cannot be done but by the bath that is taken from Christ and the mercie of God The Jewes that were ignorant and knew nothing in the time of Christ they knew that who can forgive sinnes but God Though they misapplyed it yet it is was true in the thesis and in the generall who can forgine sinnes out God And Christ unlesse he had been God could not have forgiven sins who can forgive sinnes but God Cyrâ—l well upon the place gives the reason it must needs be so because God is the Law-giver and the Judg saith he to whom can it possibly belong to pardon and passe by and wipe away the transgressions of the law but to him that is the giver of the law Therefore none of the Prophets or Apostles durst ever arrogate this priviledge Nathan when he was sent to David though he had a commission from God durst not speak in his own name but the Lord hath pardoned And if there were no Prophet or Apostle durst assume so much shall we that are men far inferiour in place and piety and those speciall intercourses of the love and knowledge of God It is true there is a power given to Ministers declaratorie to publish and pronounce pardon to the truly repentant but the power of absolution properly so called and the power of taking away and pardoning that onely God keeps in his own custodie Saith Ambrose well the Minister of God doth that that belongs to his duty when he declares and publisheth pardon to the repentant but he exerciseth not any power and authority it is but Ministeriall Therefore Saint Austin observes well that when Christ gave this power to his Apostles and Disciples whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted he first premiseth he breathed on them and said receive yee the holy Ghost Saith he first they received the holy Ghost and then whose sinnes yeremit they are remitted For it is the holy Ghost that puts away sinne and not you It is Austin's observation And we may further observe that Christ when hee healed any commonly hee pronounced forgivenesse of sinnes but the Apostles though they healed many yet we never read that they used this word To note that Christ gave the power of healing to them but he kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Further then it is ministeriall hee kept the power of putting away of sinne to himselfe for it is an act of Majestie it cannot be so to others God may make Angels to declare it or men but the power is proper to him Christ gave the power of healing to the Apostles but hee kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Saint Austin presseth it against the Donatists sweetly who would faine have got the power to themselves Austin askes the question tell me the vertue of whose name takes away sinne He speaks of himselfe is it the name of Austin is it the name of Donatus it is neither the name of Paul nor Peter who is Austin who is Donatus And the Apostle presseth it who is Paul and who is Apollo but the Ministers of CHRIST But who is it that takes away sinnes GOD Himselfe This is the second thing the Prophet would bring them to know and acknowledge in this word O Lord to thee belongs mercie and forgivenesse thou art the Father of mercie we can feel the smart of sinne but cannot remove it thou must either take it away or else it will not be taken away therefore shew mercie and come among us either take it from us or else it will take us from thee remove it from us and remove it from thee Take away sinne and receive us graciously I have done with the first part the precatory part which concernes Malum tollendum the evill to be removed the evill of sin The second is bonum largiendum in these words â—â—ke away all iniquity and receive us graciously It is in the Originall and shew us good Yet in the Originall a little further Take away iniquity and receive good Like that phrase in the Psalm He received gifts for men that is he gave gifts to men Receive good that is shew good shew thy grace that is as it is well interpreted in English receive us graciously Two things are to be considered in it One that I propounded in the forenoon though I came not to it that is the connexion of this part to the other The other is the order of this part with the other why it is joyned or added to the other clause and why it followes it I shall hardly speak of all But let us looke upon the connexion why is this clause added to the other Is not this enough take away all iniquitie It seemes this is superfluous for where-ever sinne is pardoned grace is conveyed where GOD takes away sinne he discovers grace and where hee crucifies the old man he stamps the image of the new where hee frees from death he gives interest to life where sinne is pardoned salvation is stated upon the soule what need this follow this one word take away all iniquitie is all the expression that need to be used But the Prophet would bring them to a greater enlargement and it is added for speciall reasons I will bring them to these three First it is added as a clause of illustration Take away all iniquitie so shew thy self gracious favourable Noting this that there is nothing doth more magnifie the goodness glory of God then the pardon of sin nothing doth more shew his grace then that As if he had said thou art the Father of mercie we have need of mercy thou hast mercy for thousands and we are thousands that beg it we pray thee to pardon our sins and manifest thy mercie in pardoning by receiving us graciously shew us grace in the pardoning our sins It is the greatest evidence of the mercie of God in the pardoning of sinnes it is that that glorifies God most It is well said by the Psalmist that his mercie is over all his works and we may say of the grace of pardoning that it is over all his other mercies There are other mercies that God shewes us that concerne our temporall estate O these come not within compare Nay spirituall mercies if he preserve any it is the grace of custodie If he deliver any from danger it is the grace of liberty If he accept our prayers and receive them at our hands that is a testimonie of mercie the grace of acceptation but if he pardon sinne that hath all in it that is Gods tender mercie in that he shewes bowels of mercie He opens his casket of mercy in all favours but hee opens his owne bowels when he pardons sinne that includes all mercies that David calls his tender mercies Over all our works it is even over the worst workes of ours which is sinne Over all Gods works it is euen over all the best of Gods works besides in creating preserving and keeping It is that that shines and breakes
publique to his glory his glory it is to passe by transgressions it is a great glory to passe by many transgressions if it be his peculiar glory to passe by any Where sinne hath abounded grace abounds where grace abounds glory abounds where much sinne is pardoned He cals them to acknowledge his mercy and makes it an illustration of the former Take away our transgressions and receive us graciously That is the first it is a clause of illustration Secondly observe it as a clause of inducement a motive and argument to perswade God to forgive them So it stands thus Take away iniquity because thou art gracious because thou usest to receive favourably therefore take away iniquity They begge for grace in the name of grace and mercy in the name of mercy shew mercy because thou art mercifull take away iniquity because thou art gracious and favourable therefore take away iniquity It is the strongest motive of all others to presse God from himselfe to pardon sin The point is this He that comes before God to begge for mercie must bring no other motive but mercie There is no such strong prevalent motive with God to shew mercy as mercy Mercy is the thing we sue for and mercy must make God shew it He expresseth it so I will pardon for my name sake in one place For mine owne sake in another place For my owne sake will I doe this to the House of Israell For my promise sake in another place For my mercy sake in another place Here are four and they are all alike to shew that mercy comes from it selfe it hath a reciprocation it moves circularly it begins in mercy and it ends there For mine owne sake that is for himselfe and his mercy is himselfe For my name sake that is as much as for my mercy Thy name is as Oyle powred out and it appeares that his name is as Oyle by his mercy for mercy is that Oyle that Swims over all liquors it appeares over all other works it is manifest to all For my promise sake that is as much as for his mercy for Gods Promises are Promises of mercy So all agree in this for my name sake it is a name of mercy for my Promise sake they are Promises of mercy for mine owne sake he is a God of mercy But yet more plaine when God speakes of shewing mercy he makes it come round to shew that mercy is the thing that he will give and the ground why he gives it In Exod. 33. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy See how it runs it is thus I will have mercy on whom I will that is because I will so if we presse God for mercy doe it thus Lord be gracious that thou mayest be gracious and be mercyfull because thou art mercyfull Pardon because thou art gracious thy mercy hath an everlasting Duration The Psalmist presseth it so Have mercy on me according to thy great goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies take away mine offences See how sweetly he presseth it Have mercy according to thy goodnesse he makes it come to it selfe Pardon me according to thy goodnesse be mercifull because thou art mercifull he had no other motive In another place he hath the same Reciprocation Doe good for thy name sake because thou art good deliver me because thou art good doe good and deliver me It is the same reciprocation that Isaiah makes Isa 63. He hath beene good to the House of Israell for his goodnesse and because his mercies are everlasting He hath beene good for his goodnesse To instance no more places in the new Testament there is the same reciprocation that John makes John 1. Of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace mercy for mercy it is not onely grace after grace which is a good interpretation the first grace and the second grace the grace of Acceptation and the grace of Strengthning the grace of pardoning and the grace of reviving and quickning all grace is from God But it hath a fuller signification Grace for grace Grace because he is gracious because he is mercifull he shewes favour he turnes it to himselfe So now the Lession is this that When we come to sue for pardon of sin before the Throne of Grace we have no name to come in but the name of Christ The name of Christ is a name of mercy that is Gods owne name he that comes to plead his owne merit comes in his owne name He that comes to plead the Merits of any other pleads in a Strangers name If merit and satisfaction had been that way then were mercy no more mercy and grace no more grace then all the Saints of God were out of the way for they all went in this path Mercy was the Citty of refuge to which they went and the path by which they went Mercy was the Water in the Well and the Paile they drew it with they sued for mercy in the name of mercy The Publican David Peter St. Austin saith of Peter well I read of Peters Teares but no man ever read of Peters satisfaction Peter could not goe in that name Our blessed Saviour hath taught us therefore so to pray Forgive us our Trespasses he taught us not to pray as the Servant in the Gospell Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Lord be favourable a little longer lend me a little life and I will make thee satisfaction No that is not the Prayer he that goes that way misseth but here is the Prayer Pardon and forgive for thy name sake and for thy mercy sake Take away iniquity and receive us favourably receiue us to grace and Pardon for thy mercy sake This is the Forme that Penitent faith full soules look to God in No Creature is capable of merits therefore let men never trouble themselves with the discussion of that it is so repugnant that the Angells though they never sinned cannot merit they doe but their duty Adam in integrity could not merit if innocency cannot merit sin cannot if the State of Angells cannot merit humane cannot Nay the Saints that are called out of darknesse and sanctified by grace those Saints though it were possible they should never sin not so much as in the circumstances of any good Act that they should not be touched with veniall sins as they call them with no ill thought or idle word or unprofitable gesture if they were borne and sanctified from the womb as John Baptist and Jeremiah and should continue in a course of sanctification without any treading awry they could not merit when they had done all they must say They were unprofitable Servants He that doth his duty cannot merit ye are but Servants when you have done all you can nay when you have done all you should if it were possible that is more then all you can For that grace that God gives us though it be a good evidence of his spirit and of
