come very neare within a step or two to heaven and yet misse it many there are which do much like the young man yet some thing is wanting that also must be had els there is no Salvation Why is there so little change in men but because they thinke that lesse will serve the turne This cold overly and customary performance of holy duties marres all therefore consider but this First that it doth you no good at all what good did the Laodiceans luke-warmnes doe them they had as good bin cold yea God wisheth that they were either hot or cold Rev. 3.15 What good did all that Amafiah did to him seeing that he did it not with a sincere perfect heart These dowbaked services as I may so stile them these carkases without life these slight services profit not therefore there are conditions added to them in the Word prayer prevailes If it be fervent Iam. 5.16 If thou beleevest with all thine heart Act. 8. Effectuall faith diligent hope and fruitfull love 1 Thess. 1.3 It is a good observation of Divines that God loves adverbs better than verbes well doing above doing those that came to the wedding not having wedding garments were shut out Math. 22.11.12.13 as well as those that came not those that offred strange fire as Nadab and Abihu and their company were consumed as well as they that did not offer at all Secondly consider the nature of the thing what it is to be religious Is it an easie thing to turne nature to worke a change Is it easie to get ground of a raging lust It is as hard as to get ground of the Sea Consider the difference betwixt the Law and us That is spirituall wee are carnall Rom. 7. Consider the distemper of your affections and know your selves all that we have in us is either common or corrupt nature Gods graces are beyond the one and contrary to the other must we make these duties of religion to be onely in the by Prayer keeping of the Sabboths are to most men but as things in the by the streame of their affections runs in an other channell There is another thing required of us than this we must love the Lord with all our hearts and strength Deut. 6.5 This is it which all must do they must love God with all their strength else they are not worthy of him There is a qualification required of all that are saved he is not worthy of Grace or Heaven that seekes them not with his utmost indevour The difference twixt Cains Abels sacrifice was this Gen. 4.3 4.5 The one did it negligently brought the worst of his fruits the other brought the best he had Cursed is every one that doth the worke of the Lord negligently that is contenting himselfe with the outward performance of it doing it as a taske and being glad when it is done and over to doe it diligently is to worke with an eye to that which it tends to and to obtaine the end The end of prayer is to quicken you to performe holy duties when you obtaine this end then is your prayer diligent To do things onely for shew is nothing the effect and end is all you esteeme not your servants works unlesse they obtaine their end there is nothing that you esteeme the end of it being not done What is it to pray the end being not done men not being built up by it Iude 20. We must build up our selves in our most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost A cold formall performance doth but hurt us breeds more coldnesse and deadnesse in us In habits the more imperfect the acts are the more they weaken the habits the duties of religion coldly performed weaken grace Let a man accustome himselfe to write carelesly and crookedly it marreth his hand Let us therefore do all we do to God with diligence and fervency consider that those whom you thinke least needed for to do it did so their diligence should stir you up You know that Iacob wrestled with God all night Gen. 32.24 and so should you wrestle with him with strong prayers Christ himselfe spent many nights in prayer looke upon the prayers of David the fastings of Daniel aâ—ove all others looke upon Paul you may see him in watching in prayers and in fastings often he had a continuall strife with his heart to bring his body that is the deeds of his body into subjection I keepe under my body saith he and bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.17 My body that is the sinfull lusts of my body must bee brought downe I must go thorow fighting till I have the victory else I shall be a cast-away I shall else have onely an outward shew but yet bee nothing accounted of with God Consider this if a little diligence will not serve the turne adde more if prayer will not doe it adde fasting to it As there are some divels that will not be cast out without fasting and prayer so also are there some sinnes Make the plaister fit to the disease Complaine not with the sluggard who puts his hands in his bosome and doth nothing at all or doth not proportion his labour to the worke Lesse labour would serve the turne if our soules were as dry wood but they are as greenwood there must be much blowing ere they will bee kindled It is hard to get our soules to good duties hard to keepe them on the wing we must continue in prayer and that instantly too Men are ready to give over and to sit downe but you must continue Eph. 6. We must watch thereunto with perseverance there must every day be a new winding up of the soule there is a spring of sin in us so there must be a spring of holy duties we must doe them constantly you have daily new crosses and impediments therefore you must mend your pace in the way to heaven and bee more diligent you must be fervent in spirit serving the Lord and not slothfull Rom. 12.11 Doe your owne worke up and be doing and the Lord shall be with you 1 Chr. 22.16 God will deale with you as he did with the Eunuch hee was reading of the Scripture and God sent Phillip to him for to teach him Act. 8.26 c. So Cornelius hee was praying and God sent his Angell to him first and afterward Peter Act. 10. So the Apostles when as they rowed all night as Christ bade them he at last joynes himselfe to them and helpes them Matth. 14.24 c. The worst natures with his helpe can doe any thing the best without him can doe nothing Fiftly if the wayes of God are so full of crosses and difficultyes then learne from hence to justifie the wisedome of the Word of God and the Religion in the Scriptures It is an argument that it comes from heaven because it is not a whit agreable with our natures It is a pure and no leaden Lesbian rule it is
enable a man to beleeve it I answere that certainely there is a mighty power that goes out from God and Christ that enables thee to beleeve with efficacy so that when the object is set before thee there goes out a power from Christ to worke faith in thy heart whereby thou truly beleevest it and so it appeares in thy life We think we beleeve those things but our lives do manifest the contrary namely That there is not a powerfull faith wrought in us for all the errours of our lives though we observe them not arise from hence that these Principles are not throughly beleeved if they were it could not bee that there should be such inconsequences in the lives of men Therefore consider if this faith bee wrought in thee whether such a power hath gone out to worke such a faith that hath changed thy whole course as it will doe if it bee once wrought in thee by the power of Christ So also consider whether there hath a vertue gone out from him to worke love in thy heart to the Lord for otherwise it is certaine that there is no man in the world that is able to love God or to come neere him for all love riseth from Similitude there must bee an agreement and similitude betweene those two that love Now every man by nature is as contrary to Gods pure nature as fire is to water without an almighty power to change his nature and to worke a particular affection of love in him he can never be able to love God therefore it s the baptisme of the holy Ghost which workes this He will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire that is with the holy Ghost which is fire I will multiply thy sorrowes and thy conceptions That is the sorrowes of thy conceptions Now love is as fire in the heart and one fire must beget another And therefore you have it in the common proverbe Love is a thing that cannot be bought with mountaines of gold and silver yet if thou bee in Christ there goes out a vertue from him that stampes upon thy heart this holy affection that breedes in thee this holy fire of love so that thy heart cleaves to him thou lovest him with as true with as genuine as naturall and as sensible love as thou lovest any friend as thou lovest any creature in the world Consider if this be wrought in thee or no. And so for thy knowledge there is also a power in it consider whether any such vertue hath gone out from Christ to make the knowledge which thou hast powerfull You will say what is that That is to bring on these truthes which thy heart assents unto to bring them with that evidence and fulnesse of demonstration that thou shalt yeeld unto them and practise them according to thy knowledge Beloued there is much knowledge among us but who practiseth according to his knowledge We know God but wee glorifie him not as God and the reason is because there hath not gone a power with that knowledge to make it lively and effectuall to passe through all the faculties of the soule and to overrule them for if there were such knowledge it would alwayes draw affection and practise with it So likewise consider whether there hath gone a power from him to mortifie thy lusts Whosoever is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts not to lay them asleepe onely but to mortifie and subdue them See likewise whether there hath a power gone out from Christ to helpe thee to overcome the world The lusts of thine eyes the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life for whosoever is in Christ overcomes the world and all that is in the world The world hath many things to worke upon us and to resist and oppose us It hath persecutions it hath disgraces it hath slanders and reproches which it casts upon holy men upon the holy wayes of God And the men that are actours in this are the divels factours though they thinke not so as the Apostle Iames expresses it Their tongues are set on fire of hell to devise slanders and false reports and to fasten