that we may know God doth all that he governeth all humane Affairs that we may live upon his Allowance and take our daily Bread from his hands and that we may see we hold all these Things from our great Landlord therefore we pray unto him We are Robbers and Thieves if we use the Creature without his Leave God is the great Owner of the World who gives us our daily Bread and all our Supplies therefore he will have it asked that we may acknowledg our dependance 2. It is most for our Profit Partly that our Faith should be exercised in pleading God's Promise for there we put the Promise in Suit Faith is begotten in the Word but it is exercised in Prayer therefore it is called the Prayer of Faith In the Word we take Christ from God in Prayer we present Christ to God That Prayer which is effectual it is an Exercise of Faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And as it concerns our Faith so also our Love which is both acted and increased in Prayer It is acted for it is Delight in God which makes us so often converse with him Thus the Hypocrite Iob 27. 10. Will he always call upon the Lord Will he delight himself in the Almighty They that love God cannot be long from him they that delight in God will be often unbosoming themselves to him It doth also increase our Love for by Answers of Prayer we have new Fuel to keep in this holy Fire in our Bosoms We pray and then he gives direct Answers Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication So our Hope is exercised in waiting for the Blessing pray'd for Psal. 5. 3. O Lord in the Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up That looking up is the Work of Hope when we are looking and waiting to see what comes in from pleading Promises It is much too for our Peace of Conscience for it easeth us of our Burthens It is the Vent of the Soul like the opening of a Vein in a Fever When our Hearts swell with Cares and we have a Burthen upon us and know not what to do we may ease our selves with God Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your Requests be made known to God And the Peace of God shall keep your Hearts O blessed Frame that can be troubled at nothing here in this World where there are so many Businesses Encounters Temptations What 's the way to get this Calmness of Heart Be much in opening your Hearts to God let your Requests be made known to God Look as in an Earthquake when the Wind is imprisoned in the Bowels of the Earth the Earth heaves and shakes and quakes until there be a Vent and the Wind be got out then all is quiet So we have many Tossings and Turmoilings in our Minds till we open and unbosom our selves to God and then all is quiet Also it prepareth us for the Improvement of Mercies when we have them out of the hands of God by Prayer For this Child I prayed said Hannah and I will lend him unto the Lord. 1 Sam. 1. 27 28. Those Mercies we expresly pray'd for we are more throughly obliged to improve for God What is won with Prayer is worn with Thankfulness APPLICATION VSE 1. To caution us against many Abuses in Prayer which may be disproved and taxed either formally or by just Consequence I shall instance in five 1. An idle and foolish Loquacity when Men take a liberty to prattle any thing in God's hearing and do not consider the Weight and Importance of Prayer and what a Sin it is to be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles. 5. 2. It is a great Irreverence and Contempt of the Majesty of God when Men go hand over head about this Work and speak any thing that comes into their mind As Men take themselves to be despised when others speak unseemly in their presence Surely it is a lessening and a despising of God when we pour out raw tumultuous undigested Thoughts and never think of what we are to speak when we come to God Psal. 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good Matter The Word signifieth it boils or fryes a good Matter It is an Allusion to the Mincah or Meat-Offering which was to be boil'd or fry'd in a Pan before it was to be presented to the Lord that they might not bring a Dough-bak'd Sacrifice and Offering to the Lord. Such ignorant dull sensless Praying it is a blaspheming of God and a lessening of the Majesty of God 2. A frothy Eloquence and an affected Language in Prayer this directly comes under Reproof As if the Prayer were more grateful to God and he were moved by Words and Strains of Rhetorick and did accept Men for their Parts rather than Graces Fine Phrases and quaint Speeches alas they do not carry it with the Lord They are but an empty Babble in his Ears rather than an humble Exercise of Faith Hope Love and Child-like Affections and holy Desires after God If we would speak with God we must speak with our Hearts to him rather than with our Words This is a Sin of Curiosity as the other was of Neglect 'T is not Words but the Spirit and Life which God looks after Prayer it is not a Work of Oratory the Product of Memory Invention and Parts but a filial Affection that we may come to him as to a Father with a Child-like Confidence Therefore too much Care of verbal Eloquence in Prayer and tunable Expressions is a Sin of the same nature with Babling Tho Men should have the Wit to avoid impertinent Expressions and Repetitions yet when Prayer smells so much of the Man rather than of the Spirit of God alas 't is but like the unsavoury Belches of a rotten Breath in the Nostrils of God We should attend to Matter to the Things we have to communicate to God to our Necessities rather than to Words 3. Heartless speaking filling up the Time with Words when the Tongue out-runs the Heart when Men pour their Breath into the Air but their Hearts are dead and sleepy or their Hearts keep not time and pace with their Expressions We oftner pray with our Tongues than with our Minds and from our Memories than our Consciences and from our Consciences than our Affections and from our Affections as presently stirred than from our Hearts renewed bended and inclined towards God Be the Prayer long or short the Heart must keep pace with our Tongues As the Poet said Disticha longa facit his Disticks were tedious so it is tedious and irksom to God unless we make Supplication in the Spirit Eph. 6. 18. Remember God will not be mocked 4. When Men rest in outward Vehemency and loud Speech Saith Tertullian Quibus Arteriis opus est si pro streno
