you come without a wedding garment You must bee qualified as I mentioned before I call upon the young ones this day O bewaile your mispent time your trading in the vanitie of the world T is too too much that you have given so much of your fresh green yeares unto Satan Now come and O that God would draw you else you can never come Give up your strength and marrow to God You have tried the flesh the Divell the world they cannot help nor comfort you You have gone to King Jareb Hos 5. 13. When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jarâ—b yet could hee not heale you nor cure you of your wound Youthfull pleasures and vanities cannot afford any reall satisfaction O! that God would perswade you to make a better choice to goe to Christ for Physick to make him your Physitian You have spent all upon Physitians of no value imitate the poore woman and come unto Jesus Christ let not the Devil steale this precious truth out of your hearts that the present time is the time of repentance and tempt you to put off Repentance 'till your spectacle dayes Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them I call also upon old ones you that have lived so many yeeres spent so much time as is not worthy of reckoning in the sacred Chronologies Though I dare not flatter or give the least advantage to any to put off repentance 'till old age yet I dare not set a barre against you If now God open your eyes and give you a hungring and thirsting after Christ and discover to you more of Christ in your old age than in your young happy is it for you Some God cals at the eleventh houre and they receive their peny Now then though you begin late yet set upon the worke seriously Commend God in your old age that now hee hath opened your eyes to see this fountaine and because you have set out late therefore you must worke the harder To every one young and old to all sorts of sinners single double died I address my invitation come come unto this fountaine Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the water and hee that hath noe money come yee buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Joh. 7. 37. In the last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Rev. 22. 17. And the spirit and the bride say come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let hiw take of the water of life freely Neither doe I proclaime universall grace but free grace Come and take Christ upon the Gospel termes and conditions Cast downe your rebellious weapons try conclusions noe longer with God Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found call yee upon him while hee is neare Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and unto our God for hâ—e will abundantly pardon 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ's stead bee yee reconciled unto God Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service O! that God would move some soule this day open some heart this day O! that God would plucke some soule out of the Devil's snare wash some Aethiopian some polluted sinner in this fountaine My Errand and Embassie this day is to proclaime free grace to offer Jesus Christ what message shall I returne to him that sent mee I have the office of a Barnabas to bee a son of Consolation to tender the riches of Christ What will you not accept of Christ Will you undervalue the glorious excellencies of the Gospel Will you not have this man to raigne over you Your blood bee upon your own heads you are left without all excuse 2. My exhortation is speciall to the house of David and inhabitants of Ierusalem to those that have received virtue from this fountaine Goe goe often to this fountaine wash and wash againe take heed of thinking you have enough of grace enough of Christ already The oftner you have been at the fountaine the more your desires will bee enlarged Quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae This is a holy warrantable covetousness to covet grace never to think you have enough of Christ still labour for more of him Cry with the Horse-leech's daughter give give Lord give mee more of Christ I want grace more grace more grace Thou that hast tasted of Christ wilt desire to drink a full draught Thou that hast a sparkle of true grace wilt desire it may increase into a flame Phil. 3. 13 14 15. Brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Let therefore as many as bee perfect bee thus minded and if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you Then goe againe and againe to the fountaine never leave going Whilest thou hast pollutions thou canst never get rid of the body of sin in the Church militant thou hast need of dayiy washing and cleansing in the fountaine None other can cure thee none can cleanse thee but this fountaine but this laver of Christ's blood The 4th and last use shall bee for direction Vse 4. For Direction 1. Bee broken of all those cisternes that are broken and can hold no water Say not with Naaman are not Abana and Pharphar c. No other streames are healing but those that are from this fountaine 2. Neglect not the due season of comming to the fountaine The five foolish Virgins mist their opportunities and so did Esau Heb. 12. 17. For yee know how that afterward when hee would have inherited the blessing hee was rejected for hee found no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares 3. Make use of all the right keyes knowledge faith love repentance prayer 4. Waite patiently upon God who will open the fountaine Tarry at the poole of Bethesda wait at the posts of wisdome's gates Continue knocking never give over 'till God open the fountaine Bee not impatient of delayes but still tarry at thy Father's dore resolve to take no repulse no put off with Esther resolve If I perish I perish 5. VVash in this
he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price A second is Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third invitation is John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is The Spirit the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely The lâ—st I shall name is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God they exceed all Arithmetick measure them their dimensions are infinite The Apostle makes four dimensions breadth length heighth and depth Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens his faithfulness to the clouds All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and testimonies Psal 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is above all his works Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies and all the faculties of our Souls to praise the Lord for his mercies and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received and we yet are in peace even to a miracle of mercies our fleece is yet dry whil'st others are wet with blood Thousands have faln beside us and ten thousand at our right hands and no evil comes nigh our dwelling What variety of personal mercies do we receive How many deliverances have we received from the Grave being ready to fall in and yet we are reprieved and have space to repent How many deliverances have we received from Fire Water Pobbers unreasonable men and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Further What mercies do we receive for our souls Do we not injoy Sabbaths Ordinances publick assemblies Blessed be God our eyes yet behold our teachers and our Gospel is not driven into corners How many mercies Quot misericordiae tot ora Isa 30. 20. so many mouthes All these mercies have so many mouthes calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance It is our obliged duty as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives Every mercy should be a Lord-stone to draw us up to Christ Every mercy should be as a foot-stool to raise us up higher to Heaven Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God O then take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit when he calls by mercies For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet musick of mercies he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgement 5. The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience 5. Yet further The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners God is not willing that any should perish but that they should repent and be saved O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father How long did God bear with the old world with the Amorites Jerusalem The Lord waits to be gracious he delights in mercy It is his nature to be merciful Judgement is called his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act This is to shew his unwillingneâ—s to punish sinners till needs must He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them as if he had none of his own Isa 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet See and admire the wonderful patience of God though we provoke him every day O wonderful patience that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit that the Swearers Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners He whets his Sword and bends his Bow Psal 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently but there we have experience of singular patience God was but six days in creating the world yet as Chrysostome observes he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho before he destroyed it Patientia laesa fit furor but let us take heed of abusing patience patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury Mercy pleads I am slighted I am abused I will no more have mercy on them then patience interposeth I will wait longer but patience being abused it pleads I will be no longer tired out nor abused At last comes long-suffering I am gentle and merciful and I will wait longer and longer but if long-suffering be wearied out What will plead for us What will become of us The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilest the Ark was preparing as the apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance We should account the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance 6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgements 6. The spirit strives by many signal and exemplaâ—y Judgements inflicted upon others inflicted upon others We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus but more pathetically set forth in the â—ook of the Lamentations We have read of the heavy Judgements of God upon Germany and Palatinate We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland upon the Protestant Party We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland good blood and bad blood being let out together the Sword destroying one as well as another We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade By all these Judgements the Spirit of God strives with us and woes
destroys presently in the midst of their rebellions But admit he gives space though he is not bound unto that yet he denys grace to many to whom he vouchsafes space as unto Jezabel and we read of a peradventure 2 Timothy 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God may give them repentance This Doctrine speaks terror unto all them that procrastinate repentance I le lay down these convictions It argues exceeding great folly and madness Do we not see how Convict 1. It s great folly to put off repentance many are cropt off in their buds how many are cut off in their sins we are wiser for the World In gainful bargains we make haste saying Do not delay for fear of danger and yet we are stark fools for our souls 2. It argues a great contempt an high affront and indignity against Convict 2. It argues great contempt God Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evil c. offer it unto your governor will he be pleased with thee 3. It argues high presumption to presume of patience mercy Convict 3. It argues high presumption and long-suffering when as we abuse them all Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-sâ—ffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance A terâ—ible curse will follow if we neglect Gods time when he calls when we call he will neglect our time Prov. 1. 24 25. Because I have called and ye have refused c. therefore ye shall call but I will not answer The third use is for Exhortation to lay hold upon the present Use 3. For Exhortatiâ—n tenders of Grace and make the best of this opportunity Defer not thy repentance a moment longer lay aside all excuses â—ne pleads for his Oxen another for his Form another for his Merchâ—ndise All these are unfit guests for Christ Now therefore come into Christ Is it not a great mercy that thou art yet alive on this side Hell and the Grave Now then close with God set an high price of Gods mercies and let the riches of his mercy lead thee to repentance Consider 1. Now is the Spirits striving time 2. Now is the limitted time Heb. 4. 7. To day if you will hear his voice c. 3. Now is the accepted time thy soul-saving time 2 Cor. 6. 2. 4. Now once past cannot be recalled I therefore now beseech you by the mercies of God by all the Sermons and Invitations of Christ to make your peace with God to embrace the mercies tendered to break off your sins by repentance and to regard the strivings and wooings of the Spirit of God The fourth use is foâ— caution 1. Beware of presuming of future Use 4. For caution 1. Beware of presuming of Grace offers of Grace James 4. 13 14. Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell whereas ye know not what shall be on the morow The fool in the Gospel was cut off in the midst of his presumption Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee Esau mist his Luke 12. 20 season The five foolish Virgins mist their seasons The old world presumed of life never thinking of a Deluge but when the Flood came How did they wander some got upon House-tops some upon high Mountains some would questionless have been entertained in the Ark but the day of Grace was expired the commission of Preaching of Repentance was but for 120 years that 's past and a Flood over-whelmed them all O my dear Brethren be perswaded to lay hold on the present season of Grace lest ruine overtake you whilst you procrastinate 2. â—eware of sadding the Spirit of God and resisting the sweet motions thereof Eph. 4. 30. The Spirit invites calls woos intreats 2. Beware of sadding the spirit of God thee to be reâ—onciled and make thy peace with God Thou hearest a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk therein Hearken to the voice of this spiritual Charmer which charmeth so wisely 3. Beware of low and mean thoughts of the Ordinances of God 3 Beware of low â—houghts of Ordinances Heb. 2. 3. The Israelites slighted Mannah but they paid dear for it Gods Spirit strives by the Word by Prayer by the Sacraments Take heed of undervaluing all these ways of striving Sometimes God strives by an affliction for that 's Gods Ordinance likewise and calls upon thee to learn instruction to smite upon thy thigh 4. Beware of neglecting observations of particular experiences 4. Beware of neglecting observations c. Sometimes God strives with thee in a way of mercy by tenders of Christ sometimes by threatnings neglect not these strivings but make a review of them observe Gods dealings with thy soul how the Lord woos invites and waits on thee how sometimes thy heart hath been opened like Lydia's to close with God sometimes thou art quick other times dull sometimes thou hast hold of Christ other times thou wantest his presence This is the lot of Gods people sometimes they are in an ebb someâ—imes in a float sometimes their Faith is strong other times they know not whether they have any at all or no This was David's case and thou must apply Davids remedy Why arâ— thou cast down O my Psal 4. 2. v. ult soul and why art thou disquieted within me still trust in God Beware of trusting to thine own resolutions O say some I resolve hereafter to repent and close with God This is that which ruines multitudes because they presume in their own strength What are our resolutions but as the early dew which soon passeth away What are the best of men if God leaves them unto themselves we must therefore take heed of sacrificing to our own nets and drags trusting to our own strength but come off from all those and act in the strength of God We can do nothing without him but all things through Christ that strengthens us Samson said He would go out and shake himself as at other times And he wist not Judg. 16. 20. that the Lord was departed from him 5. Beware of pride and stoutness of heart Lastly Beware of pride and stoutness of heart trying conclusions with God and reasoning and counter-striving against God The proud men would not believe the Prophet saying Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Aegypt to sojourn there Jer. 43. 2. Use 5. For admonition The fifth Use shall be for admonition O that we could account the long-suffering of God our salvation And O that the goodness of God and the riches of his mercy might lead us to repentance In few words be admonished 1. Take the benefit of the season To day Repent speedily 1. Repent speedily 2. Repent seriously Isa 55. 6. Heb.
