great reward so any love if it be but little shall have some God will not quench the smoaking flax if it be but a spark of love he will cherrish that If it be lesse then a spark a smoake of love he will cherrish that Yet labour to get abundance it must not be a weak remisse love that is bestowed on God the object is infinite the act must answer the object We must make our love we cannot make it infinite we must extend it as neare infinite as we can come It must not be Amor remissus or Intermissus but perfectus and assiduus True love observe no meane it keeps no measure no bounds can be set to true love the love of God will enlarge and break out more and more We should love him wholly and solely we should love him so as to love nothing besides we should love him so as to love all things in him and for him and without him nothing We should love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength there are foure things that is to love him with every faculty and with the strength of every faculty If I had foure souls as some Philosophers dreamed that we had 3. all those foure were too little were a man all soul all love all that were too little to be bestowed on God It is a high reach it is true indeed but we need not despaire though it be a high reach it is attainable by us because it hath beene attained by others The Saints before are magnified in Scripture for their love of God We have the same meanes the same helps and motives and the same encouragements If love be wanting as it is very much in the World the reason is because men doe not labour to thrive and grow in the love of God God deprives us of the comfort of the love of himselfe because we have no more love one to another But yet if we will apply our selves to the meanes love is recoverable it is not all dead nor all the sparks of love it may be blowne to a greater flame The meanes are various One way whereby we may profite in the love of God is this to empty our hearts of all carnall love whither it be the love of the World or of our selves There is nothing that stands more betweene the love of God and the heart then carnall Worldly love and above all this doting love of our selves Every man is for himselfe we all seeke our selves and not the things that are Christs sayth the Apostle and we all love our selves and not the things that belong to God it is very rare to be found the love of God in sincerity The reason is the love of our selves is so ingrafted and Printed in our hearts that it cannot be gotten out As he that will take his hand full of Corne must first empty his hand if it be full of Sand or Earth or Gravell So if we will replenish our hearts with the love of God there must first be an evacuation an emptying an expulsing and carrying out of carnall love the love of the great World about us and the love of the little World the love of our selves If any man be a lover of the World the love of the Father is not in him sayth St. John The love of the World and the love of God cannot consist together That is the first step to be taken to love God to put the World out of our hearts and to goe out of our selves Christ therefore gives that rule He that will come after me let him deny himselve He that will love God must unlove himselfe We dote upon our selves we are all for our selves therefore we are nothing for God That is one step to love God When we have emptied our hearts of all carnall selfe-love and Worldly love then there is another meanes to consider with our selves oft to call ourselves to those meditations what those motives are that make God so amiable how much beauty and goodnesse there is in God So much beauty that all the beauty of the creatures even of the Angells further then there is somthing of God in them is deformity to the excellency of God all the glory of Heaven further then it is a reflexion of Gods glory it is nothing to Gods beauty And the goodnesse of God how great it is and how great to us to love us and to love us when we were Enemies and in so great a measure to love us as to give his Son to die for us to love us so much as to prepare a place for us If his love reflect upon our hearts it will beget love againe if we come once to think how much God loves us how will it reflect love back One reason we love him so little is we doe not consider how he hath loved us and how Beautifull and Amiable his presence is When we have brought our selves to these meditations another step is to be frequent and conversant in the word of God it is the lively picture of the love of God There are veines and passages of Gods love and incentives to love him in every part we shall not meet with any peice of Scripture but it will kindle some part of love to God He that would Print love let him Print the Bible in his heart if we converse with the word of God that gives documents everywhere of the love of God That is another step Then the fourth that is the step and ascent of prayer A man cannot love God without divine prayer He that loves God will knock at the gate of love love is not to be had but from the God of love Sayth St. Austin pray if you will get the love of God that he would open the door Prayer will fetch every grace so prayer will fetch love for prayer is an argument of love We cannot have recourse to God in prayer but there will be the flight and ascent of love when any Love-suite is sent to God it is not lost he that begs love begs all Lord that I may love thee How much love will this prayer fetch That is another step to attaine the love of God Then when we have made this step there is one more the oft inquisition that we make into our owne hearts and blame our selves that we love him so little O when a man is offended with himselfe for any thing that is contrary it makes him diligent to attaine it A Christian that knowes what belongs to the love of God how doth he blame and condemne himselfe that he loves God so little That he began to love him so late How doth he grudg that any thing should carry any part of his heart or of his love from God He thinks the love lost that is cast upon the Creature he thinks himselfe a thiefe that he should steale any love from God that we should rob God of our love and obedience
