the danger of backsliding see the remedy which the Apostle prescribeth or intimateth at least in that case If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him We are not of them that draw backâ— unto perdition there is the danger but of them that beleeve or follow faith to the saving of the soule there is the remedy Hebrewes 10. 38 39. If any thing make us hold out against Sathan in that dangerous conflict it must be the shield of faith whereby we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephesians 6. 16. Above all take unto you the shield of faith if any thing at all can doe you good this is it 2. It must be such a faith as worketh by love Galath 5. 6. And therefore in the second place we must labour for a loving heart if we would be constant Let us serve God for love and that will make us persevere in it Men will bee constant in the workes they love the Epicure is constant in pleasures and recreations the covetous in toyleing for the world the Student is constant at his booke And why so Because they love these things Charity will make a man hold out it hopeth all things and endureth all things saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. It never faileth ver 8. They that serve God for love resemble the Sunne that shineth more and more till the perfect day or like Mount Sion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed Psalm 125. 1. See how constant is Iacob in serving for Rachel Genesis 29. 20. He served seven yeares for her and they seemed but a few dayes in regard of the love that he had to her saith the Text Love set him a worke and that made him constant in it Now what a shame for us if Iacob should love Rachel better than we love God If ye love me keepe my Commandements saith our Saviour Iohn 15. 14. As if hee had said If yee love me ye will doe it Labour of love will be constant He whose bountie and charity is grounded upon true love to God will be constant in it It is an excellent place to this purpose Hebr. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which yâ— have shewed towards his Name But how did that appeare Surely by the constancy of it In that ye have ministred unto the Saints and doe minister i. e. this is a true signe that your charity and workes of mercy proceed from love to the Name of GOD because yee are constant in them this argueth evidently that they are labours of love Thirdly if wee would bee constant in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts fraught with the true feare of God This is one of the gifts of God that are without repentance Romans 11. 29. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for ever Psalme 19. 8. Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Proverbs 28. 14. Hee that truly feareth God will feare him alwayes this will make him constant in Gods service Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart from me saith the Lord. The true feare of God will make us constant and therefore it is a chiefe point of wisdome to serve God with feare as is intimated in Psalme 2. 10 11. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Well wherein should they chiefely shew their wisdome Verse 11. Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Why so Surely because then they would bee constant and keepe in the right way or else they would soone perish from it as is intimated in the next verse 12. Kisse the Sonne lest be be angry and yee perish from the right way Fourthly If we would bee constant in Gods service we must labour for a sound and an honest heart It is onely the good and the honest heart that holdeth out and bringeth forth fruit with patience Luk. 8. 15. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward affections saith David Psalme 51. 6. Because the Lord knoweth such an heart will be constant A little before the Apostle â—hewing the danger of backsliding and inconstancy in GODS service hee prescribeth this as it were a remedy to prevent that danger Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh â—o God with a true heart c. Such an heart will make a man constant and firme â—ndeed therefore saith David Psaâ— 119. â—0 Let my heart be sound in thy staâ—utes â—hat I be not ashamed A true ridden horse will hold out to the end of the journey but a tainted jade will faint at last This made the Israelites so fickle and inconstant in Gods service Psalme 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early afteâ— God Was not this well Yea so farre as man could judge it was excellent that they should so readily returne to him that smote them and so indeed it had beene if it had come form the heart but alasâ— there they failed Ver. 36. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant This was abominable So that if wee would bee constant in GODS service wee must see that our hearts bee sound and upright else they will start aside like a broken or a deceitfull bow verse 57. Fifthly If we would bee constant in the maine duties of Gods worship and service we must take heed that wee take not liberty wilfully to offend in lesser matters I know speciall respect must bee had to the maine duties of Religion and the weighty things of the Law Matth. 23. 23 but yet we must take heede of taking liberty to offend in smaller matters againsâ— knowledge and conscience He that breaketh one of the least of Gods Commandements and teacheth men so the same shaâ— be called and accounted least in the kingdomâ— of heaven saith our Saviour Matthew 5 19. How great a Scholler or how strict soever he may seeme to be in other things this will lessen them in the hearts of Gods people Yea and he that at first taketh liberty wilfully to offend in trifles will at last fall away in greater matters First petty oathes then greater c. It is an excellent place to this purpose and excellently urged by a late Divine in this case Gal. 1. 7. There be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospell of Christ No might they say they retained the Gospell onely they would have brought in a Iewish riâ—e or two Circumcision which was a thing of nothing What saith the Apostle to these Galathians 2. 5. To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an houre Not for an houre Why Paul what hurt can there be in a circumstance a Ceremony or a trifle Yes if it bee urged as necessary to salvation it would soone
the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants He loveth to have them merry at meate and at worke and sing for joy of heart Isa. 65. 14. And withall he is constant in his love towards them if he be angry it is but for a moment but his love and mercie is everlasting towards them See a singular place for this purpose in Isa. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee and ver 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercie on thee sayth the Lord thy Redeemer If he be wroth if he seeme to forsake or hide himselfe from his servants it is but for a moment but his love and kindnesse is everlasting his mercy endureth for ever having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end sayth our Saviour Ioh. 13. 1. not for a time but for ever his love like himselfe is constant and unchangeable it is an everlasting love Ier. 31. 3. With an everlasting love have I loved thee therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee sayth the Lord. Yea his love to his servants is so constant that nothing shall be able to diprive them of it nothing can finally doe it and for ever Rom. 8. 37 38. For I am perswaded sayth the Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angells nor height nor depth nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yea sinne it selfe that is the most dangerous enemy of all for your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isa. 59. 1. cannot doe it yea rather then so your sinnes shall be pardoned and that for his owne sake Isa. 43. 25. for I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake will not remember thy sinnes Here is a gracious and a constant loving Master Tenthly and lastly This heavenly Master of ours is readie dayly to manifest and expresse his love towards his servants in hearing their prayers and revenging all such wrongs as are offered unto them See the proofe of this priviledge in both the branches of it First For his hearing prayers it is one of his titles of honour to heare prayers Psal. 65. 2. Especially the prayers of his servants and such as feare him Joh. 9. 31. If any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his Will him he heareth Yea he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he will heare their cry and save them Psalm 145. 18. And if any man delight in Gods service he shall have his hearts desire Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart What greater priviledge Yea he is many times found of them when they doe not seeke him Isa. 65. 24. It shall come to passe that when they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will heare O how open is his eare unto their complaints when they are wronged by their adversaries and how readie is the Lord even speedily to avenge their wrongs Heare what the unjust Iudge sayth sayth our Saviour Luk. 18. 7. And shall not God avenge his owne Elect which cry day and night unto him I tell you that he will avenge them speedily True it is he will not allow his servants to be their own carvers and avenge themselves But what need they when he is ready to doe it for them Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Ro. 12. 19. He that toucheth Gods servants to hurt them doth touch the aple of his eye Zach. 2. 8 Hee taketh all their wrongs and injuries as done to himselfe and he will certainely and wisely avenge their wrongs 2 Kings 9. 7. Iehu shall smite Ahab and Iezabel but to what end Iehu's end was to get the kingdome but what was the Lords end that yee shall see in the place forenamed That I may avenge the bloud of my servants the Prophets and the bloud of all the servants of the Lord at the hands of Iezabell they must pay deare that shed the bloud of Gods servants the Lord himselfe will bee avenged of them Another place to this purpose is that we have Deut. 32. 