not only opens the Scripture but opens the understanding Luk. 24. 45. The subordinate Teachers are the Ministers of the Gospel whom God useth for this work not out of any indigence but indulgence not for any efficacy in the Preacher but out of a suitableness to the hearer as a means most agreeable to our frail estate to deal with us by way of counsel God can teach us without men by the secret illapses of his Spirit but he will use those that are of the same nature with our selves that have the same temptations necessities and affections which know the heart of a man He would use them who if they deceive us must deceive themselves he would use men of whose conversation and course we are conscious we know their walk and way he would use them as Ambassadors to pray us in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. 4 The lesson which we learn is not only to know but to obey Science without Conscience will not fit our turn nor suit with the dignity of our teacher To be like children that have the Rickets swollen in the head when the feet are weak we do not learn truth as it is in Jesus till we be regenerated for that 's a truth for practice and walking not for talk Eph. 4. 21. He is most learned that turns Gods word into works 1 Ioh. 2. 4 5. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected In this School there is no man counted a Proficient but he that grows in practice It is not the curious searcher that is the best Scholar but the humble Practitioner when we are cast into the mould of this Doctrine and have the prints the stamp and character of it upon our heart as Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you In the Original it is Whereto ye were delivered When we come to a Physician it is not enough to know his Prescriptions but they must be followed we do not come to Christ as Students of Physick to be train'd up in the Theory but as Patients not as one that minds the Art but the Cure to do what is prescribed that we may know how to get rid of our soul-diseases Therefore Christ saith John 8. 31. Then are ye my disciples indeed if my word abide in you There are Christs Disciples in pretence and Christs disciples indeed those that make it their work to get from Christ a power and vertue to carry on an uniform and constant obedience these are the true learners Therefore it will not fit our turn unless we labour to come under the power of what we learn as well as get the knowledg and it will not suit with the dignity of our Teacher who doth not only enlighten the mind but change us by his efficacy and leaves a suitable impression upon the soul. God writeth the lesson upon our hearts that is not only gives us the lesson but an heart to learn it Man's teaching is a pouring it into the ears This is Gods teaching to inform our reason and move our will Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure He teacheth us promises so as to make us believe them and commandments so as to make us obey them and the Doctrine of the Gospel teacheth us so as to stamp the impression of it upon the soul to change us into his image and likeness 2 Cor. 3. 18. Use. It presseth us to give up our selves to this Learning Study the word but take God for your Teacher Look to him that speaks from heaven if you would learn to purpose otherwise our natural blindness will never be cured nor our prejudices removed nor our wills gained to God or if they should be gained to a profession of truth it will never hold long When men lead us into a truth we shall easily be led off again by other men and all a mans teaching will never reform the heart Man's light is like a March-Sun which raiseth vapours but doth not dispel and scatter them so it discovers Iust but doth not give us power to suppress it therefore our main business must be to be taught of God Secondly Observe your proficiency in this knowledg Heb. 5. 14. To have your senses exercised to discern both good and evil We should every day grow more skilful in the word of righteousness John 14. 9. Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip To be backward in the knowledg of grace after long teaching and to be still conflicting with fleshly lusts which is the exercise of beginners so much means and so small experience and get no further this is sad Thirdly The fruit of this benefit obtained Then shall I praise him From hence observe 1. Upon receit of every mercy we should praise God We are forward in supplication but backward in gratulation This is a more noble duty and continueth with us in heaven It is the work of glorified Saints and Angels to praise God All the lepers could beg health yet but one returned to give God the glory This is sad when it is so for this is a more sublime duty therefore it should have more of our care This is a profitable duty Psal. 67. 5 6. Let the people praise thee O Lord let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yield her encrease and God even our own God shall bless us The more vapours go up the more showers come down and the more praises go up the more mercies There 's a reciprocal intercourse between us and God by mercies and praises as there is between the earth and the lower heavens by vapours and showers There are two words by which our thankfulness to God is exprest Praising and Blessing Psal. 145. 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee What 's the difference Praise respecteth Gods Excellencies and Blessing respecteth Gods Benefits We may praise a man that never hath done us good if he be excellent and praise-worthy but blessing respecteth Gods Bounty and Benefits yet they are promiscuously taken sometimes as here Praise is taken for Blessing 2. Observe We should praise God especially for spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. Why partly because these come from the special love of God God bestows Corn Wine and Oil in the geral upon the world but now knowledg and grace and blessed experiences of communion with God these are special things he bestows them upon the Saints therefore deserves more thankfulness Protection it is the common benefit of every subject but Preferment and Favour is for friends and those that are near to the Prince so this is the favour of his people called so Psal. 106. 5. Shew me the favour of
whether with such scrupulous observation of hours is not certain Secondly The subject-matter thy Righteous Iudgments whereby is meant 1. God's most Righteous Laws and Precepts called the Ordinances of Judgment and Justice Isaiah 58. we cannot sufficiently bless God for the benefit of his Word 2. The dispensations of his Providence suiting therewith whether they concern us or others The Word is fulfilled in the punishment of the wicked and in giving the promised reward to the Righteous All Gods dealings are Righteous Judgements and matter of praise is still offered to us from the comforts and blessings of his Providence there is no question of that the smallest of his mercies should not be overlooked though notable mercies should be continually remembred Psal. 68. 19. Not only dayly benefits but great deliverances are a standing ground of Thanksgiving Psal. 66. 2. Sing forth the honour of his Name make his praise glorious shew forth his Salvation from day to day especially now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the great Salvation is more clearly revealed we should never think of it nor read it nor hear of it without some considerable act of Joy and thankfulness 2dly So for the dispensations of God to others in protecting his people in punishing his Enemies 'T is a great confirmation of Faith to see Promises and Threatnings fulfilled on others how punctually God maketh good his Word to all that trust in him Psal. 18. 30. On all those that reject it and despise it as we have heard so have we seen Psal. 48. 8. They that believe the Word of God and do mark what is foretold in the Word shall find the event and work of Providence suitable to the prediction 3. Gods Righteous Judgments afflicting of us doth also yield matter of praise as they work together for good to such as Love him Rom. 8. 28. and the saddest corrections afford necessary and profitable instructions Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest him out of thy Law Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes though not barely for the afflictions themselves yet for their fruit and issue that our souls are bettered and humbled by them and as we see the faithfulness of God in them Doctrine That the People of God should never cease lauding and magnifying the name of God because of his Righteous Iudgments David was never weary of praising God every day he praised God and often every day Love sweetned it to him We shall praise him evermore in the world to come there it will be our sole Imployment but even in this World we should not count it a burden but praise him yet more Psal. 71. 14. I will yet praise him more and more still magnifying his greatness Here I shall speak 1. Of the Duty that we should praise God 2. Of the Continuance that we should not cease praising God 3. The Grounds of it in the Text because of thy Righteous Judgements First The Duty Secondly The Motives to it First The Duty and there we have 1. The Nature of it 2. The Grounds of it 3. The Formality 4. The Fruit of it 1. The Nature of it There are three Words used in this matter blessing praising giving thanks Sometimes they are used promiscuously at other times there is a distinctness of notion to be observed blessing is used Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul blessing relateth to his benefits it respects the works of God as beneficial to us his mercy Love and kindness to us we bless him who hath blessed us Eph. 1. 7. praise relateth to his excellencies as we may praise a stranger for his excellent endowments though we are not benefited by them Psal. III. 1. 2. Praise ye the Lord I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright and in the Congregation The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein 'T is a great part of our work to praise the Lord not that he at all needeth it for he is infinitely perfect but he deserveth it and by this means we testifie our love and reverence of him and strengthen our own dependance on him and gain others to him when we speak good of his name The other Word is Thanksgiving Psal. 107. 1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good This differeth from the two former because praise may be expressed in Words gratitude and thankfulness in Deed also it hath respect to Benefits as well as Blessings but we shew our Gratitude by Obedience but these are often co-incident Indeed there is a mixture of all in the true praising of God Excellencies and Benefits are to be acknowledged with Heart Mouth and Life 2. The Grounds of it Faith and Love must be at the bottom of our praise if we would not have it slight and formal For the more lively apprehensions we have of Gods Perfections which is the work of Faith and the more sensible of his Goodness and Mercy which is work of love the better is this service performed Therefore unless these praises flow from a Believing Loving soul they are but an empty prattle and a vain sound Faith is necessary that is the Eye of the soul to see the invisible one Heb. 11. 27. It giveth us an apprehension of the Lords excellencies in order to Love and Trust So also in order to praise Faith sets us before the Throne and doth withdraw the vail and sheweth us the Eternal God who liveth and reigneth for ever Dispensing all things powerfully according to his own Will that 's all the sight we have of God in this Life a nearer vision is referred to our future glory here we see him by Faith 2dly Love or a deep sense of the goodness of God which inlargeth the heart towards him and forceth open our lips that our mouths may shew forth his praise Psal. 51. 15. There he meaneth Gods giving a sweet and renewed sence of pardoning Mercy Psal. 63. 3. Because thy Loving kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee an intimate sence of the Lords love sets the Tongue a work to speak of it praise then is the result of Faith and Love None else do it seriously delightfully but where these Graces reign and prevail in the Heart 3. The Formality of it is an acknowledgment of the Divine Vertues Benefits and Perfections manifested to us in his Word or Works or both these must be acknowledged by some outward Expression Words whereby we express our inward thoughts and apprehensions Our Tongues are called our Glory Psal. 57. 8. Awake up my glory Psal. 16. 9. My heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth When that Scripture is quoted Acts 2. 26. 't is said My tongue is glad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Septuagint So called not only as speech is our Excellency above the Beasts but because God is
