the Lees well refined and it shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Spiritual mercies are not only worth desiring but waiting for 3. If God should not fill his people to satisfaction here yet they shall be filled in heaven the Vessels of their desires shall be filled as those water-pots Joh. 2. up to the brim MATTH 5.7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy CHAP. XV. Containing a Discourse of mercifulness THese Verses like the stairs of Solomons Temple cause our Ascent to the Holy of holies We are now mounting up a step higher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are the merciful c. There was never more need to preach of mercifulness than in these unmerciful times wherein we live It is reported in the life of Chrysostom that he did much preach on this subject of mercifulness and for his much pressing Christians to mercy he was called of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almes-preacher or the Preacher for mercy our times need many Chrysostoms Blessed are the merciful Mercy stands both in the Van and Rear of the Text in the beginning of the Text it stands as a Duty in the end of the Text it stands as a Reward The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful the more godly the more merciful the Doctrine I shall gather out of the words which will comprehend and draw in the whole is this That the merciful man is a blessed man Doctr. As there is a curse hangs over the head of the unmerciful man Psal 109.6 7 8 9 c. Let Satan stand at his right hand when he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his prayer become sin let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow let his children be continually vagabonds and beg let the Extortioner catch all that he hath and let the stranger spoil his labour let there be none to extend mercy to him let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their name be blotted out let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred with the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out Why what is this crime Ver. 16. Because he remembred not to shew mercy c. See what a long Vial full of the plagues of God is poured out upon the unmerciful man So by the Rule of contraries the blessings of the Almighty do crown and encompass the merciful man 2 Sam. 22.26 Psal 37.26 Psal 41.1 The merciful man is a blessed man For the illustrating this I shall shew 1. What is meant by mercifulness 2. The several kinds of mercy 1. What is meant by mercifulness I answer 1. Quid misericordia it is a melting disposition whereby we lay to heart the miseries of others and are ready on all occasions to be instrumental for their good Quest 1. How do mercy and love differ Answ In some things they agree in some things they differ like waters that may have two different spring-heads but meet in the stream Love and mercy differ thus Love is more extensive the Diocess that Love walks and visits in is larger Mercy properly respects them that are miserable Love is of a larger consideration Love is like a friend that visits them that are well Mercy is like a Physitian that visits only them that are sick Again Love acts more out of affection Mercy acts out of a principle of conscience Mercy lends its help to another Love gives its heart to another Thus they differ but Love and Mercy agree in this they are both ready to do good Offices both of them have soundings of bowels and healing under their wings Quest 2. Whence doth mercy spring Answ It s spring-head riseth higher than nature Mercy taken in its full latitude proceeds from a work of grace in the heart naturally we are far enough from mercy the sinner is a bramble not a Fig-tree yielding sweet fruit 'T is the Character and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a natural man unmerciful Rom. 1.31 A wicked man like Jehoram hath his bowels fallen out * 2 Chr 21.19 Therefore he is compared to an Adamant Zach. 7.11 because his heart melts not in mercy Before conversion the sinner is compared to a Wolf for his savageness to a Lyon for his fierceness * Isa 11.6 to a Bee for his sting Psal 118.12 to an Adder for his poyson Psal 140.3 By nature we do not send forth oyle but poyson not the oyle of mercifulness but the poyson of maliciousness Besides that inbred unmercifulness which is in us there is something infused too by Satan the Prince of the aire works in men Eph. 2.2 He is a fierce Spirit therefore called the red Dragon Revel 12.3 And if he possesseth men no wonder if they are implacable and without mercy what mercy can be expected from hell so that if the heart be tuned into mercifulness it is from the change that grace hath made †* Col. 3.12 When the Sun shines then the ice melts when the Sun of righteousness once shines with beams of grace upon the soul now it melts in mercy and tenderness thou must first be a new man before a merciful man thou canst not help a member of Christ till first thou thy self art a member 2. The several kinds of mercy 2. Quotuplex misericordia or how many wayes a man may be said to be merciful Mercy is a Fountain that runs in five streams we must be merciful to the 1. Souls of others 2. Names of others 3. Estates of others 4. Offences of others 5. Wants of others SECT I. Shewing that mercy is to be extended to the soules of others 1. WE must be merciful to the souls of others this is Spiritualis Eleemosyna a spiritual Almes Indeed soul-mercy is the chief the soul is the most precious thing it is a vessel of honour 't is a bud of eternity 't is a sparkle lighted by the breath of God 't is a rich Diamond set in a Ring of clay the soul hath the blood of God to redeem it the image of God to beautifie it it being therefore of so high a descent sprung from the Ancient of dayes that mercy which is shewn to the soul must needs be the greatest This soul-mercy to others stands in four things 1. In pitying them If I weep saith Austin for that body from which the soul is departed how should I weep for that soul from which God is departed Had we seen that man in the Gospel cutting himself with stones and fetching blood of himself it would have moved our pity Mark 5.5 To see a sinner stabbing himself and having his hands imbrued in his own blood should cause relentings in our bowels our eye should affect our heart God was angry with Edom because he did cast off all pity Amos 1.11 2. Soul-mercy is in advising and exhorting sinners
without cutting or forcing Mary Magdalens repentance was voluntary she stood weeping Luke 7. She came to Christ with ointment in her hand with love in her heart with teares in her eyes God is for a freewil-offering he loves not to be put to distrain 2. Gospel-mourning is spiritual that is when we mourn for sinne more than suffering Pharaoh saith Take away the plague he never thought of the plague of his heart A sinner mourns because judgement follows at the heeles of sinne but David cries out my sinne is ever before me Psal 51. God had threatned that the sword should ride in circuit in his family but David doth not say the sword is ever before me but my sinne is ever before me The offence against God troubled him he grieved more for the treason than the bloody axe thus the Penitent Prodigal Luke 15.21 I have sinned against heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and before thee he doth not say I am almost starved among the husks but I have offended my father In particular our mourning for sinne if it be spiritual must be under this threefold notion 1. We must mourn for sinne as it is an act of hostility and enmity Sinne doth not only make us unlike God but contrary to God Levit. 26.40 and that they have walked contrary unto me Sinne doth affront and resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Sinne is contrary to Gods nature God is holy sinne is an impure thing sin is contrary to his will if God be of one minde sinne is of another sinne doth all it can to spight God The Hebrew word for sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies rebellion a sinner doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now when we mourn for sinne as it is a walking Antipodes to heaven this is a Gospel-mourning nature will not bear contraries 2. We must mourn for sin as it is a piece of the highest ingratitude it is a kicking against the breasts of mercy God sends his Sonne to redeeme us his Spirit to comfort us we sinne against the blood of Christ the grace of the Spirit and shall we not mourn We complaine of the unkindnesse of others and shall we not lay to heart our own unkindnesse against God Caesar took it unkindly that his son Brutus should stab him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou my son may not the Lord say to us these wounds I have received in the house of my friends * Zach. 13.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Theocr. Israel took their jewels and ear-rings and made a golden Calfe of them the sinner takes the jewels of Gods mercies and makes use of them to sin ingratitude dies a sin in grain hence they are called crimson sinnes Isa 1.18 sinnes against Gospel-love are worse in some sence than the sinnes of the Divels for they never had an offer of Grace tendred to them Diabolus peccavit in innocentia constitutus ego vero restitutus ille perstitit in malitia Deo reprobante ego vero Deo revocante ille obduratur ad punientem ego vero ad blandientem sic uterque contra Deum ille contra non requirentem se ego vero contra morientem pro me ecce cujus imaginem horrebam in multis aspicio me horribiliorem Anselm de Casu Diab Now when we mourn for sin as it hath its accent of ingratitude upon it this is an Evangelical mourning 3. We must mourn for sinne as it is a Privation it keeps good things from us it hinders our communion with God Mary wept for Christs absence John 20.13 they have taken away my Lord. So our sinnes have taken away our Lord they have deprived us of his sweet presence Will not he grieve who hath lost a rich jewel When we mourn for sinne under this notion as it makes the Sun of righteousnesse withdraw from our Horizon when we mourn not so much that peace is gone and trading is gone but God is gone Cant. 5.6 My beloved had withdrawn himself this is an holy mourning the mourning for the losse of Gods favour is the best way to regaine his favour If thou hast lost a friend all thy weeping will not fetch him again but if thou hast lost Gods presence thy mourning will bring thy God again 3. Gospel-mourning cogit ad Deum it sends the soul to God When the Prodigal sonne repented he went to his father Luke 15.18 I will arise and go unto my father Jacob wept and prayed Hos 12.3 The people of Israel wept and offered sacrifice Judg. 2.5 Gospel-mourning puts a man upon duty the reason is because in true sorrow there is a mixture of hope and hope puts the soul upon the use or means That mourning which like the flaming sword keeps the soul from approaching to God and beats it off from duty is a sinful mourning 't is a sorrow hatch'd in hell such was Sauls grief which drove him to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28.7 Evangelical Mourning is a spur to prayer the childe who weeps for offending his father goes into his presence and will not leave till his father be reconciled to him Absalom could not be quiet till he had seen the Kings face 2 Sam. 14.32 33. 4. Gospel-Mourning is for sin in particular Dolosus versatur in generalibus It is with a true penitent as it is with a wounded man he comes to the Chyrurgion and shews him all his wounds here I was cut with the Sword here I was shot with a Bullet So a true penitent bewails all his particular sins Judg. 10.10 We have served Baalim they mourned for their Idolatry And David layes his finger upon the sore and points to that very sin that troubled him Psal 51.4 I have done this evil he means his blood-guiltiness a wicked man will say he is a sinner but a child of God saith I have done this evil Peter wept for that particular sin of denying Christ Clemens Alexandrinus saith he never heard a Cock crow but he fell a weeping there must be a particular Repentance before we have a general pardon 5. Gospel-tears must drop from the eye of faith Mark 9.24 The father of the childe cryed out with tears Lord I believe our disease must make us mourn but when we look up to our Physitian who hath made a playster of his own blood we must not mourn without hope believing tears are precious when the clouds of sorrow have overcast the soul some Sun-shine of faith must break forth the soul will be swallowed up of sorrow it will be drowned in tears if faith be not the bladder to keep it up from sinking though our tears drop to the earth our faith must reach heaven after the greatest rain faith must appear as the Rainbow in the cloud the tears of faith are botled as precious wine Psal 56.8 6. Gospel-Mourning is joyned with self-loathing the sinner doth admire himself the penitent doth loath himself Ezek. 20.42 Ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your
lived a very civil life go home and mourn because thou art but civil many a mans civility being rested upon hath damned him 'T is sad for men to be without repentance but 't is worse to need no repentance Luke 15.7 9. Tears are but finite 't is but awhile that we shall Motive 9 weep after a few showres that fall from our eyes we shall have a perpetual sunshine in heaven the bottle of tears is stopt Rev. 7. ult God shall wipe away all tears when sin shall cease tears shall cease Psal 30.5 Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning in the morning of the Ascension then shall all tears be wiped away Motive 10 10. The benefit of holy mourning the best of our commodities come by water 1. Mourning doth make the soul fruitful in grace When a showre falls the herbs and plants grow Isaiah 16.9 I will water thee with my tears O Heshbon I may allude to it tears water our graces and make them flourish Psal 104 10. he sends his springs into the vallies that is the reason the vallies flourish with corn because the springs run there where the springs of sorrow run there the heart bears a fruitful crop Leah was tender-eyed she had a watry eye and was fruitful the tender-eyed Christian usually brings more of the fruits of the Spirit a weeping eye is the water-pot to water our graces 2. Mourning doth fence us against the Divels Tentations Tentations are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiery darts Ephes 6.16 because indeed they set the soul on fire Tentations enrage anger inflame lust now the waters of holy Mourning quench these fiery darts wet powder will not soon take the fire when the heart is wetted and moistned with sorrow it will not so easily take the fire of Tentation tears are the best Engines and Water-works to quench the Divels fire * Faciem nostram debemus magis lachrymis rigare quaem lavacris and if there be so much profit and benefit in Gospel-sorrow then let every Christian wash his face every Morning in the Lavor of tears †11. And lastly to have a melting frame of spirit is Motive 11 a great sign of Gods presence with us in an Ordinance 't is a sign the Sun of righteousness hath risen upon us when our frozen hearts thaw and melt for sin it is a saying of St. Bernard By this you may know whether you have met with God in a duty when you find your selves in a melting and mourning frame we are apr to measure all by comfort we think we never have Gods presence in an Ordinance unless we have joy herein we are like Thomas unless saith he I shall see in his hands the print of the nails I will not believe John 20.25 So are we apt to say Unless we have incomes of comfort we will not believe that we have found God in a duty but if our hearts can melt kindly in tears of love this is a real sign that God hath been with us as Jacob said Gen. 28.16 Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not So Christian when thy heart breaks for sin and dissolves into holy tears God is in this duty though thou knowest it not Methinks all that hath been said should make us spiritual Mourners perhaps we have tryed to mourn and cannot but therefore as a man that hath digged so many fathoms deep for water and can find none at last he digs till he finds a spring so though we have been digging for the water of tears and can find none yet let us weigh all that hath been said and set our hearts again to work and perhaps at last we may say as Isaacs servants Gen. 26.32 We have found water When the herbs are pressed the watery juyce comes out these eleven serious Motives may press out tears from the eye Quest But may some say My constitution is such that I cannot weep I may as well go to squeeze a Rock as think to get a tear Answ But if thou canst not weep for sin can'st thou grieve Intellectual mourning is best there may be sorrow where there are no tears * Curae loves loquuntur ingentes stupent the Vessel may be full though it wants vent it is not so much the weeping eye God respects as the broken heart yet I would be loth to stop their tears who can weep God stood looking on Hezekiahs tears Isa 38.5 I have seen thy tears Davids tears made Musick in Gods ears Psal 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping 'T is a sight fit for Angels to behold tears as pearls dropping from a penitent eye CHAP. IX Shewing the hindrances of mourning Quest BUT what shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame Answ Do two things 1. Take heed of those things which will stop these Channels of mourning 2. Put your selves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning 1. Take heed of those things which will stop the current of tears there are nine hindrances of mourning Hindr. 1 1. The love of sin the love of sin is like a stone in the pipe which hinders the current of water the love of sin makes sin taste sweet and this sweetness in sin-bewitcheth the heart Saint Hierom saith it is worse to love sin than to commit it A man may be overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 And he that hath stumbled upon sin unawares will weep but the love of sin hardens the heart keeps the Divel in possession in true mourning there must be a grieving for sin but how can a man grieve for that sin which his heart is in love with oh take heed of this sweet poyson the love of sin freezeth the soul in impenitency Hindr. 2 2. Despair despair affronts God undervalues Christs blood damns the soul Jerem. 8.12 They said there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart This is the language of despair there is no hope I had as good follow my sins still and be damned for something despair presents God to the soul as a Judge clad in the garments of vengeance Isa 59.17 Judas his despair was in some sense worse than his Treason Despair destroys Repentance for the proper ground of Repentance is mercy Rom. 2.4 The goodness of God leads thee to Repentance But despair hides mercy out of sight as the cloud covered the Ark Exod. 39. Oh take heed of this Despair is an irrational sin there is no ground for it the Lord shews mercy to thousands why mayest not thou be one of a thousand the wings of Gods mercy like the wings of the Cherubims are stretched out to every humble penitent though thou hast been a great sinner yet if thou art a weeping sinner there 's a golden Scepter of mercy held forth Psal 103.11 Despair locks up the soul in impenitency 3. A conceit
that this mourning will make us melancholy Hindr. 3 We shall drown all our joy in our tears but this is a mistake Lose our joy tell me what joy can there be in a natural condition what joy doth sin afford is not sin compared to a wound and a bruise Isa 1.6 David had his broken bones Psal 51. Is there any comfort in having the bones out of joynt doth not sin breed a palpitation and trembling of heart Deutr. 28.66 Is it any joy for a man to be a Magor-missabib a terror to himself Surely of the sinners laughter it may be said it is mad Eccles 2.2 Whereas holy mourning is the breeder of joy it doth not eclipse but refine our joy and make it better * Homine ad Deum converso mutatur gaâ—dium non tollitur Aug the Prodigal dated his joy from the time of his Repentance Luke 15.24 Then they began to be merry 4. Checking the motions of the Spirit the Spirit sets Hindr. 4 us a mourning it causeth all our spring-tides Psal 87.7 all my springs are in thee Oft we meet with gracious motions to prayer and repentance now when we stifle these motions which is called a quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 then we do as it were hinder the tyde from coming in When the dew falls then the ground is wet when the Spirit of God falls as dew in its influences upon the soul then it is moistned with sorrow but if the Spirit withdraw the soul is like Gideons dry fleece a ship can as well sail without the wind a bird can as well flie without wings as we can mourn without the Spirit Take heed of grieving the Spirit do not drive away this sweet Dove from the arke of thy soul The Spirit is res tenera delicata if it be grieved it may say I will come no more and if it once withdraw we cannot mourn 5. Presumption of mercy Who will take pains with Hindr. 5 his heart or mourn for sinne that he may be saved at a cheaper rate How many Spider-like suck damnation out of the sweet flower of Gods mercy Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners is the occasion of many a mans perishing Oh saith one Christ died for me he hath done all What need I pray or mourn Many a bold sinner plucks death from the tree of life and through presumption goes to hell by that ladder of Christs blood by which others go to heaven It is sad when the goodnesse of God which should lead to repentance Rom. 4.2 leads to presumption O sinner do not hope thy self into hell take heed of being damned upon a mistake Thou sayest God is merciful therefore goest on securely in sinne But who is mercy for the presuming sinner or the mourning sinner Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him no mercy without forsaking sinne and no forsaking sinne without mourning If a King should say to a company of Rebels Whosoever comes in and submits shall have mercy such as stood out in rebellion could not claime the benefit of the Pardon God makes a Proclamation of mercy to the mourner but such as are not mourners have nothing to do with mercy The mercy of God is like the Arke which none but the Priests were to meddle with none may touch this golden Arke of mercy but such as are Priests unto God * Rev 1.6 and have offered up the sacrifice of tears 6. A conceit of the smalnesse of sinne Gen. 19.20 Is Hindr. 6 it not a little one the Devil holds the small end of the Perspective-glasse to sinners To fancy sinne lesse than it is is very dangerous an opinion of the littlenesse of sinne keeps us from the use of means Who will be earnest for a Physitian that thinks it is but a trivial disease and who will seek to God with a penitent heart for mercy that thinks sinne is but a slight thing But to take off this wrong conceit about sinne and that we may look upon it with watry eyes consider 1. Sinne cannot be little because it is against the Majesty of heaven there is no treason small it being against the Kings person 2. Every sinne is sinful therefore damnable a Pen-knife or Stilletto makes but a little wound but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon there 's death and hell in every sinne Rom. 6.23 What was it for Adam to pluck an Apple but that lost him his crown 'T is not with sinne as it is with diseases some are mortal some not mortal the least sinne without repentance will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven 3. View sinne in the red glasse of Christs sufferings the least sinne cost the price of blood Would you take a a true prospect of sinne go to Golgotha Jesus Christ was fain to vail his glory and lose his joy and pour out his soul an offering for the least sinne read the greatnesse of thy sin in the deepnesse of Christs wounds Let not Satan cast such a mist before your eyes that you cannot see sin in its right colours Remember not only great rivers fall into the Sea but little brooks not only great sinnes carry men to hell but lesser Hindr. 7 7. Procrastination or an opinion it is too soone yet to tune the penitential string When the Lamp is almost out the strength exhausted and old age comes on then mourning for sinne will be in season but it is too soone yet That I may shew how pernicious this opinion is and that I may rowle away this stone from the mouth of the Well that so the waters of repentance may be drawn forth let me propose these four serious and weighty considerations 1. Dost thou know what it is to be in the state of nature and wilt thou say it is too soone to get out of it Thou art under the wrath of God John 3.36 and is it too soone to get from under the dropping of this Vial Thou art under the power of Satan Acts 26.18 and is it too soone to get out of the enemies quarters 2. Men do not argue thus in other cases they do not say It is too soon to be rich they wil not put off getting the world till old age no here they take the first opportunity Is it not too soone to be rich and is it too soon to be good is not repentance a matter of the greatest consequence Is it not more needful for men to lament their sinne than augment their estate 3. Gods call to mourning looks for present entertainment Heb. 3.7 8. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts A General besieging a garrison summons it to surrender upon such a day or he will storme it Such are Gods summons to repentance To day if ye will heart his voice sinners when Satan hath tempted you to any wickednesse you have not said It