41. If I whet my glistering sword and my hand takes hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies c. and I will make my arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall devoure flesh c. But whose bloud and flesh shall thus goe to wracke That ye shall see verse 43. Surely they that have shed the bloud of his servants for hee will avenge the bloud of his servants saith the Text. Who would not be abundant in his service that will not suffer his servants bloud to be unavenged CHAP. VIII Containing the three first Directions or meanes how to spend much time in Gods service FIrst If wee would spend much time in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts rightly fitted and prepared for that purpose There is a price in the hand of many a foole to get wisdome but he wanteth an heart to get wisdome saith Salomon Pro. 17. 16. How many blessed opportunities have we of spending time in Gods service which are let slip because wee want hearts rightly prepared for that purpose Hereupon it is that in the first place God requireth our hearts Proverbs 23. 26. My son give me thy heart and Ier. 14. 4. O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse A prophane heart can never endure to spend much time in God service but straight cryeth out behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. Hence it is that the Lord cryeth out most of all for want of a right and fit disposition of heart in the duties of his service Isaiah 29. 13. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouthes and honour me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Here was the defects of Ezechiels hearers Ezech. 33. 31. ver They come unto thee as my people commeth and they also sit before thee as my people and they heare my words but they will not doe them where was the chiefe fault Surely in the heart for with their mouthes they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse A covetous and a vicious heart will soone make a man weary of time spent in Gods service and therefore when any man setteth himselfe to doe God any service the Lord looketh directly with what heart he doth it It is an excellent speech of God to Samuel when hee was to choose Israel a King 1 Sam. 16. 7. the Lord said to Samuel Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature c. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord
appeare that a man shall love a faire Virgin better than we love God Now if we loved Gods Ordinances as wee should all the time that wee spend in his service would seeme but a few dayes even nothing in comparison if we could once come to serve God out of love to himselfe and his Ordinances Now surely this must needs follow upon the three former directions for if we 1 get an heart right set for God and bee constant in the private duties of religion and especially be carefull to season our hearts with religious cogitations early each morning then we cannot choose but love the duties of Gods publike worship and service and where this true love to Gods Ordinances is there will be a care to spend much time in Gods worship and service both publike and private See the description of David's blessed man Psalm 1. 1 2. where he is described first Negatively by what he doth not and secondly Affirmatively by that which he doth v. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth hee meditate day and right See the connection of these two If ye aske Why he spendeth so much time in Gods service even day and night It is answered because his delight is in the Law of the Lord ergo he spendeth much time in it Yea see this in David himselfe Why did he spend so much time in the duties of Gods worship and service but in regard of his singular love and affection towards them as that one speech of his doth plainly and fully intimate Psal. 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation continually A man will never continually thinke and meditate on that which he loveth not David could never have sayd truely out of his experience A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand if he could not have truely sayd first My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal. 84. 2. No it was his extraordinarie love to Gods house and Ordinances that made him value time spent there at so high a rate The Booke of Psalmes giveth plentifull and abundant testimony to this purpose Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. And againe often in Psal. 119. Oh how I love thy Law How much David Surely more then thousands of gold and silver Ver. 72. Yea more then great spoyles ver 102. yea it was sweeter then honey and the honey-combe Psal. 119. 103. No marvell if such a man as he spent much time in the duties of Gods service that loved Gods house and Ordinances so exceedingly Yea such was his love to the duties of Religion that by his good will he would spend all his dayes in that holy imployment yea and he maketh it his grand request the very onely Boone that he would beg at Gods hands that he might doe so An excellent place to this purpose is that which wee have Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after But one thing David Surely that is some great matter indeed it may be some great Kingdome bigger then that of Ierusalem No Davids ayme was at another kinde of matter see how he doth expresse it That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life This is Davids one thing that he would beg at Gods hand yea the meanest office or imployment in Gods house would give him more content then the highest place in the tents of the ungodly as is sweetly expressed in this very Verse Psal. 84. 10. in the words immediately following the words of our Text I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the Tents of wickednesse Yea this is not Davids case onely but all that are regenerate indeed and truely godly and religious they are all of the same minde as well as David The little childe loveth nothing so well as the mothers brest that is the onely still-babe that giveth content for the most part when all other devices faile if this doe not quiet the childe scarce any thing will doe it so it is with all the new borne babes of Christ if they once be regenerate and borne againe they love nothing so well as to sucke the milke of Religion out of the breasts of Gods Ordinances It is the comparison that the holy Ghost himselfe useth 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby See the affection of Gods Saints this way Ieremiah and Ezechiel and Iob and Paul First for Ieremiah Chap. 15. 16. Thy Words were found and I did eate them And how did they taste Ieremiah Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Loe what sweetnesse the Babes of Christ finde in Gods Ordinances The like wee finde of Ezech. 3. 3. Sonne of man cause thy belly to eate and fill thy bowells with this rowle Here was Gods charge to the Prophet now see what sweetnesse he found in it Then did I eate the rowle and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetnesse Then for holy Job the sweetnesse that he found in Gods Ordinances was that which affoorded him a great deale of comfort in his greatest afflictions Job 23. 12. His way that is the Lords way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lippes I have esteemed the words of his lippes more then my necessarie food that made him so religious and spend so much time in Gods service because he was so farre in love with Gods Ordinances Then consider the example of Paul Rom. 7. 22. What made him spend so much time in Gods service in prayer and preaching to all the world but because he loved the Word exceedingly I delight in the Law of God according to the inner man so farre as he was regenerate he tooke great delight in Gods Ordinances But above all consider the example of our blessed Saviour none comparable to him for his unwearied painfulnesse in Gods service He went about doing good continually Act. 10. 38. Yea observe it Mat. 9. 35. Iesus went about all the Cities and Villages teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and healing every sicknesse and every disease amongst the people And why so Surely because his love to Gods Ordinances and his Fathers will was extraordinarie This is the reason that he himselfe giveth in this very case It is an excellent Storie that we finde Ioh. 4. the effect and substance whereof is this That our Saviour comming to Sychar to Iacobs Well and being hungry and thirstie He sendeth his Disciples into the Citie to buy meate sayth the Text ver 8. In the meane time commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water and our Saviour taketh that opportunitie in their absence to convert the heart of this poore Samaritan wherein the Disciples finde