journey ib. Judgments No removing of judgments without repentance page 15 Cause of feare that judgments will continue page 20 The word of God why called his judgments page 286 See feyned prayer praise Just How God is said to be just in forgiving sins page 38 Justification Free justification misunderstood page 69 K. Knowledge A proofe of Christs divine knowledge page 467 Knowledg of evill Angells deâ—ective in divine Misteries page 493 Angels want no knowledg that concerns their happinesse page 521 See practise L. Labourers The Crowne of life the reward of labourers page 256 Language Every grace hath a peculiar language page 36 99 Large The heart a large roome how page 481 Latitude Latitude of Gods mercies page 114 Lasting The Crowne of life a lasting honour page 231 Law The word of God why called his law page 266 All creatures but man keepe the law set them page 323 Legall Thankefulnesse better then legall sacrifice page 169 See Dead Life The Crown given at the end of life page 257 See comprehensive Lifting see eyes hands mind Religion Linked Graces linked together page 358 Lips Praise called the calves of the lips why page 161 167 What lips God will bee praised with page 163 Lips put for the whole man page 165 Long. Comfort against sufferings if they be long page 233 Lord. Thankefulnesse due to God as our Lord page 148 Lovâ— Why the Crown is promised to love page 269 All graces in lâ—ve page 271 Every one that loves God shall be crowned page 275 Meanes to get love to God page 276 Meditation of Gods lovelinesse begets love to God page 277 To blame our selves for want of love page 278 The greatest testimonie of love to God page 310 See commands prayer suffering word M. Man The word man how taken in Scripture page 189 Woman included under the name of man page 192 Man tempts man how page 247 Two men in a Christian page 340 See Incarnation Many Comfort against sufferings if they be many page 233 Master Obedience due to all kind of Masters page 394 Servants learn evill of their Masters page 397 Difference between earthly and our heavenly Master page 407 How to know whether God be our Master page 413 The duty of a good Master page 430 Christ why called the Master page 442 Christ the great Master page 448 Meanes God not tyed to meanes page 421 Measure True love keeps no measure page 275 Meditation Preparation to meditation necessary page 324 Meditation what page 325 Meditation scarce in the world page ibid. Meditation improves every grace page 327 Mentall Vocall prayer a help to mental page 53 Merit Merits of Saints not to be trusted page 108 No satisfaction by merit page 119 Mercie Antiquity of Gods mercie page 113 Mercie a motive to beg mercie page 116 The end of all waiting is for mercie page 418 See alliance attribute duration waiting Metaphor Metaphor what page 155 Duties in Scripture delivered under metaphors page 156 Mind Eye of the mind to look up to God page 386 Ministers Ministers to watch their people in their failings page 34 Ministers to condiscend to peoples weakness page 35 See Declare Mysteries Good Angels studie Gospel-mysteries page 496 506 See Angels Mixed We have need of tryals because we are mixed page 252 Monosyllable Masters servants how as monosyllables to each other page 394 Morall Difference between Christian and morall vertues page 359 Motion Motion of two sorts page 334 The life of Christianity in motion page 335 Perseverance the continuance of a Christians motion page 337 Difference between corporall and spirituall motion page 346 The continuation of a Christians motion page 354 See standing excellent vitall Mournfull Mournfull words to be used in confession of sin page 45 Mountains Why the lightning strikes the mountains page 472 N. Name Every true Christian hath his name in the promise page 274 A new name given to Believers page 437 The names of diverse Pen-men of Scripture concealed page 440 Preachers not to come in their own name page 474 Nature To turn to God by the bond of nature page 23 Art perfects nature page 61 Necessity Bond of necessity to turn to God page 23 O. Obedience Bond of obedience to turn to God page 23 Obedience singles not out commands page 313 Lifting up the eyes a testimony of obedience page 389 The period of a Christians obedience page 419 Christ the pattern of obedience page 460 The assent of an obedient heart page 476 See condition Object Faith singles not out it 's object page 313 Omniscience Christs omniscience shewed page 437 Others God tries us that others may know what is in us page 250 Over Mercie over Gods works page 112 Outward God must have praise from the outward man page 164 Comfort when God takes away outward things page 452 Owne Servants not their own page 396 P Pardon Impenitency never meetes with pardon page 18 Errour of those that will not pray for pardon page 68 Arguments against such as deny to pray for pardon page 71 Pardon to be begged with all blessings page 72 How the Devill hinders prayer for pardon page 73 Severall expressions of the pardon of sins page 104 God the only author of pardon page 107 Goodnesse of God in the pardon of sinne page 111 To beg more grace after pardon page 131 Pardon to be prayed for before removall of judgments page 139 Thankefulnesse especially due for pardon page 147 See confession eyes Passe-over The Christians Passeover page 431 All invited to the new Passeover page 438 Why Christ did â—at the Passover page 459 See Abrogate Pastor The duty of a Pastor to his Flocke page 431 Patience Patience to be laboured for page 213 Praise of Patience page 214 Promises the support of patience page 266 People The duty of people to their Pastor page 430 Perfect perfection Vocall prayer makes prayer perfect page 54 Christians to grow to perfection page 369 Perfection when to be sought page 374 See Soule Perseverance Perseverance carries on a christian still page 335 Excellency of perseverance page 336 No grace carries to heaven without preseverance page 337 See heaven sublime Physick Repentance as Physick page 25 Suffering as physick page 256 Piety Advances of piety severall wayes set forth page 338 Pitch The pitch that is set to a christians growth page 369 Place Duty of those eminent in place page 434 Pleasant Sin why pleasant to men page 106 Plenty Christs plenty page 451 Poore Poverty Poverty of Chsist set forth page 448 Worldly men imitate not Christ in his poverty page 449 Comfort for those that are poore page 450 Christ begs in the poore page 478 Popery A new kind of Popery page 70 Portion To make Gods word our portion page 295 The most possible way to remove judgements page 14 Pardon over Gods works of power page 112 Proofe of Christs diuine power page 469 Practice Practice required of Christians page 359 Knowledge without practice nothing page 360 Prayer
we rob him then of all there is nothing that God desires but our love therefore in this regard it is that the Apostle sets here the qualification Those that love him If we take love single then the promise is made to love to love first of all graces love hath the first promise it hath preheminence in the graces and preheminence in the Crowne it hath the first portion Then take it as it is joyned and is in concatination with other graces it hath not onely the chiefe place in the promise but all because it is all it includes all graces gifts being accepted of God as all the Apostle sets it downe to stir us up above all things to take care to have our hearts fill'd replenish'd with the love of God the promise is made to love They shall inherite and receive the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him * ⎠* THE SAINTS HERITAGE DELIVERED IN ONE SERMON BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuell Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Psal 16.6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly Heritage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. PSAL. 