sense of Gods love Use 3. You who have this saluifical sanctifying knowledge flourishing in you bless God for it this is the Heavenly Anointing the most excellent objects cannot be seen in the dark but when the light appears then every flower shines in its Native beauty So while men are in the midnight of a natural estate the Beauty of Holiness is hid from them but when the light of the Spirit comes in a saving manner then those truths they slighted before appear in that glorious lustre as transports them with wonder and love Bless God ye Saints that he hath taken off your Spiritual Cataract and hath given you to discern those things which by Natures Spectacles you could never see How thankful was Christ to his Father for this Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes How should you admire Free-grace that God hath not only brought the light to you but given you eyes to see it that he hath inabled you to know the truth as it is in Iesus Ephes. 4. 21. That he hath opened not only the eye of your understanding but the eye of your Conscience This is a mercy you can never be enough thankful for that God hath so enlightned you that you should not sleep the sleep of death SECT II. 2. The godly man is a man acted by Faith as gold is the most precious among the metals so is Faith among the Graces Faith cuts us off from the wild Olive of Nature and inoculates us into Christ Faith is the vital artery of the Soul Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his Faith Such as are destitute of Faith though they breathe yet they want life Faith is the quickner of the Graces not a Grace stirs till Faith sets it awork Faith is to the soul as the animal spirits are to the body they excite lively operations in the body Faith excites Repentance it is like the fire to the Still which makes it drop When I believe Gods love to me this makes me weep that I should sin against so good a God Faith is the Mother of Hope first we believe the Promise then we hope for it Faith is the Oyl which feeds the Lamp of Hope Faith and Hope are two Turtle-graces take away one and the other languisheth If the sinews be cut the body is lame if this sinew of Faith be cut Hope is lame Faith is the ground of Patience He who believes God is his God and all Providences work for his good doth patiently yield up himself to the Will of God thus Faith is a living Principle And the life of a Saint is nothing else but a life of Faith his prayer is the breathing of Faith Iam. 5. 15. His obedience is the result of Faith Rom. 16. 26. A godly man by Faith lives in Christ as the beam lives in the Sun Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me A Christian by the power of Faith sees above Reason trades above the Moon by Faith his heart is finely quieted he trusts himself and all his affairs with God As in a time of War men get into a Garrison and trust themselves and their treasure there So the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Pro. 18. 10. and a Believer trusts all that ever he is worth in this Garrison 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day God trusted Paul with his Gospel and Paul trusted God with his Soul Faith is a Catholicon or remedy against all troubles it is a godly mans sheat-anchor that he casts out into the Sea of Gods mercy and is kept from sinking in despair Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet Use. Let us try our selves by this Character Alas how far are they from being godly that are destitute of Faith such as are altogether drowned in Sense Most men are spiritually purblind they can see but just before them 2 Pet. 1. 9. I have read of a people of India who are born with one eye such are they who are born with the eye of Reason but want the eye of Faith who because they do not see God with bodily eyes they do not believe a God they may as well not believe they have Souls because being Spirits they cannot be seen O where is he who lives in Excelsis who is gotten into the upper Region and sees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things not seen Heb. 11. 27. Did men live by Faith would they use sinful policy for a livelihood Were there Faith would there be so much fraud Did Faith live would men like dead fish swim down the stream In this Age there is scarce so much Faith to be found among men as there is among the Devils for they believe and tremble It was a grave and serious speech of Mr. Greenham that he feared not Papisme but Atheisme would be Englands ruine But I shall not expatiate having been more large upon this Head in another discourse SECT III. 3. A godly man is fired with love to God Psalm 116. 1. Faith and Love are the two Poles on which all Religion turns A true Saint is carried in that Chariot the midst whereof is paved with love Cant. 3. 10. As Faith doth quicken so love doth sweeten every duty The Sun mellows the fruit so love mellows the services of Religion and makes them come off with a better relish A godly man is sick of love Ioh. 21. 16. Lord thou knowest I love thee Though dear Saviour I did deny thee yet it was for want of strength not for want of love God is the Fountain and Quintessence of goodness his beauty and sweetness lay constraints of love upon a gracious heart God is the Saints portion Psalm 119. 57. And what more loved then a portion I would hate my own Soul saith Austin if I found it not loving 〈◊〉 A godly man loves God therefore delight to be in his presence he loves God therefore takes comfort in nothing without him Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Lilia nigra videntur Pallentesque rosae nec dulce rubens hyacinthus Nullos nèc myrtus nec laurus spirat odores The pious Soul loves God therefore thirsts after him the more he hath of God the more still he desires a sip of the Wine of the Spirit provokes the appetite after more The Soul loves God therefore rejoyceth to think of his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. He loves him therefore longs to be with him Christ was in Pauls heart and Paul would be in Christs bosome Phil. 1. 23. When the Soul is once like God it would fain be with God A gracious heart cries out O that I had wings that I might flie away and be
their Dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season So though the Dominion of sin is taken away yet the life of it is prolonged for a season and while sin lives it molests The Persians were daily Enemies to the Râ—mans and would be invading upon their frontiers So sin wars against the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. And no cessation of arms till death will not this cause tears 3. A Childe of God weeps that he is sometimes overcome by the prevalency of Corruption Rom. 7. 19. The evil I would not that do I. Paul was like a man carried down the stream How oft is a Saint overpowred with pride and passion When David had sinned he steeped his Soul in the brinish tears of Repentance It cannot but grieve a regenerate person to think he should be so foolish as after he hath felt the smart of sin yet to put this fire in his bosom again 4. A godly heart grieves that he can be no more holy it troubles him that he shoots so short of the Rule and Standard which God hath set I should faith he love the Lord with all my heart But how defective is my love how far short do I come of what I should be nay of what I might have been What can I see in my life but either blanks or blots 5. A godly man weeps sometimes out of the sense of Gods love Gold is the finest and most solid of all the metals yet is soonest melted with the fire Gracious hearts which are golden hearts are the soonest melted into tears by the fire of Gods love I once knew an holy man who walking in his garden and shedding plenty of tears a friend coming to him accidentally asked him why he wept He brake forth into this pathetical expression O the love of Christ the love of Christ Thus have we seen the Cloud melted into water by the Sun-beams 6. A godly person weeps because the sins he commits are in some sense worse than the sins of other men the sin of a justified person is very odious 1. Because he acts contrary to his own principles he doth not only sin against the Rule but against his Principles against his knowledge vows prayers hopes experiences He knows how dear sin will cost him yet he adventures upon the forbidden fruit 2. The sin of a Justified person is odious because it is a sin of unkindness 2 King 11. 9. Peters denying of Christ was a sin against love Christ had enrolled him among the Apostles he had taken him up into the Mount of Transfiguration and showed him the glory of Heaven in a Vision yet after all this signal Mercy that he should deny Christ it was high ingratitude This made him go out and weep bitterly Mat. 26. 75. He baptized himself as it were in his own tears The sins of the godly go neerest to Gods Heart Others sins anger God these grieve him The sins of the wicked pierce Christ sides the sins of the godly wound his heart the unkindness of a Spouse goes neerest the heart of her Husband 3. The sin of a Justified person is odious because it reflects more dishonor upon God 2 Sam. 12. 14. By this deed thou hast given occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme The sins of Gods people put black spots in the face of Religion Thus we see what cause there is why a Childe of God should weep even after Conversion Quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis Now this sorrow of a godly man for sin is not a despairing sorrow he doth not mourn without hope Psal. 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me There is the Holy Soul weeping as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away There is Faith triumphing Divine sorrow is excellent There is as much difference between the sorrow of a godly man and a wicked as between the water of a Spring which is clear and sweet and the water of the Sea which is salt and brackish A godly mans sorrow hath these three qualifications 1. It is internal it is a sorrow of Soul hypocrites disfigure their faces Mat. 6. 16. godly sorrow goes deep it is a pricking at the heart Acts 2. 37. True sorrow is a spiritual Martyrdome therefore called Soul-affliction Lev. 23. 29. 2. Godly sorrow is ingenuous it is more for the evil that is in sin than the evil which follows after it is more for the spot than the sting Hypocrites weep for sin only as it brings affliction I have read of a Fountain that never sends out streams but the Evening before a Famine Hypocrites never send forth the streams of their tears but when Gods Judgements are approaching 3. Godly sorrow is influential it makes the heart better Eccles. 7. 3. By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better Divine tears do not only wet but wash they purge out the love of sin Use 1. How far are they from being godly who scarce ever shed a tear for sin If they lose a neer Relation they weep but though they are in danger of losing God and their Souls they weep not How few know what it is to be in an Agony for sin or what a broken heart means their eyes are not like the Fish-pools of Heshbon full of water Cant. 7. 4. but rather like the Mountains of Gilboa which had no dew upon them 2 Sam. 1. 21. It was a greater plague for Pharaoh to have his heart turned into stone than to have his Rivers turned into bloud Others if they do sometimes shed a tear yet they are never the better they go on in wickedness and do not drown their sins in their tears Use 2. Let us labour for this Divine Character be weepers This is a repentance not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. 'T is reported of Mr. Bradford Martyr that he was of a melting spirit he seldome sate down to his meat but some tears trickled down his cheeks There are two Lavors to wash away sin Bloud and Tears The Bloud of Christ washeth away the guilt of sin tears wash away the filth repenting tears are precious God puts them in his bottle Psal. 56. 8. They are beautifying a tear in the eye doth more adorn than a Ring on the finger Oyl makes the face shine Psal. 104. 15. Tears make the heart shine tears are comforting a sinners mirth turns to melancholy a Saints mourning turns to musick Repentance may be compared to Myrrhe which though it be bitter to the taste it is comforting to the spirits Repentance may be bitter to the fleshy part but it is most refreshing to the spiritual Wax that melts is fit for the Seal a melting Soul is fit to take the stamp of all heavenly blessings Let us give Christ the water of our tears and he will give us the Wine of his Bloud SECT IX 9. A godly man is a lover of the Word Psal. 119. 97. O how love I thy Law 1. A
God loves to bestow his mercies where there is the best Eccho of thankfulness 5 Thankfulness is a frame of heart God delights in if repentance bee the joy of heaven praise is the musick Bernard calls thankfulness the sweet Balm that drops from a Christian. Four Sacrifices God is much pleased with the sacrifice of Christs blood the sacrifice of a broken heart the sacrifice of Alms and the sacrifice of thanksgiving Praise and Thanksgiving saith Mr. Greenham is the most excellent part of Gods worship for this shall continue in the heavenly quire when all other exercises of Religion shall cease 6 What an horrid thing ingratitude is it gives a dye and tincture to every other sin and makes it Crimson ingratitude is the spirits of baseness Obad. v. 7. They that eat thy bread have laid a Wound under thee Ingratitude is worse than bruitish Isa. 1. 3. 'T is reported of Iulius Caesar that he would never forgive an ungrateful person though God be a sin-pardoning God he scarce knows not how to pardon for this Ier. 5. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me when I had fed them to the full they then committed adultery Draco whose Laws were written in blood published and edict that if any man had received a benefit from another and it could bee proved against him that hee had not been grateful for it hee should be put to death an unthankful person is a monster in nature a Pardox in Christianity he is the scorn of heaven and the plague of earth an ungrateful man never doth well but in one thing that is when hee dies 7 The not being thankful is the cause of all the Judgements which have lain upon us our unthankfulness for health hath been the cause of so much Mortality our Gospel-unthankful thankfulness and Sermon-surfeiting hath been the reason why God hath put so many Lights under a Bushel as Bradford said my unthankfulness was the death of King Edward the sixth Who will bestow cost on a peece of ground that brings forth nothing but briars unthankfulness stops the golden Vial of Gods bounty that it will not drop Quest. How shall we do to be thankful Answ. 1. If you would be thankful get an heart deeply humbled in the sense of your own vileness a broken heart is the best pipe to sound forth Gods praise hee who studies his sins wonders that he hath any thing and that God should shine upon such a dunghill 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecuter but I obtained mercy How thankful was he how did he Trumpet forth free-grace A proud man will never bee thankful he looks upon all his mercies to bee either of his own procuring or deserving if he hath an Estate this he hath gotten by his wit and industry not considering that Scripture Deut. 8. 18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that gives thee power to get Riches Pride stops the Current of gratitude O Christian think of thy unworthiness see thy self the least of Saints and the chief of Sinners and then thou wilt be thankful 2 Labour for sound evidences of Gods love to you read Gods love in the impress of holiness upon your hearts Gods love powred in will make the Vessels of Mercy run over with thankfulness Rev. 1. 5 6. Unto him that loved us be glory and dominion for ever The deepest Springs yeeld the sweetest water hearts deeply sensible of Gods love yeeld the sweetest praises SECT XVIII 18 A godly man is a lover of the Saints the best way to discern grace in ones self is to love grace in others 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Wee know we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren What is religion but religation a knitting together of hearts Faith knits us to God and love knits us one to another There is a two-fold love to others 1 A civil love a godly man hath a love of civility to all Gen. 23. 7. Abraham stood up and bewed to the children of Heth Though they were extraneous and not within the pale of the Covenant yet Abraham was affable to them grace doth sweeten and refine nature 1 Pet. 3. 8. be courteous wee are to have a love of civility to all 1 As they are ex eodem luto of the same lump and mould with our selves and are a peece of Gods curious needle-work 2 Because our sweet deportment towards them may bee a means to win upon them and make them in love with the waies of God a morose ruggid carriage often alienates the hearts of others and hardens them the more against holiness whereas a loving behaviour is very obliging and may bee as a load-stone to draw them to religion 2 There is a pious and an holy love and this a godly man doth bear chiefly to them who are of the houshold of faith the other was a love of courtesie this of complacency Our love to the Saints saith Austin should bee more than to our natural relations because the bond of the spirit is nearer than that of blood This love to the Saints which evidenceth a man godly must have seven ingredients in it 1 Love to the Saints must bee sincere 1 Ioh. 3. 18. Let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth The hony that drops from the comb is pure so must love be pure without deceit Many are like Naphtali Gen. 49. 21. he giveth goodly words Pretended love is like a painted fire which hath no heat in it Some hide malice under a false veil of love I have read of Antoninus the Emperour where he made a shew of Friendship there he intended the most mischief 2 Love to the Saints must be spiritual we must love them because they are Saints not out of self-respects because they are affable or have been kinde to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesh but we must love them under a spiritual notion because of the good that is in them we are to reverence their holiness else it is a carnal love 3 Love to the Saints must be extensive we must love all that bear Gods image 1 Though they have many infirmities a Christian in this life is like a good face full of Freckles thou that canst not love another because of his imperfections didst never yet see thy own face in the glass thy brothers infirmities may make thee pity him his graces must make thee love him 2 Wee must love the Saints though in some things they do not coalesce and agree with us another Christian may differ from me in less matters either because hee hath more light than I or because hee hath lesse light if he differs from me because he hath more light then I have no reason to censure him if because hee hath less light than I ought to bear with him as the weaker Vessel in things of an indifferent nature
