him in the like case and kind according to that of our Saviour Whatsoever you would that men should do to you Math. 7.12 do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Math 7.12 now in some cases who would not be glad that his Friend or Neighbour should prefer him before himself his Necessity before his own Conveniency but we are more acute Doctors oâ— Passive then faithfull Disciples of Active Charity as one speaketh Magis bonum proximi praeserendum minori proprio sed non aequali Againe in regard of Affection Love must be equall but in regard of the Effect there may be a difference For the greater good of my Neighbour is to be preferred to my own good that is lesse but not where it is equall If there be an equality betwixt Person and Person Danger and Danger Necessity and Necessity of my self and Neighbour then I am to prefer my self both in things Spirituall and Temporall else I should Love my Neighbour better then my self otherwise not I am indeed to love my own Soul better then my Neighbour's and my own Body better then my Neighbour's if all be equall but where there is an inequality either in Person or in Necessity or in Danger it is otherwise Thus if my Neighbour should be in certaine danger of death and I but in hazard to save him I am to hazard my own Life to save his as did Aquila and Prâ—scilla to preserve Paul Rom. 16.3 4. which seemes to be when he sojourned in their house and had a hot combate Rom. 16.3 4. with the Jewes so that he was enforced to leave them and go to the house of one Justus And the spirituall good of my Neighbour Acts. 18. I am to prefert to my own temporall his soul before my own Body for that the soul is more worth then the body and betwixt the soul and the Body there can be no equality And this seems to be the meaning of St. John 1 Epist 3.17 hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his life for us 1 Epist Joh. 3.16 and we ought to lay down our lives for the Bretheren that is look as Christ laid down his life and gave it for the spirituall life of his Children so ought we to follow Christ therein and lay down our lives for the salvation of their souls as the good Shepherd is to do for his Sheep John 10 11. John 10 11. Obj. 2. Here another doubt may be started For if I may not prefer the salvation of my Brother before my own why did the Apostle wish to be seperated from Christ for his Bretheren's sake Rom. 9.3 Rom. 9.3 Resp So far as God may have more glory by the salvation of others then by my own so far I am to prefer it for the glory of God ought to be dearer to me then my own salvation and the zeal of Gods glory joyned with the love of his Bretheren carryed St. Paul so far as to make that wish Exod. 32.31 Math. 5. so it did Moses in the like case It were better that one member perish then that the whole body should be cast into Hell saith our Saviour So the respect that the Apostle had to the glory of God in the salvation of that Nation as the whole body moved him to this saith Chrysostome Nor did the Apostle absolutely wish this but with condition saith Pareus as Christ desired the passing away of the cup of his death Other an wers might be made to this Objection but I hasten to make some Application of the Point Use By this we may discover the great want of true Love that is amongst us both to God and man To God we beare little for wherein do we abridge our selves of our own ease profit pleasure liberty in the least that we may shall I say in the least way though in the greatest kind advance his glory worship and service He gave his Son for us we will not part with a lust for him Christ pleased not himself to please us we displease him to please our selves All seek their own saith the Apostle but not the things of Jesus Christ Phil. 2.21 This sinfull self Love and self-seeking is the bane of true Religion Self-loving and self seeking Ministers have been the bane of the Church And self-loving and self-seeking Hearers have frustrated Gods Ordinances And what greater let Ezek. 33.31 hath been to a hoped-for Reformation then sinfull self-Self-Love love of ease love of gaine love of credit with men have devoured up the true Love of God Great cause we have to feare saith one to whose judgment any rationall man must subscribe that when the glory of our English Church is dead as the Symptomes of death are on her that it will be written on her Tomb self-Self-Love hath laid her here As there is little Love to be found in the world towards God and his Son Christ So if the Doctrine delivered be a truth and a truth it is there is little true Christian Love to be found towards Men Sinfull self-love hath almost driven it out of the world much Love there is in shew little in truth loving tongues men have Jam. 2.15 16. Adrian Jun. Emb. as St. Iames shews but no loving hands nor loving hearts It is said of the Weasell that it conceives at the eare and brings forth at the mouth Such is the Love of our times it is often hearing but it brings forth only at the mouth by talking In this is Love John 2. Epist v. 6. saith St. Iohn not that we talk of Gods Commandements but that we walk after his commandements It is a great walker but no great talker You may trace her by her steps 1 Cor. 13 4-9 1 Cor. 13 4.-9 there are sixteen in all eight of the right foot in the Affirmative It suffers long it is kind it rejoyceth in the truth It beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things and it never faileth And there are eight of the left foot in the Negative It envieth not vaunteth not it self it is not puffed up it behaveth not it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked It thinketh no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity These are true Christian Love's paces and where you find them you may say here Love hath been I cannot stand to dilate on each of these but if you search Town Citty or Country you shall hardly find the print of Love's feet The Heathen were wont to say of the men of the Primitive Church Ecce ut invicem se diligunt Behold how they Love one another they knew that Love was amongst them by those steps of Love which they discovered But it may be said of us in these dayes saith one Ecce ut invicem se oderunt Zanch. Behold how they hate one another envie one another oppresse one another slaunder one another
