Christ. First of the first of these sc. this That Christ Iesus and his merits together with the saving graces of his Spirit are fitly resembled unto gold yea gold tryed in the fire Hereupon it is that the Tabernacle and the Temple were both so adorned with gold because they were the Types of our Saviour and the graces of his Spirit Exod. 37. 6. 1 King 7. 48. There was the Table of gold and the Altar of gold and the Bowles and the Tongs and the Snuffers all of pure gold c. And why all this but to teach us that Christ and the graces of his Spirit are fitly resembled to gold Marke the answer of Christ's Spouse to the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. when they asked What is thy beloved more than another beloved observe her answer Ver. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of tenne thousand Ver. 11. His head is as the most fine gold He is like unto most fine gold yea gold tryed in the fire So the Church cloathed with the merits of Christ and adorned with the graces of his Spirit is covered as it were with cloth of gold Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in gold of Ophyr saith the Text Psal. 45. 9. that is cloathed with Christ and the graces of his Spirit which are pure and precious like the gold of Ophyr And so againe Ver. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within that is the Church is glorious in Gods account Her cloathing is of wrought gold this is very direct Now the Reasons of the poynt might be many I will but instance in some few of many Gold tryed in the fire is very precious of great worth and value so is Christ even in his lowest estate when he seemeth most despicable and worthles yet is he even then most precious disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious sayth the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 4. and v. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious though the Jewish builders rejected this Stone yet was he exceeding precious in Gods account And as Christ himselfe is precious so are the graces of his Spirit such as wisdome and knowledge and faith and love c. these are precious jewels and therefore fitly resembled unto gold See what the holy Ghost sayth of Wisedome Pro. 3. 13 14. Happie is the man that findeth Wisdome and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine thereof is better then fine gold shee is more precious then Rubies c. See here the precious nature of spirituall and heavenly Wisdome The like may be said of faith and other graces Hence that phrase of precious faith To all that have obtained like precious faith with us sayth the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 1. If you aske how precious this grace is He answereth That the tryall of our faith is much more precious then of gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. Secondly Gold is of especiall use to pay debts to keepe or redeeme out of prison so are the merits and blood of Christ they redeeme us from hell and death yee are bought with a price sayth the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 19 20. What price not silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Of him are yee in Christ Jesus sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption O golden Christ by the helpe of whose merits we pay the Debts which we owe to our heavenly Father yea by this gold are we redeemed and set at libertie from the prison of hell and from the bondage and slavery of sinne and Sathan Thirdly Gold tryed in the fire is very pure and cleane there is no drosse left in it so is Christ pure as well as precious so are the graces of Gods Spirit true grace is pure grace pure faith or faith unfained pure love without dissembling sincere or pure truth without hypocrisie 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandement is charitie or love out of a pure heart and a good or pure conscience and faith unfained faith without mixture that is pure faith such faith and love are golden graces indeed Let love be without dissimulation sayth the Apostle Rom. 12. 9. there is pure love indeed it is an excellent place 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing that yee have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently here is pure gold indeed wrought by the pure Spirit of God there is the Authour of it in obeying the truth there is the instrumentall meanes of it pure and unfained loue out of a pure heart there is the fruit of it Fourthly Gold tryed in the fire is fit for purchase it commandeth what the earth can affoord so doe Christ and his merits and graces they doe purchase Heaven for us Heaven is an inheritance and given freely in respect of any merits of ours but merited and purchased for us by Christ He is our great purchaser He purchaseth Heaven for us and in our name and is gone to take possession for us and to prepare a place for us there He purchased it for us by his merits hence that phrase Ephes. 1. 14. Vntill the Redemption of the purchased pessession sayth the Apostle And when he had purchased it for us He went to possesse it and prepare a place for us Joh. 16. 3. I goe to prepare a place for you So that a man interested in Christs merits and adorned with his graces is fit to make a purchase of Heaven So that Christ and his merits are in this respect also fitly resembled unto gold they make a golden purchase or purchase a golden place in Heaven for us Fifthly Gold is of an excellent use for ornament and beautie as well as for purchase and profit thus the Tabernacle and Temple were adorned with gold to make them glorious and beautifull so is the Church by the merits and graces of Christ become a glorious Church Psal. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within How cometh that to passe Surely by the gold of Christs merits and graces for it followeth Her cloathing is of wrought gold there is her chiefe ornament so doe the graces of Gods Spirit they doe even adorne us in Gods account faith and love and meeknesse O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15. 28. there is her ornament I have not found so great faith no not in Israel sayth our Saviour Mat. 8. 10. there is the Centurions ornament so of Abraham faithfull Abraham a man strong in the faith and gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. Golden Abraham there is his ornament Moses the meekest man upon earth Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was very meeke
the danger of backsliding see the remedy which the Apostle prescribeth or intimateth at least in that case If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him We are not of them that draw backâ— unto perdition there is the danger but of them that beleeve or follow faith to the saving of the soule there is the remedy Hebrewes 10. 38 39. If any thing make us hold out against Sathan in that dangerous conflict it must be the shield of faith whereby we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephesians 6. 16. Above all take unto you the shield of faith if any thing at all can doe you good this is it 2. It must be such a faith as worketh by love Galath 5. 6. And therefore in the second place we must labour for a loving heart if we would be constant Let us serve God for love and that will make us persevere in it Men will bee constant in the workes they love the Epicure is constant in pleasures and recreations the covetous in toyleing for the world the Student is constant at his booke And why so Because they love these things Charity will make a man hold out it hopeth all things and endureth all things saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. It never faileth ver 8. They that serve God for love resemble the Sunne that shineth more and more till the perfect day or like Mount Sion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed Psalm 125. 1. See how constant is Iacob in serving for Rachel Genesis 29. 20. He served seven yeares for her and they seemed but a few dayes in regard of the love that he had to her saith the Text Love set him a worke and that made him constant in it Now what a shame for us if Iacob should love Rachel better than we love God If ye love me keepe my Commandements saith our Saviour Iohn 15. 14. As if hee had said If yee love me ye will doe it Labour of love will be constant He whose bountie and charity is grounded upon true love to God will be constant in it It is an excellent place to this purpose Hebr. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which yâ— have shewed towards his Name But how did that appeare Surely by the constancy of it In that ye have ministred unto the Saints and doe minister i. e. this is a true signe that your charity and workes of mercy proceed from love to the Name of GOD because yee are constant in them this argueth evidently that they are labours of love Thirdly if wee would bee constant in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts fraught with the true feare of God This is one of the gifts of God that are without repentance Romans 11. 29. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for ever Psalme 19. 8. Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Proverbs 28. 14. Hee that truly feareth God will feare him alwayes this will make him constant in Gods service Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart from me saith the Lord. The true feare of God will make us constant and therefore it is a chiefe point of wisdome to serve God with feare as is intimated in Psalme 2. 10 11. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Well wherein should they chiefely shew their wisdome Verse 11. Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Why so Surely because then they would bee constant and keepe in the right way or else they would soone perish from it as is intimated in the next verse 12. Kisse the Sonne lest be be angry and yee perish from the right way Fourthly If we would bee constant in Gods service we must labour for a sound and an honest heart It is onely the good and the honest heart that holdeth out and bringeth forth fruit with patience Luk. 8. 15. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward affections saith David Psalme 51. 6. Because the Lord knoweth such an heart will be constant A little before the Apostle â—hewing the danger of backsliding and inconstancy in GODS service hee prescribeth this as it were a remedy to prevent that danger Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh â—o God with a true heart c. Such an heart will make a man constant and firme â—ndeed therefore saith David Psaâ— 119. â—0 Let my heart be sound in thy staâ—utes â—hat I be not ashamed A true ridden horse will hold out to the end of the journey but a tainted jade will faint at last This made the Israelites so fickle and inconstant in Gods service Psalme 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early afteâ— God Was not this well Yea so farre as man could judge it was excellent that they should so readily returne to him that smote them and so indeed it had beene if it had come form the heart but alasâ— there they failed Ver. 36. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant This was abominable So that if wee would bee constant in GODS service wee must see that our hearts bee sound and upright else they will start aside like a broken or a deceitfull bow verse 57. Fifthly If we would bee constant in the maine duties of Gods worship and service we must take heed that wee take not liberty wilfully to offend in lesser matters I know speciall respect must bee had to the maine duties of Religion and the weighty things of the Law Matth. 23. 23 but yet we must take heede of taking liberty to offend in smaller matters againsâ— knowledge and conscience He that breaketh one of the least of Gods Commandements and teacheth men so the same shaâ— be called and accounted least in the kingdomâ— of heaven saith our Saviour Matthew 5 19. How great a Scholler or how strict soever he may seeme to be in other things this will lessen them in the hearts of Gods people Yea and he that at first taketh liberty wilfully to offend in trifles will at last fall away in greater matters First petty oathes then greater c. It is an excellent place to this purpose and excellently urged by a late Divine in this case Gal. 1. 7. There be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospell of Christ No might they say they retained the Gospell onely they would have brought in a Iewish riâ—e or two Circumcision which was a thing of nothing What saith the Apostle to these Galathians 2. 5. To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an houre Not for an houre Why Paul what hurt can there be in a circumstance a Ceremony or a trifle Yes if it bee urged as necessary to salvation it would soone
