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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02741	Tvvo treatises I. The purchase of Grace, shewing the excellency of Christ, and the graces of his spirit. II. The soules delight in Gods tabernacles, shewing the excellency of time, spent in duties of God's solemne service. Instances in the chiefe, viz. prayer, word, and sacraments. Motives and directions for right performance. Lastly, the chiefe usurpers of time discovered, with apt remedies against each of them. The contents of the booke are methodically exprest in the margent, which to the diligent reader may serve instead of a table. By William Harrison, Mr. of Arts, and minister of the Gospell at Canwicke neare Lincolne.	Harrison, William, minister at Canwick.	1639 (1639)	STC 12871; ESTC S103879	208,196	400

rich and wealthy Oh! then in any case blesse God for it and strive to walke worthy of such a precious favour I tell thee God hath not dealt so with every person how many thousand hath God left poore and blind and naked and yet hath set his love upon thee and made thee truely and spiritually rich who wert by nature the childe of wrath and as poore and miserable as any other And indeede the favours of God on this kinde should not be so much as mentioned without speciall praise and thankesgiving unto God See the Apostolicall practise of Gods people in this kinde Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ saith the Apostle Paul Ephes. 1. 3. See the like practise in Peter to this purpose 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall c. Thus David Psalm 103. 1 2 4. Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule forget not all his benefits and Ver. 4. Who did redeeme thy life from destruction and crowned thee with mercy and loving kindnesses Blessed be God that daily more and more even lodeth us with his benefits especially of this kinde Psal. 68. 19. If wee did but seriously consider our former povertie and misery and how freely and undeservedly the Lord hath bestowed this spirituall wealth and riches upon us it cannot choose but presse us to thankfulnesse This made Paul thankfull 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. I thanke Christ Jesus our Lord that he hath judged me faithfull and hath put me into the Ministery who was before a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious c. i. e. I was a poore wretched and gracelesse persecutor of Gods blessed Saints but the Lord according to the riches of his grace and mercy hath made me a rich and glorious Apostle and Minister of Iesus Christ. So in the like forme and manner he maketh mention of Gods singular goodnesse to the Romans Chap. 6. 17. But God be thanked that yee were the servants of sinne but yee have obeyed from the heart the forme of Doctrine which was delivered c. Blessed be God that whereas once yee were poore base slaves and servants of sinne and Sathan God hath enriched you with the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God It is the Lord that Raiseth up the poore out of the dust and setteth him with the Princes of his people It is the Lord that maketh poore and maketh rich oh then blesse God for his singular goodnesse towards thee in that he hath so enriched thee with the golden merits of his dearest Sonne and the excellent graces of his holy and blessed Spirit Secondly Seeing true saving grace is the chiefe and onely meanes to make us truely and spiritually rich this serveth also to exhort all such as have any measure of true saving grace to labour to grow in grace and endeavour to increase in this spirituall wealth and riches O let us imitate the rich misers of the world that are never satisfied with what they have but still hunger and thirst after more here is a most lawfull and commendable kinde of avarice Covet after the best things 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet after Christ and earnestly thirst after a more neare communion with him and the graces of his thrise blessed Spirit But grow in grace sayth the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. 18. So Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 4. 1. Wee beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Iesus Christ that as you have received of us how yee ought to walke and to please God so you would abound still more and more The like exhortation he directeth to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15. last Alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as yee know how that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Never thinke that you shall loose your labour in this kinde Vp therefore and be doing labour to grow in grace and the Lord will be with us and will blesse our endeavours Now for the perfecting of this point give me leave briefly to shew unto you first The Motives that may perswade us and secondly The chiefe meanes to helpe and to direct us to grow in grace First Because God commands it secondly because the Lord commends it thirdly the Lord is much honoured by it fourthly the Lord will most surely reward it First Let us labour to grow rich in grace and not content our selves with some small measure of pietie because the Lord as you have heard doth expresly require it 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in grace c. Now the very bare command of God should be unto us an argument of sufficient strength to perswade us to obedience See how the Lord propoundeth his very ●are command to Iosuah as an argument of sufficient strength to perswade him to be of courage and to abandon all carnall feares Ios. 1. 