with my Love Christ. The Bird desires to be out of the Cage though it be hung with Pearl Such is the love a gracious Soulbears to God that many waters cannot quench it he loves a frowning God Though I am out of sign and clean forgot Let me not love thee if I love thee not A godly man loves God though he be reduced to straits A Mother and her Childe of nine years old being ready to perish with hunger the Childe looking upon its Mother said Mother do you think God will starve us No Childe said the Mother he will not The Childe replied But if he do we must love him and serve him Use. Let us try our godliness by this Touch-stone Do we love God Is he our Treasure and Center Can we with David call God our Ioy yea our exceeding Ioy Psal. 43. 4. Do we delight in drawing nigh to him and come before him with singing Psal. 100. 2. Do we love him for his Beauty more than his Iewels Do we love him when he seems not to love us If this be sign of a godly man how few will be found in the number Where is the man whose heart is dilated in love to God Many court him but few love him People are for the most part eaten up with self-self-love they love their ease their worldly profit their lusts but they have not a drop of love to God Did they love God would they be so willing to be rid of him Iob 21. 14. They say to the Almighty depart from us Did they love God would they tear his Name by their Oaths Doth he love his Father who shoots him to the heart Though they worship God they do not love him they are like the Souldiers that bowed the knee to Christ and mocked him Mat. 27. 29. He whose heart is a grave in which the love of God is buried deserves to have that Curse written upon his Tomb-stone 1 Cor. 16. ult Let him be Anathema Maranatha A Soul void of Divine Love is a temper that best suits with damned spirits But I shall wave this and pass to the next SECT IV. 4. A godly man is like God he hath the same judgement with God he thinks of things as God doth he hath a God-like disposition he partakes of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. A godly man doth bear Gods Name and Image godliness is God-likeness 'T is one thing to profess God another thing to resemble him A godly man is like God in Holiness Holiness is the most orient Pearl of the King of Heavens Crown Exod. 15. 11. Glorious in Holiness Gods power makes him Mighty his mercy makes him lovely but his holiness makes him glorious The Holiness of God is the intrinsick purity of his Nature and his abhorrency of sin A godly man bears some kind of Analogy with God in this He hath the Holy Oil of Consecration upon him Psal. 106. 16. Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Holiness is the Badge and Livery of Christs people Isa. 63. 18. The people of thy Holiness The godly are as well an Holy as a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Nor have they only a Frontispiece of holiness like the Egyptian Temples which were fair without but they are like Solomons Temple which had gold within they have written upon their heart Holiness to the Lord The holiness of the Saints consists in their conformity to Gods Will which is the rule and patern of all Holiness Holiness is a mans glory Aaron put on garments for glory and beauty Exod. 28. 2. So when a person is invested with the embroidered garment of Holiness it is for glory and beauty The goodness of a Christian lies in his Holiness as the goodness of the Air lies in the clearness of it the worth of gold in the pureness Quest. Wherein do the godly discover their holiness Answ. 1. In hating the garment spotted by the flesh Iude 3. The godly do set themselves against evil both in purpose and practise they are fearful of that which looks like sin 1 Thes. 5. 22. The appearance of evil may prejudice a weak Christian If it doth not defile a mans own Conscience it may offend his Brothers Conscience and to sin against him is to sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. A godly man will not go as far as he may least he go further than he should he will not swallow down all that others bribed with preferment may plead for 'T is easie to put a golden colour upon a rotten stuff 2. The godly discover their holiness in being Advocates for Holiness Psal. 119. 46. I will speak of thy Testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed When Piety is calumniated in the world the Saints will stand up in the defence of it they will wipe off the dust of a reproach from the face of Religion Holiness defends the godly and they will defend Holiness it defends them from danger and they will defend it from disgrace Use 1. How can those be reputed godly who are unlike God they have nothing of God in them not one shread of holiness They call themselves Christians but blot out the word holiness you may as well call it day at midnight So impudent are some that they boast they are none of the holy ones Is it not the Spirit of Holiness which marks the sheep of Christ from the goats Eph. 1. 13. Ye were sealed or marked with the Holy Spirit And is it a matter for men to boast of that they have none of the Spirits ear-mark upon them Doth not the Apostle say that without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Such as bless themselves in their unholiness had best go ring the Bells for joy that they shall never see God Others there are that hate holiness sin and holiness never meet but they fight holiness dischargeth its fire of zeal against sin and sin spits its venom of malice at holiness Many pretend to love Christ as a Saviour but hate him as he is the Holy One Act. 3. 14. Use 2. Let us labour to be like God in holiness 1. This is Gods great design he drives on in the world 't is the end of the Word preached the silver drops of the Sanctuary are to water the seed of grace and make a crop of holiness spring up What use is there of the Promises but to bribe us to holiness What are all Gods Providential Dispensations but to excite holiness As the Lord makes use of all the seasons of the year frost and heat to bring on the harvest so all prosperous and adverse providences are for the promoting the work of holiness in the soul. What is the end of the mission of the spirit but to make the heart holy When the ayr is unwholesome by reason of foggy vapours the wind is a fan to winnow and purifie the ayr so the blowing of Gods Spirit upon the heart is
bury our Talents but trade them this is to put out our mercies to Use a gracious heart is like a peece of good ground that having received the seed of mercy thrusts forth a crop of obedience 6 Then wee are rightly thankful when we can have our hearts more enlarged for spiritual mercies than for temporal Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings A godly man blesseth God more for a fruitful heart than a full crop hee is more thankful for Christ than for a Kingdome Socrates was wont to say hee loved the Kings smile more than his gold a pious heart is more thankful for a smile of Gods face than hee would bee for the gold of the Indies 7 Then wee are rightly thankful when mercy is a wheâ— to duty it causeth a spirit of activity for God Mercy is not as the Sun to the fire to dull it but as oyl to the wheele to make it run faster David wisely argues from mercy to duty Psal. 116. 8 9. Thou hast delivered my Soul from death I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living It was a saying of Bernard Lord I have two Mites a soul and a body and I give them both to thee 8 Then wee are rightly thankful when we excite others to this Angelical work of praise David would not only bless God himself but calls upon others to do so Praise ye the Lord Psalm 111. 1. That is the sweetest musick which is in consort when many Saints joyn together in consort then they make heaven ring of their praises as one drunkard will bee calling upon another so in an holy sense one Christian must bee stirring up another to the work of thankfulness 9 Then we are rightly thankful when we do not only speak Gods praise but live his praise It is called gratiarum actio then wee give thanks when wee live thanks such as are mirrours of mercy should be patterns of piety Obad. 17. Upon Mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness To give God orall praise and dishonour him in our lives is to commit a barbarism in religion and is to be like those Iews who bowed the knee to Christ and then did spit upon him Mark 15. 19. 10 Then wee are rightly thankful when wee do propagate Gods praises to posterity we tell our children what God hath done for us in such a want hee supplyed us in such a sickness he raised us in such a temptation he succoured us Psa. 44. 1. O God our Fathers have told us what work thou didst in their daies in the time of old By transmitting our experiences to our Children Gods name is eternized and his mercies will bring forth a plentiful crop of praise when wee are gone He man puts the question Psal. 88. 10. Shall the dead praise thee Yes in this sense when we are dead we praise God because having left the Chronicle of Gods mercies with our Children we put them upon thankfulness and so make Gods praises live when we are dead dumque aurea voluet astra polus Memori semper celebrabunt cantu Use 3 Let us evidence our godliness by gratefulness Psa. 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name 1 It is a good thing to be thankful Psal 147. 1. It is good to sing praises to our God 'T is ill when the tongue that Organ of praise is out of tune and doth jar by murmuring and discontent but it is a good thing to be thankful it is good because this is all the creature can do to lift up Gods name and it is good because it tends to the making us good the more thankful we are the more holy while wee pay this tribute of praise our stock of grace increseth in other debts the more we pay the less wee have but the more wee pay this debt of thankfulness the more grace wee have 2 Thankfulness is the quit-rent wee owe to God Psa. 148. 11 13. King of the earth and all people let them praise the name of the Lord Praise is the tribute or custome to bee paid into the King of heavens Exchequor Surely while God renews our Lease we must renew our rent 3 The great cause we have to be thankful 't is a principle grafted in nature to be thankful for benefits The Heathens praised Iupiter for their victories What full clusters of mercies hang upon us when we go to enumerate Gods mercies we must with David confess our selves to bee nonplussed Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done they cannot be reckoned up in Order And as Gods mercies are past numbring so they are past measuring David takes the longest measuring line hee could get hee measures from earth to the clouds nay above the clouds yet this measure would not reach the heighth of Gods mercies Psal. 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens O how hath God enriched us with his silver showers a whole constellation of mercies hath shined in our Hemisphere 1 What Temporal favours have wee received every day wee see a new tide of mercy coming in the wings of mercy have covered us the breast of mercy hath fed us Gen. 48. 15. The God which hath fed mee all my life long to this day What snares laid for us have been broken what fears blown over the Lord hath made our bed when he hath made others grave he hath taken such care of us as if he had none else to take care for never was the cloud of providence so black but we might see a Rainbow of Love in the cloud we have been made to swim in a sea of mercy and doth not all this call for thankfulness 2 That which may put a string more into the instrument of our praise and make it sound louder is to consider what spiritual blessings God hath conferred upon us he hath given us of the upper-springs he hath opened the Wardrobe of Heaven and fetched us out a better garment than any of the Angels wear he hath given us the best robe and put upon us the Ring of faith whereby wee are married to him These are mercies of the first magnitude which deserve to have an Asterist put upon them and God keeps the best Wine till last here hee gives us mercies but by retail the greatest things are laid up here are some Hony drops and fore-tastes of Gods love the Rivers of pleasure are reserved for Paradise well may we take the harp and viol and triumph in Gods praise who can tread upon these hot coals of Gods love and his heart not burn in thankfulness 4 Thankfulness is the best policy there is nothing lost by it to bee thankful for one mercy is the way to have more 't is like powring water into a Pump which fetcheth out more Musicians love to sound their trumpets where there is the best Eccho and
may attend upon the Lord without distraction Quest. But may not a godly man have roving thoughts in duty Answ. Yes sad experience sets seal to it the thoughts will bee dancing up and down in prayer the Saints are called Stars and many times in duty they are wandring stars The heart is like Quick-silver which will not fix 'T is hard to tye two good thoughts together we cannot lock our hearts so close but that distracting thoughts like winde will get in Hierom complains of himself sometimes saith he when I am about Gods service I am walking in the galleries or casting up of accounts But these wandring thoughts in the godly are not allowed Psa. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts they come as unwelcome guests which are no sooner spied but are turned out of doors Quest. Whence do these impertinent thoughts arise in the godly Answ. 1 From the pravity of nature they are the mud which the hear casts up 2. From Satan the Devil if he cannot hinder us from duty â—hee will hinder us in duty when we come before the Lord he is at our right hand to resist us Zac. 3. 1. As when one is going to write another stands at his elbow and jogs him that he cannot write even Satan will set vain objects before the fancy to cause a diversion the Devil doth not oppose formality but fervency if he sees we set our selves in good earnest to seek God he will bee whispering things in our ears that wee can scarce minde what wee are doing 3 These impertinent thoughts arise from the world these vermine are bred out of the earth worldly business oft crouds into our duties and while we are speaking to God our hearts are talking with the world Ezek. 33. 31. They sit before me as my people but their heart goes after their covetousness While we are hearing the word or meditating one worldly business or other commonly knocks at the door and we are taken off the duty while we are in the duty 'T is with us as with Abraham when he was going to worship the fowles came down upon the sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. Quest. How may wee get rid of these wandring thoughts that we may be more spiritual in duty Answ. 1 Eye Gods purity hee is an holy God whom wee serve and cannot endure when wee are worshipping him that wee should converse with vanity Will a King like it that while his subject is speaking to him hee should bee playing with a feather will God endure light feathery hearts how devout and reverend are the Angels they cover their faces and cry Holy Holy 2 Think of the Grand importance of the duties we are engaged in as David said concerning his building an house for God 2 Chron. 29. 1. The work is great when wee are hearing the word the work is great this is the word by which we shall be judged when we are at prayer the work is great wee are pleading for the life of our souls and is this a time to trifle 3 Come with affection to duty the nature of love is to fix the minde upon the object he who is in love his thoughts are still upon the person he loves and nothing can take them off Hee that loves the world his thoughts are ever intent upon it were our hearts more fired with love they would be more fixed in duty and O! what cause have we to love duty is not this the direct road to heaven do we not meet with God here can the spouse be better than in her Husbands company where can the soul be better than in drawing nigh to God 4 Consider the mischief that these vain distracting thoughts do they fly-blow our duties they hinder fervency they shew high irreverence they tempt God to turn away his ear from us how do we think God should minde our prayers when we our selves scarce minde them 3 To do duties spiritually is to do them in faith Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain The holy oyle for the Tabernacle had several spices put into it Exod. 30. 