must speak with him face to face as a man with his friend His word shall be as it were a Law with God Speak for whom he will they shal be spared though they seemed to be devoted to destruction But speak against him who durst he shall be sure to bear his iniquity Numb 12. 8. Forget self Renounce thine own wisdom thine own worthiness thine own will Bite in thy passions Curb thine appetite Bridle thy tongue This do and thou shalt be greatly accepted and shalt find that Gods favour will infinitely reward thee for all the murmuring oppositions and discontents of thy flesh which will be ready to be impatient to have the reins held so hard VII Maintain a spirit of resolution and constancy in the ways of God Heb. 10. 38. This was the renown of the three Worthies Dan. 3. They feared not the fierceness of Nebuchadnezzars rage nor the fire of the furnace all the world could not make them bow and how gloriously did God own them and miraculously evidence his pleasure in them Stand your ground Resolve to live and die by substantial godliness cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart Let no difficulties make you change your station then shall you be an honour and a pleasure to the God that made you Well then would you know what frame of heart is pleasing to God why this humble sincere zealous active frame this believing meek self-denying resolved frame this is the frame that is well pleasing in the sight of God Secondly As to your performances more briefly that those may please God you must heedfully look to these five things 1. That they be done by the right Rule which is Gods Word You must not follow the imaginations of your own hearts Numb 15. 39. you must not do that which is right in your own eyes In all sacred actions you must have Gods command to warrant you you may not offer to God of that of which you are not able to say Thou requirest these things at our hands Isa. 1. 12. In all civil actions you must have Gods allowance Be sure he will never accept that which his Word condemns under pains of Gods displeasure dare not to set your hands to what the Word forbids 2. That they be done to the right end which is Gods glory How damnably did the Pharisees erre How miserably did Iehu miscarry and both in acts for the matter commanded for want of aiming at this end 3. That they proceed from right Principles 1. Faith without which it is impossible to please God Prayer will not avail except it be the prayer of Faith Heb. 11. 6. We beleeve and therefore we speak 2. Love If we should give our goods to the poor and bodies to the fire and not from Love it would profit us nothing Where the slavish fear of hell only or of the lashes of conscience or the love of mans praise carries men to duties or where any other carnal principle is predominant in the act it cannot please God 3. Fear we cannot serve God acceptably without reverence and godly fear not slavish fear The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in them that hope in his mercy Observe the happy mixture where these two are conjoyned that is a true filial fear and faith Saith David I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercy Behold his faith and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple there is his fear with faith Faith without fear were bold presumption Fear without faith is sinful despair joyn them together and God is well-pleased 4. That they be done in a right manner Preparedly not rashly and inconsiderately in the presence of so dreadful a Majesty prudently for lawful acts may be spoiled and be done unlawfully without consideration had to the offence that may in some cases attend them yea holy Duties as well as common Actions may be turned into sins by being ill-timed and for want of a due attending the present circumstances Holily not rashly uttering any thing with our mouths before God but behaving our selves as in his sight Heartily not feignedly with our lips going when our minds are gadding 5. That they be directed through the right means that is Iesus Christ the only way to the Father Bring all thy Sacrifices to the High Priest offer all upon this Altar else all is lost not that it is enough to say Through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen at the end but in every duty you must come with lively dependance on him for righteousness and strength for assistance and acceptance Remember to do all in the name of the Lord Iesus to come leaning upon his hand without this all your services will be rejected at last CHAP. II. A third Case of Conscience grounded upon the words of our Saviour John 8. 29. For I do alwayes those things that please him Qu. I. Is any man able in this life to come up to the Example of Christ in this To do alwayes those things that please God Ans. In regard there is none that doth good and finneth not and God is not nor can be pleased with sin no not in his own people but most of all hates it in them it cannot be that any man in this life should fully come up to Christs Example in this yet may we come so far on towards it as that not only in our immediate addresses to God but in the general course of our lives we may come to please God Thus Enoch and Noah walked with God i. e. in their general course they walked so as to please God and approve themselves in his sight Thus the meanest of actions if done by us as unto the Lord as the Servants of Christ have a promise of acceptance and reward Col. 3. 