to Christ that onely constrains us to suffer for him Thirdly They cannot sympathize with the sufferings of Gods people they are so far from being afflicted with them that they rejoyce in their afflictions and adde affliction unto affliction They that are of this temper will never suffer for Iesus Christ The second use shall be for Tryal and Examination whether you Vse 2. For Tryal and examination have a suffering Faith yea or no Many springs move many to suffer as a natural Conscience and a natural Pride and stoutness of Spirit A man may give his Body to be burnt and yet want love to Iesus Christ Here 's the grand Question What 's that Faith which will be a true Q. What 's that faith which wil be a suffering faith A Faith is a Christians life effectual suffering Faith For Answ 1. That Faith which is thy life amidst all deaths thy supply amidst all wants thy supportation consolation amidst all troubles thy meat and drink houshold-stuff thy Riches and Revenues this will carry thee through sufferings that Faith which makes thee live upon Christ in all straights srovvns crosses losses and hardships this will make thee undergoe the worst of evils for him who is the chiefest good It 's not said that a man shall live by his Wits Lands or Labours but by his Faith Hab. 2. 4. The Just shall live by Faith 2. That Faith which is rooted and grounded upon the love of Christ will constrain thee to suffer for him Love made Jacob endure 2. Faith is grounded upon the love of Christ his hard service chearfully for his beloved Rachel Love made Moses wish himself to be blotted out of the Book of Life And Paul wisht himself Anathema for the Jews none so ready to die for Christ as the love-sick Spouse Many waters cannot quench her love Cant. 8. 7. It s love to Christ that will make thee willing to do and suffer any thing for him 3. If thy Faith can carry thee well through the temptations of 3. Faith carryeth through temptations of Prosperity and Adversity Foelix ille quem nec fortuita attollunt nec adversa deprimuÌ„t Senec. 4. Faith keeps up the heart in the use of means prosperity it is probable that it will carry thee through the tryal of Adversity If Faith will keep thee from swelling in prosperity it will keep thee from breaking in adversity 'T is a strong Stomack that will digest much Honey It 's a strong Faith that will not be allured by the sweetness pleasures and profits of the world He 's happy whom prosperity lifts not up nor adversity breaks 4. That Faith will make thee suffer that keeps thy heart up in the use of good means even then when all things goe against thee David then most repairs to the Sanctuary Psal 73 17. Vntil I went into the Sanctuary of God I knew it not but hereby I understood their end And see his behaviour at Ziglag 1 Sam 30. 6. And David was greatly distressed for the People spake of stoning of him because the soul of all the People was grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Rabshekah falls a railing and Hezekiah falls a Praying Observe well if Faith keep you in love to frequent Exercise of holy Duties though as yet you feel nothing coming in yet still continue in the practice of them and dare in no case sit loose from them but follow Christ from Ordinance to Ordinance and enquire every where after your Beloved this is that Faith questionless that will carry you through sufferings 5. That Faith which purifies thy Conscience reforms thy Life 5. Faith purifieth the heart and resigns thy Will wholly to the will of God this will make thee suffer for Christ Onely an holy unfained Faith will make thee to suffer Such a Faith the Apostle had which made him not be afraid of the King of Terrors Phil. 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ to die is gain That Faith will prove a sound suffering Faith that will engage thee to venture soul estate and body upon the free grace of God in Iesus Christ This will make thee to cast thy burthen upon the Lord and flie to him as a Sanctuary as a refuge from the Storm and as a shadow from the heat Examine whether thou canst produce these Symptomes of thy Faith The third Use shall be for Exhortation Be willing to undergoe Vse 3. For Exhortation any hardship loss or cross for Jesus Christ Consider what times you live in what contempt is powred out upon those great Ordinances of Divine Institution viz. Magistracy and Ministry Perhaps God intends thee for a Martyr A few preparations I conceive seasonable 1. Make account of suffering We may fear God is bringing confusion Prepar 1. Make account of sufferings and desolation upon the Kingdom If we consider the Ataxies and Anarchy's thereof we may take up that complaint Ezek. 19. 14. A fire is gone out of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit so that she hath no strong rod to be a Scepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation I neither profess my self Statesman nor Politician neither do I intermeddle out of my own Sphear and Calling onely as a Minister of God I counsel you in the Language of the Holy Ghost Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lâ—st my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Prepare for troubles and afflictions for the end of one trouble may be the beginning of another as when a man hath escaped a Beare a Lyon meets him and after he hath escaped the Lyon and leans his hand upon the wall a Serpent out of the Wall comes and bites him know then that you are fore-appointed unto sufferings so saith the Apostle 1 Thess 3. 3. That no man may be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are apointed thereunto Praecogitati mali mollior ictus Xeno suffering Ship-wrack said Jam didici Philosophari By our sufferings let us learn to be better Christians The second preparative is to get a self-denying spirit 't is self Prepar 2. Get a self-denying spirit that makes us shye of the Crosse selfe must be first denyed Severall selfes must be denyed selfe-opinion selfe-counsels selfe-righteousness self-excellencies self-will self-comforts selfâ—ends All these selves must be denyed for Jesus Christ let it suffice onely to mention these at present I proceed to another Preparative And that 3. Is to set upon the practice of Mortification The Apostle protesteth Prepar 3. Set upon the practice of Mortification that he dyeth daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Strive to get thy corruptions mortified thy ill humors purged thy affections crucified thy filthy garments took away
subscribe that since Christian Religion was profest there was never a Collection of more Godly Orthodox and Learned Divines then in this present Century Yet I am far from excusing or extenuating the Animosities Heart-divisions uncouth unseemly Habits self interests carnal Policies unwarrantable separations and that Latitude which many take unto themselves now adays The good old Puritan would not take an Inch formerly where many now venture to take an Ell. I heartily wish a Reformation thorow impartial that what we condemn in others we may avoid each one in himself O that it might be the main design we drive at to advance the power of godliness and to go before each other in a real example of Reformation Let 's all labor as one man to be found in the Faith and holy in life so that Heresies Blasphemies and all forts of profaneness may be abominated and extirpated And let it be our endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace So Eph. 4. 3. that according to those Prophesies the accomplishment whereof we daily expect We may all worship the Lord with one consent that the Zeph. 3. 9. Zech. 13. 9. Lord may be one and his name one And let us never forget that the vows God are upon us which we ought to our power to endeavor to keep inviolably in that Solemn National Covenant which was made in a day of distress with our hands lifted up to the most high God Let not that Solemn Oath be accounted as an Almanack out of date lest the Lord send a Sword to avenge the quarrel of a broken Covenant Let 's expostulate with Ezra Should we again break the Commandment Ezra 9. 14. and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations After Oathes Covenants Days of Humiliation and after so many signal Deliverances shall we again hancker after superstitious Ceremonies a formal Service Book a Lordly Prelacy unwarrantable Separations Schisms Machiavilian Policies self-seeking Interests The Lord forbid that we should be so unthankful for the mercies received and so unmindeful of those particular Duties which God expects from us in our several Places and Callings But I shall not exceed the bounds of a Preface Although this may be accounted a Digression yet I hope may be of some use to the Reader Thus much I was willing to premise as far as I apprehend having a single eye at Gods Glory and the Publick Benefit Wherefore be pleased Reader to peruse deliberately and candidly these three Decads of Sermons Preach'd with much plainness to the Auditors accompanied with a vehement desire to do good and afford the Author thy Prayers who desires a share in the Prayers of all the Israel of God and remains Magdalen-Hall Oxon April 9. 1660. Thy souls servant HENRY WILKINSON To the Reader WHen it was told David after the defeat of Absolom that Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok came running the King said He is a good man and cometh with good tideings I may truly say so of these Sermons and the reverend Author of them He is a good man and therefore we may be sure that he bringeth good tydings with him He is a right Nathanael a true Israelite without guile an able Preacher a vigilant Governour a faithfull friend a bountifull distributer to whom much of the Character of Aristotles magnanimous man doth exactly agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who dares openly to love a friend when others reject him and openly to disprove the faults of those whom others feare and flatter As is the man and his Communication such is his doctrine sound wholsome savory edifying not meerly notionall and suited onely to the fancy but properly calculated for the Conscience and conversation unto which the more any doctrine is fitted the more it is according to the mind of the spirit of Christ speaking in the Word and to the direction of his Apostles who used great plainnesse of speech and such demonstration of the Spirit and power as might manifest the truth to every mans conscience in the sight of God who gave instruction unto others whom they had separated to the work of the Gospell to hold fast the wholsome forme of sound words by sound doctrine to Exhort and Convince gainsaiers to shew in doctrine incorruptnesse gravity sincerity sound speech which cannot be condemned to speak to rebuke to exhort with all Authority to teach men to maintaine good workes for necessary uses to preach such things as are good and profitable unto men Though I have not had opportunity to peruse all these Sermons yet having been an hearer of many of these and finding in those which I have read the same even and serious spirit and withall great variety of profitable matter I may safely commend them to the Christian Reader as Sermons drawn according to these prescripts of the Apostle and consequently very usefull unto publick edification unto which all our studies labours and writings should be subservient Apr. 4. 1660. Thine in our Common Lord EDWARD REYNOLDS The contents of the first Decad. SERM. 1. 1. COr c. 2. vers 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified p. 1. The Text divided p. 3 and handled 1 Concerning knowledge in Generall p. 4. 5 6. 2 Concerning the knowledge of Christ pag. 7. 8. And this knowledge hath 3 characters Fundamentall excellent and soule-saveing pag. 9. 3 Cautions concerning the use of humane learning pag. 11. 12. 3 Concerning the knowledge of Christ crucified pag. 13. 14. Applic what Ministers must teach pag. 14. 15 16. 2 What all must learne p. 16. 17 18. SERM. II. IEr 45. v. 5. And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seek them not Text devided pag. 22. Severall sorts of seekers pag. 25. 26 27 28 29 30. The Person seeking p. 31. 32 33. Applic Vse 1. For exposition pag. 34. 35 36 37. Vse 2 For direction in 4 Particulars pag. 38. 39 40 41. Vse 3 For exhortation in 4 Considerations pag. 42. 43 44 45 46 47 48. SERM. III. PRov. 11. 30. Hee that winneth soules is wise The Text divided pag. 50. 51. The Doctrine propounded That it 's a choice fruit of wisdome to winne soules unto God pag. 51. Method propounded 1 the proofe of the Poynt pag. 52. 53. 2. 4 Arguments for confirmation p. 53. 54 55. 3. Two Characters of him that is likeliest to winne soules pag. 56. 57 58 59 60 61. 4. Applic. 1. For Humiliation pag. 63. 3. For Direction in 7 particulars pag. 66. 67. SERM. IV. MAtth 13. 45 46. pag. 68. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking godly Pearles who when hee had found one Pearle of great price hee went and sold all that hee had bought it The Context opened pag. 69. 70. The Text divided pag. 71. 72. Two Doctrines raised pag. 73 Doct 1. That every true Believer is a Merchant of goodly Pearles Method propounded 1. By illustrating the
