Scripture proofes I need not range in any other fâ—elds In the second place I le give in some Scripture Reasons for confirmation of the point 2. Reas 1. From the excellency of justice The sirst reason shall be drawn from the excellencie of Iustice And this will appeare in these particular respects It derives its Originall from God Iustice is a communicable Attribute flowing from the fountaine to the streams and government which is that master-wheel to set the motions of Iustice in due order receives prime honour and excellencie from divine Institution By me Kings raigne and princes decree justice by me Princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 1. 15. 16. There 's a jus divinum to warrant your honourable calling Iustice is excellent in respect of that incomparable superexcellent price paid to make satisfaction to it and that was the blood of Iesus Christ It 's true that mercy is God's delight It 's above all his workes mercy is swift pac'd Iustice is slow pac'd its chariot wheels drive heavilie God was walking in the garden when he went to passe sentence on Adam But he ranne to meet the Prodigall here 's a walking in point of judgment but a running in point of mercy Yet notwithstanding Iustice will be no looser Mercy Iustice power goodnesse obiquitie c. are diversly according to our capacities apprehended by us yet they are all one in God As God is mercifull so he is just Iustice must be satisfied per se aut per alium Per se no man can it must be done per alium by a suretie See Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shephard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shephâ—ard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones No lesse price was paid to satisfie Divine justice then the effusion of the precious blood of the sonne of God one drop whereof is of infinite dignitie price and value The excellencie of Iustice appeares in respect of its excellent effects and operations Iustice is the basis and supporter of the state Leâ—est corporis Politici nervus The great body of states would be paralitick and in a paroxisme and there would be a dissolution of the continuum if the sinewes of Justice should faile To justice under God we owe our lives liberties lively-hoods We could not sleep quietly in our beds for feare of massacres and robberies if lawes were not in force and the current of Iustice should be damnd up Iustice may be compared to the stakes of a strong hedge to keepe it from falling And a Iudg is a quick-set-hedg to keep off incursions into anothers Peculiar Iustice is the preserver of meum tuum It 's the life of our societie the bulwarke and buttresse of our safetie the fort-royall and strength of our Garrisons Should justice cease and there should be no reprover in the gate we should be resolved into an Anarchy a Chaos a confusion and destruction We should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo homini lupus nay homo homini Daemon By the execution of Iustice Government Magistracie Iudicatures those strong walls of a Kingdome remaine impregnable Religion learning trades traffiques lawes arts and scienâ—ss thrive and shelter themselves under the wings of government executing Judgment and justice Reas 2. From the Necessity of establishing justice The second reason shall be drawn from the apparent necessitie of establishing judgment and justice The necessitie is indispensible whether there be considered Necessitas Paecepti vel Medii For the first â— how frequently doth the Lord call for execution of Iustice It 's that which must be sought after Isay 1. 17. Learne to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherlesse plead for the widdow It must be kept Isay 56. 1. Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgment and dot justice for my salvation is neere to come and my righteousnesse to be revealed It must not be executed as a malefactour that 's a persecution not execution Iustice is executed upon delinquents not upon it selfe Zech. 7. 9. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying execute true judgment and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother So Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour executo the judgment of truth and peace in your gates It s promised as a mercy Isay 28. 6. And for a spirit of Judgment to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turne the battell to 〈…〉 gâ—te It s an argument of Gods love to a people I Kings 10. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to doe judgment and justice It 's that which hath God's approbation Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and love mercy and to walke humbly with thy God It s that which God loveth Psal 33. 5. He loveth righteousnesse and judgment the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. It 's that which in an especiall manner God commands Deut. 16. 18. Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee thorowout thy tribes and they shall judge the people with just Judgment There 's another jus divirum for your authoritie And Justice is that which God rewards Isai 33. 15. 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his water shall be sure So Jer. 22. 15. shalt thou raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Câ—dar did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Justice is necessary necessitate medii A godly Magistrate dispensing justice and judgment reconciles meum tuum those two wrangling pronounes which are those Phaetons and grand incendiaries that set the whole world in a combustion Terminus was so much set by among the Romans that they paid homage to it tanquam Numini tutolari Without any tang of or compliance with their Idolatry we may safely say that the law is the Boundary of a common-wealth It s a good sence or mound to keep off beasts of prâ—y from making inrodes into my Severall It 's a good screne to keep off the scorchings of firy spirits who Salamander like live in the fire of contention It 's a strong bulwarke to desend a mans right from surprizall by violent enemies who lay seige and make batteries against it The law is Terminus
he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price A second is Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third invitation is John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is The Spirit the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely The lâ—st I shall name is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God they exceed all Arithmetick measure them their dimensions are infinite The Apostle makes four dimensions breadth length heighth and depth Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens his faithfulness to the clouds All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and testimonies Psal 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is above all his works Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies and all the faculties of our Souls to praise the Lord for his mercies and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received and we yet are in peace even to a miracle of mercies our fleece is yet dry whil'st others are wet with blood Thousands have faln beside us and ten thousand at our right hands and no evil comes nigh our dwelling What variety of personal mercies do we receive How many deliverances have we received from the Grave being ready to fall in and yet we are reprieved and have space to repent How many deliverances have we received from Fire Water Pobbers unreasonable men and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Further What mercies do we receive for our souls Do we not injoy Sabbaths Ordinances publick assemblies Blessed be God our eyes yet behold our teachers and our Gospel is not driven into corners How many mercies Quot misericordiae tot ora Isa 30. 20. so many mouthes All these mercies have so many mouthes calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance It is our obliged duty as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives Every mercy should be a Lord-stone to draw us up to Christ Every mercy should be as a foot-stool to raise us up higher to Heaven Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God O then take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit when he calls by mercies For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet musick of mercies he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgement 5. The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience 5. Yet further The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners God is not willing that any should perish but that they should repent and be saved O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father How long did God bear with the old world with the Amorites Jerusalem The Lord waits to be gracious he delights in mercy It is his nature to be merciful Judgement is called his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act This is to shew his unwillingneâ—s to punish sinners till needs must He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them as if he had none of his own Isa 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet See and admire the wonderful patience of God though we provoke him every day O wonderful patience that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit that the Swearers Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners He whets his Sword and bends his Bow Psal 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently but there we have experience of singular patience God was but six days in creating the world yet as Chrysostome observes he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho before he destroyed it Patientia laesa fit furor but let us take heed of abusing patience patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury Mercy pleads I am slighted I am abused I will no more have mercy on them then patience interposeth I will wait longer but patience being abused it pleads I will be no longer tired out nor abused At last comes long-suffering I am gentle and merciful and I will wait longer and longer but if long-suffering be wearied out What will plead for us What will become of us The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilest the Ark was preparing as the apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance We should account the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance 6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgements 6. The spirit strives by many signal and exemplaâ—y Judgements inflicted upon others inflicted upon others We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus but more pathetically set forth in the â—ook of the Lamentations We have read of the heavy Judgements of God upon Germany and Palatinate We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland upon the Protestant Party We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland good blood and bad blood being let out together the Sword destroying one as well as another We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade By all these Judgements the Spirit of God strives with us and woes
