he hath an implicite liking to the sin If inclining to pride in apparel wear plain cloaths if to vain-glory speak not any thing that may redound to your praise if to lying tell no doubtfull stories if to whispering speak sparingly of other mens actions especially of your Enemies 10 When we are affraid of sinning in secret Lev. 19.14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blinde but shalt fear the Lord thy God The deaf man could not hear the curse the blinde man cannot see the block thou layest Oh! but God sees and his fear must keep thee and me from secret iniquities See Job 31.22 23 26 27 29 30. 11 A reverend carriage both outward and inward in the worship of God Psalm 5.7 In thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple Eccles 5.2 God is in Heaven and thou on Earth therefore let thy words be few and as in prayer so in hearing Eccles 5.1 Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God Gods fear in Cornelius made him reverend in hearing Peter Acts 10.2 compared with v. 33. We are all here present before God to hear all things commanded us from God Jacob saith Gen. 28.16 17. The Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it how dreadfull is this place Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him as if he should say The fear of the Lord is the best spur to holy service Heb. 12.27 28. Psalm 5.7 3 Exhortation to labour after Gods fear Where wicked men are most fearless Saints are most fearfull to wit in sin and where Saints are most fearless as in calamitous times wicked men are most fearfull Most men are like little children that fear and cry at things not to be feared as at Bull-beggars c. but do not fear things that are to be feared to wit Water Fire Knives c. so most men fear those things which are shadows of grief as Poverty Disgrace but do not fear that which will bring astonishment and endless misery if not repented of Means to Gods fear 1 God must put it into our hearts Jer. 32.40 and man must teach it Psalm 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. We are ready to scatter our fear as well as other affections where it ought not to be as on great persons Prov. 29.25 on worldly troubles hence it's Gods work to place our fear on a right object hence David prays Psalm 86.10 Unite my heart to fear thy Name 2 Apprehend Gods love to thy soul and thou wilt be affraid to offend him Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Psal 130.3 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call upon the Father that is look upon him as your Father see that you spend the time of your sojourning here in fear 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Touch not the unclean thing and I will be a Father unto you 3 Be perswaded of Gods Omniscience and Omnipresence We would fear to do evil if the eye of a man were upon us much more when Gods eye beholds us Psalm 44.17 18. Though God smote his people into the place of Dragons and covered them with the shadow of death yet they apprehending and believing God to search into the secrets of the heart they durst not lift up their hands to a strange God v. 20 21. What made Job fear to sin See cap. 31.4 Doth not he see all my ways and count all my steps 4 Look upon and believe the greatness of his power Isai 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance All Nations compared with him are as a drop of a Bucket compared with the Ocean or as the small dust in a ballance compared with the greatest weights put therein all Nations are before him as nothing v. 11 17. Hence the Lord saith Jer. 5.22 Fear ye not me will ye not tremble at my presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea c. Psalm 76. v. 5. to v. 10. Thou even thou art to be feared thou didst cause judgment to be heard from Heaven the earth feared and was still Especially behold Gods power in casting the soul into Hell Job 41.10 Leviathan or the Whale is set down to be a terrible creature Job saith Shall not even one be cast down at the sight of him v. 9. also v. 10. None is so fierce that dares stir him up who then can stand before me If thou art notable to stand against one of Gods creatures in thy sins how wilt thou be able to stand before God himself Besides all other he hath one power to convey an invisible Horrour into thy Conscience to make thee a terrour to thy self and others Jer. 20.4 See it in Judas Matth. 27.4 5. if thou wilt venture to go on in sin 5 Believe Gods threatnings against sin Who would venture upon such a sin did he believe the threatnings against it Heb. 11.7 Noah by faith being moved with fear to wit of Gods drowning the World prepared an Ark c. Eve contrarily mincing the threatning Gen. 3.3 when God had said In the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely dy Gen. 2.16 17. she changed it thus God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dy The threatning being thus lessened she was drawn away to ruine her self and posterity There are terrible threats against sinners See Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Psalm 11.6 Col. 3.6 1 Thes 4.6 2 Thes 1.8 9. 1 Pet. 4.17 These and many more unless they be believed they will not preserve us from sin Quest But seeing there is a filial and son-like fear and a servile or slavish fear of God how shall we know what our fear is Answ 1 Slavish fear drives from God Gen. 3.8 Adam and Eve when they heard the voice of the Lord hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. The reason is rendered v. 10. because they were affraid Is 33.14 The sinners in Sion are affraid they look upon God as devouring fire and as everlasting burnings So the Devils believe and tremble James 2.19 Contrarily filial fear brings us nearer to God Psalm 86.11 2 Slavish fear leaves the nature filthy as in the Devils James 2.19 and wicked men Heb. 2.15 through fear of death they are all their life subject to bondage Contrarily filial fear cleanseth Psalm 19.4 The fear of the Lord is clean 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Holy persons serve without slavish fear in holiness and righteousness all their life Luke 1.74 75. 3 Slavish fear hath torment of heart 1 John 4.17
humours do on our stomachs it cloys us and makes us loath all spiritual food 6 Converse with them that are spiritual that have tasted heavenly things when we see them contemplate Christ and his benefits the soul reasons there 's some excellent thing in Christ and his benefits and in an holy life that takes up these mens mindes 7 We know not how soon these Dainties may be taken from us let us as those at a Feast who having neglected eating at the latter end fall to afresh While the Jubilee is take out a pardon while the Physician is present get out a Medicine imitate Joseph to lay up against a Famine no man ever repented the pains he hath taken for his soul but many have lamented their neglects 8 Exercise gets stomach Exercise in prayer in bearing crosses in resisting temptations will sharpen our affections to an holy life 9 In order to hungring and thirst get a tast of the sweetness of an holy life 1 Peter 2.2 He that hath tasted any sweet thing the more he hath tasted it the more he will desire it as in learning sweet meats c. Love the best life and custome will make it sweet to you 10 Rellish holiness Where there 's a rellish of any good thing we will the more desire it If we rellish spiritual things we will hunger and thirst after them Rom 8.5 They that are after the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit 11 Consider the durableness of this Food Other meat when it is eaten the sweetness is presently gone but holiness and Christ is a Food that endures to everlasting life John 6.27 All food else is perishing even the knowledg of natural and civil things yea the speculative knowledg of divine things the truths of God are the food of the soul but unless the goodness of truths be the food of the will and affections they are but perishing food In religious discourses all ornaments besides that which quickens and strengthens is but perishing food V. 7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy Two things 1 A Proposition Mercifull men are blessed 2 The Reason For they shall obtain mercy Obs Mercifull men are blessed Reas 1 Such shall finde mercy with God 2 Tim 1.16 The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me the Lord grant unto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day v. 18 Come ye blessed of my Father for I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink Matth 25.34 2 From the rules of contrary Merciless men are cursed why they finde no mercy with God The glutton would not give so much as the crums to poor Lazarus Luke 16.21 hence he could not get a drop of water to cool his tongue being in torments James 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Now as merciless men are cursed so mercifull men are blessed 3 All the good things that have been done for God are promised not onely to be acknowledged Philemon 6 Every good thing in you shall be acknowledged but also promised to be rewarded Heb 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister Prov 11.17 The mercifull man doth good to his own soul For application let it inform us of our duties The very Heathens praised it much more the Scriptures see the compassionate Samaritan Luke 10.30 ad 38 there 's a story of a man that fell among thieves for I do not think it to be a parable but a story the Levite and Priest past by pretending it 's like either the haste of their journey or the danger of their stay lest they should be robbed but the Samaritan he takes care of him 2 Exhortation to mercifulness 1 This is the way to lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon that is of your earthly goods so called because mostly found among unrighteous persons and most accounted by them and therefore it appears they are not the true good that when you fail of your Mammon or Wealth they may receive you into everlasting Tabernacles For so the word signifies 2 Cor 5.1 that is either the Angels may receive you or that the poor whom you have helped through their daily prayers for you may be instrumental for your admission into Heaven Luke 12.33 Sell that you have and give alms Some pretend they have no money but you have money-worth mercy is such a piece of service that you must sell corn and cattle in order thereto yea the necessity of Saints may be so great that lands and all must go Acts 4.37 What is the issue you will hereby provide bags that wax not old a treasure in the Heaven that faileth not 1 Ti 6.18 Be ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against time to come As if he should say The foundation of earthly things is a sandy and uncertain foundation and therefore build not upon it but lay up works of mercy in the bellies and backs of the poor these works of mercy are compared to a foundation because as from an hidden foundation the house riseth to a great height so from these good works the degrees of a glorious life ariseth Prov 11.17 2 Such mercifull men shall finde mercy with God where the Lord meets with a common objection most men are ungratefull and ready to lift up the heel against their benefactors however such shall finde mercy with God Eccles 11.1 Cast thy Bread upon the Waters and thou shalt receive it after many days also with men they shall finde mercy God bowing their hearts to favour mercifull men Psalm 112.4 to v. 10. 3 Mercy is one of the principal things which God requires hence it 's put before Sacrifice Matth 9.13 so that Sacrifice may be dispensed with that Mercy may take place hence it 's called one of the great points of the Law Luke 11.42 4 By mercifulness to others we become like to God Luke 6.36 If we do not resemble him in this but will be cruel and harsh we may look that God will so carry himself to us Psalm 18.25 Mat 18.32 33 he that was cruel for an hundred Pence himself being forgiven ten thousand Talents was cast into Prison till he paid what was due v. 34 35 James 5 11 The Lord is pitifull and of tender mercy 5 There is no love of God in us if there be no mercy 1 John 3.17 He that shuts up Bowels of Compassion how dwells the love of God in that Man 1 John 4.20 The Apostle with love to God joyns love and mercy to men He that loves not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 6 It 's the note of God's elect