superstitious Holiness may seem to make a fair shew but it is destructive to true Godliness and Scriptural Holiness which guides us to Communion with God When mens zeal boils over in a false pretended Holiness it quencheth the fire and destroys true Godliness and Religion Excess is monstrous as well as defect Therefore still we must consult with the Law and Rule that we may not come short or over Secondly As the Law must be consulted with that it may inform us so that it may awe us and hold us under a sense of our duty to God By the Law is the knowledg of sin Rom. 3. 19. Usually most Christians live by rote and do not study their Rule would a man worship God so coldly and customarily if he did consider the rule which requires such heedfulness of soul fervency of Spirit diligent attendance upon God in his Ordinances Would a man allow himself liberty of vain speeches idle talk and suffer his tongue to run riot if he did consult with the Rule and remembred that light words would weigh heavy in Gods Ballance These are condemned by the Law of liberty Iam. 2. 12. So speak and so do as those that shall be Iudged by the Law of liberty Would a man be so slight in heavenly things so disorderly and intemperate in the use of pleasure and pursuit of worldly profit if he did consider the Rule and what a Holy moderation God hath required of us upon all occasions This is the first thing namely the Rule which is the Law of God Secondly There 's a conformity to this Rule If you would be blessed there must be a sincere constant uniform Obedience The will of God must not only be known but practised many will conclude that Gods Law in the Theory is the only direction to true blessedness but now to take it for their Rule to keep close to it not one of a thousand doth that 1. Then sincere obedience is required Blessed is the undefiled in the way At first hearing of these words a man might reply Oh then none can be blessed if that be the qualification For who can say my heart is clean Prov. 20. 9. I answer This undefiledness is to be understood according to the tenor of the second Covenant which doth not exclude the mercy of God and the justification of penitent sinners Psal. 130. 3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities who shall stand But there is mercy with thee There is no escaping condemnation and the curse if God should deal with us according to strict justice and require an absolute undefiledness Well then this qualification must be understood as I said in the sense of the second Covenant and what 's that sincerity of sanctification when a man doth carefully endeavour to keep his garments unspotted from the world and to approve himself to God when this is his constant exercise to avoid all offence both towards God and man Acts 24. 16. and is cautious and watchful lest he should be defiled when he is humbled more for his pollutions when he is always purging his heart and doth endeavour and that with success to walk in the way of God here 's the undefiledness in a Gospel sense Psal. 84. 11. The Lord will be a sun and a shield c. to whom to those that walk uprightly This is possible enough here 's no ground of despair This is that will lead us to blessedness when we are troubled for our failings and there is a diligent exercise in the purification of our hearts 2. A constant obedience Wicked men have their good moods and devout pangs in the way to Heaven but they are not lasting They will go with God a step or two but it is said He that walketh in the law of the Lord. A wicked man prays himself weary of prayer and professeth himself weary of holiness A man is judged by the tenour of his life not by one action but as he holdeth on his way to Heaven Iob 27. 10. Many run well for a while but are soon out of breath Enoch walked with God three hundred sixty five years 3. An uniform and an intire obedience Exod. 20. 1. God spake all these words He commandeth one thing as well as another and conscience takes hold of all To single out what pleaseth us is to make our selves Gods A servant doth not chuse his work but the Master A child of God is uniform in one place as well as another at home and abroad in all the passages of his life in prosperity and adversity whether he abound or whether he be abased Phil. 4. He is not like Ephraim as a Cake not turned but there 's an uniformity Doth he make conscience of piety and worship and will he not make conscience of honesty and just dealing with men Will he make conscience of his actions and will he not of his words He doth not give up himself to idle speech and vain discourse An hypocrite is best when he is taken in pieces but a sincere man is best when he is taken all together A Christian is always like himself It is notable in the story of the Creation that God views every days work and God saw that it was good he viewed it all together and God saw all things that he had made and behold it was very good When he did consider the whole correspondence of his Works how it answered one another then God was delighted in it So a Christian is most delighted in the review of his course and walking according to the Commandment Thirdly What respect hath this to true blessedness It is the way to it Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. This will appear in two respects 1. It is the beginning of blessedness Likeness to God is the foundation of glory Conformity to him will be carried on from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. And as conformity unto so communion with God in the beauties of holiness is the beginning of happiness As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal. 17. 15. 2. Sincere and constant obedience is the evidence of our right to future blessedness A man hath somewhat to shew for it Matt. 5. 8. It is an inclusive evidence Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and it is an exclusive evidence Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Well then when this is our way and course we may expect happiness hereafter The Uses are 1. To shew you that carnal men live as if they sought misery rather than happiness Prov. 8. 36. He that sins against me wrongs his own soul. All that hate me love death If a man were travelling to York who would say his aim was to come to London Do these men pursue happiness that walk in such defilement It is the way of Gods Law that leads to true blessedness 2.
see the whole drift of Christs doctrine was to press men to give it is a more blessed thing This is the happiness of God that he gives to all and receives of none that he is so ready to communicate of his own fulness upon such free terms Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace that is grace for graces sake Thus we have seen how God is actively blessed 2. God is passively blessed as he is blessed by us or as worthy of all praise from us for his goodness righteousness and mercy and the communications of his grace There are two words by which our thanksgiving is expressed praise and blessing you have both in Psal. 145. 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee Praise relateth to Gods Excellency and Blessing to his Benefits his Works declare his Excellency but his Saints which are sensible of his benefits they bless him they count him worthy of all honour and praise and are ever ascribing to him Rev. 5. 13. Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Why blessing As for other things so it was for opening the Book which was sealed with seven seals and revealing his mind to his people as you may see v. 9. So David here Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes As if he had said Lord thou art and thou shalt be blessed I bless thee that thou hast taught me and I desire thou wouldst teach me still that I may ever bless thee Thus it may be taken in a passive sense as he is the object of our blessedness Well then all that I have said upon this Compellation it may be reduced to these six Propositions I. That God is over all and above all blessed enough in himself and needeth nothing from us to add to his Happiness and Perfection That he is blessed enough in himself Rom. 9. 6. God over all blessed for ever That he needs nothing from us to add to his Happiness and Perfection Ps. 16. 2. My righteousness my goodness extendeth not to thee He is above our benefits and injuries If there could result any one happiness to God from the creature surely then he would have made the World sooner what hindered him For why should he keep himself out of his own happiness And therefore he made the world not that he might be happy but that he might be liberal Before ever there was Hill or Mountain Man or Angels God was happy enough in himself The Divine Persons took infinite delight and complacency in each other as their rejoycing is expressed Prov. 8. 30 31. I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him God had infinite complacency in Christ and Christ in God both in the Spirit all in each and each in all before ever there was hill or mountain The World is upheld as stones are in an Arch by a mutual dependance by a combination of interests we need one another but God doth not stand in need of us The head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee the greatest stand in need of the meanest of their labours their service the meanest parts have their use in the body But now God standeth in no need of us for he giveth all and he receiveth nothing back again as the Fountain hath no need of the stream but the stream hath need of the Fountain the Sun fills the lap of the Earth with blessings and the Earth returns nothing but Vapours that obscure its beams rather than add any thing to its brightness God he filleth every living thing especially his Saints with blessing and receiveth nothing from us again II. Though God stand in no need of us yet he is willing to communicate his blessedness and to make us happy in the enjoyment of himself There 's a threefold consideration which doth advance the bounty of God That to us that himself to us and that so readily and freely 1. That to us who can neither hurt him nor help him Psal. 8. 3 4. Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him What a poor sorry creature is man wilt thou set thine eyes upon such a one What would God lose if we were all damned Or what would he gain if all were saved He would lose no more by us than a bounteous man doth by the death of a company of beggars and maimed persons which live upon his expence and charge Wherein can we be useful to God 2. Herein lyeth the bounty of God to give us such a blessing as the enjoyment of Himself When he had no greater thing to swear by saith the Apostle he sware by himself When God hath no greater thing to give us he gives us himself I am thy God He scatters and sheds abroad some common influences upon all creatures but to us he gives not only that which is his but gives us himself that when our happiness is at the highest we may immediately enjoy him For the opening of this blessedness in giving us the fruition of himself consider we enjoy God two ways mediately and immediately one proper to this world the other to the next 1. Mediately we enjoy God when he communicateth himself to us by secondary means or the interposition of the creature between him and us Thus in common mercies when he feeds us by his meat and drink and enlightneth us with his Sun Here in the world we have blessings at second or third hand I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth c. Hos. 2. 21 22. Whatever one Creature affordeth to another it hath it first from God The Creature is but an empty hollow-pipe through which the blessing runs and it passeth from pipe to pipe God poureth out his influences to the Heavens and the Heavens pour out their influences upon the Earth and the strength of the Earth runneth up into corn wine and oil and by corn wine and oil Israel hath his refreshments So still from pipe to pipe is the blessing conveyed to the Creature So for special mercies we have them by degrees life comfort grace by the word and seals But the Lord will not only supply us at second and third hand but 2. Immediately when God communicates himself to us without any other thing between us and him when we are immediately present with God and have immediate influences from God this is the happiness of Heaven In the heavenly state God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall be both the dispenser and the dispensation There we see him face to face and in his face and presence there is fulness of joy Psal. 16. 11. That 's our happiness in the next world where immediate influences and vertue doth pass out from him In Heaven there is no Temple Rev. 21. 22. But the Lamb is the Temple