34. Faith is the sweet spice which must be put into duty 'T is a wrong to God to doubt either of his Mercy or Truth a Christian may venture his soul upon the publick faith of heaven Use 1 How far are they out of the way of Godliness who are unspiritual in their worship who do not duties from a renewed principle and with the utmost intention of soul but meerly to stop the mouth of conscience many people look no farther than the bare doing of duties but never mind how they are done God doth not judge of our duties by the length but by the love when men put God off with the dreggish part of duty may not he say as Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen Are these the duties I required I called for the heart and spirit and you bring nothing but the Carkass of Duty should I receive comfort in this Use 2. Let us show our selves godly by being more spiritual in duty 't is not the quantum but the quale 't is not how much we do but how well A Musitian is commended not for playing long but for playing well We must not only do what God appoints but as God appoints O how many are unspiritual in spiritual things they bring their services but not their hearts they give God the skin not the fat of the offering God is a Spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And it is the spirituality of duty he is best pleased with 1 Pet. 2. 5. Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God The spirits of the Wine are best so is the spiritual part of duty Eph. 5. 19. Making melody in your hearts to the Lord It is the heart makes the Musick the spiritualizing of duty gives life to it without this it is dead praying dead hearing and dead things are not pleasing a dead flower hath no beauty a dead breast hath no sweetness Quest. How may we do to perform duties in a spiritual manner Answ. 1. Let the Soul be kept a Virgin lust doth besot and dis-spirit a man beware of any tincture of uncleanness Iam. 1. 21. Wood that is full of sap will not easily burn and an heart steeped in sin is not fit to burn in holy devotion Can he be spiritual in worship who feeds carnal lust Hos. 4. 11. Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart Any sin lived in takes away the heart such an one hath no heart to pray or meditate The more alive the heart is in sin the more it dies to duty 2. If we would be spiritual in duty let us revolve these two things in our mind 1. The profit which comes from a duty performed in a spiritual manner it infeebles Corruption it encreaseth Grace it defeats Satan it strengthens our Communion with God it breeds peace of Conscience it procures Answers of Mercy and it
hast been honourable The godly are a Crown of glory in the hand of God Isa. 62. 3. They are plants of Renown Ezek. 16. 14. They are not only Vessels of Mercy but Vessels of Honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. Aristotle calls Honor the chief good thing The godly are neer a Kin to the blessed Trinity they have the Tutelage and Guardianship of Angels they have Gods Name written upon them Revel 3. 12. and the Holy Ghost dwelling in them 2 Tim. 1. 14. The godly are a sacred Priesthood the Priesthood under the Law was honourable the Kings Daughter was wife to Iehoiada the Priest 2 Chron. 22. 11. It was a custome among the Egyptians to have their Kings chosen out of their Priests The Saints are a Divine Priesthood to offer up spritiual sacrifices 1 Pet. 2. 9. They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. They are Kings Rev. 1. 6. Novarinus relates of an antient King who invited a Company of poor Christians and made them a great Feast and being asked why he showed so much respect to persons of such mean birth and Extract he told them these I must honour as the Children of the most high God they will be Kings and Princes with me in another world The godly are in some sense higher than the Angels the Angels are Christs friends these are his spouse the Angels are called morning-stars Iob 38. 7. but the Saints are clothed with the Sun of righteousness Rev. 12. 1. all men saith Chrysostome are ambitious of honour behold then the honour of the godly Prov. 7. 8. Wisdome is the principal thing therefore get wisdome exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her The Trophies of the Saints renown will be erected in another world Famaque post cineres major 3 The godly are beloved of God Psal. 47. 4. The excellency of Iacob whom he loved An holy heart is the garden where God plants the flower of his love Gods love to his people is an antient love it bears date from eternity Ephe. 1. 4. he loves them with a choice distinguishing love they are the dearly beloved of his soul Ier. 12. 7. The men of the world have bounty dropping from Gods fingers but the godly have love dropping from Gods heart he gives the one a golden cup the other a golden kiss he loves the godly as he loves Christ Iohn 17. 26. it is the same love for kinde though not for degree here the Saints do but pitissare sip of Gods love in heaven they shall drink of Rivers of pleasure Psa. 36. 8. And this love of God is permanent death may take away their life from them but not Gods love from them Ier. 31. 4. I have loved thee with a love of perpetuity 4 The godly are prudent persons they have good Insight and Foresight 1 They have good insight 1 Cor. 2. 10. He that is spiritual judgeth all things the godly have insight into Persons and Things 1 They have insight into persons they have the anointing of God and by a spirit of discerning they can see some difference between the precious and the vile Ier. 15. 19. Gods people are not censorious but they are juditious they can see a wanton heart through a naked breast and a spotted face they can see a revengeful spirit through a bitter tongue they can guess at the Tree by the fruit Mat. 12. 33. They can see the Plague-tokens of sin appear in the wicked which makes them remove from the tents of those sinners Num. 16. 26. 2 The godly have insight into Things Mysterious 1 They can see much of the mystery of their own hearts Take the greatest Politician who understands the mysteries of state yet he doth not understand the mystery of his own heart you shall sometimes hear him swear his heart is good but a Childe of God sees much heart-corruption 1 King 8. 38. though some flowers of grace grow there yet he sees how fast the weeds of sin grow therefore is continually weeding his heart by repentance and mortification 2 The godly can discern the mystery of the times 1 Chron. 12. 32. The children of Issachar were men that had understanding of the times The godly can see when an age runs dregs when Gods name is dishonoured his messengers despised his Gospel ecclipsed the people of God labour to keep their garments pure Rev. 16. 15. their care is that the times may not be the worse for them nor they the worse for the times 3 The godly understand the mystery of living by faith Heb. 10. 38. The just shall live by faith they can trust God where they cannot trace him they can fetch comfort out of a promise as Moses did water out of the rock Hab. 3. 17. Though the Fig-tree doth not blossome yet I will rejoyce in the Lord. 2 The godly have good foresight 1 They foresee the evil of a Temptation 2 Cor. 2. 11. We are not ignorant of his devices The wicked swallow temptations like Pills and when it is too late feel these Pills gripe their Conscience but the godly fore-see a Temptation and will not come near they see a snake under the green grass they know Satans kindness is craftiness hee doth as Iâ—phtha's daughter he brings forth the Timbrel and danceth before men with a temptation and then brings them very low Iudg. 11. 35. 2. The godly fore-see temporal dangers Pro. 22. 3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself The people of God see when the Cloud of wrath is ready to drop upon a Nation and they get into their Chambers Isa. 26. 20. The Attributes and Promises of God and into the clifts of the Rock the bleeding wounds of Christ and hide themselves well therefore may they be baptized with the name of Wise Virgins 5. The godly are the bull-wark of a Nation 2 Kin. 2. 12. O my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof The godly are the Pillers to keep a City and Nation from falling they stave off Judgement from a Land It was said of old so long as Hector lived Troy could not be demolished God could do nothing to Sodom till Lot was gone out of it Genesis 19. 22. Golden Christians are Brazen Walls The Lord would soon break up house in the world were it not for the sakes of a few Religious ones Would God think we preserve the world only for Drunkards and Swearers He would soon sink the Ship of Church and State but that some of his Elect are in it Yet such is the indiscretion of men as to injure the Saints and to count them burdens which are the chief blessings 6. The godly are of a brave Heroick spirit Numb 14. 24. My servant Caleb because he had another spirit An excellent spirit was found in Daniel Cap. 5. 12. The godly hate that which is base and sordid they will not inrich their purses by inslaving
things that is all things essential to salvation A godly man hath the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. he hath sound wisdom Prov. 3. 21. he knows God in Christ to know God out of Christ is to know him an enemy but to know him in Christ is sweet and delicious A gracious soul hath the savour of knowledge 2 Cor. 2. 14. There is a great difference between one that hath read of a Countrey or viewed it in the Map and another who hath lived in the Countrey and tasted the Fruits and Spices of it The knowledge wherewith a godly man is adorned hath these eight rare Ingredients in it 1 It is a grounded Knowledge Col. 1. 27. If ye continue in the Faith grounded It is not a believing as the Church believes but 〈◊〉 Knowledge rests upon a double basis 〈◊〉 Word and Spirit the one is a 〈…〉 other a witness saving Knowledge is not pendulous or doubtful but hath a certainty in it Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure thou art that Christ 2 Cor. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being always confident a godly man holds no more then he will dye for The Martyrs were so confirmed in the knowledge of the Truth that they would seal it with their bloud 2. It is an appretiative knowledge The Lapidary is said to know a Jewel who hath skill to value it He knows God who esteems him above the glory of heaven and the comforts of the earth To compare other things with God is to debase Deity as if you should compare the shining of a Gloworm with the Sun 3. The knowledge of a godly man is quickning Psalm 119. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Knowledge in a natural mans head is like a Torch in a dead mans hand True knowledge animates A godly man is like Iohn Baptist a burning and a shining Lamp He doth not only shine by illumination but burn by affection The Spouses knowledge made her sick of love Cant. 2. 5. Perâ—ulsa sum I am wounded with love I am like a Deer that is struck with a Dart my Soul lies a bleeding and nothing can cure me but a sight of him whom my Soul loves 4. Divine Knowledge is appropriating Ioh 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth A Medicine is best when it is applyed this applicative Knowledge is joyful Christ is called a Surety Hebr. 7. 22. O what joy when I am drowned in debt to know that Christ is my Surety Christ is called an Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 1. The Greek word for Advocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Comforter O what comfort is it when I have a bad Cause to know Christ is my Advocate who never lost any Cause he pleaded Quest. But how shall I know that I make a right application of Christ an Hypocrite may think he applyes when he doth not Balaam though a Sorcerer yet said My God Numb 22. 18. Answ. 1. He who rightly applyes Christ puts these two together Iesus and Lord Phil. 3. 8. Christ Iesus my Lord Many take Christ as a Iesus but refuse him as a Lord. Do you joyn Prince and Saviour Act. 5. 31. Would you as well be ruled by Christs Laws as saved by his Bloud Christ is a Priest upon his Throne Zac. 6. 13. He will never be a Priest to intercede unless your hear be the Throne where he sways his Scepter A true applying of Christ is when we so take him for an Husband that we give up our selves to him as a Lord. 2. He who rightly applyes Christ fetcheth virtue from him The Woman in the Gospel having touched Christ felt virtue coming from him and her fountain of bloud was dried up Mar. 5. 29. This is to apply Christ when we feel a sin mortifying virtue flow from him Naturalists tell us there is an Antipathy between the Diamond and the Loadstone insomuch that if a piece of iron be laid by the Diamond the Diamond will not suffer it to be drawn away by the Loadstone So that knowledge which is applicatory hath an antipathy against sin and will not suffer the heart to be drawn away by it 5. The knowledge of a godly man is transforming 2 Cor. 3. 8. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image As a Painter looking upon a face draws a face like it in the Picture So looking upon Christ in the glass of the Gospel we are changed into his similitude We may look upon other objects that are glorious yet not be made glorious by them A deformed face may look upon beauty and yet not be made beautiful a wounded man may look upon a Chyrurgion and yet not be healed but this is the Excellency of Divine Knowledge it gives us such a sight of Christ as makes us partake of his Nature as Moses when he had seen Gods back-parts his face shined some of the Rays and Beams of Gods glory fell upon him 6. The knowledge of a godly man is self-emptying carnal knowledge makes the head giddy with pride 1 Cor. 8. 2. True knowledge brings a man out of love with himself the more he knows the more he blusheth at his own ignorance David a bright Star in Gods Church yet he thought himself rather a Cloud than a Star Psalm 73. 22. 7. The knowledge of a godly man is growing Col. 1. 10. Encreasing in the knowledge of God True knowledge is like the light of the morning which encreaseth in the Horizon till it comes to the full Meridian So sweet is Spiritual Knowledge that the more a Saint knows the more thirsty he is of knowledge 't is called the Riches of Knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. the more riches a man hath the more still he desires though S. Paul knew Christ yet he would know him more Phil. 3. 10. that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection 8. The knowledge of a godly man is practick Iohn 10. 4. The Sheep follow him for they know his voice Though God requires knowledge more than burnt-offering Hos. 6. 6 yet it is a knowledge accompanied with obedience True knowledge doth not only mend a Christians sight but mends his pace 'T is a reproach to a Christian to live in a contradiction to his knowledge to know he should be strict and holy yet to live loosly Not to obey is all one as not to know 1 Sam. 2. 12. The Sons of Eli knew not the Lord they could not but know for they taught others the knowledge of the Lord yet they are said not to know because they did not obey when Knowledge and Practise like Castor and Pollux appear together then they presage much happiness Use 1. Let us try our selves by this Character 1. Are they godly who are still in the Region of darkness Pro. 19. 2. That the Soul be without knowledge it is not