above all the men which were upon the face of the earth there is his ornament an ornament indeed and that of great price even in the esteeme and account of God himselfe observe it 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. see the Apostles direction to wives how to adorne themselves with better ornaments then gold and silver Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparell that is costly apparell these are poore ornaments what then that we shall see v. 4. but the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in Gods account a thing of great price loe a man or womans chiefe ornament If we would in stead of rich and costly apparell put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit and readily passe by such wrongs and injuries as are offered unto us it would be a farre better and a much cheaper ornament then gold and silver and all the fine cloaths in the world So that even in this respect also Christ and the graces of his Spirit are fitly resembled unto gold yea gold tryed in the fire Sixthly Gold hath a very good smell a sweet savour however it is true in respect of the gaine of it for that hath a sweet smell in the most mens account so hath Christ his merits and graces have a sweet smelling savour in the Lords account even the sacrifice of Christ the offering himselfe up in sacrifice to God for us smelled sweetly in the nosthrils of God It is a sweet place to this purpose Ephes. 5. 2. And walke in love there is our dutie as Christ also hath loved us there is our patterne and hath given himselfe for us there is the expression and demonstration of it an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour the sweetest smelling gold is not herein comparable to the sacrifice of Christ. Yea and not onely his sacrifice and merits but also the graces of his Spirit have also a sweet smelling savour such as faith and love and charitie c. See what the Apostle sayth of that sweet grace of charitie Phil. 4. 18. see what the Apostle testifieth of the charitie of these Philippians Having received the things which were sent from you an odor of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God for that a charitable heart is an heart worth gold even in this respect For with such Sacrifices God is well pleased sayth the Apostle speaking of this very grace Heb. 13. 16. Seventhly Gold is the means to make men rich so doth Christ and his graces as wee shall see in the next poynt CHAP. II. Containig the two first Vses of the poynt sc. Instruction and Reprehension NOw the Vses of this poynt are many and of speciall weight and worth it is of use both for Instruction and Reprehension and also for Examination and Exhortation 1. This Doctrine serveth for Instruction The knowledge of this truth leadeth and directeth us to the knowledge of other truths For first Is true saving grace fitly resembled unto gold This sheweth then the worth and excellency of true saving grace it is a farre more excellent and precious commodity then men usually account it else our Saviour would never have called it Gold yea gold tryed in the fire So that an heart full of saving grace is worth a purse full of precious gold it is as precious as gold yea much more precious then the most fine gold Thus much the wisest Solomon that knew the worth of both expresly telleth us Pro. 3. 14. where speaking of wisdome that is spirituall and heavenly wisdome he sayth It is more precious then fine gold The like the Apostle sayth of true saving faith It is much more precious then gold Give me leave to shew you the worth of true saving grace that it is more precious then the most precious gold and silver in the world and this I will manifest in these sixe particulars 1. Gold is but of a fading perishing nature and condition hence is that phrase of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth but on the contrary Grace is that which endureth unto everlasting life Ioh. 6. 27. Hereupon the wise man calleth it durable riches Pro. 3. 18. So that in this case that of the Psalme may be fitly applyed Psal. 102. 26. They shall perish that is all sublunary things are of a perishing condition but thou O Lord and thy saving grace shall endure even for ever Riches and gold and silver are very fickle and uncertaine they doe often betake them to their wings and fly away as an Eagle towards heaven sayth the Wise man Pro. 23. 5. And charge the rich that they trust not in uncertaine riches sayth the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 17. Riches and gold and silver are very uncertaine but grace is very permanent and lasting it is that good part which shall not be taken from him or her that hath it Luk. 10. 42. Therefore true saving grace is better then gold even in this respect 2. Gold and silver can neither comfort nor deliver him that hath it in the day of Gods wrath many do make gold their hope in this case and trust in the multitude of their riches but they are all utterly deluded in this case see Zeph. 1. 17. I will bring distresse upon men sayth the text yea but I have abundance of gold and silver sayth the rich man marke now what followeth even in the very next verse as it were on purpose to prevent and blow away this vaine confidence vers 18. Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole Land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie No no Riches availe not in the day of wrath but Righteousnesse onely delivereth from death as the Wise man hath told us long agoe Pro. 11. 4. True saving grace will affoord both comfort in and also deliverance from the fury of Gods wrath When the Lord hath a purpose to bring an overflowing scourg upon any Nation or people he hath a speciall respect not to the rich and wealthy but to such as are godly and religious The Lord hath chosen to himselfe the man that is godly Psal. 4. 3. He hath set such an one apart for his own use all such must have a marke set upon their fore store of gold and silver and yet be hated and abhorred of God for all that as Cain and Judas but he that hath true saving grace such as faith and love and the feare of God c. hath ever speciall favour and acceptance with God It is an excellent speech of the Apostle to this purpose Act. 10. 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in
the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants He loveth to have them merry at meate and at worke and sing for joy of heart Isa. 65. 14. And withall he is constant in his love towards them if he be angry it is but for a moment but his love and mercie is everlasting towards them See a singular place for this purpose in Isa. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee and ver 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercie on thee sayth the Lord thy Redeemer If he be wroth if he seeme to forsake or hide himselfe from his servants it is but for a moment but his love and kindnesse is everlasting his mercy endureth for ever having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end sayth our Saviour Ioh. 13. 1. not for a time but for ever his love like himselfe is constant and unchangeable it is an everlasting love Ier. 31. 3. With an everlasting love have I loved thee therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee sayth the Lord. Yea his love to his servants is so constant that nothing shall be able to diprive them of it nothing can finally doe it and for ever Rom. 8. 37 38. For I am perswaded sayth the Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angells nor height nor depth nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yea sinne it selfe that is the most dangerous enemy of all for your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isa. 59. 1. cannot doe it yea rather then so your sinnes shall be pardoned and that for his owne sake Isa. 43. 25. for I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake will not remember thy sinnes Here is a gracious and a constant loving Master Tenthly and lastly This heavenly Master of ours is readie dayly to manifest and expresse his love towards his servants in hearing their prayers and revenging all such wrongs as are offered unto them See the proofe of this priviledge in both the branches of it First For his hearing prayers it is one of his titles of honour to heare prayers Psal. 65. 2. Especially the prayers of his servants and such as feare him Joh. 9. 31. If any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his Will him he heareth Yea he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he will heare their cry and save them Psalm 145. 18. And if any man delight in Gods service he shall have his hearts desire Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart What greater priviledge Yea he is many times found of them when they doe not seeke him Isa. 65. 24. It shall come to passe that when they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will heare O how open is his eare unto their complaints when they are wronged by their adversaries and how readie is the Lord even speedily to avenge their wrongs Heare what the unjust Iudge sayth sayth our Saviour Luk. 18. 7. And shall not God avenge his owne Elect which cry day and night unto him I tell you that he will avenge them speedily True it is he will not allow his servants to be their own carvers and avenge themselves But what need they when he is ready to doe it for them Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Ro. 12. 19. He that toucheth Gods servants to hurt them doth touch the aple of his eye Zach. 2. 8 Hee taketh all their wrongs and injuries as done to himselfe and he will certainely and wisely avenge their wrongs 2 Kings 9. 7. Iehu shall smite Ahab and Iezabel but to what end Iehu's end was to get the kingdome but what was the Lords end that yee shall see in the place forenamed That I may avenge the bloud of my servants the Prophets and the bloud of all the servants of the Lord at the hands of Iezabell they must pay deare that shed the bloud of Gods servants the Lord himselfe will bee avenged of them Another place to this purpose is that we have Deut. 32. 41. If I whet my glistering sword and my hand takes hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies c. and I will make my arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall devoure flesh c. But whose bloud and flesh shall thus goe to wracke That ye shall see verse 43. Surely they that have shed the bloud of his servants for hee will avenge the bloud of his servants saith the Text. Who would not be abundant in his service that will not suffer his servants bloud to be unavenged CHAP. VIII Containing the three first Directions or meanes how to spend much time in Gods service FIrst If wee would spend much time in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts rightly fitted and prepared for that purpose There is a price in the hand of many a foole to get wisdome but he wanteth an heart to get wisdome saith Salomon Pro. 17. 16. How many blessed opportunities have we of spending time in Gods service which are let slip because wee want hearts rightly prepared for that purpose Hereupon it is that in the first place God requireth our hearts Proverbs 23. 26. My son give me thy heart and Ier. 14. 4. O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse A prophane heart can never endure to spend much time in God service but straight cryeth out behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. Hence it is that the Lord cryeth out most of all for want of a right and fit disposition of heart in the duties of his service Isaiah 29. 13. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouthes and honour me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Here was the defects of Ezechiels hearers Ezech. 33. 31. ver They come unto thee as my people commeth and they also sit before thee as my people and they heare my words but they will not doe them where was the chiefe fault Surely in the heart for with their mouthes they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse A covetous and a vicious heart will soone make a man weary of time spent in Gods service and therefore when any man setteth himselfe to doe God any service the Lord looketh directly with what heart he doth it It is an excellent speech of God to Samuel when hee was to choose Israel a King 1 Sam. 16. 7. the Lord said to Samuel Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature c. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord
