That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Psal 19.8 The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. PSAL. 119.48 My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandements which I have loved and I will meditate in thy Statutes THE handling of this Scripture may seeme Abortive it doth not come before the time but after It is Abortive in St. Pauls signification because the handling and Exposition of it comes now out of season and after the time It is the Elder Sister to the Text I spake of in the forenoone and hath a place in the Psalme many degrees before it there are above sixty Verses passeth between them yet I have reserved it to the second place for better your Edification that compared with the other I may let you see how a Christian is never to set up his rest here in this World whatsoever pitch of piety he hath attained to but is still to goe forward to strengthen himselfe with new resolution after he hath attained some Here is a good example propounded to us for the manifestation of it the Prophet David he doth in this Psalme intermingle professions with resolutions and resolutions againe with professions sometimes least he should seeme to decay in practise he quickens himselfe by new resolutions Sometimes againe least he should seeme to resolve to no purpose he makes testification of his practise so these two follow one another through the Psalme A module of a Testification I gave in the forenoone in those words Thy Statutes have I chosen as an Heritage for ever and here now he armes himselfe with other resolutions that he may advance in practise My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandements which I have loved and I will meditate in thy Statutes So in briefe the words are nothing else but thus much here is another Protestation by way of remonstrance or Declaration of the Vowes and determinations that holy David imposed upon himselfe for the keeping and meditating in Gods Statutes and according to these two parts I will consider in them There is one part a testification of what he had done they are thy Commandements that I have loved The other it is a profession of what he would doe and that is inlarged by two concident but distinguishable resolutions The one in the first part of the Verse I will lift up my hands to thy Commandements The other in the last I will meditate in thy Statutes In this manner I meane to speake of the words and begin with the middle words of the Verse and that is a declaration of Davids practise for the time past the testification of that he had done I have loved thy Commandements I rather take this in the first place because I wouâ—d begin where I ended the last day you may remember then I spake to you of the love of God the promises that are made to those that are enflamed with that Heavenly affection The Crowne of life which he hath promised to them that love him Now after the love of God what argument is fittest to be spoken of than the love of his commandements if a man would walk through the severall descents of love all men will acknowledge that the first and cheife object of love is God but yet they hardly agree upon the second what is to have the next flight and degree of the affection of our love after God This generall principle will serve to regulate it after God that is most to be loved that hath most of God in it where there is the liveliest stamp and Print of God there most of our love must be bestowed after God himselfe Now there is nothing in the World but hath something of God there are Vestigia in creaturis the darkest and most obscure Print in the inferior Creatures there is the Print of Gods wisdome and power and goodnesse in the superior in man there is a more lively representation there is Imago similitudo the Image and similitude after which he was Created In a Saint God is more lively especially Saints glorified there is a renewing of that Image to the degree of the first perfection so a man would think here he should terminate his love after God on the blessed Saints and Angels All my delight is in the Saints on Earth and those that excell in vertue sayth David but yet it is not so there is somthing will goe before these there is not in all the Creatures so lively an impression of God as in the word of God there is more then Imago similitudo and more then Aliquid dei there is a representation of all the Attributes a lively Print of the Spirit of God the mouth of God the finger of God the wisdome of God the will of God therefore here will be the decision of the Question that after the love of God the greatest of love is to fall upon his Commandements and will upon his Commandements for they lead not onely to the knowledge of God but to the very fruition of God Our blessed Saviour and John the beloved Disciple layes it downe as an axiome This is love to keepe his Commandements the greatest testification of our love to God is the love we shew to his Commandements in observing of them this order David sets downe himselfe he was a man stricken and touched in his heart with the love of God here as if he had laboured for arguments and expressions to manifest it to his owne her at and to others he makes this as the first and most proper effect and proose of his love to God that he loved his Commandements that he might justifie the first he tells God I have loved thy Commandements so here is the thing he testifies of himselfe And he doth not onely make the testification to men for men may be ignorant there is no man that can make inspection into the affections and the heart to see what love is there but he tells it to God it is a holy ejaculation that is sent up to God for the inlargment and testification of his affections I have loved thy Commandements it is a modest expression He doth it not first that he may put God in mind or make him understand and know any thing of which he was ignorant for he searcheth the heart he knew what Davids love was better then himselfe yet he beates much upon it by many repetitions Consider how I love thy testimonies O how I love thy Law I love it above gold yea much fine gold There are many variations of this one expression and all presented to God not to put him in mind onely appealing to God he speaks these words as Peter to our Blessed Saviour when Christ asked him the Question Simon lovest thou me saith he Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest
of the commandements as worship praise obedience adoration they are all performed in heaven by the Saints and Angels it is in heaven the commandements put them together since the commandement was in heaven David looks after it there he knew there was but an imperfect custody of it in earth It is that that we pray for daily thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven When we look to the commandements let us look to heaven there they are perfect Holy David when he stretched out his hands to the commandements he reached not forward but upward and since they were in heaven he directs his affection and the strength of his resolution thither there is the reason of the first word the verbe is set with an Emphasis elevabo I will lift up But there is another emphasis upon the other my hands take it figuratively my hands that is my heart the hand is put for the affections because they are the instruments whereby the heart and affections work love is seen in the hand as well as in other parts he might very well put them for the whole man My hands will I lift up that is my selfe my heart Or take it properly he therefore mentions his hands as the excitements or signe or testimony of lifting up his heart because the heart that works in the outward man Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh the eye seeth and the hand worketh to shew that his heart was lift up to Gods commandements he saiâ—h he will lift up his hands so here is now the summe it is nothing but thus much the expression of the welcome the great welcome and dutifull entertainment that he gives to the commandements of God he presents God to his heart here as publishing the commandements offering them as a gift and hee reacheth out his hand to accept and take them as Galen saith well the hand is not only the instrument of invention but of assumption we take all by the hand he would take it of God a great gift that hee would bestow his commandements God offers and David accepts the dutifull welcome that he gives to the commandements of God may be parallel'd Heb. 12. Lift up the feeble knees and the hands that hang down so make streight steps to your paths Take all those parts in a spirituall sense the soule hath hands and feete as well as the body the feet of the soule are the affections the hands of the soule is reason the same that is the eye is the hand Holy David pursues it in the same impression he rouzeth up himselfe and strengthneth himselfe to keep Gods commandements he quickens every part after in other parts of the Psalm he hath taken order for other parts Hee takes order for his eyes Open mine eyes and I shall see wonders in thy law He takes order for his feet I remembred my wayes and turned my feet to thy testimonies That hee might shew that there was a dedication of his whole selfe to God he passeth by the strength of no part he served him with all his soule with all his heart and with all his strength he gives God the strength of every part he sets down his hands not my eyes or my heart only it is not only the ordering of his feet affections but the strength of the whole man I will lift up my hands to thy commandements which I have loved here is the sum and pattern that David sets forth it is a good pattern for us to imitate and in what should we imitate him Immitate David in resolution the