Trust whatever contrariety appeareth in Gods Providence Gods word must bear up our hearts it is as a Pawn till the Deliverance come Gods mercy is the same still his word calleth for Trust the more we trust and hope in his mercy the better for us Psal. 13. 5. I have trusted in thy mercy my Soul shall rejoyce in thy Salvation Psal. 33. 22. Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us as we hope in thee And Psalm 32. 10. He that trusteth in the Lord Mercy shall compass him about The more clear is your claim when you trust your selves with him he is a merciful God and his word saith he will take care for them that fear him 4. All this trust must be set a work in Prayer so doth David and so saith the Word Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie my Name Ier. 29. 11 12. I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Ezek. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them 4. The effectual Application Let thy Mercies come also unto me 1. He beggeth Application unto me also God is every day scattering his Mercies abroad in the world and David would not be left out of Gods Care and blessed Provision but have his share also Esau's words are applicable upon this occasion Gen. 27. 38. Hast thou but one blessing O my Father Bless me even me also When the Earth is full of his goodness beg your share God is the Father of Mercies he hath not the less for bestowing as the Sun hath not less Light for us because others enjoy it with us God doth not wast by giving 2. He beggeth an effectual Application Let thy mercies come unto me the way was blocked up with sins and difficulties yet Mercy could clear all and find access to him or make out its way Let it come to me that is let it be performed or come to pass as it is rendred Iudges 13 12. Now let thy words come to pass to us Heb. Let it come here let it come home to me for my comfort and deliverance David elsewhere saith Psal. 23. 6. Mercy and Goodness shall follow me all my days go after him find him out in his wandrings So Psalm 116. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me They found their way to him though shut up with sins and dangers Thus we see how to plead with God for temporal Salvation we must make Grace and nothing but Grace the ground of our hope and this according to the tenor of the word 2. As it is applicable to eternal Salvation and then 1. The ground of all is mercy or pity of the Creatures misery the Lord is not moved to bestow Grace upon Sinners for any goodness that he findeth in them or could foresee in them for he findeth none and could foresee nothing but what was the fruit of his own Grace Rom. 11. 35. Who hath given him first and it shall be recompensed unto him again It is the honour of God to begin all things as the River oweth all to the Fountain the Fountain nothing to the River as none can give him first so none can be profitable unto him for he needeth nothing Acts 17. 25. Neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needeth any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things Nay we deserve the contrary to be cast into utter darkness Ezek. 36. 21 22. I do not this for your sakes I had pity for my Names sake which ye have prophaned among the Heathen 1 Pet. 1. 3. Of his abundant goodness he hath begotten us to a lively hope We have not a right notion of mercy unless we admire the plenty of it Eph. 2. 4. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us when we were dead in trespasses and sins hath quickned us with Christ. There need many mercies from first to last for the saving of a poor sinner their natural misery is great Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Their actual Sins many Ier. 14. 7. Our iniquities testifie against us the way of their recovery by Christ is mysterious Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The course taken for satisfying wronged Justice the Application involveth many mercies the renewing of their Natures Titus 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost The preserving of inherent Grace against temptations forgiving many sins after Conversion Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon The righteous fall seven times a day and riseth up again Prov. 24. 16. The great eternal good things to be bestowed on them Iude 21. Looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal life So that from first to last there is nothing but a concatenation of mercies 2. The Effect Salvation This properly deserveth to be called so we are saved but in part before then from all evils from the greatest evil Hell before we are saved but we may be troubled again now no more sorrow when all opposition is broken and God is all in all and the Church presented as a prey snatched out of the teeth of Lions all former things are done away 3. This dispensed according to the Word Now what doth the Word say when a sinner repenteth all the Iniquities which he hath committed shall be forgotten there is abuse of Mercy noted Deut. 29. 19. If he shall bless himself and say I shall have Peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart I may go on in sin and cry God mercy and there is an end No Mercy issueth out it self for Salvation of men according to the Word these are Conclusions contrary to Grace Iude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness The Principle is true but the Conclusion is false certainly God is merciful there is no end nor measure nor bank nor bottom in his Mercy but throughout the whole Scriptures Mercy is only promised to the Penitent and those that come to God by Christ. Take mercy according to the Word
Prayers should be mingled with a thankful sense and acknowledgment of his mercies Psal. 4. 6. In every thing let your requests and supplications be made known with thanksgiving Do not come onely in a complaining way Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving They are not holy requests unless we acknowledge what he hath done for us as well as desire him to do more Nothing more usual than to come in our necessities to seek help but we do not return when we have received help and relief to give thanks When our turn is served we neglect God Wants urge us more than Blessings our Interest swayeth us more than Duty As a dog swalloweth every bit that is cast to him and still looketh for more We swallow whatever the bounty of God casteth out to us without thanks and when we need again we would have more and though warm in Petitions yet cold rare unfrequent in gratulations It is not onely against Scripture but against Nature Ethnicks abhor the ungrateful that were still receiving but forgetting to give thanks It is against justice to seek help of God and when we have it to make no more mention of God than if we had it from our selves It is against Truth we make many promises in our affliction but forget all when well at ease 3. God either takes away or blasts the Mercies which we are not thankful for Sometimes he taketh them from us Hos. 2. 8 9. I will take away my Corn in the time thereof and my Wine in the season thereof and I will recover my Wool and Flax why She doth not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl and gave her Silver and Gold Where his kindness is not taken notice of nor his hand seen and acknowledged he will take his benefits to himself again We know not the value of Mercies so much by their worth as by their want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A thing too near the eye cannot be seen God must set things at a distance to make us value them If he take them not away yet many times he blasts them as to their natural use Mal. 2. 2. And if you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name saith the Lord of Hâ—…sts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart The Creature is a deaf-nut when we come to crack it we have not the natural blessing as to health strength and chearfulness Acts 14. 17. or if Food yet not gladness of heart with it Or we have not the sanctified use it is not a mercy that leadeth us to God A thing is sanctified when it is à bono in bonum if it cometh from God and leadeth us to God 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours for you are Christs and Christ is Gods You have a covenant right an holy use 4. Bless him for favours received and you shall have more Thanksgiving is the kindly way of Petitioning and the more thankful for Mercies the more they are increased upon us Vapours drawn up from the Earth return in showrs to the Earth again The Sea poureth out its fulness into the Rivers and all Rivers return into the Sea from whence they came Psal. 67. 5 6. Let the People praise thee O God yea let all the People praise thee Then shall the Earth yield her increase and God even our own God shall bless us When Springs lye low we pour a little water into the Pump not to enrich the Fountain but to bring up more for our selves It is not onely true of outward increase but of Spiritual also Col. 2. 7. Be ye rooted in the Faith and abound therein with thanksgiving If we give thanks for so much Grace as we have already received it is the way to increase our store We thrive no more get no more victory over our corruptions because we do no more give thanks 5. When God's common Mercies are well observed or well improved it fits us for acts of more special kindness In the story of the Lepers Luke 17. 19. thy Faith hath made thee whole he met not onely with a bodily cure but a Soul cure Luke 16. 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches When we suspect a vessel leaketh we try it with Water before we fill it with Wine You are upon your tryal be thankful for less God will give you more Means or Directions 1. Heighten all the Mercies you have by all the circumstances necessary to be considered by the nature and kind of them spiritual Eternal Blessings first the greatest Mercies deserve greatest acknowledgment Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Christs Spirit Pardon of sins Heaven the way of Salvation known accepted and the things of the World as subordinate helps Luke 10. 20. Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Then consider your sense in the want of Mercies what high thoughts had you then of them The Mercies are the same when you have them and when you want them onely your apprehensions are greater if affectionately begg'd they must be affectionately acknowledged else you are a Hypocrite either in the supplication or gratulation Consider the Person giving God so high and glorious A small remembrance from a great Prince no way obliged no way needing me to whom I can be no way profitable a small kindness melts us a gift of a few pounds a little parcel of land Do I court him and observe him There is less reason why God should abase himself to look upon us or concern himself in us Psal. 113. 6. He humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth We have all things from him Consider the Person receiving so unworthy Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant 2 Sam. 7. 19. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Consider the season in our greatest extremity is Gods opportunity Gen. 22. 14. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen when the knife was at the throat of his Son 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Consider the end and
fruit of his mercy it is to manifest his special love to us and engage our hearts to himself Isa. 38. 17. Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption or thou hast loved me from the grave otherwise God may give things in anger Consider the means by which he brought them about when unlikely unexpected in themselves weak insufficient The greatest matters of Providence hang many times upon small wires a lye brought Ioseph into prison and a dream fetched him out and he was advanced and Iacobs Family fed Consider the number of his mercies Psal. 139. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summ of them The many failings pardoned comforts received dangers prevented deliverances vouchsafed How he began with us before all time conducted us in time and hath been preparing for us an happiness which we shall injoy when time shall be no more 2. Satisfie your selves with no praise and thanksgiving but what leaveth the impression of real effects upon the Soul For God is not slattered with empty praises and a little verbal commendation There is a twofold praising of God by expressive declaration or by objective impression now neither expression nor impression must be excluded Some Platonical Divines explode and scoff at the verbal praise more than becometh their Reverence to the word of God Psal. 50. 23. He that offereth praise glorifieth me But then the impression must be looked after too that we be like that God whom we commend and extoll that we depend on him more love him more fervently serve him more chearfully 2 Doct. That God's Providence rightly considered we shall find in the worst times much more cause to give thanks than to complain I observe this because David was now under Affliction he had in the former Verse complained that the bands of the wicked had robbed him yet even then would he give thanks to God 1. Observe here the matter of his Thanksgiving was God's Providence according to his Word seen in executing Threatnings on the Wicked and performing his Promises to the Godly God's Word is one of the chiefest Benefits bestowed on Man and therefore should be a subject of our Praises Now when this is verified in his Providence and we see a faithfull performance of those things in Mercy to his Servants and in Justice to his Enemies and the benefits and advantages of his Law to them that are obedient and the just Punishment of the disobedient and can discern not onely a vein of Righteousness but of Truth in all God's dealings this is a double benefit which must be taken notice of and acknowledged to God's praise Oh Christians how sweet is it to reade his Works by the light of the Sanctuary and to learn the Interpretation of his Providence from his Spirit by his Word Psalm 73. 17. I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end by consulting the Scriptures he saw the end and close of them that walk not according to God's Direction his Word and Works do mutually explain one another The Sanctuary is the place where God's People meet where his Word is taught where we may have satisfaction concerning all his dealings 2. That when any divine Dispensation goeth cross to our Affections yea our Prayers and Expectations yet even then can Faith bring meat out of the eater and find many occasions of Praise and Thanksgiving to God for nothing falleth out so cross but we may see the hand of God in it working for good 1. Though we have not the blessing we seek and pray for yet we give thanks because God hath been sometimes intreated he hath shewed himself a God hearing Prayer and is onely delaying now untill a more fit time wherein he may give us that which is sought Psalm 43. 5. Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Now we are mourning but he is our God and we are not left without hope of a blessed issue God that hath been gracious will be gracious again He is our gracious Father when we are under his sharpest Corrections a Father when he striketh or frowneth therefore we are not without hope that he will give us opportunities again of glorifying his Name 2. We bless God for continuing so long the Mercies which he hath taken from us Former experiences must not be forgotten Eben-ezer Hitherto the Lord hath helped us if he shall afflict us afterward yet hitherto he hath helped us 1 Sam. 7. 12. If he take away Life it is a mercy that he spared it so long for his own service and glory if Liberty that we had such a time of rest and intermission 3. God is yet worthy of Praise and Thanksgiving for choicer Mercies yet continued notwithstanding all the afflictions laid upon us That we have his Spirit supporting us under our Tryals and inabling us to bear them 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy For if ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth on you And that we have any Peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. That the hope of eternal Life is not diminished but increased by our Afflictions Rom. 5. 4 5. We glory in Tribulation knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us That many of our natural Comforts are yet left and God will supply us by ways best known to himself 4. That Evils and Afflictions which light upon us for the Gospels sake or Righteousness sake and Christ's Name sake are to be reckoned among our Priviledges and deserve Praise rather then Complaint Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake if it be a gift it is matter of Praise 5. Take these Evils in the worst notion they are less then we have deserved Ezra 9. 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing that thou our God hast punished us less then our Inquities deserve Babylon is not Hell and still that should be acknowledged 6. That no Evil hath befallen us but such as God can bring good out of them Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God All things that befall a Christian are either good or shall turn to good either to good natural Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought evil but God meant it for good or good spiritual Psal. 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy Iudgments are
