies discompose you or more violent hurricanes shake your minds cry out with David Psal 86.11 12. Vnite my heart to fear thy Name and a powerful word will soon silence these disturbing enemies and settle your souls in a calm and a praising posture 4. A fourth sort of directions is concerning good motions whether they spring naturally from a gracious principle or are peculiarly breath'd in by the spirit There are ordinary bubblings of grace in a renewed mind as there are of sins in an unregenerate heart for grace is as active a principle as any because 't is a participation of the divine nature But there are other thoughts darted in beyond the ordinary strain of thinking which like the beams of the Sun evidence both themselves and their original And as concerning these motions joyn'd together take these Directions in short 1. Welcom and entertain them As 't is our happiness as well as our duty to stifle evil motions so 't is our misery as well as our sin to extinguish heavenly Strange fire should be presently quench'd but that which descends from heaven upon the Altar of a holy soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp Epist ad Phil. terms holy persons must be kept alive by quickning meditation When a holy thought lights suddenly upon you which hath no connexion with any antecedent business in your mind provided it be not unseasonable nor hinder you from any absolutely necessary duty either of religion or your calling receive it as a messenger from heaven and the rather because 't is a stranger You know not but you may entertain an Angel yea something greater than an Angel even the Holy Ghost Open all the powers of your souls like so many Organ-pipes to receive the breath of this Spirit when he blows upon you 'T is a sign of an agreeableness between the heart and heaven when we close with and preserve spiritual motions We need not stand long to examine them they are evident by their holiness sweetness and spirituality We may as easily discern them as we can exotick plants from those that grow naturally in our own soil or as a palate at the first taste can distinguish between a rich and generous wine and a rough water The thoughts instill'd by the Spirit of adoption are not violent tumultuous full
and grant that those things which the craft and subtilty of the Devil or Man worketh against us may be brought to nought and by the providence of his goodness may be dispersed that we his Servants being hindred by no persecution may give thanks to him in his holy Church and serve him in holiness and pureness of life to his Glory through Jesus Christ Vse 3 You may see hence how much those men are mistaken who talk of the Good Works or Lives of Christians as that which must have no honour lest it dishonour God As if all the honour were taken from Christ which is given to Good Works and the Patients health were the dishonour of the Physitian When we are Redeemed and Purified to be zealous of good works and created for them in Christ Jesus as Tit. 2.14 Eph. 2.10 Yea and shall be judged according to our Works This Informeth you that the Good Works or Lives of Christians is a Vse 4 Great means ordained by Christ for the Convincing of Sinners and the Glorifying of God in the World Preaching doth much but it is not appointed to do all The Lives of Preachers must also be a convincing Light And all true Christians Men and Women are called to Preach to the World by their Good Works And a Holy Righteous and Sober Life is the great Ordinance of God appointed for the saving of your selves and others O that the Lord would bring this close to all our hearts Christians if you abhor dumb Teachers because they starve and betray Souls take heed lest you condemn your selves you owe Men the convincing helps of a holy fruitful life as well as the Preacher owes them his Ministry Preach by well-doing shine out in good works or else you are no Lights of Christ but betrayers of Mens souls you rob all about you of a great Ordinance of God a great means appointed by him for mens Salvation The world will judge of the Scriptures by your Lives and of Religion by your Lives and of Christ himself by your Lives If your Lives are such as tend to perswade men that Christians are but like other Men yea that they are but self-conceited Sinners as Carnal Sensual Uncharitable Proud Self-seeking Worldly Envious as others and so that Christianity is but such This is a horrid blaspheming of Christ how highly soever your Tongues may speak of him and how low soever your Knees may bow to him O that you knew how much of God's great Work of Salvation in the world is to be done by Christians Lives Your Lives must teach men to believe that there is a Heaven to be won and a Hell to be escaped Your Lives must help Men to believe that Christ and his Word are true Your Lives must tell Men what Holiness is and convince them of the need of Regeneration and that the Spirit of Sanctification is no fancy but the witness of Jesus Christ in the world Your Lives must tell Men by Repentance and Obedience that sin is the greatest Evil and must shew them the difference between the Righteous and the Wicked Yea the Holiness of God must be Glorified by Your Lives Father Son and Holy Ghost the Scripture the Church and Heaven it self must be known much by our Lives And may not I say then with the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of Persons then ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness when the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us to deny ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. Vse 5 But alas What suitable and plentiful matter doth this offer us for our Humiliation and Lamentation on such a day as this A floud of Tears is not too much to lament the scandals of the Christian world With what wounded Hearts should we think of the State of the Churches in Armenia Syria Egypt Abassia and all the oppressed Greeks and all the poor deceived and oppressed Papists and all the ignorant Carnal Protestants O how unlike are your Lives to your Christian Faith and to the Pattern left them by their Lord Doth a worldly proud and fleshly and contentious Clergy Glorifie God Doth an ignorant Ministry Glorifie him who understand not the Message which they should deliver Will the world turn Christians by seeing Christians seek the blood and ruine of each other And hearing even Preachers Reproach each other Or seeing them silence or persecute each other Or by seeing the People run into many Sects and separate from one another as unworthy of Christian Communion Will Proud Ignorant Censorious Fleshly Worldly Professors of Religion ever draw the World to love Religion Or will peevish self-willed impatient discontented Souls that are still wrangling crying and repining make men believe that their Religion rejoyceth blesseth and satisfieth the Soul and maketh men far happier than all others in the world Alas what wonder that so small a part of the world are Christians and so few converted to the love of Holiness when the Great Means is denied them by you which God hath appointed for their Conversion and the world hath not one Helper for a hundred or thousand that it should have You cry out of those that put out the Church-lights under pretence of snuffing them while your selves are Darkness or as a stinking Snuff O Brethren and Christians all I beseech you let us now and often closely ask our selves What do we more than an Antonine a Seneca or a Cicero or a Socrates did beyond opinions words and formalities What do you which is like to convert the world to convince an Infidel or glorifie God Nay do not some among us think that it is the height or part of their Religion to live so contrary to the world as to be singular from others even in lawful or indifferent things and to do little or nothing which the world thinks well of As if crossing and displeasing men needlesly were their winning conversation O when once we go as far beyond them in love humility meekness patience fruitfulness mortification self-denial and heavenliness as we do in opinions profession and self-esteem then we shall win Souls and glorifie God and he will also glorifie us And here we see the wonderful mercy of God to the World who Vse 6 hath appointed them so much means for their Conviction and Salvation So many Christians as there be in the World so many Practical Preachers and helps to mens Conversion are there appointed by God And let the blame and shame lye on us where it is due and not on God if yet the World remain in darkness It is God's Will that every Christian in the World should be as a Star to shine to sinners in their darkness and O then how gloriously would the World be bespangled and enlightned If you say Why then doth not God make Christians better That is a question which cannot be well answered without a
may be drawn from the certainty of all pardoned persons perseverance in Grace unto the end All such as persevere in Grace unto the end shall certainly obtain Eternal blessedness Mat. 24.15 He that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rom. 2. 6 7. Who will render to every Man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life All pardoned persons shall persevere in Grace unto the end they shall not only persevere through Faith 1 Pet. 1.5 but they shall persevere in it God will fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness in believers and the work of Faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 God will keep them in his hand out of which none is able to pluck them Joh. 10.29 He that hath begun a good work in them will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 God hath promised them to enable them to persevere I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 The Scripture is very full and clear in the Doctrine of the true believer's perseverance and all pardoned persons being believers as I have already shewed all pardoned persons shall persevere to the end and therefore shall certainly attain future Eternal blessedness of Heaven 3. The third particular to be spoken unto is to shew how this future Eternal blessedness of Heaven doth render pardoned persons blessed here upon the Earth this will appear in these following particulars 1. Pardoned persons have a sight of their future blessedness and the excellency of it 1. They have a sight of the Eternal blessedness it self 1 Tim. 1.10 Christ hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Lord hath made a clear Revelation in his Gospel unto them of that Eternal Life and blessedness which he hath laid up in Heaven for them This in former ages and generations was not made known to the Sons of Men as now it is made known unto them by the Spirit of Christ in the Gospel Man by his fall hath lost his eyes and cannot find the way unto Paradise and this is one part of his misery that he doth not know what his chief happiness is nor how it is to be obtained The Heathen Philosophers have had several hundred opinions concerning the chief good and in all mistaken The Heathen Poets had foolish and groundless fancies of the Elisian pleasures and delights which the Souls of the vertuous should enjoy in the other world but they were in the dark as to the true discovery of Heaven The Saints themselves had the future happiness of Heaven discovered in a dark way under Types Figures and Shadows the earthly Canaan Typifying the Heavenly Canaan the Jerusalem below shadowing forth the Jerusalem which is above the Holy of Holies in the Temple made with hands figuring the holy place made without hands eternal in the Heavens But now the darkness is past and the true light shineth the shadows are fled the vail before the Holiest is rent and the cloud in the Temple removed so that now with open face though still in a glass the glory which is above may be seen The Gospel doth reveal what Man 's chiefest happiness is and wherein it doth consist that it doth not consist in earthly riches nor worldly honours nor Epicurean pleasures nor the Stoick's Apathy nor the Platonist's dark contemplation of Idea's nor the Peripatetick's exercise of Moral vertues but that God is the chief good of the Children of men the Gospel reveals God in the face of Jesus Christ and that man's chief happiness doth consist in the Vision and fruition of him begun here and which will be perfected in Glory hereafter the Gospel reveals Heaven to pardoned sinners discovers the Holy of Holies that is above and the way to it as well as the Glories that are in it And pardoned sinners have not only a notional knowledg of the chief happiness hereafter But secondly they have a sight of the excellency thereof which cannot be seen by any carnal Eye and this they have by the Eye of Faith and the light of the Spirit by the Eye of Faith Heaven is realized to them and made evident to their view in its transcendent excellency Faith being the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 But this as the Eye of Faith is enlightned by the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation whereby they perceive the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance Eph. 1.17 18. When the Apostle speaking of those things which God hath prepared for them that love him saith That neither eye hath seen nor ear heard neither have they entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him yet God saith he hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10. This foresight of Heaven and something although comparatively little of the Glory and excellency thereof doth render pardoned persons blessed even in this World 2. That which doth further contribute to the present blessedness of pardoned persons is not only their foresight of future blessedness but also their hopes of it that they shall one day have possession of so great felicity They are blessed now in hopes of what they shall be they carry about with them in their Bosoms the greatest hopes of any in the World and their hopes are such as shall not make them ashamed Rom. 5.5 The hopes of worldlings make them ashamed in that either they fall short of the thing which they hope for God's providence oftentimes bringing upon them unthought of crosses and unexpected disappointments yea that which is quite contrary to their hopes disgrace instead of honour poverty instead of riches trouble instead of peace pain instead of pleasure yea sudden death which cuts off them and their hopes together or if they attain the thing which they hoped for they are ashamed of their hopes in that they are always disappointed of that satisfaction and contentment which they looked for in the thing the waters of the Cistern cannot quench the thirst of man's desire the Creatures cannot give more than they have and they which hope for contentment in any thing beneath the chief good must needs meet with a disappointment riches may fill the House Gold and Silver may fill the baggs but none of these things can fill the heart honour and esteem of men may swell and puff up the mind but the Soul cannot be filled unto satisfaction with Air and Wind sensual delights may cloy the Appetite but the desires of the Soul are too high and capacious for such things to fill up So that worldling's hopes must needs one way
from things below and wedding them to things above and managing all our Duties with all diligence and resolution the very oppositions and difficulties of the way and of our work in this world would make us weary of our entertainment here and full of vehement longings and desires to be gone We should have little heart to wish for long continuance where we can have neither welcom nor satisfaction Our very works and sufferings would abate our love to Life and our incumbrances about many things and from them when they are apprehended as prejudicial to the one thing needful would be rejected by us because distastful to us Direct 4. Keep up your ordinate fear of Death as the Corrective of your inordinate love to Life and see that this be well improved Psal 49.6 14. Why should our hearts be where we must not stay Had Eve but thought more upon Death the forbidden Fruit had never been betwixt her teeth We fancy Immortality in a maze of Vanity and our imagined continuance here inflames our hearts and did we more consider how short a time we have to stay and how much work to do how sure we are to die and why Death came into the world and how suddenly yea and surprizingly the King of Terrors who receives not Bribes may make dispatches of his sharp and hasty Arrows into our sides and hearts the enamouring influences of this mortal Life vvould more effectually be mortified and obstructed Why should I doat on that to day from vvhich I may be gone to morrovv The fear of Death hath its ordained place and use and calls upon us to prepare Job 14.14 He that is sensible of his ovvn vanity here belovv and capable of Immortality above ought to be ready for his change and call If vve be negligent in the Discipline of our Affections vvithin the prospect of our dying day our misery becomes our choice and we betray our souls to startling sorrows and surprizals and give our hearts avvay for trifles in the very face of danger Security makes us prodigals and vvantons and exposes us to the povverful charms of fearful fascinations Extinguished Lamps and empty vessels are only in the hands of slumbring Virgins by vvhom the Midnight-cry is clear forgotten Treasures and Goods laid up for many years and then the heart is gone and sold to empty confidences and vain delights until that Cry Thou Fool this night thy Soul must go correct the Cheat and shame the dreaming vvanton Methinks the avvful thoughts and looks of Death should quench those flames of Love vvhich have no other Fewel but a Vapour or thin exhalation vvhich hath no light and glory but in its ovvn destruction and they should rather make us careful to secure that Treasure in the Heavens vvhich remains to be possess'd vvhen our Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life Our daily instances of Mortality should start such fresh remembrances in us of our ovvn approaching dissolution and that amazing alteration of our comforts and employments which vvill ensue thereon as should irresistibly prevail upon us to guard and fortifie our hearts against the inrodes and invasions of such addresses as the corrupting flatteries and pretences of Life and Comforts here below are apt to make upon our hearts for this inordinacy of love to Life gives Death a fatal sting to strike us with Direct 5. As to the inordinate fear of Death labour to get a perfect understanding of its Grounds and Cure for our mistake herein may make the application of the Medicine both dangerous and successless And therefore let us first enquire into what it is that makes us loath or afraid to die and then what Antidotes are expedient for this Cure of such inordinate Fears and then direct your Application 1. That which makes Death terrible to us is either relating to 1. What we leave behind us as Life Comforts or Advantages here for getting and exercising Grace in order to eternal Glory Or 2. The state we are going to as to which we either 1. Doubt of its existence as to eternal comforts Or 2. Want a Title to them and so fear the loss of them and pains of Hell for ever Or. 3. A value for them Or 3. The passage from one state to another and that either 1. As to its pains or 2. Its conflicts or 3. It s separation of Soul and Body and 4. A remaining in that state of separation of Soul and Body through a defect of Divine Power or Faithfulness to and Mercy for us 2. The proper Antidotes and Expedients for the Cure of these excessive Fears vvhich I shall briefly give you are in these following Propositions Propos 1. There is a state of Life and Immortality designed and prepared for holy persons It is prepared Mat. 25 34. Discovered 2 Tim. 1.10 Purchased by Christ and proposed by God Eph. 1.11.14 Promised Tit. 1.2 And reserved in Heaven for such 1 Pet. 1.4 We have all the imaginable proofs demonstrations of it that things invisible and at a distance from us can be capable of God hath made us capable thereof and hath implanted in us a desire of and longing for it though some through sin have rotted these desires at the roots And further on these desires capacity and inclinations God hath grounded Laws for Moral Government and rules the world by hopes and fear whose vital influences are derived from this future state And further still God hath sent his Son to tell us of these preparations who in the humane nature publish'd such reports which God attested by frequent apparent uncontroulable Miracles and sealed them with his blood and rose again as the first fruits of them that sleep and after taught this Doctrine and went to Heaven to take possession and make necessary preparations for our conduct thither and title and possession there and sent the Spirit down for the repeated Seals and Publication of this Doctrine of a Life to come who did inspire Apostles to write and preach it and urge it upon the Consciences of men and to prepare the heart of man for this Inheritance to urge it as an Argument of weight upon them and start joys and sorrows in them as they carry in relation hereunto And he hath declared that he will judge the world by Christ in order to their legal settlement in this state Prop. 2. Our present state of life and comforts is no way comparable to what is designed hereafter It is a State and City in respect whereof God is not ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11.16 with Luke 20.34.38 Oh what a change of persons shall we meet with there Phil. 3.21 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 15.49 54. Our bodies shall not be what they now are even the wracks and loads and chains of souls What are they now but foul unactive lumps of Clay they are pierced with cold and worn with labours appaled with griefs and dangers and griped with pains and macerated with keen and envious passions and
conformity with the will of God which is the highest liberty where the x 2 Cor. 3.17 spirit of the Lord is there is liberty It is a poor liberty that consists in an indifferency Do not the Saints in heaven love God freely yet they cannot but love him As the only Efficient cause of our loving God is God himself so the only procuring cause of our loving God is Jesus Christ that Son of the Father's love who by his Spirit implants and actuates this grace of love which he hath merited for us Christ hath a Col. 1.20 made peace through the blood of his Cross Christ hath as well merited this grace of love for us as he hath merited the reward of glory for us Plead therefore Dear Christians the merit of Christ for the inflaming your hearts with the love of God that when I shall direct to rules and means how you may come to love God you may as well address your selves to Christ for the grace of love as for the pardon of your want of love hitherto Bespeak Christ in some such but far more pressing language Lord thou hast purchased the grace of love for those that want and crave it my love to God is chill do thou warm it my love is divided Lord do thou unite it I cannot love God as he deserves O that thou would'st help me to love him more than I can desire Lord make me sick of love and then cure me Lord make me in this as comfortable to thy self as 't is possible for an adopted Son to be like the Natural that I may be a Son of God's love both actively and passively and both as near as it is possible infinitely Let 's therefore address our selves to the use of all those means and helps whereby love to God is b Fovetur augetur excitatur exeritur nourished encreased excited and exerted I will begin with removing the impediments we must clear away the rubbish e're we can so much as lay the Foundation Impediment 1. Self-love Impediments of our love to God this the Apostle names as Captain general of the Devil's Army whereby titular Christians manage their enmity against God in the dregs of the last dayes this will make the times dangerous Men shall be lovers of their own c 2 Tim. 3.1 2. selves When men over-esteem themselves their own endowments of either body or mind when they have a secret reserve for self in all they do self-applause or self-profit this is like an errour in the first concoction get your hearts discharg'd of it or you can never be spiritually healthful the best of you are too prone to this I would therefore commend it to you to be jealous of your selves in this particular for as conjugal-jealousie is the bane of conjugal love so self-jealousie will be the bane of self-love Be suspicious of every thing that may steal away or divert your love from God Imped 2. Love of the world this is so great an obstruction that the most loving and best beloved Disciple that Christ had said (d) 1 Joh. 2.15 love not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him and the Apostle James makes use of a Metaphor (e) Jam. 4.4 calling them Adulterers and Adulteresses that keep not their conjugal love to God tight from leaking out toward the world he chargeth them as if they knew nothing in Religion if they knew not this that the friendship with the world is enmity with God and 't is an universal truth without so much as one exception that whosoever will be a friend of the world must needs upon that very account be God's enemy the Apostle Paul adds more weight to those that are e'en press'd to Hell already (f) 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows but thou O man of God flee these things c. when men will be some-body in the world they will have Estates and they will have honours and they will have pleasures what variety of vexatious distractions do unavoidably hinder our love to God when our hearts are hurried with hopes and fears about worldly things and the world hath not wherewithall to satisfie us how doth the heart fret under its disappointments and how can it do otherwise we would have happiness here Sirs I 'le offer you fair name me but one man that ever found a compleat happiness in the world and I dare promise you shall be the second but if you will flatter your self with dreams of impossibilities this your way will be your folly though 't is like your posterity will approve your sayings (g) Psal 49.13 and try experiments while they live as you have done but where 's your love to God all this while 't is excluded by what Law by the Law of Sin and Death by the love of the world and destruction for Christ tells us all that hate him love death (h) Prov. 8.36 Imped 3. Spiritual sloath and carelessness of Spirit when men do not trouble themselves about Religion nor any thing that is serious Love is a busie passion a busie grace love among the passions is like Fire among the Elements Love among the Graces is like the Heart among the Members now that which is most contrary to the nature of love must needs most obstruct the highest actings of it the truth is a careless frame of Spirit is fit for nothing a sluggish lazy slothful careless person never attains to any excellency in any kind what is it you would intrust a lazy person about let me say this and pray think on 't twice e're you censure it once Spiritual sloath doth Christians more mischief than scandalous relapses I grant their grosser falls may be worse as to others the grieving of the Godly and the hardning of the wicked and the Reproach to Religion must needs be so great as may make a gracious heart tremble at the thought of falling but yet as to themselves a sloathful temper is far more prejudicial e. g. those gracious persons that fall into any open sin 't is but once or seldom in their whole life and their repentance is ordinarily as notorious as their sin and they walk more humbly and more watchfully ever after whereas Spiritual sloath runs through the whole course of our life to the marring of every duty to the strengthning of every sin and to the weakning of every grace Sloath I may rather call it unspiritual sloath is a soft moth in our spiritual wardrobe a corroding rust in our spiritual Armory an enfeebling consumption in the very vitals of Religion Sloath and
