Excommunicaâ—…ion hee awed them Againe he wrought by subtilty joyning with one Prince against another setting one against another And if hee joyned with any party he had such a slight that hee would be sure to make him a slave to the Papacie one way or other or else hee would excommunicate him and then before they should bee absolved they must either pay a great summe of money or else they must goe such a voyage or set such men or such on such an Enterprise And then againe hee gave dispensations to sell soules and so men might doe what they would they should have Pardon otherwise they should have Excommunication And then againe hee had preferments for the Sonnes of the Hornes Cardinals places for their second Sons that they should be great Princes he had high places for them Then againe hee layed his foundation on false grounds He would be universall Bishop and the Church could not erre and al of them must fetch and determine of their matters from him and appeale must be made to none but to him and in certaine cases none could satisfie the Conscience but him So that hee greatly raised his authority by these false and cousening meanes and all that yielded to him were a deluded company of people that were deluded by the false and subtill courses that he tooke And therefore although they gave their Kingdomes to him yet he possessed them by a fraudulent ritle the meanes he used were diabolicall They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast till the word of God should be fulfilled Well wee see here the Iudgement of God upon the Christian world It was not onely a Iudgement upon these Kings as they were Kings but God punished the peoples sinne in the slavery of these Kings to the Beast See here the Iudgement of God upon Kings and Princes for not esteeming as they should doe the glorious Gospel of Christ for they both Princes and people had it but they esteemed it not but delighted in untruths therefore God gave them up to believe lies We are not therefore over-much to pitty our Ancestors though they deserve pitty yet wee excuse them over much this way for certainly God is just in his Iudgement who seeing them delight in lies more then in his truth tooke away his grace and gave them up to this Beast that they should give up their authority both Prince and people to him And because they would not be ruled by Gods will thinking themselves wiser then he He appointed them to be ruled by one that should bee ruled by the Devill For the Devill was in the Pope and who would serve the Devill if hee knew it But because they would not yield unto Christs sweet government therefore he gave them over to a government fit for them even to be governed by the Beast I beseech you take notice of this point when we entertaine not the glorious Gospel of Christ the good word of God that word that declares salvation unto us and which is an Instrument to worke grace in us to fit us for heaven that word that is the seed and the food of our new Birth the Evidence of our Inheritance that good word which is the greatest Iewell under heaven when we doe not value that it is the greatest errour that can be and it is just with God to give us up to this and to that errour if not unto Popery yet unto some one errour that the Devill is in and contrary to the Spirit of God Doe yee thinke if a Master should see his servant take ill courses and would not doe according to his appointment and admonition that he would not leave him to take his owne course and so let him do his owne will that thereby he might see his folly in not being ruled by him So it is just with God when hee sees that wee doe not make much of his Gospel of his soule-saving Gopel that we will not have that alone but Traditions with it and that besides Christ wee must have other Mediators as if Christ were not rich enough It is just with God to give both Prince and people up to the Beast Let us therefore make much of the Gospel what moved God to give up the Easterne Empire those glorious Churches in Saint Iohns time unto the Turke nothing but this they did not value the Gospel What moved God to give up those Western Kings to Romish Antichrist for those two the Turke and Pope are twins they had their beginning at once about 700. yeares after Christ what moved this But only when God had dealt graciously with them at the first and gave them his truth to save their soules which is the most comfortablest thing in the world to have God discover what he meanes to do with us and what he would have us to doe when he discovered his will to them and saw them leave his will saw them leave Gold and take Drosse prefer the traditions and wisedome of men before the wisedome of God it was just with him to give them up to beleeve lies They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast marke the limitation here untill until the word of God should be fulfilled I see I cannot make an end of the Text a little further and so I will conclude Here is an Vntill here is a stop the Devill and the Beast had their time to seduce the Kings and the Kings had their time to bee seduced and to give up their Kingdomes but God hath his time Christ hath his time Christ gives his enemies time and then takes time himselfe Vntill the time that the Word of God shall be fulfilled We see here then a mixture of mercy with justice that after God had given them up justly not only the Easterne Empire but also the Western Kings to the Pope yet notwithstanding here is an Vntill God limits Ill not only for the measure of it but also for the time of it God at length turnes the streame of things so that these Kings that were thus abused and baffeled by this Man of sinne this Beast at last they grow wise by the inâ—…nct of God and hate the Beast as much as ever they loved her So then this is the point That the same God that by divine Providence gave way to these Kings to abuse the doctrine of the Gospell and that gave way to these people that were unthankefull to yield themselves in such slavery to the Pope yet notwithstanding in mercy God at the last put into the hearts of these Kings to with-draw their necks from this yoke and to put their necks under Christs yoke This Vntill hath had a beginning many yeare agoe for wee know to omit other Kings of other Countries King Henry the Eight of famous memory take him without those things we cannot upbraid now he was a man of great and excellent parts as hee was of great vices Hee was an excellent instrument of Christ to unhorse the Pope to shake off his government
to hate the Whore and to eat her flesh that is to overthrow the Monasteries those Cages of uncleane Birds and those Peter-pence those exactions for indeed the Pope made England his Asse to beare his burthens It would move any mans patience to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland so that we may now truly say as Christ saith If the Son make you free you are free indeed Christ hath made us free the Gospel hath made us free and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have flourished King Henry shooke off the yoke first and after him King Edward and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory and now our gracious King So that this Vntill it begun long since to hate the Beast and to eat her flesh one thing therâ—… is yet undone To burne her with fire if they hate the Beast and eat her flesh this will câ—…me toâ—… to burne her with fire even the ten Kings that were subject to her before shall doe that Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive alwayes it shall not alwayes bee night but the Sunne shall arise at the last Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world their madnesse shall be made manifest at length as Paul saith 2 Tim. This is our Comfort that there is an Vntill a time prefixed of God to discover and to lay open all Impostures And now the time is come that most of this should be fulfilled some of these words of God are fulfilled the Beast is hated and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast to bee cruell witnesse the blood of Saints the Murther of Kings those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome The Beast I say is now discovered and hated The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred If ever we hatred any thing we may hate the state of Rome It is a Beast and the object of hatred and ever was and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred it is that why do we not hate a Harlot doe we not hate an old Strumpet an old painted Strumpet doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd there was never Bawd there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme that this Bawd this Beast this Whore of Rome hath done drawing so many thousand soules to hell Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with there was none so grievous as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church the