love to the Word by conforming to it the Word is his Sun-Dial by which he sets his life the balance in which he weighs his actions he copies out the Word in his daily walk 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have kept the Faith St. Paul kept the Doctrine of Faith and lived the life of Faith Quest Why is a godly man a lover of the Word Answ. 1. Because of the excellency of the Word 1. The word written is our pillar of fire to guide us It shows us what Rocks we are to avoid it is the card by which we sail to the new Hierusalem 2. The word is a Spiritual Optick Glass through which we may see our own hearts The Glass of Nature which the Heathen had discovered spots in their Conversation but this Glass discovers spots in the Imagination that Glass discovered the spots of their unrighteousness this discovers the spots of our righteousness Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died when the word came as a Glass all my opinion of self-righteousness died 3. The word of God is a Soveraign comfort in distress while we follow this Cloud the Rock follows us Psal. 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me Christ is the Fountain of Living water the word is the Golden Pipe through which it runs what can revive at the hour of death but the Word of Life 2. A godly man loves the word because of the efficacy it hath had upon him this day-star hath risen in his heart and usher'd â—n the Sun of Righteousness 2. A godly man loves the Word Preached which is a Commentary upon the word written The Scriptures are the Soveraign oyls and balsoms the preaching of the word is the powring of them out The Scriptures are the precious spices the preaching of the word is the beating of these spices which causeth a wonderful fragrancy and delight The word preached is the Rod of Gods strength Psal. 110. 2. and the breath of his lips Isa. 11. 4. What was once said of the City Thebes that it was built by the sound of Amphius his Harp is much more true of Soul-Conversion it is built by the sound of the Gospel Harp therefore the preaching of the Word is called the power of God to Salvation 1 Cor. 1. 24. By this Christ is said now to speak to us from Heaven Heb. 12. 5. This Ministery of the word is to be preferred before the Ministry of Angels A godly man loves the word preached partly from the good he hath found by it he hath felt the dew fall with this Manna and partly because of Gods Institution the Lord hath appointed this Ordinance to save him the Kings Image makes the Coyn go currant the stamp of Divine Authority upon the word preached makes it an Engine conducible to mens Salvation Use. Let us try by this Character whether we are godly Are we lovers of the word 1. Do we love the word written What sums of money did the Martyrs give for a few leaves of the Bible Do we make the word our familiar As Moses had often the Rod of God in his hand so should we have the Book of God in our hand when we want direction do we consult with this sacred Oracle when we find corruptions strong do we make use of this Sword of the Spirit to hew them down when we are disconsolate do we go to this Aqua vitae bottle for comfort then we are lovers of the word But alas how can they say they love the Scriptures who are seldome conversant in them their eyes begin to be sore when they look upon a Bible The two Testaments are hung by like rusty Armour which is seldome or never made use of The Lord wrote the Law with his own finger but though God took pains to write men will not take pains to read they had rather look upon a pair of Cards then upon a Bible 2. Do we love the word preached Do we prize it in our judgements Do we receive it into our hearts Do we fear the loss of the word preached more than the loss of peace and trading Is it the removal of the Ark that troubles us Again do we attend the Word with Reverential Devotion when the Judge is giving his Charge upon the Bench all attend when the word is preached the great God is giving us his Charge do we listen to it as to a matter of life and death this is a good sign we love the word Again do we love the Sanctity of the word Psal. 119. 140. The word preached is to beat down sin and advance holiness Do we love it for its spirituality and purity Many love the word preached only for its eloquence and notion they come to a Sermon as to a Musick-lecture Ezek. 33. 31. or as to a garden to pick flowers but not to have their lusts subdued or their hearts bettered These are like a foolish woman which paints her face but neglects her health Again do we love the convictions of the word Do we love the word when it comes home to our Conscience and shoots its arrows of reproof at our sins 'T is the Ministers duty sometimes to reprove He that can give smooth words in the Pulpit but knows not how to reprove is like a sword with a fine hilt without an edge Titus 2. 15. Rebuke them sharply Dip the nail in oyl reprove in love but strike the nail home Now Christian when the word toucheth upon thy sin and saith Thou art the man dost thou love the reproof Canst thou bless God that the sword of the Spirit hath divided between thee and thy lusts This is indeed a sign of grace and shows thou art a lover of the word A corrupt heart loves the comforts of the word but not the reproofs Amos 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate Igne micant oculi Like venomous creatures that upon the least touch spit poyson Act. 7. 54. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and gnashed upon him with their teeth When Stephen touched them to the quick they were mad and could not endure it Quest. How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the word Ans. 1. When we desire to sit under an heart-searching Ministry who cares for Physick that will not work A godly man chuseth not to sit under such a Ministry as will not work upon his Conscience 2. When we pray that the word may meet with our sins if there be any traiterous lust got into our heart we would have it found out and Execution done upon it we would not have sin covered but cured we can open our breast to the bullet of the word and say Lord smite this sin 3. When we are thankful for a reproof Psa. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl which
David though a King yet looked upon himself as a worm Psal. 22. 6. I am a worm and no man Bradford a Martyr yet subscribes himself a sinner Iob 10. 15. If I am righteous I will not lift up my head Like the Violet a sweet flower but hangs down the head 2. An humble soul thinks better of others than of himself Phil. 2. 3. Let each esteem others better than themselves An humble man values others at an higher rate than himself and the reason is because he can better see his own heart than he can anothers he sees his own corruption and thinks sure it is not so with others their Graces are not so weak as his their corruptions are not so strong sure thinks he they have better hearts than I An humble Christian studies his own infirmities and anothers exellencies and that makes him put an higher value upon others than himself Pro. 30. 2. Surely I am more bruitish than any man And Paul though he were the chief of the Apostles yet he calls himself the least of Saints Eph. 3. 8. 3. An humble soul hath a low esteem of his duties Pride is apt to breed in our holy things as the worm breeds in the sweetest fruit and forth comes from the most generous wine An humble person doth not only deny his sins but his duties when he hath prayed and wept alas saith he how little have I done God might damn me for all this he saith as good Nehemiah Chap. 13. 22. Remember me O my God concerning this and spare me Remember Lord how I have poured out my soul but spare me and pardon me he sees that his best duties weigh many grains too light therefore he desires Christs Merits may be put into the Scales The humble Saint blusheth when he looks upon his Copy he sees he cannot write even nor without blotting this humbles him to think that his best duties run dregs he drops poyson upon his sacrifice Oh saith he I dare not say I have prayed or wept those which I write down for duties God might write down for sins 4. An humble man is ever preferring Bills of Indictment against himself he complains not of his condition but his heart O this evil heart of unbelief Lord saith Hooper I am hell but thou art heaven An hypocrite is ever telling how good he is an humble soul is ever saying how bad he is Paul that high-flown Saint who was caught up into the third heaven how doth this bird of Paradise bemoan himself for his corruptions Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am c. Holy Bradford subscribes himself the hard-hearted sinner The more knowledge an humble Christian hath the more he complains of ignorance the more Faith the more he bewails his unbelief 5. An humble man will justifie God in an afflicted condition Nehem. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us If men oppress and calumniate the humble soul acknowledgeth Gods righteousness in the midst of severity 2 Sam. 24. 17. Lo I have sinned Lord my pride my barrenness my Sermon-surfeiting hath been the procuring cause of all these judgements when Clouds are round about God yet righteousness is the habitation of his Throne Psa. 97. 2. 6. An humble soul is a Christ-Magnifier Phil. 1. 20. he gives the glory of all his actions to Christ and Free-grace King Canutus took the Crown off his own head and set it upon a Crucifix so an humble Saint takes the Crown of honour from his own head and sets it upon Christs and the reason is from that 〈◊〉 he bears to Christ Love can part with 〈…〉 to the object loved Isaack loved 〈…〉 and he gave away his Jewels to 〈…〉 humble Saint loves Christ intirely therefore can part with any thing to him he gives away the honour and praise of all he doth to Christ let Christ wear those Jewels 7. An humble soul is willing to take a reproof for sin a wicked man is too high to stoop to a reproof The Prophet Micaiah used to tell King Ahab of his sin and saith he I hate him 1 Kin. 22. 8. Reproof to a proud man is like powring water on lime which grows the more hot a gracious soul loves him that reproves Pro. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee The humble-spirited Christian can bear the reproach of an Enemy and the reproof of a friend 8. An humble man is willing to have his name and parts eclipsed so Gods glory may be more encreased he is content to be out-shined by others in gifts and esteem so that the Crown of Christ may shine the brighter This is the humble mans Motto Let me decrease let Christ encrease 'T is his desire that Christ should be exalted and if this be effected let who will be the instrument he rejoyceth Phil. 1. 15. Some preach Christ of envy They preached to get away some of Pauls hearers Well saith he Christ is preached and I therein do rejoyce ver 8. An humble Christian is content to be laid aside if God hath any other tools to work with which may bring him more glory 9. An humble Saint likes that condition which God sees best for him a proud man murmures he hath no more an humble man wonders he hath so much Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies when the heart lies low it can stoop to a low condition A Christian looking upon his sins wonders it is no worse with him he doth not say his mercies are small but his sins are great he knows the worst piece God carves him is better than he deserves therefore takes it thankfully upon his knees 10. An humble Christian will stoop to the meanest person and the lowest office he will visit the poorest member of Christ Lazarus his sores are more precious to him than Dives purple he doth not say Stand by come not neer to me for I am holier than thou but condiscends to men of low estate Rom. 12. 16. Use 1. Is Humility the inseparable Character of a godly man let us try our hearts by this Touch-stone Are we humble alas where doth their godliness appear who are swelled with pride and ready to burst But though men are proud they will not confess it This Bastard of Pride is born but none are willing to father it therefore let me ask a few questions and let Conscience answer 1 Are not they proud who are given to glorying 1 Cor. 5. 6. Your glorying is not good 1 VVho glory in their riches their hearts swell with their estates St. Bernard cals Pride the rich mans couzen Ezek. 28. 5. Thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches 2 VVho glory in their apparel Many dress themselves in such fashions as they make the devil fall in love with them Black-spots gaudy attire naked breasts what are these but the flags and banners which Pride doth display 3 VVho glory in their beauty
comes from a broken heart Psa. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit The Incense was to be beaten to typifie the breaking of the heart in Prayer 'T is not the voluble tongue but the melting heart God accepts Oh saith a Christian I cannot pray as others as Moses said to the Lord I am not eloquent But canst thou weep and sigh Doth thy soul melt out at thy eyes God accepts broken expressions when they come from broken hearts I have read of a Plant that bears no fruit but it weeps forth a kind of Gum which is very costly So though thou dost not flourish with those gifts and expressions as others yet if thou canst weep forth tears from a contrite heart these are exceeding precious to God and he will put them in his bottle Iacob wept in prayer and had power ever the Angel Hos. 12. 4. 5. A spiritual Prayer is a believing Prayer Mat. 21. 22. Whatever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive The reason why so many Prayers suffer shipwrack is because they split against the Rock of unbelief Praying without Faith is shooting without bullets When Faith takes Prayer by the hand then we draw neer to God we should come to God in Prayer as the Leper Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst heal me 'T is a disparagement to Deity to have such a whisper in the heart that Gods ear is heavy and cannot hear What is said of the people of Israel may be applyed to Prayer It could not enter in because of unbelief 6. A Spiritual Prayer is an holy Prayer 1 Tim. 2. 8. Wherefore lift up pure hands Prayer must be offered upon the Altar of a pure heart sin lived in makes the heart hard and Gods ear deaf sin stops the mouth of Prayer it doth as the Thief to the Traveller puts a Gagg in his mouth that he cannot speak sin poysons and infects prayer A wicked mans prayer is sick of the Plague and will God come neer him The Loadstone loseth its virtue when it is bespread with Garlick so doth prayer when it is polluted with sin Psa 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me 'T is foolish to pray against sin and then to sin against prayer a spiritual prayer like the spirits of Wine must be refined and taken off the Lees and dregs of sin Mal. 3. 3. That they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness If the heart be holy this Altar will sanctifie the gift 7. A spiritual prayer is an humble prayer Psa. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Prayer is the asking of an Alms which requires humility Luke 18. 13. The Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner Gods incomprehensible glory may even amaze us and strike an holy consternation into us when we approach nigh to him Ezra 9. 6. O my God I blush to lift up my face to thee 'T is comely to see a poor nothing lye prostrate at the feet of its Maker Gen. 18. 27. Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes The lower the heart descends the higher the prayer ascends 8. A spiritual prayer is when we pray in the name of Christ To pray in the name of Christ is not only to name Christ in prayer but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christs mediation as a Childe claims his Estate in the right of his Father who purchased it so we come for mercy in Christs Name who hath purchased it for us in his bloud unless we pray thus we do not pray at all nay we rather provoke God as it was with Uzziah when he would offer Incense without a Priest God was angry and struck him with Leprosie 2 Chron. 26. 16. So when we do not come in Christs Name in prayer we offer up Incense without a Priest and what can we expect but to meet with wrath 9. A spiritual prayer is when we pray out of love to prayer A wicked man may pray but he doth not love prayer Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty A godly man is carried upon the wings of delight he is never so well as when he is praying he is not forced with fear but fired with love Isa. 56. 7. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer 10. A spiritual prayer is when we have spiritual ends in prayer There is a vast difference between a spiritual prayer and a carnal desire the ends of an Hypocrite are secular and carnal he looks asquint in prayer it is not the sense of his spiritual wants that moves him but rather lust Iam. 4. 3. Ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts The sinner prays more for food than Grace this God doth not interpret praying but howling Hosea 7. 14. They howled upon their beds they assemble for corn and wine Da modo lucra mihi Prayers which want a good aim want a good answer A godly man hath spiritual ends in prayer he sends out his prayer as a Merchant sends out his Ship that he may have large returns of spiritual blessings his design in prayer is that his heart may be more holy and that he may have more communion with God A godly man drives the Trade of prayer that he may encrease the stock of Grace 11. A spiritual prayer is accompanied with the use of means there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Hezekiah was sick he did not only pray for recovery but he laid a lump of figs to the boyl Isa. 38. 21. Thus it is in case of the soul when we pray against sin and avoid temptations when we pray for Grace and improve opportunities this is the laying a fig to the boil which wil make us recover To pray for holiness and neglect the means is like winding up the Clock and pulling off the weights 12. A spiritual prayer is that which leaves a spiritual frame behind upon the heart a Christian is better after prayer he hath gotten more strength over sin as a man by exercise gets strength The heart after prayer keeps a tincture of holiness as the Vessel savours and relisheth of the Wine that is put into it Moses having been with God on the Mount his face shined so having been on the Mount of prayer our Graces shine and our lives shine This is the sign of a godly man he prays in the spirit This is the right kind of praying the gift of prayer is ordinary like Culinary fire but spiritual prayer is more rare and excellent like Elementary fire which comes from heaven Use 1. Is a godly man of a praying spirit then this excludes them from being godly 1. Who pray not at all
