like Moses three strokes fetch water out of a rock Ah couldest thou that hast heard of this God by the hearing of the ear but see him with the seeing of the eye thou wouldest quickly abhor thy self in dust and ashes How ugly how loathsom would sin be couldst thou behold the Glory Holiness and Grace of that God whom thereby thou hast offended Ah how great an evil must that be which is so opposite and offensive to the greatest good Think also on the blood of the dearest Jesus which was let out by thy lusts and surely when thou beholdest those knives before thee which made those bloody mortal wounds in his blessed body Anger and Grief will both strive within thee for the mastery Meditate on thy wants He that is ignorant what he ailes cannot complain at least so as to be relieved The messenger who knoweth not the errand upon which he comes must expect to be sent back as wise as he came Do as the good Huswife when she is going to market where provision is to be had doth First she considereth with her self what her family needs what food what cloaths what her Husband what her Children what her self and accordingly disposeth her monâ—y at Market so when thou art going to God by prâ—yer who is able to supply all thy necessities consider what thou wantest what pardoning mercy what purifying mercy what sin thou didst lately foil and art afraid it will recover again that thou mayst beg strength to pursue the victory what lâ—st lately got the better of thee that thou maist intreat pardon of it and power against it what grace thou art defective in either in reference to thy calling or relations or any condition that thou mayst request God to bestow it on thee what new providence hath befallen thee or new work is laid upon thee that thou mayst beseech God to give the sutable grace and power This consideration of thy wants with the weight of them will make thee more urgent and instant with God for supply they that feel hunger how hard will they beg for bread poor prisoners that are ready to famish for want of food how earnest are they for relief Bread bread for the Lords sake Remember the poor prisoners for the Lords sake Confideration of thy soul-necessities and of what infinite concernment the releif of them is to thee will make thee feel thy wants and then thou wilt be importunate with God for mercy A man that considereth not his indigencies is like a full stomack that loaths the honey comb Consider thy Meâ—cies meditate on the several particular passages of Gods providence towards thee from thy birth to this moment how many devils thou hast been delivered from how many journeys thou hast been preserved in that seasonable succour God hath sometimes sent thee in dangers what sutable support he hath afforded thee in distress what counsel he hath given thee in doubts what comforts he hath vouchsafed thee in sorrows and darkness Make past mercies by meditation present with thee How many years hast thou lived and every moment of thy life hast breathed in mercy Do not forget former favours bestowed on thee or thine The Civet box when the Civet is gone still retains it scent the vessel when the liquor is gone hath still a savour of it So when thy mercies are past and spent thou shouldest still have the scent and savour of them in thy spirit Meditate upon the number of thy present mercies personal domestical national temporal spiritual How many are the mercies which thou enjoyest in bed at board at home abroad Thy house thy barns thy children thy body thy soul are all full of blessings thou hast many positive many privative mercies Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts to us ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speak them they are more then can be numbered Psal 40.4 Think of them particularly meat swallowed down whole doth not yield such nourishment as when it is cut into small pieces If jewels are bundled up together their riches and worth are hid they must be viewed and considered one by one then their value will appear Meditate on the nature of them how freely they are bestowed When thou wast Gods enemy he fed thee and cloathed thee and maintained thee as when a man turneth his back upon the Sun the Sun even then refresheth him with his beams so when thou didst depart away from God he even then followed thee with goodness like the fountain he giveth his pleasant streams to thee gratis For alas thou art less then the least of all Gods mercies worse then any loathsome Toad or poisonous Serpent This will be an excellent file to set off the mercies of God in their lively lovely colours that David so great a King should do so much for such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth did exceedingly affect his heart 2 Sam. 7. So do thou think with thy self What am I and what is my Fathers house that the Lord should do so much for me Meditate upon the fulness and greatness of thy mercies What distinguishing mercies are thy Body-mercies they are more then God oweth thee and more then he bestoweth upon others Alas many want health liberty food rayment sleep limbs senses reason and possibly thou enjoyest them all But Oh! of what concernment are thy Soul-mercies the image of God the blood of Christ eternal Life the Gospel of thy Salvation Sabbaths Sacraments and seasons of grace God hath not dealt so with every people as with this Nation nor with every person as with thee Thou art as the Psalmist phraseth it laden with benefits hast such a weight such a burthen of benefits upon thy back that thou canst hardly stir or stand under them Hast thou not blessings of the womb blessings of the field blessings of the Throne blessings of the foot-stool blessings in thy going out blessings in thy coming in which way canst thou look and not see blessings where canst thou tread and not stand on blessings thy whole life is in this respect a bundle of blessings these thoughts before prayer may stir thee up to bless the giver If thou shouldst bless men when they curse thee much more shouldst thou bless God when he blesseth thee Meditate on the God to whom thou art to pray Consider his Majesty and greatness Nehemiah calls him The great and terrible God Nehem. 