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart THIS Psalme it is penned in the same straine that Solomons Book of Proverbs is it is not enlarged by production but by coaugmentation As in that Book so in this Psalme there are many passages even all that are very precious but they have no great dependance one part on another There is in this Psalm as many severall ejaculations as there are Sentences there but yet there is no good documentall dependance between them The passages of this Psalme are rather the ebolitions of a devout â—oul then any continued narration A kind of dependance there is but it is like that that was between the links of those Rings that St. Austin speaks of that were touched with a Load-stone The parts they doe hang one upon another not by rules of Art but by the touch of the Spirit And yet that is set forth with that variety that a man that reads the Psalme will think that the Prophet David was in all the severall kinds and sorts of Divine tempers In some passages you have him transported with the rapture of admiration in another breaking forth into humble devout supplication then againe into penitentiall confession then into holy purposes and resolutions and then againe making of serious and solemn protestations to walk in the Commandements of God and to this head we are to refer this Verse that now I have read to you It is a holy protestation that the Psalmist makes by way of Remonstrance or declaration to testifie the great esteeme that he had of the Commandements of God and the comfort he received by them Therefore I have now made choyse of it to follow the Scripture which I last handled as a supply of that which was not there exprest That Scripture shewed to us how a Christian may draw comfort to himselfe in the time of Tribulation from the consideration of the future Crowne of glory that is referred to the other life And here now we have a Foundation of comfort laid downe to us for the present to be had and onely to be had in the word of God in the testimonies that are divine which were the rejoycing of Davids heart and so of all others in the same condition It is set forth to us in this excellent example the person of him that penned the Psalme whose heart was more deeply stricken with the wound of love towards the Commandements of God then any creature that ever breathed upon the Earth and better versed in them By making inquiry into that that was his practise we shall the better learne what should be our owne For that purpose I will divide the words onely into these two parts There is Davids Profession There is Davids Motive The Profession in these words Thy testimonies have I taken for a heritage for ever The motive in these For they are the rejoycing of my heart The profession is one of those many that he makes in this Psalme but more compleat and full then any if not then all of the rest He sayth in other places of the Psalme of Gods Commandements that he had them in esteeme above gold above fine Gold above all riches he comes more neare home to the point in this testification here and it is more full when he sayth he esteemed them as his Heritage as his lot and portion he makes them both as Lands as goods as all above all temporall things whatsoever That we may see it now more fully let us First consider what it is that the Psalmist here speaks of Then what it is that he testifies of it The thing here spoken of is the word of God couched under that name The testimonies of the Lord. Thy testimonies It is a relative name given to the word of God as indeed most of the names whereby it is called in Scripture if not all are relative Some in reference to God Some in reference to Man Some in reference to Both In regard of God himselfe the word is called Voluntas domini the will of the Lord because it containes in it the declaration of his will and pleasure to be wrought by us It is called Verbum domini the word of the Lord because it was published by himselfe Viva voce at the first when he gave the Commandements and voce spiritus by the secret voyce of the Spirit after when he inspired the Prophets and Apostles to pen it Then it is called Statuta Domini the Statutes of the Lord because he hath stablished and ratified it to be the rule of truth and life and Salvation for ever Then in regard of man it is called Lex Domini the Law of the Lord Quia ligat it binds him to performe and to obey and Timor Domini the feare of the Lord because it begets in every one that is acquainted with it a holy ravishing and feare both of the nature and power and judgements of God Then in regard of both it is sometimes called Mandata domini the Commands of the Lord to be performed by us and Judicia domini because it containes the judgements of the Lord to be executed upon us if we breake it And Testimonia Domini the Testimonies of the Lord. The Testification as one sayth between God and his people both that they receive this Law and engage themselves to obedience and conformity to it So now this linck of words and names hath brought us to the name here used A name more frequent then many of the rest and more often used when the Speech is not onely of the word of God it selfe but of any thing that hath reference to it First
cannot be done but by the bath that is taken from Christ and the mercie of God The Jewes that were ignorant and knew nothing in the time of Christ they knew that who can forgive sinnes but God Though they misapplyed it yet it is was true in the thesis and in the generall who can forgine sinnes out God And Christ unlesse he had been God could not have forgiven sins who can forgive sinnes but God Cyrâ—l well upon the place gives the reason it must needs be so because God is the Law-giver and the Judg saith he to whom can it possibly belong to pardon and passe by and wipe away the transgressions of the law but to him that is the giver of the law Therefore none of the Prophets or Apostles durst ever arrogate this priviledge Nathan when he was sent to David though he had a commission from God durst not speak in his own name but the Lord hath pardoned And if there were no Prophet or Apostle durst assume so much shall we that are men far inferiour in place and piety and those speciall intercourses of the love and knowledge of God It is true there is a power given to Ministers declaratorie to publish and pronounce pardon to the truly repentant but the power of absolution properly so called and the power of taking away and pardoning that onely God keeps in his own custodie Saith Ambrose well the Minister of God doth that that belongs to his duty when he declares and publisheth pardon to the repentant but he exerciseth not any power and authority it is but Ministeriall Therefore Saint Austin observes well that when Christ gave this power to his Apostles and Disciples whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted he first premiseth he breathed on them and said receive yee the holy Ghost Saith he first they received the holy Ghost and then whose sinnes yeremit they are remitted For it is the holy Ghost that puts away sinne and not you It is Austin's observation And we may further observe that Christ when hee healed any commonly hee pronounced forgivenesse of sinnes but the Apostles though they healed many yet we never read that they used this word To note that Christ gave the power of healing to them but he kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Further then it is ministeriall hee kept the power of putting away of sinne to himselfe for it is an act of Majestie it cannot be so to others God may make Angels to