thou opened that is one Lo I come and then I delight to do thy will and thy Law is within my heart There are these four Lo I come saith Christ to do it It appears plainly that there was a Covenant between the Father and the Son from al eternity that Christ should come in due time into the world and take our natures upon him Now the time was for Christ to come There is many that wil agree to do such a thing beforehand but when it comes to be done if they see there wil be any difficulty in it and that they shal endure some hardship they hang back But Christ had agreed from al eternity with his Father that at such a time he would come into the world and take the nature of man upon him and be in the form of a servant and be made a curse for mans sins and al that he might reconcile sinners unto himself This was the agreement Now the time approaches for him to come and undertake this great work when the time came Observe now how Christs heart was in it He did not hang back he did not repent him of the Covenant But I come I come saith Christ as we use to express our selves when we are called to do a thing that we love to do we say I come I come now the time is come for you to do that which you undertook to do to go into the world to take the nature of man be made in form of a Servant and to bear my wrath and to satisfie my Justice for the sin of man I come I come saith Christ and he doth not only come but come with delight to do thy Will and what was this wil It was that Christ should be humbled to the death of the Cross Though I knew it would cost my life yet I delight to do it because my heart is so much set upon reconciling Sinners unto thy self and not only so but thy Law is in my heart it hath gotten a deep impression in my heart thy Law that iâ— that Law of thine whereby I am tyed to this that I have undertaken for it is within my heart in the very midst of my bowels that I should do it And then Fourthly Mine ears hast thou opened the words are mine ears hast thou boared The meaning of that Phrase must be understood by comparing it that way which was of God in the time of the Law commanding that if a servant would not goe out of his service in the years of Jubilee that his master should take an awle and boar his ear and so he should be a servant forever This Phrase hath allusion to that as if Christ should say thus I am content that I might do this work to be as a servant whose ear is boared who must be a servant for ever so saith Christ that I might accomplish the work of reconciling sinners to thy self I am content to be as a servant whose ear is boared thereby signifieing that he would be willing to listen to any thing that should be commanded him His masters commandements are not grievous but it is his meat and drink to do the wil of his Lord. Wel might the Apostle say As in Christs stead we beseech you as if he should say Christs heart is much towards sinners that he might bring them to be reconciled unto God and we in his name come to prevail with sinners no get them in unto God Secondly Observe what was the first Sermon that ever Christ preached For the the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is the first Sermon calling sinners to repent because the Kingdome of grace wherein the Gospel of God should reign that is at hand saith Christ and then Christ would preach so as to gain most when he had the greatest Auditors What was it that he preacht when he was amongst the Jews at the Feast of dedication In the great day of the Feast saith the Scripture Christ lift up his voice and cryed Hoe every one that is a thirst A Minister when he is to preach to a great Congregation and he is not like to come to them again he should speak on such a subject that his heart is most in Now Christ at the Feast of dedicaton he was not like to come to them sodainly again to use such an argument to them he cryed Hoe every one that is a thirst come and Christ further doth profess that it is the end why he came into the World To save to seek that which was lost Not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance That is the great end that he came into the world about it was the great subejct of his preaching the great errand that he came into the world about And further observe with what lovingness gentleness and sweetness he doth it what a gratious invitation we have in Math. 11. Come unto me al you that are weary and heavy leaden and I wil give you rest and he professes in John 6.37 None that comes to me wil I cast of I wil not cast of any that do come to me Yea he tells us that he wil not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reede to encourage sinners he tells them if there be but any stirrings of the heart unto him but as the smoaking flax and as the bruised reed yet he wil not break one nor quench the other but he wil encourage new beginnings though never so smal in sinners coming unto him These are the expressions of Christ towards sinners to shew them how tender he is over them and when the time drew neer for Christ to suffer then if ever one would think if the heart of Christ were not much in it Christ would draw back not only when he was to come into the world but in the work of his Mediation when he was to suffer the violence of the wrath of his