conscience 2. The strivings of a mans own spirit are pacified with natural means are pacified with natural means eating drinking sleeping idle company vain pleasures quiet meer natural convictions But where Gods Spirit strives the soul cannot be quieted but by supernatural means the in omes of God the ravishing consolations of the holy Ghost a white Stone a pardon sealed no mirth sports company can satisfie a wounded conscience onely one remedy is reserved for a perfect cure and that 's the Medicine made up of the Blood of Christ 3. The strivings of a mans own spirit are flashy suddain and soon gone when the judgement ceaseth As soon as the judgement 3. The striviâ—gs of a mans own Spirit are flashy and suddain is removed the strivings cease but when Gods Spirit strives it is solid and serious If the Jvdgement be removed and the sâ—n unpardoned there can be no quiet If the Judgement be over Pharaoh is quiet but no quiet in Davids spirit till the sin be removed Q. 3. A third Quaery is How may we know whether Gods Spirit Q. 3 A. hath effectually stroven and prevailed with us 1. When we hearken to the call of Gods Spirit Psal 27. 8. Thou 1. Whâ—â— we answeâ— the call of Godâ— spirit saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek 2. When we have the testimonie of Gods Spirit as Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the 2. When we have the spirits testimony children of God 3 When we have the sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. In 3. When the spirit seals whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit Eph. 1. 14. 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit 5. When we have the spirits anointing 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Use 5. For direction 1. Pray for the Spirit 2. Set a high price on the Spirit 3. Cherish the motions of the Spirit 4. Observe the call and knocking of the Spirit 5 When we have the anointings of the Spirit 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23 24. Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance The fifth Use is for direction 1. Pray for the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse thee No work of sanctification but by the spirit 2. Set an high price of and be a diligent attendant of Gods word The Spirit usually works by the Word The Spirit and Word agree together 3. Cherish the sweet motions of Gods Spirit make much of every holy motion and inspiration O do not grieve nor sad O do not quench the Spirit of God but account Gods long-suffering your salvation God waits and is patient O do not provoke do not abuse his patience 4. Observe all the calls knocking 's and invitations of Gods Spirit The Lord calls by his word by checks of conscience by mercies and by judgements do not then bolt the doors of your hearts nor stand out against all the warnings threatnings and promises all these are upon record Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Lastly Here 's one word of comfort unto all those who make Use 6. For comfort much of the strivings of Gods Spirit These shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit The Spirit will comfort support help them In Prayer The Spirit helpeth their infirmities Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit purgeth and purisieth them The Spirit of God is their Counsellor in doubts their Comforter in all distresses and the Spirit will guide them by his counsel till he bring them unto glory Doct. 2. It s aâ— exceeding great mercy c. I now proceed in a few words to the second Doctrine That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for repentance Here the Lord alloweth to the old World 120 years so long it was that the Spirit of God strove with the old World We read in Gen. 18. 24 25. the Lord staid communing with Abraham making abatements from 50 to 45 from 45 to 40 from 40 to 30 from 30 to 20 from 20 to 10 Was it not a great mercy for the Lord to bear so long with the Amorites They had a long time of forbearance Thus did the Lord deal with Niniveh Jonah 3. 4. Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be overthrown So the Lord waited long on the Israelites Psal 95. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness So Jerusalem Luke 19. 42 44. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes The five foolish Virgins had a time allowed both wise and foolish slept and slumbred but the foolish wanted oyl and lost the accepted season Jezabel had time alloted her Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication but she repented not The Reasons are 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy Mercy Reas 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy waits upon us wooing and alluring us to repentance The Lord invites Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come c. He calls sinners to repentance He entreateth by his Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. He waits to be gracious Rev. 3. 20. 2. To glorifie the Justice of God and to leave a people without R. 2. To glorifie Gods justice excuse When mercy patience goodness graciousness long-suffering are all abused what remains but destruction never fruit grow on thee more Cut it down I will take this kingdom from you I will send you a famine of the word These are terrible threatnings 3. The Lord oftentimes is pleased to spare a people longer at the R. 3. God spares a people at the request of his servants request of his servants Luke 13. 8. The Vine-dresser prayed Let it alone yet longer till I dig about it and dung it Gods Ministers pray hard and tug hard at the oar they cry night and day Lord spare try this people a little longer exercise a little more patience towards them let thy Word work upon them they live under the sound of it let it effectually prevail with them The Uses are 1. For admiration O admire the infinite mercies of God who doth thus bear with sinners notwithstanding Use 1. For admiration their provocations yet he tryes waits and allows them a great deal of space when as in Justice he might cut sinners assunder in the midst of their sins This breathes terrors unto all presumptuous sinners who presume Vse 2. For terror of space and grace neither of which is in their own power To some God gives space others he
up after their deliverance Votivas Tabulas as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance VVhat are we to offer but Thanksgiving Ps 50. 14. what are wee to render but the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. Noâ— if wee thus I bour to eternize Gods name he will have regard unto our names if we honour him he will honour us so he declares Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly a gratefull commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances Reas 2. Thankfulnes is Gods Tribute is that Tribute that God requires that Homage due unto him VVe are all indebted to God nec solvendo sumus whatever we can doe at the best holds no proportion with the mercy received yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankfull heart and where it is graciously rewards it VVhat speciall notice doth Christ take of the thankfull Samaritan and the Apostle joynes unthankfull and unholy together what a brand of infamy lyeth on the ungratefull Impudence and Ingratitude goe together How many are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Tree what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun to forget the Roâ—k that made them and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies where 's Davids Quid retribuam What shall I render c. Psal 107. 8. A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty to record Mercies to speak good of God and blesse his name to tell what God hath done for thy self and for others what national what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord this is an excellent service To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key and to break forth into the praises of God This is a good thing Psal 92. 1. and as it is a good thing so it is a pleasant thing Psal 147 1. further it 's a comely thing to tell of Gods mercies and to say blessed be God is in discourses a comely Parenthesis The Apostle tels us Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness foolish talking and jesting are unseemly and inconvenient but what 's to be used in their room it followeth but rather giving of thanks but adde further praise is permanent for praise is to all eternity we shall for ever be praising of the Lord we shall sing praise honour and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore David professeth Ps 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being we should thus exercise our selves in that language on earth which will be our employment unto all eternity Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations 1 A Bond of Creation A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lye us upon As 1. Vinculo creationis God it is that made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God and set forth his praise we should be thankfull unto him and blesse his name as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came so wee should returne all wee have to the praise and service of God Auius Fulvius said to his Sonne when he found him in Catilines conspiracy Non ego te Catilinae genui sed patriae So doth God say I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withall but to serve me withall Quot membra tot ora So many members of our body and so many faculties of our soules are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord. 2. Vinculo Redemptionis here 's matter of praise for ever and eternity 2 A Bond of Redemption will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer who hath delivered us from our enemies to this purâ—ose That we might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives Luk. 1. 74 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God Quot inimici tot ora so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christs death call upon us to serve Christ for ever and to blesse God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ 3. Vinculo Gratitudinis Quot beneficia tot ora wee receive mercies 3 A Bond of Gratitude at our lying down and riâ—ng up we are compassed about with varieties of mercies mercies on the right and mercies on the left hand mercies for our bodies mercies for our souls so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankfull Haman plotted most mischief and was counterplotted and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance so the Romish â—un-powder â—raytoâ—s plotted the destruction of Protestants and layed their designes as low as Hell God hath vouâ—hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving dâ—e unto his name 4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae What lyeth in us we should 4 A Bond to promote Gods glory unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God Now this is a way of gloryfying God he is glorysied by the praises of his people â—or he that praiseth God glorisieth him Psal 50. 23. Now put all these together and you 'll conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine but make a Applicat seasonable improvement thereof in some usefull Application I shall onely insâ—st on three â—ses for Infoâ—mation Caution and Exhortation and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day Lend me I pray your patient attention whilst I make a suitable application of all 1. This serves to inform us of the warrantablenesse of our present Use 1. For information meeting upon this day and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving Gods people formerly upon like occasions kept a day of remembrance so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance wherein his own right arme wrought a glorious salvation for us Now to make you more sensible of the greatnesse of the deliverance I conâ—eive it very proper to my businesse that lies before me to make a brief Narrative and acquaint you with the â—istory of this day In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads into which I shall cast my following Narration 1.
