THE VALLEY OF VISION OR A clear sight of sundry sacred Truths Delivered in Twenty-one Sermons by that Learned and Reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSVVORTH Dr. in Divinity sometimes Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge Master of Emanuel Colledge and late Preacher at Peters Poore in LONDON The particular Titles and Texts are set downe in the next lease 1 Sam. 3.1 And the word of the Lord was precious in those dayes there was no open Vision Habakkuk 2.2 Write the Vision and make it plaine upon Tables that he may run that readeth it LONDON Printed by M. S. and are to be sold by R. Tomlins at the Sun and Bible in Pye-Corner and Rob. Littlebury at the Vnicorne in Little-Britaine 1651. The particular Titles and Texts in the ensuing worke The Peoples happinesse One Sermon on Psal 144.15 Happie is that people that is in such a Case yea happie is that people whose God is the Lord. The Penitents Patterne Six Sermons on Hosea 14.2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips The Sufferers Crowne Foure Sermons on Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him The Saints Heritage One Sermon on Psal 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Davids Devotion One Sermon on Psal 119.48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandements which I have loved and will meditate on thy Statutes The Vigilant Servant Two Sermons on Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Mistresse so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us The Saints Progresse Two Sermons on Psal 84.7 They goe from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God The Guest-Chamber Two Sermons on Luk. 23.11.12 And ye shall say unto the good man of the house the Master saith unto thee Where is the Guest-Chamber where I shall eat the Passeover with my Disciples And he shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready Angels Inspection Two Sermons on 1 Pet. 1.1 2. Which things the Angels desire to looke into TO THE READER HOw eminent an instrument the Author of this Treatise was of Gods glory and the Churches good is unknown to none who in the least degree were acquainted with his person and profitable paines They knew him to be composed of a learned Head a gracious heart a bountifull hand and what must not be omitted a patient back comfortably and cheerfully to endure such heavy afflictions as were laid upon him The more pitty therefore it was that so worthy a man should dye issulesse without leaving any Books behind him for the benefit of Learning and Religion Considering what might be the cause thereof it cannot be imputed to any envy in him as grudging us the profit of his paines one so open handed of his Almes could not be close fisted of his labours for a generall good Rather it proceeded partly from his modesty having the highest parts in himselfe and the lowest opinion of himself Partly from his judicious observation that the world now a dayes surfets with Printed Sermons 1 Kin. 10.21 which like Silver in the reigne of Solomon are not respected by some they are so plentifull whilst they are abused by others who lazily imp their wings with other â—ens plumâ— wherewith they soar high in common esteeme yet have not the ingenuity with that son of the Prophet to confesse 2 Kin. 6.5 Alasse it was borrowed As for the private notes which he left behind him as Aristotle told Alexander of his physicks that he had written them as if he had not written them meaning that the language was so darke and obscure that few could understand it so his hand was onely legible to himselfe and almost uselesse for aâ— her Yet that the world might not totally be deprived of his worthy endeavours I trust his pains will meet with commendations in most with just censure in none who being exquisite in the Art of Short-Writing the onely way to retreâ—ve winged words and fix them to stay amongst us hath with all possible accuratenesse first taken and now set them forth by the permission as I am credibly informed of the Authors best friends to publike view I say possible accuratenesse seeing a candid Reader knowes how to make his charitable allowances in things of this nature It is said of Demosthenes that the best part of his Orations were wanting when they were read because the Orator when uttering them enlivened each sentence word and syllable with a true tone and proper accent in his pronunciation Two best parts then may be said to be wanting in Dr. Holsworths Sermons One because read and not spoken by him the other because not transcribed from his owne copy but taken from his mouth when he preached them as well as Art and industry can performe Indeed when the Mother looked upon the Babe which was laid by her 1 Kin. 3.21 Behold it was not the Son which she did beare But should this glorious Saint take a review of these Sermons as now set forth as he would probably wonder at the alteration of the clothes and dressing thereof not so fine and fashionable yea perchance mâ—â—â—t wonder at the complexion and colour thereof not so lively sprightfull and vigorous as he left it yet notwithstanding he would acknowledge an identity of feature and favour and his naturall sympathy would challenge a true relation in the same and owne it for a true off-spring of his owne a weake child but no changling How ever it is a happinesse when sâ—rviving Authors see their owne workes set forth to their 〈◊〉 contentment Various were the proceedings in Divine providence to two honorable Families the one in Ireland the other in Wales The Family of St. Laurence of Hoath by Dublin Camdens Brit. in the County of Dublin hath for some hundreds of yeares been observed never to have an Orphan or Minor the Son alwayes being of full age before the Fathers death Whereas amongst the ancient Earles of Pembrook for five descents together the Son never saw the Father The felicity of the former Idem in Pembrook-Shire is applyable to those who behold their owne Books perfected and finished in their life times Whilst I read the sad successe of the latter in such whose posthume bookes appeare in this world after their Authors are gone into a better To such books that want Fathers I wish good guardians as I hope this hath not light on the worst of them What remaines but that we wish the Reader all profit by the ensuing Treatise of so worthy an Author equalled by few exceeded by none in our age It
the Table of the Lord we should bethink our selves what strength we bring what stature we come with Much more when we appeare before God in Heaven there shall be no appearing before God in Heaven unlesse there there be a perfection of competency Heaven is made for the perfect Paul dares not think of Heaven till he have finished his course and Christ calls to God to glorifie him when he had done his work I have done the work that thou gavest me to doe glorifie thy Son We must not look to appeare before God in glory unlesse we goe through these degrees of grace then we shall appeare before God when we are come from strength to strength Then there is a word of distribution it is not all of them but every one The universall collective would have done it Paul sayth We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ But it is more emphaticall Every one each man in the whole and each one for himselfe Every one comes and appeares before God In these Courts of his House though it be in a Crowd God observes every mans carriage and proficiency God takes speciall notice when there are thousands as if there were but one but all here are present before God Much more when we come into his presence of glory then every one shall appeare God will take account of every one what Oyle he hath in his Lamp what improvement he hath made of his Tallents Then there shall be notice of each mans state and measure of every mans height what growth he is come to and according to his stature shall be his reward and Crowne The higher stature the higher measure of glory