child loves what the mother longs for the child longs for in the mothers health the child is well the child lives there in a far different manner from how it lives in the world though it can't stir out of its enclosure yet it never cries nor complains of it's Imprisonment So the Soul that entirely loves God hates what God hates and loves what God loves its life is far above the life of others and it desires no greater liberty than to be as it were imprison'd in God to have no will of its own no one motion but what God graciously concurs in yet 't is so far from esteeming this a restraint that it counts it the highest happiness of its imperfect state he feels a sweetness in that beyond what the Heathen that spake it ever thought of in God we live move and have our being 4. The love of God makes us anxiously weary of Life it self in this love there 's one Death and two Resurrections (r) Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ lives and the Soul lives and both by Love I must acknowledge all manner of love is apt to be extravagant and irregular our very love to God is in this blind when it comes to any considerable height 't is apt to overlook not in a way of Neglect but Extasie what is to be done and suffer'd and would fain be at the enjoyment of God in Heaven By the way let not doubting Christians be discourag'd because it is not thus with them Though these Properties be but in the bud they may in time be full blown therefore believe and wait heights of grace are ordinarily as well the work of time as of the Spirit of God Besides you know there 's nothing more common than for Lovers to dissemble their love so here 't is too common for gracious persons rather to bely the Spirit of God than thankfully to own their love to God because they are afraid of being mistaken and they are afraid of boasting of a false Gift and here though Love when 't is perfect it casteth out Fear yet while it is imperfect Fear proveth our Love Thus much of the Positive Properties I 'le be very brief in the transcendent properties of our love to God 1. Love to God is the great General directing Grace containing all other particular Graces in it and most intimately goes through the Acts of all of them (s) Vâ—et ibid. 1 Cor. 13. Love in the Soul is as the Pilot in the Ship who steers the Ship and all its Passengers Love steers the Soul and all its Operations Love is the Needle in the Compass that 's still trembling towards its Divine Loadstone Euseb Nieremb compares other Graces to Bullion uncoyn'd which though it have an intrinsick value yet 't is not that Money that answers all things what shall I say find out a thousand transcendent Metaphors love will answer them all 2. It is in a singular manner infinite Among all the Faculties of the Soul there 's none but the Will that can in any sound sence be said to be infinite all the other Faculties are more bounded than the Will now love is the natural Act of the will and love to God is the supernaturally natural Act of the renewed Will Its desires which is the love of desires are to be united unto God the Fountain of all Blessedness And here those that love God least so it be sincerely their desires are infinite e. g. Desires are the feet of the Soul their love will creep when it cannot goe Desires are the wings of the Soul love will flutter when it cannot fly Desires are the breathings of the Soul love will pant and groan and gasp where it can do no more Again the contentment and satisfaction of the Will which is the love of complacency is infinite in as large a sense as that word can be ascribed to Creatures desires are the motion and exercise of love delight is the quiet and repose of it My beloved to have the heart to delight in God or to ake and tingle with the discourse of the love of God through reflection upon the want of it as unable to stand under his own thoughts this infallibly shews great love and this Soul's satisfaction in God is in some sort infinite Effects of love to God they relate either to God himself or to our selves or they are mutual I 'le speak briefly of each Effects that relate to God Effects of love to God are such as these I do not only say these but these and such as these 1. Hatred of and flight from all that is evil Joseph may be our instance his mistriss would have inveigled him into sin but though (t) Gen. 39.10 she spake to him day by day yet he hearkned not unto her to lye by her or to be with her he that fears sin will get as far as he can out of the reach of a temptation Hatred of sin always holds proportion with our love to God our inward hatred of sin with our inward love of God our return to sin with the decay of our love to God The renewing of our repentance answers the reviving of our love to God Every one that doth not love God loves sin plain down-right sin sin without any excuse e.g. either some moral wickedness or a resting in their own righteousness 2. The fear of God A reverential tenderness of Conscience lest we sin against God It is not onely fear of hell but fear of God's goodness (u) Hos 3 5. they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days The soul that loves God is troubled that he either does or omits any thing for fear of hell and that he is no more affected with love-arguments Though pray take notice by the way That all fear of hell doth not presently argue a spirit of bondage Hopes and Fears poyse the Soul while in this World I would therefore leave this charge upon you viz. Be sure that you love God better than the blessed Apostle loved him before you censure any for want of love who are diligent in duty upon this motive lest they be at last cast-aways (w) 1 Cor. 9.27 But to return Though Gods gracious condescention be so great as to allow those that love him a non such familiarity yet that never breeds the least contempt Sense of distance between God and the Soul between the holy God and a sinful Soul between the faithful God and the fickle Soul O this causeth holy tremblings and humble Apologies in our most familiar pleadings with God The Father of the faithful whom God honoured with the title of his friend of whose love to God you have already heard when he pleaded with Christ face to face in so familiar a way never any like him see how he then prefaceth his prayer (y) Gen. 18.27.30 Behold now I have
8.36 All they that hate me Love death i. e. in its Causes Oh! how cursed are such as cry up the world and cry down Christ 10. Lastly this Case as before stated is a good Key to open some dark and hard sayings in Scripture As that Mat. 19.24 It is easier for a camel to go thorow an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God Which is a proverbial speech denoting how difficult a thing it is for any rich man but how impossible it is for him that has a predominant love to his riches and so confidence in them to enter into the Kingdom of God as Mark 10.24 2. But to close up this discourse with a few Practick Improvements and Vses Practick Uses 1. This Case as before stated serves for the Conviction and Condemnation of such who profess love to God and yet love the world more than God Our Apostle saith Love not the world and yet what do these love but the world where is the Love which these owe to God And what hopes can such have of God's Love to them Alas how poor and narrow is the love of most Professors to God If they have some good liking to him yet how far short do they come of fervent love to him perhaps their Light and Profession is broad but O! how narrow is their Love to Christ And do not such as want love for Christ fall under the most dreadful curse that ever was even an Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 which was the formule of the highest Excommunication among the Jews mentioned in Enoch's prophesie Jud. 14. and imports a binding over to the great day of Judgment at the coming of our Lord. And Oh! how soon will Christ meet such in a way of Judgment who will not now meet him in a way of love Alas what an hungry paradise have they whose love feeds not on Christ but the things of time Is there not a sting in every creature our love dotes on O! what abundance of Ingratitude and Injustice lies wrapped up in this Love to the world Can there be greater ingratitude than this to spend our choicest love on love-tokens conferred on us by God to wind up our hearts to the love of himself Is it not also the greatest Injustice to give that measure of Affection to the creature which is due to none but the creator Having so fair an opportunity I cannot but enter this solemn Protestation against all such as under a Profession of Love to God concele an adulterous Affection to this world O! think how soon this world will hugg you to death in its arms if your hearts attend to its bewitching charms Alas why should sick dreams run away with your hearts What are all those things your hearts lust after but the Scum Froth Dross and Refuse of the Creation Ah poor fools why are your hearts so much bewitched with the night-visions whorish Idols or Cursed nothings of time Remember how dear you pay for your Beloved Idols how much they are salted with the curse of God 2. Here is matter of doleful Lamentation that in days of so much Light and Profession of love to God Men should so much abuse themselves and the world by over loving of it O that painted shadows and dirty clay should run a way with our love is it not a deplorable case that the golden pleasures of this Idol world should find so much room in our hearts yea what matter of humiliation is this that professors of Love to God should lavish away so much time study care and affection on this perishing world Would it not make any serious heart to bleed when it considers how much the professors of this age are conformable to the fashions humors and lusts of this world O! what an abominable thing is it that professors should fall down and worship this great Idol the world that the sons of God should commit folly with this old Whore which the sons of men have lusted after so many thousand years alas what chains and fetters are there in the world's blandishments what real miseries in all her seeming felicities what do all her allurements serve for but to hide Satan's baits who are they that are most in love with the world but those that least know it Alas how little can this world add to or take from out happiness what hath this world to feed our Love but smoak and wind 3. Here is also a word of caution for professors to take heed how they make Religion and the concerns thereof subservient to worldly interest O! what a curse and plague is this to make the highest excellence subserve the vilest lusts and yet how common is it I tremble to think how far many professors will be found guilty hereof at the last day 4. But that which I mostly design as the close of this Discourse is some few words of Exhortation and Direction unto Christians 1 To labour after an holy contempt of this dirty soul-polluting world O! what an essential obligation do we all lye under to contemn the Grandeur and sun-burnt glory of this fading world What is there in this world you can call yours can you be content to have your Heaven made of such base mettal as mire and clay O what a transient thing is all the glory of this perishing world consider the argument which our Apostle useth in the words following our text 1 John 2.17 and the world i. e. all the splendor pomp beauty pleasures and grandeur of the world passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a scene whereon men acted their parts and then passed away as 1 Cor. 7.31 alas were the world guilty of no other defect but this that it passeth away what a strong argument is this for the contempt thereof again remember this world is but your prison and place of pilgrimage and oh how scornful and disdainful is the pilgrims eye with how much scorn doth he behold other Countries and ought not Christians with a more generous disdain cry out fie fie this dirty world is not like my celestial Canaan Alas what have we here to rejoyce in but fetters and chains how soon doth the fashion of this world pass away 1 Cor. 7.31 i. e. the pageant or scene of worldly glory 2 As for you who are rich in this world consider seriously the exhortation of Paul 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. where having closed his Epistle he has this Divine Inspiration injected by the Spirit Charge them that are rich in this world that they he not high-minded nor trust in uncertain tiches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works c. There were many rich Merchants at Ephesus where Timothy was who needed this exhortation as I think many among us 3 Here is a more particular word for Merchants Tradesmen and all such as are much engaged in the affairs of
Minister could not get into thy Soul Death never cometh without a warrant yet it often comes without a warning We do not live by patent but we live at pleasure How knowest thou that the candle of the Ministry shall shine one Sabbath longer The message shall alwaies live but the messenger is alwaies dying The clods of the Earth may soon stop that mouth that so frequently and unfruitfully hath given thee the word of life He the light now of his place and of his people may be blown out by violence as well as burnt out by death Thou canst not say but God may soon make that ear of thine deaf that now thou stoppest God may soon blind those eyes which now thou shuttest It is a peradventure whether God will ever give repentance or no. God hath made many promises to repentance but he hath made none of repentance If to day thou saist thou wilt not to morrow thou maist say thou canst not pray It is just with God that he who while he liveth forgets God when he dies should forget himself I have heard of a profane miscreant that being put upon speedy repentance and turning to God scoffingly answered if I do but say three words when I come to dye Miserere mei Domine Lord have mercy upon me I am sure to be happy This miserable wretch shortly after falling from his horse and receiving thereby a deadly wound had indeed time to speak three words as the relation informed me but those three words were these Diabolus capiat omnia Let the Devil take all Thou dost not know what thy last words shall be the very motions of thy tongue and of thy heart are all in the hands of that God whose grace thou hast despised 7. It is a day That requireth present improvement because it is followed with a night a night that is dark as pitch The night cometh wherein no man can work So saith our Lord Joh. 9.4 There is neither work nor invention in the grave In the dark thou mayest see to bewail thy not working in the light but in the dark there is no working Sorrow then will not help thee couldst thou make hell to swim with thy tears Thy tears are only of worth in time Put not off your working till the time wherein you must leave work It is perfect madness not to think of beginning to work till the time of working is at an end Nemo finitis nundinâ—s exercet mercaturam What man after the fair will go then to buy and sell There is no negotiation but in the time of the fair the season of grace The spiritual manna of grace is only to be gathered in the six days of thy life The time after this is a time of rest wherein there is no more work to be done to procure Salvation If this be the day of thy death tomorrow cannot be the day of thy repentance It is miserable to have that to do for lack of time which is to do for loss of time Thus I have shewn you how we are put upon present improving the season of Grace As 't is here termed a day or in respect of the nature of the Season Sect. 13 2. Secondly In regard of the workers in this day we are urged from hence to a present improving of the season of grace 1. How little have we wrought in this day of grace What a pitiful account and yet an account must be given of this Day can we give unto God of thousands of Sabbaths and repetitions of ordinances and opportunities of life that we have enjoyed You have been perhaps long in the world and under the means of grace but can you say you have lived long 'T is one thing for passengers in a ship to be a great while tost in the Sea and another thing for them to sail a great way You have been long in the world tossed up and down with many temptations and impetuous corruptions and violent affections but which of you have sailed much or gone forward in your course to Heaven with any considerable progress Little is to be seen in the copies of your lives besides blots and empty spaces Much paper hath been spent with wide lines Had you not need now towards the end of the side to write the closer to redeem the time as the Apostle expresseth it Eph. 5.16 We should redeem our time out of the hands of those that have taken it captive out of the clutches of those vain employments that have so often taken it captive Now in all redemptions there is the laying down a price for the party that is redeemed But what is that price you are to lay down for your time when it is to be redeemed I will tell you Id quod perdis pretium est saith Augustin That which you lose in your worldly employments in your idle recreations in your vain visits in your exorbitant eatings and drinkings that time that you take from these to give to God and your Souls that is the price that you lay down for the redeeming of seasons for your Souls It is miserable for our work to be undone for want of time when we are dying when it is undone for the loss of time while we are living 2. How great is the wo of those whose Day is done and yet their work is not done but still to do You have seen their end upon Earth but you have not heard their cries and their self-bewailings in hell How many have been cut off before your eyes who ceased to be before they began to live Improve examples lest you become examples Your Schooling is cheap when it is at the cost of another Let the lashes of Divine severity that have fallen upon others quicken thee in thy Spiritual pace and travelling towards Heaven Why should God stay for you rather than for them Thou canst not mispend thy time at so cheap a rate as they did by whom God hath warned thee Hell is not so full of Souls as it is of delayed purposes What would not lost Souls give for a crum of that time of which now in this world they make Orts If the foresight of their tears for neglecting the Day of grace fetched tears from Christ Luk. 19.41.42 How great shall the feeling be of the Eternal effects of their inexcusable folly How Exuberant but unfruitful shall be the flood of their own tears for their former slothfulness never enough to be bewailed because never at all to be repaired Surely a small loss could not draw tears from so great a Person as the Son of God 3. Many by beginning betimes in the morning of their day have done more work than thou a delayer canst now accomplish They should provoke thee to a holy jealousie They setting forth for Heaven in the morning have travelled further in that morning than thou hast done in that long Summer's day wherein thou hast been slothful What a shame is it that some should be