Fountaine is opened and men apprehend their thirst they will hasten to the waters 4. The fountaine is opened because God sends messengers to 4. God sends Messengers to invite invite and guides to direct to it The ministers Embassâ—e is to invite men and women to come unto this Fountaine to perswade them to reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead to bee reconciled unto God It 's our maine business to beseech and intreat men to take Christ and to come unto this fountaine 5. Now is the day of grace the opportunity season offered from 5. Now is the day of grace God a price put into our hands Now Christ tenders himselfe and his benefits Now the counsel is a word in due season Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy 6. The Lord opens to us upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon 6. The Lord himselfe now opens to us and this is evident because hee knocks for us to open to him Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand 6. The Lord opens to us at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in unto him and I will sup with him and he with mee And the Lord affords us severall Hammers to knock at his dore withall viz. especially 4. Hammers God useth to knock withall 1. The Hammer of his word Every sermon you heare is a 1. Hammer of the word knocking at the doâ—res of your hearts God makes use of his Messengers as his mouth Jer. 15. 19. Thou shalt stand before mee and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt bee as my mouth However the Ministers of God be despised and evill intreated Christ accounts the affronts offered to them equall to those hee met withall immediately offered unto himselfe Luk 10. 10. But into whatsoever City you enter and they receive you not goe out into the streets of the same and say even the very dust of your City that cleaveth on us wee shak off against you By the sermons you heare God knocks at your hearts Ezek. 25. and Ezek. 33. 30 31 32 33. They speak each one to another saying Come and heare what is the word that commeth forth from the Lord they sit before thee as my people and heare thy wordes but will not doe them 2. The hammer of his spirit The spirit breatheth upon the waters 2. Hammer of the spirit How many strivinges waitings whispers of the spirit are there to draw us unto God Wee are exhorted not to quench the spirit nor grieve the spirit The Lord will once say as Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. The Hammer of mercies God knocks at our hearts by mercies peace prosperity Ther 's a prevalent exhortation Rom. 12. 1. 3. Hammer of mercies I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service To us he speakes by mercies Wee are brands pluckt out of the burning and have our lives for a prey 'T is mercy wee enjoy peace in our Borders wee are free as yet from the Plague Famine and the sword wee enjoy the peace of the Gospell and the Gospel of peace 4. God knockes sometimes by the Hammers of judgment sometimes 4. The Hammer of Judgments by the Sword Plague and other Calamities though at present we are free our duty is Jer. 6. 8. Bee thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee lest I make thee desolate and a land not inhabited Wee should learne righteousness at all times especially when judgments are amongst us Isai 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seâ—k thee earely for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousness Micah 6. 9. Heare yee thâ— rod who hath appointed it It appeares farther that the fountaine is opened because God God affords the right key One false key is Free-will hath afforded us the right keys to open it There are three false keyes and foure true keyes The first false Key is free-will O saith the sinner I le repent hereafter I shall have time enough But is repentance in thy power Velle naturae malè velle corruptae naturae bâ—ne velle gratiae Phil. 2. 13. For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that wee should bee a kind of first fruites of his Creatures Free-will is an Aegyptian reed it will deceive us Jer. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walkâ—th to direct his steps Samsâ—ns case is very observable Judg. 16. 20. And shee said the Philistines be upon thee Samson and hee awoke out of sleep and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Man can undoe himselfe and marre himselfe but cannot save himselfe Hos 13. 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy help 2. A second false key is universal grace and redemption Christ died A 2d false key is universal Redemption for all say some tasted death for every man for Cain and Judas as well as David and Paul many plead and think by this key to open the Fountaine but it 's a false key and will not unlock the fountain Dore. The latter part of the Text which they urge expounds the former they urge Joh. 316. God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten-Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And that in 2 Cor. 5. 15. And that hee died for all But what followeth that they which live should not hâ—nceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose againe They urge likewise Heb. 2. 9. But wee see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should tast death for every man The grace and free love of God moved him to bestow this transcendent benefit on his people only not for the whole world Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life Here is hended the universality of Christ's body Adam was a common
ten thousand pounds for a good conscience nay all his estate riches c. but all these cannot bribe death to stay one minute longer nor can they all make any atonement for the soule Riches honours c. are not a suitable proportionable price sor these are materiall and corruptible the soule immateriall and incorruptible and between these there 's no proportion Thirdly The price paid to redeem our soules is infinitely superlatively more worth then millions of worlds what 's that see 1 Pet. 1. 18. The soul was redeemed with the price of bloud even of him who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one soule saved any other way not the richest in the world nor the poorest can come any other way to heaven but by Jesus Christ The soule of the poorest saint though his person be trampled on by the world is bought by so great a price as the effusion of the bloud of Jesus Christ Hence it evidently appeares that the soul is more worth then the world Christ died not for the world he prayed not for them John 17. 9. but he died for his own whom his father had given him out of the world O Consid 2. Jesus Christ alone and the graces of his spirit can adorne the soule pretious heavenly-born-being soule 2ly It 's Jesus Christ alone the graces of his spirit that can beautifie enrich and adorne the soule Aske a covetous Mammonist where lies his riches he 'll tell you in such a stock of cattell such lands revennues gold silver c. Aske a child of God where are his riches he 'll tell you his riches are in Christ his treasures are in heaven his high place and preferment is in his fathers house Aske your stately Gallants whâ—re their ornaments are They will shew you their necklaces and bracelets of pearles their Diamond-Rings Gorgeous apparrell But what 's all these to the soule The soule is not beautified with golden chains costly raiment pretious jewels I le tell you of a chaine of pearls which will adorne your soules and enrich you more then all the pretious gemmes the Universe can afford read 2 Pet. 1. 5. Ps 45. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 9 10 11 c. Thou mayest be rich in the world yet poor in grace thou mayest have a beautifull face and a polluted soule goodly brave stately apparrell and a foule rotten conscience outward beauty inward deformity fair without foule within Now Christ his graces can alone make thy soule beautifull His graces are the best ornament and therefore beseech him to beautifie thy soule and to adorne thee with faith love and the rest of the Graces of his spirit Thirdly Consider God out of the riches of his free grace and mercy Consid 3 God puts a price into our hands to improve for our souls puts a price into your hands by the Gospell dispensations which he expects you should improve for the best advantage of your soules Force not the Lord to complaine as Prov. 17. 6. you have sermon upon sermon Manna falls frequently round about your tents will you not stir out of your doores to gather it you have the ordinances frequently dispensed amongst you you have bread in the morning and bread in the evening many occasionall sermons All these helpes and meanes are afforded by God for the good of your soules you have publick assemblies continued your eyes behold your teachers you enjoy Sabbaths dayes of humiliation dayes of thankesgiving wherein Gods keeps open market for the good of your soules and it s your duty to husband them all for the eternall welfare of your soules The Spirit knocks at your hearts by the sermons you hear by all the mercies you enjoy to take care of your pretious soules The salvation of your soules is the intention and end of all our preaching It 's the only designe we have upon you to win you to Jesus Christ all the Ordinances are the food of your soules to keep your soules in heart the sabbaths are the market of your souls you have soule-fatting Ordinances Oh take heed lest a leanenesse enter into your soules The markets will not alwaies last the shops will not alwayes be open now come and buy wine c. Improve the Sabbaths Sermons all your Gospel-opportunities for the eternal benefit of your soules Fourthly Consider This present time of life whilst you are in this Consid 4. This is the present time to regard our soules world is the only season and opportunity offered to make provision for your pretious soules see John 9. 4. This is the time to worke out your salvation in as Phil. 2. 12. The time of seeking God Isa 55. 6. This is the time of working the worke of faith the labour of love and patience of hope 2 Thes 1. 3. This is the time of making our peace and reconciliation with God Now we presse upon you the Doctrine of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. If thou livest and diest in an unregenerate and unreconciled estate to God thou wilt remaine so even to all eternity Now thou must run otherwise thou shalt never obtaine now thou must fight the good fight of faith otherwise thou shalt never obtain the end of thy faith the salvation of thy soule Now thou must wrestle otherwise thou wilt never obtein the blessing Now thy peace must be made whilst thou art on this side hell otherwise it will never be made hereafter There 's no time for purgation in another world for perfecting thy faith and hope this time of life is the seed time and according as a man soweth so shal he reape This time of life is a time of working in heaven there will be a resting from our labours As therefore thou tendrest the eternall welfare of thy soule whilst thou hast life breath space opportunity whilst thou art on this side the grave on this side of eternity set seriously upon the businesse of greatest weight and consequence to make thy peace with God to make thy calling and election sure that so when death separates thy soule from thy body nothing may be able to separate it from the love of Jesus Christ Consid 5. This present life is but for a moment Fifthly Consider This present life is but for a moment and upon this moment depends eternity The longest life is but a moâ—ent if compared with eternity and this moment is a short moment compared in Scripture to bubbles vapours spans weavers shuttles flowers things of shortest continuance And this moment is a shortning moment each day each hour each minute shortneth thy life and makes thee nearer eternity each step thou treadest is a step nearer thy Grave each moment thou breathest is a drawing on to thy home And further this moment when once past is irrecoverable all the world cannot call back one minute of time and when this little inch and moment of time is past thou shalt be in eternity in that condition which is unalterable as long
us to repentance to Dan. 4. 27. break off our sins by repentance that our tranquillity may be lengthned and that there may be a healing of our errors The use we are to make is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Let us not pass uncharitable censures upon others as greater sinners for greater sufferings but remember that except we Luke 13. 5. repent we shall likewise perish Seventhly and lastly Let us consider how the Spirit of God 7 The Spirit strives by personal judgements strives by personal Judgements inslicted on our selves There is a Judgement of chastisement and a Judgement of revenge God sends Judgements by way of revenge upon the wicked of the World but by way of chastisement unto his own children When God takes away thy riches and other outward comforts as a childe a wife c. by these the Spirit of God strives with thee and sends thee to God to inquire into the cause and walk more closely and humbly with God and thy duty is to pray to God to teach thee what thou understandest not If God send thee a sore disease a grievous pain suppose the Stone Strangury Collick c. by all these the Spirit strives with thee and reads thee a Lecture of thy Mortality and warneth thee to make a serious and speedy preparation for death Afflictions are sent by God as Scullions to scour away the rust and canker of Gods children They are the Shepheards Dogs to bring home the straying Sheep Luther saith Afflictions teach us to understand Scripture Where God teacheth with the rod there he bestoweth a choice blessing Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law God sends affliction on an errand Go affliction take down such a mans pride goe awaken another from his security Affliction is Gods Ordinance and with the same hand he gives Jesus Christ that he gives correction to his own children Thus the Spirit strives by personal judgements and afflictions The use we must continually make is Heb. 12. 5 6. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Hence saith the Apoâ—â—le Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and Jamâ—s 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations The rod hath a voice and we are call'd upon Mich. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Thus you have heard how Gods Spirit strives by its motions by the Ministery of the Word the checks of Conscience tenders of Mercy exercise of patience and long-suffering inslicting of exemplary and signal Judgements upon others and personal Judgements upon our selves Now the Lord give us his Grace and teach us to make much of and cherish the strivings of his holy Spirit and let us all deprecate the fearful judgement in the Text My spirit shall no longer strive with you Iudgement and Mercy Set forth from Gen. 6. 3. HAving dispatcht those two Particulars according to my Serm. 3. at St. Mary's Oxon Jan. 19. 1651. Three Reasons of the Doctrine Reas 1. From the Text because man is flesh method propounded in the unfolding of this Text In the third place I am to enquire into the Grounds and â—easons for the further confirmation of the Point Amongst many that may be given I shall reduce the Reasons of the Text into three Heads The first shall be drawn from the very reason in the Text for that he also is flesh Man is corrupted by reason of sin Man was created statu integro in integrity and innocency resembling the Image of God in righteousness and holiness but now statu corrupto by reason of Adams prevarication he became depraved in the faculties of his soul and all the members of his body and they are become instruments unto wickedness The Holy Ghost sets forth sinful man in a full Character Psal 14. 1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see whether there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are become altogether filthy there is none that doth good no not one Suppose we heard the Lord thus expostulating the case Is this man Is this he that I advanced to the highest rank of visible Creatures whom I created after mine own Image whom I endowed with noble faculties an understanding the bright luminary of the soul to know his Maker and a will to obey him Is he now become flesh fleshly in his imagination fleshly minded Doth he walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh Hath he thus turn'd Apostate rebell'd against his Lord and Maker This charge being all very true wherefore should I have any more to do with him wherefore should my Spirit strive with vile sinful flesh Thus God might plead and in judgement withdraw the strivings of his holy Spirit Betwixt the spirit and the flesh what agreement can there be The Spirit will not thus be unequally yoaked since man is become thus fleshly thus depraved such a degenerate Plant so corrupt its just with Gods spirit to strive no longer with man By flesh in Scripture is comprehended a Mass of corruption Apostoli verba docent haec duo affectuum genera esse opposita Quae ut intelligamus constitutuÌ„ fit affectum carnis nihil aliud esse quam usum virium humanaruâ— semotâ gratiâ Affectus autem spiritus est impulsus divini afflatus usus gratiae Christi Pet. Mart. in Loc. man in his worst estate Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh What is predicated of it v. 6 7 8 9. To be carnally minded is death because the carnal minde is enmity against God So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And what an Antithesis is there between flesh and spirit v. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The same disproportion there is as between death and life heaven and hell salvation and damnation That God strives with any is a great mercy that the Spirit waits knocking at our doors when as he might knock us down dead O great mercy But when the Spirit strives and flesh resists its motions the Spirit spends his sacred breath wooing us and inviting us to do good unto our own souls and the carnal minde bids defiance unto the Spirit of grace when notwithstanding all the beseechings wooings and sollicitations of the Spirit the flesh rebels carnal