to him that hath gained five Talents shall be given five Citties to him that hath gained two two Citties to him that hath gone through many degrees of vertue and strength and hath glorified God by an habituall practise of piety there shall be a high reward to them that have gone From strength to strength there shall be an addition of glory to glory THE Vigilant Servant DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY 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 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. PSAL. 123.2 Behold as the eyes of Servants looke unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistresse So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us FOR the satisfying of your expectations I have therefore made choise of this Text at this time as being very agreeable whither I look to the parts of the Auditory or the whole or to the time or to what circumstance soever For the lower part Servants may learne their duty For the upper Masters may have the understanding of theirs And for all your conditions are such that you are those that have been held a long time between hope and feare with doubtfull news and ambiguous and neutrall expectations And I may well presume it of you because I measure you by my selfe I my selfe that am wavering have beene wearied and tortured both with good and bad tidings as desirous as you to reap the comfort if they be good or at least to know the certainty if they be bad I have for severall dayes gone through Texts for both parts of the day because I was resolved to proportion my Meditations to the times however things fall out but at length finding no true ground to proceed by no certainty in this World of any thing almost we are not certaine of our selves therefore I did resolve and pitch upon this Scripture that I might yet at least raise your expectations a little higher and bring you from these neutrall thoughts to setled thoughts of Heaven that I might bring you from these carnall dependencies upon man by the eare to a sweet and comfortable resting and setling and fixing and waiting with your eyes upon God And that cannot be done better then by this Scripture that I have read to you It was penned for this very purpose for the sustaining of the Church in doubtfull exigents or any great extremity That this is the intendment of the words appeares by the very scope of the Psalme which is nothing but this a Psalme of confidence for the Church of God when she should be in any state of affliction And if the scope of the Psalme were silent yet the very time would speake how it corresponds it is the fourth of the fifteen that are called Psalmes of Degrees because they were sung upon the fifteene ascents that were to goe to the Temple and so many ascents I have had in doubtfull expectation it is now fifteene dayes since the first heavy tidings came to our eares and yet we are not certaine Therefore now since we cannot find any part of truth on Earth let us have recourse to Heaven we shall be sure to find them there And the whole Book of God is nothing else but tidings brought from Heaven to Earth from God to his Creature Evangelion the good tidings That was the course of the Saints in all exigents still to have recourse to God by praying to him so we shall be sure to understand the end of these thing if we wait upon God for the issue he will send it in good time if we follow the example of the Prophet David here as good Servants to abide his leasure till he have mercy upon us I shall handle the other clauses but I shall dwell upon the last because I shall have opportunity to remember your of that duty that otherwise I had not spoken of but that the Text 〈◊〉 on it That this is the drift at which the words 〈…〉 Verse demonstrates for there is somwhat in every Verse In the first two Verses there is somwhat of our comfort or lifting up our eyes to God the waiting upon God in Prayer In the last two Verses thâ—re is somewhat of our affliction We are filled with contempt in Vers 3. Our soul is filled with the scornefull reproach of the proud Vers 4. Is not this our case If not your souls have not your eares been filled at least some of you with the scornefull reproaches of the proud that have asked where is now your hope And your help Give them leave to enjoy themselves but remember it is not so much for them to boast in a state flying as those that are in hope of pursuite But let them support their tottering ruinous cause by insolent Questions the Psalmist hath taught us both what to doe and what to answer Our hope and help stands in the name of the Lord. There is our answer As the eyes of Servants are to the hands of their Masters so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God
There is our refuge To this holy resolution if I can bring you by handling these words I shall think my labour very well bestowed and think it a happy turne that you have had these doubtfull thoughts to set you upon the Rack of torture all this while And that I may doe it the better look upon the words in perticular and I will consider in them now these foure things onely There is The Covenant The Coppy The Paralell The Date or Duration There is the Covenant in the which all Christians doe enter here in the person of David and that is to give God the delight of their eyes the strength of every part the glory of that most excellent sence to be excercised in that act of Râ—ligion of lifting up their eyes to God Then there is the Coppy out of which we draw this Covenant or this duty that is in these words As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden upon the hands of her Mistresse Then there is the paralell wherewith we match this Coppy in those words So doe our eyes wait upon the Lord our God Then the Date or duration of the whole it is Till he have mercy upon us These are the four parts The Duty the Direction The proficiency The perpetuation And all these are presented unto your view by an awaking particle set in the front Behold An ordinary word but here it hath an extraordinary positure Ordinarily it is a terme of attention used for the awakening of men to stir up their admiration and audience but here it is a word not onely prefixed for the exciting of men but of God himselfe David is speaking to God in his Meditations Behold sayth he As we take it with respect to God so it is a precatory particle he beseecheth God to look downe upon him while he looks up unto God look on us as we looke to thee Behold Lord as the eyes of Servants c. If we take it as it hath respect to man so it is an exemplary particle to stir them up to doe the like Behold what we doe and doe likewise let your eyes be like ours Behold as the eyes of Servants are to the hand of their Masters so are our eyes to the Lord our God Let yours have the same fixing So it is a word that draws all eyes after it to imitation I hope it will be a word that will draw your eares after it to attention in the severall perticulars as I speake of them in order I begin with the first of these that is the duty here set downe the duty insisted in the basis of the whole the lifting up the eyes to God We may take it eyther by way of declaration as a thing that was done or by way of Covenant as a thing that they promised to doe It is eyther a protestation of what they would doe or an attestation of what they did Well couch it under both notions it hath a double force Our eyes are upon the Lord our God and our eyes shall be upon the Lord our God We have it exprest in all variety in other places of the Psalmes In all variety of Tenses In all variety of Objects In all variety of Instruments For the Tenses in one Psalme it is set downe in the Present Vnto thee doe I lift up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens In another Psalme in the Future I will lift up mâ—ne eyes to the Hills from whence commeth my help These two make up the perfect frame of a mans life he that doth for the present and promiseth for