22 23 24. Q. II. How may we come in our measure to be followers of Christ in this to do always those things that please God Answ. In order to this there is something necessary with reference 1. To our Persons 2. To our Principles 3. To our Practices with reference to our Persons and here it is necessary 1. That there be an alteration of our natures by renewing grace for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. These wild Vines must needs bring forth sowre grapes Isa. 5. 4. The fruit that they bear how specious and fair soever to the eye is evil fruit Matth. 7. 17. Where there is not a good treasure of grace in the heart a man cannot in his actions bring forth good things Matth. 12. 36. Many enlightned sinners think by reading and praying forsaking some conscience-wasting sins to pacifie God and set all right Mistaken souls let me undeceive you you begin at the wrong end your first and greatest care must be to get your hearts and natures changed and renewed by the power of converting grace you labour in vain at the streams while the fountain of corruption in the heart remains in
Approach him not but in the garments of your elder Brother lest you carry away the curse Ioshua's filthy garments must be put off and Christs Rayment put on or else there is no standing before the bright and burning eyes of infinite holiness Put on the Lord Jesus in believing that is accept of him in all his Offices with all his inconveniencies and deliver up thy self to him and this will intitle thee to his merits and righteousness Without this nothing will avail If thy head were waters and thine eyes a fountain of tears if thou shouldst wear thy tongue to the roots with praying if thou shouldst weep an Ocean and wash thy self in thine own brine all could not get out one spot nothing can be accepted while thou art out of Christ and therefore in the first place apply thy self to him God will accept of no Gift but off his Altar Secondly The white Robe of his grace of Sanctification Rev. 5. 11. Thou that art in the flesh that is unrenewed unsanctified canst not please God Rom. 8. 8. Never think to make up the matter by a little mending and reforming particular Acts Man thy heart must be renewed thy state must be clean altered or God cannot be pleased Matth. 7. 16 17 18. The Tree must be made good the Fountain must be healed or else the Stream will be salt and the Fruit sowr If Christ be once formed in thee that is his image in his grace Likeness is the ground of Love Similitude and suitableness of nature is the loadstone of Affection God cannot but love his own likeness wouldst thou have his Favour wouldst thou be his Delight then conform to his pleasure study to be like him purifie thy self as he is pure The righteous Lord loveth righteousness he desireth truth in the inward parts and takes infinite complacency in the graces of his people These are the Spikenard and the Saffron the Spices the Beds of Lillies the sweet Ointments that Christ is so taken up with These are the Cinamon and the Trees of Frankincense the Calamus and the Camphire the Myrrhe and the Aloes the Chains of the neck and the precious Pearls that he is so ravished withall and doth so superlatively commend Cant. 4. 9. This is the Rayment of Needle-work and Gold of Ophir wherein the Queen is presented to her Royal Husband Psal. 45. 9 13. Therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved Col. 5. 12 13. Put ye on bowels of mercy kindness put off all these anger wrath malice filthy communication and put on the new Man Col. 3. 9 10. Particularly let me commend to you some special graces which God doth manifest himself to be wonderfully pleased withall As ever you would please God get on these I. Be cloathed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. This is a Garment which must be put on or else you cannot be accepted or saved Matth. 18. 3. Here is the dress that you must come to God in He must be served in humility of mind Acts 20. 14. You must humble your selves to walk with him Mich. 6. 8. Humility is a plain but yet a comely garment This grace doth eminently honour God and therefore God doth put a peculiar honour upon and manifest a most special delight in this Of all the men in the world this is the man that God will lock unto even he that is poor and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at his Word Isa. 66. 2. Though he be the high and lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy from whence the trembling soul is ready to conclude that surely such a fearful Majesty cannot but despise him such sin hating purity cannot but abhor him yet he will lay Isa. 47. 15. aside his Majesty and bear with mans impurity and condescend to most familiar and constant communion and cohabitation with his poor dust when contrite at his feet and prostrate in humility If thou wouldst be accepted of God come as Benhadads servants to the King of Israel with a rope about thy neck and ashes on thy head 1 King 20. 