under his feet and gave him to be vers 22. the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse vers 23. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 20. of him that filleth all in all To the intent that now the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I Col. 2. 10. say whether they be things in heaven or things on earth And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all Principality and Power I purposely wave many curious questions wherein Popish writers abound Wherefore in the last place I shall make a practicall improvement of the whole and apply only three inferences for Information Instruction and Consolation For Information 1. For Information 1. What excellent knowing glorious creatures the holy Angells are and if they be so excellent how much more is Jesus Christ their Lord Great is the knowledge of these glorious creatures but what they have is derivative from their Creatour 2. Be informed that it is unlawfull to worship them See thou do Col. 2. 18. it not saith the Angell to John for I am thy fellow-servant And in the place fore cited Let no man beguile you of your reward and in voluntary humility and worshiping of Angells intruding into those things he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind 3. Be informed of the singular benefit of the Angells ministry The Angell of the Lord encampeth about them that feare him and delivereth Psal 34. 11. Josh 5. 14 15 them The Angell stood for Joshua It came to passe when Joshua was by Jerico that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hands and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our Adversaries And he said nay but as a captaine of the hoâ—t of the Lord am I now come And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And he said loose thy shooe from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy This was the Lord Jesus the Angell of the Covenant for a Created Angell would have refused adoration An Angell preserved the three Children from the flame and burning of the fiery furnace and shut the Lyons mouth An Angell praised for the Church in Zechary that Angell was Christ Then the Angell Zech. 1. 12. of the Lord answered and said O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had Indignation these threescore and ten yeares An Angell delivered Hezekiah and smote Senacherib An Angell delivered Peter An Angell brought the good newes of Christs incarnation The Angells of God preserve us in our beds in our houses in our journyes in our undertakings The Angells will carry our soules to Heaven By way of Instruction Vse 2. of Instruction Psal 91. 11. 1. Labour to walk in Gods waies For he shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies Whilest we are in our lawfull waies not in our wanderings we have a promise of Protection 2. Pray to God for the Protection of Angells We may not pray to Angells we may not worship them but we may pray to God to vouchsafe their ministry to us to make our waies prosperous to send us an Angell as Abraham believed and cause his Angells to pitcht their Tents about us as Gods messengers to defend Gen. 24. 7. and rescue us out of dangers 3. We should so live as remembring we are in the presence of God and Angells that Gods eyes are over us that the Angells observe oâ—r carriage and what decorum we keep in the duties we performe For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angells Though men as Diodati observes 1 Cor. 11. 10. would give consent and connive at this disorder yet the Angells who are continuall Guardians in their Assemblies would be offended at it For I think saith the Apostle that God hath set forth us the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 9. 16. last as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angells and to men Wherefore I beseech you be yee followers of me For Consolation Vse 3. for Consolation This serves for comfort to Gods children that the Angells are their Ministers 1. In their lives they have them under God their protectors the Lord bids them protect preserve succour comfort relieve such a one he is in distresse he is my servant The very Angells 1 King 19. 7 8. were purveyers unto Eliah The Angells ministred unto Christ they strengthened him when he was in the garden when he suffered in his humane Nature So the children of God find it to their comfort that the Angells refresh comfort support and protect them in their greatest extremities 2. When they die the Angells carry their soules into Heaven 3. At the day of judgment they gather the elect unto Christ Mar. 13. 27. He will send his Angells to gather his elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of Heaven By all that hath been said we are to understand the happinesse of all the Saints who are here in the text called heires of salvation God gives them his Son and that 's the height of mercy God gives them his Angells for their Guardians so those two Scriptures are abundantly fulfilled Psal 34. 9. O feare the Lord ye his Saints Psal 34. 9. Rom. 8. 32. for there is no want to them that feare him And Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not but with him freely give us all things And these Scriptures bring a full measure of comfort unto the children of God Having Christ the Saints have all he protects and defends them he is Lord over all and commands all creatures services for the good of his people This Doctrine of the Ministry of Angells is too much Idolized by some which fall to the worshiping of them This is flat Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is abhominable And this Doctrine is too much slighted by others who are not thankfull to God for the Protection of Angells Both these extreames are to be avoided and our duty is to look upon Angells as fellow servants and begge of God their Ministry And for all deliverances we should returne unto God the praise and glory of all in the language of the Psalmist Psal 115. vers 1. which shall be my conclusion Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Psal 115. 1. for thy mercy and truths sake
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justifyd in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God You then that are washt in this fountaine rejoyce and bee glad that your names are written in the book of life that you have received a white stone a new name the hidden Mannah Stand then admiring and praising God that hath done so graciously for you that when many even the greatest part of the world are shut out cannot find the Dore are denyed the right key and the fountaine is lockt and barr'd against them yet it 's opened wide to thee thou art washt and cleansed in this fountaine Not any goodness in thee but free grace and mercy makes the difference Whatever aspersions calumnies reproaches thou meetest withall in the world from ungodly men bee of good comfort all is washt away by the bloud of Jesus Christ The world casts dirt on thee Christ washeth thee cleane O then doe not desponde doe not droop as without hope by reason of hardships sufferings evill entreaties in and from the world Drinke of the waters of this fountaine They are the Restorative to revive and refresh thy spirit Thou meetest with diseases corporall spirituall oh come to this fountaine It s a medicine made up of the blood of Jesus Christ It will cure both diseases of soule and body Thou seest by experience that the Cisternes of the creatures are dried up Honours Pleasures Profits decay and faile tarry not at these cisternes goe to the fountaine it 's inexhausted Thy manifold sinnes trouble and torment thee sinne is a havy burden upon the conscience thou art afraid to come O! bee not afraid to do good unto thy own soule This fountaine workes miracles cleanseth the Aethiopian and the Leopards spots even a persecuting Paul a perjur'd Peter an adulterous David and it is not shut against thee unless thou shut out thy selse Bee then of good comsort you that are God's children amidst your fainting fits you have this Aqua vitae In your diseases and sores you have this soveraigne plaister Amidst your pollutions and defilements you have a fountaine opened wide to wash and cleanse you in In diseases afflictions pollutions and all conditions whatsoever repaire to this fountaine the streames are healing reviving refreshing streames O but my sins are a barre against mee Ans Art thou sensible of sinnes thou art the fitter to goe bewaile thy sinnes allow not thy selfe in them Though sinne lockes the Fountaine dore yet free grace will open it wide againe O! But I have been there and have not found any virtue Ans Goe againe The virtues of medicines are not presently discerned Medicines may worke when thou least thinkest of them A sermon preacht now if the Lord work by it may doe good many a yeare after Imitate Eliah's servant who went over and over againe at last a cloud was seen which maskt the whole Heaven O but I question whether I have any right to come it 's opened only to the house of David Ans Doe not shut out thy selfe doe not destroy thy selfe the Invitation is very large Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let let him come c. If thou dost but thirst thou hast an invitation To this purpose I proceed to a second use which is for Vse 2. for Examination Examination Let 's search andtry whether wee have right to come whether wee are so qualified as to receive benefit and virtue by this fountaine I shall therefore propound 7 Qualifications 1. Wee must see fully and discerne the emptiness of all creature Qualif 1. Wee may see the emptiness of creature Cisternes cisterns Jer. 2. 13. My people have committed two evils they have forsaken mee the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water Creature cisternes are broken they run through as a sive le ts water fall to the ground or are quite drawne dry Honour could not satisfie Haman Riches could not satisfie Solomon Luther would not so bee satisfied valdè protestatus sum me nâ—lle satiari ab co 2. Discerne their vanitie and emptiness wee must forsake them Qualif 2. We emust forsake Cisterne Comforts Isai 55. 