〈…〉 all my Years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which Words are Written for our Admonition and Ensample for our Imitation and Practice upon whom the Ends of the World are come Namely That each of us should severally go all our Remaining Years Months Weeks and Days of this our Pilgrimage in the Bitterness of our Souls And if we should also when we come to lie on our Death-Beds Weep sore Provided it be for the very same Reasons as Hezekiah did It would be never the worse but better for us Now with what kind of Use and Application shall I conclude the foregoing Sermons The first Use shall be a short Word of Exhortation Namely for all that shall hear or read these lines To walk before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in his Sight How this may be done hath been already shewed My Business at present is to Exhort and Perswade People so to do Have ye in the past time of your Lives walked before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is Good in his Sight Some have and some have not But this know God requireth that which is past Eccles 3. 15. He will certainly call you to an Account and Judge you for the past time of your Life That is gone by and there is no recalling of it yet the future course of your Life is somewhat more in your Power Do ye therefore secure the Aâ—â—â—ues Walk before God in the beginning of each Day 〈◊〉 all the Day long And as ye do thus in the several Days the residue of your Life that is to come will 〈◊〉 True Perfect and Good For it is not a vain thing â—or you Because it is your Life and through this thing 〈◊〉 shall prolong your Days in the Land whither ye go â—ver Jordan to possess it Deut. 32. 47. It is not a â—ain or Indifferent thing in the first place to Hear or Read the Word of God or not to do it For all that â—ver will be saved will be saved by the Word of God As Contrariwise Destruction and Misery are â—hreatned to those who refuse it or turn their Backs â—rom it or who only give it the Hearing but do not thereafter But Moses saith Set your hearts unto all the Words which I testifie because it is your Life Which is the nearest thing belonging to any one for 't is this which gives the resentment and feeling of all other things And through this thing of walking before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and doing that which is Good in his sight Ye shall Prolong your Days It Prolonged Hezekiahs Days Fifteen Years more and it will prolong your Days a longer space of duration then Fifteen Thousand yea Fifteen Millions of Years in the Land of Eternity whither and when ye go over the Jordan of this Life to possess it The Heart and Conscience of every one must necessarily assent to the Truth of this following Proposition Seeing that Man must live and abide for ever for so it is from the Order Decree and Determination of God concerning us He cannot do otherwise then desire to be happy for ever when He goes over the Jordan of this Life as well and all one as He desires and endeavours to live happily and comfortably in this Life on this side of Jordan Seeing that Mâ—â— must live after Death He must all one and also doth desire to be Happy and Blessed after Death all onâ— as it is Natural and every one doth desire to liâ—â— Comfortably Pleasantly and Happily before Deaâ—â— And seeing again from the Order Decree and Determination of God There is noâ— other way undâ—â— Heaven to be Happy and Blessed for ever but 〈◊〉 walking before God in Truth and with a Perfeâ—â— Heart and by doing that which is Good in his sighâ— throughout all our remaining Life Hereupon 〈◊〉 Word of Exhortation speaks most strong and forciblâ— to every one that would be saved and happy for 〈◊〉 ver as every one would who knows and believes 〈◊〉 future State Go thou and do likewise What I say 〈◊〉 thee I say again to all Go thou and do likewise Ev 〈…〉 to walk before the Invisible God in Truth and wi 〈…〉 a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight all the remaining Days thou walkest moveâ—â— and breathest on this Earth If you do but atten 〈…〉 unto and understand throughly that Reasoning and Truth which lies in this consideration It will appear to be the most Strong and Powerful Argument in the World for to Perswade Men. The other Use which I shall draw and infer from these last words of our Text And Hezekiah wept sore shall be To Recommend unto those who are in Reality and Truth obedient Servants of the Lord to be in a State of Weeping and Mourning Say I these things as a Man For doth not the Law of the Prophets Recommend and say the very same unto ye Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with Fasting the intent whereof is to afflict our Soul Isa 58. 3. And with Weeping and with Mourning Let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2. 12 13 14 17. And in that Day did the Lord God of Hosts call to Weeping and to Mourning and to Girding with â—ack-cloth Little of this is obeyed and observed in this Generation and Countrey of ours but herein is fulfilled what is next Written And behold Joy and Gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating Flesh and Drinking Wine Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this Iniquity shall not be Purged from ye until ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts Isa 22. 12 13 14. But here it may be surmised and said That such kind of harsh and sowre Doctrine may be Reasonably expected from the Old Testament Dispensation which came from Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage from whence the Law was given in Fire in Blackness and Darkness and Tempest of Thunder and Lightning But the Gospel was not ushered nor brought into the World after that manner for it came in a still Voice with a Fear not for behold I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all People Luke 2. 10. Doth this same Gospel Recommend or say any thing concerning this State of Weeping and Mourning For if it should How would it then bring us Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be unto all People Yes assuredly it doth both but herein is Comprised the Mystery of God That the Weeping and Mourning must go before the Joy which is to be manifested in us and had by us
looketh upon all the Inhabitants of thâ— Earth He fashioneth their Hearts alike He considereâ— all their Works Psal 33. 13 14 15. So that his Eyes being upon all the ways of the Sons of Men and he considering all their Works he must of Necessity Remember them Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle Are not these things noted in thy Book Are not Five Sparrowt sold for a Faâ— thing And not one of them is forgotten before God Aâ— so the very Hairs of our Head are all numbered Goâ— knoweth all things which shews also that he rememberâ— for Remembrece is a Knowledge and keeping in Mind 〈◊〉 past things all things that have been done on this Eartâ— by all the Creatures and Things therein Known unto Goâ— are all his Works from the beginning of the World Yâ— they are Registred and set down by him The Sin of Judah is Written with a Pen of Iron and Graven with 〈◊〉 point of a Diamond Altho' no Man did ever speak or takâ— notice thereof And so seeing that God knows aâ—â— Things and Remembers all Things in all Persons anâ— Creatures What need had therefore Hezekiah or any other of the Saints and Servants of the Lord to praâ— unto him in that manner of Speech Remember me Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy People Psal 126. 4. Lord Remember David and all his Afflictionâ— Whereas God doth and will Remember without being prayed unto for so to do But as to this the Lord doth speak by Ezekiel that tho' He would do such a thing for Israel yet for all that He would be enquired of by Israel for that thing And so tho' God will do many things Nevertheless yet he would have the Creature pray unto him for it Both in obedience to his Commandment of Calling on his Name as also to shew forth that dependance subjection and desire which the Creature hath after the same from his Creator Herein also his Servants do speak after the manner of Men when they pray in such a manner Think upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people Neh. 5. 19. Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the Greatness of thy Mercy Remember me O my God for Good Neh. 13. 22 â—1 And in another place he saith to this purpose Wipe not my Good Deeds out of thy sight Hezekiah prays That God would Remember the Good Life which he had led He might have thus known that there had been no need for him to use those words for God would have Remembred his Good Life Nevertheless It may be convenient and necessary to keep a Catalogue of our sins and a Catalogue of Gods Mercies toward us The first to the intent that we may confess and be sorry for them that so God according to his Gracious method and promise may forgive them That we see and eye continually the Rock whereon we had well nigh split and more certainly avoid and pass by the same for the future That we may bear Iniquity and lothe our selves in our own sight for them That all the few and evil Days remaining of our Pilgrimage We may walk in the Bitterness of our Souls because we have transgressed against the Lord our God Which same will be a Reaping in Joy in the life that is to come For according as our present grief for sin hath been so accordingly will our future Degree of Consolation be And so again it is convenient and necessary to keep 〈◊〉 us a Catalogue of Gods Mercies that we may be alwaâ—â— mindful of them and endeavour to render unto the 〈◊〉 according to the Benefit which we have received that 〈◊〉 may offer unto him the Sacrifice of Praise continual 〈…〉 Because he loadeth us with his Benefits daily that his greâ—â— Goodness and Mercy may engage us yet more to closâ—â— strict and Universal Obedience unto all the Words of 〈◊〉 Law that we may offer him Praise and Glorifie him 〈◊〉 ordering our Conversation aright and such like But it is neither convenient nor yet necessary to keeâ— by us any Catalogue at all of our several good Deedâ— for God himself will keep a true faithful and exact Register of them For God is not Vnrighteous to forget yoâ— Work and labour of Love which you have shewed towarâ— his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and 〈◊〉 minister Heb. 6. 10. Not the least good deed even to 〈◊〉 Cup of cold Water ministred unto one in the Name of a Dâ—ciple of Christ Mat. 10. 42. shall be forgotten nor 〈◊〉 paâ—s unrewarded before God But as he remembers all our good Deeds from thâ— greatest of them to the least of them to recompence 〈◊〉 every one according to his ways and according to thâ— fruit of his doings for thou Lord only knowest all that 〈◊〉 in the hearts of all the Children of Men so he remembeâ— all our Sins and Evil Deeds from the greatest to the leaâ—â— of them Thou hast set our Iniquities before thee and 〈◊〉 secret Sins in the Light of thy Countenance Psal 90. 〈◊〉 For God shall bring every Work into judgment with eveâ— secret things whither it be good or bad Eccles 12. 14. 〈◊〉 order to do which he must of necessity remember eaâ—â— and every one of both sorts which again is as certaiâ— as that he knows all things for he keeps and continuâ— them in Knowledge which is Memory or Remeâ—brance Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee Thâ— they should more especially remember and be put 〈◊〉 mind of who live without God in the World or whâ— have not that constant Sense of the Invisible God upoâ— their Souls and Spirits as they ought to have Althougâ— they do forget God and not think of him yet still 〈◊〉 their Workings Motions and goings are before him Mans goings are of the Lord How then can a Man understand his own way Prov. 20. 20. Tho' we do not see God yet he seeth us but then indeed we should have a continued sense and knowledge of God seeing us which should engage us to exceeding Cautiousness and Circumspection in all Godly Righteous and Sober living For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth Psal 102. 19. Even so we should with the Eye of Faith and with the Eyes of our understanding being enlightened Eye him continually as he sits above on his Throne in the High and Lofty Place the Inhabitation of Eternity Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Behold as the Eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress 〈◊〉 So our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that He have mercy upon us And so it is elsewhere written in like manner At that Day shall a Man look unto his Maker and his Eyes shall have respect unto the holy one of
