these things is blind and cannot see afar off 2. Another cause is Security They do not take these things into their serious thoughts Faith sheweth 't is sure and Consideration bringeth it near Amos 6. 3. Ye put far away the evil day Things at a distance do not move us We should pray and preach and practise as if Death were at our backs And remember that all our Security dependeth upon the slender Thread of a frail Life 3. Another cause is Aversness of Heart they have no mind to these things Rom. 8. 7. The carnal Mind is enmity against God The Heart is inclined to worldly Vanities set against God and Godliness Now let us consider the hainousness of this Sin 'T is ingratitude and unthankfulness for God's eternal Love Psal. 103. 17. The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him 'T is also disingenuity we would be heard presently Psal. 102. 2. Lord hear me speedily To day is the season of Mercy to morrow of Duty We are always in haste would have the Lord to tarry for our sinful leisure when we will not tarry his holy leisure 'T is also base Self-love we can be content to dishonour God longer provided at length we may be saved Lastly It is great injustice to keep God out of his Right he hath been long enough kept out of his Right already 1 Pet. 4. 3. The time past of our Life may suffice to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles Therefore let us no longer delay but speedily address our selves to entertain the Motions of the Holy Spirit Looking back ill becomes those that have set their face Heavenward WE are now come to the third Instance wherein we are instructed how to avoid Miscarriages in following Christ. The first Instance teaches us to beware of hasty and hypocritical Profession which is the Fruit of Resolution without Deliberation or sitting down and counting the Charges this was the fault of the Scribe The second Instance cautioneth us against dilatory Shifts and Excuses The most necessary Business must not be put off upon any pretence whatsoever The third Instance forbiddeth all thoughts of compounding or hopes to have Christ and the World too As this Man hoped first to secure his worldly Interest and then to follow Christ at leisure Whether this Man were called or uncalled it appeareth not 'T is only said in the Text Another also said the middle Person was only called by Christ the other two offered themselves The first was forward upon a mistaken Ground to share the Honours of the Kingdom of the Messiah which he supposed to be Temporal This last offereth himself but his Heart was not sufficiently loosned from the World From both we see That it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but God that sheweth Mercy Rom. 7. 16. For neither of those that offered themselves are accepted In the words you may observe 1. His Request 2. Christ's Answer 1. His Request This third offereth himself to be a Disciple of Christ but with an Exception That he might take his farewel at home and dispose of his Estate there and so secure his wordly Interests I will follow thee but let me bid those farewel which are at home in my House You will say what harm is in this Request Elijah granted it to â—lisha 1 Kings 19. 21. When he had laid his Mantle on him thereby investing him in the Office of a Prophet Elisha said Let me I pray thee go and kiss my Father and my Mother and then I will follow thee Which the Prophet grantâ—th and gave way to Elisha to go home and salute his Friends I Answer 1. The Evangelical Ministry exceedeth the Prophetical both as to Excellency and Necessity and must be gone about speedily without any delay The Harvest was great and such an extraordinary Work was not to be delayed nor interrupted 2. If two Men do the same thing it followeth not that they do it with the same mind Things may be the same as to the substance or matter of the Action yet Circumstances may be different Christ knew this Man's Heart and could interpret the meaning of his desire to go home first He might make it a pretence to depart clean away from Christ. We cannot distinguish between the look of Abraham and the look of Lot One is allowed the other forbidden Abraham is allowed to look towards Sodom Gen. 19. 28. And Abraham got up early in the morning and looked towards Sodom and behâ—ld the smoke of the Country went up as the smoke of a â—urnace Yet Lot and his Family are forbidden to look that way Gen. 19. 17. Look not â—ehind thee We cannot distinguish between the laughter of Abraham and the laughter of Sarah Gen. 17. 17. And Abraham â—ell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a Child be born to him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old â—ear Now compare Gen. 18. 12. 't is said And Sarah laughed within her self saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord also being old Yet she is reproved For the Lord said Wherefore did Sarah lâ—ugh The one was Joy and Reverence the other Unbelief and Contempt We cannot distinguish between the Virgin Mary's Question Luk. 1. 34. How can this be and the Question of Zachary Iohn's Father Luke 1. 18. How shall I know this â—or I am an old Man Mary was not reproved but he was struck dumb for that Speâ—ch But though we cannot distinguish God that knoweth the secrets of all hearts can distinguish 3. Those that followed Christ on these extraordinary Calls were to leave all things they had without any farther care about them Matth. 10. 21. Sâ—ll all that tâ—ou hast and follow me and thou shaâ—t have Treasure in Heaven So Mat. 4. 19 20. He sâ—ith unto them Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men and they straitway left their Nets and followed him So Matth. 9. 9. As Iesus passed forth from thence he saw a Man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom and he saith unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him Therefore it was preposterous for this Man to desire to go home to order and dispose of his Estate and Family before he complied with his Call 4. In Resolution Estimation and Vow The same is required of all Christians when Christ's Work calleth for it Luke 14. 33. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple 2. Christ's Answer Which consists of a Similitude and its Interpretation joined together 1. The Metaphor or Similitude Taken from Ploughmen who cannot make streight Furrows if they look back So to look back after we have undertaken Christ's Yoke and Service rendreth us unfit for the Kingdom of God Putting our hands to the Plough is to undertake Christ's Work or to resolve to be his Disciples Looking
Were those things spoken to them only and not to us also Surely all may learn from hence that by a bare submission to outward Rites we are not approved of God without minding the true Reformation of Heart and Life and expecting the Pardon of our Sins by Jesus Christ. You are baptized but are you washed from your Sins You hear the Word but is it the Power of God to your Salvation You frequent Sacraments but is the Conscience of the Bond of the Holy Oath into which you are entred upon your Hearts There is more required in Christianity than outward Profession whether in Word or Deed Namely the Conscience of your Dedication to God or else the Work doth not go deep enough 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing You content your selves with your Tale and number of Duties praying Morning and Evening and reading so many Chapters But where is the Spirit and the Fruit of all that you do They that are given to Fasting think themselves very devout if they fast often be their Hearts never so full of rancour Many huddle over many Prayers but they do not go from their Heavenly Father with an Heavenly Mind They give Alms but live loosly As Michal laid a Statue in David's Bed and covering it with David's Apparel made Saul's Messengers believe it was David himself sick in Bed So many Persons cover themselves with certain External Actions belonging to Religion and the World believeth them truly sanctified and spiritual whenas indeed they are but Statues and Apparitions of Devotion to God But this is but a vain shew a placing the Means instead of the End the Subordinate instead of the Ultimate End 2. Man's Externals Invented by themselves by Laws of their own and outward Observances of their own devising Men's whole Religion running out into Externals they are not contented with the Forms of Worship instituted by God but add somewhat of their own and love to bind themselves in Chains of their own making As the Jews not being perfect as appertaining to the Conscience by the use of the Instituted Ceremonies of Moses invented other things to make them more perfect Now as to this I shall only observe 1. That as the out-side of Worship is most minded by a Carnal Christian so the in-side by a renewed Christian Mat. 15. 8. This People draweth nigh to me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me Their Hearts are averse from God The Carnal Christian is all for uncovering the Head and bowing the Knee but taketh no care of the Heart Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen A day for a Man to afflict his Soul Is it to bow down his Head as a Bulrush and to spread Sack-cloth and Ashes under him wilt thou call this a Fast and an acceptable day unto the Lord The Pharisees were zealous for washing before Meat as if it were an holy religious Act because it was one of their own Traditions Mat. 15. 2. But took no notice of inward Defilement 2. They are more zealous for Humane Inventions than Moral and commanded Duties Mat. 15. 3 4. For the Rudiments of the World as the Apostle calleth them Col. 2. 10. than the unquestionable Ordinances of Christ. For a worldly Religion must be supported by worldly Means 3. I observe That the more external Pomp there is of Man's devising the less spiritual Truth for it gratifieth the natural Corruption which is all for the out-side Some few Externals God intended for an Help but when Men will be adding they become a Burden and an Impediment God did not abrogate his own Ceremonies for Men to appoint theirs 2 dly That naturally Men are meerly for an external way of serving God and place their Confidence therein Here I shall shew you 1. That their Hearts are set upon External Worship 2. That therein they place all their Confidence 1. That naturally Mens Hearts are chiefly set upon External Services And that 1. out of laziness Externals being more easy than worshipping God in the Spirit Matth. 23. 23. They tithe Mint and Annise and Cummin but omit the weightier things of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgment Mercy Faith Conscience is like the Stomach which naturally desireth to fill it self and when it cannot digest solid Food filleth it self only with Wind. So here outward things are more easy but mortifying Sin and solid Godliness is more difficult this the natural Man cannot digest and therefore culleth out the easier and cheaper sort of Religion which puts him to no great trouble or self-denial 2. Out of their Indulgence to the Flesh A Man can spare any thing better than his Lusts His Estate the present â—ase of the Body their Children any thing for the Sin of their Souls Micah 6. 