main and principall weapon of their warfare is quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and it casts down imaginations and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Therefore while we have this Word and Spirit 2 Cor. 10.5 it is possible though difficult to discover the hypocrisie of our own spirits and to direct others to find out theirs It is not a poor souls fearing and doubting his hypocrisie accusing Caution 3 and charging himself with it crying out of himself as a wretched man by reason of it that concludes and determines he is such See David in Psal 51.10 11 12. charging himself so and the Church accusing her self of erring from Gods wayes and having their hearts hardned from his fear Isa 63.17 and yet their own expressions in the Verses before Vers 15 16. manifest the frame of their spirits to be exceeding tender and humble Holy Mr Bradford would many times subscribe himself in his Letters John the hypocrite and a very painted Sepulchre Fox his Acts and Alon. Agur one of the wisest men living condemns himself for being more bruitish than any man and not having the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 And David one of the holiest and devoutest men living upon an ordinary temptation viz. the prosperity of the wicked was very apt to charge the wayes of God with unprofitablenesse Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Psal 73.13 but afterwards seeing his errour he chargeth it so upon himself that he upbraids and condemns himself for foolish and ignorant Vers 22. and a very beast before God It is usuall with the best men to have the worst thoughts of themselves 1. Partly because as God will give most grace to the humble so there is great need of giving more humility to those that have most grace 2. Partly because where there is true grace there is an insatiable desire of more The children of God have never enough of communnion with God nor of conformity to him they seldome look back and say this thou hast but still presse forward to this thou hast not and this thou maist and this thou must have Phil. 3.12 13. 3. And partly because as there is much difference between faith in its direct and its reflected act between knowing God and knowing that we know him between believing and knowing that we believe so there is between having sincerity and finding a feeling of it constantly between not being hypocrites and a constant confidence of it which would amount to no lesse than full assurance This is not granted to all and seldome to any at all times that so there may be a season for the exercise of other graces humility fear and trembling fear of sollicitude Phil. 2.12 2 Pet. 1. and diligence in making our calling and election sure And this is to be remembred and observed viz. That God likes us never the worse that Satan is so much our enemy but much the better that by humility lowlinesse of mind and self-denial we seem to be our own enemies 4. Nor are they foul failings nor dangerous fallings into grosse Caution 4 sins if a man die not impenitently in them that do constitute an hypocrite indeed raigning sin doth The falls of Gods people may be Horrendae tempestates flenda naufragia The greivous falls of Gods people do evidence there is hypocrisie in them but not that they are hypocrites David was guilty of adultery and murther and puft up with exceeding pride and vain-glory in the multitude of his Subjects and strength of his Kingdome but Davids repenting and rising again cleared him from being an hypocrite so that the spirit of God testifies from his own mouth that he was upright and kept himself from his iniquity Psal 18. i. e. from the raign and continuance of it and after his fall he was called a man after Gods own heart Thou hast not been as my servant David who kept all my Commandments and followed me with all his heart to do that only which was right in my sight 1 King 14.8 The Lord overlookt his adultery and murther for indeed he had put away his sin or made it passe over as it is in the Original that is to Christ Hezekiahs heart was lifted up and he renderd not according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32.25 26. 2 Chron. 29.2 but Hezekiah was humbled and the wrath of God came not upon him all his dayes he was not an hypocrite no he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done So Peter denied and forswore his Master after many warnings and many promises to the contrary yet he repented and wept bitterly his fall shewd him to be a weak frail man but proved him not a hypocrite Job confessed himself a sinner Iob 13.23 and that many were his iniquities and transgressions but Job would never confesse himself an hypocrite Iob 27.5 6. no he would keep his integrity till he died for it is not the falling into sin or the being guilty of it Psal 66.18 but regarding iniquity in the heart that denominates an hypocrite otherwise all men were hypocrites for certainly all men are sinners Rom. 3. all shut up under sin Caution 5 5. Nor is it backsliding into the same sinnes that makes a man an hypocrite David had gotten into a way of lying to save his life viz. 1 Sam. 21. in the 2d verse he told one lye in the end of the verse another and in the 8th verse another He prayes that God would take from him the way of lying And the promise of mercy and pardon is not only to sinnes but backslidings I will heal their backslidings Hos 14.4 Ier. 3.22 And such are invited to return to God Return thou backsliding Israel and I will heal your backslidings Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Indeed to be bent to backsliding is a dangerous sign of prevailing hypocrisie and yet some in this case shall turn and walk after the Lord. Hos 11.2 8 9.10 We do not read of the people of God that they did revolt and backslide into the same grosse sinnes after repentance nor David into adultery nor Peter to faintheartednesse nor Paul to persecution But yet this may be so and provision is made in that case by the promise of healing backslidings Though it cost them dear to recover their peace after revolting into grosse sinnes after pardon and peace spoken and it will lye upon their consciences as an heavy aggravation of their sinne and â—olly 1 King 11.9 Psal 85.8 But yet it doth not conclude that all was done in hypocrisie before and that they were but meer hypocrites no more than Solomons falling and Idolatry which he repented of witnesse the book of Ecclesiastes
on their sick beds at home they resolve if God will spare them to do or suffer any thing for God and his ways and their own salvation 9. They may cnoceive fair hopes of mercy The Lord Christ being held out in the Gospel and freely offer'd to sinners this breeds hope in them a general and preparatory hope What shall we do you told us that God had raised up that Jesus we crucified and made him Lord and Christ and that whosoever should call upon his name should be saved therefore we hope there is mercy for us Thus had they a hope kindled in them Act. 2.21 and Peter in the two next verses strengthens their hope saying Repent and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and the promise is to you and to your children 10. They may thirst after and pray for the mercy hoped for Such a qualification was in these men What shall we do you men of God we are a thirst and do intreat you to tell us where we may have water to quench our heat mercy to pardon our sins balme to cure our wounds The Publican in Luke hath left us his short pithy and affectionate prayer to imitate being in this case and state Lord saith he be merciful to me a sinner He was sensible of his sin and of his want of righteousness he had hope of mercy and thereupon came to the Temple to pray and pray'd earnestly for mercie and Conversion is none of the least mercies of God or least needful for a sinner 11. Men being come thus far they are to wait upon God for doing the work when the pots were fil'd with water the water was not made Wine till Christ put forth his mighty power neither were the men who lay at the pool of Bethesdah cur'd till the Angel came down and stirred the waters so a man in this case is to wait until the Spirit of the Lord come in omnipotenti sua vitate or victrici delectatione overcome his will and set it for the Lord and spiritual things when this is the work is done and done without violence to the will for its an omnipotent presence prevails with the will and it s immediately made willing in the day of this power By these forementioned things men are in a proximity or nextness to Conversion but not converted It must be an higher power then our own which lifts us up into an higher nature or state then we are in at present Though men may do much upon moral perswasions yet not so much as to make themselves Converts or spiritual of Animal or Natural Previous actions and preparative dispositions may make a man a picture of a Convert not a true or living Convert Having shewn what persons can and may do towards their Conversion it remains to declare what they ought to do The word must or ought the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek imports two things 1. Necessity there must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 it s no mans duty to broach or bring in Heresies but they must be its necessary for the discovery of men approved 2. Duty God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth its mens duty so to do Joh. 4.24 It was the Pharisees and Scribes duty to pay tythe of Mint Anise and Cummin c. therefore saith Christ These things ought they to have done c. Mat. 23.23 Now then what persons can do they ought to do First there is a necessity of it we must do what we can else we are sloathful and unfaithful and our damnation will be just one thing is necessary viz. to turn unto God that our souls may be saved here it will hold good Turn or burn if it be necessary to prevent burning in everlasting flames its necessary to turn and so to do the utmost we can towards the same Secondly it s our duty Strive to enter in at the strait gate saith Christ he commands it and lays this injunction upon all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strain be in an agony as Christ was in the work of mans redemption so let men be in the works of their Conversion put forth themselves as they did in the Olympick Games the Wrestlers and Runners exerted all their might to obtain and so must men about the work of their Conversion The Lord who hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner saith Turn your selves and live There is life in turning and what should not men do to preserve or obtain life The Lord hath two great ends in saying thus Turn your selves and live yee although he know man is not able to do it 1. That we may see how corrupt and impotent our nature is and so break the strength of humane confidence thereby Quicquid nobis praecipitur a deo ad illud faciendum sufficientem potentiam habemus Dixit Pelagius quod homo sâ—lius liberi aâ—bitrii viribus potest perficere dei mandata Bradwardinus de causa dei l. 2. c 4. and bring us to be sensible of and throughly to bewayl our condition It is not so as some think and speak viz. that whatever God commands man hath power to do what man ever kept the Law since the fall of Adam and is not the Law given by way of command if man could keep the Law we might be justified and have life by it Rom. 8.3 Gal. 3.21 but the Law can neither do the one nor the other and why because man hath not power or strength to keep it 2. To put us upon looking out for help from whence the command cometh Hence is it that what the Lord commandeth us to do in one place he promiseth to give in another Circumcise the foreskin of your heart Deut. 10.16 and God saith Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart In the former verse to the Text they are commanded to make themselves new hearts and new spirits which they could not do therefore in Ezek. 36.26 the Lord promiseth to give and put the same in them Repent and turn your selves Ezek. 14.6 and chap. 36.27 Ideo dat praeceptum ut exciâ—et desiderium praestet auxilitum Leo. I will put my Spirit into them and cause them to walk in my ways the Spirit God would put in should turn them from their Idols and own ways and cause them to walk in his ways The Lord doth therefore command such things that our desires and endeavours being quickned he may reach forth help unto us Therefore let us apply our selves to all these means and ways by which the Lord worketh Conversion Let us make use of all the ways forenamed and especially hear the word preach'd and pray Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned and see to it that we use the means in good earnest we may do more as hath been shewed than we do It s the counsel of him who was wiser than other men that whatever our hands do find to do we
debauched watchmen who having drunk sufficiently one day say they will do as much to morrow and more too and so had their drinking matches and rantings from day to day The third Use is of Discrimination 3. Vse to discover who is clean and who unclean in respect of falls and relapses and to put a difference between the holy and prophane which is the proper work of a faithful Prophet to some we are to open the door of hope to some to shut it Ezek. 22. â—6 1 Joh 5 17. every sin is not a sin to death every disease not the Plague every Ulcer not a Leprosie 1. There are some who have fallen into foule sins and they think their case desperate because of the greatness of their sins but their sin is not the sin against the Holy Ghost because not committed after light taste partaking of the Holy Ghost c. but in the days of their ignorance as Paul once some fall fouly after conversion as Peter but not deliberately maliciously and both these may be the spots of children they see the plague in their heart feel the smart these have foul scabs 1 Kingâ— but they go to Jordan and wash go to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness and then though their sins be as scarlet Esay 1. they shall be as white as snow though red like crimson they shall be as white as wooll 2. There be some Relapses through humane infirmity which are truly bewailed this is not the sin against the Holy Ghost neither Come into the Camp I pronounce such clean For 1. there is no raw flesh of pride and presumption in them 2. All is turned whi e by true repentance it is a scab Lev. 13.4 5 6 14. and but a scab 3. It is but skin-deep the heart was not tainted 4. It standeth at a stay These four signs shew it to be no Plague of Leprosie such are not to be shut up or put out of the Camp And God as he pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin so he promiseth to heal and pardon their backeslidings Hos 14.4 Jer. 3.22 3. But there are others that make a trade of sin drink up iniquity like water Deut. 24.19 20 that add Drunkenness to thrist and fall and rise and rise and fall they lapse and relapse and slide away as water shall I say such shall have peace No what peace to such so long as their sins remain the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and he shall blot out his name from under heaven Call not this a Scab this is the Plague of Leprosie this is more then skin-deep Lev. 13.10 11 14 15. Psal 68.21 this doth not stand at a stay here is proud raw flesh this is an old sore thou must out of the Camp thou art unclean God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of him that goeth on still in his trespasses I shall to conclude give a few short Directions to prevent Falls and Relapses but cannot now enlarge upon them 1. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation This is the old and great receit Mat. â—6 41 and daily experimented with every ordinary Saint probatum est watch in prayer watch after watch when alone watch when in company especially against ill Company and all occasions of sin 2. Keep conscience tender and shun the first motions and occasions of sin if thou find thy self given to appetite put a knife to thy throat is the wise mans counsel if to wine look not on the glass if to wantonness come not neer her corner the consecrated Nazarite must not only forbear the wine but the grape and not only the juyce but the husk and kernel of it Num. 6.4 3. Take heed of having slight thoughts of sin as to say as long as it is no worse it is the first time it is but now and then a great chance when I meet with such company and many have such foolish pleas and so play at the mouth of the Cockatrice Den till they are stung to death Deut. 29.19 4. Of having light thoughts of Gods mercy I shall have peace I shall have mercy when I do but ask At what time soever will save me we can't out sin the mercy of God when sin abounds grace superabounds c. The Lord faith he will not spare such nor be merciful to them 5. Take heed of reasoning from Gods temporal forbearance to eternal forgiveness Eccles 8.11 12. Because sentence is not speedily exâ—cuted against an evil doer his heart is fully set in him to do evil but though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged c. yet it shall not be well with the wicked at last 6. Take heed of presuming of thy own strength I can and I mean to repent I can when I will and I will when time serves Qui promittâ—t poenitenti veniam non promittit peccâ—nti poenitentiam I trust I am not so bad that God hath not given me over many have gone further then I why may I not repent at last hour 7. Take heed of a mock-repentance saying I cry God mercy God forgive me I sin daily and repent daily when I have sworn or been drunk I am heartily sorry Is not this repentance I answer no Repentance is quite another thing the burnt child we say dreads the fire Thou hast smarted for suretiship and hast repented of it thy friend comes again and desires thee to be bound with him once again thou replyst I have paid dear for surtiship already I have repented of my folly I have resolved to come into bonds again no more no not for the best friend I have thou art importuned by many arguments but peremptorily refusest urge me no more I have vowed and resolved against and have made an oath I would never be taken in that fault again Now I believe thee that thou hast truly repented of suretiship why dost thou not thus when thou art enticed unto sin again why dost thou not say I have smarted confessed bewailed been heartily sorry for my former folly now speak no more of it Psa 119.106 Psa 119.115 I have sworn and will perform it to keep Gods commandments Away from me ye wicked I must keep the Commandments of my God This would be somewhat like true repentance But take heed of a mock-repentance lest as true repentance meets with a true pardon thy mock-repentance should be answered with a mock-pardon as Tertullian excellently saith There be some that say saith he their heart is good De Paenitent they fear God grieve for sin though yet they fall into sin they can salva side metu peccare c. sic ipsi salva venia in gehennam detrudentur dum salvo metu peccant They can live in sin nevertheless notwithstanding their faith and repentance and God can damn them nevertheless notwithstanding