when the Apostles who were filled with the wine of the Spirit were charged with drunkenness Peter vindicated them openly Acts 2.15 A merciful man will take the dead flie out of the box of oyntment 5. They are in an high degree unmerciful to the names Answ 5 of others who bear false witness against them Psal 27.11 Exod. 23.1 Put not thy hand with the wicked to be a false witness Putting the hand is taking an Oath falsly as when a man puts his hand upon the book and swears to a lye so Tostatus expounds it this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false witness is a two-edged sword the party forsworn wounds anothers name and his own soul A false witness is compared to a Maul or Hammer Prov. 25.18 It is true in this sense because he is hardened 1. In impudency he blusheth at nothing 2. In unmercifulness There is no softness in a Maul or Hammer nor is there any relenting or bowels to be found in a false witness All these wayes men are unmerciful to the names of others Use Exhort Use Let me perswade all Christians as they make conscience of Religion so to shew mercy to the names of others be very chary and tender of mens good name◠Consider 1. What a sin it is to defame any man Tit. 3.2 1 Pet. 2.1 Laying aside all envies and evil speakings Envy and evil speaking are put together laying aside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Putting away as a man would put away a thing from him with indignation as Paul shook off the Viper Acts 28.5 2. The injuriousness of it thou that takest away the good name of another woundest him in that which is most dear to him better take away a mans life than his name by eclipsing his name thou buriest him alive it is an irreparable injury aliquid haerebit A wound in the name is like a flaw in a Diamond or a stain in Azure which will never out no Physician can heal the wounds of the tongue 3. God will require it at mens hands if idle words must be accountable for shall not reproachful slanders God will make inquisition one day as well for names as for blood Let all this perswade to Caution and Circumspection you would be loth to steal the goods of others a mans name is of more worth and he that takes away the good name of another doth sin more than if he had taken the corn out of his Field or the wares out of his Shop Especially take heed of wounding the names of the godly God hath set a Crown of honour on their head and will you take it off Numb 12.8 Wherefore then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses To defame the Saints is no less than the defaming God himself they having his picture drawn upon them and being members of Christ Oh think how ill Christ will take this at your hand another day it was under the old Law a sin to defame a Virgin and what is it to calumniate Christs Spouse Are the names of the Saints written in heaven and will you blot them out upon earth Be merciful to the names of others SECT 3. Mercy in some cases to be extended to the Estates of others and that Christians must not take the summum jus 3. BE merciful to the Estates of others If a man be thy debtor and Providence hath frowned upon him that he hath not wherewithal to pay do not crush him when he is sinking but remit something of the rigour of the Law Blessed are the merciful * Justitia sine misericordia non est justitia sed crudelitas The wicked are compared to Beasts of prey that live upon rapine and spoil they care not what mischief they do Psal 10.9 He lyeth in wait secretly as a Lyon in his Den he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net Chrysostom saith the drawing into the Net is when the Rich draw the Poor into Bonds and in case of non-payment at the day the Bond being forfeited seize upon all they have 't is not justice but cruelty when others lie at our mercy to be like that hard-hearted Creditor in the Gospel who took his Debtor by the throat saying Pay me what thou owest Matth. 18.28 God made a Law Deutr. 24.6 No man shall take the nether or the upper milstone to pledge for he taketh a mans life to pledge If a man had lent another money he must not take both his milstones for a pawn he must shew mercy and leave the man something to get a livelihood with we should in this imitate God who in midst of anger remembers mercy God doth not take the extremity of the Law upon us but when we have not to pay if we confess the debt he freely forgives Prov. 28.13 Matth. 18.27 Not but that we may justly seek what is our own but if others be brought low and submit we ought in conscience to remit something of the debt Blessed are the merciful SECT 4. Shewing that Christians must be merciful to the offences of others 4. WE must be merciful to the offences of others be ready to shew mercy to them which have injured you Thus Stephen the Proto-martyr Act. 7.60 he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sin to their charge When he prayed for himself he stood but when he came to pray for his enemies he kneeled down * Pro se orans stat crigitur pro lapidantibus flectit genua Bern. to shew saith Bernard his earnestness in prayer and how greatly he desired that God would forgive them this is a rare kind of mercy Prov. 19.11 It is a mans glory to pass over a transgression Mercy in forgiving injuries as it is the touch-stone so the Crown of Christianity Bishop Cranmer was of a merciful disposition if any who had wronged him came to desire a curtesie of him he would do all that lay in his power for him insomuch that it grew to a Proverb Do Cranmer an injury and he will be your friend as long as he lives To overcome evil with good and answer malice with mercy is truly heroical and renders Religion glorious in the eyes of all But I wave this and proceed SECT 5. That mercy must be extended to the supplying the wants of others WE must be merciful to the wants of others This the text chiefly intends a good man doth not like the Snake twist within himself his motion is direct not circular he is ever merciful and lendeth Psal 37.26 This merciful charity to the wants of others stands in three things 1. A judicious consideration Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and you must consider four things 1. It might have been your own case you your selves might have stood in need of anothers charity and then how welcom and refreshing would those streams have been to you 2. Consider how sad a condition poverty is Though Chrysostom calls poverty the
an infinite mercy is it for a man to be made sensible of sin and seeing himself sick to cry out with David 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord. Were it not a mercy for a person that is distracted to be restored to the use of his reason so for him that is spiritually distempered and in a lethargy to come to himself and see both his wound and his remedy Till the sinner be made sensible of his disease the medicine of mercy doth not belong to him * Non moris â—â—t membrum non percussum plaugere nondum suscepto ictu admovere manum fovere unguento ubi non dolet emplastrum adhibere ubi caesura non ost Bâ—rn in Apologeâ— Branch 6 6. If sin be a soul-sicknesse then labour to get this disease healed if a man had a disease in his body a Pluâ—iâ—ie or Cancer he would use all means for a cure the woman in the Gospel who had a bloody issue spent her whole estate upon the Physitians Luke 8.43 Be more earnest to have thy soul cured than thy body Make Davids prayer Psal 41.4 Heal my soul for I have sinned Hast thou a consumptive body rather pray to God to heal the Consumption in thy soul go to God first for the cure of thy soul James 5.14 Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him The Apostle doth not say Let him call for the Physitian but the Elders that is the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physitians are to be consulted in their due place but not in the first place Most men send first for the Physitian and then for the Minister which shews they are more desirous and careful for the recovery of their bodies than their souls but if soul-diseases are more dangerous and deadly then we should prefer the spiritual cure before the bodily heal my soul for I have sinned let us consider 1. Till we are cured we are not fit to do God any service A sick man cannot work while the disease of sin is violent we are not fit for any heavenly employment we can neither work so God Operaâ—to animi secundum virtutem nor work out our own salvation The Philosopher defines happiness the operation of the minde about vertue To be working for God is both the end of our life and the perfection Would we be active in our Sphere let us labour to have our souls cured So long as we are diseased with sin we are lame and bed-rid we are unfit for work We read indeed of a sinners works but they are dead works Heb. 6.1 2. If we are not cured we are cursed if our disease abides on us the wrath of God abides on us Quest But how shall we get this disease of sin cured This brings to the second thing in the Text The healing Physitian The whole need not a Physitian Whence observe Doctr. 2. That Jesus Christ is a soul-physitian Doctr. 2 Ministers as was said before are Physitians whom Christ doth in his Name delegate and send abroad into the world He saith to the Apostles and in them to all his Ministers Lo I am with you to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 That is I am with you to assist and bless you and to make your Ministry healing but though Ministeâ—s are Physitians yet but under-physitians Jesus Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chief Physitian he it is that teacheth us all our Receits and goes forth with our labours else the physick we prescribe would never work all the Ministers under heaven would not do any cure without the help of this Great Physitian For the Amplification of this I shall shew 1. That Christ is a Physitian 2. Why he is a Physitian 3. That he is the only Physitian 4. How he heals his Patients 5. That he is the best Physitian 1. That Christ is a Physitian it is one of his titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 15.26 I am the Lord that healeth thee He is a Physitian for the body he anointed the blinde cleansed the Lepers healed the sick raised the dead Matth. 8.16 He it is that puts vertue into physick and makes it healing and he is a Physitian for the soul Psal 147.3 He healeth the broken in heart We are all as so many impotent diseased persons one man hath a Feaver another hath a dead Palsie another hath a bloody issue he is under the power of some hereditary corruption now Christ is a soul-physitian he healeth these diseases * Medicus aegrotis Jesus Bern. therefore in Scripture the Lord Jesus to set forth his healing vertue is resembled 1. By the Brazen Serpent Numb 21.9 Those who were stung were cured by looking on the Brazen Serpent so when the soul is stung by the old Serpent it is cured by that healing under Christs wings 2. Christ is resembled by the good Samaritan Luke 10.33 34. A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among Thieves which stripped him of his rayment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead but a certain Samaritan as he journyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in wine and oyle c. We have wounded our selves by sin and the wound had been incurable had not Christ that good Samaritan poured in wine and oyle 3. Christ as a Physitian is resembled by the Trees of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.12 The fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof shall be for medicine Thus the Lord Jesus that Tree of life in Paradise hath a sanative vertue he heals our pride unbelief c. As he feeds our graces so he heals our corruptions 2. Why Christ is a Physitian 1. In regard of his Call God the Father called him to practice Physick he anointed him to the work of healing Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted Christ came into the world as into an Hospital to heal sin-sick souls this though it were a glorious work yet Christ would not undertake it till he was commissionated by his father The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath sent me Christ was anointed and appointed to the work of a Physitian this was for our imitation we are not to meddle in any matters without a call that is acting out of our sphere 2. Jesus Christ undertook this healing work because of that need we were in of a Physitian Christ came to be our Physitian not because we deserved him but because we needed him not our merit but our misery drew Christ from heaven had not he come we must of necessity have perished and dyed of our wounds our disease was not ordinary it had seized on every part it made us not only sick but dead and such Receits
animae here the soul doth rest Psal 116.7 Now that only in which the soul doth acquiesce and rest can make it blessed The Globe or Circle as is observed in Mathematicks is of all others the most perfect figure because the last point of the figure ends in that first point where it began So when the soul meets in God whence it sprang as its first original then it is compleatly blessed That which makes a man blessed must have six Qualifications or Ingredients in it and these are found no where but in God the chief good 1. In true blessedness there must be Meliority that which fills with blessedness must be such a good as is better than a mans self If you would ennoble a piece of silver it must be by putting something to it which is better than silver as by putting gold or pearle to it So that which doth ennoble the soul and enrich it with blessedness must be by adding something to it which is more excellent than the soul and that is God the World is below the soul it is but the souls foot-stool therefore cannot crown it with happiness 2. Another Ingredient is Delectability that which brings blessedness must have a delicious taste in it such as the soul is infinitely ravished with there must be in it spirits of delight and quintessence of joy and where can the soul suck those pure comforts which do amaze it with wonder and crown it with delight but in God In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima immò rapitur * Ang. The love of God is an honey-comb which drops such infinite sweetness and satisfaction into the soul as is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 A kiss from Gods mouth puts the soul into a Divine Extasie so that now it cries out It is good to be here 3. The third Ingredient into blessedness is Plenty that which makes a man blessed must not be too scanty it is a full draught which quencheth the souls thirst and where shall we find Plenty but in Deity Psal 36.8 Thou shalt make him drink of the River of thy pleasures not Drops but Rivers The soul baths it self and is laid as it were a steeping in the water of life the River of Paradise over-flows and empties its silver streams into the souls of the blessed 4. In true blessedness there must be Variety Plenty without variety is apt to nauseate in God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fulness Col. 1.19 What can the soul want but it may be had in the chief good God is bonum in quo omnia bona he is a Sun a Shield a Portion a Fountain a Rock of Strength an Horn of Salvation In God there is a complication of all excellencies there are every moment fresh beauties and delights springing from God 5. To make up blessedness there must be perfection * Beatitudo est status omnium honorum aggregatione perfectus Boetius Cicero the joy must be perfect the glory perfect Hebr. 12.23 Spirits of just men made perfect Bonum constat ex integro if there be the least defect it destroys the nature of blessedness as the least symptom of a disease takes away the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and right temperature of the body 6. True blessedness must have Eternity stamped upon it Blessedness is a fixed thing it admits of no change or alteration God saith of every child of his I have blessed him and he shall be blessed As the Sunshine of blessedness is without clouds so it never sets Joh. 10 28. I give unto them eternal life 1 Thes 4.17 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Eternity is the highest link of the Chain of blessedness Thus we have seen that this Diamond of blessedness is only to be found in the Rock of Ages Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. SECT V. Use 1 IF there is such a blessedness in Reversion be Use 1 convinced of the truth of this set it down as an Article of your faith We live in times wherein many are grown Atheists they have run through all opinions and now of Professors they are turned Epicures they have drunk in so much of the poyson of Error that they are quite intoxicated and fallen asleep and begin to dream there is no such thing as a state of blessedness after this life and this opinion is to them above the Bible When men have the spiritual staggers it sadly presageth they will dye Oh it is a dangerous thing to hesitate and waver about fundamentals like Pythagoras who doubted whether there was a God or no! so whether there be a blessedness or no. Doubting of principles is the next way to the denying of principles Let it be a Maxim with every good Christian There is a blessedness in Reversion there remains a rest for the people of God Hebr. 4.9 Use 2. Revolve this truth often in your mind there Use 2 are many truths sâ—im in the brain which do not sink into the heart and those do us no good Chew the Cud Let a Christian think seriously with himself There is a blessedness feasible and I am capable of enjoying it if I do not lay bars in the way and block up my own happiness Though within I see nothing but guilt without nothing but curses yet there is a blessedness to be had and to be had for me too in the use of means The serious meditation of this will be a forcible Argument to make the sinner break off his sins by Repentance and sweat hard till he find the golden Mine of blessedness I say it would be the break-neck of sin how would a man offer violence to himself by Mortification and to heaven by supplication that at last he may arrive at a state of blessedness What is there a Crown of blessedness to be set upon my head a Crown hung with the Jewels of honour delight magnificence a Crown reached out by God himself and shall I by sin hazard this can the pleasure of sin countervail the loss of blessedness what more powerful Motive to Repentance than this Sin will deceive me of the blessing If a man knew certainly that a King would settle all his Crown-Revenues on him after such a Term of years would he offend that Regal Majesty and cause him to reverse and alter his Will There is a blessedness promised to all that live godly 1 John 2.25 This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life We are not excluded but may come in for a childs part now shall we by living in sin provoke God and forfeit this blessedness O what madness is this Well may the Apostle call them foolish and hurtful lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 because every lust doth what in it lies to cut off the entail of mercy and block up the way to happiness every sin may be compared to the flaming Sword which keeps the heavenly Paradise that the sinner cannot enter Use 3. Let
the first link of the chaine in his hand hath the whole chaine The Saints have the Spirit of God in them 2 Tim. 1.14 The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us How can the blessed Spirit be in a man and he not blessed a godly mans heart is a Paradise planted with the choicest fruit and God himself walks in the midst of this Paradise and must he not needs be blessed 2. The Saints are already blessed because their sins are not imputed to them Psal 32.2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity Gods not imputing iniquity signifies Gods making of sin not to be 't is as if the man had never sinned the debt-book is cancel'd in Christs blood and if the debtor owe never so much yet if the creditor cross the book it is as if he had never owed any thing Gods not imputing sin is that God will never call for the debt or if it should be called for it shall be hid out of sight Jer. 50.20 In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found Now such a man who hath not sin imputed to him is blessed and the reason is because if sin be not imputed to a man then the curse is taken away and if the curse be taken away then he must needs be blessed 3. The Saints are already blessed because they are in Covenant with God This is clear by comparing two Scriptures Jer. 31.33 I will be their God and Psal 144.15 Happy is that people whose God is the Lord This is the crowning blessing to have the Lord for our God impossible it is to imagine that God should be our God and we not blessed This sweet word I will be your God implies 1. Propriety that all that is in God shall be ours his love ours his Spirit ours his mercy ours 2. It implies all Relations 1. Of a Father 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a Father unto you The sons of a Prince are happy how blessed are the Saints who are of the true blood Royal 2. It implies the relation of an Husband Isa 54.5 Thy Maker is thy husband The Spouse being contracted to her husband is happy by having an interest in all he hath The Saints being contracted by faith are blessed though the solemnity of the Marriage be kept for heaven 3. It implies terms of friendship They who are in Covenant with God are Favourites of heaven Abraham my friend Isa 41.8 'T is counted a Subjects happiness to be in favour with his Prince though he may live a while from Court how happy must he needs be who is Gods Favourite 4. The Saints are already blessed because they have a Reversion of heaven as on the contrary he who hath hell in Reversion is said to be already condemned John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already He is as sure to be condemned as if he were condemned already So he who hath heaven in Reversion may be said to be already blessed a man that hath the Reversion of an house after a short Lease is run out he looks upon it as his already this house saith he is mine So a believer hath a Reversion of heaven after the Lease of life is run out and he can say at present Christ is mine and glory is mine he hath jus ad rem a title to heaven and he is a blessed man that hath a title to shew nay faith turns the Reversion into a Possession 5. The Saints are already blessed because they have Primitias the first fruits of blessedness here We read of the earnest of the Spirit and the seal 2 Cor. 1.22 and the first fruits Rom. 8.23 Heaven is already begun in a believer Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost This Kingdome is in a believers heart Luk. 17.21 The people of God have a prelibation and taste of blessedness here As Israel tasted a bunch of grapes before they were actually possessed of Canaan So the children of God have those secret incomes of the Spirit those smiles of Christs face those kisses of his lips those love-tokens that are as bunches of grapes and they think themselves sometimes in heaven Paul was let down in a basket Acts 9.25 Oftentimes the Comforter is let down to the soul in an Ordinance and now the soul is in the Suburbs of Hierusalem above a Christian sees heaven by faith and tasts it by joy and what is this but blessedness 6. The Saints may be said in this life to be blessed because all things tend to make them blessed Rom. 8.28 All things work for good to them that love God We say to him that hath every thing falling out for the best You are an happy man the Saints are very happy for all things haue a tendency to their good prosperity doth them good adversity doth them good nay sin turns to their good every trip makes them more watchful their maladies are their medicines are not they happy persons that have every wind blowing them to the right Port 7. A Saint may be said to be blessed because part of him is already blessed he is blessed in his head Christ his head is in glory Christ and believers make one body mystical their head is gotten into heaven Use 1. Inform. Branch 1. See the difference between Use 1 a wicked man and a godly Inform. let a wicked man have never so many comforts still he is cursed let a godly man have Branch 1 never so many crosses still he is blessed let a wicked man have the candle of God shining on him Job 29.3 let his way be so smooth that he meets with no rubs let him have success yet still there is a curse entailed upon him you may read the sinners Inventory Deut. 28.16 17 18. He is not more full of sin than he is of a curse though perhaps he blesseth himself in his wickedness yet he is heir to Gods curse all the curses of the Bible are his portion and at the day of death this portion is sure to be paid but a godly man in the midst of all his miseries is blessed he may be under the cross but not under a curse Branch 2. It shews the priviledge of a believer he Branch 2 not only shall be blessed but he is blessed blessedness is begun in him Psal 115.15 You are blessed of the Lord Let the condition of the Righteous be never so sad yet it is blessed he is blessed in affliction Psal 94. Blessed is he whom thou chastenest Blessed in poverty James 2.5 Poor in the world rich in faith Blessed in disgrace 1 Pet. 4.14 The Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon you This may be a cordial to the fainting Christian he is blessed in life and death Satan cannot supplant him of the blessing Branch 3 Branch 3. How may this take away murmuring and melancholy from a child of