the future he gives God both services in sincerity in the one and in constancy in the other without either of these Christianity is lame It is not enough to say I doe unlesse we add I will and it is not enough to say I will unlesse we for the present doe I doe without I will is inconstancy and I will without I doe is Hypocrisy therefore it is seâ— downe in both formes we doe and we will lift up our eyâ—â— There are both Tenses There is the variety of all kind of objects exprest that concernes God it is exprest in great variety of objects In one Psalme I will lift up mine eyes to thy holy Oracles In another I will lift up mine eyes to the Hills In a third I will lift up mine eyes to Heaven In many I will lift up mâ—ne eyes to the Lord. These all have mutuall dependence one upon another for God gives the glory to all these He that lifts up his eyes to God lifts them to Heaven because it is Gods Throne he that lifts up his eyes to Heaven lifts them to the Hills The Heavens are those Mountaines of Spices those hills of excellency Hills transparent for substance beyond all apprehension for altitude And he that lifts up his eyes to the hills lifts them to Gods Oracles it is from those hills that are both more holy and more high then Sinai that the Oracles of wisdome are derived from God himselfe there are all variety of objects And it is set downe also with all variety of instruments for expression To thee will I lift up mine eyes in one Psalme To thee will I lift up my hands in another Psalme To thee will I lift up my voice in another Psalme To thee will I lift up my soule in a fourth Psalme Here is a mutuall dependence againe Now the whole soule offers her selfe to God as a Hand-maid but shee goes attended with the Virgins that are her Companions as the Psalmist speaks For the Tongue and Eyes and Hands depend upon the soul and are serviceable to it If the soul have an intendment to lift up the heart to God then the hands will be ready to expresse her affections and the Tongue will be ready to expresse her notions and the Eye will be ready to share in the beatificall excellent Vision here is variety in regard of Instruments So that now we may take it either way or both wayes when David speaks of lifting up his eyes we may understand it both of the eyes of the body and the eyes of the mind for the eyes of the mind they quicken and direct the eyes of the body and the eyes of the body they testifie the devotion and ejaculations of the mind the one serves the other For the eyes of the body it is their proper dutie to look up to God God hath made them for that purpose he set them and gave them that positure he hath set them in the head aloft that they might be conversant still in beholding as Gregory Nycene speaks their Originall and creation that is derived from above that with them man might behold him that gave him being that he might look up to Heaven There are no creatures besides that have their eyes set so lofty as man and man for this purpose For the eyes of the mind too God hath indued
lifts up his eyes to Heaven acknowledgeth that he receives every good blessing every perfect gift from above that he receives all from the hand of God It is a testimony of a thankfull heart Then it is a testimony of a Heavenly heart he that lifts up his eyes to Heaven acknowledgeth that he is weary of the Earth his heart is not there his hope and desire is above A man will cast his eye where his wishes are he will oft cast his eyes where his heart is Either we are all Hypocrites or our hearts are in Heaven If we constantly lift our eyes to Heaven and have our hearts on Earth we play the egregious Hypocrites with God If we lift our eyes up to Heaven and our hearts are not there judge what you doe God looks upon that heart that sends up those eyes and sees whither the heart be there for the lifting up of the eyes is a testimony of a Heavenly heart If we lift not up the heart when we lift up the eye we tell a lye to God with our eyes It is a testimony of a heavenly heart It is a testimony of a devout heart there is no part of the body besides the Tongue that is so great an Agent in Prayer as the eye The Tongue is the greatest in vocall prayer but the eye must be next the Tongue nay in one thing above the Tongue for in Prayer the eye is the Interpreter of the heart together with the Tongue Nay and further it is not onely the hearts Interpreter but the hearts intelligencer which the Tongue is not for as a man takes order for his way he spies and discernes what he can discover if there be any danger the eye is the light of all the body So a man that humbles himselfe in Prayer he lifts up his eyes to Heaven he looks and spies whence Salvation comes where he shall have help and whence he receives comfort the soul looks up and the eye spies out in what distresse soever we are If we be disconsolate the eye looks up for comfort If we be in persecution the eye looks about for rest If we be burthened the eye looks for ease if we be in want the eye looks for supply in every affliction the eye spies out the comfort for all the eye is the souls Intelligencer therefore the lifting up of the eyes is the argument of a devout heart Because all these good things come from above from God therefore the soule is lifted up and whensoever the soule goes to be lifted up the eye as a good Servant waits on it it never goes alone Therefore we must labour and exercise our selves to give God the glory of our eyes as well as the glory of our Lips and then we give him the glory of our eyes when we lift up our eyes and lift up such eyes as God requires What eyes are those Let us take heed what eyes we lift up There are adulterous eyes there are proud and haughty eyes take heed of bringing these to God close them close them rather wink when you come to God open not those eyes First therefore bring eyes that are chast they are Doves eyes that must look up to that God of purity Then they must be humble eyes that must look to that Throne of Majestie they must not be eyes that are fastidious and lustfull Then they must be innocent eyes not bloud-shot not revengefull eyes that must look up to that God of mercy and goodnesse O how pure had a man need to make his eyes that will look up to God How pure should his heart be and his eyes be He must be purified in every part The eye is the purest part If a man doe but look upon the Sun he cannot look with his owne eyes but he must borrow eyes of others both pure and strong eyes Now the eyes of the mind are the strongest if the heart be kept innocent and upright and in purity let us bring these eyes to God look up to him with these eyes I must cut off my selfe in my Meditations the time runs on with swifter Wings then Speech I goe to the next poynt Thus much of the duty that is the Basis of the whole Now the other is more speciall the second is the patterne the Coppy that he propounds to himselfe to write by As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistris There is the Coppy it is set downe with the best advantage if we consider the persons here meant There are three things observable in the forme of Penning this part First it is not said simply as Servants look to their Masters and a Maiden to her mistresse but as the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to her Mistresse What is the reason of this phrase There is good reason Because there is a Service that is to be done to those Masters that are set over us below even with the eye Not with eye-service that is not with eye-service alone saith the Apostle But there is a service that is to be done with the eye A man may shew obedience and observance and reverence with his eye a man may give a shrewd untoward answer with his eye as well as with his Tongue A Servant may testifie his chearfull and diligent attendance on his Master with his eye if there be obedience it will appeare in the eye Againe it should be so generall a respect and good demeanour that Servants should