we are here we are complaining of our wants weeping over our sins but there we shall be praising God How will the Birds of Paradise chirp when they are in that Caelestial Country There the Morning Stars will sing together and all the Saints of God shout for joy O what should we aspire after but this Country above Such as have their eyes opened will see that it doth infinitely excel An ignorant man looks upon a Star and it appears to him as a little silver spot but the Astronomer who hath his Instrument to judge of the dimension of a Star knows it to be many degrees bigger than the earth So a natural man hears of the heavenly Country that it is very glorious but it is at a great distance and because he hath not a spirit of discerning the world looks bigger in his eye but such as are Spiritual Artists who have the Instrument of Faith to judge of Heaven will say it is far the better Country and thither will they hasten with the Sails of desire SECT XV. 15. A godly man is a zealous man grace turns a Saint into a Seraphim it makes him burn in holy zeal zeal is a mixed affection a compound of love and anger it carries forth our love to God and anger against sin in the most intense manner Zeal is the flame of the affections a godly man hath a double baptism of water and fire he is baptized with a spirit of zeal hee is zealous for Gods honour truth worship Psal. 119. 139. my zeal hath consumed me it was a crown set on Phineas his head hee was zealous for his God Numb 25. 13. Moses being touched with a coal from Gods altar in his zeal hee breaks the Tables Exod. 32. 19. our blessed Saviour in his zeal whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Ioh. 2. 17. the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up But there is a Praeternatural heat something looking like zeal which is not a Comet looks like a Star I shall therefore show some differences between a true and a false zeal 1 A false zeal is a blinde zeal Rom. 10. 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge this is not the fire of the spirit but wild-fire The Athenians were very devout and zealous but they knew not for what Acts 17. 23. I found an Altar with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God Thus the Papists are zealous in their way but they have taken away the key of knowledge 2 A false zeal is a self-seeking zeal Iehu cries come see my zeal for the Lord 2 King 10. 16. but it was not zeal but ambition he was fishing for a Crown Demetrius pleads for the Goddess Diana but it was not her Temple but her Silver shrines he was zealous for Such zealots Ignatius complains of in his time that they made a Trade of Christ and Religion thereby to enrich themselves 'T is probable many in King Henry the eights time were forward to pull down the Abbies not out of any zeal against Popery but that they might build their own houses upon the ruines of those Abbies like Eagles which fly aloft but their eyes are down upon their prey If blind zeal be punished seven fold hypocritical zeal shall bee punished seventy and seven fold 3 A false praeposterous zeal is a misguided zeal it runs out most in things which are not commanded It is the sign of an hypocrite to be zealous for traditions and careless of institutions The Pharisees were more zealous about washing of their cups than their hearts 4 A false zeal is fired with passion Iames and Iohn when they would call for fire from heaven were rebuked by our Saviour Luk. 9. 54. Yee know not what spirit yee are off it was not zeal but choller many have espoused the cause of Religion rather out of faction and humour than out of zeal to the truth But the zeal of a godly man is a true and holy zeal which evidenceth it self in the effects of it 1 True zeal cannot bear an injury done to God zeal makes the blood rise when Gods honour is impeached Rev. 2. 2. I know thy works and thy labour and patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil hee who zealously affects his friend cannot hear him spoken against and be silent 2 True zeal will encounter with the greatest difficulties when the world holds out a Gorgons head of danger to discourage us zeal casts out fear it is quickned by opposition Zeal doth not say there is a Lyon in the way zeal will charge through an Army of dangers it will march in the face of death Let news be brought to Paul that he was way-laid in every City bonds and imprisonment did abide him this sets a keener edge upon his zeal Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to bee bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus as sharp frosts do by an antiparistasis make the fire burn hotter so sharp oppositions do but inflame zeal the more 3 True zeal as it hath knowledge to go before it so it hath sanctity to follow after it Wisdome leads the van of zeal and holiness brings up the rear an hypocrite seems to be zealous but he is vitious the godly man is white and ruddy white in purity as well as ruddy in zeal Christs zeal was hotter than the fire and his holiness purer than the sun 4 Zeal that is genuine loves truth when it is despised and opposed Psal. 119. 126. They have made void thy law therefore I love thy commandements above gold the more others deride holiness the more we love it what is Religion the worse for others disgracing it doth a Diamond sparkle the less because a blinde man disparageth it the more outragious the wicked are against the truth the more couragious the godly are for it When Mical scoffed at Davids religious dancing before the Ark if saith he this be to be vile I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6. 22. 5 True zeal causeth fervency in duty Rom. 12. 11. fervent in spirit Zeal makes us hear with reverence pray with affection love with ardency God kindled Moses his sacrifice from heaven Lev. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering when we are zealous in devotion and our heart waxeth hot within us here is a fire from heaven kindling our sacrifice how odious is it for a man to be all fire when he is sinning and all yâ—e when he is praying A pious heart like water seething hot boils over in holy affections 6. True zeal is never out of breath though it be violent 't is perpetual no waters can quench the flame of zeal it is torrid in the frigid zone The heat of zeal is like the natural heat coming from the heart which lasts as long as life That zeal which is not constant was
into the world 4 Praise is a more distinguishing work by this a Christian excels all the infernall spirits dost thou talk of God so can the Devil hee brought Scripture to Christ dost thou profess religion so can the Devil he transforms himself into an Angel of light dost thou fast he never eats dost thou beleeve the Devils have a faith of assent they believe and tremble Iam. 2. 19. but as Moses wrought such a miracle as none of the Magicians could do the like so here is a work Christians may be doing which none of the Devils can do and that is the work of thanksgiving they blaspheme but do not bless Satan hath his fiery darts but not his harp and viol Use 1 See here the true genius and complexion of a godly man hee is much in doxologies and praises 'T is a saying of Lactantius hee cannot bee a good man who is unthankful to his God A godly man is a God-exalter the Saints are Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. 16. where should Gods praises bee sounded but in his Temples a good heart is never weary of praising God Psa. 34. 1. His praise shall continually bee in my mouth Some will be thankful while the memory of the mercy is fresh but afterwards leave off The Carthaginians used at first to send the tenth of their yearly revenue to Hercules but by degrees they grew weary and left off sending David as long as hee drew his breath would chirp forth Gods praise Psa. 146. 2. I will sing praises to my God while I have any being David would not now and then give God a fit of Musick and then the instrument must be hung up but he would continually be celebrating Gods praise A godly man will express his thankfulness in every duty hee mingles thanksgiving with prayer Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer with thanksgiving let your requests bee made known to God Thanksgiving is the more divine part of prayer in our petitions wee express our own necessities in our thanksgivings we declare Gods excellencies Then prayer goes up as incense when it is perfumed with thanksgiving And as a godly man expresseth thankfulness in every duty so in every condition hee will be thankful in adversity as well as prosperity 1 Thes. 5. 18. In every thing giving thanks A gracious soul is thankful and rejoyceth that hee is drawn nearer to God though it be by the cords of affliction when it goes well with him hee praiseth Gods mercy when it goes ill with him he magnifies Gods justice when God hath a rod in his hand a godly man will have a Psalm in his mouth The Devils smiting of Iob was like the striking upon a musical instrument he sounded forth praise The Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21. Gods spiritual plants when they are cut and do bleed drop thankfulness the Saints Tears cannot drown their praises 2 If this be the sign of a godly man then the number of the godly will appear to bee very small Few are in the work of praise sinners cut God short of his thank-offering Luk. 17. 17 where are the nine Often Leapers healed there was but one returned to give praise the most of the world are Sepulchres to bury Gods praise you shall hear some swearing and cursing but few that bless God Praise is the yearly rent that men sit at but most are behinde hand with their rent God gave King Hezekiah a famous deliverance but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32. 25. that But was a blot in his Scutchion some instead of being thankful to God render evil for good they are the worse for mercy Deut. 32. 6. Do yee thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise This is like the Toad that converts the most wholsome hearb to poyson where shall wee finde a grateful Christian Wee read of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. Having harps in their hand the Emblem of praise many have tears in their eyes and complaints in their mouths but few that have harps in their hand who are blessing and praising the name of God Use 2 Let us put our selves upon a scrutiny and examine by this Character whether we are godly are wee thankful for mercy 't is an hard thing to bee thankful Quest. How may wee know whether wee are rightly thankful Answ. 1 When wee are careful to register Gods mercy 1 Chron. 16. 4. David appointed certain of the Levites to record and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel Physitians say the memory is the first thing that decayes 't is true in spirituals Psal. 106. 13. They soon forgat his works A godly man enters down his mercies as a Physician his receipts into a book that they may not bee lost Mercies are Jewels that should be locked up A childe of God keeps two books alwaies by him one to write his sins in that he may be humble the other to write his mercies in that he may be thankful 2 Then wee are rightly thankful when our hearts are the chief instrument in the musick of praise Psa. 111. 1. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart David would not only put his Viol in tune but his heart if the heart doth not joyn with the tongue there can bee no consort where the heart is wanting the Parrot is as good a Querister as the Christian. 3 Then we are rightly thankful when the favours which we receive endear our love to God the more Davids miraculous preservation from death drew forth his love to God Psa. 116. 1. I love the Lord it is one thing to love our mercies another thing to love the Lord many love their deliverance but not their deliverer God is to bee loved more than his mercies 4 Then we are rightly thankful when in giving our praise to God wee take all worthiness from our selves Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies thou hast shewed unto thy servant as if Iacob had said Lord the worst bit thou carvest me is better than I deserve 2 Sam. 9. 7. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said what is thy Servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am So a thankful Christian when he takes a survey of his blessings and sees how much he enjoyes that others better than he want Lord saith he what am I a dead dog that free-grace should look upon me and that thou shouldst crown mee with such loving kindness 5 Then we are rightly thankful when we put Gods mercies out of Use wee turn our injoyments into improvements the Lord gives us health and wee spend and are spent for Christ 2 Cor. 12. 15. hee gives us an estate and wee honour the Lord with our substance Prov. 3. 9. he gives us children and wee dedicate them to God and edugate them for God wee do not
there ought to be Christian connivance 3 We must love the Saints though their graces out-vye and surpass ours we ought to bless God for the eminency of anothers grace because hereby religion is honoured Pride is not quite slain in a believer Saints themselves are apt to grudge and repine at each others excellencies is it not strange that the same person should hate one man for his sin and envy another for his vertue Christians had need look to their hearts then is love right and genuine when we can rejoyce in the graces of others though they seem to eclipse ours 4 Love to the Saints must be appretiating we must esteem their persons above others Psa. 15. 4. He honours them that fear the Lord we are to look upon the wicked as lumber but upon the Saints as jewels these must bee had in high veneration 5 Love to the Saints must bee Social wee should delight in their company Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee 'T is a kind of hell to be in the company of the wicked where we cannot choose but hear Gods name dishonoured It was a capital crime to have carried the Image of Tiberius engraven upon a Ring or Coyn into any fordid place They who have the Image of God engraven upon them should not go into any sinful fordid company Never but two that I read of who were living did desire to keep company with the dead and they were possessed with the Devil what comfort can a living Christian have to converse with the dead Iude 2. but the society of Saints is eligible this is not to walk among the Tombs but among beds of spices Beleevers are Christs garden their graces are the flowers their savory discourse is the fragrant smell of these flowers 6 Love to the Saints must be demonstrative we should be ready to do all offices of love to them vindicate their names contribute to their necessities and like the good Samaritan pour Oyl and Wine into their wounds Luk. 0. 34. 35. Love cannot be concealed but is active in its sphere and will lay out it self for the good of others 7 Love to the Saints must be constant 1 Iohn 4. 16. He that dwelleth in love Our love must not only lodge for a night but we must dwell in love Heb. 13. 1. Let Brotherly love continue as love must bee sincere without hypocrisie so constant without deficiency love must be like the pulse alwaies beating not like those Galathians who at one time were ready to pull out their eyes for Paul Gal. 4. 15. and afterwards were ready to pluck out his eyes love should not expire but with our life and surely if our love to the Saints be thus divinely qualified we may hopefully conclude that we are enrolled among the godly Ioh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another That which induceth a godly man to love the Saints is because he is nearly related to them there ought to be love among relations there is a spiritual consanguinity among beleevers they have all one head therefore should all have one heart they are stones of the same building 1 Pet. 2. 5. and shall not these stones bee cemented together with Love Use 1. Is this the distinguishing Mark of a godly man to be a lover of the Saints then how sad is it to see this grace of love in an eclipse this Character of godliness is almost blotted out among Christians England was once a fair garden where the flower of love did grow but sure now this flower is either plucked or withered where is that amity and unity as should be among Christians I appeal to you would there bee that censuring and despising that reproaching and undermining one another if there were love instead of bitter Tears there are bitter spirits a sign iniquity abounds because the love of many waxeth cold there is that distance among some professours as if they had not received the same spirit or as if they did not hope for the same heaven In the Primitive times there was so much love among the godly as set the heathens a wondring and now there is so little as may set Christians a blushing Use 2 As we would be written down for Saints in Gods Kalender let us love the Brotherhood they who shall one day live together should love together what is it makes a disciple but love Iohn 13. 35. The Devil hath knowledge but that which makes him a Devil is that hee wants love To perswade Christians to love consider 1 The Saints have that in them which may make us love them they are the curious embroidery and workmanship of the Holy ghost Eph. 2. 10. they have those rare lineaments of grace as none but a pensil from heaven could draw their eyes sparkle forth beauty Cant. 4 9. their breasts are like clusters of grapes Cant 7. 7. This makes Christ himself delight in his spouse The King is held in the galleries The Church is the daughter of a Prince Cant. 7. 1. she is waited on by Angels Heb 1. ult she hath a Pallace of glory reserved for her Ioh. 14. 2. and may not all this draw forth our love 2 Consider how evil it is for the Saints not to love 1 It is Unnatural the Saints are Christs Lambs Ioh. 21. 15. for a dog to worry a Lamb is usual but for one Lamb to worry another is unnatural The Saints are brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. how barbarous is it for brethren not to love 2 Not to love is a foolish thing have not Gods people enemies enough that they should flye in the faces one of another the wicked confederate against the godly Psal. 83. 3. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people though there may fall out a private grudge betwixt such as are wicked yet they will all agree and unite against the Saints if two Gray-hounds are snarling at a bone yet put up an Hare between them and they will leave the bone and follow after the Hare so if wicked men have private differences amongst themselves yet if the godly be near them they will leave snarling at one another and will pursue after the godly now when Gods people have so many enemies abroad who watch for their halting and are glad when they can do them a mischief shall the Saints fall out and divide into parties among themselves 3 Not to love is very unseasonable Gods people are in a common calamity they suffer in one cause and for them to disagree is altogether unseasonable why doth the Lord bring his people together in affliction but to bring them together in affection Mettals will unite in a furnace if ever Christians unite it should bee in the furnace of affliction Chrysostome compares affliction to a shepherds Dog which makes all the sheep run together Gods Rod hath this loud voice