tears shed we have many can mourn over a Dead Childe that cannot mourn over a Crucified Saviour Worldly sorrow hastens our Funerals 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the world worketh death 2. There is a Diabolical Mourning and that is two-fold 1. When a man mourns that he cannot satisfie his impure lust this is like the Divel whose greatest torture is that he can be no more wicked Thus Amnon Mourned and was sick till he had defiled his sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13.2 Thus Ahab Mourned for Naboths Vineyard 1 Kings 21.4 He laid him down upon his bed and turned away his face and would eat no bread this was a Divellish Mourning 2. When men are sorry for the good which they have done Pharaoh grieved that he had let the children of Israel go Exod. 14.5 Many are so Divellish that they are troubled they have prayed so much and have heard so many Sermons they repent of their Repentance but if we repent of the good which is past God will not repent of the evil which is to come SECT 1. Shewing the Object of holy Mourning TO illustrate this Point of holy Mourning I shall shew you what is the Adequate object of it There are two objects of spiritual mourning sin and misery 1. Sin and that twofold 1. Our own sin 2. The sin of others 1. Our own sin sin must have tears Nihil est fletu dignum nisi peccatum * Paul de Palatio While we carry the fire of sin about us we must carry the water of tears to quench it Ezek. 7.16 They are not blessed saith Chrysostom who mourn for the dead but who mourn for sin * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc and indeed good reason we mourn for sin if we consider 1. The guilt of sin which binds over to wrath Will not a guilty person weep who is to be bound over to the Sessions every sinner is to be tryed for his life and is sure to be cast if mercy doth not become an Advocate for him 2. The pollution of sin sin is a plague-spot and wilt thou not labour to wash away this spot with thy tears sin makes a man worse than a toad or serpent the serpent hath nothing but what God hath put into it poyson is medicinable but the sinner hath that which the Divel hath put into him Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost What a strange Metamorphosis hath sin made the soul which was once of an azure brightness sin hath made of a sable colour we have in our hearts the seed of the unpardonable sin we have the seeds of all those sins for which the damned are now tormented and shall we not mourn he that mourns not sure hath lost the use of his Reason but every Mourning for sin is not sufficient to intitle a man to Blessedness I shall shew 1. What is not the right Gospel-Mourning for sin 2. What is the right Gospel-Mourning for sin SECT 2. 1 WHAT is not the right Gospel-Mourning for sin there is a five-fold Mourning which is false and spurious 1. A despairing kind of Mourning such was Judas his Mourning he saw his sin he was sorry he made confession he justifies Christ he makes Restitution Mat. 27. Judas who is in hell did more than many now adayes he confessed his sin he did not plead necessity or good intentions but he makes an open acknowledgement of his sin I have sinned Judas made Restitution his conscience told him he came wickedly by the money it was the price of blood and he brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the High Priests Matth. 27.3 But how many are there who invade the rights and possessions of others but not a word of Restitution Judas was honester than they are well wherein was Judas his sorrow blame-worthy it was a Mourning joyned with despair he thought his wound broader than the playster he drowned himself in tears his was not a Repentance unto life * Acts 11.8 but rather unto death 2. An hypocritical Mourning the heart is very deceitful it can betray as well by a tear as by a kiss Saul looks like a mourner and as he was sometimes among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10.12 so he seemed to be among the Penitents 1 Sam. 15.25 And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the the commandment of the Lord. Saul did play the hypocrite in his mourning for 1. He did not take shame to himself but he did rather take honour to himself verse 30. honour me before the Elders of the people 2. He did pare and mince his sinne that it might appear lesser he laid his sinne upon the people ver 24. because I feared the people they would have me flie upon the spoile and I durst do no other a true mourner labours to draw out sinne in its bloody colours and accent it with all its killing aggravations that he may be deeply humbled before the Lord Ezra 9.6 Our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespasses are grown up unto heaven The true penitent labours to make the worst of his sinne Saul labours to make the best of sinne like a patient that makes the best of his disease lest the Physitian should prescribe him too sharp physick How easie is it for a man to put a chea◠upon his own soul and by hypocrisie to weep himself into hell 3. A forced mourning when tears are pumped out by Gods judgments these are like the teares of a man that hath the stone or that lies upon the wrack Such was Cains mourning Gen. 4.13 My punishment is greater than I can bear his punishment troubled him more than his sin to mourn only for fear of hell is like a thief that weeps for the penalty rather than the offence the teares of the wicked are forced by the fire of affliction 4. An extrinsecal mourning when sorrow lies only in superficie in the outside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they disfigure their faces Matth. 6.16 The eye is tender but the heart hard Such was Ahabs mourning 1 Kings 21. 27. He rent his cloaths and put sackcloth on his flesh and went softly His cloaths were rent but his heart was not rent he had sackcloth but no sorrow he did hang down his head like a bull-rush but his heart was like an Adamant There are many may be compared to weeping Marbles they are both watery and flinty 5. A vaine fruitlesse mourning some will shed a few teares but are as bad as ever they will cozen and be unclean such a kind of mourning there is in hell the damned weep but they blaspheme SECT 3. WHat is the right Gospel-mourning Answ That mourning which will entitle a man to blessednesse hath these qualifications 1. It is spontaneous and free it must come as water out of a spring not as fire out of a flint Teares for sin must be like the myrrhe which drops from the tree freely
it were high-water in the soul 1. When there are indicia irae tokens of Gods Season 1 wrath breaking forth in the Nation England hath been under Gods black Rod these many years the Lord hath drawn the Sword and it is not yet put up O that our tears may blunt the edge of this Sword when it is a time of treading down now is a time of breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts Isa 22.4 5. Therefore said I look away from me I will weep bitterly for it is a time of treading down Joel 2.2 13. A day of darkness and of gloominess a day of cloud c. therefore turn ye even to me with weeping and with mourning Rain follows thunder When God thunders in a Nation by his judgements now the showres of tears must distil When God smites upon our back we must smite upon our thigh Jer. 31.19 When God seems to stand upon the Threshold of the Temple as if he were ready to take his wings and flie * Ezek. 10.4 then is a time to lie weeping between the Porch and the Altar If the Lord seems to be packing up and carrying away his Gospel it is now high time to mourn that by our teares possibly his Repentings may be kindled Season 2 2. Before the performing solemn duties of Gods Worship as Fasting or receiving the Lords Supper Christian Art thou to seek God in an extraordinary manner seek him sorrowing Luk. 2.48 Wouldst thou have the smiles of Gods face the kisses of his lips set open all the springs of Mourning and then God will draw nigh to thee in an Ordinance and say Here I am Isa 58.9 When Jacob wept then he found God in Bethel Hos 12.4 He named the name of the place Peniel for saith he I have seen God face to face Gen. 32.30 Give Christ the Wine of thy tears to drink and in the Sacrament he will give thee the Wine of his blood to drink Season 3 3. After scandalous relapses though I will not say with Donatus there is no mercy for sins of recidivation or relapse yet I say there 's no mercy without bitter Mourning Scandalous sins reflect dishonour upon Religion 2 Sam 12.14 Therefore now our Cheeks should be covered with blushing and our eyes bedewed with tears Peter after his denying Christ wept bitterly Christian hath God given thee over to any enormous sin as a just reward of thy pride and security go into the weeping Bath Sins of infirmity injure the soul but scandalous sins wound the Gospel Lesser sins grieve the Spirit but greater sins vex the Spirit Isa 63.9 And if that blessed Dove weeps shall not we weep When the Aire is dark then the dew falls when we have by scandalous sin darkned the lustre of the Gospel now is the time for the dew of holy tears to fall from our eyes SECT 7. Setting forth the Degrees of Mourning NEXT to the seasons of Mourning let us consider the degree of it the Mourning for sin must be a very great Mourning the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a great sorrow such as is seen at the Funeral of a dear friend * Gravissima peâ—cata gravissimis lamentis indigent Aug. Zach. 12.10 They shall look on me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son The sorrow for an only child is very great such must be the sorrow for sin Ver. 11. In that day there shall be great Mourning as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon In that Valley Josiah that famous and pious Prince was cut off by an untimely death at whose Funeral there was bitter lamentation thus bitterly must we bewail not the death but the life of our sins Now then to set forth the graduation of sorrow 1. Our Mourning for sin must be so great as to exceed all other grief Elies Mourning for the Ark was such that it swallowed up the loss of his two children spiritual grief must preponderate all other We should mourn more for sin than the loss of friends or estate 2. We should indeavour to have our sorrow rise up to the same heighth and proportion as our sin doth Manasseh was a great sinner and a great Mourner 2 Chron. 33.12 He humbled himself greatly Manasseh made the streets run with blood and he made the prison in Babylon run with tears * Ut scilicet peccatum lachrymis lavaret Ambr. Peter wept bitterly â— A true Mourneâ— labours that his Repentance may be as eminent as his sin is transcendent SECT 8. Shewing the Opposite to holy Mourning HAving shewn the nature of Mourning I shall next shew what is the Opposite to holy Mourning The Opposite to Mourning is hardness of heart which in Scripture is called Cor lapideum an heart of stone Ezek. 36. An heart of stone is far from Mourning and Relenting this heart of stone is known by two symptomes 1. Insensibility A stone is not sensible of any thing lay weight upon it grind it to powder it doth not feel so it is with an hard heart it is insensible of sin or wrath the stone in the Kidneys is felt but not the stone in the heart Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. An heart of stone is known by its inflexibility A stone will not bend durum est quod non cedit tactui so it is with an hard heart it will not comply with Gods Command it will not stoop to Christs Scepter an heart of stone will sooner break by death than bend by Repentance it is so far from yielding to God that with the Anvil it beats back the Hammer it resists the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Oh Christians if you would be spiritual Mourners take heed of this stone of the heart Hebr. 3.7 Harden not your hearts A stony heart is the worst heart if it were brazen it might be melted in the furnace if Iron it might be bowed with the Hammer but a stony heart is such that only the Arme of God can break and the blood of God can soften Oh the misery of an hard heart 1. An hard heart is void of all grace while the Wax is hard it will not take the impression of the seal the heart while it is hard will not take the stamp of grace it must first be made tender and melting the Plow of the Word will not go upon an hard heart 2. An hard heart is good for nothing but to make fuel for hell-fire Rom. 5.2 After thy hardness of heart thou treasurest up wrath Hell is full of hard hearts there is not one soft heart there there is weeping there but no softness We read of Vessels fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22 Impenitency fits these Vessels for hell and makes them like sere Wood which is fit to burn 3. Hardness of heart makes a mans condition worse than all his other sins besides if one be guilty of great sins yet if he can mourn
a Fountain in the Garden makes it pleasant that heart is most delightful to God which hath a Fountain of sorrow running in it Mary stood at Christs feet weeping Luke 7.38 Her tears were more fragrant and odoriferous than her oyntment the incense when it is broken smells sweetest when the heart is broken for sin now our services give forth their sweetest perfume There is joy in heaven over a sinner that repenteth Luke 15.7 Whereupon St. Bernard calls tears Vinum Angelorum the wine of Angels and sure God delights much in tears else he would not keep a bottle for them Psal 56.8 One calls tears Holocaustum pingue a fat sacrifice which under the Law was most acceptable Lev. 3.3 St. Hierom calls Mourning a plank after shipwrack Chrysostom calls tears a spunge to wipe off sin tears are powerful Orators for mercy Eusebius saith there was an Altar at Athens on which they poured no other sacrifice but tears as if the Heathens thought there was no better way to pacifie their angry gods than by weeping Jacob wept and had power over the Angel Hosea 12.4 Tears melt the heart of God When a Malefactor comes weeping to the Bar this melts the Judges heart towards him When a man comes weeping in prayer and smites on his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner this doth melt Gods heart towards him Prayer saith Hierom inclines God to shew mercy tears compel him God seals his pardons upon melting hearts tears though they are silent yet have a voice Psal 6.8 Tears wash away sinne raine melts and washeth away a ball of snow repenting tears wash away sinne That sinne saith Ambrose * Quod defendi non potest ablui potest Ambr. which cannot be defended by argument may be washed away by tears 4. The sweetnesse of tears mourning is the way to Motive 4 solid joy the sweetest wine is that which comes out of the Wine-presse of the eyes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys the soul is never more enlarged than when it can weep Closet teares are better than Court-musick When the heart is sad weeping easeth it by giving vent the soul of a Christian is most eased when it can vent it self by holy mourning Chrysostome observes David who was the great mourner in Israel was the sweet singer in Israel Psal 43.3 my teares were my meat on which place Ambrose gives this glosse No meat so sweet as teares the teares of the penitent saith Bernard are sweeter than all worldly joy a Christian thinks himself sometimes in the suburbs of heaven when he can weep when Hannah had wept she went away and was no more sad sugar when it melts is sweetest when a Christian melts in teares now he hath the sweetest joy when the daughter of Pharaoh descended into the river she found a babe there among the flags so when we descend into the river of repenting teares we finde the babe Jesus there who shall wipe away all teares from our eyes Well therefore might Chrysostom solemnly blesse God for giving to us this Lavor of teares to wash in 5. A mourner for sinne doth not only good to himself Motive 5 but to others he helps to keep off wrath from a Land as when Abraham was going to strike the blow the Angel staid his hand Gen. 22.12 so when God is going to destroy a Nation the mourner stayes his hand teares in the childs eye sometimes move the angry father to spare the child penitential teares melt Gods heart and binde his hand Jeremy who was a weeping Prophet was a great intercessor God saith to him pray not for this people Jer. 7.16 as if the Lord had said Jeremy so powerful are thy prayers and teares that if thou prayest I cannot deny thee Si quid opus est impera as he said in Plautus teares have a mighty influence upon God sure God hath some mourners in the Land or he had destroyed us before now Motive 6 6. Holy mourning is preventing physick our mourning for sinne here will prevent mourning in hell hell is locus ejulatus a place of weeping Matth. 8.12 the damned mingle their drink with weeping God is said to hold his bottle for our teares Psal 56.8 They who will not shed a bottle full of teares shall hereafter shed rivers of teares Luke 6.25 Woe to you that laugh now for ye shall mourn You have sometimes seene sugar lying in a damp place dissolve to water all the sugred joyes of the wicked dissolve at last to the water of teares now teares will do us good now it is seasonable weeping 't is like a shower in the spring if we do not weep now it will be too late did we hear the language of the damned they are now cursing themselves that they did not weep soon enough O is it not better to have our hell here than hereafter is it not better to shed repenting tears than despairing tears he that weeps here is a blessed mourner he that weeps in hell is a cursed mourner The Physitian by letting the Patient blood prevents death by the opening a veine of godly sorrow we prevent the death of our souls Motive 7 7. There 's no other way the Gospel prescribes to blessednesse but this blessed are they that mourn This is the road that leads to the new Jerusalem There may be several wayes leading to a City some go one way some another but there 's but one way to heaven and that is by Bethlehem the house of weeping Acts 26.20 Perhaps a man may think thus If I cannot mourn for sinne I will get to heaven some other way I will go to Church I will give Almes I will lead a civil life Nay but I tell you there 's but one way to blessednesse and that is through the valley of teares if you go not this way you will misse of Paradise Luke 14.3 I tell you nay except you repent ye shall all likewise perish There are many lines leading to the Centre but the heavenly Centre hath but one line leading to it and that is a tear dropping from the eye of faith a man may have a disease in his body that twenty medicines will heale sinne is a disease of the soul which makes it sick unto death now there is but one medicine will heale and that is the medicine of repentance 8. Consider what need every Christian hath to be conversant Motive 8 in holy mourning a man may take physick when he hath no need of it many go to the Bath when they have no need 'T is rather out of curiosity than necessity But O what need is there for every one to go into the weeping bath Think what a sinner thou hast been thou hast fill'd Gods book with thy debts and what need hast thou to fill his bottle with thy tears Thou that hast lived in secret sinne God enjoyns thee this penance mourn for sinne but perhaps some may say I have no need of mourning for I have
joy God poures the golden oyle of comfort into broken Vessels the Mourners heart is emptied of pride and God fills the empty with his blessing the Mourners tears have helped to purge out corruption and after purging physick God gives a Julip The Mourner is ready to faint away under the burden of sin and then the bottle of strong water comes seasonably The Lord would have the incestuous person upon his deep humiliation to be comforted lest he should be swallowed up with over much sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 This is the Mourners priviledge he shall be comforted the Valley of tears brings the soul into a Paradise of joy a sinners joy brings forth sorrow the mourners sorrow brings forth joy John 16.22 Your sorrow shall be turned into joy The Saints have a wet seed-time but a joyful Harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall be comforted SECT I. Showing the mourners comforts here NOw to illustrate this I shall show you what the comforts are the mourners shall have These comforts are of a divine infusion and they are two-fold either Here or Hereafter * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 1. Comforts here 1. COMFORTS HERE They are called the consolations of God Job 15.11 That is Great comforts such as none but God can Give they exceed all other comforts as far as heaven doth earth The root on which these comforts grow is The blessed Spirit he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter John 14.26 and comfort is said to be a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Christ did purchase peace the Spirit speaks peace Quest How doth the Spirit comfort Answ Either Mediately or Immediately 1. Mediately By helping us to apply the Promises to ourselves and draw water out of those Wells of salvation we lie as dead children at the breast till the Spirit helps us to suck the breast of a Promise and when the Spirit hath taught Faith this Art now comfort flows in O how sweet is the breast-milk of a Promise 2. The Spirit comforts immediatly The Spirit by a more direct act presents God to the soul as reconciled it sheds his love abroad in the heart from whence flows infinite joy Rom. 5.5 The Spirit secretly whispers Pardon for sin and the sight of a Pardon dilates the heart with joy Matth. 9.2 Be of good chear thy sinnes are forgiven thee That I may speak more fully to this point I shall show you the qualifications and excellencies of these comforts which God gives his mourners 1. These comforts are real comforts the Spirit of God cannot witness to that which is untrue There are many in this age do pretend to comfort but their comforts are meere impostures the body may as well swell with wind as with flesh a man may as well be swelled with false as true comforts * Distinguendum est inter Gaudia Veritatis Vanitatis Aug. The comforts of the Saints are certain they have the seal of the Spirit set to them Ephes 1.13 2 Cor. 1.22 A seal is for confirmation when a Deed is sealed it is firme and unquestionable When a Christian hath the seal of the Spirit stamped upon his heart now he is confirmed in the love of God Quest Wherein do these comforts of the Spirit which are unquestionably sure differ from those which are false and pretended Answ Three ways 1. The comforts of Gods Spirit are laid in deep conviction John 16.7 8 and when he that is the Comforter verse 7. is come he shall reprove or as the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall convince the world of sinne Quest Why doth conviction go before consolation Answ Conviction fits for comfort by conviction the Spirit doth sweetly dispose the heart to these two things 1. To seek after Christ When once the soul is convinced of sin and the hell that follows it now a Saviour is precious When the Spirit hath shot in the arrow of conviction now saith a poor soul where may I meet with Christ In what Ordinance may I come to enjoy Christ saw ye him whom my soul loves All the world for one glimpse of my Saviour 2. The Spirit by conviction makes the heart willing to receive Christ upon his own termes man by nature would article and indent with Christ he would take half Christ he would take him for a Saviour not a Prince he would accept of Christ as he hath an head of gold Cant. 5.11 but not as he hath the government upon his shoulders Isa 9.6 But when God le ts loose the spirit of bondage and convinceth a sinner of his lost undone condition now he is content to have Christ upon any termes When Paul was struck down to the ground by a spirit of conviction he cries out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 Let God propound what Articles he will the soul will subscribe to them Now when a man is brought to Christs termes to beleeve and obey then he is fit for mercy when the Spirit of God hath been a Spirit of conviction then it becomes a spirit of consolation when the plough of the Law hath gone upon the heart and broken up the fallow ground now God sows the seed of comfort Those who brag of comfort but were never yet convinced nor broken for sin have cause to suspect their comfort to be a delusion of Satan It is like a mad mans joy who fancies himself to be King but it may be said of his laughter it is mad Eccles 2.2 The seed which wanted depth of earth withered Matth. 13. that comfort which wants depth of earth deep humiliation and conviction will soone wither and come to nothing 2. The Spirit of God is a sanctifying before a comforting Spirit as Gods Spirit is called the Comforter so he is called a spirit of grace Zach. 12.10 Grace is the work of the Spirit Comfort is the seal of the Spirit the work of the Spirit goes before the seal the graces of the spirit are compared to water Isa 44.3 and the comforts of the spirit are compared to oyle Isa 61.1 First God pours in the water of the spirit and then comes the oyle of gladnesse The oyle in this sence runs above the water Hereby we shall know whether our comforts are true and genuine Some talk of the comforting spirit who never had the sanctifying Spirit they boast of assurance but never had grace these are spurious joyes these comforts will leave men at death they will end in horror and despair Gods Spirit will never set seal to a Blank First the heart must be an Epistle written with the finger of the Holy Ghost and then it is sealed with the Spirit of Promise 3. The comforts of the Spirit are humbling Lord saith the soul What am I that I should have a smile from heaven and that thou shouldest give me a privy seal of thy love The more water is poured into a Bucket the lower it descends the fuller the ship is laden