care or providence but the blessing of God that bringeth wealth and therefore our excessive care is fruitlesse Thirdly This inordinate thought-taking for outward things is very dangerous and prejudiciall for besides the mischiefe alreadie mentioned and specified wee shall finde it hurtfull in these three respects First This inordinate desire of having maketh a man a prey unto Sathan and layeth him open unto Sathans dangerous temptations it doth cast a man inevitably into the snare of Sathan 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lustes which drowne men in destruction and perdition This will make a man lye and steale and cheat yea forsweare and swagger c. The devill hath every covetous man alwaies at advantage as it were upon the hippe he is even caried captive by him at his will This is one wofull mischiefe that it maketh a man even apparently the devils vassall Secondly This inordinate love of the world in processe of time will even eat out the true love of God out of our hearts For even as adulterous love in a woman doth even eat the love of her husband out of her heart so that the more she loveth a stranger the lesse she regardeth her husband so doth the inordinate love of the world If we dote upon that painted Strumpet she will so bewitch us that in time we shall not care for the Lord at all This is the Apostles argument 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Love not the world nor the things of the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him It is not possible for a man to over-love the world and yet in the meane time to love God as he ought no more then it is possible for a man to looke even upward and downward both at once Set your affections upon things above and not on the things that are here below Col. 3. 1. Intimating that it is at least improbable if not impossible to doe both Thirdly The too-much bent of the affections to outward things doth utterly deprive us of Gods love to us As the love of the Father is not in him so the love of the Father is not towards him in that case But on the contrary the Lord even hateth and abhorreth him which is a most wofull estate and condition Psal. 10. 3. Speaking good of the covetous whom God abhorreth Where we see evidently that every covetous person is hated and abhorred of GOD. And no marvell for it is no lesse then Idolatry in Gods account Col. 3. 5. Yea and there is a very direct and expresse enmitie between God and every such person Iam. 4. 4. Know ye not that the amitie of the world is enmitie against God so that whosoever maketh himselfe a friend of the world the same is Gods enemie Now marke the woefull estate of Gods enemies Psal. 68. 21. God will surely wound the head of his enemies and the hairie scalpe of such a one as walketh on still in his trespasses This is another fearefull and intolerable mischiefe Fourthly This inordinate thought-taking for outward things doth often keepe many from entering upon the profession of Religion and embracing of Christianitie Many could be content to embrace Christ if it were not for the world This hindereth many from becomming the Disciples of Christ because they cannot finde in their hearts to forsake all for his sake See an experiment of this in that young man in the Gospel Mat. 19. 16. He had a moneths minde to become one of our Saviours Disciples see how sweetly and lovingly he speaketh to our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I doe that I may have eternall life If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements as if he had sayd come on thy wayes I will set thee a taske but when he had told him the upshot of all Ver. 22. If thou wilt be perfect Goe and sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me Ver. 22. When he heard this saying he went away sorrowfull for he was endued with great possessions Yea and it seemeth he did not so much possesse as he was possessed of them he loved the treasures of the earth too well to forsake them for the treasures of heaven Now mark what our Saviour inferreth hereupon to his Disciples Ver. 23. Verely I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of God Inordinate love of riches doth keepe men from the profession much more from the practise of Religion This is another mischiefe Fifthly Wee would never spend time in inordinate thought-taking how to get wealth if we did consider another speciall inconvenience that ever commeth with it and that is that it maketh men fickle and inconstant in their Religion This will make a man plainly disert and utterly forsake Christ and his cause and leave him in the open fields A covetous person will never stand to his colours our Saviour himselfe foretelleth that some should forsake him Ioh. 16. 32. Behold the houre commeth c. when yee shall be scattered every man to his owne and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone for the Father is with me Yea this you shall finde most certaine that nothing will make a man sooner doe this then the inordinate love of this present world This made Demas forsake his colours and turne Apostata The Apostle once kindely salutes the Church in his Name but after cryeth out against him for Apostacie 1 Tim. 4. 10. Demas also hath forsaken us having loved this present world So that if we would be constant in the service of Christ we must take heede of the world Sixthly and lastly This will bring the wrath of God upon a mans posteritie Many a man goeth to the devill himselfe to make his sonne a rich man and yet in spite of his heart God maketh him a beggar He begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand Eccles. 5. 14. So that he coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house Heb. 2. 9 10. He thinketh his children shall fare better and they speed the worse for his evill gotten goods as appeareth by the examples of Achan and Ahab whose covetous ill gotten wealth was the ruine of them and of their posteritie Josu 7. 24. 1 King 21. 29. This will helpe us against this sinne if this be rightly considered Fourthly Another great Let or impediment in this case is excessive feasting or belly-cheare True it is that we are allowed the liberall and comfortable use of Gods creatures not onely for necessitie but for delight but yet we must even in this case beware of excesse The Prophet cryeth out against unreasonable and unseasonable feastmungers Amos 6. 4. That they stretched themselves upon their couches did eat the Lambs out of the flocke and the Calves out of
bodies washed with cleane water c. But how shall we come to be assured that we doe so That you shall see Ver. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good workes c. Yea but what good worke are we principally to bring others unto Surely to frequent the Church assemblies v. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is So that you see we have great warrant for this Yea we must needs doe it necessitie is layd upon us and woe be unto us if we doe it not It is the voyce of a Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Gen. 4. Art thou not bound to love thy neighbour as thy selfe But I will tell thee that thou doest not love but hate him in thy heart if thou suffer him to goe on in any sinfull way and doe not doe thy best endeavour to convert him See an evident place for this purpose in Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Yea it is the second maine dutie of the Law Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe But it may be thou art readie to say Alas I doe not hate him but wish him well and love him as my selfe I doe not trouble him nor make nor meddle with him c. Nay but this is not enough thou mayest hate him in thy heart notwithstanding all this if thou goe no farther and therefore see what followeth Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him else thou doest but hate him in thy heart So that if we see our brother neglect the Church assembles or heare him sweare and blaspheme the Name of God or live in any other sinne and doe not plainely rebuke him thou doest not love thy brother but hate him in thy heart and art a murtherer in Gods account Hereby we testifie the truth of our love towards them especially thy familie and those that are committed to thy charge thou doest not love them truely but hate them in thy heart if thou neglect the good of their soules See the concurrent practise of such as have beene once truely converted themselves that their families have beene soone wrought on even immediately after Act. 16. 34. It is sayd of the converted Iayler that he beleeved in God with all his house And the like is sayd of others This was Abrahams care to instruct and reforme his familie Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his children servants to keepe the way of the Lord to doe judgement and justice i.e. I know Abraham will not be content to serve God himselfe alone but he will have a speciall care to see that his houshold doe so as well as he Yea this was the resolution and godly pietie of holy Ioshua Chap. 24. 14 15. Having reckoned up the singular varietie of Gods mercies towards them he endeavoureth hereupon to perswade all the people of God unto a religious obedience saying Ver. 14. Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in uprightnesse and truth But then see ver 15. if he could not prevaile with all the rest yet he would be sure to prevaile with his owne familie he durst undertake for them As for me I and my house will serve the Lord. No man can have assurance that he is truely converted to God himselfe if he doe not put away iniquitie from his Tabernacle See Iob 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almightie thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquitie from thy tabernacles Oh how this would quicken our desire and endeavour to reforme our familie if this was layd to heart and rightly considered this would make a man resolve with David not to keepe such servants in his familie as are prophane and irreligious Psal. 101. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Ver. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house and he that telleth liâ—s shall not tarry in my sight O therefore let us have a care not onely to serve God our selves but let us doe our best to perswade others especially let us have a care to reforme our families and put away iniquitie from our Tabernacle this is the way to bring the blessing of God both upon our selves and upon our families The power of Religion where it once cometh doth ever leave a blessing behinde it As the Arke of God brought a blessing with it to the house of O bed Edom 2 Sam. 6. 11. Yea if there be but one person in a familie that truely feareth God the whole familie and houshold shall fare the better for their sakes Thus God blessed Labans house for Jacobs sake as Laban himselfe confessed and therefore was lothe to part with him Gen. 30. 27. I pray thee tarry sayth he for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake And so the Lord blessed Putiphar's house for Ioseph's sake that idolatrous family sped a great deale the better for such a servant The Lord blessed the Aegyptians house for Ioseph's sake sayth the Text Gen. 39. 5. But how much more would it be a speciall meanes to bring Gods blessing upon our houses and families if all the whole familie would delight to spend time in GODS service and be religious Doubtlesse the Lord would make good that gracious promise Psal. 84. 11. That he will be Sunne and Shield unto them that he would give grace and glory and no good thing would hâ— withhold from such a familie c. Thus you see strong Motives and Arguments to perswade us not onely to serve God our selves but also to exhort and perswade our families to doe the like Here are the three first Motives CHAP. XIII Wherein the fourth Motive to the third and last Dutie is propounded and prosecuted FOurthly The last Motive to perswade us not onely to serve GOD our selves but also to perswade others thereunto is drawn from the consideration of the worth and excellency of the exercises of Religion especially the duties of his publike and solemne worship How can any of us spend our time better then in such holy and excellent performances It is even a little heaven upon earth to be so employed there have we the Word faithfully read preached both the Old and New Testament yea there we have the Ordinance of Catechising wherein we have milke for babes as well as meate for strong men But as touching the worth and excellency of this Ordinance I have already spoken Chap. 9. But besides the Ministery of the Word we have 1. the publike and solemne prayers and Lyturgie of our Church wherin all Gods people joyne together as one man in that solemne dutie and service 2. We have the holy and blessed Sacraments rightly and duely administred both Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord which were both of them clearely instituted by Christ himselfe and are