in it Love one another how unworthy is it when Christians are suffering together to be then striving together 4 Not to love is very Sinful 1 For Saints not to love is to live in a contradiction to Scripture the Apostle is continually beating upon this string of love as if it made the sweetest musick in Religion Rom. 13. 8. Col. 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Ioh. 3. 11. 1 Iohn 4. 21. This Commandement we have from him that hee who loveth God love his Brother also not to love is to walk Antipodes to the word can he be a good Physician who goes against the rules of Physick can he be a good Christian who goes against the rules of Religion 2 Want of love among Christians doth much silence the spirit of prayer hot passions make cold prayers where animosities and contentions prevail instead of praying one for another Christians will be ready to pray one against another like the Disciples who prayed for fire from heaven upon the Samaritans Luke 9. 54. and will God think you hear such prayers as come from a wrathful heart will hee eat of our leavened bread will hee accept of those duties which are sowered with bitterness of spirit shall that prayer ever go up as incense which is offered with the strange fire of our sinful passions 3 These heart-burnings hinder the progress of piety in our own souls the flower of grace will not grow in a wrathful heart the body may as well thrive while it hath the Plague as a soul can that is infected with malice while Christians are debating grace is abating as the spleen grows health decaies and as hatred increaseth holiness declines 5 Not to love is very fatal the differences among Gods people portend ruine all mischiefs come in at this gap of division Mat. 12. 25. Animosities among Saints may make God leave his Temple Ezek. 10. 4. The glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood upon the threshold Doth not God seem to stand upon the threshold of his house as if he were taking his wings to â—lye and wo to us if God depart from us If the Master leave the ship it is near sinkâ—ng indeed if God leave a land it must needs â—ink in ruine Quest. How shall wee attain this excellent grace of love Answ. 1 Beware of the Devils Footâ—osts I mean such as run on his errand and make it their work to blow the coals of contention among Christians and render one party odious to another 2 Keep up friendly meetings Christians should not be shy one of another as if they had the Plague 3 Let us plead that promise Ier. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way Let us pray that there may bee no strife among Christians but who shall love most let us â—ray that God will divide Babylon and unite â—ion Use 3 Is this a mark of a godly man to â—ove the Saints then they must stand inlighted for ungodly who hate the Saints the wicked have an implacable malice against Gods people and how can antipathies be reconciled To hate Saint-ship is a brand of a reprobate they that maligne the godly are the curse of the creation if all the scalding drops in Gods Vial will make them miserable they shall bee so Never did anyâ— who were the haters and persecuters of Saints thrive upon that Trade What became of Iulian Dioclesian Maximinus Valerian Cardinal Crescentius and others some of them their bowels came out others choked with their own blood that they might be set up as standing monuments of Gods vengeance Psa. 34. 21. They that hate the righteous shall be desolate SECT XIX 19 A godly man doth not indulge himself in any sin Though sin lives in him yet he doth not live in sin Every man that hath wine in him is not in wine A godly man may step into sin through infirmity but hee 〈◊〉 not keep the road Psal. 139. 24. See if there bee any way of wickedness in mee Quest. What is it to indulge sin Answ. 1 To give the breast to it and feed it as a fond Parent humours his childe and lets him have what he will so to indulge sin is to humour sin 2 To indulge sin is to commit it with delight 1 Thess. 2. 12. They have pleasure in unrighteousness In this sense a godly man doth not indulge sin though sin be in him hee is troubled at it and would fain get rid of it there is as much difference between sin in the wicked and the godly as between poyson being in a Serpent and in a Man Poyson in a Serpent is in its natural place and is delightful But poyson in a mans body is offensive and hee useth Antidotes to expel it So sin in a wicked man is delightful being in its natural place but sin in a childe of God is burdensome and he useth all means to expell it This pares off from the sin the will is against it A godly man enters his protest against sin Rom. 7. 15. What I do I allow not A childe of God while he commits sin hates the sin he commits Rom. 7. in particular there are four sorts of sins which a godly man will not allow himself in 1 Secret sins Some are more modest than to commit gross sin that would be a stain to their reputation but they will sit brooding upon sin in a corner 1 Sam. 23. 9. Saul secretâ—y practised mischief All will not sin in a Belcony but perhaps they will sin behind the curtain Rachel did not carry her fathers Images as a Sumpter-cloath to be exposed to publick view but she put them under her and sate upon them Gen. 31. 34. many carry their sins secretly as a candle in a dark lantâ—orn But a godly man dares not sin secretly 1 he knows that God sees in secret Psal. 44. 21. as God cannot be deceived by our subtilty so he cannot be excluded by our secresy 2 A godly man knows that secret sins are in some sense worse than others they discover more guile and Atheism The Curtain-sinner makes himself beleeve God doth not see Ezek. 8. 12. Son of man hast thou seen what the Antients of the house of Israel have done in the dark for they say the Lord seeth us not They that have bad eyes think the Sun is dim how doth this provoke God that mens Atheisme should give the lye to his Omnisciency Psal. 94. 9. He that formed the eye shall he not see 3 A godly man knows that secret sins shal not escape Gods Justice a Judge on the Bench can punish no offence but what is proved by Witness he cannot punish the Treason of the heart but the sins of the heart are as visible to God as if they were written upon the fore-head As God will reward secret duties so he will revenge secret sins 2 A godly man will not allow himself in gainful sins Gain is the golden
how many have sown pillows under their people making them sleep so securely that they have never waked till they have been in hell 5 A Minister must bee holy in heart and life 1 In heart How sad is it for a Minister to preach that to others which he never felt in his own soul to exhort others to holiness and himself a stranger to it O that it were not thus too often how many blow the Lords Trumpet with a foul breath 2 In Life The Priests under the Law before they served at the Altar washed in the Lavor such as serve in the Lords house must first bee washed from gross sin in the Lavor of repentance The life of a Minister should be a walking Bible Basil said of Nazianzene he did thunder in his doctrine and lighten in his conversation A Minister must imitate Iohn Baptist who was not only a voice crying Isa â— 3. but a light shining Ioh. 5. 35. they disgrace this excellent calling who live in a contradiction to what they preach they turn their codices into calices their books into cups and though they are Angels by office yet are Devils in their lives Ier. 23. 15. 3. Hee is godly who is good as an Husband he fills up that relation with love Eph. 5. 25. Husbands love your Wives The Vine twisting its branches about the Elm and embracing it may be an emblem of that intire love which should be in the conjugal relation a married condition would be sad if it hath cares to imbitter it and not love to sweeten it Love is the best diamond in the marriage Ring Isaac loved Rebeckah Gen. 24. 57. Unkindnesses in this near relation are very unhappy Wee read in Heathen Authors that Clitemnestra the wife of Agamemnon to revenge an injury received from her Husband first rent the Vail of her chastity and afterwards consented to his death The Husband should shew his love to his Wife by covering infirmities by avoiding occasions of strife by sweet endearing expressions by pious counsel by love-tokens by incouraging what he sees amiable and vertuous in her by mutual prayer by associating with her unless detained by urgency of business The Pilot that goes from his ship and quite leaves it to the merciless waves declares that he doth not esteem it or reckon any treasure to be in it The Apostle gives a good reason why there should be mutual love between Husband and Wife 1 Pet. 3. 7. That your prayers bee not hindred where passions prevail there prayer is either intermitted or interrupted 4 He is godly who is good as a Father 1 A Father must drop holy instructions into his Children Eph. 6 4. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that hee will command his children and his houshold and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Children are young plants which must be watered with good education that they may with Obadiah fear the Lord from their youth up 1 Kings 18. 12. Plato saith in vain doth he expect an harvest who hath been negligent in sowing nor can a parent look to reap any good from a childe where he hath not sown the seed of wholesome instruction and though notwithstanding all counsel and admonition the childe should dye in sin yet it is a comfort to a godly Parent to think that before his childe dyed he gave it spiritual physick 2. A parent must pray for his Children Monica the Mother of Austin prayed for his Conversion and one said It was impossible a Son of so many Prayers and Tears should miscarry The soul of thy Childe is in a snare and wilt not thou pray that it may bee recovered out of the snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. 26. many Parents are careful to lay up portions for their children but they do not lay up prayers for them 3 A Parent must give his children discipline Prov. 23. 13. Withhold not correction from the childe for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye The rod beats out the dust and moth of sin a childe indulg'd and humoured in wickedness will prove a burden instead of a blessing David cockered Adonijah 1 King 1. 6. His Father had not displeased him at any time saying why hast thou done so and hee afterwards was a grief of heart to his Father and would have put him besides his throne correction is a hedge of thorns to stop Children in their full Carâ—eir to hell 5 He is godly who is good as a Master a godly man promotes religion in his family he sets up piety in his house as well as in his heart Psalm 101. 2. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Ioshua 24. 15. I and my houshold will serve the Lord. I find it written in the honor of Cranmer his Family was Palaestra Pietatis a Nursery of Piety A godly mans house is a little Church Col. 4. 15. The Church which is in his house 1. A good man makes known the Oracles of God to them who are under his roof he reads the Word perfumes his house with prayer It is recorded of the Iews that they had sacrifices in their Family as well as in the Tabernacle Exod. 12. 3. 2. A godly man provides necessaries he relives his servants in health and Sickness he is not like that Amalakite who shook off his servant when he was sick 1 Sam. 30. 13. But rather like the good Centurion who sought to Christ for the healing of his sick servant Mat. 8. 5. 3. A godly man sets his servants a good example he is sober and heavenly in his deportment his virtuous life is a fair glass for the servants in the family to dress themselves by 6. He is godly who is good in the Relation of a Childe He honours his parents Philo the Jew placed the fifth Commandment in the first Table as if Children had not performed their whole devotion to God till they had given honour to their Parents This honouring of Parents consists in two things 1. In reverencing their persons which reverence is shown both by humility of speech and gesture The contrary to this is when a Childe doth behave himself unseemly and proudly Among the Lacedemonians if a Childe had carried himself imperiously towards his parent it was published by Authority that it was lawful for the Father to appoint whom he would to be his Heir and to dis-inherit that Childe 2. Honoring of Parents lies in obeying their Commands Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. Duty is the Interest money which children pay their Parents for the Principal they have had from them Christ hath set all Children a pattern of obedience to their Parents Luke 2. 51. He was subject unto them The Rechabites were eminent for this Ierem. 35. 5. 1 set before the Rechabites pots full of wine and said to them drink ye wine but they said we will
idle person is the Devils Tennis-ball which he bandies up and down with temptation and at last the Ball falls into the Hazzard 4 A godly man sets bounds to himself in things lawful he abates in matters of recreation and diet hee takes only so much for the recruits of nature as may the better dispose him for Gods service Hierom lived abstemiously his diet was a few dried Figs and cold water And Austin in his Confessions saith thus Lord thou hast taught me to go to my meat as to a medicine If the snaffle of reason much more should the curbing-bit of grace check the appetite the life of a Sinner is bruitish the glutton feeds without fear Iude 2. and the drunkard drinks without reason Too much oyle choaks the Lamp whereas a lesser quantity makes it burn brighter a godly man holds the golden bridle of temperance and will not suffer his Table to be a snare 5 A godly man is careful about moral righteousness he makes conscience of equity as well as piety the Scripture hath linked both together Luk. 1. 75. That wee might serve him in righteousness and true holiness Holiness there is the first Table Righteousness there is the second Table Though a man may be morally righteous and not godly yet no man can be godly but hee must be morally righteous This moral righeousness is seen in our dealings with men a good man observes that golden maxim Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them There is a threefold injustice in matters of dealing 1 Using of false weights Hos. 12. 7. The ballances of deceit are in his hands men by making their weights lighter make their sin heavier Amos 5. 8. They make the Ephah small the Ephah was a measure they used in selling they made the Ephah small they gave but scant measure a godly man who takes the Bible in one hand dares not use false weights in the other 2 Imbasing a commodity Amos 8. 6. They sell the refuse of the wheat they would pick out the best grains of the wheat and sell the worst at the same price as they did the best Isa. 1. 22. Thy wine is mixed with water they did adulterate their wine yet make their customers beleeve it came from the pure grape 3 Taking a great deal more than the commodity is worth Lev. 25. 14. If thou sell ought to thy neighbour ye shall not oppress one another a godly man deals exactly but not exactingly he will sell so as to help himself but not damnifie another His motto is A conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 23. 16. The Hypocrite separates these two which God hath joyned together Righteousness and Holiness he pretends to be pure but is not just This brings religion into contempt when men hang forth Christs colours yet will use fraudulent circumvention and under a mask of piety neglect morality a godly man makes conscience of the second Table as well as the first 6 A godly man will forgive them that have wronged him revenge is sweet to nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A gracious spirit passeth by affronts forgets injuries and counts it a greater victory to conquer an enemy by patience than by power This is truly heroical To overcome evil with good Though I would not trust an Enemy yet I would endeavour to love him though I would exclude him out of my Creed yet not out of my prayer Mat. 5. 