declare it or men but the power is proper to him Christ gave the power of healing to the Apostles but hee kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Saint Austin presseth it against the Donatists sweetly who would faine have got the power to themselves Austin askes the question tell me the vertue of whose name takes away sinne He speaks of himselfe is it the name of Austin is it the name of Donatus it is neither the name of Paul nor Peter who is Austin who is Donatus And the Apostle presseth it who is Paul and who is Apollo but the Ministers of CHRIST But who is it that takes away sinnes GOD Himselfe This is the second thing the Prophet would bring them to know and acknowledge in this word O Lord to thee belongs mercie and forgivenesse thou art the Father of mercie we can feel the smart of sinne but cannot remove it thou must either take it away or else it will not be taken away therefore shew mercie and come among us either take it from us or else it will take us from thee remove it from us and remove it from thee Take away sinne and receive us graciously I have done with the first part the precatory part which concernes Malum tollendum the evill to be removed the evill of sin The second is bonum largiendum in these words â—â—ke away all iniquity and receive us graciously It is in the Originall and shew us good Yet in the Originall a little further Take away iniquity and receive good Like that phrase in the Psalm He received gifts for men that is he gave gifts to men Receive good that is shew good shew thy grace that is as it is well interpreted in English receive us graciously Two things are to be considered in it One that I propounded in the forenoon though I came not to it that is the connexion of this part to the other The other is the order of this part with the other why it is joyned or added to the other clause and why it followes it I shall hardly speak of all But let us looke upon the connexion why is this clause added to the other Is not this enough take away all iniquitie It seemes this is superfluous for where-ever sinne is pardoned grace is conveyed where GOD takes away sinne he discovers grace and where hee crucifies the old man he stamps the image of the new where hee frees from death he gives interest to life where sinne is pardoned salvation is stated upon the soule what need this follow this one word take away all iniquitie is all the expression that need to be used But the Prophet would bring them to a greater enlargement and it is added for speciall reasons I will bring them to these three First it is added as a clause of illustration Take away all iniquitie so shew thy self gracious favourable Noting this that there is nothing doth more magnifie the goodness glory of God then the pardon of sin nothing doth more shew his grace then that As if he had said thou art the Father of mercie we have need of mercy thou hast mercy for thousands and we are thousands that beg it we pray thee to pardon our sins and manifest thy mercie in pardoning by receiving us graciously shew us grace in the pardoning our sins It is the greatest evidence of the mercie of God in the pardoning of sinnes it is that that glorifies God most It is well said by the Psalmist that his mercie is over all his works and we may say of the grace of pardoning that it is over all his other mercies There are other mercies that God shewes us that concerne our temporall estate O these come not within compare Nay spirituall mercies if he preserve any it is the grace of custodie If he deliver any from danger it is the grace of liberty If he accept our prayers and receive them at our hands that is a testimonie of mercie the grace of acceptation but if he pardon sinne that hath all in it that is Gods tender mercie in that he shewes bowels of mercie He opens his casket of mercy in all favours but hee opens his owne bowels when he pardons sinne that includes all mercies that David calls his tender mercies Over all our works it is even over the worst workes of ours which is sinne Over all Gods works it is euen over all the best of Gods works besides in creating preserving and keeping It is that that shines and breakes
need of receive us mercifully favourably receive us to thy grace In that I shewed you the reasons why it is annexed to the former part as a clause of Illustration shew thy selfe Gracious by pardoning our sins As a clause of inducement we intreat thee for the goodnesse of thy grace and mercy to shew thy selfe so in pardoning our sins we come to God for grace in the name of Grace and for Mercy in the name of Mercy Thirdly as a clause that makes up a perfect Ennumeration of all wants that are comprised under these two heads Take away iniquity and receive us graciously Thus sarr I went That that remaines in the second part is onely the Order of these two particulars For there is some reason why the Prophet sets them in this Order Why not first receive us graciously and then Take away iniquity for all other blessings are Originated in the love and favour of God It is from his love and grace that he grants pardon to us of our Transgressions there is no pardon of sin where there is not grace and favour and love Therefore the Psalmist Psal 85. he sets them in another Order O Lord thou hast beene gracious to the Land And then followes in Vers 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquities of thy People First God is gracious and then he forgives iniquity the pardon of sin must flow from his grace and favour It is true the love of God must of necessity goe before in the order of nature all the effects of his love and favour whatsoever the cause must be before the effect and the Fountaine before the Streame in nature But yet the Scripture useth some difference of setting downe these particulars for sometimes it sets the one before and sometimes the other The reason is because they are mutually infolded and so close knit that one cannot be without the other There is no greater demonstration of Gods grace and favour then the pardon of sin if there be grace and favour there will be forgivenesse where there is forgiveness there is an evident testimony that God hath shewed the riches of his grace therefore though the Prophet set it here in another order then sometimes it is in Scripture there is good reason for it besides that there may be three things said for the justification of this order there are three reasons of it Eyther as they conteine in them a Petition for the enlargement of the continuance of grace Or for the enlargment of the Evidence and demonstration of grace Or a Petition for the enlargment of the communication of his grace to them In all these 3. sences the order is every way justifiable First in putting these two together there is a Petition for the inlargment of the continuance of Gods grace Take away iniquity and receive us graciously In these two he prayes for the giving of grace and the duration and perpetuation of it So the order is thus Grace cannot be continued till it be bestowed and given In the first word he prayes for the giving of it that God would receive them to a state of reconciliation In the second that he would continue them and keepe them in that estate Shew thy selfe first