spirituall judgement of the Papacie it is the greatest judgement of God that was ever inflicted upon any We hate them that misuse us under the pretence of love that cheat and cozen us and we delight in their punishment there was never Cheater never Cozener like this And surely so God hath fulfilled his word that shee is hated even in our Children that know but the grounds of Religion to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth that have the Spirit of God in them they hate those Impostures those abuses of Christian Religion with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God and indeed so they have for besides their own base government they maintaine the corruptions of men feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures with outward formall empty things so that the very weake ones even Children now they hate the Whore hate her Impostures hate her Cruelty hate her Lying and all I see the time is past I can goe no further â—…ut will draw to an end only a little to still us up Shall God then reveale and discover this painted Strumpet this Bawd and shall wee labour to conceale her ill shall we dawbe shall we make her better then she is shall we hinder Gods purpose Gods word is that shee shall be revealed the Princes shall hate her and consume her with fire Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence and decree in this point that this shall be it is Gods purpose and whosoever stops it certainely they bring the judgement of God upon them those that would reare up â—…ericho againe wee know what befell them and they that reare up Rome that begins now to bee discovered they bring the Iudgement of God upon them God will performe this as well as he performed the other as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their Kingdomes to the Beast so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore Now that we may hate her let every one labour in his place Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures their cousenings and all their filthinesse whereby they deceive the people Magistrates in their place to ocuntenance the Ministers to see the lawes executed as they may These that through ignorance are seduced that are not Iesuited for there is no hope of them but others their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour but not their Religion Let us all take heed that wee grow in knowledge Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ the more Christ appears in glory the more Antichrist will appeare in shame Let us labour by prayer and not give God over by prayer to plant the love of the truth in our hearts to entertaine the truth with love to value it according to the respect it deserves at our hands and let us labour to be molded into that truth to obey it else though we have it yet if wee doe not love it if wee be not transformed into it though our wits and parts be never so great we may be seduced to errour God gave over these Kings men of great place and of great parts because they did not love the truth to beleeve lies My purpose was to have shewed the danger if we do not further Gods purpose in discovering this wicked Antichrist A state wherin the Devill the Dragon is effectuall and this Book wonderoâ—…sly sets downe the danger It is another manner of danger now to relapse and to apostatize after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse and we know it to bee so of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth to affect this cursed Religion that the sentence of God hath past upon and it must be fulfilled That they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire that she shall be left desolate and naked But you may object Alas how is that likely to be when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten and how he ruâ—…fleth in the world at this time how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet Well it is but a living before death undoubtedly Babylon is fallen it is fallen saith Iohn
nature so wee make our selves twise dead a hundred times dead by sinne and bring curse upon curse by our sinfull conversation wee are then under Gods broad seale cursed Wee are all borne accursed til we get out of the state of nature to free us from which Christ became a curse if wee get not out of this but goe on and feed our vanity and corruption what will bee the end of it but an eternall cursr afterwards Therefore let us consider what we doe when we maintaine and cherish corruptions and abuses in our selves and others We build that that God hath cursed wee build that that wee have vowed against our selves And how will God take this at the houre of death thou that art a carelesse drowsie hearer of the word of God and a liver contrary to the word of God how will God take this at thee at the houre of death when thy conscience will tell thee that thy life hath beene a practise of sin a strengthning of corruption The old Adam that thou hast cherished it will stare and looke on thee with so hideous a looke that it will drive thee to despaire For conscience will tell thee that thy life hath bin a strengthning of pride of vanity of covetousnesse and of other sins thy whole life hath beene such and now when thou shouldst looke for comfort then thy corruptions which thou shouldest have subdued they are growne to that pitch that they will bring thee to despaire without the extraordinary mercy of God to awaken thy heart by repentance Why therefore should we strengthen that that is a curse and will make us cursed too and will make the time to come terrible to us the houre of death and the day of judgement How shall men thinke to hold up their faces and heads at the day of judgement whose lives have beene nothing else but a yielding to their owne corruption of nature and the corruptions and vanities of the times and places they have lived in that have never had the courage to plead for God that have beene fierce against God Who ever was fierce against God and prospered When men make their whole life fierce against God against the admonitions of his word and Spirit and their whole life is nothing but a practise of sinne how can they thinke of death and judgement without terrour Now it were wisedome for us to carry our selves so in our lives and conversations that the time to come may not bee terrible but comfortable to thinke of that wee may lift up our heads with joy when wee thinke of death and judgement but when we doe nothing but build Iericho when we raise up sin that wee should ruine more and more what will the end of this be but despaire here and destruction in the world to come You may shake off the menaces and threatnings of the Ministers as Hiel shooke off Iâ—…suah's he was an austere singular man and it is a long time since Iericho was cast downe and God hath forgotten hath hee so hee found that God had not forgotten So there are many that thinke that words are but wind of men opposite to such and such things but though our words may bee shooken off now and the word of God now in the preaching may be shooke off yet it will not when it comes to execution When wee propound the curse of God against sinfull courses you may shake off that curse but when Christ from Heaven shall come to judge the quick and the dead and say Goe yee cursed that were borne cursed that have lived cursed that have maintained a cursed opposition to blessed courses that have not built up your owne salvation but your corruptions you that loved cursing Goe yee cursed to Hell fire with the Devill and his Angels for ever will you shake off that No no howsoever our ministeriall in râ—…aties may be shaken off yet when God shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that eternall threatning shall not be shaken off Therefore I beseech you consider not so much what wee say now but what God will make good then What wee bind on earth cut of the warrant of Gods booke Shall be bound in Heaven and God will say Amen to that wee say agreeable to his word Thinke not light of that wee speake for God will make good every word hee is Iehovah he will give being to every word Hee is not only mercie but justice we make an Idol of him else and wee must feaâ—…e him in his justice He loves to dwell with such as are of a contrite Spirit that tremble at his word It is said of David that when Vzzah was stricken he trembled Hiel and such kind of persons regard not the threatnings of God but goe on and treasure up wrath It is a signe of a wicked man to heare the menaces and threatnings and not to tremble To end all with two places of Scripture saith Moses He that heares these things and blesseth himselfe my wrath shall smoke against him Gods wrath shall smoake and burne to hell against such a one as blesseth himselfe that knowes he is cursed under the seale of God that doth ill and yet hee blesseth himselfe in doing ill therefore take heed of that adde not that to the rest Gods wrath will smoake against such a one And you know what Saint Paul saith Rom. 2. If thou goe on and treasureup wrath thou buildest Iericho that thou hast vowed the destruction of Every time thou takest the Communion thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath For there will be a day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God and then these things will be laid to thy charge Let us every one labour to get out of the state of nature to breake off our wicked lives and to get into Christ the blessed seed and then we shall be blessed we shall be made free free from the curse of nature and of sin Let us renew our Covenants against all sinne and make conscience to bee lead by the Spirit of Christ that wee may gather sound Evidence every day that wee are in Christ and so out of the Curse THE SVCCESSEFVLL SEEKER In tvvo Sermons on PSALME 27. 8. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 CHRON. 16. 11. Seeke yee the Lord and his strength seeke his face continually LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. The Successefull SEEKER PSAL. 27. 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face my Heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke IN the former Verse David begins a prayer to God Heare oh Lord have mercy upon me and answer mee This Verse is a ground of that prayer Seeke yee my face saith GOD the heart answers againe Thy face
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and empâ—…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ciâ—… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
the deed 2 102 Who are truly wise 2 83 Word sâ—… Tremble Christians course opposite to the world 2 39 World how to be used 2 75 Workes see covenant Z How to know God is our God by our Zeale 2 128 FINIS Artis est celare artem Non ex personis probamus fidem sed ex fide personas Tertul. Novemb 5. Ioshua 6. 1 King 16. 34. Numb 14. Doct. 1. Men naturally trust to somewhat Rom. 10. Issue of false confidence dangerous 2 Cor. 10. 3 things in man by nature 1 False reasonings 2 Proud thoughts 3 Fore-casts of danger Vse Trial of our trust Observ. 2. God overturnes vaine confidence in the creature Proverb 6. Isay 50. Vse Ier. 20. Observ. 3. God dothit by weake meanes Reason That God may have the glory Digression Quest. Answ. Observ. 4. It is by faith in the use of means Rom. 4. Quest. Answ. Faith said to doe that which God doth Why only faith is named 1 Kingdom of Sathan resembled by wals of Iericho 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Coloss. 2. 2 Our owne corruptions 3 The Kingdom of Antichrist Luther Edward 6. The means to cast down the wals of mystical Iericho 1 The preaching of the word Quest. Answ. How to prevent the building the wals of spiritual Iericho 1 2 2 Thess. 2. 3 4 5 6 How to prevent our own destruction Ezek. 17. Isay 10. Gen. 15. Vse To set against Popery by faith Luther To set against our corruptions by faith Quest. Why God doth not subdue corruption at 〈◊〉 Answ. Quest. Answ. How to strengthen faith in the fall of our corruptions Iudg. 5. 3 4 Difference betweene Christians and others To labour for faith To try if vve have faith Scope of the words Blessing of Ministers to be regarded Custodes utriusque tabulae Not to curse particular persons Why God would not have Iericho built againe As a monument of Gods mercy and justice 2. It was dedicate to God 3 For terrour to the rest of the people 4 To draw others to come in 5 God would have it so The specification of the curse 1 King 16. 34. 3 God threatneth before he strike 1 Cor. 11. 32 To move us to turne to him Punishment proportionable to the sin Death of the First-borne a great judgement Why God sometimes punisheth parents in their children Quest. Answ. 1 King 16. 34. The words handled by way of Analogie Men build Iericho againe By retaining Iewish Ceremonies August 2 By reviving old heresies 3 By breaking statutes and wils 4 By upholding Popery Quest. Answ. How Popery sprang up How it is pulled downe Quest. Answ. How this Jeri cho is built againe Quest. Answ. How to stop the building of this Iericho 1 Knowledge of their tenents 2 Of their practise 2 â—…im 4. 2 To instruct young ones in grounds of divinity 3 To set up lights in darke place 4 To cherish good learning 5 To labour for Vnity 6 To be thankefull 7 To set against our corruptions Application concerning the feast of the nativity To consider our course of life Christs sentence unavoidable To tremble at Gods word Observ. God shewes himselfe to the understanding creature Man must not appoint how to serve God The knowledge of God by the creatures insufficient Observ. 2. God is willing to be known That God doth not shine on us is our owne fault Observ. 3. Gods goodnes communicative Or else he had not created the world Gods willingnesse to bestow his goodnesse Quest. Answ. No envie in God Two things wherein we are like God August Observ. The ground of obedience application 1 Gods truth belongs to all 2 Ground of necessitie of application A principle of Application Vse To beg the spirit of application Deut. 29. Danger of not applying the word 1 We dishonour God 〈◊〉 We rejoyce the Devill 3 We injure our selves We seeke God by his strength Davids obedience 1 Present 2 Pliable Psal. 110. Act. 4. 3 Perfect or sincere 4. Professed or resolute 5 Perpetuall Observ. Obedience to God sutable to his command 1 Pet. 3. To alleage the promise to God 1. In trouble Psal. 50. 2 In want 3 For acceptation Prov. 3. Prov. 13. 1 Pet. 4. Psal. 119. Nehem. 1. Psal. 119. What implied by seeking Ground of seeking Christians are seekers Psalme 24. Presence of God 1. Every where In the creatures 3 In necessitie 4 In the issue of all 5 In the Ordinances Revel 1. In seeking Gods face there is 1. Observance Prov. 29. 26. Psalme 62. 2 Dependance 3 Seeke Gods favour Psalme 4. To pray to him 5 To seeke him in his ordinances Use. Direction to seeke Gods face 1. Know him and our selves To know God in Christ. 2. Seeke Gods favour first 3 With pure consciences Psalme 66. Psalme 24. 3. Gen. 32. Seeke God in extremity Psal. 46. Psal. 23. Difference of men in extremitie To seeke God in his ordinances Prov. 1. To seeke God betimes Psalm 63. Incouragements to seeke Gods face Philip. 4. One faith from the beginning of the world Perseverance in faith Doct. Faith carries a Christian through all the passages of his life Quest. Answ. To die in faith what 1 In respect of the time past 2 The time present Psal. 16. 5. 3 The time to come Faith overcomes all that is terrible in death The horror of the grave 2 Tim. 1. 12. The pangs of death Parting of soule and body Losse of friends Company and imployment 1 Cor. 3. 16. Use. To labour for faith Death terrible Object Answ. Christians die in faith notwithstanding distempers Christians may want feeling As men live so they die God deales with men by promises Faith lookes on God by the promise Why he saith promises Promises to be oft thought on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser. God doth not reveale all things at all times To comfort all ages of the Church To be thankfull for what wee have Vnthankefulnesse Order of Gods Spirit working The eye of faith Things affect as present What kind of eye faith hath Faith sees afarre off 1 In regard of place 2. Time 1. Past. 2. To come Sight of faith quicke Things requisite to sight 1 Cor. 2. 10. 11. Quest. Answ. Sight of faith necessary Quest. Answ. Faith lookes to Gods power and truth Use. To labour for strong sight of faith Quest. Answ. Three things in a strong sight 1 When the thing seene is farre off 2 When there are clouds betweene 3 When there is little light To helpe the sight of faith 1 Take heed that Satan blind not Simile 2 Desire God to open our eyes 3 Get a sight of corruption Perswasion followes sight Sight convinceth Especially with taste Perswasion supernaturall Perswasion what Degrees to perswasion 1 Conjecture 2 Opinion 3 Knowledge from argument 4 Perswasion from authority of the speaker And some experience Degrees in this perswasion 1. In generall 2. Particular Spirituall perswasion necessary Quest. Answ. Sound perswasion is with particular interest Conviction double Quest. Answ. Particular perswasion sometimes weake God suspends