reason we come so short in piety is because we are not armed with resolution we goe weakly and carelesly about the work of God we doe the work of salvation that concerns our souls negligently nothing will keep the soule in a better temper and keep a man more out of the way of sinne then oft to fortifie and strengthen the heart with resolution and what resolutions shall wee take the same that David takes what is that I will lift up my hands how doth he lift up his hands to Gods commandements To lift up our hands to Gods commandements is to apply our selves to the keeping and exercise of them the hands are the instruments of action and exercise not but that it must be done by the heart and every part but therefore he refers it to the hand because action is the life of Christianity that to keep the commandements of God there must be action and the hands are the instruments of action Origen well we lift up our hands when we lift up the works of our hands to the commandements of God and when doe wee lift up the workes of our hands saith he when we walk worthy of God and live according to his prescripts and rules this is to lift up our hands to Gods commandements I but our hands are feeble our hands are weak as Moses were Exod. 17. We read that Moses hands were heavy he could not hold them up so it is with many of us when we would walke in the ways of Gods commandements our feet are dull and feeble when we would work the works of God our hands are feeble heavy hands in worse case then Moses his hands were heavy through corporall infirmitie ours through spirituall the palsie hand through the decay of faith the withered hand by the declining of love and the hands manacled and pinioned and clog'd with the lusts of the flesh and the enticements of sin how then shall we doe to lift up our hands we must say as David in another place pray to God to strengthen us I will run the wayes of thy commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty I will labour to keepe thy commandements to lift up my hands when thou shalt release me and enlarge me I will wash my hands in innocency because our hands are clog'd with sinne we must wash them in innocency bring clean and pure hands they are the only hands we can lift up we must not come with hands defiled with sinne Here is the resolution of David when he speaks of his hands they are to be understood by way of Idea that is pure hands clean hands holy hands charitable hands these were the hands that he would hold up to God I have done with the first part of his resolution I will lift up my hands to thy commandements the other that is behind in the last words I will meditate in thy statutes This is his second resolution the second branch and it is partly the same in effect with the former but it is varied and otherwise expressed Here is another name given to the word of God then in the former part there it was the Commandements here it is the Statutes Statute is more then precept the second name hee gives not for variety but as a word that is more emphatical it serves better for the expression of his purpose The commandements of
those Mysteries of our redemption of Salvation revealed by Christ that we preach to you though we cannot looke into them as the Angells looke yet they are the same for substance that the Apostles Preached to you That is the last ground you have seene what the Angells are what the things are and the inspection and the desire Thus much for this Text and this time An exact Alphabeticall Table directing to the principall Truths handled in the fore-going Work A Abounding ABounding a metaphor whence taken page 339 Abrogate Christ kept the Passover to abrogate it page 461 Account Good Angells not called to Account page 518 Act Habits must be brought to Act page 359 Adam see Covenant Admiration Angells behold the Mysteries of the â—ospell with admiration page 526 To look on Gods goodnesse with admiration page 528 Advances see Piety Affections Affections in Prayer how kindled page 54 Afflictions Why good men suffer afflictions when others escape page 472 see endure Alike In spirituall things all are alike to God page 465 All All sins to be prayed against and why page 72 All duties to have thankfullnesse page 172 see Commands Detestation Goodnesse Love Alliance Aliance of Gods mercy page 113 Anchor Hope the anchor of the soule page 423 Angells Evill angells studie not the Mysteries of the Gospell page 491 Evill angells how called in Scripture ibid. The name of angel what page 492 Angells have benefit by the mysteries of Salvation page 496 Angells what things they desire to looke into page 501 See Incarnation knowledge Apparrell Against vaine apparrell page 413 Appearing Appearing before God double page 373 Arguments Arguments peculiar to each Apostle page 196 Art see nature Assent Assent of a pious heart page 475 Assurance Assurance to be prayed for page 134 see Heaven Atheist see Epicure Attributes Mercy hath the prerogative above all other Attributes page 113 B Body Parts of the body interpreters of the duties of piety page 52 Eyes of the body how placed page 385 God to be worshipped with the body page 387 Beg see mercy Behold Behold what it signifies page 383 Benefits Benefits by Christ how expressed page 159 Beleive The word of God to be beleived page 287 The lifting up the eyes a testimony of beleiving page 388 Blessednesse Blessednesse the highest good page 222 Blessednes how propounded page 225 Blessednesse every mans comfort page 226 Blessednesse where placed by worldly men page 227 Blessednesse where placed by the Apostles page 228 Blessednesse where placed by Christ page 229 Blessednesse the way to it ibid. Blessednesse not to be severed from tribulation page 230 Blessednesse why set out by variety of names page 236 Blessednesse essentiall of Saints and Angells the same page 503 see Temptation enduring comprehensive suffering Bonds Bonds of turning to God page 22 Barâ—hen Sin 〈…〉 page 105 Sin 〈…〉 a burthen page â—â—6 C Calâ—e Praise set out by a calf why page 160 Carnall Carnall love hinders love to God Carnall mens joy what Certainty Certainty of Salvation abused page 69 The Crowne of life certaine how page 242 Chamber Christ had not a Chamber of his owne page 449 The House of God the Guest-Chamber page 453 What Chamber Christ will be received in page 479 see Heart Conscience Church Charity The disposition of charity page 476 Chastisements Afflictions of Gods Children chastisements page 103 Not to be out of love with Gods chastisements page 252 Cheap God requires cheap Sacrifice and why page 162 Chearfully Tentations to be endured chearfully page 210 Christ Pardon to be begged in the name of Christ page 118 Why the Disciples were forbid to say he was the Christ page 443 Ministration of Angells used about Christ page 496 see Satisfaction Christians Admonition to Christians page 171 see morall Church The church Christs Chamber page 479 Circumstances Not to spend much time about circumstances page 440 Commands The word of God called his commands why page 286 Saints love Gods word when it commands page 312 All Gods commands to be loved page 33 Love enables to keep the commands page 314 Commands of God what page 414 see Prayer Duty Promise Obedience Sublime Ever Common Misteries of â—â—lvation common to men and Angells page 511 Comprehensive Blessednesse the most comprehensive good page 222 The Crowne of life comprehensive page 232 Condition True obedience makes no condition page 174 Confession Confession of sin necessary to repentance page 36 No pardon without confession page 37 Confession an easie way to pardon page 38 Backwardnesse to confession of sin page 40 Exhortation to confession page 41 Examples of pardon to confession ibid. Confession necessary in doing good or evill page 44 Confession of all sins page 72 see words humble mournefull Congruity Bond of congruity to turne to God page 23 Conquerours The Crowne of life the reward of conquerours page 256 Contentation Contentation of Angells page 531 Continuall Spirituall Sacrifices continuall page 168 Constancy Temptations to be endured with constancy page 211 Constancy what ibid. Conscience Conscience Christs Chamber page 480 Covenant Different conditions of the two covenants page 39 Courage Temptations to be endured with courage page 209 Creation Pardon above works of creation page 112 Crowne The crowne of life the reward of suffering page 226 What crownes Christians have in this World page 227 see victory gold conquerours love Curiosity Curiosity not in good Angells page 519 D Damnable Going on in sin damnable page 24 Daily Thanksgiving a daily Sacrifice page 172 David David his divine temper page 284 Dead Legat Sacrifice dead page 170 Debt Thanksgiving a debt page 138 Declare Ministers onely declare pardon page 109 Declining Where there is not growth there is declining page 343 Degrees Degrees of grace to be sought after page 361 Degrees of grace numberless page 362 Encouragement to attain the highest degrees ibid. Delightfull Mysteries of Salvation delightfull speculations page 508 Depositum The Scripture a depositum page 294 Desire True ground of the desire of Angells page 526 Heavenly things should be the matter of our desire page 538 Detestation Detestation of all sin necessary page 73 Devil see ignorance Devout Lifting up the eyes a signe of a devout heart page 389 Divinity Argument of Christs divinity page 467 Donation The Crowne of life of free donation page 239 Duration Duration of Gods mercy page 115 E Easie The most easie way to remove judgements page 14 15 see confesse Eminent see place Enablement A Saint depends on God for enablement page 179 Ends God works good ends out of the least things page 473 Endure What vertues required to endure affliction page 204 What enduring hath the promise of blessednesse page 209 Enemies Christ obeyed the Law to stop the months of his enemies page 462 Envie No envie in good Angells page 520 Epicures Atheist and Epicures objections answered page 471 esteem see word Evening Evening what meant by it page 257 Ever The Scriptures an Heritage for ever page 294 Gods Commands