gracious in pardoning our sins and shew thy selfe againe gracious in keeping us from committing sin What profits it though our former sins be pardoned if we continue in them Therefore the Prophet teacheth them to beg not onely for forgivenesse of sins but for strengthening of grace to continue in it To shew that apenitent faithfull soul stands in need of God after his sins are pardoned We have not done with God when our sins are pardoned we need a further enlargment of grace to keep us in that estate lest we relaps Therefore the beleiving soul makes up his Prayer of these two Lord thou hast been gracious and I rely upon thee for the time to come that thou wilt still The Point is this that The faithfull soul after it hath had a tast of the goodnesse of God in the pardon of sin it rests not there but goes on still to beg more grace A greater enlargement of favour it must needs be so in the order of our desires Grace is of a ravishing nature when it possesseth the heart it inflames it Even in Heaven where grace is full there is an Apetite of complacency for desire of the continuance of that grace and favour though there cannot be a desire of more where the Vessell is full But in Earth where grace is powred in by drops there is an Appetite of desire because there is want continually And we never have grace but that we see we want more then a man loves grace more when God powres in more and he thinks he wants more It is the order in Gods proceeding he layes this method he gives his spirit for this purpose not onely to cleanse us from sin but to strengthen us for new obedience not onely to Seale to us our reconciliation for the present but to keepe us for the time to come And both these are the free gift and work of Gods Spirit it is his spirit that seales to us pardon and it is his spirit that strengtheneth us that we may walke by the strength of that grace And the order of our necessity is such For otherwise how should we doe It is by grace we stand and rise and goe on and persevere A Christian stands in need of God in all the passages of his life every minute and every moment of time for temporalls for spiritualls for naturalls If we looke to those things of nature that we need First it is the goodnesse of God that must give a man meat for his body And aftermear it is a second grace to give him a Stomack And after that it is a third good to give him digestion And after that it is a fourth manifestation of goodnesse to turne it to blood and spirits that it may be healthfull So for temporalls it is one Testimony of goodnesse that he keeps us from danger It is a second that he keeps us in the right way And it is a third that he brings us safe to the end of our journey In spirituall things much more if God should first prevent us with grace and then leave us to our selves what security could we have Our latter end would be worse then our beginning We are not able to subsist of our selves one moment of time Gods grace must have the glory and honour of all that it may have the honour the Prophet here teacheth them thus to pray for the first grace and the second grace for the beginning and for the continuance of grace to work the will and the Deed that he would perfect the work First Take away iniquity shew thy selfe gracious in pardoning and then continue that grace keep us from sinning againo That is the first justification if we consider the enlargement of the continuance so the order is good Secondly
he was the Son of God Satan himselfe tempted him because he did but suspect then that he was the Son of God it was for triall evill temptations are for triall And so are good too there are good temptations of proofe whereby men prove themselves St. Paul calls that by the name of temptation Prove or try or tempt your selves whither you be in the faith or no know you not your owne selves c. When a man makes inspection into his owne heart to find out how his estate stands how he thrives in grace whither he decline or no when he proves every grace and brings it to the Touch stone here he proves and tries his owne heart he makes triall of his obedience of his faith of his patience of his love to God of his meeknesse of his repentance of his growth in all These temptations to good are trialls Last of all to bring it to the point the good tryalls wherewith God is said to tempt men God tempts and tries to see whither we will love him with all our hearts or no God is said to tempt men principally by tribulations they are therefore called trialls But he hath many other wayes of prooving every way whereby he reveales himselfe is a way of triall He hath as many wayes of tryall as he hath wayes of revealing himselfe If he give us his word it is for tryall to prove whither we will bring forth fruit If he take away his word it is for tryall to see how we will walk in the graces that he hath given us If he multiply blessings it is for tryall to see how thankfull we will be and whither we will be drawn by the faire way of invitation by mercies If he take away his blessings and multiply his afflictions it is for tryall still to see how we will beare our selves under the Crosse and take his chastisement Every way that he reveales himselfe whither he send afflictions or remove afflictions whither he send blessing or take away blessings all are for triall Sometimes for the triall of one grace sometimes for the triall of another Sometimes for the triall of obedience Exod. 26. The Lord your God proved and tempted you to see whither you would walk in his Commandements or no. Sometimes for the tryall of our love Exod. 16. The Lord your God prooved you to see whither you would love him withall your hearts And so for all for every grace he sends a tryall But we must understand that God doth not so prove for triall as men doe We take a tryall of things because we are ignorant we doe not know them sufficiently God therefore tries us because he knowes us not that he may have better knowledge of us as we take tryall No God will take tryal of that he knows already or that he knows fully With men every trial is taken either for the gaining or for the bettering of knowledge God that knowes all things and that Searcheth the heart sees what is in us he discernes our thoughts long before There is not a word in our tongues not the least motion in our hearts but he knows it he needs not take a triall for his satisfaction to gaine knowledge or to better his knowledge he knows us better then our selves But there are two reasons why God makes these trialls One reason is given by St. Jerome The other by St. Austin One reason of his trialls is as St. Jerome sayth not that he may know what is in us but that he may make others know otherwise the lustre and light of that grace that God hath given if God should not make it shine out by taking a tryall it could not bring glory to God if it were not exemplary to men the tryall of grace makes it shine He deales with us as Rupurtus sayth as a Merchant of Small-wares a Pedlar doth with his Pack He knows all that is in his Pack but when he comes where Chapmen are he rifles and layes out all not that he may know but that others may know and be invited to buy So God knowes the furnishing of the heart the graces that