them for Spies v. 9. rejects their defence v. 12. renews and out of their own mouths reinforceth his Charge and suspition of them v. 14. threatens to commit them v. 15 16. commits them v. 17. puts Bonds upon one of them till the rest should quit and clear themselves and him of suspition v. 19 20. This is their cold and sad welcom and entertainment 2. The consequent of this their hard and distressfull usage and entreatment and that is trouble of mind horrour and perplexity of spirit And they said one to another c. The words then are the Holy Ghosts Report of the Case of the sons of Jacob their being spiritually trouble by way of Conviction or Judgement in their own which also is the Lord's Court of Conscience Wherein we observe the I. Actors Registers Accusers Witnesses Judge Tormentors themselves II. Processe in judging themselves Wherein 1. Self-accusation of the cause of their trouble their sin with the utmost aggravations viz. 1. In general We are guilty 2. In particular of Envy Wrong against a Brother whom in bitterness we saw without pity and were deaf to his intreaties Obstinate to the admonition of Reuben and abiding therein 2. In self condemnation Therefore is this distress come and his bloud required III. Execution Wherein 1. The smart by inward terrour and consternation their heart misgiving them is deeply affected and that makes them very abrupt Yea verily i. e. Alas what shall we do 2. The circumstance of the time when couched in And. 1. In general many years after the offence was done 2. In special now that they were outwardly in an afflicted condition Doct. 1. Every man hath a Conscience within himself 2. The guilt of sin turns a mans Conscience i. e. himself against himself 3. Conscience is apt to be very sensible when 't is awakened not only of sin but particular sins and the particular circumstances and degrees thereof to the utmost and charge all upon a mans self not upon Gods Decrees or Providence nor upon the Devil or evil Company c. 4. Envy unnatural affection cruelty deafnesse to the intreaties of the distressed obstinacy against warning and admonition continuance in sin without repentance c. are very hainous and dangerous 5. The accusations and condemnations of Conscience are terrible or cause terrour beyond all expression 6. There is a time when God will call over sins that are past and charge them upon the Conscience 7. Inward trouble of mind sometimes yea usually comes upon the people of God when they are outwardly in some distresse I shall speak of the two last and in them something of all the other saving the fourth containing the particular matter of Fact viz. cruelty and bloud which I shall not meddle withall These then are the two Doctrines 1. There is a time when God will call over past sins with horrour c. 2. This time of inwâ—rd horrour fals in with outward trouble Doct. 1. There is a time when God will call over sins that are past without repentance and charge them upon the Conscience with horrour Here 's the Case The sons of Jacob had formerly trespassed against God in the matter of their Brother And they said c. now and not till now that we read of is the guilt and horrour of it reflected upon their Consciences In sinne the act passes the guilt and consequent remains Sin is like some poyson which may be taken at one time and work at another it may be seven years after 'T was now more then seven and seven years that the poyson of this sin began to work 'T is true of Family sins Hos 1.4 National sins Ezek. 4.4 5. Lam. 5.7 Personal sins as here And that 's the Case 1. Not only of the wicked as in the case of Cain Gen. 4.7 If thou doest ill sin lies at the door to shut out Mercies and let in Judgements and that as a fell Mâ—stiff or a sleeping Lion ready to take thee by the throat whenever the Lord awakens guilt in the Conscience 2. But also of the Godly Psal 19.12 25.7 Job 13.26 Thou makest me to possesse the sins of my youth Reas 1. From God 1. God remembers all Amos 8.7 As I live saith the Lord Reas I will forget none of their works 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember what Amaleck did c. God hath three Books 1. Of Prescience wherein he writes down our names and his purposes concerning us The Arminians deny that Book 2. Of Providence wherein he writes down our names and all his care over us The Epicure and Atheist deny this as also the former 3. Of Postscience or remembrance wherein he writes down our names and all the particulars of our carriage towards him 1. Whether they be good no act of Piety or Charity not a cup of cold water from the Spring of Love not a drop of tears from the Spring of Godly sorrow not a sigh from the bottom of a broken heart but it s taken notice of botled recorded Mal. 3.16 Or 2. Bad not a wicked thought a malicious scoff or wicked action word motion but God marks it and sets it down in the Book of his remembrance Psal 50.21 Reas 2 2. God need not reflect or look back for he hath all things present before him that ever were are or are to come viz. 1. In Speculo decreti 2. In Causis particularibus Gods Knowledge called fore-knowledge and remembrance in respect of us and the things known is as his being altogether in puncto aeternitatis There is not in God first and second of time and cause no was and is to come but all is There is not with God beginning succession and end but his name is I Am and so is knowledge as himself yesterday to day and the same for ever 2 Pet. 3.8 The knowledge of men is as of one standing on the shore where some ships are past and out of sight one way others to come and out of sight another way others in sight right over against him but the Knowledge of God as of one on the top of an high Mountain where with one view all things are present Heb. 4.13 Reas 3 3. God also seals up our iniquities as in a bag Job 14.17 as the Clerk of the Sizes seals up the Indictments for the next Circuit nay God himself will bag them and seal them up with his own hand and signet Deut. 32.34 God speaking of the provocations of his People saith he Is not this laid up in store wtih me and sealed among my treasure So strict and earnest is God for security as we say Sure bind sure find What more sure and safe then that which God himself layes up in Bag and Cabinet and seals among his Jewels As when God makes up his Jewels of Mercy he will remember them Mal. 3.17 So when he casts up his treasures of wrath he will remember them Reas 4 4. Gods Truth engages him in this case his Word
praise to God for all or any of his benefits promised or bestowed and that with our hearts Filliucius out of Aquin We praise God for all his perfections we thank God for his benefits lips and lives Some affirm that much of Religion is seen in piety to parents observance to our betters and thankfulnesse to our benefactors God is indeed all these to us Yet the proper notion of our thankfulnesse refers to God as our benefactor every benefit from God makes the receiver a debtor thankfulnesse is rather the confessing of our debt then the paiment of it and for as much as we are bound alwaies to be thankfull it doth acknowledge we are alwaies beholden to God and allwaies insolvent Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men because 1. He is more competent then any other 2. He is more concerned then any other I. More competent by acts of reason and grace too All that the Scripture speaks as to the duty of thankfulnesse may be referred to these Heads 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords mercies 2. To remember them i. e. to record and commemorate them 3. To value and admire them 4. To blaze and proclaim them In all which a gracious soul is much more competent then a meer natural man though indued with quick understanding strong memory and great eloquence For the Spirit of God hath inlightened his soul and taught him this lesson he is principled for it he is a well tuned instrument his heart boyleth with good matter and his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 as David speaks on this occasion when he spake of the praises of the King in his Song of Loves This Spirit of God in a thankfull soul is as the breath of the Organ without which the pipes make no sound yea as the breath of the Trumpetter by which the Trumpet gives a certain and melodious sound This is it that makes that noble Evangelical spirit yea that heavenly Angelical spirit in Christians See a place for it Eph. 5.18 19 20. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shewing that what wine doth in Poets and good fellows it makes them sing and roar out Catches by which they make musick to the devil so the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnesse and holy joy towards God and indeed there was a very gracious frame of spirit this way in Primitive Christians II. More concerned as hâ—â—ing received more then others to whomsoever much is given of them much is required Luke 12.48 a proportion of duty according to the degree of every portion of mercy whether you consider what is given or what is forgiven you There are two things which every gracious soul will acknowledge No man saith he in the world hath deserved less of God than I and none hath received more of God than I how much then am I concerned to be thankful I have read of a holy man that was seen once standing still with tears in his eyes and looking up to heaven and being asked by one that passed by why he did so said I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade that Vermine being then casually at his feet The least common mercy affects a gracious soul that knows his desert nothing but misery 2 Sam. 9 8. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am When David had told him he should have his Lands and eat bread at his Table When the Lord spares our lives and gives us common mercies we must admire and adore his goodness And this leads me to the second general Question Quere 2 Why and upon what grounds Christians are bound to give thanks in every thing Answ 1 It is the will of God in Christ Jesus The will of God in Christ Jesus is the clearest Rule and the highest Obligation to any soul for the performance of any duty O that men would now adaies study more act by and hold fast to this rule And ask conscience in the performance of every duty is this the will of God in Christ Jesus It was meet that this duty of thankfulness should be prest and practised under the Gospel because it argue a spiritual and noble frame of Soul the highest pitch of grace which is a true Gospel frame David under the Old Testament had a New Testament heart in this particular his Psalms which were all penn'd upon emergent occasions are all Tehillah and Tephillah Prayer and Praise his Heart and Harp were so tuned to the Praises of God to Psalms of Degrees to Hallelujahs that some have thought the Lord is praised with those Psalms in Heaven Zach. 12.8 Greg. Hom. 20. in Ezek. Yet is it promised under the Gospel that he that is feeble shall be as David which some understand as to Praise and Thanksgivings upon the account of Gospel grace More punctually this is the will of God in Christ Jesus i. e. Jesus Christ shews us the duty of thankfulness both by Pattern and by Precept for he was not only usherd into the World with Songs of Thanksgiving by Angels Luk. 1.46 68. Luk. 2.13 14 20 29. by Zachary by Mary by Simeon by the Shepherds c. but the Lord Jesus himself was a great Pattern and President of Thankfulness all his life long and in this also was a true Son of David He thanked God frequently and fervently I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent Matth. 11.25 and hast revealed them unto babes when his Disciples preached and cast out devils Thus also when he raised Lazarus Father Joh. 11.41 I thank thee that thou hast heard me When he was to eat common bread Mark 8.6 Luk. 22.19 he blessed it with giving of thanks Much more consecrated bread Thus was he a Pattern of thankfulness he did in every thing give thanks In like manner we find him reproving the nine Lepers for their unthankfulness which shews that he held out thankfulness as a duty Luk. 17.16 17. personally he gave a Pattern and Precept for it Now though this were enough to shew it the will of God in Christ Jesus yet these words reach further namely to shew that is the strain of the Gospel in the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for they through their Commission and the great measure of Gods Spirit in them declared the will of God in Christ Jesus They worshipped Luke 24. ult and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen What the Apostle Pauls spirit was in this by whom so
robbeth thee of thy Glory Thus also they who attribute their Riches Children Honours Victories Health Safety Knowledge c. to their Wits Labours Merits these are ingrateful robbers of God Thus they burnt Incense to their Drag and Yarn Thus Nebuchadnezzar gloried in the great Babel of his own building Thus the Assyrian also ranted and vaunted himself Isa 10 13 14 15. as if by his own great Wisdom and Valour he had conquered the Nations But mark the end of these men How the Lord took it and how he dealt with them for it He turned Nebuchadnezzar out to grass among the beasts He kindled a fire in the Assyrians Forrest and burnt it He struck Herod that he was eaten up with worms because he gave himself Act. 12.23 and not God the glory 3. Another sort of unthankful ones there is that seem to be very thankful but it is only complementally and with the lip These are like Apes that eat up the Kernel and leave God the shells they care not to go to the cost of a heart or a life-thankfulness they are cursed hypocrites they put him off with the blind and the lame in Sacrifice Mal. 1.14 and never once give him the Male of their Flock God will pay them in their own coyn they are thankful in jest and God will damn them in earnest Lact Instit c. 3. Non constare homini ratio pietatis potest c That man saith Lactantius cannot be a godly man that is unthankeful to his God * Materialiter per connotationem adhaerentiam And Aquinas saith That unthankefulness hath in it the root and matter of all sin For it denies or dissembles the goodness of God by which we live move and have our being yea and all our blessings the thankful acknowledgement whereof is our indispensable homage unto God Unthankfulness was a huge ingredient into Adams sin To sin against his Maker as soon as he was made Yea by whom he was so fearfully and wonderfully made little lower than the Angels Psal 139. Unthankfulness was the sin of Noah and Lot after their deliverances the one from water Gen. 9. Gen. 19. Deut. 32. Ezek. 16. per totum the other from fire The sin of Israel that forgat their Rock their husband that found them in the waste howling wilderness and when they lay in their bloud no eye pitying them cast out to the loathing of their persons The sin of David 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. The sin of Solomon 1 Kin. 11.9 The sin of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 31. Peremptoria res est ingratitudo hostis gratiae inimica salutis Bern. Serm 1. de 7 miser Ingratitudo est venius urens exsiccans fontem gratiae fluenta misericordiae Idem The great sin of the Gospel is unthankfulness by sinning against the light love free grace and rich patience of God in it this is to turn his grace into watonness to prefer darkness before light to neglect so great salvation not to come under Christs wing when he calls to us to despise his goodness and long-suffering leading to repentance not to come to him that we may have life to resist his Spirit and trample on his blood The sin of the greatest sinners in the Book of God is unthankfulness The sin of the Angels that kept not their first station The sin of Cain in his offering The sin of the Sodomites Quousque se diffundit gratia tò patet ingratitudo The sin of the Old World The sin of Saul The sin of Jeroboam the son of Nâ—bat The sin of Nabal The sin of Hanun The sin of Judas The sin of Julian And of Antichrist all is unthankfulness Exhort I shall conclude with a solemn exhortation to all that hear this word and profess the Lord Jesus and to be ruled by the Will of God in Christ Jesus revealed that they study and