mites terrâ tanquam possessione haeriditaria Ambr. The Saints title is best being members of Christ who is Lord of all Adam did not only lose his Title to Heaven when he fell but to the Earth too and till we are incorporated into Christ we do not fully recover our Title I deny not but the wicked have a civil right to the Earth which the Laws of the Land give them but not a sacred right Only the meek Christian hath a Scripture-title to his Land we count that the best title which is held in capite the Saints hold their right to the Earth in capite in their head Christ who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 In this sense he who hath but a foot of Land inherits more than he who hath a thousand Acres because he hath a better and more judicial right to it 2. The meek Christian is said to inherit the Earth because he inherits the blessing of the Earth the wicked man hath the Earth but not as a fruit of Gods favour he hath it as a Dog hath poysoned bread it doth him more hurt than good a wicked man lives in the Earth as one that lives in an infectious Aire he is infected by his mercies the fat of the Earth will but make him fry and blaze the more in hell so that a wicked man may be said not to have what he hath because he hath not the blessing but the meek Saint enjoys the Earth as a pledge of Gods love the curse and poyson is taken out of the Earth Psal 37.11 The meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace on which words Austin gives this gloss Wicked men saith he may delight themselves in the abundance of Cattle and Riches but the meek man delights himself in the abundance of peace what he hath he doth possess with inward serenity and quietness Caution Caution When it is said the meek shall inherit the Earth not that they shall inherit no more than the Earth they shall inherit Heaven too if they should only inherit the Earth then saith Chrysostom how could it be said Blessed are the meek the meek have the Earth only for their sojourning-house they have Heaven for their mansion-house Psal 149.4 He will beautifie the meek with salvation The meek beautifie Religion and God will beautifie them with salvation salvation is the Port we all desire to sail to 't is the Harvest and Vintage of souls the meek are they which shall reap this Harvest the meek shall wear the embroidered robe of salvation The meek are Lords of the Earth and heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 7. The mischief of an unmeek spirit 1. There is nothing Motive 7 makes such roome for the Divel to come into the heart and take possession as wrath and anger Ephes 4.26 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Divel when men let forth passion they let in Satan the wrathful man hath the Divel for his bedfellow 2. Passion doth hinder peace the meek Christian hath sweet quiet and harmony in his soul but Passion puts the soul into a disorder it not only clouds reason but disturbs conscience he doth not possesse himself whom Passion possesseth it is no wonder if they have no peace of conscience who make so little conscience of peace wrathfulnesse grieves the Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 31. and if the Spirit be grieved he will be gone we care not to stay in smoaky houses the Spirit of God loves not to be in that heart which is so full of the vapours and fumes of distempered Passion 8. Another argument to coole the intemperate heat Motive 8 of our curst hearts is to consider that all the injuries and unkind usages we meet with from the world do not fall out by chance but are disposed of by the all-wise God for our good many are like the foolish Curre that snarles at the stone never looking to the hand that threw it or like the Horse who being spurred by the rider bites the snafflle did we look higher than instruments our hearts would grow meek and calm David looked beyond Shimei's rage 2 Sam. 16.11 Let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him What wisdome were it for Christians to see the hand of God in all the barbarismes and incivilities of men Job eyed God in his affliction and that meekned his spirit The Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 He doth not say the Caldeans have taken away but the Lord hath taken away what made Christ so meek in his sufferings he did not look at Judas or Pilate but at his father John 18.11 The Cup which my Father hath given me when wicked men do revile and injure us they are but Gods Executioners who is angry with the executioner And as God hath an hand in all the affronts and discurtesies we receive from men for they do but hand them over to us so God will do us good by all if we belong to him 1 Sam 16.12 it may be saith David that the Lord will look upon mine affliction and will requite me good for his cursing usually when the Lord intends us some signal mercy he fits us for it by some eminent trial as Moses his hand was first leprous before it wrought salvation Exod 4 6. so God may let his people be belepered with the cursings and revilings of men before he showre down some blessing upon them It may be the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day Motive 9 9. Want of meeknesse evidenceth want of grace true grace enflames love and moderates anger grace is like the file which smoths the rough iron it files off the ruggednesse of a mans spirit grace saith to the heart as Christ did to the angry Sea Mark 4.39 Peace be still So where there is grace in the heart it stills the raging of passion and makes a calm He who is in a perpetual phrensie letting loose the reines to wrath and malice never yet felt the sweet efficacy of grace â—t is one of the sins of the Heathen Implacable Rom. 1.31 a revengeful cankred heart is not only heathenish but divellish Jam. 3. 14 15. If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts this wisdom descendeth not from above but is devillish The old Serpent spits forth the poyson of malice and revenge Motive 10 10. If all that hath been said will not serve to master this bedlam-humour of wrath and anger let me tell you you are the persons whom God speaks of who hate to be reformed you are rebels against the Word read and tremble Isa 30.8.9 Now go write it before them in a table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people children that will not hear the Law of the Lord. If nothing yet will charm down the wrathful
promise should not be fulfilled 3. God will fill the hungry soul because he himself hath excited and stirred up this hunger he plants holy desires in us and will not he satisfie those desires which he himself hath wrought in us as in case of prayer when God prepares the heart to pray he prepares his ear to hear Psal 17.10 So in case of spiritual hunger when God prepares the heart to hunger he will prepare his hand to fill it is not rational to imagine that God should deny to satisfie that hunger which he himself hath caused Nature doth nothing in vain Should the Lord inflame the desire after righteousness and not fill it he might seem to do something in vain 4. God will fill the hungry from those sweet Relations he stands unto them they are his children we cannot deny our children when they are hungry we will rather spare it from our selves Luke 11.13 When he that is born of God shall come and say Father I hunger give me Christ Father I thirst refresh me with the living streams of thy Spirit can God deny Doth God hear the Raven when it cries and will he not hear the righteous when they cry when the Earth opens its mouth and thirsts God doth satisfie it Psal 65.9 10. Doth the Lord satisfie the thirsty Earth with showres and will he not satisfie the thirsty soul with grace 5. God will satisfie the hungry because the hungry soul is most thankful for mercy when the restless desire hath been drawn out after God and God fills it how thankful is a Christian The Lord loves to bestow his mercy where he may have most praise we delight to give to them that are thankful Musitians love to play where there is the best sound God loves to bestow his mercies where he may hear of them again The hungry soul sets the Crown of praise upon the head of free-grace Psal 50.23 Who so offereth praise glorifies me 3. How God fills the hungry soul Answ There is a three fold filling 1. With Grace 2. With Peace 3. With Bliss 1. God fills the hungry soul with Grace Grace is filling because sutable to the soul Stephen full of the Holy Ghost Acts 7.55 This fulness of Grace is in respect of parts not of degrees There is something of every Grace though not perfection in any Grace 2. God fills the hungry soul with peace Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with joy and peace this flows from Christ Israel had honey out of the Rock this honey of peace comes out of the Rock Christ John 16. ult that in me ye might have peace So filling is this peace that it sets the soul a longing after heaven this Cluster of Grapes quickens the appetite and pursuit after the full Crop 3. God fills the hungry soul with bliss Glory is a filling thing Psal 17. ult When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy image When a Christian awakes out of the sleep of death then he shall be satisfied having the glorious beams of Gods image shining upon him then shall the soul be filled brim-full the glory of heaven is so sweet that the soul shall still thirst yet so infinite that it shall be filled Qui te Christe bibent dulci torrente refecti Non sitient ultra sed tamen sitient Use What an Encouragement is this to hunger after righteousness such shall be filled Use God chargeth us to fill the hungry Isa 58.10 He blames those who do not fill the hungry Isa 32.6 And do we think he will be slack in that which he blames us for not doing Oh come with hungrings after Christ and be assured of satisfaction God keeps open house for hungry sinners he invites his Guests and bids them come without money Isa 55.1 2. Gods Nature inclines him and his Promise obligeth him to fill the hungry Consider Why did Christ receive the Spirit without measure John 3.34 It was not for himself he was infinitely full before but he was filled with the holy unction for this end that he might distill his grace upon the hungry soul Art thou ignorant Christ was filled with wisdom that he might teach thee Art thou polluted Christ was filled with grace that he might cleanse thee Shall not the soul then come to Christ who was filled on purpose to fill the hungry we love to knock at a rich mans door in our Fathers house there is bread enough come with desire and you shall go away with comfort you shall have the vertues of Christs blood the influences of his Spirit the communications of his love Here are two Objections made against this Object 1 1. The carnal mans Objection I have saith he hungred after righteousness yet am not filled Answ 1 Answ 1. Thou sayst thou hungerest and art not satisfied perhaps God is not satisfied with thy hunger thou hast opened thy mouth wide * Psal 81.10 but hast not opened thine ear * Psal 40.9 When God hath called thee to Family-prayer and mortification of sin thou hast like the deaf Adder stopped thine ear against God Zach. 7.11 No wonder then thou hast not that comfortable filling as thou desirest though thou hast opened thy mouth yet thou hast stopped thine ear the child that will not hear his parent is made to do pennance by fasting 2. Perhaps thou thirstest as much after a tentation as after righteousness At a Sacrament thou seemest to be inflamed with desire after Christ but the next tentation that comes either to drunkenness or lasciviousness thou fallest in and closest with the tentation Satan doth but becken to thee and thou comest thou openest faster to the Tempter than to Christ and dost thou wonder thou art not filled with the fat things of Gods house 3. Perhaps thou hungerest more after the world than after righteousness The young man in the Gospel would have Christ but the world lay nearer his heart than Christ hypocrites pant more after the dust of the Earth * Amos 2.7 than the water of life Israel had no Manna while their Dough lasted such as feed immoderately upon the Dough of earthly things must not think to be fill'd with Manna from heaven if your money be your god never look to receive another God in the Sacrament 2. The godly mans Objection I have had unfeigned Object 2 desires after God but are not filled Answ 1. Thou mayst have a filling of grace Answ 1 though not of comfort if God doth not fill thee with gladness yet with goodness Psal 107.11 Look into thy heart and see the distillations of the Spirit the dew may fall though the honey-comb doth not drop 2. Wait a while and thou shalt be filled the Gospel is a spiritual Banquet it feasts the soul with grace and comfort none eat of this Banquet but such as wait at the Table Isa 25.6 9. In this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things a Feast of wines on
Tell them in what a sad condition they are in the gall of bitterness Shew them their danger they tread upon the banks of the bottomless pit if death gives them a jog they tumble in and we must dip our words in honey use all the mildness we can 2 Tim. 2.25 In meekness instructing c. Fire melts oyntment mollifies words of love may melt hard hearts into Repentance this is soul-mercy God made a Law Exod. 23.5 that whosoever did see his enemies Ass lying under a burden he should help him On which words saith Chrysostom We will help a Beast that is fallen under a burden and shall we not extend relief to those who are fallen under a worse burden of sin 3. soul-Soul-mercy is in reproving refractory sinners there is a cruel mercy when we see men go on in sin and we let them alone and there is a merciful cruelty when we are sharp against mens sins and will not let them go to hell quietly Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Fond pity is no better than cruelty Titus 1.13 Rebuke them sharply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly the Chyrurgion cuts and lanceth the flesh but it is in order to a cure they are healing wounds so by a cutting reproof when we lance mens consciences and let out the blood of sin we exercise spiritual Chyrurgery this is shewing mercy Jude 23. Others save with fear pulling them out of the fire If a man were in the fire though you did hurt him a little in pulling him out he would be thankful and take it as a kindnesse Some men when we tell them of sin say O this is bitternesse no it is shewing mercy If a mans house were on fire and another should see it and not tell him of it for fear of waking him were not this cruelty when we see others sleeping the sleep of death and the fire of Gods wrath ready to burn about their ears and we are silent is not this to be accessory to their death 4. Soul-mercy is in praying for others This is like physick used in a desperate case and oft it recovers the sick patient James 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much as it cures the sick body so the sin-sick soul There is a story of one who gave his soul to the Divel who was given in to the prayers of Luther When Eutychus fell down from an high loft and was taken up dead Paul fell on him * Affectus vehementia Beza that is he did effectually pray over him and he prayed him alive Acts 20.9 11. By sin the soul is fallen from an high loft viz. a state of innocency now fervent prayer oft-times fetcheth life in such a dead soul Use 1. See what a blessed work the work of the Ministry Use 1 is The preaching of the Word is nothing but shewing mercy to souls This is a mighty and glorious engine in the hand of the Lord of Hosts for the beating down of the Divels strong-holds The Ministry of the Word doth not only bring light with it but eye-salve anointing the eyes to see that light It is a sin-killing and a soul-quickning Ordinance it is the power of God to salvation What enemies are they to their own souls that oppugne the Ministry They say the people that live under the line curse the Sun and are glad when the sun sets because of its burning heat Foolish sinners curse the Sun-rising of the Ministry and are offended at the light of it because it comes near their sins and scorcheth their consciences though in the end it saves their souls Use 2 Use 2. It reproves them that have no mercy to souls Reproof 1. Evil Magistrates 2. Evil Ministers 1. Evil Magistrates who either take away the Key of knowledge * Luke 11.52 or give a Toleration to wickednesse suffering men to sinne by a Licence The meaning of Toleration is this if men will to hell none shall stop them Is not nature enough poyson'd Do not men sin fast enough but must they have such political engines as scrue them up higher in wickednesse Must they have such favourable gales from the breath of great ones as serve to carry them full sail to the Divel This is far from soul-mercy * Meminerit princeps non solum quantum sibi commissum sed quatenus permissum fit Cicero What an heavy reckoning will these Statists have in the day of the Lord 2. Evil Ministers 1. Such as have no bowels to the souls of their people They do not pity them pray for them they seek not them but theirs they preach not for love but lucre their care is more for Tythes than souls How can they be called spiritual fathers who are without bowels These are mercenarii not ministri 2. Such as feed not the souls of their people with solid truths When Christ sent out his Apostles he gave them their Text and tells them what they must preach Matth. 10.7 Preach saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Upon which place saith Luther the Ministers of Christ must preach quae ad regnum coelorum conducant Things that pertaine to the Kingdom of God pardon of sin sanctification living by faith ne aliter ex ecclesiâ faciant politiam They are unmerciful to souls who instead of breaking the bread of life fill their peoples heads with very speculations and notions who rather tickle the fancy than touch the conscience and give precious souls rather musick than food 3. Such as darken knowledge with words and preach so as if they were speaking in an unknown tongue Some Ministers love to soar aloft like the Eagle and flie above their peoples capacities endeavouring rather to be admired than understood They are like some crabbed Authors which cannot be read without a Comment Indeed God calls his Ministers Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 but they must not be like those Out-landish Ambassadors that cannot be understood without an Interpreter 'T is unmercifulnesse to souls to preach so as not to be understood Ministers should be Stars to give light not clouds to obscure the truth Saint Paul was learned yet plain Clearnesse and perspicuity is the grace of speech 'T is cruelty to souls when we go about to make easie things hard This many are guilty of in our age who go into the Pulpit only to tie knots and think it their glory to amuse the people this savours more of pride than mercifulnesse 4. Such as see others going on in sin but do not tell them of it When men declare their sin as Sodom it is the Ministers duty to lift up his voice like a trumpet and shew the house of Jacob their sin Isa 58.1 Zeal in the Ministry is as proper as fire on the Altar he who lets another sin and holds his peace is a man-slayer That Sentinel deserves death who sees the enemy
him in the Gospel they have a withered hand and cannot stretch it out to good uses They have all quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are a Kin to the Churl Nabal 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take my bread and my water and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be It was said of the Emperour Pertinax he had a large Empire but a narrow scanty heart * Augustum imperium angustum animum There was a Temple at Athens which was called the Temple of mercy it was dedicated to charitable uses and it was the greatest reproach to upbraid one with this that he had never been in the Temple of mercy 't is the greatest disgrace to a Christian to be unmerciful Covetous men while they enrich themselves they debase themselves setting up a Monopoly and committing Idolatry with Mammon thus making themselves lower than their angels as God made them lower than his Angels In the time of Pestilence it is sad to have your houses shut up but it is worse to have your hearts shut up How miserable is it to have a Sea of sin and not a drop of mercy Covetous hearts like the Leviathan are firm as a stone Job 41.24 One may as well extract oyle out of a flint as the golden oyle of charity out of their flinty hearts The Philosopher saith that the coldness of the heart is a presage of death * Corde infrigidato moritur animal When mens affections to works of mercy are frozen this coldness at heart is ominous and doth sadly portend that they are dead in sin We read in the Law that the Shell-fish was accounted unclean this might probably be one Reason because the meat of it was inclosed in the Shell and it was hard to come by They are to be reckoned among the unclean who inclose all their Estate within the Shell of their own Cabinet and will not let others be the better for it How many have lost their souls by being so saving There are some who perhaps will give the poor good words and that is all * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Jam. 2.15 If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of food and one of you say to them Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful what doth it profit Good words are but a cold kind of charity * Veritas fundatur in aliquo esse the poor cannot live as the Camelion upon this Ayre let your words be as smooth as oyle they will not heal the wounded let them drop as the honey-comb they will not feed the hungry 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with the tongue of Angels and have not charity I am but as a tinkling Cymbal 'T is better to be Charitable as a Saint than Eloquent as an Angel Such as are cruel to the poor let me tell you you unchristian your selves unmercifulness is the sin of the Heathen Rom. 1.31 While you put off the bowels of Mercy you put off the badge of Christianity Saint Ambrose saith that when we relieve not one whom we see ready to perish with hunger we are guilty of his death * Pasce fame morientem si non paveris occiâ—isti Ambr. If this Rule hold true there are more guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandment than we are aware of St. James speaks a sad word Jam. 2 13. For he shall have judgement without mercy that shewed no mercy How do they think to find mercy from Christ who never shewed mercy to Christ in his members Dives denied Lazarus a crumb of bread and Dives was denied a drop of water At the last day behold the sinners Inditement Matth. 25.42 I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink Christ doth not say Ye took away my meat but Ye gave me none ye did not feed my members then follows the sentence Ite maledicti Depart from me ye cursed When Christs poor come to your doors and you bid them Depart from you the time may come when you shall knock at heaven gate and Christ will say Go from my door Depart from me ye cursed In short Covetousness is a foolish sin God gave the Rich man in the Gospel that appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou fool Luk. 12.20 The Covetous man doth not enjoy what he doth possess he imbitters his own life he discruciates himself with care either how to get or how to increase or how to secure an Estate and what is the issue and result often as a just reward of sordid penuriousness God doth blast and wither him in his outward Estate That saying of Gregory Nazianzene * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is to be seriously weighed God many times lets the Thief take away and the Moth consume that which is injuriously and unmercifully with-held from the poor Before I leave this Use I am sorry that any who go for honest men should be brought into the Inditement I mean that any Professors should be impeached as guilty of this sin of covetousness and unmercifulness Sure I am Gods Elect put on bowels Col. 3.12 I tell you these devout Misers are the reproach of Christianity they are wens and spots in the face of Religion I remember Aelian in his History reports that in India there is a Griffin having four feet and wings his Bill like the Eagles 't is hard whether to rank him among the Beasts or the Fowle So I may say of penurious Votaries they have the wings of profession by which they seem to flie to heaven but the feet of Beasts walking on the Earth and even licking the dust 't is hard where to rank these whether among the godly or the wicked Oh take heed that seeing your Religion will not destroy your Covetousness at last your Covetousness doth not destroy your Religion The Fabulist tells a Story of the Hedge-hog that came to the Coney-Burroughs in stormy weather and desired Harbour promising that he would be a quiet Ghuest but when once he had gotten entertainment he did set up his prickles and did never leave till he had thrust the poor Coneys out of their Burroughs So Covetousness though it hath many fair pleas to insinuate and wind it self into the heart yet assoon as you have let it in this Thorn will never leave pricking till it hath choaked all good beginnings and thrust all Religion out of your hearts SECT 8. Perswading to mercifulness Use 3 Use 3 I Proceed next to the Exhortation to beseech all Christians to put on bowels of mercies Exhort be ready to indulge the miseries and necessities of others Saint Ambrose calls charity the summe of Christianity and the Apostle makes it the very definition of Religion James 1. ult Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the widows