Philo calls him but of Grace too in pledging for them that which was more worth then his life his very salvation It was a rare example of Castor and Pollux so highly magnified by Authours That being twinnes and as the Poets feigned one born mortall the other immortall Pollux to shew his love to his brother yielded so farre as to take to himself a part of his brothers mortalitie and to lend him as much of his own immortalitie being better pleased to enjoy a half immortalitie with the good of his brother then a whole one alone by himself It is known by all to be a fiction yet if it were true it is farre short of this proffer of Moses He knew full well what belonged to immortalitie and to the â—avour of God yet in effect he beseecheth God either to take them into his favour or to put him out of it as content to hazard not half his immortalitie but all out of his love to the Israelites notwithstanding they were a people ungratefull both towards him and towards God After this of Moses I know no example so tranâ—cending as that of the Prophet David who besides that he urgeth it almost in every Psalme The peace of Jerusalem The salvation of Israel The felicity of Gods chosen The blessing of the people in one place he argues for it even to his own destruction You have it 1. Chron. 21.16 17. It is there recorded that seeing the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem to destroy it he thus reasons with God for the safeguard of the publick Me me adsum qui feci IT IS I EVEN I IT IS THAT HAVE SINNED In me convertito ferrum LET THY HAND BE AGAINST ME AND AGAINST MY FATHERS HOUSE NOT ON THY PEOPLE FOR THESE SHEEP VVHAT HAVE THEY DONE He that considers these words will hardly be able to tell what most to wonder at the condescending of his love or the overflowing He declared here saith S. Chrysostome a depth of love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an affection more spacious for love then the sea for water and for tendernesse softer not onely then water but then oyl To lay down as it were his own royall neck under the sword of the Angell when he saw it hanging over him by a lesse thrid then that of Damocles To open his own religious breast to receive the blow that he might ward it from the people To value the peoples safety so farre aboue his own as to interpose himself betwixt the sword and the slaughter O how farre doth he here renounce himself and recede not onely from royalty but from life it self It is much which is mentioned in the text that he should name the people first to the happinesse more that he should offer himself first to the punishment very much that he should put the people betwixt himself and the blessing farre more that he should place himself betwixt the people and the curse He made himself in this SPECULUM PRINCIPUM the mirrour of Princes a mirrour into which as we may well presume our Gracious Sovereigne King CHARLES hath made frequent and usefull inspections for it is manifest by many passages of his reign and happy government that the tendernesse of his love towards his people if it doth not fully reach yet it comes close up to the recessions of David It is the more remarkable for that he hath this virtue as it were in proper and by himself he is almost the sole possessour of it The most of ordinary men as living more by will then reason are all for holding so stiffe and inflexible so tenacious and unyielding even in matters of small moment that they will not stirre a hair-breadth Entreat them persuade them convince them still they keep to this principle and 't is none of the best Oâ—tein all Yield nothing It is a nobler spirit that resides in the breast of our Sovereign as appears by his manifold yieldings and recessions Of such recessions we have many instances in the course of his Majesties government I might go as farre back as his first coming to the Crown when he receded from his own profit in taking upon him the payment of his Fathers debts which were great and but small supplies to be expected from an empty Exchequer yet the love of justice and his peoples emolument overswayed him and armed him with Epaminondas his resolution Totius orbis divitias despicere prae patriae charitate Having but glanced at that I might draw a little nearer to the third of his reign when in that Parliament of Tertio he was pleased to signe the so much desired Petition of Right a Title which I confesse takes me much both because it speaks the dutifulnesse of the subject in petitioning although for right and the great goodnesse of a Gracious Prince who knows how to recede from power and in some case even from prerogative when besought by prayers and rejoyceth not to sell his favours but to give them For I have heard some wise men say That that single grant was equivalent to twenty subsidies But the time will not give me leave to dwell as I should upon particulars therefore I will call you nearer to the transient remembrance and but the transient for it is no pleasure to revive it of the commotions in the North. The eyes of the whole world were upon that action and they all are witnesses what pains and travell were taken what clemencie and indulgence was used what yieldings and condescentions both in point of honour and power to purchase as it were by a price paid out of himself the peace and tranquillity of both kingdomes Whereby he made all men understand how much more pleasing it was to his Princely disposition with Cyrus in Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to conquer not by might but by clemency By clemency I say the word which I named before and I cannot name it too often It is the virtue God most delights in to exercise himself and 't is the copie also which he sets us to write after It is the virtue which draws both eyes and hearts unto it in that it maketh Royalty it self which is so farre above to become beneficiall and sovereign It corrects the brightnesse of Majestie calmes the strictnesse of Justice lightens the weight of Power attemperates whatsoever might cause terrour to our mind and liking If we never had known it before yet the onely time of this Parliament would teach us sufficiently how much we ow to the King's clemencie The laws and statutes which have been made this last year are lasting and speaking monuments of thefe royall recessions as well to posteritie as to our selves Surely if the true picture and resemblance of a Prince be in his laws it cannot be denied that in the acts for trienniall Parliaments for the continuation of the Parliament now being for the regulating of impositions pressing of souldiers courts of Judicature and others not a few
of the like nature are the lineaments and expressions to the life of the perfect pourtraiture of a Benigne and Gracious Prince who seems resolved of a new way and hitherto unheard of by wholesome laws to enlarge his subjects and to confine himself Yet it may be said It is not his onely hand which is in these laws the proposall of them is from others although the ratification be in him Be it so But the ratification is ten-fold to the proposall nay it is the life and essence of a law So we ow the laws themselves to his goodnesse Nay and if it be granted that the proposall of such laws comes from others let us then look to the many gracious messages which occasionally have been sent at severall times to that great Assemblie In these he speaks onely by himself and in so gracious a manner that to read some passages would ravish a loyall heart as well as endear it In some of them we may see how he puts the happinesse of his people into the same proximitie with his own in others how he neglects his own for our accommodation In that of January the 20 you have these golden words That he will rather lay by any particular respect of his Own dignity then lose time for the Publick good That out of his Fatherly care of his people he will be ready both to equall and to exceed the greatest examples of the most Indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to their people Again in that of the 28 of January there is yet more tendernesse He calls God to witnesse and with him the attestation of that sacred name is very religious that the preservation of the publick peace the law and the libertie of the subject is and shall alwayes be as much his care and industrie as the safety of his own life or the lives of his dearest children Lastly in the other of the 15 of March there is more then yieldings and concessions a gracious prevention of our desires for he is pleased to excite and call upon that Great Councell even the second time to prepare with all speed such Acts as shall be for the establishment of their priviledges the free and quiet enjoying their estates and fortunes the liberties of their persons the securitie of the true Religion now professed in the Church of England What now shall we say to these things Is not that of Solomon made good unto us Prov. 16.10 A Divine sentence is in the lips of the King Have we not good cause to take up Ezra's benediction Ezr. 7.27 Blessed be the Lord which hath put such things as these into the Kings heart Such things as these we were not so ambitious as to hope for I trust we shall not be so unworthy as to forget For my self I could wish that according to the dutie of this day I could set them forth as they deserve But they need no varnish of Oratorie neither was it my intendment