similitudes there lay a mysterious meaning Christ spake with authority not as the Scribâ—s each word had weight Whereupon people hearing things which they never heard before were eager and restless in their desires until they understood the Parable and the interpretation thereof The fourth and last Reason I shall mention why Christ preacht R. 4. in Parables was because this was a more prevalent convincing way of Preaching when Reproofs or Exhortations are delivered in Parables under the name of a third person they gain more well-come and acceptable entertainment Thus Nathan reproved David by a Parable of the Ewe-Lamb and set his reproof home by a Prosopopeia David hearing of the rich mans cruelty in taking the poor mans Lamb passeth sentence of death upon him and a fourfold restitution because he had no pitty Now David was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned 2 Sam. 12. 5. 6. out of his own mouth Whereupon Nathan strikes whilst the Iron is hot by making particular Application of the Parable unto David Thou art the man This was a convincing way of Preaching And thus ought the Ministers of Christ to put in practice the most convincing way of Preaching whether in a way of Mercy or Judgement whether to come with a rod or the spirit of meekness whether to be Boanergesses or Barnabasses The most taking winning way we must use Provided always that we make the word of God our just Standard and rule to go by so that we may win souls unto Jesus Christ Now to draw nearer to the words In this Chapter there are delivered sundry choice and excellent Parables as of the sower and the seed a grain of mustard-seed leaven hid in three measures of meal a casting-net I pass from these unto that which hath immediate reference unto my Text v. 44. The Gospel of Christ is a Treasure and the Scripture is that pretious seed where that Treasure is to be found Neither can every one finde it or know the worth of it It 's a hidden Treasure The worth of the Gospel is unknown by and hidden from unbelievers But the true Believer who sindes it 2 Cor. 4. 3. Luk 2. 19. and knoweth the worth of it hides it i. e. he keeps it safe in the secretest recesses of his heart he hides it as Mary did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath discovered the incomparable Treasure of the Gospel doth not conceal or suppresse the knowledge thereof from others But first he 'll inrich himself therewith upon the finding of the Treasure he 's so ravisht with joy and so transported with a desire after the purchase as without delay demurs dodgings or abatements he sells all he hath to purchase the field and get possestion of it Now my Text is a further prosecution and confirmation of this Parable The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again specifies a dependance upon what went before Expect no curiosity in dividing the words You have here propounded a Parable and its Interpretation 1. For the Parable and therein are to be considered these six Divis A Parable and its interpretation particulars 1. The Subject compared or ground-work of the comparison The kingdom of Heaven 2. The subject of this comparison or Person spoken of and he is decyphered by his external profession and occupation A Merchant man 3. You have set down what he trafficks for his particular Merchandize He 's not a petty Merchant of small wares and mean Commodities but a Merchant of Pearls And because there 's a difference in Pearls Aliae nobiles aliae minus generosae some are of a greater some of a cheaper estimation he trades for the best not ordinary common but goodly Pearls 4. The success he findes His labor is not lost but answered with good successe a particular instance or specification of his successe is that he findes goodly Pearls 5. What doth he finde of greatest value He findes a Pearl of superlative invaluable price A Pearl beyond compare of more worth then all other Pearls whatsoever and that is The Pearl of price 6. and lastly Here 's set down what the purchase cost him and that 's all that he had Thus far of the bare letter of the Parable according to the dark part of it But there 's a mystical meaning to be considered let 's take off the veil and give in the interpretation I shall open the terms in that order they lie in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Kingdom of Heaven in this place is plainly set forth the administration of the Gospel It 's call'd the Kingdom of Heavens in the plural alluding to the other Heaven the habitation of glorified Scopus est commendare Evangelâ—uÌ„ piis à singulari praestanuâ eâdemque opera dicere quâ—nti Evangelium a piis fiat Pisâ—at Saints and Angels The Gospel of Christ is that Heaven on Earth which will bring us to that Heaven above Piscator observes on the place The scope of all is this to inhance the incomparable worth and estimation of the Gospel in the hearts of the godly It followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Merchant man This Merchant is every true believer who drives a continual trade for Heaven who is industrious and indefatigable in his labors He seeks after faith repentance holyness of life the kingdom of God and his righteousness the reconciled countenance of God in the face of Jesus Christ These are the Jewels for which he searcheth This is his sole imployment to negotiate Instar negociatorum debent conquirere pretiosas Margaritas fidel pietatis Pareus in loc for Heaven He trades not for trifles but weighty precious Commodities His merchandize is particularized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodly Pearls the Pearls of faith and holyness as Pareus on the place The Gospel holds forth goodly Pearls goodly Promises goodly Ordinances goodly Graces a goodly recompense of reward the beauty thereof will enamor the soul and the Treasure therein contained will more enrich it then all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them And what success he had you may see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Pearl of great price is Jesus Christ The Gospel is the Cabinet Margarites as Pliny and other Historians observe are produced out of the dew of Heaven and Shell-fishes draw in that dew They are called Vniones because usually they are found two by two unsevered in the same shell And that which is last to be opened is the price paid to purchase this invaluable Pearl Quis magno emit Margaritam nisi cui notum est pretium Mucul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None will buy this Pearl who knows not the price saith Musculus T is evident that this Spiritual Merchant was a man of knowledge The knowledge of the worth of Christ made him so willing to sell all for him He stands not dodging and cheapning hoping to bring down the price he knoweth Christ to be
truly of calamities and of their causes shall in silence and with patience worship Gods Justice without any murmuring or scandal David falls not a railing at Shimei he was better instructed then to render railing for railing but he looks at a higher hand and submits So when Iliads of troubles surround thee and one cross follows upon the neck of another as one Wave of the Sea upon another Oh! do not break forth into cursing and reviling but look at the hand of God and say Lord I see thy hand I desire to know thy meaning to be instructed with Ephraim to smite upon my thigh and submit unto thy hand in every thing and I beseech thee what I understand not teach thou me and wherein I have done amiss I will do so no more Job 34. 32. 3. We must wait patiently 3. It 's the nature of Faith to wait patiently This is waiting indeed when with a quiet frame of spirit I expect the fulfilling of the Vision whether it speak good or whether it speak evil I am content my heart is of Davids temper My hâ—art is fixed O God my Psal 57. 7. heart is fixed I will sing and give praise The Husband-man waits for the Harvest so must we wait patiently for the Harvest of deliverance Delay is the sickness of the soul Patience is the cure of it Patience is the very soul and life of waiting Waiting without patience is inraged sury We must bear Gods anger patiently I will Micah 7. 9. bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute judgement for me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness We must wait for that we see not If we saith the Apostle hope for that we see not then Rom. 8. 25. do we with patience wait for it Hence are we commanded In your patience Luke 21. 19. pâ—ssess ye your souls There 's a Philosopher that hath this expression if the Gods would grant me my desire and bid me ask what I would have I would ask of them this thing That I might have the spirit of Socrates such a composed spirit as he had It 's observed of him and of Cato likewise that they were in such a quiet composed sedate frame that they never changed their countenances upon any thing that befell them This should stir up Christians to beg of God the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit whereof the Apostle 1. Pet. 3. 4. speaks which is in the sight of God of great price Pray hard for the excellency of a quiet composed spirit Come what will if thou be armed with patience it will ward off the blow 4 It 's the duty and property of waiting Christians to exercise Faith 4. We must exercise faith upon the Divine Promises on the Divine Promises A Heathen out of a Cynical stupidity and by Moral Documents may have patience and pass by injuries but he knows not how to believe against sence he 's a stranger to Faith he discerns no excellency in a Promise he cannot live upon a word he knows not how to relie upon a Crucified Saviour and live by Faith on the Son of God But a true Christian waits believingly he lays hold upon Jesus Christ by Faith and lives upon the Divine Promises and applys them by Faith unto his particular condition Faith gives the soul a firm bottom to stand on a strong foundation to build on which is the Word of God Faith saith the Apostle is Heb. 11. 1. Psal 27. 13. the substance of things hoped for and the evidâ—nce of things not seen There are two great words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had fainted saith David unless I had beliâ—ved to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of Rom. 8. 28. the living A Believer knows that all things shall work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Mal. 4. 2. Such Scriptures are his strong Rock But unto you that fear my namâ— shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as calves of the sâ—all For a small moment Isa 54. 7. have I forsakâ—n thee but with great mercies will I gather thee A Believer Matth. 28. 20. stays himself upon a promise Loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world He fears not the opposition of men and devils against the Ministry for he knows Christ will uphold them and vindicate their quarrel A Believer knows that the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the back of the righteous therefore he waits till God take it off He knows that deliverance shall come to the Church that the Lord will build up Zion and appear in his glory that all the enemies shall come and worship before the Churches feet and the shaking of Nations is a harbinger to deliverance Peruse Hag. 2. 7. that great Promise I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill with glory this house saith the Lord of hosts A Believer knows that God can bring light out of darkness order out of a Chaos strike a straight line with a crooked stick make the wrath of man turn to his praise and restrain the remainder thereof By Faith Stephen saw Christ when the stones were about his ears And by Faith Job saw a Redeemer upon the Dung-hill And by Faith Moses saw him that vvas invisible amidst Reproaches and Sufferings Faith discerns a Sun-shine approaching amidst cloudyness and dismall darkness Whatever makes against a Believer in a carnal apprehension the spiritual eye of Faith seeth something to make for him So that a Believer hath double nay trebble even multiplyed hopes for single fears It 's the nature of waiting to have Hope for its companion Waiting â— We must wait and hope Lam. 3. 26. Heb. 6. 19. and Hope are conjoyned It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Hope is the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the vail When thou art tossed in the troublesome waves of the World cast anchor and let hope support and stay thy spirit Were it not for hope the heart would break in those days of confusion and misery where there are so many sad thoughts and searchings of heart for the afflictions of Joseph and divisions of Reuben yet we are not without hope Let 's apply that of Ezrah amidst all their sorrows and perplexity Shecaniah the son of Jâ—hiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra We have trespassed against our God Ezra 10. 2. and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land yet now there is hâ—pe in Israel concerning this thing They fall a making a Covenant and O that we would bewail the
1. 3. Because of the savour of thy good oyntments thy name is as oyntment poured forth therefore do the virgins love thee Cant. 4. 13 14. Thy plants are an orchard of pomgranates with pleasant fruits camphire with spikenard Spikâ—nard and saffron calamus and cynamon with all trees of frankincense myrrhe aloes with all the chief spices As for instance Faith is a sweet pleasant Grace it s our life nothing sweeter then life Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by faith So Hope is sweet pleasant Pro. 10. 28. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness but the expectation of the wicked shall perish Then patience is sweet for it sweetens all hardships and bears all crosses It makes a vertue of necessity Heb. 10. 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Likewise Love is pleasant for it by a Divine Alchimy turns the basest Metals into gold Cant. 8. 6 7. Set me as a seal upon thine heart and as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Another delightful Grace is Meekness A meek spirit is chearful and reviv'd amidst storms of persecution And so is Humility Passionate and Proud men take no joy in any thing they are of Haman's humor But meek humble self-denying spirits are full of joy and tranquility when the minde is quieted and setled whatever makes against it there 's something to make for it something coming in to support the soul and carry it on chearfully There 's the exercise of no Grace but it 's joyous and delightsom to Gods children Faith Hope Patience Love Meekness Humility are the delight of Gods children 4. Lastly There 's much delight and joy in obedience to Gods 4. There 's much delight and joy in obedience to Gods commandments commandments O how love I thy law Thy law is my delight said David All the Duties of obedience are pleasant to Gods children When the Spouse is once drawn she will be a running Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and I will run after thee So David Psal 119. 32 77. I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart It was Pauls delight in the place above mention'd and it was Davids rejoycing Psal 119. 14 15 16. I have rejoyced in the ways of thy testimonies as much as in all riches I will delight my self in thy statutes and not forget thy word Obedience to the commandments is easie to Gods children They do it with as much delight as David danced before the Ark. But profane persons do duties as Phaltiel followed Micâ—l 'T is said 1 John 5. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 'T is easie with Gods children to forbear Swearing they covenant with their tongues It 's easie to forbear Whoredom they covenant with their eyes It 's easie to keep the Sabbath for they call it a delight It 's easie to hear the word and tarry it out patiently for it is a joy unto them Matth. 11. 28 29 30. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am lowly and meek For my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Do not therefore discourage any from the ways of Religion as the Spies did from entring into Canaan You can subscribe to this by experience you can do much more work when your spirits are chearful when you do your business willingly A chearful minde will facilitate the weightiest enterprize Many use Recreations to refresh their spirits And Recreation may not be us'd otherwise then as a File to Devotion Now the practice of holy Duties is the godly mans recreation It was Christs meat and drink to do his Fathers work and so it is of the godly Therefore they Pray Read Hear Meditate and live chearfully Their souls are delighted and quieted in the performance of duty Carry home this truth with you that there 's more real sollid joy in the ways of Religion then all the delightful ways in the Universe And Oh! that this might stir your affections to be in love with the ways of godliness I now come to the confirmation of the Point by some evident Demonstrations 1. Whatever pleasure men finde in the world is much more to Demonst 1. No pleasure in the world like to the pleasure of godliness be found in the ways of godliness Prov. 3. 14 15. For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold She is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Prov. 8. 14 15. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice I shall instance in all the senses The eye takes delight in beautifull Objects It 's a pleasant thing to behold the Sun the Light is pleasant but no such beauty as in the ways of God Solomon speaks much of the Ruby and compares Wisdom to it for its resplendent Lustre Could the beauty of godliness be seen with these eyes they would be dazled Excellens sensibile corrumpit si sensuÌ„ The eye of man hath seen stately Buildings rich Treasures precious Commodities but the eye of Faith in a Believer seeth the holy Trinity the Throne of God In comparison whereof the bravest sights in the World are nothing even less then nothing 2. The eare is delighted with melodious musicke Men love to heare a skillfull Musitian But in a transcendent manner the eares of the godly are delighted with hearing the word the strong cryes and prayers of God's people the singing of Psalmes Psal 89. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance Some antient Philosophers phansied musick in the Orbes and Intelligences to wheel them about That opinion is much controverted amongst themselves But this is an undoubted truth that there 's no musick so delightfull to the eare as duties of religion They are pleasant to God's eare For hee loves to heare his people praying and should not they bee pleasant to ours And besides what wee heare of God now is but for a moment what wee shall heare heareafter shall bee to eternity When the damned are a roaring skriking howling blaspheming cursing weeping and heare nothing else Then the Saints shall heare Hallelujah's praising singing and joyne themselves in a Celestiall Consort 3. The tast shall bee delighted in the ways of godlinesse Gluttons and drunkards delight much in their tast Curious tasts will not bee pleased but with sweet and delightfull things Now O Christian get another tast a spirituall relish of heavenly thinges Psal 34. 4. O tast and see that the Lord is good
