freedom and sovereignty 2. Sometimes to manifest the power of his grace both in the person that is endued with it and the power of his grace upon others As to the person himself in whom this wisdom is found when they are young the Lord doth shew he can subdue them by his Spirit and make their prejudices vanish enlarge their understanding and over-rule their heart 1 Iohn 2. 14. I write to you young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one In that slippery Age when Lusts were boistrous Temptations most violent and they usually uncircumspect and head-strong and give up themselves to an ungoverned licence yet then can God subdue their hearts and make them stand out against the snares of the Devil And then with respect to others when by the foolish he will confound the wisdom of the wise and blast the pride of man and cast down all conceit in external priviledges and give young ones a more excellent spirit than the aged as the Apostle intimates such a thing 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty And our Lord Mat. 11. 25 26. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Usually God will do so when he will punish the unfaithfulness of those that are in publick place and office The Law shall perish from the Priest and Counsel from the Ancient God will not take the usual way and course but will give his Spirit and graces of his Spirit to them and deny it to those that should be Builders Now what Use shall we make of this There may be an Abuse of such a Point as this and there may be a very good Use. To prevent the Abuse 1 This is not to be taken so but that there should be reverence shewed to the aged Job 32. 4 5 6. Elihu had waited till Iob's Friends had spoken because they were elder than he It is an abuse of men of a proud persuasion of their own knowledge and learning to despise the aged especially when they also have a competent measure of the same Spirit The Scripture speaks of Paul the aged certainly there is a reverence due to gray hairs And it argues a great disorder when the Staff of Government is broken and the established Order is overturned when a child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient Isa. 3. 5. And young men shall peark up to the despising of their Elders Deut. 28. And 2. this is not to be applied so to prejudice the general case of consulting with the Ancients which was Rehoboam's sin though God sometimes giveth wisdom to young men yet the usual course is that Iob 32. 7. I said days should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom Certainly those that are old they are freer from passions bettered by use and experience and long continuance in study have more advantages to add to their knowledge therefore usually though the bodily eyes be dim the understanding may be most clear and sharp Use 2. The Use in general is twofold That young men should not be discouraged nor despised 1. Not discouraged We use to say youth for strength and age for wisdom but if they apply their hearts to Religion and the study of God's will and with knowledge join practice they may profit and so as they may be a means to shame those that are elder while they come behind them in many gracious endowments They are not to be discouraged as if it were too soon for them to enter into a strict course or grow eminent therein for God may glorifie himself in their Sobriety Temperance Chastity Zeal Courage and the setting their strong and eager spirits against sin it is a mighty honour to God Psal. 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies c. The graces of God in young ones do mightily turn to the praise of his glorious grace and God is admired in them and it is an honour and comfort to you also Eph. 1. 12. In Christ before me it is a just upbraiding to elder people that lie longer in sin 2. Nor yet should youth be despised 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth God's gifts should not be despised in any nor stir up rancor God may speak by them as he spoke by Samuel and to Samuel when he spoke not to old Eli. Having premised this let me come to apply it particularly though briefly it conduceth then 1. To the encouragement of youth to betake themselves to the ways of God O consider let us begin with God betimes do not spend your youth in vanity but in a serious mortified course This is your sharp and active time when your spirits are fresh therefore if your Watch is set right now you may understand more than the Ancients Give up your hearts to a religious course let not the Devil feast upon the flower of your youth and God be put off with the fragments and scraps of Satan's Table while you are young take in with God it 's a great honour to God and it will be an honour and advantage to you Mat. 11. 15 16. When the Children cry Hosanna to the Son of David and the Pharisees reproved him for it Christ approves of it saying Have ye never read Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise When young ones take kindly it is a great blessing therefore is judgment hanging over this Nation that youth is so degenerated whereas formerly they were addicted to Religion now they are addicted to all manner of lusts and vanity Then it would be an honour and comfort to you the sooner we begin with God the more we glorifie God and the more praise to God Eph. 1. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. They that get into Christ above others they glorifie Grace above others Rom. 16. 7. They were in Christ before me He that first gets into Christ he hath the advantage of others Seniority in Grace is a preferment as well as in Nature And then it is a great advantage Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth When we begin betimes with God we have more opportunity of serving and enjoying God than others have A man should bear the yoke in his youth Lam. 3. If the bent of our inclinations were set right in our youth it would prevent much and hinder the growth of sin Though a man cannot plant Grace in his heart that 's the Lord's own work yet it keeps sin in and prevents inveterate custom
18. And ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles It is for a testimony and that should comfort them in all their sufferings Mark 14. 9. Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her The testimony is more valid as being confirmed by their Courage in troubles they are Principles that they will suffer for which as it is a warning to the professors of Religion that they should own no principles in a time of peace but what they would confirm by their avowed testimony in the extremity of trials so also it should convince their enemies in case they be put upon this exercise It is needful that every truth should have a sealed testimony that is we should not only vent opinions but be willing to suffer for them if God should call us out so to do God hath been ever tender of imposing upon the world without sufficient evidence and therefore would not have his people stand upon their lives and temporal concernments that thereby they may give greater satisfaction to the world concerning the weight of those truths which they do profess Secondly On the Persecutors part or the persons molesting so the causes are 1. Their ignorance and blind zeal Joh. 16. 2. They shall put you out of their synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that they do God good service They think it to be an acceptable service to God to molest and trouble those that are indeed his people Those Princes that sate and spake against David were not Pagans and men of another Religion but of Israel and it is often the lot of Gods people to be persecuted not only by Pagans and openly prophane men but even by men that profess the true Religion Pseudo-Christians Rev. 14. 13. those that pretend they are for God and his cause and seem to be carried on with a great zeal and do not oppose truth as truth but their quarrel is coloured by specious pretences 2. Their prejudices lightly taken up against the people of God Satan is first a lyar and then a murderer Joh. 