justification in our hearts yet that grace of sanctification is imperfect and no man makes a perfect improvement of Gods gifts no man lives according to the measure of grace that God bestowes Therefore when we have done all we can we come short of what we ought Nay if we had done all we should all that God requires say you cannot merit you are unprofitable Servants you have done but your duty you have done but what God requires If the state of restitution cannot merit sin and impiety cannot merit There is in the best action that we performe in the work of Preaching and praying and alms and charity and deeds of piety so much Leaven so many infirmities that he that knowes the nature of sin and the latitude and small extent of piety in his heart when he Prayes he prayes not onely for the pardon of his sins but of his Prayers And when he preacheth he prayes not onely for pardon of his silence and neglect but of his performance if there be infirmities in the best there is no plea of merit Our work is onely this to flie to the Throne of grace in the name of grace that is it that is a prevaling forcible word with God to plead for mercy and beg for pardon because he is gracious It is a word that so prevailes that it carries alway mercy with it from Heaven it is that word that God delights in it is that word about which prayer clucks as the Wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-Seate The Wings of Prayer must flutter about the Mercy-seate about mercy That is the second thing to shew what the foundation of the pardon of sin is none but mercy it is founded in grace therefore he adds it to the former Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously as an inducement to perswade God to take away all iniquity That is the second I will but touch the third The Third is he adds it as a clause of perfection that makes up the perfect enumeration of the graces Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously There is nothing that a Christian can beg in this World but it may be brought in the compasse of one of these two These two words are as the two Tables of Prayer like the two Tables of the Law in these two there are all kind of Petitions all the evill that is to be removed is in that Take away all iniquity and all good that is to be conveyed in that Receive us graciously So that he might make a Perfect Prayer for them yet very short and compendious and yet full Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously this is a Prayer that the Prophet studied this was the Prayer that the Spirit guided him to make for them Here are the two hands of Prayer Take away iniquity and receive us graciously If we divide Prayer as the Apostle doth into foure sorts that are rather parts then kinds of Prayer 1. Tim. 2. I beseech that Prayer and intercession and giving of thanks be made to God for all men they are all in this forme that the Prophet prescribes them Here is the deprecatory part for the removing of ill Take away all iniquity here is the supplicatory part for the pouring out of all good Receive us graciously Here is the gratulatory part We will give the Calves of our lips Take the division of Prayer according to that scantling that David makes Psal 34. For obedience gives the Law to Prayer he refers the duty of a Christian to two heads Eschew evill and doe good upon that hangs all the Law and the Prophets according to these two are the parts of Prayer one for the removall of evill another for the infusion of grace here are both the removall of the greatest evill take away iniquity and powre the choicest of thy mercies on us that is mercy Receive us graciously One part of the Prayer is for expelling of darknesse Take away iniquity the other for the shewing of the light of his Countenance Receive us graciously Lastly if we divide it as David divides prayer Psal 25. there he makes his Prayer Remember Lord and remember not these are the two heads an affirmative and a negative remember not my sins but remember me He desires God both to remember and yet to forget here are both these here is one part of the Prayer that God would be mindfull receive us graciously Another that he would not be mindfull Take away iniquity remove it out of thy sight forget our sins Here is one part that God would open his eyes and another that he would shut them shut them upon our sins open them upon our persons The one part of the Prayer fits the sin the other the sinner For sin they pray that God would put it from them and remove it for themselves they pray that God would take them to him and receive them to mercy Men when they punish sin they cut off the Sinner but they cannot take away the sin God is otherwise in his proceeding he takes away the sin and spares the Sinner To make up the perfect part of Prayer here is the evill to be removed and the grace to be bestowed Take away iniquity and receive us graciously here is that that concernes the time past Lord take away iniquity what we have done thou knowest here is that that concernes the time to come that we fall no more strengthen us by thy spirit receive us graciously As Cyprian speaks in another place it is the breviary of the whole Gospell as Tertullian saith it is the Compendium of all Heavenly Doctrine This text here is all the Gospell and all that is good in the Law it is the summe of the Gospell it is like the Lords Prayer here are six words in it answerable to the six Petitions Take away iniquity and receive us graciously as Christ divides that Prayer he refers all to two heads one for deprecation of ill Forgive us our Trespasses and lead us not into temptation deliver us from evill The other for the powring out of all good Hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done and give us dayly bread So here is for the removall of evill and the strengthning to grace take away iniquity and receive us graciously Here is a Patterne for us one halfe of his Prayer is spent for the pardon of sin the other halfe for the powring out of grace For a man to neglect to beg pardon that is to be unmindfull of the time past he that begs not grace is unmindfull of the time to come By pardon we returne and by grace we stand He that hath the consideration of Hell that will stir him up to beg pardon and he that sees the joyes of Heaven will beg grace for that is the path that leads thither to make a perfect prayer joine both The Prophet to give them a full forme he joynes these though briefly None of them could plead that they
word that he hath given Therfore it is a speciall meanes to keep men in the Pale of obedience when they hedge themselves in with holy resolutions I know Cardinall Bellarmine and he more remarkably then any other of the Romish Writers is very large and peremptory in declaring that that which is within the compasse of precept cannot fall within the compasse of a vow that no necessary duty can fall within the compasse of a vow But if there were not Testimony of the Saints in Scripture the Testimony of their owne Writers are sufficient evidence against it besides the truth it self Alphonsus Picus Cajetane Valencia these foure they are bold all of them to expresse themselves to be of another opinion that properly and directly that that we are tied to by the necessity of precept most properly falls within the compasse of a vow and it is most safe for one may safely vow that that he is tied to doe and the vowing and resolving of it adds a second obligation it is an awaking Therefore David took this course he bound himselfe by vow and promise and oath I have sworne that I will performe thy righteous judgements He excites himselfe by these Obligations to every duty of piety he set himselfe those Lessons of piety he tasked himselfe to such duties sometimes to repentance To thee will I confesse Sometimes to obedience I will walke in thy Commandements Sometimes to prayer At morning noone and evening I will call on thee Sometimes to thankfullnesse Seaven times in a day I will prayse thee He tasked himselfe to these duties thereby to keep and hidge in his obedience So will every Christian that he may keep himselfe in the path of Piety he will oft consider how he walks and consider his purposes and resolutions and strengthen himselfe in holy purposes it is a great meanes to arme our selves A heart will not easily be overcome with temptations that is armed with good purposes good purposes incite to Prayer and practise you take away perseverance you take away practise and performance you take away endeavour if you take away resolution Therefore if you will learne to keepe your selves in the wayes of Gods Commandements learne oft to resolve to purpose We shall tread awry when we have done the best but if there be a good purpose God takes that for performance if we arme our selves with good resolutions Let us not take this help from our selves since we come short of performance let us have endeavours and purposes This the Prophet teacheth them when they come to performe their thanks they must have purposes We will give thee Those are the two first things he minds them of in generall There are other things he minds them of in perticuler and they are these foure The first is this That Thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies It is due by right of Lordship because God is Lord and owner of all we have he is Lord of our life and being there is the Fountaine of all goodnesse Whither should the streames run but back to the Fountaine to the Sea sayth Bernard let the streames of thankfullnesse run back to the Head they are drawne from grace they come from God the grace of pardon and grace must returne to God the grace of thankfullnesse And it is by right of Debt his we owe it him it is a Debt to any man that doth us a courtesie no lesse requitall can be made for the least good turne then thankfullnesse yet those that they doe are small and they are tied by the bond of Charity and by the Law of God and they sin if they doe it not and those that they doe God doth by their hands he inclines them to it Then if we account it a misery if we be unthankfull to men we owe much more of this duty of thankfullnesse to God by another bond because from him we have all mercy and the choisest mercies What hand soever reacheth us a Blessing God is the Author God gives it And can we give him any thing lesse then thanks We can give him nothing else He gives it us when we give him thanks and prayse we pay him with his owne we give not his mercy back in the kind but vertually in the strength He that gives glory to God he gives the mercy back in strength But we can give nothing to God that he hath not before in a more eminent manner whether it be praise or glory or blessing or reverence or worship His name is glorious though we give it not his name is admirable he will make his glory appeare though we dishonour him But he so interprets it in mercy we are sayd to give it when we acknowledge it He is not capable of our gift but when we testifie that he hath it we are said to give it The Knee when it bowes before him worships him and the heart when it is ravished with admiration gives him reverence and the tongue when it speakes of his prayse gives him thankfullnesse if God take these as gifts at our hands that we owe and can add no addition by it we can doe no lesse then acknowledge that thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies That is the first thing A second thing he would teach them to acknowledge that thankfullnesse is especially due for the pardon of sin when sin is pardoned the first bud of new righteousnesse in the heart O it is thankfullnesse to God Bless the Lord O my soule and all that is within me and then followes That forgiveth all thine iniquities We owe God praise and glory for all his mercy and goodnesse but for none more then the pardon of sin for here is the Stock upon which other graces are grafted when once sin is pardoned all temporall things prove comfortable Therefore when they beg for the Pardon of sin say they We will give thee the Calves of our lips There is thankfullnesse due to God especially for spirituall mercies and of them for the grace of reconciliation the forgivenesse of sins A Christian will be methodicall in his thankfullnesse as well as in his Prayer I shewed before that devotion keeps good order it prayes for spiritualls before temporalls and against spiritualls before temporalls And thankfullnesse keeps a good order it gives thanks for the best mercies first and most Though all the mercies of God be good yet there is a difference there is a difference betweene spirituall mercies and temporall For temporall mercies Liberty is better then Wealth and life then liberty and grace then all As God hath set an order in mercies so thankfullnesse observes an order he doth not thanke God so much for temporall mercies as for pardon of sin that swallowes up the heart and takes up the whole latitude of the affections There is thankfullnesse due for establishing us in our civill Callings but more for calling us to the acknowledgement of the truth There is blessing due for keeping us