ten thousand pounds for a good conscience nay all his estate riches c. but all these cannot bribe death to stay one minute longer nor can they all make any atonement for the soule Riches honours c. are not a suitable proportionable price sor these are materiall and corruptible the soule immateriall and incorruptible and between these there 's no proportion Thirdly The price paid to redeem our soules is infinitely superlatively more worth then millions of worlds what 's that see 1 Pet. 1. 18. The soul was redeemed with the price of bloud even of him who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one soule saved any other way not the richest in the world nor the poorest can come any other way to heaven but by Jesus Christ The soule of the poorest saint though his person be trampled on by the world is bought by so great a price as the effusion of the bloud of Jesus Christ Hence it evidently appeares that the soul is more worth then the world Christ died not for the world he prayed not for them John 17. 9. but he died for his own whom his father had given him out of the world O Consid 2. Jesus Christ alone and the graces of his spirit can adorne the soule pretious heavenly-born-being soule 2ly It 's Jesus Christ alone the graces of his spirit that can beautifie enrich and adorne the soule Aske a covetous Mammonist where lies his riches he 'll tell you in such a stock of cattell such lands revennues gold silver c. Aske a child of God where are his riches he 'll tell you his riches are in Christ his treasures are in heaven his high place and preferment is in his fathers house Aske your stately Gallants whâ—re their ornaments are They will shew you their necklaces and bracelets of pearles their Diamond-Rings Gorgeous apparrell But what 's all these to the soule The soule is not beautified with golden chains costly raiment pretious jewels I le tell you of a chaine of pearls which will adorne your soules and enrich you more then all the pretious gemmes the Universe can afford read 2 Pet. 1. 5. Ps 45. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 9 10 11 c. Thou mayest be rich in the world yet poor in grace thou mayest have a beautifull face and a polluted soule goodly brave stately apparrell and a foule rotten conscience outward beauty inward deformity fair without foule within Now Christ his graces can alone make thy soule beautifull His graces are the best ornament and therefore beseech him to beautifie thy soule and to adorne thee with faith love and the rest of the Graces of his spirit Thirdly Consider God out of the riches of his free grace and mercy Consid 3 God puts a price into our hands to improve for our souls puts a price into your hands by the Gospell dispensations which he expects you should improve for the best advantage of your soules Force not the Lord to complaine as Prov. 17. 6. you have sermon upon sermon Manna falls frequently round about your tents will you not stir out of your doores to gather it you have the ordinances frequently dispensed amongst you you have bread in the morning and bread in the evening many occasionall sermons All these helpes and meanes are afforded by God for the good of your soules you have publick assemblies continued your eyes behold your teachers you enjoy Sabbaths dayes of humiliation dayes of thankesgiving wherein Gods keeps open market for the good of your soules and it s your duty to husband them all for the eternall welfare of your soules The Spirit knocks at your hearts by the sermons you hear by all the mercies you enjoy to take care of your pretious soules The salvation of your soules is the intention and end of all our preaching It 's the only designe we have upon you to win you to Jesus Christ all the Ordinances are the food of your soules to keep your soules in heart the sabbaths are the market of your souls you have soule-fatting Ordinances Oh take heed lest a leanenesse enter into your soules The markets will not alwaies last the shops will not alwayes be open now come and buy wine c. Improve the Sabbaths Sermons all your Gospel-opportunities for the eternal benefit of your soules Fourthly Consider This present time of life whilst you are in this Consid 4. This is the present time to regard our soules world is the only season and opportunity offered to make provision for your pretious soules see John 9. 4. This is the time to worke out your salvation in as Phil. 2. 12. The time of seeking God Isa 55. 6. This is the time of working the worke of faith the labour of love and patience of hope 2 Thes 1. 3. This is the time of making our peace and reconciliation with God Now we presse upon you the Doctrine of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. If thou livest and diest in an unregenerate and unreconciled estate to God thou wilt remaine so even to all eternity Now thou must run otherwise thou shalt never obtaine now thou must fight the good fight of faith otherwise thou shalt never obtain the end of thy faith the salvation of thy soule Now thou must wrestle otherwise thou wilt never obtein the blessing Now thy peace must be made whilst thou art on this side hell otherwise it will never be made hereafter There 's no time for purgation in another world for perfecting thy faith and hope this time of life is the seed time and according as a man soweth so shal he reape This time of life is a time of working in heaven there will be a resting from our labours As therefore thou tendrest the eternall welfare of thy soule whilst thou hast life breath space opportunity whilst thou art on this side the grave on this side of eternity set seriously upon the businesse of greatest weight and consequence to make thy peace with God to make thy calling and election sure that so when death separates thy soule from thy body nothing may be able to separate it from the love of Jesus Christ Consid 5. This present life is but for a moment Fifthly Consider This present life is but for a moment and upon this moment depends eternity The longest life is but a moâ—ent if compared with eternity and this moment is a short moment compared in Scripture to bubbles vapours spans weavers shuttles flowers things of shortest continuance And this moment is a shortning moment each day each hour each minute shortneth thy life and makes thee nearer eternity each step thou treadest is a step nearer thy Grave each moment thou breathest is a drawing on to thy home And further this moment when once past is irrecoverable all the world cannot call back one minute of time and when this little inch and moment of time is past thou shalt be in eternity in that condition which is unalterable as long
came justly upon them for the neglect and unprofitableness under the Gospel in King Edward the sixth's days And if they were so severely punished for a few years unprofitableness under the means of Grace of how much forer punishment shall we of England be accounted worthy who well nigh a hundred years have enjoyed the purity of the Gospel and yet we are barren and unfruitful Let us every one acknowledge his own unfruitfulness that notwithstanding fatning Ordinances we have lean souls and let us every one pray in particular Lord lay not my unfruitfulness under the Ministry unto my charge The Spirit will not always strive and wait at those Bethesda's God may in judgement say I will take this kingdom from you and give it to others who will bring forth the fruits of it I will no more suffer my servants to be abused no more suffer my word to be despised I 'le rain Mannâ—h no more round about your tents if you have so cheap an esteem of it Let us all deprecate this dreadful judgement which the Pâ—ophet Amos threatens Amos 8. 1. Behold a basket of summer-fruits and he said What seest thou and I said A basket of summer-fruit then said the Lord unto me The end is come upon my people of Israel I will not again pass by them any more This is the second way whereby the Spirit â—â—rives viz. By the Ministry of the word A third way whereby the Spirit strives is by the checks and 3. The Spirit strives by the conviction of conscience Multi habent scientiaÌ„ pauci vero conscientiam Bernard de interiore domo In corde puritatem In ore veritatem In actione rectitudinem Bern. de interdomo convictions of conscience Bernard makes a sad complaint in that excellent Tract De interiori domo Many haue knowledge but few have conscience He lays down there three choice qualifications of a good conscience To have sincerity in the heart truth in the mouth and rectitude in the conversation These are distinguishing Notes for tryal and examination Now the spirit of God strives by the checks of conscience Conscience flew in Judas his face a legal qualm came upon him I can call it no better It sprang from the horror of the wrath of God and Hell fire flashing in his face It was no Evangelical repentance Judas got thirty pieces of silver but conscience forced him to a restitution Conscience is a reflect act it looks back upon a mans self It is like a Musket over-charged it will recoil upon a sinner It is like a Blood-hound that will follow by the scent and will never leave searching till it hath descryed the Delinquent Wherefore Brethren let us take special notice of the checks of Conscience Let us keep faith and a good conscience joyn'd as the Apostle exhorts Let us not break Gods link Let Pauls Herein I exercise be our continual Monitor Acts 24. 16. Herein I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men A Christian may have a pardon in the Court of the Judge and yet not discern it in the Court of his conscience In case of desertions withdrawings and suspensions of Gods gracious countenance a Christian may not be able to apprehend Gods reconciled countenance but in this case there are incouraging supporting promises Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God We read likewise Psal 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart and Psal 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness God is gracious and full of compassion and righteous in all his ways But what shall we say when a sinner is condemned both in the Court of the Judge and of conscience how great is that condemnation Spira had a check of conscience and a voice forbidding him O do it not He paid full dear for the wounding of his conscience It 's an observatian of an excellent Divine in a precious Book called Moses self-denyal We had better saith he have all the world Mr. Burroughs Moses Self-denyal cast shame in our faces and upbraid us then that our consciences should cast dirt into them It 's better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest Potentates on earth then to have an angry conscience within our breast It 's better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford then to loose the delights which a good conscience will bring in O let the Bird in the breast be always kept singing whatsoever we suffer for it We all subscribe to this in Theâ— whether we do thus in Hypothesi let 's examine our awakned Conscience Let us every one deal impartially with his own conscience All our hearts are naked unto him with whom we have to deal Let every one pray study confer for the information of his own Conscience nothing may be done doubtingly for that is not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin In the whole course of our lives let us bring all our actions to the rule of the word of God and let that decide the controversie Here 's a four-fold infallible rule Let A four-fold rule for the examining of conscience 1. Every one be perswaded in his own heart 2. Let us abstain from all appearances of evil 3. Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 4. Hold faith and a good conscience Let us keep close to these known plain rules discarding carnal policy carnal interests which are the devised ways of men and then let our resolution concur with Luthers I bear this title I HuÌ„c gero titulum cedo nulli Luth. yeild to none Now then when the Spirit thus strives by the checks of conscience let us not resist nor stifle those motions let us not shut our eyes against known light breaking in upon us This is a third way whereby the Spirit strives viz. by the checkings and convictions of Conscience A fourth way wereby the Spirit strives is by the tenders of 4. The Spirit strives by the tender of mercies mercies and loving kindness openings of bowels of compassion towards poor sinners These mercies are tender mercies and there is a multitude of them Psal 51. 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindeness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions They are the sounding of Bowels the fountain opened Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Here is a free tender of Jesus Christ and the riches of his mercies The spirit makes many Proclamations and Invitations to come in to Jesus Christ One is Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and