them upon holy men especially upon the Ministers of the Gospell and so upon all the wayes of God I say they are the divels factours though they thinke not so and those that beleeve them are the divels receivers the one hath the divell in his tongue the other in his eare But the Lord hath appointed this This is one thing whereby the world fights against the wayes of God to discourage men and to hinder them that they might be stumbling blockes to them So it was with Christ hee was the falling of many in Israel by reason of this so was Paul as a deceiver and yet true c. Consider if thou hast this efficacy put into thy heart that thou art able to overcome this that thou art able to overcome all the offences and persecutions all the slaunders and reproaches that are cast upon the wayes of God and notwithstanding that to thinke well of them and to walke in them and practise thē Likewise as it hath these things on the one hand so it hath pleasures preferments glory riche◠credit and all things of that nature on the other art thou able to overcome all these So to shut up this point prosecute it no further thus you shall know whether you be in Christ for that is the point Wee have assurance in him that if we aske any thing we shall be heard but first we must be in him now 〈◊〉 know whether we be in him as you have heard there must be an act of ours and secondly an act of his which is this power that goes out from him to change to take and comprehend us So much for the first thing Now for the second if a man will apply or take to himselfe the priviledges wee have by Christ as this particular priviledge of being heard in our prayers of comming to the Sacrament or any other know this that it is not enough to be in Christ only but there must be a certaine qualification a certaine immediate fashioning and preparation of the heart or else though thou have a right to the priviledges though they belong to thee yet thou art suspended from the use benefit and comfort of them And this is considered in these Five things I will but name them very briefely First when a man comes to receive the Sacrament it 's not enough for him to be in Christ no nor when he is come to do some other duties but moreover there must be this also those grace thou hast this change this new creature that is wrought in thee which is but a heape of particular graces these must be acted and stirred up upon such an occasion It is true no man ought to come except he have the graces of Gods Spirit wrought in
twice dead trees plucked up by the rootes that never grow againe The Saints may bee as sheepe soyled with a fall but they can never become Wolves againe but these men they turne Wolves againe so did Pharoah and Saul The Saints have their Turbida intervalla their ebbing and flowing their full and their waine but yet all these cloudings doe but obscure their graces not extinguish them the darkenesse of the night extinguisheth not the light of the Stars but covers it so doe these cloudings but only cover the graces of the Saints All the goodnesse of other men that seeme to live are but Lucida intervlla they are good but by fits when as those that live are bad but by fits Nullum fictum est diuturnum their goodnes is but counterfeit therefore it lasts not it holds not out Another distinguisher of these walking Ghosts from living is this the actions they doe they doe them not as living men do they make apparitions onely and vanish Those men that have nothing but civility it quickly vanisheth they are like the Church of Sardis Reve. 3.1 that had a name shee lived and yet was dead their workes are not perfect throughout they were but linsey-wolsey they were not thorow paced in the wayes of God but shuffell they graspe at both and comprehend neither they doe many things but not all As the young man that came to Christ Christ looked on him and loved him what distinguished him one thing was wanting his workes were not perfect his heart was set upon his wealth he would doe any thing else his heart was not weaned or divorced from it Saul had a name to live but yet his workes were not perfect when Samuel came not then hee was discovered that was but his triall he would not rest in God Herod did many things yet he was not perfect hee would not leave his incest so all that have but a forme of religion they are Wolves though they have a sheepish outside they are not perfect ye shall know them by their workes But what workes are those that we cannot see them doe I answer they may be exact in the first yet faile in the second Table and those that practise the duties of the second Table faile in the duties of the first If men be exact in the duties of both Tables their religion is pure and undefiled Iam. 1.27 If they faile in the duties of one table to make their religion pure is to mend in the other These civill men wrong no man yet they content themselves with a bare formalitie this is not pure Religion we say this is pure Religion if yee bee fervent in prayer and content not your selves with formality of Religion without the power Lastly these walking ghosts doe but shew themselves to men they company not with them yee see them and heare no more of them Ye shall know living men by their companying and loving of the Saints as sheepe and doves they are never out of company and keepe no other company but their owne Yee shall finde in others these differences First either they delight not in all the Saints We must love all the Saints this particle all is put in all Pauls Epistles these love not all the Saints Secondly if they love all the Saints yet they love not the Saints onely yee must love none but the Saints If yee love the Saints because they are Saints then those who are not Saints ye doe not love that is yee love none with the love of friendship and intimate familiaritie but the Saints yet love them with a love of pitty and we all faile in this love Thirdly they doe not love those that excell in vertue If your hearts be not right ye dislike all those that goe beyond you in holinesse and practise Lastly though they make a shew they love them yet they doe not shew the effects of their loves to them And thus much for the helpes and discovery of the first sort of men that have a name they live and yet are dead The second sort of men to whom this use is directed are those who are quite dead yee shall know them by these markes or Symptomes First yee shall finde coldnesâ—â— in them in death there is no heate so their prayers and performances are cold they are dead wanting fervency But the Saints want heate as well as others they also are cold I answer though sometimes they want it yet they are quickly made hot againe because there is life in them as Charcole is quickly kindled because it hath beene in the fire so the Saints are soone kindled brcause they had fire in theÌ„ before Others are as greene wood or rather as matter that is not combustible as the Adamant that will not bee made hot with fire Living men admonitions and the fire of good company will heate againe so wil it not the others Secondly ye shall know them by their stifnesse and hardnesse It is a signe of death to be inflexible Wicked men are as hard as flint to Gods commandes but as soft as waxe to that which humors them Are yee tractable Do you delight in your owne wayes and yet continue the same men keepe the same company Doe yee abide still in the same place or goe on in the same tract then ye are dead In many things you may be tractable but the maine is whether yee are flexible in those things that are connaturall unto you These deale with us as Iohanan did with Ieremiah Ier. 42. He said he would goe downe into Egypt hee would doe any thing that God should hid him whether it were good or bad but when Ieremy had told him and the people that they must not goe downe into Egypt then they say that he spake falsely God did not send him with such a message If Gods will had suted with his hee would have done what hee would have had him to doe your triall is when you must offer up your Isaacke when you must part with those things that are most sweete unto you Thirdly dead men are sencelesse like Idols that the Psalmist speakes of they have eyes and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not feet and walke not they have sences to discerne but there is yet an inward eye they want they see no beauty in the wayes of God therefore they thinke there is no such matter because they have eyes and see it not they have mouthes and taste it not they relish it not they smell no sweet savour from the graces of the Saints when as the graces of the Saints have a sweet savour like an ointment powred out Cant. 1.2 So for feeling they feele not they are not sencible of the judgements or threatnings the Law nor the Gospell move them not they have hard and insensible hearts the more insencible they are it is a signe they are more dead the more sencible wee are of