6 7 8. The Question is not how to satisfy Justice but how to appease Conscience while they retain their Sins They would buy out their Peace with vast Sums of Mony mangle their Flesh like the Priests of Baal to spare the Sin of their Souls do any thing endure any thing but the subdâ—ing the Heart to God The sensual Nature of Man is such that he is loth to be crossed if he must be crossed only a little and but for a while and therefore affects an easy Religion where the Flesh is not crossed or but a little crossed Now â—light Duties performed now and then do not much trouble the Flesh where there is no mortifying of Lusâ—s no 〈◊〉 Godliness 3. Out of Pride Man is a proud Creature and would fain establish his own Righteousness and have somewhat wherein to glory in himself Rom. 10. 3. A Râ—â—â—et Coat of our own is better than a silken Garment that is borrowed of another Luke 18. 9. Christ spake this Parable against those who trusted in 〈◊〉 that they were Righteous There is such a disposition in Men that if by any means they can hold up a pretence of Righteousness of their own will not pray and wait and consecrate and devote themselves to God that they may attain his Righteousness if they have any thing to plead if they have a partial Righteousness if they be not to be numbred among the worst of men Luke 18. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican If they have an External Righteousness they will plead that I fast twice in the Week I give tithe of all that I possess c. A legal Spirit is natural to us Though Men dare not pretend to an universal Conformity to the Law in a strict sense yet if they can make a shift to get any external Conformity to the Law they are confident of Divine Acceptance Yea so sotâ—ish is their Conscience that they
that is leave that Office to others who are not designed for this Divine and Holy Employment It seemeth haâ—d to many that Christ should â—eny him to do this little Office of Love to his Father and they know not the meaning of that expression Let the Dead bury their Dead Therefore 1. Let us open the Expression 2. Shew you what Christ teacheth us by this Refusal 1. For the Expression It may be used either Proverbially or Allusively Proverbially Let one dead Man bury another that is let them lie unburied rather than my Service be neglected or there will not want others that will remove the dead out of their sight and 't is our Wisdom to let go things unnecessary and mind the main Or else it is used Allusively to the Law of the Nazarites and the Priests of the Old Testament The Law of the Nazarites is in Numb 6. 6 7 8. All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead Body He shall not make himself unclean for his Father or his Mother for his Brother or his Sister when they die because the consecration of his God is upon his Head All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord that is he must rather follow his Vow in honouring the Lord than to follow natural Duty in honouring his dead Parents Now those whom Christ called especially to follow him were consecrated to that service as the Nazarite unto the Lord during the days of his separation And as they might not meddle even with the interment of their Parents so this excuse was frivolous Or else the Allusion might be to the High Priests of whom we read Deut. 33. 9. Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledg his â—Brethren nor know his own Children Some think this hath reference to the Levites Fact who being commanded by Moses killed every Man his Brother Neighbour Friend and Son that had sinned in making or worshipping the Golden Calf Exod. 32. 26 29. Rather 't is meant of the Priests continual Duty who by the Law if his Father Mother Brother or Child did die he might not mourn for them but carry himself as if he did not respect or know them for God would have them more regard their Function or Duty in his Service than any natural Affection whatsoever The Law is Levit. 21. 11 12. He shall not go in to any dead Body nor deâ—ile himself for his Father or his Mother neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary nor prophane the Sanctuary of his God for the Crown of the anointing Oil of his God is upon him Now Christ alludeth to the Law to shew the urgency of this present service and imploiment to which he was consecrated and the burial of the Dead might be left to Persons less sacred or more at leisure 2. The Reasons of Christ's refulsal Christ would shew hereby 1. That all Humane Offices and Duties must give place to the Duty we owe to God Duty to Parents must be observed but Duty to God must be preferred before that or any thing whatsoever A Truth justified by Christ's own Example He began betimes at twelve years old when he was disputing with the Doctors and his Parents sought for him Luke 2. 49. He said unto them How is it that you sought me Wist you not that I must be about my Father's business So Mat. 12. 47 48. When his Mother and Kindred waited for him desiring to speak with him He answered and said unto him that told him Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren Obedience to God and declaring his Father's Will was dearer to him than all Relations Natural and secular respects swayed not with him in comparison of gaining Proâ—elites to Heaven his Mother's Conference with him was nothing to his Father's Service and teaching the People a more acceptable Work than paying a civility to his natural Relations So Iohn 2. 4. Woman what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come His Office to which he was sent by God was a matter in which she though his earthly Parent was not to interpose God's Work must be done in God's own Way Time and Method God hath greater authority over you than all the Men in the World 2. He would teach us hereby that the Ministry requires the whole Man even sometimes the omission of necessary Works much more superfluous Give thy self wholly to these things 1 Tim. 4. 15. The words are now explained The practical Notes are these two First That nothing in the World is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ. Secondly That those who are called to follow Christ should follow him speedily without interposing any delays For the first Point That nothing in the World is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ. I will illustrate it by these Considerations 1. There are two sorts of Men Some understand not their Lord's Will others have no mind to do it Luke 12. 47 48. Some understand not the Terms of the Gospel they think to have Christ and the Pleasures of the Flesh and the World too But there are others who understand Christ's Terms but are loth to become Christ's Disciples they know their Master's Will but they do not prepare themselves to do it that is they do not presently set upon the Work but make so many delays that it plainly appeareth that they are loth to yield to Christ's Terms that is to turn their backs upon the Vanities of the World and renounce their most pleasing Sins and to take the Word for their Rule the Spirit for their Guide and eternal Life for their Felicity and Happiness to such we now speak 2. They that have no mind to follow Christ put off the Matter with dilatory shifts and excuses To refuse altogether is more hainous and therefore they shift it off for a time Non vacat is the pretence I am not at leisure Non placet I like it not is the real interpretation disposition and inclination of their Hearts for Excuses are always a sign of an unwilling and backward Heart When they should serve God there is still something in the way some danger or some difficulty which they are loth to encounter with As Prov. 26. 13. The slothful Man saith There is a Lion in the way there is a Lion in the streets Palestine was a Land infested with Lions because of the many Desarts and Thickets that were in it but being well peopled they did rarely appear Now the Sluggard taketh this pretence from thence if his Business lay in the Fields there was a Lion in the way if his Business lay in the Towns and Cities there is a Lion in the streets as sometimes though but rarely they came into places inhabited and of great resort Now if he should go about his Business
partly that we may not rest in them as the better part of our Duty If Men submit never so much to external Institutions about Religion and Worship and think to satisfy their Consciences therewith yet they will not at all be accepted and approved of God No he looketh more to moral Obedience than positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion And therefore you have Morals of the First-Table or the Second often compared with and preferr'd above the Externals of Religion as 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord any delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices To obey is better than Sacrifices and to hearken than the Fat of Rams Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness as Idolatry 'T was spoken upon the occasion of Saul's sparing Agag and the Fat of the Cattel for Sacrifice when he was to destroy Man and Beast At other times 't is compared with Duties of the Second-Table The Moral Duties of the Second-Table are better than the Ceremonial Duties of the first If we be scanty in the one and abound in the other 't is a Note of an Hypocrite Rom. 14. 17 18. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost If a Man do these things he shall be accepted of the Lord and approved of Men. There are two Expositions of that place both equally probable the one more general That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience and Peace for Peace of Conscience resulting from the Rectitude of our Actions and Joy in the Holy Ghost for supernatural Comfort which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts by reflecting on our Priviledges by Christ and the Hopes of the World to come Now Christianity lieth not in outward Observances but in solid Godliness The other Exposition is in a more limited sense That by Righteousness is meant just dealing by Peace a peaceable harmless inoffensive sort of living by Joy in the Holy Ghost a delight to do good to one another not dividing from or hating censuring excommunicating one another for meer Rituals but pleasing one another to Edification These Morals are more acceptable to God and approved of Men than a furious Zeal for lesser things which belong to the ritual Part or external Order of Religion It 's an Argument of a better Spirit to be more zealous for Morals and Substantials than Rituals certainly without them we shall be of no account with God And partly to that when Moral Duties come in competition with Ceremonial the Moral Duties at that time must take place of the other and all positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion give way to them The Lord never appointed the Ceremonies of the First-Table to hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second therefore the Mercy must be done and the Sacrifice left undone as the Sabbath is both broken and kept when there is an evident necessity of preserving the Creature When David fainted 't was a Moral Duty to relieve him though there were no Bread at Hand but the Shew-bread 1 Sam. 21. 