father to be poured out upon him But mark how he doth express himself in Luk 22. verse 15. And he said unto them with desire I have desired to eate this passover with you before I suffer Why did Christ desire he desired that is strongly desired to eat this passover why because he knew that assoon as ever he had eaten it he should be called to suffer for mans sin and to accomplish the great work of redemption for sinful men Then it was to be done Why Was there any such cause that Christ should be so strongly upon it to desire this passover One would have thought that above al passovers Christ should have been afraide of this because this was to put a period to his life for then Christ was himself to be made the passover to suffer when this passover came once he knew that he was to be made the paschal Lamb and yet he doth desire above al to eate this passover thereby shewing what a minde he had to finish the work whereby sinners might come to be reconciled unto God And
of Achor as the enterance at the door of Hope unto that Mercy that they should injoy from him in the Land of Canaan That this Valley of Achor was a delightful fruitful Valley it appears evidently from that Text in Esa 65.10 And Sharon shal be a Field of flocks and the Valley of Achor a place for the Heards to lie down in for my people that have sought me Here God promises the Valley of Achor as a blessing to the people that did seek him and the Heards should lie down in it it was a very fruitful place and therefore God maketh such a promise Now though it hath the name of trouble yet we find that God promiseth it to his people as a token of his Mercy and so it is to be understood in these words therefore having the meaning of it now we come to the Doctrinal Conclusion that is to be grounded upon this Scripture thus opened unto you the Doctrine then is this Doct. That the Mercies that God bestows upon his Church and his people are doors of hope to future Mercies Present Mercies that God grants unto his people are doors of hope to future Mercies Al Gods Mercies to his Saints are inlets unto further Mercies This is the high priviledge of the Saints of God it belongs not to every one The wicked indeed when they receive any thing from God they may write their Ne plus ultra upon it this is like to be their PORTION and they may wonder that they have any thing at al but the Mercies of God unto his people may be al called doors of hope the name of Joseph may be written upon them as we may read in Genesis 30.24 When Rachel had once conceived and did bear a Son shee called his name Joseph and said The Lord shal add another when she had one she made it a pledge of another the Lord shal another So it is with Gods mercies to his people they are Josephs may conclude that God shal add another when God delivered his people out of Egypt Exod. 13.15 saith Moses Thou hast guided them unto thy holy habitation thou hast guided them that deliverance Moses tooke as a certain Argument of Gods further Mercy toward them thou hast guided them When God did but begin with David in 2 Sam. 5.12 to shew but a little Mercy an outward Mercy to him David did conclude that God had established him in the Kingdome How so God had shewed a great favor outwardly unto David and David could conclude that that favor he did receive was bur an inlet unto more an argument of establishment of him in his Kingdome God hath delivered and he wil deliver saith the Apostle As God maketh way in his wrath by lesser judgements upon the wicked in Psal 78.45 so God maketh way for his Mercy by present lesser Mercies unto his Children But now in the prosecution of this point we shal discover to you 1. The Reasons of it how this cometh to pass 2. We shal answer a question about Gods interuption of his Mercies 3 Discover unto you how we shal come to know when Gods present Mercies are but preparations unto future Mercies what kinds of Mercies those are and how to be known that are but inlets unto other Mercies And then 4. Come to the Uses of the Doctrine that Gods Mercies to his pâ—ople are but in-lets unto greater Reason 1. That cometh hence because of the fulness of mercy that is in God there is such an infinite Ocean and stream and treasure of Mercy in the Lord that hence it is that when it cometh and beginneth to run unto the Saints to the people of God that the beginnings of it are but preparations to let out more the Scripture saith that God doth delight in mercy in Micah 7.18 now that that a man delighteth in if he once begin that that he doth is but to draw on more Gods Mercies are called his Riches God is rich in Mercy the Wisdome of God the Power of God and the Justice of God are not called Gods Riches they are called his Glory I wil make my Glory to passe by and God proclaims his Mercy now then because the Mercies of God are his delight his Riches his Glory when he hath fit subjects to let out these upon when he beginneth once to let them out these beginnings are Testimonies of a Fountain that is to be communicated Reason 2. Al Gods Mercies to his people they come out of love Amor nescit nimium Love knows not too much it knows not any such expression as too much there is nothing too much for Love Love it must not be limited if Love begin to be shewn that that cometh out