conscience 2. The strivings of a mans own spirit are pacified with natural means are pacified with natural means eating drinking sleeping idle company vain pleasures quiet meer natural convictions But where Gods Spirit strives the soul cannot be quieted but by supernatural means the in omes of God the ravishing consolations of the holy Ghost a white Stone a pardon sealed no mirth sports company can satisfie a wounded conscience onely one remedy is reserved for a perfect cure and that 's the Medicine made up of the Blood of Christ 3. The strivings of a mans own spirit are flashy suddain and soon gone when the judgement ceaseth As soon as the judgement 3. The striviâ—gs of a mans own Spirit are flashy and suddain is removed the strivings cease but when Gods Spirit strives it is solid and serious If the Jvdgement be removed and the sâ—n unpardoned there can be no quiet If the Judgement be over Pharaoh is quiet but no quiet in Davids spirit till the sin be removed Q. 3. A third Quaery is How may we know whether Gods Spirit Q. 3 A. hath effectually stroven and prevailed with us 1. When we hearken to the call of Gods Spirit Psal 27. 8. Thou 1. Whâ—â— we answeâ— the call of Godâ— spirit saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek 2. When we have the testimonie of Gods Spirit as Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the 2. When we have the spirits testimony children of God 3 When we have the sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. In 3. When the spirit seals whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit Eph. 1. 14. 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit 5. When we have the spirits anointing 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Use 5. For direction 1. Pray for the Spirit 2. Set a high price on the Spirit 3. Cherish the motions of the Spirit 4. Observe the call and knocking of the Spirit 5 When we have the anointings of the Spirit 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23 24. Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance The fifth Use is for direction 1. Pray for the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse thee No work of sanctification but by the spirit 2. Set an high price of and be a diligent attendant of Gods word The Spirit usually works by the Word The Spirit and Word agree together 3. Cherish the sweet motions of Gods Spirit make much of every holy motion and inspiration O do not grieve nor sad O do not quench the Spirit of God but account Gods long-suffering your salvation God waits and is patient O do not provoke do not abuse his patience 4. Observe all the calls knocking 's and invitations of Gods Spirit The Lord calls by his word by checks of conscience by mercies and by judgements do not then bolt the doors of your hearts nor stand out against all the warnings threatnings and promises all these are upon record Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Lastly Here 's one word of comfort unto all those who make Use 6. For comfort much of the strivings of Gods Spirit These shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit The Spirit will comfort support help them In Prayer The Spirit helpeth their infirmities Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit purgeth and purisieth them The Spirit of God is their Counsellor in doubts their Comforter in all distresses and the Spirit will guide them by his counsel till he bring them unto glory Doct. 2. It s aâ— exceeding great mercy c. I now proceed in a few words to the second Doctrine That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for repentance Here the Lord alloweth to the old World 120 years so long it was that the Spirit of God strove with the old World We read in Gen. 18. 24 25. the Lord staid communing with Abraham making abatements from 50 to 45 from 45 to 40 from 40 to 30 from 30 to 20 from 20 to 10 Was it not a great mercy for the Lord to bear so long with the Amorites They had a long time of forbearance Thus did the Lord deal with Niniveh Jonah 3. 4. Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be overthrown So the Lord waited long on the Israelites Psal 95. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness So Jerusalem Luke 19. 42 44. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes The five foolish Virgins had a time allowed both wise and foolish slept and slumbred but the foolish wanted oyl and lost the accepted season Jezabel had time alloted her Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication but she repented not The Reasons are 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy Mercy Reas 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy waits upon us wooing and alluring us to repentance The Lord invites Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come c. He calls sinners to repentance He entreateth by his Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. He waits to be gracious Rev. 3. 20. 2. To glorifie the Justice of God and to leave a people without R. 2. To glorifie Gods justice excuse When mercy patience goodness graciousness long-suffering are all abused what remains but destruction never fruit grow on thee more Cut it down I will take this kingdom from you I will send you a famine of the word These are terrible threatnings 3. The Lord oftentimes is pleased to spare a people longer at the R. 3. God spares a people at the request of his servants request of his servants Luke 13. 8. The Vine-dresser prayed Let it alone yet longer till I dig about it and dung it Gods Ministers pray hard and tug hard at the oar they cry night and day Lord spare try this people a little longer exercise a little more patience towards them let thy Word work upon them they live under the sound of it let it effectually prevail with them The Uses are 1. For admiration O admire the infinite mercies of God who doth thus bear with sinners notwithstanding Use 1. For admiration their provocations yet he tryes waits and allows them a great deal of space when as in Justice he might cut sinners assunder in the midst of their sins This breathes terrors unto all presumptuous sinners who presume Vse 2. For terror of space and grace neither of which is in their own power To some God gives space others he
up after their deliverance Votivas Tabulas as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance VVhat are we to offer but Thanksgiving Ps 50. 14. what are wee to render but the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. Noâ— if wee thus I bour to eternize Gods name he will have regard unto our names if we honour him he will honour us so he declares Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly a gratefull commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances Reas 2. Thankfulnes is Gods Tribute is that Tribute that God requires that Homage due unto him VVe are all indebted to God nec solvendo sumus whatever we can doe at the best holds no proportion with the mercy received yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankfull heart and where it is graciously rewards it VVhat speciall notice doth Christ take of the thankfull Samaritan and the Apostle joynes unthankfull and unholy together what a brand of infamy lyeth on the ungratefull Impudence and Ingratitude goe together How many are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Tree what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun to forget the Roâ—k that made them and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies where 's Davids Quid retribuam What shall I render c. Psal 107. 8. A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty to record Mercies to speak good of God and blesse his name to tell what God hath done for thy self and for others what national what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord this is an excellent service To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key and to break forth into the praises of God This is a good thing Psal 92. 1. and as it is a good thing so it is a pleasant thing Psal 147 1. further it 's a comely thing to tell of Gods mercies and to say blessed be God is in discourses a comely Parenthesis The Apostle tels us Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness foolish talking and jesting are unseemly and inconvenient but what 's to be used in their room it followeth but rather giving of thanks but adde further praise is permanent for praise is to all eternity we shall for ever be praising of the Lord we shall sing praise honour and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore David professeth Ps 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being we should thus exercise our selves in that language on earth which will be our employment unto all eternity Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations 1 A Bond of Creation A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lye us upon As 1. Vinculo creationis God it is that made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God and set forth his praise we should be thankfull unto him and blesse his name as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came so wee should returne all wee have to the praise and service of God Auius Fulvius said to his Sonne when he found him in Catilines conspiracy Non ego te Catilinae genui sed patriae So doth God say I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withall but to serve me withall Quot membra tot ora So many members of our body and so many faculties of our soules are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord. 2. Vinculo Redemptionis here 's matter of praise for ever and eternity 2 A Bond of Redemption will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer who hath delivered us from our enemies to this purâ—ose That we might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives Luk. 1. 74 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God Quot inimici tot ora so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christs death call upon us to serve Christ for ever and to blesse God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ 3. Vinculo Gratitudinis Quot beneficia tot ora wee receive mercies 3 A Bond of Gratitude at our lying down and riâ—ng up we are compassed about with varieties of mercies mercies on the right and mercies on the left hand mercies for our bodies mercies for our souls so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankfull Haman plotted most mischief and was counterplotted and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance so the Romish â—un-powder â—raytoâ—s plotted the destruction of Protestants and layed their designes as low as Hell God hath vouâ—hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving dâ—e unto his name 4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae What lyeth in us we should 4 A Bond to promote Gods glory unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God Now this is a way of gloryfying God he is glorysied by the praises of his people â—or he that praiseth God glorisieth him Psal 50. 23. Now put all these together and you 'll conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine but make a Applicat seasonable improvement thereof in some usefull Application I shall onely insâ—st on three â—ses for Infoâ—mation Caution and Exhortation and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day Lend me I pray your patient attention whilst I make a suitable application of all 1. This serves to inform us of the warrantablenesse of our present Use 1. For information meeting upon this day and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving Gods people formerly upon like occasions kept a day of remembrance so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance wherein his own right arme wrought a glorious salvation for us Now to make you more sensible of the greatnesse of the deliverance I conâ—eive it very proper to my businesse that lies before me to make a brief Narrative and acquaint you with the â—istory of this day In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads into which I shall cast my following Narration 1.
walk in sincerity before the Lord these shall be happy unto all Eternity these having been faithfull unto the death shall receive a Crowne of Life * ⎠* The End of the Second Decad. A THIRD DECAD OF SERMONS PREACHED TO THE VNIVERSITY AT St MARIES IN OXFORD By HENRY WILKINSON D. D. and Principall of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the forme of Sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus OXFORD Printed by W. H. for THOMAS ROBINSON Anno Domini M.DC.LX TO THE READER I HERE present unto thee Christian Reader A third Decad of Sermons of the same complexion with the rest answering those two immediatly preceding as face in water answers face By them the Author may be knowne to be one and the same man not varying a whit from his Principles by reason of vicissitude of times The first of these Sermons was preacht at the Publick Act and was formerly printed which notwithstanding the derision of some through the Incouragement and approbation of others whose Judgment I preferre many degrees before my owne is now againe presented to publick View in this second Edition None of the other sermons of this Decad and none of the two other Decads were ever yet printed before neither had now if some both Godly and Learned who are better able to judge had not thought farre better of them then I ever durst of any thing of my own notwithstanding what paines soever it cost me It 's farre from my Intention to justify my selfe but I shall alwaies with Jacob acknowledge my selfe not worthy of the least of all the mercyes and of all the Gen. 32. 10. truth c which the Lord through riches of mercy hath shewed unto me It cannot be denyed but ought to be acknowledged with renewed thankfulnesse that now adaies we have more helps on all hands if we had our eyes in our Heads and greater advantages then our Predecessors ever enjoyed since Printing came up And since the Gospell in it's Purity and Liberty was restored unto England as Reverend Latimer used to pray that God would restore the Gospell unto England once againe once againe We have variety of Prices both by printing and preaching put into our hands to get divine wisdome withall Oh! that we had this great mercy of mercyes vouchsafed to us that the Lord would bestow upon us such good hearts as to Husband and improove all those spirituall Talents for the best advantage of our immortall soules That saying of a Learned Author hath often come into my deliberate thoughts Ideo scribuntur omnes Libri ut unus emendetur conscientiae Now if by any thing that I have wrote the of Christians may thrive the better and be built up in their faith I have my desire accomplisht Not unto me not to the best of my paines and endeavours but unto the name of Jesus Christ be all the praise and glory It 's not my purpose to detaine thee Reader in a longer Epistle Only thus much I thought good to premise to assure thee that this last Decad is of the same stamp and breaths forth the same spirit and pursues the same plaine stile with those two which according to order went before The designe I only drive at as farre as I apprehend is the eternall good of mine and thine immortall soule so that our profitting may appeare unto all that some addition may be made unto our spirituall stature Be pleased therefore to read deliberately and to joyne prayer and meditation with reading Lay aside all prejudicate opinions and through the meannesse of the Instrument look with the eye of faith unto Jesus Christ the great Counsellour and Prophet who directs and instructs his people and guides them unto all truth And what ever good thou receivest give Christ the praise of all and set the Crowne upon his head alone And in thy serious addressesse unto the throne of grace remember him which in love to thy soule hath made these sermons publick Do not despise the day of small things undervalue not the Reare of the Christian Army Do not entertaine a slight opinion of any of the meanest yet faithfull Labourers in Gods Vine-yard who desires and endeavours to approove himselfe faithfull such a one I desire to be and remaine Thy servant and Brother in Christ Jesus HENRY WILKINSON The Contents of the Third Decad. SERM. I. 2 COr 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Chriâ—t as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled to God The Context expounded p. 2 3 4. The Text divided and expounded p. 5 6 7. The Doctrine handled by prooving and improoving all by particular Application p. 9. The Doctrine prooved first by Scripture p. 10 11. Then by three Reasons 1. From foure Properties of Ambassadors p. 12 13 14 15. 2. From the Benefit of a reconciled estate p. 16. 3. From the misery of an unreconciled estate p. 17. Vse for Exhortation 1. To Ministers p. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. 2. To people p. 25. 3. Characters of a reconciled estate p. 27 28 29 30. Five Motives p. 31 32 33 34 35 36. SERM. II. HEb 1. 14. Are they not all Ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for these who shall be heires of salvation Text divided p. 38. Doct. It pleaseth God to make use of the Ministery of Angels for the good of his Children p. 38. Q. 1. What Angels are p. 39 40 41. Q. 2. How many sorts of Angel sthere p. 42 43. Q. 3. What are the offices of Angels p. 43 44 45 46. Q. 4. Whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell keeper p. 46 47. Q. 5. What is the knowledge of Angels p. 47 48. Vse 1. For Information in 2 particulars p. 49 50. Vse 2. For Instruction in 3 particulars p. 50. Vse 3. For Consolation in 3 particulars p. 51. SERM. III. 2. CHron 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of those whose heart is perfect towards him p. 52. Text divided p. 53. Doct. 1. That there is a Providence of God which extends it selfe to the ordering and governing of all the creatures throughout the whole world p. 55. The Doctrine prooved by Scripture p. 55 56. And by 6 Reasons p. 57 58 59. Of the nature of Providence p. 59 60. Vse 1. For Confutation of Epicures c. p. 61. Vse 2. For Reproofe ib. Vse 3. For Instruction in 6 Duties p. 61 62. Doct. 2. As there is a generall providence towards all so there is a speciall distinguishing Providence towards all Gods children p. 62. Doctrine prooved by Scripture example p. 62 63. By 6 Reasons p. 64 65. Vse 1. For Reproofe p. 65. Vse 2. For Instruction p. 66. Vse 3. For Consolation six Duties prest pag. 66. 67. SERM. IV. I Sai 66. 6 7. Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not