4. There is no common Bread under my Hands And Christ urgeth that Mat. 12. 3 4. Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred how he entred into the House of God and did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat nor for them which were with him but only for the Priests In an extraordinary case of Necessity the Shew-bread is as common Bread Now the Reason is plain because Positives bind only in certain Cases but we are everlastingly obliged to things Moral Therefore Externals must give way both to Obedience and Mercy Internal Acts of Worship are never dispensed with 5. Sacrifices come under a double Consideration as they relate to Christ the substance of them all or as External Performances rested in by that People 1. In the first Consideration their Gospel lay much in Sacrifices and the main Duties of Godliness were exercised about them as brokenness of Heart Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise And Faith in Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Vnclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God And Covenanting with God Psalm 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service In the second Consideration The outward bare Offering considered in it self without Faith and Repentance so God disclaimeth it Isa. 1. 11. Bring no more vain Oblations And Isa. 66. 2 3. He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man He that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's Neck He that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood He that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Their great Confidence was in their Sacrifices God therefore sheweth how loathsome these things were to him without that disposition of Soul which should accompany them being such Persons as those were he would take no Offering at their hands The Lord in all Ages is Uniform and like himself in approving and injoining Duty and in disliking Sin Morals are always prized by him before Externals and an impartial respect to necessary Duties was more to him than the greatest pomp of outward Worship 'T was so then and 't is so now Pride and Malice and Envy are greater Evils than Ceremonial Uncleanness and to fear God and work Righteousness a greater Duty than the best Sacrifices The performance of External Duties is not and never was a sufficient Testimony of true Piety nay without the Love of God and Men and an uniform Obedience to his Holy Will is meer Hyprocrisy 6. When the breach of a Ceremonial Precept bringeth with it the Transgression of a Moral Precept and is without any absolute necessity imposed in negâ—lect and contempt of the Law of God then we are to run all Hazards rather than to transgress in the smallest Externals because tho the Matter enjoined be but small yet the Contempt of God is a great Sin and our Sincerity and Obedience to God is a great Matter As for Instance When Antiochus pressed the Jews to eat Swines-Flesh which in case of great Extremity no question they might do yet when he pressed them out of Contempt of the Law they chose rather to be tortured to Death than to yield to it And for this they are registred Martyrs Heb. 11. 35. They were tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might receive a better Resurrection There is a plain Allusion to the Story
the praise of all that Wisdom Glory and Power which is seen in the things that are made Now you should make one among the Worshippers of God 2. Let me reason with you as Christians Are you a Christian and have such Advantages to know more of God and will you be dumb and tongue-tied in his Praise Have you the discovery of the Wonders of his Love in your Redemption by Christ and do you see no cause to own and acknowledg him Have you no Necessities to bring to the Throne of Grace In Christianity you know his particular Providence and Redemption by Christ and should you eat and drink and trade and sleep and never think of God Have you no Pardon to sue out no Grace that you stand in need of that you should live like a brute Beat go on in the circle of Trade Business Comforts and never think of God! You profess you know him but in your Works you deny him and sin doubly both against the Light of Reason and Christianity All that are not avowed Athâ—ists must have some Worship 2. It cutteth off their Conâ—idence that worship him by halves They are of many sorts 1. Some worship him in publick but never in private and secret though Christ hath given us direction to enter into our Closets Mat. 6. 6. And surely every Christian should make Conscience of secret Duties There are many Disputes about praying in Families though those that take their daily Bread should seek God together but there can be no dispute about praying in Secret for the Precept that requireth Prayer first falleth upon single Persons before it falleth upon Families and Churches 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without â—easing This cannot concern Families and Churches they are done at stated times when they can conveniently meet but every Man in secret is to be often with God Christ was often alone Mark 1. 35. He went â—ut into a solitary place and there prayed Surely Christ had not such need to pray as we have nor such need of retirement his Love to God being always â—ervent and so in no danger of distraction God poured out the Spirit that we might go apart and mourn over Soul-Distempers Zech. 12. 10 11 12 13 14. Now God's precious Gifts are not given in vain So Acts 10. 2. Cornelius prayed to God alway Therefore certainly secret Prayer is a necessary Duty of God's Worship to be observed by all that acknowledg God to be God and the World to be ruled by his Providence or themselves to have any need of his Grace and Pardon or hope for any thing from him in the World to come Therefore if you have any sense of Religion or think you have any need of particular commerce with God you should make Conscience of secret Prayer 2. Others that make Conscience of External Worship Prayer Hearing Reading Singing of Psalms but not of Internal Worship Faith Love and Hope The External Forms were appointed for the acting or increasing of Internal Grace and so they superficially are conversant about the Means and never mind the End External Worship is sensible and easily done but Internal Worship is difficult External Worship may procure us esteem with Men but Internal Acceptance with God External Worship satisfieth blind Conscience but doth not better the Heart External Worship may puff us up with a vain Confidence but Internal Worship maketh us lament Spiritual Defects We have not that purity of Heart that deep sense of the World to come that absolute dependance upon God which may quiet our Souls in all Exigencies Surely they are better Christians that have the Effect of the Ordinances than they that have only the Formality of them The External Duty may procure us toil and wearisomness to the Flesh but the Internal Worship bringeth us Comfort and Peace The more Faith in Christ and Love to God and lively Hope of Eternal Life the more is the Soul comforted Therefore if you will always lick the Glass and never taste the Hony go on in a Tract of Duties but you will have no comfort in them In short They that go on in External Duties may be said in some sense to serve God but they do not seek after him In pretence they make God the Object of their Worship for they do not worship an Idol but they do not make him the End of their Worship A Man maketh God the End of his Worship when he will not go away from God without God when he looketh to this that his delight in God be quickned his dependance upon God strengthned his hatred of Sin encreased and by every Address to God is made more like God 3. It reproveth and disproveth those that put on a garb of Devotion when ministring before the Lord but are slight and vain in their ordinary Conversation A Man should be in some measure such out of Duty as he giveth out himself to be in Duty For his whole Life should be as it were a continued Act of Worship Prov. 23. 17. Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the day long We should still live in a dependance upon God and in subjection to him Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me He is at my right hand I shall not be moved In Point of Reverence and in point of Dependance because we are in danger to miscarry both by the Delights of Sense and the Terrors of Sense If a reverence of and a dependance on the great God do still possess our Hearts we shall carry our selves more soberly as to the Comforts of the World and not be easily discouraged and daunted with the Fears of the World This is our Preservative and maketh us true and faithful to our great End 3. Those that do not serve God in the Spirit You should worship God so as it may look like Worship and Service performed to God and due to God 'T is Spiritual Worship God requireth and is ever pleased with all He seeketh such to worship him as worship him in Spirit and in Truth Iohn 4. 23. And this is most agreeable to his Nature Iohn 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth When Hearts wander when Affections do not answer Expressions Is this like Service and Worship done to an All-seeing and All-knowing Spirit Is there any stamp of God upon the Duty of his Majesty Goodness and great Power Vse 2. For the Comfort of good Christians Here is their Carriage towards God briefly set down They worship God in the Spirit A Christian is described by his proper Act Worship and by the prâ—per Object thereof God and by the proper part and seat thereof In the Spirit Do you worship him with Reverence and with Delight and Affection with a Trust Hope and Confidence 1. With Reverence Considering God's Majesty and our own Vileness The Majesty of God Mal. 1. 13. For I am a great