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it By lyes he bringeth about his bloody design Christ was first called a Samaritan and one that had a Devil and then they did persecute him as such an one And as was observed before as Christians of old were covered with the skins of wild beasts that Dogs and Lyons might tear them the more speedily so by odious imputations Gods people are brought into distast with the world and then molested and troubled represented as a company of hypocrites and unjust dealers and under that cloak true Religion is undermined Now in the Persecutor this is faulty because they lightly take up every false suggestion and so Christians are condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iustin Martyr complained because of the common reproach without any distinct inquiry into their way and practice Nolunt audire quod auditum damnare non possunt 3. Their erroneous Principle in Civil Policy That Christs Kingdom and the freedom of his worshippers is not consistent with Civil Interests Whatever hath been the matter worldly Rulers have been jealous of Christs Interest and Kingdom as if it could not consist with publick safety and the civil interests of that State and Nation where it is admitted and suggestions of this kind do easily prevail with them Esther 3. 8. It is not for the Kings profit to suffer them and John 11. 48. If we let him alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation Reason of State is an ancient plea against the interest of Religion In the Roman Empire though the Christians were inconsiderable as to any publick charge yet they had a jealous eye upon them Iustin Martyr sheweth the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were often speaking of a Kingdom though they meant it of the Kingdom of heaven and were far enough from all Rebellion USE 1. It informeth us that we should not measure the verity of Religion by the greatness of those that are with it or against it This was one of the Pharisees arguments Do any of the rulers believe in him Joh. 7. 48. but this people that know not the law are accursed Alas men of Authority and great place may be often against Gods Interest James 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons Mark that title that is given to Christ the Lord of glory he is able to put glory enough upon his worshippers though they have nothing of outward pomp and splendor and not many mighty are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Many will say they have none of quality to join with them none but ignorant people If a man had judged so in the first times when the Gospel came first abroad in the world would not Christianity it self have seemed a very contemptible thing Therefore a simple plain-hearted love to Christ and his Truth whether Powers be averse or friendly is that which is required of us 2. It reproveth those who are soon discouraged even with the reproach which base people cast upon the ways of God David stood both in the one temptation and in the other the reproach and contempt of the Vulgar and also when Princes sate and spake against him But to these we may say as Jer. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how wilt thou contend with horses If we be such tender milk-sops that we cannot suffer a disgraceful word from the basest of the people what shall we do when we meet with other manner of conflicts and oppositions in the farther progress of our duty to God If we are tired out with the disgrace and affronts of these mean ones and cannot put up a scornful word at their hands without disorder what shall we do when we are to contest for Gods Interest with those great and masterly ones that are armed with Power and Authority and it may be the advantage of Laws against us Scommata nostra ferre non potes said the Antiochians to Iulian in another case quomodo feres Persarum tela Gods servants do often receive discouragement from the people and from Authority but the goodness of their Cause and the favour of God makes them joyfully persevere 3. It teacheth us what to do when this is not our case I have treated as this Scripture hath led me of the oppositions of Princes and worldly
a poor little hearsay Knowledg availeth not They abhor themselves when they have more intimate acquaintance none so confident as a young Professor that knoweth a few Truths but in a weak and imperfect manner the more we know indeed the more sensible we are of our ignorance how liable to this mistake and that that we dare not trust our selves for an hour 4. Because of the profit that cometh by knowledg All grace from first to last cometh in by the understanding God in the work of grace followeth the order which he hath established in Nature Reason and Judgment is to go before the will and therefore when the work of Grace is first begun in us it beginneth in the Understanding Renewed in knowledg Col. 3. 10. So the encrease of grace 2 Pet. 1. 12. Grace be multiplied unto you through the knowledg of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord. As the beginning is by light so is all the gradual progress of the spiritual life strength to bear afflictions strength in conflicts is by powerful reasons yea the perfect change that is made in us in glory is by the vision of God We shall see him as he is and shall be like him If we had more knowledg of God and his ways we should trust him more fear him more love him more Trust him Psal. 9. 10. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee If God were more known he would be better trusted 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed I dare trust him with my soul. More feared 3 Joh. 11. Beloved follow not that which is evil but that which is good He that doth good is of God he that doth evil hath not seen God Right thoughts of God would not let us sin so freely one Truth or other would fall upon us and give check to the temptation as feared so loved more The more explicite thoughts we have of his excellency the more are our hearts drawn out to him Joh. 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift c. Christ would not lye by as a neglected thing if he were more known in all his worth and excellency USE The first Use is to press you to get Knowledg and look upon it as a singular Grace if the Lord will give you to understand and apply the comfort and direction of his Holy Word Joh. 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you To be taught the mind of God is a greater act of friendship than if God should give a man all the treasures of the world To make himself known so as you may love him fear him trust him When we can apply this for our comfort O then cry for knowledg lift up thy voice for understanding seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures Prov. 2. 3 4. Go to God and be earnest with him Lord make me to understand the way of thy precepts We can walk in the ways of sin without a Teacher but we cannot walk in the ways of God And cry lift up thy voice We are earnest for quickning and enlargement but be earnest also for understanding Now a large prayer without endeavours is nothing worth Dig in the Mines of knowledg search into the Scripture do not gather up a few scattered notions but look into the bowels Silver doth not lye in the surface of the earth but deep in the bottom of it and will cost much labour and digging to come at it If we would have any good stock of knowledg which will prevent vain thoughts carnal discourse abundance of heart-perplexing scruples and doubts and much darkness and uncomfortableness of spirit it will cost us some labour and pains The more knowledg we have the more are we established against error 2 Pet. 3. 17. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness The more you have of this divine saving knowledg the greater check upon sin Psal. 119. 11. I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee One Truth or another will rise up in defiance of the Temptation The greater impulsion to duty the more of the Law of God the more it urgeth the conscience Prov. 6. 22. It maketh us more useful in all our Relations 1 Pet. 3. 7. Husbands Dwell with them according to knowledg c. Parents Eph. 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Friends Rom. 15. 14. And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledg able also to admonish one another Magistrates that they may discern Christs Interest Psal. 2. 10. Be wise now therefore O Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth When Solomon asked Wisdom the thing pleased the Lord. And lastly More comfortable in our selves that they may comfort and build up one another whenever they meet together USE 2. To press you to grow in knowledg None have such confidence and rejoycing in God as those that have a clear sight and understanding of his will revealed in his word Let your knowledg 1. Be more comprehensive At first our thoughts run in a narrow channel There are certain general Truths absolutely necessary to salvation as concerning our misery by sin and the sufficiency of Christ to help us but if we might rest in these why hath God given us so copious a Rule The general sort of Christians content themselves to see with others eyes get the knowledg of a few truths and look no farther why then hath God given so large a Rule Fundamentals are few believe them live well and you shall be saved This is the Religion of most This is as if a man in building should only be careful to lay a good foundation no matter for roof windows walls If a man should untile your house and tell you the foundation standeth the main butteresses are safe you would not like of it A man is bound according to his capacity and opportunity to know all Scripture the consequences of every Truth God may and doth accept of our imperfect knowledg but not when men are negligent and do not use the means To be willingly ignorant of the lesser ways of God is a sin VVe should labour to know all that God hath revealed 2. More distinct why Truths are best known in their frame and dependance as Gods works of Creation when viewed singly and apart every days work was good but when viewed alltogether in their correspondence and mutual proportion to each other were very good Gen. 1. 31. So all Truths of God take them singly are good but