to receive their direction We must not prescribe God leave God to his way though we see things improbable God can work it out we must leave him to his wisedome he will bring things to passe we must not put trust in meanes and rules but leave God to his prescriptions Lastly good Servants beare their Masters name and not onely apply themselves to the Commands of their Master but to the desires of their Master They alway consider themselves to be in that condition that they look to give an account Good Servants they are not onely tender of their Masters temporall goods but of their Masters safety A good Servant will venture his life for his Master especially in a good cause O then let us goe and be like minded put all these together and by the consideration of these things provoke our selves to the faithfull obedience and service that belongs to God Let us mold our selves with these resolutions If we be Servants for shame for shame doe somewhat that belongs to Servants Let us not be content to equall the Coppie but labour to exceed it not onely to say As the eyes of Servants so our eyes but as the eyes of Children to their Parents so are our eyes to God As the eyes of Subjects are to their Prince so are our eyes on God and as the eyes of Sheep are fixed upon the Shepheard so are our eyes on God As the eyes of Creatures are upon their Creator and the eyes of the redeemed upon their Saviour so our eyes are fixed upon the Lord our God In all these relations we will not onely labour to equall the duty but to exceed it and not so onely but more So I have done with the first thing the paralell wherein David endeavours to match the Coppy he had propounded As the eyes of Servants are towards their Masters so are our eyes on the Lord our God And the reason of every word Now the last thing is the date and duration Vntill he have mercy on us There are but two words they are not long in pronunciation but they are very long in signification They are so long that they reach to perpetuity both wayes For first there is no end of Gods mercy that is one word And then there must be no period set of our duty and waiting Vntill he have mercy on us That word seems to be as long as the other Indeed it is true in it selfe it is not long because God is not long in shewing mercy he is quick if we should wait upon him onely till he shew mercy we should wait now and no longer we should cease presently for he shews mercy alwayes No but it is to be continued by many enlargements therefore briefly the sum of both words is this In one word the word mercy David sets downe the scope at which every Christian aimes after the glory of God in shooting up all those Arrows of love and obedience and feare that he sends up to God the end and aime of all is this that he may attaine mercy he looks up to God for mercy Mercy that is of a larg signification we can beg nothing of God which is not mercy If a man be disconsolate he looks to God for comfort If there be a doubtfull heart that looks up to God for resolution If there be a blind heart that looks for illumination of a wavering heart that looks for stablishing all these are mercies because they are all given in mercy Every good thing is a mercy because it is given in mercy If a man be in persecution peace is a mercy If he be in trouble of Conscience ease is a mercy If he be in anguish if he be in any exigent deliverance is a mercy If he be in pangs of Conscience quiet is a mercy All is mercy he that waits on God for mercy waits for every good thing Secondly the other word Vntill shews us thus much what the period is that a Christian sets himselfe in the line of obedience It hath the same period that Donec untill untill he shews mercy Shall we think that David did meane to wait on God untill he had mercy and then to fix his eyes upon the Earth againe No much more then therefore know that the word Donec in Scripture doth not alway signifie a determinate time but an infinite time untill signifies eternity in two places One in the Gospell Joseph knew not Mary untill shee had brought forth her first Borne Son not then nor after because shee continued alway a Virgin But more plainly in Psal 110. The Lord said to my Lord sit on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy Foot-stoole Doe you think that Christ shall sit at Gods right hand no longer then till all things be subdued in the end of the World and that then he shall give over his session and his Kingdome cease God forbid but untill is for ever So here Our eyes wait on the Lord till he have mercy on us Not as we should make a cessation then when God hath shewed mercy But as St. Chrysostome very well he speaks not onely for a short time as long as God shews mercy but for all times What doe I take Chrysostome heare David expound himselfe Psal 62. My throat is dry my heart is weary mine eyes faile with waiting He looked on God so long till his eyes failed and he gives not over then he waits still A Christian must wait alwayes upon God So that word hath both an inclusive and an exclusive force So shall our eyes wait on the Lord untill he shew mercy That is if he doe shew mercy we will wait or if he doe not If he send it speedily or if he doe not still God is to be waited on We now if God doe not send mercy we will wait on him with contentation or if he doe shew mercy we will wait on him with acknowledgement If God delay mercy we will wait with patience if he speedily send mercy we will wait on him with thankfullnesse we will wait on him till then and much more after Vntill that is I will wait on him then and now and alway we will never end this work So the point is this Aâ— true Christian must not let goe his hold his hope his confidence he breaks not off his Service he breaks not off waiting upon God though God deferre to shew mercie He waits on God in his owne occasions though God suspend and seeme to absent himselfe He waits in all the occasions of the Church If God correct he waits that things may be better if God send blessings he still waits on him that God may continue the mercies Here is the point a Christian must not give over waiting on God especially in cases of extreamity When we come to beg any mercy spirituall or temporall of God if God bestow it on us then we are said to wait till then because then we obtaine our desire we wait for
needs understand it of the Church therefore as in an holy rapture and speaking of Gods government of it he saith Her foundations ye know whom I speake of So in another Psalme the Lord heare thee in the day of trouble one would have thought he had spoken of some body before the Lord hear thee thee afflicted poor soule whosoever In the day of trouble the Lord heare thee so This poore man I know some interpret it in reference to Christ therefore they make it a prophesie of Gods hearing of Christs prayer upon the crosse and in the garden some of the antients interpret it so but yet it runs more directly concerning righteous men according to the phrase of Scripture This poore man that is any poore man any righteous man it is as much as The righteous crie and the Lord hears them This psore man cried and the Lord heard him that is whosoever is in distresse and perplexitie if he seeke to God God will heare him and deliver him Wee see it by experience And we may see it by example too The examples are many in Scripture I will instance only in three that this hath alway been the course that the Saints of God nay that even wicked men have tooke in the time of calamitie and distresse to flie to the Throne of grrace and to turne to God by prayer Moses when God sayd he had a purpose to destroy the congregation of Israel and consume them in a moment presently he betakes himselfe to his knees and he speakes to God O Lord this people have committed a great sinne it was the course that David tooke too when he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem readie to destroy it It is I that have sinned it was the course that Hezekiah tooke when he had a Message of death brought to him He turned to the wall saith the Text and said to God O Lord remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart he turned to the Wall that is he sequestred himself from earthly occasions that he might Turne to the Lord with more libertie of Spirit and largenesse of heart It was the course that Manasses tooke that filled Jerusalem with blood when he was in chaines and captivitie and affliction he turned to the Lord and called upon him and humbled himselfe greatly it was the course that the Prodigall tooke in the new Testament when he had not bread to eate he saith I will goe to my Father that is I will turne to my Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee we see it confirmed by example there cannot be more said To confirme it by reason for this is the most easie and the most equall and the most successefull and most possible course of diverting any ill wee are in or in danger of It is the most equall and reasonable course because God is the person that is provoked by us he is the Judge that sends the punishment it is his Law that is broken his name that is dishonoured to whom should wee goe but to him that wee have provoked by our sinnes It is not possible that the turning away of judgement should be by any other way Vaine is the helpe of man it is not in the Arme of flesh to save any one from that judgement that God sends There is no care no providence no foresight of man can divert judgement we must have recourse to God And it is the most successefull way of all other no man can instance in any example of any soule that ever turned to God by prayer in the time of distresse but if God saw it needfull in his wisedome to turne away plague or famine he turned it away Prayer is the most readie and the most equall way And Prayer is the most easie way can any man desire to have a blessing upon easier tearmes then to aske and have to turn to God and to have him turne to us to turn to God have his judgements turned from us that is the first Proposition there is no hope of turning away calamities over us but by turning to God by Prayer Secondly there is no hope of diverting judgements but by turning to God by repentance that is the second Turne to God by prayer and turne to God by repentance or else prayer will not serve without repentance If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord wll not heare my prayer The prayer of sinners is oft times accepted but it is of penitent sinners but the prayer of sinne never the hands of the blasphemer and the eyes of the Adulterer that looke to Heaven God lookes with indignation upon such hands and eyes and hearts we must purge our hearts from wickednesse if we will turne to God These two cannot stand together God and sinne as on the other side pardon and impenitencie cannot stand together because pardon belongs to repentance so sinne and repentance cannot stand together the one takes away the other sinne removes repentance and repentance removes sinne sinne makes a seperation betweene God and us repentance knits us againe the one destroyes the other sinne makes God turne from the purpose of of mercie Your sinnes have withheld good things from you this I did to you and would have done more but for your transgressions sin makes God turn from the purpose of mercie on the other side repentance makes God turn from the purpose of judgement Lastly Sinne never meets with pardon that is impenitencie though sinne meet with pardon impenitencie doth not it sets a man further from God then sinne when its first committed It is worse to goe on in sinne then to commit it But repentance alway hath pardon First repentance never misseth of forgivenesse if we turne to God he is alway readie to turne to us See in that place of the Psalme The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to those that are of a broken heart and he saves them that be of a contrite Spirt Yet plainer in 2. Chron. 3. If ye will turne to the Lord the Lord will not turne his face from you yet againe Amos 5. Hate the evill and seeke the good it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is peradventure he will Some may say here is some hope some comfort but here is no assurance there is no assurance in this place The Lord is nigh he may be nigh he is nigh to all he may be nigh to me but yet it may be he will not turne to me in mercie it may be he may be too neare me as when he sends judgements what comfort have I by that promise the Lord is nigh I have lesse comfort by that It may be he will turne Is salvation promised with it may be It may be God will be gratious There is but little comfort in that Turne from your evill wayes and God will not turne away his face He hath turned
unloads the conscience confession and casting out sin by the mouth it is the Vomit of the soule saith he well Confession it is the physick that healing Medicine that God hath prescribed to us Austin summs up many vertues in a short compendium of words speaking of this excellent grace of confession of sin to God Confession of sin to God is that which is the hope of Beleevers the glory of sinners the expeller of all vice and all iniquity the Tether to keep a man in compasse of due obedience the sweet bond to the soule it is that that shuts the pit of Hell it is that that opens the gate of Paradise because it opens the way to the mercy of God confession of sin is the language of repentance That when I consider I cannot but wonder that men that are sensible of sin and of Gods displeasure should be so backward to this worke not onely of repentance but of acknowledgement of sin It is a common fault we all labour of First we commit a sinne and then with Adam we hide our selves and get Fig-leaves not onely to hide our selves from men but from God It is true I cannot but wonder that men are loath to make their sins knowne to God there is impious shame that keeps men from confessing their sins to men because unlesse we tell them there are corner sins of darknesse that men cannot finde out but is it shame to confesse them to God God knowes them all before why should men goe about to hide that which he knowes before it is committed Why should I hide them from thee O Lord saith Austin since thou knowest mine owne heart better then I my selfe Yet so vaine we are we thinke if no earthly eye see us in the commission of sin neyther doth the eye of Heaven looke upon us When we see not our selves we thinke God sees us not we desire to walke in Mists and Clouds it is the case of every man Tertullian sets it downe well concerning this duty of confession Every may hath forehead enough for the committing of sinne their foreheads are harder then an Adamant to commit sinne but then they have no forehead to confesse It is shame that keeps them from men and it is shame that keeps them from God Et sic c. saith he no marvell if they perish with that ill shame and pudor since they are more mindfull of shamefastnesse then salvation for if there be any shame in confessing sins to God there is a great deale more in hiding them But it is so farr from shame that it is the onely grace it is the first fruits of repentance confession Children when they are first borne cry it is the first expression of life crying and hee that is borne and begotten to God againe that is a new borne babe the first manifestation of life is from the mouth