to use them further then for the proof of the proposition in hand to shew you how this highest excellency of Princes in the care of their peoples happinesse is radiant in our Gracious Sovereign Yet you may remember also that I told you The point needs not so much proofs as retributions It cals aloud upon us for all dutifull returns of honour love obedience loyalty and thankfull acknowledgements into that Royall bosome the first mover and originall under God of our happinesse In the sphere of Nature there is none of us ignorant how willing the members are to make return to the head for the government and influence they receive from thence they will undergo hardship expose themselves to danger recede from things convenient nay necessary they will not grudge at any plentie or honour which is bestowed upon the head knowing by instinct that from the head the benefit of all redounds to them It is likewise obvious in the Regiment of families which are as States epitomized that both honour and dutie belong to the Paterfamiliâs not onely for the right he hath in the house but for the provision and support and comfort which all receive from him Now Kings by way of excellencie are Fathers who look upon all their subjects as so many children and with that noble Emperour account equally as daughters Rempublicam Juliam The very Heathen which saw onely the outside or Civill part reputed them as Fathers but the Prophet Isaiah when he speaks of the Church goes further and calls them Nursing Fathers Isa◠49.23 a word which in propriety of speech might seem incongruous because they have no more of the nurse then the bosome nothing at all of the breasts if what is wanting in the sex were not supplied by their tendernesse Benignitie and clemency and sweetnesse of disposition and facilitie of accesse and compassion toward the distressed these are their breasts more breasts then two the same both their breasts and their bowels which day by day they open to thousands severally and to all at once for the suckling and fostering of the publick Therefore it behoves us to think of returns By this word Christ read us the lesson Matth. 22.21 Render or Return unto Cesar the things which are Cesars or the things which are from Cesar The protection of lives and fortunes and worldly comforts let him have these back again in the honour love fear obedience supplies which belong to the Sovereigne Head and Parent of a beloved people that his throne may be established by your loyalty his reign still prosperous by your prayers blessings his life lenghthened by years taken forth of your own that so he may long rejoyce to say with David Happy are the people So I have done with the second step of the Gradation the speciall part of the argument here handled It is De felicitate Populi The third is yet more speciall It is not onely De felicitate Populi but De felicitate Populari that is De Hac felicitate Populi or De hoc Genere felicitatis Beatus cui SIC Happy they who are in SUCH A CASE or CONDITION What that condition is you may see in the former words in which there are severall blessings mentioned and all of them temporall Plenty is one in those words That our garners may be filled with all manner of store our oxen strong to labour our sheep bring forth thousands Peace is another in these words That there be no leading into captivitie no complaining in our streets Multitude of people especially such as are vertuous a third in those That our sonnes may grow up as the young plants our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple The safetie and prosperitie of David their King a fourth or rather a first for it is first mentioned He giveth salvation or victorie to Kings and delivereth David his servant from the peril of the sword Of all these civill threeds the Psalmist twists this wreath of Happinesse Happy
companie blessed the wombe that bare him Lek 11.28 he presently replies Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it In like manner the Prophet David having first premised the inferiour part and outside of an happy condition fearing lest any should of purpose mistake his meaning and hearing the first proposition should either there set up their rest and not at all take in the second or if take it in yet do it preposterously and give it the precedence before the second according to the worlds order virtus post nummos In this respect he puts in the clause of revocation whereby he shews that these outward things though named first yet they are not to be reputed first The particle Yea removes them to the second place it tacitly transposeth the order and the path of piety which was locally after it placeth virtually before 'T is as if he had said Did I call them happy who are in such a case Nay miserable are they if they be onely in such a case The temporall part cannot make them so without the spirituall Admit the windows of the visible heaven were opened and all outward blessings powred down upon us admit we did perfectly enjoy whatsoever the vastnesse of the earth contains in it tell me What will it profit to gain all and to lose God If the earth be bestowed upon us and not heaven or the materiall heaven be opened and not the beatificall or the whole world made ours and God not ours we do not arrive at happinesse All that is in the first proposition is nothing unlesse this be added Yea happy are the people which have the LORD for their God You see in this part there is aliquid quod eminet something which is transcendent Therefore I will enquire into two particulars see both what it is that transcends and what is the manner of propounding of it The manner of propounding it is as I said corrective or by way of revocation the summe whereof is thus much That temporalls without spiritualls in what aboundance soever we possesse them cannot make us truly happy They cannot make happy because they cannot make good They may denominate a man to be rich or great or honourable but not to be virtuous Nay Seneca carrieth it a little further Non modò non faciunt bonum fed nec divitem They are so farre from making a man good that they make him not truly rich because they encrease desire and riches consist in contentation Not he that hath little but he that desires more is poor nor he that hath much but he that wants nothing is rich Yea and we may go further then Seneca They are so farre from making good that they often make evill if they be not sanctified they possesse the heart with vile affections fill it full of carnall and sinfull desires Wheras there are foure good mothers which bring forth ill daughters prosperitie is one Truth begets hatred securitie danger familiaritie contempt prosperitie pride and forgetfulnesse of God In this I might well make a stop but there is one degree more They are so farre from making good that they do not bring good but many evils and inconveniences They bring not the good of contentment but infinite distractions they are aureae compedes as S. Bernard speaks fetters or manicles which entangle the soul that it cannot attend upon better things Nor the good of freedome they do enthrall the soul to that which is worse then it self and it cannot be apprehended how a thing worse then our selves can make us happy Lastly not the good of safetie for they oftentimes expose us to dangers Multos sua felicitas stravit as Gregorie speaks Many men their lives had been longer if their riches had been lesse their happinesse made them miserable consolationes factae sunt desolationes as S. Bernard again Upon these grounds the Psalmist had very good reason to sequester them from true happinesse and by this corrective particle to reduce them to the second place though he set them in the first He knew very well that they are burdens shares impediments to piety as often as furtherances He knew them to be vain and transitory things Prov. 23.5 that we cannot hold They make themselves wings as Solomon speaks They are onely the moveables of happinesse Bractealis felicitas as Seneca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen What 's that S. Austin seems to translate it felicitas fallax a fabulous and personate felicitie Nay not onely fallax but falsa fictitious spurious deceitfull which leaves the soul empty when it most fills it that being most true which the same Father adds felicitas fallax major infelicitas falsa felicitas vera miseria Therefore that I may shut up this point let this be the use of it We must learn from hence to regulate our judgements according to the wisdome of the Spirit revealed in the word And that we may do if we keep to Gods method and set every thing in the due place where God hath seated it Now the Scripture constantly doth give the inferiour place to these temporall things If to come after be inferiour it sets them there Seek first the kingdome of God c. Matth. 6.33 If to be below be inferiour it placeth them there Set your affection on things above c. Coloss 3.2 Even gold and silver the best of these things they are seated under the feet of men and the whole world under the feet of a Christian Rev. 12.1 to teach us to despise it Lastly if to be on the left hand be inferiour the Scripture reckons them there too they are called the blessings of the left hand to teach us to give them the same place in our affections In one sense we may put them on the right by using them to God's glorie but in love and esteem they must be on the left S. Hierome illustrates it by this similitude As flax when it is on the distaffe it is on the left hand but when it is spunne into yarn and put on the spindle it is on the right so temporall things in themselves when first we receive them they are as flax on the distaffe all this while on the left hand but spinne them forth and use them to God's glorie they are as yarn on the spindle transposed to the right Thus we must learn to order them to the right hand onely for use to the left for valuation Otherwise if we pervert God's order and put them on the right it is to be feared they will set us on the left at the day of judgement if we elevate them above they will keep us below and make us come after if we set them before The highest place they can have is to be seconds to pietie here holy David placeth them though he mentions pietie last yet he giveth it the precedence in this word of revocation Yea happie that is Yea first yea more