the flowr and freshness of your Youth and God onely have the scraps and fragments of the Devils Table when we are good for nothing else then to think we are good enough for God and the business of Religion which requires all our might and all our strength When we are spent is it a time to begin our Warfare or in our youth 4. There is this the just suspicion which is upon a late Repentance it is seldom sound it is no true Repentance which ariseth merely from horrour and fears of Hell It may be but the beginnings of everlasting despair And their desires may be but offers of self-love after their own ease All men seek the Lord at length but wise men seek him betimes The difference is made on some in time on others out of time upon their death-beds The most prophane would have God for their Portion when they can sin no more and enjoy the world no longer how can we tell this is a sound work it seems tobe a very questionable thing meerly proceeding from self-love and natural desires of happiness in all men When we begin with God we begin out of self-love we come for our ease and interest that we may be safe and happy afterwards we come to a delight of Spirit in his Service and having opportunity show in our works the power of our affection to God and manifest the soundness of our conversion It is possible a Death-bed repentance may be true but it is very doubtful There is but one Instance which is that of the Thief upon the Cross. The Scriptures are a History of 5000 years yet all that while we have but one instance of a man that repented when he came to dye and in that one instance there 's an extraordinary conjunction of Circumstances such as will never fall out again Christ was at the Thiefs right hand in the height of his Love drawing Sinners to Salvation and probably this man had never any such call till then Some may at the eleventh hour be converted because they were not called till then Every one came when they were called Therefore there being so great and just a suspicion that lies against a late Repentance certainly we should not delay Reason 5. The Reasons for delay are very inconsiderable Solomon saith Prov. 26. 16. That the Sluggard thinks himself wiser than seven men that can render a reason Mark as Solomons fool is not to be taken Litterally but Spiritually so Solomons sluggard is not to be taken Morally but Spiritually They that are sluggish and slow of Heart in the things of God They think they have a great deal of reason on their side and will not be perswaded on the contrary but they shall do well enough for all that and they can argue against the calls and injunctions of God yet how little can they say for themselves See what reasons may be said for delay I mean not that they plead and argue but it is that which sways them that which lies next the Heart is this why they keep off from God and are satisfied with their present Estate 1. The pleasures of sin are sweet and they are loth to forgoe them and to engage their Souls in the severities of a strict obedience Here 's the bottom reason this is that which sways them I will not speak to this plea as it lies against Conversion it self but onely as it makes men to delay If I were to plead for conversion it self I would tell these Carnallists of higher Pleasure that their delights shall not be abrogated but preserv'd their delight shall be transplanted from Egypt to Canaan that it may thrive and prosper in a happier Soyl that they may have purer contentments and those chast and happy satisfactions of enjoying Communion with God But I shall onely deal with them as it relates to the delay of Conversion Therefore I thus argue These pleasures of sin must one day be renounced or you are for ever miserable and if you must one day why not now For mark sin will be as sweet hereafter as now it is and Salvation is always dispensed upon the same terms you cannot be saved hereafter with less adoe or bring down Christ and Heaven to a lower rate and therefore if this be a Reason now it will ever lie as a reason against Christ and Religion then you will never tend to look after the ways of life if you are loth to part with sin now you will never part with it The Laws of Christianity are always the same God will not bate you any thing of Repentance and your heart is not like to be better but worse that 's the summ of it and therefore this reason signifies nothing when it comes to be tried in the ballance of the sanctuary and yet this is the main reason 2. They can plead other things hope God will be merciful to them hereafter though they indulge themselves a little longer in sin he will at length save them I answer you cannot bend his Mercy and make it save it is a meer uncertainty peradventure he will peradventure not Would you take poison out of hope that afterward you may meet with an Antidote And this is the very case between God and us I answer further there are shrewd suspicions that God will not be merciful to those that run such a desperate adventure For who ever delays his Repentance doth in effect pawn his Soul with the Devil and leaves it in his hands and says here Satan keep my Soul if I fetch it not again by such a day 't is thine for ever and can you think mercy will bring it out Again there are great causes of fear because there is such a thing as judicial hardness of heart by a Sentence of obduration There are some that God gives up to their own ways and counsels and God inflicts this Sentence upon those that continue in sin notwithstanding conviction of their hearts to the contrary Prov. 1. 24. Ye have set at naught all my Counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh There are thousands in Hell meerly upon this account that have forfeited the benefit of God's Mercy and tenders of his grace and have been shut up by hardness of heart by Gods Sentence of obduration the most dreadfull punishment that can light upon a Creature on this side Hell 3. I but we are willing and would turn to the Lord now but we have no leisure and have not those conveniencies that we shall have hereafter for then we shall get things into a better frame and posture Oh no no it is meer hypocrisy to think you are willing when you delay for there is nothing hinders but a want of will and a lothness to comply with the commands of God When we dare not flatly deny then we delay Non vacat that's the sinners plea I am not at leisure but non placet there