of Love wâ—l have no bounds Now al the goodnesse that God shews to his people it cometh out of Love out of infinite Love and therefore one Fruit of goodness is but a drawing on of another Indeed when Gods goodness cometh out of general bounty then it is in another manner it stops soon but when it comerh out of intire Love the infinite Love of God it stoppeth not But Thirdly There is another Argument that added to these two maketh it strong indeed and that is Reason 3. That the goodness of God unto his peopel is a fruit of the covenant it cometh not only out of love but it cometh unto them as the fruit of an everlasting covenant that God hath made with them a sure covenant now in the covenant of grace that God hath made with his people there is a connection of al mercies a concatination of al the goodness of God there the treasure of mercy is in the covenant and an exceeding strength of mercy in the covenant to bear down al hindrances and oppositions there mercy is tied unto them by truth and as we read of the covenant between Jonathan and david in 1 Sam 20 15. That David made a covenant with Johnathan that he would never cut off his loving kindness from him nor from his house after him such a covenant hath God made with al his people that he wil never cut off his loving kindness from them he hath made no such covenant with the wicked no God may shew them some favour for the present yet he hath not made a covenant that he wil never cut off his mercy from them you may have abundance of favours this day but you may have them eternally cut off from you but the saints of God are in such a blessed condition as God doth not only shew them mercy for the present but he hath made a covenant with them never to cut off his loving kindness from them and upon this covenant though there he many weaknesses and many distempers in them frailties and infirmities yet God wil never cut off his loving kindness from them Reason 4. Because that the Goodness of God to his people as it cometh from an eternal fountain so it is let out for the accomplishments of eternal ends
ages that are now gone and their Souls are triumphing in Heaven I say that that is the Harvest of al their prayers surely cannot be one single Mercy but is a Mercy to let in others it is a Mercy that is a door of hope to further Mercies and that is the Third Note Again Fourthly a Fourth Note of a Mercy that is a making way to further Mercies is this The Fourth Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies That Mercy that leads us to the God of Mercy is certainly an inlet to further Mercies whatsoever it is that leads our Souls to the God of Mercy we may conclude that this Mercy wil bring abundant good with it I must not build upon divers Sccriptures only read that of David in 2 Sam. 7. the whole Chapter you may read at your leisure how Gods Mercy to him lead him to the God of Mercy upon which there was such a promise of continuance of Mercy for so long a time The fift Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets of future Mercies That Mercy I beseech you observe it that is to a Soul to a people an ingagement to duty is certainly a door of more Mercy whatsoever Mercy God bestows upon you in particular or upon a Nation if the Mercy be made an engagement to Duty certaitnly it is a door to more Mercy take it thus As so we may when we do account our duties to be Mercies then our duties wil hold so when Gods Mercies are turned into duties then Gods Mercies wil hold it is a most infallible sign of one that wil persevere in duty that wil never fail If thou wouldest know whether thou art like to persevere in duty or no O! I am afraid I shal fall off saysome O! if I were sure that I should persevere to the end it would comfort me Would you have an infalliable sign that your duties wil hold to the end take this for one If thy Soul looke upon every duty as a Mercy to thee every command to a duty as Gods Mercy to thee every day thus I dare pawn my soul that soul wil persevere so far as any soul shal account a duty to be a Mercy so far that soul shal persevere As it is a certain Evidence of perseverance in duty when a duty is accounted a Mercy so I say it is a cerain Evidence that there wil be a perseverance in Mercy when Mercy is turned into duty when Mercy shal be an engagement to duty and turns into duty then it is a certain sign there wil be a perseverance in mercy as when duty is accounted mercy there wil be a persevernce in duty Again another may be this The Sixt discovery whether Gods present mercyes be in-lets to future mercies That mercy that humbleth the heart that mercy is an in-let to further mercy And it is very observable that place in Sam. 2 7. you may read that Chapter in two or three several places when God had promised to David great things marke you Davids spirit was as low then never lower what am I saith David and David cries out Thou art great O Lord he crieth not out thou hast made me great but thou art great O Lord and in the 26. verse Let thy name be magnified for ever he was low in his own spirit What am I but let thy name be magnified for ever Davids heart was not taken up about this Oh! God hath promised to me a perpetual Kingdome unto my posterity and now I am great and God hath magnified me no but