he desires and endeavours after the encrease of every grace more Faith more Love more Humility thus hee cries as the Horsleach's daughter give give 8. There 's a careful strict watch set upon the heart life against Charact. 8. Ther 's a care full watch ovâ—r the heart and life bosom sins Be they ancient customary constitution complexion sins as dear as a right hand and a right eye they must be cut off pluckt out David profest I kept my self from mine iniquity Psal 18. 23. Be it peccatum in deliciis an Herodias a Delilah away with them be it a Gibeonite a pretending sinne mâ—ke no league with it be it a Benhadad an Agag give no quarter to them bid adieu to every sin though delightful and pleasing to flesh and blood say to it as to a menstruous cloath get thee hence Let Josephs resolution be as a Monitor and as a Frontlet before thine eyes How can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God 9. Yet further the desire and endeavour must be universally extensive as to hate and turn from every sinne so to have respect to Charact. 9. The desiâ—er â—ndeavour must be vniversall every commandement Psal 119. 101. It is an argument of a gracious heart neither to divide in duties nor commands neither to pleade a dispensation in the first nor in the second Table This was Pauls exercise he as it were drove that trade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is consonant to the doctrine of the Gospel Universality is a divisive difference it distinguisheth a Sheep from a â—oat a true from a formal Professour and a constitutive difference to constitute Act. 24. 16. Tiâ— 2. 11 12 Psal 119. 6. a child of God The universality respects as I now mentioned the object the whole Law all Gods Commandements the subject the whole man at all places and in all companies to walk closely with God all the daies of our lives 10. The Spirit is without guile Here 's an Israelite indeed without Charact. 10. A spirit without guile Psal 32. 2. Joh. 1. 17. guile such was that excellent commendation that Christ gave Nathaniel There are three words whereof a godly man is compounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singlenesse of heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplicity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincerity You have two of them in one verse and thence was matter enough of rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. This we must labour for even singleness simplicity and sincerity and acting upon these principles wee may with comfort look the King of terrours in the face when all carnal Machiavilian policies wil prove Physitians of no value 11. There wil bee the practise of Mortification and Vivisication Charact. 11. The practice of mortification The mortifying of the deeds of the body and the quickning of the graces of the Spirit these are fruits of Regeneration and Repentance Col. 3. 5. Rom. 8. 13. Never dream of a shorter cut to hâ—aven than the rule of the Word prescribes Mr. Perkins saith He that was never truly humbled never truly believed O set upon the practise of Mortification put to death these brâ—ts of Babylon crucifie slay mortifie thy corruptions â—et this day be a slaughter day for thy sins spare not an anâ—ient sinne let not thine eye pity thy most delightful sinne butlet thy â—ow be like the Bow of Jonathan that never returned empty without the blood of the slaine This is a severe way but there 's comfort in it The Apostle useth two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the making of the body black and blew and the bringing it into subjection There may be no toleration of any sinne Take heed of easie lazy wayes pleasing to thy corrupt nature they are dangerous wayes Follow the old light of the Word that presseth Repentance Humiliation Mortification that 's Gods Law Take heed of any Antinomian Ignes fatuos which decrie so row for sin if thou followest them thou wilt follow a blinde guide and if the blinde lead the blinde both will fall into the ditch 12. And lastly there wil be a burning in love to Jesus Christ Charact. 12. There wil be a burning in love to Jesus Christ such a love as many waters cannot quench nor stood-gates drown it Cant. 8. 7. The love of Christ wil conâ—â—rain him 2 Cor. 5. 14. He wil doe and suffer out of a principle of love to Jesus Christ This man loves Christs image holynesse Christs Members Joh. 13. 35. Christs â—rdinances they are his delight and counsellors Christs Messengers the appearance of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 8. Tit. 2. 13. He longs for Christs comming Rev. 22. 20. By all these signes and discriminating characters we may judge of the Tree by the fruit and conclude that heart to be a gracious heart that can produce these evidences and where the heart is upright and holy the conversation cannot but be suitable when the heart is inlarged the feet wil runne the wayes of Gods commandements Put your selves to these Tryals proved to you from the Word of God and your own consciences The foâ—rah Vse shall be for Direction how we shall make the best Use 4. For direction use of this day of Judgement In pursuance of this consideration what rules of directions must we observe that from hence we may be engaged to a holy conversation amongst many I shall presse six Rules to be reduced to point of practise 1. Pray for the Spirit of Sanctification It 's Gods will our Sanctification we must pray that his will may be done in us and by Rule 1. Pray for the Spirit of SanctificatioÌ„ us that Christs kingdome may be within us that Christ would love and wash us and make us Kings and Priests unto God This is a new creation and requires an omnipotent hand Psal 51. 10. This is the Apostles prayer for the Thessalonians that the God of peace would sanctifie them This is the prayer suitable to Gods will and if â—eâ— ask any thing according to Gods will he heareth us We read of a spirit of holynesse Rom. 1. 4. and sanctification of the spirit Pray hard for holynesse wrestle with God be importunate for Grace and when it 's begunne pray for the consummation of it that hee that hath begun a good work will not leave it unfinished till the day of Jesus Christ 2. Be much employed in washing and cleansing thy heart This Rule 2. Be much employed in washing thy heart God calls for Jer. 4. 14. There 's a great deal of filthinesse that lyes lurking in thy heart many foul corners O wash and rinse thy heart there are many vain and wicked thoughts there 's in thy heart a stye a sink of filthinesse a cage of uncleane birds Many nasty rotten thoughts and wicked imaginations doth this womb conceive Try thy heart throughly be better acquainted at home doest thou hope to have benefit by Christ see to thy duty to purifie
from our bodies Yet a little while and grisly death the King of terrours will seize on us Here then must we be inquisitive what will become on our souls afterwards We see God writing vanity on all sublunary things and they are full of vexation The greatest riches are uncertain and perishing All the honours and riches in their greatest estate and confluence cannot helpe a man in the evil day nor satisfy an immortal soul nor bring a man to eternity Wherefore our great care and wisdome should be to get an endureing substance to get assurance of the love of God in Christ and his love isan eternal love We should be exhorted in the language of the Apostle Col. 3. 2 3. Set your affections on things above and not on things below For ye are dead c. Let me in a few words to press upon you the study of eternity adde these Moving considerations 1. This study of eternity is an honourable study It 's a most sublime noble study suitable to the soul The understanding of 1. Consid This is an honourable study man is a noble faculty of the soul and what more suitable for such a noble faculty to contemplate then the thoughts of eternity God and Christ and Glory the blessed vision communion with the Father and the Son these are objects fittest for the contemplations of an immortal soul What a degenerate sordid thing is it for Princes children to converse with base persons All Gods children are children of the great King of Heaven and Earth and for such to have their thoughts stuffed with trash and pelfe of the world O how unsuitable and unworthy is it The Lapwing is accounted an embleme of infelicity because she feeds on dung though she weares a Coronet upon her head Shall then our heavenly-born-being soules be prostituted to Mammon shall our thoughts be low and creeping Our thoughts and negotiations ought to be on life and immortality even the great things of eternity Our studyes and meditations should be on the things above heavenly treasures an inheritance that 's immortall undefiled that fadeth not away This is that noble that honourable study wherein we ought to be imployed 2. This study of Eternity is a most sweet delightsome soul-ravishing 2. Consid This study is sweet and delightsome study Job on the dunghill was comforted with the consideration of a better life and a glorious resurrection Job 19. 25 26 27. For I know that my redeemer liveth and this comforted Stephen when by the eye of faith he saw Christ even when the Acts 7. 55. stones were about his eares his temporall life was then a going away and he was hastening to a better That life was transient this permanent Oh! how sweet is the meditation of a God reconciled of a crowne of glory the price of our high calling This makes the Saints desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ The consideration of heavenly consolations sweeten the bitterest pills of afflictions For one moment in heaven will abundantly make amends for all our sufferings and sorrows on earth This serious consideration of Eternity will be a cordiall in all troubles I have read that Q. Eleanor suck'd the poyson out of the wound of the King her-husband I am sure the meditation of our everlasting estate will suck the poyson out of those wounds which affliction bring Oh! how delightfull is the thought of a haven to such as are tost up and down with stormes and tempests This world is a tempestuous sea rough and troublesome how delightfull is this meditation to a child of God to think I am passing through the rough sea of the world to an eternall Harbour 3. This is a most profitable study We read of treasures crowns 3. Consid This is a most profitable study high places inheritances layd up for the saints In this world riches fail in heaven is an induring substance In this world honours lie in the dust many are degraded in Heaven no degradation That honour is permanent Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Wherefore then should we carke and care and turmoile for the pelfe of this world and in the mean time neglect eternal riches What a doe What a hurry What sollicitous turmoyling is here to get estates in this world What projecting torturing of mens braines complying with men and times to get honours and riches in this world Whereas all these things are not bread they are not the true treasure nor abideing substance But in the mean time how few are there that labour for spiritual riches and lay up their treasures in heaven No treasure like this this onely inricheth the owners 4. And lastly this is a seasonable study What are our life 's but Consid 4. This is a most seasonable study a blast Our breaths soon depart and then all our thoughts vanish every affliction every disease puts us in minde that here is not our rest here we have not an abideing citty Revolutions of Providence read Lectures to us of the changeable condition of the world What then more proper and more seasonable then to have our hearts took off these transient things and fixed upon permanent things There is no certainty here but there is in another world The world with all it's bravery passeth away And there shall be a dissolution of this frame visible to our eyes How nearly doth it concerne us and how seasonable a duty is it to minde heavenly things to fix our thoughts meditations totum hominem totumque hominis upon those excellent things of eternity Let 's study this subject more then ever and let us make more diligent inquiry after our eternal condition THE MALE IN THE FLOCK OR The best must he offered to God Unfolded from Mal. 1. 14. But Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadfull among the Heathen THe first word But imports a Connexion on what went before Serm. 9. at S. Mary's Oxon Octob. 21. 1657 1 Gods love 2 The peoples ingratitude 1. Wherefore I hope it will be time well spent to premise a brief Analysis upon the whole chapter before I fall upon the words of the Text The whole chapter may be divided into two parts The former whereof containes a Protestation of Gods abundant love unto the people of the Jewes The latter containes a sad complaint and charge against them for their stupendious ingratitude Then here 's abundantly declared Gods singular love unto them and to their father Jacob v. 2. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say Wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau Jacob was elected and Esau was reprobated Neither the election of the one nor the reprobation of the other
reconciliation to beseech people to be reconciled unto God And having endeavour'd this great work principally in the next place I conjure you and earnestly entreat you as you are Ministers of the Gospell of peace that you would conferre your best endeavours to cement sodâ—r and unite dissâ—nting Brethren that they may what in you lies be prevail'd withall to agree together in Unity on Earth who shall agree in Unity in the highest Heavens I plead not in the least for any persons how much soever admired by some who are either unsound in the saith or unholy in life No reconciliation can be expected nor ought to be attempted with * Gal. 5. 20. 21. Idolatries Drunkenesse Heresies and other such like deeds of the flesh I plead only for such as truly fear God who are not only nominall but reall saints Here lyeth the labour and here the work to be reconcilers amongst them and such peace-makers are blessed That I may speak my mind freely for I love plain dealing as for such Reconcilers as Cassander of old and Sancta Clara of late who would joyn together the Ark and Dagon the Ephod and Teraphim I mean Protestantisme and Popery these are to be detested and sent back again to Rome from whence they came †V. Bishop Hall's Treatise No peace with Rome No peace with Rome no quarter ought to be given to Benhadad I may say of them as Jehu said to Ahaziah * 2 King 9. 22. what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so many daies without number As for Ignatius Loyola Father of the Jesuites John of Leyden Ring-leader of the Anabaptists and the rest of their Complices of whose franctick practices we have ample Relations in Print †V. Sleyd Comment Baylyes disswasive they are so farre from any reall endeavours after reconciliation with us as rather like Samsons Foxes they run abroad with firebrands in their tails and so set all the standing corn a fire These are the grand Incendiaries flabella seditionum From Jesuitisme and Anabaptisme all heresies and damnable errors receive their originall At Rome and Munster this counterfeit coine receives it's stamp and impression Hence as out of a Trojan Horse is let out an Ambuscado to destroy the Protestant Religion Therefore ther 's no ground of hopefull successe if we should attempt any reconciliation with them Let them come to us and make serious Confessions and retractations but let not us go to them Let them first abjure their principles and practises though I know not why we should trust a Papist upon his oath till then there can be no possibility of embraceing peace with such who either are of Babylon or for Babylon But what is chiefly in mine eye and aime amounts to this brief issue to perswade all those to unite amongst themselves who are sound in the faith and holy in life Amongst them there are some who come so farre up to us and we hope they may yet come farther if selfe interests make no obstructions as to acknowledge us true Ministers the Church of England a true Church Much is granted to this effect by some * V. Apolog. of the five dissenting Brethren Reverend dissenting Brethren in Print When carnall Interests secular policies and mentall reservations are laid aside and men declare plainly what they would have and when we know once where to finde them and where they will fix then Attempts of Accommodation may attain a happy and comfortable successe That which much concerns us all is to lay to heart and be deeply affected with the divisions of Reuben and to use our utmost endeavour to comprimise differences and make up breaches and animosities lest otherwise we gratify the Jesuit who is the common Enemy who loves to fish in troubled waters or is like an Adder which seeks for shelter in broken walls Let 's leave off contention prius quam sese immisceat so Junius renders the words of Solomon †Prov. 17. 