And it is encouraging in this respect because he hath experimented this Duty he knows how soon human Strength is spent and put to it for he himself hath been wrestling with God in Prayer with all his Might His submitting to these Duties gave him Sympathy he knows the Heart of a praying Man when wrestling with God with all Earnestness therefore he helpeth us in these Agonies of Spirit Again his praying is an Encouragement against our Imperfections Christians when we are alone with God and our Hearts are heavy as a Log and Stone what a Comfort is it to think Christ himself prayed and that earnestly and was once alone wrestling with God in human Nature Matth. 14. 23. and when the Enemy came to attach him he was alone striving with God in Prayer he takes all occasions for Intercourse with God and if you have the Spirit you will do likewise 3. I might argue from God's end in pouring out the Holy-Ghost wherefore hath God poured out his Spirit Zech. 12. 11 12 13 14. I will pour out the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication c. He poureth out the Spirit that it may break out by this Vent the Spirit of Grace will presently run into Supplication the whole House of Israel shall mourn there 's the Church they have the Benefit of the pouring out of the Spirit and every Houshold hath benefit that he and his Family may mourn apart and every Person apart that we may go and mourn over our Case and Distempers before God and pour out our Hearts in a holy and affectionate manner This Argument I would have you to note that this was God's end in pouring out his Spirit for a double reason both to take off Excuses and to quicken Diligence Partly to take off Excuses because many say they have no Gifts no Readiness and Savouriness of Speech and how can they go alone and pray to God Certainly Men which have Necessities and a sense of them can speak of them in one Fashion or other to God but the Spirit is given to help Such is God's Condescention to the Saints that he hath not only provided an Advocate to present our Petitions in Court but a Notary to draw them up not only appointed Christ for help against our Guilt and unworthiness but likewise the Spirit to help us in Prayer When we are apt to excuse our selves by our Weakness and Insuffâ—ciency he hath poured out the Holy-Ghost that we may pray apart Partly to this end the more to awaken our Diligence That God's precious Gift be not bestowed upon us in vain to lie idle and unimployed he hath poured out the Spirit and therefore we should make use of it not only that we may attend to the Prayers of others and joyn with them but that we may make use of our own share of Gifts and Graces and open and unfold our own Case to God 4. That it is a necessary Duty I plead it from the Practice of the Saints who are a praying People O how often do we read in Scripture that they are alone with God pouring out their Souls in Complaints to him nothing so natural to them as Prayer they are called a Generation of them that seek God Psal. 24. 6. As light Bodies are moving upward so the Saints are looking upward to God and praying alone to him Daniel was three times a day with God and would not omit his hours of Prayer though his Life was in danger Dan. 6. 10. And David seven times a day do I praise thee Psal. 119. 164. And Cornelius 't is said that he prayed to God always Acts 10. 2. not only with his Family but alone in holy Soliloquies He was so frequent and diligent that he had gotten a Habit of Prayer he prayed always Well then if this be the Temper of God's People then to be altogether like them when we have no delight in these private Converses with God or neglect them it gives just cause of Suspition 5. Our private Necessities shew that is a necessary Duty which cannot be so feelingly spoken to and exprest by others as by our selves and it may be are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to others we cannot so well lay forth our Hearts with such largeness and Comfort in our own Concernments before others There 's the Plague of our own Hearts which every one must mourn over 1 Kings 8. 38. As we say no Nurse like the Mother so none so fit humbly with a broken Heart to set forth our own Wants before the Lord. There is some Thorn in the Flesh that we have cause to pray against again and again For this I sought the Lord thrice saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. We should put Promises in suit and lay open our own Case before the Compassions of God It is a Help sometimes to joyn with others but at other times it would be a Hinderance we have peculiar Necessities of our own to commend to God therefore must be alone Secondly This Closet and Solitary Prayer as it is a necessary Duty so it is a profitable one 1. It conduceth much to Iâ—largement of Heart The more earnest Men are the more they desire to be alone free from Trouble and Distraction When a Man weeps and is in a mournful Posture he seeks Secreâ—y that he may indulge his Grief They were to mourn apart Zech. 12. and Ier. 13. 17. My Soul shall weep sore for your Pride in secret Places So here when a Man would deal most earnestly with God he should seek Retirement and be alone Christ in his Agonies went apart from his Disciples When he would pray more earnestly it is said He was withdrawn from them about a Stones cast Luke 22. 41 44. it is said He went apart Strong Affections are loth to be disturbed and diverted therefore seek Retirement And it is notable Iacob when he would wrestle with God it is said Gen. 32. 24. And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the Day When he had a mind to deal with God in good earnest he sent away all his Company A Hypocrite he finds a greater flash of Gifts in his publick Duties when he prays with others and is the Mouth of others but is slight and superficial when alone with God if he feels any thing a little overly matter serves the turn But usually God's Children most affectionately pour out their Hearts before him in private where they do more particularly express their own Necessities there they find their Affections free to wrestle with God In publick we take in the Necessities of others but in private our own 2. As it makes way for Enlargement of Heart on our part so for secret Manifestations of Love on God's part Bernard hath a Saying The Churches Spouse is bashfull and will not be familiar and communicate his Loves before Company but alone The sweetest Experiences which God's Saints receive many times are
Glory and then our Profit for the End is the first thing intended by any rational Agent 2. As we are the Children of God by Adoption The great Duty of Children is to honour their Parents God pleads for Honour upon this account Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is my Honour So that if you consent to the Preface and say Our Father then the next request will be Hallowed be thy Name If we would own our selves in such a Pâ—lation then we must make it our chief desire and care that God might be glorified by our selves and others Every kind of Honour will not serve the turn of our Heavenly Father He must not be honoured as an ordinary Father in a common Notion but as an Inâ—inite and Eternal Majesty and to prefer any thing to his Interest or Glory or to equal any thing to him it is to make an Idol of him and to renounce him to be our Father The case of earthly Parents is not always so But now you renounce God when an Idol is set in the Throne when any Interest or Concernment of yours is preferred before God and before his Interest and Concernment 3. That which is of most value and consideration should be sought first Now God's Glory it hath an inâ—inite Excellency above all other things The Glory of God is of more worth than all Creatures than their Being and Happiness The End is more worthy than that which serveth and conduceth to the End Meats and Drinks they were made for the Body therefore are not so good as the Body Who would dig for Iron with Mattocks of Gold The Means or Instrument is better worth than the Purchase Now no matter what becomes of us so God may be glorifyed As it is said of David Thou art better than ten thousand of us therefore tho they exposed their Bodies to hazard they thought it not safe for him So is God better than the whole World of Men or Angels Our first care must be that he may be glorifyed then let other Things succeed in their place 4. The Example of Christ shews how much the Glory of God should be cared for and preferred before the Creatures Good Joh. 12. 