and Seriousness of Spirit For then indeed it is a weighty and near affecting thing that the Soul is going about when she is a going away into Life Eternal or into Everlasting Punishment when she hath but one Cast or Throw which is to make the Final and Everlasting Decision for Endless Happiness or Misery We see by Poor Malefactors when they come to receive the due reward of their deeds what a crying and howling will they make at the Place of Execution and this they do not so much for the Pains which they shall undergo In being cut off hastily and violently from this Land of the living but out of a fearful Expectation of yet greater misery to come But Hezekiahs weeping sore or great weeping was not for this Reason for his Life was True Perfect and Good So that after him none was like unto him among all the Kings of Judah And God that cannot lie hath now under the Gospel promised Eternal Life to the patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. 7. But probably Hezekiah did not know of this as the Saints and Servants of God of latter Ages do And then like one who is turned and dispossessed out of a Cottage may at first take it in Indignation and Vexation when He then knows not that it is in order to be removed into a Pallace or â—â—ner House as He afterwards finds it So Hezekiah then not knowing that if He should be taken out of his Earthly Pallace that He should be received up into Heaven the City of the Great King which would be much better He might probably think it Irksome and a Loss to be taken from the other That Hezekiah was partly Ignorant of thus much appears from his own Words in the following Part of this Chapter For the Grave cannot Praise thee Death cannot Celebrate thee They that go down to the Pit cannot Hope for thy Truth This last He spake as one under that Dispensation from the Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage Gal. 4. 24. And so this his Distrust and Ignorance did Gender Tears and Weeping in him But by your leave Good Hezekiah we under the Gospel can contradict the latter part of your saying for from thence we do believe yea we know and are assured that they which go down to the Pit can and do Hope for Gods Truth And Notwithstanding it is Written in the Old Testament For in Death there is no Remembrance of thee Yet now Christ hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel we can truly contradict that saying also for in Death there 〈◊〉 most Remembrance of God For the Remembraneâ— which we have of God in this life is much less and as 〈◊〉 Remembrance in Comparison of what Remembrance of God we shall have in and after our several Deaths Anâ— we now can give a Plain and Satisfactory Answer in thâ— Affirmative altho' by its being asked so short it seems to imply a strong Negation for we know that God will shew wonders to the Dead as that will be a wonderfuâ—â— thing indeed to fullfil in a litteral sense in the last Day what is Written in Ezek. 37. 6 7 8 9 10. And thâ— Dead will Arise and Praise God Psal 88. 10. And ouâ— flesh also shall rest in Hope for it shall be raised up anâ— rendred intire flesh again Notwithstanding it will foâ— some time be left in the Grave and see Corruption as thâ— Holy one of God did not when Jesus Christ shalâ— change our vile Body that it may be Fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to his working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself Here is to be observed that Good and Godly Mind oâ— Hezekiah and of David for these did weep and werâ— grieved at Death because they thought that thereby theâ— should be hindred from Praising of God and telling 〈◊〉 his Truth and Wonderful Works They thought theâ— should be deprived of his Worship and from having anâ— Sense and Remembrance of him Which as to be wiâ—â— God is the greatest Happiness of Man especially to the Soul that seeketh and serveth him who loveth and delighteth in him and chooseth the things that please hâ—â— So to be without God in the World or to be turned inâ—â— nothing after Death in Respect of God this is thâ— greatest misery of Man especially if it be considereâ— what an Unexpressible Benefit Comfort and Satisfactioâ—â—t is to be with God Herein the Godly and Graciouâ— Soul is quite opposite and perfectly contrary unto thâ— Ungodly and Graceless Person for the first cannot beaâ— or away with the thoughts of being without God botâ— in this Life and in the Life to come Nothing less wiâ—â— suffice that Soul then to be with God for ever and to have God for her Portion for ever But the Ungodly and Graceless Person as He is An alien from the common wealth of Israel and without God in the World For he makes it his own wretched and willful choice to be so And herein tho' He was made in Honour capable to know God to serve him and enjoy him hereafter yet by not understanding and doing thereafter He doth become like the Beasts that Perish So such an one would desire with all his heart to be without God in the other World also for He fears and apprehends and expects no Good from him but Evil For in the other World He will be either the God of Mercy or the Lord to whom Vengeance belongeth He will be so one of these two ways unto all the Reasonable Inhabitants of the Earth And who would not fear him in this World shall feel him in the next Those who in this Life did despise and would not accept of his Goodness shall partake and be sensible of his severity in the next It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Every Sinner or Ungodly Person is a Fool as may be demonstrated particularly And as it is Written The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God Even so they that are corrupt and have done abominable works the Sinner and Ungodly the Hypocrite do indeed wish and desire that there was no God for they would not have God Reign over them But that same wish and desire of theirs is as Vain and Impossible as it is yet further provoking and makes their sin yet exceeding more sinful in the sight of him with whom we have to do What strange Imaginations do sinners conceive in their minds that they may not receive in themselves a Recompence meet for their Evil deeds which yet are all to no purpose avail or behoof as any other ways to possibly avoid the Wrath and Indignation of God against them They had better agree with their Adversary quickly whilst they are yet in the way Or let him take hold of my strength that He may make Peace with me and He shall make Peace with me Isa 27. 5. As the Apostle Paul could
133. 3. The words foregoing are to be taken notice of As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion Even so this Life for evermore is to descend upon the Reasonable Inhabitants of this Earth after they are descended into the Bars 〈◊〉 the Pit Which it is as easy for God to give unto thâ—se his Creatures as to command his Dew to descend down from above It is as easy a matter with Almighty God to Link and Annex on Life for evermore as soon as this Life which is as a Vapour and continueth not is ended as to add Fifteen Years or any Days Weeks Months or Years to this Temporal Life or as it was to hold our Souls in Life those Days which are past already or as it is to give any Life at first All things are equally possible to an Almighty Power and what he hath said shall be fulfilled And therefore it fitly and properly comes in the middle of that aforequoted Place out of Titus In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Titus 1. 2. For indeed it is promised throughout all the Old Testament tho' it be most commonly shaded there in Dark Speeches and General Expressions as I am the God of Abraham c. I am thy God I commanded them Statutes which if a Man do He shall even live in them This of necessity must be understood of future and Eternal Life for Transgressors also did live this Present and Temporal Life The Lord the hope of thy Fathers And therefore they must remain and be raised up again in being tho' dead and gone or otherwise God could not be properly and truly stiled their Hope And so this adding of Fifteen Years unto the Days of Hezekiah was an earnest and pledge before-hand and also a making known and shewing unto him in a mystery that God would add and annex unto him Life for evermore when those Fifteen Years of Reprieve should be gone out In a Word the difference between the Preaching manifestation and making known of Eternal Life under the Old Testament And that to us now made under the Gospel was as the first breaking of the Day or Twilight is now as to the Shining more and more unto perfect Day or as an Hour and an half before Sun rising is to its shining in its fullest and clearest Brightness For those of old time had but just a Guess and Glimeering thereof Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life John 5. 39. But we know and are assured that in them we have Eternal Life Now Jesus Christ hath Abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light which before was in the Twilight only through the Gospel And this is the promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. O Eternity Eternity Eternity How dost thou fill and swallow up our Thoughts with Terrour and Amazement To Launch forth into thee which we unavoidably must seems at first sight as dreadful as for us little Creatures to throw our selves into the great and wide Sea where we are as it were lost and are as nothing in Comparison of it Or as it seems dreadful to stand alone upon an exceeding high Pinacle having no more room than only just to se t our foot upon with nothing to hold by but encompassed about only with the thin Vast and Spacious Air. Unless we have hope the Anchor of the Soul which must have some Ground or Object to fix on Now the Object of Hope is the Promises and Particularly and in a most eminent manner that great Promise which he hath Promised even Eternal Life Otherwise we shall be of all Men yea of all Creatures most miserable For as the Tree Falls so it lies As Death leaves us so Judgment find us As the Soul goes out of the Body whether sanctified and renewed or unsanctified and unrenewed so it remains and so it must appear in Gods sight when she shall come before him and is to receive accordingly There is no Redressing or Altering her Condition in Eternity Fifteen Years yea Fifteen Thousand Years yea Fifteen Millions of Years yea Fifteen Millions of Millions of Years for 〈◊〉 many will God add unto the Life of every one of us as soon as ever this fluid Breath is gone forth out of our Nostrils And so to go on in Numbers after that manner 〈◊〉 as long a scrowl of Figures as long as the Earth is 〈◊〉 Circumference which is about 21000 Miles or as would Reach up from hence to the highest Heavens which is 〈◊〉 thousand times longer which would amount to such 〈◊〉 Number as no Man can Number And yet all this would bâ— no more in Comparison to Eternity than the twinkling 〈◊〉 an Eye is to our whole Life here Conceive in your Thoughâ— all the Sand that is on the Seashore or on the Earth all the Piles of Grass that did ever Grow or are now Growing 〈◊〉 the Grains of Corn all the leaves of Trees all the droâ—â— of Rain that ever fell or the drops of water that are in th 〈…〉 Sea and Rivers all the Stars that are in the Firmamen 〈…〉 In a Word all the Creatures Men Beasts Birds Fishe 〈…〉 Flies and Insects which were ever or now are Take 〈◊〉 reckon all this together which will amount to a Prod 〈…〉 ous I had almost said Infinite Number but that would be improper speaking for the greatest Number is not 〈◊〉 And all this again is no more to the Years of Eternity 〈◊〉 Proportionable to the duration thereof than a Minute 〈◊〉 second now is unto a Year I cannot go further in the description of Eternity whiâ—â— like the High and Lofty one the Inhabiter thereof hatâ— no Bounds nor measure Two Practical uses and inferences from what hath beâ—â— now said I would recommend and leave for 〈◊〉 Readers own Private particular and several Meditationâ— 1. Think always I mean before ye are entred into it 〈◊〉 think much upon Eternity 2. Pray without ceasing and be ye always in a Prayinâ— Posture of mind Having your heart continually lifted uâ— towards the Invisible God and Requesting those Mean and Preparatory things of him For himself having spoken to us his Creatures Do this and live there the heart is always to be Answering and Saying Lord evermore give us this Bread even that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World Lord Give us Grace Strength and Power to do all those several things which thou requirest of us that we may also do these things and live After two Days will He revive us in the third Day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6. 2. That he would hear our Prayer and see our Tears even that he may add to our Days Fifteen Years or how few soever the remaining Evil Days of our Pilgrimage are or shall be according as it is in