green-headed Saints and thou a gray-headed Sinner Julius Caesar as Suetonius reports reading that Alexander had conquered the world in his youthful age profest his shame that he who was so much older than Alexander should come so far behind him in obtaining victorious glory This fired Caesar with noble Emulation to exceed him Envy is ever bad but Emulation may be holy Envy is a trouble for another's Eminency but Emulation is a troubling of our selves for not ariving to another's commendable excellency 4. In this thy day of working and in thy working thou art but a slow worker Thou hast a great journey and art a slow sluggish passenger Thou hast a load of Corruption that presseth thee down Thou Sailest against the tide of corrupt nature Thou hast an encumbring body of death that will hinder thee from doing even what thou art a doing a long garment that hindreth and hampereth thee when thou endeavourest to be speediest in thy course for Heaven The flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that thou canst not do the thing that thou wouldst There are many Thieves in thy Candle of time which daily wast it Sleeping Eating Drinking Visiting being visited and a great many other worldly avocations imployments injoyments that must be regarded together vvith thy Soul These are as so many places at vvhich vve must call in as vve are in our journey and the dispatching of every errand in every one of these places vvill take us up much time Hard it is for our hearts to be preserved from too deep en ingagement in them the world more frequently bewitching from God than admonishing us of God too often proving as birdlime to the vvings of our affections to hinder their slight Heaven-vvard And many also are the retarding discouragements that all the people of God must meet vvith all in their course to Heaven As they have the tide of nature against them so they have the vvind of opposition from men and devils against them Earliness and eagerness in the waies of God are the two things principally opposed by the god and men of this world 'T is the galloping passenger at whom the dogs of the town most bark and whom they most pursue All that travel Heavenward have the wind in their faces though the happiness of their journey's end infinitely more than countervails for the greatest both industry and opposition 5. The longer thou delayest thy working in this day the harder it will be for thee to begin Sin is as deceitful to detain as 't is to draw Every moment thou delayest to leave it it tyeth a knot on the cord wherewith it holdeth thee making thereby thy freedom from it the more difficult Lust and delay know no measure and delay knows no measure because lust knows none The further you go on the harder it is and the more unwilling will you be to go back The deeper the engagement the more difficult is the retreat By delay sin is the more strengthened the Devil the more emboldened and God the more provoked That which in thee to day is Regardlesness tomorrow may be Unwillingness and the next day Obstinateness Dum consuetudini non resistitur sit necessitas Custom in sin will at length turn into necessity of sinning Venenata non patiuntur inducias Antidotes against poisons must not be delay'd The longer a bad Tenant forbears payment of his Rent the harder it will be for him te get it up A nail driven into wood is with more difficulty drawn out when it is driven up to the head than when with a few blows it is weakly fastned The longer the wood lieth soaking in the water with the greater difficulty doth it burn The longer Satan's possession hath been the more difficult will his ejection be Every delay makes thy return to God look more like to an impossibility Goliah must be smitten in the forehead and Satan opposed betimes Old age is aetas indisciplinabilis an indisciplinable age Childhood is the age of Learning Old age is the time wherein men desire more to teach than be taught 6. As to thy working in this day the sooner thou beginnest and the faster thou workest in this day of Grace the sweeter will thy sleep be in the evening when thy day is consummate After thou viewest thy early and thy earnest working for God in the end of thy life thou wilt have a Sabbath in thy thoughts None ever repented them either of early beginnings or constant proceedings in the ways of holiness It was an humbling to Paul that Christ appeared last of all to him 1. Cor. 15. and that Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before him that they were his Seniors in the faith Rom. 16.7 How sweet is it in age to feed upon the comforts of a well spent youth and manhood Never put that off to the last that cannot be done too soon Early beginnings in Godliness make an easy death-bed And acquaintance with God betimes makes thee the more confident to go to him God will never forget thee in the end who remembrest him in the beginning of thy life Should you at length look Heavenward yet how will it grieve you that you did not make a more early beginning The better thou art when thou dyest the more it will trouble thee thou wert holy so late Early Holiness spareth abundance of death-bed trouble That man who puts off his repentance to his end dies at the best with little comfort Incertus moritur qui in fine paenitet If he should repent at last yet he dies uncertainly as to future happiness He rarely knows whither he is going 'T is comfortable for a man to be able to say to God when he dies as one did Paenitentiam egi quando peccare potui Lord thou knowest I then repented of Sin when I had strength and time and ability and opportunities to sin Thus I have shewn you the strength and the force of the first Argument whereby the Apostle engageth us to a present improvement of the season of Grace as 't is for its fitness for working the Time the Day 2. Briefly now in the second place to shew you the force of the second Argument Sect. 14 taken from the Advantageousness of improving the present season of Grace to the Worker and improver of it it being here called 1. The time of acceptation 2. The day of Salvation The first shews the freeness The second the fulness The first shews how cheap the commodity is that we get by working and the second how rich it is The First shews how costless it is the second how costly it is Both contained in this golden expression the accepted time and the day of Salvation 1. It is the accepted time that is the time of God's free Grace and good will in accepting of sinners not so much the accepting of time as the accepting of sinners in such a time This expression of God's free good-will in accepting sinners in the season of Grace doth notably
Families Husbands towards their Wives Wives toward their Husbands both toward their Children and they again toward their Parents In a word Men are to study those things which are most profitable such as will better their condition and not only improve their understanding You know a sick Man had rather have a good Medicine than fine Clothes he minds more the easing of his Pain than the dressing up of his Body That which will make you spruce will not always make you well Fine trappings will not Cure a lame Horse nor the Painting of the Face heal the Diseases of the Spleen or Liver That knowledge which adorns your Mind yet may not always mend your Heart To conclude this Men must labour to know the truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 So to know it as to feel it and be under the influence of it or to know the truth to that end for which Christ teacheth it that is that Men may be better as well as wiser more ready to do their Master's will as well as know it Men know the truth as they should and as Christ would have them when their knowledge puts them upon the great duties of Mortification and Sanctification v. 22. That ye put off as to your former Conversation the Old man and v. 23 24. Be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the New man Prop. 7. Every Man should labour to get as much Spiritual knowledge as he can by the means of the knowledge he hath and as he can get without the neglect of other necessary duties It is not for nothing that the Apostle prays for the Collossians Ch. 1.9 that they might be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all Wisdom and Spiritual understanding and exhorts the Corinthians Epist 1.14.20 though in Malice they were Children yet in understanding to be Men. If Christians ought to grow in every Grace why not in knowledge which is it self a Grace and helpful to all other Graces We are to be accomptable for the means we have of getting our knowledge increased and therefore sure are to labour that we may get it encreased And though a less measure of knowledge might serve turn to bring a Man to Heaven yet 1. It is contrary to that Spirit of Ingenuity that largeness of Heart towards the things of God which is supposed to be in Believers to stint themselves in the knowledge of the truth and to be content to know only just so much as may carry them to Heaven That were to study Spiritual truths not so much because they love them as because they cannot want them and so not of choice but necessity 2. Even where a less measure of knowledge might save a Man yet a greater should be endeavoured after because it might be otherwise so useful For 1. It might make his work more easie Clearness of knowledge takes off much from the Difficulty of Duty The better a Man sees his work the more easily he may do it The most skilful Artist may sumble when he works by a dim light That Man is like to go on most readily in his way who not only knows the right one but the wrong ones too those turnings and by-paths which might mislead him and seeing the Monuments of others mistakes may be warned by their wandrings 2. More knowledge might make his way more pleasant The more delectable Objects a Man hath to entertain his Eyes the more delight he may take in Travelling When Night-journeys as they have more of Danger so have less of Pleasure A clear sight of Spiritual things may help a Christian in his way not only as a Direction but as a Delight 3 It might make himself more useful more helpful to others Nec in hoc tantùm te accerso ut proficias sed ut prosis Sen. Epist Though less knowledge might suffice us for our selves as to our general Duties yet more will make us helpful to others and enable us better for the performance of relative Duties The more knowledge we have the more we may communicate Those that understand most themselves may best instruct and direct others They that are well skilled in their own duties are most sit to teach others theirs Rom. 15.14 Filled with knowledge able also to admonish one another And thus we see in these propositions what knowledge we are to labour after in order to Salvation Only I add two Cautions against two ordinary vices which Men are very liable to in their enquiring after knowledge Nihil igitur certius est quà m alterū Angelicae cognitionis genus quo post Deum quae in Deo sunt reliqua intelligunt non ita perfectum esse quin in hoc cognitionis genere quotidie proficere possint novi Semper aliquid discendo ac novo modo cognoscendo Zanch. de dei ope ib. Caut. 1. Take heed of curiosity which is the itch of the mind It is not a kindly appetite but a fond longing or an ambitious vain affectation of knowing those things which we are least concerned or not at all concerned to know and which if known would do us little good It is a lust and therefore not to be indulged in our selves but mortified It appears 1. In making inquiries into these things which God hath not revealed Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but things that are revealed unto us and to our Children c. This curiosity our Saviour checks in his Disciples Act. 1.6 Wilt thou say they at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel Our Saviour replies It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power God hath revealed enough to us in his Word for our use and furtherance in Faith and Holiness and to desire to know more is to desire to be wiser than God would have us We must not pry into those things which it is only God's Prerogative to know The Angels themselves know not some things and we should be content as well as they not to be omniscient It is dangerous peeping into God's Ark you know who smarted for it 1 Sam. 6.19 If knowing what God hath revealed do not save us I am sure searching into what he hath not revealed will not God hath told us so much of his mind in the word as may take up our whole Man in the study of it and we cannot busie our selves in inquiring into his secrets without neglecting the study of those things which are revealed and are most useful for us 2. Curiosity appears in enquiring into the reason of God's will If Rulers in the World will not have their Laws disputed If volumus jubemus be their stile and though they do not give the reason of their Commands yet they count their Commands reason enough for their Subjects obedience Sure we should allow God as much as we do his Creatures We should reckon God's will is never unreasonable His
is the very spring upon which the holy conversation of the whole week is turned and moved And therefore it is observable that the Sabbath stands as it were betwixt the two Tables the last precept of the first Table and the Preface to the Second To shew us that it is the Bond of union between both Tables that without a severe sanctification of the Sabbath the Duties of both Tables will fall to the ground Whence in the Primitive times of Christianity the strict observation of the Sabbath was accounted the principall character of a true Saint And so it is even at this day there are such Christians for exemplary holiness as those which are taken notice of to make most conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath But so much for the second duty I come now to the Third Branch or Duty of Duties wherein sabbath-sanctification consists Sc. Honourable If thou call it or make it or keep it as an Honourable day Heb. Mecubbar which signifieth honourable or glorious The Duty implied is we must keep the Sabbath as the Honourable Glorious Day of Jehovah Truly glorious things are spoken of this Honourable Day The Jews were wont to call it the Queen of Days the week-days they called prophane days but the Sabbath after Gods example here they called Holy My Holy Day saith God it 's Gods peculiar One of ours now translated into his glorious rest honours it thus calling it The Map of heaven the golden spot of the week Vide Mr. Gee Swinnock in his good wish to the Lords day the market-day of the soul the day-break of eternal brightness the Queen of days the blessed amongst days the cream of time the Epitome of eternity Heaven in a glass the first-fruits of an everlasting and blessed Harvest and much more to that purpose The week-days are as it were the back-parts of the week made to carry burdens a meer Servant or Slave made to do the drudgery of the humane life The Sabbath is the face the seat of Majesty which God hath made to look upward and to contemplate the glory of the Heavens and of the maker thereof The week-days are like the Terrestrial Globe wherein are painted to us the Earth with the inferiour and more ignoble creatures The Sabbath is the Celestial Globe Heb. 12.22 23 24. wherein we have the prospect of Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and of an innumerable company of Angels of the general assembly and Church of the first-born and of God the Judge of all and of the spirits of just men made perfect and of Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. The beholding of these glorious visions truly beatifical are the work of a Sabbath Moreover to discover to you the glory of a Sabbath consider we another excellent passage in our quoted Author ut sup speaking of the Sabbath All the graces triumph in Thee All the Ordinances conspire to enrich Thee The Father ruleth Thee The Son rose upon Thee The Spirit hath overshadowed Thee Thus it is done to the Day which the Lord delighteth to honour on Thee light was created the Holy Ghost descended Life hath been restored Satan subdued the Grave Death and Hell conquered c. Much more might be added but rather The Question Question is When do we make the Sabbath or how may we make it to us an Honourable Glorious day Answer 1 Then we call the Sabbath Honourable when we make Honourable preparation for it To which purpose it is useful to mind seriously that word which stands as a watch-man at the door of the fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy Remember It is like the Baptist the voice of one crying prepare ye the way of the Lord or that Eccl. 5.1 keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God c. It calls for solemn preparation for a Sabbath and the ordinances of a Sabbath a duty wofully neglected amongst Christians some little preparation people make for a Sacrament and it is to be feared there is more of superstition in it than Evangelical affection to the day consisting rather in a Ceremonial abstinence from meat and drinks than a serious separation of the heart and affections for communion with God But as to the Sabbath there is rarely any thing to separate between the drudgery of the week and the solemnities of the sabbath but a little sleep and that usually less than any other night is allowed people loading the Saturday-night with so many worldly affairs that the Lords-day-morning is too little to satisfie their sluggish indulgences of the flesh and there is not time either for closet or domestick devotion they cannot force themselves out of their bed time enough to join with the Congregation until half the publick worship be finished The Jews shall rise up against this generation and shall condemn them of whom it is reported they were so severe in their parascueves or preparations for the Sabbath which were precisely to begin at three of the clock in the afternoon Buxtorf that if the servants in the Family were cast behind in dispatching the servile labour of the Family the Master of the house though he were a Nobleman would not refuse to set his hand to the lowest drudgery that they might observe the punctual time of preparation this argued an honourable estimation of the Sabbath 2. Then we call it honourable when we give it honourable entertainment When we awaken our selves in such good time yet so as we may not indispose nature for the service of the day as David did Psal 108.2 awake my Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early I say to get up early in the morning Maâ—h 28.1 to meet our blessed Lord and Bridegroom coming from his Sepulchre to visit us That which is but fancied of the natural Sun its dancing upon Easter-day in the morning for joy of the Lords Resurrection I have known reallized by some excellent Christians whose hearts have not only leaped in them but themselves have hasted out of their beds and have leaped and skipped up and down in their chamber when the morning light of the Sabbath hath shined on them in remembrance of the Sun of Righteousness arising from the grave with healing under his wings Such extraordinary impulses and ravishments are not every Christians attainment and must not be imitated to the prejudice of the Body the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak but certainly every Christian that hath the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart will be careful to abate himself somewhat of his wonted indulgences on that morning which was his redeemers Birth-day that he may have time to get on his wedding Garment by meditation Psal 2.7 reading and prayer that he may go forth to meet him whom his soul loveth in the publick solemnities of the Sabbath and bring him home with him into the chamber of her that conceived him
the sweet allurements which draw us to this duty And if we inquire what it is that puts us upon rejoycing in God by Singing I shall tell you 1. The Good Spirit That Heavenly principle both leads us to this duty and helps us in it this is one of the good motions of the blessed Spirit to put us upon singing the praises of the Lord. Wine tempts us to vain and wanton Songs but the Spirit excites us to Holy and Heavenly Hymns the Spirit first sets the Tune and Christ is the burden of the Song 2. The joyous heart Holy Singing is both the Sign and Vent of joy The little Child is pained and then it cries the Saint is surprized with joy and then it breaks out into singing Smothers will turn into Flames and the heart overcharged with complacency will discharge it self in this Holy Exultation In the Churches triumph recorded by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 35.2 Singing follows joy as its proper and genuine product and birth 3. A sence of Obedience To sing praises to the Lord is a duty which the Saints know not how to wave or respite The Apostle James joyns praying and singing together Jam. 5.13 and the Believer knows not how to neglect the one no more than the other Sometimes God calls us to the Cross and then we must be calm and patient and sometimes he calls us to the Quire and then we must be pleasant and delightful This checks those who scruple this Ordinance surely this must proceed Vse 2 from the Evil one turning himself into an Angel of Light It was a serious moan which sometimes many Ministers in New England made even in this Case The singing of Psalms say they though it breath forth nothing but Heavenly harmony and sweet melody yet such is the subtilty of the Enemy and the Enmity of our Nature against God and the ways of God that our hearts can find matter of discord in this Harmony and Crotchets of division in this holy Melody And hence arise so many questions about singing of Psalms But I shall only touch upon three Objections How can a serious Christian sing in a mixed Congregation The presence Object 1 of the wicked will surely jar the Musick and give a very just Occasion of Offence Many who forbear singing in the Congregation will not forbear it in their Answ 1 families And is there no Cham no Judas no withered branch Are all the Sonâ— of Zion Are all the Friends of the Bride-Chamber This is not an usual Happiness 2. And are there not mixtures when we pray and when we hear and this scruple may be levelled against these as well as against singing There is as much purity and so ought to be in Petitioners and Hearers as in Singers And why then are we not as curious in these duties as in Singing which if we were few would join with us in these solemn approaches Let us not Dear Christians consult fansy but reason and Scripture-proof 3. Singing may be sanctified for Conviction of sinners Moses penned a Song and God commands the people to sing it Deut. 31.30 And this Song was to convince the sinful Israelites of their obstinacy and Apostacy 4. And if we are thus shy and scrupulous with whom at last shall we join Our Saviour himself had but 12 Apostles and there was a Judas among them what Constellation shall we aim at where there is no blazing Comet or falling Star Let us at last avoid that Language stand further off I am holier than thee It was but a Pharisaical boast to say I am not as this Publican Luke 18.11 5. If singing be a duty as most certainly it is thou art bound to perform it in the best manner thou canst and then others presence will not enfeeble thy comfort nor invalidate thy service thou shalt have peace in thy own Soul Heathenish spectators for so are wicked men at an Ordinance did not eclipse the glory of the Martyrs their stakes were hung with Laurel notwithstanding But it is Observed by a Worthy and Learned man That all these Objections arise from the Ignorance of the Nature Use and Ends of this Blessed Duty Object 2 But some are ready to object There are many passages in the Psalms which are not so accommodate to their condition As how can they sing the sixth Psalm when they are in prosperity or the 38th Psalm when they are in health or the 51th Psalm when they know no notorious scandal hath lately fallen on them and they must not lye before the Lord. Answ 1 Every passage in the Psalms is matter for Meditation a gracious Spirit may spring sweet Contemplation from it In the 51th Psalm we may meditate on the grievous nature of Sin and in the 6th Psalm we may meditate on the mournful effects of sin and that it will surely be bitterness in the latter end 2. What is not now may afterwards be thy condition thou mayest fall and then the 51th Psalm is accommodated to thee thou mayest be under distempers and then the 38th Psalm is not incongruous to the thou mayest be penitentially inclined and then the 6th Psalm is well calculated for thy Condition Object 3 But why must we be confined to David's Psalms Answ Why What more comprehensive and sutable to every condition They are the Bible Epitomized How full of sweet counsels Divine raptures humble complaints hearty expressions of Love to God Sometimes we may find David swimming in his tears Psal 6.6 Sometimes ravished with his joys Psal 43.4 Sometimes eclipsed with distrust Psal 77.7 Sometimes raised with confidences Psal 30.7 The Psalms are a Christian 's choycest Oracle to fly to in times of distress And was not the holy Psalmist guided by an infallible Spirit How often are the Psalms quoted by Christ Luke 20.42 ch 24.44 and so by the Apostles Acts 1.20 as Divine Authority to establish Truth Let us therefore not disturb our selves with these groundless Objections but let us pursue and embrace this Holy duty which is the very Suburbs of Heaven and let us observe what a reverend person notes upon this Occasion I observe saith he they never thrive well who neglect or scruple singing of Psalms they commonly begin at this Omission but they do not end there but at last they come to be above all Ordinances and so indeed without them whose sad condition is not sufficiently to be deplored And another Learned and Reverend Divine yet living hath observed fatal and judicial proceedings of God against those who have turned their backs upon this joyous and sweet Ordinance but let the Lord lead us into all understanding the wise Christian will pause and consider Let this check those who suspend and neglect this Heavenly Ordinance and Vse 3 this is an evil much to be deplored in our times We may now walk in the streets on God's Holy day and not hear the least noise of a Psalm or sound of a spiritual Song It was not long since the