27 28. Father save me from this hour There was the Innocent and sinless Inclination of his Human Nature But For this Cause came I unto this Hour Father glorify thy Name He doth not so earnestly insist upon that but submits all his Human Concernments tho exceeding precious that they might give way to the Glory of God and he had no respect to his own Ease or to the innocent inclination of his Human Nature or to the felt Comforts of the God-head Now Christ's Example it is the best Instruction he taught us how we should behave our selves to our Heavenly Father and therefore we should learn to prefer the Honour of God before our own ease And if God but get up tho we be kept low and poor yet we should be contented Look as all natural Things will act against their particular Inclination on for a general Good as to avoid a Vacuity the Air will descend and the Water ascend that there may not be a Confusion or Dissolution of the Frame of Nature So hath Christ taught us still to prefer a general Good Father glorify thy self that is it we must insist upon tho it be with our Loss Suffering Trouble yea sometimes with our trouble of Conscience we must be content 5. From the Nature of Prayer The whole Spiritual Life it is a living to God Gal. 2. 19. I am dead to the Law that I might live unto God The whole Tendency and Ordination of all acts of the Spiritual Life they are to God Even the Natural Life is over-ruled and directed to this End there is an Eating and Drinking to God the Meat and Drink we take if God be not the last End of it it is but a Meat-Offering and a Drink-Offering to our own Appetite and a Sacrifice to Moloch Now much more in acts of immediate Worship there God will be principally regarded for their respect and tendency is mainly to God In our whole Life we are God's dedicated to him Every Godly Man is set apart for God A Man that is a Christian must Be holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. A Christian must look upon himself as one that is dedicated to God when he is at his Meals in his Trade and Calling and Grace is to run out in every Act. But much more is this tendency of Grace to bewray it self in our solemn Sequestration of our selves when we make our nearer approaches to him Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People will I be glorified What is it to sanctify God A thing is sanctified when it is set apart And God is sanctified when we set apart our selves wholly for him when he hath more than common Affections and common Respects And therefore in Prayer in the firstâ— place we should go to God for God and surely in such a Request we are likely to speed 6. Love to God if it be unfeigned and hath any Strength in the Soul will necessarily put us upon this Love seeks the good of the Party beloved as much or more than its own Those which love have all things in common between them and one counts it done to himself what is done to the other So it is in the Love between us and God Look as Christ loves the Saints and counteth what ever you do to them it is done to him because done to those whom he loved Mat. 25. So reciprocally the Saint which loves God what is done to God is done to us when God is honoured we are comforted as much or more than with our own Benefit And when God is dishonoured we have the Grief and Sorrow Psal. 69. 9. The Reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Or if they hear God's Name rent in pieces and Men dishonour him by their filthy Lives it goeth to their Hearts for God and they have but one common Interest Nay they prefer God's Interest before their own or any others Ioh. 21. 15. Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these By the Worlds Maxim Love should begin at home but by Christ's Direction it beginneth with God They are more tender of God's Glory than their own Lives and outward Comfort I count not my Life dear to me saith Paul Thus you see what reason there is why our main Care and Thoughts should be taken up about the Concernments of God and about the Glory of his Holy Name Vse 1. To reprove us that we are no more affected with God's Glory O how little do we aim at and regard it in our Prayers We should seek it not only above the Profits and Pleasures of this Life but even above Life it self yea above Life present and to come But alas since the Fall we are
better security to their worldly Interests than possibly thorow Christians could have Now to avoid both these the Apostle when he presseth Christians to all those Graces which are necessary he presseth them to Temperance and Patience 2 Pet. 1. 5 6. Add to Knowledg Temperance and to Temperance Patience Both these are Armor of Proof against worldly Temptations Temperance against the Delights and Patience against the Evils and Troubles of the World It was never yet so well with the World but that Christians those that are so in good earnest that mean to go to Heaven and keep a good Conscience will be assaulted on both sides 6. That there is no avoiding either of these Snares and Temptations as long as any Carnal Affection remaineth unmortified For until a Man be dead to worldly Comforts and hardned against worldly Sorrows he doth but lye naked and open to Satan 1 Tim. 6. 9. He that will be rich falls into Temptation and a Snare And what is said of Riches the same is true of Pleasure he that is vehemently addicted that way will soon come to put God out of the Throne and make his Belly and his Pleasure his God 2 Tim. 3. 4. Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God Any Lust that is cherished and indulged will betray us As for Honour John 5. 44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only True Faith cannot be planted in that Heart that is not purified until there be a prevailing Interest established for Christ over all Carnal Affections Grace bears no sway in us and hath no power over us The ambition and love of respect from Men will necessarily make us unsound in the profession of Godliness Well then it stands us upon to allow and cherish no secret Sin but to observe what are the tender parts of our Hearts or which way our Corruptions lie where subjection to God is most apt to stick with us Psal. 119. 