c. we must preach them abroad as the word signifies so clearly practise them that our lives should be a Sermon upon Christs life His life is a perfect Sampler and every flowre of vertue that his hand hath pricked forth for us we ought to take out after the best manner that we can And this is one amongst many other fit for all that have charge of souls in any degree whether he be Minister or Governour of a Family After his example we ought to teach and instruct our Families in necessary points of piety and godliness This is a Duty frequently enjoyned in Scripture God commands his people Deut. 4.9 10. 6 7.20 11.19 20. that his Lawes should be written upon the posts of their Houses and Gates in regard of those under Government All that went in and came out were to be instructed There was an Act and Ordinance Psal 81.5.6 made to establish the practise of it And this was commended in godly and Religious Governours from time to time as in Abraham Gen. 18.19 In Jacob Gen. â—5 2.3 in Josh 24.15 in David Psal 101.2 3. Prov. 4.4 in Bathsheba Prov. 31.26 In the new Testament we have Examples many In Nobles John 4.53 Act. 18.8 Captains as in Cornelius Act. 10.2 in men of high place Luk. 19.9 In men of mean rank Act. 16.34 and in Wemen Act. 16.18 All these performed the Duties of good and religious Governours in seeking the Salvation of their Families and promoting their soul's welfare Reas Great Reason we have for it 1. In respect of God whose honour above all things we should indeavour to advance and what better course can be taken for it then to set up his worship and service in our Families Isa 38.19 Isa 38.19 The living shall prayse thee c. And how shall they do this The Father to Children shall make known thy Truth which words are not to be restrained to Natural Parents but to those that are in the place of Parents Exod. 20.12 2 King 5.13 as all masters and Governours of Families are there is no way to win glory to God more then by winning souls unto him Joh. 21.15.17 no way of expressing our love to Christ more then by feeding his sheep and Lambs Secondly in respect of the Church which next to God and Christ his Son should be most dear unto us care should be had Dyke in Phil. Epist Ded. that our Families be religious The Family the Church and the Common wealth Luther termes three Heavenly Hierarchies but how is the Family heavenly saith one unless the Church be in it without Religion be set up therein it will prove but a hellish Hierarchy not a heavenly and it will poyson both the other A Family is the first Society of all other the foundation of the rest now if the Fountain be poysoned can the streams be sweet if Families are poysoned how will Towns Cities Kingdoms flourish your Families are the Nurseries of the Church and to be more regarded in that respect than old Trees If they be nipt or bitten young if the Canker take them what an Orchard shall we have if there be ignorance in our Families prophaneness in our Families discord and contention in our Families you shall soon find it in a Church and State for in the chain of Order every link depends one upon another and begins below albeit it reach very high let Inferiours in Families forget their duties to Superiours Superiours to Magistrates and Ministers Magistrates and Ministers to Princes in the end all will forget their duties unto God who is above all therefore as Elisha healed the naughty waters 2 King 2.21 by casting in Salt at the Spring head so let us heal disorders in the Church and Nation by seasoning our Families with piety and Religion then as the Prophet said will God say I have healed these waters there shall not be any more psal 78.4 5 6 7 8. from them death or barren land Never look to have the Church or State to flourish till our Families flourish in piety Thirdly in a Self-respect Governours of Families should make conscience of this duty For Vers 27 First Phil. vers 11. the Profit is great that comes unto you thereby St. Paul writing to Philemon in the behalf of Onesimus after his conversion telleth him that however he had bin before unprofitable yet now he should find him a profitable Servant Those who are faithful to God will be likewise faithful to Man so was Abrahams Servant who being sent about his Masters business and a great business too to take a Wife for Isaac his Masters Sonne he begins his work with Prayer Gen. 24.12 Gen. 24.12 Lord God of my Master Abraham send me good speed And when he saw that God began to prosper what he had took in hand he was at prayer again and rendered thanks for his good success vers 27. Blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham and how faithful he was to his Master in the whole carriage of the business the story testifieth But in what Family was this Servant trained up out of what Family came he why out of a Religious Family he was trained up under a godly and Religious Master one that would command his Servants to walk after God And you may in the same Chapter find a Sonne of the same Family too going into the Fields to pray and meditate Vers 63 vers 63. Thus Sonnes and Servants in such Families as are religious will go about their business praying and meditating and so have a blessing attend them without which early rising and late going to bed is to no purpose when Servants that are untaught Psal 127.2 and live in irreligious Families go about their business mumblingly and mutteringly rayling and reviling cursing and swearing and so have the curse of God following them in all that they put their hands unto There is no such way to bring Servants and Children to obedience as to endeavour that the fear of God may be planted in their hearts That will cause them to do their work for Conscience sake to be faithful as well in their Governours absence as presence and stir them up to pray for good success upon their labours and indeavours and that is it which brings the blessing of God upon a Family Gen. 39.2 Gen. 31.30 Thus was Potiphars Family blessed for Josephs sake and Labans for Jacobs Secondly it is a great honour to a Family to be godly and Religious such Families are Churches and are dignified with that Title Rom. 16.2.3 1 Cor. 16.19 Col. 4.15 Philem. 2. This is an honourable Appellation Rom. 16.2.3 1 Cor. 16.19 Colos 4.15 Philem. 2. Sirac 10.2 It honours the Governours themselves who are best known by their Servants and Children they being but as their shadows Prov. 28.7 29.12 And it honours those that are members of that Family in that they are become the Children of