instance of Self-denial why so carefull to serve and glorifie God Rom. 14. 8. For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords they have given up themselves to be employed at his Command 2. Him they serve How do they serve him 1. They must serve God with the Spirit as well as the Body Rom. 1. 9. God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son So Phil 3. 3. We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 7. 6. That we should serve in newness of Spirit When the heart is â—…enewed disposed and fitted for his fear and service there is an honest purpose and endeavour to serve him 2. You must serve him faithfully devoting your selves to do his Will and to seek his Glory Your intention trade and study must be to honour God and please him that if it be asked for whom are you at work for whom speaking or spending your time whose Business are you doing you may answer all is for God If the pleasing oâ—… the Flesh be their work or scope they are said to serve their own Bellies Rom. 16. 18. They that are such serve not the Lord Iesus but their own Belly 3. Chearfully having so good a Master let us take pleasure in our Work here is all good Good Master good Work good Wages certainly the more Good any man findeth God to be and the more good he himself hath received the more good he ought to be the Goodness of God should melt us and awe us There are two Questions every one of you should put to your selves What hath God done for you and what have you done for God When you thus serve God you may plead it to God as David Psal. 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant You may expect relief and protection and maintenance Servants have their dole and portion from their Masters hands Psal. 123. 2. As the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us He that doth Gods Will shall have his Protection and Blessing you have a sanctified Interest in all that falleth to your share 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Lastly God will now and then visibly put some marks of distinction on them Mal. 3. 18. Then shall ye return and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not For a while their Glory may be clouded they may be hardly dealt with in the world but God hath his times of presenting all things in their own colours but the chief time of manifestation is hereafter when the Servants of Christ come to receive their full Reward then they find him to be a good Master indeed Iohn 12. 26. If any man serve me him will my Father honour 2. Doctr. That the good which God hath done for us should be thankfully acknowledged We should not be always craving always complaining there should be a mixture of thanksgiving Col. 4. 6. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving together with the expression of our wants and desires there must be Thanksgiving for Favours already received 1. There is a time for all things for confessing Sin for begging Mercy for thankfull Acknowledgments though in every Address to God there should be somewhat of all these yet at certain seasons one is predominant In a time when God is offended Confession of sin in a time of great wants and streights Prayer in a time of great receivings Thanks The times that pass over us bring upon us many changes every change of dispensation must be sanctified by a sutable Duty As no condition is so bad but a good man can find an occasion of praising God and trusting in Him so no Condition so good but matter of Humbling and Self abasing will arise yet there are special Occasions that require the one or the other Opus diei in die suo James 5. 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me 2. It is a disingenuous spirit to ask Mercy for supplying our Wants or delivering us from troubles and not acknowledge Mercy when that supply or deliverance is received Prayer is a work of necessity but Praise of mere Duty Self-love will put us upon Prayer but the Love of God upon Praise and Thanksgiving we pray because we need God we praise because we love God and have a sense of his Goodness to us Luke 17. 15. One of them when he saw that he was healed with a loud voice turned back and glorified God Most turn back upon the Mercy-Seat do not give Glory to God when their turn is served 3. It is for the glory and honour of God that his Servants should speak good of his Name When they are always complaining they bring an ill report upon the Ways of God like the Spies that went to view the Promised Land But it is a great invitation to others when we can tell them how good God hath been to us Psal. 34. 8. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him This doth draw in others to come and take share with us 4. It is for our profit the more thankfull for Mercies the more they are increased upon us As vapours return in showers The sea putteth out of her fulness into the rivers and they again refund into the Sea the water received thence Psal. 67. 5 6. Let the People praise thee O Lord. Then shall the Earth bring forth her increase When the Springs are low we pour in a little water into the Pump not to enrich the Fountain but to bring up more for our selves It is not only true of outward Increase but spiritual also Col. 2. 7. Be ye rooted in the Faith and abound therein with Thanksgiving If we give thanks for so much Grace as we have already received it is the way to increase our store we do no more thrive in Victory over Corruption or the increase of divers Graces because we do no more give Thanks 5. It prevents many sins I shall name two 1. Hardness of Heart When we are not thankfull for Blessings they prove an occasion to the Flesh and so our Table is made a snare Psal. 69. 22. and our welfare a Trap. Men go on stupidly receiving Blessings but do not acknowledge the Donor but when we own God upon all occasions
is communicative of its self he is good that noteth his Nature and Inclination and he doth good that noteth his Work whereby he giveth proof of his Goodness Unumquodque operatur secundùm suam formam every thing acteth according to its Nature So doth God as is his Being so is his operation he is good and doth good the Work must needs be answerable to the Workman The Point is Doctr. It becometh all those that have to doe with God to have a deep sense of his Goodness 1. What is God's Goodness 2. How it is manifested to us 3. Why those that come to God should have a deep sense of it 1. What is God's Goodness There is a threefold Goodness ascribed by Divines to God 1. His Natural Goodness which is the natural Perfection of his Being 2. His Moral Goodness which is the moral Perfection of his Being 3. His Beneficial communicative Goodness called otherwise his Benignity which is of chief regard in this place besides the Perfection and Excellency of his Nature there is his Will and Self-propension to diffuse his Benefits the Perfection of his Nature is his natural and moral Goodness the other his Bounty All must be spoken to distinctly 1. God is naturally good There is such an absolute Perfection in his Nature and Being that nothing is wanting to it or defective in it and nothing can be added to it to make it better As Philo saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Being must needs be the first Good assoon as we conceive there is a God we presently conceive that he is good in this Sense it is said Mark 10. 18. Why callest thou me good there is none good but one and that is God He is good of himself good in himself yea Good it self There is none good above him or besides him or beyond him it is all from him and in him if it be good He is primitively and originally good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good of himself which nothing else is for all Creatures are good onely by participation and communication from God He is essentially good not onely good but Goodness it self the Creatures good is a superadded quality in him it is his Essence He is infinitely Good the Creatures Goodness is but a Drop but in God there is an infinite Ocean and Sea or gathering together of Goodness He cannot be better he is Summum Bonum The chiefest Good other things are good in Subordination to him and according to that use and proportion they bear to him He is not good as the Means but as the End things good as the Means are only good in order proportion measure and respect but God is absolutely good beyond God there is nothing to be sought or aimed at if we enjoy him we enjoy all good to make us compleatly happy he is Eternally and Immutably good for he cannot be less good than he is as there can be no Addition made to him so no Substraction or ought taken from him 2. God is morally good that is the Fountain and Pattern of all that vertuous goodness which is in the Creatures So Psalm 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord. And Exod. 33. 19. He said I will make all my Goodness go before thee and proclaim my Name As the Creature hath a natural Goodness of Beauty Power Dominion Wisdom So it hath a moral Goodness of Purity and Holiness Accordingly we must conceive in God his Holiness Purity Veracity Justice as his Moral perfection and Goodness as his Will is the supream Pattern and Fountain of all these things in the Creature 3. God is communicatively and beneficially Good That implyeth his Bounty and Beneficence or his will and Self-Propension to diffuse his Benefits It may be explained by these Considerations 1. That God hath in him whatsoever is usefull and comfortable to us That is one notion we apprehend him by That he is God Allsufficient Gen. 17. 1. or that he hath all things at command to doe for us as our necessities shall require Psalm 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward The privative and positive part is expressed in both these places whether we need life or comfort or would be protected from all dangers bodily or spiritual why should we seek good out of God Riches Pleasures Honours they might more happily be had if we could possess all things in God Ier. 2. 13. My people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water God is the Fountain of all those things which are necessary to give us all good and defend us from all evil Possidet possidentem omnia 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing and yet possessing all things 2. That he hath a strong inclination to let out his fulness and is ready to do good upon all occasions Thou art good and dost good Bonum est primum potissimum nomen Dei saith Damascene The chiefest Name by which we conceive of God is his Goodness By that we know him for that we love him and make our addresses to him we admire him for his other Titles and Attributes but this doth first insinuate with us and invite our respects to him The first means by which the Devil sought to loosen man from God was by weakning the conceit of his Goodness and the great ground of all our commerce with him is that God is a good God Psalm 100. 4 5. Enter ye into his courts with praise be thankfull unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting He presently inviteth the world to come to him because he is good As God is Allsufficient in himself so he is communicative of his riches unto his Creatures and most of all to his own people goodness is communicative it diffuseth it self as the Sun doth Light or as the fountain poureth out waters 3. He is the Fountain of all that good we have or are We have nothing but what we have from God Iames 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights And Ier. 2. 13. He is called the Fountain of Living waters As Rivers are supplied by the Sea so the gathering together of all Goodness is in God All Candles are lighted at his Torch there is nothing in the Creature but what is derived from him Who hath given to him first and it shall be recompensed to him again Rom. 11. 35. As the Sun oweth nothing to the Beam but the Beam oweth all to the Sun and the Sea oweth nothing to the River but the River oweth all to the Sea 4. There will a time come when he will be all in all 1 Cor. 15.