by confession of sinne O Beloved let us not be so inured to hide our sins from God that must onely pardon them not to hide them from him that will call us to account If wee hide them now the time will be that he will lay them open Christ saith in the Gospell that that is done in secret shall be published on the house top that that is now done in corners shall then be layd open when all flesh shall be layd open before Gods tribunall If now it be a little shame what will it be then If there be shame in sin now what confusion will there be when it shall be the forerunner of damnation and Hell If any thing in the World will move a man to lay open his heart to dâ—vide his heart and make all naked before God it is this consideration that all must be layd open after the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed And in the meane time if he would have any comfort of the pardon of sin now hee must repent of them and confesse them Wee need not be ashamed to come to God I shewed before hee hath annexed pardon to confession See it in instances and examples the Publican he comes with the language of confession they were not many words it was but a breife confession of sin O God be mercifull to me a sinner There is the petition in the first part of the words and confession in the next I am a sinner therefore O Lord be mercifull see the issue He went away justified saith Christ he sayd little Peter sayd lesse Peter went out and wept bitterly Lego c. saith Ambrose I read that Peter wept but not that he spake any words of confession there was the confession of the heart and though we read not of it yet no doubt the voyce of the mouth went with the cry of the eye Peter wept and confessed his sinne And marke Peter was received againe to favour and to the honour of Apostleship yet we read not of the words that he spake Every man supposeth that he that comes to confesse sin brings words with him yet we see not his words If not that example see David Nathan comes to him he makes a Parable and then comes with a compendium Thou art the man David multiplies not words againe there are but three in our language there is but one in the Latine and in the Originall Peccavi I have sinned before the word was out of Davids mouth Nathan from God gives him a publication of pardon that hee had pardoned his sin It could not be a shower confession then that that is made in one word he could not speake more compendiously Yes we see in Psal 32. he makes a shorter confession he had but a thought a purpose of confession and God pardoned him I sayd I will confesse God saved him a labour of further expression because he saw the integrity of his heart before he sayd I have sinned I sayd I will confesse upon the resolution of repentance there is a resolution of forgivenesse So gracious is God not onely to meet us but to prevent us It was a sincere acknowledgement and confession that he made and it was in that very purpose of confession Nay goe further for the Children of Israel went not thus farr as to come to a purpose of repentance yet God was pleased to pardon them as farr as concerned outward punishment Psal 78. as strong a place as I know in the Scripture David reckons up their rebellions then after many mercies that God had shewed them he saith They flattered God with their lips and lyed with their tongues they made a confession but it was an hypocriticall confession it was out of dissimulation they flattered God with their tongues They sayd because of the necessity of punishment Wee have sinned but their hearts were not touched with their sins They flattered God with their tongues and lyed to him with their lips And it followes Out of the abundance of his loving kindnesse he pardoned their sins and destroyed them not Not that God is pleased with
forth and surpasseth all other his attributes it is that that glorifies God most that honours him yea that God himselfe hrnours most His grace and goodnesse appeared in the creation of the world that was a great mercy mercie budded out then but that was not so great a mercy as the pardon of sinne For nullitie though it be farre off from God yet it is nearer God then sinne and iniquity is because that is more repugnant and contrary to his nature it is more to pardon a sinner then to create a world it is more to pardon one sinner then to make a million of men It is over his works of power over his works of justice Justice is seen in punishing of sin God shews his power in that but there is a greater power seen in the pardoning of sinne it is plain His power in executing of justice it is as the strong man but his power in magnifying his mercy is as the stronger man for it binds the hands of justice the stronger man comes and binds the strong man Grace and mercie are the stronger attributes stronger then justice though both be the same in God yet in manifestation it prevailes and exalts it selfe against justice If Gods power be seen in punishing much more in pardoning because mercie conquers justice Besides see it in our selves for a man that punisheth another it argues he hath power over another but he that pardons him that deserves to be punished shews 〈◊〉 â—ee not only hath power over another but over himselfe because pardon is both an evidence of that power that should have been in punishing and of a further power in sparing So the force of mercy is double to that of justice it magnifies Gods power more it is the last act of divine justice the pardon of sinne Therefore in Scripture mercie hath the prerogative above all other attributes in many respects Of antiquity it is older in regard of manifestation we speake still for mercie and love budded out in the creation of the world we speak of the effects of it but justice was not manifested till man had transgressed It was one day older in the manifestation then judgement was then judgement took place when Adam transgressed mercie was before It hath the prerogative of alliance for though the justice of God be himselfe as well as his mercie as all is but one act in God his justice and wisdome and power and merciâ— all are himselfe yet mercy is his more proper work Therefore in Scripture judgment is called his strangâ— work I will bring a strange worke that is I will execute justice He calls it a strange worke as hetrogenicall and contrary to his nature he is forced to execute judgement our sinnes compell him If it were not for sinne he would not manifest judgements Though both be naturall yet mercy is more naturall in regard of the effect of it It is nearer Thirdly It hath the prerogative of latitude it hath a greater extent he executes justice seldome and upon some few all men tast of his mercie There is no judgement that God executes but mercie is mingled with it Goe over any that were executed since the beginning of the world still there was mercy in it but there is mercie often manifested when there is no judgement in it Here is the difference judgement is never entire but there is some mercie in it mercie is alway entire and there is no mixture of judgement in it See the effects in regard of extent God saith he will punish to the third and fourth Generation the Fathers upon the Children that is a long time but it is nothing to his mercie I will shew mercie to thousands of generations A thousand Generations is longer then the world shall last For there were but 42. generations from the Creation to Christ a hundered generations is like to be longer then the world shall last yet God will be mercifull to thousands of Generations if it last so long or if not hee will be so for ever a large periphrasis Mercy hath the prerogative of extent It hath the prerogative of honour it honours God more and God honours it more He makes mention by his spirit in Scripture when he mentions judgement and mercie mercy goes first My song shall be of mercie and judgement Mercie and truth are met together still mercie is first God gives it the prerogative Nay usually he mentions merâ—â—twice for once righteous Gracious and mercifull is God and righteous And at the last day when these two attributes shall be placed at the two hands of God wee shall see which attribute hath preheminence that hath the highest honour to stand at Gods right hand judgement shall stand at his left hand among the vessels of wrath mercy at his right hand among the sheepe and the elect Last of all it hath the prerogative of duration for though condemnation speaking of eternall condemnation and eternall life though condemnation be a line of as great length as eternall life that lasts for ever yet speaking of temporall punishment compared with the mercie of God so we see mercy out-lives justice in all the expressions of it and that by a great disproportion It is a great disproportion between yeares and months In Rev. 11. The holy Citie shall be trodden down 42. months but they shall reigne with me for a thousand yeares Though moneths be not moneths in that place I come not now to examine the meaning of moneths but see the comparison there is mercy for a thousand yeares there is judgement for 42. moneths they shall be troden under foote but they shall reign a thousand yeares It is a greater disproportion that is betwixt weeks and yeares see that in Dan. 9. Seventy weekes are determined for the transgression of my people that I may compasse them with everlasting kindnesse Seventy weeks are determined for transgression God measures judgements by weekes but hee reckons the continuance of his mercy by many yeares by ages by everlasting duration there shall be everlasting righteousnesse Yet further there is a greater disproportion between yeares and dayes yet in Isa 63. The day of revenge is in mine heart and the yeare of my redeemer is come Here is the day of revenge the yeare of redemption The day of revenge is in mine heart There days are years and years are dayes but in the expression of them God exalts mercie that wee may see it hath a larger sphere to move in Yet further there is a greater disproportion between a moment and a yeare nay between that and eternity For a small moment have I corrected thee but with everlasting mercie I will receive thee as it is in Isaiah God threatens to punish for a small moment but his mercy endures for eternity Now to sum it up the Prophet would make them understand thus much that nothing magnifies Gods grace and goodnesse more then the pardon of sinne that they might professe it that they might make it
so the Saints in all times those that had most experience in the working of Gods grace the holy Fathers of the first times they triumphed much in assurance Bazill he shewes how assurance of the pardon of sin and the favour of God may be had He brings one making the Question O Sir tell me how I may get it I will tell you saith he if there be that spirit in you that was in him that said I have hated all wicked wayes you have it For if there be the worke of the spirit of God in crucifying of sin there is certainly before the comprehending grace in the pardoning of sin Chrysostome he moves the question in another manner then Basile upon handling those words Rom. 8. The spirit witnesseth to our spirits look saith Chrysostome after all this what cause will there be of ambiguity of doubting Who is there that can doubt when he hath the testimony and witnesse of the spirit If the evidence of the spirit shew not it selfe alway in the same measure we must have recourse to those evidences that God gives sometimes And Cyprian goes on though before him and prosecutes the same Question Quis locus erit ambiguitatis c. What place will there be for doubting ambiguity who can be sorrowfull fearfull after these evidences it hath pleased God to communicate to us let him standin fear of death that is afraid to goe with Christ that is not willing to goe with Christ let him be unwilling to goe with Christ that knowes not yet that he hath begun to Reigne with Christ there is no man can be doubtfull saith he Men they will not deny but this oertainty may be had except they be devoyd of all experience of the working of grace Therefore upon this weighty Pillar Hillarie layes the Foundation of justifying faith how shall faith justifie if faith be doubtfull He speakes not of faith in every particular but of the certainty of faith in the generall if there may not be a certainty in the generall how shall it justifie I will add that place onely of St. Austin where he solaceth himselfe by gathering together all those grounds and evidences of certainty God hath promised he hath spoken nay he hath sworne Hoc est promissum c. This is that that God hath sealed with his word nay with his Oath that now there should be no place left to the Children of God to make any doubt of Gods goodnesse in the pardon of their sins when they have those evidences of Sealing it by the fruit We see it here not onely by the consent of the Saints in Scripture but of the Saints in after times that certainty may be had and that the comfort of a mans Conscience doth much consist in this certainty Though faith in the time of Temptation will hold beyond the evidence of these things and though it be not alwayes to be had yet it may be had there is a certainty and it is much comfort Therefore Christians will pray still when they have had Experience of the sweetnesse of Gods grace all that they pray for is the enlargement of their evidence They pray that he would give peace and that he would speake it that he would give Salvation and the earnest of Salvation that he would give the Spirit and the earnest of it Here is the second thing they pray for First that God would pardon and then make it evident that he had pardoned in the continuance of his grace That is the second thing Thirdly as begging the enlargment of the evidence of the thing so begging enlargment in respect of the communication