Estate you have according to the Master's Command An unfaithful Steward that keeps all to himself is a Thief A Noble Man hath need of Money and sendeth to his Steward Go to my Steward and demand such a Sum Will he deny him his own when his Lord hath need of it God hath commanded to give when he sendeth to you How doth God send to us but in the course of his Providence We are one day to give an Account And what a sorry Account shall we make So much for Pomp so much for Pleasure so much for gorgeous Apparel so much for Riot and Luxury and so little for the Master's Use. If a Man to whom the Care of Children is committed should feed Dogs and Whelps and neglect the Children what a sorry Account would he give of his Trust God hath demanded his Right by our poor Brethren he hath made them his Proxies Our Bounty reacheth not to God himself therefore he offereth them to our Pity what we do for them he accounteth as done to himself Acts of Mercy are required that we may acknowledg God's Property it is our Rent to the great Landlord of the World It is an Honour put upon you you are as Gods to them to relieve them and comfort them He could give without thee but he trieth thee and will have them interested in the Act. It is a great Honour to Religion the World is taken with Bounty Rom. 5.7 Peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die Titus 3.14 And let ours also learn to maintain good VVorks for necessary Vses that they be not unfruitful Let not others that have not such high Motives or such glorious Advantages be more forward than ours Secondly There are the Requisites to a good Work there is the State of the Person and the Uprightness of our Principle and the End and Rule of our Actions 1. The State of the Person the Person must be in Christ. Do we gather Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles We expect good Fruit from a good Tree The Person must first be in Christ as the Apostle saith Titus 3.8 These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works When the Foundation of Faith is first laid and that is the Root then good Works flow kindly as the Fruit that grows upon this Tree So in the Text first a peculiar People and then zealous of good Works The Leper under the Law till he was cleansed all that he touched and all he went about was unclean so till you are purified and cleansed by the Work of Grace passing upon your Hearts all that you do is abominable and filthy in God's Eye A natural Man cannot be acceptable to God nor perform an Act of pure Obedience for he is an Enemy and therefore his Gifts are giftless Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Method the Apostle lays down Ephes. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works First his Workmanship created in Christ there is the fitness and preparation for good Works Works materially good may be done by God's Enemies out of the strength of an unrenewed Will for carnal Ends without any Respect and Love to God therefore first we must be reconciled to God first we stir up Men to love God and then serve him Will you have the Graft or Cyon bear Fruit till it be set in the Stock So can we bear Fruit to God until we be planted in Christ All the Issue that is born before Marriage is illegitimate the Acts are but Bastard-Acts and our Graces are but Bastard-Graces till we are contracted to Christ. 2. The Principles of Operation must be right for the constitution of good Works These Principles are Faith Love and Obedience Faith receives Help from Christ Love enclines the Heart and Obedience sways the Conscience In every good Work these are the true Gospel-Principles Obedience sways the Conscience by virtue of God's Law Love enclines the Heart out of Gratitude and Thankfulness to God and Faith expects Help and Supply from Christ. In short every good Work is an Action commanded by the Law but arising from Faith in the Gospel it is done out of Conscience and because of God's Command but yet willingly because God is so good in Christ and Faith gives both help and encouragement Without Faith whatever is done is but Sin without Obedience it is but customary and without Love it is but Legal and no Evangelical Work 3. As the Principle and Operation so the End must be right to glorify God in whatever we do not to gratify Interest that is carnal not barely to promote the welfare of Nature that is but an Act of natural Self-love aiming at his own preservation not to pacify God that is legal and so a renouncing of the Merit of Christ. So that every Act of Duty must be made a Branch of Gospel-Obedience arising from Gratitude that God may be glorified 4. Those are good Works which are commanded by God and conformable to the Rule laid down in Scripture As Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression of the Law of God so a good Work is a Conformity to the Law of God That is a good Work which is agreeable to that Rule that is the proper measure of Good and Evil Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments A Strictness beyond the Word or besides the Word is a Bastard and an Apocryphal Holiness and but counterfeit Coin which is not currant in the Kingdom of Grace II. What is it to be zealous of good Works 1. We should be forward and chearful in well-doing Zeal is ferventior Amoris gradus a higher degree of Love the more Love the more forward in acting Certainly Zeal will readily set us a-work to do all we do willingly freely and chearfully as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the Forwardness of your Mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a Year ago and your Zeal hath provoked very many It is not Zeal to stand hucking and disputing every Inch with the Spirit of God You are not only called to the bare practice of good Works but you must be first and most forward and Leaders of others Watch opportunities to do good and take hold of them when they are offered We should be glad of an opportunity offered wherein to discover our Affection to God and our Hatred to Sin This is Zeal to be willing and forward 2. To be zealous is to be self-denying and resolute notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal is a mix'd Affection it consists partly of Love and partly of Indignation and so when I am zealous of a thing I love that thing and shake off and hate all that lets and hinders it Zeal sets us a-work and holds us to it notwithstanding Discouragements Zeal will not stick at a little