Labour for the practise of mortification and learne the divine lesson taught in the schoole of Christ to deny thy selfe Labour to bring thy selfe over to a sweet frame of resignation that thou canst willingly part with thy choicest pleasures and comforts for Jesus Christ As those in the Revelations cast down their crownes so cast down thy chiefest comforts at the feet of Christ It was an excellent speech of David 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me back againe and shew me both it and its habitation But if he say thus I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good to him so if it seeme good in the eyes of God he can wholy take thy heart off thy comforts or else give thee them in greater mercy in a more sanctified manner and so make thy comforts exceeding comfortable What canst not thou foregoe any outward pleasure any worldly delight now how wouldst thou resist unto blood undergoe the fiery tryall if Christ should call thee thereunto If thou hast runne with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses And if in the land of peace wherein thou trusted'st they weariâ—d thee then how wilt thou doe in the swelling of Jordan Tertullian in his tract de cultu faeminarum hath this observation Timeo câ—rvicem ne margaritarum smaragdorum laqueis occupata Jer. 12. 5. Tertul. in Lib. de cultu Faeminarum lorum Spathae non det I feare saith he that neck that is used to pearles and chaines will not give it selfe to the sword Men of delicate appetites who pamper their flesh will find it a difficult taske to endure any hard-ship for Christ's name It was an inhumane practise of that Monster Nero who rejoyc'd when Rome was on fier None but beasts will enjoy their pleasures when the common-wealth is in jeopardy and religion and liberty lies at stake O then put on bowels of compassion and be alike affected one to another beare one anothers burthens Let your resolution run paralel with St Paul's who is afâ—licted and I burne not O that instead of burning in lusts you would burne in love one to another A blessed alteration Tudippus and Phocion being both condemn'd to die one of them was afraid the other recollected his spirits and in this wise comforted him Non satis est tibi Tudippe cum Phocione Mori Is it not sufficient for thee O Tudippus that thou diest with Phocion A commâ—nion with Christ's afflicted members in a suffering condition is accounted their crowne and glory Consider God hath cald us unto vertue and unto glory It 's the Gospels glory to set out unto us high and glorious things these we want and these are worthy of our search Let 's then no more seeke after lying vanities and forsake our own mercy The dehortation reacheth us home in my text Ne quaesuris seeke them not which is the Use and Application which I promis'd you the close of my paines and your patience Application Is 55. 2. Use 1. for Expostulation Let me expostulate the case with you as the prophet Isaiah doth wherefore do ye spend mony for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfies not There 's no created power which can be commensurate to the boundlesse desires of an immortall soule A glutton may fill his belly but he cannot fill his lusts A rich man may fill his barnes but he cannot fill his heart It 's triangular still one angle will be empty An ambitious man may have titles of honour enough to overcharge his memory but not to fill his pride The voluptuous may wallow in sensuall delights he may be a frequenter of prophane Theatricall interludes and yet the hell of his desires remaines unsatisfied why then should men be such fooles to seeke after other lovers besides Jesus Christ and to hunt after any other kingdome besides the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse how many mens hearts are in aequilibrio pendula indifferent to which side the ballance turnes When Mâ—rdecay was rays'd many became Jewes and it was the saying of Pamachius an heathen Fac me Pontificem ero Christianus Such u Platiram devi tis Portificum follow religion as the people did our Saviour for the loaves and so make it a stalking horse for the advancing of their ambitious designes but siniâ—ter respects never prove a sure bottome for the soule to be fixt upon If the maine question of a Minister be what 's the fleece of the sheep I much scruple whither he hath the heart to feed them For a man to be wedded to his revenues and incomes and not to the discharge of his duty what 's this but to marry the portion and not the wife What a great madnesse is there in men not to trust their honours dignities and riches with God in whose hands they are in the safest custody what folly is there in men to make their servants their Masters by Idolizing an arme of flesh and subjugating themselves unto the creatures as if they preferred a slavery before a freedome The Apostle tells us Col. 3. 3. that we are dead men and is it congruous for dead men to hunt after honours and the worlds goods wee are crucified to the world And we are Crucified with Christ O labour then to answere thy Originall As he minded not high things on earth as he was wrap't up in heavenly meditations so should we have rays'd spirits and sore aloft being carried with the wings of divine contemplation It 's reported of Lysimachus that for his staying to drinke one draught of water he lost his kingdome So if we stay for these waters drawn out of the broken cisternes of the creatures we may hazard our pretious soules had we eye-salve from Christ to iliuminate us we should discerne such transcendent beauty in the waies of holinesse so that we should enter an action and zealously commence a suite against the world and never let fall the suite till we have obtain'd a sequestration between our soules and these things here below You may remember that my errand is to you not to seeke after great things I meane such as are reputed so by the great ones of the world Who ever sought them and prospered Nimrod Haman Nebuchadnezzar Herod sought them out to the utter ruine of the seekers Let the streame be turn'd seeke the Matth. 6. 33. Kingdome of God and his righteousnâ—sse and all other things shall be added as supernumerar accruments O that I could prevaile with you to seeke those things that are above It 's the glory of the Gospell to set out glorious things We have a glorious God glorious graces glorious company glorious priviledges and a glorious reward Had'st thou but a glimpse of those superlative excellencies which are treasur'd up in Christ of those glorious things which are spoken of
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
luxuriously and live with Dives deliciously every day Peradventure they give their flock a visit at Sheep-shearing time once a year as the High Priest entred into the Temple and then with blood and indeed a Non-Resident is a soul-murderer who maintains his bravery with the price of blood Fathers and Brethren I love not to lay out my Mothers nakedness but my heart burns in love to your souls and I hope and pray that a through Reformation may go on and prosper and that under no pretence whatsoever Non-residency may be dispensed withal for the future it being Materia prâ—rsus indispâ—nsabilis For this sin the Scarlet Gowns ought to come down in the dust and wear Sack-cloth Statute Tolerations Dispensations for such and such Dignities local Statutes in Colledges dispensing for such a Lecture and for a Living under such a value all these will prove but sorry fig-leaves to cover thy nakedness Will any of these â—leas serve thy turn at the Audit of the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Will they stop the cry of blood It was said in Suetonius Quintili Vareredde lâ—giones so will it be said Steward give an account of thy Stewardship Sheep-herd give an account of thy flock Isa 56. 10. where then will dumb dogs as the Holy Ghost stiles them and Idol Shepherds appear They will wish that thâ— hills might fall upon them and the mountains cover them from the face of the Lamb. In the second place suffer I beseech you my Brethren the Vse 2. For Exhortation word of Exhortation I beseech you by the mercies of God in the bowels of Jesus Christ above all your gettings get this wisdom to gain souls In general it concerns every one to do all the offices of Heb. 10. 24. love they can and to consider one another to provâ—ke to love and to good works Let Parents do this for their Children Tutors for the in Scholars they are Pro-parents for the time Masters for their Servants one Friend one Neighbor for another Let any one indifferently learn this Art and put it into practice These Scriptures I commend to your serious considerations and continual practice one is Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him Another is Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name A third is Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin And in a peculiar and special manner I address my Exhortation unto my Brethren of the Ministry in the Language of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I put you in remembrance 2 Tim. 1. 16. to stir up your gifts Let not good parts be blasted or lie rusty for want of using If such yet remain here unpurged would there were none who keep their Pastoral Livings and their Founders maintenance living here at ease let the Flock sink or swim I recommend those dreadful Imprecations unto their saddest thoughts Zech. 11. 17. Woe to the Idol Shepheard that leaveth the flock the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye his arm shall be clean dryed up and his right eye utterly darkned And 1 Cor. 9. 16. Wo is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel And for such as are set apart for this Calling and as yet have not a Pastoral cure a particular determination ad hic nunc know that you are Ministers of Christ ordained into the universal Church that 's my Judgement for the benefit of the Church of God in general be not idle and lazy saying No man hath hired us Begin betimes and consecrate your strength and marrow to God And if the first-fruit be holy the whole lump will be sanctiâ—ied Neighbor Villages stand in need of your charity many poor souls ready to starve cry as earnestly for spiritual bread as poor Prisoners for corporal bread And the want of a setled Ministry in several places is occasioned by a scandalous maintenance Give me leave to be importunate in my suit and press your duty farther from thâ—se moving considerations 1. Consider your high and weighty Calling what a great honour it is to be a Minister of Jesus Christ You are called Ambassadors Consid 1. The Ministers weighty calling 2 Cor. 5. 10. Matth. 5. 13. now Ambassadors must pursue the Instructions of their Commissions and your principal instruction is to beseech people to be reconciled to God You are the salt of the earth and if the salt loose its savour wherewith shall it be salted You are lights and lights must not be put under a bushel you are Stewards and Stewards must be faithful you are Laborers and Laborers may not eat the bread of idleness 2. There 's a price put into your hands you have abilities and opportunities Consid 2. A price put into the hands of Ministers health and strength and if God be pleased to give you hearts the business would be soon done and well done you have helps of Learning helps of an ingenuous Education helps of frequent Preachers dividing the Word faithfully amongst you these are as so many prizes put into your hands to get wisdom the Lord give you an heart to make a spiritual improvement of them Two places of Scripture drawing to a close I would gladly fasten upon your thoughts The one is Eccl. 9. 10. What soever thy hand find th to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knâ—wledge in the grave whither thou goest The other is John 9 4. I must work the works of him that sent me whilst it is day the night cometh when no man can work Thirdly and lastly Consider the strictness of your account at the Consid 3. From the day of accompt day of Judgement Then the Lord will say Give account of thy Stewardship Shepheard give account of thy Flock Watch-man hast thou looked to thy Watch Laborer hast thou wrought in my Vine-yard The consideration of the day of Judgement the day of visitation should awaken your spirits and put you upon a carefull provision against that day Vse 3. In the last place let me close up all with a word of direction Vse 3. â—or direction and I have done according to that little experience I have and the Lord forgive me that I have no more I 'le commend a few rules of direction to you 1. Give your selves to Divine Meditation This was Mose's practice Direct 1. To meditate 1 Tim. 4. 13. in the Mount Isaac's in the Field and a duty prescribed by Paul to Timothy Meditate upon these things Meditation is as it were the wing of the soul to carry it unto Heaven and herein a Ministers
similitudes there lay a mysterious meaning Christ spake with authority not as the Scribâ—s each word had weight Whereupon people hearing things which they never heard before were eager and restless in their desires until they understood the Parable and the interpretation thereof The fourth and last Reason I shall mention why Christ preacht R. 4. in Parables was because this was a more prevalent convincing way of Preaching when Reproofs or Exhortations are delivered in Parables under the name of a third person they gain more well-come and acceptable entertainment Thus Nathan reproved David by a Parable of the Ewe-Lamb and set his reproof home by a Prosopopeia David hearing of the rich mans cruelty in taking the poor mans Lamb passeth sentence of death upon him and a fourfold restitution because he had no pitty Now David was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned 2 Sam. 12. 5. 6. out of his own mouth Whereupon Nathan strikes whilst the Iron is hot by making particular Application of the Parable unto David Thou art the man This was a convincing way of Preaching And thus ought the Ministers of Christ to put in practice the most convincing way of Preaching whether in a way of Mercy or Judgement whether to come with a rod or the spirit of meekness whether to be Boanergesses or Barnabasses The most taking winning way we must use Provided always that we make the word of God our just Standard and rule to go by so that we may win souls unto Jesus Christ Now to draw nearer to the words In this Chapter there are delivered sundry choice and excellent Parables as of the sower and the seed a grain of mustard-seed leaven hid in three measures of meal a casting-net I pass from these unto that which hath immediate reference unto my Text v. 44. The Gospel of Christ is a Treasure and the Scripture is that pretious seed where that Treasure is to be found Neither can every one finde it or know the worth of it It 's a hidden Treasure The worth of the Gospel is unknown by and hidden from unbelievers But the true Believer who sindes it 2 Cor. 4. 3. Luk 2. 19. and knoweth the worth of it hides it i. e. he keeps it safe in the secretest recesses of his heart he hides it as Mary did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath discovered the incomparable Treasure of the Gospel doth not conceal or suppresse the knowledge thereof from others But first he 'll inrich himself therewith upon the finding of the Treasure he 's so ravisht with joy and so transported with a desire after the purchase as without delay demurs dodgings or abatements he sells all he hath to purchase the field and get possestion of it Now my Text is a further prosecution and confirmation of this Parable The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again specifies a dependance upon what went before Expect no curiosity in dividing the words You have here propounded a Parable and its Interpretation 1. For the Parable and therein are to be considered these six Divis A Parable and its interpretation particulars 1. The Subject compared or ground-work of the comparison The kingdom of Heaven 2. The subject of this comparison or Person spoken of and he is decyphered by his external profession and occupation A Merchant man 3. You have set down what he trafficks for his particular Merchandize He 's not a petty Merchant of small wares and mean Commodities but a Merchant of Pearls And because there 's a difference in Pearls Aliae nobiles aliae minus generosae some are of a greater some of a cheaper estimation he trades for the best not ordinary common but goodly Pearls 4. The success he findes His labor is not lost but answered with good successe a particular instance or specification of his successe is that he findes goodly Pearls 5. What doth he finde of greatest value He findes a Pearl of superlative invaluable price A Pearl beyond compare of more worth then all other Pearls whatsoever and that is The Pearl of price 6. and lastly Here 's set down what the purchase cost him and that 's all that he had Thus far of the bare letter of the Parable according to the dark part of it But there 's a mystical meaning to be considered let 's take off the veil and give in the interpretation I shall open the terms in that order they lie in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Kingdom of Heaven in this place is plainly set forth the administration of the Gospel It 's call'd the Kingdom of Heavens in the plural alluding to the other Heaven the habitation of glorified Scopus est commendare Evangelâ—uÌ„ piis à singulari praestanuâ eâdemque opera dicere quâ—nti Evangelium a piis fiat Pisâ—at Saints and Angels The Gospel of Christ is that Heaven on Earth which will bring us to that Heaven above Piscator observes on the place The scope of all is this to inhance the incomparable worth and estimation of the Gospel in the hearts of the godly It followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Merchant man This Merchant is every true believer who drives a continual trade for Heaven who is industrious and indefatigable in his labors He seeks after faith repentance holyness of life the kingdom of God and his righteousness the reconciled countenance of God in the face of Jesus Christ These are the Jewels for which he searcheth This is his sole imployment to negotiate Instar negociatorum debent conquirere pretiosas Margaritas fidel pietatis Pareus in loc for Heaven He trades not for trifles but weighty precious Commodities His merchandize is particularized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodly Pearls the Pearls of faith and holyness as Pareus on the place The Gospel holds forth goodly Pearls goodly Promises goodly Ordinances goodly Graces a goodly recompense of reward the beauty thereof will enamor the soul and the Treasure therein contained will more enrich it then all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them And what success he had you may see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Pearl of great price is Jesus Christ The Gospel is the Cabinet Margarites as Pliny and other Historians observe are produced out of the dew of Heaven and Shell-fishes draw in that dew They are called Vniones because usually they are found two by two unsevered in the same shell And that which is last to be opened is the price paid to purchase this invaluable Pearl Quis magno emit Margaritam nisi cui notum est pretium Mucul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None will buy this Pearl who knows not the price saith Musculus T is evident that this Spiritual Merchant was a man of knowledge The knowledge of the worth of Christ made him so willing to sell all for him He stands not dodging and cheapning hoping to bring down the price he knoweth Christ to be