practice this great this comprehensive duty of thankefulness Consider that no People in the world have such cause of thankfulness as Christians Cresentibus donis crescunt donorum rationes Deut. 32.6 They have received more mercy than any therefore there is the more of them required therefore the Lord takes their unkinâ—ness the more unkindly Sins against mâ—rcy will turn mercy into cruelty and patience into fury To be unthankful to a bountiful God is for a froward child to beat his mothers breasts that gave him suck and to kick his Fathers bowels The Lord that he might upbraid his Peoples ingratitude compares them to a Bullock that was fatted in good pasture and then kicked Deut. 32.15 to Ver. 25. And what this cost you may read there When the Lord would preserve in his People the memorial of his mercies see how he orders them Deut. 26.1 to 10. Every man was to come with a basket of fruits and the Priest was to take it and set it down before the Lord and he that brought it was to make a solemn confession of his own poverty and wretchedness of Gods goodness and faithfulness to him and of his engagements to the Lord for the same Hereby the Lord let them know that they had all from him and held all at mercy and this was their homage that they paid him Oh what shall we then render to the Lord for all his benefits Who were Syrians ready to perish who with our staffe past this Jordan and now are two bands who have not only nether springs but upper also the Lord having opened a fountain and a treasure for us Think of this all you Male-contents and murmurers read over your mercies preserve a Catalogue of them compare them with what otheâ—s enjoy It is not with you as with Heathens you have the Gospel if it totters as if it were in a moving posture from you thank your unthankfulness for it You have had it with peace and plenty and if that hath glutted you and the Lord is now curing your surfet by a sparer diet thank your wantonness for it Yet consider Turks and Tartars are not in your bowels burning your houses ravishing wives and daughters killing old sick and infants carrying away the rest Captives drinking healths in your dead Nobles skulls digged out of their graves yet all this is done among the poor Protestants in Transilvania Sword Famine and Pestilence making havock in that flourishing Country not to speak of other places what is felt or feared is not this ground of thanks Consider yet again what we have had long and still have though the Land is ful of sin from one end to the other What we have deserved and yet do even to be stripped naked of all life and liberty peace and plenty to have our doors shut up our lights put out our Teachers all driven into corners the good Land to spue us our and the abomination that maketh desolate to enter in among us our Land to keep her Sabbaths because we prophaned the Lords Sabbaths the voice of
hath blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Vse 3. How great is their folly and misery who keep at a distance from Christ Ioh. 5.40 Our Saviour mentions it as the highest folly in the Jews You will not come unto me that you might have life There is in Christ the life of justification to free us from that eternal death to which the Law sentences us The life of sanctification to free us from that spiritual death under which our apostacy hath brought us There is in him an Alsufficient fulnesse for the repairing of all our losses And are these mercies not worthy the coming for The Apostle puts the very Emphasis of the Heathens misery in this Ephes 2.12 that they are without Christ and therefore without hope And what is their misery Shall any of us make our choice Vse 1. Of Exhortation Let it be your care that Christ may be All to you 't is no small nor is it any common priviledge Many there are who live without Christ Ephes 2.12 Others to whom All that is in Christ is so far from being to their salvation that it only aggravates their destruction He that is to some the chief corner stone 1 Pet. 2.6 8. is to others no better than a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence This was prophesied of Christ This childe shall be for the fall and rising again of many in Israel There 's no mercy so eminently good Luk. 2.34 but through our corruptions it may become an occasion of evil Christ himself the greatest of mercies that ever God vouchsafed to creatures is yet so far from saving some from their sins that he only encreases their sin Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoke unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Those who enjoyed the Ministry of Christ in his own person and were not wrought upon thereby all their sins would comparatively have been a kind of innocence had they not discovered such an height of obstinacy 't is therefore no common priviledge But what should we do that it may be ours Take these few Directions 1. Labour to get your judgements setled in the belief of this great truth That all things in the world are a very nothing without Christ That you are poor in the midst of worldly riches and miserable in the midst of all earthly happinesse while you remain in your estrangements from Christ And that of all kind of poverty and misery this is the worst because it is in those spirituall blessings wherein consists both our present and future happinesse 'T is but little those persons understand of their great concernments that can with that Gospel-fool think themselves sufficiently provided for in the things of this world and say to their souls as he to his Soul Luk. 12.19 thou hast goods laid up for many years eat drinke and be merry Dost thou know thou livest in this world upon the very brink of eternity And dost thou know whether there be more than one step between thee and another world 1 Sam. 20.2 And canst thou take up with any thing on this side Christ it is an argument you know but little of your own concernments Some of the grosser Platonists thought the world to be a great Animal and the soul which acted it was God now if the soul be departed from the body what is it but a meer carkasse without life Christ is the very life and soul of all our comforts and without him all our creature-enjoyments are but as so many cyphers without a figure which have no significancy in them but are as so many nothings Nothing in respect of true comfort here nothing in respect of your preparations for another world Labour therefore through the glasse both of Scripture and experience to behold all the excellencies of this world as so many bladders filled with wind and at best to be like Hagars Bottle which was soon empty Gen. 21.15 or as broken Cisterns Cisterns and therefore cannot hold much broken Cisterns and therefore cannot hold what they have long Ier. 2.13 And withall let it be your wisdome to look upon Christ as that everlasting Fountain of all good which can never be drawn dry as that never failing Spring of all those blessings which will not onely sweeten every condition here but go with us beyond death and the grave Such fixed apprehensions of these things will be singularly usefull to engage our souls in an earnest pursuit after Christ Psal 63.8 or in the Psalmists words to follow hard after him and 't is his promise that they that come to him he will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 2. Be speedy in casting out those inmates which because they are unmeet companions for Christ 1 Sam. 5.4 Amos 3.3 may hinder his taking possession of your souls The Ark and Dagon could not stand together in the same room but if the Ark stands Dagon falls Can two walk together except they be agreed Christ and our corruptions are at no agreement these two cannot dwell together under the same roof If you would have Christ to take up his abode in your hearts you must prepare a place for him Psal 132.4 5. It was said of David he would neither give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids till he had found out an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. The souls of most men are so crowded with other guests that the best entertainment they can afford Christ is but such as he found in his first entrance into the world an out-room a stable a manger But let it be your care to renounce communion with all things that might hinder your communion with him Psal 45.10 11. to forget thy own people and thy Fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty so not otherwayes he will have no rivals no competitors not a part of our heart but all 3. Be willing to accept of Christ upon his own termes there can be no termes hard on which we may gain an interest in him Matth. 16.24 The great and main condition is Self-denial together with a full resignation of our selves to him and self-denial if duely considered is the greatest self-advantage 1. Because he calls us not to deny our selves in any thing that is truly for our spiritual good or at least so far as 't is for our good 2. Though he calls us to deny our selves in many outward good things yet 't is not so much to part with them as to exchange them for what is better 3. The main objects of self-denial are those things which 't is our priviledge to be freed from no reason therefore to be offended at such termes as these to resign up our mistaken judgements to the guidance of infinite Wisdome our corrupt wills to his most holy and gracious will 1 Joh. 5.3 Psal 119.151 172.
in her prayers for his Conversion say Aug. Conf. Chirographa tua ingerebat tibi Lord these promises were made to be made good to some and why not to me I hunger I need I thirst I wait here is thy hand-writing in thy Word and in the last Sacrament I had thy Seal affixed to it I am resolved to be as importunate till I have obtained and as thankfull afterwards as by Grace I shall be inabled being convinced I am utterly lost and undone if thou hearest not the desires of the humble in this particular Psal 10.17 and if thou dost hear and grant I am so well acquainted with my self and mine own heart that I have nothing to glory in but I shall wholly glory in the Lord and I do resolve and believe I shall to eternity celebrate and magnifie the riches of the glory of thy Grace Thy promises are the discovery of thy purposes and vouchsafed as materials for our prayers and in my supplications I am resolved every day to present and tender them back to thee every day and if thou wilt have regard to them there and appear to be a God of truth to my soul a poor creature that hath long feared to burn in hell for hypocrisie will be made secured and made happy for ever I am resolved to wait upon thee and to cast my soul upon thee in this way and thou hast assured me thou art a God of judgement thou didst promise in judgement thou knewest what thou didst in making such promises and thou wilt be a God of judgement thou knowest when and where to make them good and thou hast pronounced Blessed are all they that wait for thee Isa 30.18 Aug. Confes Impossibile a filium tantarum lacrimarum perire and on thee I will wait and for this blessing I will hope and look Oh beloved if there be but such an heart in us and such wrestlings as Ambrose told Monica a soul of such prayers and tears should not perish I could have added much more but if these Characters and Directions be carefully observed you will beware of and shall escape the leaven of hypocrisie And that you may be carefull to observe them Consider 1. That the purging out this leaven is the great care and business of a Christians life this will afford him fear and trembling work to his dying day this till it be done makes the gate so streight and the way so narrow to life that few finde it Matth. 7.13 and if it be done renders all the service of Christ ever after an easie yoak and a light burden Matth. 11.30 2. This if it be done gives us actual possession of the Kingdome of God in grace which consists of righteousness and peace Rom. 14.17 and joy in the Holy Ghost and administers an assured and abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory 2 Pet 1.11 3. This will prevent the Devils everlasting insulting over us is this the end of all thy praying and hearing c. and defying me nay upbrayding Christ as a learned and holy man feared I have him I have gotten him from thee for all thy blood thy Miracles Basil thy Gospel thy wooings thy beseechings thy knocking 's and strivings of thy Spirit for all thy illuminating them and making them taste of the powers of the world to come I have cousened thee of them at thy very gates of heaven and by my devices shipwrackt them in the very mouth of the haven Oh I would not give the Devil occasion to upbraid and insult thus against Christ at the last day for the world Basil And this would prevent consciences gnawing and galling to eternity What are all my desires my seekings and knocking 's prayers fasts Sacraments hearing in season and out of season waiting at the posts of Gods house early and late Have I forsaken so many sins denied my self so many contents and pleasures subdued so many lusts born so many scoffes suffered so much in my body and estate and all for hell at last This would be the hell of hell and all this may be prevented if we would beware of the leaven of hypocrisie and seriously observe those Characters and carefully practice those Directions 4. Consider the means you have long had and yet do enjoy Gods admirable forbearance and patience a powerfull Ministries incessant labours and paines an awakened consciences clamour◠and warnings a danger and evils if you be negligent intolerable a reward if you observe the beware in the Text eternal and inconceiveable your life short and uncertain your death appointed most certain and you know not how near the world and the lusts thereof even those that feed and foment hypocrisie passing away 1 Ioh. 2.17 and that now is the accepted time 2 Cor. 6.2 now is the day of salvation And if you were ever serious in your lives now be so and if ever God spake to your hearts and consciences the Lord in mercy speak this Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees What must Christians doe that the influence of the Ordinances may abide upon them 1 CHRON. 29.18 O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee IN the preceding Chapter we have Davids Oration or if you will his Sermon the design of which was to excite the people to a contribution for the erecting of a Temple and promoting the publike worship of God It begins ver 2. of that Chapter and is continued to the 6th verse of this Chapter This Sermon was effectuall upon the auditory David had the happinesse which the best Orators and most powerfull Preachers often want not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he not onely spoke what was in it self perswasive but did actually perswade his hearers to comply with his design The effect thereof is expressed ver 6 7 8. they offered and which was the marrow and fatnesse of their offering they offered willingly Though will worship be the worst service of all other yet those that serve God willingly are the best worshippers and therefore David in this Sermon commends such service to his son chap. 28. ver 9. And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde None serve God with a perfect heart but those who serve him with a willing minde to such a temper were the people wrought by this powerfull exhortation ver 9. with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord. Hereupon David much affected with his successe in this affair David the King also rejoyced with great joy his soul being now upon the wing he flies to God by prayer and therewith concludes his Sermon The prayer consists of petition and thanksgiving both of them not conformed to any