would insist only upon useful and profitable Subjects which I have observed accordingly and yet more chiefly when I have spoken of these things I do hereby appeal to the several Hearts and Consciences of those who shall Hear or Read this Can ye think of a more profitable and useful Subject of Discourse then for ye to be put in mind and directed how ye ought to live and how ye ought to die The Words of our Text are Hezekiahs Prayer and Saying unto the Lord in the presence and hearing of his Prophet which may be supposed by way of Answer to that message and saying of Isaiah from the Lord unto him which was Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live And thereupon this behaviour and reply of Hezekiah is thus recorded Then Hezekiah turned his Face unto the Wall c. Now what God spake in time past unto Hezekiah by the Prophet in these last Days he doth speak the same unto each Man or Woman in his word and by the Ministry thereof all one as if he now called them severally by their Names such an one and such an one yea every one of ye Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live It is certain That every one cannot make so Good an Answer and Return hereupon as Hezekiah did for as all are Transgressours from the Womb so the greater part of Men and Women do continue so But to make such a comfortable Answer and Return is only the distinguishing Lot and Portion of the Generation of thy Children the true Saints and Servants of the Lord. There is a wide difference between sudden wishes and real continued performances For the first even Sinners and Hypocrites the Ignorant and Ungodly have some times good wishes and wouldings towards God O that they did please him and were at Peace with him when indeed they do not go about so to do and obtain it But the Righteous and Godly know it is vain and deceitful work before the Lord Cursed is He that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully Unless their Good Resolutions be turned into actual performances For even a wicked Balaam could and did cry out before hand upon a serious Fit and Mood Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numbers 23. 10. When yet for all this Good Expression he did soon after Love the Wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2. 15. Even so there are in the Wicked and Children of Disobedience some secret and inward thoughts that it would be better for them if they did lead a Godly Obedient and Righteous Life But notwithstanding all these Good Thoughts Like the Dog they return to their Vomit and so they continue and persist still in their former Ungodliness and Irreligion Sin and Transgression But it is only a Godly Hezekiah or one like unto Hezekiah who can make that most sweet and comfortable Review and Appeal to him that is Invisible and have their own Heart and Conscience within them Witnessing to the Truth Reality and Sincerity thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is Good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Not for Grief and Vexation that he had done so In no wise but through that abundance of Comfort and Rejoycing which upon this very same Reflection did hence stream and flow in upon his Soul For I trow and assure ye that such a Reflection or Remembrance is better and will contribute more to ones future which indeed is the only real and enduring Happiness Then to have lived in Pleasure on the Earth to have been wanton or to have nourished our hearts as in the Day of Slaughter James 5. 5. For it may be sensibly perceived even now that the Pleasures of this life However sweet they may seem to some in Enjoyment and whilst they were present yet as they choke the word Luke 8. 13. So they make Death bitter and more terrible When a Man comes to die if he hath heretofore lived in all the Pleasures Riches and Honour of this World he is never the better for having had them but rather he suspects his condition to be the worse in that they have occasioned so much the more Sin and Guilt and Pride unto him as to which he must go away to give an Account and this Account will be with Grief and not with Joy which will be unprofitable for him He being then to undergo so much Pain Loss and Punishment for the sin which he Committed in the Days of Flesh And then also the Soul makes inquiry what his Good she hath done in order unto or towards God and as from the other sort doth arise fearful Expectation so the having done Good will stand in some stead and yield Comfort and Hope and Assurance and Boldness in that Day The only want and failure here will be if there hath been any Good done would God there had been more of it and it had been better but that cannot be now neither for care should have been taken as to this sooner and before However the Soul must go away to give Account and receive for it as it is It is probable by these two kinds of Speech Hezekiah was sick unto Death then Hezekiah turned his Face towards the Wall That Hezekiah was at this very time when the Prophet Isaiah came unto him and said thus that then he was lying in his Bed of Sickness and Languishing As yet more fully appears by what is after Written When he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness ver 9. And then afterwards mention is made of his Going up to the House of the Lord ver 22. Which he was not able to do whilst he was there And as it is elswhere Written The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of Languishing Thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal 41. 3. Now these things are Written in the Book of the Lord for our Hope and Comfort for our Learning and Admonition that we should also sometimes in thought and supposal throw our selves before hand upon a Sick and Dying Bed That is put the case and imagine it so to our selves before we come to lye upon it in Deed and Reality For we shall never be the sooner sick in Conceit for thus doing but only thereby we may be the better strengthened in the Soul and Inner Man against and at the very time when our outward Body shall be actually Languishing in the Bed For to this agree two alike Speeches of the Antient Heathen Pliny which are near to the same purpose and signification The one whereof is This is the sum of all Philosophy which was given to regulate and make better the manners of Men If we would be so in our Health as we profess and resolve we will be when we are sick The other saying is a little
same Order Decree and Purpose of God Now here is the strange thing which rather shews that Satan acted in Balaam as to that that when Balaam knew this before and how desirable indeed it was to dye the Death of the Righteous yet that he should presently hereupon love the Wages of Vnrighteousness which he might conclude would cut him off and hinder him from the other good and desirable thing But truly Satan deceiveth not only the Poor and Foolish but even the more Wise and Learned and Eloquent of Mankind for so was this Balaam And so as Rabshakeh could speak in the Person of his Master for thus saith the King of Assyria Make an Agreement with me by a Present and come out to me Isa 36. 16. So if the Great God of the World should speak on that wise unto the Inhabitants of the Earth as indeed he doth not but rather disclaims and disowns and denies that sort If I were Hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the fulness thereof Thinkest thou that I will eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High But suppose that any false or pretended Messengers or Ministers from him should Preach unto you on this manner For thus saith the Lord God make an Agreement with me so far is no false Doctrine for Jesus Christ the Truth it self Preacheth the same to Mankind Agreâ— with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way But here comes in the Falshood and it is falsly applied Make an Agreement by a Present and that must be Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands Rivers of Oyl The cunning corrupt Romish Priests have hence drained a great deal of Tithes and Alms to feed and enrich themselves for they have fallaciously Reasoned and Perswaded the People that what was given unto them this way was making a Present unto the Lord and consequently an Aâ—tonement for their Sins But all this will not do for iâ— one should go yet further and as those who gave up their Children unto Moloch so they would give up their very Children which came out of their very Bowels as Sacrifices to appease God their first Born for their Transgression and the Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul All this is more besides the matter still for God requires none of these things What are Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl unto him whose is the World and the fulness thereof But this is more than all the Sacrifices and Alms in the World which make so great an outward shew and noise to walk humbly with thy God that is to be obedient unto him for this is the best and most real instance of Humility And this walking Humbly with thy God denotes a doing so throughout ones Life even as long as we walk at all In truth if we do thus walk Humbly with our God we have no Reason to fear as concerning the Sin of our Soul For we may let God alone to do as to that even according to the Words of his Covenant and Truth provided always that we be and continue in Covenant with him For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Most Precious and Comfortable Words which I had rather in truth to belong unto me when I lie upon my Death Bed or in whatever Hoâ—â— I am taken either violently or suddenly out of this World then to have a Medicine or means found out how I might live not only Fifteen but if it were Fifteen times Fifteen Years longer for if God is merciful unto my Vnrighteousness which signifies where I have not come up unto but have come short of that great Rule of Righteousness in Scripture and if he remembers my Sins and Iniquities no more then let Death come upon me as soon as it will and what way it will it cannot possibly hurt me But this will never be unless in our foregoing Life God is our God and we are to him a People There is no way to be Blessed in ones Death but to be Godly in ones Life There is no way to have God for our Friend and to be at Peace with us when through the Passage or Entry of Death we come to appear before him but to have lived unto the same invisible God to have served him with our whole Heart and to have obeyed him in all things in these days of our Flesh As we live so we shall dye and so again we shall dye that is Receive after Death according as we have lived These are Truths of great importance and necessary to be Understood aright and done accordingly that Souls may no longer Shipwrack and be lost upon those deceitful and broken Planks As if it were then soon enough to serve God throughly and constantly and Universally when they come to be Sick or in Declining and Old Age or upon a Dying Bed God forbid for this have I found in all my Study out of the Book of Gods Statutes and in all my enquiring and searching diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth that such a Man or Woman who thinks so and will venture and run the risque to Act accordingly It were better that a Millstone were tyed about his Neck and that he be thrown into the Sea for this would only sink him into Temporal Death and Destruction But the other deceit if trusted and relied on will involve them into Everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power Such will never enter into that rest which remaineth for the People of God Inasmuch as they were never his People who did not serve and obey him in the most nor yet in the best part of their life time Altho' some yea too many of that kind of outward worldly Priesthood now among us Who heal the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly crying Peace Peace when there is no Peace Will also huddle up the matter after their rate when People are lying in Fears and Hoâ—rours on their Death Bed and send them out of thâ— world with a vain hope and false thought yet even theâ—â— might have Learned better and more faithful dealing froâ— that afore-mentioned saying of corrupt Balaam for hâ—â— fault and failure only was that he spake well but did illâ— Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hatâ— Blessed and I cannot reverse it So it is on the other hanâ— where we Ministers have received Commandment to Cursâ— or to speak evil As Cursed are all they that err from hiâ— Commandments Or where he hath threatned to Punishâ—â— there God hath Cursed and Threatned and He will Punishâ—â— and we cannot reverse it Not all the Ministers Preachers or Understanding People now living on the Earth can reverse or change from the least Title of thâ— Word of God that it should fail or not