evil entreaties and unfruitfulness of our labors Le ts not bauk our duty because we fear we shal do no good let 's put that to the venture fall a working In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not Eccles 11. 6. thy hands for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or â— King 22. 24. whether they both be alike good We read That a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the joynts of the harness So though Ministers shoot at a venture personating no man yet it may please God so to direct the word that it may hit the right mark Now let 's all become Merchant-Venturers The Church is the Ship tost up and down with Tempests and Storms It 's exceeding great folly to trim up our Cabbin if the Ship be a sinking Fear not this Ship will at last come to a safe Harbor here then let us venture Counsels Pains Prayers Estates Liberties Lives and all Deliverance will come to the Church of God we have received earnest already let 's tug harder at the Oar and wrestle with Prayers and Supplications as we read Isa 62. 1. v. 6 7. When deliverance comes as a Samuel of our Prayers when we apprehend it the returne of prayers O how welcome will be that deliverance To see the ship so well fraught in the returne will be our rejoycing that we have ventur'd so liberally in the stock Fourthly A Merchant must be a man of singular Patience his Prop 4. A Merchant must be a man of Patieâ—ce stock is in a ship whose voyage is to the Indies he therefore must wait patiently for the returne So must every spirituall Merchant venturer wait patiently upon God Learne hence O Christian to wait upon the God of thy salvation the Charriot wheeles of deliverance are long a coming sense failes reason is non-plus't but faith bids thee wait longer It bids thee leave off disputing and reasoning and learn to believe But when faith a little flags then hope encourageth as it did Ezrah amid'st multitudes of teares But Ezrah 10. 2 hope sayeth I have hoped long and hope dâ—forr'd makes the heart sicke then comes patience and bids thee wait and stay Gods time his time is the best time Do not Limit the holy one of Israell to times or meanes this or that instrument Eligat Oppâ—rtunitatem qui libere August dat misericordiam O be perswaded to possesse thy soule with patience Ther 's need of patience Heb 10 36. Ther 's a certaine Period or Limit of time set downe by God though unknowne to us when Deliverance shall come Thirty yeares was appointed to the impotent Cripple which time expired Christ healed him Eighteene yeares to the daughter of Abraham and then was shee healed 70. yeares to the Jewish captivity and then deliverance came Wee are to observe that ther 's a great talke amongst the houshold of Christs coming the feilds looke white to harvest the Gods of Babylon are in disgrace ther 's great powring out of the spirit and a gracious answer of prayers ther 's earnest thirsting and longing after deliverance And these are usuall Harbingers of Deliverance But to determine the punctuall time 't is above all our knowledge we can say no more then with the Psalmist We see not our signes there is no more Ps 4. 9. any Prophet neither is there amongst us that knoweth hâ—w long Le ts imitate those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises Le ts resolve come what will come to wait on God as the Church professes Is 8. 17 and Mich 7. 7. God waits to do us good let us wait for the reception of his mercy Is 30. 8 5. 5 A Merchant frequents the places of Merchandize where he may Prop. 5. A Merchant must frequents the places of merchandise heare of his factors and receive intelligence of his Merchandize He 's frequently at the Exchange or such like meeting places So doth every spirituall Merchant frequent the publike Assemblies which are as it were spirituall Exchanges Places of concourse where he may heare news from heaven and receive Intelligence for the best Emolument of his soule Wait then O Christian at these Bethesdaes wait at the Posts of wisedomes gate Lie in this way where Christ frequently comes by Omit not through Negligence any Sermon that peradventure may be a convincing a converting and a confirming word unto thee It 's a mercy promised to an afflicted people Isay 30. 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers That you have publick Assemblies frequent opportunities inlarged meanes and that your eyes behold your faithfull teachers these are singular mercies vouchsafed to you your duty is to improve them to the glory of God and the best advantage of your pretious soules 6ly and lastly A Merchant must improve his estate to his best Prop 6. A Merchant must improve his estate to his best advantage Mat 25. 27. advantage He hath been at great paines cost and charges therefore hee 'l put off his commodities to his best emolument The Lord in the Parable expects his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with increase An honest gaine is commendable in the trade So a spirituall Merchant must improve all he hath his time Talents Graces Ordinances to the advantage of his pretious soule He must endeavour to gaine by various dispensations adversity as well as prosperity he must endeavour to prosit by every Sermon he heareth by every mans company with whom he converseth Hee 's skill'd in the soule thriving trade He stores up a stock of Divine graces faith love humility meeknesse c. And there with he would be adorned He stores up a stock of attributes he knowes there 's wisedom in God to counsell him mercy in God to pardon him power in God to defend him and with these he supports and stayes his spirit He stores up a stock of promises He reads and beleeves that they are pretious promises and that they are 2 Cor 11. 20. all in Christ Yea and Amen These he gathers up and applyes to his particular condition This spirituall Merchant this true beleever is the best Husband in all the world He not onely hath grace but is still a growing in more grace Hee 's a plant planted in Gods garden and therefore brings forth more fruit in his elder age Hee 's not contented with what grace he hath allready but with Paul he forgets those things which are behind and reacheth forth unto those things which are before pressing forward towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Hee 's still on the getting hand getting more Phil 3. 13. 14. accession unto his faith love and humility adding one degree
and pray Isa 26. 16 20. wrestling of tugging hard at the Ore This God looks for and his people have practiced Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them Come my people enter thou into thy â—hambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past We are in an afflicted condition and the counsel of the Apostle is Is any among you afflicted let him pray We are sick and wounded The same James 5. 13. Apostle prescribes Confess your faults one unto another and pray one James 5. 16. for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much There 's a dreadful tempest the ship is a sinking we had need be awakened and cry unto God we had need pray Lord save us or else we perish This God expects Thus saith Ezek. 36. 37. the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock This duty of Prayer hath a commanding vertue The expression is very high Thus Isa 45. 11. saith the Lord the holy One of Israel and his Maker ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the works of my hands command ye me This is Solomons Pharmachum Catholicum even a Medicine for all diseases O pray pray rowl your selves in the dust you deal for a Kingdom you deal for the Church the Gospel and its Ordinances for the lives of millions pray then in good earnest and joyn fasting with waiting Antichrist is a strong Devil this kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer 2. Wait and study the Scriptures Affliction saith Luther makes us Means 2. Wait and study the Scriptures understand Scripture we understand now what is meant by confusion and desolation Compare the times of Habakkuk with our times and they come very near they answer one another as face answereth to face Such a dark vision is now as was then Let us study and search whether the Witnesses be slain or no If they be slain then we may expect glorious times if not worse are to be looked for As far as I can apprehend by comparing Scripture with Scripture though it 's difficult to determine by the Witnesses are meant the Magistracy and Ministry Compare Rev. 11. 4. with Zech. 4. 3. and 14. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth So in the Revelations And in Zechary we read And two olive trees by it one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon the left side thereof Then said he these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth I determine nothing in this doubtful case but the great contempt cast upon both Magistracy and Ministry and greater yet is to be feared even throughout all Kingdoms makes it probable that the time of their slaughter draweth nigh We may not be over-curious in fixing particular times lest we incur the same check for our curiosity as they did It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put Acts 1. 7. in his own power 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Yet you have them and Means 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Isa 30. 20. blessed be God vve yet have a nail left us in the publick Assembly That Prophecy is made good That though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Yet we have a publick Vision The voice of the Turtle is yet heard in our Land Let 's wait at these Bethesdah's at the Posts of Wisdoms Gate we should mourn for the great contempt that is cast upon Ordinances and because others slight them we our selves should learn to esteem them highly frequent them diligently and pray that God would teach us to profit by them The Word Sacraments Sabbaths Meditations Conference are advantagious Ordinances even the food of our souls Take away meat and drink and you starve the Body Take away Ordinances and you slarve the Soul Wait and treasure up your experiences Review and call to Means 4. Wait and treasure up your experiences minde the mercies of old what God hath done for you in former times Thou hast known a Famine God hath provided for thee then Thou hast been in great straits and dangers and God hath delivered thee at that time Thou hast been at the Graves mouth and a sentence of death seemed to pass against thee God hath restored thee to tell his Praises and to bless his Name Thou hast known Troubles Tumults and Commotions in the Kingdom and God hath quieted and composed them Thus then argue God is the same God he is in Heaven still and doth whatsoever he pleaseth he is as willing as able as merciful as ever He sets bounds to the Seas and stills the raging of the people He is not changed with the change of time Christ is the same yesterday to day and the same for ever Though we are out of order yet his Covenant Heb. 13. 8. 2 Sam. 2â— 5. is ordered Though we are transient yet his Covenant is everlasting Wait in the right season Now is the season perilous and a time Means 5. Wait in the right season of waiting Times of afflictions are waiting times When all seem against thee and thou canst not tell how to conclude from such premises as were unheard of before Now wait and be silent Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised out of his holy Zech. 2. 13. habitation Be far from murmurings and responsations against God Thou must wait upon God in the way of his Judgements yea in Isa 26. 8. the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for thee The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Sixthly and lastly Joyn reformation with waiting I press not Means 6. Joyn reformatâ—on with watching all this while a lazy idle waiting a folding thy hands in thy bosom but a working waiting Wait and purge thy conscience Trim up thy soul for the entertainment of Jesus Christ God will not come into a Cage of unclean Birds The soul must be purified Mercy follows Reformation at the heels Deliverance followeth Reformation Many days of Humiliation we have had and when one is done we had need have another to bewail the failings of the former So that many harvests are past and many Summers ended and we are not saved But if there was one day of through Reformation the business would be done God would be intreated for the Land We may justly fear that the Commission given to the Sword is not yet called back
Root and brought death unto all his Posterity And Christ was a common Root and brought life unto all his Posterity They urge likewise Joh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world A. Those in the world whom he loveth washeth and justifieth it 's not universall not singula genâ—rum but genera singulorum Compare this with Mat. 1. 21. And shee shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes The third false key is presumption of long life and mercy Neither A third false key Presumption of long life space nor grace are in thine own power God gave Jezabel space but denyed her grace Rev. 2. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not This presumption hath ruined many a soule Many neglect their opportunities run their swinge and career in sinne and presume of mercy but the dore of mercy is shut against them and this key cannot unlock it Now God affords foure true keyes 1. Knowledge The eyes are opened to see the fountaine to 1. True key knowledge look up to the brasen serpent The knowledge of the worth of Christ provokes us to come to him God's people have inlightned judgements they are renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. 2. Faith to believe that ther 's virtue enough in Christ to cure all 2. True key Faith our diseases both of body and soule Matth 9. 21. For shee said within her selfe if I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 3. Love And this will make us take many journies long and dangerous through fowle weather and it will sweeten all The 3. True key Love beloved object when enjoyed will make amends for all the waiting for it 4. Repentance mourning for sinne Repentance in us causeth 4. True key Repentance God to repent and make his bowels like the sounding of an Harp Jer. 31. 18 19 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoake turne thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed even confounded I did bâ—are the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my deare son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. You must understand these clave non errante not as if the fountaine was merited for any of these duties for when wee have done all wee can we must acknowledge that wee are unprofitable servants But God hath afforded these meanes keyes and helpes we must make use of them but may not make them our Christs and our Saviours 5. I will adde a 5th Praier This is a key to open and shut 5th True key prayer Heaven James 5. 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not upon the earth by the space of three yeares and six months And he prayed againe and the hâ—aven gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Pray that God would wash thee and cleanse thee Psal 51. 10. Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renâ—w a right spirit within mee 3. I proceed to the third head propounded For whom is this 3. For whom is this Fountaine opened fountaine opened To give in my answer ' I le lay down this truth by way of corollary inferred from the premises That the fountaine of free grace is only opened to the adopted children of God This I shall open and apply briefly for opening whereof I shall propound these ensuing considerations 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe Consid 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe according to his owngood pleasure and purpose of his will Now election is of here and there one It 's an act of choice taking some and passing by others Jer. 3. 14. Turne O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a familie and I will bring you unto Zion Like gleaning grapes Isai 17. 6. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it as the shakâ—ing of an olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough foure or five in the utmost fruitfull branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel This election hath no other motive but free love and grace Wee were in our blood Ezek. 16. 5 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy 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 No provision of faith or Repentance mooved God to set his heart upon us as appeares Rom. 9. 11. For the children being not yet borne neither haveing done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workâ—s but of him that calleth c. This Postulatum being laid down for undeniable God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people Hence I frame this syllogisme only the elect have interest in the fountaine of free grace and mercy But only God's adopted children are elect ergo they only have interest in it 2. There are a peculiar people who alone are justified by the free grace of God in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith wee have Consid 2. There are a peculiar poople justified by free grace pâ—ace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Now thus I argue Only justified persons have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood But the sons of God by grace and adoption are only justified persons Ergo they alone have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose trangression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guilâ— Iustification is a forensicall terme took from an earthly Tribunal where a person arraign'd and condemned is afterward by virtue of a pardon acquitted 3ly Consider there are a peculiar people effectually called Many Consid 3. There are a peculiar people effectually called have an outward calling and take upon them an outward profession few are inwardly and effectually called This the Apostle presseth 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall never fall There are a few and but a very few called out of the world partakers
if unlawful happy art thou that God deprives thee of them 'T is a sign that the Parents have a tender love to their children when they take away a Knife from them for fear lest they should hurt themselves with it So 't is mercy when God cuts thee off and deprives thee of such Delights and Pleasures which if thou hadst liberty to enjoy therewith thou wouldst dishonor Almighty God Object 2. A second Objection is How are the ways of God ways of pleasantness when they require abundance of Humiliation brinish Tears sorrow for sin and is not this irksome and unpleasant A. There 's more sweetness in this which thou callest bitternesse I mean godly sorrow for sin then in all the pleasures of the world for as in the laughter of the wicked the heart is sorrowful so in the sorrow of the godly the heart laughs and rejoyceth Christ turns these Waters into Wine Call not the tears of repentance Marah but Naomi In the winding up we shall finde that the tears of repentance are not bitter waters but sweet refreshing waters Every tear in thy eye is a Pearl in Gods eye Every tear is exhal'd into Gods bottle All the laughter of the wicked is Risus Sardonicus Their greatest merriments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther hath an excellent saying Vna guttula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet But the godly rejoyce in their sufferings Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations They have inward joy amidst outward sorrows VVhen their cheeks run down with tears they have a chearful spirit something they feel of comfort coming in They have a principle of Joy within them from the apprehension of Gods love in Christ and this swallows up all sorrows One glimpse of Christs countenance will swallow up an Ocean of sorrows And this will appear in two or three Particulars 1. The work of Humiliation hath the melting work of the Gospel The Law breaks but the Gospel melts the heart No such kindly working upon the heart as mercy bowels opened and the goodness of God To sin against these will deepliest affect the heart When a soul is humbled for sinning against mercy and goodness and the heart is melted and dissolved into tears there must be pleasantness and sweetness in these because they proceed from such a Principle even the Principle of the melting work of the Gospel and this cannot have much bitterness in it 2. The Soul in the work of Humiliation melting before the Lord easeth it self of abundance of sin We say Leves curae loquuntur Sen. Trag. ingentes stupent When people can shed tears thereby they ease their heart but when the heart is so opprest as the eyes cannot shed tears the sorrow or passion of the heart is greater and more dangerous By weeping for sin thou dost ease and rid thy self of abundance of sin thy heart feels some joy and draws and sucks some sweetness out of these bitter herbs 3. In the work of Humiliation there 's much delight because the soul hath much delight in looking back to that sorrow it hath had The wicked rejoyce in their pleasures the godly rejoyce in their tears Epaminondas went sad about the City when the Thebanes were a revelling when others have been in May-games and Merriments and lascivious Enterludes it will cheer up thy spirit that thou hast been sorrowing for thy sin Object 3. But thirdly it 's Objected That godliness puts us upon hard services we shall meet with many scandals great sufferings and persecutions for the name of Christ we shall meet with sore temptations and tryals Peradventure we may be brought to fry at a Stake for Christ How then can the ways of godliness be ways of pleasantness A. Notwithstanding the hardest sufferings that the heart of a godly man shall meet withal yet there 's that delight in the ways of godliness as to uphold the heart under all sufferings and carry it on sweetly How much did the Martyrs rejoyce They kist the Stake welcomm'd Fire and Fagot some of them leapt for joy wrote singular Letters for the confirmation of their Brethren Godlyness will carry thee chearfully through sufferings It will make thee account thy Chains as Ornaments thy Prison thy Palace thy Dungeon thy Paradise Gods people suck sweetness out of the bitterest hearbs They finde an Honey-comb in the carcass of Lyons They never see so much of God in prosperity as adversity Never do they feel more inward comforts then amidst outward sorrows for then God settles the tranquility of their spirits and the serenity of their consciences Christ appeared to Mary weeping to Jacob at Bethel to Elias after forty days fasting God brings forth his Cordials to his people in their forest tryals so that whatever sorrows hardships and troubles they meet withal abroad yet they have joy at home and though they may make many a hard meal yet a good conscience is to them a continual feast There 's one Objection more which I shall answer and then proceed Object 4. Some object from common experience When people come into the ways of godliness they do not finde that delight and joy as they had before The world observes them to be more melancholy and of a heavy dumpish spirit This is a meer calumny of the Devils raising to keep men off from the ways of God This is a great pull-back and Remora to the conversion of many souls I shall give a more full and I hope satisfactory Answer to the Objection in these following Considerations 1. Religion denys not civil courteous and affable behaviour Consid 1. Religion denys not civil behaviour Religion forbids not a chearful disposition Nay there 's a Judgement threatned to the contrary Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies saith the Lord. A churlish Nabal is a dishonor to Religion Take heed therefore of discrediting the Gospel by your sad melancholy spirits lest the world bring an evil report upon the ways of godliness None have such chearful spirits as true Believers Their heart is full and must have a vent their tongues countenances carriages will shew that they have comfort in God But secondly consider thou maist mistake Gods children Thou Consid 2. Gods children are serious accountest that sadness and sorrow which is seriousness gravity and a stay'd compos'd carriage The carriage of Gods children must be sober and grave their words serious season'd with salt and their whole conversation must be such as may adorn their profession Phil. 1. 27. Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ 3. Consider Gods people may appear sad because they are out Consid 3. Gods children are sad when out of their element of their element When the Fish is out of its element of Water it cannot enjoy it self Birds do not ordinarily sing upon the ground