32. think meanly of thy self and God will honour thee 1 Sam. 2. 30. Put thy self in the lowest room and God will set thee higher Be little in thine own eyes and thou shalt be high in his A proud heart and a proud look is with God the first-born of abomination As ever thou wouldst have God well-pleased with thee be throughly displeased with thy self If thou dost throughly loath thy self God doth love thee If thou abhorrest thy self God delighteth in thee Be angry with thy self and the Almighty will turn away his anger from thee Condemn thy self and God will acquit thee In no wise extenuate thy sins nor justifie thy self Think the worse of thy self and be willing that others should think meanly of thee and heartily love them that slight thee This is the frame in which God is well-pleased pass sentence on thy self and God will absolve thee Set thy self at his foot-stool and he will lift thee up into the Throne Rev. 2. II. Labour for sincerity This is not a distinct grace from the rest yet for Doctrines sake I speak to it distinctly Vprightness is the great thing that God looks after and covenants for Gen. 17. 1. It renders all our persons and performances acceptable before God Prov. 15. 8. Such as are upright in the way are Gods delight Prov. 11. 20. To these are all the promises of peace Salvation Pardon preservation Blessedness Psal. 87. 10. In a word there is no good thing God will with-hold from them that walk uprightly Prov. 28. 10. This was Noah's praise that he was upright in his generation This was that set off Iob at such a rate that God doth so extol him for and as it were make his boast of him the singular sincerity and integrity of his heart Study to be upright See that the main bent of your hearts be to please God and honour him That Gods interest be uppermost with you That he hath the chief share in you and the eye of the soul be principally to him for in this sincerity doth consist as to your main state Let your great care be of your hearts Here is a Christians great work The Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh to the heart see therefore that thou look to it Let thine eye be chiefly there where Gods eye is He looketh not so much what thou dost as with what a heart Go then and do likewise yet be not satisfied in this that you are upright as to your states but labour to approve your selves in uprightness to God in your particular actions Do common as well as spiritual actions with holy ends Much of our lives are lost for want of this So much as is done for God of his strange grace he accounts himself our debtour But what is done for no higher end then self is lost from our account III. Put
its strength You must not think it is with you as it is with a ruinous house where the mending of here and there a little will make up all again no but the old building must be quite book down and the foundation stone laid anew in a sound repentance from dead works and through conversion unto God Till this be done you must know that God hath no pleasure in you neither will accept an offering at your hand Mal. 1. 10. as he doth from those that are his friends 2. That there be the Acceptation of your persons through faith in Christ Iesus For in him alone it is that God will be well-pleased Matth. 3. last so that without faith interessing us in him it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. For the better understanding both these Particulars know that there are two Attributes of God to which you must bear a conformity or else you cannot please him 1. The holiness of God for he is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity He heareth not sinners The foolish shall not stand in his sight He hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal. 5. 4 5. Iohn 9. 31. God can no more take pleasure in the unsanctified then we in swine or serpents 2. The Iustice of God for he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. Could we have inherent holiness in us in our unpardoned state yet justice could not but be infinitely offended while guilt lyeth unremoved as you may see in Christ. For though he were perfectly holy yet being under the guilt of our sins imputed to him the severity of Gods justice broke out against him Now man being naturally an offence both to the holiness and justice of God there must of necessity pass upon him in order to his pleasing God this two-fold change 1. The real change of Sanctification I call this a real change because by this there is a real change infusing of new qualities and dispositions making him of proud humble of carnal spiritual and heavenly c. 2. The relative change of Iustification I call this a relative change because this is not a change in a mans nature but in his condition making him to stand in a new relation to the Law with reference to which he was before guilty and condemned but now the Law pronounces the same man clear and acquitted and this is not for any righteousness infused into him but for the satisfaction and payment of another laid down for him satisfaction there must be and a righteousness must be tendered or else God cannot be at peace We have nothing to pay Luke 7. 