more restrained either inwardly by the Spirit and by the conscience or outwardly by the Lawes and terrour the more mercifully God deales with men so the more free the current of the disposition runs in ill wayes the more wretched a man is Yea but will the heart of some Atheisticall person presently say what punishment is it as long as I have liberty in evill and meet with no hinderance in my courses and feele no harme but rather the contrary as many that get their riches by ill meanes and those great Papists those great Vsurpers wee see what estates they get to themselves I answer Spiritual Iudgements are so much the greater by how much they are lesse sensible because if they bee not sensible to us here they will bee the more sensible to us hereafter And those that have their will most here shall suffer most against their will hereafter It is the greatest judgement in this world for a man to have his wil in sinfull courses Hee that shall make an Idoll of his will especially a man that is in great place of Honour that shall make all wayes serve for the accomplishment of his will when he hath â—…t he is the most miserablest man in the world â—…or hee that hath his will most in courses unjustifiable shall suffer most against his will when he commeth to a reckoning such men therefore are the more miserable because such taking themselves to be absolute persons and their waies the best wais though they have many determents from their base courses yet they will heare no counsell and therefore the â—…rder to be reclaimed It doth not therefore take away from their punishment but rather aggravate it I beseech you let me presse this a little that these Iudgements are great Iudgements although wee doe not feele them when with a free consent we give our selves unto ill It is a heavie Iudgement when God leaves us to our owne lusts and takes away the guidance of his Spirit we had better that God should give us up to the Devill for a while to bee tormented we had better be in Hell if a man might come out at a certaine time then to bee given up all our life time to doe with our owne consent and will that which is liking to our owne will and lust because by yeelding to our own will wee yield to the Devill that rules in a Mans affections and will For a Mans affections when they are carried to evill they are the Chariots of Sathan when the Devil sees excessive sinfull affections as excessive sinfull joy and delight in sinfull pleasures he being about us is alwayes carried in these affections and carries us also strongly in the wayes that lead unto eternall perdition Wee judge when a man suffers some outward punishment as casting into prison or the losse of his sight oh hee is infearfull case but what is the case of a man blinded by Sathan and his owne lusâ—…s A man that is a slave to his owne base affections and by consequent to the Devill which rules in his affections and so consequently to damnation A man that lies under the wrath of God that hath no heart to repent If a man had spirituall eyes to consider the case of that man he would never pitty so much the case of those men that suffer outward losses as hee would pitty those which he sees to live and oftentimes to die in evill courses of life This should therefore be an use of direction to us that seeing we heare that God rules the hearts of men that hee takes away his Spirit and leaves men to occasions wee should pray to God to rule our hearts himselfe Lord take thou the rule of our hearts to governe them thy selfe It was a good prayer of the Ancient Church Oh God from whom all holy desires and all good counsels doe proceed c. Indeed it is hee from whom all good counsels doe proceed These ten Hornes they were ten Kings no doubt but as they were men of great place so of great parts but without Gods Spirit without his light the greatest and the wisest man is but mad he is as a man out of his wits puzzeled in darknesse and knowes not which way to goe When God gives men over to their own lusts to their blind affections they lead men to judgement they must needs fall into the pit Let us desire God to put into our hearts holy desires holy purposes for from him all holy desires come let us desire him not only to governe our estate and to preserve our bodies from danger but Lord keepe thou our hearts we cannot keepe our hearts of our selves doe thou bend our understandings bow our affections and our wils that they may run in the right way And to stirre us up to this the more wee must know that that Evill which wee do not we are beholding to God for as much as for the good wee doe Why doe not men having an ill disposition and corruptature doe ill Because God offers not occasions of ill if God should offer occasions they would commit the Evill as well as others It is God that puts into mens hearts to hate that Evill If God should take away his Spirit men would not hate evill when occasions are offered as these men did not when the occasion was offered They gave up their kingdomes and thrones to the Beast So that we are beholding to God for all the ill that we do not either it is his not offring occasions or else his giving us strength in the occasions This we forget Wee are apt to say this wicked man hath done this this good man is fallen into this this man hath done that but where is our devotion at this time we should rather say Lord it was thee for causes thou best knowest for if thou hadst left me especially when occasions were presented and offered and there was a correspondent corruption in my heart to close with the occasion I had fallen into the like sinne it was thy keeping and not my goodnesse One thing more the Beast is exprest before in Chapter 13. to bee lead by the Devill So that howsoever the Devill who by Saint Paul is called the God of this world and the Pope the subordinate Vicar to the Devill and so by consequence he is the Devill for the Devill the Dragon rules him Howsoever I say there be the Devill the God of this world and the Pope in this world the Vicar of that Dragon yet there is but one Monarch one that rules all both Devill and Pope and all the wicked limbs of both to his owne ends It was God that put it into the hearts of these Kings to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast It is he alone that is absolute that gives the liberty of the Chaine both to men and devils Thus farre they shall goe and no further It is a good saying of the Schooles There is no Ill so ill as there is
God hath the supream power of life and death Then we must know againe that children â—…re part of their Parents God punisheth the parents in their children and it is a heavier punishment oft times in their esteeme then in themselves for they thinke to live and continue in their children now when they see their children tooke away it is worse then death men oft times live to see things worse â—…hen death as those that see their children killed before them as Zedechias and Mauritius the Emperour for indeed it is a death oft A man dies in every child this man hee died in his eldest son and he died in his youngest son he died in regard of the apprehension of death it was more sharpe in apprehension then when he died himselfe So it is a heavie judgement to be stricken in our children God when hee wil punish he punisheth oft times in posterity As we see it was the most terrible judgement of all upon Pharaoh that in his First-borne God drew them all to let Israel goe out when He smote their First-borne It is a heavie judgement for a man to be stricken in his First-born either when they are dissolute and debauch ed and lawlesse for God hath judgements for the soule as well as for the body or else when they are taken out of the world But thirdly which is very likely another reason that moved God that we may justifie God in all our sentence that we give of him hee tooke them away because they imitâ—… their father in ill and God hath a liberty 〈◊〉 strike when he will when there is cause and whom hee will he will spare for so many Generations You will say why doth he light on such 〈◊〉 Generation and why not on such a place It is his liberty and prerogative when 〈◊〉 deserve it and hee lights upon one and 〈◊〉 upon another we must not quarrel with God but leave him to his liberty it is a part of 〈◊〉 prerogative Who art thou oh man that disâ—…test Why God when all are equally 〈◊〉 strikes one and not another why he execâ—… judgements in one age and not in another there may bee reasons given of it but it is 〈◊〉 mysterie that must not be disputed but I cannot stand on these things Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne and in his youngest Sonne set up the Gates thereof This terrible sentence wee see executed 〈◊〉 1 King 16. 