are as Fish out of the water Every life hath likewise a taste and appetite a new life hath a new taste and judgement Pro. 29.27 An unjuste man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked that is one hates the thing that the other loves he that is alive the things which before he loved he now hates he abhors the things that evill men delight in That which is a dogs meate is a sheepes poyson as the proverb is so that which wicked men delight in is as odious as poyson to the just To judge this life by see what your company and delights are nothing can be lesse dissembled than company In his company man doth speake out of the abundance of the heart he then bewrayes himselfe what he is there is no dead man no living man but he is inward with the like no signe so much poynted at in the Scripture as this Yee are translated from death to life if yee love the brethren 1 Ioh. 3.14 and Ioh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee love one another this rule will not deceive you Secondly yee may know whether yee live this life if ye contend for it that life which a man lives for it he will contend he will let any thing goe rather than it If yee live this life of grace yee will maintaine it and yee can doe no otherwise 1 Iohn 3.9 Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne to be borne of God is to leade a new life he that lives a new life admits not the things which tend to the destruction of it Compare this with the 1. Pet. 2.11 Abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule hee that is borne of God sinnes not that is hee yeelds not to sinne with his good will but struggles against it as one in health strives against sickenesse resists the disease and maintaines a warre against it But yet the best are foyled T is true yet they strive they never yeeld they maintaine a warre and this they doe not onely by discourse but there is a naturall instinct that puts them forwards they may be cast backe yet they returne againe they may have a sickenesse that takes away sence they may swound and be astonished for a time yet after they contend for life Every evill man contends for his life he leades his life in some lust or other from which if he be drawne hee returnes againe as a thing that is lifted from the earth will fall downe to it againe he reckons the wayes of God hard and opposite to him The wisedome of the Spirit is enmity to the flesh neyther can it be subiect to the Law of God Rom. 8. it cannot but resists it Every creature labours to mainetaine its being so evill men continuing in sinne strive naturally against all that would bring them out of this life of sinne So the Saints they live a life of grace and labour to maintaine it Iohn 6.68 Christ asking his Disciples whether they also would goe away Peter made this answer Lord whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life that is whiles we conceive thee to be the principle and fountaine of this life we cannot depart from thee The Saints wil let go friends and life and all for this life Count therefore of others and judge of your selves by contesting for this life strive to mainetaine it let all goe rather than it Thirdly yee may know whether yee have this life in you or not by the fruites of it as the tree is knowne by its fruites If the word turne the flocke into its owne nature ye know it by the fruites Gal. 5.25 If ye live in the Spirit ye will also walke in the Spirit that is if ye professe your selves holy men shew it by walking in the Spirit holy men will bee doing that which is good This is the surest triall our workes will not deceive us other things which consist in imagination may 1 Ioh. 3.10 In this the Children of God are manifest and the children of the Divill who doth not righteousnes is not of God he that is of God doth not unrighteousnesse Consider then what your walke and your actions are and by them ye shall know this life But how shall we know whether we walke in the Spirit or no I answere first that there are many by-walkes and if ye walke but in one of them yee walke in the flesh and not in the Spirit Iam. 1.26 If any man seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine that is hee that makes this sinne his trade and walkes ordinarily in it his religion is vaine Secondly yee may know it by the guides yee follow Evill men they follow three guides Ephe. 2.3 they follow first the world secondly the Divill thirdly the flesh Holy men have three contrary guides first the renewed part within secondly the holy Ghost thirdly the course of the Saints Goe ye the broad way oportet Sanctos vadere per diverticula the Saints doe not so Follow yee the streame fulfill yee the will of flesh or of the Spirit what are your actions Ephe. 4.17 I charge you that you henceforth walke not as the Gentiles doe in the vanity of their mindes that is holy men may have vanity in their mindes yet they walke not in it as others doe evill men may have other thoughts yet they walke in the vanity of their mindes and albeit that evill men walke not in all the waies of sin yet they are dead there is but one way to hit the marke but there are a thousand by-wayes a holy man may stumble in the wayes of God and have some foyles but he leades not his life in sinne he strives against it hee that leades his life in any knowne sinne not resisting it and will doe it and not crosse himselfe in it is dead his religion is vaine But what actions are there that holy men doe but that wicked men and others doe them I answere that there is no good actions we doe but they may be dead workes as men may pray and keepe the Sabbath yet they may be but dead workes they may doe them for a shew yet they are dead A shaddow hath all the liniaments of a body yet it wants life so the workes of hypocrites they want life consider therefore whether your workes are living workes you may know it by these three signes First if they proceed from the fountaine of life they are not dead workes compare Gal. 5.6 In Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love with Gal. 6.15 In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availes any thing neither uncircumcision but a new creature all that proceeds not from a new heart and from faith which worketh by love is nothing this is
our selves Secondly have a right opinion of other things know that by denying of your selves you gaine yeilding to the requests and desires of the Flesh yee lose by it Matth. 16.25 Hee that will save his life shall lose it he that will save his credit and pleasure shall lose it the more yee deny your selves and part with these things the more yee shall have Even an hundred for one in this life and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10.30 Yee shall bee gainers by it Yea but we see the contrary the Saints are imprisoned and persecuted they have many crosses and losses It is true and therefore the Text saith That they shall have a hundred fold with Persecution that is God will multiply comforts to them with Persecution One may have more comfort in a Prison than others have in a Palace Comfort consists not in the bulke of outward things David was wise to take oportunity when as hee had any thing to doe for God though it were costly yet he did it hee bought his Oxen that he offered he would not offer that to God which cost him nothing 2 Sam. 24.24 The water that cost mens lives that which hee thirsted so much for hee powred out as an oblation to God and would not drinke of it for he knew that whatsoever it cost him hee should be a gainer by it Act. 5.41 The Apostles being whipped went away rejoycing None rejoyce but such as thinke they are gainers by it Paul accompted it a great favour to suffer for Christ So the Apostle Iam. 1.2 bids us count it exceeding much joy when as wee fall into divers tribulations and Iames 1 12. Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when â—ee is tryed he shall receive the Crowne of life It is for your advantage when as you lose an estate or a friend or suffer any thing for GOD yee shall get by it If yee can say with Peter Lord we have forsaken all and followed thee Mark 10.28 yee shall have an hundered fold that is yee shall have GOD. But is it not best to have other things with GOD I answere that God is best trust him leave the keeping of other things to him if yee are to lose a friend to keepe a good Conscience commit it to Gods keeping so if yee are to lose an estate Besides if yee have not these things from his favour what is it to you Yee may have them by his Providence and not out of his favour and then they will bee a snare unto you yee will set your mindes too much on them and they will leade you to hell or else they will bee a crosse unto you What comfort can you have in them if God bee absent If God bid such a thing comfort us wee have comfort but if he bids it not to comfort us though wee have it yet we want comfort Therefore reckon these things but as drosse and dung as PAVL did Phil. 3.8 adde not to them but to Gods favour forsake them if they come in Competition with him and his lawes Thirdly learne to know CHRIST aright that will make you deny your selves Christ is worthy all love this knowledge of Christ will make you deny your selves not of necessity but out of a love to him A friend that adventures his life for us is worthy of all wee can doe Is not CHRIST then worthy of all you can doe and more 1 Corinth 1.13 Paul reasons thus with the Corinthians Is Christ divided Was Paul Crucified for you Or were you Baptized in the name of Paul If Christ doth all for us wee must deny our selves for him Looke on all that he hath done for you and what priviledges you have by him learne to beleeve it will make you to deny your selves Paul went through many things because he trusted in the living God 1 Tim. 4.10 Moses cared not for the wrath or favour of Pharaoh because hee beleeved Hebrews 11. Beleeve and know that there is a realitie in the things wee have by Christ let them not bee as things onely in the fancy but bee affected with them We rejoyce in an estate which we possesse and in honours we injoy because wee have them By Christ wee are Kings and Priests and heires of all Revel 1.5 6. If you beleeve this then Faith begets Love in us which makes us willing to part with all Philip. 2.21 Paul complaines That every man seekes his owne and not the things of Iesus Christ that was for want of of love 1 Corinth 13.5 Love seekes not his owne you may see this in Paul Act. 20.24 I count not saith hee my life deare unto my selfe so that I may finish my course with Ioy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Iesus Learne to beleeve in Christ love him then you will deny your selves for him What ever men thought of Paul though hee was taken to be a mad man Act. 26.24 yet the love of Christ did constraine him 2 Corinth 5.14 So as wee love Christ it is no matter what wee suffer Fourthly the last meanes to helpe us to deny our selves is the manner how wee should deny our selves Bee peremptory in denying the requests of the Flesh barre up the doores give the flesh no audience nothing is better than a peremptory will if it bee well set nothing worse if it bee ill When Ioab would have perswaded David to slay Abner David gives him a peremptory deniall saying What have I to doe with you yee sonnes of Servia So Christ gave Peter a peremptory deniall when hee would disswade him from his Passion hee saith to him Get thee behinde mee Sathan The flesh is of your old acquaintance that hath bin borne and bred with you and therefore is ready to deceive you wherefore looke to it Act. 21. Paul saith to them that would disswade him from going vp to Ierusalem What doe yee weeping and breaking my heart their expostulation with him weakned the sinewes of his intention and softened his purpose Bring these meanes to particulars having occasion let them not remaine in general You that heare me now examine your selves none that heare me this day but had need particularly to deny himselfe some humours hee hath that he must deny give not over till thou hast done it This will scowre out the staines out of your Soules labour therefore for to doe it Put case that satisfying such a desire is pleasant yet denying of it will bring you more pleasure and profit there are none that gaine by sinning and none lose by serving God You are gainers while you lose your credit for God or your riches he will either give you more or else hee will give you more comfort in the little which you have Are you restrained God will give you longer and larger liberty from the yoake of Sinne lose you a momentany delight God will give you a stronger delight A lust being removed there is a blemish