God and Heirs of Grace Thirdly it brings much comfort to Governours when those under their charge become Religious 3 Epist Joh. 4. Prov. 10.1 23 24 25. 1 Thes 2.20 the comfort and contentment of a mans life lies much in his Family Ye are our joy and Crown of rejoycing said Paul in another case 1 Thes 2.20 so may Governours say of a Religious and well governed Family But on the other side loosness and disorder in a Family makes the lives of the Governours thereof to be very uncomfortable so the rude and untoward behaviour of the Wives of prophane Esau Gen. 27.46 did vex the souls of Isaac and Rebeckah Gen. 27. ult so Prov. 17.21 19.13 the same of Servants Fourthly the great account that Governours are to make to God for the neglect of their Duties herein should make them the more careful Our Servants and our Children are not our own Ezek. 16.20 but Gods Ezek. 16.20 they are born to him and must be educated and brought up for him You are but Gods Deputies and govern for him All the power that thou canst challenge in thy Family is subordinate we trust our Servants with our goods and God trusts us with their souls and he hath given a strait charge unto us of every one that comes under our Roof not much unlike that in the Parable 1 King 20.39 Look to this man if by any means he be missing thy life goes for his life So look to this thy Child 1 King 20.39 thy Servant if he be wanting or missing if his soul perish through thy negligence thy soul dies for his Thus Ely was charged with the sins of his Children 1 Sam. 2.29 1 Sam. 2.29 And as you know many a man is undone by Suretiship But if you can say at the last day Here am I O Lord Isa 8.18 Joh. 17.12 and the Children that thou hast given me or as Christ in that Prayer of his I have lost none of them that thou hast given me but that Sonne of perdition which was lost before this will further our Account to our endless comfort And thus in many respects if we love our selves we should teach our Families to be Religious Fifthly and lastly the tender love and compassion that we bear at least pretend to bear to those that are under our charge should put us upon the Duty Ecclus. 33.29 If thou have a faithful Servant said the Sonne of Syrach let him be unto thee as thy own soul The soul is near and dear to us I am sure it ought to be Now he that loves his soul will have a care to teach and instruct that soul so should those Governours have a care to instruct and teach their Families that love their Families Meat Drink Apparel and other necessaries of Nature are not more needful for their bodies preservation then holy Instruction is for their souls salvation Thus you see what Reason you have to do as you from Christs example are here taught to do viz. to take care that those under your charge be taught Religion and instructed in the wayes to Heaven Use 1 The want of this care in Governours cannot be enough lamented What Master or Governour of a Family is there that treads in our Saviours steps and makes Conscience of instructing those under their charge and Command in Religious Duties Cyprian brings in many Children pittifully complaining against their Parents for want of Instruction And the like complaint methinks in these dayes I hear sounding in mine eares made by many Families against their Governours Alasse what have we done that we are thus miserably tormented The negligence or treachery or misguided zeal of our Parents and Masters have brought all this misery upon us They have proved our Murtherers who should have bin our Instructers they have deprived us of the wholsom nourishment of the word gave us a Scorpion instead of a fish they have plunged us in the myre of sensual pleasures when they should have dipped us in the sacred Laver of Regeneration they kept us from God our Father and the Church our Mother Had they bin godly we might have bin everlastingly happy The reason of this great neglect ariseth partly from Ignorance partly from Carelesness partly from Pride partly from Prophaness It is a true saying Ignorantia Judicis est calamitas innocentis and it is also true that Ignorantia Domini est calamitas servi yet Ignorance is all the plea that some have for the omission of their dutie call upon them to teach and instruct their families and break unto them the bread of life they answer in effect as the widow of Zarephta did Elijah when he asked of her a morsell of bread 2 King 17.17 As the Lord liveth I have not a cake but a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyle in a cruse and behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dresse it for me and my son that we may eat and dye I can say the Lords prayer the Creed the ten Commandements and what I can say I teach them albeit I understand not the meaning of them as for other points of Religion I am to seek therein my self how then should I instruct others If this that I do will not serve the turn they must dye or do as God shall please But as Christ said to Nicodemus John 3.10 so may I to thee Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Hast thou entered into a marryed estate art thou become a father or master of a family hast thou children and servants under thy command and yet art ignorant of the first principles of Christian Religion A shameful excuse Marriage was not ordained altogether for Procreation but for Education and Regeneration of Children This world might be filled full enough of Children though there were no marriage but Heaven could not be filled nor the place of fallen Angels supplyed without the care of religious Education which from parents in lawfull marriage they are likelyest to receive and God expects that from them they should receive it And art thou ignorant This thou speakest to thy shame that so speakest Others have knowledge enough themselves and are able to instruct their families Acts 1â— 17 but they are of Gallio's opinion and temper imagining that matters of Religion belongs not to them to teach but to Minister To Church they bring their family and that 's as much as is required of them as they think And it is well done in doing so â— Sam. 1.21 Elkanah did the like 1 Sam. 1.21 and I could wish that more of us would do as much but I must further tell you that this is not enough were this all that is required of Houshold Governors why did the Apostle send women to learn at home of their Husbands Believe it every Governour of a family is as deeply charged with the souls of those who are