place we have to this purpose Acts 13. 47. It was necessary that the Word of God should be first preached unto you but since yee thrust it from you and doe judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life behold we turne to the Gentiles So that here we see plainely that they that have the Word of God preached and the meanes of grace offered and yet reject it and thrust it from them they doe judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life and at last the meanes shall be taken from them yea the estate of these men is so fearefull and lamentable that had I the tongue of men and Angels or the penne of an Apostle I could never set it out to the full see the inexpressible wofulnesse of their condition that despise the Gospell 1 Pet. 4. 17. The time is come that judgement must beginne at the house of God and if it beginne at us what shall the end be of those that obey not thâ— Gospell of God No marvell if I cannot tell yee see the Apostle Peter could not tell or would not take in hand to expresse it as if the estate of such was miserable above all that a man can speake or imagine Nay at the last day when they looke for the most comfort they shall finde most horror and bitternesse In stead of a Saviour Christ shall come at the last day with his holy Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not the Gospell saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 1. 8 9. ô wofull thing to consider when instead of Come ye blessed they shall heare the wofull and thundring voyce of Christ denouncing this terrible Doome against them Matth. 25. 41. Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill aâ—d his Angels and no marvell neither if they be thus punished and doe bring such swift damnation upon themselves for it is a fearefull signe that all such are lost and reprobates for whom the blacknesse of darknesse is reserved for ever Iude Ver. 4. for if our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lâ—st saith the Apostle whom the god of this world hath blinded yea a fearefull signe of reprobation in this case as doth appeare by that place of the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 8. As Iannes and Iambres with-stood Moses so doe these men resist the truth men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith the expresse words of the Holy Ghost yea they are such of whom the Lord hath sworne in his wrath that they shall never unlesse they repent enter into his rest as we may see Psalm 95. 9 10. c. O the foolish and franticke madnesse of all those that neglect and despise such a precious Iewell as true saving grace which for the worth of it is fitly compared to gold yea gold tryed in the fire yea much more precious then the finest gold in the world CHAP. III. Containing the use of examination THirdly seeing true grace is fitly resembled unto gold this should teach us diligently to try and examine our selves whether wee have any true grace in us yea or no for true grace is of a right golden nature Now that wee may not deceive our selves let us try what metall our graces are made on let us deale with our graces as knowledge and faith and love and obedience as men use to deale with their gold let us try them throughly whether they prove right currant gold yea or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether yee be in the faith or no whether your faith be a right saving faith yea or no That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7 As if he had said try your faith whether it be of the right precious metall of a saving metall which is indeed much more precious then gold Yea not only our faith but every other worke of grace in us must bee examined and proved Gal. 6. 4. But let every one prove his owne worke the worke of grace in his owne heart and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another What good will it doe us to know that another man's gold is weight and currant gold if we bee ignorant of our owne Let us therefore try our graces whether they be of the right stampe pure currant gold yea or no. Now for the perfecting of this use give me leave to shew you 1. Some Motives to perswade us to 2. Some markes to direct us in this tryall 1. The Motives that may perswade us to this exact tryall and examination of our graces are principally these foure 1. The difficulty of the worke 2. The danger of being mistaken 3. The possibility of prevaileing 4. The comfort that will redound to a man when the worke is once throughly performed And first for the difficultie of the worke wee had need to use all diligence to make sure worke in this case because it is a worke of great difficulty for a man to be assured in his soule that the graces which he hath and the gold he possesseth are saving graces and pure gold yea or no for if we looke into experience we shall finde some men utterly deceived in judging of the estates and condition of their owne hearts some judging better of themselves then there is cause and some againe thinking worse of themselves then they need to doe so that of both these that of the Proverbe may be fitly verified Prov. 13. 7. There is that maketh himselfe rich as if he had a whole purse full of gold and yet hath nothing and there is againe that maketh himselfe poore as if hee had no gold at all and yet hath great riches the one fearefull and timorous without cause and the other bold and confident upon a false ground according to that of the Wiseman Prov. 14. 16. A wiseman that is a godly man and one that truely feareth God feareth and departeth from evill Hee feareth and hee doubteth that his estate is not so good as all this while hee hath taken it to bee and thereupon hee like a wise man taketh occasion more and more to depart from evill he walketh and maketh straight steps to his feet Hebrewes 12. 13. But the foole that is the prophane person the beggar that is utterly destitute of true â—aving grace that hath not so much as one peece of true gold in his heart rageth and is confident he rageth and hee rayleth and hee swaggereth and yet hee is confident hee shall goe to heaven as soone as the best of them all for thus hee reasoneth for himselfe I confesse I speake amisse many times I speake idlely and wantonly and prophanely and sweare sometimes when I am angry and now and then I doe that which is naught but I thanke God I have as good an heart towards God as the best of them all therein I am confident so this man is utterly deceived in
judging of the state and condition of his heart towards God So that yee see the worke is exceeding difficult yea see an experiment of this in this Church of Laodicea Revelations 3. what she thought of her selfe is evident Verse 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked this is the condition of many a poore soule in the world On the other side many an one thinketh farre worse of himselfe then there is cause how many a sincere heart doth deepely charge it selfe with hypocrisie and thinketh himselfe to be a very beggar or a bankrupt in respect of any gold of true grace None so apt to complaine of the want of true grace as hee that hath the greatest measure at least he that hath good store in sincerity And the reason of this difficulty is partly the devils cunning and partly the deceitfulnesse of our owne hearts these are two notable juglers and they often concurre to deceive all sorts of people in this case Besides grace is a very secret thing it is very rare and precious he is a man of a thousand that hath it Saint Peter calleth it The hid man of the heart 1 Peter 3. 4. And a treasure hid in the field Matth. 13. 44. Gold while it is in the Oare is not so easily discerned untill it bee melted so is true grace but corruption is manifest especially to such as have true saving grace therefore saith the Apostle Galathians 5. 19. The workes of the flesh are manifest But when hee speakes of the fruits of the Spirit verse 22. hee saith no such thing of their manifestation but onely describeth what they are So that an humble Christian especially in case of temptation or some spirituall desertion hath such an eye to his corruptions is so intent upon them that he discerneth not the worke of grace in his owne heart which to the judicious eye of another is very manifest hee seeth so great an heape of Chaffe in his soule that hee thinketh the graine of true grace is wholly absent because it is hidden hee seeth such a great heape of Ashes in his heart that hee thinketh the fire of true grace is utterly extinguished and gone See an experiment of both these in the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18. 11. c. what a rich man was hee in his owne conceit But the Publican how poore was he in his owne opinion he could see in himselfe nothing but sâ—â—ne and corruption and therefore hee cryeth out ver 13. ô God bee mercifull to mee a sinner as if hee had said ô Lord I am a sinner a very grievous sinner nothing but a very lumpe of sinne a fardle of corruption and if thou bee not mercifull unto mee I shall perish for ever But what is the opinion of our Saviour as touching both these that yee shall see verse 14. I tell you this man that is the Publican went downe to his house justified rather than the other that is but not the other Besides there is another thing that maketh it so exceeding difficult that is that there is such a deale of counterfeit grace in the world as yee know there is much counterfeit gold in the world and that so like true gold that it cannot be discerned untill it come to bee melted so there is a great deale of counterfeit knowledge and faith and obedience which cannot be well discerned untill it come to the melting in the fire of affliction the Formalist commeth so neare to the state of grace that he is tryed onely in time of temptation as our Saviour intimateth Matthew 13. 21. For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by hee is offended yea this is the only way to try them as the Lord himselfe seemeth to intimate Jer. 9. 7. Behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people I will try them by melting of them If wee see a serving man follow two Gentlemen it is hard to say whose man hee is untill they part so while the Gospell and prosperity goe together it is hard to know which of these we serve untill they part as in time of persecution then hee that cleaveth to a naked Christ a naked persecuted Gospell hee is the man that hath true grace indeed This maketh it to bee so exceeding difficult for a man to be sure that he hath true grace because there is so much counterfeit grace and Copper-gold in the world There is a knowledge that puffeth up which a man may have in abundance and yet be without charity and saving grace 1 Cor. 13. 2. Counterfeit faith as Simon Magus had Acts 8. and yet an hypocrite Counterfeit sorrow for sinne and repentance such as Cain and Saul and Ahab and Iudas had and yet was but the sorrow of the world causing death And so for love and feare and joy and the like Yea which is most strange it is possible for a man to have a kinde of integrity and innocency and yet bee destitute of true saving grace for all that as Abimelech and Paul before his conversion 1. For Abimelech when God told him that hee was but a dead man because of Sarah because shee was another mans wife what saith he to God in that case Genesis 20. 5. In the integrity of my heart and Innocencie of my hands have I done this yea the Lord himselfe granteth it verse 6. Yea I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart that is his heart was upright thus farre that what hee did hee did it ignorantly and through mistake for hee confessed that hee knew adultery to bee so hainous a sinne that hee would not have taken her if hee had knowne shee had beene Abraham's wife but indeed Abraham was chiefely to blame in saying at best by way of concealement that She was his Sister So see what Paul saith of himselfe Acts 23. 1. I have lived in all good Conscience untill this day How could that be considering that hee had beene such a furious persecutor and one that even breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the servants of God Yes sure because alas all this hee did it ignorantly in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1. Hee did not know them to be the Saints of God but he thought them to bee a Sect that was every where persecuted and spoken against and therefore hee thought it was his duty to doe what hee did in that case as appeareth Acts 26. 9. I also my selfe thought that I ought to doe many things contrary to the Name of Iesus of Nazareth so that thus far his heart was alwayes upright that he thought even in persecuting and kilâ—ing the Saints that hee did God service as our Saviour foretold Iohn 16. 3. And therefore in this regard also it must need be exceeding difficult