28. When God will immediately and in a fuller latitude communicate himself to his Creatures and there will need nothing besides himself to make us happy Here we enjoy God but not fully nor immediatly We enjoy him in his creatures but it is at the second or third hand the Creature interposeth between him and us Hosea 2. 21 22. And it shall come to pass in that day I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Iezreel In Ordinances it is but a little strength and comfort that we get such as is consistent with pain and sorrow it is not full because it is not immediate A Pipe cannot convey the whole Fountain nor the Ordinances the Full of God in Christ only a little supply either as we need or are able to receive but then God will be all in all he will do his work by himself The narrowness of the means shall not straiten him nor the weakness of the vessel hinder him to express the full of his Goodness in full perfection II. How is his Goodness manifested to us 1. In our Creation in that he did raise us up out of nothing to be what we are and form us after his own Image God made us not that he might be happy but liberal that there might be creatures to whom to communicate himself our Beings and Faculties and Powers were the fruits of his meer goodness When God made the world then was it verified He is good and doth good Gen. 1. For as the goodness of his nature inclined him to make it so his work was good after every days work there cometh in his approbation behold it was good and when he had made Man and set him in a well furnished world and compared all his works together then they were very good v. 31. That he still fashioneth us in the womb and raiseth us into that comely shape in which we afterwards appear it is all the effect of his Goodness 2. In our Redemption therein he commendeth his Love and goodness in providing such a Remedy for lost sinners There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3. 4. But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards man appeared In creation he shewed himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is brought nearer to us as subsisting in our Nature 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh And so God had greater advantages to communicate himself to us in a more glorious way by the Redeemer that we might for ever live in the admiration of his Love 3. In daily Providence so the goodness of God is twofold 1. Common and general to all Creatures especially to Mankind Psalm 145. 9. The Lord is good to all his tender Mercy is over all his works Upon all things and all persons he bestoweth many common blessings as natural Life Being Health Wealth Beauty Strength and supplyes necessary for them There is none of God's Creatures but tast of his bounty and have sufficient proof that a good God made them and preserveth them the young Ravens Psalm 147. 9. He giveth to the beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the wicked Mat. 5. 45. He maketh his Sun to shine on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull Seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness These common Mercies argue a good God that giveth them though not always a good People that receiveth them This Goodness of God sheweth it self daily and bountifully 2. Special God is good to all but not to all alike So he is good to his People whom he blesseth with spiritual and saving Benefits So Lam. 3. 25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him So Psalm 86. 5. For thou O Lord art Good and ready to forgive and plenteous in Mercy unto all them that call upon thee For this kind of Goodness a qualification is necessary in the receiver Satan will tell you God is a good God but he leaveth out this to those that Love and Fear him and wait upon him This peculiar Goodness yieldeth spiritual and saving Blessings such as pardoning of Sins Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Instruction in the ways of God in the Text thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes And in short all the means and helps that are necessary unto everlasting Glory 2 Thess. 1. 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you that God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the work of Faith with power Once more to the objects of his peculiar Love common Blessings are given in Love and with an aim at our good Psalm 84. 11. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly So that the ordinary favours which others enjoy they are sanctified to them They are from Love and in bonum for Good God is ready to help them onwards to their everlasting hopes and that estate which they expect in the world to come where in the Arms of God they shall be blessed for evermore III. Why ought those that come to God to have a deep sense of this First What is this deep Sense 1. It must be the fruit of Faith believing God's Being and Bounty or else it will have no force and authority upon us Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him If we have but cold Notions or dead Opinions of the Goodness of God they will have little power on us It is Faith sets all things a-work there must be a sound belief of these things if we would practically improve them 2. It must be the fruit of constant Observation of the effects of his Goodness vouchsafed to us so that we may give our Thanks and Praise for all that good we do enjoy Careless Spirits are not sensible of the hand of Providence never take notice of good or evil therefore the Psalmist saith Psalm 107. 8. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderfull works to the Children of Men He repeateth the same verse 15. and verses 21 31. and concludeth all verse 41. Whoso is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. We are more backward to the observation of the
the bonds of Christ's Communion are the Essentials of Religion If they fear God and hope in his Word though Christians may be distinguished by several denominations yet an angry Brother cannot cast us out of our Fathers family We set up walls of partition between Christian and Christian but God will not measure his Fold by our inclosure Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi 't is well Petilian's tongue is not Christs fan surely when we meet with our everlasting companions they should be dear to us and for some private differences we should not omit the necessary duties of Christianity this mutual and cordial respect we should have for one another 3. It informs us of the mischief and evil of a private Spirit which doth not take notice of the Favours of God done to others nor is affected with others Mercies Most men seek their own things Phil. 2. 21. Nature is sensible of nothing but natural bonds the lines of its Communication are too narrow either their own flesh the smart and ease of their own bodies or their own Kindred now the Saints have a more diffusive Love they can strive with God earnestly in prayer for those whose face they never saw in the flesh Col. 2. and can be thankfull for their Mercies as far as they come to their notice All Christians are not onely of the same kind but of the same body though they have not a private benefit by the Mercy yet they can heartily praise God for it the Angels praise God for us Luke 2. for his good will to men they are onely spectators not the parties interessed When the Lord set a-foot that blessed design 't was good will to men yet the multitude of the Heavenly host rejoyced and praised God We had both honour and benefit by Christ's incarnation So to praise God for the good of others argueth a good Spirit like the Angels but to envy the good of another and be grieved thereat is Devilish like the spirit of the Devil In Heaven we shall not onely rejoyce in our own but in one anothers Salvation because there shall be no envy no privateness of affection why are we so selfish and senseless now who is afflicted and I mourn not said Paul Now to those that mourned for others calamity their deliverance is a kind of relief Will you lose your evidence of being in the body for want of rejoycing in their Mercies Gifts and Deliverances 4. It informeth us how much it concerneth us to preserve an interest in the hearts of God's people and to behave our selves so that they that fear God may be glad of our Mercies and bless God for them the Communion of Saints is a sweet thing we must not forfeit this privilege by our inordinate walking Pride Contention sowrness and bitterness of Spirit unusefulness to the Church as having an Interest divided from the Church Those whose Mercies are apprehended as a publick benefit are the strictly conscientious those that fear God and hope in his Word who labour to keep themselves from the snares of the present world and look for the happiness of the world to come the one is the fruit of fearing God the other of hoping in his word the tender Conscience and the Heavenly minded Christian. Partly because they are our everlasting companions we shall live for ever with them they were chosen from all eternity to be heirs of the same grace together with us therefore 't is sweet to praise God for any good that befalleth them Psal. 66. 18. Come near all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Psal. 22. 22. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren but when a man walketh questionably he obscureth the life of God in himself or like a string that is out of tune spoileth the harmony The Saints may mourn for the wicked but they cannot so easily bring their hearts to rejoyce with them they may give thanks for their Mercies 't is true 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. but not with that cheerfullness with that sense The Conscience of our duty ingageth us to bless God that he hath spared them reprieved them a little longer given them more time to repent and correct their errors but 't is very sweet to joyn with them who are our Brethren and Companions not onely now but to all eternity And partly because our Mercies proceed from the Covenant upon which is built all our hope and all our desire and so we are edified by the support and help which God affordeth to them that fear him and hope in his word thereby we see that they that wait long wait not in vain on the word of Gods promise and so learn to wait with patience our selves because those who depended on his promised assistance are then answered and supported yea 't is a ground of hope to all that so many will be gratified by the deliverance of one when we so work for the deliverance of one that at length both he and others will have cause to be glad 2. Another thing is it doth incourage others Prayers and Praises for us when we are usefull and profitable and bring in that supply to the Body which may be justly expected from us according to the measure of that part which we sustain in the Body Look as in the natural Body the Blood and the Life passeth two and fro there is a giving and receiving between all the Members that live in the communion of it so mutual obligations pass between the Children of God Many are interessed in their mercies that are of use in the Church Rom. 5. 7. For a good Man some would even dare to die such as David or Paul yet this is no discouragement to the meanest or weakest for they have their honour and use when ye fail they shall receive you Luke 16. 9. they have their Ministry and Service Now the head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. 21. 3. The humble and the meek for the proud procure their own just dislike and disappointment Solomon telleth us onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10. pride is the great impediment and lett to all Christian offices We cannot so heartily pray for one another nor praise God for one another when pride and contention prevaileth We should overcome this Stomach and Spleen bless them that curse you As David fasted for his Enemies when they sought his life Psal. 35. 12. You should not lay this stumbling-block in the way of their duty 't is a great discouragement 5. It informeth us how comfortable and how pleasant the converse and conference of godly persons is and how much it excelleth the merriest meetings of the carnall The special love which the godly have to one another doth exceedingly sweeten their converse for the very presence of those we most dearly love is a pleasure to us to see but much more their holy conference When Christians meet
that dye in the Lord. Why the dead that dye in the Lord they were always blessed from the beginning of the world why such a solemn notice from Heaven why From henceforth The meaning is this those that suffer'd under Pagan Persecutions all Christians would call them blessed that dyed in the Lord Ay but now when the Persecutions began under the Pseudo-Christians Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth still Nay the Persecutions here are greater than the Pagan and of longer continuance why because they have a shew of Christ's Authority as the Beast in the Revelation had horns like a Lamb that Beast which spake like a Dragon deceiv'd the Nations inchanted the World with her Witchery and Sorcery that Beast had a pretence of the Authority of Christ Rev. 13. 11. And the purity of Christians is greater and so more enraging and the great quarrel in the latter Ages of the World is about a Temporal Interest the spirit of the World is the spirit of Antichristianism and of all those that hang upon her are the spirit of the World 1 John 4. 5. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them Now when these are contending for the World this doth exceedingly inflame and heighten the rage against those that would endanger their worldly interest You see there is cause to think that God will expose us also to our Trials therefore we should be forewarn'd and prepar'd for these things that they may not come upon us unawares Use 2. If God's People are put into such a condition that they carry their Lives in their hands then learn from hence That if we have greater security for our Lives and Interests we ought more to bless God and to improve the season It is a great mercy that we have Laws to secure our Religion and our Interests that we have Christian and Protestant Magistrates to execute those Laws that we may in safety worship God in the Publick Assemblies and we ought to bless God But then if this be our condition there are three duties requir'd of us 1. To acknowledge God in this mercy for it is he that hath the hearts of Magistrates in his own hands Prov. 21. 1. The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the river of waters he turneth it whithersoever he will Their thoughts their designs inclinations and aversations are in God's hands And as God hath power so hath he promis'd this blessing Isa. 49. 23. That he will give Kings to be Nursing Fathers and Queens Nursing Mothers Well there 's a Power and a Promise what follows then only that we praise God for so much of it as we have and that we pray to God still for more that we may under our Kings and Governors lead godly and quiet lives 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. and therefore if we have greater security for our lives and interests God must be acknowledg'd 2. Be so much the more in active obedience Acts 9. 