if we consider it as a Petition for the enlargement of the evidence and manifestation of grace so it is good For grace cannot be manifested till it be given there can be no demonstration of the pardon of sin till pardon be wrought and the greatest demonstration of the pardon of sin is this when Gods spirit is powerfull to subdue and crucifie sin Then it is this demonstration they beg in the second place pardon our iniquities and give us evidence that our sins are pardoned that thy spirit affist us continually to crucifie and subdue our sins bestow upon us grace and favour and make us know that we have it For as our happinesse consists in the pardon of our sins so the comfort consists in the enjoying of it It is true that grace and pardon of sin may be had where it is not at all times seene and felt and perceived but yet it cannot be enjoyed unlesse it be seene and felt we may have the thing but want the comfort sometimes He that wants the comfort for the time he wants the thing to himselfe and his apprehension Therefore when God hath pardoned and hath shewed grace the faithfull soul staies not there it is a Heaven upon Earth to have the comfort and assurance and evidence of grace that is the point that After the pardon of sin is had the faithfull soul staies not there but begs for assurance and after that for more assurances and still for more assurance Because there may be enlargement of assurance still as long as we are in these dayes of misery However it please our adversaries of Rome to make a mock of the certeinty of Salvation the assurance of grace they pin many scornes upon it in their writings though they be the Learned of them let them injoy their consolation it is to be feared that they will want the comfort that thus deride it The Saints in Scripture did not so they directed their prayers oft times not onely for the thing but for the comfort and assurance of it and as they rejoyced in the thing so much more in the assurance for the present Looke over those in the Old Testament and in the New Heare the tryumph of Job wherein he wonderously delights and refresheth himselfe I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see him with these eyes There is no word of greater assurance then this I know Let their Thomas Aquinas speake his mind of that word upon those words I know whom I have beleived 2 Tim. 1. sayth he in this word I know there is a certainty and assurance of hope that hope that makes us not confounded there is a certainty in this word I know I know that my redeemer liveth Therefore David Psal 51. he prayes not onely God to cleanse and pardon and purifie his sins but then followes Make me to heare the voice of joy and gladnesse Cleanse me and make me understand that thou hast cleansed me make me have the comfort of it Thou hast told me already that my sins are pardoned I have the assurance of it by the Message sent by Nathan but there wants comfort and joy in the evident demonstration of it O make me to heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce that I may have the evidence of thy spirit speaking to my heart Looke to the New Testament it is that perticular in which the Holy Apostle John delights and refresheth himselfe not onely in the thing but in the comfort to demonstrate the certainty 1 John 3. We know there is Pauls and Jobs word againe We know that we are translated from death to life it is God that hath pardoned our sins and wrought this gracious change There is a translation of the Old man to the New we are translated and we know it by the fruit and effect because we love the Brethren And in another place We know his spirit abides in us He not onely comes and goes but dwells he hath taken up his Habitation it continues with us we know it even by the Spirit there is the evidence from the effect because we love the Brethren we know it by that and from the cause we know it because we have the Spirit What is more then we know And what greater assurance then the Spirit Paul makes that the great evidence Rom. 8. We know that he hath given us of his spirit And that Spirit witnesseth what That our sins are pardoned that we are the Children of God that we are in the state of Adoption and Reconciliation The Spirit witnesseth to our Spirits Our spirits have the Testimony and the spirit adds a Testimony to that that by the mouth of two Witnesses every word of God might be established to the soule There is the evidnce of grace and the testimony of our spirit of the spirit of God The Apostle Paul is very freequent in setting words of weight to evince the certeinty I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angells nor Principallities nor powers nor any thing shall be able to seperate us from the love of God I am perswaded it is a word of great assurance I am confident it is as much as we know I am assured that neither life nor death that nothing can seperate this bond of union or cut this bond assunder There is no Sword that can cut betweene the beleiving soule and the spirit of God It is so neare a union that the love of God makes that nothing can come between I am confident I am assured that neither principallities nor powers nor any thing shall be able to seperate us from the love of God he had the evidence and he shewes that it might therefore be had Yet another place and that is that that before I named 2 Tim. 1. I know whom I have beleived It is not onely put in 2 Cor. 5. in the Singular but in the Plur all least men should have thought that Paul had it by illumination from God it was revealed to him from Heaven He knew whom he had beleived and that none could seperate him but shall we expect to have that assurance given us Therefore in the Corinths he takes in them We know he names some besides himselfe that is I and you Corinthians all beleivers or at least those that are eminent Beleivers if not at all times yet at some time if not at every time for the particular yet for the generall We know that when this earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved there is a House made without hands reserved in the Heavens He speakes of the translation from the Houses of Clay these bodies that we carry about us to those Houses that are cloathed on with immortality God hath provided a house and we know it and are assured of it The Apostles and Saints of both Testaments they laid a great deale of their comfort in this assurance therefore they gave Testimony to it And
us nearer to Heaven to indeare us more to God to weane us more from the World to make us better to understand God and our selves fort he pollishment of those graces that God hath given us for the attaining of those graces that yet we want and for the perfecting of all For the pollishing of grace and refining it that is one end Were it so that we were all grace and all spirit there would be no triall then There are two conditions of mettalls in which there needs not any triall of the fire One is if it be all gold another is if it be all drosse If it be all gold it needs no purifying if it be all drosse it will not endure it it is not worthy the fire So it is with Christians were we in the World all gold or all drosse there would be no triall if we were all pure mettall all Gold Tribulation and trialls are superfluous in Heaven where the Saints enjoy happinesse and are all pure Gold there is no triall there there is no suffering all is Gold in Heaven On the other side were we all drosse that there were no spirit at all nothing of grace then there would not be the refining triall for chaffe and stubble and drosse are not purified by the fire but consumed annihillate and brought to nothing But since our estate is so as we are all in this condition of mortality that we are part Gold and part Clay Flesh as well as Spirit and there is a mixture of both thereupon for the purging away of the flesh and for the strengthening of the spirit that must be brought to the Touch-stone by the fierie triall of tribulation that the graces may be tryed and the drosse consumed and burnt up Therefore let this be the conclusion You that so much love the pleasures of the World that are so afraid to heare of any day of tribulation remember that he that hath called us to the Crowne hath called us to the Crosse and the first lesson that he reads to us is to take grace with all disadvantages Never look that God will give us grace but make sure of affliction He gives not grace for nothing would you have him give grace and not get the glory of it How should he get the glory of it but by tryall How should he have the glory of patience but for affliction Or the glory of thankfullnesse or of pure love but when his Servants love him most when his countenance is most clouded towards them Their love and thankfullnesse and obedience and patience when is it seene In tribulation Therefore as our blessed Saviour said concerning the Crosse that Christians when they are called must looke for They shall receive in this life an hundred fold with tribulation Be pleased to mark the place He that forsakes Father or Mother or House or Land shall receive an hundred fold in this life How That cannot be in temporalls