usually Soul-necessities are overlooked We regard them not or conceit we are well already Rev. 3. 17. Thou thoughtest thou wast rich and increased with goods and hadst need of nothing and then we have no relish for the offered Remedy The Word of God is the offered Remedy to repair our collapsed State The Gospel is not onely true but worthy to be imbrac'd 1 Tim. 1. 15. but who will imbrace it but the sensible Sinner for 't is offered as a Remedy to the Sick and Deliverance to the Captive 't is not enough to see the Excellency of things but we must see our Necessity of them There are two hinderances that prejudice our Salvation Either the Necessity and Excellency of the Gospel is not considered or the Truth and Reality of it is not believed 3. They measure all things with respect not to this World but the World to come 'T is an high point of Religion to doe all things and regard all things for eternal Ends 2 Cor. 4. 18. Looking not to things seen that are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal Making this our scope and doing all to this end Gold and Silver are the most valuable things in the World what cannot Gold and Silver buy in this World but there is another World and Believers look to things unseen Within a while it will not be a pin to choose whether we have injoyed much or little of this World 's good things but much will lie upon this whether we have obeyed God and glorified God and accepted of Christ. The use of Gold and Silver ceaseth in the World to come these things are not currant in Canaan nor accounted of in our heavenly Country therefore Money should be a vile thing instead of Grace we can carry away none of these things with us when we die Eccles. 5. 15. And surely that which hath no power to free us from Death to comfort us in Death or goe with us into another World after Death is no Happiness or solid Tranquillity 4. They have had trial and experience of the Word what a Comfort and Support it hath been to them 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious There is an Appetite followeth the New nature and makes us desire spiritual Food Phil. 1. 9 10. And this I pray that ye may abound in all knowledge and in all Iudgment That we may approve the things that are excellent When the Spirit giveth us a tast of the goodness of those things offered in the Word of God a tast of divine Truth in our Souls when we find these Comforts verified in us then we come to approve the things that are Excellent above all other things Psalm 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee We never know the worth of the Word till we come to make trial of it by Practice and Experience The pleasure of the Word we find in practice and the comfort and support of it in deep Afflictions 't is not so with the World try it and loath it 't is more in fancy than fruition because the Imperfections which formerly lay hid are discovered but the more intimately acquainted with the Word of God the more we prize it we see there is more to be gained there than in all the World besides Use 1. Is to reprove and disprove those that prefer Gold and Silver before the Word of God this is done by four sorts 1. This is grossly done by those that revolt from the profession of the Truth for the World's sake 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us and embrac'd the present world that betray the cause of Religion as Iudas sold his Master for thirty pieces of Silver or by those who will transgress for a small hire the Devil needeth not offer great things to them when they will accept of less with thanks for two pence or three pence gain will profane the Sabbath or wrong their Neighbour Is the Law of God's Mouth dearer to them than Gold and Silver surely no they may flatter themselves with love to the Word but when they can violate it for a Trifle for a pair of Shoos 't is a sign that a little gain gotten by iniquity of Traffick is sweeter to them than all the Comforts of the Promise 2. 'T is done by them that will not forsake any thing for the Word's sake but when they are put upon an apparant Trial here is Gold and Silver and there the Law of God's Mouth what will you doe obey God or comply with your Interests you shew your Love by leaving the one rather than the other as Moses counted the reproach of Christ better treasure than the riches of Egypt Heb. 11. 26. Christ's worst is better than the World 's best The Thessalonians shewed their Love when they received the Word in much Affliction but when you decline Duty and are loth to hazzard your Interests 't is evident what you prefer To some this may be a daily Temptation If I should be conscionable in my Calling I should be poor keep touch and honesty in all things it would turn to my loss How many are discouraged from the Ways of God and discharging a good Conscience by Inconveniency 3. This is also in part done by them who turn back upon the Word and Ordinances of God for gains sake and fix their residence there where they can neither enjoy God nor his People nor the Comfort of his Ordinances as Merchants who remove for Traffick and settle their abode there where the true Religion is not professed it may be suppressed with extremity of rigour especially when they send Youth thither and Novices and Persons not grounded in the Faith This is like turning a Child loose among a company of contagious Persons or setting an empty Pitcher to crack before the fire Commerce and Traffick with Infidels or Persons of a false Religion is lawfull but to make our constant Residence where there is no Liberty for reading and hearing the Word of God no Liberty of Worship and Ordinances cannot be excused from Sin You make Religion to stoop to Gain I will not urge so high and heroical an Instance as Moses Heb. 11. 25. Choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than injoy the pleasures of sin for a season but of a Iew since the time of their Degeneration I have once and again read of one Rabbi Ioseph who being allured with the hope and call to a place of great gain to teach Hebrew where there was no Synagogue is said to have brought forth this Scripture for his Answer and Excuse The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver let us Christians remember it and consider the pertinency of it 4. 'T is more refinedly done by them who by earthly
of Balaam that he caused Balak to lay a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication This was the Plot to send some beautiful Women of Midian to wander about the Camp of Israel to tempt their lusty Youth and martial Men first to Uncleanness and then to Idolatry that so God might be provoked against them A Plot so full of refined Malice that it can hardly be parallel'd Thus the Devil and his Instruments play their part sufficiently to divide God's People to prejudice their Rulers yea to disaffect God himself II. Plots to discourage and suppress Religion So there are many ways which wicked Men take who can name them all I shall only instance in two Policies of Iulian the Apostate the most refined Instrument the Devil used either for Wit or Malice two ways especially did he seek to undermine Religion 1. One was to forbid the use of Schools to the Christians and suppress Humane Learning To make a people irreligious the way is to make them ignorant discourage Learning and Piety will not be long in fashion not able long to maintain itself in the dark Men will adore any fancy This was like Nahash his condition to Iabesh Gilead Put out their right eye God's two famous Instruments who wrote most both of the Old and New Testament Paul and Moses were both excellently skill'd in secular Learning 2. Another was to put none to death for Religion but to oppress them with all manner of vexations and discouragements To put them to death he apprehended to be glorious but sometimes banished them Towns As Athanasius deprived them of all Offices Civil and Military wasted them with burdensom Levies and Exactions Let us make them poor saith he scoffingly for it is a hard matter for the Rich to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The Devil doth his work more cleverly and handsomly when Christians are not called out to the Fire and Gibbet but are wasted by lingring Inconveniences and loss of Priviledges III. Plots to introduce Persecution 1. Defamation Infamy is the Forerunner of more Trouble and the Showers of Slander are but Presages of grievous Storms of Persecution The Devil is first a Lyar and then a Murtherer Iohn 8. 44. When the Children of God are represented as Criminal they are more easily destroyed 'T was a fashion in the primitive Persecutions to invest Christians with a Bears skin and then to bait them as Bears And 't is an usual practice of Satan and his Instruments to blast the repute of Religious persons to cloath them with the Livery of Reproach and then prosecute them as Offenders Psal. 5. 9. Their throat is an open sepulchre The Slanders of the wicked are preparatives to Death as the Sepulchre when opened is prepared to receive the dead Carkass Men first slander and then molest The Devil is afraid to meddle with unstained innocency A good report is a great security against open violence 2. To destroy the Church under the pretence of the Church as the Beast in the Revelations pushed with the horns of the Lamb Rev. 13. 11. 'T was a Proverb All Evil began in the Name of the Lord In Nomine Domini incipit omne malum And it hath been a false pretended Zeal for the Church that hath of later years raised and fomented all or most of the Persecutions of Christians 3. To destroy Christians upon the pretence of Civil Quarrels and Laws and to disguise Hatred against Religion under a pretence of Publick Peace Kill you as well as cast you out of the Synagogue Dan. 6. 