Luke 6.12 But such as are fill'd with impertinent multiplications of vain words and have neither holy reasonings nor spiritual and warm affections and yet think to be heard for their much speaking Qu. But can God be moved by our arguments or affected with our troubles He is the unchangeable God and dwells in the inaccessible light James 1.17 There 's no variableness or shadow of turning A metaphor from the fixed stars which admit no parallax Kepler Astron l. 4. p. 495. Fran. 1635 c. Argol Tab. p. 72. and therefore Astronomers cannot demonstrate their magnitude for our eyes or instruments can yet give no intelligence of any increase or diminution of their diameter or light Ans Those holy motions upon the hearts of Saints in prayer are the fruits of the unchangeable decrees of his love to them and the appointed ushers of mercy God graciously determines to give a praying arguing warm affectionate frame as the prodromus and forerunner of a decreed mercy That 's the reason that carnal men can enjoy no such mercies because they pour out no such prayers Jer. 29 10 12. Isa 45.1 2 4.11 19. The spirit of prayer prognosticates mercy ensuing Wherefore vvhen the Lord by Jeremy foretold the end of the Captivity he also pre-signifies the prayers that should open the gates of Babylon Cyrus vvas prophesied of to do his vvork for Jacob his servants sake and Israel his elect but yet they must ask him concerning those things to come and they should not seek him in vain The glory of the latter days in the return of Israel is foretold by Ezekiel Ezek. 36.24 37 Rev. 21.12 17 20. but yet then the Lord will be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them The Coming of Christ is promised by himself but yet the Spirit and bride say come and he that heareth must say come and vvhen Christ saies he vvill come quickly Even so come Lord Jesus Divine grace kindles these ardent affections vvhen the mercies promised are upon the wing Gerson T. 2. K K. 3 6. Prayer is that intelligible chain as Dionysius calls it that draws the souls up to God and the mercy down to us or like the Cable that draws the ship to land though the shoar it self remain unmoveable Prayer has its kindlings from heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 like the ancient sacrifices that vvere inflam'd vvith celestial fire 6. Submission to the allwise and holy Will of God This is the great benefit of a Saint's communion with the spirit that he maketh intercession for them according to the Will of God Rom. 8.27 When promised mercies are revealed in more absolute terms the sanctified Will concenters with the Will of God When vve pray for holiness there 's a concurrence with the Divine Will 1 Thess 4.3 Rom. 12.1 2. For this is the Will of God even your sanctification When we pray that our bodies may be presented a living sacrifice acceptable to God vve then prove vvhat is that good acceptable and perfect Will of God But I speak here as to outward mercies and enjoyments and the gradualities or degrees of graces and spiritual mercies But as to substance of spiritual mercies the pomises in such cases run freely as if in any place there seem to lye any limitations or conditions those very conditions are otherwhere graciously promised to be vvrought in us In the Covenant of grace God does his part and ours too As when God commands us to pray in one place he promises in another place (a) Zec. 20.10 to pour out upon us a Spirit of grace and supplication God commands us to repent and (b) Ezek 14.6 turn unto him In another place (c) Lam. 5.21 Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God and again turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned (d) Ezr. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new spirit otherwhere (e) Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and cause you to walk in my statutes that (f) Col. 1.9 10. ye might walk unto all pleasing says Paul for this cause I cease not to pray for you c. that he would (g) Heb. 11.21 work in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight Work out your salvation (h) Phil. 2.12 13. for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Precepts promises and prayer are connext like so many golden links to excite encourage and assist the soul in spiritual duties But in other cases as to temporal and temporary mercies let all thy desires in prayer be formed with submission guided by his counsel and prostrate at his feet and acted by a faith suitable to the promises of outward blessings and then it shall be unto thee (i) Mat. 15 28. Gerson T. 2. even as thou wilt He said well cardo desideriorum sit voluntas Dei exaudiat pete cardinem Let all thy desires as to temporals turn upon the hinge of the divine good pleasure That man shall have his own Will that resolves to make God's Will his God will certainly bestow that which is for the good of his people Psal 34.18 and 84.11 Math. 7.11 Rom. 8.28 One great point of our mortification lies in this to have our Wills melted into God's and 't is a great token of spiritual growth when not only content but joyful to see our Wills crost that his may be done We pray that his Kingdom may come let it appear by sincere prayer that his Will may be done When our Wills are sacrificed in the flames of holy prayer vve many times receive choicer things then we ask expresly 'T was a good saying non dat quod volumus ut det quod malimus God many times grants not what we will in the present prayers that he may bestow what we had rather have when we have the prayer more graciously answered than we petitioned we know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit helps us out with groans that secretly hint a correction of our wills and spirit in prayer Rom. 8.26 In great anxieties and pinching troubles nature dictates strong groans for relief but sustaining grace Heb. 12.10 and participation of divine holiness mortification from earthly comforts excitation of the soul to long for heaven being gradually weaned from the Wormwood-breasts of these sublunary transient and unsatisfying pleasures and the timeing of our hearts for the seasons wherein God will time his deliverances are sweeter mercies than the present return of a prayer for an outward good into our bosoms What truly holy person would lose that light of God's countenance Psal 4.6 7. which he enjoyed by glimpses in a cloudy day for a little corn and wine Thou hast put more gladness into my heart says David Nay in many cases
open denials of prayer prove the most excellent answers and God's not hearing us is the most signal audience Therefore at the foot of every prayer subscribe fiat voluntas tua and thou shalt enjoy preventing mercies that thou never soughtest and converting mercies to change all for the best resting confident in this that having askt according to his will he heareth thee 1 John 5.14 7. Lastly present all into the hands of Christ This was signified of old by praying towards the Temple 1 Kings 8.33 Heb. 8.3 because the golden mercy-seat typifying Christ was there he is ordained of God to offer gifts and sacrifices and therefore 't is of necessity that he should have something from us to offer being (a) Heb. 10.21 the high priest over the house of God What does Christ on our behalf at the throne of grace Put some Petition into the hands of Christ he waits fâ—r our offerings at the door of the oracle leave the sighs and groans of thy heart with this compassionate intercessor who is toucht with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. who sympathizes with our weaknesses He that lies in the Father's bosom and hath (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.18 expounded the Will of God to us adds (c) Rev. 8.3 much incense to the prayers of all Saints before the throne of God and explains our Wills to God (d) Psal 141.2 so that our prayers perfumed by his are set forth as incense before him He is the (e) Job 9.33 days-man the heavens-man betwixt God and us Whatever we ask in his name he puts into his golden censer (f) John 15 16 and 16.23 that the Father may give it to us When the sweet smoak of the incense of Christ's prayer ascends before the Father our prayers become sweet and amiable and cause a savour of rest with God This I take to be one reason why the prevalency of prayer is so often assigned to the time of the evening sacrifice pointing at the death of Christ about (g) Mat. 27.46 Act. 3.1.10.30 the 9th hour of the day near the time of the evening oblation Hence it was that Abraham's sacrifice received a gracious answer being offered (h) Gen. 15.12 24 63. about the going down of the Sun Isaac went out to pray at eventide Elijah at mount Carmel prays and offers at (i) 1 Kings 18.36 the time of the evening sacrifice Ezra fell upon his knees and spread out his hands (k) Ezr. 9.5 at the evening sacrifice David begs that his prayer may be virtual in the power of the (l) Psal 141.2 evening sacrifice Daniel at prayer was toucht by the angel about the time of the (m) Dan. 9.21 evening oblation All to shew the prevalency of our access to the throne of grace by the vertuous merit of the intercession of Christ the acceptable evening sacrifice Yea and therefore we are taught in our Lord's prayer to begin with the title of a Father in him we are adopted to children and to use that prevalent relation as an argument in prayer There are some other particulars in respect to prayer in general as it may be connext and coincident with secret prayer as stability of spirit freedom from distraction by wandring thoughts the actings of faith the aids of the spirit c. which I pass by and come to the second branch Directions special and peculiar to secret prayer 1. Be sure of intimate acquaintance with God Can we presume that are but dust and ashes to go up into heaven and boldly to enter the presence-chamber and have no fellowship with the Father or with the Son (a) Job 22 2â— 26 27. Acquaint thy self witb him and be at peace c. Then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and lift up tby face unto God thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee (b) v. 28. The decrees of thy heart shall be establisht to thee and the light shall shine upon thy ways First (c) Job 29.3 4. Dan. 9.3 shining acquaintance and then shining answers Canst thou set thy face unto the Lord God then thou mayest seek him by prayer First Daniel sets and shews his face to God and then seeks him by prayer and supplications Does God know your face in prayer do you often converse in your closets with him Believe it it must be the fruit of intimate acquaintance with God to meet him in secret with delight Can ye come familiarly as a child to a father considering its own vileness meanness or unworthiness in comparison with his divine love the love and bowels of a heavenly father Such a father the father of fathers and the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.2 3. How sweetly does the Apostle joyn it God is our Father because the Father of our Lord and because his Father and so our Father therefore the Father of mercies Oh what generations of mercies flow from this paternity But plead we must to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that manuduction and access to this father through Christ by the spirit We must be gradually acquainted with all three Eph. 2.18 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 1.4 First with the spirit then with Christ and last with the father first God sends the spirit of his son into our hearts and then through the son we cry Abba father The bowels of mercy first wrought in the father to us he chose us in Christ and then sends his spirit to draw us to Christ and by Christ to himself Have ye this access to God by the spirit bosom-communion flows from bosom-affection If your souls are truly in love with God he will graciously say to your petitions be it unto you according to your love Times of finding God A godly man prays in finding seasons 2. Obser When God's heart and ear are inclined to audience vvhen God is said to (a) Psal 31.2 Isa 55.6 Psal 32.6 Cant. 2.9.5.2 bow down his ear unto us There are special seasons of drawing nigh to him vvhen he draws nigh to us times when he may be found When thy beloved looks forth at the window and shews himself through the lattess That 's a time of grace when he knocks at the door of thy heart by his spirit Motions upon the heart are like the Doves of the East sent vvith letters about their necks As he said of Bernard Ex motu cordis spiritus Sancti praesentiam agnoscebat he knew vvhen the holy spirit vvas present with him by the motion of his heart Gerson T. 2. 27. a. 2 â—am 7.27 Psal 27.4 8. When God reveals himself to the heart he opens the ears of his Servants for some gracious message When God bids us seek his face then the soul must answer one thing have I desired that will I seek after First holy desires warm the heart and they sâ—t the soul on seeking They are â—ikâ— mâ—ssengers sent from heaven to
then follows song and praise This streams from the sense of divine love and love is the fountain of thankfulness and of all spritely and vigorous services that prayer that does not end in chearful obedience is called by Cyprian â—e Orat. p. â—7 oratio sterilis and preces nudae barren and unfruitful naked and without ornament and so we may glance upon the expression of holy James the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.16 a working prayer within will be working without and demonstrate the labour of love 2. Obs The principal subject-matter of prayer the mark the white that the arrow of prayer is shot at the scope it aims at there 's usually some special sin unconquer'd some untamed corruption some defect some pressing strait that drives the soul to prayer and is the main burden of the spirit take notice how such a sin withers or such a grace flourishes or such a need supplied upon the opening our hearts in prayer Watch unto prayer Eph. 6.18 watch to perform it and then to expound the voice of the divine oracle and to know that ye are successful Cry to thy soul by vvay of holy soliloquy Watchman Isa 21.11 what of the night 3. Obs Ensuing providences Set a vigilant eye upon succeeding passages examine them as they pass before thee set a wakeful centinel at the posts of vvisdom His name is near his wondrous works declare His name of truth Psal 75 1. his glorious title of hearing prayers When prayer is gone up by the help of the spirit mark hovv all things work together for good Rom. 8.28 v. 27. Isa 58.9 11. and note the connexion there the working of things together follows the intercession of the Spirit for all Saints God is pleased often to speak so clearly by his vvorks as if he said here I am I will guide thee continually and thou shalt be like a watered garden whose waters fail not Secret promises animate prayer and open providences expound it Isa 45 4 11 19. Cyrus was promised to come against Babylon for the Churches sake But Israel must ask it of God and they had a vvord for it that they should not seek his face in vain Psal 107.19 20. and then follows Babylon's fall in the succeeding chapters When we cry unto the Lord in trouble he sends his vvord of command and heals us There 's a set time of mercy a time of life when Abraham had prayed for a son the Lord told him Gen. 15.2 18.10.14 Esth 4.16 6.1 Psal 3.4.5 Eliezer Gen. 24.15 at the time appointed I 'le return In a great extremity after the solemn fast of three days by the Jews in Shushan and the Queen in her Palace on the fourth day at night the King could not sleep and must hear the Chronicles of Persia read and then follows Haman's ruine Prayer has a strange vertue to give quiet sleep sometimes to a David and sometimes a waking pillow for the good of the Church When Jacob had done wrestling and the Angel gone at the springing of the morning then the good man saw the Angel of God's presence in the face of Esau Sometimes providence is not so quick Rev 6.11 the Martyr's prayer as to compleat answer is deferred for a season but long white robes are given to every one a triumphant frame of spirit and told they should wait but a little season till divine justice should work out the issue of prayer the thunder upon God's enemies comes out of the temple the judgments roar out of Zion Rev. 11.19 Joel 3.16 the place of divine audience but the means and methods and times of God's working are various such as we little forethink Submit all to his infinite wisdom prescribe not but observe the Embroidery of Providence its difficult to spell its characters sometimes but 't is rare employment (d) Isa 64.5 Psal 111 2â— Eccl. 3.11 2 Sam. 23.4 His vvorks are searcht into by such as delight in his providences for all things are beautiful in his season 4. Mark thy following communion vvith God Inward answers make the soul veget and lively like plants after the shining of the Sun upon rain lift up their heads and shoot forth their flowers A Saint in favour does all with delight Isa 61.3 Answer of prayer is like oil to the spirits and beauty for ashes The sackcloth of mournful fasting is turned to a wedding garment He grows more free and yet humbly familiar vvith heaven This is one I vvould wish you to pick acquaintance vvith that can come and have what (h) Joh. 16 23. Gen. 20.7 he vvill at Court. As the Lord once told a King by night that Abraham was a Prophet and vvould pray for him he vvas acquainted vvith the King of heaven O blessed person I hope there 's many such among you vvhose life is a continued prayer Psal 109.4 As David that gave himself to prayer Heb. But I prayer he 's all over prayer prays at rising prays at lying down prays as he walks he 's always ready for prayer like a prime favourit at Court that has the golden key to the privy stairs and can vvake his Prince by night Christians there are such whatever the besotted profane world dreams vvho are ready for spiritual ascents at all seasons besides the frequency of set communions His wings never vveary his willing spirit is flying continually and makes God the rock of his dwelling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which he may upon all assaults have holy retirements Psal 71.3 But so much for the main Question with its branches There be many particular queries of some weight that may attend the princ pal subject and such I shall briefly reply to as Qu 1. What 's the proper time for secret prayer Ans Various providences different temperaments and frames of spirit motions from heaven opportunities dictate variously Some find it best at even others in the night when all is silent others at morning when the spirits are freshest I think with respect to others that conscientious prudence must guide in such cases when others are retired and the spirit in the best frame for communion Qu. 2. How often should we pray in secret Ans If we consult Scripture-president we find David at prayer in the morning our blessed Lord early before day in the morning Psal 5.3 Mark 1.35 Chrys in Psal 5. p. 542 Etim Mat. 14 23. Gen. 24.63 Psal 55.17 Dâ—n 6 10. Psal 119.164 Chrysostom advises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wash thy soul before thy body for as the face and hands are cleansed by water so is the soul by prayer At another time our Lord went to secret prayer in the even and Isaac went to prayer in the eventide David and Daniel pray'd three times a day and once 't is mentioned that David said seven times a day will I praise thee that is very often Such cases may happen that
such a prayer as this O that the Lord would lengthen this triumphant day and the (c) Jos 10.12 Lord heard his voice The tribes beyond Jordan in a (d) 2 Chr. 5 23. battel with the Hagarites Jehoshaphat in a sore strait (e) 18.31 at Ramoth Gilead Sampson ready to perish at Lehi (f) Judg. 15.18 16 28. with thirst and when blind exposed to contempt in the Temple of Dagon David near (g) 1 Sam. 30.6 stoning at Ziglag and when flying from Absalom in the ascent of (h) 2 Sam. 15.31 Mount Olivet Elisha at Dothan compast with a Syrian host (i) 2 King 6.17 Lord open the young man's eyes In the midst of lawful and laborious callings Boaz to the reapers (k) Ruth 2.4 the Lord be with you we may pray that our Oxen (l) Psal 129.8 may be strong to labour no breaking in or going out nor no complaining in our streets It sanctifies the plow as Jerom said of the fields of Bethlehem quocunque te verteris Psal 144.14 ad Marcellum p. 129 T. 1. arator stivam teneus Alleluja decantat c. The tillers of the field and the dressers of vineyards sang David's psalms it keeps the shop and inclines the hearts of customers it bars the doors it quenches fire it blesseth thy children (m) Psal 147.13 within thee it preserves thy going out and coming in (n) 128.1 Jacob found it to rest upon his children going a journey (a) Gen. 43.14 to Egypt it closes the eyes with (b) Psal 3.5.4 8. sweet sleep it (c) Job 3â— 10 Psal 139.18 given Songs in the night and wakens the soul in the arms of mercy It sits at the helm when a (d) Psal 107.28 Jon. 1.6 storm rises at sea it gives strength to Anchors in roads and prosperous gales to the venturous Merchant When in the palace at dinner Nehemiah presents the cup to his prince he presents also a Michtam a golden (e) Neh 3.4 2 Chro. 34 27 Luke 17.5 Gen. 49.18 2 Chron. 2 4. Act. 7 60. prayer to the King of Heaven at the reading of the law Josiah was heard as to some secret cries to Heaven At a holy conference in a journey the Disciples occasionally pray Lord increase our faith Jacob on his dying pillow predicting future events to his children falls into a holy rapture I have wait ed for thy salvation O Lord. At sacred death in martyrdom Zechariah cries out the Lord look upon it and require it and Stephen under a showr of stones melts in prayers for the stony hearts that slung them Lord lay not this sin unto their chage and our blessed Saviour in his greatest agonies makes a tender hearted prayer Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23 34. 1 Sam. 1.17 and lastly in the distresses of others Eli puts a sudden petition for Hannah the God of Israel grant thee thy petition In these and many like cases the holy word stores us with patterns for ejaculation in all extremities which I cannot now digest and improve only in a few words lets take a view of the usefulness of such a sudden flight of the soul to Heaven 1. It helps us to a speedy preparative for all duties Lam. 3 4â— with such an ejaculation le ts lift our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens 2. It is a guard against secret sins in the first risings and the first assaults of temptation 3. It suffers not divine mercies to slip by unobserved in a wakeful Christian and proves a fruitful mother of gratitude and praise 4. It sanctifies all our worldly imployments 1 Tim 4. â— 5. it fastens the stakes in the hedge of divine protection and turns every thing to a blessing 5. It s a Saints buckler against sudden accidents a present antidote against frights and evil tidings It s good at all occasions and consecrates to us not only our meals but every gasp of air c. 6. It s a sweet companion that the severest enemies can't abridge us of Outward ordinances and closet duties they may cut off the little (a) Ezr. 9 8. nail in the holy place they may pluck out But no labyrinth no prison not the worst of company can hinder this coelo restat iter in the very face of adversaries we may lift our souls to God No more of this le ts briefly conclude with some uses Vse Vse Cant. 4 12. To convince such of their dangerous state that neglect sacred duties that have no heart-communion that draw no water out of this sealed fountain But all they do is in publick only it 's a suspicious token of hypocrisie since the kernel and soul of religion lies so much in the heart and closet mark the phrase in the text how it varies thy Father that is in secret be sees in secret God's eye is open upon thee in the closet and if thy eye be open upon his thou mayst see a glorious beauty The excellency of grace lies in making conscience of secret sins and secret duties 2. To examine such as perform secret duty but not from a sincere principle like Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.2 that prays but not with a perfect heart like Ahab they mourn but with Crocodile tears such as do it only because they find precept or example for it and therefore to quiet conscience will into secret but converse only in the shell and trunk of a duty that rest in the naked performance but matter not whether they tast of the sweet streams that flow in from heaven in the golden pipe of an ordinance what account can such render that go into their closets but like Domitian to catch flies only Sueton. in Domit. c. 3. and when the doors are shut to the world their hearts are shut to heaven and communion with God He that sees in secret beholds the evil frame of such a heart and will one day openly punish it 3. To excite and awaken all to this excellent duty and to manage it in an excellent manner Would ye live delightfully would ye translate heaven to earth then keep up communion in secret prayer to know him to discern his face to behold the lustre of his eye that shines in secret Remember the glorious person that meets in your closets all the world yields not such a glittering beauty as a gracious person sees when he is in a happy frame at secret prayer Shut your eyes when ye come out for all other objects are but vile and fordid and not worth the glances of a noble soul O the sweetness the hidden manna that the soul tasts when in lively communion with God! Psal 31.19 Part of that which is laid up for Saints in glory let us a little relish our spirits with it 1. Consider what amorous agonies the soul delights to conflict with in serret fears that raise confidence humility that exalts tremblings that embolden bright clouds