carry towards their Masters that even their eyes should testifie it their eyes should be acquainted with their Masters will as Plauâ—us speaks well a good Servant is so acquainted with his Masters affairs that his very eye knowes what his Master would have you may read it in his fore-head though his Master speak not And look as it is with Masters it is Hillaries Observation A Master may give Commands as well with his eye as with his voyce Non solum ore c. A Master will Command not onely with his voyce but with his hand and with his eye so a Servant may obey and expresse his behaviour and respect and carriage toward his Master he may testifie his obedience not onely in action or Speech or Tongue but with his very eye Non ore c. he eyes and obeys with his eye as well as with his voyce Therefore it is As the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters The Servant is so carefull to content his Master that he will not offend him so much as with his eye There is the first Observation for the phrase It is not simply said as Servants but the eyes of Servants Secondly it is not said simply as the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters but as the eyes of Servants are towards the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse Why is this word added
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
their owne and their hands their owne they will doe what they list and speake what they list and goe where they list and not whither their Masters send them that they are more servile a great deale in their manners then in their condition they have evill Tongues and evill eyes and light fingers and evill nurture every way I know not how it comes to passe but it is a thing complained of by all there is no great House especially nor indeed no little House but if they have any Servants they are those that are untoward there are very few good Servants A good Servant is a great Jewell not onely because he is usefull but because he is rare and their Religion is like their state there are few of them conscionable Whether it be so that the fault be in your selves or no it should be your duty to look whether it be so or no that some of you when you were Servants were such to your Masters and God payes you in your kind Generally such Children as we are such Parents we prove he that hath beene an unfaithfull Child shall have unfaithfull Children he that hath beene an unfaithfull Servant shall have such Servants Or whether you be not carefull to Teach them better you instruct them in the mysteries of your Trades that they may serve you but never care to instruct them in the feare of the Lord that they may serve the Church and serve God and such comfort and successe you have because you would have them onely serve you and not God God orders it so that they shall not be serviceable to you he punisheth you That may be another reason you neglect them Or whether they get these ill conditions by your example as indeed it falls out generally so that Servants have a tang of the qualities and conditions of their Masters Euripides speaks well like Maid like Mistresse you may know the Mistresse by the Maid and the Master by the Servant They observe in you distempers and doe you wonder that your Servants are so They observe in their Masters dealing fraud and cozenage and doe you think that they will not cozen The Maids see pride in the behaviour of their Mistresses they are conscious to all and they learne these documents from them What the cause is I know not it is some of these causes or all but it is so every man complaines it was never such a World for Servants Give me leave Brethren to speake to you that are in that inferiour condition it becomes you to redeeme this imputation that lies on your state and condition it is a good state in it selfe but you make it ill by your carriage Remember with your selves that though you be Servants to men yet you are Free-men to God he that is mans Servant is the Lords Free-man if he give conscionable service serving God in his Master Remember God will call you to account for the service you have done to your Masters as well as of that you doe to himselfe and of the neglect to them as well as of himselfe Remember how bountifully God rewarded Joseph and Jacob when they were Servants Remember how he thought on the People of Israel when they were Servants in a strang Land Remember how Christ honoured that condition I speake that it is much for your honour Christ honoured it He tooke upon him the forme of a Servant Here is an honour done to you above your Masters though he were Lord of all yet here was the manifestation of his humiliation he tooke the forme of a Servant that if we account it an honour to our nature above Angells that Christ tooke humane nature and not angelicall as indeed it was an honour then it was an honour done to Servants that Christ would stoop so low to take upon him the forme of a Servant Whatsoever place or state Christ took he honoured it he honoured the Manger that he made it his Cradle and he honoured the Crosse by that death that he was pleased to suffer and he honoured the Grave by descending into it and he honoured our nature in assuming it and he hath honoured your condition he took on him the forme of a Servant Learne to answer that honour it is not an unworthy condition labour to bring honour to your estate to bring honour to God in your service to bring credite to your Religion and profession to be better then your Masters if they goe not along with you to Heaven to be Children of God to be rich in grace to be precious to him to give your Masters faithfull service for conscience sake Remember these things and stir up your selves to attaine to the purity of former times to have the Circum volution to answer them What was the condition of Servants in Davids time What Servants were they You may learne by this Scripture David takes it for granted he speaks of it as a thing to be presumed on that Servants were good then Unlesse he had knowne them to be good he would not have borrowed the similitude no more would I we then would say as Servants should be to their Masters and not as they are You must labour to make the times as they have been that we may fetch the similitude from you to say As the eyes of Servants are to the hands of their Masters That is the second thing the Coppie I am loath to breake off in the middest the end why I chose the Text was for the last part of the words but now it will even serve for another Sermon There will be the duty of you that are Masters and it wil be your shame more then of your Servants that you doe not serve God and there will be directions in all doubtings and expectations to waite on God till he have mercy upon us SERMON II. PSAL. 123.2 So doe our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy upon us IT is a Scripture you see that runs upon similitude and the strength and life of a similitude is in conformity and proportion and in things that are proportionable there are in the generall but two things to be considered there is the skene or tipe and there is the draught that answers it These are as two lines that run along one by another and are measured out by the same quallity of dimension for length and for whatsoever else may make them conformable And these two lines they are very observable now in this Text. There is the first the line from which the similitude is drawne that is the exemplary line in the first halfe of the words Behold as the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse that is the line exemplary whence the similitude is drawne that is the Protasis that is the line of prescription that is the line regulative the line that gives law to this other line that followes That is
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