4. The Persian Noblemen sought to find occasion against Daniel because of the kingdom though they find none 4. To make way for Errors and Falshoods so many Pits do the wicked dig to beguile unwary and unstable Souls sometimes by more than ordinary pretences of Love Meekness and Sweetness They come to you in sheeps cloathing saith our Lord but inwardly are ravening wolves Mat. 7. 15. Sheeps cloathing that is all for love and kindness and so steal away the hearts of the people as Absolom by his submission and servile Flattery And then by debasing opposing and crying down a faithful Ministry Demosthenes's Fable of the Wolves agreeing with the sheep in lusu would send away their Dogs Now thus they do by questioning their calling as the false Teachers did Pauls And we have been so long Unministring one another that all Ministry is hated in the hearts of many an Anti-Ministerial spirit Sometimes by decrying Maintenance The Lamp is starved when not supplied with Oil. Some to gain credit and entrance and to disgrace Paul and the true Evangelick Ministers whose Poverty needed a supply will take no Maintenance therefore Paul saith 2 Cor. 11. 12. That wherein they glory we might be as they but there is no end of raking in this Puddle 2dly Private Persons Cain against Abel drew him into the Field disputed with him about God and Providence and the World to come Gen. 4. The Princes of Darius against Daniel Dan. 6. the Kingdom was but newly subdued by the Medes This would try the affection of his Subjects no request to be made to God or Man for 30 days The Medes and Persians were wont to ascribe Divine Honours to their Kings as Brissonius proveth The report of this Reverence would be glorious Religion was at stake therefore Daniel would venture the Lyons Den. Iudas his Treason against Christ Luke 22. 3. The Devil entred into Iudas The Iews laying in wait for Paul Acts 23. 12 13 14. Certain Iews banded together and bound themselves under a curse or oath of execration that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul And they were more than forty that had made this conspiracy And this they would do with the consent of the chief Priests as he was coming to the Sanedrim A Parallel in the Fifth of November So Iezabel's Plot against Naboth for his Vineyard makes use of God's Name and Worship to bring it about 1 Kings 21. 8 9 10. But I must stop being carried beyond my first intention plotted Mischiefs are an ancient practice Use of all How much are we obliged to God's Providence who doth not only defend us against open violence but secret Machinations 'T is the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness and disappointeth the counsels of wicked men against his people Iob 5. 12. Many things are contrived against us in the dark that we know not and see not but the eye of the Lord watcheth for us Isa. 8. 10. Take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Second Point That these Plots usually begin in Pride For David saith here The proud have digged pits for me Therefore it is Pride that puts Men upon designs of mischief and ruine to others Pride sheweth itself in the envy of Superiors contention with Equals or the disdain of
his mouth and walk in the way that is pointed out by his Word and Spirit you shall have enough to direct you in all your ways 2. It doth warn us of all our dangers It doth not only in the general call upon us to watch Mat. 13. 37. and walk circumspectly Eph. 5. 15. but it discovers all those deceits particularly whereby we may be surprized diverted and turned out of the way There are snares in Prosperity snares in Adversity Temptations you meet with in praying trading eating drinking in your publick undertakings and in your private converse it shews your danger in all your ways before you feel the smart of them therefore give up your selves to God's direction reading hearing meditating believing and practising read hear it often then the deceits of Satan will be laid open and the snares of your own hearts Christians an exact Rule is of little use if you do not consult it Gal. 6. 16. Peace and mercy be upon all them that walk according to this Rule That order their conversations exactly the word signifies that try their work as a Carpenter doth by his square they examine their actions by the Word of God what they are now a doing therefore consult with it often then meditate of it ponder it seriously 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things If we would have understanding by the Word there must be consideration Man hath a discursive faculty to debate things with himself Why this is my duty what would become of me if I slep out of God's way here 's danger and a snare What if I should run into it now it is laid before me And then believe it surely Heb. 4. 2. The Word profited not not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Believe God upon his Word without making tryal You hear much of living by sense and by saith living by faith is when we bear up upon the bare Word of God and encourage our selves in the Lord but living by sense is a trying whether it be so or no as they that will not believe Hell shall feel Hell and they that will not believe the Word of God shall smart for it Heb 11. 7. Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. It may be there were no preparations to the accomplishment of the Curse and Judgment the Word threatned it 's a thing not seen yet he prepared an Ark. When a man is walking in an unjust course all things prosper for awhile the misery the Word threatens is unseen Ay but if you would grow wiser by the Word than men can by Experience you must look to the end of things Psal. 73. 17. I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end And then practise it diligently A young Practiser hath more understanding than an ancient Notionallist Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments It is not they that are able to speak of things and savor what the Word requires but they that do what they hear and discourse of Gregory saith We know no more than we practise and we practise as we know these two always go together The Word doth us no good unless there be a ready obedience therefore this is wisdom when we give up our selves to God's direction whatever it cost us in the world Doct. 2. That young ones may have many times more of this wisdom than those that are ancient Divers instances there are Ioseph was very young sold into Egypt about 17 years of age and when he was in Egypt Psal. 105. 22. He taught his Senators wisdom speaking of the Senators of Egypt With how much modesty did he carry himself when his Mistriss laid that snare Isaac was young and permitted himself to be offered to God as a Sacrifice Samuel was wise betimes 1 Sam. 2. 26. It is said The child Samuel grew on and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men From his Infancy he was dedicated to God and God gives him wisdom to walk so that he was in favor with God and men yea God reveals himself to Samuel when he did not to Eli. David when he was but 15 years of age fought with the Lion and Bear and somewhile after that with Goliah when he was a ruddy youth Iosiah when he was but eight years old administred the Kingdom before he was twelve sets upon serious Reformation Ieremiah was sanctified from the womb Ier. 1. 5. And Iohn the Baptist leapt in his Mother's womb Luke 1. 35. In the 32d of Iâ—…b the Ancients Iob's Friends are spoken of pleading their Cause wise young Elihu brings wiser words and better arguments than those that came to comfort Iob. Solomon asked wisdom of God when he was young Daniel and his Companions those four children as they are called Dan. 1. 17 18. it is said The Lord filled them with wisdom above all the ancient Chaldeans And Timothy the Apostle speaks of his youth and bids him flee youthful lusts he was young yet very knowing and set over the Church of God Our Lord Iesus at 12 years old puzled the Doctors In Ecclesiastical Stories we read of one at 15 years of age dyed with great constancy for Religion in the midst of sundry tortures Ignatius pleads the cause of the Bishop when he was but a very youth but a man powerful in doctrine and of great wisdom and therefore he saith He would have them not look to his appearing youth but to the age of his mind to his wisdom before God And he saith There are many that have nothing to shew for their age but wrinckles and gray hairs So there are many young ones in whom there is an excellent spirit and in all Ages there are instances given of youth of whom it may be said That they are wise beyond their years For the Reasons why many times young ones may have more wisdom than those that are aged God doth so 1. That he might shew the freedom and sovereignty of his grace He is not bound to years nor to the ordinary course of nature but can work according to his own pleasure and give a greater measure of knowledge and understanding to those that are young and otherwise green than he will to those that are of great age and more experience in the world You have this reason rendred Iob 32. 7 8 9. I said days should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom There 's the ordinary course But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgment Though all men have reason and a spirit yet the Spirit of God is a wind that blows where he lists Those that exceed others in time may come behind them in grace He gives a greater measure many times of grace and knowledge to shew his