the recovery upon the Prophets prayer Did he return again 1 King 13.33 and made of the lowest of the people Priests of his high places c. Neither warning nor judgements nor mercies could work any amendment in him 1 John 3.9 5. It is as certain that he who is born of God doth not commit sin so as to make a trade of it returning to his Vomit But he that is born of God keepeth himselfe 1 John 5.19 and the wicked one toucheth him not He hath paid too dear for such a miscarriage it was not so light a matter to lye under Gods wrath lose his former peace nor was his comfort so soon restored and Gods favour regained that he should hazard all anew and buy Repentance at so dear a rate Deut. 29.18 19 20. 6. Very dreadfull is that threat of God If there be among you man or woman or a root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this Curse that he blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart adding drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but the Anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven And the Lord shall separate and single him out unto evill c. 7 Obs Relapses into sin are like Relapses into a Disease after hopes and beginning of recovery if by taking cold or want of heed taking or other disorder the disease return and the man down again this is worse than the first ill fit and long ere such recover But if as soon as he get a little strength he fall into a new Relapse we reckon his case very doubtful if not desperate 8. Yet it is not to be denyed but there are some sins of humane infirmity which though repented of a godly person may be again overtaken with and foyled yet not his last end worse then his beginning Thus was Jonah overtaken with his passion a second time Abraham with his excusatory lye Mat. 20.25 with Luk. 22.25 the Disciples after a former rebuke a second time contending for superiority The first fall in this kind I should liken to a sad and dangerous fall by which one hath broken a bone in his leg or arm which though it put him to much pain is well set again and he becomes as strong as before but more wary while he lives David speaks of his fall into sin that it was as a breaking of his bones But a second fall Psal 51. is like the breaking of the bone the second time which is more hardly set and put to more pain and it may be the man feels it at times to his dying day But a third or more frequent relapse is like the putting of an arm out of joynt again and again not being well bound and looked to in time becomes habitually loose and never keeps the place so it is here Crebrous and frequent acts of sin beget an habit and custom in sin and then as soon may the Ethiopian change his skin and the Leopard his spots Jer. 13.23 as one accustomed to do evil ever learn to do well Bernard describes the steps of sin how it comes to its height First time it is importable next time heavy Prima importabile processu temporis grave paulo post leve postea placet suave est ad extremum quod erat impâ—rtabile ad faciendum est impossibile ad continendum Bern. de Cons Ex voluntate perversa facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. cons l. 8. Ad illum modicum quotidiana modica addendo in eam consuetudinem lapsa erat ut prope eam plenos mero caliculos inhianter hauriret Conf. l. 9. no more importable then easie then light then sweet at last necessary and what was at first importable to be committed is now impossible to be omitted And St. Austin confirms this by a story of his own Mother who by sipping of the Cup at first when she filled the Wine learnt at last to take almost whole Cups Qui modica non spernit paulatim decidit is his good note upon it he that makes a small matter of small sins is in the ready way to fall into the greatest Every new relapse into a former sin is like the adding of a new figure to the first cypher which raiseth the sinners account ten or an hundred times more Therefore if thou hast been overtaken once stop and be humbled and say once I have spoken or done amiss but I will not answer to plead for my self ware the second time the second fall as the second blow makes the fray but if a second time say you twice but I will proceed no further Job 40.4 5. Esay 5.18 Eccl. 4.12 Esay 24.27 28 but be sure thou take heed of drawing sin with a threefold cord or cart-rope this threefold cord is not easily broken take heed of a third act fear and the pit and the snare are before thee Oh bold and presumptuous sinner if thou escape the fear of the first act thou mayst perish in the pit for the second but if thou escape the pit thou wilt be taken in the snare the third time upon the ungodly God raineth snares Psa 11.6 God gives once to a reprobate mind and they are gone Think not after a third or fourth act of presumptuous sin to go and shake thy self by prayer and repentance as Sampson once Judg. 16. â—0 and that thy strength may return to thee to be delivered from these Philistines which lye in wait for thee he did so but wist not till he found it by woful experience that the Lord was departed from him so may it be with thee therefore be warned Vse 1 This 1. informs us that possible it is for men yea too ordinary to fall from grace the Text supposeth it and in another place Heb. 12.15 the Apostle Items us to look diligently lest any fall from the grace of God the Angels did so at first and Adam soon after and that which was Morbus Angelicus then is Morbus Anglicus now The Lord may complain of us as justly as ever he did of Israel My people are bent to backesliding from me Hos 11.7 and Esay 1.5 Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more and Jer. 8.5 Why is this people slidden back by perpetual backeslidings they hold fast deceit they refuse to return This is and of late hath been the case and Epidemical Disease of England It is no new thing to see the sons of fallen man to fall and fall away Saul Joash Amaziah Judas Demas Alexander fell away of old Of all Israel that came out of Egypt with Moses and Aaron only
his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
opinions or principles that are contrary to sound doctrine to be broach'd or loose wayes and customes that are contrary to the power of godlinesse to be observed and shall not use his authority to prevent and suppresse them he contracts to himself the guilt and drawes upon himself the mischief of all those Sins and Enormities Just as he that licences a Book to the Prâ—ss if there be any faults of ignorance or errour or poysonous opinions they may be justly charged upon him and laid at his doore though he is not the author yet because he is the licencer though he is not the Parent yet because he is the midwife So if there be any heresie and blasphemy tolerated in a place if there be any profanenesse and ungodliness suffered among a people because it has the Magistrates Imprimatur and he suffâ—â—s it to passe the Countrey without whipping therefore he 's highly guilty Sabbath-breaking abounds let it passe sayes the Major of a Towne drunkennesse abounds let it alone sayes the Justice of peace profanenesse abounds let it go sayes the Minister Sirs if it should be thus this were to bear the Sins of a whole Parish and a whole County and a whole Nation upon a mans back at once See that Rev. 2. to this purpose Where you finde the sins of the people charged upon the Governours for their permission and toleration both sins of Doctrine Practise Of Doctrine Rev. 2.12 14 15. Unto the Angel of the Church of Pergamus write I have a few things agaâ—nst thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicola tans which thing I hate This is charged upon the Angel the Overseer and Governour of the Church he should have hindered it and he did tolerate and permit it and it was his Sin and so of Practice Rev. 2.18 20 Vnto the Angel of the Church in Thyatira write I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce c. To suffer Jezabel to teach in a Nation is to suffer painting and wantonness and uncleannesse these were the Sins of Jezabel and to permit them is to partake of them Object But some may object and say Why does God then permit Sin to be in the world he might hinder it and he might prevent it if he would there could be no wickednesse acted under the Sun but by Gods permission the Devil could not tempt Job nor Satan could not fift Peter without leave and commission from God neither could any wicked man act his villany and spit out his venome without Gods sufferance If permission of Sin be a partaking of Sin how shall we vindicate God from the imputation of unrighteousnesse Answ 1. This was Marcion's wicked and malicious cavil at Gods providence about the first Transgression Why would not God who foresaw the issue hinder Eve and the Devil from conference and communion together that so Sin might have been prevented and the World bin everlastingly happy unlesse saith he God was either envious and would not or weak and could not hinder it To which â—ertâ—llian replies Because God was arbitrary and free in his gâ—fts Austin answers Because it was his will Prosper and Hilary reply The cause may be unknown it cannot be unjust All which is enough Os obturare to muzzle that Heaven-daring mouth of Blasphemy But afterward Austin answers That though sin be the worst thing in the world yet the existence of sin is not ill as poyson would do no hurt if men would not meddle with it but that satisfies not our case Therefore 2. Though God hath authority and is of ability to prevent and hinder the Commission of sin yet hee is not bound in duty so to do God's under no tye and obligation but his own purpose and pleasure Deus non tenetur Legibus God is a Law to himself Herein lies the guilt and evil of mans permitting of sin hee is bound in duty as well as furnished with ability and authority to prevent it and therefore his permitting of sin is a partaking of sin Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live man is bound to hinder prophaneness and wickedness if hee can but so is not God though hee is of infinite power and ability to restrain it or to remove it yet hee is not bound in duty and so it is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin Sin is the transgression of the Law but where here is no Law there is no transgression 3. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin when hee may hinder it because hee can by his infinite Wisdome order it to his own glory hee suffered Pharaoh to harden his heart that hee might bee glorified on Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 Pharaoh's sin turned to Gods glory as hee makes all penal evils work together for our good so hee makes all sinful evils concur to his own glory 4. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin because hee can turn every mans sin to a greater benefit and advantage Gen. 50.20 You thought evil against mee saith Joseph to his Brethren but God meant it unto good hee can bring good out of evil and light out of darkness God suffers Toads and Serpents to live because they are useful they suck the noxious and hurtful gusts from herbs and flowers and so make them wholesome for mans use So God permits sin in the world because hee knows how to make it useful hee can make an Antidote of the Vipers flesh Hee did by an excellent and rare Chymistry extract the greatest Mercy from the greatest Mischief the grea-Good from the greatest Evil the Salvation of Mankinde from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ 5. By influence of bad Example by setting loose and bad Examples for others to imitate So men are guilty of others sins as namely when Children sin by the Examples of their Parents those very Parents are guilty of their Childrens sin So wee have some Families that inherit the lusts as well as the lands of their Ancestours Parents swear and curse and so do Children Parents are Drunkards and so are Children Parents are unclean and so are Children as they make them rich by their Livings so they make them wretched and debaucht by their lives this is to make themselves partakers of all their sins So when people sin by the looseness and licentiousness of their Minister that Minister is guilty of those very sins that the people so commit which made Austin though a very holy man so exceeding jealous of himself in this case that that was his constant Prayer Libera me Domine a pecca is meis alienis Lord saith hee deliver mee from mine other mens sins those sins that others have committed through my carelesness and incogitancy And indeed Examples are more cogent and influential a great deal than Precepts The Adulteries of Jupiter and other Pagan
mee hither and so they will torment one another to all eternity Loquitur Apostolus de peccatis gravioribus iisque maxime quae publicum offendiculum pariunt Estius in loc 2. What sins wee must especially take heed of partaking of Ans Of all sin whatsoever 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil but especially of three sorts of sins which may be called Epidemical plagues 1. Church-sins 2. National-sins 3. Family-sins But I shall speak nothing of the first but little of the second and most to the third Among National sins especially take heed of Prophaneness this is obvious this is an universal spreading plague that is like to infect the whole Kingdome if God does not in mercy prevent it There is a deluge of prophaneness breaking in on every side Swearing Drinking Whoring Sabbath-breaking Scoffing and Mocking at Religion all the Countries ring again Men are now grown bold and audacious and incorrigible in their wickedness that like a Titan-brood they even threaten Heaven it self with an over-daring impudence as if they would storm the Palace of Jehovah and pluck him out of his Throne Oh take heed of partaking here 2. Family-sins wee must have a care of partaking here and so much the more watchful must wee bee in that Family-sins of all sins are most catching and infectious As it is with bodily diseases if one bee sick in an house they of the blood and kin and family are likest to catch the distemper because of their frequent and intimate converse especially So it is here if there bee any predominant lust lurking in a family all are apt to bee infected with it if they are not marvelous circumspect and watchful And therefore Parents and Masters and Governours of Families had need to bee reformers both of themselves and all under their charge for besides that this is the most compendious and safest way to State-Reformation and Church-Reformation Every Family being a kinde of a little Kingdome of it self and a little Church of it self wherein the Master is both King Priest and Prophet besides this there is the sound of this Argument and reason to allarum them viz. as they desire to have their souls and consciences free from the guilt of other mens sins Plato seeing a childe do mischief in the streets went forthwith and corrected his Father for it that Father that does not correct his childe when hee does amiss is justly corrected for his faults and it is the pattern of Gods judicial proceedings as hee visits the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children who imitate them So hee visits the iniquities of the Children upon the Fathers who countenance and indulge them As Jacob was countable to Laban for the whole flock not a Sheep or a Lamb lost or torn but it was required at his hands Gen. 31.39 Thus must Family Governours bee accountable to God for every Lamb in the fold for every childe in the family for every servant in the house Luke 16.2 Saies God to him Give an account of thy Stewardship thou mayest bee no longer Steward So will God one day cry aloud in thine ears Quintili vare redde legiones Husband Father Master Wife give an account of thy Husbandship and give an account of thy Fathership give an account of thy Mastership give an account of thy Wifeship c. This made Joshua undertake for his house as Well as for himself Josh 24.15 And this made David careful of his house as well as his heart Psal 101.2 I will walk within mine house with a perfect heart not onely with a perfect heart but in his house with a perfect heart Philem. 2. Col. 4.15 1 Cor. 6.19 so as to reform his family that that may be the Church of God Col. 4.15 as well as to reform himself that hee may bee the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.17 Ah how many Families are there whose houses are not the Church of God but the Synagogue of Satan rather God is not in all their thoughts nor God is not in all their mouths except it bee in swearing and cursing and blaspheming Their bellies are their God and their lusts are their Lord. It is said of Noahs Ark that it was pitcht within and without Gen. 6.14 Such saies one is the condition of many a mans house it is a Noahs Ark it is pitch within and without nothing but the pollutions and defilements of sin in every room and passage and corner Idleness stands at the door Unconscionableness walks in the shop Covetousness lurks in the counting-house Luxury sits at the Table Pride looks out at the window Wantonness lodges in the bed all pitchy and filthy both within and without And therefore Christians for the Lords sake out with all this rubbish if it should bee found in your families How do you in London here delight to have your houses clean and hereupon sweep them and wash them and rub them oh that you would bee as careful to cleanse your Families from sin as you are to cleanse your houses from dirt how soon would this great City become an Habitation of Righteousness and a Mountain of Holiness how would this Family-Reformation prevent the guilt of Family-sins and keep out Family-distractions and secure from Family-desolation Therefore Sirs set up family watchfulness and family-correction let every house be an house of correction of it self and set about family-reading and family-conference and family-repetition and especially family-prayer That all ydur houses may bee like Gods house you know his is called an house of Prayer Isa 56.7 Mine house shall bee called an house of prayer for all people So should yours they should be houses of prayer all of them if they bee not let mee tell you they are no better than Dens of Theeves Saith Christ Matth. 21.13 My house shall bee called an house of prayer but you have made it a den of theeves There is no Medium betwixt these two if your houses bee not houses of prayer they are certainly dens of Theeves if you do not pray to God for your mercies before you receive them and praise God for your mercies when you injoy them you do but rob God of his mercies they are not given but thrown and snatcht indeed rather than received 3. Now and in the last place wee come to the Antidotes How wee must so carry it and order the business as not to partake of other mens sins Antidote 1. Exercise an holy jealousie over others I am jealous over you said Paul especially thy Relations and this is the way to deliver thy soul from their sins Job sacrifizing for his children said It may bee they have sinned JOb 1.5 Antid 2. Watch against the sins of others have your eyes about you Take heed of contriving complying winking at them if it be in your power take heed of suffering them See Davids paroxism of zeal in this case Psal 101.2 c. This is the direction in the Text which must not be omitted Keep thy self