34. In Achabs time there was one so venterous as to build Iericho againe There is an accent to be set upon that that it was in Achabs time Hiel would needs build Iericho againe and why should hee build it Hiel no doubt saw it a wondrous commodious place to found a Citie being near to Iordan And then he saw and considered that it was accounted a famous thing to be founder of a â—…itie And then no doubt he thought that â—…hab would not only permit him to doe it but â—…ould gratifie him wicked Ahab which had â—…ld himselfe to worke wickednesse that was 〈◊〉 abhominable Idolater himselfe and counâ—…nanced Idolatry and had set up the false â—…orship of Bâ—…al it was likely enough in his â—…me that Iericho should bee built and thereâ—…ore no doubt but he did it partly to insinuate â—…imselfe with Ahab And to shew how little â—…e cared for Iosua's or Iehova's threatning as â—…sually such impudent persons that are grown up with greatnesse that have sold themselves to be naught that have put off all humanity and modesty they are fittest to carry wicked and desperate causes being agreeable to them so this wicked person was a fit man to doe this and he thought to please Ahab by it Man is a strange creaâ—…ure especially in greatnesse of riches or place c. A piece of earth that will be puffed up if he have flatterers and sycophants about him and a proud heart withall hee will forget and dare the God of heaven and trample under foot all threatnings and menaces whatsoever As this wicked Hiel rather then he will misse of his will hee will breake through thick and thin and redeeme the fulfilling of his will with the losse of his owne soule and of his children his First-borne and his last and all Mens mihi pro regno let a man be happy in his will hee cares not for all the world if he may have his will 〈◊〉 all goe upon heapes this is the nature of maâ—… One would thinke that this threatning mighâ—… have scarred a man that had loved himselfe 〈◊〉 his posterity but nothing would keepe hiâ—… hee would venture upon it as wee see in 〈◊〉 place 1 King 16. Thus wee have passed ovâ—… the words To come to handle the words by way of Analogie how they may agree to other thingâ—… by way of proportion and in a spirituall mysticall sense There are divers degrees of men that venter upon curses and thereupon grow to be cursed themselves even as this man ventered upon the building of Iericho so there be many thaâ—… doe the like in a proportionable kind I shall name some few God did determine that the Iewish Ceremonies should determine and have an end and period Now in Saint Pauls time there were many that would put life into them and joyne them with the Gospel Saint Paul tels them Christ shall profit you nothing Those are they that build Iericho againe that revive and put life into that that God hath determined should never revive againe When the Iewish Ceremonies were honourably interred and laid in their graves these men would raise them out of their graves againe and so venter upon Gods curse and bee excluded from Christ. These are one sort of men that raise Iericho againe And so afterwards in the Church â—…here were those that would build up Iericho â—…hat would still retaine Iewish Ceremonies â—…nd Heathenish in the Church and some at the â—…irst with no ill minds But then afterwards as Augustine complaines they so pestered the Church with Iewish and Heathenish Ceremonies that the Iewes condition was better then theirs for these things should have beene buried Gerson that had many good things in him though he lived in ill times Oh saith he good Augustine Dost thou complaine of those times what wouldest thou have said if thou hadst lived now What is Popery but a masse of Iewish and heathenish Ceremonies besides some Blasphemies that they have I speake concerning what they differ from ours which are decent and orderly what a masse of Ceremonies and fooleries have they to mislead men that are taken away with fancies to distaste the truth of God and to have respect to fancies to outward pompe and gorgeous things rather then the Gospel These men build up Iericho againe and bury the Gospel as much as they can There are another sort of men that raise up Iericho that revive all the heresies that were damned to Hell by the ancient Councels The heresie of
come to heaven they must bee a generation of Seekers Heaven is a generation of Finders of Possessors of Enjoyers Seekers of God but here we are a generation of Seekers wee want somewhat that we must seeke when we are at best we want the accomplishment of our happinesse It is a state of seeking here because it is a state of want we want something alway But to come more particularly to this seeking the face of God or the presence of God The presence of God and the face of God where is it to be sought for Know that first for a ground The presence of God it is every where but that is not the thing here purposed There is a face and presence of God iâ—… every thing in every creature therefoâ—… every creature hath the name of God some times a Rock because as God is strong soâ—… Rock is strong So likewise a shield as a shieâ—… defends so God defends us there is somâ—… resemblance of God in the creature therefore God hath the name of the creature but thâ—… is not here meant The presence of God meant here is that presence that hee shewes in the time of need and in his ordinances Hee shewes a presence in need and necessity that is a gracious presence to his children a gracious face As in want of direction hee shewes his presence of light to direct them In weaknesse hee shews his strength In trouble and perplexity he will shew his gracious and comfortable presence to comfort them In perplexity he shewes 〈◊〉 presence to set the heart at large answerable to the necessity there is a presence So in need God is present with his children to direâ—… them to comfort them to strengthen them if they need that And in the issue of all busines there is a presence of God to give a blessing for there is a presence must be even to the end of things when we have all wee would have yet God must give a blessing so you see there is a presence of God answerable to the necessity of man as it hath reference to this place Thy face will I seeke to direct me by thy heaâ—…enly light when I know not what to doe as â—…ehosaphat said we know not what to doe but our â—…yes are towards thee And so in weakenesse when we have no strength of our owne then goe to God to seeke the face of God that he would be present with us So when wee are comfortlesse goe to God that comforts the abject The God of all comfort goe to him for his presence for helpe And when wee are troubled in our hearts about successe what will become of such and such a businesse goe to GOD that gives successe and issue to all Thus we see a presence of God answerable to every necessity of man There is a gracious presence of God likewise in his ordinances that is the chiefe presence next to heaven the presence in Gods Ordinances that is in the unfolding of the word in the administration of the Sacraments in the communion of Saints Indeed in the Ordinances God is graciously present Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the midst of them Therefore in Rev. 1. It is said that Christ walks in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes that is in the middest of the Church There is a gracious presence of of Christ in the middest of the Candlesticks he takes his walkes there Christ hath a speciall presence in his Church in the ordinances and that David aymes at here too not onely I will seeke thy face introuble and necessitie when I need any thing from thee but Thy face will I seeke in all thine ordinances to inable me for the other For it is in vaine for a man to thinke to seeke God in his necessity and exigence if he seeke not God in his ordinances and doe not joy in them So you see where the face and presence of God is to be sought in necessities of all kinds and in the ordinances Now in our seeking the presence or face of God there is foure or five things that I will touch the heads of First of all seeking implyes observance seeke my face that is observe me respect me as a God Thy face I will seeke I will bee a follower of thee As in English an observer is a follower a creature It is a proud word as if man could make a man of nothing And indeed they are creatures in that kind they are raysed of nothing To seeke a man is to observe him there is a notable place for it Prov. 29. 26. Many seeke the rulers favour In the Greeke translation the Septuagint the word is to observe and respect a man which is translated seeking Many observe the ruler but every mans judgement commeth from the Lord. You see those that thinke to rise by the favour of such or such a man they will be his followers as I said and observe him they studie men as those that rise by favour that way they study not bookes so much as men what may delight such a man what hee respects surely they will serve him at every turne A base Atheist makes a man his god that he may rise he will deny God and the motions of Conscience and honesty and all to observe the face of a great man whom hee hopes to rise by but a true Christian observes the great God the greatest preferment comes from him so it signifies to observe In Psalme 62. there you shall see the ground of observation is that power belongs to God I have heard once nay twise Hee heard it twise by the meditation of it by going over it in his heart againe I have heard once nay twise that is I thoâ—…ght againe and againe on it that is hearing of it oft We may heare a truth a hundred times that is by meditating of it I have heard once nay twice that power belongs to God that is riches and power to advance a man Atheisticall men thinke all belongs to the creature but power belongs to God That is one thing that is meant by seeking diligent observing of GOD and respect to him and his will and commandements in all things If so be that a person of great place should say observe me and I will prefer you I hope men would bee ready enough they need no more words Here is the Atheisme of our hearts God saith I will doe all good for you the greatest preferment is to bee the child of GOD here and the heire of heaven after What preferment is there to that of Christianity and he saith seeke my face observe me respect me let the eye of your soules be to me as it is in the Psalme As the eyes of a mayd are toward the hand of her Mistris The obedience of a servant is toward the eye of the Commander so the obedience of a Christian is toward the