133. Order my Steps in thy Word and let not any Iniquity have dominion over me Though we seem to have a Zeal in other things yet if one Lust be indulged we shall soon swerve from our Duty True Obedience to God is inconsistent with the Dominion of any one Lust or corrupt Affection I say though a Man out of some slender and insufficient touch of Religion upon his Heart may go right for a while and do many things gladly yet that corruption which is indulged and under the power of which a Man lieth will at length draw him off from God and therefore no one Sin should have dominion over us When doth Sin reign or have dominion over us When we do not endeavour to mortify it and to cut off the Provisions that may feed that Lust. Chrysostom's Observation is The Apostle doth not say Let it not tyrannize over you but let it not reign over you that is when you suffer it to have a quiet Reign in your Hearts 7. The more we sin upon the meer impulsion of the Flesh and without an external Temptation the more hainous is our Offence for then the Heart is carried of its own accord to sin Ezek. 16. 33 34. They give Gifts to all Whores but thou givest thy Gifts to all thy Lovers and hirest them that they may come unto thee for thy Whoredoms And the contrary is in thee from other Women in thy Whoredoms whereas none followeth thee to commit Whoredoms and in that thou givest a Reward and no Reward is given unto thee therefore thou art contrary These are Expressions to set forth their Idolatry But that which is intended there is this That they were not desired or solicited but meerly carried to sin by their own proper Motion which exceedingly aggravateth Sin Why for then it is a sign the Heart is carried of its own accord by its own weight as a heavy Body is moved downward not by the impression of outward Force but by its own natural propension Now when do Men thus meerly sin upon the impulsions of the Flesh I 'le instance in three Cases 1. When the Temptation is so small and inconsiderable that it should not sway with any reasonable Man It is said in Amos 2. 6. They sold the Poor for a pair of Shoes And for a piece of Bread will that Man transgress Prov. 28. 21. When Pleasure and Profit is so inconsiderable as that it could not rationally make up a Temptation then Men sin meerly upon the Corruptions of their own Flesh. When the Devil hath to do with great Souls such as Christ was he propounds the Glory of all the World Mat. 4. O! but a lesser price will serve the turn with those that are deeply engaged already that are byassed with their own propension for instance a little ease and carnal satisfaction a slothful Humour is enough to take them off from the sweetness of Communion with God and the pleasure and contentment that they might enjoy with him in holy Exercises Look as in general it is a great aggravation of all Sin that for such paltry Trifles we turn the back upon God and his Grace all Sinners do so they part with all their Hopes by Christ for a Mess of Pottage for a little present Pleasure that 's prophaneness indeed Heb. 12. 16. So in particular things when the smallest Temptation seems to be strong enough to draw off our Hearts from our Duty to bring us to a Sin of Omission when it is needful to go and converse with God in secret a little ease and sloth hangs upon us and we cannot shake it off or when we are drawn to a Sin of Commission by an inconsiderable Matter by the smallest worldly Interest as can be mentioned for a piece of Bread and a pair of Shoes 2. When Men tempt themselves or provoke Satan to tempt them As those which make provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. that cater for their Lusts and contrive how to feed them and how to cherish those inordinate Affections in their Hearts that run into the Devil's Quarters that bespeak a Temptation or as it is Iames 5. 5. That nourish their Hearts as in a day of slaughter To nourish our Hearts is to feed our Lusts to put strength into the Enemy's Hand When a Commander sent to his Prince to know how he should keep such a rebellious Town in order He sent him this Answer That he should starve the Dog and strengthen the Clog that he should weaken the City and strengthen the Garison that was his meaning Truly what was his advice in that outward Case that 's the Duty of a Christian to weaken his Lusts and still to be strengthning Grace He should be increasing the better Part and putting the Spirit in heart by godly Exercises by treasuring up Promises getting Arguments and fresh Encouragements against Sin and by weakning the Flesh starving and cutting off Provisions for the Flesh. But on
the Lord who made Heaven and Earth As if the Psalmist had said As long as I see these glorious Monuments of his Power these Things framed out of nothing shall I distrust God whatever Exigence or Strait I may be reduced to Secondly More especially there is a particular Sort of Men to whom God is a Father in Christ and that is to Believers Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to be called the Sons of God Those which in their natural State and Condition were Children of Wrath and Slaves to Sin and Satan when they come and are willing to welcom and receive Christ into their Hearts in a sense of their Misery are willing to make out after God and Christ they have an Allowance to call God Father and may have Child-like Communion with him and run to him in all Straits and lay open their Necessities to him 2 Kings 4. 19. When the Child cried unto his Father he said Carry him to his Mother So when we are ill at ease and in any Straits this is the Privilege of our Adoption that we have a God to go to we may go to our Father and plead with him as the Church Isa. 63. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father tho Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer It is good to know God under this special Relation of a Father in Christ and this is that which is the Grace of Adoption Adoption is an Act of Free-Grace by which we that were Aliens and Strangers Servants to Sin and Satan are in and by Christ made Sons and Daughters of God and accordingly are so reckoned and treated with to all Intents and Purposes It is a great and special Privilege given to God's own Children by virtue of their Interest in Christ and therefore it is said 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold what Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! That is Behold it as a certain Truth and admire it as a great Privilege This second Relation is a very great Privilege and it will appear to be so if we consider 1. The Persons that receive it We that were Aliens and Enemies and Bond-slaves that were of another Line and Stock That might say to Corruption Thou art my Father to the Worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17. 14. We that were Cousin-Germans to Worms a handful of enlivened Dust that we should be taken into such a Relation to God! We that might say indeed to the Devil Thou art our Father and the Lusts of our Father we will do Iohn 8. 44. Satan is the Sinners Father and God disclaims them The Lord disclaims the People which were brought out of the Land of Egypt when they rebelled against him Exod. 32. 