14. Prov. 17. 14. i. e. Let not contention mixe with our affairs For once it being mixed and joyned it 's not easy to unmixe and separate afterwards Wherefore let it be our care and wisdome not to give advantage by our domestick breaches to the wild Boar of Babylon or the subtle Foxes of Munster and Racovia who when they see us a quarrelling one with another they make a prey of us both I well remember about this time 24. yeares ago in the Vespers of our publicke Act there was a Question discuss'd which the * Dr. Wingham of St Johns Respondent held Affirmative An Calviniani quos vocant Lutherani possint in unam Ecclesiam coalescere And in the like solemne Convention another Question 7. yeares ago was affirmed homogeneous to the former by a †Dr. Wilkinson of Christ-Church learned Professor of our University An intersit pacis salutis Ecclesiae vere Evangelicos pium colere syncretismum But especially let 's have recourse unto Scripture What saith the Psalmist * Psal 133. 1. Psal 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity I have often fetch 't a ground of hope against many fears from 2. Prophesies The one is †Zeph. 3. 9. Zeph. 3. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure Language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The other is * Zach. 14. 9. Zach. 14. 9. And the Lord shall be King over all the Earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name be one †Non satis est si homines agnoscerent unum Deum nisi consentiuâ—t in reâ—ta simplici aliquâ— fide ita ut celebretur in terrâ nomen unius Dei Calv. in Zeph. 3. 9. Though there be but one Lord yet his name is called on diversly but here is Prophesied an unity of worshipping God And as for unity amongst Brethren this is accounted a fruit of our effectuall calling * Eph. 4. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And for the better setting home of this exhortation the Apostle mentions 7. Ones in the following verses viz. One body one Spirit one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all How pathetically doth the Apostle presse unanimity †Phil. 2. 1 2. If saith he there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowells of mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the fame love being of one accord and one mind * Numerus binarius eo magis infamis quia primus ausus est discedere ab unitate Pythag Pythagoras used to put a brand of infamy upon the number of two because it first departed from unity But the Apostle propounds the Question
* Eph. 5. 9. Eph. 5. 9. Viz. Goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth and he mentions another much larger †Gal. 5. 22 23. Gal. 5. 22 23. Viz. Love joy peace longsuffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Here then is the great triall whether the life and conversation be ordered aright Whether the conversation be in †all holy conversation and Godlinesse Whether the new Creature exert it selfe through a mans whole life Whether a holy profession be adorned by a holy conversation Now if in truth and sincerity affirmative answers can be given to these Questions then without doubt such Persons have Interest in this Reconciliation by Jesus Christ But I shall adde no more to these Characters I conceive that whosoever can produce these tokens hath a sure and undoubted title What yet remains is as I promised you to excite you all by some moving considerations to make it your grand work and businesse to get assurance of your reconciled estate which is the businesse of the greatest concernment Motive 1. Consider the riches of mercy and bowells opened towards fallen man and denyed to the fallen Angels As for Motives 1. Let us consider of the riches of mercy and bowells opened towards fallen man which were utterly denyed towards fallen Angells And this consideration heightneth the great contrivance of this Reconciliation in that it was from all eternity Adde hereunto that God himselfe was first in the tender and contrivance of this great work Man neither could nor would make up so great a breach It transcended the Sphere of his capacity Had Adam and all his posterity joyned all their heads together they could not understand what way and means to undertake to make up so great a breach But God the Father out of the riches of his mercy found out a way even a new and living way by Jesus Christ The Angels were past by they fell once and that irrecoverably without any hope of reinvesting themselves in their first estate For Christ shed not one drop of bloud for them He * Heb. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat arripere apprehendere manum injicere B. Andrews Cura sollicitudo labor festinatio pro salute generis humani ea una voce significatur Hyperius in loc took not upon him saith the Apostle the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Yet notwithstanding the riches of Gods mercy are inhanced toward fallen man because the promised seed even that †Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman should break the Serpents head was proclaim'd in Paradise and appropriated unto mankind Secondly consider the great and inestimable price paid to purchase Mot. 2. Consider the great price paid to purchase peace and reconciliation peace and Reconciliation And what was that price but the price of bloud And this is called in Scripture * Act. 20. 28. the Bloud of God Yet in such expressions we are to understand a communication of Idioms This bloud was the bloud of sprinkling which †Heb. 12. 24. Speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel This was the bloud of the immaculate Lamb slaine from the Foundation of the World Because * Rev. 13. 8. without shedding of bloud there was no remission Christ therefore took upon him humane nature There are two great significant words which evidently declare his humane nature one word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Joh. 1. 14. Joh. 1. 14. He pitcht his Tent or Tabernacle amongst us The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Phil. 2. 7. Vers 8. Phil. 2. 7. He emptyed himselfe or made himselfe of no reputation And Vers 8. we read of the highest degree of Christs humiliation in that he became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Thus Christ hath made a compleat satisfaction by doing and suffering all that the Father required And now Christ †Rom. 8. 34. sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us And we have a ground of strong consolation further laid down * Heb. 7. 25. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them There 's a word of great importance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as a †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnimodam significat perfectionem Camero in Myroth learned Authour observes signifieth all manner of perfection This sheweth such an absolute perfection that nothing else can be desir'd nothing can be added And wherein doth this all-sufficient Saviour shew himselfe to be so We have an answer and strong proofe drawne from Christs intercession in the following words where it is said That he ever liveth to make * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dicit ut offerat hoc enim semel fecit sed superest altera sacerdotii pars nempe Interpellatio Beza Intercession for them This Scripture is a fort Royall and impregnable notwithstanding all the batteries that Socinian Hereticks make against it But I proceed to a third motive drawn from the willingnesse Motive 3. Drawn from the willingness of God to be reconâ—iled of God to be reconciled Wherefore he sends his messengers upon this errand to perswade people to embrace Articles of peace The Lord entrusts his Ministers with the word of reconciliation which is the Doctrine of the everlasting Gospell And they spend their Spirits and lay forth their strength to the uttermost woing intreating exhorting people to submit unto Christs Scepter and through him to make their peace with God the Father Now the Spirit of God strives in the Ministery of the word It 's a most terrible judgment when Gods Spirit refuseth to strive any longer with a people And this is threatned * Gen. 6. 3. Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said my Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man i. e. The Lord will not alwaies dispute chide and argue the case with a people the Lord will not alwaies strive by the Ministery of his servants such as were Enoch Noah Methusalah who lived the longest and died but the year before the flood God will not alwaies suffer his Spirit to be grieved the motions thereof slighted Neither will God alwaies suffer the faithfull labours of his Ministers to be neglected * Some †Pagninus Grotius render the word Lo-jiddon non vaginabit He will not alwaies put his sword into the scabberd but he will draw it out and fight against his Enemies And oh that you would all consider in your most serious composed thoughts that now you hear as it were a voice behind you saying This is the way walk in it This voyce is the Spirit speaking in the written word for the Spirit speaks according to the word Now by all the woings and whispers of the Spirit and by the unwearied labours of the faithfull Ambassadours of the Gospell you are entreated to
of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel 5. The ministery of Angells is imployed for their defence The R. 5. The Ministery of Angells is imployed for the defence of the godly Heb. 1. 14. Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them who shall be heires of Salvation And for the offence of their enemies as in the case of Senacherib and Herod who fell by the Angell of the Lord. 6. The Saints experiences are abundant proofe hereof Paâ—l V. Ps 18. tâ—tle R. 6. Drawn from Saints Experiences speaks how God delivered him out of the hand of the Lion He spake of Nero that cruell Persecutor of the Church What Protections deliverances have Gods people met withall What Providences to supply their wants in the most needfull instant What deliverances from Fire Water Robbers Murtherers Great things can many of Gods children speak in this particular Time would faile me to produce those Instances which Saints experiences have abundantly afforded in this Particular This then being so this Doctrine may be serviceable for these uses 1. To reprove the madnesse and folly of wicked men who Vse 1. For Reproofe Ps 37. 32 33. set themselves in opposition against Gods children They labour to root out their memory and plot their utter ruine and destruction but though the wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to sâ—ay him the Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemne him when he is judged Wicked men are limitted and can go not a jot further then God will permit them 2. Here 's matter of Instruction to the children of God Doth Vse 2. For Instruction God take the care of them Let them be sure to keep in Gods waies and walke according to the rule of his Word Let none neglect meanes appointed by God under any presumptions of Providence that would be a tempting of God You know how the Devill tempted Christ to leap down the Pinacle when as there was a paire of staires an ordinary way to go up and down Let none upon pretence of secret impulses of their owne spirits act any irregular thing upon Pretence of Providence Gods Providences do not contradict the rule of the word Let none distrust Providence in their greatest straits and difficulties God hath supplyed and is able still to supply He hath delivered and is able still to deliver Read two experiences one of David against the Lion and Beare Thy servant saith David to Saul slew both the Lion and the Beare and this uncircumcised Philistine 1 Sam. 17. 36 shall be as one of them Another deliverance we read is of the children of Israel against Pharaoh Thou didst saith the Psalmist divide the Sea by thy strength thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in Psal 74. 14. the waters Thou breakeâ—t the heads of Leviathan in peices and gavest him to be meat for the people inhabiting the wildernesse This was spoken of Pharaoh and his host These examples drawn from experience and former mercyes should be as so many Ingagements to trust God for the time to come Here 's one Use more and that is for consolation unto Gods Vse 3. For Consolation children They are in Covenant and under the wings of speciall Providence As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young Deut. 32. 11. spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings So the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him He promiseth to be their Rereward Then shall thy light Isa 58. 8. breake forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousnesse shall go before thee the glory of the Lord shall be thy Rereward This is an allusion to Gods carrying his children out of Egypt And the Lord went before them by day in a Exo. 13. 21. pillar of a cloude to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night Now against all despondencies feares doubts dangers let Gods children comfort themselves with the consideration of Gods speciall Providence God takes care and makes speciall Provision for them wherefore let them do their duty and leave all issues to God The duties are these 1. To study the Word and be well acquainted with it The Scripture is the sure Word of Prophesy certaine infallible we must trust and venture all upon it 2. To live by faith when sence failes let not faith faile Believe God is as good as his word Believe though sence and reason be non-plusd So did Abraham in the case of Sarah and so in the case of Isaac No life to that mentioned by the Apostle to live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. 3. To set the Spirit of prayer a working Pray for thy daily bread and for daily Protection So that thou maiest feele all coming in as an Answer of Prayer And a Samuel a child of prayer is the most welcome mercy 4. Beware of murmuring and repining when thou art delayed Eligat opportunitatem qui libere dat misericâ—rdiam Aug. Learne to wait Gods time His convenient time is the best He helpes in the most needfull time Let him saith Augustine chuse the opportunity who so freely gives the mercy 5. What ever thou wantest be sure to be more thankfull then EfficacissimuÌ„ pro Candid ato regandi genus est gratias agere Plin. Pan. Trajano dictus ever sor what thou hast received before Thankfulnesse is a cunning way of begging Put thy selfe in other mens cases and consider how thou aboundest in comparison of them Look into Prisons Poore mens cupboards and how oughst thou to pitty them in their wants and be thankfull for what thou enjoyest 6. Sixtly and lastly be still renewing thy title and clearing up thine evidences for heaven for the more thou securest that the more secure thou mayest be of this speciall distinguishing Providence For though I believe not but abhorre that opinion that Dominium temporale fundatur in gratiâ and I am farre from the Anabaptisticall opinion of thinking wicked men usurpers as having no right of Creatures to outward things yet I am fully assured that only the Godly have outward things sanctified through Christ With Christ they have all things And having Christ is that which makes a mercy to be a mercy indeed All Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 20 21. things are Yours saith the Apostle The wicked of the world have outward things ex largitate by common Povidence and bounty the godly have all ex promisso by Promise and Covenant Wherefore here lyes the great duty to get assurance that what ever we have we injoy as a Covenant mercy streaming to us through the blood of Jesus Christ for it is Christ alone that sweetens what ever