on him as the eyes of Servants nay not onely so but if that be not enough we wil not onely wait but hang upon him not onely so but in a holy sence wrestle with him by Prayer as Jacob did that he would be mercifull to his People that he would take care still of that little part of the Ark floating on the Waters Nay we will not onely wait upon him as Servants but as Children and not onely with the eyes of Children but with the Teares of Children with eyes fixed and hands spread and knees bowed with lips opening and hearts mounting we will wait upon him that this hope may be fixed in all our faces and shine in all parts thus if we doe we shall make the Text compleat For conclusion of all There are but two things that may perplex us uncertainty and feare Vncertainty that is one wrack and torment and feare is another This hope and waiting will stablish the soule in both Take the rule of both For uncertainty doe as Hezekiah did take these letters of uncertaine rumours and spread them before the Lord. For the feare let us take our selves and cast our selves before the Lord at his Footstoole For the uncertainty let that be the Scripture Habak 2. The Vision is yet for an appointed time but in the end it shall speake and shall not lie It shall come and shall not tarry Though it tarry yet we will wait for it For the feare let this be the word to fix our hearts that David hath given opportunity to handle this day Behold though our feares be great yet our hopes are some therefore as the eyes of Servants look to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on his people THE Geust-Chamber DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY 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 Matth. 22.4 Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come into the Marriage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. LUKE 22.11 12. And ye shall say to the good man of the house the Master saith unto thee where is the Guest Chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples And he shall shew you an upper Room furnished there make ready THIS Text is not the Scripture for the day but it is next of kin to it it is the Story for the day though not the Chapter for it is the very same Story that out of another Evangelist is appointed for the Gospell of this day and you lately heard it read to you But I chose rather to handle it out of St. Luke because that part which makes for my purpose is more fully set downe by him And indeed betweene the two Evangelists in the recording of the Story we shall find that there is some difference though it may be easily salved For St. Matthew in Chap. 26. he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from the Disciples of Christ but St. Luke in this Chapter he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from Christ but the very next words doe make it plaine to us where he shews that the first motion of the thing came from Christ but the first motion of the place came from the Disciples of Christ Therefore St. Matthew when he tells us of the Disciples of Christ propounding to their Master concerning the preparation of the Passover I suppose the first precept went from Christ he gave them charge to goe and prepare as it is in Luke then they goe and propound the Question concerning the place Where wilt thou that we prepare And both these considerations even in the entrance of this Scripture might be usefull for us for in the Narration that is made by St. Matthew we have here propounded to us what is the duty of a godly Servant he will put his Master in mind of matters that are weighty and important not onely such as concerne the world but such as concerne Religion If we follow the relation of St. Luke there is set downe the duty of a godly and religious Master to call upon his Servant to excite him to be frequent and zealous in the work of the Lord in the service of God According to the method that St. Matthew followes there we may see the part of a religious people of a good Flock they will in case even speake to their Pastor and call upon him for the practise of those duties that belong to him and we will take it well at your hands Christ himselfe was pleased to suffer himselfe to be remembred by his Disciples God himselfe suffereth himselfe to be remembred by us when we call for those things we need But if we follow the method of Luke so you shall see what is the duty of a carefull vigilant Pastor he will oft stir up his People his Flock his Parish to consider what they are doing when they come to the service of God to whose house they come whose Table they repaire to whose Word they heare before whome it is that they cast downe themselves still he will call upon them to prepare for the Passover Were I guilty of any great neglect Beloved I would hope that some of you would be so friendly as to call upon me to put me in mind and yet I have cause to suspect that rather the most would be so negligent as to let me alone willing to enjoy in my idlenes their owne security Therefore you shall give me leave now to prevent you as Christ did here his Disciples to speake to you that you make ready for the Passover the Passover why is there any Passover now to be kept among Christians Yes if you doe not know it the Apostle will tell you that Christ is our Passover 1 Cor. 5.7 He that prepares himselfe for the applying of the death of Christ and the procuring of himselfe greater interest in the merit of his Passion he prepares for the Passover You know as Christ said to his Disciples that within these few dayes after two or three dayes the time will come about wherein we celebrate the memoriall of his Passion the time of his Resurrection and this is another Passover the Christians Easter is his Passover and if there were not this yet the remembrance of that work about which we are conversant this day As Christ is the Passover in the substance of the thing so the Sacrament that he instituted his last Supper that is as the Passover in the memoriall of the benefite it is the Sacrament that came in the room of the other the Lords Supper that is the Christians Passover also and you know that those dayes of receiving
is a great help he will not profit by the word of God that calls not himselfe to account for his memory and his life and lays them according to the levell of the things he heares The world is full of imagination meditation is scarce it is a wonder to see how men weary themselves with imagination suffer their hearts to run after every vanity they think imagination is meditation when their hearts have wild roving thoughts sometimes sinful alway vain that is not meditation but vanity meditation is that act whereby the heart pours it self forth to God and is fixed on heavenly things and makes an impression of that heavenly act whatsoever it is upon upon it selfe by a reflexion of the soul upon it selfe in the exercise of those duties that are meditated Therefore if we will benefit by reading and hearing of the word let us oft times call our selves to account by meditation If we would be well acquainted with God conversant in heaven it must be done by meditation Meditation is that that makes the seede of the word take root in the heart that â—â—gests and incorporates it and turns all to blood and spirits we can never profit and edifie by Sermons unlesse by meditation and rumination we chew the cudd after Admit it be but a weak Sermon that we hear some will say what should I meditate on that though it be a weake one there is matter still of meditation A man that hath love to another man will love every thing that belong to him if we have a love to the word of God there will be a love of all that belongs to it A love of that place where the Ordinances are handled a love of the time when the Ordinances are handled a love of the weake hand the earthen vessel that dispenseth it though through much infirmities and weakness Gregory Nazianzen observes of St. Bazile they loved him â—o much in his time they reverenced his vertues so much that they would imitate him in his infirmities it is true there are no infirmities or errours in the