hee seriously meant what hee had promised 2. They were as monitors to stirre up Adam to watchfulnesse over his courses and therefore these trees were in the midst of the garden Gen. 3.9 and any thing that is in the midst wee easiliest discerne A man that lookes upon the seale is thereby put in mind of the covenant so did these daily put Adam in minde of the covenant 2. Qu. What was the nature of this seale Ans The tree of life implyed two things Tree of life why 1. It put him in mind of the covenant of life and this is done by way of signification 2. The eating of this Adam having first obeyed would have been a mean◠to conveigh to him immutable assistance to eternall life There bee divers opinions of Divines touching this but surely it did mainely seale the covenant and the reason is because life which was in the covenant was communicated by this tree but life spirituall only was intended in the covenant therefore the seales seale life spirituall onely It is a weake opinion of some that thinke the tree would make Adam immortall though it were after his fall They prove it out of Gen. 3.22 else why should God thrust him out of Paradise lest he should eate of the tree of life I answer This word lest implyes not what followed but what they conceived would follow Tree of knowledge of good and evill Touching the tree of knowledge of good and evill wee are to know three things 1. What is meant by knowledge 2. What by good and evill 3. Why it is called so For the first Knowledge in Scripture hath a double sense Sometimes it signifies to bee able to pierce into the nature of things as it is Ephes 1.17 This spirituall knowledge was not here meant for it was not here ratified but taken away 2. It signifieth sense and experience We use to say I never knew what poverty meant Such a man may talk of it but never had experience of the pinching of it so wee say also I now know what a prison meanes Perhaps hee knew what it was before but that was but a bare notion now he hath tasted of it by experience and can read the nature of it by proofe So 2 Cor. 6. ult it is said Our Saviour knew no sinne hee had knowledge humane and spirituall and therefore knew the loathsomnesse of it the meaning of it is he knew not what it was by his own experience Exod. 4.4 The Lord saith Pharaoh shall know that I am God that is hee shall know by experience that I am a just God and feele it to his cost So Isa 26.10 The wicked will not learne righteousnesse and in this sense it is here taken to wit for experimentall knowledge 2. Qu. What is meant by good and evill Answ Good implies two things 1. A performance of duty to God and pleasing him Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee what is good So David saith I love the thing that is good in thine eyes 2. It implies the happinesse and blessing that flowes from closing with God As a man by chewing meate receives nourishment so doth a man by doing good Psalm 125.4 Doe good to those that are good Evill is a disobedience and vengeance commeth therefrom by a just recompence of reward 3. Qu. Why is it called the tree of knowledge of good and evill Ans Not because in it selfe it had any vertue to cause the knowledge of good and evill for in its owne nature it was as other trees Gen. 1. ult God saw that all things were good and this among the rest But because God did hedge in this tree and forbid Adam to eate of it it was therefore unlawfull because God forbad it It was called thus in two regards 1. It did signifie to Adam that if hee did eat hee should die and so have experience of good and evill 2. If Adam did eat then through his owne sinne it was made a means to make Adam know by experimental proof what it was to please God and what to displease him as you may see Gen. 3.7 They saw by the eye of their conscience their lusts ovespreading them and shame following them and that they were deprived of happinesse Q. But why did God give these two contrary seales Ans 1. That Adam might see and know his changeable estate that hee might goe in the right way and be blessed that hee might not goe in the wrong way and bee cursed Our Sacraments are to one thing by Baptisme God entertaines us into his family by the Lords Supper hee nourisheth us in his family 2. That hee might make ful provision for Adam that so hee should not say If I had had this I might have stood For like as it is said Exod. 33. I have set life and death before you God set the tree of life to encourage Adam and the tree of knowledge to affright him Thus the Lord would bee wanting to him in nothing Use Hear curses to affright frō sin aswell as mercies The Use that will follow from the diversity of the seales is this Hence we learn as well to heare curses to terrifie us from sinnes as mercies to encourage us If Adam had need of this in his innocencie that had no sinne how much more need have wee when the flood gates of sinne are within abundance of bad examples without If a man in a good and healthfull constitution need opening diet then much more a body that is corrupt hath need of strong physick If Adam that was in an wholesome condition had need of a threatning how much more need have wee that have hearts overcharged with strong distempers and clogged with venome and malice This cheks the conceit of carnall persons that think Ministers ought not to speak such terrible things either they must bee wiser then God or wee must bee better then Adam Therefore wee should deale with our hearts as men do with the creature though it be somewhat tame it must have an ordinary fence and if it be unruly wee shackle it So Adam had a well tempered disposition yet he had a prohibition but alas our natures are like an untamed heifer as they Jer. 2. that snuffe up the wind like the wild asse are carried on violently into corruptions What shall we say of these wild asse colts as Job speaks Ch. 11.15 for if Adam had need of a chek a thousand threatnings are too little for such wretches as we are §. 13. Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill THis verse shewes unto us the proof of a wise man and one that doth truly take notice of all the occasions of time whereby he will redeem the time Wise men will doe so In the verse are two things to be considered 1. A Dutie and 2. the Reason of it 1. The Dutie Redeeme the time 2. The Reason Because the dayes are evill full of misery and all abomination and harder times will come in
that they would resolve hee should bee theirs whatsoever he cost them oh that our hearts were thus set upon the means When the Lord hath shewed thee the necessity of them and God hath revealed himselfe oh I say hold fast there let not that opportunity goe it will be a marvellous folly if thou dost and it will deprive thine heart of much benefit nay thou maist lose thy soule by such dallying when you have time and opportunity and yet lose it sure it is for want of attendance Likewise the children of God must pray privately besides this for they have private sins as well as other sins Attend not looke not after temptations but attend upon the means Many men when they come to market wil fall about their homely occasions that which they should doe at home they doe in the market just so it is here when the Minister is preaching then they are reading or praying or conferring oh this is a sinfull thing you must doe your owne businesse at home and not neglect the opportunity before you 3. Wee must lay aside yea lay by those that are the best commodities and most necessary Wee see Trades-men need many things but those things that are most profitable and necessary they will be sure to have and if their purse will reach and hold out they will buy other things afterward Hee will buy bread now on the one side and cloth on the other side bread hee must have for his family to feed them and cloth hee must have to cloath them and if his money will hold out then haply hee will buy some lace or a rattle for his child So I say you have the choyce of all favours and of all mercies now provide that which is most necessary First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 This is the maine thing it is of necessity that the soule should be saved What is here meant by the Kingdome of God Some say It is the kingdome of glory others the kingdome of grace but how can a man seek the kingdome of glory but first hee must have the kingdome of grace before that of glory And how shall a man attaine to this The Lord hath vouchsafed it to none but to those that do seek it in his ordinances it is to bee had by the preaching of the Gospel of grace Was there ever any man ordinarily converted but by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 for Faith comes by hearing c. This Word is the word of the Kingdome first seeke that by which faith is bred by which Christs righteousnesse is made ours make this sure to thy soule for this is that you cannot be without this is that which David desired Ps 27.4 This is that I will require Lord saith hee that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and see thy face in the beauty of holinesse You make little of the preaching of the Gospel and never regard it but David was glad of it O Lord saith hee One thing I have desired whether I have health or no life or no I care not but one thing Lord I crave that I may see thy face in the beauty c. For this did Christ commend Mary Martha Lu. 10.42 Martha thou art cumbred about many things and much businesse but Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her Whether is the soule better then the body A child of God will say The soule is best Whether is prayer better then profit heaven better then earth if prayer and heaven bee the better then let the earth stay let commodity stay let profit stay let heaven and salvation be served first This dashes the dreames of many men that will not stir out of their shops though they may well bee spared will rather lose the Word of God then lose the profit of six pence Oh see now come and lay these things together and see the difference between them Ob. But some will say they will have them but lay them by yet and afterward they will bargaine Answ But deferre not the time Now what will you give for them Me thinks I heare mens soules say O mercy mercy is worth a thousand worlds Oh what availes it to be rich and miserable honourable and accursed You little ones what say you Do not you wish for mercy O mercy mercy without mercy we are for ever wretched oh it is mercy that wee live and are not sent quick to hell But now will you buy it you shall have it cheape enough What will you give Now wee come to the maine You must give as the market goes and on Gods termes for you must not thinke that God will save you with wishing Oh no no he will not But now Will you buy them Then bid faire you must part with all your sinnes away with the proud heart and