therefore cast your selves upon God 3. Carry your selves as a peculiar People to him Wherein 1. You must not be contented with common Mercies Every distinct Society have distinct Privileges Now the Elect are a peculiar People and therefore should look after peculiar Privileges A Man may have outward things and here is nothing peculiar no Argument of God's special Love Cast-aways may have these things Psal. 119.132 Look then upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto them that love thy Name Look not upon me as thou usest to do on the World in general but as thou dost on thy own People You must have renewing Mercies and sanctifying Mercies a holy Heart be kept from Sin and conformed to God Other Mercies a Man may have and go to Hell therefore be not satisfied with them Luther protested to God he would not be put off with Estate and the Favour of the World and with increase of Honour and Esteem Alas the multitude may have these things it is their Happiness Psal. 4.6 There be many that say Who will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us 2. Be not contented with common Graces Thus far a Man may go and not be saved As for instance There are moral Inclinations in Heathens and they make Conscience of gross Sins It is not enough to keep from Theft Drunkenness Adultery a Heathen would discover those Sins by the Light of Nature and by such Arguments and Reasons as Nature suggests would avoid them And then Hypocrites may have flashes of Comfort Glances Wishes and good Moods though they have no constant Delight in Communion with God yet they have superficial Hopes and are much taken with Evangelical Strains and Tenders of the Gospel they have a desire to keep their Consciences quiet and peaceable but you should labour for Uprightness and special Graces Carnal Men desire to be secure rather than sincere that they may have some Delectations and superficial Tastes but you are to look after things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that have Salvation in them you should be contented with no Grace but that which is an undoubted Pledg and Evidence of Heaven not a loose Hope of the Gospel 3. Be not satisfied with a common Conversation How is that Partly thus You must not live according to ordinary Privileges and ordinary Hopes You must discover Self-denial as one trained up in the School of Christ. It is an Accusation the Apostle brings against the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not Carnal and walk as Men When Men pretend to be God's peculiar People and have nothing singular but are given to worldly Cares vile Passions and corrupt Affections as other Men are this hardens carnal Men. A Christian should live like a Wonder in his place by discovering much Self-denial and Mortification in his Conversation Mat. 5.4 For if ye love them which love you what Reward have you do not the Publicans the same It is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be in the World to profess to be a peculiar People and to deny your selves in nothing but do as others do we should live at another rate and be more Holy more Charitable more Heavenly 4. Do not live according to ordinary Examples We may not frame and fashion our selves to the Guise of the World because we are the Lord 's peculiar People Deut. 14.1 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldness between your Eyes for the Dead For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the Earth Dead Fishes swim with the Stream A Christian should live in a Counter-motion to the World You cannot do as others do for you profess your selves to be distinct Especially we should consider this in times of general Defection not to run away from God Mich. 4.5 For all People will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever When every Man sets up a distinct Religion that is the meaning of it then the peculiar People of God should hold together and shew forth special Zeal and special Strictness in the Ways of God in times of Coldness Indifferency and Neutrality in Religion Josh. 24.15 And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this Day whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. SERMON XXII TITUS II. 14 Zealous of Good Works I Come to the last Circumstance the outward Manifestation of Christ's Puririfying that he might make us zealous of good Works I shall consider it partly as the Note of Evidence of God's peculiar People and partly as it falls under the Aim of Christ's Death Doct. Zeal for or in good Works is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Purchase Here I shall enquire I. What good Works are II. What it is to be zealous of good Works III. In what Respect and Place we are to put this Zeal or how it stands in order to the Death of Christ. 1. What good Works are I shall shew the Kinds of them and the Requisites to them First The Kinds of good Works Good Works for the Matter of them may be distributed into four Sorts or Ranks Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship Opera Vocationis Works of our own particular Function and Calling Opera Iustitiae Works of Righteousness Opera Charitatis Works of Mercy 1. Opera Cultûs Acts of Worship both Internal and External External to Pray Hear Read Meditate to be much in Communion with God So for Internal Acts as Faith and Repentance and Love All these are good Works and fitly placed in the first Rank of these we must be chiefly zealous because our Happiness lies in Communion with God It is notable Daniel would not omit Prayer for one Day though he was forbidden by the King and in danger of Death Dan. 6.11 Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went to his House and his Windows being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his Knees three times a Day and prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did afore-time Certainly they have little Zeal in them that care not to be frequent in Communion with God and call not upon his Name These are the chiefest parts of those good Works we must press and exhort you to where we are to be the more punctual because the Offence is immediately done to God If we do not Works of Mercy and Justice there the Offence is done to Men but neglecting the Works of Piety