9. Have not I commanded thee be strong and of a good courage c. So here Have not I commanded thee Oh therefore grow in grace and labour to increase in godlinesse This is the Lords expresse command an evangelicall precept and therefore let us in any case make conscience of it because the LORD requireth it Secondly Because the Lord himselfe expecteth it he looketh for it at our hands It is not enough to get some grace but he expecteth our growth and increase in it When God hath once planted a Vineyard he looketh that it should bring forth grapes as Isa. 5. 2. yea he daily and yearely expecteth it Luk. 13. 7. yea the Lord Jesus goeth into his garden of purpose that he may see how the trees flourish and prosper Cant. 6. 10. I went downe into the garden of Nutts to see the fruits of the valley to see if the Vine budded and the Pomgranates flourished The Lord expecteth and looketh for fruitfulnesse at the hands of his people Yea further the Lord expecteth and looketh for fruits in some measure answerable to the meanes he hath used and the paines which he hath taken to make them fruitfull Heb. 6. 7. The earth that drinketh in the raine that cometh often upon it and bringeth forth fruit meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God Oh let us therefore let us labour to be rich in grace and full of good workes that wee may not frustrate the LORDS expectation Thirdly As the Lord commandeth and expects it so the Lord doth highly commend and prize it when it is so See how the Lord commendeth the diligence of those servants that had encreased their Talents by the holy employment of them Luk. 19. 17. Well done good and faithfull servant thou hast beene faithfull

kindle upon thee neither fire nor water can hurt us if God be with us This made Ioseph prosper so exceedingly in all his dangers He was first cast into a pit then sold into Aegypt then cast into prison put in the Stockes the iron entred even into his soule but in all these extremities the Lord was with him Gen. 39. 21. Yea and at last made him Ruler of all Aegypt This made Hezekiah prosper so exceedingly in all his enterprises see how the Text reporteth it in 2 Kings 18. 5. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel and clave unto him and served him ver 6. Then see the event ver 7. And the Lord was with him and prospered him whithersoever he went and therefore see how he could encourage his Souldiers against the invasion of the King of Assyria in 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be not afraid of the King of Assyria be strong and couragious for notwithstanding all his multitude there is more with us then with him Now see how he proveth it ver 8. both by way of confession and by direct affirmation With him indeede is an arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to helpe us and to fight our battells Yea thus the Lord encouraged Paul to an unwearied painfulnes in preaching the Gospel Act. 18. 9 10. Be not afraid but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee This will make a man couragious even in the strongest dangers in the very jawes of death Psal. 23. 4. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill sayth holy David for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Let us therefore be couragious and abundant in the duties of Gods service for the Lord is ever present with us to defend us and to provide for us This is Davids reason in the verse immediately following the words of this Text ver 11. of this Psalme For the Lord is a Sunne and a Shield he will give grace and glorie and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly in his service So Jer. 1. 19. Thirdly He is a pitifull and tender-hearted Master full of compassion marvellous readie to lay to heart the afflictions of his servants In all their afflictions he is afflicted Isa. 53. 9. Excellent to this purpose is that of St. Iames 5. 11. Yee have heard of the patience of Iob and ye know the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercie As if he had sayd yee may clearely see in Gods dealings with Iob that in conclusion he approved himselfe to be very pitifull and of tender mercie A strange place to this purpose is that we have Judges 10. Though he seemeth to reject them and hold them at staves end for a time yet upon their repentance see how sweetly he approveth and manifesteth his compassion towards them Ver. 16. They put away their strange gods and served the Lord and his soule was grieved for the miseries of Israel though he may shut up his bowells for a time yet at last his compassions will finde a vent his very soule is grieved for our miseries So Ier. 31. 18 19 20. Consider the estate of repenting Ephraim the Lord seemeth angry with him and speaketh against him yea and it may be smiteth him too but no sooner doth Ephraim truely repent and smite upon his thigh and fall out with his sinnes but then see how God is affected with him when he thinketh worst of himselfe then God thinketh the best of him see ver 20. Is Ephraim my deare childe It may be Ephraim thought himselfe scarce worthy the name of a servant and yet God even then calleth him his childe yea his deare childe Well how shall this appeare Surely by the Lords gracious pity and compassion towards him now he is sorry for his sinnes God is sorry that he did so much as speake against him For since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowells are troubled for him I will surely have mercie on him sayth the lord Oh who would not serve such a Master that is thus full of compassion thus readie to lay to heart and be affected with his servants miseries yea his very bowells are troubled his soule is grieved for them O let vs be plentifull and abundant in the service of such a Master Fourthly The Lord is readie to manifest this tender mercie and this gracious disposition of his in pardoning the wants and weaknesses of his servants in subduing their corruptions and in keeping covenant with them I must lap up many things together because I have not time to expresse them severally First He is sinne-pardoning Master yea he alone can doe it no man hath power on earth to forgive sinnes but God alone Mat. 9. Blesse the Lord O my soule forget not all his benefits who forgiveth thine iniquities and healeth thy diseases sayth David Psal. 103. 