of the spiritual Shepherd and this comforts us when we are in the shadow of death in our crosses in confusions and difficulties when we have nothing else left but the promises this is a reviving to the soul. 2. It is a comfort and refreshing to us in spiritual troubles that arise from the guilt of sin and want of the sense of God's love Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God What shall he do Shall he compass himself about in his own sparks O how miserable are we then no but let him depend upon God according to his promise The Word of God is a great part of his Name let him stay his heart upon the Word of God when he walketh in darkness and seeth no light Now that the Word of God is such a light such a sure and clear direction I shall 1 give a direct proof of it from Scripture 2 Some Types of it 3 Prove it by experience 4 By Reason 1 For the proof from Scripture you have the Notions of the Text So Prov. 6. 23. The commandment is a lamp and the law is light It is that which keeps us from stumbling So 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place The world is a dark place ay but now here 's a light that shines in a dark place and that 's the Holy Scripture the sure word of prophecy it sheweth us our way to Heaven and prevents us from stumbling into Hell 2 To prove it by Types Two Types I shall mention one is Israel being directed by the Pillar of a Cloud the other is the lamp of the Sanctuary 1. The Type of Israel's being directed by the Pillar of the Cloud by day the Pillar of Fire by night till they came into the Land of Canaan Exod. 13. 21. still they moved up and down hither and thither as the Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire went before them thus our whole course is to be ordered by God's direction See how this Type is exprest Neh. 9. 19. The pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Mark when they were in the wilderness the Pillar of Cloud and Fire shewed them the way where they were to go this is an Emblem of the safe conduct the Church may expect from Christ Jesus in all Ages God's Pillar departed not from them by night nor day so while we are travelling in the wilderness of this our Pilgrimage his Word and Spirit is continued to us When they entred into Canaan that was a Type of Heaven then this Pillar of Cloud was removed It is notable Iosh. 14. when Israel passed over Iordan we do not read the Pillar went before them but the Ark of God was carried before them so when the Church comes to Heaven the resting place then this conduct ceaseth the Word hath no more use Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd leads his Flock into their everlasting Fold 2. The other Type was the Lamp of the Sanctuary we read of that Exod. 27. 20 21. There was a great Lamp hung upon the Vail to distinguish the Holy of Holies from the other part of the Tabernacle and was fed with pure oil-olive and this lamp was prepared and trimmed up by the Priest daily Now what did this Lamp signifie mark the application this pure oil-olive signifi'd God's pure Word without the mixture of Humane Traditions this hung up in the Vail shin'd in the Church and every day it was prepared furnished set forth by them that are called thereunto for the use of the faithful 3 Let me prove it by experience that the Word is such a sure direction 1. Because natural men have a sense of it and upon that account fear it see Iohn 3. 20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Natural men will not come to the Word they fear it as discovering and therefore never feel it as refreshing Evil doers hate the light they are afraid of the Word lest it should convince them and discover them to themselves therefore they stand off and shun all means of closing with it there is such conviction in the oar a secret jealousie of the searching power that is in the Word of God 2. Godly men do find a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from this light as to all the doubts and fears of the soul. Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes All their scruples vanish here 's an apt and fit doctrine accommodated to the heart of man A man hath never true and rational delight till he is fully satisfi'd in point of Religion till he can have rest for his soul and commodious notions of God Now if you would have rest for your souls Ier. 6. 16. here it is the children of God find it There 's a fair compliance in this doctrine with all those natural principles and ingrafted notions within us concerning God and his Will they find satisfaction in it to Conscience though not to fond curiosity the one is necessary the other dangerous and unprofitable Christians there 's a great deal of difference between these two satisfying Conscience and satisfying Curiosity as much as between quenching the thirst of a sober man and satisfying the lust and appetite of a Drunkard Here 's enough to satisfie Conscience a fair accommodation of excellent truths to a reasonable nature truths becoming God truths suiting with the heart of man and therefore here they find it to be light that is a sure direction The wicked feel the discovery of it and the Saints feel the impression of it 3. We have this external and outward experience to assure us of our rule and light that shines in the Word of God because those that go against this light and direction do sensibly miscarry and are sure to split themselves upon some Rock or other Our first Parent Adam when he hearkned to the voice of the Serpent rather than the voice of the Lord destroyed himself and all his Posterity As long as he obeyed the Word of God he remained in a blessed estate in Paradice but when he gave heed to other counsels he was cast out of Paradice and rendred liable to many sorrows yea eternal death So all that walk in the imagination of their own hearts and have not light from the Word they presently run themselves into sundry mischiefs The young Prophet is an instance of this 1 Kings 13. 21. To go to particular instances would
from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the Widow This is particularly insisted upon as the proper fruit of their Change So Dan. 4. 27. Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Repentance is a breaking off the former course of sin the King an open Oppressour Daniel preacheth righteousness and mercy to him They that continue their former unjust Courses never yet truly repented Zech. 8. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your Gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. He would have their repentance thus expressed Fifthly Because it is so lovely and venerable in the eyes of the world A Christian if he had no other engagement upon him yet for the honour of God and the credit of Religion he should do those things that are lovely and comely in themselves and so esteemed by the world for he is to glorifie God 1 Pet. 2. 12. and adorn Religion Tit. 2. 10. to represent his profession with advantage to the Consciences of men God is dishonoured by nothing so much as injustice which is so odious and hateful to men and wicked men are hardned the hopeful discouraged Atheism prevaileth Neh. 5. 9. Also I said it is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies On the contrary when we give every one their due we bring honour to God and credit to Religion you can the better hold up the profession of it against contradiction hold up head before God and man Now Justice is so lovely partly as 't is a stricture of the Image of God as before in which respect 't is said Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Men are convinced that he is a more perfect man fitter to be trusted as being one that will deal faithfully And partly because the welfare of humane Society is promoted by such things Tit. 3. 