of grace so the order is justifiable For in putting these two together they pray for these two things for the pardon of sin and for the removing of punishment So the order stands good For sin is first to be prayed against before punishment and the first suite that we are to make to God is for pardon of sin and then for removing of Judgment and this method the Prophet teacheth them Take away our sins that presse us and thy hand that presseth us pardon us and spare us remove thy wrath in pardoning our sins and then shew thy selfe gracious in removing thy judgments So the Point is this that A true Saint of God though he be beset with calamities and feare of punishments and judgements on every side yet that is not it that takes up his first thoughts they are taken up for the removing of his sins There he makes his first Prayer there he states the fervency of his soul because he knows the sting of sin is sharper a great deale then the sting of punishment and that the displeasure of God is more heavie then any judgement There is no judgement that is a judgement if the wrath and displeasure of God goe not with it For when Gods love goes with it it is a Chastisement and not a judgement If we compare spiritualls with spiritualls then we shall see it plaine and evident The flame of sin scorcheth more then the very flames of Hell and more galls the Consciences And the fire of Hell is not so terrible as the displeasure of God Againe the fire of Hell is not so terrible as the having of pardon of sin is comfortable misery is not so evill as the enjoying of God is good But if we compare spiritualls and temporalls then the disproportion will easily be seene There is no proportion betweene temporall and spirituall mercies therefore the Children of God pray for spiritualls before temporalls Againe there is no proportion betweene temporall and spirituall judgements therefore they pray against spiritualls judgements strst First against sin Take away iniquity and then receive us to favour Here is the order and method that Christians set in Prayer First they looke to spiritualls to pray for them to spirituall evills to pray against them Though Christ in the Lords Prayer have taught us another method first to pray for Daily bread and then for pardon of sin He did it to condescend to our weaknesse to draw us to the consideration of that that is lesse knowne by that that is better known We see our daily bread and the want of temporalls is discovered to us by sense therefore these things are more familiar and better knowne but the weight of sin we know by the demonstration of the Spirit and the inward man therefore that is not so well knowne therefore that he might give us incouragement to rest on him for all estates he would first draw us on Give us our daily bread and then forgiue us our trespasses Not that there is more necessity of the former but he condescends to lead us from the lesser to the greater and from the experience of Gods mercy in temporalls to rest on him for pardon of sin not because the former is better Therefore this is one true triall a part of that touchstone whereby a Christian may examine himselfe and
the truth of his grace if it beget indignation against sin that he prayes against that first that he find sin more burthen then punishment and grace more sweet then all temporalls in the World For even wicked men will goe so far as to cry out of judgement then Ahab will humble himselfe O but a godly man a beleiving soule cries out of sin My punishment is greater then I can beare that was the voyce of Caine. My sin is greater then I can beare Mine iniquities are gone over my head and are as a heavy burthen that was the voice of holy David It is true it is lawfull and God allowes us to pray against temporall punishments and judgements but we must keepe the due order It is a preposterous course to pray against that first before we pray for the pardon and removing of sin because sin is the cause of punishment He that would have judgement removed must strike at the Roote the roote is sin from that bitter roote it is that punishment springs cut up the roote and the Tree will not stand long If the wound be once healed the Plaister of punishment will fall off of it selfe If sin be taken away by repentance and turning to the Lord then there is no such Antidote against the plague as the pardon of sin then whatsoever the punishment is it will drop off of it selfe It is not onely preposterous but sacrilegious to observe that method when we pray more for the removall of temporall judgements then for pardon of sin it is a signe that we love our selves and feare for our selves and not God because we hate the punishment that is displeasing to us more then sinne that is displeasing to God If we rest on God for the pardon of sin our affections will be suitable to hate that most that God hates that is sin and if we hate it we need not be intreated in the first place to pray for the removall of it Yet many of us are so sensible of these outward things that we continue in a preposterous course we more feare the shaddow of judgement then the body of sin the name of punishment is more terrible a great deale to us then the commission of sin We tremble if we doe but heare the report of one judgement yet we are not afraid to goe on in a multitude of sins Like distempered Patients that hate their Physick and love their Disease we love the Disease of sin yet we hate that Physick that God sends to cure us Beloved we have not so learned Christ if the stamp of Christ be set on our hearts here a Christian bends his forces Piety keeps due order devotion will in all the Prayers it makes There is no affection no word no ejaculation that a godly man would willingly have out of order he looks to all within him he will not have his joy out of order to bestow his joy first upon the World and then upon God nor his sorrow out of order to bestow it first upon temporall callamities and then upon sin nor his feare out of order first on judgements and then on God No but he sets all his affections right First he feares God and the first fruits of his sorrow he bestowes on sin It is true now indeed we begin to be sencible of the hand of judgement that presseth us O let us remember that there is a greater burthen lies upon us that must be removed The Arrows of sin are more sharp then the Arrow of the Pestilence and if we pull off the head of the Arrow of sin the other shall be put up in the Quiver It is true now the Arrow is pointed neare us God hath his marke and as those that are skillfull in that kind they shoot sometimes nearer sometimes further as Jonathan shot when he gave warning to David so God shoots to give us warning he comes nearer in the Mark he propounds he moves neere by Parishes and by Streets and then nearer by Houses Punishment is neare but sin is nearer we carry it about us we must make sin far off before punishment that is the order the Prophet teacheth them to keepe First to Pray for the removall of sin and then of punishment So I have done with the Petition Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously The parts and the Order of the parts I now come to the last part that is the promissory part of the Text. So will we give thee the Calves of our Lips In the former part the Prophet excites them to get Lips and here to give lips there it is Take to you words here powre out your words So we will give the Calves of our Lips There are 3. things I will observe in it First the duty the Prophet excites them to here that they make this vow and promise of to God it is the duty of praise and thankfullnesse So will we give thee the Calves of our lips That is so will we blesse thee and magnifie thy name and sing to thy glory we will speake of thy praise all the day long Secondly the metaphor under which this duty is conveyed We will give thee the Calves of our lips why he useth that phrase Thirdly the connexion and coherence with the former So will we give thee A man would thinke it were an ill condition and a duty that were misplaced would they not give the Calves of their Lips to God except he would take away their iniquity and remove his judgements The first thing which I will onely speake of now is this to find out what is the duty that is plaine of it selfe to which he excites them in these words So I will read it thus in the litterall sence Take away iniquity so we will blesse and prayse thee So there are six things the Prophet would put them in mind of by adding this clause Two things in generall And foure in perticular all concerning thankfullnesse The two things in generall he puts them in mind of are these De vovendo of making a vow and promise to God We will give thee And De solvendo of paying that vow he labours to bring them not onely to an acknowledgement of thankfullnesse as due but to a holy engagement that they will certainly render praise for this mercy Resolution it is one worke that advanceth every duty every civill duty much more duties that are spirituall There is no work that a man goes on chearfully in except he prepare and fit himselfe by resolution Therefore it is that many Saints of God in Scripture took this course to bind themselves by vowes to obedience though there be bonds already lie at our doore the bond of obedience yet when we vow as David did to walk holily before God this adds another vow He that without vows transgresseth the Commandements of God breaks Gods word but he that transgresseth in a vow breaks Gods word and his owne too The word that God hath given and the
a Sacrifice so I shall shew out of the same Scriptures that it is a better Sacrifice every one of them For righteousnesse sayth Solomon â—o doe judgement is more acceptable then Sacrifice righteousnesse is a better Sacrifice For mercy the Prophet Hosea tells us I desire mercy and not Sacrifice and the works of piety more then Burnt offrings Mercy is there preferred before Sacrifice For obedience Samuel tells us in 1 Sam. 15. I will have obedience and not Sacrifice and the knowledge of God is more then the fat of Rams There is the knowledge of God more then Burnt offrings more then the fat of Rams that is it is better For repentance David sayth Thou delightest not in burnt Offrings thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thee thou delightest not in Burnt offrings Then followes The Sacrifice of God is a contrite heart it is farr beyond Burnt offrings Lastly for the duty of thank fullnesse the Psalmist sayth Psal 69. there it is plaine that the work of thankfullnesse is more acceptable to God it is better then Sacrifice I will praise the name of the Lord with a song and magnifie him with thanksgiving this also shall please the Lord better then a Bullock that hath hornes and hoofs The Calves of their Stall and of their Fold were not so acceptable to God as the praising of God with Songs the Sacrifice of thanksgiving The Prophet would teach them this that thank fullnesse was not onely a Sacrifice but a better Sacrifice The use I will make of this is that that St. Jerome makes of it Let all the Jews give eare to this their legall Sacrifices are vanished they are not able to stand before the spirituall Sacrifices all the Sacrifices of obedience are better The reasons are weighty First he that offers a Bullock offers somewhat out of himselfe he that gives obedience gives himselfe sayth Gregory in the Sacrifice there is the flesh of Beasts offered but in obedience and in praise there is our owne will our owne rebellious will the untamed Heifer of our owne stubborne hearts they are offered to God It is better in that respect Secondly it is better in this respect also all those that they offered in the time of the Law they were dead Sacrifices if we speake according to the Letter and dying according to the institution They were alwaies to vanish they were alwaies Mortalia now they are Mortifera they were to die in time and now they are deadly then they were abrogable now they are abhominable But he that offers duties of piety gives God a living Sacrifice he that offers himselfe I beseech you Brethren give up your selves a holy living Sacrifice Rom. 12. There is a great deale of odds therefore let the Jews give eare to this God looks not to the Sacrifice but it is the Offerers that God looks to not to the Offering not to the Sacrifice that is offered It is recorded by some Interpreters that there is no place of Scripture that the Jews mistake more then this that I have in hand For they hold that this part of the Prophecy was a prediction not onely of the Babilonish captivity the misery that did befall them then but of their dispersion that doth befall them now and hath continued ever since the time of Christ because now they are in this great misery of their dispersion they hold this to be the meaning of the place We will give the Calves of our lips when they meet in their Synagogues to this day they read alwayes the Law of Moses and perticularly those rytes of Sacrifice and because they have not a Temple now to offer Sacrifice in they read the Law and they think that God accepts that for a ful offering of Sacrifice because of this We will give the Calves of our lips because they read the rytes of Sacrifice mistaking this place that is intended by the Prophet for spirituall Sacrifices The Sacrifice that God accepts consists not in reading but in praysing Take away iniquity and we will praise thee It is not reading of words of praise but powring out the Spirit of praise that God accepts that is it that David calls the Free-will-offering of his mouth Therefore to convince the Jews that their Sacrifices should end in time the Prophet shews by this that they should be abrogated They boast of their Sacrifices and even now God accepts spirituall Sacrifices far beyond them and in time he will not look on them at all therefore bring God the Calves of your lips Secondly let Christians give eare to this as here is the Jews conviction so here is the Christians inlargement the Christians happinesse Here we see the vertue and strength of the Law continues when the letter of the Law is killed the morallity of the Sacrifice continues though the ceremony be taken away Let no man say he will not offer spirituall Sacrifices to God lest he should seem judaicall nay we must judaise in this perticular But how In a spirituall sence we must offer God the Sacrifice of the inward man these Christian Sacrifices unbloody spirituall Sacrifices Doe not think that we are acceptable to God in outward performances in things of ceremony and things of rytes it is the substantiall duties that he looks to to give him not unleavened bread but sincerity and simplicity of heart not Doves but innocency not the LAMBS of our Fold but simplicity and humility and meeknesse not the Sacrifice of Beasts but of obedience God expects not the dividing of the Creatures but of our hearts In a word not the Calves of our Folds but of praise and thanksgiving that is the second reason why the Prophet instanceth in this phrase He would teach them First that thanksgiving is a Sacrifice Secondly that it is a better Sacrifice Thirdly there is another reason yet he would teach them that thanksgiving is a daily Sacrifice by this metaphor The Calves of the lips For Calves were such oblations as were taken in to all kind of Sacrifices At the Consecration of their Priests Exod. 29. they offered Calves for the Burnt-offering this Creature was taken in Levit. 