care or providence but the blessing of God that bringeth wealth and therefore our excessive care is fruitlesse Thirdly This inordinate thought-taking for outward things is very dangerous and prejudiciall for besides the mischiefe alreadie mentioned and specified wee shall finde it hurtfull in these three respects First This inordinate desire of having maketh a man a prey unto Sathan and layeth him open unto Sathans dangerous temptations it doth cast a man inevitably into the snare of Sathan 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lustes which drowne men in destruction and perdition This will make a man lye and steale and cheat yea forsweare and swagger c. The devill hath every covetous man alwaies at advantage as it were upon the hippe he is even caried captive by him at his will This is one wofull mischiefe that it maketh a man even apparently the devils vassall Secondly This inordinate love of the world in processe of time will even eat out the true love of God out of our hearts For even as adulterous love in a woman doth even eat the love of her husband out of her heart so that the more she loveth a stranger the lesse she regardeth her husband so doth the inordinate love of the world If we dote upon that painted Strumpet she will so bewitch us that in time we shall not care for the Lord at all This is the Apostles argument 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Love not the world nor the things of the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him It is not possible for a man to over-love the world and yet in the meane time to love God as he ought no more then it is possible for a man to looke even upward and downward both at once Set your affections upon things above and not on the things that are here below Col. 3. 1. Intimating that it is at least improbable if not impossible to doe both Thirdly The too-much bent of the affections to outward things doth utterly deprive us of Gods love to us As the love of the Father is not in him so the love of the Father is not towards him in that case But on the contrary the Lord even hateth and abhorreth him which is a most wofull estate and condition Psal. 10. 3. Speaking good of the covetous whom God abhorreth Where we see evidently that every covetous person is hated and abhorred of GOD. And no marvell for it is no lesse then Idolatry in Gods account Col. 3. 5. Yea and there is a very direct and expresse enmitie between God and every such person Iam. 4. 4. Know ye not that the amitie of the world is enmitie against God so that whosoever maketh himselfe a friend of the world the same is Gods enemie Now marke the woefull estate of Gods enemies Psal. 68. 21. God will surely wound the head of his enemies and the hairie scalpe of such a one as walketh on still in his trespasses This is another fearefull and intolerable mischiefe Fourthly This inordinate thought-taking for outward things doth often keepe many from entering upon the profession of Religion and embracing of Christianitie Many could be content to embrace Christ if it were not for the world This hindereth many from becomming the Disciples of Christ because they cannot finde in their hearts to forsake all for his sake See an experiment of this in that young man in the Gospel Mat. 19. 16. He had a moneths minde to become one of our Saviours Disciples see how sweetly and lovingly he speaketh to our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I doe that I may have eternall life If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements as if he had sayd come on thy wayes I will set thee a taske but when he had told him the upshot of all Ver. 22. If thou wilt be perfect Goe and sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me Ver. 22. When he heard this saying he went away sorrowfull for he was endued with great possessions Yea and it seemeth he did not so much possesse as he was possessed of them he loved the treasures of the earth too well to forsake them for the treasures of heaven Now mark what our Saviour inferreth hereupon to his Disciples Ver. 23. Verely I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of God Inordinate love of riches doth keepe men from the profession much more from the practise of Religion This is another mischiefe Fifthly Wee would never spend time in inordinate thought-taking how to get wealth if we did consider another speciall inconvenience that ever commeth with it and that is that it maketh men fickle and inconstant in their Religion This will make a man plainly disert and utterly forsake Christ and his cause and leave him in the open fields A covetous person will never stand to his colours our Saviour himselfe foretelleth that some should forsake him Ioh. 16. 32. Behold the houre commeth c. when yee shall be scattered every man to his owne and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone for the Father is with me Yea this you shall finde most certaine that nothing will make a man sooner doe this then the inordinate love of this present world This made Demas forsake his colours and turne Apostata The Apostle once kindely salutes the Church in his Name but after cryeth out against him for Apostacie 1 Tim. 4. 10. Demas also hath forsaken us having loved this present world So that if we would be constant in the service of Christ we must take heede of the world Sixthly and lastly This will bring the wrath of God upon a mans posteritie Many a man goeth to the devill himselfe to make his sonne a rich man and yet in spite of his heart God maketh him a beggar He begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand Eccles. 5. 14. So that he coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house Heb. 2. 9 10. He thinketh his children shall fare better and they speed the worse for his evill gotten goods as appeareth by the examples of Achan and Ahab whose covetous ill gotten wealth was the ruine of them and of their posteritie Josu 7. 24. 1 King 21. 29. This will helpe us against this sinne if this be rightly considered Fourthly Another great Let or impediment in this case is excessive feasting or belly-cheare True it is that we are allowed the liberall and comfortable use of Gods creatures not onely for necessitie but for delight but yet we must even in this case beware of excesse The Prophet cryeth out against unreasonable and unseasonable feastmungers Amos 6. 4. That they stretched themselves upon their couches did eat the Lambs out of the flocke and the Calves out of
Christ. First of the first of these sc. this That Christ Iesus and his merits together with the saving graces of his Spirit are fitly resembled unto gold yea gold tryed in the fire Hereupon it is that the Tabernacle and the Temple were both so adorned with gold because they were the Types of our Saviour and the graces of his Spirit Exod. 37. 6. 1 King 7. 48. There was the Table of gold and the Altar of gold and the Bowles and the Tongs and the Snuffers all of pure gold c. And why all this but to teach us that Christ and the graces of his Spirit are fitly resembled to gold Marke the answer of Christ's Spouse to the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. when they asked What is thy beloved more than another beloved observe her answer Ver. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of tenne thousand Ver. 11. His head is as the most fine gold He is like unto most fine gold yea gold tryed in the fire So the Church cloathed with the merits of Christ and adorned with the graces of his Spirit is covered as it were with cloth of gold Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in gold of Ophyr saith the Text Psal. 45. 9. that is cloathed with Christ and the graces of his Spirit which are pure and precious like the gold of Ophyr And so againe Ver. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within that is the Church is glorious in Gods account Her cloathing is of wrought gold this is very direct Now the Reasons of the poynt might be many I will but instance in some few of many Gold tryed in the fire is very precious of great worth and value so is Christ even in his lowest estate when he seemeth most despicable and worthles yet is he even then most precious disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious sayth the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 4. and v. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious though the Jewish builders rejected this Stone yet was he exceeding precious in Gods account And as Christ himselfe is precious so are the graces of his Spirit such as wisdome and knowledge and faith and love c. these are precious jewels and therefore fitly resembled unto gold See what the holy Ghost sayth of Wisedome Pro. 3. 13 14. Happie is the man that findeth Wisdome and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine thereof is better then fine gold shee is more precious then Rubies c. See here the precious nature of spirituall and heavenly Wisdome The like may be said of faith and other graces Hence that phrase of precious faith To all that have obtained like precious faith with us sayth the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 1. If you aske how precious this grace is He answereth That the tryall of our faith is much more precious then of gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. Secondly Gold is of especiall use to pay debts to keepe or redeeme out of prison so are the merits and blood of Christ they redeeme us from hell and death yee are bought with a price sayth the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 19 20. What price not silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Of him are yee in Christ Jesus sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption O golden Christ by the helpe of whose merits we pay the Debts which we owe to our heavenly Father yea by this gold are we redeemed and set at libertie from the prison of hell and from the bondage and slavery of sinne and Sathan Thirdly Gold tryed in the fire is very pure and cleane there is no drosse left in it so is Christ pure as well as precious so are the graces of Gods Spirit true grace is pure grace pure faith or faith unfained pure love without dissembling sincere or pure truth without hypocrisie 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandement is charitie or love out of a pure heart and a good or pure conscience and faith unfained faith without mixture that is pure faith such faith and love are golden graces indeed Let love be without dissimulation sayth the Apostle Rom. 12. 9. there is pure love indeed it is an excellent place 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing that yee have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently here is pure gold indeed wrought by the pure Spirit of God there is the Authour of it in obeying the truth there is the instrumentall meanes of it pure and unfained loue out of a pure heart there is the fruit of it Fourthly Gold tryed in the fire is fit for purchase it commandeth what the earth can affoord so doe Christ and his merits and graces they doe purchase Heaven for us Heaven is an inheritance and given freely in respect of any merits of ours but merited and purchased for us by Christ He is our great purchaser He purchaseth Heaven for us and in our name and is gone to take possession for us and to prepare a place for us there He purchased it for us by his merits hence that phrase Ephes. 