33. Then had the Churches rest And what then And they walked in the fear of God and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost When you have a good day you should improve it well when we may walk up and down in the security of Laws and serve God freely O let us serve him much we are not call'd to renounce our interests therefore let us mortifie our lusts Fires are not kindled about us to consume our bodies therefore let the fire of God burn up our lusts If the Saints are to quit their well-being certainly it should not be grievous to us to part with our ill-being with our sins for God's service Look as Salvian de Gub. lib. 3. saith when our Kings are Christians and Religion is not troubled by them now God calls us to be more pure and holy in our conversations now we do not shift for our lives let us avoid occasions of evil now we are not cast into Prisons let us confine our selves to our Closets that we may serve God more chearfully there 3. Bear the lesser Troubles with more Patience when this is not our condition that our Lives are carried in our hands from day to day It was never so well with the People of God that if not in Kingdoms yet in Families in Parishes in lesser Societies there will be some conflict now these we should bear with more patience because the children of God are expos'd to that condition that they have carried their Lives in their hands from day to day Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds You are not called unto a resistance to blood As Iulian the Apostate said to one If he was so offended with their Taunts what would he be wiâ—…h the Darts of the Persians If we cannot suffer a Reproach and an angry word for Christ if we murmur when we are a little slighted and forgotten by men and left out of the tale of the World O what would we do if we were call'd to suffer greater things Ier. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horsemen That is If thou canst not endure a scorn reproach and opposition of a few private wicked men that stand upon even ground with thee how canst thou contend with Horses when there are other manner of oppositions Use 3. If this should now befall you as it hath befallen God's choicest servants and very likely so to do for those Reasons I gave then shrink not but resolve to endure any Extremity rather than take any sinful course for your ease nay be not dejected if it should happen Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye for the Name of the Lord Iesus There was one that had his life in his hand indeed that had the courage to lay it down to quicken you hereto let me give a few considerations 1. God hath given you greater things than possibly you can lose for his sake though we should lose life and all yet he hath given us his Christ. Saith Ambrose We are indebted for a person of the Godhead and shall we stick at our personal interests and concernments Shall we not dye for his Honour who dyed for our Salvation Dye temporally for him who maketh us to live Eternally And give that body as a sacrifice to the honour of Christ which otherwise by the Law of Nature will become meat for the Worms therefore every Christian should carry his life in his hand Phil. 1. 20. either by Martyrdom or Ministerial labours 2. No Evil is like to that Evil which will befal us in forsaking God Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which can but kill the body c. Shall vve rather than run hazards vvith the Sheep of Christ be contented to hovvl vvith Wolves in everlasting darkness When vve for a little temporal danger
will be so far from sleeping that he will not so much as slumber when we know nothing his Providence finds out the secret contrivances that are against us I tell you God is our Father he will maintain us and take care for us when we live by Faith and not by shifts in a good plain down-right course of honesty Gen. 17. 1. I am God all sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect That is they should go on doing their duty and refer the care of their safety to God Oh then cast your selves upon the Lord he will either direct your way to eschew these snares or pluck your feet out of them if you be taken therein Psal. 25. 13. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord he shall pluck my feet out of the snare Look to him for direction and counsel 2. Bless God for your safety and preservation 't is a mercy to have a Being in the midst of so many dangers and snares as way-lay us everywhere especially should we bless God when we have escap'd some notable Trap and Pit that was digged for us Psal. 124. 7. Our soul is escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are escaped This is a passage we may use to God this day there are two grounds usually of thanksgiving for this deliverance 1. That their Devices came to nought Job 15. 35. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity It discovereth the wisdom power goodness and watchfulness of God that this dark and hellish machination that they thought so wisely laid that all Devils in Hell could not discover it yet the God of Heaven brought it to light Prov. 21. 30. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Those three words set out the quintessence of parts Wisdom noteth a quick apprehension Understanding a wise foresight grounded upon Experience Counsel a designation of some rare Artifice Isa. 8. 9 10. Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and all ye of far countries gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us 2. The mischief return'd back upon themselves Psal. 7. 15. He made a pit and digged it and is faln into the ditch which he made Higgaion Selah Their instruments 't is a high Note that we may observe it An Iron heated red hot burneth their fingers that hold it they are taken in their own Pit poison'd in their own Cup holden in cords of their own vanity so that in the issue it appeareth they laid a snare for themselves rather than for us USE II. As they are Inticements to Sin so we may make many uses of it 1. You ougâ—…t to ask God's counsel for you walk in the midst of snares that he would guide you and lead you Psal. 27. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord lead me in a plain path because of min enemies Those that watch for our halting are many their craft is great therefore go to the wise God for counsel ask of him what your way and course shall be for he seeth that which you see not 2. Get spiritual wisdom and understanding An ignorant credulous heart is soon seduc'd but a man of understanding that seeth his danger is not easily drawn and allur'd into it Prov. 1. 17. In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird The vain credulous simple young man is soon entiâ—…'d by the lewd woman in the 7th of the Proverbs 3. Keep the High-way of Duty and walk by a sure Rule and then you are safe David saith here I erred not from thy precepts In a time of snares often consult with your Rule 't is Satan's aim to put us out of our way As when the Fisherman would get the Fishes into the Net he seeketh to rouze them out of their place Take a man out of God's way and he becometh a ready Prey to Satan In doubtful cases there is no man chuseth the worst but first he breaketh some known Rule and clear moral Precept therefore be punctual and keep close to God's directions in clear and known cases and you are safe 4. There needs a mortifi'd heart to worldly Interests our temporal Interest is to be shaken off Men of carnal affections seeketh out the snare Job 18. 8. He is cast into a net by his own â—…eet and he walketh upon a snare If we will find the sin and disposition of heart God will find the occasion and a man that hath a Commodity to put off Faith and a good Conscience will soon find a Chapman to truck with him Iudas was thinking of betraying Christ and the High Priests were plotting how to do it just at the same time worldliness layeth us open to the snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition But he that is dead to worldly interests remaineth firm whatever bait be proposed 2. We come to the Persons that manag'd the Temptation the wicked The wicked have laid a snare for me Doct. It is the property of a wicked heart to plot and lay snares for the mischief and ruine of others especially God's People David saith here The wicked have laid snares for me 1. 'T is a deliberate voluntary Sin and the more will and advisedness in any sin the greater it is Laying of snares is not a thing done in passion but in cool blood there is art and cunning in it and the heart dwelleth long upon it The Will sets the Wit awork to weave the Net and frame the Devise Involuntarium minuit de ratione peccati When a thing is involuntary it lesseneth sin a man may be overtaken with a fault Gal. 6. 1. But when he studieth it 't is much the worse God's children are surpriz'd through unweariness and made to stumble in a Fit of Temptation but when mens wits are bended to project and plot sin 't is not an infirmity but an iniquity Prov. 6. 14. Frowardness is in his heart he deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord 'T is the description of a naughty heart so the Prophet Micah 2. 1. Wo to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hands Their wickedness is premeditated then wo to them 2. 'T is a sign that Evil is connatural to them when they are plotting as Poison is to a Spider they are always working it never out of their way by night and by day their hearts run upon it Prov. 4. 16. Whenever they are abroad they sleep not unless they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Then when others cannot rest they examine themselves Psal. 4. 4. Commune with
but this is a continual Feast a Dish we are never weary of Now who have this Feast the crooked the subtle the deceitful No but those that walk with a simple and plain-hearted honesty 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world They have comfort in all conditions Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self always to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Others are like Trees of the Forest every wind shaketh them but they are the Garden of God Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North Wind blow O South Wind upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Out of what Corner soever the wind bloweth it bloweth good to them Secondly Partly from the many promises of God both as to the world to come and this present life For the world to come the Question is put Psal. 15. 1. and it were well we would often put it to our hearts Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in thy Holy Hill 'T is answered He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth with his heart that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour A man that maketh conscience of all his words and actions So the Apostle telleth us in the new Heavens and new Earth there dwelleth righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. Secondly For this world there are many promises take a taste this bringeth profit and is only profitable Prov. 10. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death Men think to do any thing with wealth and that naked honesty may be a cold they have food and Physick and friends and Honour alas how soon can God blow upon an Estate and make it useless to us make a man vomit up again his ill-gotten Morsels Iob 20. 15. He hath swallowed down riches and shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his Belly As a man that hath eaten too much though God permit him to get he doth not permit him to hold what he hath gotten unjustly There is a flaw in the Title will one time or other cast them out of possession Well then Riches profit not but what is profitable 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable to all things And this part of godliness righteousness that will prolong life and bring a blessing upon the soul of the righteous Prov. 10. 3. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish but he casteth away the substance of the wicked Another promise it bringeth preservation in times of difficulty and danger he that hath carried it righteously they know not how to lay hold upon him and work him any mischief Prov. 11. 3. The integrity of the upright shall guide him but the perverseness of transgressours shall destroy them So again Prov. 13. 6. Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way but wickedness overthroweth the sinner 'T is God keepeth us but the qualification of the person kept is to be observed 't is he that is just and honest We think 't is the way to danger because the eye of the flesh is more perspicuous than the eye of the spirit or mind and we are more apt to see what is and who is against us than what and who is for us Psal. 25. 21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee That which in the judgment of the flesh is the means of our ruine is indeed the means of our preservation So Isai. 33. 15. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly c. Again for recovery out of trouble Pro. 24. 15 16. Lay not wait O wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoil not his resting place for the just man falleth seven times and riseth up again but the wicked shall fall into mischief They may be persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed There are strange Changes of Providence we are up and down but shall rise again with the wicked 't is not so Again for stability Prov. 10. 4 5. As the whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Wicked men being great in power rend and tear all things and bring down all things before them but they have no foundation the one is fleeting as the Wind the other is settled as the Earth So Prov. 12. 3. A man shall not be established by wickedness but the root of the righteous shall not be moved Wicked men get up seem high for the time but they have no root therefore soon wither they have no root as that Ambassadour when he saw the Treasure of Saint Mark said This hath no root All their policies secret friendships shall never be able to keep them up Ahab was told that God would root out him and all his Family he thought to avoid this threatning gets many Wives and Concubines by whom he hath seventy Children hoping that one of them would remain to succeed him he committeth their tutelage and education to the choicest of his Nobility Men of Samaria a strong Town but you see all this came to nought 1 Kings 10. So Prov. 10. 36. The righteous shall never be moved but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth Every man that is in good estate would fain make it as firm and lasting as he can these settle Polities contract friendships use all means to make their acquisitions firm and secure but pass by the main care which is to settle things upon a righteous foundation and therefore they shall not flourish So for posterity Prov. 11. 21. The seed of tho righteous shall be delivered So Prov. The wicked are overthrown and are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Prov. 20. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity his children are blessed after him All our care is for posterity man multiplied continued In short all manner of blessings Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life righteousness and honour He findeth life Prov. 11. 19. As righteousness tendeth to life so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death Prov. 12. 28. In the way of righteousness is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death Righteousness he shall have have righteous dealing from others Honour he shall have a good name in the world and be preferred when God thinks fit Use. Is to press us to do Judgment and Justice First As to our private dealing with others carry your selves faithfully and make conscience of justice and equity 1. Propound to do nothing but what is agreeable to righteousness and honesty Prov. 12. 5. The thoughts of the righteous are right but the counsels of the wicked are deceit Our evil purpose spoils all A good man erreth sometimes through ignorance incogitancy or violence of