thou must get thy heart to a more close a more neere inward conjunction with him thou must labour to have that hardnesse that thou hast contracted as it will bee in a little continuance of time thou must labour I say to have that tooke away and removed to have thy heart softened to have the rust rubbed off thou must labour to have all these things done For thou must know this That though there be not a particular sinne committed yet as we see the outward man is subject to a wasting though there be no wounds though there be no sicknesse though a man be in perfect health and all is well with him and he observe all the rules of dyet yet I say you see the outward man is subject to wasting to fainting to weakenesse and decay and therefore there must be a renewing of dyet and of strength or else it cannot bee able to hold out So it is with the inward man though there bee no particular sinne though a man did keepe some good course in the wayes of godlinesse without running out eminently or evidently yet he is subject to a secret decay so that sometimes hee must have some speciall meate some speciall feast which the Lord hath appointed for that purpose for he doth nothing in vaine And if this Sacrament could be spared that a man might keepe the strength of the inward man without it the Lord would not have put you to this trouble but he seeth it necessary and therefore he hath appointed it to be received and that often that you might feed upon the body and blood of Christ that you might eate his flesh and drinke his blood and gather new strength from it that when there is a decay of grace in your hearts you may goe to this Fountaine and fill the Cisternes againe to recover strength For when a man comes to the Sacrament as hee ought hee gathers a new strength as a man doth from a feast his heart is cheered up as it is with Flagons of wine he is refreshed his hunger and thirst is satisfied That is the desires of his soule that long after Christ after righteousnesse and assurance are quickned and refreshed And this is the third thing Fourthly besides all this First the stirring up of the graces and the acting of the habits Secondly making thy peace and reconciliation with God and remooving of any particular offence that is betwixt God and thee Thirdly this scouring off the rust this remooving the distance betweene God and thee the softning of that hardnesse which thy heart hath contracted this recovering the strength that thou hast wasted There is besides all these a fourth thing required which is that there be an Intention a particular increase of thy will in taking Christ of thy desire to Christ and of every grace that knits thee and Christ together For there are certaine cementing graces certaine glewing graces that joyne Christ and thy soule together as Faith and Love these are the two maine graces there are a great traine of graces that follow them but these are the chiefe and these I say must bee intended For what is the end of the Sacrament Is it not to knit the knot stronger betweene Christ and us to make the union more full and perfect is it not to increase our willingnesse to take and receive Christ for you know all the acts of the soule may be intended Put the case there be a resolved act in the heart and soule of any man whereby he saith thus with himselfe I am resolved to take Christ and to serve and love him for the time of my life yet this resolution of his though it bee perfect and sincere may receive intention when a man is willing to doe any thing truly there may bee degrees added to that will when there is light in a roome when thou bringest in more candles that light may be increased so it may in this so may your faith and love by faith I meane nothing but the resolution of the heart to take Christ I meane not the beleeving part but the taking part the act of the will taking Christ or receiving him which is nothing else but the choise of the will that resolves to take him I do but touch this by the way because it is a point I have handled already at large the thing I ayme at is this I say the glewing graces are these two Faith and love wherby you thus take Christ for your Lord and Saviour Faith is like the part of the compasse that goeth about and doth the worke and love is that cementing grace wherby we are more knit unto the Lord they have both their office and their place You know love is an uniting affection therefore this is the definition of it It is a desire of union with that it loves Now when thou comest to receive the Sacrament or to pray or put up any special request when thou comest to have to do with God to make use of any priviledge thou hast in Christ thy chiefe busines is to intend this faith love at such a time to draw thee neerer to make the union perfect You will say how is this increased and how is it intended I answer Two wayes in the Sacrament one way is the very repetition the very renewing the covenant the very doing it over againe the resolution of taking him for there is a mutuall covenant you know betweene Christ and us it is confirmed to us in the Sacrament hee confirmes his and wee confirme ours as the friendship betweene Ionathan David was increased by the renewing of the covenant or else why was it repeated The very repetition of the act intends the habit the habit is increased by the repetition of the act though it were no more so the renewing of the covenant exerciseth thy faith it sets a work thy faith and thy love when thou comest to receive the Sacrament the very intention is increased but this is not all There is another thing in the Sacrament that much increaseth it and that is a thing I would have you chiefely to take notice of That is the very Sacrament it selfe the elements of bread and wine delivered to thee with the very words of the minister Take and eate this is my body that was broken for thee Take and drinke this is my blood that was shed c. For when these words are spoken to us if wee did consider well of them and thinke thus with our selves These words that the Lord himselfe hath appointed the Minister to speake for therein is the force of them that they are of the Lords owne institution therefore the strength of every Sacrament lies in the institution That is a rule in Divinity the Papists themselves who have added five other Sacraments cannot deny but that every Sacrament must have an immediate institution from Christ himselfe even from his owne mouth or else there is no strength in it so
that even as it is with all things that are symbols of other things as take markes in feilds that stand for the division of severall mens rights take counters thâ—â— stand for Thousands and Hundreds the very essence of these things stands in the very institution of them So in the Sacrament except these words were from the Lords owne mouth that delivered it this very delivering of the bread and wine being a signe to you of the forgivenes of your sinnes except the Lord had thus instituted it there had beene no force in it I say consider they are words that the Minister speaks not in an ordinary course but he is appointed by the Lord himselfe to speak them and now wheÌ„ these words make a new impression upon thy heart it addes an intention to thy faith and love For example to make it a little more cleare to you that you may understand it distinctly The Lord hath said this he will forgive the sinnes of all those that come unto him hee will forgive them that forsake their sinnes and take Christ Iesus and love and feare him for the time to come The Lord might have suffered it to goe thus in generall that hee hath delivered it unto you and no more But hee thought good to goe further and say thus to mankind It s true I have said it but I will not content my selfe with that but will adde certaine seales and symbolls certaine externall signes that thou shalt see and looke on and I say to thee this covenant have I made with thee and when thou seest the bread and wine delivered by the Minister know this that the thing that thou seest is a witnesse betweene thee and me That as it was said by Laban and Iacob when they made a covenant This stone be witnesse betweene us And God said to Noah when I looke upon the rainebowe it shall bee a signe that I will destroy the earth no more after this manner when the Lord hath said it and hath appointed this outward Symboll that thine eies looke upon I remember the covenant and this as a signe betweene us this shall bind mee to it and him likewise Now when this is done anew it may be every month this is a wondrous great mercy this is a marvellous great helpe if it be rightly understood to strengthen our faith Doth it not helpe us when wee see the Rainebowe which the Lord hath appointed to put him in mind of his covenant I will remember my covenant when I looke on the Bowe in the Cloud it shall confirme me and I will not breake my covenant to destroy the world with a flood So this administration of the Sacrament when the Lord lookes upon it hee cannot but remember his promise and his covenant of pardoning our sinnes And when thou lookest on it thou art assured of it for hee hath said it it shall bee a signe and a witnesse betweene us Now I say that new impression that these words thus contrived and understood and delivered by the Minister make upon the heart intends our faith and love as indeed it is a great matter to have it spoken to us by a