after a manner enquire yet not in truth and faith his enquiring was after a slight manner after an hypocriticall formall way like that of Balaam Numb 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his and like unto Israels howling Hos 7. 14. And they have not cryed to me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds they assembled themselves for corne and wine c. Wherefore then should we give God a slight service He requireth the Male the best of the flocks and there 's a dreadfull Curse Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing But in the second place here is a word of exhortation that we Vse 2. For Exhortation would all unite our forces for the Church in generall even the whole body of Christ however dispersed and distressed throughout the world How many of Christs body suffer hard things Some are imprisoned we must pray for the prisoners enlargement Some are under Antichristian Tyranny and Christ hath a Church even where Satan dwells we must pray that they may hold fast their profession without wavering Great things God hath granted to a praying people and he is the same God still as good and as gracious as ever The Army called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayed and raine was poured down in abundance to refresh the Pagan Army of the Emperour Insomuch ex ore adversariorum it was confest great was the God of the Christians Constantine that excellent Eccl. Hist Euseb Prince and Patron of Christians would not after the example of his Predecessours suffer his picture to be drawn standing in a stately posture but kneeling for he ascribed his victories to the answer of prayers Let us remember likewise all the distressed Churches beyond the Seas such as are in misery where their enemies are the chiefe we should give them the Charity of our prayers counsells compassions purses our Bowells should be opened wide towards their release Polonia other places cry out in the language of Job to his friends Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me To such as are afflicted pitty Job 19. 21. should be shewed We should all imitate the Apostle being alike affected with our Brethren rejoycing with them that rejoyce c. We should make their cases our own of this excellent temper was the Apostle Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I 2 Cor. 11. 29 burn not as if all the burthens of the Saints were laid upon his shoulders he was willing to beare them all Jerome writing a commentary upon Ezekiel and hearing of the sacking of Rome a place where he formerly lived was so affected that a long time he could think of nothing else He laid to heart so much the suffering of Gods people there as he imagined himselfe to be in their stead Furthermore in a more particular manner let us remember in our prayers the Land of our Nativity the Church of England Scotland and Ireland We expect shortly a Parliament and we hope in the multitude of Councellours there may be safety Formerly we have been frustrated of our expectations High-raised hopes have been disappointed That of the Prophet may truely be applyed to this purpose Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy Jer. 14. 19. soule loathed Zion why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble We have been justly crost in our hopes because we have Idolized men and relyed too much upon an arme of flesh We are to call upon the great counsell as the man of Macedonia did Come and help us and they likewise call upon us help us with your prayers We may hope to speed the better if we pray the more Let us pray as one man that the Lord would instruct the Counselllours after his own will and teach the Senators wisdome What farther I shall speak in this use shall come under these two heads 1. What speciall things we must pray for that our Jerusalem our Church of England may be established a praise in the earth 2. What moving inducements may be assign'd to incourage us in the duty of prayer For the first Above all we must pray for the advancement of Religion for the establishing the power of Godlinesse It is Religion that beautifies and adorns a Nation the Kings daughter Gods Church and People are glorious within their decking is of pure gold Grace ennobles and puts a glorious lustre upon a people To name a few particulars 1. Let us in an especiall manner pray for the encrease of Godly 1. Pray for Magistâ—ates Magistrates Reprovers in the gate such as will do judgment and justice There is a great promise made in those Gospell daies Isaiah 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Qâ—eens thy nursing Mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth and lick the dust of thy feet c. Our duty is to pray for them so runs the Apostles command 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made For all men for Kings c. Godly Rulers are a blessing to a Nation Jer. 5. 1. Run ye to and fro thorough the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if yee can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it So Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill and love the good and establish judgment in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hoasts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph Where such Magistrates are we must pray for their continuance and for a supply of their mortality that the Lord would send continually such as may dispence justice impartially and may be a terror unto evill doers and a praise to them that do well 2. Pray for faithfull soul-saving Ministers Many such in mercy 2. Pray for Ministers the Lord hath given us We must pray that the Lord would increase the number of them But the Prophets live not for ever wherefore we must pray for a Godly succession of Ministers that such may be incouraged who are workmen that needeth not to be ashamed and such may be removed as unsavory salt who make the sacrifice of God to be abhorred There are yet left a faithfull remnant sound in the faith and holy in life who are as farre from Antichristianisme as their false accusers are from Charity who labour in season and out of season and are willing to spend and be spent for the salvation of soules These in an especiall manner must be incouraged by our prayers that the Lord would give them The
understand this A man may not be so weary of the world as to be impatient of life and unwilling to live against the will of God with Job we must wait our appointed time till our change come Job 13. 14. Much lesse may any hasten their owne death and be their own executioner this is selfe murther It was said of Cleombrotus that when he had read over Plato's book of the Immortality of the Soule he threw himselfe down a steep Rock to be made partaker of immortality this was a desperate act of wickednesse But my meaning is this we being crucified unto the world dare not set up our rest our hearts our affections upon the world we cannot be satisfied with worldly accommodations and pleasures the soule can take no acquiescency in earthly things O how many are there that are acquainted with God of the Apostles mind Phil. 1. 23. Who have a desire to depart and to be with Christ 4. All crucified person live another life then the men of the Charact. 4. A crucified person lives another life then the men of the world doe world do they live a life that the world is not acquainted with all and that is a life of faith Gal. 2. 20. This life gives them a sacred acquaintance with God a sight of him that is invisible as was said of the Patriarchs Heb. 11. 21. Hereupon it comes to passe that they mind heavenly things have their conversation in heaven and set their affections on things above and not on things below This life of faith is a heavenly life it causeth a Christian to find a heaven upon earth it 's the sweetest of all lives none like thereunto 5. I proceed to a fifth Use for Direction and this use I shall cast Vse 5. For Direction into two heads 1. What we are to crucify 2. What duties are especially requisite for the crucifixion of them Q. 1. What we are to crucify 1. All inordinate affections 1. What we are to crucify For Answer it s said in the Text affections and lusts more particularly 1. All inordinate affections ought to be crucified as immoderate love of any earthly thing Rachel was so importunate for children as she said in a great passion Give me children or else I dye and so for joy the Rich man in the Gospell did sing a Requiem unto himselfe and said to his soule eate drinke and be merry Thus voluptuous men desire pleasures and Ambitious men desire honours and rich men hope in their riches and say to the wedge of Gold thou art our confidence 2. All Ruling lusts are to be crucified Pride Passion Envy 2. Ruling corrâ—ptions must be crucified these are to be crucified those three are to be crucified especially viz. the Lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and the pride of life And there 's great reason why Ruling lusts should be crucified 1. Because Ruling lusts are the fountaine of all mischiefe Jam. 4. 1. 2. They are the soules enemies 1 Pet. 2. 11. 3. They allure and entice the soule to evill 2 Pet. 2. 18. Now these impediments being thus removed the duties that are to be put in practice are these 1. To inquire after and get a knowledge of the evill and great Dut. 1. Inquire into the evill of sinne mischiefe which the waies of sinne and the pursuits of carnall Lusts bring unto the soule they are deceitfull Eph. 4. 22. We expect this and the other satisfaction from them and they beguile and deceive our expectations they are called foolish and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6. 9. Destructive worldly lusts Tit. 2. 12. Dut. 2. Be acquainted with the pleasures of Godliness Dut. 3. Study the beauty riches of Christ 2. Be well acquainted with the pleasure and profit in the waies of Godlinesse for pleasure Prov. 3. 17. for profit 1 Tim. 4. 8. 3. Study the Beauty Riches and all the excellencies that are in Christ Christ is beauty it selfe he is the fairest of ten thousands for riches he hath all treasures for wisdome he is the wisdome of the Father Had men their senses exercised and their understandings inlightend they would not be such fooles as to pursue brutish pleasures and vaine delights and in the meane time neglect their pretious soules Had men their eyes in their heads they would not make merchandise of trifles and neglect the pearle of price but multitudes there are now a daies who bestow more paines to satisfy a lust then to get Jesus Christ and with lesse paines they might get Christ then get a lust satisfied 4. Give not the least liberty to the flesh to sinne Christians Dut. 4. Give not liberty to the flesh to sinne have great liberty by Christ but no liberty to sinne no allowance in any lust not for a Cloake of Malitiousnesse 1 Pet. 2. 16. Saints are not the Servants of Corruption 2 Pet. 2. 19. 5. Labour to keep thy body undefiled Know yee not that your Dut. 5. Keep thy body undefiled body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. Shall I prostituâ—e my body to Mammon c. Shall a lust be entertained in Gods Temple shall a base lust be where Gods Temple should be Christ will not dwell in a polluted body in a cage of uncleane birds Dut. 6. Be a fighting against every corruption 6. Be a fighting wrastling and strugling against every corruption never lay down thy armes but hold up thy weapons fighting against every corruption Labour to destroy the flesh by the sword of the spirit take the whole armour of God as you are exhorted Eph. 6. 13. 7. And lastly apply Christ crucified home unto your owne Dut. 7. Apply Christ crucified unto the soule soules and believe that Christ is not only crucified for us but that we are crucified with him Where this faith is sinne shall have no dominion over you Believe that Christ is able to subdue thy lusts and mortify thy corruptions and therefore go to him for strength to conquer thy lusts and begge that he would beate downe Satan under thy feet believe that help is laid on Christ who is mighty and that he is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Do thou thy duty in striving against sinne and apply Christ by faith and believe that there 's vertue in his blood to cure thee of all diseases His blood is the blood of sprinkling which speaks better things then the blood of Abel His blood is mortifying blood cleansing healing meritorious blood Go then to Christ for victory against sinne Christ is the great Phisitian only able to heale thee He is a Counsellour for wisdome a Rock for strength a Treasure for riches a Fountaine opened There 's fulnesse in him Col. 1. 19. compare this with Joh. 1. 16. And of his fulnesse we have received grace for grace 6. The sixth Use is for Consolation unto Gods Children who Vse 6. For Consolation have been