1. This Creature was taken in for the Trespasse-offering Levit. 4. For the Peace-offering Levit. 9. At the solemnity of their Purification this Creature was Offered Numb 19. Then put it together they used daily to Offer the Calves of their Stalls and of their Folds to shew them therefore that more frequently they must give God prayse and thanks that it must be a daily Sacrifice he instanceth in this The Calves of our lips to shew that thanksgiving must be taken in to all the spirituall Sacrifices we offer If a man humble his soul in repentance thankfullnesse must come in that God gives him a heart to repent If a man distribute his goods to the poore thank fullnesse must be taken in that God hath enabled him to give If a man pray to God thank fullnesse must goe along that God
Crowne and that Crowne hath the best appendix set unto it it is the Crowne of life the Crowne immortall of these I spake Now these other two parts that follow in this verse they are added as an appendix or supplement The one a supply De gratia dispensationis of the courâ—e and dispensation the course that God takes in dispensing this reward under both these notions When he is tryed then he shall receive The other is of the fellowship of participation and communion that all Saints have in the Crowne The man that endures temptation first enlarged after to all that love him These are the parts I am to speake of these two supplements of the two former And the first in order is that that concerns the course and dispensation of God in those words when he is tryed he shall receive In that there are two things Modus Tempus The manner of the exhibition he shall receive Then there is the time of reception when hee is tryed when he is fully tryed then he shall receive The manner of the exhibition is very well expressed here by a receiving He shall receive Now recipere is a relative word and being a relative it must have a correlative that belongs to it and what the correlative is of receiving we all know Giving that hath reference to receiving there can be no receiving where there is no giving The Philosopher saith well dari accipere It is true speaking of passages betweene man and man receiving doth not alwayes necessary imply freenesse of gift there may be receiving where there is not freenesse of donation Wages when they are payed debts when they are discharged pledges when they are restored commodities when they are bought they are truly received yet there is no gift goes before But yet when we speak of passages between God and man there is never receiving on manâ— part but it is the free gift of God because man cannot deserve of his Creator and Maker Therefore it comes to passe that whatsoever thing it is that we receive the very foundation and principles of Christianity doth suppose it to be of the freeness of God that is the Scriptures reception St. Paul shews it very well 1 Cor. 4. What bast thou that thou hast not received That question it is equivalent to an universall negative there is nothing that we enjoy or have in the world but we receive and receive how we receive it as Gods free bounty as a gift or donative If it be so in lesser things much more in greater if it be so in temporals much more in spirituals much more yet in eternals the eternall of all eternall life cannot come to us but by Gods gift So these three things this word affords First it is a word of benignity of free donation he shal receive from the hands of God The receiving here is without addition but the addition is to be made up Beatitude immortality the joy and blisse of heaven with all things that belong to it of all other is Gods most free and bountifull gift So it is still in Scripture under what similitude soever you find it There are diverse similitudes and all glorious still there is gift added You have it set forth under the similitude of hidden manna but of gift To him that overcomes will I give of the hidden manna I wil give it You have it set out under the similitude of the tree of life but giving is added To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God It is set out under the similitude of a Kingdome but still of gift Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome It is set out under the similitude of a Crowne the Crown of life but of gift still Be faithfull to the death and I will give thee the crowne of life It must needs be so that the grand great blessing is of gift for all inferiour blessings that have reference to it they are all of gift both the root and the boughs and the branches and the leaves and the fruit of the tree of life they are all of gift Glory and what ever belongs to glory The Gospel of the Kingdome which points out to us this Crowne that is given to uâ— and of grace To you it is given to know the misteries of the Kingdome of God Christ that is the substance of the Gospel hee is the great gift that God gave freely to the world God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Faith that lays hold of Christ and applyes his merits that is the gift of God To you it is given to believe and to suffer The holy Ghost that begets faith in the heart even he is a gift it is one of his names Donum dei he is the gift of God it is one of the names that he takes he wil give to us his holy spirit Take all in a word both grace and glory are equally of gift St. Paul coucheth them both in many severall places The grace that is given to us saith he in one place The gift of God is eternoll life saith Saint Paul in another all is gift It is true there is another name by which it is stiled sometimes that seemes a little to derogate from the liberty and freenesse of gift It is called wages received it is called the reward that is given But this word of gift regulates all it lets us understand that however we consider it whether we consider it as it is mercis laborantium the wages of them that labour and work in the vineyard Or premium vincentium the reward of them that overcome and fight in the lists Or repromissio credentium the promise made to them that believe and so being a promise is a kind of debt and stipulation yet in all considerations of reward and wages and promise in all it is to be taken so to be taken as a gift That we may learn all hence that that Moses said to the people of temporall Canaan it is true much more of the â—â—â—est allâ— God hath brought you â—o that good land not for your righteousnesse so God hath translated us allâ— he wil if we walk in his Commandements in time he will translate us â— to that good way to that better way that best of all not for our righteousness not for any merits of ours but for his goodnesse out of his bounty because he would be pleased to give it it is meer mercy and gift That we may learn I say with the Elders in the Revelation we may well learn of the Saints in heaven and learn humiliation and acknowledgment of them that are in possession They had Crownes on their heads Rev. 4. and what then They cast downe their Crownes they take off their Crownes and cast them downe before the Throne of God and the Lamb for what purpose St. Gregory
the Table of the Lord we should bethink our selves what strength we bring what stature we come with Much more when we appeare before God in Heaven there shall be no appearing before God in Heaven unlesse there there be a perfection of competency Heaven is made for the perfect Paul dares not think of Heaven till he have finished his course and Christ calls to God to glorifie him when he had done his work I have done the work that thou gavest me to doe glorifie thy Son We must not look to appeare before God in glory unlesse we goe through these degrees of grace then we shall appeare before God when we are come from strength to strength Then there is a word of distribution it is not all of them but every one The universall collective would have done it Paul sayth We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ But it is more emphaticall Every one each man in the whole and each one for himselfe Every one comes and appeares before God In these Courts of his House though it be in a Crowd God observes every mans carriage and proficiency God takes speciall notice when there are thousands as if there were but one but all here are present before God Much more when we come into his presence of glory then every one shall appeare God will take account of every one what Oyle he hath in his Lamp what improvement he hath made of his Tallents Then there shall be notice of each mans state and measure of every mans height what growth he is come to and according to his stature shall be his reward and Crowne The higher stature the higher measure of glory to him that hath gained five Talents shall be given five Citties to him that hath gained two two Citties to him that hath gone through many degrees of vertue and strength and hath glorified God by an habituall practise of piety there shall be a high reward to them that have gone From strength to strength there shall be an addition of glory to glory THE Vigilant Servant DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. PSAL. 123.2 Behold as the eyes of Servants looke unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistresse So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us FOR the satisfying of your expectations I have therefore made choise of this Text at this time as being very agreeable whither I look to the parts of the Auditory or the whole or to the time or to what circumstance soever For the lower part Servants may learne their duty For the upper Masters may have the understanding of theirs And for all your conditions are such that you are those that have been held a long time between hope and feare with doubtfull news and ambiguous and neutrall expectations And I may well presume it of you because I measure you by my selfe I my selfe that am wavering have beene wearied and tortured both with good and bad tidings as desirous as you to reap the comfort if they be good or at least to know the certainty if they be bad I have for severall dayes gone through Texts for both parts of the day because I was resolved to proportion my Meditations to the times however things fall out but at length finding no true ground to proceed by no certainty in this World of any thing almost we are not certaine of our selves therefore I did resolve and pitch upon this Scripture that I might yet at least raise your expectations a little higher and bring you from these neutrall thoughts to setled thoughts of Heaven that I might bring you from these carnall dependencies upon man by the eare to a sweet and comfortable resting and setling and fixing and waiting with your eyes upon God And that cannot be done better then by this Scripture that I have read to you It was penned for this very purpose for the sustaining of the Church in doubtfull exigents or any great extremity That this is the intendment of the words appeares by the very scope of the Psalme which is nothing but this a Psalme of confidence for the Church of God when she should be in any state of affliction And if the scope of the Psalme were silent yet the very time would speake how it corresponds it is the fourth of the fifteen that are called Psalmes of Degrees because they were sung upon the fifteene ascents that were to goe to the Temple and so many ascents I have had in doubtfull expectation it is now fifteene dayes since the first heavy tidings came to our eares and yet we are not certaine Therefore now since we cannot find any part of truth on Earth let us have recourse to Heaven we shall be sure to find them there And the whole Book of God is nothing else but tidings brought from Heaven to Earth from God to his Creature Evangelion the good tidings That was the course of the Saints in all exigents still to have recourse to God by praying to him so we shall be sure to understand the end of these thing if we wait upon God for the issue he will send it in good time if we follow the example of the Prophet David here as good Servants to abide his leasure till he have mercy upon us I shall handle the other clauses but I shall dwell upon the last because I shall have opportunity to remember your of that duty that otherwise I had not spoken of but that the Text 〈◊〉 on it That this is the drift at which the words 〈…〉 Verse demonstrates for there is somwhat in every Verse In the first two Verses there is somwhat of our comfort or lifting up our eyes to God the waiting upon God in Prayer In the last two Verses thâ—re is somewhat of our affliction We are filled with contempt in Vers 3. Our soul is filled with the scornefull reproach of the proud Vers 4. Is not this our case If not your souls have not your eares been filled at least some of you with the scornefull reproaches of the proud that have asked where is now your hope And your help Give them leave to enjoy themselves but remember it is not so much for them to boast in a state flying as those that are in hope of pursuite But let them support their tottering ruinous cause by insolent Questions the Psalmist hath taught us both what to doe and what to answer Our hope and help stands in the name of the Lord. There is our answer As the eyes of Servants are to the hands of their Masters so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God