wisdom and Religion worth calling so in the world in that so few blessed be God some there are are good in their Relations Where are Magistrates to be found that are God's Vicegerents in their places Where are the Masters that command and direct in wisdom so as their service is rather a priviledg than a toil a pleasure than a vassalage Where are the Servants that obey in singleness of heart as unto Christ Isa 3.5 What a strange disorder and confusion is there in the world in Kingdoms Corporations Jam. 4.1 and Families and who may be thanked for it but mens lusts and their not faithfully filling up that Relation God hath set them in Most are governed by the Law of corrupt nature and hell but few too few have that respect to the Law of God which should be Ar. Epict. 1.13 How excellently doth that Imperial Philosopher declaim against those that are unfaithful in their places and do not willingly submit to and order their lives according to the direction of the most good wise and just Law-giver of the world Hear his words Antoninus ◠4. n. 24. l. ◠n. 38. He is an Aposteme of the world who being unfaithful in his place doth as it were apostatize and separate himself from God's rational administration O that men were wise and understood their true interest and were faithful to it O that every one would labour to rectifie that ataxy and disorder that is in himself and then in his Family Then O then how happy would our Kingdom Cities Families be It was no small commendation of the Grecian Commander Plutarch in vita Them that he reckon'd it none of the best qualifications of a man to be able to play well upon a Harp but to be able to govern himself and others well and if a City were put into his hands poor dis-mantled un-disciplined to be able quickly to make it rich strong orderly To fill up our Relations with Religion is the divine precept our true wisdom our peace profit it 's honest I had almost said it 's one of the fairest fruits of real Christianity Would we could all as one man engage to do our best for the putting this in execution and then holiness to the Lord might quickly be written upon our Door our City might be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord dwells there and our Land Hephsibah and Beulah For this let every honest soul pray for this let Ministers preach And in the prosecution of this design I shall in my poor way give you advice by resolving of this Question which I have made way to by this Preface What are the Duties of Masters and Servants and how must both eye their great Master in Heaven In the answering of this Question the more fully I shall do these things First Show you what is meant by Master and Servant Secondly Show you how both are to eye their great Master in Heaven Thirdly I shall show you what is the Master's duty exhort him to it and give him helps for the performance of it Fourthly I shall show what is the duty of Servants press them to it and give them some helps for the performance of it First I shall show what is meant by Master and Servant By Master here is meant either Master or Mistress such a one as hath the power of himself and upon whose government and command another dependeth Now in an absolute and most proper sense there is none may be called Master but God he only hath an absolute independent unlimited power of himself and hath all others at his command and direction and he alone is fit for this despotick Monarchy being infinite in wisdom goodness and justice And this clears the meaning of those words of our Saviour Call no man Father Master Mat. 23.8 but God that is look upon none as absolute infallible Lords of the Conscience but him But in a more limited sense there are Masters to which respect and honour must be paid by their Servants and that with all readiness and chearfulness so far as they command nothing that is contrary to God's command By Servant I mean one that is not at his own disposal but at the command of another so far as his commands thwart not the commands of God Remember whatever is spoken of Servants is spoken to Maid-Servants as well as Men-Servants Now this Relation seems in a word to rise from Nature Law or Contract From Nature in that some are of a more strong body and weaker understanding others of weaker bodies but of more judgment and experience and so one is by nature fit to rule and the other to be ruled That Relation that riseth from Law is when any one by some flagitious act hath justly forfeited his liberty and is condemned to servility either for a time or during his life The last and usual foundation of this Relation is by Contract and that is where one that is by nature free subjects himself to another's command for a certain time upon such and such just considerations Now this is that Relation that I am principally concerned to shew you the Duties of Secondly I come now to shew you how both Master and Servants are to eye their great Master in Heaven First they are both to have an eye to the presence of their great Master which is in Heaven God in his Nature is a Spirit that is infinitely immense filling Heaven and Earth and yet not included in either If man did indeed lye under the lively impressions of God's omnisciency and omnipresence what an awe would it put upon their spirits how honest would it make them in the dark This this would make the Master reasonable just and merciful this would make the Servant faithful diligent and constant in his obedience to his Master What makes men to act like Devils but this a hope that God doth not see Gen 17.1 Psal 16.8 What made Abraham so upright but his walking before God What kept David so unmoved but his setting the Lord always before his eyes I am perswaded the greatest failures in either Master or Servant have their spring here a secret root of atheism and disbelief of God's eye and observation What truth in all the Bible more clear than this and yet what almost less believed O what do men make of God How do they rob him of his glory and themselves of the truest motives of fidelity activity and chearfulness Sirs Is the hundred thirty ninth Psalm canonical Scripture or no Can any hide any thing from God's eye Jer. 23.24 Prov. 15.3 Prov. 5.21 Psal 94.7 9. Ar. Epict. 2. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Ep. l. 1. c. 14. 1 Cor. 10.31 Rom. 6.16 Do not his eyes behold the good and evil Doth not he ponder the ways of men Do you indeed believe this What then is the meaning of falseness on all hands It was no unjust complaint of the Moralist when he said that
de Clementia That your servants are the inferior and poor friends and are to be accounted next to children and came not into the house for servitude and vassalage but patronage Fifthly Take heed of letting them have too littie employment It 's of dangerous consequence to get a habit of idleness It was none of the least commendations of that worthy woman Prov. 31.27 that she would suffer none in her house to eat the bread of idleness As you must give an account of your own time so must you also of your servants too how it is spent When your Servants are idle the Devil is at work If you have nothing for them to do remember God hath something Set them to reading the Word praying and put them upon using all diligence in making their calling and election sure It is far better to have no Servant than to keep one to do nothing but look about him This this hath laid the foundation of some young mens ruin this is unfaithfulness to God and man by this you wrong body and soul Sixthly Take heed of bitterness and threatning of cruelty and injustice of wronging them in meat drink clothing or lodging and neglecting them when they are sick and denying them that tendance physick and care that is fit for them at such a time Take heed of calling them names and cursing them and of correcting them with unreasonable weapons for slight or no faults and using them worse than a merciful man would do his beast Are not your Servants of the same mettal with your selves they have sense and feeling as well as you their flesh is not iron nor their bones brass Would you have God give you such mercy as you give your Servants If he should mark what you do amiss what would soon become of you Did you never read the woes that God denounceth against oppressors and do you think God threatens in jest can't he easily give life and execution to his woes and where are you then man What if God should curse when you curse what if he should strike as well as you are you able to bear the strokes that his hand can lay on can thy heart endure or thy back bear what he can inflict when you are just lifting up your hand consider a little the nature of the fault and do as thou would'st have God do by thee and then be outragious and cruel if you can Remember your Servants are God's Servants and you must not rule them with rigour Lev. 25.42 43 Deut. 24.14 Jam. 5.4 read those Scriptures which you find quoted in the Margent Some may wonder that I insist upon this caution so long but I wish the empty bellies the thin checks the black and blew skins of many poor Servants did not give me too good reason for what I say Anton. l. 5. 〈◊〉 l. 6. n. 21. I shall desire such Masters to ask themselves sometimes Whose Soul do I now properly possess a Tyrant's a Mad-man's or a Beast's Suppose your Servant is not so wise strong and active as you would have him it may be for this he more needs pity than blows or curses But if he be really faulty were you never so too and when punishment is due remember that Religion Reason and Humanity must always measure punishment Think not they are in your power and poor and friendless and that they have none that can or will right them If this were a good warrant for oppressing another how many are there who would soon crush you to pieces Seventhly Take heed of neglecting your Servants souls Their souls as well as their bodies are your charge and you must be accountable shortly for them O! how few consider seriously of this Are not the souls of Servants slighted as if they were little better than the souls of Brutes Sirs is that which Christ thought worth his blood not worth your care The neglect of most Masters in this thing is horrible How seldom do they speak a word of God to their Servants how great a rarity is it for them to pray with them and read the Scriptures before them and to call upon them to mind what they read who endeavours to convince their Servants of the corruption of their nature and that they are born slaves of Sin and Satan who commends Christ as the best Master and commands his Servants to obey him where is the Master to be found that is frequently and importunately endeavouring to convince all under his charge of the necessity of faith in Christ repentance and a holy life how little are Masters concerned for God's honour and service nay are there not some that are so far from minding the souls of their Servants that if once they perceive a poor Servant begins to set his face towards Heaven how are they set against him what scoffs and jeers shall he then have 2 Kings 21.11 Isa 57.24 and scarce live a quiet life after it and there are others that put their Servants upon sin that keep them up to work so unreasonably late upon Saturday-nights that they lose half the Lords-day with sleeping How many that put their Servants upon work and serving of Goods upon the Lords-day How many do we see keeping their Stalls open to sell Fruit O where are our Nehemiah's who reproves his Servants for neglecting God's service more than for neglecting of his own who observes what company they keep how the Sabbath is spent who reproves them for lying and cheating for their profit are there not too many that put them upon telling lyes to cover their own neglect do such Masters as these deserve the name of Christians do they look like God's Servants whose fault is it that Moor-fields is so full of idle youths and that the Houses and Taverns are so frequented on the Lord's-day who may we thank for many of our disorders judgments and miseries but careless Masters whence is it that so many vile women are maintained so high that bastards are so common and that we hear so oft of murdered Infants how comes it to pass that Prisons are so full and Tyburn so fruitful if the matter were well canvased we should find that Masters and Parents neglect of catechising instructing reproving and correcting them under their charge is not the least cause of this and other evils Sirs can you prove the Bible to be a lye and souls and invisibles to be but fancies O! what then do you mean by your strange neglect of these affairs Ezek. 3.18 God hath made you watchmen and if you be asleep or give not warning at whose hand do you think must the blood of the Souls in your Family be required The very Heathens have declaimed notably against this sin Epictetus If saith one a friend had but a dog under your care you would not starve him but in some measure proportion your care of him to the love you bear to your friend and hath not God put souls
entertainment to such loose companions as evil thoughts are Well then if we had this heavenly affection strong in us it would not suffer unwholesom weeds to grow up so near it either our Love would consume those weeds or those weeds will choak our Love 5. Exercise faith As the habit of faith is attended with habitual sanctification so the acts of faith are accompanied with a progress in the degrees of it That faith which brings Christ to dwell in our souls will make us often think of our inmate Faith doth realize divine things and make absent objects as present and so furnisheth fancy with richer streams to bath it self in than any other principle in the world As there is a necessity of the use of fancy while the soul is linked to the body so there is also a necessity of a corrective for it Reason doth in part regulate it but 't is too weak to do it perfectly because fancy in most men is stronger than reason Mirand de Imaginat cap. 11 12. man being the highest of imaginative beings and the lowest of intelligent fancy is in its exaltation more than in creatures beneath him and reason in its detriment more than in creatures above him and therefore the imagination needs a more skilful guide than reason Fancy is like fire a good Servant but a bad Master if it march under the conduct of faith it may be highly serviceable and by putting lively colours upon divine truth may steal away our affections to it Faith is the evidence of things not seen viz. not by a corporeal but intellectual eye and so it will supply the office of sense 'T is the substance of things hoped for and if hope be an attendant on faith Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast down Oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God our thoughts will surely follow our expectations The remedy David used when he was almost stifled with disquieting thoughts was to excite his soul to a hope and confidence in God Psal 42.5 and when they return'd upon him he useth the same diversion v. 11. The peace of God i. e. the reconciliation made by a Mediator between God and us believingly apprehended will keep or garrison our hearts and minds or thoughts against all anxious assaults both from within and without †Phil 4.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When any vain conceit creeps up in you act faith on the intercession of Christ and consider Is Christ thinking of me now in Heaven and pleading for me and shall I squander away my thoughts on trifles which will cost me both tears and blushes Believingly meditate on the promises they are a means to cleanse us from the filthiness of the spirit as well as that of the flesh * 2 Cor 7.1 Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves c. If the having them be a motive the using them will be a means to attain this end Looking at the things that are not seen preserves us from fainting and renews the inward man day by day †2 Cor. 4.16 18. These invisible things could not well keep our hearts from fainting if faith did not first keep the thoughts from wandring from them 6. Accustom your self to a serious meditation every morning Fresh airing our souls in Heaven will engender in us purer spirits and nobler thoughts A morning seasoning would secure us for all the day Intus existens prohibet alienum Though other necessary thoughts about our callings will and must come in yet when we have dispatch'd them let us attend our morning Theme as our chief companion As a man that is going with another about some considerable business suppose to Westminster though he meets with several friends in the way and salutes some and others with whom he hath some affairs he spends a little time yet he quickly returns to his companion and both together go their intended stage Do thus in the present case Our minds are active and will be doing something though to little purpose and if they be not fixed upon some noble object they will like mad men and fools be mightily pleased in playing with straws The thoughts of God were the first Visiters David had in the morning Psal 139 17 18 God and his heart met together as soon as he was awake and kept company all the day after In this meditation look both to the matter and manner 1. Look to the matter of your meditation Let it be some truth which will assist you in reviving some languishing grace or fortifie you against some triumphing corruption for 't is our darling sin which doth most envenom our thoughts †Prov. 23.7 As a man thinks in his heart so is he As if you have a thirst for honour let your fancy represent the honour of being a child of God and heir of Heaven If you are inclined to covetousness think of the riches stored up in a Saviour and dispensed by him If to voluptuousness fancy the pleasures in the ways of wisdom here and at God's right hand hereafter This is to deal with our hearts as Paul with his hearers to catch them with guile Stake your soul down to some serious and profitable mystery of Religion as the Majesty of God some particular Attribute The heads of the Catechism might be taken in order which would both encrease and actuate our knowledg Psal 40.5 his condescension in Christ the love of our Redeemer the value of his sufferings the vertue of his bloud the end of his ascension the work of the Spirit the excellency of the soul beauty of holiness certainty of death terror of judgment torments of Hell and joys of Heaven Why may not that which was the subject of God's innumerable thoughts be the subject of ours God's thoughts and counsels were concerning Christ the end of his coming his death his precepts of holiness and promises of life and that not only speculatively but with an infinite pleasure in his own glory and the creatures good to be accomplished by him Would it not be work enough for our thoughts all the day to travel over the length breadth heighth and depth of the love of Christ Would the greatness of the journey give us leisure to make any starts out of the way Having settled the Theme for all the day we shall find occasional assistances even from worldly businesses as Scholars who have some Exercise to make find helps in their own course of reading though the Book hath no design'd respect to their proper Theme Thus by imploying our minds about one thing chiefly we shall not only hinder them from vain excursions but make even common objects to be oyl to our good thoughts which otherwise would have been fuel for our bad Such generous liquor would scent our minds and conversations all the day that whatsoever motion came into our hearts would be tinctured with this spirit and savour of our morning
but it prepares us for and in a sense enters us into the Work of the other World for that I conceive lyes much in the holy use of the Tongue we hear of no other imployment of the Saints in glory but that they night and day are praising God he is always in their eyes he is ever in their mouth The work of Heaven will not be uncouth to them that have been much Exercised in holy Heavenly Discourse on Earth but for others that can scarce frame their mouths to a good word on Earth for my part I know not what they will do in Heaven though I think there is no great danger of their coming thither 3. No Discourse is so pleasant next to the Songs of Angels the pious conference of holy men is the sweetest melody our ears can be entertained with other things comparatively found harsh to the things of God neither at the instant affect the Ear with that pleasure nor afterwards leave it in that composure To reflect a little by way of comparison And first let us listen a little to what the World says a buzze there is in both ears but what do we hear Such a man hath play'd the Knave and such a man hath play'd the Fool such a Family is at great Discord or in great distress such a Nation is involved in War or such a Person hath shed the blood of War in Peace for ordinary we hear nothing but what it is a vexation to hear nothing but what may make our Ears to tingle or if ought seems at present to tickle them as profane Jests and idle stories may for a while do this tickling ends in torment the Ear is put out of Order and the Heart as being defiled is not a little discomposed He could see so little pleasure in the Speeches that he abhorred the Songs of Sinners as having no harmony in them their Mirth was rather his Sorrow Eccl. 7.5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the Wise than for a man to hear the Song of Fools But 2. In listning to holy Discourse we hear of the Love of God the glory of Heaven the Graces that do shine in some the Duties that are performed by others we hear of an end that shall be put to all earthly troubles whereby the sharpest sufferings are allayed and by what we may hear further death it self comes to be despised Are the stories we hear on one Ear and the other to be compared we may hearken long enough e're the Ear will be satisfied with hearing except we chance to hear something from Heaven all the good News is in the Word of God and to be heard from good men that bring us stories there-from 4. By neglecting holy Discourse you may lose opportunities of good both to your selves and others that you will wish you had taken 1. It may be as to your selves you were in Company with Persons eminent for grace and knowledg here was an opportunity of doing your own Soul good but by the stream of your impertinent tattle all savoury Discourse was diverted that Season was neglected afterwards you see your lack of knowledg the Instrument is removed Ah Fools do we not then cry out of our selves the opportunity is gone and we are undone How must it gall an awakned Jew to think what Discourse he had with Jesus Christ Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar Here is a Woman caught in Adultery Why do not thy Disciples Fast c. Ah! had I nothing else to enquire of my Saviour Would it not have been more pertinent to have asked what I shall do to be saved But he is gone and I must die in my sins How many Persons have we sent away that have had a word of wisdom in their hearts having learnt only what a Clock it was what weather what News forgetting to ask our own hearts what all this was to us and enquire of them things worthy of their wisdom and our learning Secondly as to others you may rue the opportunities you have lost here lay a poor wretch with one foot in Hell would he not have started back if he had had light to Discover his Danger Well you are together something you must say the same breath would serve for a compassionate admonition as a complacent impertinency which will redound to neither of your advantages you part the man dies in his sins and in the midst of Hell cryes out against you one word of yours might have saved me you had me you might have told me of my danger you forbore I hardned the Lord reward your negligence Oh give not poor Souls occasion to rail at you in Hell for your sinful silence or impertinent converse with them here on Earth You will pretend it may be want of matter in excuse for your forbearing holy Discourse Object No Friend it was want of mind Answ thou art not straitned in thy Subject but in thy self Religious matter has no End Eternity is not sufficient for it but thou art resolved also it shall have no beginning Well you know your duty and do as likes you 3. In order to the right management of our Tongue especial regard must be had to its scope what is aimed at in every motion of it either immediately or ultimately for without some scope it is vain talk and according to the goodness or badness of our scope it is ordinarily good or bad talk I say ordinarily for some talk is so bad that it is scarce capable of a good scope much less of being made good by it yet less evil it does become to instance in blasphemy and lying great moral evils both in their own Nature and no design can destroy the Nature of them in that the Word of God allows not but forbids the doing of evil that good may come of it yet speeches materially so have been passed over the evil as of simplicity pardoned and the good aimed at in them as of sincerity rather rewarded As Paul Rahab and the Egyptian Midwives might be instances but let us take heed of making them Examples But ordinarily as I said before the Scope does much unto the Specification of the Speech so much 1. That fair Speeches become foul if dirty designs be couched under them or carried on by them he cryes out therefore for help against the Flatterer as if he was a Murtherer Psal 12.1 2 3. Help Lord for the faithful fail they speak vanity every one with his Neighbour with flattering lips c. the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips Psal 55.21 His words are softer than Oyl yet are they drawn Swords The like may be said of the fawning Woman that entices to vice Prov. 5.3 4. The Lips of a strange Woman drop as an Honey-comb but her end is bitter as Wormwood sharp as a two-edged Sword 2. Good Speeches become evil to the users of them if evil be meant by them as if we couch under them to cover sinful purposes