away with the world and the pleasures thereof Now see how the world replyes First young ones reply We have no wit nor understanding well you must beleeve else you must perish The old man sayes I am weake and feeble well you must get faith or else you must perish too Now you know the price of it you must provide to pay it Mat. 13.44 There it is said The wise merchant when he found the pearl went and sold all that he had to buy it That was a great price Thou must sell all to buy this if thy lust bee as deare to thee as thine eye thou must part with it if thou hast a proud heart thou must downe with it if a man have a faire estate and so many hundreds and such lands and such and such wares in his shop if God require it hee must part with it all The drunkard must part with his cups and the whoremonger with his queans unlesse yee doe part with these ye cannot have Christ this is the price of it Returne to me an answer whether you will have it or no that I may returne an answer to the Lord that hee may preserve it for you See that of Judas Acts 12.24 He would rather have the 30 pence yea he would betray his Lord for it and he had it but hee came againe with horrour of conscience and threw it away and threw away himselfe too for hee went and hang'd himselfe and now hangs in hell for ever It is an easie matter for a man to tell over his money but not so easie to make the heart willing to part with it but if you will not part with it now there will come a time at the day of death and then the covetous man will say Here take my money that I have got by oppression and the drunkard will say Here take my cups Then I say now part with them be wise merchants part with them now and the match is made Then now resolve Is it mercy saith the soule then it is enough Lord take all though I never see a good day
freed from the guilt of sinne in justification from the slavery of sin in sanctification In Act. 8. when Peter was in the towne streets he perceived hee was not in a dreame but it was a thing reall so it is with thy soule Canst thou finde that God hath knockt off thy fetters then thou mayst know this is a realitie not a dreame of grace If Peter had dreamed he had been out of prison and had been fettered in the morning hee would have knowne hee had been in a dreame so thou hast dreamed that God hath renewed thee Are thy fetters of sin on thee then it was but a dream indeed and when thou awakest by death thou shalt see thy selfe bound up in chaines of darknesse Psalm 45.17 All the sonnes of God are Princes all Gods servants are free-men 1 Cor. 7.22 If thou art Christs thou art a free man to be carried uncontrollably to good though sinne and Sathan conspire against thee they shall never overcome thee but thou shalt still be victorious Qu. But what shall we say of many that seeme holy whose sinnes clogge thim heavily Where was Saint Pauls freedome when hee was led captive as hee speakes of himselfe Of the captivity of sin in the godly An. A man may be led captive and yet be free too This freedome in captivity appeares in three things 1. Though many times by the violence of Occasions the Saints are surprized yet they have hearts to approve of the good they cannot do This is that Saint Iames speaks of Chap. 1. ult If a man saith he hath Religion and sweareth and rayleth against Gods truth hee deceives himselfe but this is pure religion to keep a mans selfe unspotted Looke as it is with a City besieged when it is taken the enemies make those that are in the city sweare to their King if now a man resolves to take his death rather then the oath he keepes himselfe unspotted from treason So Sathan by long siege transports the heart unto the commission of evill yet the soule keepes it selfe untainted when it chuses the good it cannot do Deut. 22.25 if an adulterer offer a rape to a Virgin the sinne is his that forced her it lies not on the party forced so Sathan in a sort forceth the soule to the commission of evill if therefore thine heart beare it as a burthen the fault is Sathans and not thine 2. Yet the soule takes part with the word against both the temptations that would inveigle it the corruptions that would foyle it As it approveth all good so it joynes sides with the word against all evill Rom. 7.15 I doe the thing that I hate The spirit lusteth against the flesh the heart is resolved to die in the quarrell though it cannot prevaile as it would yet it will fight as it can 2 Cor. 13.8 I can doe nothing against the truth 3 The soule gets the upper hand of evill David was never adulterous more Peter never denied his master more the soule not onely reformes infirmities outwardly but subdues the distempers inwardly 1 Ioh. 5 18. Hee keepes himselfe that the evill one touch him not Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit sets a man free from the law of sin and of death Sathan saith Thou mayst be full of malice and spleen the law of meeknesse saith I will not bee full of spleen so also the law of humility takes off the law of pride Pro. 28.13 Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy the same phrase is used Gen. 2. The wife shall forsake father and mother The woman forsakes First the place and company Secondly the authority of father and mother Thirdly shee is not to perform what service they will require but what her husband requires so the soule must forsake the house of sin If thou wert married to Christ thou wouldst