for this purpose 2 Pet. 1. 5. 11. Wherefore giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge c. adde one grace to another grow in the number of graces and grow in their measure too If these things be in you and abound sayth the Apostle Ver. 9. see the benefit of this Ver. 11. For so an entrance shall be made unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ here is an entrance into the kingdome of grace which also assureth us of our interest in the kingdome of glorie Rom. 6. 22. Having your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life True holinesse and growth in grace is the plaine and direct way to true happines and everlasting life Fourthly and lastly The more grace and holines we attaine unto here the more glory and happinesse is reserved in heaven for us for though God doe not reward us for our workes yet he will certainly reward us according to our workes so that the more diligence in Gods service the more glory hereafter This seemeth most clearely intimated in that Parable of the Talents Mat. 25. he that gained most had best reward Vnto him that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Ver. 29. He that is most abundant in the worke of the Lord shall be sure to have abundance of wages Let this also perswade us to grow in grace that our reward in heaven may be the greater They that doe much in Gods service and suffer much in the good cause of God shall have the greater reward in heaven Rejoyce and be exceeding glad sayth our Saviour to his Disciples for great is your reward in heaven Mat. 5. 12. They that take great paines in Gods service shall have an eternall and an exceeding weight of glory for their reward 2 Cor. 4. 7. This encouraged Moses Heb. 11. 26. He esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward sayth the Text. Now the meanes that we must use that we may grow in grace are especially these two first The right use of Gods Ordinances and secondly Holy meditations First The right and conscionable use of Gods ordinances The Word and Sacraments and Prayer Loe here the best way and meanes to grow rich in grace and full of spirituall wealth First The Ministery of the Word read and faithfully preached it is the Word of eternall life Ioh. 6. 68. the meanes to quicken a dead soule at first and the chiefe meanes to preserve the same spirituall life and to helpe us to grow and increase in grace Two singular and most pertinent testimonies wee have for this purpose The one 1 Pet. 2. 1. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that you may grow thereby The ministery of the Word is not onely the meanes of our regeneration at first 1 Pet. 1. 23. Iam. 1. 18. but is the meanes also to helpe us grow up unto perfection Desire the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby sayth the Apostle The other testimony to this purpose is that of the Apostle Paul in his valediction to the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. when he was to depart from them and foresaw that they should see his face no more never enjoy his bodily presence or heare him preach againe see what he especially commendeth to their daily use and constant practise Ver. 32. And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you farther and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified i. e. give daily attendance to this ply this taske follow this worke close for the Word of his grace will build you up still farther and farther and will never cease working in you untill it bring you to heaven and translate you from grace to glory Secondly The right and religious use of the Sacraments of Baptisme and of the Lords Supper these seales of righteousnesse will exceedingly further our progresse in pietie and growth in grace How can a man that is of a good constitution feed on dainties and wholesome food and not grow strong and well liking by that meanes so how can a man eat the very body of Christ and drinke his very blood in the Sacrament as every worthy receiver doth spiritually but he must needs grow strong in the grace of Christ Iesus For my flesh is meate indeede and my blood is drinke indeede sayth our blessed Saviour Ioh. 6. 35. And hereupon he inferreth Ver. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him that is such an one hath speciall communion with Christ and interest in all his merits and the benefit of his obedience active and passive which how can he enjoy but he must needs grow in grace Thirdly Prayer is a chiefe Ordinance of God by no meanes to be neglected nay which must be used as a meanes to bring Gods blessing upon the former this is the way and meanes to make the Word and Sacraments effectuall unto us so that in the neglect of this meanes little benefit is to be expected from the diligent use of the former so that he that would grow in grace must be a daily petitioner at the Throne of grace and direct his course to the God of all grace by prayer for the increase of the graces of Gods Spirit in him For as every good and perfect gift cometh from aboue at the first Iam. 1. 17. So the increase of those gifts must needs also proceede from above He onely that beginneth the good worke of grace in his Elect at the first is onely able to perfect that worke which he hath begunne Phil. 1. 6. And therefore as the Apostle was confident concerning them so let us be fervent and importunate in our requests to him for our selves that as he hath begunne the good worke of grace in us so he would encrease it in us daily and bring it unto perfection Thus the Apostles direct their course unto Christ by prayer for the increase of their faith Luk. 17. 5. The Disciples sayd unto the Lord Lord increase our faith Thus Paul for the Philippians Phil. 1. 9. 11. And this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and in all judgement and that yee might be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Encrease of grace as well as grace it selfe must needs be the gift of God For of him and through him and from him are all things sayth the Apostle Rom. 11. 36. Secondly The second generall meanes that we must use to grow in grace is holy Meditations This hath furthered the growth of grace in Gods Saints heretofore they have beene abundant and constant in pious and holy meditations Psal. 1. 4. A godly mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and it is his meditation
by purchase true it is in regard of it selfe it is the free gift of God but in regard of our owne endeavour to get it it must be bought and to shew the truth of this the price it selfe is declared to be without money and without price so Mat. 13. 44. The kingdome of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found c. he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field which also doth evidently confirme the poynt that we have in hand To the same purpose is that speech of the five wise Virgins Mat. 25. 9. But goe yee rather to them that sell and buy for your selves where we see that they that want the oyle of true saving grace must not borrow of others but goe unto such as sell and buy for themselves which is very direct for the purpose Now if any shall aske further who is the chiefe-chapman of whom we must buy this precious commoditie I answere in the words of the Doctrine That all that would have the gold of true saving grace must buy it of Christ He is the chiefe Chapman in this case And so I come to the second proofe which was propounded at first for the confirmation of this poynt sc. Reasons grounded upon Scriptures Now the Reasons are especially these five which are all drawne from the consideration of the excellencie of the Chapman that is most fit and readie to sell this precious commoditie to such as want and desire it so that as the excellencie and necessitie of it should perswade us to buy the commoditie so the excellencie of the Chapman should perswade us to buy it of Christ which is absolutely the rarest chapman in the world This I will endeavour to describe and manifest in these five particulars First Christ is a Chapman of a most loving and sweet disposition He is even in this respect The chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. Men usually love to buy of such Chapmen as are of the best disposition a wise meeke and loving disposition in a Chapman will perswade many at least to cheapen a commoditie If we would buy of such an one let us bargaine with Christ for he is a Chapman of a most sweet disposition for wisdome for meeknesse for love c. Wee may all goe to schoole to him yea he himselfe inviteth us to learne Mat. 11. 29. Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest to your soules He is such a Chapman as is readie to lay downe his life for his customers Ioh. 13. Let this rare disposition of his perswade us to bargaine with Christ Secondly If any man want true saving grace let him buy it of Christ because he is an exceeding faithfull Chapman to all that shall deale with him Some men drive away their customers by churlish speeches but Christ doth beseech us to buy his commoditie 2 Cor. 5. 20. Some againe loose their custome for want of fidelitie they are apt to cheat and cozen such as relie upon them and want skill to discerne the worth of the commoditie but Christ is faithfull if he once passe his word that the commoditie is good and such as will serve thy turne thou mayest safely relie upon him for he is faithfull and will not deceive thee there was never any guile to bee found in his mouth he never deceived any Salomon cryeth out of the want of such chapmen Pro. 20. 6. But a faithfull man who can finde it is a rare thing to finde such a man that will not deceive us but see here a chapman indeed in whom there is no guile nothing but fidelitie and truth it selfe God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 1 Cor. 10. 13. So faithfull is he that hath called you to buy this precious commoditie and will not deceive you 1 Thes. 5. 24. He is such an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. Neither is there any guile to be found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. Let this also perswade us to bargaine with Christ. Thirdly Christ is a very rich Chapman and full of wealth so that hee hath great choice for his customers He hath a shop so furnished that we can desire or want nothing but he is well furnished with it He is full of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. Yea it hath pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1. 19. Yea in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. there is a fulnesse of all kinde of commodities that we can stand in need of fulnesse of wisedome and knowledge fulnesse of faith and love c. in a word all fulnesse dwelleth in him doth constantly abide in him for ever here is a shop stored with precious commodities of all sorts whatsoever Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3. 8. Let this also perswade us that if we want true saving grace in whole or in part to goe to Christ for it and buy it of him If any lacke wisedome let him aske it of God Jam. 1. 5. So if any want true saving grace let him buy it of Christ that is excellently furnished abundantly to supply our wants for all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge and all other saving graces of Gods Spirit are layd up in him Fourthly If any want true saving grace let him buy it of Christ because he is no respecter of persons he regardeth not the rich more then the poore Worldly chapmen that have great dealings in the world they shew most respect unto those that are great ones Lords and Ladies c. a poore man is forced many times to stay long before he can be served neither doe I simply condemne this among men but it is not so with Christ Acts 10. 35. Of a truth I perceive that there is no respect of persons with God but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Yea he regardeth not the rich more then the poore Job 34. 19. Wealth and riches are of no validitie in this respect nay which is most strange he regardeth the poore more then the rich in some cases he maketh choice especially of them Iam. 2. 5. He bargaineth rarely with such as are great and wealthy 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many noble not many wise men after the flesh are called He passeth by the wise and prudent and great persons of the world and bestoweth his best commodities on those that in the worlds account are very babes Mat. 11. You would wonder to heare of such a man that having his shop full of great persons and spying some poore man stand waiting at doore should neglect all the great persons present and speake to the poore man and say What would'st thou have ô thou poore creature I will dispatch and serve thee first of all yet thus