are accompanied with holy affections and renewed desires of the same thing formerly in the same prayer requested Psalm 80.3 Cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved this saying is thrice mentioned as v. 3. v. 7. and v. 19. So Psalm 67.3 5. this saying is twice mentioned Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 5 When used to stir up our dulness Psalm 107.8 15.21.31 Four times the Prophet saith O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and declare his wonderfull works to the children of men Psalm 47.6 Sing praises unto our God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises There is twenty six times mention made of the Lords mercy enduring for ever Psalm 136.1 to the end 6 Sometimes the heart of a childe of God exceedingly runs upon some one desire and so he may vent it more than once in prayer without vain repetition So David Psalm 119. more than once Repetitions in prayer become sinfull 1 When affected as strains of eloquence and Rhetorick as he that cried Hyperbolical God thou that dwellest in the third Heaven of Hyperbolees 2 When empty frothy and impertinent wherein is no spiritual life or heat so those worshippers cryed from morning to noon O Baal hear us 1 Kin. 18.26 Not onely those that are directed to Idols but those directed to Saints as those in the Papacy Holy Paul pray for us holy Peter pray for us mentioning thirty or forty Saints in this manner yea even repetitions of this kind directed to God as in the common prayer book Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us so in the Letany Good Lord deliver us is eight times mentioned and one and twenty times there is mentioned We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. 3 When men from want of holy notions of the word in their hearts through which the Spirit would convey it self are forced to use the same repetitions these in some measure disparage the spirit of praier and had need be humbled for their seldom reading of the word and meditation thereof from whence comes this strangeness and forcedness of repetitions 4 When men have an itch to pray as long as others that because an other hath praid an hour perhaps from a true enlargment they will pray as large as he hence some persons use vain repetitions when the spirit ceases from assistance and indisposition prevails it s our wisdom and humility to give out For they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ sets forth a ground why the heathens used vain repetitions because they thought they should be heard for their much speaking by gentiles he means the heathen or nations whereas the jews were called by the name of people and so they are contradistinguished twice Act. 26.17 23. These prophane nations thought that because they wearied themselves with the irksomness of a long prayer that therefore God would hear them because they would say many things they must needs say what is already spoken but when in prayer there is nothing spoken but that which is needful such an one ought not to be accounted a much speaker Quest Whether or no are long prayers and much speaking unlawful Answ 1 Long prayer may be upon extraordinary cases Moses continued a whole day in prayer Ex. 17.11 12. and Christ a whole night Luk. 6.12 nor are carnal men fit judges in this case who snuff at any small time spent in Gods service Mal. 1 13. crying When will the Sabbath be gone Amos 8.5 nor is the unregenerate part of Godly men a fit judge but before I answer hereto I must premise some things 1 The heart is not easily or suddenly gotten upon the wing yet in that doth the life of prayer consist it is a lifting up of the heart Psal 25.1 Many weights of dulness hardness heartlesness strangeness unbelief from whence arises dumbness discouragement and listlesness are upon the heart which are not easily removed now motion is a cause of heat hence to bring the soul to sensibleness there may be the longer essaying 2 If prayer have its due growth in the several parts of it conâ—ession petition intercession and thanksgiving it cannot be very short 〈◊〉 Oâ— manifold wants to be supplied and benefits to be acknowledged import that our prayer usually cannot be very short But to answer 1 We are to abominate all long prayer which is performed for any carnal end or pretence whether to get an opinion to be men of parts or to seem religious and get applause or because others so pray The wicked scribes for pretence made long prayers Mat. 23.14 2 See that your length of prayer arise from a true enlargment of heart and from a gracious quickned frame which if it be your petitions will be free and not forced Powre out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 that is thy petitions will come freely as water powred out thy lips will drop as the hony-comb which needs no squeezing Song 4.11 they will be also pat and seasonable according to occasion wherein the heart oft will be put into an holy melting frame After this manner Christ prayed Heb. 5.7 and such a frame of spirit is promised Zach. 12.10 these enlargements the people of God have more often in closet prayer then elsewhere because they can there more freely rip up their hearts and can most insist upon those petitions that will make the soul bleed and yern 3 In long prayers see that your hearts be able to hold out as well as your tongues Our worship must be with our spirit Joh. 4.23 Rom. 1.9 Paul served God with his spirit a short prayer made with servency and devotion prevails with God Jam. 5.16 more then long prayers which are but lip labour Esa 29.13 4 Gods people have upon extraordinary occasions usually used long prayer as Solomon at the consecration of the temple 1 King 8. so when under agonies and great troubles Psal 102.1 the overwhelmed soul powres out his complaint it comes like a flood so when the spirit comes to visit the soul with enlargement the soul in this case is wont to pray long and loth to let the Lord go Gen. 32.26 when we have the breathings of the spirit upon our hearts it s not our wisdom to give out Longa hora brevis mora Bern. God's long a coming and his tarryings are not long Shall we be watchful for winde and tyde and shall we not take the gales of the spirit moreover afflictions are wont to awake the soul hence the soul being awakened prayes with more earnestness and length Jacob when he feared death and destruction from Esau he cryed to God all night long Gen. 32. when the Church is in hazard of ruine also so Hester and the Church Act. 12.5 5 In long prayer we must have respect to them that joyn with us as to our selves when the mouth of
sometimes have enlargement of words in Prayer but never of holy affections as the face of God was hid from Cain Gen. 4.14 so from all carnal men As Haman's great misery was that he was covered from beholding the Kings face Esther 7.8 so it is with these 2 The godly mourn under their straitnings Isai 63.17 Why hast thou hardened our hearts Psalm 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord how long wilt thou hide thy face from me but wicked men are not sensible of their straitnings because they never had any holy enlargements 3 The godly are wont to rejoyce in the removing of their straitnings as a man that was a close Prisoner is glad when he gets his liberty Psalm 6.8 Carnal men never have them removed therefore they can never rejoyce therein Use For application 1 Be exhorted to pray 2 To pray in a right manner Motives to Prayer 1 The readiness in God to hear our Prayers Psal 65.2 and his readiness to help our wants Psalm 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee 2 The manifold relations Christ stands related to us he is our Advocate 1 John 2.1 He is the great Favourite of Heaven if we had a Brother so near related in a Princes Court we should be emboldened to present our Petitions to that Prince why Christ is our Brother and he appears at the right hand of God for us 3 The former speedings that our selves and others have had with the Lord as Jehosaphat Hezekiah c. 4 Our own wants A Beggar 's necessity makes him full of expressions Psalm 28.1.143.7 Luke 15.17 18.18.13 5 Our hope of speeding Where a Beggar hopes to speed he begs earnestly but if the Beggar be perswaded that he shall get nothing this blunts his begging and makes him give over his sute so will it do with the soul when it prays without hope as we see in Judas Matth. 27.5 Judas had no heart to pray for mercy because he thought it impossible to get it There 's a twofold Despair 1 Of extremity as a Souldier when he sees nothing but kill or be kill'd this makes him fight eagerly so when the soul sees its extremity that it is in the deeps Psalm 130.1 Out of the deeps have I cried that it must either get grace or be damned for ever this makes a man pray eagerly 2 There 's a Despair of Infidelity when a man becomes heartless in Prayer and thinks it 's all to no purpose this takes away endeavours this is a secret soul-murderer These discouragements are hideous cases in Prayer and a man may perish and go to Hell that hath them yet they are signs that a man doth look towards God a little else he could not know what they mean Nourish then your hope in Prayer Psalm 42.11 Let thy mercy be upon us according as we hope in thee Psalm â—3 22 onely know that sometimes gracious hearts may in temptation cry their strength and hope is perished from the Lord and yet after finde grounds for their hope as we see the Church did Lam. 3.18 compared with v. 21. 6 Prayer sets God awork for us and God sets all the Creatures awork I will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine and they shall hear Jezreel Hosea 2.21 Many when in trouble set their Friends to work and their wealth to work but few set Prayer on work Hezekiah gave to the King of Assyria three hundred Talents of Silver and thirty Talents of Gold to depart from the City of Jerusalem 2 Kings 18.14 yet did it not help him for in a short time he came and besieged it again but when he sought to God by Prayer God did utterly remove him 7 In the Ordinance of Prayer God is wont to meet his people both to the turning away of judgements and to the obtaining mercies To the turning away judgements Psal 106.23 Had not Moses stood in the breach to turn away his wrath he had destroyed Israel compared with Exod. 32.10 11. Ezek. 22.30 in Ezekiels time God sought for a man to stand in the gap and to make up the breach but found none therefore Gods wrath was powred on them So to the bestowing of mercies Jer. 