are there but he rifles them and layes them open by tribulation that others may see the distinction betweene this grace and that that they seeing it may give God the glory Not that he may know but that others may know That is one reason Another Reason why he tempts and prooves and makes tryall Non ut ipse c. not that he may find what is in man but that man may find what is in himselfe we are all strangers to our selves No man knoweth the things of a man but the Spirit that is in man sayth the Apostle Nay we may goe a little further The things of a man knowes not man himselfe It is not all that is in man that can goe to the windings and turnings and Labyrinthes of the heart there are so many partitions and starting-holes that man himselfe cannot find them We know not the weight of our graces nor the depth of our infirmities and Errours God it is that must discover them and how doth he lay them open By tryalls and temptations and tribulations there he lets us see our infirmities and sinfullnesse it is as a Glasse to let us see our infirmities on the one side and as a glasse to see the weight of grace on the other side We could not know the measure of our graces but for trialls how much patience we have and how much faith and how much love and how much thankfullnesse nor any grace a man would never be able to take the true weight of it unlesse it were thus discovered to him and by these trialls Therefore he tries us that he may discover our hearts to our selves to make us see what he hath done for us to make us see what we were what we are and what we may be all this is by triall As a Father deales thus with his Child he takes the Childs finger and puts it to the flame of the Candle or the flame of the fire and bids him proove if it be hot Not but that the Father knowes but that the Child is ignorant that he may learne to shun it So God deales in these Trialls he suffers us to be brought under the flame of Tribulation to be put into the Furnace of afflictions he puts our finger into the flame that we may learne to know that the fire is hot and how hot the fire is that we deserve and had had if Christ had not come he brings us that he may make us know it So sum it up now and then you have the end of all kind of temptations especially these of tribulation they are for triall If that be the end there is no reason we should be out of love with Gods chastisements Were the end evill we had cause to feare and to murmur at tribulations but the end is for good and the best good of all to bring
That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Psal 19.8 The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. PSAL. 119.48 My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandements which I have loved and I will meditate in thy Statutes THE handling of this Scripture may seeme Abortive it doth not come before the time but after It is Abortive in St. Pauls signification because the handling and Exposition of it comes now out of season and after the time It is the Elder Sister to the Text I spake of in the forenoone and hath a place in the Psalme many degrees before it there are above sixty Verses passeth between them yet I have reserved it to the second place for better your Edification that compared with the other I may let you see how a Christian is never to set up his rest here in this World whatsoever pitch of piety he hath attained to but is still to goe forward to strengthen himselfe with new resolution after he hath attained some Here is a good example propounded to us for the manifestation of it the Prophet David he doth in this Psalme intermingle professions with resolutions and resolutions againe with professions sometimes least he should seeme to decay in practise he quickens himselfe by new resolutions Sometimes againe least he should seeme to resolve to no purpose he makes testification of his practise so these two follow one another through the Psalme A module of a Testification I gave in the forenoone in those words Thy Statutes have I chosen as an Heritage for ever and here now he armes himselfe with other resolutions that he may advance in practise My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandements which I have loved and I will meditate in thy Statutes So in briefe the words are nothing else but thus much here is another Protestation by way of remonstrance or Declaration of the Vowes and determinations that holy David imposed upon himselfe for the keeping and meditating in Gods Statutes and according to these two parts I will consider in them There is one part a testification of what he had done they are thy Commandements that I have loved The other it is a profession of what he would doe and that is inlarged by two concident but distinguishable resolutions The one in the first part of the Verse I will lift up my hands to thy Commandements The other in the last I will meditate in thy Statutes In this manner I meane to speake of the words and begin with the middle words of the Verse and that is a declaration of Davids practise for the time past the testification of that he had done I have loved thy Commandements I rather take this in the first place because I wouâ—d begin where I ended the last day you may remember then I spake to you of the love of God the promises that are made to those that are enflamed with that Heavenly affection The Crowne of life which he hath promised to them that love him Now after the love of God what argument is fittest to be spoken of than the love of his commandements if a man would walk through the severall descents of love all men will acknowledge that the first and cheife object of love is God but yet they hardly agree upon the second what is to have the next flight and degree of the affection of our love after God This generall principle will serve to regulate it after God that is most to be loved that hath most of God in it where there is the liveliest stamp and Print of God there most of our love must be bestowed after God himselfe Now there is nothing in the World but hath something of God there are Vestigia in creaturis the darkest and most obscure Print in the inferior Creatures there is the Print of Gods wisdome and power and goodnesse in the superior in man there is a more lively representation there is Imago similitudo the Image and similitude after which he was Created In a Saint God is more lively especially Saints glorified there is a renewing of that Image to the degree of the first perfection so a man would think here he should terminate his love after God on the blessed Saints and Angels All my delight is in the Saints on Earth and those that excell in vertue sayth David but yet it is not so there is somthing will goe before these there is not in all the Creatures so lively an impression of God as in the word of God there is more then Imago similitudo and more then Aliquid dei there is a representation of all the Attributes a lively Print of the Spirit of God the mouth of God the finger of God the wisdome of God the will of God therefore here will be the decision of the Question that after the love of God the greatest of love is to fall upon his Commandements and will upon his Commandements for they lead not onely to the