2. Wherefore doe doe you spend mony for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto mee and eat yee that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatness Wee must forsake these lying vanities wee must not stay by them wee must relinquish them and leane no more to broken staves but value the world at it's own rate and breake off all carnall confidences wee must bid honours riches profits pleasures adieu so farre forth as they stand in competition with or opposition unto Christ 3. Wee must bee sensible of the want and necessitie wee have of Qualif 3. Wee must bee sensible of the necessity of Christ Christ that wee are poore blind miserable and naked Wee must apprehend our selves stung with the fierie Serpent 4. Wee must discerne fulness and Excellency in Jesus Christ Qualif 4. Wee must discerne fulnesse in Christ beauty wisdome holiness abundance of virtue flowing from him There are cleansing and healing streames in this fountaine Emptiness discerned in our selves will enhance Christ's wroth Scarcity raiseth the market 5. Wee must come with faith to bee healed In the whole dispensation Qualif 5. Wee must come with faith to be healed of Christ's miracles ther 's a question premised believest thou or a condition interposed be it unto thee as thou believest 6. Mourne for sinne like the mourning of Hadadrimmâ—n in the valley of Megiddo They who mourne for sin are prepared to wash Qualif 6. Wee must mourne for sin in this fountaine Their eyes are blubbered for sinne and they come and wash themselves in this fountaine 7ly and lastly Wee must come in the strength of Christ Wee Qualif 7. Wee must come in the strength of Christ can doe nothing without him Cant. 1. 4. Draw mee wee will run after thee Noe man commeth unto mee except the father draw him Wee must performe our duties in the strength of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ that strengthneth us The third use shall bee for exhortation This hath two parts Vse 3. For Exhortation Generall and speciall 1. In generall My invitation from God is for all to come in and wash in this fountaine Christ is here offered and tendered to all The Brasen Serpent is erected upon a pole The free grace of the Gospel is enlarged mercy is exalted O come come in quickly and accept of Christ O! that God would worke upon your hearts this day to imbrace the free tenders of the Gospel of Iesus Christ Now the fountaine is open come unto it but you must bee thirsty have a spiritual appetite else you will never come It is not a bare comming Take heed least
if unlawful happy art thou that God deprives thee of them 'T is a sign that the Parents have a tender love to their children when they take away a Knife from them for fear lest they should hurt themselves with it So 't is mercy when God cuts thee off and deprives thee of such Delights and Pleasures which if thou hadst liberty to enjoy therewith thou wouldst dishonor Almighty God Object 2. A second Objection is How are the ways of God ways of pleasantness when they require abundance of Humiliation brinish Tears sorrow for sin and is not this irksome and unpleasant A. There 's more sweetness in this which thou callest bitternesse I mean godly sorrow for sin then in all the pleasures of the world for as in the laughter of the wicked the heart is sorrowful so in the sorrow of the godly the heart laughs and rejoyceth Christ turns these Waters into Wine Call not the tears of repentance Marah but Naomi In the winding up we shall finde that the tears of repentance are not bitter waters but sweet refreshing waters Every tear in thy eye is a Pearl in Gods eye Every tear is exhal'd into Gods bottle All the laughter of the wicked is Risus Sardonicus Their greatest merriments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther hath an excellent saying Vna guttula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet But the godly rejoyce in their sufferings Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations They have inward joy amidst outward sorrows VVhen their cheeks run down with tears they have a chearful spirit something they feel of comfort coming in They have a principle of Joy within them from the apprehension of Gods love in Christ and this swallows up all sorrows One glimpse of Christs countenance will swallow up an Ocean of sorrows And this will appear in two or three Particulars 1. The work of Humiliation hath the melting work of the Gospel The Law breaks but the Gospel melts the heart No such kindly working upon the heart as mercy bowels opened and the goodness of God To sin against these will deepliest affect the heart When a soul is humbled for sinning against mercy and goodness and the heart is melted and dissolved into tears there must be pleasantness and sweetness in these because they proceed from such a Principle even the Principle of the melting work of the Gospel and this cannot have much bitterness in it 2. The Soul in the work of Humiliation melting before the Lord easeth it self of abundance of sin We say Leves curae loquuntur Sen. Trag. ingentes stupent When people can shed tears thereby they ease their heart but when the heart is so opprest as the eyes cannot shed tears the sorrow or passion of the heart is greater and more dangerous By weeping for sin thou dost ease and rid thy self of abundance of sin thy heart feels some joy and draws and sucks some sweetness out of these bitter herbs 3. In the work of Humiliation there 's much delight because the soul hath much delight in looking back to that sorrow it hath had The wicked rejoyce in their pleasures the godly rejoyce in their tears Epaminondas went sad about the City when the Thebanes were a revelling when others have been in May-games and Merriments and lascivious Enterludes it will cheer up thy spirit that thou hast been sorrowing for thy sin Object 3. But thirdly it 's Objected That godliness puts us upon hard services we shall meet with many scandals great sufferings and persecutions for the name of Christ we shall meet with sore temptations and tryals Peradventure we may be brought to fry at a Stake for Christ How then can the ways of godliness be ways of pleasantness A. Notwithstanding the hardest sufferings that the heart of a godly man shall meet withal yet there 's that delight in the ways of godliness as to uphold the heart under all sufferings and carry it on sweetly How much did the Martyrs rejoyce They kist the Stake welcomm'd Fire and Fagot some of them leapt for joy wrote singular Letters for the confirmation of their Brethren Godlyness will carry thee chearfully through sufferings It will make thee account thy Chains as Ornaments thy Prison thy Palace thy Dungeon thy Paradise Gods people suck sweetness out of the bitterest hearbs They finde an Honey-comb in the carcass of Lyons They never see so much of God in prosperity as adversity Never do they feel more inward comforts then amidst outward sorrows for then God settles the tranquility of their spirits and the serenity of their consciences Christ appeared to Mary weeping to Jacob at Bethel to Elias after forty days fasting God brings forth his Cordials to his people in their forest tryals so that whatever sorrows hardships and troubles they meet withal abroad yet they have joy at home and though they may make many a hard meal yet a good conscience is to them a continual feast There 's one Objection more which I shall answer and then proceed Object 4. Some object from common experience When people come into the ways of godliness they do not finde that delight and joy as they had before The world observes them to be more melancholy and of a heavy dumpish spirit This is a meer calumny of the Devils raising to keep men off from the ways of God This is a great pull-back and Remora to the conversion of many souls I shall give a more full and I hope satisfactory Answer to the Objection in these following Considerations 1. Religion denys not civil courteous and affable behaviour Consid 1. Religion denys not civil behaviour Religion forbids not a chearful disposition Nay there 's a Judgement threatned to the contrary Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies saith the Lord. A churlish Nabal is a dishonor to Religion Take heed therefore of discrediting the Gospel by your sad melancholy spirits lest the world bring an evil report upon the ways of godliness None have such chearful spirits as true Believers Their heart is full and must have a vent their tongues countenances carriages will shew that they have comfort in God But secondly consider thou maist mistake Gods children Thou Consid 2. Gods children are serious accountest that sadness and sorrow which is seriousness gravity and a stay'd compos'd carriage The carriage of Gods children must be sober and grave their words serious season'd with salt and their whole conversation must be such as may adorn their profession Phil. 1. 27. Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ 3. Consider Gods people may appear sad because they are out Consid 3. Gods children are sad when out of their element of their element When the Fish is out of its element of Water it cannot enjoy it self Birds do not ordinarily sing upon the ground
and leave the success to God A Third sinne is an affectation of Novelty or devising wayes 2. Sinne affectation of Novelty besides or quite contrary to the knowledge of the word of God We brayd of the humour of old Athens we have Itching eares after novelty It is sad to consider how many young mens heads affect froth of wit and spend much time in reading stage playes Poets Pasquills Romances high-flown non-sense of late Scriblers Others out of curiosity are not afraid to meddle with Judicial Astrology which was Mr. Perkins his sinne in his younger years and his sorrow in his elder years Another sort there are who are much affected with New-Lights i. e. Antinomian and Familisticall writers who with a swelling Title in the frontispice allure men as the Syrens doe with their Musick and then devour them Some of their bookes are no better then guilded Pills or guilded Rats-bane which whilest they pretend the exaltation of Christ and bright morning beames as somâ—e of their Titles pretend they deceive young heads and whilest they pretend new lights they revive old Antiquated Her esies and like an ignis fatuus mislead multitudes ho follow after to their own destruction Therefore lets all as one man be exhorted not to be wise above what is written not to follow any further then they follow Jesus Christ Keep close to the good old rule unto the law and the testimonyes study the Scriptures and converse with those Mnasons those old disciples study their works such as were Greenham Perkâ—ns Regers Hildersham Dod Dyke c. Their memory is blessed their works prayse them in the gate And let me communicate an experience unto you I have observed of some that at first out of pregnancy of parts and singularity they would be scepticall and hold Paradoxes in Philosophy In tract of time they stayd not there but they would set their wits a working and afterwards they became