let him come unto me and drinke You see that onely the thirstie soules are invited to Christ a man without this spirituall thirst after grace is likely to be sent emptie away it is hunger and thirst then that fitteth us for the graces of Christ Luk. 1. 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent emptie away such onely are likely to prize it such onely will be thankfull for it such onely are likely to make a right use of it such onely will take paines to procure and be at great cost to obtaine it and therefore they that would bargaine with Christ for true saving grace must hunger and thirst after it yea such an one will be earnest in prayer to God for it he will pray with fervencie and therefore is sure to speed in his request Pro. 2. 2. 3. If thou cryest after knowledge and lifâ—est up thy voyce after understanding if thou seekest for her as for silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Fourthly Diligence and constancie in frequenting the place of sale this also must needs follow upon the three former directions For he that is first sensible of the want of grace secondly knoweth the right worth of grace thirdly and hungreth and thirsteth after it cannot but in the fourth place with all possible diligence and readinesse frequent the place of sale Buying presupposeth going to the market He that would have true saving grace must diligently and constantly frequent Gods house and Ordinances He is worthy to goe without his commoditie that will not frequent the place of sale A wise man will watch for an opportunitie to procure that commoditie that will serve his turne he will come one market day after another untill he be furnished and he is a blessed man that doth thus and that in the judgement and opinion of wisedome her selfe observe it Pro. 8. 33. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates and giving attendance at the postes of my doores Happie is that man that daily frequents Wisedomes markets and diligently attendeth in Gods house and Ordinances Thus was Paul's direction to the Elders of Ephesus he sendeth them still to the market Acts 20. 32. And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up farther c. Here is the meanes both to get and increase grace This made Gods Saints love Gods house and Ordinances so exceeding dearely Let me instance in David in stead of all the rest oh his admirable love to Gods house and Ordiâ—ances Psal. 26. 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth he was a constant frequenter of this spirituall market yea see how he manifested his wonderfull affection that way he was even sicke when he was kept from the market Give me leave to informe you of one singular passage of his to this purpose Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord and that I will require and seeke after but one thing David surely then that is a matter of some speciall importance It may be another kingdome or such another crown as that which was taken from the King of Rabbah No surely it was no such matter but onely this sc. libertie to enjoy the benefit of Gods house and Ordinances he desired onely to keepe the market sc. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life and enquire in his Temple As if he had sayd Lord what a doe is here in the world with many one would be rich and another would be honourable this man is for pleasure and that for profit well let them take all so that I may enjoy the libertie of Gods house and Ordinances the meanes of grace the pledges of Gods favour let me have but this one thing alone and let them take all the rest This is Davids one thing And no marvell if he was thus earnest in this case for Davids one thing is the one thing needfull and that in the judgement and opinion of our blessed Saviour Luk. 10. 42. One Thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her And surely there is good reason for this here is the place of Gods speciall presence this is as it were the shop of Christ here he walketh and talketh with his customers and here he selleth his precious commodities Revel 2. 1. we there finde him walking in the middest of the golden Candlestickes still present in the Church assemblies yea there he hath promised to be present in a most speciall manner Mat. 18. 20. Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I even in the middest amongst them there he standeth looking for customers and calling in such as are readie to passe his shop and never so much as once thinking to cheapen his commoditie untill they heare him cry What doe yee lacke O yee poore soules Why will yee not come unto me that yee might have grace here and glorie hereafter See how he proclaimeth open market and describeth his commodities Isa. 55. 1. Hoe every one that thirsts come yee to the waters buy wine and milke without money I will sell the best ware very cheape yea if thou be a poore needie soule and hast no money I will either trust thee and take thy word or give it freely without price yea see how he chideth them for not frequenting his shop Ioh. 5. 40. But yee will not come unto me that yee might have life Why doe you lay out your money for that which is not bread and spend your labour for that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. Why doe yee goe where you are cheated and cozened with drosse in stead of gold and will not come at me where you shall be faithfully and kindly dealt withall And therefore againe he inviteth them Ver. 3. Encline your eare and come unto me heare and your soule shall live They that neglect the market are likely to starve and perish for want of grace and glorie Salvation is farre from the wicked for they regard not thy Statutes sayth David Psal. 119. 155. He that despiseth Gods Ordinances is farre from salvation This is the fourth thing requisite for the making of this bargaine with Christ sc. Diligence and constancie in frequenting the house of sale Fifthly He that would bargaine with Christ must pay the price of it to the worth of the commoditie though it cost him all that he hath Now we come to the very price of the Iewell A naturall man will thinke it too much but the truth is it is an excellent peni-worth for he must part with nothing but what he hath of his owne and what he may well spare He goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field sayth
constant in the duties of Gods worship and service This appeareth not onely in regard of the expresse command of God to that purpose but also because it is the speciall condition required on our part as ever we expect the reward promised as wee have heard before but we shall finde it very necessary in many other respects whereof I will onely mention but one or two which I conceive to be the chiefe First Because without constancie and perseverance wee loose all the labour and paines that we have alreadie taken in Gods service we have laboured in vaine and to no purpose if we doe not perseveâ—e if we faint we are sure we shall never reape as the Apostle seemeth to intimate Gal. 6. 9. All our righteousnesse shall not so much as be once mentioned unto us we shall be never a whit the better for it Ezech. 18. 24. The soule of the Lord shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. See an experiment of this in two famous examples to this purpose sc. Demas and Alexander See what a good opinion the Apostle had of this Demas he remembreth his love to the Church of Colosse Col. 4. 14. Demas-greeteth you yea he was one of Pauls fellow labourers Philemon ver 24. And yet see how the Apostle cryeth out of him afterward 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world Demas hath lost all his labour and the credit of all his former proceedings So for Alexander see how zealous and forward he seemed to be in Act. 19. 33. he was very like to have suffered Martyrdome and yet see how the Apostle discovereth him afterward for his damnable Apostacie 2 Tim. 4. 14. Alexander the Copper-smith hath done me much evill the Lord reward him according to his worke for he hath greatly withstood our words So he lost the benefit of all the good he had done formerly But this is not all for Secondly The sinne of back-sliding and falling backe from Religion is a thing that is most odious and hatefull to God the soule of the Lord abhorreth it the soule of the Lord will have no pleasure in such that is he hateth and abhorreth them hereupon it is compared to the vomit of a Dogge and the Sowes wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. Yea if any man draw backe it is unto his perdition unlesse he repent Heb. 10. 39. And how hard a thing it is for such to be brought unto Repentance Heb. 6. 5. If they fall away it is impossible to renew them againe unto repentance How-ever the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his owne wayes Pro. 14. 14. And are quite lost in their owne sense and feeling which is even a little hell upon earth as appeareth by the example of Francis Spira and William Rogers of Cranebrooke in Kent the Stories of both which are lately published Yea see the woefull estate of Lot's wife Let the judgement of God upon her make us take heede of looking backe which is the effect of that speech of our Saviour Luk. 17. 32. Remember Lots wife who for looking backe was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. 46. Whosoever doe thus unlesse they repent and doe their first workes are in no case fit for the kingdome of heaven for he that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe is not fit for the kingdome of God sayth our Saviour Luk. 9. 62. Thirdly Wee had need be vigilant and constant in regard of the devils continuall diligence in watching all opportunities to doe us mischiefe we had need continually to stand upon our guard and ply our worke for if we give over we immediately become a prey to his malicious crueltie Whilst the little bird is in action and flying from bush to bush and from place to place she is in no danger of being shot to death but when she sitteth still she becommeth a prey to the cruell fowler it is the Holy Ghosts owne similitude Prov. 26. 2. As the bird by wandring and the Swallow by flying so the curse causelesse shall not come When did David become a prey to the Devill and lust but when he lay idely at home 2 Samuel 11. upon his bed The Devill seeketh continually to doe us hurt and by doing nothing we learne to doe evill Therefore this is the Apostles argument to perswade to constancy and vigilancy 1 Peter 5. 8. For your adversary the Devill as a roring Lion goeth about seeking continually whom he may devoure And thus yee see also the necessitie of constancy and perseverance in the duties of Gods worship and service It is equall profitable and necessary Now for the Meanes that wee must use that we may be constant I will give you only one generall which will divide it selfe into sundry particulars 1. In generall get a right disposition of heart to this purpose without this it is impossible for any to be constant in Gods service therefore saith David Psalme 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes It is only a good and an honest heart that is able to make a man hold out in Gods wayes as our Saviour sheweth Luke 8. 15. This made Iehu fall away at last notwithstanding all the faire shewes he made of zeale for God and his truth But Iehu tooke no heede to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart saith the Text 2 Kings 10. 31. This made him cleave to Ieroboam's calvish Idolatry So this made Simon Magus fall off notwithstanding all his fine shewes of Religion his keeping company with the Apostles his being baptized c. he shewed plainly what he was at last And how came that I perceive that thy heart is not right in the sight of God saith the Apostle to him Acts 8. 21. If we would persevere in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts set in a right frame Now more particularly if ye aske me what disposition or frame of heart is it that we must labour for if we would bee constant in Gods service 1. I answer that if we would be constant in Gods service we must labour for a beleeving heart an heart fraught with the precious grace of true saving faith This is that which will make a man constant and victorious over all impediments 1 Iohn 5 4 5. For whosoever beleeveth and is borne of God overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the world even your faith True saving faith is of a lasting nature he that hath it can never perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. Yea this doth alwayes end in salvation 1 Peter 1. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules saith the Apostle if any man draw backe and fall off from Gods service it is either for want of faith or at least for want of a true saving faith When the Apostle had shewed