inutile pondus An unuseful person serves for nothing but to cumber the ground and because he is barren in figs he shall be fruitful in curses Hebr. 6.8 Arg. 2 2. By this we resemble God who is a God of mercy he is said to delight in mercy * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mac. Micah 7.18 His mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 He requites good for evil like the clouds which receive ill vapours from us but return them to us again in sweet showres There is not a creature lives but tastes of the mercies of God every Bird saith Ambrose doth in its kind sing Hymns of praise to God for his bounty but Men and Angels do in a more particular manner taste the cream and quintessence of Gods mercies 1. What temporal mercies have you received every time you draw your breath you suck in mercy every bit of bread you eat the hand of mercy carves it to you you never drink but in a golden Cup of mercy 2. What spiritual mercies hath God enriched some of you with pardoning adopting saving mercy The Picture of Gods mercy can never be drawn to the full you cannot take the breadth of his mercy for it is infinite nor the heighth of it for it reacheth above the clouds nor the length of it for it is from everlasting to everlasting Psal 103.17 The works of mercy are the glory of the God-head Moses prays Lord shew me thy glory Exod. 33.18 Saith God I will make all my goodness to pass before thee Ver. 19. God doth account himself most glorious in the shining Robes of his mercy now by works of mercy we resemble the God of mercy we are bid to draw our Lines according to this Copy Luke 6.36 Be you merciful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your Father also is merciful 3. Alms are a Sacrifice Hebr. 13.16 To do good Arg. 3 and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when you are distributing to the poor 't is as if you were praying as if you were worshipping God There are two sorts of Sacrifices Expiatory the Sacrifice of Christs blood and Gratulatory the Sacrifice of Alms. This saith holy Greenham is more acceptable to God than any other Sacrifice Acts 10.4 The Angel said to Cornelius thy Alms are come up for a memorial before God The backs of the poor are the Altar on which this Sacrifice is to be offered 4. We our selves live upon Alms other creatures do Arg. 4 liberally contribute to our necessities the Sun hath not its light for it self but for us it doth enrich us with its golden beams the Earth brings us a fruitful crop and to shew how joyful a mother she is in bringing forth the Psalmist saith the Vallies are covered with corn they shout for joy they also sing Psal 65.13 One creature gives us wool another oyle another silk we are fain to go a begging to the Creation Shall every creature be for the good of man and man only be for himself how absurd and irrational is this Arg. 5 5. We are to extend our liberality by vertue of a membership Isa 58.7 That thou hide not thy self from thy own flesh The poor are ex eodem luto they are fellow-members of the same body * Pars est propter totum The members do by a Law of equity and sympathy contribute one to another the eye conveys light to the body the heart blood the head spirits that is a dead member in the body which doth not communicate to the rest Thus it is in the body Politick let no man think it is too far below him to mind the wants and necessities of others it is pity but that hand should be cut off which disdains to pluck a thorn out of the foot It is spoken in the honour of that Renowned Princess the Emperess of Theodosius the great that she did her self visit the sick and prepare relief for them with her own Imperial hands Arg. 6 6. We are not Lords of an Estate but Stewards and how soon may we hear that Word Redde rationem Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayst be no longer Steward Luke 16.2 An Estate is a Talent to trade with it is as dangerous to hide our Talent * Defosso auro incubare dicitur qui pecuni am iâ—utilem detinet Grotius as to spend it Matth. 25.25 30. If the covetous man keep his gold too long it will begin to rust and the â—ust of it will witness against him Jam. 5.3 Arg. 7 7. The Examples of others who have been Renowned for acts of mercy and munificence 1. Our Lord Christ a great Example of charity he was not more full of merit than bounty Trajan the Emperour did rend off a piece of his own Robe to wrap his souldiers wounds Christ did more he rent his flesh he made a medicine of his body and blood to heal us Isa 53.5 by his stripes ye are healed Here was a pattern of charity without a parallel * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Myssen 2. The Jews are noted in this kind 't is a Rabbinical observation that those who live devoutly among the Jews distribute a tenth part of their estate among the poor and they give so freely saith Philo the Jew as if by giving they hoped to receive some great gratuity Now if the Jews are so devoted to works of mercy who live without Priest without Temple without Messiah shall not we much more who professe our faith in the blessed Messiah 3. Let me tell you of Heathens I have read of Titus Vespasian he was so inured to works of mercy that remembring he had given nothing that day cried out diem perdidi I have lost a day 'T is reported of some of the Turks that they have servants whom they employ on purpose to enquire what poor they have and they send relief to them And the Turks have a saying in their Alcoran that if men knew what a blessed thing it were to distribute Alms rather than spare they would give some of their own flesh to relieve the poor And shall not a Christians Creed be better than a Turks Alcoran Let all this perswade to works of mercy Regia crede mihi res est succurrere lapsis When poor indigent creatures like Moses are laid in the arke of bulrushes weeping and ready to sink in the waters of affliction be as temporal Saviours to them and draw them out of the waters with a golden cord Let the brests of your mercy nurse the poor be like the trees of the Sanctuary * Ezek. 47.12 both for food and medicine †when distress'd and even starved souls are fainting let your costly ingredients revive and fetch spirits in them Let others see the coats and garments which you have made for the poor Acts 9.39 Arg. 8 8. The sin of unmercifulnesse 1. The unmercifull man is an unthankful man and what can
be said worse Thou to whom the Lord hath given an estate thy cup runs over but hast a miserly heart and wilt not part with any thing for good uses 't is death to thee to relieve them that are dying know that thou art in the highest degree ungrateful thou art not fit for humane society The Scripture hath put these two together unthankful without natural affection 2 Tim. 3.2 3. God may repent that ever he gave such men estates and may say as Hos 2.9 Therefore will I return and take away my corn and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wooll and my flax 2. The unmerciful man wants love to Christ all men would be thought to love Christ and would be very angry with them that should question their love but do they love Christ who let the members of Christ starve No these love their money more than Christ and come under that fearful Anathema 1 Cor. 16.22 Arg. 9 9. Lastly I shall use but one argument more to perswade to works of mercy and that is the reward which follows Alms-deeds giving of Alms is a glorious work and let me assure you it is no unfruitful work * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Whatsoever is disbursed to the poor is given to Christ Mat. 25.40 Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me The poor mans hand is Christs Treasury * Manus pauperis est Christi gazophylacium Chrysolog and there is nothing lost that is put there Quicquid in terra jacenti porrigitis sedenti in caelo datis The text saith the merciful shall obtain mercy in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be bemercified What is it we need most is it not mercy pardoning and saving mercy What is it we desire most on our death-bed is it not mercy Thou that shewest mercy shalt find mercy thou that pourest in the oyle of compassion to others God will pour in the golden oyle of salvation into thee Matth. 7.2 The Shunamite woman shewed mercy to the Prophet and she received kindnesse from him another way 2 Kings 4. She welcommed him to her house and he restored her dead child to life they that sow mercy shall reap in kind they shall obtain mercy such is the sweetnesse and mercifulnesse of Gods nature that he will not suffer any man to be a loser No kindnesse shewed to him shall be unregarded or unrewarded God will be in no mans debt for a cup of cold water he shall have a draught of Christs warme blood to refresh his soul Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed toward his name in that you have ministred to the Saints c. Gods mercy is a tender mercy a pure mercy a rich mercy mercy shall follow and overtake the merciful man he shall be rewarded 1. In this life 2. In the life to come 1. The merciful man shall be rewarded in this life he shall be blessed 1. In his Person Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considers the poor Let him go whether he will a blessing goes along with him he is in favour with God God casts a smiling aspect upon him 2. Blessed in his name Psal 112.6 He shall be had in everlasting remembrance When the Niggards name shall rot the name of a merciful man shall be embalmed with honour and give forth its scent as the wine of Lebanon 3. Blessed in his Estate Omni rerum copia affluet Prov. 11.25 The liberal soul shall be made fat He shall have the fat of the Earth and the dew of Heaven He shall not only have the Venison but the blessing 4. Blessed in his Posterity Psal 37.26 He is ever merciful and lendeth his seed is blessed He shall not only leave an Estate behind but a blessing behind to his children and God will see that the entail of that blessing shall not be cut off 5. Blessed in his Negotiations Deutr. 15.10 For this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto The merciful man shall be blessed in his building planting journying whatever he is about a blessing shall empty it self upon him Quicquid calcaverit rosa fiet He shall be a prosperous man the honey-comb of a blessing shall be still dropping upon him 6. Blessed with long life Psal 41.2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive * Restituet eum Deus qui aâ—ea morti vicinus fuit longiore vita donabit Mollerus He hath helped to keep others alive and God will keep him alive Is there any thing then lost by mercifulness it spins out the silver thread of life many are taken away the sooner for their unmercifulness because their hearts are streightned their lives are shortned 2. The merciful man shall be rewarded in the life to come Arist Rhet. Aristotle joyns these two together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberality and utility God will reward the merciful man hereafter though not for his works yet according to his works Revel 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works As God hath a bottle to put our tears in so he hath a book to write our alms in as God will put a vail over his peoples sins so he will in free-grace set a Crown upon their works The way to lay up is to lay out other parts of our Estate is left behind * Eccl. 2.18 19. but that which is given to Christs poor is hoarded up in heaven that is a blessed kind of giving which though it makes the purse lighter it makes the Crown heavier You that are mercifully inclined remember whatever alms you distribute 1. You shall have good security Eccles 11.1 Luk. 6.38 Prov. 19.17 He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again There is Gods Counter-band to save you harmless which is better security than any PUBLICK FAITH yet here is our Unbelief and Atheism We will not take Gods bond we commonly put our deeds of mercy among our desperate debts 2. You shall be paid with over-plus for a wedge of gold which you have parted with you shall have a weight of glory for a cup of cold water you shall have Rivers of pleasure which run at Gods right hand for evermore The interest comes to infinitely more than the principal Pliny writes of a Country in Affrica where the people for every bushel of seed they sowe receive an hundred and fifty fold increase For every penny you drop into Christs Treasury you shall receive above a thousand fold encrease your after-crop of glory will be so great that though you
are still reaping you will never be able to Inne the whole Harvest let all this perswade rich men to honour the Lord with their substance SECT 9. Containing Directions in shewing mercy BEfore I conclude this Subject let me lay down some Rules briefly concerning works of mercy Rule 1 1. Charity must be free Deutr. 15.10 Thou shalt give and thy heart shall not be grieved c. that is thou shalt not be troubled at parting with thy money he that gives grievingly gives grudgingly it is not a gift but a tax charity must flow like spring-water * Non quaeritur quantum sed quo animo detur Ambr. the heart must be the Spring the hand the Pipe the poor the Cistern God loves a chearful giver Be not like the Crab which hath all the ver-juyce squeezed and pressed out You must not give to the poor as if you were delivering your purse on the High-way Charity without alacrity is rather a Fine than an Offering 't is rather doing of pennance than giving of alms charity must be like the myrrhe which drops from the Tree without cutting or forcing * Beneficium est magis affectu quam effectu Seneca Rule 2 2. We must give that which is our own Isa 58.7 To deal thy bread to the hungry it must be de tuo pane The word for alms in the Syriack signifies justice to shew that alms must be of that which is justly gotten the Scripture puts them together Micah 6.8 To do justice to love mercy we must not make ex Rapina Holocaustum a Sacrifice of Sacriledge * Qui male partâ— dispergit injustâ—â— ejus manet in saecu lum Muscul Isa 61.8 For I the Lord love judgement I hate robbery for burnt-offering He that shall build an Almes-house or Hospital with goods ill gotten displays the Ensign of his pride and sets up the Monument of his shame Rule 3 3. Do all in Christ and for Christ 1. Do all in Christ labour that your persons may be in Christ We are accepted in him Ephes 1.6 Origen Chrysostom and Peter Martyr affirm that the best works not springing from faith are lost The Pelagians thought to have posed Austin with that question Whether it was sin in the Heathen to cloath the naked Austin answered rightly The doing of good is not in it self simply evil but proceeding of infidelity it becomes evil * Non per se ipsum factum pro peccato babetur c Titus 1.15 To them that are unbelieving is nothing pure * Matth. 7.18 Hebr. 11.6 That fruit is most sweet and genuine which is brought forth in the Vine John 15.4 Out of Christ all our Almes-deeds are but the fruit of the wilde Olive * Faciunt gentes ea quae legis sunt Ethice non Evangelice bona opera agunt sed non bene Macovii loc com they are not good works but dead works 2. Do all for Christ namely for his sake that you may testifie your love to him Love mellows and ripens our Almes-deeds it makes them a precious perfume to God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril as Mary did out of love bring her oyntments and sweet spices to anoint Christs dead body so out of love to Christ bring your oyntments and anoint his living body viz. Saints and Members 4. Works of mercy are to be done in humility away Rule 4 with ostentation the worm breeds in the fairest fruit the moth in the finest cloth Pride will be creeping into our best things beware of this dead flie in the box of oyntment When Moses face did shine he put a vail over it so while your light shines before men and they see your good works cover your selves with the vail of humility as the silk-worm while she weaves her curious works hides her self within the silk and is not seen so we should hide our selves from pride and vain-glory 'T was the sin of the Pharisees while they were distributing alms they did buccina canere blow the Trumpet * Nec illa perfecta est liberalitas si jactantiae causa largiaris Ambrose Matth. 6.2 They did not give their alms but sell them for applause A proud man casts his bread upon the waters as a Fisherman casts his Angle upon the waters he angles for vain-glory I have read of one Cosmus Medices a rich Citizen of Florence that he confessed to a near friend of his he built so many magnificent Structures and spent so much on Scholars and Libraries not for any love to Learning but to raise up to himself Trophies of Fame and Renown * Burt. Melan. An humble soul denies himself yea even annihilates himself he thinks how little it is he can do for God and if he could do no more it were but a due debt therefore looks upon all his works as if he had done nothing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar The Saints are brought in at the last day as disowning their works of charity Matth. 25.37 Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee c. A good Christian doth not only empty his hand of Alms but empties his heart of Pride while he raiseth the poor out of the dust he lays himself in the dust works of mercy must be like the Cassia which is a sweet spice but grows low Rule 5 5. Dispose your Alms prudentially 't is said of the merciful man he orders his affairs with discretion Psal 112.5 * Vox pauperum monet prudentiam in dandis Eteemosynis adhibe dam esse Mollerus There is a great deal of wisdom in distinguishing between them that have sinned themselves into poverty and who by the hand of God are brought into poverty Discretion in the distribution of Alms consists in two things 1. In finding out a fit Object 2. In taking a fit Season 1. In finding out a fit Object and that comes under a double notion 1. Give to those who are in most need raise the Hedge where it is lowest feed the Lamp which is going out 2. Give to those who may probably be more serviceable though we bestow cost and dressing upon a weak Plant yet not upon a dead Plant breed up such as may help to build the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 that may be Pillars in Church and State not Cater-pillars making your charity to blush 2. Discretion in giving Alms is in taking the fit season Give to charitable uses in time of health and prosperity distribute your silver and gold to the poor before the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowle be broken Eccles 12.6 Qui cito dat bis dat make your hands your executors not as some who do reserve all they give till the Term of life is ready to expire and truly what is then bestowed is not given away but taken away by death 't is not charity but necessity Oh do not so marry your selves to money that you are resolved nothing shall part you but death be
inheritance The making one an heir implies a relation to an inheritance A man doth not adopt another to a title but an Estate so God in adopting us for his children gives us a glorious inheritance Col. 1.12 The inheritance of the Saints in light 1. 'T is pleasant 't is an inheritance in light 2. 'T is safe God keeps the inheritance for his children 1 Pet. 1.4 and keeps them for the inheritance 1 Pet. 1.5 so that they cannot be hindered from taking possession 3. There is no disinheriting for the Saints are Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.15 Nay they are members of Christ Col. 1.18 The members cannot be disinherited but the head must 4. The heirs never dye eternity is a jewel of their Crown Revel 22.5 They shall reign for ever and ever Before I pass to the next here a question may arise How Gods Adopting and mans Adopting differ 1. Man adopts to supply a defect because he hath no children of his own but God doth not adopt upon this account he had a Son of his own the Lord Jesus he was his natural Son and the Son of his love testified by a voyce from heaven Matth. 3. ult This is my beloved Son Never was there any Son so like the Father he was his exact Effigies Hebr. 1.3 The express image of his person he was such a Son as was more worth than all the Angels in heaven Hebr. 1.4 Being made so much better than the Angels so that God adopts not out of necessity but pity 2. When a man adopts he adopts but one heir but God adopts many Hebr. 2.10 In bringing many sons to glory Oh may a poor trembling Christian say Why should I ever look for this priviledge to be a childe of God! 't is true if God did do as a man if he did only adopt one son then thou mightest despair but he adopts millions he brings many sons to glory indeed this may be the reason why a man adopts but one because he hath not Estate enough for more if he should adopt many his Land would not hold out but God hath Land enough to give to all his children John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions 3. Man when he adopts doth it with ease 't is but sealing a Deed and the thing is done but when God adopts it puts him to a far greater expence it sets his wisdom on work to find out a way to adopt us it was no easie thing to reconcile hell and heaven to make the children of wrath the children of the promise and when God in his infinite wisdom had found out a way it was no easie way it cost God the death of his natural Son to make us his adopted sons When God was about to constitute us sons and heirs he could not seal the Deed but by the blood of his own Son it did not cost God so much to make us creatures as to make us sons To make us creatures cost but the speaking of a word to make us sons cost the effusion of blood 4. Man when he adopts doth but settle earthly priviledges upon his heir but God settles heavenly priviledges Justification Glorification Men do but entail their Land upon the persons they adopt God doth more he not only entails his Land upon his children but he entails Himself upon them Hebr. 8.10 I will be their God not only heaven is their portion but God is their portion 2. Gods filiating or making of children is by the infusion of grace When God makes any his children he stamps his Image upon them this is more than any man living can do he may adopt another but he cannot alter his disposition if he be of a morose rugged nature he cannot alter it but God in making of children doth disponere ad filiationem he doth prepare and sanctifie them for this priviledge he changeth their disposition he files off the ruggedness of their nature he makes them not only sons but Saints they are of another spirit Numb 14.24 They become meek and humble they are partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 SECT 3. Shewing how we come to be Gods children 3. THE third thing is How we come to be the children of God Answ There is a double cause of our filiation or childship 1. The Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impulsive cause is Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his free-grace We were Rebels and Traytors and what could move God to make sinners sons but free-grace Ephes 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children according to the good pleasure of his will Free-grace gave the casting voyce Adoption is a mercy spun out of the bowels of free-grace it were much for God to take a clod of earth and make it a Star but it is more for God to take a piece of clay and sin and instate it into the glorious priviledge of son-ship How will the Saints read over the Lectures of free-grace in heaven 2. The Organical or Instrumental cause of our son-ship is faith Baptism doth not make us children that is indeed a badge and livery and gives us right to many external priviledges but the thing which makes God take cognizance of us for children is faith Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Before faith be wrought we have nothing to do with God we are as the Apostle speaks in another sense bastards and not sons Hebr. 12.7 An unbeliever may call God his Judge but not his Father Wicked men may draw near to God in Ordinances and hope that God will be their Father but while they are unbelievers they are bastards and God will not Father them but will lay them at the Divels door Ye are the children of God by faith faith doth legitimate us it confers upon us the title of son-ship and gives us right to inherit How then should we labour for faith without faith we are creatures not children without faith we are spiritually illegitimate this word illegitimate is 1. A term of infamy such as are illegitimate are looked upon with disgrace we call them base-born Thou who dost ruffle it in thy silks and velvets but art in the state of nature thou art illegitimate God looks upon thee with an eye of scorn and contempt thou art a vile person a son of the earth of the seed of the serpent the Divel can shew as good a Coat of Armes as thou 2. This word illegitimate imports infelicity and misery Persons illegitimate cannot inherit legally the Land goes only to such as are lawful heirs till we are the children of God we have no right to heaven and there is no way to be children but by faith Ye are the children of God by faith Here two things are to be discussed 1. What faith is 2. Why faith makes us children 1. What faith is If faith doth instate us into son-ship it concerns us to know what faith is There is a two-fold faith 1. A more