lookes scornefully upon the things of conscience and of the spirit only the spirit of God brings the proud heart of man to be subject to the word of God Nothing that is not spirituall wâ—…ll hold out Whatsoever is not spirituall Christ will not owne at the day of judgment Iâ—… the spirit seale 〈◊〉 and set a stampe upon us Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit where the 〈◊〉 frâ—…its are not the harvest will not so low The spirit is an earnest where the earnest is not the bargâ—…ine will not follow I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes let us â—…ttend upon the word which is the ministery of the spirit and wee shall find that the spirit will alter and change us and shew us our interest in the promises and the goodnesse of them 〈◊〉 more we a â—…end upon the means the more 〈◊〉 shall see it and the more we pray the moâ—… 〈◊〉 shall have the spirit and the more wee obâ—… God the more we shall have the spirit of Goâ—… God gives his spirit to them that obey him And this should reach us when we come 〈◊〉 heare or to read the word of God Loâ—… pen mine eyes LORD penswade my 〈◊〉 LORD bow the necke of my soule 〈◊〉 my inward man that Iron sinew Lord 〈◊〉 away my hard heart and give mee a 〈◊〉 â—…sh teach my heart thou must perswade 〈◊〉 incline me incline my heart Lord. Wee waâ—… religious carriage in this 〈◊〉 come presumptuously upon conâ—… 〈◊〉 wit to heare Seâ—…ons and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so wee come away worse than wee 〈◊〉 Why wâ—… doâ—… not 〈◊〉 too Goâ—… 〈◊〉 swaâ—… us They â—…ere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Manâ—… here 〈◊〉 he opens â—…he eyes and 〈◊〉 hee perswades God perswades the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Vlcar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…wade by darknesse by maintaining 〈◊〉 â—…ome of darknesse The Devill all 〈◊〉 shewes no reason he keepes the soule 〈◊〉 â—…esse and blindnesse Anti christ peâ—… 〈◊〉 men to their religion how by fleshly allure men's not instructing them and opening their eyes inlightning their understandings â—…ut GOD opens their eyes to see and â—…hen teaches and perswades The devils instruments they perswade and so they teach â—…nd draw away they perswade with carnall objects and the like to draw and bewitch the â—…ffections and so the judgment is darke still But where there is true dealing there is no â—…are of the light Therfore those that are enemies to the means of salvaâ—…ion that feare Gods people should know too much they take a course contrary to God for God enlightens and then perswades and knowledge enlightneth so that knowledge is necessary All divine perswasion of faith hath the name of knowledge They were perswaded by the spirit of God of the truth of GOD having their eyes opened It is an evidence we are not perswaded we come to Church and attend upon the means we goe on in a course of sinne wee are not divinely perswaded God hath not perswaded our hearts he hath not enlightned us For if the covetous man were perswaded that neither covetous nor extortioners should enter into the kingdome of heaven would hee not leave that course Light and perswasion alway rule the action for we work as we see and are perswaded in every thing The very beasts do as they see and as sense leads them an Asse beares burthens you know nature hath sâ—…amed and made him for it but can you drive the silly creature into the fire he knowes that will consume him So that men they are brutish they will not bee perswaded by the spirit of God they runne into courses that if they had light in their soules and if they were perswaded whither it tends they would never runne into hell fire If there were a pit open before a mâ—…ns eyes would hee plunge himselfe into that pit that were before his eyes A man that lives in sinnes against conscience hee runs into a pit There are no manner of liers of whoâ—… mongers of covetous persons of such wretches as take the name of God in vaine that shall escape unpunished Men leada life in a course wherein they see a pit before them and yet they runne on are they perswaded No no certainely they are not perswaded And so for the meanes of salvation men that care not for hearing the word are they perswaded it is the word of God to salvation they are not perswaded We may know the truth of our perswasion by the power it haâ—… to râ—…le our lives and conversations What is the reason that a simple man a weake man 〈◊〉 lives Christianly and dies in the faith he lived by when as a great man in conceite in know ledge he lives wickedly and dies worse he cause the one hath not this knowledge of the spirit the spirit of God never opened his eyes the spirit of God never perswaded him hee hath it in bookes and by education and the like There are none that ever hold out but those that have the spirit of God to be their teacher and perswader Wee must see things in their owne proper light the spirit of God hath to deale with the heart God hath only power of that he must deale with the heart we must not trust therefore to education or to outward things If a man should aske the reason of men why doe you leave these courses why doe you doe this good a Christian doth not say I was brought up to this or I cannot doe otherwise but I do it from a principle of the New Creature Let us desire God that we may doe things from reasons of Scripture from reasons of pleasing God that we may doe them from a holy sanctified affection that we may bee perswaded by the spirit and then it will hold out They were perswaded of them And imbraced them They imbraced the promises the good things promised Christs comming in the flesh and Canaan the type of heaven and heaven it selfe though they had not these things yet they imbraced what they had they imbraced the promises That is the nature of faith if it have not that it lookes as it hath not till it come to heaven yet it makes much of that it hath it imbraceth the promises and in the promises the thing it selfe promised Now these things follow one another in a most naturall order for sight brings perswasion sight and conviction brings strong perswasion and perswasion breeds imbracing for we imbrace that in our affections that wee are perswaded of to be good According to the strength of conviction and perswasion is the strength of the affections those things that we have a weake perswasion of we have a weake affection to those things that we are fully perswaded of and are great withall the affections cannot but stretch forth themselves to imbrace them When the understanding was enlightned to see the truth and to be perswaded of
that be when every one shall be glorious himselfe and shall put downe the Sunne in glory in his body and soule and when there shall be such a world of them so glorious If every Starre be beautifull how beautifull are all in their lustre when so many Saints shall be gathered together they shall be farre more glorious then the Sunne in his Majestie and this glory is reserved till all be gathered together God said of the creatures severally they were good but when hee looked on them together they were exceeding good so the severall soules of Christians are glorious but at the day of Judgement when all shall be gathered together there shall be an exceeding glory It is reserved I say for the gathering together of the Saints when Christ who is the head shall have gathered all by his word and ministery out of this sinfull world which are scattered here and there then they shall come to perfect glory Then there shall be perfect union betweene the body and soule then there shall be a perfect union betweene us and all that are dead together then there shall be a perfect union betweene us and Christ then we shall have the perfect fruition of God of Angels of all the blessed company in heaven Oh! what a blessed time will this be and this shall be at the glorious appearing of Christ. Christ shall appeare in glory himselfe as verily as he appeared in his first comming and wee shall appeare with him in glory Why should wee doubt of it is not that which is greater done already hath not God