2 3. Here is a sin-pardoning Master yea he taketh no notice many times of our infirmities but graciously passeth by the weaknesses of his servants Numb 23. 21. He hath not beheld iniquitie in Iacob he hath not seene perversenesse in Israel or if he doe see he freely forgiveth it and spareth his servants as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. And then he is a Covenant-keeping Master All his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Daniel giveth him this title Dan. 9. 4. O God the great and terrible that keepest Covenant with them that love thee he is alwayes as good as his word and often better Faithfull is he that hath called you 1 Thes. 5. 24. namely to his service he will keepe Covenant with you Nay see a place that hath all these together in it Mich. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee The Lord is a most incomparable Master there is none like him in all the world Why so Surely for those three things whereof I have now spoken first He is a sinne-pardoning secondly a corruption-killing thirdly a Covenant-keeping Master See all these in this Text That pardonest iniquitie and passeth by transgression c. there is a sinne-pardoning Master secondly He will subdue our iniquities and heale our back-slidings as Hosea 14 4. there is a corruption-killing Master Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob and mercie to Abraham and therefore he is a Covenant-keeping Master If this be rightly considered this will make us spend much time in Gods service Fifthly The Lord is a soule-saving Master yea he alone is able to doe this no Master under heaven is able to doe this An earthly Master may be kinde to his servants and give them many good things but he cannot save or redeeme their soules he must let that alone for ever Even they that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation v. 5. Loe here a most precious inheritance 3. Gods people have a farre better portion then the wicked for they have the Lord himselfe their portion Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion sayth my soule therefore will I hope in him I have sayd unto the Lord thou art my portion sayth David Psal. 142. 5. Psal. 16. 5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and my cup but the wicked and impenitent have no interest in this portion at best they have their portion in this life Psal. 17. 14. a portion of wealth a portion of land or gold and silver there is the outside of their portion but besides this they have a wofull portion Psal. 11. 6. Vpon the wicked God shall raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup a woull portion whereas the godly have the God of heaven and earth for their portion Fourthly and lastly Gods people have far better attendance then the wicked they may have a company of brave men to attend them at the best but the godly have the glorious Angels to attend and waite upon them they are all sent forth for the good of those that shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1 14. So Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them They have a charge from God to that purpose Psal. 91. 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes here is golden and glorious attendance indeed when they have the holy Angels Gods most glorious creatures and servants to attend them Thus ye see that Gods people are golden people and farre more glorious then the wicked Thirdly Is true grace fitly resembled unto gold This serveth to justifie the paines and care and diligence of all such as labour earnestly to get saving graces sc. because it is so precious It is fitly compared unto gold in respect of the worth of it yea it is more precious then the most fine gold and therefore justifiable and commendable is the course of all those that take paines to get true grace yea that preferre it before gold for it is far more precious as you have heard they that choose this have with Mary chosen the better part which shall never be taken from them Luk. 10. 42. Let no man say therefore what need so much teaching and preaching and such running after Sermons c. For it is necessary that the Word of God should be preached Act. 13. 47. for it is the meanes both to beget and increase saving grace which is of a golden qualitie and therefore sayth the Apostle in his valediction to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. 32. And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up farther and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified It will never leave a man untill it have brought a man into the new Jerusalem Goe on therefore O all ye Saints of God Take fast hold of Instruction let her not goe keepe her for she is your life Pro. 4. 