7. The Lord said unto Moses Go get thâ— down for thy People which thou broughtest out of 〈◊〉 Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves 〈◊〉 People which thou hast brought in Scorn and Dâ—â—â—dain as if God did disavow them from being hiâ— And so it was with us all When Adam had â—â—belled against God God executed the Law of the rebellious Child against him which was this that he should be turn'd out of Doors So was Adam turn'd out of Paradise and lost his Title and Heritage and we were reckoned to the Devil Now behold what manner of Love was this that we should be called the Sons of God! 2. You will wonder at it you will behold it as an excellent Privilege if you consider the Nature of the Privilege it self To be Sons and Daughters of God to be able to call God Father This was Christ's own Title and Honour When God had a mind to honour Christ he proclaims it from Heaven Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Surely if our Hearts were as apprehensive of heavenly Privileges as they are of earthly we would admire it more Earthly Alliance how is it prized If a great Man should match into our Blood and Line what an Honour and Glory do we reckon it to us 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a King's Son in Law Do we account this a small Matter to be related to Kings and Princes and Potentates No no we have high thoughts of it And is not this an excellent thing to be Sons and Daughters of God In all other Cases if Men have Children of their own they do not adopt God had a Son of his own in whom his Soul found full Delight and Complacency yet he would adopt and take us wretched Creatures he would invest us with the Title of Sons And shall it be said of this and that Believer Here 's the Son of God O behold what manner of Love c. 3. Then do but consider the Consequents of it both in this Life and the Life to come In this Life what Immunities and Privileges have we Free Access to God we may come and treat with him when we please as Children to a Father when we stand in need of any thing We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If we ail any thing we may go to our Father and acquaint him with our Case and Grief And we shall have a Child's Allowance here in the World The Heirs of Glory are well provided for in their Non-age they have a Right to a large Portion all the good Things of the World Meat Drink Marriage such Things they have by a Son 's Right They have a Right to the Creature in and by him who is Heir of all Things so they are established in their Right which Adam lost 1 Tim. 4. 3 4. And they are under the Ministry of Angels the Angels are sent forth to be their Guardians and to supply and provide for them And then in the Life to come for we are not only Sons but Heirs we have a Right to the glorious Inheritance Rom. 8. 17. If Children then Heirs Heirs of God Here all the Children are Heirs Male and Female every Son and Daughter an Heir and Joint-heirs with Christ. We do as it were divide Heaven between us we have a great blessed and glorious Inheritance poor despicable Creatures chosen Heirs of a Kingdom James 2. 5. 4. You will see it was a very great Privilege if you consider how we come to be entitled to it Ephes. 1. 5. Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself We come to it in and by Jesus Christ. Christ was fain to come down and to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven He comes down and was made a Man he became our Brother and so layeth the Foundation for the Kindred Heb. 2. 11. Nay not only incarnate but he died to purchase this Title for us When the Business was debated in the Council of the Trinity how
the Covenant of Grace Christ hath taken a Token from us and left a Token with us He hath taken humane Flesh carried our Nature to Heaven that he might be mindful of us and hath left the Spirit with us Now there will be a longing looking and waiting for this Day of Solemn Espousals And as he is Lord so he is Jesus a Saviour With what melting Wishes doth the Captive long for a Saviour and Redeemer Now we look for a Saviour from Heaven Christ is a Saviour now but not a perfect Saviour to the uttermost never till then Therefore the Day of Judgment is called the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. There is something left that every Coming of Christ might bring some Benefit something of Misery left upon us to the last Day Here we have Enemies within and without Within mighty Lusts and therefore his Coming is like a Refiner's Fire Mal. 3. 2. and Fullers Sope. His first and second Coming we find oft in the Old Testament put together His Coming is to present us holy without spot and blemish Eph. 5. 27. Our present State is but a Convalescency a Recovery out of Sickness by degrees there is some Fruit of Sin left upon the Body until the Day of the general Resurrection that we may have new Matter of glorifying God just as we are entring into Heaven Therefore that every Coming of Christ might bring us a new Benefit the Body is to die the old Adam is not quite abolished until God be All in All. And so for Enemies without us Here we dwell among wicked Men whose Sins are a Grievance to us and whose Injuries are a very great Molestation and Trouble We live here like Lot in Sodom His righteous Soul was vexed with their ungodly Deeds their filthy Conversation But then there will be a perfect Separation between the Sheep and the Goats Here we are exposed to many Persecutions here Antichrist is but consuming there he shall totally and utterly be abolished II. If we respect the Persons desiring this Coming there is something in them to move them to it There is 1. The Spirit of Christ. 2. Certain Graces which do necessarily issue themselves into this Work 3. Certain Experiences they have which put thâ—m upon this longing 1. There 's the Spirit of Christ The Spirit and the Bride saith Come Rev. 22. 17. The Holy-Ghost breedeth this Desire in the Church Nature saith It is good to be here but this is a Disposition above Nature the Spirit in the Bride The Flesh and corrupt Nature saith Depart but the Spirit saith Come The great Work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together he comes from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son All he doth is to bring Christ and the Spouse together therefore he enkindleth in the Hearts of God's People a strong and earnest desire of his Coming 2. There are Graces planted in us Faith Hope Love Zeal Faith that is the ground of this Desire Christ saith he comes quickly and this provokes and draws up the Desire to believe Christ will be as good as his Word Iohn 14. 