it must be in spiritualls because one dram of grace is a hundred fold to the World and temporalls Shall we receive an hundred fold that is spirituall abundance What followes With tribulation with afflictions and tryalls If God give a hundred fold in spiritualls it is with tryalls No man puts Armour upon another but for fight the graces of the spirit are the Armour of Christians Take unto you the Armour of God VVhat The sheild of faith the Helmet of Salvation the Brest-plate of righteousnesse the Sword of the Spirit All grace is Armour if God put spirituall Armour on Christians they must looke for a combate when their Armour is on Grace is Armour we must look for the triall of it for the end of all tribulation is triall and the end of all grace that God gives Be content with grace upon any seeming disadvantage it will bring abundance of advantage after That is the first the thing supposed here When he is tried he must look to be tryed The end why God sends tribulations and temptations is for tryall that is the first The next is the thing here expounded or exprest and plainly set downe that is the time when he is tried then he shall receive The Apostle adds this to prevent a Question having made mention of that that makes all hearts leap after the fruition of it the Crowne of life If any man should ask as the Disciples did of Christ O Lord when shall these things be Blessed Apostle when shall this Crowne of life be For this Question it had beene a sufficient answer In due season you shall reape if you faint not In due season you shall have it the time shall come think it not long but that is too generall Then he drawes it downe more perticularly a little Would you know when I will tell you when tribulation is ended when the triall is fully taken when God hath sufficiently refined you and fitted you for Heaven and made you as he would have you to be when you are tried But tell us more perticularly when shall this be After one tribulation It may be not It is with many of us as Florus sayth of the Gaules at the first brunt they would be stout and play the men more then men at the second they would grow feeble So many Christians it may be will endure one course of tribulation and temptation and endure stouâ—ly but when they meet with another course that shakes them and makes them hang downe the head then they deject themselves Therefore we must not think to have it alway after one tribulation one tribulation is but a degree or preparative to another when God hath fitted us for one we must look for more When then at the second or third or fourth or more No the Apostle sets it indefinitly because he would not goe about to limit God the holy one of Israell you cannot tell whither at two or three or foure but in Gods best time when he thinks fittest when the triall is done when the triall is fully made So this word now it is a word simple here set downe but it stands for a defective word as the Scripture useth such words oft times When he is tried that is thus much when he is throughly tried when he is approvably tried The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he hath endured tribulation so as to get Gods testimony and approbation When with Gods approbation he hath endured tribulation and is thus throughly tried then he shall receive the Crowne That is in briefe thus much then he shall receive the Crowne when he can say with our blessed Saviour I have done the work that thou gavest me to doe Father glorifie me with thine owne selfe then when he can say with St. Paul I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me the Crowne of righteousnesse When a man is once come to this â—pshot he may look for the Crowne not till he have done his
work and gone through the labour till then it stands not with reason that he should receive the Crowne which way soever we take it Whither we consider the sufferings Or the reward If we consider the sufferings admit that sufferings be as they are as Physick to the soul it is not fit the Plaister should be removed till the wound be healed when the wound is healed the Plaister will fall off God takes not away the Physick of tribulation till he hath wrought the cure and done the work perfectly Againe if we take these temptations and tribulations as trialls before he have given sufficient proofe he takes not away the triall there are other graces of God justifiable as wisdome so patience and the rest must be justified It is not fit that the fire of tribulation should be removed till the Gold be purified then he will quench the Furnace and take away the fire When the Triall is wrought he will take away the affliction So it is if we looke to the suffering Then if we consider the reward there is good reason considering the reward Either As the reward of Conquerours Or the wages of Labourers Doth any Captaine give donatives till the warfare be ended When the Conquest is gotten then the rewards are given Doth any Master pay his Servants or Labourers till the work be done When the work is done then Call the Labourers and give every man his wages every man a penny VVill you have the wages before the work be done VVhat is the work The work of Action The work of Suffering Till these be done that we can say with our blessed Saviour I have done the work thou gavest me to doe the work of Action and passion look not for the wages Christ shews it in Mat. 12. VVhen even was come then call the Labourers VVhat is the even Take it eyther way for The even of the World The even of mans Life If you take the even for the even of the World as St. Paul doth Which the Lord shall give me at that day And our blessed Saviour in another place in the Gospell The Harvest is the end of the World then the righteous shall shine as the Sun in the Firmament Then when the end of the World comes It is true that way Or take it for the end of life it is true that way look not for the Crowne of immortallity till this life be ended while we are in this World we are still subject to sin and suffering but he that is capable and fitly quallified for that estate must neither be in a state peaceable nor sufferable not sufferable or subject to passion he that is fit for the Crowne Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God that is in the state of immortallity then flesh and blood must be laid aside VVhen is that When corruption hath put on incorruption when the mortallity and sinfullnesse of flesh and blood is layd aside Flesh and blood shall inherit but it must be purified and sanctified and fitted Flesh and blood cloathed with immortallity and incorruption VVhen is that In part at the end of life and in whole at the end of the World there shall be the whole Crowne the possession of life at the end of the VVorld the halfe Crowne the Coronet is set upon the soul when the work is done when we have finished our course not till then and then we may be sure of it then we shall come to heare that word of approbation after all the triall is taken Well done good and faithfull Servant That word is the Crowne that word is as much worth as Heaven there needs no other Crowne but Gods approbation what Crowne needs there more then the golden approbation of God It is true that word will not be spoken till then to that St. James alludes when he tells us of the time to stop our stomacks They shall receive the Crowne of life then when they are wholly and throughly and approvably tried So much for that part the first appendix that is made to these words concerning the course of Gods dispensing the Crowne of life Then when he is tried he shall receive the Crowne of life SERMON IIII. James 1.12 Which the Lord hath promised to them that love him IN the handling of these words I shall fall upon my last dayes argument The Crowne of life but with new variety with other Meditations I shall present it againe but as our blessed Saviour appeared to the two Disciples in another forme and other considerations then before Before I let you see it as a Crowne of possession now as a Crowne of promise I then set it before you as the Apostle doth in the former words as Corona praeliantium the Crowne of Conquest of those that fight and now I must present it to you as Corona amantium the Crowne of those that love The variety ariseth from the diversity of the words as they are here set downe by the Apostle for here are three gradations of the description of this Crowne of glory Communis Propria Magis propria First it is set downe to us in a generall word which comprehends all the severall branches and excellencies of that glory by the name of blessednesse Blessed is the man Then there is a speciall word of that generall when it is called the Crowne of life Then last of all there is another speciall a more speciall of that speciall when it is referred to the grace of love the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him So this is the part that I am now to speak of which is the close of the verse And there are two things that are observeable in it One on Gods part it is Corona promissa the Crowne promised Another on our part it is Corona amantium the Crown of them that love him These are the two things I am to speake of I begin with the first of these the first branch of this last part of the description that hath respect to him that gives the glory Corona repromissa the Crowne that is promised The Apostle adds these words out of a great deale of wisdome and foresight He lets us see by this word that he adds here both who is the Donor and what is the conveyance of this excellent glory If you aske about the Donor the same is he that performes that promiseth that is God He that gives us our first being it is he onely that gives us our well being The being of nature is from him and so is the being of glory Nam ille solus c. as St. Austin sayth very well he onely can make man happy that made man at the first It is that that we all shall know one day if we be so happy as to inherit it when God translates us thither that it is Christs glorious hand that sets on this Crowne I but God will have us know it now before we come to it therefore least