exceedingly and keepe it in a better frame all the day after ô what an excellent thing to consecrate even our first awaking unto God this is the way to shut out the three capitall adversaries of our salvations the Devill the World and the Flesh that are ready to dispose us to evill so soone as we awake in the morning The way to keepe out this wretched company all the day isto let God into our hearts so soone as we awake by holy meditations See an experiment of this in David What made him to make so great account of Gods publike Ordinances Surely his care to begin the day well was a very great helpe unto him Even hee that saith in our Text A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand could say other where Early in the morning will I direct my prayers unto thee and will looke up Psalme 5. 3. Hee was an excellent husband in a morning And therefore as the drunkard riseth early to follow strong drinke Isaiah 5. So Gods people must rise early in the morning to doe God service yea this was an ordinary thing with David Psalme 119. 147. I prevented the dawneing of the morning and cryed hee was at his holy exercises before the dawneing of the day So Psalme 130. ver 6. My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning He was like a man full of paine that could not rest nor sleepe all the night but watcheth for the morning light or a man that hath some speciall businesse to doe that breaketh his sleepe with the thoughts of it and lyeth and watcheth for the morning that he may speedily start up and set about it so a gracious heart doth even consecrate his first awakings unto God and lyeth and watcheth for an opportunitie to doe God service Oh that we would hearken to this direction sc. to begin the day well even with holy meditations Oh what a shame is it that we should not bee as diligent to save our soules as the wicked are to loose theirs and bee at least as zealous in Gods service as they are in the devils Now marke the practise of the wicked Mich. 2. 2. They imagine mischiefe upon theirbe ds when the morning light commeth they practise it So on the contrary let us as soone as we awake imagine piety upon our beds that when the morning light commeth wee may practise the same to GODS glory and our eternall salvation It is the practise of some wise people that live in infected places that â—efore 〈◊〉 goe abroad in the morning they take a â—rauâ—ht of some wholesome liquor to fill their veines which is an excellent meanâ—s to prevent the infection of the pestilence or any such like catching or infectioâ—â— disease so a good draught of prayer or holy meditation the reading of a Chapter next our heart such spirituall receits would be excellent meanes to prevent the world or devils infecting of our soules wheras if we venture abroad without all or any of these fasting as it were we are in great danger to be infected To this purpose we have the example and practise of our blessed Saviour who by private prayer and meditation made himselfe the fitter for the discharge of the duties of his publike Ministery Yea and arose early in the morning to that purpose Observe it Mar. 1. There we shall finde that our Saviour was earnestly benâ— upon the discharge of his Propheticall office and to this end by his Spirit stirreth up an earnest desire in the peoples hearts to heare him and therefore saith the Text Simon and they that were were with him said unto him All men seeke for thee verse 36. 37. and then see his resolution to that purpose verse 38. 39. Let us goe into the next townes that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth and so he preached in their Synagogues throughout all Galilee But what meanes did he use to fit himselfe for this purpose that yee may see ver 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed wherein he is an excellent patterne for our imitation and by his blessed example doth plainely teach us that for a man to arise early in the morning to performe the duties of Gods private worship and service is an excellent meanes to prepare and fit him for the duties of Gods publike worship and service Hereupon it is also that He giveth direction for private prayer even prayer in the Closet as well as publike Matth. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut the doore and pray unto thy Father in secret and thy Father that seeth in secret will reward thee openly Which he doth not only because such prayers for the most part are done in sincerity but also because he well knew that the more men made conscience of prayer in secret the fitter and the more willing they would bee to spend time in the publike duties of Gods service besides the promise of acceptance is made to such as seeke wisedome early Pro. 8. 17. I love them that love me and they that seeke mee early shall finde mee saith Wisedome there CHAP. IX Containing the fourth Direction how to spend much time in Gods service FOurthly if wee would spend much time in the duties 〈◊〉 Gods publike worship and service wee must labour to 〈◊〉 our hearts fraught with the love of Gods House and Ordinances wee must love publike prayer and the Word preached and the Sacraments c. Men will never care for spending much time in things which they love not they are soone weary of such kind of imployments but on the other side men care not how much time they spend in those things which they love and wherein they delight Some spend their time in working and toyle and moyle to get wealth they will arise early and sit up late and eat the bread of sorrowes c. And why so Surely because they love profit Some spend their time in hunting and hawking and such like recreations because they love their pleasures Some spend their time in study because they love learning In a word Trahit sua quemque voluptas every man usually spendeth most time in that which hee loveth best And therefore he only is fit to spend much time in Gods service that is greatly in love with the duties of Religion What a great deale of time did Iacob spend in Laban's service for the love of Rachel twise seven yeares he served him night and day with all his power and they seemed but a few dayes in regard of the love which hee had to her saith the Text Genesis 29. 20. Twise seven yeares seeme but a few dayes if they be considered and looked upon with the eyes of love Now is it not a great shame for us that are Christians if it shall
appeare that a man shall love a faire Virgin better than we love God Now if we loved Gods Ordinances as wee should all the time that wee spend in his service would seeme but a few dayes even nothing in comparison if we could once come to serve God out of love to himselfe and his Ordinances Now surely this must needs follow upon the three former directions for if we 1 get an heart right set for God and bee constant in the private duties of religion and especially be carefull to season our hearts with religious cogitations early each morning then we cannot choose but love the duties of Gods publike worship and service and where this true love to Gods Ordinances is there will be a care to spend much time in Gods worship and service both publike and private See the description of David's blessed man Psalm 1. 1 2. where he is described first Negatively by what he doth not and secondly Affirmatively by that which he doth v. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth hee meditate day and right See the connection of these two If ye aske Why he spendeth so much time in Gods service even day and night It is answered because his delight is in the Law of the Lord ergo he spendeth much time in it Yea see this in David himselfe Why did he spend so much time in the duties of Gods worship and service but in regard of his singular love and affection towards them as that one speech of his doth plainly and fully intimate Psal. 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation continually A man will never continually thinke and meditate on that which he loveth not David could never have sayd truely out of his experience A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand if he could not have truely sayd first My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal. 84. 2. No it was his extraordinarie love to Gods house and Ordinances that made him value time spent there at so high a rate The Booke of Psalmes giveth plentifull and abundant testimony to this purpose Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. And againe often in Psal. 119. Oh how I love thy Law How much David Surely more then thousands of gold and silver Ver. 72. Yea more then great spoyles ver 102. yea it was sweeter then honey and the honey-combe Psal. 119. 103. No marvell if such a man as he spent much time in the duties of Gods service that loved Gods house and Ordinances so exceedingly Yea such was his love to the duties of Religion that by his good will he would spend all his dayes in that holy imployment yea and he maketh it his grand request the very onely Boone that he would beg at Gods hands that he might doe so An excellent place to this purpose is that which wee have Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after But one thing David Surely that is some great matter indeed it may be some great Kingdome bigger then that of Ierusalem No Davids ayme was at another kinde of matter see how he doth expresse it That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life This is Davids one thing that he would beg at Gods hand yea the meanest office or imployment in Gods house would give him more content then the highest place in the tents of the ungodly as is sweetly expressed in this very Verse Psal. 84. 10. in the words immediately following the words of our Text I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the Tents of wickednesse Yea this is not Davids case onely but all that are regenerate indeed and truely godly and religious they are all of the same minde as well as David The little childe loveth nothing so well as the mothers brest that is the onely still-babe that giveth content for the most part when all other devices faile if this doe not quiet the childe scarce any thing will doe it so it is with all the new borne babes of Christ if they once be regenerate and borne againe they love nothing so well as to sucke the milke of Religion out of the breasts of Gods Ordinances It is the comparison that the holy Ghost himselfe useth 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby See the affection of Gods Saints this way Ieremiah and Ezechiel and Iob and Paul First for Ieremiah Chap. 15. 16. Thy Words were found and I did eate them And how did they taste Ieremiah Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Loe what sweetnesse the Babes of Christ finde in Gods Ordinances The like wee finde of Ezech. 3. 3. Sonne of man cause thy belly to eate and fill thy bowells with this rowle Here was Gods charge to the Prophet now see what sweetnesse he found in it Then did I eate the rowle and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetnesse Then for holy Job the sweetnesse that he found in Gods Ordinances was that which affoorded him a great deale of comfort in his greatest afflictions Job 23. 12. His way that is the Lords way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lippes I have esteemed the words of his lippes more then my necessarie food that made him so religious and spend so much time in Gods service because he was so farre in love with Gods Ordinances Then consider the example of Paul Rom. 7. 22. What made him spend so much time in Gods service in prayer and preaching to all the world but because he loved the Word exceedingly I delight in the Law of God according to the inner man so farre as he was regenerate he tooke great delight in Gods Ordinances But above all consider the example of our blessed Saviour none comparable to him for his unwearied painfulnesse in Gods service He went about doing good continually Act. 10. 38. Yea observe it Mat. 9. 35. Iesus went about all the Cities and Villages teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and healing every sicknesse and every disease amongst the people And why so Surely because his love to Gods Ordinances and his Fathers will was extraordinarie This is the reason that he himselfe giveth in this very case It is an excellent Storie that we finde Ioh. 4. the effect and substance whereof is this That our Saviour comming to Sychar to Iacobs Well and being hungry and thirstie He sendeth his Disciples into the Citie to buy meate sayth the Text ver 8. In the meane time commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water and our Saviour taketh that opportunitie in their absence to convert the heart of this poore Samaritan wherein the Disciples finde