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things Philimoâ— 22. I trust through your prayers I shall be given to you Matth. 7.7 8. Psal 4.4 I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears also v. 6. in prayer God gives the spirit Luk. 11.13 8 In prayer we have intercourse and communion with God If it be a priviledge to have communion with Princes what is it then to have communion with God Psal 73.28 9 The desperate cases wherein persons have been heard the Jews delivered from Hamans cruelty Peter brought out of prison Acts 12.5 Daniel brought out of the Lions den Jonah out of the Whales belly David when the pestilence raged very hot 2 Sam. 24.10 Jehosaphat when in great straits 2 Chron. 20.12 compared with v. 15 17. 10 The delight God takes in his peoples prayers Prov. 15.8 The prayer of the upright is his delight As Princes have their delights so God Song 2.14 he loves the voice of his own spirit in the hearts of Saints 11 We are worthy to miss good things if we will not ask them Spare to speak spare to speed When God bids us ask and have how unworthy are we if we will not ask 12 The dangers we expose our selvs to when we do not ask Such prayerless persons are fit objects for the vengeance of God Jer. 10.25 Powr out thy wrath upon the Nations that have not called upon thy Name Ezek. 23.30 There died 14000. of the Plague Numb 16 49. but had not Moses and Aaron stood betwixt the dead and living to intercede the whole Congregation had been consumed in a moment v. 45 46 47 48 49. 13 In the exercise of prayer our graces are exercised to send out a sweet smell in the nostrils of God our faith in eying Christ our love and desires in breathing after him our repentance in bewailing sin our thankfulness in acknowledging benefits our expectation in waiting for answers As sweet perfumes when rubb'd send out a fragrant smell then the spirit blowes upon the soul that the spices thereof may flow out Song 4.11 to the end especially v. 16. these graces are compared to the smell of sweet flowers in a garden and to the smell of perfumed garments and to the smell of oyl of Spikâ—nard Calamus Cynamon Frankincense trees Myrrhe and Aloes and all chief spices 14 Prayer is the way to be enabled to all other duties and to become successful in them Eleazar having first prayed prospered in getting a wife for his masters son 15 Prayer is the abridgement of divinity therefore to call fervently on the name of the Lord is to be a godly
that they put on Bowels of Mercies Col 3.12 where see they put on 1 Mercies having respect to the several kindes as giving Heb 13.16 where Distribution is called by the name of a Sacrifice Charity is compared to a beautifull upper Garment Col 3.14 2 Mercy in forgiving Mat 18.35 Matth 6 14 15 3 These Mercies flow from Bowels 1 John 3.17 Such Bowels had Christ Matth 9.37 when he saw them as Sheep without a Shepherd his Bowels earned towards them So that mercy is an holy compassion of heart whereby a man is moved to help another in his misery 7 Merciless men are curied with God by the rule of contraries It s an argument that men without pity have never obtained mercy Such are they that rejoyce at the miseries of Gods people Ezek. 25.3 4 5 6. and such as grinde the faces of the poor for to maintain bravery and vanity This merciless cruelty is condemned Deut. 15.7 8. Thou shalt not harden thy heart from thy poor brother but shalt lend unto him Such merciless persons may seek for mercy themselves but they shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 Amos 1.11 8 By mercy we are made Gods Almoners to disperse his goodness among men Psalm 112.9 it 's more then to be Almoners to Princes Rules in shewing Mercy 1 Do not onely draw out your hand or your purse but your soul Esai 58.10 2 What mercy you shew do it from a cheerfull heart not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 3 Take notice of their misery either from your own sight thereof or from the beholding of others Job 30.25 Did not I weep for him that was in misery and was not my soul grieved for the poor Prov. 24.11 12. Many say they knew not that such a man was in affliction and that such a man was delivered to death well but God searches the heart and knowes that thou knewest it 4 Show all sorts of mercies soul-mercies in teaching the ignorant in comforting the afflicted Esai 50.4 body mercies in feeding the hungry visiting the sick helping the fatherless and widows Jam. 1.27 to deal thy bread to the hungry Esai 58.6 that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him c. 5 According to our ability Where God gives more he looks for more He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 Acts 11.19 Disciples sent relief according to their ability Luke 21.4 6 Let mercy be with sincerity Matth. 6.1 2 3. that your right hand may not know what your left hand doth not as the Scribes Matth. 23.5 that did what they did to be seen of men 7 Let mercy be with simpathy 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak who is grieved and I burn not many come to persons in pain and ask how they do but are no more moved then if they were flints Amos 6.6 7. Pharaohs daughter will rise up in judgement against many Exod. 2.6 2 Chron. 36.17 8 Look upon it as a singular mercy that God hath made others objects of your mercy and not you objects of others mercy Acts 20.35 It 's more blessed to give then to receive 9 Look often on the commands of God herein 1 Peter 3.8 Be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another be pitifull Jude 22. of some have compassion Also examples Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of me in my bonds Mark 5.19 Luke 10.32 V. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Q. What is meant by purity of heart A. Some think sincerity as Matth. 6.1 opposed to hypocrisie for many are like apples that look well but are rotten at the heart 2 Purity taken legally no man hath it Prov. 20.6 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am clean from my iniquity There is no man righteous on earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.21 2 Purity of heart is taken Evangelically To be pure is to be full of it self and not to have any other thing mingled with it so purity of heart is that which doth not admit any sin to mingle with the frame and purpose of the heart but the heart still casts it out of it self it resists and rejects it As a thing is said to be pure though it may have some dross cleaving to it as it 's pure gold when it s digged out of the Mineral though there be much dross in it and we say it 's pure ayr though for a time there be many fogs and mists within it and it 's pure water though there may be some mud at the bottome a man may be said to have a pure heart though there be a cleaving of much dross to it Holy men have a fountain of original corruption in them and from this fountain sins arise continually as the scum in the pot but as in wine or honey or water though the scum arise yet still it purifieth it self and casts it out contrarily in men of impure hearts the scum ariseth but it seeths in Ezek. 24 12. She wearied her self with lies c. and her great scum went not out of her q. d. Holy men have their scum arising in their hearts as well as wicked but here is the difference wicked mens scum seeths in and mingles together but men of pure heart have a cleansing and purifying disposition that casts out what ever evil comes though it be continually rising though he be many times mired he still washeth himself again he cannot endure it he doth not as the swine delight in it Matth. 15. That which comes from within defiles the man the meaning is when sin ariseth in a man from day to day if he cherish sin and entertain it and suffer it to dwell and abide in his heart quietly without disturbance if he suffer it as it were to be sodden in now they defile the heart but if sins arise in the heart and he continually resist them and casts them forth and purifieth himself from them such a man is not defiled with them nor is his his mind defiled nor conscience defiled but notwithstanding this boiling out of evil he is a man of a pure heart yet may sin cleave to a man as dross doth to the silver but it mingles not with the regenerate part nor that mingles not with it no more then oyl and water do which though they touch they do not mingle together Reas Now these pure in heart are blessed because they are holy persons in Gods account that is they are persons in whom holiness hath predominance Psal 15.2 Who shall sojourn in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill The Prophet answers He who hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. Heb. 12.14 Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Holy persons are freed from the power of the second death 2
man no such duty and therefore owing him nothing I may take something of him 4 From gratitude we ought to be thankfull where we receive now where 's thankfulness if you pay back onely the principal 5 From Charity which teaches every man to have a care of his own 1 Tim. 5.8 Now if rich men have my money and grow richer by it and I have nothing from it where is my care Onely if thou hast store of money beware that thou dost not so lend out thy money to rich men for profit that thou hast not to supply the poor where duty calls for it Lev. 25.35 36 37. If thy Brother be waxen poor thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury Quest But what is usury Answ The taking of any thing from a poor Brother for the duty of lending or from a person to whom we are bound to lend freely To these we are to lend freely because they borrow for the sustentation of the life of them and theirs whereas rich men borrow to get gain thereby hence rich Christians ought to lend freely to the poor even though sometimes the principal may be in hazzard See for this more in my Treatise of Repentance and Restitution V. 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy V. 44. But I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Christ reproves another depravation of the Pharisees which had three Branches 1 that they expounded Neighbour to be onely Friend or Kinsman whereas the Lord means all men who have a common nature with us Luke 10.32 2 That they left out of the Text these words thy self Levit. 19.18 The Command was Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self 3 That their Enemies were to be hated whereas the contrary appears Prov. 25.21 If thine Enemy hunger feed him Exod. 23.4.5 If the Ox or Ass of an Enemy were wandring they were to bring him home Now the Scribes gathered 1 That as the Jews lived in opposition to the foreign Enemies Moabites and Ammonites and Amalekites they might also hate their private and personal Enemies 2 That the Scribes drew this principle of hatred of Enemies from the Rule of Contraries which was we must love our Friends therefore we must hate our Enemies now a right Consequent will not follow from Contraries unless they be equal From all this Christ clears the Law But I say unto you Love your Enemies Christ sets down 1 The Command 1 Generally Love your Enemies 2 Particularly in three Branches 1 Bless them that curse you 2 Do good to them that hate you 3 Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you 2 The Reasons of it 1 That you may be like God as children to their father v. 45. 