be fulfilled I heard once a Minister of the Dissenting sort whâ— commonly are more faithful herein then those of thâ— Church Ministry say that several People who had lived Ungodly and Ignorant Lives would send for him wheâ— they lay upon their Death Beds And if they were of thâ— Substantial and Richer sort they would perhaps offer him Money if He would speak a word of Peace and Comforâ— unto them when lying in those sore and last Agonies oâ— Soul But it would have been in him a sinful Corruptionâ— if he should have Perverted the Word of God and took it for that end as he did not but it hath been the manner of some so to do Said he however I would go to them but when I came to them I did not Answer their Expectations for I used to repeat before such what is Written in Isa 3. 10 11. Say ye to the Righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eat the Fruit of their doings Wâ— unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for thâ— Reward of his hands shall be given him This Scripture is very pertinent and proper to such an occasion Herein this Minister who probably now is a Partaker of the Truth of the former Verse he being at this time gone off from the Stage of the Earth shewed himself a Workman approved of God Dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one his Portion And indeed any one that rightly knows and understands the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God doth also find that the whole Design Order Drift and Tendency of all that is Written in the whole Scripture stands on this wise They that have done Good shall come forth unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 29. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the Body according to that he hath done whither it be Good or Bad. So that only a Godly Righteous and Sober Life and Good Deeds will avail and stand in stead in a dying Day For tho' the common deceit which each Man hath in the deep of his heart which also is intimated to them to their own Danger and Loss by those who take upon them the Office of Preaching Repentance and Remission of sins that People may turn from their Iniquities some time hereafter a little before their Death That they may have the Pleasures of sin for a Season the expediency of Transgression the Profit and Wages of unrighteousness in the mean while and then leave them off just soon enough to obtain Pardon But certainly this is quite to leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to go backwards to Imperfection not laying again but utterly overthrowing yea and contradicting the Foundation of Repentance from Dead Works for these should be utterly forsaken and Fruits should be brought forth Meet for Repentance And yet further this would make void both Law and Gospel for they require that We observe to do his Statutes and Judgments all the Days that we live upon the Earth Deut. 12. 1. That we serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life Luke 1. 74 75. And however it shall be distributed unto the other sort as to Acceptation or Pardon yet surely I know it shall be better with them that fear God which fear before him and turned from their Iniquities and kept his Commandments in those Days of their flesh whilst others continued in Sin and Disobedience In the latter Days ye shall consider it perfectly Jer. 23. 20. This Jeremiah said when he immediately speaks thereupon of those Prophets Which Ran and Prophesied when God had not spoken unto nor sent them and they did not turn People from their Evil way and from the Evil of their doings Whereby may be seen that if this effect doth not follow also they are no Ministers of Gods ordaining altho' they do take upon them the office and continue in the Exercise thereof after the Law and Commandment the Ordinances and Institutions of Men. But in the latter Days when their time of Tryal is over they shall consider it perfectly and when they come to see every and each Man have his own reward proportioned and adjusted according to his works and obedience Then that which themselves shall miss and come short off will raise bitter anguish within themselves and make to loath those Shepherds See Zech. 11. 8. Which should have Instructed and Guided them otherwise For this is certain on the right and safer side that the sooner any one comes to Repentance and brings forth Fruits Meet for Repentance and abounds in Good Works God is now the better pleased with that Man or Woman and He will give to such a more full reward hereafter Conceive your selves before-hand and whilst in Health let us in serious thought throw our selves upon a Dying Bed just gasping and breathing out our very last and then think what Temper and Disposition of Soul we should be in if we were in this Hour brought to the Gallows or to the Fire for our Life to be taken off from the Earth in a violent manner Here it may be either for the Sins of others as Jesus was hanged on the Cross and so it is of all true Martyrs and Sufferers it is not so much their own Sins as the Sins of their Persecutors which put them to Death But if any one suffers as a Murderer or Robber or an Evil Doer against which there is some Law of God also then he suffers for and dies in his own Sin Or if one is killed by another then it is the Sin of the Murderer which brings him unto Death But however it be a Dying Hour will come upon all one time or another and then if they have any remembrance or understanding Ask now of the Generations that were before thee and did you ever hear of any one that could then say seriously and throughly It is vain to serve God and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Doth it not then rather seem on the other hand It was vain that we have not served God more The Godly and Righteous make such a Reflexion and looking back and the Wicked find it is vain because they did not serve God at all or not so much as can be properly called serving of God for now they experimentally find all other things to be vain When the end thereof is come we are then throughly sensible of what is written Remember how short my Time is Wherefore hast thou made all Men in vain Psal 89. 47. Therefore only it is that we have no more profit because we have not yet better kept the Ordinances of the Lord for the more we do that the more Profit or future Reward we shall receive whereof we shall
Phantosms that unless the Mind be more intent upon him that is Invisible and also upon Invisible things still it will be distracted And so it may be on the other Hand as Balaam fell into a Trance but having his Eyes open so one may altogether as well pray unto the unseen God with his Eyes open whom his visible works do yet more put in mind of especially if we lift up our Eyes to him that dwelleth in the Heavens altogether as well as when they are shut provided always that we turn our Face to the Wall that is the Eyes of our Understanding inwardly from Visible to Invisible things At the first hearing of that Message when Hezekiah thereupon turned his Face to the Wall in probability he thought that then he was to go out of this World and so he would of his own accord by turning his Face to the Wall go out from the World in Thought and Conceit before his Soul should go out of the Body indeed Like as when News was told them of the Death of Lazarus then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his Fellow Disciples Let us also go that we may dye with him And so to die and go out of the World in thought before we dye and go out of the World inâ—eed much use and benefit may be made hereof I wrote â—nto you an Epistle not to company with Fornicators of this â—orld or with the Covetous or Extortioners or with Idolaâ—â—rs for then must ye needs go out of the World Isaiah â—riteth that the Multitude of the City shall â—e forsaken 〈◊〉 â—nd Jeremiah wisheth for a lodge in the Wilderness that he â—ight get out from the Assembly of Treacherous Men. Cerâ—â—in it is that the more we do sometimes abstract and â—â—parate our selves from our Fellow-Creatures and from â—ll the things of the World the more and nearer Comâ—union we have and enjoy with God The more we set â—ur Affection on things above the less we are pressed â—own with the things of this Earth Blessed is the Man â—hom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee But â—â—is same Man whom God chooseth and causeth to apâ—roach unto himself he is also separate and doth come â—ut from the things and Men of the VVorld And truly 〈◊〉 it is upon a Sick and Dying Bed However much we â—ept Company with Men and VVomen our Fellow-Creaâ—ures yet then there is an inclination in the Soul to â—um â—way his Face from them for they cannot help avail or â—tand instead in this time of the greatest need and extreâ—â—ity What are all the Men of the World unto us just â—t the time when we are Sick unto Death It is sufficient â—o have turned unto them when we were in the midst of â—ife because we then lived in a Community and Society and had need of one another But now it is reasonable which indeed we naturally do to turn from them when we come to die Nothing of what we have done to please Men will then avail or stand in stead but what we have done to please God and truly it were to be wished that we had turned from them sooner But as Saul said unto Samuel Turn again with me but Samuel turned about to go away Which was in dislike So contrariwise Hezekiah upon his Sick Bed did not turn away his Face towards the Wall out of any dislike to Isaiah for here they were both of a Principle that is both Godly but Saul was Ungodly But Hezekiah did thus for another Reason namely that he might the better terminate direct and offer up his Prayer unto God But here again it is true that as it is written Vnto which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee So it is upon a Dying Bed the bare having the Company of the Saints oâ— even of the Prophets of the Lord although they are better Company than others yet this will not stand the dying person in such stead unless his own Life hath been Holy before and unless Himself hath obeyed the Voice of the Word of the Lord throughout his past foregoing Life by the mouth of the same Prophets Another's Goodness or Holiness will not extend unto or save thee But if ever thou dost expect to see the Lord with comfort thou must have Goodness and Holiness in thy self also For every Man shall bear his own Burthen Gal. 6. 5. The Soul that sinneth it shall die The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son The Righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. The Sanctity of Isaiah the Prophet although he came to Visit Hezekiah on his Sick-bed would not have benefited Hezekiah so far as to render him meet for Gods Favour and Acceptance unless Hezekiah also had walked before God in Truth and with a perfect Heart and done that which was Good in his sight Probably King Hezekiah knew this That neither the Holiness nor Godliness of Isaiah nor yet of all the People within his Realm and Dominion would avail as to him unless Himself also had been Godly and Holy And so all his Precious Things and all his Treasures that were in his House or in his Dominion would not by any means Redeem his own Soul nor give to God a Ransom for him For the Redemption of a Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever And it cannot be Redeemed with such corruptible Things as Silver and Gold nor yet by the Obedience and well-doing of others except the Righteousness and Obedience of Jesus Christ by which many shall be justified Yea They will be justified by it who could not be justified by the Righteousness and Obedience of all their other Fellow-Creatures throughout the world For as by the Offence of One Judgment came vpon all Men to Condemnation Even so by the Righteousness of One the Free Gift came upon all Men to Justification to Life Rom. 5. 18. And so his Righteousness was imputed to David Hezekiah and all the Good Men that were ever living upon the Earth before or at the very time or who have been ever since Jesus Christ was manifested in the Flesh But besides that the Righteousness of all the Subjects that ever David or Hezekiah had And so the Righteousness of all our Fellow-Creatures which we have ever known or heard of will not avail so as to be imputed to any other The Knowledge and Sense whereof might make Hezekiah to turn unto the Wall when he had received the Message of Death And so likewise it will do as to us when we come to lye in a like condition We must severally and every one of us stand upon our own Legs when we come to stand in the latter days on the Earth and when every one of us are to receive for the deeds done in the Body What others have done what is that to thee Look to thine own self for