so earnest and zealous to set up the Work of God O how can you look upon such a Spectacle as this without Shame that a Lust should have more power with them than the Love of God with you Is it not a shame that Amnon can be sick for Tamar and yet you cannot be sick for Christ as the Spouse was for her Beloved You have high Motives nobler Employment your Work is the Perfection of the Creature the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest way of Operation your Rewards are more excellent and you have greater Advantages and Helps Shall they take more pains to undo their Souls than you do to save your Souls We read in Ecclesiastical Story when Pambus saw a Harlot curiously dress'd he wept partly to see one take so much Pains for her own eternal Ruine and partly because he had not been so careful to please Christ and to dress up his Soul for Christ as she was to please her wanton Lover Christians whenever you are cast upon such a Sight or Spectacle when you come by a Shop and see Men labour and toiling out their Hearts and all this for temporal Gain doth it not make you blush and be ashamed that you are so negligent and careless in the Work of God 2. Consider you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin and will you not do as much for God How may every one say when I was a wicked and carnal Man I followed it with all my Heart and shall I do less now in a State of Grace The Apostle hath a notable Expression Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of Men because of the Infirmity of your Flesh for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak after the manner of Men that is Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification and as zealous of good Works as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin and were zealous for Hell Should you not have as much Care to save your selves as to ruine and damn your selves You made haste to do Evil as if you could not be damned soon enough Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan Heretofore we could riot away the Day and card away the Night and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God You will say it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil but the Flesh is weak and how shall we be able to serve God But says the Apostle I speak according to the VVeakness of your Flesh It is an equitable modest and just Proposal that I make and with condescention to your Infirmities that you should be as earnest and zealous for God and to grow in Grace as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and Sin Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top till I was so wicked that I could hardly be more wicked why should I not now labour to grow in Grace Can Conversion be right when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had The Apostle's Rule holds thus so much Time so much Cost and Care so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin so much must be spent in the Service of God O say then why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace to be as zealous and holy as I can It is observed of Paul that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ Acts 26.11 I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Look upon him converted and see is he not as earnest and mad for Christ as ever he was against him 2 Cor. 5.13 For whether we be besides our selves it is for God Do but look back and see what a Drudg you have been to Sin with what Zeal and Self-denial you hazarded your Souls O your pace was swift and furious like Iehu's March and will you be cold and slow in the Work of God Nay it may be this is your case to this very day you are very busy and painful to undo your Souls O this active Industry that is misplaced and misimployed if the Object were but changed would do well for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Hell as for Heaven Who would pay as dear for Glass as for Jewels What a stir is there to serve a Lust half of this through the Blessing of God might have conduced to save a Soul 3. It may be you have set out late and then it is but reason you should mend your pace and be earnest and zealous for God 1 Pet. 4.3 The time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles whilst you lived in Lasciviousness Lusts excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries O it is enough enough Travellers that tarry long in their Inn ride faster in an hour when they set forth than in two before you have tarried long therefore put forward We see that slow Plants bring forth the most Fruit as if Nature would recompense the Slowness with the Plenty so you that were long e're you were called to God what reason have you to be diligent and earnest and zealous in the Work of the Lord You will think this concerns some that are called in the doting time of their Age but all Men set forth too late If we consider God's eternal Love we should be ashamed that we began no sooner God loved us before we were The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 from one Eternity to another God loved us before we had a Being before we were lovely and when we had a Being he loved us when we knew not that he loved us We were Transgressors from the Womb defiled and polluted Creatures in our Birth and Original and afterwards we knew how to offend and grieve him before we knew how to serve and love him If we have any Gratitude to God we should be ashamed that we began so late God began early with us from all Eternity he was our God as long as God is God he is our God therefore now we should mend our pace and double our Diligence and be more earnest and zealous in the Ways of God 4. Consider what Christ hath done in purchasing our Salvation It was no Play and Sport to redeem the World Christ was not in jest when he yielded up himself to be tempted to be persecuted to be crucified to be exercised with bitter Agonies and is all this Expence and Cost for nothing The Temptations of Christ