word of God to be loved there but if we have true love to the word of God we will imbrace it from an infirm hand though it be dispensed in a weake manner Always something may be gotten to edification and the application of it must be made by meditation it is that that is an excellent supply of privacy it is the sole companion of a retired heart A man addicted to meditation can leave earth and goe up to heaven and walk and converse with God with all the commandements of God he needs no booke he needs no teacher that can addict himselfe to meditation Meditation is that heavenly exercise that is the improvement of every grace if we would thrive in all we must addict our selves to it that was Davids order he was conversant in reading and hearing too but meditation is the act that he resolves on to improve both and as he would give God his outward man so he will his inward The testification of the outward man is in these words I will lift up my hands to thy commandements which I have loved And then because neither tongue nor hand nor feet nor eye can be acceptable to God without the heart the inward man he seconds his first resolution with another as I will lift up my hands to thy commandements so I will meditate in thy statutes THE Saints Progresse DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY 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 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. PSAL. 84.7 They goe from strength to strength untill and every one of them appeare before God in Zion THEY goe from Company to company from Mansion to Mansion so some Translations read it as alluding to the solemn journeys of the Children of Israel to the Land of Promise Or to the annuall Travell of the Jews to appeare before God for the worship of his name in Jerusalem And if I should read the words so now to you it would be a faire and proper Lesson to us to learne that we are now in the state of Pilgrims We have here no abiding Citty As the Patriarchs of old we still look for a Countrey There is removing and Mansions and going from Countrey to Countrey It would very well fit my selfe too and be a good entrance to this new removing from Mansion to Mansion from Company to Company But I will not read the words so but take them as they are exprest in the Text From strength to strength So it is a short but an accurate modell of the spirituall growth of a Christian in this world from one degree of righteousnesse to another so breathing after perfection and it is a part of that excellent Psalme that the Prophet David made to let us understand the great comfort and benefit and priviledge that comes to us by our frequent repairing to the House of God One great priviledge is this that here it is that we get spirituall strength Here we not onely had our initiation to Christ and the first seeds of Piety sowne and the first Foundation laid but we get growth and goe on and make progresse in piety There are many excellent passages in the Psalme yet this is one of the most remarkable for there is somthing in it more then in the whole Psalme it selfe The Psalme it selfe is none of those that are called the Psalmes of degrees yet this is a Text or Verse of Degrees And those degrees are not such as relate to the steps of the materiall Tabernacle but shew the steps of our ascention the ascent that we make up to Heaven There are two passages in the Psalme that point at it One in Vers 5. In whose heart are thy wayes or as some read it thy ascentions the degrees of proficiency whereby Christians come to stature or great growth of piety are Gods ascentions Gods ascentions because they lead to him and ours because they carry us up to God Another place that points to these degrees or ascentions is in the Title of the Psalme it is one of those Psalmes that is ascribed To him that excelleth or to the End shewing that the onely way to excell is to hold out to the end and he that holds out to the end of all others will be the most excellent and both these are stamped and graved upon this Verse One part is to him that excelleth They grow from strength to strength Another part that is to the End Till every one appeare before God in Zion According to these two there are two parts There is the motion of Christianity And the rest The rest that is God in the last words Every one of them appeares before
now the line that is conformable the line that makes the proportion to the other line the line that hath the similitude and Image of the other stamped on it that is it which is the redition the appodesis that which answers the former line in every proportion in every part So doe our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy upon us So here face answereth face and bone answereth bone There is mention of Masters and superiors in the first of a Heavenly Master in the second There is mention of Servants in the first of the Servants of God in the second of looking up in the first of waiting in the second of eyes corporall in the first of eyes spirituall in the second Onely this line exceeds the other in this one proportion it is drawne a little longer then the former because Gods mercies are of an infinite longitude there is nothing able to paralell them Vntill he have mercy upon us Of the first of these I spake in the Fore-noone and it was but halfe the Journey I meant then to have taken I shall now speake to the second part the proportionable redition it is the writing that matcheth the Coppie that was set in the former words If I had handled it then it would have been but halfe an houre I shall now lengthen it to the full and trust your memories with that I delivered The sum was but these two things The duty of Christians to know that they must dedicate to God as the faculties of their mind so the parts of their bodies their Tongue that is their glory and their eyes those are their Lamps and the light of their bodies and those are their perfections if they shine in the presence of God by looking up to him That was the first Secondly the duty that concernes you that are of the lower sort those that are in the condition of Servants of what sex soever that it is a conscionable performance that God expects at the hands of Servants to give faithfull and constant obedience and conformity in all things in a submission and subordination to God in all things to the will and inclination and direction of their Masters So here is the Coppie set and that is a good draught that must exceed it and that must be the labour of us that are to speak and heare of it and I will come directly to it and there are but these two parts of it which are two of the foure which I mentioned in the Fore-noone There is the paralell that answers the Coppie before So doe our eyes waite on the Lord our God And the Date and Duration of this duty how long it is to be continued Vntill he have mercy on us So these are the two things that now I am to speak of And the first of these is the Paralell that matcheth the Coppie the proficiency that Christians make by the documents they have from these temporall relations and it is set downe here by a great deale of advantage there is never a word but hath its emphasis and there is never a word but will require a reason to be given of it why it stands in this place Why our Eyes Why Waiting Why upon the Lord Why another name of excellency is added The Lord our God What is the extent of this So So our eyes waite which is the proportionable part I say there are reasons to be given of all these and instructions that will arise out of them First why he mentions eyes so our eyes waite For he might have varied it so our souls wait which is the chiefe scope and intention of the Psalmist But because he had mentioned the eyes of Servants before he mentions the eyes of Christians the Servants of God now So our eyes waite It shews us thus much that our eye is the Hand-maid of the soule that is exercised in all those duties of piety in which the soul is conversant