lax general faith When we believe the truth of all that is revealed in the holy Scriptures this is not the faith which doth priviledge us in sonship the Divels believe all the Articles in the Creed 'T is not the bare knowledge of a medicine or believing the Soveraign vertue of it will cure one that is ill This general faith so much cryed up by some will not save this a man may have and yet not love God He may believe that God will come to judge the quick and the dead and hate him as the prisoner believeth the Judges coming to the Assizes and abhors the thoughts of him Take heed of resting in a general faith you may have this and be no better than Divels 2. There is a special faith fides quâ creditur when we do not only believe the report we hear of Christ but rest upon him embrace him taking hold of the horns of this Altar resolving there to abide In the body there are venae sugentes sucking veins which draw the meat into the stomack and concoct it there So faith is the sucking veine which draws Christ into the heart and applies him there This is the filiating faith by this we are made the children of God and wherever this faith is it is not like physick in a dead mans mouth but is exceeding operative it obligeth to duty it works by love Gal. 5.6 2. Why Faith makes us children why not as well other graces Repentance Love c Answ 1. Because Faith is instituted of God and honoured to this work of making us children Gods institution gives Faith its value and validity it is the Kings stamp makes the Coyne passe currant if he would put his stamp upon brass or leather it would go as currant as silver The great God hath authorized and put the stamp of his institution upon Faith and that makes it pass for currant and gives it a priviledge above all the graces to make us children 2. Faith makes us children as it is the vital principle Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith All Gods children are living none of them are still-born now by faith we live As the heart is the primum vivens the fountain of life in the body so Faith is the fountain of life in the soul 3. Faith makes us children as it is the uniting grace it knits us to Christ the other graces cannot do this by faith we are one with Christ and so we are akin to God being united to the Natural Son we become adopted sons The Kindred comes in by Faith God is the Father of Christ Faith makes us Christs Brethren * Hebr. 2.11 and so God comes to be our Father SECT 4. Setting forth the signs of Gods children 4. THE fourth particular to be discussed is To shew the signs of Gods children it concerns us to know whose children we are * Aut filii Dei aut filii Diaboli Aug. Austin saith All mankind are divided into two Ranks either they are the children of God or the children of the Divel †1. The first sign of our heavenly son-ship is tenderness of heart 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thy heart was tender A child-like heart is a render heart he who before had a flinty hath now a fleshy heart A tender heart is like melting wax to God he may set what seal he will upon it this tenderness of heart shews it self three wayes 1. A tender heart grieves for sin a child weeps for offending his father Peter shewed a tender heart when Christ looked upon him and he remembred his sin he wept as a childe Clemens Alexandrinus saith he never heard a Cock crow but he wept * Da mihi Domine in hoc exilio lachrymarum fontem quem super omnem dâ—litiarum copiam â—surio Aug. l. de contrit cord And some learned Writers tell us that by much weeping there seemed to be as it were Channels made in his blessed face The least hair makes the eye weep the least sin makes the heart smite Davids heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of King Sauls garment What would it have done if he had cut off his head 2. A tender heart melts under mercy Though when God thunders by affliction the rain of tears doth fall from a gracious eye yet the heart is never so kindly dissolved as under the Sun-beams of Gods mercy see how Davids heart was melted with Gods kindness 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto there was a gracious thaw upon his heart So saith a childe of God Lord who am I a piece of dust and sin kneaded together that the orient beams of free-grace should shine upon me Who am I that thou shouldest pity me when I lay in my blood and spread the golden wings of mercy over me The soul is overcome with Gods goodness the tears drop the love flames mercy hath a melting influence upon the soul 3. A tender heart trembles under Gods threatnings Psalm 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardst his words against this place and didst rend thy clothes c. If the father be angry the child trembles When Ministers denounce the menaces and threats of God against sin tender souls sit in a trembling posture this frame of heart God delights in Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that trembleth at my word a wicked man like the Leviathan is made without fear Job 41.33 He neither believes the Promises nor dreads the Threatnings let judgement be denounced against sin he laughs at the shaking of a spear he thinks either that God is ignorant and doth not see or impotent and cannot punish the mountains quake before the Lord the hills melt the rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1.5 But the hearts of sinners are more obdurate than the rocks an hardned sinner like Nebuchadnezzar hath the heart of a beast given to him Dan. 4.16 a child-like heart is a tender heart the stone is taken away 2. The second signe of son-ship is Assimilation Col. 3.10 Ye have put on the new man which is renewed af-the image of him that created him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the child resembles the father Gods children are like their heavenly Father they bear his very image and impresse wicked men say they are the children of God but there is too great a dissimilitude and unlikenesse the Jews brag'd they were Abrahams children but Christ disproves them by this argument because they were not like him John 8.40 Ye seek to kill me a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham You Abrahams children and go about to kill me Abraham would not have murdered an innocent you are more like Satan than Abraham ver 44. ye are of your father the Divel Such as are
the children of God present Christ in the Arms of their Faith 2. The prayers of Gods children indited by the Spirit are ardent prayers Ye have received the Spirit whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Father that implies Faith we cry that implies fervency The incense was to be laid upon burning coals Lev. 16.12 The incense was a type of prayer the burning coals of ardency in prayer Elias prayed earnestly Jam. 5.17 In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbis addita verbalia apud Hebraeus vehementiam significant Grot. IN PRAYING HE PRAYED that is he did it with vehemency †in prayer the heart must boyle over with heat of affection Prayer is compared to groans unutterable * Rom. 8.26 it alludes to a woman that is in pangs We should be in pangs when we are travelling for mercy such prayer commands God himself Isa 45.11 3. The prayers of Gods children are heart-cleansing prayers they purge out sin many pray against sin and sin against prayer Gods children do not only pray against sin but pray down sin 3. The Spirit of God hath a witnessing work in the heart Gods children have not only the influence of the Spirit but the witness Rom. 8.16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God There is a three-fold witness a child of God hath the witness of the Word the witness of Conscience the witness of the Spirit the Word makes the major Proposition He who is in such a manner qualified is a childe of God Conscience makes the minor but Thou art so divinely qualified the Spirit makes the conclusion therefore Thou art a child of God The Spirit joyns with the witness of Conscience Rom. 8.16 The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits The Spirit teacheth Conscience to search the Records of Scripture and finde its evidences for heaven it helps conscience to spell out its name in a promise it bears witness with our spirit Quest Quest But how shall I know the witness of the Spirit from a delusion Answ Answ The Spirit of God always witnesseth according to the Word as the Eccho answers the voyce Enthusiasts speak much of the Spirit but they leave the Word That inspiration which is either without the Word or against it is an imposture The Spirit of God did indite the Word 2 Pet. 1.21 Now if the Spâ—rit should witness otherwise than according to the Word the Spirit should be divided against it self it should be a spirit of contradiction witnessing one thing for a truth in the Word and another thing different from it in a mans conscience 4. The fourth sign of Gods children is Zeal for God they are zealous for his Day his Truth his Glory they who are born of God are impatient of his dishonour Moses was cool in his own cause but hot in Gods when the people of Israel had wrought folly in the golden Calf he breaks the Tables When Saint Paul saw the people of Athens given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred in him Acts 17.16 In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was imbittered or as the word may signifie he was in a Paroxysme or burning fit of zeal He could not contain but with this fire of zeal dischargeth against their sin As we shall answer for idle words so for sinful silence it is dangerous in this sense to be possessed with a dumb Divel David saith the zeal of Gods house had eaten him up Psal 69.9 Many Christians whose zeal once had almost eaten them up now they have eaten up their zeal they are grown tepid and neutral the breath of preferment blowing upon them hath cooled their heat I can never believe that he hath the heart of a childe in him that can be patient when Gods glory suffers Can an ingenuous childe endure to hear his father reproached though we should be silent under Gods displeasure yet not under his dishonour When there is an holy fire kindled in the heart it will break forth at the lips zeal tempered with holiness is the white and sanguine which gives the foul its best complexion Of all others let Ministers be impatient when Gods glory is impeached and eclipsed A Minister without zeal is like salt that hath lost its savour Zeal will make men take injuries done to God as done to themselves It is reported of Chrysostom that he reproved any sin against God as if he himself had received a personal wrong * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not Ministers be either shaken with fear or seduced with flattery God never made Ministers to be as false glasses to make bad faces look fair for want of this fire of zeal they are in danger of another fire even the burning lake Rev. 21.8 into which the fearful shall be cast 5. Those who are Gods children and are born of God are of a more noble and celestial spirit than men of the world they minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things above * Col. 3.2 1 John 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overcometh the world The children of God live in an higher Region they are compared to Eagles Isa 40.31 in regard of their sublimeness and heavenly-mindedness their souls are fled aloft Christ is in their heart Col. 1.27 and the world is under their feet Rev. 12.1 Men of the world are ever tumbling in thick clay they are terrae filii not Eagles but Earth-worms the Saints are of another spirit they are born of God and walk with God as the childe walks with the father Noah walked with God Gen. 6.9 Gods children shew their high Pedigree in their heavenly Conversation Phil. 3.21 6. Another sign of Adoption is love to them that are children Gods children are knit together with the bond of love as all the members of the body are knit together by several nerves and ligaments If we are born of God then we love the brotherhood 1 Pet. 2.17 Idem est motus animae in imaginem rem he that loves the person loves the picture The children of God are his walking pictures and if we are of God we love those who have his Effigies and Pourtraiture drawn upon their souls If we are born of God we love the Saints notwithstanding their infirmities Children love one another though they have some imperfections of nature a squint-eye or a crooked back We love gold in the Oar though it have some drossiness in it the best Saints have their blemishes We read of the spot of Gods children Deutr. 32.5 A Saint in this life is like a fair face with a scar in it If we are born of God we love his children though they are poor we love to see the image and picture of our father though hung in never so poor a Frame we love to see a rich Christ in a poor man And if we are children of the Highest we shew our love to Gods children 1. By prizing their persons
Object 2 knowledge of God they have no sense of spiritual things nor are they the better for our instructions 1. We read in Scripture of children who by vertue Answ 1 of instruction have had their tender years sanctified Timothies Mother and Grand-mother taught him the Scriptures from his Cradle 2 Tim. 3.15 And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures Timothy sucked in Religion as it were with his milk we read of young children who cried Hosanna to Christ and did trumpet forth his praises Matth. 21.15 And sure those children of Tyre had some seeds of good wrought in them in that they shewed their love to Paul and would help him on his way to Sea-shoar Acts 21.5 They all brought us on our way with wives and children Saint Paul had a Convoy of young Saints to bring him to take ship Answ 2 2. Suppose our counsel and instruction doth not at present prevail with our children it may afterwards take effect The seed a man sowes in his ground doth not presently spring up but in its season it brings forth a crop he that plants a Wood doth not see the full growth till many years after If we must not instruct our children because at present they reap not the benefit by the same reason we should not baptize our children because at present they have not the sense of baptisme nay by the same reason Ministers should not preach the Word because at present many of their hearers have no benefit Answ 3 3. If our counsels and admonitions prevail not with our children yet we have delivered our own souls There is comfort in the discharge of conscience we must let alone issues and events duty is our work success is Gods All which considered should make parents whet holy instructions upon their children they who are of the Family of God and whom he hath adopted for children will endeavour that their children may be more Gods children than theirs they will travail in birth till Christ be formed in them A true Saint is a load-stone that will be still drawing others to God Let this suffice to have spoken of the signs of Adoption I proceed SECT 5. Discovering Gods love in making us children THE next particular to be discussed is the love of God in making us children 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God! God shewed power in making us creatures but love in making us sons Plato gave God thanks that he had made him a man and not a beast but what cause have they to adore Gods love who hath made them children the Apostle puts an ecce to it behold * O aeterna vera charitas Aug. That we may the better behold Gods love in making us children consider three things 1. We were deformed Ezek. 16.6 8. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood it was the time of love Mordecai adopted Esther because she was fair but we were in our blood and then God adopted us he did not adopt us when we were cloathed with the Robe of innocency in Paradise when we were hung with the jewels of holiness and were white and ruddy but when we were in our blood and had our leprous spots upon us the time of our loathing was the time of Gods loving 2. As we did not deserve to be made children so neither did we desire it No landed man will force another to become his heir against his will if a King should go to adopt a beggar and make him heir of the Crown if the beggar should refuse the Kings favour and say I had rather be as I am I would be a beggar still the King would take it in high contempt of his favour and would not adopt him against his will Thus it was with us we had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or willingness to be made children we would have been begging still but God out of his infinite mercy and indulgence not only offers to make us children but makes us willing to embrace the offer * Psal 110.3 Behold what manner of love is this 3. Which is the wonder of love that God should adopt us for his children when we were enemies If a man would make another heir of his Land he would adopt one that is near akin to him no man would adopt an enemy but that God should make us children when we were enemies that he should make us heirs to the Crown when we were Traytors to the Crown oh amazing astonishing love Behold what manner of love is this We were not akin to God we had by sin lost and forfeited our Pedigree we had done God all the injury and spight we could defac'd his image violated his Law trampled upon his mercies and when we had angered him he adopted us What stupendious love was this such love was never shewn to the Angels when they fell though they were of a more noble nature and in probability might have done God more service than we can yet God never vouchsafed this priviledge of Adoption to them he did not make them children but prisoners they were heirs only to the treasures of wrath * Rom. 2.5 Use Let all who are thus nearly related to God stand admiring his love when they were like Saul breathing forth enmity against God when their hearts stood out as Garrisons against him the Lord conquered their stubborness with kindness and not only pardoned but adopted them 't is hard to say which is greater the mystery or the mercy this is such amazing love as we shall be searching into and adoring to all eternity the bottom of it cannot be fathomed by any Angel in heaven Gods love in making us children is 1. A rich love it is love in God to feed us but it is rich love to adopt us it is love to give us a Crumb but it is rich love to make us heirs to a Crown 2. It is a distinguishing love that when God hath passed by so many millions he should cast a favourable aspect upon thee most are cut out for fuel and are made Vessels of wrath and that God should say to thee Thou art my son here 's the mirrour of mercy the meridian of love Who O who can tread upon these hot coals and his heart not burn in love to God SECT 6. Declaring the honour of Gods children 6. THE sixth particular is the honour and renown of Gods children for the illustration of this observe two things 1. God makes a precious account of them 2. He looks upon them as persons of honour 1. God makes a precious account of them Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight c. A father prizeth his childe above his Estate How dearly did Jacob prize Benjamin his life was bound up in the life of the Lad Gen. 44.30 God makes a precious valuation of his children
children of God are servants to the Angels 2. Gods children are above the Angels because Christ by taking their nature hath ennobled and honoured it above the Angelical * Naturam humanam nobilitavit Aug. Hebr. 2.16 He in no wise took the nature of Angels God by uniting us to Christ hath made us nearer to himself than the Angels the children of God are members of Christ Eph. 5.30 This was never said of the Angels how can they be the members of Christ who are of a different nature from him Indeed Metaphorically and improperly Christ may be called the head of the Angels as they are subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 But that Christ is head of the Angels in that near and sweet conjunction as he is the head of believers we nowhere finde in Scripture in this respect therefore I may clearly assert the children of God have a superiority and honour even above the Angels though by Creation they are a little lower than the Angels yet by Adoption and Mystical Union they are above the Angels Use How may this comfort a childe of God in midst either of calumny or penury he is a person of honour he is above the Angels A Gentleman that is fallen to decay will sometimes boast of his Parentage and Noble blood so a Christian who is poor in the world yet by vertue of his Adoption he is of the Family of God he hath the true blood-royal running in his veins he hath a fairer Coat of Arms to shew than the Angels themselves SECT 7. The high priviledges of Gods children 7. THE seventh particular to be explained is To shew the glorious priviledges of Gods children and what I shall say now belongs not to the wicked it is Childrens bread The fruit of Paradise was to be kept with a flaming Sword so these sweet and heart-ravishing priviledges are to be kept with a flaming Sword that impure sensual persons may not touch them There are twelve rare Priviledges which belong to the children of God 1. If we are children then God will be full of tender Privi ∣ ledge 1 love and affection towards us a father compassionates his childe Psal 103.13 Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Oh the yearning of Gods bowels to his children Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant childe my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Towards the wicked Gods wrath is kindled Psal 2.12 Towards them that are children Gods repentings are kindled Hosea 11.8 Mercy and pity doth as naturally flow from our heavenly Father as light doth from the Sun Object 1. But God is angry and writes bitter Object 1 things how doth this stand with love Answ Gods love and his anger towards his children Answ are not opposita but diversa they may stand together he is angry in love Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten we have as much need of afflictions as Ordinances A bitter Pill may be as needful for preserving health as a Julip or Cordial God afflicts with the same love as he adopts God is most angry when he is not angry †his hand is heaviest when it is lightest * Deus irascitur cum non irascitur Bern. affliction is an argument of son-ship Heb. 12.7 If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons Oh saith one * Hos 4.14 sure God doth not love me I am none of his childe because he doth follow me with such sore afflictions Why it is a sign of childship to be sometimes under the Rod God had one son without sin but no son without stripes God puts his children to the School of the Cross and there they learn best * Correctio est efficaâ— virtutis gymnasium God speaks to us in the Word Children be not proud do not love the world walk circumspectly * Ephes 5.15 But we are dull of hearing nay we stop the ear Jer. 22.21 I spake to thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear Now saith God I shall lose my childe if I do not correct him then God in love smites that he may save Aristotle speaks of a Bird that lives among Thorns yet sings sweetly Gods children make the best melody in their heart when God hedgeth their way with thorns Hos 2.14 Afflictions are refining Prov. 17.3 The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Fiery Trials make golden Christians afflictions are purifying Dan. 12.10 Many shall be tryed and made white We think God is going to destroy us but he only layes us a whitening Some Birds will not hatch but in time of thunder Christians are commonly best in affliction God will make his children at last bless him for sufferings the eyes that sin shuts affliction opens * Oculos quos peccatum clâ—u dit plena aperiâ— when Manasseh was in chains then he knew the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33.13 Afflictions fit for heaven first the stones in Solomons Temple were hewen and polished and then set up into a buâ—lding First the Saints who are called lively stones * 1 Pet. 2.5 must be hewen and carved by sufferings as the corner stone was and so made meet * Col. 1.12 for the celestial building and is there not love in all Gods fatherly castigations Object 2 Object 2. But sometimes Gods children are under the black clouds of desertion is not this far from love Concerning desertion I must needs say this is the saddest condition that â—an betide Gods children when the Sun is gone the Dew falls when the Sun-light of Gods countenance is removed then the Dew of tears falls from the eyes of the Saints In desertion God rains hell out of heaven to use Calvins expression The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirits Job 6.4 This is the poysoned arrow that wounds to the heart Desertion is a taste of the torments of the damned God saith in a little wrath I hid my face from thee Isa 54.8 I may here glosse with Saint Bernard Modicum illud vocas Domine Lord dost thou call that a little wrath when thou hidest thy face is it but a little What can be more bitter to me than the eclipsing of thy face God is in Scripture called a light and a fire the deserted soul feels the fire but doth not see the light But yet thou who art adopted mayest spell love in all this They say of Hercules his club that it was made of the wood of Olive the Olive is an emblem of peace so Gods club whereby he beats down the soul in desertion hath something of the Olive there is Peace and Mercy in it I shall hold forth a spiritual Rain-bow wherein the children of God may see the love of their Father in the midst of the clouds of desertion