loathe the place and abhorre the society of those that goe down into hell themselves and lead others with them I say if a man were married to Christ hee would not bee under the authority of corruption but being delivered from the bondage of sinne will utterly forsake it To get liberty labour for holinesse Use 3. The third Use is of exhortation The former truth should force every soule to imploy the best of his endeavours to gaine this holinesse Will any man be a free man let him be an holy man Bee sure of the one and thou canst not misse of the other and where the one is not the other cannot bee Liberty should bee like a load-stone to draw us to it Nature hateth slavery then if we would bee freed from it let us get holinesse Experience teaches that the poor bird will beat her selfe to death rather then be kept in a Cage What poor shifts men in captivitie take to bee freed from those that are hard taskemasters over them our often Briefes shew Wee are all captives taken by the policy of Satan Let us make a gathering out of the stock of the prayers of Gods servants and let thine owne prayer bee Oh guide and direct mee how to get power against my corruptions How carefull are men to purchase the liberty of a Corporation and how highly doe they account of it when they have it In Acts 22.23 Saint Paul saith he purchased to be a free man of Rome with a great summe What slavish hearts have wee then when we may be incorporated into the body of Christ and will stick for a little Goe and sell that you have what ever it cost you that you may bee free men in Christianitie Christ saith Joh. 8.32 If you continue in my words you shall be free To continue in Gods word is to submit to the authority of the truth for if we doe thus we are free Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a white horse c. The white horse there is the truth It is called a white horse because of the purity of it and it prevailes wheresoever it comes Would you be free then let the Word prevaile in you Is it not every mans desire that when the strength of corruption and the violence of persecution presse in upon him then to be conquerour of all Labour then to get this image of God and you shall be above all things but God and be carried on incontrollably in a good course §. 7. NOw wee proceed to the image of God in the affections of Adam as love joy Of Gods image in the affections delight sorrow feare which are seated in the sensitive soule for all sensitive creatures have them The poore creature feares the whip and the creature againe sports and delights it selfe Now these Adam had and in these was the image of God Qu. What was the image of God in the affections of Adam Ans It appeared in that serviceable subjection What it is sweet agreement and submission which they did yeeld unto holy will and right reason The Understanding directed what should bee done the
more if it be mercy then Lord take all my God I will have my God I must have so that now the decree is set downe what ever it cost I will have it Act. 11.23 and now I see the commodity is faire and the offer is kind As a merchant if he have a great stock some in corne some in houshold-stuffe and land and cattell if he sees a bargaine he will sell all that hee hath yea leave himselfe neither shoppe nor house and all to buy this purchase so I beseech you play the wise men here 's a deale of time spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and recreating and apparrelling and company-keeping and bowling and vaine things Play now the wise men now God must have time prayer must have time and now a stubborne heart will aske a great deale of time to batter down many a sigh and many a tear and many a prayer now no more apparrell then will serve the turne c. What a deale of tricking and trimming there is for the body It might fare well with the soule if it were but served as our sinkes are many times what washing and scouring have they Away with this tricking and trimming if you doe not leave it it will cost the setting on if God require more then this Be wise for your soules if you have not time enough then put off your pleasure nay and put off the world too nay put off friends put off all sell all No marvell indeed though many men say I marvell how such a man lives and runs up and downe so much oh let them know there is a purchase in hand that will well requite both his paines and cost Doe not then stand higling with God and break off for a little odd money For many say I would serve God but my friends will forsake me and I would come to Gods house on the week day but the boyes in the streete would laugh at me I say why will you dodge with God in this manner Wil your friends save you When you lie on your death-beds and your consciences accuse you and you cry out Now friends save mee they cannot for they may perish and you too Oh away with this dallying with God What if your Landlord frowne on you what if your father forsake you Resolve thus What though I have the frowne of men I have the favour of God What though the world be gone yet heaven is my comfort happiness that 's not gone Then say I 'll dodge no longer with God Saint Augustine stuck fast to his corruptions yet To morrow Lord and to morrow hee would leave them and yet he prayed against them and at last hee read the place in the Romans Lay aside chambering and wantonnesse c. and then he said Why not to day Lord and so strooke through the