reconciliation The soule cannot feed on gold you may as easily fill a bagge full of spirituall graces as satisfie an immortall soul with the world The riches pleasures c of the world are no way suitable noe way satisfying not in the least measure commensurate to the vast and boundless desires of an immortall heavenly-borne being soul The high-Priests money could not satisfie Judas as soone as conscience pricked him he could keep the money no longer Honours could not satisfie Haman What doth all this availe me c The foole in the Gospel could not be satisfied with the barns he already had he must have bigger It is not within the sphere of the activity of any sublunary thing to satisfie an immortal soule 6. The world is unhelpful and unprofitable in the evil day There Aggrav 6. The World is unhelpful in the evil day are 4 evil dayes wherein the world cannot help 1. In the day of affliction losse of husband wife children what can the world doe thee good In the day of a tormented conscience all the worlds goods cannot pacify a tormented conscience 2ly In the day of death The world cannot bribe death 4ly In the day of judgment no help no comfort from the world A friend we say is known in adversity it plainly appeares that the world is a very false perfidious enemy because it serves thee as Absolom's Mule served him left him helpless in a time of misery hanging between heaven and earth 7 And lastly The world in all it's bravery in it's greatest estate and Aggrav 7. The World is momentany confluence is but momentary transient it cannot help beyond this life it canot carry us to eternity It passeth away 1 Joh. 2. 17. The ambitious mans honours promotions high places cannot follow him to another world An ungodly great man noble and honourable in the world when he dieth he shall be degraded of all His honours will not follow him to hell he shall be there base ignoble inglorious The riches of the covetous Mammonist shall not goe to bell with him they cannot corrupt the flames nor bribe the tormentours The voluptuous man's haukes and hounds cards dice cups shall not goe to hell with him as soone as death surprizeth him all these leave him What distinction can be given between the rich man's skull and the poor man's What difference doth death make between the noble and ignoble rich and poore Death cuts down all with it's sithe It 's mercy and free grace that makes all the difference Those 4 Summa Imperia were dissolved Sic transit gloria mundi The world is a Jonah's gourd like a vapor a bubble transient momentany uncertaine of short continuance Now weigh these together the excellency of the soule and vileness of the world as I have represented them in severall particulars Wee know Contraria juxtase posita magis eluccscunt And upon serious premeditation give in your verdict which would your rather have Oh! that God would move and perswade your hearts to make the better choice to prefer your pretious soules before all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them Thus much for the doctrinallpart of the Text. The doctrine being thus proved and cleared by the forementioned comparison it now remaines that I should make the best improvement of it and set it home upon your consciences by particular Application I shall hold forth a sixfold use of this Doctrine which I shall endeavour to set home upon your consciences for Terrour Expostulation Exhortation Examination Direction and Consolation The first Use is a word of terrour and commination it speakes heavy tidings to all those who preferre the pomp and glory of the world 1 Vse for Terrour before their pretious soules how many preferre a base lust before their soules a penny profit before an immortal soul This is the condition of thousands the farre greater part even of the Christian world Now because every one will plead not guilty I l'e single out particular persons notoriously guilty 1. Ignorant persons who know not the excellency of a reasonable soule and Ignoti nulla cupido Discourse of the dignity of their soules and tell them of the infinite price pay'd to redeeme the soules of the elect they plead ignorance they are not book-learned But will this plea lick thee whole If thou art not book-learned yet thou must be heart-learned No kind of ignorance can acquit thee â toto though it may à tanto A sinne of ignorance in the Leviticall law had a trespasse offering An invincible gross ignorance amongst blind guides and blind corners where there hath been wanting a teaching ministry is lamentable but not excusable They shall be punisht with fewer stripes Hell shall not be heat so hot for them as for presumptuous sinners who sin against illumination of judgment and the bright shining light of the Gospel But they that suffer the least paines in hell shall suffer enough Doe not then plead thy ignorance that 's to purge one fault with another Now if a bare ignorance Ignorantia purae negationis an invincible crasse ignorance where meanes are wanting which wee have and enjoy if this be damnable and no excuse for a sinner for Rom. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's enough to leave any without excuse what shall we say of an affected ignorance which is Ignorantia pravae dispositionis a shutting of the eyes against the light to be ignorant of the worth of Christ and the soule in these days when knowlege aboundes as the waters cover the seas when as for the time and meanes they might have been teachers when notwithstanding such a marvelous light shining brightly yet they are in darkness notwithstanding sermon upon sermon c a constant powerfull ministry shining lampes yet still people are ignorant they know not God what shall I say of them Let me tell them that they are under a dreadfull curse as Jer. 10. 25. 2 Thes 1. 8. Thou hast a pretious soule and knowest not of it notwithstanding so many warnings and admonitions by the messengers of God whose fault is that thy own questionless thou maiest know O! desperate damnable ignorance 2. Negligent persons are to be reproved these are heedlesse and 2. Negâ—gent persoâ—s carelesse what become of their soules For their bodies and estates they turmoyle and vexe themselves rising early c. For a gainfull bargaine for increasing their estates for boone joviall company they can find time enough but presse them to the practise of religious duties they plead want of time They want not time but good hearts Manna is even ready to drop into many mens mouthes and yet they will not take paines to gather it Many are so supine and lazy that they will not step over the threshold to heare a Sermon Many have gifts and good abilities but let them lye rustie for want of using slothfull persons shall be cloathed with ragges The fountaine is opened people are not
sensible of their thirst and therefore they will not come God affords food for our body and food for our soule in abundance now an hungry man will goe apace for corporall food and had we a spirituall appetite a soule hunger we should quicken our pace and run as fast for the sood of our soules see Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation God puts a prize into our hands if we neglect to use it our condemnation will be the greater A sluggard will tell of this Lyon that mountaine and that shrubbe in the way so your lazy negligent people will tell and reckon up all the difficulties they can to flatter themselves in their idlenesse whereas indeed when we consider the battell we are to fight the race to runne the strait gate to passe through and the great difficulty to attaine salvation this should excite and provoke us to beg strength from God and act in his strength tugge hard at the Oare wrestle harder mend our pace that we may enter in at the strait gate fight the good fight of faith and so runne that we may obtaine A third sort of persons to be reproved are unbelievers They believe 3. Vnbelievers not such worth and excellency in the soule as we speak of This is the grand capitall damning sin of the Gospel Unbeliefe is a complication of many sins made up of a fraternity of iniquity See John 8 24. Unbeliefe as well as covetousnesse caused the yong man to preferre treasures on earth before treasures in heaven Unbeliefe as well as covetousnesse made the foolish Gadarens to preferre their swine before a Saviour Did people in good earnest believe that the soule is more worth then a world that the soule is of a heavenly-borne beeing and runnes parralell with eternity they durst not graspe the world make an Idol of Mammon Volupia c. and put their pretious soules in jeopardy What hindred Christ's miracles see Matth. 13. 28. What 's the portion of unbeleevers see Luk 12. 46. Rev. 21. 8. The Jewes had a saying that every sinne that they committed had a spice of the golden calfe Every sinne without question hath a spice of infidelity Unbeliefe and misbeliefe are destructive to the soule 4ly Impatient sinners are to be reproved these are worst of all 4. Impenitent sinners they throw away the remedy spurne away the plaister that God ordaineth for their cure Wee say falling into the water drownes not but lying there for a man may fall into a water and may be plucked out alive so falling into sinne damnes not but lying in it without repentance 'T is true that every sinne deserves damnation but all sinnes doe not actually damne otherwise who could be saved There are two sorts of sinners penitent and impenitent sinners Penitent broken hearted sinners are received into mercy through Christ their sinnes are wash't away in his bloud their sinnes are imputed to his score and his righteousness imputed to them for justification But impenitent sinners such as sweare and will sweare are drunke and will be so breake sabbaths and will doe so without remorse or regret of conscience these shut the dore of mercy against themselves An impenitent person is Felo de se his own executioner see Rev. 16. 11. Rom. 2. 5. Impenitent persons take not the dignity of their soules into consideration little doe they think what will become of their soules unto all eternity The law requires exact obedience will not abate a tittle not the least transgression God hath given us a Court of mercy the Gospel and in it a surety Christ and the instrumentall meanes faith and repentance Now impenitent Persons despise the Gospel the suerty the remedy they reject the great salvation tendred in the Gospel and so they are left unexcusable Their bloud be upon their own heads God would heale them they will not be healed they are filthy and impure the Lord proclaimes a fountaine to wash in it but they will not come unto it and so their damnation is just and they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe condemned and their destruction is from themselves Of all judgments deprecate this of impenitency The Lord never give you over to impenitency 2. The next Use shall be for expostulation and here I would expostulate Vse 2. For expostulation the case as Isai 55. 2. Rom. 6. 21. Who of any understanding would serve so unprofitable a master as sinne is who would bee so mad as to be penny wise and pound foolish as to get riches lands revenues by cozenage fraud oppression and hazzard their pretious soules What if you could get never so much gold purchase never so much land honestly and justly and yet with the care and turmoyle of getting and keeping all you neglect your soule what advantage would all this be unto you Call your selves to an account and reckon what you get by purchaseing the world and loseing your soules cast up your accounts and you will find you have made a miserable bad bargain ' I le draw this Use unto particular instances 1. Let me expostulate the case with the voluptuous persons who eate and drinke and rise up to play Hawkes hounds cardes dice whores cups are the voluptuous man's companions Hee 's lul'd a sleep on the lap of pleasures and followes his own swinge and careere against the counter-blasts of a reclaiming conscience Let me aske the voluptuous liver what doe all his pleasures conduce to the advantage of his soul what comfort can a man take at night when he goeth to bed when all the day he hath past away in gameing drinking and carrowsing How many spend more upon their houndes then they doe towards the maintainance of a faithful Ministry How many preferre a pack of cards a pack of houndes a cast of hawkes before the word of God How many preferre a drunken merry meeting before a Sermon They can sit whole days and nights at cards and dice and at their cups upon ale-benches and yet how weary at a Sermon Double duties are tedious to them sabbaths fasts are heavy burdens unto them This sin of voluptuousness is the crying sin of the nation for which God lets us bloud by his heavy judgments at this very time O that all voluptuous Epicures would seriously lay to heart the sacred Irony of the wise man Eccles 11 9. O! that God would perswade you to have special regard of your pretious soules O that God would open your eyes to see your vanities and wicked pleasures and turne the streame into the right channel as Prov. 3. 17. To account the wayes of wisdome the only wayes of pleasantness 2. Let me expostulate the case with the covetous Mammonist He riseth early c hee 's a scrapeing and carking for the world the trash and pelfe here below filling his barnes with corne his coffers with gold still labouring for corne and oyle never satisfied never thinking he hath enough But what 's
a new pretended light or revelation from the old Prophet he forsook the true word and believed a lying word what a sad Catastrophe befell him v. 24. When he was gone a Lyon met him by the way and slew him and his carcase was cast in the way and the 1 King 13. 24. Ass stood by it and the Lyon stood also by the carcase Yet notwithstanding extraordinary Revelations Dreams Visions Extasies Enthusiasms though they have ceased long ago and we have no warrant to expect them because we are to keep close to the revealed will of God written in his holy word Yet I say we are to take notice of the sweet motions and spiritual illapses upon our souls Though Prophesies cease yet there are manifold discoveries of Christ unto the soul The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soul with Christ the souls ravishing consolations the breaking in and flashes of heavenly light upon the soul the heavings aspirings and harmony of the heart with Christ experience of mercies issues out of temptations protections of Angels all these are Heavenly constant revelations out of the Word of God manifested to the souls of the faithful by the Spirit according to the word Let us therefore embrace and cherish the gracious motions of the Spirit of God Where the spirit of Grace is in the heart it cannot be idle or lie dead but it 's exceeding operative The Spirit gives light to teach thee it gives heat to warm and comfort thee It is a spirit of burning and purging to burn up the stubble of corruption to purge out thy sins It is a spirit of refining and purifying Therefore when the spirit of God strives by its gracious motions inlightning purging inflaming comforting wooing thee to walk closely with God bidding thee beware of wounding thy conscience of resisting the light and going against known truth O beware of grieving this holy Spirit of God! Do not O do not force the spirit to depart sadded and grieved from thee This is one way whereby the spirit strives viz. by its motions and whispers A second way whereby the spirit strives is by the Ministry of 2. The Spirit strives by the Ministery of the Word the word It is said Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me The Spirit of God knocks at the doors of your hearts by the hammer of the word The spirit knocks louder and louder and the Ministers are to cry aloud and spare not Isa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew thy people their transgressions and the House of Jacob their sins The Lord calls upon us by every Sermon we hear Why will ye die Why will ye bolt the door against the frequent knocking 's of the Spirit of God The Spirit of God hath strove with some of us ten years some twenty some foâ—ty some sixty years How many years have we lived under the sound of the Gospel having heard the voice of the Turtle crying in our Land How many powerful Preachers have spent their strength their breath wasted their spirits wooing intreating beseeching us to be reconciled unto God many of them are gone to their rest their works praise them in the Gate their memory is blessed and their name is like sweet Oyntment poured forth How many are yet alive to this day who Preach Jesus Christ faithfully and experimentally how do they pray and wrestle with God how zealously do they preach how many admonitions reproofs exhortations warnings do they give us And if we will not take warning the Ministers shall deliver their own souls and our blood will be upon our own heads and the time will come when it shall be known that we have had Prophets amongst us I shall make an allusion to that Scripture Deut. 20. 11 12 13. It shall be if it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee and they shall serve thee And if it will make no peace with thee but will make war against thee then thou shalt besiege it and when the Lord hath delivered it into thy hands thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword Just so God proclaims peace and the Ministers are Ambassadors of Peace and deliver their commission after this manner Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to Luke 10. 5 6. this house And if the son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again The Lord now beseâ—â—eth your hearts by the Ministry of the word and offers you peace and reconciliation if you will submit unto his Scepter and cast down your rebellious weapons the Lord will have mercy on you but if you hold out the flag of defiance and will not come in to Jesus Christ what remains but utter ruine and destruction Every Sermon you hear is like the water of Jealousie when he hath made her to drink the water then it shall come to pass that if she be defiled and hath done trespass against her Husband that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter Num. 27. 28. and her belly shall swell c. but if she be not defiled she shall be free When the word is received into an honest and good heart it doth it good and makes it fruitful when into a corrupt heart it rots it and makes it worse It s an observation of a Reverend Divine That it is an indignity beyond all apprehension to the spirit of Dr. Ed Reynolds grace when we suffer him to wait daily at our Bethesda's our houses of mercy and all in vain to spend his sacred breath in the Ministry of reconciliation in doubling and redoubling his requests unto our souls that we would be content to be saved Yet all this while we harden our hearts and stop our ears and set up the pride and stoutness of our own reasonings till we even weary the spirit of God chide him away and cause him to depart sadded and grieved from us O my Brethren despise not prophecying undervalue not the Ministry of â— Thess 5. 20. reconciliation An indignity or affront offered unto Christs Messengers Christ takes it as done unto himself Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Be then exhoâ—ted to set an high price of the Gospel and make much of the motions of Gods holy Spirit in the Ministry of the word Ursin relates in his Preface to his Catechism That those godly Vrsini Praf Catech. Protestants that fled beyond the Seas for their Religion in that Marian quinquenium of Persecution acknoâ—ledged That that great innundation of misery