8. These things are good and profitable for men Sixthly And indeed that is my last reason it conduceth so much to the good of humane Society A Christian is a Member of a double Community of the Church and of the world the one in order to eternal life the other in order to the present life as a man and as a Christian. Without justice what would the world be but a Den of thieves Remove Iustitiam c. saith St. Augustin The world cannot subsist without Justice The Kings Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16. 10. The Nation gets honour and reputation by it abroad Prov. 13. 34. Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Never did the people of the Jews nor any other Nation whose History is come to our ears flourish so much as when they were careful and exact in maintaining righteousness And as to persons all Commerce between man and man is kept up by Justice And if this be a truth that God and not the Devil doth govern the World and distribute rewards and the blessings of this life surely then Justice which is a compliance with Gods will is the way to be exalted and to live well in the World and not lying cozening and dissembling 2. 'T is very comfortable to us to be just The comfort of righteousness is often spoken of in Scripture Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoice Whatever befalleth him good or evil much or little in life or death Good or evil if good he hath comfort in his portion because what he hath hâ—… hath by the fair leave and allowance of Gods Providence Prov. 13. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul he hath enough because he hath what God seeth fit for him he hath enough to supply his wants enough to satisfie his desires sometimes 't is much sometimes 't is little 'T is much sometimes for they are under the blessing of the promise Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayst live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Justice shalt thou follow if you will take care for that God will take care to bless you If it be little that little is better than more gotten by fraud and injustice Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right Prov. 15. 16 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Though it be but a Dinner of Herbs Psal. 37. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures of many wicked The comfort if they will stand to the Scriptures lyeth not in abundance but in Gods blessing There is more satisfaction in their small provisions than in the greatest plenty Suppose their condition be evil whatsoever evil a just man suffers he shall get some good by it living or dying and so still hath ground of comfort if scorned or neglected he hath the comfort of his innocent dealing to bear him out As Samuel when he and his house was laid aside 1 Sam. 12. 2 3. he appeals to them Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or from whose hands have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it If you are opposed and maligned you may plead against your enemies as Moses did Numb 16. 15. Respect not their offerings I have not taken an Ass from them neither have I hurt one of them You may plead thus when you are sure you have not wronged them If you are oppressed as David in the Text you may appeal to the God of your righteousness In life in death they have the comfort of their righteousness In life Deut. 16. 20. as before In death Prov. 14. 32. The righteous man hath hope in his death Isai. 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight When he is going the way of all the Earth this will be a comfort to him that he hath done no wrong but served God faithfully and lived with men without guile and deceit Oh for comforts for a dying hour Now this Comfort ariseth partly from a good Conscience and partly from the many promises of God that are made to righteousness First From peace of Conscience We are told Prov. 15. 15. That a good Conscience is a continual feast Ahasuerus made a magnificent Feast that lasted an hundred and eighty days
when in hand and in present expectation work far otherwise than they do when they are considered at a distance So when the effects of sin are looked upon as near at hand when faith makes them present then they stir up these affections in the soul. Fifthly A fifth cause is from their publick Spirit and tender respect to the common good When they wisely foresee approaching dangers they are moved with the love and care of their Countrey and this melteth them They know sin is of a destroying nature that one sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. One sinner may do his Countrey a great deal of mischief an open bold fac'd Sinner Achan troubled the whole Camp Iosh. 7. 11 12. much more when a multitude of Sinners are encreased therefore they sigh and mourn Godly men are the truest friends to their native soil they are the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Those that plead with God stand in the Gap keep off Judgments and have the most publick spirit therefore the least they can do is to sigh for it and to plead with wicked men as Tertullian Si non vis tibi parcere parce Carthagini If thou wilt go on with thy soul-destroying course and wilt not spare thy self yet spare Carthage This will be bitterness in the issue The Children of God are always of a publick Spirit David fasted for his enemies Psal. 35. Abraham prayed to God for Sodom a neighbour Countrey the godly Israelites were good friends to Babylon in their Captivity Ier. 29. 11. Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried captive and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace If nothing but their interest and share in the common rest and quietness Passengers are concerned in the welfare of the Vessel wherein they are imbarked Babylon fared the better for the Jews prayers Now more especially are their hearts carried out with a respect to their native Soil and dearest comforts therefore this melteth them to see the Land defiled with sins and ready for Judgments SERMON CLII. PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law USE 1. For reproof of two sorts of persons 1. Those that do not lay to heart their own sins Usually men make their affections to prescribe to their judgment and cavil at the fervorous exercises of Religion because unpleasant to flesh and blood To humble our selves before the Lord with a pressing sorrow seriously and indeed to rend our hearts and not our garments In this wanton and delicate Age men are apt to think I speak of a Theam obsolete and out of date as calculated for former times when men were more tender hearted if we could awaken some of the old godly professors out of their Graves as the Prophet calleth up Rachel to weep in Ramah for her Children Ier. 31. 15. then we might hope to prevail Alas to plead now for mourning over the sins of others when men think it a crime to mourn for their own this is like to be lost labour Were this the humour only of ungodly Wretches it might be born with silence and patience but those that would be taken for Christians of the highest form are altogether prejudiced against such Doctrines as this Men would be honeyed and oyled with Grace and distaste the wholesome discipline of repentance as too severe They cry out we are legal How may the poor Ministers of the Gospel go to God and say as Moses did Exod. 6. 