For both past and future things are present unto 〈◊〉 High and Lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity Which 〈◊〉 ternity one defines to be a Perpetual now Even the h 〈…〉 of our head are all Numbred and not any thing is 〈◊〉 gotten before God And as we Remember each thing our past Lives both the Good and the Evil to more 〈◊〉 the one and yet more eschew the other we do the 〈…〉 come nearer to his similitude and likeness And so we 〈…〉 again as we cast an Eye forward upon the things that 〈◊〉 to come Hereby we make the things that as yet be 〈◊〉 to be as tho' they were for shortly they will come 〈◊〉 pass and it is but a little time and He that shall co 〈…〉 will come and will not tarry Talk no more exceeding Proud let not Arrogancy 〈◊〉 out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of Knowledge 〈◊〉 by him Actions are weighed And so the Lord is a God 〈◊〉 Remembrance and a God of Prescience and by him A 〈…〉 on s are weighed And seeing that Actions are weighâ—â— by him our Actions ought to be weighed by us also the Ballance of the sanctuary and of his word so that 〈◊〉 may not be found wanting SERMON III. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Come now to shew and discourse 1. What it is to walk before God in Truth 2. With a perfect heart 3. What it is to do that which is good in his sight And then of the Consequent upon the whole And Hezekiah wept sore As to the first Remember O Lord how I have walk 〈…〉 before thee in Trâ—th We Read in sundry places of Scripture of this Thing â—â—uth But from these words this Doctrine will preâ—â—tly appear That it is the Duty of all who call themselves Servants of the Lord to walk before the Lord in Truth throughout the whole course of their Life So did Hezekiah not for a Season or at such a Ti 〈…〉 only but throughout the general Course Bent and 〈◊〉 nour of his Days Even as long or for the most pa 〈…〉 he walked at all he walked before the Lord in Truth Now the Scripture mentioning this Word Truth so 〈◊〉 often and in all places it doth recommend the same 〈◊〉 exhorts us to the Receiving and Practice thereof as alsâ— finds fault and Reproves where it is wanting or wh 〈…〉 the Truth is not obeyed Gal. 3. 1. Or People do not 〈◊〉 cording to the Truth We may hereby see and un 〈…〉 stand that exceeding great Stress aâ—d Necessity is 〈◊〉 hereon in order to our Eternal Salvation and Happi 〈…〉 Open ye the Gates that the Righteous Nation which 〈◊〉 eth the Truth in the Margent it is Truths may enter 〈…〉 Isa 26. 2. That is Enter into that strong City menti 〈…〉 ed in the foregoing Verse which the Lord hath buil 〈…〉 and prepared for such of the Inhabitants of the Eart 〈…〉 he shall judge and find worthy And here the word 〈◊〉 Promise and the Condition annexed is That is must 〈◊〉 to the Righteous Nation that keepeth the Truth or Tr 〈…〉 Which word Keepeth denotes a constant heed adhere 〈…〉 unto and Observance thereof And not to chop 〈…〉 change with the wind or to turn with the Fashion 〈◊〉 titude and Course of this corrupt world as to say 〈◊〉 thing is Truth to day and another contrary unto or 〈◊〉 ferent from it is Truth at another time No such â—â—ter for his Truth endureth to all Generations Psal 〈◊〉 Like God its Author with the Truth there is no V 〈…〉 bleness nor shadow of Turning And like unto 〈◊〉 Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life it is 〈◊〉 same yesterday to day and for ever So that this man 〈…〉 them to be Children that are corrupters they have fo rs 〈…〉 the Lord Isa 1. 4. That they have Prevaricated 〈◊〉 turned aside from his Truth They are gone away 〈◊〉 ward who speak thus and thus concerning it as the 〈◊〉 ner of many is in these our Days And that they 〈◊〉 not the Righteous Nation or the Righteous People 〈◊〉 keep the Truth to whom this Precious Promise is ma 〈…〉 for such kept it or rather did by Chance happen 〈…〉 light thereon for a Time but they did not keep it 〈◊〉 tinually Blessed are they that keep Judgment and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. and so they 〈◊〉 no Lot and Share nor Right to enter into that â—â—ong City which the Lord hath made for Judah and â—â—rusalem yea for all the Inhabitants of the Earth who â—ould keep the Truth or walk before him in Truth For this Good and Sweet Word of Promise is made â—t only to the Righteous Nation but to every and each â—â—rticular Soul therein that keepeth the Truth So that â—â—ese Two Consequences must necessarily arise That even 〈◊〉 the Unrighteous Nation which Keepeth not the Truth 〈◊〉 those few Inhabitants and Souls therein who are â—â—ghteous and do Keep the Truth shall enter into the 〈◊〉 of our God Again Suppose it were a Righteous 〈…〉 tion and did Keep the Truth here the Denominati 〈…〉 is taken from the greater part and it is called a Righâ—â—â—us Nation where the Multitude or most are so But 〈◊〉 some â—ew therein were Unrighteous and did not Keep 〈◊〉 Truth here the Promise would be only to the for 〈…〉 sort and not to the latter The Reason whereof is 〈…〉 dent Because the Soul that sinneth it shall die The 〈◊〉 shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall 〈◊〉 Father bear the Iniquity of the Son the Righteousness â—he Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of 〈◊〉 Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18. 20. So that as 〈◊〉 being an Inhabitant of a Righteous Nation which keep 〈◊〉 the Truth will not give thee Admission or Entrance in 〈◊〉 City of God unless thou be Righteous and keepest the 〈◊〉 thy self So although thou Livest in an Unrighte 〈◊〉 Nation where most are so which Keepeth not the â—â—uth yet if thou art Righteous thy self and Keepest 〈◊〉 Truth yet thou wilt enter into the City of God alâ—â—â—ugh never so few are besides The Marginal Reading 〈◊〉 Truths in the Plural Number shews That it is not the 〈◊〉 Keeping of One or Some of the Truths of God but 〈◊〉 Keeping all of them which is requisite and necessary 〈◊〉 we enter therein It was the same Spirit of God â—â—ich spake that in Isaiah 26. 2. as also which spake that Isaiah 38. 3. and which probably gave Hezekiah that â—â—owledge How necessary was Keeping the Truth or the 〈…〉 king before God in Truth in order to enter into the Ci 〈◊〉 of our God And
yet as to this the Rule is safe herein to do as Moses did who was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all Things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. And now that the Old Dispensation is abolished we are to see that we Order all Things in our Worship according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel That we may in our Worship which is a great thing relating unto that God with whom we have to do walk before God in Truth I do believe and speak after my Judgment that there is not a way of Worship now in this Nation nor yet on the Earth which is exactly according to the Scriptures of Truth in all things and in all things according to the Pattern shewed in the Gospel And I suppose it will be so seen at the Day of Judgment wherein it will be Found and Rehearsed That all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3. 23. So the several Churches and Congregations the several Saints and Servants of God have somewhat erred and come short of the Spirituality and Truth of his worship as it was in the Mind and Ordaining of God and as might be apprehended from out of his Book for it may be observed now a-days that in each Sect or Party however they are Nicknamed Distinguished or Termed there is something which is good and true and again there is somewhat which is Erroneous and Savours of Men. Now as to all this the faithful and knowing Soul as â—he Soars up above all the Ordinances of Religion as they are managed now a-days by the Worldly Priesthood they seeming to her cold dull low and fâ—at and she apprehends somewhat above them and is for higher and more excellent attainments So the same knowing and faithful Soul is vexed and dissatisfied That she knows not where on this Earth the People do worship God in all thigns exactly according to the mind of the Spirit Nor where â—er self may turn to the People of a Pure Language that â—hey may Call upon the Name of the Lord with one Consent Zeph. 3. 9. And she doth thirst and desire earnestly that she might once Worship the Lord God her Invisible Creatour so in the Congregations of his People as they were in the Days of a Old But where are they so now And she hath great Thought and Earnestness of Heart when that time will again come when it shall be fulfilled what is Written Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the Days of Old and in former Years Mal. 3. 4. Tho' here again it is to be thought that as long as we are on this dark and corrupt Earth we shall never come to worship the Fatheâ— in Spirit and in Truth still we ought to endeavour and to do the best that ever we can till we come to fall down on our Faces before him in Heaven the Habitation of his Holiness where we shall see all things in the light of the Lord. What will satisfy this perplexity and doubt and desirâ— of Soul as to this great thing in the mean while shoulâ— be to this Effect and Purport As the Lord saith unto 〈◊〉 the Inhabitants of the Earth Eschew Evil and do Gooâ— 1 Pet. 3. 10 1. So let him or they that love salvatioâ— and would go to Heaven be sure to do this as much 〈◊〉 ever they can Avoid errour and receive and follow the truth in all the several instances thereof As God himselâ— speaketh on this wise If thou shalt learn to separate tâ— Precious from the Vile and to put a difference between 〈◊〉 Holy and Profane then shalt thou be meet to come unto 〈◊〉 Altar So here it may be reasoned and applied if thâ— knowest and also shalt carefully and constantly do tâ— same to take out the truth from that Multiplicty 〈◊〉 Errour which is abroad in the world like as is the gathâ—â— ing of Gold or Silver from out of the Dross or Honâ— from the Wax If thou knowest to put a difference between truth and falshood so as to gather and receive 〈◊〉 first into thy heart and cast away and not admit the 〈◊〉 ther sort then thou shalt be meet for to come with 〈◊〉 ceptance on the Altar of the Lord Thou shalt enter iâ— his City the Holy of Holies the highest Heavens 〈◊〉 to his presence and to his own Divine Majesty Be 〈◊〉 to observe this Rule in the worship of God Eschew 〈◊〉 falshood and errour therein and receive and do accord 〈…〉 to the truth according to the very best of thy Knowledge and Understanding and with all thy Heart 〈◊〉 and Will and then thy worship will be accepted with the Lord and in thy worship also thou wilt walk before the Lord in Truth Another Explication of walking before the Lord in Truth is to walk in such a way as is Butted and Bounded in his word which is Truth This seems to be the most proper Acceptation and Understanding thereof for to make Gods written Word and Revelation our Guide and Rule throughout the whole Course of our Life is a walking before the Lord in Truth and it is the true and right way to Heaven as to go through or by such and such places is the way to such a City or the like The Word and Truth of God are near one and the same thing Sanctify them through thy Truth Thy word is Truth John 17. 17. And so the walking according to the Word of God or the having our Conversation according to the Gospel is to walk before God in Truth And so it is reciprocally To walk before the Lord in Truth is to walk according to the VVord of God Every Variation or Deviation from it is a false way Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be Right and I hate every false way It was both a Puzzling and also a sudden Question of Pilate What is Truth To me it seems to be the expressing forth the Nature of things as they are with the Connexion between themselves and how they pertain to us Men. Things again are divided into things present and things to come Now to know the very Nature of both these and how they belong unto and are to be had by us What is Good for us and what is Evil for us so as to choose the Good and Refuse the Evil this is Truth Here again to make a Right Judgment and Choice for our selves so as to pursue the best of Ends viz. Future Blessedness and Glory by Lawful and Right means This a walking before the Lord in Truth And so it may be conceived of in other like Instances As to the Second Particular What it is to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart Paul gives the Character of some Jews that they had a Good mind towards God And here Put and Conceive