Psal. 17. 14 15. From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasures they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their babes As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Christ gave his Purse to Iudas but his Spirit to the other Disciples But God deserteth them his people complain of it Isai. 49. 14. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Yea Christ himself Matth. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Answ. 1. There is a distinct consideration of Christ for he was to bear our sorrows Isai. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows to be forsaken for a while that we might be received for ever 2. Gods people are mistaken the Saints complain without a cause Sense maketh lyes of God Psal. 31. 22. For I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou hearest the voice of my supplication when I cryed unto thee Psal. 77. 9 10. Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies And I said This is my infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high The Disciples had Christ near them when they knew it not Luke 24. 16. Their eyes were holden that they could not know him 3. Though they are forsaken for while yet not for ever Isai. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee In a little wrath I have hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Use. Do not say God is a hard master When the compute is rightly made and you trace his Providence through all the passages of your lives there is more good than evil Iacob giveth an account of his life Gen. 48. 15 16. God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day the Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads So may others say Doctr. 2. Gods accustomed goodness and gracious dispensations to his people throughout all Ages should encourage us in waiting upon him and praying to him This emboldneth me that all thy servants in all Ages have found thee gracious and merciful unto them 1. From Gods unchangeableness He will not leave his old wont he is where he was at first Isai. 59. 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed He is the same that ever he was 2. All his people stand upon the same terms therefore what he will do for one he will do for another Gods love is the same he is alike affected to all his Children his Saints now are as dear to him as ever Psal. 149. 4. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation They have the same Covenant it is a common Charter Acts 2. 39. For the promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call The same Redeemer 2 Cor. 1. 2. To them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Rom. 3. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference One hath not a more worthy Christ than another Faith is as acceptable as ever 2 Pet. 1. 1. To them that have obtained like precious faith They are interested in the same priviledges promises gifts and rewards Use. 1. Examples and instances of Gods mercy should confirm us It is not agreeable to Gods nature and practice to forsake his people or to be deaf to their prayers Psal. 22. 4 5. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them they cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded None of his people ever sought him in vain From the beginning of the world to this day God hath been gracious Psal. 9. 10. For they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee No Age can give an instance to the contrary therefore mark the usual dealings of God with his Children what was said to them was for the establishment of our comfort and hope Rom. 4. 23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead compared with Gen. 15. 6. And he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness Gods Word is a Book of Precedents as a Painters Master-piece is hung out to invite custome 2 Let us be sure we be of this number If there be Conformity to them in affection there will be in consolation if in Grace then in priviledges Psal. 145. 18 19 20. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He shall fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them The Lord preserveth all them that love him Doctr. 3. We should beg the favour of Gods people Common things should not satisfie a Child of God He must have what is peculiar to the Saints Psal. 106. 4 5. Remember me O Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance Nothing will satisfie the people of God but his special love they have a new Nature that must be pleased a great noble and Divine end to be promoted which is to enjoy God the Creatures serve not for that Common men are put off with common mercies these they may have and perish Use. Let us be of this temper Men commonly think that God looketh upon those whom he blesseth with a large encrease of temporal things that he is merciful to those that never see evil nor feel pain or want David was not of this mind he would have God deal with him as with his Friends and Favourites he leaveth it to God how to express his mercy who only knoweth what is best for us only he beggeth the fruits of his special love The heart is earthly and worldly when spiritual things
God 3. We shall never have such great and large thoughts of Gods tender mercy as when they arise from our own Experience and particular Observation to know God by hear-say will not work upon you as when we have seen him our selves as they said unto the Woman Iohn 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world We do not speak or think of God with any Sense and Life Affection and Admiration till we have studied his Nature and observed his Wayes otherwise we speak by Rote when we praise him for his mercies and 't is but an empty Complement Psal. 103. 1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits whoforgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy diseases c. 4. Then will our own Experience inform us of the greatness and tenderness of mercy when we are sensible of our sins and miseries when a man seeth his Sins great his Dangers great then he will see Gods mercies towards him great also Psal. 86. 13. For great is thy mercy towards me for thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell We do not know the greatness of the Pardon but by the greatness of the Debt nor the greatness of our Protection and Deliverance but by the greatness of the Danger God continueth trouble upon his People that they may be sensible of the sweetness of the mercy and his help in their Deliverance Rom. 5. 8. But herein God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 5. When our sense of sins and miseries hath most recommended mercy to us we should magnifie it both with respect to Supplication and Gratulation 1. With respect to Supplication when we are under Fears and Discouragements we should oppose and set these great and tender mercies in the Balance against our doubts and fears Our Sins are many our Troubles great yet let us not be discouraged from Praying and making our supplication to God for God will pardon a penitent People and help a sensible Supplicant The more sensible of our misery the fitter Objects for mercy What is it that troubleth us fear of not speeding with God in Prayer you hear how soon he Relenteth when you Relent and lye at his feet for to what use doth pardoning mercy serve but to incourage broken-hearted sinners We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings Benhadad having lost the day and in great fear of losing his life with his Kingdom his Friends comforted him with the Fame they had heard of Israels Kings 1 Kings 20. 31. We know most certainly 't is hard to raise up truly poor down-lost sinners how presumptuous soever they have been before God would have these by all means to be incouraged So that though you have many Objections from your unworthiness the multitude and greatness of your sins or is it the power of men and difficulty of our deliverance Gods mercy is beyond the proportion of their Cruelty The more violent and ungodly our Oppressors are the more hope of Gods pity towards us Psal. 86. 14 15. O God the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them but thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth 2. Let us magnifie it as to Gratulation Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of all the mercy c. Less than the least of all thy mercies Let us consider our unworthiness that God may have all the Glory Use. II. Is to press us to be Merciful we should be like God let us put on Bowels of mercy Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering Luke 6. 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your heavenly father also is merciful SERMON CLXXV PSALM CXIX VER 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word IN this Verse we have First Davids Temptation Secondly The Godly Frame of his Spirit First In Davids Temptation take notice of 1. The Nature of it 't was a Persecution 2. The Instruments of it Saul and the Chief men about him Princes 3. The Malice and Groundlesness of it without a Cause Secondly The Godly Frame of his Heart but my heart c. And there we have 1. The Seat of his Affection my heart 2. The Kind of the Affection standeth in awe 3. The Object of it the Word of God First With Davids Temptation I will not meddle any further than an Introduction or the necessity of an Exposition enforceth me a little to reflect upon And 1. From the Nature of it Persecution is one of the ordinary Trials of Gods Children As God Chasteneth them because they are no better Isa. 27. 9. so the World Persecuteth them because they are so good Iohn 15. 19. This ever hath been and ever will be the Lot of Gods Children while there are two seeds in the World Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed And the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh â—…uted him that was born after the spirit so 't is now The first place speaketh of the Antipathy between the Church and it 's open Opposites the second was in Abrahams Family and 't is brought to Comfort the true Members of the Christian Church against those Persecutions which they sustained from the false Apostles and such as adhered to the Iewish Synagogue Isaac was begotten by the Power of Gods Spirit according to the Tenour of the Promise Ishmael by the ordinary strength of Nature a Figure of the Regenerate and Unregenerate Iohn 1. 13. Persecution is a thing common to the Church in all Ages then and now therefore as they grow worse let us grow better and let us be content to take the ordinary way by the Cross to come to the Crown 2. The Instruments of his Trouble were Saul and his Chief men about him The man of God had said Many are my Persecutors Verse 157. now he sheweth they were not mean ones and of the inferiour sort but such as by their Power were able to crush him such as by their place should be a Refuge to him I observe the Trial is the sorer when our trouble cometh not only from the basest of the People but from the Rulers themselves No doubt a great part of the People followed Saul in his persecuting of David yet the Nobles most troubled him In the Primitive times lapidibus nos invadit inimicum vulgus the base Rif-raffe were most ready to stone the Christians but this was meer Brutish Rage a
thereby glorified and praised given us to this End and Purpose to bless God Iam. 3. 9. As our Understanding was given us to know God and think on him so our Speech to speak of God to declare his excellent Perfections and to stir up others to praise him with us 4. Holiness the Fruit of it for as Iob said the sides of the Poor blessed him Iob 31. 20. so must our Lives praise God 1 Pet. 2. 9. sheweth forth his Vertues not in Word only but in Works Our Lives must be a constant Hymn to God though we should be silent We remember the Lords Excellencies that we may imitate them and express them to the Life the Children of God serve only for this Use to represent God to the World as the Image in the Glass representeth the Person that looketh in it So Isa. 40. 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise The Impression of all the Divine Attributes and Perfections must be left upon us and Copied out by us plainly represented in our Wisdom Purity Faithfulness and Godliness Secondly The Motives Because there is no part of Gods Worship to which we are more indisposed Self-Love will put us upon Prayers and Supplications but Love of God upon Praises We are inclined to the one by our own Necessities but we need to be stirred up to the other by pressing Arguments I will only mention those which are heaped up together in one place Psal. 147. 1. Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing praises unto our God for it is pleasant and praise is comly 1. It is Good and Profitable a piece of service acceptable in Gods sight Psal. 50. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me 'T is a part of that spiritual Worship required under the Gospel beyond all the sacrifices of the Law in other Duties we expect something from God but in this we bestow something on him All Gods Praises are a Believers advantage every Attribute is his store-house This is my beloved and my friend Cant. 5. 16. And Psal. 135. 5. For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods Yea 't is Profitable as 't is Acceptable Psal. 67. 5 6 7. Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our God shall bless us God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him Pliny telleth us of a Fountain that would rise and swell and overflow at their playing of a Pipe or Flute and when they ceased would stop again The Fountain of Mercy riseth and swelleth and overfloweth with new supplies of Mercy when we praise and acknowledge the old 2. 'T is Pleasant and Delightful full of sweet Refreshment he that knoweth not this work is pleasant is unacquainted with it for this Ravishing Transporting Joy is matter of Experience When is the gracious heart more delighted then when it Feasts with God All acts of Obedience have a pleasure accompanying them especially acts of Worship being the Nobler part of the Spiritual Life and among them Praise Psal. 135. 3. Sing praises unto his name for it is good and pleasant 'T is our Duty in Heaven to Praise God when we are in our highest Felicity therefore this is a work wherein we should rejoyce to be employ'd 'T is our Reward rather than our Work the Heaven that we have upon Earth and nothing so sit to chear up the Spirit as to remember what a God we have in Christ the very nature of it hath allurement enough to a gracious Heart Psal. 92. 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works when God blesseth our Meditations of his Works with gladness 3. 'T is Comely and Honourable to be about the Imployment of Angels to be Heralds to Proclaim the Lords Glory nothing so comely for us as Creatures who have our whole Being from him As new Creatures we are set apart to be to the praise of his glorious Grace in Christ Eph. 1. 