what am I and let thy name be magnified and be thou great O Lord. When this shal be the frame of a soule of a people when God advanceth them in a way of Mercy and they cry out Oh! let me be low and be any thing so Gods name be magnified certainly this Mercy is a fore-runner of further mercy As it is a great argument of the strength of faith and acceptable to God when as in one adversity when God seems to come out against him that a guilty heart can beleeve and the heart can be raised and not sinke in the depth of adversity I beseech you observe it as when the heart can rise in the depth of adversity it is a stronge argument that there is an enduring faith and a pretious faith so when the heart can fal in the height of prosperity and be low there is abundance of grace in that soul acceptable to God and God intendeth much good to it The seventh discovery Whether Gods present mercies be in-lets to future mercies When as we are careful to consecrate the first fruits of our Mercies to God when the first fruits of the good we do receive are ever consecrated to God then it is but an inlet of further Mercies for so it was here This vally of Achon you know it was by Jerico as an evidence unto them that they should have al the Land of Canan now what did they at Jericho they did devote al to God the whole City to God with the suburbs of it were devoted to God they consecrated the first fruites of Canan at their entering into Canan where Jericho was and this valey of Acon was just by it when God did begin to give them possession of that good land they did devote the first fruits to God and so it became an evidence to them that they should possesse the Good land afterwards So when God beginneth in a way of mercy and goodness then if a people or family or particular man or woman begineth to devote that first fruit of mercy to God it is evident it is a doore of hope of further Mercy Thus I have done with the explication I am sory I have no more time for the application I wil passe over things as briefly as I can it is the last of al I most intend for the First therefore USE 1. If this be so that Gods Mercies and even present Mercies are inlets to future when God is in a way of Mercy then his people may expect greater to follow hence folows this consequence upon it that therefore those men and women that are only careful to seeke God in time of affliction are much mistaken and it is a vile wretched folly for any to thinke that that is the only time to seeke God the time of affliction that is confuted from this point thus for if when God is in a way of mercy then Gods people they argue that more mercy is coming then this follows that when God is in a way of mercy then it is a fit time to pray to him that is the fittest time to pray to him when God is in a way of goodness and Mercy to them when Mercy is comming then it is a time for thee to be praying But now the case is quite cross in the world they wil pray to God indeed when when God hath them at the advantage in a time of sickness and affliction and
them and know I speak not this as a moral work but as that wherein you should shew the feare of God Fourthly It hath been accounted in scripture a sign of great humanity when the Aged are so honored In Deuteronomy 28.50 There is a notable Place God threatens that he would send a nation of fierce countenance which shal not regard the person of the Olâ— It is an inhumane nation of fierce countenance that shal not regard the person of the Old Fiftly When God would threaten a judgment against a family he threatens that there should be no Old man in it 1 Sam. 2.31.32 Quest But why should Old Age be so honored I have not time to search fully into the reasons of it there are others things that I especially intend at this time that are behind but yet somewhat I must say First Answ 1 They had the possession of the world before you and they have been means to keep the world instruments to keep it in that order and in that good condition in which it is 2. They are to be supposed to have knowledg Prudence and understanding and Old Age is knit together diverse times in scripture and I remember the Chaldee paraphrase upon that place thou shalt rise up before the Old man translate it with this word qui doctus est in Lege before him that is taught in the Law supposing that al Old men should be men of understanding and men of knowledg and indeed an ignorant Old man in these times of knowledg is a monster in the world having had such a time of light as we have had shinning so clearly dazeling our very eyes and sparkling continually in our consciences Again 3. Old Age is that that al desire to come unto and therefore honorable 4. There is a kind of image of Gods eternity upon it God himself hath this title of the ancient of daies USE 1. If God then thus honors it and puts this honor upon it O! let us al honor old age let there be a reverent carriage of you towards them let them see the work of Godlineâ—â— the fruit of Godlyness especially governors in in their servants parents in their Children that they may see that since they were more godly they have more reverence to old age Advise with them be willing to be guided by them and yet not so far as to give so much unto age as to make it to be a rule of actions as