serve the Lord with fear that our sins may not draw this heavy judgement on us which is so little feared by us Use Yet we have one Use more to make of this for if the want of bread for the sustinance of our Bodies be so great a want then let us Reason from the lesse to the greater what a judgement must it be to want bread for the sustinance of our soules This is that Bread spoken of Isay 55.2 Math. 15.16 Isay 55.2 Math. 15.26 Luke 14.15 John 6.32 35. Amos 8.11 Luke 14.15 Iohn 6.32 -35. And there is a Famine of this Bread as well as of the other threatened Amos 8.11 as a far greater judgement by how much the Soul is more excellent then the Body This takes away the Beauty of the soul and brings heavinesse upon it Psal 106.15 Lament 4.7 8.9 It causeth a man to feed on rottennesse and filth as Drusus did on the very stuffings of his bed Psal 106.15 Lament 4 7 8 9. when by Tiberius he was kept us in a Room and denyed meat In the Roman Church for want of this Bread they fed on Lying Legends stuffed with Fables and on lying fictions It brings Death upon the sould inevitably Prov. 23.18 Hos 4.6 Amos 8.14 Prov. 29.18 Hos 4.6 So Amos 8.14 both fair Virgines and young men shall fall and never rise up again And yet how insensible are men of the want of this Bread how little do we lay to heart the condition of those who are under it When Ieremiah bewayled the state of the Jews in their Captivity he begins his Lamentation with this that the wayes of Sion lamenâ—ed no man came unto her solemn feasts Lament 1.4 all her gates were desolate and her Priests did sigh Infinite were the miseries that were upon that City in thoâ—e 18. months whilst that siege lasted as afterwards he mentions but not before he had groaned out most pitifull complaints for the spirituall Famine that they were under in that the worship of God was ceased amongst the people And is there not cause to lament the neglect of Gods woship and service that is among us in these daies for albeit we are not through Gods goodnesse come to that to travell from Coast to Coast to meet with a Prophet yet the case of many of us is like that of Tantalus who had Apples at his lips and water at his Chin yet pined for want we Famish in the midst of Plenty But thus much of the want now followes the course he takes to supply it Text. And shall go unto his Friend at Mid-night c. And here take notice first of his Addresse vers 5.6 Secondly of his Repulse vers 7. In the former observe first to whom he addresses himself unto his Friend Secondly how and in what manner he doth it He goeth to him and saith c. First of the Persons to whom the addresse himself in this his want His Friend not to a Kinsman nor a Brother nor a stranger He knocks not at his next neighbour's door But to his Friend he goes there he had most hope to speed Indeed A true Friend is a safe Neighbour A good Resuge he is in the time of trouble Litter Doct. When Saul sought the life of David and hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountaines he presently flies to Jonathan and acquaints him with his sad condition as we read 1 Sam 20.1 and adviseth with him concerning his sayety 1 Sam. 20.1 Nature taught that wretched man Haman when he was full of heaâ—inesse for the honour that was done to Mordecai to ease his heart and asswage his grief this way he gets him home and acquaints his Friends with what had happened Ester 6.19 Ester 6.13 And this is the course that Solomon advâ—seth us to take in the time of trouble Thy own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not neither go into thy Brothers house in the day of thy Calamity Prov. 27.10 Prov. 27.10 As if he should have said when thou art in any trouble or affliction go not to any of thy Kindred to crave succour and help from them but go to thy faithfull and tryed Friend he gives his reason for it Reas For better is a Friend that is near then a Brother that is a farr off that is though thy Brother or Kinsman be near thee in blood yet he may be far from thee in respect of any true affection or comfort that he affords thee Nature may be without good will Amicitiarerum omnium est vinculum Amh. de fid rer invisib Prov. 18.22 and often is but Friendship cannot The love of Friendship tyes faster then the love of Nature and stickes closer according to that of Solomon Prov. 18.24 There is a Friend that sticketh faster then a Brother Frater est fere alter A Brother is almost another but Amans est alter idem cum amato Another the same with the beloved party Friends are not onely like the Cherubins whose faces were one towards another Confes l. 4. c. 6. but like Ezekiel's wheeles One within another St Austine speaking of one that used to say that his Friend was Dimidium anâ—mae concludes that he sayd well in so saying for I well perceive saith he that my soul and my Friend 's are but as one soul in two bodies by the vertue and efficacy of our stedfast love wherefore my Friend being dead it was horrour for me to live and a longer life was loathsome to me but therefore onely I stop the current of my death least in my body two souls should lose their breath Prov. 17.17 Other Reasons Solomon renders us of this point Prov. 17.17 A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for Adversity He loveth at all times his love is an warm in winter as in summer Dividi locis charitas non potest nam si corpore longè distinguimur mente tamen tudivisibiles sumus Greg. l. 8. Eip. i st 42. and his heart is as open at Mid-night as at Noonday no distance of place no change of States can cause any alteration in a Friend's affections Ruth was no lesse loving and respective to Nahemi at her return to Judah empty then when she came to Moab full In every place in every estate she was all one after that they two had grown to be one And a Brother is born for adversity that is such a Friend as loveth at all times and is to be accounted as a Brother and nearer then a Brother he is born and brought forth as it were into the world to be made use of in dayes of trouble and times of tryall Not but that he is likewise born for Prosperity for we are as well to communicate with him our joyes as sorrows as we read Luke 15.9 But Adversity is the more principall end especially in our sinfull and sorrowfull estate for which God hath linked men together in the bond