are slight and vanishing but deep musing maketh the Fire burn and keepeth a constant heat and flame in the Spirits not by flashes And as for Duty so for Comfort a Man that is a Stranger to Meditation is a Stranger to himself In Acts of review you enjoy your selves and you enjoy your selves with far more Comfort in these private recesses you have most experience of God and most experience of your selves Moses when he went aside to meditate had the Vision of the Fiery Bush usually God cometh in in the time of deep Meditation and an Elevated Heavenly mind is fittest to entertain the Comforts and Glory of his Presence Thus you see it is a necessary Duty Many think it is an excuse to say it doth not suit with their temper that it is a good help but for those that can use it I Answer 1. It is true there is a great deal of difference among Christians some are more serious and consistent and have a greater Command over their thoughts others are of a more slight weak Spirit and are less apt for Duties of retirement and recollection But our unfitness is usually Moral rather than Natural not so much by temper as by disuse and Moral Unfitness cannot exempt us from a Moral Duty Inky water cannot wash the hand white or a Sin exempt me from a Duty Indisposition which is a Sin in me doth not disanul my engagements to God as a Servants Drunkenness doth not excuse him from work That it is a Moral unfitness appeareth by two things 1. Disuse and Neglect is the cause of it Those that use it have a greater Command over their thoughts Men count it a great yoak but Custom would make it easie Every Duty is an help to it self and the more we meditate the more we shall It is pleasant to them that use it Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Fierce Creatures are tame to those that use to command them and if a Man did use to govern his thoughts he would find them more obedient 2. Want of Love Thoughts are at the Service of Love we pause and stay upon such Objects as we delight in Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Love naileth and fastneth the Soul to the Object or thing beloved as we see we can dwell upon Carnal Pleasures because our Heart is there As Solomon gives this reason why a Carnal Man cannot dwell upon a sad and solemn Object because his heart is in the house of Mirth Eccles. 7.4 We usually complain we want Temper and we want Matter but the truth is we want an heart David saith Psalm 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my Meditation all the day Delightsome Objects will engross the thoughts Therefore see if it be not a Moral Distemper 2. Suppose it be a Natural Unfitness yet while you have Reason it is not Total and Universal and therefore cannot excuse We see in other Duties some have the gift of Utterance and have a great savoryness and readiness of Expression for Prayer others are more bound up and restrained but this can be no plea for them wholly to neglect Prayer Duty must be done as we are able God will hear the breathing panting Soul as well as the rowling Tongue so it is in Meditation some are more for musing and can better melt out their Souls in Devout Retirements other can shew their Love better in Zealous Actions and Publick Engagements for the Glory of Christ yet still though there be a diversity of Gifts we are all bound to the same Duties and though we be fitter for some rather than others yet none must be neglected in their Order and Course 3. The Rank and Place that Meditation hath among the Duties Meditation is a middle sort of Duty between the Word and Prayer and hath respect to both The Word feedeth Meditation and Meditation feedeth Prayer we must hear that we be not erroneous and meditate that we be not barren These Duties must alwayes go hand in hand Meditation must follow hearing and precede Prayer 1. To hear and not to meditate is unfruitful We may hear and hear but it is like putting a thing into a bag with holes Haggai 1.6 He that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes Iames 1.23 24. He is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was Bare hearing begets but Transient Thoughts and they leave but a weak impression which is rather like the glance of a Sun-beam upon a Wall there is a glaring for the present but a Man never discerneth the Beauty the Lustre and the Order of the Truths delivered till he cometh to meditate upon them then we come clearly to see into the Truth and how it concerneth us and how it falleth upon our Hearts David saith Psalm 119.99 I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation The Preacher can but deliver general Theorems and draw them down to Practical Inferences by Meditation we come to see more clearly and practically than he that preacheth We see in outward Learning they thrive best that meditate most Knowledge floateth till by deliberate thoughts it be compressed upon the Affections 2. It is dangerous to meditate and not to hear because of Errors Man will soon impose a deceit upon himself by his own thoughts Fanatick Spirits that neglect hearing pretend to Dreams and Revelations we have a Sophister and an Heretick in our own bosoms which soon deceiveth without a Stock and Treasure of some Knowledge for Men would be vain in their Imaginations were not their thoughts corrected by an External Light and Instruction Iude calleth those Fanatick Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy dreamers Iude 8. All Practical Errors are Mens Natural Imaginations gotten up into a Valuable Opinion 3. It is rashness to pray and not to meditate What we take in by the Word we digest by Meditation and let out by Prayer These three Duties must be so ordered that one may not justle out the other Men are barren dry and sapless in their Prayers for want of exercising themselves in Holy thoughts Psalm 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter and then it follows I will speak of the things which I have made touching the king my tongue is the pen of a ready writer The Heart yieldeth Matter to the Tongue the word signifieth boyleth and fryeth a word from Mincha their Meat-Offering the Oyl and the Flower was to be kneaded together and then fryed in a Pan and then offered to the Lord implying we must not come with raw dough-baked-offerings till we have concocted and prepared them by Mature Deliberation It is notable that often in Scripture Prayer is called by the name of