2 From the Lords own Example who makes his Sun to shine and Rain to fall on the just and on the unjust 3 From the difference betwixt Publicans or civil men or sinners and betwixt Christians Sinners love those that love them and salute those that salute them but Christians must love them that do not love them and salute those that do not resalute them or do it very slightingly But before I come to handle the point concerning Love to Enemies I dare not condemn Tertullian and others who hold Christ his Command to be a supplement to Moses Law while he saith The old Law teacheth us love to Neighbours the new Law to love Strangers Also Tertullian further So long as the Sacrament was among Israel he worthily did command mercy to brethren alone but when he gave the ends of the earth for an inheritance and possession to Christ and the Nation began to be blotted out as it was spoken by Hosea They that were not my people are my people and she that had not obtained mercy hath obtained mercy From thence Christ extends the Law of fatherly goodness to all excluding no man in mercy more than in vocation Many think saith Grotius from these words Thou shalt hate thine Enemy that they have a firm Argument to prove that all things which Christ saith were said of old or by the Ancients are not to be referred to the Law of Moses but to the Interpretations of the Expounders of the Law but he thinks respect is had to Moses words The Jews were commanded to do some common benefits to their Enemies Exod. 23.4 But if we look Deut. 22.1 2 3 4. The Enemy here mentioned was one of their Brethren he who in Exodus is called an Enemy in Deuteronomy is called a Brother Besides these there were other Enemies they were commanded to shew no mercy unto as the Hittites Gargashites Amorites c. Deut. 7.1 2. Deut. 5.19 Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven thou shalt not forget it Yet were conditions of peace to be offered to them that if they would they might redeem their destruction with servitude but if they refused the offered conditions they were to be kild without mercy Now there being no cause in Christs time that the Jews should alledge or pretend for their hatred of other nations the Laws which they had against the seven nations those exceptions being taken away which God for certain causes had prescribed unto them the Law of nature remained whole that every man is to love one another I must confess I do much incline to this in regard there were so many prayers in the Old Testament against enemies So that the meaning then is the precept of Moses concerning the kinde dealing of the Jews with other men extended not universally to all but particularly to their countrymen or fellow Jews called the sons of thy people see Deut. 22.1 to others who were aliens and also enemies they were not bound to be kinde but against some that is the seven nations they were commanded to proceed hostilely but I say unto you let your kindness be extended to your enemies Why both these interpretations may not be embraced I see no reason That there were falsifications by the Interpreters of the Law is without doubt in that they so limited neighbour to a son of Abraham and left out part of the command belonging to love And also the latter from those two places Exod. 22.4 compared with Deut. 22.1 Deut. 7.2 And it is also safe to interpret Scripture in the most extended sense Though this scruple of this side remains that the Canaanites were commanded to be kill'd but not to be hated as a Judge commands a guilty person to be slain yet doth not hate him The words being thus expounded we will consider the words generally and gather Obs It 's the duty of Christians to love their enemies 1 From Christs example Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son For all the Samaritans would not give him harbour
of God Esa 38.5 A holy heart directs his prayer to God as an archer doth his arrow to the mark Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee 2 A Diligent use of all means for prayer is onely one part of the means 3 It must not proceed from feigned lips Psal 17.1 Give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips Burning lips and a wicked heart pretending many glorious expressions in word when there 's no sutableness of spirit thereto such are like potsheards covered over with silver dross Prov. 26.23 we must not onely draw nigh with our lips but also with our hearts Esa 29 13. 4 Avoiding all affected gestures and expressions for prayer properly doth not consist of Rhetorical expressions nor of their studied or invented conceptions but of the powring forth of the sigh or groan in the heart God doth not like affected complements but abhors it as in all other ordinances so especially in prayer God seeks such worshippers as worship him in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. 5 A heart bent against all sin Psal 66.18 such persons are upright and therefore usually their prayers upright and such as God delights in Prov. 15.8 the prayer of the upright is his delight 6 When we speak the present temper frame and disposition of our hearts the confessions to be of present sensible wants the petitions to be of things that the soul in the frame of it earnestly longs after to be full of expressions from brain and memory prompting the mouth may gain an opinion among men but hath little audience in the court of heaven We had better discover to a whole Church that distemper that is upon us by dumbness barrenness sencelesness and hartlesness then seem something to men and nothing to God by artificial expressions in prayer Hence prayer is never called by the name of expression but it s called by the name of breathing Hold not thy peace at my breathing Sam. 3 56. by the name of sighs and groans Rom. 8.26 and by the name of desire Psal 10.17 God is not a hearer of the voice but of the heart Cypr. de orat 7 If thy prayer be sincere thou wilt find it by thy closet prayers A neglect of secret prayer or a careless drowsie performance of it and that usually argues a spirit of slumber out of which if the soul be not awakened it may in time be cast into a deep sleep These are like some maried persons who before people have a great deal of love but in secret are full of discontents Let us have the same apprehension of Gods eye in secret that we have before a multitude and as much bewail thy dead heartedness there as that which thou findes before a multitude Ver. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber That is any secret place both to shun vain glory and to gather thy affections to God Some have gathered a mystical sence by closet understanding the heart by shutting the door the shutting out of vain thoughts onely to think of God but the literal 1 Is here meant yet when he saith enter into thy closet he bids us not avoid the society of men when we pray but Christ speaks comparatively rather to enter into a closet to pray then to desire multitudes of men to look on us 2 Christ here commends unto us closet prayer hence saith when thou prayes as speaking of a duty which lies upon every believer though not precisely pointing out the number of times hence the wives are to mourn apart from their husbands Zach. 12 13. and the husbands from their wives 1 Cor. 7.5 Yea servants apart as Eleazar Abrahams servant did Gen. 24.12 Reasons for secret prayer 1 Examples of holy persons Hanna 1 Sam. 1.13 Cornelius Act. 10.4 Peter prayed upon the house top Act. 10.9 Abraham Gen. 18.22 to ver 3â— expostulating all that while in behalf of Sodom Isaac Gen. 24.63 and Christ often Luk. 6.12 13. and that penitent Lam. 3.28 and David Psal 55.18 and Daniel ch 6.10 2 There are particular necessities which concern particular souls as David when he sought God for the life of the child Paul for removing the thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.9 There are secret occasions for obtaining personal mercies and turning away personal judgements 3 That we may more freely unbosom our selves to God to powre out our sighs and groans to him Ps 142.2 David when he was alone in the cave powred out his complaint before God and shewed before him his trouble Psal 42.4.102.2 Job 16.20 when alone his eyes powred out tears to God 4 That we may be free from outward entanglements hence Christ oft prayed in private for this end 5 That we may enjoy more of communion with God The soul usually enjoyes most of God in secret God is wont to speak comfortably to the soul in the wilderness Hos 2 14 Jacob Gen. 32.23 wrastled with God and prevailed in these prayers God oft speaks peace to his people Psal 85.8 in this the Lord came into Hannas soul 1 Sam. 1.15.18 to Hezekiah Esa 38.5 I will lead you with weeping and supplications Jer. 31.9 Pretend not this will hinder thy occasions for David Job Cornelius prospered much in their affairs nor that thou art a servant for what servant but may find some corner to pray in as thou art the servant of men so art thou the servant of God again though thou art a servant yet dost thou own God for thy father and therefore must pray unto him in secret and must not forbear though forbid by thy master no more then Daniel did when forbid by the King Pretend not want of conveniency of place for we may find many odde corners fields gardens out-houses if you have places for your horses cows hoggs can you not get some retiring place wherein to meet the Lord For application let it be thy constant practice thus to pray Satan hath many excuses and pretences to hinder this sacrifice he will tell thee this and that occasion that unless thou resolve with a peremptory will thou wilt be kept from it Many prove as unsuccesful for want of private prayer as the disciples were who assayed to cast out a devil without praying before hand for it Mat. 17.21 Motives 1 Christ delights in the Saints secret prayers O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs that is thou that hidest thy self by faith in me that am the rock and by degrees of faith like so many stairs fixest upon me let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice Song 2.14 Jer. 33.3 2 The sweet answers God hath given to closet prayers Esa 38.5 Blessed be God who hath heard the voice of my weeping Psa