13. Cleave to the possession and practise of Gods truth be not ashamed of it it will make you happie for ever Blessed is the man that findeth me sayth Wisedome watching dayly at my gates and giving attendance at the postes of my doores Pro. 8. 34 35. and marke what an excellent reason shee giveth for this for who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine favour of the Lord. Be not ashamed then of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God through faith unto salvation sayth the Apostle Rom. 1. 16. O therefore let the kingdome of heaven suffer violence and let the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 11. Let men strive to enter into the strait gate it is the advise of our blessed Saviour Luk. 13. 24. Yea let us give all diligence 2 Pet. 1. 5. Wherein should we give all diligence if not in this that is worth gold yea farre better then gold They and their money perish with thom that thinke all the gold and silver in the world worth one dayes fellowship with Jesus Christ sayd that rare Italian Convert Happy is the man that seeth so cleerely the worth of true grace that he doth preferre it infinitely before all the treasures under heaven yea that looketh at the whole world as a lumpe of vanitie in comparison of saving grace Such an one was Paul Phil. 3. 8. yea doubtlesse I account all things but drosse and doe judge them to be dung that I may winne Christ. Such a rare sparke was Moses that esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11. 26. He looked upon things with a spirituall and a judicious eye preferring gold before all the drosse in the world Let not the Saints of God be discouraged by the scoffes and outcryes of the wicked nor for the opposition of unreasonable men Who will let slip an opportunitie to get gold because dogges will barke In nothing be terrified by your adversaries sayth the Apostle which is to them a token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Phil. 1. 28. Goe on still and the blessing of Heaven goe with you for Blessed are all that heare the Word of God and keepe it sayth our Saviour Luk. 11. 28. This is that one thing needfull which sball never be taken from you this will goe along with you to the grave when the worldling must leave all behinde him he knoweth not to whom this that you have laboured for saving grace shall affoord you comfort in death and matter of rejoycing in the day of the Lord Iesus Observe that excellent speech of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God wee have had our conversation in the world this will affoord comfort and helpe in time of need when all worldly hopes and helpes doe utterly perish and come to nought an excellent place to this purpose in Heb. 4. 16. Let us goe boldly to the throne of grace c. that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need It is not gold but grace that is able to helpe in time of neede O let us neither be strangers to the throne of grace nor the Word of grace but daily converse with both this is the way to be happie both here and hereafter He that giveth all diligence to get grace shall not loose his labour therefore sayth the Apostle giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue c. for so an entrance

Then looke upon him in the fire of adversitie rich Iob bountifull and liberall poore Job patient and thankefull Iob 1. 21. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. True it is he shewed some drosse in the melting but looke upon him when he came out of the fire oh then he was pure gold indeed this he was assured of while he was melting Iob 23. 10. He knoweth the way that I take and when he hath tryed me I shall come out like gold golden Iob indeed when hee came out of the furnace of affliction But now the wicked as they are but drosse Psal. 119. 119. so they shew their drossie nature in every estate if they be rich and wealthy then they are proud and confident and given to oppression ready to deny God and trust in their wealth and if they be poore then they steale and take the Name of the Lord in vaine Pro. 30. 8 9. They are drosse still in every condition the more God melteth them the worse they are Why should they be smitten any more for they do fall away more and more Isa. 1. 5. See an experiment of this in that close-hearted hypocrite Ahaz for all his faire shewes he did shew himselfe but drosse both in prosperity and adversitie the more he prospered the more he sinned if he be victorious he ascribeth the victory to himselfe and his friends and the gods of Damascus must be sacrificed unto and a patterne of a new Altar must be fetched from thence 2 Kings 16. 10. Well if God take him in hand and begin to melt him in the fire of affliction he findeth him drosse still so that hee was forced at last to cast him away and set a marke upon him for notorious drosse altogether that none should ever take him for gold any more 2 Chr. 28. 22. And in the time of his distresse he sinned yet more against the Lord. This is that King Ahaz brand him up score him up set a marke upon him for ever for most notorious d●osse indeed because the more hee was afflicted the worse hee was the more hee was melted the more plainely hee appeared still to bee nothing but a plaine lumpe of drosse I pray let us try our selves by this marke if wee can cary our selves aright in every estate it is a signe we are pure gold if not we have cause to suspect our selves to bee but drosse Looke upon the golden Martyrs in all ages see what pure gold they proved themselves especially in the fire of affliction consider these golden Christians Hebr. 10. 