affections indeed most times are first wrought upon we are so sensual by nature When thou art once gotten into their hearts then press them with weighty Arguments drawn out of Scripture argue with them about the folly of sin See how Job handles the matter with his wife about murmuring and impatience against God Iâ—b 2.10 What shall wee receive good at the haâ—d of God and not evil Let them know that all the waies of God are pleasant waies and all his paths are peace Prov. 3.17 That the path to Heaven is a most sweet path to walk in Shew them the beauty of Christ the glory of Christ draw aside the curtain and unvail the mysteries of free-grace before their eyes Let them behold the Image of that blessed Saviour pourtrayed in Scripture As the Spouse did to the Daughters of Jerusalem run over all the excellencies of Christ and then conclude Hee is alâ—ogether lovely This is my Beloved Cant. 5.16 and this is my Friend O Daughters of Jerusalem Tell them what experience you had of the blindness nakedness miserableness of your own condition formerly when you were as they are now that you then thought of Religion as they do that it was but a peevish foolish unnecessary strictness Tell them how the case is mended with you how admirably through mercy 't is altered 3. Let your conversation be very exemplary so that what you perswade may be strongly confirmed by your own Example Both vice and vertue are learned by Presidents Alexander in his manners and gate did imitate his Master Leonides as long as he lived Hieron ad Laet. p. 56 57. Nihil in te in patre suo videat quod si fecerit peccet Let thy childe behold nothing in thy walking which if followed may prove sinful Be an example to others of holiness Id. P. 101. that they may not offend by the authority of thy Name Though thy precepts be short and concise let thine actions exemplifying those precepts be constant and perpetual Max. Tyr. dess 15. Deny your selves sometimes in the injoyment of lawful things which may not be expedient before Carnal Relations when you are upon this work Let Wives saies the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.1 2. win their husbands by their holy conversation Walk so meekly so obediently so winningly by an amiable deportment that a wicked drunken husband may see the picture of grace in the life of a wife and may be forced to confess that grace of a truth dwelleth in her 1 Cor 7.16 Many times the unbeleeving husband may be saved even in this sense by the beleeving wife vice versâ David profest that he would walk in his house with a perfect heart Psal 101.2 As the water follows the finger in the Clay so may thy example lead them on to the things of God There is a secret reverence and awe upon the hearts of others when any in the family do walk worthy of the Gospel unto all well pleasing Fourthly and lastly After thou hast used all these fore-mentioned directions which lye couched in the bowels of these words in the Text my hearts desire is that Israel may hee saved For if he did heartily desire their good as he profest then he would use all good means proper and proportionable to that end But then hee adds his prayer to God for the same purpose and so must thou follow the example of our holy Apostle Alas all thy instructions without prayer will do no good Go to God to sanctifie all and to perswade their souls that you have a most single and sincere aim at their everlasting salvation Pray apart for them and if the condition of thy Relations will admit pray with them and therein couch some sweet reflections upon their souls Elijah when he was in prayer with company cries out 1 King 18.37 O Lord hear mee that this people may know that thou art the Lord God Joh. 17.20 18.1 Our blessed Lord also in that heavenly prayer to the Father makes most sweet and ardent mention of his Disciples who were present with him Job 1.5 Job he sacrificed for his children he sent for them and sanctified them and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all To teach us to pray for children distinctly one by one Abraham he begs of God Gen. 17.18 Prov. 31.2 Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight and Bathshebah shee calls Solomon the Son of her vows Austin was the childe of Monica's prayers and tears Ask counsel of God as Manoah did Iudg. 13.8 that he would be pleased to teach you what you must do with your children Beg of God wisdome and direction that he would order providential seasons for their good let that be your great request in secret Oh that such a childe such a servant might be pull'd as a firebrand out of the fire Iude 23. and brought home to God Should ye have the wisdome of Angels if God do not come in to your help all your labour will be in vain Cry out with the poor man in the Gospel Lord have mercy on my Son Mat. 17.15 for he is sore vexed for oft-times he falleth into the fire and oft into the water sometimes into one sin sometimes into another whereby his soul incurs fearful and terrible dangers Commend thy childe to God whom thou hast begotten to death and damnation unless wonderful mercy interpose it self Sprinkle him with the holy water of melting tears beg of God that he may be delivered from the wrath to come by his Almighty Arm. Petition earnestly for the pardon of those sins for the rooting out that spiritual wickedness which thou hast been the means to propagate Pray it out fast it out weep it out before God Such Devils go not out without fasting and prayer Now I shall make some brief Application of the whole and so conclude Use 1. In the first place hence we learn the diffusive nature of holiness 2 King 4.3 it is like the widows Oil that filled all the vessels of her neighbours He that is holy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto God himself for communicatâ—veness as well as for purity in his small degree and measure The language of a Saint is Come let us sing praise Psal 95.1 2. let us come before his presence with thanksgiving Come yee Isa 2.3 and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies c. Use 2. To reprove such as do not perform their utmost that do not improve their skill and endeavour to the height in this excellent work Every childe is born an heir of Hell and wilt thou use no means to deliver his soul from death and to pull him out of the jaws of the Devil Oh thou ungodly Father that like Gallio takest no care in this matter God will require the blood
doth good to his own soul hee addeth Prov. 11.17 but hee that is cruel troubleth his own flesh Soul and Flesh are the two essential parts of a man both the one and the other are Synecdochically put for the whole man even for the person By a cruel man is meant an unmerciful or a hard-hearted-man for hee is opposed to a merciful man The meaning then of the proverb is this As a merciful man doth good not only to his poor Brother to whom hee sheweth mercy but also to himself So an hard-hearted-man doth not only grieve his distressed neighbour in affording him no succour but also brings much dammage to himself Prov. 11.24 For hee that with-holdeth more than is meet cometh to poverty With-holding is there opposed to scattering which word hath reference to casting or sowing seed on the earth to bring forth a crop and thereby is meant Alms-giving On the contrary With-holding more than is meet implies a denial of Alms when there is just cause to give Justice and equity require this duty as wee have before shewed so as that phrase doth much aggravate this kind of unmercifulness and as a just punishment thereof that which covetous men by refusing to give seek to prevent shall fall upon them even poverty And if in any distress they shall be forced to seek help of others even they shall bee neglected as they neglected others The Wise-man testifieth as much in these words Prov. 21.13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor hee also shall cry himself and not bee heard Not only other men Luk. 16.24 but also God himself will refuse to hear his cry Dives who refused to relieve Lazarus could not obtain any to afford him a drop of water to cool his tongue when hee was tormented in Hell flames It is expresly said Mat. 18.33 that hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy James 2.13 For God deals with men according to their dealing with others Finally as blessings are promised to merciful men so curses are denounced against unmerciful men Prov. 28.27 As under blessings all manner of good things are comprized so under curses all manner of evils Unmerciful men shall have the curses of men Prov. 11.26 and people shall curse them And at the great day of judgement they shall be pronounced cursed by the great Judge For then shall hee say unto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 42 c. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee no drink c. If wee must aim at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 JOHN 5.13 These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have Eternal Life THe greatness of the mercy in having of the Scripture is manifested by the great advantages that the Elect of God receive thereby viz. a John 20.31 that they might bee brought to close with Christ by faith unfeigned and bee partakers of eternal life through him that bad men might bee made good that good men might bee made sure of an eternal blessed state in the life to come whereby the Lord hath abundantly provided both for our happiness and our comfort for our happiness that wee may have eternal life b 1 John 1.4 Rom. 15.4 for our comfort that wee may know wee have eternal life I cannot stay to view the context I need not stay to explain the Text. The case of conscience to bee treated of from this Scripture is this Since men may know that they have eternal life what must they do that cannot discern their spiritual Condition Here are two things to bee performed First That wee may know in this life that wee shall certainly bee partakers of eternal glory in the life to come For if assurance bee not possible I can neither blame you for wanting it nor stir you up to labour after it Secondly Lay down some Rules for the getting of it and directions if by these rules wee cannot for the present obtain it For the stating of the first part of the Question concerning the possibility of getting this certain knowledge of our future Happiness I shall lay before you these six positions 1. Position 1. An unregenerate person while c Iohn 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.10 12. such can have no assurance or certain knowledge of the eternal salvation of his Immortal soul Because as such hee hath no actual interest in the promises of salvation being without the conditions of faith and repentance to which the promises are made being a childe of d Eph. 2.3 wrath e Tit. 3.3 a slave to his lusts a f 2 Tim. 2.26 captive to the Devil a g Ioh. 5.40.43 Mark 12.10 rejecter of the Son of God This man hath plague sores tokens of eternal death I cannot say thou shalt bee infallibly damned because thou h 2 Tim. 2.25 mayest repent and beleeve and thou canst not say thou shalt bee saved because thou hast not yet repented for thy sin nor beleeved on the Son of God A wicked man is not subjectum capax a subject capable of this assurance Eph. 1.13 In whom also after yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise It is not the hard stone but the soft wax that receiveth the impression of the seal If hee hope for Salvation while hee liveth and dyeth in a natural condition hee shall loose his hope i Iob 11.20 8.13 14. 18.14 and soul together this presumption will prove self-delusion and end in desperation Hee is worse than a Pharisee k Luke 18.11 whether hee bee a private person or a Preacher that liveth in gross sins hating the power of godliness and discouraging holiness that yet blesseth God for election justification sanctification and assured hope of glory 2. Position 2. That many of Gods dear Children l Psal 77.1 to the 10. ver 88.14 15 16. Isa 50.10 for a long time might remain very doubtful as to their present and eternal condition and know not what to conclude whether they shall bee damned or whether they shall bee saved There are beleevers of several growths in the Church of God m 1 Ioh. 2.13.14 Fathers Young men Children and n 1 Pet. 2.2 Babes and as in most families there are more babes and children than grown men so in the Church of God there are more weak doubting Christians than strong ones grown up to a full assurance A Babe may bee born and yet not know it so a man may bee born again and not be sure of it Sometimes they think they have grounds of hope that they shall bee saved sometimes they think they have grounds of fears that they shall
Heaven and the standing rule by which thou must bee tryed thou must stand or fall bee eternally blessed or everlastingly miserable as thy condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the Scripture Thou that hast deserved eternal death mightest know before the day of the general assize whether thou shalt bee acquitted or condemned But if thou know not how to gather these thy self go to some godly faithful Minister and desire him to give thee some Characters of a sincere Christian from the word of God wherein hypocrisie and sincerity are differenced and bee sure the signes thou tryest thy self by bee not short of saving grace or that will not hold tryal or bear thee out at the day of judgement I cannot here insert any partly because I have not room to croud them in partly because by what I have already laid down under that head that a man might know that hee is sincere beleeveth and loveth God something to this purpose might bee picked up 2. Direction 2. When thou hast thus furnished thy self thy next work must bee to set thy conscience on work and reflect upon thy own heart and upon the mâ—tions of thy will and compare thy self with the word of God The former sent you to study the book of Gods word this calleth upon you to study the book of your own hearts The other is a direct act of the understanding this is a reflect act to make a judgement of thy state whether there bee a transcript of those things in thine own heart for every beleever hath the Gospel-laws written upon the table of his soul by the spirit of God Assurance cannot bee had ordinarily without the examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of the scripture the other by the reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus Hee that beleeveth and is justified shall bee saved that is the word of God then by the search of his own heart hee must bee able to say But I beleeve and am jusâ—ified and from these two doth result this assurance that hee may conclude Therefore I shall bee saved Luke 15.8 The woman that had lost a peece of silver did light a candle and swept her house and thereby found what she had lost Conscience is this candle the scripture is the fire at which it must bee lighted and self-examination is the broom whereby the heart is swept and so the state of the soul which before was not discerned comes to bee discovered But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow strict inquiry into thy soul as thou lovest thy soul do not presume as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit Search throughly and judge impartially Say therefore to thy soul Deus est ocâ—â—us infinitus to make thy self more serious in this weighty work thou art now oh my Soul in the presence of the great heart-searching God that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is what thy will heart and affections are thou must oh my Soul shortly stand at the bar of God as now thou standest at the bar of conscience and must bee searched judged by the Lord and have the sentence of life or death of absolution or condemnation according as thy state shall bee found to bee Consider oh my Soul thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world many have been mistaken many are now tormented in hell that once thought their condition was good it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self and it is easie to bee mistaken and if thou shouldest bee mistaken it is as much as thy soul is worth if thy condition bee bad and thou conclude it to bee good thou wilt but go more merrily to hell It is as much as thy comfort is worth if thy condition bee good and thou conclude it to be bad thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven and wilt be unthankful to thy God and keep the glory from him and the comfort from thy self Thou art indited oh my soul arraigned and sound guilty that thou hast sinned against the Lord the question is Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned I charge thee therefore oh my soul that thou speak truly and answer rightly to these demands Art thou so far convinced of sin of the vileness of its own nature the evil in it the evil after it that thou art weary of it thou groanest under it thou loathest it and art unfeignedly willing to be broken from every sin without any reserve and what thou canst not extirpate that thou wilt bewail art thou so far convinced of thine own insufficiency to help thy self that all thy tears cannot wash thee and make thee clean all thy duties cannot save thee that though thou darest not neglect them as means yet thou darest not rely upon them as a Saviour so that thou seest the necessity of a Christ the suitableness of Christ the sufficiency and willingness of Christ offering himself unto thee in the Gospel calling to thee crying after thee saying ah thou poor miserable forlorn sinner thou hast undone thy self wilt thou now be cured thou hast wounded thy self wilt thou let mee apply a plaister of my blood my healing pacifying blood to thy bleeding soul to thy distressed disquieted conscience all that I expect from thee is to take mee for thy Lord and Husband to rule govern sanctifie and save thee thou hast withstood thine own mercy I have often asked thee and thou hast often denied mee but yet if now thou wilt receive mee behold I bring pardon along with mee and peace along with mee and eternal life and every good thing along with mee yet mercy is not gone it is not yet denied to thee When thou mayest gather such things from the Word of Christ put the question to thy self what sayest thou oâ— my soul thou hearest the gracious words of the Lord Jesus hee commands thee to come hee inviteth thee to come hee promiseth thee acceptance if thou come art thou willing or art thou not wilt thou persevere in thy former denial and be damned or wilt thou yeeld and be saved wilt thou consent to take him for thy Husband and subscribe unto his terms doth thy judgement value him above all and thy will chuse him above all and thy affections go out after him above all things in the world as a woman doth in all those three respects when shee taketh a man to be her Husband Art thou so far convinced of the excellency of the everlasting Glory of the Saints and the perfection of that Happiness that is above as it is a state or perfect Holiness as well as a state of real Happiness