Blood of his Cross but vanquished our Spiritual Enemies and triumphed over them Col. 2. 14 15. Long enough might we have lain in Prison before the utmost Farthing had been paid or done any thing to procure our deliverance if our compassionate Redeemer had not taken the Work in hand had he turned us to any Creature we had been helpless 'T was he purchased Grace to overcome the Devil the World and the Flesh that quickned you when you were dead in Sin that put Satan out of Office and delivered us from the present evil World Gal. 1. 4. And is not this matter of rejoicing to us 3. That hereby he hath not only abolished Death but brought Life and Resurrection to Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. By entring into that other World after his Sufferings He hath given us a visible Demonstration of the Reality of the World to come and in his Gospel discovered a Blessedness to us which satiateth the Heart of Man and salveth the great Sore of the whole Creation If God had made nothing richer than the World the Heart of Man would have been as Leviathan in a little Pool 2. In the Promises of Christ there is matter of Joy In the general God is your God and that 's more than to have all the World to be yours compare Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy Seed after thee With Psal. 144. 15. Happy is that People whose God is the Lord. We have an Eternal and Allsufficient God to live upon and from whom to derive our Joy and Comfort A God infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness to be our Portion And where is Matter of Joy and Comfort if not in God Behold the difference between Carnal Men and the Children of God The World is their Portion and God is ours and who is better provided for More especially we are told 1 Tim. 4. 8. That Godliness hath the Promises of this Life and that which is to come Heaven and Earth are laid at the Feet of Godliness what would you moreâ— Surely we have full Consolation offered to us in the Promises of the Gospel He can want nothing to his Comfort whoâ— hath an Interest in them To instance in the lowest Blessings those which concern this Life God is our God that can cure all Diseases overcome all Enemies supply all Wants deliver in all Dangers and will do it so far as is for our good and desires of any thing beyond this are not to be satisfied but mortified Psal. 84. 11. But then for the more Excellent Promises of the New Covenant which concern another World such as the pardoning of our Sins the healing our Natures and the glorifying of our Persons 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust The pardon of all our Sins which are the great trouble and burden of the Creatures Who will rejoice like the pardoned Sinner who is discharged of his Debt eased of his Burthen and hath his Filth covered Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin iâ— covered O the blessedness of the Manâ— He is like one fetched back from Execution Then the taking away of the stony Heart and the giving of an Holy and Heavenly Heart Oh what Matter of Joy is this to have all things necessary to Life and Godliness What 's the trouble of a gracious Heart but the Relicts of Corruption Rom. 7. 24. Paul groaneth sorely but yet blesseth God for his Hopes by Christ Vers. 25. Renewing Grace is dearly bought and plentifully bestowed Titus 3. 5 6. and graciously offered to those that will seek after it Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my Reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you And this promise to be fulfilled by a Divine Power 2 Pet. 1. 3. Oh what a Comfort is the Redeemer's Grace to a Soul that hath been long exercised in subduing Sin 'T is true it groans while 't is a doing yet the very groans of the Sick shew that Life and Health is sweet Healing renewing Grace maketh other Things sweet as your whole Duty to God It maketh it become your Delight But the great Promise is Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life That 's a Matter of Joy indeed What! to live for ever with God! the fore-thought of it reviveth us the fore-taste of it is a kind of Heaven upon Earth 1 Pet. 1. 8. The certain hope of it will swallow up all Grief and Sorrow Rom. 5. 2 3. So that there is no question but that in the Promises of Christ there is Matter of great Joy 3. The Enjoiments of Christianity are very pleasing I add this to shew you that it is not all in expectation if we consider not only what we shall be but what we are For the present 1. We have peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. Mat. 11. 29. Phil. 4. 7. Rest for our Souls is anxiously sought after in other things but only found in Christ's Religion and living according to the Precepts and Institutions thereof As Noah's Dove found not a place whereon to rest the sole of her Foot so we flutter up and down but never have any firm peace of Heart and Conscience till we submit to Christ and take his counsel 2. A sence of the Love of God Rom. 5. 5. Because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us And 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 3. God's Presence with us and our Communion with him 1 Iohn 1. 3 4. And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ that your Ioy may be full And Iohn 8. 29. 4. Access to God with assurance of Welcome and Audience John 16. 24. Whatsoever ye ask in my Name ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full 5. The Fore-tastes of the Life to come Rom. 8. 23. and 2 Cor. 3. 5. So that all is to stir up this Delight and Joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The Precepts of Christ shew that we have Matter of Rejoicing in him What are the great Duties required To love God! Now what pain is it to delight in the Lord as our All-sufficient Portion To be mindful of him and meditate of his Excellencies and Benefits Psal. 104. 34. My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Is it any toilsome thing to come in a childish manner and unbosome our selves to him and beg the renewed Testimonies of his Love to us especially when set awork by the Holy Ghost Gal. 4. 6. To believe in Christ 't is difficult but pleasant to consider
Believing by Tradition giveth us but cold thoughts of these Mysteries but believing by Inspiration warmeth the Heart and reviveth it with an unspeakable Joy and is called tasting the good Word which is the privilege of those who are enlightned by the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. And a tasting that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. which much differeth from the common reflection upon those things which Flesh and Blood may give us or the bare reports of Men stir up in us The Spirits light is lovely and ravisheth and traâ—sporteth the Soul And where it is permanent and rooted it effectually changeth the Soul Someâ— are altogether careless not affected at all with these things as the habituated worldly Sinner 1 Cor. 2. 14. They are folly to him For Spiritual Things must be spiritually discerned Some are to a degree affected by the common Work of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4 5 6. but 't is not rooted 't is not predominate so as to control other Affections and Delights they have a rejoicing in the Offers of Pardon and Life but 't is a Joy that leaveth some darling Sin still predominant But there is a third sort that have such a taste of these things that they are renewed and changed by it Heb. 3. 6. Now then if you would have this rejoicing in Christ Jesus you must apply your selves to Christ in the use of the appointed means for the renewing of your Natures for Love and Delight are never forced nor will be drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings yea and not by the proposal of Promises though the Injoiments be never so great and glorious This may a little stir us and this is the Matter of Joy but not the Cause of Joy But this Joy proceedeth partly from the Inclination when the Heart is suited and partly from the attractive goodness of the Object and both are powerfully done by the Holy Spirit as the Heart is renewed and the Object is most effectually represented by him Ephes. 1. 17 18. And this we must wait for 3. 'T is received and believed by Faith This is often told us in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 18. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory And Rom. 15. 13. The God of Hope fill you with Ioy and Peace in believing We cannot be affected with the great Things Christ hath done and purchased for us till we believe them There is in Faith three things Assent Consent and Affiance 1. Assent or a firm and certain belief of the Truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as the only sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us the pardon of Sins and Eternal Life John 4. 42. We have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World And Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ thâ— Son of the Living God When we are verily perswaded of this as we are of any thing that appeareth true to us this stirreth up Joy Others have but an hear-say Knowledg not a Believing Assent Surely Christ is a delectable Object what hindereth then but that we rejoice in him Nothing but want of Faith For if this be true we so Necessitous and he so Al-sufficient a Remedy why are we not so affected with these things as the worth of them doth deserve Nothing can be rationally said but that we are not soundly perswaded of the truth of it 2. A Consent This Grace is dispensed by a Convenant which bindeth mutually assureth us of Happiness and requireth Duty from us Therefore an unfeigned Consent or a readiness to fulfil those terms expressed in the Promise is required of us or a resolution to repent and obey the Gospel Christ hath Offices and Relations that imply our Comfort and other Offices and Relations which imply our Duty Or rather the same do both He is our Teacher and King as well as our Priest and we must submit to be ruled and taught by him as well as depend upon the Merit of his Sacrifice and Intercession Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Etâ—â—nal Salvation to all them that obey him And they are so taught the Truth that is in Jesus that they put off the Old Man and put on the New Ephes. 4. 20 21. True Believers must be Scholars daily learning somewhat from Christ yea his Priesthood implieth Duty Dependance humble Addresses A broken-hearted coming to God by him As his Kingship and Prophetical Office implieth privilege also His defending and teaching us by his Spirit 3. There is Affiance Which is a reposing of our Hearts or a relying upon God promising remission of Sins and Eternal Life for Christ's sake alone that he will be as good as his word while we diligently use the Means ordained to this end Rom. 2. 7. And this Confidence hath an influence upon this Joy Heb. 3. 6. or a delightful sense of our Redeemer's Grace 4. 'T is improved by Meditation For the greatest things do not work unless we think of them and work them into our Hearts The natural way of Operation is That Object â—tir up Thoughts and Thoughts stir up Affections Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The more frequent and serious Thoughts we have of the Love of God in Christ and the more deep and ponderous they are the more do they blow up this Holy Fire into a Flame Now for this end was the Lord's Supper instituted where the whole Gospel is applied and sealed to us that this delight might be afresh acted and stirred in us at the Lord's Table while our minds are taken up in considering Christ the great Apostle and High Priest of our Confession Heb. 3. 1. Surely it should not be an idle and fruitless Contemplation it should stir up Love and what stirreth up Love stirreth up Delight I come now to the last part of the Description 5. The particular Affection caused by this sense is mentioned We delight in the Grace of the Redeemer more than in all other things whatsoever Where 1. Take noice of the Affection it self Then 2. The Degree of it 1. The Affection it self Which is Delight or a well-pleasedness of Mind in the Grace that is brought to us by the Knowledg of Christ. This inlargeth the Heart and filleth it with a Sweetness and Contentment and the Vent of it is Praise for the Heart being inlarged cannot hold and contain it self Psal. 33. 14. I will shew forth all they Praise in the Gates of the Daughter of Sion I will rejoice in thy Salvation Joy cannot be kept within doors it will break out in all suitable ways of Expression The Heart doth first Rejoice and then the Tongue doth overflow The Heart is filled with Joy and then the Tongue with Thanksgiving So Psal. 35. 9. My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall rejoice in his Salvation Nothing disposeth the Heart to praise