Creatour is as directly opposite and contrary to the having a Good mind towards God as Darkness is unto Light It is also contrary unto a Perfect heart for this is an Imperfection to a Witness Yea such an Imperfection that unless it be remedied and taken away it will lay the Creature in Punishment and Misery As for mine own Part although in my common or week Day Life and conversation I have spoken and done Many Things which are contrary unto different from and not according to the Pure VVord of God yet I do not therefore dare to Hate or Reproach that same Word Nor yet for none doth so as to the VVord abstractedly to the Person of him who ministreth or speaketh forth the same VVord against this my Sin and Errour For I know this would make the Guilt of my Sin seven times yet Greater and Consequently Uengeance would be taken on me sevenfold when the Lord comes to Punish the VVorld for their Evil and the wicked for their Iniquity But I Judge it safe to lay my Hand upon my Mouth and hold my Peace and where I see my self faulty to Endeavour to mend And where I have not already attained neither am already Perfect Phil. 3. 12. There to Go on to Perfection Heb 6. 1. Avoiding the Errour and deceit of the VVorld herein of always Purposing and Resolving and not performing accordingly or of complaining and yet not mending But we should still Press forwards and Undeavour Unfeignedly so to do Not to attain unto absolute Perfection is the Infirmity of the Flesh but not to endeavour after it is the fault and failure of the Spirit Here again it must be acknowledged that to walk before the Lord with a Perfect Heart is sooner said then done For it is the whole which God requires of Man It being the first and Great Commandment Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God With all thy Soul and with all thy Strength and with all thy Mind This Particle All being Annexed to all the Faculties and Powers thereof makes it a Perfect Heart For so it is where is all or the whole of a Thing Besides this Appeal which Hezekiah makes unto God in his Pining Sickness not by way of self Commendation but as a stay and support to his Mind under that outward Evil of Body The Spirit it self gives a very Good Character of him And he did that which was Right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father did He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him 2. Kings 18. 3 5. So that his doing according to all that David his Father did who was a Man after Gods one heart in all Things saving the matter of Vriah the Hittite Thus in reality and in Truth Hezekiah did walk before the Lord with a perfect Heart By this also may be seen that the Spirit of God keeps a Register of each Man or VVomans Life And God who is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteonsness is accepted with him Who accepteth not the Person of Princes nor regardeth the Rich more then the Poor for they are all the Work of his hands doth in alike manner keep a Book Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle are not these things noted in thy Book Wherein the several deeds here done in the Body of all the Particular Men and Women of all Generations and Countreys from the greatest of them unto the least of them are written and noted all one as we see it written thus and thus of the several Kings of Judah and Jerusalem how they did carry it towards the Lord God for so we may read it thus or thus recorded of the Inhabitants of the Earth in the Scriptures of Truth There is an Emphatical and Pertinent Scripture to our present purpose in Hos 10. 2. Their heart is divided now they shall be found faulty A divided heart is not a perfect heart and as long as it remains thus divided we hence see that it will be found and pronounced faulty that is defective or wanting in the sight Estimation Judgment and Account of God And yet alas Is not this the case of us all or of most of us Is not our heart divided one part is towards God and another part is for the World and for the Men and Things therein According to what Paul speaketh of himself So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7. 25. He that doth not observe and feel the like within himself is Blind Ignorant and knows nothing as he ought to know Doth not one part of our heart Savour the things of God And again another part of our heart doth Savour the Things of Men. I discern and experience it so in my self Now this is but a divided heart which God in Hosea finds fault with And when he saith in the Proverbs My Son give me thine heart It may be truly reasoned and concluded that he will have a whole heart or none And hereupon the word of Instruction and Exhortation arises on this wise that this same divided heart must be cut off Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts that ye be no more stiff-necked or rather changed and renewed that all the heart may be brought into intire obedience Subjection and Conformity to God till it becomes a good and perfect heart which He is well pleased with and delights in and will accept off for want whereof it is that we neither find God nor yet doth he hear our Prayers The heart hankers after some Carnal Lust or other Sin or Act of Disobedience Consider of this throughly and amend thy ways and thy doings O my Soul and therefore the Lord hath withdrawn himself and hides his Face and doth not manifest himself unto us as He dâ—d in former Days But your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his Face from you that He will not hear Isa 59. 2. So that where we cry and the Lord doth not hear or where we do not find such an Answer and Return to Prayer as we have experienced heretofore there let us examine our selves whither there be not some Sin or Iniquity which is the Cloud that hinders that our Prayers do not pass through in us which God is displeased with Here our heart is divided and found faulty for with some part of it it obeys or serves some Sin or Lust O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us Isa 26. 13. And we do not seek or serve him our whole heart But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou shalt seek him with all thy heart and with all thy Soul Deut. 4. 29. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall
cry out O wretched Man that I am Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death So this or the like Exclamation may be taken up O the exceeding Evil and Guilt of Sin Who shall deliver the Sinner from all the Evils that are due unto him for it 〈◊〉 None but Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come And that also He will do no other way Then in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities Acts 3. 26. So that if the sinner will not turn away from his Iniquities He shall feel all the Evil consequents that follow upon it We may see somewhat thereof in the Glass 〈◊〉 the word But we shall not fully know the utmost Evil and Sinfullness of Sin until in the future State we come to see the wrath of God and what kind of Punishment He will inflict for the same Which indeed will be a Judgment worthy of God and an Horrible Vengeance shalâ— overtake the ungodly The Righteous shall rejoyce wheâ—â— He seeth the Vengeance He shall wash his Feet in the Blooâ— of the Wicked So it will be the return and saying noâ— of David only but of the other Saints saved by thâ— Lord which shall stand by when He shall Judge thâ— World and make distribution of Good or Evil to every one according as their deeds have been then it will be returned and said Horrour hath taken hold of me because 〈◊〉 the wicked which forsake thy Law Psal 119. 53. The Godly and Ungodly are of two different mindâ— as indeed they must be so for otherwise the one woulâ— not have been Godly and the other Ungodly A Godly Hezekiah of Old Time did weep because He thoughâ— that by Death He should be for ever deprived and hiâ— dred from the Praise and Worship of God and from enjoying sweet Communion with him again Wherein 〈◊〉 was Ignorant for Death doth only make way to enjoâ— Ten Thousand times more and longer Communion wiâ—â— God But the Ungodly of our Days do weep and hoâ— near the time of their Death because they think anâ— dread that they shall meet with God in the other World What makes them to weep and howl is because thâ—â— they expect no Good but Evil from him as so indeeâ— they will have if they receive the due Reward of theâ— Deeds Luk. 23. 41. As the Ungodly now count it a Prâ—viledge to willingly absent themselves from and negleâ—â— the Worship of God for they Account that an Irksomâ— Dull and Tedious thing so they could be contented to sleep for evermore and not Praise God throughout all Eternity They have no miss of that because they take no delight therein as indeed Praise is not seemly in the Mouth of a Sinner An unholy Creature cannot Praise an Holy God And in this sense it is true when understood of such as are Dead in Trespasses and Sins for the Grave cannot Praise thee Death cannot Celebrate thee But whoso offereth Praise Glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. And it is He only who ordereth his Conversation aright doth aright offer Praise and whoso aright offereth Praise Glorifieth God Tho' Peradventure Hezekiah might have a little apprehension thereof yet He had not a through and full knowledge of future Life and Immortality and it was this which caused him to weep sore For any one would be apt to weep at a Message how they are to be bereaved off and taken from all Good Things here and not to know where to have others in their stead As to all this the VVord of Consolation speaketh on this wise to such as lived under the Old Testament Dispensation Thus saith the Lord a Voice was heard in Ramah Lamentation and bitter Weeping Rachel Weeping for her Children refused to be Comforted for her Children because they were not So it is all the VVorld over People are Irrecoverably deprived of Persons and Things and as there was some comfort in the having of them so it is inward Anguish and Grief Lamentation and Bitter VVeeping when People consider throughly that they once had such good things as Children Friends and Relations and such like and they are not Neither can they possibly be again when Dead unless they should come forth and appear again to us as they will in the future State and Resurrection Now comes in the VVord of Answer and Comfort to the foregoing Complaint and VVeeping Thus saith the Lord Reâ—rain thy Voice from weeping and thine Eyes from Tears for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy Jer. 31. 15 16. As in the Verses following our Text The Word of the Lord saith unto Hezekiah I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears So in this Place of Jeremiah The Lord saith unto Hezekiah and to all his Servants together under the Old Testament Dispensation Thus saith the Lord unto Hezekiah under whom may be understood all the Faithful Refrain thy Voice from Weeping and Thine Eyes from Tears for thy True Perfect and Good Life shall be rewarded saith the Lord. And so the Lord saith unto all the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem who did obey and serve him and who lived before the Time his Son Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh Refrain your Voices from Weeping and your Eyes from Tears for your works shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy To have faithfully and diligently served God all our Life time and it may be for that to have sustained several VVorldly Losses and Inconveniencies and after all to have no future Good or Reward thereof would be apt to raise Anguish in the Heart and Tears in the Eyes But then here to have assurance from the VVord and Promise of God whom it is impossible for to lie that it shall be made up and considered this again will effect it so That they shall refrain their Voice from Weeping and their Eyes from Tears And they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy This Scripture was in Part fulfilled as the Evangelisâ— doth shew When Herod sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof from two Years Old and Vnder according to the Time that He had diligently enquired of the Wise Men Mat. 2. 16. Now when these Infants were Murdered they were there by sent into the Land of the Enemy which is Death for the last Enemy is Death Now as Lamentation and Bitter VVeeping was occasioned by Reason of that by consequence there must be comfort when they shall come 〈◊〉 again from the Land of the Enemy This may be understood of all the Children of Rachel and not only those Murdered by Herod for He slew more then whâ—â— were the Children of Rachel even some of the Childreâ— of Leah also who was Mother of Six Tribes Gen. 30. 20. And Rachel was