1.5 He is so great the Heavens and heavens of heavens cannot contain him that the Earth Heavens and Ocean are in comparison of him as nothing yea less then nothing and vanity Think of his attributes and infinite excellencies God is in Heaven and thou art on Earth therefore let thy words be few Eccles 5.2 As God riseth in our thoughts self falleth That Sun discovereth all our dust O how are we ashamed of our drops when we stand by this Ocean This serious apprehension of thy
Hearing or Reading and I must tell thee that it concerneth thee now to be very watchful for many Birds wait to peck up the corn as soon as the Husbandman hath sowed it Our Saviour telleth us He that received seed among thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this World and the deceitfulness of riches choak the Word and he becometh unfruitful Mat. 13.32 As High-way men watch the honest Countreyman as he cometh from the Fair where he hath sold his Cattel and filled his purse and then set upon him and rob him So do the cares of the world dog the honest Christian as he cometh from the Word where he got some Spiritual treasure and then fall upon him to plunder him Besides Satan is so subtle that he will be sure to haunt the soul after reading or Hearing the Word When any one heareth the Word then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Mat. 13.19 The season then is worthy our observation When the Christian hath made a good meal then the Devil tryeth all his wiles and tricks to make him vomit it up again Servants when they carry full cups of wine in the midst of unlucky boys must be wary and watchful or they will spill it Some people take physick and though it doth them some good at present yet all is quickly marr'd by their neglect of those rules which should be observed afterwards The Word possibly when thou heardst it made some work among thy affections the beauty of Christs person was displayed before thine eyes and thy heart began to fall in love with thy Saviour the extremity of his passion was described to thee and thine heart began to loath the cause thereof thy sins Well now then thy conscience is a little warmed and awakened and the pores of thy soul opened shouldst thou go into the cold presently all would come to nothing If water be taken from the fire when it is a little warm it cooleth quickly he that would have it boil must rather encrease the fire There are two things which God requireth of thee after hearing and reading the Word namely Prayer and Practice 1. Prayer Petition for a blessing upon the Word and Thanksgiving for the blessing of the Word Petition for a blessing upon the Word After the seed is sown the influence of Heaven must cause it to spring up and ripen or otherwise there will be no harvest Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must give the encrease 1 Cor. 3.6 The Minister preacheth thou hearest but it is the Lord who teacheth to profit Thou mayest like Mary have Christ before thee in a Sermon and yet not know him till he discover himself to thee The Eunuch could read of Christ in the Prophet but could not reach Christ till God came to his Chariot There is a twofold light requisite to a bodily vision light in the eye and light in the air the former cannot as we experience in the night do it without the latter There is also a twofold light necessary to Spiritual sight beside the light of understanding which is in a man there must be Illumination from the Spirit of God or there will be no beholding the Lord in the glass of the Word When the Disciples had heard Christs Doctrine they were not able to understand or profit by his preaching and therefore they cry to him Lord open to us this parable When thou hast read or heard the Word go to God and say Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Encline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto covetousness Psal 119.33 to 37. Intreat God to write his Law on the fleshly tables of thine heart Bernard observes bodily bread in the Cupboard may be eaten of Mice or moulder and waste but when it is taken down into the body it is free from such danger If God enable thee to take thy soul-food down into thine heart it is safe from all hazards Thanksgiving Consider what a distinguishing mercy what a precious treasure the Word of God is how without it thou hadst for ever been both unholy and unhappy how by it thou mayst eternally be both gracious and glorious and without question thou wilt finde cause to bless the giver for such a rare and profitable gift The Apostle ranketh this favour amongst the blessings of the highest form What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision Much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the Oracles of God And the Psalmist mentioning this differencing-differencing-Mercy concludeth it with Praise ye the Lord Psal 147.2 ult The light of the Sun Moon and Stars is of such concernment to men that without