Verb to his owne comfort and a better he cannot then this And that this word must be added appeares by the next words Till he have mercy upon us To looke till he have mercy on us is to wait so there is good reason why this word is added If we look to the thing begged mercy it is so precious that we may wait for it It was Servants that he mentioned and it is their duty to wait upon their Masters they wait upon their Trenchers at meat they wait when they goe to bed and when they rise they wait in every place therefore because he had mentioned the first word he takes the proper duty there is nothing more proper to Servants then waiting and if we are the Servants of God we must wait There is good reason in that respect because it is a word so significant therefore the Spirit of God varies it he keeps not exactly to the line so doe our eyes looke but so doe our eyes wait Thirdly why he makes another variation so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord He writes not after his Coppie for there it is As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters It should have run So doe our eyes wait on the hand of the Lord he sayth not so but varies it So doe our eyes wait on the Lord. What is the reason It would have been too strait Though we must wait on Gods gracious hand both of power that orders all things and of bounty that distributes all things yet it would have been too strait some would have imagined that there were nothing in God to be waited on but for his bounty and power No he shews that we must at large wait upon the Lord in all that belongs to him if we have respect to his glory and honour we must wait upon his Throne if to our vilenesse we must waite on his Footestoole If to his bounty we must wait on his hand if to his wisdome we must wait upon his providence if to his truth we must wait on his promises There is nothing in God but it is to be waited on in all his attributes and relations not onely as our Master but as our King as our Father and as our Shepheard Therefore that the Psalmist might better leave it for an enlarged supply as that a Heavenly heart might intercept it he saith not as in the former so doe our eyes wait upon the hand of the Lord but so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord. That is the reason of the third variation There are but two observable besides I shall stand a little longer on them they are materiall The fourth is why he doubles this word of excellency upon the Lord our God For one word would have served but that no word can serve to set out that excellency but having named Master before one would think it should run so doe our eyes waite upon our Heavenly Master as our Heavenly Lord but he adds the Lord our God To shew the difference between the Masters of the World and of him that is above The Masters here below are Masters indeed but they are men like our selves our Master above is the Lord our God The Masters here that have dominion are Domini but sub domino under that great Master but he is Dominans dominantium the Lord of Lords They are Masters that have their breath in their Nostrills but he is the Master that gives life and breath and motion and all things Therefore to shew that we stand in a double Obligation to God in our service and attendance he adds two words we wait upon him as our glorious Lord and as our gracious God both wayes we give him our eyes and attendance To shew this double obligation observe in the first line the prescription the Coppie there are both relations mentioned and a double notion to both relations there is Masters and Mistresse Servants and Hand-maid To note thus much by the doubling of the one that if there be any better service in the one sex then in the other we are to draw the patterne from that that we may give the purest service and attendance to God And noting in the other if there be any respect due to either of those Masters or Mistresse they should be both drowned and swallowed up in our respect to God he useth both words to shew that we should yeild all service to God St. Austin in his Commentary on the Psalmes propounds the Question and so doth Jerome if that be his he finds a double scruple he makes two Questions One Question is why we are called Ansilla in the Singular number a Hand-maid Another Question is why Christ is called not onely Dominus but Domina As the eyes of Servants wait on their Masters so doe our eyes upon Christ St. Austin gives this reason and Jerome and it is full of wit both these predications will hold for us that are Christians It is Servi sumus ancilla sumus we are both Servants and we are the Church we are Servants of his Handmaid As we are the people of God so we are called Servants as we are the Church of God so we are ancilla So for the other predication our Lord and Saviour is both Dominus and Domina He is The Lord Our Lord because he is our God and Domina he must have the duty of a Mistresse because he is the virtue and wisdome and excellency of God That is Austins and Jeromes It is full of wit but it is a little to adventerous I durst hardly to mention it if it were not theirs their wit is sweet and in their intentions full of piety but I dare not give it as a truth Yet there is reason to be given why both are exprest to shew the service that we owe to God The reason is this both words are used because no one word can set out any part of Gods excellency look in what part you will There is no one word can set out the glory of God in Heaven therefore there are two words used the glory of both lights the glory of the light of the Sun and of the Moone There is no one word can set out to us the perfection of the robe of Christs righteousnesse that he cloaths Beleivers with therefore two words are used he cloaths them with double Ornaments of the Bride-groome and of the Bride Isa 61. There is no one word can set out the propinquity of our alliance to Christ therefore Christ sets it out by two words He that doth the will of my Father is my Brother and Sister There is no one word can set out the tendernesse of the love of God therefore it is set out by the love of both Parents by the love of a Father and a Mother Can a Mother forget her Child And as a Father pirties his Child so the Lord hath mercy on them that feare him In Gods love there is the love of both
is that that breeds inspection this is the second true ground from expectation The third ground or Radix whence this desire comes it is from contentation whereas in humane things contentation makes desire to cease in celestiall things it increaseth desire and from contentation they desire to behold they are ravished with the great mercy of God in the work of redemption O they desire to be more ravished they are satisfied and would be more they are full yet they desire as if they were empty they have all and yet they desire as if they had nothing sayth Gregory they alway see these Mysteries yet they alway desire to see them I joine these two together least any man should have mistaken the nature of Angelicall desire how it stands and though this desire be a bar to contentation when we understand and conceive of desire that comes from want we are onely to limit it to humane things so St. Austin defines desire it is a longing after those things that we have not no man desireth that that he hath when he comes to fruition desire ceaseth but Thomas Aquinas shews well by a good distinction how desire may well stand with contentation and fruition Desiderium habendum c. Desire of things that we have not that we may have it that argues want but desire of the things that we have already that it may be continued that argues not a necessity and want so the Appetite and desire of the Angells what is it not of want but complacency not an Appetite and desire of more but a desire of the continuance of that they have there is desire and there is fruition in their saciety there is no dstiast and in their desire there is no want sayth Gregory well So now it shews us the excellent beatificall estate in Heaven in what it consists in that glory and joy there shall be fullnesse and yet desire there shall be the fruition of all good things promised and yet an earnest longing after the continuation of it Isidore sets it out sweetly there shall be thirst in Heaven and saciety A man would wonder that there should be thirst in Heaven yes sayth he the Saints shall alway be full and shall alway long and thirst but it is not a thirst of necessity and there is no loathing and distast in that fullnesse It shews us an excellent difference between Heavenly and Earthly things the nature of Earthly things how is it Why thus Earthly things are alway desired when we want them desire ceaseth when we have them And againe Earthly things we love them most when we want them and lesse when we have them looke over all Earthly things and you shall find that it is so meat and drink they naâ—ciate after fullnesse all pleasures whatsoever after a man hath taken his fill of pleasure he disgusts them they are unsavory I those very fashions you are so much delighted in that no Preaching Heaven it selfe cannot fetch you out of If Christ himselfe were on Earth I am confident he would not prevaile with you I say those fashions that Heaven it selfe cannot fetch you out of your folly yet after you have used them a while use makes you sick of them and your owne humours make you weary because all things Earthly make weary and happy we are that when we have them we begin to loath and distast them and be sick of them but it is otherwise with celestiall things they are most loved when we enjoy them are most desired when they are had there is no Heavenly thing that nauciates a man is never sick of any thing that is Heavenly there is no loathing of that it is not so with grace and glory the Angells as Peâ—rus Damianus he makes the Observation sayth he they are alway full of that they alway desire and they alway desire that they are alway full of glory cannot be distastfull nay grace is not so how far grace is from being distastfull it is of that sweetnesse that a man never thinks he wants it till he hath it O how sweet is it that grace is of such a Heavenly relish that a man is so far from thinking he hath too much when he enjoys it that he never thinks he hath enough nay he never thinks he hath it till he hath it this is a holy Coveteousnesse as the Apostle sayth the very temper of a Coveteous man is the more he hath the more he desires it is the onely temper commendable in grace the more a man hath the more he longs and thirsts Spirituall things the more they are enjoyed the more they are desired this should more stir up our desire O how should we long for Heaven that are out of it when the Angells long so that injoy it When they long that are in fruition how should not we long for the fruition Yet Heaven we cast behind our backs therefore we should stir up our souls as David As the hart panteth after the Rivers of Water nay let us change the phrase and turne it to a more sublime example not as the hart but as the very Angells pant and long and breath and desire to looke into those Mysteries so doth my soul after thee O God after the place where the Angells are say againe with David O that any would give me to drink of the Water of Bethell Nay save the labour God hath given us to drink of Christ the Water of the Well of Bethell say againe with David O that I had Wings like a Dove that I might fly away and be at rest Nay save the labour he hath given thee Wings of the Dove the holy Ghost descended in fire upon the Apostles the gifts and graces that descended are the Wings of the Dove and you may save that labour Therefore to shut up all with the holy desire of the Angells they are alway conversant about spectacles of happinesse and yet never weary of their speculation and the more they have the more they thirst and the more they are satisfied the lesse they are satisfied and though they have fullnesse yet they desire to have it continued That is the third ground The fourth and last ground that is the Radix of the desire of the Angells it grows from exultation from abundance of joy that they rejoyce in the revelation of those Mysteries and they desire that they may alway rejoyce they alway desire the continuance that they may rejoyce They rejoyce both in respect of Themselves and in respect of Vs There are these two reasons of their joy and so of their inspection and these are the two most proper reasons of all the rest One reason of their joy is a respect they have to themselves they rejoyce in the Mysteries of Salvation because they have the benefite of them the benefite of Christs meditorious work extends to Angells The Apostle Paul shews plainly Ephes 1. It pleased God to recapitulate or gather to one to sum up