Saith the Apostle James who spake by a true Gospel Spirit Be Afflicted and Mourn and Weep Let your Laughter be turned to Mourning and your Joy to Heaviness Humble your selves in the sight of God and He shall lift you up James 4. 9 10. And then by consequence if we do all this The Lord who shall turn our Captivity as the Rivers in the South will again turn our Mourning to Laughter and our Heaviness to Joy According as is promised by his Spirit which spake through the Evangelical Prophet And the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Isa 35. 10. Our Saviour Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith in whom all the Gospel doth center doth assure and promisâ—â— the same in those afore-quoted words of his wherein also He doth Recommend to all that are Christians indeed this State of Weeping now with that true Word of Encouragement for ye shall Laugh As also He tacitly finds fault with and threatens where People Laugh now for they shall Mourn and Weep So that the way to Happiness hereafter is by Mourning and Weeping here As again Laughter and Merriment now I only speak here of the Laughter and Merriment of the World which arises from the things thereof is the way to misery hereafter Behold in this Gods Thoughts are not as Mans Thoughts For herein they are contrary to the Thoughts of the People of the World who if they see any one to serious and Godly herein they conclude him to be Melancholy and Miserableâ— whereas as sure as Gods Word is true this is the only way to the true Blessedness But contrariwise it is as to the Merry Mâ—n of the World for in the Judgment and Estimation of God if we take a view oâ— them by the Glass of his Word and go into the sanctuary and see the end of these Men Surely thou didst set them in slippery Places Thou castedst them down into Destruction Psal 73. 18. As the pleasant and purling streams of Jordan do empty themselves into the Dead Sea So all their sinful Mirth and Laughter will End and Terminate in endless Howlings Seeing that these things are so What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Gravity of Spirit and Serious Conversation Even with the same Hezekiah Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did Mourn as a Dove Isa 38. 14. For as to this the sweet Word of Promise speaks on this wise And the Days of thy Mourning shall be ended Isa 60. 20. Which again according as our Mourning hath been will be made up in a Proportionable Cup of Consolation and Rejoycing And tho' as afore-observed of some Constitutions that they cannot Weep or shed Tears So here it may be when People are in Health Wealth and Prosperity when they have the World at will as we commonly Phrase and Understand it and all things are smooth and easy with them When their Eyes stand out with Fatness they have more then heart could wish Psal 73. 7. When they are Puffed up with sensuality and the Good Things of this Life then indeed they cannot so easily be in a State of Weeping and Mourning But here again as it was commanded in Old Time that they should not come near their Wives when they were in their solemn times of approaching and drawing near unto the Lord God And as now under the Gospel the Apostle delivereth the Rule unto Husbands and Wives Defraud ye not one the other except it be with consent for a Time that ye may give your selves unto Fasting and Prayer So in like manner it may be Reasoned and Inferred That we should sometimes abridge and deny our selves even the Lawful Comforts and Enjoyments of Life that we may the more afflict our Souls and so come to be in a due Posture and Frame for a State of Weeping and Mourning FINIS SERMON V. Isaiah XXXVIII 4 5. Then came the Word of the Lord unto Isaiah saying Go and Say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears Behold I will add unto thy Days Fifteen Years IF we consider throughly and Weighfully in our Minds these three following Scriptures Thus saith the Lord Let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom neither let the Mighty Man Glory in his Might let not the Rich Man Glory in his Riches But let him that Glorieth Glory in this that he Vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord Jer. 9. 23. 24. For what Nation is there so Great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all Things that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. And Jesus lift up his Eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me always John 11. 41 42. Put and conceive all this together and it will hence appear that the Greatest Priviledge Honour and Excellency and Benefit which can accrue to any Man on this Earth is for God to hear his Prayer To be nigh unto him in all things that he Calls upon God for and herein the Righteous and so any one is more excellent then his Neighbour according as he knows and understands more of the Lord God We see evidently now that some do Account of and set by themselves because they Joyn House to House and lay Field to Field and because they Wax Rich and abound therein Who because they are Purse Proud and have more Money than such and such of their Neighbours and Acquaintance their hearts are not only lifted up above their Brethren but I had almost said above the Lord their God also For forsooth they refuse and disdain and are ashamed to come to the place of his worship and of hearing his word for the Plainness and Simplicity thereof and because that only some few Poor People do come there Have any of the Rulers believed on him So it hath been alike asked more than once or twice by some of my Carnal Kindred who walk in the Vanity of their mind having their Understanding darkened as to the things of God and as to the true method of the Dispensation of his Kingdom Do any of the substantial and Rich sort of the People come to hear thee I cannot Answer as to any of them but if any of the Poor of the Flock or those Poor despised ones in the world whose Prayer God heareth Thus saith the Lord the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy one to him whom Man despiseth 〈◊〉 him whom the Nation abhorreth Isaiah 49. 7. Do come here to this Assembly it is more to me as I consideâ— these things when I go into the sanctuary and take 〈◊〉 View and Estimate thereof from out of the Glass of thâ— word than if Kings and Princes Lords and Ladies 〈◊〉 other Rich and Honourable Men and Women did comâ— to
hear me Preach the Word Tho' Peradventure thâ— would lift up and exalt and please that Worldly Corrupt Nature which I confess and speak to my shame 〈◊〉 yet too much in me Some do Account themselves 〈◊〉 ry much because perhaps they are beloved of or Popular amongst their Neighbours another for his Honour another for his Courage and Might and becauâ—â— by such an one The Lord hath given Deliverance froâ— the Syrians or for his having wrought Great Aâ—chievâ— ments Another perhaps is lifted up in Soul because 〈◊〉 the Gifts that are given him and the word of wisdom 〈◊〉 committed unto him which is the most Valuable 〈◊〉 all the Priviledges of Mankind but here it is alleviated again with this consideration that where are Great Gifts there must be Great Accounts Another is Delighted and Transported within himself because he hath a Wife and Children to his Mind or because he hath some other Worldly Blessing And so one is lifted up for one thing another for another if we did run throughout the several Particulars among the Children of Men. But all these and such like are but light and small things in Comparison of the great things of Eternity and the exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory As God said unto Solomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long Life neither hast asked Riches for thy self neither hast asked the Life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy self Vnderstanding to discern Judgment Behold I have done according to thy Words Lo I have given thee a Wise and Understanding heart So that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee And I have also given that which thou hast not asked both Riches and Honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy Days And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my Statutes aâ—d my Commandments as thy Father David did walk then I will lengtâ—â—n thy Days 1 Kings 3. 11 12 13 14. And as it is written For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. From all this put together it is my inward and very thought As I behold and observe how Men differ from one another and one Prides himself in this thing another in that whereas none should be Proud for any thing which he hath but be humble and thankful for each distinguishing blessing or mercy received As it is Written But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent Mark that word excellent in whom is all my delight And as there is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory So each Man or Woman doth excell or differ from one another in Glory or real worth according â—s they know and understand and have more of the Mind of God All your excellency is of me saith the Lord and derived from him And as long as we walk and breath a little longer on this Earth The more any one is in favour with God and hath more of his will and secret The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Herein only one Man excelleth another or differeth from and exceedeth such an one in real worth That Courtier who can soonest obtain a favour from his King or Prince he is the best Courtier So amongst the vast Number of we Fellow Creatures on Earth altho' there is no difference between the Flesh of a Saint or of a Sinner for our flesh is as their flesh and our Children as their Children and we are all near the same both Godly and Ungodly as to the same outward Frame and Composure But that is the best Man or Woman who hath most interest now in the Court of Heaven who even whilst here on Earth is soonest heard by the Great King for this is an Earnest and Assurance before-hand that he shall one day stand in his Presence Who is an Israelite indeed a true Son of Jacob Hath Power with God Yea he had Power over the Angel and Prevailed Hosea 13. 3 4. As a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast Prevailed Gen. 32. 28. Who like another Lot hath that Interest and Prevalency with God that himself saith I cannot do any thing till thou come thither Gen. 19. 22 Altho' it were to be in the Destruction and Punishment of the wicked yet God could not do it till he came out from amongst them And so he speaks on that wise to his Servant Moses Let me alone that is Do not Pray or Interceed for them that I may consume this People in a moment Or like another Elias who was a Man subject to like Passions as we are And he Prayed earnestly that it mighâ— not Rain and it Rained not on the Earth by the space of Three Years and Six Months And He prayed again and the Heaven gave Rain and the Earth brought forth her Fruit James 5. 17 19. Who is here brought in as aâ— Example that the effectual â—ervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much Who when God heareth not sinners but if any be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth hath this Testimony that he is a VVorshipper of God and doth his VVill because that God heareth his Prayer If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the Voice of my Prayer Psal 66. 18 19. By which it follows of Consequence that the Psalmist did not regard Iniquity in his heart For God to be nigh unto us in all things that we call upon him for and to hear our Prayer is the greatest of all Wordly Blessings and Mercies put together either long Life Riches or what we would have in this World for if God hears our Prayer then we shall have what we would have in the next world which is much better and more enduring Go and say to Hezekiah thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father This and the foregoing Verses are a kind of Dialogue between the Great God and his Creature Hezekiah which Dialogue or Conference God manages by his Prophet Isaiah That God should hearken unto the Voice of a Man Joshua 10. 4. Seems wonderful if we have but those just and raised thoughts of the God-head in Comparison of whom in Greatness or Bigness the vast Fabrick of the whole World is but as a Dust of the Ballance and the true Knowledge of our selves But yet the Lord who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth is pleased to keep a care over and a Communication with his Creatures The whole Scripture is but a Declaration in order of what hath passed and been