Minister of the Gospell sent from Christ from his owne mouth Take and eate this is my body that is broken for you and this is my blood that was shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes This is the fourth qualification that is required that our faith and love be intended and our union increased that the will resolution and purpose of taking Christ for our Lord receive more degrees that so we may be more fast and firmely united and knit to him which I say is done partly by the repetition on both sides for the very repetition doth it and partly by a new impression that these words take eate c make on the soule Now I adde the last thing which is required still remember the maine thing wee are upon that it is not enough for thee to be in Christ but if thou wilt bee a worthy receiver thou must have these foure qualifications in thee that I have named already Thou must reconcile thy selfe anew thou must rub off the rust from thy soule which it hath gathered thou must recover the distance that is growne betweene God and thee Thou must adde an intending and an increase Thou must adde more degrees to thy faith and love and after all these Fiftly and lastly this is also required which is much for our benefit and comfort namely to put up thy request when thou comest neere to the Lord in the Sacrament Now thou must not onely do this but thou must also make some use of the covenant which the Lord hath made with thee for his part so that thou mayest think this with thy selfe When I come to receive the Sacrament I have but two workes to do one is to recovenant with the Lord to renew my repentance and to set all eaven and the other is to remember the Lords covenant You will say what is the Covenant It 's a Covenant that consists of these three things or points Iustification I will forgive thy sins Sanctification I will make you new hearts and new spirits and the third All things are ours that is I have made you heires of the world heires of all things you have all the promises belonging to you that belong to this life that which is to come this is the Covenant which the Lord hath made Now thou art bound when thou comest to receive the Sacrament not onely to remember this Covenant Doe this saith hee in remembrance of Mee and not barely of me and of my being crucified for thee of all the love that I have shewed unto thee but also in remembrance of the Covenant and of those gracious promises which are the particulars of which that Covenant is the summe and therefore thus a man is to do What hath the Lord vouchsafed mee this favour that I may come to his Table I may come and renew the nuptials and my covenant with him Surely then I will looke about and consider what I want what request I shal put up unto him for there is nothing that is wanting but it is within this Covenant and thou art to put up thy request in a speciall maner whatsoever it be be it concerning things belonging to thy soule to have a strong lust mortified to have thy hard heart softned to have some sin that lies upon thy conscience forgiven to have that forgivenes assured to thee be it any thing that concernes thy particular estate if it be to be delivered from a potent enemy or whatsoever it be put up thy request and that largely open thy mouth wide that is make thy request full feare it not Put the case againe it be somewhat that doth not concerne thee but that it concerneth the Church abroad or the Church at home it is a case that much concernes
the roote of all when all our actions come from faith which workes by love else though they are never so specious they are but dead works It is no matter whether ye pray or not whether ye receive the Sacrament keepe the Sabbaths or not they helpe not a jot unlesse they come from the principle of life a new creature Secondly consider the manner of their working they will bee done with quicknesse and vivacity Men doe them as living actions with all propensnesse and readinesse with much connaturalnesse with much fervency and zeale when they are done in a perfunctory manner they are dead workes Thirdly ye may know them by their end looke ye to Christ doe yee all in sincerity to him or no or to your selves if yee doe then they are gracious workes and proceed from grace they are living actions and not dead they issue from a right principle ayming at God and not at your selves Hosea 10.1 Israel is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruite to himselfe If ye bring forth fruites to your selves and not to God ye are but empty Vines God accepts you not Fourthly this life is discovered by your behaviour to the meanes of life when they are brought unto you when there is no sound no voyce there is no distinction twixt a deafe and a hearing man where there is no light there is no difference twixt a seeing man and a blind but the light differs them So when as the sound and light of the Gospel comes then men are tryed In times of ignorance God regards not men so much but now in the time of the Gospell see if it be powerfull and whether you set your selves about holy duties Matth. 3.10 Now is the Axe laide to the roote of the tree that is since Iohns comming there is a distinguishment twixt living and dead trees A tree is not discovered to be dead till it withers no man will cut downe a tree in winter because hee knowes not then whether it be dead or no the Spring distinguisheth the dead and living trees in the winter they are all alike The Spring is the powerfull preaching of the word if men spring not then if they come not in they are dead Those whose education hath beene good those who live under a powerfull Ministry now is the Axe laide to the roote of the tree with them it is a signe they are dead if they profit not by it Fiftly yee may know whether yee have this life by the food it is fed with severall lives are fed with severall foode Now the foode of this new life of grace is double first the word secondly good workes First the word 1 Pet. 2.2.5 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby if so bee that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious that is if ye are alive as you professe your selves to be you shall know it by your behaviour to that which doth nourish your life First ye will long after the word as the Child doth after the Teate If the Child be hungry neither apples nor rattles nor any thing else can quiet him but the Teate So nothing can quiet these but the Word Others may have excuses they will have none Either they will live where the word is or they will bring the word home to them they will bring themselves to it or it to them Secondly they desire the sincere milke of the word many things may be mingled with the word that doe please the wit yet those who live the life of grace desire the sincere word the pure word without any mixture Thirdly they desire it that they may grow thereby many desire it to know it onely if ye desire it as new borne babes it will make you better and better you will grow by it Many heare but as men having an Atrophy in their bodies they grow not no fruite comes thereby Fourthly they taste a sweeenesse in the word above others the second ground received the word with joy and Herod heard Iohn Baptist with gladnesse but where there is true grace they goe farther they delight in the word it is sweeter to them than the hony few can say so in good earnest that the pure word is sweeter to them than Hony or the Hony Combe Iob he esteemed the word more than his appointed food Iob. 23.12 The second food of this life iâ— good works Ioh. 4.32 33.34 is the place out of which I collect this where Christ being asked of his Disciples to eate said that he had other meate that they knew not of then said they hath any man brought him ought to eate Hee saith unto them My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Doe you good workes with such a desire as men eate and drinke doe you hunger and thirst after them desiring for to doe them Then ye are alive Hypocrites may doe much but it is not their meate and drinke to doe it examine therefore your selves by these signes whether you are alive or dead This is the preaching of the law to shew you the narrow differences of life and death The first step to life is to know that ye are in a state of death the Law must goe before the Gospel to prepare its way as Iohn Baptist was before Christ ye must be brought to their case in the 2 Act. 37. Who were pricked at the heart ye must be brought unto the case of the Iaylâ—â— and of Paule to the case of the Prodigall that you may know your estate then yee will come home and not before Our end is to preach life and comfort to you not damnation Rom. 15.4 All Scripture is written for our comfort now there are many things in the Scripture that tend to discomfort and terror yet their end is comfort as Physicke is sharpe for the time yet the end is health Wee desire not to exclude any but to bring you in whilst you have time the market is then hard to make when yee lye on your death beds labour to know it in time your death is a time of spending not of getting it was too late for the foolish Virgins to buy oyle when they were to attend the Bride groome We desire not to affright you with false feares but to admonish you that you be not deceived I finde this sentence Be not deceived prefixed before many places of Scripture where Gods judgements are denounced as 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God and Eph. 5.6 Be not deceived with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience to shew that men are apt to deceive themselves in such cases as these thinking themselves to be in beâ—ter estate than they are Consider your sinnes and apply them Consider your particular sinnes actio est singularium Consider