2 3. I go to my Father and will come again to receive you to my self Christ hath ever been plain-hearted with us he saith I come and the Church saith Amen in a way of Faith Even so come If Christ had gone away in discontent and with a Threatning in his Mouth that we should never have seen his Face more then we could have had but cold Hopes and faint Desires but he parted in Love and left a Promise with us The Church and the believing Soul saith I have his Word for it He hath ever been punctual hitherto and kept his Word to a tittle and hath said I will come again This upholdeth the Hearts of Believers during his Absence For they reason thus What need had Christ to flatter or deceive us or promise more than he will perform Would we flatter a Worm that we can easily crush He can strike us dead if we do not please him He hath been true in all things and we have ever found him plain-hearted Then there is Hope planted in the Saints Hope is Faith's Handmaid it looks for that which we believe Faith determines the Certainty of the Thing then Hope looks for it This Grace was made on purpose that we might reach out to Heaven and see if our Beloved be coming that we might expect our full and future Happiness God not only provides a glorious Estate for us but Grace to expect it he works this Hope in us that we might look after it 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope Then there is Love in the Saints to Christ. This is an Affection of Union it desires to be with the Party beloved he desireth to be with us and we with him Love awakeneth earnest Longings O come come why is his Chariot so long a coming As a loving Wife stands upon the Shore as ready to welcome her expected Husband So doth Love in the Saints they desire to be with Christ therefore they long for the Kingdom of God coming to themselves out of Love Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And upon the same ground they desire the general Resurrection of the Church Especially is this inflamed with the thoughts of Christ's Love to us He hath removed his bodily Presence from us yet he cannot be satisfied until he and we meet again John 14. 3. I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also And John 17. 24. And that you may be there with me to behold my Glory Christ is not satisfied in his glorious Estate until we be with him till he hath our Company and we be beatified with the sight of him Before his coming in the Flesh he delighted to be with the Saints before the World was Prov. 8. 31. And when the World was made before his Incarnation he took pleasure to come and appear in the fashion of a Man and converse with his People in humane Shape In the Days of his Flesh he delighted to spend his Time and busy himself among them that are faithful And when he was to go from us he did assure us of returning and cannot be quiet until we be with him So reciprocally and according to our measure doth Love work in us we cannot be without Christ therefore we long to be with him Then Zeal is planted in the Saints and a Tenderness for his Glory It is not their Interest only which makes them desire his Coming but that the King may sit upon the Throne that Christ may reign in the most perfect manner that the Day of Manifestation may come that all Mists and Clouds which are upon his Person may vanish The Saints that love the Glory of God as well as their own Salvation nay above their own Salvation are longing
14 15. Friend I do thee no wrong is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own The fulness of the Earth and all is his and therefore though others have better trading and finer Apparel and be more amply provided for than we are God is Soveraign and will give according to his Pleasure and you must be content 2. Nothing is deserved and therefore certainly every thing should be kindly taken If a Man be kept at free-cost and maintain'd at your Expence you take it very ill if he murmur and dislike his Diet. Certainly we are all maintain'd at free-cost and therefore we should with all humble Contentation receive what ever God will put into our Hands 3. God knows what Proportion is best for us he is a God of Iudgment and knows what is most convenient for us for he is a wise God It is the Shepherd must chuse the Pasture not the Sheep Leave it to God to give you that which is convenient and suitable to your Condition of Life A Shoe may be too big for the Foot and a Garment too great for the Body as Saul's Armour was too large for little David 1 Sam. 17. God will give you that which is convenient that which is agreeable to you A Garment when too long proves a dirty Rag we may have too much and therefore God he carves out our Allowance with a wise Hand 4. God doth not only give suitable to your Condition but suitable to your Strength such a Portion as you are able to bear God layeth Affliction upon his People and he gives them Mercies as they are able to bear if they had more they would have more Snares more Temptations You find it hard for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19. 24. A Man may take a larger Draught than he is able to bear so God proportioneth every Man's Condition accâ—rding to his spiritual Strength every Man is not able to bear a very high prosperous Estate Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee then you will live upon the Promise But when Men set God a Task and he must maintain them at such a rate that ends in Mischief and Distrust Psal. 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness c. 5. Contentation is one of God's Gifts that we ask in this Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread that is we ask to be contented with our Portion Contentment and quietness of Mind with what we do injoy it 's a great Blessing Ioel 2. 19. See what the Lord saith there by his Prophet I will send you Corn and Wine and Oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith The bare and simple Blessing doth not speak so much of God's Love as when we are satisfied when we have Contentment in it that 's the greater Blessing When our Minds are suited to our Condition then the Creature is more sweet more comfortable Your Happiness lies not in Abundance but in Contentment Luke 12. 15. This doth not make a Man happy that he hath much but this that he is contented he hath what God will give him All spiritual Miseries may be referred to these two things a War between a Man and his Conscience and a War between his Affections and his Condition 6. There may be as much Love in a lesser Portion as in a greater There 's the same Affection to a small younger Child though he hath not so large an Allowance as the elder Brother yet saith he my Father loves me as well as him not that I have a double Portion but I have as much of my Father's Love So a Child of God may say God loves me though he hath given another more and me less Be content with what falls to your share and with your Allowance by the wise Designation and Allotment of God's Providence Thus much for the first Point A Word of a second viz. Doct. 2. In asking temporal things Christ hath stinted us to a day Give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this day our daily Bread God in an extraordinary manner fed his People in the Wilderness the Mannah stank if they had kept it another day they had it from day to day What 's the Reason Christ saith Give us this day 1. That every day we may pray to God Therefore it is not give us this Month or Year but Day because every day God will hear from us 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing God would not have us too long out of his Company but by a frequent Commerce he would have us acquainted and familiar with him This is required that you should not let a day pass over your Head but God must hear from you for your Patent lasts but for a day you have a Lease from God of your Comforts and Mercies but it is expired unless you renew it again by Prayer How much do they differ from the Heart of God's Children that could be contented like the High-Priest of old to come to the Mercy-seat but once a Year now the Lord would have us come every day to the Throne of Grace 2. Every day because there should be Family-Prayer for all that taketheir Meat together are to come and say to God Give us this day our daily Bread It is not said Give me but Give us Therefore you see how little of Love and Fear of God is there where Week after Week they call not upon God's Name 3. To make way for our Gratitude and Thankfulness Our Mercies they flow not from God all at once but some to day and some to morrow for we take them day by day alltogether they are too heavy for us to weild and manage Psal. 68. 