12. The Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me The Professors of Religion will not brook such Doctrine and how shall we hope to prevail with the poor blind carnal world To scoff at Doctrines of repentance and humiliation was once a badg of prophaneness many now adopt it into their Religion But be not deceived the Gospel doth not take away the Conscience of sin It may take away the fear of Hell and damnation upon right terms The heart of flesh is a promise and the spirit of Grace is a promise or mourning apart is a promise You that say that justified persons must no more mourn for sin you may as well say they shall no longer have an heart of flesh or a spirit of Grace and supplications that they shall no longer have a tender Conscience Be not deceived there must be some time to weep for your own sins as Peter went out and wept bitterly Sorrow must have its turn in the Christian life I would press it upon you by this Argument You cannot be sorrowful for others sins unless you be first sorrowful for your own sins Grief must begin at home there where you have the advantage of Conscience and inward remorse 'T is hypocrisie to pitch upon other mens sins and neglect our own as some will zealously declaim against publick disorders yet neglect their own hearts as the crafty Lapwing will go up and down fluttering and crying to draw the Fowler from her own Nest. We have a nest of sin of our own and we are loth it should be rifled and exposed to publick view 2. It reproveth them that in times of publick defection never take care to mourn over Gods dishonour We complain and murmure under our Judgments but do not weep over our sins every person and family apart Whether it be out of negligence and carnal security or out of distaste and displeasure against the conduct of present affairs we seem to have lost our publick affections and can only wonder at the Children of God in former times since they were so broken and tender To many that would now go for Professors this Doctrine seemeth a Riddle a mere strain of wit and fancy like a precept wire-drawn or elevated beyond its pitch and tenour But in the fear of God consider what hath been spoken There are many abuses in our reflections upon the sins of others Wicked men are quite otherwise disposed they do not only do evil themselves but take pleasure in those that do so Rom. 1. 32. would be glad that sin were more common that it might be less odious and then there would be none to put them to the blush Prov. 2. 14. It is said they rejoyce to do evil and delight in the frowardness of the wicked So the Prophet speaks of some corrupt men in the Priesthood They eat up the sin of my people and they set their heart on their iniquity Hos. 4. 8. God had appointed those that served at the Altar should live of the Altar have a proportion of those Offerings Now they flattered them in their sins so they might have meat and get a portion of the Sacrifices Many that would be accounted Ministers care not for the sins of the people but think the less serious men are in Religion the better they can work them to their private advantages and have more respect among them Then there are some
over your thoughts that the best and dearest of them you can imploy for God with great Fervency and Continuance other matters do not find better welcom nor so easily justle them out of doors By all this it appears 't is a most profitable duty Doctrine II. That a gracious heart will take all occasions to set itself a-work on holy things and sometimes in the Night David did frequently rowse up himself in the Night to solace his Soul with thoughts of God this was a frequent and cheerful exercise and imployment to him First I shall prove this argueth a gracious frame of Spirit Secondly Shew you some Reasons why we should meditate sometimes in the Night First It argueth a gracious frame of Heart to take all occasions to set our minds a-work on holy things for there are three things in it 1. Plenty of Divine Knowledge the Heart is well stocked and can entertain it self without help from abroad Psal. 16. 7. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season He had laid up a great deal of truth in his Reins or inward parts and when sleep fled from his eyes out it came So Prov. 6. 21. Bind them continually upon thy heart and tye them about thy neck to be always ready and present with us 'T is an excellent thing to have a good treasure in our hearts Matth. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Many a mans heart is stuffed with vanity and then he is vain in his thoughts and vain in his discourses and vain in his actions yea the Word of God doth not dwell in him richly Col. 3. 16. Then your thoughts are very scant and barren as he that hath more brass farthings in his pocket then Gold or Silver will more easily pull them out at every turn Our leanness of soul and difficulty to Meditate cometh from the want of a stock of Knowledge 2. It argueth Spiritual delight and strong love Psal. 1. 2. But his delight is in the law of God and in that lawdoth he meditate day and night Did we find such Comfort as David did we would break our sleep for that end He that delights in the Word is much Conversant in it for ubi amor ibi animus All the time his necessities can spare he will spend it in these private and spiritual exercises Many mens time hangs upon their hands they do not know how to spend the Summer day nor the Winter night but one that hath a strong Affection to holy things he rather wants time such is his solace and delight in God He beginneth his heaven upon earth and all the time he can get he is spending this way but if we find no such comfort and repose of Soul in Meditation no wonder that we are so averse from it Our thoughts follow our Affections delight will set the mind a-work when others are sleeping securely he mindeth his Salvation 3. It argueth sincerity Psal. 17. 3. Thou hast proved mine heart thou hast visited me in the night thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing In the night when darkness concealeth me from the eyes of men then I exercise my self in spiritual thoughts Many put on Religion as a disguise in the day in publick actions they personate a Zeal and act a devout part but that is to be sincere when God hath a great share in our closest privacies and retirement Secondly Sometimes take the Night as a special occasion Psal. 63. 6. When I remembred thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Psal. 77. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night There is a double help for Meditation in the Night 1. Solitude then we are alone and therefore fittest to Meditate when no body disturbs us 2. The silence of the night is also an help when nothing is heard or seen to distract attention Use. What Use shall we make of this We cannot lay a burden upon your Consciences and by way of absolute necessity exact these Nocturnal Meditations from you only in the General 1. As much as our strength and natural necessities will permit we should be meditating Night and Day it may be a shame to us that many Tradsmen are up afore day to follow their callings and that they should excel us The Christians had their morning Hymns to Christ in the times of Persecution 2. We may press you to the Affection though not to the Season to be stored with good matter and to have a strong delight in this work and sincerity to make Conscience of private Duties 3. If we wake in the Night and our rest is broken off then to exercise our selves in holy thoughts many times it falleth out that we cannot sleep now we should spend the time in Meditation and prayer not in vain thoughts or entertaining our selves with carnal musings or perplexing and anxious thoughts about the troubles that we are under 4. If David waked in the night how much are they to blame that snort and sleep in the day even in the time of Worship when others are entertaining Communion with God surely if they had earnest Affections this could not always be The Example of Eutychus should deter these Act. 20. And there sate in the window a young man named Eutychus being faln into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead Matth. 26. 40. What could not ye watch with me one hour Doctrine III. That Meditation of the Promises is very seasonable when the answer of our Prayers is denied For this is very powerful to support our fainting hopes and to cheer and revive our drooping spirits There is support in the Word and comfort in the Word therefore we should much Meditate on the Promises at such a time The best holdfast that we have of God is by his Promise Whatsoever his dispensations be this will give satisfaction enough though you cannot find what you would his word is certain though no appearance of performance his Word is sure enough to fasten upon The grounds of Faith are more sweet and satisfactory the more they are examined and lookt upon SERMON CLXVII PSALM CXIX VER 149. Hear my voice according to thy loving-kindness O Lord quicken me according to thy judgment IN these Words you have I. Davids Prayer II. The grounds of his support or his Incouragements in asking I. His Prayer is double 1. General for Audience Hear my voice 2. Particular for Quickening Quicken me II. His Incouragements and grounds of Confidence in asking are also two 1. Gods Loving-kindness 2. His Judgment Both together imply the Loving-kindness of God manifested in the Word or expressed and ingaged in the Promises The Points are Three Doctrine I. One Blessing which the Children of God do see a need often and earnestly to ask of God is