12. It beareth all men as a debt which they owe to God though the wicked have no power to perform it Indeed the new Song doth ill become the old Heart but when there is an Obligation and a Capacity then it is comely indeed it becometh them to pay and God to receive it from them Psal. 33. 1. Praise is comely for the upright All are bound to Praise God yet none will do it cheerfully and acceptably save the Godly They have Obligations above all People in the World they have a Capacity and an Heart to do it and from them God most expecteth it Secondly The Continuance that we should never cease Praising God David saith here seven times a day which is the number of Perfection and elsewhere you shall find equivalent Expressions Psal. 34. 1. I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth So Heb. 13. 15. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually giving thanks unto his name So Eph. 5. 20. Giving thanks always unto God for all things What is the meaning of these extensive Particles Continually Alwayes and at all Times I Answer 't is not to be understood as if we were without intermission to be imployed in the actual exercise of formal and distinct Thanksgiving no there are other necessary Duties which sometimes must divert us from it but the meaning is 1. That there is continual occasion of Praising God God is continually Beneficial to us Blessing and Delivering his People every day and by new Mercies giveth new Matter of Praise and Thanksgiving and there are some standing Mercies which should never be forgotten but be remembred before God every day as Redemption by Christ with all the abundant Benefits and therefore the Gospel-Church is represented by four Beasts or four living weights together with four and twenty Elders who rest not day and night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4. 8. This is spoken to shew that matter doth still continue of Lauding and Blessing God and David saith Psal. 71. 8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thine honour all the day There is no moment of time wherein we are not obliged to Praise and Glorifie God 2. This must be understood of the preparation of the heart without intermission we must cherish that disposition of heart which is necessary for it an habit of thankfulness an heart deeply affected with the Lords Excellencies and Mercies should ever be found in us and never laid aside the Instrument must be kept in Tune though it be not alwayes played upon David saith Psal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise There must be a prepared heart or a fixed purpose to Praise the Lord a renewed sense of Gods Favour and fresh experience of his Goodness to us do draw forth this preparation into Act yet
the preparation must still remain with us and we are to watch against dulness and indisposedness for this holy work This preparation is more or less at times for special Mercies do raise enliven and inspirit the heart but some measure of a thankful disposition or bent and inclination to Praise God must never be wanting As the Vestal Fire among the Romans was ever kept in on special occasions it was blown up so there should be an habitual frame of heart to Praise God at all times but upon some special occasions it must more especially be excited and stirred up to it 3. We must keep a constant Course and certain order of Worshipping and Praising God both in Publick and Private In Scripture they are said to do a thing alwayes who do it upon stated occasions as Mephibosheth did eat continually at Davids Table 2 Sam 9. 13. not as if alwayes eating but at the eating times And the Disciples are said to be continually in the Temple Praising and Blessing God Luk. 24. 53. that is at the appointed times of Worship So we are to set forth certain times to Bless and Praise the Lord who is continually good to us especially on the Sabbath See the 92 Psal. the Title with the first Verse It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name O most high We are not to omit any occasion of Formal and direct thanksgiving acknowledge Mercy and Faithfulness the two Pillars of our Confidence as it is to be done Constantly which the former head called for so Frequently that is we must take every just occasion to perform it let no special opportunity pass the Lords Mercies are new every moment Lam. 3. 21. And he loadeth us with his benefits dayly Psal. 68. 19. Therefore as Gods hand is ever open to Bless so should our Mouths be ever open to Praise and we should never go from this exercise nisi cum animo revertendi but with a purpose to return to it again We have poor Temporary Affections towards God and are very rare and unfrequent in these Duties though we are dayly receiving more and more Benefits yet we are slow and backward to this work Every Hour every Minute every Moment God is obliging us to it a-new therefore we should say I will Praise him more and more Thirdly The ground of Praising mentioned in the Text because of thy righteous Iudgments Here observe 1. The Term is one of the Notions by which the Word of God is expressed surely all kind of Mercies are the matter of Praise especially spiritual Mercies and among these his Word for this is a great favour in itself the Church can as ill be without it as the World without the Sun Psal. 19. He compareth the Sun and the Law together this is a peculiar Favour Psal. 147. 19 20. He hath given his word to Iacob he hath not dealt so with every nation praise ye the Lord. The benefit of the Scriptures is a precious gift of God to the Church and so it should be valued and esteemed not counted a burden as it is to them who are wholly Earthly and mind not Heavenly things Alas what should we do without this help to ease our burdened minds to understand Gods Providences and learn the way to happiness without these pure Precepts and heavenly Promises What is it that raiseth in us the joy of Faith the patience of Hope that directeth us to a streight and certain way to Glory but the Word of God This is the book of books the Food and Comfort of our Souls Psal. 56. 10. In God I will praise his word in the Lord I will praise his word The best hold that Faith can have of God is by his Word let us own his Word and then what ever his Dispensations be we have cause to Praise him here is a sure hope to six upon and a sure Rule to walk by it cannot be told in a Breath what benefit we have by it here is matter of Glorying and firm Confidence we need not fear Men or Devils as long as we have such a firm Bulwark to secure us here we have Gods Will made known to give us notice of a blessed Estate and Gods Promise to give us an Interest in it 2. It noteth the dispensation of his Providence fulfilling his Promises unto the Faithful and executing his Threatnings on the wicked he is the same in his Works that he is in his Word his Judgments are declared in his holy Word and executed in his righteous Providence and therefore 't is said of them that have not his Word Psal. 147. 20. As for his Iudgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord. Where they have not his Word the Lords dealing with Men in Justice and Mercy and the Course which he observeth in ruling the World is not understood it lyeth much in the dark so that his Providence is complicated with his Word and as 't is the sentence of his Word Executed is matter of Praise Well then we must Praise God for his Righteous Government of the World according to his Word whether it concern the Church in general or Us in particular Rev. 16. 7. True and righteous are thy judgments But because particular Providences come nearest home and do most affect us I shall instance in them 1. Let me shew you how we should Praise God for his Favours and fulfilling of Promises to us and hearing our Prayers and remembring us for good in our low Estate Ioshua leaveth this note when dying Ioshua 23. 14. I am going the way all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord hath spoken to you all are come to pass not one thing hath failed thereof Trust God and try him and you will return the same account with this which was the result of all his experience And Solomon taketh notice of Gods fulfilling Promises 1 Kings 8. 20. and 24. And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him Thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thine hand There is none of any acquaintance with God but find much of this now they should therefore Praise the Lord and love him so David Psal. 116. 1. I will love the Lord who hath heard the voice of my supplication When we have put Promises in suit and challenged God upon his Word he hath stood to it justified our Confidence every fresh experience in this kind should excite new Love and Praise 2. In time of Affliction when Divine Dispensations go Cross to our Affections and it may be to our Prayers yet even then should we praise the Lord. Iob when the Lord had taken away he blesseth the Name of the Lord Iob 1. 21. The Lord is worthy of praise and honour when he giveth and
when he taketh away when he emptieth and when he filleth us with Blessings a Child of God is of a strange temper he can fear him for his Mercies Hosea 3. 5. and praise him for his Judgments as in the Text it argueth a great measure of Grace to give Thanks to God at all times and for all things 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. Rejoyce ever more pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks Simply we cannot give thanks for Afflictions as Afflictions as we cannot pray for them nor joy in them but as they are a means of good to us A thankful frame of Heart bringeth meat out of the Eater incouragement out of the saddest Providences and taketh occasion to lift up it self in the praises of God even from those things which are matter of greatest discouragement and heartless dejection to others It seeth the hand of God working for good to him And then on the other side an Unthankful Repining Murmuring Spirit sowereth all our Comforts is ever querulous whether crossed or pleased it entertaineth Crosses with Anger and Blessings with Disdain 'T is hard to be in any Condition on this side Hell wherein we have not cause to praise God even in great Calamities either for their fruit and issue as our Souls are bettered and humbled by them Psalm 119. 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to thy word Wherein In giving him Faith and sensible and seasonable Correction Verse 67. and presently thou art good and dost good Verse 68. Or else for their Mitigation as to deem them not insupportable 1 Corinth 10. 13. That we are not Consumed Lament 3. 22. That not to the full merit of our Sins Ezra 9. 13. Thou hast punished us less then we have deserved That Comforts come along with them That our Afflictions do not exceed the measure of our Comforts 2 Corinth 1. 5. That we have a good God still who knoweth how to turn all to our Advantage Let us be perswaded he is well affected to us in Christ and we will take any thing kindly at his hand All this is spoken that poor murmuring Souls may not set out from so blessed a Work yea when other Arguments fail we may see the Wisdom Justice and Faithfulness of God in his sharpest Corrections Psalm 119. 75. I know that thy Iudgments are right and in Faithfulness thou hast afflicted me 'T is a great honour to God to speak good of his name when his hand is smart upon us Use. Let me press you now to three things First To the Work Secondly Frequency and Constancy herein Thirdly To suit often God's Word and Works together First To the work of praising God many are often complaining or begging but seldom praising or giving thanks Oh surely this should be more regarded not always taken up with complaints against our selves and supplications for Mercies but should sometime give Thanks and praise the Lord 't is the Noblest part of our work 't is nearest the work of Heaven As Love is the Grace of Heaven so Praise is the Duty then in Season 't is good to be preparing setting our Hearts in order for our eternal Estate 't is the work of Angels when we praise God we do the work of Angels The Angels according to the opinion of the Ancient Hebrews do every day sing praises to God and that in the Morning which they gather because the Angel said to Iacob Gen. 32. 26. Let me go for the day breaketh which place the Targum of Ierusalem thus explaineth Let me go for the Pillar of the Morning ascendeth and behold the hour approacheth that the Angels are to sing however that opinion be sure we are that the Angels ever bless God and laud his holy Name Isaiah 6. 1 2 3. The Angels cryed one to another holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory They were blessing God for Creation then the Morning Stars sang for Joy Iob 38. 4 5 6. For the Nativity of Christ Luk. 2. 13 14. They apprehend more of Gods Excellency and Perfection in himself and in his Works than we do and are more sensible of his Benefits than we are Now if this be the work of Angels the highest and greatest of them surely this work should be more prized by us 't is Nobler than other Duties we serve God in our Callings but this work is a part of our Misery this Burden was laid upon Adam after his Fall that in the sweat of his Brows he should eat his Bread Gen. 3. 19. Though honest Labour be a part of our Obedience yet 't is also a part of our Trouble and Exercise There are Works of Righteousness as to give every Man his due these are Good Works but they concern the benefit of Man the good of Humane Society Whereas Praise is more immediately directed to the Honour of God There are Works of Mercy to relieve the Poor to help the Distressed to support the Weak to comfort the Afflicted these are good Works indeed and a very noble part of our service to be reckoned to our Thank-offerings as praise Heb. 13. 15 16. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name but to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is wellpleased 'T is Godlike to do Good and a more blessed thing to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. As God giveth to all and receiveth of none but still this redoundeth to Men. There are opera cultus the fourth sort of Works Works of Worship Internal as humbling our Soul repenting of our Sins and asking Pardon these are good Works indeed but such as imply our Misery and Imperfection External as Prayer Hearing and Reading and other Acts of Communion with God but when we give Thanks this is more Noble In other Duties God is bestowing something on us but here in our way we bestow something upon God In Prayer as Beggars in Hearing as Scholars and Disciples we come to expect something from him here we come to put Honour upon God in our way 't is a kind of Recompence or paying our Debts to him by Word or Deed. Now the Reasons why Men are so backward to this Work are I. Because we have so little of the Love of God Self-love puts us upon Supplication but the Love of God upon Praise and Thanksgiving 'T is a Token of great Love to Praise God without Ceasing We are eager to have Blessings and then forget to return and give God the Glory II. And partly Neglect of Observation We do not gather up Matter of Thanksgiving Colos. 2. 4. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving We should continually observe Gods Answers and Visits of Love Manifestations of himself to the World The Reason then why we have no more pleasure in Praising God is because we observe not so heedfully as we