himselfe become man hath not God dyed and God beene abased in his first comming Is not that more wonder then that man should become like God in his second comming whether is greater for God to become man or for men to be raised out of their graves and become glorious certainely this is the lesser why should we doubt of it Let us rayse our hearts with this that as verily as he came in abasement to worke our salvation so verily hee shall come and rayse us to glory and this is a lesser worke then the former But to come nearer to make some further use of this surely these are maine points and should bee oft thought on O! that the hearts of Christians were exercised with them Could wee be dead either for grace or comfort if wee did oft thinke of this with application Let us oft warme our selves with these things let us bring our selves to the light let us thinke of the blessed times to come could we be unfruitfull This made Saint Paul adjure Timothy and the Thessalonians I beseech you by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ c. I shall need no greater argument to presse you then as verily as Christ shall come in glory and as you shall be gathered to him so heare what I say So Saint Paul chargeth Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 13. I charge thee before Christ who at his comming c. Keepe this Commandement This will moove a mans conscience and carry him to duty if nothing else will Let us thinke seriously Christ will come with thousands of his Angels in glory and majestie and all shall be glory then there shall be nothing but glory glorious in his company glorious in himselfe glorious in his enemies he shall trample them under his feet by a glorious confusion there shall be nothing but glory in heaven and earth then And wee shall come to the same glory the Spouse shall partake of the glory of her husband Let us thinke of this it will quicken and inspire all our courses with a spirituall kind of light to all actions it will enliven and quicken them And it will put a kind of manner upon all our actions that they shall be acceptable to God For how should wee performe all that comes from us All should be done in sincerity and constantly and abundantly chearefully readily and willingly for God requires these qualifications in what wee doe now what stirres us up to do all in this manner acceptably to God but this consideration What stirres us up to doe things sincerely to Christ He will appeare in glory therefore let us doe things that may stand with his judgment It is no matter what the reprobates of the world judge let us doe things so as wee may stand before Christ at that day A Christian studies to arraigne himselfe before Christ that he may doe that that may approve him to him that shall be his judge ere long And so let us hold out we shall receive a reward what will make us constant but this what makes a man sowe his seed that he scarcely can spare but the hope of a harvest what makes a man runne but the victory and the Crowne so what makes a man worke but the hope of reward be constant for in him yee shall receive the reward if yee faint not And so for abounding in good workes your labour is not in vaine in the Lord what made Saint Paul presse the abounding in good workes Finally my brethren be stedfast and unmooveable alâ—…y abounding in the work of the Lord why for your labour is not in vayne in the Lord your bodies shall rise againe ere long in glory when Christ shall appeare you shall appeare and be glorious with him Therefore abound in the worke of the Lord sow to the Spirit and you shall reape glory they that sow sparingly shall reape sparingly What mkes men abound in workes of mercy and love but this appearing of Christ If their love be perfect they have comfort in this appearing and if they abound in mercy Christ will appeare in mercy to them And so for chearefulnesse that God also requires in every action what inlargeth the heart of a man in Gods worke what puts fire into his affections but this that Christ will come and appeare in glory ere long that he will come and crowne every good worke that we shall not loose a good word that hath beene spoken in a good cause not the least good action not a cup of cold water but all shall stand on our reckoning at that day when Christ shall come to be 〈◊〉 in his Saints This makes us doe things sincerely constantly abundantly and chearefully I beseech you consider from what ground these things come for these are principles that should be grounds of faith they are pregnant and spred themselves through the whole course of a Christians life and therefore are worthy to be thought often on Againe why doth God reveale these things before hands that wee shall appeare in glory in our body and soule in our whole man As it shewes us our duty and the manner ofit so it is a ground of comfort in all estates A Christian may thinke Now my life is a hidden secret life I passe under censures it is thus in the world and thus with me well there will a time come the time of Resurrection that will make amends
not be truly said to us by way of upbraiding where is now thy God God may be strange to us indeed let us so carry our selves as that God may owne us in the worst times If they had said this truly how grievous had it beene to David but it was more malice then truth For David found experience of God he might rather have upbraided them where is your God and there is no wicked man but a man may in hâ—…s greatest extremity upbraid him and that in truth where is your God your riches honour and estate where is all this that you supproted your selfe with and bore your selfe so big on that you despised all others what is become of all now A man cannot stand in a thing that stands not it selfe A man cannot build upon that that hath no good foundation Now all men that are not truly religious they have some Idoll or other that will deceive them therefore a man may truly say to them that which they falsly and maliciously say to Gods people where is your God So much for their disposition and carriage Now how stands David affected with this that is the second part At with a sword in my bones It was as a sword to his bones Now that that toucheth the bones is the most exquisite griefe That that we call the griefe of the teeth you see what an exquisite griefe it is in that little member when the bones are cut or touched it is a most exquisite griefe As with a sword in my bones my enemies reproach me What was the matter that this reproach where is thy God touched him so to the quick what was the cause The causes were diverse First of all concerning God for when they said to him Where is thy God First it tended to the reproach of God as if God were so fickle a friend as to desert his best friends in the time of misery this touched upon God by way of disparagement therefore it must needs touch David who was Gods friend Then againe it touched God in another thing in his manner of providence as if he had beene a God of the Hills and not of the Vallies as if he had been a God for one time and not for another where is now thy God what is become of him Againe in the third place it touched upon him in this as if he had favoured them being cursed form all hypocrites more then David as if he had favoured their form all hypocriticall base dead courses that were most abominable to Godâ—… for these persecutors were Sauls courtiers and other enemies wicked men they thought to justifie their owne wayes by this reproach You see we are as good as you God respects us wee fall not into such miseries wee have recourse to Saul though he have cast out you and others c. So it tended to Gods reproach in that as if God had justified their course as if they had been dearer to him that were most abominable And this is to make an Idoll of God to make God justifie those courses that he most abhors as it is in Psal. 50. Thou thoughtest I was like unto thee Because God lets a wicked man alone thou thoughtest that I was a companion for thee and would take thee by the hand whereas God will not doe so In these three respects especially God was wronged when they said where is thy God As if thee had nâ—… beene a true and faithfull friend to his Children And besides as if hee had not a providence over his children in the worst condition As if he had allowed and liked of the base carriage and condition and profession of these wretched men as well as of Davids where is now thy God you see God respects us as well as you but there was no such matter he respected David more then a thousand of them Againe this touched upon religion it selfe this reproach where is now thy God where is your goodly profession as if it were in vaine to serve God a horrible reproach to religion It is not in vaine altogether to serve the Devill he bestowes somewhat upon his servants this was a base thought to think that God would do no good to them that serve him