so much as this Holy Joy There is no true Thanksgiving if this be not at the bottom of it 2. For the Degree The Heart doth delight in Christ above all other Things As to the sensitive Expression in the lively stirring of Joy we may to appearance be more affected with outward Benefits because fleshly Objects do more work upon our fleshly senses as carrying a greater suitableness to them Religion is a grave severe thing not seen so much in actual Transports as in the habitual complacency and well-pleasedness of the Mind yet in solâ—mn Duties thâ—re may be as great Ravishment of Soul Psalm 6. 35. My Soul shall be ravished as with Marrow and Fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips When they feel the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts they are in effect transported with it more than with all the Delicates and Banquets of the World and cannot hold from praising God But generally it must be measured by our solid complacency and judicious esteem What we prize most and would least want and would not forgo for all other things so the Saints rejoice in God and Christ more than in any worldly Matter whatsoever Psalm 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us That hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Psalm 63. 3. Because thy loving Kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee This is that which they love most and keep best and are most loth to want This is that which giveth a value to Life it self and without which that which is most precious and desirable is little or nothing worth and giveth them more comfort then what is most comfortable in this World and is the most chearful Employment for their Thoughts to think upon This is delight in Christ. Q. Whether this may be had without Assurance And can those who are dark in their interest in Christ and know not whether they have any Grace or no rejoice in him To this I Answer Yes certainly For there are general Grounds of rejoicing for the Gospel bringeth glad Tydings to Sinners as it offereth to them a way how to escape out of their misery and enter into the Peace of God But more distinctly 1. The Scripture speaketh of a two-fold rejoicing in Christ Before Faith and After Faith Before Faith is full grown and is but in the making as those Acts 13. 48. When they heard this they were glad c. And he that had found the true Treasure for Joy thereof sold all that he had Matth. 13. 44. There was Joy before the thorow consent though introductive of it yet antecedent to it And the reason is because God hath shewed them the way how to free themselves from Misery and to enjoy true Felicity and Happiness Now if there may be a Joy before Faith certainly before Assurance The very offer of a Remedy is comfortable when in misery And then there is a Joy after Faith as Joy and Peace in Believing when they take the course to get this Liberty and Deliverance by Christ yet this is Faith not Assurance As a sick Man when he heareth of an able Physician who hath cured many of the same Disease wherewith he is oppressed he rejoiceth and conceiveth some hope that he may be cured also When he hath lighted upon this Physician and beginneth to make use of his Healing Medicines he is more glad and expecteth the Cure But when he is perfectly recovered and feeleth it then he is glad indeed So when a broken-hearted Creature heareth the glad Tidings of the Gospel that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners he rejoiceth that God hath found out such a Saviour to recover the lapsed Estate of Mankind But when he submitteth to Christ's Healing Methods and trusts himself with his skill and fidelity he is more comforted and doth more intimately feel the benefit of this course in his own Soul but as he groweth more assured of his Health and Salvation his Comfort still increaseth and his Joy is more unspeakable and glorious So that this Joy may be without assurance for the Causes of it at first are Knowledg and Faith 2. There is a Joy that accompanieth seeking even before we attain what we seek after Psal. 105. 3. Let the Heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. There is a great deal of Contentment in this course though that complacential Joy which is our full Reward be yet reserved for us yet there is a Joy in seeking Better be a Seeker than a Wanderer This Blessed Saviour am I waiting upon Though we have attained to little Communion with him yet 't is a comfort that we are seeking farther measure Delight and Joy keepeth up our endeavours 3. When our Right is cleared then we have more abundant Joy 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things you shall never fall For so an Entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Some are afar off others not far from the Kingdom of God Others make an hard shift to go to Heaven through many Doubts and Fears some sail into the Haven of Glory with full Sails with much Joy and Peace of Soul 3. I shall shew you the Spiritual Profit of this Joy 1. 'T is such a Joy as doth enlarge our Heart in Duty and strengthens us in the way of God Nehem. 8. 10. The Ioy of the Lord is your strength There is a natural deadness and dulness in Holy Duties which we often find in our selves which cometh to pass partly from the back-bias of Corruption weakning our Delight in God and partly from the remissness of our Will towards Spiritual and Heavenly Things Now the most proper and kindly cure of it is this Delight and Rejoicing in Christ for a Man will readily do those things which he delighteth in though â—oilsom and difficult Let the Heart be but affected with the Grace of Christ and our Joy will soon vent it self in a thankful and delightful Obedience 1 John 5. 3. For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous Psalm 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart The hardest Services are pleasant to one that delighteth in Christ they are sweetned by his Love and quickned and inlivened by the sense and esteem that we have of the Benefits
Ignorance yet having knowledg of so many saving Truths we hope in time God will reclaim you from your Error Well then 1. Here 's a Difference or Dissent supposed Thus minded and otherwise minded 2. Lenity expressed towards the Dissenters If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even â—his to you Doct. That when God's People are divided in Opinion all Lenity and mutual Forbearance should be used to prevent things from coming to an open Rupture So sweet and mild was the Discipline in the Apostles days that he would not compel Men to do what-ever he or others did conceive to be Good or to forbear what they did conceive to be Evil but without force leave them to God's Direction and Illumination Here let me shew you I. What Lenity and Forbearance should be used II. The Reasons why Lenity and Forbearance should be used I. What Lenity and Forbearance should be used Let us state it in these Considerations 1. There may be and often are Differences of Opinion about lesser Things in the Church Partly Because of the different degrees of Light All Barks that sail to Heaven draw not alike depth of Water And partly because of the remainders of Corruption in all Inordinate Self-love is not in all alike broken and mortified and so their particular Interests have an influence upon their Opinions And partly because of the accidental Prejudices of Education and Converse c. 2. When these Differences arise we should take care they come not to a Rupture and open Breach This is the course the Apostle taketh here he doth not by and by despair of the Dissenters and reject them as Hereticks but beareth with them hoping in charity God will at length reveal their Error to them by the ministry of his Servants through the powerful Operation of his Spirit and not suffer them to run on in dividing Courses from the rest of his People So should we do in like cases partly because when these Differences of Opinion breed Divisions and Separations the Church is destroyed Gal. 5. 15. For if ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Backbitings Revilings and Reproaches make way for a total Vastation of the whole Church a ruin to both Parties Partly because the whole is scandalized John 17. 21. That they may all be one that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Divisions in the Church breed Atheism in the World Partly because there are Enemies which watch for our halting and by our Divisions we are laid open to them Our Lord and Master hath told us with his own Mouth That a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Mat. 12. 35. Never was it so well with the People of God but besides their Divisions among themselves they had common Enemies and Nazianzen calls them Common Reconcilers because they should ingage God's People to an unanimous opposition to the Kingdom of Satan in the World And partly because then mutual Means of Edification are hindred As long as Charity and mutual Forbearance remaineth there is hope of doing good to one another but when Men break out into opposite Parties they are prejudiced against all that Light that they should receive one from another suspecting every Point as counsel from an Enemy Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tell you the Truth When Men are once ingaged in a way of Error whosoever is an Enemy to their Error is counted an Enemy to themselves Yâ—a they can hardly bear that sound Doctrine which doth directly cross their Opinions but are apt to cavil at all that 's said by a Dissenter And partly because when Men give themselves up to separating and narrow Principles the Power of Godliness is lost and all their Zeal is laid out upon their petty and private Opinions and so Religion is turned into a disputacity That 's the Reason why the Apostle doth so often tell them Gal. 6. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature And Gal. 5. 6. For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that worketh by Love And 1 Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the Commandments of God Observe it where you will and you shall find that Separation and Distance from the rest of Believers doth not befriend Godliness but undermine it A Regiment fighting apart from the rest of the Army of Christ is always lost through their own peevishness at least they lose great Advantages of promoting the Kingdom of Christ. 3. To prevent this open Rupture there must be all Lenity used and mutual Forbearance we must not rigorously obtrude our Conceits upon others either by Church-Power or private Censure it may be done either way Sometimes by Church-Power especially when 't is possessed or invaded by the more self-seeking sort of Christians as we read in the Revelations of the Beast that pushed with the Horns of a Lamb that is used Church-Power and under a pretence of Church-Constitution destroyed them that were truly the Church of Christ. And our Lord telleth us Iohn 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you shall think that he doth God good service Putting them out of the Synagogues was an abuse of Ecclesiastical Power it may be so the Builders may refuse the Corner-Stone On the other side private Censures may as much break the Law of Forbearance as publick Censures When Inferiors promote their Differences with Turbulency Heat and Animosity and rend and tear all things yea themselves from the Body of Christ and sober Christians censuring all that dissent from them as no Christians There is such a Sin under the Gospel as the gain-saying of Corah Jude 11. The Sin of Corah is and may be committed in the New Testament The Sin of Corah was invading an Office that no way belonged to him and censured his Superiors as if they took too much upon them because all the Lord's People were Holy and erected another Ministry in their stead He being a Levite would do the Office of a Priest as well as Aaron and when summoned to appear before Moses said We will not come Numb 16. 11 12. Now the Apostle saith in the perishing of Korah their own Doom was foretold Again vers 19. These are they that separate themselves sensual not having the Spirit Whence 't is clear that private Men in their Sphere may rend the Church And the Factions at Corinth proved it 1 Cor. 1. 12. I am of Paul and I am of Apollo and I am of Cephas and I am of Christ As impailing and impropriating the common Salvation to themselves Much milder was the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 2. Iesus Christ theirs and ours Now what Remedy is there but Lenity and mutual Forbearance This I shall state 1. As to the matter of the strife It must