to be led into any error by it When antiquity is pleaded for that which is not truth it is but the very mould as it were of error many men when they are as it were mired in their error and know not how to get out especially in way of dispute then they wil seeke to helpe themselves by antiquity as we read of Jeremiah when he was put into the mire they put old rotten ragges under his arme-holes to lift him up so many being plunged in disput when they have nothing else to say they thinke to get together old rotten ragges of antiquity no true antiquity for that is antiquity that is according to the first original of al antiquities meus Jesus Christus saith Ignatius and Crisostom saith Christ said not that I am custom but that I am the truth There is a great deal of power I confess in old age for to prevail with the younger somtimes in tha that is evil and in this sence the holy-ghost bids us cal no man father no man must be called Father to have the authority to be a rule of our actions against the truth we have a notable story in the 1. Rings 13.11 of the prophet that God charged not to returne back again the same way he came and when he came to the Court not to stay nor eate in that place but when he came to the Court then they laboured to perswade with him that he would returne that he would stay and eate and he could easily put off a company of yong gallants at Court but when he came unto the old prophet Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel saith the text and this old prophet he comes and he prevails with him to go against the command of God it seemes he had some reverent respect unto his age and so he prevailed with him when the other Courtiers could not We must take heed that antiquity never so prevaile with us no not any old prophet but though we must not be led into error through our respect unto them yet stil keep our reverential respect towards them especially you that be Children reverence you your old parents in Prov. 23.22 there is a charge hearken to thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old Hear thy Father that begate thee and despise not thy mother because they being weaker are more ready to be despised therefore God giveth a charge that none must despise their mothers when they are old 2. Give respect to them by being dutifully obedient hearkening to their counsels Even Esau himselfe that was so wicked yet he would seeme to give some respect unto his old father Isaac as in Genesis 18.8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his Father then went Esau to Ishmael and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams Son c. When Esau saw the daughâ—ers of Canaan did not please his father Esau would go and take the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams Son he would not displease his own old father no not an Easu no not a prophane Esau he would not displease his own old father not in his match in his choice but would choose those that he thought were most agreeable unto the minde of his old Father 3. Give respect unto your parents in bearing good wil to them The very reason why many would fain have their old parents to be from them or they from their old parents is indeed an argument if it were considered why they should rather desire to have their parents with them namly because they have many weaknesses therefore thou shouldest rather desire to have thy parents with thee that thou mightest cover their weaknesses and bear with their weaknesses who is fitter to do it than thee to thy parents the stork wil teach thee to provide for thy old parents they wil helpe them to fly and feed their old ones when they are not able to do it themselves 1. It is a great evil in a common-wealth and a signe of great confusion when younge ones shal behave themselves proudly against the old in Isaiah 3.5 when the young come and behave themselves proudly against the old it is noted as a great argument of Gods Judgments upon a Kingdome and indeed it is a sad and grevious disorder we love the houses and the Towns in which we were borne much more then the loynes and the womb in which we were borne to which we should give a greater respect And. 2.
delight in them the more so because God sees there are so few that continue in his waies therefore those that do are the more prized by God and the more honored by God So Paul he tells us that of the most he was forsaken 2 Tim. 1 15.16 He praies for the house of Onesiphorus because he had kept by him when most in Asia had forsaken him that is honorable Again Those that continue in the waies of Godliness they are honorable before the Lord because they have passed through many difficulties in the waies of God A souldier that hath passed through manâ— dangers and dfficulties in the Kings service is so much the more honored We reade of Solomon 1 Kings 2.26 That he honored Abiathar because he had suffered so much affliction with his Father of Old so God wil honor those that have suffered many difficulties those that have gone through many changes of time and yet continued upright God wil exceedingly honor in Luke 18. Because you have indured with me in the time of temptation therefore I have appointed unto you a Kingdom saith Christ Again It is an honorable thing to be Old in the