but Gods They were in an high pang of Zeâ—l when they offered so freely to the Service of the House of God but David prayes 2 Chron. 29.28 Oh Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts to seek thee Our Motions are fleeting and vanishing God must preserve in us these Resolutions of consecrating our selves and all that is ours to him SERMON III. GENESIS xxvi 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide IV. MY Work now is to handle the Letts or Hindrances of Meditation together with the helps and means that may quicken you to the performance of it The Letts may be sooner discovered then remedyed as the Nature of many Diseases is better known than the Cures and therefore they are called Opprobria Medicorum the Disgrace of the Physitians skill So these remain as Marks and Memorials of the Fall Intire and uninterrupted Visions are the Priviledges of Heaven we must be contented with our broken and imperfect Measures it is enough that we have Doves Eyes Cant. 4.1 That we can peck and look upward and enjoy some temperate glances on the Glory of our Hopes though we be not transported with the ravishments of a constant and steady Vision We cannot expect to be absolute we shall still have cause to be humbled it is enough if we can be encouraged against despair for many find themselves so unfit that they have not hopes enough to attempt the Duty To these I shall speak chiefly in this Discourse I had thought to have handled the Letts severally and then the helps but I think it would be better to suit each discouragement with its proper helps The Letts and Hindrances are of several sorts some common to this with other Duties and others more peculiar to the Duty of Meditation First I begin with the first sort such Hindrances as are common to other Duties and they are Four Sloath Love of Pleasure a Guilty Conscience and an unwieldy Mind 1. There is a Spiritual Sloathfulness Men lye upon the Bed of Ease and are loath in good earnest to apply themselves to what is painful and difficult If Grace would drop to them out of the Clouds or God would be contented with some faint lazy wishes or some cold and yawning Expressions of a drowsie Devotion they would be Religious but where Duties must cost labour and self-denyal and put them to pains Men withdraw the Shoulder and hang off Therefore Solomon saith Prov. 21.25 The desire of the sloathful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour They would fain have Grace and performe what God requires but are loath to take pains Now as this is a Prejudice against all other Duties so especially against the Duty of Meditation partly because of all Duties it is most difficult and tedious to the Flesh it is a Duty lying within the Soul we cannot so easily command our own thoughts now inward Duties are the most difficult because we cannot alwayes exercise a Dominion over our own Spirits Partly because it is a Private Duty to which God alone is conscious In Publick Duties Secular Interests and Ends have a great constraint and therefore we excite the Heart to be more intent and serious We see by-ends make Men deny themselves but where there is not this to prompt them they either omit the Work or turn it into a slight and idle practice How shall we do to shake off this Spiritual Sloath I Answer 1. You must consider that a lazy Spirit is most unfit for Christianity The whole Christian Life is carryed on with much Labour and Diligence you were as good never look after Christ and Heaven as refuse Labour There is nothing required in the whole compass of Religion but what will cost you a great deal of pains Faith is a work Iohn 6.29 That is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent It is not a barren idle speculation nor a naked apprehension but a matter of difficulty and diligence to bring Christ and the Soul together and to lodge the Soul in the bosom of Christ. Love is Labour Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love It is not a Naked Profession but there is Labour in it take it either for Love to God or Men for Love to God that is not a fellow-like familiarity but a laying out our selves in his Service or for Love to Men that doth not consist in a few good words Debts are not paid with a noise of Money you do not satisfie the Commandment by saying Depart in peace be ye warmed be ye filled if you give them not those things which are needful to the body Iames 2.16 So for Obedience it is expressed by a constant course of Work and Labâ—ur 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast and unmovable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Religion is but a constant Exercise there are no Loyterers in Heaven Gods Work must not be followed with a faint wish and a slack hand Men mistake Religion if they think it a broad and easie way where Men may live at large no the Gate is narrow and the Path is streight and few there be that find it it is a Work not a Sport and Play and Men had as good lay all thoughts of God and Christ aside as to resolve upon an easie course and flatter themselves with an expectation that they shall go to Heaven with a lazy wish and fancy such a short cut and passage to Heaven as will cost no pains 2. It is better to take pains than to suffer pains and to be bound with the Cords of Duty than with the Chains of Darkness The Bonds of Duty are not Gives but Ornaments for Duty is the greatest Freedom Psal. 119.45 I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts You will never be more free then when you once make Experience of Gods Service How sad is it to see Men prejudiced against such pains as yield Freedom and Comfort for the present and Glory for the future and take pains for that for which they shall suffer Eternal pains Isa. 5.18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with cart ropes They moyl and toyl in the work of Satan as a Horse in a Mill and labour for their own destruction Consider the Devils Work is Drudgery and his Reward is Death yet such is the wretchedness of Man that he accounteth nothing toilsome but God's Work and nothing pleasant but the Accomplishment of his own Lusts to be Lusts Vassal and Prides Slave and to be at the command of every Covetous and Unclean Desire How do Men toyl in the World go to Bed late rise early eat the Bread of Sorrows exhaust and waste their Strength