6.6 Psal 31.22 Jonah when in the whales belly Jon. 27. 3 The great refuge Saints have herein Manasses when in chains 2 Chron. 33.11 12. thus sought God Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 Esther and her maidens when the Jews were designed to destruction When a child of God is overtaken with some sin or in distress he would not for a world want this Peter Mar. 14.72 when Esau came against Jacob this was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32.9 4 Our own personal wants wherein perhaps not one in the church or family is in our case Onely in secret prayer take heed of hypocrisie that thy voice may not if possible be heard of others nor thy meltings and weepings perceived by others also of customariness come out of sense of thy wants else if thou keep thy hours thou wilt perform prayer either with listlesness or slightness Also take heed of profaneness to put off secret prayer till thou be moved by the Spirit by this delusion some have not prayed alone for some moneths It is a fit season to pray when the Spirit moves but not the onely season Father which is in secret Here 's the object of our Prayer viz. God as a Father Who is a Father 1 By creation hence called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 2 By Regeneration 1 Peter 1.3 Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope which also is called Adoption Gal. 4.6 hence 1 Call upon this Father One of the first things in nature is for a Childe to call Father so it should be the first thing in grace Matth. 7.9 2 Honour this Father Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour and live so that others may honour him Matth. 5.16 3 Imitate your Father as children do their father in love Ephes 5.1 2. In doing good to Enemies Matth 5.44 In holiness 1 Peter 1.14 4 Patiently bear his corrections Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. 5 Sort our selves with Gods children 2 Cor. 6.14 2 Comfort to Christians in sundry respects as 1 That God will bear a tender respect to us in all Troubles as a Father loves his childe as well when sick as well nay he is then more affectionately tender to him the father then sets the whole house a work for his recovery some going for Physicians others for Friends others tending of him so when souls are sick God sets Christians to pray for them Preachers to comfort them Yea suppose thou hast broken some resolutions and been overtaken yet what father would take the Forfeiture of a Bond of his son especially when he forfeits it against his will much less will God who is infinitely more a Father to his Children 2 In desertion A father solacing himself with a childe steps aside into a corner that the childe may dearlier prize the fathers presence so our heavenly Father by restraint of his influence in shining upon us inflames our love towards him 3 In respect of sustentation in trouble A father sets his childe upon its feet to try whether its able to stand alone but withall he holds his arms on both sides to hold it up if it incline either way so doth our heavenly Father 4 In respect of provision The childe takes not care what it shall eat or wear so should Saints cast all their care on their Father 1 Peter 5.7 Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things Matth. 6.32 5 Against total falling away A father will not cast off a fatherly affection to his son how hard it is for a father to cast off a rebellious son we see in David to Absalom 2 Sam. 10.5 Hosea 11.8 Luke 15.18 Much less will God cast off his children who desire to please him Mal. 3.17 I will spare him as a man spareth his own Son 6 In respect of our bold access If it be a privilege to come into a Princes presence-chamber what is it to come into the presence of God A childe comes boldly to his father though strangers and servants keep a distance Heb. 4.16 7 In respect of imperfections A father calls two of his children one of three years old the other of thirteen they both make all the haste they can and though the elder outgo the younger and comes first yet the younger comes wadling as fast as he can the father accepts of the endeavours of the younger as well as of the faster going of the elder so doth our heavenly Father 8. In case of disinheriting because we will not touch this or that unclean thing our parents casts us off well says God in this case I will be your Father and you shall be my sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6.17 3 Exhortation to perform reverence Mal. 1.6 and obedience Jer. 35.16 and confidence Thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly Christ stirs up the faith of his petitioners by a twofold Argument 1 From the omnipresence of God wheresoever we are even in the most secret closet God is there present hearing prayers 2 From the goodness and mercy of God who will not suffer such prayers to be in vain but will grant the things at present wanting and hereafter shall give a Reward openly Onely know it's a Reward of Grace not of Debt for what desert can a Beggar allege V. 7. But when ye pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ comes to shew the third sin of the Pharisees which is vain Repetitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not speak vain things as Montanus translates it or speak not much as Erasmus the word is derived of Battus a Poet who was an egregious Babler As the Heathens thought they should be heard for their much speaking so did these Pharisees As Rhetoricians by their flanting style think to move the Judg to acquit the guilty so did these Yet doth not Christ condemn a frequency and continuance in prayer but he shews the grace of God is not obtained by the vain flowing of many words but the sighs and groans of the heart are the arrows that pierce Heaven Quest Whether are all Repetitions in Prayer vain Answ No. Solomon often uses them 1 Kings 8.30 39 43. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Nehemiah uses Repetitions Nehemiah 1.6 7. and so doth Daniel cap. 9.5 We have sinned we have committediniquity and done wickedly Repetitions are lawfull 1 When they come from pinching necessity so Christ cried My God my God and three times uttered the same words Matth. 26.39 42 44. 2 When they come from holy affections Psalm 72.19 Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Repetitions in prayer are sometimes Ecchoes of strong cries of the Spirit Blessed be his holy Name for evermore Amen and Amen Psalm 89.50 51. So Abba Father Mark 14.36 1 Kings 18.39 The Lord he is God the Lord he is God 3 When they come from love as Holy holy holy Isai 6.3 Rev. 4.8 4 When used though the second time yet they
to this I say lay aside passion and then come 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up holy hands without wrath pray for the party with whom lately thou hast been angry and that is a sign thou comes with a new disposition 8 Take heed of Satans temptations who will be ready to propose businesses then to hinder thee 2 Use furtherances for prayer as 1 when the spirit bespeaks prayer and puts the soul into a frame to long to be alone to vent it self to God when the wind and tide serves its good then to hoyse up sails Psal 27.8 Seek my face thy face will I seek 2 The second furtherance is when the soul is in tribulation Tribulation sets an edge on prayer hence Psal 50.15 we are bid to call on God in the time of trouble no better master to teach a man to pray next to the spirit then necessity In trouble the grace of prayer is much revived Esa 26.17 Lord in trouble they have visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them Look upon Passengers in a storm and arrived at the haven look upon persons in prison and at banquets compare persons on beds of sickness and the same persons in strength of health and abounding with outward comforts in the one estate they are full of contempt of God and security in the other prone to cry earnestly for mercy Hezekiah when Sennacherib came against him very much given to prayer when he was delivered from his enemy ready to be lifted up David in adversity gave himself to prayer Psal 109.4 in prosperity falls to number the people 3 A third furtherance is calmeness of spirit when the spirit is neither in a hurry of passion nor a hurry of business for unfinished business is apt to run in the mind and to disturb at that time the soul having so many bussings in its ear can neither hear it self speaking to God nor hear God speaking to the soul 4 In Gods approaching to our soul Lam. 3.57 Thou drewest near in the day that I cryed unto thee thou saidest fear not Esa 55.6 call upon him while he is near Noble Princes in their progress are wont to grant petitioners their sutes its wisdom then to petition the Lord when near to us Psal 145.18 one time or other God's near to every holy heart therefore then call on him Psal 34.18 Quicken us and we will call upon thy name Psa 80.18 5 When promises are near fulfilling Psa 102.13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come meaning of seventy years This is some good hope that Christs coming is near because the Saints are stirred up so generally to pray for it The reading of Jeremies prophecy Jer. 29.10 that God would visit his people after seventy years put Daniel upon praying for the accomplishment thereof Dan. 9.2 3 4. Object I would thus pray but I finde I am so straitened that I cannot pray Answ It is so with the best of Saints sometimes that their souls are bound up they are like poor Infants that feel pain but cannot tell where their pain lies hence Psal 51.15 Lord open thou my Lips By grieving the spirit we become straitened for when the spirit is withdrawn we are like Mills that want Winde or Water and cannot grinde In such times it is persons are backward to stir up their souls to take hold of God Isai 64.7 To help us against straitnings 1 Use holy motion Motion is the cause of heat motion brings a benummed member to feeling let us make essays even when deadness is upon us yea when most straitened a gracious heart is to stir up it self 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift of God which is in thee Exod. 35.21 They came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing to bring the Lords offering 2 Complain of thy straitness say Lord I am in Prison and cannot come forth I would willingly display all my wants to thee but cannot weep over my unbelief but am not able Why withdrawest thou thy self Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Psal 22.1 2 Isai 63 17. 3 Beg enlargement of God Psalm 119.32 I will run in the way of this Commandment as well as other but when when thou shalt enlarge mine heart Isai 35.6 The tongue of the dumb shall sing when waters break forth in the wilderness 4 Take heed thou straiten not thy self neither for time nor place For time persons often causlesly put themselves into the compass of so little time that they cannot enlarge persons frequently inuring themselves to straitning in the end begin to like it well enough So for straitness of place they do not use their voices because they cannot use them without being heard of others let it be your wisdom to chuse such a place wherein you may not be straitned as to your voice or otherwise 5 Consider what a dangerous thing it is to 〈◊〉 taken with a Palsey in the tongue that a man cannot tell where his pain lies All Imprisonment is comfortless but this the worst in other Imprisonment we may perhaps have much access to God but not in this many men have enlargements of all sorts of blessings upon them as Liberty Estate c. onely as it was said of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.12 They are straitened in their own bowels for Prayer and Praise and yet little lay it to their hearts Such kinde of straitnings when they are long they are dangerous for persons that have lain long under straitnings are ready to lay aside endeavours for their liberty because they have often used it to no effect 6 Usually reade the word before thy closet prayer and meditate of it in the use whereof the fire kindles besides those good things which thou diddest reade out of the Word will remain in thy thoughts and conduce to season thine heart 7 Walk humbly under straitnings especially when they are of any long continuance so the Church Song cap. 5. v. 5 6. I sought him but I could not finde him I called unto him but he gave me no answer Job 30.20 Job cries out I cry unto thee but thou dost not hear me I stand up but thou regardest me not Quest But seeing Saints are sometimes straitned in Prayer as well as carnal men wherein is the difference Answ Godly persons though sometimes they have straitnings yet have they also enlargements now and then Lam. 3.44 compared with v. 57. One while the Church saith The Lord compassed himself with a cloud that her Prayer could not pass through anon she saith Thou drewest near in the day that I cried unto thee thou saidst Fear not Psalm 31.22 I said I am cast out of thy sight here was the Prophets straitning nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications here was his enlargement see Psalm 6.1 compared with v. 8. Jon. 2.7 Carnal men they may