fruits thereof And these judgements God oftentimes inflicts upon those that contemne his Ordinances and often â—imes causeth a people to know the worth of them by the want of them Aggrav 2. God will not suffer his Spirit to woâ—ke in the Ordinances Or secondly if God continue his Ordinances and a people still resist the strivings of his Spirit this is another aggravation that the Lord wil not suffer his Spirit to work in the Ordinances What 's the Word without the Spirit but a dead letter The Word is the seed it is the Spirit that quickens it Now when God denieth his Spirit in an Ordinance and people hear onely a bare sound which goeth in at one ear and out of another and reap no profit and are never a whit wrought upon by an Ordinance this is a lamentable condition Enthusiasts cry up the Spirit and cry down the Word Formalists cry up the Word they keep their Church well that 's their own phrase but they regard not the workings of the Spirit This is Argumentum à bene conjunctis ad male divisa We have no warrant to leave the bright shining light of the Word and to follow a wild rambling light of our own The Spirit works by the Word and tyes us to the rule New devised lights may Levit. 10. 2 meet with the same judgement as Nadab and Abihu met withall for offering strange fire unto the Lord. Neither may we as Formalists doe rest in our comming to and hearing of Ordinances we must examine the working of Gods Spirit upon our soules When God gives quickning Ordinances let us pray for the energetical effectual working of Gods Spirit Deadnesse of Spirit saith Mr. Greenham is the grave of spiritual graces Between a lazy and a fervent performer of duties you may see the difference Greenham 2 Kings 4. 31 32 33 34. Gehazi went on in a carelesse formall manner and layd his staffe upon the child but there was neither voice nor hearing But when Elisha put his eyes upon the childs eyes and his mouth on the childs mouth the flesh of the child waxed warm O beware of slighting or resisâ—ing the â—pirit in an Ordinance lest in judgement God may give thee a bare Ordinance or resting contented with a bare outside formall service without any lively workings of the Spirit upon thine heart and that will be but as a carkasse when the soul is gone When people drive away Gods Spirit and will not regard its strivings Aggrav 3. God gives over those that resist his Spirit unto a spirit of delusion then God gives them over in judgement to a spirit of delusion 2 Thes 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lye VVhen Ministery the Lords-day and other Sabbath-Ordinances are trampled under feet when the plain infallible rule of the Scriptures is laid aside when some flatter themselves with high swelling conceits of their own gifts upon pretence of a Light within them Dreams and Revelations then God in judgement gives them over to a spirit of delusion The Devil works upon their fancies and puffs them up with pride and their pride swels them and bursts them Beware of Pride and above all Pride of spiritual Pride Beware of itching eares after novel Doctrines Upon pretence of new truths many suck in antiquated long since exploâ—ed â—rrours And if it be an errour though I take it not so yet account it an errour of love I advise especially young beginners to beware of Scepticism high-slown curiosities in the study of divinity It 's a ground of experience Scepticism Rom. 14. 1. Quod si observassent Scholastici non totâ— spinosas salebrosas ne dicaÌ„ impiâ—s sacrilegas quaestiones in eornÌ„ libris habere mus P. Mart. Aggrav 4. God gives those over to a hard heart who resist the motions of the Spirit frequently produceth Heresie â—ereâ—e terminatesin Atheisme and my counsel is grounded upon the known rule Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not in doubtfull disputatâ—ons Would Schoolmen saith Pet. Martyr had observed this Scripture Study Fundamentals get a Body of Divinity in your heads and hearts before you venture upon Polemicals Be well provided and furnished with weapons from the Principles of Divinity before you grapple with gain-sayers A fourth and last aggravation I shall mention is this when Gods Spirit hath stroven long knockt and waited and is abused and resisted then God gives over such persons to an hard heart and a reprobate mind And an hard heart and a reprobate mind is an hell upon earth Isa 6. 9 10. Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed It 's cited by all the four Evangelists and in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans by such frequent repetition of the self-same thing aggravating the greatnesse of the judgement It 's accounted the grand curse of the Gospel Joh. 9. 39. For judgement am I come into this John 9. 39. world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind When men have been a long time under the sound of the Gospel and the Spirit hath moved and woed beseeching us to amend our lives and walk in an holy obedience and conformity to the will of God and yet we stand out and bid defiance to the Spirit of Grace then it is just for God to say hard heart seize upon such a one reprobate sense take hold of another let them be Sermon-proof and Judgement-proof let them remain insensible let their consciences be cauterized O whaâ— a fearfull judgement is this as the Apostle mentions But after thy hardnesse Roâ— 2. 5. and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God May these aggravations make deep impressions upon all our spirits and make us fear and tremble any more to withstand the sweet motions and whispers of the Spirit of God A second use is for Exhortation I entreat beseech exhort conjure Vse 2. For Exhortation you by all the motions of the Spirit by all the tenders of mercies patience and long-suffering of God that you would take heed of quenching resisting sadding the holy Spirit of God but cherish embrace make much of all the strivings of the Spirit of God with your soules To day the Spirit calls hear his voice to day the Spirit woes and would make a contract with your soules O now accept of him to day the Spirit invites lay aside all excuses and come It 's the Embassie that Gods Ministers are sent upon Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though
is a speciall ingagement Observ 2. unto them for the faithfull discharge of their duty Thirdly It is a wonderfull condescension and an act of Singular Observ 3. grace and mercy in God to imploy messengers concerning treaties of peace and Reconciliation Fourthly Ministers of the Gospell should study and practice the Observ 4. most winning way to gaine soules unto Jesus Christ As for these 4. It shall suffice at present only to have mentioned them considering that I have not leisure to handle them severally neither am I willing to handle them overhastily and breake of abruptly The fifth and last Observation whereon I purpose to fix is Observ 5. this That it is a main Duty incumbent upon all the Ministers of the Gospell with all earnestnesse to presse upon people the Doctrine of Reconciliation and use all the Arguments they can to perswade men to be Reconciled unto God This is that grand needfull fundamentall Doctrine which can never be preached enough never heard enough never learned enough You see my Reverend Brethren what a large field lye's before me to expatiate in Here 's matter enough to be treated on in a large volume And how can a short hour's discourse suffice when many daies are insufficient Notwithstanding through Christ that strengthen's me by whose grace I am what I am I shall 1 Cor. 15. 10. The Doctrine unfolded Meth. 2. head 's of discourse endeavour to Contract my selfe and to speak as much as I can in a few words For Method's sake I shall only confine my selfe to two heads of discourse The former whereof only aimes at the proof of the point asserted the latter shall be imployed by way of self-reflexion what may this concern us all as reducible unto point of practice That shall constitute the Doctrinall part of my Text this my darticular use and Application To resume in order what I first propounded I shall endeavour 1. Head to make good my assertion by a double proof both by authority of Scripture and evidence of reason 1. For Scripture Testimony that I may not multiply many 1. For Scripture Testimony instances the Ministers of the Gospell that I may speak it with reverence are as so many Feoffees in trust with the Ministery of reconciliation They are instruments imployed by God in the dispensation of this great Doctrine vers 18. The expressions are vers 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Praeclarus Evangelii titulus quod legatio sit ad reconciliandos homines Deo singularis quoque Ministrorum dignitas quod cum hoc mandato mittantur à Deo ad nos ut internuntii sint quasi sponsores Calv. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There you have one clear proof of my Doctrine that unto the Ministers are committed the Doctrine of reconciliation This is the depth of love as †O humanitatis profunditatem quoniam mortuo filio reconciliation is Ministerium nobis Apostolis iterum credidit Oecumen in loc Oâ—cumenius observes The Angels were the first publishers of peace Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men This office which was first the Angels work is now transferr'd upon men As for instance the Angel told Cornelius that his prayers were heard but as for the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ he referr'd him to the Ministery of Peter Hence * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Chrysostom observes that this sheweth the dignity of the Apostles and what work they undertook and likewise the exceeding greatnesse of the love of God So that hence it plainly appeareth that this work of preaching reconciliation is incumbent upon all the Ministers of the Gospell One excellent observation I 'le give you more of Calvin upon vers 18. of this Chapter whose authority is never a whit the lesse because lately so much unworthily †Stumbling block removed by P. H. wherein that eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Calvin is aspersed and maliciously traduced traduced The words of * Quum ex Evangelio pronuntiat Ministerâ—â—tè ordinatus propitiatum nobis esse Dominum non aliter audiendus atque Dei Legatus publicam personam sustinens atque ad id asseverandum legitima authoritato praeditus Calv. Calvin are thus translated when a Minister saith he rightly ordained pronounceth out of the Gospel that God is reconciled he is no otherwise to be heard than an Embassadour of God and as one that hath the place of a publicke person and endued with lawfull authority to assert the same Another proof we have vers 11. of this Chapter Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men We perswade men indefinitely they have rationall souls and are capable of perswasion and what do we perswade them unto but to be reconciled unto God Wherefore it 's a base calumny of the Arminians who charge the Orthodox as these ears have heard in this very place as if they made man no more then a stock or a stone in his Conversion As Jer. 10. 23. Propheta hic non disserit ex professo quid possint homines sed concedit illis hanc partem ut consultent decernant c. Calv. Phil. 4. 13. for our parts we acknowledge man passive in his Conversion and according to the Prophet the way of man is not in himselfe Further we acknowledge the Antecedent concomitant and subsequent Grace all to come from God yet we cannot deny but God hath endued man with a reasonable soul and made him a subject capable of receiving the Grace of the Spirit infused in him so that man actus agit motus movet and is sano sensu said to be a Co-worker with God He can do nothing without Christ but he can do all things through Christ that strengthneth him as the Apostle speaks But the objection will be thus framed If men as all men by Object Eph. 2. 2. nature are be dead in trespasses and sinnes it 's in vain to preach unto them we may as well preach amongst Tombes and Graves For answer hereunto we must know that notwithstanding men Answ are dead in trespasses and sinnes yet ther 's a quickning vertue in the voyce of Jesus Christ to make even the dead to live When Christ called with a loud voyce Lazarus come forth then he that was Ezek. 37. 10. dead arose out of his grave Those drye bones mentioned by Ezekiel as soon as the spirit breathed on them they had sinews and flesh and stood on their feet and became an exceeding great army So when the Spirit of God works powerfully by the Ministery of the word mirabiles effectus habet The blind see the lame walk and the very dead are raised to life To this purpose tend those Exhortations with those prevalent Obtestations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 1. That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice c. Another is Eph. 4. 1. I therefore the
under his feet and gave him to be vers 22. the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse vers 23. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 20. of him that filleth all in all To the intent that now the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I Col. 2. 10. say whether they be things in heaven or things on earth And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all Principality and Power I purposely wave many curious questions wherein Popish writers abound Wherefore in the last place I shall make a practicall improvement of the whole and apply only three inferences for Information Instruction and Consolation For Information 1. For Information 1. What excellent knowing glorious creatures the holy Angells are and if they be so excellent how much more is Jesus Christ their Lord Great is the knowledge of these glorious creatures but what they have is derivative from their Creatour 2. Be informed that it is unlawfull to worship them See thou do Col. 2. 18. it not saith the Angell to John for I am thy fellow-servant And in the place fore cited Let no man beguile you of your reward and in voluntary humility and worshiping of Angells intruding into those things he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind 3. Be informed of the singular benefit of the Angells ministry The Angell of the Lord encampeth about them that feare him and delivereth Psal 34. 11. Josh 5. 14 15 them The Angell stood for Joshua It came to passe when Joshua was by Jerico that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hands and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our Adversaries And he said nay but as a captaine of the hoâ—t of the Lord am I now come And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And he said loose thy shooe from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy This was the Lord Jesus the Angell of the Covenant for a Created Angell would have refused adoration An Angell preserved the three Children from the flame and burning of the fiery furnace and shut the Lyons mouth An Angell praised for the Church in Zechary that Angell was Christ Then the Angell Zech. 1. 12. of the Lord answered and said O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had Indignation these threescore and ten yeares An Angell delivered Hezekiah and smote Senacherib An Angell delivered Peter An Angell brought the good newes of Christs incarnation The Angells of God preserve us in our beds in our houses in our journyes in our undertakings The Angells will carry our soules to Heaven By way of Instruction Vse 2. of Instruction Psal 91. 11. 1. Labour to walk in Gods waies For he shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies Whilest we are in our lawfull waies not in our wanderings we have a promise of Protection 2. Pray to God for the Protection of Angells We may not pray to Angells we may not worship them but we may pray to God to vouchsafe their ministry to us to make our waies prosperous to send us an Angell as Abraham believed and cause his Angells to pitcht their Tents about us as Gods messengers to defend Gen. 24. 7. and rescue us out of dangers 3. We should so live as remembring we are in the presence of God and Angells that Gods eyes are over us that the Angells observe oâ—r carriage and what decorum we keep in the duties we performe For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angells Though men as Diodati observes 1 Cor. 11. 10. would give consent and connive at this disorder yet the Angells who are continuall Guardians in their Assemblies would be offended at it For I think saith the Apostle that God hath set forth us the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 9. 16. last as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angells and to men Wherefore I beseech you be yee followers of me For Consolation Vse 3. for Consolation This serves for comfort to Gods children that the Angells are their Ministers 1. In their lives they have them under God their protectors the Lord bids them protect preserve succour comfort relieve such a one he is in distresse he is my servant The very Angells 1 King 19. 7 8. were purveyers unto Eliah The Angells ministred unto Christ they strengthened him when he was in the garden when he suffered in his humane Nature So the children of God find it to their comfort that the Angells refresh comfort support and protect them in their greatest extremities 2. When they die the Angells carry their soules into Heaven 3. At the day of judgment they gather the elect unto Christ Mar. 13. 27. He will send his Angells to gather his elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of Heaven By all that hath been said we are to understand the happinesse of all the Saints who are here in the text called heires of salvation God gives them his Son and that 's the height of mercy God gives them his Angells for their Guardians so those two Scriptures are abundantly fulfilled Psal 34. 9. O feare the Lord ye his Saints Psal 34. 9. Rom. 8. 32. for there is no want to them that feare him And Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not but with him freely give us all things And these Scriptures bring a full measure of comfort unto the children of God Having Christ the Saints have all he protects and defends them he is Lord over all and commands all creatures services for the good of his people This Doctrine of the Ministry of Angells is too much Idolized by some which fall to the worshiping of them This is flat Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is abhominable And this Doctrine is too much slighted by others who are not thankfull to God for the Protection of Angells Both these extreames are to be avoided and our duty is to look upon Angells as fellow servants and begge of God their Ministry And for all deliverances we should returne unto God the praise and glory of all in the language of the Psalmist Psal 115. vers 1. which shall be my conclusion Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Psal 115. 1. for thy mercy and truths sake
begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And this is the great mystery of Godlinesse mentioned 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversy great is the mistery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory Christ was God from all Eternity Joh. 8. 58. Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am There he speaks of his Godhead A further proofe we have Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the forme of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God Compare this with Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shepheard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones This is love unparrelleld unexpressible 4. Christ himselfe voluntarily undertook this great work of Proposit 4. Christ voluntarily undertook the worke of our Redemption our redemption he laid down his own life freely And because the Godhead could not suffer death he united our nature unto himselfe and took flesh upon him There are two words setting forth his humiliation Phil. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made himselfe of no reputation c. Joh. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he dwelt among us c. He took the man hood as if he should unite a clodde of dust unto himselfe who was God from all Eternity As if the Antient of daies should become the infant of daies the Eternall God become a Child As if he that the heaven of heavens could not containe should be inclosed nine months in the wombe of a Virgin Thus it was in respect of his humane nature he was born of Virgin wrapt in swadling cloathes laid in a manger He who had heaven and earth at his command was laid in a manger Herein appeares the singular love of Christ in condescending to take mans nature to take a body that he might accomplish the great work of our redemption by suffering upon the crosse Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Then said I loe I come in the volumne of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God 5. Christ by his active and passive obedience made full compleate Proposit 5. Christ by his obedience hath made full satisfaction and absolute satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for all those that were given him by the Father Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God To the same effect the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven Christ gave himselfe a sacrifice to expiate for sinne He trod the winepresse of his Fathers sury By his stripes we are healed who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we 1 Pet. 2. 24. being dead to sinne should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed He is the reconciler Col. 1. 20. The price of our redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6. 20. For yee are bought with a price Matth. 20. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many See Christ's great end of coming into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give his life a ransome for many Christ is the high Priest that entred into the holy of holiest and offered up himselfe a sacrifice Thereby as a surety he paid our debt satisfied his Fathers justice to the utmost Isai 53. 5 11. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall beare their iniquities And this is a thorough satisfaction 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Hereby we are justified Rom. 5. 9. Much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Hereby we are sanctified Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Feare not we are now made nigh Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who were farre of are made nigh by the blood of Christ By him we are reconciled Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven By Christ we are blessed Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us And that Christ doth fully satisfy is evident because he continually interceds for his people and pleads the vertue and benefit of his perfit satisfactionion Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God through him seeing he ever liveth make intercession for them And what was the motive that moved him to do all this for his people to be incarnate to live on earth amongst sinners to suffer reproaches contempts and infamies what moved him to drinke that bitter Cup to poure his blood out of his side and become obedient unto the death of the Crosse Nothing moved him but his love his good will his compassion moved him to heale bodily diseases and his compassion love and mercy moved him to heale soule diseases 6. This love of Christ is a distinguishing speciall love for a peculiar Proposit 6. The Love of Christ is a distinguishing Love sort of people He sweat drops of blood in the garden he was afflicted smitten wounded but all this he endured for the transgression of his own people Isai 53. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who
to justify fulnesse of holinesse to sanctify fulnesse of mercy to pardon Hee 's stil'd in Scripture a Rock for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisdome to guide us a fountaine opened Isa 9. 6. Zech. 13. 1. Rom. 27. 2. for his readinesse and preparednesse to wash away our uncleannesse a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruits every month for the plenty and perpetuity of joy and gladnesse and other fruits of the spirit which he ministers unto true believers Hence is he compared in the Revelations to a pure River of living water Rev. 22. 1. as cleare as Christall for that inestimable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ minister unto the soules of his children Likewise to a pretious pearle for his superlative worth Matth. 13. 45 46. and value and to a storehouse for his fulnesse of all spirituall treasures Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus saith Jerome Jerome and the same Father proposeth particular Instances Si à vulnere curari desideras medicus est c. If thou desirest to be cured of thy wounds Chist is thy Physitian if thou burne with feavers he is a fountaine if thou art burtheâ—ed with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wantest help he is strength if thou fearest death he is life if thou flyest from darknesse he is light if thou desirest heaven he is the way Therefore make thy wants knowne to God though he knowes them all already yet he will have them knowne unto thy selfe better and God loves to heare from his children the expressions of his own spirit When out of a sense and apprehension of thy owne vilenesse thou unbarest thy sores and confessest thy sinnes then God in mercy may remit them A poore soule complaines of its ignorance and folly so foolish was I and ignorant saith David even as a beast before thee O make hast unto Christ In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge When the depth saith it is not in me and the sea it is not in me when all the lamps of Philosophers can give no light when all their penetrating braines cannot sound these misteries Job instructs thee where thou must go to schoole Job 28. 23. God understands the way thereof and he knowes the place thereof from God cometh wisdome and from the Lord cometh understanding Another is of a sorrowfull spirit and goes mourning all the day long The remembrance of their sinnes is exceedingly afflictive unto their soules still it presents unto them gall and wormewood terrors and feares which almost drives them unto desperation these would prize one glimpse of Gods reconciled countenance beyond the Empire of the world but alas they can apprehend no comfort as appertaining unto them mark then what seasonable counsell the Prophet gives in this kind Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God A child of light for a time may walke in darknesse he may possesse his soule in bitternesse he may be wonderfully tost and troubled in a tempestuous sea of sorrow ever and anon ready to perish yet when Christ comes and rebukes the winds and the seas there will be a great calme One of his love tokens and spirituall illapses will wipe away their teares and make them go away full of comfort with Hannah and be no more sad A poore doubting Christian must not be his owne Judge he can easilier discerne what makes against him then what makes for him O then hearken what God saith unto thee what comfort his messengers proclaime unto thee wait upon God in his Ordinances stand upon thy watch act faith upon Promises and in Gods due time comfort may come like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch in her mouth in token that the waters of Marah are abated When God hath fitted thee for a mercy then he will give unto it a quick dispatch and send unto thy soule tidings of peace thus I have made it good unto you that all comforts are to be found in God 2. There 's no reall comfort to be found else-where If you will 2. Demonst there 's no reall comfort to be found else-where not believe this truth but hunt after the creature as if that can comfort you to your perill be it you may goe further and speed worse what said Saul to the Benjamites will the son of Jesse give you fields and vine-yards and make you all Captaines of Thousands and Captaines of Hundreds So let me expostulate can the Creature give you any reall satisfaction and contentment in that you so hugge your selves in the fruition of it If these be your humors I know not better how to resemble you then to the men of Shechem in Jothams parable Judg. 9. vers 9. Who leaving the Vine Olive and Figg-tree addrest themselves unto the bramble for shelter and security and since they put their trust in it's shadow which can Minister no safety nor defence what can be expected but that fire should come out of the bramble and devoure the Cedars of Lebanon I meane since they expect so much from the Creature by woefull experience they will find it to be the greatest scourge and plague unto them Creature comforts carry a brave port and come with Agag delicately but they are not aware of their approaching ruines Pleasures of the world make faire promises presenting unto us as Jaell did Sisera butter and milke in a lordly dish but there 's a hammer and a nayle instruments of death are prepared against us i. e. sowre sauce for sweet meate What 's all the mirth of the wicked but madnesse For their hearts are full of gravell and the terrors of God affright them amidst their Carrowsing and jollity Saul could not be merry without a Musitian Whereas Plato told the musitians that Philosophers knew how to dine and sup without them Dost thou think to recreate thy selfe by learning a lascivious scurrilous Ballads by healthing it in Ale-Houses and Tavernes and revelling it â—in Balls and such like Idolized vanities will the remembrance of these sinfull jollities make thee hold up thy head with comfort when God le ts loose the â—ord of thy conscience against thee Then thou wilt curse the day that ever thou cast in thy lot amongst them to be a companion of fooles and by woefull experience thou wilt find that thou hast all this while sought the living amongst the dead Ahab could not be merry without Naboths Vineyard and when he had unrighteously took possession of it his sorrowes were renewed abundantly Haman could not comfortably enjoy himselfe because he wanted Mordecais bended knee suppose he had obtain'd it yet his restlesse ambitious humour could not be satisfied For it is not within the sphaere of any sublunary thing any created power to afford comfort and satisfaction
unto the soule of man As the King of Israel said to the woman that cry'd out in an extreame famine help my Lord ô King if the Lord saith he do not help thee whence shall I help thee out of the barne flore or out of the wine presse So say I if the Lord be not thy comforter in vaine mayest thou expect any comfort from the Creatures What is the vintage of Abiezer to the gleanings of Ephraim What are the onions and garlick of Egypt to the grapes of Canaan Abana and Pharphar rivers of Damascus to Jordan and the rest of the waters of Israel The waters that flow from the Cisternes of the Creatures are like the waters of Tema which soon vanish away hence is it that the Lord complaines of the peoples grand folly and backsliding Jer. 2. 13. For my people have committed two evills they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that can hold no water A miserable choyce worse then that of Glaucus Diogenes taxed the folly of men of his time quod res pretiosas minimo emerent venderentque vilissimas plurimo because they Diogenes would buy pretious things at an under rate and overvalue base things so may I condemne the folly of those who overvalue worldly comforts and in the meane time have a cheape esteem of those things which are above Perhaps God hath given thee a beautifull Child and thou mak'st an Idoll of it he straight way takes it from thee God hath given thee riches thou makest the wedge of Gold thy confidence God therefore blowes upon them Fire or water or perfidious servants are made scourges unto thee Thou art in prosperity and thou hast the world at will and gloriest in thy condition God sends an affliction to make thee know thy selfe and rowse thee from thy security carry it then home with thee for a truth write it with the poynt of a Diamond that however thou may'st flatter thy selfe yet casting the best with the worse thou wilt find all things here below to be but vanity and vexatiof spirit and that there is no sollid joy and contentment under the sun For that 's joy as the Philosopher define it in quo quiescit animus wherein the heart takes up it's rest and this cannot be found but in God alone 3. Amidst greatest crossesse straights and extremities then is 3. Demonst God helps amidst greatest Crossâ—ss Gods opportunity to open his store-house and let downe comforts in abundance In the midst of streights and difficulties when humane policy gives up the bucklers then it 's Gods accustomed manner to manifest himselfe to his servants comfort When Abraham was injoyn'd the hardest service to be his owne sons executioner he went in obedience to Gods command he came to the place made the Altar ready lifted up his hand to give the deaths blow then an unexpected second message comes of deliverance Gen. 22. 12. Abraham Abraham hold thy hand The execution is hindred and the intention of his obedience received a gratious entertainment Now Abraham for this unexpected providence would willingly offer some sacrifice of thanksgiving and speedy provision might be as improbable as was his sons preservation yet then in such a great necessity behold behind him a Ramme caught in a thicket by the hornes a burnt offering of Gods own providing So that the saying is no more common then true Mans extremity is Gods opportunity The example of St Paul is instar omnium very fit for my present purpose the whole story is worthy of perusall that which I shall make use of is described Act. 21. 30 31 32. And all the Citty was moved and the people ran togeather and they took Paul and drew him out of the temple and forth-with the dores were shut and as they went about to kill him tydings came to the chiefe Captaine of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uprore who immediatly took Souldiers and Centurions and ran down unto them and when they saw the chiefe Captaine and Souldiers they left beating of Paul Each passage is of speciall observation 1. A generall insurrection all the Citty 2. Their violent opposition they drew him out 3. Their bloody intention it was to kill Paul 4. The entrance upon execution they were beating him to beat out his life Now in this streight here 's matter for God and none else to shew himselfe Now the divine hand so disposeth that tydings of deliverance come let him alone he hath more work to do Satan and his instruments are chained by God and can go no further then hee 'l permit them In this extremity the divine power was clearely manifested Out of the deep David made his supplication Abyssus ahyssum vocat a depth of misery calls for a depth of mercy Daniel prayed in the Lions Den Jeremiah in the Dungeon Jonah in the Whales belly the Apostles in prison These are Gods times of audience When we are involv'd in miseries and know not how to wind our selves out then God leads us by the hand God hath severall waies to refresh his people as he did Peter when he was a sinking then Christ takes him by the hand God carries his people through thick and thinne amidst their greatest sufferings God hath waies to deliver them God hath a way in the sea to preserve thee in a Shipwrack God hath a way in persecution to stablish his people in the faith and make them of an undaunted courage God hath away in any difference to compose it and cause men to live at peace in one family in one corporation in one Church in one Common-wealth The reason many times why we see not quickly the appearance of a mercy is because matters are not yet brought to such a straight and exigency as all plea of glorying may be took from man and the more praise and glory may redound unto the God of our salvation God saved the Israelites by a few and by improbable meanes as by rammes-hornes empty pitchers c that so they might not vaunt but attribute the victory unto the Lord. Now then in a pinch of need when thou art driven upon pressing exigencies look beyond Hills and Mountaines unto the Lord only whence cometh thy help Cast thy care upon the Lord and he will sustaine thee God made the Ravens to be Eliahs purveyors in a great famine there 's still the same God as good as able as ever although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint renders it the labour of the Olive shall lye yet consider God is a God of truth he hath said it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. When all creature comforts faile thee yet thou hast abundant matter in God to comfort thee who will never faile them that seek him In the mount in thy greatest straights God will be seen to make a provision of comforts for thee and therefore let the Lord be the joy of thy