Iohn 3.12 Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him Because his own Works were evil and his Brothers righteous Emulation and Malignity at those that are better than our selves is the very Poison and Venom which the Devil hath infused into Human Nature The affection which put Cain upon killing his Brother and puts the World upon persecuting serious Christians when at the bottom they have no other Quarrel against them but because they excell in the Simplicity of the Christian Faith and Holiness and Obedience Such were Ioseph's Brethren whose Virtue was an Eye-sore to them and therefore endeavoured his Destruction Gen. 37. Such were the Jews in the time of the Apostles who despising the Gospel could not endure it should be Preached unto the Gentiles Acts 13.45 But when the Iews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Therefore well doth the Apostle Iames call this Bitter envying Jam. 3.14 'T is like Gall which corrupts good Food and maketh it unprofitable So doth this bitter Zeal corrupt all their Actions whom it doth possess Well then Charity envyeth not Those whom we love sincerely we will rejoyce in their Gifts and Graces as in our own their Success and Prosperity as in our own and be well pleased with their Happinesses But where Envy prevaileth Charity hath no place their Praises are our Disgrace their Success is our lessening And few there be that can say with Iohn the Baptist He must increase but I must decrease John 3.30 That is in Splendor and Fame Alas as placid and well contented as many seem without Envy burneth within and if it be not checked will soon produce mischievous Effects 4. Charity vaunteth not it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is it doth nothing pragmatically and foolish in Word or Deed where it possesseth the Hearts of Men they do not arrogantly speak of themselves or what they have done or can do Hesychius telleth us the meaning of the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is lifted up with Folly as giddy proud Fools are wont to vaunt or strut themselves so that their own Pride rendereth them ridiculous And so it forbids Arrogancy and External Ostentation as Internal Pride and Self-conceit is touched in the next Property Now Charity is contrary to more Vices than one to Pride as it manifests it self by contemptuous and scornful Carriage which Irritateth others rather than Edifyeth them 5. Is not puffed up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had told us 1 Cor. 8.1 That Charity edifyeth but Knowledge puffeth up that is with a vain Conceit of our own Worth despising others Now though Knowledge may beget this through the fault of him that receiveth that Gift yet Charity serveth all despiseth none therefore Pride and Insolency shewed in despising others or over-valuing our selves is far from the temper of this Heavenly Grace Poor empty Bubbles are soon blown up contemning those that are beneath them in Honours Favours Riches Knowledge and some External Services which look like Grace Luke 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other Men are extortioners unjust adulterers or as this Publican This condemneth that Pride whereby we thus conceit of our own good Estate above others Whereas Brotherly Love would perswade us in Honour to prefer one another Rom. 12.10 And in Humility to think others better than our selves Phil. 2.3 Not with our Lips only setting on a shew of Humility but with our Hearts For there is no Man so great that is not in some things beneath those whom he despiseth And we are conscious to our own Infirmities and should have a modest Esteem of our own Graces and Virtues For the true Excellency of a Christian lieth in a mean Esteem of himself For the great Businâ—ss of his Religion is to represent to him his own Sinfulness and the undeserved Goodness of God and therefore he seeketh no other Esteem with others than God fairly alloweth him and dareth not set too high a price upon himself nor is troubled if others come not up to his Price 6. It doth not behave it self unseemly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This followeth well on the former for Men puffed up transgress the Rules of all Decency in setting out themselves not giving others the Respect due to them Therefore it must needs be one of the Properties of Charity to make Men do that which will become Meekness Modesty and Godliness and to abstain from all things that may be an Offence and Scandal to others in Words Deeds Gesture Cloathing generally in all parts of Conversation Whatever may expose us to the Contempt of others or may argue a Contempt of them or may be a just Offence Charity will mind us to forbear it Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are lovely think on these things 7. Seeketh not her own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-Self-love prompteth us meerly to seek our own things but Charity seeketh the Profit of others It doth not drive on a self-seeking Trade or mind these things which make for our own advantage but the Welfare of others and is as sensible and zealous for other Mens Good as of its own To take care of their safety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.4 Look every man to the things of others To maintain our Neighbour's good Estate in his Profit Honour Fame Spiritual Blessings should be aimed at by us by the same Accuracy and Diligence that we use in reference to our selves The Law of Charity here is that we study not our own private Profit so as to neglect others or that any Damage should thereby arise to others Paul often presseth this 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man mind his own but every man anothers Wealth Not so seek his private Profit as to neglect the publick A Man must mind his own Affairs but not with the neglect and damage of others First In the use of his Christian Liberty Secondly In his Calling Wherein they sin greatly who seek to draw all to themselves 8. It is not easily provoked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Differences arise it handleth them peaceably It doth not draw on things to Fervour and acerbity of Contention A Paroxisme is the sharp Fit of a Feavour and signifyeth when Anger is boiled to an height But Charity is not exasperated or highly provoked to Anger or imbittered into Wrath and Passion This Property is to shew that it tempereth just Anger That Men fall not into immoderate violent Distempers of Passion upon whatever Provocation It is hard to abstain from all Anger when we meet with so many occasions of it in the course of our Lives but the Violence is corrected by Love There was a Hot Fit between Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.39 And the contention was so sharp between them that they parted asunder one from the other Paul's Cause was more just Those that love one another may find a Temptation