waies of righteousness because these have much acquaintance with God they come to be of Gods long acquaintance Now we delight much if we can meet with one that is of our old acquaintance we say Oh! Such an one is my Old acquaintance he was my fathers acquaintance therefore we prize him now Now an Old man that hath been a Godly man a long time he is our Old acquaintance an Old acquaintance of God our Father and therefore we honor him in Exodus 15.23 Where Moses praises God saith he he is our God and our Fathers â—od Is it an honor to God that he was our Fathers God Then it is an honor to you that you are Gods that are our Fathers that you are our Fathers Saints if God be honored for being our Fathers God then you are honored for being one of our Fathers Saints Gods Saint who is our Father We reade of Moses that having been but forty daies conversing with God upon the Mount and his Face did shine if conversing with God forty daies makes his face shine what wil it be to converse with God forty years Oh! how must their faces needs shine being so long acquainted with him 8. Those that continue gracious Old they have done a great deal of service and therefore honorable especially if they have been in publique places A publique Minister that hath coâ—â—inued to be Old in service for God he is an object oâ—â—uch honor to be exceedingly reverenced I remember it is reported of Basil that when the officers came to apprehend him the story saith he was about holy duties and the gravity and sparkling holiness of countenance made the officers to fal down backwards they were not able to beare it A man that hath lived long in the service of God is very honorable before the Lord before men we honor our Old Servants if any one hath been your Old servant you wil not see such an one want he hath been my Fathers servant before me and an ancitent servant to the family and therefore not to be disrespected shal we respect ancient servants to the family and company then how much more is an ancient servant to the Lord to be respected How wil not many Glory in this that they have been in the Kings service thus long Oh! this is worthy of Glory that thou hast been in the service of the Lord so long 9. Oh! It is a crown of Glory to be Old in the waies of righteousness because thou art neare to that eternal crown Rom 13.11 Our salvation is nearer than when at first we beleeved Thou art even almost at the heaven and when thou art looked upon thus thou art to be honored in that regard An Old souldier that by being long in service cometh to have the next place of preferment to be due to him he is looked upon with respect and regard It may be the next place in heaven is like to be thy portion thou art neare unto thy Glory Young men are to go on in their warfare here but thy warfar is even accomplished in Isa 40. Comfort you comfort you my people for their warfar is accomplished Now those are to be honored it is a glory for a man to be neare the Kingdom of heaven to be near this crown of eternal Glory 10. If thou continuest Old in the waies of righteousness then thy crown of Glory shal be exceeding great exceeding glorious The longer thou stayest for it the more glorious it shal be the longer thy crown is a framing the more ful of Diamonds and Pearls it wil be when it cometh I have read of an Emperors Son that one speaking to him about the glory he was like to have hereafter I saith he the Cooks are a long time preparing the dinner but we shal have the better cheer when it cometh So though God hath let those that are ancient and Godly live here in their Pilgrimage a long time yet when it cometh they shal have the greater Glory Put al these together and certainly it must needs be that the hoary head must needs have a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness USE 1. We have cause to lament that we have so few objects to honor as we have Indeed It is a most glorious sight to see an Old gracious holy man that hath been from his youth holy and Godly it is indeed a most glorious sight and may wel draw the eyes of al to behold it I remember Josephus saith that Moses when he was but little he had that beauty upon him that al that passed by were even enamoured with his beauty and they could not pass by but they must stand and look upon him Truly if there be a beautiful honorable object in the world it is to see a hoary head in the waies of Righteousness but O! wo to us that we have so few of them among us blessed be God that there are any but how happy we if we had more such objects to honor That there are but few I give you these evidences First 1. How few old ones have we that delight when they come together when they meete in their companies to relate the experiences of the waies of God of the passages of Gods providence of the faithfulness of God and of the goodness of God to them and to his people so as to give glory to his name when they come together they tel a great many of old tales or old fables they delight themselves in telling the tricks of their youth what they have done in such an Inn in such a Tavern or in such a company they can revive their youthful sins again but to discourse of the providence and waies of God to them of old to give glory to him where finde you this Again secondly 2. How few