bargaine You see the commodity if you will have it speake if you have it not you may go away and repent you of it as long as you live Now I pray you answer me Will you have grace will you have salvation and will you buy this and give as the market goes tell mee doe not delay while to morrow Why not to day O let your soules answer and say Yea Lord to day Take all onely save my soule Come what will come I 'll have it Then now the businesse is ended the bargain is made go and take the condition it is yours 4. Buy not onely for time present but for future times If thou hearest the Word of God now then store for thy soule Let this day bee a day of reconciliation and then you may say at such a day the Lord afforded you grace and you bargained and that the Lord knowes it Keepe that by you that when Sathan tempteth you and saith unto you Have you any grace you may recall this and say I provided such a day against such a question and I remember the time place and stone I stood on and the Minister that spake and the Lord is my witnesse Oh store up it is the part of a wise man so to doe Isa 42.23 Who attends that hee may heare for afterward Joh. 16.4 These things saith Christ I speake unto you that in the time to come yee may remember them So yee see the opportunities of grace the market day for it then go home cheared and having gotten grace keepe it by you Hee that was content to sell all hee had the pearle This will cheare you to sell all to get Christ and keepe him by you In the last place When the match is made then in all other things you doe you must change the property of them you must now trade for grace use the world as if you used it not and you must not live to your selves but to God you must trade for God and walke with God You see how you must bestow your labour and paines else heaven will not bee had If you aske the maner how you must seek these things it must be in the first place Come to the market betimes and see the choyce and buy the best upon any termes and store up for the time to come and then buy other things You must seeek grace in the first place when you are at the meanes you must bestow your heart on the means and when you have seene the bargaines lay aside those that are more necessary and then part with all to have them and thus store up for the future And Lastly Use all outward means no otherwise then to help you forward to speed To proceed Now wee must retaine in our callings three things 1. Wee must use them so that they must give way to spirituall things I would not have trades-men so set to their callings as that they will give no liberty for prayer and for hearing of the Word of God Let commodity let profit go to the wall rather then to let prayer and the Word to fall and to be neglected First seek the Kingdome of God As any man will doe if there come two men to him if the one be better then the other he will bid the other stand by till his betters be served so it is here God is better then commodity then profit then let God be served first let dutie be performed first 2. We must so use our callings as that we may bee the better fitted to perform more duty to God It is very fit wee should have some tast of God in our daily imployments that we may thereby be the better fitted for his service As a man takes a cup of sack before supper not that he makes a meale of it but to make way for his meale just so we should have our hearts more enlarged by it to performe our duties every way to take notice of Gods favour and kindnesse towards us 3. We must keep heavenly minds in earthly or worldly occasions and that is a marvelous hard thing this is the reason that the Saints of
God being snatcht away by so many worldly occasions and so many businesses that their hearts many times come to be deaded and dulled But a man should use them no further but that his heart may bee enlarged to God Looke what good wee finde in our trade let us bee led by that to see what goodnesse is in God who is the fountaine of all good When we see that great good and the commoditie that comes in to us then let us see the riches of God and seeing this is so good what should wee think of the goodnesse of God Let us see his goodnesse in it for unlesse the Lord smile on us what avails it for us to bee rich what to be rich and to be damned this is very pitifull But what is the reason men are so backward in buying these things how shall wee doe to bring men to bid like chapmen The reason to perswade them may bee taken from two grounds 1. The excellency of the commodity 2. The time wee have to purchase it I. To make the first plaine The excellency of the cōmodity to be bought these three arguments are to be taken from the commoditie 1. Because the meanes of grace and salvation is a thing of as great excellencie and price as can bee therefore in reason wee should lay downe a price for them For the better the commodity is all wise men will lay down answerably The price of salvation is a great price because there is nothing better that is or can be desired Pro. 4.7 Wisdome is a precious thing but above all things get understanding The world honours pleasures may be got but Wisedome is best of all therefore get that first For all the things here below are vaine things because they are lying vanities but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 and that will make us endure for ever too if wee are humbled by it The Word of the Lord will