If it be so that he cannot yet he will ever have a ready minde to make some Returne although his hand be shortened Use 3 It may direct us in a course how to get Love I will tell thee saith Seneca Senec. Epist 9. Ut ameris am a. how thou may'st make another Love thee without a Love-Potion Spell or Witchcraft If thou desirest to be beloved Love thou first sincerely and entirely This is a compendious way to be beloved Austin excellently to this purpose Nulla est major provocatio ad amandum c Aug. lib. de cat rud There is no greater provocation to Love then to prevent in loving Love is the Loadstone of Love he must have a very hard heart which though he will not of his own accord yield Love will refuse to requite it Thus the bands of Syria were overcome with kindnesse 2 King 6.23 2 King 6.23 Use 4. And to carry this yet a little higher it may be of use unto us to stirr us up to Love God againe who hath Loved us first and given his Son for us 1 John 4.16 he loved us not-existing 1 John 4.16 Tantus tautum gratis tantillos et tales Bern de dil Dei Luke 7.37 nay resisting and shall we make no returne None breathed more Love then St. John nor was any more beloved then he Mary could not but love much having much forgiven her Luke 7.37 Certainly the loving kindnesse of God hath such an operative vertue in it that it cannot but deeply affect those who seriously fix their minds upon it as fire heateth those who stand neerer it You may read 1 Sam. 24.17 1 Sam. 24.17 how Davids kindnesse in sparing Saul wrought upon him and how it thawed his frozen heart and made him relent and kindle a fire of affections of Love in him Come againe my Son David thou art more Righteous then I c So the Consideration of Gods kindnesse in sparing of us from Hell and not only so but in giving his Son to dye for us cannot but affect us and cause us to returne back Love for Love if our hearts be not extreamly hardened 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Cor. 5.14 Pro. 8.17 John 14.21 Bern. Epist 107. Nor can any of us have any comfortable assurance that God Loves us if we Love not him againe Pro. 8.17 John 14.21 Let me conclude this Use with that of Bernard Let no man whose heart can truly testifie for him that he loveth Christ make any doubt but that Christ loveth him for how can he choose but Love thee when thou Lovest him who loved thee when thou lovest him not You have heard how this man was necessitated to seek out on his Friends behalfe in the next place take notice of his own want which did occasion this trouble at this time of Night Text. I have nothing to set before him that is no fitting provision for the enterteynment of such a Friend as he is Observe hence that Doct. It is sense of want that makes us to seek out It was want that caused Abraham to goe down into Aegypt Gen. 12.10 Gen. 12.10 Gen. 26.1 Gen. 42.2 Gen. 43.2 Isaac into Gerar Gen. 26.1 Iacob to send his Sons into Aegypt Gen. 42.2 And a second time to part with his beloved Benjamin Gen. 43.2 Elimelech was enforced through want to goe down into the Country of Moab with his Wife and two Sons Ruth 1.1 2. and continue there Ruth 1.1 2. It was want of water that enforced Ahab to seeke to Elijah the Prophet 1 King 18.16 1 King 18.16 2 King 3. And Iehoram to seek to Elisha 2 King 3. And want of food that caused those Lepers that sate at the gate of Samaria 2 King 7.3 to flye to the Camps of their enemies 2 King 7.3 And the want that the Prodigall fell into by reason of his Prodigality was that which caused him to returne to his Fathers house Luke 15.14 Math. 9.12 Luke 15.14 Hereto tends that of our Saviour The whole have no need of the Physitian but the sick Math. 9.12 Reas For first Nature is proud and loath to be beholding to any till needs must every man naturally loves in the first place to be beholding to himself in any extremity and if his own wit or his own purse or his own projects or endeavours will help him he will seek no further he had rather pay then pray Then againe Life is deare and Nature is forcible to seek out for the preservation of it selfe when it is necessitated and put to it it will seek out before it suffer too much and break through stone Walls rather then famish Use 1 From hence we may conclude that there is some good comes unto us by want some profit we may have by it It teacheth us the worth of things most truly and maketh us valew the mercy as we should at least farr better then otherwise we would It is the sharp Winter that makes the Spring to be sweet and pleasant and the Night's darknesse that makes the light of the Sun to be desirable So sicknesse makes health more gratefull Paine Pleasure more delightfull Want Plenty more Comfortable And it makes exceedingly for the preservation of Love and Unity amongst Neighbours and towards the maintenance of civill society and commerce amongst Christians And this is one Reason why it hath pleased the manifold wisdome of God to enrich severall Countryes with severall Commodities Non omniâ—â— omnia tellus divers gifts to severall Persons not all to any one that our wants may be supplyed by their fullnesse and one be beholding to another for a supply of his necessity which otherwise would not be Laish was a secure and carelesse people and the Reason is rendered to be this they had no want Judg. 18.10 Judg. 18.10 A fullnesse causeth us to contemne and scorne those whom in our wants we are glad to make use of So we read Judg. 11.6 Judg. 11.6 The Elders of Israel did of Jeptha And Sampson of the jaw-bone of that Asse wherewith he had killed many Philistims which he threw away but after being athirst he runs to that contemned jaw-bone for water Judg. 15.17 18 19. Judg. 15.17 18 19. that indeed was Gods work he clave the hollow of the jaw-bone and caused water to flow from thence And so is this to bring good out of want to us and therefore despise it not Want is a good Neighbour a good Townsman it will send it will visit it will use good words give faire language c It is a good Market-man it will tend to the Market raine or Sunshine it knowes the worth of blessings of Health Peace Plenty and it is willing to come to the price though it pawne the coate it will buy And it is a good Church-man too it carryes a man to the Word to the Sacrament to Prayer c And therefore although want goes in meane cloathes with a patcht-coate