body is darke that is we are Vnregenerate Iames 1.8 A double-minded man GOD hates the minde is double when it hath an eye to GOD and our selves too such a man as this is unstable in all his wayes he will follow GOD but in some things Iereboham will follow GOD but not in the matter of the Kingdome without a single eye we are unstable in our wayes This joyning of both together makes many thousands loose their Soules Many that live in the Church will not abandon all they will doe many things to satisfie naturall Considerations this doth destroy many having eyes to GOD and themselves too But consider First that it is a folly to doe this yee loose both the world hates you for that good which is in you and GOD hates you because you have no more If BAAL be GOD follow him altogether Secondly for what end doe ye doe it Doe yee it for your credit and advantage Ye are deceived in both if ye doe if you follow GOD onely you have pleasure and content but if you mixe him with other things yee loose the comfort of both Thirdly for what end doe yee it None can bee saved not serving GOD with a perfect heart 2 Chronic. 25.2 AMAZIAH served GOD uprightly but not with a perfect heart hee did much but not with a perfect heart therefore it was nothing worth Why doe you heare and pray and are just in many things and not in all Yee loose your labour while thus you halt betweene GOD and Baal Fourthly it is needlesse to joyne other things with GOD to seeke content in the Creature there is enough in GOD alone hee is all-sufficient there is all in him Fiftly if there were a possibility to joyne both together yet the lesse you have heere the more yee have with GOD the more yee have of the world the lesse yee have of Grace the lesse praise yee have of men the more yee have with GOD Man must deny himselfe have a single eye forsake all things else hee looseth all many take much paines yet because they deny not themselves they loose all Secondly if all thar come to CHRIST must deny themselves then learne to make account of this before hand to deny your selves Cast with your selves if you will bee saved and follow CHRIST not to provide for pleasures and estate say not I will bee rich I will have such content you must deny your selves withstand your selves see what your thoughts and intentions are doe you not thinke how to satisfie your selves in your earthly things these be your thoughts but suffer theÌ„ not to run out put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Every man till hee be another man will seeke himselfe but doe you renounce your selves Consider what your morning thoughts are consider that the flesh is lusting and running thinke therefore every morning how to crosse it the day following you must dayly deny your selves you must goe up the Hill of holy duties when as the flesh would goe downe be carefull in crossing the flesh when it would be busie be painefull in your callings when as the flesh would be lasie feare not to have shame in the world for CHRIST and Righteousnesse sake though the flesh brookes it not nothing troubles men more than being crossed wee having preconceived a thing it vexeth us for to loose it if wee will be Christians wee must crosse our selves not please our selves please the spirit let not the affections run out part with all that is sweet and taste those things that are bitter and not onely thus much my Brethren but thinke you have a good bargaine too hee that takes Christ for his Lord must deny himselfe and hate Father and Mother for his sake else hee is not worthy of him Matth. 14.26 That is except yee thinke mee worthy of all this let me alone yee will not be saved The Merchant gave all that hee had for the Pearle and thought that he had a good Bargaine yee must not complaine if yee doe yee continue not thinke what Heaven is worth Is GOD the governour of all See what yee have by him If yee deny your selves yee are Kings and Priests yee have all if yee take him therefore see whether yee take him thus or no yee must not thinke yee have a hard bargaine But you will say this is a hard saying who can beare it To this I answer that there is reason for it there is enough in CHRIST if ye saw it there is reason to perswade you to it First consider that your Goodnesse is all in Christ it is contained more in God than in your selves When ye deny your selves Suppositio nihil ponit yet suppose that a man could cast himselfe into hell for Gods sake he would be a gainer by it Our good is in our GOD more than in our selves even as the beame is more in the Sunne than in its selfe The perfection of every thing is the end of it Take all Creatures mixt bodies and the rest let them have their end and they are perfect God is the end of every man we are made redeemed and live for this purpose that wee might be his alone We cannot then be miserable whiles we have our end Rom. 9.3 PAVL could wish himselfe separated from God for the love which hee had to his Countrimen the Iewes hee could bee content to bee accursed that CHRIST â—ight have glory by their Salvation Lose yee 〈◊〉 credit or your lives for Christ his sake yee are happy in it ye have a Command to love God above your selves because your good is more in him than in your selves If it were not so GOD should contradict himselfe in bidding us love him above our selves Therefore our good and happinesse is more in GOD than in our selves Let a man therefore deny and lose himselfe for Christ and the Gospel he gets by it Secondly let the emptinesse in your selves moove you to deny your selves Why will you defend your selves Out of GOD there is no fullnesse If you would bee happy I woulâ— aske you where you would finde your happinesse out of GOD Either it must bee in your selves or in the Creature In your selves it cannot bee for how many things doe yee want Wee are so indigent in our selves that wee are faine to step out to other Creatures In the Creatures it cannot bee because they are inferiour to us and worse than our selves They were not made for that end for to make us happy but to helpe us Againe the mutability of the Creature shewes that wee have no happinesse in it it is like brittle Glasses that are soone broken Againe if they did continue there could bee no happinesse in them for they are but Vanity 1 Sam. 12.21 Turne not away from following the LORD for then should you seeke after vaine things which will not profit for they are vaine Goe through
from the regenerate part every regenerate man findes a disposition to Christ longing after him inclining to him as the yron doth to the loadstone or the stone to the Center Many there are that follow Christ and hold not out because the Principle is not good But the Saints themselves finde reluctancy the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake I answere that oftentimes the flesh followes obtorto collo like the Beare going to the stake yet the spirit brings it into subjection I cannot better expresse it than by that of Peter Christ tels him that when he was old he should be carried whither he would not Iohn 21.18 True it is that he went to the stake willingly else his death wherby he glorified God had bin no Martyrdome true it was his flesh was unwilling for to do it yet his spirit overcame it remember this that you must doe it cheerefully Thirdly it must be at all times many follow Christ but at a brunt and in an extremity they fly away as souldiers from their colours when as the battaile is nigh or as servants leave their maisters in harvest when as they neede them most Christ would have men know what he expects as the proclamation was made to the Iewes that if any mans heart fainted hee might goe backe and returne to his owne house againe Deut. 20.8 Iudg. 7.3 So Christ deales with us hee tels us the worst before hand to see whether wee will goe backe or no. Christ deales with us as Naomi did with Ruth when shee had intreated and perswaded her to leave her and goe backe to her owne Country againe Ruth· 1.28 When all would not doe and when shee saw that shee was stedfastly minded to goe with her then shee left speaking Christ tels his followers what they must looke for If they are willing to undergoe it then hee takes them else hee takes them not Fourthly wee must follow him all manner of wayes that is inwardly and outwardly In both these there is a difficulty There is a difficulty to serve him in the spirit many an action commeth that if it were to be done in the outward appearance onely it might be well put off but to doe it in secret this is hard when as the Conscience saith such a thing must not be got such a thing must be done such a lust must bee subdued such a duty must not be omitted this is not enough but you must professe Christ weare his livery and shew whose you are In many things it is easier to doe the spirituall than the outward Act As Mark. 8.38 Whosoever is ashamed of me saith Christ even in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall I be ashamed when I shall fit in my glory To professe what a man is in such company in such a place is not much but you must professe Christ at all times in all places In the midst of an adulterous Generation You must thus follow Christ else all is nothing And thus much for the first thing what it is to follow Christ. Wee come now to the object and example which wee must follow and that is Christ. And here first we must follow his Example Secondly wee must follow his precepts First you must follow his example doe as he did set him up as a patterne of Imitation It would be infinite to shew you all his graces yet I will name some particulars wherein you must follow him that so we may not be all in the generall First he abounded in love which he shewed in his readinesse both to give and forgive Hee shewed his love in giving in that hee loved men so that hee gave himselfe for them Act. 20.35 Hee saith It is more blessed to give than to receive For his love in forgiving he forgave those that did him the greatest wrong hee had compassion on the soules of men and on their bodies too For their soules he groaned to see them as Sheepe without a Shepheard Math. 9.36 So for their bodies hee fed many thousands of them often times Secondly For the glory that was set before him he endured the Crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12.2 that is hee saw God and his glory and then the good and evill speeches of men were nothing to him hee eyed the glory of God and despised the glory and shame of men as you may see Luk. 23.8.11 by comparing them both together When as Pilate sent him to Herod Herod was exceeding glad when hee saw him for hee was desirous to see him of a long time because hee had heard many things of him and hee hoped to have seene some Miracle done by him Luk. 23.7 to 12. But Christ despised that glory which hee might have gotten hee would neyther doe nor speake any thing before Herod Therefore Herod and his men