19. Who daily loadeth us with Benefits Our Mercies they come in greater Number and a greater Measure then we are able to acknowledg make use of or be thankful for Therefore this is the burden of gracious Hearts that Mercies come so thick and fast they cannot be thankful enough for them but to help us God distributes them by Parcels who loadeth us daily some to day some to morrow and every day that we may not forget God but may have a new Argument to praise him 4. To shew us every day we should renew our Dependance upon God for temporal things There is no day but we stand in need of the Lord's Blessing of Sanctification of Comfort that they may not be a Snare that there is still need of new Strength new Grace and new Supplies 5. Again Give us this day that we may not burden our selves with over-much Thoughtfulness that we might not solicitously cark for to morrow Mat. 6. 34. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Every day affords Business Trouble Care and Burden enough we need not anticipate and pre-occupy the Cares of the next day God would not have
his Harness boast himself as he that putteth it off 1 Kings 20. 11. When a Field is won then they will rejoice But a Believer when he goes to fight is sure to have the best of it before-hand in Bello the War though not in Praelio the particular Conflict Why Because the Father and Jesus Christ are stronger than all his Enemies they cannot pluck the Believer out of his Hands John 10. 28 29. I give to them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Father's Hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand This is the Priviledg which Christ conferreth upon his Sheep upon those which have an Interest in him tho they have many shakings and tossings in their Condition yet their final perseverance is certain Christ is so unchangeable in the purposes of his Love I will give to them Eternal Life and so invincible in the Power of his Grace None shall pull them out of my Father's Hand nothing shall be able to hinder their perseverance Now though the Fight be long and troublesom yet this is one of God's Encouragements you are sure of Victory at last Therefore how much doth it concern us to get an Interest in Christ that we may keep on in this Way and in this Hope Secondly Let us be provided and prepared against Temptations And to this end I shall First Give some Directions how to resist Temptations in General Secondly What to do in a special Hour of Temptation which comes upon the World When there are Terrors without and we know not what Evil may be a coming and our Hearts are full of Doubt how we may support and bear up our selves First To direct you as to Temptations in General 1. You must be compleatly armed Ephes. 6. 11. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil Not a piece only but the whole Armor of God otherwise you will never come off with Honour and Safety from the Spiritual Conflict The Poets feign of their Achilles that he was vulnerable only in the Heel and there he got his Death's Wound A Christian though he be never so well furnished in other parts yet if any part be left naked you are in danger Our first Parents were wounded in their Heel Who would have thought that they which had such vast knowledg of God and his Creatures that they should be inticed by Appetite And Solomon who had the upper part of his Soul so well guarded that he should be enticed by Women To see Men of great knowledg to be unmortified and miscarry by their sensual Appetite is sad A Christian must have no saving-Grace wanting 2 Pet. 1. 5. Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg c. There 's all the Graces and they must come out in their turn We need Faith and Vertue Zeal and Holiness and Knowledg to guide it and Patience to arm it against the Troubles of the present Life and we need Temperance to moderate our Affections to our worldly Enjoyments and Godliness that we may be frequent in communion with God and Brotherly-kindness that we may preserve Peace among our Brethren and may not make Fractions and Ruptures in the Church and we need Charity that we may be useful to all that are about us There is use and work for all Graces one time or other Sometimes we shall be tempted to a neglect of God at other times we shall be tempted to make a breach upon Brotherly-kindness at other times there will be a breach of Charity Sometimes the Devil seeks to tempt us to fleshly wickedness therefore we need Temperance sometimes to spiritual Wickedness to Error therefore we need Knowledg sometimes to raging with despair then we need Faith We need the whole Armour of God for Satan hath his various ways of Battery and Assault sometimes through Ignorance we miscarry and run into Error sometimes for want of Faith we run into Despair and Discomfort sometimes for want of Temperance violent corrupt Lusts over-set the Soul 2. We must often pray to God for renewed Influences we must not only get habits of Grace but pray for a renewed Influence It is notable next to the Spiritual Armour the Apostle mentioneth Prayer Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all Perseverance We never receive so much from God upon Earth as to stand in need of no more And therefore though you put on the whole Armour of God yet praying always with all supplication in the Spirit Why Because without the Lord 's special Assistance whereby he actuates those Graces we can never defend our selves nor offend the Adversaries or do any thing to purpose in the Spiritual Life Strength of Grace inherent will not bear us out against new Assaults Habitual Grace it needs Actual Influence partly that these Graces may be applied and excited to work Phil. 2. 13. He giveth to will and to do God giveth to do that is excites that strength you have and carrieth it out to work and then that it may be directed in work 2 Thess. 3. 5. And the Lord direct your Hearts into the Love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Every time we would make use of the Helmet of Salvation when we would lift up the Head and wait for the Mercy of God the Lord direct you we must be directed And not only so but that it may be supplied with new strength for it is said Isa. 40. 29. He giveth Power to the faint and to them that have no Power he increaseth strength And he doth continue it Luke 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Thus will God keep us in dependance for those liberal Aids and constant Supplies of his Grace without which we cannot use the Grace that we have 3. You must resist 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith James 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you Stand your Ground and then Satan falls In all those Assaults Satan hath only Weapons Offensive as fiery Darts none Defensive We have not only the Sword of the Spirit which is an Offensive Weapon but the Shield of Faith that 's a Defensive piece of Armour Therefore your Safety lieth in resisting Now this Resistance must be 1. Not faint and cold but strong and vehement 2. Thorow and total 3. Constant and perpetual 1. Not faint and cold Some kind of Resistance may be made by general and common Grace The Light of Nature will rise up in defiance of many Sins especially at first but this must be earnest and vehement it is against the Enemies of your Soul Paul's Resistance was with serious Dislikes and deep Groans Rom. 7. 15. 24. The Evil that I hate And O wretched Man how shall I be delivered In