42. Oh sinner away to Christ for it Hide thee in the Clifts of that Rock Run to the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Appear not before God but in the Robes of Christs Righteousness He sends you to Jesus as he did them to Iob Chap. 42. the last Go to my servant Job he shall pray for you him will I accept Get out of your selves fly to Christ labour to be found in him else all your endeavours in wrinsing and washing your selves will be to no effect 2. With reference to our Principles And here it is necessary that some corrupt principles be unlearnt and some holy principles be received and retained Some corrupt Principles must be unlearnt As 1. That it is enough if we serve God on the Lords day and we may serve our selves all the rest of the week Though God hath reserved one day in seven wholly for his immediate service which is therefore in a peculiar sense called the Lords day yet we must know that every day is his and that he hath not allowed us one hour nor inch of time but only for his service Indeed he hath service of more sorts then one but we must know that the business of our ordinary affairs if rightly done is a serving of the Lord Christ Col. 3. 24. God is as truly served by you in the working days labour as the Sabbath days rest if you do it in a right manner and to holy ends There are a generation whose Religion is but a Sundays Religion which they put on and off with their Sundays Cloaths and then they think God is fairly served for the week although God knows that little they do then is but poorly done neither Never think God will accept it at thy hands when thou livest six days to the world and thy self for one that thou spendest for him This shews thee to be under the unmortified power of self-self-love and not to be the Lords for none of his liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. You must remember that you are but to learn upon the Sabbath how to serve God all the week and not think when the Lords day is ended his work is done 2. That if God be served morning and evening it is enough though we serve our selves the rest of the day God must be served every day and all the day Prov. 23. 17. You must be serving him not only in your Fasts but at your Meals not onely on your Knees but in your Callings Some think that if they keep up religious duties they may do what they list at other times that if they be intermperate lascivious unrighteous it is but to make even again with God at night and all will be well Like the whore in the Proverbs that having made her offering was presently ready for new wickedness Prov. 7. 14. as if she had paid off the old score and might now boldly run upon a new These are not the Children of God but of Belial Others think that though they may not serve the Devil at any time yet giving God his dues morning and evening they may serve themselves the rest of the time But in vain do they lay claim to God who live more to themselves then they do to him This will be found horrible sacriledge to put off God but with the tenth God is to be eyed and served in all that you do and this is that I drive at that we may not divide our selves between God and the world between his service and our own ends and so put off him with a partial service but that we may do all in obedience to him and we may be intirely the Lords That he in all things may be glorified by us and we may not lose our Reward 2. Some holy Principles must be received and retained As Pr. 1. That the pleasing of God is our only Business and our highest Blessedness First our only Business what is it that we call or count our Business 1. That is a mans Business which his livelihood and subsistence depends upon The Lawyer counts the Law his Business And the Tradesman counts his Trade his Business because upon this their livelihood and subsistence depends Brethren our whole depends upon the pleasing of God Do this and do all miss in this and you marr all please him and you are made for ever if he
make it a Solemn standing and constant exercise and to expect of your children and servants as due an account weekly of what they have learnt in the Principles of Religion as of any business of your own Oh the incredible benefit that would speedily come of this if I could but perswade and prevail with my hearers in so small a request as this 2. That you be often enquiring into their spiritual estates Follow them close and let them have no quiet till you see they seriously mind and seek spirituall things Put them upon secret Prayer Provide helps for them till they are able to go without them Shew them often the necessity of Regeneration and Conversion and the nature thereof Put them in mind of the fearfull misery of an unregenerate estate Ask them often whether they are Converted or not Shew them the danger of delaying in such a case Beloved 't is too sadly evident that as the Ordinances are now somwhere managed there is little of Conversion work like to be done Oh you Governours of Families do but your duty in your several places and I doubt not but many Souls will nevertheless be Born to Christ even in such a day as this 3. Call them to an account of their proficiency by every opportunity If there be but a Sermon or a Chapter read let them give you some account of it Thus our Saviour when the Disciples his Family were in private he was asking them whether they did understand and profit by what they heard in publick Mat. 13. 