1. 14. Vntill the Redemption of the purchased pessession sayth the Apostle And when he had purchased it for us He went to possesse it and prepare a place for us Joh. 16. 3. I goe to prepare a place for you So that a man interested in Christs merits and adorned with his graces is fit to make a purchase of Heaven So that Christ and his merits are in this respect also fitly resembled unto gold they make a golden purchase or purchase a golden place in Heaven for us Fifthly Gold is of an excellent use for ornament and beautie as well as for purchase and profit thus the Tabernacle and Temple were adorned with gold to make them glorious and beautifull so is the Church by the merits and graces of Christ become a glorious Church Psal. 45. 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within How cometh that to passe Surely by the gold of Christs merits and graces for it followeth Her cloathing is of wrought gold there is her chiefe ornament so doe the graces of Gods Spirit they doe even adorne us in Gods account faith and love and meeknesse O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15. 28. there is her ornament I have not found so great faith no not in Israel sayth our Saviour Mat. 8. 10. there is the Centurions ornament so of Abraham faithfull Abraham a man strong in the faith and gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. Golden Abraham there is his ornament Moses the meekest man upon earth Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was very meeke
bodies washed with cleane water c. But how shall we come to be assured that we doe so That you shall see Ver. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good workes c. Yea but what good worke are we principally to bring others unto Surely to frequent the Church assemblies v. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is So that you see we have great warrant for this Yea we must needs doe it necessitie is layd upon us and woe be unto us if we doe it not It is the voyce of a Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Gen. 4. Art thou not bound to love thy neighbour as thy selfe But I will tell thee that thou doest not love but hate him in thy heart if thou suffer him to goe on in any sinfull way and doe not doe thy best endeavour to convert him See an evident place for this purpose in Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Yea it is the second maine dutie of the Law Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe But it may be thou art readie to say Alas I doe not hate him but wish him well and love him as my selfe I doe not trouble him nor make nor meddle with him c. Nay but this is not enough thou mayest hate him in thy heart notwithstanding all this if thou goe no farther and therefore see what followeth Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him else thou doest but hate him in thy heart So that if we see our brother neglect the Church assembles or heare him sweare and blaspheme the Name of God or live in any other sinne and doe not plainely rebuke him thou doest not love thy brother but hate him in thy heart and art a murtherer in Gods account Hereby we testifie the truth of our love towards them especially thy familie and those that are committed to thy charge thou doest not love them truely but hate them in thy heart if thou neglect the good of their soules See the concurrent practise of such as have beene once truely converted themselves that their families have beene soone wrought on even immediately after Act. 16. 34. It is sayd of the converted Iayler that he beleeved in God with all his house And the like is sayd of others This was Abrahams care to instruct and reforme his familie Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his children servants to keepe the way of the Lord to doe judgement and justice i.e. I know Abraham will not be content to serve God himselfe alone but he will have a speciall care to see that his houshold doe so as well as he Yea this was the resolution and godly pietie of holy Ioshua Chap. 24. 14 15. Having reckoned up the singular varietie of Gods mercies towards them he endeavoureth hereupon to perswade all the people of God unto a religious obedience saying Ver. 14. Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in uprightnesse and truth But then see ver 15. if he could not prevaile with all the rest yet he would be sure to prevaile with his owne familie he durst undertake for them As for me I and my house will serve the Lord. No man can have assurance that he is truely converted to God himselfe if he doe not put away iniquitie from his Tabernacle See Iob 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almightie thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquitie from thy tabernacles Oh how this would quicken our desire and endeavour to reforme our familie if this was layd to heart and rightly considered this would make a man resolve with David not to keepe such servants in his familie as are prophane and irreligious Psal. 101. 4. A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Ver. 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house and he that telleth liâ—s shall not tarry in my sight O therefore let us have a care not onely to serve God our selves but let us doe our best to perswade others especially let us have a care to reforme our families and put away iniquitie from our Tabernacle this is the way to bring the blessing of God both upon our selves and upon our families The power of Religion where it once cometh doth ever leave a blessing behinde it As the Arke of God brought a blessing with it to the house of O bed Edom 2 Sam. 6. 11. Yea if there be but one person in a familie that truely feareth God the whole familie and houshold shall fare the better for their sakes Thus God blessed Labans house for Jacobs sake as Laban himselfe confessed and therefore was lothe to part with him Gen. 30. 27. I pray thee tarry sayth he for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake And so the Lord blessed Putiphar's house for Ioseph's sake that idolatrous family sped a great deale the better for such a servant The Lord blessed the Aegyptians house for Ioseph's sake sayth the Text Gen. 39. 5. But how much more would it be a speciall meanes to bring Gods blessing upon our houses and families if all the whole familie would delight to spend time in GODS service and be religious Doubtlesse the Lord would make good that gracious promise Psal. 84. 11. That he will be Sunne and Shield unto them that he would give grace and glory and no good thing would hâ— withhold from such a familie c. Thus you see strong Motives and Arguments to perswade us not onely to serve God our selves but also to exhort and perswade our families to doe the like Here are the three first Motives CHAP. XIII Wherein the fourth Motive to the third and last Dutie is propounded and prosecuted FOurthly The last Motive to perswade us not onely to serve GOD our selves but also to perswade others thereunto is drawn from the consideration of the worth and excellency of the exercises of Religion especially the duties of his publike and solemne worship How can any of us spend our time better then in such holy and excellent performances It is even a little heaven upon earth to be so employed there have we the Word faithfully read preached both the Old and New Testament yea there we have the Ordinance of Catechising wherein we have milke for babes as well as meate for strong men But as touching the worth and excellency of this Ordinance I have already spoken Chap. 9. But besides the Ministery of the Word we have 1. the publike and solemne prayers and Lyturgie of our Church wherin all Gods people joyne together as one man in that solemne dutie and service 2. We have the holy and blessed Sacraments rightly and duely administred both Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord which were both of them clearely instituted by Christ himselfe and are
towards God What greater folly then to be all for the present nothing for the future All for the Summer nothing for the Winter All for the body nothing for the soule And yet alas there are thousands that are thus besotted Martha-like and worse cumbred about many things when the one thing needfull the better part is wholly neglected Now for the remedie of this give me leave to commend unto your consideration that golden place of our Saviour Mat. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and loose his own soule Take heed brethren a man cannot looke upward and downward both at once or upward with one eye and downe with the other for we cannot set our affections upon things above if we set them too much upon things here below we cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6. 24. We cannot love God and the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him sayth the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 15. We cannot be both earthly and heavenly minded as we ought wee cannot be a friend of the world and Gods friend too but Whosoever maketh himselfe the friend of the world is the enemy of God It is an excellent place of the Apostle Jam. 4. 4. later end Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitie against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God They are too blame that spend more time in the worlds service then in the Lords Secondly This serveth to reprove such as spend more time in sinfull pleasures and recreation then in Gods service These are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God as the Apostle speakes 2 Tim. 3. 