them the beauty of the old Creation would be buried in darkness and therefore the children of God have given the Most High the credit of those greater and lesser Candles Psal 136.7 8 9. nay they have seen eternal love by those luminaries The light of Gods Law and Word is of infinitely more worth for by it the glory and beauty of the new Creation and that curious piece of mans Redemtion is seen and known What honor then doth God deserve for this favour Ptolomy King of Egypt was at great cost and charge to have the Law of the Jews translated by the Septuagint into Greek Euseb Hist. lib 5. cap. 8. Thou hast the Old and New Testament both at a cheap and easie raâ—e Thou mayest read thy Fathers Will in thy Mother Tongue thou hast in it a suitable Medicine for every Malady seasonable succour in all thy Miseries the costliest Cordials and choicest comforts without Money and without Price and surely all this deserveth thanks and praise Didst thou but know the misery of those places and persons who want the Word surely thy heart could not but be affected with thy mercy in the enjoyment of the word It is sometimes described by Famine I will send a famine not of bread and water but of hearing the Word of the Lord Amos 4. How dreadful are the concomitants and consequents of Famine what shrivel'd cheeks hollow eyes pale visages fainting hearts and trembling limbs have men in a famine they seem rather like walking Ghosts and moving carcasses then living creartures The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst the young child asketh bread and no man breaketh it unto them Their visage is blacker then a coal they are not known in the streets their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a stick The hands of the pitiful Women have sodden their own children they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people Lam. 4.4 8 10. These friend are the woful fruits of a bodily famine but a soul famine is the sorer
is one that eats the word now as meat eaten becomes one with the body and takes the same form with it the body and meat are so much the same that they are one and you cannot know them asunder So the Word is well heard when it becomes one with the Christian when they are both of the same form the hearer is delivered up into the likeness and form of the Scripture the Word of God may be read in every leaf in every line of the volume of his life Our blessed Saviour describing good hearers tells us they are such as bring forth fruit some thirty some sixty some an hundred fold Mat. 13.23 And elsewhere he compares the obedient hearer to the man who built his house upon a Rock which stood firm and immoveable in the midst of all winds waves and weather and the man that heareth and doth not practice to him who built upon the sands which house quickly fell when the winds blew and the waves beat Mat. 7. latter end His meaning and intention Reader was to quicken thee and me to minde subjection to the Word without which we must perish Suppose thou art never so great an hearer yet if not a doer thou deceivest thine own soul Alas what will become of the frequent hearer when the non or negligent doer shall be thrown to hell I have read a story of two men who walking together found a young Tree laden with fruit they both gathered and satisfied themselves at present One of them took all the remaining fruit and carried it away with him the other took the tree and planted it in his own ground where it prospered and brought forth fruit every year so that though the former had more at present yet this had some when he had none They who hear the Word and have large memories and nothing else may carry away most of the Word at present yet he that possibly can remember little who carrieth away the tree plants the Word in his heart and obeys it in his life shall have fruit when the other hath none The practical memory is the greatest mercy It is reported of a good man that coming from a Lecture and being demanded Whether all were done he should fetch a deep sigh and say All is said but all is not done Reader when thou hast heard the word consider though the Sermon be at an end yet there must not be an end of the Sermon Practice which is the heart of hearing is still behinde Observe the properties of those persons to whom and their posterity God will be propitious The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting and his righteousness to childrens children To such as keep his Covenants and remember his Commandments to do them Psal 103.17 18. They are described by their act they lay the word up they remember his Commandments and by their end to lay the word out in their lives to do them A good husband having received a bag of money locketh it up safe that none may rob him of it and as occasion is fetcheth it down and layeth it out some for food some for cloathes some for rent some for servants wages some for this some for that as his necessities require So Friend do thou lay up the precious Treasure of the word safe in the Cabinet of thine heart and bring it out as thy occasions call for it in thy life Art thou in adversity fetch out the Promises for thy comfort broach that strong liquor which was purposely tunned up for thee against a groaning hour This is my comfort in mine affliction for thy word hath quickned me Psal 119.15 Art thou in prosperity bring forth the precepts for thy carriage Look to that Card and Compass by which thou mayest sail eavenly and trim notwithstanding those high winds and swelling waters Thy