he will with me let him take the rod or the staffe 't is all one he loves me 2. The second adoptional priviledge is this if we are Privi ∣ ledge 2 children then God will bear with many infirmities A father bears much with a child he loves Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him We oft grieve the Spirit abuse kindnesse God will passe by much in his children Numb 23.21 he hath not seene iniquity in Jacob his love doth not make him blind he sees sin in his people but not with an eye of revenge but pity He sees sin in his children as a Physitian doth a disease in his Patient He hath not seene iniquity in Jacob so as to destroy him God may use the rod 2 Sam. 7.14 not the Scorpion O how much is God willing to passe by in his children because they are children God takes notice of the good that is in his children and passeth by the infirmity God doth quite contrary to us we oft take notice of the evil that is in others and over-look the good Our eye is upon the flaw in the Diamond but we observe not its sparkling But God takes notice of the good that is in his children God sees their faith and winks at their failings 1 Pet. 3.6 Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord the holy Ghost mentions not her unbelief and laughing at the promise but takes notice of the good in her viz. her obedience to her husband she obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. God puts his finger upon the fears and infirmities of his children how much did God wink at in Israel his first-born Israel oft provok'd him with their murmurings Deut. 1.27 but God answered their murmurings with mercies he spared them as a father spares his son 3. The third priviledge is this If we are children Privi ∣ ledge 3 then God will accept of our imperfect services A Parent takes any thing in good part from his child God accepts of the will for the deed 2 Cor. 8.12 oftentimes we come with broken prayers but if we are children God spels out our meaning and will take our prayers as a grateful present a father loves to hear his child speak though he doth but lisp and stammar Isa 38.14 Like a Crane so did I chatter Good Hezekiah looked upon his praying as chattering yet that prayer was heard ver 5. a Sigh and groan from an humble heart goes up as the smoak of incense Psal 38.9 My groaning is not hid from thee When all the glistering shews of Hypocrites evaporate and come to nothing a little that a child of God doth in sincerity is crowned with acceptance a father is glad of a letter from his son though there are blots in the letter though there are false spellings and broken English O what blottings are there in our holy things what broken English sometimes yet coming from broken hearts it is accepted though there be weaknesse in duty yet if there be willingnesse the Lord is much taken with it Saith God it is my child and he would do better Ephes 1.6 He hath accepted us in the beloved Privi ∣ ledge 4 4. If we are children then God will provide for us a father will take care for his children he gives them allowance and layes up a portion 2 Cor. 12.14 so doth our heavenly Father 1. He gives us our allowance Gen. 48.15 The God which fed me all my life long unto this day Whence is our dayly bread but from his dayly care God will not let his children starve though our unbelief is ready sometimes to question his goodnesse and say Can God prepare a Table See what arguments Christ brings to prove Gods paternal care for his children Matth. 6.26 Behold the fowles of the aire they sow not neither do they reap yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Doth a man feed his bird and will he not feed his child Luke 12.27 Consider the Lilies how they grow they toyl not they spin not if then God so cloath the grasse c Doth God cloath the Lilies and will he not cloath his Lambs 1 Pet. 5.7 the Lord careth for us As long as his heart is full of love so long his head will be full of care This should be as physick to kill the worm of unbelief 2. As God gives his children a viaticum or bait by the way so he laies up a portion for them Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom our Father keeps the purse and will give us enough to bear our charges here and when at death we take shipping and shall be set upon the shore of eternity then will our heavenly Father bestow upon us a Kingdom immutable and immarcessible lo here a portion which can never be summed up 5. If we are children then God will sheild off dangers Privi ∣ ledge 5 from us a father will protect his child from injuries God ever lies Sentinel to keep off evill from his children 1. Temporal evil 2. Spiritual evil 1. God screens off temporal evil There are many casualties and contingencies which are incident to life God mercifully prevents them he keeps watch and ward for his children Psal 7.10 my defence is of God Psal 121.4 he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The eye of Providence is ever awake God gives his Angels charge over his children Psal 91.11 a believer hath a guard of Angels for his life-guard we read of the wings of God in Scripture as the breast of his mercy feeds his children so the wings of his power cover them how miraculously did God preserve Israel his first-born he did with his wings sometimes cover sometimes carry them Exod. 19.4 He bare you as upon Eagles wings an emblem of Gods providential care the Eagle fears no Bird from above to hurt her young only the Arrow from beneath therefore she carries them upon her wings that the Arrow must first hit her before it can come at her young ones Thus God carries his children upon the wings of Providence and they are such that there is no clipping these wings nor can any Arrow hurt them 2. God shields off spiritual evils from his children Psal 91.10 There shall no evil befall thee God doth not say no afflictions shall befall us but no evil Quest Quest But sometimes evil in this sense befalls the godly they spot themselves with sin Answ Answ But that evil shall not be mortal as quick-silver is in it self dangerous but by oyntments it is so tempered that it is killed so sin is in it self deadly but being tempered with Repentance and mixed with the sacred oyntment of Christs blood the venemous damning nature of it is taken away Privi ∣ ledge 6 6. If we are children then God will reveal to us the great and wonderful things of his Law Matth. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes A father will teach his children the childe goes to his father Father Teach me my Lesson so David goes to God Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God The Lord glories in this title Isa 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Gods children have that anointing which teacheth them all things necessary to salvation they see those mysteries which are vail'd over to carnal eyes as Elisha saw those Horses and Chariots of fire which his servant did not see 2 Kings 6.17 The adopted see their own sins Satans snares Christs beauty which they whom the god of the world had blinded cannot discern whence was it that David understood more than the Ancients Psal 119.100 He had a Father to teach him God was his Instructer Psal 71.17 O God thou hast taught me from my youth Many a childe of God complains of ignorance and dulness remember this thy Father will be thy Tutor he hath promised to give his spirit to lead thee into all truth John 16.13 And God doth not only inform the understanding but incline the will he doth not only teach us what we should do but enable us to do it Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes What a glorious priviledge is this to have the star of the world pointing us to Christ and the load-stone of the Spirit drawing 7. If we are children this gives boldness in prayer Privi ∣ ledge 7 the childe goes with confidence to his father and he cannot finde in his heart to deny him Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him All the father hath is for his childe if he comes for money who is it for but his childe If thou comest to God for pardon for brokenness of heart God cannot deny his childe Who doth he keep his mercies in store for but his children And that which may give Gods children holy boldness in prayer is this When they consider God not only in the relation of a Father but as having the disposition of a Father Some parents are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a morose rugged nature but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 He begets all the bowels in the world in prayer we should look upon God under this notion a Father of mercy sitting upon a Throne of grace we should run to this heavenly Father in all conditions 1. In our sins as that sick childe 2 Kings 4.19 He said unto his father my head my head assoon as he found himself not well he ran to his father to succour him So in case of sin Run to God My heart my heart O this dead heart Father quicken it this hard heart Father soften it Father my heart my heart 2. In our tentations A childe when another strikes him runs to his Father and complains so when the Devil strikes us by his temptations let us run to our Father Father Satan assaults and hurles in his fiery darts he would not only wound my peace but thy glory Father take off the Tempter 't is thy childe that is worried by this red Dragon Father wilt not thou bruise Satan under my feet What a sweet priviledge is this when any burden lies upon our spirits we may go to our Father and unload all our cares and griefs into his bosome Privi ∣ ledge 8 8. If we are children then we are in a state of freedom Claudius Lysias valued his freedom of Rome at an high rate a state of son-ship is a state of freedom this is not to be understood in an Antinomian sense that the children of God are freed from therule of the Moral Law this is such a freedom as Rebels take Was it ever heard that a childe should be freed from duty to his parents But the freedom which Gods children have is an holy freedom they are freed ab imperio carnis from the Law of sin Rom. 8.2 This is the sad misery of an unregenerate person he is in a state of Vassaladge he is under the tyranny of sin * Quamobrem dignitatem tuam abjicis teque servum peccati constituis Bern. Justin Martyr used to say It is the greatest slavery in the world for a man to be subject to his own passions A wicked man is as very a slave as he that works in the Gally look into his heart and there are Legions of lusts ruling him he must do what sin will have him a slave is at the service of an usurping Tyrant if he bid him dig in the Mine hew in the Quarries tug at the Oar he must do it Thus every wicked man must do what corrupt nature inspired by the Divel bids him if sin bids him be drunk be unchaste he is at the command of sin as the Ass is at the command of the Driver sin first enslaves and then damns But the children of God though they are not freed from the in-being of sin yet they are freed from the Law of sin all sins commands are like Laws repeal'd which are not in force though sin live in a childe of God yet it doth not reign Rom 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin hath not a coercive power over a childe of God there is a principle of grace in his heart which gives check to corruption This is a believers comfort though sin be not removed yet it is subdued and though he cannot keep sin out yet he keeps sin under the Saints of God are said to crucifie the flesh Gal. 5.24 Crucifying was a lingring death first one member dyed then another every childe of God crucifies sin some limb of the old man is ever and anon dropping off though sin doth not dye perfectly it dyes daily this is the blessed freedom of Gods children they are freed from the Law of sin they are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 This Spirit makes them free and chearful in obedience 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 9. If we are children then we are heirs apparent to Privi ∣ ledge 9 all the promises the promises are called precious 2 Pet. 2.4 The promises are a Cabinet of jewels they are breasts full of the milk of the Gospel the promises are enriched with variety and are suited to a Christians present condition Doth he want pardoning grace there is a promise carries forgiveness in it Jer. 31.34 Doth he want sanctifying grace there is a promise of healing Hos 14.4 Doth he want corroborating grace there is a promise of strength Isa 41.10 And these promises are the childrens bread the Saints are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heirs of the promise Hebr. 6.17 There is Christ and heaven in a promise and there is never a promise in the Bible but an adopted person may lay a Legal claim to it and say This
is mine The natural man who remains still in the old Family hath nothing to do with these promises he may read over the promises as one may read over another mans Will or Inventory but hath no right to them the promises are like a Garden of flowers paled in and enclosed which no stranger may gather only the children of the Family Ishmael was the son of the bond-woman he had no right to the Family Cast out the bond-woman and her son as Sarah once said to Abraham Gen. 21.10 So the unbeliever is not adopted he is none of the houshold and God will say at the day of judgement Cast out this son of the bond-woman into utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Privi ∣ ledge 10 10. If we are children then we shall have our Fathers blessing Isa 61.9 They are the seed which the Lord hath blessed We read that Isaac blessed his son Jacob Gen. 27.28 God give thee of the dew of heaven which was not only a prayer for Jacob but a Prophesie of that happiness and blessing which should come upon him and his posterity * Luther Thus every adopted child hath his heavenly Fathers benediction there is a special blessing distill'd into all that he possesseth Exod. 23.25 Psal 29.11 The Lord will bless his people with peace He will not only give them peace but they shall have it with a blessing the wicked have the things they enjoy with Gods leave but the adopted have them with Gods love the wicked have them by Providence the Saints by Promise Isaac had but one blessing to bestow Gen. 27.38 Hast thou but one blessing my father But God hath more blessings than one for his children he blesseth them in their souls bodies names estate posterity he blesseth them with the upper-springs and the nether-springs he multiplies to bless them and his blessing cannot be reversed as Isaac said concerning Jacob I have blessed him yea and he shall be blessed Gen. 27.33 so God blesseth his children and they shall be blessed 11. If we are children then all things that Privi ∣ ledge 11 fall out shall turn to our good Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God 1. Good things 2. Evil things 1. Good things work for good to Gods children 1. Mercies shall do them good 1. The mercies of God shall soften them Davids heart was overcome with Gods mercy 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I and what is my house c I who was of a mean Family I who held the Shepherds staffe that now I should hold the Royal Scepter Nay Thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come Thou hast made a promise that my children shall sit upon the Throne yea that the blessed Messiah shall come of my Line and Race and is this the manner of man O Lord God! as if he had said Do men shew such kindness undeserved See how this good mans heart was dissolved and softned by mercy the flint is soonest broken upon a soft pillow 2. Mercies make the children of God more fruitful the ground beats the better crop for the cost that is laid upon it God gives his children health and they spend and are spent for Christ he gives them Estates and they honour the Lord with their substance the backs and bellies of the poor are the Field where they sowe the precious seeds of their charity a childe of God makes his Estate a golden Clasp to binde his heart faster to God a foot-stool to raise him up higher towards heaven 2. Ordinances shall work for good to Gods children 1. The Word preached shall do them good 't is a savour of life 't is a Lamp to their feet and a Lavor to their hearts the Word preached is Vehiculum salutis a Chariot of salvation 't is an ingrafting and a transforming word it is verbum cum unctione it not only brings a light with it but eye-salve anointing their eyes to see that light the preaching of the Word is the Lattice where Christ looks forth and shews himself to his Saints this golden pipe of the Sanctuary conveys the water of life To the wicked the Word preached works for evil even the Word of life becomes a savour of death the same cause may have divers nay contrary effects * Eadem causa varios habet effectus the Sun dissolves the yce but hardens the clay To the unregenerate and profane the Word is not humbling but hardning Jesus Christ the best of Preachers was to some a Rock of offence the Jewes sucked death from his sweet lips 't is sad that the breast should kill any the wicked suck poyson from that breast of Ordinances where the children of God suck milk and are nourished unto salvation 2. The Sacrament works for good to the children of God in the Word preached the Saints hear Christs voyce in the Sacrament they have his kiss The Lords Supper is to the Saints a Feast of fat things it is an healing and a sealing Ordinance in this Charger or rather Chalice a bleeding Saviour is brought in to revive drooping spirits The Sacrament hath glorious effects in the hearts of Gods children it quickens their affections strengthens their faith mortifies their sin revives their hopes encreaseth their joy it gives a prelibation and fore-taste of heaven 2. Evil things work for good to Gods children Psal 112.4 Unto the upright ariseth light in darkness 1. Poverty works for good to Gods children it starves their lusts it enricheth their graces James 2.5 Poor in the world rich in faith Poverty sends to prayer when God hath clipped his childrens wings by poverty they flie swiftest to the Throne of Grace 2. Sickness works for their good it shall bring the body of death into a consumption 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day like those two Laurels at Rome when the one did wither the other did flourish when the body withers the soul of a Christian doth flourish How oft have we seen a lively faith in a languishing body Hezekiah was better on his sick bed than upon his Throne when he was upon his sick bed he humbles himself and weeps when he was on his Throne he grew proud Isa 39.2 Gods children recover by sickness in this sense out of weakness they are made strong Heb. 11.34 3. Reproach works for good to Gods children it encreaseth their grace and their glory 1. Disgrace encreaseth their grace the Husbandman by dunging his ground makes the soile more rich and fertil God lets the wicked dung his people with reproaches and calumnies that their hearts may be a richer soile for grace to grow in 2. Reproach encreaseth their glory he that unjustly takes from a Saints credit shall adde to his Crown the Sun shines brighter after an Eclipse the more a childe of God is eclipsed by reproaches the brighter he shall shine in the Kingdom of
your Estates above your Relations that man doth not deserve Christ at all who doth not prize Christ above all Jesus Christ is an incomprehensible blessing whatever God can require for satisfaction or we can desire for salvation is to be found in Christ oh then let him be the highest in our esteem no writing shall please me saith Saint Bernard if I do not read the Name of Christ there The Name of Christ is the only musick to a Christians ear and the blood of Christ is the only cordial to a Christians heart 2. If Jesus Christ be all then make sure of Christ Branch 2 never leave trading in Ordinances till you have gotten this pearle of price in Christ there is the accumulation of all good things oh then let not your souls be quiet till this bundle of myrrhe lie between your breasts Cant. 1.13 In other things we strive for a propriety This house is mine these jewels are mine and why not this Christ is mine There are only two words which will satisfie the soul Deity and Propriety Quid est Deus si non est meus saith Austin What was it the better for the old world they had an Ark as long as they did not get into the Ark And that I may perswade all to get Christ let me shew you what an enriching blessing Christ is 1. Christ is bonum transcendens a supreme good put what you will in the ballance with Christ he doth infinitely out-weigh Is life sweet Christ is better he is the life of the soul Col. 3.4 his loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 Are Relations sweet Christ is better he is the friend sticks closer than a brother 2. Christ is bonum sufficiens a sufficient good he who hath Christ needs no more he who hath the Ocean needs not the Cistern If one had a Manuscript that contained all manner of learning in it having all the Arts and Sciences he need look in no other book so he that hath Christ needs look no further Christ gives grace and glory Psal 84.11 The one to cleanse us the other to crown us as Jacob said It is enough Joseph is yet alive Gen. 45.28 So he that hath Christ may say Luther it is enough vivit Christus Jesus is yet alive 3. Christ is bonum adaequatum a sutable good in him dwells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fulness Col. 1.19 He is bonum in quo omnia bona he is whatever the soul can desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Christ is beauty to adorn gold to enrich balm to heal bread to strengthen wine to comfort salvation to crown Christ is quicquid appetibile if we are in danger he is a shield if we are disconsolate he is a Sun he hath enough in his wardrobe abundantly to furnish the soul 4. Christ is bonum sanctificans a sanctifying good he makes every condition happy to us he sweetens all our comforts and sanctifies all our crosses 1. Christ sweetens all our comforts he turns them into blessings health is blessed estate is blessed relations are blessed Christs love is as the pouring sweet water on flowres which makes them cast a more fragrant perfume A wicked man cannot have that comfort in outward things as a godly man hath he may possess more but he enjoyes less he who hath Christ may say This mercy is reached to me by the hand of my Saviour this is a love-token from him an earnest of glory 2. Christ sanctifies all our crosses they shall be medicinal to the soul they shall work sin out and work grace in Gods stretching the strings of his Viol is to tune it and make the musick better Christ sees to it that his people lose nothing in the Furnace but their drossie impurities * Quod durum fuit paâ—i memi nisse dulce est Sen. Trag. 5. Christ is bonum rarum a rare blessing there are but few that have him the best things when they grow common begin to be slighted when silver was in Jerusalem as stones 1 Kings 10.27 it was apt to be trod upon Christ is a jewel that few are enriched with which may both raise our esteem of him and quicken our pursuit after him those to whom God hath given both the Indies he hath not given them Christ they have the fat of the earth but not the dew of heaven and among us Protestants many who hear of Christ but few that have him Luke 4.25 Many widows were in Israel in the dayes of Elias when the heaven was shut up three years and six months but unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow There are many in this City who have Christ sounded in their ears but few who haâ—e Christ formed in their hearts O how should we labour to be of this few they who are Christless should be restless 6. Christ is bonum selectum a select choice good God shews more love in giving us Christ than in giving us Crowns and Kingdoms God may give us other things and hate us but in giving Christ he bestows the highest pledge of his love God may give the men of the world bona scabelli as Austin saith the blessings of the foot-stool but in giving Christ to a man he gives him bona Throni the blessings of the Throne what though others have a crutch to lean on if thou hast a Christ to lean on Abraham sent away the sons of the Concubines with gifts but he gave all he had to Isaac Gen. 25.5 God may send away others with a little gold and silver but if he gives thee Christ he gives thee all that ever he hath for Christ is all and in all Psal 145.16 Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest every living thing in bestowing the world God doth but open his hand but in bestowing Christ he opens his heart Christ is a crowning blessing 7. Christ is bonum fine quo nihil bonum he is such a good as without which nothing is good without Christ health is not good 't is fuel for lust riches are not good they are golden snares Ordinances are not good though they are good in themselves yet not good to us they profit not they are as breasts without milk as bottles without wine nay they are not only a dead letter but a savour of death without Christ they will damn us for want of Christ millions go loaded to hell with Ordinances 8. Christ is bonum permanens an enduring good other things are like the Lamp which while it shines it spends the heavens shall wax old like a garment Psal 102.26 But Jesus Christ is a permanent good with him are durable riches Prov. 8.18 They last as long as eternity it self lasts 9. Christ is bonum diffusum a diffusive communicative good he is full not only as a vessel but as a spring he is willing to give himself to us if indeed Christ should say he would have