nor in that which is to come therefore some sins are forgiven in the world to come Answ Mark expounds it that such a one hath never forgiveness Mark 3.29 Matthew to aggravate the sin against the holy Ghost uses a Periphrasis as if we should speak of a sick man he can sleep neither day nor night that is never or as if we should say the grace of faith can never be bought with mony neither in this life nor in the life to come that is never For that place 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went to preach to the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah therefore say some the Gospel was preached in the world to come for forgiveness there is a misunderstanding of three things in this text 1 the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they understood the soul of Christ as by flesh his body the body they held to dye but the soul to remain alive in which soul say they he went and preached but by the flesh of Christ is meant his humanity according to this he is said to be put to death but by his spirit is meant his divinity Joh. 4.23 By the power of this spirit and divinity he was raised from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 A second word misunderstood is this to the Spirits in prison Where the Word are is to be understood or the word being they understood were or had been which words are referred to those men that in the time of Noah were unbelievers and were then in the world now in Peters time their souls were in Hell for by the prison is meant Hell Rev. 20.7 There they are kept to the day of judgement The third word which almost deceived all was the word Going or went which they understood of his going out of the world into Hell when it was meant of his going out of Heaven into the world and speaking then by his spirit in the ministry of Noah to these rebells that were now in Hell in Saint Peters time Now that no sins are forgiven in the world to come appears 1 Because in this life onely are tenders of grace 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation When the master of the house hath shut to the door of this life and ye stand without and knock and say Lord Lord Christ will say Depart from me I know you not Luk. 13.25 The gate of grace was wholly shut unto the foolish Virgins Matth. 25.11 2 The time betwixt this and death is the time for repentance patience and constancy and after death is the present receiving of the crown Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life The godly lamented Stephen at his death but never prayed for him Col. 1.14 9 The grievousness of that prison whereinto unpardoned sins will cast us 1 We are afraid to be cast into a stinking prison for debt yet may there be hope one way or other to get out by satisfaction or compounding or the creditours pity but none of these can befall thee if thou dyest in thy sins and be cast into that prison thou canst not come out by satisfaction because that is of force onely by Christ his satisfaction in this life Act. 13.39 40. Col. 1.13 14. nor yet by composition for thou must lye there till thou hast paid the utmost farthing Luk. 12.59 nor by the creditours mercy because after death the wicked shall have judgement without mercy Jam. 2.13 2 There will be no running away from this prison because the prisoner is bound hand and foot Matth. 22.13 Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Kept in everlasting chains Jude 6. Psal 49. Like sheep that are driven into the fold so are they driven into Hell ver 14. Luk. 16.26 3 In other prisons we have friends come to visit us but here not onely friends 2 Thess 1.9 but also all other comforts shall be removed yea the damned shall be deprived of the presence of God If the deprivement of the sight of God by faith be so grievous how grievous will the deprivation of the beatifical sight in glory be 4 The perpetuity of it to be condemn'd to perpetual imprisonment and that in some loathsom dungeon is terrible yet death may set us free thence but from the prison of Hell there 's no getting out The worm never dyes nor the fire never goes out Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. It s five times set down the fire that never shall be quenched which are not idle repetitions but to ascertain us of the perpetuity of the torment If the damned had hope after some millions of years to have their torments ended it were something but the burnings are everlasting Isai 33.14 Isai 30.33 the Worm everlasting Isai 66.24 the Fire everlasting Revel 20.10 the contempt everlasting Dan. 12.2 Object But by what right will God punish temporary faults with eternal punishments Answ 1. Sin is committed against an infinite Majesty and so deserves infinite punishment now because man is a finite creature and cannot suffer for it at once therefore he must suffer for it successively to all eternity 2 Because in unpardoned sinners so dying there 's a wicked habit that should they live ever they would sin ever the sinner sins in his eternity and God punishes in his eternity 3 Punishment is to be measured not by length of time the offence is in committing but by the greatness of the offence Murder and Adultery are soon committed shall the Offender be no longer punished than the offence is committing 4 As we are to look upon the perpetuity of this Prison so upon the darkness of it Jude 6. the rebellious Angels are reserved under darkness chains of darkness 2 Peter 2.4 to the wicked the mist of darkness is reserved for ever 2 Peter 2.17 Light is most comfortable but in Hell there 's fire without light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the damned see not 10 Together with pardon come all other blessings Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will sprinkle clean water what more the cleansing from filthiness a new heart the putting of the Spirit within us writing the Law in the heart Power over sin follows pardon of sin Rom. 7.15.8.2 yea all good things here Rom. 8.32 and glorification in Heaven hereafter Whom he justified them he gloried Rom. 8.30 11 True happiness consists in forgiveness of sins the World counts them happy that have great Estates that have the Princes ear but the Lord tells us those are happy that have sins pardoned Psalm 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered I am covered under the shadow of the wings of Christ and live secure under the most broad heaven of
be damned will be great 2 Outward Privileges as prophesying and doing miracles will not stand us in stead at the Day of Judgment to move the Judg to have mercy upon us O then get something else to stand thee in stead at that Day even Christ his Righteousness where with Paul then desired to be covered Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.3 2 Peter 3.11 3 There are many persons whom Christ knows with a general knowledg whom he never knew nor will know with a special knowledg of love and affection 4 That man that lives in a purpose of sin is in Gods account onely a worker of iniquity 5 That man that lives in any sin and dies therein must look at the Day of Judgment for ever to be severed from the presence of Christ V. 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon the Rock Christ coming to conclude his Sermon tells his Auditory that there are two sorts of professing hearers 1 Bare hearers 2 Doers as well as hearers to the bare formal hearing Christ threatens destruction but to the doer he promises life and salvation This he sets down 1 Plainly v. 24. 2. By way of similitude comparing these two hearers to two builders one of which built upon the Sand and the other built upon a Rock the one when assaulted by temptations fell the other in the midst of greatest storms stood Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine By hearing he means the whole profession of Christianity Rom. 2.13 in general and hearing properly taken in particular Denoting that there may be and are abundance of hearers that are no more but hearers as the stony ground thorny ground and high-way side hearers Seeing themselves in the glass of the Law of God they go away and forget their shape as men do that take a glance of the glass and are gone James 1.23 but good hearers are like some Women that look long in the glass that they may form themselves by it And doth them As if he should say I have hitherto taught you how you may lead your lives holily and have shewed you the way to the Kingdom of Heaven therefore if ye do these things I have taught you ye will be like unto a wise man that built his house upon the Rock or upon a sure foundation knowing that else all his cost and labour will be in vain now the foundation of a Christian is faith and a godly practise 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store a good foundation for time to come Obs Hearing and doing in godly hearers go together Such persons are blessed John 13.17 Luke 11.28 James 1.25 By doing Christ means a purpose of doing Learn we to joyn doing with hearing 1 Hereby we shall be able to stand against all storms and tempests 2 This will be the testimony of the honesty and integrity of our hearts Luke 8.15 The good ground with an honest and good heart having heard the Word kept it and brought forth fruit with patience 3 Such persons are blessed James 1.25 If you know these things blessed are ye if you do them No other knowledg save the knowledg of Christian doctrine though we had all knowledg of Histories Laws will stand in stead nor this neither without practise not the bearing of Christ in the womb nor giving him suck with the breast is comparable to this See Luke 11.27 28. Yet in opposition to carnal men who upon pretence of crying up practise cry down knowledg Christ tells that first there must be a knowledg before a practise And in this practise Christ intends the command of believing on his Son as the first and chiefest command without which we can never appear to comfort in the sight of the Judg. 4 By joyning doing with hearing God is honoured and glorified Matth. 