for nothing but the Love of God will make us deny that which is so near and pleasing to us or that Affection which grows upon the apprehension of his Grace in Christ therefore the Grace of God is said to teach us to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts Tit. 2. 12. 2. For the other Wile As Satan doth transform himself into an Angel of Light and cover his base Designs with plausible Pretences for instance Revenge shall be accounted Zeal He will difguise it so as that the very Apostles shall count it Zeal for the Glory of God when they called for Fire from Heaven to consume them even as Elias did Luke 9. 54. And Carnal Counsel shall be counted Pitty and Natural Affection Mat. 16. 22. Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord This shall not be unto thee He shall be the Devil's Agent to tempt Christ and his Carnal Counsel shall be looked upon as Pity to his Master And Licentiousness shall be Christian Liberty and our Liberty by Christ shall be used aâ— an occasion to the Flesh Gal. 5. 13. And an immoderate use of Carnal Pleasure shall be Christian Rejoicing or Christian Chearfulness Therefore as there needs Love to withstand the Potency of Temptation by the suitableness of the Bait to our own Affections so there needs the Fear of God Prov. 14. 27. The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life to depart from the Snares of Death When the Devil by his Wiles is laying Snares for us Snares of Death the Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life A Man that is afraid to offend God and to abuse his Liberty or run into any Excess under colour of a Grace is very cautious and watchful and thereby is not so soon surprized Thus when the Soul is inflamed by the vehement heat of boyling Lusts or raging Despair Faith is necessary Luke 22. 31 32. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Faith laying hold upon Christ's Righteousness and waiting for his Grace teaches us to overcome in such Conflicts But why should I instance in these three Graces only when we are bidden to put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6. 11 13. If we would come off with Honour in this Conflict we must be compleatly armed no Power of the Soul or Sense of the Body must be left naked and without a Guard therefore not one saving Grace can be wanting A Christian is set forth as armed from Head to Foot There 's for the Head a Helmet of Salvation which is Hope a Breast-Plate of Righteousness the Girdle of Truth for Shoes the Gospel of Peace the Shield of Faith the Sword of the Spirit These are the Graces necessary to resist Temptation and these we have from God A Christian hath not only Weapons Offensive but Defensive not only a Sword but also a Shiâ—ld Satan hath only Weapons Offensive as Darts he hath Darts to wound the Soul Again observe there is no piece of Armour for the Back why Because there is no Flight in this Spiritual Warfare we must stand to it Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you But let us see what are the pieces of the Spiritual Armour The Apostle begins with the Girdle of Truth by which is meant not Truth of Doctrine for that 's the Sword of the Spirit but Sincerity or an honest Intention when a Man endeavoureth to be both to God and Man what he seems to be now it 's the Lord that must renew the right Spirit within us Satan he assaults us with Wiles but our Armour of Proof against him is the Girdle of Truth We stand against the Wiles of Satan but we must not fight against him with his own Weapons and put off Wiles with Wiles Sincerity and honest Intention that 's our Strength this is a Girdle to the Loins it gives Strength and Courage to the Soul And then there 's the Breast-Plate of Righteousness or that Grace which puts us upon a holy Conversation suitable to God's Will revealed in his Word whereby we endeavour to give God and Man their due it secures the Breast and Vital Parts the Seed of inherent Grace in the Heart an honest fixed purpose to obey God in all things The next thing the Feet must be shod we shall meet with rough Ways in our Passage to Heaven and what 's that which is Armour of Proof for our Feet The Preparation of the Gospel of Peace a Sense of our Peace and Friendship made up between God and us through Christ without this we shall never follow God in the way of Duty when we meet with Difficulties and Hardships But above all take the Shield of Faith a Shield covers the Body but that which gives Defence to all is Faith without this a Man is naked destitute of Christ's imputed Righteousness he wants his Covenant-Strength it applyeth Christ's Righteousness and engageth the Power of God on our behalf Then there 's the Helmet of Salvation which is Hope 1 Thess. 5. 8. A well-grounded hope of Salvation it makes us hold up the Head in the midst of all Waves and sore Assaults that is it is our great Motive and Encouragement in the work of Sanctification Then there 's the Sword of the Spirit which is both Offensive and Defensive it wardeth off Satan's Blows and makes him fly black from us as one wounded and ashamed These are the Graces now God gives them to us and therefore he is called The God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. Why because he requires it only No but because he giveth it also And it is called The Armour of God vers 11. God is the Author God is the Maker God is the Inventer of this Armour and he doth freely bestow it upon us The Apostle bids us Take the whole Armour of God vers 13. that is take it out of God's Hand this Armour is not of our making and procuring but made to our Hands by God himself Secondly He actuates these Graces by putting good Motions into our Hearts or sweet and gracious Thoughts whereby all the fore-mentioned Graces are drawn out When we are conflicting with Sin in an Hour of Temptation Faith is set a-work That God may fulfil all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the work of Faith with power 2 Thess. 1. 11. that is by a Divine Power and Influence quickning it into Acts. Ioseph when he was aâ—saulted by a grievous Temptation he had a gracious Motion and thought put into his Mind How can I do this Wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Still there is a seasonable remembrance of things by the Spirit whose office it is to bring all things to remembrance Ioh. 14. 26. The Spirit doth not only teach us all things but brings thingâ— to our remembrance when we have need of any Truth to be set home upon the