stand by us for it is an immortall Word and it will make us immortall also it will stand so by us as it will make us live for ever and it will cheare our soules when nothing in the world will Phil. 2.13 Wee must work out our salvation with fear and trembling Now the manner how wee shall doe this is not by making our selves rich in this world and getting the things thereof but by getting grace that it may goe well with us this is the maine thing that wee may get the love of God to get our soules to be humbled and cast down Now if this bee the best as it is then in all reason it requires the greatest price Is it so that the Word of God will endure for ever will stand by you and save you then if you give a price for any thing give most for that 2. As the meanes of grace is best and of greatest worth so it is most necessary for us What is the reason that men buy commodities Because they have need of them as if a man should say This I must have and I have need of it Gold is better then silver and pearls then both but bread is best of all for all these must be left for it a poor man will part with silver and gold and all for bread for that he must have Now there is nothing so necessary as for the soule to be saved for if a man want any thing else hee may make a shift if he be poor haply his friends be rich and they will relieve him well but if the soule have sinned and is become miserable by reason of sin oh what hope what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needfull without it the soule is starved famish'd And what though you have mony yet your soul may perish and goe downe to hell What 's that to the soul for a man to bee rich or what is that to the soule to have the person applauded and have abundance of all things and the poore soule is starved and famish'd and wants all things Me thinks I heare your soules cry out The body that 's cloathed the house filled and the shop that 's stored oh sayes the soule I shall bee damned all is provided for only I shall smart for it I shall pay for all I shall goe to hell for it I beseech you think of it The time will come when you will prize mercy and cry out for it When thou liest on thy death bed when thou art breathing out thy last breath then one dram of mercy Lord and then one dram of faith Lord then it wil be worth a world to thee Mat. 23. It is said there the foolish Virgins cry out Wee have no oyl oh lend us some oh then Lord open unto us One day the poor soule will have need of mercy You see that it is most necessary then buy it lest you bee forced to borrow and cannot have it So then there is but one needfull thing Luk. 11. ult It is not of necessity to be rich it is not of necessity to be honourable but oh this is of necessity that thy sins should bee pardoned thy person accepted and thy soule saved 3. Here is a point of great christian policy for in getting of grace and salvation you shall get all other commodity with it and all other good things It is the best husbandry to buy that which will bring in most good For all outward comforts and contentments that this life can afford they come all in this As a man that sees such a tree and such an acre of ground if it likes him he will not go to buy that but he will buy the Lordship and then all the trees are his and all the ground is his So this is our misery we stand puddling our selves here for a little honour and for a little riches go I say and buy the Lordship and then all will be made sure unto thee Pro 3.14 15 16. Get wisdome for life and honour are on her right hand and riches and pleasure are on her left hand c. First seek the kingdome of heaven and all other things shall bee cast in upon you So that a good man compares all this outward commoditie to pack thred paper which if a man goes into a shop and buyes wares he shall have into the bargaine for nothing So here get once grace and then all things else you shall have into the bargaine for Godlinesse is great gain it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. You may sit and sing Care away for all is yours heaven is yours the earth is yours It is a marvellous folly in men who take a wrong course to thrive If you would bee rich then Consider your owne wayes and your hearts and turne unto the Lord Hag. 1.16 for that is the way It is not all the policie and the carping and caring in the world that will make a man rich for
alone when they were assaulted by troubles but when they were oppressed with them too not when they met with miseries but when they fell into them now when hee falls into a pit that he is over head and eares in it he falls into the snare so that hee is intangled in it and yet then he must count it joy and further not when they fall into some temptations out of which there were some hope to get out with some speed but when they fall into many and yet more to make the matter wonderfull he wils them not alone to count it some joy but all joy When their miseries were so great that more could not be endured yet there their joy must bee so great that more could not be expressed A duty wonderfull hard and wonderfull heavenly and therefore in verse 4. he adds marvellous sweet and pithie reasons to perswade to so heavenly a taske and they be taken from the incomparable profit that would come thereby a man should be a gainer by all his losses and a getter by all his extremities The triall of their faith would bring forth patience and let