mocked him Here hee despised the glory and the shame too when as much was expected from him hee neglected all and so must we Thridly hee was exceeding humble and meeke Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart This his humility appeares in this First that he excluded none no not the meanest Secondly hee did not render rebuke for rebuke 1 Pet. 2.23 Hee endured all Thirdly in that hee was ready to part with his right and his life Fourthly in that he washed his Disciples feet Fourthly he was diligent in his calling publikely and privately hee went abroad preaching upon all publike and private occasions ready to take all opportunities to doe good hee takes occasion to comfort the woman of Samaria at the Well Iohn 4. so when as hee saw them striving for the upper place at the Table hee takes occasion to discourse of humility Luk. 14. He did consider the end wherefore hee came This was the end of all his comming to doe good It was his delight to doe Gods will all hee did it was Gods Worke hee did it to glorifie him and for the good of men which was an other end wherefore he did it Fifthly hee was ready to suffer any thing to be despised to undergoe any thing at his Fathers pleasure he subjugated his desires to his Fathers and hee did rejoyce in it Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes and Sucklings even so Father for so it seemeth good in thy fight It had beene more for Christs honour to have had wise and great men to follow him but hee rejoyceth in this that God had hid him from those and revealed him vnto Babes for that was his Fathers will So we must rest contented with any thing if it bee Gods will Sixthly Christ likewise fulfilled all Righteousnesse Math. 3.15 he was full of zeale for his Fathers glory follow therefore his example in all these And not onely his example but his precepts too First beleeve in him this is the great Worke of God this is
is not to have body and soule joyned together to be a living man in that sense we usually take life for if that were life then those in hell should not bee said to dye the death for you know in hell there is a conjunction of soule and body and yet men are not said to live there for it is death which is the punishment of sinne and indeed you shall finde that there is something a mans heart cleaves unto wherein hee rejoyceth which is the same with his life Therefore looke as the Soule enlivens the body so the conjunction of the present things which hee reckons his joy that is his life enliven his soule he cannot live without them Now if Christ be thy chiefe joy thou wilt finde this that thou canst not live without him as men are wont to say of their delights Such a man cannot live without such a thing so it is true of every man that hath taken Christ he is not able to live without him This life is no life and therefore if there be but a separation betweene thee and Christ if a mans conscience bee as it were clouded for a time hee findes no rest he doth as the Spouse in the Canticles She seekes from one place to another and gives her selfe no rest till she finde him and why because it was he whom her soule loved So you shall finde Beloved whatsoever it is that your soules love whatsoever you make your chiefe joy you will take no rest but as farre as you love and enjoy it Therefore for the finding of this whether Christ be thy life and thy chiefe joy consider what it is that thy thoughts feede upon every wicked man every man that is out of Christ there is something that his thoughts feed upon some things there are in contemplation of which the soule solaceth it selfe some pleasures that are past present or to come the very thinking of these are the greatest joy of his heart he roules them under his tongue even as a Servant that hath got some dainty bit out of his Masters presence and â—ates it in a corner so the soule of a man hath out of Christ some secret some stolen some unlawfull delights that it feeds upon and delights in Consider therefore well with thy selfe what breakfast thy morning thoughts have that I may so say what breakefast they have every morning what is that Pabulum that food of thy soule wherewith thy thoughts and affections are nourished and refreshed from day to day whether it be some carnall pleasure some reflecting on thy state upon thy wealth upon thy friends or whether it be on Christ. See as David exercised it whether be they thy songs in the night time All carnall men have something past whereby they comfort themselves something present where by they cheare up their hearts something to come something in hope So every man that is in Christ he hath the comforts of the Spirit the meditation of the priviledges that he hath in Christ the hope of Gods favour These are his appointed food these are the things that his soule feedes on in secret yea the very workes that he doth that seemes to be the hardest part of a Christians life the very workes that hee doth in serving the Lord from day to day even that is his meate and his drinke that is it is as sweet and acceptable to his soule as meate and drinke is to the hunger and thirst of his body Now consider with thy selfe whether it be so with thee whether that which is thy continuall feast without which thou canst not live bee Christ or the assurance thou hast that he is thine and thou art his whether it bee the priviledges thou hast in him and the things that belong to the kingdome of God See whether these be thy life the things without which thou couldst not live or whether it bee some thing else some stollen delights some unlawful pleasures some thing else that thy soule and affections are set upon This is the next thing by which thou maiest try thy selfe whether thou belong to Christ or no to consider whether he bee thy chiefe joy whether thy soule bee most filled and satisfyed with him And this is the third thing 4 The fourth is to know whether he be thy chiefe Refuge If thou bee one that hath tooke him and received him I say he is thy chiefe refuge For every man hath some refuge some castle or other to which his soule retires in all difficult and doubtfull cases by reason of that indigency that insufficiency to which the nature of man is subject There is something that hee must have to leane unto marke it for mankind is like that generation which the Wiseman speakes of You know it is sayd of the Connyes They are a generation not strong and what then and therefore they have their burrowes to hide themselves in I say such is the generation of mankinde he is a weake creature a generation not strong therefore there is something that he must leane to something out of himselfe some sufficiency besides himselfe some strong hold some refuge every man hath I say every man hath some refuge or other whither he thinkes his soule may goe and there hee may have succour in cases daungerous and in troubles Now consider what is thy refuge whither thy heart runnes in all such cases to what wing to what strong hold In daungerous cases you see every creature hath some refuge or other The Child runnes to his Mother The Chickens runne to the henne The Fox to his earth the Connyes to their burrowes so every creature to their severall corners and receptacles proper to them I say so it is with every man so hath every one of you to whom I speake there is somewhat that is a secret refuge to which your hearts fly Now consider whether that be Christ or somewhat else A covetous man or rather a man of this world he hath wealth for his strong hold in which his heart comforts it selfe well saith he what change of time so ever come yet I have an estate to hold me up and when he is ill spoken of abroad yet hee applaudes himselfe with that hee hath at home The Courtiers they have the Princes favour that is their refuge wherein they comfort themselves Those that are given to Company they have good fellowes such as they that are their compaâ—ions and so long as they speake well of them they â—are not who speake ill of them Some have a refuge of this kind some of another every man hath his refuge If you will looke into the Scriptures you shall see Davids refuge in any distresse upon any occasion At Ziglag he comforteth himselfe in the Lord his hart did fly to him as the chickens fly to the henne there he comforted himselfe there he shrowded himselfe there he encouraged himselfe in the Lord. When he fled from his son Absolon was not the Lord
a great helpe to us That this is true see in 4. Eph. 6. Hee is in all and through all and over all That is the Lord is in every man hee passeth through every thing his eyes runne through the earth and he is over all looking what secrets are in mans heart what thoughts yea before hee thinkes them he knowes them because hee seeth them in their causes Hee that is in a man that lookes in all the secret corners of the heart hee must needs see what thoughts he hath what petitions hee putteth up secretly even then when his mouth speakes not And lest that should not be enough saith hee He is over all you know one that stands on high and lookes over all that is below hee easily can see whatsoever is done So the Lord he is in all he is through all he is over al. But this is enough for that only I would have you remember that he takes notice of all he knowes thy prayers But you will say I doubt not of that I make no question but he heares me and understands me well enough but how shal I know that he is willing to grant the thing I pray for You shall see these 2 Reasons in the 7. Mat. where our Saviour urgeth this very point that we have now in hand from the 7. verse downeward Aske saith he and you shall have seeke and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you here is the promise For he backs it with these 2. Reasons Every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened unto him As if he should say ye have this reason for it why you should beleeve it that it is no more but aske and have for saith he all that ever asked have obtained all that ever have sought have found all that ever have knocked it hath beene opened unto them That is looke through the whole book of God see what prayers ever have beene made to him and you shall finde that there is not a prayer mentioned in all the Scriptures but it hath beene heard Now when we have such a cloud of witnesses it is a strong reason when