onely true of the state of glory but of grace every grace is an eye devotion and prayer that is as an eye by which the devout soul looks up to God And faith that is an eye by which a beleiving soul spies God patience that is as an eye to look after comfort in affliction Every grace is as an eye but hope that is an eye that sees for all the sight of hope is serviceable to all other graces whatsoever they are It is the same to the soul that an Anchor is to the Ship the promise is the same to hope as hope is to the soul the promise is the Anchor of hope as hope is the Anchor of the soul It is better then other Anchors for in other Anchors the ship is above the Anchor that is let downe below it takes hold upon the Earth in the Bottome But here the contrary the ship of the soul that is below but the Anchor is above the Anchor is in Heaven there a man hath his hold hope is that Anchor hope is in Heaven because the promise is in Heaven Hope and the Promise cannot be Severed hope is therefore an Anchor in Heaven because the promise is seated there There being so much comfort to be drawne from the promise so much support to faith and hope and patience so many discoveries of the goodnesse and wisdome and truth of God that all these might appeare together and all be couched under one word hereupon after he had told us of the Crowne of life he adds this word so full of comfort and enjoyment for the present as well as for the future therefore he sayth that God hath promised That is the consideration in respect of God Now I goe on to another consideration on our partâ— there is another clause the Crowne that is promised to them that love God Here is that that is required on our part to get our title and interest in the promise A man would think that the Apostle should rather have varied it in this clause though love be an excellent grace and as much interressed in the promise as any other yet it was not so pertinent one would think to mention the love of God in this after he had spoken of suffering if it had run ordinarily and regularly it should have run thus Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crowne of life which God hath promised to those that suffer for him Having made mention of tribulation before a man would have thought he would have continued in the course of speaking to those that suffer for him As Christ doth Blessed are those that suffer for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Or if the Apostle would have set it larger yet he might have annexed it to other graces that are comprehensive as well as love as the Crown that is promised Timentibus to those that feare him Or Vincentibus to them that overcome and persevere Or Credentibus to those that beleive Or Colentibus to those that serve him all these have interest in the Crowne of life But he could not set it better it is set by the spirit of God but we may see good reason that the Crowne is promised to those that love him It is not Improper It is not Straite It is not Exclusive It is not improper having begun to speak of suffering blessed are they that endure and suffer tribulation tentation he ends with love why so there is good reason nothing enables a man more to suffer for the name of god then love God never thinks we suffer for him if we doe not love him There is no burthen so light but it is heavy if love be wanting and there is no burthen so heavy but it is light where love is As Bernard sayth there is nothing that love cannot make easie and light every yoake Solus amor c. As St. Austin sayth well love is onely that that finds no difficulty it leaps over every impediment and obstacle there is nothing can stand in the way of love to keep it from Christ Nothing is hard to love God cannot give a Command so severe to the eye of flesh and blood he cannot lay so much weight of suffering but love will beare it it makes all things easie The Apostle St. John he tells us in 1 John 1. of keeping the Commandements by Love and then followes This is love to keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievious Why are they not grevious Love accounts every thing easie Therefore because he would shew the way how we are to suffer and to come to the Crown he sayth he hath reserved it For them that love him because love will endure and beare all things love will endure any thing for God There is good reason and it was very proper that the Apostle should place it so Secondly it is not exclusive it doth not exclude other graces that are not mentioned The Crowne is promised in other places to other vertues There is no vertue but hath the promise of the Crowne made to it in some place See the wisdome of the spirit of God he so gives honour to one grace that he passeth not by another As you have it concerning the Saints in the Old Testament there is an honour done to every Saint sometimes to one sometimes to another Sometimes Job is memorable for patience sometimes Abraham for faith David for repentance There is no Saint of God in Scripture but hath some remarkable note of commendation God so honours one that he doth not forget the rest every one in his way and kind So it is with graces they are all amiable and lovely and have commendation from Heaven but not all at the same time Every one interresseth in the Crowne but sometime one hath the promise sometimes another to encourage us to all That we may be encouraged to patience there is the promise to that that we may be stirred up to purity it is promised to that Againe to faith the promise is made to that and so of the rest every grace hath the promise therefore because in other places the promise is made to feare and faith and patience and purity the Apostle here singles out the Mistris grace and settles the promise on her on love they are not excluded though they be not named Lastly it is not a strait narrow expression but very full so full that it comprehends all other expressions Tell me what grace you would have cannot I find it in love Because love is the Bond of perfection in that it is made to love it is made to all there is none wanting where love is Love is the fullfilling of the Law it is all the Commandements in that it is all the Commandements it is all duties all duties are in love in that it is all duties it is all graces if love be named all is named As there is no grace that
we rob him then of all there is nothing that God desires but our love therefore in this regard it is that the Apostle sets here the qualification Those that love him If we take love single then the promise is made to love to love first of all graces love hath the first promise it hath preheminence in the graces and preheminence in the Crowne it hath the first portion Then take it as it is joyned and is in concatination with other graces it hath not onely the chiefe place in the promise but all because it is all it includes all graces gifts being accepted of God as all the Apostle sets it downe to stir us up above all things to take care to have our hearts fill'd replenish'd with the love of God the promise is made to love They shall inherite and receive the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him * ⎠* THE SAINTS HERITAGE DELIVERED IN ONE SERMON BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuell Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Psal 16.6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly Heritage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. PSAL. 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart THIS Psalme it is penned in the same straine that Solomons Book of Proverbs is it is not enlarged by production but by coaugmentation As in that Book so in this Psalme there are many passages even all that are very precious but they have no great dependance one part on another There is in this Psalm as many severall ejaculations as there are Sentences there but yet there is no good documentall dependance between them The passages of this Psalme are rather the ebolitions of a devout â—oul then any continued narration A kind of dependance there is but it is like that that was between the links of those Rings that St. Austin speaks of that were touched with a Load-stone The parts they doe hang one upon another not by rules of Art but by the touch of the Spirit And yet that is set forth with that variety that a man that reads the Psalme will think that the Prophet David was in all the severall kinds and sorts of Divine tempers In some passages you have him transported with the rapture of admiration in another breaking forth into humble devout supplication then againe into penitentiall confession then into holy purposes and resolutions and then againe making of serious and solemn protestations to walk in the Commandements of God and to this head we are to refer this Verse that now I have read to you It is a holy protestation that the Psalmist makes by way of Remonstrance or declaration to testifie the great esteeme that he had of the Commandements of God and the comfort he received by them Therefore I have now made choyse of it to follow the Scripture which I last handled as a supply of that which was not there exprest That Scripture shewed to us how a Christian may draw comfort to himselfe in the time of Tribulation from the consideration of the future Crowne of glory that is referred to the other life And here now we have a Foundation of comfort laid downe to us for