If the soul look up the eye looks up So the eye is a faithfull Hand-maid The eye looks not downe when the soul looks up it not onely looks but waits Therefore he mentions the eye to shew that the eye of a Christian must be indefatigable in looking up to God It not onely beares a part with the soul in the act but in the constancy If the soule be breathing the eye will still be darting up beames of love and desire to those same Hills to which the soul looks therefore it may be added here the eye waits because it is but a perfunctory performance that is discharged by the eye a man would think I may appeale too to you it is a great part of your religion the lifting up the eye if religion be to be measured by that there is abundance of devotion Men now will not vouchsafe to bow the knee in prayer I put a difference between those that are in Pews and 〈…〉 are in the Isles and between standing and sitting for sitting is an 〈…〉 gesture in 〈…〉 is Heavenly 〈…〉 you stand for that purpose 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 in prayer it is 〈…〉 but they will not bow 〈…〉 it is but a reach 〈…〉 The reason you desire to 〈…〉 you 〈…〉 It â—uts me to goe on my self 〈…〉 aâ—â—ections and extravagant notions and that is that that must be set upon the skore of repentance it cuts me though I love not to look about yet to see people in prayer look every way is this to keep the eye waiting When the soul labours with God in prayer the eye will strive in fellowship with it it will embrace an act of constancy as well as fâ—rvency It is an evill Maid that leaves her Mistresse it is the highest delusion of God and deprivation of the comfort of our selves when we give our selves to gadding and yet come to Prayer therefore there is somwhat in this that he sayth the eye not onely the eye looking but The eye waiting the reason of the second word Now he leaves the similitude the first line for in the first line it is so as the eyes of Servants looke and the eyes of a Maiden looke here it is the eye waits There is good reason to wait is more then to looke to wait is to look constantly with patience and submission by subjecting our affections and wills and desires to Gods will that is to wait David in the second part in the second line he gives a better word he betters his Coppie There is the duty of a Christian to better his example the eyes of Servants look Davids eyes shall waite So doe our eyes wait It is true indeed this word is not in the Originall therefore you may observe it is in a small letter in your Bibles to note that it is a word of necessity added for the supply of the sence because the Holy Ghost left it not imperfect but more perfect that he put not in the Verb because it is left to every mans heart to supply a
cloaths the habite of the mind we cast off that For that livery what consists it in In righteousnesse and holinesse Doe we desire to adorne our minds with these Are we attired in our Masters livery To weare his collours We cannot judge of the habite of the mind Look on the habite of the body are you in your Masters livery now a dayes Doth God prescribe such vanities and follies that Creatures should delight to make themselves Puppits that they must be flouted at doth God prescribe such apparell Rich apparell is as due to them that are great as meane apparell to them that are inferiour So that there be due order and caution kept that they estrangenot the mind from God that they take not up too much time that it be in the compasse of sobriety But this makes Christianity disdained we steale all from God Is this Gods livery Did he appoint you to goe with naked Breasts and naked Armes Did not he appoint apparell to cover the shame of sin Did any of the Apostles prescribe it so See what the Apostle sayth you are to be adorned as becomes godlinesse and the profession of Christ modesty and religiously and decently Are you in Gods livery Is Christ your Master If you be then you may make a good account at the last day but if there be a distinction to be made there it will appeare who are his Servants Secondly if God be your Master where is your obedience Obedience is the peoper duty of Servants take away obedience you destroy the nature of Servants If we give obedienco to God where are Gods Commands What are Gods Commands St. Austin goes about to see if he can reckon them Sayth he God might have said if his nature were capable as other Masters say to their Servants wait upon me to bed while I rest wait upon me to the Bath while I wash me wait at my Table when I take sustenance No God needs not these inferiour services but then what doth he command Wait upon me in mine Ordinances and in my Commands in my service in my love and feare that I require at thy hands Here is the rule are these those that we keep If God be our Master where are his Commands Where is our work Doe we think the work of Christianity the work that God hath appointed us Doe we think that that was the end why we were sent into the World to work out our Salvation If we think not of this we are not Servants There is not the worst Servant but he comes into his Masters House to doe service We have entered into our Masters house we have taken Presse-money to be Gods Souldiers and to be his Servants then where is his work Is that left undone Look but what Christ will say at the last day when they shall be called to account Well done good and faithfull Servant Take away the unprofitable Servant Certainly if Christ be the God of truth and the Gospell the word of truth these words shall be said at the last day where is thy work Where is thy account What hast thou done How hast thou behaved thy selfe If we cast off Gods Commandements we cast off our relation if we be not under Command we are not under a Lord. O Beloved recall your selves remember that it is that that the beame of Christianity hangs on it is a high honour to be Gods Servant more then to be the Heire of the World O what a credit is it to retaine to such a Master To belong to God what an honour is it He is such a Master that promiseth better freedome then other Masters and ties himselfe to us and us to him in more Obligations and sets us an easier task but to work out our owne Salvation and payes us better wages Take all the Princes in the World that are so great and glorious and so able to reward their Servants put them altogether they are as the dust of the Ballance both they and their rewards in comparison to the reward that God gives to the worst Servant of his Stir up your selves from the consideration of Servants God gives you out comfort and blessing stir up your selves to give true and faithfull service to Christ Never look on your Servants but think you are Gods Servants When your Servants testifie their obedience to you make Davids use of it bring it to this lesson if we cannot exceed these Servants remember to equall them So So doe our eyes The equality will appeare by comparing so you shall see both the duty of good Servants to their Masters and of Christians to God First good Servants delight in their Masters presence so should we in the presence of God Secondly good Servants put on the same affections with their Masters A good Servant as Euripides sayth rejoyceth if his Master be chearfull and grieves if his Master be sorrowfull he puts on the same affection We must put on the same affection with Christ and God doe I not hate them that hate thee Doest thou love them that God hates We must put on the same affections with God though we must hate none put on Christs affection walke in love be humble and mercifull as he is This is to have the nature of Servants Thirdly Servants are not Sui juris to walke where they list and doe what they list but they must doe the will of their Masters they are not at their owne appointment no more are we we are not our owne we are not Sui juris your Master hath bought you and redeemed you out of captivity Servants will greive to heare the name of their Masters evill