and a legg that hath any imperfection in it in a long walke Then Murmuring Pride Impatience will appeare that is in us and thereby we come to be made vile and base in our own eyes We use not to put in the spice till the liquor be sodd to the heigth nor doth God bestow his mercyes till we are brought to the lowest depth It was the speech sometimes of a great States man concerning the Son of a great Lord committed for some misdemeanour at the Councell table Let us forget him a while and he will remember hâ—mself the sooner So upon the like Reason God seemeth to forget us that we may remember our selves and be humbled for our faylings I shall give you three examples of this One is Numb 12. Miriam was struck with Leprosie for murmuring against Moses Numb 12.14 he prayes for her God heares his prayer and will heale her but not so soone as Moses would She must be better humbled then as yet she was If her Father had but spit in her face saith God should she not be ashamed seaven dayes verse 14. Let her be shut out of the Camp seaven dayes and after that received in againe Another Instance we have Judg. 20.18 Judg. 20.18 The Israelites had a good quarrell they consult with God what to do they were encouraged by God to goe up against Benjamin yet the first time they are overthrown and worsted verse 21. verse 21 The second time they weep and mourne and give them battail but are againe beaten verse 23 verse 23. It may seem strange that in such a case they should be overcome But the Reason is eviâ—ent they were not yet enough humbled for after that they had humbled their soules and sought the Lord by Prayer and Fasting God gave them the victory verse 26 verse 26. c. The third Instance we have in the Apostle Paul God intended to take from him the Messenger of Satan that buffeted him but not so soone as he would have had it removed Thrice he besought God earnestly 2 Cor. 12.8 that it might depart from him 2 Cor. 12.8 but God having respect to his greater Humiliation deferrs and puts him off telling him that his Grace was sufficient for him i. e. I will uphold thee but it is too soone for thee Paul to berid of that thorn Secondly God doth thus delay us to quicken our Appetites enâ—â—â—â—e our desires and make us the more earnest and fervent in Prayer dealing herein as the Fisher doth in drawing back his baite to make the fish more eager of it Or as the Father doth with his Child holding an Apple in his hand and suffering the Child to tug at it and then it may be he opens one finger and then another and so by degrees parts with it to his Child This was Christs dealing with the woman of Cannan he put her off and delayed her of purpose to make her the more earnest and importunate in her â—uit Math. 15.25.28 Math. 15.25.28 Delayes do but whet the desires of earnest suitors Thirdly God doth this for the tryall and discovery of those graces that are in us and to inure us to Patience and Obedience and submission of our wills to his A Father will sometimes crosse his Child to discover his disposition and with holds for a time that which he purposeth to give to see how he will take it he inures him to obedience and subjection by crossing him of his will a while I will Love the Lord Psal 116.1 saith David because he hath heard my Prayer This is right but not enough God will prove us whether we will Love him and feare him and trust in him even then when he seemes to reject our Prayers and shut them out of his presence He will prove our Faith whether we will beleeve his Promise and waite for the Performance thereof though he delay long He will try our Obedience whether we will continue to seek him and call upon him as he hath commanded and for that he hath commanded us so to do alâ—ough we find our selves disappointed for the present And so our Patience and other graces by the exercise of which in tryalls he brings us to more perfection in them for use makes perfectnesse Hereto tends that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.8 2 Cor. 1.8 We had the sentence of Death in our selves that we might not trust in our selves but in God which quickeneth the dead And thus by these delayes we come to be the better fitted for mercy Fourthly hereby the mercy is better prepared for us for it becomes the greater and the sweeter by delaying and putting off our suite we are brought to value the thing sued for the more when things easily had are lightly esteemed lightly come lightly goe Cito data vilescunt Acts 22.28 as we use to say in the Proverb The Cheife Captaine Act. 22.28 that obteyned his freedome with a great sum bought it at a deare rate valued it highly So it is in this Case If blessings were as soone had as asked they would be the lesse set by And this is one cause why God hideth his face so long from many of his deare Children that they might prize the sense of his Love and favour the better when they have it Cant. 3. Cant. 3 1-4 1-4 And by this meanes the mercy when it is obteyned is the sweeter and more welcome when it comes Isaac is Isaac a Son of Laughter when he comes after many yeares expecting When Jacob heares of Joseph whom he had long wanted and cleane given over for gone he was so full of joy that he desired not to live a day longer Gen. 45.28 46.30 So Psal 128. 1 -5 Pro. 13.12.19 Gen. 45.28 46.30 Thus it is true that Solomon speaks Pro. 13.12.19 A desire accomplished delighteth the soul and when it commeth it is as a tree of Life to heal the maladies of the heart And thus I have rendered you some reasons of the point Now to the Uses Use 1 May we not reason from hence as St. Peter doth 1 Pet. 4.18 If the Godly who are Gods Friends 1 Pet. 4.18 are many times delayed and put off in their lawfull suits and sometimes seemingly not heard shall the Enemies of God hope to have Audience or think to speed in their suits when they beg mercy doth God keep his own Children in suspence and will he give bread to bastards and open the dore to them when they call What Hope hath the Hypocrite saith Job Will God heare their cry when trouble cometh on him Job 21.9 Job 21.9 Let David Answer the Question from his own experience They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not Psal 18.41 God will be a God of his word Psal 18.41 Isay 1.15 Pro. 1.29.30 Hos 5 6. John 9.31 Psal 78.34.35 Neh. 9.27 he hath protested against their Prayers Isay 1.15 Pro.