that is the fountaine of all good that doth good to his enemies that suffers his Sun to shine upon his enemies for him to desert his friends for a man to be truly religious and to get nothing by it this tended to the reproach of religion and through Davids sides they strike at God and religion as if it were in vaine to serve God as they said in Malachies time And indeed this is in the hearts of men now a dayes if they see a man that makes care and conscience of his wayes under a cloud or that he doth not so prosper in the world as others doe they begin to have weake conceiâ—…s of the profession of religion as if that were the cause as if there were nothing gotten by serving of God but we may be loose professors and goe in â—…bertine course and please God as well as others This is a great griefe to Gods children they know well enough it is not invain to serve God God is not a barren wildernesse to those that serve him they are not barren ground that are carefull in his service so you see upon what ground he was thus affected because God and Religion was touched in it Take away a godly mans religion and his God whom he serves in Religion you take away his life touch him in that you touch him in his best free-hold Therefore when these malicious enemies say Where is thy God they could not more touch David then so Prophane men of the world come and tell them of Religion and such things alas they turne it off with scorne for they would have the world know that they are not very religious they never speake of God and of religion but in scorne or by way of discourse but a man that is religious to purpose and makes it his trade makes it that whereby hee hopes to bee saved hee takes to heart any thing that is spoken against Religion their words are as a sword in his bones while they say unto him where is thy God It is better to bee distempered then not to be moved when God and Religion are touched The Holy-Ghost that appeared in the shape of a Dove appeared at another time in fiery tongues to shew that the meeke spirit of God is zealous other whiles in his children This was another reason he was thus affected And thirdly in this reproach of theirs thus violent Where is now thy God here was a damping of the spirits of all good men in those times that should heare of this reproach Words affect strangely they have a strange force with men especially in weake fancies that are not grounded in their judgement and faith The spies made a shrewd oration and brought an ill report on the Land oh it is
to seeke Gods face 1 189 Faith Faith in the use of meanes 1 70 Faith said to do that God doth 1 71 Faith enlivens all graces 1 72 Faith strengthened by experience 1 90 Faith to be laboured for 1 94 Faith one from the beginning 1 196 Perseverance in Faith 1 197 Faith carries a Christian through all passages 1 198 To die in faith what 1 199 Faith over comes all that is terrible in death 1 201 Faith the eye of it 1 218 Faith seeth afar off how 1 219 Sight of faith how to help it 1 228 Two branches of faith 1 262 Faithâ—…w â—…w cherished 2 65 Faith of Christians how shaken 2 218 Faith to be strengthened 2 220 Farre see Faith Favour Favour of God to bee sought first 1 181 Feare How to know God is ours by feare 2 125 Feeling Christians may want feeling 1 207 First-borne Death of the first-borne a great judgment 1 110 Free Freedome in sin a judgment 1 22 Covenant of grace free 2 249 See Will. G Glory Glorious God gets glory by weake meanes 1 68 Why wee shall bee glorious with Christ. 2 19 Wherein that glory shall be 2 21 When the Saints shall be glorified 2 23 To think of the glory to come 2 25 Glory why revealed before-hand 〈◊〉 28 See Body God Two things wherin we are like God 1 144 What it is for God to be our God 2 117 God ours in the covenant of grace 2 120 How to know God is our God 2 121 To labour that God may be our God 2 140 To make use of all in God as ours 2 143 Goodnesse God is willing to bestow his goodnesse 1 143 See Communicative Gospell Punishment of slighting the Gospell 1. 43 Grace see Covenant Guidance Guidance of God to be prayed for 1 24 H Happinesse Wicked men out-live their happines 2 78 Happines of the godly 2 80 Wicked men may know the happinesse of Gods children 2 84 Hatred Affection of hatred due to the beast 1 47 Heaven Heaven the country of a Christian. 1 292 See desire Hid hidden The life of a Christian hidden 2 4 God sometimes hides himselfe 2 223 Hope see Faith I Satans kingdome like the walls of Iericho 1 73 Our corruptions like the walles of Iericho 1 74 Antichrists kingdom like the wals of Iericho 1 75 Meanes to east downe mysticall Iericho 1 78 How to prevent the building of spirituall Iericho 1 80 120 Iericho why not to be built againe 1 106 How men build Iericho againe 1 114 118 Imbrace Faith imbraceth what it hath 1 259 Imbracing followeth perswasion 1 260 What affections imbrace good things 1 272 Imbracing how wrought 1 274 Ioy. Knowing God ours is our joy 2 129 Iudgement see spirituall K Kings The tenne Kings wherein sinfull 1. 28 Knowne knowledge God willing to be known 1 141 Knowledge of our estate sometime suspended 1 238 L Life Christ our life how 2 11 To improve the time of life 2 75 Life 3. degrees of it 2 82 See die hidden soule Love God knowne to be ours by our Love 2 127 M Malice see reproach False confidence over-turned by weake meanes 1 67 See Faith Blessing of Ministers to bee regarded 1 103 Ministers duty 2 176 God the only Monarch 1 26 Good Motions to be cherished 2 99 N 3. Things in man by Nature 1 64 O Quality of obedience 1 160 Obedience sutable to the command 1 164 To know God is ours by our obedience 2 131 God to be sought in his Ordinances 1 186 Men give too much to Outward worship 2 172 Why men are prone to Outward performances 2 174 Papists work their own overthrow 1 53 How to set against Popery 1 87 Popery how it sprung up 1 117 Covenant of grace Peculiar 2 252 Perswasion followes sight 121 Perswasion what 1 233 Perswasion degrees of it 1 235 Perswasion spirituall necessary 1 236 Perswasion particular sometimes weake 1 237 Perswasion how to know it is not supernaturall 2 242 Perswasion wrought by the spirit 1 247 How the spirit doth perswade 1 248 The manner of working perswasion 1 250 A strong worke to perswade the soule 1 251 To labour for spirituall perswasion 1 253 To desire God to perswade us 1 256 Evidences that we are perswaded 1 257 Persons see Curse Pilgrims Difference betweene Pilgrims and strangers 1 289 To resolve to please God 2 141 Power see Truth To know God is ours by our prayer 2 134 Preaching the force of it 1 78 Presence of God how considered 1 171 Things as present affect us 1 218 Promises to alleage them to God 1 167 God deales with men by promises 1 210 Faith lookes to God by the Promises 1 211 Promises oft to be thought on 2 13 Proportion see Punishment Providence see Evill Punishment proportionable to sin 1 109 R Religion disgraced how it affects us 2 132 Reproach the expression of malice 2 216 Not to be cast downe for reproach Ibid. David sensible of reproach 2 228 God doth not reveale all things at all times 1 215 Righteous man who 2 84 S See Sight Things requisite to sight 1 222 Sight of faith necessary 1 223 3. Things in strong sight 1 224 See Faith perswasion Mercies and judgments apprehended in our seed 2 156 To seeke GOD by his strength 1 158 Seeking what it doth implie 1 170 Ground of seeking of God 1 171 See Strength betimes face Sensible see reproach Sentence of Christ unavoydable 1 132 Men must not appoint how to serve God 1 138 Sinne considered in three times 1 17 Soule made for heavenly things 1 267 Love of earthly things abase the Soule 1 268 Soule how quieted Ibid. Soule continues after death 2 74 Life of the Soule double Ibid. How to use our Soules 2 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirituall judgements greatest 1 22 Order of the Spirits working 1 217 To begge the Spirit to perswade us 1 254 Stranger Gods people strangers here 1 290 CHRIST a stranger on earth 1 294 To have the affections of strangers 1 295 Wicked men how strangers here 1 297 Carriage of a stranger 1 300 See Pilgrim Strike see threaten The covenant of grace sure 2 250 T Covenant of grace a Testament 2 110 Difference of a covenant and Testament Ibid. To be thankfull for that we have 1 215 God threatensâ—…re â—…re he strike 1 108 Wickednes shall nos alway thrive 1 47 To tremble at Gods word 1 133 Men naturally trust soâ—…what 1 62 Try all of our trust 1 65 How to know GOD ours by trust 2 129 Truth of God 1 150 Faith looks to Gods power truth 1 224 V The best mens bodyes vile in this world 2 40 God revealed to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding creature 2 107 Our nature prone to unthankefulnes 2 116 W To goe to Christ in all wants 2 15 Degrees of wicked men 2 86 Will of man free in sinne 1 20 To be left to our owâ—… will a great judgement 1 21 Will when accepted for