4. Quest. But doth every godly man arrive at this to forgive yea love his Enemies Answ. He doth it in a Gospel-sense that is 1. Quoad assensum he subscribes to it in his judgement as a thing which ought to be done Rom. 7. 18. With my mind I serve the Law of God 2. Quoad dolorem A godly man mourns that he can love his Enemies no more Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am O this base canker'd heart of mine that have received so much mercy and can show so little I have had Talents forgiven me yet I can hardly forgive Pence 3. Quoad votum A godly man prays that God will give him an heart to love his Enemies Lord pluck this root of bitterness out of me perfume my soul with love make me a Dove without gall 4. Quoad conatum A godly man doth in the strength of Christ resolve and strive against all rancour and virulency of spirit This is in a Gospel-sense to love our Enemies a wicked man cannot do this his malice boils up to revenge 7. A godly man lays to heart the miseries of the Church Psal. 137. 1. We wept when we remembred Sion I have read of certain Trees whose leaves if cut or touched the other leaves begin to contract and shrink up themselves and for a space hang down their heads Such a spiritual sympathy is there among Christians when other parts of Gods Church suffer they feel themselves as it were touched in their own persons Ambrose reports that when Theodosius was sick unto death he was more troubled about the Church of God than about his own sickness When Aeneas would have saved Anchises his life saith he Absit ut excisa possim supervivere Troiâ Far be it from me that I should desire to live when Troy is buried in its ruines there are in Musick two Unisons if you strike one you shall perceive the other to stir as if it were affected When the Lord strikes others a godly heart is deeply affected Isa. 16. 11. My bowels shall sound like an Harp Though it be well with a Childe of God in his own particular he dwells in an house of Cedar yet he grieves to see it go ill with the publick Queen Esther enjoyed the Kings favour and all the delights of the Court yet when a bloudy Warrant was signed for the death of the Jews she mourns and fasts and ventures her own life to save theirs 8. A godly man is contented with his present condition if provisions grow low his heart is tempered to his condition Many saith Cato blame me because I want and I blame them because they cannot want A godly man puts a candid interpretation upon Providence when God brews him a bitter Cup this saith he is my diet-drink it is to purge me and do my soul good therefore he is well content 9. A godly man is fruitful in good works Titus 2. 7. The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful implying that to be godly and charitable are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same A good man feeds the hungry cloathes the naked he is ever merciful Psal. 37. 6. The more devout sort of the Jews at this day distribute the tenth part of their Estate to the poor and they have a Proverb among them give the tenth and you will grow rich The hypocrite is all for Faith
all by loosing all this the natural man will by no means put in his Creed 3 That a little Religion will serve the turn the life-less form may in policy be kept up but zeal is Frenzy the world thinks that religion to be best which like leaf-gold is spread very thin 4 That way is not good which is exposed to affliction a stick though it be straight yet under water it seems crooked So Religion if it be under affliction appears to a carnal eye crooked 5 That all a mans care should be for the present as that prophane Cardinal said he would leave his part in Paradise to keep his Cardinalship in Paris 6 That Sinning is better than Suffering 't is more discretion to keep the skin whole than the Conscience pure These are such Rules as the Crooked Serpent hath found out which whosoever walk by shall not know Peace 2 They walk after fleshly lusts they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn Caterers for the flesh Rom. 13. 14. such an one was the Emperour Heliogabalus he so indulged the flesh that he never sate but among sweet flowers mixed with Amber and Musk he attired himself with Purple set with precious stones he burned in his Lamps instead of oyle a costly Balsome brought from Arabia very odoriferous he bathed himself in perfumed waters he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he put his body to no other use but to be a strainer for meat and drink to run thorow Thus Sinners walk after the flesh if a drunken or unclean lust call they gratifie it they brand all for cowards who dare not sin after the same rate as they do These instead of walking with God walk contrary to him Lust is the Compass they sail by Satan is their Pilot and Hell the Port they are bound for Use 2 Let us try whether we have this Character of the godly do we walk with God That may be known 1 By the way we walk in it is a private retired way wherein only some few holy ones walk therefore it is called a Path-way to distinguish it from the common road Pro. 12. 28. In the path-way thereof is no death 2 If we walk with God then we walk in the fear of God Gen. 5. 22. Enoch walked with God The Chalde Version renders it he walked in the fear of the Lord the godly are fearful of that which may displease God Gen. 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God this is not a base servile fear but 1 A fear springing from affection Hos. 3. 5. a childe fears to offend his father out of the tender affection he bears to him This made holy Anselm say If Sin were on one side and Hell on the other I would rather leap into Hell than willingly offend my God 2 It is a fear joyned with affiance Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah moved with fear Faith and fear go hand in hand when the soul looks upon Gods holiness he fears when he looks upon Gods promises he beleeves A godly man doth tremble yet trust fear preserves reverence faith preserves chearfulness fear keeps the soul from lightness faith keeps it from overmuch sadness By this we may know whether we walk with God if we walk in the fear of God we are fearful of infringing his Laws and forfeiting his love It is a brand set upon sinners Rom. 3. 18. They have not the fear of God before their eyes The godly fear and offend not Psa. 4. 4. the wicked offend and fear not Ierem. 5. 23 24. Loose and dissolute walking will soon estrange God from us and make him weary of our company 2 Cor. 6. 4. What communion hath light with darkness Use 2. Let me perswade all who would be accounted godly to get into Noahs walk Though the truth of grace be in the heart yet the beauty of it is seen in the walk 1. Walking with God is very pleasing to God He that walks with God declares to the world what is the company he loves most his fellowship is with the Father he counts those the sweetest hours which are spent with God this is very grateful and acceptable to God Gen. 5. 24. Enock walked with God And see how kindly God took this at Enocks hands Heb. 11. 4. He had this testimony that he pleased God 2. Close walking with God will be a good means to intice and allure others to walk with him The Apostle exhorts Wives to walk so that the Husbands might be won by the Conversation of the Wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. Iustin Martyr confessed he became a Christian by beholding the holy and innocent lives of the Primitive Saints 3. Close walking with God would put to silence the Adversaries of the Truth 1 Pet. 2. 15. A loose carriage puts a Sword into wicked mens hands to wound Religion What a sad thing is it when it shall be said of Professors they are as proud as coverous as unjust as others Will not this expose the ways of God to contempt But holy and close walking would stop the mouths of sinners that they should not be able to speak against Gods people without giving themselves the lye Satan came to Christ and found nothing in him Iohn 14. 30. What a confounding thing will it be to the wicked when they shall have nothing to fasten as a crime upon the godly but their holiness Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God 4. Walking with God is a pleasant walk The ways of Wisdome are called Pleasantness Pro. 3. 17. Is not the light pleasant Psal. 89. 15. They shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance Walking with God is like walking among Beds of Spices which send forth a fragrant perfume This is it which brings peace Act. 9. 31. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the joys of the Holy Ghost While we walk with God what sweet Musick doth the Bird of Conscience make in our breast Psal. 138. 5. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. Walking with God is honourable it is a credit for one of an inferiour rank to walk with a King What greater dignity can be put upon a mortal man than to converse with his Maker and to take a turn with God every day 6. Walking with God leads to rest Heb. 4. 9. There remains a rest for the people of God The Philosopher saith Motion tends to rest Indeed there is a motion which doth not tend to rest they who walk with their sins shall never have rest Re. 4. 8. They rest not day night But they that walk with God shal sit down in the Kingdom of God Luk. 13. 29. As a weary traveller when he comes home sits down and rests him Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in
conversion of others out of a spirit of compassion Grace makes the heart tender a godly man cannot chuse but pitty such as are in the gall of bitterness he sees what a deadly cup is a brewing for the wicked they must without repentance be bound over to Gods wrath the fire which rained on Sodome was but a painted fire in comparison of hell-fire this is a fire with a vengeance Iude 7. Suffering the Vengeance of eternal fire now a godly man seeing captive Sinners ready to be damned labours to convert them from the errour of their way 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 3 A godly man endeavours the good of others out of an holy zeal he bears to Christs glory the glory of Christ is dear to him as his own salvation therefore that this may be promoted he labours Summo conatu to bring in souls to Christ. 'T is a glory to Christ when multitudes are born to him every star adds a lustre to the sky every convert is a member added to Christs body and a jewel adorning his Crown Though Christs glory cannot be encreased as he is God yet as he is Mediatour it may the more are saved the more Christ is exalted why else should the Angels rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner but because now Christs glory shines the more Use 1. This excludes them from the number of godly who are spiritual Eunuchs they labour not to promote the Salvation of others Nascitur indignè per quem non nascitur alter Did men love Christ they would endeavour to draw as many as they could to him He who loves his Captain will perswade others to come under his Banner this unmasks the hypocrite Though an hypocrite may make a show of Grace himself yet he never minds the procuring Grace in others he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without bowels I may allude to that Zac. 11. 9. That which dies let it die and that which is cut off let it be cut off Let souls go to the Devil he cares not 2. How far are they from being godly who instead of endeavouring Grace in others labour to destroy all hopeful beginnings of Grace in them Instead of drawing them to Christ they draw them from Christ their work is to poyson and mischief souls This mischieving of souls is three ways 1. By evil Edicts So Jeroboam made Israel sin 1 King 17. 26. He forced them to Idolatry 2. By evil Examples Examples speak louder than Precepts but principally the examples of great ones are influential Men placed on high are like the Pillar of Cloud when that went Israel went If great ones move irregularly others will follow after 3. By evil Company the breath of sinners is infectious they are like the Dragon which cast a floud out of his mouth Revel 12. 15. They cast a floud of oaths out of their mouth Wicked tongues are set on fire of Hell Iam. 3. 6. The sinner finds Match and Powder and the Devil finds fire The wicked are ever setting snares and temptations before others as the Prophet speaks in another sense Ier. 35. 5. I set pots full of wine and cups and said unto them drink So the wicked set pots of Wine before others and make them drink till Reason be stupified and Lust inflamed These are prodigiously wicked who make men Proselites to the Devil How sad will their doom be who besides their own sins have the bloud of others to answer for 3. If it be the sign of a godly man to promote Grace in others then much more ought he to promote it in his neer Relations A godly man will be careful that his Children should know God he would be sorry that any of his flesh should burn in hell he labours to see Christ formed in them who are himself in another Edition Austin saith That his Mother Monica travelled with greater care and pain for his Spiritual Birth than for his Natural The time of Childhood is the fittest time to be sowing seeds of Religion in our Children Isa. 28. 9. Whom shall he make understand Doctrine Them that are weaned from the milk that are drawn from the breasts The Wax while it is soft and tender will take any impression Children while they are young will fear a reproof when they are old they will hate it 1. It is pleasing to God that our Children should know him betimes When you come into a garden you love to pluck the young bud and smell to it God loves a Saint in the bud of all the Trees the Lord made choice of in a Prophetical Vision it was the Almond Tree which blossomes one of the first of the Trees Such an Almond Tree is an early Convert 2. By endeavouring to bring up our Children in the fear of the Lord we shall provide for Gods glory when we are dead A godly man should not only honor God while he lives but do something that may promote Gods glory when he is dead Our Children being seasoned with gracious Principles will stand up in our room when we are gone and will glorifie God in their generation A good piece of ground doth not only bear a fore-crop but an after-crop he that is godly doth not only bear God a crop of obedience himself while he lives but by principling his Childe with Religion he bears God an after-crop when he is dead Use 2. Let all who have Gods Name named upon them do what in them lies to advance Piety in others A Knife touched with a Loadstone will draw the Needle he whose heart is divinely touched with the Loadstone of Gods Spirit will endeavour to draw those who are neer him to Christ The Heathen could say We are not born for our selves only The more excellent any thing is the more communicative in the body every member is diffusive the eye conveys light the head spirits the liver bloud a Christian must not move altogether within his own circle but endeavour the welfare of others To be diffusively good makes us resemble God whose sacred influence is universal And surely it will be no grief of heart when Conscience can witness for us that we have brought glory to God in this manner by labouring to fill heaven Not that this is any ways Meritorious or hath any causal influence upon our Salvation Christs bloud is the cause but our promoting Gods glory in the Conversion of others is a signal evidence of our Salvation As the Rain-bow is not a cause why God will not drown the World but it is a sign that he will not drown it or as Rahabs Scarlet thread she hung out of the window was not a cause why she was exempted from destruction but it was a sign of her being exempted so our building up others in the Faith is not a cause why we are saved but it is a Symbole of our Piety and a presage of