he slept to see what the servant will do when some advantage lyes before him were God alwayes up and did he discover himself in present execution of his Judgments on sinners the thousand part of that Villainy that is daily committed would not be acted Eccles 8.11 And yet God sees and observes Eccles 8.11 through his Eye-lids all the plots and projects all the wrongs and injuries that are offered to his people and although it do not presently appear to us that he did see yet the awakening cryes that his Children make in his ears shall raise him and then he will make it known that he was not so asleep but that he observed all that was plotted and contrived done and acted against them Hear how Christ concludes in that Parable of the poor widdow suing to an unjust Judge Luke 18. 6 7 8. Shall not God avenge his own elect whcih cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them Luke 18.6 7 8. and makes as if he saw not I tell you he will avenge them speedily their prayers will awaken him and when is he arose he will right them and relieve them against all their enemies that wrong and injure them When Noah was awake and knew what Cham had done he curst him for his paines and will God think you blesse you for your deeds Let this restrain you from your wicked wayes you that swear blaspheme reproach slaunder Gods eye sees you at least his Eye lids try you you play with God as Children that play at Blind man Buff do with their fellows and yet if these children perceive that he that they think blinded sees they break off their play he sees he sees say they I le play no more Oh! that you were as wise and would do this in time use 2 Now for the Godly a word or two to you Is God never so fast but being once awaked he is so ready to supply our wants and needs why then be not out of heart and hope under your greatest pressures Great are the miseries that the poor Church of Christ hath groaned under for divers years he is gracelesse senselesse that is not sensible thereof the stormes that we have met withall have bin more then ordinary great tempests we have bin in and yet are not over the Ship is yet full of water which causeth the hearts of experienced Fishermen such as Peter was who having bin used to see storms to cry out they perish All this while our Pilot is in the stern sleeping upon a pillow which causeth us to think hardly of him and to charge him with unkindnesse as if he cared not for us whether we sink or swimm Now what shall we do in this Case Let us with the Disciples run to God by Prayer and awake him they did it very turbulently irreverently as it seems for their fear was great yet Christ blamed them not for that but for their too much fear and too little faith Come then to the Throne of Grace desire God to awake and arise he is willing to be awaked by us and therefore seems to sleep that we may awake him God admitts his servants to this boldnesse with him Princes like it not Should a subject come to the Supreame and say Would your Highnesse or your Majesty would awake once and arise to do such or such a businesse for me or read my Petition would not the Prince conceive just indignation against such a Petition yet God is well pleased that we should thus come unto him and say Awake Lord come and help us If we thus come He will awak nothing sooner awakes a seeming sleepy God then Prayer as you have heard were our God a dead God an Idol God prayer could not do it as we see in the Priests of Baal but of our God we may say as Christ of Lazarus he is not dead but sleepeth onely and that seemingly There is a story goes of a poor man that served God faithfully and yet was cruelly opprest by a neighbouring Knight who took his goods from him and all that little that he had insomuch that he concluded that God was dead and forasmuch as he had formerly found God to be gracious to him albeit now as he thought he was forsaken by him he would make a solemn Funerall for him which when he went about an old man meets him with a Letter and desires him to deliver it into the hands of the oppressing Knight he did so and upon the reading of that Letter the Kt. was so convinced of the wrong done to that poor man that delivered him the Letter that immediately he confest his faults and restored again to him what he had injuriously taken from him which caused the poor injured wretch to forbear any funerall solemnity and to say Now I see that God may seem to sleep but he can never dye Comfort thy self then under thy heaviest afflictions never forsake thy Confidence in thy greatest streights when our faith begins to flag and hang the wing when our strength is gone and we have given up all for lost waken God by thy Prayer and then God will say Now I will arise Now I will be exalted now will I lift up my self Esay 33.10 Esay 33.10 Mans extreamest necessity is God's chiefest opportunity to do us good The Church of God in all ages hath found it true we have heretofore found it true and shall find it true and every Friend of God every believing soul may from his own experience confesse it to be true Let me close up this Use with that of David Psal 102.20 Psal 102.20 He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth To what purpose To hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose them that are appointed to Death Thus might England say and so I hope God will give us cause one day to say if we do but awaken his old Love and Friendship to us by our Prayers And thus much Gods arising and giving Now it is further said of this Friend that he giveth as many as he needeth not so many as he craved as was from the Letter shewed whence we may take notice both of the wisdom and bounty of God towards his Friends Wisdome in giving what is needful Bounty in giving so liberally as many saith the Text as he needeth of both somewhat Doct. God in giving hath an eye upon the necessities of his servants He looks not so much upon what they ask as upon what they want and accordingly he makes supply See this first in Kinde secondly in Quality Sometimes he giveth the same thing that is craved and granteth the Requests of his servants in the same kind both for the Substance and Circumstance So he gave to Hannah a Son which she begged of him 1 Sam. 1.27 To Solomon Wisdome 1 Sam. 1.27 1 King 3.9.12 Psal 21.4 Exod. 13.21 1 King 3.9 12. to David Life Psal 21.4