it is said to us that there were never any prayed but were heard Why you will say There were many prayed that were not heard Did not David pray for his Childe and was not heard Did not Paul pray to be delivered from such a temptation and was not heard My Beloved It s true they were not heard for the particular but yet I dare be bold to say that David was heard at that time though I say not in the particular for though his Childe was taken away yet you may see the Lord gave him a Childe of the same woman with much more advantage he gave him a Childe that was legitimate which this was not he gave him a Childe that exceeded for wisedome Salomon was the Child that he had So that the Lord did heare him and gave him this answer as if he had said to him David I have heard thee I know that thou art exceeding importunate thou shalt not have this but thou shalt have another Childe which shall be better And so he saith unto Paul 2 Cor. 12. Christ reveals this unto him Paul saith he though I grant thee not this particular request in the manner that thou wouldest have me To take away the pricke of the flesh which thou art troubled with thou shalt bee a greater gainer by it thou hadst better have it than want it whē Paul understood that it was a medicine and not a poyson as hee tooke it to be hee was content and resolved in it And a man resolveth not except he be a gainer He saw that Gods power was manifest in his weakenesse and hee saw himselfe humbled by it and when he saw that God gained glory and himselfe humiliation by it he was content to be denyed in it So I say whosoever asketh findeth you shall never finde any example but that whosoever sought to the Lord as he ought he was certainely heard or else he had somewhat that was better granted to him instead of it And this is the first reason that is used heere The second reason is this What man among you if his Son aske bread will give him a stone or if he aske a fish will give him a serpent if you then that are evill know how to give good things to your children how much more shal your heavenly Father give good things to them which aske him saith hee you bee not able to perswade your selves of this truth because you know not the Father for he dwells in light inaccessable you are not acquainted with him saith our Saviour I will helpe you out with an argument that you better understand even upon earth saith he take but a father here a father that is ill but the Lord is full of goodnes fathers have but a drop but a sparke of mercy in them whereas the Lord is full of mercy as the Lord is ful of light he is the God of all comfort Yet saith hee this father when his sonne comes to aske him bread he is ready to give it him he is full of cōpassion and tendernes toward him doe you not thinke that our heavenly Father is as true a father as he that hee loves you as well as he whose compassion and pitty is much greater doe you not thinke hee is ready to heare his Children when they call upon him O this is a strong and unanswerable Reason and this you see is backed in 16 Ioh. 27. you see there the love of the Father how it is expressed to us I say not unto you that I will aske the father saith he the father himselfe loves you Marke as if he should have said let this be one ground to you to think your petitions shall be granted and that they are not onely granted for my sake for saith hee the Father himselfe loveth you and hath a great affection to you that is in naturall parents there is a naturall affection to their Children So if I were not immediatly to present your petitions though that be not excluded yet saith hee the Father hath such an affection to you that he cannot choose but heare you I say not saith he that I will aske the father for the father himselfe loves you So that this is the second reason which this promise is there backed with the love of the father That hee cannot find in his heart to deny us even for that affection that he beareth to us Wee will adde a third Reason that wee meet here in the same Chap. 16. Iohn 23. In that day you shall aske in my name verily verily I say unto you yee shall aske the father in my name and he will give it you It is brought in upon this occasion when our Saviour Christ was to goe from his Disciples they
were ready to complaine as we see in the verses before they were ready to say with themselves alas what shall wee doe when our Master shall be tooke from our head Our Saviour answers them you shall doe well enough doubt you not for though I be not with you yet saith he go to the father in my name and whatsoever you aske of him you shall have it So that hee answers that objection when a man is ready to say It s true I know that a father is exceeding loving to his Children But it may be my carriage hath not beene such I am full of infirmities I have much in me that may turne the love and affection of my Father from me Put the case you have yet Christ adds this for your comfort If saith he the Father will not doe it for your sake yet doubt you not if you aske in my name he will doe it doe we not see it usuall among men That one that is a meere stranger to another if hee get a letter from a friend he thinkes to prevaile and he doth so because though it bee not done for his sake it may be hee is a stranger one that deserved nothing at his hands yet such a friend may deserve much And when we goe to God in the name of Christ this answers all the objections whatsoever you can say against your selves it is all satisâ—ied in this I goe in his name I am sure he hath supply I am sure hee is no stranger I know hee hath deserved it c. Last of all as he loves us and because we aske in the name of Christ is ready to heare us we will adde this that he is ready to heare us for his owne sake hee is a God hearing prayer saith the Psalmist that al flesh might come to him even for this cause he heares that men may be encouraged to come and seeke to him for if the Lord should not heare then no flesh would come unto him that is men would have no encouragement no helpe therefore he saith he is a God hearing prayer doubt ye not hee will doe it for this purpose that hee might have men to worship him that men might come and seeke unto him Besides that hee shall be glorified Thou shalt call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee now the Lord is desirous of glory it was the end for which he made the world But in not hearing our prayer hee loseth this glory by hearing our requests the more wee are heard the more glory and praise we render unto him Like wise he doth it for the Spectators sake Moyses often presenteth that Reason Lord doe it What will the Heathen say and lest thy name be polluted among them they will say thou hast brought out a people and wast not able to deliver them So David often there are many instances in that I say for the lookers on sake he is ready to doe it All this is enough to perswade our hearts that hee is ready to heare us that when prayers are made to him on earth So the conditions be observed they are surely heard in heaven Now to apply this First if the Lord bee so ready to heare then this should teach us to bee more fervent in this duty of prayer than commonly we are for to what end are such promises as this but to encourage us to do our duties when wee heare that prayer is of so much efficacy that it prevailes with the Lord for any thing shall we suffer it to lye by as it were and not make use of it If a drug or a pretious balme were commended to us and it were told us that if wee made use of it it would heale any wound it will heale any sickenes and this and this vertue it hath Will a wise man suffer it to lye by him will he not use it and see what vertue it hath And when it is said unto us that praier is thus prevalent with the Lord that it is thus potent that it is thus able to prevaile with him for any thing shall wee not make use of it when we are in any distresse when wee need any thing when we have any disease either of soule or body to heale Let us flye to this refuge that himselfe hath appointed If a King of the earth should say to a man I will be ready to doe thee a good turne make use of me when thou hast occasion he would be ready enough to do it Now when the Lord of heaven saith aske what you will at my hands and I will doe it shall we not seeke to him and make use of such a promise as this Beloved we are too backward in this we should be more aboundant in this duty than we are we should make more account of it For whatsoever the case be if you doe but seeke to the Lord if thou doest but set downe thy resolution with thy selfe Well I see it is a thing if I looke upon the creature and the meanes I have little hope of but the Lord is able to doe it and therefore I will goe to him I will weary him and I will not give him over I will not give him nor my selfe any rest till I have obtained it I say it is impossible thou shouldest faile in such a case Onely remember to be importunate for an importunate suiter hee cannot deny You know the parable of the unjust Iudge You know also the parable of the man that is in bed with his children when the widdow was importunate when she knockt and would give him no rest he gives her redresse the other riseth and giveth his friend as many loves as he will saith the Text yea though she were not his friend for this is the meaning of it If saith he the Lord had not much love to you if hee had not such an affection if you did not come to him in the name of Christ whom hee loves in whom he is ready to grant whatsoever you aske if hee were not a friend to you yet for your very importunity he is ready to do it As the unjust Iudge for that is the scope of the parable hee had no minde to grant the widdowes request hee had no Iustice in him to move him he had no mercy nor compassion yet for very importunity he graunted it Remember and observe the condition for this is commonly a fault among us when we goe to prayer we thinke that the very putting up of the prayer will doe it No there is more required than so As it is the error of the Country people when they heare say that such an herbe is good for such a disease they are ready to thinke that howsoever it be tooke or applyed it will heale the disease No it must be applyed in such a manner it must bee used in such a fashion So it is with prayer you must