4. As if men were made onely for themselves and their owne pleasures and not for GOD. How farre are these from the disposition of faithfull Moses Who refused to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. Now for the meanes to prevent or reforme this grosse abuse in thus mis-spending of our time Let us consider these two particulars First That time spent in Gods service is absolutely the most full of pleasure yea there is no true solid pleasure in the world without it it is to a spirituall man the very joy and rejoycing of his heart Secondly The more pleasure we have in any thing in the neglect of Gods worship and service the more torment and sorrow will follow afterward The better the wine is the sharper and more sowre will it be when it is turned to vinegar It is most true of all such delights which Abner sayd to Joab They will be bitternesse in the later end See the fruit of the rich mans carnall pleasures Luk. 16. 25. In that speech of Father Abraham to the rich man in hell Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things or thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented O the everlasting bitter panges of hell which follow the pleasures of sinne for a season Who would dote upon such sweet meat that is attended with such bitter and sowre sauce So mark what is sayd of Babylon that had glutted her selfe with pleasures and made her selfe Drunke with the bloud of the Saints Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her The more pleasures of sinne here on earth the more torment in hell If our carnal mirth-mungers would consider this it would be a meanes to perswade them to spend more time in Gods service and lesse in the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Thirdly This serveth to reprove all such as stay long before they spend any time at all in Gods service How ordinary a thing is it for men to mispend their best strength and flower of their youth and reserve the decrepit old age for God Tell many of repentance of Gods service of the power of godlinesse oh say they it is too soone I am too young hereafter is better when I am old This is the usuall practise of the world If time spent in Gods service be the best spent woe be to those that stay long before they begin to serve God at all Like a man that goeth to London about some businesse of great importance and when he commeth there spendeth all his time in saluting here and complementing there and seeing this and that rare sight and then hath all his 〈◊〉 to dispatch when he should goe home Here is the very case of many that come into the Citie of this world they spend the greatest part of their time in other things and never so much as dreame or thinke of Religion which is the maine end for which they were sent into the world What a woefull account will these make at the last day Now for prevention or remedie hereof let us consider these foure particulars First The expresse command of God To Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth before those dayes come wherein wee shall say I have no pleasure in them A woefull thing for a man even then to bethinke himselfe how to live when he is readie to die Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Secondly Consider the time which we have here to spend on earth is very uncertaine a man resolveth to serve God when he is old yea but what if he dye in the meane time while he is young and never live untill he be olde How many Lambe-skinnes come to the Market as well as the skinnes of elder sheepe How many dye young and drop away even in the middest as they thought of their best strength No man knoweth the day of his death and therefore Job to make sure worke would beginne and prepare for it every day Iob 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite untill my change come Death many times commeth suddenly when it is the least thought on of all When they shall say peace peace then shall sudden destruction fall upon them sayth the Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 3. They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment goe downe to hell Iob 21. 13. Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes c. A woefull estate Thirdly The longer it is before we returne to God the more difficult we shall finde it to turne at last Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit Continuance in sinne breedeth custome in sinne and how hard is it for men to overcome evill customes Ier. 13. 21. Can the Aethiopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill So that it is exceeding difficult if not
looketh on the heart For the Lord knoweth full well that if the heart be not right set for God he will never walke uprightly before God how great a semblance or shew of pietâ— soever a man may make therefore God in his wisedome looketh on the heart Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts unto all these words saith Moses It is not setting of the eare to heare only or the mouth to speake no nor the hands to worke nor feete to walke that will serve the turne unlesse the heart in the meane time be right set for that purpose therefore saith David Psalme 119. 11. I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Lo the chiefe antidote against sinne is to hide and ponder the Word of God within our hearts An excellent direction to this purpose is that of the Apostle Saint Iames 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you if wee desire that God should draw nigh to us in mercy we must strive to draw nigh to him in service and obedience But what is required that wee may bee fit to draw nigh to God Wash your hands or cleanse your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded It is only a cleane and a true heart that will make a man fit to draw nigh to God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh to God with a true heart c. Hereupon David prayeth so earnestly for such an heart Psalme 119. 80. O let my heart be upright in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed For indeed God loveth truth of heart or truth in the inward affections above all other things whatsoever this is the maine thing that he desireth Psalme 51. 6. He that ever meaneth to be religious indeed must of necessity begin with the heart that is the chiefe great wheele of the clocke that moveth all the rest Psalme 37. 30 31. The mouth of the righteous will speake wisedome his tongue will be talking of judgement How commeth this to passe that yee shall see in the words following The Law of God is in his heart and none of his steps shall slide It is the heart that setteth both the tongue and hands a worke for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our blessed Saviour in Matthew 12. 34. Oh therefore all that would spend much time in Gods service which as we have heard is absolutely and incomparably the best spent time labour to have your hearts rightly fitted and prepared for that purpose even such an heart as I have formerly described unto you namely a beleeving heart a loving heart a sincere and an upright heart full of truth and sincerity and an heart also fraught with the true feare of God hee that hath such an heart is right set for Gods service It is just such an heart as God would have us to have sc. an heart fraught and furnished with the true feare of GOD Deut. 5. 29. They have well said all that they have spoken saith the Lord ver 28. Oh that there were such an heart in them Good words without a good heart are little worth Well what kinde of heart would God have them to have That yee shall see in the words following O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them An heart fraught with the true feare of God is that which GOD especially desireth should be in his children and which he doth exceedingly delight in when hee findeth in it them 2. We must be constant and conscionable in the private exercises of Religion this is the way to bring the heart to a right frame for the publike Ordinances this is like the tuneing of the instrument so that he that careth not for spending any time at all in private duties careth not how little time he spendeth that way in publike Oh that wee would lay this to heart and bee carefull to spend time in private prayer and reading and holy meditations Even Princes are not exempted in this case See that Direction in Deut. 17. 18 19. See the King of Israels duty when he sitteth on the Throne of his kingdome Hee shall write him a Copie of Gods Law in a booke out of that which is before the Priests and Levites and it shall be with him and hee shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God c. where we see 1. That it is the duty even of Kings themselves to feare GOD as well as others 2. That to the end he may feare God hee must be acquainted with Gods Word for the feare of God must be learned out of the booke of God 3. Hee was to get him a copie of Gods Booke that which wee now call a Bible Kings must get them Bibles as well as Priests and Levites 4. Hee must reade in it all the dayes of his life and if Kings then much more all subjects and private persons must spend some part of every day in the duties of Gods service in private Who need thinke himselfe too good for private duties when Kings themselves are not exempted Yea it is the duty of all Gods people to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke yee have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me saith our Saviour Yea wee should all study to be well acquainted with the Scriptures by private reading that we may be the more delighted with the publike heareing Colossians 3. 16. Let the Word of CHRIST dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritiuall songs c. Lo how Gods people should spend their time in private O how this would fit us for exercises of Religion in publike What made those Noble Boereans Acts 17. 11. willing to spend so much time in hearing Paul preach in publike Surely this was one cause amongst the rest sc. the care which they had to spend their time well even in private They searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so and so finding how sweetely Pauls Doctrine accorded with that which they found written in Gods Booke they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and tooke delight to spend much time in the duties of Gods publike worship and service Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and loe this would make us love to spend much time in Gods service publikely c. Thirdly Hee that would have an heart rightly prepared that he may bee fit and willing to spend much time in the duties of Gods solemne worship and service must have a care to beginne the day with religious exercises and holy meditations godly cogitations let into the heart in the morning will season the heart of a man