Jesus Christ. Some are Weak some Strong some Rich some Poor but they have all an equal Interest in God Now for us who are so many ways one to be rent in pieces How sad is that All these places and many more shew how every Christian should as far as 't is possible be an esteemer and promoter of Unity among Brethren and not only make Conscience of Purity but of Unity also which next to Purity is the great Badg of Christianity 2 dly From the consideration of our mutual Frailties who have all in part a corrupt Will guided by a blind Mind Now as the Apostle saith of the High Priest who is taken from Men Heb. 5. 2. That he is one that can have compassion of the Ignorant and them that are out of the way for that he is compassed about with Infirmities This should be verified in every one of us one Sinner ought to have compassion of another the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can reasonably bear with the ignorance of Brethren because of the common Relation Gal. 6. 1. Ye which are Spiritual restore him with meekness so him that is weak receive Rom 14. 1. The Apostles being immediately inspired were more infallible than we are Oh do but consider what we were and what we are For we our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient Titus 3. 3. Did not we all sit in Darkness and in the shadow of Death Were we not all ignorant of the Ways of God and the Things which belong to our Peace Hath God meerly by his Grace brought us to the knowledg of his Truth and shall we contemn and disdain our weak Brother or insult over him and determine and judg rashly of him Who maketh thee to differ 1 Cor. 4. 7. 2. What we are weak Creatures not infallible now after we are light in the Lord we have our Errors in Knowledg and Practice some more some less according to the degree of our growth Psal. 19. 12. God revealeth to his Saints all necessary Truth but not every particular Truth out of wise Dispensation 3 dly From the consideration of the probability of Divine Illumination 1. This Illumination cometh from God only 'T is he that powerfully revealeth it and setleth the Heart in the belief of it Acts 16. 4. And 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase The best Means may be disappointed till God cooperate with them let us then with patience use the Means and refer the Issue to God 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance unto Life If we seek to force Men to our Opinion before Men are convinced that is a tyranny which will do little good it may make Hypocrites but it will never make real Converts 2. This Illumination is given by God by degrees The Apostle prayeth for the converted Ephesians That God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes. 1. 17. They had it before but he meaneth a greater measure Therefore weak Christians are not to be discouraged though they see not as far as others some see more some less according to the state and condition wherein God will imploy them Some need more Light than others as Ministers more than People Governors more than Inferiors but all have sufficient some at first see Men walking like Trees Mark 8. 24 25. but afterwards the Light groweth more clear and more distinct In short he doth not reveal his Mind to his Children all alike nor all at once but here a little and there a little as narrow-mouth'd Vessels can take it in 3. Those who are not for the present may be afterwards instructed in the Truth The Apostle proceedeth in the hopes of that 1. Upon the Supposition That they were already converted to the Christian Faith and were sincere in the Belief and Profession of it Those that belong to God will one time or other be enlightned in the knowledg of all necessary Truths For God that hath begun a good Work will perfect it Phil. 1. 6. If the Saints at first Conversion when they were called from Darkness to Light did not hinder Illumination then and the knowledg of those many Soul-saving Truths which God revealed to them then so as to recover them from a partial Error we may presume that God will give them a farther understanding of the Way of Salvation though now under some Error as Aquila and Priscilla expounded to Apollos the Way of God more perfectly Acts 18. 26. 2. Upon the Supposition that they were humble and tractable Psal. 25. 9. The Meek he will guide in Iudgment the Meek he will teach his Way They lie open to Information but if Men be puffed up with Self-conceits there is more hopes of a Carnal Fool than of them that is a sensual and brutish Man 3. That they will not neglect any means of Study and Prayer Study For we must dig for Knowledg as for Silver Prov. 2. 4. not only cry for it but dig for it in the Mines of Knowledg common and obvious Apprehensions lead us into Error And then Prayer Psal. 119. 18. Lord open mine Eyes that I may see wondrous Things out of thy Law God must take away the Vail Now then upon prayer to God and applying themselves to the use of Holy Means God will shew them they are deceived If you Study and not Pray 't is just with God to leave you to your Prejudices if you pray and neglect Means you must not think that God will extraordinarily inspire you for he revealeth Truth by his Blessing on ordinary Means 4. Upon suspicion that they continue in the Communion of the Church Ephes. 4. 15. Speaking the Truth in love While we keep Unity and keep Love others have greater hopes to convince they to be convinced and so both while they divide not by this mutual Condescension may the better wait for this Illumination but in their Separation their Errors are confirmed while they hear but one side nothing to undeceive them but all to root them in their Errors 5. He supposeth that they walked orderly according to their Light Now if God hath begun to enlighten them in other things he will discover more Truths to them Iohn 7. 17. Upon the whole deal tenderly with them and tolerate them till they be taught of God 6. As to the Nature of his Confidence God shall reveal There is a two-fold Confidence a Confidence of Faith grounded on a Promise and a Confidence of Charity grounded on Appearance and Probability 1 Cor. 13. 7. We hope the best though the Event doth not always follow the former is on the fore-mentioned Grounds the latter on Appearance The Appearance of them so Gal. 5. 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be no otherwise minded for he that troubleth you shall bear his Iudgment whoever be be This Confidence was grounded on Charity that through
too early he might meet with a Lion in his range and walk before they were retired into their Dens Thus do Men alarm themselves with their own foolish fears to excuse their idleness and negligence So again Prov. 15. 19. The way of the slothful is as an hedg of thorns but the way of the Righteous is made plain They imagine difficulties and intollerable hardships in a course of Godliness but 't is their cowardise and pusilanimous negligence which maketh the Ways of God seem hard they are all comfortable plain and easy to the pure and upright Heart and willing Mind Come we to the New Testament Luke 14. 18 19 20. They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought me a piece of Ground and I must go to see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And another said I have married a Wife and cannot come The meaning is Many were invited to everlasting Happiness but they preferred their designs of worldly advantages Mark they do not absolutely deny but make excuse Excuses are the fruit of the quarrel between Conviction and Corruption They are convinced of better things but being prepossessed and biassed with worldly Inclinations they dare not fully yield nor flatly deny therefore they chose a middle course to make excuses Doing is safe or preparing our selves to do but excusing is but a patch upon a filthy sore or a poor covering of Fig-leagues for a naughty Heart 3. The usual excuses which Sinners may and usually do allege are these four The Difficulty of Religion The danger that attendeth it Want of Time And that they have no power or strength to do good 1. For the first 'T is troublesome and tedious to Flesh and Blood to be held to so much Duty and to wean our Hearts from things we so dearly love and the World thinketh that we are too nice and precise to urge Men to such a strict and holy and heavenly Life and less ado will serve the turn To this I answer 〈…〉 deligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And therefore if you cannot deny the ease and sloth of the Flesh you are wholly unfit for the Work of Godliness 2. This Diligence is no more than needeth whatever the carnal World thinketh who leave the Boat to the Stream and hope to be accepted with God for a few cold and drowsy Devotions or some superficial Righteousness A Painter-stainer will think a Painter-limner too curious because his own work is but a little daubing The broad way pleaseth the World best but the narrow way leadeth to Life 3. This Diligence may be well afforded considering that eternal Life and Death is in the case Life Will you stop a Journey for your Lives because 't is a little tedious or there is Dirt in the way or the Wind bloweth on you and the like Since 't is for God and Heaven we should not grudg at a little labour 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. There is also Death in the case Now which is better To take a little profitable pains in Godliness or to endure everlasting Torments to save a little labour or diligence in the holy Life and run the hazard of being miserable for ever Which is worst the trouble of Physick or the danger of a mortal Disease 2. Another Excuse is the Danger which attendeth it It may expose you to great Troubles to own God and Religion heartily And if there be Peace abroad and Magistrates countenanâ—â— Religion yet many times at home a Man's greatest Foes may be those of his own Houshold Mat. 10. 