Christians How many are there that are full of rage one against another for being either for a Form of Prayer or against it either for the Ceremonies or against them that never searched into the state of the Controversie and never took pains to examine the Arguments on both sides which in all reason they ought to have done or else at least to have restrained their Tongues from such unreasonable and sinful censures and reproaches These I say are the Persons that are most guilty nay upon the matter the only guilty Persons except such whom base Lust and Interest doth corrupt and work to these animosities 5. Converse much with your selves It is want of business at home in mens own hearts that makes them ramble so much abroad and rake into the Lives of others Study your selves more and other men less Did you search your own hearts and lives you would find so much cause of self-judging and self-abhorring that you would have little cause to despise others and much cause of compassion towards others 6. Judg of others as you would do of your selves and your own Actions It is worth our consideration what a great difference there is between the Judgment men pass upon themselves and other men As for themselves all their Errors are but small mistakes and all their sins against God however attended with ugly circumstances of light of consent of the will custom and allowance yet they are but sins of Infirmity if themselves may be Judges in their own Cause Their injuries to men are but small and trivial offences and they do indeed expect both from God and Man a Pardon of course which if they have not they judg God tobe harsh and severe Men to be cruel and implacable But when they come to pass Judgment upon other Men the Tables are turned some mistakes are damnable delusions and all their sins against God which they can observe are evidences of a naughty heart and inconsistent with Grace and the Offences of others against them are inexcusable and intolerable great affronts and Indignities whereas on the contrary thou shouldest as it was said of a great Man Be severe to thy self and Candid to others Because thou knowest more wickedness by thy self and more aggravation of thy own sins than of all the sins that are in the World But at least all the reason and Justice in the World requires this that thou shouldest weigh thy self and others in the same Balance that thou shouldest try thy own and their Actions by the same Touch-stone and more need not be done Thou who art so prone to flatter thy self wouldest certainly be more indulgent to other men and pass a more favourable construction upon their Actions What Light must shine in our Works Serm. XXII Matth. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven THE Work designed for this time is to resolve this practical Case What is that Light which must shine before Men in the Works of Christ's Disciples for the Glorifying of God But the Explication of the Text is therein included The Son of Righteousness Jesus Christ who giveth Light to every one that cometh into the World or coming into the World giveth Light to all from his fulness hath bespangled the Inferiour Heavens his Church with many fulgent Stars appointed freely to communicate the Heavenly light which they had freely received In his corporal presence he prepared them and his Spirit having moved on the darkned World he unresistably said at the descent of the Holy Ghost Let there be Light and there was Light beginning at Jerusalem but not fixed to any determinate place But what he gave them necessarily and antecedently they were to Exercise as Free Agents by a command more resistable which here he gives them Having told them their Office and given them their Names v. 14. Ye are the Lights of the World he next tells them how they must be useful They must be conspicuous 1. Because the Church where they are placed is like a City on a Hill which cannot be hid 2. Because it 's the end of him that lighteth them and sets them up not to put them under a Bushel but on a Candlestick to give light to all his House And therefore no men's silencing or prohibitions no difficulties or sufferings will excuse them from their Duty Lights they are and Shine they must But lest they should think that it is Preaching only which he meaneth he here commanding them their Duty lets them know that the splendour of Christianity is in Works as well as Words And thereby giveth us cause to think that it is all his Disciples or Christians that he speaketh to though first and eminently to the Apostles and Teachers of the World 1. By Light he meaneth both the Illuminating knowledg which must be uttered by Words and the Splendour or Glory of Holiness which must be refulgent in their Lives 2. He calls it Your Light as being their own in his Graces as the Subjects and their own in Exercise as the Actors though both under him 3. It must Shine that is Appear in its splendour for the Illumination and conviction of the World 4. It must So shine as is fittest to attain these ends It is not every twinkling that will answer their great obligations 5. It must be Before men that is both those within and especially those without the Church that are but Men. 6. It must be a Light shining in Good Works and their Own Works For that is the grand difference between the Disciples of Christ and others He teacheth them not only to know and talk well but to Do well And he maketh men such as he Teacheth them to be Non magna loquimur sed vivimus said Tertullian 7. That Men may see doth signifie both the necessary refulgent quality of their Works and also the end of God and them 8. But it is not Hypocritical ostentation of what they are not nor of what they are and have as for their own Glory to be honoured and praised of Men but for the Glorifying of God Who is called their Father to shew their obligation to him and to encourage them by the honour and comfort of their Relation and to shew why their Works will tend to the glorifying of God even because they are so nearly related to him And he is said to be in Heaven because there he appeareth operatively in his Glory to the beautifying of Holy Spirits As the Soul is said to be in the Head and we look a man in the face when we talk to him as if there principally we saw the Man because it is in the Head that it operateth by Reason So much of the meaning of the Words Many Doctrines the Text affordeth us as 1. Christ's Disciples are the Lights of the World both in the splendour of Wisdom and Holiness 2. Their most eminent and convincing splendour is in
Certainty the greatest Consent and the greatest Necessity will honour it self and its Author in the world if it be rightly represented in the Lives of them that do profess it But when mens over-doing shall pretend that all this is too little and shall seek to raise it as to more perfection by their own Inventions or uncertain Opinions in Doctrine Worship Church-Discipline or Practice they presently cast it as a Foot-ball before the Boys in the Streets and make it a matter of doubtful endless Disputations of multiplied Sects of pernicious Contentions and cruel Persecutions And then the Reverence and Glory of it is gone and every Philosopher will vie with it in subtilty and every Stranger will presume to censure it if not to blaspheme it and deride it And thus Over-doers are the Scandals of the World II. The Christian that will glorifie God and his Profession must be conscionable in the smallest matters but he must ever describe and open the Nature of his Religion as consisting in great and certain things and not talk too much of smaller matters as if it were those that men were to be saved by Tell men of the necessity of believing fearing obeying trusting and loving God and of coming to him by Jesus Christ the Great Mediator between God and Man Tell them of the intrinsick evil of sin and of God's Justice and of Man's Corruption and of the Nature and Excellency of Holiness and of the necessity of being New-born of the Holy Spirit and of mortifying the desires and deeds of the Flesh and tell them of Judgment Heaven and Hell especially the certainty and excellency of the everlasting promised Glory perswade them to believe all this to think much of all this and to be true to what they know and to make it the work of Life to be always prepared for Death Let this be your discourse with sinners as I told you in the first Character it must be your own Religion and then men will perceive that Religion is a matter that doth indeed concern them and that they are indeed great and necessary things in which you differ from ungodly men But the Scandalous Christian talketh most of external Church-orders and Forms and Opinions and Parties and thereby maketh the ignorant believe that the difference is but that one will sit when the other kneeleth and one will pray by the Book and the other without Book and one is for this Church Government and another for that and one for praying in White and the other in Black And talking too much of such things as these deceiveth the hearers some it maketh formal hypocrites who take up this for their Religion and the rest it hardeneth and maketh them think that such people are only more humourous and self-conceited and giddy and factious than others but no whit better III. The Genuine Christian hath an humble and cautelous understanding sensible when he knoweth most how little he knoweth and how much he is still unacquainted with in the great mysterious matters of God His Ignorance is his daily grief and burden and he is still longing and looking for some clearer Light Not a new word of Revelation from God but a clearer understanding of his Word He knoweth how weak and slippery Man's understanding is and he is humbly conscious of the darkness of his own Therefore he is not conceitedly wise nor a boaster of his knowledge but saith as Paul 1 Cor. 8.2 He that thinketh that he knoweth any thing that is is proudly conceited of his own knowledge knoweth nothing as he ought to know And hence it is that though he daily grow in the firmer apprehension of necessary Truths yet he is never confident and peremptory about uncertain doubtful things And therefore he is not apt to be Quarrelsome and contentious nor yet censorious against those that differ from him in matters of no greater moment And hence it is that he runneth not into Sects nor burneth with the scaverish dividing Zeal nor yet is scandalously mutable in his Opinions because as one that is conscious of his Ignorance he doth not rashly receive things which he understands not but suspendeth his judgment till Evidence make him fit to Judge and joyneth with neither of the contending Parties till he is sure or know indeed which of them is right And thus he avoideth that dishonouring of Religion which the scandalous Christian is wofully guilty of who with an unhumbled understanding groweth confident upon quick and insufficient information and Judgeth before he understandeth the case and before he hath heard or read and considered what on both sides may be said and what is necessary to a true understanding And thus either by audacious prating of what he never understood or reviling and censuring Men wiser than himself or by making himself a Judge where he hath need to be many years a Learner or making a Religion of his own mistakes and setting up dividing Sects to propagate them or else by shameful mutability and unsettledness he becometh a scandal to harden unbelievers and a Disease to the Church and a shame to his profession Read James 3. Conceited Wisdom kindleth a contentious Zeal and is not of God but from beneath v. 15.16 17. IV. The Christian who Glorifieth God by his Religion is one that so Liveth that men may perceive that his carnal Interest is not the End and Ruler of his Life but that God is his End and to please him is his Work and his Reward in which he is comforted though the Flesh and World be never so much displeased And that the perfect Light and love of God in the unseen Glory of another Life is the satisfying sum of all his hopes for which all the World must be forsaken To talk much of Heaven and to be as much and as eager for the World as others is the way by which the scandalous Hypocrite doth bring Religion into Contempt It is no high nor very honourable Work to talk of the vanity of the World but to Live above it and to be out of the power of it Nor is it any great matter to speak honourably of Heaven but to Live as believing-seekers of it and as those that have there their Treasure and their hearts Mat. 6.20 21. and are comforted more by the Hopes of the Life to come than by all their possessions or pleasures in the World If we will glorifie God our Lives must perswade Men that he will certainly be our Everlasting Portion and the sure and plentiful Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 It is much of the use of a true Christian's Life to convince Unbelievers that there is a Heaven for Saints and the scandalous worldling perswadeth them that there is none Mat. 5.5 11 12. Phil. 3.26 21. Col. 3.1 2 3 4 5. V. Therefore it Glorifieth God and our Religion when Christians Live in greater Joy or at least greater contentedness and Peace than other Men when they can answer
them and all the loving promises and invitations of the Gospel And must not our Hearts our Ministry and our Lives be answerable to all this Believe it it must be a Preacher whose matter and manner of Preaching and Living doth shew forth a hearty Love to God and Love to Godliness and Love to all his Peoples Souls that is the fit Instrument to glorifie God by convincing and converting sinners God can work by what means he will by a scandalous domineering self-seeking Preacher but it is not his ordinary way Foxes and Wolves are not Nature's Instruments to generate sheep I never knew much good done to Souls by any Pastors but such as Preached and Lived in the Power of Love working by clear convincing Light and both managed by a holy lively seriousness You must bring fire if you would kindle fire Trust not here to the Cartesian Philosophy that meer motion will turn another Element into fire Speak as loud as you will and make as great a stir as you will it will be all in vain to win mens Love to God and Goodness till their hearts be touched with his Love and Amiableness which usually must be done by the Instrumentality of the Preacher's Love Let them hate me so they do but fear me and obey me is the saying of such as set up for themselves and but foolishly for themselves and like Satan would Rule Men to damnation If Love be the sum and fulfilling of the Law Love must be the sum and fulfilling of our Ministry But yet by Love I mean not Flattery Parents do love as necessarily as any and yet must Correct And God himself can love and yet Correct Yea he chasteneth every Son that he receiveth Heb. 12.6 7. And his Love consisteth with paternal justice and with hatred of sin and plain and sharp reproof of sinners And so must ours but all as the various operations of Love as the objects vary And what I say of Ministers I say of every Christian in his place Love is the great and the new Commandment that is the last which Christ would leave at his departure to his Disciples O could we learn of the Lord of Love and Him who calleth himself LOVE it self to love our Enemies to bless them that curse us and to do good to the Evil and pray for them that hurt and persecute us we should not only prove that we are genuine Christians the Children of our Heavenly Father Mat. 5.44 45. but should heap coals of fire on our Enemies heads and melt them into Compassion and some remorse if not into an holy Love I tell you it is the Christian who doth truly love his Neighbour as himself who loveth the Godly as his Co-heirs of Heaven and loveth the ungodly with a desire to make them truly Godly who loveth a Friend as a Friend and an Enemy as a Man that is capable of Holiness and Salvation It is he that Liveth walketh speaketh converseth yea suffereth which is the great difficulty in love and is as it were turned by the love of God shed abroad upon his heart into love it self who doth glorifie God in the World and glorifie his Religion and really rebuke the Blasphemer that derideth the Spirit in Believers as if it were but a Fanatick Dream And it is he that by tyranny cruelty contempt of others and needless proud singularities and separations Magisterially condemning and vilifying all that walk not in his fashion and pray not in his fashion and are not of his opinion where it 's like enough he is himself mistaken that is the Scandalous Christian who doth as much against God and Religion and the Church and mens Souls as he doth against Love And though it be Satan's way as an Angel of Light and his Ministers way as Ministers of Righteousness to destroy Christ's Interest by dividing it and separate things which God will have conjoyned and so to pretend the love of Truth the love of Order or the love of Godliness or Discipline against the love of Souls and to use even the name of love it self against love to justifie all their cruelties or censures and alienations yet God will keep up that Sacred Fire in the hearts of the sound Christians which shall live and conquer these temptations and they will understand and regard the warning of the Holy Ghost Rom. 16.17 I beseech you mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them in their sinful dividing offensive ways for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus though they may confidently think they do but their own bellies or carnal interests though perhaps they will not see it in themselves and by good words and fair or flattering speeches deceive the hearts of the simple The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominum minime malorum no bad men or harmless well meaning men who in case it be not to mortal Errours perhaps may be in the main sincere and may be saved when their stubble is burnt But whether sincere or not they are Scandals in the World and great dishonourers of God and serve Satan when they little think so in all that they do contrary to that Vniversal Love by which God must be glorified and sinners overcome VII A publick mind that is set upon doing good as the work of his life and that with sincere and evident self denial doth greatly glorifie God in the World As God maketh his Goodness known to us by doing good so also must his Children do Nothing is more communicative than Goodness and Love nothing will more certainly make it self known when ever there is opportunity That a wordy barren Love which doth not help and succour and do good is no true Christian Love St. James hath told us fully in his detection of a dead and barren faith No man in reason can expect that others should take him for a Good man for something that is known to no one but himself save only that publick converse and communion must be kept up by the charitable belief of Professions till they are disproved The Tree is known by its Fruits and the Fruits best by the taste though the sight may give some lower degree of commendation The Character of Christ's purified peculiar people is that they are zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 The Scandalous Christian may be zealous against others and zealous to hurt them to persecute them to censure them to disparage them and to avoid them but the Genuine Christian is zealous in loving them and doing them all the good he can To do a little good upon the by and from a Full Table to send an Alms to Lazarus at the door yea to give to the Needy as much as the Flesh can spare without any suffering to it self or any abatement of its Grandeur pomp and pleasure in the world will prove you to be men not utterly void of all compassion but it will never prove
faithless confidence a fond credulous presumption arising from a groundless over easie perswasion of the mercy of God towards us this kind of Presumption may be joyn'd vvith some sense and conviction of sin and the dangerous consequence of it but presently salves all vvith the general air and breath of a Promise misconstrued and misapplied The Mistakes are these 1. This is more Fancy than Faith or Hope 'T is a vain imagination that deludes men into a belief and expectation of that vvhich they are in no likelihood of in no capacity for they promise themselves vvhat God hath never promised cry peace peace vvhen God hath not spoken peace 2. Such an one doth not rightly distinguish between the vvorkings of natural affection towards any good propounded and the rational actings of Hope for the obtaining of it in a probable or certain vvay in the use of due and proper means Heaven glory and eternal Life are good vvords and better things at the first mention of them vve naturally desire them and vvish for them but shall vve be carried away vvith a meer sound of vvords must vve needs have all vve hear of vve shall quickly bring our selves into a fools Paradise this vvay dreaming vve eat and yet awake an hungry there is more ado than so to inherit the Promises vve must prove our title first the Promises give us an interest in Heaven but 't is Christ that gives us an interest in the Promises he opens the mouth of a Promise to speak comfort to us in him they are all Yea and Amen but out of him they all cry no no vve have nothing for you vvho are out of Christ they vvill deny all the vvorld that come not in his Name and never let out any thing of their treasure to such no vvringing out of one drop of solid comfort The bare History or outward Relation of the Mercy of God in the letter of the Word gives us no interest in the things promised the carnal Jews as Paul observes had the Promises and boasted of them but got little by them Christ is the door of every Promise let us not think to make a forceable entry to climb up at the vvindows like Theives to steal out mercy as if vve cared not how vve came by it you vvill find vvhat is so gotten vvill thrive accordingly and quickly come to nothing What I drive at is this 't is not the report of the vvorth or amiableness of a thing but an apprehension of the possibility of it as to us that causes hope till vve are clear in this our hope cannot act rationally if it have no other ground besides our own desires and natural inclinations raised and kindled in us by the specious appearance and ravishing beauty of some taking objects this argues rather vvhat vve vvould have than any likelyhood of obtaining of our vvishes vvhich is of the very essence of hope earnest desires are very apt to run out into a forward presuming hope vve know not vvell vvhy or vvherefore Quae volumus facile credimus 3. Another mistake in this fond credulous presumption is that it takes up promises in its own sense and not in the true sense and meaning of God So the Jews John 8.33 cryed they were Abrahams seed c. and the Promise run in these very words to Abraham and his seed therefore who but they must be included in it but it was the Spiritual seed that God meant not that after the flesh they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6 No sayes Christ you are the Children of the Devil of your Father the Devil John 8.44 and they took up stones and threw at him ver 59. being not able to bear any contradiction to their false hopes So when we read those Promises of salvation to those that come to Christ believe in him call upon his Name we must not understand them as if a bare form of Godliness and crying Lord have mercy upon us would bring us to heaven No My brethren the Mystery of Religion lies deeper than so 't is the labour of the heart that requires the greatest diligence intention and seriousness imaginable strong workings within great agonies and contentions of Spirit in our dealings with God in any duty The life of our Worship does consist in these inward spiritual motions of the Soul towards God This is that coming that believing that praying to which Salvation is promised The grace of Hope enquires after the Secrets of the Covenant the real intent and mind of God in every Promise prayes for a right understanding of all particulars Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law Psal 119.18 Besides the true meaning of a Promise a Child of God is very solicitous to know whether God do indeed mean him and speak to him and offer those pearls to him whether he be a person rightly qualified and under all those due circumstances that belong to persons entertaining such an hope 't is a great comfort and satisfaction to a Believer when God does own his hope and encourage him in it by some sensible demonstrations of his undoubted interest in such and such Promises he hears God saying to him take eat this is thy portion purchased by Christ for thee thou art my Child and this is childrens bread it belongeth to thee While we are musing and praying over a promise God does sometimes feed us out of that promise himself and with his own hand puts many a sweet morsel into our mouths O this is overcoming kindness this is a double a treble welcome to have such fare and the Master of the Feast standing by and looking on and carving to us himself and crying out as it is Cant. 5.1 Eat O my friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved When we have shut our Bibles and have done with a promise and are setting down the Cup of Salvation out of our hands God many times makes us to mend our draught and go deeper than ever we did drink yea drink abundantly O beloved But presumption is a bold guest thrusts in uninvited catches at this and that in a rude manner The word Presumption notes a taking before-hand before 't is offer'd before 't is due before he is called he runs away with a promise puts his own sense upon it and deludes himself with vain hopes from it and when the King comes to review his Guests shall be cast out into outer darkness Mat. 22.11 12 13. 4. Another errour or mistake in presumption is that it picks and chuses out some Promises and rejects others the priviledges of the Saints it catcheth at freedom from condemnation eternal life and glory but the Promises of Grace Sanctification and Holiness it minds not it hopes to see God without Holiness and to go to Heaven as well as the best it is more for the wages than for the work But the grace of Hope fastens upon every Promise gathers honey out of every flower