exceedingly and keepe it in a better frame all the day after ô what an excellent thing to consecrate even our first awaking unto God this is the way to shut out the three capitall adversaries of our salvations the Devill the World and the Flesh that are ready to dispose us to evill so soone as we awake in the morning The way to keepe out this wretched company all the day isto let God into our hearts so soone as we awake by holy meditations See an experiment of this in David What made him to make so great account of Gods publike Ordinances Surely his care to begin the day well was a very great helpe unto him Even hee that saith in our Text A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand could say other where Early in the morning will I direct my prayers unto thee and will looke up Psalme 5. 3. Hee was an excellent husband in a morning And therefore as the drunkard riseth early to follow strong drinke Isaiah 5. So Gods people must rise early in the morning to doe God service yea this was an ordinary thing with David Psalme 119. 147. I prevented the dawneing of the morning and cryed hee was at his holy exercises before the dawneing of the day So Psalme 130. ver 6. My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning He was like a man full of paine that could not rest nor sleepe all the night but watcheth for the morning light or a man that hath some speciall businesse to doe that breaketh his sleepe with the thoughts of it and lyeth and watcheth for the morning that he may speedily start up and set about it so a gracious heart doth even consecrate his first awakings unto God and lyeth and watcheth for an opportunitie to doe God service Oh that we would hearken to this direction sc. to begin the day well even with holy meditations Oh what a shame is it that we should not bee as diligent to save our soules as the wicked are to loose theirs and bee at least as zealous in Gods service as they are in the devils Now marke the practise of the wicked Mich. 2. 2. They imagine mischiefe upon theirbe ds when the morning light commeth they practise it So on the contrary let us as soone as we awake imagine piety upon our beds that when the morning light commeth wee may practise the same to GODS glory and our eternall salvation It is the practise of some wise people that live in infected places that â—efore 〈◊〉 goe abroad in the morning they take a â—rauâ—ht of some wholesome liquor to fill their veines which is an excellent meanâ—s to prevent the infection of the pestilence or any such like catching or infectioâ—â— disease so a good draught of prayer or holy meditation the reading of a Chapter next our heart such spirituall receits would be excellent meanes to prevent the world or devils infecting of our soules wheras if we venture abroad without all or any of these fasting as it were we are in great danger to be infected To this purpose we have the example and practise of our blessed Saviour who by private prayer and meditation made himselfe the fitter for the discharge of the duties of his publike Ministery Yea and arose early in the morning to that purpose Observe it Mar. 1. There we shall finde that our Saviour was earnestly benâ— upon the discharge of his Propheticall office and to this end by his Spirit stirreth up an earnest desire in the peoples hearts to heare him and therefore saith the Text Simon and they that were were with him said unto him All men seeke for thee verse 36. 37. and then see his resolution to that purpose verse 38. 39. Let us goe into the next townes that I may preach there also for therefore came I forth and so he preached in their Synagogues throughout all Galilee But what meanes did he use to fit himselfe for this purpose that yee may see ver 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed wherein he is an excellent patterne for our imitation and by his blessed example doth plainely teach us that for a man to arise early in the morning to performe the duties of Gods private worship and service is an excellent meanes to prepare and fit him for the duties of Gods publike worship and service Hereupon it is also that He giveth direction for private prayer even prayer in the Closet as well as publike Matth. 6. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut the doore and pray unto thy Father in secret and thy Father that seeth in secret will reward thee openly Which he doth not only because such prayers for the most part are done in sincerity but also because he well knew that the more men made conscience of prayer in secret the fitter and the more willing they would bee to spend time in the publike duties of Gods service besides the promise of acceptance is made to such as seeke wisedome early Pro. 8. 17. I love them that love me and they that seeke mee early shall finde mee saith Wisedome there CHAP. IX Containing the fourth Direction how to spend much time in Gods service FOurthly if wee would spend much time in the duties 〈◊〉 Gods publike worship and service wee must labour to 〈◊〉 our hearts fraught with the love of Gods House and Ordinances wee must love publike prayer and the Word preached and the Sacraments c. Men will never care for spending much time in things which they love not they are soone weary of such kind of imployments but on the other side men care not how much time they spend in those things which they love and wherein they delight Some spend their time in working and toyle and moyle to get wealth they will arise early and sit up late and eat the bread of sorrowes c. And why so Surely because they love profit Some spend their time in hunting and hawking and such like recreations because they love their pleasures Some spend their time in study because they love learning In a word Trahit sua quemque voluptas every man usually spendeth most time in that which hee loveth best And therefore he only is fit to spend much time in Gods service that is greatly in love with the duties of Religion What a great deale of time did Iacob spend in Laban's service for the love of Rachel twise seven yeares he served him night and day with all his power and they seemed but a few dayes in regard of the love which hee had to her saith the Text Genesis 29. 20. Twise seven yeares seeme but a few dayes if they be considered and looked upon with the eyes of love Now is it not a great shame for us that are Christians if it shall
See then what followeth ver 18. And they all with one consent beganne to make excuse The first sayd unto him I have bought a piece of ground and I must needs goe and see it I pray thee have me excused Ver. 19. And another sayd I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I must needs goe and prove them c. Ver. 20. And another sayd I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come Thus yee see what worldly excuses they had And our Saviour doubtlesse would hereby teach us that inordinate love of the world keepeth men from the duties of Gods service Secondly Or else if it doe not altogether keep us from them yet they are great means to distract us in them so that if we doe set our selves to serve God yet we cannot doe it with all the heart as we should This covetous carking will steale away the heart that we cannot so seriously hearken to the Word preached we cannot set our hearts to all the good Word of God as we ought to doe Deut. 32. 46. These words that I command thee shall be in thy heart sayth God Deut. 6. 6. This cannot be in this case for covetous carking will keepe out the Word and distract us in hearing of it See an experiment of this in Ezechiels hearers Ezec. 33. 31. By their outward garbe and fashion they seemed to be very religious they were constant hearers They come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare my words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse It was but an heartlesse piece of service that they performed to God covetousnesse even in the very instant of hearing had stollen away their hearts They were just like unto a Chapman that while he is busie in cheapning a commoditie and beating it to a price a nimble subtle cutpurse in the meane time hath stollen his purse so that when he should come to pay for his commoditie his money is gone Let us beware and take heed of this subtle jugler that will eyther keepe us from or distract us in the duties of Gods worship and service Or else thirdly This will keepe us from profiting by or practising of that which we seeme to heare with great attention so that we shall become but hearers onely but not doers of the Word and so build the houses of our soules upon the sand This our Saviour sheweth in his Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. 22. Some seede falleth among the Thornes and the Thornes grow up with it and choke it that is as our Saviour himselfe there expoundeth it He also that received seede among the thornes is he that heareth the Word and the care of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the Word and he becometh unfruitfull Thus yee see the great hurt we receive by this unjust usurper of our precious time which prevaileth so much the more because he seemeth to be the right Lord and the true owner of the greatest part of our time What must we doe in this case Surely so farre as this care is inordinate it must needs be mortified It masketh under the name of thrift and frugalitie and good husbandry c. But indeed where this prevaileth there the one thing needfull must needs be wanting As appeareth by that speech of our Saviour Luk. 10. 