34. They suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance wee glory in tribulation Here was bright shining gold indeed gold tryed in the fire as it is in our Text. Secondly Right currant gold is that which commeth from the right place from the Kings Minting house and hath his Majesties stampe upon it when they brought the Tribute money to Christ Mat. 22. 20. he enquireth immediately Whose Image or superscription hath it and they tell him Caesar's So look upon the gold of those graces which thou hast and seriously consider whence thou hadst them and how thou camest by them Did they come from the Minte of Gods Ordinance Were they begotten at first and are they still nourished in thee by these meanes Didst thou get them by prayer and attending at the postes of Wisedomes gates then it is a good s●gne thy gold is good thy graces are sincere because they are begotten and increased by the Word of Gods grace Acts 20. 32. Thus Paul sendeth them still to the Minte to get more grace and to try their graces And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up farther c. And so for the Throne of grace Hebr. 4. verse 16. Let us goe boldly to the Throne of grace whereby wee may finde mercy and grace to helpe in time of need I pray let us try our graces by this touchstone How did we come by our graces By what meanes were they begotten in thee And how are they nourished if not by these meanes And it may be thou canst give no account how thou camest by them I begin straight to suspect them for you know it is suspicious for a man to have goods and know not how he got them Consider thy faith then Art thou sure it is precious Of the right stampe More precious then gold Then sure it came from the Minte it was given thee from above Philip. 1. 29. To you it is given not onely to believe but also suffer c. If it be right faith it was begotten by the Word of faith Romans 10. 8. For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But he that boasts of his faith and telleth me that he hath beleeved ever since he could remember as if the gold of faith grew there by nature I would no more beleeve he had true faith then I should thinke he said true that should boast that he had a purse full of gold which came out of his purse bottome and grew there by nature I pray let us examine our selves by this mark true gold commeth from the Minte and so doth true grace from the Minte of Gods Ordinances if it grew in thine heart by nature or is begotten and nourished in thy heart by any other meanes thou hast great reason to suspect that such gold is but counterfeit c. Thirdly Gold tryed in the fire if it come from the right Minte is currant money with the Merchants As Abraham's silver was which hee weighed to Hephron the Hittite Genesis 23. 16. Now gold is not currant with the Merchant though it seeme pure for the matter if it want weight and therefore Abraham weighed his silver before the people of Ephron so true grace is good weight give it but the allowance of the imperfection in respect of degrees and it is full weight in respect of parts both in regard of the subject wherein it is and the object of it weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary and it will be found weight for hee that hath true grace in every part grace in the head or understanding facultie of the soule and grace in the heart in the will and the affections he is sanctified throughout 1 Thes. 5. 23. in his whole spirit soule and body so that true grace is universall Now an hypocrite whose grace is but counterfeit whose gold is Copper sheweth it selfe defective in one kinde or other If he have a little knowledge swimming in the braine and therefore is able to speake well as if he had grace yet this worketh no reformation in the outward man there it wanteth weight he is prophane still he liveth in the secret practise of some knowne ungodlinesse he hath some Rimmon with Naaman some Delilah with

thus wee are children of wrath and in the state of nature as the Apostle sheweth Ephes. 2. 3. All the while wee live thus we can looke for nothing but the wrath of God to come upon us as it doth upon the children of disobedience as the Apostle speakes Ephesians 5. 6. The wrath of God is even revealed from heaven against such Romans 1. 18. See a notable place for this purpose in Romans 2. 8 9. But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse marke the condition of all such indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill upon the Iew first c. See here the estate of such as spend time in the devils service instead of Gods Secondly Consider that all such have cause to feare that God will deny to helpe and succour them when they stand in the most need of it and seeke for it with greatest earnestnesse If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare my prayer saith David Psalme 66. 18. Yea we know that God heareth not sinners saith the blind man Iohn 9. 31. and therefore if God doe not heare wicked mens prayers in their extremities but lets them perish in their sinnes it is not for want of power or mercy in God but onely for want of piety and repentance in them according to that excellent place which wee have to this purpose in Isa. 59. 1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot save neither is his eare heavie that he cannot heare where is the fault then that you shall see in the next verse verse 2. But your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he cannot heare Oh the wofull estate of all such as cry unto God in their extremities and are nothing at all regarded Yea God hath told them already that hee will not heare them observe it Proverbs 1. 