away Religion that the want may make us more sensible of the worth of it 5. It bringeth a Scandal and ill report on God in the World Therefore he standeth upon his vindication Micah 6.3 4 5. O my People what have I done unto thee And wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of Servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam Oh my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Baalam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. That strangers receive him not is not so bad but that a People acquainted with him should cast him out after trial God calleth upon the Mountains and strong foundations of the Earth who keep still their obediential Subjection to their Creatour to witness against the ingratitude and stupidness of his People What injury have we found in God vers 2. Hear O ye mountains the Lords controversy and ye strong foundations of the Earth for the Lord hath a controversy with his People and he will plead with Israel 1. Vse We must neither build the walls of Iericho again nor as much as in us lyeth suffer others to build them Every one in his place is to hinder the work If Religion were uncertain it were another matter But did Christ come to establish the works of the Devil If Joshua saith cursed be he before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho If Paul said Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed If others bestir themselves and by clancular and base artifices go to build these Walls again We should be the more Zealous for God Micah 4.5 For all People shall walk in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of our God But what must we do 1. Let us not only profess the true Religion but come under the Power of it The heart is best established by Grace The byas of mens corrupt hearts doth easily prevail against the light of their minds Few are corrupted in opinion but that are first false at heart The regenerate have advantages above other men 1 John 2.20 Ye have an unction from the holy one and know all things Most rotten opinions in the World are against the gust and sense of the new Nature But on the other side Men soon lose their zeal for truth that are addicted to a worldly sensual life Therefore see that Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts Luk. 17.21 The Kingdom of God is within you And that there we build not again the things we have destroyed Gal. 2.18 After we have devoted our selves to God we must not fall off from him till Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts we shall never sincerely care for his interests in the world For all carnal men seek their own things Men may bustle for a while for the Interest of their several Factions and Opinions but have not a true pure zeal for Christ's Kingdom 2. Let us pray That will do much Christ hath taught us to pray for the coming of his Kingdom Matth. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come David in his penitential Psalm could not forget the welfare of the Church when so deeply concerned as to his own particular for the recovering of his own peace Psal. 51.18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Walls of Sion not of Iericho or Babylon It is God's interest spread it before him 3. Be thankful to God for these deliverances Prayer gets blessings but thankfulness keepeth them For God is careful to preserve them to such who count it a benefit and are mindful of it We have manifold cause to bless God 1. For former deliverance out of the House of Bondage so early 2. That he hath so often defeated the attempts of those who would bring us back thither 3. For the good we have many years injoyed under the Reformed Religion which God hath blessed to the converting strengthening and comforting many a precious Soul 4. For continuing still the liberty of the Gospel and means of Grace under a Protestant King 5. For the quiet we now injoy when other parts of Christendom are are in a combustion we are untouched and injoy safety We are querulous and apt to complain but all things reckoned we have much more cause to give thanks 4. Let such deliverances as this inkindle our Love and Zeal to that Religion which God hath owned and defended Partly because when men are perswaded of the Truth such Providences as these are so many attestations to it Psal 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Partly because God will spue those out of his mouth that are neither hot nor cold Partly because Zeal discourageth the Factours and Abettours of the Kingdom of darkness The Fear of the People restrained the Pharisees 5. Prize the means of Grace and incourage them Iericho's Walls fell by the blast of the Rams-horns This Kingdom falleth by the Preaching of the Gospel 2 Thes. 2.8 Whom the Lord will consume with the Spirit of his mouth Whoever hinders that promotes the Devils Kingdom 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Owls fly in the dark This Kingdom is maintained by Darkness Blindness and Ignorance of the Truth 6. Let us not give incouragement by our Divisions to our adversaries The more we labour for Unity the more we Establish Religion Rom. 16.17 Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrin which ye have Learned and avoid them When Passengers in a boat fall a quarreling and pushing one another they endanger the sinking of the boat When Christ's Army is scattered Antichrist will prevail Keep up the common Christianity it may be peaceful endeavours signifie nothing in a factious and divided â— time yet we must Unite every one in the things that are right and owned by God Jam. 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaecable Provided we touch no unclean thing Here we must separate 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you 7 Recommend Religion by an holy Life Partly because gross sins under the Profession of a Reformed Religion provoke God to remove our Candlestick from us Partly because with all understanding Beholders the Fruits of Love Peace and Holiness will justifie your Religion Matth. 11.19 Wisdom is justified of her Children 8. Practise the Vertues contrary to the Vices of the opposite Kingdom Theirs is a Bloody Religion ours a Meâ—k