5.16 John 15.8 And by the contrary God is dishonoured See Rom. 2.17 to v. 25. The Jews resting in the knowledg of Gods will and approving things that were excellent and in being guides of the blinde and not practising what they knew they caused the Name of God to be blasphemed v. 24. 1 Tim. 6.1 5 At the Day of Judgment we shall receive not according to what we have known but according to what we have done 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 22.12 Matth. 25.34 Ephes 6.8 Matth. 16.27 6 Our knowledg will onely serve to justifie Gods damning us with the heavier condemnation if we do not practise what we know Luke 12.47 1 Peter 4.17 What shall become of them that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Rom. 2.7 8 9. 2 Peter 2.20 21. 7 Our comfort and crown will abound at the Day of Christ according to our care and conscience in the discharge of our duties and our misery if we do the contrary Matth. 25.20 21. Well done good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of the Lord but to the slothfull and unprofitable servant Christ saith Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness v. 26 27 28 30. 8 Practise joyned with hearing wins upon others 1 Pet. 2.12 The Heathens beholding the good works of Christians glorified God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 3.1 The Heathen husbands were won to look after the truth by the conversation of their wives whiles they beheld their chaste conversation coupled with a fear of sinning against God A holy conversation steals into the hearts of them that behold it insensibly to build them up many times to salvation as a scandalous carriage doth into the hearts of others to build them up to damnation 9 An holy practise mightily blunts the rage of Persecutors 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a patern of good works why what then When your lives and speeches are well ordered they that are of the contrary part will be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you 10 All thy hearing knowledge and parts and common gifts will come to nothing and thou wilt be deprived of them unless thou joyn an holy practise to them Matth. 25.29 Take the talent from him From him that hath not to wit a fruitfull practise shall be taken away even that which he hath It is with Religion as with other trades that bring no gain unless diligently followed 11 Thou hast no interest in the mercy of God unless thou remember his Commandements to do them Psal 103.19 Many remember Gods commands to speak of them but few remember them to do them It was wittily spoken of one If God had given us his commandements onely to preserve he might have committed them to iron Coffers if onely to talk of them better to Geese and Parrots if onely for contemplation to Owles in Ivy-bushes or to Monks in Cloisters Gods scope was not to make trial of the wits of men who could sharpliest conceive nor of their memories who
his own power Matth. 8.3 4. but the Apostles did what they did by the power of Christ Acts 16.18 2 Christ had this power at all times to heal whensoever he would so had not they Heb. 2.4 for then would not Paul have left Trophimus sick at Miletum 2 Tim. 4.20 3 The miracles the Apostles did were sometimes for the hurt of men as Peter in the destruction of Ananias and Sapphira and Paul in the smiting Elymas with blindness but all Christs miracles and cures tended to the benefit of men Obj. But Christ bade the devils go into the Gadarens Hogs Answ It was onely a permission whereby Christ kept back the power that was able to hinder them not a command This should embolden us in all our maladies to come to Christ He that had such bowels on earth is not without bowels in heaven he that would do so much for Malchus one of them that came to take him Luk. 22.51 who set on his ear and healed him when Peter cut it off will he not do as much or more for his children in their maladies V. 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Here is the final cause to wit the fulfilling the prophesie of Esaias He took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses 1 The diseases of our soul to which Esaias hath respect Esai 53.4 He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows 1 Pet. 2.24 He himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree Esai 53.6 John 1.29 He takes away the sins of the world Col. 2.14 2 The diseases of our body which flow from sin Christ bore these not by taking them upon him for Christ was never sick he took not the passions which were proper to this or that man but those which were common to the whole nature Christ was never sick sicknesse arises from the unfit or unequal temperature of the humours or from intemperance of labour study but none of these were in Christ he had no sin and therefore no sickness so that Christ took not our sins by taking them upon him but out of compassion he took them away and restored the sick to health The end why Christ cured the bodily diseases of persons as Matth. 9.2 was that they might seek to him for the healing of their souls as in the blinde man John 9.5 6. So that as the living Goat had the sins of the children of Israel laid upon him and carried them into a Wilderness and land not inhabited Levit. 16.21 22. So Christ took our sins and the punishments flowing from them and carries them into a Land of forgetfulnesse In that Christ took our weaknesses learn 1 To bear the weaknesses of others 1 As in journeys strong Travellers bear the burthens of the weak so should we Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak 2 All infirmities are burthens to a gracious heart Gal. 6.2 let them be part of thy burthen also 3 Many infirmities may be in a dear childe of God Cant. 5.2 Mark 9.23 as passion in Jonas unbelief in Thomas fearfulnesse in Peter to keep us from admiration of their persons 4 As thy brother is overtaken to day so mayest thou be to morrow Gal. 6.1 As often as we behold sinners we had need to bewail our selves in them because we have fallen or may fall into the like if God leave us God hath suffered many great men to fall from Adam to this day to shew mans weaknesse and that they might not become lovers of their name 5 If envy did not blinde thee thou mightest see many good things in him as well as infirmities 6 If any man shall raise his comfort from other mens failings to seem to himself holy because he sees imperfections in his brethren this will be no true comfort in a day of trial Gal. 6.4 7 Beware of having a mean and base esteem of any of the Saints of God because of their infirmities so as to set them at nought Rom. 14.10 No man casts away his nose because it abounds with impure flegme and is as it were the sink of the brain so the weak in time of weakness are part of Christ's Kingdom who therefore are not to be cast away but to be healed and raised up Luth. in Psalm 90. 2 See the goodness and mercy of Christ that took our infirmities Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss who should stand but there is compassion that he may be feared Matth. 12.20 He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench smoaking Flax. The Principle of grace in the soul doth not waste corruption all at once but by degrees John 15.2 2 Cor. 4.16 Hence God is gracious in purging the soul to bring forth more grace and less sin and renewing the inward man every day 3 Trial whether thy sins be Infirmities as 1 When they are committed against the purpose of the heart so Peter in his denial of Christ what hope had we if Peter had not denied Christ and all the Apostles been offended if Moses Aaron David had not fallen by these Examples God comforts sinners If thou hast fallen return the gate of mercy is open for thee thou that knowest no evil by thy self do not presume but let both trust in my grace and mercy Luth. in Gen. 38. 2 When we disallow the evil we do and groan under it Rom. 7.15 when others hearts are hardened under evil thine is sensible 3 When though thou fallest into sin thou walkest not in any sinfull course Rom. 8.4 though there be many Imperfections in holy Duties and sudden breakings out of the heart into evil yet is it not allowed 4 When a soul is fallen into sin and hath lost Gods countenance he cannot be quiet untill the Lord return with the sense of his love Psalm 51.8 12. there can be no sins of infirmity properly but where grace is for the sins of unregenerate men are Presumptions Good men having tasted the sweetness in God they will not change their portion nor rest content without God Saints infirmities as Davids sins complaints fears more comfort me than their heroical actions as his killing Goliath the Bear and Lion I cannot imitate these but the other greatly comfort me Luth. in Gen. 28. 4 Comfort to Saints under Infirmities There are some invincible Infirmities cleaving unto Saints in this World as dulness forgetfulness privy pride self-seeking unprofitableness wandrings in duty backwardness to Christian provocation inordinate care hardness of heart vain fears slightness in Gods service Saints partly from divine light shining in them which like the light of the Sun shews the smallest mote partly from tenderness of conscience renewed smiting them for the smallest sin are upon sight of their infirmities apt to be discouraged Now to comfort thee remember Christ took thy infirmities all thy self-sufficiency crookedness of heart failing in holy
indeed Some Physicians are onely expert for some one disease but Christ is for every disease Now for thee who art a patient to Christ 1 Thou must come to him Joh. 6.37 So let thy disease be what it will he will not cast thee off He saves to the uttermost them that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 2 Thou must acknowledge thy disease to him as the patient doth to the Physician 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive them Not but that Christ knows them well enough but he will have thee to be sensible whence thy healing comes As in the blind man Matth. 21.33 who begging mercy of Christ in general had it not but being sensible of his blindness and desiring sight Christ gave it him 3 As it is a good help to the Patient to have a good subordinate confidence in the Physician so it 's requisite if thou come to Christ to place all thy confidence in thy Physician Act. 4.12 as knowing salvation is not in any other V. 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Christ brings a second argument from the Scripture to justifie his eating and conversing with sinners Go ye and learn what that meaneth Christ upbraids their ignorance and sends these doctors to school So did he Matth. 