1. Coun. IX Be not discouraged by the present Difficulties of Religion but rather rejoyce in the opportunity to shew your Love and Loyalty to your Lord. Do not think God hath dealt hardly with you now your Religion is like to cost you something and presently think of shrinking and drawing back to preserve your safety If you do love the Lord Jesus you should Rejoyce and be exceeding glad in the opportunity to shew it Brethren what hath your Religion cost you hitherto And for shame suffer not your shrinking and withdrawing to tell the world that you have not Love enough to Christ to engage you to run any hazard for him Do you indeed Love the Lord oh then now rejoyce and be exceeding glad for never had you such an opportunity in all your lives to shew your Love as now For never were you called to adventure so for him and his service as now you be Now resolve that if Religion will make you Vile you will be yet more Vile and let your Zeal and resolution for God be intended and heightened by the opposition The Cordials follow which are Sacracrament-Cordials Most Dearly Beloved Brethren THis holy Sacrament is appointed as a Sealing Ordinance between Christ and you The Covenants are made the terms agreed to on both sides God is willing to be yours to all intents and purposes your Shield and exceeding great Reward your Refuge and your Rest your God and your Guide While Christ hath it you shall never want and what God is to him that he in your order will be to you You again through grace are willing to be his His in his own way and on his own terms willing to serve him willing to fashion your selves after him willing to be betrothed to him and to be commanded by him to use his remedies to follow his counsels and to acquiesce in him as your Blessedness Thus all are agreed the Articles are drawn The Covenants both on Gods part and yours are ready written And here you are come to put all past controversie and mutually to seal and subscribe Oh happy and blessed meeting Christians do not forget your errand Remember where you are and what you are come for and know that you are upon the solemnest transaction that ever passed between the Creator and the Creature It is Gods admirable condescention that he will be tied to us and enter into bonds to us to bless us and reward us And because our Faith is weak he hath brought his Surety with him the Lord Jesus Christ who is a Surety on his part as well as ours to undertake for the fulfilling of the promises And he hath brought the visible signs and pledges by which all shall be firmly past and ratified before your eyes This is the New Testament in my Bloud Luke 22. 20. Written in my Bloud Ratified in my bloud Oh Sirs this is that which God doth here reach forth unto you with his own hand this day The New Testament in Christs Bloud Christians prepare your Ears And rouze up your Faith and now believe and hear some of the blessed Articles of that Covenant that God doth here Sign and Seal to you I shall mention onely Nine which I advise you to lay next your hearts while you have a day to live And you shall find the vertue of these Cordials strong and operative in all conditions Arti. I. That he will fulfil to you the place of all Relations 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father to you and yee shall be my Sons and Daughters Whatever Children may expect from a Father that you may look for from me I will find you Meat be not thoughtful I know that you have need of all these things Matth. 26. 31 32. You shall be Clothed out of my Ward-robe Matth. 6. 28 29 30. and wear my Livery And when you have need of Correction I will Remember to do it in mercy and you shall find that as a man chastneth his Son so the Lord your God chasteneth you Deut. 8. 5. I will be a Husband to you and will betroth you unto me for ever Hosea 2. 19. You shall not need to fear your Maker is your Husband I will give you my choice Love I will give you my heart I will be a Lord and Soveraign to you The Lord is your Iudge The Lord is your Law-giver The Lord is your King Fear not the unrighteousness of men I will judge your cause I will defend your Rights you shall not stand or fall at mans Bar you shall not be cast at their Votes Let them Curse I will Bless Let them Condemn I will Justifie Who shall accuse when I shall acquit you Who shall lay any thing to your charge when I do discharge you When you come upon trial for your life to have your eternal state decided you shall see your Friend your Father on the Bench And you shall surely stand in judgment and be found at the right hand among the sheep and hear the King say Come yee Blessed I will be a Shepherd to you fear no evil for I am with you you shall not want for I will feed you you shall not wander to be lost for I will restore you I will cause you to lie down in green Pastures and lead you beside the still waters if my Officers be careless I will do it my self As for you O my flock thus saith the Lord God I will judge between