one Be zealous to reduce them from their errours Let there be a hatred of Popery and a Pity to Papists a hatred of Abomination but not a hatred of Enmity Prov. 29.27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the Wicked A Sermon Preached November 5. 1676. Micah 6.5 O my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the Son of Beor Answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the Righteousness of the Lord. THese words are a part of God's Plea against Israel for their ingratitude in departing from their obedience to him Their backsliding had raised an Evil report upon God as if he were harsh and severe and had not dealt well with them Therefore God justifieth his Providence what injury had he done to them wherein had he wearied them What had they to lay to his charge verse 3. Oh my People what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me The matter concerneth us for the General Sin of this Nation is that we are grown weary of God but we have as little reason as they had injuries he had done none to them but on the contrary vouchsafed many rare and singular favours He instanceth first in his redeeming them from Egypt where they were dealt with as Slaves and Bond-men vers 4. For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the House of Servants Surely a deliverance from Spiritual or Temporal Bondage should be an Eternal bond upon us to be for God The Second instance is his Conduct of them in the Wilderness under Moses and Aaron vers 4. And I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam When God giveth a People such Governors both in Church and State who do not only adhere to true Religion but countenance it in others yea set their whole heart to propagate it it is a great mercy not to be forgotten The Third Instance is that in the Text his bringing them into Canaan notwithstanding the designs to root them out by the way O my People remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted c. In which words 1. Observe the matter what is recomended to their remembrance in two things First The Plot betwixt Balak and Balaam Secondly The many good things that fell out between Shittim and Gilgal 2. The End why it is recommended to their remembrance that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. First For the Matter First The plot between Balak and Balaam 1. What Balak consulted how to ruine Israel and bereave them of God's favour and protection Therefore he sent for Balaam to curse them hoping that by this Wizards Inchantments and Predictions the matter would be easie 2. What Balaam Answered 1. Somewhat by way of Prophesie 2. Somewhat by way of Counsel 1. By way of Prophesie he found that to curse Israel was a fruitless endeavour and God over ruled his Tongue to bless them 2. By way of Counsel he perswaded Balak to feast them to induce them to Idolatry and Fornication 2. The Second part of the matter which is commended to their remembrance is what happened between Shittim and Gilgal Shittim was the place where they went astray after Baal-Paeor Numb 25.1 And the place where they did abide until after Moses his Death And from whence Ioshua removed them to Iordan where they passed over to Gilgal and there the Lord renewed his Covenant with them by Circumcision Iosh. 5.2 Therefore the Lord willeth his People here to remember the things that befel them from Skittim to Gilgal What these things were may be seen by the History following 1. Though many warped and committed such hainous whoredoms with Baal-Paeor the State and Body of the Church was still preserved 2. That God led them on dry foot through Iordan and at length brought them into Canaan the Land of promise And 3. there anew confirmeth his Covenant with them And 4. the slaying of Balaam their pernitious enemy in the intervail between their going from Shittim to Gilgal Numb 31.8 Balaam also the Son of Beor they slew with the Sword Secondly The end That ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. It implyeth here both his Mercy and his Fidelity His Mercy which strove with their wickedness and overcame their evil with his goodness His faithfulness in keeping his Covenant and his Promises for though some of the People did Perish for that they fell into this wickedness with Baal-Poeor yet those that cleaved to the Lord remained alive This was just as they were entring into the promised Land Doct. That old Mercies especially National Mercies should not be forgotten that we may know God's uprightness in keeping his Covenant and Gracious Promises 1. I shall give you an account of this Instance of mercy which the Text offereth 2. What observations may be thence deduced 3. Why such kind of mercies should not be forgotten First To give an account of this Instance of Mercy in the Text 1. What Balak consulted Let us state his design for this Plot that he laid was most dangerous and wicked and the most likely to obtain his desire For if he could have obtained from God a Curse upon Israel he might soon have vanquished them There are many ways which the Devils Instruments take to mischief Religion Sometimes by fomenting and promoting divisions among themselves that they may first ruine one another and then become a Prey to their common Adversaries Gal 5.15 If ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another It beginneth in calumniating and defaming one another And then within a while it breaks out into open fewds and that breedeth mischief and persecution The Devil hath an hand in all this And many times his instruments as Sanballat and Tobiah set up a party among the Iews to weaken their hands in the work Nehem. 6. Sometimes by sowing divisions between them and their rulers The Devil knoweth what an advantage it is to Religion to have the countenance of Princes and on the other side how jealous they are of their Authority and Prerogatives Therefore by his instruments he seeketh to prejudice and prepossess them against those that profess Religion in strictness and Power Thus Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam the King of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel and the Land is not able to bear all his words Amos 7.10 As if he had inticed the People from their Duty and made them enemies to his Authority And this by clancular insinuation when Amos was neither called nor heard So Saul against David 1 Sam. 24.9 Wherefore hearest thou Mens words saying Behold David seeketh thy hurt So Haman against the Iews Esther 3.8 There is a People scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are