knowledge of God but to the very fruition of God Our blessed Saviour and John the beloved Disciple layes it downe as an axiome This is love to keepe his Commandements the greatest testification of our love to God is the love we shew to his Commandements in observing of them this order David sets downe himselfe he was a man stricken and touched in his heart with the love of God here as if he had laboured for arguments and expressions to manifest it to his owne her at and to others he makes this as the first and most proper effect and proose of his love to God that he loved his Commandements that he might justifie the first he tells God I have loved thy Commandements so here is the thing he testifies of himselfe And he doth not onely make the testification to men for men may be ignorant there is no man that can make inspection into the affections and the heart to see what love is there but he tells it to God it is a holy ejaculation that is sent up to God for the inlargment and testification of his affections I have loved thy Commandements it is a modest expression He doth it not first that he may put God in mind or make him understand and know any thing of which he was ignorant for he searcheth the heart he knew what Davids love was better then himselfe yet he beates much upon it by many repetitions Consider how I love thy testimonies O how I love thy Law I love it above gold yea much fine gold There are many variations of this one expression and all presented to God not to put him in mind onely appealing to God he speaks these words as Peter to our Blessed Saviour when Christ asked him the Question Simon lovest thou me saith he Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest
Was it not enough to say as the eyes of Servants are to their Masters Why to the hands of their Masters and to the hands of her Mistresse Yes for very good reason First it is said to the hands of their Masters and the hands of her Mistresse as a testimony of their submission and subjection because it is the hand by which they governe it is the hand by which they correct therefore still the Servant keeps his eye upon the hand of his Master As Plantus sayth well it is by the hand that the Master orders and governes therefore the Servant hath his eye upon his hand It is a testimony of all reverence and a testimony of subjection and submission and humiliation A dutifull Servant dares not presume to look his Master in the face he keeps his eye onely upon his hands below Then it is a testimony of his hope it is a bountifull hand that the Master rewards with he keeps his eyes upon his hands thence he receives his reward Last of all it is a testimony of his obedience he looks to his hands he looks not that his Master should speake to him alway if it be but the pointing of the finger but the wagging of the hand if he know his Masters will he accounts that a Command A Servant must not alway stay so long till his Master give him a Command but any expression of his Master will serve the turne it stands for a Command for an injunction Therefore it is well observed by one of the Heathens and by another backward and forward that as Masters should be to their Servants so Servants to their Masters The Sâ—rvant must be to his Masters occasions and the Master to the Servants as Monosillables What meant he by it That if he be a good Servant he should not need to have many perswasions and entreaties but he should be as a Monosillable one word should be enough See it in higher matters that God might shew himselfe Lord of Lords the supreame Master though he gave some expressions of his will in larger Commands yet he gives the rest in a Monosillable Love it is the whole duty of a Christian we must be as Monosillables especially to God The Centurion said to his Servants to one goe and to another come both Monosillables in our Language The Master should be a Monosillable to the Servant and the Servant to the Master One sillable is enough to a good Servant nay a nod or an accent is enough if it be but the beckning of the hand To shew that a good Servant is of a docible disposition and tractable therefore it is said he looks to the hands of his Master to shew that he is ready he is at hand he is at his Elbow it is his joy and delight and glory that he may doe with chearfullnesse his Masters will therefore they look to the hands of their Masters for all these reasons it is said to the hands That is the second expression the eyes of Servants to the hands of their Masters In the third place it is not barely said As the eyes of Servants are to the hands of their Masters but it is added As the eyes of a Hand-maid are to her Mistresse Here is mention of both Sexes and both Governours Master and Mistresse Servants and Hand-maid What should be the reason To take away all scruples and to remove all doubts The one to shew this that there is obedience attendance and respect and observance and reverence due to all kind of Masters from Servants whither of superiour or of inferiour Servants Apprentices think they may contemne and despise their Masters if they be poore men No if they be set in that relation they are their Governours and of what sort or quality soever they be there is respect to be given to them Look as it is in the other relation of Parentage the Scripture is carefull not onely to preserve the honour of the Father but because the Mother is more subject to be contemned and despised therefore it takes care to preserve the honour of the Mother of the weaker Sex therefore twise for once of honour to the Father we read of honour to the Mother And as it takes order to give respect to the Master so to the Mistresse they must have respect let them be of what sex or state and condition soever that are set over you Then the other is doubled Servant and Hand-maid to shew that it is the duty of all Servants to doe this of whar sex or age soever whether they be those that are bound or hixed whether they be old or young their eyes must be towards their Masters not onely their eyes but their hearts Not with eye-service as the Apostle sayth Pleasing men but for conscience serving the Lord. See it is a point of Conscience for Servants to be dutifull to their Masters I am glad I have the point in hand I have oft desir'd to have an opportunity It is your Scripture now I pray think of it you that are in that condition It is a point of Conscience for Servants to give respect to their Masters in serving them they serve the Lord as Serving the Lord sayth the Apostle not with eye-service but with the service of the heart they must serve them with the heart as well as with the eye the heart must not entertaine a hard surmise or make an ill construction they must not think evill of their Masters They serve the Lord. There is very good reason for it because Servants they are not their â—â—â—ne he that doth eyther bind himselfe to another or put himselfe to the jurisdiction of another 〈◊〉 the time be it more or lesse he is not his owne he parâ— with himselfe while that relation holds There is nothing of Servants that is their owne their Tongues are not their owne they may not speake what they list but what is acceptable to God Their hands are not their owne they may not doe what they list but their Masters pleasure their feet are not their owne they may not gad whither they list but where their Masters send them Their eyes are not their owne they may not looke as they list there may be wrong and dâ—â—obedience in the looks and God will reveng such things They have given the interest of all their strength into the hands of their Masters you must be Servants for Conscience sake Take notice of it because this piece of the Aeconomicall body is wholly out of frame every man almost complaines and there is just cause It is a very rare and hard thing to find a conscionable Servant Servants have gotten now the Reines on their owne necks they have cast off the yoake There is no man that hath a Servant but he must look to have halfe a Master They doe not remember that they are not their owne they will not onely be their owne but the chiefe their Tongues shall be their owne and their eyes