grace shine in his soul and the next day his light put out in obscurity This would spill a Christians comfort and break asunder the golden Chain of Salvation but be assured O Christian he who hath begun a good work will ripen it into perfection Christ will send forth judgement unto victory he will make grace victorious over all opposite corruption If grace should finally perish what would become of the smoaking flax And how would that title properly be given to Christ Finisher of the Faith Object No question this is an undoubted priviledge to such as are smoaking flax and have the least beginnings of grace but I fear I am not smoaking flax I cannot see the light of grace in my self Answ. That I may comfort the smoaking flax why dost thou thus dispute against thy self What makes thee think thou hast no grace I believe thou hast more than thou wouldst be willing to part with thou valuest grace above the gold of Ophir How couldst thou see the worth and lustre of this Jewel if Gods Spirit had not opened thy eyes Thou wouldst fain believe and mournest that thou canst not believe are not these tears the Initials of Faith Thou desirest Christ and canst not be satisfied without him this beating of the pulse evidenceth life The iron could not move upward if the Loadstone did not draw it the heart could not ascend in holy breathings after God if some heavenly Loadstone had not been drawing it Christian canst thou say sin is thy burden Christ is thy delight and as Peter once said Lord thou knowest I love thee This is smoaking flax and the Lord will not quench it thy grace shall flourish into glory God will sooner extinguish the light of the Sun than extinguish the dawning light of his spirit in thy heart 2. Let a Christian pursue his duty There are two duties required of believers 1. Love 2. Labour 1. Love Will not the Lord quench the smoaking flax but make it at last victorious over all opposition how should the smoaking flax flame in love to God Psal. 31. 23. love the Lord all ye his Saints The Saints owe much to God and when they have nothing to pay it is hard if they cannot love him O ye Saints it is God who carries on grace progressively in your souls He is like a Father who gives his son a small stock of money to begin with and when he hath traded a little he adds more to the stock So God adds continually to your stock he is every day dropping oyl into the lamp of your grace and so keeps the lamp burning This may inflame your love to God who will not let the work of grace miscarry but will bring it to perfection The smoaking flax he will not quench How should Gods people long for heaven when it will be their constant work to breathe forth love and found forth praise 2. The second duty required of Christians is labour Some may think if Christ will not quench the smoaking flax but make it burn brighter to the Meridian of glory then we need take no pains but leave God to bring his own work about Take heed of drawing so bad a Conclusion from such good premises What I have spoken is to encourage Faith not to indulge sloath Do not think God will do our work for us and we sit still As God will blow up the spark of grace by his spirit so we must be blowing it up by holy endeavours God will not bring us to heaven sleeping but praying The Lord told Paul all in the Ship should come safe to shore but it must be in the use of means Act. 27. 21. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved So the Saints shall certainly arrive at Salvation they shall come to shore at last but they must abide in the Ship in the use of Ordinances else they cannot be saved Christ assures his Disciples None shall pluck them out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. But yet he gives that counsel Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat 26. 41. The seed of God shall not die but we must water it with our tears the smoaking flax shall not be quenched but we must blow it up with the breath of our endeavour The second comfort to the godly is that godliness advanceth them into a near and glorious union with Jesus Christ But of this in the next CHAP. XII Shewing the Mystical union between Christ and the Saints CANT 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his IN this Book of the Canticles we see the love of Christ and his Church running toward each other in a full torrent The Text contains three general Parts 1 A Symbol of affection my beloved 2 A term of appropriation is mine 3 An holy resignation I am his Doct. That there is a conjugal union between Christ and beleevers The Apostle having treated at large of marriage he windes up the whole chapter thus Eph. 5. 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church what nearer than union what sweeter there is a twofold union with Christ 1 A natural union this all men have Christ having taken their nature upon him and not the Angels Heb. 2. 16. but if there be no more than this natural union it will give little comfort thousands are damned though Christ be united to their nature 2 There is a sacred union whereby we are mystically united to Christ the union with Christ is not personal if Christs essence were transfused into the person of a beleever then it would follow that all which a beleever doth should merit But the union between Christ and a Saint is 1 Faederal my beloved is mine God the Father gives the bride God the Son receives the bride God the Holy ghost tyes the knot in marriage he knits our wills to Christ and Christs love to us 2 This union is vertual Christ unites himself to his spouse by his graces and influences Iohn 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Christ makes himself one with the spouse by conveying his Image and stamping the impress of his own holiness upon her This union with Christ may well be called mystical it is hard to describe the manner of it as it is hard to shew the manner how the soul is united to the body so how Christ is united to the soul but though this union be spiritual it is real Things in nature work often insensibly yet really Eccles. 11. 5. we do not see the hand move on the Dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and draws up the vapours of the earth insensibly yet really so the union between Christ and the soul though it be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet is real 1 Cor. 6. 17. Before this union with Christ there must be a separation the heart must be separated from all other lovers as in marriage there is a leaving of
tender of her 1 Pet. 5. 7. He careth for you Christ hath a debating with himself a consulting and projecting how to carry on the work of our Salvation he transacts all our affairs he minds our business as his own indeed he himself is concerned in it he brings in fresh supplies to his Spouse if she wanders out of the way he guides her if she stumble he holds her by the hand if she falls he raiseth her if she be dull he quickens her by his spirit if she be froward he draws her with cords of love if she be sad he comforts her with promises 2. For ardent affection No Husband like Christ for love The Lord saith to the people I have loved you and they say Wherein hast thou loved us Mal. 1. 2. But we cannot say to Christ wherein hast thou loved us Christ hath given real Demonstrations of his love to his Spouse He hath sent her his Word which is a Love-letter and he hath given her his Spirit which is a Love-token Christ loves more than any other Husband 1. Christ puts upon his Bride a richer Robe Isa. 61. 10. He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness In this Robe God looks upon us as if we had not sinned This is as truly ours to justifie as it is Christs to bestow this Robe doth not only cover but adorn Having on this Robe we are reputed righteous not only as Angels but as Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2. Christ gives his Bride not only his Golden Garments but his Image He loves her into his own likeness An Husband may bear a dear affection to his Wife but he cannot stamp his own Effigies upon her if she be deformed he may give her a Vail to hide it but he cannot put his beauty upon her But Christ imparts the beauty of holiness to his Spouse Ezek. 16. 14. Thou wert comely through my comeliness When Christ marries a soul he makes it fair Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my Spouse Christ never thinks he hath loved his Spouse enough till he can see his own face in her 3. Christ dischargeth those debts which no other Husband can Our sins are the worst debts we owe if all the Angels should go to make a Purse they could not pay one of these debts but Christ frees us from these he is both an Husband and a Surety he saith to Justice as Paul concerning Onesimus If he ows thee any thing put it upon my score I will repay it Philem. 19. 4. Christ hath suffered more for his Spouse than ever any Husband did for a Wife he suffered poverty and ignominy He who crowned the heavens with stars was himself crowned with thorns He was called a companion of sinners that we might be made companions of Angels he was regardless of his life he leaped into the Sea of his Fathers wrath to save his Spouse from drowning 5. Christs love doth not end with his life He loves his Spouse for ever Hos. 2. 19. I will betroath thee unto me for ever Well may the Apostle call it a love that passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. 3. See how rich believers are they are matched into the Crown of Heaven and by virtue of the Conjugal Union all Christs riches go to believers Communion is founded in Union Christ communicates his Graces Iohn 1. 16. As long as Christ hath it believers shall not want and he communicates his Priviledges Justification Glorification He settles a Kingdome upon his Spouse for her Joynture Heb. 12. 28. This is a Key to the Apostles Riddle 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing yet possessing all By virtue of the Marriage-Union the Saints are interested in all Christs riches 4 See how fearful a Sin it is to abuse the Saints it is an injury done to Christ for beleevers are mystically one with him Act. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when the body was wounded the head being in heaven cryed out in this sense men crucifie Christ afresh Heb. 6. 6. because what is done to his members is done to him if Gideon was avenged upon those who slew his brethren Iudg. 8. 21. will not Christ much more bee avenged upon those that wrong his Spouse Will a King endure to have his Treasure rifled his Crown thrown in the dust his Queen beheaded will Christ bear with the affronts and injuries done to his Bride the Saints are the apple of Christs eye Zac. 2. 8. and they that strike at his eye let them answer it Isa. 49. 26. I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine 5 See the reason why the Saints do so rejoyce in the Word and Sacrament because here they meet with their Husband Christ the Wife desires to be in the presence of her Husband The Ordinances are the chariot in which Christ rides the lattice through which he looks forth and shews his smiling face here Christ displaies the banner of love Can. 2. 4. The Lords Supper is nothing else but a pledge and earnest of that eternal communion the Saints shall have with Christ in heaven Then he will take the Spouse into his bosome if Christ be so sweet in an Ordinance when we have but short glances and dark glimpses of him by saith Oh then how delightful and ravishing will his presence be in heaven when we shall see him face to face and be for ever in his loving embraces 4 This mystical union affords much comfort to beleevers in several cases 1 In case of the dis-respects and unkindenesses of the world Psa. 55. 3. In wrath they hate mee but though we live in an unkinde world wee have a kinde Husband Ioh. 15. 9. As the father hath loved me so have I loved you What Angel can tell how God the Father loves Christ yet the Fathers love to Christ is made the copy and pattern of Christs love to his Spouse this love of Christ as far exceeds all created love as the Sun out shines the light of a Torch and is not this matter of comfort what though the world hates me yet Christ loves me 2 It is comfort in case of weakness of grace the beleever cannot lay hold upon Christ but with a trembling hand there is a spirit of infirmity upon him but O weak Christian here is strong consolation there is a conjugal union thou art the Spouse of Christ and hee will bear with thee as the weaker vessel will an Husband divorce his Wife because she is weak and sickly no he will be the more tender of her Christ hates treachery but he will pity infirmity when the spouse is faint and ready to be discouraged Christ puts his left hand under her head Can. 2. 6. this is the spouses comfort when she is weak her Husband can infuse
strength into her Isaiah 49. 5. My God shall bee my strength 3 It is comfort in case of death when beleevers dye they go to their Husband who would not bee willing to shoot the Gulf o◠death that they might meet with their Husband Christ Phi. 1. 23. I desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose Anchor and be with Christ what thoug◠the way be dirty seeing we are going to ou◠friend when a woman is contracted she longs for the day of marriage after th◠Saints funeral begins their marriage the body is ergastulum animae a Prison to the soul who would not desire to exchange a Priso◠for a Marriage bed How glad was Iosep◠to go out of Prison to the Kings court God is wise he lets us meet with changes an◠troubles here that he may we an us from the world and make us long for death when the soul is divorced from the body it is married to Christ. 4 It is comfort in case of passing the sentence at the day of Judgement There is a marriage union and O Christian thy Husband shall be thy Judge a Wife would not fear to bee cast at Bar if her Husband sat Judge what though the Devil bring in many indictments against thee Christ will expunge thy sins in his blood he will say shall I condemn my spouse O what a comfort is this the Husband is Judge Christ cannot pass the sentence against his spouse but hee must pass it against himself for Christ and beleevers are one 5 It is comfort in case of the Saints sufferings The Church of God is exposed in this life to many injuries but she hath an Husband in heaven that is mindeful of her and will turn her waters into wine now it is a time of mourning with the Spouse because the Bride-groom is absent Mat. 9. 15. But shortly she shall put off her mourning Christ will wipe off the tears of blood from the cheeks of his Spouse Isa. 25. 8. The Lord God will wipe off tears from off all faces Christ will comfort his spouse after the time wherein she hath been afflicted he will solace her with his love he will take away the cup of trembling and give her the cup of consolation and now she shall forget all her sorrows being called into the banqueting house of heaven and having the banner of Christs love displayed over her 5. Let me press several duties upon such as have this Marriage-Union with Christ. 1. Make use of this Relation in two cases 1. When the Law brings in its Indictments against you here are saith the Law so many debts to be paid and it demands satisfaction acknowledge the debt but turn over all to your Husband Christ 'T is a Maxim in Law that the suit must not go against the wife as long as the Husband is living Tell Satan when he accuseth thee 't is true the debt is mine but go to my Husband Christ he will discharge it Would we take this course we might ease our selves of much trouble by Faith we turn over the debt to our Husband Believers are not in a state of Widdow-hood but Marriage Satan will never go to Christ he knows Justice is satisfied and the Debt-book cancell'd but he comes to us for the debt that he may perplex us we should send him to Christ and then all Law-suits would cease This is a believers Triumph when he is in himself guilty in Christ he is worthy when he is spotted in himself he is pure in his head 2. In case of desertion Christ may for ends best known to himself step aside for a time Cant. 5. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself say not therefore Christ is quite gone 'T is a fruit of jealousie in a Wife when her Husband hath left her a while to think he is quite gone from her Upon every removal out of sight for us to say as Sion The Lord hath forsaken me Isa. 49. 14. This is jealousie and it is a wrong done to the love of Christ and the sweetness of this Marriage-Relation Christ may forsake his Spouse in regard of comfort but he will not forsake her in regard of union An Husband may be a thousand miles distant from his Wife but still he is an Husband Christ may leave his Spouse but still the Marriage Knot holds 2. Love your Husband Christ Cant. 2. 5. love him though he be reproached and persecuted A Wife loves her Husband when in prison To inflame your love towards Christ consider 1. Nothing else is fit for you to love If Christ be your Husband it is not fit to have other Lovers that would make Christ grow jealous 2. He is worthy of your love he is of unparallel'd beauty Cant. 5. 10. altogether lovely 3. How pregnant is Christs love towards you he loves you in your worst condition he loves you in affliction The Goldsmith loves his gold in the Furnace he loves you notwithstanding your scars and blemishes The Saints infirmities cannot wholly take off Christs love from them Ier. 3. 1. Oh then how should the Spouse be endeared in her love to Christ This will be the excellency of Heaven our love will then be as the Sun in its full strength 3. Rejoyce in your Husband Christ hath Christ honoured you to take you into the Marriage-Relation and make you one with himself this calls for joy By virtue of the Union believers go sharers with Christ in his riches It was a custome among the Romans when the Wife was brought home she received the Keys of her husbands house intimating that the treasure and custody of the house was now committed to her When Christ shall bring his Bride home to those glorious Mansions which he is gone before to Prepare for her Iohn 14. 2. He will deliver up the keys of his treasure to her and she shall be as rich as heaven can make her and shall not the Spouse rejoyce and sing aloud upon her bed Psal. 149. 5. Christians let the times be never so sad you may rejoyce in your spiritual Espousals Hab. 3. 17. Let me tell you it is a sin not to rejoyce you disparage your Husband Christ. When a wife is always sighing and weeping what will others say This woman hath a bad husband Is this the fruit of Christs love to you to reflect dishonor upon him A melancholly spouse sads Christs heart I deny not but a Christian should grieve for sins of daily incursion but to be always weeping as if he mourned without hope is dishonourable to the Marriage-Relation Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord always Rejoycing doth credit your husband Christ loves a chearful Bride and indeed the very end of Gods making us sad is to make us rejoyce we sow in tears that we may reap in joy The excessive sadness and contristation of the godly will make others afraid to imbrace Christ they will begin to question whether there be that satisfactory joy in Religion