28 29. Then shall they call c. that is in their extremity but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde mee because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Yea the Lord hath sent them word before hand that he will not helpe them Iob 8. 20. Behold God will not cast away a perfect man neither will hee helpe the evill doers saith the Text there O the wofull estate of all such when sicknesse comm●n or troubles come or death then they are glad to cry out Helpe Lord or else I am damned for ever Not I may the Lord say I will helpe no evill doers such as you are and therefore thou art now like to perish and dye in thy sinnes Iohn 8. 20. Yea the Lord is so farre from regarding the prayers of such people in such cases that he rather refuseth them see upon what warrant I speake it Proverbs 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. The sacrifice what is that Surely his prayers as appeareth by the Antithesis in that place for so it followeth But the prayer of the upright is his delight God hateth and abhorreth the prayers of all such as live in their sinnes and hate to be reformed Hee that turneh away his eare from hearing the Law even that mans prayer shall be an abomination saith the Wiseman Prov. 28. 9. O wofull estate If men had but eyes to see it and hearts to consider it aright the Lord takes no pleasure in the very best services which they can doe him And no marvell for in the third place So long as men live in their sinnes without repentance and spend time in the Devils service instead of Gods there is a direct and an expresse enmity betweene God and them If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne saith the Apostle Romans 5. 10. Yea especially those that live and goe on in their sinnes have just cause to be assured of this and that they shall smart for it accordingly See a place or two to this purpose Psalme 37. 20. But the wicked shall perish why so surely because they are Gods enemies And the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of Lambes easily melted into smoke shall they consume away Where we see first that the wicked are Gods enemies Secondly that they shall consume away like smoke and the fat of Lambes So in that Psalme for the Sabbath Psalme 92. 9. For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and who are they that yee shall see in the same verse All the workers of iniquity shall bee scattered where we see both the description and the condition of wicked men They are Gods enemies there is their description dissipation and perishing there is their condition But above all to this purpose is that of Psalme 68. 21. God will surely wound the head of his enemies and the hairie scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses O consider this ye that forget God and live in your sinnes lest God teare you in peeces and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50. 22. What estate can be more dangerous then an estate of enmity against God The adversaries of the Lord shall bee broken in peeces out of heaven shall be thunder upon them saith Hannah Samuel's Mother 1 Samuel 2. 10. Mee thinkes I have said enough if effectuall to afright men out of their service of sinne and Sathan especially if I shall adde but one thing more which shall be the fourth and the last remedy that I purpose to propound Fourthly Therefore consider that the devill is the worst master that any man can serve and giveth the most wofull and accursed wages What baser Master then the devill that great red Dragon Revelations 12. 12. That roaring Lion that goeth about continually seeking whom he may devoure A murtherer from the very beginning Iohn 8. 44. and the most damnable liar that ever was yea the very father thereof What baser Master then the Devill Yea and see what base wages he giveth Romans 6. 23. For the wages of sinne is death spirituall temporall and eternall both the first and the second death They that spend time in the devils service must goe to hell with the Devill for company Psalme 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God They are utterly deceived that thinke to live like devils upon earth and yet for all that become glorious Saints in heaven when they dye that thinke they shall get into the new Ierusalem hereafter without being New Creatures for the present No no God hath revealed the contrary already as is evident Revel 22. 14 15. Blessed are they that doe his Commandements that spend time in Gods service for they shall enter in through the gates into the City of the new Ierusalem But without shall be dogges and Inchanters and Whoremongers and