Angels said he at any time Thou art my beloved in whom I am well pleased Gods Love to Christ is not only greater but diffusive for the Love that God bears to Christ is as the oyl that was poured upon the head of Aaron which ran down to the skirts of his garments so the Love that God bears to Christ terminates not in the Person of Christ but is communicated to all that are his As Haman to shew the great hatred he bore to Mordecai would not bound his malice on the person of Mordecai but would destroy the whole Nation So God thought it too small a Testimony of his Love to Christ to be well pleased with Christ for so he is with the Angels but he is well pleased in Christ with the whole World I mean all Nations We must believe this or we cannot expect any favour for his sake His Love to Christ is so great that his Love to Christ is greater then his hatred to sinners so that any sinner may be reconciled and accepted through Christ God came to reconcile God and sinners not God and sin As one who desires the King to be reconciled to such a Traytour doth not desire him to be reconciled to the Treason but to the Traytour II. We are to believe the fulnesse of Christ's satisfaction and the greatnesse of the value and efficacy of the death of Christ for if Justice be not satisfied we have no Throne of Grace but a seat and Barr of Justice to come before The Blood of Christ hath a pacifying purifying purchasing perfuming reconciling satisfying justifying virtue It pacifies Gods wrath it reconciles and justifies our persons it purifies our Nature it perfumes our duties it purchaseth our inheritance III. We are to believe the efficacy and infallible successe of Christs Intercession The fulnesse of Christs Intercession is in this that he doth three things for us all that we stand in need of according to what was Typified by the High-Priest for he did three things 1. He sprinkled the blood upon the Mercy-seat hereby an attonement was made as to our sins they being pardoned 2. He went in with Incense hereby our duties were perfumed so God is said to inhabit the Praises of his People and to dwell in thick darknesse i. e. in the the thick smoke of the Incense 3. He had the Names of the Tribes engraven on his breast or heart Christ pleads the love he bears to his People Three places the names of the Saints are written in out of either whereof nor men nor Devils can blot them out viz. in the Book of Life on the palms of his hands and on the heart of Christ I may add the fourth thing the High-Priest did when he entered into the Holy Place viz. he went in with all his rich Priestly Garments to shew we should be clothed with the rich Robes of Christs Righteousnesse for what the High-Priest did he did not in his personal but in his publick capacity Now the efficacy of his Intercession was not only from the wonderful Love God bore to Christ from the unparalleld Interest Christ had in the Father by these means we may expect all acts of favour but we have Justice on our side for favour is an arbitrary thing therefore Christ is our Advocate 1 John 2.1.2 he presents our case not by way of Petition but by way of pleading for Advocates do not petition but plead So then Christ doth four things as to our Prayers 1. He endites them by his Spirit he perfumes them by his merit then he presents our Prayers and Persons for we have accesse through him Ephes 3.12 and then superadds his own Intercession his blood crying louder then our sins and better things then our Prayers IV. We are to believe and improve this truth viz. that the Father exceedingly delights to honour Christ and hereby God wonderfully honours Christ by pardoning and receiving into favour such Rebellious sinners as we are for his sake by forgiving any thing for his sake A sinner cannot please God better then by coming with confidence for pardon for his sake If we come for pardon or mercies and our Confidence ariseth from our low thoughts of the number or sinfulnesse of our sins or of Gods hatred of sin or our ability to satisfie Justice or deserve Mercy our Confidence is desperate impudence and arrogance but if purely from the high esteem we have of the incomprehensiblenesse of Christs satisfaction and of Christs Interest in Gods Love and of the Fathers delight to honour Christ such Confince is pretious and acceptable with God and whosoever hath it may go with as much freedom and assurance of favour as if he had never sinned with as much as Adam in his Innocency or the Angels in Glory Alas we do not believe or not improve these truths for if we did we might have any thing for Christ hath Interest enough in God to bear us out and procure any Mercy V. We are to believe improve and obey Christs Command viz. in John 14.13 14 16 23. the former truths give us great hope but this strong Consolation for though such a great Person had never so much interest in some other great Person with whom we had to do yet without a Commission from him we might not go in his Name but Christ hath not only given us leave but a Command and now it is not an arbitrary thing we may do or not do but we must do This is the Incomprehensible goodnesse of God that what is for our good he commands us that not only we may be put on the more to obtain what is good for us but that it may be an act of obedience and so we may be rewarded for procuring our own happinesse So much for the things we are to believe now for the manner of believing 1. We are to believe these things of God and Christ with an Historical Faith 2. With a Faith of Recumbency we are to rely upon the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God and upon Christs Interest in God c. 3. Saints are by way of duty but not by way of a necessary Condition of obtaining whatsoever they ask to believe with the Faith of assurance of obtaining whatsoever we pray for By Faith here in the Text is not meant that we must without any doubt or wâ—vering believe that we shall receive in kind whatsoever we ask even the very thing we pray for 1. The Leper was cured though he prayed with an if thou wilt 2. Those in disertion should put up no acceptable Prayers since they have not Faith of assurance of obtaining 3. Christ when he comes at the day of Judgment he shall not find this Faith on the Earth Luke 18.8 and yet vers 7. it is said God will hear those Prayers 4. The Apostle forbids this Faith vers 7. therefore it is not the Faith here commanded for then it should run thus you must believe you shall receive the thing you ask
Opppressors publike Defamers and the like wrongers of thy Estate Reputation and other thy temporal good things in charity and according to Equity equally seeking thy own right and good not thy neighbours wrong much less ruin and destruction And thus for moderation towards others in Civil matters In Religious matters Although I have spoken in the opening the nature of moderation and the general Object that which might serve to direct us herein Yet lest I be mistaken and thence any of you mistake your duty I shall further open this particular Object by speaking to it negatively about what moderation is not to be practised and positively wherein it must Negatively 1 Not in matters of faith For the believing these being not only absolutely required of every Christian and in that measure that we cannot fully come up to in regard of the great truth and reality of spiritual objects and their revelation the best being alas miserably short and deficient herein but also internal the profession of these being matter of practice Moderation cannot possibly here have any place much less that which respects others 2. Nor in matters of moral practice such as the Moral Law requires and grace and vertue should perform For in these can be no excess either in degree or duration We cannot love God too much nor with grace our neighbour nor too constantly Consider Father Mother Wife Children as moral Objects so we exceed not as natural goods and so in the exercise of natural affection we frequently as is said before do exceed which is discernable especially by the end with grace we love them for God with the moral vertue of love for the relation they stand in to us with the affection of love when we sinfully over-love them for our selves for though the natural affection co-operates with the former yet it solely exceeds But it being difficult for us to discern these formalities in objects and the operations of principles about them it is our only way to have recourse to Gods Laws which though founded upon the nature of things yet shews us plainly our duty where we cannot discern them which in all things wherein we may exceed as in the Externals of the First Table and the duties of the Second not only prescribe us what and also particularly how to act by positive Precepts but lest we should miscarry by Negative also which respect the end manner measure c. of such duties restraining and bounding us that we exceed not Both which are Moral and comprehended in this particular it being equally moral not to over-love as to love thy Neighbour the former being forbidden as well by the Negative as the latter enjoyned by positive Precepts In Negatives which forbid the action absolutely as Blasphemy Adultery c. no need of any such Precepts to regulate us for the actions being not to be done no need of direction for their manner and consequently no place for Moderation such being to be subdued and supprest not ordered or regulated as I have formerly spoken and in things only indefinitely forbidden as Swearing Travelling on the Lords day c. when we are to practice them we have the rules for Positive actions Affirmative and Negative to direct us sufficiently 3. Nor especially in the weightier matters of the Law or Religion I must speak a little to this because that may be commanded absolutely in it self which comparatively when it comes in competition with other duties of greater moment becomes only conditional For Affirmative Precepts are so many it is impossible they should bind ad semper so that when two or more duties come together man in regard of his finite capacity being not able to perform them at once must duly consider the weightiest and that do it being requisite in terms of inconsistency that the lesser alwaies give place to the greater and cease pro hic nunc or for that present to oblige us Thus Davids eating the shew-bread and the Disciples plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath day when hungry is defended by our Saviour Mat. 12. Yea even frequently the externals of the First Table give way to the weighty exigent duties of the Second as the sanctification of the Sabbath to the defending the City in the Macchabees case according to that I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6.6 Not only rather than sacrifice but in such cases not sacrifice God dispensing with the lesser so that its omission becomes no sin as is clear in our Saviours practice in his healing the man with the withered hand c. as well as in his defence of his Disciples Luk. 6. For that may be our duty and necessary at one time which at another when a weightier comes that should take place ceaseth to be so by vertue of the reason and constiâ—ution of the Laws themselves that the Superiour Law take place Therefore under the notion of moderation to omit Moral and especially the great and necessary duties required and practice only the less is Pharisaical hypocrisie not Christianity If to do the great duties of Religion God requires of us be accounted immoderateness let us say with David If this be to be vile we will be more vile still Gods Laws admit of no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensation from us but what he hath admitted himself we must neither add or detract Deut. 4.2 Thou canst neither mitigate their execution nor any other besides himself on thee for thy transgressing them Digest de legib senatus cons If the wise Romans were so careful to preserve their Laws from others than the supream dispensing wiâ—h them lest they should prove a Lesbian rule much more the Great and Wise God hath reason to keep up the authority of his Laws and expect our punctual observance of them Moderation in Religion and religious Duties is the devillish Precept of Machiavel not the Doctrine of the Gospel or St. Paul To engage or wade no further in Religion than temporal interests will permit uâ— to come safely again to shore was the resolution and speech of a great Courtier of France than of heaven and of such as resolve more to save their skins than their souls How doth Christ every where arm those that will be his Disciples against their desisting from their necessary duty for the offence of the world Is so far from concealing this that it is the first thing he tels them of invites them upon no other terms than the Cross tels them they must trust him in this world for compensating them in the future c. Mat. 16. from 24. to ult And how eminent was he in the practice of this How did the Zeal of Gods House eat him up and he persist in doing the work he was sent about notwithstanding all the offence the Jews took And yet in his own private concerns how meek gentle patient which none can be ignorant of that read the Gospel and which he commands us to learn
Pro. 17.17 All Times 2. Quamdiu The Duration of this Trust How long Sol. All the day long Psal 44.8 All our lives long All the dayes of their Appointed Time must Gods Job's not only Wayt but Trust till their change come Yea for ever Isa 26.4 nay for ever and ever Psal 52.8 Having thus unlockt the Cabinet The Jewel or Truth that we find laid up in it is This. viz. It is the great indispensable Duty of All Believers at All Times Observation to Trust in the Lord and in Him Alone All that I have to say on This practical Truth I shall Couch under these six Generals 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Trusting in God is a Believers Duty 2. What it is To Trust in God 3. What is and ought to be the grand and sole object of a Believers Trust 4. What are Those sure and stable Grounds Those Corner stones on which the Faithful may firmly Build Their Trust in God 5. What are Those special and signal seasons which call aloud for the exerting of This Trust 6. How Faith or Trust puts forth exerts demeans bestirs it self in such seasons 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Trusting in God is a Believers Duty The Lord is or at least he should be The (e) Meton Adjuncti Actus pro Objecto Confidence of All the ends of the Earth Psal 65.5 Trust in the Lord with All thy Heart Prov. 3.5 On the Arm of His Power Isa 51.5 On the (f) In verbis ejus So Chald. Paraph. renderâ— our Text. Word of His Truth In his faithful Promises in His freest mercies Psal 52.8 In His full Salvation Psal 78.22 2. What it is To Trust in God Sol. 1. Negatively To presume on God To Tempt God To conceive false Hopes of Gods gracious favour and protection whilst in a way of sin is Not To Trust in God To gallop down a precipice and To say Confidently I shall not fall To cast our selvs down headlong from a Pinâ—cle of the Temple and yet To expect the protection of Angels Matth. 4.6 7. To Teach for Hire and To Divine for Money and yet to (g) Mic. 3.11 lean upon the Lord saying is not the Lord among us None evil can come upon us To bless a mans self in his Heart and to say he shall have peace though he walk in the imaginations of his evil heart Deut 29.19 All this is not to Trust in God but To Trust in (i) Job 15.31 Vanity and to spin the Spiders web Job 8.13 14. 2. Positively and so more generally and more particularly 1. More Generally To Trust in God is To Cast (k) Ps 55.22 our burthen on the Lord when 't is too heavy for our own shoulder To Dwell in the secret (l) Ps 91.1 places of the Most High when we know not where to lay our Heads on earth To look to our Maker and to have respect To the Holy One of Israel Is 17.7 To (n) Isa 36.6 lean on our Beloved Can. 8.5 To stay our selves when sinking on the Lord our God Isa 26.3 In a word Trust in God is that High Act or Exercise of Faith whereby the Soul looking upon God and casting of it's self on His goodness power promises faithfulness and providence is lifted up above carnal fears and discouragements above perplexing doubts and disquietments either for the obtaining and continuance of that which is good or for the preventing or removing of that which is evil 2. More particularly Fot the clearer discovery of the Nature of Divine Trust we shall lay before you It 's Ingredients Concomitants Effects I. The Ingredients of Trust in God They are three 1. A clear knowledge or Right Apprehension of God as Revealed in His Word and Works They and They only That (o) Psal 9.10 Know Thy Name will Trust in Thee The grand Reason why God is so little Trusted is because He is so little Known Knowledge of God is of such necessity to a Right Trust that it is put as a Synonyma for Trust I will set Him on high beause He hath (p) Psal 91.14 Known i. e. Trusted in my name 2. A full Assent of the Understanding and Consent of the will to Those Divine Revelations as True and good wherein the Lord proposeth Himself as an Adequate Object for our Trust This Act the Greeks expresse by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latines by Credere Fidem habere Testimonium recipere The Hebrews by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All importing Believing or giving credit to Thus the Israelites are said To (q) Ex. 14.31 believe the Lord and his Servant Moses And Thus the Soul that Trusts looks upon the words of Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 1 Tim. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as faithful and worthy of All Acceptation 3. A firm and fixed reliance Resting or Recumbency of the whole Soul on God Or a firm perswasion and special Confidence of the Heart whereby a Believer paticularly applies to Himself the faithful Promises of God and certainly Concludes and determines with himself That the Lord is Able and willing To make good to him the good promises he hath made This indeed is the very Formality of Trust one of the Highest and Noblest Acts of Faith This is That which the Greeks term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which Paul so frequenly useth in several of His Epistles Thus Abraham is said to be strong in Faith giving glory to God and was fully (Å¿) Rom. 4.21 perswaded that what he had promised he was able and willing to perform This the Latines call Fiducia The Schools Fiducia fidei The Hebrews by a word that signifies To lean on or cast the weight of ones body on for support and stay Thus Isa 10.20 The house of Jacob shall no more stay upon him that smote them but shall (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmiter innitetur incumbet stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in Truth Thus for the Ingredients of Trust 2. The Concomitants of an Holy Trust and these are 1. An Holy quietness security and peaceableness of Spirit springing from a full perswasion of our safety By this the Soul is freed from distracting cares and jealousies about our state and condition Hence that of the Prophet Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacem peace whose mind is staied on thee because He trusteth in thee An holy security I say not a carnal security like theirs mentioned Zeph. 1.12 that were setled on their lees that said in their hearts the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil nor like that of the Scarlet whore Rev. 18.6 that saies in her Heart I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow No but an Holy security as we have it Prov. 8.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower The Righteous runneth to
17. If we suffer with him we shall be glorified together Luke 24.26 Christus prius ipse bibit potionem quam suis paravit Bern. parv Serm. Luth. in Exod. cap. 15. This way Christ entr'd into glory Ought not Jesus to have suffered these things and so to have entred into glory now if we will enter with him we must follow after him how by taking up his Cross Christ like a good Physitian first tasted the medicine that he gave his Patient The Cross of Christ sweetens our sufferings in the bitterness of them as that piece of wood sweetned the waters of Marah being cast into them Therefore John wrote to the Saints as partakers together of a great priviledge Rev. 1.9 vers 3. when he said Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdoâ— and patience of Jesus Christ Then never hope to go another way than the Captain of our salvation hath led us for if we baulk his track we are lost Aug. in Psa 52. must we not then give thanks for affliction that conforms us to our head VIII The Crosse is a Christians banner his honour and the special favour of the Lord towards him therefore be thankful for it Let not this seem a riddle or paradox Phil. 1. â— I have you saith the Apostle in my heart for as much as in my bonds and in the defence of the Gospel ye are all partakers of my grace where by grace many understand a special act of Gods favour to him and them wherewith they were to account themselves highly graced Hence he saith again a little after vers 29. Utrumque ostendit dei donum quia utrumque dicit esse donatum Aug. Velasquez in locum Phil. 2. 1 Pet. 4.14 to you it 's given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake This he accounts a peculiar gift of God to them whereof but few in comparison do partake Hence saith one upon that place it is a most noble yea and almost divine thing to suffer for the Lord Jesus For the Lord gave Christ himself on this very account a name above every name Mark what the Apostle Peter saith If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you for the Spirit of God and of glory resteth on you Which words must be understood emphatically the highest manifestation and operation of the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit per He emphaticum Gods Spirit manifesteth it self variously in several subjects but in sufferers for Christ the very Spirit and quintessence of glory seems to be extracted and poured on thee Upon all these accounts and many more such we are to thank God for crosses and corrections because the good of them doth flow from Gods goodnesse not from their nature When the Horseleech by the Physicians direction sucks our blood and thereby performs a cure the Horseleech is not to be thanked but the Physician for his application So the Lord can make the bloody persecutors of his people to be instruments of good to his people no thanks to them but to him for it How shall a Christian bring his heart to this holy and heavenly Quere 5 frame so as in every thing to give thanks Hearken to these few directions and lay them up in your hearts Ans and draw them out in your constant practise I. Pray earnestly for the Spirit of God Canticum novum vetus homo male concordant Aug. without that Spirit thou canst never pray or praise God duely because not spiritually none can sanctifie the Lord God in his heart which is the first Principle of this work but he whose heart the Lord God hath sanctified The Holy Spirit breathing in a man makes him a living Organ tuned to and sounding out his praise Psal 33.1 Praise is comely for the upright but as uncomely in a carnal mouth as a Jewel in a swine snowt Non musica cordulâ— sed cór Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure dei 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing with the Spirit The pompous dresses and melodious quires of magnificats without the Spirit of God breathing among them is but as a sounding brass and a tinckliâ—g cymbal For indeed without the Spirit of God in men they neither can not will remember the Lords mercyes nor consider them nor value them nor be affected with them nor blaze the praise of them The dead saith David do not praise thee dead hearts produce dead works it is the Spirit that quickens II. Labour to get a continual quick sight and sense of sin this will make thee sensibâ—e of every mercy and thankful for it So the provocation and merit of sin is nothing but curses death and wrath being due to it that yet thou shouldest be so tenderly spared and instead of miseries shouldest enjoy blessings how shouldest thou be affected with this Gen. 32.10 per Psalmos 1 Tim. 1.12 ad 17. Invitat ad magna qui gratantè◠accipit modica Cassiod Anima immersa sanguini Christi aurea reddiâ—ur ut manus in aurum liquefactum injecta deauratur Chrysost Psal 111.9 as Mephibosheth was with David's kindnesse to him an humble broken heart is the most thankful heart this was most eminent in the most eminent Saints 1 Jacob 2 David 3 Paul c. He that knows he hath forfeited all knows he deserves nothing but the reward of that forfeiture which is wrath and he that deserves nothing thanks God for every thing even for the least drop and crumb III. Behold every mercy coming to thee in the stream of Christs blood and through the Covenant of Grace this gives the mercy both an estimate and a relish this doth both sanctifie it and sweeten it and sublimate it a crust of brown bread coming thus is better then a purse full of gold another way as that Kings kisse to one friend was said to be better gold than a cup of gold which he gave another friend He sent redemption to his people he remembred his Covenant for ever holy and reverend is his name The deliverance there was in David's account and that truly the more thank worthy as being upon a covenant account for thus every mercy is a token of the Lords favour to his favourite it is that which makes common mercies to become special mercies Non tam beneficium sed ratio beneficii attendâ—nâ—a est Carnal men so they enjoy mercies they mind not which way they come in so they can but have them but a child of God knows that every thing that comes through Christs hands is the better for it and tastes the sweeter by far IV. Look on thy mercies as answers to thy Prayers and bless the Lord for them on that account for that 's double mercy 1. That God hath inclined and directed thine heart to beg such a mercy for this is a special act of the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.26 27. 2. That he
quod illi gratum acceptum fore constat Bucan loc com 45. Holy and Religious promise advisedly and freely made unto God either to do or to omit somewhat which appeareth to be gratefull and well pleasing unto him So Bucanus I forbear Aquinas his definition of a Vow If these I have given satisfie not then view it in the words of Peter Martyr a man of repute and well known to our own nation in the dayes of Edward the 6th of ever blessed memory a Est sanctá promissio quâ nos obstringimus Deo aliquid oblaturos esse Pet. Mart. loc com de votis It is a Holy Promise whereby we bind our selves to offer somewhat unto God There is one more who defines it and he is a man whose judgment Learning and Holinesse hath persumed his Name it is Learned Perkins in his Cases of Conscience A Vow saith he is a Promise made unto God of Things Lawfull and Possible Of these five descriptions of a Vow you may indifferently choose which you will for when you have chosen either of them and looked upon it you will find it lay's an obligation upon the person vowing and bind's him strictly and unalterably to perform his vows for it is 1. a promise b Deut. 23.23 it is not a Purpose not a single resolution much lesse is it the Deliberation of the mind concerning a matter not yet determined but determinable on either part A Vow is a Promise which had it's beginning in a serious due and thorough Deliberation which from Deliberation passed into a Rationall strong and fixed purpose of doing what had been so deliberated and weighed Nay further yet a Vow passeth into a formall and expresse Promise and so makes the votary a debter This part of a Vow Solomon hath long since prepared to our hands Eccles 5. v. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne neither say thou before the Angel that it was an errour Note what Solomon forbid's viz. c Ne committas temerè vovendo Mercer in loc Offend not by rash vowing Nor seek excuse by saying d Neque dixeris te per errorem imprudentiam vovisse nec advertisse quid faceres dum voveres Mercer in loc it was an errour i. e. through mistake and imprudence thou hast vowed not observing what thou diddest when thou vowedst It must be a deliberate and advised act of a man if he will duely vow to God 2. It is said to be voluntary the thing speak's it self a Vow must be free it is injurious to extort a Promise from a man free choice should be the spring of every promise much more of every Vow The old Law empowred some persons to disanull the vow of an other but no Law or reason can empowre any one to enforce a Vow upon another each one may forbear to vow Deut. 23. v. 22. 3. As it must be voluntary and deliberate so it must be to God alone we read still if thou wilt vow thou shalt vow to the Lord Not to Angels with such as worship them not to Saints with superstitious Papists not to any man man may promise solemnly unto man but he may not vow man may be the witnesse of thy vow but man may not be the object For the dependance of man upon man is not great enough to warrant the one in vowing or the other in expecting such a vow bâ—side that we must not vow to one we must not pray to nor can we expect help from man in cases that are just ground for and which do require a vow from us Which cases 4. I say are extraordinary and more than usuall either from received mercy or hoped and expected mercy It is impossible he should well compose his vowes or duely pay them who makes ordinary and daily cases ground of his vowes we cannot but forget many an ordinary mercy receivâ—d but we may not must not forget any vow made We must pray for every mercy we want but we may not bind our selves in the bonds of a vow for every mercy we pray for this would inevitably cast us upon the sin of falsehood and unfaithfullnesse in our vowes But I proceed to the second thing to be enquired into that is Whether it be lawfull in any case for us now under the New Testament to make a Vow That it was lawfull for the Jew none have doubted but some doubt is made whether a Christian may voluntarily bind Generall 2 himself to God by making a Vow The solution of this doubt is necessary to our clearer determination of this case for if vowes were now unlawfull to us they could neither be well composed nor could they advantage Religion and if it may appear they may lawfully be made then we may go on in the consideration of the remaining particulars To this sâ—cond then very briefly we answer That a Christian may lawfully make a promise or Vow unto God binding himself more than ordinarily unto God for and in expectation of mercy in some or other more than ordinary case or exigency For a great mercy received already a Christian may vow thankfullnesse for a mercy not received but expected he may vow upon the receipt to tender to the Lord more than usuall duty Such vows at this day may be used by us Ejusmodi vota hodie quoque nobis in usu esse possunt quoties nos Dominus vel à clade aliquâ vel à morbo difficili vel ab alio quovis discrimine eripuit Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 13. so often as the Lord hath delivered us from any destruction or dangerous disease or from any danger saith Calvin speaking of Vowes for mercy to be received And Mr Perkins in his Cases of conscience both affirms what we now do and answers the Objections made to the contrary But leave we men and come to Reason why it is lawfull for us to vow 1. What is not evil in it self nor evil by accident * 1. Vows well-ordered not sin in themselves nor by accident unlesse made evil by the undue ordering of it through our fault may lawfully be done by us I know this well considered proves it self yet I would confirm it with this observation What is not evil may lawfully be done by us now things are evil either per se or per accidens If Vows be either way evil it is by accident which accidental evil may be prevented and indeed is by due composing of Vowes and by diligent performing of them when composed So that if a Christian may order the making and performing his Vow so as to prevent the evil which attends a Vow ill-made than such a Christian may surely make a Vow very lawfully But I presume no one will doubt that he who makes Vowes seldome consultedly and sincerely may duely keep them and in so doing prevent any consequent evil 2. Some Vowes once lawfull on morall grounds Such lawfull still 2. Vowes may be