the fruit of it which was great joy v. 3. And then 6. here is their perseverance and how that is effected they were kept by the power of God to Salvation v. 5. No doubt but holiness is loseable the Angels lost theirs and we lost ours and the Saints at this day would quickly lose theirs totally and finally if they were left to a stock of grace received to trade for another world to grace received there must be grace supplyed the grounds of perseverance are without us viz. the promise of the Father the purchase and intercession of the Lord Jesus the power and supply of the blessed Spirit a Doctrine full of comfort but for certain as full of grace and humility too indeed if the comfort were not sanctifying it were not found So that here we may see the Doctrine of the glorious Trinity and every person in his work according to the most wise and divine Oeconomy and propriety in working towards fallen men quite dead in sin and dead in law and that irrecoverably as to themselves or any created power in heaven on their behalf here is I say the Father electing to life and glory here is Jesus Christ dying and rising here is the blessed Spirit sanctifying here the three Graces Faith Hope and Love inseparably accompanyed with obedience cherished with joy and comforts and crowned with perseverance by the power of God all arising from the Soveraignty of God's will and his rich abundant mercy to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace that they that glory should glory in the Lord. Pelagius was the first that set up nature for which the Church of God abhorred him saith Austin and the Fathers call it virus illud Pelagianum the most learned Vsher called it detestandam illam haeresin that pestered the Church of Christ olim bodie saith that holy man in his Hist Pel. But to proceed these strangers notwithstanding their holiness were undeâ— manifold temptations v. 6 7. persecutions in a tumultuary way were raised against them by the unbelieving Jews who were egged thereto by the Priests Priests who did stir up the people against them there was no Imperial Edict at this time against the Christians Nero was the first he was dedicator damnationis nostrae I need not quote Tertullian every Lad of the upper form may know this out of Suetonius and Tacitus God kept the Gospel in the first publishing of it free from any disturbance by the civil powers about 34 years that Claudius banished John into Patmos and that then he had the revelation is a mere figment of the learned Grotius and his Annotations built upon it have neither sap nor sense Under these persecutions their Faith did not only continue but shine and their love was evident and their comforts were so far from abating that they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious But you will say what is this to the question I answer here are two directions how a Christian may get that Faith whereby he may live comfortably as well as die safely 1. Be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 ascribe all thy gifts and graces thy profiting under afflictions ordinances thy peace and comfort wholly to the grace of God by Jesus Christ through the Spirit of holiness If there be any way in the world to get special Faith and to live comfortably it is this to live humbly the evangelically humble soul is the serene chearful soul heart-pride doth not only deprive believers of comfort but brings vexations disappointments and disgusts which are a torment to pride where ever it is 't is a sin that is very incident very pleasing to us very displeasing to God and very disquieting 't is an easie thing to preach and hear and discourse humility but believe it it is not so easie to live it a man's soul is never so fit to receive the shines of Gods love as when he is nothing in himself be sure to crush the sprawlings and motions of this cursed pride see God in all bless him for all see the Lord Jesus the purchaser of all and the blessed Spirit the Sanctifier of all study this well and live that Text in Rom. 11. last God is Principium efficiens finis of him through him and for him are all things give him the glory reduce this to practice this is every day practicable and were it practised would make every day comfortable envyings and provokings arise from vain-glory Gal. 5. last Inde nata sunt schismata quippe Hierome cum dicunt homines nos justificamus impius nos sanctificamus immundos we would be some-bodies away with these thoughts let God have the glory and thou wilt have the comfort in this way God will give Faith special and that is the Faith that brings comfort 2. The way to comfort is to do as these believers in my Text did they did choose rather to forego their earthly comforts than their consciences made choice of affliction rather than iniquity esteemed the reproaches of Christ rather than their safety prisons are not so terrible as they are imagined the best men have rejoyced in the honour of suffering they suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Col. 1.11 Scripture-History primitive and modern abound with instances of all Sexes Ages Conditions in this particular The noble Galeacius had that joy in Christ at Geneva beyond all the Marquisates in Italy or the whole world In suffering comes assurance and that is comfort You will say we are not called to suffering and I say the God of peace give us truth and peace always but then if you would live comfortably live in religious honesty chuse poverty before knavery an honest meanness before secretly sinning gains Conscience is the best friend next to Jesus Christ Our rejoycing is this not that we are Preachers so was Demas nor an Apostle so was Judas but the testimony of our conscience that not in fleshly wisdom but in godly sincerity through the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Light i. e. comfort is sown for the righteous and joyful gladness for the upright Psal 97.11 Now I come to my Text. The words contain the essence of Christianity or godliness The constituent parts of it are Faith and Love the necessary consequences are obedience evangelical and joy unspeakable Faith in Jesus is the great command of the Gospel Joh. 1.5 last 'T is the work of God Joh. 6.29 this is that work Love is the great command of the Law Matth. 22.36 Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy soul Faith acts upon Jesus and sets Love on work Love desires after him and delights in him and sets obedience on work divine comfort flows in proportionably In this is the formal nature of Christianity and what ever is not this in truth is but nature The revelation left in nature tells us that there is a God that he is
heart Psal 4.5 Out of these premisses we conclude that Christianity is a glorious thing which is the second particular 2. Particular or vindication which I call a Vindication of the Truth Religion is not a little formality in duties joyned with some morality in life but it consists in the new creature or Faith working by love Gal. 5.6 6.16 It consists in the exercise of Repentance self-loathing hatred of Sin as such for these are necessarily implied Faith actual in Jesus love to him obedience before him communion with God by him peace and comfort from him and well grounded hope of eternal life through him the smell of his garments Psal 45.8 the savour of his oyntment Cant. 1.3 the taste of his preciousness makes a Believer think he can never do enough for Jesus If his Holiness were as an Angel and his days as the days of Heaven yet all were too short too little for such a Saviour the love of Christ constrains him He is a debtor to the Spirit to live after the Spirit and what ever is not this in truth there is a difference in degrees is as you heard before but nature raised and varnished and modified with distinctions still it is but nature Wash and dress a Swine as you please 't is a Swine still The Fathers when the breaking out of Pelagianism made them more studious in the point of grace and more wary in their expressions have left us their judgment in this case you bring in a kind of doctrine saith Austin to the Pelagians that men do righteousness and please God without Faith in Christ by the Law of nature this is that for which the Church doth most of all detest you Hoc est undè vos maximè Christiana detestatur Ecclesia Lib. 4. Cap. 3. contr Again saith he far be it from us to think that true vertue should be in any man unless he were righteous and far be it from us to think that any man should be truly righteous unless he did live by Faith for the just shall live by Faith absit autem sit justus vere nisi vivat ex fide and again who would say that a man Diabolo mancipatus a slave to the Devil were a righteous man though he were Fabricius or Scipio To cloath the naked saith he is not sin as the fact is considered in it self but of such a work to glory and not in the Lord none but a wicked man but will grant this to be sin thus far Austin with more to the same purpose in the same place and upon this account he did correct some expressions Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Retract The whole Chapter is seasonable the sum this Austin had called the Muses Goddesses had highly advanced the liberal sciences now corrects it upon this reason viz. that many Godly men knew them not and many that did know them were ungodly the same he doth about Pythagoras his books in which saith he are Plures many errors iidemque capitales Especially this he recants that he formerly said the Philosophers who were not pious were yet shining in vertue no Faith in Christ no vertue 't is spectrum 't is but simulacrum but imago virtutis it is not vertue painted fire is not fire Hierom to the same purpose in Cap. 3. Galat. Paul saith he blameless did not live he was dead while blameless Paul the Christian was indeed alive Men speak of temperance and justice without Faith that cannot be none live without Christ sine quo omnis virtus est in vitio without Christ all vertue is accounted vice thus he 'T is most evident there dwelleth no vertue in the minds of ungodly men their wisdom is not heavenly but earthly not from the Father of lights but from the prince of darkness ac sic vitium quod putatur virtus and so that is a vice which is accounted vertue Non Deo serviunt sed diabolo they serve the devil not God Prosp Con. Coll. Cap. 28. tota vita infidelium est peccatum the whole life of unbelievers is sin idem sent 106. to the same purpose saith Fulgentius with others The Scripture is full and clear an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit The carnal mind cannot please God Rom. 8.7 1 Cor. 1.2.3 the Apostle doth raise his discourse to the highest strain Though I speak with the tongue of Angels which no man doth if I had all knowledge which no man hath if I could move mountains which no man can if I give all my goods to feed the poor the highest beneficence and my body to be burnt the greatest suffering yet if I have not love I am nothing he doth not say these things are nothing he doth not say knowledge is nothing or giving to the poor is nothing but I am nothing I have no profit I am a hollow tub an empty vessel I make a noise amongst men while I live and go to hell when I die And according to Scripture and Fathers the doctrine of our Church hath determinated in her thirteenth Article thus Works done before the grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not from Faith in Jesus Christ yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin and this is the judgment of the reformed Churches also Sirs be sure you get and exercise this Faith unfeigned in Jesus Christ and love sincere to him A fair deportment with great gifts and splendid performances without Christ is but a more gentile way to perdition everlasting 3. Resolution of the case I come now to the resolution of the practical case How a Christian may get that Faith by which he may live comfortably as well as die safely Where this I think fit to premise first he must not only get such a Faith but he must keep it in exercise for without this there is no living comfortably then this also I premise that to get and keep comfort or that a Christian may have comfort two things are necessary viz. proportion and propriety ex parte objecti it must be a good proportionable and then ex parte subjecti it must be mine it must be commensurate and adaequate to the soul and it must be the souls own tolle meum and tolle gaudium The comfort and sweetness of the Gospel lyes in pronouns as the common saying is as for instance suppose the conquests of Alexander and triumphs of Pompey nay all the world were thine there is propriety 't is thine but herein would be no comfort at all to thee because here is no proportion no sutableness to an immaterial vast and immortal soul on the other side Christ is proposed to thee and in him there is proportion for in him dwelleth all fulness he is an infinite spiritual and eternal good but what comfort is this without propriety unless he be thine
Divine meditation Faith is enlarged and grows up by converse with divine objects meditate upon these things 1. Christ's Deity Be well stored with Scriptural knowledg of this great truth set thy heart to it and let it be fixed in the midst of thy heart assure your selves that the eternal Godhead of Jesus is the most practical point in Heaven and will be so while Heaven is Heaven 2. Be intimately acquainted with Christ's righteousness that it is the only righteousness that can present us holy unreprovable unblameable in God's sight that it was his business in the world to bring in this everlasting righteousness that it is done and finished that he hath nothing to do with this righteousness now in Heaven but to cloath us with to present us in before God 3. Meditate on God's righteousness that it is not only his will but his nature to punish sin sin must damn thee without Christ there is not only a possibility or probability that sin may ruine but without an interest in Christ it must do so whet much upon thy heart that must God cannot but hate sin because he is holy and he cannot but punish sin because he is righteous God must not forego his own nature to gratifie our humors 8. Direct Be well skilled and settled as it becomes a Christian in the great article of justification before God thy Faith and duties and comforts depend might and main upon this Know that no servant of God be he Abraham Moses or Paul if God enter into judgment with him can stand justified in his sight God will not justifie us without a righteousness and that righteousness must be unblamable and therefore in all numbers perfect God will not call that perfect which is not so for his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2.2 where shall we find this perfect righteousness but in Christ who is Jehovah our righteousness Jer. 23.6 and made of God to us righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 how shall this become ours but by imputation Rom. 4.6 how shall we receive this gift of righteousness but by Faith Rom. 5.17 be well skilled in the good old way go in the foot steps of the flock and feed besides the shepherds tents Believe it Sirs there is no way but Christ unto the Father his blood is that new and living way Heb. 10.19 there is no standing in God's presence but in him no acceptance but by him no comfort but from him Be wise and wary there are many adversaries Only give me leave to say this I think that the Socinians had never set up man's obedience for his righteousness if they had not with wicked hands quantum in illis first pulled down Chist's Deity and as they are abhorred for this blasphemy of blasphemies so I cannot abide them for dawbing over man's obedience in this affair so deceitfully and deceivingly viz. in saying it is not only causa sine quâ non in our justification as if the material cause or the matter which God imputes for righteousness were only a poor causa sine quâ non but no more now of this jugling 9. Direct If you would preserve a right understanding of the nature of Faith take heed of advancing it into Christ's place as if God should impute the act of Faith for righteousness or that God should impute Faith and obedience as the condition or matter of our righteousness and not Christ's obedience for both cannot be imputed if God imputed Christ's obedience then not ours if ours then not Christ's The nature of Faith consists in coming to Christ for righteousness and pardon only the man hurt with the fiery sting looks to the brazen Serpent for cure Fides que that Faith which is justifying takes in Christ as Lord with all the heart but qua justificat in the business of justifitation qua sic it looks only to Christ as crucified This plain old distinction will stand If the nature of Faith did consist in Christianity I say if this were true I believe all believers could be contented to have it so for any harm they should have by it for they willingly devote themselves to the obedience of God only they cannot make this Faith or Christianity to be the condition or matter of justification for this were to fall from grace to make of none effect the death of Christ and to drive Christianity and comfort out of the world 10. Direct Get and keep this Faith specially by a constant and conscionable living in duty and living above it Say to the commandements you are my rule and love and joy to Christ thou art my life Col. 3.4 'T is the height of Christianity to live in duties and to live above them 'T is quickly said 't is an easie matter to distinguish in the Schools or pulpit but to distinguish in the conscience practically to distinguish is not so easie qui novit distinguere inter legem evangelium sciat se esse edoctum à Deo Had I all the holiness of the Saints from the beginning to this day I would bless God for the least and prize it above all treasures yet I would lay all aside and be found in Christ In the midst of thy duties ask thy soul the question soul what is thy title thy plea If I were to dye this day what have I to plead in what shall I stand before God what have I to plead why I should not perish in hell ask thy self what is thy righteousness ask it solemnly frequently is it not Christ and he only this would much conduce to confirm thy Faith such a Faith that would bring in comfort The thoughts of this so affected Dr. Mollius that he seldom names Jesus with dry eyes 11. Direct Be much in secret prayer ejaculations this will breed acquaintance and that comfort the non exercise of this breeds a strangeness between God and the soul and that 's uncomfortable This and meditation who can hinder The soul is active breathings and thoughts are quick it is soon done it will never hinder your business and in this way the blessed spirit causeth us to know and believe the love that God hath to us 1 Joh. 4.16 and refresheth the soul with joy and comfort in believing Do not only pray for the comforts and supplies of the holy spirit but pray to him to this purpose Blessed spirit convince me of my sins more and convince me more and more of Jesus Christ Holy Spirit take of Christ's and shew it unto me and the like To pass by the prophane scoffs of many and the gross ignorance of more I take it to be a very great neglect in believers that they do not glorifie the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of Faith and comfort Remember this qui unum honorat omnes he that honoureth one person aright honoureth every one and he that doth not honour every person honoureth none qui non omnes nec unam 12. Direct If you would get and keep this
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes There will be no grief where God's presence is in his presence there being fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor â—â—â—ing neither any more pain the full sight of God will cure of all pain and sorrow and fill with delight and joy as Herbert in his Poem called The Glance If thy first glance so powerful be A mirth but opened and seal'd up again What wonders shall we feel when we shall see Thy full eyed love When thou shalt look us out of pain And one aspect of thine spend in delight More than ten thousand Suns disperse in light In Heaven above 3. Pardoned persons shall in Heaven attain a blessed and glorious state a state of peace and tranquillity a state of wealth and plenty a state of honour and dignity a state of holiness and purity a state of perfect happiness and glory in Soul and Body 1. In Heaven pardoned persons shall attain a state of peace of perfect peace and tranquillity they shall have perfect peace without them and they shall have perfect peace within them here they have Wars about them and rumours of Wars and when they don't hear of Wars except it be afar off they have jarrs near at hand and that every day they see Men and Women fighting wounding and murdering one another with the Sword of the Tongue and many are the thrusts vvhich they themselves have received on every side and howsoever desirous they are of peace and follow after it yet they cannot attain it but are forced to complain vvith David Psal 120.6 7. My Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for War But in Heaven they shall be hid for ever from the vvounds and scourge of the Tongue Heaven is a Kingdom vvherein dwels righteousness and vvherein dwels peace In Heaven they shall be freed from all strife and contention from all bitterness clamour and evil speaking no unpeaceable Spirit shall be admitted into the new Jerusalem and never shall any the least quarrel arise between the Inhabitants of that place And as they shall have perfect peace without them so they shall have perfect peace within them Here they are often wounding themselves and that more deeply and sorely than any Man can do I mean they too often wound their consciences by their sins and if peace be attained by them through faith in Christ's blood this peace is often interrupted and broken by them through their renewed provocations and at the best their peace it is but imperfect in this life But in Heaven they shall have perfect peace within such a calm and serenity such a quiet and tranquillity of Spirit as shall never have the least disturbance any more In the upper region of the Air there are no storms or tempests all that be are in the middle or lower region and when they are exalted unto the highest Heavens that region which is beyond the Stars they shall be removed beyond all those storms of consciences within and all those tempests of troubles without which are common and ordinary in the lower region of this World there they shall have most sweet rest for their Souls for ever in the bosom of God 2. In Heaven pardoned Persons shall attain a state of wealth and plenty however poor some of them are as to this World's riches yet they shall be Rich yea they are Rich in Faith the Riches which they have in hand or heart rather are great but the Riches which they have in their eye or hope are far greater their Grace is beyond the worldling's Gold their Peace is beyond the worldling's Jewels the priviledges which they are here invested with are far more excellent than the largest earthly Possessions which any worldlings have or hope to have but the Riches which they shall have are far more transcendent here they have only an earnest Penny in Heaven they shall have large sums here they have the first Fruits in Heaven they shall reap the Harvest here they have the Deeds of Conveyance which give them title in Heaven they shall have possession of the uncorrupted and glorious Inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 They shall have treasures in Heaven which neither Moth nor rust can corrupt nor thieves break through to steal them away Mat. 6.20 In Heaven every want will be supplied every defect removed every desire satisfied in their Father's House there is plenty and bread enough which they shall be enriched and filled with and which they shall live upon to all eternity when Death shall turn others out of their houses rob them of their Estates and bereave them of all that they have in the World Death will befriend them and convey them to the place where their Treasure and Inheritance lyes which they then shall be admitted to the possession of and never be turned out of possession 3. In Heaven pardoned Persons shall attain a state of honour and dignity here some of them yea all of them are slighted and disesteemed vilified and accounted as the filth and offscouring of the World and yet they are really and in God's esteem the most honourable they are the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty as hath been said but they shall be advanced far higher than they are not to a high Seat upon earth but a high Seat above the earth yea above the Stars and visible Heavens they shall sit with Christ on his Throne Rev. 3.21 They shall have a Crown not an Earthly Crown but an Heavenly not a Crown of Gold but a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 They shall have a Kingdom in comparison of vvhich all the Kingdoms of the World are not vvorthy to be named it is the Kingdom that is promised to them Mat. 5.3 At the day of Christ's second appearance they shall be honoured vvhen they are sent for by the Angels and caught up in the Clouds to meet their Lord in the Air then he vvill own and Crown them and take them to live and reign vvith them for ever in Heaven 4. In Heaven pardoned Persons shall attain a state of Holiness and purity here they are renewed but in part and their Holiness is imperfect they find corruption remaining and feel it daily vvorking in them vvhich is the greatest grief and trouble to them in the World but in Heaven they shall be made perfect in Holiness they shall have not only perfect Peace but also perfect purity the being of sin shall be removed and all the spots and stains of it shall be vvashed away in Heaven as they shall sigh no more so they shall sin no more as they shall grieve no more so they shall offend no more nothing in Heaven shall offend them and in Heaven they shall no more offend God nothing in Heaven shall break their Peace and they shall no more break God's Laws in Heaven