Word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths Psal 119.4 Wouldst thou resist and conquer Satans Temptations The word is a Shield which as they say of Vulcans Armour is full proof against all thrusts and darts By the words of thy mouth I have kept my self from the pathes of the destroyer Psal 17.4 Nay fetch but this Sword of the Spirit out of Gods Armory and the Devil will run like a Coward he is more afraid of it then Leviathan his name-sake is of the Sword-fish which some write he dreadeth more then all the fish in the Ocean Thy Saviour gave Satan such a wound with the Sword of the word that he feeleth it to this day If thou wouldst overcome the worlds insinuations dâ— but feed on the word and thou wilt scorn thâ— scraps of the world As the Greeks in their sailing to fetch the Golden Fleece when the Syrens endeavoured to inchant them with their Songs found help against those assaults by hearkning to Orpheus pipe So when that Harlot the World striveth to bewitch thee with her pleasant voyce and poysonous breath thereby to hinder thy pursuit of the Golden Crown of Righteousness do but hearken to those Spiritual Songs that ravishing Musick those high and noble delights which are in the Gospel and thou wilt finde assured help That thy corruptions within thee may be subdued let still the Word of God be consulted Thou mayest finde in it such a bit and curb as will bridle thy youthful most headstrong lusts By what means may a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119.11 If thine evil humors be never so many and filthy yet the Word like the Catholicon Drug is instead of all purges That thy Relation duties may be performed the holy Scriptures must be fetcht out and minded Whether thou art an Husband or Wife or Parent or Child or Master or Servant to defray the charge of all those duties thou mayest take enough out of the Word of God It is a well drawn Picture that looks on all that look on it and it guides thee by its eye how to order and govern thy feet on what ground soever thou standest whether on the higher ground of a Superior the plain even ground of an equal or the lower ground of an Inferior He that layeth up the word for these purposes and bringeth it out in these practices is the right profitable hearer for he Remembreth the Commandments of God to do them Some hear and jear they go to a Sermon as to a Stage-play to laugh and be merry Others hear and fret and fume as those that live under the Torrid Zone curse the very Sun Others hear and forget what would do them most good their memories are true to the flesh but treacherous to the spirit they are like Vessels made of Ivy which some say if wine and water be poured into them will leak out the wine and keep in the water Others hear and admire but Reader if thou wouldst not have the word to witness against thee when thou shalt be judged by it for thine everlasting life or death
and proficency is your work Heavenly mindedness and Humility which are the greatest glory of our English Gentry are excellent helps to growth in grace Children that feed on ashes cannot thrive Silly Pismires that continually busie themselves about their hoards and heaps of earth never grow bigger Indeed great persons are liable to great temptations Flies will strive to fasten upon the sweetest Conserves The longest robes are aptest to contract most dirt Satan as some write of the Irish to take their enemies digeth trenches in the earth as it were and covereth the surface of it with the green turfs of carnal comforts and contentments which men treading upon and taking to be firm ground fall in to their ruine But your sight of the glory to be revealed by the Prospective glass of faith will help you to wink more on these withering vanities Ah what a muckheap to that is all the wealth of this lower world Naturalists tell us that the Loadstone will noâ— draw in the presence of the Diamond Sure am the world notwithstanding all its pomp and pride glory and gallantry hath but little influence upon Christians when they behold their undefiled inheritance Humility is also helpful to proficiency in holiness The lofty mountains are barren when the low valleys abound in corn As the Spleen swelleth the whole body consumeth as pride groweth the new man decayeth This high wind raiseth strange tempests in the soul He giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.6 God layeth these richest mines in â—ge lowest parts of the earth Trees even in time of drought whose roots are deep in the ground bear fruit when corn and grass wither Christians like the Sun in the Zenith must shew least when at the highest and as branches fully laden bend the more downward Why should the mudâ— wall swell because the Sun shineth on it We may say of every mercy and excellency we enjoy as the Prophet of his hatchet Alas Master for it is borrowed 2 Kings 6.5 If ye please also to peruse the ensuing Tractate possibly it may be some small furtherance to you in your course of Christianity The intent of it is to discover and direct how Religion the great end for which we are born and the great errand upon which we are sent into the World may be made our principal business and how our Natural and Civil Actions and all oâ—r seeming diversions may be so managed that they may like an elegant Parenthesis not at all spoil but rather adorn the sense of Religion I hope the worth of the matter handled notwithstanding my weakness in the manner of handling it will make it acceptable to you I could wish the face of the Discourse were clean I may safely say it is far from being