Hezekiah had walked before God in Truth For the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him in Truth and with a Perfect Heart which is a whole and not a divided heart Therefore it was that the Lord heard his Prayer I have seen thy Tears It commonly gains the Point or obtains the thing Requested for when the People and Servants of God do shed Tears in Prayer if this be done not in Hypocrisie or Dissimulation but out of great Earnestness and Reality of Soul the Truth whereof is here fulfilled for therefore it was that Goâ— heard his his Prayer and saw his Tears Though we Creatures do not see God yet God 〈◊〉 we Creatures and knows how it is with us The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their Meat in due Season And there doth arise a little Anguish and great Thought and Searching of Heart in the Reasonable Creature who have also Eyes in their Understanding as well as Outward Bodily Eyes Why They cannot see God Why in this Life and in this State here on Earth No Man hath seen God at any Time the only begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him And so the Son who is the Word And the word Preached or Spoken doth declare God that is make him to be Conceived or Understood Though we do not see God yet we see his Works which we cannot so much as look without doors but we behold them For t is his Heavens which â—e Created and his Earth which we tread on By which together with that Invisible Reason and Knowledge which he hath given us The Invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World may be clearly seen being Vnderstood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-Head So that though we cannot see God as yet with this Outward Bodily Eye of ours yet with the Eye of Faith or with the Eyes of our Understanding being Enlightened we may see him that is Invisible And so after our Spirits are Dislodged from these Bodies we shall see him Face to Face and know him as we are known as he knoweth us and we now know one another Certain it is that his Eyes are upon all the ways of the Children of Men to Recompence to every one accordingly whether they be Good or Evil And so he sees and beholds whatever we do whether we Laugh or Mourn are Merry or Sad. I have seen thy Tears As our Lord did argue to the Pharisee Ye Fools Did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also In like manner it may be truly reasoned He who sees that which is without sees that which is within also And so the same God who sees our outward Tears sees also that Sorrow of Heart and Vexation of Spirit that secret Anguish and Discontent of Mind from whence these Tears do floâ— forth and proceed He sees every le 〈…〉 crany and corner of our Inside also and seeing that 〈◊〉 is the will and appointment of God To comfort all thâ— mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to giâ—â— unto them Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of Joy for Mournning the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heavinesâ— Here God is like unto a skilful Physitian Shall not 〈◊〉 that teacheth Man Knowledge know Who knoâ— the bottom and ground of the Sore or Disease whâ—â— he hath in hand to heal and recover Even so our Goâ— knows and understands to the utmost all that Mourning and Spirit of Heaviness with the true causes and oâ—casions thereof that is in the hearts of all or any of thâ— Children of Men which is necessary in order to Administer Comfort Joy and Relief to it The trouble Spirit and the restless Spirit the groaning Spirit and 〈◊〉 dissatisfied Spirit or whatever doth afflict is painfâ—â— or irksome all couched and comprehended under that 〈◊〉 word the Spirit of Heaviness All these and whatevâ—â— is more or such like is Known to God the Father 〈◊〉 Mercies and the God of all Consolation Saith 〈◊〉 Psalmist Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle Are 〈◊〉 these things Noted in thy Book I am weary with 〈◊〉 Groaning all the Night make I my Bed to Swim I waâ—â— my Couch with my Tears Psal 6. 6. And then it folloâ— For the Lord hath heard the Voice of my Weeping Whiâ—â— is Parallel unto and is another Example to confirm tâ—â— Truth of our Text That God doth see the Tears 〈◊〉 hear the Voice of the Weeping of his Servants and Peopâ—â— According to what is elsewhere Written I cried 〈◊〉 God with my Voice even unto God with my Voice and 〈◊〉 gave Ear unto me For this is to be understood and attended unto that as in one sence God hears the Liâ— labour of the formal Half-Christian or of the Wickeâ— and Ungodly for they do sometimes in custom and 〈◊〉 little to satisfy Natural Conscience Pray unto hiâ— And so he doth hear the mumbling of the Papist ovâ—â— his Beads the much speaking of the Heathen and 〈◊〉 Worship of the Jew as it is at this Day as He is aâ—â— knowing for there is not a word in my Tongue bâ— thou O Lord knowest it altogether And so he heaâ—â— their Devotion as we do the humming and noise of a â—â—ye which we are forced to hear but we do not Mind or Regard But he doth not hear the sinful or false Worshippers in such wise as they are not to think that they shall receive any thing from the Lord. But in Scripture sence when God hears the Prayer of his chosen People and Servants He doth fulfil their Petitions and give and grant unto them what they Pray unto him for In like manner God doth see the Tears of such a Profane Person as Esau as he doth see all things And so he doth hear the howlings of them upon their â—eds Who did not cry unto him with their heart Hos 7 14. But yet he is not so far moved with one or the other as to admit the one to Repentance or Vouchsafe a Pardon to the other According as he saith and declareth elsewhere Yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should hear the Law and the Prophets which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts Therefore it came to pass that as he cried and they would not hear so they cried and I would not hear saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 7. 12 13. Such did heretofore harden themselves against God and now God will harden himself against them altho' they are his Creatures and the work of his own hands And so the same God tho' in his Love and Pity to Poor Mankind â—e redeemed them That is like setting up one again after they had been broke or Bank-rupt and tho' he 〈◊〉 very Pitiful and of tender Mercy which is over all â—is works But
or to those Methods and arts of hardening and Insensibility as have been heretofore used This End of Life hath long since come upon Hezekiah although he had Fifteen Years more added unto his days VVhy they are over and gone and near upon three times Fifteen Hundred more since the Lord by Isaiah spake thus unto him Now as in truth nothing is long that hath an End and as it is written It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to Restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the End of the Earth So in like manner it may be truly Reasoned it is a Light thing that God should give unto us the Reasonable Inhabitants of this his Earth Threescore Years and Ten or Fourscore Years nay if it were to every one of uâ— also the days of Methusaleh nine hundred sixty and nine years for it is immediately afterwards recorded And â—â— died Gen. 5. 27. For we can conceive and apprehenâ— somewhat more Namely what is like unto what is expressed here to Restore the preserved of Israel That is in the sence which we would allude and apply unto for to thâ— agree the other Scriptures of Truth As God in the first anâ— continued forming of Man of the dust of the Ground Br 〈…〉 thed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became 〈◊〉 Living Soul And as he doth preserve this Breath of Liâ—â— in and holds our Souls in Life all the days we Breatâ— live and move on this Earth So it is an easy thing foâ— this same God to preserve this Breath of Life again after it is gone forth and the Man returns to his Earth and also to preserve the dust of the Ground which he doth accordingly into which his Body turns and Moulders So as in the Resurrection for God will do so to Restore the preserved of Israel to restore the preserved of Adam even of all his Children and Posterity So that he will restoâ—â— the preserved whole Body and Soul of each and every oâ—â— of them Why the Soul was preserved all the while 〈◊〉 the Cabinet Archives and keeping of God according 〈◊〉 the Scripture Phraseth it Commit the keeping of their Souâ—â— to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator And he w 〈…〉 restore and raise up the Body also which all the whilâ— was preserved in his dust and ashes according as it was either buried in the Ground or burnt with Fire according to the two ancient ways of Interment and disposal thereof after it was dead and the Soul gone out of it Yea and it would be a light thing if God should not do thus as to raise up all the descendants of Adam the Tribes of Jacob and in this sence also To Restore the Preserved of Israel that his own great work of Creation might be Perfect and Compleat unto the End of the Earth unto the End of time yea unto the end of his whole work of Creation for that would not be Perfect and Compleat unless he should annex salvation unto it That is save and bring it up again from that Perishing and Corruption that Death and Dissolution which hath already come in part and is yet further to come upon the whole Creation of God Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious liberty of the Children of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth the reason whereof is that Perishing and Corruption the Death and Dissolution which as yet it is subject unto and Travaileth in Pain together until now Rom. 8. 21 22. But when God shall extend his salvation so far as to save and preserve the whole from the same Perishing and Corruption Death and Dissolution which it hath underwent when the New Heavens and the New Earth under which are comprised all things contained in them which He will make shall remain Isa 66. 22. By which word remain 〈◊〉 denoted an Eternal Immutable and Irreversible State of things For if it was to be for never so many Millions of Years it would not be properly remaining but transitory because that the several Parts and Portions of time do pass and succeed one another Then the whole Creation instead of the former Groaning and Travailing in Pain will rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Because that thus it will be delivered from the former Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God and then shall be brought to pass that saying I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Eccles 3. 14. And the Works of God will be found worthy of himself that is Eternal It stands on this wise in the order and decree of things to do them at first in a lesser degree in order to a greater To carry and advance them from Imperfection to Perfection It is sown in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption To first make them with a Perishing Nature and afterwards Graft on and add an Eternal Nature that they are never more to be done away nor yet to cease to be All this cometh from the Lord of Hosts which is wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working And all this is as certainly true and will be found so in the appointed time as God is God which again is as certain as that there is a world and any thing in it for he is the Maker of all things and by whom they subsist Then Philip opened his Mouth and began at the same Scripture and Preached unto him Jesus So if one was to begin at this same Scripture Behold I will add unto thy Days Fifteen Years and from thence Preach unto you Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began for discovery was made thereof by little and little unto the Fathers But hath in due times manifested his word through Preaching Titus 1. 2 3. It might at first seem hard and perplex unto ye how the Preacher would draw forth and infer Eternal Life from these Words which at first sight and appearance rather shews the contrary that the Life of Man will come to an utter end And yet it hath been made out in some Measure But the Reasoning and Inference of Eternal Life doth yet further arise from that word add For as the Apostle Paul argues somewhat yea very much in reference to the case in hand If there be no Resurrection of the Dead then 〈◊〉 Christ not risen for if the Dead rise not then is Christ not raised 1 Cor. 15. 13 16. So in like manner it may be here reasoned if God did add Fifteen Years unto Hezekiahs Life because he had heard his Prayer and seen his Tears so he will add unto him and to all others who pray and cry for and shall be Judged worthy that Blessing which the Lord hath commanded even Life for evermore Psal