12.3.5.19.4.21.16.22.31 I will have mercy and not sacrifice That is 1 not outward ceremonies without inward obedience 2 Not sacrifice in comparison of mercy mercy ought to overweigh sacrifice and sacrifice must give place to mercy Among men when two laws are made which interfere that which tends most to righteousness profit and honesty ought to take place So that Christ shews that all the commands of shunning familiarity with wicked men must be so observed that occasions and opportunities of bringing them into the way of holiness must not be neglected And therefore when that Christ endeavoured to bring back these Publicans who were as so many fugitives from God he was not to be blamed herein So that place 2 Thess 3.15 Count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother Lest any man should think that when a man was cast out all coming to him was forbid the Apostle adds they are not to be counted enemies as the Jews counted such but they are to be brotherly admonished When the bond of Church Communion or Christian Communion is dissolved yet there remains a bond of humane nature and the remembrance of former friendship So that Christ by his example and doctrine proposes to the Pharisees to follow mercy as if he should say I had rather have mercy on poor sinners then offer many sacrifices with you and this my practise you may see justified Hos 6.6 Not sacrifice Obj. But did not God command it Answ Yes but God will not have Sacrifice 1 Primarily 1 Sam. 15.22 To obey is better then Sacrifice Psalm 40.8 Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire 2 Disorderly he will not have them but in order to Christ 3 Abstractively considered from vvorks of mercy and piety Psal 50.12 13 14. 4 I vvill not have Sacrifice after the offering up of my body for sin 5 I vvill not have Sacrifice as a ransom as Carnal Hypocrites thought to appease God by the vvork vvrought vvhich vvas the great controversie Psal 50.13 asserted by Hypocrites and opposed by the Godly then living Hypocrites alledged Levit. 4.5 c. where Sacrifices vvere to be offered for sins 6 I vvill not have it as the principal vvorship Obs It 's not onely a vvork of mercy to succour persons in their outvvard afflictions but it s also a vvork of mercy to dravv a sinner from his evil vvayes to the true fear of God For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Here 's a third Reason whereby Christ defends his action of conversing with sinners to wit his Office of Mediatour I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance By Righteous he means Pharisaical self-justiciaries who are drunk with the opinion of their own righteousness by sinners are not meant onely excommunicate persons and such as live a loose and dissolute life but also all men out of Christ Again Christ taxes them that they made no distinction betwixt penitent and impenitent sinners It was always lawfull to keep company with penitent sinners though not with impenitent To conclude persons called by Christ are called to repentance Let no man upon pretence of his interest in Christ live in a state of loosness The grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to deny ungodliness Titus 2.12.13 V. 14. Then came to him the Disciples of John saying Why do we and the Pharisees faste oft but thy Disciples faste not Here are two things considerable 1 A Question moved by the Scribes and Pharisees as the authours and Johns Disciples as the actours which was why they fasted oft but the Disciples of Christ fasted not 2 Christs Answer v. 15. Can the Children of the Bride-chamber faste c. which he backs from three Reasons 1 That they had no cause at present of fasting but of rejoycing he the Bridegroom being with them 2 That though at present they did not faste and mourn yet in a short time they should have cause so to do 3 The Disciples being young Converts the duty of fasting was not so sutable v. 16. and that the Gospel-doctrine was not so sutable to them in regard of their old carnal natures and legal customes v. 16 17. Then came to him the Disciples of John saying Why do we c. Mark saith The Disciples of the Pharisees together with them propound this Question Mark 2.18 Luke saith The Scribes and Pharisees asked him Luke 5.33 The reconciliation is easie the Pharisees by their Disciples stirred up the Disciples of John to ask this Question so that both askt the Question the Pharisees as the authours their Disciples and Johns as the actours the Pharisees were affraid to encounter Christ themselves hence they use Emissaries the Devil hath a notable art in sowing contention Why do we and the Pharisees faste oft but thy Disciples faste not The occasion of this Question was some Faste-day which the Pharisees appointed and kept wherein Christs Disciples did eat and drink by which is not meant a publick Faste which was to be kept by all the members of the Jewish Church and so consequently by Christ seeing he acknowledges himself a member thereof John 4.22 All the Jews upon pain of cutting off were to observe the tenth day of the seventh moneth Levit. 16.29 30 31.23.27 this was their onely prescribed Faste but it was some private Faste to gain glory and praise to the Pharisees Luke 18.12 The Pharisee fasted twice a week But Johns Disciples kept it out of some other end but Christs Disciples did use to eat and drink as at other
Lord to remember his kindnesses he had done for the house of the Lord and the offices thereof Neh. 13.14 and for the consecration of the Sabbath he concludes Remember mee O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the multitude of thy mercy See he begs sparing from God in his best services Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy Servant The very servants of God cannot stand in judgement by their own righteousness 4 Paul after conversion desires to be found Having Christs righteousness upon him and not his own at the day of judgement Phil. 3.9 The dangers of those who seek to be righteous by their own righteousness are 1 So long as thou stablishes thy own righteousness thou wilt not submit to Christs righteousness Rom. 10.3 4. They being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to stablish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God In the world the Law and works are so to be urged as if there were no promise but Christians are so to be taught to live as if there were no Law Luth. By grace we are made heirs the works which follow do not make us heirs or sons but are done of heirs and sons to testifie thanksgiving and obedience Luth. in Psal 130. A person will not seek out for a Phisician till he feel himself sick Matth. 9.13 If thou puttest thy deliverance from sin and wrath upon the performance of that righteousness the Law commands as any cause thereof thou makes thine own righteousness as great an idol as can be because thou makes thy righteousness to be that which Gods righteousness onely is and as thy righteousness will speak thou wilt have peace or bitterness this is in effect to make our own righteousness our Mediator Suppose your righteousness were a fullfilling of the whole Law one point excepted that very failing makes you guilty of the breach of all the rest and when men stand guilty before God Jam. 2.10.11 shall they plead that which is guilty to finde acceptation In the business of justification no man can enough remove the Law out of his sight and behold the promise alone Luth. Tom. 4.103 Bernard and other Doctors when they are out of disputation teach Christ purely but when they go into the field of the Law they so dispute as if there were no Christ at all Luth. in Psalm 130. The best righteousness we ever performed is not able as a deserving cause to turn away the least sin or wrath or to procure the least favour from God Gen. 32.10 I am less then the least of thy mercies said Jacob onely God having promised these mercies of his free grace we are in the use of means to seek hope for and expect a conveyance of them Quest But doth not our righteousness move and melt the Lord and prevail with him to do this or that good for his people Answ No It was not Hezekiahs prayers and tears Cornelius his prayers and alms Daniel his prayer and fasting Dan. 9.17 That melted and moved God but his own son hence Daniel prayes Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary which is desolate for the Lords sake vers 17. Obj. But if we get nothing by our righteousness then we had as good sit still and do nothing Answ I overthrow it onely in point of satisfaction to divine justice in point of merit If works alone be taught as it happens in the Papacy faith is lost if faith alone be taught presently carnal men dream works are not necessary without the cause of justification No man can enough commend good works Who can enough declare the profit of one good work which a Christian doth from and in faith It 's more pretious then heaven and earth therefore the whole world in this life cannot give a worthy reward for such a good work Luth. Tom. 4. fol. 109. But for righteousness as it is one with uprighness I establish it Psalm 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart See whom he calls righteous even them whom he calls upright Psalm 125.4 Do good to them that are good who are they even them who are upright in heart yea further God will crown the righteousness of his servants 2 Tim. 4.8 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness and not to me onely but to them also who love his appearing yea the righteous shall shine in the Kingdom of their father Matth. 13.43 And God hath a special eye of providence over such 1 Pet. 3.12 The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ear is open to their cry See Gods care of righteous Noah Gen. 6.8 9. and of Lot 2 Pet. 7.8 9. 2 Moreover we ought to look upon our performances of prayer fasting baptisme supper c. as the ordinances of God wherein the Lord hath appointed us to meet with him and wherein he will make good the things he hath promised therein Esa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness He comes with his handfull and poures out that which his own freeness hath engaged him to do for us Good works are no other thing then thanksgiving they are not done for righteousness but for witness they please not God simply for themselves but for the person believing Luth. We do confess our sins to him but what is the ground of forgiveness not our confessions prayers or tears but his own free grace because he delights in mercy Mic. 7.19 3 It 's base selfishness when thou wilt do no righteousness but for thy own sake who if thou shouldest know before hand thy righteousness would get thee nothing wouldest sit still and do nothing quere whether such a man had not indeed as good sit still and do nothing 4 Righteousness of sanctification and uprightness is evidential in point of assurance 2 Pet. 1.6 7 8 9 10. 1 Tim. 6.17 18. 5 To testifie our thankfulness Rom. 12.1 2 Danger by establishing thy own righteousness thou unthrones Christ of the principal part of his Office which is to be the righteousness of his people Jer. 23.6 Rom. 5.17 18. By the obedience of one shall many be placed righteous It s Christs Office to place persons at his Judgement seat righteous hence some read it constituentur This mistery was shadowed Exod. 25.17 18 19. The Law or Testimony was to be put in the Ark and the Mercy-seat was to be set upon the Ark v. 21. Christ is this Propitiatory or Mercy-seat Rom 3.25 1 John 2.2 Let us not take the Law out of the Ark as our righteousness but cast our eye upon the Mercy-seat which covers the Ark and Testimony 2 Use Consolation to the Saints that though made infamous by the world God counts them righteous our Principal comfort is that Christ takes away our filthy garments and gives us the righteousness of his Son Zach. 3.4 That all accusations that Satan can put