to the Method propounded 1. For Scripture Testimony we have many parrellel places Let your conversation be aâ—â—ecometh the Gospell of Christ The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should be soberly righteously and godly in this present world There are three choyce Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as God is pure They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good Conversation his workes with meekness of wisdome As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Two things saith learned * Ambulare in Christo duo de notat perseverare progredi in doctrinâ fide Christi vitam agere juâ—ta hanc fidem Davenant in Col. 2. R. 1. A holy Conversation is an Evidence of election 2 Pet. 1. 10. Rom. 12. 9. Davenant are imployed in that Exhortation viz Perseverance in the doctrine of faith and a life regulated accordingly 2. In the second place for confirmation amongst many Reasons that might be mentioned I shall insist only on foure 1. A holy Conversation is an Evidence of election Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure There 's great care and diligence required in the work We need not ascend into heaven and curiously enquire after the Decree of God but our duty is to descend and make strict Inquisition into our own hearts whether we be sanctified and renewed in the spirits of our minds whether we depart from iniquity whether as the Apostle exhorts We abhor that which is evill and cleave to that which is good We must be assured in this grand Truth That God who 2 Thes 2. 13. hath ordained to the end hath ordained unto the means We are bound saith the Apostle to give thanks alwaies to God for you because he hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth 2. When the profession and practice of Christianity meet together R. 2. This sheweth the sincerity of our Profession 2 Cor. 1. 12. here 's an infallible evidence of the truth and sincerity of our profession For our rejoycing is this the testimony for our Conscience that in simplicity and godly â—incerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Multitudes plead an interest in Christs redemption But here 's the Criticall note To be redeemed from their vaine conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. To be new creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. To be renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. To be made partakers the of divine Nature 2 Pe. 1. 4. These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Markes and Characters of those that have interest in Christ And whoever make a profession and practiceth not what they profeffe they are strangers from the life of Christ and no otherwise to be accounted of then such who by Mapps and reading of Authors discourse of farre countreys where they have never beene themselves but only they receive things by an implicite faith upon others reports and not by an experimentall knowledge But hereby we have evidence of the truth of our profession when Words and Actions Profession and Conversation concurre together in a sweet harmony and mutuall equipage R. 3. Here the Gospell is adorned 3. When Profession and Conversation meet togeather there the Gospell is adorned The Gospell gives not a Writ to licentiousnesse it opens no gapp to carnall liberty It ought to be our study and endeavour to adorne a holy Profession by a holy Conversation Tit. 2. 10. Exhort servants saith the Apostle to be obedient c. not purloyning but shewing all fidelity that they may adorne the doctrine of our Saviour in all things The great designe of Christians ought to be to keep up the reputation of the Gospel It is adorned when people walk according to the Apostles charge See that yee Eph. 5. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. walk circumspectly not as fooles but as wise The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall we should be likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot and blamelesse Holinesse only adornes our profession and they are most beautifull who are adorned with the graces of Gods spirit 2 Pet. 3. 14. The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Psal 45. 13. Gold And we read of broidered workes badgers skins bracâ—lets chaines jewells gold ear-rings Ezek. 16. Hence it eminently appeares that only the graces of the spirit can adorne a soule Now when what we professe in our mouths we make good by our practice When we name the name of Christ and depart from iniquity When we professe holinesse and live accordingly then we adorne the Gospell For the Gospell requires holinesse righteousnesse circumspect walking and the more holy righteous and circumspect a man is the more he adornes the Gospell 4. And lastly Hereby we bring the greater glory to God For R. 4. Here we bring the greater glory to God Joh. 15. 8. God is gâ—orified by the fruitfulnesse of his servants Herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit What is this fruit but such as is meet for Repentance Mat. 3. 8. Fruit unto holinesse Rom. 6. 22. Fruits of Righteousnesse Jam. 3. 18. And this is the fruit the Apostle prayeth might abound in the Philippians chap. 4. 17. That fruit might abound to their account Now put all these Reasons together I conceive there is strength of Argument to persuade us to the duty of the Text viz. To depart from iniquity i. e. to make our Profession and Practise meet in one as lines in their proper center considering that hereby we prove our election sure and our profession to be sincere and that we adorne our profession and bring greater glory to God To these foure Reasons I l'e adde only foure Uses which are to be handled in the particular application as I promised and so I shall put a Period to my discourse 1. Here 's matter of Information that a name or forme of a Profession Vse 1. For Information an outward title or claime to Christ are altogether insufficient to Salvation What 's the forme without the power of Godlinesse what 's the name without the thing No better then the body without the spirit or the carcasse without the soule to animate it Concerning Formalists we have a Caution Having a 2 Tim. 3 5. forme of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne aside I know thy workes saith Christ unto the Angells of the Rev. 3. 1. Church of Sardis that thou hast a name that thou livest yet art dead How many are there that rest contented with an externall
portion for eternall life is their inheritance Joh. 10. 28. Secondly Faith is a hand to lay hold on Christ But not a working hand as that hand of a labourer that earnes his living upon his desert and for his work receives his wages But faith is a receiving hand of a poore man that layes hold on a pearle and receives all of mercy and favour from God Hence faith is exprest by receiving Joh. 1. 12. Thirdly Faith gives insight into heaven and communion with God Heb. 11. 27. Fourthly From Justification by faith flowes all our comforts and priviledges Rom. 5. 1. 2. But if the Consideration of the benefit of Faith take no Motive 2. From the mischiefe of unbeliefe place on the contrary take notice of the mischiefe of Insidelity You heard before the reasons of the Doctrine after another sort how Infidelity bound Gods hands refused the remedy I will adde other great mischiefes which spring from the fountaine of unbeliefe viz. these following 1. Unbeliefe makes all our prayers unavailable To pray and not in faith is sinne for whatever is not of faith is sinne 2. Unbeliefe causeth diffidence of and staggering at promises Rom. 4. 20. 3. It hinders and deprives men of Communion with believers 2 Cor. 6. 15. 4. Every thing is uncleane and desiled to unbelivers Tit. 1. 15. Their spirituall uncleannesse makes every thing uncleane unto them The distinction of cleane and uncleane meates is disanulled by the Gospell the use of them is pure to them who are cleansed by Christs blood and sanctified by his spirit but of unbelievers it is said Their mind and Conscience is defiled 5. Unbelievers are given up to damnable delusions 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth The fourth Use is for Examination and Triall of Faith and Vse 4. For Examination Infidelity Every one is ready to say he believes but the number of believers is very small But where there is true faith it hath these singular Qualifications to inlighten the understanding to purify the heart to sanctify the life and Conversation to trust God with all to live by faith for that is the life of a Christian To inlarge a little these Qualifications First True faith inlightens the understanding Paul when of Qualific 1. True faith inlightens the understanding an unbeliever he became a believer it 's said And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had been scales Act. 9. 18. Where God worketh faith he illuminates the understanding Act. 26. 18. Joh. 2. 20. Secondly faith purifieth the heart it 's a purifying grace Act. Qualific 2. Faith purifieth the heart 15. 9. The heart is purged and cleansed from malice this God calleth for Jam. 4. 8. Jer. 4. 14. Thirdly Faith reformes the life hence faith is called a holy faith Jude 20. An unfained faith the Faith of Gods elect a Pretious Qualific 3. Reformes the life Faith For a true believer is a man of another Conversation As it was said of Caleb Num. 14. 24. He had another spirit with in him So true believers are of another spirit i. e. of a gracious spirit farre different from what they were in the State of unregeneracy and farre different from the men of the world Qualific 4. Faith trusts God with all Qualific 5. the juâ—t lives by faith Fourthly Faith trusts God with all David calls God his Rock Fortresse Bulwark c. Psal 18. 2. Psal 27. 1. A Believers heart is fixed and setled in unsetled times Psal 112. 7. Fiftly Faith is that whereby the just lives Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. A believer in a storme gets himselfe upon a Rock he hides himselfe in the clefts of a Rock Christ is the Rock of Ages A believer climbes up thither and there rests In dangers he goeth to God hee 's his Refuge strong Tower and Bulwark of defence In doubts God is his Counsellour in distresse God is his comforter Now le ts inquire after some signes and symptomes of an unbeliever The first which is to be reckoned in the fore front is partiall Signe 1. Partiall obedience obedience an unbeliever whatever he pretends is but obedient to halves so was Saul in sparing Agag c. So was Ananias and Saphira in keeping back part of the price Agrippa would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26. 28. We have many such al-most Christians halfe baked cakes like Ephraim a cake not turn'd Hos 7. 18. The second signe of Unbeliefe is murmuring and impatience Signe 2. Murmuring The Lord complaines often of the murmuring of the Children of Israell Psal 106. 25. vers 29. And this is forbidden 1 Cor. 10. 10. See their impatience Num. 14. 44 45. Murmuring and impatience go togeather when God answers not at our time we begin to murmur and wax exceeding impatient so did they Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the wildernesse Thirdly Unbeliefe appeares evidently by that refuge which Signe 3. Broken Refuge men betake themselves unto in streights and difficulties Saul went to a witch Judas and Achitophel to a halter Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron The Foole in the Gospell comforts himselfe with his riches voluptuous men betake themselves to their pleasures Ambitious men to their titles of honour but all these are broken and deceitfull refuges and wiâ—l faile in the greatest difficulties like cloath that shrinks in the wetting The fifth Use is for Direction And this I shall branch into a Vse 5. For Direction few Duties First be sure to act faith upon the promises have a word for Dir. 1. Act Faith upon promises your warrant I trust in this word saith David I hoped in this word Study promises and apply them live upon them we read Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth hath eternall life But I am a believer c. make good this Assumption and thou maist conclude that thou shalt be saved Secondly Content not your selves with those attainments and Dir. 2. Content not thy selfe with former attainments measures of faith you have already got but pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith we read of some thing lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3. 10. Labour to get thy faith strengthned and thy heart established upon God It s no easy matter to believe when the Son of man comes shall he find faith in the earth Dir. 3. Be Conscientious in the use of Ordinances Dir. 4. Often search thy heart Vse 6. For Consolation Thirdly Be diligent and conscientious in the Use of Ordinances as hearing Gods Word Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. And adde praying and receiving the Sacraments Fourthly Often search thy heart for feare least a Temporary Faith lurke there Much unbeliefe lurketh in thy heart therefore watch and pray against it labour to get it rooted out The last Use is for Consolation unto Gods
who muster their forces to make our comforts Ichabod but this joy saith Christ no man taketh from you men cannot give it nor bereave us of it Therefore bid adue to all thy carnall joyes but lay fast hold of and let not goe the joyes of Gods spirit this is the first duty I presse upon you to make God your joy 2. Make God your treasure How sollicitous is a man to get Dut. 2. Make God your treasure pretious treasures how doth he compasse sea and land to get them and when he hath them in his possession how carefull is he to keep them A man of understanding leaves not his Jewells at randome but locks them up safe in a Cabinet now if God be our treasure we will seek him in his Ordinances God is the treasurer and the treasure both this is the only treasure we must seek after if we find not God in one Ordinance le ts go to another if we find him not in the word le ts go to the Sacrament and if we find him not in the Sacrament le ts repaire to our prayers and fall upon our knees if yet we find him not le ts with the spowse make inquiry after him le ts aske the Ministers of Christ nay le ts put all these together and never give of seeking till we have found him whom our soule loveth Now when once we have got him le ts labour to keep him Will a wise man cast dirt upon a pretious Jewell every sinner indeavours to cast dirt upon God Sin is of a besmearing and fullying quality If then thou wouldst preserve thy spirituall treasure and keep the grace of God in thy soule take heed of that which foules and staynes it and that is sinne Oh! Christian be instructed to set upon the work of purification labour to cleanse thy selfe from all pollution of the flesh and of the spirit so that thy soule and body may become a glorious Temple wherein the spirit of God will set up his habitation God is our treasure our faith hope and very life it selfe are reposited in his custody and therefore the Lord Christ should be more pretious unto our soules then thousands of Gold and Silver Oh! how pretious is Christ unto that soule which hath seen and tasted how good the Lord is 3. Make God your refuge What would a man give in such Dut. 3. Make God your Resuge times as these for an Asylum à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sanctuary whereunto he may fly and be secure Men promise themselves security some in one place and some in another and they set their hearts upon them But alas the comforts wherein they trust prooves oft times a Jonahs gourd which in one night had it's originall and it's period or an Egyptian reed which will either pierce them or give them the slipp in their greatest extremity But ô blessed man who makes his God his refuge and seeks a hiding place in a divine promise so that hee 's not afraid of evill tydings hee 's not discouraged by the direfull imprecations of blasphemous Rabshekahs of John of Leydens faction Let the extremity be never so bitter yet a true Believer can draw down comfort from a promise which preserves his soule from sinking he knowes how to look beyond men unto his God In such times as these which are sad and perillous times when men are set upon mischiefe and wounder that men run not with them into the same excesse of riot a man that hath a spirituall eye can bring home the promise that the Rod of the wicked will not lye long upon the lot righteous whâ—n God hath done with the rod he will cast it into the fire but he will provide Scorpions for their enemies David was perswaded that it would be better for him notwithstanding Shimeis execrations so I am perswaded that for bitter aâ—d implacable spirits opposite to Magistrates and Ministers now a daies Gods people shall fare the better Let God alone and do not anticipate him in his own worke for all the malice that men and Devills can invent shall work togeather for the good of the people of God David had fainted had he not seen the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living and Hezekiah had fainted by reason of the huge host of Senacherib but that he believed that God would be their deliverer We have the same God still as good and as gracious as ever he will put a bridle into the lips and a hook into the nostrills of unreasonable men God can help with meanes or without meanes he can help us and that right early When a man out of the strength of Faith can make God his refuge and shelter and hide himselfe under the covert of his wings this man amidst multitude of sorrowes is a man of singular comforts beyond expression and apprehension Now then amidst multitudes of feares and sufferings labour to have recourse unto a divine promise that though friends meanes hopes and comforts may faile thee yet the Lord will never leave thee nor forsake thee He never failes them that put their trust in him The promise runs unto you that feare my name will the son of righteousnesse arise with healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. If you can thus apply the promise and labour to live by Faith you are fixt upon Mount Zion and shall not be removed Psal 125. 1. 3. And lastly I shall close up all with a word of Direction that Vse 3. For Direction amongst the greatest crossesse and miseries you may still find matter of joy and comfort in God 1. I shall direct you to remoove some impediments 2. To do some duties 1. Remove these foure Impediments The first or which I set in the fore front is earthly mindednesse 1. Imped Earthly mindednesse this is a choake Peare unto the grace of God this and spirituall joy are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incompatible termes A man that is glued unto the world cannot rejoyce in God heel 'e say of his riches as Mica said of his Idolls they have taken away my Gods and what have I more Jacob spake of Benjamin his soule was bound up in the life of the Lad so may I say the life of a worldly minded man is bound up in his riches his riches and joy live and dye togeather Now discourse unto such a man concerning the riches of Christ you talke of Riddles he askes what is thy beloved more then another beloved he wants a spirituall in-sight into Christ The earth is an opacous body interposed between the organ and the object so that he cannot discerne the beauty and excellency that is in Christ a worldly man cannot rejoyce in God 2. Remoove Infidelity when men exercise their sense more 2. Imped Infidelity than their faith and will with Thomas not believe unlesse they see Oh! what enemies are they unto their own comfort Though the Lord should make windowes in heaven could these things be