36. But for the pleasing or displeasing of your Relations you must not neglect your Duty to God as Ierom to Helidorus Per calcatum perge Patrem If thy Father lie in the way tread upon his Bowels rather than not come unto Christ. Our Lord hath expresly told us Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Neither favour nor disfavour of our Friends is a just lett or impediment to our Duty The Advantages we can or are likely to receive from Parents are not worthy to be compared with those we expect from God nor is their Authority over us so great as God's is Luke 14. 26. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father or Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Though Christianity doth not discharge us from obedience to Parents yet the higher Duty must be preferred namely obedience to Christ and loving less is hating 3. Another excuse is I have no time to mind Soul-affairs My distractions in the World are so great and my course of life is such that I have no leisure I answer Will you neglect God and Salvation because you have worldly things to mind Whatever your business be you have a time to eat and drink and sleep and have you no time to be saved Better incroach upon other things than that Religion should be cast to the Walls or justled out of your thoughts David was a King and he had more distracting cares than most of us have or can have yet he saith Psal. 119. 147 148. I prevented the dawning of the Morning and cried I hoped in thy Word Mine Eyes prevent the Night-watches that I may meditate in thy Word And v. 164. Sâ—ven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments Do you spend no time in idleness vain talking and carnal sports and might not this be better employed about heavenly things Ephes. 5. 15 16. See then that â—e walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days arâ— evil Vitam non accipimus brevem sed fecimus nec inopes temporis sed prodigi sumus God hath not sâ—t you about Work that he alloweth you no time for but we waste our time and then God is straitned Many poorer than you have time because they have an heart and will to improve it 4. I have no power or strength to do good And what will you have us do This is the excuse of the idle and naughty Servant Mat. 25. 24. I knew that thou wert an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed God sets you about work but giveth you no strength is your â—xcuse but certainly you can do more than you do but you will not make trial God may be more ready with the assistances of his Grace thau you can imagine The tired Man may complain of the length of the way but not the lazy who will not stir a foot If you did make trial you would not
thing your resolution is unfixed They that only take Christ upon liking will soon be tempted to mislike him and his ways And your resolution is not unbounded whilst you set upon the Profession of Religion and yet keep the World or something of the World your Heart will ever and anon be seeking occasions to withdraw for you were false at heart at your first setting out and treacherous in the very making of your Covenant 2. With respect to the Duties of Christianity or that part of the Kingdom of God which concerneth your Obedience to him You are never â—it for these while the Heart cleaveth to earthly things and you are still hankring after the World A threefold Defect there will be in our Duties 1. They will be unpleasant 2. They will be inconstant 3. Imperfect in such a degree as to want sincerity 1. Your Duty will be unpleasant to you so far as you are wordly and carnal so that you can never yield châ—arful and ready obedience to God Certain it is that we must serve God and serve him with delight his Commandments should be kept and they should not be grievous to us 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Now what is the great Impediment Worldly Lusts are not throughly purged out of the heart for presently he addeth this reason For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 'T is an hard Heart maketh our work hard and the Heart is hard and unperswadable when our Affections are ingaged elsewhere The readiness of our Obedience dependeth on the fervency of our Love the fervency of our Love on our victory over the World our victory over the World on the strength of our Faith the strength of our Faith on the certainty we have of the principal Object of our Faith the principal Object of our Faith is That Jesus is the Son of God whose Counsel we must take if we will be happy And the evidence of that Principle is the double Testimony or Attestation given to him from Heaven or in the Heart of a Believer Once settle in that that you can intirely trust your selves and all your Interests in the hands of Christ and all Duties will be easy 2. You will be inconstant in it and apt to be ensâ—ared again when you meet with Occasions and Temptations that suit with your Heart's Lusts. As the Israelites were drawn out of Egypt against their Wills The Fleshâ—pots of Egypt were still in their minds and therefore were ready to make themselves a Captain and return again Numb 14. 4. and Iames 1. 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways Nothing will hold an unwilling Heart Demas had not quitted this hankring mind after the World and therefore it prevented him doing his Duty 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World He left the Work of the Gospel to mind his own privat Affairs The love of Riches Pleasure Ease and Safety if they be not thorowly renounced will tempt us to a like revolt and neglect of God Therefore to prevent it when we first put our hands to the Plough we must resolve to renounce the World Psal. 45. 10. Forget also thine own People and thy Father's House Look back no more as long as we are intangled in our Lusts and Inticements of the World we are unmeet to serve God Paul counted those things that were gain to him to be loss for Christ Philip. 3. 7 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but Dung that I may win Christ. Paul repented not of his Choice but sheweth his perseverance in the contempt of the World I have counted and do count He seeth no cause to recede from his Choice Many affect Novelties are transported at their first Change but repent at leisure 3. We are imperfect in it I mean to such a degree as to want sincerity for they bring nothing to perfection Luke 8. 14. Their Fruit never groweth ripe or sound for Religion is an underling Some good Inclinations they have to heavenly things but their worldly Affections are greater and overtop them so that though they do not plainly revolt from their Profession yet their Duties want that Life and Power which is necessary so that they bring little honour to Christ by being Christians 3. In respect of the hurt that cometh from their looking back both to themselves and to Religion 1. To themselves 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again intangled therein their latter end is worse with them than their beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them Many have so much of the knowledg of Christ as to cleanse their external Conversation But Sin and the World were never so effectually cast out but they are in secret League with them still and therefore they are first intangled and then overcome first enticed by some Pleasure or Profit and then carried away with the Temptation But what cometh of this Their lattar end is worse than their beginning Their Sin is greâ—ter since they sin against Light and Taste their Judgment is greater both Spiritual and Eternal As God giveth them over to brutish Lusts and to the Power of Satan And this will be a cutting thought to them to all Eternity to remember how they lost their acquaintance with and benefit by Christ by looking back to the World and deserting that good way wherein they found so much sweetness in Christ. 2. The Mischief which is done to Religion They wonderfully dishonour God and bring contempt upon the Ways of Godliness when after they have made trial of it they prefer Sin before it as if God had wearied them Mich. 6. 3. Therefore 't is just with God to vindicate his Honour And Satan after he seemeth to be for a while rejected taketh a more durable possession of them Luke 11. 26. O think of this often to look back after we seemed to escape doth involve us in the greater Sin and Misery Better never to have yielded to God so far than to retract at last partly because their Sins are Sins against Knowledg Luk. 12. 47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many stripes Partly because they are unthankful for so much deliverance by the knowledg of Christ as they received and that 's an hainous aggravation of their Offence Partly because their Sin is Treachery and breach of Vows for they turned the back upon the World and all the Allurements thereof when they consented to the Covenant and resolved to follow Christ in all Conditions till he should bring them
observe 1. That Faith looketh mainly to Heaven or the saving of the Soul as the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ. For all attend to this 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting This was that they chiefly aimed at and therefore called the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. For this end were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are writâ—en to direct us to know Christ aright who is the Kernel and Marrow of all the Scriptures who is the great Subject of the Gospel and that the chief Benefit we have by him is eternal Life by which all our Pains and losses for Christ are recompenced and from whence we fetch our Comfort all along during the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of Sense are defeated so that this is the main Blessing which Faith aimeth at 2. That the sure grounds which Faith goeth upon is God's Promise through Jesus Christ and so it implieth 1. That there is a God who is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him for the Apostle pursuing this Discourse telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That a Man must believe God's Being and Bounty before he can do any thing to the purpose for him 2. That this God hath revealed himself in Jesus Christ as willing to accept poor Creatures who refuse not his New Covenant and remedying-Grace to Pardon and Life For the guilty Creature would stand at a distance and not receive his Offers with any comfort and Satisfaction had not God been in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. But now they may be invited to come to him with hope vers 20. And his gracious Promises standing upon such a bottom and foundation are the sooner believed 2 Cor. 1. 