scepticall and Heterodoxe in Divinity And therefore take heed of Sceptisme There is †Mr. John Bidle a notorious Heretique One whom I knew very well a man of a proud spirit that used in the schooles to be sâ—epticall and maintaine Paradoxes and to goe against the principles of Philosophy He is gone further now and hath wrote a blasphemous book against the Divinity of the holy Ghost Whither will not pride and vaine glory carry any man And what becomes of the best wit the best parts when God leaves any man unto himself The Fourth and last sinne I shall now name is pride and of all 4. Sin Pride pride spirituall pride is most dangerous when a man is proud of any gift of God his pride will prove like the wild gourd est mors in olla Pride is the poyson of the soul it soon swells a man and then bursts him And many times men of learning smart for their pride God bereaves them of their senses and they doe even obrutescere with Nebuchadnezzar who in the middest of his proud vainglorious boasting was sent a grazing among the beasts of the field And there is another sort of pride which I dare not let goe unreproved i. e. the strange Exotick Garbes of these times worse then former ages mâ—ny cannot be content with the haire v. Mr. Pryn's unlovelyness of love-looks that God gives them they like not the colour of it but they borrow other folks hair some are so phantasticall as to Crisp and Powder their hair and wear long Locks fitter to be called Pride-locks then Love-locks I cannot hold my peace to see such vanities and prodigious sights even like bushy Comets pâ—â—tending some mischeif to the place where they live You shall not talk scarce with any Trades-man but he will tell you it s a hard time he hath much adoe to live And many poore housholders have much adoe to keep themselves alive when as in the mean time a Phantasticall Gallant wears so many Ribbands even all the coâ—lours of the Rainbow in his Hat so many Ribbands about his waste so many Poynts about the knees as the price payd for them would maintain many poore families a great while Brethren I speak these things sadly and seriously when I consider such superfluityes and vanityes which if they were pared off and that money converted to the poor it might supply the honest necessity of many a poor servant of Jesus Christ Hopeing therefore of your Reformation I proceed to a Second Vse for Exhortation Let old men call to mind their youthfull sinnes and mourn for 2 Vse For Exhortation Admonentur hic senes ut ipst delicta juventutis suae â—gnoscant detestentur illorutnque veniam precentur Davidem non imitantur qui gloriando de praeteritâ suâ stultitiâ garriunt adhuc tales esse vellent Musc in Psal 25. Quidâ—m ex hoc loco colligun eximiam viri sanctissimi sanctitatem qui in aetate jam confirmatâ maturâ nihil sibi conscivit Sanct. them I am confident there are divers aged persons that have repented of their youthfull sinnes which sins were they to commit again they would not commit them for all the world And doe not passe by the sinnes of your riper years David prayes that God would charge neither upon him but remember him according to mercy Psal 25. 7. Covetousness and Passion are amongst others two especiall sinnes that accompany old age Beware of these in an especiall manner These are beloved bosome sinnes O subdue them when Goliah was slain the Philistines were vanquished presently When Covetousness and Passion which are the championsins the accustomed sins of old age are conquered other sins of ordinary incursions will more easily be subdued I have read of Bellarmine that when the Priest came to confess him he could not remember any particular sins of his present age but was fain to call to mind the sinnes of his youth put surely this man was a meer stranger to his own heart he had not studied his own heart otherwise he might have found many present sinnes to bewail if he had not gone back as farre as his youth â—owever the oldest Saints find matter of humiliation for daily and hourely sinnes and they lamâ—nâ— their sinnes committed in all ages viz Infancy Childhood Youth and old age â—nd to you that are yong let me beseech you to give God the prime of your youth consecrate your youth to God A young Timothy O how delightfull is he to God The time you have before you O redeem it and be good husbands of it and improve every minute of time to the glory of God! and the best advantage of your precious soules O labour with a holy greediness to get saving graces faith love hope patience meekness and humilitie Now you have a time of plenty store up against a year of famine Now you have many prices put into your hands to get wisdom withall O that God would give you hearts to make a right improvement of them You have strength â—nd
came justly upon them for the neglect and unprofitableness under the Gospel in King Edward the sixth's days And if they were so severely punished for a few years unprofitableness under the means of Grace of how much forer punishment shall we of England be accounted worthy who well nigh a hundred years have enjoyed the purity of the Gospel and yet we are barren and unfruitful Let us every one acknowledge his own unfruitfulness that notwithstanding fatning Ordinances we have lean souls and let us every one pray in particular Lord lay not my unfruitfulness under the Ministry unto my charge The Spirit will not always strive and wait at those Bethesda's God may in judgement say I will take this kingdom from you and give it to others who will bring forth the fruits of it I will no more suffer my servants to be abused no more suffer my word to be despised I 'le rain Mannâ—h no more round about your tents if you have so cheap an esteem of it Let us all deprecate this dreadful judgement which the Pâ—ophet Amos threatens Amos 8. 1. Behold a basket of summer-fruits and he said What seest thou and I said A basket of summer-fruit then said the Lord unto me The end is come upon my people of Israel I will not again pass by them any more This is the second way whereby the Spirit â—â—rives viz. By the Ministry of the word A third way whereby the Spirit strives is by the checks and 3. The Spirit strives by the conviction of conscience Multi habent scientiaÌ„ pauci vero conscientiam Bernard de interiore domo In corde puritatem In ore veritatem In actione rectitudinem Bern. de interdomo convictions of conscience Bernard makes a sad complaint in that excellent Tract De interiori domo Many haue knowledge but few have conscience He lays down there three choice qualifications of a good conscience To have sincerity in the heart truth in the mouth and rectitude in the conversation These are distinguishing Notes for tryal and examination Now the spirit of God strives by the checks of conscience Conscience flew in Judas his face a legal qualm came upon him I can call it no better It sprang from the horror of the wrath of God and Hell fire flashing in his face It was no Evangelical repentance Judas got thirty pieces of silver but conscience forced him to a restitution Conscience is a reflect act it looks back upon a mans self It is like a Musket over-charged it will recoil upon a sinner It is like a Blood-hound that will follow by the scent and will never leave searching till it hath descryed the Delinquent Wherefore Brethren let us take special notice of the checks of Conscience Let us keep faith and a good conscience joyn'd as the Apostle exhorts Let us not break Gods link Let Pauls Herein I exercise be our continual Monitor Acts 24. 16. Herein I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men A Christian may have a pardon in the Court of the Judge and yet not discern it in the Court of his conscience In case of desertions withdrawings and suspensions of Gods gracious countenance a Christian may not be able to apprehend Gods reconciled countenance but in this case there are incouraging supporting promises Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God We read likewise Psal 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart and Psal 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness God is gracious and full of compassion and righteous in all his ways But what shall we say when a sinner is condemned both in the Court of the Judge and of conscience how great is that condemnation Spira had a check of conscience and a voice forbidding him O do it not He paid full dear for the wounding of his conscience It 's an observatian of an excellent Divine in a precious Book called Moses self-denyal We had better saith he have all the world Mr. Burroughs Moses Self-denyal cast shame in our faces and upbraid us then that our consciences should cast dirt into them It 's better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest Potentates on earth then to have an angry conscience within our breast It 's better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford then to loose the delights which a good conscience will bring in O let the Bird in the breast be always kept singing whatsoever we suffer for it We all subscribe to this in Theâ— whether we do thus in Hypothesi let 's examine our awakned Conscience Let us every one deal impartially with his own conscience All our hearts are naked unto him with whom we have to deal Let every one pray study confer for the information of his own Conscience nothing may be done doubtingly for that is not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin In the whole course of our lives let us bring all our actions to the rule of the word of God and let that decide the controversie Here 's a four-fold infallible rule Let A four-fold rule for the examining of conscience 1. Every one be perswaded in his own heart 2. Let us abstain from all appearances of evil 3. Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 4. Hold faith and a good conscience Let us keep close to these known plain rules discarding carnal policy carnal interests which are the devised ways of men and then let our resolution concur with Luthers I bear this title I HuÌ„c gero titulum cedo nulli Luth. yeild to none Now then when the Spirit thus strives by the checks of conscience let us not resist nor stifle those motions let us not shut our eyes against known light breaking in upon us This is a third way whereby the Spirit strives viz. by the checkings and convictions of Conscience A fourth way wereby the Spirit strives is by the tenders of 4. The Spirit strives by the tender of mercies mercies and loving kindness openings of bowels of compassion towards poor sinners These mercies are tender mercies and there is a multitude of them Psal 51. 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindeness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions They are the sounding of Bowels the fountain opened Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Here is a free tender of Jesus Christ and the riches of his mercies The spirit makes many Proclamations and Invitations to come in to Jesus Christ One is Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and