42. Martha Martha thou carest and art cumbred about many things but one thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from her And therefore this is a speciall corruption that must needs be mortified This is one of our earthly members that must be put to death Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse c. and covetousnesse which is Idolatry But how shall we suppresse and mortifie this unruely companion I answer Vpon a three fold meditation or consideration First Consider how needlesse secondly how vaine and fruitlesse and thirdly how prejudiciall and hurtfull it is to spend time in carking First Consider how needlesse because we have our wise and heavenly Father to take care for us 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you sayth the Apostle We may learne of little children to depend upon the care and providence of our heavenly Father They never take care where to get meate and drinke nor how to procure new cloathes but leave the care of these things unto their parents how much more should we commit the care of these things to God who hath assured us that we shall not want any thing that is good Psal. 34. 10 How chearefully and comfortably may we depend upon the promise of our heavenly Father that he will never faile us nor forsake us Consider Mat. 6. 33. But secke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and these things shall be added unto you This is one of our Saviours chiefe arguments to disswade from inordinate care Mat. 6. 31 32. Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eate Or what shall we drinke Or wherewithall shall we be cloathed Ver. 32. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things i.e. therefore it is a needlesse thing for you to cumber or trouble your selves with any such unnecessary cogitations Secondly This inordinate care and thought-taking for outward things is not onely needlesse and superfluous but also exceeding vaine and fruitlesse it cannot availe any thing at all it can doe no good Mens ayme and end in this case is to get wealth and to be rich but it is not inordinate care but the blessing of God that maketh rich sayth the wisest Salomon Pro. 10. When we have carked cared and cast beyond the Moon yet this will not serve the turne when we have done what we can This is another of our Saviours excellent arguments that he produceth in this case Mat. 6. 27. Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubite unto his stature No with all our care we cannot so much as make one haire white or black and therefore all our care thought-taking in this case is vaine and fruitlesse Psal. 127. 1 2. Except the Lord build the house except he keepe the Citie the builders and watchmen do both spend their strength in vaine they wholly loose their labour and ver 2. It is in vaine for you to rise up early and sit up late and to eate the bread of sorrowes for so he giveth his beloved sleepe Thou shalt remember that it is the Lord thy God that giveth thee power to get wealth sayth the Lord Deut. 8. 17 18. Thou shalt not say my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth It is not our
of diverse sorts 1. Sort. 1. Such as can finde time for every thing but onely for Gods service 2. Sort. Are such as spend more time in idle pleasures and recreation then in Gods service Remedies against this 1. Remedie 2. Remedie 3. Sort. Are such as stay long before they beginne to spend any time at all that way Simile Antidotes against this Gods command Consider that the time wee have to spend is very uncertaine The longer we are before we beginne the more difficulties wee shall meete withall Consider how just it is for God to reject such as doe turne at last 4. Sort. Such as spend some time in Gods service but not enough 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The stronger our assurance of salvation Wee shall bring credit to our profession 5. Sort. Such as spend more time in the Devils service then in Gods Preservatives 1. Remedy Whilest we live thus we are children of wrath 2. Remedy God wil not heare their prayers that doe so 3. Remedy All such are at utter enmity with God 4. Remedy Consider that the devill is the worst Master that we can serve 6. Sort. Such as will neither spend Time in Gods service themselves nor suffer others Luk. 11 52. See the wofull estate of all such Guilty of the bloud of soules Ezec. 33. 6. A sinne of a large extent reacheth up unto heaven The wrath of God is ready to fall on them to the uttermost A fearefull signe of reprobation A signe they belong to Sathan Vse 3. sc. For Exhortation to sundry duties especially three 1. Duty That wee begin betimes and set our selves ever speedily to serve the Lord and without all delay Motives 2. 1. The utility as appeareth in sundry benefits which flow from hence Benefit The Lord taketh it exceeding kindly if we set our selves to serve him in our youth 2. Benefit It will prevent the Lustes of youth which will else lie heavie upon us in our age Service of sinne bitternesse in the end 3. Benefit Quo semel est imbuta c. It will make us constant in Gods service in our age 4. Benefit The more comfort for the present the more glory hereafter 5. Benefit Hereby wee shall comfort our parents and requite their love 2. Motive 2 Necessity Eccles. 12. 1. Sundry mischiefs which flow from the neglect of it 1 Mischiefe Wee shall serve worse Masters 2 Mischiefe The more difficult Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit 3. Mischiefe God hath just cause to reject such in their age See their Histories Mr. Harris Abs. Funerall Mischiefe As none can be saved except he repentâ— so none can repent unlesse it be given him from above Men may dye three wayes 1 Suddenly 2 Sullenly 3 Desperately Qui dat misericordium poenitentibus non dat semper poenitentium petentibus Aug. Vt vera poenitentia nunquâ—m est sera sic sera poenitentia raro vera Bis dat qui citò dat Sen. Proverbe 5. Mischiefe Bringeth Gods wrath upon children Vse of Exhortation 2. Branch sc. To bee constant in Gods service when wee have once begun Motives Which are threefold The equity God is our Master and wee his servants many wayes Wee are Gods servants by profession 2 His sworne servants We are his made servants His bought servants or by way of Redemption Simile We are his hired servants Psal. 105. last 2. Motive From the Vtilitie as appeareth by sundry benefits 1. Benefit It will assure us 〈◊〉 when wee dye we shall goe to heaven 2. Benefit This will be our crowne of glorie in our age 3. Benefit This will also assure us that we 〈◊〉 Christs Disciples 4. Benefit That God will heare our prayers 5. Benefit All such shall bee taught of God and directed in his truth 6. Benefit This will afford us comfort in the greatest troubles that can befall us yea even in death 3. Motive The necesâ—itie of it Constancie in Gods service is necessarie Arguments Els we loose all the pains we have taken in Gods service heretofore Danger of backsliding It is a thing most odious and hatefull to God Necessary to bee constant because the devill seeketh continually to doe us mischiefe and bring us backe to his kingdome Meanes Generall A right disposition of the heart shewing it selfe In sundry specialties 2. Speciall 1 It must bee a faithfull or beleeving heart A loving heart An heart fraught with the true feare of God A sound and upright or a good and an honest heart An heart yeelding obedience in lesser matters Dike Deceitf of heart page 191. Lastly an heart â—tored with courage and paâ—â—ence 3. Dutie To spend as much time in Gods service as wee can possibly Motives Time present is the only time for this purpose 2. Motive This time is short Ars longa vitabrevis 3. Motive Wee stay long before we begin 4. Motive The excellency of our Master Almightie Master able to defend his servants and to provide for them He is ever present with them Very pitifull and full of compassion Readie to pardon the wants and weaknesses of his servants A soule-saving Master Accepteth the will for the deed Helpeth his servants in doing their duties to him A good pay-master and bountifull Taketh pleasure in their prosperitie Heareth pâ—avers and revengeth the wrongs and injuries that are offered to them * Rom. 10. Meanes And directions how to spend much time in Gods service 1. An heart rightly fitted and prepared for this purpose 2. Direction Sc. Constancy in the private duties and exercises of Religion 3. Direction 1. Beginne each day with the private duties of Religion 4 Direction Wee must labour to have our hearts fraught with the love of Gods house and Ordinances Motives To perswade us to the love of Gods house and Ordinances 2. Motive The worth and excellencie of Gods Ordinances 3. Motive The singular use and benefit of them 1. Benefit Of the Word preached it is the Word of God 2. Benefit The Word of Health 3. Benefit The Word of Comfort 4. Benefit The Word of spirituall consolation 5. Benefit The word of eternall life and salvation 5. Direction Redeeme the Time Whately Redemption of Time All mispenders of time must be suppressed Let. 1. 1. Sinnc Quest. Resp. 1. Remedy Sinne must be discovered and found out 2. Remedy Smite it with the two edged sword of the Spirit Heb. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super â—mnem gladinm ancipitem 3. Remedie Flâ—e unto Heaven for aâ—de bâ—â—ervent prayeâ— Whateley's Husbandry pag. 8 Ibid. p. 8â— M. Bernard Isle of man pag. 165. 4. Remedie 1. Medit. Iam. 1. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Medit. 3. Medit. 2. Let. Excessive sleeping or sluggishnes 1. Rule or Remedie To habituate or accustome our selves to timely rising 2. Rule or Remedy Take heede of immoderate use of the Creatures 3. Let. Immoderate carking and caring for the things of this life The great hurt that this thiefe will doe us It keepeth us from the performance of holy duties Or