confessed his owne guiltinesse and the justice of God 2. Vindicated the innocency of Christ. 3. Was affected with the judgement and brought to feare God 4. Earnestly desired to worke upon his fellow servant Doest thou not feare God c. i.e. ô feare God consider what a wofull estate thou art plunged into Reasons or Motives io perswade us hereunto are foure 1. In regard of God 2. In regard of our selves 3. In regard of others 4. In regard of the excellency of Gods Ordinances 1. In regard of God because the Lord is much honoured and his Name is highly magnified and therefore hereby we shall shew our zeale for Gods glory and our â—ove unto his Majesty Gods glory in all things should be respected in the first place Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoever ye doe doe all to the glory of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 31. Now surely the more people and the greater the company is that joyne together in the duties of Gods service the more glory must needs hereby redound to God for the enlarging of Christs kingdome is a chiefe meanes of advancing Gods glory This our Saviour teacheth in the very mould and course of the Lords Prayer it appeareth in the very order of the petitions 1. Hallowed be thy Name to shew that in all things in the first place Gods glory must be respected 2. Thy kingdome come there is the chiefe meanes to shew that the comming of Gods kingdome is one chiefe meanes for the hallowing of his Name and the enlarging of Christ's kingdome is a chiefe meanes for the advancing of Gods glory Matth. 6. 10 11. certainely much glory must needs hereby redound to God when we are not content only to serve God our selves but also exhort and excite and stirre up others hereunto Secondly There is another Motive to perswade us which is drawne from our selves Hereby we shall manifest the work of grace wrought in our own hearts This is a good testimony that we are truely religious indeed when wee are not content to serve God our selves but are ready to provoke and stirre up others hereunto for goodnesse is a spreader of it selfe it is ready to disperse and communicate it selfe for the good of others Yee heard what the Holy Ghost said of Barnabas Acts 11. 23. That he exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord ver 24. for he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost A good man and one that is full of the Holy Ghost is and will be ready to excite and stirre up others unto that which is good When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren said our Saviour Luk. 22. 32. He that is truly converted himselfe will be ready to be a meanes to convert and turne others to God See it in David Psalme 51. 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes to the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Where there is abundance of grace in the heart it will manifest it selfe in our gracious speeches and holy communication Psal. 37. 30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisedome his tongue will bee talking of judgement the Law of his God is in his heart c. for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our Saviour Matth. 12. 34. I have hid thy Word in my heart saith David Psalme 119. 11. See the fruit of this Psalm 95. 6. O come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker c. True grace maketh a man ready to doe good offices for others especially to perswade them to serve God and be religious Thirdly In regard of others For hereby we shall best manifest our love and respect to others yea we doe not know how much good we may doe them this way for by this we may come to save a soule from death and cover a multitude of sinnes Iam. 5. 20. Hereby we may come to be acquainted with the wayes of God our selves and others whom we perswade may be hereby converted to walke in his pathes for Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. See how confidently David assureth himselfe of the conversion of others upon his best endeavour to teach them Gods wayes Psal. 51. 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes to the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee How much more if we come to the house and Ordinances of God and bring others with us This argument Gods people have used to perswade others to goe with them to Gods house Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord for he will teach us of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Isa. 2. 2 3. This is the way to bring others to the true feare of GOD as well as our selves if we can perswade them to accompany us in the constant and frequent use of Gods Ordinances Observe an excellent place to this purpose Deut. 31. 11 12. When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord in the place that he shall choose thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates Why so What good will they get this That they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God to doe all the words of this Law Where we see that the house or place of Gods worship and service must be constantly frequented and that it is not enough for us to come thither our selves but we must also bring our whole families men women and children yea the very stranger that doth but occasionally come unto us we must bring all to Gods Ordinances And lastly that hereby we are likely to be instruments of working the feare of God in the hearts of those whom we bring and so to bring them to obedience Let no man say What neede we trouble our selves with others Is it not enough for every man to looke to himselfe and to have a care that he spend time himselfe in Gods service though he doe not meddle with others For though Christian charitie begin at home yet it doth not end there but he that is truely carefull to serve God himselfe will be readie to exhort and admonish others especially those of his familie and such as are committed to his charge And if any thinke much at this yet let him know that it is no more then his dutie Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day Nay no man can have any good assurance that he draweth nigh to God with a true heart himselfe if he doe not doe his best endeavour to excite and stirre up others to doe so too See an excellent passage to this purpose Heb. 10. 22. 24. c. Let us draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our
multitude of their riches these seeme to be very powerfull Masters yet marke what the holy Ghost sayth of such Psal. 49. 6 7 8. None of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give to God a ransome for him for the Redemption of the soule is precious and ceaseth for ever All the men in the world with all the wealth in the world are not able to save one soule And what is a man profited if he could winne the whole world if he loose his soule sayth our Saviour Mat. 16. 26. But now this our heavenly Master is able to save a soule from death and cover a multitude of sinnes Thou hast delivered my soule from death sayth David Psal. 116. 8. Yea he is the author of eternall salvation to them that doe obey him Heb. 5. 9. Here is a Master worth serving that is able to save the soules of his servants with an everlasting salvation Psal. 3. 8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord i. e. it is his peculiar Sixthly He is readie to accept and take in good part the poore endeavours of his servants yea their desires if sincere and fervent doe finde acceptance with him God doth indeed set his servants hard taskes many times such as they are never able to performe of themselves He commandeth us to love him with all our hearts and keep all his Commandements but his meaning is according to the mitigation of the Gospell onely that we should earnestly desire and doe our best endeavour to doe so and then it is sufficient in Gods account A loving Father that would try the willingnesse of his childe biddeth him goe sirrah runne and fetch me such a great piece of wood which it may be is as much as five or six men could carry but if he finde him willing and readie to doe his best endeavour it contenteth the Father so dealeth God with his servants He spareth them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Yea if there be but first of all a willing minde it is accepted according to that we have and not according to that we have not sayth the Apostle 2 Cor. 8. 12. Yea sincere desires are graciously accepted See how Nehemiah propoundeth his case Neh. 1. 11. O Lord I beseech thee let thine eares be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayers of thy servants that desire to feare thy Name especially if these be seconded and accompanied with earnest and sincere endeavours Thus Abrahams resolution to offer his Sonne Gen. 22. 12. was accepted as if he had actually done it and therefore by faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac sayth the Holy Ghost Heb. 11. 17. and yet we see in the Storie that actually and really he did it not no the Lord himselfe withheld him by a voyce from heaven and yet in this place yee see it is said that he did offer Isaac when he was tryed that is he was readie to have done it it was his purpose if God himselfe had not granted him a dispensation and therefore in Gods account it was done Yea sayth the Lord himselfe Gen. 22. 13. Because thou hast done this though indeede he did it not yet because he was willing to have done it it was done in Gods account and in his gracious acceptance Oh who would not be constant and abundant in the service of such a Master Seventhly This gracious disposition of our Master doth farther shew it selfe in that he is readie to helpe and assist his servants in doing that worke which he requireth of them he affoordeth them helpe and strength to doe their worke and therefore though Paul when he looketh upon his own weaknesse and inabilitie is readie to cry out 2 Cor. 2. 26. Who is sufficient for these things yet when he considereth the helping hand of God then he can say I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. And indeed most true is that of our Saviour Joh. 15. 5. Without me yee can doe nothing so by his assistance we can doe all things that he commandeth so as he is pleased to accept of them for the Lord himselfe putteth to his helping hand Psal. 37. 24. Isa. 41. 10. Feare not Iacob I am with thee c. I will helpe thee He will helpe us pray his Spirit shall helpe our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. and helpe us preach and heare and in a word is readie to worke all our workes for us As we deale with a young Scholler that beginneth to write his hand is guided so doth the Lord deale with us Isa. 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our workes for us Eighthly Let us be abundant and spend much time in Gods service for he is a good pay-master we are not onely sure of our wages because he is constant and faithfull in keeping Covenant as yee heard before but also he is exceeding bountifull and liberall See one expression of his bounty in this Psalm 84. 11. He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly As he himselfe loveth a bountifull giver so he is such a one himselfe sc. bountifull and liberall He giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not sayth the Apostle Iam. 1. 5. He doth even daily load his servants with benefits Psalm 68. 19. Blessed be God even the God of our salvation who doth dayly loade us with his benefits Oh who would not be diligent in the service of such a bountifull Master Yea he rewardeth all his Servants with no lesse then a Kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome So Mat. 25. 34. Come yee blessed children of my Father inherit the Kingdome provided for you from the beginning of the world Yea such a kingdome that consisteth of an eternall and exceeding weight of glory 2 Co. 4. 17 Even such as eye hath not seen neither hath eare heard nor hath ever entred into the heart of man to conceive the worth of 2 Co. 2. 9. O how can we thinke all our time sufficient to spend in the service of such a Master that is thus beneficiall unto his servants Consider also his bounty in giving raine from heaven Act. 14. 17 with Ier. 5. 24. Let us now feare the Lord c. I omit to shew further how slow he is to anger how ready to forgive to be reconciled He doth even beseech us to be reconciled unto him as the Apostle speaks 2 Co. 5. 20 Ninthly He is such a Master that taketh pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants and is constant in his love towards them earthly Masters are changeable and fickle and doe often envie the prosperitie of their servants but the Lord hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his seruants and his love towards them is constant and unchangeable For the first observe it Psal. 35. 27. Let them say continually let