destroys presently in the midst of their rebellions But admit he gives space though he is not bound unto that yet he denys grace to many to whom he vouchsafes space as unto Jezabel and we read of a peradventure 2 Timothy 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God may give them repentance This Doctrine speaks terror unto all them that procrastinate repentance I le lay down these convictions It argues exceeding great folly and madness Do we not see how Convict 1. It s great folly to put off repentance many are cropt off in their buds how many are cut off in their sins we are wiser for the World In gainful bargains we make haste saying Do not delay for fear of danger and yet we are stark fools for our souls 2. It argues a great contempt an high affront and indignity against Convict 2. It argues great contempt God Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evil c. offer it unto your governor will he be pleased with thee 3. It argues high presumption to presume of patience mercy Convict 3. It argues high presumption and long-suffering when as we abuse them all Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-sâ—ffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance A terâ—ible curse will follow if we neglect Gods time when he calls when we call he will neglect our time Prov. 1. 24 25. Because I have called and ye have refused c. therefore ye shall call but I will not answer The third use is for Exhortation to lay hold upon the present Use 3. For Exhortatiâ—n tenders of Grace and make the best of this opportunity Defer not thy repentance a moment longer lay aside all excuses â—ne pleads for his Oxen another for his Form another for his Merchâ—ndise All these are unfit guests for Christ Now therefore come into Christ Is it not a great mercy that thou art yet alive on this side Hell and the Grave Now then close with God set an high price of Gods mercies and let the riches of his mercy lead thee to repentance Consider 1. Now is the Spirits striving time 2. Now is the limitted time Heb. 4. 7. To day if you will hear his voice c. 3. Now is the accepted time thy soul-saving time 2 Cor. 6. 2. 4. Now once past cannot be recalled I therefore now beseech you by the mercies of God by all the Sermons and Invitations of Christ to make your peace with God to embrace the mercies tendered to break off your sins by repentance and to regard the strivings and wooings of the Spirit of God The fourth use is foâ— caution 1. Beware of presuming of future Use 4. For caution 1. Beware of presuming of Grace offers of Grace James 4. 13 14. Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell whereas ye know not what shall be on the morow The fool in the Gospel was cut off in the midst of his presumption Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee Esau mist his Luke 12. 20 season The five foolish Virgins mist their seasons The old world presumed of life never thinking of a Deluge but when the Flood came How did they wander some got upon House-tops some upon high Mountains some would questionless have been entertained in the Ark but the day of Grace was expired the commission of Preaching of Repentance was but for 120 years that 's past and a Flood over-whelmed them all O my dear Brethren be perswaded to lay hold on the present season of Grace lest ruine overtake you whilst you procrastinate 2. â—eware of sadding the Spirit of God and resisting the sweet motions thereof Eph. 4. 30. The Spirit invites calls woos intreats 2. Beware of sadding the spirit of God thee to be reâ—onciled and make thy peace with God Thou hearest a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk therein Hearken to the voice of this spiritual Charmer which charmeth so wisely 3. Beware of low and mean thoughts of the Ordinances of God 3 Beware of low â—houghts of Ordinances Heb. 2. 3. The Israelites slighted Mannah but they paid dear for it Gods Spirit strives by the Word by Prayer by the Sacraments Take heed of undervaluing all these ways of striving Sometimes God strives by an affliction for that 's Gods Ordinance likewise and calls upon thee to learn instruction to smite upon thy thigh 4. Beware of neglecting observations of particular experiences 4. Beware of neglecting observations c. Sometimes God strives with thee in a way of mercy by tenders of Christ sometimes by threatnings neglect not these strivings but make a review of them observe Gods dealings with thy soul how the Lord woos invites and waits on thee how sometimes thy heart hath been opened like Lydia's to close with God sometimes thou art quick other times dull sometimes thou hast hold of Christ other times thou wantest his presence This is the lot of Gods people sometimes they are in an ebb someâ—imes in a float sometimes their Faith is strong other times they know not whether they have any at all or no This was David's case and thou must apply Davids remedy Why arâ— thou cast down O my Psal 4. 2. v. ult soul and why art thou disquieted within me still trust in God Beware of trusting to thine own resolutions O say some I resolve hereafter to repent and close with God This is that which ruines multitudes because they presume in their own strength What are our resolutions but as the early dew which soon passeth away What are the best of men if God leaves them unto themselves we must therefore take heed of sacrificing to our own nets and drags trusting to our own strength but come off from all those and act in the strength of God We can do nothing without him but all things through Christ that strengthens us Samson said He would go out and shake himself as at other times And he wist not Judg. 16. 20. that the Lord was departed from him 5. Beware of pride and stoutness of heart Lastly Beware of pride and stoutness of heart trying conclusions with God and reasoning and counter-striving against God The proud men would not believe the Prophet saying Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Aegypt to sojourn there Jer. 43. 2. Use 5. For admonition The fifth Use shall be for admonition O that we could account the long-suffering of God our salvation And O that the goodness of God and the riches of his mercy might lead us to repentance In few words be admonished 1. Take the benefit of the season To day Repent speedily 1. Repent speedily 2. Repent seriously Isa 55. 6. Heb.
A new understanding 2. 20. when Saul was converted he had a new understanding he was another manner of man he was inspired from heaven and had divine illumination 3. There 's a new Will Psal 110. 3. Paul askt Lord what 3. A new will wouldst thou have me to doe after Christ met with him by the way 4. New Affections Col. 3. 2. 4. New affections 5. A new heart 6. A new life 5. A new Heart It 's commanded Ezek. 18. 31. and promised Ezek. 36. 26. 6. A new Life there are new paths there are new waies the fruit of Regeneration is newnesse of life and conversation the fruit of a regenerate man is to holynesse he brings forth fruits meet for repentance as we are commanded Mat. 3. 8. I proceed to another Use for Exhortation to exhort and excite Vse 4. For Exhortation every one to search and enquire and let every one ask his own heart whether or no he be regenerated This is a matter of eternal consequence and therefore we should make it a Question and ask every one himself particularly Am I regenerated yea or no. For Motives consider 1. The necessity Joh. 3. 3. No comming to heaven withou Mot. 1 Regeneration 2. All the Actions Services and Duties performed by unregenerate Mot. 2 men can no waies be acceptable and pleasing unto God For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Now the most gaudy specious pretences of unregenerate men arise not from a Principle of Faith there 's Self-love Vain-glory at the bottom Now without Faith â—ere is an utter impossibility of pleasing God Heb. 11. 6. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever enter into heaven Now an unregenerate Mot. 3 person is unwasht left to lye in his blood and pollution his wayes are foul his mind and conscience are defiled No sink so filthy as the state of unregeneracy The fift Vse is for Direction Vse 5. For Direction First Pray hard for Divine Wisdome Jam. 1. 17. All Secular Learning all the accomplisht knowledge in the Arts and Sciences are not able to teach this Mystery of Regeneration It comes from heaven it 's the work of the Spirits illumination to open the understanding to bring a soul from darkness unto light 2. Wait upon God in his Word the Word is the â—eed of Regeneration it 's immortal incorruptible Seed 3. Pray for the Spirit the Spirit causeth this Seed to fructifie The sixth Vse is for Consolation O how happy are their conditions Vse 6. For Consolation Rev. 1. 5. who are savingly wrought on by the Spirit of God! It 's God that hath loved them and washt them and made them Kings and Priests unto God They are new born and are of the family of the First-born Not flesh and blood not the greatest birth nor accomplisht parts hath revealed this Mysterie of Regeneration this is onely the work of Gods Spirit Now what 's the Duty of regenerate persons 1. To praise God and tell of his goodness So did Paul reciting the History of his Conversion break forth into Praises 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2. To walk as becommeth converted children Eph. 5. 8. Regeneration must be evidenced by the fruits of a sanctified conversation 3. To set an high price on so great a distinguishing love and mercy That God should change thy heart and purifie thy nature This is 1 a work of an Omnipotent God 2. In instanti 3. Ex nihilo it 's a pure Creation pray then with David Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Unconverted must pray for Regeneration and Converted must pray foâ— further Manifestations and Evidences there 〈…〉 that this great work is effectually wrought upon their soules The Feasts of Purim OR Two Solemn Festivals instituted ordained in remembrance of that wonderfull Deliverance from Hamans bloody Plot applyed to our Anniversary Commemoration of Gods gracious Deliverance from the GUN-POWDER TREASON upon Esther c. 9. v. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not fail that they would keep these two dayes according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year And that these daies should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation every Family every Province and every City and that these dayes should not faile from among the Jews nor the memoriall of them perish from their seed THE Text and Solemnity of this day of Thanksgiving answer Serm. 6. at St. Maries Oxon. Nov. 5. 1654. each other as in water face answers face The Jews having obtain'd a signall deliverance from a barbarous Massâ—cre plotted and contrived by Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite their inveterate and implacable Adversary set apart by way of gratulatory Commemoration the foâ—rteenth and fifteenth day of the Month Adar that they should make them daies of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Ver. 22. And wee of this Nation being wonderfully delivered from a Romish Devillish design of the Gun-powder Treason are here on purpose met to commemorate with thankfulnesse this fifth of November when the Blow was intended to be given but through Mercy was disappointed Some Parallels might easily be drawn between Hamans hortid Assassination and the bloody Butchery intended this day though in many things this Popish Plot wants a parallel Haman was an old enemy to the Jews he was an Agâ—gite of the Family of Agag King of Amalek and therefore upon an old grudge the greater enemy And this Haman was a â—avoâ—rite in the highest degâ—ee of King Ahasuerus and so in a fitter capacity to bring his mischief to â—ass The occasion of the first quarrel was but a petty trissing inconsiderable matter Mordecai did not bow nor do reverence to Haman The want of a bended knee first blew Esâ—h 3. 2. the coâ—l of contention firâ— incensed Haman against Mordecai Several Questions are raised whether Haman expected from Mordecai more than a civil worship or whether Mordecai refused to do reverence because Haman was a Persian and as their custome is had the Sun pictured in his breast or because he was of the Family of Amalck with whom God would have War from generation to generation Exod. 17. 16. Hence there are raised several disputes and many coÌ„jectures neither is it necessary to be too peremptory in our determination seeing the Scripture is silent but Human thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone Esth 3. 6. Aquila non â—aptat muscas he aims at the utter ruin of Mordecai and all his people Tutum est nescire quod tegitur Ambr. He complains to the King against the Jews pleads an argument ab inutili that it 's not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esth. 3. 8. The King gives Haman his â—ing and gives the Jews into his hand ver 10. The Scribes write the Letters the Posts
Testament unto the New we shall find the whole Church earnest for one man Act. 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in Prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intentae So Beza referring to the ardor of the mind Sine intermissione so Erasmus And how speed these prayers Vers 7. The Angell of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the Prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying Arise up quickly And his chaines fell off from his hands Upon this Scripture I l'e give you that observation of an excellent Divine lately gone Dr Harris Pet. Enlargement from us to heaven in that rare Sermon called Peters enlargement The Enemies saith he shuts the Prison dore the Church opens Heavens dores so there 's old tugging for the prisoner but the Church will not let him go saith God if you will take no deniall there he is And as the whole Church prayed for the Apostle so did one Apostle Paul pray much for the whole Church Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my prayers And Eph. 1. 16 17. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him 2. To these examples I l'e adde in the next place Scripture precepts for Proofe Ministers are in a peculiar manner in joynd this 2. The Doctrine proved by Scripture Precepts duty Joel 2. 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God All are in joyn'd Psal 122. 7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity he within thy Palaces And James 5. 16. Confesse your faults one unto another and pray one for another c. In the third place I l'e assign some grounds and reasons for confirmation and these I shall reduce unto three Heads 3. The Doctrine confirmed by Reasons 1. In respect of God 2. Of prayer 3. Of Jerusalem All these are strong Arguments to perswade 1. In respect of God who both expects and promiseth a blessing R. 1. In respect of God upon the meanes The Lord so expects prayer as that he will not grant great mercyes unto his Church but in and by his peoples prayers God hath ingaged himselfe in a Bond. His promise is his Bond and he will have it put in suit before he pay it See what God promiseth Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me And Jer. 33. 6. Behold I will cure them and reveale unto them the abundance of peace and truth And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to returne and will build them as at the first So Zeph. 3. 20. In that time I will bring you again even in the time that I gather you For I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turne back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. What a glorious Church is Prophecied and what transcendent beauty will the Lord put upon them Isai 54. 11 12. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs and I will make thy windowes of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones By all these Hyperbolicall similitudes is set forth the glorious condition of the Church in the daies of the Gospell These are great Beauties and excellencies prophesied of the Church yet as they are worth praying for so in good earnest they must be sought of God Jer. 33. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not c. 36. Ezek. 37. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock Now prayer is Gods Ordinance the language of his Spirit the musick which he loveth no Melody in Gods account like unto the prayers of his people Wherefore though God promiseth great things unto his people who will not faile one jot of his word yet he will have his Children plye the Throne of grace He is the great Master of Requests and loves to see his Court full of Suitors He is the great God that heareth prayers and delighteth in prayers and it is his pleasure that his people should be his remembrancers even to spread before him the condition of his Church For though it 's best known to him already yet he will have them call cry and seek with Importunity for the accomplishment of those good and great things which he intends for his own people Though deliverance was promised out of the Babylonish captivity at the expiation of 70 yeares yet they must pray for it Psal 126. vers 4. Turne again our captivity O Lord as the streames in the South A second Reason shall be taken from the great benefit of prayer R. 2. From the great Benefit of prayer It is an instrumentall meanes under God to obtain a blessing By some it is called Clavis viscerum Dei virtus omnipotens Their intentions are good I doubt not who use these expressions yet it is not safe to use them without an explanation of their sence Without question great help comes by prayer yet the help depends not upon what we do but upon God that gives to will and to do It is our duty to pray and the praise and glory of the successe and issue coming of prayer we must ascribe wholly unto the Lord that heareth prayers Now what helpes prayer affords may be represented in these following particular Instances 1. Prayer is an Universall help It 's Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Prayer is an universall help when raine is wanting when enemies get the victory when there is death famine and pestilence then is a speciall time to pray and God promiseth audience 1 Chron. 7. 13 14. If I shut up Heaven that there be no raine or if I command the Locust to devour the Land and if I send Pestilence among my people If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turn from their wicked waies then will I heare from Heaven forgive their sinne and heale their Land This is a Soveraigne medicine of Gods owne appointment for all diseases
This God prescribes as the meanes and the blessing of God makes it effectuall This is the poore mans medicine the sick mans medicine the oppressed mans medicine Nay both rich and poore sick and healthy honourable and dishonourable each must go to God and seeke his face in prayer Every one in this case is a licensed Physitian Every man cannot contribute money but every man must contribute prayers and teares for the good of Jerusalem Every one hath not strength of body to oppose the Churches enemies but every one must put up sighs and supplications at the Throne of grace in the behalfe of the Church 2. Prayer is an invisible help It passeth through Ambuscades 2. Prayer is an Invisible help Courts of guard strong-holds and fortifications There was a strong guard set over Peter Yet the prayer of the Church prevailed with God to send an Angell for his deliverance The Angell came invisibly and took away Peters chaines threw open the Iron gate and delivered the Prisoner So Paul and Silas were cast into Prison put into the inner Prison their feet fast in the stocks Here 's imprisonment upon imprisonment yet their hearts were inlarged though their bodies were imprisoned Acts 16. vers 25. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sung praises unto God and the Prisoners heard them The Nightingale warbles out her most melodious notes when her breast is upon a Thorn I am sure amidst sore afflictions Gods people in joy sweet consolations So that as outward comforts abound divine comforts superabound God settles the tranquillity of the inward man amidst the sufferings of the outward man It is reported that Archimedes made engines whereby he vexed his enemies at a great distance off Prayer I am sure millions of miles off can reach the Church as an Instrumentall meanes for its defence and an offence unto its enemies Upon Hezekiah's prayer Senacherib was discomfited upon Jâ—hoshaphats prayer Moab and Ammon were overthrown upon Moses his prayer Pharaoh and Amaleck were destroyed And yet all these enemies did not know who hurt them The prayers of the faithfull did rout the enemies sooner then all their weapons of warre Hereupon Mary Qâ—een of Scots was afraid V. Hist of Scotland of John Knox his prayers She profest she stood more in feare of that Ministers prayers than an Army of men This help of prayer is ready when help from earth failes when we see no visible way to succour us this Invisible meanes from Heaven under God worketh great things for us Of all people even enemies themselves are most afraid of a praying people They meet with them at a distance and wound them and strike invisibly and give them deadly blowes not knowing who hurts them Although Achitophel falls a plotting yet David falls a praying and so counterplots all his plots Hence it came to passe that all the counsells of Achitophel were turned into foolishnesse So when a huge Army came against Asa he betook himselfe to prayer and they were discomfited Prayer will frustrate the secretest cabinet Counsells of Polititians and disappoint them What shall I adde more The secretest hidden deeds of darknesse through prayer are manifested and laid naked and blasted even in the bud 3. Prayer is a speedy help Dan. 9. vers 20 21. Whiles I was speaking praying and confessing my sinne and the sinne of my people 3. Prayer is a speedy help Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy Mountain of my God yea whiles I was speaking in prayer even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to flye swiftly touched me c. Before we speak God knowes our thoughts and what we would have and while we are speaking he promiseth to answer us Isai 65. vers 24. It shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Before Ammunitions mony counsells of men can come time enough our prayers may come at the Throne of grace and God may give a gratious Answer But then a question will be moved If prayer be such a present help how comes it to passe that answers to prayers are not returned Q. the chariot wheeles of deliverance are long a coming For answer we must know there 's no delay no tarrying in Gods decree though according to the execution thereof we may apprehend Ans delayes Hab. 2. vers 3. For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry But God foâ—beares to answer that we may cry the lowder and opens not that we may knock the harder Wherefore our prayers should have more vigour and fervency they should be rowsing prayers as we read Psal 51. 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse c. Psal 51. 1. Heare my cry O God attend unto my prayer Psal 64. 1. Here my voyce O God in my prayer Psal 80. 1. Give eare O shepheard of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a flock and that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth Not but that God alwaies heareth For his eare is never weary that it cannot heare but that God loveth the earnest and importunate supplications of his Children 4. Prayer is a prevalent help Ex. 33. 10. Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them c. And Moses besought the Lord 4. Prayer is a prevalent help his God and said why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people c. What saith the Apostle Read James 5. 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six moneths c. We are to understand that there 's no merit in our prayers neither may we understand it as if any humane strength or ability were in the least to be preferred before the strength of God But these words set forth the wonderfull condescention of God to his people as if it were to suffer himselfe to be overcome by the fervency and faithfulnesse of their spirits Thus Jacob prevailed by prayer He wrestled with the Angell and prevailed Gen. 32. 25 28. He wrestled with God and God said thy name shall no more be called Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed Compare this with Hos 12. vers 4. Yea he had power over the Angell and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us So Hannah poured out her Heart with all fervency and went away with comfort and received Samuel a Son of prayers Devout prayer never goes away with a repulse As Saul in his most sober thoughts said of David So say I of prayer it shall do great things and also
Children they are true believers and must needs be such as to whom comfort appertaines for they have great priviledges As first Accesse unto the Throne of Grace Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have accesse by saith Secondly They have Interest in all the promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen Thirdly They have Interest in speciall providences distinguishing mercies viz. 1. For their provision Psal 34. 9 10. They shall want no good thing 2. For their Protection Heb. 1. ult The Angells are their Guardians 3. For their direction Christ is a Counsellour and he directs them 4. For their Consolation he comforts them Joh. 14. 18 26 27 5. They have all sanctified what ever they injoy The Creatures are sanctified unto them Fourthly Christ is theirs 1 Cor. 3. 20 21. Rom. 8. 32. And with Christ they have all things Fifthly They shall injoy the presence of God and be made pertakers of the blessed vision Mat. 5. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Here they injoy God in his Ordinances they have Communion with him and feele spirituall Illapses upon their soules but this Ebbes and flowes they have many Interruptions and Intermissions but hereafter they shall injoy an uninterrupted Communion with God to all Eternity Yet notwithstanding what hath been said there are many doubts and scruples raised for there are three sorts of persons who make objections viz. 1. Vnbelievers 2. Misbelievers 3. Weak-believers 1. I begin with Unbelievers and these are to be considered under a double capacity Either such as are Heathens to whom the Gospell hath not been preached in whose land the voice of the Turtle hath not been heard i. e. no publick preaching of the Gospell or else such as live under the sound of the Gospell who have heard of Christ and his Gospell preached and yet they remaine in a state of unbeliefe Obj. Concerning the first sort of unbelievers it 's objected that Obj. 1 the Heathens and Infidells have not had the meanes how then shall they believe on him on whom they have not heard can it agree with the Justice of God to damne them for their unbeliefe seeing they never had the meanes of grace afforded and never heard the Gospell preached Ans I answer God is a most free agent he is bound to none Ans On whom he will he hath mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Faith is Gods free gift to some he gives it to others he denies it And God may do what he pleaseth with his owne God is said to conclude some under unbeliefe Rom. 11. 32. The Phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shut them up hampered them And the God of this world hath blinded their minds 2 Cor. 4. 4. See what their Conversation is Eph. 4. 17 18 19. And see their doome Jer. 10. 25. Ignorance excuseth not nor exempeth from Judgment though Ignorance may sometimes extenuate and make a sinne lesse comparatively yet it is a damnable sinne For a sinne of Ignorance there was an offering to be offered unto God Lev. 4. 27. And a blind mind is both a sinne and a dreadfull judgment Act. 28. 25 26 27. Let none therefore lavish charity upon Heathens If ever they be saved they cease to be Heathens and become Christians For assuredly there 's no salvation but by Christ Act. 4. 12. And no coming to Christ but by faith Joh. 5. 40. Let God be true and every man a lyer God is Just in all his waies and proceedings Shall not the Judge of all the world do right Concerning the second sort of Believers who live under the meanes it 's commonly objected It is not in our own power we Obj. 2 cannot believe God commands things impossible for us to doe For Answer hereunto Those who thus argue do not say they Ans would believe if they could they lay not the fault upon their own will which is refractory and disobedient but they lay the fault upon God To give a full Answer I le lay downe these Propositions Prop. 1. Man cannot by his owne power turne himselfe to God Prop. 2. Conversion and all the fruits thereof are the Graces of Gods spirit Prop. 3. Good inclinations come from God Prop. 4. We may not neglect our duty Prop. 5. There is no Injustice in God to command things impossible 1. It is not in the power of man to turne himselfe unto God O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe c. Jer. 10. 23. 2. Conversion and all the fruits thereof even all the Graces of the Spirit are the gift of God so is faith and love Every good and perfect gift comes from above 3. Our wills and inclinations to any good all come from God He giveth to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. 4. Yet we are called upon to do our duty to thirst come to the waters buy and eate Isa 55. 1. We are called upon to believe and repent Mat. 4. 17. We must use the meanes that God hath appointed we must do all we can and put forth our endeavours to the utmost and yet expect no salvation from what we can do but when we have done all we can we must confesse we are unprofitable servants some complaine I cannot profit by a Sermon Will this be a sufficient excuse to say I can not profit thou must go to God and pray him to reach thee to profit dost thou pray and meditate and call thy selfe to an account and examination of what thou hearest let me aske such as complaine that they have no power to believe would you believe and do you study Scripture Do you read the promises Are you swift to heare Do you use the meanes to get faith If you neglect Gods meanes and Gods waies your destruction will be from your selves altogether Hos 13. 9. 5. It 's no injustice in God to command things which are impossible to flesh and blood to performe and that I will evince by these Arguments 1. God is not bound to give and keep a stock both he gave us power and liberty of will in Adam we lost it and therefore it s our duty to be made sensible of that great losse and to be thoroughly humbled for it 2. God hereby sheweth us our duty what we ought to do 3. Hereby we are put in mind to use the right remedy i. e. going to Jesus Christ for strength of assistance For through his strength we can do our duties and without him we can do nothing Let none therefore plead that they are not able to believe nor repent but though they are not able of themselves they ought to goe to Christ for strength for God hath laid help on one that is mighty Christ is mighty to save he it is that gives grace and glory Let men examine their wills are they not unwilling to come unto Christ though life and salvation is tendred yet they will not come unto Christ they frame multitudes of