are lost and undone but in him is redemption We are empty of all good but he is a full fountain from whom flow all those blessings which concern either our present comfort or future happinesse We are necessitous and indigent in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 Yea in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in him Col. 2.9 10. Or as you have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.19 In him dwells all fulnesse The rich Merchant thought himself no loser by the bargain in parting with all he had to purchase an interest in Christ Mat. 13.45 46. But when never so much is said there cannot a greater word be used than what the Apostle speaks here Christ is all The Greeks were wont of old to account it an excellency to speak much in a few words to give their Auditors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ocean of matter in a drop of words Thus does the Apostle here give us as I may speak gold in the wedge which I shall endeavour to beat out into the leaf by showing how much is comprized in this one word All. The two names by which the most ancient Philosophers were wont to speak of God were that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true being and the universall good all the scattered excellencies which are dispersed among severall ranks of creatures meeting in him as the lines of the Circumference in the Center This does the Apostle speak here of Christ He is All. Physitians speak of an universall medicine suited to all diseases and helpfull in all maladies but whether this can be found in nature or not yet certainly Christ is a Panacea in him we have a plaister for all sores a remedy against all distempers There are indeed thousands of cases wherein all other helps are but miserable comforters and Physitians of no value but not one case wherein Christ is not a full and proper help When all that friends can do is only to pity us he can help us because Christ is All. For the further explaining and confirming of this great truth three things shall be spoke to 1. Wherein Christ is All. 2. How Christ is All. 3. What advantage it is to sincere Christians to have their All in Christ 1. Wherein Christ is All. In general He is All in All things for so some of no small account render the following words and in All as hath already been hinted But more particularly 1. Christ is All to sincere Christians to free them from whatever might hinder their salvation Salvation is not a meer negative thing nor does it consist in a bare exemption from hell and wrath but a translation into heaven and glory but alas betwixt us and glory there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Gulph many bars and impediments aye but Christ is All to deliver us from these and though our deliverance in this world is not compleat or perfect yet is it so for compleat as to render our salvation undoubtfull if we be in the number of them to whole Christ is here said to be All. 1. The wrath of an offended God which like that flaming sword that kept our Apostate Parents from returning into Paradise out of which because of their Apostacy they had been ejected would render our admission into heaven equally impossible but Christ by bearing the wrath of God in his own person hath taken it off from ours and therefore he is said to deliver us from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 he who was the Son of Gods love became the subject of his displeasure as appears by comparing Matth. 3.17 with Isa 53.10 that we who were children of wrath might become the objects of his favour and however Christ hath not deliverâ—d beleevers from the anger of God as a Father yet from the anger of God as a Judge There is an anger that proceeds from love as the anger of a Parent towards that childe whose good he desires and there is a vindictive anger Heb. 12.6 7 8 c. the former beleevers are neither freed from nor would it indeed be their priviledge there is not a greater judgement can befall poor sinfull creatures here on earth than for God not to discover himself angry with them for their sins Isa 1.5 God then deals with men as a skiliull Physitian with an unruly Patient whom he gives up as desperate Magna ira est quando peccantibus non iâ—ascitur Deus Hieron or as a tender Parent with a graceless childe whom he utterly rejects In a word what ever kinde of anger might tend to the prejudice of beleevers that they are delivered from but what is for their advantage that they are subject to That Christ is All in delivering from the wrath of God may further be evidenced by these Considerations 1. The adequate of Gods wrath is sin Object there is this difference 'twixt wrath and mercy in God that mercy flows as I may so speak naturally from God and hath no other motive but onely the gracious and mercifull disposition of God but wrath hath alwayes its rise from us and nothing in us but sin can draw down his wrath upon us Our meaness cannot our afflictions cannot these may sometimes be the effects of Gods wrath but never the causes No 't is because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5 6. because of these things ie because of these sins as appears from the Verses foregoing What is it that hath filled every age and place of the world with so many dreadfull tokens of Gods displeasure but onely sin What was it that cast the Angels out of heaven and degraded them from their first station but onely sin What was it that drove our first Parents out of Paradise and subjected them and all their Posterity to so many miseries but onely sin What was it that brought destruction upon the old World upon Sodome Gemorrah Admah Zeboim What was it that broke off the natural branches and hath for so many hundreds of years continued them under a divorce from God but onely sin In a word look over all those miseries under which the whole Creation groans Rom. 8 22. And though those miseries in several creatures are divers yet do they all proceed from the same fountain viz. Sin 2. Christ is All in making expiation for sin He is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 He is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh 2.2 Rom. 3.25 't was not thousands of Rams not ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl could have born any proportion in point of satisfaction for our sins 'T was not all the Legal Sacrifices of old could do any thing nor can all our duties now but Christ is all in expiating for sin Heb 10.5 6 7. compared with Heb. 10.14 And such is the fulness of
and jewels into the Sea another eagerly drinking down that which you knew to be the juice of Toads and Spiders or hugging a Viper and Scorpion in his bosome anothe stabbing himself in the breast another laughing at and licking his own plague sores and all of them reviling cursing striking spitting in the face and stabbing at the heart of those that any wayes endeavour to hinder them from destroying themselves or that will not do as they do and be as mad as themselves should we not pity them and with grief of heart say Wo is me that I live among such Why Sirs He that hath had any serious thoughts of Eternity that hath soberly considered the worth of an immortal soul that believes the Holiness Justice and Power of God that understands the evill of sin what a plague what a venome what a dagger at the sinners own heart sin is he cannot but see and know that every ungodly prophane sinner is much more an object of highest compassion than any I have now mentioned and therefore cannot but cry out Wo is me c. 3. It is a trouble to good men to sojourn c. with reference to themselves and their own concernments because they are sensible that such a condition layes them open to a great deal of danger and that 1. In regard of their graces for the want of the society of good men and the Ordinances of the Gospel is like the want of dew and rain to the grass or food to the body and therefore those who have tasted of the sweetness and fatness Psal 36.8.65.4 and know what a blessedness 't is to be satisfied with the goodness of Gods house cannot but mourn over the want of Gospel-Ordinances as the presence of the Sun beams make the flowers to be fresh and beautifull and yield a fragrant smell whereas the want thereof makes them look pale and wan and hang the head even so the enjoyment of good society and Gospel-Ordinances makes the graces of a beleever amiable and lovely and give forth their pleasant smell the want of which makes them very much to droop and languish And then on the other side the society of wicked men the venome and poyson of an evill example the alluring flatteries of the world on one hand and its frowns and threatnings on the other hand are of great force to nip and blast to dead and dull the graces of good men And therefore he who knows the worth and value of true grace that accounts it his riches his treasure his jewel his life Luke 12.21 and is sensible how much depends upon the life and vigour of Grace and Religion in his soul and understands how destructive the want of Gospe-Ordinances and the company of evil men are to his graces may well cry out Wo is me that I sojourn c. 2. In regard of their persons and the concernments of this life the enmity that is in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman doth not onely put forth it self in endeavours to ruine or weaken their graces but also to destroy their persons wicked mens malice against that spiritual life of grace in good men which themselves do not partake of doth soon improve into malice also against that natural humane life which themselves are also partakers of their desires to suck the blood as I may so say of good mens souls graces makes them delight to suck the blood of their bodies witness Cain 1 Joh. 3.12 the first that learnt this bloody trade by killing his brother for no other cause but because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous witness also Ahab and Jezabel Manasseh c. but the foul-mouthed witness to this black and sad rruth is the scarlet bloody Whore of Babylon Rev. 17.6 who is drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and therefore in Gods due time she shall have blood to drink those therefore who understand what an hellish fire of rage is in the hearts of wicked men how great their malice is against goodness and good men and what combustible matter our life and the comforts of this life be so far as they value these mercies have reason with David to cry out Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech c. And now the wofull condition of those that are deprived of Gospel Ordinances and sojourn where heavenly Mâ—nna doth not fall and who dwell among and converse with wicked and ungodly men as it calls upon us to bless God when it is not so with us and to pity and pray for those who have reason to take up such a complaint as David here doth so also to bethink our selves what we ought to do if the case were ours for you know the life of a Christian is very oft and very fitly in Scripture compared to a warfare and surely he is but a mean souldier and never like to come off with victory and triumph who doth not prepare himself for all kinde of assaults and doth not labour to fortifie every passage whereat he may be stormed and therefore 't is good for us to make the condition of others our own so that this question or practical case of conscience will offer it self to our consideration Quest How shall those Merchants and others keep up the life of Religion who while they were at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances but being abroad are not onely deprived of them but liable to the Inquisition and other wayes of persecution for their Religion Before I answer the Case I shall a little open it and lay down some preparatory propositions for the right understanding of it and then direct our practise By Religion we do not understand any outward way or form any pomp and gayeties in worshipping God but such a due sense of our dependance upon a good and gracious almighty holy God for our being and well-being both in time and to eternity as doth powerfully engage the soul heartily to love God and sincerely to serve him in obeying his good and holy commands made known to us By the life of Religion we may understand either 1. The truth and reality of it in the soul in opposition to a soul dead in sin or 2. The vigour activity and livelinesse of Religion in opposition to a dead dull languid principle and both may be well included in the Question for as we are all concerned to endeavour by all fit and lawfull means not only to have our bodies kept from rotting and putrifying by the salt of a living soul but to have them active and vigorous sit for the employments of a naturall life Salillum animae Plaut and not stupified with lethargies and benumming palsies even so we ought to endeavour not only that our souls may be quickned with a true principle of Religion but that we may have such a lively vigorous and influencing sence of divine goodnesse upon them
man live according to the principles of that Religion and as it is with the principle of naturall life it is not made more lively active and vigorous by arguing and disputing wherein it doth consist and what are the proper acts of it but by putting it forth in the due acts and exercises of that life even so the principle of spirituall life in the soul gets no strength by zealous and hot disputing what and which is the true Religion and which be true and proper acts of Religion but by humble practice of what we know to be Religion not but that it is both lawfull and commendable to be able to understand and defend the grounds and principles of our Religion and all the holy exercises of it but I only caution against letting that sap run out in unfruitfull suckers which should nourish the fruit-bearing branches 6. Be the more carefull to observe and close with the inward stirrings of Gods Spirit in your hearts moving you to prayer meditation c. When you are in a valley of vision you will have many calls and motions from without to hear the Word and pray and receive the Sacrament but when you are abroad in a land of darknesse God must not only be your best but your only friend by his Spirit to jog and stir you up to holy duties and therefore it doth more than ordinarily concern us at a such time not to send away Gods Spirit grieved with our backwardnesse to that which is our own concernment 7. Observe and keep a register or diary of Gods mercies and your own sins that you may be often minded what God hath been to you and what you have been to him with how many thousand kindnesses he hath obliged you and with how many thousand sins you have disobliged him When we enjoy publick Ordinances we may there be often minded both of Gods goodnesse to us and our sinfulnesse against him and so may have our hearts stirred up to have very good thoughts of God and very low thoughts of our selves but when we want publick Ordinances we should labour to supply that want by a more strict observation and recording both the one and the other that by reviewing our register we may be enabled to affect our souls sutably either to praise the Lord or abase our selves 8. Lay a charge upon your selves to sleep and awake with the thoughts of God and eternity upon your souls and indeed though this is exceeding usefull for all men yet most of all for those who are deprived of Ordinances 'T is sure that the same truths which at first work upon the soul to the begetting grace are of force afterwards to quicken grace and make it lively and vigorous in the soul and certainly the belief of what God is in himself and to us and the thoughts of eternity have a great force to perswade carelesse sinners to sober and serious consideration the necessary instrument by which grace and a spirit of true and reall Religion is begot in the soul and therefore when we want those publick Ordinances which might be often presenting these great truths to our souls it will be of great use to charge our selves more severely with the daily serious thoughts of them 9. Take heed as for your life of indulging any secret sin for that will keep down the life of Religion in the midst of all Ordinances and therefore much more in the want of them a secret disease in the body which spends upon the stock of the radicall moysture will keep a man from being lively and vigorous though he have plenty of very good nourishing food much more will it endanger one in a famine even so a secret sin lodged within and indulged will weaken and enervate the principle of Religion in the soul amidst the fullest provision of Gospel-Ordinances much more when there is a famine or scarcity of the bread of life A Tradesman that hath some secret vent where his estate runs wast may prove a beggar in the midst of daily incomes by a good Trade much more if he spends upon a dead stock and so a man who spends the strength of his soul in some close and secret sin may prove a spirituall beggar in the fullest Trade of Gospel-Ordinances and though he have daily incomes of convictions informations reproofs counsels sollicitations c. from publick Ordinances much more in the want of them and therefore they who value the life of Religion or the life of their souls must take heed of indulging secret sins 10. Be the more carefull often to feel the pulse of thine own soul we use to say every man at a competent age is either a fool or a Physician and though he be a fool indeed who when he needs and may have wiser Physicians will trust to himself yet when we cannot have others a man should the more study himself and the oftener try his own pulse and truly he is but a babe in spirituall things that is not something of a Physician to himself and though we should not trust our own skill or experience where we need and may have the help of others yet when we are deprived of them we should the more diligently converse with our own souls and be the oftener trying how our pulse beats towards God and Heaven and the things of another life 11. Be so much the more in private secret prayer reading and meditation when we want the showrs of publick Ordinances we should the more diligently use the watring pot and water our souls with our foot as the phrase is concerning Egypt Deut. 11.10 If our lot should be cast where there be no publick Markets where Corn might be bought every one would plow and sow reap and thrash in his own grounds Even so if we should live where there be no publick Gospel-Ordinances where the Truths of the Gospel are not publickly to be had where we cannot partake of the labours of the Gospel-Ministry than it would concern us to be the more diligent in plowing and sowing in reaping and thrashing by our own private endeavours and I think it would be fit for us in such a condition to spend that time at least in private duties which others spend in superstitious or Idolatrous services let not us think much to give God and our souls that time which others give to their own superstitious fancies 12. In the use of all private helps act faith in God as being able to supply the want of outward means by the gracious influence of his good and holy Spirit When there was no rain from heaven God could cause a mist to arise and water the earth Gen. 2.6 even so if the Lord should bring us whore there be no showres of publick Ordinances he can stir up in our souls those holy and heavenly meditations which shall again drop down like an heavenly dew upon the face of our souls and keep up an holy verdure and freshness upon the face