to all though not to all alike to some he gives more to some less to some Creatures he gives Being to others Life to others Sense to others Reason to every one as he pleaseth manifesting therein his Wisdom Power and Providence Fourthly Optat dare qui praecipit potere Aust Deut. 5.29 Isa 55.1 2. and lastly Consider we the manner of his giving and we must confess him liberal For First he gives willingly calling on us to call on him asking us that we would ask him he sues to us that we would seek to him Isa 55.1 2. Secondly he gives us readily many times preventing us with his Blessings giving us whilest the thought is in our nearts before the words be in our mouthes 2 Sam. 16.17 Luke 15.22 Act. 10.34 Rom. 10.12 Psal 107.4 10.23.39 2 Sam. 16.17 or out of our mouthes Luke 15.22 Thirdly in giving indifferently without respect of persons Act. 10.34 Rom. 10.12 13. Psal 107.4 10.23.39 All these God hears and succours Fourthly in giving freely without respect either of former merits Rom. 11.35 or of future gain Job 35.7 Revel 22.17 Rom. 11.35 Job 35.7 Rev. 22.17 Jam. 1.5 1 Sam. 12.28 Fifthly in giving without upbraiding any Jam. 1.5 Sinners he upbraids as 1 Sam. 12.28 but not Suitors for sinning against him but never for seeking to him Thus it hath been proved that God is liberal Reas 1 Do you ask the Reasons of this liberal mind in God Know then First Goodness cannot but communicate it self Bonum est sui diffusivum the Sun gives light and heat and influence to all Creatures So God above all he exceeds all in goodness being essentially good good without goodness as one speaketh originally Austin Math. 19.17 and absolutely the onely good so as there is none good but him Math. 19.17 He is so good as that he is Causa bonorum et quae in nos et quae in nobis the cause of all good either received by us or conceived in us No wonder then if he exceeds in Liberality and Bounty Secondly as he is good so he is All sufficient Act. 17.25 and stands in need of nothing that he gives Act. 17.25 Earthly Princes are fain to measure their gifts because their store is not infinite the more they give the less they have but God's goodness suffers no diminution his hand is ever full though it ever dispense and the filling of many Cisterns is no abatement to his ever-running Fountain Innumerable are the drops of the Sea yet if one be taken out it hath though insensibly so much the less but though we receive never so much from this Fountain we leave nothing the less behind Thirdly he is large in his love and affection to mankind Prov. 8.31 Prov. 8.31 His delights were with the sons of men As it was the goodness of God's works that caused him to take contentment in them so man being the chiefest of his Works his chiefest delights were with them What makes a man liberal and bountiful but a large heart As our love is such is our bounty Isa 55. Now as God's thoughts are above mans so is his affection above mans and so consequently his Liberality and Bounty It is said of Tiberius the Emperour that he never denyed his Favourite Sejanus any thing oftentimes he prevented his Requests so that he needed but ask and give thanks All God's people are his Favourites so that they may have what heart can wish or need require Fourthly 2. Sam. 24.23 Jam. 1.5 He is great in Might and Majesty and no small gift can fall from such a hand Jam. 1.5 His hand is manus Regalis and so he gives munus regale his bounty is as himself and his gifts suit with his greatness as before hath been shewed you Vse 1 Now apply we this and first let us look backward and then take forward How can we in the first place but lament and bewail our horrible Ingratitude and unkind dealing with so bountiful and liberal a Master Mervailous hath been God's mercies towards this Land and Nation Never any Nation under Heaven that tasted more of the riches of God's bounty nor stood more bound to God than this for his Liberality What Peace what Plenty what Deliverances what brightness of Heavenly Light for fourscore years did we enjoy whilest our Neighbour Nations were wearied with Bloudy Wars and scarce received any other Dew then the bloud of the Inhabitants We sate under our own Vines and Fig-trees having peace within our Walls and plentifulness within our Palaces We slept when they bled we abounded when they wanted we surfeited when they starved Our Sun did shine out gloriously whilest theirs was set We had Magistrates Ministers Schools Churches Laws Trades all of the best whilest they would have been glad of the worst being deprived of all Ask Bohemia ask Germany what they thought of us Would not they say Happy art thou O England who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord That which Moses said to Israel Deut. 33.29 Deut. 4 7. might be made ours Deut. 4.7 What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh to them as the Lord our God is in all things we call upon him for But what use made we of this our Master's Liberality Surely whilest we should have been recounting mercies we were finding faults and spying flaws in out State and Government The Civil was Tyrannical the Ecclesiastical Papistical c. Nothing pleased not the Hedge not the Wine-press not the Watch-Tower not the Watch-men these we trample down with our own feet pluck down with our own hands Isa 5.4 7. When God looked for grapes behold wild-grapes for Judgment and Righteousness sin and wickedness Hellish Atheism and Prophaneness horrid Oaths and Blasphemies contempt of God's Word and Ordinances violation of God's Sabbaths Rebellion against Governours Murther Whoredom Theft Lying c. and what not So that we seemed to enter into a contention with God whether he should be more bountiful or we more sinful Never any Nation that was more beholding to Divine Majesty then this of ours nor ever was there Nation more wicked ungrateful Deut. 32.6 than this of ours Do you so requâ—te the Lord O foolish people unkind yea surely thus and no whit better K. Philip branded one of his Soldiers on the fore-head with Ingratus hospes for begging the Lands of one that had kindly entertained him so may God brand us with this ignominious note of Vngrateful Nation This was that which caused God to pull up the hedge c. to lay us even with other distressed Churches and make us know what we had by what we have not Thank we unthankefulness for what we have lost for God takes no forfeiture but what unthankfulness makes But pass we from generals to particulars hath not each Soul of us tasted of our Masters bounty besides our private interests in publike mercies hath he not