painted and pardon me if I suffer the stream now to run in two Channels Such as it is I humbly tender Sir to your favourable eye whose happiness it is to inherit your Ancestors graces as well as their riches It was counted a great honor to the Family of the Curio's that there were three excellent Orators in it one after another and to the Family of the Fabii Plutarch that there were in it three Presidents of the Senate successively It is your glory to descend not onely of a Father who walked with God and of a Grandfather who it is hoped dyed in the faith but also of a great Grandfather who was famous for serving the will of God in his generation The holy Apostle speaketh to the glory of Timothy concerning his unfeigned faith which dwelt first in his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 To the glory of free-grace I mention it Holiness in your house did not run onely in the masculine race your tender Mother was like Dorcas full of good works and a dutiful Daughter to the Father of mercies and your Honoured Grandmother yet alive is an old Disciple of the holy Jesus O how much are you bound to the Lord that grace should thus run in a blood Boleslaus King of Poland when he was to speak or do any thing of concernment would take out a little picture of his Fathers that he carried about him and kissing it would say I wish I may speak or do nothing at this time unworthy thy name Sir it is your priviledge to reap the benefit of their Precious Prayers and your piety more and more to imitate their Gracious patterns How exactly should you walk having such lights so near to direct you And how Accurately should you write in every line of your life having such fair copies before your eyes It is no small advantage likewise * Daughter to the right Honorable the Lord Pagit Madam to your fair hands who are a branch of a Noble and Honorable stock but your birth from above is your present greatest credit and will be your future chiefest comfort Alexander must derive his Pedigree from the gods or else he thinketh himself ignobly born To be born of God to have heavenly blood running in your veins to be the Spouse of the dearest Saviour to have your name written in the Book of Life will stand you instead and as many figures amount to millions in an hour of death and dreadful day of judgement when civil and natural priviledges though now favours will stand for cyphers and signifie nothing The Jews indeed tell us that women are of an inferiour creation and therefore suffer them not to enter their Synagogues but appoint them galleries without but they speak more truly and wisely who call women the second edition of the epitome of the world Souls have no Sexes in Christ there is neither male nor female Persevere honored Lady in your pious course to confute those painted carcasses who spend all their time in priding and pleasing their brittle flesh and neglect their immortal spirits to publish to the World that greatness goodness are not inconsistent O 't is a rare and lovely sight to behold Honor and Holiness matched and married lodging and livlng together As a Diamond well set in a golden Ring is most sparkling and as light in Stars of the greatest magnitude is most glorious and shining so Grace is often most amiable in persons that are most Honorable The Exceeding Advantage your Ladyship hath this way of doing God much service is an awakening argument to endeavours after much sanctity It is a farther encouragement that you are joyned to a loving Yoke-fellow who will draw equally with you in the road to Canaan That you may both walk in the day of your lives like Zachariah and Elizabeth that Peerless Pair as one calleth them in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless that when the night of death shall overtake you you may expire like the Arabian Phoenix in a bed of sweet Spices the graces and comforts of the Spirit leaving a sweet savour behinde you that your children may be heirs to your Spiritual riches and see the eternal felicity of
the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Open unto Christ when he knocketh at the door of thy heart with the finger of his Spirit Do not bid him come to morrow lest that morrow never come It s good we say to make Hay while the Sun shines for the Heavens may be cloudy It s good to embrace a present opportunity for time is bald behind thou canst not assure thy self of a second Sabbath Seasons of grace are not like Tides that a man may miss one and take another What Christ said of himself is true of Sabbaths The poor ye have always with you but me ye have not always Time thou hast always with thee while thou livest but the Sabbath thou hast not always Nay within a shorter time then thou imaginest God may deprive thee both of time and opportunity both of Week days and Lords days and if thou art now sleeping and snoring when thou should be waking and working what a cut will it be to thy heart to reflect upon the Sabbaths which thou hast had and lost enjoyed and mispent Jerusalem in the days of her affliction and of her misery remembred all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old Lam. 1.9 So Reader if thou shouldst neglect to improve Sabbaths now in the day of thy misery or rather in the everlasting night of thine affliction in hell thou wilt remember thy Sabbaths seasons of grace and all thy pleasant things which thou hadst in the days of old Good Lord what a rueful woful remembrance will it be to call to mind the means the mercies the helps which were afforded thee to have avoided Hell and