so said the unbelieving Prince so we are apt to say Things aregone so farre as a Recovery is desperate To settle affaires in peace and tranquillity upon firme-covenant Foundations is a work impossible what Is any thing impossible with God and all things are possible to the believer O let not go thy faith it is thy life what wilt thou distrust thy God Infidelity is the giving of God the lye remoove then this stumbling block out of the way if thou remoovest not Infidelity thou canst not rejoyce in God 3. Remoove impatience and murmuring Fret not thy selfe because of the ungodly neither be thou envious at the evill doers as the Psalmist exhorts Psal 37. 1. Repining and grudging are the cankers of the soule they eate out all it's peace and tranquillity An impatient man is the worst enemy to himselfe he adds weight to his burthen and makes it insupportable take heed of impatience and murmuring when Gods hand lyes heavy on thee Many there are who with Mary cannot see Christ for teares in their eyes and being overwhel'd with sorrowes they can discerne no comforts approaching 4. Remoove remisnesse and negligence in duties Their condition 4. Imped Remisnesse and negligence in duties is Lamentable who when things suite not with their humors say it is in vaine to serve the Lord Hence they give to themselves the Reynes and slacken the pace of their duties whereas on the contrary had men their eyes in their heads they would see more need of Duties that they ought to adde more oyle to the flame when things go worst with them Job makes it the character of a wicked man not to pray alwaies Remisnesse and negligence in Duty is an Argument of a rotten heart Though there be no appearance of comfort yet we must not slacken our duties Spirituall duties are pabula animae the food and nutriment of the Soule Prayer meditation and divine conference are vehicula animae and elevate the soule and revive thy drooping spirit they adde a miraculous rigour and alacrity amidst all the crossesse and discomforts in the world If then thou wouldst retaine thy joy take heed of remisnesse and negligence in duties Now having remooved these impediments I shall exhort you to set upon some Duties I shall set downe three only which I shall but name them and so conclude 1. You must labour to live by faith Had we more experience Dut. 1. Live by faith of this sweet and pretious life of faith our hearts would be established we should cast our selves upon the divine providence and stay upon his covenant and resolve with holy Job though the Lord should kill us yet we would trust in him What ever crossesse Job 13. 15. came upon us yet we should never let goe our faith We should believe against beliefe and hope against hope and now when sense and reason failes us we must leave of disputing and learne to believe Oh! then support thy spirit upon a promise Believe that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God Faith Rom. 8. 28. made Stephen see Christ even through a shower of stones and faith made Job see a redeemer upon the Dunghill Faith makes any condition comfortable It is the sweetest life in all the world to live by the faith of the Son of God 2. Labour for a sacred communion and intimacy with Jesus Dut. 2. Labour for a sacred communion with Christ Christ One moment of communion with Christ will transport thee with joy unspeakable which a stranger intermeddles not with all None can reveale these joyes but those that feele them These are the white stones the hidden Mannah the new Name which no man can read but him that hath it Oh! what ravishing love tokens are those which Christ vouchsafes unto his children one of these spirituall illapses into the soule is to be preferred before the Empire of the world 3. And lastly be much exercised in meditation and prayer By Dut. 3. Be much exercised in Meditation and Prayer prayer thou confer'st with him that is invisible and meditation is the wing of the soule to carry up its services as a sweet smelling sacrifice into the Almighties nostrills If we would pray more and spend our time as Isaac did in meditation if we would wrestle with God by prayer and supplication if we would imitate Hezekiah and spread the letrer before the Lord and daily poure out our spirits before him Oh! what comfortable lives should we lead even a heaven upon earth And such a heavenly life would be as a Bulwarke of defence to ward of the Batteries of the worst of enemies Could we get such a sacred acquaintance with God and have our Conversation in heaven we would not feare what men and Devills could do against us We should not feare the Combinations of such who are profest Adversaries to the Universities and Ministery For God will say unto these most desperate Adversaries destroy not those Clusters for there is a blessing in them REALL CONVERSION DISCOVERED from Rom. 12. 2. But be yee transformed by the renewing of your mind THE Apostle having dehorted the Romans from Sermon 10. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Feb 5. 1659 60. all conformity to and Compliance with the garbes fashions and evill practices of the men of the world presseth home by way of exhortation the maine fundamentall duty To be transformed in the renewing of their mind Which words though few are a full Character and an essentiall definition of a truely Converted Person viz He is one that Divis is transformed in the renovation of his mind More particularly we may observe 1. A duty Be ye transformed 2. The subject the mind 3. The Qualification of that subject By the renewing What 's needfull for explication of these Particulars I shall endeavour to make good by the Inlargement of this fundamentall Doctrine That Doct. Every Person who is really Converted is transformed and changed in the renovation of his mind Method propounded For the Methodicall unfolding of this poynt of Doctrine I shall thus proceed 1. By inquiring what 's to be understood by transformation 2. What by renovation of the mind which premised then 3. I shall endeavour to make good the Proofe of the Assertion 4. And lastly make particular improvement of all by some usefull Application 1. We are to make Inquiry What it is to be transformed For 1. What it is to be transformed a Resolution thereunto we are first to take notice of the Quid nominis i. e. the name them the Quid rei i. e. the thing it selfe First Let 's consider the Notation of the name The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which in a proper sense is to lay aside one forme and assume another The Radix is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to the Judgment of the * Suidas Learned Masters of that language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used as Synonimous
to love Jesus Christ so the Martyr in the flames cried out None but Christ Thus highly did John Baptist testifie of Christ Joh. 3. 30. so Christ may be exalted hee cares not what becomes oâ— himself So every faithful Minister puts the highest value upon Jesus Christ so Christs honour may be advanced Christs cause and interest promoted he cares not what sufferings what persecutions he meeâ—s withall Though he encounter with Beasts at Ephesus Sons of Anak and frie at a stake none of these things move him so Christ may be glorified in him and by him It 's a signe of true grace to prize Christ highly and enhaunce his esteem and honour above all things besides 3. The heart is in love with holynesse for it self â—olynesse is Charact. 3. The heart is in love with holyness the image of God Ephes 4. 24. and there is beauty in Gods imâ—ge to enamour the soul What was said of Moral virtue may be much more said of Theological Si â—erreno oculo possit cerni admirabile sui desiderium excitaret Could we discern by a spiritual eye the lustre and excellency of Holynesse O how would our hearts bee in love with it Multitudes followed Christ for the Loaves and accounted gain their godlynesse Self-seeking interests covetousnesse is that Master-wheele that sets many on working but a true Beleever accounts Godlynesse his gain Christ his honour â—eligion his preferment His eye is single his heart sincere He 'l do his duty do his work faithfully and trust God for his wages Nay Jsa 49. 4. Psal 119. 7 the work is a reward O how I love thy law saith David It was his delight he loved the Commandements above sine gold And what was the Law it was holy just and good Holynesse was the object of his love To love God for himself Holynesse for it self is a good sign 4. There must an ingenuous sorrow for sinne I call it ingenuous Charact. 4. An ingenuous sorrow for sinne in opposition to all slavish howling under the rod. There is a vast difference between Ahab and Paul between that sorrow which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 10. and you have there seven Apostolical characters of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. There 's a vast difference between the howling of dogges and crying of children between the crying of wicked persons as Pharaoh Ahab Cain under a heavy judgement for the punishment and smart upon them and the crying of Paul Peter and Mary Magdalen Pharaoh said Take away this plague the plague of Locusts Caterpillars c. he never was affected with the plague of his heart which was the greatest plague of all But take away my sinnes cries David Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinnes here 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of godly sorrow it mourns for sinne more than the punishment it mourns for sin because it is sinne because it is a breach of Gods holy Law because thereby God is dishonoured this sorrow is kindly ingenuous when the heart is melted and mourns and is broken for displeasing so good and gracious a Lord God 5. There wil be a cordial mourning for others sinnes This affection Charact. 5. Thheres mourning for others sins Psal 119. 136 was singular in David Rivers of water run down mine eyes because men keep not thy Law A godly man layes to heart the sins of the times and the place where he lives It grieves him at the heart to see God dishonoured by any Bradford that rare spirited man grieved at the miscarriages of one of his Scholars and laid the fault upon himself for not looking better to him If he so charged himself surely our faces will gather blacknesse and a great deal of guilt will lye at our doâ—es for not discharging our trust as we ought to doe concerning so many Scholars as so many Depositums committed to our charge But let 's doe our duties and mourn over them that are refractory and keep them strict to discipline Le ts pray for them and mourn over them and questionlesse praiers and tears are prevalent weapons When thou hearest a man swear feest him drunk break Sabbaths takes no heed nor makes any conscience to walk in the way of the Lord O mourn for him and weep that God is dishonoured and reflect upon thy self thy nature is as bad as his Who art thou that differs from thy brother What difference there is it is not of thy making it 's Grace free Grace that makes all the difference 6. The heart approves it self to God so did David put himself Charact. 6. The hearts approving it self to God upon Gods Examination Such a one walks alwaies as in the presence of God knowing that God is all eye to see all ear to hear all hand to write down all He stands not to mans day and mans judgement he appeales to God the searcher of all hearts whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun Hereupon Job raised a ground of comfort and confidence because his Redeemer was his Judge he that was his Saviour should acquit him his Witnesse was on high See his excellent protestation that his heart should not reproach him Job 27. 4 5 6. Now when a Christian is hardly censured and condemned by the world yet if he can approve his heart to God that hee hath walkt before God with an upright heart here 's ground of abundant comfort If God be for us who can bee against us If God speake peace who can speak trouble It 's God that justifieth who 's he then that condemneth Let 's all then labour to tread even paths to keep close to the rule of the Word alwaies Rom. 8. 31. to set the fear of God before our eyes that whatsoever evil entreaties we may meet withall from abroad wee may have comfort at home having approved our hearts to God who searcheth all hearts and tryeth the reins and rendereth unto every one according to the fruits of their doings 7. There wil be a pressing forward toward perfection A heart Charact. 7. There will be a pressing forward towards perfection that approves it self to God as it labours for truth of every grace so it labours for growth of them Joshuahs Sun stood stil Hezechiahs Sun went back Neither of these are for their imitation but they are like Davids Sun which like a Giant refresht with wine runnes its course I wel know that there are Lambs as wel as Sheep weak as well as strong Christians Christians of the Lower and of the Vpper Form and that Faith admits degrees yet every true Beleever contents not himself with that measure of grace whereunto he hath attained but labours after perfection as you may see Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Psal 48. 6 7. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. There are many things which a godly man finds lacking in his Faith Love Humility and therefore