diâ—â—racteth us in them Simile Or else keepeth us from proâ—iting by them Quest. Meanes and Remedies Ans. Consider How Needlesse these excessive cares are How vaine and fruitlesse Dangerous and hurtfull 1. Mischiefe They lâ—â— us open to Sathans foule temptations 2 Mischiefe They will eat out the true love of God out of our hearts 3. Mischiefe Depriveth us of Gods love to us 4. Mischiefe Keepeth many from entring upon the pro 〈…〉 Religion 5. Mischiefe Maketh men fickle and inconstant in Religion 6. Mischiefe Bringeth the wrath of God upon a mans posteritie 4. Let. sc. Carnall feasting Remedies To consider the great hurt that commeth by it 1. Mischiefe Abuse of Gods creatures 2. Mischiefe A breeder of quarrells and unquietnesse 3. 〈…〉 4. Mischiefe And also to forget God 5. Mischiefe Increase our torments in hell if we repent not 5. Let. sc. Carnall pleasures how hurtfull and dangerous Remedies See that the matter of our pleasures bee lawfull Remedy Seasonable Remedie 3. Moderate and not excessive 4. Rule or Remedy Meditat. To consider the vanity of carnall pleasures Medit. 2. Fickle and uncertaine Meditat. 3. Hurtfull dangerous Vaine speeches 6. Let. Remedies Meditat. 1. That God doth curiously observeour-speeches Metitat 2. God will call us to a strict account for them 2. Remedy Consisting in practise Keepe thy mouth and tongue with all diligence 7. Let. Is vaine thoughts Remedies Consisting in meditation 1. God searcheth the heart seeth our thoughts God will bring our very thoughts into judgment 3. Dutie Not only to spend much time in Gods service our selves but also to doe our best to prevaile with others to doe so It hath bin the practise of Gods people to doe so Reasons or Motives In regard of God because hereby we shall shew our zeale to his glory which is hereby advanced 2. Motive In regard of our selves because 1. This is a good Testimony that we our selves are religious 3. Motive In regard of others hereby we shall manifest our love discharge our dutie to others This hath beene the practise of Gods people Else we hate oâ—r brother in our heart The Iayler Acts 16. Abraham Ioshua None but such can be truely assured of their owne conversion This is the way to bring Gods blessing upon our families 4. Motive To perswaâ—â— us to endeavour to prevaile with others to spend time in Gods service sc. The worth and excellency of the duties of Gods publike worship and service 1. Publike praâ—ers lawfull and excellent M. Sam. Hieron Preface before Helpe to Devotion M. Hildersham on Psal 51. pag. 810. 811. Idem on Psal. 51. page 68. Hildersham Fast. page 37. Illustration In regard of the Companie that is present there The presence of Gods people The Angels are present there Chrysostom Pareus in locum Hildersha on Iohn 4. page 117. Not onely the Saints and Angels but also the Lord himselfe is there present 2. Illustrat Such prayers are usually most powerfull and prevalent 3. Illustrat Such prayers redound most to Gods glorie 4. Illustrat Most sweet and comfortable The excellency of the Sacraments 1. Baptisme the excellency of it It was instituted by Christ himselfe The administration of it is 2 Beneficiall to us 1. Benefit 1. Hereby we are put in minde of our owne Baptisme and the benefits which we then received 2. Benefit This may put us in mind of the vow wee made then to God 3. Benefit Hereby witnesses in Baptisme may bee put in minde of that which they undertooke in the behalfe of others 4. Benefit An opportunity of performing a good office in the behalfe of the Infant baptized Lords Supper The excellency of it An Ordinance of Christ. Beneficall to us Benefits Hereby we doe receive Christ with his merits Our corruptions are mortified and the graces of Gods spirit increased 5. Benefit The commemoratton of the death of Christ most lively represented unto us
confessed his owne guiltinesse and the justice of God 2. Vindicated the innocency of Christ. 3. Was affected with the judgement and brought to feare God 4. Earnestly desired to worke upon his fellow servant Doest thou not feare God c. i.e. ô feare God consider what a wofull estate thou art plunged into Reasons or Motives io perswade us hereunto are foure 1. In regard of God 2. In regard of our selves 3. In regard of others 4. In regard of the excellency of Gods Ordinances 1. In regard of God because the Lord is much honoured and his Name is highly magnified and therefore hereby we shall shew our zeale for Gods glory and our â—ove unto his Majesty Gods glory in all things should be respected in the first place Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoever ye doe doe all to the glory of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 31. Now surely the more people and the greater the company is that joyne together in the duties of Gods service the more glory must needs hereby redound to God for the enlarging of Christs kingdome is a chiefe meanes of advancing Gods glory This our Saviour teacheth in the very mould and course of the Lords Prayer it appeareth in the very order of the petitions 1. Hallowed be thy Name to shew that in all things in the first place Gods glory must be respected 2. Thy kingdome come there is the chiefe meanes to shew that the comming of Gods kingdome is one chiefe meanes for the hallowing of his Name and the enlarging of Christ's kingdome is a chiefe meanes for the advancing of Gods glory Matth. 6. 10 11. certainely much glory must needs hereby redound to God when we are not content only to serve God our selves but also exhort and excite and stirre up others hereunto Secondly There is another Motive to perswade us which is drawne from our selves Hereby we shall manifest the work of grace wrought in our own hearts This is a good testimony that we are truely religious indeed when wee are not content to serve God our selves but are ready to provoke and stirre up others hereunto for goodnesse is a spreader of it selfe it is ready to disperse and communicate it selfe for the good of others Yee heard what the Holy Ghost said of Barnabas Acts 11. 23. That he exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord ver 24. for he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost A good man and one that is full of the Holy Ghost is and will be ready to excite and stirre up others unto that which is good When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren said our Saviour Luk. 22. 32. He that is truly converted himselfe will be ready to be a meanes to convert and turne others to God See it in David Psalme 51. 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes to the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Where there is abundance of grace in the heart it will manifest it selfe in our gracious speeches and holy communication Psal. 37. 30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisedome his tongue will bee talking of judgement the Law of his God is in his heart c. for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our Saviour Matth. 12. 34. I have hid thy Word in my heart saith David Psalme 119. 11. See the fruit of this Psalm 95. 6. O come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker c. True grace maketh a man ready to doe good offices for others especially to perswade them to serve God and be religious Thirdly In regard of others For hereby we shall best manifest our love and respect to others yea we doe not know how much good we may doe them this way for by this we may come to save a soule from death and cover a multitude of sinnes Iam. 5. 20. Hereby we may come to be acquainted with the wayes of God our selves and others whom we perswade may be hereby converted to walke in his pathes for Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. See how confidently David assureth himselfe of the conversion of others upon his best endeavour to teach them Gods wayes Psal. 51. 13. Then shall I teach thy wayes to the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee How much more if we come to the house and Ordinances of God and bring others with us This argument Gods people have used to perswade others to goe with them to Gods house Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord for he will teach us of his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Isa. 2. 2 3. This is the way to bring others to the true feare of GOD as well as our selves if we can perswade them to accompany us in the constant and frequent use of Gods Ordinances Observe an excellent place to this purpose Deut. 31. 11 12. When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord in the place that he shall choose thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates Why so What good will they get this That they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God to doe all the words of this Law Where we see that the house or place of Gods worship and service must be constantly frequented and that it is not enough for us to come thither our selves but we must also bring our whole families men women and children yea the very stranger that doth but occasionally come unto us we must bring all to Gods Ordinances And lastly that hereby we are likely to be instruments of working the feare of God in the hearts of those whom we bring and so to bring them to obedience Let no man say What neede we trouble our selves with others Is it not enough for every man to looke to himselfe and to have a care that he spend time himselfe in Gods service though he doe not meddle with others For though Christian charitie begin at home yet it doth not end there but he that is truely carefull to serve God himselfe will be readie to exhort and admonish others especially those of his familie and such as are committed to his charge And if any thinke much at this yet let him know that it is no more then his dutie Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day Nay no man can have any good assurance that he draweth nigh to God with a true heart himselfe if he doe not doe his best endeavour to excite and stirre up others to doe so too See an excellent passage to this purpose Heb. 10. 22. 24. c. Let us draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our