Verb to his owne comfort and a better he cannot then this And that this word must be added appeares by the next words Till he have mercy upon us To looke till he have mercy on us is to wait so there is good reason why this word is added If we look to the thing begged mercy it is so precious that we may wait for it It was Servants that he mentioned and it is their duty to wait upon their Masters they wait upon their Trenchers at meat they wait when they goe to bed and when they rise they wait in every place therefore because he had mentioned the first word he takes the proper duty there is nothing more proper to Servants then waiting and if we are the Servants of God we must wait There is good reason in that respect because it is a word so significant therefore the Spirit of God varies it he keeps not exactly to the line so doe our eyes looke but so doe our eyes wait Thirdly why he makes another variation so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord He writes not after his Coppie for there it is As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters It should have run So doe our eyes wait on the hand of the Lord he sayth not so but varies it So doe our eyes wait on the Lord. What is the reason It would have been too strait Though we must wait on Gods gracious hand both of power that orders all things and of bounty that distributes all things yet it would have been too strait some would have imagined that there were nothing in God to be waited on but for his bounty and power No he shews that we must at large wait upon the Lord in all that belongs to him if we have respect to his glory and honour we must wait upon his Throne if to our vilenesse we must waite on his Footestoole If to his bounty we must wait on his hand if to his wisdome we must wait upon his providence if to his truth we must wait on his promises There is nothing in God but it is to be waited on in all his attributes and relations not onely as our Master but as our King as our Father and as our Shepheard Therefore that the Psalmist might better leave it for an enlarged supply as that a Heavenly heart might intercept it he saith not as in the former so doe our eyes wait upon the hand of the Lord but so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord. That is the reason of the third variation There are but two observable besides I shall stand a little longer on them they are materiall The fourth is why he doubles this word of excellency upon the Lord our God For one word would have served but that no word can serve to set out that excellency but having named Master before one would think it should run so doe our eyes waite upon our Heavenly Master as our Heavenly Lord but he adds the Lord our God To shew the difference between the Masters of the World and of him that is above The Masters here below are Masters indeed but they are men like our selves our Master above is the Lord our God The Masters here that have dominion are Domini but sub domino under that great Master but he is Dominans dominantium the Lord of Lords They are Masters that have their breath in their Nostrills but he is the Master that gives life and breath and motion and all things Therefore to shew that we stand in a double Obligation to God in our service and attendance he adds two words we wait upon him as our glorious Lord and as our gracious God both wayes we give him our eyes and attendance To shew this double obligation observe in the first line the prescription the Coppie there are both relations mentioned and a double notion to both relations there is Masters and Mistresse Servants and Hand-maid To note thus much by the doubling of the one that if there be any better service in the one sex then in the other we are to draw the patterne from that that we may give the purest service and attendance to God And noting in the other if there be any respect due to either of those Masters or Mistresse they should be both drowned and swallowed up in our respect to God he useth both words to shew that we should yeild all service to God St. Austin in his Commentary on the Psalmes propounds the Question and so doth Jerome if that be his he finds a double scruple he makes two Questions One Question is why we are called Ansilla in the Singular number a Hand-maid Another Question is why Christ is called not onely Dominus but Domina As the eyes of Servants wait on their Masters so doe our eyes upon Christ St. Austin gives this reason and Jerome and it is full of wit both these predications will hold for us that are Christians It is Servi sumus ancilla sumus we are both Servants and we are the Church we are Servants of his Handmaid As we are the people of God so we are called Servants as we are the Church of God so we are ancilla So for the other predication our Lord and Saviour is both Dominus and Domina He is The Lord Our Lord because he is our God and Domina he must have the duty of a Mistresse because he is the virtue and wisdome and excellency of God That is Austins and Jeromes It is full of wit but it is a little to adventerous I durst hardly to mention it if it were not theirs their wit is sweet and in their intentions full of piety but I dare not give it as a truth Yet there is reason to be given why both are exprest to shew the service that we owe to God The reason is this both words are used because no one word can set out any part of Gods excellency look in what part you will There is no one word can set out the glory of God in Heaven therefore there are two words used the glory of both lights the glory of the light of the Sun and of the Moone There is no one word can set out to us the perfection of the robe of Christs righteousnesse that he cloaths Beleivers with therefore two words are used he cloaths them with double Ornaments of the Bride-groome and of the Bride Isa 61. There is no one word can set out the propinquity of our alliance to Christ therefore Christ sets it out by two words He that doth the will of my Father is my Brother and Sister There is no one word can set out the tendernesse of the love of God therefore it is set out by the love of both Parents by the love of a Father and a Mother Can a Mother forget her Child And as a Father pirties his Child so the Lord hath mercy on them that feare him In Gods love there is the love of both