patience have her perfect worke and then they shall be perfect and intire and want nothing For they that have no want may have all joy if any in the world may But because the feeble heart might here haply reply How shall a poor sinner who wants both wisedome and strength bee skilfull to know how to carry himselfe in such extremities or yet bee able to undergoe such pressures passing strength To this the Apostle answers in the 5. verse If any man want wisdome let him aske it of God who gives abundantly and upbraids no man and it shall be given him By wisedome is meant not the grace of spirituall understanding in the generall but that speciall point of wisedome which might sute with the present occasion and make a man cunning to carry the crosse And the Apostle so propounds the direction that it might answer and point to all the carnall pleas that a corrupt and distressed heart might cast in the way and therefore you shall observe each circumstance is worth observancie If any of you bee banished and persecuted not only such as are able Christians of great graces and large abilities of glorious parts and performances and therefore might hope to speed best no if any the weakest the feeblest and the meanest Oh but I want a world of wisedome so much that it 's not like to finde a sufficient supply a little will not serve the turn Why behold the Lord gives abundantly richly if thou beest a beggar in knowledge he hath riches of knowledge and he can supply thee Oh but I have abused his mercy and help in this kinde which he hath given mee and therefore I feare hee will give mee no more He will not upbraid the sinner for what hee did abuse the text adds hee upbraids no man but will give him what he needs and askes Oh but what 's that to mee that God hath enough to bestow on whom he will if hee will give none to mee Behold this also is answered for the words say If any man aske it shall bee given him Now this may seem strange and to be too good to be true to a distressed spirit and a distrustfull soule Why is it possible that God should give wisedome to mee who am so ignorant succour and supply to mee who am so weake and unbeleeving I cannot imagine it I cannot think it much lesse can I expect it at the hands of God therfore the Apostle in the words rehearsed gives us a caution to his former direction Let him aske in faith What a man askes it shall be given him but take this with you alwaies provided hee aske in faith otherwise if a man doubt he shall be disappointed of his hopes So that the scope of the words are to teach us how to pray that wee may bee sure to obtaine what wee pray for In the words two things are to be considered 1. The duty required Pray in faith 2. The hinderance to be avoyded which may let the duty Nothing wavering and this wavering is further amplified by a double argument against it 1. A distressed distrustfull staggering heart needs nothing to vexe trouble it because it wil be racked and tormented in it selfe in restlesse disquiet for such a man is like unto the sea waves whirling now this way tossing againe that way Feares and hopes are the hangmen of the heart Hope sayes It may bee and Feare sayes I suspect it will not be thus a man becomes like a wave 2. This doubting doth debarre a man of that he should have Let not that man think to have any thing at the hands of God Thus the Apostle cuts off the soule from any expectation of good Let not that man as though hee had said Let none such plead any priviledge for neither shall be accepted that unbeleever nor that party nor any that staggers and wavers doubting of the performance of Gods promise Againe hee saith not thus He shall not receive any great favour but he shall receive nothing from the Lord. To put it past peradventure hee adds peremptorily Let not such a man cozen himselfe with vaine hopes and groundlesse expectations that yet the Lord will pity and supply him Hee affirmes expressely Let him not think it I would not have him so much as imagine such a matter for it will never be We purpose only to trade in the maine dutie which will be our taske at this present so that the Doctrine will be Doct. Hee that purposes to prevaile in prayer must bee sure to aske in faith For the sense of the Doctrine it is here to be conceived that it is presumed in the text that a man hath faith and hee that is to pray is supposed to bee a beleever for how can he pray in faith that hath no faith But that is not all nor sufficient to expresse the sense of the point That he that prayes should bee a beleever but that hee should put forth the power and vertue of his faith in prayer Nay further it is not alone here required that hee should put forth the work of faith in generall touching the Covenant as that God is reconciled to him but that hee should exercise the work of his faith touching that particular which he is to begge and which hee now begs at the hands of God and this especially is to bee attended For these two works are farre differing one from another and may be one without another Each faithfull man doth beleeve the covenant of grace touching the pardon of his sinne and the attainment of eternall life through Christ and yet may stagger on the promise touching some particular which God hath promised and hee stands in need of Thus Abraham was ruled by God Gen. 12. and cast himselfe upon the call command and promise of the Lord departing from his kindred and fathers