attained Heaven and yet thou like a fool or rather a mad man didst dally about them and delay till the Market was done Now is the time for thee to accept of grace because now is the onely time that grace will accept of thee O that thou wouldst know in this thy day the things which concern thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Fourrhly Esteem the publique Ordinances the chief work of the day and let thy secret and private duties be so managed that thy soul may be prepared for them and profited by them Duties in thy closet and family are of use and have their blessing but to put God off with these and neglect the publique Worship is to rob God of a greater sum to pay him a lesser The Sacrifice of the Jews on that day was double they offered Sacrifice in the Tabernacle besides their Lambs for the daily Sacrifice It is worthy our observation that the Sabbath and publique Service are by God himself joyned together and therefore let no man put them asunder Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Lev. 19.30 They that despise Gods Sanctuary cannot observe Gods Sabbath Every thing is beautiful in its season Private duties are beautiful and in season every day but publique Ordinances are never so lovely and beautiful because never so much in their prime and season as on a Lords Day In publique Worship God receiveth the highest praises I will praise thee in the great Congregations Psal 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory I had gone with the multitude to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Psal 42.4 The gracious God is pleased to esteem it his glory to have many Beggars thronging at the beautiful gate of his Temple for Spiritual and Corporal alms What an honor is it to our great Landlord that multitudes of Tenants flock together to his house to pay their rent of Thanks and Worship for their All which they hold of him How loud and lovely is the noise of many golden Trumpets Good Lord what an eccho do they make in Heavens ears Deus pluris facit preces in Ecclesia quam domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinis fidelium Deum communi consensu invo cantium Riv. in Cath. Orth. When many skilful Musicians play in consort with well-tuned and prepared Instruments the Musick cannot but be ravishing to God himself Methinks its a notable resemblance of the sweet melody which is made by the Celestial Quire above Psal 68.26 Bless ye God in the Congregation even the Lord from the fountain of Israel for he loveth the gates of Zion above all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 As in publique God receiveth the highest praises so there he bestoweth the richest mercies Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple Psal 65.4 Here is Davids Position and its proof His Position is That the Templer or Inhabitant in Gods House is an happy man Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy House The proof of it is from the quality and quantity of the provision which God makes for them that are of his Houshold For the quality of it it is not onely good but Goodness which word signifieth not onely the good will which God beareth to but all the good things which God bestoweth upon his people Pardon Peace Love Grace every good thing all good things are in the womb of that one word Goodness Gods provision for his people is beyond all their knowledge or apprehension There be four ordinary ways by which men come to the knowledge of good things either by hearing them immediately themselves or by hear-say from others or by the sight of the eyes or by discourse of Reason But from the beginning of the World men have not seen nor heard nor perceived by the ear nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath provided for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Isa 64.4 The love discovered there is an unknown love the joy bestowed there is unspeakable joy All the costliest dainties prepared for Heavens Table the fulness of joy and pleasures for ever at Gods right hand are expressed by this one word Goodness Psal 31.19 So that the quality of the provision is beyond all exception it is Goodness For its quantity it is to satisfaction We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy Holy Temple The Saint shall have enough of this luscious fare to content him Indeed the Christians full meal is reserved for him till he comes to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven but here he hath enough to stay his stomach He is very well satisfied that his allowance in this World is sufficient God calls him in the other World to greater work and so will give him a greater allowance for suitable strength but God doth not in this World underkeep him He feeds proportionable to their employments nay to their satisfaction and contentment all