spoken of He is an unworthy Servant that can heare the name of his Master touched and doth not as far as is modest to his power vindicate it So we must greive and be zealously affected when we heare that sacred name blasphemed by which we are called A Servant is sorry if his Masters affaires succeed not well he labours to accommodate his Master and to content him in every thing It is a great discontent to a Servant if things thrive not with his Master So we should greive when Gods affairs goe not well on though God will make them succeed yet when things goe not well with the Church and Children of God we should lay it to heart Againe good Servants wait upon their Masters for all things for Meat and Drink and Cloaths and Wages and Provision and Custody and Defence and when they get these things when they have Wages from them they give them thanks though they have wrought hard and they pay them upon Covenant made God gives plenteous wages let us be thankfull to him and wait upon him for all we have as Servants upon their Masters Againe good Servants doe not take upon them to prescribe their Masters either time or manner they will not tell their Masters what they desire to doe and what they will have themselves but they wait on their Masters
stand for ever page 323 Every Every grace why needfull for every man page 357 see Love Evidence Evidence of grace to be prayed for page 133 Evidences see inheritance Evill Good and evill the bounds of all duty page 127 Difference in suffering for good and evill page 212 see confession Examples Examples of those that sped in prayer page 13 Examples of turning to God page 24 Excellent The way to be excellent page 332 Excellency of Creatures by their motion page 337 Exigent What course the Saints tooke in exigents page 381 Expectation Angells desire from expectation page 528 Experience Experience of those that have sped in Prayer page 12 Bond of experience to turne to God page 24 Best knowledge gained by experience page 246 Eye Hope as an eye page 268 Lifting up of the eyes a duty page 383 Eyes of body and mind lift up to God page 385 The inward disposition will appeare in the eye page 388 What eyes we must lift up to God page 390 Servants must doe service with their eyes page 392 see body mind prayer soul F Failings see Ministers Fained Judgements diverted upon fained Humiliation page 43 Faith Promises the support of faith page 265 From faith to faith what page 354 Feare â—ond of feare to turne to God page 24 The word called the feare of God why page 286 No feare in good Angells page 518 Feeble see hands Fervent Fervent words to be used in Prayer page 58 Few There are few that will suffer Tribulation page 226 see grow Finall Repentance a finall turning page 9 Forgivenesse True repentance alway meets with forgivenesse page 16 see just Formall Formall Christions how they turne to God page 8 see universall Formes Formes of Prayer necessary page 64 Arguments for set formes of prayer page 65 Formes of prayer usefull in publike page 66 Formes in Scripture for severall duties page 67 Forcible Forcible words to â—e used in confession of sins page 47 Free The Crowne of life a free gift page 283 Furnished The heart a furnished Room how page 482 G Gift give How we are said to give any thing to God page 147 All inferior good things are of gift page 240 see free Glory glorifie Words in Prayer Glorifie God page 54 From glorie to glorie what page 354 God Every grace from God page 179 Men tempt God how page 248 God the Donor of the Crowne of life page 260 We must imitate God in our growth page 370. Excellencies of God how set forth page 409 see wanting service heart good goodnesse Gods goodnesse in the pardon of all sins page 73 We must not onely shun evill but doe good page 225 Goodnesse of God testified in his promises page 264 see confession evill pardon Gold Why the Elders are said to have Crownes of gold page 231 Grace graciously To be received graciously what meant by it page 111 Gods grace enables us to praise him page 178 Tribulation accompanies grace page 253 Perticular graces for perticuler states page 356 see imperfect pardon heaven God grow honour Great greatnesse Greatnesse makes men to neglect goodnesse page 435 The Mysterie of the Gospell great page 527 Grieved How Angells are said to be grieved page 509 Grow growth Who they be that grow in grace page 333 Few grow in Christianity page 334 Vitall motion of a Christian is his growth page 338 Severall comparisons of a Christians growth page 340 Grace compared to growing things page 342 Growth in grace the best triall of a Christian ibid. Spirituall Strength gotten by growth page 347 Several pleas that hinder growth page 364 Meanes of growth many page 366 Men desire to Grow in every thing but in grace page 367 What cours we must take to grow page 368 Motives to spirituall growth page 369 see declining God soule Guest-Chamber see chamber church heart H Habits Christians must grow in the habits of grace page 356 see Act Hand Hands lift up to Gods commandements what page 315 Hands lift up what it signifieth page 316 Hands feeble what page 321 Servants eyes to the hands of their Masters why page 393 Hand the instrument of government ibid. See heart soule Happinesse The right course to happinesse page 224 Healing Gift of healing given to the Apostles page 110 Heart No sacrifice acceptable without the heart page 161 The heart the chiefe in all duties page 164 Hands figuratively the heart page 319 The heart Christs guest-chamber page 453 None can work on the heart but God page 469 See furnished large upper Heaven Desire of grace in heaven how page 132 The word assures us of heaven page 292 Perseverance borders next upon heaven page 336 The lifting up the eyes a token of a heavenly heart page 389 Difference betweene earthly and heavenly things page 533 See perseverance Heifer Israelites compared to a heifer why page 160 Heritage An heritage what it is page 290 Gods word an heritage how page 291 Holy Holy words to be used in prayer page 58 Honour Mercie honours God most page 114 True honour in heaven page 229 The greatest honour in heaven ibid. God honours every grace page 270 Growth honourable page 370 Studie of the mysteries of salvation honourable page 497 See Servants Hope The bond of hope to turn to God page 24 Promises the support of hope page 265 The use of hope page 267 Comfort that comes from hope page 422 See Anchor eye watchman Humane The Angels desire to see the humane nature of Christ page 50â— Humility humiliation Humble words to be used in confession page 44 Tentations to be endured with humility page 210 see feyned â— Jewes Jewes mistake of Scripture page 171 Ignorant God doth not try men because he is ignorant page 250 The Devill â—gnorant of Christs passion before it was page 493 Inheritance Heaven the inheritance of the Saints how page 291 Evidences inheritances how page 292 To claim Gods word as our inheritance page 294 Inheritances how sought after page 296 Incarnation The incarnation of Christ the studie of men and Angels page 490 The Devill ignorant of the incarnation of Christ till it was accomplished page 494 Impatience Impatience the inconvenience of it page 215 Impenitency Impenitencie the cause of it page 21 Danger of impenitencie page 25 see pardon Impression The most lively impressions of God in his word page 309 Imperfect Grace imperfect page 120 Impropriators Against impropriators page 478 Iniquity Iniquity what page 70 Intelligent Intelligent words to be used in prayer page 59 Instrument God not tyed to instruments page 421 Joy Things prized as they bring joy page 279 A Christian in this world hath his joy page 298 The glory of heaven set out by joy page 299 Christians have the best joy page 300 To joy aright a hard thing page 303 Angels desire grounded on joy page 534 Reasons of Angels joy page 535 To joy in heavenly things page 537 See Carnall within Journey Christians have a long journey to goe page 349 Hindrances in that