the danger of backsliding see the remedy which the Apostle prescribeth or intimateth at least in that case If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him We are not of them that draw back● unto perdition there is the danger but of them that beleeve or follow faith to the saving of the soule there is the remedy Hebrewes 10. 38 39. If any thing make us hold out against Sathan in that dangerous conflict it must be the shield of faith whereby we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephesians 6. 16. Above all take unto you the shield of faith if any thing at all can doe you good this is it 2. It must be such a faith as worketh by love Galath 5. 6. And therefore in the second place we must labour for a loving heart if we would be constant Let us serve God for love and that will make us persevere in it Men will bee constant in the workes they love the Epicure is constant in pleasures and recreations the covetous in toyleing for the world the Student is constant at his booke And why so Because they love these things Charity will make a man hold out it hopeth all things and endureth all things saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. It never faileth ver 8. They that serve God for love resemble the Sunne that shineth more and more till the perfect day or like Mount Sion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed Psalm 125. 1. See how constant is Iacob in serving for Rachel Genesis 29. 20. He served seven yeares for her and they seemed but a few dayes in regard of the love that he had to her saith the Text Love set him a worke and that made him constant in it Now what a shame for us if Iacob should love Rachel better than we love God If ye love me keepe my Commandements saith our Saviour Iohn 15. 14. As if hee had said If yee love me ye will doe it Labour of love will be constant He whose bountie and charity is grounded upon true love to God will be constant in it It is an excellent place to this purpose Hebr. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which y● have shewed towards his Name But how did that appeare Surely by the constancy of it In that ye have ministred unto the Saints and doe minister i. e. this is a true signe that your charity and workes of mercy proceed from love to the Name of GOD because yee are constant in them this argueth evidently that they are labours of love Thirdly if wee would bee constant in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts fraught with the true feare of God This is one of the gifts of God that are without repentance Romans 11. 29. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for ever Psalme 19. 8. Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Proverbs 28. 14. Hee that truly feareth God will feare him alwayes this will make him constant in Gods service Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart from me saith the Lord. The true feare of God will make us constant and therefore it is a chiefe point of wisdome to serve God with feare as is intimated in Psalme 2. 10 11. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Well wherein should they chiefely shew their wisdome Verse 11. Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Why so Surely because then they would bee constant and keepe in the right way or else they would soone perish from it as is intimated in the next verse 12. Kisse the Sonne lest be be angry and yee perish from the right way Fourthly If we would bee constant in Gods service we must labour for a sound and an honest heart It is onely the good and the honest heart that holdeth out and bringeth forth fruit with patience Luk. 8. 15. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward affections saith David Psalme 51. 6. Because the Lord knoweth such an heart will be constant A little before the Apostle ●hewing the danger of backsliding and inconstancy in GODS service hee prescribeth this as it were a remedy to prevent that danger Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh ●o God with a true heart c. Such an heart will make a man constant and firme ●ndeed therefore saith David Psa● 119. ●0 Let my heart be sound in thy sta●utes ●hat I be not ashamed A true ridden horse will hold out to the end of the journey but a tainted jade will faint at last This made the Israelites so fickle and inconstant in Gods service Psalme 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early afte● God Was not this well Yea so farre as man could judge it was excellent that they should so readily returne to him that smote them and so indeed it had beene if it had come form the heart but alas● there they failed Ver. 36. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant This was abominable So that if wee would bee constant in GODS service wee must see that our hearts bee sound and upright else they will start aside like a broken or a deceitfull bow verse 57. Fifthly If we would bee constant in the maine duties of Gods worship and service we must take heed that wee take not liberty wilfully to offend in lesser matters I know speciall respect must bee had to the maine duties of Religion and the weighty things of the Law Matth. 23. 23 but yet we must take heede of taking liberty to offend in smaller matters agains● knowledge and conscience He that breaketh one of the least of Gods Commandements and teacheth men so the same sha● be called and accounted least in the kingdom● of heaven saith our Saviour Matthew 5 19. How great a Scholler or how strict soever he may seeme to be in other things this will lessen them in the hearts of Gods people Yea and he that at first taketh liberty wilfully to offend in trifles will at last fall away in greater matters First petty oathes then greater c. It is an excellent place to this purpose and excellently urged by a late Divine in this case Gal. 1. 7. There be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospell of Christ No might they say they retained the Gospell onely they would have brought in a Iewish ri●e or two Circumcision which was a thing of nothing What saith the Apostle to these Galathians 2. 5. To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an houre Not for an houre Why Paul what hurt can there be in a circumstance a Ceremony or a trifle Yes if it bee urged as necessary to salvation it would soone