the present to be had and onely to be had in the word of God in the testimonies that are divine which were the rejoycing of Davids heart and so of all others in the same condition It is set forth to us in this excellent example the person of him that penned the Psalme whose heart was more deeply stricken with the wound of love towards the Commandements of God then any creature that ever breathed upon the Earth and better versed in them By making inquiry into that that was his practise we shall the better learne what should be our owne For that purpose I will divide the words onely into these two parts There is Davids Profession There is Davids Motive The Profession in these words Thy testimonies have I taken for a heritage for ever The motive in these For they are the rejoycing of my heart The profession is one of those many that he makes in this Psalme but more compleat and full then any if not then all of the rest He sayth in other places of the Psalme of Gods Commandements that he had them in esteeme above gold above fine Gold above all riches he comes more neare home to the point in this testification here and it is more full when he sayth he esteemed them as his Heritage as his lot and portion he makes them both as Lands as goods as all above all temporall things whatsoever That we may see it now more fully let us First consider what it is that the Psalmist here speaks of Then what it is that he testifies of it The thing here spoken of is the word of God couched under that name The testimonies of the Lord. Thy testimonies It is a relative name given to the word of God as indeed most of the names whereby it is called in Scripture if not all are relative Some in reference to God Some in reference to Man Some in reference to Both In regard of God himselfe the word is called Voluntas domini the will of the Lord because it containes in it the declaration of his will and pleasure to be wrought by us It is called Verbum domini the word of the Lord because it was published by himselfe Viva voce at the first when he gave the Commandements and voce spiritus by the secret voyce of the Spirit after when he inspired the Prophets and Apostles to pen it Then it is called Statuta Domini the Statutes of the Lord because he hath stablished and ratified it to be the rule of truth and life and Salvation for ever Then in regard of man it is called Lex Domini the Law of the Lord Quia ligat it binds him to performe and to obey and Timor Domini the feare of the Lord because it begets in every one that is acquainted with it a holy ravishing and feare both of the nature and power and judgements of God Then in regard of both it is sometimes called Mandata domini the Commands of the Lord to be performed by us and Judicia domini because it containes the judgements of the Lord to be executed upon us if we breake it And Testimonia Domini the Testimonies of the Lord. The Testification as one sayth between God and his people both that they receive this Law and engage themselves to obedience and conformity to it So now this linck of words and names hath brought us to the name here used A name more frequent then many of the rest and more often used when the Speech is not onely of the word of God it selfe but of any thing that hath reference to it First
cloaths the habite of the mind we cast off that For that livery what consists it in In righteousnesse and holinesse Doe we desire to adorne our minds with these Are we attired in our Masters livery To weare his collours We cannot judge of the habite of the mind Look on the habite of the body are you in your Masters livery now a dayes Doth God prescribe such vanities and follies that Creatures should delight to make themselves Puppits that they must be flouted at doth God prescribe such apparell Rich apparell is as due to them that are great as meane apparell to them that are inferiour So that there be due order and caution kept that they estrangenot the mind from God that they take not up too much time that it be in the compasse of sobriety But this makes Christianity disdained we steale all from God Is this Gods livery Did he appoint you to goe with naked Breasts and naked Armes Did not he appoint apparell to cover the shame of sin Did any of the Apostles prescribe it so See what the Apostle sayth you are to be adorned as becomes godlinesse and the profession of Christ modesty and religiously and decently Are you in Gods livery Is Christ your Master If you be then you may make a good account at the last day but if there be a distinction to be made there it will appeare who are his Servants Secondly if God be your Master where is your obedience Obedience is the peoper duty of Servants take away obedience you destroy the nature of Servants If we give obedienco to God where are Gods Commands What are Gods Commands St. Austin goes about to see if he can reckon them Sayth he God might have said if his nature were capable as other Masters say to their Servants wait upon me to bed while I rest wait upon me to the Bath while I wash me wait at my Table when I take sustenance No God needs not these inferiour services but then what doth he command Wait upon me in mine Ordinances and in my Commands in my service in my love and feare that I require at thy hands Here is the rule are these those that we keep If God be our Master where are his Commands Where is our work Doe we think the work of Christianity the work that God hath appointed us Doe we think that that was the end why we were sent into the World to work out our Salvation If we think not of this we are not Servants There is not the worst Servant but he comes into his Masters House to doe service We have entered into our Masters house we have taken Presse-money to be Gods Souldiers and to be his Servants then where is his work Is that left undone Look but what Christ will say at the last day when they shall be called to account Well done good and faithfull Servant Take away the unprofitable Servant Certainly if Christ be the God of truth and the Gospell the word of truth these words shall be said at the last day where is thy work Where is thy account What hast thou done How hast thou behaved thy selfe If we cast off Gods Commandements we cast off our relation if we be not under Command we are not under a Lord. O Beloved recall your selves remember that it is that that the beame of Christianity hangs on it is a high honour to be Gods Servant more then to be the Heire of the World O what a credit is it to retaine to such a Master To belong to God what an honour is it He is such a Master that promiseth better freedome then other Masters and ties himselfe to us and us to him in more Obligations and sets us an easier task but to work out our owne Salvation and payes us better wages Take all the Princes in the World that are so great and glorious and so able to reward their Servants put them altogether they are as the dust of the Ballance both they and their rewards in comparison to the reward that God gives to the worst Servant of his Stir up your selves from the consideration of Servants God gives you out comfort and blessing stir up your selves to give true and faithfull service to Christ Never look on your Servants but think you are Gods Servants When your Servants testifie their obedience to you make Davids use of it bring it to this lesson if we cannot exceed these Servants remember to equall them So So doe our eyes The equality will appeare by comparing so you shall see both the duty of good Servants to their Masters and of Christians to God First good Servants delight in their Masters presence so should we in the presence of God Secondly good Servants put on the same affections with their Masters A good Servant as Euripides sayth rejoyceth if his Master be chearfull and grieves if his Master be sorrowfull he puts on the same affection We must put on the same affection with Christ and God doe I not hate them that hate thee Doest thou love them that God hates We must put on the same affections with God though we must hate none put on Christs affection walke in love be humble and mercifull as he is This is to have the nature of Servants Thirdly Servants are not Sui juris to walke where they list and doe what they list but they must doe the will of their Masters they are not at their owne appointment no more are we we are not our owne we are not Sui juris your Master hath bought you and redeemed you out of captivity Servants will greive to heare the name of their Masters evill spoken of He is an unworthy Servant that can heare the name of his Master touched and doth not as far as is modest to his power vindicate it So we must greive and be zealously affected when we heare that sacred name blasphemed by which we are called A Servant is sorry if his Masters affaires succeed not well he labours to accommodate his Master and to content him in every thing It is a great discontent to a Servant if things thrive not with his Master So we should greive when Gods affairs goe not well on though God will make them succeed yet when things goe not well with the Church and Children of God we should lay it to heart Againe good Servants wait upon their Masters for all things for Meat and Drink and Cloaths and Wages and Provision and Custody and Defence and when they get these things when they have Wages from them they give them thanks though they have wrought hard and they pay them upon Covenant made God gives plenteous wages let us be thankfull to him and wait upon him for all we have as Servants upon their Masters Againe good Servants doe not take upon them to prescribe their Masters either time or manner they will not tell their Masters what they desire to doe and what they will have themselves but they wait on their Masters