20. For the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen to the Glory of God by us that is the Promises of God propounded in Christ's Name are undoubtedly true they are not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen They do not say Yea to Day and Nay to Morrow but always Yea so it is and Amen so it shall be because they stand upon an immutable Foundation the everlasting Merit and Redemption of Christ. 3. It implieth That the Scriptures which contain these Offers and Promises are the Word of God For though God's Veracity be unquestionable how shall we know that we have his Word 't is laid at Pledg with us in the Scriptures which are the Declaration of the Mind of the Eternal God The Promises are a part of those Sacred Scriptures which were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and sealed with a multitude of Miracles and bare the very Image and Superscription of God as every thing which hath past his Hand hath his Signature upon it even to a Gnat or Pile of Grass and have been received and preserved by the Church as the certain Oracles of God and blessed by him throughout all Generations and Successions of Ages to the convincing converting sanctifying and comforting of many Souls And carry their own Light Evidence and Recommendation to the Consciences of all those who are not strangely perverted by their brutish Lusts and blinded by their worldly Affections For the Apostle saith By the manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every Man's Conscience For if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to those who are lost The God of this World having blinded their Eyes lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. Upon these grounds doth Faith proceed which I have mentioned the more distinctly that you might know how to excite Faith for besides praying for the Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination to open our Eyes we must use the means both as rational Creatures and new Creatures And what Means are more effectual than those mentioned 1. Is there not a God If there be not a God How did we come to be Thou wer 't not made by chance And when thou wer 't not thou couldst not make thy self Look upon thy Body so curiously framed Whose workmanship could this be but of a Wise God Upon thy Soul Whose Image and Superscription doth it bear Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's Nay look upward downward within thee without thee what dost thou see hear and feel but the Products and Effects of an eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness Thou canst not open thine Eyes but the Heavens are ready to say to thy Conscience Man there is a God an inâ—inite eternal Being who made us and all things else Now for the second Hath not this God revealed himself gracious in Christ Nature declareth there is a God and Scripture that there is a Christ. As there is one God the first Cause of all infinitely powerful wise and good therefore 't is but reasonable that he should be served and according to his own Will But we have faulted in our Duty to our Creator and therefore are in dread of his Justice Certainly reasonable Creatures have immortal Souls and so die not as the Beasts therefore there is no true Happiness in these things wherein Men ordinarily seek it Is it not then a blessed discovery that God hath brought Light and Immortality to light by Jesus Christ that he sent him into the World to be a Propitiation and to satisfy his Justice and to redeem us from our guilty Fears And shall we neglect this great Salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ or coldly seek after it Surely God is willing to be reconciled to Man or 〈◊〉 he would presently have plunged 〈◊〉 into our â—ternal Estate as he did the Angels upon their first sinning But he waiâ—eth and beareth with many 〈◊〉 he beseecheth us and prayeth 〈◊〉 to be reconciled And how shall we 〈◊〉 if we neglect so great Salvation whiâ—h wâ—s first spoken by the Lord and then confâ—â—mâ—d unto us by them that heard â—im God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Heb. 2. 3 4. Would Holy Men cheat the World with an Imposture or would God be accessory in lending his Power to do such marvellous things It cannot be And then for the third Is not this a part of the Word of God which Holy Men have written to consign it to the use of the Church in all Ages 1 Iohn 2. 45. This is the Promise which he hath promised us Eternal Life Is not this God's Promise And will not God be mindful and regardful of his Word He was wont to be tender of it Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name above
Heart to God or else if they should not prevail so far What dissonancy and jarrings are there in a Family when People are unequally yoked the Wife and Husband drawing several ways 2. As to consent of Parents God here in the Text as the common Parent taketh himself to have the greatest hand in the bestowing of his own Children He brought her unto the Man and ordinary Parents are his Deputies which must bring and give us in Marriage especially when young and under their Power The Scripture is express for this Exod. 22. 17. If her Father wholly refuse to give her unto him c. 1 Cor. 17. 28. He that giveth her in Marriage c. 3. As to the manner of procuring it that they labour to gain one another by warrantable yea râ—ligious Ways that we may lâ—y the Foundation of this Relation in the Fear of God not by stealth or carnal Allurements or violent Importunities or deceitful Proposals but by such ways and means as will become the gravity of Religion that weanedness and sobriety that should be in the Hearts of Believers that deliberation which a business of such weight calls for and that Reverence of God and Justice that we owe to all that seriousness of Spirit and that respect to the Glory of God with which all such Actions should be underken Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever we do in Word or in Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him When this is observed we are said to take one another out of God's Hands 4. Especially clearing up our Right and Title by Christ. Meats Drinks Marriage they are all sanctified by the Word and Prayer and appointed to be received by thanksgiving of them that believe and receive the Truth 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. There is a two-fold Right Dominium Politicum Evangelicum Dominium Politicum fundatur in Providentiâ Evangelicum in Gratiâ Political Right is founded in God's Providence Evangelical Right in Grace We have a Civil Right to all that cometh to us by honest Labour lawful Purchace or Inheritance and fair and comely Means used which giveth us a Right not only before Men but before God not by virtue of their Laws but his Grant By a Providential-Right all wicked Men possess all outward things which they enjoy as the Fruits and Gifts of his common Bounty it is their Portion Psalm 17. 14. Whatever falleth to their share in the course of God's Providence they are not Usurpers meerly for possessing what they have but for abusing what they have They have not only a civil Right to prevent the Incroachments of others by the Laws of Men but a providential Right before God and are not simply responsible for the Possession but the Use. But then there is an Evangelical or New-Covenant Right So Believers have a Right to their Creature-Comforts by God's special Conveyance that sweetneth every Mercy that it comes wrapt in the Bowels of Christ. The little which the Righteous hath is better than the Treasures of many wicked as the mean fair of a poor Subject is better than the Dainties of a condemned Traitor And this we have by Christ as the Heir of all things and we by him 1 Cor. 3. latter end So all those things do belong to them that believe as Gifts of his fatherly Love and Goodness to us in Christ as we take our Bread out of Christ's hands so we must be married to Christ before married to one another the Marriage-Covenant should be begun and concluded between Christ and you 5. For the End the general and last End of this as of every Action must be God's Glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. and Col. 3. 17. A Christian's Second-Table Duties and First-Table Duties should have on them holiness to the Lord. All the Vessels of Ierusalem must have God's Impress More particularly our increase in Godliness and the propagation of the Holy Seed must be aimed at Where one Person is a Believer much more where both they beget Sons and Daughters to God But now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. But those out of the Church beget Sons and Daughters to Men merely to people the World Seth's Children are called Sons of God Gen. 6. 1 2. In the careful Education of Children the Church is upheld 2. When his Providence is owned and acknowledged It is the Duty of them that fear God to own him upon all Occasions especially in such a Business Heathens would not begin such a Business without a Sacrifice There is a special Providence about Marriages God claimeth the Power of Match-making to himself more than he doth of ordering any other Affairs of Men Prov. 19. 14. Riches and Honours are an Inheritance from our Fathers but a good Wife is from the Lord. Inheritances pass by the Laws of Men though not without the intervention of God's Providence who determineth to every Man the time of his Service and the bounds of his Habitation where every Man shall live and what he shall enjoy The Land of Canaan was divided by Lot but Marriage is by the special Destination of his Providence either for a Punishment to Men or for a Comfort and a Blessing Here Providence is more immediate by its influence upon the Hearts of Men here Providence is more strange and remarkable in casting all Circumstances and Passages that did concern it Estates fall to us by more easy and obvious Means and therefore though nothing be exempted from the Dominion of Providence yet a good Wife is especially said to be of the Lord. So also Prov. 18. 22. Whoso findeth a Wife findeth a good Thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord. A Wife that is a Wife indeed one that deserveth that Name he that findeth her it is a chance to him but an ordered thing by God he hath not only experience of God's Care but his Goodness and Free-grace to him in that particular Well then God must be owned sought glorified in this particular The Husband in the Catalogue and Inventory of his Mercies must not forget to bless God for this and the Wife for the Husband the Lord was gracious in providing for me a good Companion I obtained favour from the Lord. God is concerned in this whole Affair he brought the Woman to the Man he giveth the Portion which is not so much the Dowry given by the Parents which is little worth unless his Blessing be added with it as all the Graces and Abilities by which all married Persons are made helpful one to another He giveth the Children Psalm 127. 3. Lo Children are an Heritage from the Lord Their Conception and Formation in the Womb is from God Parents know not whether it be Male or Female beautiful or deformed They know not the number of the Bones and Veins and Arteries He giveth them Life a Sentence of Death way-layeth them as soon as they come into the World He giveth them Comfort there is a great deal of