or other make them ashamed and so will the hopes of the Hypocrite too but the hopes of pardoned persons which they have of future blessedness have an excellency in them beyond the hopes of all others and they shall never be ashamed of them The happiness they hope for they shall certainly have none can deprive them of it men cannot deprive them they may take away their earthly Inheritance but they cannot touch their Heavenly Inheritance Devils cannot deprive them they may attempt it but they cannot effect it Death cannot deprive them death will bereave of whatever riches of the world any of them have but it will put them into the possession of their Treasures in Heaven none can deprive them but God and God will not do it as hath been already proved and therefore their hopes are of a certain thing which they shall not fail of and withal they know that the happiness of Heaven will exceed all their expectations even the highest which ever they have had of satisfaction and contentment there that they shall find more sweetness and joy there than ever hath entred into their hearts to conceive and therefore their hopes shall not make them ashamed yea in their very hopes of Heaven especially at some times they find more real satisfaction than ever was found by any in the fullest and sweetest enjoyment which they have had of the good things of this life 3. Pardoned persons have the beginnings of future blessedness here in this life in the Work of Grace and sometimes foretasts and first fruits of it through the witness seal and earnest of the Spirit and this renders them blessed in this life 1. They have the beginnings of Heaven in the work of Grace upon their hearts Grace is the beginning of Glory Grace is Glory in the bud Glory is Grace in the flower and when the work of Grace is carried on the Scripture saith that they proceed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord They are happy here as they have some degrees of that Holiness and likeness unto God in the perfection of which hereafter in Heaven their perfect happiness doth consist 2. They have the beginnings of Heaven in the first fruits and foretasts of it through the witness seal and earnest of the Spirit God sometimes gives them first fruits of the Heavenly Canaan he sends in a few bunches of those sweet Grapes that are there and lets them have some foretasts of those Soul-ravishing Heavenly joys which hereafter will be full and for ever abiding he sometimes takes them up into the Mount and gives them a Pisgah-sight of the Land of promise through the prospective-Glass of his Ordinances he brings some even to the Gate of the New Jerusalem in their Heavenly Contemplations and le ts out such beams of that Glorious Heavenly light and drops into their hearts such taste of future joys through the sudden elapses of the Spirit of Glory upon them that they are rapt up into an extasie and such a sweetness they feel in their Spirits as is ineffable such as words cannot utter nor the minds of any conceive but those that have had the like when God giveth them the witness of his Spirit that they shall assuredly attain eternal life and sealeth them up by his Spirit to the day of Redemption he doth commonly give the earnest also of the Spirit in some Soul-ravishing joys in comparison of which the softest pleasures of the flesh and the sweetest delights that can arise from any objects of sense are most vain thin empty and not worthy to be named with them And thus the Eternal blessedness which pardoned persons shall have doth render them blessed here in this life beyond all others whatever confluence of good things they be surrounded withal The fore-sight first fruits hopes and sweet fore-tastes of this future blessedness do sweeten their life but especially they do sweeten their death they knowing that death will be their friend and prove an out-let to all earthly misery and an in-let to their heavenly glory that death will open the prison doors of this world unto them and usher them into the palace of the great King they know their death will be like a Ship to convey them over Sea as it were from the far strange and Enemies Countrey unto the heavenly Countrey where their glorious Jehovah their heavenly Father where the Lord Jesus Christ their elder Brother and dear Saviour and where the departed Saints their chief kinred are together and where their inheritance doth lye and where they shall take up their Eternal abode Where pardoned persons have a clear fore-sight and strong hope of this death is no more to them than a sleep they can as willingly put off their flesh and go into their graves as they can put off their clothes at night to go into their beds they can as willingly compose themselves to die as they can compose themselves to sleep after a weary day Thus much for the proof of the blessedness of forgiveness or of all those persons whose sins are pardoned Quest 2. The second Question wherein I must be more short is How this blessedness of forgiveness may be attained That this blessedness of forgiveness may be attained there are some things must be known and believed and there are some things must be done and practised 1. Some things must be believed I shall instance in one or two chief Doctrines of the Gospel which all sinners must know and believe if they would attain forgiveness of sin The First is The Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction unto God's Justice for the sins of men The Second is The Doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ 1. Sinners must know and believe the Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction unto the Justice of God for the sins of Men. To discourse fully of this great Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction would require a Treatise which might fill a great volume but I must comprize it within a little room who am to speak of it only in the direction of a Sermon Briefly 1. That there is absolute need of satisfaction to God's justice for the sins of men without which forgiveness of sins would be impossible and utterly unattainable is evident both from the nature of God's justice which doth oblige him to punish all sinners Eternally without it and from the truth of God's threatnings wherein he hath revealed that he will thus punish them without it 2. That there is need of the satisfaction of Christ is evident because sinners themselves being finite cannot give that satisfaction unto God which shall bear any proportion to the demands of his infinite justice and if any be in a capacity to give it it must be such a one as is both innocent and so cannot suffer for his own faults and
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ for we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we appear in Glory with him Mortifie therefore your earthly Members Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affections evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry You must not only deny all visible gross ungodliness which even the very Sons of Morality will decline and decay but also all worldly lusts and their secret operations living soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Take heed of slumbring in these secret lusts for ye are children of the light and of the day and therefore take heed that you sleep not as others do but watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that are drunk are drunk in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the hope of salvation watching and praying always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape those things which shall befall the foolish Virgins and that ye may stand before the Son of man who is coming with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and therefore be sober and watch unto Prayer seeing the end of all things is at hand and look well to your Lamps which are your Watch-lights that they burn brightly in this World's Midnight and pray particularly for daily supplies of Oil and sincerity in all your Actions and Duties both to God and man never omitting to beg for Death-bed-Grace that so you may live and die to the honour of your Bridegroom And as for this present World use it as if you used it not and have no more to do with it than bare need requireth And set your Hearts and Houses and all your civil secular Affairs in order having your conversations in Heaven whence you look for Christ the Saviour And thus walking with God in the exercise of these gifts of Grace when we come to dye we shall change our places only but not our company And let none of you behold Death at a distance nor have it seldom in your thoughts but daily in your eye that you may not fear it when it cometh A Lion is not terrible to his Keeper that seeth him every day You must frequently converse with God Christ Death and Judgment For when Christ speaketh of his coming to Judgment he so expresseth it as if he were to come in their time to whom he spake it Matth. 24 42. Mark 13.33.35 36 37. Luke 21.34 35 36. And so indeed he did for he comes to every man at the hour of his Dissolution And we are his Agents or Factors in a foreign Land and how soon he may remind us home and call us to an Account we know not Say not therefore My Lord delayeth his coming lest we are thereby rocked into a midnight sleep and scared with a midnight-cry of Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him I shall not detain you much longer You have heard what those Graces are which are chiefly to be exercised in order to an actual preparation for the coming of Christ by Death and Judgment I now commend them to your daily exercise and for your encouragement therein shall leave a few Considerations with you and conclude First That the Door of eternal Rest and Glory shall stand open for you at Christ's coming to you by Death Why 1. Because you are ready and they that are ready go in with the Bridegroom God hath made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light Col. 1.12 and hath wrought you for the self same thing 2 Cor. 5.5 You are a Vessel of Mercy prepared for Glory Rom. 9.23 2. You admitted Christ into the door of your hearts when there he stood and knocked Rev. 3.20 3. You had your conversation in Heaven whilst you lived here on earth It was your Father's house where you used daily to converse the doors whereof shall open to you at your Death Secondly Consider the place into which you shall be admitted for the wise Virgins shall enter into the King's Palace Psal 45.14 15. into Paradise the third Heavens your Father's House a City that hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 A magnificent Structure surely that hath such a Builder and Maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath built the City most artificially and curiously and for publick shew as the original words do import Such a City it is yea a Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25 34. The first hansel of God's workmanship Gen. 1.1 This is the place whither you shall enter Thirdly You shall enter thither with the Bridegroom even our Lord Jesus Christ and this is heaven enough viz. to be where Christ is Luke 23.42 43. John 14.3 17.24 Phil. 1.23 1 Thess 4.17 Heaven is described by being with Christ And when Christ shall descend from heaven with a shout to judge the world if all the Saints suppose should not descend with him but any of them be left behind what an alteration would they find in heaven whereas all of them going with Christ it is all one as if they were still in heaven with him You know Paul was caught up into the third heavens and yet when he comes to describe heaven and the Saints everlasting happiness there he calls it being for ever with Christ for this is a comprehensive expression How so 1. If the Saints shall be with Christ then shall they be exempt from all troubles and trials these fall off from them like Elijah's Mantle when he went to heaven There is now a glorious door of partition between these and them they are all excluded viz. Sin Sorrow Afflictions Reproaches Necessities Persecutions Poverty Sickness Pain Death Curse wicked men and Devils you shall never be troubled with these any more 2. If they enter in with Christ they shall enjoy the Father in him John 20.17 and be filled with the Holy Ghost from them both and thereby with unspeakable consolations and the fulness of God and they shall live for ever in the immediate contemplation and vision and fruition of one God in three persons and be replenished to the brim with eternal love from them and to them 3. You shall enjoy the fellowship of an innumerable company of Angels and shall then know who they are and love them entirely and be as intimately beloved of them though now in your present state you cannot bear the presence of one of them 4. You shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and enjoy communion with the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 All this followeth from your entrance into Heaven with Christ Fourthly Consider that you shall enter into Heaven with Christ the Bridegroom and therefore to be married to him And hence again it will follow 1. That there will be the nearest relation possible between Christ and you for you shall be one conjugally for ever with him You are one with him mystically and matrimonially who is one with the Father essentially 2. You shall be invested with unutterable Glory seeing it is a Marriage-time wherein the Bridegroom and Bride shall shine in the richest Attire and Embroidery that is in all the Wardrobe of Heaven Christ and the Saints shall wear the very same Glory John 17.22 3. There shall be unconceivable Love Joy Delight and Complacency between the Bridegrom and the Bride and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall the Lord Jesus rejoyce over his Spouse O there will be a most glorious delightful loving sweet familiarity and conjugal rejoycing between Christ Jesus and the Saints Marriage-joy upon earth is usually great what then will that be in heaven when shall be fulfilled thâ—â— which Christ spake at his last Supper I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine until the day that I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom Mat. 26.29 Where by fruit of the Vine we understand Wine which maketh glad the heart of man Psal 104 15. and causeth it to rejoyce and shadoweth out the Love of Christ and Joys of Heaven to us Cant. 1.2 4. And by New we understand other Mark 16.17 with Acts 2.4 in the Original So that in this Marriage there shall be new i. e. other yea othergess wine viz. Love Joy and Rejoycing than there is in the Lord's Supper For Christ who kept the best wine to the last at the Marriage in Cana in Galilee will surely do so at his own Marriage at the last day 4. This Marriage is not on Earth but in Heaven and therefore it shall never dissolve as Marriages on Earth do but continue unto Eternity O how will the Holy Angels rejoice and sing at this Marriage For they that sang at the Birth of Christ when he lay in the Manger will sing to the purpose at his Marriage when he sitteth upon his Throne in the highest Glory Now the consideration of these things is greatly inducing to be very studious in actual preparations for the coming of Christ Be ye therefore much in the exercise of Faith Hope Love Repentance Goodness Mercy and works of Bounty Diligence and Faithfulness in your Callings Sobriety Watchfulness and Prayer that so at last you may have an entrance ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And now Brethren Abide in him that when he shall appear you may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming but lift up your heads with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Hear wisdom therefore and receive instruction that you may be wise in the latter end And God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ make you to encrease in all these Preparatory Graces to the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in Holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints And now Grace be with all them that love him in sincerity Amen FINIS
night and then with her spirit seeks him early Desires blown by meditation are the sparks that set prayer in a light flame The work of preparation may be cast under five heads when we apply to solemn and set prayer 1. The consideration of some attributes in God that are proper to the intended petitions 2. A digestion of some peculiar and special promises that concern the affair 3. Meditation on suitable arguments 4. Ejaculations for assistance 5. An engagement of the heart to a holy frame of reverence and keeping to the point in hand Cypr. de Orat. p. 106. 6. edit Nec quicquam tunc animus quam solum cogitet quod precatur was serious advice from Cyprian let the soul think upon nothing but what it is to pray for and adds that therefore the ministers of old prepared the minds of the people with sursum corda let your hearts be above For how can we expect to be heard of God when we do not hear our selves when the heart does not watch while the tongue utters The tongue must be like the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 to set down the good matter which the heart indites take heed of ramblings to preach or tell pious stories while praying to the great and holy God is a branch of irreverence and a careless frame of spirit Heb. 12.28 2. Humble confession of such sins as concern and refer principally to the work in hand Our filthy garments must be taken away when we appear before the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Look upon my afflictions Zech. 3.4 Psal 25.18 Psal 39.8.12 Psal 103.3 cries David and forgive all my sins There are certain sins that often relate to afflictions First deliver me from my transgressions then hear my prayer O Lord for this is the heavenly method he first forgiveth all our iniquities and then healeth all our diseases A forgiven soul is a healed soul while a man is sick at heart with the qualms of sin unpardoned it keeps the soul under deliquiums and swooning fits that it cannot cry strongly unto God and therefore in holy groans must discharge himself of particular sins and pour out his soul before God Thus did David in that great penitential Psalm Psal 51.4 Isa 59.2 Ezra 9.6 For sin like a thick cloud hides the face of God that our prayers cannot enter We must blush with Ezra and our faces look red with the flushings of conscience if we expect any smiles of mercy Our crimson sins must dye our confessions and the blood of our sacrifices must sprinkle the horns of the golden altar before we receive an answer of peace from the golden mercy seat When our persons are pardoned our suits are accepted and our petitions crowned with the Olive-branch of peace 3. An arguing and pleading Spirit in prayer This is properly wrestling with God humble yet earnest expostulations about his mind towards us Psal 74.1 Isa 64.9 Why hast thou cast us off for ever why doth thine anger smoke Be not wroth very sore O Lord remember not iniquity for ever see we beseech thee we are thy people If so why is it thus as frighted Rebekah flies out into prayer An arguing frame in prayer cures and appease◠(f) Psal 34.4 Gen. 25.22 Psal 27.4 Psal 22.1 21. Psal 80 4. Jer. 14 8 9. the frights of spirit and then inquires of God The Temple of prayer is call'd the souls inquiring place Why is God so far from the voice of my roaring Thou hast heard me from the horns of the Vnicorns Art thou angry with the prayers of thy people and how long turn us again and cause thy face to shine upon us O hope of Israel why like a wayfaring man like a man astonied O Lord thou art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not I must refer to Abraham Jacob and Moses Joshuah David and Daniel how they urged arguments with God Sometimes from (a) Ps 5 7. 6 4 31 16. the multitudes of God's mercies from (b) Psal 4.1 6.9 22.4 21. 31. 2 3 7. 140.7 the experience of former answers from the Name of God from (c) Psal 9.10 16.1 their trust and reliance upon him (d) Psal 17.1 from the equity of God (e) Psal 31.17 34.1 from the shame and confusion of face that God will put his people to if not answered and that others will be driven away from God and lastly from (f) Psal 20.5 35 18. the promise of peace These and many like pleadings we find in Scripture for patterns in prayer which being suggested by the spirit kindled from the altar and perfumed with Christ's incense rise up like memorial pillars before the oracle Let 's observe one or two particular prayers what instant arguments holy men have used and pressed in their perplexities 2 Chron. 20.10 c. Jehoshaphat what a working prayer did he make taking pleas from God's Covenant dominion and powerful strength from his gift of the Land of Canaan and driving out the old inhabitants ancient mercies from his Sanctuary and his promise to Solomon from the ingratitude and ill requital of the enemies with an appeal to God's equity in the case and a humble confession of their own impotency and yet that in their anxiety their eyes are sixt upon God You know how gloriously it prevailed when he had set ambushments round about the Court of Heaven v. 8. and the Lord turn'd his arguments into ambushments against the children of Edom c. Yea this is set as an instance (g) Joel 3.2 how God will deal against the Enemies of his Church in the latter days Another is that admirable prayer of the Angel of the Covenant to God for the restauration of Jerusalem Zech. 1.12 wherein he pleads from the length of time and the duration of his indignation for threescore and ten years from promised mercies and the expiration of Prophesies and behold an answer of good and comfortable words from the Lord and pray observe that when arguments in prayer are very cogent upon a sanctified heart such being drawn from the divine attributes from precious promises and sweet experiments of God's former love it 's a rare sign of a prevailing prayer 'T was an ingenious passage of Chrysostom concerning the woman of Canaan Chrys in Mat. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor distressed creature was turned an acute Philosopher with Christ and disputed the mercy from him O 't is a blessed thing to attain to this heavenly Philosophy of prayer to argue blessings out of the hand of God Here 's a spacious field I have given but a small prospect where the soul like Jacob does in arenam descendere enter the lists with omnipotency and by holy force obtain the blessing 4. Ardent affections in prayer betokening a heart deeply sensible are greatly prevalent Exod. 14 15. A crying prayer pierces the