that are in his inferior family His children have till they leave But Reader Where is the place of this good this great provision is it not in Gods House in his holy Temple in the publique Worship Great Princes bestow their Largesses and shew their Bounty Glory and Magnifience before much people If thou wouldst know where Believers have seen their best sights where they have heard their most ravishing sounds where they have made their most delightful meals it was in the House of God They have seen thy goings O God in the Sanctuary Psal 68.24 They have heard the joyful sound of thy Word They have been abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House Do but consider Davids tears and grief for want of and his fervent prayers for the fruition of publike Ordinances even then when he had opportunities for private performances and surely thou wilt esteem the Ministery of the Word no mean mercy See his sorrow when he was driven from Gods Sanctuary When I remember these things my soul is poured out for I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God Psal 42.3 4. My soul is poured out that is I am overwhelmed with grief and even ready to dye when I compare my present condition with my former happiness in the fruition of Religious Assemblies There is an Elegancy in the phrase Poured out the word is applyed to water or any liquid thing and in Scripture signifieth abundance Joel 2.28 My life is ready to be poured out as water upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again when I remember my former mercies and consider my present misery How bitterly and passionately doth he plead with Saul If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him accept an Offering but if they be the children of men cursed be they before the Lord for they have driven me out this day from the Inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26. 19. How pathetically doth he bemoan it to his own soul Wo is me for I dwell in Meshech and my habitations are in the Tents of Kedar The loss of his Father Mother Wives Children Lands Liberty nay of his very Life would not have gone so near his heart as the loss of publique Ordinances As his sorow was great for the want so was his suit most earnest for the enjoyment of them How many a prayer doth he put up for the liberty of the Tabernacle Psal 43.3 4. 27.4 It is the one thing the principal special request which he begs of God One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and verse 8. how hard doth he pray for this priviledge Thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek To seek the face of God in a general sense is taken for the substance of Religion or to seek God Psal 24.6 but by the face of God in a strict sense is meant the Ark of God and place of his residence Now David at this time being deprived of this inestimable benefit in the ardency of his zeal presseth God with all the arguments he could devise to restore him to that happiness among the rest he urged God with his own words Thou hast commanded me to worship thee in thy Tabernacle to appear before thee that is my desire and delight my heart would seek and see thy face there Thus he presseth God for performance on his side that he might be enabled to obey Gods precept Where God denyeth publique Ordinances there he himself will be a little Sanctuary to his chosen Ezek. 11.16 But where he affords them he expects that they should be attended Christ himself went often into the Synagogues Peter and John went up into the Temple at the hour of prayer Acts 3.1 On the Sabbath we went out of the City by a rivers side where prayer was wont to be made Acts 13.23 and Paul reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath Acts 18.4 Those that by their practices contemn publique Worship have neither Christ nor his Apostles for their pattern One of the Jewish Rabbies hath a saying He that dwells in a City where there is a Synagogue and cometh not to Prayers Merito dicitur vicinus malus is deservedly stiled a bad neighbour Beader if thou forsakest the Assemblies of the Saints how useful soever thou mayest be to others bodies yet thou art a bad neigbour in neglecting soul-service The Lord Jesus Christ as he was faithful as a Son in his own house took special care to provide and prepare such publique servants as might give every one their meat in due season The Ministers of the word are his publique Officers appointed by himself to have the oversight of his Saints They are both Fathers to beget and Tutours to bring up his Sons and Daughters They are his Stewarts to dispense publiquely the mysteries of the Gospel of peace But little do they think who set light by publique Ordinances what a price Christ paid that he might enable and qualifie them for his Churches profit The gifts he bestoweth on Pastors are not the least sign of his good will to his people Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he gave gifts to men And he gave some Apostles and some Profits and some Evangelists and some Pastours and some Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4.8 11.12 13. As Kings on the day of their Coronation usually appear in all their Majesty and magnificence and do some famous act as of a general pardon or the like which may speak their love and respect to their Subjects So Jesus Christ when he rode Triumphantly in the Chariot of his ascension into Heavens glorious City to sit and reign there at the right hand of the Majesty on High gave abilities to Ministers endowed them with answerable gifts and graces that they might dispense the Ordinances of God powerfully and profitably as a special fruit of his passion for and a singular testimony of his affection to his Church I would wish thee therefore to be present at and to continue to the end of publique Ordinances David would be a Door-keeper in the House of God Because a Door-keeper is first in and last out Friend if thou wert feasting some Noble person thou wouldst not rise from Table unless necessity forced thee before all were taken away and thanks returned I must tell thee that when thou art feeding with the blessed Potentate it is much below good manners to turn thy back upon him without his leave and blessing Fifthly If thou wouldst make Religion thy business on a Lords day Tune thine