those Mysteries of our redemption of Salvation revealed by Christ that we preach to you though we cannot looke into them as the Angells looke yet they are the same for substance that the Apostles Preached to you That is the last ground you have seene what the Angells are what the things are and the inspection and the desire Thus much for this Text and this time An exact Alphabeticall Table directing to the principall Truths handled in the fore-going Work A Abounding ABounding a metaphor whence taken page 339 Abrogate Christ kept the Passover to abrogate it page 461 Account Good Angells not called to Account page 518 Act Habits must be brought to Act page 359 Adam see Covenant Admiration Angells behold the Mysteries of the â—ospell with admiration page 526 To look on Gods goodnesse with admiration page 528 Advances see Piety Affections Affections in Prayer how kindled page 54 Afflictions Why good men suffer afflictions when others escape page 472 see endure Alike In spirituall things all are alike to God page 465 All All sins to be prayed against and why page 72 All duties to have thankfullnesse page 172 see Commands Detestation Goodnesse Love Alliance Aliance of Gods mercy page 113 Anchor Hope the anchor of the soule page 423 Angells Evill angells studie not the Mysteries of the Gospell page 491 Evill angells how called in Scripture ibid. The name of angel what page 492 Angells have benefit by the mysteries of Salvation page 496 Angells what things they desire to looke into page 501 See Incarnation knowledge Apparrell Against vaine apparrell page 413 Appearing Appearing before God double page 373 Arguments Arguments peculiar to each Apostle page 196 Art see nature Assent Assent of a pious heart page 475 Assurance Assurance to be prayed for page 134 see Heaven Atheist see Epicure Attributes Mercy hath the prerogative above all other Attributes page 113 B Body Parts of the body interpreters of the duties of piety page 52 Eyes of the body how placed page 385 God to be worshipped with the body page 387 Beg see mercy Behold Behold what it signifies page 383 Benefits Benefits by Christ how expressed page 159 Beleive The word of God to be beleived page 287 The lifting up the eyes a testimony of beleiving page 388 Blessednesse Blessednesse the highest good page 222 Blessednes how propounded page 225 Blessednesse every mans comfort page 226 Blessednesse where placed by worldly men page 227 Blessednesse where placed by the Apostles page 228 Blessednesse where placed by Christ page 229 Blessednesse the way to it ibid. Blessednesse not to be severed from tribulation page 230 Blessednesse why set out by variety of names page 236 Blessednesse essentiall of Saints and Angells the same page 503 see Temptation enduring comprehensive suffering Bonds Bonds of turning to God page 22 Barâ—hen Sin 〈…〉 page 105 Sin 〈…〉 a burthen page â—â—6 C Calâ—e Praise set out by a calf why page 160 Carnall Carnall love hinders love to God Carnall mens joy what Certainty Certainty of Salvation abused page 69 The Crowne of life certaine how page 242 Chamber Christ had not a Chamber of his owne page 449 The House of God the Guest-Chamber page 453 What Chamber Christ will be received in page 479 see Heart Conscience Church Charity The disposition of charity page 476 Chastisements Afflictions of Gods Children chastisements page 103 Not to be out of love with Gods chastisements page 252 Cheap God requires cheap Sacrifice and why page 162 Chearfully Tentations to be endured chearfully page 210 Christ Pardon to be begged in the name of Christ page 118 Why the Disciples were forbid to say he was the Christ page 443 Ministration of Angells used about Christ page 496 see Satisfaction Christians Admonition to Christians page 171 see morall Church The church Christs Chamber page 479 Circumstances Not to spend much time about circumstances page 440 Commands The word of God called his commands why page 286 Saints love Gods word when it commands page 312 All Gods commands to be loved page 33 Love enables to keep the commands page 314 Commands of God what page 414 see Prayer Duty Promise Obedience Sublime Ever Common Misteries of â—â—lvation common to men and Angells page 511 Comprehensive Blessednesse the most comprehensive good page 222 The Crowne of life comprehensive page 232 Condition True obedience makes no condition page 174 Confession Confession of sin necessary to repentance page 36 No pardon without confession page 37 Confession an easie way to pardon page 38 Backwardnesse to confession of sin page 40 Exhortation to confession page 41 Examples of pardon to confession ibid. Confession necessary in doing good or evill page 44 Confession of all sins page 72 see words humble mournefull Congruity Bond of congruity to turne to God page 23 Conquerours The Crowne of life the reward of conquerours page 256 Contentation Contentation of Angells page 531 Continuall Spirituall Sacrifices continuall page 168 Constancy Temptations to be endured with constancy page 211 Constancy what ibid. Conscience Conscience Christs Chamber page 480 Covenant Different conditions of the two covenants page 39 Courage Temptations to be endured with courage page 209 Creation Pardon above works of creation page 112 Crowne The crowne of life the reward of suffering page 226 What crownes Christians have in this World page 227 see victory gold conquerours love Curiosity Curiosity not in good Angells page 519 D Damnable Going on in sin damnable page 24 Daily Thanksgiving a daily Sacrifice page 172 David David his divine temper page 284 Dead Legat Sacrifice dead page 170 Debt Thanksgiving a debt page 138 Declare Ministers onely declare pardon page 109 Declining Where there is not growth there is declining page 343 Degrees Degrees of grace to be sought after page 361 Degrees of grace numberless page 362 Encouragement to attain the highest degrees ibid. Delightfull Mysteries of Salvation delightfull speculations page 508 Depositum The Scripture a depositum page 294 Desire True ground of the desire of Angells page 526 Heavenly things should be the matter of our desire page 538 Detestation Detestation of all sin necessary page 73 Devil see ignorance Devout Lifting up the eyes a signe of a devout heart page 389 Divinity Argument of Christs divinity page 467 Donation The Crowne of life of free donation page 239 Duration Duration of Gods mercy page 115 E Easie The most easie way to remove judgements page 14 15 see confesse Eminent see place Enablement A Saint depends on God for enablement page 179 Ends God works good ends out of the least things page 473 Endure What vertues required to endure affliction page 204 What enduring hath the promise of blessednesse page 209 Enemies Christ obeyed the Law to stop the months of his enemies page 462 Envie No envie in good Angells page 520 Epicures Atheist and Epicures objections answered page 471 esteem see word Evening Evening what meant by it page 257 Ever The Scriptures an Heritage for ever page 294 Gods Commands
journey ib. Judgments No removing of judgments without repentance page 15 Cause of feare that judgments will continue page 20 The word of God why called his judgments page 286 See feyned prayer praise Just How God is said to be just in forgiving sins page 38 Justification Free justification misunderstood page 69 K. Knowledge A proofe of Christs divine knowledge page 467 Knowledg of evill Angells deâ—ective in divine Misteries page 493 Angels want no knowledg that concerns their happinesse page 521 See practise L. Labourers The Crowne of life the reward of labourers page 256 Language Every grace hath a peculiar language page 36 99 Large The heart a large roome how page 481 Latitude Latitude of Gods mercies page 114 Lasting The Crowne of life a lasting honour page 231 Law The word of God why called his law page 266 All creatures but man keepe the law set them page 323 Legall Thankefulnesse better then legall sacrifice page 169 See Dead Life The Crown given at the end of life page 257 See comprehensive Lifting see eyes hands mind Religion Linked Graces linked together page 358 Lips Praise called the calves of the lips why page 161 167 What lips God will bee praised with page 163 Lips put for the whole man page 165 Long. Comfort against sufferings if they be long page 233 Lord. Thankefulnesse due to God as our Lord page 148 Lovâ— Why the Crown is promised to love page 269 All graces in lâ—ve page 271 Every one that loves God shall be crowned page 275 Meanes to get love to God page 276 Meditation of Gods lovelinesse begets love to God page 277 To blame our selves for want of love page 278 The greatest testimonie of love to God page 310 See commands prayer suffering word M. Man The word man how taken in Scripture page 189 Woman included under the name of man page 192 Man tempts man how page 247 Two men in a Christian page 340 See Incarnation Many Comfort against sufferings if they be many page 233 Master Obedience due to all kind of Masters page 394 Servants learn evill of their Masters page 397 Difference between earthly and our heavenly Master page 407 How to know whether God be our Master page 413 The duty of a good Master page 430 Christ why called the Master page 442 Christ the great Master page 448 Meanes God not tyed to meanes page 421 Measure True love keeps no measure page 275 Meditation Preparation to meditation necessary page 324 Meditation what page 325 Meditation scarce in the world page ibid. Meditation improves every grace page 327 Mentall Vocall prayer a help to mental page 53 Merit Merits of Saints not to be trusted page 108 No satisfaction by merit page 119 Mercie Antiquity of Gods mercie page 113 Mercie a motive to beg mercie page 116 The end of all waiting is for mercie page 418 See alliance attribute duration waiting Metaphor Metaphor what page 155 Duties in Scripture delivered under metaphors page 156 Mind Eye of the mind to look up to God page 386 Ministers Ministers to watch their people in their failings page 34 Ministers to condiscend to peoples weakness page 35 See Declare Mysteries Good Angels studie Gospel-mysteries page 496 506 See Angels Mixed We have need of tryals because we are mixed page 252 Monosyllable Masters servants how as monosyllables to each other page 394 Morall Difference between Christian and morall vertues page 359 Motion Motion of two sorts page 334 The life of Christianity in motion page 335 Perseverance the continuance of a Christians motion page 337 Difference between corporall and spirituall motion page 346 The continuation of a Christians motion page 354 See standing excellent vitall Mournfull Mournfull words to be used in confession of sin page 45 Mountains Why the lightning strikes the mountains page 472 N. Name Every true Christian hath his name in the promise page 274 A new name given to Believers page 437 The names of diverse Pen-men of Scripture concealed page 440 Preachers not to come in their own name page 474 Nature To turn to God by the bond of nature page 23 Art perfects nature page 61 Necessity Bond of necessity to turn to God page 23 O. Obedience Bond of obedience to turn to God page 23 Obedience singles not out commands page 313 Lifting up the eyes a testimony of obedience page 389 The period of a Christians obedience page 419 Christ the pattern of obedience page 460 The assent of an obedient heart page 476 See condition Object Faith singles not out it 's object page 313 Omniscience Christs omniscience shewed page 437 Others God tries us that others may know what is in us page 250 Over Mercie over Gods works page 112 Outward God must have praise from the outward man page 164 Comfort when God takes away outward things page 452 Owne Servants not their own page 396 P Pardon Impenitency never meetes with pardon page 18 Errour of those that will not pray for pardon page 68 Arguments against such as deny to pray for pardon page 71 Pardon to be begged with all blessings page 72 How the Devill hinders prayer for pardon page 73 Severall expressions of the pardon of sins page 104 God the only author of pardon page 107 Goodnesse of God in the pardon of sinne page 111 To beg more grace after pardon page 131 Pardon to be prayed for before removall of judgments page 139 Thankefulnesse especially due for pardon page 147 See confession eyes Passe-over The Christians Passeover page 431 All invited to the new Passeover page 438 Why Christ did â—at the Passover page 459 See Abrogate Pastor The duty of a Pastor to his Flocke page 431 Patience Patience to be laboured for page 213 Praise of Patience page 214 Promises the support of patience page 266 People The duty of people to their Pastor page 430 Perfect perfection Vocall prayer makes prayer perfect page 54 Christians to grow to perfection page 369 Perfection when to be sought page 374 See Soule Perseverance Perseverance carries on a christian still page 335 Excellency of perseverance page 336 No grace carries to heaven without preseverance page 337 See heaven sublime Physick Repentance as Physick page 25 Suffering as physick page 256 Piety Advances of piety severall wayes set forth page 338 Pitch The pitch that is set to a christians growth page 369 Place Duty of those eminent in place page 434 Pleasant Sin why pleasant to men page 106 Plenty Christs plenty page 451 Poore Poverty Poverty of Chsist set forth page 448 Worldly men imitate not Christ in his poverty page 449 Comfort for those that are poore page 450 Christ begs in the poore page 478 Popery A new kind of Popery page 70 Portion To make Gods word our portion page 295 The most possible way to remove judgements page 14 Pardon over Gods works of power page 112 Proofe of Christs diuine power page 469 Practice Practice required of Christians page 359 Knowledge without practice nothing page 360 Prayer