love Christ in the excess MARY LOVED MUCH Luke 7.47 but not too much if Christ cannot be prized enough he cannot be loved too much the Angels in heaven cannot love Christ to his worth 3. When you love other things you love that which is worse than your selves if you love a fair house a pleasant garden a curious picture these things are worse than your selves if I would love any thing more intensly and ardently it should be something which is better than my self and that is Jesus Christ He who is all let him have all give him your love who desires it most and deserves it best Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat 3. Make Christ all in your abilities do all in his strength Ephes 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might When you are to resist a tentation to mortifie a corruption do not go out in your own strength but in the strength of Christ Be strong in the Lord. Some go out to duty in the strength of parts and go out against sin in the strength of resolutions and they come home foiled Alas what are our resolutions but like the green wit hs which did binde Sampson a sinful heart will soon break these do as David when he was to go against Goliah saith he I come to thee in the Name of the Lord. So say to thy Goliah-lust I come to thee in the Name of Christ Then we conquer when the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah marcheth before us Christ is called an horn of salvation Luke 1.69 The strength of a creature lies in his horn so the strength of a believer lies in this horn of salvation Oh make Christ all do all in his strength The Bird may as well flie without wings as we can do any thing prevailing without Christ 1 Sam. 2.9 For by strength shall no man prevail 4. Make Christ all in your aimes do all to his glory 1 Pet. 4.11 Let Christ be the center to which all the lines of your actions are drawn the hypocrite pretends Christ but drives on some self-interest Hos 10.1 He is like one who pretends to woe for his friend but is a sutor for himself Simon Magus would have given money for the gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 8.18 but probably the reason was because he intended to have sold that gift to others how many make the Name of Christ a stirrup to get into the saddle of honour and preferment it is well if some have not made the Crown delinquent for its jewels and the Church for its Lands The squint-ey'd hypocrite is the Divels wind-fall oh make Christ all in your aimes and designs in every action propound this question Will this make for the honour of Christ will this bring any Revenues into his Exchequer how happy were it if it might be said of us as the Angel speaks to the two Maries Matth. 28.5 I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified If a man doth not take a right aime he can never hit the mark he who doth not aime at Gods glory can never hit the mark of his own salvation 5. Make Christ all in your affiance trust to none but Christ for salvation the Papists make Christ something but not all they trust partly to Christ and partly to their own merits they pray to Christ and Angels to Christ as a Mediator of Redemption and to Angels as Mediators of Intercession they invocate the Virgin Mary for mercy so mingling her milk with Christs blood but what is given to others superstitiously is taken from Christ sacrilegiously they have their Masses Pennance extream unction they confess indâ—ed Christs blood doth wholly satiâ—fie for Original sin but sins after Baptisme committed they have fountains of their own to wash in The Eagles feathers will not mix with other feathers Christ will not endure to have his blood mixed either with the merits of Saints or prayers of Angels Christ will be all in all or nothing at all And is there not naturally a spice of Popery in our hearts we would be grafting happiness upon the stock of our own righteousness every man saith Luther is born with a Pope in his heart How ready are we to Idolize our duties and graces and to draw so much from the stream as to neglect the Spring Oh make Christ all in regard of recumbency let him be your City of refuge to flie to your Ark to trust to It was a good speech of Luther If I could keep the whole Moral Law I would not trust to this for justification I would vail and stoop to Christs merits 6. Make Christ all in your joy Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Luke 1.47 My spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour The Virgin Mary did not so much rejoyce that she was Christs Mother as that Christ was her Saviour she did not so much rejoyce that Christ was conceived in her womb as that he was formed in her heart how glad was Simeon when he had taken Christ in his arms Luke 2.29 How chearful may that man be who hath taken Christ in the arms of his faith The wise men when they saw the star rejoyced with exceeding great joy Matth. 2.10 O Christian hast thou seen the Lord Jesus hath this morning Star shined into thy heart with its enlightning quickning beams then rejoyce and be exceeding glad Shall others rejoyce in the world and will not you rejoyce in Christ how much better is he than all other things God hath given the men of the world a Crutch to lean on he hath given thee a Christ to lean on oh rejoyce in Christ Shall the Malefactor rejoyce and shall not the Favourite rejoyce it reflects disparagement upon Christ when his Saints are sad and drooping is not Christ yours what would you have more Object 1. But saith one I am low in the World Object 1 and that takes off the Chariot wheels of my joy and makes me drive heavily Answ But hast thou not Christ and is not Christ all Answ Psal 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Christ is omnibus Thesauris opulentior an inexhaustible Treasury Aug. and he who by faith is united to him hath a title to all Christs riches A beggar being married to a Prince she hath a right and title to all his Revenues Object 2. If indeed I knew Christ were mine then I Object 2 could rejoce but how shall I know that Answ 1. Is thy soul fill'd with anhelations and pantings after Christ Answ dost thou desire as well water out of Christs sides to cleanse thee as blood out of his sides to save thee These sighs and groans are stirred up by the Spirit of God by the beating of this pulse judge of the life of faith in thee a wicked man hath
Judges 11.35 Alas my daughter thou hast brought me very low so may the soul say Alas my sin thou hast brought me very low thou hast brought me almost to the gates of death 3. Sickness doth eclipse the beauty of the body This I ground on that Scripture Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man thou makest his beauty to consume away like a Moth. The Moth consumes the beauty of the cloth so a fit of sickness consumes the beauty of the body Thus sin is a soul-sickness it hath eclipsed the glory and splendor of the soul it hath turned ruddiness into paleness that beauty of grace which once sparkled as gold now it may be said How is this gold become dim †* Lam. 4.1 That soul which once had an orient brightness in it it was more ruddy than Rubies its polishing was of Saphyr the understanding be spangled with knowledge the will crowned with liberty the affections like so many Seraphims burning in love to God now the glory is departed Sin hath turned beauty into deformity as some faces by sickness are so disfigured and look so ghastly they can hardly be known So the soul of man is by sin so sadly Metamorphiz'd having lost the image of God that it can hardly be known Joel 2.31 The Sun shall be turned into darkness Sin hath turned that Sun of beauty which shined in the soul into a Cimmerian darkness and where grace is begun to be wrought yet the souls beauty is not quite recovered but is like the Sun under a cloud 4. Sickness takes away the taste a sick man doth not taste that sweetness in his meat so the sinner by reason of soul-sickness hath lost his taste to spiritual things The Word of God is pabulum animae it is bread to strengthen wine to comfort but the sinner tastes no sweetness in the Word A childe of God who is spiritualized by grace tastes a savouriness in Ordinances the promise drops as an honey-comb Psal 19.10 but a natural man is sick and his taste is gone since the tasting of the forbidden Tree he hath lost his taste 5. Sickness takes away the comfort of life a sick person hath no joy of any thing his life is a burden to him So the sin-sick soul is void of all true comfort and his laughter is but the pleasing dream of a sick man he hath no true title to comfort his sin is not pardoned he may be in hell before night for any thing he knows 6. Sickness ushers in death it is the prologue to death sickness is as it were the cutting of the Tree and death is the falling of the Tree so this disease of sin if not cured in time brings the second death 2. What the diseases of the soul are Adam by breaking the box of original righteousness hath filled the soul full of diseases the body is not subject to so many diseases as the soul I cannot reckon them all up Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors * Psal 40.12 Only I shall name some of the worst of these diseases Pride is the tympany of the soul lust is the feaver error the gangrene unbelief the plague of the heart hypocrisie the scurvy hardness of heart the stone anger the phrenzy malice the Wolf in the breast covetousness the dropsie spiritual sloth the green sickness apostasie the epilepsie here are eleven soul-diseases and when they come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full heigth they are dangerous and most frequently prove mortal 3. The third thing to be demonstrated is that sin is the worst sickness To have a body full of plague sores is sad but to have the soul which is the more noble part spotted with sin and full of the Tokens is far worse as appears 1. The body may be diseased and the conscience quiet Isa 33.24 The Inhabitant of the Land shall not say I am sick He should scarce feel his sickness because sin was pardoned but when the soul is sick of any reigning lust the conscience is troubled Isa 57. ult There is no peace to the wicked saith my God When Spira had abjured his former faith he was put IN LITTLE EASE his conscience burned as hell and no spiritual physick that Divines did apply could ever allay that inflammation 2. A man may have bodily diseases yet God may love him Asa was diseased in his feet 2 Kings 15.23 He had the Gout yet a Favourite with God Gods hand may go out against a man yet his heart may be towards him diseases are the Arrows which God shoots pestilence is called Gods Arrow Psal 91.5 This Arrow as Gregory Nazianzene saith may be shot from the hand of an indulgent father But soul-diseases are symptoms of Gods anger as he is an holy God he cannot but hate sin he beholds the proud afar off Psal 138.6 God hates a sinner for his plague-sores Zach. 11.8 My soul loathed them 3. Sickness at worst doth but separate from the society of friends but this disease of sin if not cured separates from the society of God and Angels The Leper was to be shut out of the Camp this leprosie of sin without the interposition of mercy shuts men out of the Camp of heaven Rev. 21.8 This is the misery of them that dye in their sins they are allowed neither friend nor Physitian to come at them they are excluded Gods presence for ever in whose presence is fulness of joy Use 1 1. See into what a sad condition sin hath brought us it hath made us desperately sick Inform. nay we dye away in Branch 1 our sickness till we are fetch'd again with the water of life O how many sick bed-rid souls are there in the world sick of pride sick of lust sin hath turned our Houses and Churches into Hospitals they are full of sick persons What Davids enemies said reproachfully of him is true of every natural man Psal 41.8 An evil disease cleaveth fast unto him He hath the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8. And even those who are regenerate are cured but in part they have some grudgings of the disease some ebullitions and stirrings of corruption nay sometimes this Kings Evil breaks forth to the scandal of Religion and from this sin-sickness ariseth all other diseases * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de poen hom 5. Plague Gout Stone Feaver 1 Cor. 11.29 30. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself for this cause many are weak and sickly among you Branch 2 2. If sin be a soul-sickness then how foolish are they that hide their sins it is folly to hide a disease * Insipientium malus pudor ulcera celat Job 31.33 40. If I covered my transgression as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosome let thistles grow instead of wheat c. The wicked take more care to have sin covered than cured if they can but sin in private and not be suspected they
confesseth of himself that before his conversion he had many thoughts tending to despair he imagined that he should never get the mastery of some of his corruptions the thoughts of impossibility cut the sinews of all endeavour * Desperaree â— in infernum descendere Isidor God hath encouraged us to run not only by promising rewards when we win but by promising strength to enable us to run hath not he said he will put his Spirit within us Ezek. 36. and then afflante spiritu we can run and not be weary * Isa 40 uâ—t how many hath Satan disheartned through despair sure saith the diffident soul I may run but I shall never so run as to obtain Jer. 2.25 Thou saidâ—st There 's no hope So saith the despairer I had as good go on in my sins as good keep the old road there 's no hope all succours of mercy are cut off this is a dangerous Praecepice despaire takes a man off his leggs and then how can he run Despair is heluo animarum the great devourer of souls he that is under the power of this sinne disputes himself into hell 4. Take heed that company doth not stay you by the way if a man should be running a race and he should have a friend as he is running come and take him by the hand and desire to speak with him this might make him lose the race So stands the case here many will be ready to meet with us and stop us in our race to heaven what need you will they say set out so soon what need you run so fast stay and bathe your selves a while in the luscious delights of the world thus have many been stop'd in the middle of their race and lost the prize to him that would hinder us in our race we must say with an holy indignation as Christ Get thee behind me Satan Matth. 4.10 2. You must use all means to help you in the heavenly Race as 1. Run the right race the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the race set before us Hebr. 12.1 that is the race chal'kd out in the Word of God the race of self-denial and sanctity 'T is not any race but the race set before us that we must run which confutes that opinion that a man must be saved in any Religion 2. Fit your selves for the heavenly race as 1. Diet your selves the Racers in Ancient times saith Ireneus did diet themselves they would not eat of any gross meat nor yet a full meale that they might be the more prepared for the race thus must Christians diet themselves by sobriety and mortification that they may by a well ordering of themselves be the fitter to run the race which is set before them St. Paul did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beat down his body 1 Cor. 9.27 that he might be the fitter for his race 2. Strip your selves for the race the runner in a race useth to strip himself of all about him and wear only a white garment that he might be light and nimble So should Christians do strip themselves of all conceits of merit and only wear the white garment of Christs Righteousness 3. Begin the race betimes Eccles 12.1 Direction Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth Young ones think they may set upon the race too soon can a man be good too soon can he run the race of repentance too soon but suppose he might yet it is better to repent a year too soon that an houre too late Esaus tears as well as his Venison came too late Gen. 27.33 34. David would seek after God early Psal 36.1 Austin in his confessions complains of himself that he knew God no sooner * Sero nimis te amâ—vi Domiâ— they will hardly be able to run the heavenly race who have old age and old sins upon them 4. Run the path-way not the road-way hell-road is full of travellers most go wrong Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil the multitude doth not consider what is best but what is safest our Saviour hath told us narrow is the way which leadeth unto life Mat. 7.14 run in the narrow way of self-denial and mortification 5. Resolve to hold on in the race notwithstanding dangers and difficulties A good Christian must be steeled with courage and fired with zeal 't is probable there will be thorns in the way of our race and flint-stones therefore we had need be well shod 1. We must be shod with the Gospel of peace Ephes 6.15 he whose heart is fil'd with that peace the Gospel brings will be able to run over the hardest piece of Religion with ease 2. We must be shod with patience Heb. 12.1 Let us run with patience the race Patience bears up the heart of a Christian and keeps him from tyring in the race if this shoo be off we shall soon halt and give over running 6. Christians in their race must keep their eye still upon the mark The Grecians had their white line drawn at the end of their race which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Racers eye was still upon it The looking upon the prize quickens Christians in their race St. Paul looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards the mark Phil. 3.14 as Archers look at the white Racers at the prize And Moses Heb. 11.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looked to the recompence of reward he looked with one eye at Gods glory and with the other eye at the Garland or Prize 7. O run with delight Psal 119.47 I will delight my self in thy Commandements Oyle supples the joynts and makes them agil and nimble The oyle of gladness makes Christians lively and fit to runne the heavenly Race The joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8.10 8. Run in the strength of Christ do not think you can of your selves win the race the Arminians talk of Free-will but it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Rom. 9.16 by nature we are blind and lame therefore unfit to run a race we run fastest when Christ takes us by the hand 9. If you would run so as to obtain be often in the exercise of grace is it not enough to have grace in the habit but in the exercise Such as run the heavenly race must not only be living but lively they must have a flourishing faith a flaming love What is the meaning of the Loines girt and the Lamps burning Luke 12.35 but grace in its activity without this there can be no speed in the heavenly race If you would run hard pray hard Prayer helps us on in the race Luther was a man of Prayer Pray over that Prayer Cant. 1 4. Draw me we will run after thee Pray that you may not mistake your way through Error nor stumble in it through offences In a word Let us pray for the Holy Spirit which doth animate us in the race and carry us above our own
to be gray-headed in Religion what a credit when it shall be said of him His last works are better than his first Revel 2.19 A good Christian is like wine full of spirits which is good to the last drawing A Limner makes his last work more compleat and curious blessed is that man who the nearer he is to death moves swifter to the heavenly Center FINIS THE TABLE Alphabetical A. ABusers of their souls page 462 Acceptance through Christ 422 Adoption wherein it consists 291 Afflictions no sign of Gods anger 321 322 Afflictions light 395 Angels in some sence inferiour to Saints 319 Anger opposite to meekness 133 Appearance of sin to be avoided 242 Appearing of Christ 579 Arguments to brotherly love 618 Assurance to be laboured after p. 437 Assurance though feisible yet difficult to be attained 440 It is useful 441 How this jewel of assurance may be had 442 B. BAlm of Gilead 490 Beauty of grace 511 Blessedness in reversion 17 Wherein blessedness doth not consist 18 Wherein it doth consist 24 Believe a blessedness to come 27 The godly in some sense blessed in this life 31 32 Blood of Saints pretious 317 C. CHearfulness 588 Childship a state of freedom 332 Children of God 290 291 They labour to make others Gods Children 310 They have boldnesse in Prayer 331 All things turn to their gaod 335 They shall never finally perish 338 They should endeavour to carry themselves as Children 343 Christ the best of Preachers 2 Christ our Righteousness 421 Christ a most transcendent blessing 432 Christ a soul-Physitian 485 Why a Physitian 486 The best Physitian 493 Christs love to his Patients 495 Christ can cure a relapse 504 Christianity no disgraceful thing 60 The nature of Christianity 363 Christians should shine forth in their Relations 594 Comforts belonging to mourners in this life 108 111 In the life to come p. 125 Commands of God not grievous 402 Concatenation of the Graces 38 Conversation must be pure 246 Covetousness a multiplying sin 234 235 D. DAnger of despair 98 99 Dangerous to phancy sin less than it is 101 Deceit of the heart 538 539 Dead in sinne healed by Christ 498 Debt of love differs from other debts 624 Degrees of fruit 607 Deriding holiness a fatal sinne 237 Desertion 323 Differences between true and false desires 194 195 Differences between the Christian race and other 559 Divisions dangerous 626 E. EMissaries of Satan 8 Examples of meekness 143 Excellency of grace 516 Excellency of the mourners comfort 113 Exhortation ton to mutual love p. 627 F. FAith in our heavenly Physiitian 505 Faith makes us Children 952 Faith a suffering grace 381 How faith enables to suffer 382 Fences about the heart 550 Fear an enemy to suffering 370 Fickleness of the heart 540 Flesh not to be listned to 371 Forethoughts of sufferings 366 Forgiving of injuries 138 Forsaking of sinne may have its deceits 241 Fruitfulness 591 Fruit in the season 595 Exhortation to fruitfulness 604 Fulness of Christ 417 G. GOod Conscience 373 Glory proportioned to the service we do for God 65 Godly have cause to long for death 61 Gospel-precepts facill compar'd with the severity of the Law 409 Grace severally taken in Scripture 512 Grace not bestowed on all p. 514 Grace quickneth the soul 516 Grace enricheth 517 Grace adorneth 518 Grace a Spiritual perfume 520 Grace the ballast of the soul 523 Grace fits for glory 523 524 How grace is to be obtained 526 H. HArdness of heart dangerous 87 Heart-custody 529 Heart kept with all kind of keeping 531 At all times 534 Heart the Fountain of our actions 541 Motives to heart-custody 552 Hindrances of the successe of the Word 9 10 Honour of Gods children 315 Honour to suffer for Christ 391 Hope of a Christian 576 Hope and Faith differenced 577 Signs of a true hope 583 How Christ heals 489 Hunger of the soul described 153 A reproof of those who have no spiritual hunger 156 Who hunger after unrighteousness 160 Signs of Spiritual hunger 162 Helps to spiritual hunger p. 170 Hungry shall be filled 172 173 I. IMpure hearts deciphered 229 230 Interest in Christ to be laboured after 431 Joys of heaven resembled to a feast 116 K. KEeping the heart 531 Kingdom of heaven excells other Kingdoms 56 57 How we may know we belong to it 62 Thoughts of this Kingdom sweetens poverty 66 Knowledge alone will not make a man happy 633 634 L. LIfe to be denied for Christ 377 Loss of the soul foolish 464. Fatal 465 Love of God in making us his children 313 Love to be centred on Christ 445 Love to Gods Children 307 Love of the world an enemy to suffering 369 Love among Christians 616 617 M. MAlice mental murder 134 Manner of the Spirits comforting p. 111 112 Manner of our seeing God in heaven 259 Means of a Spiritual cure 507 Meekness what it is 132 Motives to meekness 145 146 Directions for meekness 152 Mercifulness 180 Mercifulness to mens souls 183 Names 188 Estates 193 Offences 194 Wants 195 Exhortatâ—â—n to mercifulness 206 Motives to mercifulness 210 Rules about showing mercy 218 Ministers must take all opportunities for soul-service 6 Ministers Seedsmen 7 Their dignity 12 Ministers under the torrid zone of persecution 354 What need there is of Ministers in the Church 477 Misery of a Christless person 428 Mourners are blessed 67 Sin the object of mourning 69 What is not the right mourning for sin 70 What is the right mourning p. 72 Mourn for the sins of others 80 For the miseries of the Church 82 Seasons of mourning 83 Degrees of mourning 85 Motives to mourning 91 Hinderances of mourning 98 Helps to mourning 106 N. NAmes of others not to be wronged 188 189 Nicities in Religion too much minded 159 This discovers want of appetite ibid. O. OBjections of sinners answered 501 502 Opposites to meekness 133 Opposite to mourning 86 Ordination needful for Preachers 4 5 6 Outward things not suitable to the soul 20 Not durable 21 P. PAssions to be watched over 548 Patience abused grows furious 105 Patience a Christians Armour of proof p. 386 Peaceable mindedness 269 Motives to it 277 Peace-makers blessed 285 People to encourage their Ministers 14 15 Persecution 347 VVhy it must be 351 352 What that persecution is which will not make a man blessed 358 What that is will make him blessed 359 A reproof to such as refuse to suffer persecution 364 To such as inflict persecution 365 How to prepare for persecution 368 Persecution cannot hinder blessedness 397 Poverrty of spirit 41 How poverty of spirit differs from humility 42 How from self-denial ibid. Why Christians must be poor in spirit 43 Signs of poverty of Spirit 47 Practice of Religion makes us happy 638 What it is hinders practice 642 Pretiousness of the soul 451 Pride of spirit dangerous 45 Priviledges of Gods Children 320 Procrastination dangerous 103 Promises made to suffering p. 388 Purity of heart 222 Why we must be pure 224 Why the heart must be 226 Purity the souls beauty 227 Signs of a pure heart 238 An exhortation to peart purity 248 Means for heart purity 254 R. REasons why mourners want comfort 122 123 Reasonings of the flesh dangerous 379 Recompencing good for evil 140 141 Regarding iniquity what it is 231 Regeneration 301 Rejoycing in Christ 448 Religion a Race 554 Reproof to be taken kindly 479 Reverence in Gods worship 245 Rewards for Christs Martyrs 399 Righteousness what it implies 154 Righteous person who 368 S. SAints perseverance 524 Saints glorified are Kings 53 Scandals p. 415. Self-denial needful for suffering 375 Scripture to be resorted to 374 Signs of Gods Children 298 Signs of sincerity 238 Sins commands grievous 411 Sin a deadly evil 106 Sin a soul desease 469 How resembled to sickness 469 470 Sin the worst sickness 475 Sick souls think themselves well 481 The reasons of that mistake 482 Sin spreads over the whole soul 470 471 Sin a spiritual sleep 545 Soul more precious than a world 458 Spirit of Adoption a Spirit of supplication 302 303 Sufferings of Christ 392 Suffering-graces 381 T. TEaching 330 Tears pretious 92 Tenderness of heart 299 Thankfulness for Christ 450 Thoughs to be watched over 549 Tongue-persecution 350 Torments of the damned unexpressably grievous 412 Trial of grace p. 526 Truth to be prized 373 V. VAnity of the Creature 425 Vindication of the Church of England 200 Vision of God in heaven glorious 260 It will be speedy 264 Unbelief how great a sin 233 Unfruitfulness 600 Unmercifulness reproved 203 Unworthiness should not keep us from Christ p. 501 W. WAant of love reproved 625 Watchfulness needful in prosperity 537 Witness of the Spirit 305 Word of God healing 489 Works commendable 201 Z. Zeal 305 FINIS